Outside 44: Baby it's cold outside

[Lost_Deep]

A warm Spring

"This is news to me, too," Gale says, pulling out a tiny camera with intent to take some pictures of the little things. She isn't fazed at all, but this is odd enough for her to want to take pictures. "I don't know much about magic."

[Rebonack]

[Warm Spring]

The bug-lizards really wouldn't be very good at keeping secrets if they were blabbing them so freely, now would they?

With a buzz of his wings, the little pixie drake quirks his head off to one side. "Y'know, the enchantments. This is an enchanted spring. I figured you knew since you come here so often. I usually have at least one of me poking around here because the spring is enchanted."

Well.

That might have been useful information to have ahead of time.

Hopefully it's not one of those bad sorts of enchantments that turns you into a swan or a rock or something.

And speaking of rocks!

The two pixie drakes who crawled off into that cleft in the stone come shimmying back out, carrying an icy blue, glowing octohedron between them in their mouths. We're talking very glowing here. It even leaves a trail of glittering sparkles in the air behind it. That thing is almost without question magical somehow.

[Deathkeeper]

A Warm Spring

Clara looks around, just a little bit worried, but her eyes widen at the...thing.
"What enchantment? Obviously I haven't noticed, so it can't be anything obvious. What the heck is that thing?" she asks, pointing at the funny sparkly thing.

[Lost_Deep]

A Warm Spring

Gale pulls out a small device, and waves it at the crystal. It's an energy signature analysis device, like a short-range tricorder for energy.

That said, if the thing actually is magic, the device might have some trouble with it. It's made to analyze energy signatures, but especially stronger magic may be too complex for it to give anything concrete.

"Maybe you should get out of the spring, Clara, until we're sure what's going on here."

[Rebonack]

[A Warm Spring]

A science device!

Gale's scanner will reveal that the stone is a fluorite crystal! Such crystals usually glow like that under ultra-violet light. Kind of weird that the gem is glowing so brightly in normal daylight, though. More like excited neon gas than it is like typical photo-fluorescence. How very strange...

"What, the crystal?" the drakes ask, puzzled. "It's a fluorite crystal. Water from the spring seeps up into the granite and causes the crystals to grow really fast until they fill in cavities. I've been coming here for a couple months now to collect them."

A beat.

"I'm a dragon. I collect shiny things."

Another beat.

"Though, granted, I collected rocks before I was a dragon, too... but now I've got a really good excuse for it."

Yet another beat.

"Oh! You're wondering if the enchantments are dangerous, aren't you? Geeze, hell if I know. The water makes crystals grow really fast and causes them to glow if they normally fluoress under ultra violet light," they explain. "If it does anything else I don't know about it."

It totally does something else, too.

Specifically to people who bathe in it for too long. Or even worse, if they drink from it.

But Drake hasn't ever done either, so he wouldn't know. That, and enchanted pools usually don't impact faeries the same way they do mortals.

[Deathkeeper]

A Warm Spring

Clara sloooowly reaches for her towel and slides out of the water to dry herself off. Perhaps now whatever it does will make itself obvious.
Or not, since she's been here plenty of times and never has anything obvious been apparent before.

[Cyber Punk]

[Miller's Praise]

Mirai's eyes narrow and she balls up her fists, then glances at Vaylith and exhales. "There's a child in here. Hurt my baby, and I'll hunt down everyone you've ever cared about and murder them while you watch. Having some trouble, folks? You must be, to point weapons at a vehicle with a child in full view. Luckily for you, we specialize in fixing other's troubles."

Her nanoaugmented eye zooms in on the Pokemon cards. "Playing Pokemon? If you hear us out I could help you get the real things. An evolved Jolteon would be useful in frying your foes, wouldn't you agree?"‎

[Rebonack]

[Warm Spring]

"Haha, hey, don't worry about it!" the Drake swarm laughs. "If the spring had done anything to you, I'm sure you would have noticed by now. Probably. Unless you're one of those people who's really oblivious and tends to overlook obvious things like... geeze... I dunno... suddenly having aspects of one of your dream personas while you're awake or something."

