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calderaevents ([personal profile] calderaevents) wrote in [community profile] calderamemes2024-11-29 12:00 am
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TDM #4



ARRIVAL

It happens in an instant. A heavy weight in your gut, a trembling of your limbs, the world spins and you barely have time to register that you're falling before you lose consciousness. And when you awaken, it's not where you were last. Dark, unadorned oak walls surround you in a tiny room, the only furniture the bed you are currently resting upon, and the bedside table with a folded piece of parchment resting atop it that simply reads:

“The Tavernkeeper is awaiting your arrival downstairs.”

As you exit you find others like yourself emerging from the surrounding rooms. You are indeed in a tavern, but there is no hustle and bustle one might think to hear in such a place. The only person down on the main floor is a humanoid figure wiping down the bar, who smiles when they see you. They're familiar, but not, and you can't quite place their face. For some reason, however, their presence is comforting and warm.

“Welcome, Visitor. I'm sure you have a lot of questions.

And you most certainly do.

Due to popular demand, the starter tavern and the drinks provided are available to in game characters via a portal accessible only to those with a faction gem.

DRINK MENU
WINTER'S WHISPER A fragrant spiced tea that calms the nerves and inspires the drinker to share their hopes and dreams.

JINGLE BELL A crisp, bright drink...that makes jingling bell sounds as you walk. There are no bells, and yet you jingle.

S(LAY) RIDE This drink has an earthy, woody taste. Almost as woody as the tavern floor it forces you to lie down upon. You cannot get up unless someone else helps you.

MISTLETOE MEAD Made with honey from enchanted bee hives and a touch of mistletoe leaves. Time to find a smoochin' partner!

HOLLY JOLLY SPICE A bold and fiery blend of rum, cinnamon, and cloves with a secret twist—just a dash of enchanted holly berry syrup that makes your cheeks flush with warmth and your laughter contagious. One sip, and you're the life of the party, even if you're by yourself.

CANDY CANE CRUSH A festive burst of minty sweetness with a cool, refreshing sensation that tingles the tongue. The drinker’s mood subtly shifts the color of their surroundings, briefly changing the hues of objects or lights in the room to match their feelings.

GINGERBREAD MAN A thick drink that tastes exactly like a gingerbread cookie. However, candy and other delicious accents start appearing on you as if YOU were the cookie. Is that icing on your nose? Candied cherries in your hair? Gumdrop buttons? But on the bright side, free candy!

CHOOSE YOUR DESTINY

As the effects of your drink wear off, the Tavernkeeper speaks once more:

”It is time, my friends, for you to find your new homes.”


You are compelled to walk through the only door leading out of the tavern, finding yourself not outside, but in a deep black, seemingly endless room with five portals arranged in a circle. As the last of you leave and the door closes behind you, gone when you look back again and replaced with nothing but that black void, three of the portals illuminate:

The first portal is surrounded by an almost blinding light, prismatic rainbows shining brightly in the dewy air outside of the tavern. A soft breeze may gently caress you, pulling you toward it. The portal seems to lead to a city in the clouds, airships and winged beings of all sorts soaring through the skies. Of the little bits of visible land, much of it boasts giant waterfalls that look like clouds melting into the land below. The portal calls to those who crave independence and freedom; and especially to anyone that wishes to find the strong bond of a family not forged in blood.

The second portal is encircled by a fairy ring of spotted white capped mushrooms, the faint scent of damp stone and rich earth wafting from within the faint green glow. Peering inside, one can see a sprawling harbor city of gray hewn stone, a melting pot of humanoid beings going about their day, and beyond, rolling green farmland and cottages clustered in small villages. This portal is destined for those who crave stability and solid ground beneath their feet. A simple life, an adventurous one, and everything in between can be found within.

The last portal is adorned with shells and seaweed, the glow of blue around it catching on droplets cascading down the circular opening. Beyond it you see a city housed inside a massive bubble deep under the ocean, spiraling towers encrusted with coral, and a variety of different creatures mingling about the streets. Outside of that bubble, merfolk swim, a massive squid engulfs the view from the portal as it smoothly glides through the water, and schools of fish disperse as it passes. A sanctuary in the sea that calls to those with a hunger for knowledge and a desire to aid those in need. Or perhaps it is the mystery that beckons you - the lure of the unknown in the depths that bids you explore it.
Upon following the pull of the breeze through the first portal, you are thrust into the beauty of a lively city that goes by the name of Heaven's Bow. Much of this main city feels exactly as you would expect on a city below, but there are clouds surrounding every direction you look. The walls of buildings are made with light-colored limestone, and buildings are generally built up to heights made even more grandiose by their position in the sky.

