Same as It Ever Was (Part 15)

The party has been invited into an indoor garden area of the Unseelie Court, where Alud'rigan (who is the Unseelie King in this timeline, also known as the Feathered King) and Aragos have been sharing a leisurely breakfast meal and tea with the group. Aragos has been filling the group in on how he is aware of their quest, and he has offered some insight into their options going forward. However, Simony struck a raw nerve with him when pressing him about the circumstances of his previous employment, with Aragos explaining that his wife and son were killed by celestials working for Navos. With a flap of wings and the great sound of metallic screaming, Aragos goes elsewhere, to 'crack open a bottle'.

Alud'rigan remains as Aragos leaves. One pump of his wings and the sound of metal screaming as it smashes into more metal later, Aragos is gone, and Alud'rigan sighs softly. "He will be back," he says soberly. "Now. I don't have my husband's gift of Sight, but I can tell you that, if you choose to go after Runelei and Shankahar... Their paths are intertwined. But they also fight a terrible danger that they cannot overcome alone."

He frowns deeply. "The Corpse-Eater is upon them."

Telamon is perhaps a bit unsurprised that Aragos's life is full of tragedy, wherever he lives. Hopefully it's working out for him in Tel's timeline. The sorcerer's expression is a bit sad, but he nods to Alud'rigan's explanation -- until the end.

Then Tel's face freezes a bit, and suddenly it's no longer 'happy, cheerful, good natured Tel' at the table. The expression he wears now is icy cold, with a touch of sardonic glee. "Well," he says after a long moment. "It seems all our old enemies are crawling out of their holes. Aura will be -so- displeased she wasn't around to kill him again." He shows his teeth in a snarl. "I'll be happy to fill in for her though."

The Goblin watches Aragos leave, and she lets out an audible breath of relief. "I am sure his ego will reinflate after he's had some liquid courage. And what of Zeke's alternate here? And mine?" The Corpse-Eater? Simony is unfazed by the name, despite the previous power it had.

She looks to Telamon then and nods. "I would be happy to introduce him to Spidermasher. She's gotten an ... upgrade." She looks then to Rune, and Harkashan. "I wonder if this timeline's got Blue, too? If so, perhaps we will vanquish Mr. Eater with relative ease."

Zeke does not like the sound of 'Corpse Eater'. He seems to remember something about such a being, but it's been some time and he doesn't remember what happened to this being in the original timeline. Seems as though they were an enemy of Telamon and Cor'lana however, which makes sense. He wonders why this being has targeted Rune and Harkashan in this time. "A being with sssuch a name isss..."

Zeke shudders with displeasure. "Thissss one will be pleasssed to be of assssissstance in removing thissss enemy. Though perhapsss Nala and her cihuaa would be better sssuited?" He looks at Telamon.

Rune's mouth seems to open as if she were going to respond to the fact that the alternate version of herself and Harkashan would have fates inexorably tied together, but the words are cut off by the realization that the Corpse-Eater has already found them. She takes a slow breath, tension evident in her shoulders.

"I was thinking the same thing, Simony." Her voice is soft when she speaks, "Blue was the guide that brought us to the Corpse-Eater, where-as he was the linch-pin to finding my mother and the Golden Fate." Her thumb runs along her necklace. "We know that for Runelei, it's her father she's looking to rescue."

Then, she looks to Alud'rigan. "Does this world have a Fae woman who takes the form of a butterfly? In our world, she called herself Blue." She proceeds to describe Glasina, both in her 'human' form and her butterfly variant.

Harkashan's brow furrows at the idea of the Corpse Eater still being alive on this side. "How powerful is the Corpse Eater here? Depending on how long Runelei and Shankahar have been around, they should be able to handle them on their own." While considering that there isn't much of a way he can see a narrative where there's going to be any kind of forgiveness or compassion for a being that foul.

"Though it was with more allies, the Corpse Eater was felled on our side." He idle runs a clawed finger over a goblet's rim, making slight circles. "Though there was Blue..." Something Simony and Rune also point out. "One of your former beloved, I do believe." He notes to Alud'rigan. "Much prefers to be in the form of a butterfly."

