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Post by Tatalia on Jan 10, 2024 20:04:43 GMT -5
It was the morning sun cresting the horizon that first woke Tatalia. She scrunched her eyes more tightly closed and groaned, shifting in her hammock irritably and turning her head away from the light. The hammock swayed ever so slightly as she moved, and she found herself growing comfortable again... if a little chilly. Even in the desert the winter winds had a frosty air to them.
Sighing softly, the goblin reached about for a blanket, but could find one. Eventually, though, she clasped her hand about something - a pillow? It felt a bit odd, and it was sort of tube-like in shape. What was the word for that... tubular? Well, yes, but that carried other connotations due to slang, so, no. What about... tubiform? Yes, the object was tubiform and comfortingly warm. She wrapped it around her face. It smelled strange, like the road, the desert, and fields of grass with just the slightest hint of some sort of spicy perfume...
Wait. Perfume? Tatalia wondered. She opened her eyes.
Tatalia had not wrapped herself in a pillow, but in someone else's arm. Realization struck like a thunderbolt.
"OH!" the poor goblin cried, flailing and rolling out of the hammock.
Tatalia collapsed face first into the grass of the Oasis below, getting a nose full of dirt in the process. The scholar sputtered, rolled over, stood up, and brushed herself off in a series of inelegant motions that were done in a robotic, confused manner. Only then did she start to assess the situation.
Firstly, the goblin was fully clothed. That was good! That was good, yes. That meant nothing had happened. Second, the hammock- yes, there it was- it had Elvira in it. So, they'd gone to lie down in the hammock together; that... yes, that tracked...
"Stop worrying about that!" Tatalia muttered to herself as her cheeks flushed with color. She smacked those offensive colors away with her hands, shook her head rapidly, and focused again.
It was early morning. It was windy but the sky was clear. Tatalia's backpack and various supplies were in place, as was the remainder of her gear. Good! And Elvira's gear was all accounted for, too... also good! Yes, everything was in order, and most importantly Elvira was still sound asleep. Somehow, Tatalia's panicked movements had not woken her up. The goblin breathed a sigh of relief.
The flustered explorer decided to waste no more time. There was a whole day ahead of her, after all! So, the embarrassed goblin started gathering some supplies to make a small campfire, take a couple eggs from a bird's nest, gathered some cactus fruit, and start cooking breakfast in a pan.
It wasn't the most glamorous of breakfasts, to be fair. Tatalia had some bread, some butter, the eggs, some mushrooms and some cheese. She also had some salt and pepper and a couple herbs, and after a long debate she decided to make a cheesy mushroom omelet with some buttered bread and cactus fruits on the side. It was a fairly balanced breakfast!
Cooking the meal didn't take too long. Tatalia wasn't sure when Elvira would wake up, so she covered the pan to keep the heat in and put out the fire. Then she climbed up a tree, sat down on a branch, pulled out her map and began to review her notes.
The entire reason she had asked Elvira to meet her at the Oasis originally was because there was a sunken ruin off the coast of the Zeinav desert she wanted to explore. According to the book she'd copied the map from, the ruin had something to do with the Mystical Archive. Perhaps it was once a secret mage's laboratory or some sort of library? It was hard to tell exactly. Nevertheless, if they could find the old ruin, they could... hmm...
Tatalia was very focused on her map. She didn't really register what was happening in the world around her.
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Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Jan 11, 2024 2:53:45 GMT -5
The smell was what began the process of waking up for the cleric. She gently stirred in the hammock for a moment before taking a large stretch and finally opening her eyes. She looked to where the goblin once lay and her heart froze. "Nuuta,"1 she said with a sober tone to her voice. "Did I... did I scare her off?"
As she rolls out of the hammock with a practiced grace, however, the feeling fades. Spotting the food, she looks around for her lover, spotting her in the tree. Tilting her head, crossing her arms, and shifts her weight with a smile. "Vanë cálë, vanimanya melissë!"2 Her voice was perhaps the most excited it had been since Tatalia had first met her. It was as if the weight of the world had been lifted off of her shoulders for the first time. This didn't last too long, however, as her brain had finally processed the smell.
