Silly Plots 3: With government backing we can make it very silly

[Gullara]

[Adir's Dream Glade]

"It's safe in here, but your dad doesn't know to look in here," Melissa reasons, pondering their predicament.

Then!

She snaps her fingers as an idea comes to her!

"We could make a sign and put it on the door!" she exclaims. "I know how to write, we just need something to write on and something to write WITH!"

Melissa begins looking around.

Hmm... There's that hunting lodge place with the great big tree growing through it.

Maaaaybe there's something to write on in there?

She isn't sure. She hasn't ever poked around inside another person's dream glade before.

[Adir's Dream Glade]

"Yeah! We need paper..." Cassie turns and looks around, but she knows you don't find paper outside. It gets all dirty. Maybe the house has a drawer of drawing paper like home. "Inside!" She declares before moving purposefully in that direction.

[5a Violista]

Zophiel finds that attitude a little...weird.

"O...kay." She glances over in the direction of where the scream was.

But even though it's weird, it's probably pretty helpful. If everyone else here has this strange indifference to everything except what they're focused on, then that should make this pretty simple. In fact, as long as everyone else is like this gardener, then all she has to do to "sneak" in is act like she's not sneaking, but also act a little lost. Sounds easy enough to do.

And again, if they're like this gardener: most everyone else here will probably not know (or not care about) the other people who are around. So...talking with the gardener wasn't a total loss.

"I'm going to go check in on that. Maybe I'll see you again?" At a roughly-jogging speed, she goes towards the fort to find the source of the scream, hoping it actually has nothing to do with Ririn.

[Recaiden]

The thing you have to understand is that the gardener doesn't like anyone else here. If everyone in that fortress keep meets a horrible end, that means less distractions from gardening.

The fort boasts a large arched door, closed up tight, and a few small slits in the wall where people could look out or shoot at you, if they were so inclined.
I suppose Zophiel could knock?
Set back behind a walkway, there are windows on the left and right. The left has slight signs that someone just climbed up there, in traces of dust and disturbed moss.
One can definitely hear a distant commotion, footsteps and voices, from somewhere inside.

[5a Violista]

Zophiel looks at the windows.
...
Yeah, probably a bedroom, she thinks.

If she climbs into the window, then that could just make things worse. However, if she knocks, maybe she could claim the gardener sent her to check out what was going on? Or something along those lines.

She goes up to the door and knocks. "Hey, anybody there to open it?" she asks. She hopes not everybody is suddenly reacting to whatever caused the scream and commotion.

[Murkus]

[Adir's Dream Glade]

The lodge, which seems at second glance to grow right up out of the ground itself, is unlocked for the two girls. Shafts of sunlight stray in from above. Here lies the dustbin of Adir's neglected memories, his many forgotten dreams. There are weapons on every wall, propped in the corners, left to be claimed by the dust. There is paper in ample supply, stacks and stacks of it, snatches of the waking world recorded by Adir's subconscious. Probably something to do with his ever more cluttered office in their house and the various troubles of being a parent and homeowner. But Cassie doesn't have to worry about any of that yet... and there's much more interesting things to look at!

A wooden statue of mommy and daddy dancing, something she's surely never seen before, except perhaps when they were being very silly. The pictures like windows into memory, with Adir in that strange soldier-man garb again, smiling as he stands among strange people Cassie won't recognize. They seem happy at least, even if a little beat up. There's an awful lot of stuff here from when Adir was a hunter and a soldier instead of a daddy... like he is attached to the one almost as much as the other. Parts of it are covered up, but it's like he comes back to it over and over...

Back and back the lodge stretches. She can see a wood bust of Mommy looking the saddest she's ever been, positively devastated, and the word REMEMBER etched on the base of the thing. They can spy flashes of the world that Adir comes from, a beautiful, untouched place where rivers of light split the sky above an endless green land...

They could probably find more if they looked around, maybe something useful, but they're just here for the paper, right?

[Shadowcaller]

[An Epic Journey]

Willa raises an annoyed eyebrow at the newcomer. No. She walked through the stupid desert, she got someone to negotiate with the gorgon for her stupid wood, she should be on the home stretch. She is not going to get turned off track with sidequests.
But she’s going to keep being polite anyway.
”And what is it that he would have of us? We are in the middle of something very important.” she asks of the emissary.

[An Epic Journey]

Thariza looks between Willa and the newcomer warily. Looks like getting home won't be as simple as that. But it's not up to her, at least for now.

