sticksandbones | [CLOSED] Zahliyaquest...2

Entry tags:

[CLOSED] Zahliyaquest...2

Who: Zahliya, Luca, Joshua, Wolfwood, Dipper, Mamika, Siffrin, Loop, & Kiera
What: A gargoyle needs task-doers for character development
When: Mid-August, yes during the rainstorms, good luck
Where: ??? :)
Warnings: Typical Sticks trigger warnings apply, suicide, time loops resulting in multiple character deaths, Wolfwood just shot someone executioner style, more to be added

OOC notes, here is a rehash of your rules:

Mod tags will come either a) after everyone involved has tagged in or b) after 24 hours have passed since the last mod tag. This means if you are absent for any reason, the thread WILL move on without you.
Interaction in this log will be redeemable for MAIN AC, not just Bonus AC like most of our NPC threads.
This questline will shape Zahliya's outcome for the rest of the game, and may or may not result in an almost-full Corruption cure and therefore gamewide impact. I will let people know midway through the quest if he's currently aimed at aggression/confidence/staying in the Grove, or if he's on passive/indecisive/leaving the Grove.
The old OOC plotting post for this is here!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Well, now that that little conversation is over with-- ]

It sounds like we're all in for it, so there's really no sense in anyone trying to be a martyr, is there?

[ loop you are grounded ]

We only have a few minutes until it all hits the fan, so I think we should use what time we have to explore that other room. I want to get a good front row seat to what happens, personally. And besides, the more time we spend in here discussing it, the more likely we're going to miss the show.

Are you sure? It'll hurt a lot, you know. It's not for the faint of heart. [They still sound way too cheery for this topic, but there might be the barest hint of severity in their tone. Even if these people are still strangers to them...] I don't mind, really. It's more practical to have someone who can recover quickly taking the blow, don't you think?

[... but they won't kick up a fuss if people decide to follow, despite their warning. It's a waste of time that could be better spent making the most of this loop.]

Oh well, do what you want~ If you regret it don't blame me, teehee~

[ANYWAY.

Before they fully commit and head out... they stop, because hey there's still one more unread message from Siffrin, but this time when they whip out their phone-hand they just. listen? Think about the implications for a second. Hmmmm.

They don't want Siffrin to worry, so they should try to get that across instead of panicking?]

I think there's a problem with the line, stardust! Don't worry, we're all fine. We're in the temple so we'll meet you there, okay~? Don't call unless it's important! Bye bye~

[this will definitely be reassuring and put team zahliya at ease, yeah!!

anyway we're doing it now whoever wants to follow w\ Loop and Josh can follow, what's da false sun doin]

Edited (WORDS) 2024-08-22 15:35 (UTC)

[Yeah no Wolfwood is coming this time, he’s got the Punisher because fuck it we ball. He isn’t saying anything right now but the PTSD has been compartmentalized so we’re (???) good!!!

Just look at him with big wet sad eyes if you need something to get laser blasted he’s gotchu fam]

I don't believe you're in the presence of anyone faint of heart, little star.

[honestly, they don't even care if that's inappropriate. they kind of hope it is, in fact.]

[With that, Beiwe is going to go try to figure out time magic. She will probably be consulting Ourania about this.

As for you guys... ooh boy good luck!

The Temple doors are still being banged on (it sounds like a heavy object, if you had to guess) when you step out into the main chamber. No one is immediately obliterated by the Black Sun on the altar there, luckily for you.

Of course, if anyone gets closer than merely leaning against the back wall, you will be vaporized, so watch out for that one. You also have about two minutes until you become a pile of ashes, so!

What are you doing. How are you doing it. Let me guide you toward the plot.]

[ It is time to fuck around and find out, my friends. For science.

They may be able to step into the room without getting immediately obliterated, but Joshua isn't taking any chances. While he suspects Loop's previous blasting into bits was spurred on by the attempted attack, he can't say for sure, and while trying it out himself would really only result in a respawn in the long run, he doesn't feel like wasting that much energy when their time is so limited. Thankfully, he has something that can afford to be blasted!

There's something being spawned on the floor. It's a Noise - just a frog, nothing too big. But, like a drone, he can control it. The frog pauses a moment, looking around as it receives its silent instructions, and then hops into the room. However far it gets before being blown into staticky bits, that's how far they can go safely. ]

[Oh... they're surprised by how relieved they feel, seeing Joshua summon that cute little frog to scope out the blast zone. They're suddenly aware of tense they were a moment before, thinking they'd have to step in themselves and get blasted by the sun a second time. Maybe dying makes them feel bad, actually. Maybe they don't want to do that again.

... but they can't admit that, because they still have to act fearless, because they're the one who insisted this was a good idea. So.

They stay rooted in place within the safe zone, clapping their hands together firmly.]

Forgive me for my insolence, O Lightless One! I hadn't realized I was in the presence of one so powerful! All the stars of the Universe must surely behold you with envy, to hide you away with such ruthless Crafts. Tell me, what can we do to rid you of this cruelty?

[They may be a whore for dramatics, but they're still a damn good actor at least.]

[Man do ALL of you have some kind of weird magic, is he the only odd one out in this party-

Well, he doesn't have the ability to summon little frogs from his hands or whatever, but he has a Gun and that's about it. He follows Loop's lead and heads into the chamber alongside Joshua and Kiera, his hand tightening its grip on the straps around his Punisher. At least he isn't eager to start shooting, mostly because he's already seen what might happen if they do.]

D'ya think they can even hear us?

[They're still Actively being tortured so, he wonders.]

[wolfwood shut up you can drink forbidden koolaid and heal from the brink of death.

anyway. kiera isn't rounding the corner of the hallway yet. it means they can't see the creature yet, but it also means he can't see them. just in case she decides she'd rather use something smaller and more inconspicuous to investigate. no, for now, she waits to see how things go with mr. froggy.]

