EVENT #15: THE NETHER - IC EVENT LOG

[abraxasmods]

Event #15 - The Nether

OOC event plotting | settings info

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After a Conclave vote earlier this month, you're prepared to accept the formal request from the Nether for your assistance. By now, you'll know who the delegates are and that the dragons have suffered an illness from the rifts that opened this summer, due to the unfortunate actions of one of your fellow Summoned. Whether or not you agree with your Conclave's majority rule, the decision has been made.

The expedition will begin on October 16 and last 10 days. If you need to return home sooner, you can activate your portal stone at any point during the trip, but there's no going back once you do.

Though mysterious, the Draconae - or daemons, as others call them - are not elusive like the Fey. Anyone who's been to Nocwich will have seen a handful of them amongst the population, and some reside in the Free Cities or the outskirts of Thorne. The only nation they aren't found in is Solvunn.

Into the Heart

Your arrival to the Nether is a frosty one. The northern island is barren, save for a thick layer of snow, a few birds, and some hardy insects. Massive skeletal remains can be seen as you walk over the ice. Every few minutes, the ground trembles. The Draconae warriors greet you at the base of the volcano, including Orion, The Warden herself. Though they appear intimidating, they're grateful you're here and will clap you heartily on the back.

Entering the Obsidian Heart requires nerves of steel, but appearances aside, the narrow walkway is sturdy. As long as you're brave, you'll make it down without a problem. The less sure-footed are encouraged to ask for a hand. If they do, they'll be assigned a Draconum warrior who will cheerfully carry them down the winding path. You can also help each other, of course! Any Summoned who are capable can carry their friends, too.

As you venture down, the oppressive heat intensifies...until suddenly it stops. The moment you reach the fiery gates, the smell of brimstone fades from the air and the temperature eases into that of a pleasant summer's day. If asked, the Draconae will tell you this is how it is - a blessing from the two remaining dragons. Without them, the air would suffocate all life within.

Although the main purpose is to aid the dragons, the Draconae will invite characters to take breaks, participate in recreational activities, and explore the Nether. They want their guests to be comfortable, especially as the Summoned have arrived to help.

Around the City

At the center of the volcano lies the Obsidian Heart, where the Draconae reside. Made of stacking homes and stone bridges that spiral downward, it's a wonder how anyone finds their way. There are no maps, signage, or any form of direction. Their ability to navigate appears inherent. The most dangerous beasts lurk beneath the lava, so unless you intend to go swimming, you're unlikely to run into anything aggressive.

Doors and furniture are heavy and are made of iron, bronze, or steel. You might need to push or pull furnishings and doors with both hands and extra effort. Luckily, citizens are happy to help - as long as you ask. If you don't, they won't interfere out of respect for your autonomy. In fact, if they see you huffing and puffing, they might stop to watch and will sincerely cheer for you should you accomplish your objective by yourself.

Watch your sticky fingers. While petty theft is a minor offence in other places, the Draconae are highly protective of their belongings and treasures. Hands and heads have been lost over stolen trinkets.

The Hieran Wing

As a guest, you'll be invited to stay at the Hieran Wing. Named after Hierus, the oldest living dragon, the Hieran Wing is located in the eastern section of the Citadel. The rest of the Citadel is under heavy guard and inaccessible.

◎ The rooms are carved into the stone itself. Bedding is comfortable, if simple, with room to store your belongings. A curved stairwell grants you privacy even though many rooms have curtains rather than doors. The few rooms that have doors contain no locks. Your safety is assured, but if you're nervous, you can ask for a guard to watch you at night.

◎ The dining area consists of open-fire grills, pots, and raw ingredients - including spices and fiery hot peppers. As great believers in self-sufficiency, the Draconae will leave you to make meals to your taste and liking. You can hunt and fish your meat, as well. There are numerous lava pools where one can net jumbo shrimp, crabs, and flaming fish. For larger game, you can go after the Erymaes Boar or Petran Bison. Feel free to share your catch with your friends or offer to cook for the culinarily challenged.

◎ The library contains only fiction. You'll recognize several titles from your faction or Nocwich, suggesting they've brought back their favorite stories to read. Other titles are new, written by the Draconae. Novels and poetry span all genres, but the most common ones seem to be adventure, horror, and erotic romance - some of which contain surprisingly detailed illustrations.

