Outside the Dancing Fox
"Yeah but they're a pretty big deal. Giant webs, huge spider armies, time magic. You don't want to mess with them. So we don't.
You don't think there's going to be any trouble in these ruins do you? I'm supposed to be taking it easy for a month." Koshal admits he doesn't really want to follow that but the prospect of stunting his growth and never growing to be as tall as his dad and Uncle Krayger would be just the worst.
"Good choice. I'll be right back." Mist turns and leaves, the long sort of turn that quadruped people have to do which Khannie is probably pretty familiar with by now.
Skullfort Town
Re: Skullfort Town
[Outside the Dancing Fox Inn]
"They sound hardcore as heck," would be Khannie's reply. She hadn't ever really heard anything about a giant spider civilization in the Nexus before. But that isn't the weirdest thing that she's encountered. That's for SURE.
At the question of danger Khannie just shrugs. "Dunno. They're unmapped ruins. No idea what Imma find down there. I've got lots of tricks for bypassing traps and baddies so I'm not too worried. Why? Sounds like you wanna check 'em out too?"
Khannie waves as the centaur departs. "Thanks!"
She knows the secret of turning quickly. You just have to rear up on your back hooves first.
"They sound hardcore as heck," would be Khannie's reply. She hadn't ever really heard anything about a giant spider civilization in the Nexus before. But that isn't the weirdest thing that she's encountered. That's for SURE.
At the question of danger Khannie just shrugs. "Dunno. They're unmapped ruins. No idea what Imma find down there. I've got lots of tricks for bypassing traps and baddies so I'm not too worried. Why? Sounds like you wanna check 'em out too?"
Khannie waves as the centaur departs. "Thanks!"
She knows the secret of turning quickly. You just have to rear up on your back hooves first.
Re: Skullfort Town
Outside the Dancing Fox Inn
"Well...I think it would be irresponsible to let you go in there alone...but I'm not supposed to be doing anything strenuous during my time off. I can show you around but if things get really serious I would have to leave to get you better help.
...also my armor doesn't fit me right now since I'm bulking." Koshal says matter of factly. He whistles, and another large creature joins them. Large and long, the creature is leonine in appearance but with tightly folded wings and a pale lavender coat. There's a saddle on its back and it curls up behind Koshal.
"My buddy here can take us if you want. He's real great."
"Well...I think it would be irresponsible to let you go in there alone...but I'm not supposed to be doing anything strenuous during my time off. I can show you around but if things get really serious I would have to leave to get you better help.
...also my armor doesn't fit me right now since I'm bulking." Koshal says matter of factly. He whistles, and another large creature joins them. Large and long, the creature is leonine in appearance but with tightly folded wings and a pale lavender coat. There's a saddle on its back and it curls up behind Koshal.
"My buddy here can take us if you want. He's real great."
Re: Skullfort Town
[Outside the Dancing Fox Inn]
"We'll find out I guess? Once we get to the ruins I might be able to figure out what sorta traps or monsters or whatever there might be inside. Hah, and I know I really don't look it but I can handle myself. You remember how things went at skeleton castle," Khannie says.
Granted she was a magical girl at the time still and she can't pull off quite that level of silliness but she's still no slouch! The depths of her connection to primordial darkness has only deepened in the mean time.
Then a... uh. .. creature? Arrives?
"Okay but what's that thing?" Khannie asks what she believes to be an imminently valid question. Also she's still waiting on her burger.
"We'll find out I guess? Once we get to the ruins I might be able to figure out what sorta traps or monsters or whatever there might be inside. Hah, and I know I really don't look it but I can handle myself. You remember how things went at skeleton castle," Khannie says.
Granted she was a magical girl at the time still and she can't pull off quite that level of silliness but she's still no slouch! The depths of her connection to primordial darkness has only deepened in the mean time.
Then a... uh. .. creature? Arrives?
"Okay but what's that thing?" Khannie asks what she believes to be an imminently valid question. Also she's still waiting on her burger.
Re: Skullfort Town
Outside the Dancing Fox Inn
"This is Cliff. He's my second special friend. Message and Lady Leah made him for me, the way Message made Faye but with more SCIENCE! He carries me where I need to go."
He can also theoretically fly but Koshal is afraid of heights.
And burgers take more than twenty seconds to cook!
"This is Cliff. He's my second special friend. Message and Lady Leah made him for me, the way Message made Faye but with more SCIENCE! He carries me where I need to go."
He can also theoretically fly but Koshal is afraid of heights.
And burgers take more than twenty seconds to cook!
Re: Skullfort Town
[Outside the Dancing Fox Inn]
"...okay?" Khannie replies, apparently still not what to make of this. "But what is he?"
Why does she ask this?
Because it totally wasn't answered the first time, either.
"...okay?" Khannie replies, apparently still not what to make of this. "But what is he?"
Why does she ask this?
Because it totally wasn't answered the first time, either.