[An Epic Journey]

The presence in the circle turns its attention more closely on Ambrosia. "You presume much, hollow one, but it's no matter. It's not you with whom I deal." The smoke coalesces into a face with more discernible features, yet they leave no real impression in the mind. "You smell strange. Familiar. Old." It muses.

In the meantime, the messenger bows his head. "I apologize for inconveniencing you. Perhaps we can settle the matter here and now, then, though my lord will be most disappointed." He straightens and holds out his hand. "Simply hand over the wood you retrieved and you'll be free to go on your way."

[An Epic Journey]

Corvus frowns, crossing his arms over his chest. He growls low in his throat for a moment.

"And what makes you think you can stop us from leaving?"

[An Epic Journey]

The scholar looks at the angel but still betrays no form of emotional response to its presence. Do I? Then I must be truly ancient if that's coming for a sacred angel. But I have to disappoint you I'm afraid. If I were comparable to you, I wouldn't need your help would I? So perhaps we should discuss your toll instead. As a scholar knowledge is the currency of my trade, though I'm open to alternatives.

[Deathkeeper]

[An Epic Journey]

Willa holds up a hand to stop Corvus. For now. Though she clearly doesn’t have much patience for this either and is only entertaining the messenger because Ambrosia needs to negotiate with the angel.
”Unfortunately I do not have what you seek. I have not procured what I was looking for, only someone who might supply my employer with it. So I’m afraid I cannot give you what I never found.” She’s telling the whole truth. But she doesn’t expect him to accept that answer.

[Rebonack]

[Adir's Dream Glade]

They're just here for paper. And digging too deep feels kind of...

Mean.

Like reading someone's journal.

Melissa wouldn't want someone reading her journal so she isn't going to read someone else's private thoughts. It just wouldn't be right!

Instead, she gathers up a little armful of paper and begins scrounging around for something to write with. She pauses briefly at the statue of the dancing grownups, though.

"Is that your mom?" she asks, pointing at the woman with flowers in her hair.

Melissa's parents are comparatively normal.

Just plain old humans! Her mom works at an insurance place and her dad works at a hospital. Cassie's dad seems like he has a really exciting job.

[Morty]

[An Epic Journey]

"Your bargaining position doesn't look too great from where I'm standing," Thariza says, casually, her tail swishing behind her. Still, she's certain that he's got more up his sleeve than it seems. He wouldn't talk big otherwise.

[Recaiden]

Zophiel looks at the windows.
...
Yeah, probably a bedroom, she thinks.

If she climbs into the window, then that could just make things worse. However, if she knocks, maybe she could claim the gardener sent her to check out what was going on? Or something along those lines.

She goes up to the door and knocks. "Hey, anybody there to open it?" she asks. She hopes not everybody is suddenly reacting to whatever caused the scream and commotion.

It could be any sort of room!

Zophiel is rewarded with a gruff voice saying "Who in the hells are you?!" from over the door.

[5a Violista]

So...
not as oblivious as the gardener? That's unfortunate.

She decides to try to sidestep the question: "Um...I was just getting water for the gardener," she says, audibly turning and pointing at the gardener. (How is it possible to audibly turn and point at someone? Well, basically, you just turn away from the person you're speaking with so that your voice sounds quieter and a little more muffled for a moment. That's...it.)

"We heard a scream so I was sent here to make sure everything was alright." Please work, please work, she thinks. She'd much rather not fight her way in, because even attempted-sneaking is better than that.

[Recaiden]

"Uh-huh. You really gotta stop helping that loser with- wait a minute. You're not-"
The guy who is not as oblivious as the gardener curses quietly and seems to head away from the door at a run.

Faintly, distantly, the crack of breaking glass, an angry voice going quiet.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Felix's Tower]

There's a little gleam in Felix's eyes as he tucks his chair back in, rolls up his sleeves, and starts walking up the spiral in the tower, beckoning for Krayger to follow him. "Whatever you want, Krayger. Whatever you want." He chuckles.

Up and up they go, further up the tower than Felix has taken him before.

Eventually he stops and opens up a door, revealing a large wood-floored room with several workbenches neatly arranged around the room. At one end, a variety of cupboards, draws, and pigeonholes contain all manner of tools for all manner of construction projects, be it woodworking, smithing, shaping clay, and possibly some more arcane manners of construction...but those are probably for advance lessons.

"I believe I once mentioned I was quite good at golemancy. And I think this might be just the thing for you. A lot of what makes a golem is, well, how you make it. While a bigger surge of magic in the animation process can lead to a more intelligent golem capable of receiving more complicated commands, I reckon you'll be able to make something very capable, very quickly. So...take your pick. What would you most like to make your golem out of?"

