It isn't unusual for Alptraum to find himself in these sorts of dream-like places anymore. If anything it just makes him more aware that it is a dream. Whose dream is still unknown however.
Alptraum sits up and rubs his head. "I don't recognize this forest," he muses as he looks around. Grunting, he gets up, then stretches a bit. "I bet this is Summer's dream; she's the foresty sort. Why am I here, though?"
Indeed, a lithe figure can be glimpsed dancing (or prancing) through one of the lit areas, only to vanish again into the dark ones. The lighting makes it hard to work out exact details though.
"I'm probably going to regret this, but ... " Alptraum heads in the direction of the prancing, half-expecting to get yelled at for violating privacy! Even if it wasn't his choice.
It isn't easy. When the figure leaves one lit area, it seems to appear immediately in another one now, without going through the darker parts of the forest. But that isn't to say the path isn't predictable, since it seems to eventually repeat as the dancer passes through the same areas in turn.
Alptraum keeps trying to follow, and though it may be futile, tries to echo-ping out a path. Of course in a dream, who knows if that will work at all.
The dark trees don't produce echoes! But they're certainly real enough to the touch. The path that figure is taking seems to cover nine of the lit areas. It should be reaching the 'starting' one again soon.
Alptraum tries something new! He moves into the dancing path before the being gets there, just to see what happens!
Once Alptraum steps into the lit area, he loses sight of the others.. until the figure suddenly appears and collides with him while doing some sort of leaping spin. OOOF!
Alptraum goes "Wah!" and topples over into a pile. He lays there, dazed a moment. After blinking for a bit, he tries to sit up and see who hit him.
A lot of flowers fall into his face. They come in a surprising array of colors and fragrances as well, while somehow all managing to look like the same sort of flower. Fallen across him is, as expected, a doe. At first glance though it doesn't look like Summer. It's much curvier. But the face, once some of the flowers are brushed away, matches that of the Earth Mage, even though her fur is a lot lighter, as if fading towards white.
"She's a weird one," Alptraum comments and pushes himself upright and then tries to get the doe upright too. He then taps her nose several times and comments, "Wakey wakey!"
"Hey," Summer complains, and rubs her nose. Aside from the garlands of flowers, she's completely bare. "Oh.. you're here to take me to the underworld.." she then claims.
"Take you to the underworld? What are you talking about? Alptraum has to ask. "This is your dream and you sucked me into it."
"I'm Summer," the doe explains. "You're the lord of the underworld. You keep me in the underworld for.. some time.. so that fall and winter can happen.." She doesn't look entirely certain of her explanation though.
"What? I keep you in a little cage, with chains and whips and all sorts of torments?" Alptraum has to ask, looking amused.
"Nooo.. I think you marry me, or give me something that makes me stay there, or get me pregnant. Unless that the last thing is how Spring happens. But Spring is a Lapi. See?" Summer says, and points behind Alptraum.
Alptraum looks over his shoulder to where Summer points. "Ah, of course, you have lustful dreams about me. All women do," he remarks dryly.
There's a gray Lapi doe sitting on a rock, in a modest pose of sorts. She's also got a garland of flowers that seems to be caught up in her ears, and is already curvier than Summer by default, if not exactly an idealized form. She doesn't react at first, then suddenly covers her chest with her arms. "We're good friends," Summer claims.
Alptraum rubs his chin. "This is a weird dream," he comments, then shakes his head out a bit. Looking back to Summer, he asks, "So ... why am I here, exactly? And how did you get me here?"
The doe stares at Alptraum for a moment, then asks, "You're the Lord of the Underworld, aren't you?"
"Yes?" Alptraum answers. "Well, specifically I'm the carrier of souls to the underworld. I don't know if that makes me a lord or not," he admits and finally gets back to his feet and then offers Summer a hand up if she wants help.
Summer accepts, and brushes the loose flower petals off of her. The damaged garlands just magically replenish themselves though. "So, as Lord of the Underworld, you're supposed to carry me off because you're taken with my beauty and such," she explains again. "Hey, I think my breasts and hips are bigger. Do they seem like it to you?"
Alptraum checks, with hands, and grabbing, and fondling. His expression is serious as he 'works'. "Definitely are. You have breeder hips and are the size to be nursing a child," he remarks.
"Well, if I give birth to Spring that makes sense, since she's pretty big," Summer laughs, which is a change from the giggling she did during the examination. "So.. do I follow you or are you going to carry me? I don't remember exactly how it's supposed to go."
"Carry her? Why do all women want to be carried? Do I look like a Rhain?" he asks the unfair dream world. He rubs his face, chuckles, then hefts Summer up into his arms, one of his behind her back, the other under her legs. "Picked up, check," he says.
To help, Summer wraps her arms around Alptraum's neck and shoulders. "Now you carry me off to the underworld," she notes.
"I have no idea how to do that," Alptraum admits. So, he just starts walking in some random direction! Because, why not?
It isn't long before the border of the lit grove is passed, and they're in the dark forest again. Here, Summer's fur becomes whiter and whiter, until it's glowing like the snow. This time the endless forest is broken up by a looming silhouette in the near distance, before the haze. There are also bobbing ghost lights leading the way to it.
"Aaand, that must be the Underworld, I guess!" Alptraum declares. This is right up there in weird as the whole otter-prates thing was!
Alptraum continues on, towards the shadowy mass
It soon resolves into a Sylvanian manor, complete with gargoyles and high-arched windows. Things tend narrow as they rise, giving a forced-perspective sense of height, although it really does seem to just keep going up until the structure merges with the black sky. "It's chilly," Summer finally notes, although Alptraum doesn't feel at all chilled, despite the snow.
The manor has servants. They appear to be bare skulls floating over forms that look like black gauze sheets that stir constantly, as if floating underwater. They open the large manor doors for Alptraum, which do not squeak at all.
"I'm not cold, this is moderate for Sylvania," Alptraum says and glances down to Summer. "So, to the torture chamber, right?" he jokes as he passes through the creepy, non-squeaky, doorway ... and looks for stairs downward...
The main hall is dark. The wood is black of course, only broken up by the bones that form the pillars for the vaulted ceilings. Ghostly blue flames fail to illuminate so much as make the shadows look deeper. While there's a grand staircase leading upwards, there is a smaller portal further back that seems to lead downwards. More ghostly servants float nearby, waiting for instructions if any are to come.
Summer actually hugs tighter against Alptraum now. Apparently he's dressed as a Sylvanian baron, complete with the high-collared cape now.
Alptraum gestures for the spirits to follow. And then he heads to the smaller door, the one that leads downwards. Apparently, he's going to mess with the doe for this weird dream
This time there are actual torches lighting the way down the twisting stone stairs. They float, and the flames appear to be burning backwards, but they're still torches. Nothing makes a sound in this place except for movement of Alptraum's clothes and Summer's breathing. "It will be warmer, won't it?" she asks.
"That I cannot promise. Are you really that cold?" Alptraum has to ask as he descends down into the depths of the ... depths. Or something. "I'm sure they have branding gear down here, that should be warming..."
They pass a frozen waterfall, and some disturbing stone reliefs of bizarre creatures tormenting supposedly damned souls. Finally the bottom is reached. The stone chamber has several hearths with the backwards-burning flames, which do somehow make things colder. There are cages hanging from chains, secured to a ceiling lost in a smoky haze that seems to swirl with odd currents. There are restraint tables, a rack, a Sylvanian Maiden, a binding wheel and an X-shaped platform with even more restraints. There are also buckets of presumably icy water. And a gray bunny that's just sort of sitting on a stool in the corner. Spring gives a little wave.