Re: Skullfort Town
Outside the Dancing Fox Inn
Koshal shrugs.
"I dunno, they put a giant cat, a giant bird and a bunch of other stuff in a blender. Cliff is just Cliff. And Cliff is a very good boy, yes he is." Koshal gives the giant catbirdthing chin scritches.
And only NOW does Khannie's burger arrive. It's fried chicken! On a bun! With honey mustard and ketchup on the side if she likes that.
Koshal shrugs.
"I dunno, they put a giant cat, a giant bird and a bunch of other stuff in a blender. Cliff is just Cliff. And Cliff is a very good boy, yes he is." Koshal gives the giant catbirdthing chin scritches.
And only NOW does Khannie's burger arrive. It's fried chicken! On a bun! With honey mustard and ketchup on the side if she likes that.
Re: Skullfort Town
[Outside the Dancing Fox Inn]
"So he's some kinda gene splicing and DNA engineering experiment thingy?" Khannie asks, sounding vaguely concerned about that. Mostly because her main point of contact with artificially created organisms is from pokemon and also the Mad Science Building at PREP. Neither of those things inspire much confidence.
But then!
Burger!
"Oooh, this smells good. Hey, do you have any hot sauce? Like really hot. Like hot enough to make your nose start running sorta hot. Horse radish sauce or wasabi or something would be okay but if you've got something made of peppers that would be super," Khannie requests of Mist. Because let's be real, unless food makes your mouth feel like it's on fire then it isn't REAL food in Khannie's opinion.
"So he's some kinda gene splicing and DNA engineering experiment thingy?" Khannie asks, sounding vaguely concerned about that. Mostly because her main point of contact with artificially created organisms is from pokemon and also the Mad Science Building at PREP. Neither of those things inspire much confidence.
But then!
Burger!
"Oooh, this smells good. Hey, do you have any hot sauce? Like really hot. Like hot enough to make your nose start running sorta hot. Horse radish sauce or wasabi or something would be okay but if you've got something made of peppers that would be super," Khannie requests of Mist. Because let's be real, unless food makes your mouth feel like it's on fire then it isn't REAL food in Khannie's opinion.
Re: Skullfort Town
Outside the Dancing Fox Inn
"Well. Message is a goddess. So more divine experimentation. She wanted to make some new animals instead of getting all her designs from Lady Inari. Even if the tiny foxes are super adorable." Tiny tiny little foxes.
"I don't think it's mad science when you're a god. Gods are kind of supposed to do stuff like that don't they?"
Presently, the god of the wind smiles and brings Khannie a bottle of exceptionally hot sauce, intended to burn even the mouths of those who cannot normally taste capsaicin.
"Well. Message is a goddess. So more divine experimentation. She wanted to make some new animals instead of getting all her designs from Lady Inari. Even if the tiny foxes are super adorable." Tiny tiny little foxes.
"I don't think it's mad science when you're a god. Gods are kind of supposed to do stuff like that don't they?"
Presently, the god of the wind smiles and brings Khannie a bottle of exceptionally hot sauce, intended to burn even the mouths of those who cannot normally taste capsaicin.
Re: Skullfort Town
[Outside the Dancing Fox Inn]
"Oh," Khannie replies, knitting her brow a bit. Which is kind of a funny expression when you have a unicorn horn on your forehead, too. "I mean, I dunno. Maybe? I think it kinda depends. I've been reading about different gods from different worlds. Or even lotsa gods form the same worlds, I guess? In some of the stories the gods make people and in some of 'em they don't. In some of the stories no one makes people or animals and they just happen by accident. But I think it's only mad science if your motivation is blind ambition and self-aggrandizement. Heck, I found one story where the gods made people because they were lazy jerks and wanted slaves to do all the work for them."
There are lots of different sorts of gods, as it happens.
...like Khannie!
Khannie is one of those!
Allegedly.
Khannie still doesn't buy it, though. She's just some kid lots of weird stuff has happened to.
But then sauce appears! She doesn't immediately dump it on her food. Instead she spins it around to read-
"Oh. I guess it's hot sauce for bird people? Normally birds can't taste capsaicin oil since it's there to make it so mammals won't eat the peppers 'cuz the plants want birds to spread the seeds. They just don't have the receptors in their mouths for tasting the things that make peppers and horseraddish spicy," Khannie comments as she puts a tiny little drop on her finger then smells it from a distance. She considers that for a moment, takes the chicken out of the buns, puts two drops plus what's on her finger ONTO the buns, then rubs them together to spread it evenly. Then the chicken goes back on and she takes a bite and-
Immediately her eyes begin to water and her nose starts to run.
"Yeah, I guess this is spicy enough," she concludes. If Koshal is sitting too close when Khannie speaks his eyes might start to burn a little.
