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

[youknowwhothisis]

Okay, but that was hilarious, especially that he's able to make a joke like that in good fun. He snickered.

"Noisy? No, no- expressive! You get that itch and y'gotta, you know..." He gestured outward.

"What, you don't think out loud with a tune? Express yourself with a ballad?"

[holdshisown]

Good to know his terrible sense of humor and his main way of dealing with all that trauma is appreciated by someone.

He perks up a bit at the mention of singing. "Well, my people do love to sing. I'm not the best singer among us but I can certainly hold a tune when the urge strikes me."

[youknowwhothisis]

"Thaaat's the spirit! Stuff like that hits back home all the time, so the quiet here, it gives me a bit of the heebies."

He smoothed down his vest, if anything to settle down the proverbial feathers in his mind. To get weird looks for choosing to sing deeply bothered him more than he was willing to admit.

"That aside, what do you know about selkies? Because I've already got a couple of ideas on what we're looking for with this 'missing skin' caper."

[holdshisown]

"Too bad my brother is not here then. He is the true musician of the family and he'd be very interested to hear about your world, I think."

Well, seeing how he was used to his own brother breaking into song quite often he'd get no wierd looks from Maedhros. If anything it'd make him feel a bit nostalgic.

"Not much more than I could glean from the quest. We have no such beings on my own world, nor even stories of them, so I'll defer to your greater knowledge for the time being."

[youknowwhothisis]

"Haha! Well, music aside, I can't say there's much to really talk about when it comes to home. Even a place that's ailing like here is a bit of an improvement."

Seemed the client was down on the docks on the other side of town. Lulu was only halfway savvy about this place by now, having needed to walk the length of it a few times by now. But the docks meant boats, and it'd be easy enough to identify where they made port should they spy the ends of the sails high over the rooftops.

"Greater knowledge, huh? By all means, stroke my ego! Maybe with enough of an inflated head I can fly us over."

[holdshisown]

"We have a bit in common there to, then. Not much to say about Beleriand any longer nowadays." Seeing as last time he saw it it was crumbling into the ocean.

"In this, at least. I'd like to think I'm not too lacking in knowledge about the world, but... seeing as there seems to be more than one out there there's bound to be gaps in it. Better skip the flying, though. The one and only time I've done that wasn't exactly a pleasant experience, so I'd rather not do it again."

Not that he wasn't thankful to Thorondor for coming to his aid, but seeing as how he'd just had his hand amputated and was actively bleeding out at the time the experience hadn't exactly left him wanting to repeat it.

[youknowwhothisis]

"All it takes is the first time being piss-poor. That's too bad, though! Flying has to be one of the few great things about... I dunno, living?"

Okay, oof. That sounded a bit too Debbie Downer. He cleared his throat.

"Just not being rooted to the ground, anyway. I'm a, ah... shapeshifter, so it's nice to just pop a pair of wings and get a little exercise up there where it's quiet." He pointed upward.

"Then, when you hit a nice thermal?" He whistled. "Better than a carnival!"

[holdshisown]

"That is unfortunately so. A bad first experience with something often colors the entire concept in an unfortunately unflattering light."

Maedhros gives the other man a wry smile.

"I can certainly understand how other people would enjoy flying. I probably would have as well if not for the bad memories of not only that first flight but heights in general." But that's fine with him. He enjoyed having his feet firmly planted on the ground.

"But I'm glad it is a thing that brings you joy," he says. "I do hope it does not take you too long to regain that ability. It does seem rather cruel to deprive you of something you obviously enjoy doing."

[youknowwhothisis]

"Perhaps it's something 'humbling' to just walk among the people, but..." He shrugged.

"I did enough of that even with my power! I know these 'Bones' have something to do with it all, but I don't know the... what, the process?"

He blinked at him, scratched his own cheek spot.

"What do I do, exactly?"

[holdshisown]

"Not necessarily. But I can see how it would feel inconvenient when you are used to flying." But then he's never really minded having to walk.

"I'm... not entirely clear on the whole process either. You simply make a submission for what you want to purchase with the 'Bones' you have earned and then you will get it back once it's approved." Though why they need to purchase what is already rightfully theirs and exactly how it is returned he's not entirely clear on yet. "Though I can't say I'm too fond of having to pay to have my belongings and abilities back..."

[youknowwhothisis]

Walking was perfectly fine! It's just that back home he's surrounded by folk that tripled his height and leg length and he sometimes had to move at a jog to keep up. Burns calories, though.