Magma Pools

Outside the Hieran Wing, unusual cerulean magma pools are provided for bathing. Despite how they look, temperatures are equivalent to that of a steaming hot spring. The magma bubbles naturally from within the volcano and provides soothing effects. No soap or cleaning agents are required. These magma pools contain tiny frogs that leap and jump around. The Draconae consider them a tasty live snack. Don't be surprised if you see a local munching on them.

The Foundry

The Foundry has expanded over the past two centuries. A marketplace now circles the ancient forge. Observing the tradespeople inside and their secrets are off-limits. However, you can browse a selection of tools, clothes, accessories, and potions. Healing potions are common due to the Draconae's lack of healing magic.

You'll have the chance to request custom-made jewelry and purchase glass ornaments that are blown for you on the spot. Merchants won't sell the large weapons on display, but daggers and other small weapons are available. They'll also modify any pieces you own by adding jewels, altering the fit, or repairing nicks and faults...for a price. The Draconae deal in Abraxan currency if you have any, but they'll accept a vial or two of blood or saliva as payment.

Negotiations & Meetings (Rank 5+)

The first order of business is to present your Conclave's terms to the Inner Sanctum, the Draconae's governing body. If you've been voted as a delegate, you'll be greeted by the NPC meeting you (and your partner, if you have one). If you haven't been selected, you can still speak to some of the NPCs available.

A Place at the Table

Negotiations will take place in The Solar on the second day, a hall lit with a fiery orb of light. This is where the Inner Sanctum conducts all of its business. Tightly guarded, you're the first outsiders allowed inside in centuries. Here, you'll have the chance to present your terms and convince the Draconae to accept. You'll also have the first day of your arrival to gather a few details about the NPC you'll be meeting.

Only one meeting is required. The Nether will give you their final answer the following day.

Be sure to reply with the terms before starting the thread. Mods will approve or ask for revisions, so try to submit your points by OCTOBER 17.

Once approved, please TAG IN with your character under the correct faction heading.

Meeting the Inner Sanctum

Members of the Inner Sanctum who are not involved in diplomatic affairs are Aster, The Guardian and Anneth, The Flame. Additional descriptions about the two NPCs and where they can be found will be in their character comments below.

Characters who are Rank 5+ (negative or positive) and who are not acting as delegates can speak with one of the two NPCs above.

To do so, TAG IN with your character under the NPC you want to meet.

Runaway at Pyritean's Rack

Abraxan outsiders will whisper that Pyritean's Rack is a nefarious torture device created by the Draconae for their victims. This is true if the victim in question is delicious meat. The Rack, in other words, is a giant cooking area filled with grilling racks and pits. Shelves of ingredients and spices line the perimeter. Its most striking feature is the primary heat source, which uses magma rather than fire. Ingredients and meat unique to the Nether result in dishes and flavors not found elsewhere. Hot peppers are a popular feature.

The Draconae cook and share their food each night at the Rack. The station is always occupied. Locals take turns hunting and fishing, preparing ingredients, and cooking. Consequently, food is provided without cost. You only need to lend a hand.

Not everything goes smoothly, though. An escaped hatchling has infiltrated the Rack, and Khloris, the baby dragon, is eager to snatch and steal food throughout the week.

Earning the Torch

Impromptu competitions are frequent. They usually begin when one cook sees another outdoing them and makes a challenge. You can either issue a challenge or receive a challenge. Challenges can be between you and the natives, or you can face off with another Summoned. Judging is done by the crowd, which can be chaotic.

Not to worry! There's no downside to losing except your pride. Though the competition can grow fierce and heated in the moment - including vulgar insults and much jeering - once all is said and done, there are no grudges when the food hits the table. Sore losers are looked down on as being thin-skinned.

Winners will receive a jar of spice mix or marinating sauce from one of the many talented cooks. We won't be modding this aspect, so just be realistic with your character's cooking skills. Be sure to work things out with your thread partner if the competition involves another player character!

Escaped Hatchling

One young dragon has escaped its sanctuary at Dragon's Glass. Curious, it's drawn to the smell of food at Pyritean's Rack. As a result, it's disrupting competitions, breaking equipment, and stealing ingredients or even chunks of meat off people's plates. Desperate to get the dragon back before it causes more trouble - or worse, injures itself - the Draconae have asked you to catch the hatchling.

Of course, you'll need to contend with the dragon's unique abilities.