"Oh," Khannie replies, knitting her brow a bit. Which is kind of a funny expression when you have a unicorn horn on your forehead, too. "I mean, I dunno. Maybe? I think it kinda depends. I've been reading about different gods from different worlds. Or even lotsa gods form the same worlds, I guess? In some of the stories the gods make people and in some of 'em they don't. In some of the stories no one makes people or animals and they just happen by accident. But I think it's only mad science if your motivation is blind ambition and self-aggrandizement. Heck, I found one story where the gods made people because they were lazy jerks and wanted slaves to do all the work for them."
There are lots of different sorts of gods, as it happens.
...like Khannie!
Khannie is one of those!
Allegedly.
Khannie still doesn't buy it, though. She's just some kid lots of weird stuff has happened to.
But then sauce appears! She doesn't immediately dump it on her food. Instead she spins it around to read-
"Oh. I guess it's hot sauce for bird people? Normally birds can't taste capsaicin oil since it's there to make it so mammals won't eat the peppers 'cuz the plants want birds to spread the seeds. They just don't have the receptors in their mouths for tasting the things that make peppers and horseraddish spicy," Khannie comments as she puts a tiny little drop on her finger then smells it from a distance. She considers that for a moment, takes the chicken out of the buns, puts two drops plus what's on her finger ONTO the buns, then rubs them together to spread it evenly. Then the chicken goes back on and she takes a bite and-
Immediately her eyes begin to water and her nose starts to run.
"Yeah, I guess this is spicy enough," she concludes. If Koshal is sitting too close when Khannie speaks his eyes might start to burn a little.
Re: Skullfort Town
Outside the Dancing Fox Inn
The problem with Khannie accepting that she's a petty god is that it also means her dad is one. And Khannie probably has trouble reconciling the idea that her goofball of a hero father, who recently has visibly fallen off the sofa because he was sure he'd still fit on it as a unicorn, is a god.
"Message is a good goddess, I promise. She's all about quiet nights and healing and stuff. And taking people to their afterlives." Not entirely accurate, but those are all duties Message has and it's okay if followers prefer certain aspects of their god over others.
The problem with Khannie accepting that she's a petty god is that it also means her dad is one. And Khannie probably has trouble reconciling the idea that her goofball of a hero father, who recently has visibly fallen off the sofa because he was sure he'd still fit on it as a unicorn, is a god.
"Message is a good goddess, I promise. She's all about quiet nights and healing and stuff. And taking people to their afterlives." Not entirely accurate, but those are all duties Message has and it's okay if followers prefer certain aspects of their god over others.
Re: Skullfort Town
[Outside the Dancing Fox Inn]
See? Exactly. Sometimes her dad still tries to talk verbally and he just makes goofy horse noises instead. Those aren't god things. Khannie has noticed that since she spends so much time walking upright that her back hooves have gotten bigger and broader and her front hooves have gotten more delicate and dexterous. So much so that she tried using them like hands the other day just to see if she could and ended up dropping a jar of mayonnaise on the floor and had it explode all over her.
She still smells kind of like mayo.
Speaking of food! She takes another bite of her sandwich. It burns so good.
"Oh, so she's a psychopomp?" Khannie asks, using her napkin to blow her nose because wow this is just perfectly spicy and chatting with snot coming out of her nose sucks. "I've met a buncha those. Or... I guess three at least? Anubis, Death, and Baccata. Anubis just kinda... shows up nearby sometimes. I'm not sure why. I fed him some salami one time when I was younger 'cuz I thought he was a regular dog."
See? Exactly. Sometimes her dad still tries to talk verbally and he just makes goofy horse noises instead. Those aren't god things. Khannie has noticed that since she spends so much time walking upright that her back hooves have gotten bigger and broader and her front hooves have gotten more delicate and dexterous. So much so that she tried using them like hands the other day just to see if she could and ended up dropping a jar of mayonnaise on the floor and had it explode all over her.
She still smells kind of like mayo.
Speaking of food! She takes another bite of her sandwich. It burns so good.
"Oh, so she's a psychopomp?" Khannie asks, using her napkin to blow her nose because wow this is just perfectly spicy and chatting with snot coming out of her nose sucks. "I've met a buncha those. Or... I guess three at least? Anubis, Death, and Baccata. Anubis just kinda... shows up nearby sometimes. I'm not sure why. I fed him some salami one time when I was younger 'cuz I thought he was a regular dog."
Re: Skullfort Town
Outside the Dancing Fox Inn
"She's something like that among other things, yeah." Koshal nods.
He considers her other statement. He doesn't know much about this Anubis.
"If he's a dog god he must be a very good boy." Koshal says finally.
Somewhere a bell rings, and a warm furry coat brushes against the back of Khannie's leg and is gone.
"She's something like that among other things, yeah." Koshal nods.
He considers her other statement. He doesn't know much about this Anubis.
"If he's a dog god he must be a very good boy." Koshal says finally.
Somewhere a bell rings, and a warm furry coat brushes against the back of Khannie's leg and is gone.