The Skyfall Docks are the first thing you notice, boasting hundreds of airships sailing in and out across the clouds with shouts that accompany a typical port city. Just outside is a fantastic market with goods not only from the other regions of Caldera, but from what some shopkeepers claim are other worlds--items sold or left behind by Visitors. Almost anything can be found in the markets if one is willing to look hard enough. Transport to other locations throughout the sky and even to the land or sea can be found here.

If the docks are too lively for you, you may instead find yourself roaming the underbelly of Heaven's Bow and finding brothels and gambling parlors filled with the promise of pleasure and fortune. The guild house for the Sylphs can be found here as well, giving out quests and training to prospective adventurers and guards alike--though none of them seem concerned with the illicit activities that surround them. Perhaps the freedom the Sylphs boast of extends to what others may deem an undesirable activity.

But most curious of all, you find a shimmering opal gemstone in your hand. When placed anywhere on the body, it will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.


If it was the second portal that called to you, you will find yourself in the busy city of Grey Ward, with its cobblestone streets and sturdy grey stone buildings. You are in the heart of the city, the Glass Market, so named for the colorful stained glass windows of the surrounding buildings. The scent of cooking food and the sound of barkers fills the air; watchful guards keep an eye out for pickpockets and thieves, and citizens go about their day. From here, one can investigate the rest of the city: the Sundown Docks, where both sea and sky faring skips transport people and goods. The Soot Spire, home of inventors and engineers. The Hearthstill, the main residential area. The Downs, a smaller residential area for those with less means.

Outside the city walls, one can explore acres of farmlands to the east and west, or follow Terra’s Pass to the less settled areas, but take care. Past the Skyward Range, out in the smaller burrows and villages, the influence of the city guard diminishes quickly, and you’ll have to keep your wits about you. Bandits along the road are always a risk, and the wildlife are less controlled by regimented hunting.

In your hand is a gemstone, a brilliantly green emerald that, when placed anywhere on the body, will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.



If the last portal beckoned you through it, you find yourself within that bubble covered city beneath the sea, the city of Salt Spire. Your ears pop with the change in pressure, and the smell of the salty sea fills your nostrils. All around you buildings made of dark stone encrusted with coral and seagrass tower high above your head, the backdrop outside the dome a deep blue, seemingly endless sea filled with fish and merfolk and all other manner of creature swimming through the water. You stand in the heart of it all, surrounded by people with gils on their necks and scales upon their vibrantly colored skin, all of whom seem intrigued by your arrival. You have many options of where to visit in the city under the sea, but where oh where will you go first?

The Salt Spire Library is right before you, an impossibly large building housing thousands upon thousands of books of all genres. Fiction, non-fiction, romance and mystery and all between. You may even find books from your world and others! Oddly enough though, no Calderan history books are to be found, and if you ask for them, the librarians and locals all choose to ignore your questions.

If scholarly pursuits aren't to your interest currently, perhaps a trip to Bluetide Market would be more your style? The marketplace is host to every manner of shop one might ever need: artisans of all varieties, apothecaries and healers in the Shimmer Quarter, the most in fashion undersea clothing shops, food stalls, and all between can be found in Bluetide. There are also the Tideshore and Fogbottom docks on either end of the city. The former allows transport to the surface via large, magical bubbles for those that cannot hold their breath or make the swim themselves yet. The latter allows people to venture further into the sea. Those without their underwater abilities are offered rebreathers for travel that last for four hours before needing to be replaced.

In your hand is a gemstone, a shining sapphire that, when placed anywhere on the body, will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.



Visitors in all starter cities are offered a standard home with basic necessities provided (your choice in design, etc.) that can house 1-4 people if they so choose. Home upgrades can be purchased via rewards.

FANNING THE FLAMES
The renewed seething of the lava flows brought on by the tempestuous events deep below the sea seem to have been dealt with, though city guards have been stationed around the crater and are barring anyone from approaching to investigate any further than the outskirts. Interestingly, not only does the crater seem calm, it appears to be changing. Any remaining lava flow is being directed as if by unseen hands, and when the light catches just right, the barest hint of a shimmer can be detected surrounding the glowing rivers. New rock formations take shape as the days pass, though one never can catch the presence of a mason working on the structures. It's as if something intangible or invisible is repairing what was broken, turning what was previously chaos and ruin into order and life.
SEASON OF LIGHT
The world remains unsettled, still bearing the scars of the trials endured just a month prior, not to mention the oddities happening with the volcanic crater and the ominous shadows creeping in from the sea continue to haunt the collective psyche, leaving both locals and visitors on constant edge, fearful of a sudden, unprovoked assault. Despite these lingering anxieties, the leaders have publicly reassured all that calm has been restored. They claim that the worst is behind them and that every measure is being taken to prevent such devastating magics from ever threatening Salt Spire again. The protective bubble holds, new Undine are being ushered into their roles, and the world, it is said, is slowly healing. Or so they claim.

