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+---- Thread: [PQ+] some roses are red (/showthread.php?tid=10905)
some roses are red - Maea - 03-17-2025
Well past the lunchour, a warm light slanted through the gnarled canopies of Ludo's Woods, dappling the ground in green and gold. In the daylight, the twisted trees seemed less eerie, as though they too enjoyed the warmer temperature and longer days. New leaves unfurled from swelling buds along their branches, and amid the dried husks of last years leaves and ferns, springtime flowers of yellow and white poked shy blooms out of the moss.
Breathing deeply of cool air scented by aged mulch and green growing things, Maea adjusted the strap of her new satchel while gazing around to get her bearings. With her back to Mort's and Ludo's shrine, she sensed the vastness of the forest around her and knew it would be a lucky find indeed if she and her companions stumbled upon anything more than trouble today. They only had a few hours until dusk fell and a lot of ground to cover, and at least Maea was eager to get going.
[say]"Are you guys ready?"[/say] she asked once she was done, looking across to her friends. In her black dress and with the pale hair braided into a crown atop her head, the small woman could have been on her way to a ball as much as on a quest - though the long coat and well worn boots meant as much business as the gleaming throwing discs tied to her belt. [say]"I thought we might spread out far enough to just barely see one another, and search the area in a grid... What do you think? Got any other suggestions?"[/say]
------
Maea brings everything on her profile, as well as a satchel filled with a days food ration, a waterskin, rope, a lantern with oil, a hand shovel plus a mid-sized pot (in case they get lucky). She is dressed in her armored dress, trousers, a belt and boots, a long fur-lined coat plus a cloak with a hood.
Maea suggests spreading out while maintaining line of sight, and go search in a grid pattern.
☆ — ☆ — ☆
Welcome to this non-lethal PQ+ where the aim is to search for Vi's Roses.
- The deadline to successfully complete the quest is April 15th.
- Please list all items (excluding those on the profile) your character brings at the bottom of the first post.
- All actions and use of abilities or items should be added in a short summary at the end of each post.
- There is no post order.
Round 1: Describe your character arriving and suggest a way to make the search more effective!
Participants:
1. Maea
2. Hadama
3. Thalassa
RE: some roses are red - Hadama - 03-17-2025
Hadama had arrived in the simple but well-made clothing that he had worn to lunch with the ladies. A simple wrap shirt with spacious sleeves was belted at his waist over black leather trousers with hand-stitched silver stars. He had a pouch at his side with flint and steel, a few snacks, and a heavy knife. On his back he bore a well-padded box, identical to the one that he had once used to transport Cursed Daisies back to Torchline for the creation of its Barriors against the Void - though today he hoped it would be filled with something far more precious and blessed.
He walked with slow strides that nevertheless stretched wide to eat up the ground, his boots ghosting lightly over the damp, springy ground in spite of his muscular bulk. As he so often did, he used his coral-and-gold trident like a walking staff, the starlight tines pointed to the sky and the butt a steady presence on the ground beside him.
He looked around at the familiar Woods, remembering his last visit there with Noah, perhaps, before turning back to Maea and inclining his head in thought. "Mmh. We might cover more ground if those that can fly search from the air, instead," he offered eventually. He knew that Maea had wings, and he turned to cock his head at Thalassa in curiosity to learn if she did as well.
Hadama arrives fully clothed and with a small pack, as well as a large box worn as a backpack. He has everything on his profile, and is using his trident as a walking stick.
He suggests that those with wings search from above to get a wider view of the area.
RE: some roses are red - Thalassa - 03-17-2025
Hands in her pockets, Thal followed behind the others, not particularly invested in the search. If so many others haven't found these 'elusive flowers,' how do they expect to be the lucky ones? She's never been considered lucky in her life, and she didn't expect that to change now, no matter how much the other two might want it to. So, as she trailed behind them, her eyes scanned the area, but there wasn't any true 'effort' involved, especially not after their recent conversation.
Thal stopped as Maea began to talk, eyes narrowing at the clinical approach of a 'grid.' She could understand the reasoning, but it sounded so tedious, and she had no desire to stay out until the late hours of the night trapsing through the creepy forest. At least Hadama had a better idea, suggesting they try flying first. Nodding her head, she looked to the darkening sky. [say]"I like that plan. We can agree to meet back here."[/say] With no unnecessary time wasted.
