[hr][hr][center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/SR52k84p/54b4e63d635603b22d80f72a4ba2be54.png[/img][hr][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019e8fda-abae-72dc-b11e-39d057b78113.webp[/img][hr][@Achronum][@Blizz][@Forsythe][@Kirah][@PatientBean][@Trainerblue192][@KazAlkemi][hr][h3][color=AC3EFF][b]Morning - Sun. January 16th, 2039 - Los Angeles, California[/b][/color][/h3][/center][hr] The quad was quiet this early in the morning, no other students milling about, an absence whether by coincidence or design. The sun blearily stared down at the children, as garlic bulbs and water bottles were tossed about carelessly, a sun that did not shine on Ser Nemo, on Captain Giselle, on Lady Saturnyne, on Memoria. The mushrooms of the faerie ring grew ever more vibrant with unnatural bright hues, tiny spots freckled across them like smiles. Once the photos had been taken, a temporary silence fell over the group. Tiny glistening bells chimed, the scent of sweet honeysuckle filled the air, and a breeze tickled the back of their necks. Gideon adjusted her sunglasses, her go bag down at her side, her buster sword slung over her back, her rapier in her hip holster, and her knuckle blades in her bag. She stared at the mushroom circle for a moment longer. If the nuns could see her now. “Well, if no one else is going to go first,” she shrugged, before stepping backwards into the circle, throwing up a shaka. “Cowabunga, dudes.” As she stepped back, the world swung about rapidly in perspective. Gideon stepped down to go into the mushroom ring - but her foot found purchase higher, in something loose but compact. And as her other foot moved, the ground beneath her slipped, and she skidded, falling not onto the grassy ground of Margaret Carter but into a sand dune. She wasn’t on Earth anymore. She was in Otherworld. She spun around, trying to see where she had come from, trying to find another circle - but there was nothing there. Just sand, and in the distance, a great, hulking mountain that she could’ve sworn was slowly getting closer. “What the fuck? Is that fucker [i]alive[/i]?” Gideon hadn’t noticed yet the change in her [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019f2098-534f-7490-9bc2-5c080a17d691.webp]clothes[/url] - hadn’t become aware of the dark, tattered, sleeveless robes she was wearing, of the worn leather boots and belt, of the skull painted to her face. Her sunglasses remained unchanged, protecting her eyes from the dimming light, and that was all that mattered. [hider=Gideon’s inventory] Go bag: -Portable water filter -Collapsible water bottle, 2 L size -Water purification tablets, 3 day supply -MREs, 3 day supply -Mylar emergency blanket, 1 -Tarp, 1 -1 change of clothing -2-3 pairs of wool socks -Liquid filled compass -LED headlamp -Waterproof matches, sealed container -Multi-tool -First aid kit for trauma/minor injuries - includes tourniquet, bandages, antiseptic wipes, blister care, burn gel. -Painkillers -Travel toothbrush, toothbpaste, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, toilet paper - in waterproof bag -Whistle -50 feet paracord -knuckle blades Carrying: -clothes -The Thirsting Blade -rapier -sunglasses -phone [/hider] [center]~*^~^*~[/center] Upon entering Otherworld, your electronics cease functioning. Your clothes, the ones you wear and the ones you carry on you, change to resemble fantasy traveling attire (please check with the GMs that what you’ve selected works!). [@Achronum][@Trainerblue192]: The magic that enchants the tote bags of the Kingston-Gray kids is great, allowing them to access items in their rooms across large distances. But it is also limited. The moment you cross into Otherworld, your tote bag fills with a random assortment of the possible items it could pull. No new items can be drawn from it - and no items can be shunted back to Earth. [@Forsythe]: Vicky has had perhaps more experiences with magic than she’d have liked. Each exposure has been different, her reactions to them unpredictable and varied, the main commonality that they were [i]bad[/i]. There was no Agatha Harkness here to save her, no Maximilian Gray. Internal warnings are flashing, readings from all around her spiking, and her internal power outputs rapidly falling. She is still herself, still coherent and aware, but she would not have the strength to carry another like this - she barely has the power needed to fly. She’s operating at 35% efficiency. More distressingly, however, is that she has changed. She is still an android, still a synthetic being - but her hair, her eyes, her build - all have been altered. Were she to look in the mirror, a different blonde woman’s