Misty Morning

[wants_the_phd]

WHO: Adventurers
WHERE: Beyond the edge of the mist
WHEN: idk, we'll figure it out later

[It's a frosty morning at the edge of the outer pasture, where some intrepid explorers are about to dive into the mist in pursuit of herbs.]

Comments

[adorabrawler]

[ Fortunately, Spinel is tiny! So it probably isn't hard to yank her up by her clothes as she grips tightly around Warden. ]

—Eurgh. ... What was THAT?!

[wooliefrand]

[what WAS that. wild. In any case--woah, fast travel much!

They may notice they are back in the area of dead forest with extremely thin mist. They don't have to stay tethered to each other here.

But it also means they are close to that Place.

Meanwhile, Lyra's arm briefly stops turning black as Warden speaks to it, but it is kinda drippy. If she squeezes it, she can even shape it. Neat it!]

[eonsadrift]

[ Zenith quirks an eyebrow at Warden but he's not going to question it, not when Lyra's arm looks like... that.

He straightens to look around, dusting himself off and lowering his voice. ]

We're close. Stay quiet, talk only if necessary.

[ He glances towards Lyra, remaining in business mode. ]

...can you continue?

[aididitmyway]

[She does... try... to do that... and just makes this gross "ew" face at what's happening.]

Gross. I can keep going, but I don't... know what this is.

[The drippiness is concerning. Aqua's never going to let her leave the pasture again.]

[jerkalope]

The insults were necessary. It's the best way of keeping that disgusting stain on her contained.

[ shoots Lyra a look that doesn't look like an apology but maybe a "hey, it is what it is" explanation ]

[adorabrawler]

[ Hm. Worrying! ]

It... looks like we're close, at least. The sooner we get this done, then—the sooner we can help Lyra.

[ Spinel cants her head forward, beginning the trek through the forest. ]

But let us know if you're not okay, alright?

[wooliefrand]

[Just a malleable ink hand, it's fine Lyra. You can write so many letters.

And so they walk, and in the distance, they can see the mansion! Or what...remains of it. The roof is very much still gone from their fight. And even from outside, it looks emptier. Like things have been removed from it. There aren't any guards right now either.

There is also that thorny path, blocked off by vines. The a soft, pink light emits from the cave at the end of it, but they'd need to get through the vines to continue down that path.

So where do they go?]

[eonsadrift]

[ Zenith nods in agreement with Spinel, but for now she's not imminently dying and he's still mercenary enough to think that perhaps they can use it to their advantage. it's a cool new power lyra didn't you want cool new powers

But his attention remains split between the mansion and the cave. ]

...looks like its been abandoned.

[ He isn't sure if he should be annoyed, disappointed, or relieved, but what he ends up feeling is a mix of all three.

But he gave them a plan at the start, and he intends to stick to it: so he leads towards the cave and the vines, flicking an experimental cutting windblade towards the vines to see if he can slice through them. ]

[aididitmyway]

Yeah...

[... She's snapping pictures of the dilapidated mansion and stuff. Same with the entrance to the cave. With her good hand, but the weird drippy ink sure is weird and listen even if she can do inky things she's... not... sure... what to write right now?

also listen she wanted cool powers but she didn't realize a wolf laser would be her origin story.]

[jerkalope]

[ having done 1 useful thing besides being present, he's just vibing right now ]

[adorabrawler]

[ Warden is valid, he can do whatever he wants. Or not do.

After Zenith flicks a windblade down the path, Spinel goes to yanking some more vines out of the way with the curved end of her pipe. ]

Looks like someone hasn't been maintaining their garden.

[wooliefrand]

[More the opposite, these vines were put up with purpose, deliberately trying to deter nosey people. Like Clovers.

However. . .ultimately, they are just thorny vines and can be ripped apart. There are many, but eventually , they can plow through.

Once they do, they're greeted by a surprisingly pleasant smell. The entry to the cave is lined with all sorts of flowers-- lilies, bluebells, roses, peonies, daffodils, clovers, thistles, daisies, petunias, and many, many hydrangea.

The light being emitted might be familiar to Warden, as something of a light pink, translucent wall can be seen shining in the back.]

