Off to See the Seer
It's a good thing G'nichi was holding the kris. Thanks to its guidance, he knew to sidestep out of the way once he'd struck the door. Well. It told him once his leg was already in the motion. But he does sidestep, which only causes the log to crash into the door and pretty much obliterate what was left of it.
G'nichi gets to saunter through the wreckage, looking very pleased with himself. "I'm only here to keep you from terrorizing the roads any longer. Just leave and we can all call it a day." he calls.
But of course mentally he is, in fact, rather rattled by only surviving thanks to magical artifacts being as overpowered as ever.
Outside: Grass touch place
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
[Off to See the Seer]
Yeah that log would have knocked his block clean off.
Or imploded his ribs.
Or something similarly unpleasant.
It's a good thing he got out of the way.
"Be gone from this haunted place! OooOOOooO!" comes a not very convincing ghost voice from the second floor. There's a half-crumbled flight of stone stairs going up to the second floor. Nearby is an old cellar, one of the shutters having torn off. Rotted wooden stairs descend down into the darkness and a few brambles have crept out of the hole. Something about them...
They might vaguely remind G'Nichi of the brambles that grow out of the old well in his basement sometimes that he has to be really diligent about clipping. Out of the corner of his eye he might catch a centipede slithering down into the gloom.
Hmm.
Concerning.
Yeah that log would have knocked his block clean off.
Or imploded his ribs.
Or something similarly unpleasant.
It's a good thing he got out of the way.
"Be gone from this haunted place! OooOOOooO!" comes a not very convincing ghost voice from the second floor. There's a half-crumbled flight of stone stairs going up to the second floor. Nearby is an old cellar, one of the shutters having torn off. Rotted wooden stairs descend down into the darkness and a few brambles have crept out of the hole. Something about them...
They might vaguely remind G'Nichi of the brambles that grow out of the old well in his basement sometimes that he has to be really diligent about clipping. Out of the corner of his eye he might catch a centipede slithering down into the gloom.
Hmm.
Concerning.
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
Off to See the Seer
G'nichi huffs and begins clanking his way up the stairs. His armor is scale mail so even with some cloth on top it clinks quite a bit.
"I told you. My house at home is full of yeth hounds. You can't scare me with ghosts. If you're not fae you'd probably be best leaving this place with or without me. It stinks of the Pit."
G'nichi is not super familiar with how all this fae stuff works but the hounds did give him the rundown on how Kara met them all. It sounds like he would be Not a Fan.
G'nichi huffs and begins clanking his way up the stairs. His armor is scale mail so even with some cloth on top it clinks quite a bit.
"I told you. My house at home is full of yeth hounds. You can't scare me with ghosts. If you're not fae you'd probably be best leaving this place with or without me. It stinks of the Pit."
G'nichi is not super familiar with how all this fae stuff works but the hounds did give him the rundown on how Kara met them all. It sounds like he would be Not a Fan.
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
[Off to See the Seer]
Let's be fair, no one is really a fan of the Pit.
It it not a nice place.
Even the people who LIKE not nice places generally don't really enjoy the realm of the dead.
Who would?
People there are a buncha stiffs.
As G'Nichi is heading up the stairs he'll be met by a very large number of ball bearings rolling down there.
Perfect for slipping on and having a really bad time!
Let's be fair, no one is really a fan of the Pit.
It it not a nice place.
Even the people who LIKE not nice places generally don't really enjoy the realm of the dead.
Who would?
People there are a buncha stiffs.
As G'Nichi is heading up the stairs he'll be met by a very large number of ball bearings rolling down there.
Perfect for slipping on and having a really bad time!
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
Off to See the Seer
G'nichi stands still for a while to let the ball bearings finish tumbling down the stairs. Then most of them are at the bottom and not the stairs he's walking on!
He carefully makes his way up the stairs, sweeping the stairs with his feet before carefully stepping up the next step. This takes a while. And he isn't hearing any more hushed voices.
"Come out and you won't be harmed. I swear by the light of Bahamut." he calls out.
G'nichi stands still for a while to let the ball bearings finish tumbling down the stairs. Then most of them are at the bottom and not the stairs he's walking on!
He carefully makes his way up the stairs, sweeping the stairs with his feet before carefully stepping up the next step. This takes a while. And he isn't hearing any more hushed voices.
"Come out and you won't be harmed. I swear by the light of Bahamut." he calls out.
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
[Off to See the Seer]
G'Nichi doesn't hear anymore hushed voices from above.
But he DOES hear a loud crack from the basement below, followed by a not trying to be quiet at all voice that sounds suspiciously like a teenage girl. "It's 'cuz the air doesn't smell the same in the Waking World. If you wanna find some stairs out the fastest you gotta follow your nose."
Interesting.
Last time something like this happened G'Nichi was beset by a large company of dogs.
Anywho! Upon reaching the top of the stairs G'Nichi will discover one more trap. A bundle of explosives with a long fuse that that is getting progressively shorter. The bandits are nowhere to be seen. A rude note has been attached to the explosives, disparaging G'Nichi's mother. There are supplies for making sheet ghosts, a few packs of less valuable valuables that have been left behind, and a 'back door' of sorts to the tower. The back door has been left wide open. There WAS a perilous plank bridge from the tower to a nearby cliff face that appears to have been kicked away, making any attempt to follow the bandits more difficult.
Thankfully diffusing the explosives would just require cutting the long fuse.
Less thankfully the explosives aren't explosives at all, and are connected to a pressure plate. If they're fiddled with a trap door will open above G'Nichi to drop a very large volumes of rocks on his head.
[Tundra]
Someone was looking for noted locations of empyrean shrines.
This really isn't a great thing to be looking for, by most reasonable standards.
The shrines tend to fall into one of two categories. Those that are in very remote locations, and those that will be very remote locations but aren't yet. Because by and large people don't like staying near shrines. They're too alien. They warp the land. The vomit out ill omens like a baby that's been fed too much. The only sort of people who tend to like staying near shrines are the sort of people that normal people typically won't be keen on keeping company with.
At one point, years ago, this shrine wasn't remote.
But now it is.
