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Iris "If it's time for confessions, then I must admit I'm not comfortable doing this either. My sort isn't so much suited for adventuring, but rather aiding and abetting. We're easier targets for annoyed overlords-- cottages are difficult to move on short notice." Iris pauses, absently weaving one of her vines through her fingers. "Be that as it may, I am rather effectively uprooted at the moment... and the gnomes' problems did have at least a hint of the political to them. If there is a common cause..." The dryad looses her vine. "I'm not comfortable, but I'll go."
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Feb 21, 2014 04:58
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| # ? Apr 26, 2024 07:17 |
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Knowing that one way lead away from totalitarian army baying for the blood of one Rupert Stiltskin, the course of action was obvious. Really, any other option would just be idiotic. There was just one way to go and that was down the road, away from the danger Rupert brought upon himself. It worked a hundred times before, and it was going to go and work again now. Making good time, it's only a matter of minutes before our group of adventurers were at the outer limits of the Democratic People's Republic of Kalabria. You could tell it was the outer limit, because the dense and rich forest that surrounded the road that lead here abruptly cuts off right outside a stone gate. An old, broken down, covered in old creepers and moss stone gate.  The trees didn't seem to even want to go near it, hanging well back of the stonework. It's like the wall and gate were forced in and everything in it's way was cut down and tossed away. Water poured down either side of the gate, but there was no wearing down of the brickwork. The water was a recent addition, perhaps something else the gates forced its way through to be where it was. The structures behind the gate looked more like ruins than anything lived in, and similarly didn't look like they were in habited in the slightest. In fact, other than their recent addition of one Mr. Stiltskin, the group couldn't see, hear, feel, or otherwise sense anybody else. And hadn't since they first arrived. At the same time, those more attuned to Wonderland and its natural goings on (including Night) could clearly tell that the stone gateway was put here by somebody. And recently.
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Feb 21, 2014 07:29
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Night FP: 4/3 Night runs straight for the gate with Rupert in tow. "Hello? Anyone home?"
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Feb 21, 2014 20:39
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"No!" A lone voice sounds out after a few moments, coming from somewhere around the stone gate.
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Feb 23, 2014 05:44
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Night FP: 4/3 The fey woman races after the voice, baton readied. Not for protection, of course. That would look mean. It's merely a counterweight so that she can remain balanced while running with Rupert in the other hand. "No? Who says no~?" She responds in a teasing tone. She drags her bludgeon along the stone walls so that its steady taps announce her path of travel to those in hiding. "Come out, come out, wherever you are~♡! I just want to talk! Are you so unwelcoming of all of your guests?"
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Feb 23, 2014 06:55
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Arachne Oh my. Ana hasn't seen such a failure at not being seen in centuries. While Night does her threatening lunatic bit, Ana lingers towards the back, eyes surveying the stone wall and the overgrowth, looking for entry points that the spider could take advantage of. Ana uses a Sneaky approach to try to find something climbable or otherwise sneak-inable Platonicsolid fucked around with this message at 16:40 on Feb 23, 2014 |
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Feb 23, 2014 16:22
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Iris You don't need to be intimately attuned to nature to sense there's something amiss with that big wall, but it helps. Iris hangs back, gazing at the thing with distaste. Between it and the trees there's nothing but scrub grass and packed dirt, a poorly kept lawn that someone has nevertheless taken pains to keep from being colonized by new trees or, Goddess help them, flowers. "That's new. Those waterfalls are still cutting paths for themselves, and those bricks barely seem at ease with themselves, let alone each other. They haven't yet begun to realize they'll be stones again someday," the dryad muses. "Does seem a mite bit silly though. Put up this great, big wall, make the town look deserted... but you leave the road running straight up and through it. Just as much effort in making a road as there is in building a wall like that, or nobody holding their breath and hoping none snoop as they pass through. Unless you're contracted for work on the M-series."
