tushanshu_logs | palace infiltration is go.

Entry tags:

palace infiltration is go.

Characters: Charles Xavier, Dorian Grey, Nathan Drake, Lina Inverse, Lois Lane, Morwen
Date: January 22nd
Location: The palace
Situation: Our intrepid band of heroes sneaks stealthily into the Emperor's treasure room...
Warnings/Rating: None yet, will add if necessary. Headers to follow!

[The Emperor's Palace is an unending labyrinth of white walls and silence. Both are eerie in and of themselves, but even footfalls go unnoticed here. Touching a doorway will see you transported to another area immediately, but even that is more of the same.

The white marble, the granite. There is nothing to identify the corridors, no one met along them. There is no sense of being on the first floor or the fiftieth. Time seems to slow to an imperceptible crawl, and speaking aloud produces no echoes, only the faintest of whispers.

Sometimes, you will enter into a small room. These rooms are often lavish, with small cascading waterfalls that pool in a carved-marble tub. They have beds, desks, a wardrobe, but no windows. You might find another wanderer there, or you may be yet alone.

Slowly, inexorably, you are stumbling your way towards the treasure room.]

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[Perhaps this is the first person you've seen in what feels like hours. Call to them?]

[ Lina's been wandering through the halls, keeping a light spell ready wherever she might need it. She's being wary for traps, because dammit, places like this are always booby trapped. Still, she's a little giddy, because it's the palace, and how did she get this lucky, anyway? The place has to be loaded with valuable information and artifacts.

But it's just plain creepy in these empty halls, and she doesn't like the way her shoes barely make any noise, and she's having an extraordinarily hard time keeping track of where she's already been. She'd kill for a map right now. ]

[Two redheaded magicians walk into a palace...

Morwen is skimming along on her broom, sitting side-saddle and cruising sedately down the halls with her head at normal standing height (so about six inches farther above the ground than she's used to.) When she sees Lina, she murmurs something and the broom glides to a halt, but she stays mounted.]

Hello.

Edited 2013-01-25 04:01 (UTC)

[ Lina knows a sorceress when she sees one, of course, but...her choice of transportation seems a little weird. Lina raises an eyebrow, hands on hips. ]

Uh, what's with the broom, lady?

[Natural curiosity, perhaps some would term it nosiness, had lead Charles straight into the Palace when it had become obvious that no one was going to stop him. He'd been curious at the Palace and about its inhabitants since he first arrived on the turtle but as he had been advised back in the beginning, no one seemed particularly inclined to answer his questions.

Now, he had a chance to investigate! Granted the circumstances were perhaps not the best but he was about to let that stop him, especially when he might be able to find someone to inquire with as to their situation, both current and over all.

However, no matter how far he walked along, there was ... no one. It was eerie and even lifting his fingers to his temple and casting about lightly with his mind, he could not pinpoint any singular available mind to touch or call out too.

Vague hints, perhaps but no one specific. Still, that did not keep him from trying.]

Hello? Is there anyone here?

[Telepathy isn't entirely unheard of where Morwen's from. Nor is it common, so a clear voice in her mind that isn't her own causes her to signal her broom to stop smoothly in the empty hallway. She sits for a moment, feet dangling above the marble floors as her broom waits patiently for her to make up her mind. Which doesn't take long.]

Yes?

[While she has no hint of natural telepathic talent, Morwen's mind is disciplined, and her reply is as about as clear and strong as possible for a non-psychic.]

[This place almost seems to invite you to stop and stay awhile. Doesn't that bed look comfortable? Isn't that bath the perfect temperature? It would be almost rude to turn away now, when everything has been prepared so nicely.

Surely if you only stay a short time... no one will miss you, right?]

[The treasure room is monolithic in size and scope, and nearly everything in it glitters. There are stacks of coins and items of worth and note, fountains inlaid with gold and pearls with coins lining the bottom, a solid golden dragon snakes across the ceiling, set with rubies and emeralds.

It seems to be staring at you, and its eyes will follow you everywhere within the room.]

[So Dorian is wandering the treasure room, and if you want to know whether or not Dorian likes shiny things, I would refer you to what are commonly called "The Shopping List Chapters" of The Picture of Dorian Gray. But he's reckless and arrogant, not outright stupid. He keeps his hands to himself, tries to take in everything, for the beauty of it. Indeed, there is a moment, in that middle of the room, where Dorian just sighs at the majesty. It's truly gorgeous.]

