Fantasy Cursed Island

[Darkling0096]

"No." Turac shook his head and spun Nidia to face her clothes, "The day is young, and there are tasks to complete."



"While she is doing that," Jalin fished Geralt out of his coat, the mouse was now stored in a small vial when he wasn't in use, to keep the red creature from staining things. "Geralt will be my nose from there," he pulled the mouse from the vial and tossed it up, where it caught on Emilia's carapace to hang on and search for scents.

 

[Fangs9090]

“Aw, but that’s no fun.” Nidia glanced back, trying to lean into his hands.


Emilia paused to glance back as she felt something grab onto her. She chose to not comment on that and continued on her way. She reached the top of the wall before long, looking around. “Oh, this is a nice view.”

 

[Darkling0096]

"Fun can wait," Turac replied, pushing Nidia towards her clothes, "Until then, pants are non-negotiable for humanoids."


Geralt skittered down onto the top of the wall to get an idea of the scents, finding the one Jalin had found and sniffing along the top of the wall until it got to the part of the wall where the thief had dropped down from the other side, pointing with its nose at the tool mark.

"Geralt has found the thief's exit point," Jalin said.

 

[Fangs9090]

“Awww. I wear a skirt anyway.” Nidia huffed and went ahead to start getting dressed. She paused part way through. “Wait, does that mean we can later?”


Emilia brought up her amulet so she could keep in touch. “Do we keep following it then?”

Roy nodded. “Yes. Get Gerald down the other side and see where it leads.” He looked at Jalin. “If Geralt’s with her, could you locate them again once we’ve gone around the wall?”

 

[Darkling0096]

"If that is what it takes for you to behave, I will entertain you later." Turac closed the door, "Get dressed."


"A mouse's sense of smell is stronger than a humans, but Geralt's nose will become confused whenn other scents get involved," Jalin shook his head. "I should hope we find footprints, at least."

 

[Fangs9090]

Nidia watched him go before she smiled and finished getting dressed.


"Well, let's go catch up with them then."

 

[Darkling0096]

Jalin nodded and let Roy and Katsuo lead the way as they went to meet Emilia on the other side of the wall. Jalin had to rely on the others to search for footprints, though.

 

[Fangs9090]

Emilia was a ways away from the wall by the time they caught up, following after Geralt. The fields were thoroughly covered in grass, so finding footprints was a challenge. Emilia could only keep track of Geralt because she could sense the magic keeping him "alive."

 

[Darkling0096]

Geralt, like Jalin had said, was having trouble picking up smells once they got to the fields, all the flowers and bugs and other animals that populated the grasslands and the crop fields mixing with the smell of the thief and losing him entirely, the red mouse squeaking loudly to tell Emilia it was lost as the guys caught up. "The scent is lost," Jalin sighed.

 

[Fangs9090]

Roy sighed as he looked around. "Hm... The woodlands would be a better place to hide. It's likely he went that way. The grass is more sparse there as well, so finding footprints would be easier."

 

[Darkling0096]

"Then we must hope it is so," Jalin cicked his tongue for some orientation and started in the direction of the bulky woodland.

 

[Fangs9090]

Roy, Katsuo, and Emilia headed towards the woods as well, spreading out a bit and staying alert. As they got close to the tree line, Jalin would be able to catch the scent of fresh blood. And it wasn't himself or Geralt.

 

[Darkling0096]

Jalin alerted the others to that smell as he used his magic to refine what he was seeking, finding the blood and sending his magic down its trail until he found the injury it came from, or at least where it ended.

 

[Fangs9090]

The blood was not in a trail so much as a puddle, and the "injury" in question was still sitting in it. What remained of a body lay next to a tree, scraps of leather armor and tools tossed about, the body covered in claw and teeth marks. It looked like the person had been mauled by some animal or monster. Considering the body was still there and not eaten, it was probably a monster, killing for bloodlust more than hunger. Still gripped in one nearly severed hand was a smooth, blue, gem-like stone.

Needless to say, Roy had stopped and fell behind once the smell of blood was strong enough that he knew he wouldn't be able to handle seeing the source.

 

[Darkling0096]

"Oh," Jalin frowned when he found the emptied circulatory system of the corpse. "Well, that's not good," his cane clicked as internal mechanisms readied. "Keep your eyes open, this is fresh."

 

[Fangs9090]

Katsuo nodded and looked around, keeping an eye out for whatever creature had done this. Emilia tilted her head as she looked the remains over. "Hm... Leather armor, odd tools, a blue stone. Is this the thief we're looking for?"

Roy called from where he stood at a distance. "That sounds about right."

Katsuo looked at Jalin. "Can you sense the...thing that was following us before?"

 

[Darkling0096]

"I don't know," Jalin frowned and listened around, tapping his cane on a stone for sound. "It's nearby," he pointed with his cane, "Be wary."

 

[Fangs9090]

Katsuo looked but only saw a swaying branch, which could have been the wind or a squirrel. The mystery creature had moved again.

Roy called out again. "Let's grab the stone and go then."

 

[Darkling0096]

Jalin nodded, picking up the stone with the head of his cane and tossing it to Roy, "Check it." Roy had draconic blood, if it was actually a Dragonstone, he'd figure it out and they'd find another plan if it was.

 

[Fangs9090]

Roy blinked before catching the stone and grimacing at the blood on it. He looked it over regardless, pausing for a moment before water swirled about his hands and the stone, cleaning them both. He smiled and nodded. "This must be it. I certainly couldn't control water that easily before, and I can feel the power in it."

 

[Darkling0096]

"Good," Jalin nodded, "We now need a new plan. The royal family can't tell if it's the stone or not, can we fabricate a substitute?"

 

[Fangs9090]

"Perhaps... I don't know how though."

Emilia spoke up. "Oh, I might know where to find someone who can."

 

[Darkling0096]

"Can you make it quick?", Jalin asked, "Whatever that mystery beast is cannot be far."

 

[Fangs9090]

"I don't know about that. But I saw a shop in the city when we were passing through to the castle. Same name as a shop my mom goes to when she needs certain sewing supplies. But daddy goes there, too, when he needs some of the rarer ingredients, so it's more than just a tailor, for sure."

 

[Darkling0096]

"A chain components shop," Jalin frowned, "That sounds fishy. Are you certain this shop is trustworthy?" They just needed to fabricate a new stone, couldn't they just find something in the right shade of blue and polish it?