We Don't Need No Stinkin' Badger

Erakirak glides into the village and lands on the Inn roof, looking very pleased with himself... he's never managed such a distance before! At this rate he'll be fully fledged in no time.

The meeting has been called by the city and it seems to be out at Wilderness Pointe. No doubt this is for the comfort of a few druids.

One of them is a wildshaped badger, so notable because he's sitting in a chair, wearing a hat.

There are other figures who are certainly members of the Union. A couple of Sith-Makar, an an elf, a half-elf, and a handful of humans.

They appear to be milling about amongst each other, talking. Yes, the badger is talking too.

Oh, and wherever Kisa is, a single orange cat lurks none too far from her.

Morgan gives the badger a hello wave as they met not so long ago.

Kira has a pot of earth tucked in the crook of her elbow. It's not quite a potted plant, yet, since it hasn't sprouted. She does recognize the badger as she arrives and waves. "Hello!" Well, maybe it's the same badger? She doesn't remember him wearing a hat last time. Still, greetings are polite to offer, anyhow.

Ga'Elian is standing beside his griffon chatting with a couple of other Union members. As Erakirak glides in and lands, he watches.

All badgers look the same to Rak, but he assumes the talking badger is the same one he met before. He hops down to the ground, gliding a bit to soften his landing, and takes the pot out of his bag.

Shizin enters into the clearing, and blinks in surprise. For a moment it seems that the dawn elf might leave once again, but after a moment spots someone recognizable. "Ga'Elian." Shizin moves closer to the other elf and offers a polite nod.

Atleti has arrived.

JUDGE: Whirlpool summons Atleti away.

Belladona comes in with her companion, a lioness, who's wearing a metal coat that has a silver gleam to it. The half-orcess looks around to see who's gathered before she moves close enough to hear what is going on.

Kisa is off to one side, of course and waves her hands up high, "Why are we discussing this! It's the /Gardener/." she plants her hands on her hips, "I mean, he was at every one, they admitted before he was a spy, what more could you ask for in a person that's causing mayhem." She nods her head firmly... and eyes the cat sidelong. A shuffle to move further away from it.

"Meow," replies the cat to Kisa.

Not an actual meow. He /says/ meow like a person would.

A bunch of the druids all given Kisa a confused look before moving on.

"So glad most of you could make it here. WE're here to discuss the situation with these plant attacks. WE've been investigating at the city's behest, along with comrades from across the Am'shere portal."

That's the badger talking. Today is talking animal day.

And so. One might not BE a dragon...yet, but yet is the operative word. The Not Quite Dragon steps out from the Inn, his silver cudgel held in his claws. He wears a mithral belt, and a ash-blue wrap that hangs languidly from it. Which matches his silvered scales.

"Peasse to you," he says, words a faint lisp. And of course, the image is ruined--terribly, swiftly so--by a ferret dashing out of the Inn.

Clambering up his tail.

Then plopping itself on his head.

And smacking him, with the most tiny of paws.

Astaren shuffles over to Kisa and leans in to whisper to her, "So... uhhh who is the gardner, what is going on, and all this? I wondered in, kinda got lost and all." She is the loudest one here right now, so she must know what is going on!

Ga'Elian turns to acknowledge Shizin with a friendly smile. He quietly says, "Hi." in Sildanyari then pays attention as the Badger seems to kick off the main event.

Kira blinks and looks at Kisa. "Which gardener?" She looks a little confused, but turns back to the badger to listen when he starts explaining things.

Erakirak parks himself on a thick branch and looks over the crowd, feeling essentially no desire to interact with it. He doesn't do well with crowds.

Shizin smiles softly at the greeting before also turning all attention toward the badger.

Morgan listens to the badger and waits for questions to be asked

Kisa sticks her foot out in the direction of the cat, trying to nudge the cat further away from herself as she eyes it. A squint before she looks back up to the badger only to fall silent for a moment. She looks to the not-quite Dragon, "Yes, yes, peas in your nest." She looks to Astaren and leans in, "That's what I'm /saying/." She looks back out to the druids.

