2017-02-18: Hellions, Strangers, and Stranger Things
- Log: Hellions, Strangers, and Stranger Things
- Cast: Alisha Diphda, Basra Rand, Marshal Henry Smythe, Sorey
- Where: Linga
- Date: February 18, 2017
- Summary: Sorey and Alisha crash land in Filgaia, after their bridge gives out. They land in Linga - and good thing, for Basra Rand and Henry Smythe were on hand to help!
<Pose Tracker> Sorey has posed.
LUNAR: Glenwood Continent
After a detour following rumors of a (corrupted) dragon that had appeared near Rayfalke Spiritcrest, the journey of the Shepherd had continued - while they HAD found a dragon, it was not the one that had appeared in Ladylake. The one they found was larger and considerably scarier, and had more complicated problems involved in dealing with it. And so the group had continued onwards, meeting up with the military column that was traveling towards the city of Marlind with supplies for the plague outbreak that had occurred there.
The path forward crossed a large river, and the banks had been swollen by the vast amounts of rain that had come thundering down in recent days. Sorey had paused at the edge of the river, looking out across the bridge for a moment as if he were taking in a sight that no one else could see. The brown haired young man looks at his companion for a moment, and states, "The malevolence is thick here - be on your guard, everyone."
That said, malevolence was something that should be confronted, not ignored. One hand resting on the hilt of his sword, Sorey steps out onto the heavy stone span, moving slowly as he casts his gaze out upon the river. "Alisha, there's definitely something here. In fact I-"
"Both of you, look out!"
The voice comes from a figure that none of the soldiers on the bridge can see, and not a moment too soon. There is an eruption of white spray from the dark water below, and a swirling mass of water rises up like a serpent from the depths. A pair of glowing red eyes burn within the water snake's head, and a shout goes up from the military cohort on the shore.
"Monster!"
"Hellion!"
The sound the Hellion makes is less of a hiss than the roar of a raging river, and Sorey brings his sword up into a ready position. "Get rea-" he starts, just as the Hellion surges into the bridge. There is a deep grinding sound, and then with a shock the entire bridge gives way. Rocks spill backwards into the water on the far side, and the Hellion goes pouring across. Sorey is swept from the bridge, and he lets out a strangled cry as he falls towards the racing waters below. He throws out one hand, reaching to grab Alisha so they aren't swept apart by the fierce current...
And then something weird happens.
Sorey only has a moment to realize that something is wrong before he hits the ground. Not water, like he was expecting, but nice, solid, unyielding earth. The river and bridge are gone - instead replaced by an odd and rustic looking village. Except for himself and Alisha, everything is different.
Except for the Hellion, which slams into the ground and whirls about for a moment, a twisting serpent made out of dark water and glowing red eyes. That's still here apparently.
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed. <SoundTracker> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFKbC1FpkOg
Alisha Diphda hadn't ventured to Rayfalke Spiritcrest, but she had ventured with some of her soldiers to the bridge leading to -- she hoped -- Marlind. She needed to get there quickly, after all, and there was more than one reason for that. A piece of paper is crumpled in her hand, as she looks sideways at Sorey. Her green eyes are clouded with worry, but they light up when he looks at her. Alisha nods, once, before she looks forward again.
She takes a few steps forward, after Sorey, until she spots the surge of water. "Sorey!" she cries out. Then she rushes, boots grinding against the stone of the bridge ahead of her men. "Hold on! I am right behind you! I--"
And then it smashes into the bridge. Her hand reaches out, grabbing hold of Sorey's hand. She hits the water... and then she keeps falling. The splash sends up a wave of droplets, and she comes crashing down on the ground. Onto, she realizes, cobblestones. She scrapes along it, before she slams into the back of a house.
"Sorey!" she cries out. "The Hellion! It's--we're in--" Her expression falls. The blonde-haired princess knight looks up and stares, up at the huge serpent of water, and her eyes widen. "...Where are we!?"
A few of the scholars in Linga start shouting and pointing.
<Pose Tracker> Basra Rand has posed.
Amongst the rustic town, a Beastman moves, swift in foot and sure in purpose. Basra had a limited amount of time here, she figured, because the longer she stayed, the more likely someone would recognize her and cause trouble. Granted, that chance was slim, but she was eager to get what she needed done so she could be on her way. That need, of course, being an appraisal of a large stone disc with strange markings on it. It's about half the size of a millstone and solid rock. For the last few miles, she's been hauling it around on her back, held there by ropes and strips of canvas.
It was awful. Even through her thick longcoat she can feel it chafing, grinding into her dark skin. That heavy weight is all she can think about until she rounds the corner and finds a whole mess of confused-looking scholars, staring and shouting and pointing. Sorey and Alisha don't even register as unusual in the face of the Hellion.
