Imagine, for a moment, standing atop a high sea cliff and gazing out over the ocean. A fine mist drifting up from the sea and carrying with it the scents and sounds of the world below. Of salt and wind. Of the shrill cries of birds and the bellow of seals. Of the steady crash of the waves against the shore.
Now...
Imagine instead a sea of trees.
A vast, level canopy stretching off as far as the eye can see. A waving ocean of leaves rustling in the wind. Heavy fog laying thick like a blanket, lapping and curling about the stones at the forest's edge. Stone worn smooth by the ages, grooves carved deep and obscured in moss. At its edge there are little more than saplings crowding at the edge of the circling stones; trees short enough to wade through. But slowly, steadily, the forest grows deeper.
Thicker.
Taller.
Darker.
And ancient place of unearthly sights and sounds and smells.
The shallows are places of light and life and beauty. The depths are places of gloom, of unknown and unknowable terrors. A forest without limit, reaching toward all others. Touching all others. A place full of lost and forgotten things. Peoples. Houses. Lands. Civilizations. All vanished in the rising tide of the trees.
Just...
Imagine what wonders might be lost in its depths?
The forest is a place of in-betweens. A threshold. A realm of liminality. A beginning and ending of journeys. One crosses the forest to reach the what waits on the other side. But what of a forest that has swallowed the whole world? What would be waiting on its far shores? Or would it simply represent a journey with no ending? A lonely road through the trees that winds ever on, ever deeper.
Imagine, for a moment, standing atop a high cliff and gazing out over the Verdant Sea. A fine mist drifting up from the fog and carrying with it the scents and sounds of the world below. Of damp leaves and stillness. Of the shrill cries of birds and the bellow of beasts. Of the silent caress off the clouds against the shore.
Imagine.
And step forward.
The Verdant Sea
Re: The Verdant Sea
[Falling Down the Stairs]
You shouldn't fall asleep in the forest.
You shouldn't fall asleep in the forest at the foot of a flight of stairs.
Especially a flight of stairs that leads to nowhere.
Because a flight of stairs that leads to nowhere always leads to somewhere.
This doesn't make any sense.
But the forest doesn't make any sense, either.
The forest has rules.
It doesn't have sense.
Grandfather's house had been swallowed up by the forest. Father had told him not to go, but he went anyway.
The forest has rules.
It doesn't have sense.
But he knew the rules, so he would be safe.
This was a lie he told himself.
The forest has rules and its greatest and first rule is that no one knows all the rules.
It became dark and there was a red fog. There were shapes, hunting. And hounds. Red hounds shaped like men. Red shadows that drove them. Things that kill for hunger and sport. He avoided them. He evaded them. And even on one occasion he broke the head of a hound with a sharp rock. This was, he thinks, what impressed the forest. That he survived.
He couldn't die.
He needed to find Grandfather's house.
So he trekked deeper into the forest, he was hunted by the red fog, and he hunted it back. There are rules, he learned, in the forest. Rules for things that hunt and things that survive. There are rules for things that impress the forest. Things that impress the forest are filled with its teeth and its guile.
He knew, entering the forest, that nothing leaves the forest unchanged. He knew. But he needed to find Grandfather's house.
The the teeth and the guile of the forest, he drove away the red fog. With the teeth and the guile of the forest, he hunted his meat. With the teeth and the guile of the forest he descended deeper. Because he needed to find Grandfather's house. He would find Grandfather's house and Grandfather would be whole and well. They would embrace and weep and he would lead Grandfather back to the sunlit lands and all would be well again, just as it was before the forest swallowed up Grandfather's house.
And so.
Sune awoke at the bottom of a flight of stairs.
His nose twitched.
It looked the same.
But it smelled different.
Had the forest shifted?
He rose, cautiously, eyes blinking in the sun. No, he was wrong. It looked different. Sunlight pierced down through the fog, casting dancing lights through diaphanous leaves. The trees were thin and small. Somewhere a bird sang. Behind him a spiral staircase, fashioned from rusted steel with peeling white paint, loomed.
These are the shallows.
The forest must have shifted. He couldn't smell his trail. An island of familiarity in a vast sea of unfamiliar scents.
Sune stood, leaning against the stairs and pushing shaggy brown hair out of his eyes.
You shouldn't fall asleep in the forest.
You shouldn't fall asleep in the forest at the foot of a flight of stairs.
Especially a flight of stairs that leads to nowhere.
Because a flight of stairs that leads to nowhere always leads to somewhere.
This doesn't make any sense.
But the forest doesn't make any sense, either.
The forest has rules.
It doesn't have sense.
Grandfather's house had been swallowed up by the forest. Father had told him not to go, but he went anyway.
The forest has rules.
It doesn't have sense.
But he knew the rules, so he would be safe.
This was a lie he told himself.
The forest has rules and its greatest and first rule is that no one knows all the rules.
It became dark and there was a red fog. There were shapes, hunting. And hounds. Red hounds shaped like men. Red shadows that drove them. Things that kill for hunger and sport. He avoided them. He evaded them. And even on one occasion he broke the head of a hound with a sharp rock. This was, he thinks, what impressed the forest. That he survived.
He couldn't die.
He needed to find Grandfather's house.
So he trekked deeper into the forest, he was hunted by the red fog, and he hunted it back. There are rules, he learned, in the forest. Rules for things that hunt and things that survive. There are rules for things that impress the forest. Things that impress the forest are filled with its teeth and its guile.
He knew, entering the forest, that nothing leaves the forest unchanged. He knew. But he needed to find Grandfather's house.
The the teeth and the guile of the forest, he drove away the red fog. With the teeth and the guile of the forest, he hunted his meat. With the teeth and the guile of the forest he descended deeper. Because he needed to find Grandfather's house. He would find Grandfather's house and Grandfather would be whole and well. They would embrace and weep and he would lead Grandfather back to the sunlit lands and all would be well again, just as it was before the forest swallowed up Grandfather's house.
And so.
Sune awoke at the bottom of a flight of stairs.
His nose twitched.
It looked the same.
But it smelled different.
Had the forest shifted?
He rose, cautiously, eyes blinking in the sun. No, he was wrong. It looked different. Sunlight pierced down through the fog, casting dancing lights through diaphanous leaves. The trees were thin and small. Somewhere a bird sang. Behind him a spiral staircase, fashioned from rusted steel with peeling white paint, loomed.
These are the shallows.
The forest must have shifted. He couldn't smell his trail. An island of familiarity in a vast sea of unfamiliar scents.
Sune stood, leaning against the stairs and pushing shaggy brown hair out of his eyes.
Re: The Verdant Sea
Falling Down the Stairs
The dorms were stuffy. Kol couldn't sleep in them. Not enough windows. Not enough moonlight. He went out to find the cafeteria in case they had any vending machines, but he couldn't find it. He sat down where he found himself, which was the campus park. He's pretty sure the ninjas do training here or something. It's a forest for all intents and purposes.
Its gaiad would have warned him not to fall asleep there. But she was busy elsewhere. Never fall asleep in parks Inside, especially not woodsy ones.
The tanned boy peers out from the grove of trees to find far, far more. And stairs? And a shape?
"Hello?" he calls.
The dorms were stuffy. Kol couldn't sleep in them. Not enough windows. Not enough moonlight. He went out to find the cafeteria in case they had any vending machines, but he couldn't find it. He sat down where he found himself, which was the campus park. He's pretty sure the ninjas do training here or something. It's a forest for all intents and purposes.
Its gaiad would have warned him not to fall asleep there. But she was busy elsewhere. Never fall asleep in parks Inside, especially not woodsy ones.
The tanned boy peers out from the grove of trees to find far, far more. And stairs? And a shape?
"Hello?" he calls.
Re: The Verdant Sea
[Falling Down the Stairs]
Oh.
Oh, that's a voice, isn't it?
A voice speaking in words. Sune knows those. He wrinkles his noise. It feels like it's been so long since he's done this, but it couldn't have been that long since he began his descent into the forest. Right? A few days, maybe. Not long. This word-speaker must be someone else from the village. The village on the edge of the forest. The village where all the people live.
Why did the speaker come into the forest?
Doesn't he know the forest is dangerous?
Doesn't he know it has rules?
Sune should make words back.
But the forest hangs heavy on him. How long has it been since he spoke words to another? Again... a few days. Wasn't it?
He makes a croaking whine back, which isn't words. After a few false starts, he manages an uncertain, "Hello?"
Should Kol move closer he'll find... someone. Someone leaning against the stairs, watching him wild-looking green eyes. Someone with shaggy brown hair and skin tanned by being outside. Someone wearing old clothes that have been patched together with skins and bits of bark. Someone who looks at once young and ancient in a strange and otherworldly fashion.
Sune swallows, searching for his voice. "From... are you? Are you from the village?" he finally says, stringing together the words.
Why was this so hard? It has only been a few days since he left the village.
Oh.
Oh, that's a voice, isn't it?
A voice speaking in words. Sune knows those. He wrinkles his noise. It feels like it's been so long since he's done this, but it couldn't have been that long since he began his descent into the forest. Right? A few days, maybe. Not long. This word-speaker must be someone else from the village. The village on the edge of the forest. The village where all the people live.
Why did the speaker come into the forest?
Doesn't he know the forest is dangerous?
Doesn't he know it has rules?
Sune should make words back.
But the forest hangs heavy on him. How long has it been since he spoke words to another? Again... a few days. Wasn't it?
He makes a croaking whine back, which isn't words. After a few false starts, he manages an uncertain, "Hello?"
Should Kol move closer he'll find... someone. Someone leaning against the stairs, watching him wild-looking green eyes. Someone with shaggy brown hair and skin tanned by being outside. Someone wearing old clothes that have been patched together with skins and bits of bark. Someone who looks at once young and ancient in a strange and otherworldly fashion.
Sune swallows, searching for his voice. "From... are you? Are you from the village?" he finally says, stringing together the words.
Why was this so hard? It has only been a few days since he left the village.
Re: The Verdant Sea
Falling Down the Stairs
Kol eyes the man and the strange noises he's making. Is he some kind of hermit? Spirits don't patch up their clothes. Unless they're brownies, maybe? He's notably relieved when an actual sentence comes out.
"No, I'm from Inside. Well properly I'm from a place called Kunani but nobody knows where that is." It's really frustrating. It's not even that far away from the city.
"You know where we are? This doesn't feel like Professor Rhododendron's woods at all."
Kol eyes the man and the strange noises he's making. Is he some kind of hermit? Spirits don't patch up their clothes. Unless they're brownies, maybe? He's notably relieved when an actual sentence comes out.
"No, I'm from Inside. Well properly I'm from a place called Kunani but nobody knows where that is." It's really frustrating. It's not even that far away from the city.
"You know where we are? This doesn't feel like Professor Rhododendron's woods at all."
Re: The Verdant Sea
[Falling Down the Stairs]
None of the things that youth just said make any sense.
And Sune, for that matter, is hard to place as a man. Or as a boy. He looks the right age for someone setting off on an adventure. Like a boy setting off into a tulgey wood to slay a monster, or a boy climbing a beanstalk into the clouds. But again, there's something oddly ageless and otherworldly about him.
