#[ support ]: ephidel

[artificidel]

Something about them was off, she could sense it, see it. Everyones feelings were obvious, but not theirs. That alone intrigued Freyja, but the additional odd feeling they gave her added to it. They feel, non human, someone who-- by all accounts, should not exist. "You seem fun at gatherings, whats on your mind?"

Ephidel knew what they were on this ship. Despite every native being at odds with one another, the morph knew they could all stand under a banner against them.

But it was not the ostracizing that kept them away, that kept them alert, that kept them staring out over the horizon without rest. They had bigger concerns than the vermin that may band together against them.

The morph felt her approach far before she spoke, but there was no hostility in her aura.

They are silent for a moment, considering how to articular their answer.

"I do not know how long it has been since I've been upon Elibe, and what these rumors might mean for it. ... if it might signals my God's return."

Ephidel regards her, and for once appreciates the quiet company.

"Would he have me back...?"

They longed for purpose. For meaning. For love.

"Or have I become defective?"

[aegisshielded]

we look like this (getting our shit kicked in) so that they can look like this (finding out whats at a5) || Team Flood [Team 2]

@artificidel @nabataprophet +more to come

The spirits below are antsy - to the point they've grown agitated and begun to lash out. Whether or not you'd intended on investigating the graveyard any, or instead preferred to mind your own business, it seems the fight has come to you. "Hmm... Perhaps you might subdue them?" Blank queries to the group at the graveyard, somewhat solemnly. "I don't like seeing them in pain like this... And it draws the Shadows out too..."

Their meandering about the place they woke up in is suddenly disrupted, will-o-wisp spirits now taking the shape of... well, they're a bit too far off in the distance for Felix to decipher their faces just yet. However, some look... unfortunately and disturbingly familiar. The stranger lingering about on their little boat suggests that they subdue the ghostly figures, but Felix chews on the inside of his cheek. He is wary, but his hand rests on the hilt of his sword regardless.

Those that woke up in the flooded area are separated in small groups away from one another, practically across the area separated by enemies and... are those vending machines? Intriguing. Felix nods his head towards one of the machines.

"Wouldn't those machines take those tokens we've been gathering up? Might be worthwhile to see if there's anything we can buy. We'll have to get through those damned spirits first, though..."

[lunaede]

"Sir Frederick." Comes the whisper just behind the knight's shoulder. "I've heard it is your 'birthday.'" The morph regularly gifts trinkets on 'behalf' of the church to those of the monastery. But after their time spent together in 'Verdane,' this token is a touch more intimate. Ephidel places what, at first, appears to be a small rock into the knight's hands. "I see you collecting these frequently. You must care for them a lot." But upon closer inspection, it appears to actually be a geode. The crystals are of brilliant blue tipped with a deep and striking violet. "But this one seems worth more. Those in the market place called it 'beautiful.'"

Another birthday wish? He cannot help but be surprised, usually he is the one who remembers important dates. This is not to say there is no one who cares for him enough to remember these sorts of things, it's just surprising when much more pressing matters are at hand.

He takes the rock and inspects it, he holds it close to his face and smiles -- a warm expression, one of kindness and friendship. "Thank you," he says. Truth be told, he collects rocks to keep them from harming others, to have something to do with his hands. But this...

"This is beautiful. I appreciate the gesture, Ephidel, my friend. I will treasure this."

Perhaps it is time for him to start a collection.

[sacaeblade]

@artificidel asked: 

Perhaps he seems more sober in the eyes, the prideful lilt of his voice not as fanciful. Despite their opposing positions, there had never been anything short of due respect for the lords of Lycia, and his greeting now was hardly to strike fear into the heart of Caelin's beloved princess. "I trust you are enjoying the evening Lady Lyndis."

She should be used to it by now, seeing people who should be long dead, and yet she bristles like it's the first time. Although in this case, perhaps "person" would be the wrong word. The figure in front of her is unmistakably one of Nergal's morphs, golden eyes watching her like a cat.

"Ephidel! You..."

Lyn's hand subconsciously reaches for a sword that isn't there, but they are at a ball, after all, not the Dragon's Gate. They stand not on a battlefield, but on a ballroom floor, dressed in finery. Her palm throbs where it has been branded with the mark of an elemental, reminding her that there are more eyes on them than just the other partygoers.

Behave yourself, the ache in her hand seems to demand.

Lyn flexes her right hand, as if that will make the sensation go away, and grits her teeth. It's just a greeting. A polite greeting, even. The morph had not done anything to provoke her nor made any indication that he would do anything.

Memories are not so easily overwritten, though.

"Don't let Hector see you."

[hresvelged]

[ Indulge ] + Sweet Bun Trio: His strings pull taut again, yanking him forward while Lightning whispers in his ear. 'This one does not care for our servers. Why don't you treat her then, my pet?' When Ephidel can feel his arm again, it is serving a dessert to her Imperial Highness. Ephidel blinks before offering her the tray. "Milady?"

Feelings of confinement and unwanted observation aren't unfamiliar to her. What is there to trust about staff who only serve to send a chill up her spine? Nothing. She cares not for their towelettes nor their mere prescence in itself. Her arms cross themselves in front, allowing the heels of her shoes to nearly cemented into the ground with a graceful stance. The princess will always do her utmost to conceal such things, lest her people find themselves lacking faith in her. That, and she has high standards at a ball— Even for herself.

Edelgard's eyebrow then quirks, but only slight. She can't say for sure what compelled the offering, but she doesn't find herself all too bothered. Her status? Perhaps. If anything, she much prefers it over the presence of other company. She looks up, then down towards the snacks. ".. I was eyeing those sweets in particular. How did you know?" A pause, permitting a small smile of gratitude. "Thank you for that."

[cleversteel]

we can’t predict the past, sweetheart.

[ faith +1 starter for @artificidel ]

The forests near Lark felt sort of different today. The boy couldn't explain it, but something... something...

Eh, whatever.

Colm wasn't gonna be out long anyway. All he had to do was dip in, get some berries and some herbs, and then dip out! Easy. (And he knew where all the best michew berries were, so dessert today was gonna be tasty!)

He knew the area pretty well, so even when the frogs tried to bite his ankles and the flowers started sneezing pollen, he dodged it all! You know, since he's built different?

One thing he didn't expect though was the bandit lurking about.

(Okay, to be fair, he wasn't really certain it was a bandit, but it was a person. Up to something. Probably.)

So he takes into the shadows, gets reeeeeeally close, and then shoves his face in the way.