Thalassa arrives with everything on her profile, a few extra (plain) daggers, her cloak, and her realist mentality (you're welcome).
She agrees with Hadama.
RE: some roses are red - Maea - 03-18-2025
Looking between her companions, Maea considered their suggestions and how to make sure they were all heard.
[say]"Alright, Thalassa and I will search from the sky. But please remain within shouting distance at least? Just in case we find something unexpected."[/say] She had an encounter with a caitsidhe in this area fresh in mind, despite it being years ago and in the company of Mort's own daughter.
With that, Maea left her bag by the shrine and changed form. The ivory plumage of the Gore Crow gleamed softly in the dappled sunlight as she winged off among the trees, making sure to keep beneath the canopy so that her vision would not be obscured.
For the first half hour or so, forest was all there was to see for all of them. Twisted trees strangely reminiscent of people followed their passage with unseeing eyes, and despite the warble of birds among trees and bushes a stillness lay over the landscape, somnolent and serene.
Maea's heart nearly leaped out of her feathered little chest when a glimpse of red cut through the brown and green. Seeming to leap out at her, she darted down to examine – only to find a lady's fine scarf tangled up in the branches of a bush. Stolen by a recent storm perhaps, or left by some unknown traveler, it mocked her optimism with a gentle fluttter of crimson silk. Of half a mind to shred it in her disappointment, Maea steeled herself and picked it out of the bramble instead, and wrapped it around a foot before continuing on.
Hadama's fortunes went a similar way. As the landscape dipped to follow the murmur of a brook, a glint of metal - brass, or was it gold? - along one of the steep banks might lure even the steadfast Tidebreaker to pick up his pace. He would find something, though it wasn't a flower. Embedded in a tree trunk, an elaborately decorated axe glinted in the sunlight. No woodsman's tool, it was clearly intended for battle - though whoever had brought it here to fight had not come back to retrieve it.
From above, Thalassa's view of the forest consisted mostly of trees. Who would have thought? Big trees and small trees, conifers and hardwood interspersed the woodlands and spread out below like a tapestry of greens and browns.
In one small clearing, she came upon a grisly sight. A small camp had scattered its contents all over the fresh spring grass. Among the litter of half-burned tents and ruined equipment she would discover the remains of a traveler. Her face was too devastated by animals and decay to tell anything of who she was; but it seemed she had been trying to fight something off in her last moments, because Thalassa would spot a longbow jutting out from beneath the figure, broken near one end and with the string still swaying on a gentle wind.
------
Maea finds a red scarf.
Hadama finds a one-handed war axe (basic)
Thalassa finds a ruined camp with a corpse, and a longbow, broken near one end.
Round 2. Choose whether to continue North, East, or West.
RE: some roses are red - Thalassa - 03-18-2025
With things decided, Thal shifts, taking off to the sky with large flaps of her membranous wings. Trees ruffle beneath the shift of air, adding a low rustle to the creepy atmosphere, but she ignored them as she scanned the forest for signs of flowers. Her lyvern form made it easy to spot different things, animals, plants, and apparently an abandoned camp.
Intrigued, she glided down to shift, exploring the area with her hands hovering carefully over her daggers in case whatever had ravaged the camp lingered nearby. Since it was obvious that the woman wasn't going to be using any of the supplies, she ruffled through the objects she'd left behind when she stepped into Mort's realm. When she'd found everything of interest - and no flowers - Thal shifted back, turning north to continue her search from the skies.
Thalassa heads North.
RE: some roses are red - Hadama - 03-18-2025
He moved with caution across the spongy earth, the soil heavy with Flowerbirth rains as well as the hungry veins of the Stone Symphony that stitched throughout the Greatwood in a vast network of water and life. His steps were sure but only because he paid close attention to where his feet fell. And he kept a wary eye on the twisted trees around them, emerald eyes sharp as he sought the tell-tale glow of a wisp or some other dangerous creature.
