escordvi | August open log

Entry tags:

August open log

Who: Emet-Selch and you!
Status: Open
Where: Eltrut generally
What: A few MANTA jobs but also working on the Phantom Moon upgrade. Come meet the Raiders of the Lost Arts in prompt 4/5!
Warnings: None

(See MANTA/log prompts beneath the network post)

[PUBLIC NETWORK POST]
THE ADAMANTINE FORGE
Are you interested in exploring the ways magic and technology can enrich and improve our daily lives? Come by The Adamantine Forge! We can help make your ideas into reality.

Now offering: ship dismantlement services. Bring your old, broken, or retired vessels to the dock and we will break it down for you! Let's keep those coastlines and reefs free of debris! (APPOINTMENT REQUIRED)

[ It's pretty obvious that Emet-Selch isn't the one who composed the message but it IS posted by him under 'emet-sulk'. ]

1. The Scales We Wear (MANTA Paladin)

After encouraging the dragonling to remain its true self, Emet-Selch naturally has to follow up on its progress. He can be found with the white dragon at the beach, several rocks placed at intervals of varying distances. Under his direction, the dragon is attempting to control and focus its flame such that it hits only the rocks and nothing else.

"Yes, that's it. Control your breath and the fire ought to flow naturally."

Pleased with its progress, the dragon lets out a happy puff of smoke and fire that might catch whoever is nearby. Careful not to get singed!

2. A Phantom's Heart (MANTA General)

Emet-Selch isn't sure what to look for, but surely the best way to catch a thief is with bait? Which means spreading rumours of someone conducting themselves in a superbly wicked manner (that's him) and lingering somewhere that makes him an attractive target.

But if Emet-Selch is to be the bait then they must have someone to catch the target as well. That's where his companion (you) comes in. Not that he expects to be overcome by this thief of course. Haha...hah...

"Now, pretend to leave and hide yourself somewhere. Surely they will show themselves once I'm alone."

3. The Picture of Dorina Gray (MANTA General)

"'Tis a pleasure to see you again, Miss Gray."

The blind woman smiles in his direction. "I remember you. Are you here for another portrait?"

Emet-Selch starts to shake his head before he remembers she can't see. "No. I wasn't expecting to see you here. I don't believe I thanked you properly for the first portrait."

She gestures to the stool across from her where subjects sit while she's painting. "Sit. Tell me what you have made of your life since we last met."

Hesitantly, he does. Then begins to describe all that's happened to him since embracing his life here in Escordvi. When they're finished, he is left with a painting that's slightly different to the initial one she had made for him: his visage hasn't changed and yet this one seems softer, happier, more alive. The best way to describe it would be that the man in this portrait is no longer in mourning.

4. Treating the crew

In the wake of of Professor Turo's rescue, Emet-Selch takes it upon himself to treat the crew to a meal and drinks as thanks for pulling together on such short and urgent notice (as well as risking their lives). He has booked out a few tables in one of the larger taverns on Eltrut for this purpose and the men and women have quickly grown rowdy from drink.

Emet-Selch is sitting quietly in the corner. One may almost miss him, in fact. Occasionally he'll get an arm slung around his shoulders as the crew start singing some shanty or other, but he's content to let everyone else make merry while he quietly partakes of his own meal and drink.

5. Magitech Upgrade

With recent progress in magitech and the recent upgrade to the Forge's capabilities, Emet-Selch decides that it's time to similarly upgrade his crew's ship, The Phantom Moon. He sets aside a block of time to dock it at the Forge and lets the various engineers get to work. None of the crew are required or expected to help due to the specific installations being put in, but of course, they're welcome to chip in however they like/mingle with other crew members (or even bring new potential crewmates).

Emet-Selch will check in from time to time on its progress. It will probably take a few weeks of constant work before its finished and ready to sail again. He can be found inside the Forge or in the drydock where the ship is berthed. The floating garden that usually sails behind it has been temporarily decoupled and is moored at the dock outside.

