[Nexus] Mithar Keep III - Girls Gone Modest

[Shadowcaller]

[Front Entrance!]

The two might note an new addition to the keep as they approach, there are a number of small hydra-like stone statues sitting perched upon the walls and above the doors and near some of the windows. The statues all have six heads which are looking in various directions though how they got up there so quickly is a mystery. The statues aren't moving, but there is something about their eyes that might make them feel watched.

In either case, the sorceress appears to have seen them and is already coming out to the entrance to greet them. She's already dressed too in a grey brown tunic with silver threads embroidered in beautiful patterns around the neck with an white shirt underneath. There is a belt hook worn around her slender waist. Underneath the tunics skirt she's wearing black leggings all the way down to her dark brown boots. She smiles widely at the two, Garn following her like a shadow. "You're finally here. I trust there were no problems?"

[Courtyard]

"There are some old pots in the green house I wouldn't mind getting rid off, would that do?" Cessie asks, gesturing towards the nearby greenhouse. If Jenny agrees an earth elemental will form and collect a number of pots and place them near Jenny.

[Murkus]

[Front Entrance!]

Well those are definitely new. Adir would've noticed them before when he was... y'know... sneaking inside. The stag tears his eyes away from the rather eerie statues and takes in Cessie's getup. "Wow. You look like a proper woods-lady. Um, no, no problems." He would point at Garn, but his free hand is making sure Laela doesn't topple off his shoulders. Good handholds or no, he doesn't trust the kid'll hold his antlers like she should. "Is the grumpy guss comin' with?"

[Gullara]

[Front Entrance!]

"I don't know if Garn will enjoy the trip." Sakura isn't sure Garn enjoys anything, but she keeps that to herself. "I really like your top, Cessie. Is that a new one?" She plucks at the sleeve of Cessie's shirt when she gets closer.

Meanwhile, a little face pokes around the doorframe. A scaley little face with a wide grin. "Laela!" Cora toddles around the corner, and starts to move as quickly as her short legs will carry her toward Adir and, more importantly, Laela.

[Shadowcaller]

[Front Entrance!]

The sorceress was just about to explain the presence of the stone statues and Garn's status when she hears her own daughter about. "Excuse me." She turns and tries to swoop up Cora with some effort, not used to actually carrying the child. She usually had something else doing that for her. "Cora, you can't leave the house like that." She tells the toddler. "Laela is coming to you."

Garn looks panicked for whatever reasons, staring worriedly at Cessie and Cora, not sure what to do.

[McBish]

[Courtyard]

"There are some old pots in the green house I wouldn't mind getting rid off, would that do?" Cessie asks, gesturing towards the nearby greenhouse. If Jenny agrees an earth elemental will form and collect a number of pots and place them near Jenny.

Jenny nods, "Yeah those should work. I like to use this trick sometimes to make my own doorway." She explains as she walks over and puts her hand on the largest of the pots. She takes a deep breath and then speaks a short string of words. The language she speaks is old and filled with odd inflections and sounds. A name is said, and power asked for. Then the pot starts to melt. The material the pot is made of seems to soften and start to twist into thousands of tiny tentacles that drip into liquid and the entire pot should be reduced to a puddle of goop on the ground. "I can take out a good sized chunk of a wall like that."

[Murkus]

[Front Entrance!]

"I don't know if Garn will enjoy the trip." Sakura isn't sure Garn enjoys anything, but she keeps that to herself. "I really like your top, Cessie. Is that a new one?" She plucks at the sleeve of Cessie's shirt when she gets closer.

Meanwhile, a little face pokes around the doorframe. A scaley little face with a wide grin. "Laela!" Cora toddles around the corner, and starts to move as quickly as her short legs will carry her toward Adir and, more importantly, Laela.

[Front Entrance!]

The sorceress was just about to explain the presence of the stone statues and Garn's status when she hears her own daughter about. "Excuse me." She turns and tries to swoop up Cora with some effort, not used to actually carrying the child. She usually had something else doing that for her. "Cora, you can't leave the house like that." She tells the toddler. "Laela is coming to you."

