TDM #4

[calderaevents]

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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Comments

Imogen Farrell | OC

[soldforless]

A R R I V A L
Imogen was staying far away from the tavernkeeper. She was paying attention, mind you. She was listening to the other people who were asking the questions about what was going on but she was keeping her distance except for when she needed a drink. She wasn't going to ask questions of the person, whatever or whoever they were. It was her experience that you never listened to the first face you saw because they rarely told the truth, the important truth.

But at least they had good drinks.

She was sipping at a honeyed drink as she looked around, relaxing over time. She felt a little warm too but she figured that was just from the cozy warmth of the tavern where she had found herself after waking up. Licking her lips slowly after lowering her drink, she glanced around again. Eventually she should move on to check things out but she was still listening. And drinking.

THE SKY'S ASCENSION
Imogen didn't need her powers for this fun little expedition because just the promise of gaining some kind of favor was enough. That and she liked showing off a little bit which she could still do now.

When she moved, she did so with quick precision. She leapt from one platform to another with ease, even when they tried to do something tricky like rising or falling. She would merely pause, assess and then move again as she had been training to do this sort of thing since she was small.

She was near the end when she paused to watch someone staring at a platform that was moving and she smirked. "Want me to tell you when to jump? You need to do it sooner than you think if you want to land in the middle instead of the edge."

THE SEA'S SECRETS
After all the excitement of trying to earn the sky's favor, it was strange to wander into complete and utter stillness but she could appreciate it. She found a quiet spot near the water where she reclined against a large rock, stretching her legs in front of her while resting her hands on the flat slope of her stomach.

It would be the perfect place to meditate if she didn't hate that little habit. She could practically hear Father scolding her gently for that but he wasn't really here. He hadn't been here or there for a long while now since he had deemed her old enough to be out on her own.

No, she wasn't going to think about that right now. Glancing down at the small pearl that had been given to her, she tilted her hand this way and that as she let it roll around on her palm. It seemed she was using it to distract herself as her thoughts wandered. That didn't mean she wouldn't notice someone coming near as her eyes would snap up as soon as someone got within a few feet of her, her gaze sharp before she relaxed with an easy smile. "Hi, pretty place, huh?"

arrival

[swordbreaker]

Not far from Imogen was a large man clad in armor and a long, fur-lined cloak clearly meant to aid in surviving a harsh winter sitting at the bar, a drink of his own in front of him that the Tavernkeeper had shoved his way without any proper request made. He wasn't going to drink that. Even well-covered as he was, he sported plenty of visible scars, and an eyepatch over one eye half hidden by the long, disheveled veil of his hair.

He was trying to be patient, but this was... inconvenient, to say the least. A man could not rule a country while being thrust about the multiverse — which, for the record, was an absolutely absurd notion. Perhaps he was dreaming or, more likely, dead and all that he had experienced after the professor held her hand out to him was nothing but some vision of the last traces of hope he had in his heart. Maybe that girl in Gronder had killed him and Rodrigue was still alive. What a boon that would be for the world.

The worst of it was how weak he felt. If there was one thing he was certain of, it was the boons of his crest always increasing his strength. But something was off, here, in this place, this afterlife or hallucination. He glanced to the woman beside him, the one that had been scouting, no doubt, and eyed the redness of her cheeks. "Are you ill?"

[soldforless]

Of course, she had clocked him almost right away. He was kind of impossible to miss with his long disheveled hair and his handsome face even with the eye patch. Not that it was his looks that had caught her attention but more the armor and the fur lined cloak which made him stand out. He might as well have a sign above him that said 'warrior' or some shit like that.

Imogen had a more casual look as she wore leather pants that laced up along the curve of her hips to her waist and a tight halter style top that left her arms bare except for the fact that she wore a simple silver cuff on her left arm. Her long black hair was pulled up with two pieces left framing her face, not hiding her curious expression as she turned her green-blue gaze towards him. Maybe it was easy to tell she was flushed as her skin was normally creamy and unmarked?

"I don't think so?" She answered smoothly, tilting her head as she considered herself. She felt warm, she knew that but she didn't think she felt sick. "Why? Do I look sick?"

[swordbreaker]

"Your cheeks are quite flushed. Is it the alcohol, perhaps?" It had to be that, if she wasn't ill. "Are you experiencing any side effects from it? You really should not be taking drinks from..."

He looked to the tavernkeeper. Something about them was... off. Wrong, yet strangely comforting? Dimitri shook his head. "Anyone, in strange places like this."