Eggs...
Her expression dropped quickly and she whipped around to see the cookware on the fire. She wasn't mad, she was simply horrified. She could not blame Tatalia, nor did she feel as if she wanted to, but her mind was still completely thrown off regardless. Not wanting to be rude, however, she did grab enough fruits and buttered bread for the two of them and climbed the tree to sit next to the goblin. Placing a slice of buttered bread in Tatalia's lap, she wrapped an arm around the goblin's back and looked to the map. "Another adventure, melissënya?3 I suppose there's no rest for the wicked, eh? Talk to me, arasha."4
1. "Damn" 2. "Fair morning, my beautiful lover!" 3. "My lover" 4. "My happiness" - Elvish term of endearment
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Post by Tatalia on Jan 11, 2024 3:14:00 GMT -5
"Hm?" Tatalia peered up at Elvira, a smile growing on her lips as the priestess wrapped her arm around her. The goblin let out a little giggly snort, then her her head lean against the elf.
"Good morning to you, too, my moon and stars," replied the goblin groggily. She stifled a yawn, then found herself staring down at the map again. "Mm... Yes, well... I wouldn't count myself among the wicked, per se, but the next mystery is always just around the corner, isn't it? This one in particular could be important...
"The Mage's Guild has access to some of the best libraries on all of Charon, you see," Tatalia began, looking up from her map to smile at Elvira once again. "And they can be rather exclusive at the best of times. However, it just so happens they're doing research on this mysterious storage space called the 'Mystical Archive,' and anyone that can get concrete information on it can gain entry to their esteemed organization.
"And wouldn't you know it," the goblin finished, her smile growing just a teensy bit more sly and playful, "but I happen to have it on very good authority that the ruins depicted on this map concern the very archive in question?"
Letting out a contented sigh, Tatalia picked up the buttery bread off her lap and took a few quick bites, her sharp teeth tearing through it like it was- well, like it was... butter. Fancy that.
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Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Jan 11, 2024 5:03:50 GMT -5
The moment Tatalia rested her head upon Elvira, the elf blushed a deep red. Her mind had begun to tell her that last night was a fluke, that the goblin didn't actually care. This small, caring gesture was enough to tear apart these anxious theories.
Then came those sweet words...
"Good morning to you, too, my moon and stars." My word, did that elf swoon. She was at a total loss for words. You see, for her, those were perhaps the most loving words one could say to another. In fact, she worshipped the moon and the stars, and here comes this adorable being who calls her that after the first night! Elvira has just had her world absolutely rocked by this girl seated next to her. The moment those words were uttered, she gasped ever so softly and looked down to the goblin with a shocked expression. She barely comprehended the rest of what Tatalia had said. Her mind was a total mess, filled to the brim with racing thoughts.
Luckily, she was able to pull herself together, though still blushing the deepest red that her body could possibly manage. As she spoke, her usually smooth and confident demeanor was missing in action, replaced by a shy and pensive one. "W-Well, we definitely sh-shouldn't wait for someone else to find it. I-I'll get the supplies ready."
After dropping out of the tree, she took down the hammock and tarp, rolled them into the bag, and placed the foods in containers for preservation. Within a few minutes, the flustered cleric had covered up nearly every sign that they had been in the area. Glancing up to the goblin, she gave a shy smile and held out her arms once more, just as she had last night. "Need a soft landing, arasha?"
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Post by Tatalia on Jan 11, 2024 6:33:28 GMT -5
Tatalia didn't need a second invitation. Nervous though she still was about her relationship with the cleric, the goblin always did enjoy having an excuse to jump, not to mention an excuse to be caught in some tall and beautiful person's arms.
Oh, dear, Tatalia realized, quietly as she fell toward Elvira. Do I have a type? Do I just like tall people?