The sun never seems to shine here. The land has been gripped in an eternal, gnawing winter. Nothing grows. Nothing changes. The world seems to be caught in the icy grip of a moment that will never pass. Here and there the remains of a few brick walls stick out of the earth, crumbling and ruined, dusted with a thin veneer of snow. At the center of this lonely desolation stands the shrine, an otherworldly edifice that looks like someone tore a shard from the night sky and fashioned it into a temple. Vaguely humanoid forms surround the shrine, frozen into various postures of supplication. But it doesn't look like any of them have moved in ages.
There is a...
Stillness... in this place.
A quiet that gnaws.
Turn back, traveler, for in this place you will find only madness, death, or other damnably transcendent fates in this...
...The Silent Sepulcher.
G'Nichi doesn't hear anymore hushed voices from above.
But he DOES hear a loud crack from the basement below, followed by a not trying to be quiet at all voice that sounds suspiciously like a teenage girl. "It's 'cuz the air doesn't smell the same in the Waking World. If you wanna find some stairs out the fastest you gotta follow your nose."
Interesting.
Last time something like this happened G'Nichi was beset by a large company of dogs.
Anywho! Upon reaching the top of the stairs G'Nichi will discover one more trap. A bundle of explosives with a long fuse that that is getting progressively shorter. The bandits are nowhere to be seen. A rude note has been attached to the explosives, disparaging G'Nichi's mother. There are supplies for making sheet ghosts, a few packs of less valuable valuables that have been left behind, and a 'back door' of sorts to the tower. The back door has been left wide open. There WAS a perilous plank bridge from the tower to a nearby cliff face that appears to have been kicked away, making any attempt to follow the bandits more difficult.
Thankfully diffusing the explosives would just require cutting the long fuse.
Less thankfully the explosives aren't explosives at all, and are connected to a pressure plate. If they're fiddled with a trap door will open above G'Nichi to drop a very large volumes of rocks on his head.
[Tundra]
Someone was looking for noted locations of empyrean shrines.
This really isn't a great thing to be looking for, by most reasonable standards.
The shrines tend to fall into one of two categories. Those that are in very remote locations, and those that will be very remote locations but aren't yet. Because by and large people don't like staying near shrines. They're too alien. They warp the land. The vomit out ill omens like a baby that's been fed too much. The only sort of people who tend to like staying near shrines are the sort of people that normal people typically won't be keen on keeping company with.
At one point, years ago, this shrine wasn't remote.
But now it is.
The sun never seems to shine here. The land has been gripped in an eternal, gnawing winter. Nothing grows. Nothing changes. The world seems to be caught in the icy grip of a moment that will never pass. Here and there the remains of a few brick walls stick out of the earth, crumbling and ruined, dusted with a thin veneer of snow. At the center of this lonely desolation stands the shrine, an otherworldly edifice that looks like someone tore a shard from the night sky and fashioned it into a temple. Vaguely humanoid forms surround the shrine, frozen into various postures of supplication. But it doesn't look like any of them have moved in ages.
There is a...
Stillness... in this place.
A quiet that gnaws.
Turn back, traveler, for in this place you will find only madness, death, or other damnably transcendent fates in this...
...The Silent Sepulcher.
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
[Little Sattleborough]Earl of Purple wrote: ↑Oct 25, 2023 4:41 pm Little Sattleborough
Samantha frowns as her hair's messed up, quickly patting it back into place. Jubilee has just discovered something Samantha really doesn't like, go her.
"I only repeated what Dad told me, the arsehole. I didn't know what happened to you, I was born two years after you'd gone. Mum didn't talk much about it, she missed... both of you, I think. Dad didn't want to memorialise you, he was very... patriarchal." Michael sighs, and slumps against the bar himself.
"I got one. Arthur hated persimmons, not that Dad cared. I'm not sure he had a sense of taste, he didn't enjoy eating." And never displayed food preferences.
"He didn't. Traded it to a raksha for poison immunity. Speaking of, what did you give up for my sister?" That's directed at Jubilee, he's curious. And the answer might reveal what kind of person he's dealing with, as if the arson threats weren't enough.
"Hm?" Jubilee looks up as the conversation turns back to include her, briefly halting her face-making contest with the mummified priest head (of which only she seemed to be aware). "Oh. That. Well, suffice it to say it's one of those deals where I got paid twice. I promised to look after your sister and she has been a delight thus far." She turns her attention back to the mummified head and shrugs. "I'm sure something will come of it later that will make me regret it at least a little. That's how it tends to go with these demon deals. But for now I'm quite satisfied."
-> [Silent Sepulcher]Rebonack wrote: ↑Oct 27, 2023 4:25 am [Tundra]
Someone was looking for noted locations of empyrean shrines.
This really isn't a great thing to be looking for, by most reasonable standards.
The shrines tend to fall into one of two categories. Those that are in very remote locations, and those that will be very remote locations but aren't yet. Because by and large people don't like staying near shrines. They're too alien. They warp the land. The vomit out ill omens like a baby that's been fed too much. The only sort of people who tend to like staying near shrines are the sort of people that normal people typically won't be keen on keeping company with.
At one point, years ago, this shrine wasn't remote.
But now it is.
The sun never seems to shine here. The land has been gripped in an eternal, gnawing winter. Nothing grows. Nothing changes. The world seems to be caught in the icy grip of a moment that will never pass. Here and there the remains of a few brick walls stick out of the earth, crumbling and ruined, dusted with a thin veneer of snow. At the center of this lonely desolation stands the shrine, an otherworldly edifice that looks like someone tore a shard from the night sky and fashioned it into a temple. Vaguely humanoid forms surround the shrine, frozen into various postures of supplication. But it doesn't look like any of them have moved in ages.
There is a...
Stillness... in this place.
A quiet that gnaws.
Turn back, traveler, for in this place you will find only madness, death, or other damnably transcendent fates in this...
...The Silent Sepulcher.
...is no longer quite so silent.
The figure approaching the shrine is making quite sure of that. Between the loose jangle of metal cans tapping together, the soft poff, poff of snow crunching under her feet, and the violently loud buzz accompanying every shiver, there's plenty of noise to be had as the huddled-over figure approaches the shrine.
