[Not a Date]
"My parents were really religious. I think that's how most people make sense of things. Maybe not by worshipping a slime god but by worshipping something!" Bismuth says as she stows the heart and pulls out her chemlit again, giving it a nice shake to get it glowing more brightly. "Worship is just about what you put your trust in! Kind of. And what you owe duties too. I think everyone worships SOMETHING even if they don't think about it that way."
Then?
She stows the mirror away, too.
"Alright! Do you still have that string you were leaving behind? We can follow it back to the exit."
The Theatre
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quillpleasant
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Re: The Theatre
Not a Date
"Oh, huh." Darko hasn't thought of religion in those terms before. He's only considered it in the traditional way of going to a church, worshipping an unseen god, that sort of thing. But going by Bismuth's explanation...
"I guess I worship the Wizards then, since I trust them and they give me duties. Bit weird to think of it like that, though." They're not exactly his friends though, and they are authority figures of a kind. So it's not the worst fit.
"Ooh yeah, string, right!" Darko looks around- he lost track of the ball of yarn in the struggle.
Oh, there it is, by the chair! He picks it up and begins to reel it in.
"Good to go, yeah? Let's get out of here." It was fun going on a little quest together, but he'll be glad to be back in safety too.
Stepping out into the passageway, Darko peers into the darkness and freezes. "Oh..."
The hall is significantly darker than when they last came this way. But the more worrisome part is that it's now crowded with battered old manikins, the kind that model clothes in shops. They're old and dingy, and most are missing limbs and heads, and there's enough that it would be a challenge to walk down the hall without continually bumping into them.
"Oh, huh." Darko hasn't thought of religion in those terms before. He's only considered it in the traditional way of going to a church, worshipping an unseen god, that sort of thing. But going by Bismuth's explanation...
"I guess I worship the Wizards then, since I trust them and they give me duties. Bit weird to think of it like that, though." They're not exactly his friends though, and they are authority figures of a kind. So it's not the worst fit.
"Ooh yeah, string, right!" Darko looks around- he lost track of the ball of yarn in the struggle.
Oh, there it is, by the chair! He picks it up and begins to reel it in.
"Good to go, yeah? Let's get out of here." It was fun going on a little quest together, but he'll be glad to be back in safety too.
Stepping out into the passageway, Darko peers into the darkness and freezes. "Oh..."
The hall is significantly darker than when they last came this way. But the more worrisome part is that it's now crowded with battered old manikins, the kind that model clothes in shops. They're old and dingy, and most are missing limbs and heads, and there's enough that it would be a challenge to walk down the hall without continually bumping into them.
horses can attack and eat me
Re: The Theatre
[Not a Date]
"Maybe! My parents were concerned with duty. The things they had to do for the Faceless God," Bismuth says as they begin following the string and immediately encounter a problem!
A problem with a whole bunch of creepy looking manikins.
Hmm.
Well!
This looks like a good job for the poking stick!
Gripping her ten foot pole firmly, Bismuth will jab at one of the manikins.
Just to make sure it isn't going to come to life and do something strange.
You never know on a delve.
"Maybe! My parents were concerned with duty. The things they had to do for the Faceless God," Bismuth says as they begin following the string and immediately encounter a problem!
A problem with a whole bunch of creepy looking manikins.
Hmm.
Well!
This looks like a good job for the poking stick!
Gripping her ten foot pole firmly, Bismuth will jab at one of the manikins.
Just to make sure it isn't going to come to life and do something strange.
You never know on a delve.
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quillpleasant
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Re: The Theatre
Not a Date
Darko's also had to do some pretty weird stuff for the Wizards. Nothing too horrible, just... very weird.
The mission they're on now is a little weird if you think about it. But again, not weird enough to be too questionable. Just a little off.
Just like these manikins! There's something off about them as well. When one is poked, there's the sharp sound you would expect hitting wood with a stick, but it doesn't react or do anything to imply that it's not just a completely normal manikin.
Darko walks over to another one and baps it on the face with his open palm. No reaction.
"Creepy. But fine?" he says, although he doesn't seem convinced. "It'll be a little tricky to get through here, but we should be fine. I can't stop thinking about getting in the middle and then all of them coming to life though..."
That would be the creepiest way to do things, wouldn't it? The manikins stare, impassive and dead.
