December catch-all (open)

[emet_sulk]

Who: Emet-Selch and anyone
What: Job hunting, being turned into a shoebill because SOMEONE couldn't pay their debts, acting malevolent in your general direction
When: Throughout December
Where: All around New Camelot
Warnings: None


ONE. Money, Money, Money (Hogtied, Nobility quest)

With his room-mate indebted to some unknown lender, Emet-Selch has taken it upon himself to help earn enough coin with which to pay them back. Unfortunately, entry-level work does not appeal to him and he has not the familiarity with the city to successfully apply for aught else.

"To think I would go from one amongst the most respected leaders of my city to...this," he mutters in disgust as he stares at the job postings on the public board. His eyes almost reluctantly fall upon one of the recently posted quests for this month: a plea for help in capturing some wild pigs. Sounds easy enough.

He heads to the farm to offer his help. But the pigs prove trickier to capture than first thought. Emet-Selch is not a wrangler or a herder - actually he's never worked on a farm in his long life. So those who have also volunteered to help are privy to some amusing antics from him...

"By Zodiark-- Get back here, you damned pig!" he shouts as the thing slips his noose for the umpteenth time. He chases after the animal, but the pig leads him on a merry chase about the field. Someone take pity on him? He's a mage and not used to so much physical exertion.

TWO. Do You Want to Build a Snow Villa? (Nobility quest)

Emet-Selch has reluctantly allowed himself to be dragged out to help with this task. Honestly, he would rather stay indoors where it is warm. As revenge, he sets about building a snow sculpture of his patron deity, carefully scooping out a hole where its heart ought to be. Once he's done, he stands back with a self-satisfied smile on his lips. Hah! Let those who recognise it complain. They dragged him out here and they can deal with whatever he chooses to sculpt.

Those unfamiliar are welcome to ogle and question his work of 'art'.

THREE. White Cliffs, Red Spring

So you've made it to the spring inside the deep, dark caves. Emet-Selch stands off to the side, frowning at the sign and then the hand-crafted cups off to the side. He has no temptation to take any of the treasure, but the instruction to 'spill no drop' is concerning. It is a long journey back to the Red Spring - do they expect everyone to make the trip on foot?

He waits and watches as other pairs come by. The violet edging on his familiar's wings glows gently, but it does not displace the light from the bioluminscent insects clinging to the walls. Only after he's seen several people walk off with their cups does he approach and pick up one of the empty ones himself.

It's nerve-wracking to inch through the dark caverns with a full cup of water. Just as Emet-Selch thinks he's overcome the hardest part, as soon as he steps outside into the frigid air, he crashes into someone heading in. A few drops of water splash over the rim of his cup and he freezes.

Maybe you were minding your own business before, but now, inexplicably, you want that cup he's holding.

FOUR. Wildcard

Got an idea you want to run by me? Feel free to shoot a PM

Comments

/sings 'Money money money-- monaaay!'

[sealingpower]

Green eyes stared out onto the fields, leaned against one of the wooden pasture fences. Zelda was quite lost on how she was going to even attempt to catch these wild pigs herself. She was no farmer or wrangler either. When she needed a specimen for her research, she sent her appointed knight to do the dirty work.

To make matters worse, she wasn't really fond of swine in the least, for obvious personal reasons.

If it would help her work her way up to nobility (as strange as that sounded for one born into royalty) in order to better help the people of Avalon, she would suffer through it.

Then she spotted the man chasing the pigs down with a noose and winced as the animals escaped over and over. He was certainly no farm hand either. She could tell that much by the way he carried himself in addition to the obvious.

That would be her in a moments time.

Unless they could come to some kind of teamwork agreement? He did look rather pathetic and the princess didn't really want anyone to bear witness to her in the same position. It was rather undignified to say the least. So he sighed and called out to the man, accidentally startling one of the wild pigs he was about to successfully lasso.

"Pardon the intrusion."

oops

"Might I join you in this endeavor?"

always sunny in a rich man's wooorld

[emet_sulk]

At the very last moment, the pig bolted. Emet-Selch, not usually prone to fits of temper, tossed his lasso on the ground in disgust and glared after the escaping animal. Then he turned that same glare on the woman who interrupted him.

"Join me? Why? I almost had that one."

'No thanks to you,' goes unsaid.

