Mokley

Chroniker

"But wait...!" Mayonaka questioned "Isn't that a big weird? Why would someone make a device you can only power with something that there can only be one of in a world? And how did he manage to get here without the chroniko-thing-ama-jig? I touched a little stone i think and got wisked here! So i didn't need a chronik-ul-thingy! And what if we teleport to a world where the vanishing stone was already used? Then only one of us will get to stay at their home world and we all have to stay in it too! And what if- Nap time...!"

Mayonaka

Elurra smiled warmly, charmed by the little mage. "So many questions! I will answer as simply as I can. The Vanishing Stones and the Chroniker were created together by a wizard called Rook. All of the stones are linked only to the Chroniker, like the spokes of a wheel with the device at its center. Therefore, when you touch a Vanishing Stone you are transported to the location of the Chroniker. But if you were to touch a Vanishing Stone that is already located in the same world as the Chroniker -- the stone in the mountain outside, for example," she gestured to the door, "nothing will happen. In order to leave this world, the stone must be used in unison with the Chroniker, which will take you to another stone in another world. The Vanishing Stone that you leave behind may still be touched by anyone who wishes to follow you -- whether they be friend or foe."

This was another caution regarding the use of the Chroniker in order to escape danger: anyone who picks up the stone will follow the Chroniker wherever it had gone.

Fire and Sails

In a general sense there are always people who call and list all their graphic sickness symptoms and expect me to diagnose them. About once a month somebody calls to say the meat in their chinese food is dog or rat or worms or something. Elderly ladies call because they just want someone to talk to for an hour. And then there are the people who swear terrorists are tainting the food supply and the health department is just there to take bribes and the president is corrupt and we're in league with the NSA against humanity. Because someone brought a dog into a supermarket.

Ari seems like she's gonna be so fun to mess with, btw. XD

Chroniker

He certainly is the life of the party. XD

I feel like I should make a short response to move things along, since Mayonaka really just asked all the important questions and we shouldn't have to wait a whole round for the answers.

Edit: Ok, did that! Hopefully this is the end of the long-winded exposition. Hopefully the facts and mechanics are out of the way now. ;)

Lantern

I want Anise to become the Lady of Light or something like that! :3 I'm thinking she might grow to be attached to this forest and become a protector of it and the newcomers to it.

Anise is definitely aiming to allow the spirits to move on into death.

@drewccapp

We can definitely take the story in that direction!

So, has the Lord of Flame and Lady of Wind made an appearance, yet?

Sounds like bringing the dragon back might be a good idea. Mr. Shadows has reigned long enough. I think the shadows should move on, too. Like, before they can't, right? Seems like if a soul gets too weak, it can't move on.

I mean, are we talking about creating a common goal for the whole gang here?

@Keplo

The Lord of Flame, Lady of Wind and Lord of Stones haven't actually appeared at all, no. But they could! I haven't quite decided yet where their loyalties are, but I imagine the Lord of Flame, at least, is in direct conflict with the Lady of the Pond and the Lord of Shadows, simply from an elemental standpoint. Also worth mentioning: the two Lanterns left are the Lantern of Flame and the Lantern of Flight.

We're talking about individual goals right now, I think. Each character has a different opinion on what should be done, and Talan and Anise are practically polar opposites in what they're trying to accomplish.

Fire and Sails

I have a cubicle at the state health department. I get aaalll the insane phone calls.

Haha woo! Backlash is just what I was hoping for. XD

Wing and Storm

Raln looked up just in time to see her black wings flutter as she fell to the ground.

The crippled ship rumbled and screeched; something exploded inside it, and the ship crashed into a building on its descent, sending rubble flying.

But just behind it, out of the gloom, a second ship advanced. More Mechanists swarmed into the streets, and the King's own guards assisted them in capturing the townsfolk to be shackled as the rain beat down upon them. Blood ran with rainwater through the street, and the fighting townspeople were giving up.

They were far outnumbered, outclassed, and outgunned. Raln could not use his power without risking the lives of the people he would be trying to save.

He was forced to run, or be captured himself. The townsfolk were in no danger of being killed unless they put up a fight; he could come back for them, when he had reinforcements and somewhere safe to take them.

He ran for Solara, used the mace to fight off a few Mechanists that had surrounded her, and he took her arm. "Hurry, we're getting out. Can you run?" He couldn't let her fall into the Mechanists' hands. They were known for their experiments on living specimens -- and she had a power they could never be allowed to discover.

Fire and Sails

He raised a brow at Arabella, for a moment confused into silence by how forward and eager she was to speak up. He was accustomed to the dock women and the barmaids with their crass voices, but most young women of the towns and settlements tended to keep to themselves -- they looked away, spoke meekly or hurried in the opposite direction when he approached. But then, in the middle of a monster-infested forest -- with the threat of being hunted and dismembered looming just outside the town walls -- a mere stranger was not a frightening sight.

Still, it was bold and stupid of her to speak so recklessly. His opinion showed on his face just for a moment before he nodded solemnly to Jason.

"My name is Yuri. I thank you and accept. Please allow me the honor of meeting your father."

He was a man of few words, especially when he was trying to make a business deal. It was the father he needed to convince -- and there was no reason to risk losing favor with Jason by saying too much.

He completely ignored Arabella's existence. It was of the utmost importance that both Jason and their father trusted him to the highest degree with his presence in their home, and he predicted that her forward behavior was only going to make his attempts all the more difficult. So he walked tall and strong for his apparent ill health, and kept his eyes straight ahead, expression grim and focused. His pack clinked softly as he walked.

