Eleventh: Loch Manor, Lilies and Living (Sept Catch-All)

[colchismagecraft]

🧙 WHO: Caster and OPEN!
⚔️️ WHAT: Caster hiding out in Loch Manor, getting turned into her teenage self, getting involved in branding rituals and shearing sheep.
🕒 WHEN: Throughout September
🗺️ WHERE: Various
⚠️ WARNINGS: Branding in the TDM thread, potential discussion of unhealthy age-gap relationships in the Lily prompts, will update as needed



1) Late Aug/Early Sept: Loch Manor

Caster knew that, after royally angering the Gods, she had to find somewhere to get away where they couldn't easily track her down- and in her panic, her memories drifted back to her conversation with Yuber after her breakdown. How 'no one would find her' at Loch Manor…

Despite her better judgement, she found herself at the entrance to the creepy Manor, and retreated inside.

And for at least a few days, she could be found testing out some of her potions in quiet corners, muttering to herself:

"If I can get this right…then I won't need to sleep. That way I'll be spared his wrath."

2) Early Sept: Medea Lily

After an…unfortunate incident involving one of Claude's potions, Caster had been dowsed with something that had turned her from her usual, creepy witch self into a wide-eyed, disorientated 14-year-old girl.

And, well, the poor thing had no idea what was going on in this strange new world!

a) Unlike her adult self, she had few qualms about trusting strangers, so went up to whoever she could find to ask their advice.

"Um, excuse me? Where is this place… and- have you seen a man by the name of Jason? We've been separated."

b) Later on, she can be found in the training grounds, looking more than a little perturbed as she tries to heal a graze on her arm- or perhaps as she's trying to take care of someone else's injuries- chanting a small spell under her breath as she does so.

"Pain, pain, go away~"

...Of course, what came out her outstretched hand was only the curling shadows of dark magic, much to the girl's alarm.

3) Pain 'Tolerant' Badass

Once Caster returned to her usual self- thankfully, that transformation only lasted for a few days- she decided to get back into another of the world's rituals. Academic curiosity, as it always was with her, but also an attempt to forget that ever happened.

She certainly wasn't going to be letting a random person control her, though.

And that... meant she found herself lying on her stomach on one of the slabs, cloak off to one side, and the back of her dress undone to expose her back.

...Her pain tolerance was awful, and she'd already tensed herself up in preparation for what would happen.

"...Let’s just get this over with, shall we?"

4) Shire Determination

"Hm...I can't say I'm confident that they won't start breathing fire when we begin shearing them."

Caster was eyeing the sheep with suspicion, entirely unconvinced that they wouldn't get immediately set on fire for their trouble. Well, at least she had something prepared for this eventuality.

Untucking a couple of small bottles containing a shimmery, silver-coloured potion, she offered one to her partner- if they took it, they'd find the bottle was strangely cold to the touch. Surely there was nothing wrong with accepting a suspicious potion from a suspicious witch, right?

"This should help."

5) Hot Knights for morns

"Haha...do you really think we should rescue them? It's far more amusing watching them suffer, isn't it?"

Caster was in one of her sadistic moods. Or maybe this was her baseline misandry, who knows. Still...there was something a little odd about how she was dressed today- the cloak seemed to be fitting a little differently, like she was wearing a frillier skirt than usual underneath it.

Perhaps Kate had encouraged her to wear something appropriate before they set out, perhaps this was Caster's own idea. But right now, she was more interested in laughing at the expense of the people trapped here.

Comments

2a

[sulit]

It's not all that common for people to approach her, so when she suddenly gets addressed by a stranger girl, Klaudia startles a little... and then looks around... But no, this girl really is talking to her.

"Are you new here?" The new arrivals shouldn't have been pulled into this world yet... That was still a few days away, if Klaudia was keeping up with the months properly. Though, there's something weirdly familiar about this girl...

"This is Camelot. It's--well, it's an island that's been cut off from the rest of time. You really should have gotten the primer for this from someone else."

