The Otter

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Callum, unless the job offers banger benefits and a good 401k plan, don't take it.

This is Irradiant speaking, by the way, not Altina.

@Irradiant

"Look, you try telling the half-elf queen that could erase you from existence with a thought no when she gives you a job offer. I'll just sit back and watch."

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Callum Prosser

---

Oh. I'm not her secret police. I'm just her fixer. That's fantastic.

His left hand shot up, reflexively catching the very unfortunately slimy Seed that was spat his way as he already tried to forget the sight of the oversized fish trying to speak to him. It only stood to reason that something would go wrong, significantly wrong, below the suface to match what was happening above. At least the queen's preparation didn't leave anything to scoff at, giving him one of the other rings just in case for this eventuality. "Alright, then, let's—"

He ducked to the side, hand swiping another of the pearly crystals out of the air as Captain Thorne threw yet another his way.

Ah. Wonderful. Double duty. Or is it triple at this point? I'm losing track.

He shot Spirit a disinterested glare, stepping back towards the railing as the mercenary captain stepped between them. "Can't play this time, sorry," he quipped with a small wave, lazily rolling backwards over the ship's rail as the dragon and the other foreigner decided to assault the Swiftsure. Before he even hit the water, the ring he'd been given blew a skintight bubble out around him, leaving him floating perfectly dry in the water.

Before he began to dive rapidly, aided by the ring's own propulsion, cursing and narrowly evading the stray fire from Mirie, Hayworth, and the third Ravenfell intruder. Undeterred by the prospect that the ghostly people had found some way to multiply, he sped along towards the queen, slowing at the sight of the creature she had come to try and tame. "Ah, rach air muin," he grumbled looking at the momentarily-blinded Ingens. "Iasg na galla. You said these go in its head, aye?"

Where had the court mage even gone? Knocked out and sent to the depths? Surely she couldn't have sank so fast if that was the case, sank at all, even—but he hadn't seen her come floating to the top either. Eaten? Dia, don't tell me this thing ate one of us... He swallowed, pulling his dagger free with his right hand, if only to have something to try and pry up Ingens's scales with.

"...Your majesty." The honorific came late, an afterthought, manners reasserting themselves despite the beast before him. "Captain Thorne is occupied on the deck. I'll try and be quick about this." With a small salute with the dagger—slow and sloppy through the water, but hopefully the thought would count for something—he turned, and sped on towards Ingens while the beast blearily tried to right its vision. At least the tentacles should be fairly easy to see if it tried to flail about more, and easy to see meant at least some chance of avoidance...or, failing that, he supposed he could always just grab on if one should hit him and try and pull himself along it.

Hopefully it wouldn't come to that.

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Further Callum catastrophizing will come this weekend.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Now look what you've done, you've gone and made her all curious.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Esben Mathiassen

---

Esben looked down at the note that had been left in his quarters with a raised eyebrow. Sure enough, when he and Éliane had been hunting down baking supplies in Costa del Sol, he thought he'd seen a familiar face trailing behind them, whenever he'd seen more than just flowing blonde hair poking out from under a dark hood. An obvious standout among most of Drana Asnaeu's darker-complexioned people, and given that she wanted to meet with them, it explained why she hadn't gone to any great lengths to really keep herself from his view.

'One hour after sundown' left him with plenty of time to prepare for whatever it was she'd want to discuss—and given that he had yet to find a safe drop to get his reports back, it suited him just as well.

---

Some hours later, after time spent wandering the city for the short time he had to do so, Esben was unsurprised to find Éliane coming up to the inn just ahead of him. He followed along silently, into the room that they'd been directed to enter, dutifully shutting and locking the door behind himself—

Only to immediately be accosted as soon as Kayliss was sure the door was warded. He nonchalantly walked to the bed, sitting down on it and setting his bag next to him as he began to look through it, though not without a small greeting for Kayliss: "It's nice to see you too, mom!"

Given the nature of their respective deployments, it was obvious that her words were directed more towards him than towards the flamboyant guardswoman in the room with them; he also knew that letting her have her way from the outset would mean he'd have no chance to get any words into the conversation. Better, then, to steer it away for a moment, for all that he might be risking the ire of one of the heads of Skael's intelligence agency. "We've been telling you for years that you need to take a vacation, and you're still working even out here? Shameful."

He handed over his most recent written reports, as well as all the documents gained from Mizutani Tane's mansion. "You've at least been sleeping, yes?"

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

This looks like an interesting RP! How do I join?

@LucidRain

with 12 equal payments of $19.99 and a properly filled out contract giving the GMs ownership over all of your creative output within the game

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Fionn MacKerracher

---

"You have a knight," Fionn repeated at Fiadh's claim about having to be 'a lot stronger.' "I am your strength." Whether 'decentralized strength' really counted remained to be seen, but given the manner in which his own prowess had grown through the union, he seemed somewhat firmly set on the idea. At least as regarded the belief that she may have started taking steps down that path whether she meant to or not.

As for diplomacy, and his name coming up in response—

"Eh? Who?" He instead was entirely distracted by Arken's comment on summoning in yet another fae being to get them in. "That's not sarcasm, is it? Do we know anyone that could help like that?" He finally turned back to the Niyar hanging off of him with the final question. "I mostly remember you trying to keep me out of trouble with the others back home."

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Esben Mathiassen

---

"Perhaps because she knows something of the trial that would inherently remove its challenge," Esben supplied in response to Miina's musing. He'd kept silent as the Grovemasters deliberated amongst themselves, his thoughts darting between the reactions that had been presented and the need to explain 'judicious' in terms more normal than what Éliane likely thought in.

Izayoi had been right that at least two of the Grovemasters had their minds set the second the party entered the room—likely the entire trio did, if he had to guess. One xenophobic and combative in a way to make a Skaeller border guard proud; one intent on maintaining the image of neutrality, all measured words and a calm face as he made his own wish to wash his hands of the group clear, and the third who had made her mind to at least actively listen and consider what was being said. Likely the only one that had any care for why Neve had chosen to seek the Kirins out again, rather than bristling at her choice in defiance of their edicts.

"Well. Maybe this will mark a turn towards some proactive defense of Drana Asnaeu's neutrality, then," he remarked, still eyeing the eldest of Brightlam's rulers. "I'm sure everybody here would hate to see your forests wither, your wildlife and spirits turned against the people, ja? Perhaps, Master Zacharias, you should pray for our success, in this trial and the rest to come? The prayer of the righteous avails much, after all. Maybe that way you won't have to rely on these demons and warmongers for help for long."

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

it's getting worse, now he's realizing he's getting groomed to be evelyn's fixer

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Esben Mathiassen

---

...

Esben had to fight the urge to start staring at Éliane.

I said judicious. Did she think I said generous?