United for Justice and Bacon

Log Info

• Title: United for Jusice and Bacon
• Emitter: Skielstregar
• Characters: Skielstregar, Barclaiigh, Dolan, Andelena
• Place: Temple of Eluna
• Time: April 4th, 2022
• Summary: After another unsuccessful lucid dreaming attempt, Skielstergar is approached by Barclaiigh and the Daeus-duo to discuss some strange dreams they've been having. Some similarities are found, as well as some loose ends tied up, but yet only more questions are raised. They come to the conclusion that they don't know enough about Eluna, so they save their questions for someone more qualified as they go get brunch.

Temple of Eluna, Morning.

"Thisss one iss... isss not sure. Every time thisss one realizesss it, they wake up," a dressed down, looming silverscale is relaying to a Seer, walking astride them with a comically small tome clutched between two fingers on his large hand.

Said Seer pats him on the arm. "Worry not. It takes time. Just keep writing anything you remember just after you awaken, and when lucidity comes about, try to count your fingers. Slow and steady. Okay?"

He sighs, slowing to a stop as his talons stop clacking against the ground. "Very well..." he mumbles, looking down at the little journal.

"Keep at it," the elven Seer hums before excusing themselves and heading off towards other duties.

Skielstregar, in just a tunic, pants, and a dagger on his belt, lulls his head forward until it lightly thuds against the face of the journal with a muted >clunk<

With his hair braided down into four tight rows that meet and drape down his back in a single plait, Barclaiigh could almost pass as a different dwarf. The lighter patches of skin across his face from recent healing aid the disguise only to have the massive auburn bush of a beard ruin it. The Khazadi's peculiar breastplate and green-glowing spear are also a bit of a giveaway.

Sandals slap unsubtly as the druid rounds the reflecting pool with his neck craned and nose up-- he's looking for someone!

Porter is parked in the square outside, having earned the attentions of a hunter and warden duo outside of Gilead's temple. The bear is being spoiled with dried fishes as the pair admire his barding and enchanted paws.

When going to the Temple of Eluna of late, fully armed and armored is generally a good idea, and no one knows this better than Dolan. He'd spotted the bear, but the sight only made him grin when he recognized the bear. Barclaiigh is around here somewhere, then.

He pays it little mind, instead striding into the Temple of Eluna and looking around, eyes searching the area for something or someone specific.

Not far behind Dolan is his Sunguard partner, who gives a little wave and a grin to Porter, too. But Andelena knows better than to try and disturb a bear in the middle of being fed fish--after all, they can bear-ly contain themselves when it comes to feeding time--so she walks with Dolan.

"Damn nice morning," Andelena comments idly as the Daeusite pair walk into the temple dedicated to the Knight's daughter. "Maybe we ought to go out for brunch after this. Reckon I can finally give bacon another shot. I don't immediately think of naked bastards when I smell it being cooked."

Not exactly the best time to plan a meal, but that's Andelena's idea of small chat for you.

Skiel pulls his face up from the journal, dead silver eyes peer up and over the brim as it sounds like some folks are on a mission. A twinge of paranoia hits him, and he glances back to the sleeping room he emerged from. Damn, left his things in there.

But alas, such folks weren't looking to cause another massa-curse infestation. He perks up some, him tucking the journal under a shoulder as the shiny silverscale gives a wave in greeting. "Ah... hisss light upon you," he greets in a rumble, stepping towards the trio.

He glances to them all. "... do... you need sssomething? Thisss one just ssaw a seer going that way..." Skiel mumbles, pointing off with a too-long talon as his other hand fidgets with a red scale on his holy symbol.

"Easy roads," Barclaiigh greets with a grin. Yesterday was rough but he's been seen to and had a good night's sleep it would seem. He lifts a hand and waves, too. "Reckon y'got a few? We..." he glances over his shoulder and 'ahs!' pointing and waving at Dolan, too. His sausage fingers are covered in black druidic runes that glint silver when they catch the light. "Me'n th'other fella had another onn'a them... uh, 'encounters.' Wakin', this time."

"Howdy, miss!" Adds the dwarf, noticing the looming ginger chatting idly with the one-eyed inquisitor. He clears his throat and smiles a bit less as he looks around the temple and lowers his voice, "... dire stuff; like I said afore th'robuts."

"What do you think of when you smell bacon?" Dolan's singleminded purposes is disrupted by Andelena's small talk, and he turns his head towards the Sunguard, offering one of his grins at her. It fades, though, when Barclaiigh mentions the purpose for their visit. "Yeah. Waking dreams. Real enough that we came out with clawmarks." The gaze he levels at Skielstregar. "I've been digging into how that could happen, and someone said you'd been having visions about it. We're hoping you can help."

"You remember. The naked bastard covered in bacon grease I had to wrangle at that big fucking chicken farm--" Andelena shakes her head as she recalls the memory. It's not a shiver, more like a "please get that gods-damned memory out of my head or I'm going to smack my forehead against a wall" motion.

Then the Sunguard smiles at Barclaiigh and Skielstregar, getting back to the subject at hand. "Anyway, Barc, good to see you again--and Skielstregar, peace on your nest. I'm assisting Dolan here with all of this since he's asked me to, and frankly, I'm tired of seeing him get into scrapes without me around. So, let's chat about these visions."

Skielstregar looks like he's recovered since yesterday. Tired, yes, but not injured anymore from the repeated onslaught of multiple arcane darts. He tilts his head to the side. "... um, yess. Thisss one doesss have ssssome time. Really, all day."

The notion of dire straits makes him shift nervously, taloned feet clacking against the stone. Apparently more visions. Waking dreams.

He gives a little sigh, frozen breath spilling out of his nose as he flips open the tiny journal. "Thisss one would rather have bacon, to be honessst... but, erm, very well, let'sss chat..."

The pad of his thumb flicks pages across slowly. "... thisss one hass been having similar dreams. Though... it isss... different. Thisss one hass been dreaming of rossssesss. Rossse. Seesss. Bah. The pretty red flower. Too many ssss'sss. But that."

He reads his notes. For those that get a glimpse, he's flipping through many pages. Not because he wrote a lot, but because his letters are so large he can only fit a handful of words on a page before it spills over. "Black rossses- flowers. Dark bluesss. Ssssometimesss they're growing all over thisss one, trying to suffocate him-" he shudders at this- "Other timesss it'sss jusssst a random rossse where it really shouldn't be. Thisss one.. could have sssworn he sssmelled them when they woke up the other day."

"Many hands make fer light work," Barclaiigh greets Andelena with a nod to accept her help. He listens to Skielstregar with a frown, bushy eyebrows pressing together. He scratches at his beard. "Well, all'a them dreams what sucked me in were either 'bout chasin' down folk'n eatin'm or those... danged if I know-- visions? With the black wyrm'n the elf lady."

The dwarf turns in place, looking around before patting Skielstregar on the arm and pointing out one of the large rugs scattered with pillows. "Let's take a load off..." he suggests, walking over and dropping onto a big cushion with a clatter and a 'whuff!'

"So... them was gods, right? Folks said so. Maw-Grin'n..." he points at the pool and the perpetual moon's reflection there. "Maybe yer flowers're gods, too? Know lots'a roses... ain't knowin' much 'bout gods, though..." he puckers his lips in consternation.

Dolan looks for a moment over at Andie. "I just wanted to know what you think about instead of that. Maybe I should associate bacon to something else." A warm, affectionate grin holds a promise, but he turns back to Skielstregar readily enough. "Roses, huh. There were blue roses all over the tables in this dreamscape. I guess the rose is some kind of a symbol, yeah? I know a blue rose is Althea's symbol, if that keeps popping up, what's that got to do with this Nightmare person?" he muses, dropping chin into hand and tapping his foot. "The rose has got to be something's symbol. Somehow I don't think Althea's responsible for this."

Andelena looks thoughtful at the mention of roses. "I doubt it too," she says. "I mean, shit, every rose has its thorns... Dreams turn into nightmares, sometimes, right? It's... Some metaphorical bullshit. And evil likes to masquerade itself as beautiful stuff from time to time."

She gets an idea. "Mmm. Wonder if Phy's prophecy has any correlation." She fumbles around in her bag to retrieve the written prophecy. "We met with a little fey witch," she explains to Skielstregar and Barclaiigh, "who had something to say about all of it. A prophecy of sorts. Long story."

Skiel's brows pinch as he takes Barc's offer and sits down to listen close. "... perhapss it isss the Celestial Mother. Or Eluna that iss the blue, and the False Father is the black rossse."

He rubs his chin. "Thisss one... isssn't sure. You... do know part of the-" he lowers his voice to a quiet rumble "-part of the moon isss missing. Just a tiny piece. Right?"

The makari is thinking. Fidgeting with the pages of his journal. He glances to Andelena, then quietly groans. "... thisss one really hopesss fey isssn't involved with all thisss. Lassst time they had to deal with fey sssstuff..."

He lowly growls.

"Yeah. I know about it." Dolan had seen that all too clearly, and he frowns. "Could be. But why roses?"

Then Andelena mentions the prophecy. "Shit. You're right. That prophecy mentions roses. Can you quote it?"

The look Barclaiigh gives Skielstregar makes it clear that he wasn't aware. It also makes it clear that he'd be a terrible card player; his shock is plain as day. "Wait just a danged minute. How do y'mean, 'missin'?' How's somethin' like that go 'missin'?'

The Khazadi man is fighting with his breastplate now that he's sitting; the neckguard keeps pushing up and into his beard. He's rolling and readjusting pillows to get himself situated for a little bit.

"We got another token. Crackin'moth idol. This one we can't break. Put in some solid effort, too..." The dwarf considers Andelena at the mention of prophecy, then glances at Dolan. "Anyone ever get any info from that strange sprout we pulled outta the house covered'n werewolves? The witch."

