I deeply apologise for the lack of updates. I've been dealing with personal matters, back pain, and (right this second) a blinding headache. I hope to pick this up again very very soon.
I deeply apologise for the lack of updates. I've been dealing with personal matters, back pain, and (right this second) a blinding headache. I hope to pick this up again very very soon.
"Abzu!" you say suddenly, a little louder than you intended but you can roll with that. They turn to look and you press the advantage, hurrying over to their side and angling your body to interpose yourself between them and Lyrros. "I'm glad to finally catch you, there are certain things we should really iron out in private sooner rather than later."
[Aww, can't it be a little later?] Abzu asks, hopping up and down to try and see past you - they're something like a foot shorter than you and you can't deny how adorable it- no focus. [I'll only be a minute!]
"It will only take a moment and it really is quite urgent!" you insist, half-lying through your teeth with aplomb. Abzu cranes their neck to take one more glance around your body. Issachar and Lyrros seem to have launched into some sort of spirited debate about spices behind you.
[Alright, I am the guest] Abzu concedes. [Lead on!]
You politely excuse yourself, Abzu enthusiastically waving goodbye to Lyrros, and lead the way down the stairs to the brand new sublevel. You have no concrete destination in mind so you just wind up back in the dining room again. You turn, inhaling to launch into what you had planned, only to see Abzu looking around the room in all its half-finished glory.
"(renovationsarestillongoingI'mtakingcareofthatwhenmywingheals) so" you gabble out as quick as you can. Abzu's gaze returns to you and you straighten up. You clasp your claws together and exhale again. "I may have told half of a teensy white lie. I do have to get around to speaking with you one-on-one as it's been quite a while since we last had the opportunity, but I noticed Lyrros seemed a tad uncomfortable with your questions. Perhaps you could at least ease off until he's had time to get settled and introduce himself?"
[Oh! Oh I'm so sorry! D:] [I swear I don't even notice I'm doing it half the time] [I just... get excited very easily] Abzu signs apologetically, their eyes becoming '>>' arrows of contrition. [I blame the tower] [I'm so used to having to fixate on things] [y'know, to keep my mind active and stuff] [that new people and things put me in a bit of sensory overload.]
"How long have you been in that tower?" you ask.
They stare silently at you for a long while, long enough that a slow blink is the only evidence they heard you at all. [I mean I assume a while] they finally answer. [But some of the stuff in the pantry's still good so it can't be too long!]
"... right," you say diplomatically. "I ask because I'm discussing everyone's living arrangements at the moment and that includes you. Do you plan to continue staying at the tower and only teleporting over to visit, do you plan to move in at some point, do you want to stay but also have a room prepared here for you in case you ever want to stay the night or multiple nights...?"
[That doesn't seem a little rushed to you?] Abzu asks.
"What does?"
[Asking me to move in before we've even gone on a date.]
You blink. You open your mouth, then close it again. "In my defence," you say at last, "my standards for 'rushed' have been greatly skewed lately, what with so many people moving in all of a sudden - granted due mostly to extenuating circumstances, like Makram living in a lamp I already own or Lyrros not wishing to live in that cursed manor he's been stuck in for a hundred years."
[He's been living in a cursed manor for a hundred years!?] Abzu 'exclaims' with barely restrained glee. [Oh I need to get him to tell me everything!]
"hhhhooooooold on a second," you say, snatching their sleeve as they try to sprint past you and gently tugging them back into position. "Let's try to focus and finish one conversation before another, shall we?"
[Oh. Right.] Abzu makes another '>>' face. [Sorry]
The idea of staying angry at anyone as cute as Abzu is almost unthinkable, so whatever frustration you did briefly feel drains away like water through a sieve. You let go of their sleeve and take a moment to think. What would Belial do? Or Issachar, to a certain extent? Well... when it doubt, just copy people that seem like they know what they're doing.
"What do you want out of this?" you ask. "Us. When you found out what the map does you were... the most excited at the prospect of us all, to put it lightly. And obviously now that I've had time to process it properly I'm (cautiously) optimistic about the chances of this all working out. But that still leaves me wondering where you stand."
[I suppose we've both been a bit too busy to talk about it huh?] Abzu replies. [I suppose part of it is I've never been in a relationship before] [So when one just waltzes up to me in my solitude and says hi] [Well how could I say no?]
"It tends to get difficult when it reaches that point, yes," you agree.
[Also you're pretty cute :3]
"D-don't just blurt out things like that without giving any warning!" you stammer, as if they had reached up and smacked you. Abzu's eyes curve up in obvious mirth - you swear their head is even bobbing in a silent imitation of giggling.
