Planeside

[Earl of Purple]

Yggdrasil --> Trading Post, Sap River

Inside the sap, it feels slightly sticky, and there's enough pressure all around to be the equivalent of submerged just under the water. The sap doesn't hinder vision, though it gives a slight orange cast to everything. If Cleo gets any in her mouth, it tastes like her favourite food, and she won't need food for a month. If she breathes it in, it smells like her home and won't clog her airways or hamper her breathing. It'll also boost her immune system and heal any injuries she has- even regenerating lost limbs or organs, and make her pretty immune to non-supernatural disease for quite a while.

The dryads, already immune to disease and with no need for food nor drink, don't know about those properties, hence why they weren't mentioned. After about half a minute, Korisfa directs her companions through the stream towards a hole. When Cleo breaks the surface, she sees the trading post about her. It's made of woven branches and tents, no dead wood in sight. There's ten structures of living branches woven together, and eleven tents, built around a large, upright ring made of white marble with red veins with a faint oily sheen over the space inside the ring.

Yggdrasil- Squirrel Riding

The trading post is approaching fast, but it shall take a few more posts to arrive. It does take longer, riding a squirrel than jumping in sap. But it is much, much faster than walking.

[Ionbound]

[Shadow Palace Gates]

Helen smiles and says as she slightly bows in response, "Thank you. I look forward to his arrival." However, she does wait outside, not wishing to impose on the guardsmen.

[Fenric]

[Shadow Palace Gates]

It is not long and the same herald that announced the group during the reception comes out

Princess, Holy Steven, Frederick, please forgive the delay: we were not expecting you. If you would follow me, his Excellancy will see you now.

Frederick grins

Sure thing.

[Deathkeeper]

Shadow Palace

Steven simply shakes his head and follows along.
"No trouble at all." he says quietly.

[Ionbound]

[Shadow Palace Gates]

Helen nods and says, "Of course," as she follows the Herald as well.

[Fenric]

[Orochi's Palace]

And in they go! They have arrived "off hours", so there are only a few people milling around. A few curious glances are thrown their way, but otherwise they don't attract all that much attention.

The herald leads them all the way to the small study where Helen and Frederick began their lessons a while back. Orochi is there in human form, contemplating a set of paperwork.

Your Majesty: Princess Helen, Holy Steven, And Master Frederick

Aw... guess somebody told him I didn't have the title.

He looks over with a smile

Hello, granddaughter and honored guests. What brings you all the way here?

[Deathkeeper]

Orochi's Palace

Steven gives a small bow, just to make sure he isn't being too casual. Never really hurts when you're dealing with important people.
"Hello, sir. I hope we weren't interrupting any business of yours. We came to ask you about shadowcraft, as there are few who have such abilities to explain them."

[Ionbound]

[Orochi's Palace]

Helen bows as well and says, "Hello Grandfather. Um...Yeah. They need help with Shadow Magic stuff. I'm doing fairly well myself, though. But if there's anything I can do to help out around here, I'd be glad to."

[Fenric]

[Orochi's Palace]

Orochi nods

I would be happy to help! And no, nothing important, Steven.

He looks thoughtfully at Helen, then shakes his head

Well... the only important thing to be interrupted is the thing you could help Helen, but also a thing I cannot ask of you.

He sighs and rustles a sheaf of papers

Travellers have repeatedly been attacked on the highway. The perpetrators yell astonishingly antiquated insults, and have a surprisingly low capability for actually causing harm. They move swiftly, but my guards finally captured one of the raiding parties. Unfortunately... I know perfectly well who they are from.

Frederick perks up

Really? We were attacked too! It was an archer and two green golems - I have the archer in a binding sphere!

Orochi sighs

You should hand him over to my guards.

But as I said... I know who it is: Mother is causing trouble. Apparently one of the "Team Nightmare" parties from the Nexus has, among other offenses, "redeemed" one of her favorite pet dracoliches, and she blames me for the disruption - seeing as I am on treaty terms with the side of "good" now and, worse to her mind, have already met with Lady Sweet Spring in person.

Since Mother and I were not particularly on speaking terms even before this, I need to send an envoy whom she would respect enough to not destroy out of hand. But Tamamo and her sisters cannot go as their divine aura would not be acceptable there on the borders of Gloom.

But no matter: this is not a trip for ones from the Material Plane!

[Recaiden]

[Yggdrasil --> Trading Post, Sap River]

Orange. Creepy. Cleo briefly remembers horrific stories like this.
But it isn't bad all in all. Just being underwater. And mmmm, it's sweet. Tastes more like bread than it probably should. Smells like trees, which is just right.