[But there is a carpet. And it's... behaving a little oddly. It has been following him this whole time. Every time he looks back, it stays perfectly still, in a manner perhaps reminiscent of certain Disney movies.]

[And now that carpet has decided that Dorian's stillness offers the perfect chance to throw itself around his shoulders, that brilliant motif cloaking him in its surprising warmth.]

[So of course Dorian shouts in surprise and throws up his arms to shake off whatever just grabbed him. The carpet fleets to behind a stack of coins, shyly peeking out, and Dorian stares.]

What the Hell?

[ Lina's finally made her way to the treasure room, and...damn it, there's somebody already here! Man, she really wanted first dibs on this stuff. Still, there's plenty to go around, and while the other guy's distracted, Lina is surreptitiously stuffing fistfuls of jewels and gold into the hidden pockets in her cloak. Man, she is going to be so rich. SO RICH.

Which is all well and fine, except that the guy's suddenly yelling and Lina turns to see what all the fuss is about, and then...is that rug moving? Yeah, it definitely moved. So...magic, right?

Lina's eyebrows go way up, and she comes a little closer to Dorian, though her eyes are fixed on what she can see of the moving carpet. ]

What the hell? Who would enchant a rug?

[Dorian doesn't take his eyes off of the carpet, but he acknowledges Lina by stepping a bit closer to her, so he can speak without his voice needing to carry.] Who would enchant it to be overly affectionate?

[Oh. Oh, it looks sad now. How does a carpet look sad?]

. . . Is it just me, or does it look . . . hurt. Emotionally wounded. [It's a carpet!]

[ Lina rolls her eyes and scoffs a little. God, this kind of stuff is only ever made by creepy old sorcerers who've shut themselves away from civilization for too long. ]

Oh, give me a break! It's a rug, it doesn't have --

[ And as Lina turns to look at the magic carpet, as if to prove her point, she stops short, just staring at how sad and dejected it looks, cowering away from them. Oh god no why does it look so sad? This is terrible. And now it's a little freaky. ]

Uhh... um... how does it even do that without a face?!

I don't know! [He didn't sign up for this! He glances at Lina. What do they do.] Maybe if we invite it over.

[Come on, Dorian. It's not cursed wallpaper. It is probably the least dangerous supernatural thing you have ever met.]

[So Dorian extends a hand to the carpet.]

Hello? Did you want to talk to us? [under his breath] Because of course carpets usually want to talk.

[The carpet lowers all the way to the floor, as if unsure. Then it scutters over to them, hamsterlike, stopping a few feet away. Like it is scared of rejection.]

Edited 2013-01-25 00:11 (UTC)

[ Lina inches a little closer to Dorian, making sure to keep close by -- okay, she's technically standing behind him, because the carpet looks innocuous enough, but you can never trust looks, can you?

Lina lifts one hand, a little shimmering globe of light appearing in the palm -- a half-formed fireball spell, just in case. ]

Yeah, get talking, tasselhead! And don't even think about doing anything funny, you hear? One wrong move and I'll blast you into ashes!

Woah! [What the hell, Lina! Even Dorian is alarmed by an unexpected spell forming. As the flammable direct object of the threat, the carpet races back behind the coinstacks and cowers.]

I think it's harmless. Could you put that... whatever that globe is away? I'm sure you'll be able to incinerate it quickly enough if it tries to attack us.

[ She doesn't look happy about it, but she lets the half-formed spell fade away. ]

Fine, fine. Don't come crying to me if that thing gets a good hit in, though.

[ She edges a little closer behind Dorian. She's totally not hiding behind him, nope. ]

What does it want?

I promise to keep my tears to myself.

[Dorian moves in front of Lina (not that she's hiding behind him) and holds his hand out to the carpet once more.]

Come on, she won't hurt you. She's really very nice. [He glances back at her. He's assuming she's very nice on very questionable evidence, but hey.] Just let us see what you want.

[And slowly, with that same scuttling motion, the carpet makes its way across over to them. It seems to look between Dorian and Lina behind him (Dorian gives Lina a "how is it even looking at us?" glance) and then wraps itself around Dorian's shoulders, as it had before.]

Uh . . .

Do you think it wants company?

[ Want? Want? It's a cheap rug! Even if it could want something, who cares? Not Lina Inverse, that's for sure. She takes a few steps back, shaking her head with a thin laugh. ]

Uh, well...if it does, I think you've got that covered.

