"Hope that tiefling is doing all right, heh."

(Rolled a 22)

"I've already encountered one fey being today, and seen the instability between realms. Do you mean to say we should expect more of the same? What can we do about it?" Macario thinks of Inra, the stressed tabaxi who seems to be carrying too much already, and Argos, the elf that Inra had brought for the same reasons she'd brought him. They must all be connected through this somehow. If he was the key, what did that make them? 

@Argos

The stairs it seemed are all fine. They were actually perfectly normal. Hm weird a second ago it looked strange. Maybe it was the heat getting to you. Oh wait- the avalanche. What's been happening with that?

As soon as you make your downstairs, you again end up in the lobby. This time with everyone a bit more frantic. In fact some people are running around. Inra is there standing on the lounge chairs trying to calm everyone down. A graying and tired looking tabaxi sits in the background. "It's okay! It's okay, everybody! It was just an earthquake. We get those every time- sometimes- in the summer. Nothing to worry about hahah." She looks so much unsure herself. Good thing you can't see sweat from under her fur. She'd be soaking right now. People, elves, humans, tabaxi of all sorts are surrounding her, complaining.

"I want a refund! This stay has been so awful!"

"Your roof nearly collapsed on my son's head!"

"The waterfall is too cold today!"  "Wha- what? How is that my fault?"

"The music and ambiance here is terrible!"

The upper lip of Inra's mouth twitches. "Yes. Yes I know! But look. Please calm down. We couldn't stop anything here. It was literally a force of nature. On Dinesa's Day no less. I think I might start the show tonight early."

"Oh no here's she gonna talk about Dinesa." A gruff looking tabaxi comes from out of the crowd. He looks to be of the tabby cat sort. His voice is gravely and rough. "You always do this. It's just a dumb holiday. There's nothing to it more than that."

"Ralph, you're our valued guest. I- I don't-"

"I come to this hotel every weekend for a relaxing stay and whenever you come you always muck it up!" Inra stands there stunned. Elias has shoved his face behind the back of a book and is sneaking away towards the back. 

"No, yeah he's right! This hotel would be much better without your show. It's only because of the good food we come! ... And sometimes the kids like.... your magic tricks..." Says the mother from the couple earlier.

"Yeah! It blows! I can do those types of tricks with my eyes closed."

Everyone else starts to come up and share their own insults at her as Inra tugs on her cloak with nothing more to say. 

@Macario

At the mentioning of the fey, the voice responds. "That means there is no going back."

"Life has always been a cycle. It was the two of us. But things did not go the way it should." You start to feel lighter like floating among the waves. "Would you like to hear a story, my dear?"

"I do not think you may have heard of this one."

"There was once a man. A human man. One of the most intelligent humans on the planet. He had everything. He was rich and well loved. But he did not know that and wanted more."

"He thought that in life, people hated him, so he pushed them away. Angry and alone, he decided to outsmart Life. Outlive Death."

"Dinesa thought he needed help. As another outcast, she saw herself in him. He tried to appeal to her. And he did. It just would take everything away from him. It transformed him. Aye, but it was not of her doing. She only taught him how it works. He told everyone of this new way. And he soon gathered a following."

"The Infernal lineage."

"This was when the Earth was young. When the volcanoes were rampant. The world devoid of much air. When we-" 

"Tried to stop him."

"We do not create monsters. They create themselves."

The voice it thinks and stops for a second, like a wave gently washing over you. "I see myself in you. I do not wish for the same thing to happen."

"I want you to know you are right. You are doing good."

"I want to give you choice."

(Idk why but I pictured Ralph as Garfield-)

Argos scratched his head, wondering what was going on.

He snickered a bit on the waterfall comment. "Howthatworks-"

He spectated the scene, to get more clarification for it.

He kind of felt bad for her when the insults came on.

He decided to pipe up. "If you guys can make a better show, prove it." He then proceeded to shut his mouth with his hands realizing what he'd said, hoping over the chatter nobody heard him, pretty dumb thing to do, even for him...

Macario closes his eyes as the story washes over him, forming shapes and pictures in his mind as the goddess shares the tale. A tale of warning, perhaps. 

"A choice?"

@Argos

((lol YEAH HE'S BASED ON GARFIELD))

"Hrm?" Inra's head turns to the familiar voice that is you, "Argos-?" She cracks a genuinely warm smile.

Before she can really say anything a bunch more voices and people start to hound you. Specifically Ralph goes up to you with his chest puffed up real high. His orange matted tail swishes side to side as he confronts you. "Why would we even want a better show? It's always the same thing every year!" His clawed finger points right at you.

