A Faerie Affair - IC IV: Dragon with Butterfly Wings

[Ninja_Prawn]

Spoiler: Violet

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Well, the children aren't anywhere around here. This street is mainly shops, after all... and they're probably somewhere private, preparing for Jurgen's rebirth ceremony. Which is later today.

Spoiler: Kor

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Lady Foxcomet grumbles, but backs down. She's too curious about your secret mission to press the issue any further.

[Archmage1]

Glancing back into Firecracker's shop as the door closes, Violet sees Astra diligently cleaning, Kyu looking a little awkward, but then, she sees it. The perfect place. It had a bright, colorful sign, white and red and yellow and sparkly, and inside... tiny cakes! And even more fantastic things! Tiny wheels, and even more wondrous sculptures shared the space of the rows of cakes, brightly colored and decorated with flair. Without even realizing it, Violet starts drifting over, staring at the many wonders available.

[WindStruck]

Astra takes the few minutes to clean up the display area of the shop, then repair the cracks on the wall outside as much as she can.

With her business concluded at the fashion inventor's shop, Astra's next plan of action is to see Jasper, who had requested to see her at her earliest convenience.

[Majin]

Kor nudges a little closer, and lowers his voice conspiratorially as he starts to speak. "Well, I think Bronzeshield's a bit wary about Lydia's troops... I mean we're all hunting together and that's neat and all... But I think the commander still wants someone to watch out for her... The mission, should you choose to accept it, is to have your scouts follow Reena's trackers, and to check they won't try something funny. Of course, this sort of task wouldn't be given to anyone, you gotta be discreet and stealthy and all that... So what do you think, Lady Foxcomet?"

[Ninja_Prawn]

Spoiler: Astra

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Back at the Special Department, you catch up with Jasper in his office. Well, one of his offices, to be more accurate (it seems each of his titles comes with a separate room). "Ah, good to see you, Ruby. I hear you've been busy - how was your trip?"

Spoiler: Kor

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"Oh-ho! We are to track the trackers? Now that is a real challenge!"

Lord Foxcomet looks pensive. "Well, but... the prize is for catching the best game, right? How will we do that if we're trailing faeries the whole time? You're asking us to forfeit our chance at glory..."

Spoiler: Violet

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You can smell the goods from halfway across the street: sweet, fresh and with hints of fruit underneath the warm dough.

Since you've mostly lived alone in your garden, you've not really had access to proper cakes, and the ones on offer in this shop are a world away from whatever homemade snacks you could scrounge from nearby villages. At the window, you can see there's a seating area inside, where a few faeries are eating brunch and sharing gossip. It's got a relaxed atmosphere and isn't busy besides, so the clerk at the counter soon spots you. She lifts an eyebrow to ask if you're going to come in.

[WindStruck]

Spoiler: stuff with jasper

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Astra looks a little confused at first and then realization passes over her face as she blushes. "Ah, actually, don't call me that! It was just some.. stupid thing. You know, kind of like all the rhyming... and the name isn't even that good, really..."

Astra sits down on a comfy chair, having to grab aside her voluminous, rapunzel-like hair in advance so she could safely get up later. "And the trip? It was kind of scary. From the very second we were in their court, we were practically attacked and accused of nasty things like spying, and even after that we were under a house arrest the whole time. We could kind of leave during the day still, but we were cursed! So..."

She sighs and shrugs. "Well, it still definitely wasn't all bad.. but it could have been a lot worse, I guess..." She imagined if things hadn't gone well at all, and they were sent to the prison instead.

[Archmage1]

Spoiler: The Cake Land!

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Seeing what had to be an invitation to come in from behind the view of a particularly marvelously crafted orange tree(The fruit tree, not the color), Violet drifts over to the entrance, and slips inside, hoping that there wouldn't be another one of those really loud things here. As she enters, her violet eyes seem to be growing even wider, and seemingly reflecting the wonderment and amazement at the sights before her.

