Bad Dreams and Aspirations

Log Info

• Title: Bad Dreams and Aspirations
• Emitter: Aryia
• Characters: Aryia, Mikilos, Verna, Seyardu, Gadget
• Place:Festival Grounds
• Time: February 6th, 2022
• Summary: A chance gathering at the Festival Grounds manifests underneath someone's probably incurring a minor legal infraction by dangling from a piece of artwork. Aryia, Mikilos, Verna, Seyardu, and Gadget are all here, with Mikilos and Seyardu speaking of the dream they had and realizing it was shared. They try to find meaning in it, but resolve themselves to be ready for whatever is to come. Talk turns to Mr Jinglewidget showing off his Handspeech capabilities, as well as dragons (Aryia wants to spar/punch one, Seyardu disapproves), and Mikilos makes tea for everyone.

Festival Grounds, Late Morning.

The Festival grounds is slick with fresh snow, though the morning routines have carved out paths that most use. Some folks are about: children playing the snow, the errant knight getting their training in.

And, well, a figure hanging off the archway. Legs wrapped around the lance the sticks out of the decorative entrance, a scarred mul'neissa woman in a tanktop is doing hanging crunches. Uncaring of /probably/ breaking a law of a minor infraction.

Just keep training, just keep training.

Mikilos paces, a concerned frown on his face, several books and scraps of paper hovering around the mage, keeping pace as he tramps through the snow. Not too unusual really, though the elf is usually reading one of his books, not frowning at the universe with a thousand yard stare.

While some thermally-conservative individuals might consider outdoor winter activities without heavy layers to be illegal, Verna is not one. Given that the training full-blood is not damaging the entrance decorations, neither could such be considered vandalism. She makes her way near the grounds from the temple district to the south, hood lifting to the mildly conspicuous ... hanger-on. The arrival of Mikilos is noted therafter, aided by the hovering cloud of writing that surrounds him. "Good day," she offers.

Seyardu was one of many who was wandering the festival grounds that day, as close to the temple district as they were. She looked a bit tired, but in a relatively good mood, all things considered. She even comes across Aryia, who she gives a wave, as well as the others that were there with her. "Peace on your nests, I hope this day finds you well." She greets warmly.

Snow monkeys are good in the snow. Capuchin monkeys, even albino ones the color of the snow, are not. Metal conducts heat very quickly, and as such, the shivering gnome with the albino capuchin riding on her shoulders and gripping her forehead was absolutely doing her best to move as quickly as possible with metal arms and legs. They ticked and tocked madly in the cold as involuntary responses made them shiver fruitlessly along with the rest of her. Gadget occasionally reaches down and touches her legs, which causes the gathering ice and snow to slough off of them. She tugs her leather cloak around herself as she touches her bodice every few seconds. Vapor pours off it the same as every exhalation she gives.

Aryia is halfway through a crunch, sweat dripping off her face despite the temperature when she stops and realizes she's getting an audience underneath her.

Panting, she raises (lowers) a hand, waving to the others. "Hey. Doing okay. You all?" she motions while still hanging out. <Handspeech>

The clicking and whirring of gears makes the upside down shadow elf look over from her vantage point, and she squints before waving in greeting in recognition.

Mikilos mmms. "Is it? The sun still shines, so guess it could be worse." The elfs sighs, and rubs his eyes a moment before grabing a couple papers out of the air, tucking them into assorted pouches after a quick glance. "Sorry, yes, it's a lovely day, just a long night. How are you this morning?" he inquires of the fellow grey robe. His attention shifts to the silver-scale, mildly anxious. "...how was your night?"

Seyardu sighs. "Yes, there are no storms at the moment, which is good. And my night? Not that greatest, I will admit. Strange visions, you were there too, I think."

The cleric pauses to look at the man. "Why do you ask? Did you have something similar happen?"

Gadget continues walking as Aryia waves, but Mr. Jinglewidget pats her head and points. She looks up and follows his glance toward Aryia, then waves with a weak smile. "Cold!" she informs her. "Need to warm up." She continues trudging through the snow.