Khloris, the runaway in question, leaves behind small patches of grass. Its pollen dust coats nearly everything it goes near. When eaten or touched, the pollen causes flowers to sprout in your hair for a day or two. It can't fly far or very high, but it's prone to swooping down to snatch meat off the grill. The Flame informs you the dragon can be lured with gold trinkets or bright colors like red and yellow.

To see if your character can catch the dragon, submit for a roll HERE. Submissions will close October 18 at 11:59 ET. Results will be posted on October 19 so players can account for their success or failure.

Ailing Dragons

The two ailing dragons are Hierus, the Obsidian Drake, and Kruos, the Glass Serpent. Mated to each other, they're the only remaining adult dragons in the Nether and have been for decades. When you visit them at Dragon's Glass, their condition is worrisome. The dragons' scales have lost their luster and are grown over with painful white patches. They appear lethargic.

Those researching can offer the dragons healing potions or ointment to aid their symptoms while a cure is worked on. If you're not much of a healer or a scientist, you can feed them or simply spend time with them. The dragons are intelligent and appear capable of understanding you, though they can't communicate directly.

Characters have 3 avenues of participation, depending on their interests and strengths: gathering ingredients, researching the cure, and looking after the baby dragons and eggs. They'll have time to do all three throughout the 10-day excursion.

Finding a Cure

At first, you aren't sure where or how to start. The Draconae suggest the Ashlands may be a place to explore. It's dangerous, they warn, but they have a potion that'll help keep you safe. Due to the hazards, you're told not to go alone. As you travel through the deadened land, you notice an odd phenomenon: where you walk, the air around you clears, and the ground beneath your feet springs to life. You realize you don't need the potion to protect you.

The changes are temporary, fading behind you as you walk. Curiously, the effect you exhibit is similar to what the Draconae claim their dragons are capable of - though to a much smaller degree. Still, you have to wonder if you and the dragons share a similar magical connection to the Singularity. You can't help but notice that those of you who regularly interact with the Horizon and have been doing so for a while seem to affect your environment more. Your aura may be a little larger and the vicinity restored around you lasts a bit longer rather than melting away immediately - maybe even up to a minute or two.

Restoration and Gathering

Your ability to restore the land has unlocked a vital element. Ingredients once thought lost can now be gathered by the Summoned such as yourself, and they may hold the key to curing the dragons. Bring back these ingredients to your peers waiting at Dragon's Glass. The more you gather, the more they'll be able to research and experiment, so don't be shy about making multiple trips.

There are three sections for you to explore. Each one has its dangers and a specific ingredient to collect.

Due to its circumstances, Aetherie is only available on Day 9 of the event, shortly before the cure is finalized. The Draconae will seal the area once more when they realize what's happening. Cinder's Core and Featherhive are open for the full duration of the event.

◎ Cinder's Core

Filled with petrified trees and fossilized bones, the area that restores around you demonstrates its previous life as a flourishing rainforest: the humidity grows, the grass turns lush, and tropical flowers sprout under your fingertips. Although its sulfuric air won't affect you, you'll need to brave dangerous heights to reach the tops of trees and dried-up waterfall cliffs to retrieve the kydros fruit. The fruit smells like citrus and is surprisingly light despite its size.

Vines brought back to life can help you climb, forming ropes for you to climb and bridges that weave beneath your feet. They'll wither once more behind you, so you'll want to move quickly to avoid losing your footing. Height isn't the only danger - the ground below is littered with sharp skeletal protrusions and jagged trees. Beware of dangerous thorn bushes that will come to life in your presence and try to crush you in their spiny embrace as you ascend.

◎ Featherhive

The air here is too toxic for the Draconae to breathe in for long. Luckily you're unaffected. Scattered across the ground are the remaining husks of birds' nests. A dragon's skeleton curls under a rocky overhang. Use your restorative ability to journey deep into Featherhive's heart. Pushing aside the thick overgrowth reveals a small clearing covered in bright crystals for you to harvest.

Although Featherhive poses no physical danger, the land is haunted by shadow birds, ethereal spirits connected to the dragons - and you. As you pass through, they flutter around you and parrot familiar lines to each other. Their movements are jerky and strange. Quickly, you realize the birds are mimicking your memories. They might replicate an entire scene or echo a phrase or two that's plagued you all your life. Or, if you're lucky, they're merely repeating your grocery list. Shooing them will cause them to dissipate into smoke, but they'll soon return.

