TDM #5

[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

FLAMEFRUIT SANGRIA a deep red wine based punch with chunks of softly glowing fruit floating in it. A single serving makes you feel relaxed, social, and maybe even a little flirty.

MOLTEN MEAD Though the thick drink itself is room temperature, it bubbles sluggishly, and feels very warm going down. The bold flavor affects your mood. You feel very bold! Like you could do anything!

BESALT BRANDY a hopefully staple drink for the brewery, this liquor is smooth and rich with a peppery bite. Ironically after consuming it, you kinda want to bite someone! Not hard! Just a little nip and nibble!

THAT ASHY ESPRESSO a single potent shot of dark espresso swirled with a gold-tinged cream. Intense and bitter with a hint of caramelized sugar. You are now very awake, hyper, and excited.

PYROCLAST'S WHISKEYa glossy black whiskey that turns a vibrant glowing orange when swirled. You now breathe fire.

EMBERMARK WINE a rich, velvety, spiced wine that immediately makes one feel mellow and calm.

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.

IGNACIA'S CRADLE/EMBER VEIL

Months ago, a piece of land from Heaven’s Bow fell from the sky and scarred the land below, damaging a part of the city. From that chaos and ruin rose new life, a new ruler, and a new city: Ignacia’s Cradle. Just a short walk from the edge of Grey Ward, the gates of the city are guarded by two massive obsidian golems, and any who did not rise from the lava itself are warned at the entrance that to travel about the city will be most difficult, unless they have obtained a way to mitigate the extreme heat: be that with a charm, an ability, or a potion. The very streets themselves are paved in slabs of volcanic rock, tall spires of buildings constructed and shaped by rapidly cooled lava. The main method of travel are the mine carts, with tracks that wind through the spires ready to take one to almost any location.

Currently, the main feature of Ignacia’s Cradle is the Lava Flats, home of skilled smiths that use the extreme heat of the lava to melt the strongest metals and create unbreakable weapons, glassmakers and jewelers who fashion elaborate headpieces, rings, and amulets. These items are sold at the Ember Market on the outskirts of the Flats.

At the edge of the city lies the Ashfall Terrace, where a small farm using the rich volcanic ash and soil is in its infancy, as well as the Basalt Brewery where clever alchemists are researching ways to use the extreme heat to craft new and unique beverages that they are eager to find folk to test them out on.

---

The hot spring of Ignacia’s Cradle is a breathtaking anomaly located just beyond the Ashfall Terrace, tucked into a secluded crater formed by the celestial impact that gave rise to the city. Here, molten veins from the Lava Flats weave beneath the earth, heating a natural reservoir that bubbled to life amidst the chaos. The spring’s waters shimmer with an ethereal brilliance, hues of deep turquoise blending with molten gold and fiery orange, as though Heaven’s Bow itself left behind a fragment of its essence. Steam rises in curling wisps, carrying the tang of minerals and faint traces of sulfur.

The spring, known to locals as The Ember Veil, is both a sanctuary and a marvel of natural wonder. Its soothing waters are reputed to heal wounds and fortify the spirit, with the temperature kept in perfect balance by an intricate system of naturally formed vents and channels. The edges are lined with intricately carved obsidian benches, where patrons can soak their feet or meditate in the rising steam. Plants resistant to the intense conditions—vivid fire lilies and ash ferns—dot the perimeter, their resilience a symbol of life’s ability to flourish even in the harshest environments.

Sometimes, when two or more individuals share the waters, the spring creates a subtle connection between their minds, allowing memories to surface like ripples on its surface. These shared memories appear as glowing, translucent scenes that hover above the water, visible to all within the spring. Participants can relive moments from their lives, experiencing them through each other’s eyes, fostering profound empathy and understanding.

Another of the spring’s mystical properties occurs when bathers who enter the waters feeling drained, injured, or burdened by grief often find their vitality restored. The waters seem to draw out negative energies and emotions, replacing them with a warm, invigorating sensation that spreads through the body. In rare instances, the spring has been known to accelerate physical healing, mending minor injuries and soothing chronic aches, as though the magic itself is stitching the body back together.

A lesser-known but equally fascinating effect happens on particularly clear nights, when the moonlight reflects on the spring’s surface, some bathers report fleeting glimpses of potential futures. These visions are often cryptic, appearing as brief, dream-like flashes, but they have guided many to life-changing decisions. The alchemists of the Basalt Brewery believe this effect stems from residual cosmic energy, and they have begun experimenting with enhancing it through the addition of rare minerals and lunar elixirs.

RADIANT SUN

The day begins like no other, with the skies painted in hues of golden-pink as the Radiant Sun ascends. Its light spills over the world, warm and soft, caressing the land and filling every heart with a sense of peace. Beneath its glow, emotions of love and connection bloom like never before. Strangers exchange heartfelt smiles, old friends embrace as though no time has passed, and lovers find their feelings deepened, their bonds strengthened.

Even the air feels different—lighter, sweeter, as though the universe itself is celebrating. The songs of birds harmonize with the melodies of impromptu musicians who feel inspired by the sun’s radiance. Those with magical abilities sense their powers of healing and creation magnified, as if the sun itself lends its strength to their intentions. Long-held grudges seem to melt away under the sun’s tender gaze, replaced by tears of reconciliation and words of forgiveness.

The Radiant Sun touches every heart differently:

◾A widow finds peace as memories of her late spouse no longer bring sorrow but gratitude for the love they shared.
◾A timid youth finds the courage to confess their feelings to the person they’ve admired for so long.
◾A gruff warrior lets down their guard, laughing freely with their companions for the first time in years.

For a fleeting moment, the world feels as it should be—unified, harmonious, and drenched in love.

But as the day wanes and the Radiant Sun dips below the horizon, an unease begins to settle...

JEALOUS MOON

The golden light gives way to deep purples and silvers as the Jealous Moon rises, its glow pale and cold. Its light pierces the heart, not to warm it, but to expose the insecurities that lie buried within. Where love had flourished during the day, doubt begins to creep in.

Under the Jealous Moon’s influence, emotions twist and darken:

◾A once-reconciled pair of siblings argue over old grievances, as jealousy over perceived favoritism resurfaces.
◾A couple, who had spent the day lost in each other’s arms, now question each other’s loyalty and intentions.
◾A nobleman, inspired to be generous during the day, grows suspicious of those who received his gifts, fearing they may exploit his kindness.

The air grows heavy with tension, and the magic of the Radiant Sun fades, replaced by the sharp sting of distrust. The moon’s pale light seems to follow people like a judgmental gaze, amplifying every fear, insecurity, and lingering resentment.

Worse still, the night seems endless, as though time itself has bent beneath the weight of the Jealous Moon’s envious glow. For three long days and nights, the moon lingers high in the sky, its pale, piercing light casting a shadow over hearts and minds, amplifying discord and despair. Its power sows strife among even the closest bonds, driving some to dangerous extremes. Yet, when all seems lost, the scholars of the three factions unite their wisdom and uncover a glimmer of hope—a means to dispel the moon’s cruel influence. For those who have not yet succumbed to jealousy’s grip, there remains a chance to reclaim harmony, a chance for redemption before the damage becomes irreversible.

The solution lies not in complex rituals or rare relics but in the simplest and most instinctive actions: physical connection. To weaken the moon’s hold, people must embrace one another—offering a hug, a handshake, or even resting a hand on someone’s shoulder. These gestures of closeness disrupt the isolation and mistrust that the moon thrives upon. Sitting side by side or holding hands creates a barrier against its oppressive light, reminding the afflicted that they are not alone. Even small acts, like sharing warmth through proximity or clasping arms in solidarity, build a shield of connection that the moon cannot penetrate.

As these actions ripple through the night, the Jealous Moon’s light begins to dim, its sharp, cold glow softening until it fades from the sky entirely. The tension in the air lifts, replaced by a quiet calm that feels almost foreign after the chaos of the past three days. Slowly, the world seems to exhale, and the darkness that clung so tightly to the hearts of many begins to loosen its grip. People step back from the brink of despair, their minds clearing as if waking from a long, disorienting dream. Relationships strained by the moon’s influence begin to mend as apologies are exchanged, tears are shed, and bonds are reaffirmed.

ALL IS WELL(?)

With the Radiant Sun rising again, its golden-pink hues spilling across the horizon, life begins to return to normal. The birds resume their morning songs, markets reopen, and the hum of daily activity fills the air once more. Though traces of the moon’s influence linger in whispered memories, there is a collective sense of relief and gratitude among the people—gratitude for the light, for connection, and for a second chance to heal.

In the outskirts of Ignacia's Cradle, Aella and Terra, two of the three leaders of the factions, come together to address the gathered crowds. Together they assure the people that this celestial event was a rare anomaly, something never before recorded in the annals of history. They explain that while the Jealous Moon’s influence was unprecedented and deeply unsettling, it was a unique alignment of cosmic forces that is unlikely to occur again in their lifetimes—or ever.

The leaders thank the people for their resilience and compassion, emphasizing how their acts of unity—simple gestures of closeness and connection—proved stronger than the moon’s envy. They commend the scholars for their quick thinking and the Visitors for their role in guiding others through the chaos. Finally, they urge everyone to move forward, not in fear of what has passed, but with the knowledge that even in the darkest moments, their strength lies in the bonds they share.

QUESTBOARD

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.

*February will be the last month to complete quests for this rotation. New ones will go up on March 1st.

OOC NOTES

Welcome to Caldera's fifth 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! Ignacia's Cradle and Ember Veil have been added, along with details about the Violet Drop regarding the Cult of Triton.

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

Participation in the Radiant Sun/Jealous Moon effects is not mandatory.

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Comments

[thesunreturns]

Simon is still shaking his head. "Children are... you can have expectations, but they will surprise you in the ways they grow. Even twins don't turn out the same. My brother was a hero."

And Simon was not. And at this point, he was pretty sure he didn't want to be. Heroes meant something in Faerie, and that something was 'everyone from the local monarch to fate itself will throw problems at you, until you retire or die'.

[swordbreaker]

"A whole volcano simply appeared." He replied. "That would be distracting, I must admit."

But please... go on.

[odare]

"It's okay." He smiles. "Clearly you've had a lot on your plate."

"Well, it started with me and John short-sheeting them. Which is like, you put the sheet on the wrong way so it's too short to actually cover you. Then Maedhros hid all the left shoes in the house. I'm sure Stiles will have a counter-attack soon."

He grins.

"I can shapeshift into a sea creature now too, so maybe I'll surprise them with it one day."

[fundamentalchaos]

To bad for Ashton that while yes, Dorian is a bard, he is also almost just as strong as Ashton and he has a couple inches on him in height. So it's not too surprising when Ashton ends up forced back under the water, laughing and coughing before he manages to hold his breath at the last minute.

When he breaks the surface again he's back to laughing, wiping water from his eyes.

[epicure]

So much Wynne in that comment he would have been shocked if he didn't find her staring back at him disapprovingly. Oh Wynne, how be missed you...

"I am strange for admiring a man as handsome as you?"

[epicure]

It was love indeed, especially to an emotionally fucked up assassin with only the vaguest notion of what love truly felt like. He would have let Theron tear his throat out with glee; adored every moment of it like a passionate kiss.

Zevran was hardly paying attention to the world around them with his head tilted back and amber eyes aimed high to the sky. The sounds of battle were an odd addition to the otherwise quiet area of the pool they occupied, the sloshing of water around them and the soft groans and grunts they exhaled the only accompaniment before... all of that.

It was odd, seeing himself through the eyes of another. He had looked so fearful, then, and he had been, if he was honest. Terrified he was about to lose the man who, in all his life, tried to understand him. Zevran's arms reflexively wrapped around the other elf in his lap, held him close as he slumped.

He was, for the record, still half hard. Clearly recalling the memory of that final battle did nothing to quell his aching arousal. Hurray?

"So it was. This is what you think of when we are together."

[fundamentalchaos]

"Then shouldn't we be checking on her and the Undine?" Ashton offers, because Loki's right. Even a fake mood like Ruidus had a purpose and an effect on Exandria.

"Hate not knowing shit when I know there's something to actually fuckin' know." That...somehow makes sense to Ashton, sorry if it doesn't to you Loki. "If I was clueless it'd be a different story."

[youknowwhothisis]

Aww. You're more than welcome to look, madam. He didn't seem put off. In fact, with his chin nestled upon his wrist and the grin quietly forming, it seemed to be the opposite.

The grin spread with her question. Why, she was the very first person to notice it seemed, let alone ask. He'd have to keep an eye on this one.

"Miss Cadence... why might there be a crown on my hat?"

[wrathstrikes]

Felix looks him in the eye.

"They're dead," he says firmly. "Sylvain, Ingrid, all of them. That's war."

[wrathstrikes]

"Guess that makes two of us. I didn't want to serve the boar prince that everyone adored. Didn't want to die for that mongrel."

He sighs. Why the fuck did he say all that to a stranger?

"Your sister. You said she was helping people?"

[arlathvhen]

He is, indeed, successful at silencing her, and ending her campaign of spreading kisses over his face. Instead, she surges to him as he grasps her, hands clinging to his sides as she's kissed quite soundly. It is incredibly hard to argue with him when he does this, and she briefly contemplates the wisdom of shoving the discussion to the side and taking advantage of their undress and solitude.

But no, she needs to focus. What he's saying is important, and she will give it all due respect. So she looks up, still clinging to him, both expression and movement matching the idea that he is the rock she must hold to, lest she be swept away.

"It was easy for me, too. It surprised me--I have never felt this way for another, but my love for you sprang as easily and as naturally as a flower blooming in the sun, and made me feel just as alive. You have given me a happiness that I could never have imagined, and I will spend as much time as needed to ensure that the favor is returned. You deserve to have a soft, kind life, my heart."

[thesunreturns]

"Yes. Humans in my world don't have magic, unless they have a recent fae ancestor. They'd developed some remarkable nonmagical healing, so she could disguise magical healing as particularly good fortune with nonmagical care, and use illusions to disguise herself as a human. But while an individual soldier might not attack a medic, not all weapons target individuals."

Simon doesn't know what sort of technology Felix's world had, or what sort of magic. To someone centuries old, the rapid advance of human weapons technology was downright frightening, and he'd lived in an area at peace for over a hundred years.

[fundamentalchaos]

Look, 'wild' is more in the vein of 'untamed' here, Ashton's hair doesn't go anywhere. But she still wouldn't be wrong.

"Yeah, Milo's probably the best of the Nobodies...they're probably the closest thing I have to family next to the Hells." They have to think back to the last time they saw the bespectacled human. It was the last time they had been in Jrusar and Ashton had asked them to upgrade their hammer. Gods he missed that hammer. "I used to lcok people out...then I found a little aeormaton all broken and shit. Took them home, Milo fixed 'em up, and they sorta glued themself to me. Because of them I found Orym and Dorian and the rest of the Hells."

There's a soft smile and Ashton misses as a second vision floats over the water, just a small one. A group of people around a table at a bustling tavern, laughing at an older gentleman who had fallen asleep beside them. When he does seem to notice it, there's a sadder look before Ashton shakes his head. "This spring is dangerous, heh."

[wrathstrikes]

"Not all... What?"

Felix's world has zero technology. Most of the weapons he knows of can only target individuals.

[fundamentalchaos]

It's a surprise when Barcus is already talking to the tavern keep, and more so when he takes Ashton's hand to lead him up while explaining what they had said.

"Fuck, you really can't wait can you?" They tease, following Barcus' lead towards their room for the...time. "One of these days I'm gonna drag you to my place so I can show off a bit." Mostly in that he would actually get the chance to show off a purchase that he hadn't told Barcus about for...reasons.

For all he had teased Barcus about not being able to wait it's Ashton who has the gnome swept up as soon as the door is shut, arms hooked under Barcus' thighs, sealing their lips together in a heated kiss against the wood.

[thecodexabides]

But wait, there's magic, too, except it's mostly evil sorcery unless the Emperor does it and then it's good. It is the best future for mankind ever. Total ruthless war.

"That means your people are safe from xenos trying to exterminate you." Must be nice.

[wildwarden]

Yes, obviously. But that meant he would have to get out of the spring and she would have to stop sitting on him. Tough call.

"If you want! I certainly won't say no to a show."

[pokeabear]

The fact that she would have to slide off his lap was the only downfall but it was a temporary issue. Smiling, he nudged her to stand so he could do the same. "Here we are, love. I'll show you quickly and then revert back."

Once she was standing, he gave a show as he climbed out of the pool to stand on the edge. With water sluicing down his body, he formed the idea in his head and pulled at his magic to call forth the air elemental form. A golden glow flashed around him and, as it faded, she would see the new form: a being made of twisting winds and clad in armor.

[thesunreturns]

"Imagine packing an amount of flammable material in a metal box, then lighting it. Then imagine making such a device that its ignition can happen at a delay. Rather than burn, the fire blows out the sides of the box in pieces, at high speed."

That was Simon's basic understanding of a bomb.

"It is a different sort of horrible than swords and bows," he said grimly. "War is a terrible thing, no matter the tools. There is a reason I sought to be a scholar rather than a knight."

[loosed]

That's a good laugh. Less guarded, less nimbly political — no that being guarded and nimbly political are faults in a general sense, of course. Only when they're aimed at him, an innocent, who's done nothing to deserve a taste of his own politicking medicine. He's also done nothing to deserve mysterious dangling threads about other Arrows,

who could easily be some young elven man of no importance, or a human named Arrow, or any number of things less exciting than the truth, so Felassan is not particularly preoccupied. He'll find out when he finds out. He's more likely to ask about her command of Elvhen, and the absence of her vallaslin, and whether the shemlen converted her as part of this whole Inquisition business, and would she like his opinions on their Maker?

He grins at her.

"Come for a walk," he proposes in lieu of a drink, which he's already learned not to trust, "and give me the highlights."

[fundamentalchaos]

The question makes Ashton laugh, ducking their head to butt their forehead against Barcus' before pulling back enough to shrug.

"I don't know, it'd be pretty rude to just boot you wouldn' it?" They grin. "And you like it way too much when I pick you up so that'd be more of a reward, huh?"

[dalishoriginal]

"Oh, so now I'm hearing critique from the man who wanted to soak in the traumatic memory bath," he growls, and bites him again, harder than before. You'll feel this one in the morning, Zev, and press your fingers to feel the bruising soreness linger, "I really thought I might die that time, you ass."

Unlike all the other times he thought he might die. Naturally.

Equally natural is the urge to keep going, a little slower this time, but no less vicious, turning his head to better access Zev's neck, a kiss pressed at the soft pulse-point just under one ear, a sharp bite to follow it. His hair trails in heavy, waterlogged curls across Zevran's bare shoulder as Theron moves higher, carding fingers through blond hair, to resettle his lover back where he had been.

A sensible man would probably try to move this somewhere more private, or at least out of the water lest another memory overtake them both. But, Mahariel can feel that he isn't the only one still eager for this little reunion, not with Zevran's cock still pressing against his thigh.

"Yeah, maybe I do think about it a lot. Maybe I don't want to lose you. Ever consider that, Zev?"

And when has anyone ever accused him of being sensible?

[arlathvhen]

The memory brings up plenty of complicated feelings for Lavellan herself. She isn't ashamed of her actions, of course--she had carefully thought out what would be the best plan of action, and achieved just that. To someone she knew better, someone she trusted with her plotting, she would be quite proud of it. To someone she barely knew, it felt--vulnerable.

She doesn't like feeling vulnerable.

And speaking of which, she sees a memory in the waters, starts tensing up for what else will be revealed about her--but it's not about her. There is a child who is hurt, and--a pit grows in Lavellan's stomach, cold and heavy, as she realizes that she is not the only one whose vulnerability has been revealed by the warm waters of the spring. The coldness grows in her veins as the implications are made clear, and her thoughts turn to her own mother. The woman that would never win any awards for parental love, who had disagreed with all that Lavellan had made of her life. But never was a hand raised to her. Never did she doubt, at the end of the day, that her mother loved her.

Not everyone could claim the same.

Impulsively, she reaches out, hand slapping down at the water, stirring it up and rendering the image unreadable. She would not sit here and impose herself upon Jade and her memories in such a manner, nor would she make herself watch it.

"...I am sorry." Her voice is quiet, and she turns to let Jade collect herself, if necessary.

[senriofmagic]

"Yeah, they're called Anima." Hayden nodded, finally calming down a bit as they talked. "They're like, spirits of magic who take animal forms. Sabu is a snow leopard," He motioned to the ears on his head, tail lazily thumping on the stone bench next to him. "hence the ears and tail. We take on attributes of our Anima."

"Tell him I said hello back."

"He says hello."

Then they're talking about the statues and Hayden nods, a sort of sad look. "Christianity really did a number to a lot of practices unfortunately. I've got one kid, he's a crow shifter, who'd been eyeing one of a while. He doesn't know it yet but he's getting a starter altar set for his birthday. Or he will...when I get home.

"Trust me, your stories and stuff, it gives people like me and some of the others a sense that ... that we're not alone? I mean most people don't believe in any or the Norse or Greek pantheon and they think it's all stupid stories, but to some of us it's not about if you exist or not. It's that someone at least wrote it, or told the story, showcased someone like us."

Woops, he hadn't meant to get so sentimental about it! It was just that, those had been his feelings the first time I stepped into a shop with his brother. A couple of dumb teens wanting to look at tarot cards and there it was, a stone carved relief of Loki, hood up, with Jörmungandr surrounding his head like a halo, Sleipnir and Fenrir there as well. He hadn't even known who it was when he had picked up the statue, not until the shop keep taught him to read the runes that spelt out his name at the base.

"Sorry...I get a little lost in it sometimes."

[iamthepyre]

The first reaction Touya has is a long suffering groan at the mention of a library. It's more for show than anything else, long arms swinging as he turned towards one of the portals. Then another. Before finally turning back to Bart and freezing when he realized what the other was saying.

"You and me both." Stepping closer Touya reached out to ruffle the others hair. "Where ever you go I'll follow. Got it? We're in this together. There, here, where ever this afterlife takes us. We'll deal with it together."