Garn looks panicked for whatever reasons, staring worriedly at Cessie and Cora, not sure what to do.

"Hey, hey, no worries Cessie," Adir says, stepping up in front of the noblewoman-magi, his hand gently holding Laela's back to keep her safe. Safe as one can be while riding on her father's shoulders, at any rate. "Why don't you say hi, Laela?"

"Hi Cora!" She squeaks brightly. The tyke almost waves, but remembers what her dad said before about holding on.

[Gullara]

[Front Entrance!]

Cora clings to Cessie's clothes and leans as far as she can out toward Laela. She's far too excited about her friend being here to concern herself with her mommy's caution. "Hi Laela. Are we gonna play house again?" She grins from ear to ear, so eager to continue their game.

Sakura beams at the children and moves up on Adir's other side, putting her hand on his back. "Well they're sure excited, aren't they? I think we need to get them to visit more often, don't we."

[Shadowcaller]

[Courtyard]

The sorceress can't look away as she watches the pot getting destroyed in a most unusual fashion. "What... exactly happened to it?" Those tentacles were rather freaky.

[Front Entrance!]

Cessie can't help but smile as well. "They're very excitable at this age aren't they?" Though the sorceress isn't sure how long she can hold Cora like this, she was getting so heavy. "But I don't think we should keep them waiting. I'm sure they like to start playing, don't you Cora?" She asks her daughter, getting ready to put her down at the nearest convenient place. This sure had been easier once she was born, must be that dragon heritage.

[McBish]

[Courtyard]

The sorceress can't look away as she watches the pot getting destroyed in a most unusual fashion. "What... exactly happened to it?" Those tentacles were rather freaky.

"Well I am not entirely sure. Obviously some of the material vanishes otherwise there would be more of a mess." She says pointing to the quickly solidifying mess on the ground, there is obviously not as much material as when the pot was whole.

"But it isn't destroyed. Watch this." She puts her hand onto the pile of goop. She speaks the same strange language as before. The only similar word is the name of the creature she is calling on. As she does the melting process seems to reverse. The goop rises up and twists into a pot.

At least a rough pot shape. An odd swirling pattern is left on the reconstructed pot. Like someone took a carving knife to it very carefully. "Not all of it returns though, if we weighed it before I did this you would find that it is lighter now then before."

[Murkus]

[Front Entrance!]

Cora clings to Cessie's clothes and leans as far as she can out toward Laela. She's far too excited about her friend being here to concern herself with her mommy's caution. "Hi Laela. Are we gonna play house again?" She grins from ear to ear, so eager to continue their game.

Sakura beams at the children and moves up on Adir's other side, putting her hand on his back. "Well they're sure excited, aren't they? I think we need to get them to visit more often, don't we."

[Front Entrance!]

Cessie can't help but smile as well. "They're very excitable at this age aren't they?" Though the sorceress isn't sure how long she can hold Cora like this, she was getting so heavy. "But I don't think we should keep them waiting. I'm sure they like to start playing, don't you Cora?" She asks her daughter, getting ready to put her down at the nearest convenient place. This sure had been easier once she was born, must be that dragon heritage.

"Yea!" Laela replies loudly. She leans over Adir's head and tries to beam down at him, only managing to look at his nose. "Cora plays good house. Hers s'big." The playset is, no doubt, rather ludicrous in size.

Adir would glance up, but it would only tilt Laela back! "Oh, now I see why you always wanna come over here." He grins and sets the wide-eyed Cern down for a moment, taking Laela off his shoulders in one smooth motion. She'll be placed, per Cessie's orders, just inside the confines of the citadel. Hopefully that gives Cessie a chance to set her big ol' baby down too. "C'mon Cora!"

