Welcome at the Witch House

[Ellaria Undertow]

She hums a golden sound, perfectly in tune. Conceding to the truth of it, "I suppose I expect better of those who claim monarchy.” At tell of Circe’s actions Ellaria laughs, "Is this King still around? Should I also look him in the eye and smile - just to check for breath of course.” she finishes a devilish smirk.

"I suppose I’ll have to go on a quest to see who else has such wonderful taste.” Taking another swig of her broth, "It is an easy short hand. “ She puts several more strips into the broth, "You would think…maybe his Escape tore that away from him.” her gaze turns contemplative.

After a while of ripping and tearing and dunking in broth, to tasting of the spoils, she says, "It’s not that I doubt your word, I just think, I’ll have to see it to believe it.”

She licks broth and blood from her thumb. "Autumn is acceptance, in its own way. There was a time, before Autumn’s embrace I…[/i]resented[/i] my teeth.” her voice small, remembering.

"That’s barely any time at all…and so much time as well.” she’d lived in Freeholds, where she’d stayed for months, others far longer, and others still for far far less. "No wonder Kingship sits well on your shoulders.” A laugh, twinkling like bells. "Stories, pledges. The fabric of our lives?” she couldn’t recall if there was a certain story that outlined the concept precisely, but it really didn’t matter, not when many were simply variations of a theme.

She feels warm again, with the dismissal of a week. "A Month then, Spring comes in March.” and with how Kray had spoken of Sacramento’s unusual Oaths, a Season might also become strange. "Would you want to risk fealty?” she hums, while shaking her head, as her thoughts continue along the same lines. "Corporal upon Autumn’s symbol appeals to me.” she voices, smiling as Kray's manner becomes more animated in his verve. "A Curse upon us shall we break it?” She offered, it wasn’t anything overly complicated, but with the state of pledges here, she doubted she wanted complicated until she knew the flavour of the Wyrd here.

Sounds good to me!

[Kray]

Ellaria made music as prettily as she blushed it would seem and the giant lose focus for a moment wondering what it be like to hear her sing in full with that voice so already so musical.

While it was true there had been a choice of two courtiers who could have risen to the crown, the ogre knows not the ways of winter well enough to determine how their monarch is chosen and so on the matter he remains quite, perhaps a little odd given the verbose way in which he has thus far conversed. On the tease however a toothy laugh bursts forth. "Ha. As much as I would enjoy seeing that. No the duel that never was is the last I saw of him. King Sven rules winter now." And this darkling the ashen king thought notably better of.

All lost are mad, insane in their own way so yes it was possible Vincent had been a beast bereft of his ability to discern danger, that would be quite the madness indeed. "Ah. If so then he was mad beyond helping. I tired once, it did not go well." That was a sour and sobering recollection.

For his own hunger the chestnut pie is calling and without use of utensils he scoops a large handful of crust and filling out of the pot leaving streaks and drips of blood behind seemingly without care as he begins to munch upon the savoury crunchy desert. He does not doubt his word either but until it is proven and Ellaria is not driven out no more words would make a difference on this.

He had never resented his teeth, they had kept him alive, played a part in his escape. But not resenting and acceptance are worlds apart that he understood. "Oh. Yes . We step back into a world we are no longer part. We are not made for it and it is not made for us." Human society was not kind to cannibals either. Which is why they did not know. "Hm. But we brought magic back with us, we paid a hefty price for it. And I have no fear or regret using that, in any of its forms." The blessing given to all ogres and the kith of gristle grinder were rather more direct then autumn usually went in for but they were magic all the same and often as not the best solution to a problem. "Hm. Question for you Ellaria, have you worked out my second kith yet?" For all the brutishness and overt menace as real and dangerous as it was, it also served to cloak, to conceal, the other more devastating magical gift he possessed.

