The Sisters' Chronicles

[Valmark]

Malyanna had, essentially, given only one real rule to Alifa. That she could traverse to this universe only by herself. Aside from that it was entirely up to the student how she accomplished what Malyanna asked her to do- to find out how to close the rips in reality made by the Far Realm and heal the madness, which supposedly the universe she was currently trav... tumbling towards had managed to accomplish.

Malyanna was sending her to a Fey Court where she should be welcomed due to her status- even if there hadn't been much communication between the two universes, a princess of the fey would be treated with respect nonetheless.

Was, meaning she wasn't necessarily heading there right now. The reason was the same as for why she was tumbling through universes right now- inside the canal shimmering with magical blue light that was connecting two shining white gates through what looked like the Astral Sea but made of all the colors present in the world (and some unknown ones) two figures were falling through, the canal too small for them to fit so a foot would slip out on one side, a shoulder on the other- Alifa and Boots didn't seem hurt by that, but they could see the tunnel tremble every time.

And then everything darkened as a shadow loomed over them- the landscaped substituted by what looked suspiciously like the inside of some animal's beak, except for the rows upon rows of swirling teeth that were closing rapidly on the tunnel and them. And yet, the exit looked so close...

Spoiler: Ooc

Show

Yes, you're straight up thrusted into a dangerous situation.

I will say now that if you ever want to try something that you think makes sense even if it's unorthodox (like using a spell in an unintended way because it feels like it should work) you just need to ask and we can work something out. I mean, it's probably obvious, but specifying things doesn't hurt.

[Xihirli]

Boots saw the jaws closing around their exit and reached for the javelin at her back. She threw it right at the beak, though it wasn't quite on course. Alifa's blue mage hand extended out, twisting the javelin in midair and jamming it into the lip of the monster downward, hopefully keeping it from closing its mouth.

[Valmark]

The javelin, aided by the hand, hit its mark. For a moment it looked like it bounced off of the beak, but then two teeth catched it and momentarily halted, javeling stuck in place. It would break a second later but a second was what they needed- as the beak closed the javelin's other extremity hit against the other half of it, keeping it momentarily open as they fell through the portal- they felt it shatter behind them, a powerful shriek following them as they felt -Alifa through her telepathy, Boots through her paladin senses- deep, all-consuming... Hatred. Whatever it was, it would not forget them.

Everything went dark.

A moment later they felt hard wood against their faces and a cacophony of sounds- mixed music, laughs, loud voices, and after realizing they had their eyes closed if they opened they would see that they were in a town, a festival in full swing. Happy faces all around, lots of humanoids were walking along the street, playing games with one another at stalls or looking at shows made by entertainers, mostly families. There were food stands, and a crowd of onlookers looking at them from down.

Down. They realized they were on a stage, an astonished-looking young guy staring down at them dressed in what could only be called a sterotypical wizard clothing- blue robe with stars, pointy hat. But the crowd was clapping and cheering, so the 'wizard', who didn't seem to have anything for spellcasting, looked up and went "N-no trick, no lie, I turned two copper coins into p-people! somehow"

And up, the sky was a clear blue, a perfect day... Even with a black scar cutting in the middle of it, perfectly dividing the sky in half as far as the eye could see. It was a perfectly straight line, and apparently normal since nobody seemed concerned.

[Xihirli]

Alifa sprung to her feet. "What did you do!?" She demanded in Sylvan.
"What did I do!? Why were you in that... that thing?" Boots responded in the same language.
"I went to get help! And now I don't know where I am! I was supposed to be in the Fey Court!" Alifa turned to the performing guy. "Hey, hat-tricker. Where do I find the Faerie Realm?" She asked in Common. She'd heard him speak Common, so it seemed that was about the same.
"What's with the sky?" Boots asked no one in particular.

[Valmark]

The 'hat-tricker' jumped back a bit scared as the two women started yelling angrily in an unknown language- then when Alifa turned to him, he stammered going "I-I don't know! Ask someone from there! Show's in pause everybody, we'll resume in two hours!" He, who seemed to be a human, turned around to hurry off from the stage- there was a relatively big tent which probably was were he kept his stuff, another person poking her head out to check what was happening. Probably his sister, due to the similarity.

Most of the people there seemed to be humans, honestly- due to the crowd though it was hard to tell wether there were just humans or if it was the majority. There was also a fairly big amount of dragonborns.

[Xihirli]

"Well, where's someone from there!?" Alifa called after him. She huffed. "Great. We're lost. Hey Boots, welcome to Alandria." She
Boots bit her lip. She still wasn't quite sure what was going on, but she knew Alifa was upset. "Lif," she said.
"Yes?"
"I was worried about you. You always run off to gods know where with the woman who tried to kill our mother, you're barely in... I was worried she was hurting you."
"Because we've been busy? Boots, we're trying to save the world. Mend the breaks in reality Piscaethces leaves. This world knows how to do that."
Boots looked up at the black line in the sky. "Are you sure?"
"We seem to have been dropped off at some sort of circus, off-course. I guess we should at least see if we can get a map." Lif followed the hat-tricker into his tent.