face would greet her. [@PatientBean]: It is more than just a change of clothes for Sabine. The sun is setting in the desert, the air is beginning to cool, but she feels fire in her veins. There is a buzzing energy underneath her skin, a persistent itch, the maddening compulsion to dig her nails in deep and [i]tear[/i], tear and tear and tear until there the energy is out, until her skin has been discarded on the ground like a carcass. It does not stop there. The itch deepens and becomes unbearable, as she can feel her bones shift and [i]snap[/i]. Jean-Luc is barking like mad, jumping and stomping his paws down on the sand, desperate for someone to help his mother. And all Sabine can do is scream. [hr][hr][center][h3][b][color=ed1c24]Percy Novikov[/color][/b][/h3][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019b29ec-87e6-745e-afed-c64ed081c458.webp[/img] [hr][b][color=ed1c24]Location:[/color][/b] Margaret Carter - the Haunted Tree -> Otherworld [b][color=ed1c24]Magic Items:[/color][/b] Mystery watch from Agatha Harkness, Dorian sex bracelet, anti-touch ring [b][color=ed1c24]Travel Day Fit:[/color][/b] [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019f0aff-07a8-72b9-bbb5-ce787cc47c46.webp]Green jacket, navy shirt, jeans, and hiking boots, with the pen necklace, ring, bracelet from Danni,and the Dorian bracelet[/url] -> [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019f209a-d259-711f-8a13-9e02282ff8e9.webp]Roman inspired traveling clothes, with the necklace, ring, and bracelet accessories[/url] [hr][/center] Percy didn’t know [i]why[/i] Vicky had decided to throw garlic at people today. He didn’t fully even register that was what she had been tossing until it hit his hand, falling to the ground at his feet lamely. Admittedly, Dorian and he hadn’t made much progress in translating Nemo’s second journal the previous night, the one dealing with his knowledge of the fae. Perhaps garlic was useful to protect against them? He snatched it up from the ground and tucked it into his bag. His eyes widened and he froze, however, as a second projectile came his way - a full liter water bottle. Thrown at him by Chase. Just like he used to, like he had when they were friends - when they’d taken a bus all the way across the city to find a new park to explore, the sun beaming down on them as the grass crunched beneath their feet. They’d both been different then. For a moment, he saw Chase as he was, his face full of color. The water bottle hit Percy’s chest and fell lamely to the ground, its contents sloshing. And before he could decide whether to pick it up or refuse it, there was [i]screeching[/i]. He hadn’t been the only one struggling with hand-eye coordination. Danni was being [i]menaced[/i] by his dragon, dripping with water as Amelie scrambled up to his head. Percy barely bit back a smile. [color=ed1c24]“Maybe karma is real,”[/color] he muttered under his breath. The nonstop rants about how he’d told everyone about the Haunted Tree and no one had listened had been more than a little irritating. He didn’t dare make his snarky comment louder, though. The discussion of story magic prompted by Marlena was new - particularly the sigil she showed and Chase’s insights that spoke of experience with the phenomenon. He frowned. He knew the others had been investigating yesterday, and he hadn’t shared much of his own findings yet so being bothered by it was hypocritical. They should have met earlier to go over everything as a group. Not everyone was on the same page. But if he were being honest with himself, it wasn’t being out of the loop that bothered him. It was how helpful and knowledgeable Chase was being. It wasn’t what he’d expected from him. Nothing he’d done in the last twenty four hours had been. And he didn’t know how to feel about it. [color=ed1c24]“When we have our bearings, possibly during a period of downtime, Dorian, Ben, Danni, and I found another book from Ser Nemo last night. It’s his notes on Otherworld. Gem- [i]Dorian [/i]and I are still working on the translation, as well as translating the first volume he recovered, but we should be able to share some parts.”[/color] He then paused for a moment, his cheeks going red. [color=ed1c24]“I would appreciate being brought up to speed on what everyone else has found at the same time.”