[Nexus] GLoG 81: Ghostbusters!

[happyturtle]

Post Story Time

"It was sad." Lily says.

[Lex-Kat]

{Island Cave}

"Pffft. Easily. Deposing tyrants is practically what we do."

Maybe there will finally be plot behind this game! Vincent doubts it. This game is so bad at being cohesive.

The Old Man takes on a saddened look. There's an island near the burgeoning city of Riverside, where an evil tyrant and her mother live. He tries to step around Vincent, to get back to his chair. The island used to be called Gersemi's Island.

When you get there, you'll find a population of sick and dying people, living in tent cities, while the rulers live in the relative comfort of a cabin and a barn. If you slay the masters, you'll be able to free the poor islanders.

[Rebonack]

[Story time!]

Really...?

That's all?

Freddie has the uncanny feeling there might be more to it than this... But...

"It was a little bit sad. But it was happy, too. If the people we care about had nowhere to go when they died then we wouldn't ever get to see them again," the Huldra replies in a warm, kind voice.

"I think Pathfinder might be done with stories for now?" Freddie comments. The Wolfen does seem pretty tiered. "Maybe you can help me go exploring? I still haven't seen very much of the campsite."

With a POOF! the blanket burns away into a single wisp of fox fire. The little ghostly lanterns make for useful flashlights in the dark!

"Have you ever caught fireflies before, Lily?"

[Morty]

Storytime!

The dragon pokemon waves to the little goblin. "Dragonite." <Sort of.> he answers. "Dragon Dra." <Nice to meet you, I'm new here.>

Brinika's ears droop a little. Aw. I can't understand you. I never learned dragon language.

[Reinholdt]

{Island Cave}

The Old Man takes on a saddened look. There's an island near the burgeoning city of Riverside, where an evil tyrant and her mother live. He tries to step around Vincent, to get back to his chair. The island used to be called Gersemi's Island.

When you get there, you'll find a population of sick and dying people, living in tent cities, while the rulers live in the relative comfort of a cabin and a barn. If you slay the masters, you'll be able to free the poor islanders.

{Island Cave}

"A cabin and a... barn?"
"I mean, no offense, but I've been in GLoG's cabins. They aren't very comfortable at all." Not compared to the awesome NO base that he lives at. "... Though I suppose when you live in a fish anything more comfortable comparatively." Icky fish.

"So just go uh... kill the person and her mother in the evil castl... barn... got it." Vincent tilts himself to get a look at Caroline while the old man's back is turn and do the crazy gesture. I mean, they did come searching for the crazy old man, so it's only accurate!

[OrchestraHc]

Brinika's ears droop a little. Aw. I can't understand you. I never learned dragon language.

Storytime

The dragonite smiles and shakes his ahead in a sort of "don't worry about it" gesture. "Dragonite,"<I'm a dragonite,> he says putting a claw to his chest, "Dra?"<and you are?> He extends the claw to Brinika.

[Morty]

[Storytime]

I'm Brinika, the tiny goblin announces with a grin. And you're Dragonite? I thought dragons weren't real but today I met two!

[OrchestraHc]

Storytime

Didn't think dragons were real? The dragonite gives her a strange look for a second, but it goes away when he thinks about it. "Dra."<That's fair.> he says with a shrug. He doesn't even know what Brinika is. Another pin in the "No Pokemon" theory.

"Dra... Dra?"<Do you... live around here?> he asks, pointing a claw at Brinika then twirling it around in a circle.

[Lex-Kat]

{Island Cave}

"A cabin and a... barn?"
"I mean, no offense, but I've been in GLoG's cabins. They aren't very comfortable at all." Not compared to the awesome NO base that he lives at. "... Though I suppose when you live in a fish anything more comfortable comparatively." Icky fish.

"So just go uh... kill the person and her mother in the evil castl... barn... got it." Vincent tilts himself to get a look at Caroline while the old man's back is turn and do the crazy gesture. I mean, they did come searching for the crazy old man, so it's only accurate!

Well these aren't GLoG's cabins. These are the cabins of evil, vile mistresses of torment and torture. The Old Man gives the pair directions on how to get there.

Caroline shrugs at Vincent's crazy gesture and grins. Don't worry, Mister, we'll take care of them.

