< Questioning the Dark | Ex Pulplogs | That's Plannin' Talk >
ST After a few more minutes taking with Carmine, Corve goes up to take Xar's place watching over Sun. The hulking lizard pounds his way down the stairs, having just been informed of Falling Darkness's loss of face. He peers towards the spot on the floor that is all that remains of said face. And head.
Xar "Why did you kill him?"
ST The remains have already been wrapped up by Carmine, as they wait for Myrrh to help with properly laying the body to rest so that the Abyssal's Hungry Ghost doesn't terrorize (and slaughter) the villagers. While doing said waiting, Oteki wakes up from his gin-induced nap.
Myrrh "Don't ask me...I would have asked him more questions myself.
Myrrh "But you know how Corve gets..."
Xar sighs. "Did he say anything useful before he died?"
Myrrh "I'm not sure, you should ask Carmine she was there. I was busy working on the artifacts.
Xar looks at Carmine questioningly
Carmine "Because he'd told us everything he was going to. Even Corve's charms could only make him answer three questions."
Xar "Why not ask again tomorrow?"
Captain Oteki slowly saunters his way down from the room where he had until recently been sleeping off a bout of bleeding profusely from the face and being too cold to care. He somehow manages to appear more disheveled than usual, though he has apparently adjusted and properly secured the black linen wrappings that now cover him from the neck down under his shorts and horrible marine-theme-printed shirt. "Wait, 'e's dead?" he mutters grog
Xar "Or without charms?"
Carmine "He barely answered us with Corve's most powerful charms ... I don't think he would have told us anything more, even if Corve did torture him. Anyway, he is dead now."
Myrrh "Well for the moment. I'm trying to hasten it before he comes back and eats the poor widow. Xar, can you help me dig a hole?"
Carmine "Before he died he told us how to defeat the cult." She says happily. "We have to kill the Shadow Serpent."
Xar "How?"
Captain Oteki nods slowly at Carmine's explanation, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "Did 'e 'appen to give ye any details, or am I gonna be wanderin' about askin' th'local ne'er-do-wells where they be keepin' their shadowy serpents?"
Carmine "Go to its home, the city below the sands. Take the weapons we found on the sunken island and kill the master before the serpent can withdraw itself."
Xar "Which weapons, though? We have... a lot of things."
Captain Oteki scratches the back of his head. "I didn't even get to go to no sunken islands. Ye lot came bubblin' up out o'the deep before I 'ad time to get me scavengin' on."
Carmine "He didn't say ... all of them, I suppose."
Xar "Well..." he looks at Myrrh. "Then we will look at them, find which ones have potential."
Carmine looks down. "The last thing he said was that we can't do anything to stop my change."
Xar "We will find a way to change you back, then."
Captain Oteki leans up against something, and proceeds to attempt to regain control of his hair, unsuccessfully. "Did 'e 'appen to say anything about th'nature o'this mysterious transformation bein' immutable an' wholly negative in nature?"
Carmine "Of course it's negative in nature! I no longer shine with the sun! I find myself covered in blood and bone! When I heal people my magic seeks to hurt them too! How can that possibly be good?"
Captain Oteki manages to tie most of his hair back with a piece of violet ribbon, save for a few wayward strands sticking out of the front. "I ain't sayin' it's a good transformation, not the way it is. What I am sayin' is that usin' the talents an' abilities of yer obviously brilliant friends who happen' t'be filled wit'the mighty juice o'Sol Invictus to go about judiciously alterin' the final circumstances o' said transformation in so
Myrrh "Exactly carmine, i'm sure we can come up with something. Why i've just about figured out how to work soulsteel. Shouldn't be too hard...although I might need to learn Necromancy...
Captain Oteki said transformation in some manner so as t'achieve a result ye might desire ain't even remotely similar to stoppin' it from 'appenin' in th'first place." he explains. "In my line o'work, ye learn that every immutable contract be havin' loopholes, an' in most cases, ye Solar Exalted be the source o'them."
Myrrh attempts to pat Carmine reassuringly although he might not get that far.
Xar looks at Myrrh, alarmed. "You should not also turn to the darkness."
Myrrh "There's nothing WRONG with necromancy, Xar. It's all about the use..."
Myrrh "Anyway we're getting ahead of ourselves here."
Captain Oteki "Myrrh be correct. Necromancy can be a barrel o'fun. Why, I knew this charmin' ghostly courtesan in Sijan who 'ad a whole set o'different necromantically sculpted bodies she could put on like clothes..." he explains, trailing off.
Xar frowns.
Carmine scowls.
Xar "It seems to be a temptation from the true path."
