The Stolen Skin of Sun - Part 3 (partial)

We are waiting on final quotes from Friesens, and possibly a few other things.

In the meantime, here's the first part of your request list. K asked for more on the Stolen Skin of Sun;

First Part Here; http://falsemachine.blogspot.com/2018/02/the-stolen-skin-of-sun.html

Second {art Here; http://falsemachine.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-stolen-skin-of-sun-goblin-market.html

You should probably read those two before you read this. This is by no means complete. It definitely needs at least Princess Wren, and then a lot more stuff to do with the location, like items, a map etc, but here are the basic NPC's.

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You become very small and the One-Eyed hedgehog becomes very big - soon he is extremely huge and even more fearsome. He also has lice in his spikes.

"In you go!" He gestures fiercely with his wooden club.

What seemed a crack in the wood is now a tall black arch.

The lice wave hello and whisper "goodbye" in a soft sibilant voice, the sound like children.

The Hedgehog is extremely uncomfortable but if you can persuade the lice to leave he calms down a lot and can tell you something useful.

The lice do not wish to leave; "It's warm here."

INSIDE

You are met by a Ladybug (male), Orbulon Quick, occasional Trumpet Smuggler and current concierge. He will ask how you got here and who you are; "You must be very *serious* people.

The PCs will have to convince him they are Dangerous Characters and of High Status.

"Look out for 'The Master Thief', word is out on the branches - he intends to rob the Auction of Things That Cannot Be Sold.

He Would Not Dare!"

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The Auction Hall is dark and looming, with Hot Mantis Courtesans and Millipede Waiters. And the Main Villains. What follows is a partial description;

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THE WITCH OF THE BLACK WOODS (WHO CANNOT BE NAMED)

She looks about a million years old, twisted five times (and in five different directions!). Nose like a capsized canoe. Eyes white and filmy, she seems blind as a cloud. Baby bones braided in her long grey hair, like soft fog pouring from a cold, cracked black pot. her fingers are fiddling and she smells of old bags.

What Can She Do?

She can curse people and turn them into pigs, make them blind, make their hair grow down through their skull and out through their eyes. She can make animals intelligent but these turn out very bad.


Why Does She Want The Skin?

"I might wear it and become Young again, or I might turn it into a BIG SAUSAGE! Can you imagine it? A big peachy sausage with a princesses face all stitched shut (I'd leave the hair on). DELICIOUS."

Likes - Lord Blue Beard. Would like to marry him.

Hates - Queen Mab. "So Ugly, so Graceless! Stupid daft woman! Its all in the wand! She barely knows any real magic!"

Weakness - Mirrors. They all have a mad old woman in them.

Also fears greatly being eaten - thinks most people are secretly trying to eat each other, especially her.


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CRUMULA KREMELEN - THE CRUMBLING NECROMANCER

Like a man made of dandruff, or quarried from rocks with big crystals that got eroded away. How he has not worn away in full you do not know. Certainly dead, and rather worn. As dry as old lips. A black robe with silvery square stitch skulls staring out. The silver thread is fraying like guitar screens so the skulls looks like screens that have failed to load. One still has a needle forgotten in it. The robe has a bat-wing collar that has actual bats nesting in it. Maybe its just part of his look. A little black yarmulke kept on with a bright tack pin pushed into the skull (he doesn't seem to feel it).

What Can He Do? - He can raise the dead. He has a Death Touch; "It's a little black finger I have on my hand, don't let it poke you?"

One poke kills you and makes a zombie. Two pokes makes your flesh fall off and makes a skeleton. Three pokes makes you dust.

He can talk to spirits and find out creepy stuff about them if their parents didn't like them (this is why you should always be nice to your parents).

Why Does He Want The Skin - For his grand-daughter. "She's been dead for fifteen years and her skin is just _falling off_ - this would be *perfect*."

Likes - Queen Mab -"What a woman! So dark and mysterious!" Would love an introduction. Keeps looking over at her.

Hates - The Grand Vizier. "I don't know him and I don't care to know him. His kind either raises property prices, or lowers them, and I don't like either! Plus who rides a _camel_?"

Weaknesses - Solvents. Acids in particular. Backs away from wine, fears vinegar utterly. "I'm extremely alkali you know."


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LORD BLUE BEARD

He is hanging out with a hot mantis courtesan who laughs at the jokes he doesn't make.