Darko's also had to do some pretty weird stuff for the Wizards. Nothing too horrible, just... very weird.
The mission they're on now is a little weird if you think about it. But again, not weird enough to be too questionable. Just a little off.
Just like these manikins! There's something off about them as well. When one is poked, there's the sharp sound you would expect hitting wood with a stick, but it doesn't react or do anything to imply that it's not just a completely normal manikin.
Darko walks over to another one and baps it on the face with his open palm. No reaction.
"Creepy. But fine?" he says, although he doesn't seem convinced. "It'll be a little tricky to get through here, but we should be fine. I can't stop thinking about getting in the middle and then all of them coming to life though..."
That would be the creepiest way to do things, wouldn't it? The manikins stare, impassive and dead.
horses can attack and eat me
Re: The Theatre
[Not a Date]
That's one of the things that often happens when someone is beholden to eldritch entities. They end up getting sent on lots of errands that really don't make any sense in isolation. Who knows what ineffable purposes could be behind such things?
And as far as weird missions go setting off to find the disembodied heart of a giant stuffed rabbit toy isn't...
That...
Weird?
Right?
It IS a little off, though.
Yes.
Just like the manikins.
None the less, Bismuth is glad she always keeps her poking stick with her. It's a very handy tool to have around.
"We'll just walk right through them! And if they DO come to life and starts harassing us we'll overcome them with our superior moves! I bet they would be wooden and slow," the slime dragon says as she begins slinking between the spooky statuesque clothing stands with a fluidity that would put a cat to shame.
That's one of the things that often happens when someone is beholden to eldritch entities. They end up getting sent on lots of errands that really don't make any sense in isolation. Who knows what ineffable purposes could be behind such things?
And as far as weird missions go setting off to find the disembodied heart of a giant stuffed rabbit toy isn't...
That...
Weird?
Right?
It IS a little off, though.
Yes.
Just like the manikins.
None the less, Bismuth is glad she always keeps her poking stick with her. It's a very handy tool to have around.
"We'll just walk right through them! And if they DO come to life and starts harassing us we'll overcome them with our superior moves! I bet they would be wooden and slow," the slime dragon says as she begins slinking between the spooky statuesque clothing stands with a fluidity that would put a cat to shame.
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quillpleasant
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Re: The Theatre
Not a Date
"Wooden and slow, right. Yeah, it'll be fine," says Darko, nodding vigorously. He does not sound very sure of that. But nonetheless he follows Bismuth into the waiting crowd.
He's nowhere near as nimble as she is, but he's no slouch either- a lot of time stealing stuff on the street has made Darko light on his feet. So the two are able to make their way between the manikins, ducking and weaving to avoid contact with the silent figures. Darko rolls up his yarn as they go, amassing a slow growing ball as they go.
The first indication that something is off is that they don't emerge into the chamber with the pit leading to the Gallery. Instead, the corridor keeps going, the walls and floor dark with grime, the manikins casting dancing shadows in the chemlite's glow.
"The path has changed, but the thread is still going, so this has to be the right way, right?" says Darko hopefully. This is uncharted territory, and anything is possible.
However, Bismuth was also leaving a scent trail. This is still detectable despite the change in scenery, so they do seem to be heading out. The gradual upward slope of the passage contributes to this theory.
But that brings us to the second, and more dire indicator that not all is right. And that's the fact that there's a sudden clattering, terribly loud, from about forty feet back. A quick glance will reveal that the manikins are not suddenly springing to life- rather, something large is bowling down the corridor, knocking the wood figures out of its way like ninepins as it charges towards Darko and Bismuth.
Jumping like a startled rabbit, Darko begins to dart away from whatever is coming, the yarn forgotten. But the manikins are thick, and it's hard to sprint when you're not strong enough to push them out of the way.
"Wooden and slow, right. Yeah, it'll be fine," says Darko, nodding vigorously. He does not sound very sure of that. But nonetheless he follows Bismuth into the waiting crowd.
He's nowhere near as nimble as she is, but he's no slouch either- a lot of time stealing stuff on the street has made Darko light on his feet. So the two are able to make their way between the manikins, ducking and weaving to avoid contact with the silent figures. Darko rolls up his yarn as they go, amassing a slow growing ball as they go.