It takes her a few more seconds of giving the girl a critical look before her eyes widen.

"Wait-- Did you say Jason? ...What's your name?"

[colchismagecraft]

Sure, this person was unusual looking, but it didn't seem to phase the small Sorceress too much. After all, she was being kind enough to answer her questions.

"New, yes...although truthfully I don't know how I arrived..." Perhaps one of her spells had backfired? Or it was something to do with the strange man with the potions she'd found herself with before?

At the question, her own eyes brightened up. "Yes, do you know him? Is he here also??" The look in her eyes was a little strange- as if, just for a brief moment, she forgot everything around her in favour of that man- but soon enough she realised the woman had addressed her. "Oh- My name is Medea..."

[sulit]

It's not like any of them know exactly how they arrived, but there's something about the way she says that... It just sounds off. As does the fervor that the girl responds to the name Jason with.

This can't be... Could it? Was it even possible?

The critical look at the was giving the girl vanishes at the sound of that name. Medea. This is... Caster??? Medea??? Her friend??? Oh, this is bad. This is so bad. What does she do with this?

There's some panic that creeps into Klaudia's expression, and without thinking she reaches forward... and covers up the girl--Medea's mouth. "Okay. First rule. Don't use that name. Do you have another one? I can give you one, if not."

[colchismagecraft]

A quiet little 'eep' sound escaped her as she found her mouth being covered with Klaudia's hand, and she just stared up at her with bewilderment. She was sure the stranger wouldn't harm her, but what was she supposed to do with this?

And, well, at the question, she shook her head. 'Medea' was the only name she had at this point in her life- she hadn't even earned the title of 'Witch of Betrayal' just yet.

The caution did worry her though, why all the secrecy?

2b

[troubadamsel]

Where oh where has Caster gone? Maribelle really hoped this vanishing act didn't wind up in another forest fire act of revenge... but then again, that time she had clearly announced it. So she tried to think positively, as she searched high and low for her friend. It's been days since there's been any contact... could she have somehow been returned to her realm?

As a last resort, Maribelle comes to the training grounds, but only spies a young girl. She sighs in defeat, taking a moment to stop and rub her temples. "Not here either... where could she have gone?"

[colchismagecraft]

Oh...this stranger looked sad. Frustrated, upset, maybe both. That wasn't good.

With a worried little frown, she young woman approached her without any trace of caution in her steps. "Excuse me...? Are you alright?"

"My healing magic isn't working properly right now, but if there's anything I can do to help at all, then I'd like to try...? I don’t like it when people are hurting."

[troubadamsel]

Maribelle looked over - there was a trace of familiarity, but she couldn't quite place it. "I'm sorry, dear, but this isn't something magic of any sort can fix... Someone I care for has gone missing, and I don't have any clues to where she might have gone."

3

[crimsongirl]

Homura missed Hikage a lot. She missed a lot of her friends, every member of her squad in fact. It's just the tattoos made her think of her fellow snake comrade. Might as well get one. If people were consenting to the service, and getting a reward, this seemed okay to partake in.

Though she was unaware of what happened to her mother. It was surprising to see someone so young actually do this too.

"Sure you wanna go through with this? You seem a bit...hesitant." Nearly said fragile. Actually, the hair...seemed familiar...

Was gonna have her big for rituals but this is adorable so changing her attitude from starter a bit

[colchismagecraft]

The young girl had been rather quiet as she prepared herself to go through the ritual- pain was scary, after all!- but she'd taken to it with the delicacy and formality one would expect from a Priestess and Princess. This was a magical ritual, nothing to be frightened of.

Even so... she couldn't help herself from trembling a bit once she'd actually laid down ready to begin.

The person helping her seemed kind, though, and that was something she was grateful for. Medea offered her a timid smile as she moved her hair aside to expose her back.

"I'll be okay... I'm a Priestess to the Goddess of Magic, so a ritual like this should be manageable for me, I think."