Fire and Sails

Well, this is embarrassing. Sorry I'm so late. Work stressed me out so much the past few days I couldn't function. But all's well, and I'm catching up!

Lantern

There is a LOT going on. It probably would be a smart idea to use the OOC to streamline things (I mean it kinda is there for that partly). I feel my part has a lot going on although Anise has been fairly straightfoward overall.

As for the part about choosing three awesome things... well oh man... that's hard because everything that's gone on with Anise I care about.

@drewccapp

Anise is pretty good with letting us all know exactly what she wants, so I have few worries there. ;) I'm probably going to leave it up to you to utilize the powers of the lantern and the mask, though. I have trouble thinking of a lot of variables at once. For example if you want to try using the mask to see if there's something moving around her -- or you think some geographical knowledge might help -- that's worth a note and a response in the OOC. Same with the lantern, tell me when you think the lantern could help her IC and I'll expand on the scene. You just don't have to roll for it, unless you want to. XD

The Lord of Shadows guy sounds interesting, so is he like... A villain? Or...? Is there a way to fix the sad shadow/lost souls thing? I feel sad for them.

@Keplo

Ok, the story behind the Lord of Shadows: in the old times he was a servant of the Dragon (along with the other Lady of the Pond, the Lord of Flame, the Lady of the Wind, etc). When the world was plunged into darkness and the Dragon was gone (we still don't know which order that happened) the Lord of Shadows found himself with all the power of the constant darkness. He's gotten greedy over the years, and has basically declared himself the new ruler of the world. It is in his best interest to keep the Dragon from returning, because he wants to keep his power. He is not inherently evil, though -- just greedy.

I should also note that the Lords and Ladies will do things for people who offer equal payment in return. Simon nearly drowned himself, therefore the Lady of the Pond put out the fire. Simon offered Rhea's eyesight, so the Lord of Shadows stopped Anise. But Simon had better pay up, or else. ;)

Ok, the shadows! Everyone who dies does not actually die. They are doomed to walk the world as spirits forever. The longer they're dead, the weaker their minds become. Those with weak minds can be manipulated.

The Lady of the Pond can give spirits the form of water (the water panthers) and have them do her bidding. The Lord of Shadows can give them the form of darkness and bend them to his will. Simon can give them a physical presence by burning a spirit flower, but he can't manipulate them, only request their help. Anise can only manipulate spirits that have already been given a form.

I can think of three fates for the spirits that would be better than this: they could be allowed to pass on into death, they could be brought back to life, or they could be transformed into guardian spirits or something. Possibly the lanterns could help with this. I'm open to suggestions!

Why do I complicate things. Sigh! XD

Chroniker

“Don’t suppose you have any idea where it is we should go next to find more of those stones that lead us here, Elurra?” He then returned his focus to their host. “Any help you could provide would be most welcome.”

Celadon

"I have no need to return. But I know I can't stay here." Morrian reasoned. He turned to glance toward their host Elurra. She had his attention.

Morrian

"Hey, if you got nowhere else to go, why not come to my world? I could use a friend or two on my mission! If you don't mind a bit of danger that is!"

Mayonaka

"Excuse me. Sorry to intrude on your home, but please tell me how to take that path." His eyes were firm and determined. He would need to go back to his home eventually, and he needed to know how.

Levi

"I'm in no rush to get back home, that's for sure. But, I would rather be somewhere much warmer."

Ellis

"Eh, shite must've been a bad dream. Snow in the middle of August who-," he thought then peered up to the individuals around him. His eyes widened as he immediately saw the giant walking lizard. "What the bloody hell!" he sputtered out. He stood up, back against the wall.

Felix

Elurra's concerned eyes were drawn to the shouting man -- the one who stared fearfully at Morrian with a terror he had every right to feel -- and she gestured quietly toward the hearth. "You are quite safe, I assure you," she told Felix in a gentle voice. "Please, come warm yourself by the fire. Your home has been left far behind, I am sorry to say." She scanned the faces of the rest of her guests. "But should you all agree to work together . . ."

Her voice trailed off, and she crooked a finger at the little robot at the door.

The robot shut the door, sealing out the chilling winds, and whirred and clicked its way across the floor to stand next to Elurra. She knelt beside the little automaton.

"Keep still, my dear friend. I must borrow your heart."

She took hold of the compass at the robot's chest and turned it with a click. The robot's glowing eyes flickered and went out; its limbs stiffened and the whirring stopped. Elurra pulled out a complicated device that fit in the grip of her hand. It was a messy but beautiful arrangement of little gears and sprockets and springs, secured by encasements of copper and gold. At its center, the needle of the ornate compass pointed steadily toward the closed door.

Elurra stood, and she showed the device to the collected company. "This is called the Chroniker," she explained. "There is nothing else like it in all the universes. It has the capability to transport you to a random world."

Anyone who wished to take a closer look was allowed to do so. There was a wide slot in the top of it, and a permanently fastened turnkey at the side of the compass. Underneath the smooth underside of the Chroniker was a wide button. When pressed, several metallic bands emerged from the device and wrapped around whatever was pressed against it, securing the device in place. A twist of the compass released it.

"But it cannot work on its own. In order to activate it, you must acquire a Vanishing Stone. I trust you all know the stone of which I speak. It will have been the last thing you touched before you arrived here.

"There is only one Vanishing Stone in every world. The compass points the way. When a Stone is placed into the slot and the key turned, you -- and anyone touching you -- will be taken to another world. For those of you who wish to see home again, it is possible that one of those random worlds will be your own."