Re: Skullfort Town
[Outside the Dancing Fox Inn]
Khannie nods-
-then perks up to glance around when she hears the bell.
Did the Pointy Dog just brush past? It's been a while since she encountered him. Not since that one time with the magical girl nonsense.
Huh.
"Yeah, he seemed like a good dog," Khannie concludes. She'll finish up her sandwich, clean her nose, leave some money, and give Koshal a nod. "Okay, let's get going! Is there anyone you need to tell that you're going out?"
A beat.
"Uh. Not, like, going out. This isn't a date or whatever. Like you're leaving town to check out some ruins."
She just has to make that very clear.
Khannie nods-
-then perks up to glance around when she hears the bell.
Did the Pointy Dog just brush past? It's been a while since she encountered him. Not since that one time with the magical girl nonsense.
Huh.
"Yeah, he seemed like a good dog," Khannie concludes. She'll finish up her sandwich, clean her nose, leave some money, and give Koshal a nod. "Okay, let's get going! Is there anyone you need to tell that you're going out?"
A beat.
"Uh. Not, like, going out. This isn't a date or whatever. Like you're leaving town to check out some ruins."
She just has to make that very clear.
Re: Skullfort Town
Outside the Dancing Fox Inn
Koshal nods, and then just hollers,
"Lord Danir! Tell Lady Danir that I'm guiding someone through the forest!"
"Okay but don't call me that and you better pay for those burgers." Mist calls back.
"He hates when people call him by his titles." smirks Koshal mischievously before pulling out a silver coin to pay.
Koshal nods, and then just hollers,
"Lord Danir! Tell Lady Danir that I'm guiding someone through the forest!"
"Okay but don't call me that and you better pay for those burgers." Mist calls back.
"He hates when people call him by his titles." smirks Koshal mischievously before pulling out a silver coin to pay.
Re: Skullfort Town
[Outside the Dancing Fox Inn]
"Why do you do it, then?" Khannie asks with absolute innocence. "Thanks for the burger, Lord Danir! It was really good!"
That's probably the name she's going to remember now since she didn't hear otherwise.
But then it's time to go! She'll climb onto Cliff, her long tail laying out behind her. The tricky thing about sitting when you've gotta tail is that you need to make sure there's room for it. It makes chairs with backs a pain but stools or riding on critters usually works just fine.
"Arright let's go!"
As they head out Khannie will provide directions mostly because, "The ruins were only spotted from the air 'cuz they were using infra-red cameras. From the ground it just looks like a hill with a buncha plants and stuff growing on it."
Sure enough, upon arriving that's exactly what they'll find. A completely unremarkable looking hill among some other hills that Koshal has no doubt ridden past dozens if not hundreds of times. It's a bit off the road, but not by much.
"Why do you do it, then?" Khannie asks with absolute innocence. "Thanks for the burger, Lord Danir! It was really good!"
That's probably the name she's going to remember now since she didn't hear otherwise.
But then it's time to go! She'll climb onto Cliff, her long tail laying out behind her. The tricky thing about sitting when you've gotta tail is that you need to make sure there's room for it. It makes chairs with backs a pain but stools or riding on critters usually works just fine.
"Arright let's go!"
As they head out Khannie will provide directions mostly because, "The ruins were only spotted from the air 'cuz they were using infra-red cameras. From the ground it just looks like a hill with a buncha plants and stuff growing on it."
Sure enough, upon arriving that's exactly what they'll find. A completely unremarkable looking hill among some other hills that Koshal has no doubt ridden past dozens if not hundreds of times. It's a bit off the road, but not by much.
Re: Skullfort Town
Outside the Dancing Fox Inn
"Lady Danir says you can't let immortals get complacent. After all, being a god literally made him too big for his britches. He can't wear his pants now that his legs are a horse." Though Mist was a regular fox a lot of the time before so it's not like he was always wearing pants anyway.
Cliff is a strange mount given that he's all long but it should be a comfortable enough ride. Khannie might notice that Koshal does have a weapon on him: a strange thing that looks like a small sword in the scabbard and yet has a large handle as if it was a two handed sword. There's also a crossbow tied to the saddle in case of emergencies.
Once they get to the hill Koshal deftly hops off Cliff. He's afraid of heights but he's comfortable with this level of height.
"Okay! So what is it exactly that we're looking for?"
"Lady Danir says you can't let immortals get complacent. After all, being a god literally made him too big for his britches. He can't wear his pants now that his legs are a horse." Though Mist was a regular fox a lot of the time before so it's not like he was always wearing pants anyway.
Cliff is a strange mount given that he's all long but it should be a comfortable enough ride. Khannie might notice that Koshal does have a weapon on him: a strange thing that looks like a small sword in the scabbard and yet has a large handle as if it was a two handed sword. There's also a crossbow tied to the saddle in case of emergencies.
Once they get to the hill Koshal deftly hops off Cliff. He's afraid of heights but he's comfortable with this level of height.
