Outside 49: I don’t remember what it looks like either

[Earl of Purple]

Phoenix Tower

It does, indeed, hamper Krayger's investigation of the room, but perhaps if he's careful he can move the mirror around without touching it, or use an object so he isn't touching the mirror as he moves it. It didn't have an effect when he simply gazed into the mirror; it tried to affect his mind when he touched the mirror itself.

[Shadowcaller]

[A walk through the woods]

The dragon nods. "Though I consider it more than a part of me than a simple vessel. The term doesn't adequately explain my connection to my human body." The dragon turns to look at the human who still looks like she's simply meditating. "I was going to ask of your impression of dragons again, but we've already discussed that, haven't we? So perhaps I should ask what is your impression of humans now knowing that I'm not one."

As she waits for Thariza's reply the dragon turns to the river. A voice? Hmm... perhaps they should stop here for a big longer than she had intended.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Forest of Flowers]

It's been a while.

Boy, has it been a while.

Months, at least, and this isn't the first time Lucy has just kind of vanished, and then awkwardly gone searching for Vivi in the hope of stumbling across her.

Right now, she's walking beneath the petaled canopy of the massive flowers that set the scene for one of their previous...encounters.

While her mossy green hair might make her blend in a bit with the environment, her usual shimmering copper dress has very much the reverse effect. She stands out. Quite obviously. As she wanders aimlessly, in search of Vivi.

[Morty]

[Walk in the Woods]

"I never actually assumed you're a human," Thariza clarifies. "I've never seen a human with horns. It just felt rude to ask. As for what I think... I don't know. I was taught humans are weak, that they drove us out of our homelands thanks to their gods, but with their gods being gone they're declining. But I don't know if it's true even back home. And here... feels like humans are the one species that's found everywhere. And they're so different it's hard to say any one thing."

[Shadowcaller]

[Walk in the Woods]

The dragon pauses and then rears its head back as it lets out something that's probably a laugh. "I've spent too long in the nexus. For a moment I actually forgot that humans don't have horns." She turns to Thariza, her draconic expression likely unreadable for the charr but her voice suggests mirth. "In my world I keep such details repressed but in the nexus I've ended up relaxing a lot more. My body is human, its simply been influenced by my essence existing for so long within it. Still, in a sense I am more human than dragon in the sense that I've spend most of my life around humans without ever meeting my own kind. Imagine if you had been raised among humans, Thariza. Would you have been the same person then? Would you consider yourself a charr? Since the reason I like to learn about dragons is since I want to understand my own heritage. To get a perspective of what I am and what I could have been."

She starts floating along the river as she talks, seemingly expecting Thariza to follow her.

[Morty]

[Walk in the Woods]

Thariza follows Ambrosia with her easy, swinging gait. It's nice not to have to slow down for the sake of someone's short legs, she has to admit.

"Raised by someone else, not Charr? Outside the Iron Legion? Hard to imagine. I'd be a completely different person. But I'd still look like a Charr. Do you mean you weren't raised among other dragons, not even knowing about them? That must have been lonely." She pauses. "Uh, is your body going to be okay back there?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Walk in the Woods]

The dragon glances back at her human body. "I'm leaving my tome to guard it, don't worry. I will be fine." Indeed, the tome that the scholar carried with her was now floating next to her human body.
"But to answer your question. I did know about dragons, but in my world they existed only in books and memory. I am the last of my kind, see? Or at least so we long believed. I'm not sure its true anymore so there's no need for you to feel sorrow. It's my problem either way. But it's actually why I choose to inhabit a human body in the first place, to feel closer to the humans around me." She uses her claws to gesture at herself. "Our bodies to change the way we interact with one another. Even if there aren't practical barriers most beings are simply not mentally designed to properly read beings different than ours. Even when I possessed a human body it took me years before I felt I could really understand all the subtleties of human expression and body language. Before then I always felt like an alien among them. Which I suppose I always will be to a degree."

[Gullara]

[Journey to the center of the elves]

Zhareen have been keeping a close eye on Korrina ever since they left the HALO submarine. If that young lady insisted on coming along despite her prolonged pregnancy then she would have to get used to have her gaze glued on her. It was her responsibility to make sure no one in the compact were harmed and right now there were far more than Korrina's life that was in danger.
"Eon, you don't have any predictions that involve this young lady, do you?" She asked the very same question a bit more than an hour ago.

"Not that I'm aware of." Eon isn't exactly comfortable with taking a pregnant woman along on this mission either. "But my visions are not very specific. She could be in them without me knowing."

