Skyside Prime

[Hraithre]

[Thunderhead District Harmacy]

Sandels peers skeptically at the mushrooms Lia grew. "That's... that's what you call a destroying angel?", he wonders, glancing at the gnome. "Man, mushroom names are hardcore here. We just called those white toadstools!" Had he known they have any worth in these parts, he could've picked them up from the forest himself while they were there. Better keep that in mind next time he has to visit these parts.

He pats Lia on the back and places his hands on the counter, ready to snatch his bandages and meds at first chance before the gnome thinks to take them away again. "So, I take it we have a deal? Now, just tell me which way to ruins of that hotel, and we'll be golden. Happy customers, well served." He makes a mental note to talk with Lia about limits of her ability later on. If she can also make red toadstools, that opens up a whole new realm of possibilities.

[Earl of Purple]

Thunderhead District Harmacy

"Oh, those're perfect. And as for you, these're destroying angels. If you find some and try sellin' them, make sure you don't got horse mushrooms instead. Likewise if you got horse mushrooms. Horsies are edible and good on toast. Destroying angels are edible once, twice if you get a new liver after the first one stops working." The gnome lady grins evilly and takes the mushrooms before putting the bandages and opioid painkiller in the tray and sliding it over. "Right, sure. Go up the road to the broken statue, turn left, go forward through the Cogwalkers territory until you reach the Followers of Joy's old hook-house. Turn right there, and keep goin' till you find the Guild watch post. They usually want a bribe, but mebbe you're too ugly for them to be interested." Only way to test those directions is to follow them. Or perhaps ask someone else, see if they give the same ones.

[quillpleasant]

Thunderhead District Harmacy

"Destroying angels might not look like much, but actually extremely deadly. A lot of mushrooms are like that," says Lia with a faint smile. She seems to be talking about more than just the toadstools.

She listens to the directions, nodding. Most of the organizations mentioned mean nothing to her, but she's content to let Sandels lead the way there. She doesn't have to come up with solutions to everything, after all.

"Well, thank you," she says politely to the gnome lady, as if this was just an ordinary shopping trip, "If I'm ever in need of any other, uh, bandages or painkillers I'll be sure to stop by." Of course, they're not for her; painkillers probably wouldn't even do anything to her fungal metabolism.

[Halae]

Mina's Place

"Well, I can have fish sometimes at least. But uh. Yeah." This would be so much easier if Sai had ever taken interest in food, but he hadn't paid that much attention when Tarr was alive and didn't need to eat even while mortal, so he didn't have 100% clear idea of what Mina can and can't have in what quantities.

[Mina's Place]

"So, quick question - are you an obligate herbivore, or just a herbivore? 'Cause there's a difference, and it'll inform how I make stuff for you," Emily says, "Even horses can eat meat when they need to, they're just really bad at digesting it."

[Keeper]

Mina's Place

Mina clearly doesn't know how to answer the question.
"Um. I have no idea? Sai just told me that I couldn't eat meat. I didn't exactly...want to test it." It sounds like a really easy way to get sick.

[Halae]

[Mina's Place]

Emily nods understandingly. She can work with that, "Sounds like low-order testing is in order. We won't feed you crap like a steak or whatever, but you should be able to handle, like, bacon bits as seasoning for a salad or whatever. Never anything that'll make you sick, but stuff that can add flavor."

[Keeper]

Mina's Place

"Um. Okay. Whatever you think works, I guess. I uh, probably shouldn't be having steaks anyway."
Everyone has told Mina that she isn't actually a cow, she just resembles one.
Still weird and she doesn't like the concept of eating beef.

[Halae]

[Mina's Place]

Emily raises an eyebrow at Mina for a long moment, apparently trying to decide something.

[Keeper]

Mina's Place

Mina returns the stare, waiting a few moments before she breaks the silence.
"What? For the record you can get whatever you want for yourself. You shouldn't have to suffer because of my stupid limitations." Emily has pointy teeth so Mina has been pretty confident she can have meat just fine.

[Halae]

[Mina's Place]

"Just thinking about maybes and might-have-beens. You used to be a... normal human size, right? I'm curious what you think about the difference, how you'd compare one and the other," Emily says, "I know, I know, you basically answered this question before. It's just something that's fairly relevant to me, picks at my thoughts."

[Keeper]

Mina's Place

"The difference in what way? Size-wise? I mean it's no contest. I have trouble finding dates because I'm big and furry like I said, but I can run without getting winded. I can break down walls without even trying. I mean I stick out like a sore thumb in almost any crowd so my secret identity is basically non-existent. But I think it kind of evens out." she says with a shrug.
"Like sure if I could have been a shapeshifter that would have been ideal but like...I don't think it's worse. Just that it has its own crap to deal with." But then again, she only has to stoop a little to get into most places. Emily has it even worse.
"Unless you go to a place with humans in mind only. Eight foot tall ceilings suck."

