Heritage

Maybe good for Lulu's return?

Lulu had learned about Maybelle McQueen and her restaurant not long after she arrived in Freedom; a quick Google search under 'best Southern cooking near me' placed the Southern Queen right at the top of the page. Just scanning the menu online made the Alabama girl's stomach gurgle, but once she found out she was not just a hero but a publicly out one made her nervous about visiting the establishment. Somehow she imagined it being extremely awkward, so she kept putting off her visit. But then one day while perusing Hero House, she saw Queenie was doing an AMA; at last, she could had a chance to ask the Southern-born heroine some real questions.

Boom. Jumping on this bandwagon ??

Somehow or other, Lynn had gotten through the holidays on her own. Yes, she had loving family and many friends, but the separation between herself and Gretchen was painfully acute. They exchanged gifts through the mirrors, hugged and even kissed (quick, bird-like pecks), but it was still stiff and awkward. Anyways! As part of her attempt to move forward, she'd started taking a more active interest in her social media presence, which used to be more Gretch's department. This led to her curling up tonight in her big oversized leather chair in her office, a cup of chamomile tea and a sticky bun on her desk as she began to type on her computer keyboard.

Crystal-Gazer (1) Hi, Guys. I'm Queenie. Ask me Anything. (1)  Grimalkin (1) [Maxed] Greetings! I'm Grimalkin. Ask Me Anything. (1)  Miracle Girl ()  Shrike ()  All points for Grimalkin go to Shrike

Hi guys. So it's my first week back at grad school, and lo and behold, I'm already a bit behind on my reading. I can easily catch up as long as I dedicate myself to it for the rest of the week, but this has brought a stark realization to me: school has to be my top priority for the next year and a half, and I can't let anything else get in the way of that, so I think it's smartest if I take a short break. I do feel that I should be able to come back hopefully in a week or so once I have things better under my control and have returned to some sense of self discipline, but in past semesters, I have let things slide to a dangerous degree, and I need to nip this in the bud now. I sincerely apologize to any GMs or players who's threads I'm in; feel free to knock my characters out, mind control them, NPC them, basically anything short of killing them outright. I wouldn't do this if I didn't think it was super important. I'll try and pop into chat from time to time to say hi, but otherwise I bid you all a fond but very temporary adieu ? ?

Initiative: 1d20+12=22 Will save vs Fear: 1d20+10=12 Will save vs Confusion: 1d20+10=17 Eek.

Might just be be best to move things forward.

Lulu felt her heart flutter a bit as the young man took her hand and helped her out of the Land Rover; she knew it meant nothing, as he was just a servant doing his job, but it evoked an age of chivalry and gentlemanly behavior, and she couldn't help but be moved. "Thank you," she murmured with a shy smile as her cheeks went a bit pink. She fought the urge to grab her own bags, which was a constant battle; the Harrows lived in a world where people took care of your baggage. Shouldering up her PINK backpack, she dutifully followed the rest of the group into the great old house, doing her best not to stare at literally everything.

Crystal-Gazer (1) Christmas with the Harrows (1)  Grimalkin (0) [Maxed]  Miracle Girl (0)  Shrike (0)

Mind Reading is the AP of Communication, so I'm pretty sure I can't use them at the same time. Mind Reading to learn as much as possible about the 'coven' and what they summoned.

Not that she liked to brag, but Lulu Beaumont knew she was killing it tonight; she wore an emerald green evening gown that perfectly accented her pale skin and red hair, which she was currently wearing up. It took all her effort not to giggle like, well, a high school girl as she followed Robert and Megan (who both looked amazing!) toward the entrance. Giving in to temptation, she lightly swept her mind across the thoughts of those inside the walls, like a giant hand petting a cat, and it filled her with the dizzy buzz of music, dancing, alcohol and flirtation. Not too different from most of the get-togethers she'd attended back home in Alabama, though the overall sense of refinement was a touch more elevated. Oh Lord, this is gonna be fun! Wait, can I drink here? I think I can get drunk! But not too drunk; it would be wrong to make my foster parents look bad, even overseas. Best to just get a sweet buzz on, and ride that out for the night.

Lynn's graceful eyebrows elevated just a hair as her eyes lit up in recognition. "Ah! Miss Witchblood, I presume? As I stated on the phone, while that is in fact an item we currently have in stock, for certain items we require..." And here, the changeling clucked her head from side to side. "A private consultation. I can assure you, such a consultation would be required for any customer interested in such a purchase, and is in no way reflection on you." She gestured towards a door marked 'Manager'. "Would you join me? if you'd like a complimentary beverage from the espresso bar, I can happily have something sent in."

Ah, gotcha I need to do some kind of roll on Lulu's Telepathy, right?

The redheaded psychic finally managed to sit up, looking around blearily, her sweat-soaked hair all in disarray. "Did ah get the sumbitch? Ah sure hope so, 'cause that took a lot out of me." She allowed herself to be lead back to the table, where the sight of piles of candy and bottles of soda suddenly made her ravenous. "Oh my Lord; where's a Snickers? Momma needs a bit of protein!" She quickly tore open the wrapper of a Fun Sized treat and wolfed it down with a swig of Coke, giving herself a massive sugar rush. Staring over at the unconscious Sam as she munched on peanuts and nougat, she shrugged. "Probably safe to go back in now, right? Now that we kicked out the noisy neighbors?" And with that, she did a deep dive into the boy's memory, prepared to bat aside whatever ridiculous sexual fantasies awaited her as she tried to gather as much intel on the stupid little cabal and its disastrous ritual as she could.

Random question, who is the Sophie Salvo is referring to?

