sticksandbones | A Very Belated Saving Renard

[ Enciodes hates to ask for help once again, but at least this time they're not diving headfirst into danger knowingly. Now it's just... hopeful that things go smoothly! Yeah...

Anyway. Enciodes will collect the two who expressed interest in going, as well as Ydalir, with a note to let them know that they're ready, but to keep from talking about it too loudly if possible. Element of surprise and all that!

He has bags packed for them with rations and blankets and extra clothes in case of emergency, as well. A well prepared snow leopard, as usual. ]

If you have anything else you need, I recommend getting it now. I don't intend on turning back until we've accomplished our goal.

[Will has his night cloak, and his golden glasses clipped to it. Along with his weapons and the moon stone sitting heavily in his pocket]

I'm as ready as I'm gonna be, boyo.

[ Clive has himself, a pack of the same thing Enciodes does - clothes, medical things, food - his weapon, and his big damn Wolf. Whose staring at Enciodes with some heavy intensity. Sorry. ]

Ready here as well. Lead the way.

You're all prepared for the worst, right? [She is also bringing local rock-eating Garg with because who the fuck knows what'll happen in the field, and Ydalir is not much of a fighter unlike you boys.] Unfortunately, I don't know how this will go. It's going to be quite the journey.

[ Enciodes nods. ] I have a vague map of where we need to head, thanks to Wolfwood and Mizuki. Though, as I said, it is vague. There wasn't a ton of markers for us to work with, so we'll just have to keep our eyes peeled.

I imagine that it'll be hard to miss a man in a tree, though.

Even if we don' know exactly where he is I probably can sniff him out once we're close enough.

And don' worry about us- Clive and me are seasoned adventurers, ya kin?

We'll hold our own.

[ A nod in agreeance. ]

It will be. Let's head out, then, and stay alert.

[And whoever wants to lead, presumably Enciodes but I don't know your life?? can lead.

The journey itself, barring the occasional stone snake here and there, is actually strangely peaceful. Perhaps it's because everyone has done a damn good job dealing with the stone snakes, perhaps most of the monsters are still waking up from hibernation like "huh whuh"... In any case, it sure is a nice walk.

Eventually, the group will encounter the marked spot on the map where Renard has been treed, and the sight is genuinely horrifying in many respects — what is clearly the upper body of a man, covered in bark and adhered to the tree physically, has both arms stretched out and part of the branches. His face, too, is made entirely of bark, and his mouth hangs open in a silent cry of agony. There are no legs, you think — or perhaps it's more accurate to say that his legs have become the very roots that sink into the soil.

When you approach, the branches of the nearby trees sway, reaching down. Some touch you, some brush your cheeks. Others may try to trip you.

The eyes of hundreds of plantanimals all clinging to the Renard-tree turn to look at you at once.]

[ Enciodes leads, yes - mostly because he's got the map. That, and he's sending Tenzin out to scout ahead. The bird will occasionally snag a stone snake to toss it aside as well, just to make sure they're uninterrupted here.

Once they arrive at the tree Renard lies in, however... good god, is it a horrific sight. And Enciodes has been through the ringer himself, so just the fact this is... Well, whatever, that's why they're here. To free the man from his fate.

Once the branches start to reach down and move, Enciodes unsheathes a sword from his cane. ]

I don't suppose we're going to have this be easy. Miss Ydalir, I hope you know what to do from here, if Renard himself cannot guide us.

[It really is horrific, and Will clutches the stone in his pocket for reassurance, sniffing the air for clues]

Seasons save... wouldn' wish this on my worst enemy, that's for sure.

It's worse than the Akashic.

[ And for Clive, that's saying something.

When Enciodes draws his sword, Clive will as well, but he doesn't show any indication of using it. Even if a branch touches him. They're here to save the man and... hey may be controlling the trees. Clives eyes go up to the plantimals. That makes him stiffen his shoulders a little.

Then carefully makes a show of putting his sword back away. He glances to the other two and Moder, then back up to the plantimals. He has his bone ring on, he never takes it off, so he tries... ]

We're not here to hurt him. We want to help.

