escordvi | September open log

Entry tags:

September open log

Who: Emet-Selch and YOU
Status: Open
Where: Liansa as an octopus, then all over
What: After his attempts to help explore the deep sea leave him stuck as a full octopus, Emet-Selch decides to have a staring competition with a bird. Amongst other things.
Warnings: None; will label as necessary

(Everything after The Cure is presumably taking place after Emet is NO LONGER AN OCTOPUS. Will match tag format.)

1. The Cure (General MANTA)

There's a strange sort of octopus roaming around Liansa. (No, it doesn't set itself on fire but parts of its body do glow.) It doesn't seem to be trying to hurt anyone but it's at least as tall as a human, which is enough to unnerve anyone with a self-preservation instinct. If it sees someone, it will wave its two front arms and try to pull itself closer.

Do you:
[A]pproach the strange octopus
[B]ack away slowly
[C]lose in and try to kill it
[D]o something else???

2. Let's Mosey (Paladin MANTA)

Emet-Selch crosses his arms and gives the fifty-nine flights of stares a flat stare. He's not climbing those. No. Nope. You can't make him.

"I don't care about the competition. I don't see why you cannot simply levitate to the spot."

3. Ruby Seas Under Ruby Skies (Paladin MANTA)

(A) Peaceful send-off
Thankfully for an elder mage, rescuing stranded mers are a simple task. He moves slowly down the beach, levitating those yet alive over to the shallows so that they may swim off on their own. Those that need extra assistance, he creates gentle waves to give them a push into deeper waters.

As for those too far gone...

He crouches by them with an expressionless look, checking to ensure that they truly are beyond all help. Those close enough may hear him sigh quietly before resting his hand on their torso, either front or back depending on how they ended up, and closes his eyes. For a few moments, he remains that way until he stands and moves to the next in need.

(B) Violent confrontation
"Step aside, now."

These dark, angry words uttered from above an opportunistic poacher who has already begun carving into a dead mer. The culprit looks up sharply and staggers back. But Emet-Selch merely hovers closer, following their frantic, panicked scramble across the sand.

"W-what?! They're already dead, ain't they? What's it matter if they're carved up? They'd be eaten by beasts anyway--"

A shriek. Beside them, ilms from their hand, a dark spear of magic smokes gently. The aether it emits feels anything but.

4. Bounty: Shoebill Billy

He knows this creature. A harmless thing, if a bit unnerving. The bird stares at him. He stares at it. Man and shoebill both so incredibly alike in their flat, unimpressed gazes that you could be forgiven for thinking they are kin.

"...Did they truly place a bounty on a creature simply because they did not like the look of it?" he mutters aloud.

Shoebill Billy shuffles its wings and offers no response. Only that same, deadpan stare.

5. Crew: Bread Island

Emet-Selch isn't sure what help he could possibly offer for such...a dire situation. He's no healer. Not in the sense that he understands the inner workings of the body. But if it's a deterrent the people want then he can certainly provide that.

Those enamoured by the smell of freshly baked bread may find themselves abruptly recoiling in horror when the wind changes, wafting an absolutely rancid smell towards them instead. Rotting meat, harvested from that one particular island discovered some moons ago, is begin carefully set up in sporadic, hanging nets - all strategically placed to hit your nose right as you would succumb to temptation. Or so he hopes.

6. Wildcard

For everything else, there's Wildcard! Feel free to DM this journal or ch1ps0h0y to discuss other ideas.

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Beep, beep!

[Well, what finds Emet-Selch on the beach today is a floating robot suitcase, approaching at high speeds. She seems to be trying to get his attention.

He won't have to but look farther down the beach to see why. The merman Kaveh has found is alive, but in bad shape...and absolutely massive. Kaveh's telekinesis isn't strong enough for this.

He appears to be holding a glowing golden core in his hand and trying to argue with it about...something...?

Listen, Mehrak went to find an adult and she found you.]

