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  1. - Top - End - #151
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Lord Magtok's Avatar

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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    Memory Woods

    Quote Originally Posted by Delilah View Post
    "And...do...you want to talk to her?"
    Magtok's facade shatters like glass. The confident fool evaporates in moments, replaced by a harried mess struggling to keep himself together, even as sinister omens and black prophecies whisper of the manifold friends and family he'll be forced to bury when this is all over. He sighs in defeat, running a chrome hand across his face. Yes, he wants to talk to her. There is not a thing in the world he wants more right now.

    "I'm sorry, yes. Listen, this is the fifth time I've been personally involved in trying to prevent someone from destroying or conquering the Nexus. I know I must seem very foolish and possibly even an outright liability, but I swear, it's an act, and a very important one. If it makes you feel any better, I do have a plan, I am aware of the stakes involved, and I don't actually intend to commit suicide by dragon." That last part is a lie, sorta. We can't tell her much more than that, however, or the entire plan would be ruined.
    Quote Originally Posted by RabbitHoleLost View Post
    Magtok's the best
    "You probably found 'How to Survive a Robot Uprising' in the humor section. Let's just hope that is where it belongs."
    -Daniel H. Wilson
    Unhooded Magtok avvie by urodivoi

  2. - Top - End - #152
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Beholder

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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    [Memory Woods]

    It would appear that Delilah is considering Magtok, as his stoniness falls apart. Perhaps judging how sincere he is? How important he could really be?

    This is not the case.
    An almost entirely unrelated series of thoughts are passing through her mind, to the point where she almost hasn't registered anything he's said at all.
    Most of it can be summed up in "you need to remember why you did this to me".

    After a respectable moment of this consideration, she reaches up and unclasps that necklace from herself and rather delicately holds it out towards Magtok, chain cascading around fingers cradling a peculiarly indistinct...something. A gem? A medallion?
    "I would like to borrow your brother, for a few minutes."
    Her request is a quiet sort off-hand one, something tossed in as an uncomfortable last minute addition to her present offer.
    "Fear and creativity are conjoined twins."
    Absentee Spirit

  3. - Top - End - #153
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Lord Magtok's Avatar

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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    Memory Woods

    Magtok nods, and turns about, looking into the trees for some sign of his brother. The black sheep of the family has undoubtedly sprouted a pair of wings and taken off by now, but maybe if he calls out to him quickly, he can get Needs back over here before this gets difficult.

    "Needs? You still he-" Oh. He's doing that thing again.You know, that really creepy thing where he sets a portal against Magtok's chest, so it looks as though he's bursting out from his own brother's torso? Yeah, that. Magtok takes a step back, giving the orange-robed clone room to pull himself out of his weird portal and tumble out onto the ground in front of Delilah.

    "I swear, I'm never going to get used to that. There you go; there's Needs," Magtok frowns, lifting the wizard off the ground with one hand, as the other reaches out for the phylactery? necklace she'd offered. This is going to be a conversation with a mere fragment of Libby, isn't it? Blegh, no chance of getting a useful warning out about our plans, then.
    Quote Originally Posted by RabbitHoleLost View Post
    Magtok's the best
    "You probably found 'How to Survive a Robot Uprising' in the humor section. Let's just hope that is where it belongs."
    -Daniel H. Wilson
    Unhooded Magtok avvie by urodivoi

  4. - Top - End - #154
    Pixie in the Playground
     
    Purple Eagle's Avatar

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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    Quote Originally Posted by Earl of Purple View Post
    Romantic Lake Boating

    "I'm hopeful too, Karasu. But I've not done this before, and... I don't know if I trust that hope, y'know? I don't know if we'll stay together because I don't know how any of this really works." Now that's off her chest, she listens to Karasu. "Of course, Karasu. I promise I'll talk to you, no matter what."
    Romantic Lake Boating

    "I'm more experienced, and I deeply care about you. I promise I'll do you right, help you figure things out, mmkay? We'll take it one day at a time. Let's try and make it to 18 and together, for starters. We can do it, babe, together we can do anything." And she believes it, too.