Aryia raises (lowers) a brow as she hangs, watching the mage and cleric speak of dreams and unrestful nights. She was more keen to listen, but she listens to Gadget. She nods, looks around a moment, then points over to the entrance of the archway, a torch on the sconce to illuminate a door meant for the guard that goes to a tower.

She continues to hang out.

Mikilos nods. "Yes. Skielstregar and Ravenstongue as well? I tried checking with Ravenstongue, but she wasn't answering her door. Wasn't fully confidant but pretty sure we all shared the same Vision." The elf rubs his eyes again and mutters something in Yrch-speak, the best languge for swearing in.

"Well, that settles that then. I was hoping to have some more time to relax, but it seems extraplanar beings have other plans." Seyardu sighs. "Finish dealing with one, and they either have plans upon plans in place, or another rises up to take it's place. It is good to know that the spells do nothing for messages through dreams in the city, at least."

Gadget looks at the place with the torch. She offers a trembling thumbs up and moves to the torch. She reaches up on tip-toe and strains her gears to their max before Mr. Jinglewidget stands on her head and plucks it down. She holds it in front of herself and looks into the flame. "Thank you," she says to her monkey.

Aryia tilts her head to the side, curious of the new words she just heard. She mouths them, then grins to herself. Add that to the repertoire.

Seeing as conversation takes more hold and sounds kind of spicy, she returns the thumbs up to Gadget before swinging once on the lance and dismounting. She does a little twist in the air, then lands on the ground with a quiet thud.

The short elf looks between the two curiously.

Mikilos frowns mildly. "Pretty sure gods don't care about mortal barriers. Well, godess and god... avatars... aspects... whatever the accurate term would be." Unbothered by the cold himself, the elf considers a few moments before shrugging off his backpack and pulling things out... a collapseable table, a rune covered ceramic tile, a large kettle, a couple mugs, and a small waterskin. Table on ground, plate on table, kettle on plate, water into kettle. A murmured word and the runes begin to glow with faint reddish light. "Do you have a preferance of tea? I have chai, green, rosehip, willow, and several types of berry." he inquires, meeting the eyes of each of three ladies to include them in the question. Mr. Jinglewidget doesn't get asked.

"So if the gods do not care, what is stopping the less than pleasant gods from pushing their own servants through?" Seyardu asks with a raised brow, and a sigh, though it fades as she sees the set up. "Perhaps some tea would be nice. I have no preferences on the matter however."

Aryia blinks dumbly as there's a full tea setup whipped out by the mage out of seemingly nowhere. But she rubs her face and sighs. "Berry," she motions.

The mute looks at Seyardu, has almost a dozen words on her hands, but doesn't say anything. <Handspeech>

Mikilos shrugs. "The Pact of Binding that keeps all avatars off the physical plane? Dreams are one thing, but physical seravants are quite something else. I just wonder if The Tyrant intended to join the warning, or Eluna sent us towards him on purpose?" Nodding, the elf adds a bit of willow, rosehip, and berry to the kettle. Tastey, soothing, and smells nice... by most standards, at least.

Seyardu shakes her head. "That pact, I do not know how much it actually means anymore, from what I have heard."

"But regardless, that is probably too. At the very least, the wards will stave off a lot of pettier crimes in the city, but it should not generate apathy in the guard. I, do not know who the figures mentioned in those dreams were. Their names didn't come up, purposefully so."

Aryia has her lips pursed as she sniffs the air, her unfurling her jacket tied to her waist and slowly pulling it on. Finally, she asks, "What the fuck are you two talking about." <Handspeech>

Mikilos nods. "When we name a god, it's a small placeholder for a larger concept. When they name themselves, they define themselves. As the being is beyond simple definition, the true name must be beyond mortal understanding as well. All of which neglects the key question: What to -do- about the comming storm?" Glancing to Aryia, he blinks, and laughs a moment. "Sorry, a Vision. A mithril clad maiden came to our dreams to warn of a comming storm. As she left, a massive black dragon warn the storm could destroy the world. Fairly sure they were Eluna and Maugrim."

