“The Slumberer? It’s a name for–...” Creative started and then stopped as Willow burst off, leaving only a trail of blurring pugs and raven feathers in her wake. The harpy creatures around him all leapt from their perches, disturbed, before settling back down. Creative raised his arm and the harpy from his shoulder landed back on his arm.
“Someone’s had their honey this morning, eh, Dagni?”
With the swaying pines whipping past, Willow brough herself back up to the house near the river she had exited from earlier.
Looking inside the house, all she saw was a dark space, shadowed by the canopy of pines above. It was a large room with a bed on one side, and tables of crafting and artwork on the other. It was the hermitage of an artist, not a dorm room for girls in a magical school.
[The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“Well, that’ll teach me to just go jumping out of windows. And here I thought I had actually prepared fairly well. How was I supposed to know I was going to end up on an adventure?” Willow hung her head as she turned away from the now regular window. She dropped her burn of all of her metals, even the low burn on Pewter. Until she had a better handle on things she didn’t want to go wasting a finite resource, even if it meant she was now definitely feeling cold. No backup metals, no warmer clothes, no phone. What’s more, no support. Although she would have felt silly trying to call Miss Smith to come over and jump out of her window. Who knew a Call to Adventure was so sudden? At least Bilbo had been able to eat first…
As she began to walk like a normal person back towards the amphitheater Willow couldn’t help but feel a degree of excitement amid everything. This was an interesting new world she was in, and had received, if nothing else, a genuine article quest. Track down the spriggans, find Manon, and get back to Safeholme. Perhaps this Slumberer character was some sort of Big Bad Evil Guy, and the spriggans had actually in fact kidnapped Manon to use her apparent ocean of power to try to wake him. If her brain squinted the situation looked like a good young adult novel plot. She even had her camera and a couple backup batteries plus a backup memory card; in hindsight she regretted stocking the camera better than her own metal supply, but at least she’d be able to record solid chunks of this excursion.
Bringing Iron back up to a burn, Willow pulled on the coins she had used to get to the water’s edge, and by intersecting her hand with the blue line she was able to catch them fairly easily. Although without Pewter the impact left her palms stinging. It was worth it, she told herself. Her metal reserves might be finite, but at least she could retrieve her ammunition. Once all the coins were retrieved and flicked relatively clean of dirt she put them back in their pouch. Wrapping her arms around herself, she trudged all the way back. It wasn’t terribly cold, but she’d grown so accustomed to the hot Japanese summer while working her apprenticeship.
“Sorry about darting off like that,” Willow called as she made her way back into the amphitheater. “Gonna add to my other questions: do you have any costumes or clothes I could borrow, and do you have any Pewter or Steel beads I could eat?”
As she began to walk like a normal person back towards the amphitheater Willow couldn’t help but feel a degree of excitement amid everything. This was an interesting new world she was in, and had received, if nothing else, a genuine article quest. Track down the spriggans, find Manon, and get back to Safeholme. Perhaps this Slumberer character was some sort of Big Bad Evil Guy, and the spriggans had actually in fact kidnapped Manon to use her apparent ocean of power to try to wake him. If her brain squinted the situation looked like a good young adult novel plot. She even had her camera and a couple backup batteries plus a backup memory card; in hindsight she regretted stocking the camera better than her own metal supply, but at least she’d be able to record solid chunks of this excursion.
Bringing Iron back up to a burn, Willow pulled on the coins she had used to get to the water’s edge, and by intersecting her hand with the blue line she was able to catch them fairly easily. Although without Pewter the impact left her palms stinging. It was worth it, she told herself. Her metal reserves might be finite, but at least she could retrieve her ammunition. Once all the coins were retrieved and flicked relatively clean of dirt she put them back in their pouch. Wrapping her arms around herself, she trudged all the way back. It wasn’t terribly cold, but she’d grown so accustomed to the hot Japanese summer while working her apprenticeship.