Myrrh "Xar, i'm not saying i'm just going after it but if we're going to help Carmine with her condition we might need to tap into the dead side of essence. Although maybe with some essence ca-no. No that would kill her." Seems puzzled, and off track like he usualy gets at the thought of a new project.
Carmine "...some essence ca-...? What?"
Captain Oteki "Everybody be havin' their own paths, Xar me lad. Some truer than others, admittedly, but so long as the end result balances out t'be more good than bad, ye're still on the right track." he explains. "Worse comes to worse, I 'eard somebody in the fat cracklin' offices o'the god o'Exaltation was workin' on reversin' similar processes to this one. Maybe I can get an appointment or somethin'." he notes, before going abruptly silent.
Myrrh "Well Carmine, while I was thinking of a way to imprison Falling Darkness. it was just a thought but if we could somehow suck the...oblivion out of whatever happened to what made him an exalt..but it would kill him. It only would work on the shard itself."
Xar gives Oteki a thoughtful look, then rises. "Hmnh. I am going to look through the artifacts from the deep."
Myrrh "And i'm sure I can work out any bugs from THAT fiasco. Remember the thing with the demon money Xar?"
Myrrh is rambling again of course.
Captain Oteki rises as well, pushing off from the miscellaneous object from which he had been leaning. "I'm gonna go for a walk through town, see if I can't find a decent market, get some fresh food. Ye lot want anything while I be out? I 'ear they grow some interestin'ly hardy teas up in these parts."
Myrrh "Wait Xar i need you to do some grave digging! I'm no good with a spade and it's all frozen!"
Xar "grave..digging?"
Myrrh "Well we have to properly appease falling darknesses tormented soul or he'll rise up again and eat the town."
Xar "Ah. I can help, yes."
Captain Oteki "An' I've seen that sort o'thing 'appen before. Rarely pretty. Hungry Ghosts don't tend t'be tidy eaters."
Xar picks up Falling Darkness' body as if it weighed nothing, and exits the ship to find a suitable burial ground.
ST By ship, of course, Xar means house. The house of the local widow who has allowed them room and board while she stays with her sister's family.
Xar does indeed mean house, and reflects on how such a small house seems just like a ship's small cabin as he looks for a spot outside of town
Xar sets down the body, then crouches down, having found a suitable spot that the sun shines upon throughout the day. He closes his eyes for a moment, touching the spirit of the stone, and then digging his claws into the ground which melts away from his touch, moving to obey his will.
Captain Oteki wanders the town purchasing essential supplies and maybe purchasing, freeing, and then hiring a slave or two should the opportunity arise, the merchandise be interesting and unique, and the price be right.
Xar drops the body in unceremoniously and then, on second thought, arranges his body in proper state, though without any of the possessions he would carry beyond. He stands back to let Myrrh sprinkle the salt and say the prayer.
Myrrh prays and burns a few offerings, wondering how the abyssal would feel about being a ghost after all of the abuse his kind pours upon the poor wretches.
Captain Oteki also makes an effort to use a little of his copious Resources background to purchase some miscellaneous and personality-appropriate shiny things for his friends and for Corve's daughter, in an attempt to inject a little levity into an otherwise dour day.
Xar says his own prayer for the purification of the soul, and lights Falling Darkness on fire, that burns gold
Manu is of no help during the ceremony to keep Falling Darkness from coming back and terrorizing. So he's telling Sunshine Blossom about the adventures they've been having, barring some details. She's young and impressionable, after all.
Corve is of no help during the ceremony to keep Falling Darkness from coming back and terrorizing. So he's telling Sunshine Blossom about the adventures they've been having, barring some details. She's young and impressionable, after all.
Captain Oteki eventually returns, bearing numerous essentials to be brought on board the Omen, as well as shiny trinkets for all to enjoy!
Myrrh "Oteki, you seem...theatrical enough. Care to help us with the rites?"
Carmine "I can say them, if you tell me what to say."
Xar hesitates for a second, then nods and explains the rites to Carmine.
Myrrh "Ah alright then. It involves a bit of chanting."
Carmine nods, and repeats the rites back to Xar. Then she turns back to the pyre which is starting to catch as Xar lets the flames burn higher and golden. She throws salt on the flames as she starts the chant, throwing the effigies that Oteki had brought onto the flames as she does so, black silks for his bandages, an eyepatch ... a pair of swords. Then she starts to chant louder, dancing around him, white silks reflecting the golds and reds of the flames.
ST With Carmine's superlative performance of the rites and the sacrifices provided by Oteki, the ghost is laid to rest in the most permanent way possible. Even if Falling Darkness does rise as a ghost, he won't be back to trouble these poor folks.