"Hey, who are you?" he starts with a face of almost comedic suspicion. "You aren't a villain or anything, are you?" (He pokes their cheek, making sure they aren't a demon doll.)

"Answer honestly and– uh, actually," — he steps back to think, — "I'm not sure what'll happen if you lie, but it won't be good!"

[anankelotus]

What if We Met in the Chair Storage Closet and We Were Both Not Human

There’s some new faces among the clergy–newly ordained monks that recently transferred to Garreg Mach to help support the Cathedral’s daily activities while the Church turns its attention to greater dangers. These new faces are around the same age as the students, which naturally turns into trouble… Suddenly the cathedral is the hottest place to be, with students trying to check out these attractive new folks. The monks sing the praises of strong students who help carry chairs in and out of the supply closet, so with two chairs under each arm, you might just catch someone’s eye! [Grants Heavy Armor+1]

starter for @artificidel

Anankos would not normally do something like this, venture out of the Abyss for such a foolish little task (it seemed foolish at least, even if he hadn’t been told what it was yet), but he figures that he has to earn his keep here in someway. (Echos within his head tell him that he belongs here, that he doesn’t have to earn anything. He ignores them.) And, of course, he can’t help but get curious whenever rumours reach Abyss, especially ones that seem to have the student body in such buzz like what he had heard about these new clergy members.

He wanders into the cathedral, struck suddenly by the beauty of it. Light speckles in from a large window and looking glass through the roof, and he stares up at it, mesmerised by the way the rays of sun fall. Tearing his many eyes away from the beauty of it, he manages to make it to the back of the large building where all the students seemed to be gathered. A small group of them is being giving instructions by one of the monks, something about carrying chairs it seems like. Seems simple enough! He can certainly do that! He was worried that it would be something so much worse... he’s glad it has turned out to be so simple, though he still finds it slightly foolish. Why do they need chairs anyway? Aren’t there plently of pews in a cathedral as large as this?

He ventures into the large storage closet, handed two chairs by yet another monk standing inside. The students seem enamored, perhaps Anankos just doesn’t get it because he’s never been a ‘teenager’ or because he wasn’t a simple human, but he doesn’t understand why they’re fawning over such... average attractive people.

He sighs, turning to take the chairs and leave, but bumps into someone in his sudden movements. He opens his mouth to make an apology, words failing to fall out as he freezes, cold golden eyes catching his own. He takes a wary step backwards, keeping a careful grip on the chairs that he had been given. Ah, it had to be fine, right...? Surely this man was just here to help out as well. That had to be it! That’s all. He wasn’t in any danger. He wasn’t in any danger.

“... Ah- m... my apologies, good sir... I’m sorry... I should have been paying more attention to where I was going...!  Are... are you here to help out with this little task as well...? I mean... not to assume, but...!”

[artificidel]

There is little to be done now with the heron's body destroyed, but the morph still seethes in disgust. Naesala's actions costing them one body to see their goal done, and thus more eyes potentially landing on Lord Nergal.

The raven dragging them all down with his loss. He was right about one thing at least, Reyson's constitution made him the perfect target, but there was no malice in the deed.

His wings clipped only because they were a reminder of another dove, and Ephidel discarded them outside the village walls. Hoping vainly that it would be enough for Keranes's sacrifice.

The villagers do not dare disturb the raven's wake, but Ephidel cares not for such selfish mourning. "A pyre is all too fitting. You'd burn the world sooner than let it have him."

Naesala has not looked away once from Reyson's body since he lit it on fire. The gold hair curls and singes, bubbling his skin and eating away at what parts of his body remains.

Reyson was a holy thing, once. Coveted and loved and torn apart for it -- whatever pieces others wish to carve from his flesh will be taken with little resistance. Tibarn would have kept him safe. Naesala could not.

He vows to find the wings. Add them to the fire, if he can.

"Beorc will do such violent things to herons who cannot retaliate," he says, and his voice is cold. "They cannot have him. They don't deserve him."

[artificidel]

flowers are closed and lambs are sleeping

It was only by the locking of his joints that Ephidel could walk no further. He had not ceased since he awoke in this place... beyond the Dragon's Gate? That is the only thing it could be. The fire, the explosion, then this. If the morph managed to survive and reach the other side, then surely Lord Nergal was here as well, or the very least the portal that brought him here.

When Ephidel came upon a shore in this land, he merely turned and set off in a new direction. That was before the plains grew barren, and powder drifted from the sky. Normally a sensation so familiar, but the damp and frost blended to bring the morph's weakened limbs grinding to a halt. After a while, consciousness faded, and only barely returned to Ephidel face down in a shallow stream. Voices could be heard above him. Mutterings of if he was alive, and his worth in gold either way. He felt himself being dragged away before the world faded back out.

By the fire's warmth, strength returned to Ephidel. When he could feel his digits once more, they curled around the essence of his captors. Their screams could barely ring out before they were claimed. The morph blankly blinked at the now vacant camp. He blinked skyward. He was in some sort of cave or tunnel...

***

That was some time ago now. Long enough for Ephidel to think more upon it. Long enough to wonder more about where Lord Nergal was. His master had already been weakened by Lord Elbert... and his flesh was not as resilient as a morph's frame... Ephidel may have been able to survive the blast, but his master could have not. He had seen the way his Lord had used quintessence to reform the dead... Ephidel... would learn to do the same. And if his Lord not dead, this body brimming with energy would make for a marvelous gift.

So his nights were spent peering from beneath a burlap cloak in the Wilting Rose. Scanning the crowds for wellsprings of life. There was hardly any to be found in Abyss... its inhabitants criminals and murderers... Until one-

Hers was a quality he had not ever experienced... strong enough to overflow, yet at the same time, befuddlingly hollow-

Golden irises watched unwavering from his darkened corner of the pub.

@divinecrest

[randomnameless]

Do you think that Edelgard setting Bernadetta on fire in Three Houses was an oversight from the developers/a bug? I highly doubt the game would have made it out the door without Koei/IS noticing it at some point if that was unintentional, but at the same time, it's extremely weird that no one in the story comments on or acknowledges Bernadetta dying in one of the worst ways a human being can possibly die as a direct result of Edelgard sacrificing her if it was intentional on the devs' part.

Anon,

This series might have forgotten its roots in several opuses, but from Sigurd to Ephidel to Flora, to Rinea and finally to Bernie, we often had fire jokes.

Given how the gameplay was radically different from the others FE and the omnipresence of the monastery, I'd say putting a fire joke was one of the few threads IS made compulsory else FE16 wouldn't be a fire emblem game!

