TDM #3

[calderaevents]

TDM #3

ARRIVAL (new characters only)

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.

The Tavernkeeper offers more than just answers, of course. This is a tavern after all, and what is a tavern without drinks?

DRINK MENU (new characters only)

PUMPKIN SPICE The second this delectable drink hits your tongue, you have the overwhelming urge to tell someone a story - specifically about something unbelievable that happened to you, be it true or not.

BLACK CAT You finish most sentences with cat-like mewls, trills, and other such sounds.

SINFUL CIDER made from a particular variety of apples with a sharp intense flavor and a smooth caramel finish, the tart sweetness blends perfectly with the spices. Suddenly you feel like you need to confess something. Past sins? A deep, deep desire? A secret? Anything that you simply wouldn't admit under most circumstances, it seems like a fabulous time to unburden yourself.

BEETLEJUICE A Calderan fall delicacy, the drink is made by marinating beetles in a strong liquor reminiscent of malort. drinking 3 of them in a row is a common challenge, if you can stomach it...

HOT CHOCOLATE The standard fare with or without marshmallows. Drinking this makes you want to cuddle up with someone - anyone, really - especially by a fire.

RAMBLER You are prone to rambling and being generally more verbose than usual.

VANILLA BOURBON An aged bourbon with a strong vanilla finish… though be warned, it might make you more… vanilla than usual.

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, with 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, but due to recent events the amount of airships in the docks are limited. Travel is still possible, but there may be some delay while they ferry people back and forth. The locals speak of the day the sky fell and close inspection or further prodding provides new arrivals with some idea of what had happened a few weeks prior: a piece of Heaven's Bow had broken off, leaving many losing family members and friends to the tragedy. Attempts to rebuild are slow going.

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.

Down near where land meets sea, a large crater has formed from the piece of Heaven's Bow that landed there weeks before. Debris still scatters the landscape, and rescue efforts are ongoing even if hopes of finding people alive are slim to none these days. Broken columns of once majestic buildings lay in pieces, and the earth itself seems to be weeping with molten rock that has been unearthed by the impact.

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.

Much like the cities above, transportation is a little delayed. Much of the manpower usually kept for upkeeping the docks has been diverted to repairing pieces of the bubble that have started to leak. Not enough to truly worry the inhabitants of Salt Spire, but enough that it's slowing down a lot of other areas of the city while people work to fix it.

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.

THE SPIRIT OF FALL

With everything that's happened recently, Calderans are ready to fall into autumn. Harvests from Dryad territories are coming in strong with pumpkins and apples overflowing the markets--the harvests have been particularly bountiful this year, and the locals are certain it has something to do with the Visitors' efforts.

Given the extra bounty, a temporary café has opened in Grey Ward. Wander in with a good book and experience the aromas that will greet you at the door: apple crisp, pumpkin bread, cider donuts... the smell of all sorts of sweets and deserts with an autumnal twist. The pumpkin spiced latte seems to be a favorite drink among the locals.

Of course, it's not only Grey Ward participating in the fall spirit. Head to Heaven's Bow for tastes of all sorts of soups to warm yourself as the days grow cooler, especially where the winds are strong. Everything from pumpkin to roasted red pepper, most served with hot cider--spiked, of course, with a cinnamon-based whiskey upon request.

Far below in Salt Spire you can expect to find the market stalls serving hot pot and oden, a savory stew full of tofu, daishi, and a variety of vegetables and noodles. You might even wish to purchase sake that has been aging since the spring, its flavor a perfect complement to any meal--though steamed buns seem to be a favorite for social gatherings.

Whatever you might like to celebrate the comforts of autumn, the harvest is bountiful and Caldera seems to be healing--at least for the moment.

SHADOWS IN THE SEA

There's a buzz in Salt Spire that something is happening at the Fogbottom Docks. Upon investigating, Visitors will find lines of people waiting to hop onto the crystalline ship docked there, the side of it etched with the words: Princess Harriet's Haunted Boat Tours. Princess Harriet herself, a middle-aged Undine with wild curls of coral atop her head and a billowing dress of blue and green seaweed stands at the head of the ship, ushering people aboard.

"Welcome Calderans and Visitors alike to Princess Harriet's Haunted Boat Tour! Come and see the spirits that haunt the deep dark seas! Hear tales of romance, adventure, and tragedy like none you have ever heard before! Just 10 Bones apiece and we shall set sail once the seats are full!"

The seats are full quickly, but should you manage to get on board, the inside of the ship is large and dimly lit, blue flame candles casting odd shadows along the rows of seats and the others along for the tour.

The ship sets off out of Salt Spire and into the sea. Each landmark is met with a new tale of a different ghost.

"And here," Harriet chimes in. "In Cordelia's Rest. You know, it's said that those that perish at sea will often find their way here, following the light like a beacon. With it dimmed by unknown forces, who knows how many poor souls will be lost forever..." She weeps theatrically into her hand, stopping a few seconds later to continue speaking of the local spirits.

More stories are told with each stop - the tale of the Sylph and Undine lovers that tragically ended when the sylph tried to dive into the ocean to be with their lover and did not anticipate the fall (a story that, given Heaven's Bow's disaster a few months prior, unsettles many in an unintended way). Then there are the ghosts that haunt the Violet Drop - yet another with unpleasant implications given recent events concerning a certain Cult. But that did not stop Harriet in the slightest, who went on and on until the boat started to jerk wildly when they neared too close to Anchor Wash and its dangerous currents.

"Fear not, folks! I am sure that is just the thousands of ghosts of dead sailors that have- gods above, what is that!?" There is true terror in her voice as the ship shook and rattled, a massive shadow passing along the outside of it - large and indiscernible in its shape. For a moment, whatever it was seems to pass by without issue. But just as Harriet begins to speak again, the ship jerks violently, sending passengers flying into the sides of the vessel, into each other, and onto the floor. Harriet's assurances fall on deaf ears while everyone is shaken about like a toy in a dog's mouth, the ship creaking ominously. The helmsman shouts for aid through the bird-shaped communication device, but who knows how long it will be before help arrives.

They did not confiscate your weapons upon boarding, and there are rebreathers on the ship. Harriet shouts that someone has to help, because she's pretty sure ghosts aren't this strong. If you choose to assist and venture outside the vessel, you are met with the odd sight of shadowy tendrils wrapping themselves around the ship with the intent to crush it, the source of the arcane energy coming from a crack in the ocean floor below. Thankfully, the shadows seem to be corporeal enough to hit with mundane weapons - although magic ones seem to dispel them faster. Take them out and make sure you get back on board before the ship sails back to Salt Spire, those tendrils are dangerous, and being around them too long makes you feel dizzy and disoriented.

DECEASED BY DAWN

In the darkness of night, you feel... something. It claws at the edges of your mind and fills you with a feeling of dread, ice cold fingers wrapping around you as it pulls and pulls... You wake up in a strange, dark forest; the trees are too dense to see the sky, and there is no moonlight to peak through the leaves. There may be others near you or there may not, but as you wander it's clear that this is no place for mortals. You feel eyes on your back no matter where you go, your heart races because of this immense unknown and the strange situation at hand... What happened? Why were you sent here?

You are powerless. You could hide. Or you could fight.

A face you may recognize seems to duck behind a wall of bricks--was that there before?--and you hear a soft growl nearby.

You, and anyone you've found yourself with, are being hunted.

You have a sense that you need to escape the forest before the sun fully peeks over the horizon, or you may find yourself at the receiving end of a hag's hunting. Escaping the forest is straightforward enough: a portal that needs to be activated by collecting various items of import from your past, scattered throughout the forest.

Just make sure not to fall into any of the hag's traps, or you may find yourself deceased by dawn.

MURDER MYSTERY

The full bounty of the Dryad people’s harvest is on display, particularly the wide, colorful assortment of gourds from, you guessed it, Gourdmill. Loading up in a hay cart and touring the patches to select the perfect pumpkin is a long standing tradition–just don’t make too much noise about carving one where the locals can hear, because Gourdmillians get persnickety about that particular tradition (why waste a perfectly good pumpkin when a nasty old turnip from the Burrow is right there.

Speaking of the Burrow, the Berry Bakers are selling their famous hand pies in nearly every flavor of fruit tree and bush berry imaginable, and are trying something new to bring more attention to their little corner of the land: an escape room! Billed as “The Haunting of Hollow Barn”, it costs only a few bones for entry, and participating groups must uncover the truth behind the disappearance of Old Farmer Kelly, who vanished this very month, from this very barn, long long ago.

The barn itself was in disrepair and had an eeriness to it already, but has been decorated with flickering lanterns, thick cobwebs, and scatters of bones (animal bones, but play along!). The first clue is easy to find: a cracked leather bound diary which seems to detail the farmer’s last night alive. Following these cryptic clues will lead the group to a hay bale, beneath which is a small compartment in the floor. This compartment contains a second clue: a puzzle box with a cylindrical lock. The symbols and the order they must be placed in harken back to an old nursery rhyme. Once unlocked, the puzzle box is found to contain four colorful, glowing stones, which, when held up, emit a light that reveals hidden messages painted on the walls. Following these messages and instructions will lead to uncovering four lanterns, each one the same color as the stone that revealed its location. Once the stone is placed inside, and the lanterns are placed on the right hangers, the group will hear a click, as the cellar door opens.

Descending the dark, musty stares, they will find the ghost of Old Farmer Kelly (definitely not a poor, bedraggled farmer whose wife talked him into this, doused with flour that puffs softly every time he tries not to cough), who recites a riddle: “Take me out of a window, and I leave a grieving wife. But stick me in a door, and I can save the poor man's life. What am I?” With the correct answer given, the ghost will declare that you have freed his tormented soul and as such you are free as well, and produce the key to the barn door.

