escordvi | [Open] Jan MANTA quests

Entry tags:

[Open] Jan MANTA quests

Who: rem & you
Status: Open
Where: around
What: MANTA Quests
Warnings: none so far

Frost-Kissed Blossoms General/OTA

[ The things she's found herself doing for money. No, wait. For love. Because that's what this is about! Finding the flower for those lonely people whose hearts are full of hope for finding a partner! ]

It's romantic, it is~! [ A soft, happy sigh, and she brings a mitten-covered hand to a cheek, which is as rosy as her nose in this frigid air. Rem is not unfamiliar with trekking through dangerous, icey landscapes-- quite the opposite, as the final days of the war were on the foreign, frigid ground of the Empire. That doesn't make it less unpleasant, though, as the winter storm appears to be gradually turning into a squall. This very same crescendo of sleet and snow is something she appears to blissfully ignore for the moment (or maybe, intentionally seek, because there's something about these flowers being more beautiful during storms, right?). Nevertheless, through chattering teeth and over howling wind, she speaks cheerily to whomever has decided to join her. Hopefully, you're appropriately bundled up! ] Offer a rare winter flower to your loved one!

[ As for the whole "love charm" thing about it? She doesn't believe it's real. No doubt, it's more about the journey, the tradition of giving something rare and precious to someone hopeful to win another's affection! Seeing as not everyone on the leviathans are equipped to brave the snow, Rem is glad to take up this quest for any and all locals who wish to acquire a flower. There is no price too low that she won't agree upon to take up this task. It means that there will be bountiful amounts of adoration, affection, and love this month, and who wouldn't want to help others out with that? ] Oh! Oh, we should gather as many as we can, we should. No heart should be alone.

[ Helping others find love is a very important, very noble cause that completely justifies the risk of being frozen, frostbitten, and turned into human popsicles. Okay? Okay. Hopefully, they make it to the field and back before things get worse or if not, there is a cabin somewhere to take refuge in later. ]

Price of Freedom CW: human trafficking

...There it is. [ It's you, Rem, and the two of you are on the outside of a schooner's stern, hanging onto ropes that you've both hooked over the back railing. Through one of the windows is a room with a chest in it, dazzling, silken fabric spilling out of its contents. Even through the thick pane of the glass, it's far more luxurious and expensive than any material she's ever seen shimmering as if it's been woven from the swirls of sparks and the shimmers of crystals. Odd, really. Why would anyone dare steal from a corsair in the first place? Especially a rich and powerful one with even more corsairs at his disposal. Rem wouldn't dare test stirring the elites of Nogard like that.

Pushing her thoughts aside, she carefully tests the handle of the window. On a ship as old as this one, it's rusted through, making it easy to jostle to break the lock and open outward. It's more noise than she'd want, and so with a nod in your direction, she slips inside the chamber first. It might have been an easy heist of the fabric if not for how the door inside the ship opens right at the same moment, a woman clad in the same gorgeous material enters, and Rem accidentally knocks right into her, knocking her to the ground.

"Please-- no. I'm not going back, take... take everything else, please!"

A panicked, stricken plea erupts from the woman, yet despite her protest, her voice is fearful enough to be reduced to a mere, cowering whisper. The woman has barely enough fight in her as it is, yet she struggles against the one who's crashed into her with blistered, scarred hands grabbing for anything to use against the corsair.

In the commotion, Rem's head snaps up. Surprise, sudden understanding, then disgust crosses her expression in quick succession. ]

...What...?

[ OOC: if you're a paladin, Rem can run into you as the seamstress' guard. ]

Bounty: Undead Mermaids CW: blood, undead vampire-mermaids, fighting

[ Starlight ripples over the waves like candles beneath black silk, refracting enough light for sailors or the late beach-strollers alike to make out shillouetes of rocks, trees, piers, or other people, but not enough to reveal details beyond shadows. Those who venture upon the shores of Nogard or Eltrut far past midnight may find themselves in the presence of unwanted company, a company whose presence is known only by way of song. A melody carries over the shore, slow and soft and as solemn as a lullaby sung to one already dead. The words-- for indeed, there are words-- are nonsensical, melting into an abstract hymn, diction almost but never quite right, pitch never resolving...