6. Wildcard

Feel free to PM this journal or my Plurk 'ch1ps0h0y' if you want to plot something separate!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Although he was provided with an invitation to the celebration, there will be a visible lack of a dark brooding hedgehog among the crowd. Such gatherings are too rambunctious for his taste and a waste of time. So naturally, he is going to be sitting on top of the roof of the tavern instead. When he got there is unknown, because he was definitely not there when the celebration started. But he will just be there as the night continues on, if one were to start feeling like they were being watched.

He is only here to be on the lookout, watching those who enter and leave. Checking in to ensure nothing is amiss while those within the tavern are enjoying themselves.]

[ At some point, Emet-Selch briefly slips away from the festivities to check on Shadow. He comes with a plate heaped generously with a little of everything from the table. It should come as no surprise by now that the mage simply floats himself up to the roof rather than seek a more traditional way there. ]

My thanks for keeping watch. Hungry?

[ He offers the plate to Shadow. ]

[...It was only a matter of time, he suppose. A quiet sigh, looking at the humorous amounts of food on the plate.] ...I do not need this much food. [He needs hardly any, if at all. As if knowing how this will go, he finds a compromise.] Does this establishment have coffee beans?

[ He shrugs a shoulder and plucks one of the pastries off the plate to eat for himself. ]

Hmm... [ Spoken around a mouthful of pastry. ] I do believe they serve coffee. But why beans? Don't tell me you eat them raw.

I do. [Spoken with absolute confidence when he gave the answer. People simply do not understand the qualities of eating the beans over turning it into a liquid.]

Dark roasted preferably. If this establishment cannot provide, black coffee will suffice. [Saying with an unenthused wave of his hand.]

Ah, a connoisseur I see.

[ He sets the plate down near Shadow and sweeps a dramatic bow from the waist. ]

If you'll wait a moment, I shall go ask the workers. In the meantime: enjoy.

[ Shadow hadn't said he didn't want the plate at all after all. Emet-Selch straightens and steps backward off the roof. He floats down the same way he came up. ]

[He watches in silence. Once the man had floated back to the ground, he let's out a long sigh. This was all entirely unncessary. If he wanted to partake in the celebration, he'd be inside. He doesn't need such displays to "reward" his efforts. He doesn't need that recognition. He leans foward, propping his head up with a hand as he glances down at the plate of food.

Meats, vegetables, pastries. Some kind of gravy over the food, mashed potatoes...this was a hefty feast. He takes up a fork that was provided, poking at a slice of meat like some picky eater. What is it that people find so thrilling about stuffing one's face with more food than one should have? Bringing up a piece of meat, he gives it a sniff before taking a bite.

...

Passable.]

[ The tavernkeep is a little confused at Emet-Selch's request for 'just the beans' but agrees to giving him a cupful of them after some negotiation. It'll be added to their tab just like everything else.

He takes his time returning outside. Let Shadow have a bite or two of the food on the plate before he floats back up with the cup in hand, full of dark, roasted beans. ]

Here you are. [ Don't mind him taking a seat beside you, Shadow. He's also a little tired of the noise inside. ] I asked for whatever they use to make their strongest coffee.

[It's hard to tell if Shadow is actually enjoying what he's eating. His expression unchanged as he finish what he was eating, looking at the cup. He takes it from Emet, bringing it up to his face. It's fragrant, though the beans themselves aren't as uniform as they should with such a pleasant aroma. Something tells him these beans are nothing special, the fragrance just a mask.

But he'll still take a spoon, scoop a spoonful and eat them like a crunchy snack. He hums quietly. Average beans as he expected.] This will do.

[ He observes with mild fascination while Shadow eats the beans as though they were cereal. Then he turns his attention to the street below and watches the evening crowds make merry. ]

...I didn't come up here with the idea of 'rewarding' you, in case you were wondering. But a guard ought to be paid for working, aye? A meal is the bare minimum of compensation.

...The choice to be here was my own. [There is no required payment in his mind. The celebration going smoothly is satisfactory enough for him.]