[eonsadrift]

Let's collect some of the fresher flowers. Gather extras of the hydrangea, there must be a reason there are so many of them...

[ Warden wasn't lying though, it definitely looks exactly as described. He's going to approach the glowing wall at the back to try and get a better look. ]

...does it look the same as you remember, Warden?

[aididitmyway]

Good thing I brought my bag, right?

[Because she's gathering what she can while the jackalope and zenith check everything else out atm]

[jerkalope]

[ his voice is less brazen than usual as he huddles in Spinel's arms and points with a twitchy nose towards the pink translucent wall ]

Yeah, that's where the body was.

[adorabrawler]

[ ... ]

Wow.

[ She takes a moment to crouch down by a patch of hydrangeas, plucking out a blue one. (If Warden wishes to hop down, this is a good time, as well.) Her eyes scan over everything—the flowers, the light—with a childish sense of awe. ]

It's beautiful here.

[wooliefrand]

[True to word, there IS a coffin in there! And a body. You can't quite make it out though, as the crystal has become a bit foggy. Wait--are there cracks in it? Hm.

Additionally, all the offerings before have been cleaned up--no fresh food or cut flowers have been left. What DOES stick out is now there's a small table, with a notepad on it. It's in a language they can't read--but warden can. It's just a single line, however.

Move before anyone defiles her memory--

And then something of a hastily scribbled map, with Xs and notes on possible relocations for the grave. Hm.


Meanwhile, Lyra's arm starts turning blacker.]

[eonsadrift]

[ It is beautiful, admittedly. It's a very nice, very sentimental memorial to someone who must have been deeply loved.

Too bad. ]

...Lyra. Make sure you take a picture of all this.

Spinel... we need your pipe. [ He gestures to the coffin- specifically to the cracks. ] Let's break this open.

[aididitmyway]

Don't worry, I'm on my way!

[She's miss "I'm not paying attention to my weird creepy arm", but she's taking several pictures of everything just to have a ton of copies on her phone. She's got flowers and pictures and a weird ink arm, she's got this.]

... Do you want me to take a video of you guys cracking it open? I can. Just in case something... weird happens.

[jerkalope]

[ he is going to comment on the arm being a Concern but the map is a more immediate need, and he leaps out of Spinel's arms to analyze it and hopefully memorize what, if any, landmarks or spaces there are for guidance. he's so engrossed he almost forgets to warn...oops definitely too focused on map now. ]

[adorabrawler]

—Oh. Umm...

[ Spinel pushes herself back to her feet, hurrying to the other end of the cave; when she sees what lies back there is, in fact, a coffin, she pauses, hesitant.

Wolf cave or not, she can't help but feel that breaking into what's possibly the resting place of someone is a horrible thing to do, but... They did come all this way for a reason, and she can't make it all for nothing. ]

Alright. Stay back.

[ She lifts her pipe, and like a bat, she uses her strength to smash it into the crystal. ]

[wooliefrand]

[well

I was going to say it takes more than that, but that is a silver ass pipe so.

Crash.

She beats and beats at it, the crystal shattering in chunks, dissolving into sparkling bits. As she breaks it down, they're greeted with a sweet, pleasant scent. The coffin is actually resting on a bed of purple petals and berries--belladonna. Do they know what that is? Hm.

In any case, it's an open casket. Look inside. . .?

For Warden though, the note has some potential location, but one that partically stands out is labeled The City..]

[eonsadrift]

...good work.

[ He does recognize the scent, however. And while he's immune to poison, the others definitely aren't. He's going to pocket a few of the berries, though.

As he leans forward to peer into the casket, he grabs the back of Spinel's jacket to keep her from getting TOO close. ]

-careful. There's poison around it. Don't touch anything.

[aididitmyway]

[Gently leaning over, phone out to record everything going on for posterity's sake.

Hey everyone, welcome to my channel.]

Noted. We'll be careful, Zenith.

[jerkalope]

The City of...what?

[ just muttering while anarchy is being rained down in the background. he's an intelligence gatherer, not a fighter. but the sickly sweet scent of belladonna makes him pause and look up-- ]