"Ah, right." Seyardu says, as she catches the hand signs. "I thought it was nothing at first, but it seems Mikilos had a dream, and likely, Ravenstongue and my brother as well. It is as he says, someone reached out to us, in warning, and they were replaced by a dragon afterwards with a similar warning."

"Ravenstongue is likely going to need some friends for the coming days, I should make her something. The information shared with her was not a pleasant thing, but I know not the details, entirely."

Aryia attention grows with her eyebrows rising. But as soon as it's elaborated on, her curiosity is snuffed like a flame, and is replaced by whenever the tea would be done. "Well that's foreboding and ominous. Great. Another thing to be anxious about."

She inhales slowly. "I was planning on going to her place soon, so I'll be sure to get something she'd like. I don't know, maybe a stuffed toy raven or something." <Handspeech>

Mikilos frowns, nodding in agreement. "I tried to contact her when I woke, but think she'd gone to her boyfriend. I'm very curious what she was told, and mildly fear it was a lie. Black dragons are not known for their honesty." To Aryia he clarifies, "Just before the dream ended, the dragon whispered something to Ravenstongue." Checking, the tea seems ready, and the wizard offers a warm mug to all before taking a careful sip himself.

"I will not let it bother me over much. If it comes, it will be dealt with, hopefully." Seyardu shrugs. "If it threatens the world, then hopefully people in charge will be able to coordinate to not let that happen. One can hope, anyways."

"But yes, something nice for her. Her familiar may become jealous about a stuffed raven, however, when the raven not being stuffed is himself." Seyardu chuckles, and accepts the teacup. "Thank you, that is very nice."

Gadget watches the conversation from a distance, holding the torch in her hands. She continues to touch her various limbs before carrying the torch with her toward the conversing trio. "You guys understand all that hand-waving?" she asks. "Quick, Mr. Jinglewidget, tell everyone hello!"

The monkey ooked in surprise as he was commanded. Letting go of his master's forehead, he begins waving his hands around. "Uppercut! Cheesecake! Condominium! Twin cousins! Poop!" <Handspeech>

"Good boy," Gadget says. "You can translate for the deaf lady."

"Smash! Beefcake! Chair! Cat!"

Gadget reaches up and gives the monkey scritches. "You're so multi-talented," she praises him.

Aryia takes the tea with a thankful nod, her frowning behind the cup. "They aren't? Huh. I wouldn't know, I never met a dragon," she... pouts. Remembering something or another.

She sips after blowing on the drink. "Hopefully."

A light, near silent chuckle. "I hope the bird gets jealous. Needs to be knocked down a peg."

Her attention shifts to Gadget, the mul'neissa woman blinking owlishly. Her gaze has been flicking to those that speak, and now it was solely on the gnome. "... you know my ears work, Gadget," she signs slowly. <Handspeech>

Mikilos nods to the gnome. "I don't understand the secret language of druids." He takes a sip of tea. "Mr Jinglewidget has an intresting... accent."

"That is, not a proper greeting." Seyardu chuckles at the movements from the monkey. "But it is handspeech, so that is still impressive."

Seyardu takes some time to sip on her tea, and sighs. "Black dragons can be fine, they are prouder than many, but that is what I was told. You respect their territory, and there are no problems."

Gadget looks up and Mr. Jinglewidget bends over her head to look into her eyes. "Sorry, buddy," she says. "They don't appreciate your eloquent hand-wavings." She waves at Aryia. "You looked badass hanging up-side down, though."

Mr. Jinglewidget waves hands around. "Crayon! The moon! Poison dog!" <Handspeech>

"I think he's just immitating," Gadget says, "but he looks so majestic, doesn't he?" she muses.

Aryia blinks at the monkey, her tilting her head to the side before shaking her head and giving the gnome a thumbs up at the compliment. There's a pause, then a very slight nod of the head at the question.