Alptraum takes Summer over to the X-frame cross and drapes her on it. Then he goes about securing her arms and legs, spread-eagle onto framework. "I'm afraid it isn't any warmer down here," he admits. "But on the bright side, that just makes everything more intense."
"Hey.. I thought you were gonna try to seduce me into eating a magic fruit or something," Summer says. She's pure white now, and emitting most of the light in the room (which still isn't a whole lot). Her breath is actually fogging a bit. "At least warm me up, please?"
The spectral servants also seem to bring the ambient temperature down a bit.
Alptraum arches his brow. "Warm you up? WARM YOU UP? Fine!" he bellows ... and then proceeds to try to tickle poor Summer like mad, grunning fingers up and down her sides, declaring, "Tickle tickle tickle!"
"Ahaha! AUUGH!" the doe squeals as she squirms as much as she's able to. "Nonono! Stop! I'm gonna pee or something!" she plead-threatens.
Stop is one thing Alptraum doesn't do! Pee threat or no, he just keeps at it! It's good she has hooves or he'd be tickling her feet! At one point he does stick his tongue in her left ear, though.
Eventually the screams stop because Summer goes hoarse. And her tears are creating crusts of ice on her cheeks. Even the squirming begins to slow down. Either she's exhausted or else the effects are dulling over time.
Alptraum removes his cloak and throws it over her to see if that helps any. "I wonder if I can change the direction of the fire," he muses and stares at one.
The cloak does seem to help, in that she stops shivering at least. "You could rub her," the heretofore silent Spring suggests. She doesn't seem to be bothered by the cold, but she's not exactly skinny either.
"But that would be giving into her weird fantasy," Alptraum points out and rubs his temples for a bit. Still, he doesn't want her to suffer, not in a real way that is. So, he does start to vigorously rub her through the cloak, starting with arms and legs first.
There isn't much to her legs, but the rubbing does seem to make her more comfortable. "Is this what it is to be Winter?" she asks.
"Cold and uncomfortable?" Alptraum has to ask. "Honestly, yes. Winter is the time of death and decay, when all life falls away," he says.
"I remember Winter," Summer claims. "It didn't seem this bad. But it wasn't me then." She still seems to drift in and out of her persona and herself, but then again it's a dream apparently based on some sort of folktale. "You're supposed to try and convince me to stay though."
"Winter is also peaceful. Quiet. The cold eases pain, holds time still," Alptraum says, giving in and going with the folkore fantasy. "Why would you ever want to not be winter? Why would you want to feel pain, to grow up, then old, only to pass away. If you stay as winter, you will always be as you are now."
"White and cold and pure?" Summer (or Winter) asks. "Am I prettier like this?"
"Of course, you glisten as a perfect diamond," Alptraum replies in kind.
This makes the doe smile a bit. "That is kind of you to say. I guess you don't see things like that down here in the underworld."
"I see the end of things. Always the end. Winter is ... a pause in that, an end stopped before it can come," Alptraum says, quietly. "Winter I don't have to send into oblivion."
"Because Winter ends in Spring.. in new life?" Summer asks, warming to the subject. Her breath isn't fogging anymore though, so maybe she's actually cooled down some.
"Yes. New life. One of the things I also cannot give," Alptraum comments as he looks over the girl's complexion. "But all new life does is start the cycle anew. Why not simple stop the cycle and stay as one thing forever?"
"Just to be with you?" Summer asks. "Giving up the sun and warmth.. that's a lot to ask. Are you really that lonely?"
"Look around me. All I have is quiet, all consuming quiet," Alptraum explains. "Being a prisoner of one's own thoughts, with no distractions ... is the worst form of prison."
"Oh, I could try to sing for you," Summer offers.
"I could tickle you again? That is like singing isn't it?" Alptraum asks.
"No more tickling!" Summer yelps. "Squeals and screams aren't singing! Really!"
"Okay, okay, no more tickling. Sing, then," Alptraum requests.
Summer clears her throat, and then seems to think a moment before she sings. She actually has a fairly decent voice, probably helped by the longer neck. "There's a time in each year that we always hold dear; good old summertime. With the birds and the trees and sweet scented breezes; good old summertime..."
Alptraum arches his brow. "That is a song of summer, not winter," he points out.
"Oh," the does says, and blinks. "Well.. a winter song then," she says, and tries to deepen her voice slightly. "When a cold winter shadow I cast on the ground, and frost from the foothills is creeping all around, I know and then glance down the road towards the town, in a kind of hope you'll be coming on down."
"It must have been autumn when I left you to the train. I watched your carriage disappear in the lonely western rain. And I wiped the rain from off my face and turned the way I'd come. And drove our old spring wagon through the hills past the town."
"Winters here are very long, the roads are thick with snow. A year is gone since first you left, no courage left to go. I know I should leave, but you won't know where I've gone. Be kind of nice to have you here Candlemass coming on."
It's a bit mournful, but she sings it jauntily at least.
"That is ... dreary," Alptraum admits and frowns. He rubs over his face slowly. "Maybe I shouldn't have said anything."
"My singing doesn't cheer you," Summer laments. "What do you like to sing about?"
"I don't sing," Alptraum admits. "It is not something the Lord of the Underworld can do, outside of funeral dirges." He does at least start releasing her arms and legs. "And I see that I should not keep you here. Our worlds are just too different. It will not work."
"Am I too cold for you now?" the doe asks, once she's able to sit up. The cloak lays across her lap when she does. "Too much like the others here?"
Alptraum's expression looks at the doe, forlorn. "Yes," he agrees. "I have cursed you with being ... this." He shakes his head and turns away. "Forgive me."
So Summer hops to her hooves and embraces Alptraum from behind - awkwardly, because she has to deal with the wings, so ends up just hugging his arm. "There must be something I can do to ease your gloom?" she asks.
"What could you possibly offer to ease the darkness of this place?" Alptraum asks.
"Well, I'm not doing very well as Winter," the doe admits. "But maybe I could bring some warmth? I just need to be a bit less cold, then it would be like I was alive, wouldn't it?"
"Well, first we should get out of this dungeon. It seems my joke of bringing you here fell ... dead," Alptraum deadpans and takes her hand. "This time we go upstairs."
"That sounds wonderful!" Summer enthuses and prances towards the stairs with her tail high and twitchy.
"I can see your butt," Alptraum comments, dryly, and walks along.
"It's all white though," the doe notes. "You can't see the heart-shape if it's all white."
"Yes, yes you can," Alptraum remarks. "Eeee, I can hear its shape."
"But it's so quiet," Summer claims, and waggles her tail more, to see if it makes a noise.
"You just can't hear the ranges I do," Alptraum claims, "And your left butt cheek is bigger than your right."
"No it isn't!" Summer claims, and hurries up the stairs. "That's just.. bad acoustics!"
"Is too," Alptraum says, now wondering if Summer is going to wake up with a butt complex.
Uneven buttocks or not, she's fast going up stairs.
Alptraum is right behind her, and he cheats by using wings to go several steps at a time!
Once they're back in the main hall, it's easier to catch up since Summer doesn't know where to go from there. "You sure have an awful lot of skulls in your ceiling," she points out.
"You carry a skull around all the time. What's your point?" Alptraum calls after the doe!
"Well.. I don't decorate with it," Summer points out as she waits for Alptraum. "Are they more servants that are just.. set in place?" she asks.
"Set in place. They won't spy on you," Alptraum claims, "And iff that creeps you out ... you should see the bathroom"
"Does it have an actual bath?" the doe asks.
