whatever you were doing before this moment becomes irrelevant: one moment, you blink, and the next, you're standing at the top of a long set of stone stairs, in the middle of what looks like a cave. if you turn around, there's nothing to see behind you. if you look forward, light from above shines down at the bottom of the stairs, and you can just see a halo of blue light in the center of what appears to be some sort of dais.
the stone structure of the dais is in the shape of an octagon. you hold a lantern in your hand, and if you make the descent, you might realize you aren't alone - there are three staircases, all leading to the center platform, and three people on this particular adventure.
eunhyuk, lucien, and shu.
as you descend the stairs - assuming that you do, of course - you will find that this place feels quite sacred. it's hard to escape the just slightly oppressive aura of something holy and important that presses down on you as you reach the center of the dais. it isn't a bad feeling. it's warm. comforting, almost, like the hug of an old friend, like recognition of your abilities and your power, like a light in the darkness. in the very center of the dais sits a massive goblet structure: within that, a blue flame flickers, strong and true.
at each point of the octagonal dais stands a stone statue. they are worn with the sands of time, but their faces and poses are visible to you, and at their bases, words have been carved into the stone, readable by lantern light.
AELFRIC THE FLAMEBRINGER. - a bearded man in vestments, carrying a staff. AEBER, PRINCE OF THIEVES. - a man with flowing hair, wielding a dagger. ALEPHAN, THE SCHOLARKING. - a wizened man in robes, holding a book. BIFELGAN, THE TRADER. - a man holding a set of scales. BRAND, THE THUNDERBLADE. - a man with his hands on the hilt of an austere sword. DOHTER, THE CHARITABLE. - a woman, holding up a jar DRAEFENDI, THE HUNTRESS. - a woman with a spear. SEALTICGE, LADY OF GRACE. - a woman in the midst of a graceful dance.
talk to each other, get your bearings, figure out what's going on...? the statues will become relevant, soon..... . ]
[ well. it'd be funny if he was walking when he showed up and here and almost fell down the stairs, so that's what's going to happen.
he'll stop himself from absolutely eating it, but he does take two rather heavy steps down before catching himself and squinting down the stairs at the statues below. ]
[ watching shu fall down the stairs and doing absolutely fucking nothing to help.
he's got a higher dex so he keeps his balance, looking over at shu and then holding up the lantern to eunhyuk's face. though he doesn't seem that surprised to see one of the faces of the dead here. that's ... fine. he'll deal with that problem in a minute.
heading further down the stairs towards the dais, inspecting it carefully. ]
[Eunhyuk would have tried to HELP except he's on a separate staircase so all he can do is watch Shu tumble, but thankfully not crack his skull open? HE THINKS? He makes the rest of his descent as quickly as possible, but then Shu speaks, sounding lucid, and then Lucien follows.
He also does not look surprised to see either of them, but then again, his expression has always been like this. Even as Lucien reminds him that... THIS IS HIS SECOND RODEO? damn.]
no he doesn't but he does kind of stumble stupidly. good job. as the three of you make your way down to the main floor of the dais, you will feel that the statues are very inviting. there's no danger here - this place is a sanctuary, almost violently protective of the three people who currently stay within. they will feel the sense that the bright blue flame in the center of the room is what is emulating that warm, comfortable feeling: like a hearth and a torch, it lights the way.
as you make your way down the stairs, you will each feel that you can investigate the statues, but one seems to call to you more than the others. there's a pull, a whisper. a beckoning - something that feels like coming home. for lucien, the statue of aeber. for eunhyuk, the statue of aelfric. and for shu, the statue of draefendi.
[ shu is the newbie now... wow... although he does stop to squint up one set of stairs when he realises eunhyuk is also here. that's... ok. that's sometime to unpick, even if he does logically known that the dead are out there somewhere, he didn't expect somewhere to be here, right in front of him. ]
You look better than when we last saw you. [ removes the specifics because my brain was like yeah he remembers this. no he doesn't. go to bed becks. ]
[ he'll do a circle of the statues when he's in the central platform, but does find himself drawn to one statue more than the others. he's not exactly sure what to think about that weird pull, or why it's there, but-- ]
...