"Here, hon," Adir says, picking up Cern and offering a hand to take Gwydion's baby carrier. "I'll get 'em nice n' cozy." He will undoubtedly take the twins inside, perhaps following slowly after the two very excitable young girls. The stag probly needs a moment to see off his boys, more for his own benefit than theirs.

[Gullara]

[Front Entrance!]

"Down, Mommy! Down!" Cora squeals, leaning out of her mother's grip toward Laela in the new direction. When Cessie lets her down, she'll run after Laela and start to lead the way inside. "You can be the mommy, and I can be the mommy, and Bastin can be the baby again." Cora explains excitedly.

Sakura passes off the other twin to Adir, giving him a smile and a nod as he follows the girls. She slips next to Cessie, putting one hand her back and the other over the mage's swelling belly. "So how's Bastion doing? And the new baby?" She asks with a big smile.

[Shadowcaller]

[Courtyard]

Cessie circles the pot, inspecting it closely (but not too closely, it had been tentacles a few moments ago.), "Some sort of decay then." The sorceress observes. "Must be transported to some other realm." She pauses. "Can you do this with any kind of material? Or are there limits beyond the amount?"

[Front Entrance!]

After Cessie put down Cora she looks down at Sakura's hand. What was she...
For a moment she had almost forgotten Sakura didn't have the same customs as she, not sure what kind of odd customs they had in the fey world. Probably not very civilized ones. She gently attempts to remove Sakura's hand on her belly. "Bastion and the new baby are doing fine Sakura, we already know the gender in fact and have decided on a name. Jillian." Cessie explains with a big smile.

Meanwhile Garn is watching Cora and Laela closely like a shadow, moving after them whenever they go.

[Murkus]

[Front Entrance --> Kids Room!]

"Walk, girls. Walk," Adir shouts after them, glad that they're still not all that good at rushing around. Soon he won't be able to keep up without a bit of effort. Rather unfortunately, he's left keeping pace with Garn, and the two probably end up trading dirty looks. Might be a waste of time, trading dirty looks with a magical construct, but Adir's a can-do sort of guy. Or can-try, anyway.

"Bastin never wants to be the baby!" Laela says, scrunching up her face in thought. A moment later, as they no doubt continue rushing along, it comes to her. "Ooh! Thumper can be the baby."

[Gullara]

[Front Entrance! => Kids Room!]

Sakura's smile at least matches Cessie's. "That's a really pretty name, I like it. How'd you come up with it?" Sakura asks as they walk inside. She lets her hand hang to the side, much to Cessie's relief, no doubt. She might just have to ask if she can feel the baby kicking sometime, though...


Walking? These girls are far too excited for that! "Yeah! Thumper can be the baby! Bastin can be somethin' else." Cora agrees readily. They come into the room they usually play in (which is probably not the bedroom, seeing as that's all the way upstairs) and Cora turns around. "Mommy mommy! Where's the house!" She is of course referring to the house playset!

[McBish]

[Courtyard]

Cessie circles the pot, inspecting it closely (but not too closely, it had been tentacles a few moments ago.), "Some sort of decay then." The sorceress observes. "Must be transported to some other realm." She pauses. "Can you do this with any kind of material? Or are there limits beyond the amount?"

"It doesn't work on living material. My father always called it a cost we had to pay, the stuff that didn't come back. I think that whoever takes it keeps part of it." She admits sounding a bit nervous admitting that. She doesn't want to serve the creatures her family had worshiped. Giving up the magic though would be like giving up a hand or her sight.

[Shadowcaller]

[Courtyard]

"So it's really more of an pact with some being than just decay?" That might make sense considering the nature of the magic. "But wouldn't that mean these beings are doing this for you too?" Sounded a bit like the arts practiced by servants and cultists of her own world.

[Kids Room!]

