Chaos Bleeds

“Thanks so much for the great session tonight. Everyone gets 100 XP.” Amara tries to keep her voice steady and even. She doesn't want to come across like she is rushing the players out the metaphorical door. “That should bring everyone to level ten and will unlock one new ability for physical classes and one new spell for magical classes. Go ahead and take your time choosing, then DM when you have updated your character sheets. Any questions?” Her players aren't directly in front of her, and even though they are in a video call, some of her players prefer to show off their vtuber rigs or even just static images. Still, she scans her screen for any hint that her adventurers need help. Typing indicators, emoji reactions, or unintended hot mics. “I want to try multi classing…” one of them says. Panther is usually the shy one. She has never shown her face, never revealed her irl name, and more often than not only communicates via text. All of them had been shocked two weeks ago when Panther connected a mic to the voice chat. “Of course, Panther.” She clicks into Panther's screen and requests access to the character sheet. She doesn’t want Panther to feel rushed, not with how long it's taken for Panther to warm up. But Amara really doesn't have time to walk through multi classing. “You are a bard right now. So your bard would remain at level nine, and the new class would start at level one.” “Oh, okay. So I wouldn't get a new ability?” “Well, you might. 100 XP for your new class would take you to level three for that class. Most classes get their first ability or spell at level one and a second at level two. Do you know which class you want to dip into?” Tension builds behind her eyes and she is far too aware of the weight of her headset. She just wants to get going, get her girlfriend, and go to Erika's place for their session. “No, not right now. Maybe wizard? Would that make sense? Or maybe a warlock? Would druid be helpful? I don't know. I’m sorry. ” “It’s fine,” she says, glancing at the clock on her screen. 5:50pm. The session was for 120 minutes, but she'd allowed it to go a little late. She can't afford for it to run any later. She isn't getting paid for these extra twenty minutes. Her friends' schedules had all finally aligned for the first time in months, and she needs to pick up Aislinn still. “Why don't you start chatting about it in the server? I’ll pop in when I get a chance and can help you out if you're stuck.” “Well. I suppose. The channel for our group? Build channel? General?” “Whichever one you are comfortable in. Just no meta gaming for the campaign! Make the build that sounds fun. Don’t worry if it will be useful for our story. That's my job.” One by one, her players say goodnight (or "good morning" for their one European player) and she shuts down her PC with a relieved sigh. This party is all beginners or those who are returning after a long hiatus. She offers an All-Newbie campaign only once a year, and usually at a discount. It is more work than any other campaign she runs, but usually her newbies all stick around and become monthly members. And monthly members pay her bills. She takes off her headset and removes her hair clip, shaking out her bushy hair, already planning what to do for the session with her friends. But first, her girlfriend is still stuck at work and likely getting impatient. Aislinn used to be their breadwinner with her safe, and boring, banking job. But Amara's paid GMing side project has taken off and now she not only runs games, but streams some of them to voracious fans. Sure, she has to split the ad revenue for those streamed games with the players, but it is still enough when combined with her monthly memberships to cover all her expenses plus Aislinn's student loans. But more excitingly, Warlocks of the Seas, the developers of the game, have contracted her twice to write her own campaign modules. And they pay very well. She hasn't mentioned it to Aislinn at all yet, but she just finalized a third contract this morning. Aislinn doesn't know Amara has been in talks for months now, and that the session with their friends has been one long rough draft and proof of concept for this contract. Dark Descent; Chaos Bleeds is the tentative name. And now it's official. She will be the scenario writer and be the one to introduce the Forsaken Realm's most ruthless villains yet. A villain intended to go on to be the final boss of a video game adaptation in early development, and then become to capstone boss of the final official campaign module for Version 7 and harold Version 8. They will be paying her very well. But while Amara might offer Aislinn the opportunity to be a stay-at-home girlfriend, Aislinn preferred going to work. Oh well. Maybe she will change her mind when Amara tells her how much she's getting paid this time. When Amara pulls into the bank's empty parking lot, Aislinn's arms are crossed, and she is tapping one of her feet, likely scuffing the bottom of the expensive heels, her fancy suit jacket flung over her shoulder and the fitted pencil skirt already replaced with gym shorts. “Hey you,” she says, throwing her purse into the back seat before crawling into the passenger side. “Took you long enough.” “I know, I know. Newbie Session ran long.” “Should have guessed. It always does. You need to be more firm with them.” Aislinn removes her hair from the tight bun and checks the visor mirror, swiping a tissue across her lips and removing her lipstick. “I really should, I know. But if I can get them hooked, then they sign up for