Embrace Degeneracy

Chapter 3

Working through life's challenges was always a difficult thing, especially in a town as small as Hawkins. While everyone seemed to know everyone, they also didn't know anyone. They really only knew who their family knew, and everything else was usually assumptions. If not assumptions, it was just regurgitating the same views and opinions of the older people in your life. Gwendolyn never really minded it all that much. She wasn't someone who paid too much attention to the people around her, and tried to keep herself off of everyone's social radar.

Gwendolyn wasn't anyone special. Now, that's not to say that she wasn't important, or that she didn't matter. Her family wasn't as high profile as many of her peers, and she didn't get to see her dad very often, but he did his best to make sure she knew that she wasn't without worth. Even if she would worry that the only reason he said it was because he was her dad. They lived together in a small house, basically just two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a kitchen with a small table. Not much, but they didn't need a lot. He worked second shift at a warehouse outside of Hawkins so he was usually gone by the time she got home from school, and didn't return until she was in bed. Even then sometimes he would work extra shifts, protecting her future he would say.

Lyn always felt like he was keeping himself busy to not think about her mother.

It wasn't what a lot of people would call a great life, but it was her's. She got to enjoy her time how she chose, and she always felt like she did good job choosing how to do so. Even if it was sitting in a High School auditorium watching her boyfriend and his friends play a role-playing game while she drafted through poetry. Eddie liked to watch his friends try and figure out twists and bends that he created, and she liked to document. It was part of the reason she liked watching the Hellfire Club play through their campaign sessions; she felt like she got to experience more of life as they lived through alternate ones. Experience something more.

As she closed her notebook, Lyn noted that the party of adventurers seemed to be approaching the end of the campaign. They had just entered the Hall of Vecna, and the man himself made his appearance. The party made some good hits, and were able to manage clearing out a good bit of the acolytes, but she had a feeling Eddie didn't want the lesser bad guys to do too much damage. It wasn't until the players started making moves at Vecna himself that they started to be picked off. 

Gareth's paladin was the first to make a move, "I cast Banishing Smite at Vecna."

"Shouldn't we make sure that his little buddies won't take us out before we worry about him?" Erica, who was making her debut at the Hellfire table, aggressively asked. She was only eleven, but Lyn sure liked her. Eddie had kept his 'Dungeon Master' face on for the entirety of the game, but Lyn knew there was no way Eddie didn't like the girl. Erica had the attitude to defend herself, and evidently the chops to back it up. Once the game itself ended, and Eddie The Banished turned back into Eddie The Nerd, she was sure he would gush to Lyn about the youngest Sinclair.

Gareth countered, "If we wait too long we won't have enough spell slots left. Then what? We hope that you get a good stealth roll for what? One hit? And even if you DO, you won't be able to take him out on your own. Do you want me to use Destructive Wave? Mike and Jeff are less than twenty feet away."

Both Mike and Jeff looked offended at the implication of causing them damage, but weren't against moving on to the Big Bad Evil Guy. Eddie kept his features schooled, doing his best to let the party talk themselves into oblivion back and forth.

Dustin was on Erica's side and felt that they should hold back on attacking Vecna. "Hello? Flight of The Damned? Flying spectrals? That's 120 feet. Yeah, Gareth, you'll be fine. Jeff's cleric might. But Lady Applejack's a rogue, she could be out if we jump in too soon. There's still his cult, we can't loose her yet. She has the best stealth."