[/color] The last of their number finally arrived - the strange girl they’d found in the tent the day before. Percy had almost forgotten about her, with all the revelations about Nemo and his future. She hadn’t seemed keen to speak with any of them the day before. He was surprised she’d even shown up today, that she hadn’t just gone to Otherworld on her own. But she’d been in the vision the cube, Carlos, had shown them. She was part of this. He didn’t trust her yet, however. He didn’t dislike her, but she was an unknown quantity. Most of the others he knew, he’d trained with - and for the ones he didn’t, they had strong ties to the others. If it meant getting what she wanted, he didn’t know for sure that she wouldn’t betray them. He stared at her for a moment, his expression hard. [color=ed1c24]“Does your information also come with a bartering price?”[/color] That was his main question for now. He would formulate others later, once he had a better understanding of what Nemo had given them and the others had discovered. The group arranged themselves for a selfie, some likely more willing than others, and Percy forced himself to smile. He knew from experience that the more he scowled in photos, the more Dorian and Danni and the rest would insist on taking them. It wasn’t long before his cheeks ached from holding the expression, and he was relieved to go back to his neutral, glare adjacent gaze… even if he was, despite not voicing it, still excited. He’d gone to this school wanting to be an adventurer, not a superhero. And this was it. This was everything he’d asked for. Even his grumpy demeanor and worries of doom and gloom couldn’t completely poison that. Not too long after they’d finished taking photos, a stillness swept over the group. Bells tinkled in the distance, faint, sweet laughter drifting on the breeze, and the colors of the mushrooms in the ring became impossibly rich, lush and vibrant. It was as clear an invitation as they were going to get. He watched as Gideon sauntered forward, boisterously confident, as she turned around and stepped backwards, down into the faerie ring as if it was a pool of water - and vanished without a trace. His heart pounded furiously. Danni really had been right, then. The Haunted Tree sent people [i]somewhere[/i] - ideally Otherworld. There was no turning back now. Percy’s face twitched. Most everyone was here to save him - to save Ser Nemo. He didn’t know what to say, didn’t know how to thank them. The same people who a month ago had barely spoken to him were ready now to risk their lives for him. He swallowed, rubbing at his eyes for a moment. If there was a role he could choose to play… it wouldn’t be Odysseus. He would be Perseus. He made that vow to himself, as he stepped into the faerie ring… …and promptly fell, stumbling and rolling in a sandy dune, his limbs flailing wildly as he tried to stop his descent. He came to a stop crouched on his feet. His weak ankle throbbed a bit - he didn’t think he’d twisted it, at least, but it smarted. His heart was thundering now furiously as stumbled up to standing, quickly taking in his surroundings. The sun was up in the sky, not rising but slowly beginning to set. He was in the midst of a desert, the rays of light glaring down onto the dunes, the sand getting trapped between his toes. [i]Trapped between his toes[/i]. Percy did a double take. He wasn’t wearing what he’d put on in the morning. He didn’t have boots on, instead he had sandals, the material extending to wrap around his calves. His pants and shirt and jacket were gone, replaced with an off-white toga, leather straps helping to secure it to his shoulders. He still had on his bracelets, his watch, his ring, his necklace. His sword still hung at his side off his belt, and he felt something [i]twitch[/i] on the top of his head. Slowly, carefully, Percy reached up to feel his hair… and he felt fur. He felt two triangular shapes, soft fur on the outside, something more flesh like on the inside. His tail twitched. Percy’s face turned bright red. He had a tail. He had cat ears. [i]He’d turned into a cat boy.[/i]. If he were being entirely honest with himself, he didn’t hate it. He actually…maybekindofsortofjustalittlebit [i]liked[/i] it. But being turned into a cat boy in front of [i]everyone[/i]? He wanted to bury himself in the sand. He dropped his bag to the ground, opening it up to check and see if he’d placed a beanie or a hat inside or [i]something[/i] that he could use to try to hide the ears - maybe he could tie something around his waist to hide the tail? But as he found the changes of clothes he packed, they weren’t his clothes, not anymore. They looked like they’d been taken from a LARP rather than his wardrobe. None of it would hide it. Maybe Sabine had her hat of invisibility? Would she take pity on him? Was Dorian going to hate it? Was [i]Danni[/i] going to hate it? Was it permanent? He…maybe wouldn’t have minded if it was. Potentially. Possibly. He felt the ears again. They were [i]really[/i] soft… [hider=Percy’s inventory] [list][*]Backpack [*]Dorian sex bracelet [*]Friendship bracelet from Danni [*]G'raha Tia Commander Deck [*]Change of clothes x 2 [*]Compass [*]Water bottle [*]Deodorant [*]Toothbrush [*]Toothpaste [*]Floss [*]Journal [*]Pen necklace [*]Nemo's Otherworld journal [*]Agatha's watch [*]Small first aid kit [*]Copy of the Iliad [*]Phone [*]Sword + scabbard [*]Current clothes - Roman style toga, belt, sandals[/list] [/hider][hr][hr][center][h3][b][color=42A9FF]April Kingston-Gray[/color][/b][/h3][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019b2a42-176d-736d-87cd-e80ef331aa59.webp[/img] [hr][b][color=42A9FF]Location:[/color][/b] Margaret Carter - the Haunted Tree -> Otherworld [b][color=42A9FF]Magic Items:[/color][/b] Kingston-Gray Bracelet, River Styx Water, Hair Dying Comb, Tote Bag [b][color=42A9FF]Travel Day Fit:[/color][/b] [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019f0b01-09ee-76ce-ae33-1bb2ef8ebde7.webp]Grey-blue jumpsuit with steel toed boots, Kingston-Gray bracelet[/url] -> [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019f209b-0cf4-73fc-a412-259fd08f531a.webp]Blue and grey tabard, white Darcy shirt, blue gloves, vambraces, brown trousers, black leather boots (steel toed), and the KG bracelet[/url][hr][/center] April caught both items thrown at them like a pro - they were the only Kingston-Gray sibling with a real interest in sports. Danni only liked the aesthetics of the uniforms and the way an athlete’s body was sculpted, Dorian could pass into dude bro culture but never really enjoyed it. April was the one who would unironically go out into the yard to play catch with Pops, who would sit on the couch and watch the game with him. [color=42A9FF]“Oh, someone remind me that I wanted to sign up for that hockey thing!”[/color] they requested. They dropped the garlic into their tote bag, the bulb vanishing and reappearing in their dorm room. The water bottle, they were about to do the same with, only to watch - with horror and amusement - as Amelie [i]eviscerated[/i] Danni’s bottle, scrambling up to his head and threatening to rip his clothes - [i]Papa’s coat![/i] - to shreds. [color=42A9FF]“I got you, bro!”[/color] they promised. They set down the water bottle Chase had given them on the ground, so that way they had one hand to hold their coffee and another to manipulate the water. They focused in on their brother and his dragon, their fingers twisting as April hummed softly, as the water slowly floated up off of him, condensing into a small sphere. They glanced around, looking for a container that could be filled, before shrugging and deciding the Haunted Tree probably could use a bit of water. It was Los Angeles, after all. They redirected the water there, dropping it down at the tree’s roots, being careful not to splash it onto Glimpse, who had designed to pose like a cool, mysterious anime character up against it. [color=42A9FF]“Here, you can have mine - I’ve got loads of water on me. One bottle for drinking, the other for fighting,”[/color] April bent down, picking back up their bottle before offering it to Danni. [color=42A9FF]“Hydrate or die straight, y’know,”[/color] they grinned, their tongue poking out slightly between their teeth. When it came to the conversation of story magic and roles, April didn’t have much to contribute. They’d shrugged when Marlena showed off the sigil. Their dad was the (former) Sorcerer Supreme, but April knew more about magic from Wizards Beyond Waverley Place than they did from Pa. Even Nimue hadn’t really taught much, and Mads had been really bad at explaining things whenever she’d tried to instruct April on something. So if everyone said the sigil had something to do with memories, that was good enough for them. It did give them a few ideas, though. [color=42A9FF]“Would be a killer way to get people to use a new name for you, if you pick one,”[/color] they mused. [color=42A9FF]“Oh! And pronouns too. Not that I’m complaining. Everyone so far seems to be doing a good job with my new ones.”[/color] They’d mentioned the new pronouns last night at the party a few times to a few of their friends, and while they hadn’t been keeping track of who had been told and who hadn’t been, April assumed everyone knew by this point. Gossip spread fast in their circle. Luna gave a [i]wonderfully[/i] spooky warning that really set the tone, too - going on about how capybaras could eat puppies and that people would try to get favors out of them. That was one thing Pa had taught them, at least. They knew not to make deals with wizards and what were the fae if not wizard shaped? Wizards were gay and extra with magic powers, and April assumed the fae were gay and extra with magic powers too. Percy’s comment made them giggle, though. [color=42A9FF]“I don’t think we need to trade with her. She’s friends with our dads. And maybe Andy’s dad? Idk if those two really got along.”