"Y-you... you lot are so brave..." Tahara shudders, pulling her platic trashbag cloak around her tighter. "I w-w-want you to k-know that. So brave... e-even if we f-f-fail here, I-"
The trash witch smiles a bit as thousands of tiny reassurances echo through her body. "...You're r-right... we'll g-get through this. T-t-together."
Thus bolstering herself, Tahara readies to cross the first threshold, in whatever form that may take.
Who're you? ...Don't matter.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
[Silent Sepulcher]
The words seem to die on Tahara's lips.
She's speaking. She knows she's speaking. But the sound just doesn't carry them. The wind doesn't howl. The snow doesn't crunch. The only sound a person might be able to hear is what's conveyed through their own body to their ears. Such absolute silence would cause most mortals to go mad in a short time, but Tahara is...
Well.
Something else.
We'll see how she does.
As she crosses into the rings of the frozen supplicants forever sealed in stillness before the shrine an overwhelming intent to fall on one's knees and silently pray will roll over Tahara with all the implacability of an advancing glacier. How many fools trekked to this awful place believing they could find treasure only to caught in the tragedy of their monumental foolishness? How many have dropped to the icy ground and slowly perished of exposure, becoming part of the stillness that settles heavy over the land like a blanket of snow?
Hopefully Tahara won't be one of them.
The words seem to die on Tahara's lips.
She's speaking. She knows she's speaking. But the sound just doesn't carry them. The wind doesn't howl. The snow doesn't crunch. The only sound a person might be able to hear is what's conveyed through their own body to their ears. Such absolute silence would cause most mortals to go mad in a short time, but Tahara is...
Well.
Something else.
We'll see how she does.
As she crosses into the rings of the frozen supplicants forever sealed in stillness before the shrine an overwhelming intent to fall on one's knees and silently pray will roll over Tahara with all the implacability of an advancing glacier. How many fools trekked to this awful place believing they could find treasure only to caught in the tragedy of their monumental foolishness? How many have dropped to the icy ground and slowly perished of exposure, becoming part of the stillness that settles heavy over the land like a blanket of snow?
Hopefully Tahara won't be one of them.
-
Earl of Purple
- Transcendent Soul Poster
- Posts: 2109
- Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
- Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
- Pronouns: He/Him
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
Little Sattleborough
Samantha's ignoring it because it's the Priest's Head; the actual head lost its novelty long ago for her. And Michael's ignoring it because he works here, and is even more used to it than Samantha is. Some of the guests glance at it occasionally, but mostly they stay away from it. It creeps most visitors out.
"I'm not sure it's your business, asking what deals others have made with raksha. How many toes have you sacrificed for life?" Samantha noticed the limp, and seems to have struck a nerve; Michael grimaces in reply.
"Two. But not for me. One was for Meredith; we had a famine when she was a baby. I gave up two toes, so we both life five years before natural causes can kill us. She lived the four months we needed to get another crop in." An unusual use of the method, but one which clearly works. Samantha's niece will live five years longer than she should have... which is enough time to survive a famine the raksha otherwise seemed unable to solve.
Samantha's ignoring it because it's the Priest's Head; the actual head lost its novelty long ago for her. And Michael's ignoring it because he works here, and is even more used to it than Samantha is. Some of the guests glance at it occasionally, but mostly they stay away from it. It creeps most visitors out.
"I'm not sure it's your business, asking what deals others have made with raksha. How many toes have you sacrificed for life?" Samantha noticed the limp, and seems to have struck a nerve; Michael grimaces in reply.
"Two. But not for me. One was for Meredith; we had a famine when she was a baby. I gave up two toes, so we both life five years before natural causes can kill us. She lived the four months we needed to get another crop in." An unusual use of the method, but one which clearly works. Samantha's niece will live five years longer than she should have... which is enough time to survive a famine the raksha otherwise seemed unable to solve.
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
Off to See the Seer
G'nichi rushes forward to disarm the bomb-!
And throws himself against the wall instead as the kris shows him a particularly violent vision of him being crushed to death.
G'nichi stands up, breathing heavily as the fake bomb's fuse burns out and he doesn't violently explode either.
And then a naked deer-girl holding a fox and wearing nothing but a halloween mask hanging from her neck comes bounding up the stairs.
"Hi Mister Knight! Are you okay?" Pumpkin asks cheerily.
G'nichi blinks. "I'm alright. Did you...girls close the door behind you? No offense but it's not great to leave portals to Faerie lying around open."
Pumpkin considers, looking down at The Fox.
"Can we close the door behind us?"
G'nichi rushes forward to disarm the bomb-!
And throws himself against the wall instead as the kris shows him a particularly violent vision of him being crushed to death.
G'nichi stands up, breathing heavily as the fake bomb's fuse burns out and he doesn't violently explode either.
And then a naked deer-girl holding a fox and wearing nothing but a halloween mask hanging from her neck comes bounding up the stairs.
"Hi Mister Knight! Are you okay?" Pumpkin asks cheerily.
G'nichi blinks. "I'm alright. Did you...girls close the door behind you? No offense but it's not great to leave portals to Faerie lying around open."
Pumpkin considers, looking down at The Fox.
"Can we close the door behind us?"
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
[Off to See the Seer]
Good job G'Nichi!
You didn't get exploded OR crushed to death! Of course the bandits wouldn't want to set off an actual bomb in their tower. Then their tower would be exploded! The rocks, on the other hand, can be reset with a few hours worth of work. But now that they've been chased off, how will G'Nichi make sure they don't come back? A real mystery, that. But he's a hero! He'll figure it out.
Meanwhile!
The black fox being held by the naked deer-girl is currently serving as a furry censor bar, which maybe helps a little?
"I don't think so?" replies the fox. "I think once a threshold is open it stays open. This one was just really overgrown 'cuz no one has used it in a long time."
But now it isn't overgrown!
Maybe if enough creeps come crawling out of the basement this place will become ACTUALLY haunted and that'll keep the bandits away?
Then the fox looks down at the floor and notices, "How come there's metal marbles all over the floor?"
Seems like a reasonable question.
Good job G'Nichi!
You didn't get exploded OR crushed to death! Of course the bandits wouldn't want to set off an actual bomb in their tower. Then their tower would be exploded! The rocks, on the other hand, can be reset with a few hours worth of work. But now that they've been chased off, how will G'Nichi make sure they don't come back? A real mystery, that. But he's a hero! He'll figure it out.
Meanwhile!
The black fox being held by the naked deer-girl is currently serving as a furry censor bar, which maybe helps a little?
"I don't think so?" replies the fox. "I think once a threshold is open it stays open. This one was just really overgrown 'cuz no one has used it in a long time."
But now it isn't overgrown!
Maybe if enough creeps come crawling out of the basement this place will become ACTUALLY haunted and that'll keep the bandits away?
Then the fox looks down at the floor and notices, "How come there's metal marbles all over the floor?"
Seems like a reasonable question.
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
Off to See the Seer
Presumably the marbles are some kind of alloy steel that doesn't count as iron enough to bother Pumpkin.
"Some bandits used to live here. But when I came knocking they deployed all their traps and left. I guess
I can't guarantee they won't come back but that's my mission accomplished."
G'nichi shrugs his wings. He's not going to go chasing down some random criminals.
"Ok well we need to go find someone to instill with Spooktober spirit so where are we?"
G'nichi wasn't expecting that one either.
"Uh, a mile outside a town in the middle of nowhere? City's an hour that way." he points with an armored claw.
Presumably the marbles are some kind of alloy steel that doesn't count as iron enough to bother Pumpkin.
"Some bandits used to live here. But when I came knocking they deployed all their traps and left. I guess
I can't guarantee they won't come back but that's my mission accomplished."
G'nichi shrugs his wings. He's not going to go chasing down some random criminals.
"Ok well we need to go find someone to instill with Spooktober spirit so where are we?"
G'nichi wasn't expecting that one either.
"Uh, a mile outside a town in the middle of nowhere? City's an hour that way." he points with an armored claw.
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
[Off to See the Seer]
Nope those are definitely iron balls.
Pumpkin will want to avoid them if possible. The fox isn't a huge fan, either.
Anyway! The fox is blinking at the bright sunshine. "Why don't the timezones in the Nexus make any sense?" she grumbles to no one in particular. "I was kinda hoping the stairs would bring us up somewhere with more people but you can't really pick and choose sometimes."
Maybe someone in the nearby village could use some Spooktober spirit?
They didn't seem like they were having a ton of fun.
"I dunno if the bandits are gunna want to come back here," the fox comments, looking at the open basement. "The spot we came up from was pretty spooky."
Maybe the tower will get haunted for real now! It might end up full of ghosts but at least ghosts don't try to mug you.
Nope those are definitely iron balls.
Pumpkin will want to avoid them if possible. The fox isn't a huge fan, either.
Anyway! The fox is blinking at the bright sunshine. "Why don't the timezones in the Nexus make any sense?" she grumbles to no one in particular. "I was kinda hoping the stairs would bring us up somewhere with more people but you can't really pick and choose sometimes."
Maybe someone in the nearby village could use some Spooktober spirit?
They didn't seem like they were having a ton of fun.
"I dunno if the bandits are gunna want to come back here," the fox comments, looking at the open basement. "The spot we came up from was pretty spooky."
Maybe the tower will get haunted for real now! It might end up full of ghosts but at least ghosts don't try to mug you.
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
Off to See the Seer
"Great, so I can tell the elder their bandit problem is clear but there's now an open portal to the fae realm a mile from their town. That's totally better." sighs the paladin.
Pumpkin shrugs. She doesn't think that's THAT bad but of course she doesn't.
"Well, come on. I can get you to town if you'd like. Maybe you can get yourself a shirt."
Pumpkin looks down and actually recognizes that she's naked. Like many Autumn gaiads, Pumpkin represents the time after all the hard work of summer is done and it's time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. So she generally looks something like a farmgirl who's been enjoying a few parties, though unlike most mortals she has no tan lines to speak of. Her mortal seed would probably be embarrassed that she's been bouncing around naked even more than those fauns he was rolling his eyes at.
"Fox! Why didn't you mention it before?" she squeaks.
"Great, so I can tell the elder their bandit problem is clear but there's now an open portal to the fae realm a mile from their town. That's totally better." sighs the paladin.
Pumpkin shrugs. She doesn't think that's THAT bad but of course she doesn't.
"Well, come on. I can get you to town if you'd like. Maybe you can get yourself a shirt."
Pumpkin looks down and actually recognizes that she's naked. Like many Autumn gaiads, Pumpkin represents the time after all the hard work of summer is done and it's time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. So she generally looks something like a farmgirl who's been enjoying a few parties, though unlike most mortals she has no tan lines to speak of. Her mortal seed would probably be embarrassed that she's been bouncing around naked even more than those fauns he was rolling his eyes at.
"Fox! Why didn't you mention it before?" she squeaks.
-
Thursday Violist
- Coffin-Bound Aged Poster
- Posts: 660
- Joined: Aug 17, 2022 5:44 pm
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
bc56 wrote: ↑Oct 24, 2023 10:43 pm Japaraita
Sekhmet nods along. Sea monsters are even more reason not to swim deep, even if the primary one is that she doesn't like the cold dark.
"My sister lives in a town called Messing, north along the coast. I was planning to go that way next. I think I might swim there." She looks down at her lack-of-legs for emphasis. "Do you need help getting to the river?" she asks.
[Japaraita]Zefir wrote: ↑Oct 25, 2023 9:13 am Riftline
Zefir could follow the guy, but what for? He has no reason so far.
What would he even do to this man? Violance is not the immediate option. After all he just looked at her and that made her uncomfortable. He didn't notice he told her something. The train is after all not that big so she shouldn't run into big trouble since there are other people everywhere. Unless she runs outside and tries to fight the guy there.
For now he can only starte outside and watch who moves in his part of the train.
Someone would probably have to be pretty prepared if they want to face sea monsters. June's gun won't be good enough for them, for many reasons.
"Yeah, just stick along the coast," June says as advice. "Not only are you guaranteed to not get lost, there's actually a lot more interesting things to see when you can see the seafloor beneath you, too."
June exhales and looks up at the sky.
The mermaid decides to give her thought process aloud. "Well, on the one hand, I don't need the help, since I managed to get to this town in the first place," she says, and adds, "and I really like to think that I'm perfectly capable of doing everything I want and I don't want to owe anyone favors."