    Karasu falls silent, admiring nature and the clouds, her back against the boat while her curls gently waft in the breeze. "So, do I get a gift or what?"
    Purple Eagle's character list
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  5. - Top - End - #155
    Orc in the Playground
     
    Earl of Purple's Avatar

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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    Romantic Lake Boating

    "Eighteen's two years away. I... I think that's enough time to figure it out. I still don't want to advertise us, y'know? You're mine, and I don't want to share." Natalie smiles when asked about a gift. "Yes, you get a gift too." Natalie grabs her rucksack and pulls something out. A lump of shiny grey haematite with a hole bored through it and looped onto a sturdy leather thong. "It's a luckstone. Not a great one, I'm afraid. The best I could afford. Don't rely on luck to save you, because luck fails when you need it most. But it might come in handy anyway." Since Karasu's ninjaing is quite risky and whatnot.

    The luckstone's effect is very minor; Karasu might not notice it. If she does get into a situation where luck is the only thing that can save her, the stone won't fail- but it will then use up all its luck and turn into a normal piece of haematite.
    Terrowin Avatar by HappyTurtle. Much thanks!

  6. - Top - End - #156
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    billtodamax's Avatar

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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    In Search of a Fortress

    She was weird. Olon says authoritatively. I think it's cause she was a weird sorta wizard. Endok nods along as he tries to read the book (also upside down). He can barely read dwarvish but damned if that's gonna stop him. I bet we just need to like... feel what the magic words are. He says after some study. It probably beams it into our brains without having to read it. Imagine reading the entire book! Endok barely gets through his books and they're way thinner than that one PLUS they have pictures.

    Off to see the DORFS!

    The animals don't seem to be that happy engaging in discussion! Mostly they're just screaming about predators and imploring their mother to take them away from the predator. Olon is having a hell of a time trying to stop them from scurring up her arms.

    Endok fields the physics question. Physics is the thing that dad uses when he builds things. I bet your mum uses it too Tuskfang dad said she was a pretty good architect. He adds magnanimously.
    Avatar by Me!
    Recaiden made the mime doll.


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  7. - Top - End - #157
    Halfling in the Playground
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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    [Dragon Therapy]

    Sylvie looks a bit perplexed by that question, "Uhh, when th-they want to? I-I mean it's not like there's much they, uh, ever particularly want to be out for. I guess Lucy's sort of, um, asked for more time recently." Not that Sylvess had ever thought much about it.

    Maybe that was something worth asking.

    "U-uh, but most of the time it's because I need to hide that I'm a dragon. So one of them comes out instead."
    Before you criticise someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticise them, you'll be a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

  8. - Top - End - #158
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Morty's Avatar

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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    [Dragon Therapy]

    "So each of the personalities has a form that they stay in? You don't shapeshift when one of them is dominant?" Sophie asks. "Can you give me some examples of situations where another of them was in control, before the Riverside incident?"

    [Off to see the DORFS!]

    "Yeah, I guess buildings have to stay down, so phee-zeeks make them stay down," Tuskfang says, but then the bird and the bat catch his attention. "I think they're still scared!"

    [Island]

    Iknika leads the other two around the island. This is a pretty secluded place, she thinks. Maybe she and Isaac could go on a date here sometime later.

    "So how are we going to find out what that ring does?" she asks Isaac and Lucas in the meantime.
    Last edited by Morty; 2019-03-03 at 12:52 PM.
    My FFRP characters. Avatar by Ashen Lilies. Sigatars by Ashen Lilies, Gullara and Purple Eagle.
    Interested in the Nexus FFRP setting? See our Discord server.

  9. - Top - End - #159
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Beholder

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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    [Memory Woods]

    Yeah, that's pretty gross. Delilah's twisted up expression expresses that pretty well.
    "Huh. Well. That's...a...thing."
    How do you respond to something like that?
    Lacking any constructive commentary to follow-up with, she just sort of points off to the side in a "can I talk to you over there?" sort of way.

    Meanwhile, the part that Magtok actually cares about.