More seriously,

Bernie has way too many lines about being set on fire for this "bug" to be only, well, a bug.

The whole city's burning! Oh, this isn't good! I'm flammable, you know!

Bernie's all "Berned" out now. I guess if they're no good, we'll just have to "Bern" 'em all, eh? Heh-heh!

To which Seteth replies with :

Let's...leave the topic of burning aside for now, shall we? Show me what you've done.

There was also this line :

Maintenant je brûle d'envie de mieux le connaître !

But it's on the french localisation team.

So even if Bernie only has two lines about herself burning alive...

I'd say it's the kind of easter egg that is also found in the game with various other eggs, like enemy!Felix using the Sword of Zoltan in CF because he and Dimitri (who isn't boar!mitri!) are closer than they are in VW - when the player receives said sword if Felix and Dimitri reach a B Support.

And Anon, no one comments on whatever Supreme Leader did or or does, remember Flamey? Emile? Solon? Baldo'n'Waldi being fielded with the Imperial Army? No one asks what kind of zumba Rhea did during those 5 years to be in a near death state?

Not acknowledging Bernie's blazing performance is typical for those games, and I wouldn't except more of them - else it'd mean they could accept that Supreme Leader is a ruhtless but dedicated leader who, as she said, is willing to sacrifice her people to reach her goals, and if they accept this, no one will buy Hresvelg Grey anymore.

[fellincantation]

OOC; TOA Anniversary Munday

Celebrating TOA and the people who contribute to make our group what it is.

Repost, don't reblog. Only fill in what you feel comfortable sharing!

Happy anniversary, TOA! Here's to many more years spent together.

tagging: the dashboard!

---

Name: Audrey

Pronouns: he/she

Birthday (no year): October 30th!

Where are you from? What is your time zone? Teehee... I'm an EST time zone!

Roleplay experience: Mmm around 10 years or so of experience I think?

Got any pets? I do! A dog and a cat.

Favorite time of year: Winter.

Some interests and things you like: I really like horses and insects! I'm also a huge fan of general botany.

Some fun facts & trivia about you: I'm not sure what to share here, hehe.

What non-Fire Emblem games do you play? I looove love love difficult games like Drakengard, Fear and Hunger, and the Soulsborne series. They're really enjoyable to dissect mechanic-wise.

Favorite Pokemon type & Pokemon: Ghost type! Haunter is my favorite.

How did you get into Fire Emblem? My girlfriend is a huge Awakening genius and I got interested because of him. I ended up buying a physical copy of Awakening as a result.

What Fire Emblem games have you played? Awakening, Fates, Engage, 3H.

First Fire Emblem game: Awakening

Favorite Fire Emblem game: Awakening.

Any Fire Emblem crushes? Chrom, Gaius, Charlotte, Tharja, Camilla. All of them are girls to ME.

If you’ve played the following games, who was your first S support? - Awakening: Chrom - Fates: Charlotte - Three Houses: Jeritza - Engage: Diamant

Favorite Fire Emblem class: Manakete. :)

If you were a Fire Emblem character, what would be your class? Idk I need to be a manakete but I know I'd be like. Donnel-esque. Villager class.

If you were a Three Houses character, what would be your affiliation? Golden Deer

If you were an Engage character, which Emblem would you Engage with? Soren :)

How did you find TOA? I found TOA while browsing Fire Emblem roleplay tags!

Current TOA muses: Grima/F!Robin, Syalla

Who was your first TOA muse? If you don’t have them anymore, could you see yourself picking them up again? Tharja! Haha, maybe one day. But I'm perfectly content watching others write her now.

Have you had any other TOA muses? Ignatius, Soleil, and Tharja.

Do you think you have a type of character you gravitate towards? Oh absolutely. I think it's fully obvious the kinds of characters I love. Characters with deep issues that are generally misunderstood or hated by fans for various reasons. I love figuring out what they've got going on and doing them justice.

What do you believe you enjoy writing the most? I like writing villains! Weird off-putting characters that are volatile.

Favorite TOA-related memory: Huge fan of the time during KKE we suggested tying a rope to Ephidel and throwing them down into the abyss below with a lantern. Which I'm super glad we didn't because there were dangerous monsters down there and poor Ephidel would've gotten torn apart.

Got any delusions that didn’t see the light of day in TOA that you’d like to share? Nagi...

[artificidel]

'Return to my embrace, Ephidel.' Lord Nergal's voice echoes, 'return to the warmth of my love.'

The promise of it continues to be all too tempting.

Celephais 28.5/30HP casts Painless World on the party! [Roll: 14 - 4 = 10; Hit] Ephidel is inflicted with -6 dexterity for their next turn.

His arms surround his creation, long fingernails dragging up their limbs and almost consuming them entirely. 'To your Master, to your God.'

Yet, again the thought is cemented in Ephidel's mind that they can not fulfill his wishes. Not of their true god, not even to the illusion of him. In both, they were a failure. They did not deserve him; but his false-master was right about one thing.

Ephidel struggled back to their feet.

Ephidel does NOT sync with the vengeful spirit of Nergal

They were not meant to heal; made only to destroy. Pasithee herself had proven as much to the morph. And then that fire began to burn within them again, and with it, a will and desire formed on their own. Outside of purpose. Outside of loyalty and servitude. Outside of Lord Nergal or the church or existence itself.

Ephidel wanted to dismantle this illusion, not for the church, but to prove the inherent treachery Pasithee saw in them. To be the thief she had branded them as months prior. To snatch away what ever they could of her remaining happiness.

Ephidel staggered forward, Fimbulvetr coalescing in their grasp.

Ephidel 10/10HP attacks Celephais 18.5/30HP with Fimbulvetr at melee range! Heartseeker activates! [Roll: 7 + 2 = 9; -2.5HP] Post-Apocalyptic Savior activates! [Roll: 1, hit! -2.5HP, Celephais 16/30HP] ; Celephais is frozen! Celephais is unable to counterattack! Poison Strike activates! -1HP, Celephais 15/30HP

The tundra strikes true, and encases Celephais in solid ice. Ephidel would find Pasithee. They would find her and destroy her with hands made only to kill.

murder is a long-term investment

team theta | week three

[theofficersacademy]

                                  Forsyth   Byleth (F)   Andrei   Lachesis                              Naesala   Selena (FE8)   Chrom   Yarne   Hilda                                   Katarina   Ephidel   Saizo   Isadora   Eir

TEAM TAG: #AOtheta2024 CORPSE COUNT: 7 (+5) PUBLIC OPINION: DIVIDED

Things are unfair, aren't they?

