Torrent505

Clarke blushed somewhat when he entered the room, the girls were certainly beautiful but it was the fact that he was closer to these women than he had allowed himself in all other interactions; that made him nervous and put a strange feeling in his belly. Still he was glad to find Whisp, he wanted to give her what he had been working on for her but was certainly too embarrassed to give it to her now in front of all the others when the mood was like this, certainly it would be misinterpreted. Instead he fiddled with the deck of cards he had brought up and made room for the servers to carry in the generous amounts of drinks he had insisted be brought with them. He decided to change the subject away from the beauty of these women he had begun to grow close to, "So anyone up for some games and indulgence? I have learned a great deal in my time spent with less respectable company, though I must admit they know how to enjoy situations like this to the fullest." The young man stared in shock after Indicus, he couldn't believe that the man had just walked away from him without saying a word. So he followed him... And this man seemed to committed to breaking the rules. Apparently he had no idea how an inn worked thinking he could just pick any room he wished and to anywhere he wanted, such as the roof. The flipped himself up onto the roof without effort at all, again his movement seemed be otherworldly graceful, "You know big guy I can understand playing hard to get, it's attractive really, BUT I am hotel staff. When I offer to take you to your room you don't walk of and pick your own damn room! And the roof is most certainly off limits to guests! Especially in heavy clanking armor, you'll damage it or easily tumble your heavy ass off it!" He stamped his foot lightly for emphasis but it barely made a thud. **************************** Serafinno had snuck into several rooms already and had seen things he was certain he wasn't supposed to see humans doing, though they were always too busy to notice him... except for one room where the pair of humans had tried to coax him on to the bed as well, he had darted out of there as quick as he could. By now he had never been more embarrassed, flustered and confused; so it was to his greatest relief to see the males of the party all traveling to together and he instantly followed them. This new strategy was much better than random searching as they lead directly to Whisper, he let out a joyful squeal and pushed through all the men's legs to leap up and lick at her face. He'd never actually been this relieved for any reason before, the inn's staff he liked but all the other humans here gave him weird vibes that were far too much for his understanding.

A young man with tan skin but delicate features slipped through the chattering girls around Indicus. With the fluid grace of a dancer he was suddenly face to face with the armored man, he breathed a sickly sweet smoke out at him through brilliant white teeth in a confident smile. He tapped his pipe against Indicus's armor and some ash spilled out on to the floor. His voice sounded soft and was hushed "Sooo you're not interested in the girls, that's a good sign for me. If you want I can show you to your room right now." He gave Indicus a wink and his smile became a grin. ****************** Clarke was there to give Dresden a hand up and hand him a steaming stein, "Here you go Dresden, Coffee Irlandés (Irish coffee, Ireland is now cannon ) it will wake you up nice and proper and promptly knock you on your ass with a good nights sleep when it catches up with you. Acts like liquid confidence too." He looked appreciatively at the women practically throwing themselves at the men; most of the women had left him alone so far though maybe it was looks or because his eyes were constantly searching the crowd for Miss Whisp. It was fine with him less temptation to spoil a good nights sleep with a stranger never to be seen again. Still that didn't mean he was planning to waste the last night before a week in those hellish woods or to let anyone else, except maybe Indicus the guard seemed to be a lost cause. He pulled out a deck of cards, "let's all have some games and more drink to stiffen our spirits for tomorrow! Sleep is for the dead, everyone pull up a chair and raise up a glass." ***************** Serafinno was on the second floor now nosing in and out of rooms trying to find where Whisper and the other girls had gone but his sense of smell was overloaded and he couldn't find the scent.

Clarke found it rather funny that the armored man was so unbalanced by such things, still it was good that he was so on his toes certainly this party couldn't afford to relax. Still Clarke made a mental note to coach the man on how to behave when they visited Coppershine; the wrong behavior in a drug den there would kill him faster than an overdose ever could. Entering the inn Clarke sniffed at the air, there was no scent he could detect at least not over the incense and he saw no people smoking. Certainly the atmosphere was relaxing but it didn't make him go all numb or wide eyed like a powerful drug might. "Indicus my friend you need to learn to let go a little and let yourself relax. You've never relaxed have you? This place, it's not over the top but it must be a mix of things to coax comfort..." He looked at the band playing and pointed to them, "... Probably bards using music to soothe, Coppershine uses them in casinos." He waved at the incense, "pretty smells to relax and distract." He pointed at the flowing alcohol of the bar and gestured to everyone's drinking and merry time, "It encourages you to spend money at the bar and further your relief." He looked Indicus dead in the eyes, "You might not be afraid, but this nation is terrified of that forest we are only stroll away from, how else do you think these people sleep at night? How do you think they escape their fear?" He laughed and slapped Indicus on the shoulder, "Embrace it tonight, for once in your life, we go into Ashcreek tomorrow... and not all of us might leave it." With that Clarke headed towards the bar seeking a drink of his own.