[ you truly only live once (said in this group with these characters). ] Might as well. It's not like we can just climb back up and out, is it?
[ oh he does actually jump a bit when shu also addresses the Eunhyuk in the room. ]
Oh. You can see him as well?
[ did he just assume eunhyuk was a hallucination. that's normal and fine probably. he'll make a face about that that is halfway between concerned and angry and then go down to stand in front of the statue that is compelling to him. he hates this feeling actually, the way it crawls under his skin and tries to whisper in his ear. make him feel safe. he's heard voices like that before. ]
Be careful of whatever they're offering.
but what's one more whisper in a crowded room? he'll accept too. ]
[Imagine having to see a '_' hallucination at all times,
The feeling is powerful, and foreign in the way that it's been a long time since he's felt safe or comfortable anywhere. He's forgotten how that felt like. He watches Shu accept their circumstances, listens to Lucien's warning, and thinks that there's truth in both of what they say. Shu, in that there seems to be no way to go but forward. Lucien, in that there's still danger to keep in mind.
Eunhyuk doesn't have anything useful to add to whatever's already been said, so he turns his gaze towards the statue of Aelfric, and also accepts.]
each of you step up towards the statues that seem to be calling your names. the blue flame at the center of the dais flickers, once.
shu. when you step up to the statue of draefendi and touch it, you hear a voice in your head. it is airy and light like the breeze; wind ghosts through your hair as the voice speaks, ruffling it gently, curling around your figure. the wind forms into a small shape directly in front of you, though it’s hard to tell what it is. the voice is unfamiliar, but familiar all the same when it speaks out. ]
O chosen hunter. I grant upon you my powers, and my skills. Use them wisely as you traverse through the lands of Solistia, and let the voices of the wild be your calling. I ask of you, kindle the flame. In your life: what is it that you seek?
[ lucien. when you step up to the statue of Aeber, you realize with a start that there is a cigarette floating in the air in front of you. perhaps one you had on your very person until just a moment ago. you hear a male voice speak in your head, relaxed. it shifts to something lower, more feminine, maybe more familiar. low and soft, talking about siblings and how you are nothing like them - and then melds back to the male voice as the cigarette spins in the air, as if spun deftly between fingertips. ]
O chosen thief. I grant upon you my powers and my skills. Use them wisely as you make your way in this world with your daggers as your guide through Solistia, unflinching upon your foes. I ask of you, kindle the flame. In your life: what is it that you seek?
[ and finally, eunhyuk. when you step up to the statue of Aelfric, you feel...warm. rare for you, isn’t it? but you do, you feel warm, like it’s coming from your very soul. it fills you up, and for a moment, you feel utterly at peace. as you stand, you hear a voice - it’s old, wisened, but for a moment, it sounds so familiar, melliflous and light, a lofty voice you heard once talking about truth in front of the stars, then it falls back to the voice of the wise, elderly man. ]
O chosen cleric.. I grant upon you my powers and my skills. Use them wisely, and let the Sacred Flame be your guide through Solistia. I ask of you, kindle the flame: for you must always remember the truth lies within. I ask of you this: in your life, what is it that you seek?
[ well? perhaps a one or two word answer will suffice. what do you seek, travelers? ]
[ raising an eyebrow as the cigarette spins, raising a hand up as if he expects it to be put back in his palm. daggers are interesting. daggers are what he was trained on, a long time ago. as the voice changes he frowns, tilting his head. ]
[the warmth almost distracts him, cold as he always is now. and then the voice, familiar -- the realization settling in -- is that...? then the words. "the sacred flame". he's heard that before, in the very same voice. then this must be...
he doesn't know how that's possible. he's not privy to how these journeys have changed, but it doesn't matter because the voice asks him a question, and he tilts his head up to respond. He knows what he wants to say: "a way back", for all the others still waiting, but the voice asks for the truth within -- and something deeper, heavier answers for him.]
