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rhodos_meme2022-08-10 10:12 am
rhodosmods) wrote in rhodos_meme2022-08-10 10:12 am
Entry tags:
TDM #1
TDM #1: AUGUST
Jump to: Arrival · Sound and Light · Into the Fog · Waking Up to a Nightmare · The Bonfire
Summary · Questions
Summary · Questions
The buildings of the plaza are all medieval stone construction, but they all have modern awnings and glass fronts. Tables out front display tourist wares: little plastic statuettes, postcards, t-shirts. Among these, it's easy to identify Greek lettering, Greek gods, photos of Athens and Crete. Predominant among the souvenirs are items marked with the name Rhodos.
But there are no vendors selling their wares. Even if characters wander into the shops, they are all empty as if their owners just stepped away for a moment. Lights are on, and some of the larger and nicer shops even have the whirr of air conditioning. Food stands waft the aroma of freshly grilled kebabs, and a gelato cart is cold to the touch and the ice cream inside is frosty and delicious.
The plaza where you arrive is set on a slope, and the direction of the sea breeze and the faint sound of waves against a shore indicates pretty strongly that down-slope is the direction of the sea. But looking down the slope from the main plaza, you can see an open archway in a tall stone wall, and beyond it is nothing but mist. Despite the clear sunny day in the plaza, the mist is a dense fog with barely three feet of visibility. If you enter it, you can see your own arms in front of you, but nothing beyond that. The breeze has gone still and the waves no longer sound so much like waves--the sound is warped through the mist so that it almost sounds like sobbing. After about five minutes of determined walking across what feels like flat ground with no other landmarks, you find yourself back at the archway.
Housing can easily be scavenged. Doors are unlocked and the interiors are clean and welcoming, beds freshly made, as if it is a hotel that's been prepared for you rather than anyone's personal residence. And yet, once you've settled upon a place to live, you start to find little signs that you have lived here all along. The photographs on the wall (which weren't there when you first arrived) depict you and your family and friends, even if you came from a world without photography. Upon arrival, you have only the clothing you are wearing, but within a day the closet begins to fill with familiar outfits from home, and within the first week you may find up to five of your own possessions around your new residence.
Note: Wardrobe is limited to what you can reasonably fit inside a non-walk-in apartment closet, what your character would reasonably wear and possess in canon, or what can be scavenged around town. There are two very small clothing boutiques where you can find most basics and a few cute outfits. For starting possessions two may be weapons or magical items, but you may have an additional three mundane items. All other personal items can only be obtained through regains or events.
The first few days in your new home are relatively uneventful. The days are hot and sunny and the nights are warm beneath a dazzling starry sky.
After not quite a week, the noises of a spectacle will lead characters to a small gate in one of the outer walls with steps leading down into the outer moat. The fog surrounding the city walls has drawn back for just this one little area, revealing an open air theater butting up against the castle wall. A path leads away from the theater on either side, but if you walk into the mist on either side you will promptly find yourself walking out of the mist on the opposite side, as if you'd circumnavigated the entire moat in just a few steps. Behind the theater is another high stone wall. Centuries of weathering has added rough footholds and handholds, but it would be a dangerous climb without equipment. Trees grow from the top of the wall, sticking limbs out of the wall of mist and clawing roots into the stones at the top, loosening them so that they're ready to slip at a touch.
The play that is projected onto the wall features shadow puppets, colored lights, and canned soundtrack special effects like the clop of horses hooves or the burst of trumpets. There is no dialogue or narration, so the story can only be roughly pieced together: there is a king and a queen, then a betrayal that leads to the king's murder. Later, the king and the queen appear again, participating in a ritual which seems to involve human sacrifice, a war and a triumphal procession, and then another betrayal and the king is murdered again.
The story repeats three times every night before shutting itself off. The first performance starts at twilight, and each repetition lasts about twenty minutes. Characters who watch it repeatedly will get the sense that it's slightly different each time, but the whole thing is complicated and confusing without any narration or dialogue to provide context, so characters will struggle to pin down how it's different. A slide projector is set up at the top of the amphitheater, with a pair of old speakers on either side of it. If slides are removed from the projector, they show only blank, uncolored plastic. If something is placed in front of the projector light, the scene is projected onto that object. The projector can be turned off, unplugged, or smashed. No matter what is done to it, as soon as no one is actively watching it, it is restored to an undamaged status and resumes playing.