"Well that's an odd place for that." Basra shrugs her shoulders, unseating the stone disc off her back, which thuds noisily against the cobblestone street, sending a few sparks as the rocks strike each other.
The Beastman leaves the artifact behind and walks towards the little mess, rolling up the sleeves of her coat, cracking her knuckles. "So I assume everyone here-" she raises her accented voice, trying to be heard over the building panic, "-will want that taken care of?"
<Pose Tracker> Sorey has posed.
Sorey tumbles to the ground, managing to keep from hurting himself thanks to his own innate agility and the fact that Mikleo makes a great cushion when the need arises. The white haired Seraph, unseen to anyone else, lets out an OOF! and a groan, remaining splayed out on the ground for a moment in a daze. "Eheh, sorry about that man!" Sorey states - to the empty ground as far as any of the nearby bystanders can tell - and rises to his feet.
"Are you OK, Alisha!?!" First check on his friend - Alisha was a lot more likely to have been hurt by that fall. Mikleo is dazed and... Sorey's gaze snaps around for a moment. He can't see the others. Then again, there's also this... distraction.
The Shepherd draws his blade, although the polished wood of his ancient weapon makes only a faint whisper as it clears the scabbard as opposed to the more common steely hiss of a metal weapon. The water serpent spins around several times, apparently just as confused as anyone else at this new and unexpected situation. It lets out a rumbling hiss at one of the nearby scholars, before it whirls at the unexpectedly loud *thud* from Rand dropping that large stone to the ground. It rears up further, weaving back and forth for a moment as if to strike...
...and then screeches as a streak of blue flame cuts into its side for a moment. It twists sideways, moving back until piles up against a nearby low building, its eyes flashing between Basra's own confident posture and the white cloaked young man that had just struck at it.
Sorey stands in the middle of the street, his inscribed wooden blade wreathed in a stream of blue fire. "I certainly won't say no to some help - but be careful. We're not sure what that Hellion is capable of."
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
Because Alisha's life is a thing of dignified sadness, she cannot yet see the Seraphim reliably. She doesn't realize that Sorey landed on one. However, she doesn't blink at the way he talks to the thin air.
Anymore, at least.
Her green eyes shoot back towards the Hellion and she nods, quickly. "I'm fine!" she answers the Shepherd, before she sees him draw his blade. She swings her spear off her back; the weapon spins in hand, bladed end of it pointing towards the huge serpent-like Hellion. "Sorey! There are people nearby! We have to--"
...*thud*
She turns her head to look at Basra Rand. Alisha's eyes widen a little, as she looks at her, and then she nods. "Yes, wanderer! If you could lend your aid, we would be in your debt!" Her nose wrinkles. "And we have to protect the people here. This is a Hellion...!"
That Basra doesn't know what that is doesn't occur to her.
Then she darts forward. She jukes to the side to make a zig-zag motion. Then, Alisha leaps. Her spear spins directly over her head, blade whipping through the air and the ribbon on it snapping after. Then, Alisha dives down, and stabs the spear out for the water-made monster.
<Pose Tracker> Marshal Henry Smythe has posed.
Henry Marshall, wealthy industrialist and amateur archaeologist, fancies himself a scholar. When the Innovation Fair neared, Linga was a natural early stop on the journey - more Drifters would certainly be coming through, and he might catch wind of some new promising dig sites, maybe pick up something for the Fair from someone looking for a quick buck. He's in the library, looking engrossed in a book but actually eavesdropping on a group of Drifters arguing about the sale of their lastest find, when the shouting starts.
Danger! And Henry's without his gear - except for his trusty sidearm, of course, but he'd rather not wave that around in public if it's not necessary....... ok, it's necessary, he decides immediately upon looking out the nearest window and seeing some giant thrashing THING. In fact, something that big is probably gonna need a solution with a little more punch.
Pulling off his coat and using it to shield his face and arms, Henry takes a running start and leaps right through the window, landing in a roll and coming to his feet with just a few minor lacerations. Then he's off to his lodgings to retrieve the tools of his trade.
<Pose Tracker> Basra Rand has posed.
"Mmm. Yes, that'st just what I want to hear." Basra lifts her head a little, making her face a bit more clear under the wide-brimmed hat she usually wears. If the ear-holes cut out of that hat weren't enough indication, her face, which has a slight snout-like structure to it makes her origins pretty clear. She doesn't flinch in her approach, even when the beast quite obviously turns its gaze upon her for those few moments before Sorey interrupts its attention with a well-placed balst of blue flame.
The faintest flash of a frown is all the hint that the pair will get that Basra has absolutely no idea what a 'Hellion' is. What's more likely is that she doesn't even care-a monster is a monster, and those that appear in the middle of a town really need to be dealt with before bodies start piling up.