    As he grabs the ØØØØØ from Delilah, he'll get an immediate flush of chill through his body as the energies leaking out from it embrace the new owner. Even the mechanical parts, somehow.
    It's not a miserable, frostbiting cold, but more akin to the chill breeze of a sleepy winter's day.
    Looking closer at the ØØØØØ, some of the indistinctness of it seems to be slowly withering away, to give sight to...

    Silence.

    Whatever sounds Delilah and Needs had been making a moment ago, the trees, birds, everything is quiet.
    The world is quiet. Still. Pale.
    Paused.

    Everything seems visually muted now, save Magtok himself and that human-shaped black cloak over there, standing slightly to the left of Delilah and staring over at him.
    The cloak, of course, is one that the cyborg is very familiar with, as is the voice within it.
    Yet...
    "Hello, my dear."
    The blackness of the cloak may be more poignant than the rest of this muted face of reality, but the voice seems to be missing something vital.
    Feeling, heart, love, something. Instead, it simply is. Speaking the words without the fire behind them.
    If it wasn't so lacking, it would almost seem malignant.

    "Before you speak, I would like to offer you two things and for you to consider your interest: a blessing, a direct gift from me to you, and an opportunity for us both to acquire valuable information."
    "Fear and creativity are conjoined twins."
    Absentee Spirit

  10. - Top - End - #160
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Lord Magtok's Avatar

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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    Memory Woods

    Needs nods obediently, before reaching into his pocket and examining a handful of pills. Is she going to want conversational Needs, or magical Needs? Needs can only be one of the two at a time; the pills dampen his magical abilities in exchange for those brief moments of lucidity. Maybe we should wait to hear her first question or comment for us, and then decide.

    ---

    This is the best outcome. The emotional parts of Libby that Magtok wanted to meet, the more human aspects of her, those would be of little use to us right now. A morale boost, sure, but worth substantially less than the boons this colder, more tactical Libitina has to offer. This is the best we could've hoped for, considerably more than we expected when Delilah handed over the ØØØØØ.


    Knowing all of this does little to numb the heartache, though. Magtok reaches out towards a muted tree to steady himself, to keep himself upright and presentable, even as his entire being threatens to crumble into a miserable pile of dread and anxiety. We've got to keep going just a little longer. Feia's day of reckoning is nearly here; we just have to hold out a little longer. We will get through this, Magtok. We have a plan, and it's a good one. This will be the one apocalypse where nobody we care about has to die.

    "Sure," Magtok answers tiredly, trying to forget for a moment or two that the weight of all that is, was, and will be is resting on his shoulders. He has a few questions for the Libitina fragment, thoughts and ideas he considers vital in the battle to come, but they can wait until after she's offered her gift and said her piece. Whatever she's about to reveal is probably more important, anyway.
    Quote Originally Posted by RabbitHoleLost View Post
    Magtok's the best
    "You probably found 'How to Survive a Robot Uprising' in the humor section. Let's just hope that is where it belongs."
    -Daniel H. Wilson
    Unhooded Magtok avvie by urodivoi

  11. - Top - End - #161
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Beholder

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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    [Memory Woods]

    The cloak drifts forward towards Magtok, interacting with the ground about as much as a bad theater prop on a clothesline.
    Twisting and tilting, the hood seems to be studying his reaction to their presently-brief encounter.

    "Do not be disappointed. You may yet get what you want.
    Delilah and I have been seeing too many changes from what was supposed to be...some critical part of this scenario is deeply different what the original vision. Venmaunt may have pinpointed part of it.
    My second offering first: that spell you were going to threaten him with. I want to alter it to find my body, confirm her continued survival and if she's gleaned any further information for us. There was a series of tasks she hoped to finish, but it's possible they didn't occur to her as naturally as expected after wiping her memory. We cannot extract her yet, or even directly go to her, but we can see her I hope."
    "Fear and creativity are conjoined twins."
    Absentee Spirit

  12. - Top - End - #162
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Lord Magtok's Avatar

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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    Memory Woods

    "There is no fate," Magtok answers plainly, cutting out the 'but what we make' part of the Terminator franchise's mantra. Patterns can be broken. Prophecies, no matter the source, are little better than educated guesswork or vague gibberish meant for people to insert their own truths and revelations after they've already come to pass. Gods are not absolute because there are no absolutes. Even the rules he follows to avoid being taken by permanent deadtime's icy clutches are not absolute, as his first fiancée taught him. Even the past is not written in stone, as demonstrated by the countless souls with their own histories, who know nothing of the Town or the apocalypses Magtok lived and died through.

