2.5 mini-adventure: Pretty Women (Archive)

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

K wrote:: "I'll say it again; i didn't shut down anything. Unless you think i'm lying, or that i should never contradict you." - he affirms - "Just where is this coming from?"

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

Kolson wrote:: "No, you're not a liar. It wasn't my intention to call you that. Thing's have been so tense lately, I don't know where we stand as a group. I don't mind being disagreed with but I hate it when no one discusses that. If I don't say something now what if I lose my temper later, what if everyone wants me to leave like they did Konrad? What would happen to me then? What would happen to all of you?" There are tears in his eyes now. "I don't want any of us to get hurt. I don't want any of us to die!"

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

Zeiss wrote:: Zelk listens to Mihai and Steve with incredulity, then outright worry. She takes a steps towards Steve, and puts an hand on his shoulder.

Fedler and Breeze look at each other, trying to figure out how best to react, until Breeze says, "Don't worry. Heroes don't die."

She gives him a reassuring smile.

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

K wrote:: Mihai relents and takes a step back - "Steve, it's not losing your temper that's gonna make you unwelcome. We all respect you. I know i always have." - he takes a breath, and braces himself for what he's about to say - "It's tough having to wonder what you're wondering right now, but at some point you'll have to put it down and trust us. And yourself. Or you'll just be a prisoner of it wherever you go."

He takes a breath before continuing.

"As for getting hurt, well..." - he pauses just a moment before proceeding - "There's no such thing as fate. And there's no such thing as luck. You make things happen. Keep your head together, and your feet quick, and your spells ready, and we'll come back. It's that simple."

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

Rory wrote:: Konrad listens to this exchange as the others go back and forth. "We're a team, alright? We're pals. That means whatever comes between us, we deal with it so that we can function at our optimum. Someone or something gives, and then we can move on. No one's leaving, nothing bad's happening to anyone, okay?"

Hmm... The constructs have 'blank' thoughts, Snicker throws 'ink' on whatever mind he's in, and aspects and fairies minds feel similar. Songbird feels more foreign than the rest of them, he ponders, like putting together pieces of "evidence" or testimony. "After what I've seen and felt recently and back when we all formed up, nothing would surprise me, so 'out of this world' isn't something I'll rule out. Not when Breeze says Songbird's mind feels weird and different. He is something new, there's no doubt about that, and we'll solve this mystery together."

"We'll see him at the ball tomorrow, so why don't we just walk up and ask?"

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

Kolson wrote:: Steve wipes away his tears. "Okay, thanks guys. I feel a lot better. But sure, we can ask. Most of the new things we've seen haven't tried to kill us or didn't do it on purpose. Perhaps Songbird doesn't mean any harm."

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

K wrote:: "Perhaps, but i think we'd better wait till after his performance before we put him on notice. He looks like a show off, i wanna see just what he's got planned. Also, it's not our house, so let's tread lightly."

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

Kolson wrote:: "Right. No scenes. Well, any more scenes." Steve laughs.

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

Zeiss wrote:: "Are you sure you're okay?" asks Breeze.

"We don't have to meet my grandfather immediately," specifies Zelk. "We can go later."

Fedler simply watches the scene, her arms crossed, waiting to see how Steve will respond.

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

K wrote:: Mihai steps back to give him some room.

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

Kolson wrote:: "It's something that's been with me for a while now. Getting it out there is a relief. I think I'll be fine. Please, lead on. I've been curious about your grandpa since you mentioned him."

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

Rory wrote:: Konrad smiles lax and warm, proud of the effect he can have on people when he puts his heart into it.

"Yeah, let's pray for no more interruptions and meet our gracious host."

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

Zeiss wrote:: "Okay then," continues Zelk. "We should be there soon. Let's go."

She leads the way, and the rest of the party follows her just like before.

"I also want to meet Zelky's grandpa," mentions Breeze. "I hope he's super cool."

_____________________

The group has to enter the so-called upper city to reach the Freeron's estate, which is delimited by a high wall that surrounds the whole district. This city being part of the Free Feathers, and not Emerald or Lofell, the gateway is not guarded by anyone and people can go through as they please. From there, it's only five more minutes before the party reach their destination. When Zelk stops in front of it, Breeze naively asks, "Is this a school?"

The building standing before them is two stories tall, and almost 150 feet wide. Rows of gray slabs of stone were laid down on top of each other to create this massive manor, and the elongated windows built into it could let any curious passerby or greedy burglar to peek at the interior, if they were brave enough to climb the elegant and spiky fence that surrounds the domain.

"This is no school," says Fedler with a tone that is both ominous and playful.

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

K wrote:: "...no, but i just learned something." - Mihai manages, a bit awestruck.

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

Kolson wrote:: Steve stares at the grounds in awe. "I had no idea anyone had this much space. It's so beautiful."

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

Rory wrote:: This is where a ball shall be held! Food, music, dancing, fancy dress! Explosions! Wait, no. None of those. Konrad had always wanted to crash a party. Sadly, he will be doing no "crashing" in any sense of the word, not with a formal invitation from the host's flesh and blood. Lovely party. Pity I was invited.

He whistles. "Shall we knock?"

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

Zeiss wrote:: "Yes," succinctly replies Zelk.

She goes through the fence gate, which has been left open for visitors such as yourselves, and walks up to the large wooden doorway. There are two large knockers on it that have been forged to resemble the heads of two unknown types of feline creatures.

"Oh look!" points out Breeze. "They're cats!"

"Lions," corrects Zelk. "These are animals that existed before the Flood. This one is male, and the other is female."

"Ooh..."

The black mage grabs one of the knockers, and hammers it on the door.

"It'll probably take a minute before someone comes," she announces.

"Anything we should know before we meet the man?" asks Fedler.

"...No. Not really."

Zelk doesn't seem convinced by her own words.

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

K wrote:: Mihai just raises an eyebrow and gives a quizzical frown. - "How old is this place?"

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

Zeiss wrote:: "Almost four hundred years old," answers Zelk. "The manor was built for a noble from the Empire. My grandfather bought it... forty years ago? Give or take."

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

K wrote:: Mihai can't help but give the place another look, seeing it differently with that new knowledge.

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

Rory wrote:: Konrad inspects the lions, marveling at their appearance. "Huh, would you happen to know why wolves and horses survived while lions didn't?"

Above his grin, his eyes narrow impishly. "How do you know the knockers' genders? "Have you checked? Have you seen one of the knockers' knockers? Or knackers? Will you show me?"

Perhaps a little bit of Steve is rubbing off on him.

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

K wrote:: "You can only pack so much wildlife into a tiny corner of the world." - Mihai reasons - "A lot of animals would have lived in the kind of terrain that just doesn't exist anymore."

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

Zeiss wrote:: "Mihai is right," adds Zelk. "As for their genders..." She points at the knockers. "The one with the mane is male. The one without is female. So I've been told anyway."

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

Rory wrote:: People in lowlands drowned, animals went extinct - I coulda guessed that.

Konrad was about to say "you've said that already" before she said that she just doesn't know. He shrugs, disappointed at her total lack of reaction. "Steve's clearly spoiled you. Cheeky snark will never be the same."

Posts : 7109 Join date : 2017-05-17

Zeiss wrote:: "For you, I'll make an exception."

» 1st Adventure: The Fallout (Archive)
» 2nd Adventure: Proxy War (Archive)
» 2nd Adventure: Sightseeing and Debrief (Archive)
» 3rd adventure: Rebirth
» 1st Aventure: The Fey One (Archive)