The first indication that something is off is that they don't emerge into the chamber with the pit leading to the Gallery. Instead, the corridor keeps going, the walls and floor dark with grime, the manikins casting dancing shadows in the chemlite's glow.
"The path has changed, but the thread is still going, so this has to be the right way, right?" says Darko hopefully. This is uncharted territory, and anything is possible.
However, Bismuth was also leaving a scent trail. This is still detectable despite the change in scenery, so they do seem to be heading out. The gradual upward slope of the passage contributes to this theory.
But that brings us to the second, and more dire indicator that not all is right. And that's the fact that there's a sudden clattering, terribly loud, from about forty feet back. A quick glance will reveal that the manikins are not suddenly springing to life- rather, something large is bowling down the corridor, knocking the wood figures out of its way like ninepins as it charges towards Darko and Bismuth.
Jumping like a startled rabbit, Darko begins to dart away from whatever is coming, the yarn forgotten. But the manikins are thick, and it's hard to sprint when you're not strong enough to push them out of the way.
horses can attack and eat me
Re: The Theatre
[Not a Date]
"Yeah! Just fine! Nothing bad will happen at all," Bismuth says as she half-prances down the hallway, following her own scent trail much as Darko is following his ball of yarn. And in speaking such a thing aloud she's also taking stock of the various potions she has on her person just in case the words temp fate and all the mannequins come to life!
"Definitely," she replies to Darko. "I can still smell our trail, too. So maybe the Theater just changes around what the path looks like instead of changing the path itself? That makes as much sense as anything else we've met down here so far."
It seems like a reasonable take on the situation to her as she nimbly weaves through the obstacle course.
But.
BUT!
Oh no.
It turns out the threat wasn't the mannequins that were a threat at all!
It's the thing charging toward them THROUGH the mannequins!
That isn't any good at all!
Now.
Normally this is when someone might yell something heroic like, 'I'll hold it off!' but that isn't what Bismuth does.
Instead, she turns toward the onrushing creature and begins glowing brightly as the cavity inside her begins ballooning in size as it rapidly fills with a truly absurd volume of liquid glowfrost. Her previous displays were pretty minor, really. They were a full-power dragon breath application.
This time, though?
Absolutely.
With a sound not terribly dissimilar to a deflating water-balloon she unleashes a wide spray of freezing, luminous liquid down the hall toward the onrushing threat. Getting blasted will quickly freeze every surface the glowfrost splashes over as it sucks heat out of whatever it touches and converts that heat into soft white light. If their attacker is caught it might find itself frozen. And if it splashes through any puddles of the glowfrost it might end up with its feet frozen to the floor.
And if nothing else the light source might make it easier to see what's coming!
Hopefully it isn't that shadow wolf again.
"Yeah! Just fine! Nothing bad will happen at all," Bismuth says as she half-prances down the hallway, following her own scent trail much as Darko is following his ball of yarn. And in speaking such a thing aloud she's also taking stock of the various potions she has on her person just in case the words temp fate and all the mannequins come to life!
"Definitely," she replies to Darko. "I can still smell our trail, too. So maybe the Theater just changes around what the path looks like instead of changing the path itself? That makes as much sense as anything else we've met down here so far."
It seems like a reasonable take on the situation to her as she nimbly weaves through the obstacle course.
But.
BUT!
Oh no.
It turns out the threat wasn't the mannequins that were a threat at all!
It's the thing charging toward them THROUGH the mannequins!
That isn't any good at all!
Now.
Normally this is when someone might yell something heroic like, 'I'll hold it off!' but that isn't what Bismuth does.
Instead, she turns toward the onrushing creature and begins glowing brightly as the cavity inside her begins ballooning in size as it rapidly fills with a truly absurd volume of liquid glowfrost. Her previous displays were pretty minor, really. They were a full-power dragon breath application.
This time, though?
Absolutely.
With a sound not terribly dissimilar to a deflating water-balloon she unleashes a wide spray of freezing, luminous liquid down the hall toward the onrushing threat. Getting blasted will quickly freeze every surface the glowfrost splashes over as it sucks heat out of whatever it touches and converts that heat into soft white light. If their attacker is caught it might find itself frozen. And if it splashes through any puddles of the glowfrost it might end up with its feet frozen to the floor.
And if nothing else the light source might make it easier to see what's coming!