Nala, for her part, frowns deeply as she looks at Telamon. "Who is the Corpse-Eater?" she asks. "It seems like you all know him already."

Alud'rigan nods soberly. "I cannot speak for what the otherworlders here have experienced," he says, "but the Corpse-Eater is, in fact, my brother, although not one I gladly call as much."

He sighs softly, his violet eyes looking heavy for the recalling of memories. "As long as I can remember, Legus'elain has tried to take everything that I loved from me. He killed my pets. He killed servants that I was fond of. I could not have a friend for fear that he would hurt them. It was not until my mother died when I became a young man that I was able to be rid of him, as I used my newfound power as King--for my mother named me her successor--to exile him from all lands within the Unseelie Court and its members. It keeps him from entering these lands, but outside of them... He is free to roam. He is an accomplished warrior and magician, apt at impersonating others and driving dissent in ranks."

The mention of the butterfly woman has Alud'rigan pressing his lips together in thought. His brows furrow. And then he blinks. "Blue... No, I know a woman by the name of Glasina, but her nickname is Red. Many, many years ago, we had a very, _very_ brief dalliance, although, I must admit, it was more to stir up controversy than anything..."

Telanmo raises a brow. "What do you mean, controversy?" he asks.

"Well, Glasina is Prince Raeluin of the Summer Court's wife," Alud'rigan admits, and then Nala chokes on her tea as Alud'rigan admits, "I was, of course, aware of this at the time of our dalliance, but it was needed for courtly purposes. And that was long before Aragos was in the picture, might I add."

"His name comes from his predilection to feed on those slain by his manipulations," Telamon explains somberly. "In my world, he was Gr-- his Majesty's cousin, not brother, but..." He shrugs lightly. "Doesn't matter. In any case, he takes a horrid joy in setting friends and lovers against each other with his manipulations and disguises -- until one, or both, are dead."

"Cor'lana and I knew it was a matter of time till he sought to destroy us, for he was just as bad in our world as in yours, Nala. We... devised a plan to draw him out, and then we ambushed him and killed him." There is no guilt or remorse in Telamon's tone or face.

At the news that Raeluin's wife was Glasina, Telamon's eyebrow climbs upward, and he starts to say something, before he stops. Instead, he just shakes his head. "The customs of Quelynos are not those of the mortal realm, Nala. Let it go." He then knocks back his tea in one shot.

Zeke is confused. The Raeluin that they met had said that he wanted Nala for his wife. Wife is cihuaa (or nearly). One can not have two... can one? Zeke can imagine someone with two mates if both are accepting, but two wives? "Sssaa...?" He breathes out his utter confusion in a slight noise. Still, Telamon's explanation is as good as any, and the fact that the Corpse Eater lives up to his name... is all the more reason to Zeke to kill the man. "Then we ssshould be on our way. It iss for the bessst that thisss isss quickly done."

Before the Corpse Eater tries to eat Harkashan and Rune's alternates.

With a nod of her head, Rune seems to confirm Telamon's part of the story. "The Corpse-Eater was also the one who cursed the Golden Fate's wife and her servant, who was my mother. Likely Runelei's father in this world. Destroying him was the key to being able to eventually find a way into the prison and free those who were kept prisoner there." It seems important for everyone to understand the story as it played out in their world.

She pushes to her feet, seemingly checking her weapons. "If we're going to encounter him again, everyone should be careful." She seems about to explain how to be cautious around Fae, but seems to think better of it in Grandfather's presence.

Instead, she looks over to Nala and Telanmo. "The Corpse-Eater is a threat, not only to you, but to our counterparts, and to any number of others who have crossed his path. He takes sick glee in making people suffer. The only way to defeat him, is together." She looks to Telamon, "We've always been stronger, together."

Aryia wasn't familiar with this Corpse Eater, but she does recall how much of a pain it was to her friends by extension, and her gold painted lips purse in thought as the others express their... disdain for such an individual. Though, she does recall her own woes with Karan'taara, so, she gets it, and takes such caution from others to heart.

