READY TO ROLL OUT
That awkward moment when even a brothel won’t have you.Characters will end their sojourn at the House of Dew early morning, helmed by Haltham (and his murderous goat, chomping on his prosthetic wooden hand for splinter nutrients). Courtesans and attendants will send the group away with parting gifts: a few sacs of grains, handfuls of spice, a small barrel of brew, several of water, thin blankets and four fat chickens.
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The decrepit farm stands an hour’s walk east of Sa-Hareth, bordering the forest at the foot of the mountain.
...and it has not wanted for company. Monstrously overgrown wolves prowl the region, with some of the pack settled inside the farm. The wolves are halfway between dead and living, instantly aggressive, sharper, faster, smarter and blue-eyed beyond natural expectation.
The wolves are drawn to heat and fire-bearers. They can be slain, or pushed back into the forest. If the brawl drags on, the wolves may receive reinforcements.
Distantly, characters can observe silhouettes of pale-eyed, humanoid creatures in the forest, covered in animal skins. They seem to speak to the wolves, though it is unclear if they soothe or set them to attack. |
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Once an elaborate woodsmen’s station, the 'farm' is a generous, sprawling outpost built, home to now-barren inner garden.
The farm spreads across kitchens, bathing rooms, hefty storage barns, a handful of isolated rest halls and broader communal areas. A study room has been crammed with accountancy tomes, papers and other books, many torn alongside glass shards on the floor. A shakily furnished barn was coarsely repurposed for banquets.
Set up, inspect, repurpose. There’s enough dust and mildew to go around, and several walls and roof stretches will need reinforcements.
“Ah,” characters say innocently, “Surely the cold will keep away vermin —” You have rats. Large, uncuddly, distinctly violent, prone to swarming once the sun’s downed. Enjoy that first night.
Haltham will provide some base construction supplies over a few deliveries, along with a personal gift: a herding dog, to watch over two fluffy sheep.
Flex those green thumbs: many moons ago, enchantments were set in place to warm the garden to a tolerable level that will allow the expedited harvest of an arctic patch. These spells will need to be activated and periodically recharged every few days by characters donating recoverable amounts of magic or physical stamina, by touching a nearby rune. But, hey: potatoes, turnips, kale, mmmmmmmmm, a balanced diet. |
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“Never open your doors at night,” Haltham says on parting. Lend him an ear — and, once the moon rises, hear the forest whispers. Some voices will beg rescue from the cold, others will tease and taunt, a few will imitate enemies or kin. Some will even disrupt dreams.
The voices will seek to lure characters out of their shelter. Those who heed will find themselves compelled to walk into the forest, entranced and ignorant of the cold that slowly envelops them. They will be vulnerable to the elements, tundra predators and the woodland creatures, growing increasingly feral.
Those who survive the night in the forest will wake to find themselves floating in a chilled, but strangely not-yet frozen lake in the morning. They can have faint recollections, as if they themselves lived any of the following events: a friend taking a dark path, the loss of a dear skill, years in a coffin, a close friend parted, a beloved reunion, a lost brother, a tender romance and rare bliss in poverty.
At the bottom of the lake, they may spot the still corpse of an undead that feels too heavy for anyone to lift. His arm has a tattooed red sleeve.
During the day, characters who visit the forest will find it eerily silent, with some trees showing signs of scratches and lingering rope. The lake can still be found, but entering it during daytime will not allow characters to experience foreign memories. |
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Karsa will reconfigure everyone’s quartz pieces to translate outside of the House of Dew and communicate in a private channel. Still nothing like individual inboxes at this time!
Up to player discretion if Karsa had the time and humour to change their usernames, or stranded them to their House of Dew identities a little longer.
Characters will also be able to access a secondary local fishermen’s network and listen in on their schedules, local gossip and daily weather updates.
Woodsmen, tradesmen and miners will be surprised to see anyone inhabiting the farm, with some men pulling away, calling the place cursed. |
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westwhere2021-05-10 08:56 pm
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Honestly he would have been a little disappointed if she'd said she needed a break. Hearing her play, witnessing it, is important to him. He never really got a chance to spend any quality time with his siblings when he came back.
When she finishes, without a single thing breaking, he even unfolds his arms and claps a few times. ]
That was good. [ He smiles and gives a brief glance around them. It's the exact opposite of a concert hall. ] Too good, for this place. I'm surprised you could even find a violin.
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Hey, don't be so pessimistic. Maybe in a couple months people will be lining up out the door to see this place. [Not likely, but it's nice to joke around. There's something weird going on here, obviously, just in general. But the danger doesn't feel as urgent and present as she'd grown used to. It just felt... normal.
As normal as they could get, she supposes.
But she focuses her attention on the violin, lowering it so she can get a good look at it.] Yeah, weird, huh? It was at that, uh-- That House. The House of Dew. It's mine. I mean, it's mine from home. I recognize it. [She runs her fingers over it and shrugs, not really questioning it much.]
I guess if things get too bad I could play in the town for money for us. It'd be a lot easier if Allison was here. [Not that Allison tended to use her abilities for gain much anymore, for good reason, but still.
Jokingly she adds:] Or you could just teleport into a bank if things get really bad, I guess.
