The Ballad of Adler Young, Canto 2.5

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"Wash the new initiate's hair in the ceremonial basin," I commanded. "And use THIS!" I added as I whipped the bottle of shampoo out of my Elfintory.

"OOOHHH!" my followers gasped.

"There's also a bottle of fancy hoof polish here, and I see at least one of you who can use it."

"AAAHHH!" the sheep bleated with delight.

>Adler: Right, time to discuss your plans. The easiest way to deal with both cults is to turn them against each other. How much influence do hairdressers have to spread misinformation?
>Oak: Hairdressers gossip with their clients all the time. It would be a cinch to sow discord.

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"The texture of this shampoo is exquisite," Oak murmured as she worked it into Rebecca's hair. "Such a silky smooth lather!"

"I feel prettier already," Rebecca spluttered.

"Keep your mouth closed, dear," Oak gently scolded her.

"This polish is great!" the sheep gushed. "It fills and seals the cracks, and gives such a glossy sheen!"

"Yes, excellent," I nodded approvingly. "How good are you lot at spreading information? We will need to lauch a propaganda campaign against the competing cults."

"Hairdressers and beauticians gossip constantly," Oak declared. "It will be a cinch."

>Adler: It is very late, and it would be too dangerous to send your followers to go trudging home in the dark while there are still possible aggressors roaming around. Have them sleep in the stone circle for the night, with the forest now working for you, it's the safest possible place for them.

"It's getting late," I observed. "You would all probably be safest if you spent the night here rather than stumbling home in the twilight with possibly hostile rabbits potentially waiting in ambush. I can magick up some shelters, and if you'll gather ingredients I can make a stew that will blow your mind. We shall discuss our plans, and after Rebecca's hair is washed I can style it."

While everyone is sleeping, work on modifying the poodle's curse.
>Adler: Now that the forest is working for you, it should be easy getting food. Just have your followers place a care package on the outskirts of the woods and the trees will pass it along to you. The situation is still too volatile to risk a time skip, stay until the situation is resolved. Once your cult is stable and self sustaining, you can skip ahead to where they have more power and influence. Though, then what? What is your endgame? How will your cult free you? The only one who can free you is a king. You can only be king if another elf crowns you. Who will that other elf be?

To make a long story short, they set up camp and everything went well. While they were sleeping, I refined the transmogrification spell I had placed on Rebecca's father, and pondered my next moves. Having a group of loyal followers would help me in the short term, since they could bring me food and supplies .. but it wasn't going to free me from my imprisonment. Edessa's curse had been issued in the form of a Royal sentence for crimes she imagined I had committed that day (and perhaps I actually had..)

The only way to get out of it was by obtaining a Royal pardon, and the only person with that kind of authority was Edessa herself .. unless .. if I could be crowned King then I could pardon myself. But who would crown me? Was there any elfin nobility left? What about that skunk-femme changeling that Estmere was supposed to have married, but because of his preference for hooves he informally betrothed her to me instead? She must be wandering somewhere in the lowfolk world, since she didn't show up with the others when she was supposed to. I needed to find her .. but how?

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Are you lot getting bored? This story has been going on for a WHILE and there are a lot less of you listening now than when I started.

There are plenty of other things I could be doing, you know. It's been some time since I last checked on my beloved bride to see what she's up to, and my daughter has shacked up with some bum I don't entirely approve of.

If there are still some things you want to know, go ahead and ask, and I'll answer. Otherwise I'm ready to wrap up this tale in a timely fashion.