But the extended relation explanations gets her confused, so she just opts for more coffee. Leave the fey relation wire crossing sorting to the experts. Besides. Why would that pompous prick want two wives? He was barely emotionally stable enough for one. He couldn't even take a slap without bitching out. Sip.

"Red.", Simony says, a half-grin on her face. "Of course." She crosses her arms. "But, again, what of our alternates, Zeke and I, your Majesty? Are either in close proximity to Rune and Harkashan's alternates? We may as well plan things out, especially if we can uhm kill two birds with one stone. To use a common expression."

She nods then, in agreement with Rune. "We are stronger together. And it is HE that should be careful, Rune. We have the advantage of knowledge. Which, as you know, is power."

"Alright, so that's not an option..." Harkashan harrumps. "I mean, you and Prince Raeluin really need to sit down and talk to one-another as proper adults." He then adds. "But that's not something we can wait for, if the Corpse Eater is closing in on Runelei and her friend." He adds, slowly rising up from his seat as Rune touches on most of the points he would have touched on.

Instead, he addresses others in the room; "Then, shall we get going? Telanmo - Nala - you want to come along? Get a chance at kicking the ass of a guy who literally went around kicking puppies and throwing stones at small birds in order to piss people off and feed off of their suffering?"

Alud'rigan seems confused for a moment before he realizes what the issue is. "Oh. 'Officially', Raeluin only has one wife. However..." His expression curdles a little bit. "His mother, the Queen, has permitted him to take on... It's a Sylvan word that literally means 'sweet flower' in your tongue. However, it's best translated as a concubine."

He looks a little thoughtful. "He has close to twenty of them, last I checked. Oddly enough, most of them are mortals of fae lineage. He has been going around taking women with some fae ancestry, even in trace amounts, and bringing them back to his Court. Allegedly, it's because Glasina has refused to touch him since the day of their marriage, and Raeluin's own... personal tastes. She resides in her own castle, Alia'verdu il'Enzia, on the outskirts of the Seelie Court, which was her rightful seat before she married the Prince." Then he regards Simony. "Unfortunately, I'm not sure about your alternate and Zeke's alternate. I don't have my husband's Sight, and he's off fetching a bottle. But from what he's told me, they are a far distance away from Runelei and Shankahar."

Nala looks increasingly disgusted. "What was he going to do with me?" she asks quietly, before she looks at the rest of the group. "Are you sure we can't go kill Prince Raeluin, too, in addition to this Corpse-Eater guy?"

"Maybe we shouldn't jump straight to regicide, dearest," Telanmo says, looking at Nala with a very worried expression. "If Glasina hates Raeluin, though, maybe she can be of use to us, and Runelei, and Shankahar."

Nala thinks about it a moment, but she looks at Harkashan, rising from her chair. "I'm with you, and Telanmo will come with," she says firmly. "I mean... If I'm a Princess of this court, isn't it my duty to take care of the Corpse-Eater?"

Yiara also gets up from her chair and signs, "I'm going, too. Sounds like fun." She smiles almost meanly. <Handspeech/Tongues>

GAME: Zeke rolls Linguistics: (6)+7: 13
GAME: Harkashan rolls Linguistics: (7)+8: 15

"It seems like a few of those threads weave neatly together." Rune nods towards Telanmo, who seems to have his counterpart's wisdom in a lot of ways. "I believe that we've already encountered one aspect of Glasina in this world, if I'm right. The little silver dragon that we came upon. Between the name of her castle and the fact that Ainith already intervened on our behalf, suggests that these things are all interconnected."

As it seems like others are ready to go on this unusual quest, Rune nods her head, looking to Alud'rigan. "Would you have a way we can get to our counterparts? I imagine there's a couple of places they could be, but I'm not sure where we are in the story..." She trails off, brows furrowed.

Telamon looks at Nala a bit sardonically. "A flower kept under glass, for as long as possible. Sometimes fey -- with apologies to our host -- have a hard time grasping that people aren't trophies to be collected." He shrugs. "Somehow, I doubt he's 'just' a rake."

"In any case, we'll keep Glasina in mind. I think we have enough forces gathered here to deal with the Corpse-Eater." Telamon rises to his feet. "There's a couple spells I'd like to cast, but beyond that... yes, let's get this wagon train rolling. It annoys me that I must kill my old enemies again and again. It's not my idea of a good time."

Looks like it's ass kicking time. Or, looking menacingly time, Aryia figures, skulling her coffee and rising to her feet. Best to get changed then. She gives a slight smirk and nod towards Yiara. Yes, it's going to be fun. "I'm not even going to try and understand whatever that arrangement is." <Handspeech/Tongues>

Harkashan doesn't seem particularly bothered by the idea of someone having one, or two, of twenty, of a hundred 'wives'. If they're providing better and healthy offspring, more power to them. The idea of going after mortals of Fae lineage in its own also doesn't actually bother him. It's the demanding manner in which they'd approached Nala that had bugged the living heck out of Harkashan.

"A shame." He rumbles. "But indeed, perhaps a small option after all. But right now, it may be better off not bothering Lady in Red and instead going for the Corpse Eater directly." He grabs his buckler and begins to properly attach it to his armor so he can more easily wield it.

"As for where they are and how to get there..." He looks towards Nala. "I'm fairly sure that lady Nala has a good sense where our aid is needed." He rumbles, considering the 'narrative convenience' she seems to apply to the world around them.

Zeke glances toward the tea one last time and sighs softly. "Thisss one isss ready to go." More than ready. He hopes that there will be time to grab a bite to eat or perhaps a cup of tea when they reach the others. "Assssuming that we have a meansss to locate them. Perhapssss a sssspell to find them?"

Such is the work of shaman's such as Telamon however. Zeke has no such ability.

"A cage. A gilded cage, but a cage none-the-less.", Simony says, with a nod to Telamon.

"Okay, so they aren't close?" The Goblin nods to Alud'rigan. "That must mean my alternate has not left home yet. And I suppose Zeke's alt is uhm... not in Alexandria yet either."

As Aryia stands and Zeke voices his readiness, Simony nods, gulping down the last dregs of her coffee. "I am as ready as I can be, given the circumstances. I suppose not talking to the Lady in Red might save us time... but... we shouldn't get too cocky. Red may know of Corpse Eater's location, I mean, she came to the group I was with when I ran into him, ages ago in our timeline."

GAME: Riptide rolls 1d6: (5): 5

Nala is about to open her mouth, but then suddenly, in front of Rune (more specifically, on top of her food), a little silver dragon the size of a cat appears with a *pop*.

"PEOPLES!" Ainith crows, and then he rapidly flies around the table in a whirlwind of glimmering silver and excited little-dragon-yells. "PEOPLES-PEOPLES-PEOPLES. What are peoples doing!?"

"Oh, Ainitharitirisixchel," Alud'rigan says very fluidly, brightening in expression. "Hello, good sir. These peoples--ahem, people--are having breakfast with me. They are looking to go meet their... other-peoples."

Ainith suddenly perches on Telamon's head, sitting his draconic tail down right on those platinum-blond locks. "Other-peoples. Oh! Runelei and Shankahar?" He offers a little toothy grin. "I take! In exchange for CHICKENS."

Telamon opens his mouth to respond, but then there's a loud disturbance. In the form of a tiny silver dragon that happily flies around, before landing on -- his head? Oof. Well, that's what combs are for. He looks around as best he can without dislodging Ainith, and spreads his hands helplessly.

"It appears we have our ride. Could anyone get maybe a spitted chicken? Or roasted? Whatever Ainith wants, in exchange for his assistance." He smirks a bit. "My life seems to involve a great deal of socializing with powerful, goodly friends these days..."

Simony squeaks in surprise at the sudden appearance of the silvery dragon, and its excited lap around the table. She turns to face Telamon as the creature perches on Telamon's head. There's a snort that turns into the giggles as the Goblin holds her sides.