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Feb 23, 2014 19:03
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Nathalie Nathalie hangs back with Carol when they come upon the gate. She notices Ana doing similar. More accurately, she notices the absence of Ana once again. It didn't look or feel like anyone was there, but Nat is suspicious of her senses given the fact that she doesn't know much about of the physical rules of wonderland. Yet. In a previous life, Nathalie would have found the glade tranquil and mysterious and enchanting. Now, being this close to running water just makes her skin crawl the way addicts in withdrawal feel bugs. Her instinct was to fade into the background to act when necessary, letting the situation develop and using it to her advantage. She knows the instinct was there when she was human, it's why she was good at what she did, but she wonders how much it's been amplified since she's been turned. Ultimately, she decides, it doesn't matter, as long as she could control it. Plan B, hang out with the half-dragon, seemed to be working fine. "Ready for another round of vampire toss?" Nat asks Carol, glancing at the running water, screwing her face up in revulsion.
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Feb 24, 2014 01:43
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Carol A wise dragon, eh? Up until very recently, Carol didn't even know she was a half-dragon. She would have sooner guessed the horrible daemonaic shadow blot that manifests and masks her true body in the mortal world and filled her with hungry inhuman instincts was the shape of some vaguely Lovecraftian half-lineage. Speaking of dragons and instincts, her breath whuffles huskily as she approaches the tumbledown gates. Tramping through the forest paths and overhang draw her to inhale deep gusts of air to pull in the smells of beast and fowl (potential prey.) and travelers (potential danger.) The gates are a surprise and she pulls up short, gazing at them with lamplight eyes. Unexpected not because they're there, unexpected because they look so... ruined, like the remains of the city beyond them. Some part of her feels drawn to this place, for monsters do like their secluded ruins, but it isn't expected of a country that has its own wireless network presence. "Abandoned?" she turns to ask a spider, only to find her suddenly gone. Likewise, Rupert is dragged past her in a Night blur as she asks, "Wait, is it supposed to look like this?" To Iris, she asks, "A put on, do you think?" Oops, so it looks like Night has found someone new at which to throw her brazenness. Better get over there. Finally, she shakes her head and crouches by Nathelie's side, "I've got a better idea," She unfurls one of her wings, "Climb in," folding it around the vampire completely if allowed, forming a shroud around her and curl it against her back. Vampire cocooned in wing against her back, the half dragon simply steps over the bridge like a kid stepping over a creek. When Nathelie's safe on the other side, she opens her wing again to release her from dragon-wing vacuum pac.
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Feb 25, 2014 09:22
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Rupert Stiltskin "See? No one's home, just like Nobody said. Now how about we just head on back the way I was going, away from the brutal, tyrannical autocracy..." He starts trying to pluck Night's fingers off his wrist, to no avail. "I mean really, just look at this place, such a dump. Nowhere proper ladies like you all should be, abandoned, no doubt LOUSY with bandits." He snaps his fingers and a crowbar appears in his free hand. Carefully, he tries to extricate himself from the deathgrip he's found himself in. "I'm told that such regimes often present the image of tranquility in the capitol while the hinterlands are left to go to seed. Ask me if I want to fight a regiment of knights and their chargers or a mob of starving peasants-turned-bandits and I will choose the spoiled brat on the pony every time, you can bet on it." The bar snaps and flies from his hand. "Samson's Mullet, woman, how bloody strong are you?"
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Feb 26, 2014 00:13
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Night FP: 4/3 "Hm?" Night stops suddenly, staring at Rupert blankly as she tries to parse a response. "I don't remember how much I can snatch. Is that what you're asking?" She cocks her head. "Did I hear you say something about bandits? Are we fighting them off right now?"
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Feb 26, 2014 00:22
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Nathalie Nathalie would've objected given the chance. She didn't know whether she would be able to control her freakout as she actually crossed the water. And a full freakout meant claws, and she didn't want to hurt Carol. The toss made more sense to her. It didn't matter though. Even as Nath felt her whole body trying to turn inside out for the agonizing seconds that they were crossing the stream, Carol's wings were made of much sterner stuff. Nath could hardly move, let alone hurt the half-dragon. When Carol releases her, she drops to the ground, "Thanks," she says before shaking her whole body like a dog that just got out of the ocean, then twisting and stretching and bouncing on her toes. "Feels like every muscle in my body just got knots all at once. Hate that."