the membership.” Amara releases the break as soon as her girlfriend buckles her seat belt. Amara knows she's the luckiest lesbian in town with an sss goddess as her girlfriend; she's not going to let her precious cargo go unprotected. “That's another thing! $75 a month and they can join any open ongoing campaign and join any open one-shot offered on the weekends? You need to raise your prices.” Amara does not want to get into this argument again. She knows Aislinn is right. She should raise her prices. But she just can’t bring herself to do it. Times are hard for everyone. She makes more than enough already, and she knows that for some of her members, her sessions are the only genuine social contact they have. Some of them have disclosed they work overtime to afford it. She just can’t raise her prices. “I’ll think about it,” she says, hoping it will be the end of the discussion. She pulls out of the bank parking lot and throws her girlfriend a smile. “But we have our own session tonight, right Lady Paladin?" “Heck yes we do! I think I'm gonna do it tonight. Or, I am going to have Dame Kelodossia it.” Aislinn straightens her back and lowers her voice as she speaks the name of her character for the campaign. Lawful good, holy knight, heroine of the realm... The typical RPG protagonist. With just a few odd quirks. “Do what?” Amara already knows the answer. But this campaign has already been stretched too long with all the scheduling conflicts. One of the worst parts of being adults: schedules no one can control. This is supposed to be a fun campaign just with their close friends; but someone always has to unexpectedly cover a shift, or has a family emergency, or has a kid that needs to go to an out of town sports match... But tonight? Tonight Amara will finally start putting all the cards on the table; finally reveal what all the little clues have been leading to, what all the foreshadowing has been pointing to. And the players—Erika, Hana, Leah, and Aislinn—will likely be springing as many surprises on her, as well. “Confess, of course! Kelodossia and Shayn have been flirting for the whole journey so far.” “And here I thought neither of you would ever do it,” Amara laughs. “You have to promise me that you will make as many predator/prey puns as possible. Gotta make sure the ranger is properly snared in your traps.” “If you allow us the opportunity, but I think you have a proper boss fight lined up by the size of the binder you brought with you.” Fuck. Aislinn had been doing recon when dropping her purse in the back. “You haven't already texted the group, have you?” Amara slows down as the light ahead turns from green to yellow. “I enjoy my perks as the partner of the GM. I’m not gonna jeopardize them by blabbing. But I'm right, aren’t I? You're upset we haven't been able to play for months so you're getting revenge by tossing us directly into a boss fight.” Why did Aislinn have to know her so well? She grins. “I couldn't say. By the way, they asked me to write another module.” “Really? This will be the third one, right?” “Indeed.” Amara's little diversion works and she knows her girlfriend won't be trying to pry any more information out of her for the rest of their drive. “Do you think they might hire you on full-time?” “I’m not sure. I think I prefer just being a contractor, though. If I was hired by the company as a full-time writer, they might make me close up my community.” “I suppose they might, yeah. Even so! What's the theme for this module?” “It’s based in the Underrealm! So lots of Dusk Elves and morally gray NPCs. Supposed to be a slightly more mature module; gritty and dark. But you have to swear you won't tell.” “Oh! Like our current campaign! Well, it's something you are good at. What do you want to do to celebrate?” "Not sure yet. Maybe I will celebrate by unleashing a horde of hungry beseods on the party?" "That's not what I meant!" She crosses her arms and leans back in her seat, pouting dramatically. Just a few more blocks to go and all will be revealed, though. Aislinn turns the dial on the console, raising the volume as one of her favorite songs starts. Amara seizes the opportunity to do what she should have done before grabbing Aislinn; review character sheets, plot out possible scenarios for the journey through the Underrealm, exploration of the opulent capital city of Minarethil, and the boss encounter with Thellia Barlok, daughter of the highest ranking Matriarch of Minarethil. The Dusk Elf is not supposed to be the final boss, but she will be the hardest encounter so far in the campaign. But her newbie session had gone too long and her prep time was lost. She can't pull out the character sheets and stat spread while driving, of course, but she mentally organizes the stats and numbers in her head. The cold and calculating Thellia Barlok, Dusk Elf and cleric to the evil goddess Katta, had not been part of the campaign originally. But when Erika had mentioned that her character—Wild Elf ranger Shayn and maybe future wife to Dame Kelodossia—had spent time being captured, tortured, and indoctrinated into the ways of the Underrealm as part of her backstory, Amara knew she had to make a detour into Minarethil and force Shayn to confront her captor, and possibly incorporate Thellia into the main campaign for Warlocks of the Seas. Amara has been waiting for this session for so long and now it— “Watch out!” Aislinn screams, pointing to the truck heading straight for them. Amara spins the steering wheel, hoping to dodge the oncoming truck. But she already knows it's too late.