    "We can do that, but...even muted, the spell might sting. If your body is in the middle of something important-" Magtok cautions, leaving the unstated consequences of pinging Libby dangling in the cold air between them.
    Quote Originally Posted by RabbitHoleLost View Post
    Magtok's the best
    "You probably found 'How to Survive a Robot Uprising' in the humor section. Let's just hope that is where it belongs."
    -Daniel H. Wilson
    Unhooded Magtok avvie by urodivoi

  13. - Top - End - #163
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Beholder

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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    [Memory Woods]

    "From your perspective, there is math. Variables can be expected to lead to calculable outcomes. But this philosophy is unimportant."
    Neither of them are really invested in that kind of argument. It's more of an Affidavit thing.

    The cloak drifts around Needs, in a peculiar sort of orbit, studying the brother in turn.
    "That is a portion of what Delilah wishes to speak to your brother about. As my vessel, she will bear the brunt of the physical effects of the spellcraft, if they cannot be satisfactorily muted."
    There is a small beat of silence here.
    "She is also going to a try to undermine me very soon. I have been a...terrible mother figure to her. This rebellion is to be expected and is also going to be discussed with your brother."

    This is the part where one would expect to hear remorse, regret, or perhaps even irritation.
    But there is none of that.

    Perhaps that's the problem.
    "Fear and creativity are conjoined twins."
    Absentee Spirit

  14. - Top - End - #164
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Lord Magtok's Avatar

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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    Memory Woods

    "Expected and already accounted for, or-?" Magtok scowls, but can't bring himself to judge too harshly. Libitina wouldn't be the first awful parent surrogate. His immediate response to his son Cassius's birth was something along the lines of 'Oh jeez, named after one of the Julius Caesar assassins?' In retrospect, his initial paranoia might've been what led Cassius to being so...so grand, I suppose. Trying so hard, being so brash, proving himself worthy of his father's love.

    Still, his Cassius never once plotted treason. Coldness is to be expected from a death goddess fragment, but...yeah, I don't know about this, Mag. Maybe we should judge her harshly for this. Honestly, infighting at a time like this? Who do they think they are, MagClones? If Libitina saw this coming, why did she not take actions to prevent it?
    Quote Originally Posted by RabbitHoleLost View Post
    Magtok's the best
    "You probably found 'How to Survive a Robot Uprising' in the humor section. Let's just hope that is where it belongs."
    -Daniel H. Wilson
    Unhooded Magtok avvie by urodivoi

  15. - Top - End - #165
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Beholder

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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    [Memory Woods]

    It sure would be easier to know more of what she was thinking, if the cloak had any semblance of facial expression.
    Or vocal emotion.
    Or really anything that wasn't just a dark, floating cloak.

    The reasons for Delilah's constant irritation really do seem to be adding up here.

    "She isn't going to join or directly aid Feiadyne."
    Maybe she knew vaguely what Magtok was thinking here, or perhaps thought it was just beneficial to elaborate in general.
    "Merely going to disagree very strongly with my decisions and try to reverse them, thinking her way is better. It's her heart, driving her so."
    There is almost a bear smidgen of feeling in that comment. A tiny little adjustment in her tone indicating...something.
    But this was always the thing Libby claimed she adored most about Magtok. His mortal spontaneity and frequent, deliberate deviations from cold reason.

