Silly Plots 5: Simply for the birds

[Rebonack]

[Fiendish Staff Meeting]

Rose briefly considers trying to one-up the thumbed nose but she settles on just laughing instead.

She's probably the second worst devil in terms of acting devilish.

Right behind Sekhmet.

"Great! We'll co-ordinate as we can."

And with that?

We're left with new assignment time.

Rose listens curiously. What sort of job does a spy mistress get, she wonders?

[Ironsmith]

[Fiendish Staff Meeting]

Braon crosses her arms and lets out a sigh of... it's exasperation or relief, one, possibly both. "Of course you do." She grumbles, her gaze flicking from Pan to Rose to Sekhmet. "What exactly did you have in mind?"

[bc56]

Fiendish Staff Meeting
Sekhmet begins. "We've, uh, made a lot of progress getting everything, uh, here under control. I'd, uh, like you to go out to some of the, uh, other settlements and find out what they're like. I need to, uh, know what life is like for my, uh, people outside my palace." Basically, she wants to know more about the commoner fiends and the outcasts, those that, for one reason or another, aren't in the palace.

[Deathkeeper]

Fiendish Staff Meeting

Pan taps a foot and lets this play out. None of this affects her, other than being glad that it sounds like she won't have to boot Braon out of the palace herself.

Witch and the Frog Prince

Rowan gives a croak of distaste. Looks like he finally prodded the witch too far. Oh, well. Might as well get on with the actual lesson.
Rowan hops after the witch and awaits his lesson. "So how prACtical are we talking?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Double Dates - Double Trouble]

It's noon as Jaahlyn leads Jim, Div and Batu towards the fey grove. They've taken the bus most of the way but they still have some walking to do. Div and Batu probably don't mind though as the wilderness is more familiar to them that it is to Jim.

Jaahlyn is keeping up a steady pace. Perhaps even walking a tad too fast for the others.

One moment she disappears behind some trees and as the others catch up with her she's standing leaning against an overgrown structure in the middle of a clearing. "We're here." She declares triumphantly.

As the others walk into the clearing they will start to notice how different it is from the wilderness around it. There's stonework underneath them, what seems to be an ancient road or perhaps a floor.
Then it will start to become apparent what the structure Jaahlyn is leaning against is. It's one of the pillars of a triumphal arc that while seemingly have been abandoned by whoever made it for a very long time is still standing standing strong.

"Awesome, isn't it?" She declares as she takes a few steps back to look up at it. "And this grove is filled with structures like this."

Indeed, they can hint another triumphal arc deeper inside this 'grove'. Just partly obscured by the trees that has grown around it.

[Deathkeeper]

Double Dates

Jim does quite a lot of running so despite being more used to urban environs he doesn't have any trouble with the physical aspect of running around. And he certainly doesn't expect Div to have trouble but he does take care not to leave Batu behind.
"So how'd you find out about this place, Jaahlyn?" he asks casually.
He takes a glance around for the other boys.
"You guys doing okay?"

[Meowmai]

[Forest Temple]

After a long day's wolf-riding (his fur is pretty soft and fuzzy at least, but it still probably wasn't the most comfortable experience for Kes), Atreyu has led the two of them here, to the base of a cavern descending underground in a peaceful little grove deep in a forest.

The plan: Tomorrow, they delve into the old forgotten temple below, in search of a rare plant to offer to a dryad, to gain her assistance in setting up a plantation for Atreyu's euphoria fruit.

A lot of work for some feel-good plants. But hey, they do make you feel pretty good.

For now though, a camp overnight is needed, before exploration begins tomorrow.

Atreyu, currently a rather large silver-y grey wolf, waits patiently for Kes to hop off. It'd be a bit awkward to change form while she's on his back, after all.

[Forest Temple]

Kestrel was eager to hop off, and did so quite quickly. She stumbled for a moment before beginning to stretch her legs in an attempt to ease the acheing. She hadn't had experience riding horseback before, let alone wolfback, and it hard turned out to be uncomfortable in the long term. Plus, she had felt super awkward riding on the back of her friend, it was just kind of weird- and she also worried that carrying her was a burden to him, or that she would have accidentally hurt him when clinging tight to her fur. So all in all, it was a relief to finally be at their destination.

"Thanks for carrying me all this way, really." Kestrel addressed Atreyu, still stretching her muscles. "I appreciate it. You holding up okay?" She looked around as she waited for a response, appreciating the forest views.

