Deck the Halls

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The forever forest, home to her….but a danger to many. The old forest expanse was impressive, one could easily get lost and perish from the elements alone. Never mind the things that lived there; this forest belonged to its inhabitants. Towards the edge of the forest it did not seem as imposing, light still streamed through the trees. The brush had been cleared and here and there you could see a felled tree from human activity. But further in you went, the older the forest became…and the more the wild claimed it for its own. Trees so thick you could not hope to wrap your arms around the trunks, some big enough to create a small dwelling inside just inside its root base. The branches so think it blotted out the very sun itself, plunging the forest into an everlasting shadow. It was in these remote parts that there journey would take them.



A thin red figure stood, an animus of sorts. A tiger animus from the looks of it. She had red fur covering her entire body. Thick red fur lined with black stripes; tall rounded ears with puffs of white fur poking from them sat upon her head. White patch like eyes forming on the back of the ears that swiveled around on top of her head. Her fur thickened at her neck and around her unclothed chest, it was white as the snow around her. Her fur was thick enough to give her enough modesty to not care for the cold despite the lack of cloths. A long thick cat like tail whipped back and forth, the black tip just brushing the snow at her padded and clawed feet. Going back up to her facial features her face was distorted from its usually thin features. Large tuffs of fur poked out from her cheeks, her nose slightly elongated and flattened on the end forming a cat like snout. Whiskers twitched around it as blue green eyes looked out with slit like pupils. Her scar was hidden by her fur. Red hair the same color as her fur was slung over her shoulders in a long braid, tied together with a found piece of vine. The thick vine also wrapped around her hips several times in a belt like fashion, holding up a piece of skinned leather in a loin cloth like fashion. A pouch hung from the vines, along with five throwing daggers; each with a sapphire as blue as the waters of the falls that were somewhere located in this forest. She wore no jewelry besides a large red amulet hung on a gold chain, it rested just at her breasts.



Her snout curled up in a grin, long canines poking out the side of her mouth. It felt good to be on a quest again, and its puzzle certainly peaked her curiosity. The king and this place called the arch of ages were looking for whatever roamed this forest….It struck her as odd that they would be competing…yes there was reward and all for whatever they were hunting, but it was the answers that she was hunting for. This would be informative one way or another.

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Lia wears a long green dress, a cotehardie, underneath a large beige hooded cloak with a fur lined trim. She was never much a fan of the cold. She tended to stick to the city rather than go out into the wilderness. Her and her dad hardly ever went into the outer lands, and if so, never for long. She didn’t have much in the way of proper travelling attire even. However, the promise of 500 gold had her stepping out her comfort zone quite a bit. That was half way to a house in the first district. While she wasn’t born into nobility, with enough money, she could possibly buy her way into it. Then she was done giving shows to the 2nd and 3rd district, instead entertaining nobles in the 1st for a lot more pay. Maybe even get invited to a royal party.

Still, she had no idea where to begin to find the monster that lurked in the woods. However, singing would do good enough to bring most curious creatures out. Her voice travels the quiet forest, soft and slow like a lullaby. It whispers in the ears to come closer and drowns out all else. Nothing else mattered beyond the sound of her voice. She sings of love and longing.


(OOC: Lia gets the quest started by singing and using fascination! Let those who hear her be distracted and entranced by her beautiful voice...)

[Rivers]

A humming along with the song can be heard from a nearby tree, it really was a catchy tune. Rivers was curious what kind of beast would lead the king to placing such a high bounty, and what kind of creature would what he assumed were mages want. As he looks over the edge he looks at the girl who is singing and then places two tunnels around her that would cause the breast to beast to teleport right past her should it attack. Next he felt for the throwing knives he always kept with him.

Rivers was dressed for extended cold weather, in addition to the coat and gloves he usually wore he had also obtained a large wool hat with earflaps, and he was wearing it now. As he looked around he noticed the red tiger anima among the trees and smiles.

Aria would hear next to her hear. "It's been a while since we've done one of these together huh Boss?" He asks as his attention returns to the dancer, she was transfixing, a beautiful winter flower blooming valiantly even when overshadowed by powerful oaks. "I wonder if it is actually that picturesque of a scene or if it is the magic speaking?" He mused though that thought caused him to finger the black feather in his coat...where are you now Muse?

[Mysteria]

Like a phantom moving through the forest, Mysteria weaved her way around the large tree trunks. Dressed in a think black bear cloak that hung loosly around her bare exposed shoulders. The only piece of winterish clothing on this woman. The rest of her was covered in black robes that hung around her shoulders and went past her feet, grazing the forest's icy floor. An attire she felt most comfortable in even in Teair's harshest winter weather.