"Does a giant dragon skull count? You bathe in its jaws," Alptraum claims"
"Is the water warm?" Summer asks. "Dragons breath fire, so should be able to heat a bath at least, even if it's a dead one. All the fire you have in here is dead fire I think."
"Enough about the bathroom," Alptraum says and rolls his eyes, "There's a warm bedroom at the top" At least he hopes there is!
"Ah, it must be high enough for the sun to get through," Summer guesses. And starts bouncing up the stairs.
Alptraum cheats, and uses wings to go up!
At the next landing, Summer pauses before a big black window. The stairs branch left and right, so she looks to see which way Alptraum is going.
Alptraum grabs Summer and goes through the window! It's dream appropriate to do stuff like that. Take the path unseen!
It's like going down black tubular slide. That goes up. But it does end up in the master bedroom. The bed posters are made of bones of course, but the skeletal arms do reach out to turn down the black duvet and fluff the black pillows. The sheets are blood-red of course. There's a stuff Korv on the mantel over a fireplace, with a clock in his belly. There are no hands for it though, despite the ticking. The Korv is white and holds a small scythe, and the clockface is black with white numbers. The furniture all looks a bit distorted, with a Sylvanian aesthetic.
Alptraum sets the doe down. "You think too much like a mortal. Stairways ... not in my home!" he cackles.
She's looking bit less white now, with some her brown coming back enough that there are at least gradations of white. "Do you actually sleep in that bed?" Summer asks. "Does it tuck you in?"
"And reads you stories. Burps you. Rubs your tummy. Tickles," Alptraum ticks off, grinning.
"Does it complain if you jump on it?" Summer asks mischievously.
"Try and find out," Alptraum offers.
And so the doe does so. Instead of bouncing, she just sort of sinks in a bit though. "Soooooft," she declares.
"Once you lie down, you never want to get out again," Alptraum comments, then makes a running leap onto the bed! splut
As Alptraum sinks, his pit merges with Summer and the roll together. "My butt is perfect and cute," the doe claims.
"Slightly asymmetric, but cute," Alptraum says. Then wonders where the heck he learned the word 'asymmetric'. But dreams don't have to make sense, so he doesn't dwell on it.
"So you like them, then?" the doe teases. "You're supposed to ravish me still, you know."
"What's in it for me?" Alptraum has to ask. Obstinate, this one.
"Umm.. I think it's supposed to help you relate to the living?" Summer says. "And start Spring."
A crunching sound comes from the corner. The Lapi is there, watching and munching on a stalk of celery.
"Spring is already here," Alptraum points out and thumbs towards the Lapi. "And watching."
"She's just jealous," Summer claims, but blushes all the same. The white fur doesn't hide it at all.
Alptraum rolls on top of the Doe, then bites her right on the neck. With fangs.
This actually surprises her! And she.. squonks. It's an odd sound that's not quite a bleat and not quite a honk. It does bring back a bit more of her color though.
Alptraum sucks ... loudly. And adds in Om-Nom-Nom. So much for being suave and seductive.
"D-don't chew through!" Summer pleads at the disturbing sounds.
Her blood tastes young, even if it is just a dream.
Alptraum giggles and lets go, then liiicks along her neck. "You take everything too seriously," he claims as he sits up, straddling her. That's where he takes his shirt off; and he still has the breasts. Oops.
The doe goes wide eyed. She clutches her own breasts as if to reassure herself that they're just as good.
Alptraum laughs and reduces his own. "Since you won't play with mine," he huffs, and then sheds his pants next. While sitting. He's impressive like that.
The does eyes are still wide. "Are they supposed to be big like that?" she asks.
"Big like what? What are you talking about now?" he has to ask, looking confused.
"It's another bone, isn't it?" Summer claims, and points between Alptraum's legs.
"No no, it just gets hard and such when things get going. Go on, touch it. Lick it," he says with a straight face.
Summer hesitates, then does lick it since her fingers aren't that sensitive. It's just that she goes about it as if it were a salt lick.
Alptraum giggles. "This is sad. Should I get the lapi and demonstrate?" Alptraum inquires and waggles his brow.
"Noo!" Summer protests. "She always gets all the attention! I'm the tall and graceful one! I hardly ever drool when I eat apples!" The latter statement might be a bit too revealing.
"Then close your eyes and prepare for a surprise," Alptraum says and grins.
The doe squeezes her eyes shut. Then peeks a bit with her right eye.
"Close." Alptraum insists, and then waits for her to do so. Then he gingerly shuffles down and parts the does legs, sliding between them. He lines up with her and with a single, smooth, thrust the doe is speared! Then he places his lams upon her chest.
The doe bleats! But keeps her eyes closed! Crunch, goes the celery.
"You can open your eyes now," Alptraum says. "Are you in any pain?"
"Am I supposed to be?" Summer asks as she opens her eyes. "What am I supposed to do now?"
"Well, do you feel anything?" Alptraum has to ask, then rolls his hips slowly.
That makes her bleat again. "I feel that!" she declares. "It's .. inside of me.. Like a Major Ritual building up.."
"Relax and just go with it. Move your hips in time with mine," Alptraum instructs, and goes slowly so she can learn the pacing.
At least the doe isn't squirming this time. She picks up the motion fairly quickly in fact.
"So, does it feel nice? Good? Bad?" Alptraum asks as he takes things slowly.
"It's nice!" the doe blurts.
Alptraum keeps the pace for a while, then speeds up and slows down to test her reactions. Then he dips his head down and starts nursing on her left nipple.
Things are rather perky by that point (or because of the chill). Now she's starting to burst out into hysterical bouts of laughter, but they're short lived and not like when she was being tickled. "Hah! Hah! Do that.. yes!" she blathers.
Alptraum mostly ignores the doe's outbursts and focuses instead on doing techniques Mave taught him to elicit interesting responses. It involves certain rolling motions, or biting just right, then blowing cool air. Sometimes even spinning his hips in the thrust.
The doe's response is invariably noisy. Cervani does are known for being soft spoken and modest, but Summer is blurting out things that would make a Yodhinala blush. Her finger tips are hard too, even if they don't have claws or nails.
Since the doe wanted to sing earlier, Alptraum starts doing things just to get her to make sounds in a little tune. Why? Because, why not? It's a dream, go weird or go home.
The doe's color is coming back now, looking ruddier by the moment. Either because her blood is really flowing now, or as part of the whole folk-tale scenario.
Alptraum is now trying to see how much color he can put into the cervani, and tries all sorts of movements. At some point he flips her over and goes at her from behind, while bending her into a weird 'U' shape. He also has to wonder, was he like the doe ... when the Goddess' started bedding him?
"Mmmf!" Having a long neck and thin build means Summer can nearly be folded in half, which makes her muzzle poke at things when Alptraum moves. Her color seems to darken from her hips outward, and he can see it actually fluctuate slightly in normal vision. Aura vision makes for more of a swirly light show though.
Alptraum flips her on her side next, and lifts one leg so that she's doing half-splits. Why? Eh, he feels like it. "Having fun, are we?" he teases.
The response is a sort bleating honk. Summer also tends to stick her tongue out a lot for some reason when she makes the odd noises. The change of seasons probably doesn't sound like that. Of course, if she really is 'transitioning' form winter to spring, that might imply she's going through rut. She claims that there were things she could take to prevent it.. but this is a dream after all, where she's supposedly somebody else.
And she probably doesn't wait that either. And to be evil, and since it's a dream, Alptraum shifts up at one point and takes her backside for a bit just to see how she reacts to that!
Now that gets a proper honk. It actually tapers off like a moan, and the doe clenches down as well in surprise.