[Halae]

[Mina's Place]

"Geeze, yeah. Or the people who have doors that even normal humans have to stoop low to get inside; those are basically impassable."

[Hraithre]

[From Thunderhead District Harmacy to ruins of Trust-Worthy Hotel]

"I know what they are", Sandels remarks annoyedly of the mushrooms while he grabs the goods from the tray and stuffs them in his pockets, "I just didn't know they had such a fancy name. But enough of that. Thanks for the directions. I'll see you around." He beckons to Lia to follow him and leaves the pharmacy, giving a cordial nod to the guard while he passes him.

Most of what the old gnome told them means as little to Sandels as it does to Lia, but this is not his first time in this city. Once they find and move past the broken statue, he spots an increase in air traffic nearby, and heads to the direction of where most planes are coming or going. He recalls the hotel was close to one of the air docks, and eventually, other familiar landmarks will appear in his line of sight.

From there, it ought to be a simple thing to find the burned-down hotel, and then the empty warehouse he and Hazel hid in last time. Hopefully none of the troubles the pharmacist mentioned will get on their way before they reach their destination.

[Keeper]

[Mina's Place]

"Geeze, yeah. Or the people who have doors that even normal humans have to stoop low to get inside; those are basically impassable."

Mina's Place

"Yeah. Like I said, I barely even fit in my old place with Mom. Halfling tenements are right out. But hey, I don't need to worry about shoes."
Mina actually does have shoes on her hooves, but they're silver and are enchanted to take a disgustingly long time before she needs to have them replaced.

[Ironsmith]

[Black Abyss Factory Wreckage]

Over the phone, the sound of breathing gets more intense, picking up in pace but dropping in depth. It's not clear at first if that means Rose heard him or if that means she's starting to hyperventilate, from any number of medical problems that could result from having a factory dropped on her.

Then, there's the drawn-out shrak of plastic being dragged against asphalt, followed by hoarse rasping in the other end of the phone.

"N...north... s... sec...tion..." Rose shudders and gasps into the reciever. "Big... shell... under... huaaaaaah... Can't... feel leg. C-can feel the other. N... not sure... which is worse."

[Morty]

[Black Abyss Factory Wreckage]

"...I don't want to find out she was down there and we just turned away," Dorota admits. "I'm not like Raven expects people to be." She may have an incorrect idea of what Raven is like. "Let's go- is that a man on a flying carpet?"

Said man is currently circling around the northern section of the former building, before touching down.

"I'm here. I'll try to... find some help and dig you out." He's really making it up as he goes and faking confidence he doesn't have.

[quillpleasant]

From Thunderhead District Harmacy to Ruins of Trust-Worthy Hotel

With a last wave at the guard, Lia follows Sandels away from the Harmacy. She makes the journey in relative silence, despite her constant interest in the new surroundings. Maybe she's trying to keep a low profile, or gathering her strength from growing the mushrooms. Or she might just be tired of not getting any answers.

Regardless, she lets Sandels lead the way, keeping an eye out for any trouble as they go.

"Remind me what we're looking for here?" she whispers as they approach the hotel.

[Hraithre]

[Near ruins of Trust-Worthy Hotel]

"Why?", Sandels asks, "you can't see ghosts." As they get closer, he elaborates a bit more: "For sake of clarity, there's an unguarded warehouse near where the hotel used to be. We'll sneak in and then I'll put these on." He pulls one roll of bandages from his pockets and tosses it to Lia. "After that, well... I don't know where my quarry is. But evil spirits have a habit of sticking close to their scene of death for some time. With luck, he hasn't gone far. Or I can find and follow his trail. Either works."

[Earl of Purple]

Ruins of the Trust-Worthy Hotel

The building has apparently been abandoned since the fire, with no efforts to rebuild it. It's a brick shell soaring up five storeys, on its own lot so none of its neighbours have been damaged by fire (except a few traces of soot damage here and there). The windows are gone, the doorframe gapes wide and emptily, and there's no sign of the former residents and employees of the building, at least not on the outside. Inside it might prove a different story, though it may also be dangerous. Nobody's boarded it up, and a trail in the ash and rubble suggests people are still going inside the structure- though why is harder to ascertain. It might be the desperate seeking shelter of any kind; or opportunists seeking valuables and resources that may have survived the fire; or tourists looking for souvenirs or MagSpace likes.