" This way." The purple haired maiden glanced back, for she was not alone. Following close behind, two smaller humanoid figures trailed. To a stranger, one would think this woman had brought children along with her into the deep wooded area. However, any features of her two companions remained hidden under thick black winter hooded cloaks. The lower half of their faces were even covered over. Their nose, mouth and neck sheltered by a thick black cloth. Used to keep their faces warm as they followed behind their fearless leader. When one of the figures heard the singing, it stopped. It alerted Mysteria with a high pitched grunt. Then raised it's arms to make a silent gesture to listen.

Mysteria turned to see the gesture which brought her to pause in her tracks. Her eyes scanning the layout while her long pointed ears tuned in on the distant singing. Who could be singing out here in the forest so far away from civilization? Curiosity became the best of her. So she motioned to the other two in her party and went forward. Only to stop at the source of such a melody that would be intertwined with more than one performer.

Lavender-teal eyes fell upon the strange pair of travelers. When Mysteria finally emerged out from the shadows of the undergrowth. The two hooded figures followed her every movement and they too emerged, only to stand behind her side by side. There were two here in which she had met before in the Moon Temple. So she was quiet surprised and yet relieved to see them alive and doing well. Even more so out here in this hostile forest that had been barely explored sense how much the Novian people feared it. Fear that had inspired this blasted quest to begin with. Go to the forest Noku says... Kill the beast Noku says. Easier said than done now that there seemed to be a group of people looking out for this blasted beastie. Why the hell the arch of Ages have gotten invovled was beyond her, but here she was.. Standing before a singing girl, a Fated Boy, and a Tiger girl.

" I see that I am not alone here. Are you all here for the Beastie as well? " Mysteria asked, her eyes locked on the three while the hooded pair behind her remained silent and emotionless.

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Large furry ears popped up; her tail slowly fell still, the tip just resting in the snow. Her eyes began to close and she should begin to feel vibrations come from her throat. A soft melodic note rung out, it had a deep set sorrowful tone that it reverberated through the soul….however the spell was over in a moment when a growl suddenly ripped through her throat. She spun around on a paw, her eyes blazing.

”CUT THAT DAMN RACKET OFF”

Her voice roared over the charm; for a charm was what it was….and she was almost pulled into it. She hated to sing! Her hackles had rose and her tail swished violently. She knew it was an overreaction, but she hadn’t uttered a note in eighteen years…that and she had been almost lulled into a charm. It was fortunate enough for her that her father taught her to see through charms….a particular talent of his. Her fur finally laid flat when a more welcomed voice reached her ears. Once again they perked up from there flattened position. A couple of deep bass clucks came from deep in her throat, a fond tiger like greeting. Her attention turning back to the pick haired female that was approaching, her nose twitched….a scent that was familiar but not so familiar hit her nose. She raised her nose to the air and began sniffing….. she could swear she smelled Garrett…but then she didn’t…this scent wasn’t quite right. But she gazed at the girl…..Rivers certainly was transfixed. She saw a normal girl, unbelievably cute…but real none the less. She suppose the charm might be painting a different picture.

She would release him after moments when she heard others approaching, she was able to hear them before seeing them. Her ears perked up and she suddenly became much more alert when the three came into view. Her tail lifted up in greeting, her ears tilted so far forward that they certainly betrayed her intent interest. Without another word she trotted forward past the time witch stopping right in front of the small forms and crouched down to their height.

”If your who I think you are I have not seen you two in a long long time. Gloves keeping you warm?”

She smiled a friendly grin; these two had been very interesting and the first to greet them at the entrance to the underway. Aria stood up and greeted the purple haired witch.

”Yes, at least I am, I will not speak for the others. However I am more here for curiosities sake; these woods are currently my home. I like to know my neighbors.”

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Lia doesn’t really expect to get yelled out for singing. For one thing, it never happens. Most people didn’t really have much resistance to it, and considering it wasn’t unpleasant, most didn’t actually want to. However, as the tiger woman yells at her, she swings around a tree and hides behind it, having no real defense except to keep talking.

“Sorry… sorry… I’m just trying to catch…. well, I suppose the same thing that you are trying to catch and he is trying to catch. And I guess my chances of buying a nice place in the 1st district anytime soon just decreased a bit,” she says, smiling somewhat nervously. There is magic in her very words even now. It certainly leaves a good lingering impression of her for no reason other than her very voice is like honey. “I’ll stop, but it’s a pretty good way to draw it in and keep it pacified, provided it can hear.” And if the creature couldn’t hear, there was always dancing, but Lia didn’t really feel like getting in eyesight of the creature without it already being charmed first.