Should one fail to solve the puzzles in time, one is doomed to perish in the barn and their spirit will haunt it forever (or, Miss Maisie Weston will retrieve you at the end of the time limit, and you don't get a prize). Any questions as to what actually happened to Old Farmer Kelly, and what the riddle has to do with anything, will be met with blank stares, a vague muttering attempt at a ghostly sound, and puffs of flour dust as he ushers you out; one must remember this was an elaborate mystery thrown together by a farming community, so please just take your prize (one free hand pie!) and move along.

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.

OOC NOTES

Welcome to Caldera's third 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. The tavern and the offered drinks are currently only accessible to new arrivals.

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

OOC QUESTIONS

[calderaevents]

Leave your questions for the mods here!

Re: OOC QUESTIONS

[dreamflowers]

SORRY IF THIS HAS BEEN ASKED BEFORE AND I JUST MISSED IT but are the drinks on the drink menu restricted for new characters only, or can current players tag into those? I'm not entirely sure if the tavern itself is only for newbies or if existing visitors can go there to greet people and whatnot, too.

ASK THE TAVERNKEEPER (IC Questions)

[calderanpcs]

Standard questions and answers:

Q: Where am I?
A: Caldera, a world split by Land, Sea and Sky.

Q: Why have I been brought here?
A: The world is dying and the leaders have requested outside aid from Visitors like you to help revive it.

Q: Where's all my stuff?
A: Not here. You may get whatever you wish returned if you put forth the effort.

Q: Who are you?
A: The keeper of the tavern.

Q: What if I don't leave the tavern?
A: You have no choice.

Q: What happens if we fail?
A: Caldera falls.

Q: What's in it for us?
A: Power. Glory. The thanks of the rulers.

Q: Can we die here?
A: Yes, but Visitors that make an effort to prove themselves to the rulers will be revived. Those who work against them may not be so lucky.

[hellonspectacles]

How would the tavernkeeper answer if someone asked what happened to their powers/special abilities? I'm imagining the answer would be similar to "Where's all my stuff?" but wanted to double check!

NEW CHARACTER TOPLEVELS

[calderaevents]

Link your toplevels here!

Moonshade | Elfquest | Dryad

[holtfinder]

here!

Moonshade - Elfquest - Dryad

[holtfinder]

1. Arrival
The very concept of a tavern is somewhat foreign to Moonshade. Her community of elves do intoxicants--dreamberries, most notably--but it's the idea of them being bought and sold instead of passed around freely at a celebration that confuses her. Nonetheless, after peppering the Tavernkeeper with questions, she seems to consider the menu, settling on a Black Cat.

What you make of a four-foot tall woman with pointy ears mewling like a kitten as she speaks, well, that's up to you. She seems incredibly frustrated by it.


2. Onward to Grey Ward
a. Immediately on arrival
As she arrives in the Glass Market, Moonshade startles, immediately looking for somewhere to hide. Crowds of people, most of whom are significantly taller than her, are a frightening sight. Perhaps you catch a glimpse of her darting between two market stalls and down an alley. She might be possible for someone to mistake for a thief, with her stealthy, darting motions.

b. Later on
As she begins to settle in, she spends as little time as possible in the heart of the city. Find her exploring the farmlands or even making her way out to the crater to see what's happening. She might even turn her hand toward rescue and salvage work, proving stronger than her small frame would imply.


3. Quests
a. Lace Case
Moonshade has, in the past, dealt with matters involving tricky winged creatures before: the Preservers. Cocoon-spinning mischief-makers, they've been involved with her tribe for centuries. So it seems simple enough to her, that she should go help with the problem the lace guilds are facing.

(Perhaps a secondary motive is a quiet interest in textile arts. Lace is nothing like the silk Ahnshen showed her, but it is as fascinating in its own way.)

"I've brought a sack along, in case we're able to capture one." She also has seeds to scatter, for the counting compulsion.

b. Sea Turtle Scramble
The idea of ensuring a safe hatching for baby turtles brings out something soft in Moonshade. She is a mother, twice over, after all. While she isn't planning to fight the potential predators directly, she does bring some scraps of fabric to wave as distractions and to make herself look larger and more threatening than anything else on the beach.

Unfortunately, some of the foxes seem to be slinking around her flank while she's handling a group of sea birds. This is where you come in.


X. Wildcard
[Hit me up on plurk or discord at darkersolstice to plan anything else.]

Immediately on arrival

[holdshisown]

Maedhros is not all that fond of crowds himself, even though he towers over everyone else there, but he does venture into the markets from time to time. Keeping an eye out for anything interesting he might find or simply keeping an ear open to any rumors going about.

Spying some tiny darting shadow trying to keep itself hidden is enough to pique both his interest and his concern. So he decides to follow it to see if whoever it is might need some sort of aid.

"Are you alright, friend?" He asks when he finaly catches up to them. "If you are lost I would not mind helping you find your way again."

Kainé | NieR: Replicant ver.1.22474487139 | Undine (Lemme try this again!)

[somethingveryspecial]

[Arrival]
[Deceivingly delicate fingers absently tease at the soft linens she finds herself covered in.

The first clue that something's wrong is that she's inside, second is that she's in a bed, much nicer than anything she owns.

Kainé isn't sure how someone managed to get the jump on her, but somehow she's not where she's supposed to be, and she doesn't like it.

Cracking open one eye, she expects to find herself under guard of some kind, but she's alone in an empty room. She sits up in bed, spotting the note on the bedside table.]

Tavernkeeper, huh... best go see what the bastard has to say...

[The woman who emerges from the room is dressed in is dressed in lingerie and heels with bandages wrapped around her left arm and leg. In her silvery-white hair, she wears a flower that could be described as something of almost perfect beauty.

Contrary to her looks, her demeanor is somewhat intimidating and any jeers will be met with a stone-cold glare. She sits down at the bar and just says 'gimme whatever.' After all, it won't affect her, right?]

[[ooc: dealer's choice on drink]]

[Choose Your Destiny]
[If she had her way, Kainé wouldn't be going through any of these portals. She'd be on a one way ticket back home, not that home is anything to be overjoyed about, she just has shit to do. Personal shit. And these portals look sketchy as fuck.

So it's not so much that she's drawn to the portal, as she's unceremoniously shoved into the shell and seaweed adorned opening. But these things happen for a reason, don't they? Perhaps there's a hidden Destiny at work? She hates destiny...]

[The Spirit of Fall]
[The soup is a new experience for Kainé, but she can be seen enjoying it nonetheless. If there's one thing Kainé won't complain about, it's food-- and it's the quickest way to her heart!

Why not pull up a chair and join her? She seems to be in a good mood and probably won't bite your head off.]

[Shadows in the Sea]
[Haunted ship, huh... sure, why not. Kainé boards and takes a seat, looking unenthused. She'll eventually turn to the person next to her and whisper.]

You know it's all bullshit, right?

[When the ship comes under attack, that's when she perks up, unsheathing the dual blades at her back and careens towards the danger.]

Now we're talkin'!

[Deceased by Dawn]
The fuck...?

[Finding herself in the strange, dark, forest is unnerving. She doesn't like the dark, the dark is where Shades lurk. She might be a little on edge. Regardless, she tries to put on a brave face for whoever she runs into.]

Hey! How the hell do I get out of this shit hole?

[Questboard/Wildcard/Etc.]
[[Open to quests and other things if you'd like to plot pp me at silvergrimalkin

Also please have a look HERE for any potentially triggering content that may come up.]]

Deceased by Dawn

[long_live_the_queen]

[One of the shadows in this forest was, allegedly, human shaped--if stubby-horned and slouched irritably against a tree while she tried to get her bearings. Her voice was similarly unhappy, though more annoyed and tired than unsettled.]

You think I'd still be here if I knew that?

[Kaede had just started to get used to a routine here--and now she'd been roused from sleep(...?) by something that lurked and clawed at the edges of her mind. And it wasn't her vectors, nor the whispers of the Voice--her power had gone quiet again, and it...felt different than the Voice. Fewer words, more feeling, like a long-clawed spider kept trying to climb into her thoughts. Very unpleasant.]

Just got my dog to calm down.

[This had better be a dream. A horribly inconvenient dream. Or else she wasn't going to get much sleep at all before dawn.]

Barcus Wroot | Baldur's Gate 3 | Dryad

[lost_and_foundry]

Arrival

Barcus spends quite a long while under the bed he arrived in, before choosing to venture forth, half holding his breath and trying to listen for voices in the building around him. A gnome can't be too careful, after all, and the note is ambiguous enough that he assumes he's been abducted for enslavement. Look, it happens.

From what he can hear, though, it sounds like a relatively normal tavern, and so eventually he breaks free of his pragmatic cowardice, straightens his clothes, and goes to have a chat. It's enlightening, but not reassuring.

At least his assumption that he's been dragged from home for working purposes seems to hold true, even if it doesn't involve whips, chains, and red-hot forges. Brilliant. Just brilliant.

Grey Ward

At less than three and a half feet tall, Barcus finds the human-sized populace mostly concludes he's a child himself, until they see his unimpressed face. Two different people stop to check on him--he's not sure whether they're visitors or natives, but they both seem surprised when they see the emerald bracelet on his wrist. He's a little salty with them, more so than is really warranted. His manners will catch up with him later.

What he really wants is to see the Soot Spire, but the streets are extensive and winding, and before long he's lost. It's at this point, as he sits in a doorway to rest, that a calico cat with huge green eyes starts staring at him.

"If you're looking for food," he tells her, "you're out of luck. Shoo."

It must not be a very convincing 'shoo', though, because a minute later she's curled up on the step next to him, purring and making biscuits on the leg of his trousers.

Spirit of Fall

It's not that Barcus doesn't have a sweet tooth; he does, but what he considers sweet and what the rest of the world considers sweet are at different levels. He's sipping a pumpkin spice latte happily enough, but he can't even finish a cider donut.

"Aren't there mushrooms in the woods in fall, as well?" he wonders aloud. "Surface dwellers are always going on about hunting mushrooms in the fall. Ours were year-round."

To Pour From an Empty Well

He's actually trying to avoid quests, wary of getting involved with anyone or anything while he's so new to the place, but there's something about a child in a well that prods at his soft spots. There was that time Wulbren pulled him out of a chasm, when he fell hunting mushrooms. Granted, it was Wulbren's fault he fell in the first place, he thought it would be funny to jump out and scare him, but still, there's a sense of nostalgia...or something...involved.

"You'll want me to go first, I suppose," he says grudgingly. "I'm small enough, I'll be able to get through any restrictions a child can, and I'm probably better suited to the dark than anyone here. Someone lend us a pick, will you? If there's a cavern down there, we may need it."

Wildcard
((I'm up for any prompts or SFW quests, feel free to suggest or PM me!))

To Pour From an Empty Well

[holdshisown]

Children has always been a soft spot for Maedhros and knowing of one in need of help does tend to spur him into action. And so it is he finds himself making common cause with the strange little man he'd run into once he'd accepted the quest.

He looks a bit appologetic as he agrees with him. "It would probably be the best course of action," he says. "I am not exactly a small man and climbing down with only one hand would be something of a challange. Not impossible, mind you, but it's going to take me longer and it's probably a good idea someone get's to the child a bit more swiftly to assess the situation."

Maedhros | the Silmarillion | Dryad

[holdshisown]

The Spirit of Fall

He has not really had an opportunity to simply sit and enjoy simple pleasures like having a hot drink and some apple crisp in decades, perhaps even centuries, so he's not going to pass up the chance now when it's presented itself.

The pumpkin spiced latte, as he'd learned it was called, was not a drink he was familiar with but he found the taste to be a rather pleasing one and did not regret ordering it upon recomendation. "A shame we did not have this back home. I think it would have proved to be a popular beverage once the chill started to set in around Himring."

Deceased by Dawn

Though Maedhros does not sleep as other people do there are times when his eyes may be open but his mind is put to rest in such a way as to make him just as unaware of his surroundings as a true sleep would.

He comes awake suddenly with a start, grasping for the sword he never leaves to far from himself only to find it is not there. Nor is he where he's supposed to be, for this wood is not where he'd laid down to rest before.

"What is this?" He breathes as he looks around.

He does not like this, these woods does not exactly feel all that friendly to him and he get's the sneaking suspiscion that there might be someone or something watching him.

Gourd Grief

Letting a bunch of burning bugs run around setting things on fire does not sound like a good idea to him, so he decides to do his best to help solve the problem. Though attacking the things outright seems like a less than sound plan so he opts to go about with a bucketful of water that he uses to dump on the bugs before he simply uses his boots to squish them.

It is slow going and, to be honest, rather disgusting work. He's almost certain he'll need to procure a new pair of boots after he's done with this.

Spirit of Fall

[overachievers]

"They are popular in my world, especially in autumn. Be careful drinking too many at once, if you're not used to them, though. There's an ingredient that can keep one awake and even make you jittery."

It seems polite to give a warning to someone who might not have had coffee before.

Saber | Fate/Samurai Remnant | Undine

[hakkidoto]

Tavern

This is not where Saber expected to open his eyes. Or maybe he just didn't expect to open them at all after everything that happened - a return to the Throne, perhaps. Another long, restful sleep before being called again. Although in away, this is a calling isn't it? Whatever the reason, he's wide-eyed and full of questions and it takes a bit for him to stop pestering the poor tavern-keeper and settle down for a bit, giving a curious glance to other new arrivals - and settling on a drink, because far be it from him to turn down a chance to sample something new! The hot chocolate, it seems, is rather attractive - and exotic to him.

"Ahhhh! That's so good!" Sweet and warm and it makes him feel like he's floating a little. And cozy.

He just wishes it were a bit cozier.

Saber's glance falls on someone passing by and on an impulse he pats the ground next to him where he's perched in front of the fire.

"Wanna sit for a while?"

He is fair enough to be mistaken for a woman, too.

Bluetide Market

The sea calls to him. Or maybe it's the water. For good or ill, it's been a presence in his life and it reminds him of someone from long ago. He wants more answers, of course, but it's hard for him to stay entirely focused when there's so much to explore and see and poke his head into. Especially the food stalls. He doesn't exactly have cash on hand, but he's still doing his best to get a look at all of it.

His eyes glitter a little as he stares at a particular stall selling udon and other noodles and then he seems to take a breath and clench his fists to get control of himself.

"Take your time... take your time... You can try some later." He mutters - apparently to himself!

Sea Shadows

The ride has been pleasant enough - at least until everything starts to get very perilous. But Saber, it seems, is ready to jump into action. He grabs a rebreather and in a moment a sword has materialized in his hand, his gaze sharp and defiant as he prepares to leave the safe confines of the ship.

"Are you coming? Or are you staying?"

It's a demand - because stay or go, he's going to go fight!

Wildcard

Make something up!

Bluetide Market

[odare]

Finnick has been spending more time underwater recently, and the smells coming from the market's stalls drew him here. He's waiting in line for some noodles... After all, noodles are a wonderful and perfect food.

There's a person nearby lingering, muttering to himself, and it catches Finnick's attention. He looks over quizzically but doesn't say anything yet, just watches the strange behaviour.

Diana Burnwood - Hitman: World of Assassination series - Undine

[overachievers]

1. Arrival
This situation is wildly out of the mundane Diana's wheelhouse. She's arrived in a black formal dress and heels, her hair pinned up tidily out of her face, looking like some gracefully-aging socialite. There's a moment when she seems inclined to reject the premise wholly, but something about the Tavernkeeper is familiar enough that she stays for a cup of hot chocolate

Which turns out to have been a bad idea, as the urge for a cuddle comes upon her. Diana's never been a particularly open and affectionate person. But now...well. Now she's walking up to someone else at a table here to make an introduction, and perhaps more.


Home Sweet Sea
After being settled in her home, Diana spends her first few days in the Salt Spire Library. The lack of history books is a point of frustration, but there's plenty for a thoughtful person to learn from fiction about a culture's values, if they're willing to dig a little. Romances give a view on culture and society. Books on magic will help her catch up on what her world lacks. A notebook beside her begins to fill with writing.

She's definitely not against the idea of having company while she reads. After all, other people offer their own perspectives.


Spirit of Fall
The moment rumors of pumpkin spice lattes reached Diana, she made a journey to Grey Ward to find one. Look, she's an Earth woman from 2021; this is a pilgrimage. Though as she sips the drink, a look of mild confusion hits her face.

"Where would they import the coffee beans from?"


Deceased by Dawn
The context is lost on Diana; she is confused, disoriented, frightened. But that doesn't make her any less decisive. The first step is to hide, to find a spot with thick trees where she can rest for a moment and make a plan. It's only when she's pressed up against a tree trunk that she realizes she's not the only one caught in this nightmare.


Wildcard
[Hit me up on plurk or discord at darkersolstice to plan anything else.]

Home sweet sea

[hellonspectacles]

“No, no, no. And still no…”

From somewhere in the hushed stacks behind Diana comes a voice: a male tenor, mildly irritated, with an accent that’s a bit—if not precisely—Kiwi. For the next couple of minutes, he continues to grumble, though he words aren’t always audible; anyone who listens hard enough might catch a few words, including primary source documentation, novelistic nonsense, and—at least twice—for fuck’s sake.

When the owner of the voice emerges, he reveals himself to be a tall, bespectacled young man of about twenty. He’s carrying a stack of books, which he drops heavily onto the table where Diana sits. “They can’t all be fiction, can they?” he asks, and it’s unclear if he’s addressing his fellow researcher or speaking to himself. He flips open the first book in his stack, a rather lurid romance novel. “Well, this one certainly is—I don’t think that is even physically possible.”

Finnick Odair | The Hunger Games | Undine

[odare]

Shadows in the Sea

Finnick recently invested his loyalty in Cordelia, making him Undine, so he’s been spending more time underwater. He can never turn down a boat tour, especially with such a quirky and charismatic tour guide. He listens with rapt attention to her tales, looking wide-eyed out the window as they pass different landmarks. Or, maybe you’d call them seamarks.

He makes little comments to the person next to him periodically, muttering small jokes about Harriet’s theatrics or How much of this do you think is actually true? Nonetheless, he enjoys himself to the fullest… Until the ship starts shaking violently and he’s almost launched out of his seat. He steadies himself, then looks to the person next to him.

“You okay?” He asks, knowing that those less used to the movement of ships might be more panicked than he is.

But then… It seems that panic is actually called for, as something giant has a hold of the ship, and someone needs to break that grip. He brings his trident everywhere now, mainly in case he runs into any cultists from the Violet Drop, and can breathe underwater, so he’s ready to aid the ship’s captain. He stands carefully, bracing himself on the back of a seat.

“I’m going out. Want to come?” He flashes a grin to the person nearest him.

Deceased by Dawn

Is this a nightmare, or is this real? Either way, he’s had this distinct feeling before. Hunted. Somehow, he just knows someone- or something- is coming for him.

He thinks he sees Annie’s face move behind a wall, but when he checks behind it, there’s no one there. There is, however, a figure in the mist nearby that scares the shit out of him.

“Hello?” He calls out to the figure, which he then gets a chill of dread and regret for doing. That figure could be here to kill him- the smart thing would have been to hide or run, not call out to them.

Well. Too late now. He just freezes in place.

Wildcard

[ooc: If you’d like to plot something else, hmu at decimalplaces or drewey.decimal on discord!]