[You aaaaare and even the way you react to being told that is cute] they go on. [And it was fun to have you sleep over with Makram!] [But I guess we should get around to properly spending some time alone together huh?]
"Indeed we should make some arrangements, say, pencil in a time tom-"
[Let's go right now!]
"beg pardon"
You scan Abzu's face for some sign that they're just pulling your leg, which is a bit difficult due to the lack of discernable features, but the fact that they keep feverishly flipping through signs is answer enough really.
[Why not? Being able to teleport means never having to make travel plans!] [Ooh ooh I have so many places logged, if we just pop over to the tower we can use the circles there] [We can see some places in the Beyond I had anchored for a rainy day!] [Well not literally but you know what I mean.] [Or we could go somewhere you want?] [It's not impossible to teleport somewhere sight unseen just a bit difficult but I can handle it sparingly.]
Your eyes rapidly dart left and right as you struggle to keep up with the speed at which they flash the signs. You did not think someone so mute could be so overwhelmingly chatty.
[But those are just options!] [Honestly I'm probably fine with whatever you'd like, I just wanna spend time with you :3]
You are incapable of blushing in your draconic forms, which is good because you don't know what you'd do with yourself these days otherwise. You scratch the plates running down the back of your neck with a metal-on-metal keening and ponder the offer. You won't lie, a teleporting partner (that can bring you along too, Makram) makes a very appealing one when planning your day, and that goes double when your damn wing is still making itself known every so often. And this... damn is this really the first date-date on the cards out of all the time you've spent with all the boyfriends (and other) you've met so far? Sounds like you need the practice.
"I... would love to," you say at last
[<3] Abzu signs, and you avert your eyes because it makes you feel funny butterflies deep in the pit of your stomach. You feel a gentle pressure around your claws, and look down to find their gloved hand squeezing yours.
"I-I mean we should at least tell the others we've gone so as not to alarm them-" you stammer out, brain lurching into gear after spending much too long entranced by the diminutive wizard.
[What d'you think the familiar is for?] Abzu asks.
"... I-I remembered that," you reply. "I just- I was checking if you remembered."
Abzu gently bonks you on the temple with a sign that says [Silly]
[So where to, Eldie?]
"(I am Eldingar, The Azure Bolt That Splits The Sky and I will be addressed as such)" you mumblegrumble, only slightly offended by Abzu's instant familiarity. You devote most of your effort to answering Abzu's question. What does sound good for a first date with them?
[ ] Go visit the Beyond. There's plenty to do and see there - by definition there always is - and you recall a few unclaimed dungeons from your meeting with Ilyana you could suggest.
--[ ] Visit yours, the Spiral Bridge Chasm; an impossibly deep shaft sunk into the desert sands to the east, crisscrossed with myriad glass crossways and staircases. You might bump into the team on the way in or out.
--[ ] Visit the Forest of Twelve Seasons, buried deep in the endless woods far to the west, where time flows so quickly for the trees that leaves will grow and die and grow again in the span of a minute.
--[ ] Visit the Looking-Glass Glacier, a towering monument of ice far to the frozen north that becomes as crystal-clear as glass in the right lighting. You may need to more more carefully than usual.
--[ ] The Infinite Cloud Maze. It's probably fine, and you know for certain no one will disturb you there.
[ ] Go to Abzu's tower.
--[ ] Take all your magic items and figuratively dump them on Abzu's table. They seem to thrive on things to do, so why not bond over a mutual love of absurd magical trinkets and gizmos?
--[ ] Take a more in-depth look at what they've been working on -perhaps they've added something new since you last visited- and maybe even help out with an experiment or two.
--[ ] Angle to learn more about the place and their past, ask for a more thorough tour, things like that. Abzu seems not so much evasive about their past as uninterested, but you feel it would be best if you knew as much as possible.
[ ] Go to Söfnun. The minute you lack the ability to fly off whenever you please is the minute you start going crazy thinking of everything you could be doing there, so this is as good a compromise as any.
--[ ] Take Azbu shopping. You can satisfy your lust for novelty bullshit and they can get a look at the constant stream of fresh magical goods streaming in from all over the world.
--[ ] Take them to the Adventurer's Guild and ask for Ilyana to set up some interviews with the local adventurers if possible. What better way to help them gather some data about the Beyond? And you can look very impressive with all your connections.
--[ ] Take them for a general tour of the city. Show them as many points of interest you can think of, examining whatever they wish - if they've been shut up in that tower for so long, surely sightseeing alone will hold some novelty?