Zeke blinks at the arrival of Ainith, but as Telamon says... It seems they have found their way to the pair of alternates. Zeke looks at the little dragon respectfully, and his stomach rumbles at the thought of chicken. Roasted chicken. Delicious chicken. He shakes his head at himself. Such foolishness. "Sssaa, thisss one isss grateful for your aid Anitharitirisixchel."

Aryia blinks as a tiny silver dragon suddenly appears, half a breakfast pastry dangling from her mouth. Oh, it's Antihari again! Is there chicken around here? Uhhh. Her little breakfast salad had some chicken strips...? Wait, crap, she ate the entire thing.

Oh, Yiara has some. She takes her bowl and offers it. "Appetizer?" <Handspeech/Tongues>

Just as the name leaves her lips, it is almost as if she had spoken to fate itself, causing the named dragon to appear. There's a shift of her weight as she adjusts to the dragon perched briefly on her head. "Well, hello there, Ainith. We were just talking about you."

Thankfully, it isn't long before the silver blur takes wing, allowing her to rub at the back of her neck to ease muscles tense from the weight. "I think an exchange can be arranged." Of course, she's looking at Alud'rigan as she says this, as she has no such ability to make chickens appear in this Fae realm.

A corner of her lip quirks at Telamon's comment, "That's kind of how I thought of you and Cor'lana when I first came to Alexandros. Powerful, goodly friends."

Ah, there it is!

Harkashan doesn't know whether to be proud of himself for anticipating the power that Nala holds in this place and this moment - or horrified at it. They're basically traveling with a God that doesn't even realize she is a God. When - he wonders - will she realize she can perhaps bring back her Mother?

"I don't think I'll ever get used to the whole Fish and Chicken thing." He says with a chuckle.

Yiara does a double-take when Aryia offers up _her_ bowl to the silver dragon, and she fiercely signs, "You fucking _what_, I will end this right now out back behind the--"

And then Yiara looks at the silver dragon, blinks, sweats, and then signs, "Hello little silver dragon. A-I-N-I-T-H. I will gladly give you my chicken." And then she looks at Aryia, eyes narrowing. "Bitch." <Handspeech/Tongues>

"YUMMY-YUMMY!" Ainith yells as he plows face-first into Yiara's breakfast salad. Of course, he doesn't eat the actual salad. Just the chicken. Which means Ainith emerges with a lightly-dressed silver face (some sort of vinegar dressing) and crumbs of chicken. He takes flight again.

He boops every single person so quickly with his wings that, in no time at all, they realize they are...

Elsewhere.

In the middle of a jungle, actually. It's pleasantly warm. A stark contrast to the winter in which the group had arrived at Nala's house. There's the sounds of various creatures off in the distance. Swiftclaws. Other jungle-dwelling beings.

Nala blinks. "Where are we?" she asks, before looking around and frowning. "We left Zenith behind. And Ainith left, too..."

Yiara signs, "Am'shere. Looks like it to me, anyway." Then her eyes flicker over to Harkashan and Zeke, and she nervously adds, "Don't ask me why I know. You're not gonna like it. I'm a reformed woman." <Handspeech/Tongues>

GAME: Harkashan rolls Survival+2: (13)+16+2: 31

Telamon covers his mouth as Aryia proceeds to steal food from her doppleganger, and offer it to Ainith. After a few moments, he's able to control his voice and expression. "Alright, so--"

Blink.

"--I'll try to... never mind," he trails off, looking a little startled. "I forgot. Tanith would do this too. I had to remember to watch my words around her because she -would- jump right to the action without thinking." He sighs, a bit. "Alright. Where was I? Yes. Excuse me a moment." He steps a few paces away from the group, and clicks his heels together. Suddenly, there's a flash at his feet, green shoots sprouting upwards. It's -fast- -- suddenly a stand of banana trees is growing around Tel, expanding and flowering with full-sized, ripe bananas hang from the trees.

