#starts here

label b00:

    scene b00 01
    with fade
    play sound waves loop
    "Man" "The winds are favorable today. This is a good sign."
    "Man" "Do you have news from the invasion force?"
    "Subordinate" "I do, my Lord Consul."
    scene b00 02
    with fade
    "Subordinate" "The Sixth and Twelfth Legions continue to advance inland, but progress is slowing."
    "Lord Consul" "How so? Have the natives of Albion not yet been broken?"
    "Subordinate" "They no longer face us in open battle."
    "Lord Consul" "Then they are not completely stupid."
    stop sound
    scene b00 03
    with fade
    play sound march
    "Subordinate" "The discipline and tight battle formations of our forces are something the warriors of Albion cannot break."
    "Subordinate" "So the enemy has taken to defending fords and river crossings."
    "Subordinate" "It is there when we cross water that our advantage in training and experience is diminished. They pelt us with stones from slings and metal darts."
    "Subordinate" "And they are deadly shots."
    scene b00 04
    with fade
    "Subordinate" "Whenever possible, they prefer to face us in single combat. They emphasize strength and bravery over discipline."
    "Lord Consul" "How long will it take to subjugate these lands, Prefect?"
    "Prefect" "Within six to eight months, Lord Consul. Our supply lines are stretched, even though the army pillages the land for forage."
    "Lord Consul" "It is the land beyond Albion I want."
    "Prefect" "Celtica, my Lord Consul? But it is a wild land we know little of and less about its worth to the empire."
    scene b00 05
    with fade
    play sound waves loop
    "Lord Consul" "It is the land of Finn Moc Huul, that is all I need to know!"
    "Lord Consul" "Prefect! When we make landfall, I shall go to the front lines and take command myself!"
    "Lord Consul" "We will crush these savages and bring them civilization, for the glory of the Empire!"
    "Prefect" "Yes, Lord Consul!"
    "Lord Consul" "Finn... I will be seeing you very soon, old 'friend'..."
    stop sound
    scene b00 05a
    with fade
    pause
    scene b00 06
    with fade
    "Who was that man? Nobody I recognize..."
    "It was a dream, but not a dream..."
    "Wait, where am I? Why do I see only sky?"
    scene b00 07
    with vpunch
    with vpunch
    mc "BY THE LIIIIIGHT!!!"
    "I'm falling! Is this my end? What's below me?"
    "A river?"
    scene b00 08
    play sound splash02
    with vpunch
    with vpunch
    "I plunge full force into the water. By some miracle, my back isn't broken. I need to swim to the shore!"
    "The current is too strong! I'm going to be swept away!"
    "Then, something cold and hard brushes against my hand and instinctively, I grip it."
    scene b00 09
    with fade
    play sound river loop
    "Somehow, the Cauldron of Ansic is with me. Sensing my need, it grows into the size of a boat and I clamber into it."
    "The river is strong and swift and there is no fighting against it."
    "I'll just have to go with the flow until the current dies down."
    scene b00 10
    with fade
    play music town08 loop
    "The river feeds a large lake, and the current slows as I enter its wide expanse."
    "In front of me is a fortified village built upon the water. It's not a place a recognize."
    mc "Well, it's time to find out exactly what's going on..."
    stop sound
    scene b00 11
    with fade
    "I make my way into the village and hide in a corner, sifting my hand through The Dagda's cauldron."
    mc "Come on, come on..."
    mc "Don't be stubborn with me now... I need some clothing!"
    scene b00 12
    with fade
    "The Cauldron gives me what I need and shrinks down so I can fit it into my pocket."
    "The village is crudely built, but it is solid. The natural defenses of the water make this a safe haven for fishers and hunters."
    "The language is easy enough to understand, but it is odd to my ears. These people are not Tuatha De Danann."
    "Perhaps they are an allied tribe to the High King?"
    "The sun gets low in the sky and I need to find a place to stay, where I can gather information."
    scene b00 13
    with fade
    show crowd1 at center
    play sound tavern01 loop
    "And for me, there is no better place than a hostel!"
    "The wine and mead is flowing freely and a good fire keeps the drinkers warm from the cool night air."
    "I ask some discreet questions under the story that I am a travelling bard. I learn that I am in the country of Mhi."
    "At least I've not strayed too far. The bloody field of Moy Tura is located in Mhi."
    "But I don't ever recall a lake village around these parts..."
    scene b00 14
    with fade
    play sound2 door01
    "An attractive lady enters the hostel and the drinkers point to the door."
    "Drinker" "The patroness is here! Now we can start the celebrations!"
    play sound crowd_cry
    "The crowd erupts in cheers and frothing mugs are raised to toast the newcomer."
    "Drinkers" "Bera! Bera! Bera!"
    "Bera" "The next round is courtesy of the house!"
    "This does not seem to be an ordinary night. I ask what is being celebrated."
    "Drinker" "It's the founding of Loch Lod, three hundred years ago to this day!"
    "Drinker" "The last bastion of civilization before the wilds of the Carrow Coil and the ruins of Tau-Ra beyond!"
    "The ruins of Tau-Ra???"
    "Bera" "Now, who do we have to entertain us tonight?"
    "A rough shove from behind pushes me forward."
    "Drinker" "This one's a travelling bard! Just arrived by boat today!!!"
    stop sound
    stop music
    scene b00 15
    with fade
    "I'm in my element and a refusal would only arouse suspicion."
    "Slipping my hands under the table for a moment, I search within the Cauldron of Ansic until I find Uaithne."
    play music harp02 loop
    "I play pieces beloved of the Tuatha, songs of children banished and of unrequited love."
    "I sing about the wisdom of The Dagda and the fury of The Morrigan to those that have wronged her."
    "The crowd is completely silent, entranced by every note I pluck as it reverberates through the hostel."
    stop music
    "It is only after the last word is sung does the crowd slowly return to life, as though waking from a dream."
    "But perhaps it is really me that is in the dream?"
    scene b00 16
    with fade
    play sound tavern01 loop
    "As the night gets late, I make to leave. I can continue my investigations tomorrow and maybe think about heading west back to Bru-Na-Boyne."
    "Perhaps I can rejoin some of the King's forces. Surely, the Tuatha must be victorious."
    "These people don't seem to be enemies, but better to make my stay here a short one."
    "Bera" "Wait!"
    "The attractive woman that owns this hostel blocks the door and prevents me from leaving."
    "Bera" "You're a man of the Sidhe, aren't you?"
    mc "I don't know what you mean."
    "Bera" "Nobody can play as beautifully as you did, if not from the Sidhe. All you sang was from their ancient epics."
    "Bera" "And your eyes give you away as one of the ancient blood!"
    "Nothing she says makes sense to me. Ancient blood? What is a 'Sidhe'?"
    scene b00 17
    with fade
    play sound door01
    play music gen04 loop
    "Then, the door opens from the other side and Bera moves out of the way."
    mc "Flida!"
    fl "Do I know you, stranger?"
    mc "Now is not the time for poor jokes, it is me! [mcname], The Scythian!"
    fl "In all my long life I have never seen you before, friend."
    "The seriousness in Flida's face makes me think something is very wrong. My heart sinks."
    scene b00 13
    with fade
    "Bera sends out the last of the revellers until only me and Flida's companions remain."
    show ber mad at left with moveinleft
    show fli talk at right with moveinright
    "Bera" "He is a man of the Sidhe! He recognized you immediately, Flida!"
    fl "Are you from a Dark Sidhe? Speak quickly!"
    mc "You all use the word 'Sidhe' as if I'm expected to know what it means. I do not!"
    mc "I am a bard of King Nuada. We fought on the field of Moy Tura together, Flida!" 
    show ber neut at left
    mc "As you repelled the flank attack of the dark druids, I went to the aid of the King, along with the other auxiliaries!"
    mc "You went into battle with the broadsword Govnu forged for you. The one with the nick on the guard from a Forvorian pirate raid on the town of Howth."
    fl "What you say is true. How do you know all that?"
    mc "Because I was there by your side at Howth, Flida. We fought those pirates together and burned their ships in the harbor. Not one was granted mercy that day."
    fl "..."
    fl "You talk in detail of events a thousand years past. But, by the Goddess, I swear I do not know you."
    mc "Then I am cursed, for I remember you very well as my friend and comrade."
    hide ber neut at left with moveoutleft
    show caz talk2 at left with moveinleft
    "Young Tuatha" "If you are not of the Dark Sidhe, where did you come from?"
    "I sit on a bench and recount the last moments of the battle of Moy Tura, of Lord Lugh thrusting the Spear of the Sun into Balor's eye and the poisonous mist that enveloped me."
    "Then I talk of the wild river ride that led me to this village, Loch Lod. The dream about the Lord Consul I keep to myself."
    show fli neut at right
    "Young Tuatha" "Lugh killed Balor with a spear, it is true. But there is no such spear as wonderous as that which you have described."
    mc "It is one of the four great treasures of our people, along with the Sword, the Cauldron and the Stone. Surely we have not forsaken them."
    "Flida gives me a questioning look, and I decide not to pursue the matter further."
    fl "In any case, this is a matter for a druid to solve. I have no answers here tonight."
    mc "Where is The Dagda? He is the wisest druid of our race."
    "Young Tuatha" "He holds his court in the Sidhe of Bri Leith. It is a long journey from here."
    mc "Then that is where I will go, to seek out his wisdom on this matter."
    fl "This man does not seem to be threat to you, Bera. But I shall be keeping an eye on him."
    show fli fight at right
    play sound unsheath01
    fl "Scythian... know that I will not hesitate to cut you down should your true intentions here be for ill!"
    "I raise my hands in a gesture of peace."
    mc "I just want to get to the truth, Flida."
    stop music
    scene b00 18
    with fade
    play music town04 loop
    "The next morning, I find myself staring out at the lake, trying to make sense of everything that has happened."
    "The young lady with Flida comes to me with a cheerful air that does not match my mood."
    "Young Tuatha" "Good morning, Scythian! I did not properly introduce myself to you yesterday. I am Caz-Cora, from the Sidhe of Bob-Derg!"
    mc "There is that word again - 'Sidhe'. I know not what it means."
    cc "Let me suppose everything you have said last night is true. Shall I give you a history lesson?"
    scene b00 19
    with fade
    cc "Now, all of this happened before I was born, but we are all taught this."
    cc "The Tuatha paid a heavy price for their victory at Moy Tura."
    cc "The Forvorians were defeated and fled to the lands of Torie, but we had lost our King."
    cc "The Tuatha chose Lugh as their new king and he ruled over Celtica from Bru-Na-Boyne."
    mc "Bru-Na-Boyne is the seat of The Dagda. Why did Lugh not rule from Tau-Ra?"
    cc "Ah, that is a sad tale..."
    scene b00 20
    with fade
    cc "When Balor was slain, the poison from his eye affected the forests and fields around Moy Tura."
    cc "Where ever the poison touched, plants grew wildly and beasts went savage or changed into new, more dangerous forms."
    cc "The poison spread as far as Tau-Ra and the decision was made to abandon the city. The country of Mhi became a forsaken place."
    cc "Where the lush fields around Moy Tura once grazed cattle, it now became a dark forest called the Carrow Coil."
    cc "This settlement we are in is a crannog, a fortified lake village. It rests at the edge of the Carrow Coil."
    scene b00 18
    with fade
    cc "Say, is this your harp? It's the finest harp I have ever seen!"
    mc "It actually belongs to The Dagda. That's another reason I need to see him. Have you not heard of the legendary Uaithne?"
    cc "No... is that meant to be special?"
    "Only the most powerful musical instrument ever wielded by Tuatha hands!"
    mc "Just a little bit."
    scene b00 21
    with fade
    cc "Anyway, we Tuatha ruled over Celtica for a thousand years and there was peace and prosperity in the land."
    cc "But then one day, strange ships came over the western horizon from the Otherworld. The Children of Mil had arrived."
    cc "They wanted to settle Celtica for themselves, the same way we took the rule of the land from the Fir Bolg."
    cc "For a while our magicks kept their ships floundering in the sea, but eventually they landed and made war on us."
    scene b00 22
    with fade
    cc "The battles were long and hard. The Children of Mil had their own druid magicks we were not familiar with and their warriors were brave and hardy."
    cc "It didn't help that the Tuatha were also divided between three Kings. The Children of Mil were united, but we were not."
    mc "What of Lugh? Surely he would have stopped them!"
    cc "King Lugh gave up the kingship and went travelling abroad. He has not been seen on Celtica for centuries."
    cc "In the end, the Tuatha could not repel the Children of Mil, who called themselves Milesians."
    cc "A treaty was made and the Milesians took control of the lands above Celtica, while the Tuatha took control of the lands below."
    scene b00 23
    with fade
    cc "We took our cities and forts and moved them underground into vast domains with magickal sunlight."
    cc "Those that did not wish to go under the ground hid their realms in enchanted mists conjured by Manannan Moc Lir."
    "Manannan is the Tuatha god of the sea and a good friend of mine, although he did not fight personally at Moy Tura."
    cc "A Milesian could walk for days through the mists and never find the entrance hidden within, if its Tuatha master did not wish it!"
    cc "These hidden places of the Tuatha, where we all now live, are called 'Sidhes'."
    mc "So that is what that patroness Bera meant when she called me a 'Man of the Sidhe'. It's just another name for the Tuatha De Danann."
    cc "Correct!"
    scene b00 24
    with fade
    mc "So... Flida asked if I was of the 'Dark Sidhe'. What does that mean?"
    cc "She refers to those Tuatha that never accepted the treaty with the Milesians. They dwell in their own hidden Sidhes and only wish harm and mischief on the Milesians."
    cc "There are plenty of those hidden Sidhes here in Mhi within the dark groves of the Carrow Coil."
    cc "That is why Flida, Keeltai and myself are here."
    mc "Keeltai?"
    cc "The man that accompanies us. He is a Milesian."
    mc "So some of the Tuatha live in the kingdoms of these Milesians now?"
    cc "The Dagda and Aengus usually have good relationships with those Milesians that live near their Sidhes. Our realms remain seperate."
    "A lot has changed. Now I really need to see The Dagda."
    mc "So... you were talking about why are you here in Loch Lod with Flida."
    cc "We were going to go into the Carrow Coil to investigate reports of beasts coming out of a Dark Sidhe. This is the last place to rest before entering that wild land."
    "This forsaken forest was once the rolling pastures that Etain praised as we journeyed together to Tau-Ra."
    cc "You see, for Flida, it's about fighting against evil and darkness. For me, I think such adventures provide great material for songs!"
    mc "That certainly sounds like the Flida I know."
    cc "Say, I'm a bard, just like you! We should play tonight at the hostel! I love it when I can play with a partner!"
    mc "Sure, why not? Just don't ask me to play anything newer than a thousand years..."
    cc "I can teach you all the newer songs!"
    mc "Just a few will do. I'm a quick study with a good ear."
    cc "But first, let me cut your hair!"
    mc "What?"
    cc "All bards these days, whether Tuatha or Milesian, have short hair! It's the fashion!"
    stop music
    scene b00 25
    with fade
    play music cin11 loop
    "That evening, two bards entertain the patrons at Bera's hostel."
    "For a young Tuatha, Caz-Cora is skilled with a beautiful voice. Her melodies, mixed with that of Uaithne, sets a magickal mood among the guests."
    "I learn a few new songs and tales, but we also go over the classics with which I am familiar."
    "Bards are the keepers of history and culture in Celtica, that much has not changed. The door of every lord and chief is open to them and the powerful fear the satire we can sing about them."
    scene b00 26
    with fade
    "Bera's mood has also changed since we first met the night before."
    "Whenever I look in her direction, she's looking at me with a smile on her face. She's interested in me, that much is clear. I smile back and wink."
    "It has often been the case that women have fallen for me. The power of music is an awesome thing to behold. I don't brag when I say my bed is seldom cold at night."
    scene b00 27
    with fade
    "The feasting and merriment winds down in the early hours of the morning and the final guests depart."
    show keel happ at left with moveinleft
    kl "An excellent performance, Scythian! You should come and meet my captain, Finn Moc Huul! He would pay you well to play for The Fianna!"
    "'Finn'? Wait, where have I heard that name before?"
    show ber happ at right with moveinright
    "Bera" "The Fianna are a band of warriors and adventurers that pledge their allegiance to the High King of Celtica. Lord Aengus of Bru-Na-Boyne is counted among their friends, of which there are many."
    mc "And you travel with Flida because..."
    kl "The Fianna will answer the call whenever there is an adventure to be had. We keep the peace and defend Celtica from enemies and invaders!"
    mc "Like the Dark Sidhe?"
    kl "And more besides like bandits, pirates, Forvorians and maybe even Tiberians before too long!"
    mc "Tiberians?"
    "Bera" "They are a great empire to the south and east of Celtica. Many nations have fallen before their might. They make war on Albion as we speak."
    "Interesting... could it be these Tiberians I saw in my dream? Their leader mentioned 'Finn Moc Huul' by name..."
    hide keel happ at left with moveoutleft
    "Keeltai walks out of the hostel slightly inebriated before I have a chance to ask more questions."
    show caz happ2 at left with moveinleft
    cc "Great performance tonight, partner! You played some of the classic songs in ways I've never heard before!"
    mc "Happy to be of service to a fellow bard."
    cc "Maybe we could go out by the docks and you could teach me a few of those techniques you used tonight?"
    show ber talk at right
    "Bera" "Oh, I think [mcname] is too busy for that, Caz. It's been a very trying night and I could {i}really{/i} use help cleaning up!"
    "I see where this is going with Bera. Between her and Caz-Cora, it looks like I won't be getting any sleep one way or another."