"Okay! So what is it exactly that we're looking for?"
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
"Becoming a god turned him into a centaur?" Khannie asks, quickly drawing the conclusion from Koshal's description. "I mean, I guess that kinda makes sense. Gotta look the part for the job. If your job is centaur god of... um... stuff... then you've gotta be a centaur."
To be fair, Khannie acquired four hooves when she got her new job title, too. But as far as she's concerned the world has all sorts of spirits of whatever. Heck, even some of the stronger pokemon are basically gods. She's just a regular powerful person. She hasn't got people with faith in her. How had Sunny put it? It isn't just about people believing you exist. It's about people trusting you so much they act on that trust.
And the closest thing Khannie has to that sorta trust is friendship.
She's pretty happy with it staying that way.
Anywho!
Khannie, by contrast, has no weapons on her. That's nothing new. She is her weapon. And that's always been the case.
But yes! Hopping off time. Our heroes are down at the base of the hill, as it happens. Aside from Khannie's digital map there isn't anything making it stand out from all the OTHER hills nearby. Doubly so thanks to all the vegetation on it.
"Well, first thing we're gunna do is try to find an entrance," Khannie says as she hops off the mount, her hooves hitting the grass silently. Koshal might notice that as she walks toward the hill the grass she's walking through doesn't bend at all. Instead, there are shadows of hoofprints left behind. Once she's a bit closer, Khannie kneels down and places a hand against the ground. Shadows, curling and roiling, begin pooling around her fingers. And as seconds pass those shadows look increasingly floofy. "Okay guys. You know the drill. Seek!"
And then a fan of vaguely vulpine shadows go racing away from her toward the hill.
"Becoming a god turned him into a centaur?" Khannie asks, quickly drawing the conclusion from Koshal's description. "I mean, I guess that kinda makes sense. Gotta look the part for the job. If your job is centaur god of... um... stuff... then you've gotta be a centaur."
To be fair, Khannie acquired four hooves when she got her new job title, too. But as far as she's concerned the world has all sorts of spirits of whatever. Heck, even some of the stronger pokemon are basically gods. She's just a regular powerful person. She hasn't got people with faith in her. How had Sunny put it? It isn't just about people believing you exist. It's about people trusting you so much they act on that trust.
And the closest thing Khannie has to that sorta trust is friendship.
She's pretty happy with it staying that way.
Anywho!
Khannie, by contrast, has no weapons on her. That's nothing new. She is her weapon. And that's always been the case.
But yes! Hopping off time. Our heroes are down at the base of the hill, as it happens. Aside from Khannie's digital map there isn't anything making it stand out from all the OTHER hills nearby. Doubly so thanks to all the vegetation on it.
"Well, first thing we're gunna do is try to find an entrance," Khannie says as she hops off the mount, her hooves hitting the grass silently. Koshal might notice that as she walks toward the hill the grass she's walking through doesn't bend at all. Instead, there are shadows of hoofprints left behind. Once she's a bit closer, Khannie kneels down and places a hand against the ground. Shadows, curling and roiling, begin pooling around her fingers. And as seconds pass those shadows look increasingly floofy. "Okay guys. You know the drill. Seek!"
And then a fan of vaguely vulpine shadows go racing away from her toward the hill.
Re: Skullfort Town
The Mound
Koshal nods. "Mhm. He accidentally took the power of the Black Herd's dead god of storms. Then he met them and asked if they wanted him to actually you know, do the job. They said yes. So bam, centaur god of wind. He seems happy enough with it. And I think he's a good influence on them."
Koshal nods at the shadow fox scouts, but he has a more direct plan in mind.
"Hello mister hawk." he says to a nearby bird of prey sitting in a tree eyeing the young heroes.
"My friend says that someone saw a strange person-building on the hill, have you seen it flying by on your pretty wings?"
The bird gives a short screech and flies off. "He said to start looking that way."
Koshal nods. "Mhm. He accidentally took the power of the Black Herd's dead god of storms. Then he met them and asked if they wanted him to actually you know, do the job. They said yes. So bam, centaur god of wind. He seems happy enough with it. And I think he's a good influence on them."
Koshal nods at the shadow fox scouts, but he has a more direct plan in mind.
"Hello mister hawk." he says to a nearby bird of prey sitting in a tree eyeing the young heroes.
"My friend says that someone saw a strange person-building on the hill, have you seen it flying by on your pretty wings?"
The bird gives a short screech and flies off. "He said to start looking that way."
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
"That sounds kinda like what happened to my dad. Found this injured unicorn and got asked about the mantle being passed on. Dad accepted it without realizing it was gunna come with hooves," Khannie laughs. "I was born 'cuz of a magical accident sorta? So I'm still spiritually connected to my dad. So when his soul got turned into a unicorn the same thing happened to me."
A beat.
"Oh, right yeah I'm a unicorn. I just like using the human illusion 'cuz it's familiar and it feels comfy."