Great shoulders heave a shrug. "Ah. It is and it is not. Depends who you ask really." It was odd to think for some in the freehold he had been the only Autumn king they had ever known yet to others he was still quite new by comparison. That terrible toothy grin splits his face again, although it seems more pleased, and he is, the ogre does not gets compliments often, a pleasant change of pace. Even if they ring a little hollow. "Oh. Does it now? I would say in truth neither you or I know how I do as king. What kind of king I am? What kind of king I will become in the years to follow." Because the crown did change you for better or worse it brought about something, he would call it duties, a cost, but not everyone would agree. Her laugh like so much was pleasant and inviting, drawing more for the kind then maybe he had intended to give. "Hm. No not quite. many ashen courtiers require prospective applicants to share secrets from arcadia or about the wyrd before being allowed into the ashen court." His game had not been so direct, of which he was quite proud. "So. With no other Autumn courtiers about I went fishing for secrets so to speak. Stories often contain secrets." And true to form very little of what the ogre did was as straight forward as appearance would have observers believe.

The month was good middle ground that made sense. "Hm. A month then." He agrees. Now for the really tricky bit. "Bah. Fealty is tricky. It always pairs with banishment and vasslage for starters so if your wanting curses involved then it would make more sense to consider tasks other then fealty." A large hand now comes up to scratch his chin as thinks it over. "Bah. And while I might be king of autumn and hold a position within the freehold, we are out of season and I am not the director, the definitive leader around here." Fealty had a lot of problems. "Uh. And adding to that I will confess I did not come prepared to enter a pledge of fealty tonight." It was a powerful but exhaustive investiture if he understood the way of it.

Add to that the difference in stations and needs and well. "Ah. I think I have an idea. a A joint pledge. Lasting a month and sworn on courtly emblem. A Curse afflicts the party that breaks it." For sanctons did only fall on the offending parties head. "Hm. Would cover its length and sanction as for tasks this is where I think the joint pledge element is needed." Bulbous yellow eyes narrow down to flint pupils as he works it through. "Uh. I would offer you food shelter, and aid against your foes if it should be needed, thus you would be safe in the knowledge of one ally in the freehold. And I would be forbidden from betraying you to the gentry or their minions." He is clearly trying to work something out or fit around something. "Uh. You in turn would be similarly forbidden but your tasks would be lesser I think. A peace pact and a small endeavour to spook the mortal residents of Edna's from time to time." He could not expect her to provide him food and shelter that was a kings duty. So the easy endeavour and less burdensome alliance should add up to something equivalent. "Uh. If that all sounds agreeable, then we only have the boons left to discuss." If not well she was quite free to begin negotiating.

[Ellaria Undertow]

She makes a sound of disappointment, if it’s false or not, she doesn't say, "Aww, that’s a shame.” Nodding her head, hair float-float-floating, memorising the name of Winter’s King.

Whatever amusement lined her face at the talk of Winter’s old and new king, saying nothing new of the dead wolf, instead thoughts turn inward. She knows she’s lost much - you cannot have gone through what she - or any other of the Lost has without losing something. She thinks she knows all that she has lost, but. Well, she doesn’t know what she doesn’t know.

She’s only drawn from her thoughts when Kray reaches for the chestnut pie, which she had completely forgotten about. The scent of meat, the lure of blood on her tongue, it hadn’t registered. She eyes the pie for a moment, before shoving another strip of meat into her maw.

Considering the Autumn King’s point, she nods. Agreement and compilation. "Cliche or not, it does make one feel powerful after so long of not.” she murmurs, before blinking. Sitting straighter, she hadn’t thought - didn’t quite consider. She saw the Ogre, the teeth and disregarded anything else. She looks at Kray, really tries. "If I thought about playing to type I might assume you a Witchtooth, but that might be too stereotypical and wouldn’t be something to draw attention to given the themes of our current conversation…” She leans back to catch more of the giant within her field of view. If she was being mean Kray has been more eloquent than she would have expected of an Ogre. But that didn’t necessarily need to mean anything. She feels safe to say that he didn’t have a hint of Fairest within him - unless he’d eaten them - even as a secondary kith a Fairest’s beauty would shine through in some way. She brings a finger up to her lips, unconsciously licking up the blood, grease, and whatever else lingered. After, her finger lingered, rubbing her lip as she thought. "Something subtle,” she says after a while. "The teeth - the appetite, distract and disguise…but.” she shakes her head, and offers a shrug, elegant. Slight.