[soldforless]

"What are they going to do? Poison me? That seems a little contract...contradictive? Totally against their plan if they meant for us to be here to help them," she shrugged after stumbling over one of the words that suddenly felt like it was wrong.

"But maybe I feel a bit warm," she eyed the drink but she didn't put it down. It seemed she was moving instead as she rose to her feet suddenly and made her way over to his table, plopping into the chair closest to him. "Want a taste and tell me what you think?"

If her eyes flickered to his mouth, well...it was his imagination?

[swordbreaker]

"Contradictory." Although she was right either way. "It does not have to be a poison that kills you. It could freeze your limbs, muddle your mind..." the options were endless, especially in some magical far-realm.

Dimitri visibly tensed as she approached, uncertain and unable to discern if she was even real. The visions he often had were not so beautiful as she was, and that only made him more cautious.

"I... no. Thank you. I wouldn't be able to offer any insight either way." He reached for the cup regardless and slid it away from her. "Perhaps you've had enough, miss."

[soldforless]

"That's the world," she flashed him a dazzling smile as she snapped her fingers in the air and pointed at him. But he was right about the different poisons they could have used which was intriguing to her as it told her that he knew more than just bashing and slicing which might have been her first assessment. That was bad on her.

She hadn't quite offered the drink to him but she blinked when he reached for the cup to take it away from her. Unfortunately for him, she was quick to slide the cup out of reach as she chuckled. "No no, it's not nice to grab a lady's things unless she's given you permission."

Just to prove some kind of point, she sipped her drink again. "Now tell me why you can't offer any insight?"

[swordbreaker]

Dimitri frowned. "You are correct. My apologies." he continued to eye the cup, however, that visible ice blue eye flickering between it and her face, looking for any further signs of illness beyond the flushed cheeks.

"I cannot taste it." He said, like that explained everything. "I haven't been able to taste anything in years."

The Sea’s Secrets

[proto_alpha]

“…yeah.”

The young woman standing on the rock nearby is awestruck, looking around with wide, liquid dark eyes. For the masquerade, she was draped in black, her glittering wolf mask now in her hand—and, as she shuffles forward one hesitant step, Imogen will see that either their hosts spared her the ordeal of heels, or she discarded her shoes somewhere as she’s barefoot beneath her full skirt.

“I haven’t been outside in a long time.” She confesses in hushed tones, gathering her skirt so she can sit on the stone herself. “Not where I could enjoy it…the arena was too dangerous and the greenhouse on the other ship didn’t have all this beautiful water, and I never went to the…”

Allison Argent trails off, glancing over at the other girl sheepishly.

“Sorry, I’m rambling—oh no, am I disturbing you? I can go somewhere else, I’m so sorry—“

[soldforless]

"You're not rambling, don't worry about it," Imogen replied with a little chuckle as she waved a hand in dismissal.

She was draped in glittery blue that seemed almost sheer in places, lending a flash of skin so quickly when she moved that it almost could be dismissed as an illusion. It was perhaps a bit bold but not as bold as the fact the woman wasn't wearing a mask, choosing to keep her features free and visible; eyes lined in kohl, lips painted red and a light blush of color in her cheeks.

"There's no need to apologize. I don't mind listening."

[proto_alpha]

The smile her answer gets is shy, but dazzling--like she's just won the lottery.

"I'm...still not used to that." she confesses sheepishly, shrugging. "I've--well, the best way to describe it is a prison. I've...sort of been in a prison for the better part of a year, give or take. Not the kind that wants to rehabilitate you when you've broken the law, either."

Her smile fades, but she takes a deep breath and physically pushes those memories to the side with a wave of her hand.

"But? I'm out, and I'll stay out if I can help it." she continues. "Stay here, I hope--it's just so pretty."

She grins, then offers the other girl her hand.

"I'm Allison Argent. What's your name?"

sky's ascension

[likeiron]

"I know how to fucking jump." Better than most, arguably. Nina had been... distracted, though, and seemed to be thinking while she stared at the platform — less about when to jump, and more about something entirely different. Sometimes you needed to dissociate in on the edge of a precipice. Or something.

She didn't even look when she finally hopped over, landed, and then almost immediately sprang off onto the last little piece of floating land, flippantly waving a hand. See? Fine.

[soldforless]

Sometimes it was very nice to dissociate on the edge of a precipice but sometimes it was a risky thing to do. Imogen stood there with a bit of a smirk as she watched the other woman, arching a brow. "Are you sure? I mean, it's not like you're holding people up."

Which she wasn't, Imogen just liked to be cheeky sometimes.

When Nina finally made the jump, she clapped her hands and followed rather quickly, bounding with a grace that said she had a lot of training at this sort of thing. "Now we win, right?"

[likeiron]

"I wasn't." She rolled her eyes.

She turned, shrugged. "In theory. I forgot there was a prize, honestly. I just wanted to show off."

[soldforless]

"Oh, you were but I pushed him off so you wouldn't feel bad," she commented as she glanced over her shoulder with a shrug. Then she looked back with a quick laugh. "I'm kidding, there was no one."

"You weren't showing off though. You looked like you were deep in thought."

[likeiron]

Nina blinked. Okay.

"You must have missed the first part of the course then." She was always showing off. "Got a lot on my mind. What does it matter to you?"

[soldforless]

Imogen merely smiled.

"Maybe, maybe not." Maybe she had noticed already but she wasn't going to say as much right now. She was merely watching Nina curiously. "A few times I've seen people standing on the edge looking like that, they jumped off."

[likeiron]

She waved a hand. "Yeah, I'm not trying to off myself." As if. "Just had a weird couple of days, is all."

[forlorn_exile]

What a shame she didn't trust faces that were presented to her. After all the time Kess had spent making himself look suitable. And harmless. Look at him. He looks absolutely incapable of anything. Even with his glamour not working (and he is not happy with that new development) he has had a lot of practice appearing non threatening.

How do you get close enough to slip a blade between someone's ribs? Act like that's the last type of thing you'd be capable of.

Silly, harmless. Maybe even act a little drunk. But he knew the precise way to sway his step, as he crossed over to her. "Alone? Or lonely?" It was one of the lines his roommates used to get attention. They knew what they were doing.

[soldforless]

She did look at him but she wouldn't buy right off that he wasn't harmless, she knew better than that. Hell, she used that same tactic as most people wouldn't believe her capable of half the stuff she could do. Exactly for the same reason, where she has had a lot of practice appearing non-threatening in a lot of different situations.

"Now now, why would I answer that?" She asked with a cheeky little smirk as she looked up at him after taking another sip of her drink. "I mean, I'm sitting here alone but wouldn't it be more fun to make you wonder?"

She chuckled as she took another sip.

omg i love her already

[forlorn_exile]

Oh that smile, he knew well. It was familiar in the best possible way. That merited him pulling a chair over by hooking it with one ankle, and sitting down across from her.

He laughed at her words, but it was a genuine laugh, taking the saucy barb with grace. "I see," he said. "I stand corrected. Neither lonely or alone. But dangerous."

heee, i love him already too

[soldforless]

He got that smile because they recognized something in each other almost right away and it made that same smile growl when he laughed. She also liked how smoothly he pulled a chair over and twirled it around.

"I don't know what you mean," she mock-gasped, fluttering her lashes at him as she sat her cup down again. "I am most certainly not dangerous when I'm just sitting here. Unless you mean dangerous to the booze they're serving here."

"Have you tried one of their drinks yet? Apparently, they all have different effects," she hasn't quite figured out what hers does yet but she liked the honey in it.

[forlorn_exile]

"I think," he said, reaching to take her drink from her hand, and helping himself to a sip, "you know exactly what I mean." It was sweet, and even though he had none of his magic he could sense something...interesting about this drink. Not enough to tell what it was, but that this was not simply alcohol.

He offered the glass back to her with a flourish. "I couldn't make up my mind which to try. So thank you for helping me choose,..." He drew out the last silence, prompting her for a name.

[soldforless]

Her gaze warmed with amusement because she had no problem with him grabbing her drink but, oh, wouldn't it be a useful trick if there was poison? Not that there was, she didn't have any on her at the moment but the brief thought still made her chuckle. He could think it was just a reaction to him though as her gaze tracked his movements, wondering what he thought of it.

"Do you want one of these? I could use another." It was helping her to feel relaxed as she pretended not to notice the silent prompt while she pushed her chair back.

[forlorn_exile]

That would be a wonderful trick and if she'd said it aloud, Kess would retort something at the appropriate level of corniness about how it would be a pleasure to be poisoned by such a beautiful lady and die unworthy at her feet.

He was a little rusty at playing the gallant, but not entirely.

He did notice her ignoring his prompt. But a gentleman, which he is currently pretending to be, does not let a lady walk alone, so he rises to follow her. Watching other people look at her as she heads to the barkeep was a good way to gauge people. And to see who might have a weapon, or some money, he might relieve them of later. "Another of those, or are you feeling more adventurous?" When meddling with unknown magics, why play it safe?