RP:What is Hidden in Branches
Part of the Home Sweet Home Arc
Summary: Rikailin frightens a pair of innocents, Njirturong and Pilar, rather badly; the former is angry, the latter so terrified that she flees. Shortly thereafter, Dyraxdiin arrives, and the dragon and the druid speak more of the plight of Sage Forest. Dyraxdiin examines a branch in order to ascertain the nature of the curse as best he can, then promises to investigate tomes in the Mage's Tower. Rikailin, on the other hand, sets off in search of a drow, willing or not, who might shed some more light on the troubles of the forest.
OOC note: The first few posts are missing because I was the only one logging the RP, and I cleared by mistake.
Town in the Trees
The primeval woodland town continues to branch and wind itself into the trees, even as the architecture of the buildings becomes more apparent. All around, homes and shops are carved from the very bases of the mighty timbers of Sage. Pallets of the more pliable thicket line the eaves, shading the inhabitants from the ever-present forces of nature. Many visitors to this serene space may find themselves hushed unwittingly as they note in awe the beauty of the area. Pathways meander through to the north and south and the community sprawls out eastward; by contrast, it seems increasingly less civilized farther west.
Rikailin shakes her head, tangled black hair disgorging a few pine needles onto her bare shoulders. "I am Rikailin. I lived here once. I was exiled. The exile is over. I have returned home. I was not testing you, so much as I was entertaining myself." Here, though, Rikailin takes full measure of the discomfiture she has caused, only now being peripherally aware of the fleeing Pilar. Something is wrong with that one, too; her allies, acting as her eyes, not to mention the weird clicking sounds coming from the woman's retreat, tell Rikailin that there is something very peculiar about that lady's leg. She raises her voice though, to be heard. "All are safe in the boundaries of Sage Forest, so long as I am here. I play tricks, but I harm only those who first deal harm themselves. If I've frightened you, I apologize." Noticing Dyraxdiin's proximity, Rikailin turns to him, and tries a smile; it fails, but at least the grimace is a small one. "Dyraxdiin. It is nice to see you in a warmer place than when last we met. How have been your days and nights since?"
Dyraxdiin tilts his head at Rikailin's words, eyes to flick to the fleeing Pilar, whom he watches for a brief moment before responding, "Well enough, considering the state of Lithrydel as a whole." He returns her attempted smile with a smile of his own, still uncertain as to the depth of her vision, or lack thereof - really the woman is a bit disconcerting, with her uncanny knack to know just what and who is around her. Another indication of her resilience in a place so unforgiving as Lithrydel. "I'll go check on the other," He motions with a hand, "Don't want her stumbling into someone that truthfully wishes to visit violence upon her." Just a few nights prior, he and two others he met on the road near Larket were attacked in a similar fashion, but by a small army of brigands. Some of them could still be about. "Excuse me, Miss?" His feet to follow in the wake of his calling voice, "You are in no danger." He will follow Pilar's retreat with a steady, brisk pace.
Pilar was still on the ground, dragging herself away. Rikailin's words had little effect on her, same with Dyraxdiin. In fact, as he got closer, she pulled her dagger and, with shaking hand, pointed the curved blade at him. "St-stay back!" Her free hand went to her knee and attempted to pry the stone from her joint as she kept her eyes on the mage.
Ngirturong follows Rika's movements with her eyes, readying herself should the woman wish to entertain herself more. "Just when I start getting use to this place, BAM! Crazy f...."She swears" ...ing jumps out the bushes." Thoughts of returning to her rooms are becoming stronger, but she can't help but hear Pilar's fearful tone. None of my business she thinks as she turns to walk away. Once again, her gift of illusion turns on her for she stands face to face with am exact copy of herself. The copy folds it's arms with a disappointed look. "You two are getting real annoying." The copy says nothing but points in the direction of Pilar. "Fine!" Ngirt turns to face the gathering and leans forth. With that movement, the teen zips across the path as a blurred streak, appearing beside the downed Pilar. She lifts her hands to show that she means no harm. "Hey hey, chick."