Whether or not the assurances of the leaders ring entirely true, life, as it often does, presses on. The people of Caldera have once again immersed themselves in the comforting bustle of distraction, turning their attention to the imminent Season of Lights celebrations. This holiday, it seems, bears a striking resemblance to the festive cheer of Christmas (and a mix of new years), with gifts exchanged in abundance and decorations of shimmering silver and radiant blue casting their glow across the sky, sea, and land in harmonious splendor.

One of the seasons's highlights is the grand Feast of the Sky, a night when the people gather beneath a star-filled canopy to exchange gifts—ornate trinkets, hand-crafted items, and tokens of affection that carry deep personal meaning. In the days leading up to the feast, a tradition of "Lightwalking" emerges, where families and friends embark on midnight strolls through streets aglow with lanterns, singing carols and sharing stories of hope and renewal. Sea-going vessels, too, partake in the festivities, their sails and riggings festooned with glowing orbs that drift like stars across the waters.

The Season of Lights is, above all, a celebration of resilience, a time when the people of Caldera set aside their worries, if only for a little while, to bask in the glow of community, generosity, and the promise of brighter days ahead thanks to the Visitor's arrival...
THE GRAND MASQUERADE
Another highlight of the season is the Grand Masquerade that unfolds high above the world in Heaven’s Bow, the floating city where the wind dances in the sky and the stars seem close enough to touch. The event is more than just a celebration of the Season of Lights—it’s a gathering of hope, a last-ditch effort to save Caldera from its slow unraveling. Here, among the clouds and the wind, the people of Caldera and the mysterious Visitors from other worlds come together in a shimmering, ethereal celebration, their faces hidden behind elaborate masks and appropriately fancy dress provided when one steps through the threshold of the castle gates.

The palace at the heart of Heaven’s Bow is a breathtaking sight, its walls adorned with silver and blue decorations that catch the light from thousands of lanterns floating in mid-air. The atmosphere is both jubilant and tense, a world on the brink of collapse holding its breath in the hopes that this fleeting night will offer a glimmer of salvation. The sky above is painted with the colors of dusk and dawn, swirling in a palette of purples, blues, and silvers.

Sylphs—the free-spirited, airborn people of the Sky—flutter about, their wings glinting in the light, performing acrobatic feats in the air, their laughter and music mingling with the sounds of the celebration. Guests, their masks intricate and stunning, move among the crowd, exchanging pleasantries and stories, some joining in the dances while others linger near the grand tables, laden with food and drink from every corner of Caldera and beyond.

As the night unfolds, the guests find themselves drawn into different corners of the event—each space offering the Visitors a chance to prove themselves worthy of the leaders’ favor. There is no shortage of opportunities to learn, grow, and, perhaps, change the course of this dying world.
THE SKY'S ASCENSION



At one end of the palace's terrace, a floating platform hovers above the clouds, surrounded by shifting air currents. Sylphs glide effortlessly through the space, their wings leaving trails of light as they move to the lively music, which seems written by the wind itself.

Aella, Admiral of the Slyph, stands at the center of the platform, her cloak of shimmering feathers rippling in the breeze. She surveys the crowd, inviting those brave enough to take part in her challenge. Before them, a maze of floating platforms stretches out, some wide and stable, others narrow and swaying in the wind. The task is simple: leap from one platform to the next, navigating the shifting air and ever-changing obstacles.

The platforms move unpredictably, some rising higher, others sinking, and a few disappearing entirely. Guests must time their jumps perfectly, balancing agility with timing as they avoid falling into the clouds below.

Those who succeed will earn Aella’s favor (in the form of 100 Bones and a single white feather). And those who falter will simply reappear the start of the challenge to begin anew or give up with no repercussions for the latter save perhaps a bit of embarrassment.
THE SEA'S SECRETS
On the other side of the terrace, a serene water garden unfolds, its shimmering pools reflecting the stars above. Water flows in delicate, endless cascades, filling the air with a soft, soothing melody that mingles with the distant sound of waves. The Undines, graceful and serene beings of the Sea, glide effortlessly through the space, their robes flowing like gentle currents, their movements as fluid as the water itself.