The Old Man gives Caroline a piercing glare. See that you do. There are two children there as well. Take care not to harm them. He takes on a weepy look. They are my grand-daughters. They've been brain-washed into believing they are the children of a young womans. She's an accomplice, named Jezebelle, I believe. Even the name is evil.

[Reinholdt]

{Island Cave}

"Oh. Yes, of course. We'll be sure to tell them they aren't children of any women. That'll set em straight. Do you want us to bring them back or... what?"

Vincent isn't sure a fish is a better upgrade than a brainwashed island.

[happyturtle]

Near the Bonfire

"I'm not supposed to go exploring in the dark," Lily says. "There might be pumpkin monsters and boggarts and slavers."

[Rebonack]

[Near the Bonfire]

Aaww...

Now Freddie is looking sad too...

That story must have really hurt little Lily somehow. And he isn't altogether sure why. He figures that there must be some kind of cultural disconnect that he just doesn't understand.

So he scoots forward to put his chin on Lily's shoulder for a doggie-hug.

"It's okay. Maybe we can go exploring tomorrow when the sun is up and the sky is bright. And until then I'll stay here with you and make sure none of the monsters come around."

And slavers too.

Slavers are counted among the monsters.

[happyturtle]

Near the Bonfire

"I wish there weren't any monsters in the world." Lily says, sitting back down and leaning on Freddie. "I wish that nobody ever got hit on their feet and that nobody ever was mean to someone else and that nobody ever had to lose their paw or lose their name."

[Rebonack]

[Near the Bonfire]

At first Freddie winces slightly at Lily's wish that there were no monsters. Mostly because the general population would probably consider him to be one. But... the more he thinks about it...

If there were no monsters then he never would have become a Huldra.

Losing limbs, losing life, losing friends, losing names...

Even the monsters. All the handiwork of Discord. At least in his home world.

He 'hugs' Lily a little tighter. "Back at my home there's a wonderful place called the Golden City," Freddie recounts. "Where it's always day and never night. Where the people don't fight and everyone helps each other. And where monsters are never ever ever allowed to go. My little sister lives there now. Her name is Fiona and she is very brave just like you. I think she would be good friends with you if she were here."

[Lex-Kat]

{Island Cave}

"Oh. Yes, of course. We'll be sure to tell them they aren't children of any women. That'll set em straight. Do you want us to bring them back or... what?"

Vincent isn't sure a fish is a better upgrade than a brainwashed island.

The Old Man gives Vincent a look, questioning the kid's sanity. Don't tell them that. Their mother died, killed by a flying cat. It's true! And he kidnapped them, and took them to that cursed island! The Old Man is shaking furiously as he says this, then begins to cry into his hands.

After a moment, he settles down, and looks back up at the pair. So if you'd please, bring them home, here, safe.

[happyturtle]

Near the Bonfire

"Mhm. I know about Valinor. It's where Yavanna lives, and Elbereth. But it's sometimes nighttime there because they love the stars because Elbereth made them." She points up at the sky, towards the evening star. "Except that one. That one is one of the Silmarils, carried by Eärendil."

[Rebonack]

[Near the Bonfire]

Freddie doesn't know who those people are! But he's guessing the first two must be the deities that were once one and split in twain to create Lily's world. Because that's how worlds get made, right?

Unless they're made of little pieces of gods. But... Freddie isn't sure if he believes that. It just sounds too weird. You would think that if everyone was made of little god-pieces that someone would notice, y'know?

Anywho!

Freddie looks at the star pointed to. Kinda quirks his head off to the side a bit. "We call it Wulrund back home. The Priests say that it's the Huntress' favorite hound."

He'll then smile at Lily. "I think our homes work a little different! You should tell me a story about Valinor. And then I can tell you a story about the Golden City."

[Reinholdt]

{Island Cave}

"Bring them home. Here. Inside the fish..."
Right...
Flying cat seems familiar though. Vincent tries to vaguely dig back to his memories of disk 1 about that.
Ah well.

"Speaking of which, how do we get out of here?"

[happyturtle]

Storytime again!