Cleo follows the hole to the trading post, though she does wonder where the end of the stream is, and climbs carefully out of the sap, invigorated, smiling.
"What a way to get around, hah! That's great. What's that there, the ring?"
She expected a larger settlement, but supposes it is mostly travelers here, no?

[Deathkeeper]

Orochi's Palace

Steven nods. He's much more knowledgeable about Inari's doctrine than he is of her pantheon as a whole, but he's fairly sure he knows to whom Orochi is referring.
"Yes, from what I recall about the place, the Gloom is not a place for those considered 'living' in the traditional sense. The Nightmaeres do fine due to their dual nature, but most aren't capable of lasting long in or even near it."

What, you thought he'd volunteer? Steven's brave, not suicidal enough to volunteer to talk to capricious goddesses of undeath before even getting diplomatic experience. Or a sword.

[Cyber Punk]

Yggdrasil- Squirrel Riding

The trading post is approaching fast, but it shall take a few more posts to arrive. It does take longer, riding a squirrel than jumping in sap. But it is much, much faster than walking.

Fixer wonders if he should have taken the sap instead. Maybe when they're coming back, he will.

"Now imagine if we had tried to walk." Fixer pokes Arlen. He seems to find Arlen's naivete slightly endearing.

[Ionbound]

[Orochi's Palace]

Helen nods thoughtfully and says, "I see. I don't suppose there's any way to become immune to the Gloom, is there...Otherwise, I'd be glad to help."

[Holy-hunter]

Yggdrasil - squirrel

Fixer wonders if he should have taken the sap instead. Maybe when they're coming back, he will.

"Now imagine if we had tried to walk." Fixer pokes Arlen. He seems to find Arlen's naivete slightly endearing.

Arlen replies with a simple smile and nod of acknowlement.
He gives a soft laugh as he looks down and watches the tree bounding past beneath them.

[Fenric]

[Orochi's Palace]

Frederick looks skeptical, but waits for Orochi and Helen to finish. The king himself chuckles

Ah, dear Helen. I have no power to shield material folk from that place: you would have to become one of us, and I suspect your boyfriend would take some exception to that.

Frederick blinks

Uh... yeah... kinda trying to avoid that, aren't we?

[Deathkeeper]

Orochi's Palace

Steven shakes his head.
"True, I believe we were sent on a research assignment, not one for dramatic conversion of existence." he says, mentally shuddering at the idea. Of course, he acknowledges that technically speaking if Noriko and company count as "us" that'll happen eventually anyway, but that's supposed to be a few centuries off.

[Earl of Purple]

Yggdrasil- Trading Post

After climbing out, the sap stops glowing and becomes much stickier. It also coagulates into thick, sticky lumps that are quite hard to remove. It may also stain.

"That's their portal to Phelamm. It's how they get their goods here, and take everything they get in exchange. I don't need it, myself, and they gave me a lot of shiny yellow discs to let them go through my portal to build it. I took some to Blodau, and she got one of her friends from her world to put them on a string, as a necklace. I still wear it now and again. It's beautiful." The dryads have somewhere they use to keep things like that safe.

Each structure is a stall, with several people behind. The shopkeeps are universally human; those looking at the wares are nearly entirely not. There's another dryad, a more elfin one with very large eyes, carrying an egg larger than her head. A troop of eight satyr with thick brown fur, goat-like legs and little horns are haggling fiercely for some multicoloured ribbons; they don't seem to have anything to give in exchange, but won't stop regardless. A pallid-skinned crone with bird-like feet and black feathers on her legs and arms has a pouch of potions as she stalks for ingredients. A red-skinned chap three metres tall and wearing bright yellow and purple motley capers madly as he plays a hurdy-gurdy. A man in furs and hides is marvelling at several steel spearheads, and several other odd figures wander around- those are merely the most outlandish.

Yggdrasil- Squirrel Riding

"If you want to go back to where you came, ask Veggmaleri. She'll turn into a portal for you." The portals they create aren't related to where they are. They're always a link between here and the world to which they lead- the Nexus, in the case of Veggmaleri.

The squirrel has stopped accelerating, having reaches its top speed. It's very fast indeed.

[Ionbound]

[Orochi's Palace]

Helen nods and says, "Yeah...I'd rather not. Not right now at least." She looks around and says, "So...Do you guys want me to help teach you?"

[Fenric]

[Orochi's Palace]

Orochi nods

It is for the best: I have no shortage of potential candidates. So... what was it you needed?

Frederick sighs, relieved

We were hoping you could point us in the direction of a shadow-smith: we need to pick up some pointers and techniques of True Enchantment with respect to shadow abilities, because it's not something any of us know... if you get my meaning.

Orochi breaks into a large smile

Indeed! And indeed I do, young Master Frederick. Your premise is quite correct, as it turns out: I do have a court smith. But it is already far too late for you to try to reach him tonight! You must surely stay for dinner and relax.

