Silly Plots 5: Simply for the birds

[bc56]

Pacifist Quest
Well, he said his cures were good before, so that's not it. He also said the customers haven't been coming in, so that's not it either.
So he really does do house calls? Why would he lie about that? There's no reason to hide that fact.
Clearly the adventurers don't have all the information. Selekhael lets Lapis' question stand for now.

[Rebonack]

[Pacifist Quest]

Silence hangs over the shop, the keeper growing visibly more uncomfortable as time passes.

After a good ten seconds of awkwardness he finally admits, "Alright, yes, that would be good. They get cured and I make money. But the elixir stopped working! It shouldn't have, though. My panacea is foolproof! There's nothing it won't cure! So why did it stop working? I thought maybe I could figure it out, be hailed hero of the street, but I've had nothing but dead ends!"

He waves a hand toward the street.

"Now people have just... stopped! They're just standing out there like statues staring at nothing! If this goes on much longer people will begin dying of thirst."

Well.

That sounds really serious!

But there must be more...

[bc56]

Pacifist Quest
"It's okay. Don't, uh, worry. We're trying to fix it. Are you doing anything differently? Did anything else strange happen around the time your medicine stopped working? It seems like something must be different." Selekhael hopes she sounds reassuring. She may not like this guy's business practices, but she can tell he's currently terrified out of his wits, even if he won't come out and say it.

[Rebonack]

[Pacifist Quest]

"No! Nothing out of the ordinary. Usually whatever problem is being caused just... goes away by now! It's never been like this before," Radghast admits. "What else... I suppose, right before it stopped working, there was this awful sound from the old church. Something like a bell. But it was all wrong."

All of this is raising some very important questions, Lapis thinks.

Chief among them?

"How come you aren't getting sick, too?"

That results in an uncomofrtable look from the shyster.

"I, ah," his eyes flick this way and that. "I'm just... I work with alchemy so I have a good constitution."

Yeah.

That's definitely not the reason.

[bc56]

Silly Post
"We're planning to go out there and find whatever is causing this. If you have any way to protect against being infected, we need it. Understand?" He can keep lying if he wants, hopefully Selekhael made him understand why this is important for them.

[Rebonack]

[Pacifist Quest]

"No, it's not just that, I-" the conman begins nervously. "I can't just-"

"Can't just what?" Lapis pushes.

He dithers a bit, pulling at his collar.

"Okay, okay," Radghast finally admits. "I made a... a deal, okay? With this entity I found. It would cause problems and showed me how to cure them. A plague would start then I would ride in with my elixir and cure it. Sell a bunch of useless dyed syrup afterward just in case the plague came back. It never did, though. I- it was never meant to hurt anyone. It never did anything like this before. This wasn't part of our agreement."

Ah.

Now it's coming out.

A deal with the devil so he can play the hero and get rich.

Lovely.

[bc56]

Pacifist Quest
Selekhael looks disgusted. "Fine. Did your mysterious, plague-bearing benefactor say what they were up to this time?" She has half a mind to burn this shop down around her. She'd survive, and she's sure Radghast would as well.

[Rebonack]

[Pacifist Quest]

Like Lapis said.

This quest can be solved without violence but it doesn't have to be.

And remember Selekhael! You're here because Lapis wanted to show you that all quests don't have to be about smiting!

If you smite the shyster's shop that will defeat the whole point of the exercise!

Or does smiting shops not count?

Radghast looks pretty uncomfortable at this line of questioning. "No! That's the problem. Nothing like this has ever happened before! Did you notice what it's like out there? The colors are all drab. There's nothing musical to any of the sounds. It's just noise. It's like... like she's sucking the pizazz out of the world."

A pizazzless world would be very sad.

Or at least boring.

[bc56]

Pacifist Quest
It's not smiting if she uses perfectly mundane fire to do it.
But that's neither here nor there.
"And did your boss give you any specific protection against this epidemic, or is she just leaving you alone? Do you know where to find her?""

[Rebonack]

[Pacifist Quest]

No smiting, Selekhael.

No.

"She never really explained the specifics. Whatever she's doing just never touches me," Radghast admits.

"That sure sounds nice for you," Lapis replies, looking openly disgusted.

She doesn't love this! She doesn't love it even a little bit.

"She's mostly a spirit. She could be almost anywhere. But she can only actually manifest in a places of power. Where belief or faith run deep."

Somewhere like, say.

An old church?

Or an old faerie mound?

[bc56]

Pacifist Quest
"The church." Selekhael responds. She doesn't think of faerie mounds as places of faith. "We'll be headed there." She wants to get out of this guy's sleazy shop asap before he says something that makes her angry enough to burn it all down.

[Rebonack]

[Pacifist Quest]

Lapis makes an 'I'm keeping my eyes on you' gesture at the swindler.

To the church!

Our heroes step outside and are met by two things.

The first is a strange tolling sound from the church that is almost, but not completely, wholly unlike a bell.

The second are...

Things.

Imagine, for a moment, a cross between a tick and a fly. Just sort of... hovering. Beating those too small wings. Each floats above one of the listless citizens with a proboscis directed downward, adhered to the tops of their heads. Just hanging there in the air like grotesque balloons, their bodies distended and full of sloshing, vibrant something that flashes and shimmers.

These parasites are stealing the hopes and dreams of these people.

And to make matters worse they're sucking away at the landscape as well. A single vibrantly colored leaf that has someone survived from autumn comes blowing in on the wind, only to get sponged at by one of the creatures until it is drab and grey.

Lapis, frowning at the creatures, tries a scan since she has absolutely no idea what they are.

For a moment there's an impression of something helpful but then the information decays into a mess of garbled static.

That gets Lapis to frown deeper. "I don't know what these are."

[bc56]

Pacifist Quest
"Why would they be visible to us now and not earlier?" Also does stabbing these things count as violence? If they can see them, it might be wise to pick off as many as they can right now. But would that be against the point of this whole exercise?

[Rebonack]

[Pacifist Quest]

"I don't know. Maybe because of the bell?" Lapis reasons.

The bell rang and then all of a sudden all these terrible balloons were just around.

There's a definitely something very strange going on here.

Maybe the Game has directed them to take care of a problem that isn't related to the fae or the empyreans?

Maybe this is just some standard issue Nexus weirdness that they're uniquely suited to handle?

As they watch another pedestrian strolls into the area and is immediately beset upon by one of the creatures! She doesn't seem to notice the thing glomping onto her head as she walks, but with each step color begins draining out of her as her gait grows more sluggish.

Lapis decides to act.

"Leave her alone!" she demands of the creature, grabbing it by the proboscis and yanking it off. It makes a plaintive buzzing noise before drifting away like a balloon caught in the wind, leaking garishly colored something all over the street as it goes. Everywhere the substances touches vibrancy returns to the surrounding area.

"I feel... heavy.... what was I doing here?" the woman slurs.

[bc56]

Pacifist Quest
That's all the prodding Selekhael needs. Her pistol is already in her hands, and she points and shoots a bolt of entropic energy at the nearest parasite, then again, trying to take as many down as she can before she empties the clip. "No time to, uh, explain. You just get out of here, run until, uh, the city doesn't look grey. GO!"

[Rebonack]

[Pacifist Quest]

Oh no Selekhael!

It's right there in the title, pacifist quest!

You're definitely not getting that Pacifist achievement now for this one.

But let's take this one shot at a time, shall we?

Selekhael shoots the first tick balloon and it explodes like a rubber ball full of paint.

Except the paint isn't paint.

It's... Something. Possibly anything? And it splatters all over the place, including all over the person the tick was hanging onto. As before, color returns to the person who has been splashed as well as to the surrounding street! At the same time, the area that was splashed a few seconds ago continues to grow more colorful. The colors growing brighter and more saturated and more surreal, shapes blurring together like an impressionist painting.

That's...

Probably not good.

Does Selekhael keep shooting?

Lapis is heading toward another one of the ticks to pull it off. She really doesn't trust herself shooting them off. She's not great with guns and her aim isn't amazing.

The partly drained woman, meanwhile, nods is dull comprehension and begins shuffling away at a walking pace.

[bc56]

Pacifist Quest
Selekhael doesn't stop shooting. Not until she's emptied the pistol's entire 8-round clip. Then she stops, seems to realize what she's doing, and begins running. "C'mon, let's get to the church! That bell had to be important!"

[Rebonack]

[Whoops Shooty Quest]

Lapis gives a little "Eep!" as the tick she was going for bursts, leaping away from the splatters deftly and drawing Something Like a Sword with the sound of distant, rumbling thunder. Thanks to her Lightning Shield talent she warps the weapon into a blazing disc of raw power that crackles and hisses as drops of something splash against it, only to be utterly obliterated on contact. Lapis doesn't know what that stuff is and she's not really interested in getting it on her.

"Okay wait for me!" Lapis calls as she hurries after Selekhael.

And thus into the old ruined church they go!

Pushing the door open, Selekhael is met with a tooth-rattling creak, the scent of must and dust, and more than her fair share of cobwebs. The interior is a mess. Though thankfully not the sort of mess caused by people coming inside and actively desecrating the once holy place. Pews are broken, windows and shattered and shuttered, and a few bits of refuse are scattered across the floor. The altar is dingy and neglected. It's all pretty obvious that this place hasn't been used in a long time. There are two doors at the back of the building, one leading to a little office and the other up to the bell tower.

Lapis frowns at the sight.

"These places always seem to be run down or creepy," she mutters, sheathing her luminous weapon again.

[bc56]

Not so Pacifist Quest
"I, uh, think it's nice. It just needs a little love." Selekhael answers. She looks around. "Uh hello? Anyone home?" If no one replies, she'll check the door into the bell tower.

[Rebonack]

[Not so Pacifist Quest]

"Maybe it would be nicer when people are here using it?" Lapis reasons.

People united together in a common Path.

That would be a pretty thing to see, Lapis thinks.

Selekhael calls out-

-and she gets an answer.

"Are the monsters still outside?" comes the voice of a child from under one of the sheet-covered pews.

Well.

That sounds quite a bit more aware than the purpose-drained folk outside.