[not like that would happen though, right? ...RIGHT??]
no subject
He doesn't doubt that she could garner attention by her music alone, and he seems ready to say as much when she tells him were the violin came from. His eyes narrow slightly as he considers the instrument in her hands. The same one as before just showed up? That's... how is that possible? They hadn't even returned to where she left it in 2019.
His eyebrows are knit together, stuck on that new piece of information, as she turns the conversation to money. And well. That sure is a story. Anyone else and he wouldn't bother to tell it, but his sister should know. He'll probably need a hand with all that coin at some point, and he trusts her a hell of lot more than the rest of them. ]
I don't know if that's such a good idea. They might have increased their security after the last time. [ He doesn't quite look at her when he says that, and he lets the admission hangs there a moment before he clears his throat to continue. ] Apparently there were some unintended consequences.
no subject
Five! [Her voice raises in shock and disapproval, but honestly, is this really the worst thing any of them have done? It's almost comedic, really]
You can't just rob banks! That's illegal! [As if all the shit they've done has been perfectly legal.
There's a beat where she seems to realize that herself and she makes a slightly pained face, like, 'okay WELL--']
...Did you at least get a lot the first time around?
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He just gives a half-shrug, his lips curled up at the edges. ]
Not all of us can play the violin.
[ At her question, he nods and takes a breath. Might as well get into it. ]
I gave some of it away to the few who pitched in. Most of them don't realize how much I took out, but it should keep us sustained for at least a while. I have it hidden in a safe place back in town. [ Which means he'll need to move it soon.
It's another quiet moment of debating before he decides to come clean about the consequences he mentioned. For the sake of putting it in perspective. ]
Apparently, the accounts we hit belonged to some big shot merchant named Torsten. I guess when he heard about the robbery, he brought his ship around. ...That's the ship where I found you.
no subject
Especially since it meant she was reunited with Five because of it. She takes a breath and sighs a little]
...Thanks, at least. I can't really be that mad or anything when it meant saving me and the others on board, right? [She steps forward, knowing that for both of them hugs are a strange thing. She doesn't attempt to hug him, but she reaches out to grip his arm, hovering between the desire to make it a hug and keep it like this.]
I knew you'd save me, though. You know? You and the others. And I was right.
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As much as anyone can.
When she thanks him and takes his arm, he lets any further explanation go. His siblings have been so hard to hold onto. Always slipping through his fingers right when he finally reaches them. Feeling her solid and real is something he doesn't take for granted, and he can't regret any action that brought her to him. ]
Of course. [ His gaze softens as he looks at her. He knows he's not the easiest person to pull into an embrace, and it's too unfamiliar to initiate one himself. The sentiment is there though, and he doesn't pull away from her. ] We're going to find them. Then I'm going to fix all of this, and get us home.
[ That's his only purpose. It doesn't matter how many times he has to do it, they're going to get their family back.
Somehow. ]
I just need you to be patient with me until then.
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We. [She corrected, raising her eyebrows] We can find them, and then all of us can help get home. You're not alone anymore, Five. I mean... I know we're not exactly as smart as you, but we're still here. Somewhere. [She's here right now, anyhow.]
no subject
But she's right, and he swallows any emotion that was bubbling up at the thought. There's no doubt in his mind that the others are here, and they'll find them. Some of his siblings waited years for him to show up when he scattered them across time in the '60's, so this is probably some form of payback. ]
I know. [ He's quiet again for a while, looking at her. As sure as he was that he'd find her, it's still kind of miraculous that she's here. He exhales. ] I've just spent so much time knowing the future, that this whole place throws me off. We're going in blind.
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But it'll be fine. Eventually, somehow. We'll get through. We always do.
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One of their other siblings might have held it against them that he stranded them somewhere yet again (however indirectly), but Vanya seems to be taking it in stride. In the short time she's been here, she might already be better adjusted.
So it's not that he thinks she's lying to him. It's just something he has to ask. ]
... You're okay?
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Just stuck on a slave ship for a while with some weird mirror thing. Stuck in some totally different... time or... world or whatever. Yeah, no, I'm good, I'm cool.
[She works her jaw back and forth and looks at him before looking at the violin.] I'm... Trying to just keep busy. I'm worried if I think about it too much I might... [She makes a light explosion noise with her mouth and spreads her hands to indicate an explosion.]
...Kinda almost wish I still had those pills dad put me on. It was-- I mean it wasn't great, you know? But I didn't... Feel. As much. It wasn't as-- dangerous.
no subject
When she admits to her worries, he can feel a familiar stab of guilt for having the same concerns. She's been doing better, but it's a big ask that she holds it together when they're facing literal armies of the undead. If she loses control and the others see her as a threat, even if she is one, that could be the end.
But... he doesn't want to tell her that she would be better off if she were numb. It's a moot point, in any case. ]
You didn't have any time to get used to it. [ He speaks slowly. Careful as he thinks it through. ] Let me help. I know a little bit about mishandling powers.
[ His time travel fuck ups may not be as flashy as an apocalypse, but he's lived a lot longer with the consequences. ]
We live with our mistakes. You can't ignore it and hope it'll get better.