Hello and welcome reader, to the 29th installment of the Character Development Threads! These shared story exercises help budding writers develop their characters alongside the characters of other budding writers. No sign-up is needed; just jump right in with your characters. It is recommended that you read the thread page and the last couple of pages before starting.
Discussion Thread
—Thread Page —
Trope Page —
Town Map — Wilderness Map
This is a "Main Series" thread and, as such, an element of risk is expected. Rules and participation guidelines may be found on this page.
The thread page groups active characters under the areas in which they are active, enabling you to see who is at a given location in which you might be interested or to find out where to go to encounter characters with whom you wish to interact.
Kindly add your own characters to the thread page, with a link to their initial post, under the area in which they are located and update the page if they change location.
Bear in mind that if your characters are arriving at a location, they are likely to know little more than what they see and hear as they arrive - what the location looks like, what other characters are there (both of which can be read on the thread page) and the last few lines uttered and actions taken as they are arriving (which can be found in the last few posts for that location in the story thread itself), so inserting characters need not be a terrifying or arduous process. In most cases, they don't need to know more than what you yourself can glean from reading just a few posts.
If you need help, have any questions, or want a quick recap (if the page count is daunting), head over to the discussion page, and someone is sure to help you out!
To help guide character interaction, having your character come in with at least one short-term and one long-term goal or motivation is strongly recommended. It is not required, but it does make it easier to drive the plot forward. Feel free to come up with rumors about what treasures, adventure, locations, and dangers may be found in the setting - they need not be true or accurate, just some hook on which to hang an adventure.
The setting is specifically designed to be a vast sandbox into which details can be inserted by participants (for example, you are free to decide that there is a particular temple in the midst of the forest in which something may be found or that there is a particular shop/hotel/restaurant in a section of the town), if you come up with a location that you desire/expect other characters to visit, please add it to the thread page as a sub-location of the relevant area.
Things change as the story progresses. If, for example, a massive battle occurs at a location and the area is now strewn with bodies and buildings are damaged, kindly update the thread page to reflect those changes, in order that other participants have an up-to-date description of the location prior to sending their characters there.
Special thanks to all those who helped in getting the original thread launched or provided ideas and feedback. In alphabetic order, they include:
Blackfire 667, Collen, Corvidae, daird, Darkblood Carnagefang, Eterna Memoria, Gault, Kkutwar, Killer Clowns, ladytanuki, Masterofchaos, nrjxll, Pyxo, Slysheen, Tro Partner, Will De Regio and especially Wolf 1066, whose original post I have shamelessly copied with only minor alterations.
Apologies if I missed anyone - just let me know and I'll update the post.
The dawn of another day rises across the land, heralding fresh morning air, clearer heads, opened doors, and new arrivals.
Between dimensions, and linked to the rest of the multiverse, lies a strange post-apocalyptic environment made up of various regions strewn with the remnants of past glory - ruins, lost technologies and magic. Here and there, nature has found its way back amongst the ruined temples and towns.
In the midst of the blighted landscape, a fresh new town has emerged - a synergy of technology, nature and magic; clean and eco-friendly; a beacon of hope for a brighter future - where travelers can rest, recharge their batteries (both literally and metaphorically) and get whatever they may need - technological, magical or otherwise - to aid them on their adventures.
New arrivals can turn up by diverse means in the transportation area in the north-western part of the town or by whatever other means they deem appropriate. Here they may also find for rent, lease or hire, any transport they desire from riding animals to vehicles.
The wilderness areas have not been fully explored since the mysterious apocalyptic events that ravaged the area some time ago and no one is really sure what's out there - but rumors abound.
All that is known for sure is that both magic and technology have existed here for a long time, so anything is possible...
Current Time: 10:00 AM
Current Weather: Sunny
See the thread page for updates.
Edited by Ryuhza on Feb 22nd 2023 at 1:14:28 AM
< Hub Town - Hotel, Bonnie & Carol's Room —> Mid-Floor Hallways >
Henry wasted no time reapplying pants to his legs, as though sitting around in nothing but his underwear had just occurred to him as being a little indecent. It did feel a little different now that the option to wear pants was back on the table.
"Alley oop!" he chirped, sliding Joseph's newly patched jeans up to a just-a-bit-too-secure fit. "Oh! Mmm. Ow." He rubbed the sides of his hips, grumbling, "leave it to Joe to miss the baggy jeans craze. But don't worry; I'll manage. I'll do it for the fashion."
He marched to the hall door like a goofy model, swaying this way and that, striking a pose as he opened the door, and sliding out with a cool, "Butt patch." Holding the door open for Bonnie, he added, "Man, I just hope he can handle the sheer fashionista energy these babies are going to be radiating when he gets them back. 'Whoa, Joe, nice butt patch. You turn into a lizard recently or was that just an unhappy landing?' And he can say, 'Fellas,' " Henry planted a pair of invisible aviators on his face, " 'I'm on top of the wave.' "
< Hub Town - 5th Floor Halls —> Room 509 >
"Well, you're welcome to mine as long as I've got it," Joseph said to Nasur in a hush. "And yeah, that sounds about right. And I'm sure he's doing better. At least, I can't imagine he could be doing any worse."
Giving Maria an appreciative nod, he reached for the doorknob, turned it and pushed the door open.
Victoria Ln, Poglean Festival Theater
It was an uphill climb to that old brick house. The streets were barren, carrying a young man alone on his way. The sky was the same gray as the pavement, cut into by deep gashes of dusky red. The air was as still as the young man's own breath. A great weight sank to the bottom of his gut, dragging him down, seeping through. A spiritual torpor. But he had to press on.