Basra too darts forward, her posture suddenly dropping forward as she runs, low, hunched. Her hands flex outwards, revealing that her fingers are a lot thicker than that of humans and each are tipped with wicked-looking fingernails.
"Gut-Ripping Claw!" she bellows suddenly, bringing both hands before her in wide, clawed arcs with an x-shaped slash centered on the rippling length of the watery serpent.
The force behind each blow is immense, making it apparent straight away that this isn't just some kind of normal ripping and tearing. Though outsized, it doesn't seem to bother Basra one bit.
<Pose Tracker> Sorey has posed.
The Hellion surges and thrashes as the trio start laying into it. It's clear that just hitting the creature is enough to cause it pain - as Alisha slams her spear into it, there are small water spouts that erupt from its flesh, and Basra's claws cause great sprays of water to erupt across the small open area in the town where the fight is taking place. Each time the Hellion whirls, lashing out with its tail in an attempt to drive back whatever is causing it pain this time.
Sorey lashes out again, the flickering blue fire on his sword leaving a boiling gash along the flank of the Hellion before he leaps back out, just before the serpent Hellion brings its tail down on the spot where he was standing a moment before. As he lands, he glances back to his side for a moment and nods. "Alisha, and... ah! Miss? Madam?" He doesn't really know this beast lady's name after all, and that makes coordinating difficult. "If we can hold it still for a moment, Mikelo can try to freeze it! Then we might be able to shatter the water and strike at its core!"
Sorey gestures towards the glowing red eyes, which appear to be attached to something darker that takes up most of the head area of the water serpent. He makes no real explanation of who Mikleo is or how he'd be helping - Alisha might understand and Basra... may regrettably be confused for a moment?
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
Alisha's spear stabs into it, and draws out a geyser of water. She takes a hop back, landing next to Basra. She gets a good look at her, then, from the corner of her eyes. "A beastwoman," Alisha murmurs underneath her breath when she gets that glimpse of Basra's face under the hat. "Then... perhaps we're not too far--oh, but..."
The Hellion. They need to focus on that. She hesitates a moment, before she nods quickly to what Sorey said. "He means, ah, we know someone with the Goddess Althena's Blessing, who may be able to freeze the monster with their magic!"
Alisha thinks she is helping. She really does.
"We need to provide a distraction so he can line up a shot," she says, with a glance at Basra. "Do you think you can help?"
<Pose Tracker> Marshal Henry Smythe has posed.
And then! Atop a nearby roof that offers a fine vantage point, a mysterious Drifter appears, clad in the classic duster and cowboy hat and boots (somewhat disheveled since Henry changed in a hurry and ran straight over). Two loud snapping sounds announce his presence, and two small puffs of gunsmoke accompany them. Henry surveys the results with a frown - does a body made of water even bleed? And wait, is that kid's sword made of wood? Flaming wood??
"Hey, y'all need a hand?" the 'Marshal' shouts to those below. "What in tarnation is that thing, anyway?"
<Pose Tracker> Basra Rand has posed.
As a spray of water erupts from the wound she inflicts, Basra is actually pushed backwards by the jet of water, sprayed and thoroughly soaked by the creature. Water drips off her coat and hat and while someone might have been rather nonplussed by this outcome, Basra continues to look focused as the water patters around in drops on the cobblestones at her feet.
"I am Basra." she says cheerfully, "Nice to meet you, sorceror." Or rather, assumed sorcerors. Magic was mostly all the same to her.
"Absolutely. I can certainly help distracted it. One moment." She takes a few steps backwards and makes a whistling noise, trying to get the serpent's attention, making 'come at me' motions with her clawed hands.
"You! Are you predator, or prey? Come on, devour me, if you can!"
<Pose Tracker> Sorey has posed.
Sorey hasn't given much thought towards where they are, or what might have happened - the fact that there was a problem to be dealt with took first priority. And they're trying to make as much sense as they can, given the circumstances! Really they're not bad at this - OK, they are, but they're not actively trying to be confusing.
The Hellion thrashes about for a moment as the bullets from the Marshal slam into its body. It's certainly not what the creature had expected - it's not anything Sorey had expected either, because he jumps almost a foot into the air at the unexpected sound of the gunshots going off.
Each time one of the strikes causes water to erupt from the Hellion's body, it seems to lose a bit of size - it was now probably a good two feet smaller than it had been when it landed, thanks to the hits thus far. Sorey looks up at the cowboy and shouts, "It's a water Hellion! It came with us when we... ah. Arrived. We can't drive it off, there's no telling what sort of trouble it would cause, so we need to deal with it here!" He nods in acknowledgement to Basra's introduction. "I'm Sorey, and this is Alisha-" he points at the ashe blonde knight with the spear, "-and Mikleo-" he points at nothing in particular.
