Nov Catch all, manta prompts [Open]

[vermilloci]

Who: Rem & you
Status: Open
Where: General location
What: Settling in, Manta quests, etc.
Warnings: none so far

Spellbound Circuitry (General)

A: It's, ah... different than what I imagined. [ There is magitek in her own world, yes, but the kind from Milites are made more for war.  Over the years, she's seen the empire produce a great number of terrifying machines, ranging from the artillery mounted on stealthy flying mechs, to colossal structures that transport resources over their frozen tundra, to chilling devices meant to negate the power of the Crystals themselves. Ordinary devices-- such as lightbulbs-- needn't have magic power them.

So, imagine her surprise when she's presented with the prototype above a workstation table, that of a lamp. Rem leans over, examining the metal fastenings that hold the contraption together. One of the researchers mentioned using a bone substrate for some of their magitek, and there it is, right in the center of the glass: the assembled skeleton of a fish. Her eyes lift upward, uncertainly, to meet yours, and she gives you a dubious smile. ] If we power it with magic, you don't think it'll make this room smell like fish, do you?

B: [ Afterwards, she lingers in the building, looking through one of the display windows of the latest magitek to come from the scientists' developments. This one appears to be an automatic sorter for coins of some sort. ] I don't suppose that, somewhere, instead of magitek research, there is... a purely magical researcher?

[ There are archives upon Elah, she's heard. Perhaps she can find something of use there, even if she is not a Paladin. ]

Leap of Faith (General)

[ You. Her. A cliff above, the fresh, cerulean lagoon below, and in case there were any doubts as to who is the more forthwith in their trust, Rem is already sprinting past you and leaping off the edge. What was that about taking turns of one remaining below and one leaping off? Or that one must be from a different armada? Too late, she's jumped.

Rem plunges into the water, clothes and all, with a spectacular splash, causing modest waves the ripple out like the petals of a lotus. Within seconds she surfaces, tossing her brown hair then swiping the remaining strands back from her face. While the distance between the surface and the top of the cliff might be too great to actually see her expression, her voice carries what can only be a wide, relieved grin. Her words are quick and enthusiastic, charged with excitement. ]

Come on! It's your turn, it is! [ To a weary body, the warm, tropical water is beyond soothing to her. She tilts her head back and floats some meters to the side, making room for you to join. Raising an arm, she beckons you. Let's see your best splash. ]

Healing Mix-up (General)

[ It seems that both you and her have decided to consult the poster of the quest at the same time, and let's just say that as a preview of the reward, one snippet of the novel has been shared. For inspiration, of course, because who wouldn't want to start their noble quest of gathering bat drippings, dragon scales, monkey flakes, and cat knuckles without knowing a taste of the prize that comes after?

By the time Rem finishes reading the first two sentences of the paragraph, she's already turned a bright pink. An audible gasp escapes her, and she jerks back, clasping her mouth with her hands. Oh no. (Oh yes?) Oh no, it's one of those books, and, Crystals, just reading that much feels as if she's intruded on something private. She's not sure whether to laugh or to apologize. ]  A fair warning, even that paragraph is... [ Still sporting a bright shade of red upon her cheeks, Rem lowers her voice to a conspiratorial level. ] spicy.

[ Well, she's here now. She's here because she needs to have a healer on standby for herself, she needs a good one, and dammit, she will get those ingredients to put her in good favor with a healer (the book is just a plus, shh, no she's totally not interested in it).  ]

Gallows Gambit (Corsair but OTA)

[ The shackles around her hands are not the sturdiest of things, but then again, she can't imagine them being made for anything else but to constrain and intimidate. Quality isn't really a thing when it comes to ironworks used against prisoners.  With a soft sigh, she tests their weight, clinking the metal against the iron bars of the cell in which she's held.

All her life, she's managed to escape being a prisoner of war (not ture, a gut feeling tells her, but she cannot remember when or where or how it ever was, only that someone died, long, long ago)-- ah. Blinking once, she shakes her head from an oncoming headache, deciding to refocus on the task at hand. How ironic is it that she willingly gets herself put in chains in order to find the paladin behind this mess? Mission accomplished on that one, if only partly. She now has a face and a voice, attached to the man, but not his name. Unfortunately, now she's stuck with another problem. She must escape. It's not the most difficult thing to do should she do so by magic and force, but it would be better to not draw attention at all.