"Well if it is the same thing, why don't we change it?" Another voice interjects.

"Oh yeah right. Wait- no! I don't even want it. Listen here, the food stinks. The masks and lights are just plain stupid. How is supposed to be an 'mascarade party' if the show's fun and games for children."

"But- um I guess. But then you should just not go then..."

"And! The party never turns out right. It's a mess and then there's all those pranks right after. Every year it's the same same exact thing. We should just get rid of it."

"No- I-"

"If anything half your shows- what is it your biannual tour- looks like a child could do it. I've seen better from my niece."

"Yeah I can!"

"Wha-?"

Suddenly an explosion of Dancing Lights appear in the lobby. Red, green, whites, and blues fly out in a sporadic direction without any notion. It makes for a real dazzlingly display (if you like surprises and loud bangs). "Ta-da!" Shouts somebody. It's a very high pitched voice. Almost nasally.

Oh no. It's that kid who stepped on your foot earlier. Nooo why is she here?

But just as soon as that surprise came another. With that explosion (albeit mild), came the jostling of doors and some of the windows to fly open. A huge burst of cold air blows through as most people take cover. "Oh my Gods!" The lobby is covered in thick white fluffy snow.

((Please do an acrobatics check to see if you didn't get covered in snow ehhehe))

@Macario

"The choice... not to be like me."

"I have spent my whole afterlife trying to do over those I made when I first came. But no one should live life - or non-life- attempting to cover up mistakes. It only piles. One after the other." The words feel like the drizzle down onto you.

"You are torn, are you not? Between your duties?"

"To save others? And honor Death? But yes, my dear, you are doing right. Decay is as much a part of life as life is a part of death. It is something I wish Intsannah would learn."

"He never listens." The voice feels like a bit icy. "I think you have done well, Macario. I give you my blessing." A warm current flows over you, head to toe. It is turbulence. Wave-like energy. Tossing and turning you, expect you never fall down.

((Level 3!!!))

"I need you to find the child."

(Why Harold was so savage to poor ol Mr Krabs lol xd)

(diddly darn!)

(I don't trust that 7 I got o//o)

((RIGHT RIGHT?! hghgh I once saw a video about spongebob characters being ruthless also I like how you knew Harold by name oh my god))

@Argos

7 < DC 15 Save  A Fail 

You are covered in the fluffy white snow and you have to crawl your way. Digging out through the snow at first feels impossible. Every time you carve, it falls back on top of you. You are at least two feet under. Struggling even harder, you scratch at it even more. You can't breathe-

"Hey you need help?" A small voice asks. You do not recognize it. Squinting, you can't see anything from up above you just hear the hand scrapping at the snow. Sometime later you see a hand extending out from the cleared out circle above you. 

Do you take it?

Macario flexes his hands for a moment, feeling the rush of power from his goddess as she bestows her blessing upon him, before looking back up and chancing a step forward into the otherworldly realm that surrounds him as he speaks once more. “Thank you my lady. But of what child do you speak?”

[[ Sick! Do I get short/long rest effects with the level up? I know DMs sometimes handle that differently. ]]

@Macario

((AYYYYYY!!! You get long rest effects!!! the relaxing waves of death oof ))

"No need to thank me. You are the gift onto yourself."

The world seems to glimmer and shine as you accept your gift. The howls from outside the Feywild grow and intensify. You feel lighter now. More assured.

"I think you'll know." 

Then the world goes dark. And every consuming darkness surrounds one. But do not be afraid. The weight here, is the same on you bore all those years ago in the ruins. Like a weighted blanket it collapses. 

There is nothing there. A void. Devoid and empty.

But then you reach out. And it is seared into your mind. It is white. Like ashen snow. The patterns come clear to you know. Yes. Encircled dots. Wait- is that- fur?

Snow leopard. Snow leopard-like prints.

A tabaxi.

But whiskers. And 9 tails. Spread out like a fan before you.

You hear laughter coming from all occasions. 

It is a child.

You think... you think you might know this. And you might- you might have seen them...

in the lobby.

"Are you ready." The voice beckons you forth from the void. It is less a question than a statement.

Macario feels the weight of the magic settle around him, a sensation that would be frightening to most but is like an old friend to him. Understanding the goddess’s question to be more of a statement, not begging a reply, he simply steels himself and steers his consciousness back towards the world of the living. Towards his responsibility. Towards the child. 

"Dammit get me out of here!" Argos said. (Hes accepting the help)

(I know some spongebob incidentals by name and idk why xd)

 @Macario

"Ah."