Clarke was rather confused, "Opium, perhaps Cannabis Weed, and many other drugs. Why? Are the others smoking inside? Loss of inhibitions? Do you mean drinking? Just what type of party is going on in there?" Clarke had never really spoken with the man before and he was wondering if he was just over reacting to what a den of ill deals might have to offer. Clarke had dealt with Coppershine's drugs dens, this would be a cake walk by comparison. "Look, just don't partake of anything. We'll go in and get to the bottom of this."

Clarke was rather surprised to hear the knocking on the side of his cart and glanced around the side to see Indicus standing nearby. (It's a big metal box but it's full of materials and things you can't go inside it) He was putting his tools way, had just finished the work anyways and was planning to head inside. "Indicus? Is something the matter? I'm sorry I was delayed, everything is fine here." He hid what he had behind his back and tried to act nonchalantly by getting his mug of coffee. ************** Serafinno was curled up and giving off a purring sound constantly, everyone here was so nice. But his eyes sharpened when he realized he had lost track of Whisper and he started looking for her.

Serafinno having seen Helena getting fawned over and loved wanted some attention too. This place smelled really good and made him feel good too, he had no intention of hiding and no idea why he should. The smell was super sweet and lovely, like Whisper before a royal festival when all the other humans sprayed the flower water on her. It overwhelmed him but in a good way. He strutted about with his neck high and rubbing his head against people affectionately at random. When he got to Madam he practically rubbed his whole body against her like a cat, he really like this woman. *************** Clarke put Tugg and the horses in the stable. He sat at his cart for a little bit putting some final touches on what had to be one of his finest works, he hoped Miss Whisp would like it.

Clarke answered Dresden, "It's an amazing vacation spot lad, so good people never leave it. As for what's actually in there it's all just superstition and speculation. You want my best guess? Lycanthropes. Nobody wants to travel at night in the woods and bands of them are know to occasionally terrorize Illia. Legend says Ashcreek had a 'monster born' in it, that was the disease spreading throughout the town and the monsters have used it as a base ever since." He dusted off his gloved hands as if the case was closed and looked at the Bard, "What do you think Robert, would some werewolves spice up that song you're writing?" *************** Clarke looked after the woman, "Guess I'll store my cart in the stables as well. You all go ahead, I'll take the horses over." He put a much steadier hand on the chimera, "Come along with me Tugg, you can spend the night with my cart. That will at least keep it safe." **************** Serafinno not considering himself animal tried to stay close to Whisper.

Clarke chimed in from atop his cart, "I agree with Robert and Helena, one last evening and night of civilization will do our minds well before we trek through the forest. As a bonus we can get up at the crack of dawn and waste no daylight outside the woods, one thing my associates who have traveled the woods all agree on is we must not travel at night."

Oh it's that much farther still? Okay! I was playing it off as less, sorry! This will make more sense for Clarke finishing what he's working on anyways. In the meantime he'll be spending time with Whisp cuase he's curious about her, Robert for riddles and games of wit and wordplay, Zaddion for discussion of magic and philosophy, and maybe Dresden cause he seems like a nice guy. Anyone else doing anything special? Training the Princess some perhaps? Edit: Well that was synchronized my fellow GM hahaha As for Clarke he's not going to let Whisper see what he's working on and will only offer infromation on Tinkering as he is questioned and at this point still rather guarded.

Clarke just rolled his eyes, "I can't say I'm surprised that the hunter is the first to abandon the group, I had hoped he would stay with us longer than this though." On his cart he started rearranging materials, he'd skip that project then and work on another, he wasn't too picky and perhaps it was better not to build something for the hunter who in his mind had always been destined to abandon them. He started his cart chugging down the path toward Ashcreek Forest, they wouldn't make it there today but if their travel was uninterrupted and they made good time then they would at least reach an inn for the night. He tried to keep his cart to even terrain, this work was much more delicate than the other project.