“Sorry about darting off like that,” Willow called as she made her way back into the amphitheater. “Gonna add to my other questions: do you have any costumes or clothes I could borrow, and do you have any Pewter or Steel beads I could eat?”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Creative was already hacking at the fallen tree with an axe by the time Willow had returned. His little band of raven-like harpies had gathered around, and some were pulling away the branches as best they could. Before answering her, he gave a thick branch a couple more hefty swings, before withdrawing the bearded axe and setting it on the trunk.
He turned and opened a smiling mouth to say something, before he look caught out.
"Eat? As in imbibe? Metal beads?" Creative weaved a hand into his hair and scratched his head, "I didn't think you a quarrid. You're too tall."
Dagni hawed at him again, watching them from the fallen tree.
"Right, right. Willow you are, yes? Perhaps you're some sort of arborkine, but I'm letting my thoughts escape me. Dagni says you are human, and she knows the most stories. I can spare some boots, a coat, and a boat. You'll need them if you want to reach the Cairn with any good time."
Creative waved down a couple of his odinkine, and they were instructed to fetch a coat and a pair of boots. "I am sorry to say that anything we have is sized for me, but it might keep you from freezing. Again, I'm getting ahead of myself."
The tall nordling stepped closer to Willow, his soft features tightening into something serious.
"Humans don't walk this land lightly, Willow. No story involving a human has ended quietly in these lands, but you helped me, and you are good stock. I want you to take this, too, and show it to anyone that may question you for what you are. My patron gave this to me, it is mine, and others will know it."
He pressed a coin into her hand. It was a faded gold color, dimpled with wear on one side and emblazoned with a skull on the other. Pressed around the skull was something like a name, or a word in another language.
D E C A N U S
"It is made from electrum, but don't eat it unless you need to. Most people can't see it from your stomach."
A cawing noise heralded the arrival of her wardrobe, and a thick coat was dropped at her feet, along with pair of fine, leather boots.
He turned and opened a smiling mouth to say something, before he look caught out.
"Eat? As in imbibe? Metal beads?" Creative weaved a hand into his hair and scratched his head, "I didn't think you a quarrid. You're too tall."
Dagni hawed at him again, watching them from the fallen tree.
"Right, right. Willow you are, yes? Perhaps you're some sort of arborkine, but I'm letting my thoughts escape me. Dagni says you are human, and she knows the most stories. I can spare some boots, a coat, and a boat. You'll need them if you want to reach the Cairn with any good time."
Creative waved down a couple of his odinkine, and they were instructed to fetch a coat and a pair of boots. "I am sorry to say that anything we have is sized for me, but it might keep you from freezing. Again, I'm getting ahead of myself."
The tall nordling stepped closer to Willow, his soft features tightening into something serious.
"Humans don't walk this land lightly, Willow. No story involving a human has ended quietly in these lands, but you helped me, and you are good stock. I want you to take this, too, and show it to anyone that may question you for what you are. My patron gave this to me, it is mine, and others will know it."
He pressed a coin into her hand. It was a faded gold color, dimpled with wear on one side and emblazoned with a skull on the other. Pressed around the skull was something like a name, or a word in another language.
D E C A N U S
"It is made from electrum, but don't eat it unless you need to. Most people can't see it from your stomach."
A cawing noise heralded the arrival of her wardrobe, and a thick coat was dropped at her feet, along with pair of fine, leather boots.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
The coin turned in her fingers as Willow inspected the curious token. While she had no clue what Decanus was, the skull was a little concerning. That and the fact that it was made from electrum was interesting. She’d heard of the metal before while playing Dungeons and Dragons, as it was the forgotten monetary value between gold and silver on her character sheet. Creative wouldn’t need to worry though, since she wasn’t about to just eat any random…
The gears in Willow’s head began turning. This was like the Aaron Burr card in Cards Against Humanity. She and her friends had no clue who it was, or in electrum’s case what it was, so one of them had looked it up. Burr had been some Yank who shot that Hamilton guy, but that wasn’t important right now. What was important was that she might actually be able to use this coin. Well, use the coin in more ways than one.