Cordelia, Queen of the Sea, stands quietly on a raised platform at the edge of the garden, her presence calm and powerful. Her eyes, deep and unfathomable, seem to reflect the vastness of the ocean, and though she watches the guests, she does not engage with them. Her stillness holds an air of mystery, as if she is both present and yet unreachable.

The Undines move silently through the garden, offering peaceful company to those who wander nearby. The garden is a place of contemplation, where guests can simply pause and connect with the tranquil beauty of the water—its soothing flow, its quiet depths, and its promise of renewal. There are no tests or challenges here, only the peace of the Sea to calm the mind and soul.

Those who linger may feel the weight of ancient knowledge in the air, a silent understanding of the oceans' mysteries and the healing power of water. In this place, the answers are not spoken, but felt—a quiet reminder that some of the world’s deepest truths are best discovered in moments of stillness.

As the evening fades, those who have found solace in the garden’s stillness will discover, tucked gently in their palm, a lustrous pearl. Unlike any found on the shores, this pearl is soft and warm, its surface shimmering with an inner light. It is a symbol of the wisdom that comes from quiet reflection—the knowledge that some things, like the depth of the sea, cannot be rushed.
THE LAND'S EMBRACE



In the heart of the palace gardens, beneath a canopy of flowering trees, the Dryads drift gracefully among the guests, their earthy skin glowing with life and their eyes bright with the vitality of nature. The air is thick with the scent of blooming roses and jasmine, while the ground beneath the guests' feet pulses with a quiet energy, inviting them to pause and feel the garden’s magic.

Terra, the Lady of the Land, stands at the center, her form adorned in living vines and blossoms, moving as if the garden itself flows through her. Her presence is both nurturing and fierce, a silent invitation to those seeking connection—to the land, to love, and to one another.

Guests are drawn to the tranquil beauty of the garden, stealing soft moments with their partners among the flowers. Lovers exchange quiet glances, touch petals with gentle fingers, and share unspoken promises beneath the soft glow of lanterns. The garden hums with romance, as if the earth itself is blessing these tender moments, offering the quiet assurance that love—like the land—can grow in the most unexpected places.

As the night draws to a close, Terra’s gentle power is felt in the air, and for those who have taken the time to connect with the garden’s beauty, a soft gift of nature is bestowed. A flower—unique and radiant—appears in their hand, a token of love and growth, a reminder that even the briefest moments can take root and blossom into something everlasting.
QUESTBOARD [NEW QUESTS ADDED]

Settled in? Good. It's time to make your way to the Questboard located in every city in numerous, easy to access locations. That is, if you want to make any kind of impact on the world or just get some Bones for anything you might wish to purchase. Visitors are given a very small stipend in which to survive every month, but all it does is keep you fed and housed. These quests will assure you greater wealth, and they're the main reason you're here: each finished quest helps the Calderans fix their shattering world.

Quests can be accepted at the questboard via magically signed parchment upon the board. Just sign your name to accept and the paper will be whisked away... somewhere. You're not actually sure. Probably nothing to concern yourself with.

Once quests are completed, earned Bones will be dropped off at the character's residence by Bonita, the mysterious artisan who has supposedly handcrafted every Bone circulating in Caldera. Please do not speak to her, she startles easily.
OOC NOTES
Welcome to Caldera's fourth TDM! All characters awaken in a strange tavern with nothing save the clothes on their backs, all of their powers stripped, and a piece of parchment directing them downstairs to the Tavernkeeper. There is a thread of all questions answered by the Tavernkeeper here, and if you have more, feel free to ask there for what would be offered ICly.

For OOC questions, please direct themhere.

All locations are available to be explored!

The TDM is game canon and all completed quests can be carried over once accepted into the game.

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spellblade: (a greater woman stays cool)

ii

[personal profile] spellblade 2024-12-31 05:33 am (UTC)(link)
Oh you wanted a quiet moment to contemplate the vastness of the sky or some other such nonsense? Too bad, Solas. You're not getting that. You're getting a hand grabbing your shoulder and pulling, and then a fist aimed directly at your stupid lying face. Both of which belong to a furious Dalish woman that answers to the name Rook. "That's for Varric, you son of a bitch," Maribel spat, the breath just heaving out of her with the suffocating, overwhelming rage she'd had to deal with since arrival. Since realizing the depths of the betrayal and her own blindness to it. She couldn't decide whether to feel enraged that the ruling powers of this place would drag him here, make her have to see his smug face everywhere, or be grateful for the opportunity to deck him.
dreamflowers: (16883965)

god i'm sorry for the late. trying to catch up on everything.