[Journey to the center of the elves]

Korrina is the heavily pregnant student in question. Her brow furrows at Zhareen's comment. "Your concern is not necessary, Zhareen." She reaffirms, as she did the last time Zhareen brought this topic up. And the time before that.

The student is a fairly young woman, somewhere in her twenties. She's got a mane of dark, curly hair, bronze skin, and a notably curvaceous figure. Of course the most notable curve right now is her very large belly. At the moment she's sitting upon a garish old carpet which also happens to be hovering a few feet off the ground. The vegetation beneath her is tousled by a strong breeze no one else feels as she passes over it.

[Shadowcaller]

[Journey to the center of the elves]

Zhareen points at Korrina's belly. "It's not, young lady. I'm not sure about the number of lives we're protecting here but I'm pretty sure it's more than one." The merfolk raises an scaley eyebrow and grins. "Used Davu's fertility ritual, huh? Didn't think Vax allowed the books you'll find that in but perhaps you asked her nicely?" Both her brows waggle upwards as she waits for an answer.

[Morty]

[Walk in the Woods]

"That's true. I still find it difficult to tell what non-Charr are thinking. Unless they have long ears and tails too. Then it's easier," Thariza says. "Have you found other dragons, then? Dragons like you, I mean. There seems to be a lot of things people call dragons around."

[Journey to the center of the elves]

The land they've travelled to is cold. It's a great expanse of tundra, stretching from warmer lands up south to tall mountains rising into the pale sky like broken teeth. Herds of great animals roam this expanse, as do nomadic tribes of different races. More sedentary people dwell here as well, and it's one of such peoples that the newcomers are here to visit.

Arjukk, a city of the Taarik elves, sits on the banks of a wide river flowing from the cold mountains and slowing down here in the lowlands. While the reclusive southern elves are typically found in small communities, they have built a few larger cities like this one. Surrounded with a palisade, the city looks like it has grown larger than originally intended, Smoke rises from the chimneys in the cold air, above slanted roofs of narrow buildings. In the middle of the city is a very tall spire, built seemingly from ice and smooth black rock. It stands in stark contrast to the wooden structures around it.

Somewhere in here might be the information they seek. The Taarik elves are said to have stories of the Banished King, but told in hushed whispers. There seems to have once occurred a cultural split over the worship of figures they call the "gentry". As opposed to the fey that elven folk make deals with and live alongside. But stories are a difficult thing to bury, so hopefully this city holds some answers.

[Recaiden]

"Some cosmic entity. A whole army of heroes teamed up to stop him. Standard stuff." Jade shrugs. It's not really standard, even for her universe, but her world was threatened by destruction frequently. It loses its edge after a while.

"I guess it's the same for me. No way or reason to go home, and everything could be destroyed by great powers...but I never really considered whether it was 'standard stuff'."
Alice turns the drone over and closes it up.
"You were right about the electronics; I found the piece I'll need to upgrade."

[bc56]

Journey to the Center of the Elves

Eon ignores the bickering mages for now. "We're here." The spire is impressive, but it suddenly has the prophet holding his head as a vision rushes through it. That's probably concerning. Hopefully it's unrelated to the current situation. Who knows what could trigger an episode.

Open Field

"Oh, that's good. What was it?" Jade looks curiously at Alice.

[Deathkeeper]

Phoenix Tower

It does, indeed, hamper Krayger's investigation of the room, but perhaps if he's careful he can move the mirror around without touching it, or use an object so he isn't touching the mirror as he moves it. It didn't have an effect when he simply gazed into the mirror; it tried to affect his mind when he touched the mirror itself.

Phoenix Tower

Krayger doesn't have the best grasp on magics besides the ones Felix has taught him about, but he does understand the concepts of hazardous things. Which is why he keeps thick gloves in his bag!
With thick cotton gloves he should be able to move the mirror without touching it.
Whether or not pointing it about the room will actually help him remains to be seen, however.

[Gullara]

[Journey to the center of the elves]

Zhareen points at Korrina's belly. "It's not, young lady. I'm not sure about the number of lives we're protecting here but I'm pretty sure it's more than one." The merfolk raises an scaley eyebrow and grins. "Used Davu's fertility ritual, huh? Didn't think Vax allowed the books you'll find that in but perhaps you asked her nicely?" Both her brows waggle upwards as she waits for an answer.

