From Sonoma EM Events website:

Daniel looked about the hall seeing many or his trusted spies. He felt confident that they would be able to spring the trap that they had carefully set.

“The trap was set . A caravan waits for us to accompany it from the compassion moongate toward the savage village. Our clues were intercepted and I believe Natasha’s minions have picked them all up . I am very worried about the crystallization and changes happening to her skin. I must see what it is. The piece of her that broke away and you brought to me caused great pain to me. I was glad it was but a small piece as anything larger and I would have been writhing on the ground racked with pain.

I have experienced this before. A very long time ago, at the skilled and cruel hands of the Shadow Dweller. May he never return to our lands.

I have spoken to Lulu. As you knopw she has the gift of foresight. She foresees great danger should we kill Natasha.She was very unclear.She said it was as though her visions were being blocked. Even so I trust that her advice is good as there is always a reason when she warns me to do or not to do something.

She has no love for Natasha, But she still made me promise not to kill her no matter how right it might feel to me.

SO…Here is our plan

listen carefully

We will be the caravan. Natashas will come and we will be able to find out what is going on. But…remember she always travels with groups of thugs. She seems brave but she rarely stands alone.We will all start by going to compassion and we will follow the same route as the caravan she destroyed last week.”

Daniel finished his directions and we traveled to Compassion. We were not through the gate when we were beset upon by the very thugs that Daniel had spoke to us about. Most had blemishes on their skin. All had painted their skin gold to designate them Gold Brigands. They attacked us like berzerkers. They made no effort to speak to us or be peaceful. We wasted no time to defend ourselves. many died. A few ran when they saw we were overpowering them. Many had makeup used to cover imperfections. A white pancake makeup often used in theater and similar to the savage paint. We searched the area and moved on. Once we arrived at the caravan site it was no effort to find Natasha. She was rummaging through the cart looking for something. She looked up and saw Daniel.

Natasha spopke smugly and smirked

“Look at this!SOOO the great Daniel has become a common….hmmmm….* raises browns and grins*

mercenary!!!! She howled with laughter.

Daniel seemed to get very woozie. He stumbled and it took great effort for him to right himself. It was obvious to those who had worked closely with him that he was in great pain but a bystander who did not know him well would never have noticed.

“What have you done! !Natasha”

Natasha Snorted “It is not what I have done .This is all YOUR fault” She pointed her finger at Daniel.

A bit of light reflected off her finger. Crystal. Daniel had to know more. “Let me see your arms!”

Natasha quickly pulled away and held shirt sleeves down. Then a very strange thing happened. She spoke in a familiar raspy voice not Nats

“Keep away Ravens! This is not your affair”

Daniel knew then and it made him ill. He had to get all the information he could. “You have just said it was MY fault” then he got reasurance from the group

“You heard her blame me.* under breath in whisper as an aside*As usual”

People were all nodding and stating their agreement.

“You never took responsibility for your own actions.” He was careful not to say a name He wanted the Shadow Dweller to think he was talking to Natasha. “What are you now 200?

Time to grow up!”

Natasha responded in her own voice. “Did She grow up? The one you saved?” She crossed her arms defiantly “Why did you save her and leave me! I was no different than you but NO you and the old goat,You saved her and left me!”

Daniel rolled his eyes and wonders how to save her from herself. “It’s not about Luludjka. Leave Lulu out of this. She asked me to help you.” He started to speak louder and his nostrils flared. “SHE is the reason none of us have run our shivs through you!”

Natasha shed a crocodile tear. “You left me to that beast! He was cruel and you knew it. I thought you liked me.”

Daniel was in disbelief. The two of them had never been friends. “Your melodramatic acting has not improved.Besides You chose Nat. Lulu was kidnapped and She was forced to do their bidding. They murdered her parents to take her. You walked in and sold yourself. For what Nat ? For power. And look at you now.” he shook his head but started to feel dizzy again. he overcame it and stood straight. Then he grabbed Natasha’s arm and exposed the mica crystal formation. Dark purple to balck. In some areas it was like the crystals that grew in the Exodus dungeon in others it just looked like pearled dragon scales.