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Feb 26, 2014 01:14
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Her initial chase after the voice, rapping her baton against the stone wall and all, causes that same lone voice to squeak out something which sounded rather perturbed. Clearly there was nobody here, it had said as much, but still this woman was intent on finding somebody! This wouldn't do at all. The voice, though, was still on the other side of the wall somewhere, in all likelihood, and the intrepid group of adventures hadn't crossed the gate just yet. And, temporarily distracted by her brave sir knight, Night had ceased her pursuit for the moment. The ~knock-knock-knocking~ of mayorly baton falls silent, giving the lone voice a moment of relief. Perhaps they would just leave, and all would be well. Carol was busy transporting Nathalie and Iris, as trees are wont to do, was standing back and taking stock of the situation. It was looking up for the lone voice, so far unseen by the intrepid group of adventurers! …wait. Where's Ana? Oh! There she is, already on the other side of the wall after having found a break in the wall underneath the leftmost waterfall. Probably from where the water was crashing against the stone that had been shoved in the way or similar. Water was an often overlooked but still powerful force, it had to be said. But Ana, on the other side of the wall and gate, had a better sense of what was going on around her. Including that there was somebody on this side, over the road and concealing itself somewhere between the wall and the somewhat flattened forest. In fact, on this side the trees, shrubs and brush was all somewhat flattened. But known for its resilience, the trees bushes and shrubs were all still somewhat standing.
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Feb 27, 2014 06:26
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Arachne Uch, waterfall. Sometimes you do what you have to, not the thing that's most comfortable. Getting through the waterfall results in a rather drenched and thankfully not washed out Ana, who climbs her way free and takes a brief breather to let most of the water flow off her. There's something slightly amiss...as if somebody's been here recently. No time to loose, then. She stays to the shadows as best she can and gets a look back at the gate. It shouldn't be too hard to go and crack open... Ana will use a Sneaky +3 approach to overcome the gate Platonicsolid fucked around with this message at 05:48 on Mar 3, 2014 |
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Mar 3, 2014 05:39
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While the lone voice thinks it's the cats pyjamas, all safe and sound from the noisy lot, Ana manages to avoid stepping on even one loose twig and rustle not even one leaf on her way towards the gate. There, with her deceptive strength gained through her curse (spiders are pretty strong for their size, after all) she has little trouble quickly and quietly lifting up the gate. The rest of the adventures see this quiet plainly. success!
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Mar 3, 2014 05:55
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Carol After helping Nathelie across the river, Carol watches in awe as Anna handles the front gate with a delicacy and quietude a creature her size shouldn't be able to do. Carol has never managed this kind of stealth. Still, she should be useful under these circumstances she muses, glancing back at her wings, "You're welcome," she murmurs, crouching to speak quietly to Nathelie, "I'm circling around to the side and flying over the wall, If I get noticed, I'm a distraction. If I don't, well, we have a flank." She tries to catch Anna's eye (And to be fair, there's a lot of dragon to catch the eye,) gesturing to her wings and a space down the way over the wall, before taking off and flying around to circle the wall a bit and swoop over the top at a different angle a fair distance away from the gate. ==== +2 to be clever in swooping around the side and going over the wall, providing a distraction for Anna and the others going in through the front. Drakli fucked around with this message at 14:11 on Mar 3, 2014 |
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Mar 3, 2014 13:42
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Iris "This had best not be the Nobody I'm passing familiar with. One trickster is enough; two is one-upsmanship looking for opportunities," Iris asides to the bits of the natural world that border the border-zone of this new wall. As the others approach in one way or another, Iris follows at a drifting pace. "Coo-- oh, that's right. Nevermind, there's nobody there," she begins, and corrects herself, noticing the opening gate and the unusual shape behind it. No sense in drawing the voice's attention further, not when Night will probably barge in and frighten the pants off of it in short order.
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Mar 4, 2014 03:14
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Night FP: 4/3 As expected of her, Night charges the gate with baton and knight in tow.