Rem peers through the bars, looking at what awaits her if she doesn't: a guillotine. A semi-public execution, then? Not only that, but the swiftness of the steel against a neck is by far one of the most humane methods she's ever seen. Relatively, anyway. Neither Rubrum nor Milites would bother.

Maybe you're here to help her escape. Maybe you're in the cell with her. Maybe you're one of the gallows' hired help knowing she's been falsely accused, willing to set her free.  Either way, she asks a simple question: ] You wouldn't happen to know the time...?

Untilted Goose Gambit

[ This is embarrassing. The eight-headed goose that is supposed to be the bounty she's after has, in fact, made her a victim of its shenanigans already! There it goes, waddling off with what appears to be a silver necklace of some sort. ] Get back here! 

[ Rem rushes after the goose. Help her, maybe? Or maybe laugh at her. Or maybe you've also had something stolen by one of the other heads. ]

Wildcard

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

Comments

Healing Mix-up

[yuezun]

[Daqiang reaches over her head to pull the book from her grasp to have a look at the so-called 'spicy' bit. He turns slightly away from her and, once he's orientated to the left-to-right flow of the writing, begins reading.

And reading.

He turns the page.]

Where is the recipe we're supposed to follow?

[Still reading.]

1/3

[vermilloci]

[ ....Not only does he pluck the book right from her hands, leaving her stunned, he begins reading it. ]

[vermilloci]

[ And then he continue reading, turning the page, all without a change of expression on his face.

Meanwhile, her mouth only goes more ajar. ]

[vermilloci]

[ Bahamut's ass, this man-- ]

Have some decency!

[ There she goes, trying to take the book back from his hands. Or shut it while he still holds it. Or shove it in his face. Anything, she'll try anything to stop him from reading fantasy dragon smut in public!!! ]

[yuezun]

[She easily pulls the book from his hand when she grabs for it - he doesn't hold onto it tightly. It was a lot of overwrought description of things not related to the creation of an elixar. And a lot of sex being attempted in a position he wasn't sure was possible. He'd have to ask Shangque if it ever became relevant. As a dragon himself, his general would surely know the answer.

He crossed his arms again and titled this head to ask her with clear annoyance:]

What decency does this venerable one not have?

[vermilloci]

[ Rem shuts the book with a satisfying snap.

Oh, Crystals, is she really going to have to say it?! Either he's playing dense or he truly doesn't understand that, generally speaking, one does not read this sort of material out in public! ]

In case you weren't aware, this type of media is meant to be read... [ HGGGrrr she's gotta say it. Or at least imply it. Rem steps up to him, motioning for him to lean down so he can hear her: ] privately.

For Jill | Nogard

[vermilloci]

[ Ever since she'd arrived and received her tattoo, she's felt... different, as if a portion of her magic is either missing or has changed. Unable to puzzle out this feeling, though, it becomes evident to her that in order to find her answers, she must first test her boundaries.

It takes about few hours' journey from Fang by foot to find a space secluded enough, but eventually she finds a clearing tucked between a barren ridge and the edge of a forest. The ground is badly charred, barren, and the nearest trees remain stripped of their boughs, evidence that perhaps a group of corsairs had already battled in this exact location. In other words, it is a suitable spot to minimize any collateral damage. First, her undying wish spell, just in case. Second...

Rem stands in the center of this clearing, lifting her hand, palm-upward, before her. There is no power without sacrifice. There is no saving others, protecting others without it, either; and while she is without her friends and loved ones in this world, that doesn't mean she should allow herself to grow weak-- or worse, ignorant to what limits this world has placed upon her. Her fingers curl into her palm, and she brings the fist to her chest, allowing it to rest upon her beating heart. With a mere thought, she moves her hand back as if pulling something from inside, and once again she opens her palm, revealing a shimmering, ill-defined orb. Fragile and faint, it wisps at its edges with the nearest breeze, hovering in her hand. This one is blue in color.

All eidolons require a sacrifice to summon. In her world, this would mean giving her life; but as a l'cie...

A shining glyph appears at her feet, and cold, frosty air violently ripples out from where she stands. As she channels her own power into the spell, a whisper escapes her, firm and bidding-- ] Come to me, Shiva.

[ --and she crushes the sphere within her hand, unleashing its power.

Within seconds, she's collapsed on the ground, unconscious. Give a moment for that undying-wish spell to activate. ]

[tilfrosset]

[In the last couple of months since Jill's arrival, she's tested her own abilitiies in different ways. No one's been attacked by a spike of ice, but she's helped out by casting frozen platforms and even helping cool down drinks. If she was back in Valisthea, she would never do such a thing, knowing that every bit of magick comes with an expensive price, one she wouldn't waste her limited life's essence on by making sure someone has a frosty beverage.

But things are different here and while she hasn't been able to fully summon the Warden of Ice, Jill still feels the Eikon's presence inside her, which strangely, has become more of a comfort than anything else. It's like a little piece of home that actually no longer exists at home.

For now, there is no need for ice as Jill is enjoying a warm cup of tea with a simple sandwich of sliced beef and a local cheese as she chats with Clive via the shellphone. Things has gotten easier lately, moreso with Clive than the piece of modern technology in her hand, and she's learning how to send little notes of affection via text which seems a bit colder than just telling him in person, but it is simpler to shoot off a few typed words in between bites of her lunch.

Or so she thinks as she places the phone face-up on the table, awaiting Clive's reply, and reaches for the sandwich. But before her fingers wrap around it, Jill blinks, barely being able to register that the hair on the back of her neck stands at attention and Shiva stirs inside her, as if someone has called her name to awake the Eikon from her slumber. Opening her eyes brings forth the fact that she is now no longer in the safety of her apartment, but outdoors. Confusion abounds as Jill takes in the scorched earth around her before she sees a form sprawled on the ground nearby.

Whatever brought her here can be dealt with in good time. Her concern lies more with the person who looks in need of aid and while there isn't much Jill can do without potions or tonics on her, she can still at least check if the girl is still breathing.

And kneeling down next to her, Jill truly hopes she is.]

Are you alright? Hello? Hello? Can you hear me?

[Meanwhile, back at Jill's apartment, a certain grey cat jumps up on the table, giving the now left behind sandwich a few sniffs before closing her tiny sharp teeth around a bit of meat that hangs out of the edge and pulling it out. When the human's away, the cat will play.

Or rather the cat will steal the human's lunch, but who's really keeping count here?]

[vermilloci]

[ ...It takes her a moment. No, that's a lie, it takes her several moments to come-to, but when she does, she awakens with a stir, groggy, exhausted, and only vaguely aware that there is someone else suddenly beside her.

More than anything else, confusion quickly grips her. Someone else is here, when she had so carefully sought out a secluded area? Did her summoning even work, only to vanish after the allotted time? Or, perhaps, it did work, but she'd been unconscious for far longer than she thought. All these questions and more flit through her mind like a flock of crows, cawing louder and louder until consciousness fully grips her. ]

Ah...?! [ Blinking rapidly, she squirms to sit up, only finding herself dizzying from the movement. Pain is as good an indication as any that she's not dead at least, so in some sense, her experiment worked. This silver lining does nothing to help her headache, though. ]

Who... [ Her throat feels scratchy, and she clears it with an uncertain gulp. Through her haze, Rem sees a face that's wholly unfamiliar, staring down at her with great concern. ] are you?

[tilfrosset]

[Those several moments are very long and filled with Jill's growing worry that this young girl has found the end of her life and somehow she's the only witness to it with no clue on how this happened, how she got here, and where they are in the first place.

However, it seem she's finally awakening and Jill breathes a sigh of relief. There's life in her yet, though Jill is no Joshua; any healing is still a far ways away.]

Easy, now.

[Jill's hand immediately goes to the girl's back to steady her, guiding her to sit upwards. A quick visual check doesn't come out with any obvious bruising or lacerations, so exactly what happened to knock this poor person out?]

I could ask the same of you. [Her tone is gentle, softening any harsh edges the words may have.] My name is Jill.

gallows gambit!

[foolprove]

[ ren is... actually really hating this.

it's not his first time in handcuffs-- not even his second or third time in handcuffs-- and he's starting to accept that it won't be his last. sure, this time it's a gallows, but... that isn't exactly much better.

he takes a deep breath. okay. this is fine. he can make this fine, surely.

