bermuda triangle ♔ hopelessly weighed down by your eyes of steel

[cigam]

WHO || David, Charming, Emma, Gold, Hook, Francesca, Risa, Zatanna Zatara, Giovanni Zatara [closed]
WHAT || Following the compass to find Zatanna's mother
WHERE || The Devil's Triangle
WHEN || April 23rd [backdated]
HOW || Actionspam

It's been a long journey at sea, as the Knights, Zatanna, and her father followed the enchanted compass' guidance from Europe, across the Atlantic Ocean. Risa stands on the bow of the boat, a shawl wrapped around herself as she stares out into the gathering gloom, frowning.

"The Devil's Triangle," she announces, out of nowhere. "That's our destination, isn't it."

Comments

[uncease]

[the words barely reach him before charming reacts, moving to stand purposefully in hook's path so that hook can't get a look at Emma. His jaw is clenched tight and without so much as a warning, he throws a quick jab for the man's face AND IM TAGGING ON MY PHONE AND NOT EVEN ROLLING. CHARMING DECKING HOOK IS CANON.]

[uncurse]

[ emma's indignation is dwarfed by her shock as her father puts himself between them and punches hook for all he's worth. her eyes widen, and she puts a hand on charming's shoulder to attempt at pacifying him. over his shoulder, she remarks. ]

With no teenage girls in sight, that's probably the closest you're gonna get.

[ she looks out at the coast (spot 23). ]

Now maybe we could focus on not winding up like them, and get on with what we're actually here to do. [ she points out at the wrecked ships. ]

[cigam]

That's your cue, Captain. [ she side-eyes all three of you after the exchange. MAKE A PILOT CHECK ]

[unhand]

[Hook grimaces and rubs his nose, then turns back to the wheel, done flirting. It's unsteady at first (pilot 9) but he soon gains action point a bit more control (pilot 17), all concentration on the task at hand.]

[undealt]

[Gold got an 18 on his spot check if anyone cares, but truth be told, he wasn't even looking. Because Hook got punched. And it's funny.

Once Hook actually starts maneuvering the ship through the portal, he grabs one of the ropes to steady himself.] You all might want to hold onto something.

[generaldavideus]

[With David's nat. 20 spot check he totally saw those ships. And he has no faith in Hook's piloting skills (nothing personal). He'll be holding on for dear life to the nearest sturdy thing he can find, thank you very much.]

[uncurse]

[ the nearest sturdy thing emma can find is charming, so she's holding onto her dad now okok. not like clinging, but has a firm grip on his arm with one hand. ]

[uncease]

[When Emma's hand grips his arm, Charming looks at her, his other arm reaching across him to cover her hand with his.

Apparently when the going gets tough, those daddy instincts kick in hard. His gaze shifts back to the front of the boat, as if watching what's ahead might help at all.]

[amazingzatara]

[ hook guides the ship onto land expertly and it comes to a halt on the sandy shoreline. the ramp is lowered and zatara follows his daughter down it, as she walks slowly towards the doors, compass in hand.

he sounds sad, and a bit tired as he surveys the doors, and shakes his head. ] We should never have come here. This place is not meant for mortals to tread.

[generaldavideus]

Story of my life.

[that's more of a mutter as he comes off behind him, legs a little shaky as they adjust from sea to land again. Galahad's sword is strapped to his back, and while his fingers itch to reach for it, he leaves it where it is for now.

He speaks up, this time more clearly:]

Too bad we're already here.

1/2

[cigam]

[ zatanna examines the mysterious symbols carved on the door, then runs one hand over them and says: ] Etalsnart.

[ the symbols begin to glow gold, and then seem to meld into english as she steps away quickly. these words are revealed: "sealed with blood lie the doors to the city of magi. only blood will open them, when the jewel without glows brighter than the jewel within. for upon no mortal must the magi cast their eyes again, and any mortal who dares to seek them out, seeks out only their own demise."

zatanna stares, looking determined and a little miffed by the message. ] Father. [ there's a warning note in her voice ] Who are the Magi?