The Hellion rolls away from Alisha's spear, and its tail snakes around and knocks Sorey backwards despite his guarding the hit. He slides across the ground for a moment, dropping to one knee from the force of the blow even as the water serpent coils around to face Basra. It's glowing red eyes look down at her with a baleful light, and it seems that it understood that challenge and was taking it to heart. It has no apparent mouth to use to threaten the beastwoman, and instead it just pulls up and LOOMS, preparing to smash down with all its weight upon the insolent mortal...
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
"Yes!" Alisha answers after Sorey introduces them. And then she hears, for the first time in her seventeen years, gunshots. She actually jumps -- not out of her skin, though she would if she could -- and her head practically snaps to the 'Marshal.' "What--what was that!? You--ah, yes, we do!"
The girl looks forward, then, in time to see Basra approach the Hellion, and call out to it so loudly. Her green eyes widen, before she nods. She throws her hands out in front of her. There are no tattoos -- nor any Crest Graphs. This magic comes from her, with a few words spoken, and a sacred white circle of light appearing underneath her.
"O Goddess Althena, grant your blessing unto her! White Hope!"
A brilliant white light infuses itself around Basra. When the Hellion comes crashing down, it will find her -- if only momentarily -- as strong as a statue.
<Pose Tracker> Marshal Henry Smythe has posed.
Water Hellion? Henry wracks his brain, but can't come up with anything. Well, it's nothing natural, that's for sure. Some type of eastern water monster, then? He's lived in arid climates most of his life, so maybe they have stuff like that out here where the desertification hasn't hit hard yet.
Crack! Another awfully loud shockwave splits the air as Henry slips off the roof, followed by two more as he runs toward the group - taking care, of course, to keep them between him and the monster. He halts there and snaps his revolver to the side to dump the casings, pausing to stare at the oddest Symbology he's ever seen.
"Looks like it's gettin' smaller!" Henry calls over the noise, nodding encouragingly. "Keep on hittin' it!"Staying in the rear, he quickly and smoothly uses a speed loader to replenish his ammunition.
<Pose Tracker> Basra Rand has posed.
"Arrived?" Basra seems MORE confused for a few moments, "Ah, sorceror stuff I assume." And seems to simply blow off the mystery, at least for the moment. She'll have to question them about their weird teleporting wizard powers later when a giant Hellion isn't staring them all in the face. It's important to notice the little details about the fight-for example, she does notice that the serpent seems smaller and recalls that after she hit it, water gushed out of the wound. So if it was hit enough...
Well, it provides a good back-up strategy if this 'core' plan the pair were talking about didn't work.
"Ah, you can understand me, can't you, monster?" Basra calls up at it, continuing her taunt. "Where are your fangs? Do you have none? What a sorry monster you are~!"
Her ears twitch at the name Althena. A servant of that goddess? Interesting. And strong from what Basra can see as she feels the power flowing through her, bolstering her body, cementing her position. She slides herself into a bladed stance, one foot behind the other, and lifts her hands up, fingers together and flat, palms facing down. "Come on. Come at me!" She's relying on the spell to keep her from being crushed by the tons of water that come down upon her, to give her the strength she needs to withstand it and pierce through the water through that brain-like core in the serpent's 'head', where she can strike it with the hardened, sharp claws of her hands.
<Pose Tracker> Sorey has posed.
Eastern water monster is an interesting way to put it. Sorey would love to be able to explain more, but they do have a bit of a problem on hand. He waves thanks to Henry, before he looks at Basra and her attempt to take the Hellion head on. Now THAT was impressive - most people would be terrified of this sort of thing, and the beastwoman had just stepped forward without hesitation!
He wasn't going to let that amount of dedication go to waste.
Sorey stands still for a moment, and glances to one side. He nods once, and a moment later (without any of the flash and mystical discharge one might normally expect) a lance of ice streaks from near his shoulder and slams into the middle of the water Hellion. It pierces straight through it, and the water snake thrashes about for a moment, its movements becoming sluggish as more of its body begins to freeze.
It thrashes about for a moment, bringing its head straight down onto Basra with a sort of roaring hiss. But her ready claws are waiting for it, and she finds purchase on... something inside of its head. Something that goes flying across the small field as the beastwoman slashes it as hard as she can.
The rest of the serpent begins to dissolve almost immediately, the water draining out in all directions as it quickly loses coherency and mobility. The massive puddle spreads across the road, tiny waves lapping at the sidewalk. Sorey smiles and gives a thumbs up to both Basra and Henry, before walking towards the small ball of writhing red and black that has rolled up against the curb.