A glance to the other two, and she huffs through her nose. "I think I'd like to be able to punch a dragon and get away to live to tell about it. Last time I thought I did, it wasn't a dragon." She's pouting. <Handspeech>

Mikilos nods. "True of most dragons, really. Trouble comes when is a dispute of territory. Some are pointedly honest in all their dealings, others quite willing to lie and deceive. Each is an individual, of course, but the chromatic dragons tend to be of the later group." He considers. "I met a few dragons, but was mostly friendly. The undead one distinctly not."

"Only if you had good reason to punch said dragon." Seyardu states, fixing Aryia with a firm look. "They are still servants of the gods, after all. And, some may lose their way, however. But that is only a last resort."

"It would be nice to meet an actual dragon, though. Well, another one, I suppose? And hopefully never any undead ones, yes."

"Meeting undead in general sounds like a bad idea," Gadget says.

"Clock! Spoon! Avalanche! Smooch!" <Handspeech>

Gadget reaches up with a hand and gently takes hold of Mr. Jinglewidget's paws. "I had to wade into a bunch of disembodied hands. I almost died. I almost die a lot. I don't like it. Maybe if I did, I'd have a different idea about the undead, but they don't seem very nice, so far."

Aryia blinks at Seyardu, her looking at the silverscale before taking a loud sip of her tea. "Yes, of course, only if I have a good reason," she allays.

Siiip.

The mute shudders at the thought of undead disembodied hands and shakes her head. Frowning. <Handspeech>

Mikilos nods in agreement. "I have zero fondness for undead. Even the smart ones who don't stink like rot are pretty awful."

"Only then. Or only if they say it is okay to do so." She reaffirms, before looking away and sipping her tea. "That sounds, unpleasant. But adventuring is dangerous business. I am only glad that I have the ability to help those in need so much better these days, but I pray it is not needed to bring back any from the dead."

Gadget blushes, though it's hard to tell since her face is so cherry-red from the cold. "I, uh..." she starts. "...kinda just ran away," she confesses. She looks at the torch burning away in her hands. "I do that a lot," she laments.

Aryia raises a brow at Seyardu. "... going to be honest, if a dragon is attacking me, I'm not asking for permission to hit them," she gestures bluntly.

She shrugs a bit, and makes a placating motion towards Gadget: her faintly smiling and shaking her head with a hand waving the worry off. <Handspeech>

Mikilos shrugs. "Running works. Sometimes it's the best idea. And when it isn't, you do the best you can. That's all anyone can ask." He nods to Aryia. "Once they attack, is fair game."

"I am saying if you wish to punch a dragon, ask first. Maybe they would like to spar with you, as I have heard some are martially inclined." Seyardu shrugs. "Not that you should not defend yourself from being attacked."

The cleric shakes her head. "There is nothing wrong with running when you need to. Not at all." She agrees. "It is about doing what you can, a lesson I needed to take to heart myself."

Aryia just shrugs, but that makes her raise a brow. "... I... ok. Yes. I'll ask to spar."

Looks like she has a new thing to add to her bucket list.

"Yes, nothing bad about running away. My first job I ran away with others."

Then Gadget goes, and she waves them goodbye. <Handspeech>

Mikilos considers. "Can't say as I know any dragons to ask, but can think of a few who turn into dragons who might be willing. Not quite the same thing."

"True, you could always ask shaman un'eth to help you, away from buildings." Seyardu chuckles. "It is just something to perhaps ask. It seems you need a lot more effort to push yourself for training these days, after all."

Aryia pouts. "A real dragon please."

She looks to Seyardu, her dipping her head slightly in a nod. "Yes, I have to punch rocks and run for hours. I have to be ready."

"For. Well. You know."

She scratches her neck before knocking back her tea and giving Mikilos a thumbs up. Returning the cup, she goes back to the archway.

Hand over hand, she grips onto the details and metal artwork before she climbs back up to the lance that stick out from above. She doffs her jacket, ties it around her waist, and falls back to dangle from the lance from her legs.

And she resumes the crunches. <Handspeech>

Mikilos shrugs, starting to pack up the tea set. "Being prepared is good. Question is what to be prepared for, and how?"

-End Scene-