[Changeling] A Gathering of Mists IC

[Raz_Fox]

She could almost feel parchment under her hands as the map unfolded, all dark greens and blues, barring the vital fire behind her. This was territory that she could work in now; she'd earned that right.

She knelt, hoisted Charlotte back into her arms, ready to endure another trek through the forest carrying little miss bricks-for-bones. The task was made easier as she continued on, filled with the knowing of roots and thorns down at the bone; her feet found the right places, even if she had to stretch her legs to get there.

"We must not look at goblin men," she hums to herself, something of an English course returning to her as she bears Charlotte along. Something, anything other than the frustration. Focus on the wonder. Dangerous, oh, dangerous. Something to protect everyone from, absolutely. Something she'd give up in a heartbeat to have a normal life, without a doubt. But wonderful, all the same. "We must not buy their fruits: who knows upon what soil they fed their hungry thirsty roots?" Her voice is low and melodious, even if the sound of panting follows after.

[Thanqol]

Oooh, awesome.

Instincts crackled like blue thunder. Stephanie ran, flipped, and dove into cover. She wanted to have some sort of physical cover in case the knives were thrown at her. She also tried to make sure she was out of melee charge range.

"Hi! You work here?" said Stephanie, once she had a nice solid packing crate between her and the knives, opening her mind to the magic of Spring.

[Actions:
- Total defense [8]
- Move up to Speed into cover. Want to be at least 15 away from the target so she can't move up and stab me.
- Contract activation: Cupid's Eye. I want to find out what her surface want is, i.e. why she's here in the warehouse in the first place. If the answer is 'to kill intruders, including you' then that should count for the Catch.

I got 5 dice minus her Composure+wyrd. 5/10G]

[Anarion]

"We must not buy their fruits: who knows upon what soil they fed their hungry thirsty roots?" Her voice is low and melodious, even if the sound of panting follows after.

Marchande marches through the Hedge. Perhaps a hundred yards through twists and turns of dark pine, the needles brushing at her face and making her sensitive nose itch in places that she couldn't reach without constantly having to put Charlotte down.

But finally, there was the cave entrance. And in the back, a stand of white flowers that nearly but not quite glowed in the dark. The night lilies that could restore Charlotte's health.

And in the front, a rather large bear, sleeping soundly and blocking off any walkable path to the lilies behind it.

Oooh, awesome.

Instincts crackled like blue thunder. Stephanie ran, flipped, and dove into cover. She wanted to have some sort of physical cover in case the knives were thrown at her. She also tried to make sure she was out of melee charge range.

"Hi! You work here?" said Stephanie, once she had a nice solid packing crate between her and the knives, opening her mind to the magic of Spring.

[Actions:
- Total defense [8]
- Move up to Speed into cover. Want to be at least 15 away from the target so she can't move up and stab me.
- Contract activation: Cupid's Eye. I want to find out what her surface want is, i.e. why she's here in the warehouse in the first place. If the answer is 'to kill intruders, including you' then that should count for the Catch.

I got 5 dice minus her Composure+wyrd. 5/10G]

[I'd like to give Phoe a chance to get into this since it's likely to be a fight and Kalina might end up going first. I'll do the Spring contract though.]

edit: [Haha, no I didn't just post the important and spoilery answer to the contract before Stephanie rolled, why would I do such a silly thing? Hahaha. /sweatdrop. Anyway, 5-(composure+wyrd) gives you 1 regular die, not a chance die.]

[Raz_Fox]

Spoiler

Show

Marchande marches through the Hedge. Perhaps a hundred yards through twists and turns of dark pine, the needles brushing at her face and making her sensitive nose itch in places that she couldn't reach without constantly having to put Charlotte down.

But finally, there was the cave entrance. And in the back, a stand of white flowers that nearly but not quite glowed in the dark. The night lilies that could restore Charlotte's health.

And in the front, a rather large bear, sleeping soundly and blocking off any walkable path to the lilies behind it.

When Marchande steps into the clearing, brushing low-hanging branches and ferns aside as she steps through a particularly wild stretch of the terrain, the sight of the bear stops her cold. The sight of such a predator is rather high on her list of things that are not good things to see.