"It's the gardener! I mean, c'mon!" Kisa flails her arms in the air, "When we were talking with - I think it was the elves - they even admitted that he was there on their behalf! He's a /spy/, and if he's a spy then he probably is doing all sorts of other things. Like planting all those coins." A firm nod and she grins. See, because she's right. "I ran into him at the first one in the greenhouse. He tries to act like a normal gardener, but he's /always/ there. If he was innocent, why wouldn't he leaf the area, huh?"

Kisa leans toward Astaren, "Did you hear that? I got two puns in." Sage nod and a nudge of her boot toward the cat against.

"Yess, sshaman, one remembered the eggss."

"...and the cricket flour."

"No, I did not check to ssee if they had chi--"

SMACK! Smack smack! go the teeny, tiny paws against the oh-so-perfect silvered scales. Atleti scowls. Fiercely. The ferret scowls just as fiercely back; an expression made so much more by its tiny, beady eyes. OH, I DARE YOU, that says, from its teeny, tiny body.

"The clerk sstarted barking in the middle of the--" he says, and breaks off. Then scowls at the gathering, itself. "Peasse to you," he says distractedly to Kisa, then scowls as he tries to figure out what the frak he's wandered into. So he says: "What have I wandered into?"

Erakirak slowly moves to a further-away branch. VERY slowly. Making no sudden movements.

Astaren glances to Kisaiya as he listens thoughtfully. He nods once as he glances forward thinking for a moment, "Sounds like we have yet to really get to the roots of the problem. The gardner may be a spy, but who branch of leadership does he report to? No, there is more to this I think, whatever this is. So... what is the threat here?" glancing back to Kisaiya, "Or am I barking up the wrong tree here and need to ask somebody else?"

Ga'Elian looks from the Badger to Kisa. He asks, "What 'gardener'?

Morgan sighs to her self as she looks to the exit but goins Astarens side "A worthy avanue to look at."

"The gardener she's referring to is one off ALexandria's preeminent botanists. He was asked to try to identify the plants and services many of the richest in Alexandria. He is not actually a suspect at this time."

"The name's good, though. We'll go with it. This 'gardener'," continues the badger, "has been planting thigns that later bloom into horrible plant monsters. We've been unable to track him so far, but we do have some information on his process."

Kisa flings her arms up in the air, "BUT HOW CAN HE BE A BOTANIST?!" She sigh and glares, "I mean, I haven't seen him plant anything, nor has he botany!" Sniff... and a nudge to keep the cat at bay. She starts eyeing it and mutters, "And he's still a spy."

"Nrnnng. Oh. Well, then. Atleti looks around him, and does his best to offer Erakirak a reassuring smile. Too many teeth. Then looks around him again for a place to sit.

He heads towards one of the logs, that've been set aside. Though, after he's taken a step--

"Ow! You and your teeny, tiny paws," he scowls. "No, I don't think they're sselling chick--"

"Ow! Ow! I'll assk next time! Jusst sstop sswatting me! I'm ssure thiss will be interessting, and not at all about the end of the world," he says, and plops down on a log, despite the teeny, tiny, and most fierce of glares.

Shizin watches the back and forth with interest but never even considers interupting. If anything the dawn elf takes a few steps away from everyone talking, mirroring the person high above in action.

Kira perks at the last bit of news. "What do we know about the process?" By 'we,' she means badgers, because she knows nothing about the process. Which is why she's asking. She adds another question with, "Does anyone know why this person is doing this to the plants?"

Astaren glances to the druids and nods thoughtfully, and then glances back to Kisaiya, "I am sure the mushroom kingdom appreciates your zealotry in this matter. Look at this though, you got to name a villian. Not everybody gets to do that. The Gardner. no needs a bit more flare. Hmm Dark Gardner, no. Gardner of Doom, hmm maybe. Terror Gardner, has a bit of a ring right?"