What's a dream persona?

Maybe that is something that should be asked about.

Because it sounds like it might be important.

"Worst comes to worst, you'll probably just be able to remember your dreams better," Drake continues as several more little pixie drakes crawl back out of the granite fissure carrying a garnet. The gemstone hums with a baleful reddish light. "That's what happens to most people who get exposed to too much gossamer. But remembering your dreams is neat though, right? I hear lots of people have trouble remembering what they dream about. If you can remember, write it down! It can be some good fun."

A beat.

"Oh... hehehe... Here I am chattering away. I'm Drake, nice to meet you!" the swarm says, the one closest to Clara flaring out his wings so the sunlight catches them.

Another beat.

"And I was named Drake before the whole... drake thing. That's just a coincidence."

[Nalix]

Miller's Praise

"We're a family of adventurers looking for a place to say, and if we can do some work for you while we're here so much the better. We have some very skilled ladies among us, and I'm not exactly useless either," says Phil, arms spread and hands exposed in what he hopes is a friendly gesture, though he has big internal charge ready to cast "avoided harm" in a blast around them.

It will only be cast if the guards open fire. [event: avoided harm. Secondary events: forced tranquility curse, and a battle between a volcano and a fortress.] Phil better hope that this one doesn't get discharged. I'm not sure how those three events would interact.

[Earl of Purple]

Miller's Praise

"When my colleague prepared for your approach, the child wasn't visible." They got into position when they saw the Jeep approach, long before it was close enough to make out occupants. "Well, there's something in the forest. It hasn't done anything, not so anyone can prove it, but Sister Abstinence says it causes nightmares and brings temptation. As for the real thing, we've got some. There's a nest of Magnemite in the electro-mill, and wild pokemon of all sorts around about. You want Pokemon supplies, talk to Nurse Joy in the General Store. He's got balls, medicines, disc things, rare candy and all sorts." The guy climbs out from behind the sandbags and shoulders his laser-rifle as the other lifts the barrier.

"The General Store's got most adventuring clobber. Basic armour, melee weapons, crude firearms, Pokemon equipment and so on. You can park your vehicle in the parking area behind the Temple. There's a charge, but Brother Dandelion will find you so don't worry. Hope you can sort out the monster in the woods; it's getting on the town's nerves." He motions in the direction of the things he's pointing out; the General Store is well-labelled, and the Temple is a simple wooden bungalow with a copper roof and marked with a large eye staring down at all who pass the building's facade. Zither doesn't move; she's waiting for the barrier to move up first.

[Cyber Punk]

[Miller's Praise]‎
‎
Mirai turns to look at her teammates, then back at the gatekeeper when the 'something' is mentioned. "That sounds worth checking out. Thanks."

She turns to Vaylith and pecks her snout. "Do you want a pokemon, hun? We should hit the general store, stock up on supplies and info, Zii." She turns to look at the signs. "I don't like temples, if you've noticed, but this Sister Abstinence could help us."‎
‎
Luckily, Phil doesn't get a chance to discharge his loaded charge, and the plasma turrets don't try shooting at any active volcanoes of their own volition.‎

[Nalix]

Miller's Praise

Phil reabsorbs his charge without showing it. "I can go to the temple, if you feel uncomfortable there," says Phil. "I agree about the thing in the forest. It sounds promising. Should we look for it first or mingle with the town first? If we mix much with the locals we might give ourselves away, but on the other hand it might be good having such a well armed place to fall back to if things go poorly. Making friends with folks first might be worth it, but so might keeping the element of surprise, if this does turn out to be the demon of the prophecy. And what's up with all those turrets, anyway? This place is a farming community, but I've seen fortresses with less security. Anyway, let's go on in if it's open."

[Deathkeeper]

A Warm Spring

"What the heck is a dream persona?" Clara grumbles as she dries herself off. There's something...odd about the movement, perhaps, as if every move is exactly purposeful and measured. At least for Gale. For Drake, he might have a different interpretation of the slight amounts of glamour the spring's enchantment makes, if he isn't outright immune to it.