Tel steps out of the stand of trees, admiring his work. "Gods, I love these boots."

"It's fine..." Harkashan's eyes narrow and he takes in a deep long breath as he finally is greeted by something that bears literal decades, if not a century of familiarity for him. He closes his eyes as his ears pick up the howls and bird-calls in the distance. The sounds of terrible Thunderlizards howling, and the quick movement of living plants and poisonous insects that all decide that right now... this is not a place they want to be.

There's a long exhale. "Home, but not Home." He rumbles then, discarding Yiara's words for the time being and instead focusing on the area they are in.

"Hrrm... it's not here..." He then remarks. At the same time, a flaming presence flares to life near him, looking around without seeing. A moment's moment, as a red flaming dragon's head seems to shape near his shoulders, looking around, before disappearing again.

"The cave." He explains to Rune.

The Goblin continues to giggle at the silver dragon's antics, and Yiara's reaction to the offering of HER breakfast to Ainith. She's still giggling when the scenery changes around her, and then she's looking a little green around the gills, wobbling a little til she can lean against a tree.

She tugs a little at her robes. "Goodness... it certainly /feels/ like Am'shere. The heat and humidity are vaguely familiar, and it is certainly green enough." She takes a deep breath, her expression brightening at the fruit trees springing into existence. "I am surprised you'd risk those out on this sort of adventure.", she comments to Telamon, angelic wings suddenly sprouting from her back, allowing her to fly up and pull a bunch of bananas from the tops of one of the trees. Dropping to the ground she offers it up to Telamon. "Anyone hungry?"

Zeke blinks as they are transported rather quickly to... Somewhere that looks and smells a lot like a jungle. If not Am'shere as Yiara suggests, then somewhere similar in nature. Not the sort of place that he was expecting to find the alternates of Rune and Harkashan, but then he knows little of their history. "A cave?"

Zeke's inquiry is curious in nature and he looks around himself for some sign of a cave which is not really there - or so it seems. What he does find however are Telamon's trees and he gratefully collects a few of the bananas himself for eating. Zeke doesn't even remove the skin before crunching into the fruit and humming happily at the fact that there's finally food to be had. He nods his gratitude to Telamon. "Ssssa."

Nom banana.

Aryia's smile just grows as Yiara curses the pugilist out. "Good, now take that anger and funnel into whoever we have to deal with next." She double checks that Ainith was busy delving into the bowl before firing back. "Bitch."

And before she could have more witty retorts, a little dragon boops her on the face, getting some vinaigrette in the mix. And... they're in the jungle. Oh, yes, she recognizes this place, but for different reasons than Yiara. She gives a little shrug at her explanation, and looks down. Frowns with a sigh. "I am not dressed for the jungle," she complains, glancing to Harkashan's explanation before throwing a thumbs up and stepping behind a tree, pulling out more jungle appropriate attire. At this point, strange happenings with magic doesn't faze her. Regardless, she was going to devour a whole bunch of those bananas on the way over to this place. Ki isn't fueled by willpower alone. <Handspeech/Tongues>

The familiarity of Am'shere feels almost as much like home as Alexandria, enough so that Rune takes a moment just to appreciate the warmth as it seeps underneath her layers of thicker winter clothing. She closes her eyes to appreciate it, only to open them to an unusual set of trees that seem to be Telamon's doing. She blinks twice.

Then, Harkashan snags her attention, both with the strange flash of his otherworldly patron, but also the mention of the cave. There is a momentary look of uncertainty, as she takes off her necklace. "I'm not sure if this will work in this world, but in ours, we couldn't find the cave without it. But... if Ainith lead us here, it means perhaps our counterparts are already there?"

For the sake of everyone else, Rune explains, "There was a cave we found, which was one of the places my mother visited on her travels. In our world, it was connected to the Golden Fate. It's where we discovered what we needed to do to free her bride. And where we learned of the Corpse-Eater's curse." She raises a brow towards Harkashan, "Lead the way, whichever of you is currently driving. You always did know this place better than I do."

-TBC