...because, this is definitely the first time he's been *for sure* faced with the death penalty instead of vaguely, and he's really not liking the look of that guillotine.

a quick glance at the person next to him reveals, actually-- he knows her. she'd... led him on a much simpler task earlier, hadn't she? ]

Hey. [ he says quietly, turning his head towards her as much as he can all things considered. ] Are you okay?

[vermilloci]

[ Despite their situation, she doesn't appear too stressed, and that, in part, is because they're rather lucky. These shackles aren't magical, which means that if necessary, she'll still be able to break free. Silver lining and all that. ]

Oh, hello, again. [ It's that boy from before, the one from the festival. Rems pivots from the iron bars, giving him a small, friendly smile. ] I'm okay, thanks for asking. Just waiting to get a good look at that paladin. The one behind this, I mean.

[ #notallpaladins

Rem tips her head in his direction. ] What about you?

[foolprove]

[ she seems... to be handling this pretty well. ren's glad, but a little baffled; most people aren't the sort to be... chill about being locked up, after all.

he gives her an approving look at the mention of trying to get a good look at the paladin locking them up, though. ]

Good call. [ he agrees, voice almost too cheerful. ] I'd love to make sure we repay him for his hospitality.

[ but... what about him? he blinks. blinks again. ]

Doing great. [ he lies happily. ] What's the life of a pirate without the threat of imminent hanging, am I right?

untilted goose gambit

[phoenixdominant]

[It's hard to miss the poor girl shouting after a mean looking mult-headed goose...!!]

... My lady? [Sorry- He talks like this sometimes- But he's sprinting after her.] Did that beast take something of yours?

[That creature must be one of the newly listed bounties. He lets a flame appear in his palm and fires a blast at the escaping goose.]

[vermilloci]

It took my kno-- [ She double takes when he catches up to her sprint. Oh, it's him! The young man she met at the tavern.

(Huh. Not many outside of Class Zero are able to keep up with those in it.) She gives him a nod and a smile, casual. ] Ah, hello, Joshua.

[ …ANYWAY BACK to sprinting! Looking forward once again! The enemy is in sight! ] --It took my knowing tags!

[phoenixdominant]

[He might not be the fastest gym participant but he does alright!]

Hello again, Rem.

[And if that goose creature is causing issues he'll happily join her to chase after it.]

Knowing tags? If that's the case shall we teach it a proper lesson about stealing?

[Meanwhile, there's a loud series of honks as the goose turns down a corner!]

Gallows Gambit

[melodiouspacifist]

I've...got no idea.

[ Demyx is also in the cell and he's sitting near the bars, looking around, glancing. He gets to his feet. He's got his hands cuffed together uncomfortably but he paces to the barred window and looks outside and then back to the bars.

Huh, that's a bit weird. ]

Don't panic, but as soon as the coast is clear we're getting out of here.

[vermilloci]

[ The guards are making their rounds, and the noose is being prepared. The only thing to do is to wait for the corrupted paladin to make an appearance. ]

--No... Not yet. [ She drops her voice a whisper. ] We have to stop the one who's behind this. It's been going on for too long.

[melodiouspacifist]

But... [ That's not exactly the safest prospect. He could just leave her there, but that would be wrong, even for him.

Demyx paces a little bit and sighs. ]

Okay okay fine. I'll help you with that, but as soon as it's handled and we've gotta go, don't ask questions, just come with me and we'll be out of there in a flash.

[ He's going to portal them out. ]

healing mixup!

[garudas]

[It's not so much the book that Benedikta is after as much as it is that voucher for this "potion" that this healer is supposedly brewing. It could prove to be valuable, and if she could later trade it for something better, even for a piece of information, then all the better for it. The book is just a bonus, though... how much of one, as she reads the excerpt, is it really? She has no need for this, and really, if this is how it's written, then she would gladly toss it into the sea and offer it to the sharks as food. Her nose crinkles, and even when the girl next to her speaks, that frown never vanishes.

Actually.

When she sees Rem's face turn just a little bit pink in the cheeks, she can't help the grin that blooms across her lips, and her disdain all but fades into a hint of amusement.]

First time reading a book like this?

[Sweet girl, you need not worry about Benedikta's poor, innocent eyes.]

[vermilloci]

[ Rem smiles shyly, but doesn’t appear any more uncomfortable for the question. It’s a lot easier to talk about this sort of material with a fellow book girlie than anyone else.

