[CLOSED] Zahliyaquest...2

[purifier]

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!

Comments

[lupusxylem]

[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?

[leggierissimo]

[ 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. ]

[theuniverseleads]

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!

[purifier]

[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,]

[leggierissimo]

[ 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?

[sticksandbonesmods]

( 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.

[leggierissimo]

[ 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.

[sticksandbonesmods]

( callisto scoffs with a roll of her eyes. )

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

[theuniverseleads]

Take our word for what? You haven't even accused us of anything, silly!

I'm curious! What do you think is going on here? [why are they even here, besides... curiosity, maybe? but it'd be pretty lame of them if that's all they needed to unwittingly release a vengeful god]

[sticksandbonesmods]

( a new voice. what the fuck. )

Sugar, you aren't helping your case. Pay attention to your fellow intrusive thoughts.

[theuniverseleads]

Aww, come on! Humour me! You're the one knocking on the door to an ancient, cursed-looking temple, the least you could do is introduce yourself first~

[sticksandbonesmods]

It's just an old temple in faewoods. Ya set out enough treats and the fae'll overlook anything. ... Or curse a few people, but that's what the lackeys are for. Somethin's worth all the fuss and I'm not lettin' some creepy little fuck in my head stop me.

[theuniverseleads]

You're the type to kick a hornet's nest looking for honey, aren't you?

[They pause, humming thoughtfully. Doesn't seem like she'll be easily convinced... but she doesn't seem to know what she's doing, either. So maybe it's possible?

They look over at their other two party members with a shrug. Well? Any fresh ideas?]

[sticksandbonesmods]

If the honey's gold enough, sure. This is hardly my first time in the depths. Aldric's just overhyped it- spooks easily. And you're just some mindgames to throw me off.

( callisto rolls her eyes again and turns back to check on her crew.

...

...

something's not right. but she can't turn back now. )

[lupusxylem]

[God Wolfwood is so tempted to say something catty to this bitch. He would have if he didn't have the character development to be JUST enough to stop him from being impulsive.

For now.

He doesn't want to muddy the waters by introducing a third voice, so he chooses to keep his silence for now, focusing on listening instead. Of course, he has to trust Joshua and Loop not to fuck this up so like guys just don't fuck it up-]

[cryopathy]

[as established many times, kiera doesn't give a fuck. they chime in with a tone ten levels more condescending than callisto, yet somehow still so deceptively sweet.]

Oh, darling, hornets don't make honey.

[like, they aren't specifically trying to convince her not to break in. they just can't resist being a smartass to the person ultimately responsible for the fucking mess they're all in.]

[sticksandbonesmods]

No shit.

( callisto sighs. )

WHAT is so hard about breaking open an old door? It even has hinges, ya lunks!

[leggierissimo]

[ Tuned in as he is, Josh can hear that! ]

Wow, where'd you learn to break into buildings? Consider me impressed.

Aaaaand a bit curious as to what you're trying so hard to get in here for. Entertain me? More than you already are, anyway.

[sticksandbonesmods]

It's so hard to find good help.

( josh may get passive flickers- the men in the caravan, following her not for coin or any emotional bond but they're useful and think she's attractive, and they've deluded themselves into some sort of loyalty out of it. it's not her favored method, but it works. and if something happens, they make good shields. )

No one knows what's behind the doors. That's what I want.

( answers. the unknown, pried open from even the most hidden relics of the path. )

[lupusxylem]

[....god, fucking FINE]

Sounds to me like they wanna steal everythin' that ain't nailed down. There's no other reason t'break into a dusty old shrine like this.

[leggierissimo]

[ Ah. Well, that's a power dynamic. Looks like those men have been cronie-zoned. Poor things. ]

Well, they certainly don't sound like they're doing it for scholarly reasons. What a shame.

Did you ever stop to think that this place might be... haunted?

[ Just as he's saying that final word, there's a loud bang, as if someone just threw something heavy at the doors. Joshua isn't that stupid, though - it's simply an Imprint of an auditory hallucination. Thankfully, his companions are spared the startle. Isn't he just so kind? ]

[sticksandbonesmods]

( callisto absolutely jumps- she's not the only one, and the others around her stop.

one of the younger ones, the one taking log of their supplies, pauses warily.

"Boss, this place isn't like the others... I swear, stuff's been movin' too. The trees ain't right. ...And thats not including the weird size. I swear those moose are bigger than boats."

and the thing is, even if she doesn't care about the voices in her head, callisto does listen to her people. )

I know, I know. Take five, we'll see what's happening.

1/2

[theuniverseleads]

[Oh hey this is actually working, maybe? Seems like the cronies are the weakest links. Forget intimidating the leader, if all they have to do is scare off her followers...

Hmm. They've only done this once before, and it wasn't exactly them doing it, but... they think they remember how it goes. Something ominous, something commanding, something like...]

[theuniverseleads]

[THOSE WHO TAKE SHALL BE TAKEN IN TURN. LEAVE NOW, TRAVELLERS, OR BECOME THE FERTILE SOIL OF MY DOMAIN.]

[unlike Josh, Loop doesn't really know how to control their inside voice, so they're just going to blast everyone in the group call with the loud, ringing tones of the infinite Universe. whoopsies!!! sowwy!!! it's for the bit, please understand!!!]

[sticksandbonesmods]

( some of the lackeys do back away immediately, terrified cries or low worried murmers spreading amongst them.

callisto just wants to do violence, though- its worth noting that to those who can tell, she does have an arm spread protectively across the younger lackey's chest, baring her teeth like a mother wolf who is very displeased. )

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