[personal profile] dreamflowers 2024-12-31 05:53 am (UTC)(link)
Sensing the derision in his tone, Jade just shrugs. "Whatever you wanna call it, buddy."

Honestly, she's had people make significantly worse assumptions about her -- most wrong, others right.

"I'm sure there're some who are invested enough to kill some monsters and save some kids outta the goodness of their hearts. But money often helps keep one going so they can continue doing those things, yeah?" Jade shrugs, shameless in her logic. "As for the creatures... Last I checked, they were giant spider people. Not something I would go up against without being properly equipped or accompanied."
dreamflowers: (out here living my best life)

[personal profile] dreamflowers 2024-12-31 05:56 am (UTC)(link)
There was a time in which Jade was more reserve about her scars. These days, she's gotten more shameless about them, less inclined to cover them up. And while she's seen the look on Kaede's face just then, Jade also catches that it wasn't about the scars but something else.

Something she is all too familiar with.

"Means it was a compliment," Jade says simply, guiding Kaede into the dance.

Or trying to.
dreamflowers: (16859918)

[personal profile] dreamflowers 2024-12-31 05:59 am (UTC)(link)
Seeing Kainé's gears shift in real time was almost enough to give Jade whiplash, but she can roll with it.

"Well, maybe not completely shitfaced. I'm an embarrassing drunk. I'll either try to fight everyone or kiss 'em."

It could go either way here.
goethbeforethefall: (is that people try to put things in it)

[personal profile] goethbeforethefall 2024-12-31 06:00 am (UTC)(link)
Solas hears her approach, feet in the snow, a rapid step, but he turns his head only too late; she has him. Were he capable of magic, were the Fade not stripped from him, were he armed and armored— Ah, but he is not. He whirls with Rook's expert technique, and catches the brunt of her fist without even the ability to turn into the force. It is a beautiful punch, well-formed, and all the weight and strength of shoulder and hips drive him to the ground in one single, marvelous blow.

That is going to leave a bruise.

Stunned, Solas lies there for a moment, briefly contemplating every mistake he's ever made beginning, yes, with Varric's death. He doesn't get much farther than that, of course; the list is long, and Rook is unlikely to give him time.

"Fair enough," He grunts, half-scrambling as he pushes himself up out of the wet powder. Helpless he may be, magicless in a way that makes him wish for nothing so much as to weep and scream, but if he is going to be beaten to death on the street then he will at least not go down without a fight, "Ah, Rook. Of course it would be you. You are continuously surprising."

Case in point: the situation he now finds himself in. And also every other situation Rook keeps finding him in. He really wishes this woman were dead.
goethbeforethefall: (Default)

[personal profile] goethbeforethefall 2024-12-31 06:40 am (UTC)(link)
"No. I am from a land called Thedas," He replies, a subtle mistruth, though close enough, "Though you are not the first to speak to me of Faerûn, I will hope that the mighty of your world may learn better than to underestimate your people."

He does not know what a gnome is, except that the man before him is one. But today has already held many such surprises, and he needs support far more than he can admit aloud. There is little enough room for disparagement even without that motive.

"If what I understand of this world is true, then it seems most prudent to ulearn more of my fellow inmates. What were you, before you were brought to this place?"
arlathvhen: (04)

[personal profile] arlathvhen 2024-12-31 08:12 am (UTC)(link)
His lips tingle against hers, soft and cold, but the relief that fills her is warm. She is no fool, and she knows Solas. She has not solved alone that which had taken four, and a great deal of circumstance besides. It is not the victory that Rook had won. But it is the one that Beleth could conquer alone, and her heart sings at the achievement.

She has lost him so many times, and it might yet occur in the future. But he is here now, in her arms, and that is enough. The rest will be taken as it comes.

Then his kiss heats, and Beleth burns. Any cold in the air is chased away by her beloved, the feel of him against her. His fervor is answered by her own, enthusiastic and frantic, like he might fade away and only this kiss will keep him here. Her hands grasp, greedy as her lips. It's only when Solas has the good sense to break for air that Beleth stops, blood pounding in her ears.

He's talking, again. It's important, and she should reply. But her lips are too busy twisting into a wide, exuberant smile. Goofy, she would call it, if she could look at herself. The Inquisitor, rendered a lovesick teenager by a kiss. Even so, there's no attempt to restrain herself, the giddy smile, the open and unashamed joy in her eyes. She radiates her happiness.