But the flowers beyond catch her eye before she can turn around and high-tail it back through the foliage, and this makes her hesitate. This is the way things usually operate in places like this: reward must be won at danger. Like the real world, but more direct in some unpleasant ways. Charlotte is set aside once again, as gently as Marchande can manage. She's such a tiny thing, really, boneless and charred. The smell of the cedars aflame still hangs to her faintly.

Marchande steps forward, chest tight and hands clenched, small and lean before the bear's bulk. She runs her tongue over her lips, takes a deep breath, and examines the scene closely, looking for a place to jump over, a tree to climb up-and-over, or even just a sign that this bear might be something reasonable, like an extra eye or a waistcoat.

[Anarion]

Marchande steps forward, chest tight and hands clenched, small and lean before the bear's bulk. She runs her tongue over her lips, takes a deep breath, and examines the scene closely, looking for a place to jump over, a tree to climb up-and-over, or even just a sign that this bear might be something reasonable, like an extra eye or a waistcoat.

It's a narrow cave and a sleepy bear. Perhaps that is odd in and of itself, since the creatures of the Hedge are not normal animals. But it has no buttons or waistcoat to speak of, nor alternate cave entrances short of boring through the mountainside.

[Anarion]

Batgirl's desire is "protect the node" and there is a subtle hint of a desire for sport mixed in there.

She follows Stephanie's dodge, and shifts herself. She does not throw either of her daggers, but instead holds them at the ready and begins circling around Stephanie's position, taking a careful defensive stance.

Aware that she is spotted as well, she says, in a high, somewhat squeaky voice: "So shadow girl, what makes this my lucky night, hmm? Maybe you're the talkative type? Maybe you'll tell me who sent you? Eeeeeeh?" She finishes off that last statement with a shrill, high-pitched shriek.

[PhoeKun]

Aware that she is spotted as well, she says, in a high, somewhat squeaky voice: "So shadow girl, what makes this my lucky night, hmm? Maybe you're the talkative type? Maybe you'll tell me who sent you? Eeeeeeh?" She finishes off that last statement with a shrill, high-pitched shriek.

"That would be me."

Rose stands in the doorway, cracking her knuckles and her neck, in turn. One opponent, two knives. Held close: melee fighter. Posture and demeanor suggests moderate expertise. Also bat powers or something. Her eyes shift around her immediate surroundings, looking for a makeshift weapon. The previous night's tactics would be more dangerous against this sort of prey. Just keep her talking.

"You get one chance to settle this peacefully. Blow it, and I break you. Now tell me why you're here."

[Raz_Fox]

It's a narrow cave and a sleepy bear. Perhaps that is odd in and of itself, since the creatures of the Hedge are not normal animals. But it has no buttons or waistcoat to speak of, nor alternate cave entrances short of boring through the mountainside.

Options, options, options. Leave? Unacceptable, Charlotte's hurt, and it's her responsibility to get her out of the Hedge alive. The road would take too long, and the fruits are right there, so tempting. Getting them would be something Stephanie or Rose could do, and so- something within Marchande hardens, the almost-light of the flowers glinting in her eyes.

Slay? With what weapon, genius? Tunnel beneath? She didn't have paws, and even if she did, it would be a mammoth undertaking. Perhaps... perhaps she could talk to the bear?

She kneels before the bear, placing one ruddy-haired hand on its forehead, one hand brushing her hair back and her ears all at once, and says, "I want in." And what she means by this is many things all at once. I want to pass by you and gather what you guard. I want to be able to get inside your foolishness and make you understand. I want to be in your heart and in your head and making you listen to mine.

With all that behind three words, the border of dream and reality didn't stand a chance, really. Funny how these things turn out.

[Using Forging the Dream.]

[Anarion]

"You get one chance to settle this peacefully. Blow it, and I break you. Now tell me why you're here."

That damnable darkness. Kalina saw the bat woman when she shifted out near Stephanie, but this room is big and has no lights. As bat girl shifts around to get a bead on Stephanie, she also falls out of the small area illuminated from the door and the tiny radius illuminated by the chalice. Kalina finds herself standing on one of two islands of light amidst a sea of darkness.

On the bright side, there is a metal chain on the floor right near the entrance that would probably cause harm to any faces it made contact with while twirling at high speed.

[Using Forging the Dream.]

-2 for being a totally foreign creature and of the hedge, but you can roll this.

