eachdraidh | Backdated to early 8 Feb | Text

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Backdated to early 8 Feb | Text | Unseelie locked

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.

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[It'd probably work.]

Honestly, everything I learned was about the effects of it, Zuko. Famine, death, tearing out shards like some sort of grim harvest. The intelligence wasn't even a footnote.

It could well be wise, but that wasn't what the texts were worried about.

Spirits.

They were just worried about it being a harbinger of death.

[ oh, sages. this is not going to be fun. when the texts are more concerned about the effects of such a creature rather than whether or not it knows the orange part of the flame is less hot than the blue, it's dangerous. ]

Do you know how they imprisoned it? Maybe we can do the same, but make the cell bars completely immune to rot.

The body parts were scattered far and wide. Over the months here, Morla and Reul worked to reclaim those pieces so the Jabberwock could be made anew. Used their shardbearers to get them back.

[And he had helped. Twice. Waver hated that contribution, and it was more than enough reason to want the thing gone for good. Then it'd just be a matter of the Seelie dragon, and hopefully both sides couldn't use these overpowered things ever again.]

Jabberwocks can only be killed by dragons. Seelie defenses.

What?

[ honestly, zuko isn't really sure how to take either of those things. dragons can kill jabberwocks. morla wanted to put this thing back together. dragons are the seelie defense. ]

I have a

[ and zuko stops right there. druk's a secret for a reason. only so small, and a confusing piece of his own future, he doesn't want anyone to know he even has a dragon that refuses to leave him alone. he hasn't even let slip the fact that mako has one. his promise to the sun warriors has extended further than ran and shaw remaining "extinct" to those who aren't worthy of understanding the origins and nature of firebending. ]

Ugh! Why would they want to put this creature back together? It doesn't sound like it's going to listen to anyone!

[Waver can't imagine now is a good time to start talking about the bullshit of both sides. But he files it away for later, because at the very least he'll want to touch base with Zuko after everything so that he knows Zuko's safe.]

Because sometimes, to swing a decisive blow, you unleash something like this. In theory, you shouldn't need to ever release a dragon or a jabberwock - the threat of it is enough to deter. Mutually assured destruction.

Both sides are desperate and want to win.

They sound like my father.

But the threat of using the comet wasn't enough to deter everyone. It only made them want to fight back even harder. It sounds like that — one side wants to unleash the Jabberwock, so another hatches a dragon.

[ it's the age old my flame is hotter than yours argument. zuko sighs. ]

I don't know what dragons are like in this world, but in any, they're not weapons. They shouldn't be used like this. And neither should the Jabberwock.

[Your father sounds like a jackass.]

I think that your comet example is what's more correct here and now. Perhaps because of the young ages of both the dragons and the Jabberwock. But that makes everything all the more reprehensible, doesn't it?

Unfortunately, we don't have the time to address the need to change attitude and treatment of these creatures. We have to control the damage right now.

[ the worst father of the year award goes to ... ]

[ but he did learn a few things from ozai — how to take advantage of every opportunity, how to not be the worst leader in the world. if the seelie were waterbenders, they'd take advantage of the full moon — and maybe that's why they wanted it in the sky. where the unseelie had gained double their power with it gone, the seelie had required it to be in her rightful place in order to balance the world once more. ]

[ the mechanics of this world make more sense to zuko when he thinks of it as water vs. fire. ]

I thought the last dragon died at Redgate.

[ lying is so much easier over text, even though his charred locket can pick up almost any word he mutters. ]

Do you think Morla wanted the Jabberwock put together because of that? Take out the Seelie once and for all with her most powerful weapon.

[Waver knows for a fact it didn't. The Covenant told him that the Seelie have another one, and that one will need to go - same as the Jabberwock. But for the sake of the group's eventual success, he is quiet on the matter.]

It did. And it is highly possible. But from what I'm hearing from other people chiming in, this Jabberwock is very young. The Seelie must have forced the hand and released it prematurely.