Cessie smiles and kneels down and gestures towards Cora's own room. "You know where the house is Cora, it's in your room you silly girl." Her daughters room which also so happens to be on the bottom floor. Cessie felt it much easier to have the children there so they didn't need to run up stairs all the time. She then glances up at Sakura. "It's actually from my great, great, great grandmother. She was an famous mage and united the houses of Neverath and Mithar." Sure a lot of details there Cessie yet you didn't mention the fact she was most famous for her necromancy? Or that Neverath was the house of necromancy?

Speaking of necormancy, Garn does in fact not give Adir the mad eye, he's simply too busy watching Cora and her playmate, seemingly worried that they're going to hurt themselves somehow as they run.

[Terumitsu]

[Entry Hall]

The sorceress smiles. "This remind me of my days at the university, it was such a long time since I had to explain all this to someone so hopefully I'm not too rusty in my eldritch theory. But to explain, the element can't change once I summoned it. It takes on certain characteristics associated with my mental image of whatever material I summon. I can't summon material that I have no perception off, but I can control the heat which the fire emits. The heat is still there but I have redirected it so to speak. Imagine if you will a person in a body of water, the liquid is pushed away as the person enters and moves around in it. That's how I control the fire and the heat it emits and it's a control on a level I'm not even fully aware of. A part of my subconscious operating for me without me even thinking about it much like muscle memory. If you do something enough your body, or in this case my 'eldritch body' knows what parameters I fixed for it. So to answer your question, the fire wouldn't consume material as it would never touch it. It's difficult to spot though." The sorceress admits. "But for now there doesn't really exist any reliable way to measure just how finely attuned a sorcerer is to the eldritch realm. I have heard that there have been several attempts to standardize it however, but no one of them has really stuck since it's so difficult to measure."

Though she was inclined to ask how this sort of selection of properties was done, Riss decided to leave that for later. Besides, there was an idea that she felt would be more immediately interesting in her mind already. "I think I understand the capabilities although the lack of a metric does seem like a small detriment. I assume it has to do with certain people being more capable than others in one area or another rather than just a general potential?" she inquired. Really that appeared to be the case with anything dealing with the mind and it's myrad possible aptitudes.

Nibbling a bit on her thumbnail, the muse pondered first how to phrase the idea before continuing. It made a sort of sense, though, that if a substance could be temporarily be taken from one existence and transformed and transported into another, then there might be some way to perform some sort of reversed function. "So.. You've shown that you can pull this 'eldritch' out and shape it as you will.. Is there perhaps a potential to take something like.. Say this bit of paper I've been holding on to for the past while now and put it into this realm? Or perhaps some sub-dimention if possible?" she asked. Oddly enough, if this was possible then she could immediately see more applications from that potential over just conjuring matter or energy, odd as it might seem. Of course I'd be the one who would look for how to make things go away over trying to bring them here..

[McBish]

[Courtyard]

"So it's really more of an pact with some being than just decay?" That might make sense considering the nature of the magic. "But wouldn't that mean these beings are doing this for you too?" Sounded a bit like the arts practiced by servants and cultists of her own world.

Jenny nods, "Yeah that sounds about right. I am a bit concerened about what price these things may come asking for all this magic." She has seen these gods punish those that displease them and doesn't like the thought of something like that happening to her. Although those that please them end up in a fate Jenny would rather avoid as well.

[Murkus]

[Kids Room!]

Laela turns with Cora, quite captivated by her friend, and grins a wide grin when Cessie answers. "Silly!" She giggles and grabs the little dragon-girl's hand, ready to run off. Though she has a question for someone, too. Her eyes flit up to Adir. "Daddy, where's Thumper?"

"In your bag, you goof," Adir smiles a little, having stopped along with the rest of their little party. "Sakura, give her Thumper, would you?"

That said, they presumably ramble into Cora's playroom, where Adir sets the boys down on the nearest flat surface. A little dresser or table, maybe. He checks them over and starts getting their things while the women chat.

[Gullara]

[Kids Room!]

"Sure, honey." Sakura digs into the bag and pulls out the little robotic rabbit. "Here you go, sweety." She crouches down and hands Laela the rabbit. "You two have fun now." She gets back up, watching them hurry off toward the playset.