[Thanqol]

Batgirl's desire is "protect the node" and there is a subtle hint of a desire for sport mixed in there.

She follows Stephanie's dodge, and shifts herself. She does not throw either of her daggers, but instead holds them at the ready and begins circling around Stephanie's position, taking a careful defensive stance.

Aware that she is spotted as well, she says, in a high, somewhat squeaky voice: "So shadow girl, what makes this my lucky night, hmm? Maybe you're the talkative type? Maybe you'll tell me who sent you? Eeeeeeh?" She finishes off that last statement with a shrill, high-pitched shriek.

"Aw, yeah, what she said," said Stephanie, starting her own stealthy stalk, trying to keep out of melee range and keeping her eyes out for interesting and weaponisable scenery. "But we're just here to rescue the children, we're not going to do anything with your Node."

Stephanie wondered what a Node was.

[Anarion]

McBatterson turns to the new figure in the doorway and hisses. "No children here. You are mistaken." Then she hears Stephanie's comment about the Node and says "and a liar! Eeeee! Your fool henchmen has given away your scheme and I shall have my glut of blood tonight. Eeee!"


Rose notices that the timing of those shrieks is somewhat even and regular. Like she's checking up on something each time.

Meanwhile, McBatterson continues edging around the room, keeping her defensive stance up, both blades drawn and circling towards Stephanie and away from the light where Rose is.

[PhoeKun]

Meanwhile, McBatterson continues edging around the room, keeping her defensive stance up, both blades drawn and circling towards Stephanie and away from the light where Rose is.

Damn it all. Kalina snarls like a prowling tiger at the edge of the light, wrapping the chain tightly around her right hand. She squeezes it, and feels the familiar weight of the remaining length as it trails down to the ground. This is beautiful. This is good. But it's all academic if she can't find a way to illuminate the battlefield.

Puh. Aren't angels supposed to have burning halos that light up the darkness like stars? No time to whine about it, idiot. Find a light. A place like this can't possibly lack a light switch. She turns her head left, then right. Find it. Find another light source...

[Thanqol]

McBatterson turns to the new figure in the doorway and hisses. "No children here. You are mistaken." Then she hears Stephanie's comment about the Node and says "and a liar! Eeeee! Your fool henchmen has given away your scheme and I shall have my glut of blood tonight. Eeee!"

Rose notices that the timing of those shrieks is somewhat even and regular. Like she's checking up on something each time.

Meanwhile, McBatterson continues edging around the room, keeping her defensive stance up, both blades drawn and circling towards Stephanie and away from the light where Rose is.

Stephanie started circling stealthily in the opposite direction, keeping the distance between them and keeping the bat angled away from Rose until she was ready. She'd played Pokemon, she knew about bats having sonar, so she knew she couldn't count on the darkness to stay concealed.

"Guy named Paladin, you know him? He's kidnapping children and using Royal Crane to move them. We're trying to rescue those kids," said Stephanie. "Truth. I'll Swear to it if you want."

[Raz_Fox]

Dreams are funny things; funny things happen in dreams. Why, take now, for example. A bear roams through the forest, terrible and grand, sending little things scurrying back into the trees. The first winds of Autumn shake the branches, sending the frost-bitten leaves helter-skelter.

A song, siren-sweet, floats through the forest, lures the beast on. The sound of water, the scent of violets, the snap of burning cedar. And as it lopes, it becomes something else entirely, in the flowing river way that you do. It is still a huge, burly, feared thing, but its footprints have five toes, and his chest is thick and curled with hair.

He finds the woman cradling her child by the waterside, and he is brought to heel before her, dark as night and cedar-wood, and her song is the strongest song. She beckons him over, scritches his ears, kisses his brow, pleads with him with honeyed words.

The river is wide and deep, and on the other side are a thousand blossoming violets, rich and drooping with dew. The woman holds up her child, who is frightfully still, and points across to the flowers she must have, and promises ear-scritches and belly-rubs and a lullaby for sleep if he dares to swim across the river to fetch her balm.

[Anarion]

Puh. Aren't angles supposed to have burning halos that light up the darkness like stars? No time to whine about it, idiot. Find a light. A place like this can't possibly lack a light switch. She turns her head left, then right. Find it. Find another light source...