◎ Aetherie

The loss of a dragon released a noxious gas through this village without warning. Escaping villagers were forced to leave behind those they could not save and seal the doors. The Oblivion is a painful moment in history for many, and none have set foot near the area since. Near the end of your stay, the Draconae request you use your ability to venture where they can't and gather Anoix pods, powerful healing seeds from a plant that only grew in Aetherie. They believe the abandoned huts will contain pouches of the pods on shelves and cabinets.

Entering the village, you expect a tragic scene of corpses. Instead, you find something far worse. The dead have mutated into grotesque arachnids, limbs fused to bulbous abdomens. They show no signs of recognition or awareness and attack you on sight. Hidden in the depths of the purple haze, rat-sized spiders scurry forth. Their venom causes painful sores that will fester and spread if left untreated. Multiple bites may result in temporary blindness or paralysis of a limb. Luckily, this will clear up within 24 hours to a few days, depending on the severity.

Grab the pods if you can or flee if you're overwhelmed. When word reaches The Warden, she'll rapidly send her people to reseal the abandoned village and come to aid any who need it. If you're injured, The Flame and her apprentices will tend to you at Dragon's Glass.

Research and Magic

Dragon's Glass is a glass-domed temple said to be forged from the fires of Kruos. It's located in the Spiral, which is outside the Obsidian Heart. Here, the two remaining dragons reside while ill, along with their clutch of eggs and a few precious hatchlings.

Anneth, The Flame, will invite you into the temple's alchemy labs, where you can apply your skills and knowledge to create the healing elixir that cures the dragons. Doing so requires you to experiment with key ingredients found in the Ashlands. You'll have access to basic alchemy books and apprentices at the temple. Use any additional tools, supplies, and knowledge you possess, and take advantage of the resources donated by the factions.

How you approach your research is up to you, but each ingredient comes with a set of risks - so be careful while you work!

◎ The kydros fruit contains seeds that will explode when heated, causing a chain reaction like popped popcorn. The explosions aren't large, but they might scorch your supplies. Crushing them in the open air results in a similar chemical reaction. However, soaking them in water makes them soften into mush, allowing you to turn the seeds into a paste that could be useful. The fruit is similar to grapefruit and is excellent for a sore throat.

◎ The crystals come in three colors: red, blue, and black. Extended contact will dye your skin that color. The stains are extraordinarily stubborn, so your clothes may not recover. These crystals resonate with a strange hum that suggests they respond well to magic spells. Combining them with a liquid will give off a foul-smelling smoke, so you may need to find ways to neutralize the stench before combining it into an elixir.

◎ The Anoix pods must be used sparingly, as no more can be gathered from Aetherie. They possess strong healing properties, but each pod is very delicate and must be split open with care so as not to damage the soft seeds inside. In addition to researching the cure, you can also attempt to help the Dracaone grow new Anoix plants using the preserved seeds.

The final cure will use all 3 key ingredients. Don't worry too much about continuity! As long as your character participated, you can assume they made a valuable contribution.

However, to assist with coordination, we've provided a RESEARCH DISCOVERY section where you can present any findings your character would share with others in-game.

Hatchlings and Eggs

While curing the adult dragons is a priority, the hatchlings and eggs aren't to be neglected. Baby dragons are active troublemakers, and without their parents to keep them in line, they've become especially unruly. The apprentices at the temple can only do so much. The Keeper has even made rare appearances in Dragon's Glass to lend his assistance.

Meanwhile, the eggs are beginning to show signs of affliction. The shells are beginning to weaken, and the feathery growths appearing on them will suffocate the hatchling inside if left untreated.

Babysitting the Dragons

If you have a spare moment, you can look after the baby dragons. Keep them out of trouble by reading their favorite stories, singing songs, and playing with them. They'll also need to be fed, watered, and their bedding changed or fluffed. The hatchlings are mischievous but friendly. They're eager to bond with the Summoned for reasons unexplained, as if they feel something resonating within you.

Many are attracted to shiny objects and bright colors and will attempt to steal them. Conversely, they might gift you a trinket that they've pilfered from someone else. The local Draconae would appreciate it if you returned any missing tools or jewels.

