Being good is too mainstream. [IC]

[Doomboy911]

Ah it is festival time in the garden of life, your ships are among thousands sailing towards the islands. This is an eden that sings beauty, the water is so pure that the ships appear to be floating on air rather than water, you can see birds flying overhead some sing while others dive down at amazing speeds they can easily snatch fish out of the crystal clear water.The smell even miles away from the island you can smell inhumanly strong spices that would bowl over a lesser man. This is the garden of life.

Deep down in the clear water you can spot a ships graveyard, sharks and eels and all matter of predator swim along, (a spot check for more info)

The ride hasn't been too long depending on where you're from. The providence of divine favor would probably take three weeks to get hear but those from the green comb or hewn mountains would be there in no time.

Party time.

[Raunchel]

Drimanai walks into the town, still dressed as a priestess of Mystra, she still has to find new clothes. She seems ill at ease, she thinks that her order is after her, and they will manage to find her. But she doesn't want to be found, no, she wants to build a new life, she will impress the one she loves, and being a humble priestess just won't be enough. She has to do some serious dark deeds, and this looks like a good place for them. But what shall she do? Stealing something will be difficult, she would be seized and then it would all be over. Maybe she should hurt someone? But who? And how?

She walks into the harbor, maybe inspiration will strike her there?

[Archmage1]

Having fled the terrible desecration of her garden in tears, Bluebell's little heart had hardened, and she took the ultimate risk: Taking a ship to the garden of life. To a petal, being so long without any flowers was a true terror. Of course, the poor sailors, being stuck on a ship with a somewhat... annoying petal, were not exactly happy, especially since she had not paid for passage. They tried to catch her, but she effortlessly evaded them, and made them look like fools. By the end of the trip, though, Bluebell barely had enough energy to sit at the prow of the ship, and hope that they would reach land, and life, soon. The sailors had given up trying to catch her, and just looked sort of sad as they noticed her.

She idly looked down, and up, and all around, wincing when one of the birds flashed down near her, for being grabbed by one would be no fun at all, wishing the trip would be over, and her vengeance would have a chance to begin.

[roll0] spot

[littlebum2002]

Ianhorn got off the boat and inhaled deeply. He could feel the life energy that permeated this place. He lived on that energy, like a tiger thrives on its prey. This trip was going to be well worth it, he knew already. This island wouldn't know what hit it.

He walked down the path that led to town, followed by two silent dwarves. They both were armed to the hilt, and seemed to be daring anyone to mess with them. As he passed, nearby flowers and plants seemed to wilt.

the two "dwarves" are zombies hit by a silent image spell. They look rough to discourage people from touching them, which might end the spell.

[Zolkabro]

Solomon's metal shell sits in the hold of a ship, buried among cargo and contraband. His misshapen form is carried out of the ship in wooden crates. The docks are alight with life. People from all over the world arrive and mill around, while the shouting of workers is everywhere. Solomon is dumped like any other crate of junk in a pile. To any passerby, he is scrap metal, dumped on a ship just to be out of the way. But inside, his mainframe is alight with activity. Because Solomon Bonethief has reached Eden...

Input: Sensors indicate above average Life Energy readings.
Confirm?
Confirmed. Initiating protocol... Eden.
Protocol Eden:
---Confirm: Ambient Life Energy > 300 TC?
---Confirmed.
---Confirm: 100 m^2 clear of hostile readings?
---Confirmed.
---Confirm: On solid ground?
---Confirmed.
---Confirm: All parameters met. Initalise Activation?
---Confirmed.
---Activating...
---Activating...
---Activating...
---Activating...
---Active. Boot successful.
---Protocol Eden Status: Successful. Confirm protocol termination?
Confirmed. Protocol Eden Terminated.
Life Parameters set: Initialize Wake-up.

The dull glass sensors on Solomon's metal chunk of a head suddenly shine with life. Or not - no life is there. Just machine. But nevertheless, his eyes light up. One deep purple, and glowing slightly, one a rather more battered standard-issue orange.
His limbs unfold, and the "pile of metal" stands up. The box around is easily splintered, already falling apart from damp and age. Solomon looks around, and starts walking. He knows that his activation after months of shut down can mean only one thing: He has reached the Garden of Life.

[Doomboy911]

For those checking out the ship graveyard you can see they each have some black flag dotting their masses, many a pirate has lost their life for this land. Why wouldn't they though, the garden of life is a large landmass filled with monsters of all terrors but this isn't a problem for the pirates who have conquered the surrounding islands. Now they're no longer pirates they're colonists.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell enjoys watching the boats under the water, seeing them as almost another sort of flower, working with the many types of fish that use them as a home. She anxiously awaits landfall, in hopes that she would feel better.

[Zolkabro]

Alert: Unfamiliar surroundings.
Confirm: Identify whereabouts?
Confirmed. Initiate scans.
Initiating Visual Scan...
Initiating Auditory Scan...
Initiating Arcane Scan...

Solomon looks around, his robotic orange right eye pulsating slightly as it swivels and zooms, and his deep purple left one glowing bright as it pierces the sunlight.

Spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]
Using my Magic Eye to cast Detect Magic. Spellcraft if necessary: [roll2]

[littlebum2002]

Ianhorn suddthey smells the distinct smell of death. It's very faint, as if someone is trying to hide it, but it's definitely there.

Well now, what do we have here he thought to himself.

He followed the smell, but it seemed to be coming from... a construct? Some sort of mechanical beastie, anyhow.

Well hello friend. What brings you to the "islands of life"?

[blade artist]

Well near the end of the passengers, Aster slowly walks off the boat. He looks to be a tall, muscled human in heavy armor, towering over the dock workers. It has been a few years since Aster was last at the gardens of life. He remembers back to when he was last here, helping to fight off pirates and their ilk as a small-time hired arm. Aster's smile of those days slowly fade, as he is here this time not to save it but harm it.

"It's getting about time to for the festival."

[Zolkabro]

Input: Auditory sensors reveal personal inquiry.
Confirm?
ALERT ALERT ALERT: Personal Inquiry re: SENSITIVE INFORMATION.
Initiate LIE:
Query: Purpose of whereabouts?
Select common responses:
---Visiting family,
---Tourism,
---Health purposes,
---Holiday,
---Pilgrimage,
Response selected: Pilgrimage.
Output: Vocalise 'LIE'

Solomon Bonethief stopped in his tracks. Without moving the rest of him, his head rotated on its joint to face the inquirer.
"I am here on a Pilgrimage." he says, a deep but slightly metallic voice emanating from a speaker grill. "What about you?"

[littlebum2002]

"I am here on a Pilgrimage.What about you?"

A pilgrimage, eh? Well in that case I guess I'm on a "pilgramage" too

Ianforged winks at the construct.

But do constructs even understand sarcasm? he thought. I guess if they can lie then they know sarcasm

Follow me, friend. I do believe we might be able to help each other with our "pilgrimages"

[Doomboy911]

On hearing about these "pilgrimages" a burly gent from behind throws his arms over both your shoulders.
"Yeah Pilgrimage" he lets out a loud worrying heave, his odor is by some ungodly miracle overpowering that of the rich spices that inhabit this island. People all about suddenly let out a loud "Yeah Pilgrimage"

"Best time of the year man, firefly festival about to go off, it's the gods blessing us and all our piratey greatness."

Folks begin making their way off the docks and into the bazzars and markets that make up this island and many of the others. The place seems filled with all kinds of seediness, delightful prostitutes pitching all manner of woo, men chasing the only white dragon left on earth and so much back alley dealings you swear you see a sign reading "Back alley business" but if you did it's lost among the bright red and gold banners streaming across every bit of the city.

You're all going to fit in just fine.

[Raunchel]

Drimanai finds the crowd uncomfortable, she has never been between so many people, she goes towards the docks, where the crowd seems to grow thinner because everyone is going to the town and festival. She looks at her feet while she walks, what if someone knows about her? Then she hits something, it is solid and hard, but when she last looked there was nothing there. She looks up and sees a face. She says: "I'm sorry, I, ehm, didn't notice you walking there."

I decided to have her bump into Aster, from what I see of him I assume that her walking into him won't do anything to him.

[Archmage1]

At long last, the ship Bluebell was on sailed majestically into the docks, the little petal sitting on the prow, watching the docks as the the ship slowly comes to a stop, gently creaking against its moorings.
Pleased to have reached land, after so long at sea, the tiny thing seems to acquire a fresh surge of energy, and flies up, calling "Thank you!" to the sailors on the ship(Who seem quite pleased to have her gone).
Soon enough, as she flies, she finds a small area with flowers in it, and she happily flies down to them, looking at them, smelling them, seeming to draw energy from their mere presence, however impossible that seems.
Of course, her antics are fairly noticeable, and petals are not all that common here.

[Zolkabro]

Input: Physical sensors indicate tactile interaction.
Confirm?
ALERT ALERT ALERT Tactile Interaction Detected.
Categorise: Non-threatening. Confirm?
Confirmed.
Continue in Peaceful mode?
Confirmed.

Solomon gently but firmly pushes the intruder away.

He turns to the unknown entity who had come to greet him, the strange Dwarf.
Initiate Friendly Interaction.
"Greetings. I am Solomon. Please state your personal nomenclature. Meeting you is pleasant. Tea?"

[littlebum2002]

The name is Ianhorn. And these two...
he points to the two "dwarves" behind him
well, they don't really have names. They don't really talk much. Here to be seen and not heard and all that.

Tea 'll be great, yeah. We'll just have to find a place with some privacy so we can discuss our mutual interests.

Assuming Solomon follows him
The two walk down the main street in town, until Ianhorn finds a cafe which is empty enough for his tastes. He goes inside and inquires about a private room where they can drink and talk without interruption.

[Zolkabro]

Solomon follows the strange dwarf, wary of his followers. He is unsure of his intentions, but assumes that they are not hostile.

Once they are sat down, Solomon looks at Ianhorn directly in the eye, his emotionless mis-matched stare unblinking and intense.
More Information required on subject "Ianhorn".
Output: Queries
"Please state your reason for wishing to communicate."

[littlebum2002]

"Please state your reason for wishing to communicate."

This, friend.

Ianhorn lets the Silent Image drop. Instead of two hulking dwarves, now stood two corpses. Their eyes were blank, and they stood silent and motionless. Each one was missing a finger.

Zombies! They'll do whatever you ask 'em to. No sense of self-preservation at all. The perfect minions. The only problem is the smell. After awhile, it tends to get a bit strong, and the illusion don't cover it up, so you can't bring the older ones around town because they attract too much attention.

Now I've been around death for a long time, and I can smell it, even before most other folks can. And I know, sure as my beard is long, that you've got somethin dead on you. So what's your business? Undead? Harvesting components for potions? Or somethin else?

[Zolkabro]

ALERT ALERT HOSTILE THREAT HOSTILE THREAT

Solomon leapt out of his chair, and raised his right arm. After a hint of the smell of oil in the air, it bursts into flame.
"Warning: Do not approach. Warning."

For only 10 seconds, but what feels like 10 minutes, both parties stand in silence. Eventually, satisfied that they are no threat, Solomon's arm is extinguished, and he sits down again.
"Apologies for my behaviour. Sensors indicated hostile threat."

There is a pause, before Solomon decides that it is safe to speak.
"Warning: Abuse this information and you will be incinerated."
"I am a Xenoalchemist. The corpses I carry are spare hardware. They can be assimilated. They must be assimilated."

His metallic and monotonous voice did nothing to suggest the gravity of his statement. It never does.