"My love. My heart." Things she's already said, but they escape her lips as an exultation, rather than the determined declaration they had been. "I've caught you. I am yours."

Not the way it usually works, probably. She'll sort the logic out when she's done grinning like an idiot.
holdshisown: (Happy)

[personal profile] holdshisown 2024-12-31 09:12 am (UTC)(link)
"As I know little of yours," he agrees. "A thing we must certainly remedy one of these days. It's not every day two friends can sit down and swap tales from different worlds, after all." Besides, he's grown quite fond of Barcus. It would be a shame if they only interacted during quests.

The arm is quite scarred, more than one would expect from a simple amputation, and some of them are quite nasty looking. His stint in Angband had unfortunately left him with quite a few reminders littered across his body. "Yes... chafing and blisters on the stump does tend to be rather uncomfortable." Missing limbs had been rather new to his people when they first went to war and there had been quite a bit of trial and error before they figured out how to properly deal with it. "I'll be sure to tell you if I start to experience any discomfort."

"Oh. It's quite a well-known story where I'm from, so I'm actually used to everyone already knowing it." How could it not be when what had occured had been something of a minor miracle? "It is not a tale I much mind telling anymore, though I might keep a few details to myself."

Some things should not be spoken of outside of Angband lest they darken the day of those that hear of them. Besides... those details are not really all that relevant to the story as a whole.

The weight of a prosthesis attached to his arm again is a comforting feeling. He'd not quite been aware how much he'd missed it until it was there again. He bends and twists his arm around a bit to feel it out and can't detect any pinching or other discomforts that would need to be adressed.

"It is fine work," he says with a smile. "I do hope I will do it justice."
holdshisown: (pic#17477218)

[personal profile] holdshisown 2024-12-31 09:23 am (UTC)(link)
[To him that kind of blind obedience is exactly the kind of environment someone like Morgoth or Sauron would thrive in. They'd say all the right things and sound oh so reasonable when the manipulations would begin. It was like leaving a door wide open, welcoming the demons in.]

[Oh yes, that will show him you're not throwing a tantrum.]
Does it? Sounds simple enough to me, a very simple transactional set-up. Funds is any sort of currency you can exchange for goods and services. In this place they are called 'bones.' [Clearly someone was in charce of the economics of it all. Otherwise Gadriel and his fellows would have ended up with a fat lot of nothing before long.] You're going to have to learn to try at least. You'll not get far here by going at it alone. [His mental instability completely irrelevant to this topic and he'll thank you very much not to comment on it.]
makingmyway: (pic#16015762)

[personal profile] makingmyway 2024-12-31 11:41 am (UTC)(link)
Right. Helping the people of this world should be our main priority, aside from trying to get home.
makingmyway: (pic#17148483)

No worries! This time of year can be a lot

[personal profile] makingmyway 2024-12-31 11:47 am (UTC)(link)
Dorian doesn't think too much of it as he follows Kaeya and takes a seat beside him. Looking over the menu, he hums thoughtfully. "I'll take a Jingle Bell," he says after a moment.

From what he remembers, it was a drink with one of the tamer effects.
thecodexabides: (Default)

[personal profile] thecodexabides 2024-12-31 01:12 pm (UTC)(link)
[That would never EVER happen in Gadriel's world. That would make the noble crusade into depressing meatgrinder dystopia.]

So I am to sell myself like some...servitor for someone else's responsibilities? [This just sounds worse and worse.]

[Listen, finances were Primarch and Administratum stuff. Just like leaves all the science to the Mechanicus, he leaves the...getting stuff stuff to the correct people. Though he does approve of the name of this currency. How's a guy who has a minimum of three skulls on his armor at all times NOT love the idea of 'bones'? ]

And will I be punished if they betray me and I extract vengeance? [Because everything here is all screwed up so probably you're not allowed to just go around killing people who let you down? Hey at least he's checking!]

thecodexabides: (Default)

NP NP it's the holidays

[personal profile] thecodexabides 2024-12-31 01:21 pm (UTC)(link)
There are worse than Rogue Traders, he guessed. At least they hadn't sold their loyalty to xenos, they just traded with them. Still a little too close for Gadriel's comfort.

"Xenos." That's pretty much all he needs to hear. Tyranids. "I have fought such before." With all his Primaris organs working, which is a...big difference. "I would be properly equipped if our overlords did not take from me my abilities." He could tear a nest of rippers apart if he had his chainsword, like an easy morning stroll. "It is their fault this is so difficult for us."
troubadamsel: (You Can Do It!)

