Well, well, mistress Wen... since you are in his good house for many a day, you can steal some of his belongings.
If you ask around town, the villagers can confirm the names belong to resplendent beauties — largely performers (dance, theatre). Might be one to ask the network or the forest group for, however — Aiun features in their quest. But her name will otherwise feature in the village as the only beauty who was not a thespian — the coveted wife of a humble villager.
Running into the woods — ideally, with Hermione or others in tow (S.O.S this one, Wen Qing) — Wen Qing can indeed encounter the infiltrator. It is an admirably largesnake creature, by now more serpent than humanoid, its scales entirely black. It shows scant human manners or sensibilities, although — if the moon shines just right — Wen Qing can see its upper body is littered with signs of burning and deep burn tissue, along with clear brandings: the marks of work in, or exposure to a forge.
'Happily,' Wen Qing can anticipate experiencing the naga up close and personal: he slithers into her vicinity, caging her against a tree, driping his acidic drool on the shoulder of her robes and catching her scent. The creature is clearly feral, and the extensive fresh gashes and smears of dirt on its hands suggest it has been digging intensively for something.
Up to you if you'd like the naga to withdraw (or be banished), or whether you want Wen Qing captured by it. The only trouble is someone might have to go rescue her / she might have to rescue herself from the inevitable lair.
CW: link to a snake creature picture
If you ask around town, the villagers can confirm the names belong to resplendent beauties — largely performers (dance, theatre). Might be one to ask the network or the forest group for, however — Aiun features in their quest. But her name will otherwise feature in the village as the only beauty who was not a thespian — the coveted wife of a humble villager.
Running into the woods — ideally, with Hermione or others in tow (S.O.S this one, Wen Qing) — Wen Qing can indeed encounter the infiltrator. It is an admirably large snake creature, by now more serpent than humanoid, its scales entirely black. It shows scant human manners or sensibilities, although — if the moon shines just right — Wen Qing can see its upper body is littered with signs of burning and deep burn tissue, along with clear brandings: the marks of work in, or exposure to a forge.
'Happily,' Wen Qing can anticipate experiencing the naga up close and personal: he slithers into her vicinity, caging her against a tree, driping his acidic drool on the shoulder of her robes and catching her scent. The creature is clearly feral, and the extensive fresh gashes and smears of dirt on its hands suggest it has been digging intensively for something.
Up to you if you'd like the naga to withdraw (or be banished), or whether you want Wen Qing captured by it. The only trouble is someone might have to go rescue her / she might have to rescue herself from the inevitable lair.