June purses her lips, and thinks.
"Well, on the other hand, if I turn you down, there's a real chance you won't insist on helping anyway."
Hmmm...this is a tough one.
June keeps on thinking.
"Okay, how about we do this:" she says after all that thought process. "If you have to go out of your way to help me, then I'm turning you down. Otherwise, I'd appreciate the assistance."
[Riftline]
The man is grateful that he didn't get followed. He's the one doing the following, not anybody else.
A notable amount of time passes, such that the storm actually starts calming down. Honestly, it's only a matter of time before rescue arrives.
The aristocrat cats start to get restless again.
The guy doesn't return.
Violeta, however, does return! She doesn't return the same way she left, however. Instead, she comes through the back door to this train car.
She's also soaking wet.
And her legs and hands are muddy.
She did go outside, but because she's a sneaky foxgirl she snuck away instead of confronting him.
Upon reentering the train cabin, she looks around to see if the stalker came back here...and is relieved that he hasn't returned.
She comes up next to Zefir and almost sits down, before realizing she's pretty wet. "Hey, uh....you think I should sit somewhere else? If I sit back next to you, I'll get everything wet."
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
[Off to See the Seer]
"Oh that's much better," the fox insists, wagging her definitely one and only tail. "Ghosts aren't gunna mug you. I bet that's why the bandits needed to get gone, right? 'cuz they were banditing?"
It isn't like ghosts would do much banditing.
"The stairs lead down to The Autumn Forest, one of the spookier parts. But Queen Chestnut likes fun sorta spooky, I think? Everything will probably be FINE."
Just fine!
No problems at all.
But then there are more problems.
Yelling sorts of problems. The fox' ears pin back. "I did. I was gunna make you some clothes, remember? But then that grumpy tree flipped out at us."
It was, to be fair, a really grumpy tree.
"I could do that now? The dragon knight probably isn't gunna get uppity at me for making clothes?" she says, giving the knight in question a questioning look. If allowed she'll hop down on the ground and smear the floor with the blot of liquid shadow at the end of her tail, painting darkness onto the stone. Then she's grab it with her human enough to be disconcerting paws and begins slooooowly lifting a shirt out of the puddle. The further the fabric gets from the pool of shadow the more color and texture it gains until at last!
A shirt!
In about Pumpkin's size. Close enough. It's pumpkin orange with a black grinning jack-o-lantern face on it and a green collar.
Very festive.
The fox stands up on her hind legs and offers it to Pumpkin. "Okay, here, this is about as real as I can make something so I don't think it's gunna fall apart at the worst possible time."
"Oh that's much better," the fox insists, wagging her definitely one and only tail. "Ghosts aren't gunna mug you. I bet that's why the bandits needed to get gone, right? 'cuz they were banditing?"
It isn't like ghosts would do much banditing.
"The stairs lead down to The Autumn Forest, one of the spookier parts. But Queen Chestnut likes fun sorta spooky, I think? Everything will probably be FINE."
Just fine!
No problems at all.
But then there are more problems.
Yelling sorts of problems. The fox' ears pin back. "I did. I was gunna make you some clothes, remember? But then that grumpy tree flipped out at us."
It was, to be fair, a really grumpy tree.
"I could do that now? The dragon knight probably isn't gunna get uppity at me for making clothes?" she says, giving the knight in question a questioning look. If allowed she'll hop down on the ground and smear the floor with the blot of liquid shadow at the end of her tail, painting darkness onto the stone. Then she's grab it with her human enough to be disconcerting paws and begins slooooowly lifting a shirt out of the puddle. The further the fabric gets from the pool of shadow the more color and texture it gains until at last!
A shirt!
In about Pumpkin's size. Close enough. It's pumpkin orange with a black grinning jack-o-lantern face on it and a green collar.
Very festive.
The fox stands up on her hind legs and offers it to Pumpkin. "Okay, here, this is about as real as I can make something so I don't think it's gunna fall apart at the worst possible time."
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
Off to See the Seer
Pumpkin nods because her mom is definitely the fun sort of spooky and would never do anything bad to any innocent mortals.
G'nichi isn't sure why he would object to foxes making clothes so he does not. The shirt is a little short but Pumpkin doesn't mind. She doesn't want to freak people out being naked but she doesn't mind showing off at all.
"Alright. Well. Town's that way if you want to come. I better get back so I don't end up sleeping here."
Luckily the next part of their quests should be pretty easy. G'nichi just needs to tell the elder that the situation is handled (for now). And Pumpkin needs to find someone to spook and also a Spooktober treat that's the best she's ever had. But since she's about an hour old literally any candy wins by default.
Pumpkin nods because her mom is definitely the fun sort of spooky and would never do anything bad to any innocent mortals.
G'nichi isn't sure why he would object to foxes making clothes so he does not. The shirt is a little short but Pumpkin doesn't mind. She doesn't want to freak people out being naked but she doesn't mind showing off at all.
"Alright. Well. Town's that way if you want to come. I better get back so I don't end up sleeping here."
Luckily the next part of their quests should be pretty easy. G'nichi just needs to tell the elder that the situation is handled (for now). And Pumpkin needs to find someone to spook and also a Spooktober treat that's the best she's ever had. But since she's about an hour old literally any candy wins by default.
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
[Off to See the Seer]
Of COURSE Chestnut would never do anything bad to mortals!
Like turning them into a pumpkin for annoying her when she's in the middle of a staring contest with a pumpkin. That would be exactly the sort of capricious thing a sidhe would do.
ANYWAY!
Shirtget!
The fox is pretty glad that the lizard knight guy isn't going to smite her or something. The last lizard knight guy she met was pretty leery of her spooky magic but he seemed nice and mostly just concerned? Hmm...
As the trio is walking back toward the village (it is a ways away after all) the fox keeps looking up at the knight uncertainly. She feels like she's met him somewhere before but where?
...wait.
WAIT!
"Have I seen you at one of the Spooktober parties before?" the fox asks. She's SURE there's been a buff dragon guy that came to at least one of them but she can't quite recall if it was THIS buff dragon guy or a different one.
Of COURSE Chestnut would never do anything bad to mortals!