[littlebum2002]

Assimilated? Now that's an interesting term to use.

Ianhorn looked at the creature a bit more closely now. While he was indeed a machine, parts of him looked organic. Like they were from other creatures.

Do you mean that...you use the parts of the bodies...and attach them to yourself?

[Zolkabro]

"Confirmed. They must be assimilated. With them I can heal, cripple, or augment." Solomon responds.
"Offer: New hardware? I charge reasonable fees."

[littlebum2002]

"Offer: New hardware? I charge reasonable fees."

Wow, that does sound like an enticing offer. Well, what can you do with those two behind me and this?

Ianhorn points to the two zombies behind him, and empties a bag on the table with a little over 2000 gold pieces in it. The two zombies are an elf and a human.

[blade artist]

Aster looks down quizzically at the human that bumped into him. He wonders why someone would be so absorbed in thought at a place like this, with people bustling about and the festival on its way.

"Uhh, may I help you miss? Are you lost or something? I mean its not that easy to miss me."

[Zolkabro]

"Error: Insufficient data.
Permission to examine further? Please keep subjects completely immobile."

Solomon got up and walked around the table. His bright orange eye made quiet whirring noises as it swiveled around and zoomed in and out, while he examined the creatures.

"Results of examination:
Shoulders and bones of either subject and the eyes of the elven one are all compatible for assimilation.
Shoulders will enable you to ram lethally into other entities.
Bones can be transplanted into your skin, giving you a hard exoskeleton.
Eyes will reduce errors in visual scans with insufficient light.
Please select one of these options.

Warning: The zombie will not survive the process. Please select one of them to die."

[littlebum2002]

Woah, woah. Are you telling me that I can hit people as hard as that zombie can? And in order to do it you have to replace my shoulder with his? That's heavy, man. To think this whole time I've been leavin zombies lying around everywhere when I could have been using them as spare parts instead.

Yeah, that's what I want. I want his shoulders. But this seems like pretty complicated surgery, do ya' think a cafe is the best place to do it?

Also, how much are you gonna charge for an operation like this?

[Zolkabro]

Woah, woah. Are you telling me that I can hit people as hard as that zombie can?

"Confirmed."

Yeah, that's what I want. I want his shoulders. But this seems like pretty complicated surgery, do ya' think a cafe is the best place to do it?

"Denied. Offer: Operation could be executed tonight, in a private room?"

Also, how much are you gonna charge for an operation like this?

"Standard protocol: Price = Gold. However, I require protection.
I propose a network. Offer: Work for me. In exchange, any spare hardware you procure you can assimilate.

Confirm?"

[littlebum2002]

"Denied. Offer: Operation could be executed tonight, in a private room?"

Sure, that sounds great. We're going to have to figure our some sort of plan here, because there aren't too many inns which will want us doing surgery in their rooms, either. So we're gonna have to.....

I've got it! Yeah, I'll find us a place where we can do this. We'll probably have to wait until tonight still, though.



"Standard protocol: Price = Gold. However, I require protection.
I propose a network. Offer: Work for me. In exchange, any spare hardware you procure you can assimilate.

Confirm?"

Work for you? Now what does that mean?

[Zolkabro]

Work for you? Now what does that mean?

"Accompany me when travelling. Protect me when under threat. Assist in the gathering of hardware to be assimilated.
Most vitally, assist in the interraction with living entities.

Confirm?"

[littlebum2002]

"Accompany me when travelling. Protect me when under threat. Assist in the gathering of hardware to be assimilated.
Most vitally, assist in the interraction with living entities.

Confirm?"

That's all? Sure, that's a deal.

Now let's go find something to do until it gets dark.

[Zolkabro]

"Confirmed." Solomon says. His eyes switch off, and there is some quiet whirring. "This has been saved as binding agreement. If you break it without permission, I get your legs." Solomon says. He tilts his head slightly. "I could use some legs."

He gets up and starts towards the door, but turns around as he reaches it.
"Please increase your processing speed. We must go."

[Raunchel]

“I, ehm, am just walking around here. It’s just that, well, ehm, I.”, Drimanai doesn’t know what to say, she has never thought this far ahead yet, Give him an answer, Drimanai, he is waiting for it. Think of something, quickly, before he notices that you are just looking with blank eyes. Don’t be such an idiot, say something, it doesn’t matter what, but anything to break this really strange silence.

“I’m looking for a way to impress my true love, and am still thinking about what to do.”
Not that, you fool, you’re a priestess, you don’t have lovers or anything like that. Now he will just be suspicious and you’re in trouble. They’ll bring you home and then they will punish you for the wicked things you did, quick, find another lie.

[littlebum2002]

This has been saved as binding agreement. If you break it without permission, I get your legs.

Huh? Yeah, OK. Sure.

I'd like to see you try he thought



"Please increase your processing speed. We must go."

Alright, let's go.

Ianhorn takes out a wand, and touches each zombie with it. Immediately they are replaced with the tough looking dwarves. He pays the bill and they leave.

They walk down the street, with Ianhorn again seeming to suck the life energy from anything he passes. Unknown to him, he passes a small garden with an even smaller creature playing in it. Suddenly, all the flowers in the garden seem to shrivel up as they lose the will to live.

[Archmage1]

While Bluebell was merrily playing in the flowers, much to the bemusement of any observers, A meeting was happening in the cafe nearby, unknown to her.
Sadly, that meeting came to an end, and something strange happened.
The flowers, the flowers that she was enjoying, that were restoring her, for petals were linked to flowers, were wilting, dying. It was odd, a strange feeling, one that she had never felt before, almost as though something was trying to remind her of death.
Still, she did the first thing that came to mind: She leaps out of the planters, and calls out. The 14 inch little petal's eyes seemingly focused on one man, someone followed by a dwarf and an elf...
"Hey! Stop that! You're hurting the flowers!"

[littlebum2002]

"Hey! Stop that! You're hurting the flowers!"

Ianhorn turned around, but could not find the source of this exclamation. Finally, he saw it: a tiny pixie who was in the now-wilted flowers. He knew why she was upset: Ever since he had realized that he could give corpses in an unholy imitation of life, his body became saturated with the aura of death. All living creatures in this aura were slightly weakened, while he became stronger by absorbing their energy. Most creatures did not notice it, but it tended to overwhelm and destroy lesser living organisms such as plants and insects.

This pixie must have felt this aura, and now she's making a scene. He could probably just kill her, but that would provoke unnecessary attention, and more importantly, her corpse would not be all that powerful once raised. So he had to come up with a lie.

Hello little one! Sorry about your flowers. I am a follower of Telchur, god of winter. When fall ends, it is my duty to go around getting all the plants ready for winter, so that they may bloom again in the spring. The problem is, I have a heck of a time turning the doggone thing off.



Worst bluff ever check:
[roll0]

[Archmage1]

As the strange man explains that he is quite confused, Bluebell feels almost sorry for him.
"Hey! It's spring! Not Winter! And you are hurting the flowers! Stop it! They're Nice Flowers!"

The little petal is flying about five feet over the wilting planters, looking at Ianhorn, outrage in her eyes as she yells at him.

But yet, there was calculation as well, for she was thinking that maybe, maybe this follower of Telchur would be useful.


[roll0] sense motive(Does not affect most of her response)

[littlebum2002]

"Hey! It's spring! Not Winter! And you are hurting the flowers! Stop it! They're Nice Flowers!"

I am sorry Little One. Let me pray to Telchor for the strength to resist using his divine gift, since it is no longer winter, and it is time for life to bloom.

Ianhorn falls to his knees in mock prayer. He is praying to no one, of course. Followers of the Blood of Vol worship no one but themselves. All of Ianhorn's power comes from his own sweat and blood, not some too-good-to-get-their-hands-dirty god.

He lets go of some of the evil that flows in his blood. As it leaves him, he misses it, like one would miss a lifelong lover who suddenly leaves. He knows it will return when he wishes it to, but as with a lover, that promise of a future reunion does not help reduce his present pain.

He is hiding his negative aura. without it, he has a -2 penalty to rebuke undead.

[Archmage1]

The tiny petal in the blue dress, with the almost gem-like blue eyes looks somewhat mollified by his statement, and by the disappearance of the drain she was feeling.
"Better! But... why are you here? Wouldn't the festival of life be sort of the opposite of what you do?"

To Ianhorn's probable horror, Bluebell comes towards him, although she does keep out of arms reach.

[Zolkabro]

Throughout all of this, Solomon has been standing behind Ianhorn, silently watching, until finally, he steps in.

He kneels down, and holds out his hands for Bluebell to step into. He has never seen or heard of a creature like this, and is fascinated by her.

"Error: No match found in data banks. Target unidentifiable.
Please identify. Please identify. Please identify."

[Archmage1]

When the strange creature behind the life draining one makes a move, Bluebell is quite surprised, her wings pausing momentarily in their blurring movements, and she falls an inch or two. She rapidly flies around it, looking at it, before coming to a stop in front of it, just above the strange hands, and says, with great gusto, as though announcing the most important thing in the world.
"I'm Bluebell! But... What are you?"

[littlebum2002]

"Better! But... why are you here? Wouldn't the festival of life be sort of the opposite of what you do?"

Well, yes, I guess it is. But I have to do SOMETHING during the springtime, don't I? That's one of the benefits of being a cleric of a god of Winter: you get half the year off. Don't really have much to do until it's time to start gettin' prepared for the cold weather again.

So, I'm just here to enjoy the festival, perhaps see if there's any bounties or whatever so maybe I can earn a little extra gold for myself.

[Zolkabro]

"...Bluebell?" Solomon repeats, confused. There is some whirring and unhealthly clicking from inside his shell. "Error: Data banks indicate Bluebell is a flower. You are not a flower.
Repeat: Please identify. What are you?"

"I am a Cog of Malamundus. My name is Solomon."

[Archmage1]

When Linhorn explains his reasoning for being there, Bluebell seems to brighten, and turns back to him.
"Well... you're silly! Work! Who does that? It's silly!"
She pauses for a moment, seemingly thinking.
"I know! You could visit Titania! She would be quite interested!"
It seems as though the little petal was going to say more, but, then strange sounds, and clicking noises come from Solomon, drawing her attention back to it, and she flies around him once more, looking for the source of the noise. However, after a few moments, he repeats his question.
"I'm Bluebell!"
She crosses her arms, somewhat annoyed by this repeated question. You get the feeling that if she had been on the ground, she would have stamped her foot. Still, this anger does not last long, as his answer to her question seems to mollify her, at least, temporarily, and she cheerily continues.
"I'm a petal! But... What is a Cog of Malamundus? Where do they come from? And why are you clicking?"

[littlebum2002]

"Well... you're silly! Work! Who does that? It's silly!"

A dwarf's gotta get gold somehow, you know. Plus, it's exciting! Who wants to sit home all day?





"I know! You could visit Titania! She would be quite interested!"

Now who is Titiana, love?




"I'm a petal! But... What is a Cog of Malamundus? Where do they come from? And why are you clicking?"

He's a construct, love. They're all numbers and business, and him more so than any I've seen. I don't think he really understands what you're trying to get across. Let me try.

Solomon, her name is Bluebell. She named herself after the flower. She's a pixie. They fly around makin the flowers pretty and whatnot.

[Archmage1]

Violet looks confused by Ianhorn's desire for gold.
"Gold? It's this stuff, right?"
She fishes out a gold coin, struggling to hold it up while flying, before replacing it in a bag, clearly, a magical one.
"Why would you want that? It's shiny, but..."
She seems confused, but when asked about Titania, she brightens, although she almost seems to be... shocked.
"She's the Queen! Surely you have heard of her!"