Hopefully it isn't that shadow wolf again.
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quillpleasant
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Re: The Theatre
The Theatre changing its appearance is an entirely reasonable theory. In a way, it would be like putting on a different costume. Only usually it's the performers who do that, not the building.
Not that this is an ordinary building.
But now is not the time for theories! It is the time for action! Something that Bismuth has well under control as she puffs up and unleashes a gout of freezing liquid back the way they came. The substance illuminates the tunnel, the many shadows of the manikins seeming to double their number. And in the light it's quite clear to see what's chasing the intrepid heroes.
On the plus side, it's not the wolf.
It's a little hard to understand what it is though. An enormous blobby mass supported on dozens of spindly arachnoid legs. Its body resembles that of a swollen grub, chitinous and pale, almost filling up the entire tunnel. But its face is the most unsettling part, looking like an oversized human baby with beady eyes and a wide, hungry mouth.
As the glowfrost splashes over it and freezes, the creature cries out, its voice halfway between the scream of an infant and the buzz of an angry hive. Its charge temporarily halted, it struggles and thrashes, unable to free itself.
Darko, glancing back at the scene, looks startled. "Burrower! Wait, why are you attacking us? It's me!" he calls out to the thing. But it pays him no heed, instead opening its mouth and exhaling, the rubber squeak of a deflating balloon. Its body begins to collapse, peeling free of the ice that's formed around it.
It won't be trapped for much longer. But how to capitalize on the borrowed time? Darko seems frozen, as if not believing what he's seeing.
horses can attack and eat me
Re: The Theatre
[Not a Date]
Theaters DO change their costume though, don't they? That's what the props and sets are for. So maybe the theater just swapped out props and sets while our heroes were busy wrangling shadow wolves?
They may never know, however.
Mostly because they're being beset upon by a giant horrible baby grub spider thing which is, apparently, one of the Wizards.
Why is one of the Wizards menacing them?
Judging from Darko's reaction such a thing has never happened before.
Judging from Bismuth's reaction she really doesn't care a great deal whether or not such a thing has never happened before.
She just blew her breath weapon and it's going to take it some time to build back up again which means now it's time to grab Darko's hand in one of her tentacles and begin hauling him through the mannequins! Now, Bismuth isn't an enormous dragon, but she's still a dragon and when she decides it's time to start shoving wooden dummies out of her way she can surely do so.
"Let's go! We can find out why he's grumpy later!" Bismuth insists as she tries to hurry Darko along.
Theaters DO change their costume though, don't they? That's what the props and sets are for. So maybe the theater just swapped out props and sets while our heroes were busy wrangling shadow wolves?
They may never know, however.
Mostly because they're being beset upon by a giant horrible baby grub spider thing which is, apparently, one of the Wizards.
Why is one of the Wizards menacing them?
Judging from Darko's reaction such a thing has never happened before.
Judging from Bismuth's reaction she really doesn't care a great deal whether or not such a thing has never happened before.
She just blew her breath weapon and it's going to take it some time to build back up again which means now it's time to grab Darko's hand in one of her tentacles and begin hauling him through the mannequins! Now, Bismuth isn't an enormous dragon, but she's still a dragon and when she decides it's time to start shoving wooden dummies out of her way she can surely do so.
"Let's go! We can find out why he's grumpy later!" Bismuth insists as she tries to hurry Darko along.
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quillpleasant
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Re: The Theatre
Not a Date
Bismuth's grip dispels the shock Darko is feeling, and he follows her without hesitation, running as quickly as he can. Although he's not able to shove aside manikins as easily as she does, a combination of dodging and following in her wake means that he keeps up without issue.
And Bismuth is able to bowl through the dummies as easily as expected, raising a racket as the two flee down the packed corridor. Behind them, the buzzing cries of the Burrower grow in intensity as it struggles to get free of the ice.
They've been running for a good half the corridor before the sound of splintering wood behind them announces that it's succeeded and resumed the pursuit.
But they must be nearly there now! And helpfully, the manikins are getting more sparse now, allowing the kids to focus more on speed than power. Darko glances over his shoulder, breath whistling between his teeth.
Then up ahead, the exit! The lights of the Theatre can be seen winking through the cracks.