I think I have an idea. Stars, I hope I do. If any of you have shards, I'll need them, otherwise I'll rely on Zahliya.

[It looks like the plantanimals' hostility goes down when Clive says something. If you're still looking at Renard, he appears to blink, though his mouth moves without sound. He might be saying something — trying to, anyway. Can anyone read lips?

The branches brush over everyone still. They don't seem outwardly hostile either, but more like soothing touches on the shoulders, greetings given via a handshake. The boughs bend and shift in inorganic ways that trees simply should not. They bend inwards like they're trying to protect something — you, perhaps — instead of slowly growing toward the sun.

Though Zahliya moves to start fire-grilling Renard starting from the roots, it becomes quite clear that this isn't entirely Corruption. This is something different, and his fire does very little for now. Ydalir moves to start setting up a chalk circle at cardinal points, meanwhile.]

Shards, right.

[He pulls the Moon Shard from his pocket, offering it. But he's more focused on Renard. he can't read lips better than anyone else. But his hearing is top notch. So if any breath is getting out at all he might be able to pick it up]

I'm a priest of Beiwe, blessed, if that will help any. Use me as you need.

[ Clive can read lips a little, but that was Gav's things, and usually his team relied on hand or head signals. So unfortunately the lip movements don't get understood by him, sorry.

He watches as Zahliya begins to fire blast the roots like oh okay, that sure is happening, turning his gaze back to the man, squinting then glancing to Will. He can see his ears are perked, and he tilts his head and raises his eyebrows.

Hearing anything? ]

[ Enciodes can do his best to read his lips, if nothing else, as he cannot offer a shard himself. ]

Renard, do not expend more energy than you have to. We'll get you out of here... hopefully safely, too. But if there's anything we need to know, and anyway you can let us know...

[Perfect. Ydalir will take that moon shard and continue drawing her circle. As sun priest, she's going to call Clive over and hand him some chalk and tell him to start drawing the other side of it, floating a spellbook his way that has a magic circle drawn on it. He's responsible for the bottom half now to make this go quicker. Chalk and dirt and grass are not exactly friendly together, but some force can make it work.

As for Will and Enciodes, our token wind/lip readers, they will get:]

Need... mana... shards hidden... with me... power...

[ Clive moves to do as he's directed, making sure to draw the circle as carefully as he can. Force is no issue here at any rate, he's just not exactly the best yet with his left hand at writing and drawing, so he will take his time. Brow furrowed in concentration. ]

[ Will's ears perk, and he repeats Renard's words outloud]

Mana, eh? Well I can manage that. Been working on magic transferance for months now.

[ Silverash takes in a breath and looks to his bird. ]

Tenzin, be our eyes.

[ And he will head over from here to make a perimeter of a shining silver light around the area. He just... has a feeling once whatever ritual they have to do will lend them to open to attacks. He wants to prevent that as much as he can, while Will helps Renard. ]

[Perfect. Between the trees bending in, the animals watching very carefully, Enciodes maintaining the perimeter, and Clive generally being there... it should be safe for the time being. Tenzin doesn't find anything... yet? Hm.

In any case, to Will:]

Need... mana...

[And this will be repeated as much as Renard can manage it, though it's not clear how he needs it. Magic transference is the best bet, and Ydalir has started to prepare for that as well. As the circle gets completed, she walks into the middle of it to draw with chalk over Renard's roots, magic runes to facilitate mana collection.]

Those of you that have mana to give, please put your hands against the runes on the bottom here and force your magic into them. Let's see what that does. Be gentle at first, I don't want to... [She looks up at him, eyelights flickering.] ...do worse.

Well.... I'm a well house of Aether, which I guess is your Mana. I'm not good at the pushing thing, but that's why we have Will.

[ Welcome to someone who was built to intake and store aether, and keep it. Once Clive is done with his circle, making sure it's exact, he sets the chalk down and approaches the roots, putting his hand on the symbol and glancing to Will. ]

As much as he needs.