Pocketing the coin, Willow moved on to putting on the gear she’d been provided. Starting with the boots, she wished she had some socks. While the boots weren’t an ill fit for her they still had some space in them, and that meant if there was going to be a good amount of walking involved she’d probably end up with blisters; and she’d for sure need to take them off if she found herself needing to run with any degree of agility. The coat was more manageable. Creative was tall, but not particularly muscular. At least between her existing sporty nature and helping out at Miss Smith’s three days a week Willow had enough of a physique to where the coat was long, but it didn’t hang off of her. In fact, if she felt like she could just drape the coat over her shoulders rather than using the sleeves. She remembered seeing that move in some Irish gangster films and animes about girls wearing massive coats like capes. She’d keep that move in mind. The next matter was the boat. She was somewhat dreading going over the water for two reasons; she was going to want to traverse the lake without using Pewter which meant she was in for a workout, and then there was the matter of the bullfrogators.
“I saw some weird creature in the water when I was chasing the spriggans, do I need to be worried about those?” Willow asked with trepidation. “Oh, and doubling back to my earlier questions too. Sorry I have so many.”
The gears in Willow’s head began turning. This was like the Aaron Burr card in Cards Against Humanity. She and her friends had no clue who it was, or in electrum’s case what it was, so one of them had looked it up. Burr had been some Yank who shot that Hamilton guy, but that wasn’t important right now. What was important was that she might actually be able to use this coin. Well, use the coin in more ways than one.
Pocketing the coin, Willow moved on to putting on the gear she’d been provided. Starting with the boots, she wished she had some socks. While the boots weren’t an ill fit for her they still had some space in them, and that meant if there was going to be a good amount of walking involved she’d probably end up with blisters; and she’d for sure need to take them off if she found herself needing to run with any degree of agility. The coat was more manageable. Creative was tall, but not particularly muscular. At least between her existing sporty nature and helping out at Miss Smith’s three days a week Willow had enough of a physique to where the coat was long, but it didn’t hang off of her. In fact, if she felt like she could just drape the coat over her shoulders rather than using the sleeves. She remembered seeing that move in some Irish gangster films and animes about girls wearing massive coats like capes. She’d keep that move in mind. The next matter was the boat. She was somewhat dreading going over the water for two reasons; she was going to want to traverse the lake without using Pewter which meant she was in for a workout, and then there was the matter of the bullfrogators.
“I saw some weird creature in the water when I was chasing the spriggans, do I need to be worried about those?” Willow asked with trepidation. “Oh, and doubling back to my earlier questions too. Sorry I have so many.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Creative dismissed Willow's apology with a wave of his hand, which flowed into a beckoning gesture. Leading the way out of the amphitheater, he guided her back to the coast.
"A weird creature in the water… You'll need to be more specific," he smiled at her, in a manner that looked as though he were wary of the condescension, "to you, many things may be weird. These waters are rich in fish, but barring the occasional, piratical merfolk, there isn't much to be worried about. Now… Your previous questions, what were they…?"
The houses in the village, upon closer inspection, were sizably smaller than the one she entered from. The doors were off the ground, and the windows were dark. Willow could make out eyes looking at her in the dim interiors, and the occasional flourish of a raven wing.
"Yes. Yes. A map. A map is… not useful here," Creative looked to be thinking hard, frequently looking back at Willow as if to remind himself of who she was. "I am led to believe that the world you come from doesn't change often, but that isn't the case here."
He stopped at the edge of the water, looking out at mountains in the distance. One of them had a peak that floated above the rest.
"This is the Land of Mist and Dreams," revealed Creative, holding his hands out, "I know that, for now, the Cairn Valley is that way. You will need to find help to know where to go next. Your spriggans are returning to the Slumberer. She sleeps eternally in her forest, but even finding that will be a challenge."
One of the boats were turned over, and Creative pulled up an oar from another.