This meal is wasted on me. Give it to those who would enjoy it. [A glance at the plate of food that he hardly touched. He will at least keep eating the coffee beans. That gesture will not go to waste with him.]

[ He glances at the plate. He doesn't doubt Shadow, but he can't help but notice a piece of meat IS missing from it. Which meant he had at least tried it. ]

Is that because you cannot taste anything other than strong flavours? Even if you have little to no appetite, there is some joy to be had in sampling food.

I can taste just fine. [Says a guy who has lived in space most of his early life and probably only had paste. Either way, food isn't as necessary for him, so he never cared to leisurely enjoy it. A waste of time. The beans themselves are just something to chew on, though admittedly, he does have a preference. It's definitely not the ones from this tavern.]

The meat was fine.

I see.

[ In that case, he's free to take things from the plate. Emet-Selch picks out a veggie drizzled with cheese (why? He has no idea) and slowly nibbles it.

He'll let the silence sit for a while. Just the sound of Shadow crunching through his coffee beans and Emet-Selch's quieter chewing and the ambience of the night. ]

...For a long time, after I lost my original body, I didn't bother eating. [ He doesn't look at Shadow but continues to gaze pensively over the buildings. ] I didn't need to. I was a disembodied soul, and there seemed little point in wasting time on meals when there was work to be done. Food is merely aether, ultimately, so I subsisted on that instead.

[The munching of coffee beans gradually comes to a halt. The lives of others are none of his concerns, so he never pries unless necessary. That the other would start going into their lives, unprovoked, that doesn't surprise him really. It's what they choose to speak about that gives him pause.

The form before him is not the original. Their view of food, no different to how he sees it. Driven to do something far more important. Considering what they've already divulge.

...

It is not his business, and yet-]

...Why are you telling me this?

[ A light shrug. ]

An old man's reminiscing. What you said about not needing food reminded me of those early days, when in my anger I threw myself into my work with no thought for life's pleasures. My friends were dead. My people had been torn apart. I had to fix the star. I had to bring them all back. Why should I bother preparing, cooking, and consuming food when it was far more expedient to absorb its aether?

[ He draws his knees up to his chest and rests his elbow on them. Puts his chin on his hand. ]

Then I found myself roped into a party much like this one. They foisted a plate on me and insisted I partake. I was reluctant but 'twould have been rude to refuse in the moment. And when the first morsel touched my tongue... [ Soft laughter. ] It reminded me of what I was fighting to preserve: not just my people's souls but the life they were meant to live.

[...Is he that obvious, or did they just, knew? Knew exactly what he should hear, because they were a near reflection of what he had lost, and what would come later. Although, his path took a more violent turn. A constant conflict with outside forces and within himself. Struggling to find meaning in his life after losing his purpose. A being created through the blood of an alien race of conquerors. Eventually, it was a promise the drove him forward. He never thought himself deserving of any plesantries, merely a form acting on a dear friend's will. It was the least he could do after her life was taken.

And that was fine. He's gone through life just fine keeping at a distance. It was better for him, and for them.

"I don't want you to be driven by darkness. I want you to be happy." A young girl's voice, reminding him that he should be happy too.

Happy...what makes him happy?] I don't need food to remind me of what I'm fighting for. [He recalls images of Sonic and his ragtag band of friends. Enjoying themselves, smiling. Like the people celebrating down below. The few wavering bits of happiness others have shown during his time here. That is enough for him.] ...I also don't know what it is I want for myself yet.

[ He has no way of knowing if any of what he's saying will strike a chord with Shadow. It really is partly just wry reminiscing on his part. It's not as if he expects to be able to change someone's heart or mind through the anecdote either - he was never very good at the 'relation' part of 'relationships'.

But as is so often said: actions speak louder than words, don't they? Emet-Selch lets his deeds speak for themselves, for better or for worse. ]

Aye... It need not be food. But I do believe that the opposite of passion is apathy, and without a passion for something in life you would merely be existing rather than living. [ A wry chuckle. ] Although, too much passion can become obsession and we wouldn't want that either.