[Deathkeeper]

[Felix's Tower]

Krayger looks around the room, eyeing the supplies. He thinks for only a moment before replying, "Well, most of my crafting knowledge is with stonework and carpentry. Despite the aesthetic appeal I know nothing of smithing. So wood is likely the safest option for me." Though he might need a change of clothes regardless. Good thing he brought his bag.

[5a Violista]

Zophiel sighs.
She really wishes he had finished that sentence. Then, at least, she could know what to expect.

She moves away from the door - and its slits - to give herself time to decide what to do in case he comes back with crossbows. The door's probably locked - and even if it isn't, it'll be watched now. She's boiled it down to two...no, four options.

She could climb through the left window - the one that the hero seems to have climbed through. Pro: more likely to encounter Ririn, probably has obstacles cleared. Con: more likely to encounter other people on high alert, too.
She could climb through the right window - which lacks both the pros and the cons of the previous.
She could stay out here and wait for someone to come out - possible that it could help, but she might be waiting until Ririn comes back out, or maybe she'll get ambushed by people.
Finally, she could go back to the gardener to try to get help in, but...considering the door-guard's attitude and the gardener's personality, it seems likely all that will do is waste time.

She decides she'll peer inside the window - the one on the left, with moss and dust removed. Maybe with more information, then she'll be better able to decide. She goes there and pulls herself up just enough to look inside the room.

[Gullara]

[Adir's Dream Glade]

The lodge, which seems at second glance to grow right up out of the ground itself, is unlocked for the two girls. Shafts of sunlight stray in from above. Here lies the dustbin of Adir's neglected memories, his many forgotten dreams. There are weapons on every wall, propped in the corners, left to be claimed by the dust. There is paper in ample supply, stacks and stacks of it, snatches of the waking world recorded by Adir's subconscious. Probably something to do with his ever more cluttered office in their house and the various troubles of being a parent and homeowner. But Cassie doesn't have to worry about any of that yet... and there's much more interesting things to look at!

A wooden statue of mommy and daddy dancing, something she's surely never seen before, except perhaps when they were being very silly. The pictures like windows into memory, with Adir in that strange soldier-man garb again, smiling as he stands among strange people Cassie won't recognize. They seem happy at least, even if a little beat up. There's an awful lot of stuff here from when Adir was a hunter and a soldier instead of a daddy... like he is attached to the one almost as much as the other. Parts of it are covered up, but it's like he comes back to it over and over...

Back and back the lodge stretches. She can see a wood bust of Mommy looking the saddest she's ever been, positively devastated, and the word REMEMBER etched on the base of the thing. They can spy flashes of the world that Adir comes from, a beautiful, untouched place where rivers of light split the sky above an endless green land...

They could probably find more if they looked around, maybe something useful, but they're just here for the paper, right?

[Adir's Dream Glade]

They're just here for paper. And digging too deep feels kind of...

Mean.

Like reading someone's journal.

Melissa wouldn't want someone reading her journal so she isn't going to read someone else's private thoughts. It just wouldn't be right!

Instead, she gathers up a little armful of paper and begins scrounging around for something to write with. She pauses briefly at the statue of the dancing grownups, though.

"Is that your mom?" she asks, pointing at the woman with flowers in her hair.

Melissa's parents are comparatively normal.

Just plain old humans! Her mom works at an insurance place and her dad works at a hospital. Cassie's dad seems like he has a really exciting job.

[Adir's Dream Glade]

Cassie clamours up onto a chair in front of a desk, a very familiar action. She's done this a lot while poking around daddy's office. She grabs onto a couple pens before her attention is drawn by Melissa's question. "Mmhm, that's mommy." She confirms.

[An Epic Journey]

The scholar looks at the angel but still betrays no form of emotional response to its presence. Do I? Then I must be truly ancient if that's coming for a sacred angel. But I have to disappoint you I'm afraid. If I were comparable to you, I wouldn't need your help would I? So perhaps we should discuss your toll instead. As a scholar knowledge is the currency of my trade, though I'm open to alternatives.

[An Epic Journey]

Willa holds up a hand to stop Corvus. For now. Though she clearly doesn’t have much patience for this either and is only entertaining the messenger because Ambrosia needs to negotiate with the angel.
”Unfortunately I do not have what you seek. I have not procured what I was looking for, only someone who might supply my employer with it. So I’m afraid I cannot give you what I never found.” She’s telling the whole truth. But she doesn’t expect him to accept that answer.