[Morty]

[Double Dates]

Batu should, by all accounts, be struggling with the trip. But he's not. His sedentary lifestyle and resulting poor constitution seem to be counterbalance by Sobek's blessing and were-crocodile nature, even if he's currently wearing his normal shape of a weedy hobgoblin.

"Better than I thought I would be," he says. "I haven't trekked like this in... a while. What is this place?"

He admits he was a little disappointed for a second when Jim introduced Jaahlyn. He really liked his and Div's plan to find him a date. But, in retrospect, that plan was probably going to end poorly. And he's glad Jim found someone again. He was pretty downcast after he and Syela had split.

[5a Violista]

[Witch and the Frog Prince]

"Pulling magic from things and infusing it into other things. Nothing more practical than that," the bogwitch claims.

She goes somewhere not too far from her place. Still pretty swampy here, though, with plenty of insects and frogs and trees and water around.
"Here should be fine," she says.

The bogwitch starts putting out the containers and potions and such.
"While I'm setting the experiment up, you should get a feel for this area and what its energy is like."

[Earl of Purple]

Diabolic Visitation
Prumathe will note that Message is still waiting in the room in the hell Palace (unless she went somewhere else). But when he's picked out clothes and changed, Sekhmet will be smiling broadly at him. "You look great. Just a, uh, little addition." She searches through her jewelry to find a golden circlet, not so ornate as her own crown, studded with rubies, and sets it atop Prumathe's head. "There. That's better, right?"

"Yeah, that's a lot better. Thank you, Sekhmet." Prumathe smiles, and will hug his wife.

[bc56]

Diabolic Visitation
Sekhmet hugs back. "I can't believe I haven't shown you the kingdom yet. It's partly yours too, since you're my husband and have a part of my power. And don't forget, I promised you I'd find a way for us to share it forever." That promise is from shortly after her ascension to the throne, when she really started to understand her own immortality. She gives him a peck on the cheek. "Want a quick tour before the dance starts?"

[Earl of Purple]

Diabolic Visitation

"Sure, that'd be great. I don't think I've been here except when you were... y'know." In the box, which Prumathe just realised might be a bit of a traumatic memory and didn't want to continue.

Too late now, though.

[Murkus]

[Double Date]

Div honestly seems a little relieved that he doesn't have to help Jim find a new woman. As confident as he seemed about it, he tended to overthink things as well.

"Oh, this is nothing!" He says cordially, lifting a hand. "I was worried we'd be cooped up in that metal contraption the whole trip! This is much better. And this place is gorgeous!"

Div slowly approaches to stand near Jaahlyn. There's still that awkwardness that accompanies meeting a new acquaintance, especially one that has the potential to stick around awhile, but his own curious nature overrides it. "Who built these?" He asks, in awe somewhat of the ancient stonework.

[bc56]

Diabolic Visitation
It technically was more of a cocoon than a box, but Sekhmet isn't arguing. "So, these are my chambers. They used to be mother's, but I've had them cleaned very thoroughly and replaced most of the furniture..." From there, the tour begins in earnest, but the rooms Sekhmet shows Prumathe, from the throne room to the library to an elaborate indoor garden with a ground of ash and fountains of lava and many more. "This is just what we've restored so far," Sekhmet explains excitedly, "The palace is huge! The size of a city! Mother left it mostly disused for thousands of years!"
However, a far more relevant part of the tour is the repeated encounters with small groups of succubi and the occasional incubus. Universally, the response to the queen and her consort is to stop and stare, then break into hushed speculation and gossip as they pass by.
"She looks different,"
"Like she's having fun for once in her life?"
"Exactly!"
"That mortal with her, that must be..."
"He got her to loosen up!
"She looks really good in that aspect. I wish she could..."
"Forget about her, look at him! He doesn't look bad for a mortal, and he can keep the Queen of Succubi interested?"
"He must have some big secret..."

[Shadowcaller]

[Double Date]

Jaahlyn turns to Jim to answer his question first. "Been called here a few times for work." She then looks to Div. "But I don't know anything about it's history. I'm pretty sure we could ask someone that lives here though."

She pause and glances at Batu. "Buuut... I don't feel like I've introduced myself properly to you guys yet." She had told them her name but that was pretty much it. "And this seems like a time as good as any. So I'm Jaahlyn Hesperos and I'm a, eh, musician." She makes an elegant bow with a flourish of her hand, the kind you really only see in movies these days. "Though I do a lot of jobs at the side. Like with MERC."