[ He glances towards Shadow. ] So, if travelling with our little motley crew helps you find a passion in something then I will be more than happy to help you pursue it.

Often at the beach, Erichthonios happens across the lesson in progress just in time to nearly get singed. Fortunately, he balks out of the way just in time, brows lifting in surprise as he lets out a small, startled yelp.

"Ah!"

But it seems that is the last of the danger... if it could even be called danger, really. He smiles sheepishly afterward.

"Apologies for interrupting. 'Tis good to see you again... and good to meet you, little one." Addressing man and dragonling in turn, Erichthonios allows the both of them their space, seeing now where the training zone is.

"I've never met a dragon before."

He waves lazily at Erichthonios. The dragon looks contrite about nearly burning the newcomer. That's what they've been training to avoid after all!

"Mm. Yes, this would be your first time seeing one, wouldn't it?" He gestures to the white dragon. "I am attempting to help teach them to focus their flame so that they burn only what they mean to burn."

Erichthonios brightens at the revelation.

"Ah, so you've taken them on as a student! I have one as well, though I myself am still learning."

Coming carefully alongside them, Erichthonios offers the dragonling an encouraging smile.

"You will do well in time. Pray do not be discouraged by this little mishap. Accidents happen to us all, and I know how hard it can be to struggle with one's own abilities. Fortunately, you have a very skilled magos as your teacher. I have been told few of our people even begin to approach Master Emet-Selch's talents in the arcane."

That said, he lifts his head to address Emet-Selch.

"Am I correct in assessing that you are working on stationary targets the begin with? May I observe or offer my assistance with placing the targets? I can also tend to injuries should they occur, though I doubt that shall be much of a problem here."

Emet-Selch's face twitches at being called a skilled magos. Yes, it's true, but it's not exactly something he wants to boast about. People might get unrealistic expectations!

His expression smooths out by the time Erichthonios looks to him and he nods at the boy.

"Aye. Stationary targets first and then moving ones. Are you sure you wish to be in the line of fire? The youngling needs some practice yet."

The white dragon looks nervous yet determined. They will master their flame!

"Aye, I shall be fine. I would make for a poor warder of Asphodelos if a little fire deterred me."

Next to the raging phoinix, the little dragon is adorable.

"So, worry not, little one. Practice until even you are satisfied with the results of your progress. But pray do rest and eat as you need. You'll need your strength to make your flame."

The dragon nods determinedly. Emet-Selch points towards their line of rocks.

"Very well. Let's try again. Erichthonios, mayhap you could move the farthest ones in line with the nearest? We shall try and build your stamina first."

"Aye."

And so he does, moving on surprisingly swift a foot to the indicated targets, lifting them and repoisitioning them as per Emet-Selch's instructions. Once each is in place, he teleports back to their side.

"All is ready. Go ahead. You can do this!" He cheers the little dragon on, eager to build the dragonling's self-confidence.

The dragon plants itself at the marked spot a short distance away from the stones. Takes a deep breath. Emet-Selch watches closely as fire streams towards the first rock. A little wide, but basically on target. Same with the next. By the last, the little dragon appears a little winded.

"Not bad. Your aim is fine. I suppose 'tis your ability to sustain breath we ought to work on first."

He glances over towards Erichthonios. "Do you know any defensive magicks?"

He shakes his head. "While I can control space to a degree while transformed and seal off an area, I fear shackling and teleportation are the extent of my defensive abilities. Although..."

He dips his head, a thought occurring to him, slowly turning the proverbial gears of his mind.

"..'Twas ice magick that I sought to hone upon my arrival here. I was able to make the spikes on the cage during the shark assault." A design he'd taken inspiration from those in Pandaemonium for.

"Mayhap... I could try doing something with ice?"

"We could see which can outlast the other," he says slowly. "The dragonet's breath or your ice. What do you think?"

This asked of the young dragon. They think about it for a few moments before asking Erichthonios whether they're sure they won't melt in the heat of their breath should the ice fail.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

August open log

4

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1

no subject

Brb becoming a smol drg's hype man

lil guy needs it!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject