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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
Coffin Hunting
"It doesn't look magical..." Astrana observes but figures Vino is probably right and shifts her iron hand to take up the key and if nothing else happens, attempt to unlock the door with it.
"I so don't want to chase that thing through this house."
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
[Coffin Hunting]
The key will indeed fit into the lock, and the door will swing open with a creak! And they are free to leave! Strangely enough, the area outside the mansion looks a lot different now. It's much lighter out, as if the storm had finally dissipated and let the sun's rays touch the previously dark forest. Now the dead trees look much less ominous: they're just pieces of dead wood. In fact... is that birdsong? Yes, some pretty little song birds flit from tree to tree, perfectly safe and happy. What a strange change over the area. :smallconfused:
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
Coffin Hunting
Vino tries to get in touch with his bat hawks. "If we've been shunted off into a different dimension, I am NOT going to be happy." :smallannoyed:
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
[Coffin Hunting]
They are still in the same Nexus, luckily. Vino will be able to talk to his bat hawks easily enough. However, the strangest thing is that the bat hawks will still see the forest as a dark and evil place with no light and a perpetual storm, and if they land among the trees the wretched evil things will still attack them. The mansion is a peculiar place indeed. But it's most definitely not haunted or suspicious, that's for sure.
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
Coffin Hunting
"Right. Stay on the path. It's a trap." Vino says. And he will try to follow the path out of the forest, using his bat hawks to make sure the path is where he thinks it is.
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
[Coffin Hunting]
"Next time I'll convince a demon to do these kinds of quests for me, or make a gargoyle for myself." She nods towards the others. "Let's just stay on the road, unless that's an illusion as well."
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
[Coffin Hunting]
Durin nods, keeping his sword at the ready. Time to finally get out of this place!
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
[Coffin Hunting]
Actually, the bright and slightly-more-cheery forest isn't an illusion. Vino, Astrana, and Durin completed their Quest and escaped the Most Definitely Not Suspicious or Haunted Mansion. So they can now walk among the haunted trees without fear. Vino's bat hawks did nothing and never entered or escaped from the manor, so they are still in grave danger and see the place as such. It's complicated. :smalltongue:
Anyway, the three of them are completely free to leave and will come across nothing bad. Unless Rot finally realizing the full extent of what had happened and cursing out Durin in his mind counts as bad. The vampire is reeeeaaaally angry his coffin got destroyed, and tries to get those same feelings into the drowpire's thoughts with some mind attacks and good old non-verbal verbal abuse.
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
Mother-Soon's Journey
Waterstrider smiles when Renetta tells him that his tribe was nice, and he curls up around her as she eats. "Tomorrow will be a wonderful day." He tells her. "I'm honored that you could spend it with me and my tribe."
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
[Mother-Soon's Journey]
"I should be the one that's honored." Renetta insists, smiling gently. She'll be devouring the rest of her food in sort order, given the opportunity. When she's done, the elf will lie down with Waterstrider, pressing her back up against his chest. "I can't wait for tomorrow."
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
Mother-Soon's Journey
If the pair come out to the fire pit in the evening, the village will be gathered, eating dinner, and talking excitedly (in mixed Wolfen and Common) about the festivities. They'll ask for stories, but won't press too hard if they're too tired to tell them tonight.
People turn in early, except for the warriors on watch. No one wants to sleep through tomorrow's festivities!
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
Mother-Soon's Journey
Waterstrider's ears flick in embarrassment when he's asked about his paw, but he goes into what he remembers of the event. As he speaks, several of the younger cubs move away from the various gourds that were brought over to be cooked and eaten.
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
[Mother-Soon's Journey]
Renetta is a tad reluctant to tell stories that have much to do with her time in slavery. She wants to avoid the painful memories right now and focus on the good things. That doesn't mean she won't tell a few things, mostly about her home and happier memories.
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
Mother Soon's Journey
Elven myths and fairy tales would be most wanted and cheered for, as they haven't heard many of them.
As for more personal stories... a young Wolfen male and female, Fargoer and Sundream, are brought out by their respective families, both of them elaborately dressed and braided. They're kept on opposite sides of the fire, but everyone in the tribe seems interested in telling stories about them.
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
Mother-Soon's Journey
Waterstrider smiles when he sees the pair of Wolfen being brought out and leans close to Renetta. "The pair are going to be put through what you'd call a marriage." He whispers in explanation.
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
[Mother-Soon's Journey]
Oh yes, they can get some elven myths and fairy tales out of her. *nodnod*
Renetta looks at Waterstrider as he whispers, then turns her attention back to the couple with even more interest.
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
Mother-Soon's Journey
The stories continue for hours, but people drift away from the fire pit gradually - families putting children to bed, couples creeping off together for fun, or people simply ready to withdraw from the crowd for privacy or rest. No one minds the defections, and the people leaving often carve off a piece of boar to take with them, or take some hot coals to warm their huts.
Waterstrider and Renetta are probably some of the earlier ones to leave for their own hut, given her condition and their long journey. While they were away, someone hung a rosemary garland over their bed, filling the hut with its fragrance.