Mercenary/Musician is probably not the most common job combination...

---

Their surroundings are far from lifeless despite the cold. They can hear birdsong nearby and might notice squirrels darting in-between the trees in search for nuts. It even sounds like two of them are in an argument over one. It isn't snowing as the sky is cloudless with the sun high in the sky.

As Div is inspecting the old stone structure he can see that elaborate scenes have been carved into its side. There's large group of humans fighting one another while trampling the bodies of those who have fallen underneath them. It clearly seems to depict one side, the men clad armor and helmets, as the winners of the confrontation. The losers seemingly being taken captive.

[Deathkeeper]

Double Date

Jim smiles and puts himself beside Jaahlyn as she makes her introduction.
"And a very fine musician at that.
So! There must be stuff or people here neat enough to make you want to bring us here. Is it a surprise?" he asks, eyes looking a little mischievous. He's kind of expecting there to be something of particular interest, being brought to a fancy grove fey know about. You don't just make mysterious fey places to store your cheese.

[Earl of Purple]

Diabolic Visitation

Prumathe smiles and nods along as he follows Sekhmet on the tour, trying hard not to get distracted by the succubi or the incubi. It's mostly quite easy, though not always. He blushes at some of the comments, but mostly he's trying to ignore them. He'll be presented to them more formally later, and possibly get introduced to a few as well. "Oh, wow. That is pretty big. Have you mapped it all? Is it capable to be mapped?" Does it shift when it wants to, or is more stable than that? Prumathe doesn't really know- he's keeping his eye on Sekhmet and trying very hard to ignore the near-naked succubi nearby.

[Recaiden]

Great Inland Sea

At first the urging forward is only in Hana's heart. But it starts being from the water around, too: a still gentle but unmistakable pull toward the edge. Amusing rivers of silt pick their way among the rocks and flow toward the drop-off. Hana can see now that the sturdy stone edge is rounded, with caps in places that the silt streams though. As she gets closer, she can start to hear distant rumble not unlike a waterfall.

Caroline turns around a few times to try to find the hatchlings. Keiko is still focused on looking for fish and really isn't paying attention.

"Do not go too far without us, children." Steven chides, swimming after Hana. That one at least he can follow. The others he has lost track of. He slowly swims after her, his ponderous size not hampering his speed.

"Hey, look! There's a waterfall, but underwater!" Hanako calls out, thrilled by this weird phenomenon.
She'll amuse herself pushing little rocks into the silt, dipping her claw into the flow, and so on.
Of course, this attracts other hatchlings to

[Diabolic Visitation]

Prumathe will note that Message is still waiting in the room in the hell Palace (unless she went somewhere else). But when he's picked out clothes and changed, Sekhmet will be smiling broadly at him. "You look great. Just a, uh, little addition." She searches through her jewelry to find a golden circlet, not so ornate as her own crown, studded with rubies, and sets it atop Prumathe's head. "There. That's better, right?"

"Yeah, that's a lot better. Thank you, Sekhmet." Prumathe smiles, and will hug his wife.

Message is still here, yes, sitting on the edge of the bed, reading through a bafflingly dense holographic display that she's holding in front of herself. Just using this avatar to get some extra work done while waiting. She idly waves at the lovestruck couple.
"You got him to come! Good work. Just let me know when the celebration starts."

[bc56]

Diabolic Visitation
"There's, uh, no map. The palace can change, but, uh, doesn't usually. Uh, and I'm pretty sure the ruined parts can't do anything until they're, uh, restored." The palace can change as she wants, but she's nice and usually doesn't, but Prumathe hasn't been introduced to the palace demon yet, and given that he didn't know about her at Thanksmas, which happens later, won't meet her during this visit. "I'd like to go check on the ballroom and make sure preparations are going okay." Sekhmet adds as she leads Prumathe down another twisting passage.

[Morty]

[Double Date]

"My name is Batu. Son of Tengal... well, sort of." The hobgoblin shrugs. "It's complicated. I'm a student of sorcery. And an intern in a wizard tower. They don't really use the same kind of magic, but I help out anyway."