<3

[sealingpower]

"Mmm...it most likely would have gotten away as well, just as the other five I watched you 'almost have'" she mused.

"However, the fact still remains that you are 'pig-less,' as am I."

She crossed over to him and put her hands on her hips.

"Now, I can stand here and watch you blunder for another half hour, or you can listen to my idea, which may conclude with the both of us leaving this place with at least one pig in hand."

[emet_sulk]

His eyes narrow. She does, unfortunately, have a very good point. If she has been watching him for that long then she has seen his blunders. As much as it galls his pride to do so, he grits his teeth and says--

"Alright. What do you suggest then?"

[sealingpower]

Fortunately, Zelda happened to be pretty intelligent as well as one who could find work-arounds through problem solving (For example researching the ancient relics in order to have a secondary method to defeat Calamity Ganon should her powers continue to further escape her, as well as learning about the flora and fauna of Hyrule to create useful elixirs.). As she had been standing there, leaned against the fence, she not only was watching the swine slip through the man's grip over and over, but she had also been taking note of the surroundings.

Of the various things around, she spotted, of course, the various crops, divided into separate fields based on type; as well as something else. A lean-to with a trough for horses (horses were very finicky. They couldn't be left in the rain and needed to have plenty of water or they would fall ill) as well as some hanging supplies for said horses, though the animals themselves were not present. She figured they helped in working the fields or something during the planting months. Among the other things under the covered space were some large crates and sacks of what she assumed to be feed.

"First things first," she nodded as he agreed to listen to her offer. "So that we are no longer strangers, would you mind giving your name?"

The princess decided to start by giving hers, though she left out the details about her lineage. She had been 'picking and choosing' who to tell, and who to leave in the dark, after the eccentric reaction she had received from one such party. Those who she figured would know anyway based on certain traits, posture, manner of speech, the quality of the clothing she wore, were privy to the information. In any case, who knew how it could possibly be used against her?

"I am Zelda, and you are?" She did offer him a warm smile, despite her earlier snark. If they were to be partners in this venture, there wasn't any need to provoke him further. At least she hoped they could work past that.

[emet_sulk]

They were still strangers, he wanted to say, but in the interest of getting this task done, he held his tongue.

"...Emet-Selch," he said grudgingly. Though it was a title more than a name, he had grown used to both using and hearing it. He turned his own gaze to the pigs snuffling about a distance away, his baleful glare completely and utterly ignored.

"Your plan?" he prompted again. He had little else to say, being a business-like sort of person.

[sealingpower]

"It's a pleasure to meet you Emet." she replied politely assuming that the other half of the name was a sur-name.

"Very well." she obliged to the prompt, "Instead of trying to catch the pigs yourself... let the swine come to you. We can start with those."

She dropped her hands to her sides and made her way over to the lean-to, studying each of the possible tools.

"We will most likely have to clean up after ourselves, and possibly pay a bit for damages, but sometimes sacrifices must be made for the overall succession of the plan."

Zelda knelt down next to one of the large crates, up close it could probably even fit her comfortably inside! However, she was not the strongest person, so prying the lid off turned out to be more of a struggle than she intended. She looked to Emet-Selch, though the annoyance at the crate disappeared when her gaze fell on him and she offered another encouraging smile. Again, no sense in being ornery, as much as he seemed perfectly keen on things continuing that way.

"If you would be so kind?"

closed to castmates etc

[emet_sulk]

There's a shoebill staring silently at them when they wake.

Hythlodaeus (and perhaps Felih) stir one morning in the latter half of December to find a large bird glaring at them. There is no trace of their bed companion. In fact it's almost as if the bird has been left in his place.

The bird cannot speak. It can only stare imperiously at the pair as they slowly get their bearings.

[seasoflight]

There is a shoebill in their bed.

What the absolute fuck.

For the longest moment, Felih just stares at the bird, incredibly alarmed, and also a little scared to move.

"...Hades?" Felih calls weakly into the apartment in general. "If this is some manner of prank, I am very distressed,and it's working, and I admit it, so please tell me this bird is tame...!"

[emet_sulk]

The bird's glare intensifies. It opens its beak and snaps it shut, staring even more pointedly at Felih then at the spot where Hythlodaeus usually sleeps.