[Valmark]

As they entered, the hat-tricker looked up at them scared. The tent contained equipment for circus tricks- it was modest, had some boxes and fake weaponry in addition to juggling balls and a table prepped up for make up. The woman they had seen earlier, who seemed to be younger then the sisters though it was hard to tell due to the extravagant make-up, chuckled a bit.

"Next time transmute silver, brother. Maybe then you won't be chased"
"I did NOTHING and you know it!"

The sister just laughed, the guy having backed off to the flimsy wall of the tent opposite from them. In addition to the two of them there was a tall, bulky dragonborn, a dwarf dressed with blue-and-white large pants and a red nose and lastly an older elf woman who studied them curiously. Well, not really old considering how long elves lived.
"May we help you?" The last one asked as her gaze lingered on Boots' ironwood armor, while the dragonborn flanked her standing between the sisters and the fleeing fake wizard. It seemed like he was fairly protective of the people there.

[Xihirli]

"We arrived off-course and we would like to know where we are," Alifa explained. "Do you have a map of the area?"
"Are you a circus!? Can we join!?" Boots asked.

[Valmark]

The elf chuckled at Boots' words, nodding at Alifa "Yes, faeries" she stated as she turned around to walk to a row of cabinets which apparently held their belongings "Dressed like that, you probably need it more then we do"

Meanwhile the young not-a-wizard was sitting at a table, the sister having brought him a cup of water. The dragonborn seemed to have relaxed, though he was still keeping his yellow eyes on them.

The dwarf looked confused.
"Aren't feys half-insects?" he asked, which got a laugh out of the elf "Some of them, yes. And pray you're never heard by the Entheys. With an armor like that they might not be faeries but they must be tied to the Feywild" she explained as she briefly rummaged with a furled scroll which she spread out on the table where the brother and sister were at.

The map depicted 'the Inner Lands' and showed a land that was seemed to be enclosed completely by mountains, except for the southern and northern borders which showed water- she pointed where 'the Kingdoms of Trevoria' were listed in the northeastern portion of the map.
"We're here" she tapped a city in the south of the Kingdoms, called Tavinsky. The land seemed to be mostly plains with a few rivers coming from the mountains and down in the left corner there was a big black spot called The Zone, which seemed to spread into all the various lands.

The elven woman spoke with a certain amount of respect- while the others looked mostly like they were looking at two random people, she seemed to have taken the sisters very seriously.
"And we may talk about joining us after the festival's over, unless you want to go improvise a show right now on stage? Ronald is... Not well" Ronald nodded along. The hat-tricker.

[Xihirli]

"Sure, I mean... you weren't going to leave them looking at nothing for two hours, were you?" Boots unsheathed her longsword. "We could stage a fight."
"Excuse her," Alifa said. "I'm Alifa, and this is Boots."
"Lif, only family calls me Boots. I am Clephesia, Scion Unseelie, Princess Heir to the Winter Throne."
"Boots, they've already seen you get excited over a circus you don't need to pretend to be a dignified princess with titles."
"I'm a faerie princess! I'm supposed to be flighty and whimsical! Come on, Lif, let's do a show."
"No."
"Do the show, Lif."
"I don't want to."
"Come on, you saw the magic tricks on the way in, you could knock their socks off."
"I think their socks are fine where they are."
"Please? I'll give you a kick-ass intro."

---

"Ladies, gentlemen and that technicolor rainbow in between! We who have been summoned before your very eyes are here to provide an... apology for interrupting your regularly scheduled show! And so, with the power of cold and dark, Alifa!"
Alifa came out then, an umbrella over her head. Then it burned up, the fire traveling down her body and becoming frogs that jumped atop the stage. Drumbeats sounded on the stage as Clephesia pulled out her viol to join them in a quick ditty her Lala did when it was time to get people dancing midway into a dreary party.
Alifa started to dance in time with the drumbeats she was making, and then a spectral hand came out and threw a rock into the air. Alifa took careful aim after a short roll... and fired.

Spoiler: SHOW!

Show

So.
Alifa has Minor Illusion to make the fire umbrella frogs and the drumbeats. For dancing she will acrobatics. (1d20+4)[21]
Boots's intro and her music are part of the same performance, so she will use Guidance to give herself (1d20+5)[15] + (1d4)[2]
And finally an attack roll for Alifa to shatter the rock for everyone to see. (1d20+5)[23]; (1d10)[6] ELDRITCH BLEEEEST

[Valmark]

The girl gasped and bowed hearing that Clephesia was a princess, while the elf bowed much less. As she looked back up, her eyes had gotten narrower, as if she heard something she didn't like.