There wasn't much time to ponder that, though, as the goblin find herself caught by Elvira's pale hands. The goblin cracked a grin across at the elf. She met the elf's eyes with her own animal-like gaze, and her smile curled up her lips...
...and then she remembered they were supposed to be working! Yes, right. The adveture!
"Ah- down, please?" Tatalia asked, her grin becoming sheepish. Eventually, her feet found their way onto the grass, and the goblin marched over toward her backpack, packing up for the journey. She did, however, stop and realize that Elvira hadn't touched her omelet. Deciding the elf probably just wasn't hungry, Tatalia quietly stuffed her mouth full of the delicious mushroom filled treat. She would have kept it in her mouth a little while longer to savor the flavor, but instead she chewed it up rapidly and swallowed it so she could get the nutrients and still find time to speak.
"Right! We've got a journey ahead of us!" the goblin declared, sliding her backpack on and holding the map up. "Here! It's just a trek down to the shoreline, barely a hop, skip, and a jump away! Yes, there's some desert between us and there, but I've packed extra water and food supplies for exactly this occasion, and with my magic bottle of wonders I can even speed up our journey!"
Deciding it was time to demonstrate, Tatalia reached for a little vial of glowing black liquid she had kept tucked into a hidden place in her waist sash. It seemed to glow with starlight, so strange was the stuff inside.1 Eagerly, Tatalia beckoned the elf forward.
"Would you like to fly, Elvira?" she asked her with an excited vibrato in her voice. "I promise, it'll be fun! Though I'll admit, I'm not used to this particular spell..."
1. Bottled Stars
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Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Jan 11, 2024 22:47:26 GMT -5
As the goblin gracefully fell into her arms and caught her gaze, she couldn't help but to smile. The beauty behind those eyes, the soft cheeks, the warm smile. Goodness, their faces were so close that it wouldn't take but a small gesture to...
"Ah- down, please?" "O-Oh! Uhmm, yeah, sorry. I-I was lost in those beautiful eyes of yours." With a soft chuckle, she carefully placed her green-skinned lover down in the grass. Of course, to Elvira's horror, Tatalia immediately ran over and consumed the unborn children of a poor avian family stuffed the egg and mushroom omelet into her mouth. The adopted child of Charon's Mother Crow couldn't help but look away, the horrifying thoughts of Rena's unborn children being cooked after all the work the two had done to protect them from being damaged by the horrors of the outside world. It was simply too much, and the thought alone made Elvira sick. She would die to protect those eggs. Now she couldn't help but imagine what the bird would think once it returned to its nest to find the eggs lost with no sign as to what had happened.
Luckily the horrifying sight didn't last long, as the adorable little adventurer spoke up with that signature passion in her voice. Elvira was slightly confused as to what she was implying with the bottle, until those last words. "Would you like to fly, Elvira? I promise, it'll be fun! Though I'll admit, I'm not used to this particular spell..."
With a smile, she steps up next to the goblin. "I was confused, but now I get the distinct feeling that I should be concerned. However, I trust you. Let's fly, arasha!"
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Post by Tatalia on Jan 12, 2024 2:13:08 GMT -5
Tatalia had unwittingly caused Elvira some egg related trauma, but she didn't know that at all. The goblin was too excited to notice!
This is your chance, Tatalia! she told herself. You can finally, truly impress your... lover? Paramour? Girlfriend? Oh, whatever this whole situation is! Use some pizazz!
Oh, Tatalia intended to use pizazz. She uncorked the bottle in her hand, took the tiniest sip - just a few droplets, nothing more - and corked it once more. And then Tatalia tucked the bottle away, closed her eyes, and chanted a spell in an arcane tongue.
White light spilled out from Tatalia's fingertips, flowing up her arms, etching runes on her skin that were visible beneath her sleeves. They rolled down her back and up her neck, and when they reached her face, her eyes snapped open with a golden glow. All at once, a rush of energy burst forth, and golden bird wings spread out from Tatalia's back, huge and powerful...1 enough that they made the goblin look even tinier.
The ever resourceful explorer, her eyes still glowing with that golden light, set her hands on her hips and grinned across at Elvira.
"So! How about it?" she said to her. "Not my usual aesthetic, is it? But trust me, I researched spells a lot before picking one I thought would work! The potion's magic will only last for a few hours, but that should be time enough for us to get to the coast."
The goblin crouched down, then leapt up with the aid of her magic boots, gaining sufficient altitude to fly immediately.2 She soared in the air for several seconds before swooping down in front of Elvira and hovering there with huge flaps of her celestial wings.
"So! I, uh, will have to carry you, obviously!" the explorer began, flashing her sharp teeth. She looked and sounded nervous yet again. "But, um, you can't exactly ride on my back given our size difference and all. So, ah... Do you mind if I pick you up?"
1. Divine Ascent (Bottled Stars); 2. Hoppers
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Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Jan 12, 2024 3:46:05 GMT -5
Elvira watched with an uneasy tension as her new girlfriend began to transform right before her very eyes. Taking a few steps back, she internally prepared for the worst and began to think of which spell she would need to use in case her worst fears came true right before her eyes. Luckily, she would be spared of having to slay her lover as a pair of radiant, golden wings flapped and fluttered in the air before her. Her eyes went wide as the wings sprouted from the goblin, and wider upon seeing the state of her lover. It was... it was gorgeous. Tatalia didn't seem to think so, however. "Not my usual aesthetic, is it?" Elvira gave her a playful pout as she re-approached the shorter woman. Once Tatalia swooped in, she tilted her head and placed her hands on her hips in a playful disappointment. "Are you saying my taste is sub-par, Tatalia? I rather think that... well..." She pauses to gently lift Tatalia's chin with her right hand and brought her face dangerously close. "I rather think you are stunning, and nothing in this world is capable of changing that. Understood?" She quickly released Tatalia and booped her nose. "As for your invitation, how could I decline a moment in the prettiest girl's arms? That would be silly of me, wouldn't it? Go on, melissënya."1
It only takes a few minutes for the two to reach the shores of the Sun Scorched Coast, much to the delight of Elvira, who had been secretly terrified of the height and speed they had flown at. While she was adopted by a crow, she certainly wasn't a flighted child of said crow. The moment her feet touched the scorching sands, she let out a soft sigh of relief. Understanding the importance of what Tatalia had done, however, she was not about to let her lover think it went unappreciated. The cleric's hand once more gently lifted the goblin's chin, this time caressing her cheek gently. "Thank you, dearie, you certainly are full of pleasant surprises. I can't wait to unravel all your mysteries~"
Releasing Tatalia's chin, she winced and her hand went to her stomach. "Now, for this Archive, why don't you lead the way while I fight off the flight sickness?"
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Post by Tatalia on Jan 12, 2024 10:13:12 GMT -5
Tatalia could do little more than sputter helplessly at Elvira's very touchy show of affection. She was, as per usual, caught entirely off guard by the forwardness her paramour (yes, she was going to stick with that word!). The elf was so very direct and... physical. Maybe that was just something she'd have to get used to?
The tap to her nose, however, just made Tatalia feel like she was being treated like a child. She didn't say so much, nor did she show it. Instead, she smiled through the sensation, knowing that Elvira didn't mean to cause her any discontent. She was doing her best!
"Well, I'm afraid I can't be the prettiest girl," Tatalia replied to Elvira's flattery just after kicking off into the air and had time to find her confidence again. "My guiding light, that title belongs to you!"
It didn't take too long before the pair arrived at their destination. Tatalia was briefly flustered again by Elvira's gentle gestures, but she focused herself by taking a deep, deeeeeep breath, then reaching out and offering her hand to the elf.
"Lead the way I shall!" the goblin declared cheerily. "We'll power walk through that sickness in your stomach and wash the pain away with the magic of discovery! And also of magic."
Tatalia eagerly led the way, trying every now and then to be just a bit more physical as the pair climbed down steep rock formations and along a cliff face to get to the shoreline proper. She tried here and there to take Elvira by the hand, or to steady her along particularly difficult paths (not that Elvira needed much steadying, but Tatalia's unique talents1,2 made her very good at handling rough terrain).
Eventually, however, the fun had to end as the pair reached the most serious part of the journey: the shore itself. And instead of looking toward some hidden place in the rocks or turning to some cave or old structure, Tatalia... looked to the water.
"The ruin is half sunken, you must understand, and a lot of damage has been dealt to it from time according to the books I've read. There's an entrance on the surface that can only be activated from down below," Tatalia continued, grinning back at Elvira as she approached the shoreline. "Below the surface of the water, I mean! I'll swim down, activate it, and the secret door should slide right open!
"Just... try not to get into any trouble while I'm down there!" Tatalia's eyebrows rose up, and she glanced back toward the water. "It'll only take about forty five seconds for me to get to the surface again, but this place is supposed to be dangerous, so if anything awful comes out... just be ready to protect yourself. I'll be back in a blink!"
And with that, Tatalia leapt into the water.
1. Surface Scaling; 2. Spider Silk Tattoo
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Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Jan 13, 2024 22:13:25 GMT -5
The elf happily took Tatalia's hand, a warm smile filling her lips with each moment of contact. Climbing over rock formations hidden by the dunes, ocassionally tripping on branches from long-dead plants poking out of the sand, the couple eventually had finally found themselves on the moist sands of the shores. Tatalia mentioned diving into the water, much to the dismay of the elf. Before she could speak up, however, the goblin leaped in the water. Elvira shifted uncomfortably, horrid thoughts of what might complicate Tatalia's journey to the underwater enterance. Her anxiety rose with every passing second that the her lover was out of sight. It wasn't but 20 seconds until the surface entrance made itself known, an incredible feat of magic and ancient engineering causing water to displace itself and split open a section of the sea. As Elvira stared in marvel, however, something shifted inside her. A sudden madness began to overtake her mind as eldritch whispers began to fill her ears. She looked around, attempting to fight it off as much as she could. Her hands shot up to cover her ears, but she still heard the whispers. A deep growling releases itself from her throat as she begins to fall victim to the fog of the maddening whispers that took over her thoughts. "Trust no intimate beings. Those close by formulate plans to drive steeled blades through the throat of the admirer. Let the blood of the liar spill on the silken sands beneath the your feet, child, lest the soul of the lover be lost to time. Do not lie to yourself, Elvira. You know it to be true. You know it to be true." The moment Tatalia returned from her venture into the water, Elvira blacked out. She was suddenly a vessel of madness, darkness evident in the normally caring blue eyes. Before Tatalia could speak, the elf's right hand began to fill with darkness. As this darkness formed itself into a deadly, razor sharp set of claws, Elvira Notvira wasted no time in charging directly towards the goblin. As she charged, Tatalia would notice a sort of sadness and fear hidden behind the darkness that took over her paramour's face.
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Post by Tatalia on Jan 14, 2024 2:12:27 GMT -5
Frothy waters parted as Tatalia reached the surface, taking one quick gasp for air. She was glad to finally return to the sandy shore and the bright sun up above. Underwater diving was not her forte!
"Well, that wasn't the most fun dip I've ever taken!" Tatalia declared with a laugh, wringing her hair out as she waded out of the water and onto the beach. "Turning that winch below water took me a little longer than I expected. Still, I'm glad we're... together... again...?"
Tatalia's words died on her lips. She was still wringing her hair out when she saw the priestess again. Something about her seemed... different.
"Elvira?" Tatalia said her lover's name with a worried tone. "Is... is everything alright?"
But Elvira did not answer, not with words. Shadowy claws appeared over her hands, and Tatalia became very aware of the elf's aggressive stance. The worried adventurer flicked a glance up toward Elvira's eyes, and she thought she saw... fear? But it was hard to guess more because the black haired moon priestess started rushing at her with deadly intent.
Tatalia had never seen Elvira fight before, and she was caught off guard by the elf's swiftness and dexterity. Tatalia barely dived out of the way of the first swing, and the second actually clipped her slightly in the arm. Tatalia normally would have been able to protect herself from such attacks, maybe, but how could she? Her instincts told her to draw her weapon! She wasn't going to do that against a friend, let alone someone she cared about so deeply as Elvira! Even used in defense only, that was too much risk for Tatalia's conscience!
So, Tatalia ran. She leapt away at first with her enchanted boots,1 putting distance between herself and Elvira. But she knew that would only buy her so much time; the elf had a bow and was hunting her like she was possessed. No, Tatalia couldn't just run. She had to disable Elvira safely.
Thankfully, Tatalia always had a clever solution for her problems.
The first step was to chug a little potion Tatalia kept tucked up her sleeve for emergencies: an elixir of haste! The goblin gulped down its contents, and immediately she felt a surge of strength jolt through her limbs, like she suddenly had limitless energy.2 Good! She'd need it. Speed and precision were the keys to settling the matter harmlessly.
Tatalia ran from Elvira, but she was careful not to let her get so far away that she'd want to use her bow. It wasn't too difficult; the quick thinking thief's magical boots and potion gave her an impressive mobility advantage, letting her keep Elvira at just the distance she wanted to. The goblin, meanwhile, started fashioning a knotted loop with her rope,3 one she could tighten with one quick tug. She'd only have one chance to use it, and she had to do it right.
The speedy scholar finished making her rope. The plan was ready. All that was left was to keep Elvira swinging at her long enough for an opportunity to open up, and Tatalia could reveal her trap!
1. Hoppers; 2. Quick Speed Potion; 3. Rope
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Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Jan 14, 2024 10:40:59 GMT -5
Internally, Elvira was screaming. She felt trapped in her own mind and body, as if she were stuck in a dream she could not wake up from. Unfortunately, it was a horrifying reality that her body was being controlled by some arcane magic, one that she seemed to be unable to fend off. Still, she fought and clawed away at her own mind, willing herself to break free.
While she didn't break free, there were obvious external effects of her internal battle. The fear and sorrow of watching her body being used as a vessel to harm her lover manifested itself in a stream of tears flowing out of her eyes and down her face. Sadly, this was the only external manifestation of her battle as a beam of light began to form in her hand. She throws this beam, which streaks towards the left side of Tatalia's lower back and crackles with a radiant energy while grows in size. After she throws this, she seems to push harder and harder to catch up to the goblin yet this was to no avail. Tatalia's speed was simply too much, even for a vessel form of the elf.
Suddenly, another sign. Her hands shot up to her ears as she let out a growl. Her head shook violently before she looked back up, the darkness having slightly faded. This only lasted for a moment, though, as she charged up and released a violent death wave with an enraged scream. The sands around her roared with a black fire, rapidly extending outwards and burning anything organic.
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Post by Tatalia on Jan 15, 2024 3:25:43 GMT -5
A blast of energy shot out from behind Tatalia. She heard it before she saw it,1 and the goblin was able to prepare accordingly!
The clever thief reacted to her friend's attack by gripping her sheathed sword by the hilt with her left hand, keeping her right hand firmly attached to the rope loop she'd made. She didn't need to draw the sword, though; no, Tatalia only needed its magic. With a whispered command word, Tatalia dashed just out of the way of the necrotic beam with supernatural speed.2 She still had the greater mobility between herself and Elvira!
But that was not Elvira's only attempt to kill Tatalia. A scream rose into the air, and the goblin, alarmed at her lover's pain, turned her head quickly to see what was wrong. That's when she saw Elvira clutching her head and releasing a massive wave of dark magic that burst all around her. And Tatalia was in the blast zone!