She just hoped her patron Goddess wouldn't be too angry with her for conducting a ritual to another being... it was a different world, so it should be find, shouldn't it?

k!

[crimsongirl]

"If it helps, you can help do mine later."

Not sure what else to say. Despite the hesitance, this priestess did seem somewhat comfortable. Or maybe just used to this thing? The process at least seemed quicker compared to what she saw of getting a tattoo, yet somehow possibly just as painful.

Carefully, she grabbed the tongs and and an egg with them, putting it onto the priestess' back. With careful aim, she shot off a small fireball, the egg cracking and oozing out the contents. Quite surprising, she didn't even put that much force into it. She blinked at the result.

"Well hey, I don't have to awkwardly shoot it for a minute at least."

1

[mayoninofukucho]

[It's been a while since Hijikata last visited Loch Manor. He's on good terms with a few of the ghosts there (don't ask how many years of life expectancy it cost him, what with all the frights they gave him at first), and this time he wants to practice possession spells with them if they're willing to assist him, so he arrives with a sling bag holding his messy notebook, a couple of books from the library, and a cheap doll he bought at the second-hand shop (he didn't want to use his precious Mayorin doll that Mukuro made for him; what if it retains haunted energy or something?).

When he, in search of his spectral friends, sees the unfamiliar shadow handling ominous potions in a dark corner he nearly has a heart attack... until he recognises her voice as he overhears her mumbling, and his fear immediately turns into pissiness. Why does he keep running into this witch?!]

Who'd you mess with this time? Seems like whoever it was isn't taking it lying down.

...

By the way, not needing to sleep comes with its own problems.

[colchismagecraft]

[It had been...a few days now since Caster had last slept. Between a mixture of coffee, some suspicious "energy drink" a vendor had sold her, and testing her own experimental potions, she certainly didn't feel tired.

But, well, she was definitely a little caffeine-wired, and that did nothing to help her paranoia.

And as such, she jolted as she saw someone in the room with her- the slightest noise setting her heart racing. Thanatos- Oh...Oh, she knew this man. And it was a small mercy that it wasn't him.]

Haha... of course not... do you expect the Gods to settle once they've been angered? They won't find me here...

[mayoninofukucho]

You pissed off a god?

[Damn! Why can't she stop being shady and upsetting people?! If he knew that she's running on several caffeine overdoses (plus some dubious extras) he might be at least a tad more sympathetic. He's been there and done that, many times.]

Which one?

[He knows and respects Thanatos, and he knows "Anubis" (Horus, really)... and he may know a couple more, but he's not yet aware of their deity status back in their homeworlds.]

2a

[beaumains]

Given her blonde hair and green eyes, she could have easily fit the image of the hero of the Argon if not for the dark locks on the side of her head. Probably something Gareth herself had never really thought about, but even so, it was just a fact left to the ether to hang there as she ran into the young witch.

To Gareth's mind, this was... well, sure, she knew who the young Medea was, but she also thought this was not the right time of month for new offworlders to arrive. What's more, something else just felt... off about it. She checked her initial reflexive reaction, and let herself think for a moment, before finally responding.

She put on a warm, bright smile, and stiffened herself. She was a knight, after all.

"I've not seen this Jason fellow you are seeking, my lady, but worry not, as a knight, I will assure your safety until you are returned to them."

[colchismagecraft]

It was the heroic looking figure with blonde hair that caught little Medea's attention almost immediately, and she rushed over with the hope that this might be her precious Jason-

Wait, no, this wasn't someone she knew. And they didn't seem to know where Jason was, either.

She couldn't help her face falling a little on realising this was a stranger, but the knight's bright smile was infectious, and she found her own smile slowly returning. "Oh, a knight...yes, thank you for your kindness. Then- if I might trouble you a little while?"

[beaumains]

"No trouble at all! It's our duty to look out for fair maidens like yourself, after all!"