Lily settles in to tell the story. "Once upon a time there wasn't a sun or a moon, but there were two trees that made all the light and one of them was silver and one of them was gold. And there was an elf named Feanor who could make the most beautiful things, and he made three gemstones called the Silmarils that shined with the light of the trees. But then there was a bad man named Morgoth and a spider monster and the spider monster poisoned the trees and killed them, and Morgoth stole the Silmarils. And then there was only one leaf left on each tree, and so there would be light, they made the golden leaf into the sun and the silver leaf into the moon and there were people who carried them up high in the sky so it would be enough light for everyone to see, but I don't remember their names, but Tito does because he knows all the stories better than I do. And Elbereth made the stars, but I don't remember what she made them out of. Maybe Feanor had more gems left over that didn't get stolen.

And then Beren and Luthien who were so much in love just like Waterstrider and Renetta went to find Morgoth and get the Silmarils back, and they had a Wolfen with them named Huan but he wasn't allowed to talk except three times in his whole life and I think that was mean. And Luthien used a spell to put Morgoth to sleep and Beren got one of the Silmarils back from him, but not the other two. And then Morgoth woke up and they had to run away and there was a scary bad wolf who killed Huan and bit off Beren's hand and then Beren killed the wolf and then they cut open his stomach and got the Silmaril out. And Beren and Luthien had children, and one of them was named Eärendil and he got a ship that sailed in the sky and he wears the Silmaril on his head and that's what makes the Evening and Morning star.

The end! And they all lived happily ever after. Now, the end!"

[Rebonack]

[Story Time Once More!]

Freddie nods. That was really interesting! So there are wolfen in Lily's world too? But the accounts of creation are so different... Oh well.

Now let's see... Freddie has heard the story from Priest John a few times during the Ritual of Service. He'll try to recall all the details...

"A long long time ago, when the Emperor and the Huntress were still singing the songs and dancing the dances to create the world, there weren't any stars in the sky and the night was very dark. Then... umm..."

The Huldra's ears flatten a little. How did the next part go?

"Oh! Uh, the Huntress would chase the game she had created each night, but there was no light to see them by and no one to help her flush them out. So she created two great silver hounds. One named Wulrund and the other named Drosgart. Drosgart was much bigger than Wulrund and they both glowed so brightly that they filled the forest with soft silver light."

Ha! He's on a roll!

"Every night the Huntress would chase game with Wulrund and Drosgart and she loved them so much. But then Discord saw how much joy the Huntress' hounds brought her, so it sent a bad spirit into one of the animals Wulrund was hunting so that he got very sick when he bit it. Wulrund got so sick that he couldn't hunt anymore and so to make him better the Huntress turned him into a star and set him in the heavens. Now Wulrund guards her Hunting Grounds in the heavens so Discord can't send any bad spirits into the sky. And every night you can see Wulrund patrolling the heavens to make sure no monsters get in."

A beat.

"Umm... the end?"

Freddie isn't the best of story tellers it would seem. But at least he tried!

[Chaotic Bob]

[Storytime]

The little demon attempts to swat away the ash spirits, hers!
She even throws herself over the coins, trying to cover them with her invisible body. She will attempt to take the gems at the same time of course, can't just decide on one of course.

Well, the ash sprites were going to be content with just eating the ones that they had been holding, content that the others were simply going to exist for them to eat later.

But now someone else seems to be trying to run off with them all.
Some of them would be okay, probably...coexistence is a nice thing.
But all of them? That's just rude!


The previously Dragonite-kidnapped sprite returns about in time to notice its companions all in various states of flying-from-being-swatted, flailing away from, and flailing at something that does not seem to be entirely there.
How weird.

Maybe it can kick some dirt at the not-quite-there-thing to make it go away!

[Slii Arhem]

Storytime!

Kashi grumbles a bit in his sleep, all the commotion around him almost rousing him from his slumber.

In his half-awake state, the dragon notices he has no more people to curl around, and so folds his extended wing back up and rolls over onto his back, right into the path of the squabbling invisible girl/ash sprites.

Kashi makes for the best mediator.

[happyturtle]

Storytime

Lily peers at the sky. "So the star is a Wolfen?" She scrunches up her face, trying to reconcile the two stories. "Maaaaaybe, Huldran and Huan are the same Wolfen and Huan didn't really die, and he went on the ship with Eärendil and he also hunts in the sky too! Cause sometimes in the story people have more than one name. Like Luthien is also named Tinuviel!" She seems really excited about this interpretation, because it means Huan didn't die! And also because she feels that sense of pleasure people get when they solve a puzzle.