There was a light switch by the door, but flipping it didn't do anything. McBatterson had obviously done some preparations for this.

"Guy named Paladin, you know him? He's kidnapping children and using Royal Crane to move them. We're trying to rescue those kids," said Stephanie. "Truth. I'll Swear to it if you want."

She circles again as well, putting Stephanie on the right side of the room close to the wall (so a little to Kalina's right) and McBatterson in the middle of the room, somewhere near the chalice.

Stephanie's sees the daggers are still drawn.

"I need no oath, I believe you well enough, oaf. Eeee. Now come, fight me. All this circling is boring. Eeeeee"

The river is wide and deep, and on the other side are a thousand blossoming violets, rich and drooping with dew. The woman holds up her child, who is frightfully still, and points across to the flowers she must have, and promises ear-scritches and belly-rubs and a lullaby for sleep if he dares to swim across the river to fetch her balm.

The bear man smiles, his eyes warm and friendly to the woman and her child and swims across the stream, plucking an armful of flowers and keeping them above the water with strong, hearty kicks as he comes back to the woman and her babe and lays the flowers at her feet. He is playing along with the dream fully.

[Thanqol]

She circles again as well, putting Stephanie on the right side of the room close to the wall (so a little to Kalina's right) and McBatterson in the middle of the room, somewhere near the chalice.

Stephanie's sees the daggers are still drawn.

"I need no oath, I believe you well enough, oaf. Eeee. Now come, fight me. All this circling is boring. Eeeeee"

"What, fight you with knives? Now that's boring," said Stephanie, rolling her eyes in the darkness and continuing to circle. "It'll be over in seconds and even if you win you'll have to go to the hospital for weeks. Why not make this interesting?"

[Raz_Fox]

The bear man smiles, his eyes warm and friendly to the woman and her child and swims across the stream, plucking an armful of flowers and keeping them above the water with strong, hearty kicks as he comes back to the woman and her babe and lays the flowers at her feet. He is playing along with the dream fully.

The woman crushes the petals of the flowers in her hands, and lets the juice released fall into the child's mouth, running down her dark cheek. The child gasps and kicks, and snuggles against the woman, vitality returning to it.

Since promises must be kept, the woman reaches up, still holding the child, and begins to run her fingers through the bear-man's hair, gently scratching at his ears, thanking him profusely before humming the strains of a lullaby. She smiles the sweet smile of someone who has been shown grace, and hopes that he will find it worthy in and of itself.

Daylight is waning, consciousness fading, so sleep, my child. And awaken.

[Anarion]

"What, fight you with knives? Now that's boring," said Stephanie, rolling her eyes in the darkness and continuing to circle. "It'll be over in seconds and even if you win you'll have to go to the hospital for weeks. Why not make this interesting?"

"I'm listening."

Daylight is waning, consciousness fading, so sleep, my child. And awaken.

In reality, about half an hour passes. Charlotte stirs and her eyes flutter open as she begins to recover at least from the loss of air.

The bear too opens its eyes in the cave, looking at Marchande standing there. It doesn't move or stir beyond the eyes, but then it's mouth moves as it speaks. "That was a most pleasant dream, child. I assume you want me to move?"

[Thanqol]

"I'm listening."

"There's a skyscraper down the block. First one to the top wins. What do you say?" said Stephanie, grinning and bouncing on her heels.

[Raz_Fox]

The bear too opens its eyes in the cave, looking at Marchande standing there. It doesn't move or stir beyond the eyes, but then it's mouth moves as it speaks. "That was a most pleasant dream, child. I assume you want me to move?"

Marchande's eyes snap open, and she yelps, drawing her hand back away from the bear. Her teeth are all on display, in what is only technically a smile for a moment, before it softens to sheepishness; her frame loosens, the springs of her body uncoiling. "Yes, sir." It seemed right. This creature was sapient enough to talk and to respond to her manipulation of the dream, and so deserved to be treated with as much respect as a regular person, now that it had proved that it was capable of intelligent communication. So 'sir' it was. "Let me apologize for treating you like a normal bear; I was afraid that you were one of the more feral kind, you see. My friend danced too close to the flame, and I was told the flowers here might help - might I ask if you know anything about them?"