Tomorrow the festival begins.
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
Mother-Soon's Journey
As they sleep, Waterstrider holds his beloved gently, keeping her warm with his furred body under the blankets. He doesn't dream, but he sleeps deeply, getting true rest for the first time since they've set off from GLoG.
When the morning comes around, Renetta will wake to find him asleep still, ears twitching on occasion to the sound of the tribe outside their hut, the noise muffled by the hut walls. The air is somewhat chilly and she'll be able to see her breath, but off to one side of the entrance is a small bundle of neatly rolled fur clothing, provided for her by the tribe.
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
[Mother-Soon's Journey]
Renetta sleeps well, not quite as well as Waterstrider, but her sleep goes undisturbed. Not to mention she's got a wolfen to keep her nice and warm. She wakes up slowly and her face splits into a wide smile at the sight of Waterstrider. She plants a quick kiss on his muzzle then tries to slip out from under his arm.
If she manages that, she'll sit for a moment, shivering under her thin shift. Spotting the clothing, she gets up and goes to put it on, smiling to herself as she does so. It's a welcome change from her old clothes. They weren't all that warm, and none of her clothing from home fits of course. It doesn't take her too, too long, but he could wake up before she's finished and goes to check if he's waking up yet.
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
Mother-Soon's Journey
The Wolfen gives a pleased growl at the kiss and slowly stretches in his slumber, allowing Renetta to escape his embrace. When Renetta finishes changing and turns to check on him, he's sitting up, propped on his elbows and giving her a gentle smile. "Beautiful." He tells her, as if it meant everything in the world and needed no other explanation.
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
[Mother-Soon's Journey]
Renetta blushes faintly when she turns around. Had he been watching her? Strangely, she doesn't really mind. Especially considering that comment. "Thank you." The corners of her lips turn up in a small smile and she folds her hands over her stomach.
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
Mother-Soon's Journey
Waterstrider gets up, joints popping as he stretches, and goes to wrap his arms around Renetta, giving a happy sigh. He'll nuzzle her neck if he's successful. "You always are." He admits quietly.
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
[Mother-Soon's Journey]
Renetta lets him wrap his arms around her, going to do the same in turn. She rubs her cheek against his face. She stays quiet for a bit, enjoying the moment. "You really think so? Even now?" She moves on hand so it's resting on her stomach.
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
Mother-Soon's Journey
Waterstrider is silent for a moment as he kneels down in front of her to nuzzle against her stomach, his sensitive ears picking up the extra heartbeat as he does so. "Especially now." He tells her.
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
[Mother-Soon's Journey]
Renetta's face lights up. She's at a loss for words for a moment. What did she do to deserve someone as wonderful as him? "I love you, Waterstrider." She says quietly as she looks down at him.
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
Mother-Soon's Journey
The couple will start to hear singing and playing of instruments, signifying the start of the festivities. The Wolfen players mostly stick to percussion instruments, but there's a human with a flute, and a goblin woman with a stringed instrument of some type. The combined voices of the different species sound strange together, but not discordant. The goblin lute player has a clear soprano voice, while the Wolfen voices are rumbly and wild, with the higher pitched yips of younger ones interspersed with deeper voices.
The air is crisp and cold, with a thick layer of frost over everything. The sky is bright and clear, with the winter sun fully over the horizon by now.
It's the turning of the year, the calling to the sun to heal it, and give it strength to lengthen the days once more.
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
Mother-Soon's Journey
Waterstrider hears the music and smiles gently in his strange Wolfen way before getting back to his feet and giving Renetta's neck a gentle lick of affection. "They're starting the festival. First will be the celebration of new mothers and Mother-Soons." He explains before trying to take her hand and walk her outside.
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
[Mother-Soon's Journey]
Renetta had forgotten that. She hadn't really made the connection between this part of the festival and herself until now. She lets herself be guided outside, her anticipation growing. It's cold, so there's even less reason to walk close to Waterstrider. The elf shifts over so her arm brushes against his, her free hand crossing over to close over his hand as well.
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
Mother-Soon's Journey
At the fire, one Wolfen woman is carrying a sleeping cub. Another is managing to hold twins, nursing one and holding the other at the same time. A third woman, human, is in the early stages of pregnancy, just starting to show. A fourth, Wolfen, has no child with her. Renetta might think she's newly pregnant, but Waterstrider will know by her posture and dress that her cub was lost - stillborn or died early. Part of the chanting will be to ask the elder spirits to guide and protect the young one.
Gray, one of the young women who is going on her name quest in the spring, a wirey and tough looking girl with solid gray fur, approaches the pair in a posture of courteous respect. "Dawnrunner begs that Mother-Soon Renetta will do us the honour of coming to the fire to accept a blessing."
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Re: [Nexus] HT's plots
Mother-Soon's Journey
Waterstrider chuckles when Renetta takes his hand, and instead chooses to wrap an arm around her body to keep her close. "There is no need to hide from anyone here." He tells her with a gentle smile. He gives her a nod when Gray asks for Renetta. "Go on, you'll enjoy it." He tells her softly. "I have something I need to do, but I'll be watching."