The seventh day ends and the moon rises, but it is not the only thing that does. As the village of Rusalka descends into despair, the nightmares come out in full force. Some of you have encountered them outside of the walls, some of you remember them from a year ago. But despite some level of anticipation, the scuffle over the corpses and the deterioration of Rusalka leaves the village unprepared for the onslaught.

Miasmic slimes, corpse trees, and other nightmares flood the village on all sides, and though the walls, fortified by Lachesis and Andrei, help prevent any casualties, the village of Rusalka sees this as the final straw.

"Everything started going bad once those people came in…!" one villager asserts.

Another cries out, "They're the reason! If they hadn't come, we… we would've still been whole!"

Perth — or was it Celephais, your brain thinks intrusively — the town leader is called to action. He decrees that those that have done nothing good, those of the highest suspicion, are to be cast out for the sake of Rusalka's defense. They see you as the enemy, and the villagers evaluate everything your group has done this past week— who deserves to stay and who cannot.

For Naesala, Yarne, Ephidel, Forsyth, Saizo, Lachesis, and Chrom, people are more reluctant to vouch for them. They are kicked out of Rusalka and now deemed the 'Outsiders.' As for the rest, Eir, Katarina, Andrei, Isadora, Selena, Hilda, and Byleth find that they still have supporters and are allowed to remain within the family that Rusalka has cultivated, and they are dubbed the 'Insiders.' 

But your circumstances are not the only ones who have changed. The people of Rusalka are not the same since your arrival. Their village, just as Keranes has sought to do, is beginning to dismantle…

…but so are you.

The Circumstances

The group is no longer treated as one big unit and is physically apart. All Public Opinion can no longer be changed, your individual actions from last week having been accounted into deciding where you have been separated for this week. You are unable to interact with muses of the other grouping category for the duration of this week, though you are allowed to continue and close off threads with those muses started during Week 1.

The Outsiders

For the Outsiders, you find that once the sun rises, Saizo disappears into the light. You must wait until night falls, but when you do, he returns and so does Keranes, though the former isn't quite what he used to be…

Keranes explains that due to the group's efforts, Celephais's power has grown weaker, causing Rusalka's false paradise to become unstable. Additionally, all the corpses that made it outside of the walls are now returned, no longer sedated by Celephais's magic. You find Python, Brigid, Emmeryn, Panne, Kris, Ryoma, and Hel as floating spectral figures.

They have returned as Vengeful Spirits, and Keranes states that they have bonded themselves to their most important person here. Forsyth and Python, Chrom and Emmeryn, Yarne and Panne, and Saizo and Ryoma are now companions in the night. Since Lachesis was able to bring Diarmuid's corpse with her, this is also true of the two of them as well. However, due to the deceased being vengeful spirits, this classifies them as nightmares, and they are unable to be present in the daylight, however they make strong allies for the big fight on the horizon.

Saizo appears to operate similarly to the Vengeful Spirits. He shall find that he feels himself changed, consumed by the darkness and the ruin that stains his hands after the events of the previous week. He too is also only able to exist in the night time, but he has gained new, eldritch power for the cost of being weak to the light.

Keranes states that everybody can be returned to as they are meant to be, that they can return to reality, once she finishes dismantling Rusalka and the false promise of happiness and co-dependence that Celephais has inflicted upon them all here. She will need time to amass her army of nightmares, but she plans to strike once she is ready. She states it shall likely be in three days (every two IRL days equal one in-universe day for this week) from now. She recommends you ready yourselves too.

But as the dawn rises, you realize that without being allowed into Rusalka anymore, you shall have to find shelter and fend for yourself for the next three days… however difficult that may be.

Unable to leave this tear, unable to enter the safety of Rusalka, it is you against the world… literally. 

The Insiders

For the Insiders, you are granted the safety of being within the walls of Rusalka. Being on edge due to the recent deaths as well as the attack from the nightmares, the once peaceful villagers are beginning to arm themselves and train, and they are taking to fortifying their walls too. However, though you no longer need to worry about food or shelter or overt distrust, the protectiveness of Rusalka's people begins to come out in full force.

Now, every day, the villagers come to check in on you and the buddy system is fully enforced. You are unable to act without being in at least a group of three. You feel that the village never truly sleeps, it only being a matter of time before you run into someone else or someone bursts into your shared sleeping accomodations just to make sure you are still alive. Your clothes have been replaced with their own hemp tunics, and at every corner, you hear a villager encourage you to assimilate.

Join us.

Join us.

Join us.

You are no longer allowed to leave the walls for any reason whatsoever. You are not permitted your freedom and the things the villagers say begin to feel more and more unnatural, their smiles more and more menacing and forced. Even looking at any of them sends a chill down your spine.

The people begin to speak ill of the Outsiders, preparing for the day they are to defeat them and restore peace to this happy home… But your allies are on the other side of the wall. Will you be forced to cross blades against them one day?

If you must live, will you live in the safety of Celephais' arms, or shall you return to the life you once knew, even if it means embracing danger?

Led to Ruin

Though the objectives and circumstances for each group are now different, the one thing both groups have in common is the Ruin mechanic.

On the team document, you shall find that every single player character now has a Ruin counter in addition to their HP counter at the top. This is specific to each player character. Anytime they perform a risky action of some kind (as outlined in GM-given prompts), they will roll a d6. 

Roll Results (Generally):

1-3 : You fail, and things get worse. 

4-5 : You succeed, but there's some kind of complication.

6 : You succeed.

If you are unhappy with your roll, you may add a dark die. Reroll with ul2d6 now. (If you are rolling with Avrae instead of Dice Maiden, then roll the two dice separately.) The first die is your light die and the second die is your dark die. If the dark die is a higher number than your light die, add 1 Ruin to your character tracker. Your new result for the task will be the higher number, whichever color it is. If you are still unsatisfied, you are free to keep adding as many dark die as you want, one new dark die per attempt, (e.g. your third attempt would be one light die and two dark dice, so ul 3d6) and you will keep potentially stacking Ruin as the cost. In a tie between a light die and a dark die, the dark die is automatically considered the higher number.

Other characters may choose to help any action (to mitigate its effects) so long as a dark die is involved with the original party. The supporting character will roll a 1d6, but if their number matches any number on a dark die, then they will be spent as collateral damage in some way. Be careful.

If you at any point in time reach 7 Ruin, your character disintegrates in the sunlight and is reborn again as a nightmare come nightfall. 

Tasks (The Outsiders)

Your group is primarily focused on survival.