[Deathkeeper]

Planeside

Steven considers this, but makes a small frown.
"I'm not sure. Does your palace follow different rules than the rest of the plane? We were told it would be unwise for denizens of the Material Plane to remain in the Shadow for more than a few hours at a time." he says.

[Ionbound]

Planeside

Helen nods, and says, "Mmm...I think we should be safe here. I know I stayed here for a while not too long ago."

[Fenric]

[Orochi's Palace]

The eight headed king nods

The danger is when you are beyond the influence of ... "civilized" locations, for lack of a better term. You can remain in my palace for as long as your care to. In some ways, you could use my home as a time machine: staying here for hundreds of years of material time and only returning when you cared to.

Frederick tilts his head and looks at Orochi

Uh... what... but... uh... so... dinner?

[Deathkeeper]

Orochi's Palace

Steven nods to the eight-headed king who's currently in his less intimidating single-headed shape.
"Oh, well then I guess you're right, Frederick. Dinner it is, then." Steven says amiably. He's happy about this, as he'd been afraid that Caroline would be upset with him for being gone for a day or two without telling her.

[Cyber Punk]

Yggdrasil- Squirrel Riding

"If you want to go back to where you came, ask Veggmaleri. She'll turn into a portal for you." The portals they create aren't related to where they are. They're always a link between here and the world to which they lead- the Nexus, in the case of Veggmaleri.

The squirrel has stopped accelerating, having reaches its top speed. It's very fast indeed.

"Acknowledged." Fixer nods. "What world do you connect to, Blodau?" Knowledge is power, as they say. And could lead to more adventure.

[Recaiden]

[Yggdrasil - Trading Post]

Cleosepha brushes off the sap as best she can, noticing that all her things are looking more orange than they really ought too. Just like being underwater. It's fine while you're submerged, but then once you get out...
"What is your world like? Phelamm?"
She idly wonders if the sap can be made into a good syrup.

Cleo hurries forward to look around. Oh, the traders are interesting, but she has some curiosity it the goods that has to be indulged first.

[Holy-hunter]

Yggdrasil - squirrel

"Acknowledged." Fixer nods. "What world do you connect to, Blodau?" Knowledge is power, as they say. And could lead to more adventure.

Arlen listens intently, curious himself about the answer and in learning more about Blodau.

[Ionbound]

[Orochi's Palace]

Helen hugs Frederick and says, "Yeah. Dinner. Don't worry, Frederick. We're not going to spend a night here and be gone for centuries when we get back."

[Earl of Purple]

Yggdrasil- Trading Post

"It's a bit boring, really. Lots of houses, with a few parks dotted around. From what I've heard, the whole world is one big city. I don't go too far from the park where my ash is growing." It's also a medieaval world, mostly; they've got links like this one and import a lot of food, and also rely on mushrooms grown underground, rooftop farms, and similar.

The goods include silk ribbons, steel spearheads, books, minor magical trinkets, the odd clockwork device, jewellery, and glassware. There's a delicate hand-crossbow, a more robust one with a clockwork repeating mechanism, and one designed so it can loose up to three quarrels at a time. A two-headed bird with bright red and yellow feathers sits in a brass cage. A cape sewn of material that resembles the night sky hangs next to one made from the coat of a beast with dark purple and green stripes. Then there's the mysterious egg carried by the elfin dryad, the potions offered by the hagraven and whatever else has been brought by the traders to barter.

Yggdrasil- Nearly at the Trading Post

The people around the trading stop can be seen, getting bigger fast.

"It's called Corlun. It's got lots of forests, ponds, and similar things. No humans, some elves, but mainly nixies, nymphs, sprites, and so on. I keep my ash near a pool home to a tribe of nixies; they're loads of fun." It's a very wild world, too. Several times humans have tried to colonise it, as they have so many others, but it's too full of fey creatures and every time they've been killed or run off by the area's indigenous elves, centaurs, satyrs, treants, pixies etc.

[Cyber Punk]

Yggdrasil- Nearly at the Trading Post

Fixer listens attentively, 'hrm'-ing when she's done to indicate that he has been listening. He notices that they're getting closer to the Trading post.

"We're almost there." He says, stating the obvious.

[Fenric]

[Orochi's Palace]

Helen hugs Frederick and says, "Yeah. Dinner. Don't worry, Frederick. We're not going to spend a night here and be gone for centuries when we get back."

Frederick returns the hug with a grin

I know... I remember from last time. It's just a weird thought, that's all. This was supposed to be a simple visit to ask about a smith.

Orochi looks apologetic

I do apologize! What was it you needed assistance with, again?