Hanging around outside are five thugs, near the alleyway that Sandals used to climb onto the roof without being seen on his last visit. One is a blue-skinned cephalid, a writhing mass of tentacles serving as beard, wearing a tattered suit and holding a briefcase. One is a pallid human with a bright green mohawk, wearing torn jeans and a denim waistcoat hanging open over a skinny chest, an old rifle resting on his shoulder. One's clad in a rusty suit of armour, concealing most of their identity, holding a very large sword. One's a half-elf, looking twitchy and nervous, in her torn summer dress and playing with a cut-throat razor. The last is apparently human, wearing biker's leathers, though her bare feet have splayed finger-like toes and she's got a long black-furred tail as well; she's smoking a pipe, and has a pair of revolvers holstered at her waist.

[quillpleasant]

Ruins of Trustworthy Hotel

"No need to be snippy, maybe I could look for signs of a spirit. Like, cold spots and stuff like that," says Lia, taking Sandel's recalcitrance in stride. She grabs the bandage and looks at it curiously. "Does this have something to do with the spirit? Or does wearing it give you some special power or something?"

As they approach the ashen building, her attention is caught by the motley assortment of figures outside. They definitely don't look like a friendly bunch, especially the one with a razor. Lia ducks to the side of the street, hoping they haven't been seen.

"How do we handle them? Should we take another route, or should I try to knock them out with spores?" Not that she's sure how the different species would react to that, but she's not going to admit that.

[Hraithre]

[Ruins of Trust-Worthy Hotel]

"They help me stay in one piece", Sandels answers Lia's musings of what the bandages are for. "You'll see."

The hotel proves to be in a better shape than he expected. It wouldn't have been a surprise if it had collapsed or been demolished while he was elsewhere. He doubts its worth it to repair the shell and fix the interior, even if it can still stand on its own.

The amount of traffic in, out and around the burned skeleton is concerning, though. People going in and out could be explained by basic rescue and recovery operations, but he's not the thugs outside can. When Lia asks how they should handle them, he shrugs.

"We don't have to do anything about them yet. Let's just stay out of their radar for now." He scans the area for the warehouse and nods towards it when he finds it. "Over there. Let's go."

The five goons hanging in the alley might spot them cross a street, but hopefully a mushroom girl and a hobo in a dirty overcoat aren't interesting enough to pay attention to.

Once Sandels finds a way inside, he takes off his coat and other stolen clothes. He opens his first roll and starts meticulously wrapping himself in the bandages. "Hand me a new roll every time one runs out", he instructs Lia. It's clear this isn't the first time he's done this and there's some kind of method to the madness. If nothing shows up to stop him, he won't stop untill he's covered from head to toe or he runs out of rolls.

[Keeper]

Black Abyss Factory Wreck

Well, that's certainly a queue. The horned man should notice the other pair pretty easily, given Dorota's bright white lab-coat (or at least formerly white) in the dark ashy wreck and the bright-furred, bright-robed minotaur.
"Hey buddy! You looking for someone?" she calls, waving at him.

[Earl of Purple]

Ruins of Trust-Worthy Hotel

The two urban explorers are noticed by the thugs who catcall out. "Hey! Hey you, want speed? Huh, we got some. Five seconds, feels like fifteen. Eh? Howsabout it, lads? You look like fun guys, you want in? First hit free, second is affordable. Real affordable, y'get me?" The cephalid calls out, holding the briefcase and opening it to reveal some rainbow-glowing vials in the padded interior. The others lurk behind, offering security whilst trying not to look like they're going to be kneecapping the pair, which they aren't planning.

If they push past and ignore the group, they can enter the burnt-out ruins of the hotel. The first chamber was the large reception, an open-plan space with concrete stairs around a central lift shaft, all of which has cracked with the heat of the fire. There's a pile of burnt wood where the reception desk stood, which has been disturbed by people looking through. Over to one side there's what used to be the restaurant and bar, which has been looted with broken glass and scattered cutlery, and it's become home to a small homeless community. A ripped tent has been put up in the middle, and a pile of ripped cushions has an emaciated woman in rags sat on them, gripping a kitchen knife with no handle. There's also a stairwell down, into the basement, where Trust's office/chamber was.

[Morty]

[Black Abyss Factory Wreck]

"A woman named Rose. She's still here," Fayyaad says. His agitation is easily visible. "I have to get her out."

Dorota grimaces. She was hoping she was just being paranoid and Rose had got out.

[quillpleasant]

Ruins of Trust-Worthy Hotel

Lia gives an uncertain wave at the motley crew as she and Sandels skirt past them. "Actually only I'm a fungi, he's not. Easy mistake to make!" she calls. She's quite curious to learn more about what they're offering, but they're on a mission, so she reluctantly follows her companion into the ruined hotel.

Glancing about at the burnt out remains of the room, Lia breathes in deeply. This place is decaying, and that suits her just fine. Ashes and dust are great fertilizer for things to grow. She lightly breathes some spores into a corner. In the next few weeks, maybe they'll take hold and grow into edible mushrooms, if they're hardy enough.