    menu:

        "Get to know Caz-Cora better and share some bardic tricks":
            $ b_rizz += 1
            jump b02

        "{color=#00ff00}Help Bera to 'clean up' the hostel":
            jump b01

label b01:

    stop music
    scene b01 01
    with fade
    play sound fire loop
    "Caz leaves and I find myself alone in the hostel with Bera."
    "The fire under the cauldron quietly burns, keeping stew ready for the morning patrons and making the hostel warm."
    "Bera" "Just grab a sea sponge from over there and help me mop up these tables. Those hunters and fishermen can be such pigs!"
    "I do as I am told and wipe down a nearby table"
    scene b01 02
    with fade
    "When I look up from my work, Bera has a tray of empty cups for me."
    "Oh dear..."
    "Bera" "Could you take these back to the wash basin for me, [mcname]?"
    mc "Bera, you seem to have lost your pants."
    "Bera" "Oh, I just feel so hot!"
    "She thrusts the tray into my hands and returns to gathering empty mugs."
    scene b01 04
    with fade
    "When I return from the wash basin, it seems that Bera has lost more of her clothing."
    "Her buttocks are shapely and she catches me staring with a smile on her lips."
    "Bera" "Just a few more mugs and cups, [mcname]. Here, you take these and I'll take care of what remains."
    mc "Of course, Bera."
    "I take the cups and decide to just let her play out this little game. I know what comes next."
    scene b01 03
    with fade
    "As I thought. I return with my empty tray to find Bera crawling onto a table with her plump breasts on full display."
    "Bera" "How long are you going to make me wait???"
    mc "Are you like this with other men?"
    "Bera" "Only those that can sing and play as you do could hope to win my heart."
    "She bites her lips and looks at me with smouldering eyes."
    stop sound

    menu:

        "{color=#00ff00}Have sex with Bera":
            $ b_rizz += 1
            $ ber_sleep = True
            jump b01a

        "Play a song on Uaithne and lull her to sleep":
            jump b01b

label b01a:

    if _in_replay:

        show screen Replayexit
        $ mcname = persistent.name

    scene b01 05
    with fade
    play sound dress
    play music town04 loop
    $ renpy.notify("Charisma +1")
    "As Bera watches me undress, she waits for me on the table with her legs slightly spread, to tease me with the form of her purse."
    "She is a luscious woman with an erotic body that makes my cock hard merely by the sight of her."
    "Bera" "What are you waiting for, master bard? An invitation?"
    scene b01 06
    with fade
    "Bera" "O~ OH!"
    "A vulgar man would penetrate her immediately and focus on his own carnal pleasure."
    "But while I am aroused, Bera needs some extra care and attention."
    "I lick her, concentrating on the clit. It doesn't take long before she is moist and ready to receive me."
    scene b01 07
    with fade
    "Bera" "It's so big. I want it inside me..."
    "Bera doesn't wait and she takes the lead. She mounts me and guides my cock into her slit."
    "Bera" "UnnNNNnnn!"
    "Bera gives out a low and seductive moan as my tip penetrates into her folds."
    scene b01 08
    with fade
    mc "By the goddess!"
    "Bera's hole is warm and tight. I look up and I am fixated by her pouting crimson lips, just visible over her plump breasts."
    "Bera" "Just relax... I'm going to take good care of you, my sweet bard."
    "Bera" "I'll show you just how hospitable my hostel can be!"
    scene b01 09
    with fade
    play sound slaplong
    "Bera adjusts her weight and begins to grind her loins against mine in what the eastern ancients called the lotus position."
    "Her movements are frantic, but also self-assured and sensual, borne from a worldly experience."
    "I support her back with one hand and squeeze her pleasantly taut buttocks with the other."
    scene b01 10
    with fade
    "Bera" "I'm going to give you the greatest climax you've ever had in your life!"
    "Bera" "I know what a hot-blooded man like you wants, and I have as much as you need!"
    mc "Bera..."
    "Bera" "Shhh... let me work my own special magick on you, [mcname]..."
    scene b01 11
    with fade
    "Not willing to surrender all the lovemaking initiative to Bera, I pull her closer to me at the same time as I give her a deep thrust."
    "My cock plunges deep inside of her."
    "Bera" "OH! [mcname]!!!"
    mc "Your erotic body is just made for sex, isn't it?"
    scene b01 12
    with fade
    play sound [ "<silence .4>", "audio/sex/moan08.mp3" ] loop
    "Bera" "[mcname]! [mcname]!"
    stop sound
    mc "I'm at... my limit!"
    "Bera's painted nails dig into my shoulders as her tits wobble and her body convulses in ecstasy."
    play sound shoot01
    queue sound shoot02
    mc "Arrrgh! Unnn..."
    "I hold her hips down as my seed shoots into Bera's loins in a wave of pleasure."
    stop music
    scene b01 13
    with fade
    "Both spent, we lie on the bench in each other's arms. Bera traces lazy circles with her fingers over my chest."
    "She rests her cheek on my neck, occasionally kissing my jawline with her tender lips."
    "Bera" "You were amazing...I could get used to that, bard of my heart."
    mc "We should probably finish cleaning up, Bera."
    scene b01 14
    with fade
    "I get off the bench and Bera follows suit, but she deliberately dismounts in a way that displays her curvaceous ass to full effect."
    play sound shoot03
    "Bera" "Oh, dear!"
    "The patroness smiles impishly as a stream of my cum runs out of her pussy."
    "Bera" "Something extra we'll need to clean up..."
    scene b01 15
    with fade
    play music eer02 loop
    "Bera looks around for her trousers but suddenly freezes, focusing on the door."
    "A luminous mist seeps through the crack at the bottom and it licks against the woodwork like some kind of ghostly flame."
    mc "Does the fog roll into the crannog like this every night?"
    "Bera" "Not at all. This is very... odd. I've never seen its like."
    "I have a very uneasy feeling that there is something waiting outside with bad intentions."
    mc "I'll go out and investigate."
    scene b01 16
    play sound punch
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    "Suddenly Bera is in my arms and her lips are locked against mine."
    mc "Mrrmph!"
    "Her breath is warm and her tongue still has the sweet taste of mead upon it."
    "Bera" "Good luck, my heroic bard! Be safe out there!"