Rikailin begins walking, stopping only long enough to pluck a branch from the bush beyond which she had been hiding. She moves in Pilar's direction with slow, measured steps, using the wildlife around her to map her surroundings. It is a skill she has honed over long practice, a skill which comes as naturally as breathing does to the living, though it does mean that a thin thread of her magic is always present and active. This makes of her a greater beacon than otherwise she might be, and makes it more difficult for her to go unnoticed. Her sightless blue eyes rove back and forth across the trees, as if they are actually seeing what they appear to see. In her hand, the branch feels lifeless, dead, and...wrong. Something in the wood, in the sap, in the few leaves clinging to its length. It lived, but it was...fading. Rikailin is a druid of some repute, and she does not understand this. Perhaps Dyraxdiin's timely arrival can shed some light on the situation. For now, though, there is an intimidated woman trying to run, and another trying to crawl, and both are Rikailin's fault. "Cry pardon," she says in a softer voice. "None shall harm you."
Dyraxdiin sighs under his breath, at a loss for what to do to help Pilar. Given he has only been awake for a little over a week, his social skills are still greatly lacking - especially where comfort is concerned. At the moment, he will raise a hand of his in universal gesture of peace, or 'okay'. He glances over to Ngirt, who is probably the most capable of the three to soothe Pilar, and a small smile touches his lips. At least she is here, he supposes. His mind relaxes and he begins to regard Rikailin once more. That branch... Sage! The subtle shift of his mana may be felt as he inspects the forest on a more intimate level, while managing to keep a concerned eye upon the two other women here. Perhaps the presence of this... disease is the cause for such a reaction to tonights odd meeting between the four. An idea struck him: could it possibly be having a negative impact on the people residing within its confines as well? Worry for more than the two women causes his brows to crease ever further.
Pilar shrieked when Ngirturong appeared suddenly near her. "Get away!" And now the other one was coming. If her undead heart could still beat, it would have been pounding. The stone was finally popped free, and Pilar managed to get up and ran as fast as she could back towards Kelay.
Ngirturong wonders if there something about her face that makes people frightened, as this would be the second time someone ran from her. Sighing, the teen refuses to give chase like before, instead she watches. With each of Pilar's retreating footfalls, she thinks, and glances down to her items. The yoyo has length she thinks, and a string which allows her to pull it back. She dwells on this thought, figuring she could use it to also pull other things back, perhaps even people. The rough idea in her mind is enough for her to spring into action, grabbing the yoyo, she wrenches back, tossing the yoyo forth in Pilar's wake. As it travels, a swirl of wind, earth gather at the head of the object, and thanks to Rika's exposing sub surface water, it too is gathered with the yoyo. The elements bind together, forming a large muddy chump. Quickly this clump churns and spread, and the vial of massive boney hand take shape, opening as seeks to grab the fleeing Pilar around her waist. Ngirt yanks upon the string of the yoyo. "Get over here!" She shouts, using her her might to pull Pilar back.
Rikailin watches through the eyes of her forest friends - in this case, a badger, a hawk and a cloud of bats in the sky - as Ngirturong's yo-yo latches onto Pilar. Channelling her mana briefly but strongly in the fleeing vampire's direction, the battle-druid flash-freezes and then shapes some of the water in the mud of Ngirturong's conjuration, shearing through the string only a split second after it has latched on, leaving Pilar to continue her headlong flight. "Best to let her go, I think," Rikailin says, continuing to move forward. She is hoping the teen will think her new creation simply failed on its own, and makes no further comment upon the latest occurrence. The vampiric elf reaches Dyraxdiin, holding out the branch. "The best way is fresh eyes, and a new mind," she says, by way of explanation. "What we spoke of. I am at a loss."