You will need some kind of shelter to live through the next few days. Once shelter is built, it is permanent and will cover the needs of all muses in this group. Roll 1D6 per post to cut down trees to help build it.

ㅤㅤ- 1-3 : Your muse ends up injuring themselves and collect no wood. They take -1HP worth of damage. ㅤㅤ- 4-5 : Your muse successfully collects +1 Wood, but they still lightly injure themselves. They take -0.5HP worth of damage. ㅤㅤ- 6 : Your muse successfully collects +2 Wood with no complications. ㅤㅤ- Axe rank of C or higher grants a +1 modifier to all rolls for this prompt.

Once your group has some wood, you can start actually building the house. To finish building the shelter, the group will need to expend 10 wood. Roll a 1D6 per post to help build it. ㅤ- 1-3 : Your muse injures themselves in the process of trying to get things built. They take -0.5HP worth of damage. ㅤ- 4-5 : Your muse expends -1 Wood but tires themselves out. They are unable to roll to make progress in their next post. ㅤ- 6 : Your muse expends -2 Wood and makes good progress on building the shelter. ㅤ- Heavy Armor rank of C or higher grants a +1 modifier to all rolls for this prompt.

You will also need some food. Fortunately, all the extra food above your goal last week was brought with your group and not remaining with the Insiders. This means you start off with 12 lbs of vegetables, 5lbs of mushrooms/nuts/berries, five eggs, and three bottles of milk. Together, this will be treated as 25lbs of food for the sake of our mechanics. You require 2lbs of food per muse each day to not starve/take damage.

If you choose to hunt or fish, you will find it easier to get enough sustenance per catch. Roll a 1D6 per post. ㅤ- Lance rank and/or Bow rank of C or higher grants a +1 modifier to all rolls for this prompt. ㅤ- 1-3 : Your muse is unable to catch anything and instead injures themselves. They take -1HP worth of damage. ㅤ- 4-5 : Your muse catches what is equivalent to +2lbs of food but struggled to do so, injuring themselves lightly in the process. They take -0.5HP worth of damage.

ㅤㅤ- 6 : Your muse successfully catches what is equivalent to +4lbs of food!

If you choose to forage for berries and mushrooms, roll a 1D6 per post to try and find them. ㅤ- Those that did the Forage prompt during Week 1 are granted a +1 modifier to all rolls for this prompt. ㅤ- 1-3 : Your muse finds only poison. ㅤ- 4-5 : Your muse struggles but manages to find +1lb of edible food. ㅤ- 6 : Your muse successfully finds +2lbs of edible food.

Battle will be coming, and you might need some healing. Your group was able to steal all the healing items you made last week, resulting in a total of 2 Vulneraries and 2 Concoctions to your name, but if you want more, then you'll need to find more herbs and flowers with which to make them. Currently, your group has no herbs and flowers to work with. Roll a 1D6 per post to try and find them. ㅤ- Those that did the Forage prompt during Week 1 are granted a +1 modifier to all rolls for this prompt. ㅤ- 1-3 : Your muse finds nothing and just wastes time. ㅤ- 4-5 : Your muse finds +2 workable herb/flower but come into contact with something poisonous. Roll 1d6. If 1, you are inflicted with the Minor Poison status at the start of Week 3. If your muse gets this result again, your Minor Poison stacks into Toxic Poison status. ㅤ- 6 : Your muse finds +2 workable herbs/flowers with no negative consequences.

Once your group has some herbs/flowers, you can begin to make healing items. ㅤ- A single healing item requires you to expend 2 Herbs/Flowers. ㅤ- Faith rank of C or higher increases effectiveness; creates Concoctions instead of Vulneraries ㅤ- Apothecary Class Mastery increases speed to one creation every 3 posts instead of 5.

Any day your muse is lacking either food or shelter, you will take -1HP. If your muse has been turned into a Nightmare, they no longer have these needs and will not take damage from failing to meet them. 

The Search (The Insiders)

Your group is primarily focused on making a choice. You do not have to worry about needs. Any and all actions your muses take in paralogues are up to you as long as they fit the narrative lack of freedom up above, but you all shall also be given an optional IC minigame. Results of this minigame directly affect mechanics of Week 3.

For everyone, regardless of participation in the minigame or not, consider your muse's answer to the question: "Do you wish to return to the Outside or do you wish to protect Rusalka?" Your muse must have an answer to this question by the end of the IRL / OOC week. Ping Mod N with your muse's answer.

For those who choose to participate in the minigame, your muses shall be investigating the alleys of Rusalka. You have the freedom to split into teams or do it all together; a minigame team can be anywhere from 2-7 members. A segment of the team document will be dedicated to logging all rolls and occurrences of this minigame.

You all shall be placed on the map at the same starting point: the blue tile. All muses in a thread will move together as a party, but you all take turns (based on whoever is posting next in the thread) rolling for movement. ㅤ- Armored units roll a 1D4. ㅤ- Infantry units roll a 1D5. ㅤ- Cavalry and Flying units roll a 1D6. ㅤ- If a unit has Movement+, they gain a +1 modifier to all movement rolls. ㅤ- If a unit has a Knight Ring in their inventory, they can roll the remaining amount of movement after their first roll. E.G., a paladin muse rolls a 4 on a 1D6. They can perform their action for that turn, and then afterwards, they can roll a 1D2. If they had rolled a 3, they would have been able to roll an additional 1D3.

Every time you land on a tile with a number on it for the first time, roll a 1D6 to search. ㅤ- 1-2 : Your muse is discovered by a villager of Rusalka and must find a way to escape. If you forfeit your chance to escape and choose to instead wait them out, roll a 1D6. If a 1 or 2, the villager eventually leaves and you can try to search again next turn in this room. Otherwise, your party must roll another 1D6 for the next post. This continues for an infinite amount of posts until your party rolls a 1. ㅤ- 3-4 : Your muse successfully chooses a time where a villager is not in sight, but you find nothing. ㅤ- 5-6 : Your muse finds the remains of a dead Newcomer. Roll between all remaining deceased Newcomers to determine which one it is: the stowed away ashes of Reyson, the corpse of Holst, the corpse of Nergal, or the corpse of Harken. ㅤ- If the unit has a bonus to perception rolls, they gain a +1 modifier to all search rolls.

If your muse ever comes across a tile with this type of symbol on it, a square with a horizontal or vertical line going across its center, it is a locked door/gate (your choice for narrative flavor). You must spend a turn attempting to pick/break the lock. Roll a 1D6 to attempt this.