    if _in_replay:
        return

    jump b03

label b01b:

    scene b01 05b
    with fade
    play music harp01 loop
    "I think it's time that Bera go to sleep. She's obviously had too much mead."
    "I pull out Uaithne and begin plucking the strings, playing a lively melody that compels people to dance."
    "Bera" "Oh... the music..."
    "Bera begins moving in time with the rhythm I play. Her shapely breasts sway gently as she twists her curvaceous hips."
    "But within the song of dance I play, every third note brings on the strains of sleep. Every bard worthy of his craft has mastered the four cardinal strains of music."
    "Bera" "[mcname]... I feel so..."
    stop music
    scene b01 05c
    with fade
    play sound fire loop
    "I catch Bera just before she falls and carry her to a table, laying her gently down."
    mc "Sweet dreams, Bera."
    "A smile is upon her lips and her breathing is steady. When she wakes up in the morning, she will feel refreshed like she never has before."
    scene b01 05d
    with fade
    play sound dress
    "She murmurs something softly as I place a blanket over her. I can't quite hear everything."
    "Bera" "Moc... Morna... my... brother..."
    mc "Hmm... a name, perhaps?"
    "In any case, I can handle the rest of the clean up from here. It's the least I can do for her special brand of hospitality."
    "I clear the mugs and plates for a while, but then a dread chill comes over me."
    play sound2 dark01
    "I feel sick to my stomach and lean against a table for support. There is a presence nearby that is very... wrong."
    "The door begins to rattle, as though caught in a strong breeze and from underneath, a pale mist seeps into the hostel."
    "I go outside to investigate."
    stop sound
    jump b03a

label b02:

    scene b02 01
    with fade
    play music harp02 loop
    $ renpy.notify("Charisma +1")
    "We go out to a clear deck near the water's edge and I play one of the songs that was popular among the patrons."
    mc "You need to let each note hang in the air. Don't be so hasty to move on."
    cc "So it's like... this?"
    mc "Yes, you have it!"
    cc "I learned so many of the songs you played tonight when I was a child in my Sidhe..."
    cc "But the way you played them tonight... it was like I was hearing all of them for the very first time!"
    mc "I can't take all the credit. No song is sweeter than that which comes from the strings of Uaithne."
    stop music
    scene b02 02
    with fade
    play sound night loop
    "We take a break from our instruments and gaze up at dark night sky. Low hanging clouds float overhead, revealing the stars beyond when there is a break in the cover."
    mc "Well, from what I can see, the stars are still familiar. That's... comforting, I suppose."
    cc "The Tuatha De Danann still looks after their own. There's a place for you here in Celtica."
    mc "My home was in Bru-Na-Boyne, but I doubt The Dagda has kept my room and bed for me for a thousand years."
    cc "Aengus is the master of Bru-Na-Boyne now."
    mc "Hmm... is that so?"
    scene b02 03
    play sound2 punch
    with vpunch
    "Caz-Cora leaps playfully onto me from behind, flinging her arms around my chest. Her soft, petite breasts push up against my back."
    cc "Say... if things don't work out with Aengus, you could come and join the Fianna with me!"
    cc "All in Celtica know of the Fianna's great captain, Finn Moc Huul!"
    mc "And that's fine with you? Joining Milesians?"
    cc "The Sidhes are boring, [mcname]! The elders are just happy to feast and hold court and talk of glory days long gone! With the Fianna, there's enough adventure to write a hundred poems!"
    cc "You could come with me, and we could be partners!"

    menu:

        "On the stage, as well as in bed?":
            $ b_rizz -= 1
            jump b02a

        "{color=#00ff00}Don't speak such words to me so lightly, my lovely Caz-Cora":
            $ b_rizz += 1
            jump b02b

        "Ha ha... I'll think about it.":
            jump b02c

label b02a:

    scene b02 04
    with fade
    $ renpy.notify("Charisma -1")
    cc "OH!"
    "I turn the tables on Caz-Cora and snake my arms around her."
    "I stroke her thigh and her hips as I speak softly into her ear."
    mc "A partnership between bards can be much more than merely on the stage..."
    mc "Bards are skilled in many, many arts..."
    scene b02 04b
    play sound punch
    with hpunch
    cc "Nice try, master bard. You're a little clumsy on the delivery, though!"
    cc "As a bardess, how many men do you think have pitched their woo on me? And many less vulgar than this!"
    mc "You got me. I suppose a thousand years has made me lose my touch..."
    cc "Oh, you still have plenty of 'touch' in those hands of yours!"
    stop sound
    scene b02 05
    with fade
    "A sickly mist snakes over the wooden boards and gathers around our feet."
    cc "What is this? This is like no fog I have ever seen!"
    mc "It's nothing good. I sense some fell power at work here."
    cc "The Dark Sidhe!"
    mc "No... this doesn't feel like Tuatha magick. This feels like... something else..."
    cc "Whatever it is, enemies are near! I need to find Flida and Keeltai!"
    jump b04

label b02b:

    scene b02 04a
    with fade
    $ renpy.notify("Charisma +1")
    "I take Caz-Cora off my back and sweep her into my arms, holding eye contact with her."
    mc "A partnership between two bards is no small thing, Caz-Cora. It's an intimate relationship."
    mc "Such partners strive to become sages together, sharing all secrets. Would you want that with me, a man you just met?"
    "I pull her closer to me so I can feel her warm breath. But I draw her no closer than that."
    cc "I~ I wouldn't be against it. I mean... I'm not sure..."
    mc "I'd like to get to know you better, but it's something that cannot be rushed..."
    cc "I'd like to know more about you, too. And all your stories from the heroic age of our people..."
    mc "I was no hero, Caz-Cora. But I did what needed to be done..."
    cc "That's a hero to me..."
    stop sound
    scene b02 05
    with fade
    "A sickly mist snakes over the wooden boards and gathers around our feet, disturbing our moment together."
    cc "This... is like no fog I have ever seen before!"
    mc "It's nothing good. I sense some fell power at work here."
    cc "The Dark Sidhe!"
    mc "No... this doesn't feel like Tuatha magick. This feels like... something else..."
    cc "I need to find Flida and Keeltai!"
    jump b04

label b02c:

    cc "Hey, that's what people say when they're not interested in something at all!"
    mc "Do I look like that sort of person? If I say I'm going to do something... I do it!"
    cc "Really?"
    mc "Really. Maybe."
    cc "Now you're just making fun of me!"
    mc "You seem like a fun girl!"
    stop sound
    scene b02 05
    with fade
    "A sickly mist snakes over the wooden boards and gathers around our feet. Caz-Cora drops to the ground and picks up her lute, before the mist can touch it."
    cc "This... is like no fog I have ever seen before and I'm sure it's nothing good!"
    mc "I agree. I sense some fell power at work here."
    cc "The Dark Sidhe!"
    mc "No... this doesn't feel like Tuatha magick. This feels like... something else..."
    cc "We need to find Flida and Keeltai!"
    jump b04

label b03:

    # Bera awake
    scene b03 01
    with fade
    play music eer04 loop
    "I move through the mist that has blanketed the crannog until I reach a small market square where two figures stand before me."
    mc "Can I help you, friends?"
    "I'm being facetious. I sense a disharmony coming from both of them that reminds me of dark Forvorian magick."
    "Skull Woman" "The cauldron..."
    "Skull Woman" "Give it to me..."
    "Her voice sounds like it comes from deep underground and fills me with dread. If they know about The Dagda's cauldron, then..."
    scene b03 02
    with fade
    show fli fight at center with moveinright
    fl "Stand back, bard! These two reek of the darkness!"
    mc "Yes, I noticed."
    fl "Back to the shadows where you came from, monsters! Unless you wish to feel the bite of my blade!"
    show fli fight2 at center
    play sound unsheath01
    fl "I am more than happy to oblige you!"
    mc "Flida, wait! There's something about these two that~"
    stop music
    scene b03 04
    play sound punch03
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    play music act02 loop
    fl "HaaAAH!!!"
    "Before I can finish my warning, Flida attacks the Hooded Man. She has always been impetuous when it came to a fight."
    "The hooded man takes the full force of Flida's kick. I've been on the receiving end in the past and it wasn't pleasant."
    scene b03 05
    with fade
    play sound unsheath02
    "Flida is every bit the warrior I remember her to be. Her skill with the long sword is fuelled by a burning spirit for battle."
    "And her fury is doubled when her opponent is of the dark powers. That part of her hasn't changed."
    fl "Well?! Come at a champion of the Sidhe if you dare, fiend!"
    scene b03 06
    with fade
    fl "Waaauuhhh!"
    "The Hooded Man gets up warily to face his opponent. Ever impatient, Flida leaps once again into the attack."
    "The bright steel of her sword flashes in the darkness as it arcs down towards the skull of her enemy."
    "I need a weapon so I can help her, but there is nothing around me. Taking a deep breath, I take the Cauldron of Ansic in my hands and hope it will provide me with what I need."
    scene b03 07
    play sound punch
    with hpunch
    "I look up to see how the battle is going. Where is the Skull Woman? I don't see her anywhere and that makes me nervous."
    "First rule of theft is distraction!"
    fl "What?!"
    "The fight is not going Flida's way. The Hooded Man moves and twists like water, avoiding every one of Flida's practiced swings."
    "With just a gentle touch of his fingers, he uses Flida's attacking momentum to turn the course of her blade."
    scene b03 03
    with fade
    show banshee at center with moveinleft
    "Then, out of a dark mist, the Skull Woman appears behind me, her sharp claws grasping for the cauldron in my hand."
    play sound block02
    "Expecting the ambush, I swing the cauldron around and catch her in the side of the head, sending her the the ground."
    "It may not be a weapon, but it's still a ball of metal!"
    hide banshee at center with moveoutbottom
    "Before she hits the ground, her entire body dissolves into mist and blows away."
    "I redouble my efforts with the cauldron, plunging my hand up to my elbow, feeling around in its mystical inner light for anything that can help me."
    mc "Come on! Are you not going to give me something to help one of the Tuatha??? A dagger, a sling, a flame gem! Anything!"
    scene b03 08
    play sound punch02
    with vpunch
    with vpunch
    fl "UNGH!!!"
    "A forceful attack leaves Flida exposed when it is deflected, leaving her defenses wide open."
    "The Hooded Man is quick to take advantage and lands a solid uppercut on Flida, sending her up into the air."
    scene b03 09
    play sound punch
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    fl "HCK!"
    "With unnatural speed, the Hooded Man grabs Flida by the throat before she touches the ground from the previous blow."
    "He begins to squeeze and Flida's eyes roll up into her head as she loses consciousness."
    scene b03 10
    play sound punch
    with vpunch
    "He drops an unconscious Flida to the floor and turns his attention back to me."
    "What to do? His fight against Flida was over in mere moments and the Cauldron of Ansic is not cooperating with me."
    "I could make a dive for Flida's sword, but she was always the better warrior. What chance would I have?"
    "My strength as a bard has always been my guile. I won't get out of this with brute strength."
    scene b03 11
    with fade
    "Hooded Man" "No games or you die."
    "Skull Woman" "Give me the cauldron."
    "I'm not going to win this fight. The Cauldron gave me nothing to defend myself with."
    "I can do what they want, or I can escape - I'm not about to give up one of the four great treasures. "
    "I know that three steps behind me the wooden boards end and the lake waters are below."
    "I'll take my chances with the current. The darkness will also help to conceal me."
    scene b03 02
    with fade
    show keel fight at center
    kl "Flida!"
    "The Milesian called Keeltai comes out from between the huts, sword and shield at the ready."
    "I've not seen these people fight before. I hope to be impressed."
    scene b03 12
    play sound block02
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    "Keeltai is fast, he covers the ground quickly and pushes the boss of his shield against the Skull Woman with force. However, the woman stops it and is not thrown back."
    "He has all the battle spirit and courage of Flida, but against these two unearthly opponents, that won't be enough."
    "Skull Woman" "HRAAH!"
    scene b03 13
    with fade
    play sound dark01
    kl "What???" 
    "Keeltai is lifted into the air on a glowing cloud as the Skull Woman whispers a dark incantation."
    "The Milesian warrior struggles, but there is nothing he can do to break free."
    kl "You coward! Curse your tricks!"
    scene b03 14
    play sound missile
    "The incantation comes to an end and she flings her clawed hands downwards."
    "The helpless warrior is shot high into the air, like an arrow from a bow."
    "He falls into the lake some distance away from the crannog, leaving me to deal with these two monsters alone once more."
    scene b03 15
    with fade
    "The Cauldron of Ansic has a mind of its own and I am painfully aware that I am not its master."
    mc "Flida's down, the Milesian is down and still you deny me?"
    mc "Maybe I'll follow my original plan of diving into the lake! If you don't want to risk getting stuck underwater for a few centuries, help me out!"
    scene b03 02
    with fade
    show banshee at center with moveinleft
    play sound LS04.mp3
    "The Skull Woman screams at me with the dread of the dark Otherworld in her pained voice."
    "The time for stalling is over. They've lost patience and are going to take the cauldron from my dead hands."
    scene b03 16
    play sound bowhit2
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    "Skull Woman" "AAIIEEE!!!"
    "An arrow pierces the shoulder of the woman as she approaches, sending her stumbling back. No blood appears from the wound."
    "The Skull Woman stumbles and then falls off the wooden boards and into the lake"
    "Is she a Forvorian? A Tuatha from a Dark Sidhe? Or something else?"
    "I have little time to wonder."
    scene b03 17
    with fade
    "Based on the flight path of the arrow, I look up to find the shooter."
    "It's Bera, in a state of undress but with a finely crafted bow in her hands and a quiver on her back. She's already notched the next arrow."
    "Bera" "Don't think you can have your own way in MY crannog!"
    stop music
    scene b03 18
    play music dev03 loop
    play sound punch
    with vpunch
    with vpunch
    "Bera" "OHHHH~!"
    "In mere moments, the Hooded Man leaps onto the rooftop where Bera is and grabs her."
    "Bera is familiar with a bow and the hunt, but she is no warrior like Flida. Her weapon clatters against the rooftop and falls to the ground."
    mc "BERA!!!"
    "She kicks and struggles against her assailant, but she is no match for his strength."
    scene b03 19
    with fade
    play sound dark03
    "Hooded Man" "You will do as I command you..."
    "Bera" "Ugck~ uuuuunnn"
    "A sickly energy comes out the the Hooded Man's mouth and snakes its way through Bera's lips and nostrils."
    "Her body convulses as she swallows and inhales all that the Hooded Man breathes at her."
    scene b03 20
    play sound punch
    with vpunch
    with vpunch
    "And when it has ended, the Hooded Man releases his grip on Bera and she rolls down the roof and tumbles to the boards below."
    "I have no idea if she is dead or wounded, but something in my gut tells me to stay away."
    "The Hooded Man remains my biggest threat. Three people have tried to stop him and all have fallen."
    scene b03 21
    with fade
    "The body of Bera begins to twitch and then she slowly rises, as though pulled up by invisible strings."
    "Bera" "[mcname]..."
    "Her voice has the same sepulchral tone as the Skull Woman as she addresses me. In the pale moonlight, I can see that he eyes have been dyed red like blood."
    "There is nothing of Bera I recognize in her face. It is twisted with hatred and malice."
    scene b03 22
    with fade
    "Bera" "You care about me, don't you? Give me the cauldron and he will set me free."
    "Bera" "It's useless to fight. Look at what has happened to everybody else. What chance do you think you have?"
    "She walks closer to me with outstretched hands as the Hooded Man stays back."
    "Bera" "Just put the cauldron into my hands. That's all you need to do."
    "I wonder..."
    "Why doesn't the Hood Man take the cauldron himself? At first the Skulled Woman wanted it and now he has manipulated Bera into taking it."
    "Could it be that..."
    mc "If you want the cauldron so bad, hooded stranger..."
    scene b03 24
    play music act04 loop
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    mc "Then you can take it yourself!"
    "With the do-or-die attitude of a bard acting on a hunch, I ignore Bera and charge straight at the Hooded Man, using the cauldron like a makeshift shield."
    "I hit him square in the chest and he grabs the sides of the cauldron, as if to wrench it away from me."
    play sound acid 
    "The Hooded Man's hands begin to burn as he touches the rusted metal sides of the cauldron."
    "As I suspected, there is something about his dark nature that makes him unable to handle on of the great treasures of the Tuatha."
    "That's why it was either the Skulled Woman or Bera that asked for the cauldron."
    scene b03 25
    with fade
    play sound cry03
    "Hooded Man" "RAAARRRH!"
    "My opponent lets go of the cauldron but his hands continue to burn, as though they had caught on fire."
    "His hands dissolve away into mist, like the mist that announced his arrival into the crannog."
    "There are no bones for the Otherworldly flames to expose - the Hooded Man does not have a body of flesh and blood."
    scene b03 26
    with fade
    "Still howling in pain, the Hooded Man leaps off the edge of the crannog and into the lake below."
    play sound splash02
    "I look for him where he hit the water, but he is nowhere to be found and I don't want to push my luck."
    "I collapse onto the ground with a shrunken cauldron in the palm of my hand. My heart thumps violently in my chest."
    stop music
    "Bera" "[mcname]?"
    "Bera's red eyes fade back to their usual color. The enchantment over her is broken and it's a good sign that the enemy has truly been defeated."
    mc "Let's get back to your hostel..."
    jump b06