Morgan follows up with Astarens names "or how about the Weed, crab grass or dandelion."

Kaelyn has arrived.

"No!" Kisa says, stomping her foot, "No, that's can't be it. Look, it's gotta be him! He's gotta be the one responsible. I mean, how else can you explain that he always seemed to be there and he was surprised by the coins! I mean, they're /just coins/. But he knew! I saw it in his eyes." She gives a quick glare to Morgan and Astaren, "I'm serious! It is him!"

Astaren glances to Morgan, "Oh, the Craby Gardner, or Gardner of Weeds. I like them." a smile over to Kisaiya, "You need proof, all you have is your beliefe in it, but you have not offered a single piece of evidence outside of circumstantial observation. That is not admisable, in like any court of law I have ever heard of."

"Sshaman," Atleti says. He hefts the cane/cudgel, and indicates the badger for a moment. "Peasse to you. Might thiss involve Am'sshere, or perhaps Heth in any way?"

"And if it doess involve Heth, are there planss to kill him? He iss a man that needss killing." Is there some bitterness there? Maybe so!

It's clear to anyone who cares to take note that Shizin would like to add to the conversation, but remains silent in spite of that. Instead the dawn elf stands still, eyes flickering between each of the speakers in turn.

"Yes, the coins. We'll get to that in a moment," says the hat-wearing badger.

"It was initially thought that these plants had been placed here by agents of the Sith-Makar Teacher, a fanatical zealot who espouses a goal of transforming the world into a jungle-state for the Sith to reign supremne over. He has long been a thorn in the side of the Alexandrian and Sith-Makari people. The tactic, use of Am'sherian plant loife as a base, seemed to place him at its root. However, the discovery of Alexandrian, Altima-era coins at the site of each attack cast doubt on these speculations. It is out of character for him to use them. More over, the entirey of these coins are melted down as soon as they are found to've entered circulation, leaving them rare and valuable to some."

Erakirak meets the blue-haired Sil's eyes and rolls his own.

Atleti focuses on the badger, really focuses on him--like he's suddenly angry. He gets up, spinning around for a moment.

He walks off towards the edge of the road, and then back again.

And in wanders Kae! The curvy redhead elf skipping in whilst happily whistling to her self! She pauses at seeing well loooots of people, eyes darting around, before she notices someone she knows!!! She beams happily and skips toward Kisa now, the goofy elf now pulling some object from her backpack... WHen close enough she calls out "Kiiisssaaaaaaa!!!" Her arms flailing over the top of her head in what might be some kind of wave, or maybe a seizure? Either way she's very enthusiastic!

Astaren glances to the druid and hmms a moment, "If I may add to the conversation in a constructive manner. I would point out this is not the first time we have had something from the past show up. The Giant starmetal golem that attacked a while ago also appeared to be out of time and place. We may infer, though only correlation at this point, that this plant problem could be related, and that there is a larger picture at work. something or someone that can reach through time perhaps?"

Morgan smirks with her curent mentor but leaves it at that with the names "With the maggot man, the weedster." ok she is not done with names "We do have a lot going on."

"Oh my..." Kira didn't know there were ancient coins and misbehaving teachers involved, too. And did someone say maggot man? Time golems? She blinks and holds her pot more snugly, eventually nodding to the badger for answering her question.

"Ow! --will you sstop sswatting me," Atleti hisses out from the side of his mouth at the ferret-on-his-head.

"Sshaman, one heard from a drunken ssot--ow! From a drunken man, that during thiss--thiss time Alessandria was covered in Missts, there were rumors of Altima's return."

Then, "Will you sstop sswatting me!" at the ferret. To Astaren, "I sswear, I am the only one in the world who hass to deal with thiss." Completely ignoring Astaren's own, sneakity familiar. Who is probably ten times more clever, and times more worstest.

"KAEEEEEEELYYYYYYYYN!" Kisa calls back, waiving an arm, a stick of her tongue out at Astaren, "Really? Because last I checked, being at /every single plant-based event/ that I was at in the city - and there were several - should at the /least/ make him a suspect. But no-o-o-o, the /spy/ is just dismissed. That seems pretty shady to me! Sounds like someone covering for his nefarious deeds and planting of coins."

Kisa crosses her arms again, "He's need to make sure he doesn't keep taking root in the city's gardens! Giving access to all that he needs to continue his Plant-volution."

Shizin nods in solidarity with Erakirak, clearly wishing that the entire group of people would settle down a little bit.

Astaren raises his eyebrows to the ferret, "Oh I deal with a lot, people also deal with a lot dealing with me." Almost as if on queue, a bright gold psudodragon lands on Astaren's shoulder and flicks its tongue, "You got that right." Astaren holds a hand to his head, "Hey Chip..." Then glances to Kisaiya, "Interesting, but again circumstantial. Also a classic misdirection, somebody could be puppeting him to be there, to make him suspecious. Have you considered that? A possible frame job?"

Ga'Elian moves over to stand by Atleti and says, "Have you heard rumors of a connection between the Teacher and Heth?"

"Only way to investigate it is to investigate him!" Kisa squints, "But that's the point! /They/ won't, they keep insisting that the spy is perfect free and clear, no need to look too close. /He's a spyyyyyy/. Of course he will look clean, until you dig in really good. Which they won't do."

"Adventurerss only ssettle down when they are drunk," Alteti says, to Shizen. The man's thoughts were clear enough as though he'd spoken, after all! The sith-makar thumps a tail his way, before turning to Ga'elian. "I /wish/ that were the case," he says empathetically, before turning back to the badger-shaman.

Kae blinks curiously and now looks from Kisa to the others then back to Kisa, then Kae holds up something that kind of resembles some kind of wierd lava lamp... "Made a new toy!" She says cheerfully... She then blinks and umms "What's this about a spy? I've been like in my shop and stuff making this and well umm yaaaah.... I'm kinda confused here...."

Erakirak shrugs a wing at Shizin. Whatchagonnado?

"We've found no evidence that Altima herself is involved in any capacity. AS far as weall know, she remains slain by Augustus Alexandros, first hero, later betrayer and would-be God."

"What is it with would-be Gods, anyway? When are they going to learn?" asks an elven druid with a sigh qand a roll of his eyes.

"And indeed. There is misdirection here, but it's true motives remain inscrutable beyond a succesfull campaign of terror and sowing distrust between allies, which is probably the point. The soooner we can get this solved, the better. Many such plant creatures have been destroyed, now."

"Twice now, we have encountered a sort of fungal spire: once in a gargoyle aerie deep in the mountains, which was mass producing gargoyle-like creatures made of fungus in its service, and once in an old complex dating back to Altima's era -- which had coins with her likeness stamped on them inside. We're beginning to believe that this is linked to Altima's operatives own research and operations, repurposed to this end. It is believed by the Oruch, Sarics, that the coins may be involved in the magical transformations of plant matter into more aggressive forms. We've only been able to ascertain that this is a strong possibility and likelyhood. To be one hundred percent certain, we need to find coins /before/ they can be triggered."

"To this end, the city government has told us we can tell you that they'll be redoubling efforts to check, and recheck, old operations-complexes belonging to the Witch-Queen. Most of them have been long since demolished, but some remain preserved or repurposed."

"And we, from across, the portal, will be launching an effort to block and root out," did he just pun,. "the Teacher's agents operating amongst our people here."

Kisa quips, "I was at the gargoyle one! I'm pretty sure I saw the Gardener watching us leave from the city." She nods and glances to Kaelyn, "Ooooo, why's it look all... splorchy?"

Ga'Elian looks blankly at the discussion of Altima.