[While Joshua didn't find himself searching the depths of the ocean with the others, he has been curious about Liansa. As a curious mind... That's where he finds himself now. And faced with ...

A very strange looking octopus.

Joshua takes a few careful steps forward. His brow furrows but strangely enough he feels no fear. He only feels a little uneasy.]

Steady now... I've not laid eyes on an octopus of your size before.

[ He doesn't know what to make of the...suitcase thing at first. Some sort of automaton. At least the universal language of 'gesture frantically in a direction' is understood. He follows the robot to the massive mer (what is it, a whale??) and calls out to Kaveh. ]

Is something the matter?

[ The octopus stops waving its front arms so frantically and begins drawing letters in the sand as Joshua approaches:

H E L P

Well, it's upside-down from Joshua's perspective, but... ]

[...???]

...?

[Joshua is frozen to the spot because how in the world is he supposed to help an octopus? It looks much too big for Joshua to pick up and haul, himself. He has noodle arms. He's very skinny.]

How in the world...? Help you with what, exactly. Are you in need of returning to the ocean depths?

[ The octopus shakes his head and sweeps the sand over with one arm to begin writing anew. He gets as far as the first stroke before realising that 'Emet-Selch' will take far longer to write. So he instead writes:

H A D E S

Now he shoots Joshua an expectant look. Surely that explains his situation, right? ]

Hades...

[Hades?! Joshua's eyes grow wider.]

Emet-Selch?! You are ... [He's an octopus. Suddenly Joshua is locked between shock, concern and slight amusement.] How are you locked in this form? I thought those who returned from the bottom of the ocean were able to transform back?

[This isn't good. He knows Emet-Selch will obviously struggle to explain right now so he takes a step forward.]

I ... I do not know any transformation magicks.

[Give him a moment to think.]

[ He does his best approximation of a shrug using two arms. Notably, not the front two, since those are currently folded over on the sand in front of him like the grumpy bastard he sometimes is.

Who can blame him? This is the second time he's been trapped as an animal, but at least he has his own mind right now.

After a few moments, he sweeps the sand again and draws a small group of stick figures, adds a speech bubble with a question mark, then points in the direction of where the expedition to the deep sea had launched from. He'd been avoiding populated areas since too many people kept trying to attack him. ]

[ Hawks has changed a bit since they met last. His wings have been reduced to uneven, misshapen bone structure without a feather to be found. He's also got a nice sized scar on his face, and three swords strapped to him.

An octopus approaching him doesn't seem to alarm him at all, he just smiles. ]

Hello! [ What kind of weird world does he come from? A very strange one indeed. ]

[ Ser?? What happened to your wings THIS time?

--is the sentiment Emet-Selch would like to express if he were a man. Alas, he is not, and so he can only stare at the plucked bone and wonder silently. It's too bad he doesn't have that feather to wave around...

Well, putting that aside, he has Hawks' attention at least. So he starts drawing letters in the sand:

H E L P ]

[ He popped back home for a bit, it's a whole thing, maybe they'll get to that eventually. Hawks' brow furrows somewhat. ]

Oh, sure. [ No hesitation at all. ] What can I help you with?

[ At least he's patient, what else was he doing? Nothing. ]

[Joshua watches carefully.]

I see, there should be someone I can ask for assistance. I will do just that.

[Surely getting someone from the expedition to help should do the trick. Or he can get a scroll or an item to reverse this.

But first...

Joshua has to bend down a bit to ...poke at a tentacle. Poke poke.]

I had not thought you to be an... octopus. I must admit, I hadn't imagined you taking such a form. What prompted this... peculiar choice, I wonder?

[ The tentacle being poked twitches. Emet-Selch looks none too impressed about being prodded like some kind of scientific specimen and flicks the tip of that arm at Joshua. It hits like some kind of firm, unusually wide noodle (so: not much of a deterrent). ]

...