He stared up at the old brick house. It loomed taller that evening than the rest on the block, sloping forward, staring back down at him. The closer he came, the more it blotted out the light, spreading across his vision, threatening to swallow him up. But he had to go inside.
As he clambered and crawled up the steps to the porch, a sound emerged from above. A sort of humming and tittering, but too quiet to properly make out. He pulled himself up another step and looked back. Nearly halfway to the top, the street had already grown so distant, and yet the way ahead would take him further still. The safest move was to turn back now, but he couldn't. He had to go up. He had to go in. He had words to speak, though he couldn't bear to think them.
Each step rose taller than the last and the weight within him felt all the heavier, but the door to that old house was nearly in sight. The sound he'd been hearing grew louder, emerging from somewhere within the building's brick walls. Though it was muffled, there was no more mistaking the sound of a woman, softly crying.
The young man's arms began to tremble as he climbed over the final step. He stood unsteadily at the top of the porch, facing the door — a plain old thing at a glance; weathered, off-white with rectangular carvings and a small window at the top to carry in light. But the longer he looked, the more the door seemed to shift in place. Pulsing, breathing, shuddering; it was a monstrous thing. The longer he looked, the more his arms shook as well. If he went in there, there would be no stepping back out. If he went in there, his life was over.
But he had to go in there. It was his responsibility. He had words to speak, and he was the only one who knew them.
He stepped forward. The soft crying grew to raw pain. The door cracked across its face, dripping pitch.
His steps dampened, shoes scraping across the concrete porch, but still he pressed onward. Wailing agony rang through his ears, interchanged with the groaning maw ahead of him. Closer, closer he came.
The door was within arm's reach. His trembling hand went for the knob, feeling it soft against his fingers. In the moment before his life ended, he shut his eyes, face strained against the dread, hand closed on the doorknob. In that space of deafening silence and vanishing light, he could feel a heart. Down in his hand, he could feel the single beat of a heart.
And he let go.
And he turned and ran.
It was the closest he would ever come to that place.
The young man skidded to a halt at the edge of the porch, shut in by a blinding spotlight. As he covered his eyes, a loud, masculine voice cut through, encircling the area.
"There it is. The moment. Sharp as a needle prick... and yet it doesn't resonate."
Unshielding his eyes, the young man found himself standing before an entire audience of people, seated in elevated rows and staring down in silent fear. Above their heads hung a single bright stage spotlight, looming in sight like a low moon. And just beneath it, descending from the top of the stairs, there stood a solitary figure.
"I suppose it should come as no surprise," the figure flowed down the steps like a phantom, "the entire production had a fatal flaw, right at its center." He crept in close, drifting from the stairs to the stage, towering before the young man. He was a vulture of a man, with a shiny bald head and pointed features surrounded by an ostentatious, large-collared coat. His eyes shone out from his darkened silhouette, full of malice.
"How can we be expected to sympathize with our lead," he bent forward, leaning in close, "when we know what you've done?"
Why do you hate me? the young man thought but did not say.
"Because I see you. Behind everything you've put up, I see what you are: a coward and a tiny little blight. You should have never returned. You should have jumped into that pit. The world would be better off. Any world would be better off."
The man turned to address the audience, "He is intrinsically broken. His only use, to be observed so that the rest might gain wisdom from his mistakes, much as it is to draw blood from a stone." He stared at the young man, and a burning scent began to fill the air. "But that's what you are: the one who did it all wrong."
The young man tried to step back, but his legs would barely move, shifting in tiny spurts like they were made of stone. "I don't deserve this," he croaked.
"Is this true?" Yekel raised his voice, turning to the audience again. Heavy plumes of smoke drifted between the seats, obscuring but for brief instances their gargoylian looks of frozen horror. "Will someone rescue him from this fate he does not deserve? Speak out!" He waited, but there came no answer. He met the young man's gaze with cold satisfaction. "Stop me. Stop me, little hero. Defend yourself, if it's what you deserve."
The young man tried to raise his hands. He tried, and tried, and tried, but found with crippling terror that he could not even close his fingers into fists. He shook his head as far as it would go, choking on a fearful cry.
Yekel pursed his lips. "Well, worry no longer. I have a better role for you. In truth, it won't require much of you at all."
Suddenly, the young man found himself becoming smaller and smaller. Long whiskers sprouted from his face, and fur from his skin.
"Rendlestick the quiet companion. He's a bungling animal; just your fit."
He grasped at his head as it reshaped, fingers slipping as they turned to clumsy, clawed digits. Something else was happening inside of him. An essence—a sense of who he was—he could feel it shrinking, shredded and scattered off, slipping away over the edge of the stage.
"Oh, but something will be left. Isn't that the worst of it? Change shape all you like, but you can never remove that horrible, broken thing inside of you. You can never take back what you've done. You cannot ever escape yourself."
The small creature fell through the young man's clothes, struggling to stand from the pile and sniffing the air in confusion.
"He's faint now. Soon he will be gone all but entirely. Left in a painful minutia of memory, traced only in the lives of those he's hurt." Yekel Albor stepped aside and pushed the creature over, "Take a bow, David."
And as he fell to the ground, David saw over the edge of the stage, into the dark void between it and the audience. And in that void, he saw his best friend, Bill Shasky plummet to his death. And when he could not stand to see it any longer, he dug his claws into his head, and he tore his face apart.