[ he goes to reply to lucien — confirm that, yes, he can see eunhyuk and wonder why lucien would think he couldn't, but—
his eyes narrow slightly against the sudden wind, shoulders and body tensing when it feels swirls around him. he has no idea why the ‘voices of the wild’ would be relevant to someone like him, but— hunter?
when the blue light fades from your eyes, the three of you find yourselves standing at the base of a town - and it is really cold.
that's the very first thing you notice. (sorry, shu) it is frigid in this place. a sign at the front of the frosty gates of the town indicates that you have found yourselves in stormhail, a northern village buried deep into the heart of the winterlands, tucked against craggy mountain peaks. despite the cold, the sleepy village itself seems to be well active in the daytime. it appears there is a path that carries upwards, past the town itself and into the mountains.
to your left lies a small inn, a provisioner's shop, and a tavern, as well as a few small houses. to your right, you can see a few more things - a massive mansionlike building with a fenced in area next to it, and down the stairs, an armorer. people mill about here and there, and occasionally figures in armor disappear into the mansionlike building's massive doors.
as you are getting settled in and admiring your new outfits (and features?) you may realize the bag that came with your outfit is a little heavy. in your pockets, you currently have...
✨ One medium grape, that you know will heal you slightly if you are injured ✨ One medium healing plum, that will restore magical energy slightly if you need it ✨ 100 gold leaves currency, not actual leaves
additionally, you are each wearing a new item - a small necklace with a crescent moon on it. you get the sense it's pretty important.
and finally, eunhyuk, you have one more item on you - a letter! it's written in neat, girlish handwriting.
My dear Eunhyuk, I hope that this message finds you well. The three of you are doing me a great service in Stormhail, and I hope that my words can help keep you warm on the cold winterlands nights. I do not envy you for spending so much time in the snow!
If you will recall, I am desperately attempting to find an escaped criminal by the name of Alpates. She recently stole something very precious from the Cathedral of the Order of the Sacred Flame, but before the Inquisitor and I could apprehend her, she fled. We have reason to believe she is somewhere in Stormhail.
We would like to see her brought back alive, but she is very dangerous. I pray that you all say safe.
With love, Mindt.
hmm! well. it looks like you've got a mission. time to chat amongst yourselves and decide what you want to do, and where you want to explore? ]
[THEIR GRAPE (SINGULAR)...... they're gonna have to feed all their grapes to shu their catboy so he doesn't become a kittysicle
For now, Eunhyuk carefully looks around at this new location, and thinks briefly about how this is so much like a video game or an isekai novel he might have binged at 3 am once in his life (only strengthened by the fact that Shu now has cute ears and a tail,). But the cold feels very real, along with people and their surroundings, and finally, the items that are apparently in his bag?
a grape... a plum.... and leaves.... and a letter.
He reads it briefly, and then hands it out for the others to read.]
[ singular fruits… why did i read that as “this is so much like a video game or a hentai” i was like euNHYUK? anyway.
the cold sure does feel real, let me tell you. his tail is tucking itself around his waist like the world’s most ineffectual insulator. ]
Somewhere I can grab a coat would be nice.
[ how can he grab a coat, it would squish his perfect tail. ] Asking around’s a good place to start, although don’t make it obvious otherwise people might clam up if they have something to hide. Knowing what we’re looking for wouldn’t be a bad idea either.
[ and apparently they have other people they can ask now as well, thanks to his newfound status as a catboy. nya. ]
[ he will take the letter and read it over, thanks. flipping it over to the back as if there's going to be secrets there too.
lucien does not react to the cold much despite still insisting on wearing a deep-veed shirt (black) and a fairly thin coat (now, purple), his tail just swishing around like an irritated cat, because a hoe doesn't get cold. also apparently he's used to it now, he cannot escape Cold Biomes on his freaking adventures. ]
A thief and escaped criminal? Someone on the run, then, keeping a low profile. [ taking a look over at the massive mansionhouse - can he tell what that might be used for, with the armored people coming in and out? do they look official like guards or similar? ] Might want to start at the inn or the provisions shop. Anyone who comes through is going to need somewhere to sleep and food to eat.