    "She is wrong, though. Which brings me to my first offering."
    The cloak has drifted back over to Magtok, standing before him. A pale, familiar hand slides out from one of the sleeves and holds itself out to him.
    It's a fairly obvious gesture.
    "Fear and creativity are conjoined twins."
    Absentee Spirit

  16. - Top - End - #166
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Lord Magtok's Avatar

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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    Memory Woods

    Magtok reaches out towards Libitina's hand, even though part of him insists he shouldn't. What if Delilah is right? When has cold logic and reasoning steered us toward greatness and triumph? What if Libitina's gift impedes or invalidates our own strategy?

    He takes the hand regardless.
    Quote Originally Posted by RabbitHoleLost View Post
    Magtok's the best
    "You probably found 'How to Survive a Robot Uprising' in the humor section. Let's just hope that is where it belongs."
    -Daniel H. Wilson
    Unhooded Magtok avvie by urodivoi

  17. - Top - End - #167
    Pixie in the Playground
     
    Purple Eagle's Avatar

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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    Quote Originally Posted by Earl of Purple View Post
    Romantic Lake Boating

    "Eighteen's two years away. I... I think that's enough time to figure it out. I still don't want to advertise us, y'know? You're mine, and I don't want to share." Natalie smiles when asked about a gift. "Yes, you get a gift too." Natalie grabs her rucksack and pulls something out. A lump of shiny grey haematite with a hole bored through it and looped onto a sturdy leather thong. "It's a luckstone. Not a great one, I'm afraid. The best I could afford. Don't rely on luck to save you, because luck fails when you need it most. But it might come in handy anyway." Since Karasu's ninjaing is quite risky and whatnot.

    The luckstone's effect is very minor; Karasu might not notice it. If she does get into a situation where luck is the only thing that can save her, the stone won't fail- but it will then use up all its luck and turn into a normal piece of haematite.
    [Romantic Lake Boating]

    Karasu nods when Natalie says that, she doesn't want to share either. The gift might not be much, but the way Karasu cradles it, it could be made of gold. All that matters to her is the symbolism: Natalie's thinking of her safety when she's out on missions. "I love you." She simply says, kissing Natalie on the lips and smiling when she pulls back. "I know you worry, and you don't like to talk much about it, but know that while I'm well-trained I don't go out of my way to bite off more than I can chew. They usually don't see me coming, anyway. My big bro Mirai's the risk-taker." She says, turning to her side so that she can look at Natalie fully, rather than the sky, after putting on the necklace. "I'm sure you have questions, yeah?"

    Quote Originally Posted by billtodamax View Post
    Off to see the DORFS!

    The animals don't seem to be that happy engaging in discussion! Mostly they're just screaming about predators and imploring their mother to take them away from the predator. Olon is having a hell of a time trying to stop them from scurring up her arms.

    Endok fields the physics question. Physics is the thing that dad uses when he builds things. I bet your mum uses it too Tuskfang dad said she was a pretty good architect. He adds magnanimously.
    Quote Originally Posted by Morty View Post
    [Off to see the DORFS!]

    "Yeah, I guess buildings have to stay down, so phee-zeeks make them stay down," Tuskfang says, but then the bird and the bat catch his attention. "I think they're still scared!"
    [Off to see the DORFS!]

    (Had to do some more grizzly bear research. Scout's supposed to be 3 years old, then, and shouldn't smell like he eats bat and swallow...)

    When that doesn't work, it takes a small moment for Asher to realize why. Adult animals would at least try. "They're b-babies! They're s-scared, they want their m-mommy." Unfortunately, Scout's also quite young, and so just sits there crying because the animal friends don't want to play with him. So, Asher steps forward and hugs his little bear until the animal calms down. "Go play outs-s-side, o-kay?" He whispers to Scout, who agrees and lumbers off, heading upstairs and then to the stream.

    Then, he stretches forward his hands to the animals, trying to invite them for a hug and petting.
    Purple Eagle's character list
    Love is the message.

  18. - Top - End - #168
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Beholder

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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    [Memory Woods]

    The hand is taken.
    It's cold, a proper corpse's hand, but undeniably Libby's in shape and grasp.
    Like everything else about the cloak so far, it's halfway to being what Magtok remembers, but not quite making it there.

    Which is still likely a more pleasant thought than what follows.