Like turning them into a pumpkin for annoying her when she's in the middle of a staring contest with a pumpkin. That would be exactly the sort of capricious thing a sidhe would do.
ANYWAY!
Shirtget!
The fox is pretty glad that the lizard knight guy isn't going to smite her or something. The last lizard knight guy she met was pretty leery of her spooky magic but he seemed nice and mostly just concerned? Hmm...
As the trio is walking back toward the village (it is a ways away after all) the fox keeps looking up at the knight uncertainly. She feels like she's met him somewhere before but where?
...wait.
WAIT!
"Have I seen you at one of the Spooktober parties before?" the fox asks. She's SURE there's been a buff dragon guy that came to at least one of them but she can't quite recall if it was THIS buff dragon guy or a different one.
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
Off to See the Seer
That would never happen. Of course there was that one mortal who was cosmically always the pumpkin Chestnut was holding and it just took him a while to get to that. What a strange incident.
"Maybe? I've gone to one or two. I don't recall any shadowy foxes, though.
Maybe you know little Jeb or Annie or Wil though? Mostly dog-shaped, vague suggestion of skulls? Very cute? They haunt my house."
G'nichi is just the guy who lets them live at his house and explains to his neighbors what they are so they don't panic when the kids scare them for sustenance and reminds them to brush their teeth and buys them Thanksmas presents and helps Annie put on her ribbons. Not their dad.
And clearly The Fox might know them because she is also a spooky faerie animal. Faerie animals know each other right?
That would never happen. Of course there was that one mortal who was cosmically always the pumpkin Chestnut was holding and it just took him a while to get to that. What a strange incident.
"Maybe? I've gone to one or two. I don't recall any shadowy foxes, though.
Maybe you know little Jeb or Annie or Wil though? Mostly dog-shaped, vague suggestion of skulls? Very cute? They haunt my house."
G'nichi is just the guy who lets them live at his house and explains to his neighbors what they are so they don't panic when the kids scare them for sustenance and reminds them to brush their teeth and buys them Thanksmas presents and helps Annie put on her ribbons. Not their dad.
And clearly The Fox might know them because she is also a spooky faerie animal. Faerie animals know each other right?
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
[Off to See the Seer]
Definitely never! Never ever.
"I wasn't one then. Buncha weird stuff has happened to me," the fox sighs with a sort of long suffering acceptance of a person who is destined to deal with nonsense forever. It's a feeling G'Nichi probably knows well. "Um... actually maybe? I mean, not personally. The Frescot kids have mentioned them. See, I help at Glog a lot? It's a pretty cool place and their mom helps run it. Or I guess technically awake-me helps there. I'm just my shadow."
There's that 'why is my existence so weird?' sigh again.
"Are you doing okay, Pumpkin? Does the shirt fit alright?" the fox asks.
Definitely never! Never ever.
"I wasn't one then. Buncha weird stuff has happened to me," the fox sighs with a sort of long suffering acceptance of a person who is destined to deal with nonsense forever. It's a feeling G'Nichi probably knows well. "Um... actually maybe? I mean, not personally. The Frescot kids have mentioned them. See, I help at Glog a lot? It's a pretty cool place and their mom helps run it. Or I guess technically awake-me helps there. I'm just my shadow."
There's that 'why is my existence so weird?' sigh again.
"Are you doing okay, Pumpkin? Does the shirt fit alright?" the fox asks.
-
bc56
- Poster from Beyond the Veil
- Posts: 2775
- Joined: Jul 25, 2022 3:09 pm
- Location: Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
Japaraita
Sekhmet nods. She understands what June is saying; she wants to accept help without her pride being wounded. "I was just going to give you a temporary pair of legs again," she explains. It's the same thing she did earlier. "Maybe I'd try binding the enchantment so you can release it when you want."
Sekhmet nods. She understands what June is saying; she wants to accept help without her pride being wounded. "I was just going to give you a temporary pair of legs again," she explains. It's the same thing she did earlier. "Maybe I'd try binding the enchantment so you can release it when you want."
Avatar by me! No more outsourcing!
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
Off to See the Seer
"They're good kids." G'nichi replies with a nod.
He doesn't make her explain everything else she just said. "Sometimes the Nexus just makes someone fluffier." Yup.
"I'm doing okay! I'm just trying to think of what I can do to find someone who doesn't have SPOOKTOBER SPIRIT! And get my hands on a spooktober treat. Do you think I could trade some apples for one?" Pumpkin replies, still pronking her way along the path.
"They're good kids." G'nichi replies with a nod.
He doesn't make her explain everything else she just said. "Sometimes the Nexus just makes someone fluffier." Yup.
"I'm doing okay! I'm just trying to think of what I can do to find someone who doesn't have SPOOKTOBER SPIRIT! And get my hands on a spooktober treat. Do you think I could trade some apples for one?" Pumpkin replies, still pronking her way along the path.
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
[Off to See the Seer]
"They sounded like the Frescots like 'em, and those kids are good kids," the fox reasons. "We're use to ghosts at Glog so a couple black dogs aren't a huge deal."
Definitely not.
"Yeah, I guess it kinda does, doesn't it? I guess it could be worse," she muses, giving Pumpkin a furtive look. "I guess it kinda depends on the place we're going? If they don't have any festivals going on right now it couldn't take THAT much to make someone happy. Spooktober's all about having some fun 'cuz another year is winding up, right?"
There's more to it than that but the fox is not a Spooktober expert.
Regardless!
They will soon begin approaching the village! Does G'Nichi have a plan for explaining the presence of the strange fo-
The strange fox just flicked her tail, causing a bone mask of a girl's face to appear, and put it on.
Now there's a human girl there instead wearing a relatively simple illusionary outfit consisting of a black blouse and dress. Color soon begins creeping across the attire, resolving into relatively peasanty looking clothing. For a few seconds she still has a foxy black tail, but she waves her hands at it with a, "Get outta here, fox," whereupon it vanishes. "Okay if people ask you can just tell 'em you found me at the bandit hideout. Dunno what we're gunna say about Pumpkin, though."
"They sounded like the Frescots like 'em, and those kids are good kids," the fox reasons. "We're use to ghosts at Glog so a couple black dogs aren't a huge deal."
