After a moment to breathe, Jamie's stomach finally settled, his pulse evened, the whole teetering near the edge of panic thing subsided. The fear of death was still real and Jamie wouldn't play like he was strong enough to look it in the face and laugh, but he was strong in other ways. He'd lift his face and run. They had work to do.
"That... that's great," he said to Kaleb, a genuine light back in his voice. He was honestly glad for the help of someone he trusted. "Don't worry, we'll watch each other's backs. Let's gather up, then." He moved closer to the rest of the group who'd decided to search out the deer triplets.
We're in it together, the sentiment he shared with Shiloh reverberated in their minds.
Grey Dragon
Melancholies
Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 7:59 am
Theo followed along upstairs placidly enough, his mind full of questions but no real fear. He wasn't attached to this charter, and though he didn't want Horace or anyone else exploding because of some man on fire, he also had no idea how he could contribute. He had formed a picture of these deer triplets in his head from the bits of what he had heard, and he knew he didn't want to fight something he didn't understand... again... so he supposed he was staying here. He moved closer to the apparently telepathic woman with the hen, only noticing her eyes when he was too close to step away again without seeming rude.
Weird.
Smerdle
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saedusk
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:00 am
It was a bit funny the way Oliver's anger helped soothe Elliot's anxiety. Seeing him like this wasn't nice by any stretch of the imagination, but if he had this much spirit left, then it was hard to believe things would be anything but okay in the end. Sighing, he squeezed Horace's hand. When had they taken each other's hands again?
"Please be careful..." he muttered after Ollie, "Chai and Nosey need their mom, you know." It was code for 'I need you, too.' And buried beneath it was an 'I believe in you' the same way Horace did.
"I'm... staying behind," he told Horace, shaking his head. Where he had faith in Oliver, he still held doubt for himself. It was something he'd have to banish if he wanted the magic to work right, but for now... He squeezed Horace's hand one last time before letting go, but only so he could prepare two cups of hopefully-halfway-decent coffee.
"This is how you like it, right?" he asked, handing Horace a cup of coffee with sugar. "Maybe we should, you know, line up for the whole scrying thing if we're going to." He tried a laugh, but it only sorta worked.
Taking a sip of his own coffee, he directed them towards Mila. He didn't know her, but she had mentioned gathering near her the same way the other groups were doing.
Melancholies
The Semblance of Unity
Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:36 am
In typical fashion, Lily was one of the later people to ascend the staircase, her eyes distant as her hand slid up the railing. They'd been lied to, she'd been used, and she hadn't even thought to question it. Without immediate intervention, many of these people would die. The Mercers. America. Shun. Jamie. Preacher. Temperance.
Her breath shuddered, and for a moment the panic began to rise in her throat, but she closed her eyes and counted to three at the top of the stairs. She couldn't let that unearthly calm claim her, not when it rendered her useless afterwards. In through her nose and out through her mouth, she breathed slowly until it stopped feeling like she was alone in an empty field with nowhere to perch, nowhere to climb and see.
When her footing felt stable again, she watched and listened at the surrounding conversations, thinking of where her skills might best be used. Finally, she chose the group with Preacher and Shun and Nasir, filing in behind the others. "I'm going with you guys," she nodded, tilting her head slowly as she stretched her arms up and over. "Do we have a game plan?"
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:54 am
Ro gave himself a few moments' rest before ascending the staircase after the rest, and he did so slowly- thinking all the while about the discussion that had been happening only moments before. The fact that people could die if they didn't pull this off correctly permeated each footstep. He didn't know these people well but they sure as hell didn't seem deserving of being ripped apart.
When he reached the stair's landing, he looked around at the faces of those that had already begun gathering into groups. He moved towards Leila without much fuss, figuring she'd be the best one to stick around.
"Hey, not sure if I'll be able to do anythin' useful but... I don't know what burning man or the triplets or whatever look like, so..." he shrugged. "How does scrying work?"
cibarium
Quote:
anyone else near the scrying group
Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 12:04 pm
"It's kind of like a magic Google search," Leila answered Ro. "We used a focus item as a search term, and it showed us something relevant..." She was eyeing the chest of magical implements every moment or two, hoping something she could use would be there.
"By the way... Mercer, Kuroda? I might have a way to keep communications open across all three groups..." Leila called Friend the termite up to her fingertip, making meaningful eye contact with the tiny critter. Your home is in danger, and so are a lot of people, she thought over. Could a few of your colony members team up with a few of my friends so we can all talk to each other while separated into our groups? It could be a huge help.
shibrogane
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 12:21 pm
Shun lifted his head at Lily as she moved to join them.
"As much as I dislike it, we have the geas. Admittedly, it is our best weapon against Ezra right now," he grunted. If it didn't work for whatever reason, they were going to have to try something else, "Just be prepared should things go far south."
There was a chance things could get very violent if something went wrong with the geas. Not that he wouldn't mind dealing with the Burning Man in such a manner, but given how powerful the guy was, they were certainly going to come out with more than a few burns if it came to it.
He glanced over at Leila, pausing at the little termite she had on her fingertips. Right. She was friends with a magical termite colony.