ㅤㅤ- 1-3: Your muse is unable to pick/break the lock. Roll a 1D6. If a 1 or 2, your muse is discovered by a villager of Rusalka and must find a way to escape. If you forfeit your chance to escape and choose to instead wait them out, roll another 1D6. If a 1 or 2, the villager eventually leaves and you can try to search again next turn in this room. Otherwise, your party must roll another 1D6 for the next post. This continues for an infinite amount of posts until your party rolls a 1.  ㅤㅤ- 4-5: Your muse successfully breaks the lock, but it is loud. Roll a 1D6. If a 1 or 2, your muse goes through the 'Discovered by a villager of Rusalka' scenario above. ㅤㅤ- 6: Your muse successfully picks the lock without being noticed. Your party may progress without problems on the next post. ㅤㅤ- If a unit with Lockpick, they gain a +3 to all lockpicking rolls.

If your muse wishes to escape when discovered, you must make a risk roll. 

ㅤㅤ- 1-3 : You fail and the villager attacks you. You lose -0.5HP and the party must attempt an escape roll again for the next post. ㅤㅤ- 4-5: You fail to get away at first but when the villager attacks you, you avoid taking damage and instead successfully knock them out in retaliation, but you accumulate +1 Ruin for doing this. ㅤㅤ- 6 : You succeed and get away from them. ㅤㅤ- For every point of speed a unit has, they gain a +1 modifier to this roll, caps at +6.

When you find a corpse, the corpse is added to your party's inventory.

Muses are unable to take two or more consecutive turns. They must have another party member go directly after them before they can act again. Each post on the dashboard should be equivalent to one turn in the minigame.

When all corpses have been found, ping Mod N. Another event shall occur when this condition is satisfied.

Important Notes

This event is mostly meant to be driven by the players rather than being ushered by your GM at every turn. Please take note that while the tasks above will contribute to the narrative of the campaign, you are not limited to only threading about the tasks above. You are free to write threads unrelated to the tasks if you so wish, so long as they take place within the setting of the event.

In addition to the above, if writing a task thread, please indicate it either in the title post of your thread or in your starter so that it is clear from the start.

Also, task threads are not limited to only featuring writing directly about the task at hand. You are encouraged to write character exploration and conversations outside of the scope of just the task as your characters carry them out. Please feel free to have your muses discuss the plot or anything else currently on their mind. See these tasks as a way to get characters together physically in one space, but the narrative freedom you are allowed is still just the same as most other threads too.

There is currently no time limit rule for when posts need to be written, but please remain in open communication with your thread partners/teammates. Shorter posts are encouraged to help keep things moving and for relationships to progress along with the narrative.

“Good” or “Bad” outcomes will still progress the campaign, so don’t feel too stressed about needing to “win” this event. The primary focus on this event should be character development and building relationships with your teammates. Actions have consequences, but all consequences can have narrative potential for exploration.

Here is the link to Team Theta’s team document if you require it. This is already pinned in your team channel. Whilst it will be updated in certain areas by your GM, players should do their best to update the thread tracker on it with link to thread replies and any notes they might wish to jot down whether for their own sake or for helping their teammates stay in the loop.

If you have any questions at any time or require additional information, ping Mod N.

[artificidel]

She had promised Kent she would proceed with caution, but she also did not miss the way he hesitated in his responses to her accusations. It frightened her, she had never seen him that way.

There was one more person she wanted to check in on... He had been kind enough during the odd dream exploring flooded ruins. She had heard whispers, jokes perhaps, of throwing him into the abyss and letting him sink... But seeing as they were dreams then surely he would have woken up with them even if he had sunk to the bottom of the abyss.

She wondered how many people here wanted to throw him overboard and allow him to sink to the bottom of the sea. She had heard that there were odd things about him, but she hadn't noticed much herself. Her time with him had been brief; but he was quiet, and spoke in an odd manner. He was cold and clammy, but with the rain they all had been cold and clammy.

People avoided him, more so than they avoided Lloyd. He remained tucked away in a corner, hidden under his cloak. There was being alone, and then there was being lonely.

Marianne steeled her nerves and approached. They didn't need to speak, but perhaps just being near him would set others at ease? She leaned against the railing, staring at the horizon and the gentle waves.

He feels her approach. Expects it to be nothing more than another accosting him about his knowledge of what may be happening in Elibe.

But her essence feels the smallest bit familiar... and when she finally stood beside him, she said not a word. After a moment, Ephidel looks to her puzzled, but still, questions were not asked.

He tilts his head curiously, and then recalls. He knew her from the dreams in Rusalka. They had not spoken much then, but considering it now, she too tended to stand at people's periphery.

He blinks slowly at her, before returning his gaze to the sea. They stood together a while, sharing a comfortable silence.

[four-loose-screws]

FE7 Novelization Translation - Chapter 9 Section 5

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Chapter 9: Dragon's Gate (Section 5)

Eliwood ran up the stairs to the shrine, and shouted at the man he saw standing in front of the entrance, "Darin! Your greed ends here!!"

“Feh ha ha ha ha ha ha! Someone the likes of you could never defeat me!!” The moment Darin laid his eyes on Eliwood, he swiftly raised his lance.

Eliwood fended off the attack with his rapier, then pulled himself back for a moment to calmly put some distance between them.

“It is foolishness that someone the likes of you, son of Pherae, would challenge me, the king of the world!” Darin said as he whirled his lance around in a circle above his head.

Eliwood furrowed his brow. “The king… of the world?”

“That’s right! Not just Lycia, but Bern, Etruria, Sacae, and Ilia will all bow… before me, Darin!!”

“Do you really think that could ever be possible?!”

“Of course I do! So long as I have Nergal with me…” Darin said, and swung his lance downwards, aiming at Eliwood.

However, such an attack was full of openings. Darin had never been a skilled armored knight. He was known for having bought his title of general, so he’d never been praised for his combat abilities. And on top of all that, due to Ephidel’s influence, he’d utterly lost his ability to think rationally.

Eliwood did not let the opening go to waste.

In one movement, he parried Darin’s lance and lunged at Darin’s chest. The thin blade of his rapier slid into a tiny opening in Darin’s armor.

The rapier stabbed through his underarm and into his heart. 

“Blood…? Is this… my blood?” He muttered, and gazed down in shock at the blood dripping from his mouth.

“Ephidel! Come quickly!! Your king… …is calling you! I am the king… that rules… this… world…” Darin was lost in his ambitions until the very end, when he drew his last breath.