< Hub Town - Hotel, Room 509 (Earlier) >
David thrashed upright in his bed, bellowing like a drowning man as he tried desperately to evade his fate. It took him rapping his knuckles hard against the headboard just to register that he was awake, and it took a lot of deep breathing to get any further than that.
With a deep sigh, he slid back down into the covers, waiting for Rip or Joseph or Connie to come over and ask what the matter was. He was all prepped with a story of facing down the sand blob again in a dream, but the question never came. No one came. He looked left, he looked right, he looked down past his feet, but the room was as still as his own breath.
He laid his head back down and stared up at the ceiling. He was alone.
< Hub Town - Hotel, Room 509 (Present) >
The room shared by Joseph and his close companions was nicely sized; a bonus of being located at the corner of the hotel. As usual, David and Rip split the bill, with Rip angling for something that hit little beyond the basic necessities and David pushing for something more comfortable. And as usual, Rip went for it in the end, knowing full well that David would put up the entire extra expense himself if he had to.
It had all the usual amenities and then some, extra beds for one, as well as a dining table sat between the windows of the corner walls, providing a fine view of the rest of the town. It was there, sitting at the table, that Joseph saw David.
"David! Sweet, you're up! You're-"
Joseph had begun walking over to greet his friend properly, but halted suddenly he got a second look. Something was wrong.
David was an odd sight for a multitude of people, both strangers and even some who knew him. He was just shy of four feet tall and bore a fair resemblance to an earthen otter. Head to toe and out to the tip of his tapered tail, he was covered in short, off-white fur. His face was decorated by an impressive set of whiskers surrounding a dark brown nose, very nearly matched by the dark brown of his eyes. His hands weren't paws, but they were a far cry from the average human's hands, and the same could be said of his feet. But of course, none of this came as any surprise to Joseph.
That morning, David was robed in a satin blue dressing gown loosely tied at his waist, and little else. Nothing else that was presently visible, that is. He sat before a bowl of cold cereal; spoon propped against one hand while the other propped up his head. Poking out of the side of his mouth was an unlit cigarette. These were more troubling things, but what stopped Joseph in his tracks wasn't David's appearance, so much as his manner.
Normally not one to eschew attention or mask his presence in a room, David hadn't even glanced in the direction of his visitors. He just stared at the wall beside the door with his tired brown eyes, lost inside some despondent moment, far, far away.
this place needs me here
Jobe's Farm (Maelys, Mist; Aseyu, Ethani; Jobe)
Maelys folded her arms behind her back. "Well... Sanctuary could use a teacher in sexual arts. Many of my girls are horrendously inept at such things. Anyone who could teach them ways of relieving sexual frustration without causing... issues... would be very valuable, and much appreciated. My Lady Aria would be more than willing to provide room and board in addition to a salary, as with any contracted individual of Sanctuary, such as Mist and myself."
As the trio regrouped with Ethani and Jobe, Mist nodded and shared a smile with Aseyu, "Aye, that we did."
Maelys gave an envious glance at Ethani's Type 3. "I'll have to get my girls some of those; though, they'll have to be miasma tested. Don't exactly want more rogue firearms," she said.
[Jobe's Farm (Maelys, Mist; Aseyu, Ethani; Jobe)]
"Unfortunately," Aseyu said, with a slight shake of her head, "I can't accept. Like in Oriyith already keeps me quite busy."
Ethani looked incredulously up at Aseyu. "You have a job?"
"'Job' is a strong word," Aseyu said, "but the 'lazy socialite' thing is... something of a performance."
"Sure," Ethani said skeptically, before returning her attention to her firearm.
Aseyu returned her attention to Maelys. "I'm still interested, but I can't accept the job on a long-term basis." She bit her lip, considering. "I see three... no, make it two options," she finally said. "One, I come on as a guest lecturer. You give me a time slot and I speak frankly and answer questions thoroughly and without embarrassment or my usual dry, suggestive euphemisms." She leaned against a wall and added, with a wry smile, "speaking of suggestive euphemisms, the other possibility is a bit of 'private tutoring', if there's just a few who need a hand. I can't imagine further explanation is necessary."
"My own requests," Aseyu then said, becoming relatively more serious, "are simple enough. First, I want to be allowed to wear as much — or as little — as I please." This was quite negotiable; Aseyu did have an actual outfit in mind, but she figured she'd start the bidding high and see how libertine this group was in their own territory. "Second, if I'm giving a lecture then, weather permitting, I'd prefer to do so under the open sky. An odd request, I know, but humor me if you can." It was clear from Ethani's bemused eyebrow that this request was not one of the myriad Qorisayane cultural oddities, but a peculiarity specific to Aseyu herself. "And as for payment... in the Omathon Club, none of us lack coin. But stories are a harder currency to come by. So," she leaned forward, "offer me an experience. Something that will make even Soqaxil pause and stare when he reads my dead-book."
"I thought you didn't believe in Soqaxil," Ethani pointed out.
"Hey," Aseyu said, straightening and shrugging, "it's a useful metaphor. But that does remind me. My religion forbids drugs, alcohol... I don't even drink coca leaf tea or caffeine. Also, my control over my own anti-magical abilities is not entirely in my control, so I should avoid anything that involves a spell on me, and I got dreadfully motion sick when I tried out Dying World VR. Other than that, I'm open to your offers."