[Majin]

Spoiler: Kor

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"Oh-ho! We are to track the trackers? Now that is a real challenge!"

Lord Foxcomet looks pensive. "Well, but... the prize is for catching the best game, right? How will we do that if we're trailing faeries the whole time? You're asking us to forfeit our chance at glory..."

"Well, you won't get glory immediately... But think about how you can talk about it afterwards, especially if you happen to uncover some sort of plot! And I don't think you'll have to put all of your trackers to this task, just a couple who are competent enough... I think your warriors and hunters can still bring you lots of glory!"

[Ninja_Prawn]

Spoiler: Astra

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"Well, it's no surprise you got a frosty reception, I suppose. That lot just has no class at all.

Speaking of, would you like a drink?" He offers a glass of sparkling water that smells faintly of lemon.

"In any case, I wanted to thank you for your help getting the copper mines reopened. We've been working non-stop while you were away and production is almost back to where it was last year. A job well done!

What else... oh, did you manage to make any progress on the anti-venom front?"

Spoiler: Kor

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"That sounds reasonable enough, doesn't it dear?"

"Well all right. But I'm still not happy about sharing the scouting duties with Bumblegrove and the Maplehall girls. Mr. Korialstrasz, next time you see them, tell them that they owe us a favour."

Spoiler: Violet

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This door doesn't buzz, just jingles softly. "Welcome to Cakeland!" Says the shop assistant. "They call me Chiffon -" you see that her name badge says 'Siobhán' - "on account of how my chiffon cake is the best in all of Cormanthor. What can I get for you?"

[Archmage1]

Spoiler: Cakeland!

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With the welcoming jingle of the door, Violet almost relaxes as she takes a look around at the many delicious wonders filling this wonderful place. She hesitates for a moment, but then Chiffon speaks, and Violet's smile of wonder seems to grow even more. "This... this place... I've never seen so many delicious cakes, or wonderful sculptures! It's amazing!" She pauses for a moment, her wide eyes looking over the many delightful cakes, but never settling on a specific type. How could she choose between a coconut delight, or a lemon twist, or a cinnamon surprise? They all sounded so wonderful... Violet's attention turns back to Chiffon, with a smile. "Maybe you have a recommendation? They all look so incredible!"

[WindStruck]

Spoiler: Astra

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Astra accepts the drink and takes a sip. Hmm interesting! "Thanks!" she says.

"Umm, in case you forgot or I never told you, it's Astra by the way. Astra Glitterwing..."

"I remember visiting the alchemy guild, and I spoke with the lady there. It seems maybe I got them to try a truce for now? But I can't say for certain..."

She beams at the compliment. "I'm glad I could help with the mine. So I could only guess... was there anything else you needed help with today? Or did you just want to chat for a while?"

[Ninja_Prawn]

Spoiler: Astra

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"Astra, of course. A sparkling name.

Well," he says, steepling his fingers, "since you ask, there is something I'd like you to do. You'll be well compensated, of course, and your standing in the Department will rise..."

He fishes out a tiny baton from his desk, about two inches long. "It's about this hunt that everyone's talking about. Seems like a waste of time to me but, well, I was outvoted and now the Special Department is sending a party of our own. I though that it would be a good idea for you to run a little training session for our hunters. You know, a crash course in how to survive in the world outside the enclave... I can't think of anyone more experienced at that than you."

It would also give you an excuse for not joining the hunt yourself...

Spoiler: Violet

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Out of the three, Chiffon recommends the lemon twist. "It's light and fresh, a perfect snack to keep you going until lunch!"

[WindStruck]

Spoiler: Astra

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Astra says, "Oh, me? I suppose I could do that..."

Spoiler: ooc

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Too bad Kyu, who's been adventuring around for decades wouldn't be here for this...

"How many are we talking about? Or.. I suppose I'll get to meet them soon?" She eyes the baton curiously.