Dyraxdiin looks once more to the retreating form of Pilar and then again to Ngirturong, still at a loss for words. At this juncture, the branch is offered towards him by Rikailin and he is readily inspecting it like a foreign creature. Blue eyes to grow wide, searching, his hand will take the branch from Rikailin for better scrutiny. "Every blade of grass, every leaf...?" He'll ask, his voice to trail off as the arcane begins to grip the branch as much as his hand. Could the disease that harms Sage so, also share a common trait with the quake in Larket? Somehow, he is certain they are unrelated, though eerily similar. Both, he is even more certain, were caused by the hands of mortalkind. At any rate, the branch and all of Sage would require further investigation. The branch will glow a faint blue hue, as he attempts to fill it to the metaphorical brim with mana, testing to see if the influx will burn out the disease. While he is a well-learned mage, and understands the basic fundamentals of plantlife, he is no Druid. So, he will glance up to Rikailin for further statement, a second pair of eyes, as it were.
Ngirturong would glare upon Rika. Though she maybe new to this magic thing, she knows a thing or two, still she can't actually tell if Rika was the reason for the string snapping, but knows it wasn't use a failed attempt. Either the teen is pissed, that yoyo was still new, and she pull a lot of work into placing those stones within it. Oh well, it's just a simple yoyo, she could get another she thinks. Walking toward the head of it, she scoops it from the ground she stares at it. "Hmm, maybe I can work with this." Many ideas run through the teen's mind, but she needs to get back to the Academy to tinker with them. Without a word to the others, she leans forth. Her body slowly fades as if a screen of dust is settling to the ground, and she is gone with a fading blurred streak marking her leave.
Rikailin takes the branch back and studies it closely. Her own senses, so naturally attuned, scan the bough for remnants of the disease. "Still here," she says, "but something is different. It feels...defensive? As if there is some struggle going on. I...can't explain any better than that." But the battle-druid's mind is awhirl with ideas. She believes she might be onto something, and it has nothing whatsoever to do with the earthquakes. "It is as if trying to flood it with mana caused it to react to preserve itself," she murmurs. "Like a turtle. Poke at its naked head, and it withdraws into a shell. We could funnel raw force into the forest, and it would...perhaps only make sure that the infection did not spread. But it would forever warp the area, render it too magical. The slightest mis-alignment would set everything wrongly. No." She shakes her head, a few more pine needles falling loose. "As a first test, it is a good one, but I don't think we can use what we now know. Or, at the least, I can't." Rikailin has, it must be said, almost completely forgotten about the young girl and her yo-yo by this point.
Dyraxdiin nods his head in silent understanding. It is much like what he had said during their last meeting, something along the lines of 'forests have a powerful drive for self-preservation'. It makes sense. And perhaps she is right, that this cannot be used to cure Sage... The results in the interim may be beneficial for Sage, but after many thousands of years this could in essence cause the unnatural evolution of lifeforms after overlong exposure to such raw magical energy. That is to say if Sage could adapt to the foreign magic, instead of just dying off to the new foreign threat. "So a shock to its system may not be the correct path," A lone finger to idly tap at his lower lip in concentration, "Are you aware of any magical ailment, written in Druid texts? We may be able to adapt a solution to the current issue..." He himself begins to run the course of his memory in pursuit of anything that might stand out in his mind. The Mages Tower is host to a plethora of books on nearly every subject of intellectual pursuit, but nothing seems to come to mind in regards to this. "Death and decay..." He mutters, having himself forgotten Ngirturong in the wake of deep thought.
Rikailin shakes her head sadly. "No, I'm afraid not. To be honest, though, I know little of druidic texts. Most of what I learned, it came naturally to me. I needed no tomes to tell me the ways of things, but knowledge from them could certainly be of use now." She gives a rueful little shrug. "Drow infested this place, one very strong drow in particular. Perhaps the key is in the sorts of magic, spells and reagents they are fond of?" The woman has begun to look both impatient and weary, as if this problem may be too great for her.