The wooden sword is raised up above the remnant of the Hellion, and Sorey whispers something quietly. The blue flame springs to life on the point of his blade, and he lowers it down into the black mass. It twists for a moment, as if fighting against the flame, and then... pops. The darkness turns into a swirling aqua shape that for a moment looks something like a fish before it fades from view.
"...well, that was not at all how I expected that bridge crossing to go." Sorey looks around for a moment at the beastwoman and the cowboy, unexpected allies both. "...thank you for your help! Not many people would have just jumped into a fight like that!"
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed. <SoundTracker> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dHwuq0nxjg
"Look out!" Alisha calls out, as the head swings down -- and the claws catch the core of the Hellion, then rip it free. Alisha's eyes widen a moment, as she looks down at the thing -- and then she looks at Sorey. She nods, quickly, to him. "You better purify it, before it spreads, Sorey."
The blue fire seems to do the trick. She lets a sigh out, before she tugs off one of her plate mail gauntlets -- a true anachronism on Filgaia, if there ever was one -- and uses her gloved hand to mop her brow. Her spear is thrown back over her shoulder. Then, she looks at Basra and Henry both, before she smiles.
"I have to agree! That was incredible! Your technique with your claws was utterly fascinating--oh, and your strange crossbow-like weapon! A crossbow without a bow?" Alisha smiles, brightly, at Henry.
Then she sticks her gloved hand out.
"I am Princess Alisha Diphda of the Kingdom of Hyland," she says. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. This, here, is Sorey."
<Pose Tracker> Marshal Henry Smythe has posed.
Henry waits and watches for a chance to unload a full cylinder, keeping his head on a swivel in case there are more of these 'Hellions' around. A glimmer out of the corner of his eye draws his attention - ice out of nowhere? The gunshots gradually wear down his hearing in a firefight, but he's reasonably sure he didn't hear an incantation. But he's got no time to think as the monster begins to freeze; he reaches inside his duster with a smile and... oh, it's over?
Henry lets out an impressed whistle at the Beastwoman's technique, which dampens his disappointment at not ending things with a bang. He eyes her appraisingly, but his attention quickly turns to Sorey's showy dispatch of the monster core. A couple of real strange teenagers, these two. That's definitely magic if he's ever seen it. (He's seen it.)
"I, uh - huh? Well, howdy, miss. Pleased ta make yer acquaintance. I'm Smythe, Henry Smythe." Henry introduces himself in turn, his confusion giving way to etiquette drilled in by years at boarding school, although he goes with the honourific more suitable to his well-rehearsed Seed Cities twang rather than the royal. He spins his revolver with a flourish before holstering it and shaking hands, not seeming to mind the odd form of greeting.
"Hyland, you say? Well, I figured y'all ain't from around here. Where's that again? Elru?" He's pretty sure he's never heard of it, but it's possible that she's a visiting royal from some backwater kingdom.
<Pose Tracker> Basra Rand has posed.
Her strike lands true, Basra's claws piercing the core and sending it flying clean out of the Hellion. Icy water splashes all around her, soaking her again, puddling at her feet-feet, that, in fact, do not have any boots or shoes on them, in fact. The most she has is wraps around the bridges of her, which are tattered and dirty-and now getting wet. She doesn't seem bothered by that either.
Basra relaxes her stance and smiles, tipping her hat at Sorey. Lingering, she watches as he goes to the sphere-the 'core' as they called it, and appears to- "Hm, what are you doing with it?" she asks him immediately as she sees him more or less eradicate the core, reducing it into a blue glowing fish-like shape that disappears.
"You're very much welcome, Sorey and Alisha." Mikleo doesn't get a greeting. She only sees two people here after all. "Well, hmmm." she looks to Marshall, sizing him up, then looks to what bystanders remain-the ones that now peek out from windows and around corners to make sure the monster was gone. "You know, you're right, most wouldn't." She gives them both a lazy smile.
"Erm, wait." Basra tilts her head, "The Kingdom of...Hyland? I'm afraid I've never heard of it. Not in Ignas or Aquvy."
<Pose Tracker> Sorey has posed.
That... wasn't a good sign. Sorey listens as Henry speaks, and then shakes his head. "No, I've not heard of it either." He pauses, and then replies (to nothing at all), "Yeah, they might have appeared nearby. Be careful."
He reverses his wooden blade, slipping it back into the sheath across his back with a well-practiced motion. Henry might not have gotten a flashy finish, but he certainly had helped to distract the Hellion, which was brave from someone who didn't know what it was. "Hellions are often creatures or spirits which have been possessed by Malevolence," he explains to Basra and Henry, looking around at the spreading water and the rapidly melting quarter serpent ice statue on the side of the road. "While they can be killed, it is possible to use the power of Purification to remove the Malevolence and return it to its former state instead."
