• Closed • [The Bones] GST: What Now Remains?

[Woe]

The Bones

The Bones was largely intact, as Balthazar would find. If the mage was true to his word to Woe, he would arrive at the entrance to the Bones on the 5th of Ymiden. He found the exterior somewhat damaged, but mostly intact. The door frame did appear to suffer some collateral fire damage, but otherwise it didn't look like this was one of the places that had gotten firebombed into smitherines. Nevertheless, as Balthazar and company examined the entrance, they'd find the doorway giving way easily, unlocked as it were.

Inside, a woman stood at the table, a cup of bones in her hand, and a set of tarot cards in the other. She smiled at Balthazar, "We've been expecting you." Beside Lacrima, stood her daughter Blodwen. The latter struck a resemblance to Woe himself, but it might've been a coincidence. Woe kind of had one of those faces, as far as Balthazar could remember.

"Have you come to seek your fortune?"

Lacrima

asked.

Blodwen

spoke out to him, "So you're Balthazar? Don't look as tall as I imagined." She shrugged, a sword was on her hip, and she was dressed as casually as any typical Almundite. She elaborated on Lacrima's meaning of the word 'fortune'. "She wants to know if you'd like a reading of your future."

"The Bones will tell us..." Lacrima murmured, as she rolled around the bones in the cup in her hand.

Blodwen just rolled her eyes at the drama of it all. "It's alright, she's mostly harmless." She assured Balthazar.

[Balthazar Black]

5 Ymiden 723

Lyanna suggested that the request from Woe might have been a trap and Balthazar laughed because he couldn't see what Woe would gain from it- not because he didn't think Woe would set a trap. Robin was a lot more trusting and Croft... Croft agreed with Lyanna which was strange. Either way, Balthazar didn't need their opinions dragging down his choice to help a friend in need. He set out for The Bones alone on the fifth of Ymiden, as he had said he would in his response to Woe's letter. Dressed in dark colors as usual, Balthazar was unarmed and accompanied by his two unseen diri- Fuego and Crow. The diri of death flew overhead in its namesake's form while Fuego floated along beside Balthazar's feet.

Why is he called the Egg? Fuego asked Balthazar a short time into the walk.

I... don't really know. Egilrun, so... Egg. Balthazar failed to explain to the diri as they reached The Bones. To Balthazar's relief the outside didn't look like it was damaged too badly. The doorframe had seen better trials but that was not enough damage to warrant magic fire healing. Balthazar moved to knock on the door and it gave way, revealing two figures inside who seemed to be waiting for him. Lacrima's words would have been a little more mysterious to Balthazar if he hadn't both been asked to come and said that he would but he hadn't immediately considered that Woe might not be in direct contact with the duo. Either way, he stepped into the building and glanced around briefly before settling his focus on the two who had been waiting for him.

"Not exactly." Balthazar said when asked if he'd come for his fortune. He had never put much stock in fortune telling but given all the other magic in the world he didn't doubt there was something to it- even if it was just a good con. He couldn't help but look at the cup in her hands with the bones.

The younger one spoke up and Balthazar diverted his attention to her. He was shorter than she'd expected? Well... he was only human. It was strange to think they knew of him and he knew very little about the two of them. Blodwen explained what Balthazar had assumed and he nodded towards her in thanks. She looked familiar but he knew they had never met. It would take him a few bits to put together that she looked familiar because she looked similar to Woe. Lacrima began shaking the bones in the cup and Balthazar looked to Blodwen again for explanation. Blodwen assured him that Lacrima was 'mostly' harmless. Not a great endorsement.

"A mutual friend sent me to check on you two, given the attacks." Balthazar said to Blodwen, "But I suppose a reading wouldn't hurt while I'm here." Or it might. Either way he felt it would be rude not to humor Lacrima and if he went through with the reading, he'd have more time to assess how the two of them were fairing.

[Woe]

Used the following system for the Bones Roll

"We don't have many to call friends." Blodwen retorted to his claim of coming at the behest of a friend. Then she quirked a sardonic brow at him, "How many do you have?"

"Blodwen... please." Lacrima said, holding her free hand to her head, as she cast the bones.

Landing farthest from her cast, a hip bone, with a carved rune upon it. Nearest to that, another bone that indicated misfortune of the greatest kind. Lacrima frowned, "Great disaster surrounds you, in your environment. Misfortune and ruin."

She said, and Blodwen rolled her eyes.

She crossed her arms as she watched over her mother, "I think he's well aware of that by now, Mother."

"Hmmm... but let us see how will you overcome this misfortune..." Lacrima said, and then cast more bones.

"But don't be too pragmatic. Your goodness of heart will be of the greatest benefit in meeting that challenge. Don't ignore your emotions, or be afraid to care for the ones closest to you."

She sighed. Then looked up at him. "You've done much, you should go home."

Blodwen looked carefully from Lacrima to Balthazar, frowning, "Errm... You're giving advice now, Mother? Is that what this is turning into? I think that sets a bad precedent."

Lacrima insisted however, "Go home, go home, go home." She raved a little, becoming slightly unhinged. Blodwen put hands on her shoulders to steady her, and embraced her.

She cast a look at Balthazar, and nodded, indicating that he was fit to leave if he wished.

"Thanks for checking on us. I think we can carry things from here, though. Other places are harder hit, just let our... friend know that we're well, if you would."

[Balthazar Black]

5 Ymiden 723

"At times, too many." Balthazar replied to Blodwen's inquiry about how many friends he had. Hm. Friends. He called his friends friends and he called the people he got information from friends. The line could blur easily. Still, Balthazar noted that Blodwen said they had few friends. Interesting. Did they not know Woe was their benefactor in this exchange? Why would he have kept them a secret? Very interesting... but as Lacrima restrained Blodwen, Balthazar had to restrain himself. There was no purpose in digging into Woe's connection to these people. Who would it help? Lacrima proceeded with the reading of the bones.