Kira nods reflexively as she listens. She remembers the aerie and the not-really-gargoyles, and is pleased to hear about the checking and re-checking of places. "What can we do to help?"

"How do you know Altima iss dead? Heth iss 'alive', for all we know," Atleti asks, as he leans forward. "Could your witch-queen, thiss persson who conquered Alessandria all thosse yearss ago, have come back?"

"Or maybe it'ss a plot to make uss--"

He goes blank, for a moment. Starts muttering under his breath. For once, the ferret doesn't swat at him. The ferret does look at towards Erakirak though, and shrug its tiny paws. "Runno," it says to the egalrin.

Shizin has the grace to look embarassed, shrugging a little and glad when the druids finally seem to break into the conversation with relevent information. Shizin shakes midnight-blue locks but remains silent.

Kae umms and looks at the lamp thingie... She smiles sets it on the ground and hits the 'on' button... IT starts well moving the globs inside like a lava lamp should and all, but at the same time it projects that same effect all around it... Kind of making a freaky light show in the area that could be rather ammusing... "Perfect for dances!"

Astaren shrugs his shoulders, "So your assuming no connecion then to the starmetal golem?" tilting his head. Then glancing to Kisaiya, "I don't know what to say, only continue forward and find the proof that can convince others." then look over to Kae,"Honestly, when it comes to Kisaiya, I am often confused as well. she is... a passionate person. As for the first of this, seemed we have a mad Gardner... oh I like that name." Glancing to Morgan, "Mad Gardner, I thinkthat is it."

"You know Ressurectionsw are a thing, and if even a part of her body got away. Very well could be somebody decided to bring her back"

Morgan shrugs "A bit on the nose, but hey what do I care what some one elses name is."

Ga'Elian now looks at Astaren. "How is a starmetal golem tied into all this?"

Kisa shrugs too, because that seems to be the thing to do. Something about the shoulders moving, it just seems so compelling. What with the dancing lights adding to it, it could almost be something entirely different. Instead it's a talk about the deadly Gardener from Alexandria! "I still don't get how people could think that a teacher did this. I mean, c'mon, teachers want to teach. Making plants spring up and destroy things doesn't teach."

It'ss too complicated to be a plot to frame ssomeone elsse. Jusst the magic you'd need to imitate would be--Unless ssomeone elsse has thiss ability--" Atleti breaks off. He looks fiercely to Astaren. Then smiles. Warmly. "We sshould have lunch sometime."

It's probably meant to be charming, but there are well, pointy teeth. And spiny scales. And things like that.

...whiiiich is probably why the teeny, tiny ferret swats him. Again, and begins chattering in a rapid, angry fashion.

Astaren glances to Ga'Elian and shakes his head, "May not be, but that thing was pulled out of time in a way. We are seeing other things of the past in this, I am wondering if we should see if there is a connection is all. Something caused that, something could be causing this. Could that something be the other something." Then he glances to the Atleti, "We could, and you are? Astaren, the Moonsparkles." the last part said with a grin, "Also, why?" A glance to the ferret, and then reaches up to poke Chip, "He is not lunch Chip." The psudo dragon was licking his lips staring at the ferret intensly.

"Certainly, they are a thing, but we do not believe Altiam would bother with such... petty actions. Her power was such that she could make her presence felt in an immediate, impactful way and there would be little anyone could do to stop her. The only being of equivalent power would be someone such as Saluven."

Saluven, of course, being a Kulthian artificer of ridiculous power who nearly conquered the city with his Illuminated Order some years ago.

"We have also recently bequethed onto several adventuers growing from seeds of these creatures. We hope to learn more about them. We've done our level best to remove the aggression from the strain, so if you see odd plant behavior in your presence, it /may/ be one of their's. Ask before you strike."

The badger adds that.

Meanwhile, the orange cat is settling up behind Kisa, tail twitching.

The ferret glowers at the tiny dragon, and then huffs. Swats Atleti again.