The dryad looks back at Cessie and smiles widely. "That's really interesting that she's named after one of your ancestors. What do you think, Adir? Maybe we should do that." She looks at her husband briefly. "We have to come up with another name soon." She puts her hand over her still (comparatively) flat belly and gives Cessie the biggest smile.


Adir may be a bit distracted to give a good response, however. Gwydion is as content as ever, with a gentle breeze rustling his bud-hair. His brother, however, is being fussy. His little face is screwed up in the grumpiest expression and covers his face when his dad leans over him.


Cora lets go of Laela's hand and pushes her way into the little, plastic house. "I'm gonna make lunch!" She declares, mocking turning on the oven. "What do ya wanna eat, Laela?"


Meanwhile, Bastion is off in the corner of the room, playing with his blocks. He looks up when the girls watch in, but he doesn't rush over like Cora would. He doesn't keep on with his own thing either, though. Instead he watches them uncertainly, not sure he wants to go over.

[Murkus]

[Kids Room!]

"Gotta be somethin' the baby can eat!" Laela nearly shouts, having a poor handle on her 'inside voice'. She holds up Thumper by his sides, as if to illustrate. The rabbit kicks his feet and looks at Cora, confused. Bastion is left alone for this post, but maybe if he works up the courage to say hi...


Adir, meanwhile, is thoroughly distracted by the boys. Cern, mostly. Gwydion was such a quiet little fella. It actually worried him from time to time. The stag tries to gently part his fussy son's hands, smiling down on him. No smell, no immediate crying... hmm...

He affords the women a glance and a grin. "Heh, yeah, I'll just have to ask my dad what their names actually were." Adir is not the type of guy to be curious about his family tree! As Sakura finishes explaining, the stag trades a look with each of them. With Sakura, one of profound love. And with Cessie, a small, confidential smile, and a quick wink while the dryad might not be paying attention.

[Shadowcaller]

[Entry Hall]

"Yes, some people are simply born with more aptitude than others and there is also the fact that each user have one element they're especially adapt at. Mine is fire for instance. This makes it somewhat harder to measure as this aptitude for one element can account for many things while they might not even be able to summon other elements at all." Cessie starts explaining as she looks over at the piece of paper. "I could burn it, but I can't actually transfer it over to the eldritch realm as it's touched by aether. I have no control at all over materials in this realm, just the ones I pull over from the eldritch one. But there is another practice I haven't mentioned yet. Namely enchanting, a way of making eldritch constructs, such as an elemental, be able to stay in the terrestrial realm indefinitely. Basically what you're doing is infusing a metal with a material which contains high amounts of aether and at the same time applying the eldritch construct which you wish to convey. The high amounts of aether acts as a kind of glue which makes the construct stick without needing a user to maintain it. This can also work with the material itself but metal is more commonly used due to it's durability."

[Kids Room!]

Garn sits near the kids and their rabbit, watching over them so nothing happens.

The sorceress eyes are drawn to Sakura's belly. "...just how many children are you planning to have Sakura?" Her friend seemed to intend to have as large a family as her parents by the looks of it.

[Courtyard]

"So no one actually knows if you need to 'pay a prince' then? Besides the one you already mentioned I mean." The sorceress inquires. "No souls drained after death or so fourth?"

[Gullara]

[Kids Room!]

Sakura giggles. "Oh, I don't know. More." She laughs again and lets her hand fall off her belly. "We don't have a number yet, so we'll just have to see." She can't help but find it a little funny how incredulous Cessie can be.


Cern pushes back at Adir's hands, none too pleased by the intrusion. Maybe he's just being fussy for no reason at all, but how can he know? Babies sure are tricky.


"What do bunnies eat?" Cora stops rummaging through the plastic plates to give Thumper a puzzled look.