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Mar 4, 2014 04:06
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Arachne Quiet, quiet, so quiet... ...Up the gate, open the latch, move the beam. Ana does it all with what might be seen as agonizing slowness, but is in fact care and stealth. The gate opens slowly, just in time for Night to come charging through. Ana reaches out an arm to catch her. "Hold on, your honor," she warns. "We need to move carefully. Somebody's about."
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Mar 4, 2014 04:14
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Night FP: 4/3 "Oh?" She does a half-pirouette, half-about face in order to immediately stop all of her momentum. Rupert is swung around with equal speed, though it likely felt as if his arm was being torn out of its socket in the process. "Who's about? Is it the bandits?"
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Mar 4, 2014 04:19
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Arachne "No idea," Ana tells Night. "I'd rather find out about them before they find out about us." Platonicsolid fucked around with this message at 04:26 on Mar 4, 2014 |
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Mar 4, 2014 04:22
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In stark contrast to the stealthy entrance Ana made for everybody, Carol takes off just about as loudly as she could. The powerful beats of her wings kick up dust plumes and blow twigs every which way. Her take off hits a couple trees, cracking branches and rustling leaves like a herd of passing elephants might bludgeon their way through the scrub. And her foot catches the wall on the way over, kicking a brick free and launching it across the other side. It was pretty good for a first take-off flight, but not all that flash for a stealthy flanking effort. Nevertheless! Ana, Night, and (by virtue of Night) Rupert can spot, from their position at the gate, that all the noise and mild wall kicking has caused a sudden jump from the enveloping foliage! Carol might have just flushed out that voice! failure! all carol does is kick up a lot of noise and maybe act as a distraction??
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Mar 5, 2014 15:14
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Night FP: 4/3 "Found you~!" Night finally lets go of Rupert and charges towards the bush. "You can come out now!" [19:21] Atlatl quickly giving chase [19:22] Maidbot Atlatl, //-/+2 = 1 [19:22] Atlatl pfffffftttttttttttttttt Atlatl fucked around with this message at 01:22 on Mar 6, 2014 |
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Mar 5, 2014 18:52
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Letting go of Rupert knocked Night more off balance than she had reckoned, and she doesn't get back up to speed before she hits the scrub. The trees and bushes come off second best, of course (Iris would cringe at such a scene, bulldozers have gone through woods without as much destruction as Night was managing here), but it does slow the Mayor down even further. Which in turn allows the owner of that voice, who had now heard both Carol kicking over the wall and Night beating down trees, to do a runner through the bush. In the thick of it, Night has to beat and smash the trees in her way to get a look at what was in front of her. Which, while it did include the person she was seeking, didn't allow her much of an idea on who it may be beyond that. Ana and Rupert, though, had wisely stayed out of the fray which gave them a much clearer view. As well as Carol swooping overhead, and the others should they approach the scene. But running through the scrub and trees obscured the features of what they could see was a man, making any further identification tricky until he either stopped running or was taken down by Night. One thing, though, was clearer than most. Covering most of his back, which was facing our group of adventures all the way so far, was a rather prominent insignia. 
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Mar 6, 2014 04:13
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Night FP: 3/3 "Slow down there, friend!" Night begins to grow frustrated as she realizes that she isn't closing any distance to her target. She slows just enough to focus on weaving an illusion ahead of him. It wasn't anything particularly scary, though the forest did seem to twist itself in a distinctly unsettling manner beyond the runner. In reality, she had shifted the appearance of the open paths to impassible thickets. Conversely, solid trees now appeared as open paths. "Watch your step~!" Spending an FP to invoke Last night, Night Before and flashily create the advantage Watch Out For That Tree! with illusions. [22:29] Atlatl flashy [22:29] Atlatl !r 4df+4 [22:29] Maidbot Atlatl, --+++4 = 4
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Mar 6, 2014 04:32
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Arachne Juuuuust like she said. Ana winces when Carol blunders and makes a ruckus, and she goes rigid when somebody actually appears. Ana reaches behind her back, ready to produce a weapon if Night's ruse should fail.