The young man grins, and it's an earnest and happy expression. "Still it would have been a much more difficult fight without both of your help. Thank you again Henry, Basra." He inclines his head to both strangers in turn. "Unfortunately I'm afraid I've not heard of either Ignas or Aquvy. Which means..." He glances at Alisha. "...we're probably a really long way from home."
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
'Where is that again?' 'I'm afraid I've never heard of it. Not in Ignas or Aquvy.'
Alisha Diphda's face has a way of falling, subtly. While she smiles brightly at first, that smile slips to something more nuanced and polite -- and then a little more. Her eyes lower down to her feet, as consternation enters her expression, and then a few darker thoughts besides. She doesn't meet Sorey's glance, but she nods to what he says. The explanation of Malevolence and Hellions is left to him.
Instead, she lets out a slow -- and shaky -- breath, before she recovers. "I also never heard of Ignas or Aquvy," she says, then a glance at Henry. "Or Elru. What is this land we are in? We, ah--we were fighting the Hellion on a bridge. It collapsed, and then we were in..."
Her eyes shift, to look around the town of Linga. She motions with a hand. "...here. It scarcely seems possible, though... are you both from this town?"
<Pose Tracker> Basra Rand has posed.
Although the significance of the Capital Letter Terms provided by Sorey is lost on Basra, just based on context she can suss out the gist of the monster their little group just confronted: "So if I'm not mistaken, a normal creature or spirit was possessed and a 'Hellion' is the result. And the core can be cleansed by your sorcery." Basra repeats, eyes falling to the blade at Sorey's side.
She puts a hand to her mouth, hiding a smile, "I think your sorcery has lead you astray. You're standing on Ignas right now. Aquvy is far, far across the sea."
She shakes her head at Alisha. "No. I am from Thames, the floating city. I mostly wander Ignas in search of fortune. And my soulmate." She turns away for a moment to retrieve the stone disc she dropped earlier, hauling it up to rest against her hip awkwardly. It seems heavy enough that it must be annoying to carry it for long distances.
<Pose Tracker> Marshal Henry Smythe has posed.
Henry's gaze wanders between the two strange teenagers as Sorey speaks, and when his eyes start to glaze over at all the Proper Nouns, he sneaks a couple glances at the buff Beastwoman to see what she might be thinking of this. Somewhat credulous then? Well, their abilities do seem truly strange, but he's no sorcery expert. And they've got that youthful optimism that usually gets beaten into resentment by their age. Could they be con artists? It'd be a hell of a trick, what just happened here, but possible. But what's the gain? A long con?
The Drifter sighs, rubs at his neck, and shakes his head. He's just outthinking himself at this point. There might be a way to verify, short of asking them to strip down to their jimmie-jammies so that there're no tattoos or crests for sure.
"Nah, I'm from out west," Henry replies vaguely. "It's a bit hard to believe, what you two're sayin'. Though - hey son, how'd you do that ice trick? I didn't see no crest. You got tats?"
<Pose Tracker> Sorey has posed.
There's a problem - they have no idea where they are, and Sorey really has no clue how they got here. And it's a problem that needs to be addressed. They have no real supplies, probably not a lot of useable money, and not the first clue about how to get back home. These are all important, high priority problems.
The boy listens as Henry speaks, and shakes his head. "No, the ice trick was actually a... spirit that helps me out. It is his innate power, rather than any.... crest or 'tat', as far as I am aware. Magic is a blessing from the Goddess Althena, and everyone where we come from can use at least some without too much trouble. My case is a little more complex, however..."
Then Basra says something that's even higher priority.
"Floating City?" Sorey (almost) squeaks. And within a moment he's right there in front of Basra, one hand already pulling a notebook and pen from his belt as he looks at her in excitement. "You said it was called the Thames? How far away is it? When you describe it as floating, is it an allegory for a coastal city, or do you mean that it literally floats on the water? How many people live there? How do they grow food if they are floating on the water? How-"
The stream of questions is almost non-stop, and it's almost as if Sorey has a pair of sparkly stars in his eyes.
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
"That is a way to describe it," Alisha says, looking up to peer at Basra. "Malevolence turns something... or, sometimes, someone... into a Hellion. And then Sorey can purify them, which saves the person. But, ah..."
She trails off, listening to the explanation. Her eyes widen a little -- both at the mention of where she is from and what she seeks. "Your... soulmate?" the princess asks, before she looks at Henry, and she blinks once. "Oh, I am so sorry. We should try to put this in simpler terms, shouldn't we? You... don't even know of the Goddess Althena?"