[An Epic Journey]

"Your bargaining position doesn't look too great from where I'm standing," Thariza says, casually, her tail swishing behind her. Still, she's certain that he's got more up his sleeve than it seems. He wouldn't talk big otherwise.

[An Epic Journey]

"You are persistent, aren't you." The presence becomes a bit more murky again.

Meanwhile, the newcomer shakes his head. "Disappointing." He shakes his head solemnly. "I regret we couldn't come to an amiable arrangement. But perhaps I can convince you still. My bargaining position is perhaps better than you believe."

Just then the air shimmers in the heat. More beings come into sight. Next to him are two more men, dressed similarly if less ostentatiously than him. Two more pairs of men stand at the other sides of the area. Each man has spectral chains connecting them to one of three monsters. They are great snakes that tower over the men. At the end of each of their necks are not a single head, but eight. The one accompanying the leader fixes its sixteen eyes on the group and the heads hiss in unison. Electricity crackles between its fangs and arcs to the ground. Accompanying the reveal a dry wind picks up and dark clouds begin to form in the sky.

"The wood, if you please." Their leader asks, a hard edge to his voice now.

In front of Ambrosia, the being in the circle has its attention drawn away. The men from the city are putting on quite the display with their monsters after all. "Perhaps we can come to an arrangement." It muses. "Willa, I have an offer. In exchange for passage for your entire party." It says calmly.

[Nova_Eclipse]

[An Epic Journey]

Corvus subsides for a moment when Willa holds up her hand, but shakes his head when the man reveals the forces with him. While he's sure he could probably defeat them all, he's far less certain he'd be able to do it before Willa or one of the others might be captured or killed. He could, however, take the leader hostage.....but no, perhaps Willa has a better way to deal with this. Perhaps the angel can transport them all before they have a chance to do anything. He looks to Willa and raises an eyebrow, but says nothing, his expression somewhere between worried and amused.

[Deathkeeper]

[An Epic Journey]

Willa is fairly sure that between Corvus and the cat-monster that this plan is unlikely to go well for them. She’s still angry about being threatened over something she doesn’t even have. Her staff twirls in her hand.
”I. Literally. Don’t. Have. It. You. Dunce.” she hisses at the man.

To the being in the circle she merely calls, ”Well, name your price, then.”

[Recaiden]

Zophiel sighs.
She really wishes he had finished that sentence. Then, at least, she could know what to expect.

She moves away from the door - and its slits - to give herself time to decide what to do in case he comes back with crossbows. The door's probably locked - and even if it isn't, it'll be watched now. She's boiled it down to two...no, four options.

She could climb through the left window - the one that the hero seems to have climbed through. Pro: more likely to encounter Ririn, probably has obstacles cleared. Con: more likely to encounter other people on high alert, too.
She could climb through the right window - which lacks both the pros and the cons of the previous.
She could stay out here and wait for someone to come out - possible that it could help, but she might be waiting until Ririn comes back out, or maybe she'll get ambushed by people.
Finally, she could go back to the gardener to try to get help in, but...considering the door-guard's attitude and the gardener's personality, it seems likely all that will do is waste time.

She decides she'll peer inside the window - the one on the left, with moss and dust removed. Maybe with more information, then she'll be better able to decide. She goes there and pulls herself up just enough to look inside the room.

The sound of breaking glass continues, and then, newly added, the swishing of blades and whisper of gossamer.

Zophiel climbs up to the window and sees...not a bedroom. A store-room, perhaps? There's lots of barrels and buckets, and a couple tables and chairs.
It has two doors, one heading towards that balcony over the door, the other leading deeper into the fortress, which is only dimly lit by the sunlight that manages to get in. Ririn clearly went deeper into the fortress.

[5a Violista]

The sound of breaking glass continues, and then, newly added, the swishing of blades and whisper of gossamer.

Zophiel climbs up to the window and sees...not a bedroom. A store-room, perhaps? There's lots of barrels and buckets, and a couple tables and chairs.
It has two doors, one heading towards that balcony over the door, the other leading deeper into the fortress, which is only dimly lit by the sunlight that manages to get in. Ririn clearly went deeper into the fortress.

Maybe the other window...? she wonders.

She lowers herself. No, maybe following along the same path as Ririn will actually be better: if she went this way, she'd be drawing all the people towards her. Easier to follow, etc.