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Mar 6, 2014 04:40
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Iris And poor Carol, unfamiliar with the other half of her heritage, knocks over a brick and sets off a chain reaction the likes of which Rube Goldberg might have seen in his nightmares. Iris watches Night take off like a bolt, discarding the trickster fellow like a launcher, and rather a lack of following on the part of others. "Bugger," the dryad sighs, ever so delicately. Through the open gate, she can see what wood and grass lies beyond waver and warp like a mirage. Iris sighs again. Not that she could very well ask the greenery to act on their behalf at this distance --shouting would be rude-- but not being able to properly perceive what she was addressing would have handily put the kibosh on that regardless. The dryad begins a casual stroll toward the gate, pausing near to where Night discarded poor Rupert. "She's like that all the time, I'm afraid."
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Mar 6, 2014 04:52
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Nathalie The Vampire is developing a habit of tagging along with whomever she views as having the most sane approach to any given situation. For a while, that had been Ana and Carol, but one just went stealth assassin and the other went Full Dragon. And Nath, standing on the path as they did, remained there momentarily, seeing what would happen. When Iris approaches, she does too. "It's hard to escape one's nature." She says in response to Iris. "Most are unaware. More still don't try."
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Mar 6, 2014 21:24
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Iris Iris raises a brow, glancing at Nathalie sidelong. After a moment, she smiles a little and nods. "Mm. True enough. Sometimes given that, it's safer to take someone aside and confirm their suspicions before they're confirmed the hard way. I may be a trifle late in this case, alas."
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Mar 7, 2014 03:04
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atlatl got a success with flair so his created advantage can be tagged up to two times for free before it fades away. just as a eff why eye
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Mar 7, 2014 23:36
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Iris A thought occurs to the dryad as she watches Night chase her quarry. "Oh dear. I've never thought to ask, but... can she see through her own illusions?" she asks, half rhetorically. With that, she falls. Rather folds, descending something like an elevator. Within reach of the ground, she stretches out a green hand (which is much more potent than a mere green thumb) and gazes toward the illusion-distorted treeline. Artists' impressions aside, trees spread their root systems much further outward than they do downward, and even so far away Iris can feel the scarce edges of that dendritic network. I realize you have suffered disruption and woe, and hardly wish to worsen that, but I must ask a favor of you, the dryad whispers, lips barely moving, voice little more than the rustle of dry leaves. The swift one knows not where your roots and creepers lie. Raise them slightly, strengthen your resolve, and help him to topple as your cousins were. --- [21:30] <Bieeardo> !r 4df+2 [21:30] <Maidbot> Bieeardo, ++//+2 = 4 [21:31] <Robodog> tagging the aspect gives you another +2 [21:31] <Robodog> which is free thanks to atl [21:31] <Robodog> so 6
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Mar 9, 2014 03:33
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The illusion of the forest suddenly closing in frightens the man, and he screams. He suddenly changes course, aiming for what in fact was a big, sturdy tree. With big, sturdy roots. Suddenly they shoot up, grabbing the man's foot as he tries to run past. Before he can ever scream he falls, hitting his head on the truck of the mighty pine on the way down. He skids a few feet from sheer momentum, but between his foot being caught up in the root and his concussion from whacking his noggin', he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. Laying in the dirt, groaning loudly in pain, he is now easy prey for Night to chase down. teamwork! guy is down and out of putting up any resistance. you got 'im!
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Mar 9, 2014 06:09
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Carol Saying Carol went Full Dragon might be unkind to the dragons. The thing of it is, Carol spent most (90 to 100%) of her flight experience in the Mortal World, where she kept most of her weight in another dimension, or... in the space between dimension. See, most of her mass was in her shadow, and whenever she took flight, the universe didn't know how to handle it, because shadows don't have mass and don't extend into other dimensions outside the universe's jurisdiction (that it knows.) By the time the universe figured out what to do about it, she'd already landed. End result, the universe popped off to have a beer and forget this ever happened and here is where the metaphor breaks down. At any rate, in Wonderland, Carol's mass is all here in the same place and dimension, fully and completely, and while the Cube Squared Law does not have it in for her here like it did on Earth, she is still extremely heavy and completely unused to carrying all of her weight aloft. Exerpts of her flight go something like, "Oh, wait, poo poo, poo poo," as well as "Ow!" when she knocked a chunk of the wall loose with her toe, and finally, flatly-toned, "Oh bollocks," as she tears half the shingles off a thankfully already ruined house in an effort to land. She stumbles down the street toward the felled runner, "Okay, I probably outweigh a rhino. That wasn't so bad a flight, considering. Also, that being said, now is not a good time to make fun of my weight."