After watching an entire repetition of the performance, some characters may be overcome by a fit of weeping. Tears roll down your cheeks and you can't seem to catch your breath. Despair clutches at your heart, colored by your own personal sorrows, and the weeping can only be stopped by receiving an embrace.
Others may find that the performance inspires them to reminisce. No matter how secretive you might normally be, you find yourself turning to whoever is sitting near you and telling them a story from your past, something that makes you nostalgic or regretful.
After not quite a week, the noises of a spectacle will lead characters to a small gate in one of the outer walls with steps leading down into the outer moat. The fog surrounding the city walls has drawn back for just this one little area, revealing an open air theater butting up against the castle wall. A path leads away from the theater on either side, but if you walk into the mist on either side you will promptly find yourself walking out of the mist on the opposite side, as if you'd circumnavigated the entire moat in just a few steps. Behind the theater is another high stone wall. Centuries of weathering has added rough footholds and handholds, but it would be a dangerous climb without equipment. Trees grow from the top of the wall, sticking limbs out of the wall of mist and clawing roots into the stones at the top, loosening them so that they're ready to slip at a touch.
The story repeats three times every night before shutting itself off. The first performance starts at twilight, and each repetition lasts about twenty minutes. Characters who watch it repeatedly will get the sense that it's slightly different each time, but the whole thing is complicated and confusing without any narration or dialogue to provide context, so characters will struggle to pin down how it's different. A slide projector is set up at the top of the amphitheater, with a pair of old speakers on either side of it. If slides are removed from the projector, they show only blank, uncolored plastic. If something is placed in front of the projector light, the scene is projected onto that object. The projector can be turned off, unplugged, or smashed. No matter what is done to it, as soon as no one is actively watching it, it is restored to an undamaged status and resumes playing.
After watching an entire repetition of the performance, some characters may be overcome by a fit of weeping. Tears roll down your cheeks and you can't seem to catch your breath. Despair clutches at your heart, colored by your own personal sorrows, and the weeping can only be stopped by receiving an embrace.
Others may find that the performance inspires them to reminisce. No matter how secretive you might normally be, you find yourself turning to whoever is sitting near you and telling them a story from your past, something that makes you nostalgic or regretful.
CONTENT WARNING: Cruelty and violence against (monster) dogs
After the characters have been in Rhodos for about three weeks, a heavy fog rolls into town. Unlike the mist that surrounds the city, the fog smells of smoke. Visibility is reduced to a mere ten or fifteen feet.
The electricity goes out, and shops are no longer replenished. Food may still be scavenged, but the food in shops and restaurants will slowly rot and may run out. Battery operated items will continue to work as long as the batteries still have a charge. Running water inside the houses continues to work, but it is sluggish and smells stale, leaving an unpleasant film on the skin.
While out on the streets of the town, characters will begin to encounter the monster dogs of Rhodos. The sound of a dragging chain precedes them, and then the hazy outline of a dog comes into view. It's walking oddly, however, with a sort of staggering limp, and the sound of the chain is underlaid by a low, feral growl. Furless gray skin peels away in patches to reveal bloody muscle. The heavy iron collar around the neck is studded with long black screws, the ends of which pierce the skin of the neck. Hazy eyes are clouded with decomposition, and yet that doesn't seem to prevent the dog from making its way straight toward you.
The dogs are not very fast, nor very smart. They can be outpaced at a brisk walk, and they will lose track of any character who gets more than twenty feet away or behind a closed door. But they are vicious. If you get within a few feet, they will lunge at you and attempt to bite. If two or three of them manage to corner you in a blind alley, you could be in real trouble.
In addition to the dogs, characters will begin to catch glimpses of Manifestations, both their own or those of others. At first you might just catch a glimpse of them through a break in the fog, but after a day or two they can be spotted standing outside of apartment windows and staring in. In either case, they will not approach or attack characters unless you're foolish enough to get within six feet of them. Then, they will attack, and they will pursue at a fast walk until they lose track of you in the fog.
After the characters have been in Rhodos for about three weeks, a heavy fog rolls into town. Unlike the mist that surrounds the city, the fog smells of smoke. Visibility is reduced to a mere ten or fifteen feet.
The electricity goes out, and shops are no longer replenished. Food may still be scavenged, but the food in shops and restaurants will slowly rot and may run out. Battery operated items will continue to work as long as the batteries still have a charge. Running water inside the houses continues to work, but it is sluggish and smells stale, leaving an unpleasant film on the skin.
The dogs are not very fast, nor very smart. They can be outpaced at a brisk walk, and they will lose track of any character who gets more than twenty feet away or behind a closed door. But they are vicious. If you get within a few feet, they will lunge at you and attempt to bite. If two or three of them manage to corner you in a blind alley, you could be in real trouble.