She raises herself up again, and climbs into the store-room. Just buckets and barrels, though? She doesn't have a weapon...maybe a bucket might help. She grabs a bucket, and then quietly moves farther in - leading to another decision. Balcony, or deeper in? This, too, is a fairly simple decision: going deeper in might lead to being spotted immediately. If she's going that way, Zophiel would have to wait a bit longer for potential people to move away from the hallway (or whatever's through that door).

So she instead goes towards the door that'll lead to that balcony: she slowly opens that door, hoping it doesn't creak, and looks through it.

[Recaiden]

The door is opened slowly enough to not creak. Beyond it is a short hallway with a pair of hanging lamps (neither lit) and then an archway that leads out onto the balcony. From the balcony, the situation is mirrored; that other arch must lead to the window Zophiel didn't choose.
The door at the end of that other hallway starts to open. Slowly, although it still creaks a little bit.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Felix's Tower]

"Wood it is!" Felix claps his hands (and claps a bone between them in the process), and the room comes to life for a moment, as an array of woodworker's tools and a variety of types of wood float their way over to arrange themselves neatly on one of the workbenches. "Now, the thing to remember with golemancy is that it is something of an art. The more personality you put into a piece, the better you'll find the result is at the end. We don't need to concern ourselves with joints or structure, merely what you perceive your ideal golem looking like. Does that make sense?"

[Deathkeeper]

[Felix's Tower]

Krayer examines the tools, picking each one up and putting it back down in turn.
"Um. Well. Usually when I build anything I'm building well...bridges. Ramps. Scaffolds. Structure is mostly what I'm good at. Would I just whittle something? I'm not used to being..artsy." He's always considered himself an engineer and not an architect.

[5a Violista]

Oh

Zophiel suddenly stops opening the door and lets go of it.
She can't close it - that'd probably make it creak. Then, whoever is opening the other door would hear it and would know Zophiel's there before she can find who is opening the door. Probably the hero, she assumes, but it'd be good to know for sure - especially since it sounds like Ririn already sneaked farther in.

She backs away from the open door and moves to the side of the doorframe, waiting for the other person to make their move.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Felix's Tower]

"Then build it in a way that suits you." Felix replies with a patient smile. "What it looks like does not matter. How it's shaped does not matter. How many pieces it's in does not matter, as long as you join them all together at the end. And who knows? Perhaps your typical mage misses a trick by focusing too much on making it look nice. The most important thing, is that you make something that you can be proud of. Oh, but it probably would be best to keep things a little simple for now, so I'd recommend making something with two arms, two legs, and so forth."

[Recaiden]

It's not the hero coming through the opposite door.

It's a big guy with a bushy graying mustache, dressed for cold weather, holding a loaded crossbow in one hand and a large satchel in the other. He shuts the door behind him, turned to make sure no one has followed him. Then he turns round and notices that the other door, the Zophiel door, is open.
That's not a good sign.
"Hello?" he asks in a heavy whisper.

[5a Violista]

Zophiel doesn't say anything.
She just leaves the door open and stays to the side of the door frame.

She raises the empty bucket that she picked up, and holds it close to her.

She holds her breath, waiting...

...waiting...

...waiting for the crossbow to pass through the door - she assumes it will go first, because people usually put their weapons first. Once that happens, she'll raise the bucket so it goes in front and up against the crossbow, to stop the bolt. And then, she'll move her hands to try to wrest the weapon away from the guy.

[Morty]

[An Epic Journey]

Thariza plants her feet firmly in place, reaching for the bow on her back, but not unholstering it yet. She'd really rather not fight... all of this, so maybe someone has a plan to either end this without a fight or run away. She doesn't want to find out of this death will stick.

[Shadowcaller]

[An Epic Journey]

Ambrosia glances at Willa and then at what she assumed to be a merchant. A merchant with quite an aggressive way of bargain. Then she finally looks at the creatures. Very interesting...

But regardless of these two different froms of negotiations she was confident that Corvus and Willa could handle them. Each in their own way. And in the worst case scenario she could always 'cheat'.

The scholar nods to Willa and Crovus, signaling her confidence in their way to deal with this.

[Gullara]

[An Epic Journey]

"If you truly don't have it, then you know how to get it. Either way, my purpose will be served." The man replies. He signals to the two other groups and they begin to advance with their monster.

"Simply break the circle. I'll deal with this problem and we can be on our way." The presence offers calmly.

The clouds in the sky have gotten quite angry and dark in mere moments. Lightning strikes the ground a short ways away and the boom of thunder is deafening. Their foes seem entirely unconcerned by the sudden storm.