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Mar 9, 2014 15:33
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Night FP: 3/3 The flora and fauna snap back to their actual positions just in time to reveal Night flying through the air at the runner. She elbow drops him, flips him over, and pulls him up by his collar. "Hey there friend-o, what are you running from?" She gives him a sincere, if disconcerting, smile. "Or rather, let me be clearer. Why are you running?" [20:53] Atlatl FORCEFUL INTERROGATION [20:53] Atlatl !r 4df+3 [20:53] Maidbot Atlatl, +-//+3 = 3
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Mar 10, 2014 01:52
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As if being roughed up by the trees wasn't enough, Night executes a perfect flying elbow drop on the man. He's pretty much a sack of spuds, the drop getting a dull *THUD* and hauling him up by the collar getting no resistance at all. And with Night at your throat and a looming, draconic Carol backing her up, that was probably the smartest thing to do. "Trying to hide…" The man in spades manages to get out between heavy breathing and his face being covered in dirt and leaves. "…from the troops. Don' wanna be here no more…" His hands trapped by both Night and some of the tree roots, he has to make do with shaking some of the grim off his face. "…wuz better before." He adds, managing to shake off enough to actually open his eyes somewhat. "…huh? Mayor?" He blinks a few times, his facing twisting into horror upon fully recognising who was before him. "MAYOR! AAAAAH!!!" gosh! looks like nights tagged the IT'S THE loving MAYOR RUN!!!! on the spades guy, he's screaming and running for his life. he cant run of course, but he can still scream like a baby in a bear trap Robodog fucked around with this message at 02:44 on Mar 10, 2014 |
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Mar 10, 2014 02:12
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Night FP: 3/3 Startled, Night springs to her feet and stares at the man as he flails helplessly. She shrugs to Carol and slowly backs away. "Now, now. No need to yell! I'm backing away, see?"
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Mar 10, 2014 02:45
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Carol Carol winces as Night elbow drops the downed man, and wonders if she herself is the only one who worries about her own strength. "Night, easy, he's already down! You don't have to-" And then, he goes berserk. Carol grits her teeth. She is almost startled when Night actually backs down from the terrified man. She crouches down, as if to try and looks smaller and less threatening to the man, a difficult task at the best of times. "Night, does the Suit of Spades mean anything to you? In Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the book, they were a working caste, or gardeners for the Court of the Queen of Hearts at least." She cranes her neck up and around, "Can we get someone in here that's good at calming people down?" == I expect that Carol's Invoke of being Big and Fearful (Beware the Carol) is in force regarding the poor guy. EDIT: Sorry, my error. It sounded like he was going to try to run due to Mayorness,and Night let go of him. My error.. Drakli fucked around with this message at 12:50 on Mar 10, 2014 |
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Mar 10, 2014 08:54
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he already cant escape
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Mar 10, 2014 11:43
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Arachne "Be quiet or I'll make you be quiet," Arachne says, getting up close to the man. He's not being touched by her, but well within reach is probably not a place most people would want to be. "Why are the soldiers looking for you?" she asks, her face softening a bit. "Who are they with?All we need is information and you can go back to fleeing." Is this where I would create a new aspect, perhaps one related to intimidation/interrogation? Or does my existing spy aspect cover it?
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Mar 11, 2014 04:40
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| # ? Apr 26, 2024 07:17 |
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your spy aspect is more for obtaining information surreptitiously in some manner, for outright intimidation/interrogation only being a huge driader kinda counts right now. besides, you have two blank aspects to create so fill one out why not
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Mar 11, 2014 05:29
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