But that isn't very important to Sune.
What's important to Sune is the fact that he doesn't comprehend what the other lad is talking about.
"I don't know where those are," Sune admits after licking his lips a few times, trying to find the words. "This is the forest. I'm looking for Grandfather's home. It was swallowed up by the trees."
He's sure this other lad (who is clearly from the village, all the people are) would know of that. Everyone knows about Grandfather's house being swallowed up by the forest.
None of the things that youth just said make any sense.
And Sune, for that matter, is hard to place as a man. Or as a boy. He looks the right age for someone setting off on an adventure. Like a boy setting off into a tulgey wood to slay a monster, or a boy climbing a beanstalk into the clouds. But again, there's something oddly ageless and otherworldly about him.
But that isn't very important to Sune.
What's important to Sune is the fact that he doesn't comprehend what the other lad is talking about.
"I don't know where those are," Sune admits after licking his lips a few times, trying to find the words. "This is the forest. I'm looking for Grandfather's home. It was swallowed up by the trees."
He's sure this other lad (who is clearly from the village, all the people are) would know of that. Everyone knows about Grandfather's house being swallowed up by the forest.
Re: The Verdant Sea
Falling Down the Stairs
Kol stares blankly at the man.
"Well I was at my school a few hours ago. I don't know where your grandpa lives."
Kol's is still probably on the island. Still fishing. Nothing will ever make that guy retire.
Kol stares blankly at the man.
"Well I was at my school a few hours ago. I don't know where your grandpa lives."
Kol's is still probably on the island. Still fishing. Nothing will ever make that guy retire.
Re: The Verdant Sea
[Falling Down the Stairs]
Again, calling Sune a man probably isn't accurate. He's practically the archetype of the youth setting out on an adventure to become a man. A journey, but one he hasn't finished yet.
Regardless!
Sune frowns.
"Do you need help finding your way out of the forest?" Sune asks after a moment of blank incomprehension. How could anyone not know about Grandfather? "It's a rule of the forest to help people in need."
Because anyone you help along the way will invariably return the favor in your hour of greatest need.
It sure SOUNDS to Sune like this person is lost in the forest. And that's exactly the sort of person that needs help. Unlike Sune, who isn't lost. He's supposed to be in the forest so he can find Grandfather's house.
Again, calling Sune a man probably isn't accurate. He's practically the archetype of the youth setting out on an adventure to become a man. A journey, but one he hasn't finished yet.
Regardless!
Sune frowns.
"Do you need help finding your way out of the forest?" Sune asks after a moment of blank incomprehension. How could anyone not know about Grandfather? "It's a rule of the forest to help people in need."
Because anyone you help along the way will invariably return the favor in your hour of greatest need.
It sure SOUNDS to Sune like this person is lost in the forest. And that's exactly the sort of person that needs help. Unlike Sune, who isn't lost. He's supposed to be in the forest so he can find Grandfather's house.
Re: The Verdant Sea
Falling Down the Stairs
"Um. Yes." is Kol's answer.
He has absolutely no idea where he is.
"So you know where you are, then?" he asks. Because he doesn't seem that old. But he has clearly repaired his clothes himself. So maybe he has been here a while.
"Um. Yes." is Kol's answer.
He has absolutely no idea where he is.
"So you know where you are, then?" he asks. Because he doesn't seem that old. But he has clearly repaired his clothes himself. So maybe he has been here a while.
Re: The Verdant Sea
[Falling Down the Stairs]
A good answer.
"We're in the shallows of the forest," Sune replies, once again turning his eyes toward the canopy and blinking at the sunlight streaming through. "It's still bright and warm here. The fog isn't so thick. There won't be as many beasts. Or beasts as big."
These are all good things, if one wants to get out of the forest.
And then?
He walks up to one of the trees nearby, kneels down at its base, and rakes his fingers across it. Four deep claw-marks are gouged into the tree, their size and spread suggesting they were made by a paw many times larger than the boy's hand. Water begins bubbling up out of the wound and flowing away from the tree. At this Sune smiles and points away from the little stream that's rapidly forming.
"We should go this way. Uphill leads out of the forest."
Another one of the forest's rules.
A good answer.
"We're in the shallows of the forest," Sune replies, once again turning his eyes toward the canopy and blinking at the sunlight streaming through. "It's still bright and warm here. The fog isn't so thick. There won't be as many beasts. Or beasts as big."
These are all good things, if one wants to get out of the forest.
And then?
He walks up to one of the trees nearby, kneels down at its base, and rakes his fingers across it. Four deep claw-marks are gouged into the tree, their size and spread suggesting they were made by a paw many times larger than the boy's hand. Water begins bubbling up out of the wound and flowing away from the tree. At this Sune smiles and points away from the little stream that's rapidly forming.
"We should go this way. Uphill leads out of the forest."
Another one of the forest's rules.
Re: The Verdant Sea
Falling Down the Stairs
"Beasts?" Kol asks, eyeing the gouges. He must be some kind of spirit channeler. Or a werewolf.
Sometimes those are the same things.
Kol reaches down and pulls out a wicked looking fisherman's knife.
Why was he carrying that late at night? Because he goes to a very weird school and the weirdo students get to carry katanas around or something.
"Okay. Just lead the way."
"Beasts?" Kol asks, eyeing the gouges. He must be some kind of spirit channeler. Or a werewolf.
Sometimes those are the same things.
Kol reaches down and pulls out a wicked looking fisherman's knife.
Why was he carrying that late at night? Because he goes to a very weird school and the weirdo students get to carry katanas around or something.
"Okay. Just lead the way."