Then, responding to Maelys comment, Ethani said, "a Dying World Kalashnikov is nearly as tough, and their industrial base means they're a lot cheaper. But yes," she tapped her weapon fondly, "a smart mage always keeps a reliable slug-thrower handy. But... did you say rogue firearms?" She glanced warily at her own weapon. "That sounds like it could be... difficult to deal with." She finally put down her weapon and said, "now I dare say, once you and Aseyu are done negotiating, I'm quite eager to turn these rogue pigplants into bacon. Consider me ready to leave whenever, though some of us," she nodded towards Aseyu, "may need to dress first."
Edited by KillerClowns on Feb 17th 2022 at 7:22:44 AM
[Hotel (room 509)]
Maria quickly noticed Davey. She couldn't quite tell what his mood was, but from the faraway look in his eyes, it probably wasn't good. Hell, he didn't even react to Joseph talking to him. Could he not hear? Was he still tired?
Maybe if she tried talking this time, that could stir him a little.
"...Morning, darling," she finally said, "Did you sleep well?"
Hotel ~ Lobby (Claire, Lulu; Rebecca; any adjacent listeners)
Lulu shook her head, "The enthralling spells attached to the soulstone where able to circumvented once Lady Aria took over ownership. She was able to restore Maelys' free will with a command: 'You are free to do what you will.'" She shook her head, "The magus responsible for the enthrallment was second-rate at best. Once her will was restored, I was able to remove the spells with no issue."
Hotel ~ Bonnie & Carol's Room (Bonnie; Henry)
Bonnie fixed Henry a puzzled stare, before shaking her head. "Hmm... That is neither dandy enough nor sufficiently avant-garde. But... I suppose patches could be fashionable. If Carol can pull it off..." she said, trailing off as she headed towards the door.
With her things in hand, she headed into the hall, giving a nod of thanks to Henry on the way out. "Elevator or stairs, Mr. Dandyman?"
Hotel ~ Stairwell (Carol; Joseph, Connie)
Carol took Connie's hand in a firm shake, "Carol Hunter. Simply a recent acquaintance."
Noticing Joseph's gaze, and Connie's ramblings, the dark elf took a moment to recall the events of yesterday. "I'm fairly certain someone mentioned... uh..."She snapped her fingers eight times, before raising a definitive finger, "Ah, two of him! Doppelganger."
She pointed at Joseph, bluntly asking, "You know her?"
This is my good side.
Hub Town Hotel: 5th Floor, Room 509
Nasur put himself behind Joseph, next to Maria. "Let's go, then." He said, careful to keep his voice low. "I'm sure he will be alright." He turned to Maria, motioning to the door. "After you."
The Narati kept to himself by the door frame. It was a nice room, not as overly decorated as Nasur would have expected, but definitely not without amenities, like a decently sized table near a corner. David was sitting by it.
Poor David did not look very fine, unfortunately. Staring off into the distance, he didn't seem to even acknowledge his visitors. If Joseph hadn't explained their situation, Nasur's first thought would have been 'too much drink'. Bit now, David's look of despondence felt painfully familiar.
"Hello." He waved weakly at David. "Good morning."
Hotel - Lobby (Cëll)
A man(?)
◊ appears as if he's apparated out of thin air; on second inspection, maybe he's really just that unobtrusive. He's thin, gentle-faced, studded with piercings, and fairly androgynous, with light brown skin but a pallor like a ghost. With half-lidded eyes, he gazes at a bulletin board on the wall, and it's from this angle that his most prominent features becomes apparent—there are inset lines tracking along his cheeks and jaw and a silvery plate under his parted hair. Small horns in his hair, and wires along the line of his jaw. Cybernetics. Under a loose jacket, his arms are partially translucent prosthetics.
Cëll glances from side to side, as if afraid he's being tracked. Only now does he seem to register that there are other people in the room having conversations; he starts slightly, then stares, trying to discern if he recognizes any of them. There's a pale ring around his pupils—another cybernetic modification. He taps the side of his jaw lightly.
Cëll is a new OC that exists in a setting I haven't fleshed out much. I'm trying to develop him a bit 
Hopefully I'm reading the room okay.
Edited by Palindromee on Feb 25th 2022 at 12:02:52 PM
Trope-tan is here! ➯ my pronouns are ze/hir
< Hub Town - Hotel, Stairwell >
"Whoa, careful there," Connie said, wiggling her fingers in front of her face after the shake, "I am ailing, you know." She dropped her hand to her side, regarding Joseph and Carol together for one perfunctory moment. "Recent acquaintance, huh? Cool. Don't really have time for long intros anyway. Places to be."
Joseph, still flummoxed by the girl, tried to think of the politest way to ask, 'do I know you?' The name Connie Zavala hadn't rung a single bell, though her sheer certainty made him want to get an MRI scan, just to be sure nothing major was missing.
She did seem anxious to get upstairs, glancing up the stairwell, tapping her hand against the railing, and doing some kind of teeth-clicking, cheek-tonguing thing as if one nervous tic wasn't enough to contain her impatience. If he didn't ask that very moment, he might not get the chance again. Much as he was reluctant to cause any magnitude of trouble, this was one mystery too strange to just leave be.
However, before he could speak, Carol began snapping her fingers, and before he could figure out his place in the finger snapping, rail tapping impromptu ensemble, she stopped snapping and mentioned a key detail they had learned sometime in the tumult of the previous day's events. There was another Joseph T. Weller. Another him. Just out there, somewhere.