Definitely not.
"Yeah, I guess it kinda does, doesn't it? I guess it could be worse," she muses, giving Pumpkin a furtive look. "I guess it kinda depends on the place we're going? If they don't have any festivals going on right now it couldn't take THAT much to make someone happy. Spooktober's all about having some fun 'cuz another year is winding up, right?"
There's more to it than that but the fox is not a Spooktober expert.
Regardless!
They will soon begin approaching the village! Does G'Nichi have a plan for explaining the presence of the strange fo-
The strange fox just flicked her tail, causing a bone mask of a girl's face to appear, and put it on.
Now there's a human girl there instead wearing a relatively simple illusionary outfit consisting of a black blouse and dress. Color soon begins creeping across the attire, resolving into relatively peasanty looking clothing. For a few seconds she still has a foxy black tail, but she waves her hands at it with a, "Get outta here, fox," whereupon it vanishes. "Okay if people ask you can just tell 'em you found me at the bandit hideout. Dunno what we're gunna say about Pumpkin, though."
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
[Silent Sepulcher]Rebonack wrote: ↑Oct 27, 2023 2:45 pm [Silent Sepulcher]
The words seem to die on Tahara's lips.
She's speaking. She knows she's speaking. But the sound just doesn't carry them. The wind doesn't howl. The snow doesn't crunch. The only sound a person might be able to hear is what's conveyed through their own body to their ears. Such absolute silence would cause most mortals to go mad in a short time, but Tahara is...
Well.
Something else.
We'll see how she does.
As she crosses into the rings of the frozen supplicants forever sealed in stillness before the shrine an overwhelming intent to fall on one's knees and silently pray will roll over Tahara with all the implacability of an advancing glacier. How many fools trekked to this awful place believing they could find treasure only to caught in the tragedy of their monumental foolishness? How many have dropped to the icy ground and slowly perished of exposure, becoming part of the stillness that settles heavy over the land like a blanket of snow?
Hopefully Tahara won't be one of them.
As she approaches the sepulcher, the weight of the aforementioned intent falls on her like a glacier; slowly but implacably. She feels her pace slow to a halt as she approaches the entrance. She simply stares up at it, before collapsing to her knees.
This is a sacred place. She isn't a pure being anymore. She has no business presuming herself worthy to enter, much less even approaching. Someone more worthy might be allowed entry, but her?
This is as far as she goes.
Any further would be wrong.
Tahara lowers her head and closes her eyes, silently pleading to whatever entities might be watching for forgiveness. It wasn't her place to intrude like this.
[Little Sattleborough]Earl of Purple wrote: ↑Oct 28, 2023 12:10 am Little Sattleborough
Samantha's ignoring it because it's the Priest's Head; the actual head lost its novelty long ago for her. And Michael's ignoring it because he works here, and is even more used to it than Samantha is. Some of the guests glance at it occasionally, but mostly they stay away from it. It creeps most visitors out.
"I'm not sure it's your business, asking what deals others have made with raksha. How many toes have you sacrificed for life?" Samantha noticed the limp, and seems to have struck a nerve; Michael grimaces in reply.
"Two. But not for me. One was for Meredith; we had a famine when she was a baby. I gave up two toes, so we both life five years before natural causes can kill us. She lived the four months we needed to get another crop in." An unusual use of the method, but one which clearly works. Samantha's niece will live five years longer than she should have... which is enough time to survive a famine the raksha otherwise seemed unable to solve.
"Oh, that reminds me." Jubilee reaches into her purse and produces a pair of gold coins, setting them on the bar in front of Michael. "We paid Meredith a visit earlier. This should cover the cost of a new door and another pair of trousers. Or some decent laundry products. I don't care, I'm not your mum."
The debt (such as it was) now satisfied, Jubilee returns her attention to the mummified priest's head, staring at it cross-eyed and puffing out her cheeks mockingly.
Who're you? ...Don't matter.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
Want some rye? Course ya do!
Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
[Silent Sepulcher]
There comes no voice from the heavens. There comes no moment of revelation. There comes no feeling of absolution.
No one answers, save for the stillness.
Sometimes the lack of an answer is an answer.
Snow continues to fall silently across the bleak landscape, settling on Tahara's shoulders.
There comes no voice from the heavens. There comes no moment of revelation. There comes no feeling of absolution.
No one answers, save for the stillness.
Sometimes the lack of an answer is an answer.
Snow continues to fall silently across the bleak landscape, settling on Tahara's shoulders.
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
Off to See the Seer
"This is still a Nexus town. I don't think they'll go into hysterics over a deer-centaur, even if they know she's a nature sprite." G'nichi shrugs his wings.
"Look, I'm here to have a word with a particular dragon that's been sending hit-squads on me for imaginary crimes. You girls really shouldn't follow me on that, faerie or not. It sounds like you have your own stuff to be doing so you don't have to put yourselves in danger." There's that self-sacrificing knightly attitude.
"Well...it would probably be hard to spook a dragon..." Pumpkin muses.
"This is still a Nexus town. I don't think they'll go into hysterics over a deer-centaur, even if they know she's a nature sprite." G'nichi shrugs his wings.
"Look, I'm here to have a word with a particular dragon that's been sending hit-squads on me for imaginary crimes. You girls really shouldn't follow me on that, faerie or not. It sounds like you have your own stuff to be doing so you don't have to put yourselves in danger." There's that self-sacrificing knightly attitude.
"Well...it would probably be hard to spook a dragon..." Pumpkin muses.
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
[Off to See the Seer]
"Yeah dragons are pretty hard to spook," the girl muses. "Okay Pumpkin I'm thinking here's the plan. We can head into the village and try to finish your questy thing there. Once that's done then you can go back to the party the same way we got here. I dunno how much longer I'll be around since I'm gunna vanish as soon as I wake up."
Our heroes pass by a few farmhands finishing up the work in the fields for the day. Upon spotting Pumpkin they make a gesture at her, pointing at her with both their pinky and pointer finger. Probably some sort of ward against the evil eye.
What if the spirit hexes them!
"Are you sure going after a dragon alone who's trying to get you assassinated's a great idea?" the teen inquires. "I mean, unless we're talking one of those cute tiny dragons. But I'm guessing he's not gunna be one of those."