Andelena gets her pad of notes out, which contains her copy of the prophecy. She begins to quote the witch's words:

"Two flowers mark her grave

Each as dark as death

As dark as her pale face

As his shadow was cast.

Two flowers mark her grave

Roses slowly bloom

The change it comes

To each and every man at last.

Two flowers mark her grave

Black and black they bloom

The danger of eternal dark

Comes upon us so fast.

Two flowers mark her grave

Upon this plane they ever-grow

There's no light, no light

The sky without her seems an endless vast."

Andelena finishes reciting and she sighs. "Yeah. Flowers sound to me like they're... pretty important. Question is, whose fucking grave are we talking about?"

Skiel blinks at Barclaiigh. "Thisss one iss not sure, but, and thisss one meansss thisss with all due respect: do not pull that idol out again. Thiss one doess not have the energy to deal with whatever bullshit happensss from that," he warns, jabbing a finger at Barclaiigh's pack.

The makari turns his attention towards Andelena. And he listens. Thinking. Making that simple brain work overtime.

Then, he blinks. And perks up. "... Eluna. Thisss one thinks... they are speaking of Eluna. The shadow was cast: the eclipse. Slowly blooming rossssesss? Ssspring time. Isss.... issss something elssse coming?"

"Yeah... I made a right fool'a m'self but I learned, mister," Barclaiigh sighs. "Th'big twigs've helped me more'n I can say fer whatever's comin'. Miss Shilde done work fer me, too." He shows up his tattooes, then taps the wooden Yggdrasil token. "But I ain't openin' no more doors fer whatever ett up Maw-Grin in that dream."

The dwarf sighs, heavily. "If 'his shadow' is--" he stops talking but mouths 'Garm' with a look around the temple-- "'n that means them werewolves poppin' up durin' th'eclipse... maybe 'luna's grave's wherever that part's missin' is?" He makes a point to keep his voice low. His twang helps to make his theories indecipherable. "That statue done fell on her in th'vision? Anythin' about that help make sense'a this?"

"Seems way too likely for my comfort." Dolan's foot continues to tap, once he is done listening to the prophecy, and then to Barclaiigh's comments. "The spell _nightmare_'s in there somewhere, and we saw that one bastard kill a werewolf with magic when I had him cornered, and run off. Just called him _the Nightmare_. I dunno about the statue, though. Something's trying to threaten Eluna, though. That much is obvious. Two flowers mark her grave. Black and black they bloom," he foot taps faster. "Still don't get the deal with the roses."

"I think we need to talk to... someone who knows more about Eluna," Andelena says, looking at Dolan and Skielstregar. "Because I'm sure as shit not getting the connection between the black roses and Her. Plus, they'd probably appreciate what seems to be a tip-off about harm coming to Her."

She squints for a moment. "Unless it's not about Eluna and it's about a servitor of some sort instead."

Skiel chuffs once towards Barc. "Good. Thisss one isss glad we won't have repeats."

He brows pinch. "... but that doesssn't make sssense if the False Father wantsss thiss to happen. He ssaid himssself it would harm everyone, even him. Thisss Nightmare or whatever is masking her light, and it'sss making werewolves pop up."

He closes his dead silver eyes. "... black and black they bloom. Perhapsss... more eventsss will unfold?"

He sighs, nodding slowly. "Thisss one agreess with you. We should speak with sssomeone. Perhapss it isss... one of Eluna'sss angelsss? Thisss one doess not know. They are not wisened enough outside of basic teachingsss."

"The Gods of Darkness fight among themselves. Sounds like evil." Dolan's human gaze is faraway, and he taptaptaps his foot still. "Yeah, we probably should talk to one of the Seers. If nothing else, they'll want the warning. I was always more about the Knight, didn't pay a lot of attention to that part." He looks up and grins sheepishly at the pair, his foot slowing. "Some idea of what black roses mean would be useful. Or dark blue."

Andelena smirks. "One of the greatest mercies life can give us is that evil is not always so coordinated. Easier to divide and conquer that way, as the saying goes. It's why us Daeusites should always keep together--and to help other followers of the Gods of Light where we can. Good united will always triumph over evil divided."

She puts her prophecy away and looks between the trio. "Well, since we've come to acknowledge we're pretty fucking lost... I think that sounds like a good occasion for brunch. No use bashing our heads against a wall until we can find someone who might be able to help us. And I'm fucking hungry. Skielstregar, you want to come, too?" It's a polite offer.

Skielstregar nods slowly, him slowly rising to his feet. "Yess. Divide. Conquer. That isss why the light isss stronger together."

He lightly chuckles and shakes his head. "Sappy thingsss asside, thiss one agrees. We need more learned folk to poke their brain."

He blinks, then grins some, showing off gnarly fangs on accident. "... yesss. Thisss one will join you both. Let thiss one get their thingsss."

Unknowingly, he hums happily. "... bacon sounds good."

-End Scene-