[seasoflight]

If Felih were still able to sense aether- which he cannot, and is still extremely unsettled about- figuring out this was Emet would not take more than a minute. As it stands, he's very, very concerned, and slowly, slowly sits up and watches the bird.

The snapping beak is very threatening, and Felih knows full well not to let it bite him.

The bird stares at him, unnervingly, and then at Hythlodaeus' empty spot, and Felih blinks. Was this a prank by Hythlodaeus? Was this bird sentient? In this realm, he didn't know what to expect.

"...hello?" he ventures, tilting his head at the creature. Now he really wishes he had that "animal magic" he'd heard about. "...do you know where Hades is? Emet-Selch? Tall man with a streak of white hair amid the brown?"

[emet_sulk]

The shoebill opens its beak again, making an odd sort of rattling sound. This time it also spreads its wings briefly then folds them back, staring unnervingly at Felih.

[seasoflight]

Somehow, that wasn't the sound he expected the creature to make. It was responding to him, in a way... and it's still staring at him. Uh.

Still, the spread of the wings almost looks like a familiar gesture-

Oh.

"...Hades?"

watching the gag tag fade away was such an experience... rip in pieces hyth

[weenwoon]

Fortunately for Hythlodaeus, he'd got up earlier than usual this morning to help with an errand he'd promised one of their neighbours, and it was on his way back that Felih's message caught him. It took him a while to ask around and confirm that, yes, he should not have just bartered with the fairy like that without asking for all the details. Tracking the lender down took him some time, as well, but it was something he felt he had to do - if only so that Hades would not kill him on sight once he returned.

Hythlodaeus's still fairly apprehensive, though, if nevertheless amused by the whole situation, when he finally approaches the door of their room and opens it a fraction.

"Hades, will I get the chance to apologize before you send me to the Underworld?"

Is that really the voice of someone trying to apologize? Who knows. He is fully expecting to at least get beaked.

bye Hyth nice knowing you

[emet_sulk]

As soon as he hears Hythlodadus' voice, he shakes away the blankets and ponderously gets to his feet. Hades' stare could freeze fire on its best days but the look the shoebill gives the other man is nothing short of murderous.

Shoebills are surprisingly quick to take off from a stationary position. He launches himself at Hyth without a single note of warning.

f(fxiv) in chat gamers

[weenwoon]

Hythlodaeus goes down with a yelp, trying to shield himself with his arms, however much help that would be against a murderbeak.

"I-I said I wanted to apologize!"

Unfortunately for Hyth, the words are delivered with a half-nervous laugh. Look, he knows he's about to get killed, but he never thought it would be at the hands (beak?) of Hades turned into a bird.

[emet_sulk]

Even though he's short for a shoebill, Hades nonetheless makes sure to loom over Hythlodaeus, slender feet pressing down heavily on the other man's arm/chest. The large beak is worryingly close to his neck as it opens...

But Hades only closes it on a lock of his friend's hair and shakes his head, tugging it pointedly and perhaps a little painfully.

[weenwoon]

He sucks in a sharp breath at the almost-threat of snapping his neck - of course he knows Hades would never actually try to kill him, but the mind can't quite help panicking at being faced with a murderbeak. That worry is instantly dissolved, though, when the shoebill grabs at his hair instead and pulls on it. Hythlodaeus half-laughs, half-makes an "aww" sound, tilting his head a little to make the tugging less painful.

"I-I know, I know... 'twas my fault, I fully admit to it. I did not think this would happen!"

Possibly a few days later?

[omnicrafter]

Irhya has heard of Hades' predicament from Felih and Hythlodaeus. Frankly, she finds it hilarious, but also a bit pitiable, since it sounds like he may be reaping the "rewards" of someone else's seeds. But of course, at some point, she feels inclined to steal him from them, finding him surprisingly light and easy to carry for such a tall bird. Unlike her familiar, unfortunately...

Speaking of which, the cat starts sniffing curiously at his feathers as she finds somewhere to sit outside, her little menagerie and greatsword in tow. Meanwhile, she glances over the paper in her hand again, frowning. "I'm a bit late to the punch, I know, but perhaps there's still something to be done about this Jack fellow? I've heard people are still complaining, after all. Slippery one, he must be..."

[emet_sulk]

He considers it a bit undignified to be toted around under Irhya's arm, but not having to walk anywhere is quite a boon. Ironic though it is, after having spent several days doing nothing but eat and sleep, he's simply relieved to finally be out in the open air. He is visibly more alert than he had been yesterday.

Unfortunately he cannot respond. But he can still make that odd rattle - she'll just have to take it for assent. If he really didn't want to be here then he would be fighting to get out of her hands.

[omnicrafter]

"Alright, then. Perhaps he'll show up in a more crowded place," she reasons, "and at this time of day, people might be headed to get a drink after a day's work. So that makes the choice of location easy."

Hopefully her instinct is right, then. And the rumors that he likes to pick up married women... She may not have a ring, but perhaps he'd take notice of a peculiar set of ears and tail over all else. Plenty of others do.

"It's going to get cold as it gets darker, though. Hmm..." She glances at Hades, then unzips the front of her blazer a little and tries to drop him inside to make a place for him to nestle, wrapping her cowl back around to seal in the heat. "Comfy?"

[emet_sulk]

Her logic makes sense. From what little they've been told of the culprit, the man likes to seduce women - and what better way to find such women than at a place of revelry and drink?

He utters a startled rattle when she tries to stuff him into her blazer. His long legs flail, making it awkward to try and fit him in at first. But eventually he folds up and ends up sitting...relatively comfortably within her clothing. It does make for a funny sight though: a shoebill's head grumpily poking up out of her neckline.

He turns his head up and stares at her. Well, he's not pleased but it IS warm and he supposes he'll have to endure it. Lowering his head, he snaps his beak and starts looking about for a place for them to try their luck at.

[omnicrafter]

Irhya has to laugh at the awkward arrangement, even if she herself created it. The surprised squawking is priceless, but it's fortunate her cowl is so generous. And she has an excuse if anyone asks after it.

A short walk into town, and she decides to try the first bar she sets eyes on. If she has no luck here, she can always go bar-hopping, though it might become tedious after a while. Scanning the patrons, she doesn't notice anything unusual; a handful of people drinking alone, a handful more having lively conversations and hitting it off fairly well from the sound of it. She takes a seat closer to the loners' side of the bar, putting in for something as fruity as it is alcoholic and folding her hands in front of her.

Then she feels the tap on her shoulder, and sees the gesture toward the seat next to her.

"May I?"

The man behind her is fairly lanky, a younger man not quite grown into his skin yet from the looks of things. Well, whether she's hit the mark or not, she'll have fun with this one; the younger ones are usually easy to tease.

"Ah, please, be my guest. It's too cold to be drinking alone tonight," she replies.

"Of course, of course. I couldn't help but notice your striking features, and I found myself a bit drawn... admittedly."

Oh, he's going to lay it on thick, is he. Absently, she draws a hand up and nuzzles the feathery side of Hades's face, as if thinking something entirely different from what her facial expression says.

Hogtied

[rhiaofdruma]

Someone was used to wizards unused to actual labors. Of course her brother wound up more often smelling of goats than pigs. Rhia had been flying overhead, her wings - seeming not wholly of feathers nor of clouds and starlight, but something between - wide so she could glide when she had seen the happenings below. she circled lazily for a bit like a large bird as she took in what was happening.

Once she had a measure of the problem she flew off, gathered some fruit, and flew back. She landed to one side of edge of the area. The fruit in the leaf draped pouches on her hips she rested her hands there as well. She looked as though part of the upper reaches of a tree had chosen to take human form then grabbed wings made of feathers and clouds. "Would you come to a lumbering one so much larger than you who chased you about with a rope?" she asked, her laughter sounding like bells.

Snow villa

[souls_of_roles]

Kyoko had been eager to work on this one! She loved fairies, after all! She stopped when she saw his sculpture and studied it. "Why do I feel like Maria would love this?" she asked, her bright pink uniform only made worse by the glare off the snow bouncing the colour back. there was a reason that people back home called the colour a curse that you could never unsee once you saw it because it burned itself into the brain.

Her own sculpture looked like... well, like a person with great snow wings coming out of his back. She hadn't been able to bring herself to cut out the heart yet, because he might have come out looking exactly like the person she modeled it on. Like him... and like... No. no. she would not think about that! Would not! So she focused on the other person's sculpture.