label b03a:

    # Bera asleep
    scene b04 01
    with fade
    play music eer04 loop
    "I move through a mist that has blanketed the crannog until I reach a small market square where two figures stand before me."
    mc "Can I help you, friends?"
    "I'm being facetious. I sense a disharmony coming from both of them that reminds me of dark Forvorian magick."
    "Hooded Man" "The cauldron..."
    "Skull Woman" "Give us the cauldron..."
    "Their voices sound like they come from deep underground and fills me with dread. If they know about The Dagda's cauldron, then..."
    scene b04 02
    with fade
    show fli fight at left with moveinleft
    show keel fight at right with moveinright
    fl "Stand back, bard! These two reek of the darkness!"
    mc "Yes, I noticed."
    kl "Face a worthy warrior of the Fianna, you monsters! This shield will not be turned by your powers!"
    show fli fight2 at left
    play sound unsheath01
    fl "Let us be on with the business at hand, Keeltai!"
    mc "Flida, wait! There's something about these two that~"
    stop music
    scene b04 04
    with fade
    play sound unsheath02
    fl "You can help or you can stand aside, bard! There is work for me to do - a warrior's work!"
    "Flida is as impetuous as ever. That much hasn't changed."
    "Whenever there are dark powers to fight, Flida loses all all her reserve and composure."
    scene b04 05
    play sound block01
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    play music act01 loop
    "Before I can finish my warning, Flida attacks the Hooded Man."
    "But what should have been a solid blow to his heart is deflected by an effortless touch to the blade, redirecting its course."
    fl "Who are you??? Answer me!"
    "The Hooded Man simply gives Flida a ragged laugh in reply."
    scene b04 06
    play sound block02
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    "The Milesian warrior called Keeltai takes on the Skulled Woman. He charges forth and pushes the boss of his shield against her with force, but she is not thrown back."
    "He has all the battle spirit and courage of Flida, but against these two unearthly opponents, that might not be enough."
    "Skull Woman" "HRAAH!"
    scene b04 07
    with fade
    play sound dark01
    kl "What???" 
    "Keeltai is lifted into the air on a glowing cloud as the Skull Woman whispers a dark incantation."
    "The Milesian warrior struggles like a fish drawn from the water, but there is nothing he can do to break free from the magick that holds him."
    kl "Curse your tricks! Fight me fairly, you coward!"
    scene b04 08
    play sound missile
    "The incantation comes to an end and she flings her clawed hands downwards."
    "The helpless warrior is shot high into the air, like an arrow from a bow."
    "He falls into the lake some distance away from the crannog."
    scene b04 09
    with fade
    "I have no weapon, so I dig into the Cauldron of Ansic in the hopes it will give me something I can use."
    mc "Come on, come on!"
    "The cauldron has a mind of its own and I am not its master. So I'm basically at the mercy of its whims."
    mc "By the Goddess Danu, give me {i}something{/i} useful!"
    scene b04 10
    play sound punch
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    fl "HCK!"
    "With unnatural speed, the Hooded Man grabs Flida by the throat, bypassing the defense of her sword."
    "He squeezes his grip and Flida's eyes roll up into her head as she begins to lose consciousness."
    scene b04 11
    play sound punch02
    with vpunch
    with vpunch
    fl "UNGH!!!"
    "In a finishing blow, the Hooded Man lands a solid uppercut on her, sending her up into the air."
    mc "Flida!!!"
    scene b04 12
    play sound punch
    with vpunch
    "An unconscious Flida hits the floor and the Hooded Man turns his attention to me."
    "Flida is one of the best female warriors among the Tuatha De Danann, famed for the power of her blade."
    "But this is a fight I can't run from. Just as Lugh would do, I face my foes head on."
    scene b04 13
    with fade
    "Skull Woman" "Give me the cauldron. Put it in my hands and no one else needs to get hurt."
    "Hooded Man" "Death awaits you if you refuse."
    "Thankfully, the cauldron was generous to me and gave me two items with which to make a stand."
    mc "Well, that's a rather diabolical choice you've given me..."
    scene b04 14
    with fade
    mc "Give up a very important item that is not mine to give..."
    mc "Or be sent to The Land of Promise..."
    mc "How about we go with something else?"

    menu:

        "{color=#00ff00}Attack them with paired daggers":
            $ b_fame += 1
            jump b03b

        "Play The Dagda's harp Uaithne":
            $ b_rizz += 1
            jump b03c
    

label b03b:

    $ caz_red = True
    scene b04 17
    play sound unsheath01
    $ renpy.notify("Fame +1")
    "Flida is a formidable warrior, but I am also not to be taken lightly."
    "Where other warriors rely on strength and endurance, the qualities of a bard in combat are deception and guile."
    mc "The cauldron is right here. Come through my blades to claim it!"
    "Hooded man" "A fool that invites death!"
    scene b04 15
    play sound strike03
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    "Skull Woman" "AIEEE!!!"
    "From out of the shadows, Caz-Cora dashes out and slices the Skulled Woman across the back with a silvery blade. It's an ambush worthy of a seasoned bard."
    "Rather than blood, a green mist emanates from the wound, showing to me that the body of the Skulled Woman is not tied to the mortal realm."
    scene b04 18
    with fade
    cc "[mcname]! I'll keep this one occupied! Take advantage of this opening!"
    "The Skulled Woman stumbles to the ground and groans in pain. Caz-Cora's sword is likely forged from Otherworld steel by Tuatha smiths."
    mc "You have my thanks!"
    cc "Thank me later!"
    scene b04 20
    play sound strike02
    with hpunch
    "I waste no time in engaging the Hooded Man while his companion is distracted. He's fast and agile, but I can see gaps in his defense."
    "While I prefer to avoid pitched battles against walls of shields and thickets of spears, I have less issue with single combat like this."
    "The twin daggers compliment each other. One is the rhythm and one is the melody."
    scene b04 19
    play sound stab02
    with hpunch
    "I see an opening and my thrust is true. The dagger bites deep in what should be a critical wound. However, the Hooded Man seems largely unfazed."
    "There is no blood, just like the Skulled Woman. Just how exactly am I to defeat him?"
    "I try to withdraw my dagger, but it is held firmly in his chest as if I had sunk the blade into stone."
    scene b04 21
    play sound punch
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    mc "WHOOF!!!"
    "The extra moment it takes to regain my blade is all the Hooded Man needs. Temporarily vulnerable, he gives a sharp knee to my torso that knocks the wind out of me."
    "I stumble backwards while trying to keep my opponent in the center of my vision. My daggers are poised for parry and counter-thrust."
    scene b04 22
    with fade
    cc "[mcname]!"
    cc "Leave him alone, demon!"
    "I can see what Caz-Cora is doing. She's trying to attract the Hooded Man's attention to give me precious seconds to recover."
    scene b04 23
    play sound punch
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    cc "What? NO!!!"
    "With unnatural speed, the Hooded Man is on top of Caz-Cora and has seized her wrists, forcing her to drop her sword."
    "Hooded Man" "You will do as I command you, girl!"
    cc "Never!"
    scene b04 24
    play sound dark03
    cc "S~ Stop..."
    "Caz-Cora's defiance suddenly loses all conviction as the Hooded Man breathes an eldritch mist that enters Caz-Cora's mouth and nostrils."
    cc "Wh-what are you d-doing..."
    cc "no... no..."
    scene b04 25
    with fade
    "Caz-Cora thrashes and struggles, but the Hooded Man has her tightly in his grip, lifting her feet off the ground."
    "Soon, the kicking of her legs grows more feeble as she breathes in more of the mist until her legs go entirely limp."
    "Hooded Man" "Your will is my will!"
    stop music
    scene b04 26
    play music eer04 loop
    play sound punch
    with vpunch
    with vpunch
    "The Hooded Man lets Caz-Cora go and she collapses to the ground at his feet."
    mc "Caz? Caz-Cora?"
    cc "..."
    "I have a bad feeling about this..."
    scene b04 27
    with fade
    cc "I understand now. It's pointless to resist."
    "Caz-Cora talks with a distorted voice that is not her own. She moves in jerky motions as she approaches me, like a puppet."
    cc "Give me the cauldron, [mcname]. It does not belong to you."
    "Her eyes are the same sickly red as the man that is controlling her."
    scene b04 28
    with fade
    "I put my daggers down in front of me."
    mc "It's over, stranger. You win."
    mc "Release my friend from you dark magicks and you can have the cauldron."
    cc "You are in no position to be giving commands! Pass the cauldron to me!"
    scene b04 29
    with fade
    "Flida regains consciousness, holding herself steady with her sword than has been driven into the wooden boards of the crannog."
    fl "[mcname], no..."
    fl "Don't... do it..."
    mc "I have little choice if I want to save Caz-Cora. This battle is lost, Flida."
    scene b04 30
    with fade
    play music town01 loop
    "Of course I have a choice. I just needed the Hooded Man to think he had won."
    "Tapping my foot on the ground to establish a beat, I use the second thing the cauldron had provided me - Uaithne."
    "Strumming the strings for all they are worth, I play a frantic melody that contains the unconventional strains of confusion and delirium."
    "The power of the song builds around me as I will my fingers not to get even one note wrong."
    scene b04 31
    with fade
    "The power floats across the market square to my intended targets. They struggle to maintain their balance, just as I had intended."
    cc "Curse you, bard!"
    "Hooded Man" "RNNNGH!"
    "Of course, as a bard, this is a deeply insulting act for me. To have my music cause pain and discomfort is the opposite of what a bard values most about his craft."
    scene b04 32
    play sound strike02
    queue sound stab02
    fl "For the light!"
    "Flida sees the opportunity and attacks. With a running charge, she slashes at the torso of her stumbling enemy, sending a fountain of ethereal mist into the air where blood should be."
    "The warrioress of the Tuatha De Danann is no slouch when it comes to her swordplay. Her blade would have just now disemboweled an ordinary man." 
    "But it's painfully obvious this is no ordinary man."
    scene b04 33
    play sound punch
    with vpunch
    with vpunch
    fl "What?! Impossible!"
    "The Hooded Man grabs Flida's hand and wrenches her to the ground, causing her to drop her sword."
    "Hooded Man" "Fool!"
    "Hooded Man" "And now, you will pay the price of your defiance! You will serve me just as your friend does!"
    "I continue to play, but the song no longer has its desired effect. The Hooded Man is no longer incapacitated."
    "Did Flida's wounding of him somehow make him regain his senses?"
    scene b04 34
    with fade
    play sound dark03
    "The Hooded Man pins Flida's hands to the ground as he breathes his dark essence into her face."
    "Like Caz-Cora, the snaking energy almost seems alive and actively seeks to enter her mouth and nostrils."
    "Flida's eyes stare transfixed at her tormentor's face, unable to look away as her free will is taken from her soul."
    scene b04 35
    play music act05 loop
    play sound stab04
    with vpunch
    with vpunch
    mc "That's enough of that! I've seen this performance already and I don't care for its ending!"
    "While the Hooded Man is distracted, I plunge a dagger into the base of his neck."
    "Flida does nothing to free herself, her eyes glowing a pale red as she surrenders to the Hooded Man's influence."
    "All I need for her is stay where she is and not attack me!"
    scene b04 36
    with fade
    "After what this fiend did to Caz-Cora, I'm in no mood to be merciful. He must he dealt with swiftly!"
    play sound stabgore
    "I begin pulling the blade with a grim determination, cutting across the area where the spine should be."
    "I remember many of the ancient Tuatha legends where heroes defeated strange beasts that came from the sea or emerged from the depths of the earth."
    scene b04 37
    with fade
    "Beheading was the way to ensure the Otherworld beasts were well and truly vanquished!"
    "As soon as the head is separated from the rest, the decapitated body rises. Its arms flail about feeling for where the head should be."
    "It would be a comedic sight if it wasn't so gruesome!"
    "The body stumbles aimlessly about, the stump of a neck spewing eldritch mist as each heavy footstep it makes brings it closer to the edge of the wooden boards."
    scene b04 38
    play sound splash02
    with vpunch
    with vpunch
    "The body tumbles off the side and into the dark waters of the lake."
    "The spot where the body hit the water ripples about, before the surface of the water grows still once more."
    "There is no sign of what remains of the Hooded Man, as it does not reemerge."
    "The severed head that I hold grows lighter and in moments even that disappears in a glowing mist."
    stop music
    scene b04 03
    with fade
    show caz hhead at right with easeinbottom
    cc "Oooohhh..."
    cc "What... I knew what I was doing but..."
    cc "I couldn't help myself. I~ I didn't want to help myself..."
    show fli head at left with easeinbottom
    "Flida gets up on unsteady feet, clutching her head."
    fl "Scythian..."
    fl "You have much... to answer!"
    mc "I'm not sure there's much I can tell, Flida."
    fl "K~ Keeltai?"
    mc "The warrior was thrown into the lake by the magick of the Skulled Woman."
    fl "He'll... be back soon..."
    fl "Excellent... swimmer..."
    "I offer the two ladies a hand and help them back towards Bera's hostel."
    jump b06