"A construct? Like a golem? But he seems intelligent! He doesn't just stand around, guarding something boring all day! Surely he does not play with numbers!"
She seems horrified by the mere thought.
However, when you say her name came from the flower, she looks offended, and when you describe her as a pixie, she looks even more offended, although the statement about flowers seems to mollify her a bit.
"My flowers were named after me! Not the other way around, silly! And I'm not a pixie! They are big! And hard to see! I'm nothing like them!"

[littlebum2002]

"Why would you want that? It's shiny, but..."

Well, because you can buy neat stuff with it. Check this out. You like flowers, right?

Ianhorn takes a wand from his bag and his it on the border of the garden, trying to make an image of flowers. The garden suddenly appears to be fill of life again.



"She's the Queen! Surely you have heard of her!"

Not from around here love, sorry. But why would I want to see a queen? And more importantly, why would she want to me?



"A construct? Like a golem? But he seems intelligent! He doesn't just stand around, guarding something boring all day! Surely he does not play with numbers!"

Right. Kinda like a golem, except smarter. He's a person, just made out of metal instead of flesh.

[Archmage1]

"Buy something? Can't you just find them?"
However, any further words she might have said were swallowed in her astonishment as the garden seems to grow again, and she cries out, joyously, as her astonishment proves to be too much.
"You fixed them!"
She flies back to the flowers.
[roll0] will
When she realizes that the flowers aren't real, though, she looks back at him, horrified, and outraged.
"They... they're a trick! How could you!"


After that little conversation happens:
"Why wouldn't you and she?"
She seems confused by the question

When you reveal that Solomon is made of metal, Violet's eyes go wide as she realizes why he felt funny.
"Metal? But... he feels like poison!"

[littlebum2002]

"Buy something? Can't you just find them?"
"You fixed them!"

"They... they're a trick! How could you!"

It's just a trick, love. An illusion. See?


Now he touched Solomon with the wand and immediately he appeared to start tap dancing. He touched him again and the spell dissipated.


See? It can make an illusion of anything you want. Nice little item. It can't bring the flowers back, sorry to say. I don't have that power.


Ianhorn wondered if he could make flower zombies.


"Why wouldn't you and she?"

Is just that normally you have to be a big shot to go see a queen. Guys like me can't just waltz in just to say "good day"


"Metal? But... he feels like poison!"

I guess you'd have to ask him about that, love

[Archmage1]

"But... that's... that's... wrong! Making something other than what it is..."
The poor little thing does not look happy. At all. She barely seems to understand why such a thing might be done.
"It's mean! and misleading!"

When Solomon says that not everyone can just waltz up and see a queen, Bluebell shakes her head, her petals flowing from the motion.
"Of course you can! She always loved it when we would visit! She even came and looked at our gardens! At least... until..."
While she seems bright and cheery, at the end, her words trail off, seemingly sad.

[littlebum2002]

"But... that's... that's... wrong! Making something other than what it is...

"It's mean! and misleading!"


misleading? Yes. Mean? Not necessarily. What would you rather look at? Dead flowers that look dead, or dead flowers which look pretty? Would you rather look at that...

Iamforged pointed out a small, broken down old house down the street

.... or this?

He pointed the wand at the house. Suddenly, it looked like a beautiful mansion, one that would take a lifetime's worth of gold to build.


Sometimes, the illusion is prettier than reality. Sometimes, the lie is easier to believe than the truth.



"Of course you can! She always loved it when we would visit! She even came and looked at our gardens! At least... until..."


Until what, love?

[Archmage1]

Bluebell, while quite small, looks at Ianhorn, wisdom in her gem-like eyes, mixed with sorrow.
"Why would anyone want to live like something they are not? That always confused me. Take joy in what you are, what you can do, reality, not imagination, not illusion. Truth."
She pauses for a moment.
"But... mortals never seem to grasp that. Maybe that's why they are..."


On the subject of Titania:
She shakes her head, seemingly sadly, although she almost looks angry. Clearly something happened that she didn't like.

[littlebum2002]

"Why would anyone want to live like something they are not? That always confused me. Take joy in what you are, what you can do, reality, not imagination, not illusion. Truth."

"But... mortals never seem to grasp that. Maybe that's why they are..."

Really? You think so? You think it's always better to know the truth? Fine. If you really want to know the truth then follow me.

Ianhorn walked down the street until he saw an empty alleyway, and ducked into it.

[blade artist]

Aster looks at Drimani slightly surprised. He didn't know many holy people, but he knew that most didn't have much in the way of romance. Still the things he's seen, nothing is ever as it seems.

"That's alright, but I think it would be best to go to him. And leave town. I... have a feeling things aren't going to go over very well with the festival, this year."

Aster tries to shy away from the priestess at the last part of the comment.
Its always harder to do it when you know the person. I hope she'll get out safely before I start anything.

[Doomboy911]

(First off boys and girls it's summer. This is a summer harvest festival as many are making their way to the main land to gather as many spices as they can manage, the spices will be grinded in the many mills across the islands and shipped out during the fall.)

As the dwarf and petal discuss reality and illusion two extra things happen.

Once the illusion of the garden dissipates a small looking thing wrapped in dirty old clothes comes by, perhaps a halfling or some gnome nothing can be really said. He takes a large handful of the dead earth and holds it closely, than slams it onto a nearby wall. The clumps of dirt stick firmly and slowly vines begin to grow from it steadily spreading out.

As they duck down into an alley way a bucket of cold water comes down on Ian. In a window above is a woman red in the face with arms as thick as your head. "Don't you go castin' spells on the house me husband built with his own two hands, you'd make him sick with this monstrous mansion you've made of things. Now get away from my home or the bucket will follow the water to your head." she holds it behind her head with one hand ready to launch it.

Upon hearing talk of true love and such
"Sister wherever has your head gone, the only love for us come from the divine." A thin woman clad in all kinds of holy symbols of driminara (sorry if I messed that up) She pulls you in for a warm hug, it has been far too long since you've had one and it warms your soul. "Come dear sister of the cloth I can provide you with safe boarding from these sisters who lack any cloth." she seems to be one of the few prudes here while other women are dressed more for the season her black habit looks much to hot. "The Senate has been kind enough to provide us with a missionary ship to help convert these poor unfortunate souls who have come seeking everything but redemption." She points out to the sea at a quite impressive galleon that sits upon the crystal clear waters away from the docks.

[Zolkabro]

Solomon's eyes blink off as he scans his internal hard drive.
"Searching data banks... Searching data banks...
Result: Petals are very small fey, usually just acting as messengers for more powerful fey. Very weak, just annoying. Ignore them."

His eyes burst on again.
"Confirm: you are a fey?
I have barely studied fey, they are too rare! You are fascinating!"

[littlebum2002]

"Searching data banks... Searching data banks...
Result: Petals are very small fey, usually just acting as messengers for more powerful fey. Very weak, just annoying. Ignore them."

Ianhorn turned to Bluebell
See? They know everything in every book ever written, but don't understand a concept as simple as a name. That's a construct for you.

Then he addressed Solomon

I'll tell you what, you certainly know some stuff. What can you tell me about this Queen Titiana character?



Once the illusion of the garden dissipates a small looking thing wrapped in dirty old clothes comes by, perhaps a halfling or some gnome nothing can be really said. He takes a large handful of the dead earth and holds it closely, than slams it onto a nearby wall. The clumps of dirt stick firmly and slowly vines begin to grow from it steadily spreading out.

Ianhorn turned back to the Petal.

Well, there you go. That was no illusion. Ask him if he can grow the flowers back.




As they duck down into an alley way a bucket of cold water comes down on Ian. In a window above is a woman red in the face with arms as thick as your head. "Don't you go castin' spells on the house me husband built with his own two hands, you'd make him sick with this monstrous mansion you've made of things. Now get away from my home or the bucket will follow the water to your head." she holds it behind her head with one hand ready to launch it.


Oops! Forgot to turn that off.

SORRY LOVE! I'LL FIX THAT RIGHT AWAY! THEN WE'LL LEAVE YOU ALONE!

Ianhorn dismisses the illusion on the house. Then he cast am illusion over their heads showing them leaving. He put his finger to his lips and shushed the two until the woman left. He keeps an illusion up at the entrance to the alley and above their heads of an empty alley so they won't be disturbed. One she leaves he turns to the Petal and, in a low but determined voice, said:

You want the truth? Fine

He dismissed the illusion over the two zombies.

There. Now what would you rather look at? Two corpses brought to life with unholy magic? Or two angry dwarves? You want the truth? I'm no Winter cleric. I'm a necromancer. I kill people, then use their bodies as unwilling slaves that do anything I ask them. Watch.

You: Hit him.

One of the zombies hit the other as hard as he can. Some of his teeth went flying. The zombie that was hit just stupid there.


See? They'll do anything I ask. No free will at all.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell, the somewhat silly petal, follows Ianhorn towards the alley, never even considering that she might be in danger. However, at the entrance, she spots the halfling, or gnome, or whatever it is, and she pauses... just in time to avoid getting doused in water.
When Ianhorn gets doused, Bluebell laughs, the high, ringing tones of her laughter filling the small alley.
"And that's why reality is better!"

However, she has another distraction to attend to, and she starts flying towards the rapidly growing vines, and tries to address the gnome/halfling
"Hey, you made them grow... Can you do anything for the flowers?"

At this moment, Solomon's time consuming search of his databanks finishes, and he makes his announcement.
"Hey! I'm not annoying!"
She looks offended by that statement... which you suspect is true.
"But of course I am fey! How could I not be?"

Finally, Solomon stops spluttering from the cold dousing, and yells out, once more drawing Bluebell's attention, which she remarks with her somewhat piercing voice.
"Zombies! Why would you make zombies? They are stupid, slow, and boring!"

[Zolkabro]

"Searching data banks... Searching data banks...
Result: Queen Titiana is a Queen of the Fey found in a popular work by William Shakespeare called "A Midsummer Night's Dream"."

"Error: Term unrecognised. Define "Boring"."

[Archmage1]

Bluebell looks confused by Solomon's statement.
"William Shakespeare? A Midsummer Night's Dream? Never heard of them! But... how can you not know what Boring is? It means uninteresting, not fun!"

[Zolkabro]

Bluebell looks confused by Solomon's statement.
"William Shakespeare? A Midsummer Night's Dream? Never heard of them! But... how can you not know what Boring is? It means uninteresting, not fun!"

"Error: Terms classified as Abstract Emotions.
I cannot understand. I do not "feel"."

[Archmage1]

Bluebell's little eyes go wide indeed at this statement. She could not even imagine a world in which she could not feel! The horror...
"You... You can't feel... anything? How can you stand it!"

[littlebum2002]

Ianhorn considers continuing his attempts at "translating" but decides to keep his mouth shut. Watching these two was just too funny. Never before had he seen two people who both knew common but seemed to speak totally different languages.

[Doomboy911]

The mound of cloth wrapped around some small frame (we'll call him Sweepy for now) makes a simple flourish with his hand perhaps drawing some kind of symbol in the air or just gathering some magical energy but with it all manner of life seems to come out of every opening in his robes, some flowers some thorns but life is growing along him.

He lets out a sigh that's long and mournful heave and points at Bluebell then to himself. He motions to the center island, in the alley you can clearly see it but you're sure there were many more streets in the way. Logically the island shouldn't be visible maybe the tip of the mountain but not the whole thing. He falls back out of the alley and disappears into the crowd.