    "My blessing to you: relief from your self-imposed duty and risk."
    Through their grasped hands, even more of Libby's broken power flows into Magtok.
    But it's not a boost in strength, or magical might, that he's being given.

    It is sleep.
    That most hideous of cursed sleeps, compelling one into a peaceful slumber that isn't going to end street a measly eight hours has passed, or because one's roommate is being too loud in the bathroom.
    "You will still see the spell, as promised, but you needn't hurt yourself further.
    Rest. Wake safe and in peace."


    A well intentioned betrayal, maybe. Maybe she doesn't want him to ruin her own plan. Maybe she doesn't want to see him die for this.
    For whatever reason it actually is, she is clearly looking to sideline him here.

    If he succumbs to this, time will resume its natural march and his body will slowly, comfortably collapse to the ground.
    At around that moment, Delilah preemptively reaches out to grab Needs' arm.

    Not hostilely. Just enough to keep him from doing anything rash.
    "Fear and creativity are conjoined twins."
    Absentee Spirit

  19. - Top - End - #169
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Lord Magtok's Avatar

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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    Memory Woods

    The sorcerer's eyes quite literally light up, smoldering flames crackling in fury at both the unexpected touch and his brother's quiet drop to the ground. He does not take immediate action, however. He waits, burning gaze wordlessly demanding answers right here and right now.
    Quote Originally Posted by RabbitHoleLost View Post
    Magtok's the best
    "You probably found 'How to Survive a Robot Uprising' in the humor section. Let's just hope that is where it belongs."
    -Daniel H. Wilson
    Unhooded Magtok avvie by urodivoi

  20. - Top - End - #170
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    [Memory Woods]

    That's a fair reaction.
    Delilah waits just long enough to ensure that Needs isn't going to do anything Needs-like, before slowly letting go over his arm.
    "Wait wait. He's alive, I think. Pretty sure she's not that heartless."
    It probably isn't particularly comforting that there's even that little shred of doubt in there.

    She glances over towards Magtok and the ØØØØØ still lurking within his hand.
    "While he's out, she might not actually know what's going on, so we have a few minutes. I don't think Libitina, actual Libitina, not that thing in the necklace, thought through very well how her pieces would behave to do what they needed."

    Needs still not exploding things? Cool.
    Delilah can take this opportunity to tiredly rub her face in the closest thing to privacy she's had in almost literally her entire life. And she's still not actually alone.
    "I'm supposed to be asking your for help in performing a spell that will get us information from within Feiadyne's home, maybe find the actual Libitina. I'm also supposed to get you to take him home and let him beauty sleep his way through the whole crisis, where he's safe. Or out of the way? I don't know. That thing's nuts."
    "Fear and creativity are conjoined twins."
    Absentee Spirit

  21. - Top - End - #171
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    Earl of Purple's Avatar

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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    Romantic Lake Boating

    Natalie smiles and kisses back. "Good, because that means the luck in that stone will last a long time, and when something unforeseen does occur- and it will, because it always does- it's another layer of protection for you." The unexpected guard getting a phonecall from his significant other, distracting him long enough for Karasu to hide, or the patrol that got caught up and is running late don't bother checking everywhere because they need to sign in for the next patrol, or something like that.

    "About what you do? No. The more I know, the more I'll worry, and that worry won't change anything. And I don't want it to, either. So I'd like to stay in the dark, at least for now." She might want more information if Karasu comes back injured, but so long as that doesn't happen, she's happy knowing the little that she does.
    Terrowin Avatar by HappyTurtle. Much thanks!

  22. - Top - End - #172
    Halfling in the Playground
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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    [Dragon Therapy]

    "It's, well, I don't really understand what made them come about, but it's sort of like I spent so much time in certain forms for one reason for another that they just kind of took on their own identity? S-so that form i-is associated with that personality and I sort of can't look like that without that one coming out?" Sylvie scratches her neck. Boy, it all just sounds like complicated nonsense when she talks about it. "Mostly they all sorta come out when I can't be a dragon, because I don't want to die."

    ...

    Yup, nope, that's it, no further explanation given.

