brazil ♔ even just a sound and all your cards are down

[luthir]

WHO || Belle, Luthir, Koraith, Violet, Robin, Reynard [closed]
WHAT || Settling into the mission HQ
WHERE || The Atlantic rainforest of Brazil
WHEN || April 5th (superbackdating go)
HOW || Actionspam

The Knight's plane touches down outside of the forest perimeter, as there's no accessible clearing anywhere close enough to the site that's not choked with machinery responsible for... making more clearings. And landing on top of them all might be dramatic, but perhaps not the subtle touch this mission calls for.

They disembark and head out through the rainforest in a little buggy, until they can't drive much further without being entirely conspicuous, so they pull it over and get out, about a ten minute walk from the site.

Koraith turns to them, his massive form annoyed by fronds brushing against his head, which he's forced to repeatedly brush back.

"Well! I suppose this is as good a place as any to suggest splitting up. In some ways, our problem is three-fold: we must stop the machines as soon as possible, contact the dryads to make certain they know help has arrived and don't escalate things prematurely, and, of course, speak to the foreman."

Comments

[graveflowers]

[Vi isn't as inconspicuous (hide 21) with her pink Converse, but she's crazy silent (move silently nat 20) like the forest wants her in it. She returns the sentiments, following Luthir gently, careful not to disturb anything as she goes. She doesn't see anything out of the ordinary though, slightly distracted just by watching him -- not even in an 'oh hey pretty' way, but in an awed, 'how does he do that?' way. (Spot 7, Listen 8)

She's nervous though, for all her bravado, because if she fails and the dryads just launch an all out war, they could be so badly hurt. Her nerves make a tell-tale trail of wildflowers in her wake though.

She silently scampers to catch up with him, a leaf in the wind.]

Maybe we should just ask someone to come out? It's not like they don't know we're here.

[luthir]

You may have a point. [ he pauses to look back at her and then up at the trees again ] Would you care to...?

[graveflowers]

[Why her?]

Um. Sure.

[She walks away a couple paces, frowning slightly. Do they speak Spanish in Brazil or was that the one country that spoke Portuguese? Not that it matters very much because she can only say hello in Spanish, but maybe it would be like an A for effort?]

So hey. Hi, Dryads. Can we talk?

[Yeah. Princess material right here.] I knew this Redwood, back home, she'd love this place. I mean, sweat all over the place and it's probably physically impossible, but man. She was a sucker for ferns. Which... isn't me trying to suck up, I just thought of it.

[luthir]

[ there's no response, merely the sounds of jungle around them... and finally Luthir awkwardly adds: ] I meant to speak to them with your gift.

[graveflowers]

[Oh.]

Oh.

Of course.

[Horrifyingly embarrassed, she just ignores all that. Especially because she doesn't actually speak to dryads that way, she's used to them just sliding from their trees and smacking her and then streaking off in the most impromptu games of tag ever.

Well, maybe she's just meant to make a point? Speak friend and enter? She can do that. Probably.

Wandering over to a fallen tree, she crouches down next to the gnarled roots. She can't bring it back to life, but she's Roman. They believed in reincarnation, especially in nature: from death comes new life. Her fingers press to the rough bark. Nothing happens for a moment, more silence, until the dead tree cracks and a newborn tree shoots out, skinny and fragile, tiny green leaves pushing out of the branches.]

'sup, little man.

[luthir]

[ luthir watches with interest, but his head snaps up as a rustling breaks through the trees. SPOT CHECK. ]

[graveflowers]

[Well she sure did crit fail that, busy making friends with a baby tree.]

[luthir]

[ it's ok, i guess... luthir crit failed too o___o

even as he stares at the spot where he heard the rustling, the sound stills, and nothing emerges.

the voice that speaks seems truly disembodied then, and would almost be easily mistaken for the sound of wind rustling the leaves, if it weren't clear that luthir understood them. he responds in a similar tongue, which sounds like, and yet unlike, elvish. there's something strange in his voice, his eyes glazing slightly, and he shakes his head slowly as if trying to clear it of a fog trying to creep in... ]

[graveflowers]

[We got professionals here.

She looks over when she hears Luthir speak, confused because she sure doesn't understand what he's saying. Not that she would have understood what he was saying anyway, if it were Elvish.]

You okay? [She straightens up and steps toward him.]

[luthir]

[ her voice seems to help him come fully to his senses. ] Dryads do love to try and compel their intruders, for their own protection.

[ he speaks towards the trees again, moving in a slow semi-circle and spreading his hands wide in a peaceful gesture ] I know you have suffered at the hands of the humans here - but we have come to help you.

[graveflowers]

[Huh. Well that's a handy trick.]

Yeah, what he said. We come in peace. [She thinks happy thoughts, in case that ever comes up, meadows and environmentalism, satyrs and bitching Bacchanalian parties.]

[luthir]

[ there's a slight rustling noise but other than that, the dryad is all but silent as she emerges from the wood. in all honesty, she is something of a terrifying sight to behold, radiating a sense of fury from her glowing yellow eyes and the whip like tentacled branches creating an illusion of hair. her skin is bark, and moss grows across it in strategic places, making her look armored for battle. when she speaks, her voice resounds in their ears, as if coming from everywhere and nowhere, as her lips do not move. ]

We saw the girl grant life to the forest. But what assurance have we that this is not another mortal trick?

[graveflowers]

[Welp. That is not the rose bush from home. But still, she's enamored. Transfixed. If she learned anything from Tolkien its that something can be beautiful and terrible at the same time.]

I'm... not mortal.

[Her voice does no resounding. More like a nervous squeak.]

[luthir]

[ she turns her smoldering gaze onto violet (no... literally smoldering. not all sexy like.) and affixes it there for a long, terrible moment (will save 16 or higher to be able to hold it) ]

[graveflowers]

[Yeah nat 20, I believe the appropriate words are "bring it". Except don't, because they're trying to be nice, okay? Happy thoughts...]

[luthir]

[ dayum girl, sexy.

"Spring child," it intones, its anger tempering. "Have you truly come to aid us now in this dire hour?" ]

[graveflowers]

Yes.

[Her shoulders slump a little because she doesn't like having to, it shouldn't be a thing, the dryads shouldn't have to fight for their land. Seriously, the only things that should be allowed to deforest anything are beavers, can't stress that enough.]

We want to help.

[luthir]

[ "Then we welcome you to help us destroy these intruders," she replies, her voice fell and grim. "For we will not stand for the slaughter they have commenced."

Luthir steps forward, cutting one hand to the side. ]

That is what we have come here to prevent, arwen en amin. Battle will only draw more of them here, in greater numbers.

[ She turns her gaze to him, yellow eyes narrowing.

"Then their greater numbers will fall as well." ]

[graveflowers]

No, they won't. [She says it quietly, but forcefully. (Diplomacy nat 20) Maybe she just means it that much, or maybe, maybe, there is something credible to her divine heritage. She is a Roman Centurion, the daughter of Spring. And you know what? She is the god damned Princess of Hades. For once, she actually sounds like it.]

I know how hard nature can fight back, but those machines have already done enough damage. They won't stop until they win and if you go to war with them, you will be sending your family, your children to slaughter. Please. Let us help, but not like that, not until that is the last resort.

[luthir]

[ luthir looks impressed by the speech but it's harder to read the dryad's wooden expression.

however, when she speaks, she sounds less furious. ] You have some other course of action to suggest, child?

[graveflowers]

[Uh...

You know she should be an expert tactician considering her background, but since 99% of her plans involve winging it with duct tape (no seriously, that's the entire plan), she's coming up blank.]

Well, do you have any wounded? I might be able to help.

[luthir]

[ it's alright, luthir got yo back. diplomacy 28 as he adds: ] We did not come to these woods alone. Our allies are working even now to negotiate with these trespassers - and to put an instant stop to their machinery in the meantime.

[ she looks between them, and then nods, once.

"We have many who are almost lost to us. Your gift may be sufficient to keep them strong enough to survive." ]

[graveflowers]

[At least one of them can claim good social skills. Violet flashes him a grateful smile for the back up. True bro.]

I'll do my best.

[luthir]

[ without hesitation, she turns and melds back into the forest, her path barely visible except by the shivering of leaves as she passes.

"Follow."

luthir moves forward instantly to violet's side and starts after the dryad, saying quietly: ]

Impressive.

[graveflowers]

[Glancing over for a moment, Vi shrugs before turning back to watch the path.]

Someone told me I was a princess, figured I might as well act like it.