No predator revealed itself amidst the spooky shadows of Ludo's Woods, but the glint of metal caught his eye and he moved to investigate what turned out to be a weapon. It was well-made, he noted with professional assessment, but there was no sign of who had wielded it or why it was embedded in the tree's trunk. "Apologies," he murmured to the tree. "Bear with this a moment." He wrapped his hands around the weapon and with a bunch of powerful muscles he pulled it free with a grunt. As soon as it was free he placed a hand upon the skin-like bark and let the moonlit mist rise around him and the tree to heal the wound left behind.
Tucking the axe into his belt thoughtfully, he raised his head to look around for his companions. A flash of black feathers in the distance drew his eye and he shrugged, beginning to trek after Thalassa in obedience to the plan to stay within shouting distance.
Hadama collects the axe, heals the tree, and heads North after Thalassa.
RE: some roses are red - Maea - 03-18-2025
As one they set their course northward, ranging wide yet still within hearing distance from one another. Maea discovered that her path soon wound alongside a growing river headed for the sea, marking the end of the islet she flew over. Crossing the expanse of water to continue on her way was not an issue for a bird, but as she winged her way onward towards the opposite white, a feeling of dread came over her. Looking down, shespotted a pod of dark shapes leaping in the waves; and they looked back. A dark fog tinged with void energies began to obscure the area, and though she tried to find her bearings, Maea quickly realized that she barely saw anything at all. A hoarse caw rang out across the landscape; in her shifted form there was nothing she could do, and with mist everywhere it was impossible to even fly away. She'd crash into a tree as soon as escape into clear skies.
Thalassa's search went uneventful for the most part. Unlike last time, when something appeared on the landscape this time it was as a breath of fresh air. Clinging to a rock in the middle of a pool sat a small tree, twisted and gnarled with age and weathering, but tenatious in its lifeforce. Even this early in the season its branches had sprung into full bloom, and as a gentle wind whispered through the twinge, petals of a soft pink and white fell like gentle rain into the water. The sunlight seemed brighter here, and the air warmer; it was a sight to grip ones heart, if they were of a mind to appreciate beautiful things.
Gold was in Hadama's future, it would seem. He had not made it far from the tree and the axe before another gleaming object caught the light of the afternoon sun. A dagger had caught in a fallen tree trunk, with the tip firmly lodged into moldering wood. It was of a similar make as the axe, the handle wrought in gold - perhaps owned by the same traveler; this one appeared to have been thrown with some force, though clearly missed its target.
------
Maea is caught in mist wrought by the Enshadowed Delphinids, and calls for help.
--------
Maea finds Enshadowed Delphinids! It attacks her and she calls for help.
Thalassa finds a cherry tree in bloom.
Hadama finds a gold dagger (basic)
Round 3: Help Maea fight the void creature or search for flowers
RE: some roses are red - Thalassa - 03-18-2025
Not of a mind to appreciate beautiful things, Thal wasn't inclined to inspect the blooming cherry blossoms that came into view. If anything, she noted they weren't the flowers they sought, scoffed (in the way a lyvern can), and flew away. Which seemed to be the proper choice as an eerily familiar caw echoed over the canopy, drawing her attention.
Tilting her wings, she headed towards the noise, immediately noticing a suspicious purple fog that she recognized from her time at sea. Thal knew the damage it could do, choosing not to immerse herself in its clutches. Instead, she landed gently at the water's edge, summoning her flames to push away the fog. [say]"Maea! If that's you, follow my fire!"[/say] And then she proceeded to launch fireballs into the void, secretly hoping to hit one of the Delphinids, knowing it wouldn't matter if Maea caught some of the heat.
---
Thalassa shifts and uses her fire magic to attack/clear the fog.
Fire Manipulation: Can create and control flames. Must be within a 30ft radius.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered
The world is new to you, and you to it. During PQ/PQ+/KQs/Drops, you roll with advantage on luck-based rolls and receive an extra name during drops. (In order to use this, make sure to note the ability at the bottom of each post)
Regional Score bonus: +5 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +5 should be included). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region.
RE: some roses are red - Hadama - 03-19-2025
Back on the trail, following the gore crows - one white, one black - Hadama continued to scan the ground. He paid particular attention to the underbrush or places beneath fallen trees or in bramble tangles that would be less visible from above, but he still looked up occasionally to keep his friends in sight.