[Journey to the center of the elves]

The land they've travelled to is cold. It's a great expanse of tundra, stretching from warmer lands up south to tall mountains rising into the pale sky like broken teeth. Herds of great animals roam this expanse, as do nomadic tribes of different races. More sedentary people dwell here as well, and it's one of such peoples that the newcomers are here to visit.

Arjukk, a city of the Taarik elves, sits on the banks of a wide river flowing from the cold mountains and slowing down here in the lowlands. While the reclusive southern elves are typically found in small communities, they have built a few larger cities like this one. Surrounded with a palisade, the city looks like it has grown larger than originally intended, Smoke rises from the chimneys in the cold air, above slanted roofs of narrow buildings. In the middle of the city is a very tall spire, built seemingly from ice and smooth black rock. It stands in stark contrast to the wooden structures around it.

Somewhere in here might be the information they seek. The Taarik elves are said to have stories of the Banished King, but told in hushed whispers. There seems to have once occurred a cultural split over the worship of figures they call the "gentry". As opposed to the fey that elven folk make deals with and live alongside. But stories are a difficult thing to bury, so hopefully this city holds some answers.

Journey to the Center of the Elves

Eon ignores the bickering mages for now. "We're here." The spire is impressive, but it suddenly has the prophet holding his head as a vision rushes through it. That's probably concerning. Hopefully it's unrelated to the current situation. Who knows what could trigger an episode.

[Journey to the center of the elves]

"That basic conjuration couldn't do what I needed. I developed my own iteration." Korrina quips. Zhareen underestimates her, she knows.

She'll let it pass if Zhareen drops the subject, given they've arrived.

[Hattish Thing]

[Walk in the Woods]

The river has a strength that is reflected in the trees.

It flows on with confidence, taking the form of the river bed, billions of drops moving together.

All around it, enormous stalks of bamboo stand tall, trunks reaching into the blue sky above, light filtering through leaves like perfect stained glass. The river winds on into the deepest part of the woods, a sacred grove hidden beneath a canopy of twilight. Fireflies dance overhead, weaving in between each stalk as if choreographed by every joyous memory and dream.

A fine, white mist hugs the damp earth, a comforting blanket that moves as serene water, washing over everything in sight.

At the center of the grove, an ancient well has been constructed. Paper lanterns hang from its thatched roof.

An enormous figure, his upper body bare to the elements, stands beside the well.

He is pulling a great bucket out from within its blackened depths.

His leg muscles ripple, his feet sink into the mud.

--

Spoiler: Sacred Grove

Show

[Shadowcaller]

[Walk in the Woods]

The dragon shakes her head. "Afraid not. There are many dragons here but I've yet to meet anyone like me. Most of them are much more blood and flesh like humans and charr."
Ambrosia turns to the scene they seems to have come upon. "Would you mind getting the notebook I gave you and take notes. Thariza? I think we've come upon something noteworthy." The dragon moves closer, observing the movements of the figure. They seemed to make each motion with great care.

"Greetings, I hope we don't interrupt." The dragon remarks through simply opening her mouth which doesn't really seem to mouth the words. It's almost like they're being projected mentally.

[Journey to the center of the elves]

Perhaps Korrina have underestimated Zhareen as well as the merfolk's frown deepens and she suddenly raises to her full height, towering over Korrina even on the flying carpet. Her nagging finger is ready and she isn't afraid to use it.

"Korrina!" Her voice hisses abruptly in a most mom-like manner.

"You used a modified spell to produce your own children?" Zhareen's gaze is unrelenting. "Do you even realize what complications this could have and might still lead to? People have died testing out those spells to make sure they're safe for future generations and you just stepped over them for the sake of your own ego. I'd be more forgiving if you only caused yourself harm, foolish girl, but your boyfriend and those..." Her finger nags in the direction of Korrina's belly. "I'm going to talk to Vax and the others about this and we're going to do everything in our power to make sure nothing has gone wrong. But mark my words girl, if you ever do something like this again you can forget all your other ambitions within the tower."

Their surroundings have been completely forgotten apparently.

[Morty]

[Walk in the Woods]

Thariza retrieves the aforementioned notebook and a pen, which she holds gingerly in her long claws. It seems to be a very large pen, made with Charr in mind. This does seem like a noteworthy, magical place. And this guy... is he a Norn? He looks big enough to be one.

[Murkus]

[Forest of Flowers]

It's been a while.

Boy, has it been a while.

Months, at least, and this isn't the first time Lucy has just kind of vanished, and then awkwardly gone searching for Vivi in the hope of stumbling across her.

