[well. margaret remains absorbed in her journal while all of this happens and then once the woman stops screaming and turns to dust, she gets up, closes the book, and grabs that keyring off this terrifying pile of corpse dust.]
Great work, team. I always say this team can accomplish anything we set our minds to. Through the archway?
[she's still like. not at all paying attention to the cracking ice and falling rocks. let's go! can she try her key in the door?]
[ the scream alone was haunting and carried some distance, so that definitely sucks. he looks disturbed as they arrive to four entire people crumbling into aged dust. at least that answers if they can save them from these bubbles. ]
These poor people...!
[ WHAT HAPPENED HERE...... there isn't any time to waste though, so he'll just go help push the door open if it needs some persuasion. this place is absolutely not going to hold together. ]
[ Owner is pausing to rifle through corpses and sure. He can come away with a couple of little things - a matching set of rings from the two people huddled together, two scrolls off of the elven woman (he can inspect this later) and also in her hand a small mechanical toy shaped like a bird in pristine condition.
For the others the key works - she’ll find as it goes in that there’s the feeling of a magical effect that happens as it slides into the door - and it opens easily. They can all run inside quickly as they hear the collapse rapidly approach them but thankfully with the door shut behind them the archway holds. The door in the archway was more human sized, but the whole thing is massive. Five stories tall and made of metal and rock and all along the inside of the door there are round objects glowing slightly - as you first step through they all flip to an ominous red, but because you used the key they fade back into a gentle glowing blue. It might have been a really funny idea to pick this lock, is what I’m saying.
In here is an enormous chamber - vast and echoing and filled with runes and magic circles that none of you can quite understand. You get the feeling it’s obviously important though. Of note is the fact that, despite the number of remains outside of this place … there don’t seem to be any in here.
In the middle of this chamber is a pedestal - huge wires strung to the ceiling, half-broken and snapped and chunks of the ceiling fallen in to the floor. There’s a chill wind in here - it seems like some of it might be exposed to the air. Maybe there’s way to get out from in here.
But first, all of you suddenly feel … drawn, to the center of this place. Sitting there, cracked, is an enormous piece of blue stone, craved into a crest shape. It looks like a chunk of a larger portion, but this one is broken, maybe about a third of it.
You’re all exhausted. This place seems safe enough.
You’ve reached your prize (you feel, strongly, without meaning to).
[ figures margaret wouldn't notice. why would she.
but she does make a point, so owner will settle down in a spot. there are the belongings he looted, and he will check them out... later. for now, it feels really nice to rest. ]
[ woah, he'll take a look at this crest stone like a magpie finding something shiny, a little distracted when the group starts to speak. ]
—Oh! Yes, we're all right! The ceiling was caving in.
[ it's a good thing margaret somehow knew how to get in here safely, and quickly. but he still looks at her with some concern. she could stand to show some more sympathy—they're more than just cutthroat looters.
but she raises a good point, and this seems like a nice place to take a break. start a fire, get their bearings, look at their cool loot. ]
[ guy will nerd out about the mechanical bird later once he too is allowed to look through their loot, but he is concerned about the two of them. he's also looking over owner's prosthetic before they go zzz. ]
[ Yay! You all settle in for the night, get a campfire going, eat some of your rations and get cozy snuggly all in a pile because you love each other, remember? Geez, some of you have really been at each other’s nerves today, but it’s probably just … stress. Hopefully.
Your new inventory is: The two scrolls turn out to be SPELL SCROLLS. Even the biggest idiot can now cast a spell in a pinch. One is Fireball, and the other is Telekinesis. These are really fucking powerful spells. One of these scrolls is worth thousands of gold alone, but you never know.
A matching set of rings. You have no way to determine if they are magical or not, but they are at least nicely made.
The mechanical bird seems to serve no purpose except to be a toy for a child, but it is beautifully made. If you wind its key, it takes to flight with all the grace and motion of a real bird, making soft chirps and peeps, glowing slightly. You can’t understand Aeorian, but Sonam is carved into its body.
