[IC] TotMV:G^2: Clash of Fate: The Courtyard (Social/Prep Phase)

[Chevaleresse]

The courtyard of the keep bustles with activity regardless of the time of day; the enemy does not sleep, so neither can they. Soldiers scurry up and down the walls, sometimes wounded but rarely fatally, while others enter or leave the barracks. It echoes with the twanging of bowstrings and the occasional bursts of flames, frost, or lightning, launched from the fingertips of both sides of the conflict.

 

Characters may freely move between this and other non-Castle social threads.

[Strider]

Edmond is here now.

 

Noting the growing annoyance in the man's face, Edmond resolved to finish with his tirade of questions. In fact, he had no more, save for requests for the man to elaborate on things he had said, and the few questions the man had not answered. He would have to go to Lord Belenus or one of the people in the war room for those questions. "I apologize, Rand. It looks like you are tiring of my questions, and you're not the only person who has been annoyed by them before. I won't bother you anymore, save to ask where I might find Lord Belenus. And, I suppose, do you want to eat or get a drink?" Edmond thought that perhaps directing him towards the food and drink might do something to alleviate man's exasperation. Not that Edmond planned to ask more questions once Rand had gotten some sustenance, of course.

[Hal Henderics]

"Idiots! Morons! Absolute Syccophants! I am TRYING to get an immunity to this STUPID paranoia gas, and you are all plotting to KILL me?  The Dumbest POSSIBLE thing, and I could TOTALLY take you all in a fight.  UGH! I have to go do shit I need done. Where's the nearest local magic guy?

 

Dackly picks up a rock off the ground, working it like a stress ball until it is ground into dust.  Her looks of paranoia shifting quickly between them, she is forced to make a mask for their safety, until she decides whether or not to kill- wait... Kill? Dackly does not do killing, she does petrification, divine judgement, submission holds... She certainly does not kill if she can help it...  In her own mind at least.

 

Before long, she has a human-like face made of white stone covering her eyes, her single pupil turning the eyes of the mask black, green, and alive.  Constant Softening makes it move like a living face.

 

She throws the pipe to Gozer, who tosses the burning pipe and the cloud of gas out of an arrow slit and into the masses. Let them deal with this Edgy Mist Shit.

 

"Gozer, You need to go to the smithy, or whatever these, "People", have to offer, and leave me an emerald.  Get some metal ingots and glass bottles."

 

Dackly Requests, her Smug Levels rising.

 

"Oh, Ok."

 

Gozer seems to get the idea.  Grabbing the armor and the Mace, and wandering off.

 

Dackly Meanwhile, Trolls around, looking for a magic user who is getting rotated out.

 

When she finds one, she requests his help powering an arcane device of hers, dragging him over to the Pot, which she flips and folds out with a flick of her wrist.

 

 

[Powder Miner]

Navin looked uncomfortably at Dackly as she proceeded to have the flipout he'd predicted she would have, but judging that she appeared to be in good hands with the stone creature by her side, he decided to occupy his attention elsewhere. Specifically, he decided to thank the woman who had helped him seek and destroy the siege engine that he had taken out, his brief note of thanks feeling a bit insufficient considering how much her and that one officer man had helped the veteran hero. He looked around for the Japanese-looking, robed woman and nodded to himself when he spotted her.

 

Navin walked up to Mitsurugi and performed his usual namaste bow of greeting. "I wanted to thank you for aiding me in the earlier battle. I had not been sure that I was going to get much aid with my charge, but because you did help I think things turned out far better than they could have."

[Sutoratosu]

Aurora stayed in one of the dimmer corners of the courtyard, far and away from any of the armored humans or mages manning the fortress, her face practically locked into a scowl. These lot, these outworlders like her, she could tolerate them... most of them... but amongst all these figures who so heavily resembled the likes of the very same metal clad, hairless chimps she'd spent so long fighting, the chimps who she'd killed countless of not just for mere sustenance after a certain point, but because the damn buggers would raze and tear apart everything if they weren't stopped....

 

Needless to say, she was in no mood to speak, regardless of whether it was to a fellow Outworlder, or a god-forsaken knight of this realm. It meant nothing that the inhabitants of the fort weren't openly hostile, she knew full well it had everything to do with the threat of the endless legion of walking bones lurking just outside their walls, and not a thing beyond that stopping them.

[DragonRage]

Samantha, drawn by the extremely strong emotions present there, remains in the courtyard.  And she almost immediately hones in on Dackly's rather volatile emotional roller coaster.  "Erh, hello?  Dackly I think it was?" she greets the plant lady, "Are you alright?  I kind of picked up some really strong, er, murderous impulses from you, and I wasn't trying to read your emotions I swear, but they were so strong I couldn't block them out.  So, yeah."