On the opposite end of the alley some drops a soapbox and bellows to the crowd.
"Now hear this, the east end spice mills are in need of gatherers and hunters for the harvest tonight. Top pay for those with strong muscle, and bravery." He laughs at the very end but some folks slow down and start inquiring.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell seems quite excited by this.
"You want me to follow you!? To the central island?"

[littlebum2002]

Hunters, eh?

Solomon, what are your feelings on killing things for money?

[Archmage1]

"Gathering? I can find things!"

[Zolkabro]

Hunters, eh?

Solomon, what are your feelings on killing things for money?

"Error: I have no feelings."
However, I understand your meaning. Offer confirmed.
Let us hunt."

[littlebum2002]

Well then, let's go earn some coin.

Ianhorn walks over to the man on the soapbox.


Where are these spice companies? We're interested in some hunting

[Archmage1]

Bluebell follows along behind, looking more than a little annoyed.
"Hey! I can gather things!"

[littlebum2002]

"Hey! I can gather things!"

Well then, go gather, love.

Wait, you want to come with us? Fine. But we're not splitting our wages or anything. To each their own.

Ianhorn hours back to the alley, and re-cast the illusion over his minions. Then he leaves to go find the spice company to get some work.

[Archmage1]

"Wages? What are those? Are they like a bet? Ooh! Are you betting something?"

[littlebum2002]

"Wages? What are those? Are they like a bet? Ooh! Are you betting something?"

Look love, you just come and do your gathering, and let me handle the wages

[Archmage1]

Bluebell seems to brighten up a bit more at this.
"So you ARE betting something! What is it?"

[littlebum2002]

"So you ARE betting something! What is it?"

Why, I'm gonna bet on you love. Im gonna go to that spice company and tell them that I'll bet on you being the best gatherer they have. And I'll tell you what, if I win the bet I'll split the winnings with ya

[Archmage1]

"Of course I will be their best gatherer! How could I not be!"
She looks more excited than usual, and is smiling, and bobbing a bit as she flies erratically.

[Raunchel]

What should I say? If I refuse to come it will be suspicious and they will look deeper into all this. But if I agree they will talk to me, and I already said too much. They can find out then, and then I am stuck there. Whatever I do, I should say something, and not just look at her with this dumb look on my face. Ehm, something. I would love to be away from all this, but sisters would certainly find me out. "Thank you for your kind offer. I would gladly come to the missionary ship, but it is my duty to study these festivities, not to indulge of course, that would be wrong, but to look at what happens from a mental distance."

Then I hear the shouting, they want muscle and strength? Well, I don't have that, but it is an excuse to get away from her. "I am sorry, sister, but I have to go, I have to observe what happens there for my report."

[blade artist]

Aster sighs lightly and looks tiredly at the young priestess. I might as well accompany her so that nothing too bad happens to her

"My name is Sir Aster Malachite, a knight. If you are determined to stay for this festival, I guess I have no choice but to accompany you during it."

[Raunchel]

"I am Drimanai, and your company will be more than welcome."

Why did I say that? He will be watching me and might find out everything, anyways, I said it and there is no going back. Drimanai starts walking towards the gathering: "So, Sir Aster, if I may call you so, might I ask where you are from? You don't look like you're local."

[blade artist]

"That's a bit of a sore subject, but I come from a small town near the plague lands, Hollowtree. Although you seem to be rather far from home, yourself."

Aster is slightly distracted by the events that play across his mind, beating the two brothers out of rage for scamming the town. He then continues with a small, fake smile on his face.

"So if your researching the festival, can you tell me about some of the things happening this year?"

[Raunchel]

of course he went right through your stupid Le, when do you ever learn, you know next to nothing about this festival, you only got here by sheer chance. And this man will know it when you're lying, he after all can check this right away.

"Well, this festival of course is about the harvest of the spices, one of them is the seed of the birnol tree. These trees take decades to grow, and require a specific type of soil, which they have here. The leaves are shaped like a drop with a point on the end. They have some fine hairs on the bottom which help them to retain water so they can absorb more for dry periods. Every year they grow pink flowers, which attract several species of bees....", she keeps droning on and on about this tree, its history and all sotts of assorted things, even the snel of the leaves is described. She does this to distract Aster from his question, even though her talking Iis very boring.

[Archmage1]

When the happy petal finally reaches the being on the soapbox, she flies up in front of him, smiling.
"Hi! Will we be gathering something fun?"

[Doomboy911]

"My what a group I've gather ehehm excuse me, quite the group I've gathered already. Follow me to the Mills, and hit me with all your questions. He makes a motion to follow with his words and starts making his way out.

[Archmage1]

Seeing the strange, unknowable being motion them to follow with his very words, Bluebell is amazed. She had never seen anyone pick up their words, and use them like that before! But he hadn't answered her Question, which was sad.

Bluebell, still excitedly flying around, speaks up, seemingly unable to remain in one place for long, her tiny voice somewhat... shrill.
"Are we gathering something fun! Ooh! Like strawberries, or apples? Maybe walnuts?"

[Zolkabro]

Solomon follows the rest of the crowd, every step perfectly regular, almost too perfect, creeping out any onlookers slightly.

[blade artist]

Aster looks as though he is spacing out during Drimani's lecture on spices and local flora, but in fact he is storing all this knowledge. Who knows, it might come in handy one day.

"That's very interesting. Ah! It looks like we might want to catch up with the group, lest we be left behind. After you, Mi'Lady."

Shortly after beginning his hustle, he notices what appears to be someone in heavy armor... no it is more like walking armor.

"Huh, why would a construct be working?" Aster thinks out loud.

[Archmage1]

The excited petal continues to fly around the strange master of the soapbox, looking around, hoping to find out what they would be gathering, to find out if it would be fun(Of course it would be!).
However, as she flies around, she sees something... strange.
Something sparkly.
So, she flies over to it, and stops in front of the source. A woman. In white robes, with gold stitching. Shiny, sparkly stitching.
"Ooh! You are sparkly! And white! But sparkly! Are you sparkly always?"
The tiny flying petal's eyes are wide in fascination, as she looks at Drimanai, and starts flying around her, loudly describing how amazing Drimanai looks.

[Raunchel]

Drimanai stops talking when she hears the high-pitched voice. She looks up and sees the petal. She blushes, she isn't used to compliments about her appearance. "Thank you, this sparkling only happens in the light, but yes, it is a feature of these robes. One of the few luxuries of my order. But you are a most peculiar creature yourself, a petal if I'm not mistaken. But petals don't occur here naturally. Did you travel here recently?"

[Archmage1]

When Drimanai successfully identifies her as a petal, Bluebell smiles, and flies down in front of her, hovering at around head height.
Her voice seems cheery, and excited, the words flowing rapidly from her.
"I am a petal! How did you know? I rode on one of the boats to get here. But it took a really long time, and there were no flowers, which was no fun at all. Did you have fun coming here? Or didn't you have any flowers either? But I'm here now, and I'm going to try gathering! It'll be lots of fun! Are you going to try too?"

[Raunchel]

"Such a trip must have been terrible for you, but luckily there are plenty of flowers here. I am a scholar, I spend my life reading and studying everything. Which also is why I am here. I will not take part in the gathering, I will only observe."

[Archmage1]

The tiny petal, flying in front of Drimanai, continues to be quite cheerful, and excited.
"There are! Lots and lots. Not as many as home, but still, more than the ship! Especially now the dwarf isn't killing them!"
When Drimanai reveals that she won't be participating, Bluebell looks sad, and her voice, initially, comes much more slowly than usual.
"But... Doing things is much more fun than watching someone do them! Besides, wouldn't your observations be better if you were participating? And it would be more fun! Come on... Please! You'll have fun, and so will everyone else!"
As she continues talking, her voice speeds up, becoming more pleading than sad.

[blade artist]

Aster looks at the little... petal was it? with a mischievious grin.

"Well then, I guess I will have to have fun enough for the both of us."

[Archmage1]

When the giant in armor following the shiny woman, Bluebell turns to him, still speaking rapidly.
"You're going to join in too? It will be fun!"
She turns back to Drimanai, and continues to plead. And who could turn down the sweet begging of such a cute little thing...
"Come on, please? Everyone else is joining in, and it will be lots of fun! Please?"

[littlebum2002]

Ianhorn tries to gesture the little Petal over into a silent corner away from the others.

Shhh! Not so loud Love! The more people get involved, the less gold there is to go around! And.... there'll be more people to compete against to be the best gatherer. You don't want to lose do you?

[Archmage1]

Bluebell, of course, looks cheery as Ianhorn came over, and does not notice his attempts to get her to go with him, enjoying looking at the sparkly woman.
"Aw... but it'll be more fun with more people! Besides, she's sparkly! She's going to join in, and have a good time! I know it! And me? Lose? Am I not The Bluebell!"
She smiles, and turns back to Drimanai after her bold statement.
"See? You wouldn't want to make me say something untrue, would you? Please!"
The poor little petal looks up at Drimanai, desperately.

[Raunchel]

"Very well, I will join in the gathering. I wouldn't want to make you a liar.", Drimanai replies. No, I missed another opportunity to do something evil, I'll never manage to get her to like me this way.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell is overjoyed by this, smiling broadly.
"Yay! Thank you!"
After a few moments of being quite happy, she calms down(slightly), and she looks at Drimanai once more, speaking quite quickly.
"Do you want to meet my friends?"

[Raunchel]

Yes, uhm, I'll meet them. Were are they?", This is bad, but maybe I can cheat a little, that would be evil, right?

[Archmage1]

Bluebell looks quite happy that Drimani agreed.
"Ok!"
She flies down, and gently tugs on her hand, trying to pull Drimanai after her.
"This way!"
After a few steps, she pauses, and points out a dwarf, looking at the pair.
"That's Ianhorn! He's going to bet that I will be the best Gatherer!"
She continues pulling Drimanai through the crowd, eventually reaching a... golem? near the announcer, whom she points out as well.
"And that's Solomon! He's different, though."
She pauses for a moment.
"And I'm Bluebell! And you're the sparkly woman! Right? Do you have a name?"
At this point, the tiny petal stops holding Drimani's hand hostage, and looks up at her, clearly hoping that she would introduce herself.

[Raunchel]

Drimanai looks at the others, especially Solomon interests her, she hasn't yet seen such a creature, although something tells her that she has read about such constructs before. "A good day to you, my name is Drimanai, and I am here to study this festival for Mystra.", the naive priestess answers.

Speaking the name feels wrong somehow, but I have to keep up the charade.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell seems quite proud at having found Drimani.
"She's going to join in too, and have a good time!"

[Zolkabro]

Initiate social protocols...

"Greetings, Driminai. What are your thought processes regarding the weather today?

[littlebum2002]

Nice to meet you, Love. A friend of Bluebell is a friend of mine. I'm here as a bodyguard for Solomon here. Although mainly I just help people figure out what the heck he's talking about.

[Raunchel]

Drimanai doesn't notice anything difficult about how Solomon talks, so she doesn't get what Ianhorn is referring to. She actually finds his conversation refreshingly simple: "The weather, ehm, it's not raining, and there even is sunshine, so I think that it is good."

[Archmage1]

Yay! They're getting along! Now all I need to do is to get them to help me!
Seemingly satisfied that the group seems to be getting along, Bluebell flies back to the announcer person, and speaks up once more, hoping that he won't ignore her again.
"What are we going to be gathering? Is it nuts? Fruit? Flowers?"
She seems quite eager to learn.