"You’ve yet to be ousted.” she replies. "I very much doubt that any Autumn would allow Fear to rule them, in the face of your teeth. If you are truly a bad king, I’m sure Autumn would watch your wither. she says, looking him in bulbous yellow and flint eyes.

"Ahhh.” she wordless voices the understanding, "I might have been thinking too generally, including the other Courts in the story telling. But you’re just teasing me now with those secrets,” she pouts, knowing he wouldn’t simply give the secrets. She would have to go find them for herself.

"If Curses are not what you wish for Sanctions, we could Poison the Boons instead.” She offers, though nods in understanding. The way of this Freehold were strange, and Autumn was out of Season, nearly to the opposite. Spring was just around the corner. "I do not find anything to oppose in the Pledge you’ve proposed.” Food, shelter, and the opportunity for glamour in the mortals living near her. It was a better opportunity than anything she expected coming to Sacramento."As for Boons, a Blessing perhaps, or maybe Glamour?” she offers the suggestion. Wondering as to what Kray would choose, between the two, or something else entirely.

I’m sososo sorry it took me so long to get a reply posted, we can still do the Pledge but that might need a new scene

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2026-03-14 16:51:05	Ellaria Undertow rolls 1 to Kray's Kith (Wits + Occult-3untrained) (10 Again, Chance)	3	failure

[Kray]

It indeed had been a shame if for nothing more then missed opportunities. The ogre still watching Ellaria's floaty hair muses on the topic if only briefly. "Ah. With any luck he learned his lesson and that's the best I can say of it." Wherever Withers had slunk off to the old darkling would be a true fool indeed to repeat the mistake of being carless with words. "Hm. I prefer King Sven either way. He keeps me on my toes." More the nonce the King of the onyx court had managed to catch him of guard or with something surprising.

In the silence another fistful of pie is scooped and consumed some splatter dripping from the great fist to mingle with the blood and strew that had dripped onto the table. Messy fingers get licked clean as the silence stretches for a few moments.

Magic was wonderful, captivating in so many cases an obsession even. And yes it was powerful. "Ha. Yes it does that doesn't it. And I do make plentiful use of it to turn that feeling into something greater but ..." His magic gave him power the likes of which mortals didn't have but that in turn he was translating into power among mortals. All of this was true but it was not the heart of it. "Ah. There is something to be said for the wonders of magic, the sheer incredible, impossible things that take hold of you and just won't let go." More then a wistful tone has entered the deep baritone. "Ha. Oh. I struck you as so cunning do I? To be one capable of spitting curses and a knower of things." He shakes his Great head, Autumn's mantle gave a little of that yes but inately he has no such gifts. "Ha. In a way I'm flattered but no, you missed the mark." The cunning part was pretty on point though. Something in the Flint pupils sparks as the Fairest draws closer to the answer. "Oh. Your not so far off the track there." Naturally there was a point o having asked and he seems rather pleased to have gone undiscerned thus far. "Ha. Tell you what get the answer now or later without a clue from me and I'll give you a little prize." Another little puzzle, and another incentive for her to socialise a bit.

When she meets his gaze Ellaria would see without difficulty the Autumn king is not entirely focused on the here and now, he has a bit of difficulty maintaining that level of directed attention before wandering off to something else, was it the booze or was he perceiving other things, possibly unreal things. "Oh. Plenty of monarchs go quite mad, or get very dangerous and their courts don't seem to much mind. It's the courtiers that kick up the most fuss." Mantles stayed strong, crowns stayed in place. Was that testament to how little they really understood the agreements they entered into? "Hm. But yes so far I haven't brought the ire of Autumn down on my head." It leaves him to wonder if Autumn itself knew of his plans and endeavours would it approve? How would he know?