[Will's tail flicks, and he grunts]

Got it.

[But his expression and tail make it clear he will not give away 'as much as he needs' from Clive if it's beyond his limits. But to be fair he knows Clive's aether levels better then possibly anyone- he doubts it would take even 20 rituals to tap him.

He puts his hands on the runes and lightly touches Clive with his tail. He doesn't expressly need to touch him anymore to help channel his aether, but it does help. He focuses on his moon shard as he bridges that connection and starts pouring both their prana down into the runes]

Edited 2025-04-07 21:41 (UTC)

[ While they're doing that, and once Enciodes has a perimeter set up, he'll investigate the tree the best he can without getting too close to it. Is there anything about this tree specifically that's different from the others. And, also... just because he's an overly cautious person, is there anything to suggest this isn't actually Renard or not an illusion? ]

[Touching TAILS??? In MY good Christian stickybones game????

Enciodes won't see anything that gives "illusion" or "not actually the guy". Judging by the map he has, this should be Renard, and Ydalir and Zahliya seem to think this is Renard too as they work through the mana ritual. The tree itself, though, is simply part of Renard now, and that's what makes it different from the surrounding woods.

As Enciodes inspects and keeps watch, some of the animals peel away from where they're guarding Renard, especially as the mana starts to flow and they come to full awareness that you guys are helping. They back off, and...

Everyone will see that Renard's heart is completely exposed, the only part of him that remains flesh now, and it beats steadily as the tree bark around the roots starts to recede with the mana ritual.

The animals are trusting you all NOT to stab him, as a family of rats skitter out from under the root-legs. In their paws they're carrying several shards of sun, moon, and star, all of which they hover over protectively before Renard whispers out... something, none of you are sure what, and the little guys start handing them to people.

You are all giants so they wind up tucked into your shoelaces. It seems that Renard and his animal friends were hiding things for who knows how long, and as the ritual goes on, you'll start to see skin — toes, and then a foot (free of charge), and then ankles... but it's going to take quite a while, even with Clive being a font of mana.

Anything else anyone would like to do? You have extra shards and an exposed heart.]

[ Tail touching all day long, baby.

And as much as Clive is a well house of aether, he will start to feel the slow drain. He's never exactly given up life energy before to make up an entire other person. It itches like ants crawling over him. Yugh. And he's not going to glance at the heart, thanks. Doesn't even consider doing anything with it, except maybe to cover it, protect it.

Instead he blinks at the little rats sticking tiny shards into his boot straps. He's sure if he walked now, he'd jingle jangle jingle. ]

Will the shards help the process?

[ He indicates their new shoe accessories. ]

[Will's eyes slits widen a bit and his tail swishes as rats skitter out. But he behaves and does not try and pounce.]

Can' hurt- She said the shards can amplify magic. That's why I used mine last time I worked on your arm.

[He reaches down to start plucking shards free from his boots, adding the star and moon ones especially to his circuit of prana]

Keep an eye on his heart. If his chest doesn' heal to cover it I might have'a hop in and do it manually or our bloke is gonna just die from shock soon as he's all flesh. Wouldn' that be a mess of it after all this work, yeah?

[Indeed, please don't let Renard before Heimr gets him back!

The good news is, what you're all doing is working. There is no bad news. The shards further amplify the mana and allow the ritual to take place easier; between the runes meant to filter, Will's hard work being something of a siphon to help with that, and the shards themselves, the process goes a lot quicker. The roots recede, the bark begins to fall away...

And thankfully, his heart starts to heal, almost seeming to recede back into Renard's ribcage. Lovely.

What you're left with in the end is a very scarred, very naked man, who is shortly after going to collapse on the ground as the trees bend back into their natural shape (not of his own control anymore) and start hacking up leaves.

Give him a second, he's giving everyone a thumbs up while the animals swarm around him again.

There are also a metric ton of items under his feet that must have been hidden in his roots, and he's now sitting on half of them, sorry.]

A Very Belated Saving Renard

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

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

cw: body horror, exposed organs

no subject

no subject

no subject