Hatchlings you'll encounter in Dragon's Glass are:

◎ Okenus spouts water instead of flame. Bearing fins instead of wings, this sea dragon is vital to bringing lakes and rivers back to the Nether. Currently, it can only make tiny puddles and rainclouds. Watch that your belongings don't get wet. Standing near the dragon might cause a small storm cloud to spawn over you and rain down on your head. A simple spell will make the cloud disappear, but if you don't have any magic, you might have to bring an umbrella.

◎ Epeius can form miniature gusts of wind beneath its wings, but it doesn't have firm control and frequently spawns them when excited. These small dust devils and whirlwinds will follow you around. Though they aren't powerful, they can be a nuisance, knocking over cups, blowing away hats, and sending papers flying. The other hatchlings will find your misfortune a source of amusement.

◎ Ledas can help salt deposits form in the shape of large salt crystals. Salt is important to the Draconae, which the hatchling is aware of and thus takes great pride in its abilities. The crystals can be eaten as is or crushed into granules. Ledas will strive to impress you with the largest crystals that it can make...which occasionally results in the structure collapsing, littering the ground with salt. You might find yourself sweeping often around this dragon, but at least you'll never be short on seasoning.

◎ Anthusa is a very special hatchling that creates bioluminescent algae. The algae grow on its scales, forming a symbiotic relationship. Unfortunately, without a proper habitat for this algae in the Nether, its glow has dimmed in recent years and the hatchling has become languid and sickly despite its youth. Nonetheless, Anthusa is friendly and curious even if it struggles to keep up with its siblings. You can help Anthusa play by lifting it to heights it can't reach, and carrying it back when the dragon is too tired to walk.

Weakened Eggs

As noted, the eggs demonstrate signs of suffering, too. Three eggs are waiting to be hatched. Whether all of the eggs survive is dependent on the decision that each faction Conclave made regarding resources found, as well as the help provided by you and your fellow Summoned.

The eggs can't be cured until the dragons are cured, but you can help slow the growths by gently scraping them off and wiping the eggs regularly with a clean cloth. They must also be kept heated, so check the magma frequently and refill any magma basins. The growths can be donated to those researching for additional study if you wish.

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Comments

[beautifullies]

[ There is, in a vague sort of way, a familiarity about him in the same sense most Summond have. ]

A friendly word of warning if you haven't been into the woods yet: avoid them if you can, help other places if you're the sort.

[ She's fresh off of (stupidly) going out again because she thought she could handle it. ]

There are other dangers here, but none that play with your mind so much as the birds, that I'm aware of.

[heavymetals]

[ Erik is beginning to feel this familiarity among other Summoned, himself. Almost like a passing recognition, as if he'd crossed paths before, even when he hasn't. But her face isn't completely unfamiliar to him, so he thinks she might come from Solvunn as well. ]

I appreciate the warning, even if it comes a little too late for me.

[ He's not as distraught by it now, having calmed down considerably, but there's a lingering pain that passes his features when he remembers the experience. ]

I'll not be going back there, if I can help it.

[beautifullies]

[ Damned birds. She has the ghost of her own pain nestled deep in her heart, trying to drown it out by keeping herself busy. ]

I've been here nearly a year, and this is the first time the 'danger' if you will, has been emotionally manipulative. There's been real danger, and now...this. I'm not sure what to think of the magic here being able to reach into my mind.

[ It's unnerving to say the least; is it part of the Singularity that does that? It must be, how else would anything grab their memories? ]

[heavymetals]

[ Erik lets out a low hum, barely above a breath. That much, he knows how to address. ]

I have no experience with magic, but I have met a few people who can slip into one's mind as easily as breathing. [ Well, maybe not as easily. He's sure it's taken some practice for them to become skilled and precise with their abilities, but still. ] But these creatures have a predilection for one's worst memories.

[ It's like they feed off the pain, the anger. The more it corrodes them from the inside, the better. ]

[beautifullies]

[ He must come from a world like Wanda and Steve's, if people have the ability to do that. ]

I suppose any creature capable of entering one's mind could do the same? [ Claire hesitates, because she realizes how reckless this is going to make her sound, but she plunges forward anyway. ] I'm a gatherer; I forage and my hands work quickly, trained that way. So I thought I would help in the way least likely to get me into trouble. [ She just turned fifty-two a few days ago, she can't go scaling mountains and fighting things. ] I've been back three times. The first time, of course, I was caught off guard. The second time, I thought I would be prepared for it, but it wasn't the same memory, that would've been too easy. And the third, was at the request of a friend who'd been asked to help but didn't want to face going into the woods alone. Yet another memory, and each time, a companion's as well.

[ And that was the last time, the one that had ripped open the barely surtured wound of losing Faith. The emotion passes on her face, unable to hide it, but Claire clears her throat, managing to offer a small smile. Backtracking, she extends one hand out of the water in greeting. ]

I'm Claire Fraser, from Solvunn.

[heavymetals]

[ So far, his world seems to be different to most everyone else's. Esme is the only one here who comes from a world with mutants, actually there's every possibility she's from the same reality that he is. But at least most everyone else is familiar enough with superhuman powers and abilities that Erik's own haven't earned too much unwanted attention. ]

Depending on how powerful they are, yes. It is entirely possible.

[ Some are even powerful enough to produce hallucinations, make people see things or relive whole memories as though they were there. Formidable yet incredibly dangerous powers. ]

Erik Lehnsherr. Solvunn as well. [ He raises his own hand to take hers in a shake. ] You are braver than most of us. Or more reckless, in any case.

[ Well, he did go twice, even when he knew how likely it was that those birds were going to dig up incredibly painful memorries. So he really can't talk much. ]

[beautifullies]

[ She laughs under her breath and raises her shoulders in a guilty shrug. ]

I think my husband would lean toward the 'reckless' side of the debate. Knowing what's there, I couldn't let people I care for go alone.

[ Because all her friends are as stubborn as she is and refused to back down from going at all. ]

You must be newly arrived? I try to make sure I introduce myself to as many people as possible, but it seems more and more have been arriving in Solvunn lately. Magical kidnapping aside, how are you finding it?

[heavymetals]

And I would dare say your husband would know better than any of us, so I may not be so far off the mark.

[ He offers with a small smile, grateful for a bit of light conversation for once. He's yet to fully settle in this place, and often conversations gain a heavier tone, whether it is due to the circumstances or the topic of the conversation itself. Admittedly, Erik isn't often one to engage in idle conversation either. ]

I am. It has only been a few weeks, for me. But it hasn't been too bad. [ Well, all things considered. It helps that Erik really had nowhere to go, no one waiting for him back in his world. ] The people are welcoming. Both the locals and the Summoned. It makes things easier.

[beautifullies]

[ Talking shop, so to speak, about Abraxas at large, the politics, the way tension between factions always seems to be present. And now, this new location none of them have been before is the hot topic. But this is much nicer, to simply get to know someone and welcome them into the forced, confused fold. ]

For as...intense as the locals can be, they do genuinely want us there in Solvunn. I lived with my host family for nearly a year and I dare say it was a pleasant experience. It also helps if there happens to be anyone you know from home in one of the factions. Although, that wasn't the case for me for a long while.

[ There's the unasked question of whether or not anyone from home has shown up or was here before him, but for some reason or another he might want to be private about it, so she doesn't ask outright. ]

[heavymetals]

[ Erik is a fairly recent arrival, so a lot of his conversations so far have been mainly about this world, about settling in. It's a nice change to just meet someone for the first time and talk for the sake of talking, no purpose other than getting to know one another. ]

I'm not especially used to being so welcome, [ He admits, and sensing a question in the way she phrases it, he adds. ] And no, I have no one here that I know. What about you?

[beautifullies]

I didn't, not for a long while. And now that I do know someone from home, he's a decade from the future. I hardly know him by my point of view. It's been a bit...odd to say the least.

[ There's more too it, but her saga with John is best saved for another day. ]

You'll find that between the Summond it's a bit less intense, but we all try to at least know one another's faces. It comes in handy when there's chaos, and that chaos can happen...quickly, to say the least.

[ ooc: I was gone for a lot of the month which made me slower, so please feel free to drop this if it feels too old in favor of a new month of threads! ]

[heavymetals]

Ah. I've been told that can happen. [ His own story is complicated, he can't imagine the confusion that would likely ensue if anyone he knows from his world arrived here from a different point in time. Particularly one earlier than his own. Suffice to say Erik hasn't always focused on making friends. ]

I noticed. With the mingle, and all. Suppose it's a little less strange than the way the locals look at us.

[ He doesn't mind, but it's just awkward. Especially for someone who really just wants to keep to himself and go about his day largely unnoticed. ]


[ ooc: it's perfectly okay! I prefer wrapping threads but if you want we can make this first one short and sweet, and start something new for December. I don't mind. ]

[beautifullies]

You'll get used to it, and truth be told, as long as you're willing to pitch in, you won't want for anything. I don't mind any of this as far as actual day-to-day living goes.

[ It's just the part where she's been forcibly removed from her home and family. ]

Just in case you can't find or would rather not use a magical healer, if you ever need any sort of salve whether for cuts and bruises or achy joints, you can find me at the edge of the primary settlement just before you get to the woods. I didn't have much honey before hibernation this year, but I keep bees as well. Next year, I'll hopefully have four hives in decent production.

[ Pausing, she lets out a breath, smirking just a little. ]

If I'm still here, that is. The biggest hope is to go home, with apologies to the friendships I've made.

[heavymetals]

That hasn't been too bad so far, I'll agree. Although I believe I'm yet to see how dangerous things can become.

[ Not that Erik can't handle himself, but still. At this point in his life, he'd rather stick to quiet and peaceful. He knows it won't last, though. ]

No one can fault you for wanting to go back to your loved ones. [ He would feel the same, were he to have anyone. At the moment, he's not especially tied to his own world. No place there that he would call home, really. ]

You're a beekeeper. That's fascinating. I'd love to see that, sometime.

[beautifullies]

I've been many places in my life, some of them dangerous. I don't think I've ever seen anything like the things I've seen in my time here. When it's calm I feel as safe as one can, considering the circumstances. But there's a low-simmering knowledge that something might arise at any point, out of thin air. I mean that quite literally, too. A few months back, rifts opened and creatures from some of our respective worlds came through them. All deadly.

[ If not for magical healers, she's almost positive she would've beld out in a field somewhere, though she keeps that to herself. And talking about the bees is better, anyway. Clearing her thoughts with a small shake of her head, she lets herself smile instead, enthusiastic. ]

Nothing has kept me from getting four small colonies established so far, and they survived a recent move quite well. You're more than welcome to visit, though for the winter the bees are kept indoors with the hive exits sealed. I do have a few jars of honey that go well with goat cheese or berries, and I enjoy having visitors.

[heavymetals]

I've heard about them. [ He'd sought some information about the place upon arrival, wanting to know just what kind of world he'd landed in. He's certainly not unfamiliar with dangers suddenly popping up, but he would much rather know what he should expect.

Granted, it could still be anything, but this gives him a better notion. Not sure how he feels about the whole magic aspect, admittedly beyond his purview, but at least he's familiar with unique powers and how they can affect an entire world. ]

I should like that. I can't say I'm at all experience with bees, though, but I know they tend to be peaceful, despite their undeserved reputation. [ He smiles. ] As the economy is trade-based, then I'll think of something to offer in exchange for a jar of honey. Unless there's something specific you're looking for.

[beautifullies]

I think the majority of us Summoned try to look out for one another, at least enough to know if someone hasn't been seen in a little while. [ Claire pauses before deciding to add a little more context to their environment. ] There were kidnappings a while back, Summond went missing, along with locals. As much as I can, I try to check in on the residents of Solvunn to keep a bead on things.

[ Being informed is being prepared, but she does like talking about pleasant things so much more, and at his offer to exchange for the honey, she's already smiling and shaking her head. The action makes her curls, struggling with the steam, limply bounce. ]

For any Summoned I don't need anything in return. And if you insist, I'll call it an arrival gift, even if it may be a little belated.

[heavymetals]

I have also heard about that.

[ He was thoroughly warned of the dangers in this place, of what's happened to the Summoned here, especially the ones in Solvunn. It falls much in line to what this place seems like to him, the people friendly but with an overall cult mentality, at least from what he's learned and experienced so far.

Well, as long as they don't try to drag him into some weird ritual, he's fine. Probably. ]

Very well. I won't insist. [ Seems rude to refuse a gift. But it's a kind gesture he won't forget. ] Should you ever need any help with metal, I can do that. Fixing tools and the like.

[beautifullies]

[ The need to rely on one another is strong, and it doesn't cross her mind that at some point, simply because of the nature of their community, their paths won't cross where she needs assistance. But the specificity of his offer strikes her as curious and she tilts her head, trying to form her question in a way that isn't blunt—Jamie would be proud. ]

Is wood your nemesis then?

[ It's a gentle tease, her eyes gently lighting with good humor. ]

[heavymetals]

[ He chuckles faintly at that. Well, she's funny, at least. And she must be familiar with people with unique abilities, so hopefully this won't be all that strange to her. ]

I suppose I could fix wooden objects, too. [ He lifts a hand from the water, glancing to some of the decorations embebbed into the cave walls. The metal pieces unlatch quickly and fly towards him, coming to a stop in a hover right above his palm. ] I'm just less naturally inclined.

[beautifullies]

[ A gentle awe makes Claire's eyes widen a little, and she finds herself leaning in to look closer before stopping herself and sitting back. She's familiar with abilities from being on the planet, but it's still new in the sense she'd never experienced anything like it before. As far as she knows, no one has extraordinary powers on her version of Earth. ]

Now that's an ability. Not granted by the Singularity after a visit to the Horizon?

[ Her mind works constantly, and she already has a dozen questions lined up for him. That, at least, she stops before it can really get going. ]

I promise, I won't ask a dozen questions. I'm from a world where the most magic I've encountered is a portal that can only send you forward or back in time two hundred years. Not very useful in a pinch.

[heavymetals]

[ There always seems to be some degree of surprise when people see what Erik can do. Here, though, he doesn't mind it, because it's not met with fear or distrust. To be fair, Erik has made himself famous in the worst possible ways, so it's not like he could blame people for being concerned when they realize who he is. ]

I've heard about that, but for now I haven't been granted any other abilities.

[ Frankly, Erik doesn't mind that so much. He is proud of being a mutant, of what he can do already. He wouldn't need nor want anything else beyond them. ]

That's alright. I don't mind questions. [ Not the sort that people ask here, anyway. ] This is not magic. I'm a mutant. I was born with a genetic mutation that has granted me unique abilities. We are fairly common in my reality, although not the majority of the Earth's population.

[ Well, not for now, anyway. ]

But I can't say I've ever encountered portals which travel through time. That is... quite something. How did you come upon that?

[beautifullies]

[ Claire is insanely curious by nature, and now that she's been on the planet a fair amount of time, she finds she doesn't mind sharing as much as she did on Earth, in either life. She still asks her fair share of questions, but sometimes it's nice to be a little more known. What she experienced doesn't need to be a secret. No one's accusing her of witchcraft, here. ]

I don't know, honestly. I was looking for a certain flower. Forget-me-nots, and they were growing around the base of a stone. I heard a sound like...a beehive. The closer I got to the stone, the louder the noise, and I reached out, touched rock, then traveled back in time. My husband can't hear the noise, and he can't travel through.

[ Neither husband. She can't help but give a small shrug, because she has no explanation for it. ]

Since then I've gone through twice more, purposefully. It's painful, I felt as though I'd been in a car accident. But that fades quickly. Still, I hope I never need to do it again.

[ Especially because it would mean being separated from Jamie again. ]

[heavymetals]

[ There is a vast wealth of experiences among the Summoned, that much is true. People aren't as prone to judgment or hatred. In fact, Erik hasn't felt it once, not even from the locals. It leaves him willing to share more about himself, too. ]

Could you only travel between two points in time, or more?

[ Another thought occurs, and he asks out of curiosity, and before thinking better of it. ]

What about your husband, he was left behind?

[beautifullies]

[ With a small smile, Claire nods in confirmation at his second question. Where a wedding ring should be, she rubs her thumb along her finger, not thinking about it, a habit even minus the silver band. ]

He was. I married when I went back in time, so there's the positive. I had husband, a family. But then war...

[ Marrying a soldier (three of them!) was never going to be easy, and for a long time, it was only miserable. Knowing she couldn't change history, and that Jamie would meet a terrible end, had made for a depressing final six months with him. ]

Jamie was a leader, he wouldn't have abandoned his men to travel to a safer time even if he could've. But he could send me, and our child, so he did. Twenty years we were apart, I raised our daughter with another man because history told me Jamie should've died. When I found out he didn't, I went back two hundred years again and tracked him down.

[ Her last sentiment confirms the first question, that it's only those two points, so she pauses, then smiles; things may be up in the air and slightly chaotic back home, but she has Jamie. ]

I can be long-winded, but I think I got your answer in there somewhere.