…Rem is not entirely sure if this woman is a book girlie. ]

Erm- not really. [ Not so explicit, anyway!! The library of her world that she frequents is all non-fiction- history annals, reports, scrolls, and the like. Not to say novels don’t exist, but they’re simply far harder to come by within the institution.

A pause, and she lets out a small, quiet chuckle at the subject matter itself. ] And especially not with a dragon. [ Still, her eyes twinkle with silly amusement as she looks at her, fingers drumming upon the countertop. ] It’s a… unique premise, don’t you think?

[garudas]

Hm. [She eyes the poster of the cover up on the wall with mild interest.] I suppose I've never read one involving a dragon before.

[There's a bark of laughter before she sets the sample pages down to replace it with the list of "ingredients" in her hand.

Not that she's interested in the book, but she can at least pretend that she is for a spell if it means keeping this girl's focus on the task.]

I might be curious to see how it ends.

[But first... she waves the piece of paper around before stuffing it unceremoniously into Rem's hand.]

For dfqc

[vermilloci]

[ Dr. Al-Rashia, Archsorceress to the Dominion of Rubrum, “Mother” to Class Zero, scientist, and physician had always been cold to Rem since they day she had first met her, but none could deny the brilliance behind her gimlet gaze. Among all the healers and doctors within the crystal-state, she had been the only one who developed a medicine that provided even a modicum of hope for Rem to take.

In this nexus of worlds, Rem had found herself not only without that medication, but also without any idea of what its equivalent would be. After succumbing once more to her cough due to the drain imposed by the cursed tombstone, she began seeking a solution as soon as she was able to walk.




Painted glass chimes ring as she leaves a rather sketchy, dilapidated storefront in Nogard. Just outside its stoop, she adjusts all the flasks of medication, vials of powders, ampules of potions, and bottles of poultices she’s acquired into an already over-filled satchel. Slinging it over her shoulder, Rem steps down onto the cobblestone street and withdraws her coin purse, dumping its meager contents into the palm of her hand. There’s not enough to stop at one more apothecary or healer to stock up on yet another foreign treatment, legitimate or otherwise. And, unfortunately, she’ll try anything at this point.

Putting away the pouch with a disappointed sigh, she looks up only to see a familiar face belonging to none other than Dongfang Qingcang, Moon Supreme. ]

Oh…! [ Out of surprise, her hand tightens upon the strap of the satchel, but she relaxes almost immediately. Her voice, hoarse from strain, is nonetheless kind as she greets him. ] Good afternoon, Moon Supreme. I didn’t expect to see you in this part off port…

Re: For dfqc

[yuezun]

[It was an unfortunate reality that the 'apartment' Dongfang Qingcang had been provided by the Corsair alliance within the port city of Nogard was located in 'this part of the port'. Fortunately, despite the state of the neighborhood and the outside of the building, the actual space provided to him was well maintained. It faced east and was high enough up to not have the sunrise blocked by other buildings. It even had a small balcony accessed through a door he was looking to replace soon. He wanted to tear down the wall to the balcony entirely and have some of those lovely 'glass windows' installed instead. But those were very expensive, apparently. And supposedly he didn't have enough doubloons to pay for the work. Not being able to create mundane items like mortal money or just make the changes himself was quickly becoming very annoying.

Daqiang's eyes darted over Rem, who looked - and sounded - terrible compared to normal. He noticed the money in her hands and the bag on her shoulder as well. Rather than greeting her back like a normal person would, he walked up to her and grabbed the shoulder strap of her satchel to pull it off of her so he could hold it and look inside.]

What is all this? Are you wasting your money purchasing groceries for that charlatan again? How foolish.

[vermilloci]

[ No, she supposes she shouldn’t expect a normal greeting from him, but to immediately seize her satchel from her is a bit much! So much! …That it gets her to appear distressed for only a moment before her nose crinkles and her cheeks puff. Rem is far too weary to prevent him from taking her belongings, but she has more than energy to try to prevent him from looking through the contents. Reaching out, she grasps for the bag’ upper hems in an attempt to close it. ]

What—? No! [ She sounds as indignant as she looks.

Whether or not she succeeds in stopping him from prying, he’ll probably tell from a single glance that the contents are an eclectic assortment of medicines, legitimate or otherwise, used for coughs and sore throats. ] It’s nothing!