label b03c:

    scene b04 30
    with fade
    play music town01 loop
    $ renpy.notify("Charisma +1")
    "Tapping my foot on the ground to establish a beat, I gently touch the sacred strings of Uaithne to begin."
    "Strumming the strings for all they are worth, I play a frantic melody that contains the unconventional strains of confusion and delirium."
    "The power of the song builds around me as I will my fingers into more intricate chords and refrains."
    "A warrior relies on their shield and spear. The most powerful weapons of a bard are his music and satire."
    scene b04 15
    play sound strike03
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    "Skull Woman" "AIEEE!!!"
    "From out of the shadows, Caz-Cora dashes out and slices the Skulled Woman across the back with a silvery blade. It's an ambush worthy of a seasoned bard."
    "Rather than blood, a green mist emanates from the wound, showing to me that the body of the Skulled Woman is not tied to the mortal realm."
    scene b04 39
    with fade
    "As the Skulled Woman screams and plunges into the water, I continue to play."
    "The power floats across the market square to my intended target. He twitches violently, unprepared for my attack."
    "Hooded Man" "RNNNGH!"
    "I'm relieved to see he has a weakness. If he had been able to withstand the harp of The Dagda himself, then I doubt anything could have stopped him."
    mc "Caz-Cora, if you're going to do something~!"
    scene b04 40
    play sound strike02
    with vpunch
    queue sound stab02
    with vpunch
    cc "Have at you, fiend!"
    "Caz-Cora is more nimble and agile than I had imagined. In one continuous motion, she dives into the fray and strikes across the Hooded Man's belly with the precision of a surgeon."
    "His skin breaks open, but no blood or guts are spilled. A dread mist escapes from the gaping wound."
    play sound cry03
    "An unnatural cry goes out across the crannog, causing flowers in pots to wilt."
    "Even the goblins of The Morrigan, who delight in creating nocturnal cacophonies, would recoil at the sound."
    scene b04 41
    play sound punch
    with vpunch
    with vpunch
    cc "I think not!"
    "The Hood Man lashes out at the source of his frustration, the wound across his body rapidly closing."
    "But Caz-Cora is a skilled tumbler. She flips and twists in anticipation of every attack the Hooded Man makes."
    scene b04 42
    play sound stabgore
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    cc "I have you!"
    "With a swift thrust, Caz-Cora plunges her blade into the belly of the Hooded Man."
    "Her blade shines in the dim moonlight and I recognize the fine craftsmanship of enchanted Tuatha steel."
    "But given how quickly this mysterious man recovered from the first slash, will this attack be any different?"
    "I continue to play on Uaithne, mixing strains of weakness into my song that the enemy will succumb to the blade twisting in his belly."
    stop music
    scene b04 43
    play sound punch
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    play music eer04 loop
    cc "UNGH!"
    "With a speed so fast I cannot follow the movement with my eyes, the Hooded Man grabs Caz-Cora by the neck."
    "Caz-Cora's enchanted blade slides out of his belly, leaving no mark behind as it exits. Do physical attacks have no effect?"
    cc "NNGGHHH!!!"
    "The Hooded Man squeezes and Caz-Cora frantically tries to release his fingers from her throat, but to no avail."
    "Hooded Man" "You die now..."
    "I don't think so."
    scene b04 50
    play sound dagger
    queue sound dagger01
    mc "Caz-Cora!"
    "The old belief goes that the soul resides in the head of a person. The ancient heroes slew beasts by hacking away at their skulls."
    "I was by Lugh's side when the mightiest warlord of the age met his doom with a spear through his eye."
    "A bard has to always go with his feelings!"
    stop music
    scene b04 51 
    play sound stab02
    with vpunch
    queue sound stab04
    with hpunch
    "My aim is true and both daggers find their marks. The glowing red eyes of the Hooded Man are obliterated by two shafts of cold steel."
    "The Hooded Man stumbles backwards like a drunkard, releasing Caz-Cora."
    cc "Hck! Uhck!"
    scene b04 52
    play sound splash02
    with vpunch
    "In what I pray are his death-throes, the Hooded Man keels over the side of the crannog and into the waters of the lake below."
    "The wake of the splash is soon erased by the current of the lake."
    "And then there is only the gentle sound of the rippling water..."
    scene b04 53
    with fade
    play music trav01 loop
    mc "Caz-Cora!"
    "I needn't have worried, she's fine. Her collar helped to protect her precious throat."
    cc "Hey..."
    mc "You did it."
    cc "I had a lot of help."
    cc "..."
    mc "What?"
    cc "Are you going to write a song about tonight or am I? This is the kind of adventure I left the Sidhe for!"
    
    menu:

        "I'll write it about a beautiful young bardess that overcame a monster from the shadows.":
            $ renpy.notify("Charisma +1")
            $ b_rizz += 1
            jump b03d
        
        "{color=#00ff00}You can write it about a bard whose blades could hit a fly off a cow's back.":
            $ renpy.notify("Fame +1")
            $ b_fame += 1
            jump b03d

label b03d:

    scene b04 54
    with fade
    "Before Caz-Cora can respond, we are interrupted by heavy footsteps."
    "Keeltai approaches us soaking wet and holding an unconscious Flida in his arms." 
    cc "Keeltai!"
    kl "That man and the witch?"
    mc "Vanquished. Both lost to the waters of the lake."
    kl "The undercurrent in the lake is swift tonight. I should know."
    cc "How's Flida?!"
    kl "I think her body will be fine once she awakens. Her pride is another matter."
    "We make our way back to Bera's hostel."
    stop music
    jump b06
    


label b04:

    # Investigate with Caz-Cora
    scene b04 01
    with fade
    play music eer04 loop
    "Caz-Cora and I move through a mist that has blanketed the crannog until we reach a small market square where two figures stand before us."
    mc "Can I help you, friends?"
    cc "[mcname], I feel nothing but dread and malice from these strangers..."
    mc "You're not the only one. Do you want to make the plan, or shall I?"
    cc "Give me a moment to think."
    "Hooded Man" "The cauldron..."
    "Skull Woman" "Give us the cauldron..."
    "Their voices sound like they come from deep underground and fills me with dread. If they know about The Dagda's cauldron, then..."
    scene b04 02
    with fade
    show caz hfight at center with moveinright
    play sound unsheath01
    cc "I think not!"
    "With a sleight of hand, Caz-Cora produces a sword that seems to shine with an inner-light, in contrast to the dull night around it."
    "The the ogham letters engraved upon its blade, it's obvious that it is an enchanted blade from a skilled smith."
    "She has on what I take to be her bardess hood. I didn't even notice her putting it on."
    cc "Get ready to play the harp, [mcname]. Something to hinder them while I go about my work!"
    mc "That's the plan? Are you sure?"
    cc "Watch me..."
    scene b04 30
    with fade
    play music town01 loop
    "Tapping my foot on the ground to establish a beat, I touch the sacred strings of Uaithne and begin."
    "Strumming the strings for all they are worth, I play a frantic melody that contains the unconventional strains of confusion and delirium."
    "The power of the song builds around me as I will my fingers into more intricate chords and refrains."
    "A warrior relies on their shield and spear. The most powerful weapons of a bard are his music and satire."
    scene b04 15
    play sound strike03
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    "Skull Woman" "AIEEE!!!"
    "From out of the shadows, Caz-Cora dashes out and slices the Skulled Woman across the back with a silvery blade. It's an ambush worthy of a seasoned bard."
    "Rather than blood, a green mist emanates from the wound, showing to me that the body of the Skulled Woman is not tied to the mortal realm."
    scene b04 39
    with fade
    "As the Skulled Woman screams and plunges into the water, I continue to play."
    "The power floats across the market square to my intended target. He twitches violently, unprepared for my attack."
    "Hooded Man" "RNNNGH!"
    "I keep playing for all I am worth. From the corner of my eye, I see Caz-Cora lining the Hooded Man up for her next attack."
    scene b04 40
    play sound strike02
    with vpunch
    queue sound stab02
    with vpunch
    cc "Have at you, fiend!"
    "In one motion, she dives in to suddenly close the distance to her target and strikes him across the belly with the precision of a surgeon."
    "His skin breaks open, but like the Skulled Woman no blood or guts are spilled. A dread mist escapes from the gaping wound."
    "An unnatural cry goes out across the crannog, causing flowers in pots to wilt."
    "Even the goblins of The Morrigan, who delight in creating nocturnal cacophonies, would recoil at the sound."
    scene b04 41
    with vpunch
    with vpunch
    cc "Much too slow!"
    "The Hood Man lashes out at the source of his frustration, the wound across his body rapidly closing."
    "But Caz-Cora is a skilled tumbler. She flips and twists in anticipation of every attack the Hooded Man makes."
    scene b04 42
    play sound stabgore
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    cc "I have you!"
    "With a swift thrust, Caz-Cora plunges her blade into the belly of the Hooded Man."
    "Her blade shines in the dim moonlight and I recognize the fine craftsmanship of enchanted Tuatha steel."
    "But given how quickly this mysterious man recovered from the first slash, will this attack be any different?"
    "I continue to play on Uaithne, mixing strains of weakness into my song that the enemy will succumb to the blade twisting in his belly."
    stop music
    scene b04 43
    play sound punch
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    cc "UNGH!"
    "With a speed so fast I cannot follow the movement with my eyes, the Hooded Man grabs Caz-Cora by the neck."
    "Caz-Cora's enchanted blade slides out of his belly, leaving no mark behind as it exists. Do physical attacks have no effect?"
    cc "NNGGHHH!!!"
    "The Hooded Man squeezes and Caz-Cora frantically tries to release his fingers from her throat, but to no avail."
    "Hooded Man" "You die now..."
    "I frantically reach into the Cauldron of Ansic and hope that it answers my frantic plea for a weapon."
    scene b04 50
    play sound dagger
    queue sound dagger01
    "It answers me twice over."
    mc "Caz-Cora!"
    "The old belief goes that the soul resides in the head of a person. The ancient heroes slew beasts by hacking away and their skulls."
    "I was by Lugh's side when the mightiest warlord of the age met his doom with a spear through his eye."
    "A bard has to always go with his feelings!"
    scene b04 51 
    play sound stab02
    with vpunch
    queue sound stab04
    with hpunch
    "My aim is true and both daggers find their marks. The glowing red eyes of the Hooded Man are obliterated by two shafts of cold steel."
    "The Hooded Man stumbles backwards like a drunkard, releasing Caz-Cora."
    cc "Hck! Uhck!"
    scene b04 52
    play sound splash02
    with vpunch
    "In what I pray are his death-throes, the Hooded Man keels over the side of the crannog and into the waters of the lake below."
    "The wake of the splash is soon erased by the current of the water."
    "And then there is only the gentle sound of the rippling water."
    scene b04 53
    with fade
    mc "Caz-Cora!"
    "I needn't have worried, she's fine. Her collar helped to protect her precious throat."
    cc "Hey..."
    mc "You did it."
    cc "I had some help."
    cc "..."
    mc "What?"
    cc "Are you going to write a song about tonight or am I? This is the kind of adventure worthy of a retelling!"

    menu:

        "I'll write it about a beautiful young bardess that overcame a monster of the shadows.":
            $ b_rizz += 1
            $ renpy.notify("Charisma +1")
            jump b04a
        
        "{color=#00ff00}You can write it about a bard whose blades could hit a gadfly off a cow's back.":
            $ b_fame += 1
            $ renpy.notify("Fame +1")
            jump b04a

label b04a:

    $ fl_pride = True
    scene b04 03
    with fade
    "Before Caz-Cora can respond, we are interrupted by a pair heavy footsteps."
    show keel fight at right with moveinright
    show fli fight at left with moveinleft
    kl "Caz-Cora! Are you hurt!"
    cc "I'll be fine."
    fl "What happened here?"
    cc "We were attacked by the Dark Sidhe, I think. A Hooded Man and a keening woman that wore a skull on her face."
    fl "And where are they?"
    mc "Vanquished. Fallen into the lake waters without rising to the surface."
    fl "That's no assurance that they are dead! Many wicked things dwell in the waters of Celtica!"
    kl "What did they want?"
    mc "The cauldron that I possess. They knew I had it."
    fl "We shall return to Bera's hostel and you will tell me all, Scythian."
    jump b06
    
label b06:

    scene b00 13
    with fade
    play music gen03
    "We spend the day with food and rest, recovering from the battle of the night before."
    show keel happ at right with moveinright
    kl "I've worked up a thirst! Bera! Break open your finest amphora of eastern wine!"
    show ber sup at left with moveinleft
    "Bera" "..."
    show keel neut at right
    kl "Woman? What is the matter?"
    "Bera" "The wine has gone bad."
    kl "Well, then break open another amphora!"
    "Bera" "You don't understand, Keeltai. All of it has gone bad. All the ale and mead is undrinkable as well."
    hide ber sup at left with moveoutleft
    show fli talk at left with moveinleft
    fl "These are bad tidings. There's only one thing I know that can spoil a cellar of wine in one pass..."
    mc "A Forvorian lord."
    fl "Yes. Celtica has not been troubled by a Forvorian champion for a very long time and yet one appears just as you do, Scythian."
    fl "Explain yourself as though your life depended on it, because it does."
    scene b06 02
    with fade
    mc "This is The Dagda's cauldron. The Cauldron of Ansic. Whatever its master desires, it can produce."
    mc "It was in my hands at Moy Tura in the moment Lugh of the Long Arm killed the mighty warlord Balor. After that, as I explained, I found myself here." 
    cc "It looks... old and rusty."
    mc "It can change its appearance. Forged in the city of Semias, it is one of the Four Great Treasures of the Tuatha De Danann."
    scene b06 01
    with fade
    fl "You did not tell us you had such an item before!"
    mc "I did not know if I could trust you, Flida. You have no memory of me or the Four Great Treasures. You may not even be the Flida I knew."
    mc "And yet, although you have no memory of the cauldron, a Lord of Darkness came here looking for exactly this item."
    cc "But we defeated him and his partner, so the threat is over, right? The lake waters claimed him!"
    mc "I'm not convinced. He did not bleed and was clearly of the darkness. It's not always easy to kill such foes."
    fl "..."
    cc "So what are you going to do now?"
    mc "My plan is unchanged. I will give the cauldron back to its rightful owner - The Dagda. But... I do not know the way to this Bri Leith you talked of."
    fl "I hear no lie upon your tongue, [mcname]. We three will guide you to where The Dagda holds his court."
    mc "Then you have my thanks."
    kl "The sooner we leave, the better. We do not know if more dark forces are on the scent of our new friend."
    fl "Agreed. We leave at first light."

    if ber_sleep:
        jump b06b

    else:
        jump b06a 

label b06a:

    scene b06 03
    with fade
    play music town07 loop
    "The next morning..."
    show fli talk at left with moveinleft
    fl "Where's the Scythian? He's late!"
    show caz neut2 at right with moveinright
    cc "He's with Bera. Something about a farewell gift?"
    fl "Why are you bards always so troublesome?"
    scene b06 04
    with fade
    mc "Sorry to keep you all waiting."
    mc "Bera was kind enough to help me with some modern attire."
    fl "There is such a thing as priorities, Scythian!"
    scene b06 03
    with fade
    show caz happ2 at right
    cc "Well, I think you look very handsome, [mcname]!"
    show ber happ at left with moveinleft
    "Bera" "Doesn't he, indeed? I think I've outdone myself this time!"
    "Bera" "My foster brothers have gifted me the finest spoils of linen, leather and silk and I've found a splendid use for them!"
    mc "Thank you, Bera. You have my gratitude."
    "Bera" "Come back to Loch Lod, man of the Sidhe! There is always a place by my fire for your harp and your songs."
    mc "Of course. It's a promise."
    stop music
    jump b06c

label b06b:

    scene b06 03
    with fade
    play music town07 loop
    "The next morning..."
    show fli talk at left with moveinleft
    fl "Where's the Scythian? He's late!"
    show caz neut2 at right with moveinright
    cc "He's with Bera. Something about a farewell gift?"
    fl "Why are you bards always so troublesome?"
    scene b06 04
    with fade
    mc "Sorry to keep you all waiting."
    mc "Bera was kind enough to help me with some modern attire."
    fl "There is such a thing as priorities, Scythian!"
    scene b06 03
    with fade
    show caz happ2 at right
    cc "Well, I think you look very handsome, [mcname]!"
    show ber happ at left with moveinleft
    "Bera" "Doesn't he, indeed? I think I've outdone myself this time!"
    "Bera" "My foster brothers have gifted me the finest spoils of linen, leather and silk and I've found a splendid use for them!"
    mc "Thank you, Bera. You have my gratitude."
    scene b06 05
    play sound blow02
    "Bera" "That's not all you have, [mcname]..."
    "Bera" "I'm not so naive to think that you won't be tempted by other women, but I also don't think you will forget my breasts and buttocks so easily..."
    mc "You are an unforgettable woman, Bera."
    "Bera" "It pleases me you think that way. I'll have some special hospitality for you when you return, my darling man of the Sidhe."
    fl "Ahem! Are we quite done?!"
    stop music
    jump b06c

label b06c:

    scene b06 06
    with fade
    play music trav07 loop
    "We travel west on main roads and then swing north onto foot trails. The terrain gets more rugged as we enter the Dorgannon hills."
    kl "The Fianna are on good terms with many of the Sidhes. My captain, Finn Moc Huul, can count Aengus and The Dagda among his friends."
    "We travel quickly with Tuatha incantations but Keeltai, though he is not one of us, can match our pace with no enchantment at all."
    mc "Are the Fianna strong in the druidic arts?"
    kl "Not especially. We are fighters and hunters during the day and poets at night. The magickal ways of the Sidhe are mysterious to us."
    scene b06 07
    with fade
    "At noon we stop in a grove to eat. Flida and Keeltai use the time to practice their warrior feats."
    play sound block03
    "Flida is as skilled as I remember her, but Keeltai is also no slouch with the sword."
    play sound block04
    "Like me, Keeltai prefers speed and agility over the more powerful strokes that are the hallmark of Flida's style."
    scene b06 08
    with fade
    kl "Come, Flida! I've seen better efforts from you! I've not had to raise my shield once!"
    fl "You think to mock me, man of the Fianna?! For your short lifespan, you are still a novice at this!"
    kl "Keeltai leaps into the attack. It's a reckless move, but there seems to be a method behind it. He's trying to goad Flida into making an opening."
    scene b06 09
    play sound block03
    with vpunch
    with vpunch
    "Flida takes the strike head on, her finely crafted Tuatha blade stopping Keeltai's sword in mid strike."
    kl "Nice block!"
    fl "A student does not compliment the master!"
    kl "And yet..."
    scene b06 10
    play sound strike03
    with hpunch
    kl "A student can still be a teacher!"
    "With a turn of his blade that is a blur to my eyes, Keeltai disarms Flida."
    fl "What???"
    "Flida's sword spins in the air and hits the ground well out of reach. The fight is Keeltai's victory."
    scene b06 11
    with fade
    show fli mad at left with moveinleft
    fl "You got lucky!"
    show keel talk at right with moveinright
    kl "I out-fought you. I know how you move and what it takes to beat you."
    fl "Arrogance!"
    show keel mad at right
    kl "I only speak the truth!"
    stop music
    

    if fl_pride:
        jump b06e
    
    else:
        jump b06d

label b06d:

    hide fli mad at left with moveoutleft
    "Flida storms off and I follow her."
    mc "Flida, wait!"
    scene b06 12
    with fade
    fl "There's nothing to say, Scythian."
    mc "It's not Keeltai that bothers you, it's ~"
    fl "The Hooded Man, I know."
    fl "I saw those sickly red eyes in my dreams last night..."
    fl "That bastard beat me so easily, like I was nothing!"
    "Trying to compliment Flida would only raise her ire. She hates nothing more than being patronized."
    mc "He's not dead. I can feel it in my chest. We'll see him again and I do not look forward to that meeting."
    mc "When that happens, Flida... I would want you to be there with me, your sword at the ready."
    fl "I'll slice him in half and stomp on his dark heart!"
    fl "..."
    fl "Thank you, [mcname]."
    mc "For what?"
    fl "For..."
    fl "Look, let's get back to the others. I just needed a moment to catch my breath."
    jump b06f

label b06e:

    scene b06 11
    show fli neut at left
    show keel neut at right
    mc "It was a fine performance, Keeltai. Lord Lugh himself would have praised it."
    show keel happ at right
    kl "Well, it seems that some of the people of the Sidhe can give a compliment where a compliment is due!"

    menu:

        "Flida, I can teach you a technique that would destroy an opponent like Keeltai.":
            $ b_fame += 1
            jump b07

        "{color=#00ff00}But I doubt you could beat me, Keeltai.":
            $ b_rizz += 2
            jump b08

label b06f:

    scene b06 11
    with fade
    show fli neut at left with moveinleft
    show keel neut at right
    kl "Licked you wounds, Flida? Come now, there are no hard feelings between us!"
    mc "It was a fine performance you put on, Keeltai. Lord Lugh himself would have praised it."
    show keel happ at right
    kl "Well, it seems that some of the people of the Sidhe can give a compliment where a compliment is due!"

    menu:

        "{color=#00ff00}Flida, I can teach you a technique that would destroy an opponent like Keeltai.":
            $ b_fame += 1
            jump b07

        "But I doubt you could beat me, Keeltai.":
            $ b_rizz += 2
            jump b08

label b07:

    play music gen09 loop
    scene b07 01
    with fade
    $ renpy.notify("Fame +1")
    fl "What do you have to teach me, Scythian? I thought bards carried their secrets close to their chests."
    mc "We do, but I think this particular trick is going to be even more spectacular coming from you. You're going to cut that standing stone in half."
    fl "A bold claim! Explain."
    mc "There is an incantation a bard can say in the most desperate situation. He imparts the magick to his blade so that it may cut through a warrior's shield."
    fl "A useful skill indeed. Will you teach it to me?"
    mc "I will. If it is your sword the incantation is spoken into, it would be an awesome weapon to behold."
    play sound rune01
    "I teach Flida the incantation. It is the way of the Tuatha that magick can be shared among our people like this."
    fl "Let me try."
    scene b07 02
    play sound strike01
    "She whispers the incantation and flicks her sword in an upward stroke across the face of the monolith at the center of the grove."
    "A pulse of wind and water accompanies her blow, just as intended."
    "For a moment, nothing happens."
    fl "I failed."
    mc "Wait."
    scene b07 03
    play sound earth
    "One side of the monolith falls away and slides down the hillside."
    mc "There you go. Just as I thought."
    fl "This is a wonderful gift! Thank you, [mcname]!"
    mc "You just remember those words when next we meet the Hooded Man."
    fl "By the Goddess Danu you have my word!"
    scene b07 04
    with fade
    show caz happ2 at right with moveinright
    cc "We have the final verse to the song!"
    cc "We sing of the coming of [mcname], then the fight with the Hooded Man..."
    cc "And finally, we sing of how Flida used her blade to make Flida's Rock!"
    show fli talk at left with moveinleft
    fl "Flida's Rock?"
    cc "This grove! It has a name now!"
    "One of the solemn duties of a bard is the naming of places. Each place on Celtica has a name and a story behind the giving of that name."
    "In this way, the memories of the past live into the present day, through the songs and tales of the bards."
    cc "This is why I left the Sidhe of Bob-Derg! For adventures and tales to tell!"
    "I can't help but smile at Caz-Cora's enthusiasm. She reminds me of when I was a young bard with great ambitions."
    "Then came the war against King Bres and there was more sorrow than joy to sing about..."
    fl "We must pack up and leave. There is still a long way to go until the Sidhe of Bri Leith."
    jump b09

label b08:

    scene b08 01
    with fade
    play music cin07 loop
    $ renpy.notify("Charisma +2")
    "Keeltai gladly accepts my challenge."
    kl "Those that talk bigly need to be able to match their words with deeds!"
    "The Milesians seem to be natural warriors. If Keeltai is a hardy example of a Milesian fighter, then I think I can understand how the Tuatha De Danann lost Celtica to them."
    play sound unsheath02
    "Using an old bardic sleight of hand, I fill my hands with two fighting daggers."
    kl "I warn you, Scythian, that I won't take you lightly. My time with Caz-Cora has taught me to respect the wiles of Tuatha bards!"
    mc "Good to hear. Shall we begin?"
    scene b08 02
    play sound block03
    with hpunch
    kl "Yes, let's do so!"
    "Keeltai makes a clean strike to my neck, called the 'Fangs of the Viper' when I was a novice bard. I counter by ducking and meeting his blade."
    kl "You're fast, but I am known as the fastest man in the Fianna!"
    mc "Well, don't hold back on my account."
    scene b08 03
    play sound punch
    with hpunch
    mc "Hah!"
    kl "WHAT???"
    "One thing I've noticed in my short time with Milesians is that they do not use their feet and legs much in combat. That's a weakness I can exploit."
    "I fake a strike and get down low, tapping Keeltai's ankle and throwing him off balance."
    "A fight is like a dance, full of feints and pivots. If you are unpredictable and keep the enemy guessing, you keep the initiative while they cannot fight to their full potential."
    scene b08 04
    play sound block01
    with vpunch
    mc "Think fast!"
    kl "AGH!"
    "While he is off balance, I strike!"
    "Dual wielding two daggers means I can attack from two angles. Keeltai's sword and shield are both used to frantically defend against my blades."
    "As Keeltai disarmed Flida, I can do the same. I slide the edge of my dagger down his sword to the hilt and I turn my imagined outcome of this fight into reality."
    scene b08 05
    play sound punch
    with vpunch
    with vpunch
    "As soon as Keeltai's sword has left his hand, I slam both my daggers into his shield and whisper a quick incantation that greatly increases their weight."
    "As his arm buckles and his guard is lowered, it's a simple case of finishing the fight with an arm lock taught to me by Lugh."
    kl "Ack! I yield, I yield!"
    mc "Well fought, friend!"
    "Flida laughs. It's feminine and musical and pleasing to the ear, in stark contrast to her war cry."
    fl "That big head of yours is deflating, for sure!"
    scene b06 11
    with fade
    show keel hurt at left with moveinleft
    kl "You bards of the Sidhe are a handful and that's the truth! I know not what to expect!"
    mc "Then I've taught you a good lesson - be unpredictable."
    kl "Aye! I'll not argue with that!"
    show caz happ2 at right with moveinright
    cc "That was amazing! You must show me how you did that! I've never been able to beat Keeltai before and yet you ~"
    cc "I mean, your movement, that incantation at the end... you're as sly as a fox!"
    cc "I... I really respect you, [mcname]!"
    mc "I can teach a fellow bard a little of what I know."
    cc "Yes, please!"
    hide keel hurt at left with moveoutleft
    show fli happ at left with moveinleft
    fl "Well, that was quite the entertaining show you put on for us, Scythian."
    fl "But we must move. The day grows short and we still have a lot of ground to cover."
    mc "Lead the way."
    stop music
    jump b09

label b09:

    scene b09 01
    with fade
    play music trav02 loop
    "We continue our journey through the hills of the Dorgannons. The trails become rougher and less travelled."
    "In the distance, I see the tall snow-capped summits of the Vandalar Lynham mountains. The Sidhe of The Dagda is somewhere at the base of one of those peaks."
    fl "We are looking for an ancient shrine built by the Nemedians. That will be where we will set up camp for the night."
    scene b09 02
    with fade
    "After another hour of travel, we reach our destination. The shrine is remarkably well preserved for its age, a testament to the skill of Nemedian masons."
    show keel neut at right with moveinright
    kl "What do you suppose the Nemedians used this shrine for?"
    show caz talk2 at left with moveinleft
    cc "The Tuatha elders think Nemedian druids used to give offerings to their sky gods. But the answer is lost to time, as there are no Nemedians to tell the truth of it."
    kl "..."
    kl "Are we all destined to suffer the same fate as the Children of Nemed? To be forgotten by the ages?"
    cc "That... is a difficult question to answer, Keeltai."
    hide caz talk2 at left with moveoutleft
    hide keel neut at right with moveoutright
    show fli talk at center with moveinright
    fl "Save your philosophizing for when you sit around the fire. We have a camp to set up."
    fl "The game around here is sparse, but we'll find rabbits, bird's nests and the occasional deer. There are also fish in the nearby stream. Caz-Cora, you collect the firewood while the rest of us gather food."
    fl "Now let's be quick as we don't have much time before night falls!"
    hide fli talk at right with moveoutright
    "With the Cauldron of Ansic, I should be able to get enough food to sate all four of us."
    "I stick my arm into the cauldron."
    play sound rune01
    mc "O cauldron, I know I'm not The Dagda, but lend me your aid."
    scene b09 03
    with fade
    "I was hoping for some roast meat or bread, but an ornate crossbow is what the cauldron gives me."
    mc "Well, I can't eat this, but it is definitely something I can use..."
    mc "O cauldron, I wonder if you could also let me have the harp of The Dagda, that I might play a song?"
    scene b09 04
    with fade
    play music harp02 loop
    "Animals are naturally attracted to pleasant sounding songs. That has always been the way of it."
    "But Uaithne is something more. Not only are the songs the most beautiful that can be played, they also have the magic of the Otherworld entwined in each note."
    "I sit and play without a care in the world. Out of the surrounding rocks, hares raise their heads and look at me warily."
    "One creeps closer, then another. Their noses twitch in the air, searching for a scent of danger."
    "But a song from Uaithne is magickal. Soon the hares sit about me, completely at ease."
    mc "I'm sorry, my friends, for what I'm about to do..."
    "My hand reaches slowly for the crossbow."
    stop music
    scene b09 05
    with fade
    "I lay a brace of hares at Caz-Cora's feet. She has already been able to prepare the campfire."
    cc "By Danu, you caught so many of them in so short a time! This much hare meat may even satisfy Flida's enormous stomach!"
    cc "I'll skin them and gut them if you can go down to the stream and fetch some water."
    mc "I can do that."
    "With the Cauldron of Ansic in my hand, I make my way down to the nearby stream."

    if caz_red:
        jump b09a

    else:
        jump b12


label b09a:

    scene b09 02
    with fade
    play music whd02 loop
    "I return to the shrine with the Cauldron of Ansic full of water. There's no sign of Flida or Keeltai."
    "As I approach, I hear Caz-Cora's voice as though she is talking to somebody."
    cc "I can't... stop!"
    cc "Get out of my... head!"
    "I sneak closer to the shrine to get a better look."
    scene b10 01
    with fade
    cc "I'm not your plaything..."
    cc "You can't... command me..."
    "Caz-Cora has stripped of her bardess clothing and is absent-mindedly rubbing her clitoris."
    "With her eyelids fluttering, it makes me think whoever she is having a conversation with is inside her own mind."

    menu:

        "Continue watching Caz-Cora":
            $ b_rizz -= 1
            jump b10

        "{color=#00ff00}Reveal yourself":
            $ b_rizz += 1   
            jump b11

        "Slip away and respect her privacy":
            jump b11a

label b10:

    $ renpy.notify("Charisma -1")
    "From the rocks where I am perched, I have a perfect view of Caz-Cora without any fear of being discovered."
    scene b10 02
    with fade
    cc "Oh! By the Goddess!"
    "Caz-Cora rubs her clitoris more vigorously until it is moist with her juices."
    cc "Why does this feel... so good???"
    scene b10 03
    with fade
    "Caz-Cora's frenzy of excitement gives way to a more relaxed pleasuring of her private parts."
    cc "MmmmMMmm..."
    "She moans erotically as her fingertips enjoy sliding over her labia and clit."
    cc "I feel... your eyes..."
    "Who is she talking about?"
    scene b10 04
    with fade
    play sound cum01
    cc "A~ Aaauuugghhh!"
    "Suddenly her slim body spasms as she reaches orgasm and squirts out onto the pale stonework."
    "Her pussy quivers as she leans back, struggling for breath. For a while, she lies on the ground, taking heavy gulps of air into her mouth."
    scene b10 05
    with fade
    "I stay in place, continuing to watch her. She eventually gets up and looks around, but does not see me."
    "Her buttocks are much rounder and smoother than I would have imagined from the leather pants she wears."
    cc "What am I doing? Have I gone mad?"
    cc "I've been cursed by the foul touch of... that fiend!"
    play sound dress
    "Caz-Cora begins to dress and as she is tightening the cords to her suit, I take the chance to slip away."
    stop music
    jump b11a

label b11:

    scene b11 01
    with fade
    $ renpy.notify("Charisma +1")
    "As I approach, the rattle of a kicked stone alerts her to my presence."
    cc "[mcname]! Th~ this isn't what it looks like!"
    cc "Please! Turn away so I can dress!"
    "I walk up to Caz-Cora slowly and talk to her in a reassuring tone, keeping eye contact with every step."
    mc "I'm here to help you through whatever is happening, Caz-Cora..."
    scene b11 02
    with fade
    "When I reach her, I take her in my arms softly focus on calming her down."
    cc "No... don't..."
    jump b11b

    
label b11a:

    "I will return to the camp later with Flida and Keeltai. I trust Caz-Cora can settle whatever she is going through by herself."
    "I sneak away, careful not to disturb the stones about me."
    scene b12 01
    with fade
    play music gen01 loop
    "Night falls when Keeltai and Flida return. By that time, Caz-Cora is fully dressed and no longer acting strangely."
    "The campfire is warm and the company is good."
    "We feast on hare meat, berries and salmon, followed by cool mountain water."
    "How many times have a sat by a fire like this, during the war against King Bres?"
    "I look up into the night sky and see the same ocean of stars I've always known. Are things really so different? It all feels like a dream."
    "Flida's familiar laughter booms out during conversation and I'm regaled by new songs and poems from both Caz-Cora and Keeltai."