Re: The Verdant Sea
[Falling Down the Stairs]
"There are beasts in the forest," Sune explains. "Everyone knows that."
How could anyone not know that?
What else would there be in the forest besides beast? Besides things like the hunting shapes. And the deadly fogs. And too many other dangers; so many Sune couldn't even count them all. The forest is full of dangerous things. And forgotten things.
"You don't know very many things, do you?" Sune asks, turning to look over his shoulder at Kol with those intense green eyes. Every now and again he'll stop at another tree and similarly gouge the base of the trunk, checking to make sure they're still going uphill. "Some places its hard to see with your eyes or feel with your feet which way is deeper. But water always flows toward the deeps. It's one of the forest's rules."
Kol may be somewhat surprised when, at the next tree, the water begins flowing up hill and Sune turns to being sliding down a steep embankment covered in moss and ferns. That definitely doesn't LOOK downhill.
"There are beasts in the forest," Sune explains. "Everyone knows that."
How could anyone not know that?
What else would there be in the forest besides beast? Besides things like the hunting shapes. And the deadly fogs. And too many other dangers; so many Sune couldn't even count them all. The forest is full of dangerous things. And forgotten things.
"You don't know very many things, do you?" Sune asks, turning to look over his shoulder at Kol with those intense green eyes. Every now and again he'll stop at another tree and similarly gouge the base of the trunk, checking to make sure they're still going uphill. "Some places its hard to see with your eyes or feel with your feet which way is deeper. But water always flows toward the deeps. It's one of the forest's rules."
Kol may be somewhat surprised when, at the next tree, the water begins flowing up hill and Sune turns to being sliding down a steep embankment covered in moss and ferns. That definitely doesn't LOOK downhill.
Re: The Verdant Sea
Falling Down the Stairs
"No, I don't know a ton of things. So I'll take your word for it. You planning on telling me your name? I'm Kol."
Because if he doesn't tell Kol his name, Kol will have to call him Ghost Claws.
Which is pretty metal but not really a name.
Kol also practices knife safety and sticks his back in its sheathe when he has to follow the guy down the embankment. There's no beasts around that he can see and he really doesn't want to slice himself open.
"No, I don't know a ton of things. So I'll take your word for it. You planning on telling me your name? I'm Kol."
Because if he doesn't tell Kol his name, Kol will have to call him Ghost Claws.
Which is pretty metal but not really a name.
Kol also practices knife safety and sticks his back in its sheathe when he has to follow the guy down the embankment. There's no beasts around that he can see and he really doesn't want to slice himself open.
Re: The Verdant Sea
[Falling Down the Stairs]
"You shouldn't come into the forest if you don't know things; the forest has rules," Sune admonishes Kol. He feels this is a very important thing to be aware of. He trails one hand behind himself as he slides down the embankment, getting it all muddy with grime and bits of moss under his nails. But that's fine. If you're going into the forest you're going to get dirty. People who are clean don't go into the forest. They don't work out in the fields, either.
He considers the request.
His name?
That's easy.
"I'm Sune," he replies. "From the village," he adds. Since Kol is apparently of the opinion that places to live other than the village exist. What a strange idea that is. The village has cloudsails, of course. To glide out across the fog to collect bird eggs and fruits and other things from the deep canopy. He's heard some of the grownups speak of other villages across the Verdant Sea, but that always just seemed like idle talk to him.
The village and the forest are all there is.
At the bottom of the little ravine, clutched in the gnarled roots of a great strangler-vine tree, is the corpse of a beast.
Sune freezes when he sees it, his breath held and muscles tense. But when he realizes- "Don't worry, this beast is long dead." -he relaxes.
It's a huge, metal thing. It was shiny and white once, probably. But now it's stained with rust and little vines creep under its skin. The beast is shaped something like a man, with a broken diadem on its forehead that looks like it might be gold. It has eyes, but no mouth. A blank, staring, shattered expression. Its insides have been torn out a little stream flows out of it and past Sune's bare feet.
"We're going to have to climb through its corpse to get out of this canyon," Sune says. "There might be little beasts inside it, so we need to be careful."
"You shouldn't come into the forest if you don't know things; the forest has rules," Sune admonishes Kol. He feels this is a very important thing to be aware of. He trails one hand behind himself as he slides down the embankment, getting it all muddy with grime and bits of moss under his nails. But that's fine. If you're going into the forest you're going to get dirty. People who are clean don't go into the forest. They don't work out in the fields, either.
He considers the request.
His name?
That's easy.
"I'm Sune," he replies. "From the village," he adds. Since Kol is apparently of the opinion that places to live other than the village exist. What a strange idea that is. The village has cloudsails, of course. To glide out across the fog to collect bird eggs and fruits and other things from the deep canopy. He's heard some of the grownups speak of other villages across the Verdant Sea, but that always just seemed like idle talk to him.
The village and the forest are all there is.
At the bottom of the little ravine, clutched in the gnarled roots of a great strangler-vine tree, is the corpse of a beast.
Sune freezes when he sees it, his breath held and muscles tense. But when he realizes- "Don't worry, this beast is long dead." -he relaxes.
It's a huge, metal thing. It was shiny and white once, probably. But now it's stained with rust and little vines creep under its skin. The beast is shaped something like a man, with a broken diadem on its forehead that looks like it might be gold. It has eyes, but no mouth. A blank, staring, shattered expression. Its insides have been torn out a little stream flows out of it and past Sune's bare feet.
"We're going to have to climb through its corpse to get out of this canyon," Sune says. "There might be little beasts inside it, so we need to be careful."
Re: The Verdant Sea
Falling Down the Stairs
What? Some kind of robot? Or statue? This isn't what he was expecting from a 'beast.'