"But please let me assure you it's not a waste of time. It's actually not a sporty event, nor even a competition, really. It was an idea one of my friends had to combat the drow threat. And hopefully unify the two courts, at least for a bit, against them."

[Archmage1]

Spoiler: CakeLand!

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With Chiffon's recommendation, Violet quickly makes her decision, with a smile. "Could I please try one of the Lemon Twist cakes? They look so delicious, and yummy, and wonderful!"

[Majin]

Kor gives the nobles his sharp-toothed grin. "Thanks a lot... Um, my lord and lady. I'll remember that."

Kor was going to see them soon, as he figured he might as well continue his guest. He didn't really care about the internal politics or the intrigue between the two courts, but he didn't really mind helping Bronzeshield, as she seemed reasonably nice. In Reena's group the whole gang had been placed under a house arrest! So if Soren got a little ahead in the hunt, Kor wouldn't mind that too much.

Kor would give the Maplehalls a similar introduction, telling he was here to help Bronzeshield.

[Ninja_Prawn]

Spoiler: Astra at the Special Department for Miscellaneous Business

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He nods sagely as you explain the true origin of the hunt. "I see. Well, you'd better keep that quiet, lest you undermine the whole thing. As for how many, we've managed to round up five 'volunteers'. Pencil-pushers mostly... I'm not expecting you to turn them into world-beaters; to be honest I'll be happy enough if they all make it back alive."

Spoiler: Kor at the Maplehall camp

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You meet the Maplehall sisters in their command tent, which is lavishly appointed with plush furniture and opulent decorations. Taxidermies of rare animals stand in each of its eight corners, while a vibrant silk banner hangs behind the spot where the faeries stand, side by side. They look identical, with cold, impassive faces and spotless silver livery. They also finish each other's sentences:

"So the Grand Marshall sent you?" "It's bad enough that she doesn't trust us to manage the scouting operations, and now... what?" "You'd better not be here to tell us those Foxcomet ruffians are going to be in charge, after all!"

Spoiler: Violet at Cakeland!

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"Excellent choice!" She says, with practised charm (and sarcasm that's probably too subtle for Violet to detect). After giving you the cake, she scans a bulky ledger behind the counter. "The cake's 1/20 of a credit. I take it you're... Violet, right? I'll just..." she puts a small mark against your name in the book. "We don't get many petals around here," she explains, "and well, the purple hair rather gives it away."

As promised, the cake is light and fluffy. Not too sweet or too filling at all.

[Archmage1]

Spoiler: Cakeland!

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Violet's cheerful smile almost seems to transcend the idea of happiness as Chiffon agrees, and hands her the cake. It looked delicious! All lemony, and icingy, and wonderful, with a crunchy looking thing on top! Almost without thinking, Violet leans down, and smells the wondrous cake (and gets a little icing on her nose), but before Violet can start to really appreciate the Lemon Twist, Chiffon mentions her name, and draws her back to reality. "You've heard of me?" Violet looks more than a little confused by that. "And... what's a credit?"

[WindStruck]

Spoiler: At the department of special things

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Astra looks a bit concerned. "Oh... Well, I hope I could at least help them do that much. When and where would I meet them?"

[Majin]

Kor tried to staple on his most disarming grin. "Oh, um, I don't think it's anything like that at all... Just sorta making sure everything's ready, it's a big hunt after all. And you don't have to have to worry about Foxcomet's, I think they'll all be in their own corner, away from you... And you've got the whole northern front to yourselves! Certainly you won't need to take orders from them! That's a pretty good deal, right?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Trying to sound persuasive? (d20+1)[5]

[Ninja_Prawn]

Spoiler: Astra

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"They're in the old conference room on the next floor up, sorting out their gear," he says. A dull thump rings out from above. "That's probably them now. It's up to you how you use your time, but obviously there isn't long before they'll need to move out. As I said, keep them alive, and you'll be rewarded."