When he'd first heard, he hadn't been sure what to think. How exactly was a person supposed to respond to news that they had a doppelganger? Alarm, sure. Maybe concern over the possibility of an especially evil twin, running amok. In truth, he didn't quite believe it to begin with— at least not enough for it to really register. But now, standing in front of this complete stranger who was so staunch in her recognition of him, it struck a surreal chord. Slowly, his wide-eyed stare shifted from Carol to Connie, to the banister surrounding the stairwell center. There was another him... and he was nearby.
"Oh. Okay." Connie narrowed her eyes and gave a conspiratorial nod "Got it. Well, I've got an appointment with my own doppelganger. Kind of a couples' therapy thing, so..."
She made for the next set of stairs, but just as she was turning around, Carol pointed at Joseph and asked plainly the question he was ostensibly getting around to. This stopped Connie in her tracks. She turned back around and stared at Joseph, eyebrows raised in a look dripping with incredulity.
Joseph, sweating in the hot seat, looked from Connie to Carol, then down at his chest, where his hands gripped each other in lieu of anything else firm to hold. He stuck his pointy front teeth out in hesitant, lip-biting fashion, before finally lifting his head and admitting, "No, I don' think so. Not unless we met yesserday."
Connie's face went through several changes in quick succession. Her brow knitted first in confusion as she studied Joseph, searching his salamandrine expression for some crack in his conviction; a hint that he was just kidding around. Then, in between moments, her eyes widened with surprise, even hurt. Then they hardened, her lips pressed tightly, and there was nothing left but irritation.
"Seriously?"
< Hub Town - Hotel, Room 509 >
But for his breathing and the faintest twitch in his eye, David remained perfectly still, unshaken from that other place. Even Maria and Nasur's voices seemed to pass right over his ears, eliciting not so much as a flicker of awareness. Those words... they were for someone else, not for him.
Joseph crept in closer, lowering himself a bit to try and catch David's eye, his own two full of concern for his dear friend. He stopped a few feet away from the table, calling out softly, "David?"
David turned to the sound of his name. For the barest of moments there was terrible fear in his eyes, fear like Joseph had never seen. Fear that flashed and burned into the mind, clinging for ages beyond its worldly death. Fear that would not let go.
Then, in another instant, it was gone, and there was David. Flip switched, mask reaffixed, disheveled but undefeated, David.
"Hello, Joseph." He pulled a tired smile from beneath his whiskers, lifting his head from his hand to regard the rest of his company. "Do my eyes deceive me, or is that miss Maria herself? And my new favorite gunslinger! How is Amandus's shooter treating you?"
Edited by Ryuhza on Mar 12th 2022 at 12:22:07 PM
this place needs me here
[Hotel 509]
Well that was...concerning. Of course, she didn't know Davey all to well, so maybe this is something he and Joesph can talk about. For now, she just decided to focus on the present.
Smiling, she did a curtsey. "It's me, David! In the flesh. Did you sleep well, dear?"
Jobe's Farm (Maelys, Mist; Aseyu, Ethani; Jobe)
Maelys folded her arms behind her back, "Both options work. We could certainly have you as a guest speaker," She drew out the next word before continuing, "and... I'm sure there are those who could use and appreciate some private lessons."
The maid gave a few nods as she followed alongside Aseyu, "Your terms are very much within reason— first of all, there is no stringent dress code at Sanctuary, despite how some of the high elves might protest to this. Second, there are several courtyards Sanctuary has to offer for your use."
She remained quiet for a moment, "At the very least, I think I can arrange a... private audience with Lady Aria herself. I'm sure night with a goddess would suffice as an interesting experience," Maelys told Aseyu, "I will also make sure your accommodations are met— even if I have to personally restrain a certain witch and our chief engineer. They'd certainly love to test that... 'anti-magic' of yours." She sniffed, quietly quipping, "That might explain the interference..."
Mist strode forward, joining the conversation when it pertained to the talk of the rogue firearms, "Aye, chthonic fluid will do that to things. Though, when it comes to possessed firearms, just need to wait for it to run out of ammo, and then reduce it to slag." She froze slightly, as she was lifting her mechanical spear. She visibly shivered when Maelys cleared her throat.
She stowed her spear, and slipped her shield onto her back, "I'm more or less ready to go."
Maelys nodded, "As am I."
This is my good side.
Hub Town Hotel: Room 509
Nasur tensed for a moment, waiting for David's response. It eventually came, the small furred man looking oddly chipper for his previous look.
"Oh, yes. It's me! The... gunslinger?" Nasur paused for a moment, trying to figure out what David had meant. Suddenly, he remembered the last time they had met, fighting off that horrid creature, when David had gifted him the gun. It still clung to his pants, almost forgotten until now. "Oh, of course."
The Narati patted the artifact, with a weary smile. "I've made sure to treat it with care, but if you want it, I'm willing to give it back." He offered.
Nasur took a few steps in, getting closer to the table. After all, since he was part of the conversation, hanging by the door frame would a little insulting. He settled himself next to Maria, at an appropiate distance between everyone. "So..." He tentatively asked. "Is... everything alright?"
Hotel Dining Room (Samelin, Rosafa, Devad, Maria, Nick, Amandus, et. al.)
"It is always better to be informed of dangers, even if it 'brings the room down'," Devad assured Nick.
"If you're trying to find someone and/or avoid people, we could probably help," Samelin said. "I've still got all the skills I had as an Inquirer, and Devad once tracked a man through a crowded train station and almost caught him."
"Would have caught him if you hadn't interfered..." Devad muttered.
Samelin looked apologetically at their dining companions, "It's a long story. At any rate, we'd be happy to help you out."
By now, it should be clear to all except the most dense of us that sheep are secretly conspiring to kill us all and steal our pants.