Not enough to stop them from taking the stage though.

---

The crowd erupted in cheers and Oooohs as the sisters did their show, clapping along with Clephesia's ditty while they looked amazed at Alifa's magic, even a bit scared as she exploded the rock with pin-point accuracy. Many of them never saw a show of this caliber and even less of them ever saw such magic. Probably nobody.

When they stopped it left the people calling for an encore, clapping and laughing loudly- the more rowdy even threw some money on-stage. One specific girl in the front row looking at them with a look of wonder on her face looked an awful lot like the one from the circus' staff, just without make-up.

If they looked in the backstage they would easily spot the dwarf, with a giant ball next to him and some juggling balls in his hands, waiting and waving with his thumb held up. It seemed he was to substitute them when they felt like stepping off the stage, and also pretty happy about their work.

[Xihirli]

As they headed back to the tent, there was of course more needling.
"We can travel with them, right?" Boots asked.
"We have places to be."
"Sure, but we don't know where they are. Circuses have this way of always being headed where you need to go. Uncle Zenov always said that."
"Was that before or after he said 'problem is known in this century; large thermal fog'?"
Boots poked her ribs.
"Hey. What happened to my sister? Where'd she go?"
Alifa sighed. Boots picked her up in a big hug. "I miss my sister. Is it wrong to want to go on a road trip with my little sis?"
Alifa hugged back, then addressed the old regular-aged elf. "Is this circus's next stop anywhere we might be able to find fey?"

[Valmark]

As they got down the dwarf threw the ball on stage, jumping with a piruette on it and starting to dance while juggling balls. He was, against all guesses, the acrobat of the group- and a pretty good one at that.

The elven woman was waiting for them outside of the tent.
"Kind of. We'll be heading closer to the... Safest... Crossing, and leaving the cities makes it easier to meet them in general" she nodded "If you wanted the shortest road then no, but I wouldn't suggest that. The nearest Crossing connects to the Putrescent Swamps, and the nature around it tends to reflect that- and the Plaudos will love to pull deathly tricks on those they think liars. Or anybody else really" she looked at Clephesia when she said 'liars'.

[Xihirli]

"But I really am–"
"Boots, the Unseelie don't exist here. We've realm-jumped." Alifa stepped up to the old elf lady. "We'd be happy to travel with you, and help you with anything we can along the way to thank you for your hospitality."
"Ye-es!" Boots said, and picked Alifa up in another big strong hug.

[Valmark]

The elf chuckled.
"We would like that too. Young Elwina has been excited about meeting you since before" she nodded at the girl who was coming over "I'm Ethrindae. The dwarf's name is Oegh and the dragonborn's Xvchimeras" the last word sounded impossibly harsh on the elf's tongue, making it look like she didn't really know how to pronounce Draconic- it didn't even truly feel like she was sure she had the correct word down. Turning around to enter the tent, she said one last thing: "We can handle the show, if you want to go elsewhere. We won't be departing before tomorrow"

[Xihirli]

"I want to do fencing against someone," Boots said. "Then I guess we can find out where we're sleeping." She put a protective arm around Alifa's shoulders.

Spoiler: OOC

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I don't really want to rp out the fencing though, I think.

[Valmark]

Boots didn't find fencers in the proper sense of the word- she did found a couple games where people could duel each other using padding and wooden swords, including some people who actually knew which end of the weapon they should point at her, so ultimately she did get a workout.

Mingling with the crowd also made them notice something- most dragonborns were fairly big, but comparing them to Xvchimeras, the black one with the circus, made them realize that one was ripped. He was easily a full foot above any dragonborns they could see and the muscles were bulging under the scales.

Whatever he did with the circus it surely involved heavy lifting.

In addition if they asked the circus' staff (except said dragonborn, trying to talk to him would prompt anybody else of the group to speak instead) they would be directed to an inn with stabling called Traveler's Rest, placed near the city gates. The circus was a traveling one and they weren't really locals, so they could give little directions past that.

[Xihirli]

Boots pulled out some shinies out of her purse. "Think they use these?" she asked, headed to the Traveler's Rest.
"We weren't sure," Lif said. "A lot of things were similar... the magic is very much the same, though I'll have a bit of trouble with my rituals until I can get used to the changes."
"Well, let's go for it." Boots pushed the inn door open and marched right for the nearest person. "Me and my sister need a place to sleep tonight."
"Boots, I don't think she works here."
"Right."

[Valmark]

Something notable that came to Alifa's mind, Malyanna had told her about how most people there had an inner magic to them which spellcasters would use as a sort of trigger for spellcasting, then relaying on the magic around them for the rest. Didn't seem to give Alifa any issue casting spells earlier though, and Boots did have an inner magic so she was basically at home.

