Coal:Session/3 King of the Coal Ticks

← Prev: Coal:Session/2 Wyl vs Stairs, round 2   |   Next: Coal:Session/4 Illegal Pamphlets →

Starring: Stoat-at-Neck, Namèd Lastnamè, Efrey
Guest Starring: Samarina Antonova, Katerina Wildwhite, Steve Crowface
Challenge: Coal ticks; Breaking into Administrator's office in the Coalspire; Bringing loot back from Coalspire
Location: Coalspire; Makeshift warehouse in Furnace Row
Date Played: 17 July 2025

Breaking into the Administrator's office in Coalspire

Efrey: Samarina reminds me of the kinds of self-made-kings I'd tussle with back in the South. They've got a few lackeys who help them hold a handful of blocks, maybe a neighborhood, and think they're king of the world. Samarina is a bit higher up the food chain than that, but the logic is the same. Still, I don't mind the work- which sends us back into Coalspire to hunt up some documents and relics from the Administrator's office. And his name's a doozy- "Malcinder the Crowned Desolation". Different times, different places. His office is warded and we're marked with magical fire. I'm getting sloppy, I suppose- I haven't fallen for a trap like that since I was a kid.

Getting loot back from Coalspire without being noticed

Efrey: Being a glowing "I stole things" sign makes getting back quietly hard. Hard, but not impossible. The rule was that we were to keep one item from the Coalspire and give the rest to Samarina, but I don't like Samarina and I do like the ability to see through walls. So I steal from our boss. I'm not entirely sure how to make it work out well- that it lets you be seen is a challenge.

Offered a job by House Avenholt Freight & Iron

Efrey: But all this means the people think we're thieves, which isn't precisely true. Well, I am. But Samarina doesn't know that. She hooks us up with Katerina over at Avenholt, and Katerina wants us to track down some agitators and rabblerousers so she can put a stop to it.

Well, we'll certainly track down those folks. We certainly will. Stopping it, on the other hand?

Namèd Lastnamè

My dreams continue to confound me. There is an underlying capitalism theme that runs rampant over everything. Every aspect of my mind seems concerned with making money and survival. This is both a positive and negative. Obviously it is healthy that all of me is invested in continuing survival. No sign of suicidal tendencies then. I am concerned that I may be showing materialistic tendencies.

I am afraid my opinion of how others see me has not improved. The woman who came to offer us work was dismissive of me. Not rude exactly, but somewhat distant. Even in dreams I seem to make others unsettled. Perhaps I need more social therapy.

Anyway, more exploration and retrieval in the mysterious tower from before. Is this a sign of self discovery or awareness? Deeper exploration in dreams may be a sign that I am seeking to better understand myself.

In the tower, all aspects of my mind were assailed by tiny insects that steal heat. Some manifestation of how small annoyances can make you cold to others? I am unsure of the symbolism. Either way I mastered them by focusing my mind. They recognized me as their king! This is either a very healthy sign of controlling the small irritations in my life or a troubling delusion of grandeur. I will have to ask the doctors upon awakening. This dream has lasted much longer than I expected, but time is subjective in dreams.

My other aspects were able to find the desired items and then retrieved me. They did not, however, allow me to keep my new "subjects." Perhaps that is for the best. If it is a delusion of grandeur, no need to encourage it.

After my time in the tower my skin would glow for quite some time. I thought it was a sign of improvement in my fear of extreme darkness. Rubbing myself with coal dust extended the glow. Turning darkness into light certainly seemed to be a sign to me!

Stoat the manifestation of my physical impulses seemed disgusted by this however. Calling it a curse and a sign of sin. They buried me up to my neck in soil until the glow faded. I wonder at the lesson they were trying to teach me. Perhaps it was a gentle reminder that reliance on substances to overcome fear is only a crutch and not true growth? Even if the substance was coal dust and not a medicine, the lesson applies.

During my immobile time I amused myself as best I could. As anything is possible in a dream I taught a spider to dance. It was highly amusing to see! Unfortunately the other parts of me did not seem to find it as entertaining. Perhaps the body I inhabit in the dream is my creativity or whimsy. That would explain the lackluster response.

I was happy that they decided on honest work versus the offer of overlooked theft. Perhaps my moral compass is stronger than I thought. I look forward to learning more about myself as the dream continues.

Raw Notes

level up. administrator's office: "unauthorized access is death" sign locked door

broken key named, lord of the coalticks efrey gets through vent that stoat tracks down Inside massive, plush, oppulent room with treasure BUST: Malcinder the Crowned Desolation purple-green glowing flames (harmless?) opens door as coyote fire counts as "signs of sin", it lingers on efrey as leaving the room efrey ransacks the room

find 3x treasures take time to ransack drag back, along with a moose get there -- some challenges on the way (scare guards, move logs...)

Efrey names fluid: "it's something druidic" -- avoids are "snake stones" nagamani

Stoat changes relationship with Named from Deep curiosity [egging on] to Growing doubts [irritation] Gets Named buried for a while to work toward resolving curse

Efrey goes to someone "I've surived over 100 curses" and has evidence/remnants of it. Chimiarically "crow tengu" vertically (born human) surprisingly young for having so many curses Steve Crowface Cursed to draw curses to him. -- sineater but for curses

A COUPLE OF WEEKS INTERLUDE Samarina arrives. "Rumors about you -- you're some kind of thieves, broke into somewhere." Tried to rob the blacksmith. Get into Skarnheim.

Get in touch with Katarina Wildwhite (House Avenholt Freight & Iron) controls all rail shipment in and out meet her at a warehouse [address] tomorrow

I carouse to overhear rumors about Katarina/Avenholt: * She's off-putting * Albino, pink eyes * Eerie to be around * Painfully thin * Knows that she is intimidating * Quiet firm demeanor * "Otherworldly energy" Avenholt rumors: * Uniquely desperate for coal because they had dispute with charcoal burner's guild * Rumors that they undercut freight rates to maintain near monopoly.

Messy: I go on a rant all night... [X] Wits

"I was told you're good at private work." Pamphlets: Free & Independent Skarnheim "The Iron Lanterns" they stopped dissemination of these independent movements "Find who is printing these pamphlets, report back. Do not route out." "I will arrange to make you guard the next shipment." -> Implication of SKIM OFF THE TOP. -> Market District patrol for a month (pays well) -> Talk to 2nd Lieutenant Pine I did tell her that we couldn't promise discretion.

Notes

• Named was the "king of the coal ticks"
• Efrey and Named are covered in Faerie Fire for breaking into the administrator's office.
• Named was buried to his neck to "get rid of the sin" by Stoat.
• Efrey secretly kept the Ring of Piercing Gaze.