The blonde heroine couldn't help but shake her head and grin at the sight of her duplicate; no doubt about it, Daphne was a pretty awesome friend to have! "Alright, here we go; wish me luck!" Casey leaned in to give Casey2 a quick peck on the cheek, then disappeared in a rush of air. Seconds later, Miracle Girl flew into the hall from outside, hair blowing slightly in an unseen wind as she glowed like the Sun. She floated in the air with her arms crossed, glaring at Daphne's doppelganger. Her stern expression brooked no argument. "Excuse me, miss. Can we step outside and talk?"

Casey's hard-bitten cynicism (such as it was) quickly evaporated once her eyes fell upon the glory that was the Ledger Building, and she felt her heart skip a beat. "Oh my gosh, it's so beautiful!" Despite know it was wrong, she began to scan the structure with her x-ray vision, eager to peel back the outer shell to spy on the busy bees within, and the Ledger did not disappoint. Floor after floor of staff writers working hard at their desks, working the phones as they multitasked to check their sources as they typed. The blonde heroine practically skipped as she followed along behind Dancia, feeling like a little kid again.

Lulu Beaumont had been in a giddy state of shock pretty much since their flight left New York, and she had to keep from grinning like an idiot at all times. She'd grown up in Columbia, a town of some six hundred people in rural Alabama; it had three churches, three fireworks stands, a Piggly Wiggly, a Dollar General and a True Value hardware store. On those rare occasions she flew, it was typically via Southwest Airlines, where you sat in a cramped coach seat between two people, and you were happy to get a can of Coke and a packet of peanuts. British Airways first class was like something out of a dream. Clothes shopping in Knightsbridge made her feel like Julia Roberts or Anne Hathaway. At times it was such Disney Channel Original Movie fantasy that she didn't know if she should laugh or cry, so she frequently did both, though she did her best to do so when she thought no one was watching. And now they approaching the ancestral home of Robert's family, and of course it was something out of Pride & Prejudice. Lulu discovered that at some point, your brain just shuts down and you are no longer capable of being amazed; you just sit there with a vague, dreamy smile on your face, and float along. "It looks...nice," was all she could manage.

How far away is Lulu from the others?

He was trying to do something, to all of their minds. Lulu could sense it, but the wall of her will was too strong for this pathetic worm from Hell to push through, and the young telepath swatted aside his attack with contempt. They didn't have time for this; something told her there was a lot more to this then one minor demon squeezing its way through a protective circle. No, this vile little turd worked for someone, a master with a slick tongue and a lot more resources to draw upon, and the sooner they knocked this critter out of Sid's skull, the better it would be for everyone. The redhead took a long deep breath through her nostrils, held it for a count of three and then slowly let it out as she felt her mind become more focused, sharp like a blade of steel. There was an unfamiliar weight to this 'blade', and she could almost picture herself cradling its cold fury in her hands. Tilting her head downward, she peered at the possessed boy, her eyes flashing with rage and determination as her whole body became taut; in the good Lord's name, she would strike down this demon and send it screaming all the way back to Hell! She screamed, but her mortal cry was nothing compared to the howl that rang through the psychic plane as the blade came crashing down. "Ah said, get out of that boy's head!" -GET OUT OF HIS HEAD!- And with that, Lulu suddenly collapsed to the floor, drenched in sweat and panting with effort, shivering from cold and exhaustion.

Can and will do!

For dramatic effect, can she use Extra Effort for the reroll and not spend the HP to avoid Fatigue? It seems appropriate for a heroine pushing herself and discovering a new power. Edit: Wait, I didn't actually roll. as it's a Perception range attack. if I do need to roll something, let me know!

Lulu is going in for the smackdown finishing move, activating her new Mental Blast alternate power for the first time! The DC Block wasn't updated for some reason, but it should be a DC 20 Will save vs Damage [Mental].

Christmas was...a complicated time of year for Lynn Epstein, owner and operator of Silberman's Books, because it impacted her in several different ways. As a practicing Reformed Jew, the day itself meant very little, other then a day off, Chinese food and a trip to the movies. However, there was an unusual Christmas Eve tradition within her otherwise Jewish existence, and that was dinner and gifts at her Uncle Sid's house in Brigantine, just outside of Atlantic City. Lynn's father was half-Italian and his side of the family was very Catholic despite their misleading name, which led to lots of confusion growing up. It had taken years for Lynn's mom to make peace with it, but now it was a beloved aspect of all their lives. However as a retailer, Christmas was a big deal for Lynn, and the store's busiest time of the year (though Halloween was a close second, largely due to her own efforts). So there were decorations and lights and oh dear God, the music, but at least sales were always good. The store smelled like peppermint, cinnamon, wreaths and hot cocoa, and all the smells were delightful and intoxicating. And lastly as a Fae, well, Christmas was still about magic, no matter how hard traditional Western religion tried to scrub it all away. Happy Wiccans bought their Yule supplies, candles sold like hotcakes, and most importantly, Lynn got to wear her hair up and show off her lovely pointed elfin ears. Add a pair of festive reindeer horns, an ugly Christmas sweater and a pair of green tights, and the mischievous changeling practically sparkled. And if she occasionally gave into temptation and snuck out a bit of glamour here and there, people would smile, shake their heads and blame the Christmas spirit. Lynn flitted about the store as though she could still grow wings, balanced on tiptoe, head cocked to one side as she listened to a customer's request, nodding thoughtfully with her hands behind her back as she tried to make each customer's dream come true. She couldn't always, but at least she could guarantee a few amazing Yelp reviews for her efforts. So it was this doe-eyed sprite who came to a stop before the crimson-skinned Jessica; she pursued her lips slightly as she took in her skin tone, generous curves and pleasant demeanor, then she nodded to herself as a warm smile spread across her impish face. "Welcome to Silberman's Books! My name's Lynn; what can I help you find today?"