She strikes her forehead, groans with a chuckle. "Oh, where are my manners? I'm Marchande, currently of San Francisco. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

[Anarion]

"There's a skyscraper down the block. First one to the top wins. What do you say?" said Stephanie, grinning and bouncing on her heels.

A look of desire passes over her face. But then it passes. "You'd like that, oaf. But if I left, your friend here would destroy the Node. Eeeeee. No, no, I think I'll just stab you both, quick, quiet. No hospitals when you slit throats, eeeeehehehe." That last screech turns into a bit of a maniacal laugh.

She strikes her forehead, groans with a chuckle. "Oh, where are my manners? I'm Marchande, currently of San Francisco. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"Rrrrrrrrgh" the bear says, stretch out its paws as it stands up. "I am the feral kind, girl. And a lucky thing for you. The civilized bears aren't half so nice." It gets up fully and shifts its position, settling back down with some space to walk over to the flowers. "Pour the dew into her mouth, it will heal her wounds. Only the full blooms are any good. And I'll take some of that scratching before you go."

[Raz_Fox]

"Rrrrrrrrgh" the bear says, stretch out its paws as it stands up. "I am the feral kind, girl. And a lucky thing for you. The civilized bears aren't half so nice." It gets up fully and shifts its position, settling back down with some space to walk over to the flowers. "Pour the dew into her mouth, it will heal her wounds. Only the full blooms are any good. And I'll take some of that scratching before you go."

"I'll take your word for it, sir," Marchande says as she stands up, groaning slightly. Her legs are stiff from kneeling, and her back from bending over the bear, and she's still blinking gossamer and night out of her eyes. "I trust you won't mind if I tend to my friend's injury before I tend to your ears, sir?"

She plucks two full blooms, trying very carefully not to let any of the dew fall. Of course, she can come back to take more, but she doesn't want to waste any more time if at all possible. For all she knows, Charlotte has already passed away, or fallen into a coma, or been eaten from the inside by horrible faerie insects - there's no time to lose!

[PhoeKun]

A look of desire passes over her face. But then it passes. "You'd like that, oaf. But if I left, your friend here would destroy the Node. Eeeeee. No, no, I think I'll just stab you both, quick, quiet. No hospitals when you slit throats, eeeeehehehe." That last screech turns into a bit of a maniacal laugh.

"If you think you're brave enough, then try it. Stop wasting my time with your 'I'm so evil' posturing, and stab me! Or you can be smart and just tell me what it is that's going on here. You're going to be doing that either way, you might as well save us all the trouble."

Rose plants her feet in a wide stance, and wraps the chain behind her around the waist. Pulled taught, she quickly assesses its full length as she readies it to unleash in the first moment she has a target.

[Anarion]

[Charlotte should react to Marchande. Nothing has happened to her in that half hour other than waking up.]

"If you think you're brave enough, then try it. Stop wasting my time with your 'I'm so evil' posturing, and stab me! Or you can be smart and just tell me what it is that's going on here. You're going to be doing that either way, you might as well save us all the trouble."

Rose plants her feet in a wide stance, and wraps the chain behind her around the waist. Pulled taught, she quickly assesses its full length as she readies it to unleash in the first moment she has a target.

About 8 feet of chain all told.

"I'm not stupid. You look strong and your oaf is fast. Eeeeee. Yours is a throat that needs slitting from the shadows."

[Thanqol]

About 8 feet of chain all told.

"I'm not stupid. You look strong and your oaf is fast. Eeeeee. Yours is a throat that needs slitting from the shadows."

"Yeah, how you going to do that before she walks over to your big cup and smashes it?" said Stephanie, continuing her stalk. "Anyway, she can Swear not to mess with your thing while we go out,"

She was currently looking for flammable things; oil and gas.

[Anarion]

"Silence oaf, I am not so easily tricked to reveal information. Eeeeee."


Nothing particularly flammable out in the open besides cardboard. If Stephanie got the back open, there might be vehicle equipment back there, or she could try rifling through some of the boxes.

[PhoeKun]

"Fine. Coward."

Kalina takes a deep breath, and exhales softly. She tenses her body, pulling the chain tightly about her body, and takes a couple of slow, deliberate steps into the darkness.