Another glint of gold caught his eye, and he bent to investigate the weapon before Maea's croak carried through the woodland air. He raised his head, turning immediately to look for the source--
But he could not see the white crow. A mist had risen over the river, thick and masking, and a sinister giggle caused his jaw to flex briefly in recognition of the source. Leaving the dagger behind, he strode swiftly towards the bank. Thalassa had already shifted back to two legs to wield fire, but the mist hid the delphinids from attack as well as confusing Maea.
At least, it hid them from above.
Dropping his trident without breaking stride and stripping his wrap shirt as he moved, Hadama dropped both near the bank of the river and dove in, using his momentum to arc into deeper water as scales rippled out from under his skin and stars danced within them. Safrin had told him to go forth and spread her light and so he did, taking on his Hippocampus form as he sought out the delphinids beneath the water where they could not hide.
Hadama dives into the river and shifts to Hippocampus form. He's hunting the delphinids, if he can see them.
RE: some roses are red - Maea - 03-19-2025
A light bloomed in the purple haze. Ruddier and closer than the sun, it was accompanied by a voice the pale crow recognized. Breathing in the miasma was doing things to her mind; shapes floated in and out of her periphery, distorted beyond recognition. But though her throat burned and her wings felt heavy, she doggedly pursued the light until the mist cleared and she found a shoreto land on. Shifting so that she could make use of other skills, she turned around on the sinister water-dwellers and drove a chakram into her arm, angry enough to be targeted that the pain of mangling her own flesh felt worth it. Worth suffering through, in order to repay the debt in kind. Carefully aiming the magic on a dark shape that seemed to absorb the light, Maea unleashed the bloodbane - and was rewarded with a ghostly keen as one creature was brought to death's door.
Thalassa's fire found a mark at the same time. Lured towards the surface by her fire, another corrupted dolphin screeched as its hide received scalding burns. It sent a wave of water towards the pirate captain to sweep her off her feet, but missed - plunging below the waves it vanished out of sight for now.
Hadama's hunt for the perpetrators swiftly yielded results. He would find three of the void-tainted creatures speeding around near the surface, their forms an absence of light in the dim riverscape. Taking one of them by surprise, he was able to swiftly dispatch of it - but in the ensuing fight, the delphinid sank its teeth into him, before it drifted away on the current that would eventually reach the sea.
-‐------
Maea finds her way to Thalassa, shifts to Ancient and uses Bloodbane on the Enshadowed Delphinids.
Magic: Bloodbane | Can injure themselves for mastered damage to weaken others at a 1.5x their mastered level with a range of 30ft.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered
-------
Maea: Hits a Delphinid with mastered Bloodbane
Thalassa: Hits a Delphinid with mastered fire
Hadama: Crit hits! He successfully kills one of the Delphinids but is bitten by it.
Delphinid 1: 33/100
Delphinid 2: 57/100
Delphinid 3: 0/100
Maea: 225/270 HP
Thalassa: 120/120 HP
Hadama: 710/740 HP
Round 4: Finish off the void creatures!
RE: some roses are red - Thalassa - 03-19-2025
The sounds of battle immediately reached her ears, a keen here, a screech there. Thal felt the thrill of battle thrum in her chest, fueling the fire that raged in her blood. Luckily, Maea seemed to find her way out of the fog, and Thal gave her a nod of acknowledgement as she continued her assault on the creatures.
She didn't watch as the Ancient stabbed herself, choosing instead to twist her flames into more fireballs that she launched into the water and mists. There was no telling where Hadama was, but she hoped he knew to avoid the surface of the water if he wanted to prevent a repeat of their previous spar.
---
Thalassa attacks Delphinid 2 again with fire magic!
Fire Manipulation: Can create and control flames. Must be within a 30ft radius.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered
The world is new to you, and you to it. During PQ/PQ+/KQs/Drops, you roll with advantage on luck-based rolls and receive an extra name during drops. (In order to use this, make sure to note the ability at the bottom of each post)
Regional Score bonus: +5 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +5 should be included). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region.
RE: some roses are red - Hadama - 03-19-2025
The creature's bite would have been a killing offense if it had not already earned that judgment for endangering Maea. As it was, Hadama shrugged off the pain as the battle-calm fell over him and curved back around through the water, seeking the rest of the pod. Emerald eyes picked out the two blacker shapes against the lighter surface above him, and the flare of fire as the Ancients fought back from shore.