[ Obviously he can't very well explain what he thinks. The best he can do is start drawing a very simple outline of his bodiless form: the one he had resorted to in his final battle against the Warrior of Light. The simple outline has his two 'wing' arms, the two larger arms, two smaller arms, and several tentacle-like appendages at the base. ]

[ Here, he pauses. Odd though it is, the octopus is clearly thinking. Then he wipes the sand even and draws a stick figure and an octopus, with an arrow pointing from the former to the latter.

Under the stick figure, he writes, "M E". ]

[Although he's not around as often as before, he still comes by for research purposes—especially collecting materials for his growing snail tank to flourish. So he's a bit surprised when there is an octopus beckoning to him...

...

And why does this octopus somehow seem familiar?

Regardless, given how intelligent the creatures of this world can be, although a bit cautious he'll make his approach.]

Something I can help you with?

[ There's a bit of a nod, he's following along. ]

You've transformed. Is this unusual for you? [ He holds out two fists. ]

Tap this one for yes, this one for no. [ He'll move each one. ]

Are you stuck like this?

[ Cid! He's relieved to see a familiar face. Using a tentacle, he immediately begins drawing in the sand:

E M E T

...He pauses there as if wondering whether to bother writing the second part. Many people here don't know it's a hyphenated word. ]

[ Unusual? Technically no, transforming is not unusual. But THIS form certainly is.

He dithers for a bit on the first question before ultimately tapping 'No' then 'Yes' to the respective questions. After which, he starts drawing three other simple outlines in the sand.

A lightning bolt zapping a line (the ground?) with a crystal next to it. A volcano emitting...bubbles? And a lizard. ]

[The wet noodle tap has... Joshua laughing. He pulls his hand back and tilts his head.]

I am sorry, you have to admit that the curiosity is there.

[Come on, who wouldn't want to poke a friend's weird tentacle- wait-]

Then this form resembles you, as Hades.

[Cid stares at the letters...

Before doing a double take.

He THOUGHT the octopus seemed familiar, but—]

Emet-Selch?

[He stares at him incredulously.]

Wait, is that you?

[Someone else might have guessed whether the octopus knew the man, but Cid's intuition was blaring.]

[ He wiggles one arm lazily in the air... Which could mean anything really. Joshua isn't entirely wrong - if this creature's form bore any closer a resemblance than it did, he would be too embarrassed to show himself.

Raising the rest of his arms, he mimics his own drawing and feigns at approaching Joshua menacingly. ]

[ This is like the pictogram from hell really as he stares at the images, trying to puzzle it out. ]

This here, this bolt, were you near the crystal? [ That or maybe he needs to get there. ]

He doesn't believe these cores will heal him.

[Kaveh makes an exasperated noise as the mer gestures with equal exasperation to the core bursting in Kaveh's hand. Notably, Kaveh is completely unharmed.]

But I'd rather think it'd be more useful if he doesn't bleed out before he can get back in the water. I can't lift him, but I can heal some of this.

["This" being the very severe lacerations and bleeding down the mer's tail, where it evidently got dragged across rocks or coral during the violent surfacing.

The mer remains exceedingly skeptical of Kaveh's pipe bombs of healing.]

[ He shakes his-- well, his head, but it's more like a full upper body movement. He was hoping to skip the explanation of how he ended up this way, but perhaps it's needed if he's going to recruit people to help him find these items.

After some brief ruminating, he pulls himself over to a blank patch of sand and starts drawing again. This is really testing his art muscles. He's not at all an artist.

Let's see... First he draws a sea snail (Liansa) with a squiggly arrow to show it travelling down. This points to small rectangles of varying heights on the ocean bed (the city of Nilatast). Stick figures set out from the city, and then an arrow indicates them becoming sealife (an octopus, a fish, etc.).

When he's done, he looks expectantly at Hawks to see the man's takeaway from all this. ]

[ He waves his tentacles and does an awkward forward bob with his head. Forgive him - it's a little difficult to nod in this form. It helps that Cid has recently seen him partially transformed, huh?

The next words he writes are H E L P and then C U R E. ]

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