There wasn't time to think. Tatalia snapped her arm forward and released a web out of her wrist toward a nearby tree.3 It struck; she pulled herself towards it; and then the quick thinking escape artist released the cord from her wrist, launching herself as if from a catapult into the air away from the blast. Tatalia landed, rolled across the ground, then skid until she was in a crouched position facing Elvira.
I can't keep this up forever! the goblin thought to herself. This has to end now!
With a deep breath, Tatalia rushed straight at Elvira, then leapt into the air above the withered flora on the shoreline left in the wake of Elvira's magic.4 She dropped down at Elvira with her rope held high... and then disappeared in a flash of magic!5
"I'm sorry, moon and stars," Tatalia whispered as she reappeared behind Elvira, crashing towards Elvira's back with her feet while trying to use her magically displaced rope6 to bind Elvira's arms together before she could react!
1. Tracker Extraordinaire; 2. Dash Enchantment (Short Sword); 3. Spider Silk Tattoo; 4. Hoppers; 5. Blink; 6. Rope
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Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Jan 17, 2024 3:12:57 GMT -5
As Elvira was knocked to the sands, she went silent and limp. She did not fight being tied up, nor did she move in general. In fact, she moved so little it almost seemed like she was dead!
Suddenly, she woke up quickly and began to squirm in a full-blown panic! "Nuuta! Nuuta!1 Tatalia!" She threw her head back to lower the hood that had been blocking her vision and looked up to see her lover standing above her. This caused her to quickly calm down, allowing for a sense of relief to wash over her. "Oh, thank the stars you're alright, arasha.2 I thought I had to witness..." She shook her head and sat up with ease. With her hands still tied together and restricting any movement, she blushed. "I didn't know you thought of me that way~ Mind releasing me, though? You don't have to, of course. Surprisingly comfortable, these ropes are~"
Having likely embarrassed the goblin, she decided now was a good time to pivot to the elephant in the room. "I-I have no clue what happened, melissënya.3 I heard these whispers and slowly seemed to just... lose control. I feel that a bit of dark magic was involved, but... I don't know. I'm sorry, Tatalia. I would never wish to hurt you. It was like I was a prisoner in my own body, watching as someone else controlled it and tried to cause you harm." At this point, she had tears running down her face. "I-I... I could really use a hug once you untangle me. I suppose we should move to the Archive soon, too. Whoever casted that obviously saw the opening. Probably used me as a jukettië4 distraction." The last sentence was said with an unusual amount of venom for her. She exhaled heavily, her face red with fury. "I promise, they will not get away with that, arasha. On Lunala, I swear."
1. "Damn! Damn!" 2. "My happiness" 3. "My love" 4. "F---ing"
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Post by Tatalia on Jan 18, 2024 6:04:46 GMT -5
Really, poor Tatalia was more confused than she was embarrassed. She stared down at the rope bound elf as the priestess made her joke, and the goblin - still consumed with worry, still shaking off adrenaline, and somehow the more innocent of the two parties - could only ask with complete and utter sincerity:
"See you in... what way? Romantically? Erm- these ropes are comfortable?"
Thankfully, the elf freed Tatalia from her confusion by asking to be released, and the highly educated goblin who was apparently entirely uneducated on specific matters was more than happy to acquiesce. She was incredulous about the idea that the ropes were at all comfortable, anyway. Tatalia untied the elf and pulled her into a quick, strong hug, heaving out a few relieved sobs.
"Don't worry about the Archive's secrets, Elvira! What matters- what matters is that you're safe. Our pursuit can wait until you're fully recovered. Take your time. Take all the time you need."
And Tatalia meant it. Yes, someone had gotten away with valuable information, something that undoubtedly was important to her, but that could wait. And not only could it wait, but... Tatalia knew she could track down the culprits. And she would track them down. Tatalia wasn't going to let them work mind controlling magic on the people she cared about. There was retribution to be had, and it was probably going to be shaped like several illegal explosives.
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