Since it is Nighttime you’ll get to pick TWO ACTIONS as a group:
- Prepare your map (reveal some locations that might be of interest for the next day) - Keep watch (You never know what will happen in the night) - Take care of Equipment (With the right preparation, you can stretch your limited supplies further. This will add +1 days to your rations) - Study the journ̷a̸l̴ (Learn.) ]
[ I’ll give you your map results first: from this room chamber it seems you can make your way two directions: to the east is the DISEASE LABORATORY rumored to be very gross but also full of incredibly valuable potions and poisons - things that modern mages and learned types haven’t been able to recreate at all. If there is something you need cured … this might be the place to look.
To the west is the DAWN CRUCIBLE. A research facility, though very little remains of what they were actually studying. There are rumors of another Crest Hub in this direction.
You all settle in to study the journal, which seems right. It’s actually nice and warm all huddled around it. At first, none of it makes much sense - the writing is archaic and dense and there actually seems to be several authors, all intermingled, writing next to each other, over one another, on folded sheets of paper and shoved into the margins.
The easiest story to pick apart is that of a mage and his small research group - much like yours but less charming. He’s an evocative writer, explaining his woes and troubles with getting funding for his projects compared to the other, flashiest students at the Academy. He has decided to come here, to Aeor, to find something of interest in the ruins and hopefully use whatever he finds to improve his academic standing. In the end, his rival will have a talking dog, and he will have the secrets of the universe.
He came across this journal and found it helpful, and also started recording his thoughts in it. He speaks of seeking the Crests - of which you all have found 1/3 of one - and how they are vitally important to … something. He also speaks of being slightly concerned about the marks on his body, but perhaps he’ll seek answers elsewhere about that. It also warns that magic behaves very oddly here in Eiselcross and to be careful with the casting of it, it often will go wrong with catastrophic results.
That’s as far as you can get tonight. You’re all so tired. Maybe you should sleep. Or you do, even without meaning to.
Margaret: You have a lovely dream.
One of a fairer, more just world. People are rewarded here for their merit, their strengths of character, the drive they show rather than simply being born into a role that’s been handed to them. Everyone, from the lowly Backwater planet shopkeeper to the Princeps gets a say in how they are governed, in the choices they get to make. A red eye opens on the back of your palm. It’s a system where if you work hard, you can make it and lend a hand to help up everyone else instead of kicking them off of the ladder. A red eye opens, and a woman’s (well. Android’s), bright and sweet, with a southern accent: `We can make it happen! I just need a little of your help.`
Owner: You have a lovely dream.
You’re at the edge of a great ocean, waves lapping. Stars shine down and everything is calm and peaceful. You’re walking down the beach, contemplating. Eventually, you come across a boat, oars pulled across it. A red eye opens on the side of your neck. You climb into it, and start to row, and you feel as if … this is it. Peace. As you row out further, the ocean gets darker, cooler, the stars blink out one by one. This could be …
A voice, a young man’s: `I can help you too. Like you helped me. But I need something first.`
Sidon: You have a lovely dream.
You’re not ascended to the throne yet, it seems. Your father still lives, strong, and healthy, so your only concerns now are walking amongst your people, seeing to their needs - which, these days, aren’t really many. Someone has a small dispute over fish, or a teenage girl has a strange obsession with a Hylian man down the river, but really, small problems to solve. A red eye opens on your palm. Mipha runs her soothing magic a blonde Hylian boy, who probably just sprained something doing some silly nonsense like trying to jump off the tallest waterfall in the Kingdom again. They laugh together.
Mipha turns to you from where she’s sitting, and in her sweet, calm voice says: `We can make it true. I just need your help, brother.`
Guy: You have a lovely dream.
It’s kind of chaotic, actually. You think everyone is preparing for a party … ? Your sister chases Anise down the hall as she runs, and Luke chases after the both of them, yelling. No one seems worried, really. About anything. Maybe they should be? The future is so unclear, sometimes. There’s no guiding force, nothing is written. Anything could happen. But there’s freedom in that. A red eye opens on your shoulder. These people are all so young, and innocent. They haven’t experienced war, or suffering, or loss. As you walk into the hall where everyone is setting out food, Van Grants lifts a cup to you.