Adhoc vote count started by ZerbanDaGreat on Jul 14, 2018 at 11:17 AM, finished with 2965 posts and 29 votes.
[X] Go visit the Beyond. There's plenty to do and see there - by definition there always is - and you recall a few unclaimed dungeons from your meeting with Ilyana you could suggest.
--[X] The Infinite Cloud Maze. It's probably fine, and you know for certain no one will disturb you there.
[X] Go to Abzu's tower.
--[X] Take all your magic items and figuratively dump them on Abzu's table. They seem to thrive on things to do, so why not bond over a mutual love of absurd magical trinkets and gizmos?
[X] Go visit the Beyond. There's plenty to do and see there - by definition there always is - and you recall a few unclaimed dungeons from your meeting with Ilyana you could suggest.
--[X] Visit the Forest of Twelve Seasons, buried deep in the endless woods far to the west, where time flows so quickly for the trees that leaves will grow and die and grow again in the span of a minute.
[X] Go to Söfnun. The minute you lack the ability to fly off whenever you please is the minute you start going crazy thinking of everything you could be doing there, so this is as good a compromise as any.
--[X] Take them for a general tour of the city. Show them as many points of interest you can think of, examining whatever they wish - if they've been shut up in that tower for so long, surely sightseeing alone will hold some novelty?
[X] Go to Söfnun. The minute you lack the ability to fly off whenever you please is the minute you start going crazy thinking of everything you could be doing there, so this is as good a compromise as any.
--[X] Take Azbu shopping. You can satisfy your lust for novelty bullshit and they can get a look at the constant stream of fresh magical goods streaming in from all over the world.
[X] Go visit the Beyond. There's plenty to do and see there - by definition there always is - and you recall a few unclaimed dungeons from your meeting with Ilyana you could suggest.
--[x] Visit the Looking-Glass Glacier, a towering monument of ice far to the frozen north that becomes as crystal-clear as glass in the right lighting. You may need to more more carefully than usual.
Adhoc vote count started by ZerbanDaGreat on Jul 16, 2018 at 1:28 AM, finished with 2971 posts and 34 votes.
[X] Go visit the Beyond. There's plenty to do and see there - by definition there always is - and you recall a few unclaimed dungeons from your meeting with Ilyana you could suggest.
--[X] The Infinite Cloud Maze. It's probably fine, and you know for certain no one will disturb you there.
[X] Go to Abzu's tower.
--[X] Take all your magic items and figuratively dump them on Abzu's table. They seem to thrive on things to do, so why not bond over a mutual love of absurd magical trinkets and gizmos?
[X] Go visit the Beyond. There's plenty to do and see there - by definition there always is - and you recall a few unclaimed dungeons from your meeting with Ilyana you could suggest.
--[X] Visit the Forest of Twelve Seasons, buried deep in the endless woods far to the west, where time flows so quickly for the trees that leaves will grow and die and grow again in the span of a minute.
[X] Go to Söfnun. The minute you lack the ability to fly off whenever you please is the minute you start going crazy thinking of everything you could be doing there, so this is as good a compromise as any.
--[X] Take them for a general tour of the city. Show them as many points of interest you can think of, examining whatever they wish - if they've been shut up in that tower for so long, surely sightseeing alone will hold some novelty?
[X] Go to Söfnun. The minute you lack the ability to fly off whenever you please is the minute you start going crazy thinking of everything you could be doing there, so this is as good a compromise as any.
--[X] Take Azbu shopping. You can satisfy your lust for novelty bullshit and they can get a look at the constant stream of fresh magical goods streaming in from all over the world.
[X] Go visit the Beyond. There's plenty to do and see there - by definition there always is - and you recall a few unclaimed dungeons from your meeting with Ilyana you could suggest.
--[x] Visit the Looking-Glass Glacier, a towering monument of ice far to the frozen north that becomes as crystal-clear as glass in the right lighting. You may need to more more carefully than usual.
[X] Go to Söfnun. The minute you lack the ability to fly off whenever you please is the minute you start going crazy thinking of everything you could be doing there, so this is as good a compromise as any.
--[X] Take them for a general tour of the city. Show them as many points of interest you can think of, examining whatever they wish - if they've been shut up in that tower for so long, surely sightseeing alone will hold some novelty?
[X] Go to Söfnun. The minute you lack the ability to fly off whenever you please is the minute you start going crazy thinking of everything you could be doing there, so this is as good a compromise as any.
--[X] Take them for a general tour of the city. Show them as many points of interest you can think of, examining whatever they wish - if they've been shut up in that tower for so long, surely sightseeing alone will hold some novelty?