What cracks? Well, that's the problem. A huge, tightly packed barrier of manikins is crowded around it, more dense than the rest. Their limbs are interlocked together, making a wall through which the light can be seen.
"I got this!" yells Darko, reaching into his pocket and drawing out-
One of the arcane grenades! Wait, he had that the whole time?
He begins the process of swigging it and spitting it back out. But the shape of the Burrower is fast gaining, and if the grenade doesn't destroy the barrier, then things are going to get perilous fast.
Bismuth's grip dispels the shock Darko is feeling, and he follows her without hesitation, running as quickly as he can. Although he's not able to shove aside manikins as easily as she does, a combination of dodging and following in her wake means that he keeps up without issue.
And Bismuth is able to bowl through the dummies as easily as expected, raising a racket as the two flee down the packed corridor. Behind them, the buzzing cries of the Burrower grow in intensity as it struggles to get free of the ice.
They've been running for a good half the corridor before the sound of splintering wood behind them announces that it's succeeded and resumed the pursuit.
But they must be nearly there now! And helpfully, the manikins are getting more sparse now, allowing the kids to focus more on speed than power. Darko glances over his shoulder, breath whistling between his teeth.
Then up ahead, the exit! The lights of the Theatre can be seen winking through the cracks.
What cracks? Well, that's the problem. A huge, tightly packed barrier of manikins is crowded around it, more dense than the rest. Their limbs are interlocked together, making a wall through which the light can be seen.
"I got this!" yells Darko, reaching into his pocket and drawing out-
One of the arcane grenades! Wait, he had that the whole time?
He begins the process of swigging it and spitting it back out. But the shape of the Burrower is fast gaining, and if the grenade doesn't destroy the barrier, then things are going to get perilous fast.
horses can attack and eat me
Re: The Theatre
[Not a Date]
Oh yeah!
They're making progress!
At this rate they'll be back out of the basement before the spooky worm baby gets free from Bismuth's glowfrost!
BUT THEN OH NO!
More dummies!
They're just having a terrible time with dummies today, aren't they?
But.
BUT!
That's okay!
Darko has a plan! Probably! Mostly!
Most of a plan! Bismuth recognizes the scent of the arcane potion right away and puts herself between Darko and the on rushing Burrower. "You get the way open and I'll hold him off!"
Somehow!
The trick is just sounding really confident.
Bismuth roots around in her bags again. She has plenty of potions in there, but most of them really aren't that useful when it comes to halting huge monsters charging her way. If she had a GIANT expanding foam potion she might be able to block the hallway but she doesn't. She only had the single potion she had used on the shadow wolf.
But what else does she have in here?
A flask of acid? While that's handy for dissolving small volumes of material it wouldn't help much against something that big. A potion of strong smelling mint? Not great unless Father Burrower is repulsed by clean smelling teeth. Maybe-
OH!
OH OH that might work!
Bismuth pulls the potion out of her pack, gives the conjoined bottle a twist, shakes up its contents, and then HURLS it down the hallway. "This will be LOUD and BRIGHT! Keep your eyes on the dummies!" Bismuth warns.
Upon striking the ground further down the hall the potion EXPLODES in a deafening blast and an eye burning, brilliant white flash!
Oh yeah!
They're making progress!
At this rate they'll be back out of the basement before the spooky worm baby gets free from Bismuth's glowfrost!
BUT THEN OH NO!
More dummies!
They're just having a terrible time with dummies today, aren't they?
But.
BUT!
That's okay!
Darko has a plan! Probably! Mostly!
Most of a plan! Bismuth recognizes the scent of the arcane potion right away and puts herself between Darko and the on rushing Burrower. "You get the way open and I'll hold him off!"
Somehow!
The trick is just sounding really confident.
Bismuth roots around in her bags again. She has plenty of potions in there, but most of them really aren't that useful when it comes to halting huge monsters charging her way. If she had a GIANT expanding foam potion she might be able to block the hallway but she doesn't. She only had the single potion she had used on the shadow wolf.
But what else does she have in here?
A flask of acid? While that's handy for dissolving small volumes of material it wouldn't help much against something that big. A potion of strong smelling mint? Not great unless Father Burrower is repulsed by clean smelling teeth. Maybe-
OH!
OH OH that might work!