Corve is busy trying to explain to his daughter that no, he doesn't know if Carmine wants her to call her 'mom', and that really, it's a question that might be best kept until after all this adventuring has ended.
Xar gets back on the boat and retires below to study artifacts!
Carmine takes the necklace and earring from one of her pouches and goes to find Xar, or Myrrh, or preferably both of them.
Xar is surrounded by various items from the sunken island, deep in study
Myrrh is also studying, only more focused on the weapons.
Carmine "Are you busy?" She asks the pair of them as she steps into the room in the hold, wrapped in lengths of red silk.
ST After making their arrangements to pay the widow and leaving the small northern village, everyone returns to the Ill-Omen and take off, leaving the frozen lands and the iced-over glacial city of darkness far behind, hopefully forever in that last case.
Xar "Hmm. Yes, but it is a long trip, and I would not mind a break."
Myrrh "Sure, what do you need?"
Carmine "Well, it's sort of more studying I want to ask you about. I found these." She presents exhibits A, B and C for inspection, "In the tomb. But when I tried to put them on, they made me .. tingle. So I want you to watch for anything ... odd that happens as I put them on..."
Myrrh "Well alright but I'd wish you'd let us look at them first..."
Carmine "Well, if you're not gonna spend all day or all week..."
Myrrh "Well we have quite a bit to go through you have to understand."
Myrrh holds out a hand for the jewelery of doom.
Carmine hands it over. She settles down for a long, long wait.
Xar assists Myrrh in studying the jewelry of doom, passing them back and forth, and making observations about their construction and potential
ST Myrrh and Xar are, of course, taking their time in studying the diamond necklace, the golden arrow, the earrings and bracers of orichalcum and the other, lesser items, retrieved from the sunken island's catacombs. Meanwhile, the Ill Omen whisks everyone to one of the lesser islands of Brume: Pelf. The one island where anything can escape notice of Brume's plutocrats.
ST Pelf should be safe enough for Corve and the others to land without getting into trouble with Brume's government which still wants to turn him in for all those murders that Falling Darkness framed him for. On this island, Corve can make arrangements to get Sun back to Myrrh's wife. Probably.
ST The results of the investigation into the necklace and earrings that Carmine had wanted looked at is fairly simple. The items are immensely strong vessels of Solar Essence. It seems as if their nature allows them to greatly magnify the natural properties of Solar energies that make them so destructive to dark creatures. If properly used, it is likely they could destroy nearly any dark creature.
ST Or, at the very least, vastly weaken creatures of the darkness.
Myrrh "Hmmm!" Perks up immediately, shushing any questions and continues to examine them, lowering his odd looking goggles. "Amazing!"
Carmine "... What?"
Myrrh "They're...magnifiers I guess would be the closest term. They take what is pure about the solar exaltation that damages creatures of darkness. If you used it properly..."
Myrrh "Although maybe it's best you didn't-" Stops and seems to be on another train of thought.
Carmine "Speak in full sentences!"
Xar nudges Myrrh
Myrrh snaps out of it for a moment. "Well....you might not want to put it on. If what falling darkness said is correct it might hurt you!"
Xar "I wonder if it would stave off the transformation."
Myrrh "Hm...maybe. Or it might immolate her with her own essence."
Myrrh "Only one way to find out though."
Corve wanders in, having left Sunshine playing back at his and Carmine's bunk. "One way to find out what?"
Myrrh "If the jewelery Carmine has is going to help her keep from turning into an abyssal."
Carmine extends her hands for the jewellery.
Myrrh "Or...if it might make her explode."
Xar "If you wish to do this, you must try only one at a time."
Myrrh frowns, a bit uncertain about this...but he hands it to her anyway. "Now if you start to feel any burning you should take it off...or if you catch fire."
Carmine fastens the necklace around her neck, and instead of just letting it sit there, this time she offers it essence to attune.
ST The diamonds of the necklace sparkle as the Essence flows into them, gaining in brightness and brilliance as little tiny rainbows float around them, playing across Carmine's face, throat and chest. The light floats around, making Myrrh feel rather happy and at peace. Xar basks in the slight warmth, feeling it soak into him and relax his stresses away.
Carmine smiles "This feels great!"
ST Carmine, on the other hand, feels the light skittering over her like an army of spiders with molten iron feet. The burning prickles spread with the light and slowly her skin starts reddening.
Carmine ((** strike what I said))
Corve blinks, watching the proceedings. When Carmine's skin starts changing, he frowns heavily. "Carmine... your skin..." He pushes off the wall and starts towards her.