Deceased by Dawn

[holdshisown]

This place, he thinks, will be the thing that finaly makes his mind tip over into madness. Instead of the fine balance he's kept it in where he can keep a fairly normal facade up for others.

The unrelenting prescence of something else out there as well as the glimpses of faces that are far too familiar to him is almost too much to bear and he is starting to wonder if he is having one of his dark moods again. Where past and present start to blurr and the memories of Angband start to reach out their shadowy tentacles.

That voice, though, he recognizes that and not from his past. He can focus on that, to try to keep his mind from spiraling further. Focus on getting the young man he'd become friends with out of this place, he can break down later.

"Finnick?" He asks as he scans the woods for threats.

Jeralt Eisner | Fire Emblem: 3 Houses | Dryad

[captainjeralt]

Arrival

A tavern is not an uncommon place to find Captain Jeralt, and he’s often telling stories while drunk, so it doesn’t quite strike him as odd that upon drinking the Pumpkin Spice ale, he has the urge to chat someone up, a million stories he could tell the captive audience here bubbling up in his mind. He turns to the person next to him at the bar.

“You new here, too?”

Destiny

Jeralt has always been a steady and reliable man, and has camped out in forests more times than he can possibly count during his years as a mercenary, so it’s no surprise that the land portal draws him in. After exploring Grey Ward and finding a place to stay in the Downs, he wanders to the forest to explore further. All he has is a hunting knife, but he thinks maybe he could set some traps for game.

Unfortunately, his plans are thwarted as he’s ambushed on the wooded trail by a small group of bandits. If he were in his world, with his usual resources, taking them out would be no problem. But with only a small knife and his brute strength, he struggles to fend them all off. He throws one man against a tree, who thankfully smacks his head and falls unconscious.

You may come across him in this active combat.

Spirit of Fall

Jeralt takes a while to settle into his place on land, and doesn’t venture to sea or sky until about a week later. He finds the heights a little freaky, so avoids the sky for now, but he simply has to see for himself whether there’s really a city underwater.

And there is, to his amazement. He’s shocked by all of it; the creatures that swim about in the water, the bubble that holds the city in a large pocket of air, the beautiful and giant library. There are also delicacies here he’s unfamiliar with, but they smell amazing. He stops at a market stall, eyeing the menu of hotpot, which seems to be in a language he understands but words he’s never heard of before.

He turns to another person who’s looking at the menu.

“Have you had this before? It smells great, but I don’t even know where to start with the menu.”

Wildcard

[ooc: If you’d like to plot something else, hmu at decimalplaces or drewey.decimal on discord!]

Spirit of fall

[lygophobic]

Sun Spear, having just finished a quest off near Blueshore and picked up Estelle, had come to the pop up stalls to grab dinner. From what she knew, hot pot seemed like it would at least entertain her while she ate, dipping the meat and vegetables into a boiling hot pot was totally safe and fine, too.

"Yeah." She grunted. "You pick a base and they bring it to a boil so you can dip your food in and cook it yourself. It's weird, but not hard to figure out. You'll probably want someone to go with you."

Vash the Stampede | Trigun Stampede | Dryad (Probably)

[bountyfull]

I. Tavern Drinks
[ While Vash may have requested a little extra kick to his Hot Chocolate, it's still just that and the effect it seems to have on patrons is no different for him despite his alcoholic addition. It's probably why he's currently leaned up against whoever's seated next to him, despite how they look. It's an almost sleepy sort of lean, his shoulders slightly slumped and his expression relaxed. ]

[ If whoever he's leaned against pushes at him or otherwise gives him a funny look he'll sit up with a sway and grin, all apologies. ]

Sorry, you're warm!

[ But if not: he winds up resting his chin on their shoulder, blue eyes hidden by sunglasses but very clearly watching his new best friend's expression whether they're paying him mind or not. ... Later he's definitely going to owe someone an apology for bursting their personal bubble either way. ]


II. Sea Tentacles
[ The moment volunteers to help are called for, or perhaps even beforehand, Vash is out in the waters surrounding their underwater ship to see what he can do. He's struck dumb by the sight of the shadowy tentacles, eyes wide as he tries to swim back and take in as much information in the dark water as he can.

It isn't until he sees one of those shadowy, inky tentacles grab onto someone's legs and jerk that he makes his move. Even if he's from a desert planet he moves swiftly in the water, grabbing the tentacle's chosen victim by the collar, sleeve, arm, anywhere he can manage— to try and prevent them from being snatched by whatever it is manipulating the appendages. ]

Woah! Hey! Hold on to me!

[ Perhaps they're more than a little lucky the rebreathers allow both breathing while underwater AND verbal communication. ]


III. Basic White Girl Shit
[ The scents coming out of the cafe in Grey Ward are IMPOSSIBLE to ignore, especially when upon peeking through the windows as he walks by, there's no way to miss the bounty of baked goods piled in display cases and on patron's tables. It doesn't take a super long visit within for his arms to be full of goods to take home with him, but instead of leaving he heads over to a table that he THINKS is free.

It's hard to see around the large stuffed full bags in his arms.

Upon setting them down, if the table isn't empty he laughs a little looking a little bashful. ]

Hope you don't mind. I didn't realize the table was taken. I'm still waiting on an order. Promise I won't get in your hair or anything!

[ If the table IS empty, he settles down and considers his bags for a moment before leaning back, back, back in his chair and grins at the person behind him, the expression friendly and a little silly. ]

Would you like a donut? These seem pretty good to me!


IV. [Sylph Quest] An Ancient Secret
Well... so far so good, right?

[ Maybe he's talking to himself, or maybe in this case he's talking to someone else who's come along on this little mission. He laughs a little to himself, the way his brows pinch together with the sound belying a little bit of his apprehension despite the carefree statement. They've only just made landfall on the little island, and the atmosphere is heavy and haunted in a way that would make ill feeling creep up anyone's spine.

Vash turns to rifle through a bag on his shoulder for a moment, pulling out a skin of water to hand to his companion. ]

Here, looks like we might be walking for a wh—

[ Perhaps it sounds different to others, but there's a whisper on the wind rustling through limb and leaf that once it settles on Vash's ear has him freezing motionless, his expression a mix of shock and confusion. It wouldn't be possible for owner of that voice to be here, but it has him turning to look down a particularly gnarled not-path with an intense searching gaze. ]


V. [Undine Quest] Crimson Waters
[ Winding up tied up next to someone else is, more or less, how Vash expected this to go. It's a lot easier to infiltrate a situation if he plays into getting caught by the "bad guys". So at first, he's content to get tossed in with the rest of those who have found themselves captive. After they're left to their own devices, however, he's quick to untie himself and move on towards the next person.

There's whispered promises to help each person, and hurried explanations of what the plan is (it's a little hectic, mostly, those captured need to hang back and he'll handle the rest). He's working on the ropes tied around one person's wrists when the light from outside the room brightens as the door opens.

Vash freezes, his body shielding the evidence of what he's doing as he glares towards the door. When it's not one of the pirates or the captain himself, he seems to relax a little. ]

Hey, give me a hand here will you? We can make quick work of getting people out of here before the guards notice and I have to take care of them.


VI. Wildcard
[ If none of these prompts work for whatever reason, feel free to write a starter of your own! I can also be contacted at kermitkin for plotting or to write you something custom. Vash can be found just about anywhere and so long as it doesn't involve killing, he won't be hard to convince to participate in quests. (Barring maybe the NSFW ones, please talk to me first if there's interest for that).

Permissions, kinklist, info etc. are all available in his journal. ]

Crimson Waters

[lygophobic]

I already took care of them. ( Sun Spear, who had simply snuck aboard the ship, killed the lookout, and crept toward the hold to meet Vash, wiped the blade of her spear off on her pant leg, and moved to untie the closest person. )

The captain is at the helm barking orders. What's your plan with these people? We can't let them loose on deck.

Palamedes Sextus | The Locked Tomb | Undine

[hellonspectacles]

Arrival + Drinks

“No, no, you don’t understand. That doesn’t make sense. Necromancy doesn’t have an off switch—well, not unless one is using off switch as a kind of crude metaphor for genetic engineering, and there’s no proof that that would even work. But that’s entirely beside the point—“

For the past ten minutes, a thin, bespectacled young man has been standing at the bar, peppering the poor tavernkeeper with questions and, from time to time, objecting to his less-than-satisfactory answers. At least the tavern keeper seems to be taking the third degree in stride, shrugging and wincing sympathetically at appropriate intervals, while clearly providing none of the explanation the young man craves. Eventually, though, even the most patient barkeep needs to move on. This one pointedly places a drink in front of his insistent customer, bids him farewell, and turns to greet another newcomer.

Palamedes Sextus, for his part, picks up the small glass of anise-scented liquid, scrutinizes it for a few long moments, as though trying to find some answer in it, and sets it down again with a rueful grimace. Whatever he’d been looking for, he had been unable to find. “No. Thought not.”

Questboard: Kelp me!

For better or worse, Palamedes Sextus is exactly the sort of person who is likely to be cornered in the local bakery and subjected to a tale of Calliope’s latest troubles. In the three times he has visited since arriving in this strange undersea world (the croissants are extremely good, okay), he has heard about her bad back, learned the names and relative rankings of her six grandchildren, and listened—twice!—to the story of the time the baker spotted Queen Cordelia from afar.

But today when Palamedes comes in, Calliope is more than chatty—in fact, she seems downright frantic. “Oh! Palamedes! Did you see the message I left on the quest board this morning? My husband can't resist an adventure even in these turbulent times, and I fear something dreadful had happened. Will you find him for me?”

Palamedes couldn’t say no if he wanted to.

Wildcard
[Hit me with an idea, or PM to plot!]

Questboard: Kelp me!

[thesunreturns]

Simon is inclined to step in on seeing the baker cornering a young man to tell him about her current woes.

"Ah, is everything all right?"

He isn't sure it is his place to intrude, but he's trying to be social and the baker does look distressed, while the young man looks overwhelmed.

Ashton Greymore | Critical Role | Sylph? Dryad?

[fundamentalchaos]

A. Arrival

At first Ashton wakes up as normal, a ball of pain that definitely needs a fucking drink. They drag them out of bed and the first two things they notice or rather don't notice are their hammer....and FCG.

"Hey Letters?" They call, looking around to see if they could see their small metallic friend but to no avail. And then there was the case of the missing hammer....oh someone was going to pay if he didn't find that soon. Stomping their way to the door the peek their head out. "Hey! Bell's Hell's?"

B. Drinks on Me: A challenger arrives!

So they've gotten their answers; seems like their hammer and 'friends', they still use that term loosely, aren't here and who knows when or if they will show up. Well, not like it's the first time they've been alone. Okay...maybe it sort of is, but they've always been this way. They'll be fine. It's not like they had finally gotten used to the companionship, not like...they actually liked waking up surrounded by people sometimes.

So Ashton does what they do best, they drink. And after finding something on the menu that looks similar to something he might find in a dive joint in Bassuras...oh he's definitely finding an unwitting victim.

Ordering a few shots of Beetlejuice he finds a table with someone and slams them down. "Alright, you, me, face off. What'ya say?"

Hello stranger, care for a friendly drinking competition with probably one of the nastiest shots Ashton has laid eyes on?

C: Putting down roots

Ashton isn't so sure when they're all ushered out of the tavern and towards the portals. The don't know which one to go through. Two call to them the most: the portal with a breeze that reminds them of standing high in the spires of Jrusar and a second that...sort of reminds them of Fearne and Orym...a feeling of earthyness that calls to him.

"How the fuck am I supposed to pick?" They're just frowning at the portals, unsure of which to step through. Seeing as staying there in the tavern isn't an option.

D: Wild card
You might see them around somewhere, feel free to talk to them. They're...they're an interesting one for sure. Either DM me for plot ideas or friend me on plurk @ Tylendel.

C

[bestsmells]

FCG awoke later than Ashton, in a different room - and panicked slightly (+1 stress point) but calmed soon enough. He made his way to the tavern, and, while his bottle trick went over well, felt he had to move on after a few minutes. He had to find his friends.

When he left, though, he spotted one! Rolling forward, he bumps along, bouncing and jingling. "That was fast! You must've woken up early!"

Anthem | D&D OC | Undine [already in game]

[shuffled]

escape room—

If you have been (un)fortunate enough to be tossed into the barn with Anthem, you're in for a hell of a ride. She is taking the whole thing very seriously, and will not stand being disrupted while trying to solve the puzzles laid before her.

"Will you be quiet." The tiefling will hiss while staring at rhe cryptic symbols in the unearthed puzzle box, her tail thumping the ground behind her like an angry cat. "I cannot think while you are shuffling around. Come here and help me figure this out."

She had already assumed it had to be something farm related — as was the theme — but kept getting hung up on Old Macdonald for some gods damn reason.

wildcard—

hmu on discord @ elfwife if you want to do anything else! Or just toss me a prompt. I'll roll with it.

[okiedokies]

"I'm sorry," Lucy said softly as she looked at the woman with wide eyes. While she had seen so many interesting things since arriving in this world, this woman's race was still new to her.

"I was looking around trying to figure out what we're doing," she moved closer, still watching Anthem rather than looking at the puzzle.

Maribelle | Fire Emblem : Awakening | Undine

[troubadamsel]

Arrival

[ On some level, Maribelle is a little flattered. Of course she was chosen to come aid this realm – she’s Maribelle! But while she understands their good taste, it doesn’t make the annoyance of this kidnapping any easier. Her own realm is in trouble, and it almost feels like they were sacrificing one for the other. So much as this one has her pity, she needs to return home as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon. Might as well try to have a drink to soothe her nerves - Pumpkin Spice is her choice for the moment. And without any warning, one of the stories from her odd life begins to spill, whether she intended to talk to those around or not. ]

I suppose there are worse ways to be taken against ones will. Take dear Nowi, for instance, separated from her family for decades, all because she was a Dragonkin. Not that we had any idea when we found her, naturally... she looks just like a harmless little girl. One that could use a decent lesson in what's appropriate when it comes to clothing, but a child nonetheless.

It was actually a case of double-mistaken-identity that day... we assumed the man with her was one of her kidnappers, but really, he just had the face of a mugger. If you saw him, you'd understand. Gregor is a good man with a decent soul, but my goodness, even his smile can be rather intimidating...

[ Feel free to have had her drink something else, if the other prompts are more to your liking! ]

Shadows In The Sea

[ For all the bizarre things that Maribelle has seen in her life, she refuses to believe spirits are real. Let's be reasonable, rational adults here! But she reluctantly takes the boat ride as a way to immerse herself in this world's culture and learn what she can about this place. She does her best to limit her eyerolls and huffing during each silly little story...

Then the silliness abruptly stops - they're under attack?! Initially, Maribelle had shrieked in terror, clinging to whoever was closest as the boat rocks back and forth. So, it'd be fair to assume she'd be of little help during this crisis... but we all know what happens when we assume, yes?

Once she hits the floor again, she snatches a knife one of the other customers has dropped, and makes a mad dash - for the exit, ready to cut up some shadowy calamari. ]

UNHAND US, YOU DASTARDLY DISGUSTING DULLARD! MY DAY HAS BEEN DIFFICULT ENOUGH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I REFUSE TO DIE IN SUCH A RIDICULOUS MANNER!

Quests

[ Ultimately, even without her usual powers and weaponry, Maribelle can’t just sit around and do nothing. So she inspects the Questboard carefully, trying to decide what she can actually accomplish and which ones are suited to her delicate sensibilities, which means you’ll find her…

To Pour From an Empty Well - ready to descend down into a foreboding well to save a little boy. But as always, she has to make some criticisms as she and whatever soul is alongside her peer down into the darkness. ]

Do these people really have no shame? Throwing down their garbage in here without a thought for possible consequences? If the child is injured or affected, there’s plenty of blame to go around. I can’t even imagine the stench we’ll encounter…

[ Runaway Bride - dressing up as bandit to help a lovelorn girl find happiness. What can she say, she’s a sucker for true love. Still, she’s never really tried acting before, and is rather hesitant about the upcoming adventure. So while she’s adjusting her cloak and undoing her hair – she figures bouncy bright curls probably don’t sell ‘bloodthirsty criminal’ - she can’t help but bother the others who signed up for this plan. ]

I must admit, this is rather out of my range. What do I even say when we emerge? I’m afraid my usual foray of insults would give away that I’m no ill-born ruffian. Do you have any advice for me?

[ An Ancient Secret - being lured by the cries of the forest. She’s not one to believe in spirits, but she does believe in her dear friends, especially her best friend, Lissa. So when whatever darkness lurks in the shadows starts using that particular voice, she can’t help but stop in her path, turning back and clearly tempted to run towards the sound. After all, if she was chosen to help this realm, why wouldn’t they also bring brilliantly beautiful Lissa as well? ]

Lissa! Lissa, my precious treasure! Is that you? Where are you?

Wildcard
[ Make your own prompt! Feel free to plot with me at melcat33 @ plurk/discord ]

Runaway Bride

[lettersfrombel]

Well, I could do the talking, if you like. But, my advice is stick to simple threats. Or try your usual insults and get them wrong, as if you're copying what you've heard your victims say to you.

[Bel is more concerned that neither of them look like the sort of thug that can get by with raw strength, and that means he has to go a lot more into quiet menace, which is a lot more likely to get someone hurt. It is a good thing their 'kidnap victim' is in on the plan, or they would be totally screwed]

With luck, the only experience with bandits these people have is with plays, or novels, so they can't tell the difference between actual bandits and what playwrights say bandits are like.

The Lone Wanderer || Fallout 3 || Sylph

[wasteland_101]

Arrival - 3 Times SpokenDrank Unbroken

[Angel was a mess when she woke up. Then again, she always was. It was all a part of living in the Wastland that was her home. Or had been. She grumbled a bit as she tried to check her Pip-Boy, only to find it not working as it should. The screen was just full of green static. Great.

Swearing under her breath she headed out of the room that she woke up in, her eyes scanning for any sign of trouble. This wasn't her house in Megaton. She knew the Wasteland could be a wild place, but this wasn't the Wasteland. She made her way up to the bar and spoke with the Tavernkeeper.

After getting her answers, she ordered herself a drink. Or rather three. Beetlejuice they called it. Bugs marinated in liquor. She had eaten and drank some nasty things before, so why not test her stomach again? Who wants to watch the dirty Wastelander get wasted?]

Choose Your Destiny - Heaven's Bow

[She was in awe of the buildings around her. She was used to seeing large buildings in ruins, not standing. And certainly not made of stone. She doubted that they would be able to survive the bombs dropping just like the ones back home.

There was one big problem for her. The amount of people. Angel wasn't used to seeing this many people about and it made her feel a bit crowded. Worse than it was back in 101. She could handle this though. She continued to wander about until she got to the docks.

Her eyes went wide as she watched the airships. Sure, she had seen some tech, but Vertibirds weren't airships like this. Feel free to say something to the woman just staring with awe in her eyes.]

Lace Case - Sylph

[Catching a small creature shouldn't be too hard for her right? Maybe. She had never heard of Pixies before, but if they could be distracted by something like salt or sugar then they should be an easy catch.

She had managed to talk to someone and get a bit of salt and a couple of jars. Being new, bones were a bit hard to come by. The caps in her pocket did her no good in a place like this.

For now she waited, a couple of salt piles placed by a door and a window.]