Because it is comfy is a great reason to use it.
But then!
Asking birds!
The foxes adjust their search pattern a bit.
"Not on the hill. The hill IS the ruins," Khannie clarifies. "We've just gotta find the way in. If our bird pal has seen any masonry sticking out that's gotta be a good place to start."
"That sounds kinda like what happened to my dad. Found this injured unicorn and got asked about the mantle being passed on. Dad accepted it without realizing it was gunna come with hooves," Khannie laughs. "I was born 'cuz of a magical accident sorta? So I'm still spiritually connected to my dad. So when his soul got turned into a unicorn the same thing happened to me."
A beat.
"Oh, right yeah I'm a unicorn. I just like using the human illusion 'cuz it's familiar and it feels comfy."
Because it is comfy is a great reason to use it.
But then!
Asking birds!
The foxes adjust their search pattern a bit.
"Not on the hill. The hill IS the ruins," Khannie clarifies. "We've just gotta find the way in. If our bird pal has seen any masonry sticking out that's gotta be a good place to start."
Re: Skullfort Town
The Mound
That is NOT what happened, Khannie! Jace was only told he was getting "a blessing." You're going to make people think he's dumb!
"And it still doesn't make sense! Your dad's soul didn't react when you got turned into all those other things! Human souls sure are weird. It's way easier that mine is just data." pipes in Sirius from Khannie's watch. Right, Khannie has sidekicks too. Doubtless she ditched Maridia again because she was doing something important. Zebes has cautioned her to stop doing that.
"Whatever makes you happy." Koshal says with a shrug. "A faerie cursed my uncle to look like her once, but it didn't last. I've never been anything else, which is good in my book. Unless you count growing but you shouldn't." that's normal!
There IS in fact a few bits of masonry off around the side of the hill in the direction the hawk pointed them to. Truly birds are incredibly helpful.
That is NOT what happened, Khannie! Jace was only told he was getting "a blessing." You're going to make people think he's dumb!
"And it still doesn't make sense! Your dad's soul didn't react when you got turned into all those other things! Human souls sure are weird. It's way easier that mine is just data." pipes in Sirius from Khannie's watch. Right, Khannie has sidekicks too. Doubtless she ditched Maridia again because she was doing something important. Zebes has cautioned her to stop doing that.
"Whatever makes you happy." Koshal says with a shrug. "A faerie cursed my uncle to look like her once, but it didn't last. I've never been anything else, which is good in my book. Unless you count growing but you shouldn't." that's normal!
There IS in fact a few bits of masonry off around the side of the hill in the direction the hawk pointed them to. Truly birds are incredibly helpful.
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
Maridia is sleeping in Khannie's backpack believe it or not. They had checked out this ROUND DRAGON bakery and the fairy dragon had slipped into a box of fruit tarts while no one was looking. Acute food coma.
"Maybe it's just one way?" Khannie replies to Sirius. "Heck if I know how chaos magic works."
It's chaos magic. It probably defies any and all attempts to make sense of it.
"Oh, by the way, this is Sirius. He lives in my watch most of the time," Khannie explains. "He's a digimon. I guess you could call him a computer spirit? That's not exactly right but close enough."
Khannie AND her side kicks are weird.
"Pffft. Honestly at this point I would be pretty happy if I had just stayed a kangaskhan. Woulda been simpler," Khannie laughs. "Anyway I think the foxes mighta found something."
They did!
An entrance blocked with rubble and ivy! Fun.
Maridia is sleeping in Khannie's backpack believe it or not. They had checked out this ROUND DRAGON bakery and the fairy dragon had slipped into a box of fruit tarts while no one was looking. Acute food coma.
"Maybe it's just one way?" Khannie replies to Sirius. "Heck if I know how chaos magic works."
It's chaos magic. It probably defies any and all attempts to make sense of it.
"Oh, by the way, this is Sirius. He lives in my watch most of the time," Khannie explains. "He's a digimon. I guess you could call him a computer spirit? That's not exactly right but close enough."
Khannie AND her side kicks are weird.
"Pffft. Honestly at this point I would be pretty happy if I had just stayed a kangaskhan. Woulda been simpler," Khannie laughs. "Anyway I think the foxes mighta found something."
They did!
An entrance blocked with rubble and ivy! Fun.
Re: Skullfort Town
The Mound
That poor dragon baker might have trauma-dumped at Khannie a little if she observed the feeling of his baking. Like a fierce but vain struggle to turn corruption into something pure.
Koshal squints at the watch and smiles.
"Aw, you have a secret dog too?" he asks with the tone that says "I wish to pet the creature."
"Not a dog!" insists Sirius fruitlessly.
WOULD you have been happy as a Kangaskhan? Perhaps being so many things is what helped you achieve your happiness now. Or maybe that's just what Fortuna would say.