"Uh, sure. Are all the beasts metal?" Because if they are, his knife isn't going to be much help. And who knows what else they'd have. Missiles and lasers and stuff? This is all too much.
What? Some kind of robot? Or statue? This isn't what he was expecting from a 'beast.'
"Uh, sure. Are all the beasts metal?" Because if they are, his knife isn't going to be much help. And who knows what else they'd have. Missiles and lasers and stuff? This is all too much.
Re: The Verdant Sea
[Falling Down the Stairs]
Sune looks deeply confused, looking back at Kol with an expression of absolute bafflement. He knew Kol didn't know many things, but apparently he really doesn't know ANY of the things about the forest.
"Of course not? This is a metal beast. It was forgotten somewhere so it's in the forest. But it died long ago, see?" he says as he moves closer, pointing to the rust around the machine's gashed open innards. "It's rotting to rust. Sometimes the metal beasts rot while they're still alive, but the clever ones don't."
How could Kol not know about different sorts of beasts?
Sometimes they emerge from the Verdant Sea and the people of the village have to slay them.
He climbs into the gash in the metal beast's guts and begins to ascend. Kol may note that this robot is absolutely HUGE. Like building huge. And buried up to its waste in the mud and tangled roots. If this thing were still ambulatory its head could probably reach to the canopy of the forest hundreds of feet above. Within the machine are, thankfully, stairs and ladders for navigating its insides, though before long they'll come to a sealed metal door. Several turn-clamps surround the closed portal. There's also a blank of computer screens nearby, all blank. On the ceiling nearby, picking away at the internals of the robot, is a small crabbish looking machine that appears to be made of metal Legos. The crab-bot appears to be paying little, if any, attention to our heroes.
Sune looks deeply confused, looking back at Kol with an expression of absolute bafflement. He knew Kol didn't know many things, but apparently he really doesn't know ANY of the things about the forest.
"Of course not? This is a metal beast. It was forgotten somewhere so it's in the forest. But it died long ago, see?" he says as he moves closer, pointing to the rust around the machine's gashed open innards. "It's rotting to rust. Sometimes the metal beasts rot while they're still alive, but the clever ones don't."
How could Kol not know about different sorts of beasts?
Sometimes they emerge from the Verdant Sea and the people of the village have to slay them.
He climbs into the gash in the metal beast's guts and begins to ascend. Kol may note that this robot is absolutely HUGE. Like building huge. And buried up to its waste in the mud and tangled roots. If this thing were still ambulatory its head could probably reach to the canopy of the forest hundreds of feet above. Within the machine are, thankfully, stairs and ladders for navigating its insides, though before long they'll come to a sealed metal door. Several turn-clamps surround the closed portal. There's also a blank of computer screens nearby, all blank. On the ceiling nearby, picking away at the internals of the robot, is a small crabbish looking machine that appears to be made of metal Legos. The crab-bot appears to be paying little, if any, attention to our heroes.
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Re: The Verdant Sea
[Falling Down the Stairs]
Ash should have kept running. Maybe she could have. Maybe she would have died. Either way, better than hiding in the forest and waking up in the middle of nowhere. She hardly even remembers what was happening. All that matters now is that she's around for what happens next.
She stands up and surveys the damage to herself. A few minor cuts and scrapes across her pale green skin, as well as one large gash in her 6th arm. That would explain why it hurt so much to move. As for her clothing, the sarashi she wears around her chest is covered in dirt, as are her jeans and the jacket tied around her waist.
Wait. Those are voices, aren't they? Yes, definitely two people having a conversation. They could be her ticket out of here. "HELLO?" the six-armed girl calls while beginning to follow the sound of their voices.
Ash should have kept running. Maybe she could have. Maybe she would have died. Either way, better than hiding in the forest and waking up in the middle of nowhere. She hardly even remembers what was happening. All that matters now is that she's around for what happens next.
She stands up and surveys the damage to herself. A few minor cuts and scrapes across her pale green skin, as well as one large gash in her 6th arm. That would explain why it hurt so much to move. As for her clothing, the sarashi she wears around her chest is covered in dirt, as are her jeans and the jacket tied around her waist.
Wait. Those are voices, aren't they? Yes, definitely two people having a conversation. They could be her ticket out of here. "HELLO?" the six-armed girl calls while beginning to follow the sound of their voices.
Re: The Verdant Sea
The Verdant Sea
“Well, yeah. I knew that part. I didn’t know if the beasts in this specific place came in different types.” Kol grumbles, his voice momentarily losing its color because the mobile version of this website still doesn’t work.
He grumpily climbs into the chassis and makes his way behind Sune. He’s glad none of the little ones are hostile. The Lego one is kind of cute.
“Well, yeah. I knew that part. I didn’t know if the beasts in this specific place came in different types.” Kol grumbles, his voice momentarily losing its color because the mobile version of this website still doesn’t work.
He grumpily climbs into the chassis and makes his way behind Sune. He’s glad none of the little ones are hostile. The Lego one is kind of cute.
Re: The Verdant Sea
[Falling Down the Stairs]
"This is a door," Sune helpfully informs Kol, since thus far he's learned that Kol knows nothing. "Sometimes there are doors in the forest. The way you need to go is through them, and they always block the way. You always know you're going the right way when the forest places obstacles in your path."
He pauses for a moment, tugging at the clamps around the edge of the door.
"That's a rule of the forest. It's important to know the forest's rules."
He's about to say something further about opening doors, but then there comes a voice!
That's the second voice in one day! The voice sounds like it's coming from outside the machine. And the voice sounds like a girl, too. Sometimes there are beasts in the forest that sound like a girl, but aren't. The secret is to try talking to them from afar, since they can only say a small number of things.