In addition to the dogs, characters will begin to catch glimpses of Manifestations, both their own or those of others. At first you might just catch a glimpse of them through a break in the fog, but after a day or two they can be spotted standing outside of apartment windows and staring in. In either case, they will not approach or attack characters unless you're foolish enough to get within six feet of them. Then, they will attack, and they will pursue at a fast walk until they lose track of you in the fog.
CONTENT WARNING: Blood imagery
On the 28th, characters are awakened by the sound of their front doors being smashed in. It's your own smashing door that awakens you, but you can hear more distant sounds of destruction from the other apartments nearby.
As you scramble out of your bed, you find that the homey, quilted bedding has been soaked through with blood, and it's sagging in the middle with the outline of a human body. But before you have a chance to properly react to that horror, your Manifestation is coming through your bedroom door — more than one of them, if you were sharing that bed with anyone.
You will have to fight or dodge in order to get out of the room. Your Manifestation is out for your blood. You can do damage to it, creating deep wounds and heavy bruises, causing it to stagger and slow for a moment, but no matter how much damage you do it keeps coming for you. Sooner or later, you will need to run.
When you make it out into the streets, you'll find that the entire world has changed. Heavy darkness fills the city, and no stars are visible in the sky. A few lights glow despite the lack of electricity, but they only provide a sickly, red-tinted light. Streets are slick with something that looks like blood, and the stone walls in many places have been transformed into metal or grate. Through the grate, you can catch glimpses of black metal hooks and gory, dripping meat that looks human in origin.
There is no palatable food or water. Anything you have saved has rotted or changed unnaturally into what looks like rotting flesh or lumps of bile. Liquid has turned into blood or black water. The only mercy is that symptoms of hunger, thirst and fatigue stabilize after 24 hours and don't get any worse. Don't worry, it won't be the dehydration that kills you here.
Your Manifestation pursues you tirelessly, and the monster dogs are faster, smarter, and moving in packs. Your home is no longer safe, and staying on the streets is deadly.
On the 28th, characters are awakened by the sound of their front doors being smashed in. It's your own smashing door that awakens you, but you can hear more distant sounds of destruction from the other apartments nearby.
As you scramble out of your bed, you find that the homey, quilted bedding has been soaked through with blood, and it's sagging in the middle with the outline of a human body. But before you have a chance to properly react to that horror, your Manifestation is coming through your bedroom door — more than one of them, if you were sharing that bed with anyone.
You will have to fight or dodge in order to get out of the room. Your Manifestation is out for your blood. You can do damage to it, creating deep wounds and heavy bruises, causing it to stagger and slow for a moment, but no matter how much damage you do it keeps coming for you. Sooner or later, you will need to run.
There is no palatable food or water. Anything you have saved has rotted or changed unnaturally into what looks like rotting flesh or lumps of bile. Liquid has turned into blood or black water. The only mercy is that symptoms of hunger, thirst and fatigue stabilize after 24 hours and don't get any worse. Don't worry, it won't be the dehydration that kills you here.
Your Manifestation pursues you tirelessly, and the monster dogs are faster, smarter, and moving in packs. Your home is no longer safe, and staying on the streets is deadly.
CONTENT WARNING: Body horror, immolation
Sooner or later, you find your way to the bonfire in the middle of the fountain square. There is no longer water in the fountain. Instead, the whole thing towers with flame, fueled by a viscous black substance in the basin.
A tall man stands by the fountain, gazing into the flames as if he is supervising. His suit is true black, fathomless black, while his skin is a dark red-black like the newly formed crust upon a lava flow. His eyes are black pools reflecting the flames. He takes no interest in any approaching characters, and will not respond to any questions. The only thing that will draw his attention to you is an attempted attack. If you try it, your blow lands, but he doesn't seem to take any damage. His head turns toward you and he considers you for a moment, as if he finds it intriguing that you would attempt such a thing. Then he returns his attention to the fire.
The dogs and the Manifestations will not pursue you into the circle of light cast by the bonfire. You can find a sort of respite here.
Time passes. It feels like days, though there is no way to mark the passage of time. The Dark Figure continues to supervise the bonfire.
At last, your attention is drawn to a sort of commotion approaching down one of the main streets that feeds into the plaza. You hear a rattling of metal, and a sort of gibbering moan. The bonfire illuminates first upon a pale, faceless figure which seems to writhe as it approaches, hovering above the paving stones. As it grows closer, you see that the figure is lashed to a square metal frame and bound with strips of barbed wire. Veiled figures on either side bear it forward, and the Dark Figure turns to watch it approach.
The figure upon the frame has no face and no mouth with which to make its agonized moans, but it continues nonetheless. It has limbs but no hands or feet, each limb ending in smooth stumps.
If no one interferes, the Handmaidens carry the frame forward and place it upon the fire.
The Handmaidens can be attacked, and hurt. They cry out indignantly at any attack, and recoil. They will not fight back, but they also will not be discouraged from their task by anything less than persistent violence.
If the pale figure on the frame is rescued by the player characters, it flails and gibbers helplessly, continuing to moan. If the pale figure is consigned to the flames, it begins to scream, and continues screaming for several minutes until the flame finally overcomes it.
In either situation, you begin to cough. Blood spills from your mouth, dribbling down your chin and spattering upon your clothing. But then the droplets begin to slither into letters, forming words that spell out your deepest guilt, in the words you yourself would use to describe it. No attempt to wipe the words away or cover them will prevent their legibility. The blood shines through whatever covers it, catching the firelight so that those around you can clearly read the words.
The Dark Figure and his Handmaidens made their exit while you were coughing. You are left alone with the other Tourists around you, your guilt, and whatever remains of the pale figure upon the frame.
Sooner or later, you find your way to the bonfire in the middle of the fountain square. There is no longer water in the fountain. Instead, the whole thing towers with flame, fueled by a viscous black substance in the basin.
A tall man stands by the fountain, gazing into the flames as if he is supervising. His suit is true black, fathomless black, while his skin is a dark red-black like the newly formed crust upon a lava flow. His eyes are black pools reflecting the flames. He takes no interest in any approaching characters, and will not respond to any questions. The only thing that will draw his attention to you is an attempted attack. If you try it, your blow lands, but he doesn't seem to take any damage. His head turns toward you and he considers you for a moment, as if he finds it intriguing that you would attempt such a thing. Then he returns his attention to the fire.
The dogs and the Manifestations will not pursue you into the circle of light cast by the bonfire. You can find a sort of respite here.
At last, your attention is drawn to a sort of commotion approaching down one of the main streets that feeds into the plaza. You hear a rattling of metal, and a sort of gibbering moan. The bonfire illuminates first upon a pale, faceless figure which seems to writhe as it approaches, hovering above the paving stones. As it grows closer, you see that the figure is lashed to a square metal frame and bound with strips of barbed wire. Veiled figures on either side bear it forward, and the Dark Figure turns to watch it approach.
The figure upon the frame has no face and no mouth with which to make its agonized moans, but it continues nonetheless. It has limbs but no hands or feet, each limb ending in smooth stumps.
If no one interferes, the Handmaidens carry the frame forward and place it upon the fire.
The Handmaidens can be attacked, and hurt. They cry out indignantly at any attack, and recoil. They will not fight back, but they also will not be discouraged from their task by anything less than persistent violence.
If the pale figure on the frame is rescued by the player characters, it flails and gibbers helplessly, continuing to moan. If the pale figure is consigned to the flames, it begins to scream, and continues screaming for several minutes until the flame finally overcomes it.
In either situation, you begin to cough. Blood spills from your mouth, dribbling down your chin and spattering upon your clothing. But then the droplets begin to slither into letters, forming words that spell out your deepest guilt, in the words you yourself would use to describe it. No attempt to wipe the words away or cover them will prevent their legibility. The blood shines through whatever covers it, catching the firelight so that those around you can clearly read the words.
The Dark Figure and his Handmaidens made their exit while you were coughing. You are left alone with the other Tourists around you, your guilt, and whatever remains of the pale figure upon the frame.
Arrival: August 1
Sound and Light: August 5-20
Into the Fog: August 21-27
Waking Up to a Nightmare: August 28-30
The Bonfire: August 31
Welcome to Rhodos! Going forward, events will take place in two parts. The Normal World part of the event posted on the 5th of each month, and it will be a lighter event both in terms of length and thematic content. TDMs will be bi-monthly and will feature an event element or elements for the Normal World which in-game characters may also play with on their own log posts. The sections on Fog and Nightmare worlds for the TDM will generally be the same every month, allowing players to test drive those elements if they'd like, but not including spoilers for the second part of that month's event. The second part of the event will be posted on the 20th of each month, covering events occurring through both the Fog and Nightmare cycles.
Test drive memes are considered game canon.