Re: The Lone Wanderer || Fallout 3 || Sylph

[serenraelover]

[Gabriel glances at the person sitting next to him, and flinches when he sees her array of drinks. It looks like it could give a golem indigestion, what with all the bugs practically pickled in alcohol. He worries that she wont even be able to get to her room after those, she'll probably just puke or have horrible indigestion until she passes out on the floor of the bar. Then again, maybe he's wrong, and she's got a diamond lined stomach, but either way, he's keeping an eye on her, so she doesnt just get left on the floor come closing time.]

Er..Miss? I'm not sure if drinking those will go well for you. If you get ill, I can help you towards the bathrooms, but do I have your permission to take you towards your room if you pass out?

Ninia, KEEPER OF THE BLADE | original | Syloh or Dryad still deciding

[internofdestiny]

[Sexy/Comedy/Fantasy setting. A being from the realm of spirit who constructed a human shaped vessel so she could experience the physical world, which has things like burgers and sex. Works for an organization that protects the Sword of Heroes but she stole borrowed it so she could jumpstart the prophecy of the hero of destiny who will save the world. Short tempered, bratty, and short sighted, but also determined, clever, and ultimately a good soul at heart. More info.]

-1: Pumpkin Spice-

So I’m outside the door of the personal chambers of the Keeper Sage, right? And I can hear the shower running.

[Context? We don’t need that we’re at a bar! Ninia just abruptly launches into her story.]

Normally you’d just think “oh I’ll come back later”, but this is like a category one emergency. The Sword of Freaking Heroes just fell out of its case, which shouldn’t even be possible unless the world is in danger from a dark curse or something. But here’s the thing:

There’s dust on the floor leading up to his door. The only footprints I can see are my own. The “do not disturb” sign has COBWEBS on it! And everyone has been complaining about how there’s no hot water for the last month!

The Keeper Sage, responsible for protecting the most powerful relics on the planet, has been taking a month long shower!

So the Sword of Heroes is unsealed and the Keeper Sage is being an idiot while SOMEWHERE out there is a great and terrible evil that’s going to destroy the world if someone doesn’t get the Sword to a pure of heart and dumb of ass Hero!

So I just…kind of borrowed it? I’ll bring it BACK obviously and then everyone will be like “wow Ninia, your quick thinking and decisive action saved the world. Not only do we forgive you for taking the Sword without permission but we’re giving you a PROMOTION!”

But now I LOST THE SWORD??? WHAT AM I GOING TO DO!?!?!?

[Shes grabbing you by the shirt to pull you closer at this point.]

-2: Spirit of Fall-

[Normally, Ninia had little to fear from alcohol. Her body was a mere puppet that she controlled remotely from the relative safety of the spirit realm, so most poisons didn’t effect her mind.

Right now, her mind is actually trapped in her head, and she’s very much not used to that. Two shots of cinnamon whiskey and she is GONE.]

Did…did you know that life is like a…like a wassnam…

A bathtub! That’s the thing. Life’s like a bathtub.

*hic!*

-3: Shadows in the Sea-

[Deep under water, Ninia cling to the OUTSIDE of a submarine. She’d gotten a regular sword at some point, which was a poor replacement for the legendary Sword of Heroes but better than nothing.

Ninia wasn’t much of a sword fighter, honestly, but for a situation like this that barely mattered. What mattered now was the ability to hack at the shadow tentacles while screaming, which is what she was currently doing.]

DIE! DIE! DIE! STUPID SHADOW TENTACLE MONSTER! DIE!

[Is what she was TRYING to say, but with the rebreather in her mouth, what mainly came out was bubbles and indistinct noises.

At least she has spirit, right?]

Arrival

[serenraelover]

[Gabriel does not exactly know why this woman has decided to grab him of all people and shake him like a ragdoll, but considering her story, she has a reason to be frustrated. He does wish she would stop shaking him though, he's getting rather dizzy.]
Well...maybe you'll get it back if you gather some bones? I'd even be willing to do the quests with you, but I would appreciate it if you let go of me first so I can catch my bearings and remember how to think straight. Also-as far as heroes go, we all were summoned to save this world, so you've got a lot of options. Just find one whose pure of heart....and do they have to be stupid?

Junia | Darkest Dungeon | Undine

[repudiatedbutunbowed]

-1: Hot Chocolate-

Junia had had hot chocolate before exactly once, as a special treat. It had seemed like an impossibly decadent experience from another world to a girl growing up in a convent. The kind of drink she had imagined a rich and powerful queen might enjoy in a distant land.

Sipping at her drink now, Junia realized that the drink in that treasured memory had been a thin and watery one. This was the real thing. Every drop pulsed through her with a kind of warm comfort, leaving her feeling drowsy and relaxed.

Eventually, she kind of leaned over without really thinking about it and kinda just rested her head on the shoulder of the person next to her. It was fine. We’re all friends in this mysterious interdimensional bar, right?

-2: Choose Your Destiny-

If you had told Junia about an underwater city, she would have envisioned something altogether much less whimsical and pleasant. A dark and dank cave, perhaps. Something full of squalid beasts, half man and half amphibian, that chanted prayers in a gutteral tongue to a demented undersea god that demanded human sacrifice.

This place was like something out of a fairy tale. Junia had been staring in wonder as she wandered the streets, gradually making her way towards the edge. Because how could she not? What wondrous power kept the choking weight of the sea from crushing them all?

She currently stood at the Fogbottom Docks, right in front of the wall between air and water, reaching her hand out towards it but hesitating to actually put her hand into the sea that was just inches away.

A mermaid swam up and reached a friendly hand out back towards her, but Junia shrieked in response and scrambled backwards several steps while looking for a weapon.

“Stay back, beast! I am guarded by the Light!”

This, if you’d met the kinds of fish people she had, you might have the same reaction. Later, she might apologize, but right now this was an Enemy!

-3: Deceased by Dawn-

Well this situation was all too familiar. The confusing darkness, the horrible traps, the sense of danger around every corner…it was almost nostalgic, in a twisted sort of manner.

But not ACTUALLY nostalgic. Junia didn’t want to be here. Especially not while a snare had gotten tight around her leg, trapping her in place. In her minds eye, that old woman from the Weald, with her terrible strength and even more terrible stewpot, was right behind her. She needed a weapon. A branch, a rock, anything!

There, just put of reach, was a book. A big, heavy, leather book, with metal bindings and the symbol of The Light carved into the cover. It was HER book! If she could just reach it before someone, something found her.

Her hand scrabbled over the brown grass of the forest as she struggled to pull herself closer, inch by inch.

“Come onnnnn…Light do not forsake me now! Not after I’ve come so far!”

-42069: yolo wildcard-

Or make up your own! I did all these in prose style but if you’d rather do [action brackets] I’ll match your style!

Darkest Dungeon is a canon that covers a lot of disturbing themes. Junia’s personal backstory touches on theme of religious fanaticism, torture, sex, and violence. Please let me know if we’re skirting on a topic that’s making you uncomfortable and we can drop the thread or push it in a different direction.

Deceased by Dawn

[serenraelover]

[Gabriel can hear the muffled voice of another person in this trap filled forest, and hurries over as carefully as he can so he can see who it is, a person that needs help..or the hag. When he sees the young woman trapped in the snare, desperately reaching out for the book, he slides it towards her, and starts working on cutting through her snare with his old blessed dagger he found in these woods.]

Are you well, miss? Any injuries? Do you need me to carry you, I can if you want, I dont want anyone to die here, and you're the only other person besides the hag I've found in these woods.

Alastor | Hazbin Hotel | Sylph

[lonelysmiles]

Vanilla Bourbon

Being without his magic or all of his other powers but, hey, his Deal didn't work here either so points for that. And the booze wasn't half bad either.

He was definitely feeling a lot more mellow. He hadn't panicked, per se, after arriving here but he certainly hadn't been pleased to end up in this strange tavern. But, hey, the drinks were free until the tavern keeper kicked him out.

Feeling so relaxed and mellow could be because of the effects of the drink itself, his tendency to become what Mimzy called a kitten with a few drinks in him, or just the fact this wasn't his first drink...or his second......or even his third.

A Demon in Heaven's Bow

It really was hard to miss a seven foot tall deer demon in bright red. Particularly when his footsteps sounded like hoofbeats.

"...I believe I've selected the wrong address," Alastor mused, clawed hand to his chin.

He looked about, trying to get his bearings on things. Seeing all of the clouds and other stereotypically heavenly details made him feel significantly out of place. Ah well. Might as well enjoy seeing the sights if nothing else.

Spirit of Fall - Salt Spire

Being from New Orleans, seafood was an old staple in Alastor's diet. However, he'd never seen it prepared like any of this.

A shame he really wasn't getting the hang of chopsticks. It was like trying to forage for food with a pair of number two pencils. Despite his best efforts, the tasty-looking buns kept sliding out from his clumsy grip.

Honestly, he was tempted to just stab the thing and be done with it at this point.

Anyone want to help?

Spirit of Fall - Heaven's Bow

There really was nothing like a warm bowl of soup on a brisk fall day. (Been a while since he'd actually felt chilly in fall!) He sat at a table with one hand holding open a book while the other absently dipped bread into his near-empty bowl to mop up the last of the liquid. He was on his second mug of the spiked cider.

Still, he wouldn't be opposed to talking with someone if they approached him.

Deceased By Dawn

Alastor froze, ears swiveling this way and that to try and catch any sounds that might indicate that whatever was stalking him was close by. He forced his breathing to remain quiet and even so he could hear better.

A twig snapped and he swung his head in that direction, taking a slow, cautious step backwards. He really could use his shadow's help right now. Curse this place for reducing it to a normal shadow.

Deceased by Dawn

[holdshisown]

Maedhros has been creeping through thesse dark woods for a while now, using all the little tricks he'd picked up in Beleriand about how to keep himself hidden as he does so. till, he can't shake the feeling that there's something following him. Watching him.