As Sandels begins to wrap himself in the bandages, Lia raises an eyebrow, but silently helps him, handing off rolls when needed. Clearly whatever it is matters to him, so she won't waste time asking questions that will probably get answered if she just waits and sees.

She's given him around two rolls when she realizes that there's a woman in the room, and one with a knife no less. Handing off another clump of bandages to Sandels, she smiles at her.

"Hello! We mean you no harm. Are you okay, do you need something to eat?" She's aware that this isn't why they're here, but there's no harm in helping out a little if she can.

[Hraithre]

[Ruins of Trust-Worthy Hotel]

Lia can hear Sandels speak to himself in the background. "Silver thread of a spider / soft cloth of linen / weaver's shroud of silk / wool of a sheep's back / hold back the river / keep together the bones / shelter from winter's bite / shield from tears of heaven." He keeps repeating the lines untill his task is finished. "Path of Binding: Reinforcing Bandages."

When he speaks the final verse, his wrappings shift and tighten around him, as if they suddenly gained life of their own. He stands up, stretches his fingers, then his limbs, then all other parts of his body. Faint creaks and snapping accompanies his routine. When he's done, he almost seems like a new man, his binding pulling his shoulders back and head up, improving his posture. Only then does he deign to put his rags back on.

All told, he takes his sweet time before catching up and sneaking behind Lia. "Leave her be", he says about the woman, "we don't really need to deal with her either." He walks a small circle inside the ruined lobby, before glancing outside. Are the thugs still there? He'd very much like to replace his hobo chic with snazzy leather gear one of the goons was wearing, but he's not sure he's ready to fight over it. Maybe it can wait.

Hanging the silver pendant on his neck, he focuses and extends his otherwordly senses, drawing in air and slowly breathing it out. This is where he last saw Trust's ghost, he thinks. His supernatural stench might still be in the air, so to speak. Plus, it won't hurt to check these ruins for any other unsavory spiritual presences that might've settled in with the poor.

[Earl of Purple]

Ruins of Trust-Worthy Hotel

The mushrooms are seeded! Perhaps they'll grow, perhaps they won't. The woman snarls at Lia and raises her knife, the fuller wrapped with rags to make it more ergonomic. She found it in the kitchen here; the wooden handle burnt away, and the blade itself might be damaged by the heat. It's still the best weapon she has.

Inside the hotel, several spiritual presences register. There's someone in the tent, dying. Not dead yet, but a scavenger-spirit is lurking in the tent with them, awaiting their final breath to snatch away their soul. In the basement, there's two things. One is strange and alien, not very strong, and the other... has the familiar odour of Trust's soul, though it might feel warped slightly, and gains in strength as the other presence in the basement gets weaker. Outside, but close to the hotel, an ancient ghost and a more recent tsukumogami are blurring into each other, both bound to the same object.

[quillpleasant]

Ruins of Trust-Worthy Hotel

Lia holds up her hands in a calming motion at the knife wielding woman, hoping that she'll leave them alone if she's not pressed further. She's not particularly worried about a kitchen knife; she just doesn't want to have to hurt anyone.

She watches with baited breath as Sandels completes his ritual. Whatever he's doing, it seems quite impressive. It reminds her of her own rejuvenation, albeit a little less traumatic.

"Do you feel better? You look better," she says as she begins following him before realizing he's going in a circle. She's not privy to his supernatural senses so she contents herself with folding her arms and waiting for him to be done.

[Halae]

Mina's Place

"Yeah. Like I said, I barely even fit in my old place with Mom. Halfling tenements are right out. But hey, I don't need to worry about shoes."
Mina actually does have shoes on her hooves, but they're silver and are enchanted to take a disgustingly long time before she needs to have them replaced.

Mina's Place

"Shoes are the worst!" Emily complains, laughing, "I had to get some custom designs for my feet the few times I needed footwear, and they all almost inevitably get screwed over by my toe claws."

[Hraithre]

[Ruins of Trust-Worthy Hotel]

"As good as can be", Sandels confirms. He rubs his chin as he considers his move. The tsukumogami outside is probably unrelated, he can check it later if the situation with Trust turns sour. The spirits in the basement... they feel congruent with an evil spirit eating a weaker one to gain strength. So, Trust had advanced that far? Concerning, though more concerning is that he can't discern what the the other spirit is. However, it would take him a while to find his way into the basement, so he decides to deal with the closest issue first.

Holding his hands up, he approches the knife-wielding woman. "There's someone dying in there", he says, "can I see them?"

Since Sandels can sense the scavenger spirit, said spirit might also sense him - he did just invoke the Hidden Paths in its earshot. If it is some kind of a psychopomp, it might realize another, bigger one has just stepped on its turf. Depends on how intelligent it is.