Alptraum takes that part a lot slower. "Good, bad, or doesn't matter?" he whispers to her.
"Not.. an easy fit," the doe stutters and shivers. Cervani can make their skin move apparently, like some Rhians can.
Alptraum shoves hard a few more times, then pulls back and goes back to the regular way. "When you wake up you aren't going to even be able to look at me," he mutters in amusement to himself.
There's a pop sound when Alptraum pulls out. "I have to twist my neck to look at you now in this position," Summer points out.
Alptraum shifts up positions again, and settles into this one for the 'home stretch' as it were. He doesn't let up now, he wants to see just how much he can make the doe explode and make noise before he, well, pops!
Since she hasn't kicked him or pinched him yet (she's been surprisingly hands off) the doe has instead done a lot of damage to the bed. She finally grabs a pillow and starts bopping Alptraum in the side with it as best she can. It could be 'slow down' or she could be whipping him to go faster. There's so much musk in the air he can't smell anything else now.
Alptraum doesn't try to even figure it out. He just pounds away at her while she pounds away at him with the pillow. HE's glad that right now he can' see, or hear, or smell, the lapi doe crunching celery. That would be awkward.
The pillow attack stops for a moment, and then the doe grabs it in both hands pulls it apart in a spray of black feathers and, oddly, flowers. Everything starts to smell like blooming flowers then, and a rain of them fall down from the bed canopy. And through it all, Summer is gasping and panting noisily, and has gone practically limp.
Alptraum ahas! The doe has been felled! He keeps going, though, trying to drive her crazy ... up until the point he pops and sees stars! That makes him hug her tight and bite her other shoulder now to suck on!
"Whhhhhhh," Summer.. sighs? She doesn't even try to resist, and her blood is awash in hormones and adrenaline. It's enough to nearly give Alptraum a buzz.
Alptraum drinks for a while, the pops his jaws off, and licks her nose. "Man, when you wake up you are going to feel weird," he jokes.
The room has begun to change. The bones that make up the bedframe are becoming vines, then branches and finally trees. Even the sheets (what's left of them) take on spring colors.
Alptraum sits up and stretches a bit as he watches the world change around him. "Oh look, now I have a green thumb," he jokes.
"Is any other part turning green?" Summer asks, now back to her normal colors and with flowers in her hair.
"Nope, I'm still Mister Negative," Alptraum comments a bit dryly.
While it seems to be springtime now, it still feels a bit chilly. The Lapi on the stool still hasn't said anything though (but she has thick fluffy fur). But she has an apple now that she's munching on. It sounds crisp.
"So, thus ends the tale of Winter, right?" Alptraum asks as he sits there, looking confused.
The Lapi shrugs and points upwards.
Alptraum looks up?
Up above is not the blooming bed canopy, but the white, naked branches of Dronnel's tree, with the light of dawn crawling across the sky beyond. Alptraum is in the garden, on top of Summer still. So.. it wasn't exactly a dream. He can still taste her on his tongue after all. There's no plump Lapi loitering about, just the still dozing Rostre in her pile of coils.
"Aw hell, I raped her," Alptraum growls and falls over to the side. "Dagh, what the hell?" he growls and covers his face.
"What's wrong?" Summer asks, blinking in the wan light. "What happened to the bed? You.. saw the bed didn't you? I didn't just hallucinate it?"
"You pulled me into your dream!" Alptraum complains,"And apparently we actually did things. The guild is going to kill me."
"That wasn't a dream," Summer insists. "It was real, wasn't it? Except.. Spring Meadow couldn't have been there, that had to come from me. And.. hmm. The garden isn't blooming. I thought for sure it would be when I started to notice things again. So I didn't give off any Earth Magic at least. That could have been bad! Uncontrolled magic is always bad." So she seems relieved. "Oh! Hey!" she then says perking up a bit. "Does this mean I finally had sex?"
"Well, check yourself? Are you stretched, wet, and sticky?" Alptraum has to ask, and isn't looking at her.
"Uh.. not really, just a bit.. sweaty," the doe admits. "I've got dirt stuck to my butt. I should be sore shouldn't I? Was that all just because of where we are? I don't know how Inala works."
"Then no, you didn't have sex. You should be a little sore and maybe bloody," Alptraum admits, feeling relieved. "Being here was probably part of it, yes."
"Well.. poo," the doe claims. Then she twists around and gets onto her knees facing the tree. Her back is pretty well coated in the dry, gray soil of the garden. "May as well get to work then," she says, and grabs onto the exposed roots of the tree. "This is just going to be a minor spell, but I don't know what else might react," she warns. She doesn't seem bothered about the dirty back or wearing just her panties.
Alptraum goes and just dusts her back off. "If you want to have sex, you can just ask you know," Alptraum points out and rolls his eyes.
"Probably after breakfast then," she says, despite appearing to meditate. Her neck hasn't been bitten either. She starts to chant. Alptraum has heard enough spell casting by now to still not know what language mages use. They all seem different. It could all just be nonsense for all he knows. But he can sense Summer's aura intensifying this time. It isn't something he's seen in the more accomplished mages like Cyprian or even Wynona though.
Alptraum wonders why he doesn't sense it from the others. Maybe the better mages mask it better? In any event, he does keep his distance so as to not distract and watches quietly.
It's also the first time he's watched Earth Magic. The aura does cause neighboring areas to glow a bit, but that doesn't seem to cause anything. There flickers in the tree, but nothing like what was going on when Rostre was working her ritual. Whatever Summer is doing may not be as drastic, if it's just a 'minor' spell being worked.
After about twenty minutes of this, Summer stops and lets go of the tree roots, then shifts to a more comfortable sitting position - all without opening her eyes.
"I think earth mages invented watching grass grow," Alptraum remarks from where he sits, hugging one of his legs for want of something to do.
"You don't watch it grow," Summer responds, and finally opens her eyes. "This is a very odd tree," she then says. "It's witched I think."
"And that means what?" Alptraum asks.
"There's this really old sort of magic," Summer explains. "It's so old that it's not even really magic: sympathetic magic. Sometimes it's called blood magic when it shows up in modern times. But I could feel a few other.. uh.. trees.. through this one. Normally you don't get that in plants, even ones that are cuttings from a parent. So something had to be added to them. I just can't see how it was added. It's in every bit that I could commune with. Not-tree-bits with the tree-bits, down to the very smallest bit."
"Well, like I said, they supposedly bonded parts of Dronnel into each tree. I have to assume that's what you're sensing," Alptraum comments. "But I'm a backwater idiot."
"I don't think parts are quite it," Summer says. "You could stick a bone in a tree, and tree would grow around it, but it wouldn't grow more bone as it grew. This had to have been in the seed. Like.. they cross-bred a person with a tree."
"You mean they had him hump a tree?" Alptraum has to ask. "Talk about morning wood."
She looks at Alptraum almost apologetically as she says, "It's a Tree-eeee."
"I deserved that," Alptraum admits.
"I mean.. well, I don't think this tree could make an Eeee pregnant, but you could take all the stuff that makes a body, the instructions I mean, and add them to the tree instructions. The tree would ignore the non-tree stuff, but it would still copy it to each new cell as it grew," the doe explains, with lots of hand-waving.
"You're just making that up," Alptraum comments dryly and rubs his face.
"No, honest!" Summer claims. "It can be done with Life Magic.. if you complete strip all magic resistance from a subject first. And we kind of do it with plants in Earth Magic. With enough of the right magic set up, you can convince a seed to grow into whatever you want it to be! I don't know if this tree was made with magic or not, it's just so old that any traces would be long gone, except for that weird.. echo of other trees."
"Want me to strip all your life magic resistance?" Alptraum offers with a grin.
"But it isn't dead," the doe adds, patting the tree. "I don't know if it can change Spirit Magic into Earth.. what?" she asks, her train of thought derailed by the offer.
"Now, more seriously, this is all interesting ... but I don't know how to do anything with this information," Alptraum admits. "None of it tells me how to disconnect it from the curse being fueled. Does all this mean the trees really are the Sabbaoth and he never really died?"
"Well.. he died, this isn't the same as a person still being alive," Summer says. "But I don't know how it applies to Spirit Magic. Rostre needs to wake up and tell us. All I can say is there are other trees and they're somehow connected, and not by their roots. But.." And here the doe raises a thick finger. And then pauses. "I think.. maybe.. that if they're linked by blood magic, then.. they could be linked to something that isn't a tree but is still close enough to be sympathetic."
"So, they may all be linked to a central point of some sort?" Alptraum asks. "I bet you anything if that is true, it's the grave of the original Dronnell body."
"Eeeeeehhh probably not," Summer says, screwing her face up a bit. "Dead bodies.. well, honestly I don't know much about necromancy. But if this is powering a curse, the focus needs to be something that can maintain magic. I don't think zombies can cast spells. Then again.. I don't know how curses work. I only know that it's a thing in Chaos Magic that nobody wants to talk about. This is Spirit Magic. Or Life Magic and Earth Magic and then Spirit Magic."
"Dead bodies can absolutely focus magic," Alptraum says, "On that I can say it definitively. I've even held a map made of a dead person's skin that was haunted by a ghost."
"Ewww," Summer says, and hugs herself. "Now ghosts.. I guess those count as spirit enchantments. So the spirit of the person was enchanted onto their own.. skin? I suppose the map was the anchor then.."
There's a raspy sort of sound from behind Alptraum. The sounds of dry scales rubbing across each other.
"Yep, and it insulted me a lot. It was the guide to the Well of Souls," Alptraum explains. "It even made us cross-dress once, but I'm not talking about that."
"I want to hear about that," Rostre says, sounding a bit slow still. It hasn't warmed up enough to really get her going, but she's a big girl so likely hasn't lost much of her core body heat from the night before. She was probably just really tired.
"Well, you're not going to," Alptraum says, then relays all the weird stuff about the tree that Summer just told him, then asks, "Okay, what can I do with any of that? How do I stop the curse?"
Rostre uncoils and slithers low to the ground as she approaches the tree. She actually coils about it once and then pulls Summer into a smothering hug. Probably because the doe is warm. "You have to find the core," Rostre says. "The tree isssn't directly connected to the curssse. But it issss converting spirit energy into other forms. I put ssspirit energy into it, and tried to follow it. It.. wassss strange. It changed."
"But.. that doess not mean we cannot find the desstination," the serpent adds.
"Changed into what?" Alptraum asks.
"Sssomething that I am not familiar with," Rostre admits. "There wasss also distance at play. But that is the key, I believe. If I can tesst a few more of these trees, then we can locate the focus by noting the transition distance."
"Testing more is problematic. I might be able to get you into the Yodhsunala one," Alptraum admits.
"I don't know if the Yodhgorphat have one. Yodhblakat are mean. Yodhzakaro ... maybe," Alptraum ticks off.
"They would have one, for certain," Rostre says, "if it was not destroyed. Do the Yodhrephath have one?"
"Probably, but they're also scary. And the High Priestess will make me wear a dress," Alptraum remarks.
"I am willing to rissssk that," Rostre claims. "And we can claim that the Yodhinala let usss test their tree."
"I'm not willing to wear a dress," Alptraum growls.
"Why not?" Rostre asks.
"Mages wear dresses," Summer murmurs muffledly from Rostre's chest.
"Because she does it to embarrass me. and I'm not a mage," Alptraum huffs.
"We can negotiate it," Rostre claims. "They are all about Jussstice now aren't they?"
"Well, mostly. It's different when I'm involved," Alptraum claims, then shrugs. "It will take a few days to arrange regardless."
"At leasst I can be more efficient next time, now that I know what to look for," Rostre claims. "It is possssible that Spirit energy isss not the same as prayer though. Which could be a blesssing.. pardon the irony.. in that it would not add actual power to the curse ritual."
"They are slightly different," Alptraum notes, "It's the intent aspect of it. Anyway, if that's all we can learn from here, we should find cyprian and untie him before Mave breaks him"
"Where would he be?" Rostre asks. She seems to perk up at the possibility of finding Cyprian tied up.
"No idea. We'll have to look for him," Alptraum admits and shrugs.
"Isss it safe to wander around?" Rostre asks.
"I should get dressed then," Summer claims, in case it reminds the Naga to let her go.
"It's reasonably safe. There is a demon with a giant thing that will rape you if you wander too far, though," Alptraum comments.
"Here in the temple?" Rostre asks, finally letting Summer go so she can crack her knuckles. "I wanted a pet demon when firssst sstarted in magic. I wasss.. young."
"Out in the graveyard. Stay out of there and you're fine," Alptraum notes and shakes his head. "If you ask me, all you mages are nuts."
"What's wrong with nuts?" Summer asks as she struggles into her clothes. "They're delicious and good for you."
Alptraum ... doesn't even try to explain. He just shrugs. "I'll go look for them. You two just wait here," he says.
"I'm going to have some nuts then," Summer claims, as she fetches one of her snack pouches.
"She's obsessed with nuts," Alptraum remarks to himself as he heads out of this area to try and find the squeaky-Eeees.
Of course, Alptraum has an advantage: not just his hearing, but in that he knows the layout of the place and what areas are the most habitable. Plus he knows where Cyprian has visited before: the altar chamber. He can also hear tinkling sounds from that area.
Alptraum heads slowly towards that area, so he doesn't interrupt anything odd. Of course he knows that Mave and Cyprian are probably just playing cards, or having tea. It's not like he'll ever indulge carnal stuff.
They are indeed having tea, with the tinkling coming from a ceramic spoon in a ceramic cup. The pair are seated on a blanket near the altar, with the tea set between them. Cyprian does look a bit tired though, and Mave is actually naked. So if nothing happened, it must have still be very frustrating for the Mind Mage.
"Are you done torturing the Mage?" Alptraum asks as he peeks around one of the columns. "Rostre and Summer are done. Not much more learned, and we need ot go to some other locations to try and get a fix on where they're connected to."
"I have found her company to be anything but tortuous," Cyprian claims.
"Ah, so you two wore new marks in that altar then?" Alptraum inquires.
"Would you like some tea, Barsunala?" Mave offers, and doesn't comment on what may or may not have happened.
"Sure, I wouldn't mind some tea," Alptraum agrees and moves a little closer. "Did you ask her to come live with you yet, Cyprian?"
"I would not want to cause jealousies within the Guild," Cyprian claims. Mave pats a spot for Alptraum to sit on the blanket. "Do you prefer it sweet, or bitter?" she asks.
"Sweet," Alptraum says and sits down on the offered spot on the blanket.
So Mave stirs in some honey. "We used to keep our own bees here," she notes. "We called their honey ambrosia, as it was blessed by the Goddess," she explains after offering the cup to Alptraum.
Alptraum takes the cup and sips it. "How often did you use the bees to sting people?" he inquires. They did do everything, after all.
"It's more about what we fed them," Mave claims. "Inala's bees did not have stingers."
"All bees have stingers," Alptraum comments. "What did you feed them?"
"Yodh milk," Mave says.
"You milked yourselves for them?" Alptraum asks.
"We nursed them," Mave replies.
"How? They're tiny?" Alptraum has to ask, looking confused.
"Our bees were large and beautiful, of course," Mave claims. "Some called them fairies."
"And there are none left?" Alptraum asks and looks at Cyprian. "She's messing with me, isn't she?"
"I do not know the secret Lore of the Yodhinala," Cyprian admits.
"They required a lot of care, and the keepers were killed or scattered," Mave notes. The tea is very good though.
"You two stayed up all night to come up with ways to mess with me," Alptraum accuses.
"We did not," Cyprian assures.
"I can show you later," Mave offers.
"Show me what? You said they're gone," Alptraum points out, hmph.
"The living ones are gone, but we have preserved ones," Mave explains.
"If you have preserved ones, I wonder if they could somehow be cross-bred using magic with remaining strains," Alptraum comments. "I also wonder why you've never mentioned this to me before."
"I have a lot of junk, and with everything else going on, I didn't think you'd be interested much in beekeeping," Mave replies. "I was never that interested in it either, I just liked the honey. It has a lot of uses you know."
"I know. I once found a five-hundred year old jar of it in the swamps back in Sylvania. It was sealed a,d actually still good when opened," Alptraum comments. "The stuff is eternal."
"While I'm sure discussing the Bats and the Bees is illuminating, I was hoping the Barsunala and the two other Mages had discovered something," Cyprian asks, and doesn't even phrase it as a direct question. But he does look at Alptraum, which must mean he's serious, because it means he's not looking at Mave.
"Very little, to be honest. The original Dronnell is somehow bound into each of the trees, and from there they link out to other trees and down somewhere else. They are converting magic of one form to another, but the mechanism of how is not known. It will require checking a couple others to get a better location on where they all go," Alptraum explains and shrugs a little bit.
"That seems to be more than very little," Cyprian notes. "That gives us the age of the trees, if not the age of the ritual itself. It sounds like a sympathetic magic link connecting them. Magical conversion, however, is not something I'm familiar with. Modern magic doesn't cover anything like that. It would fall under un-segregated sorts of magic, like witchcraft or wizardry."
"They're old. They existed during Rinala's golden time as a diety," Alptraum comments, "Created just after the major war against Diphath. "Or at least that's what Rinala told me when she pulled me into the tree to see its history."
"Rinala reached out across time?" Mave asks, eyes wide.
"Yes," Alptraum says, "She and I are linked, you know."
"A bit more directly than I am, certainly," Mave says. Cyprian seems to have many questions, and is trying to just pick one. Finally, he asks, "How did the trees get where they are? Someone must have planted them, surely, or did they actually just sprout up on their own?"
"Saplings were brought here by the various High Priestess' of the time and planted in honor of Dronnel's sacrifice. He was quite a mess when I saw him, all scars and patchwork, barely held together," Alptraum explains.
"Interesting," Cyprian notes, rubbing one finger across the bottom of his chin in thought. If he had a beard, he'd probably be twisting it. "Patchwork implies the Tower of Babel to me. At least in ancient times, it was a source of supposed medical miracles."
"Well, yes, that's where they came from. The mages of the day helped create them, somehow," Alptraum says. "I thought that was fairly obvious, though."
"Ancient history in Babel is.. largely unknown," Cyprian admits. "The Sabaoth likely had records rewritten as he saw fit over the centuries. Most people depend on the Lore instead, which is itself contradictory. The result is that we just don't know what magic was like in Babel prior to the founding of the Collegia Esoterica."
"Not entirely unknown to me, but anyway," Alptraum says and waves a hand. "So, that's basically it. A couple more need to be examined, then hopefully we'll know where the source is. That means I have to get permission from at least two more Temples to allow examination."
"Do you have your targets chosen then?" Cyprian asks. "The Yodhrephath should be compliant, of any of them. I don't know about the others. Temples that were not razed in the purge would be the best to search for surviving trees, I imagine."
"Zakaro, Blakat, and Gorphat, are possibles. So is Barada, but i am less sure about her Temple," Alptraum ticks off. "None of those would be pleasant to visit."
"For you or for the Mages?" Cyprian asks. "I'm fairly certain that Rostre can endure any odor."
"For the mages. I can cope with the temples for the most part, though they may have tasks of me during them. I don't know," Alptraum says and shrugs a bit. "By that comment are you suggesting Gorphat?"
"Her temple was untouched, given that nobody wanted to risk attacking it," Cyprian notes. "The Yodhzakaro were rather fanatical about letting outsiders onto their mountain, however. And I have no idea what the Temple of Barada might have been like. Assuming the one that was wrecked was the actual temple. Likewise I have no notion as to whether the Yodhblakat would have maintained such a tree. But then I admit to difficulty imagining them doing anything organized. And the Yodhsunala will not allow Mages to work in their Temple, I take it?"
"Well, they might if I pushed it," Alptraum says, "Given I have high status there, more or less. But it would be awkward, yes. The Temple of Gorphat is a possibility, but I may be expected to entertain Gorphat in some manner as payment. Unless, of course, you're volunteering for that?"
"Gorphat herself, and not the High Priestess?" Cyprian asks. "Although there may not be much difference, I would assume any service would be towards the goals of the Temple itself."
"Have you met the High Priestess?" Alptraum has to ask, "Not a more vile woman exists. But either of those, yes. I could survive them, I'm not sure about you."
"I have not been asked to negotiate on behalf of the Mage's Guild," Cyprian notes, but Mave has a smirk when he says it. "This isn't an official investigation. That is, the Coalition isn't funding it, if they even know about it. It's part of our general.. if local.. policy of assisting the Barsunala where our interests converge."
"How political of an answer from you," Alptraum grumbles. "So, you're sticking me with the duty, then."
"You have the stronger position," Cyprian claims. "It is much easier for you to say you have something you want to deal with, and that a few Mages are assisting you, then for us to ask leave to intrude upon sacred artifacts. The Yodh have no reason to trust us, but they should trust you."
"But if they want to meet the Avenger, tell them he is available," Mave adds.
"I will send you my clothes-cleaning bill," Alptraum remarks dryly. "And believe me, I will."
"Well.. I might have some influence in that role," Cyprian has to reluctantly admit.
Alptraum smirks. "And I'm sure you ... influenced Mave here several times last night," he comments.
"I have no idea what you are implying," Cyprian says, his aura a neutral gray.
"You don't lie very well," Alptraum comments.
"Now now, how can I be political if I wasn't good at lying?" Cyprian asks.
"It's more I know Mave," Alptraum points out. "And I know she wouldn't pass up the chance of ... you. She could rub it in other Yodh's faces."
"I am hardly so petty," Mave claims, and sips her tea.
"How dare you not be dead," Alptraum deadpans in an approximation of the High Priestess of Blakat.
"I would worry that the Yodhrephath or Yodhblakat would want to spar or battle to the death," Cyprian notes, and raises an eyebrow at the impersonation. "You've dealt with the High Priestess of Blakat before I take it? The Guild is most definitely not on good terms with them after they proved to be a bit too mercenary."
"I know all the High Priestesses and the Goddesses," Alptraum points out and even boops Cyprian's nose. "Comes with the job, so to speak"
"And did that one want to fight you?" Cyprian asks. "Actually, did either or both of them want to fight you?"
"Yes, and yes. And Blakat also took me on a treasure hunt," Alptraum admits.
"Was it for pirate treasure?" Cyprian asks. "The Yodhblakat and Yodhrephath seem to fall on opposite sides of the pirate pivot."
"Yes, it was pirate treasure," Alptraum remarks, and sighs. That was a weird day.
"Did it involve actual pirates?" Cyprian asks.
"Undead pirates," Alptraum answers. "The treasure was candy."
"Were they Saskanar pirates then?" Mave asks. "Or very young ones?"
"They were undead. I have no idea how old they were," Alptraum points out.
"That seems rather chaotic," Cyprian points out. "Sunala would not have tolerated undead pirates. And I'm fairly certain She could not be swayed by candy, either."
"The whole thing was weird, and not really relevant to the task needed," Alptraum points out and rubs over his face. "I'll check on the Temple of Gorphat then, but i reserve the right to pick another."
"I'm sure picking another is fine," Cyprian says. "How many does Rostre need?"
"Or maybe I'll offer Mave to Gorphat," Alptraum adds and glares at the older woman.
"The Yodh don't do much trading between them," Mave claims. "Unless they would like some floral soap?"
"They could use a maid," Alptraum deadpans.
"That seems counterproductive to their aesthetic," Mave points out. "You could always just approach them last you know."
"We'll see," Alptraum says and waves it off. "Now, is there anything more we should discuss before dragging the snake back to the guild?"
"Did Mage Forrest also perform an examination of the tree?" Cyprian asks.
"She did," Alptraum says.
"Was it useful?" Cyprian asks. "I'm trying to determine whether it is safe to let her work outside of the Guild Tower."
Alptraum ahs and nods. "Yes, it was helpful. It was her actions that gave it enough of a boost that Rinala was able to reach out to me," he explains.
"That is actually quite alarming," the mage notes. "But for common flora, she should be.. mostly safe. I'm honestly not sure what some nobles might keep in their gardens. Poisons were very popular in Babel for a long time, after all."
"It's more likely she'd trigger an effect like Mephisto wine, due to bodies buried in those gardens," Alptraum points out.
"It may be best to keep her paired with a Spirit Mage then," Cyprian nods. "Do she and Rostre seem to get along? It certainly wouldn't hurt for Rostra to air herself out more often. Err.. get some fresh air, that is."
"They seem to get along fine," Alptraum says, "And I'm sure Rostre wouldn't teach her any bad habits..."
"Bad habits?" Cyprian asks.
"Yes, like seeking out ways to get big boobs," Alptraum points out.
"You think she will try to get pregnant then?" Mave asks. "I can teach her good habits to attain that goal."
"No, she just wants big boobs," Alptraum points out.
"Rostre already has... oh, you mean Summer?" Cyprian asks, looking shocked. "But she seems to be such a.. happy.. young woman."
"She's mad about always being overlooked," Alptraum says and waves his head, "But it's not important. They'll be fine."
"I hadn't.. noticed," Cyprian says, realizing too late that he was exemplifying the problem. "I will make sure they are available when you need them for the next examination."
"And yourself?" Alptraum asks next and leaaans in.
"I suppose I can help assure the Temples that we are not up to something nefarious," Cyprian agrees.
"Good," Alptraum says and claps his hands together! "Well, that's settled then!"
"Is it safe for me to collect my Mages then?" Cyprian asks. "I don't sense any magic at work."
"As safe as it ever is around Rostre," Alptraum notes.
That gives Cyprian pause as he considers just how safe that might be. "Well, we should go together then," he suggests.
"Do you have anything you need to discuss with me?" Alptraum asks Mave.
"There are a few things, but you should tend to the Mages first and make sure they're safely off," Mave says.
"All right," Alptraum says as he gets up and groans about being old. "Off to see the weir ... mages, it is," he declares, then heads back into the Temple grounds.
Amazingly, Rostre was packed and Summer was dressed when Alptraum and Cyprian arrived. There were also a few flowers blooming in the garden, in a patch at the very edge that was getting sunlight. Well away from the tree itself. "I feel lessss sssslugish," Rostre claims, despite slurr-hissing more than usual. Summer gets up from where she was kneeling next to the blooming patch, but not before plucking one of the flowers. She smiles to the men.. and then eats the flower.
"Life is all about stopping and eating the flowers?" Alptraum has to ask. "You do realize flowers from a garden such as this probably makes you either super fertile, or super horny, right?" he jokes.
"It's just a daisy," Summer claims. "And even so, it's easy to deal with either of those conditions. Well, one of them. I don't know how to deal with growing horns. Does don't do that you know."
"Oh you sweet, innocent, child," Alptraum sighs and shakes his head. "It is time for all of you to head home."
As they head out of the temple, Summer does look over her shoulder to wave back at Alptraum. "I had a really nice dream!" she says.
Alptraum waves! "You did! Don't tell anyone about it!" he calls back as he feels his ears get hot.
"What's this about a dream?" Mave asks, slipping out from behind a pillar. She's got her tea set presumably in the basket she's carrying, but still isn't wearing anything.
"She dreamt she was some nature spirit, frolicking through the woods. It was weird, and she yanked me into it," Alptraum explains and waves it off. "Now, what did you want to talk to me about?" he asks and comes to sit on the blanket again.
Mave sets the basket down, and sits in Alptraum's lap. "You are going to tell me about Rinala," she says.
"Tell you what?" Alptraum asks. "She's all black, but with silver eyes. So, imagine me with dark hair too, and a girl ... and that's Rinala. Also extremely kind, and refers to Sunala and Inala as her children."
"What was she like as a person?" Mave asks. "Was she an avatar, or the actual goddess? How did she react to you? Did she know about our present?"
"She was ... motherly. Kind. Definitely a Goddess, but approachable. I don't think she was an avatar, though. She knew who I was the moment she saw me, and she hugged me," Alptraum explains as he thinks back. "She said she was my Grandmother, but I likely didn't know what that even meant. She didn't know about the present until I explained it to her. But she did know she wasn't part of it, she could tell that just by touching me. It made her seem ... sad."
"She recognized you though," Mave says. "That's good. Did she say anything about avatars though? There must have been Yodhrinala around, did any of them look like her?"
"There were, and they did. I think they had to have avatars at the time because all the Goddesses were active during the war and supporting Dronnell against Diphath. The war was not kind to him. The fact he was still alive was a miracle in itself. And is also when the body-swapping started," Alptraum explains. "A chance to have a life after he basically lost his in the war."
"Assuming it wasn't something gradual," Mave says. "You made it sound like they were replacing parts of him."
"They did, one wing didn't match the other. Nor did parts of his face," Alptraum notes, "But it wasn't survivable for long, I suspect. He seemed resigned to it, and was probably in a lot of pain."
"Well.. I don't know what the situation was, or what was done to him, or.. if Diphath did something to him," Mave says. "That's not the issue. But the Sisters helped him to save Babel; that's what's important."
"The absolutely did. Everyone worked together, the Temples, the people, and the Goddesses," Alptraum says and nods. "It was a time of unity that made it possible."
"And did it.. weaken the goddesses?" Mave asks. "What the condition of the temple, of the Yodh there? Did it look like they'd been caught in the fight?"
"No, the temple looked in perfect condition. New, even. It may have just been built," Alptraum says after thinking back for a bit. "Why?"
Mave rests her head against Alptraum's shoulder. "Well, a suspicion," she says. "If Diphath was defeated, but some sort of.. corruption.. or a seed of it at least.. was left in Dronnel, then how did it change the Kindly Ones? Even the Sabaoth couldn't have just changed the Lore completely. Maybe those trees weren't just one-way conduits."
"It's entirely possible. They are of a magic no one really recognizes," Alptraum agrees as he pets Mave's back. "And comforting to thin that maybe we're not all as horrible as we seem to be. It could also not be the case, and we really are."
"We're both," Mave contends. "It all comes down to which side society encourages."
"Also possible. The reason isn't that important now, it just has to be fixed," Alptraum comments as he relaxes some. "And I guess I have to arrange something with the Temple of Gorphat. That'll be ... awkward. But it is also admittedly the safest place for the mages. That and Mt. Rephath."
"I have to wonder what their trees are like," Mave says. "Ours is.. well, a normal tree. Sunala's is an apparently dead or petrified one, right? It's own tombstone? So what would Rephath's and Gorphat's tree be like, or any of the others?"
"A guess would be a petrified tree for Rephath, or one covered in thorns, and a rotting tree for Gorphat," Alptraum ticks off. "Probably full of works and bugs."
"Barada's would be.. uh.. for making books from," Mave guesses. "Zakaro.. magic wands. Blakat.. clubs. That you had to steal somehow. Two examples isn't the best to work from though. You liked Rinala though, it seems."
"How could I not? Does this surprise you?" Alptraum asks. "Why are you so curious about it?"
"You seemed very upset about me wanting to become her avatar," Mave notes.
"Because you would die," Alptraum points out.
"Does she seem like that sort that would do that to me?" Mave asks.
"No, but where would you go?" Alptraum points out.
"I'd be.. here still, or with her somehow," Mave says. "I should be part of the bloodline of her original avatar, even if our colors have changed. Or at the very least Inala's original, which seems related. I'm not just some strange Exile that won a contest."
"That bothers you, don't it? You wanted to be Inala's avatar," Alptraum points out. "That would have killed you."
"Inala isn't the one who's going to help Babel," Mave notes. "Babel doesn't even need her."
"Need, no, but she's still part of it," Alptraum note and hugs Mave. "Is there anything else?"
"No, that was it, unless you want to see a jar with a bee floating in it?" Mave asks.
"Mmm, maybe where there isn't so much else to do," Alptraum says and eases Mave out of his lap and then gets up himself. "Two more to go, then we'll know where, I hope."
"The Yodhrephath like you, so that one should be easy, if they still have theirs."
"The other one won't be, but I'll make due," Alptraum says and stretches. "I'll try to come back tonight or tomorrow. I haven't been around too much as of late."
"Are you heading to one of the other Temples now?" Mave asks.
"I thought I might, but I don't know. Why?" Alptraum asks.
"Well, you could probably do with some relaxation," Mave says. "And Tulani will want to know too. She worries too much."
"Know which? You could tell her everything I have told you," Alptraum points out.
"Not where you're going, I can't," Mave says, and pokes Alptraum in the chest.
"I don't even know where I'm going yet," Alptraum points out, "But fine, I can go see her."
"Go on ahead and I'll gather the blanket," Mave says, getting off of Alptraum's lap. "She's down in the nest still." She also offers him the basket to take down.
Alptraum takes the basket and nods. "All right," he says and heads back through the ruins to where the secret passage is. After activating all the hidden latches, the door swings open and he descends.
"Mave?" Tulani calls when Alptraum arrives below. "Did you need more hot water?"
"Do I really look or smell like Mave?" Alptraum has to ask as he brings the basket in to drop off.
There are some clanking sounds, and then Tulani comes to the main entry area while wiping her hands on a towel. She's actually got her sleeves rolled up and is wearing an apron that invites one to 'Worship Inala with the Cook' according to the embroidery on it. It's got lace trim too. "Alptraum! I take you finished up top with the finger-wiggling types?"
"When did you become a maid?" Alptraum has to ash as he deposits the basked upon one of the crates. "They left a few minutes ago, and I have to work out what to do next."
"I worked on airships," Tulani points out. "I know how to do lots of things. Did they at least help figure things out?"
"Yes and no," Alptraum says, then goes through everything again that he explained to Mave and Cyprian. "So, now I have to find two more trees for the Mages to poke at so we can fix the location. Better than nothing, but less than I had hoped."
"Well, that's all very weird," Tulani claims, sitting on a different crate. "Why does ancient stuff have to be hidden or lost all the time? But at least it doesn't really matter which other trees you use. Having three would be certain, but two would still give you a good idea."
"If it wasn't hidden or lost, it would have been destroyed, or sold in some private collection by now," Alptraum points out, gesturing with his hands. "Ergo, only the unknown things are now left to be discovered. It's sort of a universal truth. But basically, I have to go to Gorphat's temple and Rephath's temple for two probably relatively easily accessed locations."
"Alright.. now, do you want the Mage's to know the final location of the curse-thingy?" Tulani asks.
"I trust Cyprian. I don't see a problem with them knowing," Alptraum notes. "Do you?"
"Well, are any of them Air Mages?" Tulani asks. "Because if they aren't, they probably aren't going to know how to find the focus."
"Why would you need an air mage? I know only one, and she's at the Rephath Temple," Alptraum notes.
"Navigation," Tulani says. "The Spirit Mage can sort of tell the distance to the focus, right? Well, if you have a map, you'd mark that as a circle. But that's not what it really is, it's a sphere. With two measurements you get two spheres. Those will intersect as a circle. If you know the geography well, you can eliminate the points on that circle that are in the air, or too exposed. But the focus will be on the arc that's left. A third sphere narrows it even more. You can ignore the points in the air again, unless there happens to be a tower or something in that spot. But if it's just someone who's looking at a flat map, they'll go with the circles and those won't give a proper picture."
"Okay, well, I can ask Wynona to take a look at it. So I should probably go to Mt. Rephath last," Alptraum notes after that explanation. "Most likely, the object will be deep underground, in old city. It's ancient, after all.
"Ugh, I forget that a lot of the city is actually buried," Tulani says. "Why build a city in a bowl?"
"It's in an old crater, because something crashed here," Alptraum points out.
"So they figured something wouldn't crash a second time?" Tulani asks, scrunching up her brow. "Hmm. Well, it was an anti-crash the second time I suppose, with the Boomer. That's a disturbing analogy though."
"What is the likelihood of two things hitting the exact same spot on a large world?" Alptraum points out and shrugs a little. "We can prettymuch safely assume it'll be down. I guess I have to find the Gorphat tree first. Since I happen to know the High Priestess, it should be easy for permission to examine it."
"So long as you don't have to ask her in front of anyone!" Tulani says. "All of that temple is pretty much inside the mountain though isn't it? Does it even have a garden?"
"The tree in the Sunala Temple wasn't in a garden either. So it's probably in some horrible grotto," Alptraum notes. "And if I have to ask her in front of people, I just have Kaira play the part of the High Priestess."
"Oh, I'd like to see her face when you tell her to do that," Tulani says with a grin.
"I could shift YOU into that form instead," Alptraum offers with a counter-grin
"I'd rather you made her look my me, then you turn into me," Tulani says, spreading her hands, "And then we go somewhere as three of me and mess with people!"
"We already did that in the club if you remember. It was pretty fun, though," Alptraum points out and shrugs. "In any event, I think I'll sleep here tonight, and just go tomorrow. One day of freedom to not deal with anything."
"Need me to wash your clothes then?" Tulani asks.
"It probably wouldn't hurt, but I can wash them myself," Alptraum notes. "I don't need people to do stuff for me."
"Then you can help me do the rest of the laundry too!" Tulani offers. "Now take your clothes off. I think there's another apron around here.."
"I knew that was coming," Alptraum remarks and rolls his eyes some. It's easy enough to strip down though, and he tosses the clothes into a pile since they'll be washed anyway. "A day doing 'ordinary' stuff. Now that's novel."