[personal profile] troubadamsel 2024-12-31 01:22 pm (UTC)(link)
The dragon appeared to eye them both, before sighing heavily and closing its eyes. It was difficult to tell if she could hear either of them at all, or was too close to death's door to make any sort of response. Times like this made Maribelle wish for Libra's presence in particular - he was a man of the cloth, and was used to funerals, attending to the dying, and giving them last peaceful respites.

With a long sigh herself, Maribelle turned away, starting to walk lest she start to cry.

"Come along. There's naught we can do for her now. We must honor her wishes right away... let us head for the mines without a moment wasted."
lordfuckleroy: made by Nia @ <user name=hiraethe> (pic#16701104)

[personal profile] lordfuckleroy 2024-12-31 02:41 pm (UTC)(link)
His eyes closed, the combination of hand strokes and soapy water that ensured he would be clean, that is after he came across that hand and palm in a filthy mess, which was of course the only way that this could end; his spine turned to the waves against Alex as he undulated, his head turning to fit against a neck, a jawline as he found himself needing something stable to hold onto.

"It is slippery, I hope you are prepared to keep me from falling." But only in the most basic way, the soul crushing way having to do with hearts? That was an unkindness that he would keep to himself-- he was already laying naked on the floor and deliriously in love with Alex.
holdshisown: (pic#17428064)

[personal profile] holdshisown 2024-12-31 03:56 pm (UTC)(link)
[Yes, and we can't have that can we? For Gadriel's world is anything but a depressing meatgrinder dystopia. Right?]

You say that as if it's the worst indignity you can suffer... which makes me think maybe you had a somewhat privileged and sheltered life after all. [Compared to Angband this, for all that he wasn't exactly jumping for joy for it, was nothing.] It's annoying, I'll grant you, but at least it's not as bad as it could be.

[Maedhros narrows his eyes suspisciously at Gadriel.] That would depend on what you mean by 'betray' and 'vengeance' specificaly. I'd personally not take to kindly to you running around murdering the people here for minor infractions... or without trying to deal with things in a non-violent way at first.
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[personal profile] thecodexabides 2024-12-31 04:17 pm (UTC)(link)
[But it's HIS depressing meatgrinding dystopia and he's used to it!]

Is there some fate worse than a servitor in this place? [If so he maybe doesn't want to know. Is there something worse than to be more or less lobotomized and used as roaming data for a ship? ]


[Excuse him while he laughs.]
Sheltered. Privileged. [Listen up you little weirdo.] I have been fighting Xenos for several decades. I have faced a Lord of Change and thwarted its vile plans.

[Listen, is he going to have to get you a copy of the Codex?] I should think such terms are self evident. The penalty for betrayal is death. [The penalty for just about everything is death in his mind.]

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[personal profile] holdshisown 2024-12-31 04:46 pm (UTC)(link)
[He's so sad for you that you'd be so used to a place like that that you'd miss it.]

If you'd ever had the misfortune to find yourself a prisoner in Angband you'd know that ludicrous question for what it is. [That is to say an insult to anyone who had, he himself included. And you're hardly going to get lobotomized.]

[That eyebrow is just going to get raised again at that laughter.] I've been fighting orcs, balrogs, dragons and wargs for centuries and have been the personal prisoner of Morgoth himself. [Just in case you think he'd be somehow impressed by all that.] Believe me things could always be worse. Just be glad you haven't found yourself nailed to a mointan for a couple of decades... I can assure you it's a less than pleasant experience.

[You do that. He'll never turn down free information, but don't expect him to use it as anything but a reference point to why Gadriel is the way he is.] Not necessarily. I don't know you well enough to be able to tell whether you are a reasonable sort or one who'd think offering a suggestion you disagree with to be a betrayal. And I'd much prefer you seek other recourse with the rest of us here before you start lopping heads off of shoulders. [Unless it's literally a life or death thing, in which case he'd probably be on your side about that.]
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[personal profile] thecodexabides 2024-12-31 05:06 pm (UTC)(link)
[He knew the rules back home, and he knew not only how to succeed, but that he had the ability to do so. Not everyone survived the geneseed implantation or training. He had.]

You. Fought orks. [Excuse his Astartes sized DOUBT.] At your size. [What did you do, kneecap them to death?

[He has no idea what those other things are but if you think he's gonna look impressed? Absolutely not. He is, but he will die before he admits it.]