This won't always be the case, but for the nerds among you who are enjoying this sometimes-accurate tour of Rhodes, all location images in this TDM and housing are accurate to Rhodes.
Lastly, we are in need of mods! We're most in need of help for processing apps and activity. If we aren't able to get some additional mods, we will have to place a cap on applications, and we're hoping we won't have to do that. If you're interested, please send us a message over on the mod contact page. We've gotten the mod volunteers we needed so we should be all clear to proceed without an applications cap. Thank you to everyone who showed interest!
Sound and Light: August 5-20
Into the Fog: August 21-27
Waking Up to a Nightmare: August 28-30
The Bonfire: August 31
Welcome to Rhodos! Going forward, events will take place in two parts. The Normal World part of the event posted on the 5th of each month, and it will be a lighter event both in terms of length and thematic content. TDMs will be bi-monthly and will feature an event element or elements for the Normal World which in-game characters may also play with on their own log posts. The sections on Fog and Nightmare worlds for the TDM will generally be the same every month, allowing players to test drive those elements if they'd like, but not including spoilers for the second part of that month's event. The second part of the event will be posted on the 20th of each month, covering events occurring through both the Fog and Nightmare cycles.
Test drive memes are considered game canon.
This won't always be the case, but for the nerds among you who are enjoying this sometimes-accurate tour of Rhodes, all location images in this TDM and housing are accurate to Rhodes.
vax'ildan vessar | critical role
[ It's like something out of a dream when Vax steps out onto the main plaza. Which, considering the kind of dreams that he has been having lately, this place would be all the welcome. Please, bring on dreams about whimsical tropical places that look too good to be true and aren't littered with raven's feathers, and have no signs of a woman whose face is covered by a porcelain mask.
Curiously, he notices he has been stripped of his usual armor, down to only one Vestige of Convergence. Which. At least he has one? But there is an immediate panic that rises to his throat and threatens to choke the life out of him, and -- wait, is this death? Has the Raven Queen come to claim her champion?
No, death for him would not be so peaceful. And besides, he has unfinished business.
In all his ruminating, he realizes he has been wandering around, finding himself among the shops now. And fuck if that isn't just nostalgia dragging at his wrist. Any minute now, he expects to see the familiar purple awnings of Gilmore's Glorious Goods and gods what he wouldn't give to see Gilmore right now.
But Gilmore is nowhere to be found, this place feels just a little too unlike any of the many locations Vox Machina has traveled to thus far. And that, that leaves him with a feeling of unease. ]
Maybe it's as good thing Vex isn't here. Shops without vendors? She'd either have a field day or be so fucking pissed she doesn't get to make a shopkeeper cry.
[ It's mostly said to himself, though anyone nearby would be able to hear, and reply if they so desire. ]
▶ 2. sound and light
[ What a strange sense of déjà vu. The first time he sees the performance, it's like something is on the tip of his tongue, just right out of reach, but he can't grab it and it evades him, slipping off into the night. The second time, he thinks of Emon, of Sovereign Uriel and it hearkens maybe a little too close to home.
The third night, well. The third night he feels himself starting to break. He's never been this long without his sister, and there's no end in sight of this madness. ]
Grog would have hated this. [ Are those tears in his eyes? Oh fuck no, Vax is not crying over Grog. ] They all would. Except Keyleth, maybe. I hope wherever they are, they're okay.
▶ 3. into the fog
[ Look, Vax has seen enough shit in his years to know these dogs are bad news. The good news is, they're not nearly as bad as anything that Vox Machina has fought over the years so he's able to avoid being chased by them.
Most of the time.
He's also down one pair of Boots of Haste (godsdammit, Stubby, I hope you're happy) which does nothing to aid in his running attempts.
But doors! Doors, he can handle. Except for the fact that he has no lockpicks.
And doors also still kind of don't like him. ]
Please for the love of -- if there's anyone there, let me in? I would say I'd make it worth your while but --
[ Before he can finish this train of thought, though, he sees it. Sees her. Only she looks different than any other time he's seen the goddess, because instead of a porcelain mask her face is scratched out, and her body looks more like the amalgamation of ravens rather than a humanoid form. Her hand is outstretched towards Vax, and Vax?
He feels himself frozen in place, unable to do anything but gawk in confused terror. ]
▶ 4. waking up to a nightmare
[ No matter how much he scrubs, it won't come off. Out of breath, throat strained from screaming going from one nightmare straight into the next (and it's a damn good thing nobody else has been around to hear that cacophony or he would never be able to live it down).