Right now, she's walking beneath the petaled canopy of the massive flowers that set the scene for one of their previous...encounters.

While her mossy green hair might make her blend in a bit with the environment, her usual shimmering copper dress has very much the reverse effect. She stands out. Quite obviously. As she wanders aimlessly, in search of Vivi.

[Forest of Flowers]

And hark! A singing voice from atop one of the flowers, soft enough to be carried away on the wind without being directly underneath. It sounds like it could be Vivi, but there doesn't seem to be clear means by which someone might ascend. Maybe Vivi climbs some of the viney-looking things hanging off the flower stems?

The Joining House --> Innawoods

"Well er, I was-" The catgirl blushes in embarrassment, but still manages to muster the will to explain. Mostly thanks to the drink. "I was more thinking... if he wanted to come along?"

The ladies look at eachother, making comical little O's with their mouths for just a second. "You cheeky little girl!" The other Frescot lady leans against Blanche. "She doesn't just want the cake, she wants both kinds, and to eat it all, too."

This seems to have made even Fidella blush in earnest. "Oh, goodness, Blanche, I hadn't understood what you meant. I... well... If Votsana would like to join us..." Fidella seems embarrassed, either because of the idea itself or the fact that she's not sure she minds.

"You two should go on, then, but not I! That's a Frescot too many for this lass. I don't do good with sharing three ways," The second lady says candidly, right before trying to plant a big kiss on Blanche's cheek. "Nice meeting you, cat. Stick around a while, huh?"

And with that, their escort will try to melt into the woods, leaving Fidella and Blanche alone. Fidella coughs. She steps close and puts her hand out for Blanche. She seems pleased. "Well... let's go and see what Vots is up to, hm?"

[Gullara]

[Journey to the center of the elves]

Korrina's jaw sets. She doesn't flinch away from Zhareen's admonishments. "Don't talk to me about risk. If I never took a risk there'd never be any children for you to worry so much about. No existing spell could do what I needed, so I did it myself. What's the point of power if you can't use it to solve your own problems?" She locks stares with Zhareen, not backing down an inch. "If I did it your way I'd be old and barren before it was done, and then it'd be too late, wouldn't it? I'm not putting my life on hold because you doubt my ability."

[Recaiden]

"Oh, that's good. What was it?" Jade looks curiously at Alice.

"It was this rotary encoder-" She points, though of course the offending component is on the inside of the drone and impossible to see. "Couldn't keep up with the new speeds it was moving at."
"That's how it goes, right? Fix one problem, introduce another."

[bc56]

Jade nods appreciatively. "Yeah. That's how it always goes." She's very familiar with the trial and error progress.

[Rebonack]

[Rolling Hills]

Eao initiates the quest and Lapis does the same, starting up her tutorial again. Thankfully it's a quest you can repeat.

Nothing happens at first.

Eao will get a very odd impression of... waiting. For something. Like the last few grains of sand dropping into the lower chamber of an hourglass.

"The tutorial won't start until enough unrankers join," Lapis explains as the little seraph discards her human disguise. "It took a couple minutes while I was doing it. Then it'll move everyone together. I think it picks the spot where the most people are already? Since the two of us are here it'll probably be here which will be good since there aren't any mortals around besides animals and stuff."

Like that dragon fly that just landed in Zabb's hair.

Quite abruptly that feeling of waiting ends and more unrankers appear out of nowhere! A white, wooly cherub that looks simultaneously like a sheep and an orca, a series of concentric golden halos hovering behind him. An ophan like a winged lioness with drifting rings of coral. A malak with long, flowing golden hair of volcanic glass, his body almost wholly composed of wings and arms hovers with a single finger touching the earth. And five putti, mish-mashes of four-fold symmetry with chubby toddler bodies and too many faces. One like a horse, one like a scorpion, one with masks of marble for faces, one like a fish, and one like a toothed worm. They seem to be having some trouble making sense of their tangle of limbs.

Immediately a strange construct materializes, hovering above the grassy hill. It looks like a collection of metallic cubes shimmering in a prismatic riot of color. Cubes constantly folding in on themselves, like the stairs of an escalator. Music radiates from it, filling the air with alien melody. The thing is a bizarre flurry of motion and sound.

"Weeeeelcome! To the Eternal Game! Whether this is your first time in the mortal realm or you've already engaged in an adventure and just wish to hone your skills, you've come to the right place! I am The Servant and I'll be your guide for the Eternal Game Tutorial!"