Clarke stared after Whisp, looked back down at the drawing rather dumbfounded. These were are schematics of things he hadn't figured out how to make properly but air dragon bone... that might work. Tinkerers didn't usually use such crude materials, they preferred altered metals but even air imbued metal was too heavy, but bone... Now where would he find that much air dragon bone? He put that one off to the side to ponder for a little longer. During the rest of the day Clarke rode along deeply engrossed in another project that he had dreamed up the previous day and could actually currently make. He was looking forward to showing it off when they came to rest for the night.

Clarke looked curiously at the bard, the man had remained mostly calm and quiet in the Tinkerer's presence so far and he had for the most part overlooked the man. But the display to help settle the others arguing had earned him a bit of respect. "Thank you Bard and well said, you lend credence to the rumors of your kind having sharp tongues and sound minds." Seeking to further disarm the situation he tuned to Adrass, "my cart should have finished a small batch of black powder, more will be completed by the end of the day, but you may collect the initial amount once you are on your horse and beside my cart." Taking the matter as closed and assuming all would follow example once one member was mounted up Clarke walked back to his cart, Miss Whisp and apparently all the beasties.

Anne had remained at the table, she had been to stunned to move, she drank more and more rum. She had gotten more than she had been prepared for in the captain's story; she had been ready for the crew to have died but not so brutally and senselessly, not while the captain was merely forced to watch and not for there to have been an air Mage. Anne new only one 'Air Mage From Hell' and her instincts screamed that it was Milo's doing but the captain had meet Milo before, did she not use his name to spare Anne some fresh pain? Or was her hate for the man making her place him as any monster that fit his description? Edward broke her train of thought with orders to the helm. She moved as if in a trace and her thoughts were hazy. Still her skill with the ship was nothing short of mastery; although the commands of dropping the sails and drop anchor left them closer to the rocks than most crews would dare, especially with a ship a malicious as the Thread which wanted nothing more than to slam up against those rocks and be done with it.

Clarke's enthusiasm to get the party on the road was derailed when he became occupied talking with Miss Whisp; stifling snickers he assured her that she was looking "quite well this morning" and when confronted about the gears he assured her it had to be from a "misjudgment on my part". That got him talking about how the gears might have been intricate but had no function. Talking with her about his designs made him want to show off for some reason so he opened the compartment where he kept the parchment, writing tool and his unfinished schematics. He let her look through his carefully drawn unfinished concepts, something a Tinkerer would almost never do though he figured she couldn't steal any of this ideas, one was a knife that mimicked light magick along it's edge so intensely it could cut anything, another a robotic dog, another a cart with earth magick drills to move seamlessly underground, another a set of mechanical wings to mimic air magick for flight, as well as many other ideas he didn't have the suitable knowledge to actually finish and build. He was so engrossed in the topics that he completely missed the conversation that focused suspicion on him and teaching princess. However as Whisp perused through his "future masterpieces" he returned his attention to the group and found them, as always, squabbling amongst themselves. "Didn't I say to ready yourselves so we can start moving?! Am I the only one goal orientated amongst you? Adrass' earlier concern was at least along the right lines, the closer we get to the forest the more Inns and taverns there will be for folk traveling around the Ashcreek forest or daring to explore it's edges, SO if we want to have a roof over our heads tonight it's in out best interest to travel as far as possible today! Argue while on the road." ************ Finn crawled slowly from the campfires ashes, he had awoken with his throat still sore and his voice hoarse. His fire breathe sputtered and he found he couldn't stay in the air flying very long, the poison was still clouding his system. Very dismayed about this he curled up around Whisper's feet by the cart, he whimpered with a touch of a croak to his voice and stared at Tugg rubbing against the cart, he liked the chimera but was scaring himself half to death thinking what his life would be like if he could never fly again.