"Hello! We're inside the metal beast. Where are you?" Sune yells back, his voice echoing inside the machine's corpse.
There's still the matter of opening the door. Often times there's a trick to it. Sometimes the trick is simple. But sometimes the trick is difficult. Sometimes it's finding keys. Sometimes it's turning things. Sometimes its making black glass shine.
"This is a door," Sune helpfully informs Kol, since thus far he's learned that Kol knows nothing. "Sometimes there are doors in the forest. The way you need to go is through them, and they always block the way. You always know you're going the right way when the forest places obstacles in your path."
He pauses for a moment, tugging at the clamps around the edge of the door.
"That's a rule of the forest. It's important to know the forest's rules."
He's about to say something further about opening doors, but then there comes a voice!
That's the second voice in one day! The voice sounds like it's coming from outside the machine. And the voice sounds like a girl, too. Sometimes there are beasts in the forest that sound like a girl, but aren't. The secret is to try talking to them from afar, since they can only say a small number of things.
"Hello! We're inside the metal beast. Where are you?" Sune yells back, his voice echoing inside the machine's corpse.
There's still the matter of opening the door. Often times there's a trick to it. Sometimes the trick is simple. But sometimes the trick is difficult. Sometimes it's finding keys. Sometimes it's turning things. Sometimes its making black glass shine.
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Re: The Verdant Sea
"I'M... uh..."
Actually, that's a good question. Ash has no idea where she is. Also, did they say they were inside a metal beast? That would be worrying for most, and doubly so for Ash right now. She thinks about how she probably just misheard him, and relaxes somehow. Anyways, back to where she is.
There's a flight of stairs here. Seems mundane, but it's more of a landmark than any tree could be. The other people here might have passed by it.
"I'M AT THE STAIRCASE. YOU SEEN A STAIRCASE?"
A few drops of blue blood drip from Ash's wound to the flat ground. Instead of pooling there like she would expect, they flow in a certain direction, as if it's simultaneously flat and downhill. Ash watches the droplets of blood run, the expression on her face more confused than disgusted or worried.
Actually, that's a good question. Ash has no idea where she is. Also, did they say they were inside a metal beast? That would be worrying for most, and doubly so for Ash right now. She thinks about how she probably just misheard him, and relaxes somehow. Anyways, back to where she is.
There's a flight of stairs here. Seems mundane, but it's more of a landmark than any tree could be. The other people here might have passed by it.
"I'M AT THE STAIRCASE. YOU SEEN A STAIRCASE?"
A few drops of blue blood drip from Ash's wound to the flat ground. Instead of pooling there like she would expect, they flow in a certain direction, as if it's simultaneously flat and downhill. Ash watches the droplets of blood run, the expression on her face more confused than disgusted or worried.
Re: The Verdant Sea
Falling Down the Stairs
“I think you turn those.” Kol suggests as Sune tugs at the clamps.
But then they hear a voice!
“If you want to go help her get here too I’ll probably be okay getting this open.” Kol adds. If the clamps won’t turn he’ll see if he can get the panel working. It might be a simple electronic lock.
“I think you turn those.” Kol suggests as Sune tugs at the clamps.
But then they hear a voice!
“If you want to go help her get here too I’ll probably be okay getting this open.” Kol adds. If the clamps won’t turn he’ll see if he can get the panel working. It might be a simple electronic lock.
Re: The Verdant Sea
[Falling Down the Stairs]
"Alright. I don't think that voice is a beast they don't say more than one word when they speak," Sune reasons. It's always wise to be certain that a voice you hear is actually a person and not a beast.
Sometimes the beasts are very clever.
"You open that door and I'll go and see," Sune says as he picks his way back down through the corpse of the metal beast and emerges from its guts. He sees no stairs nearby. But there are probably some, right? The girl doesn't sound like she's far. It's hard to see out of the ravine, though. Thankfully, Sune has the forest's guile thanks to being very clever himself.
Near Ash is a staircase. A grand, white marble staircase.
Or at least it was once white.
Now it's stained with algae and grime and moss.
A little bird lands on the handrail.
"Hello."
Says the bird.
Meanwhile!
Kol finds that the clamps won't turn. Should he root around under the monitors, he'll find that something appears to have been removed from under them. No doubt some kind of POWER CORE. Where would he find something like that? Two small chambers look to branch off from where he is now. One marked SUPPLIES and the other marked ARMORY.
"Alright. I don't think that voice is a beast they don't say more than one word when they speak," Sune reasons. It's always wise to be certain that a voice you hear is actually a person and not a beast.
Sometimes the beasts are very clever.
"You open that door and I'll go and see," Sune says as he picks his way back down through the corpse of the metal beast and emerges from its guts. He sees no stairs nearby. But there are probably some, right? The girl doesn't sound like she's far. It's hard to see out of the ravine, though. Thankfully, Sune has the forest's guile thanks to being very clever himself.
Near Ash is a staircase. A grand, white marble staircase.
Or at least it was once white.
Now it's stained with algae and grime and moss.
A little bird lands on the handrail.
"Hello."
Says the bird.
Meanwhile!
Kol finds that the clamps won't turn. Should he root around under the monitors, he'll find that something appears to have been removed from under them. No doubt some kind of POWER CORE. Where would he find something like that? Two small chambers look to branch off from where he is now. One marked SUPPLIES and the other marked ARMORY.
Re: The Verdant Sea
Falling Down the Stairs
Supplies is almost certainly where the power cord is.