And then the voice stops.

Walk a few more paces around the crest of the cove, and you will see a hooded figure standing at the shore. Should you have a torch, you may see how the figure's cloak is red... and that there is nothing at her feet, no corpse of a siren, no other creature, but a pool of blood, perhaps some blanched coral on the nearby tidepool. There, she stands silently, hand to her chest as a wave comes and laps over her boots, washing the fine spray of red, warm iron from them and the sandy shore.

She coughs once into her hand, noticing you. ] Who...? Ah-- [ A worried look crosses her expression as she greets you, and she quickly takes down her hood, gesturing to her ear to show the soft, cotton plugs she's placed in them. While they don't eliminate all noise, they've proven useful. ] It's dangerous here, it is. There are [ What are they called again? ] sirens. You might need to cover your ears.

Dreams Submerged in Drowning Shadow/Volcano

[ What a terrible one it is. Besides the nightmares that may plague a victim, the curse leaves many with little time and even less energy due to lack of sleep. Starting their search up the volcano is imperative. ]

When we were allowed access to the archives, I read that there were other relics like the tombstone from that one ship. Maybe this curse is caused by another relic...? If so, we're looking for something with a script similar to this on it. [ She'll show a picture on her device of the tombstone's mysterious, obscure markings on it. It's illegible, but the handwriting is unique enough to be distinct from other scripts. ]

[ Fortunately, even if they don't find a relic than can help, there's something that can help mitigate the curse. Smelling salts-- which they might be able to find in the sulfur fields. ]

Bounty: Lore Accurate Jellyfish; get in loser we're going fishing (General/OTA)

Okay, but... [ You're on Rem's brand new ~small yacht~. Not to worry, you also have some rented fishing equipment on board. Maybe some snacks, because there's no such thing as a fishing trip ] If jellyfish can also "hear" in some strange way [ They would have to, wouldn't it? Because it apparently can also sing, and typically one sings "angelically" when they also have excellent hearing and tone. ] and we use this [ What does she pull out from a satchel but a violin she had received from the Fey Fighters quest the previous month. ] ...we can make it fall asleep.

It'll have to surface then, won't it?

Dragon Heated CW: possibly NSFW thoughts

[ There is the potion. There is you. And there is her.

When she had been alive, there had been no shortage of the good faculty doctor conducting his experiments and assessments on Class 0. But this is. Hm. The healer said it would be fine. And they are a healer, and she's trying to stay on any healer's good side. (Also there's the sequel to the book, soooo.) ]

...Uhm.... [ She fidgets in her chair. ] ...You first?

Wildcard

[ Have an idea? PM this account, drinksteapots, or Jade294#6977! ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Kaveh hadn't been entirely sure he was a good fit for this--he's not a warrior--but on hearing the request, well...he couldn't very well ignore it, could he? And as bad luck would have it, he's closest to the seamstresses cabin when he hears a commotion, so he comes in, claymore at the ready, when he hears the sound--]

--Rem?

[Well. This is awkward. He has plenty of Corsair friends--hell, the crew he's on is Corsair-affiliated, but this...

He's not leveling his claymore at her just yet, but he hasn't put it away, either.]

What's going on in here?

[ With one of the paladins now in the room with her, the seamstress scrambles to stand and rush behind Kaveh for protection.

This leaves Rem, still on the ground still shocked at the revelation of this quest's nature. ] I didn't--...