[McBish]

[Courtyard]

Jenny shrugs a bit favoring her right shoulder over her left, trying to avoid moving her injuried left arm. "I don't know. No one ever told me about it, or taught me any way to check for that." She pauses thinking of something else. She looks slightly embarrassed bringing it up unsure of if it is a cost. "When I use the magic I have dreams. Nightmares, sometimes for days after casting. Which might explain why she is looking so tired right now. She has been avoiding sleep for awhile now.

[Murkus]

[Kids Room!]

Adir is thoroughly perplexed. He purses his lips and curls a finger up to scratch his chin, studying little Cern. Hm. This is probably the part where he should A. wait for Cern to give him a sign, or B. look confused enough that Sakura steps in and, as usual, knows exactly what the problem is. He likes those options. Neither involve him directly causing the baby to cry.

"Carrots! Carrots n 'fings," Laela pipes up, putting Thumper down in the miniature baby-seat with his long feet stuck out in front of him. "But he's a baby, so jus lil' ones..."

Thumper eyes the two girls, pondering his fate.

[Shadowcaller]

[Kids Room!]

"I swore I'd never have as many children as my mother. You're on a good way there though." The sorceress comments with a smile.
Meanwhile Garn just simply watches over the toddlers every move which might be somewhat unnerving, but maybe that didn't apply to these girls.

[Courtyard]

"Anything special about these dreams that might be relevant?" Cessie wouldn't ask about the details however, she knew how horrible nightmares connected to these horrors could be. "Perhaps you need some sleeping aids." Weren't those addictive though?

[Gullara]

[Kids Room!]

Sakura giggles. "How many brothers and sisters do you have again? Maybe that's a good number." She jokes.. Unfortunately for Adir, she doesn't look over his way. He must have the twins well in hand, right?

Not if Cern has anything to say on the matter. The baby starts to whimper, and then he moves on to straight up crying. It's a mystery what's set him off, but maybe Adir can figure it out before he needs to go to Sakura.

Cora is far too used to Garn being overprotective. She doesn't even notice. Instead she opens the plastic fridge and mimes taking stuff out of it. "We c'n make him a salad. A carrot salad." She decides. She pulls a big bowl out of the cupboard, knocking a few other dishes out and onto the floor as she does so. It's a good thing they're plastic. "Come help me, Laela!"

Bastion, meanwhile, gets up and creeps closer to the girls. He peers in through the window to see what they're doing.

[McBish]

[Courtyard]

"Anything special about these dreams that might be relevant?" Cessie wouldn't ask about the details however, she knew how horrible nightmares connected to these horrors could be. "Perhaps you need some sleeping aids." Weren't those addictive though?

"I see creatures. They usually ignore me, but they are hideous. Even the ones that are humanoid, they are the worst. I feel... I think they were people once, then they changed." There is the core of her worries. That she will turn into one of the monsters she fights. "I'd rather just skip the sleep." It may not be the healthiest choice but it has worked in the past.

[Murkus]

[Kids Room!]

Adir has exactly one half of the twins well in hand. One out of two isn't bad! Mostly. Maybe. He sweeps up the whimpering Cernunnos before he can start to bawl, sniffing him once, looking all about him, bobbing him gently in his arms. Failing any of that, he'll offer the baby a pre-warmed bottle of formula. It isn't as though Cern's used it much in his brief life, though, so even if he's hungry that might not cheer the kid up. The stag looks a bit nervous, and mildly annoyed, mostly at himself.

Laela hops up and scuttles over to help Cora, happy for no other reason than because she's around the other girl. Thumper seems to keep her in pretty good spirits too.

Thumper, meanwhile, takes this opportunity to escape. He does what bunnies do... he hops. Right out of the miniature high-chair. In fact, he hops all the way out the door and around to little Bastion, who receives a slightly hollow squeak by way of greeting.

[Deathkeeper]

The Keep, Some Point in Time

Cessie's phone is ringing! Caller ID would put it as Jace, if it has that. I'm assuming it has that, or else it's doing a pretty lousy job of being a high-tech communicator.