The nearest person, a traveler drinking, did stare at them confused. Soon enough someone who looked like a maid mostly due to her carrying empty plates did approach the sisters.
"Sorry, may I help you?" She asked with a gentle voice.

[Xihirli]

"Oh, I hope so," Boots said with a wink.
"Boots, new universe. You have no idea what kind of things people could have," Alifa said in Sylvan.
"Only one way to find out! Come on, it's for science!" Boots responded in the same language.
"We were going to rent a room for the night... though if you promised to join me in mine I'd be happy to rent two instead."

[Valmark]

The maid giggled.
"How about you order something to eat and think of another line while I bring your food?" She suggested, then heard the bartender call for her and turned around to go away- not before pointing at a free table with a couple seats.
"Meet you there?" she proposed before going off, probably to bring in the plates that she was carrying.

[Xihirli]

Boots pulled Alifa to the table. "Alifa, I need a new line."
"That maid outfit looks good on you, but it would look better on the floor?" Alifa suggested.
"That might be a bit forward, we're surrounded by other patrons."
"This food looks almost as tasty as you?"
"That's pretty good."
"Maybe something more about yourself? Something something I'm a princess something something be my queen tonight?"
"Hmm, that's good... shut up! Shut up! Here she comes!" Boots gave herself a pat on the back.

Spoiler: Spell

Show

Guidance.

[Valmark]

The maid went over to them, holding what seemed to be a menu- she smiled at Boots.
"Hello, I'm Mary, your maid for the day. We've got pork, chicken and rabbit meat, as well as a variety of salads to pick from- today we've also got assorted meat soup" she said professional "For drinks we've got water, beer and a couple fruit juices"

It came to mind that this was probably an inn dedicated to travelers and thus saw a lot better coinage then many inns in the inner parts, so it could afford a lot of variety.

[Xihirli]

"Does any of the food look as tasty as you?" Boots asked.

[Valmark]

Mary let out a soft laugh- there was a glint in her eyes.
"The meat soup is fairly tasty" she offered "It'll be eight... no, six silver for two rooms and two soups, drinks on the house. That sounds good? What would you like to drink? From the menu?"

[Xihirli]

Boots's mouth was already open to reply before the clarification "from the menu."
"Oh. Um..."
"We'll both have the apple cider," Alifa said quickly.
Boots pulled out one gold coin. "Consider the rest to be for the excellent service." And she passed it to Mary. She then whispered to Alifa: "That's more than what she asked for, right?"
"Yes."

[Valmark]

Mary chuckled and took the gold coin, turning around to go to the kitchen after a bow "Thank you for your patronage"

Soon enough music started playing from a corner of the room where a bard (in the sense of musician, not necessarily a Bard) started playing, or perhaps was resuming, some ambience music to fill out the tavern. There were a few people playing dart games, and shortly after the maid came back carrying their ciders before disappearing again for the food, which was served to them shortly after. It smelled pretty good, although the food from the Fortress did smell better. It wasn't exactly a fair comparison.

[Xihirli]

Boots ate quickly – she had work to do. She was always happy to see Mary, and in between visits she kept asking Alifa "Can you clean my teeth out?" And Alifa cast Prestidigitation to keep the pearly whites sparkling with every smile.
Boots hugged Alifa tight. "You're the best sister in this universe."
"Very clever way to not leave out Aerthis, Noxan, Twilight, and about a hundred dryads."
"Thanks! I thought so, too!"
When the meal was done Boots beamed at Mary. "Could you show us to our rooms?"

[Valmark]

Mary smiled "Sure, give me a moment" she gestured for the stairs that led to an upper floor before taking their empty plates and glasses to bring them to the kitchen. She came out soon after, stopping by the bartender to tell her something- whatever it was, it made the woman cackle and shrug. Mary soon joined them to lead them upstairs.

The circus staff showed up at around that time, though they didn't seem to spot the sisters.

Following Mary, she led them to two rooms next to each other showing them a couple keys- they had gotten an inkling earlier too, but now they were fairly sure that this inn was pretty well off given how big it was. There were plenty of rooms and judging by the distance between doors the rooms were even decently big.
"As long as you don't break anything, the rooms are for you as you see fit- give the keys back at the counter tomorrow" she told them, handing each a key- her hand lingered on Boots' a fair bit more then when she gave one to Alifa.
"Each room has its own bathroom, though if you want to take a bath you'll have to go ask downstairs for the water"

Spoiler: Ooc

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Although we'll just say that X person took a bath, because I doubt we need to RP changing floors to ask for water and whatever else filling a tub with hot water and soap entails.

[Xihirli]

Boots held Mary’s hand and kissed it once she got the chance. "And when are you done with work?"

---

Alifa, after ensuring her key worked, went back downstairs to meet with the other circus performers. They would be traveling together for awhile, it would be best to get to know them.