April open log

[emet_sulk]

Who: Emet-Selch and YOU
Status: Open
Where: All around (see prompts)
What: Emet-Selch tries to keep himself busy by taking on quests
Warnings: None, will label in threads as necessary


1. My Lovely Wives (MANTA General 4pts)

Well, absolutely no-one could have predicted this outcome (Emet-Selch did). He re-visits the alchemist later, peeking in through a window. That's how he spots the succubi before they spot him.

It's none of his business who or what makes the man happy, that said, but it very much becomes his business when the two creatures spot HIM.

Emet-Selch jerks away from the window and immediately lifts himself into the air - just in time to avoid the two succubi crashing through the window to get at him. For a boon, they cannot seem to fly themselves. At least, he...hopes they can't. The voidsent he has seen can hover like him.

He should really just leave but the succubi start to pick up rocks and throw them at him, hissing and laughing as they try to get him to come down. The projectiles bounce off a shield he conjures but they refuse to leave him alone no matter how far he tries to get away from them, and that leads to havoc when he ends up bringing them closer towards civilisation.

Help?

2. Wishing Tree (MANTA General 4pts)

He has no lover or friend to bring to this tree but that doesn't stop him from paying a visit. He hangs back, giving all the actual couples/pairs space to whisper their sweet nothings or promises or what have you to each other whilst he gazes at the beautiful blossoms.

If only Azem or Hythlodaeus were here...

He can imagine the three of them sitting at the base of the tree, either laughing or chatting companionably as they keep vigil until sunrise. This is not the first time the image has crossed his mind and, for as long as he lives, it will not be the last. But that doesn't mean the sight doesn't fill him with pain and longing each time.

"I wish you were here with me," he murmurs. If only this tree granted such wishes.

3. The Game's A Foot (MANTA General 4pts)

"I don't care about your patron's proclivities. Just show me the room."

Emet-Selch is terse and tense, purposefully trying to avoid looking at the scandalous temptations offered by the brothel. Of course, the more obvious he is in trying to avoid looking, the harder the workers try to attract his eye. But he successfully manages to get to the scene of the theft and shakes off his harassers. Now his keen eyes can examine the room.

(Link to investigation questions)

4. The Haunting of Forgotten Cay (MANTA General 4pts)

If there's a ghost or spirit about then Emet-Selch can inevitably be found there. He arrives on the shores of the haunted island, feeling the weight of its presence settling on his shoulders. He's not here to fight the spirit - not unless the captain attacks him first anyway - and he rolls his eyes at the bluster from fellow travellers before setting off on his own. Or trying to. He can't stop you from following him.

If you do follow him, he will spend some time investigating the waterlogged journals and piecing together the story of Leroy Longbones before searching for the captain himself. Emet-Selch is capable of helping the ghost to its rest if allowed, although he won't say no to fighting it either.

If you are part of the Raiders of the Lost Arts crew: afterwards Emet is going to negotiate with the husband to allow them to research the relics/keep a copy of the schematics for their use.

(Other ideas: Opportunistic characters wanting to claim the treasure for themselves when Emet means to return it, trying to steal schematics etc. I'm open to anything.)

5. Crab Curry (MANTA Special 12pts)

Emet-Selch doesn't bother with the easy tasks when it comes to helping the little crabs. Instead, he takes himself high up, to hard to reach places, to dangerous places. Places where small creatures can go that would be perilous for the average human. With his Sight, it's easy enough to spot the crabs huddling in crevices. The next difficult part is trying to coax them out.

There are several options here:
- You spot him fending off seagulls as he tries to rescue a crab
- You see him in the middle of coaxing a crab out of hiding
- You see him trying to intimidate a sahagin into leaving
- (Whatever you can think of)

6. Wildcard

I have a plotting comment here to discuss other ideas. I'm also happy to have Emet help a corsair out with the magitech prosthetic...if they ask nicely.

Comments

Wives

[passimclamoribus]

[ Why are you dragging them back towards civilization? Alastor is trying to enjoy a meal in peace, thank you very much. There is a nice bloodied portion of meat on his plate probably don't need to ask what it is and a nice cup of still steaming coffee.

Yet the commotion catches his eye. Now isn't that a sight! The man from earlier is attempting to flee such lovely young things.

How interesting. ]

Admirers of yours?

[emet_sulk]

Perish the thought.

[ He dodges to one side as a succubus chucks a potted plant at him. Oh dear, that's a lot more strength than he expected out of the slender things. The plant sails past him and comes crashing back down on to the pathway. ]

They're the creatures that the alchemist summoned. You wanted to see the result, did you not? Well, here they are.

[passimclamoribus]

[ Alastor watches the plant fly through the air, taking a sip of his coffee. It's kind of like getting a dinner and a show at this point. ]

So they are. How wonderfully vicious these darlings are.

[ He places his cup down. Sets his elbows up on the table and rests his chin on folded hands. ]

Do you still believe them to be perfectly harmless?

[ Raising a finger to assist? Couldn't be Alastor. ]

[emet_sulk]

[ >:| ]

Obviously not. Now are you going to help me persuade them to go back home to the man or are you going to sit there sipping your tea?

[ Unfortunately it's probably too late for Emet-Selch to run away from the creatures but a man can hope, right? ]

[passimclamoribus]

Tea? I would never drink something so dull.

[ Although he does like more bitter flavors. Alastor considers for a moment, wondering if it would be in his best interests to lend a hand.

Then he decides 'oh what the hell' and elects to assist. Though his form of persuasion comes in the form of those shadow tentacles wrapping around each ankle. ]

I suppose we can't let them create a mess of things, hmm?

[emet_sulk]

[ The succubi screech angrily when their next attempt to leap and grab Emet-Selch's ankles is abruptly arrested. They turn on Alastor with shocking speed, rushing the demon so they can get free. ]

[passimclamoribus]

Nuh ah ah!

[ Alastor wiggles his finger at the succubus. More tentacles reach up. Latch about these creatures and then *yank them down.* Pin them against the ground.

He then gets up, twirling his cane as he walks over. ]

This isn't very lady-like behavior.

Wives

[telepathicignorance]

(What the...?

Sidestep was minding their own damned business thank you very much when they heard sounds of what was clearly some kind of battle. Looking up... a flier? They could have almost thought it was Herald, if he'd looked anything like Herald, the way he was just floating there as though gravity didn't affect him.

They can't quite see what's going on, but they can see that stuff is being thrown at this guy, and... well, maybe they're reminded of people from home or maybe their old hero instincts are getting the better of them again or maybe they're just curious, but Sidestep is coming to get a look at--and probably interfere with--this scene.)

[emet_sulk]

[ He's doing his best to escape them but the succubi are...tenacious. And surprisingly quick. There are screams as passers-by try to get out of the way, and further screams when unfortunate menfolk are set upon. Emet-Selch could simply make a run for it when the succubi are distracted but a twinge of moral discomfort has him lifting a hand to fling fireballs to get them to keep chasing him instead.

In these circumstances, what will Sidestep choose to do? ]

[telepathicignorance]

(What they'll chose to do is pick up one of the tocks that missed Emet-Selch by a mile and throw it with considerably greater accuracy at the nearest succubi.)

Hey ugly! (They give her the middle finger.)

I'm assuming the character has no gender?

[emet_sulk]

[ The succubi turn to them and seem...confused? They hiss angrily at Sidestep but then refocus on Emet-Selch, the closest, obvious male and try to launch themselves at him. They climb over tables, try to crawl up the walls to get to him.

He floats a little higher, conjuring ice to try and slow them down now. ]

They're only going after the men, [ he calls tersely. ]

You assume correctly

[telepathicignorance]

(Well damn. Apparently they're picky.

Not like they really want that kind of attention from people who aren't Julia, but it sure would be convenient.)

Can you draw them away from the people?

(Lure them to an unpopulated area and fly off, maybe?)

[emet_sulk]

Do you think I haven't been trying to do that?

[ He can only fly so far up due to temperature and air pressure, and the succubi still wait for him to descend. ]

Fine, if you're so eager to put yourself in danger--

[ Emet-Selch zips off towards a less populated area, pursued by the succubi. ]

haunting

[vermilloci]

[ She told Cid that she would not take any human souls for herself again... But what if they attack first? Can't she defend herself?

For some reason, though, this spirit isn't readily attacking them. In fact, he seems rather mournful as both Rem and Emet approach, hunched over a rotted, wooden desk. Faded parchment and journals remain scattered over the surface, surprisingly untouched by time. ]

That must be him. [ Rem's voice is low, speaking to Emet. ] The one who wrote all those scattered journal pages.

[emet_sulk]

[ He peers at the ghostly figure. Perhaps others may have expected a belligerent spirit, but Emet-Selch knows that not all ghosts spawn from malevolent emotions. ]

Aye, it does seem likely. If this can be resolved peacefully then all the better. Forcing spirits to depart is a lot more taxing than asking them to leave.

[vermilloci]

[ She exhales quietly, relieved and grateful that he's of the same mind-- not to immediately jump into an altercation. ]

I didn't know you could just... convince them to move on.

[ Granted, in her world, if one does not take another's soul, they tend to move on quickly. ] But this one seems to be clinging to those notes.

[emet_sulk]

I can forcibly remove them but I wager their regrets are tied to those pages. If we resolve them then they will be more open to departing.

[ He eyes her sidelong. ]

But if you have a course of action in mind...

[vermilloci]

N-no, um. No. [ She shakes her head, stammering beneath his gaze. ] It'd be better if he could be convinced to, ah, move on.

[ They still need a plan for that, though. So. ]

We can ask him why he's protecting them. Maybe we can somehow ensure that we'll protect those pages, too, although it might take some time to convince him that we can be trusted.

[emet_sulk]

[ He nods, beginning to stand. No use in sneaking up if the aim is to parley. ]

I think it best that you are the one to speak to him.

[ Because Emet-Selch knows that he can be...very abrupt. ]

haunting!

[apothecarry]

[Truth be told, now that they're disembarking on the island, Alfyn isn't at all sure why he agreed to be part of this little adventure. Something lingers in the back of his mind about how he thought it'd be good if the group had backup if they got hurt.

Looking around at the wreckage, and forcing himself through the forlorn fog, Alfyn wonders if he hasn't made a mistake. He isn't afraid of death, or of ghosts, but a lot of very real and scary things have leapt at him out of the darkness in his relatively short life. (Also, he might be kidding himself just a touch about whether he's afraid of ghosts.)

After a while of hesitant poking around, he finds himself inadvertently following in the footsteps of a serious-looking fellow. The man bends down to pull something out of the sand: a paper?

Alfyn looks down at the paper he has in his own hand and finds himself hopping forward, taking care not to step on any old moldy wood or. Bones. Or anything.]

Hey- hey there! [It's not a shout. But it has to be a little bit loud, to cut through all the fog.] I've got another of those, I think, if you want to take a look?

[emet_sulk]

[ He looks over to see a young man waving a piece of paper. It looks similar to the one he's found, at first glance. If it isn't some stained rag anyway.

He picks his way back over for a closer look. ]

Oh, yes? What does it say?

[ The sheet he has is faded and slightly waterlogged. But considering the format (are those dates?) he suspects it's a diary entry. ]

[apothecarry]

[Alfyn's is just as faded, and it sports a couple of torn-off corners and the stain of long exposure to the tides. It's also quite hard to read under these conditions; he holds it up to what light there is and squints at it.]

Seems like it's talkin' about preparing for a long voyage?

[He can pick out enough key words for that, at least.]

It doesn't read like a letter, though. I'm not too familiar with ship's logs, but doesn't seem like that either. What about yours?

[emet_sulk]

[ He holds the salt-stained and faded page up for the other to see as well. Another entry but of a different date, with sparse mentions of what seems to be the weather out at sea and progress of a voyage. ]

'Tis likely they're both diary entries then. I imagine it belongs to the spirit we are here to find.

[ Surely the diary itself should be nearby, right? And maybe with it, the pirate himself. ]

[apothecarry]

[Alfyn does his best to compare the pages. It does seem like it's written in the same hand.]

Must've been a meticulous fella, keepin' a diary. ...You don't think just that'd be enough to, uh, make him appear?

[Waving a couple pages around and going "Hey! We have your diary!" is just outrageous enough that it might work. It would also be a little embarrassing. And the atmosphere here feels ready to rear up and knock him down all on its own.]

[emet_sulk]

[ He opens his mouth to scoff at the idea. But then closes it a moment later. It's worth trying, isn't it? ]

Why not give it a try? The worst that can happen is you look like a fool.

[ He waves the paper at the other man, inviting them to take it from him for the 'summoning'. ]