However, Sune said that there were very dangerous beasts. And Kol only has a knife that isn’t even meant for combat. If he can get himself a nice hand axe or a sidearm he’ll be much less likely to get instantly mauled to death by a beast. So Kol heads to that hallway.
Supplies is almost certainly where the power cord is.
However, Sune said that there were very dangerous beasts. And Kol only has a knife that isn’t even meant for combat. If he can get himself a nice hand axe or a sidearm he’ll be much less likely to get instantly mauled to death by a beast. So Kol heads to that hallway.
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Re: The Verdant Sea
[Falling Down the Stairs]
Ash watches the little bird intently. She's a little taken aback when it talks, but she tries not to show it. "Hi." she replies.
At that moment, her stomach grumbles. Man, she's hungry. She discreetly steals a glance at what should be a crossbow holstered on her leg, but is instead a broken mess of string and wood. Her Vielhander still rests perfectly intact in its sheath on her back, but she is nowhere near fast enough to hit a bird with that thing. So, poultry lunch is out of the question right now.
Ash walks towards the stairway and puts a hand on the rail. "...You know any good places to eat? I could really go for a fly or moth right about now." she says. Her exhausted tone of voice suggests she's not joking.
Ash watches the little bird intently. She's a little taken aback when it talks, but she tries not to show it. "Hi." she replies.
At that moment, her stomach grumbles. Man, she's hungry. She discreetly steals a glance at what should be a crossbow holstered on her leg, but is instead a broken mess of string and wood. Her Vielhander still rests perfectly intact in its sheath on her back, but she is nowhere near fast enough to hit a bird with that thing. So, poultry lunch is out of the question right now.
Ash walks towards the stairway and puts a hand on the rail. "...You know any good places to eat? I could really go for a fly or moth right about now." she says. Her exhausted tone of voice suggests she's not joking.
Re: The Verdant Sea
[Falling Down the Stairs]
It isn't a good idea to eat crow. Since that's what the bird is. A big black crow. There are in fact sayings about how eating crow is an unpleasant experience.
Okay technically the bird is a raven. In spite of there being no sayings about eating ravens it is probably just as unpleasant as eating crow.
Also the raven is a talking animal.
Eating talking animals is notoriously unlucky.
"Up," says Sune before spreading his wings and flying off toward the canopy. He can only reply with a single word, otherwise he would explain that fruits often grow high in the trees. This is kind of strange since that's a rule for beasts and obviously he's a lad searching for Grandfather's house, not a beast.
Really, he hadn't thought about it before. Mostly because he hasn't talked to anyone in a while. But not very long. He's only been in the forest a few days after all.
Sune finds what he's looking for and begins pecking.
A few moments later a large green fruit thumps into the forest floor near Ash. It has a leathery husk, but if she digs her fingers in she can peel it open. Inside is custardy yellow flesh that smells faintly sweet and several large brown seeds. Should she take a bite she'll find it tastes like banana pudding.
[Scavenging a Metal Beast]
Kol pushes open the door to the armory, the sudden motion and light causing several small shapes to go skittering into the dark corners. There are racks that once held futuristic looking rifles and pistols. They've all been gnawed and picked to uselessness, probably thanks to those metal lego crabs. Apparently some Von Nueman machines were lost and have been happily scavenging other machines since.
Something odd happens when Kol enters the room, two. Three sealed storage crates suddenly light up and pop open. One marked explosives. One marked long arms. One marked side arms. As soon as they open there's a small swarm of block crabs hurrying towards the new source of food.
Kol will only be able to root through one of the crates before he's forced to fight the crabs for what's left.
Best choose wisely.
It isn't a good idea to eat crow. Since that's what the bird is. A big black crow. There are in fact sayings about how eating crow is an unpleasant experience.
Okay technically the bird is a raven. In spite of there being no sayings about eating ravens it is probably just as unpleasant as eating crow.
Also the raven is a talking animal.
Eating talking animals is notoriously unlucky.
"Up," says Sune before spreading his wings and flying off toward the canopy. He can only reply with a single word, otherwise he would explain that fruits often grow high in the trees. This is kind of strange since that's a rule for beasts and obviously he's a lad searching for Grandfather's house, not a beast.
Really, he hadn't thought about it before. Mostly because he hasn't talked to anyone in a while. But not very long. He's only been in the forest a few days after all.
Sune finds what he's looking for and begins pecking.
A few moments later a large green fruit thumps into the forest floor near Ash. It has a leathery husk, but if she digs her fingers in she can peel it open. Inside is custardy yellow flesh that smells faintly sweet and several large brown seeds. Should she take a bite she'll find it tastes like banana pudding.
[Scavenging a Metal Beast]
Kol pushes open the door to the armory, the sudden motion and light causing several small shapes to go skittering into the dark corners. There are racks that once held futuristic looking rifles and pistols. They've all been gnawed and picked to uselessness, probably thanks to those metal lego crabs. Apparently some Von Nueman machines were lost and have been happily scavenging other machines since.
Something odd happens when Kol enters the room, two. Three sealed storage crates suddenly light up and pop open. One marked explosives. One marked long arms. One marked side arms. As soon as they open there's a small swarm of block crabs hurrying towards the new source of food.
Kol will only be able to root through one of the crates before he's forced to fight the crabs for what's left.
Best choose wisely.
Last edited by Rebonack on Sep 07, 2022 3:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: The Verdant Sea
Scavenging a Metal Beast
Ok well this all seems awfully convenient but this place is very clearly very magic. So maybe that just means things are convenient except when they’re really not.
Ok. Explosives: hard no. Kol has no training in that. Sidearms are what he expected from a machine crew, but he doesn’t actually have training in those either. There’s just a lower chance of killing himself than the explosives.