[He is extremely reasonable. And not overemotional at all. ] Many have disagreed with me. I...only tried to kill one. But I was deceived in doing so.
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[personal profile] holdshisown 2024-12-31 05:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes? [Then he looks at the other like he'd grown a second head.] Most of them are smaller than I am. Why would my size be a problem? The danger comes from the sheer number of them, not their size. That would be more of a problem with the balrogs, the wargs and the dragons... [He might have cut a few of their legs out from under them, though.

Pfft. Like he needs your approval. He knows he's a formidable warrior and needs no one else to tell him that.]


And you are certain you won't be deceived to act irrationally again? In any case it would be best if you not kill anyone unless they are trying to attack you.
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[personal profile] thecodexabides 2024-12-31 05:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Then what you fought were not Orks. [Unless you were murdering Ork babies, which...Gadriel would have zero moral problems with, just saying. It's just not a flex.] The ones we face are often taller than I.

[He's safely switching back to 'not impressed'.] Next you will tell me that your dragons are the size of rippers.

[Ouch. Ouch. Triple ouch, even. Just stab him in the face next time as that would hurt less than prodding right into his insecurity.
Do not mind the two to three minutes it might take to get his face back in order. He is trying to keep you an ally but this talk makes it difficult. ]


I shall kill anyone who tries to harm me. [Which is basically saying he will have to be attacked first, but after that all bets are off, pointy. ] What of pskers though? Their attacks are cunning and often invisible.
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[personal profile] holdshisown 2024-12-31 05:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes. They were. Do you forget we come from different world? [He would never! How dare you impugne his honor in that manner. Maedhros may be a murderer but he's never turned his blade towards any kind of babe. Not even an orc's. And how tall is Gadriel, for that matter? Because Maedhros is almost eigth feet tall!] A Balrog would be taller than that. About twice my height, at the very least.

[With the most deadpan look he gives the man his own unimpressed awnser.] The biggest I ever saw crushed an entire mountain whith it's bulk when it died.

[Hey, he's just asking! It's not like he hasn't had his own failures in life...]

I doubt anyone here would try. [And he's just fine with that. He's not going to ask Gadriel to put his life in danger in that way.] ...I have no idea what those even are?
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[personal profile] thecodexabides 2024-12-31 06:21 pm (UTC)(link)
[ooc:Welcome to the amazing whatever-the-author-decides spackle of Warhammer canon--Primaris Astartes can range from 8 to 10 feet, depending who you ask. Gadriel's average so say...9 feet, and in armor which does have a good lift in the boots so we'll say what? a head taller?]

Then why are they called the same if they are not the same. [Logic. How would two entirely different worlds have the same exact name for an enemy? It cannot be coincidence! And it's FIIIIIINE to murder babies. Especially xenos babies.]

Are you sure it was a dragon and not a Gargant? [Something that big was either a Titan and thus one of the good guys (like Gadriel, ofc) or the warped sick joke of an Ork version.]

I welcome anyone to try. [Seriously, he would. ] A psyker is [Throne, how do you even explain this?] a user of magic and sorcery. I was convinced by a sorcerer, through our astropath, that my Lieutenant was a heretic. [And that's why we don't like magic! ]
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[personal profile] holdshisown 2024-12-31 06:32 pm (UTC)(link)
[ooc: It'll be interesting for Maedhros to be the short one for once, then.]

How should I know? It's not like anyone asked for my input when it came to naming them either in my own world or your's. [Not that he'd even want to be involved in naming the orcs, but still...

It's absolutely not fine to murder babies. ANY babies. This is a sore point for him so Gadriel better never say anything like that were Maedhros can hear him or things wont end well.]


Yes I'm sure. For we don't have any... Gargant's, whatever those are where I'm from. It was a massive winged and fire-breathing dragon. [Which was the worst kind of dragon, really.]

Well they wont. Because the people here don't really go around attacking eachother as a rule. [And he'd like it to stay that way.] Well, there are magic users here but they don't really tend to cause any problems either. [Look, magic is fine as long as you don't use it for evil purposes. Or dabble in necromancy. Because in that case it's a rather obvious sign of evil.]
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[personal profile] thecodexabides 2024-12-31 06:53 pm (UTC)(link)
[The short and skinny one. Don't forget that. ]

The answer is in front of you. Chaos. Why else would it leak the same evil into two separate worlds? [Get with the program! The answer is always heresy. Or Chaos. Or Chaos induced heresy. ]

Oh. That is a Heldrake. [ This is so frustrating with so many things the same but then this is called something different. This is why the Codex Astartes explicitly recommends common language. ] They are formidable indeed.

They don't 'tend' to cause problems. [Side eye.] That implies that sometimes, they do. [And he'll be there, huge and suspicious. Just waiting.]