`We could make it happen. I just need your help.`
You get the feeling you should collect a Threshold Crest. ]
[margaret wakes up the next morning, rested from the dream but also not. her mood this morning is concerned, a little less optimistic than she was the previous morning. but she'll still gather their rations and set out breakfast, though she keeps to herself as she eats, the book close at hand.
she looks all of them over - guy, sidon, owner - a frown on her face, but she eases again into a smile.]
Listen, I think the disease laboratory is just too dangerous for us. We should head the other direction - better opportunities, and less potential to get cursed.
[but she will also at some point try to pull guy aside without the others around.]
Hm? Well, if you are sure, Margaret. You always know best.
[ owner will pack away his loot that he robbed, taking care to put them away neatly. he glances at margaret, before looking over to sidon. he whispers to him, ]
It would be nice if she let someone else hold that book, wouldn't it? We should maybe see if we can take turns, I am getting worried she is too obsessed with it.
[ he's stretching out as owner approaches, greeting him with a smile. he's rested, he had a nice dream, he's injured but today will be better.
except this is a little concerning. ]
Really? [ also should they be taking this stone or just leaving it, he'll pack it away safely if it's their travel companion now. he looks torn, speaking quietly. ] I have my concerns with Margaret, but... I don't wish to doubt her.
[ still, wouldn't hurt to pass the book around a little, probably. ]
.... I do think we should start with the Dawn Crucible, like Margaret said. But there might be useful potions in the Disease Laboratory, so let's keep it in mind for later, okay?
[ guy also wants to talk to margaret privately, so it's not hard for the two of them to meet up in a quiet corner or something ]
Hey, Margaret? I need to talk to you about something.
Of course, anything. But first, I just - [she looks conflicted, to even bring this up, and there's a glance towards sidon and owner.]
Look, I can trust you, right, Guy? I hate to even say something like this, but it's Sidon. He's been acting so weird lately. I'm not sure if he's just going through a rough time or what, but I'm a little worried.
[it's sidon, he's the nicest and friendliest guy in the group, but he's also so much bigger and stronger than any of them.]
I just need to know that if something happens, I can count on you.
I think she is just too caught up in her work. Which is fine, for the kind of job we are doing, but these kinds of things that we are looking into... they can mess with your head. I am worried. Taking turns with it really will be for the best.
[ is margaret looking over here? he pretends like he did not notice her looking over here. ]
I am not sure if Guy would be able to help us, as he tends to lag behind and let us get hit by rocks.
[ but he will keep finishing getting ready to make it not seem like he is only gossiping ]
...No, you're right, of course. It must be weighing on her. Otherwise I don't think she'd usually be as... callous as she has been, lately.
[ her scruples seem to be slipping? it's kind of not the margaret he knows and adores, maybe it'd be good for her not to have to carry their incredibly important book all the time.
he doesn't comment on guy, but he does finish packing up. ]
Let's try to bring it up. Truth be told, I actually wanted to go to the disease laboratory, so we ought to try communicating more.
Of course you can trust me, Margaret. [ putting a hand on her shoulder and giving it a little squeeze with a reassuring smile. yes, you can count on him! ] And I hear you. I think we're all under a lot of stress.
But... there's something else I wanted to ask you. Do you remember last night?
[ he's a little restless at how this morning has gone, the decisions made and discussions to be had, but he grins when owner pats him. they're still a team. even if there's some fraying, that's natural with how nearly they've dodged death—things will improve. ]
Yes, all sorts of... diseases! We'll get there. Thank you for talking with me, Owner—I feel better knowing we're looking after one another.
After that... in the middle of the night, I found you awake with the journal. Just... sitting there, staring into space. I tried to snap you out of it, but it didn't work. Nothing could budge you. You don't remember that?