"Oh, me neither! Y'know, I'm looking at all these assignments and thinking, 'By golly, if I could do this' or, 'Oh that group wouldn't have a chance if I could cook up a little fire, give them a little scare'..."

He stopped at a simple railing at a lip in the path, looking out over the docks and the connected beach. He took a big breath of the salty air.

"...Well! Here's hope-" He froze. The hairs on the back of his neck rose.

"Hmh. Something's giving us a looky-loo." But from where?

[holdshisown]

Well, seeing as he himself is incredibly tall he hopes he's not walking too fast for his newfound companions comfort. He's usualy pretty good at adjusting his pace to accomodate others, though, so hopefully it wont be so bad.

"Not to mention it feels awfully rude, you know? To not only take things from us but have us pay to have them back..."

Maedhros can feel it too. That unmistakable feeling of being observed.

"Ah... I noticed that too." Hopefully it's just someone, or something, being curious about what they might be up to.

[youknowwhothisis]

Okay, so he wasn't paranoid.

He moved to take the ramp down, treading down upon the beach proper. It wasn't a big day for chilling on the sand today- too far from what passed for a weekend- but it was a big enough day for the gulls crying and picking at a half-eaten fish that had its worst day ever.

But the bite taken out of it wasn't matching any of the beaks. It looked like a person may have taken a clean bite out.

When he turned and sighed, realizing he didn't really know how exactly to find a selkie, there was a movement behind one of the pillars of the raised dock to their left. The tide was low, leaving the soaked wood of them covered in barnacles, the sand littered with wads of kelp.

And the footprints of someone who had been moving with haste.

[holdshisown]

Probably not. But since Maedhros himself can get somewhat paranoid at times it's not completely out of the question either.

Maedhros follows at a sedate pace. The bite marks on the fish makes him stop short for a while, but he figures since Selkies seem to be some sort of oceanic creature it should not be too surprising raw fish were part of their diet.

It also does not completely surprise him she's not all that eager to reveal herself to them. Considering one person has already robbed her of her skin it is understandable that she might be a tad suspiscious.

Figuring she's likely the one observing them from somewhere nearby Maedhros decides to see if declaring their intentions might make her more comfortable with approaching them. "There is no need to fear us, milady. I assure you that we mean you no harm and have come instead in the hope of being able to render you what aid we can in retriving what has been stolen from you."

After that all they can do is wait and see if she'll believe his words.

[youknowwhothisis]

Ah, right. She would be the one who posted the request for help, and they were a couple of yahoos.

"It's as he's said- we're here to look into the theft, and wanted to know what you could tell us so we've got a lead." Lulu opted for less caution, and slipped off his hat, lay it to his chest.

"Can't do that if you're hiding, right...?" Maybe she was keeping out of sight of everyone else. Without her skin, she was already in a pickle.

Lulu stepped beneath the dock and froze. Clutching the pillar was a young woman with fair skin, dappled with freckles. Long, wavy hair was damp and clung to her frame, offering some, but not the best cover, but she wasn't making any sort of effort to cover herself any further. What was modesty when you never really knew clothing?

"The parchment said 'Brienna'. Might that be you?" His tone had gotten hushed, but he used a hand to mask his eyes from the side when he realized he'd been staring in fascination in seeing a creature right out of myths and it could be misconstrued.

"...I am Brienna." Her voice crackled a little from misuse, but she didn't move, keeping the pillar for the most part between her and these two strangers.

[holdshisown]

Her caution is understandable and so he does not approach her, keeping himself where he is and does his level best to not make himself seem like a threat. Nakedness is not much of a taboo among his own people so he does not really pay much mind to her lack of it. They were all born naked, after all, so why should a naked body be such a controversial thing to be confronted with?

"Greetings, lady Brienna. I wish our meeting were not under such dire circumstances but it is good to meet you nonetheless. Would you mind telling us a bit about what happened? So that we might better help you recover that which has been stolen from you?"

[youknowwhothisis]

For a moment she only watched them, anticipating something perhaps, but when whatever she had in mind had passed, she slowly nodded.

"We only come to land every full moon... I dance and play with my sisters. I thought I hid my skin very well."

"What of your sisters? Were theirs taken?"

"No. My sisters have clothed and returned to the sea at dawn."

Well, that removes the idea of a mass theft. Lulu folded his arms but kept his gaze very pointedly away. He couldn't help thinking of all the stories.

"Did you and your sisters speak with anyone, or were seen by anyone?"