Beard as black as shining ink and as blue as night. Eyes like chips of ice. Exceedingly handsome, in a shadowy way. he's _very_ toned; "I do a lot of Pilates." His hands are sinewy and string, the muscles in his forearms twist visibly under the skin. He laughs and smiles a lot, revealing neat white teeth like square stars in the night of his face, though he never seems to say anything funny. If someone else does he says Ha. Ha. Ha." and changes the subject.

He loves young women and girls and puts his hands on their shoulders. His hands are cold and very strong. He leans in close, his beard is soft and honey-sweet (he uses expensive shampoo). He thinks you are Very Special, and he loves what you have done with your hair.

What Can He Do? - He has a sword. He is the best fighter around. (Better than Prince Brawn), skilful, quick, careful and clever. There is no-one who can beat him in a straight fight.

He has no problem killing women, even small girls, he stamps on their necks in the melee and later claims they fell.

Why Does He Want The Skin? - "I will return the skin to Princess Sun" (sounds good) "and in return she will marry me. And she will be mine. Absolutely. For as long as I allow her to live. And if she refuses I will burn her skin before the castle gates and cast the ashes into the wind. But she will not refuse."

Likes - The Wren Princess. Finds her innocence charming. "So frail, so delicate. Perhaps I will gift her the skin."

Hates - The Witch of the Black Woods. "Vile, twisted, ugly and stinks. What use is a woman like that?"

Weaknesses - None. Except he loves all attention to be on him and glows under it.


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MAB - THE QUEEN OF AIR AND DARKNESS

Lips red as berries, eyes as dark as the night sky. She is as ripe as a plum and as pale as ash. A crown of Golden Leaves set with Amber Gems. Gems around her neck, set in each os a little silver creature trapped in its centre. On closer inspection, these are armoured knights, made very small and trapped like bugs.

She goes barefoot and her feet are never dirty. She carries a wand, a long thin twig of pine with a pinecone at the end. She plays with it between her long fingers and though it stinks of resin it never stains her or sticks to her hand.

It is always cold around her, a breeze gets into your socks and chills your feet. She smells of ash and autumn and when she goes into a rage and stamps her foot pools of ice freeze onto the floor.

What Can She Do? - She rules the cold winds and can freeze things to ice. If she asks politely you must comply. (If she loses her temper and is rude then she effect disappears.) Men fall in love with her. Her wand can shrink things and trap them in resin, turning them into a jewel.

Why Does She Want The Skin - "It will make the most beautiful coat, and sail for my boat, and princess-skin slippers for myself and my maids. The softest boots there are."

Likes - Lord Blue Beard. "What an interesting man, with such interesting walls and interesting rooms full of interesting silences. I would like to own him."

Hates - The Wren Princess. "Princess of WHAT? Of _birds_? Who fly in *my* air and hide from *my* darkness? And I must treat her as royal? Pffft!"

Weakness - Not sure yet. Possibly summer and sunlight.


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THE GRAND VIZIER

An extremely luxurious man. His beard waxed to a fine point. A magnificent multi-tiered hat, each level more magnificent than the last until the diamond tip which revolves via clockwork. His slippers are gold - with a silver bell on each pointed end. Each finger bears a ring with a differently-coloured gemstone, they shine like a rainbow as he gestures with his slender hands.

He is a gracile fellow, with fine-boned fingers. behind him stands an Executioner who will cut of the limbs of anyone who touches him. He has a Bird of Paradise that sits on his shoulder, its tail cascading down his back. He feeds it small seeds , carefully, seed by seed, with silver tweezers. He is anxious, slow fastidious man, with sad eyes.

What Can He Do? - He can see through lies very easily and he can buy almost anything on earth.

Why Does He Want The Skin? - Because it cannot be bought. "Perhaps I will take Princess Sun as my wife, since I own her skin, she is sure to be obedient. Perhaps I will trade it to her father and take his kingdom. But more and more I think I will simply own it. And keep it. As a thing that I have."

Likes - The Witch of the Black Woods. "There is a very unique and horrid woman of a kind I have never met before. I wonder what she might sell me?

Hates - Lord Blue-Beard. "A shameless bore and a pederast. A man without munificence, and with cheap shoes" (they are, under the polish), "and an inferior beard" (it is not). "If I cannot have the skin. I must be sure that *he* will not."

Weakness  - He hates to be touched, to be made filthy or to lose any possession, no matter how small. His executioner fears mice and the moon.