    if b_rizz >= 4:
        jump b12a

    else:
        jump b12b

label b11b:

    mc "Something is wrong. Do you want to tell me about it?"
    cc "Let me... get dressed..."
    "I hold Caz-Cora's gaze and I feel her swooning in my arms. She unconsciously moves her lips closer to mine."
    cc "[mcname]..."

    menu:

        "{color=#00ff00}Seduce her":
            $ b_rizz += 2
            $ caz_rock = True
            jump b11c

        "Be her confidant":
            $ b_rizz += 1
            jump b11d

    
label b11c:

    if _in_replay:

        show screen Replayexit
        $ mcname = persistent.name

    $ renpy.notify("Charisma +2")
    mc "It's not fair that you're the only one without clothing. Let me get undressed as well..."
    cc "What? No! That's not..."
    scene b11 03
    with fade
    cc "This is crazy! What if Flida or Keeltai come back and see us like this?!"
    mc "We have time. Besides, holding each other keeps us warm up here in the mountains."
    "I slide my hand along her flat belly and gently kiss her neck."
    cc "That tickles!"
    mc "Do you want me to stop?"
    cc "..."
    "She places her hand on the back of my head, as if to keep me close to her."
    cc "No."
    scene b11 04
    with fade
    cc "OH!"
    "I sweep Caz-Cora off her feet and take her into my arms. She's much lighter than I expected."
    cc "D~ don't drop me!"
    "I take her over to a secluded alcove nearby, where a returning Flida or Keeltai would not notice us."
    scene b11 05
    with fade
    "I make Caz-Cora lean against a standing stone and pull her hips back so that her ass is presented to me."
    "She shivers and moans as I lazily slide my fingers up and down her labia."
    play sound enter01
    queue sound enter02
    mc "You're so moist..."
    "I place my fingers, slick with her juices, up to her lips."
    play sound blow01
    "At first she hesitates, then she licks them with her tongue that is overflowing with saliva."
    cc "I've never been with a man before."
    mc "I'll be gentle."
    cc "How do you do this to me, [mcname]? With you, I feel like I'm sinking deeper and deeper into an ocean, but I don't want to help myself!"
    mc "It's a perfectly natural and wonderful feeling. Let me show you where that leads..."
    scene b11 06
    with fade
    "Caz-Cora takes short and shallow breaths the moment she feels my cock brush up against her purse."
    "I have to squat a little to make sure I line up with her."
    play sound enter01
    cc "Oh, light! I f~ feel it!"
    scene b11 07
    with fade
    "Caz-Cora's pussy is moist but extremely tight. I push myself into her slowly until blood trickles out of her folds."
    mc "Are you alright?"
    cc "It... hurts a little, but I'm fine."
    mc "It will start to feel good very soon."
    "Caz-Cora weakly nods to me in reply."
    scene b11 08
    with fade
    "I finally fit the entire length of my shaft into her."
    cc "I'm so weak at the knees! I might... buckle!"
    "I hold her firmly by the hips as I start to slowly thrust inside her. While her hole is small, I'm helped by how moistened she is."
    "With time and experience, Caz-Cora is going to be an amazing lover between the sheets."
    play sound slaplong
    cc "Oh, [mcname], you're... inside me!"
    mc "Does it feel good now?"
    cc "Yes..."
    mc "I can make it feel even better..."
    stop sound
    show mo_caz01
    cc "[mcname], what are you~?"
    cc "OoooOOooHHHH!"
    mc "Caz-Cora!"
    "Caz-Cora's hot breath tickles my neck as I pump her. She clutches onto my rump as make a woman out of her."
    cc "Oh, Goddess... oh, Goddess!!!"
    cc "I'm going... to lose my mind!"
    mc "It's coming..."
    cc "N~ no! Not inside! I don't want a~"
    scene b11 09
    with fade
    play sound shoot03
    queue sound shoot02
    "In the last moment I pull out and turn Caz-Cora around. I use her buttocks to finish the last few strokes that lead to my explosion over the small of her back."
    mc "Caz! Oh, yes!"
    "Her smooth white skin is painted by my pearly liquid. I spend some time bringing myself down by rubbing my cock between her ass cheeks."
    cc "Uuuuuhhh..."
    stop music
    show b09 02
    with fade
    "I stand there holding Caz-Cora from behind. Her breaths are deep and I can feel her heart thumping in her chest."
    "Then, in the distance, I hear the Flida's laughter, followed by Keeltai's voice."
    play sound dress
    "Caz-Cora and I look at each other, then scramble to get dressed."
    show caz happ2 at center with easeinbottom
    cc "It... it was amazing. I never thought it would be like that!"
    mc "The fun part is we can do it again, maybe between silk sheets next time. There's a lot I can teach you."
    mc "..."
    mc "How's your body?"
    show caz neut2
    cc "It stings a little when I walk."
    show caz talk2 at right with moveinright
    show fli happ at left with moveinleft
    fl "What have you two been up two since we've been gone? I hope the campfire is ready!"
    cc "Just... give me a moment, Flida!"
    hide caz talk2 at right with moveoutright
    "Caz and I share a secret smile together as she scurries off to finish preparations for our camp."

    if _in_replay:
        return

    jump b12


label b11d:

    play music wh07 loop
    $ renpy.notify("Charisma +1")
    mc "I promise whatever you tell me will be our secret."
    mc "You can trust me. Give me a chance to repay you for the kindness and consideration you've shown to me."
    cc "It's... the Hooded Man."
    "Her body shudders as she forces out the final two words."
    cc "He's still... around. Inside me..."
    cc "It scares me, but it also excites me. Maybe it excites me too much..."
    mc "He talks to you? You hear his voice?"
    cc "N~ not exactly. It's like, the impression of him is very strong within me. I don't know how else I can say it."
    mc "You were exposed to his dark powers. It stands to reason you would be suffering from some after effects, but you know what?"
    cc "What?"
    mc "We're going to see the wisest druid of our people. He'll be able to cure you and everything is going to turn out for the best."
    mc "Now, you should get dressed before the others return."
    cc "Promise you won't tell Flida? She's very aggressive about these sorts of things."
    mc "I swear on the Goddess your secret is safe."
    scene b09 02
    with fade
    play sound dress
    "I turn away and give Caz-Cora time to get dressed."
    show caz neut2 at center with easeinbottom
    cc "Thank you for listening to me, [mcname]. I feel my burden is a little lighter for having told you."
    mc "That's the way it should be. As bards, our trade is in words, whether we speak them or listen to them."
    show caz happ2 at center
    cc "You always know the right thing to say, don't you?"
    mc "Not always. When I choose the wrong words, the results are often spectacular."
    mc "Now, shall I help you with those hares?"
    cc "Please do!"
    stop music
    jump b12


label b12:

    scene b12 01
    with fade
    play music gen01 loop
    "Night falls, but the campfire is warm and the company is good."
    "We feast on hare meat, berries and salmon, followed by cool mountain water."
    "How many times have I sat by a fire like this, during the war against King Bres?"
    "I look up into the night sky and see the same ocean of stars I've always known. Are things really so different? It all feels like a dream."
    "Flida's familiar laughter booms out during conversation and I'm regaled by new songs and poems from both Caz-Cora and Keeltai."

    if b_rizz >= 4:
        jump b12a

    else:
        jump b12b


label b12a:

    cc "[mcname], do you have a moment? There's something I'd like to tell you."
    mc "Of course, what is it?"
    "Caz-Cora's face flushes."
    cc "Not here! I'll tell you just over there, beside the tree."
    "A knowing smile passes between Flida and Keeltai."
    fl "It's getting late. I will start cleaning up."
    kl "And as for me, I think I need to go and take a piss over by that rock."
    fl "As elegant as ever, Keeltai!"
    "Keeltai points in the direction that is the exact opposite of the tree Caz-Cora had indicated."
    scene b12 02
    with fade
    "I go with Caz-Cora and as soon as we are out of sight, she pushes herself against me and plants her soft lips on my cheek."
    mc "What's this for?"
    cc "For being who you are. You're just like a bard from the old stories, the ones I used to dream about!"
    cc "After you see The Dagda, you could join me in wandering around Celtica with the Fianna."
    mc "You like my company?"
    cc "Of course! I think I... I think..."
    cc "N~ never mind! Let's get back to the others! Just consider my offer..."
    stop music
    scene b12 03
    with fade
    play music trav02 loop
    "The next morning, our going slows as we travel up ever steepening paths."
    mc "The Dagda hasn't exactly established himself at a frequented crossroads, has he?"
    kl "He likes his solitude. Ever since he gave up the title of High King of Celtica, he's spent most of his time in Bri Leith."
    cc "We've arrived! I see the mist up ahead!"
    mc "The mist?"
    fl "Manannan Moc Lir's enchanted mists protect many Sidhes. It's been that way since the treaty with the Milesians."
    scene b12 05
    with fade
    "The party moves into a fog that grows thicker with every footstep. We enter a valley and while the outlines of the rocky slopes on either side are visible by their outline, nothing else is."
    mc "Are you sure we're in the correct place? There appears to be nothing here."
    fl "The Sidhe is only visible to those allowed to see it."
    mc "Is that so?"
    cc "Just wait! It will all become clear in a moment!"
    scene b12 06
    with fade
    "At first I think it is my imagination, but the mist is most definitely thinning."
    "I see before me a mountain road that leads to nowhere, surrounded on both sides by a rock landscape fresh with a recent snowfall."
    mc "Do we need to announce ourselves?"
    cc "There's no need. The Dagda's steward has seen us approaching for quite a while is my guess."
    scene b12 07
    play sound rune01
    "Then, the mist completely dissipates and as though materializing out of a haze, a large stone entrance appears."
    fl "I present to you the Sidhe of Bri Leith, where The Dagda, the arch druid of the Tuatha De Danann, holds court."
    kl "It's... always impressive to witness the magick of the Sidhe with my own eyes..."
    cc "Shall we enter? There's much we need to talk to The Dagda about!"
    "I look at the others and whip my cloak about me in a theatrical flourish."
    mc "After you, my ladies..."
    jump b_cont

label b12b:

    mc "Flida, before the battle at Moy Tura, do you remember you were guarding a prisoner in Tau-Ra?"
    fl "That was a very long time ago, Scythian. I remember the battle much more than what happened before that."
    mc "You met someone in that prison, an agent sent by The Dagda. Do you remember that?"
    fl "..."
    fl "No, I do not."
    "Doubts continue to grow in my mind. This can't possibly be the Flida I knew. Just what happened to be at the moment of Balor's death?"
    stop music
    scene b12 03
    with fade
    play music trav02 loop
    "The next morning, our going slows as we travel up ever steepening paths."
    mc "The Dagda hasn't exactly established himself at a frequented crossroads, has he?"
    kl "He likes his solitude. Ever since he gave up the title of High King of Celtica, he's spent most of his time in Bri Leith."
    cc "We've arrived! I see the mist up ahead!"
    mc "The mist?"
    fl "Manannan Moc Lir's enchanted mists protect many Sidhes. It's been that way since the treaty with the Milesians."
    scene b12 05
    with fade
    "The party moves into a fog that grows thicker with every footstep. We enter a valley and while the outlines of the rocky slopes on either side are visible by their outline, nothing else is."
    mc "Are you sure we're in the correct place? There appears to be nothing here."
    fl "The Sidhe is only visible to those allowed to see it."
    mc "Is that so?"
    cc "Just wait! It will all become clear in a moment!"
    scene b12 06
    with fade
    "At first I think it is my imagination, but the mist is most definitely thinning."
    "I see before me a mountain road that leads to nowhere, surrounded on both sides by a rock landscape fresh with a recent snowfall."
    mc "Do we need to announce ourselves?"
    cc "There's no need. The Dagda's steward has seen us approaching for quite a while is my guess."
    scene b12 07
    play sound rune01
    "Then, the mist completely dissipates and as though materializing out of a haze, a large stone entrance appears."
    fl "I present to you the Sidhe of Bri Leith, where The Dagda, the arch druid of the Tuatha De Danann, holds court."
    kl "It's... always impressive to witness the magick of the Sidhe with my own eyes..."
    cc "Shall we enter? There's much we need to talk to The Dagda about!"
    "I look at the others and whip my cloak about me in a theatrical flourish."
    mc "After you, my ladies..."
    jump b_cont






    