She sounds plaintive at that. Perhaps ready to panic. Those green eyes stay wide, until Sorey starts talking. Her expression screws up, before she bites her lip. A laugh escapes anyways. "S-Sorey. Maybe we shouldn't bother Miss Rand with too many questions, yet. One at a time, perhaps?"
<Pose Tracker> Basra Rand has posed.
If this serpent-hellion thing was some sort of monster-slaying con by these two kids, Basra would be very, very impressed. That would be one very elaborate and well set-up con, which she could certainly appreciate. But if it was, she doubted that the pair would allow 'bystanders' to join in the fight with the monster. Then it would become far too easy to go off-script and dupe the watchers.
She leaves the asking of 'how that magic works' to Henry. Magic was all the same to her so how it functioned was not something the beastwoman really cared too much about. What she does know that Althena certainmly is NOT the name of any Guardian she's heard of before.
"Eh? Oh it's...yeah, Thames. It's weeks by-whoah, whoah, slow down there, let me take it one at a time." she says, waving one of her too-big hands at Sorey. "As I was saying, it takes weeks to get there from here by boat and the trip is very, very dangerous. Making that trip costs some good money because you'll see more monsters like your snake Hellion there along the way. Only big enough to wrap themselves around a boat several times."
She tries to field a few of his other questions too: "Several...thousand I think? I never knew a full count of Thames. It floats on the water, dirt has to be imported, and so most foods are earned via trade with the mainland." She'll talk over him if she has to, answering the questions at her own pace in that accented voice of hers. She doesn't seem all that bothered by the questions-people on Ignas rarely every cross the sea so this type of questioning was natural.
She looks to Alisha, "Yes." she nods gravely, "My soulmate. My one true love. Guardian Raftina's chosen. I'm afraid I haven't heard of 'Althena', Goddess or Guardian otherwise."
<Pose Tracker> Marshal Henry Smythe has posed.
Little by little, Henry becomes more convinced. Either these two innocent-looking teenagers are brilliant prodigy con artists with an inscrutable long-term goal, or something really incredible has happened. Something that smells like... ADVENTURE.
"Now miss, don't you worry," Henry assures Alisha, gently grasping her shoulder (or pauldron) and smiling with practiced Drifter charm. "If you got sent here by accident, you got the best town for it - Linga here's the city of scholars. I'm sure someone here knows where Hyland is."
"As for Goddess Althena, sounds like maybe you two're shamans? She's a powerful spirit?" He's heard of it, but thought it was just some strange Beastman religion that was effectively Crest Sorcery. Miss Rand over there doesn't seem to know any more, but Henry's pretty sure the Thames isn't a spiritual tribe like shamans are supposed to be.
<Pose Tracker> Sorey has posed.
As long as she's willing to answer questions, Sorey is willing to keep asking and writing them down. He nods intently as Basra describes the Thames, adding line after line to his small notebook in a neat and precise shorthand. But the raw enthusiasm is hard to deny - Sorey looks genuinely happy hearing about such a novel and unusual place. Certainly he's not heard of something like that in Glenwood.
He's heard of the distant continent to the East, but none of the names were familiar when compared to the books he and Mikleo had picked out of Gramps' library. Which meant that they were either somewhere else, perhaps beyond the legendary Boundary, or even... Sorey considers that for a moment, his stream of questions dying off as he taps his pen against the book.
Well, at least they have some leads now. Sorey smiles and inclines his head to Henry. "Linga? That certainly does sound like a good place to start." He looks (a little regretfully) at Basra - he'd love to keep asking questions, but clearly they've fallen into deep waters and it's probably time to at least try and find which direction the shore was in. "I suppose if we had to end up someplace odd, a City of Scholars is at least a good place to get our bearings. As for the Goddess... no, she's not a spirit. She's quite real, and rules from her city in Pentagulia. I'm afraid I've not heard the term 'Shaman' before either."
He writes that down. Even more interesting.
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
"Mm..." Alisha looks down, eyes thoughtful, before she nods her head. She pauses when she feels Henry's hand on her shoulder, and then she looks up at him, blinking at the charm -- before she smiles. "Is that so? Thank you, Mister Smythe. We are in your debt to know that. Perhaps the scholars here will be aware of something. Though..."
She hesitates, before she glances once at Sorey. Her eyes widen a moment. How could they not know of the Goddess? Had they gone beyond the Boundary, somehow? Alisha's lips purse; she looks truly distraught as she thinks of it. "...No. The Goddess Althena created the world and made it a place safe for all of her children. Of course..."
She glances to the side. "...It hasn't stayed that way."
Then, though, she looks back at Basra. Her eyes light up, after a moment, and then she leans forward. She clasps her hands together and smiles excitably. "Oh! That is so romantic! Have you met them before? Oh, I hope you find them soon!"