[bc56]

Not so Pacifist Quest
"Yes, uh, they're still out there. Are you okay?" Selekhael kneels down next to the sheets and gently tries to peel them open to get a look at the child. Hopefully a concerned human face will be comforting.

[Rebonack]

[Not so Pacifist Quest]

Below the sheet, smudged in grime, is a human child.

She is a child and clearly in distress. Malnourished. Likely dehydrated. There is nothing to eat in this church.

"I hid when the monsters came," the human child says to Selekhael. "Can you take me somewhere safe? Somewhere bright and pretty that isn't scary?"

Lapis doesn't seem to be paying much attention to the goings on at the moment.

She's over there, on the other side of the chamber, peeking through one of the doors.

It's like she isn't even paying attention to what Selekhael is doing at all!

Not even important to her.

Or hasn't even noticed.

[bc56]

Not so Pacifist Quest
Something about this human child strikes Selekhael as unusual. She'll do a quick scan, but not bother Lapis for more detail. "We, uh, need to deal with the monsters here first. They're sucking all the color and goodness out of everything, and then, uh, there wouldn't be anywhere to take you."

[Shadowcaller]

[Double Date]

Div will keep trying to turn to keep up with Radigal. It seems a bad idea not to. At least, Jaahlyn is insinuating as much. The young stag awkwardly shuffles in a circle and says, "Uh... I dream about making a piece of art-- a-a painting or a carving, I think, because that's what I'm good at. I dream about making one that lasts forever. Or at least a very long time. Something that makes people's hearts soar... and that says... I don't know. I was here, I guess. I was here."

[Double Date]

For a moment Radigal stops and the predators eyes meets Div for a moment.

Then he moves his lusciously maned head up and down in what seems to be a nod.

"Not an uncommon idea to reach my ears, but I concur. You wish to be seen through your art. To be recognized for it. A noble sentiment, but I was actually talking more specifically. You mentioned carvings and paintings, of what kind? Could you perhaps show me?" The lion starts moving again but now away from the group, seemingly expecting them to follow him.

"You see, I have a crafting station not far from here. The mortals living nearby set it up for me and I let anyone that wishes to use it as long as they ask for permission first. It's a beautiful spot and I suspect your goat had intended for you to go there considering how you're dressed. You did not come here to pursue the arts." The lion let's out a dismissive snort, but there is undeniably a good-naturedness to his voice that wasn't there before.

As Radigal looks away Jaahlyn gives the group the thumbs up as if they had just passed some kind of test.

[Rebonack]

[Not so Pacifist Quest]

Selekhael's basic scan returns basic information, just a name, job, disposition, and a highlighted outline.

The name is weird, though.

Any time Selekhael has felt inclined to scan people before she has gotten their actual name, whatever that full name might be.

But now?

Both name and job return as human child.

Which is definitely unusual.

The information feels almost... fuzzy, too. Jittery. Like there's something hidden just below the surface that's obscured.

"Please, I need to go now, I'm scared," the human child insists.

"Hey Selekhael who are you talking to?" Lapis asks from over yonder, peeking out of the nearby office. She's found one of those eye-popping stress toys and she's squeaking it.

[bc56]

Not so Pacifist Quest
"There's a, uh, frightened kid here," Selekhael answers, but there's something strange about her, she adds in a quick gesture. Then she realizes something "Uh, wait, you can't see or hear her?"

[Rebonack]

[Not so Pacifist Quest]

Lapis *squeaks* the toy again. Somehow the precise way she squeaks it back communicates that she doesn't see anyone, nor did she see anyone on the way in.

It was a very expressive squeak.

"There is?" Lapis asks, walking back over and while she passes Selekhael all of a sudden hey there's a little girl down there under the sheet!

Had she just missed her somehow?

She doesn't think so.

There's a definitely something weird going on.

"Oh, I see her now?" Lapis admits, though her tone carries additional information. There wasn't anyone else in here.

Her job is Seer. She would have noticed something like that. Spotting hidden details is kind of the whole point of being a Seer.

"PLEASE! You have take me somewhere bright and pretty and safe NOW!" the human child insists loudly.

A low ringing sound begins slowly building in the bell-tower above.

[Deathkeeper]

Double Date

Jim's a little confused as to what's going on, but he thinks it's going well. He's not sure what sort of clothes they'd be wearing if they were serious about art. You can paint or play music wearing anything!
"You're too kind, sir." he says quite sincerely as he follows the lion.

[bc56]

Not so Pacifist Quest
"First can you, uh, answer a question?" Selekhael asks, "Why couldn't my, uh, teammate see or hear you? Why don't you have a name? What do you know about the creatures outside?"

[Rebonack]

[Not so Pacifist Quest]

The completely normal human child scowls at Selekhael.

"You must have a dark heart if you are so unwilling to help me. Take me somewhere safe. Now," demands the human child.

Lapis is, at this point, pretty much one hundred percent certain that this thing is not, in fact, a human child.

Maybe it's the 'she' that the swindler was talking about?

Or something related?

Either way, that ringing sound is growing steadily louder.

A single, crystalline note, like a tuning fork struck.

Growing louder and louder and louder.