[Zolkabro]

Drimanai doesn't notice anything difficult about how Solomon talks, so she doesn't get what Ianhorn is referring to. She actually finds his conversation refreshingly simple: "The weather, ehm, it's not raining, and there even is sunshine, so I think that it is good."

"Confirmed. It is not raining. This is good."

Social interaction complete.
Protocol Successful.

[blade artist]

Aster turns away for just a second to make sure that a sailor doesn't do anything too suspicious, and the little fairy thing drags off his charge. How does a fairy drag off someone 10 times its size? Aster files away these thoughts for further comtemplation some other time. He manages to catch up with the petal and Drimani as the dwarf is introducing himself.

"Oh, you happen to be a bodyguard of sorts, too? Ianhorn was it? I'm here because I was worried that this little one would get into trouble.

I can't even understand why they're still getting ingredients in for the festival. I thought they would have had merchants bring in fresh meat to butcher and already brought in plenty of fruits and vegetables."

[Archmage1]

The really big one is already wanting to protect me! Yay! He'll help me! At least, when I have a plan...
Bluebell, already on her way to the announcer, pauses, and responds happily to Aster.
"You were afraid I was going to get into trouble, and you came to help! You're really nice! But I never get into trouble!"
Her last sentence is spoken with absolute confidence.

[Doomboy911]

Yay! They're getting along! Now all I need to do is to get them to help me!
Seemingly satisfied that the group seems to be getting along, Bluebell flies back to the announcer person, and speaks up once more, hoping that he won't ignore her again.
"What are we going to be gathering? Is it nuts? Fruit? Flowers?"
She seems quite eager to learn.

"Ah we have little need for much of that, we're spice merchants and it's spice that we need. We journey to the center of the island on this night when the fireflies come out and gather as many spices as we can. We grow them here but the land there is very fertile and somewhat filled with monsters. We don't need to worry about this though the spices do an excellent job of sedating the monsters. Each beasty out there has its vice; for example did you know that oozes prefer bitter tastes to sweet tastes, some folks have even noticed that they have an aversion to sugar.

He begins leading you through the town, you can all notice that your surroundings are getting even nicer, you're walking along the docks but the docks aren't made of mere timber this is excellent wood perhaps rosewood or something even finer and it's being wasted on the floors. "Now usually I'd warn you that this is dangerous and that it's not for the faint of heart but honestly we somewhat honest folks have practically broken it down to a ritual."

He stops at large mill , a water wheel dipping down beneath the docks and turning as the tide goes out. The building is carved of marble, an excellent mixture of intelligent and artistic design, the entrance is a large arch from which you can see many workers polishing and sweeping the surfaces. Harvest season is about to come.

[Zolkabro]

Solomon steps forwards. "I volunteer for this program, along with my companion. Estimated Danger Rating < Estimated Benefits."

[Archmage1]

Bluebell's eyes go wide at that description.
"Spices? And monsters! Are they nice monsters? Will we get to see any? And are there lots of fireflies? Because they are lovely at night!"
Clearly, the concept of danger is a foreign one to her. Not being particularly familiar with construction, when she sees the marble mill, She looks at it intently, a soft ooh emerging from her as she flies over to it, and has a good look, describing the fun parts of the building loudly.

[Doomboy911]

Bluebell's eyes go wide at that description.
"Spices? And monsters! Are they nice monsters? Will we get to see any? And are there lots of fireflies? Because they are lovely at night!"
Clearly, the concept of danger is a foreign one to her. Not being particularly familiar with construction, when she sees the marble mill, She looks at it intently, a soft ooh emerging from her as she flies over to it, and has a good look, describing the fun parts of the building loudly.


As Bluebell starts to fly over head he yells out "Well typically ewdon't call the nice things monster now do we. Yes you will see them do to the fireflies you'll see and yes they are lovely hence the festival."

[Archmage1]

Distracted by the fancy building, Bluebell barely realizes that she is being spoken to, but, with a great act of concentration, she is able respond.
""Hey! I've been called a monster, so there are nice monsters!"

[Doomboy911]

Distracted by the fancy building, Bluebell barely realizes that she is being spoken to, but, with a great act of concentration, she is able respond.
""Hey! I've been called a monster, so there are nice monsters!"

"Some folks are prone to either speaking wrong or judging when they shouldn't. When a monster decides to try and devour one of our stillers and make us lose a fifty pounds of platinum we have ample reason."

[blade artist]

Aster looks slightly unnerved in hearing of such openly hostile monsters.

"So, any idea what might be waiting out there if we go for this gathering gig?"

[Archmage1]

"But... that's mean! Why would anyone do that?"

[littlebum2002]

"Oh, you happen to be a bodyguard of sorts, too? Ianhorn was it? I'm here because I was worried that this little one would get into trouble.

I can't even understand why they're still getting ingredients in for the festival. I thought they would have had merchants bring in fresh meat to butcher and already brought in plenty of fruits and vegetables."

That's right, Ianhorn is the name. I'm just here keepin' an eye out on my good friend Solomon. Makin sure no one messes with him, and more importantly, makin sure he stays outta trouble!



Solomon steps forwards. "I volunteer for this program, along with my companion. Estimated Danger Rating < Estimated Benefits."

Sure, I'll come, too, thanks for asking. Doesn't sound too hard to deal with a few monsters.

[Archmage1]

After investigating the building, Bluebell flies back to the group, smiling merrily, as she flies up to Ianhorn.
"Did you make the wager?"
When everyone looks at her funnily, she goes into a bit more detail.
"He was going to wager that I would be the best gatherer!"

[littlebum2002]

Oh, great. Why did she have to open her big mouth? Never underestimate the power odd stupidity. There goes taking half her wages. Let's just hope she's as good as she says she is

That's right! I'm willing to bet anyone here that my dear Bluebell will beat them in gathering. Any takers?

[Archmage1]

Bluebell smiles, seeming to almost swell with pride.

[Archmage1]

Having had enough of flying around, smiling, Bluebell flies up, and pauses, before making an announcement.
"I know! We have around 4 hours until dark, so let's go and do something! Can we take a look around the town? Please?"

She seems plaintive, impatient. Perhaps she has trouble waiting around?

[blade artist]

"Hey, Drimanai! Why don't we go with Bluebell? We could certainly go around an look at more of the booths while looking after her."

Aster feels a bit roped into offering. He knows that the little fey will probably plead to him as she did to Drimanai. In any case, this would be a good for both Drimanai and him to take a look at the festival, for what he thought were for different purposes.

[Raunchel]

"Uh yes, of course. Let's do that yes. "

[Archmage1]

"Yay! There're so many things to look at!"
Bluebell seems quite excited, flipping around in mid air as she zooms back towards the town, before pausing, and waiting for others to follow.

[littlebum2002]

Solomon, you comin'? It's not like we've anything else better to do before nighttime. I don't think we'd have enough time for...that job we have to go do before then, we'll just do it afterwards/

[Zolkabro]

"Confirmed. I will accompany you all." he agrees.

He walks towards Ianhorn, and says in an undertone into his ear: "Suggestion: Harvest the noisy one for assimilation. He is troublesome. Confirmed?"

OOC: Yes, I know that Bluebell is a girl. But Solomon, being technically sexless, isn't so good with genders.

[Archmage1]

When Bluebell hears Solomon's whisper, she flies back, somewhat annoyed by the suggestion. He was going to guard her!
"Hey! That's not nice! You should at least ask him before trying to harvest and assimilate him!"

[littlebum2002]

Now Love, he didn't mean that, he meant....wait...

Yeah Solomon, leave that guy alone! There'll be plenty of time for assim...assimita........harvesting people later.

[Zolkabro]

ALERT ALERT ALERT target overheard target overheard
Confirmed?
Unconfirmed. Target mis-processed. Safety remains uncompromised.
Confirmed. Alert aborted.

"Negative. You mis-processed. I plan to assimilate a zombie. They have no self-programming and are subject to no errors. Asking is designated futile."

[Archmage1]

Bluebell looks between Solomon and Ianhorn, her eyes darting between the two of them.
"But... Ianhorn thinks you are talking about Aster! And you are talking about a zombie?"
She seems confused.

[littlebum2002]

Shhh!

Ianhorn huddles the construct and the Petal close, and whispers to both of them.

Not so loud! You don't go through a town yelling about zombies and, us, harvestin and whatnot. Next thing you know you'll be on the wrong end of a Paladin's sword. You havta be quiet about stuff like that.

Hoping to end the confusion, he adds

And no, we're not harvestin' Aster, or zombies, or even that bloke over there. Well, maybe a zombie later, but that's it! No more talkin about it!

[Archmage1]

Bluebell seems even more confused when Ianhorn tries to catch her, dodging his fingers.
"But... we are going to be gathering, and harvesting, and you are wagering that I will be the best! Wouldn't talking about it be more fun?"

[littlebum2002]

Right, but that's harvestin' plants and whatnot. That's OK. But don't start talkin about harvestin' Aster over there, or people might start gettin' upset.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell still seems a bit confused, but she flies off cheerily enough.
"Come on, this way! I haven't been down this street yet, and it looks fun!"

[Zolkabro]

"Gratitude." Solomon murmers, before following the wayward Petal.

[littlebum2002]

Ianhorn discretely slips a piece of paper into Solomon's hand.

On the paper, it says

I have an idea for where we can perform our "surgery" tonight. But while we're at it, how about a two-for-one deal? You suggested harvesting the Petal, what parts would be useful? I wouldn't mind having those wings.

[Zolkabro]

Solomon takes the paper, reads it, and then turns it over. He lifts his right hand, and his hand begins to heat slowly, with a small flame on his fingertip. Delicately, he singes a reply, with dark ash-coloured writing making out clear, blockish letters like a child following a dotted line.
He hands it to Ianhorn.
Objection: I would assimilate the wings. But you could assimilate her speakers, allowing you to put other units into sleep mode by talking.

Where is your idea?

[Archmage1]

Bluebell, with her seemingly omniscient senses, spots the note passing, and flies back once more, curious, and her little voice pipes up, seemingly excited once more.
"Can I see? Are you planning something fun?"

[Archmage1]

While Ianhorn is surprised by the intercession of the apparently nosy Bluebell, she sneakily swipes the note, before darting back once more(15 feet back, 5 feet up)
[roll0] sleight of hand

[littlebum2002]

"Can I see? Are you planning something fun?"

No Love, just asking Solomon his advice on this ancient rune here...


While Ianhorn is surprised by the intercession of the apparently nosy Bluebell, she sneakily swipes the note, before darting back once more

Hey, get away from me! You're gonna....hey, wait, where'd't go? Darn it, you made me drop it!

Ianhorn starts searching for the paper on the ground. Not finding it, he looks up and sees the note in the Petal's hands.

Hey, give that back here!

[Archmage1]

Bluebell, flying there, reads the note, the note describing how Ianhorn and Solomon plan on dividing her up between them.
Ianhorn, knowing what is coming tenses, preparing for... something.
But... what happens is not what he expects.

"You... you wanted my wings?"
Bluebell's voice seems small, surprised, however, moments later, it recovers her more cheery tones.
"Aw... that's nice! I'm glad you think they are so lovely! And both of you wanted them! I know! We can find someone who can give you wings like mine! Surely, there must be a costume maker here somewhere! Wouldn't you like that! And I can sing, so you can hear my voice! It will be fun! A costumed gathering!"

[littlebum2002]

Don't worry, Love, eventually we WILL find someone to give us wings like yours. I can promise you that.