[Lost_Deep]

A Warm Spring

"Is that the difference between the conscious person and the unconscious person?" Gale asks, "Or is it something else entirely?" She doesn't notice the slight change in body language.

[Rebonack]

[Warm Spring]

To the fae, glamour is reality. They can tell when it's being used, especially when it's being used on or by a mortal, but divining its purpose takes a bit more work.

Suffice to say, Drake has neither the experience or interest to figure out what has happened to Clara aside from the fact that she just got enchanted by the enchanted spring. Or maybe she was already and he just didn't say anything about it? Honestly, it's hard to say with faeries. Their motivations can be so ephemeral sometimes.

"Have you ever dreamed you're someone or something that you aren't when you're awake?" the swarm of pixie drakes replies. "That's a dream persona. It's a fae living in the Dreamlands that you've got a connection to. Most mortals just ride around and perceive what they perceive. But if you're Lucid, then you can actually take over and control your own dream."

The little damsel-fly like critter that has been the centerpiece of the conversation gives his wings an irritated buzz.

"I was Lucid. 's what made those stupid goblins interested in me to begin with. How they managed to lure me into the Hedge, too. Which was how I got turned into a faerie."

A beat.

"Well. A whole bunch of faeries, I guess. It's weird."

Most fae-related things are.

[Deathkeeper]

[A Warm Spring]

Clara shakes her head.
"I don't ever remember my dreams. But that sucks, what happened to you."

[Earl of Purple]

Miller's Praise

"The general store will also let me ask if anyone's bored here and wants to go to the Tower. And, Phil, the religion they worship here promotes non-violence and pacifism, and about half the townspeople are devout enough that they won't defend themselves if attacked. The raiders in the Tower were twenty miles away; they'd have had a field day in a town of pacifists, looting and murdering everyone they found. The turrets are fully automated, so they can defend the town without anybody having to soil their souls with the death of others, though they ignore that they also need regular maintenance and they couldn't kill anyone if the pacifists didn't repair them when they broke. Actually, did the prophecy say we had to fight the demon?" Because Phil might be misinterpreting it, or making an invalid assumption that will later prove false. Prophecies are tricky.

"Whaat's a pookeemon? Caan I eat it? I'm huungry." Vaylith rubs her snout against Hotaru's hand as Zither parks the jeep-car behind the Temple's marble façade, as I need to decide which deity it is. Maybe Stendar.

[Lost_Deep]

A Warm Spring

"Does this system maintain true for anyone here, or is it only for natives?" Gale asks, curious and cautious. She seems to not like this idea.

[Rebonack]

[Warm Spring]

Drake artfully dodges Clara's condolences for his weirdness!

The teeny dragon claps his equally tiny front legs together. "Oh hey, you're in luck then! If you can't remember what you dream about then the chances of something nasty noticing you are slim to none."

A beat.

"Well, anything nasty from the Dreamlands at least. There are plenty of awful things in the Waking World you can run afoul of, too."

Like actual dragons!

The big, grumpy kind.

Drake gives Gale a thoughtful look when she asks her question.

"Huh... I dunno. From what I've gathered so far, it sounds like there's no one set 'ways things work'. This is how things were where I came from, I guess. And there are some other people who have to deal with this kind of thing, too. But I don't think everyone does?" Drake muses as he taps his tiny chin. "I could probably find out if you like? I could have some of me around when you fall asleep. I can see it when a person's mind wanders into the Dreamlands while they're asleep. It's pretty cool. But if your mind doesn't then I guess that would mean you don't?"

[Lost_Deep]

Warm Spring

"Hm. I'll consider it," Gale says, "But for now, we should deal with the question at hand: The exact result of the spring water. If nothing else, we should be sure that it isn't dangerous."

[Deathkeeper]

A Warm Spring

"I'm fine, Gale. I've been here at least ten times, and I haven't sprouted horns yet. It probably doesn't do anything to people." she says with a shrug, sitting down on her towel.