[ you are all so chill about shu being a catboy and i think that's very nice of you
anyhoo! the town of stormhail awaits you. for lucien's question: he can! there are banners hanging from the side of the mountain house that have a symbol on them - they rustle in the chilly mountain wind. the knights who come in and out don't appear to be on any sort of patrol or anything, though they are armed. some with greatswords, some with more traditional swords. they all are also wearing tabards with a similar crest. occasionally, one goes by wearing a different version - a muted magenta color, but with the same crossed sword/wing motif. he can draw whatever conclusions he likes based upon this knowledge.
there are people in all these places! they are dressed more warmly, for the most part. locals? hard to say. some chat with each other, some walk past to visit the different shops or disappear into their small houses. since they were noted, the provisioner's shop has a small green sign hanging outside of it, indicating its wares - the door is not open, but the lights are on and there appear to be people inside. the inn is the same, though it is marked with a crescent moon. place for sleepies.
occasionally, people give shu and lucien kind of weird looks, but that's probably to be expected... ]
[Eunhyuk will put the letter back in his bag if Lucien decides to hand it back, otherwise, he will take a moment to take in their advice.... the way he is supremely out of his depth here is so funny, but he is relieved for their experience. (people are looking at them WELL that's not their fault!!!!!)
He looks down at his clothes like he's trying to think where a cleric can go and not catch too much attention. He feels like Temenos would somehow manage to blend in anywhere, but he probably won't have as much luck in that area.... TAVERN!!!!!! no,]
Let's head to the provision shop then? Maybe they'll have coats.
[jackets for shu....!!]
I can also check out the inn, if we want to split up instead.
[ just walk into the room like you belong there, that’s the key to confidence whether you’re a catboy, a tiefling or just lil guy cosplaying a cleric. ]
I don’t mind trying the provision shop. Like you said, there might be coats along with potential information. You might catch a few gossips at the inn too — so keep alert. [ something something, horror movie logic where everyone splits up and then they all die. ]
Biggest thing’s tracing the path the thief took to escape capture, and figure out where the next port of call will be, and whether they even managed to get out of this place yet.
Should stick together. Easy way to get your throat slit if you're caught alone - besides, you're the one who's going to have to do most of the talking to townspeople I expect.
[ eunhyuk human privilege. getting strange looks is run of the mill, he gets strange looks everywhere he goes. one of the fun perks of being devilkin, he barely takes notice, but if he does catch someone glancing at him he'll shoot a challenging look back - if they're going to stare, they should at least have the spine to not look away.
he'll hand the letter back - shoving his own hands into his pockets. ]
Letter says they're still here. Could be this was the final destination - fence whatever it is they've taken.
[ he'll just turn on a heel and start going to the provision shop then. i am so sorry. his vice is a deep and incurable bossiness that continues to be the worst and feel free to ignore him on anything. ]
it's a cave, with uneven lighting. it's cold and hot, morning and night, and disorienting as hell. in front of you there are two paths - one dark, and one light. you can't see down the dark path, but the light path is blocked.
you brave your way through the dark, and that seems to be the correct way to do it, as you finally come up to a strangely lit platform. it looks like maybe that there was some sort of puzzle you would've had to solve, but... instead of that, there's a body. a body lies out flat on the ground - blonde hair, dressed in white, face down in a pool of blood.
but before you can approach the body - you see another group of travelers, standing across the way, looking at you like they've seen a ghost.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
I. THE JOURNEY BEGINS
whatever you were doing before this moment becomes irrelevant: one moment, you blink, and the next, you're standing at the top of a long set of stone stairs, in the middle of what looks like a cave. if you turn around, there's nothing to see behind you. if you look forward, light from above shines down at the bottom of the stairs, and you can just see a halo of blue light in the center of what appears to be some sort of dais.
the stone structure of the dais is in the shape of an octagon. you hold a lantern in your hand, and if you make the descent, you might realize you aren't alone - there are three staircases, all leading to the center platform, and three people on this particular adventure.
eunhyuk, lucien, and shu.
as you descend the stairs - assuming that you do, of course - you will find that this place feels quite sacred. it's hard to escape the just slightly oppressive aura of something holy and important that presses down on you as you reach the center of the dais. it isn't a bad feeling. it's warm. comforting, almost, like the hug of an old friend, like recognition of your abilities and your power, like a light in the darkness. in the very center of the dais sits a massive goblet structure: within that, a blue flame flickers, strong and true.
at each point of the octagonal dais stands a stone statue. they are worn with the sands of time, but their faces and poses are visible to you, and at their bases, words have been carved into the stone, readable by lantern light.