Bismuth pulls the potion out of her pack, gives the conjoined bottle a twist, shakes up its contents, and then HURLS it down the hallway. "This will be LOUD and BRIGHT! Keep your eyes on the dummies!" Bismuth warns.
Upon striking the ground further down the hall the potion EXPLODES in a deafening blast and an eye burning, brilliant white flash!
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quillpleasant
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Re: The Theatre
Not a Date
Darko nods at Bismuth's plan- not that he has enough time to debate it. With his back to her, he spits back into the potion, replaces the cork-
Just as Bismuth is shaking up her own potion-
And the Burrower is careening down the hall after their, infantile screeching reverberating as its legs skitter clumsily forward, beady black eyes burning with hate-
Two potions are flung through the air in two different directions. There's a cacophony of light and noise.
Bismuth's potion strikes the ground in front of the Burrower, and the ensuing flash sends it reeling, collapsing back in a twisted heap of twitching legs as it shakes its head, stunned and furious. Hairy pedipalps claw at its face as if trying to scratch away the light blindness.
Darko's potion hits the barrier, and it explodes, splinters flying through the air like shrapnel. Great!
What's not great is the secondary effect caused by Darko's wild magic. A burst of static electricity is released from the point of impact, crackling through the air. By the time it reaches Bismuth it's dissipated enough to be painful, but not dangerous. However, Darko is caught directly, and he's tossed off his feet, his limbs spasming.
As the dust settles, the Burrower cries like a hungry baby, beginning to crawl back away into the darkness. Clearly the light was an effective strategy against it. Whoo!
But Darko is still a little stunned. He blinks rapidly, trying to push himself up before collapsing again as another muscle twitch goes through his limbs. It doesn't look like he's seriously injured, just a little out of it.
As for the barrier, only some smoking pieces remain. And through it can be seen the rather inviting spotlights of the Theatre stage.
"Did we do it? Yaayyy..."
Darko nods at Bismuth's plan- not that he has enough time to debate it. With his back to her, he spits back into the potion, replaces the cork-
Just as Bismuth is shaking up her own potion-
And the Burrower is careening down the hall after their, infantile screeching reverberating as its legs skitter clumsily forward, beady black eyes burning with hate-
Two potions are flung through the air in two different directions. There's a cacophony of light and noise.
Bismuth's potion strikes the ground in front of the Burrower, and the ensuing flash sends it reeling, collapsing back in a twisted heap of twitching legs as it shakes its head, stunned and furious. Hairy pedipalps claw at its face as if trying to scratch away the light blindness.
Darko's potion hits the barrier, and it explodes, splinters flying through the air like shrapnel. Great!
What's not great is the secondary effect caused by Darko's wild magic. A burst of static electricity is released from the point of impact, crackling through the air. By the time it reaches Bismuth it's dissipated enough to be painful, but not dangerous. However, Darko is caught directly, and he's tossed off his feet, his limbs spasming.
As the dust settles, the Burrower cries like a hungry baby, beginning to crawl back away into the darkness. Clearly the light was an effective strategy against it. Whoo!
But Darko is still a little stunned. He blinks rapidly, trying to push himself up before collapsing again as another muscle twitch goes through his limbs. It doesn't look like he's seriously injured, just a little out of it.
As for the barrier, only some smoking pieces remain. And through it can be seen the rather inviting spotlights of the Theatre stage.
"Did we do it? Yaayyy..."
horses can attack and eat me
Re: The Theatre
[Not a Date]
Bismuth jerks away from the shock which is DEFINITELY not pleasant but she's been through worse!
Okay, technically, she hasn't. Since she only split off from Juibee not too long ago. Technically it was Juiblex who went through worse but WHATEVER close enough, right?
"We did it, yay!" the cheers, a little more forcefully than Darko.
Oh.
Wait.
Darko is laying on the ground all zapped.
Hmm.
She isn't sure if a healing potion would be great for that since it isn't a wound. She has something ELSE for that but first?
The slime dragon will wrap her tentacles under Darko's arms and begin hauling him up onto the stage. "Let's get out of here and find Chrysalis. I bet she'll be really excited that we got her heart back!"
Bismuth jerks away from the shock which is DEFINITELY not pleasant but she's been through worse!
Okay, technically, she hasn't. Since she only split off from Juibee not too long ago. Technically it was Juiblex who went through worse but WHATEVER close enough, right?