    *****

    [Memory Woods]

    And then Magtok gets back up again.

    "Oh yes, don't worry, he's definitely still alive. He's just taking a nap. He'll be fine. Well, relatively speaking anyway." Presumably it's quite apparent to Needs what has happened here, but if the sudden shift in speech isn't enough, the subtle alteration in posture and the smug grin of a man who possesses all the self-confidence Magtok wishes he has really ought to give it away.

    Not that he's trying to hide what's going on here.

    Looking to Needs, "I hope he explained what he'd done at some point to you before now, otherwise, my apologies if this is all coming as a bit of a shock to you, Needs. For what it's worth, I have no real desire to cause any harm to Magtok, but I can't really pretend that I'm not, mmm, taking advantage of the situation." The "possessed" Magtok leans forward to stare intently at Delilah. "There are a lot of things Miss Libitina did not account for. There are, I suspect, a lot of flaws in her plan. But it is definitely worth checking to see her current status if we are able to. And maybe letting Magtok sleep through all this doesn't seem quite so wise now, hmm? Ah, but don't worry, I'm not going to put him in danger. I'll take him home to sleep after this. I need him alive."
    Before you criticise someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticise them, you'll be a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

  23. - Top - End - #173
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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    [Dragon Therapy]

    "Why do you think you'll risk dying if you're a dragon?" Sophie asks, taking some more notes. This seems to be a rather obvious follow-up.
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  24. - Top - End - #174
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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    Memory Woods

    Needs stares blankly at Affidavit for a moment or so, before conjuring up a glass of water and swallowing three of his placebos in one go. He is nowhere near sane enough for this kind of thing right now. Poor Delilah's going to be completely bald when this is all over, the accumulated stress making her wring every last strand of hair out.

    "This is the Professor briefly spoken of earlier, Delilah. In the borrowed flesh of my brother, as you can see. He was downloaded into Magtok's skull some time ago, so my sibling's unconsciousness is but a mild setback. It simply means Affidavit has temporary and uncontested control over Magtok's body until the sleep passes, which is far less threatening than it sounds. I can understand why this arrangement may appear to be grotesquely unacceptable, but this is the way of things. Magtok felt this was a necessary sacrifice."

    Needs pauses for a moment, to give Delilah a moment to process the explanation that Affidavit himself obviously wasn't going to volunteer. Once that moment has passed, he clears his throat, strides over to one of the many trees he marked with strange runes earlier, and waits patiently as the bountiful life and warmth in these woods is drained little by little, a faint chill cutting through the air as Needs recharges his arcane batteries, so to speak. This doesn't take long; we can begin to trace Libitina in just a few moments.

    "Name your favorite mortal, phantom. Focus your thoughts and feelings upon it, embrace your memories together, letting the rest of the world fade away from your mind as you Scorn me for what I must do," Needs commands the Maggydavit, voice returning to its usual unnatural cadence as he begins to channel the spell, hands held aloft towards the heavens. An unseen frost consumes the orange-robed arcanist's right arm, the flesh withering and blackening as hypothermia shrivels it away more swiftly than any open flame ever could. There was flesh on that bone moments ago, but now Needs' arm is hardly any thicker than the slenderest tree branches above him.
    Last edited by Lord Magtok; 2019-03-06 at 01:12 AM.
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  25. - Top - End - #175
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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    Quote Originally Posted by Earl of Purple View Post
    Romantic Lake Boating

    Natalie smiles and kisses back. "Good, because that means the luck in that stone will last a long time, and when something unforeseen does occur- and it will, because it always does- it's another layer of protection for you." The unexpected guard getting a phonecall from his significant other, distracting him long enough for Karasu to hide, or the patrol that got caught up and is running late don't bother checking everywhere because they need to sign in for the next patrol, or something like that.