Regardless, Koshal draws his sword and begins hacking away at the ivy. Somehow the sword is a two-hander despite how small the scabbard is. It cuts through the ivy with ease and isn't even chipped when it hits stone behind it.
"You're going to have to help me move some of the rock. I can do it but I got told not to strain myself."
That poor dragon baker might have trauma-dumped at Khannie a little if she observed the feeling of his baking. Like a fierce but vain struggle to turn corruption into something pure.
Koshal squints at the watch and smiles.
"Aw, you have a secret dog too?" he asks with the tone that says "I wish to pet the creature."
"Not a dog!" insists Sirius fruitlessly.
WOULD you have been happy as a Kangaskhan? Perhaps being so many things is what helped you achieve your happiness now. Or maybe that's just what Fortuna would say.
Regardless, Koshal draws his sword and begins hacking away at the ivy. Somehow the sword is a two-hander despite how small the scabbard is. It cuts through the ivy with ease and isn't even chipped when it hits stone behind it.
"You're going to have to help me move some of the rock. I can do it but I got told not to strain myself."
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
It's okay, Khannie promised to come back again some time and see if she could help. Especially since Maridia had made such a pest of herself. Sadly today is already filled up with scheduled adventures.
Anyway!
"Sirius doesn't like people calling him a dog. Just 'cuz he's got soft fur under his armor doesn't mean he's a dog," Khannie says as she pushes some buttons on her watch to release her definitely not a dog partner!
"Okay, you remember that rock smashing move we've been practicing?" Khannie says, pointing at the boulder dominating the heap of rubble blocking the way. "You think you can pull it off on that thing?"
Khannie has absolutely been trying to teach HMs to Sirius.
It's okay, Khannie promised to come back again some time and see if she could help. Especially since Maridia had made such a pest of herself. Sadly today is already filled up with scheduled adventures.
Anyway!
"Sirius doesn't like people calling him a dog. Just 'cuz he's got soft fur under his armor doesn't mean he's a dog," Khannie says as she pushes some buttons on her watch to release her definitely not a dog partner!
"Okay, you remember that rock smashing move we've been practicing?" Khannie says, pointing at the boulder dominating the heap of rubble blocking the way. "You think you can pull it off on that thing?"
Khannie has absolutely been trying to teach HMs to Sirius.
Re: Skullfort Town
The Mound
"Oh, okay!" Koshal says with a nod.
Though he looks at Sirius. He's pretty sure that's a dog. Faye seems to think so, sniffing at Sirius a little.
"Okay! I'll try."
Sirius squares up! "FIF RUSH!" then he dramatically swings at the stone (sandstone maybe?). Somehow it is all cut to pieces by the time Sirius poses on the other side.
Which notably, is not the move Khannie was trying to teach him. Just his regular move with better effects.
"Oh, okay!" Koshal says with a nod.
Though he looks at Sirius. He's pretty sure that's a dog. Faye seems to think so, sniffing at Sirius a little.
"Okay! I'll try."
Sirius squares up! "FIF RUSH!" then he dramatically swings at the stone (sandstone maybe?). Somehow it is all cut to pieces by the time Sirius poses on the other side.
Which notably, is not the move Khannie was trying to teach him. Just his regular move with better effects.
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
Khannie's ability to physically obliterate stuff took quite a hit when she stopped being a physically focused striker pokemon. Her shadow magic is still potent and she can sort of still use some of her old moves, but she's physically much weaker and more vulnerable than before.
No doubt Sirius feels way more important and needed.
When the rock gets obliterated Khannie grins wide! "Heck yeah! Great job Sirius!" she says, giving him a pat on the head as she passes. Then she lights her horn and begins lighting up the-
Or wait.
No.
That isn't what she's doing at all.
No, the darkness is getting SUCKED INTO her horn and leaving soft, sourceless lumination behind.
"Oh sweet, check this out," Khannie says, gestures at some script engraved below an image of what looks like two horns with a disc between them. "This is Minoan writing."
Khannie's ability to physically obliterate stuff took quite a hit when she stopped being a physically focused striker pokemon. Her shadow magic is still potent and she can sort of still use some of her old moves, but she's physically much weaker and more vulnerable than before.
No doubt Sirius feels way more important and needed.
When the rock gets obliterated Khannie grins wide! "Heck yeah! Great job Sirius!" she says, giving him a pat on the head as she passes. Then she lights her horn and begins lighting up the-
Or wait.
No.
That isn't what she's doing at all.
No, the darkness is getting SUCKED INTO her horn and leaving soft, sourceless lumination behind.
"Oh sweet, check this out," Khannie says, gestures at some script engraved below an image of what looks like two horns with a disc between them. "This is Minoan writing."
Re: Skullfort Town
The Mound
Thump thump thump thump goes Sirius' tail on the ground. Very not a dog.
Koshal sheathes his sword and comes over to where Khannie is looking.
"Oh, that place everyone thinks I'm from? The writing does kinda look like the letters we have back home. More complicated though."
Faye follows behind Koshal, unable to stick to him as his shadow with the strange illumination around them.
Thump thump thump thump goes Sirius' tail on the ground. Very not a dog.
Koshal sheathes his sword and comes over to where Khannie is looking.
"Oh, that place everyone thinks I'm from? The writing does kinda look like the letters we have back home. More complicated though."
Faye follows behind Koshal, unable to stick to him as his shadow with the strange illumination around them.
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
"According to legend the Minotaur was born to king Minos' wife," Khannie recounts. "It's... uh... a pretty heckin' weird story actually."
A really weird story.
"Honestly a lot of the stories about where minotaurs came from are weird. You probably aren't related to Baphomet, either," Khannie half inquires. "Anyway, look here. The disc between the horns of the Sacred Mountain is missing. I'm gunna bet if we find it and put it back it'll open up-"
Khannie pauses dramatically and strides deeper into the tunnel, stopping when she illuminates a HUGE stone door painted with images of humans riding on dolphins.
"-that!"
She totally called it.
But where to look?
There are those very smashable clay urns over there. And that heap of rubble with something sparkly in it. And that collapsed shelf with scroll cases spilled everywhere.
"According to legend the Minotaur was born to king Minos' wife," Khannie recounts. "It's... uh... a pretty heckin' weird story actually."
A really weird story.
"Honestly a lot of the stories about where minotaurs came from are weird. You probably aren't related to Baphomet, either," Khannie half inquires. "Anyway, look here. The disc between the horns of the Sacred Mountain is missing. I'm gunna bet if we find it and put it back it'll open up-"
Khannie pauses dramatically and strides deeper into the tunnel, stopping when she illuminates a HUGE stone door painted with images of humans riding on dolphins.
"-that!"
She totally called it.
But where to look?
There are those very smashable clay urns over there. And that heap of rubble with something sparkly in it. And that collapsed shelf with scroll cases spilled everywhere.
Re: Skullfort Town
The Mound
"No, legends say we were created by a god to be his special warriors in a great conflict. Afterwards he gave us the ability to you know, make more. But we were never really given lands of our own. Sad times."
Truly sad.
Koshal notices the sparkle in the heap and goes to investigate. A fancy disc is probably sparkly so the shine stands out. Faye does walk over to his left to sniff at the collapsed shelf. Can Faye read? Who knows? (yes)
"No, legends say we were created by a god to be his special warriors in a great conflict. Afterwards he gave us the ability to you know, make more. But we were never really given lands of our own. Sad times."
Truly sad.
Koshal notices the sparkle in the heap and goes to investigate. A fancy disc is probably sparkly so the shine stands out. Faye does walk over to his left to sniff at the collapsed shelf. Can Faye read? Who knows? (yes)
Re: Skullfort Town
[The Mound]
"Huh," Khannie grunts back, the end of her tail flicking. "There's a whole lotta origin stories like that. Not just for minotaurs, I mean. Lotsa people like to imagine they were made to be special warriors. And usually when people didn't have land they just murdered other people and took theirs. That used to happen a TON."
Just SO MUCH.
Khannie heads over to the urns and begins taking photos of them as well as conjuring up a little palm sized three dimensional illusion of her view of that part of the room. Once the pictures are taken she carefully opens them up to check inside instead of smashing them like some green tunic-clad gremlin. "If you find anything don't move it, okay? I gotta document the context it was found in."
Because Khannie is an ACTION! Archeologist. Not a tomb-raiding murder-hobo. She definitely doesn't have the bust for tomb-raiding, anyway.
Faye finds a large collection of leather scroll cases! They smell suspiciously like something a dog should chew on. It's a small wonder that they've survived intact for so long.
Koshal finds a silver disk! In the center of it a flower has been fashioned from inset blue gemstone and at the center of the flower is a golden representation of a double-bitted axe.
"Huh," Khannie grunts back, the end of her tail flicking. "There's a whole lotta origin stories like that. Not just for minotaurs, I mean. Lotsa people like to imagine they were made to be special warriors. And usually when people didn't have land they just murdered other people and took theirs. That used to happen a TON."
Just SO MUCH.
Khannie heads over to the urns and begins taking photos of them as well as conjuring up a little palm sized three dimensional illusion of her view of that part of the room. Once the pictures are taken she carefully opens them up to check inside instead of smashing them like some green tunic-clad gremlin. "If you find anything don't move it, okay? I gotta document the context it was found in."
Because Khannie is an ACTION! Archeologist. Not a tomb-raiding murder-hobo. She definitely doesn't have the bust for tomb-raiding, anyway.
Faye finds a large collection of leather scroll cases! They smell suspiciously like something a dog should chew on. It's a small wonder that they've survived intact for so long.
Koshal finds a silver disk! In the center of it a flower has been fashioned from inset blue gemstone and at the center of the flower is a golden representation of a double-bitted axe.