"The odinkine will recover the boat when you land on the other side," explained the stringy, young man, holding out his arm for one of the odinkine to land on. This one was broad and surly looking. His feathers were a bit more ruffled, and his human features more severe, "Bjorn will ride with you, to guide you, and then the others when you are done."
"A weird creature in the water… You'll need to be more specific," he smiled at her, in a manner that looked as though he were wary of the condescension, "to you, many things may be weird. These waters are rich in fish, but barring the occasional, piratical merfolk, there isn't much to be worried about. Now… Your previous questions, what were they…?"
The houses in the village, upon closer inspection, were sizably smaller than the one she entered from. The doors were off the ground, and the windows were dark. Willow could make out eyes looking at her in the dim interiors, and the occasional flourish of a raven wing.
"Yes. Yes. A map. A map is… not useful here," Creative looked to be thinking hard, frequently looking back at Willow as if to remind himself of who she was. "I am led to believe that the world you come from doesn't change often, but that isn't the case here."
He stopped at the edge of the water, looking out at mountains in the distance. One of them had a peak that floated above the rest.
"This is the Land of Mist and Dreams," revealed Creative, holding his hands out, "I know that, for now, the Cairn Valley is that way. You will need to find help to know where to go next. Your spriggans are returning to the Slumberer. She sleeps eternally in her forest, but even finding that will be a challenge."
One of the boats were turned over, and Creative pulled up an oar from another.
"The odinkine will recover the boat when you land on the other side," explained the stringy, young man, holding out his arm for one of the odinkine to land on. This one was broad and surly looking. His feathers were a bit more ruffled, and his human features more severe, "Bjorn will ride with you, to guide you, and then the others when you are done."
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
The feeling that she might be in over her head was growing again as Willow felt an urgent need to commit everything Creative said to memory. It was a lot, it was odd, and it made her realize why RPGs gave the protagonist a journal to track quests. Tiny harpy houses? A shifting world where maps aren’t useful? Land of Mist and Dreams? This Slumberer bloke, or rather bint? Piratical merfolk? Willow did her best to explain the bullfrogator and it’s bizarre appearance.
“Oh, and the bullfrogator pulled the spriggan boat,” Willow said with a hint of lament as she looked out across the water and processed just how much rowing she’d need to do. Looking over at Bjorn, Willow kept her face stoney as she was slightly put off by the creature. It was to be her guide however, so she certainly didn’t want to offend it.
“Anything I should know about the Slumberer?” Willow asked as she climbed into the boat. “Good? Bad? Nice? Kind of a dick?”
“Oh, and the bullfrogator pulled the spriggan boat,” Willow said with a hint of lament as she looked out across the water and processed just how much rowing she’d need to do. Looking over at Bjorn, Willow kept her face stoney as she was slightly put off by the creature. It was to be her guide however, so she certainly didn’t want to offend it.
“Anything I should know about the Slumberer?” Willow asked as she climbed into the boat. “Good? Bad? Nice? Kind of a dick?”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Creative laughed.
"I don't know. I've never spoken to her before, but I don't think she looks like a dick. Were she ever to wake up, maybe she'd prove it herself, but something in me says that wouldn't happen."
Water lapped up on the edge of the boat as he settled it into the lake. Despite having been trapped for so long, the young man was still vim enough to heave around. Bjorn settled on the edge of the boat, perching on the stern, staring intently at Willow.
Setting the oar over one of the cross seats, he continued, "It sounds like one of the Spriggans tamed a gordalisk. They're not native to this part of the world, but you see them more over around the Cairn and the Slumberer's forest. Before I settled Jotungard, there was a river that ran all the way from there to here. They might be trying to take that back with the gordal."
"I don't know. I've never spoken to her before, but I don't think she looks like a dick. Were she ever to wake up, maybe she'd prove it herself, but something in me says that wouldn't happen."
Water lapped up on the edge of the boat as he settled it into the lake. Despite having been trapped for so long, the young man was still vim enough to heave around. Bjorn settled on the edge of the boat, perching on the stern, staring intently at Willow.