"To disscuss--" Swat.

"Atleti, of the warrior-casste. We met at Mictlan onsse, ssome time ago. It wass during that unfortunate...time. ...I'm sstill digging up the boness. We buried him quite well, after killing him. Are you ssure you don't want to do dinner ssometime?"

Aaaand that's when the ferret lets out a--no. No, let's not give it credit for being loud. Let's admit what it is: a stealth bomb of stench. A stealth cloud of disruption. It emerges from around Atleti's head, and the ferret's smug expression, and begins slowly, to spread. Like the alluring cologne of a dying skunk, blessed from the creature's beatific expression.

Atleti doesn't notice, at first. He does notice the swat, then the next swat. "..so sshe did plants, and Ssaluven iss artifice? Like the golem Astaren wass talking about?" He pauses. "I honesstly don't know anything about them and--hellfire, what IS THAT SSMELL?!"

Astaren catches the word Kulthian and stops and glances to Ga'Elian, "The golem, wasn't that Kulthian design? I will have to review my notes to be sure. The architecture and design was very noticable." reaching up to tap his chin, "Though I think the golem was from a far older time." shrugging his shoulders and sighing, "As well. As for lunch sometime, sure. Wasn't against it, just surprised." He sniffs and grumps, "Ok Chip, maybe you can eat it." Chip just groans, "I have standards, that thing is below them with that smell." The tiny dragon curling up and closing its eyes as it takes a nap.

Shizin lifts a sleeve to cover a delicate nose and considering the closeness of them all - it is a necessary precaution. The dawn elf looks at the badger and closes dawn-colored eyes for a moment before shaking midnight locks for the second time in such a short period of time.

Atleti is just going to stand there for a while, looking horrified.

Ferret don't care. They're just tiny honey badgers, right?

Astaren glances to the ferret and with a few passes of his hand and a quick chant the smell is gone. The wizard is cheating with a cantrip, prestigidation!

Ga'Elian looks at Moonsparkles and says, "I'm sure I don't know. It would seem reasonable, though."

Kisa's cat senses are tingling! She pushes her foot out toward the orange vomitmonster with a glower in its direction.

Astaren glances around as he taps his chin, and turns to take his leave without another word. Clearly something is on his mind.

Astaren goes home.

Astaren has left.

Ga'Elian suggests, "So anyway, this is happening in the City? Maybe a group of us could keep a stealthy watch on various places around the City to catch the perpetrator in the act."

Atleti walks stiffly over towards one of the benches. The logs, that is. His hands open and close at his sides. Please, sweet battle gods, the ferret didn't make a mess atop his scales, too.

Ferrets really are like honey badgers. Smallish, snake-like ones. "Not a bad idea," to Ga'elian. And, "Thiss iss the worsst day of my life."

Although Shizin has been silent this entire time save the greeting given Ga'Elian, the dawn elf proves that communication is still possible by nodding once in agreement with Ga'Elian's suggestion. Still, from the way that Shizin is holding one hand across the chest, it seems that the elf is still holding something back.

The orange cat leaps upon Kisa's boot with its claws. ANd begins gnawing ferociously.

The badger nods to Atleti, though, and Ga'elain.

Yes, it's happening i0n the city. Outside it, as well. There may be areas we don't even know about under their influence. We ask all of you to keep your eyes wide and open."

Kisa shrieks out, in the same manner that one might expect the cry of someone seeing a dragon swooping down upon them. Her foot begins to kick about, "OFF! OFF! GET OFF MY BOOT YOU EVIL VOMIT MONSTER! THESE ARE NEW BOOTS! NEW BOOTS!"

"...did he ... ?" Atleti is asking someone, hoping not to be overheard. Because that would be embarrassing, for the shiny, smoke-scaled sith-makar.

...whatever answer he gets doesn't reassure him. He thumps his tail apologetically to the badger, and heads out down the way.