Would rather stay out of the Beyond until our wing has healed.
Eldie is a superman desperately in need of boxing lessons.
[X] Go visit the Beyond. There's plenty to do and see there - by definition there always is - and you recall a few unclaimed dungeons from your meeting with Ilyana you could suggest.
--[X] Visit the Forest of Twelve Seasons, buried deep in the endless woods far to the west, where time flows so quickly for the trees that leaves will grow and die and grow again in the span of a minute.
[X] Go visit the Beyond. There's plenty to do and see there - by definition there always is - and you recall a few unclaimed dungeons from your meeting with Ilyana you could suggest.
--[X] Visit the Forest of Twelve Seasons, buried deep in the endless woods far to the west, where time flows so quickly for the trees that leaves will grow and die and grow again in the span of a minute.
Look, this sounds like an awesome location and I am very much determined to make Zerbo break his wrists writing it all for us.
also lul apologizing for delayed updates then updating 10 hours later
[X] Go visit the Beyond. There's plenty to do and see there - by definition there always is - and you recall a few unclaimed dungeons from your meeting with Ilyana you could suggest.
--[X] The Infinite Cloud Maze. It's probably fine, and you know for certain no one will disturb you there.
[X] Go visit the Beyond. There's plenty to do and see there - by definition there always is - and you recall a few unclaimed dungeons from your meeting with Ilyana you could suggest.
--[X] Visit the Forest of Twelve Seasons, buried deep in the endless woods far to the west, where time flows so quickly for the trees that leaves will grow and die and grow again in the span of a minute.
[I suppose we've both been a bit too busy to talk about it huh?] Abzu replies. [I suppose part of it is I've never been in a relationship before] [So when one just waltzes up to me in my solitude and says hi] [Well how could I say no?]
And this... damn is this really the first date-date on the cards out of all the time you've spent with all the boyfriends (and other) you've met so far?
...I thought for a moment Jun-ho had one but then I remembered we passed up lunch in favour of underwater temples with sharkbois and corrupted evil lamps in them. Huh.
Speaking of the lamp we still need to warn people about that at some point because if Datu's bringing it along to get evaluated he is kinda going to be showing off Makram's equivalent of a desecrated corpse.
[ ] Go visit the Beyond. There's plenty to do and see there - by definition there always is - and you recall a few unclaimed dungeons from your meeting with Ilyana you could suggest.
--[ ] Visit yours, the Spiral Bridge Chasm; an impossibly deep shaft sunk into the desert sands to the east, crisscrossed with myriad glass crossways and staircases. You might bump into the team on the way in or out.
Eh, sounds too much like work.
--[ ] Visit the Forest of Twelve Seasons, buried deep in the endless woods far to the west, where time flows so quickly for the trees that leaves will grow and die and grow again in the span of a minute.
This sounds both fascinating and also extremely disorientating and one-note. Iiii'd pass. Sounds like it'd get old pretty fast (heh)
--[ ] Visit the Looking-Glass Glacier, a towering monument of ice far to the frozen north that becomes as crystal-clear as glass in the right lighting. You may need to more more carefully than usual.
On the one hand, pretty, on the other hand there goes the wing again.
--[ ] The Infinite Cloud Maze. It's probably fine, and you know for certain no one will disturb you there.
...Isn't this the one that might actually be the Infinite Clown Maze? ABORT ABORT AVOID NO GO DO NOT ENTER BAD PLACE BAD PLACE
[ ] Go to Abzu's tower.
--[ ] Take all your magic items and figuratively dump them on Abzu's table. They seem to thrive on things to do, so why not bond over a mutual love of absurd magical trinkets and gizmos?
This sounds cute and founded upon a shared interest
--[ ] Take a more in-depth look at what they've been working on -perhaps they've added something new since you last visited- and maybe even help out with an experiment or two.
None too sure how much Eldingar could help in experiments, unless he becomes the experiment. Abzu did want to try feeding him random things some time.
--[ ] Angle to learn more about the place and their past, ask for a more thorough tour, things like that. Abzu seems not so much evasive about their past as uninterested, but you feel it would be best if you knew as much as possible.
Eeeh, sounds kinda interrogatory? I haven't felt any particular need to pry.
[ ] Go to Söfnun. The minute you lack the ability to fly off whenever you please is the minute you start going crazy thinking of everything you could be doing there, so this is as good a compromise as any.
--[ ] Take Azbu shopping. You can satisfy your lust for novelty bullshit and they can get a look at the constant stream of fresh magical goods streaming in from all over the world.
