Shorlixa/WPSessionTwelve
And here be Session Twelve for this crew of pirates.
Session Twelve
The Solars have just gotten past the first trial, and the doors simply fade away before them. They pass through as quickly as they can, only to be stopped short by the second door. This one has more intricate designs, with curls, swirls and strange patterns carved into it. "I have eight weaknesses." A voice booms. "Find and strike them at the same moment, and you shall pass." Behind them, the murkiness continues to spread, although given their speed, they have some time to deal with the current situation.
Big Red takes his time and studies the door carefully trying to make sense of the pattern on the door.
Ryoujal does his best to see where these weak points would be, as quickly as possible.
Lady Syn tries to study the door for any pattern to the doors.
Megumi's eyes glaze slightly as she tries to look over the gate for weak points. ...Aww, screw it. She pulls out the bow and a trio of ethereal arrows. "Tell me where they are and I'll hit them."
The Solars pool together their knowledge and manage to find about six of the eight points that are likely to be the weaknesses. It takes a bit more searching before they find the last two. Now they just have to hit it all at the same time.
Megumi sets a fourth arrow and points to the weak points pointed out. "Ok, we've got to do this all at once.. I've got these four," she points to the four rightmost points. "Red, take that point." She points at one. She then gestures at the other three, directing the crew and bows to the last three points.
Big Red pulls his repeater and takes aim on his point and waits for the order to shoot
Megumi says, "On my mark...3....2...1...FIRE!"
Big Red lets his repeater do his job with the order
Megumi fires, as well.
Megumi and Red fire off the shots brilliantly and they see the gates seem to weaken slightly. But her crew aren't as up to the job and fire off-timing, so the gates remain firmly in place. And behind them, the murkiness creeps ever closer.
Big Red takes aim again. "Captain. Lets try again."
Megumi nods and redirects the crew. "This time, have the targets lined up beforehand and fire exactly when I say. Ready?" She waits for everyone to get in position and reloaded again. "3. 2. 1. FIRE!"
This time, Megumi and her crew fire in perfect unison with Red just a touch slower than the rest of them. The gate trembles, then apparently seems to accept the slightly slower touch and simply crumbles away. There's some cheering, but there's still one last trial and the ship sails on. This is the plainest gate they've seen so far, all smooth and stone. The voice says only one word. "Push."
Megumi reads the word. "Ryu, you're up."
Ryoujal goes over to stand on the bow waiting for the ship to get close enough. Putting his hand on either side of the door, he pushes with all of his might.
The gates actually seem to grumble a little, but actually resist his pushing. It's the strongest gate Ryoujal's ever come across.
Megumi moves in to help.
Lady Syn shakes her head and lends a hand as well.
Ryoujal taking in a deep breath he says, "And PUSH!!!" He says putting one foot on the outside of the boat to give him a little extra leverage while pushing with all his might to force open these doors with a long, drawn out groan coming from his throat.
Lady Syn says, "Fine. But I'm not diving overboard to haul you out after this belly flop."
Megumi braces both feet against the bow. "Put your back into it, men!" She shoves both hands into the gate with all of her might.
And with the extra help and one very large push, the gates creaks, groans and finally pushes open, just allowing the Squall to get through before slamming shut behind them. Which strangely enough, causes the lights to go out. It takes a while before the area is surrounded in light again, and they're in a completely different place. For some reason, the Squall has ended up inside a large room. Well, a large pool in a large room. Megumi looks about the room.
Lady Syn says, "Well that was unexpected even after all the other weirdness."
Ryoujal pushes open the door and seems to fall over the side... but there is no splash of him landing in the water. After a few seconds, he clambers over the side, having twisted just enough to grab a hold of the rail as he feel. "No worries capitan..."
Big Red looks around the new room for a landing platform
Megumi says, "That...darkness was magical. Absolute. Odd."
Lady Syn says, "Wouldn't want to spoil the magical revelation. Someone has a flair for the dramatic."
Big Red gives the captain a look. "You think thats odd. Strange given where we are."
Megumi shrugs. "EVERYTHING's odd here, yes, I know. I thought the darkness was remarkable, though, because I can see in anything short of absolute darkness. There has to be some reason for magical darkness to follow the gates, even if it's not one we understand."
Big Red shrugs and continues looking for a platform
There's actually not much in the room. They realise that the pool of water is filled with the crystal liquid from the stream they've been in. But the walls and ceiling of the room are rather plain. But just as that thought enters their mind, the room begins to change. Colours and patterns begin filling the area while the room begins to grow larger. It's almost dizzying and slightly insane at how fast the room changes into one full of colour and splendour and there are two people standing to greet the ship. "Greetings travellers. Welcome. Come onto the land and rest your weary bodies."
Ryoujal says, "So... do we disembark or wait for the voice thing to invite us?"
Ryoujal says, "Guess that answers that question..."
Megumi eyes the people, somewhat suspiciously. Well......she sighs. "Alright. Beach the ship and disembark, for the moment anyway."
Lady Syn says, "Lets just hope they don't grant wishes."
Big Red steps of the ship and tips his hat to the people "Greeting friends"
Ryoujal says, "I just hope they're human... or were at one point."
Lady Syn follows after the others.
"Welcome to our hallowed halls. Follow us and you may feast and rest in comfort." The two people bow respectfully to everyone who comes out of the ship. And they do look rather human. They lead the way to another part of the room which basically has a feast set out for them.
Megumi bows briefly to the people on land. She then begins following, somewhat hesitantly. Because, really, look how that sort of thing has gone lately.
Lady Syn tries to straggle behind so she can duck away and look about in case there is anything unpleasant.
Ryoujal follows the Capitan out.
Big Red looks at the collection of foods before him and contemplates what to try first Megumi lets Red try the food first.
"Please stay in one group, it is easy to get lost." One of them says when Syn attempts to sneak away. But aside from that, there's the table, chairs and food.
Big Red grabs up a fruit and takes a bite
Ryoujal sets on the table and seems rather eager to dig in, but waits a second to see what happens to Red.
Lady Syn says, "Right."
Lady Syn still remains standing and doesn't touch the food.
In which case, the crew are also waiting for orders from Megumi on how to react to the situation. Whoever eats the food finds it very tasty, the tastes adapting themselves to whatever suits their eater best. "Please rest and eat." The pair say. "Our master will be along shortly to discuss things."
Big Red says, "Captain. Don't wait for me to tell you how the food is. As far as taste its great. But I am not affected by things I ingest other then turning it into something edible for me."
Ryoujal lets a bit of a sign and takes a big roasted leg of... something and starts to scarf it down as quickly as possible, with a few lentels thrown in.
Big Red sits and starts filling a plate with a little of everything in reach
Megumi sighs and sits down. "Eat if you like," she tells the crew.
Lady Syn still stays standing and looking like she's more uncomfortable here then in some of the worst bars she's tussled in.
The crew, now with permission, sit down and gratefully eat. Aside from the little island trip, this is the best meal they've had in a while. A little odd at how time seems to flow in the Wyld. Regardless, they are allowed a fair amount of time to eat and rest before the pair of them announces that "The master arrives." And looking in the general direction of the place with the shifting colours and moving patterns, they see a very distinctly fae figure. He's tall and inhumanly beautiful as is their usual appearance, but his skin ripples like the surface of water. He wears clothes of scales and teeth, draped over a slender body. His mouth is wicked while his eyes are innocent and those eyes look upon the Solars now, before he bows. "Greetings Solars. Welcome to my domain."
Lady Syn reaches for her blade out of reflex then stops herself. "I think we made a wrong turn. We should be going now."
Megumi nods and stands. "Indeed."
Big Red stands and bows to the master "Greeting and thank you for this chance to rest."
"You are welcome. Your companions are less polite." The Fae observes, looking at all the people present. He's able to identify the Solars by seeing how they don't flinch when he looks.
Lady Syn says, "I've been polite in the past. Usually masks less pleasant things. Now, I'm just honest."
Ryoujal says, "So... interesting place you got here...."
Big Red shakes his head "You'll have to forgive them. We have been at see for many days and fighting to stay alive for many more. It tends to make one edgy."
Megumi rubs her eyes. "I've had a very long, very hard trek getting here; I've lost far more men and pieces of my ship than I ever would have cared to in getting here. And, hah, as absurd as this sounds," she sounds bemused, "..I wasn't expecting to meet a fey at the end of the trip. Assuming this *IS* the end. I'd really just like to get what we came for and get back to Creation."
Lady Syn says, "I'd just be happy to settle for the later at this point."
"It's been so long since I've had visitors. You don't make wrong turns when you come to my place." The Fae continues. "So so very long. No one ever took the right turn. Until you." He smiles and takes a seat. "Come on, eat and speak with me. I know why you're here, so indulge me before I give you what you want."
Big Red sits back down and fills a glass of wine "So what is it you wish to speak about
Megumi doesn't entirely trust this, but she'll concede that sometimes you have to negotiate, give a little to get a little. Maybe, just MAYBE, talking won't get her crew killed. So she nods and settles slowly. "What do you wish to speak to us about, then?"
"Oh, everything. How has Creation been? How did you manage to get here? All that stuff. You don't get much news when you're out here."
Lady Syn looks at Mel. "I'll be on the ship." Then turns to the fae. "This isn't about you. I don't know you. Don't care to either. But I know your type. Civil but savage is unpleasant. Fair Folk is worse. I don't dine with the later. Trust them even less. Doing so is a good way to be lost beyond the sunset."
Ryoujal slides up and continues eating, simply staring at their fae host for a few minutes before saying quietly, "Interesting..."
Megumi shrugs. "I don't know what Creation was like when you last saw it, if you ever have. I assume from the way you speak that you probably have at some point. As to how we got here, we came by boat." She points vaguely at the Squall. "Found a map - a piece of one, anyway - and tried to figure out our way from there. Difficult voyage, for various complications."
Ryoujal says, "Too many lost...."
Big Red thinks through his own news and starts to tell everything he knows about Nexus. At least everything as it was when last he was there.
"Bad temper that one." The Fae comments. "And did you really come all the way here in that dinky little boat? I'm impressed. But then, Solars always liked doing things impressive." He listens attentively as Red speaks, and seems to genuinely enjoy listening to every single detail. He's not bored by any of it.
Lady Syn returns to the ship.
Megumi explains a little of Storm Isle, and what drove them to sail all this way in the Squall, as well as the complications that arose. Nothing that would prove a serious advantage for him to learn, per se, but an overview of the parts that make an interesting story.
You paged Lady Syn with 'Syn is led to the ship by one of the human-looking servants. It's still floating gently in the water. It's also the worse for wear, but that can't be helped. She might think about chucking all the rodent beast and serpent bodies somewhere though. They'll probably start to rot at any time.'
Ryoujal takes in a deep breath and does his best to tell the most historical stories he knows of, daring pirate raids, rise and fall of island empires, and defeating the dark beasts that lurk in the deepest oceans. He does a little reluctantly, not certain if he should be going in such detail.
From afar, Lady Syn tosses the rats into an empty barrel or two then skins the snakes and tosses their remains into the barrel as well. She keeps the skins separate. If the floating flunkie remains, she gives it an evil eye.
"Simply marvelous. It's been such a long time since I've heard a good story." The Fae says enthusiastically, although his smile looks more like a smirk. "The adventures. The stories. The tales. The emotions. So long since I've tasted any of it." For one moment, he looks hungry, but then he regains his composure. "But you are guests. Shall I regale some stories of my own?"
You paged Lady Syn with 'The human servant merely stands outside the ship, on dry land while Syn works around the ship. It takes a while to do the skinning, but she gets some pretty durable material off the bodies. They'll make fine articles of clothing.'