Starting to put his bones in a bowl and in general gather the odds and ends of the table into a pile. "Hm. And why not hey. They all have stories, they all have secrets, fragments from time in arcadia. If I could ease some out without giving to much myself then why not." He had given something of course that had been required, the game as he had presented it wouldn't have worked he he had not been willing to play. "Oh. And I got something interesting indeed." The name of a gentry, of a keeper, freely given. What he could do with that was harder to pin down. But names had power.

Pushing up from his seat to stand the giant really looms now cracks spine and shoulders inadvertently putting his towering bulk on full display as the discomfort of sitting cramped and hunched is worked from his limbs. "Oh. Curses are fine by me." They just would have been harder to work into fealty. "Ah. As glamour has to be gifted one to another that works out at not a lot if we both go for it." But that's the beauty of a joint pledge, as long as both of them balanced the books so to speak there was flexibility. "Uh. If you have need of glamour you can have that as your boon, I'll go in for a blessing myself." The question then became, what would it benefit to have for just a month? "Hm. The guests should be in the rooms or out right asleep by now. Lets walk and talk shall we." Turning to face the dark shadow of Edna's through the trees.

Don't worry about it at all, I just hope things are starting to ease up for you!

Sounds good I'll give a chance to respond to this pos and then get the new scene up

[Ellaria Undertow]

She hums an agreement, that’s all one can hope the other had learned of their…interaction. Only what anyone can learn of any interaction between individuals. Everything can be a lesson, even. Especially those that hurt.

"Oh?” the sound, more interested when speaking of King Sven. Even if he weren’t a monarch that she should meet, she would angle to do so for Kray’s admittance alone.

In her heart of hearts, it wasn’t the knowledge and their secrets that drew her to Autumn, though she did crave that. It was the Fear an Autumn Warlock could inspire that sealed her desire to join the Ashen Court.

She subconsciously straightens in her chair, like a child in a school room, leaning forward. Lips moving like she would bit the bottom one, she seconds later remembered what a regrettable action that would be, and thought. She runs through the kiths she knows, discounting most due to what she’s seen, and what she’s heard for him, and his hint, slight it may be. She did not think he had any Fairest in him. He wasn’t beautiful enough, even for a diluted kith. The conversation, the smoothness, the way to flowed, sliding off his…"Do you speak with the Troll’s Tongue?” she asks, wet black-on-black eyes alight in anticipation.

She leans back, head tilted, hair following. Humming again, as she thinks. "I suppose you’re right. The Seasons themselves are perhaps a touch too eldritch for our petty moralistic understandings." She snags another strip of meat and thrusts in into her maw, "Though I’ve never heard of our Seasons binding to the Others. I think, perhaps, if you do not attempt to emulate Them. You’ll keep Autumn’s blessing.”

When she sees him start to clean up his bones, she does likewise, snaring bits and stripping them clean, placing the clean bones in the broth bowl. She wipes her hands, her face. Thoroughly, meticulously. There is blood on her collar however, she doesn’t seem to notice.

Though she playfully pouts when he continues to tease her with secrets, though it wasn’t such a hardship for Ellaria to think meatmeet and greet, and to sneak out those secrets for herself.

She stands to join him, drawing herself to her tall side of average 5’5”, and feels more than dainty in comparison, she’s once again drawn to the immediate thoughts of Fear, of tearing a bite, before she was naught but another’s meal, before she shakes her head. Hair trailing after her.

"I”m sure we can work things out satisfactorily between us. Though If i’m to occasionally scare the residents I shan't be limited in glamour for long. I just thought I should offer it as an option, as it is one I’m comfortable with.” She turns to join Kray, but not before snapping up the key and placing it in her pants pocket.

So sorry that it's taken me a week to get this last post in! But it's been such a fun intro scene!

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2026-03-22 16:49:22	Ellaria Undertow rolls 2 to Kray's Kith (Wits + Occult-3untrained+1hint) (10 Again)	7, 10, 8	2 successes

[Kray]

It has indeed been a wonderfully fun scene! Closing this one out and the tour is open here! for them to finish the pledge stuff.