Setting the oar over one of the cross seats, he continued, "It sounds like one of the Spriggans tamed a gordalisk. They're not native to this part of the world, but you see them more over around the Cairn and the Slumberer's forest. Before I settled Jotungard, there was a river that ran all the way from there to here. They might be trying to take that back with the gordal."
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Taking the paddle in hand, Willow looked out across the lake again. She found herself realizing once more the limitations of her allomancy. As things stood she had two major handicaps. The first was the fact that he had a long way to go and Pewter would run out before the end, especially if she had to fight. Even if she were to Steel Push her the rest of the way once she had rowed she wasn’t certain if Steel would last to the end. She’d never really considered needing to stock for a marathon.
The second handicap was that not using her allomancy was also an issue. Unlike Miss Smith’s revolvers that could be loaded and be just fine for as long as needed, Willow’s allomancy only made her resistant to the metal’s in her system. A number of her metals were rather inert and would simply pass through her system, but a number of others posed the risk of causing heavy metal poisoning; to say nothing of her precious Pewter containing Lead. Through some trial and error, she had found she had a grace period of about twenty-four hours before her powers made her feel sick. So, she couldn’t squander her reserves, but she also couldn’t sit on them indefinitely. This was going to be interesting.
“Thank you, Creative,” Willow began to row. “Best of luck with your play.”
Eyeing Bjorn as she made her way out onto the water, she wondered if the odin-whats-its could speak. Corvids could talk right?
“So how are you, Bjorn?”
The second handicap was that not using her allomancy was also an issue. Unlike Miss Smith’s revolvers that could be loaded and be just fine for as long as needed, Willow’s allomancy only made her resistant to the metal’s in her system. A number of her metals were rather inert and would simply pass through her system, but a number of others posed the risk of causing heavy metal poisoning; to say nothing of her precious Pewter containing Lead. Through some trial and error, she had found she had a grace period of about twenty-four hours before her powers made her feel sick. So, she couldn’t squander her reserves, but she also couldn’t sit on them indefinitely. This was going to be interesting.
“Thank you, Creative,” Willow began to row. “Best of luck with your play.”
Eyeing Bjorn as she made her way out onto the water, she wondered if the odin-whats-its could speak. Corvids could talk right?
“So how are you, Bjorn?”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Willow's boat cut over the waves of the gentle fjord. Creative stood at the water's edge and waved.
"Thank you, Willow Metaleater, be safe and have no fear!" said he, "the odinkine will watch over you!
The arms of the mountain slowly extended out around Willow as she paddled out further. Sheet rock faces dove into the water, but would give way to harsh greenery further down. At higher elevations, there were remnants of snow, bleeding down from the much colder peaks. It was a fair day, but chilly, and the patchy clouds were a metallic gray. Through the cloud layers above, the Allomancer could make out the forms of odinkine flying toward the other end of the fjord. As for the harpy-like creature in her boat, he had only this to say to her inquiry.
"Auh! Auhgu oukha ai tu kanu kamode."
It was a strange mix of a raven's cry and telligible language. The odinkine on Creative's shoulder had made similar noises, but this was the first time Willow had heard an obvious pattern. Bjorn looked intently past Willow.
"Ookra aghk. Numouka de."
He raised a talon, gesturing pair of bobbing heads staring at them just off their course. Seeing Bjorn's attention, they drew back and descended into the water. Past that, there was the distant shore, and Willow could make out the shapes of two large gray creatures. They looked roughly humanoid in shape, and one of them seemed to be carrying another, smaller person.
The smaller person looked like they were kicking their legs.
"Thank you, Willow Metaleater, be safe and have no fear!" said he, "the odinkine will watch over you!
The arms of the mountain slowly extended out around Willow as she paddled out further. Sheet rock faces dove into the water, but would give way to harsh greenery further down. At higher elevations, there were remnants of snow, bleeding down from the much colder peaks. It was a fair day, but chilly, and the patchy clouds were a metallic gray. Through the cloud layers above, the Allomancer could make out the forms of odinkine flying toward the other end of the fjord. As for the harpy-like creature in her boat, he had only this to say to her inquiry.