"You are."

You feel that drizzle rain on you, except this time it is hot and sticky. Like the rain during a summer heatwave. It drops off you like honey.

The creatures from the Fey realm hoot and holler. The colors shine and bubble out in burst. Then it all goes quiet. 

Like a pond it ripples forth but with mirror like intensity. You see you. Past and Present, and Future, not quite. From when you were younger to where you are know it spans out in a line like a stretch of time. And then it falters.

You arrive back into the lobby in one quick 'glug' like you've stepped in a pile of mud. Oh wait- this is actually

Wet snow. You somehow ended up behind the receptionist desk, lying on top of said slush. Gross.

@Argos

((no way do you watch btan?! broo the algorithm is recommitting me so many of his videos))

With the flick of a wrist, somehow you know that this person is agreeing to help you. You grab onto it.

From the darkness of the little hole you've dug yourself into (well technically, the snow buried you into it and you dug yourself out), you spy a little hand. It has managed to scrape through all the snow. You reach out and grab for it- and wait is it furry? The now dimmed light from the lobby obscures the rest of the features, but it is clear to you it is white. You feel the soft fuzz brush against your skin as it tugs you forth. You flop out into the snow in a big heave.

You made it out! You are on top a large pile of snow. No one else seems to be in the lobby. From the lumps underneath it seems many of them might be trapped in the snow? Or is it just lobby furniture? There are no sounds to be discerned. Not even can you spot Inra who was just standing on top of a table minutes ago.

But wait- the big thing is.

Where did that hand go. You are completely alone.

Macario slowly stands, brushing off what snow he can and adding dry clothes to his mental list of things he’d like to grab from his room before taking on any more monsters. He looks around for any other people and for the source of all the snow in the lobby. [[ Perception 19 ]]

@Macario

((heheh))

The windows and doors of the entrance to the lobby are flung open. Outside- you can't even see. Whatever lies beyond the window is blocked from your vision by a wall of white.

The whole entire room is covered in snow. It is thick fluffy white snow. Surprisingly only the area behind the reception desk is slushy. It must have become that way once you dropped in. Probably because of Sesisah's magic or something. You don't even see Elias either. He must have ran off somewhere. Neither do you spot Inra or her grandfather. In fact the room is entirely empty except for a few lumps which you discern are likely the lounge furniture. But where is everybody?

The only person you see... is Argos.

Argos grabbed the hand, saying thank you mentally many times, even when the hand is fluffy!

As Argos got out to see nobody, he hits his head a bit. "Maybe the snow hasn't gotten out of my head yet..."

Argos looked àround but chooses to stay still, just in case of he accidentally walks onto snow that isnt strong enough to hold him. 

"Argos!" Macario yells across the lobby, beginning to make his way through the highly piled snow towards the elf he had met earlier that morning. "What happened down here? Where is everyone? We need to meet with Inra immediately."

Argos heard his name and turned to the source.

"I have no idea! I think something opened and snow got in! I thought some fluffy paw saved me but turns out it was nothing!"

He slowly blinks once Irna is mentioned and dismisses that. "I'm sure she's fine!"

“Yeah, I’m not too worried about her, but there are important things in motion that involve all of us. We should stick together until we can figure out what needs to happen next.” Macario turns and walks towards the ballroom. 

@Argos and Macario

Opening the door into the ballroom would have been a struggle had it been a 'pull' door due to all the snow blocking it. Fortunately enough for you it is a push (unfortunately for the hotel that is a fire hazard and they should get that fixed. Though now that they've had a 'snow' hazard maybe they should not). The snow falls down from behind you as you push it open. The room inside is barely visible. It is indeed pitch black. The faint lights of the chandelier have been completely snuffed out. 

Except, however... Argos (with his 60ft of darkvision) can make out a pile of 200 or so masquerade masks in the center of the ballroom. They are all made of a fuzzy black velvet with a feather on top. Their eyeholes seem to have a swirl black void in them. It is like staring in a funhouse mirror with them. It causes an uneasy sensation in you. And Argos, you start to feel slightly dizzy. 

Suddenly you both hear a shuffle of feet. You both can not see it is too far away. But you hear it. The moving of the curtains being drawn back from the stage, and from out of the shadows, as a bugbear do, comes out said specified bugbear. Unbeknownst to you, this is Brodir. He has just been pulled here.

And with that the doors slam behind you.

@Brodir (blackcat 31102) - you may introduce yourself!

You suddenly were warped here from wherever you were and have been promptly placed on stage. You have no idea how you got hear or did you have any knowledge of why. You just are.