"Yeah dragons are pretty hard to spook," the girl muses. "Okay Pumpkin I'm thinking here's the plan. We can head into the village and try to finish your questy thing there. Once that's done then you can go back to the party the same way we got here. I dunno how much longer I'll be around since I'm gunna vanish as soon as I wake up."
Our heroes pass by a few farmhands finishing up the work in the fields for the day. Upon spotting Pumpkin they make a gesture at her, pointing at her with both their pinky and pointer finger. Probably some sort of ward against the evil eye.
What if the spirit hexes them!
"Are you sure going after a dragon alone who's trying to get you assassinated's a great idea?" the teen inquires. "I mean, unless we're talking one of those cute tiny dragons. But I'm guessing he's not gunna be one of those."
-
Earl of Purple
- Transcendent Soul Poster
- Posts: 2109
- Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
- Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
- Pronouns: He/Him
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
Little Sattleborough
Michael takes the coins, confused by why he needs new trousers... or a new door, for that matter. He's guessing the latter has to do with Jubilee's earlier threat of arson, the trousers... remain a mystery to him. (Earl has forgotten too.)
"So why are you here? Can't be looking for me, you didn't know I existed." It's a bit much for a social call, after all.
"Dad, mostly. Miss wants to know what happened to him, but if he's dead not much for it. Good to meet you, though."
"I don't know he's dead. He tried sacrificing Meredith, so I kicked him out. I told everyone he'd died, and he probably is dead. He'd be... a hundred and two, I think. With all the issues that involves, if he is alive. Raksha deals don't keep you healthy- it stops you dying of natural causes, illness or starvation and such. Not violence, or non-fatal disease. I think he went to a bloke called Benjamin Beaulieu, or something like that. An occultist, not a summoner, and a dangerous man. He's got a manse, here. I've got a map, it's on the coast along here somewhere, I think."
Michael takes the coins, confused by why he needs new trousers... or a new door, for that matter. He's guessing the latter has to do with Jubilee's earlier threat of arson, the trousers... remain a mystery to him. (Earl has forgotten too.)
"So why are you here? Can't be looking for me, you didn't know I existed." It's a bit much for a social call, after all.
"Dad, mostly. Miss wants to know what happened to him, but if he's dead not much for it. Good to meet you, though."
"I don't know he's dead. He tried sacrificing Meredith, so I kicked him out. I told everyone he'd died, and he probably is dead. He'd be... a hundred and two, I think. With all the issues that involves, if he is alive. Raksha deals don't keep you healthy- it stops you dying of natural causes, illness or starvation and such. Not violence, or non-fatal disease. I think he went to a bloke called Benjamin Beaulieu, or something like that. An occultist, not a summoner, and a dangerous man. He's got a manse, here. I've got a map, it's on the coast along here somewhere, I think."
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
Off to See the SeerRebonack wrote: ↑Nov 03, 2023 3:08 pm [Off to See the Seer]
"Yeah dragons are pretty hard to spook," the girl muses. "Okay Pumpkin I'm thinking here's the plan. We can head into the village and try to finish your questy thing there. Once that's done then you can go back to the party the same way we got here. I dunno how much longer I'll be around since I'm gunna vanish as soon as I wake up."
Our heroes pass by a few farmhands finishing up the work in the fields for the day. Upon spotting Pumpkin they make a gesture at her, pointing at her with both their pinky and pointer finger. Probably some sort of ward against the evil eye.
What if the spirit hexes them!
"Are you sure going after a dragon alone who's trying to get you assassinated's a great idea?" the teen inquires. "I mean, unless we're talking one of those cute tiny dragons. But I'm guessing he's not gunna be one of those."
Pumpkin puts on her Spooktober mask! Now they'll never be able to tell she's a faerie.
"I have to settle this. He's turning decent...ish people to murder with his lies. And he's getting other people involved. They tried to convince a unicorn to help smite me, but he was too suspicious of their story apparently. You can come if you want, but I don't want to get a bunch of kids involved. I know you're a fae so you're not just kids but still."
Pumpkin doesn't seem like the kind of girl who would be great against fire.
Re: Outside: Grass touch place
[Off to See the Seer]
Pumpkin has got the right idea.
She looks just like Frankenstein's Monster now! Or rather, she looks like a deer centaur lady wearing a cheap mask. But maybe if she BELIEVES hard enough people will just see a scary monster? Maybe? That's how these things work sometimes, right?
"Oh beans, that sounds really bad," says the definitely normal teen girl who is definitely not a fox wearing a Mask of a definitely normal teen girl. Hopefully G'Nichi isn't familiar with how kumiho work otherwise he would probably assume that the fox ate this kid and is just wearing her identity like a costume.
That's more or less the sort of thing horrible foxes would do.
"I dunno if I could even come along. Or if I did I would probably vanish pretty quick. As soon as actual-me wakes up I'll disappear," the definitely normal girl explains. "Might be bad if I up and poof when I'm around Pumpkin, too. The villagers might think she did something to me."
And that would be terrible.
"Have you though about asking MERC or something for help? I mean, that's basically what they do, right? Hire out adventurers to help with stuff like this?" she asks.
Pumpkin has got the right idea.
She looks just like Frankenstein's Monster now! Or rather, she looks like a deer centaur lady wearing a cheap mask. But maybe if she BELIEVES hard enough people will just see a scary monster? Maybe? That's how these things work sometimes, right?
"Oh beans, that sounds really bad," says the definitely normal teen girl who is definitely not a fox wearing a Mask of a definitely normal teen girl. Hopefully G'Nichi isn't familiar with how kumiho work otherwise he would probably assume that the fox ate this kid and is just wearing her identity like a costume.
That's more or less the sort of thing horrible foxes would do.
"I dunno if I could even come along. Or if I did I would probably vanish pretty quick. As soon as actual-me wakes up I'll disappear," the definitely normal girl explains. "Might be bad if I up and poof when I'm around Pumpkin, too. The villagers might think she did something to me."
And that would be terrible.
"Have you though about asking MERC or something for help? I mean, that's basically what they do, right? Hire out adventurers to help with stuff like this?" she asks.