"Auh! Auhgu oukha ai tu kanu kamode."
It was a strange mix of a raven's cry and telligible language. The odinkine on Creative's shoulder had made similar noises, but this was the first time Willow had heard an obvious pattern. Bjorn looked intently past Willow.
"Ookra aghk. Numouka de."
He raised a talon, gesturing pair of bobbing heads staring at them just off their course. Seeing Bjorn's attention, they drew back and descended into the water. Past that, there was the distant shore, and Willow could make out the shapes of two large gray creatures. They looked roughly humanoid in shape, and one of them seemed to be carrying another, smaller person.
The smaller person looked like they were kicking their legs.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Metaleater? Had she just earned an epithet? It was a little on the nose, but who was she to complain about the endearment; plus it was better than something like Chicken-Kicker. So Willow waved to Creative as she got underway. All things considered this was kind of relaxing, and on top of that this was a chuunibyou’s dream so she made sure to relish the sense of adventure welling in her chest. This must be what Dad felt everytime he set off to parts unknown.
When Bjorn started to speak, it was more or less what she had been expecting; a lot of bird undertones, and… a language she couldn’t even begin to decipher.
“Man, that wild,” Willow responded to Bjorn despite having zero clue what the odinkine had said. “I just got a new roommate myself, well… more of a squatter… but before that I’d been doing a movie marathon…”
Willow proceeded to have a rather one-sided conversation with the odinkine as she crossed the lake. Unlike when she had one-sided conversations with noisy bugs Bjorn here was intelligent, and Willow had already resolved that she was fine coming across as a little dense; she just wanted to talk. When Bjorn directed her attention to the two figures on the approaching shore Willow felt a spike of adrenaline. Could that be Manon? Had she already caught up, or was this just an ambient side quest? Regardless, Willow knew she wasn’t going to just ignore it, and just had to grit her teeth over the Metal cost.
With a smirk she sat the oar down real quick, pulled her arms out of the sleeves of the long coat Creative had lent her, and fastened the top so it hung off of her like a cloak. Burning Pewter, she grabbed the oar once more and rowed the boat through the water like a blade. Once the boat drew close enough to the shore the Brit grinned to Bjorn, stood, and dropped a coin into the boat. With a strong burn of Steel the boat rocked as Willow launched into the air and arced towards the figures.
“Stop right there!” Willow shouted before she landed. Foregoing a showy landing, she opted instead to stand defiantly with her arms crossed.
When Bjorn started to speak, it was more or less what she had been expecting; a lot of bird undertones, and… a language she couldn’t even begin to decipher.
“Man, that wild,” Willow responded to Bjorn despite having zero clue what the odinkine had said. “I just got a new roommate myself, well… more of a squatter… but before that I’d been doing a movie marathon…”
Willow proceeded to have a rather one-sided conversation with the odinkine as she crossed the lake. Unlike when she had one-sided conversations with noisy bugs Bjorn here was intelligent, and Willow had already resolved that she was fine coming across as a little dense; she just wanted to talk. When Bjorn directed her attention to the two figures on the approaching shore Willow felt a spike of adrenaline. Could that be Manon? Had she already caught up, or was this just an ambient side quest? Regardless, Willow knew she wasn’t going to just ignore it, and just had to grit her teeth over the Metal cost.
With a smirk she sat the oar down real quick, pulled her arms out of the sleeves of the long coat Creative had lent her, and fastened the top so it hung off of her like a cloak. Burning Pewter, she grabbed the oar once more and rowed the boat through the water like a blade. Once the boat drew close enough to the shore the Brit grinned to Bjorn, stood, and dropped a coin into the boat. With a strong burn of Steel the boat rocked as Willow launched into the air and arced towards the figures.
“Stop right there!” Willow shouted before she landed. Foregoing a showy landing, she opted instead to stand defiantly with her arms crossed.