He did, indeed, know better than to place himself in range of their attacks. Nor did he have any desire or need to come so close again. The bite wound was an annoyance but not one that he cared to repeat, and so he opted for caution and keeping his distance.
But also for the ruthless pragmatism of a King who regularly swam with sharks.
The first delphinid was moving more slowly through the water, and the scent of injury twisted through the stream before being carried away. Hadama focused his attention on that one, drawing upon the Mastered Water magic of his Hippocampus form and attempting to freeze the corrupted creature in a block of ice that would stop its breathing without releasing more of its foul blood into the waterway.
Hadama keeps his distance and uses his Hippocampus ability: Mastered Water Magic to try and freeze Delphinid 1 solid!
Hippocampus Ability | Mastered Water Magic
Magic: Hydrated | (FEAT) Has Advantage while in water
Type: Light | Rank: Mastered
Regional Score bonus: +13 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +13 should be included). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region.
RE: some roses are red - Maea - 03-20-2025
In the face of overwhelming firepower and might, the enshadowed water-dwellers did not stand a chance. As Maea switched to fire magic to aid Thalassa, together they literally boiled the life out the first delphinid, while Hadama's cool pragmatism froze his target into a solid block of ice. Robbed of breath and unable to move, it followed the rest of its pod down the current, where all that tainted blood and the carcasses would eventually reach the hungry sea.
Only in the aftermath of the skirmish, as dark fog lifted and allowed the three companions to see each other clearly, did Maea begin to truly feel the effects of her own magic. As darkness ebbed from her eyes the sank down into a squat and pressed her hand over her mangled arm, breathing harshly against the pain and a lingering nausea.
Likewise, Hadama would find it difficult to completely shrug off the poisoned bite; gradually he would begin to feel the taint circulate through his veins, causing nausea and the onset of hallucinations like a violet haze layered over his vision.
Only Thalassa came away without a scratch. Gazing up at her friend, Maea smiled gratefully and inclined her head in respect. [say]"That was fast thinking on your part. Thank you; your light really helped me get out of that peasoup."[/say]
Extending the smile to Hadama once he appeared out of the water, it paled with concern upon seeing him. [say]"Are you alright?"[/say]
---------
Maea uses Mastered Fire magic to kill Delphinid 1.
Fire Manipulation: Can create and control flames. Must be within a 30ft radius.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered
----------------
Maea: Hits using mastered fire magic
Thalassa: Hits using mastered fire magic
Hadama: Hits using mastered water magic
Delphinid 1: 0/100
Delphinid 2: 0/100
Delphinid 3: 0/100
Round 5! Heal up and decide what to do next.
RE: some roses are red - Hadama - 03-20-2025
As the Void-tainted delphinids were dealt with, the growing haze in Hadama's thoughts began to fray at his concentration. He shook his head fiercely, circling in the deep water as the corpses floated away before he could capture them for destruction, and drew in cleaner breaths of river untouched by violet. The bite on his flank was starting to throb annoyingly, and he snorted at a passing shadow before driving himself back towards shore.
Breaking the surface, he pulled his scaled bulk onto the bank before shifting back to two legs and smooth skin. The bite was shallow but the red of his blood was clearly visible on his bare torso as he drew himself to his feet and pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut against the flitting shadows at the corners of his vision. "Mmh," he answered Maea noncommittally, distracted as he tried to focus enough to call upon his magic.
The moonlit mist flickered and rose weakly at first, spreading out to encompass both Ancients as well as the demigod at its center, but as the soothing silver light soaked into his skin and the purple tinge at the wound's edges faded the mist gained strength, renewing those who had been wounded.
Finally able to relax once the bite mark closed, he looked over at the two Ancients and drew in a deep breath. "I am fine now," he assured them, moving to pick up his shirt and brush the twigs and leaves off it before beginning to garb himself once more. "Do you want to continue searching north?"
Hadama heals the party for 67HP! And asks if they want to keep going north.
Magic: Turn the Tide | Can cause a moonlit mist to rise in a 30 ft radius that heals allies while causing enemies to roll with disadvantage for one round. Has a 2 post cool-down between uses.
Type: Light | Rank: Mastered