ST Corve too feels the light caress him with soft, gentle touches. It's warm and friendly, lightly tapping at him and trying to make friends. In contrast to the way it taps at Carmine, trying to smack her around with burning hate.
Carmine frowns. This wasn't right, this shouldn't be burning her. She wasn't a creature of darkness!
ST The light, apparently, has different ideas.
Xar "Carmine, what do you feel?"
Carmine "It burns me! It shouldn't burn me!" She states, defiantly.
Myrrh "Carmine maybe you should take it off..."
ST It's becoming quite obvious that Carmine is not feeling the wonderful happy feelings everyone else is getting. Her skin is turning red and starting to blister as the light burns into her.
ST Steam is starting to rise.
Xar "It's hurting you. Can you feel it change your essence? Or just your flesh?"
Carmine "It's not touching my essence ... doesn't want to be anywhere near it..." She almost tears it off and then half-runs from the room and away from it.
Myrrh grimaces and tries to follow, well if it doesn't work now that doesn't mean they couldn't maybe make it work..."
Corve frowns heavily, and then steps outside, going after Carmine. "Carmine! Wait."
Carmine ignores Corve not really stopping until she comes to an abbrupt halt at the prow of the ship.
Corve catches up to her, sighing and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Carmine..." He rubs the bridge of his nose, frowning. "We'll find a way to fix this."
Xar picks up the necklace thoughtfully, putting it back alongside the other pieces.
Myrrh pauses and lets Corve talk to her. She'd want to hear from him right now anyway.
Carmine "The sun shouldn't burn me like this." She gestures down to her chest, red, raw and blistered.
Corve slides his arm over her shoulders and sighs, squeezing her softly. "I know. I know. But... we'll find a way to reverse this. There has to be some way. It's not like... I don't believe Falling Darkness." He frowns. "He was telling the truth; he couldn't lie at the moment. But I think he just didn't know of any way."
Carmine presses herself up to him, not caring about the pain in her burn. "How will we find a way then?"
Corve smiles a little, kissing her temple and sighing. "I'm not sure. That's more the kind of thing Myrrh and Xar take care of. But I know that we will. There has to be some way. Nothing's irreversible. Maybe destroying the Black Serpent is all we need to do."
Carmine "Maybe." She nestles her head on his shoulder.
Carmine "I should go heal this before we dock, and sun sees it."
Corve kisses her softly, giving her a tight hug, trying not to pressure her burns. "All right. Sun has seen me in worse shape, and she doesn't know what they allegedly mean; so I wouldn't worry too much." He smiles at his lover, knocking his forehead against hers gently. "We'll figure it out. Some way."
ST Corve and Carmine take themselves away to handle the arrangements that will have Sun safely returned to the care of Myrrh's wife. It doesn't take long before a trusted servant of said wife arrives in a small air gondola to take Sun back to the mansion.
ST brb
Corve makes sure the servant of Myrrh's wife understands that Sun better be kept safe. He doesn't make any threats; but it's quite clear, none the less.
Carmine "And now, to the South!"
Myrrh "To the lab!" Heads back to the artifacting room!
ST With swift winds and friendly skies, the Ill Omen makes port at the sky docks of Gem after soaring across the Inner Sea and the Southern wastes for a few days. The mountainous southern volcanoes rear into the sky, stabbing the clouds with their jagged, hideous peaks and belching forth noxious fumes and black smoke. The polluted air doesnt seem to bother the native Gemfolk.
ST They, their slaves and the traders come to Gem to barter ignore the smog, soot, ash and smoke as they go about their lives, trading gems, lives, riches and everything else under the sun.
Myrrh "It's been awhile since we've been this far south, eh?"
Xar "It is warm, though I cannot see the sky."
Myrrh "Well at least Carmine is appropriately dressed for the oc-" Breaks into a fit of coughing from all of the smoke and soot.
Carmine turns to glare at Myrrh. She was always appropriately dressed, if she weren't, she'd notice the cold.
Myrrh "Well I think we need to get some desert travel supplies before we go picking a fight with a giant monster..." He looks to see how Snuffles is taking the strange environment.
ST Snuffles coughs a few times, but otherwise seems happy. He is currently snuggling Myrrh
Myrrh "Maybe we should get some masks?"
Xar "I could be a statue again."
Myrrh "Well i'm not sure one would fit snuffles...then agian I didn't know he could breath."
Myrrh "I wonder if Oteki knows anyone this far South..."
Myrrh looks for the odd drunk.
Myrrh "Bah he's probably out molesting some barmaid. Xar...do you think any of the local volcanos are active?"
Xar chuckles "Of course."
Myrrh "Interesting...I wonder how cheap gold is here..."
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