[This poor fucking frog, dude.

The noise-frog hop hop hops around the room. The outer perimeter, hugging the wall, is safe. About three feet away from the wall is safe. The frog is going on a little froggy journal as it makes laps, but the second it gets more than 3 feet away from any of the walls...

The Black Sun blasts it without even looking at it. Luckily, no one else is vaporized, so it seems like — when he's stuck on the altar, anyway — his magic has limitations, too. Probably has something to do with that ritual.

Just don't get near the altar and you'll be fine.

As for Loop's acting...]

( the god that was once the crimson sun thrashes uselessly againsnt his chains. it hurts. it hurts. it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts and now, after millenia, there are voices. mortal voices, but voices nonetheless. unfortunately, all the black sun wants is to make everything hurt the way he has- it's only his right, isn't it?

a star. wretched children of the moon. the black sun almost answers- break the runes, break the magic- but then he screams instead. it's agonized, broken and full of wrath. )

Lightless?! Fool of Ourania's, I AM THE SUN. CUT THE TIES AND I'LL SHOW YOU LIGHT LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN.

( it comes out as a gutteral snarl, and he rails against the bindings as if trying to throw himself at loop. )

[That booming voice makes them wince, briefly reminded of the King. Oh dear. He sounds mad.]

... Hmm, nope! I'm good, thanks! [Yeah, no, they were willing to give reason a try before but that's not the voice of someone open to negotiations. It would take longer than they have to talk him down from murder. Not worth it!

Different plan, different plan... they turn around to address their party.]

Well, nothing we do here will change the past, but should we still try to prevent his release? You know, since he seems so eager to kill all of us. I don't think he's in a very merciful mood today.

Prevent?

[Didn'tcha hear what Beiwe said?, he thinks. It's inevitable. They can't change the past, right?

But he's reminded of how violently Vash reacted to learning about their soon-to-be future. How hard he tried to find a way to change it. And how it seemed...it seemed to all amount to nothing, in the end.

And yet.

...

Wolfwood sets his jaw, pulling his gun up off his shoulder so he can set it down on the ground in front of him, gripping the skull-shaped gear at the center and twisting it sharply at a 90 degree angle.]

...do you got somethin' in mind?

[ aw. rip to the frog, the poor thing just keeps getting obliterated for science. ]

Well, whatever we do, at least we know how close we can get before getting kicked back to the spawn point.

[ Joshua shrugs, not bothering to spawn another Noise. No point in it, it's served its purpose for now. ]

Personally, I don't see much of a point in trying to stop it. We can't change anything, so why bother? I'll just observe while it all goes down, thanks.

Uh, really? I could think of a pretty good reason to try.

[They gesture at... not the frog, because it got vaporized, but also that's exactly the point they're making here. Might be a good idea to NOT unleash the wrathful fallen god while they're stuck in this time rift? Maybe??]

I just don't think it'd be that hard to like. Ask them, maybe? The people who come in here and break everything? Ask them not to that?

Or we could just watch! I guess! And then die, probably! Whatever you guys want!

[trying to convince the intruders not to do what they... literally have already done sounds like a major waste of energy, but, hey...]

I see no harm in trying. We'll likely die anyway and get a chance to see how it actually happened, afterward. At least in attempting to speak to them, we may learn more of their motivations.

[Alright kids, vote now on your phones: Are we Trying, or are we Dying?]

[Hm. Seems like he might be the proverbial tiebreaker here...

He sighs, heavily.]

While I'm inclined to agree that there prolly ain't a point in tryin' if us gettin' shredded is inevitable, it might be. I dunno. Cathartic?

[He readjusts his gun on his shoulder.]

I honestly don't give a damn at this point. Joshua can keep lookin' at the temple and we can go talk to the caravan freaks. Deal?

[ Once again, Joshua shrugs. ]

Sounds fair to me. Knock your socks off. I'll be back here taking notes.

[ And listening in mentally, if he can. He isn't sure how well that part will work, but he won't know if he doesn't try. ]

I'd rather try something than do nothing... honestly, that ambivalence isn't healthy. Maybe you all should go to therapy after this. [but not Loop they're normal]

Well, whatever. Maybe we'll unlock a secret cutscene if we try it! Let's see what they have to say!

[Okay I love y'all, the caravan freaks are outside trying to break the doors in. The question for y'all is: How are you going to get outside? Are you going to open the doors or are you going to go out the sunroof in the other room, or,]

[ Well, since the rest of the group wants to engage Team Breaking & Entering out there, Joshua will give them a little hand.

Mentally, of course. Effort? No thank you, he's allergic.

The group trying to break the doors down from outside will receive a simple little mass brain-SMS courtesy of Joshua. It's in his voice, as all mental transmissions of direct thought are, and he's looping the rest of Team Temple in on it, too. Just so they're aware of the massive amount of effort he's putting toward their goal, here. ]

Hey out there. Maybe don't knock down the doors so hard. Wouldn't want to hurt the innocent folks stuck in here, would you?

( outside, callisto is directing the attempts to pry open the locks. except... somethings not right. the trees are too still and something is watching them. but she can't turn back now.

that's what she thinks before something is in her head, talking to her- )

What the fuck.

( one of the lackeys pauses to look at her and she waves them off, turning around and crossing her arms. )

Don't fuck with me. If there were innocents, that bleeding heart Aldric would be here trying to get them out himself.

[ Oho! ]

Well, that's a bit rude, isn't it? You're making some wild assumptions there. And you know what they say about assumptions.

( callisto scoffs with a roll of her eyes. )

The forest is weird, you expect me to take you at your word?

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

wait for amity i have to summon them to play their evil man

yes hello i am amity here is my evil man

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject