(open) April Catch All

[kiss_it_better]

🧙 WHO: Chang Geng/Li Min and YOU!
⚔️️ WHAT: Quests and April stuff
🕒 WHEN: Throughout April
🗺️ WHERE: Around?
⚠️ WARNINGS: Spiders and lack of self-care.



i: Vital Venoms

[Chang Geng was standing outside of the caves, looking thoughtful. There's a sword at his hip but he's now keeping his dagger closer at hand rather than tucked away.]

Rather than bringing the spider back, I think it would be better to let it bite me at the last minute and simply dispatch it.

[He has blood magic and healing magic, he could probably carry the venom back safely. Probably.

He is far too calm while making this suggestion.]


ii: The Labyrinth

[He had been a little more cautious about taking on combat quests before when his only magic had been healing. After all, many things were weak only to magic here. Still, things were a little different now, weren't they?

He flicks his wrist, sending the tendril of blood like a whip and takes out a slime. He senses something come up to him and turns, when he sees a person and not another monster he smiles a little.]

You are also here for the quest, I presume?

[He's not in a hurry to heal the cut on the back of his hand for the moment as he moves to where the slime had been to collect a sample of what was left.]


((OOC: Feel free to hit me up on plurk at orangeCrates if there's something in particular you wanted to do!]

Comments

Close to Gu Yun and Walter

[kiss_it_better]

[The house, though it did need a little work and didn't have enough actual bedrooms for three people has been a good investment and wasn't much of a problem.

Until the rain started coming down hard this month, causing some leaks in the roof and finally...flooding.]

At least the rain is good for the plants. [Not so much for their wooden furniture...or for the two bedrooms on the first floor.

His own robes are soaked through by this point and...he'll have to find a place to hang his other outfits to dry if he wants to wear them tomorrow.]

[angel_of_death]

[Walter is doing the best he can in the can in this situation. Pots have been placed on counters to catch the drips falling from the leaking roof. Unfortunately, there isn't much they can do for the furniture right now. There's no second story to move them to.

Currently barefoot (to save his leather shoes as much damage as he possibly can) and with pant legs rolled up as far as they will go (not far), he trods through the low water a couch cushion under each arm as he heads for the stairs. He's bringing whatever he can up to the loft. There isn't room for much, but he can at least save some of what they have.]

Once I get the bedding upstairs, I'm going to go out and see if there is a store somewhere that sells bricks.

[If they don't have a second floor to move the furniture to, he reasons, they might at least be able to elevate whatever can be moved enough to save it from the rising water.]

[shiliu]

[ He’d put sandbags outside, stabilizing them in place with vines, but it hadn’t been enough. The water had found its way in, from the roof and beneath the doors, inexorably flooding their little house. Gu Yun himself is used to the impermanence of things, and natural disasters such as flooding are not conceptually unfamiliar to him, this hurts him to a degree he wouldn’t have expected.

Living like this with Chang Geng and Walter, it reminds him of those far-away days back in Yanhui town.

To specify: “hurts.” Gu Yun experiences it as a physical sensation, a tightness in his chest he ascribes to being cold and damp. He glances over at Walter. Bricks, hmm? He thinks about that for a moment, then extends a hand. ]

This might work.

[ Vines begin to sprout from the four feet of one of their tables, lifting it up by several feet and anchoring it in place. ]

[kiss_it_better]

[Chang Geng was still grateful to have healing magic and blood magic was useful in combat...but in moments like this neither of his magics were very useful.

At least he could still do physical labour.]

If we can string up a rope we can hang the wet things up to dry.

[Meanwhile he's going to change one of the pots that's nearly full with a bucket before heading over to the sink the dump out the pot.

But he's also giving Gu Yun a long look.]

I can make some tea after. It's important to stay warm.

[angel_of_death]

[Ascending the steps with a soft patter, Walter tosses the cushions into the corner next to his folded-up bed frame. Now, more than ever, he's glad to have made the particular decision he did regarding his bed; being able to move it out of the way is incredibly convenient.

Pillows set aside, Walter crouches down to open up the lower section of his wardrobe. Inside is a length of clothesline and some clothespins. It's not rope meant to hold human weight, but he's been using it to hang his clothes to dry whenever he washes them.

Of course, with the weather as it is right now, hanging them outside isn't an option. Which means they'll need to find some way to utilize the furniture they have to hang tie the cord off... unless Gu Yun has more up his sleeve with those new abilities of his.]

If there's more to dry than we can tie up, we can hang things over the stair railing. Just be careful not to slip.

[Wet stairs are not the safest things in the world.]

[shiliu]

[ The table supports begin to flower; and then, as expected, rapidly shed their blooms and set about growing some kind of vegetable. Wonderful.

Another thin vine sprouts from the ceiling rafters and dangles down; Gu Yun's intent had been to make the thing twist back up again, forming a loop for them to hang things from. But his green magic doesn't obey his conscious will quite as well as his kinetic magic does. The vine coils and bends on its own, finally dropping down onto Chang Geng's shoulders and gently caressing them.

He lifts a hand to sweep the thing away with his kinetic magic, and clears his throat. ]

Uh... tea is fine.

ii

[admiralchiss]

[Normally Thrawn prefers to do things from the bridge of a Star Destroyer, or in the war room. But he's not opposed to actually getting down and dirty when it comes to missions. Or quests, as they call it here. And this labyrinth could be a prime opportunity to gather some information.

Thrawn already has a single sample of slime by the time he runs across this fellow quest-goer.]

I am, yes. And you seem to require medical attention.

[kiss_it_better]

[He straightens once he's collected the sample, smiling.]

There's no need to be concerned. It's only a minor injury. [He tilted his head, focusing it on the area around them and, sensing no other blood source dangerously close, he pocketed the sample.]

When I leave I'll heal it up.

[admiralchiss]

If you insist.

[Thrawn brings up his phone to make a mark on a makeshift map of the maze he's been making as he goes along, noting the different paths and that this particular spot had monsters.]

Have you been down here before?

[kiss_it_better]

I avoided it before since I wasn't sure if I'd run into anything that couldn't be dispatched without magic.

[Since healing magic wasn't the best if he's by himself.]

What about you?

[admiralchiss]

This is my first time being down here. I did not wish to go down here blind, but I found very little information on this labyrinth.

[He doesn't like having all the facts, but he can improvise when he needs to.]

It may be useful if we venture forward together.

[Especially since his fellow adventurer is injured.]

i;

[roppou]

[In contrast to Chang Geng, Hitoya doesn't carry much more than the cigarette he holds in his hand. He doesn't look like much of a warrior and in this case those first impressions would be fairly accurate.

But he took the quest because it's quickly becoming clear that if he doesn't work on that particular skill set he'll struggle to stay ahead in this world. And that's a prospect he relishes even less than the effort in coming out here now.

Still, the sound of leaving what is likely a far more capable ally at risk doesn't sit too well with him either.] I'm all for leaving that option on the table but maybe we try a decoy first?

[kiss_it_better]

Based on what I know. [Because he had done a lot of reading as well as asked some questions.] The venom has to carried in a host.

[So unless the decoy is another person then that won't work.]

Besides, I have healing magic and blood magic. I can keep it away from my vital organs afterwards. While it's hardly ideal I think it is the solution that carries the least amount of risk.

[roppou]

Did it say the host had to be alive? [He had read up on the details as well. It had to be carried in the blood flowing through the host. But he knows his question is just nitpicking the semantics from the perspective of a lawyer. Not exactly an argument to stake your life on.

Looking up, he briefly considers the shape of his crow-like familiar in flight overhead before sighing. That option was even worse right?]

You're the expert here, so just tell me what to do and I'll make sure it happens.

[kiss_it_better]

It didn't say specifically but it did mention the venom has to coursing in the blood.

[So moving. Also if it goes bad it explodes into smaller spiders and that just doesn't sound like it's worth experimenting with.]

Before that, may I ask what experience you have with combat?

[roppou]

Not much in the traditional sense. Weapons and war in particular have been outlawed the past few years in my world. [Despite that, he doesn't show any more signs of shying away from the task at hand as they continue inside.]

But between the mind magic and a device that came here with me, I should have some luck controlling or stunning the thing temporarily. The death magic is new but less predictable. [Which serves as explanation for the previous suggestion.]

2

[morns]

( it was one thing to explore this place once. but returning was something very different. this time she is alone, sneaking with purpose until she isn't any more and instead finds herself surrounded by slimes.

lovely.

but thankfully, this place has just enough random junk that she can yank a large, loose piece of stone from where it sits and bounce it telekinetically off several of them, creating a gap wide enough to dart through. she turns long enough to eye a crate up and drag it over the others, effectively trapping them for... well, however long slimes can be confused by a box on their heads.

they're not exactly difficult to defeat, but she's less concerned with clearing them out and more concerned with exploring as much of this place as possible. which is exactly what's on her mind as she runs into a very familiar voice. )

! You. ( well, better someone she's seen before than a complete stranger, maybe? ) Something like that.

( she watches him collect a sample, head tilted and hand brushing the bag at her thigh which holds a few glass tubes of samples she did pick up nearer to the entrance of this place, distracted by the process until something moves at the corner of her eye.

ah, hell. )

Way too many of these things.

( and, dammit, wouldn't you know there's no useable rubble here. what's a girl to do but slice open her own skin, grimacing more from the sudden rush of other lifeforces as they beat in her skull than the pain, and try to manipulate it into a workable weapon? )

Ngh... shit—

( nope. she isn't gonna be able to hold this. fuck. )

[kiss_it_better]

I agree...and yet there are worse things we could be attacked by.

[Better slimes than some kind of fire elemental creature, for example.

He swept his arm out with a flick of his wrist and the blood acted like a whip, shooting out to strike one of the slimes before sending it towards another slime.

That was when he noticed his companion was having some trouble. So, sending the tendril of blood at another slime, he ran towards her, putting himself between her and the slimes.]

Are you all right?

[morns]

( or anything in Loch Manor. that place was annoying, though... not as annoying as failing that attack and ending up with blood dripping down your arm. )

...A-aye. ( she looks at the cut with a grimace. that was harder than she expected. the pain? that's bearable. cuts and injuries are part and parcel of life, and the embarrassment of trying something and failing always stings more.

dammit, she should have just attacked these things with a knife in the first place. ) How'd you get that to work?

( he seems to have gotten the hang of this by now, so... tips? tips for the poor? )

cw: self harm

[kiss_it_better]

I have healing magic. It makes practising a little less risky.

[The trick is to take advantage of having healing magic to extend how long you can practise. Oh and generally being the sort of person who would open up a cut when there's time to practise. You know, the sort of thing well-adjusted people do.]

Have you used a whip before?

[morns]

... That helps.

( :|

but she can't say she isn't that type of person. the only box she doesn't want to open is the box of noisy heartbeats that seems to come with any use of the magic. she'll have to learn, but it's just been so nice and quiet over these last few months... )

I can if you're into that.

( we're sorry she's like this. )

i - better late than never!

[whirlwindthrust]

[ Xiao appears as he always does - with his spear in hand. He might be small in stature, but one should not be deceived. He is rather strong and skilled.

The suggestion raises brows. Surely... ]

And if we do not seek out a healer in time? [ Technically, Xiao, you should be one. ] You are willing to put your own life at risk for a mere sample of venom?

Never late!

[kiss_it_better]

I now have blood magic in addition to my healing magic. Between the two, I should be able to keep the venom from important organs while healing any damage that happens, at least I should be able to manage it well enough until we find a more experienced healer.

[He's thought of this and weighed the risks and benefits...it's just too bad the value he ascribes to his own health is rather lower than it should really be.]

As long as we don't have to also evade the spider afterwards, that is.

[Since that may put them off the shortest path back to town.]

[whirlwindthrust]

[ Ha... Aren't they a pair then? Xiao thinks that only this person here could potentially know that there is healing magic within Xiao. He has not spoken of it to anyone - not even the Anemo Archon or Zhongli. Yet here he is, sharing the same magic types as this other man. ]

Between the two of us then, with your permission.

[ Meaning that Xiao has Blood Magic as well. This, he thinks, is more suitable than healing. If permitted, he will also help to keep the venom contained. If this is the course of action that is desired... ]

Though I would suggest, if anyone is to be bitten, then it would be myself.

[kiss_it_better]

[He understood what was being conveyed. It's interesting. What were the chances they would have the same magic combination?

But that was more of a curiosity than something actually important, he supposed.]

May I ask why?

[He's not so sacrificing that he'd reject the suggestion outright, but he also does want to know the reason so he could evaluate whether it was an action that was better or safer.]