Clarke shook his head and thought of what else he could tell her as something he shouldn't think of, "Weapons... That's how I have my connection with the black market in Coppershine, something's are just too dangerous to be made others are just too dangerous to be allowed in some kingdoms. I tend to make the later for people that very much want to own such things at their own risk of punishment from the capital... You've got some..." He reached out and wipe some of the soot away and instead smeared it across her cheek, "... Ah, there got it..." He corners of his mouth trembled as he suppressed a laugh, he turn his head and coughed into his fist to hide it. He managed to keep the humor out of his words, "To Ashcreek forest? Two or three days. To Coppershine? It depends on how our travel through Ashcreek goes, could be a week, could be two. If the ghosts of Ashcreek appear we may never get out." He laughed playing the comment off as a joke and using the large smug on her face to help make it authentic, "that won't happen though, it's just old wives tales and nasty beasties in there and we've got our own powerful beasties to scare those off." He noticed how the music seemed to be making everyone's eyes begin to droop. "We should call it a night though, we have a long way to travel tomorrow to get to the forest as quick as possible... I have a spare bedroll Miss Whisp, you go ahead and take this one, payment for letting me nap in your lap; I've just had some java and I'll be taking first watch anyways." It was a lie, he only had the one bedroll she'd be asleep before him and wake up later than him so she'd never know... ********Time skip commencing******* Clarke took first watch, Adrass took the second, Indicus took the third and Clarke having gotten an unthinkable 6 hours of sleep demanded to watch until morning. The night was very boring and uneventful, in the morning shift Clarke had the brilliant idea to mimic Whisper's way of entertainment, he went to the smudge and drew it into a gear. She showed no signs of waking and he drew another and another; his mind working to place them, still an hour before waking up her face was decorated in a system of interlocking soot gears. At dawn he woke the entire party with the blare his cart's horn. He had readied all the horses and organized the supplies. "We're now burn daylight everyone! Up, up up. Time to hit the road!"

Everything about what she said made him grin, "Good to see you're commitment to the troupe and their performance Miss Whisp... Hmmm, I understand why the others were chuckling now, I must have been a sight to behold. And those things are called gears, yeah they make things move but they don't move on their own, my cart uses technological means to mimic magick and move air and water how I want it to move inside so that the gears move. But I don't want to bore you, my mind is a bit like that always churning and creating, it's a Tinkerer's brain we're raised that way. It's a blessing to help us build but sometimes it's hard to relax and sleep, sometimes you think up things you shouldn't..." His thought's turned once again to the plan to betray this girl and his guilt increase ten fold; why hadn't she been like this before? If she wasn't a spoiled noble then he might have changed... No he couldn't think like that, the plan couldn't be changed, no other plan would have made sense anyways. His spoon clanked against the bottom of the bowl, he hadn't even registered eating it let alone finishing the meal, this was all too distracting.

Just a warning to everyone we're about to time skip to traveling the next day, so you've been given a heads up... If you're online and have something you want to do before we force sleep and travel do it now

That actually made Clarke give a little snort of amusement, "A misjudgment? I don't understand how drawing on my face could have any judgements at all, were the designs and the sizings of the drawings wrong?" He was kidding with her off course, though such joking was more suited to a fellow Tinkerer who understood making schematics. The reaction had come easy to him, she was upset and sorry about it and really it hadn't been too big of a deal... Then the magnitude of that thought settled in. The way she was acting, he hadn't expected her to apologize; a Noble apologizing, especially a Princess apologizing to him, it was surreal. He gave her a sidelong glance and stared at her while she was looking into the fire, when she noticed he looked away suddenly and found himself blushing. She seemed genuinely sad and repentant, was it because he had gotten angry? This all was unnerving to him, he needed to fix it and struggled for what to say. "I... I've never had someone draw on me before, uh it caught me off guard and well Tinkerer's aren't know for their cleanliness... Falling asleep on a Princess and being so unclean as to wake up with ash drawings on me from said Princess made me feel rather uncouth and I thought it might be a comment on my... Dirty state. If it wasn't than I apologize, I didn't think of it as mere entertainment... Now I feel a bit upset for not looking at them before washing them away... What does a Princess draw on ones face for entertainment, Lady Whisper?"

Clarke finished the message and returned to the campfire, he was clean now so at least they couldn't mock him for that; sitting with them would still be good he needed to at least keep up appearances of being friendly and on their side. He helped himself to a bowl of soup before returning to his bedroll. He didn't say anything to Whisper as he sat back down next to her, the music was sweet and his at her anger faded quickly, maybe she hadn't meant it as an insult or a joke on him, she could have just been being playful, it would be dreadfully boring to have a sleeping man stuck in your lap and nothing to do... He stared into the fire for a few more moments, the sleeping dragon flickering within and the conversation about his storybook name plus the good cheer in the music brought about half forgotten memories of doodling beside brothers and sisters. He spoke without thinking, "if you like to draw I have some tools for it and parchment. It would probably be better canvas than my face." Guilt about what he was going to do to these people was already starting to crawl back into his head.