[amazingzatara]

[ he looks away slightly, sighing ] The Homo Magi. The first race of sorcerers, who once ruled over the continent of Atlantis when they originally came to this world.

Your mother - Sindella - is one of them.

[uncurse]

Meaning all that creepy talk of blood probably relates to ... [ she looks to zatanna grimly. (wis 21). she's, as far as they know, the only candidate with magi blood - whatever that means. but emma's highly uncomfortable with all of this. ] This isn't right. Blood magic, that's gotta be dark, right? [ she looks to gold for some back-up. as if he ... gives a flying fuck about how dark it is. ]

[undealt]

[Yeah, he really doesn't.]

You're toying with forces beyond the limits of nature when you perform magic. Generally, anything useful gets very dark, indeed.

[So says the Infernal Bloodline dude over here.] Still highly straightforward. Blood brought us here, so blood's the price that need be paid.

[unhand]

I suppose the only question is: is it worth it?

[Cause Hook's certainly not invested enough to spill his own blood. Not that he's one of those magi people anyway.]

[cigam]

[ zatanna's expression seems to steel itself as she steps closer to the doors again. ] It's worth anything. [ zatara looks a little uncomfortable with his daughter's statement, but doesn't protest as she pulls up her sleeve and holds her forearm up. ] Deelb. [ a small cut appears abruptly on her skin, opening just enough for a few drops of blood to seep out. she reaches out and wipes it on the stones in front of them - and the entire door begins to glow with a pulsing red.

zatara slides forward, placing a hand on her shoulder to draw her back as a low rumbling sound issues from within the doors. there's the sound of mechanical unlocking, and then slowly, slowly, the doors split open.

what lies before them looks like something out of a surrealist painting. there's a broad street that cuts through a glorious city, all blues and green, with sharp architecture that rises up in wave-like curves to a point. Some of the buildings gleam, darkly iridescent, a thousand hues at once. but not a soul walks the streets of the metropolis. it looks, for all intents and purposes, like some kind of ghost town.

zatanna pulls away from her father, taking a few dazed steps inside. she whispers mournfully: ] Mother...

[generaldavideus]

[David watches carefully as he follows her inside, his fingers itching for his sword again. His spidey sense is in overdrive (wisdom: nat. 20). Something is very, very wrong and he's also getting the sense that maybe they aren't as alone as they think.]

Zatanna, wait.

[his hand reaches out for her arm to pull her back.]

Something's wrong.

[beyond the obvious, anyway. And he's definitely reaching for his sword, drawing it out of his sheath.]

[cigam]

[ she cuts him a scathing look ] Of course there is. My mother's in there and she needs help.

[generaldavideus]

No, something more than that.

[he takes a few steps closer and drops his voice.]

Someone is watching us.

[undealt]

[Gold takes this opportunity to start a detect magic spell, focusing on the area around them. (con 12)]

[layonhands]

[ the response is overwhelming: they are literally surrounded by magical auras, as if the city were entirely built out of various spells woven together. powerful spells, at that. risa reaches up a hand to the little sun symbol hanging around her neck and twists it nervously in her fingers ] There's nothing... evil here, unless it's well masked.

[uncurse]

They've got enough power for a barrier like that and to be spying on us, I'd say masking it well ranks easier than that.

[ says the woman who knows next to zero much about magic. ]

[amazingzatara]

They very well may be the most powerful magic users to walk this earth. I would put nothing past them. But there is no way to avoid their gaze, at this juncture. If we insist on trespassing, we simply don't have the magic to counteract them.

[undealt]

Then I suppose we should just mind our manners and hope for the best. For now. [He turns to Zantana.] Which way, dear?

[cigam]

It's this way. [ with no further hesitation, zatanna follows the compass straight down the main thoroughfare, and zatara moves to follow close behind, removing his gloves to stuff in his pocket as he warily watches to either side. she makes a beeline towards what looks like a raised dais in the city center. ]