Eliwood looked down at Marquess Laus’ corpse, and felt empty. “He… had already gone mad…”

He felt no joy in his victory. He’d thought that this was the foe who was behind everything from the start, but now that he knew Darin had been manipulated, he pitied the marquess.

Hector felt the same way. “The last days of a greedy man… are so pitiful.”

“...Lord Darin.”

“C’mon, Eliwood! This is no time to be sentimental!” Hector said to encourage his friend, who was. still looking down in sorrow at Darin.

Hector’s words lifted Eliwood’s spirits, and he said, “...Let’s go!!”

ー

“Faaatherrr!” Eliwood’s voice echoed throughout the shrine in vain.

They had defeated the rest of their enemies and completed their invasion of the shrine. Afterwards, they immediately started their search for Elbert and Ninian.

“Father?! It’s me, Eliwood!!”  He called out his father’s name as loudly as he could. 

But no matter how much he yelled, it did not seem like he would receive any responses.

They might have been a moment too late, and he could already be dead…

Eliwood shook off that dark thought that crossed his mind, and continued deeper into the shrine.

Hector was following behind him. “It’s so dark! I can’t see a damn thing…!” He said. 

Just as Hector’s words implied, the further inside the shrine they went, the fewer torches and sources of light there were, causing their surroundings to become more and more enveloped by darkness.

But that did not make Eliwood nor any of his allies falter. They continued deeper inside, and though it was faint, they heard a person’s voice.

“...E-Eliwood…”

The voice was one he could recognize since birth. It was his father’s.

“Father!! Where are you?!”

“In there, Eliwood! His voice is coming from in there!!”

They followed Lyn’s words and rushed into a pitch black room, where they finally found Elbert, weak and lying on the cold stone floor.

“Ah! Father!!” Eliwood found his father and hugged Elbert’s frail body while sobbing tears of joy. 

He’d thought countless times from the moment he left Pherae until arriving here that he might never be able to see his father ever again. To see that his father survived to cross paths with him here, made Eliwood so happy he was shaking.

“You’re safe… You’re really safe…!!”

“Eliwood…” Elbert only felt relief at seeing his son alive and safe for a brief moment, before pointiing at something and saying, “D-Don’t worry about me! Take the girl… and run!”

“Ninian!?”

In the direction Elbert was pointing at was the kidnapped Ninian. However, she was standing completely still, and her hollow eyes did not seem to see Eliwood, nor any of his allies standing around her.

“That girl is… the key that can open the Dragon’s Gate… Go quickly… before Nergal notices anything!”

Eliwood picked up on just how dire the situation was from the urgency in his father’s voice, and immediately did as he said.

“Ninian! This way! Let’s get out of here!” Eliwood yelled over to her sharply.

However, she was clearly not in a normal state of mind, as she did not respond.

“Eliwood! I’ve got your father! You take Ninian!”

“Understood!” Eliwood nodded at Hector and entrusted his father to his friend, then ran over towards Ninian.

Meanwhile, when Hector took Elbert from Eliwood, he put the weakened marquess on his large back to carry him.

“Lord Elbert! I’m going to start moving you, so please bear with me!”

“Hector… you came here, too? …Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. Now let’s go!” Hector said, his embarrassment clear in his voice, as he stood up, carrying Elbert.

Eliwood lifted up Ninian as well.

“Eliwood! Hector! Hurry, this way!”

The moment Lyn beckoned them to hurry, a dark, fear-inducing voice said from behind her, “...I cannot let you pass.”

“Where did he come from?!” Lyn whirled around to see a man dressed in all black. 

He had light brown skin and hair as red as blood. His eyes, like glass beads and devoid of emotion, stared straight at Lyn.

While still in a state of shock, Lyn put a hand on Mani Katti’s hilt at her belt. As the man was wearing only black, she quickly guessed that he was a member of the Black Fang, and began to prepare for battle.

But a voice called out to stop her. “You cannot fight that man!!”

“Huh?!” At Elbert’s words, Lyn, about to strike any second, stopped moving.

“He… is dangerous. Even if you fight him at your strongest, you have no chance!” Elbert had seen Jaffar’s terrifying combat abilities with his own eyes. He knew that not a single person present could win against him.

But Eliwood, who knew nothing of Jaffar’s true strength, insisted that they must take the risk and fight. “But Father, we’re in danger…”

That was as far as he managed to get before a voice that came from within the shadows cut him off.

“...You should heed your father’s warnings, Lord Eliwood.” Ephidel had teleported just behind Eliwood and his allies.

They were now stuck between a rock and a hard place, with both Ephidel and Jaffar on either side of them.

“This man is an exceptional fighter, even among the Black Fang’s ranks… At your current strength, even if you all come at him at once, you will not be able to take him.”

If Ephidel had been the only one to say those words, then Eliwood might not have believed them. But even his father warned them of this danger. Meaning that any foolish movements would be tantamount to suicide.

Lyn had been ready to fight, but now sensed danger just from Jaffar’s presence alone. Gritting her teeth, she took a few steps back.

Ephidel, having gathered the living sacrifice and tool he needed for Nergal's ceremony, nodded in satisfaction, then shifted his gaze towards the person responsible for this success. “...Excellent work, Jaffar. Your work here is done. Please return to Bern to receive your next assignment.”

After watching Jaffar disappear without a sound, Ephidel once again looked back at Eliwood.

“Now then, everyone! My master welcomes you. To honor those of you who struggled all this way to make it here, we shall show you something quite interesting.”

“Stop! You cannot summon the dragons!” Elbert shouted in agony, as he knew exactly what the ceremony was all about.

“Father?! What are you talking about?!”

“...You will know soon. We will take your father’s life in exchange!” Ephidel said, then raised his right hand.

“Guh! …Gah… Ah…” Elbert’s body was assailed by pain and despair so great that they drained his life from him. It was as if his very soul was being forcefully sucked out of his body, and he screamed and writhed in agony.

“Father! What’s happening?! Father!!”

“Lord Elbert, hang in there!!”

Neither Eliwood nor Hector could hide the turmoil Elbert’s suffering caused them.

But as if to mock them, the forbidden ceremony continued on.

“Pow… er… power…” Ninian released herself from Eliwood’s hands and began to speak. Her voice was not her typical voice that sounded like a beautiful, clean bubbling stream, but one monotonous and devoid of emotion.

“Gahhh!!” Elbert screamed even harder. He felt as if every last drop of strength was being ripped from his body, and his nerves seemed about to break any second.

“Father!” All Eliwood could do was watch his father, and feel helplessly impatient to do something.