AELFRIC THE FLAMEBRINGER. - a bearded man in vestments, carrying a staff.
AEBER, PRINCE OF THIEVES. - a man with flowing hair, wielding a dagger.
ALEPHAN, THE SCHOLARKING. - a wizened man in robes, holding a book.
BIFELGAN, THE TRADER. - a man holding a set of scales.
BRAND, THE THUNDERBLADE. - a man with his hands on the hilt of an austere sword.
DOHTER, THE CHARITABLE. - a woman, holding up a jar
DRAEFENDI, THE HUNTRESS. - a woman with a spear.
SEALTICGE, LADY OF GRACE. - a woman in the midst of a graceful dance.
talk to each other, get your bearings, figure out what's going on...? the statues will become relevant, soon..... . ]
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he'll stop himself from absolutely eating it, but he does take two rather heavy steps down before catching himself and squinting down the stairs at the statues below. ]
...
[ hm. ]
This doesn't seem like somewhere on the ship.
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he's got a higher dex so he keeps his balance, looking over at shu and then holding up the lantern to eunhyuk's face. though he doesn't seem that surprised to see one of the faces of the dead here. that's ... fine. he'll deal with that problem in a minute.
heading further down the stairs towards the dais, inspecting it carefully. ]
At least we're not locked in an Asylum this time.
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He also does not look surprised to see either of them, but then again, his expression has always been like this. Even as Lucien reminds him that... THIS IS HIS SECOND RODEO? damn.]
...And our memories are still ours.
[that's a good sign, right. (laugh track)]
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no he doesn't but he does kind of stumble stupidly. good job. as the three of you make your way down to the main floor of the dais, you will feel that the statues are very inviting. there's no danger here - this place is a sanctuary, almost violently protective of the three people who currently stay within. they will feel the sense that the bright blue flame in the center of the room is what is emulating that warm, comfortable feeling: like a hearth and a torch, it lights the way.
as you make your way down the stairs, you will each feel that you can investigate the statues, but one seems to call to you more than the others. there's a pull, a whisper. a beckoning - something that feels like coming home. for lucien, the statue of aeber. for eunhyuk, the statue of aelfric. and for shu, the statue of draefendi.
do you take the invitation being offered? ]
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Right, this isn't your first time.
[ shu is the newbie now... wow... although he does stop to squint up one set of stairs when he realises eunhyuk is also here. that's... ok. that's sometime to unpick, even if he does logically known that the dead are out there somewhere, he didn't expect somewhere to be here, right in front of him. ]
You look better than when we last saw you. [ removes the specifics because my brain was like yeah he remembers this. no he doesn't. go to bed becks. ]
[ he'll do a circle of the statues when he's in the central platform, but does find himself drawn to one statue more than the others. he's not exactly sure what to think about that weird pull, or why it's there, but-- ]
...
[ you truly only live once (said in this group with these characters). ] Might as well. It's not like we can just climb back up and out, is it?
[ invite accepted. ]
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Oh. You can see him as well?
[ did he just assume eunhyuk was a hallucination. that's normal and fine probably. he'll make a face about that that is halfway between concerned and angry and then go down to stand in front of the statue that is compelling to him. he hates this feeling actually, the way it crawls under his skin and tries to whisper in his ear. make him feel safe. he's heard voices like that before. ]
Be careful of whatever they're offering.
but what's one more whisper in a crowded room? he'll accept too. ]
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The feeling is powerful, and foreign in the way that it's been a long time since he's felt safe or comfortable anywhere. He's forgotten how that felt like. He watches Shu accept their circumstances, listens to Lucien's warning, and thinks that there's truth in both of what they say. Shu, in that there seems to be no way to go but forward. Lucien, in that there's still danger to keep in mind.
Eunhyuk doesn't have anything useful to add to whatever's already been said, so he turns his gaze towards the statue of Aelfric, and also accepts.]
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each of you step up towards the statues that seem to be calling your names. the blue flame at the center of the dais flickers, once.
shu. when you step up to the statue of draefendi and touch it, you hear a voice in your head. it is airy and light like the breeze; wind ghosts through your hair as the voice speaks, ruffling it gently, curling around your figure. the wind forms into a small shape directly in front of you, though it’s hard to tell what it is. the voice is unfamiliar, but familiar all the same when it speaks out. ]
O chosen hunter. I grant upon you my powers, and my skills. Use them wisely as you traverse through the lands of Solistia, and let the voices of the wild be your calling. I ask of you, kindle the flame. In your life: what is it that you seek?
[ lucien. when you step up to the statue of Aeber, you realize with a start that there is a cigarette floating in the air in front of you. perhaps one you had on your very person until just a moment ago. you hear a male voice speak in your head, relaxed. it shifts to something lower, more feminine, maybe more familiar. low and soft, talking about siblings and how you are nothing like them - and then melds back to the male voice as the cigarette spins in the air, as if spun deftly between fingertips. ]
O chosen thief. I grant upon you my powers and my skills. Use them wisely as you make your way in this world with your daggers as your guide through Solistia, unflinching upon your foes. I ask of you, kindle the flame. In your life: what is it that you seek?
[ and finally, eunhyuk. when you step up to the statue of Aelfric, you feel...warm. rare for you, isn’t it? but you do, you feel warm, like it’s coming from your very soul. it fills you up, and for a moment, you feel utterly at peace. as you stand, you hear a voice - it’s old, wisened, but for a moment, it sounds so familiar, melliflous and light, a lofty voice you heard once talking about truth in front of the stars, then it falls back to the voice of the wise, elderly man. ]
O chosen cleric.. I grant upon you my powers and my skills. Use them wisely, and let the Sacred Flame be your guide through Solistia. I ask of you, kindle the flame: for you must always remember the truth lies within. I ask of you this: in your life, what is it that you seek?
[ well? perhaps a one or two word answer will suffice. what do you seek, travelers? ]
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The world.
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he doesn't know how that's possible. he's not privy to how these journeys have changed, but it doesn't matter because the voice asks him a question, and he tilts his head up to respond. He knows what he wants to say: "a way back", for all the others still waiting, but the voice asks for the truth within -- and something deeper, heavier answers for him.]
A cure.
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his eyes narrow slightly against the sudden wind, shoulders and body tensing when it feels swirls around him. he has no idea why the ‘voices of the wild’ would be relevant to someone like him, but— hunter?
it fits. in its own, cleverly twisted way. ]
To finish what she started.
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II. STORMHAIL
when the blue light fades from your eyes, the three of you find yourselves standing at the base of a town - and it is really cold.
that's the very first thing you notice. (sorry, shu) it is frigid in this place. a sign at the front of the frosty gates of the town indicates that you have found yourselves in stormhail, a northern village buried deep into the heart of the winterlands, tucked against craggy mountain peaks. despite the cold, the sleepy village itself seems to be well active in the daytime. it appears there is a path that carries upwards, past the town itself and into the mountains.
to your left lies a small inn, a provisioner's shop, and a tavern, as well as a few small houses. to your right, you can see a few more things - a massive mansionlike building with a fenced in area next to it, and down the stairs, an armorer. people mill about here and there, and occasionally figures in armor disappear into the mansionlike building's massive doors.
as you are getting settled in and admiring your new outfits (and features?) you may realize the bag that came with your outfit is a little heavy. in your pockets, you currently have...
additionally, you are each wearing a new item - a small necklace with a crescent moon on it. you get the sense it's pretty important.
and finally, eunhyuk, you have one more item on you - a letter! it's written in neat, girlish handwriting.
hmm! well. it looks like you've got a mission. time to chat amongst yourselves and decide what you want to do, and where you want to explore? ]
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For now, Eunhyuk carefully looks around at this new location, and thinks briefly about how this is so much like a video game or an isekai novel he might have binged at 3 am once in his life (only strengthened by the fact that Shu now has cute ears and a tail,). But the cold feels very real, along with people and their surroundings, and finally, the items that are apparently in his bag?
a grape... a plum.... and leaves.... and a letter.
He reads it briefly, and then hands it out for the others to read.]
Where do you want to start?
[(me voice) asserts dominance
(eunhyuk voice) asks politely for others' opinions]
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the cold sure does feel real, let me tell you. his tail is tucking itself around his waist like the world’s most ineffectual insulator. ]
Somewhere I can grab a coat would be nice.
[ how can he grab a coat, it would squish his perfect tail. ] Asking around’s a good place to start, although don’t make it obvious otherwise people might clam up if they have something to hide. Knowing what we’re looking for wouldn’t be a bad idea either.
[ and apparently they have other people they can ask now as well, thanks to his newfound status as a catboy. nya. ]
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lucien does not react to the cold much despite still insisting on wearing a deep-veed shirt (black) and a fairly thin coat (now, purple), his tail just swishing around like an irritated cat, because a hoe doesn't get cold. also apparently he's used to it now, he cannot escape Cold Biomes on his freaking adventures. ]
A thief and escaped criminal? Someone on the run, then, keeping a low profile. [ taking a look over at the massive mansionhouse - can he tell what that might be used for, with the armored people coming in and out? do they look official like guards or similar? ] Might want to start at the inn or the provisions shop. Anyone who comes through is going to need somewhere to sleep and food to eat.
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anyhoo! the town of stormhail awaits you. for lucien's question: he can! there are banners hanging from the side of the mountain house that have a symbol on them - they rustle in the chilly mountain wind. the knights who come in and out don't appear to be on any sort of patrol or anything, though they are armed. some with greatswords, some with more traditional swords. they all are also wearing tabards with a similar crest. occasionally, one goes by wearing a different version - a muted magenta color, but with the same crossed sword/wing motif. he can draw whatever conclusions he likes based upon this knowledge.
there are people in all these places! they are dressed more warmly, for the most part. locals? hard to say. some chat with each other, some walk past to visit the different shops or disappear into their small houses. since they were noted, the provisioner's shop has a small green sign hanging outside of it, indicating its wares - the door is not open, but the lights are on and there appear to be people inside. the inn is the same, though it is marked with a crescent moon. place for sleepies.
occasionally, people give shu and lucien kind of weird looks, but that's probably to be expected... ]
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He looks down at his clothes like he's trying to think where a cleric can go and not catch too much attention. He feels like Temenos would somehow manage to blend in anywhere, but he probably won't have as much luck in that area.... TAVERN!!!!!! no,]
Let's head to the provision shop then? Maybe they'll have coats.
[jackets for shu....!!]
I can also check out the inn, if we want to split up instead.
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I don’t mind trying the provision shop. Like you said, there might be coats along with potential information. You might catch a few gossips at the inn too — so keep alert. [ something something, horror movie logic where everyone splits up and then they all die. ]
Biggest thing’s tracing the path the thief took to escape capture, and figure out where the next port of call will be, and whether they even managed to get out of this place yet.
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[ eunhyuk human privilege. getting strange looks is run of the mill, he gets strange looks everywhere he goes. one of the fun perks of being devilkin, he barely takes notice, but if he does catch someone glancing at him he'll shoot a challenging look back - if they're going to stare, they should at least have the spine to not look away.
he'll hand the letter back - shoving his own hands into his pockets. ]
Letter says they're still here. Could be this was the final destination - fence whatever it is they've taken.
[ he'll just turn on a heel and start going to the provision shop then. i am so sorry. his vice is a deep and incurable bossiness that continues to be the worst and feel free to ignore him on anything. ]
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III. OCTOPATH TRAVELERS...
it's a cave, with uneven lighting. it's cold and hot, morning and night, and disorienting as hell. in front of you there are two paths - one dark, and one light. you can't see down the dark path, but the light path is blocked.
you brave your way through the dark, and that seems to be the correct way to do it, as you finally come up to a strangely lit platform. it looks like maybe that there was some sort of puzzle you would've had to solve, but... instead of that, there's a body. a body lies out flat on the ground - blonde hair, dressed in white, face down in a pool of blood.
but before you can approach the body - you see another group of travelers, standing across the way, looking at you like they've seen a ghost.
O: ]