[Earl of Purple]

Diabolic Visitation

On hearing there's no map, Prumathe promptly starts to concentrate on ensuring he knows his way back to Sekhmet's bedroom and the portal therein... Only to then be told that it can change, so there's not much point. Still, he's trying to memorise one just in case even if it isn't useful. "So, uh, why was it left disused? Did she have a summer home somewhere stayed at instead?" Or was Sapphira too interested in getting to the mortal realm and trying to get children to maintain the place properly? And how is Sekhmet paying for the repairs, or is it just magic Hell stuff that works on Sekhmet concentrating on it?

[Rebonack]

[Fiendish Staff Meeting]

So the spy mistress is going to get to...

Gather fiendish gossip?

Sort of?

One thing Rose has learned working with Sekhmet is that more often than not Sekhmet doesn't know things.

Like, simple things.

Basic things.

Which is probably a result of her being a shut-in most of her life.

She's pretty sure Sekhmet doesn't know what spymistresses do, generally speaking.

[bc56]

Diabolic Visitation
"Mother was, uh, you know what she was like. She built the palace near the, uh, beginning of her reign, but over time, uh, she killed everyone or chased them out." And so the palace fell into ruin. "Right now, there's more than enough space for everyone here, but, uh, more fiends are slowly coming to join the court." Sekhmet's reputation is spreading.

[Earl of Purple]

Diabolic Visitation

"It sounds like you should maybe think about expanding the place, once you've finished renovating it. Does it cost a lot of money, or is that not something you need to worry about?" Given succubi are immortal unless killed and don't need to eat or drink, they may very well have a money-free society, perhaps some bartering but mostly trading favours.

[bc56]

Diabolic Visitation

"There's, uh, no money. This place just..." Sekhmet reaches out towards the wall, and the stone extends out to her hand, and fills her cupped palm with a spherical protrusion which becomes a juicy red apple before the stone retracts back into a flat wall. "...does whatever I want." She takes a bite out of the apple. "See?"

[Earl of Purple]

Diabolic Visitation

"That is pretty cool." Prumathe is amazed at how the wall became an apple. It probably wouldn't work to feed refugees or escaped slaves, or whatever. It's hell, probably tainted with hell juice or something.

[bc56]

Diabolic Visitation
Sekhmet takes another bite. "I'm glad you think so. It's not real, nothing here really is, but it seems enough like the real thing." She stops at a door. "Okay, the ballroom is through here. Let's see how everything's going." She opens the door.
The large room beyond is made from white marble walls with a polished black marble floor. Light is provided by flows of lava running down the walls at regular intervals, and the ceiling is domed glass revealing the dark sky above, lit by occasional plumes of flame from distant volcanoes. A quartet of succubi dressed in black is gathered at a small stage, nervously tuning stringed instruments. Another group is dragging a long wooden table towards one of the walls, while a third group waits in the wings with trays laden with food (mostly hors d'oeuvres) for the table to be in place. As their queen enters, they all stop and fix their eyes on her expectantly.

[Deathkeeper]

Ukry’s Grove

At the secret entrance to Ukry’s grove there comes a snuffling, bumbling visitor. The familiar sight of a very round sun bear sniffing through the alley that hides the entrance to their lair. Their visitor of course, has seen it be opened but isn’t entirely sure how the transition works.
Also he’s having trouble getting through the alley itself as he’s close to getting himself stuck. But at least it should be obvious that he’s there. How do you miss a bear on your porch (figuratively speaking) making bear-noises? Quiet bear noises because he doesn’t want anyone to call animal control but still.

[Ironsmith]

[Fiendish Staff Meeting]

...Oh.

Actually, that made a lot of sense. As capable as Pan would be at sussing out any trouble within the palace walls, she'd be of limited effectiveness beyond that. Of course Braon was being sent out to cover the absolutely gigantic blind spot that is the rest of Sekhmet's domain.

...Which means she's going to be spending a lot of time traveling, outdoors, in a place called the Scorching Depths, covering an obscene amount of ground and likely still missing most of it. A lot more work for much less reward.

Crap.

...Then again, most of the people out there probably don't even know or care who the reigning queen is. There might not be much to catch in the first place. And it won't be hard to look busy if Sekhmet checks on her. Easy street, really.

Braon gives a reluctant smile and a shrug. "All right. I can handle that, I think."

[bc56]

Fiendish Staff Meeting
"I'll, uh, provide you with protection from heat, uh, food and water, a map, and, uh, anything else you need, within reason." Sekhmet replies. She has a plan for this. It should start out fairly safe and easy for Braon, but there are certain places that would be significantly more dangerous. Once Braon is used to trekking across the wasteland, then Sekhmet can send her to those.