[ And now that they've established the creepy carpet golem as not being much of a threat, Lina lets her attention wander back to what she'd been focused on before the carpet came to life -- a brilliantly polished golden helmet sitting neatly atop a pile of jewels. There's tons of stuff in here with value, but Lina knows a rare, precious item when she sees it, and she practically hops over to it as she picks it up. ]

Now this -- this is more my style!

[Dorian tries to get it to get off his shoulders, but it seems to be very comfortable. He pauses his battle with over-affectionate carpets to stare at Lina going after the treasure.]

It's very pretty, but I don't now if it's the right size for you.

[ oh Dorian you just CRACK HER RIGHT UP ]

Don't be ridiculous! This tacky old thing? I don't want to wear it, I want to find out how much it's worth and sell it.

[ And she glances around the treasure room, looking pretty pleased with herself. ]

It's obvious they've got a nice collection of valuable -- and magical, judging by your furry friend there -- artifacts, here. And this thing was set apart from the heaps of gold and jewels just lying around. It's got to be worth something!

[Oh Lina. He is skeptical but he is not going to really argue with her because come on, he's been considering stealing things this whole time. He loves the shiny.] Good luck fencing it. I'm not so sure about the black market here.

You're kidding me, right? A place this small, with so few resources? These are perfect conditions for a thriving black market! And with my business savvy, it shouldn't be too hard to break into the trade.

[ She sounds awfully confident. And that's because she is. Lina Inverse is a lot of things, but modest isn't one of them. ]

[Quests have rules, and unfortunately, Morwen isn't sure what those governing this one are. Absent guidance, she hops off her broom and switches to carrying it, wanting to take no chances about having an active spell backfire on her. There's nothing she can do about the one on her sleeves, but she can't think of anything it would interact with off the top of her head. That hardly means it can't interact with something, but since there's nothing that can be done one way or another, she doesn't waste any time worrying about it.

Morwen walks down the aisles formed between the stacks of treasure, looking at everything but careful to touch nothing. She has no intention of spending a century as a statue or any other such nonsense.]

Kazul would envy this place.

Edited 2013-01-25 04:15 (UTC)

[Drake's not surprised to find someone else in the room besides him, especially with this many people crowding into the palace for safety. He's left Elena in a safe place to rest from her wounds, promising to return after he had a look around. But his explorations took him deeper into the palace, what he could presume was still the palace, down a corridor, into rooms. He's making a mental map as he goes along, pulling out his journal so that once he finds where ever this leads he can return quickly.

This palace is nothing he hasn't seen before, having stumbled upon ancient lost cities in his journeys, and that something akin to them existed here drove him further out of sheer curiosity. At first he thought he might find answers, secrets about Tu Vishan and clues on how to get home. But once he reached what appeared to be a treasure room he knew it wouldn't be that simple.

However, whatever may be found in here may lead to those answers he sought, revealing history of a place no book ever told him about. With as well-hidden as this room is, certainly there was something in here worth hiding from the general public.

The woman he comes across is carrying a broom, though he's managed to get used to the different types of people that were brought into this city to not be too surprised anymore. Though still curious. His eyes catch the golden dragon above them when he hears her say something.]

... Kazul?

[Morwen stops and looks up at Drake from her impressive height of five feet in shoes. She's wearing a shapeless black robe, that, with the broom, screams "witch," but she's neither old nor hideous, and her red hair is gathered neatly in a knot atop her head.]

The King of the Dragons.

[From behind her glasses, Morwen rakes him with a stare so penetrating it seems like she could count the change in his pockets, then bows slightly from the waist.]

My name is Morwen.

[He towers over her at six-foot-one, wearing a cream coloured shirt that's seen better days, beige jeans, and boots. Pretty typical attire where he comes from. And he's in the middle of giving her a once-over when her response catches him, along with her piercing gaze.

So far he's seen some pretty impressive things here- mutants, people that can set themselves on fire, other... non-humans. This is a little new and when she bows he feels awkward about the gesture, but quickly recomposes himself.]

Dragons, huh... Ah-- Nathan Drake. Nate. [He offers her his hand before nodding at her broom.] I take you're not here for janitorial work?

[Morwen returns the handshake with a firm grip, despite her tiny frame.]

I'm a witch.

[Ordinarily, this would get someone backing down apologetically, but she has to make allowances for different worlds, and so she clarifies:]

It's for flying.

[Oh. He looks down at the grip and nods, impressed. Of course he's not one to judge based on appearance- he's certainly seen plenty of girls about her size take down people bigger than him.