< Hub Town - Hotel, Mid-floor Hall —> Elevator (Going Down) >
Henry wagged a finger, "I'm telling you, it comes at least just as much down to how it's worn as what's being worn in the first place. That's just fashion. Sure, maybe some people think 'dang, that umbrella hat looks fly as hell,' but what they're really thinking—subconsciously or however—is, 'dang, that guy looks fly as hell in that umbrella hat, maybe I'll look fly to a similarly hellacious degree if I start to wear one.' And look, if you can catch someone's attention, that's half the battle."
He hooked his thumbs into the belt loops, hoisting the jeans up with a grin and a grimace. "Yep, these babies will be classified as a dangerously fashionable artifact once I'm done with them. Actually, maybe we should pick up a new pair for Joe while we're out, because these will probably wind up boxed away with Ark of the Covenant." He paused for a second. "...That and I'm not sure they're going to fit quite right when I give them back."
Backing up into the door as Bonnie walked by, he answered, "Elevator, easy. My legs are still pretty rickety after all of yesterday's excitement. A whole lot of hiking and running from wyverns... and running from wyverns with Joe on my back. Plus that truck ride— I think numbing out was the only thing that saved me." He pressed a hand against his lower back, wincing, "Not numb anymore."
The elevator arrived quickly, carrying only one other occupant: a young, somewhat nebbish looking man with dark, combed hair and a small moustache. Henry sidled in, glancing at the stranger with a quick bob of his eyebrows, as though to say, that's right, look all you like. He fell back to the nearest wall, leaning with his hands against the handrail and-
"Eugh!" Henry whipped his hands out from behind his back, wrinkling his nose at the sight of his moisture-dotted palms, "it's all wet!"
this place needs me here
(Hotel Lobby- Claire, Rebecca, Lulu, anyone listening in)
"An admittedly clever way to break the spell," Rebecca said with admiration. "Essentially dissolving it instead of prying it up. And efficient, too. I'll have to bring it up with Saen, maybe we can find a way to teach it to witchlings, or at least a variant thereof."
"But I do digress. The primary reason I came here was to search for artifacts of a magical nature. My own coven doesn't really have anyone who specializes in making enchanted objects, so we mostly make do with what we can find. I'd offer an equal split of any such treasures, if you'd be interested. We can cover each other's backs as well- I hear it can get dangerous in these outlands."
Forward, boys! For God's sake, forward!Hotel - Lobby (Cëll)
Again, he's present at a short distance from Rebecca—as if he'd never moved at all, as if he'd always been present on the outskirts. It was bizarre, really, his ability to maintain an air of unobtrusiveness, considering his conspicuous appearance, posture, and expression. Cëll stood just a bit further away than appropriate for holding a conversation, unnoticeable until he spoke.
"Excuse me." His voice came out in a thick rasp, throat rough from disuse. He tried again: "Sorry to interrupt, I couldn't help but overhear... you're looking for something? I may be able to help with that." His eyes glimmered in a way that was difficult to decipher, gentle and intense at once. At closer glance, his irises were emitting their own light, flickering rhythmically as they scanned the environment.
For a moment, Cëll's lips ghosted against each other as if whispering to himself, then he added, "I have to admit I'm curious about this magic too. Ah— if you don't mind me butting in."
Edited by Palindromee on Mar 5th 2022 at 1:50:58 PM
Trope-tan is here! ➯ my pronouns are ze/hir
[Hotel (Lobby)]
Nick's smile widened. "Really? You'll help us out? Dude, we'd so appreciate that! More muscle means more chances on taking him down!" He leaned forward. "And maybe we can help you out afterwards? We have this thing where we repay those who decide to help us out."
Amandus, who was listening, sighed. "What did I tell you about making decisions without me or James's input?"
Nick sighed. "I know, I know, uncle. I was just suggesting! Jeez."
Amandus shook his head, before turning to the new helpers. "But, we really do appreciate more help. I can try my best to provide more information if you need it."
[Jobe's Farm (Maelys, Mist; Ethani; Jobe)]
Ethani muttered, "oh, thank Esaxe." Not wanting to tarry any longer, she motioned towards the tents and said, "Aseyu, I recall you have..."
"Sensible clothing," Aseyu said, "yes." She smiled at Maelys and said, "consider the deal accepted, but I suspect," she glanced at Ethnai, "the Xetelon's patience with my antics is wearing thin, so we'll leave it there for now. I'll be back shortly."
As Ethani watched Aseyu go, she relit her pipe. After a puff, she said, "Maelys, Mist, you two are more soldiers than hunters, yes? I have no doubt of your abilities to slay the beasts when they are found, but do you have any tracking skills?" Before either could answer, Ethani eagerly gave her own story: "my military training had little to add to what my mother taught me; I made my first kill out on the moors when I was fourteen. Our religion does not permit us to eat a beast that has not been hunted wild and..." she chuckled, "while alligator is my favorite, I do enjoy a slab of pork. I've hunted boar, with gun and spear alike. Tracking them both the old fashioned way and with..." she snapped her fingers, and sparks of vile shining darkness floated away, "the extra senses Izikulix gave me."
She glanced at the domestic pig plants. "I can sense their minds, and I'm sure I'll be able to do the same for their wild cousins. And..." she turned her attention to Jobe, "they do not suffer as some beasts raised for meat do, I will give you that." Jobe just gave a gruff nod; he'd already heard Ethani say her piece on why she regarded her own faith's rules as righteous.
I'll have Aseyu return in the next post or so.