[Archmage1]

"Of course we will! And soon! This way! There must be one around here somewhere!"

Bluebell looks for a stall selling costumes, specifically, faerie costumes.
And, luckily for her, she soon finds one selling all manner of fake faerie costumes, although, most of them are sized more for children.

She zooms right up to it, and looks back to Ian and Solomon, smiling broadly, looking very, very happy.
"Come on, you can get wings here!"
She seems excited, and earnest.
Her friends were going to get wings, just like hers!

[littlebum2002]

Ianhorn looks at Solomon. He gestures his hands in a What should we do now? expression

[Zolkabro]

Ianhorn looks at Solomon. He gestures his hands in a What should we do now? expression

Solomon glares in reply, clearly signalling Your fault, your problem.

"Ianhorn sought wings. I do not require any further augmentation." he said to the wayward Petal, before gesturing to Ianhorn to pick one.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell looks innocently at Solomon, smiling still.
"But you objected to him having wings because you wanted some! Now's your chance! There are lots of beautiful ones here! Like these ones!"
She flies over, and tries holding up a pair of garishly colored orange and purple wings.
"Aren't they lovely!"

[blade artist]

Aster heard his name from the fey a little back, but now the others are starting to make what looks to be a scene. It would seem that the dwarf, construct, and fey have started to fall behind, mostly focused on their conversation. Or had Aster and Drimanai just sped up? He couldn't tell.

"You mind waiting here by this clothes stall, Drimanai? I'll be back in a short bit."

Aster then leaves Drimanai at the stall and walks back to the others and their fight... over a piece of paper? Weird. Still, it wouldn't do well to be associated with a ruckus before I try anything with the festival. He approaches with a slight grin when he sees Bluebell showing them various wings.

"Hey guys. What seems to be going on here? Please tell me you guys aren't dressing up as fairies."

[Doomboy911]

Caught up.

A town especially one built around merchants should be a bit more organized but it's not. Beside the costume shop there's a butcher shop selling what you hope isn't meat (there's something black in a large jug and it's being sold for a very pretty copper piece) and what looks like a pile of junk in a tent. What the merchant is selling appears to be anything mechanical but solomon would know that some mechanical parts just don't naturally go together like plumbing and golem parts. Speaking of Solomon someone bumps into him as they emerge angrily from the junk tent. She's a rough looking woman her hair running down all the way to her feet her clothes more like rags wrapped around the bare essentials but not much else but why would one want to cover up some mechanical beauties, her arms are flesh they're iron and gems. She has clearly augmented herself to that of a half-golem.

Big man Solomon role balance to avoid getting knocked off your feet.

[Archmage1]

When Aster comes up, Bluebell is eagerly explaining which wings are more fun, but she does turn to him, a silly grin on her face. Clearly, she is enjoying this.
"Of course! They were passing this note back and forth, saying that they liked my wings, so I thought they would enjoy getting wings of their own! All they need to do is pick which ones they want!"
As she mentions the note, she waves the somewhat battered note in the air.

[Raunchel]

Drimanai looks around, there is so much to see. Her companions are annoying, they keep causing disturbances while she wants to avoid drawing attention. But she knows that she can't slip away, they will just manage to find her again. Maybe she should try to get them into trouble, to slip away? The idea holds some appeal, but there is something wrong with it, it gives her a bad feeling.

[Archmage1]

After Drimanai comes up, and looks over the store, Bluebell flies eagerly over to her and Aster.
"Do you two want some as well? They would be beautiful!"


Say... +2 cha when dealing with petals, -2 for everyone else
+4 diplo when dealing with petals, -4 for everyone else
-4 intimidate
-2 bluff

Bluebell, and by extension, petals, love them, and are touched by the gesture. Everyone else, alas, has trouble taking you seriously while wearing them.

[Raunchel]

"No, I'm sorry Bluebell, but I'm not allowed to wear those.", Drimanai replies, "But I assume that you convinced those two to wear them?"

It should be -infinity for intimidate, even a terrible undead monstrosity wouldn't sacre anyone with those wings.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell looks sad, even if only for a bit.
"Aw... are you sure? It would be fun! And only for one night, so I could let you wear them! Then you would be allowed, right?"

[Raunchel]

"I'm only allowed to wear these robes. Everything else is forbidden. If I would wear them I would be breaking my vows, and I never would do that." Drimanai gets a slightly red face when she says that last part.Bluff: [roll]1d20+2[roll]

[littlebum2002]

Look, Love, as much as I would enjoy having wings like yours, it's just gonna attract too much attention. I know you might enjoy attention, but I'd prefer if people didn't remember anything about me.

Look, I'll just put these in a safe place, and when there'
s no one else around, I'll try 'em on.

Ianhorn takes the wings and gently put them in his pack.

[Archmage1]

When Drimanai explains why she can't try on the wings, Bluebell looks disappointed, but she nods.
"Ok, but it would be lots of fun. Why would you swear such silly oaths anyway? What if you wanted to play in the flowers?"

However, when Ianhorn expresses interest in the purple and orange wings, she looks delighted, and rapidly flies back.
"See! They would look lovely! And no one would look past them! Besides, you said!"
When he goes to gently place them in his pack, she swipes them, and flies around behind him, and whistles a gentle tune, before flying back, without the wings.
"They look lovely! Don't you agree?"

Clearly, while she might be willing to take no for an answer from Drimanai, she is less than willing to do so for Ianhorn or Solomon.

[Raunchel]

"Those vows are a great honour, and I never regretted them. They make me a true sister, a servant of the goddes."

She is really lying through her teeth here. Bluff check if anyone wants to find out that she's lying. [roll0]

[Archmage1]

Bluebell has an idea, and from her position near Ianhorn, she tries to explain it to Drimanai, and she seems quite excited over it.
"I know! You could follow my queen! She doesn't make you swear such silly things! And she's lots of fun! And then you could be my sister! Wouldn't you like that?"

[Raunchel]

"I, I think that I cannot do that. I have always served the Goddess, She gave me everything, and I would never betray her."

And she keeps lying, as the great liar she is: [roll0]

[Archmage1]

Bluebell seems sad that the sparkly woman is resistant.
"Aw... If you're sure... It would have been fun."
She seems... subdued, almost droopy.

[littlebum2002]

What did you...oh, come on Love. You don't take "no" for an answer, do you?

Ianhorn hit himself with his wand and the wings instantly disappeared.

[Archmage1]

Seeing the attempted illusion, and this time, seeing through it, Bluebell smiles, and claps, quite happy with the result.
"There! Lovely!"
She calls out to the others.
"Look! Ianhorn has his wings on! He is just hiding them behind his magic wand that makes things look different!"

She turns to Solomon, who is just standing here, still smiling broadly.
"Come on, which ones do you want?"


Everyone gets +4 to beat the dc... and how long is Ianhorn planning on concentrating on the illusion?

[littlebum2002]

Yup! You got me, Love. I give up.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell seems quite pleased with this result.
"See! They're Beautiful!"

[Raunchel]

"Yes, they look quite well on him, Bluebell.", Drimanai says, with her usual, dull voice.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell is quite clearly enjoying herself(If you hadn't guessed that yet...)
"And Drimanai agrees too! They're wonderful!"

She flies back over to Drimanai.
"Maybe a crown? They are sparkly, so they go with your robes!"
Bluebell quickly finds a gaudy, painted, gold crown, with glass "gems" of different colors, and flies back to Drimanai with it, clearly intending to put it on Drimanai's head.

[Zolkabro]

Solomon, who has little concept of embarrassment, shamelessly walks up and puts on a pair of wings. He turns to Bluebell to show her, does a grand, elaborate, and yet eerily mechanical bow, before taking them off and putting them back. He may not be embarrassed, but he certainly recognises the security risk of such vibrancy.
"Objection: I must not wear wings of such bright colours. My work depends on secrecy, these are too visible. Such clothing could result in my death: I have many enemies.
Gratitude for your offer, however."

[Archmage1]

Bluebell claps and smiles once more when Solomon puts on the wings, but she looks sad as he takes them off. Of course, at his explanation, she cheers up once more.
"Oh! Well, if you need darker colors..."
After depositing the crown on Drimanai's head(gently), Bluebell zooms off once more, this time, returning with a pair of dark blue wings, decorated with a few lines of black.
"Here! These would be perfect!"

[Zolkabro]

Bluebell claps and smiles once more when Solomon puts on the wings, but she looks sad as he takes them off. Of course, at his explanation, she cheers up once more.
"Oh! Well, if you need darker colors..."
After depositing the crown on Drimanai's head(gently), Bluebell zooms off once more, this time, returning with a pair of dark blue wings, decorated with a few lines of black.
"Here! These would be perfect!"

"Confirmed." Solomon agrees. He takes them, and puts them on, and then jumps into the air. But he falls straight down again, slamming into the ground with an ear-shattering thump.
"Error: Flying is faulty." he objects, confused.
He jumps again, with the same result. He strides over to the stallholder.
"Error, flying is faulty. Error, flying is faulty. Why won't they fly? Why won't they fly?"

[Archmage1]

When Solomon starts jumping, Bluebell starts laughing, the high, chiming sound ringing through the area.
She manages to gasp out, between the giggles, and the thumps, a short explanation.
"Solomon, Silly!... it is a costume, not real wings!"
Alas... soon after, she resumes her giggling.

[Zolkabro]

Solomo tilts his head, anger calmed but even more confused, his brain whirring.
"Costumes are disguises. Error: I cannot be disguised as a Petal. What is the purpose of this hardware?"

[Archmage1]

Bluebell calms down... slightly.
"Of course you can't be disguised as a petal! You're too big! But you wanted my wings, which are beautiful, so I thought that some wings of your own would make you happier! They are fun! And they make you look much nicer!"

[Zolkabro]

"Error: Wings are to fly." Solomon objects, still not understanding.
Repeat: What is the purpose of this hardware? What is the purpose?

[Archmage1]

Bluebell, who is almost always helpful, in her own way, tries to helpfully explain to Solomon the purpose of the wings.
"They look beautiful! That's their purpose!"

[Zolkabro]

"...Beautiful. Is that... important?"

[Archmage1]

While for every being that was asked that question, there would be a different answer, Bluebell has a fairly simple answer.
"Of course! Things are much nicer when they are beautiful!"

[Zolkabro]

"Query: What is the advantage of "beautiful"? Does it hold any tactical advantages?"

[Archmage1]

Bluebell looks confused.
"Tactical advantages? I suppose... if you can use it... But... why would you be worried about that? The main goal of beauty is to look nice!"



Alas... off for an hour
One strategic advantage: It might make Bluebell forget about a certain note...

[blade artist]

Aster slides up beside Solomon, which is to say an overly tall man walks up beside the construct, and whispers in... where he believes the constructs "ear" is.

"Beauty would be a very good distraction from all the weapons on you, as well as how deadly you would be."

[Archmage1]

Bluebell listens excitedly as Aster tries to support her.
"And it's beautiful! Aster, what colors would you like?"

taking 10 on listen here

[blade artist]

And then Aster turns back to the petal. And then to the wings in the stall. Wow, those are really, really... really... small.

"Bluebell, my dear. Uh... I honestly don't believe they have any wings that could fit me. Maybe if we find another stall with other costumes I'll get one from there.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell looks at Aster, and then looks at the wings, and then back at Aster, before speaking up, somewhat confused.
"But... they are really big! Gigantic! But... so are you..."
She pauses for a few moments, clearly thinking hard.
"But... then you won't get anything..."
The petal seems sad about that, but then she cheers up.
"Ianhorn and Solomon have their wings, and Drimanai has her sparkly crown! That should be enough for fun! Let's keep going then! Maybe we can follow the other sparkly woman!"