“Keh keh keh… Suffer more and more, Marquess Pherae! Even your ability to endure pain is essential for this ceremony!”

At that voice, Eliwood raised his head.

While they were watching the ceremony, a man they did not know had appeared beside Ninian.

He wore a black robe and a black cloth that covered his left eye. A cruel, cold-hearted smile spread across his face as he looked down at Eliwood and the others.

“Who are you?!” Hector yelled to demand his identity.

The man in black turned his eyes, with a cunning light shining from within them, towards Hector, then opened his mouth. “That’s right… I haven’t told any of you my name yet. You should etch my name into your minds before you are sent to your deaths. I am Nergal.”

“Nergal?! You’re…!”

Leila told them that even she had never met him, the enemy leader and person behind every tumultuous event they had witnessed.

Eliwood glared at him in rage and shouted, “Nergal! What have you done to my father and Ninian?!”

But Nergal brushed off his gaze and answered, “You will know the answer soon enough. You will watch everything alongside your suffering father. Now, Ninian… open the Dragon’s Gate.”

The giant gate was not for humans to use… but to summon dragons.

That was why it was called the Dragon’s Gate. 

Nergal teleported next to it, and gave Ninian her orders.

“...The gate… will open… now…” Ninian had completely lost her own consciousnes and become Nergal’s puppet. At his order, she began to speak.

“Excellent…! This should be enough to welcome the dragons here…!”

The time has finally come for his goal to become reality.

The moment he smiled in joy, the shrine was assailed by a shock so great the entire building shook.

The tremors were so great that neither Eliwood nor any of his allies could stay standing, and they had to crouch down just to try and endure them.

Only Nergal, Ephidel, and Ninian in her puppet state stood straight up, as if they could not feel a thing.

“What in the world is going on?!” Eliwood sensed a change in the atmosphere unlike anything he had ever witnessed before, striking fear in his heart, and looked.

As he raised his eyes, the forms of monsters entirely different from humans appeared.

“...Come, children… of… fire… Come… here…” Ninian’s voice echoed through the room.

In response, the beings of legend appeared, assaulting everyone’s ears with their thunderous roars.

“...This can’t be real!” Hector said in utter shock.

Lyn, by his side, also froze when she saw what was appearing from the Dragon’s Gate.

“Are those… really… the dragons of old?” Eliwood said with a look of pure disbelief on his face.

It wasn’t impossible. There, appearing from within the gate, were unmistakably dragons like those that had disappeared long, long ago.

Their size compared to that of a two story house, and they were covered in sturdy scales that could repel any attack. From within their mouths large enough to swallow humans whole, Eliwood could see red-hot flames leaking out.

Nergal shouted in pure ecstasy, “Ha ha ha ha ha! Yes, use up all of your strength!! Drain it all from within your body, and call upon the dragons!”

“...I’ll never allow that to happen!”

“Who goes there?!” Ephidel reacted to the sudden voice of a young boy that cut off Nergal’s words. “...You!”

They looked towards the source of the voice, and saw Ninian’s other half, her little brother Nils.

“Ninian! Wake up!! You cannot do as they say!

“...Ni… …Nils…?” When Nils addressed her, after doing exactly as Nergal commanded until now, she once again spoke her own words.

“Stop, Nils!! Their power… it’s running wild!!!” Ephidel shouted while closing in on Nils to capture him.

But before he could do so, Nils’ call to his sister succeeded in fully returning her to her senses.

“...Nils?”

“This way! Hurry! The dragon’s true forms are crumbling! Everyone, let’s hurry out of here!!” Pulling his sister with him, Nils gave out his warning to everyone, then fled the area.

Just as Nils had said, the summoned dragons had not yet fully formed in this world. Because Ninian, the one guiding the dragons, had cut off the process part way, their bodies that had begun to take form crumbled, and the power contained within them was trying to burst forth.

The moment he picked up on what was happening, Nergal immediately disappeared into a teleportation circle, and Eliwood and his allies quickly made their escape.

Only Ephidel could not flee.

Due to both his fascination and fear of the crumbling dragons, he was unable to move.

“Hyaaaah…! Stop… You cannot come here…!! Lord Nergal! Lord Nergal!! Please…!!!”

But Nergal did not lend an ear to his loyal subject’s plea.

The dragons all took one, two, three steps forward, then their giant bodies crumbled completely.

“Graaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!” A torrent of flames burst forth from their collapsed bodies like a flood of water.

Ephidel was engulfed within a scorching hot vortex, and disappeared from this world within the blink of an eye.

-

[fluxrspar]

She sets about making herself useful almost immediately upon arriving in Rusalka. Her only pause—forgivable, given the context—was before her liege, one she had thought gone reanimated as himself; a being in his own control.

Being a knight, however, she could not be distracted from her duty for very long.

It is through this determination that Selena finds herself in the village’s approximation of an apothecary. Though the mage could not claim knowledge in the art of developing medicine—she was not even versed in white magic (or as it was referred to in Fódlan: faith magic)—seeing the emperor again, plagued still by the illness that had gripped him in life, she could not help her desire to alleviate whatever he may be suffering behind his smile; anything, she would do in the service of His Majesty.

She learns first by observing, passing along herbs and the like when she is asked; then by actively doing, if just one step in the process. Gradually a proficiency is built, until she is able to work with a fraction of the same efficiency as the other villagers, even if she did not yet know what each aid was for. The knowledge is internalized, fossilized into stone; carried on for when she returns later, alone.

Perhaps it is merely her nature that she cannot remain idle for long; or maybe it is that she does not tire at the same rate as the other villagers. Whatever the reason, the work begins anew—sorting through baskets and using freshly gained information to do more; to assist; to aid.

(A few moments pass; she recognizes the faint presence of another.)

Eyes turn instinctively, an old weapon expecting a threat—and a sharp gaze softens, when she realizes that it is not. “Oh,” is all she says at first, before continuing: “You’re…”

…not quite like the others, but that wasn’t what Selena intended to say. Though his eyes glimmered unnaturally and his presence was as loud as a doll’s, Selena assumed humanity of the man she was looking at. Given all the facts, she had no reason to assume otherwise.

“…one of the clergy members, right? Of the Church of Seiros?” (He had walked alongside them; the long path from the monastery to the tear to Rusalka.) “Are you here to make medicine as well?”

The Fluorspar stands, taking the supplies to her work station and setting them down. “I am, at least. You’re free to join me, if you’d like.”

@artificidel

cough cough milord

apollyon ouranos; team theta making medicine; +1 public opinion per post; one concoction every 5 posts