< Hub Town - Hotel, Room 509 >
"Sleep?" David repeated the word like he'd never heard of such a notion. "Sleep, yes. Like a... like a baby. Too much sleep, maybe." He released his spoon, pressing the palms of his pawlike hands into his eyes and yawning through his next sentence. "I'm usually up and out with the sun, unless I've got especially good company." As his hands drifted back off his face, he turned in his seat, locking his arms over the backrest of his chair and gazing out the window. "The city must look spectacular under that dawn light. And what a view." His face was turned away, but a wistful note had slipped into his voice.
Joseph remained silent, not out of desire, but a slight loss at how to manage the situation. There was clearly something wrong with David— beyond his soggy bowl of untouched wheats, beyond the unlit cigarette he seemed to have forgotten between his lips, even beyond that stare he'd just given him; from the moment Joseph had stepped in the room, there had been a colossal, cloudy elephant that just wouldn't disperse. The only problem was—of course—discussing it, especially with company around. David's composure was holy ground; it had been broken wide open the night before, and now it looked to be scarcely reformed from cracked bits of porcelain, with gaps as wide as a simple phrase, spoken with care, only to usher in another collapse. So, for the time being, the only solution was to avoid speaking at all.
David tipped his head back, glancing at Nasur with an overturned smile. "Haven't had cause to use it then? Not even for a bit of desert target practice?" He slipped one arm free of the backrest, miming a gun with his hand. "Or I suppose some kind of training sim they've got on board that ship of theirs." He waved the thought away, gun turning back into a hand as he scooted himself around to face his company once more. "Well, never mind it, that was the correct answer. The ideal life of a handgun is to remain ever holstered. It's a dire thing; its use demands a dire need. An itchy finger should never be found on its trigger." His eyes drifted down to the table and his smile faltered. He touched the end of his spoon with one claw, absently resting his finger atop its delicate weight. "But we don't live in a world that always does as it should. No, I suppose it's becoming a rarity."
Alarm bells went off in Joseph's head as he watched his friend teeter over a despondent pit. Say something! Do something! Do anything besides standing there looking dumb! He looked down, finding the backrest of the chair across from David in his hands. Sitting. I'm sitting down. Yeah. Then he'll know I'm here and listening, while I figure out just the right thing to say. Perfect!
"As for the gun," David continued after a moment of silence, "I'm not the one who'd be missing it, but if you don't expect to see Amandus again soon, I can certainly take it off your hands and make sure it finds its way back into his."
Joseph drew the chair out quietly, circling to the front with his legs while his top mostly stayed put. Unlike some other chairs adorning the hotel's various rooms, those in room 509 had elevated backrests, leaving a gracious gap for tailed folk like Joseph and David to sit in at least some amount of comfort. He was able to slip in in one smooth motion.
"Speaking of people we didn't expect to-"
sqch
Joseph winced as his seat audibly announced his arrival. Right. Wet. David diverted his attention for a moment, squinting and tilting his head at Joseph as though he'd only just noticed something peculiar. Mentally marking it for later, he slowly returned his gaze to Nasur. "What I mean to say is, I thought you'd stayed behind with the Web of... erm... Web of Friendship." He glanced away, frowning slightly, twisting a whisker between his thumb and knuckles. "Are they downstairs, then?"
this place needs me here
Hotel ~ Lobby (Claire, Lulu; Rebecca; any adjacent listeners)
Lulu raised an eyebrow at Rebecca, "I suppose it's easy to not have someone skilled in enchantments" she started, "We do have a resident enchantress at Sanctuary, as well as a master smith... though I suppose enchantments may be different between our worlds—" She held up her hefty spellbook, "My Codex and Claire's whip would be the only things I'd classify as 'artifacts'. Her pins, while divine, could be replicated by any mage worth their salt."
She placed the book down on the table next to her plate, "Speaking of which, there's even an entire industry revolving around manufacturing replicas of magical artifacts, even those of other worlds!"
Claire and Lulu jumped slightly, looking up at the newcomer. "Oh, hello there," said Lulu, giving a nod at Cëll.
"Gah! Strange looking inqui—" Claire started, before flinching as Lulu lashed out from under the table, "Why'd ya kick my shin?"
Lulu glared at her, "If I had a nickel for every time you got into a fight after commenting on someone's appearance—"
She turned back towards Rebecca and Cëll, "We'd be more than thrilled to assist in such an endeavor. Clare here can serve as our vanguard!" Lulu beamed, with a now grinning and less-indignant Claire nodding alongside her.
Hotel ~ Stairwell (Carol; Joseph, Connie)
Carol glanced between Connie and Joseph, causing her to look up and down the stairwell. "Well... shit. This is a bit awkward," she stated. Clapping her hands together, she pointed down the stairs, past Joseph, "As you said, places t'be. I'll leave you two to settle this out while I go yell at room service."
She moved past Joseph, before pausing, "Oh, and if by chance you come across someone dressed like me but with a skirt and rabbit ears— she's my company's medic; she can treat that cough o'yours. Just tell her I sent ya. Hell, just coughin' in her presence would get her attention. Anyway, so long!" With that, Carol took her leave.
< Hub Town - Hotel, Stairwell >
Connie folded her arms. "Two of you. So why don't they both know me? You get hit with a brain wipe ray while I was out?"
Joseph shook his head, searching fruitlessly for a simple explanation for a situation he himself barely understood. "No- no, it's... it's like... we're not the same. I mean, we're both me, but not the same me." He gritted his teeth, "I think. I din't get all the details."