[Raunchel]

It takes Drimanai a few moments to process what just happened to her. She feels the strange crown on her head, and for some reason it gives her a strange felling which she never had before. She does want a crown, but a real one. Gherilla would like that, and she would like it if people would listen. Nevertheless she takes it off, but she does put it in her pack.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell looks a bit sad that Drimanai took off her crown, as she made a wonderful queen of the sparkly people, but, at least she still has it, which is some comfort to the tiny petal.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell, ever the silly creature, having had enough of raiding the costume shop, flits off once more, in the direction that she thinks the sparkly woman went.

[Doomboy911]

Beauty defines, that is the importance of beauty. It carries a value even though it differs based off country it does have some striking similarities such as symmetry and certain color values. You for example are perfectly built, the fact that you are built may be unappealing to most people but I find you quite exquisite." She runs a finger along the flat of Solomon's back. "Who might you be handsome?" she seems utterly transfixed by him.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell, never one to pass up a distraction, flies over to her, and starts flying around her.
"Ooh... Sparkly! And so many colors!"
She especially seems to like the sapphires.

[Archmage1]

After Bluebell's mind recovers from the sudden intrusion of sparkles, she thinks about the sparkly thing's words, and realizes, almost immediately, that they are missing a key component: She didn't mention the wings! And they were beautiful too...

As she finishes her last loop around the woman, Bluebell flies up, more or less in front of the woman's face.

"Don't forget the wings! The're beautiful! They make him look much nicer!"

[Zolkabro]

"Greetings. My name is Solomon. Please state your name."

[Doomboy911]

She does a simple bow to everyone except for Solomon, "I am the elegantly designed lady known by the name Gem." she extends a hand to Solomon "Social standards would dictate that meeting one such as you is a pleasure. A unnecessary want of most non-mechanical species." Although she seems designed more for function rather than form but their is some elegance , as she moves you can't hear gears spinning or any magical energy going about and despite being on a coastal village she's completely rust free.

[littlebum2002]

Nice ta' meet ya, Love. The name is Ianhorn.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell smiles when Gem nods to her, her silly grin making her look quite young. And silly.
"I'm Bluebell! I like your name, though. It fits! And you are sparkly, although not as sparkly as Drimani, the Sparkly Lady! She would be a queen, but she didn't want to wear her crown here. Not elegant enough? Not shiny enough? But it didn't have any of the blue ones, and you do! And they are the prettiest! Are you going to come gathering too!"

She seems to be quite excited, although, she is so often excited, so maybe this is just normal for her? In any event, what she is saying seems to be a somewhat disconnected train of thoughts, flowing from her subconscious to her mouth without ever consulting her brain.


The blue ones are sapphires(or blue glass.)

[littlebum2002]

Ianhorn casts a Silent Image between them and any potential onlookers, just so they don't attract too much attention.

[Doomboy911]

Ianhorn casts a Silent Image between them and any potential onlookers, just so they don't attract too much attention.

Describe what your illusion looks like please.

[littlebum2002]

Just an illusion of us talking...

[Doomboy911]

Just an illusion of us talking...

Ever see something dubbed but the timing was off?

[littlebum2002]

Well, hopefully no one is paying THAT much attention...


Ianhorn goes up to Solomon and whispers in his ear.

I figure you can do SOMETHING with a half-golem, can't you? I'm taking this girl out, I want those arms!

Ianhorn turns to the golem.

Sorry love, don't take this too personally.

He then says some words in an ancient language, and a monstrous centipede appears behind the golem! The last thing anyone who is watching sees is the golem attacking Ianhorn, then the illusion disappears.

Surprise round
Only Ianhorn and, if he wants to, Solomon can act in this round.

Quickened Summon Monster III
The centipede grabs the golem.

Grapple check
[roll0]

If successful, the centipede bites the golem for [roll1] damage. The golem is immune to The centipedes poison, however.

Ianhorn then takes his Warpike and hits the golem as hard as he can.

[roll2]

And if it connects, damage
[roll3]

Then, both of his zombies, on the left and right of the golem, hit it as hard as they can.
[roll4]

Damage
[roll5]

Zombie 2:
[roll6]

[roll7]

[Archmage1]

Since Bluebell is probably going first, I just thought I might as well post this before going to bed. If she isn't going first, this is still what she would do, given the chance. Her scream would be a sort of "Eek!" style scream.

When Ianhorn viciously attacks the sparkly iron woman, Gem, Bluebell is shocked, stunned. She hadn't expected any such thing, but she recovers, screaming at the top of her lungs, a shrill, loud noise, as she flees to a nearby tree, where she seems to vanish. A skilled observer might notice a small patch of blue in the otherwise green tree, where her head pokes out from behind the tree.

[roll0] hide
[roll1] move silently

[Doomboy911]

Time seems to slow down for a moment. Bluebell screams, a centipede explodes out of the aether lunging at Gem, she glances and swings striking it at the head and it vanishes before it even hits the ground. "Solomon, your associate seems rather violent, why do you travel with him." She never seems to even glance at Ianhorn.

[Zolkabro]

"Your associate seems rather violent."

Solomon looks her in the eye and has only one thing to say:
"Confirmed."

Before punching her lights out. With fire.

COMBAT ACTIONS:

SWIFT ACTION:
I analyse her using my surgical precision:
DC 10+her HD.
[roll0]
If successful, this does three things: analyse her for harvesting, so Doom, please tell me all attacks and abilities, allow me to apply my INT mod to my attack rolls and grant +3d6 extra precision damage.

MOVE ACTION:
Move back from the golem as far as I can while staying within the bounds of Ianhorn's illusion.

FREE ACTION:
Activate my Fiery Infusion. All attacks now have +2d6 extra fire damage.

STANDARD ACTION:
Attack using my Metabolic Reserve. Ranged touch attack up to 20 ft.
Attack:
[roll1]
Damage:
Base, sonic type:
[roll2]
Fire type:
[roll3]
Precision type:
[roll4]

Well, that took a while. Fingers crossed!

[littlebum2002]

Ianhorn lowers his weapon.

Good job, Love. I'm impressed.

Solomon and I have to make sure anyone who follows us can take care of themselves. We don't want to be responsible for having to protect people, you understand.

Like I said, Love, don't take it too personally. Anyway, welcome to the group.

Bluff
(Cmon cmon)
[roll0]

[Doomboy911]

"I was being tested understood.In the future avoid testing one out in the open it draws a crowd. The petal mentioned gathering Solomon you are the most efficient elaborate."

[Archmage1]

Bluebell, seeing that the combat was over, nervously flies back from the tree, which you notice seems to have a lot of birds chirping in it now..

"Is... is it over? Are you going to stop trying to hurt each other now?"

[Zolkabro]

Solomon steps back, looking at Ianhorn quizzically. He does not wish to step back from the fight, but as his ally has and he has little reason to fight apart from helping his ally, he relents.
He bows clunkily to the woman.
"Apologies."

[Archmage1]

Bluebell pauses.
"So... you're done trying to kill each other? Can we all be friends now? Please? And then we can go gathering!"

[littlebum2002]

Yes, Love. Let's go gathering.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell looks at Ianhorn, surprised. Surely he had heard... maybe he hadn't...

"But... we need to wait until we can see the fireflies! We were just going to wander around, and look at things until they started coming out! but you know that, right? Come on!"
The tiny thing beacons as she flies merrily away, looking at all the stalls set up along the road, excitedly pointing out the fun and sparkly ones, acting very much like a young child.


Would there happen to be a garden or park along the way?

[Doomboy911]

It does begin to grow dark, perhaps it's because you're on the southern hemisphere that the sun is setting sooner. Regardless the sun has begun to make her way down.

It's not that much of a trek but when you arrive you see three new people sitting upon the dock.

"Oh good you're back I was worried we'd be dealing with just those three."

[Archmage1]

Almost immediately, Bluebell flies over to them, looking the three strangers over.
"Hello! Are you coming gathering as well?"

[Doomboy911]

Immediately one in the center leaps to his feet and spins in one solid motion. "Yeah yeah yeah I am, so are my friends because they like to keep me around I make them laugh a lot. My name is Cliff and I like to dance and fight stuff but mostly fight stuff and cake I really like cake but they don't let me make cake since we don't have a furnace to make cake in, which is fair but still I want cake." This man has a thin but toned figure, he seems to be wearing some multicolored leather taken from some weird beast, lots of stripes and even some stars. On his belt are two scimitars with pillows tied around the sharpened end. He doesn't seem to be wearing shoes but anyone who can see past illusions can see it's just a glamor. Oh and he has crazy eyes, when he talks they seem to just turn and swivel in all manner of direction but once he stops himself they straighten back to who he's talking to.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell smiles, looking quite happy with herself, pleased to make even more friends.
"More people going gathering! Yay! Even more fun! Dancing is fun! And so is cake! Not so much fighting, though. That's no fun at all! Couldn't you make a sun-baked cake? Those can be fun! But they are sometimes a bit soggy in the middle. Still delicious, though! Do you like flowers? I do! They are so pretty and nice! Have you gone gathering before?"

She seems to get more excited the longer she talks, smiling cheerfully, looking extremely happy to have met someone fun.

[littlebum2002]

While the...more social people in the group are distracted, Ianhorn falls back to talk to Solomon, making sure that no one is in range to hear him.


Sorry about that, friend. As much as I would have loved to take her down with you, that wasn't a battle we were going to win. We'll have to wait until circumstances are more favorable to us.

[Zolkabro]

"Greetings Cliff. It is nice to meet you. Do sit down." Solomon reels off.

He turns to Ianhorn, and mutters a reply.
"Apology accepted. Having analysed her for assimilation, all useful hardware is too advanced: I have no data on how to harvest them. But when I can, we shall strike."

[Doomboy911]

"Ooh ooh ooh I have to make sun cake now and I'll put sunflower seeds and other stuff but first I need sunflowers. He pauses for a moment to stare off in space for perhaps a moment too long. While the Solomon and Ianhorn go off to whisper "I like your metal friend but I like the soft squishy ones better which is why mine aren't metal, I like your one friend staring at the ones who went off, she's sort of metal but also squishy but also metal but also squishy. Who are your other friends? Who's the sparkly one?" and than for no reason he just does a backflip. He might just be excited.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell looks even more happy.
"I have sunflowers! But it's dark, and you need the sun to make a suncake. The metal one isn't fun! He doesn't even seem to know what fun is! And both of the metal ones make my head hurt! The sparkly one is the Queen of the Sparkly ones! She just isn't wearing her crown right now. But it's beautiful! The one that isn't as big is easily confused, though. But he does have nice wings!"
As she speaks, she flies around, excitedly, erratically.

[blade artist]

Aster looks at the tiny petal, slightly hurt.

"Aw Bluebell... You don't even mention me? That isn't very nice. Oh... annnd Cliff... You seem... awfully familiar. Oh well, my name's Aster, I'm sort of the guardian for these two girls."