[Hal Henderics]

"I'm smoking petrified pink shit from that mist that made us all paranoid, just minding my own business, trying to get an immunity, and all these idiots look like they are going to kill me!"

 

"I swear they are plotting against me. Well screw them. I can take any one of them, just swing first!"

 

She comments, flexing an arm and grimacing.  Samantha would notice Dackly has taken to wearing a mask which looks like an actual human face.

[ElfCollaborator]

Empi, still next to Mitsu, eyes Navin with an unreadable expression.

"Hey, give me some credit too! I helped. A little. Maybe."

[Chevaleresse]

Mitsurugi gave a similarly polite bow to the Indian man. "There is no need to thank me. It was a sound decision, I was simply doing my part to facilitate it." The goddess thought for a moment. "It occurs to me that we have not yet been introduced, and it would be rude of me to continue to refer to you as 'westerner.' My name is Saigai Mitsurugi."

 

"Belenus is in the library, or in his room. Fastest way to the library is to cut through the war room, but I don't know that Lord Silef will appreciate it. And thank you, I believe I will." The man headed over to Magnum's grill, noticeably speeding up a bit - either he was eager to get away from Edmond, or just excited at the prospect of booze and non-rationed food. 

 

Dackly would note one man with what looked like singed hands and no apparent injuries coming down from the walls. Additionally, he's not wearing as much armor as the archers or other swordsmen seem to be wearing on his arms.

[Powder Miner]

"Westerner... hah, well, I suppose I would be if you are from Earth like I am. Oh, and my name is Navin Gopinath Mhasalkar, since I ought to introduce myself too." There was a pause for a moment, and Navin spoke up again a little more sheepishly. "...hmm, are you from Earth? I would likely know whether to call you by your family name or your given name if you are, but I cannot really know if you are not."

 

He retained that sheepish tone as he turned to address Empi too, both because he was embarrassed about failing to address her earlier, and because she was, ah... not in a full state of dress. "Ah, ahem, my apologies... yes, you were very much helpful as well, and I do owe you my sincere thanks."

Edited July 2, 2017 by Powder Miner

[ElfCollaborator]

 

"Hmph. You're welcome. And I'm Empi Powderbelle, nice to meet you both. Since I didn't properly introduce myself the first time. I think."

[Chevaleresse]

"Indeed I am. Have you heard of, I believe it is called Japan in English? I hail from there." Or, at least, I did, she added silently. Now wasn't the time to burden another with her sorrows. Fortunately or unfortunately, her face was not the most expressive, so any sign of the change on it was subtle. "It's good to meet you, Navin."

[DragonRage]

"You're smoking magic gas that makes people paranoid, and you're surprised to be feeling paranoid?" Samantha points out reasonably, "Also, I'm pretty sure you can't become immune to things that way, just need a higher dose to notice it's affecting you.  That's what they said in bio class anyway."

[Strider]

Edmond

Hmm. Too many questions, definitely. He had hoped that the man's interest in the general assistance that the group was supposed to bring would be enough for him to forgive the barrage of questions, but even so, it seemed that he had gone a bit overboard. He set aside the location of the library for now--no need to bother any one else too much--and grabbed a piece of bread from the incongruous bus in the middle of the courtyard. He didn't think he'd met the man before. Probably would remember if I had. . . Edmond stepped over to the man resting in the folding chair. No need to disturb him if he was resting, but if he seemed to be alert, Edmond introduced himself. "Nice setup. I don't think we've met before? My name's Edmond Cooper."

 

Liliya

Liliya had quietly watched Samantha talking with Dackly, and had considered making a comment about her being rather ill-prepared for trying to smoke the weird gas, but thought better of it. Instead, she sighed a little, and said, ". . . Nice mask. I think she's right though. You might wanna prepare yourself to feel paranoid if you're going to try something like that. Since Sam said it might not work, maybe it'd be better to leave it alone for now? Or maybe try it some place without as many people?" Liliya shrugged.

[ElfCollaborator]

Empi's unreadable expression continues as she looks between Navin and Mitsu, her eyes having an analytical gleam about them.

[LucidRain]

Wyvis

 

Wyvis entered the courtroom, his armour now fresh and cleaned of the residual blood from the battle. He always carried around a pouch full of salt to counter the blood he dealt with in battles, for he found the stench of blood be repulsive for others in social meetings.

He turned around and realised that, for some reason unbeknown to him, he had missed a friendly handshake from a tall mage. He took the offer with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, I must have drifted off a little. Wyvis of Nivinuxis, pleasure to help. It is our duty to help each other out to the best of our abilities, and I am glad I provided assistance. How fares your day?"

[Hal Henderics]

"Well why didn't you say that before? Trying to use omission of crucial info to get me killed are we?!"

 

Dackly comments, crossing her arms with a huff as she slithers up to the guy with the singed arms.