It's truly a baby. Which means it hasn't been taught anything that may make it listen to us.

[ he'd tried to teach a turtleduck once to sit. in hindsight, he thinks turtleducks were always made to be independent cratures, but sometimes not even the youngest and most vulnerable to discipline can ever be truly taught. ]

It's unfortunate that dragon died at Redgate. We could've used it to tame the Jabberwock.

[ tame, not kill. he knows dragons, just a little, and he thinks, maybe after reading accounts of grandfather roku and fang, he may have been able to convince the dragon to help. somehow. ]

It wasn't in a good state, and I don't know if it would have been so game for taming. You'd need...a lot of different things to make that possible.

[In far off dreams, Waver could theorize about what would happen if the two could work together to create something positive in the world. But now's not the time.

If it can be brought back to Caer Scima maybe something can be attempted. But the first thing is to get it to heel.

I can do that.

[ he thinks to say i think i can, but now isn't the time for him to doubt himself. it's uncle's voice in his head telling him to believe — anything he puts his mind to, or lasso against, he can achieve it. ]

I'd try and confuse it, but I might leave that up to someone who's better at riddles than me. I don't know if I can teleport something that big to Caer Scima, but do you think it listens to Queen Morla?

Have someone do the riddles and puzzles, and lasso it while the attention is held by another. It seems like an easy enough plan to pull off.

It should listen to both monarchs, or at least I suspect it should. If it doesn't, we're in a whole new depth of trouble.

[ zuko facepalms. ]

Ugh! Why is being in this place always so difficult!?

If you find out anything else ... We'll improvise. We don't have a dragon, but we have my fire — and riddles from other worlds. Even if it doesn't listen to Queen Morla or King Reul, we can at least confuse it or distract it before we figure out how to dismantle it again.

[ zuko's optimism truly sounds upbeat and positive on text. ]

Because if life's easy, you aren't in the Drabwurld. This place exists to pull the rug out from under you I swear.

I'll let you know, and I'll let Grell know. If it sounds like anyone else might be a boon on your team, I'll direct them as well.

Hopefully a read on its location will be forthcoming.

[ spirits, will anything be easy for zuko? ]

I'd help find riddles and even track it, but I need to stay in Caer Scima right now. These things that attacked us were strange. I need to make sure they're gone. I was going to teleport after the Jabberwock, but I think having a plan of attack might be better than going in blind.

[ see, zuko's learning. hopefully uncle is proud, wherever he is. ]

What's your name?

Then we'll be in touch the moment I hear something. I know Grell is elsewhere occupied too, so it isn't just you.

Lord El-Melloi II. Mouthful, I know. Jack Frost's taken to Elmie, hey you is also great.

The Seelie's plan of attack is pretty good. Splitting us all up.

[ but he doesn't understand why the jabberwock was released, though. weren't those crystal creatures enough? they have no dragon to tame it; it seems more careless than smart to have let that thing go. ]

I think hey you is as popular as "Lee" in the Earth Kingdom. But thank you, El-Melloi. If it wasn't for your broadcast, I think I would've done something very dangerous.

[ spirits, your name is a mouthful, but it's one zuko will not forget. ]

Scatter and destroy the smaller groups. Very solid strategy.

And please, don't mention it. If I have no other use in this place, it is getting people in touch with others to try and control damage.

What you're about to do is very dangerous. Please be cautious with your risks.

Success to you as you move forward.

[Waver knows that his name will always be a mouthful, and having Kayneth around makes it even more confusing. But the nom de politique is in place for a reason, as it has been since the start.]

I'll try.

If you find more lavender and have some left over, maybe I can try and make you my Uncle's blend when it's all over. He's really proud of it.

I'll try and see if I can put anything aside. If not, I'll find more after this is all done. Deal?

Deal.

Excellent.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Backdated to early 8 Feb | Text | Unseelie locked

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