[/color] They had the sudden urge, though, to ask Luna if the fae would take payment in twinkies. They hadn’t known to pack things of value. They did have the River Styx water from Agatha, something April had been saving for something important, and maybe this was it? Or maybe they could just pull something from their tote? Either way, though, they were mostly just beyond excited to be going!! Everything was coming together perfectly!! They were smiling like mad in the group photos - [color=42A9FF]“Everyone say Excelsior!!”[/color] - immediately asking Dorian to send copies in the group chat, they needed to update their social banners anyway and they were positive this photo would be iconic. They powered down their phone and put it in their bag, and as they looked back up, they could feel a chill in the air, a shudder traveling down their spine. For the briefest of seconds, they had the feeling they weren’t alone. But that was impossible - probably just nerves getting to them - so April shoved it aside. And once it was their turn, they skipped through the mushroom circle with a giddy grin, effortlessly moving from the grassy terrain of Margaret Carter as the world flipped upside down and suddenly they were jumping up into sand, easily sticking the landing. April stepped off to the side, just in case other people were about to materialize on top of them, and stared at the view in awe. They’d been expecting an enchanted forest, filled with pixies and unicorns, with babbling brooks and ominous caves. This was far more beautiful. Rolling sand went as far as the eye could see, the sky painted in hues of gold and pink as the sun began its descent. The temperature was warm but cooling, and off in the distance, they could make out a gigantic mountain, easily the largest one they’d ever seen in their life. It seemed to lumber, slowly increasing and decreasing in height, and soft tremors emanated throughout the ground. [color=42A9FF]“This is so fucking cool,”[/color] April whispered, their voice filled with awe. [color=42A9FF]“OHMYGODWEGETCUTENEWOUTFITS?”[/color] they screeched, as they suddenly realized their clothing had changed. The adorable blue and grey jumpsuit was gone, replaced with a knightly tabard in similar colors, with a beautiful, ornate design. The tabard was on top of a white puffy blouse, with blue gloves and vambraces. A gorgeous brown belt was tied around their waist, with a spot on it to hold a sword - they figured they could try looping one of the water bottles through there later for easy access. Their shoes had shifted, changing from steel toed combat boots to black leather boots - and an experimental tap on the sand told them the steel was still there. [i]Sick[/i]. [color=42A9FF]“I need a mirror right now, I have to look so fucking hot, holy shit.”[/color] They reached into their tote bag, expecting to push their arm all the way through and grab the mirror they’d left in their room, only to find that the bag was… full? April blinked. The tote bag was [i]never[/i] full. Pa had enchanted it himself, making it an easy way for them to grab things while on trips and put things they’d got out shopping away. But it was [i]full[/i]. April laughed nervously. [color=42A9FF]“Danni, Dori - are your magic bags broken, too?”[/color] Their heart skipped a beat as the pulled the objects out - the tiara and board game Danni had given them for Christmas, their makeup bag, a bottle of aloe vera, the snow globe Vicky had given them, a sleep mask - and they turned the bag upside down, shaking it as if that would get the magic to work but… Nothing happened. [color=42A9FF]“Fuck.”[/color] [hider=April’s Inventory] [list][*]Bipolar medication (lithium), 3 month supply [*]Backpack [*]Magic Comb [*]River Styx water [*]Gigantic water bottle x 2 [*]Collapsible baton x 2 [*]Keyboard button fidget toy [*]Sunscreen [*]Sunglasses [*]Jolly ranchers, twinkies, granola [*]Kingston-Gray bracelet [*]Kingston-Gray magic tote: no longer functioning [list] [*]Sleep Mask [*]Oceans, an Ocean survival board game [gift from Danni for Christmas] [*]Makeup bag - eye shadow palette, various colors of eye liner, foundation, setting powder, makeup remover, mascara, makeup brushes [*]Tiara [gift from Danni for Christmas] [*]Snow globe with ice from Europa [gift from Vicky for Christmas] [*]One bottle of aloe vera [/list][*]Blue and grey tabard, white Darcy shirt, blue gloves, vambraces, brown trousers, black leather boots (steel toed) [*]Phone[/list][/hider]