Brienna stopped and thought a moment. "...We trade for dried fish and roe with the Wanderlust humans to celebrate our meetings..."

Lulu looked to Maedhros, brow quirked. Sounded like possible suspects.

[holdshisown]

So it seems the theft was a targeted one, unless the thief just accidentaly grabed that particular skin out of everyone available but he somehow doubted that. It must be hard for her to be cut off from both her home and her sisters because of this and Maedhros could not help but feel immensly sympathetic to her plight.

He is not going to immediately jump to accusing the humans in question for this crime, for though he's known some treacherous ones in his life he's also well aware that not all of them are like that. Still... it seems a likely place to look for suspects.

"Any of them seem off to you? Like they were asking strange questions or paying you or your sisters too much attention?"

Might as well try to narrow the suspect pool down a bit if possible, but it might be the thief had not made himself noticeable at all.

[youknowwhothisis]

"They all played music and spoke pretty words to us. But they weren't afraid of us when we met... not like so many others."

"How were others afraid of you and your sisters?"

"They'd always ask if we're something called 'kelpies,' if not merfolk."

"...So it could be that they knew what manner of creature you were. Did you and yours interact with anyone else?" Troubling. The whole crew, perhaps, knew of the selkie then. Playing music and 'speaking pretty words' is very common sailor activity when faced with such beauty, but they just needed to check if one of them was a thief to boot.

"No. They're the only ones we trust."

He sighed. Time to test that trust. "Alright. I think we should find where the Wanderlust is docked and talk to the crew. Even if they drank themselves stupid, they should all be up and around by now."

[holdshisown]

So they were the only likely suspects they had so far, and considering they seemed to have some knowledge about Selkies it seemed they made for likely culprits. Whether all of them were in on it or just one of them were they'd be able to figure out once they got there.

"Yes. It seems like we should make speaking with the crew a priority," and considering what had happened Maedhros would be happy enough to wake them up by dunking their heads underwater should they still be abed when they got there. Considering the Selkies had placed their trust in these men this betrayal of it just made him angrier about the whole situation.

"We'll get your skin back, my lady." He promises. "Hopefully sooner rather than later and with assurances it will not happen again."

[youknowwhothisis]

"Exactly. Chin up, now. We'll get you back to your sisters." Lulu had his weaknesses, and one of them was a pretty face making a long face.

When the selkie slowly nodded, the shorter man dipper into a bow and excused himself.

Once away, he turned to Maedhros. "Hopefully they shouldn't offer much of a fuss, so long as we don't go in guns blazing. But if they have to be shaken down a bit, I can handle something like that if at all you find such things distasteful. Some good cop, bad cop?"

Then, with a small grin: "...Buuut we could always switch. You've got the size advantage."

[holdshisown]

Maedhros turns an amused look towards his companion. "No need to worry about me. While I do prefer to solve things without violence I'm not above twisting a few arms if it does not work. Especially when it comes to something like this."

"Besides... if they seem reluctant to talk I'm sure a towering elf glaring down at them might be enough to loosen a few tounges." He laughs. "Having had to deal with my hooligan brothers for centuries I've managed to perfect a pretty terrifying glare, if I do say so myself."

[youknowwhothisis]

"HOH! That'll do it! Siblings give one more life experience than any would expect. Just take care- some might find a big fella like you glaring down at them the opposite of intimidating."

He wagged a finger. "Never underestimate the power of 'scarousal'!"

[holdshisown]

"They certainly do! Especially if they are anything like mine. I never had a quiet moment after they started arriving." He shakes his head in amusement as he remembers all the trouble the little rascalls would get into. "Let us hope they only get intimidated. I get terribly awkward when people show me that kind of interest and that would ruin the whole look, I fear."

Scarousal? That's the first time he's heard that term but it does not take a lot to figure out what it means. "I can't say I've ever witnessed it before. But that might just be because most scary things in my own world is rather... unpleasant to look at."

No one has ever looked upon a balrog, for example, and thought it was hot in any way but literally. Being all fiery as they are and all that.

[youknowwhothisis]

Not with that attitude, Maedhros! Surely someone out there is asking of there is a Mrs. Balrog. But let's not have him learn about 'monsterfuckers', eh?

"Fair enough. Why don't I give you a signal if you're edging away on being intimidating, huh? It's the least I can do and keeps you from feeling awkward." He didn't even know if that would happen, but hey, he's already seen some strange stuff going on around here. Keeps an open world view!