[ wow. what a terrifying thing guy just said. well. it's probably fine?
you all can walk and talk, talk and walk. The Dawn Crucible is quite the hike away it seems like - the map made it seem so close! What a goddamn liar it is.
It seems like endless hallways of nothingness and ice for a long time, maybe you pass the time chatting or arguing or singing 99 bottles of beer on the wall. You’ll figure it out. Eventually, you realize that you’ve passed into another Ward - the architecture changes, and looks … extravagant. Rich. More arcane lights seem to remain flickering on in this area, their warm yellow glow illuminating the way. It’s even verging on warm in here it seems like.
Eventually, though, as you’re quietly walking along … you hear something.
Voices, in the distances. Three, maybe four. Speaking … Xhorhasian … ? ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Great work, team. I always say this team can accomplish anything we set our minds to. Through the archway?
[she's still like. not at all paying attention to the cracking ice and falling rocks. let's go! can she try her key in the door?]
no subject
Yes, through the archway, we are on a bit of a time crunch!
[ because of the ice breaking that they did not cause! it was a coincidence!
is there like, anything owner can get from these pathetic remains of these ex-frozen guys or nah ]
no subject
These poor people...!
[ WHAT HAPPENED HERE...... there isn't any time to waste though, so he'll just go help push the door open if it needs some persuasion. this place is absolutely not going to hold together. ]
no subject
Holy shit....
[ but he understands they're on a time crunch, so he will hurry along. he will carry margaret and/or owner if he needs to ]
no subject
For the others the key works - she’ll find as it goes in that there’s the feeling of a magical effect that happens as it slides into the door - and it opens easily. They can all run inside quickly as they hear the collapse rapidly approach them but thankfully with the door shut behind them the archway holds. The door in the archway was more human sized, but the whole thing is massive. Five stories tall and made of metal and rock and all along the inside of the door there are round objects glowing slightly - as you first step through they all flip to an ominous red, but because you used the key they fade back into a gentle glowing blue. It might have been a really funny idea to pick this lock, is what I’m saying.
In here is an enormous chamber - vast and echoing and filled with runes and magic circles that none of you can quite understand. You get the feeling it’s obviously important though. Of note is the fact that, despite the number of remains outside of this place … there don’t seem to be any in here.
In the middle of this chamber is a pedestal - huge wires strung to the ceiling, half-broken and snapped and chunks of the ceiling fallen in to the floor. There’s a chill wind in here - it seems like some of it might be exposed to the air. Maybe there’s way to get out from in here.
But first, all of you suddenly feel … drawn, to the center of this place. Sitting there, cracked, is an enormous piece of blue stone, craved into a crest shape. It looks like a chunk of a larger portion, but this one is broken, maybe about a third of it.
You’re all exhausted. This place seems safe enough.
You’ve reached your prize (you feel, strongly, without meaning to).
Maybe you should rest for the night. ]
no subject
[it just feels safe in here to let her guard down, and with that feeling, she finds herself getting drowsy. she glances at owner and sidon.]
...What happened to you guys? [she completely missed them getting crushed. and she seems to have forgotten about blasting sidon with her gun, too.]
Let's call it a night.
no subject
[ figures margaret wouldn't notice. why would she.
but she does make a point, so owner will settle down in a spot. there are the belongings he looted, and he will check them out... later. for now, it feels really nice to rest. ]
no subject
—Oh! Yes, we're all right! The ceiling was caving in.
[ it's a good thing margaret somehow knew how to get in here safely, and quickly. but he still looks at her with some concern. she could stand to show some more sympathy—they're more than just cutthroat looters.
but she raises a good point, and this seems like a nice place to take a break. start a fire, get their bearings, look at their cool loot. ]
no subject
[ guy will nerd out about the mechanical bird later once he too is allowed to look through their loot, but he is concerned about the two of them. he's also looking over owner's prosthetic before they go zzz. ]
no subject
Your new inventory is:
The two scrolls turn out to be SPELL SCROLLS. Even the biggest idiot can now cast a spell in a pinch. One is Fireball, and the other is Telekinesis. These are really fucking powerful spells. One of these scrolls is worth thousands of gold alone, but you never know.