Spoiler: Kor

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"That's... not ideal." "But fine. I guess." You suspect they're acting magnanimous to prove how much more 'noble' they are. "But we still demand authority over the western flank." "That fool, Bumblegrove, has come up with another of his mad schemes. I fear he's quite obsessed!" "He'll get us all killed. So go tell the Grand Marshall to put us in charge, would you?"

Spoiler: Violet

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Chiffon maintains a completely blank expression. "Don't worry about it. Would you like another cake?"

[WindStruck]

Spoiler: Astra

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"Well alright. I'll try!" she says, though that statement, while enthustic and genuine, probably wasn't the most reassuring. "Um, one more thing. Am I expected to go with them when they head out??"

[Archmage1]

Spoiler: Cakeland!

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Reassured by Chiffon's explanation, Violet shakes her head at Chiffon's offer, with a smile. "Thank you, but if I try them all now, I won't be able to try them later, and that'd be really sad!" With that said, Violet takes a nibble of the Lemon Twist, before turning her delighted smile back to Chiffon. "It's even yummier than it smells! Thank you! I hope I'll get the chance to see you again, and try some of the other cakes, and I'm sure Astra, Kor and Kyu'll love them too! Goodbye, Chiffon!"

With that, the cheerfully nibbling Violet turns to head towards the exit, and back to the street, turning to wave goodbye once more as she slips through the jingly door, before she starts wandering about, still nibbling the wondrous cake as she goes.

[Majin]

"Um, I can certainly suggest that... But you know, even if you got command over Bumblegrove's forces, because I don't think we can just afford to leave them out, and he is as mad as you say, can you really expect him to know how to obey your commands properly? What if he acts like a looney and screws up? I mean, if you have authority over him, you might also be responsible for what he does... And if you really focus on one flank, I think you've got better chances at earning glory, rather than if you're spread thin and trying to keep Bumblegrove out of trouble. With Foxcomet's being able to concentrate on one side, I think they'd just come out looking much more competent..."

Kor thought he was rather eager to see what this Bumblegrove character was up to himself. As far as he could tell, everyone was mad here. Not in a trying to swallow your own tail kind of way, but this seemed kind of more nebulous than that, because everyone thought it normal.

[Ninja_Prawn]

Spoiler: Astra

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Your enthusiasm is good enough for Jasper. "No," he answers, "though you may join them if you wish. I'm sure they'd be glad to have a wizard backing them up."

Spoiler: Kor

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"Nonsense. We must lead because it is our duty to lead." "We will supervise Bumblegrove because we must supervise Bumblegrove." "Glory is irrelevant -" "and competence is irrelevant."

"Perhaps things are different where you come from, master dragon, but around here there is an order to things." It seems like they are being really stubborn about this...

Spoiler: Violet

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Are you looking for anything particular in your wandering? The part of the enclave you're in right now is filled with shops. The clothes shops you've seen, obviously, but there are other places nearby. Cobblers, carpenters, florists, jewelers and others can all be found within a few minutes' flight.

[Archmage1]

Spoiler: Violet's Wanderings

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Wandering around the enclave with a delicious lemon twist to nibble on as she went, Violet looked in the windows of the shops as she goes, admiring the many sparkly jewels and earrings, and necklaces gleaming in the light behind the glass, and the many flowers, all waiting to be admired, smiling in the sun, and stranger places still, with carvings and cuttings, and all sorts of things!

Spoiler: Goals

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Violet's mostly wandering, looking at things, and admiring them. Exploring the enclave. Maybe she might run into someone else, or the children, or a garden or park?

[WindStruck]

Spoiler: Astra

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"Well, I don't know... It is going to be awfully dangerous..." Astra hesitates. She shrugs and says, "At the very least, I'll see how this bunch is, first," looking up as another thunk resonated from the ceiling. With that she bid goodbye to Jasper and made her way up a floor of the building, where the activity was coming from.