"Will those work for us?" he asked. He wasn't really sure if they had to be attuned to the termites or whatever.
cibarium
amitotic
azuredreams
smerdle
melancholies
Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 12:52 pm
Algie glanced as his husband as he moved to prepare to go see the triplets. The professor, beyond knowing their necessity in the grand scheme of things, truly had no significant care for their well being. Somewhere over time that part of him had shut down when things got too confusing and lines became too blurred.
"I'm going after Ezra..." The professor looked at Shun a moment. The younger man was well aware that he was no slouch in a throw down, despite appearances. "My powers could help. I could also be geased but it's a chance I'll take."
He also glanced Nasir, visibly angry and not like himself at all. He offered a hand for clarity and calm if necessary, "Don't let anger cloud you too much.." Use it. Focus it. He certainly knew what it was like to really want to punch Ezra.
Wil didn't know where to go or what to do. He didn't like angry Nasir and squeezed his hand and tried to think not-angry thoughts. Unfortunately it probably just came out as nervousness and concern. He felt compelled to protect his boyfriend from what he was sure was a dangerous situation but at the same time was unsure he could even help in some sort of crazy magic fight.
"I.." He looked at Nasir, "Don't know what to do." He mostly wanted to help and even when they'd crafted the frame, he'd not been very good at it. He wasn't sure if staying for the scrying was a good idea either.
Bud sniffed at his hair and slid back into his hood. There would be no answers from the ferret, though possibly he could be handy in going out to find Ezra.. Or maybe the triplets..
azuredreams
anyone with suggestions for wil
Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 1:04 pm
"They have a hive mind," Leila answered Shun. "And they understand human speech, though telepathy's a little more efficient. They could talk with me before I made a contract with them. So it should be possible, but I'll see what they think."
"If you think they're amenable," replied Jeremiah to Leila, "I don't mind if one catches a ride with me. They're small enough so it shouldn't be a problem." As he was already counting the number of people he was moving, already mentally preparing himself for moving them to check on the first of the triplets.
His fingers twitched but steadied on his cane. A look went to Algie, a smile given. Certain words never had to be said, mostly because they could be felt between each other, but others ... I'll spare you the be safe and cut straight to the bring him back here.
That he wants to see Algie in one piece goes without saying.
"Is everyone ready?" Jeremiah said then, looking to everyone gathered around him. "You have another moment before we go." Such as if certain wargs wanted to make send a familiar along but otherwise it was time to go. "We're going to check on Noeh first, as her location I know the best."
The 5emblance of Unity
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Gr3y Dragon
M3lancholies
c1barium
Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 1:57 pm
Trouble hopped off of Nasir, gliding over towards Wil and settling onto his shoulder. "Stay here," Nasir said to his boyfriend, "because ... that way I know you're safe." Also because that way his familiar was safe as well. Angry as he was, practically seething, he did not want Wil to be hurt in this and Ezra had, as far as he was concerned, already put him in hurt.
He glanced briefly towards Algie, shaking his head before he lightly touched his hand. It was odd, very odd, to feel like something was helping him focus past the anger but he quickly pulled his hand back. "I won't," he told him, and then looked to Lily. "I think at the moment we just have to find him and wing it."
Cass looked between Spirit-Dad and Book-Dad, then off towards Marcus. She couldn't send him any mental thoughts, but she did offer the man with the white streak in his hair a wave and a smile.
Hopefully he'd stay somewhere safe (or change his mind and end up tagging along...but that felt distracting, somehow). "I'm ready unless anybody needs me to take something along." Like cute fuzzy faces to tuck into her jacket pockets.
Cass would take every single familiar ever with her if given half a chance.
Azuredreams
iloveyouDIE
Cass has opened up for Bud to tag along if needed.
Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 2:04 pm
[GM POST]
"This area should be clear of magical influence," said Felt finally, rising from where he was placing dozens of tiny rocks in specific patterns. "And it should be blocked from its magical influence permeating through to the floor below. If you remain behind, you will be assisting with the scrying. We fetches will be ensuring that nothing gets to you from outside this room, but if you need materials, please don't hesitate to speak up."
Friend said to Leila, Have time to seek hive? Takes time. Best to use Big Mouth, is already here.
a-disgruntled-dragon
erin
azuredreams
jeremiah and nasir
The Semblance of Unity
preacher, horace, and temperance
demon_pachabel
cassandra
Melancholies
Oliver and Shiloh and Mila
iloveyouDIE
algernon and wil
Daekie
alexis
saedusk
Jamie and Elliot
Smerdle
Rabbit, Theo, Chester
cibarium
eve and leila
Grey Dragon
kaleb
Blade Kuroda
Shun
lizbot
America
AMItotic
Lily
Ephebe
Nazriya
GhouIs
Ro
istoleyurvamps
Marcus and Abigail
Please split into the constituent threads: SCRYERS (chill, safe, no combat) remain here; your mechanic is on the front page EZRA HUNTERS (going to argue with or fight a terrifying demigod; gore and death) go here TRIPLETS (gore and interviews) go here
THANKS
shibrogane Vice Captain
Stellar Lightbringer
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Blade Kuroda
Militant Raider
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 2:08 pm
Shun took in a deep breath, then headed on out. They had one hell of a task ahead of them.