 

"Hello there new friend! It certainly seems you have been working hard.  Do you think you could help an old snake like me out? I am sure I can devise some way to reward you for helping me to help your plight."

 

At the same time, Gozer returns to the Courtyard, Carrying a few ingots and scrap, along with the suit of armor.

 

"I didn't get much."

 

He plops all of the metal in front of the crackpot.

 

"That's fine, It might strain our resources a tad, but we should be able to complete our attempt regardless."

 

She turns on the guy she was talking to previously.

 

"I need your help, I have an enchanted item that requires some magic be funneled into it as fuel, and only the local variety will do."

 

 

[Powder Miner]

Navin had become pretty seasoned at many things, but the fact of the matter was that noticing subtle changes in expression was not one of those things -- someone who suppressed his own emotion similarly probably couldn't be expected to willingly analyze someone else do it, after all. This meant that he blithely missed both Empi's and Mitsurugi's shifts in expression.

"Ah, I see. I hail from India myself, miss Saigai. It is good to meet you as well -- one should always make a point, I think, to meet and thank those who have helped them along."

[Chevaleresse]

The man does a double-take at Dackly's appearance, but quickly smooths his expression and mannerisms over. "Hm? I was just heading back to the barracks to get some rest, but I suppose I could help you out. What exactly is it that you're doing?"

 

"A good practice," Mitsurugi said, nodding her head slightly. "If only all humans were so grateful." Thanks were, in essence, what she lived on, after all. Thanks, requests for more help, that sort of thing. She glanced at Empi momentarily - what would these people think if she claimed her true nature? They seemed to already be devoted to another god, and she had no idea of this other being's disposition towards sharing worship.

[Stalkerkain]

Magna remained mounted on one of the skeletal beasts, to ensure that the garrison's soldiers knew they were hers. If she were to be honest, she felt a little fidgety and uncomfortable being in the midst of so many humans from this world. Not many people take kind to the supernatural, especially not the undead. While Magna could assure anybody that the skeletal beasts under her command were as docile as could be, she may have a hard time convincing the soldiers who are spending the rest of their days fighting monsters just like it. She considered releasing hold of them and returning the skeletons to the earth, it seemed like a waste given that they had a war to fight. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. She was thinking too much.

"So! What do you think our odds of making it safely off this world are?" Magna asked the group. In the background, the other two skeletal beasts chased each other around, nipping at the other's backside. "Our opponents this time seem to be more dangerous than last time."

[Hal Henderics]

"I'm glad you asked friend, I'm using my Portable Alchemy Pot to brew potions of disguise, more specifically, one of those officers outside, It certainly cannot hurt, being able to take the appearance of the enemy, especially if we need to get past them."

 

"What I need you to do, is to pour raw magic into the hole on the side of this pot, to give it the power to perform alchemy.  I would do it myself, but my own magic might cause it to behave unpredictably."

 

She nods excitedly.

 

"If you turn out to be extremely good at your work, I can reward you with nearly any alchemical process you require of me, given your own materials, of course."

 

"There is not much that is beyond my Crackpot Alchemy, as you will soon see."

 

[Chevaleresse]

"I see. . . Well, that does sound helpful. I can spare a few moments, I suppose. You say it just needs to be fed raw mana?" The man rubs his soot-stained hands together, and peers at the crackpot intently - occasionally glancing backward at the castle proper. "I can do that. It's a simple manner of creating a conduit to the leyline. Though, does this device overload at all? I would be hesitant to attach any artifact to this much power at once."

[ElfCollaborator]

Empi, for her part, is currently imagining the lines and curves that Mitsu must have underneath her dress.; such matters as the worship of gods was beyond her purview, whereas perverted daydreams weren't. She was also picturing how toned and built this Navin guy must be, among other things.

 

>Polite, seems like a sweetheart with the body to match and yet this guy seems the kind of guy Venus would have me working overtime to hook up to someone else.  My gut is telling me something, but what?<

[Hal Henderics]

"It's made of a substance stronger than steel, And doesn't have any etherware that could cause undue strain on it. I firmly believe in the quality of my crackpot."

 

She nods.

 

In any case, she gathers up the materials she plans on using.

The Officer's Armor, Metal Ingots and Scrap, Polished Stone Bottles, and a single Earthen Emerald are all laid out before her.

[Chevaleresse]

"I see. Just give me a moment, then. . ." The man begins to weave his spell; normally the increase in mana flow would be notable, given the amount of power surging through the confluence at any given moment, but the crackling of magical lightning only about twenty feet away would have informed anyone of why that was not the case here. 

 

[Low Roll - 4] Dackly's operation is a resounding success; she gets several potions of "Enemy Officer Armor." She's not certain of what, exactly, they do, but she has a very good feeling about it.

 

"Is that enough? Chances for sleep aren't common."