Dyraxdiin grunts, a disgusted grunt of irritation. Drow. Chaotic little creatures, who will sooner knife you and steal your bread than simply ask for a seat at the table. "It may be that we will have to pay a visit to the Underdark." The magics they employ are of a wholly different breed than the great wyrm is schooled in. Darker things, better off left to texts in reference to what not to dabble in. "I'm certain a looksee in those darker recesses of Lithrydel will yield some results." He sighs under his breath, resigning to pay a visit to the city of Trist'Oth the first moment he can.
Rikailin | "I have been there," Rikailin admits, "though I confess that I was not searching for the secrets of their magecraft. I was rescuing the archdruid at the time. She is, by all accounts, alive, if not well. Has taken up refuge where even I cannot seem to find her...but that has ever been her wont when things are difficult. The Black Caves are a horrible place, even for such as you, I would warrant." Rikailin does not seem best pleased at the thought of returning to those underground places. "Very well, though. I suppose it is often best to study things from a source. And your methods are perhaps better than mine. I had thought to capture a drow and...convince."
Dyraxdiin laughs in response to Rikailin's last words, "That would probably be the easiest route. Do Drow frequently come to the surface?" In his time, they preferred to remain deep beneath the ground, where the others could not infringe on their dealings. The mage turns to inspect the forest to the south, his eyes searching as much for a clue in their twisted knots and striated bark as his own mind. "While I am not particularly fond of upsetting another persons path in life, this may be a good enough call for such an act. Sage is home to many more things than just plants... Without it..." He trails off, seemingly at a loss for words again this night.
Rikailin gives another small nod. "If I could but lay my hands upon a drow with the knowledge, I am confident of my ability to gain the necessary information. I have...ways." A dangerous glint comes into her eyes. "This is larger than myself. I will do whatever it takes. I will die, if that is what is needed. I believe I may have said that before. I would prefer not to have to spill blood, but I won't flinch, not if it is what must be."
Dyraxdiin nods his head, clearly seeing the resolute determination in the woman before him. Strength, indeed. "I will help you then. It is not a burden you should have to bear on your own. You've experienced too much on your own already." His gaze would realign on her, and despite her inability to perhaps see his exact expression this too is not something he will easily back down from. "I will need a few tomes from the Mages Tower, to use as reference to anything the Drow might say, so we are aware if it tries to lie."
Rikailin grins, showing her teeth. They are pearly white and rather pronounced, giving the woman a slightly feral appearance. "I have been there, to the tower I mean, but did not linger. You would know far more about it than I do, so if you could peruse those books, that would be an excellent next step. Mine, I think, is to find a drow." She stops a moment, running one hand back through her fall of black hair. "I don't relish this, you know. I am doing harm because harm was done. It is not balance. It is harm. But it must be done, for a greater balance still. But I do not relish it. I won't flinch. I won't stay my hand. But I don't enjoy any of this. I hope you understand that." She sighs; it is entirely unnecessary, given that she is a vampire and thus freed from the need to breathe, but she does it anyway. "I would be best pleased to simply live out my days wandering the forest, left alone, I think. But such is not the charge."
Dyraxdiin smiles solemnly to the her, a sad smile of a certain familiar knowing. He too, has walked the path she must in order to maintain the greater balance. It is what cost him so dearly, the life he could have had in his time. He only hopes it is not so costly for her, but somehow understands that it may very well be. Life is as fickle a thing as the sea, it would seem. "I wish you luck, Rikailin. I will find what I can in the tower and meet you in the forest."
Rikailin turns smoothly, sensing that this meeting might well have played itself out. Glancing back over her shoulder but not slowing down, she calls, "Thank you. However this happens, no moss will grow upon your good deeds." A sort of backward way of saying that she, Rikailin, will make sure it is known who aided her, and will make sure that all those who play a part in the healing of the forest will be remembered ever after.