[Rebonack]

[Story-time]

Freddie is about to correct Lily when suddenly he realizes that it doesn't matter one bit. Not even a little. Even Priest John had said that the story was apocryphal. Most of the tales regarding the Huntress are. They aren't part of the Emperor's Law after all. Which means they might not even be true.

Just interesting stories that the barbarians tell.

And Lily seems to be very happy with the idea that her favorite character might not have died after all.

So the Huldra just smiles a foxy smile at the little girl.

"I'm sure that's what happened. He's up there right now hunting with his friends and keeping all the monsters away. Just like Pathfinder and I will keep all the monsters away down here."

[Shadowcaller]

[Storytime]

Busy trying to collect as much gold as possible and swatting away ash spirits Hekta don't even notice the dragon until he rolls over on her. "Ahh!" She exclaims as she just manage to look up and try to crawl away before Kashi rolls over her feet, sticking them to the mud.

Pain. Something that causes her eyes to tear up as a loud shriek escapes her lips.

"Ahhooo!" She yells, suddenly turning visible for all to see.

Hekta looks far older then she acts, about fourteen to be exact. A thin fourteen year old rather dirty-looking human girl.

But not all her features are exclusively human. She have long white hair, red eyes and ash-grey skin. Her teeth look rather sharp and her lips a darker shade of her skin color. Two small black horns are mounted a top of her head and both her feet and hands are clawed.

Staring into her red eyes for too long might cause a lighter headache and in some extreme cases temporary memory loss.

[Morty]

Storytime

Didn't think dragons were real? The dragonite gives her a strange look for a second, but it goes away when he thinks about it. "Dra."<That's fair.> he says with a shrug. He doesn't even know what Brinika is. Another pin in the "No Pokemon" theory.

"Dra... Dra?"<Do you... live around here?> he asks, pointing a claw at Brinika then twirling it around in a circle.

Brinika looks around and her ears twitch as she tries to figure out what the dragon means. Finally, she nods. I visit here a lot, because my aunt and my friends live here.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Storytime]

Meanwhile, all but that lone ash sprite are going to be rolled on just as simply as the little gold-hoarding girl-demon-spirit.
However, unlike her, their bodies are kinda morphic, so they mostly just flatten into little sooty pancakes that try to wriggle to freedom a moment later.

The joys of an improbable body structure!

The lone sprite, though, moves around to get a better look at Hekta.
It doesn't really try to help her (What could it do?), but it at least doesn't poke her in the face and laugh. Instead, it just stares at her with its disproportionately large eyes.
Stares.

Could be thinking anything from "serves you right!" to "aw, you poor thing".
But more likely, it may just be pondering how to extract the coins from under her screaming body.

[Slii Arhem]

Storytime

Kashi doesn't seem to notice Hekta or the sprites being squashed under himself at first, but the instant she starts shrieking he's up on his feet. Thankfully, he rolls away from her instead of smushing her further, so her legs will be freed from under his massive bulk.

The serpentine dragon blinks sleepily, confused as to where the sound could be coming from as he peers around his immediate area.

Oh hey look, a little screaming girl, that'd do it. Despite his distaste for loud noises, Kashi tries moving his massive head a bit closer to Hekta, almost nudging her with his snout if she stays still long enough.

"Snyyuu? <What's wrong?>"

[Lex-Kat]

{Island Cave}

"Bring them home. Here. Inside the fish..."
Right...
Flying cat seems familiar though. Vincent tries to vaguely dig back to his memories of disk 1 about that.
Ah well.

"Speaking of which, how do we get out of here?"

Just go back the way you came. At the teeth, look to the right, you'll find a patch of flesh that looks slightly off color. Tickle it. I'm sure you'll figure the rest out for yourselves. He smiled all friendly like.

[Reinholdt]

{Island Cave}

Just go back the way you came. At the teeth, look to the right, you'll find a patch of flesh that looks slightly off color. Tickle it. I'm sure you'll figure the rest out for yourselves. He smiled all friendly like.

{Island Cave}

"Yuck."

"Right. Well then... see ya." Vincent says, turning to head back in the other direction.