[ "Pirate! Slaver!" accuses the seamstress, rattled. ]

I'd never... [ Rem looks from the seamstress to Kaveh, to his claymore. Cautiously, she rises, lifting up her palms in surrender. So far, being a Corsair had involved mild quests. Defeat this monster. Find this treasure. Play a dangerous stabbing game. Stop a corrupt paladin from executing people. This quest, however, reveals the ugly underside of Nogard, the elite of which having some of the worst people, the worst corruption, and the worst ideals among them. ]

...I didn't realize. I thought it was the fabric we had to return.

...Ma'am, if you go out the door there behind me, you'll be safer.

[The seamstress protests a little, but does eventually go out, likely to alert the other paladins.]

We won't have much time before she brings someone else, and I won't blame her for that. Tell me what the terms of your commission was, who assigned it, and how you want to have 'escaped'.

[There is a grim sort of fury in Kaveh's eyes--he doesn't mean to let this go. But he knows this isn't Rem's fault, and they'll have to think fast if they mean to get her out of this without being arrested.]

There's an extremely wealthy corsair in Nogard. He was offering a hefty reward for returning his stolen property. [ Stealing back stolen property seems something good to do, and so she had agreed to the quest. ] I had thought he'd meant the cloth, but--... [ Her voice drifts. In retrospect, it seems so obvious. The man is clearly more interested in having his living, human "property" returned.

Rem looks away, stricken. This makes her sick. The poor woman, and then the corsair elite. ...How dare he. How dare he. ]

I can escape on my own [ Rem: private small yacht owner. ] and go back to Nogard. He should be stopped.

By yourself? No, that's...

[He trails off, thinking about it.]

'Capture' me instead. At least as a pretense to take me with you. I don't know if taking him into the Paladins is the right move--we were only hired to protect her--but I can't let you go it alone.

[ "Are you sure"-- is what she wants to ask, but from the conviction she reads in his expression, she can tell that he is.

So, a nod. Privately, she's grateful she'll have some assistance. Just as much as she is grateful to know that there are those with good hearts willing to take down someone so awful. ]

Let's take some of this cloth-- you can be draped in it and pose as the seamstress. [ A little bait-and-switch to get them close to the corsair. Not a bad plan to start. So long as Kaveh doesn't talk, the dupe won't be obvious! ] It'll at least buy us an audience.

[ Rem moves to the chest, taking out some of the material. Gossamer, airy, silken-- it's like she's handling the ethereal, iridescent rays of dawn made solid. Rem offers the fabric to Kaveh. ] My boat is tethered to the stern of his ship, just out this window. [ Shut up, no one noticed for reasons of plot. ] We can take it to Nogard.

Pose as the seamstress, is it?

[...Well, he doesn't have any better ideas.] Let's grab as much as we can that matches what she was wearing, then. We'll cover my face and hair on the way over, alright?

[Kaveh casts an eye over the room, and waves to Mehrak, who hefts the claymore up with a beep.] Make it look like a proper scuffle, would you? It'll work better on both sides if it looks like I didn't go willingly.

Good idea. [ She'll pass the excess fabric to the floating suitcase and Kaveh as needed, afterwards turning away to check on the claw hook she'd used to climb up the boat. Giving the knot one more secure tug, she crouches through the window, and descends, giving Kaveh the privacy to arrange the outfit. In the meantime, she prepares her boat for departure. ]

Ready.

[There are some crashing sounds, muffled swearing, and the faint "pomf!" of bloom cores going off before Kaveh comes down the rope. He's made a kind of artful draping of the silks for a robe and veil, with just a peak of skin at the shoulders and his ankles, the brazen hussy.

...He prays to every archon that might have ever loved him Alhaitham never finds out he's done this.

There's some yelling from the ship as he descends.]

Quickly now, they'll have heard the noise--!

[ (...What is... going on up there... is that an explosion--)

There he is, in all of his glory. Rem's eyes widen in surprise. Because, uh, wow?? He totally looks the part. Very elegant, each drape of the cloth a more graceful sweep than the last. She's always known him to be a handsome man, but he makes a very beautiful woman, too, veiled or otherwise. This is to their advantage. They're going to infiltrate this corsair's mansion (or wherever he lives), no problem! ]

Right!

[ Rem gets right to work, unleashing the sail and jib and pulling a few of the other ropes tight. A month hand a half of lessons doesn't mean she's an expert, but she's doing a good enough job to assist in their getaway. If Kaveh tries to help her in any respect, however, he's going to get a slap on the back of his hand. If he's playing the part of a delicate seamstress, that means no dirtying his hands (or the garb he's wearing). ]

I don't think we're that far away.... But let's try to plan in the meantime. [ Rem leans back as she manages the wheel, her fingers drumming on its smooth, wooden surface as she thinks. ] We have to find out where he is, but if you're wearing that cloth on the streets of Nogard, it's bound to get us any of his lackey's attention. From there, we can say that you're the seamstress. We'll just have to insist on being brought before him together. I need the "reward", after all.

[Don't worry about it, Rem. It's just Kaveh being Kaveh.

He does try to fuss with things but after a couple unsuccessful attempts, he relents, even if he is eyeing Mehrak and deeply considering abusing his telekinesis. He'll behave this time, he supposes.]

You should take hold of Mehrak....as long as I'm close to her I can still use her just fine, but we'll want to get an idea of the interior. That'll be useful if we end up having to escape, or if he gets away from us--we need as much information to form contingency plans as possible. I don't intend on just letting this go.

[Kaveh pauses, and sighs.] I sort of wish I had access to water magic, at a time like this.

Oh, um, sure. [ She eyes the briefcase. Maybe she can pass it-- her-- off as holding more samples of the fairy silk. ] As for a contingency plan... Hm. It would have to prioritize you, first. Between the two of us, you'll be in a greater amount of danger.

[ The corsair will know Kaveh is not his seamstress as soon as that veil comes off. ]

I know you use a claymore, but-- [ But a claymore is pretty big and pretty obvious when drawn. ] --do you have any other weapons on you? That you have quick access to, if you're standing by him.

[Mehrak chirps helpfully. She is helping, Rem!]

I don't, but...if I can smuggle some water in under the robes, I can probably use it to detonate bombs.

[A pause.]

Oh, they won't hurt me, to be clear.

[Kaveh?]

[ ....

..............

............................Kaveh. ]

That's a rather explosive claim.

[ Also they're surrounded by water. Just how much danger are they in right now?? ]

Dendro reacts to hydro by creating bloom cores, it won't happen unless I add some dendro energy to the water, so we're safe in the boat.

[Yeah he saw that look.] Bloom cores heal me, so I'll be fine, but I doubt that's true for any of the corsairs in there.

[ Plz hold as she processes this further. ]

Ah-- no, you still can't do that! [ A worried look. ] What if you ruin the cloth? It suits you so well! It'd be such a waste, you have to keep it intact!

...Rem, if it comes down between saving the silk and saving the both of us, I'm not choosing the clothes?

[He sighs, deeply.] I don't really want to damage it either, but...

[ Ugh, him and his logic! ] Okay... um, okay. We'll do our best. [ Thinking, thinking....! ]

Do you think that, maybe, those explosives of yours can be a last resort? I have an extra dagger on me. It's small enough to hide in those robes.

[ Rem adjusts the sail as they near the port. ]

A dagger...I suppose that will work.

[He's digging around for a bottle or canteen of water he can stuff in his robes if he needs to make the bloom cores, though. This is...it's fine. It'll be fine. What could possibly go wrong. He's just dressed in drag and being taken to a human trafficker. It's fine!]

[ Without looking, Rem slips her hand into the underside of her belt, slipping out a small switchblade. She hands it to Kaveh. ] It'll have to. [ The more cautious they are, the closer they'll get to the target, the better chance they'll be able to hurt him.