Now witches... Well. He's familiar with witches in history, but they didn't ride brooms. Either way, he has no room to doubt. Not after considering where they were. Which is to say... a giant turtle. One that is currently underwater.]

That--

--that was my next guess. Didn't know witches were friends with dragons.

I am friends with a dragon. Witches in general, I can't speak for.

[And Morwen is an atypical witch. She adjusts her glasses, a not-unaffected habit that lets her buy a moment to think. By her standards, Drake's behavior is subtly off--he's too casual with new a new acquaintance--and she doesn't quite know how to handle him.]

...Though it's not the sort of thing I would expect most people to know one way or another.

[This is unusually tolerant of Morwen, which, depending on how perceptive he is, Drake might pick up from the pauses between her initial blunt replies and the softer statements she's tacking on afterward.]

[Drake tends to resort to casual, lighthearted banter to deflect any awkwardness, or from what's on his mind, exactly. Sometimes it's obvious, other times not. But right now he's more focused on the room, though is perceptive enough to catch her speech pattern.]

Can't say I'm well-versed in dragons-- actual dragons. They're ah, fairy tales and myths where I'm from.

[But he's more curious than not. He looks around the room at the stacks of gold and ornate decorations as he speaks as if he's considering something.]

So, if you're a witch does that mean you can use magic, maybe sense it?

They're quite real, I assure you. And quite fond of treasure.

[Draconic acquisitiveness is no myth.

She looks singularly unimpressed at his question. What does he think a witch does if not magic? Still, she answers him civilly enough.]

Yes and yes.

[He ignores the fact that it sounded like an idiotic question, there is a point to it and it was the best way he knew to segue into it. Also because he wanted to make certain of her abilities.]

Do you sense anything 'off' about this room? Find it hard to believe that this place is just left unguarded, even with all the panic in the palace. Maybe they tossed up a spell, traps, something.

[Ah, finally some common sense. Morwen smiles approvingly.]

That's why I was proceeding so carefully. The whole palace is lousy with magic, and treasuries are usually more heavily enchanted.

[She shakes her head.]

I haven't sensed anything that might be a trap, but that doesn't mean there isn't anything to sense.

[Without moving her head, she looks up at the dragon, trusting Drake to follow her gaze now that he's demonstrated himself to be not an idiot.]

That almost certainly has a spell on it to monitor the room.

[His head tilts back to look up at the jeweled, golden dragon again- something about it had been unsettling him. The way it looms overhead...]

Yeah, it was kinda giving me the creeps, too. Like a dragon guarding its treasure. [He says it absentmindedly, reiterating what she said earlier about dragons. That is what they were associated with in the many legends he's read as well.] Guess it's a little late to try disarming it?

[Lois is only human, and a pretty flawed one at that. She can't help herself: she eyes some of those gems and jewels (especially the nice jewelry) with a professional and rather intrigued eye.

Well, not just an intrigued eye. There is the occasional picking up and critically examining of particularly fine pieces, and there might just be a pile of things she is particularly pleased with off to one side. She hasn't exactly decided if she'll do anything about it yet--probably not. Considering this place, taking something which has no particular use besides 'glitter' isn't something she thinks it's worth tangling with authorities over.

Besides, that dragon is creepy.

After a few glances upwards, she huffs in frustration.] Okay, that dragon is creepy.

[And yet she keeps sifting through the piles of shinies: not taking, but... searching.]

[Morwen taps the handle of her broom lightly against the floor to get Lois's attention.]

Not to be rude, but it's generally not a good idea to go sifting through piles of treasure unless you know what you're looking for. Even then, it pays to be cautious. You don't know what enchantments might be on it.

[Morwen does not want anyone to get turned into a newt or incinerated or otherwise harmed by any protective spells that the Emperor might have placed on her piles of loot. She hasn't sensed anything yet, but that doesn't mean there's nothing to sense.]

[Lois looks up, and at the warning an eyebrow goes up as well. She manages not to get her hackles up too--mostly due to years of experience with a compulsively over-worrying husband (and one who doesn't mix with magic well at all).

Besides, she's too busy smirking slightly.]

If you don't poke around, you don't find out everything people don't want surfacing. Who knows what the Emperor might have buried beneath all this gold, hoping no one will find it.

['And if it's relevant, I'm going to find out' goes unsaid.]

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palace infiltration is go.

CORRIDOR;

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ROOMS;

TREASURE ROOM;

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