A matching set of rings. You have no way to determine if they are magical or not, but they are at least nicely made.
The mechanical bird seems to serve no purpose except to be a toy for a child, but it is beautifully made. If you wind its key, it takes to flight with all the grace and motion of a real bird, making soft chirps and peeps, glowing slightly. You can’t understand Aeorian, but Sonam is carved into its body.
Since it is Nighttime you’ll get to pick TWO ACTIONS as a group:
- Prepare your map (reveal some locations that might be of interest for the next day)
- Keep watch (You never know what will happen in the night)
- Take care of Equipment (With the right preparation, you can stretch your limited supplies further. This will add +1 days to your rations)
- Study the journ̷a̸l̴ (Learn.) ]
no subject
no subject
To the west is the DAWN CRUCIBLE. A research facility, though very little remains of what they were actually studying. There are rumors of another Crest Hub in this direction.
You all settle in to study the journal, which seems right. It’s actually nice and warm all huddled around it. At first, none of it makes much sense - the writing is archaic and dense and there actually seems to be several authors, all intermingled, writing next to each other, over one another, on folded sheets of paper and shoved into the margins.
The easiest story to pick apart is that of a mage and his small research group - much like yours but less charming. He’s an evocative writer, explaining his woes and troubles with getting funding for his projects compared to the other, flashiest students at the Academy. He has decided to come here, to Aeor, to find something of interest in the ruins and hopefully use whatever he finds to improve his academic standing. In the end, his rival will have a talking dog, and he will have the secrets of the universe.
He came across this journal and found it helpful, and also started recording his thoughts in it. He speaks of seeking the Crests - of which you all have found 1/3 of one - and how they are vitally important to … something. He also speaks of being slightly concerned about the marks on his body, but perhaps he’ll seek answers elsewhere about that. It also warns that magic behaves very oddly here in Eiselcross and to be careful with the casting of it, it often will go wrong with catastrophic results.
That’s as far as you can get tonight. You’re all so tired. Maybe you should sleep. Or you do, even without meaning to.
Margaret: You have a lovely dream.
One of a fairer, more just world. People are rewarded here for their merit, their strengths of character, the drive they show rather than simply being born into a role that’s been handed to them. Everyone, from the lowly Backwater planet shopkeeper to the Princeps gets a say in how they are governed, in the choices they get to make. A red eye opens on the back of your palm. It’s a system where if you work hard, you can make it and lend a hand to help up everyone else instead of kicking them off of the ladder. A red eye opens, and a woman’s (well. Android’s), bright and sweet, with a southern accent: `We can make it happen! I just need a little of your help.`
Owner: You have a lovely dream.
You’re at the edge of a great ocean, waves lapping. Stars shine down and everything is calm and peaceful. You’re walking down the beach, contemplating. Eventually, you come across a boat, oars pulled across it. A red eye opens on the side of your neck. You climb into it, and start to row, and you feel as if … this is it. Peace. As you row out further, the ocean gets darker, cooler, the stars blink out one by one. This could be …
A voice, a young man’s: `I can help you too. Like you helped me. But I need something first.`
Sidon: You have a lovely dream.
You’re not ascended to the throne yet, it seems. Your father still lives, strong, and healthy, so your only concerns now are walking amongst your people, seeing to their needs - which, these days, aren’t really many. Someone has a small dispute over fish, or a teenage girl has a strange obsession with a Hylian man down the river, but really, small problems to solve. A red eye opens on your palm. Mipha runs her soothing magic a blonde Hylian boy, who probably just sprained something doing some silly nonsense like trying to jump off the tallest waterfall in the Kingdom again. They laugh together.
Mipha turns to you from where she’s sitting, and in her sweet, calm voice says: `We can make it true. I just need your help, brother.`
Guy: You have a lovely dream.
It’s kind of chaotic, actually. You think everyone is preparing for a party … ? Your sister chases Anise down the hall as she runs, and Luke chases after the both of them, yelling. No one seems worried, really. About anything. Maybe they should be? The future is so unclear, sometimes. There’s no guiding force, nothing is written. Anything could happen. But there’s freedom in that. A red eye opens on your shoulder. These people are all so young, and innocent. They haven’t experienced war, or suffering, or loss. As you walk into the hall where everyone is setting out food, Van Grants lifts a cup to you.
`We could make it happen. I just need your help.`
You get the feeling you should collect a Threshold Crest. ]
no subject
she looks all of them over - guy, sidon, owner - a frown on her face, but she eases again into a smile.]
Listen, I think the disease laboratory is just too dangerous for us. We should head the other direction - better opportunities, and less potential to get cursed.
[but she will also at some point try to pull guy aside without the others around.]
no subject
[ owner will pack away his loot that he robbed, taking care to put them away neatly. he glances at margaret, before looking over to sidon. he whispers to him, ]
It would be nice if she let someone else hold that book, wouldn't it? We should maybe see if we can take turns, I am getting worried she is too obsessed with it.
no subject
except this is a little concerning. ]
Really? [ also should they be taking this stone or just leaving it, he'll pack it away safely if it's their travel companion now. he looks torn, speaking quietly. ] I have my concerns with Margaret, but... I don't wish to doubt her.
[ still, wouldn't hurt to pass the book around a little, probably. ]
no subject
[ guy also wants to talk to margaret privately, so it's not hard for the two of them to meet up in a quiet corner or something ]
Hey, Margaret? I need to talk to you about something.
no subject
Of course, anything. But first, I just - [she looks conflicted, to even bring this up, and there's a glance towards sidon and owner.]
Look, I can trust you, right, Guy? I hate to even say something like this, but it's Sidon. He's been acting so weird lately. I'm not sure if he's just going through a rough time or what, but I'm a little worried.
[it's sidon, he's the nicest and friendliest guy in the group, but he's also so much bigger and stronger than any of them.]
I just need to know that if something happens, I can count on you.
no subject
[ is margaret looking over here? he pretends like he did not notice her looking over here. ]
I am not sure if Guy would be able to help us, as he tends to lag behind and let us get hit by rocks.
[ but he will keep finishing getting ready to make it not seem like he is only gossiping ]
no subject
[ her scruples seem to be slipping? it's kind of not the margaret he knows and adores, maybe it'd be good for her not to have to carry their incredibly important book all the time.
he doesn't comment on guy, but he does finish packing up. ]
Let's try to bring it up. Truth be told, I actually wanted to go to the disease laboratory, so we ought to try communicating more.
no subject
But... there's something else I wanted to ask you. Do you remember last night?
no subject
[um.]
Of course I do. We read the journal, looked at the map...
no subject
[ he pats sidon sympathetically. ]
We can try to get to the lab after. I am sure the diseases there will be quite useful to us.
no subject
Yes, all sorts of... diseases! We'll get there. Thank you for talking with me, Owner—I feel better knowing we're looking after one another.
no subject
After that... in the middle of the night, I found you awake with the journal. Just... sitting there, staring into space. I tried to snap you out of it, but it didn't work. Nothing could budge you. You don't remember that?
no subject
you all can walk and talk, talk and walk. The Dawn Crucible is quite the hike away it seems like - the map made it seem so close! What a goddamn liar it is.
It seems like endless hallways of nothingness and ice for a long time, maybe you pass the time chatting or arguing or singing 99 bottles of beer on the wall. You’ll figure it out. Eventually, you realize that you’ve passed into another Ward - the architecture changes, and looks … extravagant. Rich. More arcane lights seem to remain flickering on in this area, their warm yellow glow illuminating the way. It’s even verging on warm in here it seems like.
Eventually, though, as you’re quietly walking along … you hear something.
Voices, in the distances. Three, maybe four. Speaking … Xhorhasian … ? ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
1/2
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
DAY 3
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)