Stealth: (1d20+4)[7]

Rather than approach like normal, Astra thought she'd make quite the impression and a lesson for the very first instant she and the group met. Slowly creeping toward the conference room, she suddenly springs inside and shouts, "We're under attack!! Drow agents have invaded the building!"

To this effect she then collapsed, a big red stain on her dress like blood, but it was only a prestidigitation effect she made mere moments before.

Deception: (1d20+2)[10]

Spoiler: ooc

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Surprise, Ninja.

[Majin]

Darn. Here Kor thought glory would appeal to all of these nobles.

"Okay, okay, I get wanting to have an order... I am a druid, you know. But do you think Bumblegrove will let you guys just take command? Or Bronzeshield? Because even if you think the tree shouldn't grow in your path, the tree won't care. It'll just keep growing and standing there."

"How about a compromise? I'll join up with Bumblegrove on the hunt, and if he tries something foolish or crazy, I'll get your input on that? That way you could make sure he stays in line without really taking over. I'm sure my presence is easier to swallow since I'm kinda outsider here in the court and all."

[Ninja_Prawn]

Spoiler: Astra

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There is panicked shouting when you hit the floor. One faerie yelps "no! We're not ready!" Followed shortly by a metallic clatter that you assume to be them dropping whatever gear they were trying to arm themselves with. Another flies towards you, then screams "eeeeek! She's bleeding!!"

Two faeries quickly agree to start barricading the door shut, and move to start piling up chairs in front of it. Meanwhile, the one that came towards you notices that "hey, isn't she that new pixie wizard who helped open the mines?" "Wizard? We should revive her! Maybe she can deal with the drow... someone get a healing potion!"

You hear a vial being uncorked and smell the characteristic strawberry scent of a Potion of Healing. They're... probably going to try to force-feed it to you...

Spoiler: Kor

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They laugh, in perfect unison: "Oh, ho ho ho ho ho!"

"Well now, it seems you do have some wits about you, young one." "But you'll need more than puns to sway us. After all, trees can bend..." "...and Bronzeshield can be replaced. She's just a soldier, after all." You don't think they really mean that as a threat. They just see themselves as special on account of their noble birth.

At this point, a young faerie boy with dark hair slips into the tent and whispers something to Lady Hyacinth Maplehall (the sister standing to your right). "Well now, maybe this is an opportunity. I have heard a rumour that Lord Bumblegrove is planning to use a dangerous ritual to bolster his troops before the hunt starts. This has disaster written all over it. If you can stop him now, we will trust you to supervise him during the hunt."

Spoiler: Violet

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As you think about the children, it occurs to you that they probably have a place here - a home. They're most likely to be there, wherever that is.

You don't have long to ponder before you run into a garden though. Really, the whole enclave is groomed like one giant garden, but there are still some smaller spaces like this one that are entirely given over to plant life. A dense carpet of wildflowers surrounds a wooden kissing seat (currently unoccupied), while blue and purple morning glories wind their way up a trellis at the back of the garden. There is a heavy smell of pollen, with which you would be quite familiar.

[WindStruck]

Spoiler: Astra

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Astra's eyes pop open and she quickly sits up, hoping not to be choked with a healing potion.

"Ack! I'm fine. This was just a test!"

She peers awkwardly at the others, seeing the handiwork of the barricade. "Sorry...". She gets rid of the fake blood coloring on her dress with another Prestidigitation spell.

"I guess you pass? You seemed to have some good ideas and quick reactions..

[Archmage1]

Spoiler: The Gardening Adventure

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Finding herself in a small garden, with morning glories, and a wonderful collection of wildflowers about, Violet pauses in her wanderings, smiling broadly as she looks over the cheerful looking flowers, and the home-like smell of pollen. She stands still for a few moments, breathing it in, and admiring the arrangements, before she moves closer to the morning glories, giving them a look over, to make sure they were ok.
(1d20+8)[27] Wisdom based gardening?(-1 if int based, +1 if cha based)