It certainly was something to see, wasn't it? Fuego watched the whole fortune reading with curiosity and amazement. Balthazar watched it with skepticism and doubt. Crow didn't watch it at all because Crow had gone outside to make sure no one was trying to sneak up on Balthazar. The mage did listen though and he didn't let his face reflect the doubts he had about the power of reading fortunes. He had a feeling it wouldn't be received well. Blodwen hit the nail on the head when she pointed out that Balthazar could probably tell that he was surrounded by great disaster and ruin. The fire had that effect on the city.

However the second half hit a little closer to home. It was hard for Balthazar not to try and be pragmatic. He had followed his heart once when he had a duty to the Elements and he was burned for it... but if he hadn't followed his heart then he would not have met Elisabeth. Following your heart lead to pain... but the best person in his life had come from it. The Black Cats could run on their own while he took a trip if he left decent instructions. He said nothing about the advice he had been given but he gave the fortune teller a small nod so she'd know it was received.

Then the spiraling began. Lacrima repeated the words 'go home' over and over again. Her daughter tried to steady her and dismissed Balthazar with a glance. The mage didn't want to leave while Lacrima seemed to be in such a dark state.

"You've done me a service and all I've done is... walk into a building." Balthazar said, "I will tell our mutual friend you are well but I owe you both a little more than that. How often does this happen?" Balthazar asked Blodwen, referring to the state Lacrima had spiraled into. He was no therapist but he had a decent understanding of the mind and the ability to soothe trauma. Either by soothing the sorrow or by removing the damaging memories. However he stopped and caught himself before doing anything more, "Do you want my help?"

[Woe]

"Interesting answer." Blodwen shot back at Balthazar, that he had too many friends.

"The answer of a conscienscious companion." Lacrima stated, between illucid moments. "Better off home..."

"Mother, stop." Blodwen tried to wrap an arm around her shoulder, and that seemed to soothe Lacrima to a degree. She looked up at Balthazar, when he offered to give more help. She shook her head, "Maybe, Fates know Father couldn't do a damn thing even with all his understanding of the mortal mind."

Blodwen sighed. "We don't know what causes the episodes." She rubbed her mother's shoulder, and let her lean into her. Lacrima fell silent then, and stopped her mutterings and murmurings. "We think it's something that they did to her when she was in Yaralon. Labrae did something to her mind." Blodwen's face hardened at the memory of her deranged aunt. Labrae would always argue that she meant nothing but good will for her 'children'. But the mortalborn was beyond humanity at this point, beyond morality. She had perhaps lived too long to retain any sense of mortal understanding.

"The Webspinners." Blodwen explained. "They held her for a time in Yaralon, and later in Old Dynaash."

"We don't know what memories would need removing. Father says asking her will perhaps prompt a episode of spiraling downward, from which she may not recover barring extreme measures. Measures he has yet to try." Blodwen continued frowning. "But he assures her that if worse came to worst, he has a method to enact a complete reset. But who knows if that will be enough to undo the damage Labrae has done?"

[Balthazar Black]

5 Ymiden 723

Blodwen referring to the efforts of her father, as well as her vague descriptions of the man, about confirmed what Balthazar had suspected from the start. This was Woe's family, however the man considered the word. It was strange that he now felt more compelled to help them than trills before. Strange but not Balthazar's primary concern. The revelation never showed on his face or in his mannerisms so that Blodwen would know she had his full focus. He did not interrupt her at any point during her explanation because it was important to gather as much information as he could before he gave advice or offered anything more.

It was strange to think that the two before him had been to Yaralon for any long length of time but it made him feel a little more at ease. Normally when he met other people from his home, he got nervous about duels but Blodwen spoke of Labrae so he knew that they had walked different paths in Yaralon. Balthazar had avoided immortals fairly well during his time there and found his version of faith later. In regards to Lacrima, Balthazar wasn't certain that not knowing what caused the episodes would be a problem. As far as he understood it, the ability would pull whatever memory was being actively recalled and as far as he could estimate that memory would be the one present during the episodes. Balthazar's expression shifted for a moment as he found himself trapped in thought. Labrae's involvement would likely mean this could not be solved in one swoop.

"Yaralon never was a kind place for good people. I'm sorry I can't promise more about undoing Labrae's damage." Balthazar said quietly after hearing the story from Blodwen. He took a breath and shifted to more productive thinking. "I have been blessed by Vri with some abilities your father might not possess." It was also possible Woe had sent him with this sort of thing in mind but that didn't occur to Balthazar at the moment. He was only thinking of how he might be able to help. "You may not think it necessary now, but the offer stands. Should you have a need or want me to try and remove any harmful memories, you can reach me at The Black Cats' headquarters. Talk to your father about it. I'm not hard to reach." Balthazar took a step back from them and towards the door. If all was settled, he needed to get back to work and write Woe another letter.

[Woe]

Rewards Requested

Notes/Warnings: THis is a GST run by me, Woe. So no xp or knowledge for Woe plz. Full collab credit for Balthazar though.

Thread: [The Bones] GST: What Now Remains?
City/Area: Almund

Renown: Balthazar did a solid for a business in Almund. So maybe.
Collaboration: Yes

!	Message from: Pig Boy
	Done!

[Pig Boy]

Balthazar Black

Feedback

Balthazar is such fun to moderate, even if as a GST involving my NPCs. I really enjoyed writing here, and the mage's instincts and impressions of the place were pretty dead on imo.

That said, even Balthazar can't argue that the fortune telling wasn't apropos for what it meant. We'll see how he does checking up on Haven and home.

Good writing!

Rewards

• Renown: 5
• XP: 15