"We did it, yay!" the cheers, a little more forcefully than Darko.
Oh.
Wait.
Darko is laying on the ground all zapped.
Hmm.
She isn't sure if a healing potion would be great for that since it isn't a wound. She has something ELSE for that but first?
The slime dragon will wrap her tentacles under Darko's arms and begin hauling him up onto the stage. "Let's get out of here and find Chrysalis. I bet she'll be really excited that we got her heart back!"
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quillpleasant
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Re: The Theatre
Not a Date
"Sounds good to me," says Darko blearily, leaning against Bismuth. This shouldn't be very difficult for her, since he's quite a lightweight. In short order, the darkness of the under Theatre is left behind.
The stage lights are almost blinding in comparison, and Darko squints against the glare. There's silence for a moment- and then there's an explosion of multicolored confetti! Triumphant brass band music playing from nowhere! And the Chrysalis, jumping onstage to do some sort of bizarre acrobatic cheer routine, ears flopping wildly.
"Congratulatulations!" she calls out excitedly, pausing suddenly in mid flip and rocketing towards them, stopping with a jolt a couple feet away. "You did so goodalood! Darko, when you hit the shadow wolf with my book I just about diedalied laughing. And Bismuth, your potion tricks were fantastalastic!"
Darko, now recovered a little more, frowns up at the rabbit. "You were watching us?" The Wizard nods enthusiastically in response.
"Oh yesales! And not just me, another friend helped out!"
She makes a sweeping gesture to the side of the stage, and the music crescendos into a drumroll- before the baby-faced Burrower crawls onstage, legs clicking on the wood. It gives a big, unnerving smile. Darko grins back weakly.
"So, all that's left is my heart. Givealive?" says the Chrysalis, stooping down and holding out a large blunt paw to receive the organ.
"Sounds good to me," says Darko blearily, leaning against Bismuth. This shouldn't be very difficult for her, since he's quite a lightweight. In short order, the darkness of the under Theatre is left behind.
The stage lights are almost blinding in comparison, and Darko squints against the glare. There's silence for a moment- and then there's an explosion of multicolored confetti! Triumphant brass band music playing from nowhere! And the Chrysalis, jumping onstage to do some sort of bizarre acrobatic cheer routine, ears flopping wildly.
"Congratulatulations!" she calls out excitedly, pausing suddenly in mid flip and rocketing towards them, stopping with a jolt a couple feet away. "You did so goodalood! Darko, when you hit the shadow wolf with my book I just about diedalied laughing. And Bismuth, your potion tricks were fantastalastic!"
Darko, now recovered a little more, frowns up at the rabbit. "You were watching us?" The Wizard nods enthusiastically in response.
"Oh yesales! And not just me, another friend helped out!"
She makes a sweeping gesture to the side of the stage, and the music crescendos into a drumroll- before the baby-faced Burrower crawls onstage, legs clicking on the wood. It gives a big, unnerving smile. Darko grins back weakly.
"So, all that's left is my heart. Givealive?" says the Chrysalis, stooping down and holding out a large blunt paw to receive the organ.
horses can attack and eat me
Re: The Theatre
[Not a Date]
Bismuth hauls the both of them up on stage, glad that the danger is behind them for now. It was pretty exciting! And a little bit mysterious. But the sense of satisfaction after completing a delve is definitely nice, too!
But then lights!
One of the major upsides to having weak vision is that you don't have to worry much about bright lights blinding you.
That doesn't really make up for all the DOWNSIDES but it's certainly something, right?
Bismuth jumps a bit when Chrysalis suddenly wooshes up into their face like a witch in a cartoon, doing her best not to spring away like a startled cat. Thankfully she's expecting strange antics already from the Wizard. At the praise, she does her best to soak in it and preen like any self-respecting dragon should.
"Thanks! I never know what kind of challenges I might have to face so it's best to be ready for anything!" she replies. Then a tense moment of anticipation builds with the drumroll until!
THE BURROWER!
"Oh wow it was all an act? You did such a great job! I hope my clever defenses weren't too uncomfortable," she says to the baby-faced abomination.
Then the heart.
That was the whole point of this thing, right?
Bismuth reaches into her pack and withdraws the withered organ, holding it out to the strange rabbit mascot. "Mission accomplished!"