She appears next, like a damned ghost tethered to his soul, always there, always reminding him of how doomed he is, and he opens his mouth, no sound comes out.
Running, Vax has always been good at running. He knows he's only good in a fight when he can't be seen, and he knows, he knows the time for stealth has been out the window days ago. So, he runs. Runs fast, fast, fast as he can, until his legs won't take him any further, and then he tries to crawl, doesn't care to look over his shoulder to see if she's still chasing after him, always there, always just one step behind him.
A shadow falls over him and he braces himself, braces himself for the end, but it's not her, is it? ]
Please, please tell me you know of a safe haven. I fear I'm running out of steam.
▶ 5. wildcard
[ Feel free to toss something else at me or hit me up at![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
aoneknifestand or via PM to plot something specific! ]
4
No, no do not think of it. She had been pushed through a ground-floor window and there were cuts over her hands, the back of her neck, but at least her many layers of clothing had protected her from worse.
Just not the strikes that had split her lip, ripped her clothes, bruised her jaw. No doubt more, but she refused to look until there was a chance of safety.
Which is when she runs into him, and it's an instinct only that she cannot let anyone be hurt around her. Snatching his hand and pulling him with her as she drags them both into the shelter of a shop awning to catch their breath. ]
I saw a fire that they seem to fear. A great bonfire in the middle.
[ She dares as much as she can without giving them away: jerking her head to indicate a distant light, it seemed not so many streets over. But with such awful things chasing them all? It seemed to be a chasm away. ]
no subject
Because right now, they have much bigger things to worry about. At first he is tugged in a direction and finds himself automatically following despite having no time to react, to even comprehend what is going on. It makes him think of days spent trekking the woods with Vex'ahlia, when she would sense danger and his body would automatically follow before his mind could catch up.
He finally gives himself the chance to recover his breath, because shit he feels out of practice despite the fact that adventuring has been his schtick for so long. Then again, there is maybe a slight difference between going out of one's way to seek out adventure and evading a continuous pursuit with no weapons and no hope of slipping into stealth mode. ]
A fire? [ He takes a moment to mull over his choices. Staying here and waiting out no longer seems to be an option. ] Can you lead me to it?
no subject
Yes. I think so. I was cut off, the creatures -
[ She shakes her head. It did not bear speaking of, but he certainly no doubt, could work out the rest about why she had to turn tail and flee. ]
no subject
And without his arsenal of weaponry, he doesn't feel very confident he would do any damage at all. Plus, a part of him is simply too afraid to confront it, as it strips his defenses away, makes him feel too vulnerable. ]
Yes, we'll have to play this smart then. Perhaps we can offer up a distraction, get them to flee in one direction and run towards the fire before they realize where we've gone.
no subject
What... what do you think? We could throw something, perhaps? Or...
[ She looks around. Breathing in and out slowly as she tries to come up with a plan. A distraction, a distraction.
Well. There was this alcove. Another empty building. One of the many that filled this place. So she opened it, as silently as she could, pushing the door inwards and peering in. Another iced treat shop, it looked like. Food, and things that went along with food. ]
There must be something in here?
(no subject)
3
He shuts the door and jams back the old pipe he found underneath the handle, locking it up again and adding a few more things against it to buy them time. V looks properly out of breath and takes a deep one too, as he turns to Vax, propping himself up on his cane. He looks young, not older than 30, has tattoos all over him, and dark, shoulder-length hair.
V gives him a brief smile and recites, a bit breathless-] "Cheap little rhymes, A cheap little tune, Are sometimes as dangerous As a sliver of the moon" [V points his cane at him and nods at the back at the house,] We need to leave. Now. Your 'lady' is following us. We have to outrun her. [He will be nice and not point out that the guy just revealed where V was hiding.]
no subject
After a moment of letting himself collect his thoughts, and take in his surroundings, he finally sits up and regards V with a bit of curiosity. Tattoos aren't exactly that foreign a concept to him. In fact, Vax has several of his own, though most are covered by his current garb. The man, though, looks like a work of art.
And, judging by his strange manner of speaking, lives as a work of art. ]
I fear I am usually faster than this. But I can still run, if you know of a place where we can go where she won't be able to find us. [ And yes, he does feel at least a little bad for giving away V's hiding place. But at the time he really did think he was about to be mauled to death by mutts. ]
3.
Now it was a nightmare. (If only he knew what came next.)
The fog rolled in and everything got eerie and dangerous. What were with these dogs? At least they were slow moving. Dorian had one of his weapons with him at least but he would rather just avoid them. Exploring more and looking for a decent hiding spot. Maybe other things had changed?