[Archmage1]

Bluebell looks slightly hurt in return/
"I thought I did!"
She pauses, and thinks about what she had said, clearly something unfamiliar to the little petal.
"I mentioned sunflowers..."
She reaches into her bag, and produces a lovely sunflower, carefully tended in a tiny pot. As she pulls it out, she descends, clearly unable to fly with it. On the ground, she seems somehow... smaller.
"See! They're beautiful!"
She admires her sunflower for a moment.
"And then I talked about the metal ones, but they hurt my head when I am near them. so they are no fun. And then the queen, and then you! The the big one! Who isn't confused! You said you are protecting me! You're nice! And then the other one, with the wings! They're lovely!"
She looks briefly ashamed
"But... I wasn't too direct... But you are the nice one! The nice Big one!"

[Raunchel]

Drimanai looks on, Bluebell's voice is starting to get to her, the high pitch makes it hard to keep listening sometimes. These new people are peculiar, she wonders if everyone in the wide world is that strange. She doesn't say much, she needs some time to think. What would Gherilla do?

[littlebum2002]

Ianhorn notices that the woman next to him seems as annoyed by Bluebell as he is. He walks up to her to try and start a conversation.

Jeez, is it just me, or does listening to these two give you a headache?

[Doomboy911]

Ianhorn notices that the woman next to him seems as annoyed by Bluebell as he is. He walks up to her to try and start a conversation.

Jeez, is it just me, or does listening to these two give you a headache?

" 'fraid it takes a lot to upset my head, about six to eight bricks was my last count but it's hard to do that." His eyes aren't swiveling they're focusing on Ianhorn. Suddenly he does a quick spin and Ianhorn finds a pillow at his throat but beneath that something very cold. "What really hurts my head is people saying mean things. That really hurts my head."

The other two stand up. One is ,a squat man with a stubble, he's wearing some bright leather which clashes nicely with his dark skin. He has some coins in his hand he keeps bouncing in his hands. He is actually not wearing shoes along with his leather he has a bulging backpack which seems absolutely stuffed. The other towers over the other his armor a shining silver that seems to have no opening, not just a lack of chinks in his armor but without a gap. (Your run of the mill platemail has chinks in the armpits and even between the torso and the legs, it's small but it's there.) The armor is a set of bands running along him connecting leading up to his head which meets at a point in the center of where his face should be. In the center is a light blue gem about the size of one's fist. This is where he must be seeing through because even here the armor seems to have no openings.

"Problem Cliff?" the squat man seems to have some kind of accent, you can't quite place it, nor can you place where he hales from.

"Nah not yet."

[Archmage1]

Bluebell watches the pillow placed against Ianhorn's throat, and smiles.
"Pillow fights are lots of fun!"
She then looks slightly downcast.
"But... we always got yelled at if we started one. I think they thought we were too small..."

However, when the other two move, Bluebell's attention is drawn to them, and her eyes light up with fascination at the one in the silver armor, and she places the happy looking sunflower in her bag once more, the giant flower apparently fitting in her tiny bag, before she flies over to him, once more circling around, before flying up to the top of his head, and running a finger all the way down to his boot, before flying up to the blue gem at face level.

"Shiny! And silver! But all one piece? How does he look at the sun, and the flowers, and the stars? And that blue... it is too pale! But... that makes it almost right!"
(It never occurs to her that he might not. Who would do such a thing!)

[littlebum2002]

Ianhorn stares daggers at the man. Suddenly, the wings on his back as well as all flowers within 5' of him begin wilting.

Friend, I think it would be wise of you to move that pillow before we DO have a problem.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell notices this, and looks at him, clearly unhappy.

"Hey! Be nice to the flowers! They are just waiting for the sun! Don't hurt them!"


Not sure how the wings are wilting. They would be like faerie wings that you might see for a Halloween costume.

[Raunchel]

"Please, please, there is no need to threaten each other here. Especially not with pillows. Violence is no solution for any disagreements.", Drimanai says, sounding like she has always learned to, soothing and kind.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell looks at Drimanai, horrified, momentarily distracted from her distraction.
"But... pillow fights can be lots of fun! Although you do have those gigantic pillows. Are they more dangerous? I saw one of those giant pillows try and eat someone once!"

[Raunchel]

"Where I'm from pillow fights are explicitly forbidden. And pillows can be dangerous, for instance count rodrick of Gheshal died when his brother hit him with a pillow.", Drimanai says. It is true, there are rules against pillow fights in the convent.

[Archmage1]

"Really! Was it a special pillow? The one that ate the sidhe was an evil pillow! We weren't supposed to have pillow fights... but we did anyway! They were lots of fun! Have you never had one?"
Bluebell seems quite excited over the prospect of a pillow fight(More than usual), and somewhat sad that Drimanai seems to have missed out on that opportunity.

[Raunchel]

"It was a perfectly normal pillow, and no, I never hit anyone with one, I wouldn't want to hurt any of my sisters.", Drimanai is lying there, she once had a pillow fight, as a child, but she had been punished for that, a week without warm food.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell is astounded at the revelation of the pillow being a normal pillow. Maybe these people had really hard pillows? But that would be painful!

"A normal pillow? With feathers and everything? But... they're harmless! And if you have never had a pillow fight... we need to fix that! They're lots of fun! and fun! But you need beds, so you can jump on them, and a few more people makes them even more fun!"

When she is discussing her plans to start a pillowfight, she seems confident, and, of course, excited.

[Doomboy911]

Ian has seen men face doom before, their faces perhaps eternally in his memory, something he just can't really forget. Some screamed in agony, others in hushed prayer, others tears begging for redemption. Some though have smiled, smiling to mask fear or to because they can't comprehend that now is their doom. Cliff he has a smile unlike the others this is a smile of just not caring about what is happening or about to happen.
"Heh heh, I like pillow fights too, and I'm not one to make wise decisions." He puts the blade by his belt and just smiles.

[Archmage1]

Blue bell has a plan! Maybe not a good plan, but a plan nonetheless.
"Maybe... maybe after Ianhorn bets that I am the best gatherer, and we gather things, we can have a pillow fight? Can we? Please?"

Bluebell seems almost... thoughtful, although she is rather plaintive towards the end.

[blade artist]

Aster has a slightly confused look on his face for a bit about this talk of pillows and pillow fighting until he comes to the realization that their pillows aren't, in fact, rocks. At which point a look best described as "Eureka!" rolls across his face.

"Uhhh, I think I'll pass from that pillow fight. You really wouldn't want to get hit by my normal pillows."

Aster turns to the two whom seem to be Cliff's companions.

"Hello there you two, my name is Sir Aster Malachite. You might have overheard my more comprehensive introduction with Cliff. Do either of you know what we might find out there, in the wilds? I'd like to be prepared before we head out to do this gathering."

[Archmage1]

Bluebell looks saddened by this.
"But... but... but... pillows are fun! The birds don't mind too much, and we build them nests to make up for it!"

[Doomboy911]

Those looking into the gem can see their reflection, their true reflection the illusions aren't there.

"Hello I am Haunk" there's emphasis on the vowels like it's being stressed in how he speaks, this doesn't sound exactly like his spoken language. "and this is" "shush you always do it wrong." Cliff waves Haunk away and than drops to a knee making the armored one look just a bit taller. "And this" he pauses for dramatic effect "Is Tardigrade, the warrior of 10,000 deaths. Death himself forever by his side as he lays siege to all that the gods cursed to walk the same earth as the unending Tardigrade." Tardigrade looks down at Cliff and simply shrugs.

"Dun dun dun"

[Archmage1]

Bluebell seems impressed by the introduction of Tardigrade, looking at the silver armored one with surprise.
"Ooh... That sounds fancy! Which one of you is death? And have you found any?"

[littlebum2002]

Heh, you sound like my kinda person, Tardigrade. The name's Ianhorn.

[Archmage1]

Excited, and perhaps a bit nervous, Bluebell resumes flying around Tardigrade, still looking for a sign that it wasn't a golem.

[Zolkabro]

"Greetings Tardigrade. How do you do? No no, after you." Solomon drones.

[Archmage1]

After a few moments of flying around, Bluebell calmly flies up to land on Tardigrade's head, before she looks at Haunk.
"Is he a golem? A silver golem? With a magic gem for an eye?"

[Doomboy911]

"Well no he's just not talkative, something about not saying anything unless he has something nice to say. He usually has nothing to say."

The man who gathered you all comes by "we're heading out follow me to the boats folks."

[Archmage1]

Bluebell looks a little confused by this, tapping her foot slowly on her perch.
"But... he's all metal! I thought you had to be a golem to be all metal. Like him!"
She points at Solomon.

However, soon enough, events move onward, and Bluebell looks down at the man as he approaches.
"A boat? But... those go a long way from plants! I thought we were going gathering, not sailing!"

[Zolkabro]

"Incorrect: I am not a Golem. My accurate designation is a Cog, a sentient construct who's Purpose is only to serve." Solomon objects, before following the nameless man.

[Archmage1]

Still standing on Tardigrade's head, Bluebell looks momentarily thoughtful.

"So... you're a type of golem? A construct is a golem, right? So, you're a golem like I am fey!"
She looks quite pleased with herself over this bit of reasoning.

[Doomboy911]

He looks to bluebell and simply pats her on the head with a finger. Gentle like a kitten.

Bluebell can make a spot check to see through the gem and see what's inside.

[Archmage1]

When Tardigrade reaches up to pat her, taking her by surprise, Bluebell momentarily leans into the pat, flying gently upwards, clearly enjoying the patting, her eyes slightly out of focus.
Then she realizes what she is doing, and darts down once more, not wanting to be that vulnerable, and as she does so, she gets a glimpse of the gem, and, potentially, what's behind it...



spot 21
I will post what she says, and such after I know the results of the spot.

[Zolkabro]

Still standing on Tardigrade's head, Bluebell looks momentarily thoughtful.

"So... you're a type of golem? A construct is a golem, right? So, you're a golem like I am fey!"
She looks quite pleased with herself over this bit of reasoning.

Raise vocal volume by 40%.

"Incorrect: I am not a Golem. My accurate designation is a Cog, a sentient construct who's Purpose is only to serve." he repeats, louder and fiercer, his fist slowly clenching and unclenching.

[Archmage1]

Bluebell does not look very happy to be yelled at. Indeed, she looks almost annoyed.
"Well, ok... sheesh, if you are going to yell over it, you can be a cog, or a construct, or whatever you want..."

She continues, muttering under her breath.
"It's not like a construct is a golem... and that they're the same thing... but no... calling him a golem is offensive to it... who would have guessed..."
Maybe he wants to be called something nice, and he thinks cogs are nicer than golems? But flowers are much nicer than cogs! Maybe he would like a flower name? But... they're all used... hm... maybe a tree?

After a few moments, Bluebell stops muttering under her breath, and brightens up.
"I know! You can be Oak! Much nicer than a Cog, and a construct, and a golem! Isn't it?"

[Zolkabro]

Solomon pauses.

"...Oak? Explain. Error: Why "Oak"?
Explain!"

[Archmage1]

When Bluebell looks in Tardigrade's gem, she has a simple statement
"Ooh! Sparkly! And so many! fun!"

When Solomon says that calling him Oak is an error, Bluebell looks offended, before she attempts to explain, with confidence.
"Oak! Not an error! You don't want to be a golem, and cog is like golem, but flowers are much nicer, but they are all taken, but trees are nice too, and they're not taken, so you can be Oak!"

[Zolkabro]

"Comprehension successful. Oak is designated "nickname"."
"Error: "nickname" already defined. "nickname" = "Bonethief"."

[Archmage1]

Bluebell smiles, glad that he has understood, before she continues.
"You're Oak, not Bonethief! Why would you even want to steal bones? People use them! For things! Like walking! And living! Oak is much nicer!"