Connie closed her eyes, jaw set firmly and tongue prodding impatiently at the wall of her cheek. After a few concentrated seconds, she opened them back up, shook her head and shrugged. "Ha-ha?"
Before he could respond, Carol made clear that she wouldn't be sticking around for the ensuing confusion. "What?" He recoiled, bug-eyed. "You're leaving?! But I don't- I can't just-" Joseph frantically gestured between himself and a somehow-even-less-amused Connie.
"Oh my god..." she grumbled, before finally putting a hand up. "Look, just forget it. Whatever goofy-ass idea of a joke this is this is, I don't have time for it." She turned away and made to resume her climb, but after one step, she stopped again, glancing at her hand atop the railing. After a moment, she looked back over her shoulder, "Just take care, okay? And don't be so weird about your friends. It's a good way to lose them."
"But I really don't know you!" he insisted, "I'm sorry, I don't know why, I don' know how to explain it-"
"And I really don't see how this is supposed to be funny." She rolled her eyes again, then leaned over the railing, calling to Carol as she descended on the other side. "Nice to meet you, Carol Hunter. Love your eyes." She nodded back down at Joseph, "He does know me. Good luck with the yelling."
With that, she turned and climbed away, leaving Joseph by himself, hopelessly confounded.
this place needs me here
[Room 509]
Oh God, this was becoming unbearable. Even though she barely knew this man, it was obvious to everyone that there was something wrong, and they were avoiding the elephant in the room. She tried to hold back an irritated sigh at Joseph; instead, she kneeled down in front of David and put a comforting hand on his lap.
"We left Web of Friendship," she said, "We decided we'd be better off getting help elsewhere, instead with people who insulted us every step of the way." Her look—and voice—then softened. "David...did something happen while we were away? Do you want to talk about it?"
She already guessed his response, but goddamn it, someone had to say something and not sweep this under the rug. It would drive her crazy.
Edited by Masterofchaos on Mar 21st 2022 at 11:14:57 AM
(Hotel- Rebecca, Claire, Lulu, Cell, anyone else)
"Then it's settled," Rebecca said cheerfully. Or at least, it would have been, had someone not showed up at that moment and asked if he could pitch in. The redhead nodded at the suggestion. "For something in particular, no, just anything we can find. You're welcome to come along if you wish."
"As for what magic is, it's... a kind of energy that can be manipulated in many ways to accomplish all sorts of feats, if that makes any sense. I specialize in death magic, personally, but I do have a good grasp of several skills and styles."
Forward, boys! For God's sake, forward!
Hotel ~ Elevator (Bonnie; Henry)
Bonnie gave a nod as she waited for the elevator with Henry, "Fair enough," she said. She rummaged through her belongings for a moment, only to turn up nothing, "Hmm, thought I had a pick-me-up that could help with that, but I don't."
When the elevator arrived, Bonnie followed after Henry inside, taking a position across from the other man. She glanced at the wall and floor, nodding, "I see... we should probably let someone know at the front desk."
Jobe's Farm (Maelys, Mist; Ethani; Jobe)
Maelys shook her head, gesturing towards Mist, "She's better for long-distance tracking. I have access to a spell that pinpoints the locations of nearby people and creatures— however it would also alert them to my presence without additional spells that I am unable to set up here. In addition, I can sense the nearby presence of blighted and corrupted entities."
Mist nodded after Maelys had said her part, "I've some tracking skills, though what will help us out a lot is Fog. A helhound would be able to sniff those piggies out."
Said helhound decided to make her presence known, the red-eyed, black-furred, large wolf rounding a corner to greet everyone. Maelys straightened a bit of Fog's braided mane, plucking bits of straw from it, as Mist rubbed Fog's head affectionately.
This is my good side.
Hub Town: Hotel, Room 509
David's state still seemed rather fragile, even though he was putting a friendly face. At least Joseph looked to be treading with caution around him. Perhaps it was for the best if Nasur did the same.
"Well, I suppose you're right." The Narati answered to David's comment about the gun. "I would rather not have to use it at all. I've seen how... brutal it can be." He addded with a grimace, remembering the rather gruesome way how that small artifact could do harm. Nasur slowly walked up to the table, and took a seat opposite to him and Joseph. "I suppose, if its owner doesn't ask for it, I can keep the gun for a little while."
Another awkward moment ensued. Things definitely weren't looking good. David still looked like he might break down at the slightest push, and Joseph was still dancing around the whole issue. Nasur wasn't sure if it was a good idea to breach the issue or not.
Thankfully, Maria was bold enough to start speaking. Nasur decided to follow her example. "Yes, our companions from that time." He added to Maria's answer. "We all, ehm, left them behind. Went on our own way. I'm sure they are still out there, working on their own."
"But what matters now is you." He quickly added. "If you want to talk about anything, please feel free to do so. You are among... ehr... trusted people." As he said it, Nasur tried to watch his words. Perhaps David was too sensitive right now, after everything that happened, to be called 'friend'.
Hub Town: Hotel, 5th Floor hallway
Nasur couldn't help but let out a dry chuckle at Joseph's comment. "Well, decency was rather rare back where I came from, at least of the honest kind." He replied. "So that still stood out for me."
He was quick to echo Maria's acknowledgement of Joseph's request. He commented in a lower voice. "Glad to know you three are still rather close. Everything will get better as long as you have someone alongside you." Nasur nodded towards the door, indicating he was ready to go. "After you."
Edited by Pyxo on Feb 9th 2022 at 2:30:04 PM