That leaves the longarms. He has fired a simple bolt-action .22 a few times with his grandfather. He doesn’t expect a futuristic weapon to handle even slightly the same, but a rifle or shotgun will be more accurate than a pistol. It’ll also be heavier but hopefully it’ll have enough shots to be worth carrying the weight.
Kol scrambles to the longarm crate and attempts to find himself something suitable inside along with ammo before backing off. No matter what he got, fighting a swarm of robot crabs isn’t going to be easy. He should just grab a weapon and close the door behind him.
Ok well this all seems awfully convenient but this place is very clearly very magic. So maybe that just means things are convenient except when they’re really not.
Ok. Explosives: hard no. Kol has no training in that. Sidearms are what he expected from a machine crew, but he doesn’t actually have training in those either. There’s just a lower chance of killing himself than the explosives.
That leaves the longarms. He has fired a simple bolt-action .22 a few times with his grandfather. He doesn’t expect a futuristic weapon to handle even slightly the same, but a rifle or shotgun will be more accurate than a pistol. It’ll also be heavier but hopefully it’ll have enough shots to be worth carrying the weight.
Kol scrambles to the longarm crate and attempts to find himself something suitable inside along with ammo before backing off. No matter what he got, fighting a swarm of robot crabs isn’t going to be easy. He should just grab a weapon and close the door behind him.
Re: The Verdant Sea
[Scavenging a Metal Beast]
Convenient?
More like lucky.
Kol throws the longarm box open wide and within he finds-!
A spear, a longsword, and a bardache. All three of them look VERY high tech. There is zero ammunition and zero guns inside the box.
Whoops!
Probably not quite what he was expecting.
There's no time to root around in the other chests because here come the crabs oh no quick grab something!
Convenient?
More like lucky.
Kol throws the longarm box open wide and within he finds-!
A spear, a longsword, and a bardache. All three of them look VERY high tech. There is zero ammunition and zero guns inside the box.
Whoops!
Probably not quite what he was expecting.
There's no time to root around in the other chests because here come the crabs oh no quick grab something!
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Re: The Verdant Sea
[Falling Down the Stairs]
Ash takes the fruit, looks at it for a few seconds, realises she can't be picky, and greedily bites into it, spitting out a few seeds. "Hmm... good stuff!" she says after a while, clearly enjoying it. She finishes the fruit and chucks the inedible parts behind her. Sune might notice that she has a set of fangs in addition to her normal teeth.
"Hey, thanks. Now... birds travel a lot, right? That means you must know the fastest way out of here. So, lead the way. I'll be right behind you."
Ash gets on all fours (all eights, really), and in an instant, her form is no longer human. Instead, she is a giant spider - large enough for two people for comfortably ride - with furry legs and greenish-black skin. In this form, she's a lot more agile than as a human, so she'll be able to better keep up with the bird.
Ash takes the fruit, looks at it for a few seconds, realises she can't be picky, and greedily bites into it, spitting out a few seeds. "Hmm... good stuff!" she says after a while, clearly enjoying it. She finishes the fruit and chucks the inedible parts behind her. Sune might notice that she has a set of fangs in addition to her normal teeth.
"Hey, thanks. Now... birds travel a lot, right? That means you must know the fastest way out of here. So, lead the way. I'll be right behind you."
Ash gets on all fours (all eights, really), and in an instant, her form is no longer human. Instead, she is a giant spider - large enough for two people for comfortably ride - with furry legs and greenish-black skin. In this form, she's a lot more agile than as a human, so she'll be able to better keep up with the bird.
Re: The Verdant Sea
[Falling Down the Stairs]
Oh!
That wasn't what Sune was expecting. He thought this new girl was just another regular person. He's quite surprised when suddenly she's a spider. Had she impressed the forest as well? If she had, then why didn't she know the way out of the forest? That's very strange. How is it that Sune keeps meeting people who don't know the ways of the forest?
For now that will be a mystery.
"Follow," croaks the bird. He swoops down into a gully half way filled with gigantic humanoid robot, its guts torn open and metal bits splayed everywhere. As the bird lands suddenly there stands in his place a black haired lad in a faded, worn, torn red cloak over clothing patched together from skins. "This way. We have to travel up through this dead beast; there's a door inside."
Everyone knows that opening sealed doors is the way forward.
Or, at least, everyone SHOULD know that.
Oh!
That wasn't what Sune was expecting. He thought this new girl was just another regular person. He's quite surprised when suddenly she's a spider. Had she impressed the forest as well? If she had, then why didn't she know the way out of the forest? That's very strange. How is it that Sune keeps meeting people who don't know the ways of the forest?
For now that will be a mystery.
"Follow," croaks the bird. He swoops down into a gully half way filled with gigantic humanoid robot, its guts torn open and metal bits splayed everywhere. As the bird lands suddenly there stands in his place a black haired lad in a faded, worn, torn red cloak over clothing patched together from skins. "This way. We have to travel up through this dead beast; there's a door inside."
Everyone knows that opening sealed doors is the way forward.
Or, at least, everyone SHOULD know that.
Re: The Verdant Sea
Scavenging a Metal Beast
Kol takes the spear and runs. It's not a gun, but it's something he's familiar with. After all, everybody knows how to use a spear. Except wizards.
Prize in hand, he goes looking for that supply room to find the power core. After shutting the door behind him, of course. Can't have those crabs following him.
Kol takes the spear and runs. It's not a gun, but it's something he's familiar with. After all, everybody knows how to use a spear. Except wizards.
Prize in hand, he goes looking for that supply room to find the power core. After shutting the door behind him, of course. Can't have those crabs following him.