But there were other things out there in the fog, too...
Dorian may have been hiding from one or the dogs... or maybe taking a breather to go through what few supplies he had to eat and drink while he could. All of the above. When the voice came from the other side of the door. He froze in place for a second. But it sounded like an honest-to-goodness person rather than any monster (hopefully) so he moved towards the door.
He wished sincerely that he hadn't opened the door. For another second he stood frozen, staring at the thing on the other side. Then his hand flashed out and snatched at the person between the two of them. He hoped they didn't object to him pulling them inside and slamming the door behind.]
I think, maybe... you should stay in here with me for a bit.
[He offered a shaky smile at the elfkind.]
I'm not sure I want to know but... do you know what that was?
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But, hey, at least he has company? Company who is neither a dog nor that terrifying specter that seems intent on following him wherever he goes. ]
I'm thinking perhaps you are right.
[ He manages a small smile back, though clearly looks weary, like he maybe hasn't had a decent night's sleep since he arrived. ]
Your guess is as good as mine, my friend. She looks like a pale imitation of something from my world, but beyond that, I haven't dared let her get close enough to find out just what matter of beast she truly is.
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Fair enough. That's probably the best option. Whatever she is, she doesn't appear all that friendly.
[Maybe even less so than the wild dogs. Dorian hasn't a clue but it seems a good guess. Nothing that looks like what that did has any business being anything but ominous.]
Well then. [an awkward beat occurs] ...Are you all right? Have you had any encounters with anything..else?
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No, she most certainly does not. I have learned enough times by now not to trust anyone except for the company I usually keep. [ He pauses as he realizes how ridiculous that sounds when he is talking to a complete stranger, and yet? Dorian did offer him a momentary solitude, so an alliance, even temporary, does seem to be in order. ]
Nothing else, just yet. Which is good, as I do not seem to have my usual array of daggers at my command, which is simply a travesty.
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[He offers the other man a small smile. Dorian had only recently come to realize just how much he trusted his current--or former at this point, he supposed--companions. He would do anything for them. Which was saying a lot considering that almost had meant making a deal with a a Betrayer God.
But trusting others? Not so much. Not unless he was following the lead of one of his companions. And often warily so.]
I would rather have liked a few more of my weapons to have made it here with me as well... I'm afraid I don't have any daggers to lend.
In the Fog
Each time he saw the Briarwoods a deep chill settled over him as if the fog itself was seeping it's chill into his bones. He had attacked the creatures once...and barely escaped with his life before being able to lose them in the fog.
As he is trying to find a safe haven he hears a familiar voice call out for help and Percy goes still unsure if he's hearing who he thinks he is or if it is this strange place fucking with his head. He creeps closer trying to see but the fog is obscuring his vision he can't risk firing off a shot and hitting Vax'ildan, Vex would never forgive him nor would he forgive himself
He slides Pepperbox out of it's holster and holds it loosely in one hand praying he isn't about to walk into a trap. He creeps closer trying to stay out of view of the Manifestation by moving behind it. When he thinks he is close enough he hisses.]
Vax.....Vax'ildan...come towards me...move slowly....
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He draws in a deep breath and closes his eyes, willing himself to push away his fears. He's fought beholders, mindflayers, dragons, for fuck's sake. And while he isn't armed with his usual arsenal, he knows how to be evasive.
With light steps, Vax is careful not to walk in a wholly straight line as he creeps ever so closer to Percy and away from his line of fire. He holds up a finger cross his lips and shakes his head, telling him not to make a sound. The last thing they both need right now is to draw attention towards them with a loud gunshot right now, after all. ]
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[The one thing Vox Machina has been good at is non verbal communication, it's the verbal type that tends to cause them trouble. as such Percy quickly figures out what Vax is not saying and gives a tight nod in response. He wasn't about to risk shooting this thing, but a reminder never hurts. He adjusts his position slightly trying to make sure that Vax stays in his line of sight, but he's not within the range of Pepperbox. He's hoping they can get away before this thing attacks them. His wounded shoulder is still throbbing after his last attempt.]
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There is also the matter that the last time Vax saw Percy he had died, by Anna Ripley's hand, but given the state of this world, he simply assumes he, too, must have died as well. Strange, though, seeing as how he would have assumed his own death would have placed him in the service of the Raven Queen.