[SiuiS]

"Rrrrrrrrgh" the bear says, stretch out its paws as it stands up. "I am the feral kind, girl. And a lucky thing for you. The civilized bears aren't half so nice." It gets up fully and shifts its position, settling back down with some space to walk over to the flowers. "Pour the dew into her mouth, it will heal her wounds. Only the full blooms are any good. And I'll take some of that scratching before you go."

Movement is slow and painful, and deliberate or else a failure, Charlotte finds. To move to fast is to wince, and wind up not having moved at all. There is some part of her that suggest not moving at all is perhaps the best plan. And why not? So she listens, and sits, and stays stock still, dwelling on what's gone on.

Fingers. They say that fire is a mass of tongues (and oh, they may be right! It chatters so, to crackle and pop) but more a fire, she feels, is a hand. It stretches, and caresses, and the nails bite hard and scrape, and like a warm touch it lingers after, warm and present. And it moves, oh how the fire moves and moves her so! She hadn't danced in far too long, so long she had forgotten how, forgotten even that once she could. And now again, her feet would fly... If she could stand.

There were obviously some kinks to be worked out with fire-dancing, she muses. And the touch of heat still on her face, her arms and shoulders, the nailmarks and teeth gnashing and blackened soon-to-be-scars that would fade into her meringue skin, she just knows Marchande is going to give her hell. Not the brightest of ideas, lumens and light not withstanding, but oh, thoughts of hell bring thoughts of fire bring a warm rush to her face, and it is there, in that gilded orange flush and labyrinthine reverie she loses herself in that the bear's comment (A bear? Oh my...), stands, an moves forward to address him, warm smile on her face.

[Anarion]

As Rose steps fully into the darkness, she hears the whistling of a knife. It came from behind and to the left of the chalice.

Does Rose dodge, or continue forward, prepared to take the knife hit?

For Stephanie only

Spoiler

Show

Rose has badly misheard the direction of the throw (I rolled a dramatic failure on her listen check). The circling has McBatterson behind and to the right of the chalice and some distance back, not at all where Kalina heard. Stephanie may notice this if Kalina starts moving the wrong way.

Movement is slow and painful, and deliberate or else a failure, Charlotte finds. To move to fast is to wince, and wind up not having moved at all. There is some part of her that suggest not moving at all is perhaps the best plan. And why not? So she listens, and sits, and stays stock still, dwelling on what's gone on.

Fingers. They say that fire is a mass of tongues (and oh, they may be right! It chatters so, to crackle and pop) but more a fire, she feels, is a hand. It stretches, and caresses, and the nails bite hard and scrape, and like a warm touch it lingers after, warm and present. And it moves, oh how the fire moves and moves her so! She hadn't danced in far too long, so long she had forgotten how, forgotten even that once she could. And now again, her feet would fly... If she could stand.

There were obviously some kinks to be worked out with fire-dancing, she muses. And the touch of heat still on her face, her arms and shoulders, the nailmarks and teeth gnashing and blackened soon-to-be-scars that would fade into her meringue skin, she just knows Marchande is going to give her hell. Not the brightest of ideas, lumens and light not withstanding, but oh, thoughts of hell bring thoughts of fire bring a warm rush to her face, and it is there, in that gilded orange flush and labyrinthine reverie she loses herself in that the bear's comment (A bear? Oh my...) reaches her ears.

And so it is that Marchande should chance to find her doing her slow duty to pay the debt Marchande incurred on her behalf, slowly rotating the broad of her elbow behind the bear's ears and kneck, swirling in the point to scratch with frayed sleeves and stiffened fabric the crannies and nooks she could not reach, and her fingers so black before but still perfect, now cracked and frayed and running ever so slightly with an orange-red tinge of pulsing blood, a cross of magma and amber.

From across the bear, weary and blackened, she smiles.

[This is...not good. I think you have misunderstood the situation, perhaps, so I am going to stop your action mid narration that you might understand it better.]

As Charlotte enters the cave proper and approaches the bear, it gives a deep, menacing growl at the stranger approaching it.

[PhoeKun]

There, to the left. Now just --

Feel it.

What?

Step in. Take her best and dish out more. Remember what it is to hurt. To bleed. Not some glancing shot from a fat sack of crap, but a real shot from a real weapon. Bleed. Beat her. It'll feel so good. Do it...

Rose's body obeys. She holds, and waits for the exquisite touch of steel on skin...