<Pose Tracker> Basra Rand has posed.
Basra bares the enthusiastic interrogation with grace and a laid back calm. "Granted, this all might not be so accurate anymore. I haven't been back to Thames in ten years." she admits. "Nor do I plan on returning anytime soon. Business here is....booming. But maybe one day you can go there. Maybe. It isn't a journey taken lightly." she warns gently.
A furred eyeridge lifts, "My, you are both from very far away." she says with wonder. She doesn't comment on Shamans. She isn't one, though she's familiar with them from stories of the Baskar tribes and their rather...different way of Guardian worship. "But what he says is true. This is an excellent place to find yourself stranded in. It isn't very hard to make a little extra money around here either, should you need it." Ah, yes, the rather unfortunate implication that their money might not be accepted here.
Basra smiles sadly to Alisha, "No. I have yet to meet this soulmate. I search for the signs but Raftina has given none. One day, though, as long as I keep my eyes and heart open, it will happen."
<Pose Tracker> Marshal Henry Smythe has posed.
"Say what now?" Henry murmurs, extra nonplussed. A literal goddess from a city he's never heard of? This merits serious thought - or a trip to an asylum. Henry Marshall's been in town a couple days, long enough to probably be able to get a meeting with reclusive scholars who don't like irritating Drifters with crazy stories. But doing that means...
Once Basra becomes the center of attention again, the 'Marshal' takes a few steps away and seats himself on a conveniently placed crate next to a house. After a quick glance around for onlookers - they're still mostly hiding, good - the Dfifter reaches into his duster, pulling out a large black waterproof leather bag, from which he pulls a rectangular object. He balances this between his crossed legs and taps on it a few times, then crosses his arms and waits.
<Pose Tracker> Sorey has posed.
Sigh, and that was probably the biggest thing. The implication that they might not have money that would be accepted here was noted, and while they could probably forage for food if the conditions were good...
Sorey didn't want to try that without at least learning the lay of the land as well as what common threats might make themselves known. But he does offer a polite bow to both Basra and Henry after a moment. "Thank you again for your help - even without knowing what you were fighting, you put yourselves in harm's way against a dangerous creature, and it's more the pity I don't have anything more than my thanks to offer you. If you need assistance in the future, I'll be glad to do what I can."
With his mantle swirling about him, Sorey looks to Alisha. "We should probably see if we can find a money changer, and at least find a place to stay for the night. We can work out where to start asking around and trying to find our bearings after that." And then... so many possibilities. Sorey grins, although it's tempered by the fact that he knows they were interrupted during a vital mission back home.
This certainly was a new horizon to explore - an even bigger one than he had expected when he left home weeks ago.
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
"Business? Hm..." Alisha trails off, thoughtfully. She wants to ask what that business is -- but that is a question for later. After all, Sorey raises a fine point. She nods, backing up a little bit from Basra. Her hands unclasp, before she smiles brightly and nods. "I am sure that, um, Raftina--" She has no idea who Raftina is. "--will send you a sign, and you will meet them! I really hope you do."
The girl nods her head, once, before she looks at Sorey. She smiles once at him, and then she nods her head. "I agree. We need to find out more." She looks back at Basra, then at Henry -- her eyes widen a little when she sees what he does.
She nods, again, more seriously. "Thank you!" she says. "We are both in your debt. If there is anything we can ever do, please let us know."
She takes another step back, and then waves. Then, Alisha tugs her gauntlet on, and turns before she starts to walk into Linga. She looks at it -- and nothing is familiar. Her expression slips, as she realizes.
They are a long way from home.
<Pose Tracker> Marshal Henry Smythe has posed.
Marshal Henry Smythe looks up - ah, they're leaving. Well, it might work out better this way. He calls after them.
"Hey, y'all have any trouble, ask for Marshal Henry at the Swan!" He tips his hat and waves, then packs away whatever he was working on.
Hopefully the hotel staff will hear that as 'Marshall comma Henry' and not start a confusing mess. Well, time now to start damage control on the rumour mill. He's gonna talk to any gawkers and make sure they know they were looking at Crest Sorcery. Nobody's gonna steal this lead on amazing magic users from a faraway land! ADVENTURE!
<Pose Tracker> Basra Rand has posed.
"Your thanks is enough for me." Basra smiles. "You fought alongside us. I'd expect a reward to come from those who did not fight and were protected." she says, tilting her head in the direction of the surrounding buildings. "I will remember your names."
She shifts the stone she carries to her other hip and looks to her fellow Drifter curiously.
"Ah...thank you as well, Alisha." she adds politely though she knows she won't recognize the name of the Guardian Lord of Love. She tips her hat at the pair as they leave, then turns, hauling her stone off to get appraised.