Backdated to early 8 Feb | Text | Unseelie locked

[gordianknots]

By now I think everyone knows that the monarchs are asking us to run after the Jabberwock to try and return it back to them. We know that it responds to touch, that it likes puzzles, and that lavender will help soothe it.

But there are problems with what we’ve been told that need to be solved now.

1. It’s the middle of winter. We need sources of lavender, and I do not imagine that this will be easy. If anyone knows where to begin, and can say so on an open post here, you’d be doing everyone a great favour.
2. The Jabberwock isn’t small. Making puzzles that will be the right sie will be a struggle. Thoughts on how to go about that are welcome. I’m not imagining that it is going to be possible to walk up to this thing and ask it why did the chicken cross the road?
3. Touch. If this thing’s aura of rot is as true as old accounts have presented it, we need to find ways to deal with that. Quickly.

I’m encouraging brainstorming on this network post because anything that can be thought up together will have a greater chance of working.

Chime in if you can and for the love of whatever is dearest to you, stay safe.

Comments

[chaoticwhimsy]

Well, they're the ones that let it out, so good.

Hmm.

What about those magic plant people? Uh. There used to be a bunch in the forest but somebody killed them all. They're in other places right?

[gordianknots]

Dryads.

Greenwood, but that's too far south, south of Caer Glaem. Unseelie in that territory, Christ, you'd be risking your life for it.

[chaoticwhimsy]

...If you can point me to it, I can probably get there. And not get caught.

[gordianknots]

Got a map handy?

[chaoticwhimsy]

Gimmie a minute.

[She's on video when she returns, hey Waver you're talking to a kid. She's got a map rolled out on the floor wherever she is, and she points her locket at it.]

Okay.

[gordianknots]

[Actually, the video feed isn't a bad idea.

Waver places his own locket down to fetch a map - where he is looks to be a library - and grabs it. He holds his own map up to the locket, focusing it on the greenwood area directly south of the Caer Glaem.]

It's this area that I'm focused on.

My gut is to tell them why you need the lavender, and I'd mention the burning of La Llarona too. They might be more inclined to help if they know what's going on up north.

[chaoticwhimsy]

[Lumina finds the spot he's talking about, by walking on the map actually, and she taps it with her toe before there's a little triumphant noise.]

I've been there before.

[Which means she can get back, really easily.]

I can teleport there, then...[She hesitates.] How do I find them? Will they just come talk to me? It's a big forest.

[Crap.]

[gordianknots]

The one time I met one, she came to me. You might have to address the forest as a whole, and if no one responds, leave, before the Seelie are alerted to your being there.

Maybe by then I'll have a supply of lavender, and we'll be in a good place.

[chaoticwhimsy]

Oh goody. Because nothing says 'crazy person' like trying to have a conversation with trees.

[She huffs, but her expression is resolute.]

But we need it, don't we. I'll leave right away.

i'll have waver follow up telling lumina about the lavender supply at the station if that's ok?

[gordianknots]

It's the Drabwurld. If you think having conversations with trees makes you a crazy person, you haven't gotten the brunt of this place's weirdness yet.

[It's a poor attempt at humour.]

Tell me of your success. If we have multiple sources for the plants, then we are at an advantage.

That works for me! She'll still go talk to trees.

[chaoticwhimsy]

[She giggles at that.] Everybody thinks I'm crazy anyway, so whatever.

[A beat.]

So if we find this stuff, and these riddles, and we calm him down. ...How are we gonna get him back to the castle?

[Unlike other people asking sarcastically, Lumina appears to genuinely mean this.]

Okay great.

[gordianknots]

Except the trees, we might hope.

[Waver sighs, and shakes his head, unsure.]

Hopefully, one can just lay trails of these things for it to follow back to the castle.

[chaoticwhimsy]

We'll need a ton of people for that.

[But it's doable...maybe.]

Think it can understand us? I could understand it..

[gordianknots]

We would, but it'd be possible. If it can fly, we could signal it from point A to point B to point C, until it's back. People have flight powers to catch its attention--

[Possible. Plausible.]

Maybe? It's young, but I wouldn't doubt it...

[chaoticwhimsy]

Yeah. [It sounded like a little kid, really.]

We have to try. It sounded like it was in so much pain...

[gordianknots]

Given what it is, and what it's supposed to do, I can't say I'm surprised but--

Where's it going to go, after it's back in what's left of Caer Scima?

[chaoticwhimsy]

I...I don't know. Back to sleep maybe?

Morla wouldn't have told us to bring it back if she didn't have some kind of plan right?

[gordianknots]

I don't trust the monarchs by and large, but I would hope she did.

[chaoticwhimsy]

Well. [Lumina does sometimes.] I mean, they kept it asleep so far?

Although maybe that was the castle doing it. Ugh. [She hisses.] Maybe the stupid seelie shouldn't have knocked it down, so we wouldn't have this problem.

[gordianknots]

The castle provided cover. I imagine you know better than me how much cover is left.

Mind, that's probably why they knocked it over.

[chaoticwhimsy]

..Very little.

[There's an edge to Lumina's voice, and her little hands are balled into fists before she sucks in a breath.]

Can't worry about that right now though, huh? One disaster at a time. We get the jabberwock back, then figure out what's next.

[gordianknots]

[Caer Scima's never been home for Waver. That was the Barrel, and what he had already lost. He had mourned for it in January, freeing Februrary for what he's doing now. Directing, making sure that what needs to be done is done.

He can't imagine going through that mourning process now.]

That's the most any of us can do. We'll be overwhelmed otherwise.

[chaoticwhimsy]

[She nods.]

Right. Okay. I'll message you when I've talked to the forest. [A faint grin.] Unless they throw apples at me or something.

[There weren't a lot of trees back where she came from, she's still getting used to them.]

[gordianknots]

Oh, that'd bruise you and the apples.

[That is a terrible joke, Waver.]

Stay safe, and get out of there if it looks like you'll be in danger.

[chaoticwhimsy]

[She just groans.]

I'll be fine.

[Click.]