This shouldn't be a problem. Honestly, already Lancelot's lessons were playing for her like a record in her mind. Falling into this routine was the easy part. She extended her arm, for Medea to take if she wished.

"I shall escort you to the hotel in the center of the city. If Lord Jason is here, that's where he'd be, I think."

1

[eightfoldfiend]

Yuber has been aware of Caster lurking around the Loch Manor and has mostly left her alone. Sometimes people come here seeking solitude or trying to learn more about Death Magic. As long as they keep their distance, he's content to keep his.

But Caster seems anxious and that eventually gets the better of his curiosity. She'll see an armored silhouette emerge from the shadows, quietly watch her, then mutter aloud in a distinctly baritone voice.

"You have upset someone again, have you, Medea?"

[colchismagecraft]

Caster had...well, this would be the 3rd or 4th day since she'd slept. A mixture of coffee, suspicious "energy drinks" sold by a vendor in town and her own experimental potions had seen to that. Unfortunately, that meant her paranoia was high, and a ripple of anxiety ran through her as the movement came out the corner of her eye.

Perhaps the startled jolt would amuse him.

"Yuber...was it that obvious?"

[eightfoldfiend]

There is a low chuckle at her reaction. Fear, but not fear directed towards him and, hence, not as enticing.

But it is interesting.

"You are hiding. You must be, or you would not have come here."

wildcard quest

[luciing]

[ Of all the places for a new quest to be...

They stand within the shadows of the alleyway, a mere block from the establishment, making it far enough for them to appear as if they are dealing with some other business, but not so distance enough that the rancor within cannot be heard. There are shouts, curses mixed with laughter, flamboyantly loud flirting, and the occasional crack of bottles breaking upon stone. Whatever they may encounter, it may be challenging. ]

There are only a few wayward knights to gather.

[ He stands with Caster, his lips pressed together in a thin line. ] Are you ready?

[colchismagecraft]

You're serious about this, aren't you?

[Caster was wearing her usual suspicious robe- and, unlike the other times she'd spoken to Somnus- she had something of a dark smirk as she observed the merriment.]

...What's wrong with leaving them to suffer with their own choices for a little while?

[luciing]

[ At her question, Somnus’ gaze hardens. It’s not in judgement, but of scrutiny— indeed, he’s rarely seen such a smirk from her. ]

I would rather we begin at once.

[ To get this over with, as it were. Somnus takes a step towards the building, pointing his shoulder at her. ] Moreover, some of these knights may not think it is punishment at all.

[ They’re essentially at a brothel. ]

[morns]

They may as well wear something that will let them sneak backstage and maybe pass for staff members, rather than trespassers. Kate's kept a leather jacket on even inside, open just enough to reveal that whatever she's wearing underneath has a needlessly plunging neckline. Matching trousers complete the look, and between the sleek monochrome of the outfit (for once) and her hair left loose and naturally messy, she looks more like someone playing the villain or anti-hero than the heroes this place gravitates towards.

Eh. She can make it work. Probably.

She swirls the drink she's been nursing around in its glass and looks over at Caster, a brow pulling upwards slightly in answer.

"We get paid."

The content of the job matters less than that part, doesn't it?

[colchismagecraft]

"I suppose. But here I thought you enjoyed watching people squirm- I'm just appreciating that fo myself."

Not helping, Caster.

She found herself fiddling with the clasp of her cloak. Whilst she had dressed appropriately for the event underneath it... well, she knew Kate would tease her relentlessly when she saw what she'd gone with.

[morns]

"I do." No point denying that, Caster learned it well enough already. But in a job context? Well, a tidy job is better than a messy one any day of the week. And lingering too long is a surefire way to make the job more awkward than it needs to be.

"You're fidgeting." The observation comes with the given undertone: stop it, unless you want people staring. "You ever going to show me what's under there?"

Watching people squirm is fun. And even more so when she actually knows who they are and can do it herself.