Bismuth hauls the both of them up on stage, glad that the danger is behind them for now. It was pretty exciting! And a little bit mysterious. But the sense of satisfaction after completing a delve is definitely nice, too!
But then lights!
One of the major upsides to having weak vision is that you don't have to worry much about bright lights blinding you.
That doesn't really make up for all the DOWNSIDES but it's certainly something, right?
Bismuth jumps a bit when Chrysalis suddenly wooshes up into their face like a witch in a cartoon, doing her best not to spring away like a startled cat. Thankfully she's expecting strange antics already from the Wizard. At the praise, she does her best to soak in it and preen like any self-respecting dragon should.
"Thanks! I never know what kind of challenges I might have to face so it's best to be ready for anything!" she replies. Then a tense moment of anticipation builds with the drumroll until!
THE BURROWER!
"Oh wow it was all an act? You did such a great job! I hope my clever defenses weren't too uncomfortable," she says to the baby-faced abomination.
Then the heart.
That was the whole point of this thing, right?
Bismuth reaches into her pack and withdraws the withered organ, holding it out to the strange rabbit mascot. "Mission accomplished!"
-
quillpleasant
- Reborn Elder Poster
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Re: The Theatre
Not a Date
"Yes, it was an actalact- as much as everything is. You were in real terrible danger!" confirms the Chrysalis cheerfully. Less of an act then, and more of a test.
"Ouuuu deeeedgooood. Kaaant hoooort meeee," croons the Burrower, waving its forelegs in what seems to be a gesture of congratulations.
Darko seems less enthusiastic about the facade than Bismuth. He's not angry exactly, just somewhat resigned as he sticks his hands in his pockets and stares down at the stage. The Chrysalis seems oblivious, reaching out eagerly to take the heart.
"It's been so longalong since I've been whole! Eighty seven moon turns ago they put me in the misery-box. Now I'm backalack!" With a loud zipping sound the Chrysalis opens up, a vertical slit appearing across her belly.
While one might expect there to be stuffing inside, or even something morbid like guts and blood, neither of those are the case. Instead, the closest comparison would be an amethyst geode, a dizzying array of jagged purple crystals that seems to extend endlessly inward, glimmering with light. It seems so impossibly vast that it's hard to comprehend, and Darko takes a step back, blinking.
Then the Chrysalis rather abruptly shoves her heart inside, and her belly rezips itself, leaving no trace of the strange inner realm behind. She sags a little bit, deflating slightly. "My heart is weak from so much lonely time. Have to go backstage until I get myaly strength." She begins to float off towards the curtain, legs dragging limply along the stage.
Darko, who looks a little nonplussed at the whole pageant, furrows his brow. "Wait, who's 'they'?" But the Chrysalis doesn't react to his question.
"Yes, it was an actalact- as much as everything is. You were in real terrible danger!" confirms the Chrysalis cheerfully. Less of an act then, and more of a test.
"Ouuuu deeeedgooood. Kaaant hoooort meeee," croons the Burrower, waving its forelegs in what seems to be a gesture of congratulations.
Darko seems less enthusiastic about the facade than Bismuth. He's not angry exactly, just somewhat resigned as he sticks his hands in his pockets and stares down at the stage. The Chrysalis seems oblivious, reaching out eagerly to take the heart.
"It's been so longalong since I've been whole! Eighty seven moon turns ago they put me in the misery-box. Now I'm backalack!" With a loud zipping sound the Chrysalis opens up, a vertical slit appearing across her belly.
While one might expect there to be stuffing inside, or even something morbid like guts and blood, neither of those are the case. Instead, the closest comparison would be an amethyst geode, a dizzying array of jagged purple crystals that seems to extend endlessly inward, glimmering with light. It seems so impossibly vast that it's hard to comprehend, and Darko takes a step back, blinking.
Then the Chrysalis rather abruptly shoves her heart inside, and her belly rezips itself, leaving no trace of the strange inner realm behind. She sags a little bit, deflating slightly. "My heart is weak from so much lonely time. Have to go backstage until I get myaly strength." She begins to float off towards the curtain, legs dragging limply along the stage.
Darko, who looks a little nonplussed at the whole pageant, furrows his brow. "Wait, who's 'they'?" But the Chrysalis doesn't react to his question.
horses can attack and eat me