[Rebonack]

[A Warm Spring]

"Oh it did something alright," Drake points out. "I can... umm... well, the sense is hard to describe. It's like when you're dreaming and you just know something. But you said you don't remember your dreams so I guess you can't relate?" he explains somewhat awkwardly. "It isn't anything obvious. It didn't turn you into a faerie, that's for sure. You're just enchanted. And I doubt it's something big, otherwise you would have noticed already."

A beat.

"Or not. With enchantments, usually the enchanted person doesn't realize that they're enchanted. Someone else typically has to point it out. Has anyone noticed anything unusual about you since you started coming here?"

The answer is probably no.

Why?

Because the enchantment is really really subtle.

Simply put, Clara appears more glamorous to people than she would otherwise. Exactly how that's perceived is largely subjective.

[Shadowcaller]

[Outside the Temple Gate]

Foreboding images flooded his mind in efforts to glimpse through to his immediate future. As he thought, something or someone was interfering with the flow of time here, making it difficult to step back and see things as an interloper, like Eternus was so accustomed to doing. Still, he thought, if anything is capable of such feats, it wasn't worth being shunted around in an alternate timeline to avoid his death by facing it without his ally.

Looking back at Cleo, he'll notice her predicament, and will attempt to begin an arduous climb to get to where she is. If he gets close enough, quick enough, he'll grab hold of his clockwork staff and attempt to cast a spell on Cleo. If it succeeds, she'll find her mind moves much more rapidly. The mental acuity and precision of thought made true by the hastened effects in her brain at a neural level might allow her to boost her spells in both power and frequency.

[Outside The Temple Gate]

Hei growls angrily and dodges the flying creatures, mostly succeeding. The ones he can't dodge are attacked with sharp claws, corrosive poison breath attack and some fine usage of razor wind. His scales are hard, but one or two attacks get in, much to his chagrin.
‎
"You will submit!" He booms in a loud voice, intending to intimidate the winged creatures to... well, submission.

His attention is a bit divided, though, and he bids the ground, vegetation and water kami to act in ways that'll impede the time wizard's progress. Former VIGIL members or not, anything that'll aid the demons and he as well should be protected.‎

[Outside the Temple Gate]

The angel has its purpose, fine. The Wizard certainly isn't here to be its friend. Cleo watches the guardians start to shake - and then become reinforced. She'll just have to do this the old fashioned way. Really unfortunate that they spend so much time aiming for the wings - she doesn't have any. Whatever Hei might be doing with his shape, this dragon resembles nothing so much as a snake. (not exactly alike, but that's a dragon that's appropriately snakey.) Add hands and horns and something not-exactly-a-rattle on the end of the tail, yes. But serpentine.

One clawed hand draws a knife from - I think it was just made to appear by magic. These mechanical guardians ought to provide no more resistance than appropriately warmed butter. Cleo slashes at the tentacles as they close in, a bit wildly. Lucky for her that several held back, preventing an escape she wasn't trying for. Most of the claws have trouble getting through her scales - but here and there, near the eyes and jaw, they land a scratch.

[Outside the Temple Gate]

The beings have no intention to submitting, only to subdue the dragon with their sheer numbers. As there is no flying support coming, Hei has to stand alone against the onslaught of the fliers. It seems that the corruption can't soak through their metal-like skin; but his claws can easily slice through it however. Yet they're trying to keep out of his reach by attempting to dig into his back and wings with their talons. It feels like the creatures are trying to weigh him down and simultaneously cripple his wings to force him down on the ground.
On said ground the metal creatures are slowly breaking through, but their force is broken, the flame cannons, Hei's magic and the hounds demons having decimated their ranks leaving only a skeletal crew of the original force.
The stragglers are now making their way through the gate as the demons focus on the main force. It seems like all the pit fiends guarding the gate are either wounded or otherwise not fit for combat. But the gate is now closed so that's another obstacle in their way.

Up on the plateaus the guardians are being broken apart with the magical assistance of a knife and the sword the angel just summoned to it's side. With their remaining tentacles they switch tactics and attack the dragons eyes and mouth instead, trying to bypass her scales. The angel simply moves too fast for them, dodging their every attack.

[Eterus]

Shouldn't Cleo still be moving towards the first cannon in this timeline? If time is frozen then the attacks should just have started here.

[Lost_Deep]

A Warm Spring

"Don't ask me if I've noticed anything," Gale says, "I haven't, there's nothing obvious. There's a few things it could be, but I only just met you, so I don't know what's normal."

[Deathkeeper]

A Warm Spring

Clara waves a hand.
"No, nothing unusual. The only weirdness is from my blood, already there, so don't worry about that."

[Rebonack]

[Warm Spring]

"Oooh, weird blood? Do tell. Are you one sixty fourth bronze dragon on your mother's side?" Drake asks curiously.

By now all his... other parts... seem to have finished harvesting gemstones from the boulder. He doesn't have any other reason to stick around at this point aside from being curious about these new people he just met!

Because let's be clear here.

If you meet someone out in the middle of nowhere who seems to be just oozing important character-ness, then there's likely a good reason to stick around even if you aren't sure what it is yet.

And Drake really isn't sure what it is yet.

But that won't stop him from finding out!

And possibly making a nuisance of himself.

[Lost_Deep]

A Warm Spring

"It's more likely to be blood disease or genetic quirk," Gale says, completely unaware of the meta-tropes in play, "There's no reason to jump to conclusions."

[Cyber Punk]

Phil reabsorbs his charge without showing it. "I can go to the temple, if you feel uncomfortable there," says Phil. "I agree about the thing in the forest. It sounds promising. Should we look for it first or mingle with the town first? If we mix much with the locals we might give ourselves away, but on the other hand it might be good having such a well armed place to fall back to if things go poorly. Making friends with folks first might be worth it, but so might keeping the element of surprise, if this does turn out to be the demon of the prophecy. And what's up with all those turrets, anyway? This place is a farming community, but I've seen fortresses with less security. Anyway, let's go on in if it's open."

"The general store will also let me ask if anyone's bored here and wants to go to the Tower. And, Phil, the religion they worship here promotes non-violence and pacifism, and about half the townspeople are devout enough that they won't defend themselves if attacked. The raiders in the Tower were twenty miles away; they'd have had a field day in a town of pacifists, looting and murdering everyone they found. The turrets are fully automated, so they can defend the town without anybody having to soil their souls with the death of others, though they ignore that they also need regular maintenance and they couldn't kill anyone if the pacifists didn't repair them when they broke. Actually, did the prophecy say we had to fight the demon?" Because Phil might be misinterpreting it, or making an invalid assumption that will later prove false. Prophecies are tricky.

"Whaat's a pookeemon? Caan I eat it? I'm huungry." Vaylith rubs her snout against Hotaru's hand as Zither parks the jeep-car behind the Temple's marble façade, as I need to decide which deity it is. Maybe Stendar.

[Miller's Praise]

((I can control those 'bored anyones' to take the load off you, Earl.))

"I say we mingle with the town first. Seeing as Zii has said they're pacifists, I wouldn't worry about giving ourselves away too much. We can help them kill any offenders, if necessary. They won't have to..." Mirai snickers here. "'Soil their souls.' Heh. Also, Zii and I can help with fixing the turrets, too. Phil and Vaylith can go"

Mirai chuckles and boops Vaylith on her snout. "No, dearie. It's a pet, and they can fight, too! Though, if you're hungry..." She pulls out a large ration from her inventory, containing food that even Vaylith can eat easily with her hands, and hands it to her adopted daughter. "Here."

"Now, let's go find us a demon."

[Deathkeeper]

A Warm Spring

"My father was one of Gilean's players. When he took on a role for the theater, he took it on exactly. Which means I haven't a clue what he was actually born as, only that he was human when my parents had me." she says with a shrug.

[Nalix]

Miller's Praise

Phil looks at the metal plate prophecy again and nods. "You're right Zither, it only says seek the demon of Miller's Praise, not fight or kill it. Though later it says that the blood of demons shall paint the way. So I guess that makes plan A 'find the demon and ask it nicely for some of its blood?'"

Phil gives Vaylith's scaly back a reassuring stroke. "Want to go see the temple with me? I can make you some food or buy you some."