Subdue him, not kill him. They need information, because-- ]

A man like that probably doesn't work alone, he doesn't. [ Ugh, this is just as bad, if not worse, than that executioner-happy paladin from a few months ago. Rem still hasn't gotten used to the idea of being called Corsair, but if this is what the title also entails, it only pushes her away from the label. ] If you can get close enough to pin him down, I'll go for his kneecaps.

[ She turns her head, looking at Kaveh. What they're doing is rather dangerous, and she wants to make sure that he's not having any doubts. ] How are you feeling?

...Get pictures of him on your shellphone. My hands might be a bit full.

[He nods, and slips the switchblade into one of the sleeves of the robe. It's not like he agrees with the Paladins way of doing things, himself...but he knows very well that the idea of "freedom" attracts both those hoping to live their lives without harm, and those that seek the freedom to harm others.

As far as he's concerned, armada colors don't matter, if you do what's right.]

I'm ready.

[he nods, and tugs the veil down a little closer. He won't be able to speak much, once they put their feet on land.]

Good idea. [ She'll make a mental note of it, keeping that in line with the plan. Cutting off a piece of extra sailing rope, she loops it and hooks it onto her belt.

Within minutes they arrive at Nogard. Rem brings her yacht into the harbor, using the current to maneuver it carefully towards one of the public slips. Quickly, she throws the fenders over the side of the boat before tethering the vessel to the wall. All that's left is to retract the sail, and when she's done, she hops off the boat and onto the pier.

Kaveh doesn't look like a corsair, but he can pull off the part of an elegant, mysterious seamstress. Rem, however, is much more on the plainer side-- and nowhere near as rugged as the typical Nogard local. Which, again, may suit them for the purposes of this mission just fine, as it means more suspicion will be drawn away from Kaveh.

He might have to deal with unwanted attention and ruder calls, though, as they walk the streets. It's past midnight, the sailors are back with bellies full of ale and wine, and this is not a polite society.

Rem lowers her voice. ] Sorry about... all that. It shouldn't be too much longer. [ She'll guide him to the night markets. They're bound to be stopped by someone who knows the corsair they're looking for. ]

[Kaveh lifts his shoulders in a shrug, and tilts his head. It's not that he doesn't mind--this isn't at all pleasant, and nobody enjoys basically being a piece of meat on display--but he's heard all this before. You don't inherit the looks of the most beautiful woman in Sumeru and not hear some shit from sailors. Mehrak might be wearing an angry face, but luckily this goes uncommented on.

It's not long before they're stopped though--by some particularly nasty looking enforcers. Kaveh tenses; there's a chance they'll demand to take him from Rem and deny her any reward, if they think they can, and he's not quite sure what he'll do in that situation.]

[ Yes! Her time to shine! Watch her put on her best tough-girl face!

They're here for the woman, one of the henchmen says, leering. No, not the scrawny-looking girl. The woman.

Rem positions herself between Kaveh and the men, and doing her best to endure their fowl breath and scowls, she glares up at them. Leave it to a corsair client to attempt to cheat someone out of their reward, even a wealthy one. It takes a few back-and-forth, but somehow, somehow she convinces them that she deserves to receive the coin and gems... by promising she'll share some of that reward with the two of the henchmen themselves after the handoff is over.

They can't refuse an offer like that. The two men signal for Kaveh and Rem to follow, and they begin by leading them down the street, past a few bars and brothels, and into a tavern's backroom, where a gaunt, pale man sits. One of the henchmen steps forward, and as he lans down to murmur something into the thin man's ear, his beady, dark eyes sweep over all of them before fixing on the "seamstress". Without taking his eyes off of him, the man knocks twice against a brick, causing the false wall to open.

Smoke unfurls like ferns at their feet as the next area opens to them, revealing a dark, musty longue. The two henchmen shove Kaveh and Rem both in, chuckling darkly as the wall closes up behind them. ]

H...hello..?

Price of Freedom/She sews Lovely

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

1/2

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject