forum Let's hope this stays alive (O/O)

Started June 03, 2025 by @Avhira-The-Eldritch-Horror group

tune

"I do! Thank you! To the rooms, then. Do you or Rae want to come with me when I go?" Daisy asked.
Irae glanced at Charlie- she would go if Charlie did, and wouldn't otherwise.

“I’m not sure.” Charlie shrugged, relaxing enough that her tail flicked thoughtfully as their group headed to their rooms. “On one hand, I wouldn't mind researching if our… artifact is in any of texts there and what else might be mentioned about it. But I also feel like we should separate the lock from the key.” she admitted. “We stay in pairs so at least one person can protect Elric and watch for whoever might be looking for him. But the others keep it so he doesn't have it on him.”

Elric blinked at the idea, his hand absent-mindedly tightening around the strap of his bag. “Interesting idea. Them expecting to find it on me is not a wrong assumption, but we don't know if they’d leave me alone, or alive, once they discover “I don't have it”.” he pointed out, his eyes somehow distant and focused at the same time.

"Which is why somebody always stays with you. You wanted to come to the library too, didn't you, Elric?" Daisy asked.
Irae nodded. "It's a good idea, Charlie."

“Yes, I did.” Elric nodded, his knuckles still white against the strap of his bag. “There was another thing I wanted to look up in addition to… this.” he admitted.

Charlie smiled a little at Irae’s support and turned back to face Elric. “If you need to hear it… I promise I’ll keep it safe and not look in it. I won't even unwrap it.”

Irae nodded. "I promise the same. I won't do as much as touch it more than necessary."
Daisy smiled. "I don't mind if you choose to keep it on you, but I agree that it's probably safer if it's not with you."

Elric closed his eyes and sighed at their promises before nodding. “That does help. I just haven't let it out of my sight since I decided not to hand it over.” he admitted, his grip finally relaxing. “I don't want anyone else to fall victim to its magic.”

“We won’t look.” Charlie said again. “If it changes whoever looks at it… that’s not tempting to me.” she assured, gently holding her hand out.

Elric glanced at Daisy and frowned slightly before opening his bag and handing the mirror over. “Even if you think you can resist, that changing anything about you isn't what you want, that does not make you immune to its siren call.” he warned looking at both Charlie and Rae. “Try to anchor each other. Don't let the other even think about unwrapping it.”

Daisy very determinedly did not look towards the mirror as he pulled it out.
Irae nodded. "Alright. We'll keep each other in check. Be safe."

Elric smiled faintly at how Daisy obviously avoided looking at the wrapped mirror before Charlie hid it deep in her satchel. “We will.” he nodded at Rae’s concern. “You two do the same.”

“Enjoy the library, guys.” Charlie smirked at them before dropping off her travelers bag in the double bedroom that she and Irae would be sharing.

Irae dropped her own bag in the room as well. "What are we going to do while they're at the library?"

Daisy dropped off some stuff in her own room, then waited for Elric to do the same. "Did you see the library on our way here?"

Charlie sighed, letting her shoulders drop, as Elric and Daisy walked off. “I don't really have any plans beyond just wandering around and keeping our eyes and ears open.” she admitted.

“I think I know where it is.” Elric nodded, smiling as he held his arm like a gentleman made for her to take.

(should we focus on Irae and Charlie, and we can do Elric and Daisy afterwards if needed?)
"Sounds like a plan. ..Charlie? Earlier, you reacted to a gesture he made.. why?" Irae asked, looking at Charlie curiously.

(Sure. That's fine with me.)

Charlie blinked, taken aback by the question, and sighed. "I didn't think anyone noticed." she admitted softly before turning back to Irae. "It's not that big of a deal. It's just…" she mimicked the gesture Elric made earlier, raising one hand calmly. "The only people I've seen do that are nobility at minimum. And he did so flawlessly, like he'd done it a hundred times before… It doesn't make sense to me for an adventuring bard to imitate that so perfectly." she explained.

"Would it change what we're doing if he was nobility? Would you believe him less, or want to help less?" Irae asked, watching her.

Charlie sighed. “No, it wouldn’t. I just… it caught me off guard. I just wasn't expecting it from him.” she admitted, her tail flicking nervously.

"Understandable, that it would catch you off guard. But it sounds like it dosen't really matter…? If there's nothing that would change if he is?"

Charlie let out a slow deep breath and nodded. “I guess you’re right.” she said softly. I just don't want to lose my way of life and my freedom if he recognizes me. Unless… “I’ll just have to try to act like nothing is changed. But I’m probably going to be more careful and watch him more.” she admitted with a shrug, but at least she was smiling a little again and her tail had settled into a calmer rhythm.

"I'll help. Keep an eye on him, I mean. And any other way I can help. He's the only one who dosen't know who I am. Should we keep it that way? Or should we tell him?"

"Thank you, Irae. For helping watch him. And if he notices, we can just say it's a concern about exposure to the mirror." Charlie suggested, before shaking her head. "I don't know if we should tell him. At least, not yet. Not until he proves that he can be trusted with that information… and that it's safe to tell him."

Irae nodded. "Of course. And I agree. It just seems like it might get harder to hide it from him as we travel further, so I thought I'd ask your opinion."

"And I do agree. We can only keep this secret for so long but… well, news of you being here hasn't spread yet." Charlie pointed out. "Now, maybe this is just how I view the situation, but I think we want to keep it that way as long as we can, right? Elric isn't an idiot, and bards know how and when to keep a secret, but with him being targeted, info like this might be too much to give him right now." she shrugged.

"Great. We won't tell him, then," Irae agreed.
"… Do you trust Daisy? She seems honest, and she hasn't done anything to suggest we shouldn't trust her, but.. we also don't really know her, do we?"

Charlie let out a soft chuckle but nodded. “I guess you're right. We don't know her much better than we do Elric… but I think we can trust her. I needed to her about you when we needed her help healing you and she’s kept it a secret.” she sighed. “Maybe it's cause she's a healer that she feels easier to trust while Elric was already in trouble.”

"That makes sense. I do think we can trust Daisy.. she has no reason to betray us, as far as I know."

“I agree.” Charlie nodded.

(are they still in their room?)
Irae went quiet then, looking around.

(Ok)

Charlie sighed and flopped backward onto the bed. "So… do you have any thoughts about our… artifact?" she asked just to make more conversation.

"Honestly? It seems almost familiar, though I can't figure out why."

“Really?” Charlie asked with surprised interest as she turned her head towards Irae. “Maybe Elric and Daisy might find a reason for that in their research.”