    "About what you do? No. The more I know, the more I'll worry, and that worry won't change anything. And I don't want it to, either. So I'd like to stay in the dark, at least for now." She might want more information if Karasu comes back injured, but so long as that doesn't happen, she's happy knowing the little that she does.
    [Romantic Lake Boating]

    Karasu smiles and nods, agreeing with Natalie's point of view. When she turns down the opportunity to learn more about her work, Karasu smiles knowingly. "Yeah, that's what I thought. Ooh, I didn't tell you our chosen public pseudonyms. If we're going to be using English accents in public, a fitting surname's necessary, yeah? So." She clears her throat, making like she's introducing herself. "Meet Karasu Dunn. I wanted a one-syllable word like yours, 'Flome'." She says, grinning, looking proud of herself.

    "Y'know, on the contrary, I wanna hear about what you do. Know you're learning conjuration and are a scholar. Instead of schools of magic where I come from, everyone has an ability. Only similarity we both have is that our powers consume what you call mana, but my powers allow some conjuration stuff. For instance, I can take that knife and shadowport it to my cabin. Reverse of yours, and something I learnt last year, too."
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  26. - Top - End - #176
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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    Romantic Lake Boating

    "I don't use mana. I either pull, or push through leylines. I can shape leylines, too, but that's more draining. All the energy comes from the leylines, and all of it goes back when I'm done. Shaping them, to make wormholes, portals or what have you, needs more energy so I hold more energy, and that's what's draining. Summoning creatures is a little different. Most of the leylines I use when I'm teleporting things use the ecks, why and zed axis, in three-dimensional space. The creatures I summon need me to pull on leylines in the lemon, apple or strawberry axis, which is trickier in some ways, easier in others. Mass doesn't matter as much in those directions, but those leylines are too weak to pull from ordinarily. I need to gather power from the other leylines, the x, y and z ones, and push it through the apple, lemon and strawberry axis to get what I want." Which makes a lot of sense to Natalie, no doubt. Probably not as much sense for Karasu, though. "Dunn? Isn't that a little plain? Because there's nothing plain about you, Karasu."
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  27. - Top - End - #177
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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    Off to see the DORFS!

    As Scout lumbers out Ator and Bab's eyes follow him closely, before nattering in satisfaction as he leaves. "Safety!" "Mum saved us!" "Fruit!" Asher will hear, and he might start to understand that when they talk about their mother they're talking about both Endok and Olon, whoever's closer.

    Olon hears Asher's explanation and knows immediately what to do, giving the pair of animals a hug. They just want more food. Taguz says that they'll eat whenever we give them food so we have to be super careful how much we give them so they don't get fat. After they calm down a little she'll proffer them back out, letting Asher give them whatever scritches they want. These are some very friendly animals when it's only humanoids they're dealing with.

    If they get too fat they won't be able to fly so dad got us some paper and we make a lil mark every time we feed them and then cross them off when we go to bed. It's vitally important to Endok that they know the filing system for how they feed the animals.
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  28. - Top - End - #178
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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    [Off to see the DORFS!]

    "Oooh, that's smart." Tuskfang's tail wags. "My cousins give their molerat Kip snacks all the time and he's fat. But he doesn't need to fly. He digs sometimes if he finds soil and not rock."
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  29. - Top - End - #179
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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    [Dragon Therapy]

    Sylvie tilts her head and stares blankly at Sophie for a moment, as if that should be the most obvious answer in the world.

    Of course she can't just go around everywhere as a dragon! That's crazy-talk! It's never safe to be a dragon! Never! In fact, she should just never go outside as a dragon at a-

    That particularly dangerous line of thought is represented than nothing more than a slight twitch in one eye.

    "I-it's just not safe."
    Before you criticise someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticise them, you'll be a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

  30. - Top - End - #180
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    Default Re: GLoG 92: Generosity, Love, Opportunity, Growth

    [Dragon Therapy]

    Sophie is silent for a moment... but in that short moment, she analyses Sylvess' response thoroughly. Let's see if she can draw out a better explanation.

    "Why? Seems to me like being a dragon is safer than most forms. You can fly, you've got scales like steel, claws... far safer than my squishy human body. But quite possibly there's something I don't know."

    Her tone carries an air of honest curiosity. She really does think that, but she's willing to hear Sylvess's opinion.
    Last edited by Morty; 2019-03-10 at 03:30 AM.
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