As Mysteria followed by two smaller cloaked figures comes into view, she comes out from behind the tree. A member of the royal court was here. She goes into a curtsy and bows her head. “Lady Mysteria Williams. I didn’t expect I would be joined by someone of such high standing. I suppose you are hunting the creature to destroy it, yes?” Her voice still carries the sweetness it did when addressing the tiger girl.  This was problematic seeing as her intent was to give it to the Arch.  That would be so much less messy, and wouldn't carry the risk of mauling.  She preferred things that way.  Now... how could she get to the creature to the Arch without Mysteria murdering it, and still be on good terms with the royal adviser?  This has suddenly become much more complicated than luring a monster into the Arch with the sound of her voice.  



(OOC: Using charm to prevent the tiger girl from killing her and get in the good graces of the royal court.)

[Rivers]

Rivers peaks over the the tree branch as Aria shouts and smiles. Well she certainly was the type to get bothered by things like charms. Rivers had not been particularly aware of the spell and had certainly gotten drawn in, but as he examined how the web worked, not he concluded it was not dangerous, in fact he wished he could use it. Though as the singer began to move he quickly dispelled the tunnels surrounding her to prevent her from going around in a loop, no sense revealing the trick like this.

"Hey now Boss, that was not very civil of you. I fail to see why you should be mad at someone who is offering themself up as live bait." He points out as he stares down at both the girls, though as Mysteria emerges from the brush a dagger suddenly appears in his hand and he stops himself just before throwing it at a tunnel that would have caused it to pop out and strike her from behind. He again dismisses the tunnel and listens to Mysteria talk.

"Yes, I want to catch the best, it seems like an interesting project and I do have a fondness for magic trinkets." He admits with a wide grin, not really caring who or what heard him though his eyes rest cooly on the pair following the woman.

[Mysteria]

Mysteria calmly turned her head to face the girl that came out from behind the tree. Her melting pot of violet and blues looked down at the girl. She inclined her head ever so slightly in acknowledgment to the girls greeting. ”Yes, his esteemed royal majesty has requested I put an end to his citizen’s uneasiness. Upon his request I am here to carry out his orders.” Mysteria paused her stare hardening on the young female. “I would advise you not to try to use charms; those that know how to spot and see through them tend to look down at having magic put on them without their permission. It is also highly inadvisable to do it to one of the king’s court.” If that wasn’t a clear dismissal she did not know what was.

The small figures were silent during this exchanged. They both looked up in surprise when the tiger woman came and greeted them personally. Usually they were shadows next to their leaders side. Worse is that the woman seemed to know them; one of the figures backed up closer to Mysteria. Both of them looking at Mysteria with questioning glances.

Mysteria looked at the Tigress with a questioning glance. That was twice that the Tigeress seemed to know her, and now she knew the twins. However now really wasn’t the time for questions; with a nod of her head Mysteria moved on. Whether the group would help or not she had her orders.

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Aria rubbed the bridge of her nose at the cowering pink haired woman. The charms more the evident to Arias senses as the woman continued to talk. Like an itch at the back of her skull that she needed to consistently shield from her own judgment. The itch only increased as the girl spoke more. Aria looked up at Rivers when he spoke…the boy was obviously charmed.

”I am all for using the girl as bait; it’s the blatant charming that is making my mind itch”

Aria nodded in agreement when Melania addressed the girl about her charms.

”If you know how to spot them, you can be trained to block it…but it is really annoying. Plus it’s incredibly rude. Do you have any control of whom the charm effects or is it just a blanket effect? I ask because your charm has a potential to distract us…and frankly without knowing what this beast is I rather not have added distractions.”

Arias tone had dropped from being aggressive to more of a stern scolding. She hadn’t meant to sound so nasty; however being charmed into something she didn’t like to do did not sit well with her. However it was shocking to know that she still could sing….after being trapped in that fire when she was little she had thought she had lost any ability to hold a note. A frown crossed her features again….more bad memories…she hoped this girl did not dig up any more.

Aria sighed when the twins shied away, she had forgotten they did not like to talk much. She shrugged and fallowed Mysteria when she set off.

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Lia ends the charm effect. “I apologize for my rudeness,” she says to the Lady Mysteria Williams. “It kept going far beyond the intended target. I was still startled by...” She looks back at the tigress. “First, you need to understand blatant charm spell is a bit of oxymoron unless you have the power to see or hear them. Clearly, you do. That’s quite a gift.” Most remained oblivious whether it worked or not. Now, she wondered just what kind of great mages signed aboard.

She thinks deeply on how to answer the tigress’ question. “Second, the magic of words, sound, motion is not… it’s not so simple. You can not determine who will be affected or how they will take them. You clearly aren’t affected by it. Knowing it’s there… well, it ruins the romance of it all, and it’s effectiveness. There is nothing to get it to work on you.” Truthfully, she didn’t have much ability to do anything else besides this. Well, she was trapped on this expedition in a somewhat useless role now. She sighs. “As you wish though.” She walks off, following Mysteria.