But he has no time to think about such details. Whatever this is, they both need to think fast and move faster. ]
The canine creatures seem to not bother you if you stay far enough away. It's that thing that worries me. [ He keeps his voice hushed, glancing over his shoulder as he is careful to direct themselves in a path away from any dogs. At least the Manifestation doesn't seem to be much faster right now, though who knows how long that will last? ]
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[Percy has no idea he died in his pursuit of Ripley. He remembers being angry...remembers the shouts, but he'd been blinded by his rage, blinded by guilt and then he'd woken up here and been chased by his nightmares. He is tired and worried and for a moment he just drinks Vax in and isn't really listening to what he's saying until he gives his head a small shake and draws his attention back to the words. He glances at the Manifestation and speaks quietly.]
If you attack them first they will attack you, but otherwise they will simply follow you when you run. They are very strong..and it is difficult to extract yourself if they pin you down.
[His shoulder throbs as if reminding him of his rash actions.and for a moment he looks pained but it quickly passes.]
If we back away slowly we should be able to hide in the fog without issue.
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2.
some things are better left in the past, where berating voices can't be more than distant memories.
he clears his throat, lifts a hand to wipe at his cheek because eddie has been crying. ] Who's Gorg? [ easier than letting anything on the tip of his own tongue slip through. ] And hey. They're not here, man, so they're better off than we are.
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Oh, he's, uh, a traveling companion of mine. [ A brief montage of all the times the two of them pranked each other fills his head -- would that constitute them as friends? Frenemies, maybe? ]
I think you have a point, though. Perhaps it's for the best they're not here. Suppose I'll just have to make new companions. [ He laughs, mostly at himself. There had been a time not too long ago when making friends was the last thing he saw himself doing, when cutting his losses and running off with his twin sister seemed like the most sensible course of action.
Now here he is, thinking about how maybe it's not so bad having people you can rely on in the face of danger. ]
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he takes a shuddering breath, nods. he hadn't been thinking about it like that, actually, more focused on the fact that fate was a cruel bitch. but there is a positive spin to this, there is, and eddie isn't prone to it but he can cling to that too. ] Yeah, they're... hopefully safe at home, yeah?
[ he says looking back out at the stage, then his companion. ] New friends aren't always a bad thing, yeah? [ says the guy who's not known for being friend, for having much to offer in terms of friendship to anyone who's not already on the outskirts of the circle and the bottom of the food chain. ] I'm Eddie. If you're looking for new friends.
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Besides, while his sister seems out of reach, he feels lost and empty, like missing a limb. Perhaps the only reason he sheds no tears is sheer willpower. ]
I would like to believe that. [ He tries not to think about his last memories, of the guttural scream from his sister that will forever haunt his memories. If the world still continues to spin without him, then he can only hope that Pike can revive their fallen companion. ] It's funny, I'm not usually the one for optimism.
[ Maybe he's just kidding himself at this point, and maybe this will end up being just temporary, but it's a nice sentiment, to be able to make friends. ] A pleasure to meet you, Eddie. I'm Vax'ildan, but most just call me Vax. [ He offers an outstretched hand to Eddie to shake, tilting his head to the side with the most charming smile he can muster in spite of the charged emotions they both are still experiencing. ]
1. Arrival
At the familiar sound of her brother's voice, she takes off until she finds him and lets out a huge sigh of relief. Every time they've been separated, nothing good has happened, but if he's here, then there's at least a point of reference she can work with.]
How dare you defame me, dear brother. Of course I only make shopkeepers who refuse to reasonably negotiate cry. And that's mostly because they're terrified of Grog behind me. [She sniffs as if she's actually offended and tosses her head to the side as she smothers a smile.] The fact that you're the first person I've seen at all is either a good thing or a very, very bad one. I haven't decided yet.
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But even he has to admit his imagination is not that good, and when Vex appears by his side, drudging up quite the impressive offended act, he tries his hardest to bite back the smirk that's itching to come out. He rolls his eyes and lets out a huff, crossing his arms across his chest. ]
Please, I think Grog's purchased enough potions to disprove that theory. [ And just like that, he's grinning because he can't not grin when suddenly he's not feeling quite so alone anymore. ] Definitely a bad one. Terrible, even. Sorry, looks like you're still stuck with me, Stubby.
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Potions he's purchased at outlandish prices that I cannot condone! [She's not sure whose idea it was to let Grog and Taryon out to shop together, but it's a terrible one and she will never let it happen again. But she does give her twin a smile as the sense of rightness of being with him again settles throughout her body.] And I suppose there are worse things than to be stuck with you. I've known you my whole life, after all.