As he catches eye of another person stumbling about in the woods he tries to discreetly catch his attention without attracting whatever it is that's decided to hunt them. In the end he just picks up a pebble and throws it at the other man, making a gesture for him to approach while keeping an eye out for anything else deciding to approach.

Tess Donaldson | Original | Undine

[shark_girl]

The Tavern
The girl standing there, glaring daggers at the tavernkeeper for the moment, was absolutely on the shorter side. Short-cropped, waving hair of sea-green and blue hues framed almost pale-blue/white skin that gleamed a tiny bit in the flickering tavern light. Her eyes were pools of inky black that had no obvious irises and when she spoke, the hint of a jagged maw of sharp teeth were barely visible. She was standing there in jeans, a hooded sweater-jacket and t-shirt, looking decidedly uncomfortable right now. Her neck itched something fierce.

"Fine. Fine! Of course I'll help! It's not like I don't have something better to do with my winter these days!" she flung her hands up, sounding exasperated. "But, I swear, you'd better not be lying about this having nothing to do with him. I am DONE doing that irresponsible jackass any favors!"

She whipped around, all four feet and ten inches looking (probably up) at whoever was standing there. "Guh. So, they nabbed you too for whatever this little adventure is?" She seemed weirdly... accepting of being dragged to some strange place. She was just more annoyed than anything.

Shadows in the Sea
She was already grabbing for one of the re-breathers. "I don't know what you expect me to do. They didn't exactly give us any weapons when I got here!" She slipped the rebreather in place, and in that moment made what might have been the most disgusted, deeply disturbed face she'd ever made in her entire life. "Can't believe I have to use this..."

She jumped overboard without a second thought. No weapon, but she made her way to whoever she saw that was swimming and, more importantly, armed. She made a hand gesture that she was going to try and help hold one of those tendrils so they could get a better angle at attacking it. This was ... probably not her most brilliant moment, but one could never fault this girl for not being brave in the face of danger.

Deceased by Dawn
There was a moment of ice-cold dread when she saw that face. She wasn't sure, but she could have sworn she knew it, and the growl just made her whole body quiver in memory. It couldn't be. She wasn't supposed to be in her world.

"Pan?"

She shook her head to get it out of the cobwebs. there was no time to think. she went running, looking for someone, anyone, who was not that wearing that face. Whether or not it was him? She was in no mood to find whoever it was...

Getting Settled In - The Job Board
A) KELP ME! ★☆☆☆☆
"Well, I mean, how hard could it be to find some would-be adventurer out there?" she said, laughing a little. It was honestly a pretty good way to get herself into the swing of how things worked here, not to mention that she was in desperate need of a few of these bones to address some 'issues' that she was having right now. A lot of bones, actually, but that was neither here nor there. There was someone who didn't need to be out in the wilderness playing hero and she figured she should get to it.

"You ever feel like you're playing lifeguard on duty?" she asked the other person at the board as she signed the dotted line.

B) The Cult of Triton ★★☆☆☆
This was a lot more like it. She still didn't have a weapon, but since when had that ever stopped her? All almost-five feet of her was rearing for a fight, and crazy cultists throwing people into holes definitely qualified as something she was good at handling. Ok, so it was a hell of a lot easier to handle them when she had all of the tricks up her sleeve that she always did, but she could improvise, and even if her strength was definitely reduced? She was still damned strong for her size, and they'd do well not to underestimate the little one.

"You ready for this?" she said, giving a cheeky, fanged grin at whoever was joining her. "This might just be the most fun I've had all month."

Wildcard:
Hit me up with whatever. Just toss me a message or start us up.

The Tavern

[lost_and_foundry]

If she's looking up, it's only because the gnome isn't standing, but rather sitting on one of the high bar stools. He's only about 3'4". He jerks back slightly as she whips around, evidently not having expected to be addressed, but he manages not to spill his drink.

Aside from the jagged teeth, she looks like she could come from the Underdark, which is...not exactly a point in her favor, per se, but it makes her more familiar-looking to his eyes. That, and the fact that he has the high ground makes him more willing to banter than his normal.

"Any irresponsible jackass I know?" He asks cheerfully.

Warren Godby | Red Valley Podcast | Dryad

[kontinued]

A

[ Warren is used to waking up utterly befuddled, as much as he's used to the drugs in his system giving him the most batshit dreams. Still, there was something about waking up in this weird tavern in nothing but his hospital gown, IV tubes dangling from his limbs like accessories (it was easier to leave them in between his hypersleeping, apparently) that felt a little too weird, even for him.

After asking a string of panicked questions and receiving confusing answers (mostly confusing because he can't grasp the situation he's in), Warren needed to just. Sit down. He's tired. So tired. He's sure the dark spots under his eyes have only gotten darker since he woke up. He does end up getting a drink, deciding "what the hell" and trying the Black Cat. A few sips before he realizes he doesn't like it, but he drinks the rest of it out of politeness. Politeness to who??? He doesn't know - he's just trying to avoid an awkward situation. Of course the best way to get the taste of a drink you're not too fond of out of your mouth is by washing it down with Hot Chocolate, which is what he should have gotten to begin with. Serves him right for being adventurous.

He's sitting at a table now, knees pulled up to his chest, sipping his drink. ]

...Kay. This is fine. Got some hot chocolate. No need to panic. No need to freak out. Or maybe I should get it out of the way... [ As if in response to his own dilemma, he mewls sadly, only to catch himself and cover his mouth. What the fuck? ]

B

[ Grey Ward is even stranger. And he feels so groggy and tired it's almost as if he isn't having some weird drugged up dream and is actually awake? Weird. He's usually not lucid in these things. It's surprisingly unsettling. He even feels embarrassed that he's wandering around in a hospital gown. He went in search of someplace to get some clothes - normal clothes would be preferable (the emerald that is currently a ring on his finger doesn't count) - but he's been wandering for what felt like thirty minutes. His mind isn't fully de-fogged yet. He eventually sucks it up and tries to ask someone for help. ]

Er - beg your pardon, but...do you know where I can get some, uh, clothes? Everything here is just...a lot. It's a lot.

[ Warren has the tone and nervous energy of a guy who is very close to having a panic attack and is desperately trying to act as if everything is super cool and he is not, in fact, about to lose his shit. ]

C

[ He isn't dressed in what he considers "normal" clothes, but clothes are clothes, so he deals with it. At the moment, Warren is more distracted by the bag of sweets he just got at that cafe, stuffing his face to cope with the absolute everything that's happening right now. So enthralled by the sweets he doesn't realize he's about to bump into someone until it's too late. ]

Oh, so-[ He hurries to swallow the mouth full of cake, clearing his throat. ] Ahem, sorry, sorry...!

(ooc: Or hit me with a random prompt if something else comes to you. Also feel free to use prose, I have no real preference and just do whatever comes to my brain first. PM me for any plotting or questions c: )

B

[thesunreturns]

[Simon knows that face, as it is usually when one of his own family members takes him aside and handles things. He hopes a strange man won't go amiss here, and he makes sure to have his own gem (a sapphire) visible.]

[The hospital gown looks enough like the ones he's seen in the human world (well, via television and advertisement) to place the young man as being from a world similar to his own.]

I think we can find a shop that should have some ready-made.

Kai | Original Character | Undine

[piperofdeath]

I. Shadows in the Sea

[Kai was quick to join the line for Princess Harriet’s Haunted Boat Tours. He had always been drawn to the stories of the dead. His magic resonated with the emotions the dead left behind in their stories. Sure, the stories could all be tall tales, but the best stories had a shred of truth, and he rested his elbow against the side of the boat as he eagerly listened.

Unfortunately, without his magic stories were just that, stories. They were still interesting to listen to, but he didn’t feel the same resonance that made him feel like he was stepping into someone’s soul and reliving their emotions. His eyes narrowed slightly at the hollow ache in his soul. He tried to ignore the unpleasant feeling as he committed the tales to memory. When he got his magic back, he could confirm the truth, and he promised he wouldn’t forget the stories of the dead here.

Ghost of dead sailors was encouraging. The surprise and true terror in Harriet’s voice was less so. So this wasn’t part of the tour then. He drew one of his hidden daggers, grabbed a rebreather and jumped into the water. He preferred having solid ground under his feet for a fight, but he was a decent swimmer. His dagger seemed to work on the shadowy tendrils, but his movements were slower underwater. He didn’t notice the tendril behind him until it was too late.]


II. Deceased by Dawn

[The last few years had been quiet but Kai hadn’t forgotten the familiar chill of someone hunting him. He had lived with that fear most of his life as a mage. His cheerful demeanor hardened with a quiet chuckle at his cruel luck. He quickly hid behind a tree and took in his surroundings. Where was he?

He froze when he saw a familiar face duck behind a wall of bricks.]

Fynn?

[That was impossible. Fynn was dead. He got him killed and his guilt was clear in his horrorstricken expression. He should run. That growl sounded too close and it was probably a trick but he couldn’t stop himself from leaving his hiding spot and racing after the phantom from his past.

There was no one behind the wall. He looked down when he heard his boot hit something. He picked up the wooden charm with a design of knots carved onto it. It was the same design of the tattoo on his back that he rarely showed anyone. He hesitated before turning it over. A name he had long since buried was carved on the back; Lorcan Kiael.]

How is this here?

[In his shock he temporary forgot he was being hunted and should be quiet.]


III. Murder Mystery

[You would think after the shadowy tentacles and being hunted by a hag that he would play it safe for a while, and yet he was, chasing yet another ghost tale. What fun surprises will he find this time?

Kai lingered on the farmer’s diary longer than the others in his group. He was after more than just clues for the escape room after all. He looked up from his reading when they found the next clue.]

Find anything interesting?


IV. Quests

★★☆☆☆ An Ancient Secret

[Kai had always been drawn to the unknown. Chasing after secrets could easily get him killed back home so he wasn’t bothered by the local superstitions. Leofard Avalor seemed troubled by them though so Kai played his flute to ease the tension during the trip to the island.

He stopped playing when they got close. He leaned over the airship railing and looked down at the dense forest below. He turned to his fellow adventurer with an excited smile.]

What do you think we will find down there?


★★☆☆☆ To Pour From an Empty Well

[Kai was a bit more subdued as they traveled to the small farm. It brought back too many painful memories of the home he had to leave behind. Maybe he shouldn’t have come but there was a missing kid. Fynn would never let him hear the end of it if he walked away. He smiled faintly as the thought as he secured the rope to take them down into the well.]

I’ll go first.

[He offered with a smile.]


Dealer’s Choice!

[I’m open to any quests other than the nsfw ones. Kai doesn’t have his magic but he is a skilled thief so he can handle up to three stars right now probably.]


V. Wildcard

[Surprise me with your own prompt! Feel free to talk to me on plurk Nicholaj, Discord@25thNicholaj, or pm, whichever is easiest for you. Enjoy!]

★★☆☆☆ To Pour From an Empty Well

[shark_girl]

[She didn't complain about the general quiet and morose mood while they were traveling towards the well. It suited the mood well enough, considering that there was a missing child involved. That alone had been enough to drag her further away from the coastline and waters. A kid down a well was a ... yeah. No, she was here to help. might as well get to it.

When he said that, she nodded quickly.]

Tie yourself off firmly, and I'll make sure the rope holds on this end. Once you're down, tug it and I'll follow down after you.

[She might have done a little belaying off of cliffs on the coast before.]

Gordon Porlock | Red Valley Podcast | Undine

[goldenbullet]

ARRIVAL:

[After much confusion paired with a panic attack and asking the barkeep a million questions, Gordon doesn't really feel any better about the situation. What is someone like him doing in a place like this? Some strange magical fantasy world wants HIM to help fix things? Him. Gordon Sergio Porlock. He's just an archivist and a huge nerd with no social life and barely anyone who'd give less of a shit that he probably died back home and has been missing for months before then.

His thoughts have him spiraling, but maybe a drink will help. He has no idea what a Rambler is, but he's drinking it.]

- the pink-footed goose mate for life, like one and done, ring on their finger er feather and everything. It's pretty crazy right? Like we humans yeah, we do a lot of shit that we just, decide is right because of social pressure and decisions and what we consider morally right, but what the hell do wild animals give a shit about monogamy? Is Mrs. Goose really going to give a toss if Mr. Goose cheats with some other goose lady who's maybe got nicer feathers? Doubt it, but for whatever reason they're just, one mate forever! It's pretty crazy when you think about it.

[Why is he talking about pink-footed geese? He's probably been rambling for a while at this point, who knows what side tracked him to geese. Gordon has always been good at rambling though.]


QUESTBOARD: Sea Turtle Scramble:

Option A
[When he heard about the sea turtles that were about to hatch and needed some bodyguards to get to their destination well he couldn't pass it up. Even the idea of turtles made him miss Waffles, his tiny tortoise daughter, so in her memory he would assist her um. Turtle cousins. Look he knows it doesn't work that way, just let him have this.

Gordon will be on the beach ready to swat at any beasties looking for an easy meal with a net. It's got a nice long handle, the net itself could be used to stop any baby turtle snatching pest and it shouldn't cause any real harm if he gives anything a good whack with it. He's eyeing some gulls that are perched not far away, as if they can sense what's about to happen. Probably can the bastards.]

Don't even think about it.

[Gordon points the net at a gaggle of them.]

I'm watching you...

Option B
[Or later on when the babies have started pushing up from the sand, fighting to make it to the sea, Gordon is doing his best to swat around in the air with his net to ward off the gulls, not even considering the other sneak thieves on land that would slip by and make off with the baby turtles.]

Ah! Hey! Hey no- put that down! AUGH!

[A sneakily fast lizard speeds off with a poor defenseless baby in it's maw. Gordon tries to go after it, but it's much faster than him, even with it's dinner in it's mouth.]

Christ- ugh... oh fuck this, c'mon!

[Gordon starts plucking up baby turtles and putting them in his net, it's not overly big, but it'll carry more than he could pick up on his own.]

H-Hey! Pick them up, let's just get them to the water! It'll be faster!


WILDCARD: [If you think of something else you'd like to do hit em up through PM! Prose is also fine if you prefer that over brackets!]

[thebluewraith]

[ Fenris isn't sure how he ended up in this particular predicament. He recalls asking for direction or something, a simple question, now he's here. It's not like he was going to leave immediately anyway - figured there was enough information being given that he decided to stick around for a bit. With a drink. A drink always helps. ]

I agree. Humans are silly.

[ Yup, that's what he's choosing to get out of this. ]

Enver Gortash | Baldur's Gate III | Undine

[closeyourfist]

[Arrival]

Even when it's instantly over, it still takes forever. He can remember that end as though it took an eternity, when you can feel your body dying, the last impulses of your brain trying to command every fiber, jump-start the organs that are no longer responding, the desperate, flagging, painful fight against oblivion – where your thoughts race to wonder if these are the last ones you are having, right now. When does thinking stop? When does I come to an end? How many more seconds? Even as a person of faith, even knowing and able to quantify the existence of a soul, this terror remains. Not even promises of rest or eternal suffering can overtake it, not in the moment when it finally arrives.

For Enver Gortash, what it managed to eclipse was something rather more than faith or even just the strong idea of an after: the shadow passing over his vision of that familiar hand, ever-present and commanding, a patch of darkness somehow stark against nothingness, closing into a fist around his inner being. After a years-long and tireless climb, his soul was at last conferred to bitter failure, and his god awaited the last beat of his heart, the command for all to stop, with passionless finality.

For those that would reach this precipice, whatever awaited them past the edge, there was always the revelation of something after. That the I did indeed go on existing for many, even when there was no longer a brain and nerves for that idea to travel by.

And that was surely what the fingers of the Black Hand waited to clench around, to punish.

But just as instantaneously as the final beat, the hand was gone.

And then his eyes are open -- he has eyes to see, ears to hear, limbs, lungs that take in air and there is memory of pain but none present. He takes in the totality of what he is certain he experiences -- a simple nondescript room.

The folded piece of paper on the table draws his attention the way that something too purposefully placed will. The hand that reaches to take it is indeed his own, but he takes note of what is missing immediately: the Netherstone's absence fires off recent memories behind his eyes. The Elder Brain. His end.

Oh yes, he has questions. Chief of which is what afterlife this must be that feels so much like living. The second being: that divine presence that had been carefully nestled somewhere at the back of his mind for years, watching and scrutinizing every thought and deed, that had awaited his soul for its separation from its mortal coil to wreak vengeance upon -- where is it?

Where is He?

So when he finds his way down into the tavern proper, he regards the being behind the bar with dazed suspicion. A warm drink is slid his way, an apple cider that starts to warm him before he's done more than take in its scent. He takes his first taste of it and it's overwhelming the realization that washes over him. The first taste after certainty you never would again.

The first breath he takes after that comes with unexpected words. "...By the end I think I just wanted it over."

He winces and shoves the drink away from him.

"That wasn't a question. Apologies."

But now he eyes the liquid and feels parched. Poison? No, if it were a truth-telling serum someone would still have to ask something to trigger it. Or was that just the first full thought he had?

[Choose Your Destiny - The Third Portal]

He almost chose the second. When he stepped from one environ into void, something felt instinctually drawn to what almost looked familiar. Not his harbor city, but something quite like it. Where anytime he ran from anything he found his way back to. But this hadn't been an escape. The instinct to recover was strong, but even reminders of that place now -- did it even still stand at this point?

No, something in him that pulled on something more internal than the lure of nostalgia grabbed hold of him. The need for answers. The call for knowledge. And just as suddenly as he had been surrounded by void, now a canopy of the sea above him and a living, breathing city all around.

The sapphire that found its way into his hand has an immediate home where another stone had been before. It feels correct.

The halls of the Salt Spire Library call to him before all else. But the man seen exploring has something of a careful daze about him -- observant but also not completely there.

[Wildcard]

(OOC: shoot me a PM or find my plurk Here -- I can drop him anywhere once he has the freedom to explore but let's iron things out)

Arrival

[lost_and_foundry]

He would have to be very drunk indeed not to have noticed when Lord Gortash of all people walked into the room. His pictures were plastered all over the Gate. Wulbren encouraged the others to steal them off building walls and use them for target practice, and yet in his mind Gortash wasn't the enemy so much as the symptom of a greater ill, a City and a system that denied the inherent superiority of the Ironhands, slandered and punished them while uplifting the followers of Gond. Wulbren, Barcus recognizes now, was a ticking time bomb of fanaticism, nursing his own grudges like they were the very words of Garl Glittergold passed down to him in a mystic vision.

Wulbren could have, would have, committed atrocities very much like Enver Gortash's sins, given the power and time. And because he remembers Wulbren as a boy--spindly, too-clever, a little mean but always fiercely ready to protect Barcus, always interested in watching him deposit his thoughts onto paper--he wonders now what this man once was, and what he could have been if there had been someone to appeal to his better nature.

It's not really a good sign, to have him here. There's no denying that. But they all arrived on more or less equal footing, powerless save for whatever physical advantages their own bodies give them. With that sliver of confidence to go on, Barcus approaches the bar warily, just in time to overhear what he says.

Compassion isn't an emotion he expected to feel in this instance, and for a second he wonders if he should even acknowledge the words spoken. "...You...ah. I'm sure it's normal to be disoriented upon arrival."

...especially when you're meant to be dead. But he won't say that part out loud.