I was going to wonder if Sofnun had much in the way of magical trinkets but then I remembered we literally found the map and the infinite mayonnaise jar there so lol maybe this would work
--[ ] Take them to the Adventurer's Guild and ask for Ilyana to set up some interviews with the local adventurers if possible. What better way to help them gather some data about the Beyond? And you can look very impressive with all your connections.
Miiiight work? Kinda pity the adventurers though and there's not a whole lot for Eldy to do
--[ ] Take them for a general tour of the city. Show them as many points of interest you can think of, examining whatever they wish - if they've been shut up in that tower for so long, surely sightseeing alone will hold some novelty?
This sounds pretty nice and relaxing. 'Course I suspect letting Abzu loose might cause a handfull and a 'Have You Seen This Missing Goo?' incident but it's all in good fun
Toss up between Sofnun Tour and Hey Come Fiddle My Magic Items... anyone else got thoughts?
[X] Go visit the Beyond. There's plenty to do and see there - by definition there always is - and you recall a few unclaimed dungeons from your meeting with Ilyana you could suggest.
--[X] The Infinite Cloud Maze. It's probably fine, and you know for certain no one will disturb you there.
[X] Go visit the Beyond. There's plenty to do and see there - by definition there always is - and you recall a few unclaimed dungeons from your meeting with Ilyana you could suggest.
--[X] Visit the Forest of Twelve Seasons, buried deep in the endless woods far to the west, where time flows so quickly for the trees that leaves will grow and die and grow again in the span of a minute.
[X] Go to Söfnun. The minute you lack the ability to fly off whenever you please is the minute you start going crazy thinking of everything you could be doing there, so this is as good a compromise as any.
--[X] Take Azbu shopping. You can satisfy your lust for novelty bullshit and they can get a look at the constant stream of fresh magical goods streaming in from all over the world.
Sofnun would be wonderful, but Mother Dearest will find out that Eldingar is stepping out with someone other than Jun-ho. So that's a no. Beyond would be fascinating, but Eldingar still needs time to recover from his last dungeon dive before he risks infinite clown works. This leaves Abzu's tower as the only practical destination.
Abzu could benefit from changing up his their routine at home, so let's give him them something new to examine.
[X] Go to Abzu's tower.
--[X] Take all your magic items and figuratively dump them on Abzu's table. They seem to thrive on things to do, so why not bond over a mutual love of absurd magical trinkets and gizmos?
[X] Go to Abzu's tower.
--[X] Take all your magic items and figuratively dump them on Abzu's table. They seem to thrive on things to do, so why not bond over a mutual love of absurd magical trinkets and gizmos?
Learning more about our magical loot (& potentially magic in general, at least OOC)? Exploring a shared interest? Staying inside? Sign me up.
[X] Go to Abzu's tower.
--[X] Take all your magic items and figuratively dump them on Abzu's table. They seem to thrive on things to do, so why not bond over a mutual love of absurd magical trinkets and gizmos?
[X] Go to Abzu's tower.
--[X] Take all your magic items and figuratively dump them on Abzu's table. They seem to thrive on things to do, so why not bond over a mutual love of absurd magical trinkets and gizmos?
Your feeble attempts to sway my vote with juvenile accusations of cowardice are laughable!
Also they succeed.
[X] Go visit the Beyond. There's plenty to do and see there - by definition there always is - and you recall a few unclaimed dungeons from your meeting with Ilyana you could suggest.
--[X] The Infinite Cloud Maze. It's probably fine, and you know for certain no one will disturb you there.
[X] Go visit the Beyond. There's plenty to do and see there - by definition there always is - and you recall a few unclaimed dungeons from your meeting with Ilyana you could suggest.
--[X] The Infinite Cloud Maze. It's probably fine, and you know for certain no one will disturb you there.
[X] Go to Abzu's tower.
--[ ] Take all your magic items and figuratively dump them on Abzu's table. They seem to thrive on things to do, so why not bond over a mutual love of absurd magical trinkets and gizmos?
[X] Go to Abzu's tower.
--[X] Take all your magic items and figuratively dump them on Abzu's table. They seem to thrive on things to do, so why not bond over a mutual love of absurd magical trinkets and gizmos?
If thats not tempting fate, I don't know what is. Steven Kodaly made a good argument for going back to the tower.
[X] Go to Abzu's tower.
--[X] Take all your magic items and figuratively dump them on Abzu's table. They seem to thrive on things to do, so why not bond over a mutual love of absurd magical trinkets and gizmos?