Natasha tried to pull away “DON”T LOOK! Oh What will I do?Daniel YOU have got to save me this time! I BEG YOU!.” She was trembling and seemed to be in real distress. “I have been trying to fix this butI can not find the spell in the book I had stolen from the orphan boy and I can not find the mythic knife. I get dizzy too!I can not keep functioning.” her voice changed again, to one very raspy and evil

“Go Away Boy! This is not your concern’ Natasha’s Eyes changed too. They became more dark and sinister than any eyes I had ever seen.They looked possessed.

“She is mine. As are you. She is just a little easier to control.”

Cold chills ran down Daniel’s spine and he started to teeter. “STOP! GET out of here! This is not possible!”

The possessed Natasha, In a low menacing voice replied, “It is possible Natasha is my window.” He howled with laughter that froze most of us in place.

“Tell him Natasha. Tell him what you asked.”

The voice changed back to Natasha’s. “you know I did not get the charm. I was never worthy! Not like you. He offered a deal.” This time the tears were real Natasha seemed broken.

“I took…”

The raspy low voice returned and cut into the next thing that Natasha might have said. “She is mine. Once I am complete…I intend to take you too boy!You should have freely offered yourself…But I will take you.”

Daniel was holding his abs.” No you won’t. I will find a way to kill Nat before you take me again. “

Raspy voice possessed Nat Responded. “HAR! you never were good at killing unless it was for a good cause. You could not take her just because I grow in her DNA.You would never be able to live with yourself after”

Daniel glared at the woman who was not really there “I could not live with myself if you took me again.Don’t misunderstand me,I will do what must be done. I always have.

COME BACK NAT! Fight Him YOU CAN DO IT!”

Natasha started to look more like her usual self and spoke in her own voice. “Don’t kill me. Please. I am sure that he has some contingency plan if you do.” Then it hit her. “Daniel! remember the necro spell.. It went.. hmm..res through obliteration. Please. don’t open the way ! I have a new understanding now that he lives in me and through me.”

Daniel looked at Natasha as though he was looking right into her soul. then he nodded. “I Forgot about it. Now that Algenon is gone I doubt any one could cast it. I figured once we had banished the Dweller No one else could use it. Do you have the spell?”

Nat shook her head. “No. But I have done things I did not know how until the crystals came. He may be able to use my physical being and cast the spell.You should have saved me too.

This would not have happened.I hate you !

Daniel half grined. “Yes I know you do.As for saving you, I reiterate You chose to stay.Algenon and I could not offer you what you craved.Now we have this issue.Listen up Natasha.”

He added in a voice that was a little patronizing, “That shiv is a Myth.. thus the Mythic shiv!Myth means it is not real.We need to find a way.Some sort of exorcism.” He was shaking his head and he stamped his foot in frustration.”YOU always do stuff like this! For now Stop taking the savages supplies. and Stop hiding these crystals. In fact maybe a lot of sunlight will be

* makes quotation signs with fingers*Good for the SHADOW Dweller. You know how he “loves” Sun. I will figure this ou tand As always… I will fix it and bail you out!”

Natasha was her smug self again “Good. About time you did something for ME. I will lay low but you will know where to find me when you solve this.”

She looked at the rest of us and in a authoritative voice, “What are all of you staring at? Think you are something special? Just” Then the other voice took over once more,”There will be no redemption.All who help Daniel and are not chosen by me, Will die a most fun and painful death.” There was howlish laughter and then Natasha was gone.

The next day we visit Lulujka.

Her place was overrun with Imps and Mongbats. They had turned to the same Mica Crystal that Nat was turning.

Lulu explained that even small bits of Natasha could cause lower life forms to change. Even bits as small as her dandruff. Lulu had been researching and Scrying. She discovered that there were several charms that all had to combine for the Rez Obliterate spell to work. If we could find and destroy all the charms then perhaps we could ward off the Cloning of the Shadow dweller.