Well.

That's neat.

[bc56]

Eao too has shed her disguise to adopt her true form, just in time for everyone else to appear. The lioness Ophan seems very confused. "Where are we? Uh, what's going on?" On the other hand, Eao is bouncing up and down with excitement. "I can't wait to get started. Wait... Unrankers? No! I need a rank! I have to be the best!"

[Recaiden]

Jade nods appreciatively. "Yeah. That's how it always goes." She's very familiar with the trial and error progress.

"Anyway, I should go get that fixed. I appreciate the help. If you're ever come by VIGIL, look me up."
Alice adjusts her grip on the drone then and gallops away.

[Earl of Purple]

Phoenix Tower

The gloves work, enough of a barrier to prevent the minotaur from touching his reflection and letting it affect him. And the plan works- where the wall is blank in reality, there's a reflection of a key on a hook. Just a matter of figuring out how to get it; Krayger won't be able to feel the hook on his side of the mirror, and the wall is solid stone, with no illusions or hidden compartments concealing anything.

[Shadowcaller]

[Journey to the center of the elves]

Zhareen scoffs. "My ways? It's the way of the tower girl, something you seem to know little about considering your assumptions. Invention may be its pillar, but its nothing without its foundation, safety." Korrina knows this metaphor as its being used all the time in their teachings. The foundation, safety, the pillar, invention, and the peak, power, the goal of it all.
"I've taught many warlocks like you, either they learn why the foundation is important or bad things happen, Korrina. See to it that you will be the latter kind. I'd hate to lose someone who is considered so promising." She let's out a deep breath and turns to Eon and the... elf village?

She scratches the back of her head. "So what were we doing again? I lost my train of thought."

[Walk in the Woods]

"You have been expecting us? Curious." The dragon remarks, quietly noting that this man shared a second sight. He must have opened himself up to the world of spirits and considering the confidence he moved with he didn't seem to fear it either.

That or he was possessed in which case she would probably have to eat him.

"But good fortune indeed, the weather favors us this day." The dragon remarks as her long slender body curls down upon one of the seats. "I am Megeshi, and this is my traveling companion Thariza. Thank you for sharing your tea with us." Thariza haven't heard that name before...

[bc56]

Eon sighs. "We need to go into the village and learn about the Banished King and the Gentry. The tower is probably a good place to start." He did not sign up to escort a pair of bickering mages, one of whom was pregnant. It's a less than ideal situation.

[Morty]

[Walk in the Woods]

Thariza writes something down in the notebook. It's probably not as academic as Ambrosia's writing. But she's doing her best. Wait... Megeshi? Is that Ambrosia's dragon name as opposed to her human one?

"Uh, yeah, good to meet you," the massive Charr says. "I've never drunk tea before, so that'll be new."

[Shadowcaller]

[Walk in the Woods]

The dragon puts its claws together and returns the bow and the greeting. "Namaskaram. May our meeting leave us all stronger than before."

She then looks over their surroundings as indicate. Her senses more attuned to what cannot be seen by the naked eye. "It's a peaceful place." She agrees as the tea-can will start to levitate into the air just long enough to fill their cups with tea before becoming stationary again.
"Tea is quite good Thariza, there's a whole art behind it. Even if this cup isn't to your taste the next might. There's a diversity to it you rarely find anywhere else." She explains to Thariza before turning to look back at the large human.

"But what makes this place sacred?" She could think of many reasons, she could feel many reasons, but she wanted his reasons.

[Purple Eagle]

[Rolling Hills]

Zabb waits while enjoying the natural scenery, maintaining his human disguise so that he can spend more time interacting with nature around him. The dragonfly is picked up, greeted, examined and then let go.

Once the welcome starts, Zabbaiel unveils himself, shedding his human disguise and manifesting his true form in the physical. A being made of silver light and fire, those not subject to the observer effect (i.e. the other celestials) will see him in his full griffin-humanoid glory, with a pair of wings at his back and another covering his legs and tail. There's a halo-like ophanim wheel lined with blazing fire eyes, orbiting his head and obscuring where his eyes should be.

He glows with divine light and fire, his deep voice echoey and thundery when he speaks. Thankfully, there are no mortals around to experience the awesome and terrific glory aura he radiates, except the probably fleeing animals.

He stands several feet tall in height, then reduces to be as tall as the others, if necessary.

"I think I'll join in so I can practice holding back better!" He says, addressing his friends. "Let's have fun, guys!"