Clarke ran a finger over his upper lip where Whisper had drawn her finger, it came away black and sooty. He flushed a third time, they weren't laughing at the situation the Princess had made him the butt of her joke by drawing all over him with soot and they were just laughing at him. He took the joke the completely the wrong way, not as harmless fun but as an insult. He didn't stay to eat the fish stew with them, he couldn't allow that they'd just be laughing at his face the entire time, it was too bad he didn't stay the music may of helped him. Instead he left going back to his cart while thinking to himself, 'that was probably the point all along, invite the dirty 'Gearhead' over and mock him. Keep him away from his coffee watch how quickly he falls asleep. HA. HA. HA.' When he got to his cart he didn't even bother to look at the Princess's doodles as he began a cleansing process. He move to the far side of his cart as he undressed, hot soaked towels from a compartment to clean his face and skin, a bowl of chemically treated water for his hair, a foamy and blade to remove any stubble from his chin and finally switching to an nearly identical Tinkerer's uniform while putting the old one inside the cart to be sanitized. Scrubbed clean he brewed a cup of his java to refresh him and decided to finally continue his plan to get rich. He activated a part of the cart that mimicked sound magic to send a message that only a tinkerer in Coppershine would receive and be able to translate. That Tinkerer was in the permanent employ of the Crimelord Jaiden Turnwell, the man that owned the city and everyone in it. The message was simple, "have Jaiden gather a fortune to pay me" and then it detailed who he was bringing to the city and what allies she had with her. He had felt guilty about planning to sell the princess to the crimelord, but right now he was glad he'd only be with them another week or two. Besides the plan he had suggested had been the best path to get Whisper to the capital anyways and that proved the girl had been destined to fail; nothing went into Coppershine without Jaiden learning about it so Clarke might as well at least collect payment. He ignored the thought of what might happen to the others as he sent the message.

@@Flying Ace, Clarke's blush only returned and intensified at Dresden's comment and snickering, he assumed that the laughter was still because he had fallen asleep so easily and perhaps the connotations in implying that Whisper didn't mind him sleeping on her lap; he wasn't sure which implication embarrassed him more. He spoke to both Dresden and Whisper as well as anyone else "I assure you Tinkerers are very adept at working with out sleep! My lapse is only a result of my previous employment and over 39 hours without sleep and a lack of Order approved stimulants. Also I'm sure Miss Whisp was only graciously tolerating an uncomfortable situation, I thank her for her putting up with such. I highly doubt it was something she found amusing or was fond of." There that might save him from getting an earful from a noble about a commoner like himself behaving so poorly and such.

Hello, I am SCP-426. I must be introduced this way in order to prevent ambiguity. I am my favorite item in the SCP facitility. I am ordinary toaster, able to toast bread when supplied with electricity. However, when any human being mentions me, they inadvertently refer to me in the first person. Despite all attempts, there is yet to be a way to speak or write about me in the third person. When in my continuous presence for over two months, individuals begin to identify themselves as a toaster. Unless forcibly restrained, these people will ultimately harm themselves in their attempts to emulate my standard functions. My interactions with SCP-682 are especially fun to read about.

"No master you won't die, do not trouble yourself so. The girl's power protects her it would take a great deal of effort and damage to end her life." Romeo's bandages seems to take on a life of there own, rising up and swaying like vipers ready to strike. Instead them flowed outward toward the King wrapping around his limbs, torso and caressing his face. They gave off a hint of Romeo's power, any other person would experience exquisite agony but they soothed the Kings pains and illness. He ignored the Prince completely, Roric might not have liked Romeo but Romeo felt nothing towards the Prince; to him Roric was a disappointing worthless man, the slightest shadow of his father the King. "There you'll feel better and think clearer during the treatment my lord. The girl is still alive. Mobilize the guard and even the military, patrol all roads for her. She must be in Illia lands if Andalasia has not found her. Offer a bounty tittle and land to any that finds her. Rouse the country in search, it will also show the Andalasians that we had nothing to do with the assault." ******************** Clarke woke slowly but the sleep had been enough to regain some of his senses and realize he was laying in the Princess's lap! He jerked away to sit up blushing furiously, which only made the soot drawings on his face stick out more against the bright red background. "Miss Whisp! Uh my apologies, I didn't mean to fall asleep, much less to fall asleep on to you!" He looked around still a bit disorientated as he composed himself, "how long was I asleep? Thank you for waking me." He of course still had no idea about the doodles on his face.