[Rivers]

As the group begins to move Rivers finally hops out of the tree, though instead of falling the wind gathers around him and seems to gently carry him to the ground instead of letting him fall. "Alright everyone, lets all calm down we can all just have a reasonable discussion if there are issues." He says in a placating tone.

After that he pats Lia on the back. "Don't let 'em get to ya. We're all a little jumpy due to the beast hunt." He says as he stretches and follows after Mysteria.

"So, what is this thing actually supposed to be? All I know is that it's been causing problems and people are worried about it, do we need some special bane to hurt it?" He asks curiously, he'd met a wide variety of strange creatures when he was growing up in Heaven's Pass so he wondered what kind of beast would cause such an uproar, and to have the Royal adviser here was an even bigger surprise.

[Mysteria]

Mysteria continued on several paces, seeming not to notice River's interjection, her pupils tightened and her posture stiff. Falling back on her gait gently, she casts her eyes over her shoulder and addresses the group:

"Why don't you follow along and see for yourself?"

Returning her stride to a small break in the trees ahead of her, she continues along the rough floor of the forest, gliding quickly. At intervals, she pauses and exhales a short breath, revealing hints of condensation, and the occasional icesicle, clattering against the frost on the ground. After 40 paces or so, the two cloaked figures accompanying her let out three brief shrieks in unison, and Mysteria pivots her body, casting her right shoulder in front of her, raising her hand as though grasping a spear. As her arm reaches its full extension, black mist billows from her palm, writhing and twisting into tendrils towards the earth in a bundle, and solidifies into an ebony rod topped by a glistening orb, casting unnatural hues of violet across the glistening frozen earth and throwing a strange palette all along the clearing in which she now stood. The two cloaked figures removed their hoods, revealing the faces of children, the spitting image of the woman they have been following thus far. From beneath their cloaks, they simultaneously produce a massive hypodermic needle, and a pair of handaxes, respectively.

"Ready, Bella?" chirps the child brandishing the axes.

"..." Replies the second, raising her needle to her shoulder and fanning out a few paces, to come abreast of Mysteria.

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”The skill can be taught, my father happened to be very skilled in detecting them….he figured since I’m his daughter I might as well continue the family tradition….I fail to see the romance in being charmed by magic….Are you trained in this at all? There are ways to break defenses….wait what am I doing”

She went from angry to thinking of ways to help the girl improve… Aria turned to Rivers with a raised eyebrow; didn’t quite worked as well considering the fur made her eyebrows blend into the rest of her.

”Jumpy? I just hate to sing….”

As they walked forward Aria let her mental senses spread out, touching each creature in a large vicinity’s mind. She wanted to figure out what it was before they actually reached it; her mind was friendly curious as she washed over the forests inhabitants. If the creature was a beast then she’d know it…if it was more two legger then beast then well…others could handle it.

[Deleted]

Lia shakes her head, “No, that’s not what I meant.” However, she decides to give up there. At this point, it didn’t matter too much. She was being scolded. Lia looks over to the tigress as she asks if she was trained. “No, but it comes as naturally as breathing. And I’ll keep that in mind.” Defense breaking. That could be worth working on.

She smiles at Rivers as he pats her on the back. “Thank you. Anyways, about the beast, I have as many details as you about it.” She continues to follow the group, but she is forced to cover her hands over her ears as the two very short people shriek loudly. She looks around. What was going on? She couldn’t see anything but them. With Mysteria summoning a staff of darkness, she starts to put herself behind Rivers and the tigress. If that wasn’t creepy enough, there were now mini-Mysterias, one with axes and one with a needle. “Ready for what?” All that magic and yelling would scare off any manner of beast. Because if an animal had enough common sense not to run headlong into danger. Now it was them and the three Mysterias in this vacant part of woods. She casts a fearful look to the other people she was travelling with.

[Rivers]

Rivers follows along in a relaxed manner, it was true that hunting beasts was often dangerous, but Mysteria and Aria were both much better at sensing things than he was. That being said, he made sure to keep an eye out for magic or abnormalities.

"It bothers you because you constantly fight against it Boss." He replies to Aria's comment about the charm magic. "You really only need to barrier against charm at certain points, also once you know it's happening it's already much less effective." He points out, Rivers had run into charm magic more than most, usually it was pretty harmless. Though once it end with him waking up naked in the middle of the woods. He snickers a bit at the memory.

When Mysteria's mini-me's were unhooded he frowns. "I smell death." He says simply and then looks around. Though as Lia begins to hide behind him he creates a tunnel to their rear. the girl was the least well equipped of this group to deal with something coming up. Then he draws his two swords connected by a chain.

Times like this really make me wish I still had pistol ammunition. He finds himself thinking as he looks ahead.