shadowbringers

[parser]

shadowbringers

beneath the stars It's been a week since our newest expansion officially launched! And, I know, I know... some of you already have a lot of feelings that you need to air out. But canon updating in your games is a struggle! And so is finding PSL partners! Luckily, that's what we're here for. This is a post for you to play out all the Shadowbringers-related content you might be dying to write. Behind-the-scenes nonsense? Between-the-scenes angst? It's all welcome here! 1. Toplevel your character. Include any details you might think are relevant. Or don't. As always, we're not the cops. 2. Reply to other people's top levels! 3. Have fun! ⚔ Please clearly mark all spoilers in your thread subject lines. Clearly indicate whatever spoiler preferences you may have. We're only a week into the expansion, officially, and there's no shame if you're not far in it or haven't started it yet. ⚔ You are welcome to play characters who are new to Shadowbringers. However, please try to avoid topleveling with icons and descriptions that convey major plot-related spoilers. If you aren't certain about a character's playability, feel free to PM parser.

TEMPLATE CODED BY valoirs

Comments

thinking pre-final battle, lmk if this works for you?

[omnicrafter]

[Having apparently uninhibited access to even a small chunk of what must have been a vast city in the past means Irhya is entitled to get a little nosy. At least, that's the way she sees it; it's doubtful Emet-Selch didn't expect her and the Scions to at least look around.

The buildings are mostly organized administrative offices, but there are a small few that don't follow the pattern. Classrooms and lecture halls seem to comprise the majority of them, but then she finds a building with a wide foyer and a high ceiling, well-lit and welcoming...

"Oh dear. Are you lost, young one? Or has one of the residents requested your presence? Perhaps I can be of assistance to you."

More of the baby talk, but it's hard to stay annoyed when every Amaurotine so far has been so damn nice about it. A few words exchanged makes her realize this is an apartment building, and she ponders for a good, long moment when prompted for a name.

So she asks after her own.

"Irhya? Irhya... Ah, Emet-Selch did say he would be expecting a visitor by that name, though I'm afraid he is away at present. You're welcome to wait in the lobby should you so desire, however."

Wait in the lobby, indeed. She excuses herself to "find the restroom" and instead shuffles onto an elevator when the receptionist isn't looking.

Now... if she were a top-ranking government official or some such, what floor would she live on? Why, the top floor, of course. So she rides up, greeted by the sight only of numbered doors upon stepping off... Ah, but of course it wouldn't be that easy. Well, there's always seeing who was absent-minded enough not to lock their home before the imminent cataclysm, right?

Irhya tests one of the doors. To her vast surprise, it opens.

...Oh, gods, please don't be some random Amaurotine just going about their illusionary business--!]

b^^d

[angeloftruth]

[It's not.

It's Emet-Selch himself, looking out over the city. He doesn't seem to hear the door open or if he does, he doesn't deem it important enough to acknowledge.]

[omnicrafter]

[She waits.

Nothing.

Talk about a stellar attitude.]

What, no smart-arsed quips about unlocked doors or walking into others' homes uninvited?

[It comes out a lot more awkward than she intends, though, when she registers how solemn the atmosphere is. Not wanting to sound like a total jerk, she follows up.]

Though I doubt the receptionist was lying when they said you were expecting a visitor. Am I late?

[angeloftruth]

You're early.

[He doesn't turn around.]

I invited an abomination, not a broken doll. Why are you here?

[omnicrafter]

[Why can't I be both? she doesn't say, though something about that sassy remark is writ all over her face.]

Because you've a nice view from up here and you're hogging it all to yourself. Also, you're lying if you try to claim you didn't anticipate I might get a little nosy.

Can I come in now?

[angeloftruth]

The door opened, didn't it?

[So, yes. Yes she can.]

And there are better views from the rooftops.

[omnicrafter]

[...So it did. It doesn't make her feel any less like an intruder in a vast graveyard as she approaches the window, though, standing on tiptoe to try and peer over his shoulder from a fair distance.]

I'll bet... I could watch a place like this from up high for bells at a time.

[Call it her inner cat, if you will.]

Why leave it open at all, though, if me coming up here would annoy you so? Or is that yet another play-act?

[angeloftruth]

Did I at any point say you annoyed me by coming up here? Just that I was dismayed at your inability to follow instructions.

[omnicrafter]

Ah. Sorry for not being an eldritch horror, then. Though I doubt a creature like that would make for good conversation... I'd probably just try to kill you instead.

[Two can play at that obfuscating attitude game. Irhya finally closes the distance, walking up next to Emet-Selch and then turning her head to look at him.]

You live here, I take it?

[No past tense about it, all things considered.]

[angeloftruth]

You'd try.

[Just saying.]

I do, though I was much much larger the last time I was here.

[omnicrafter]

...You're talking to someone who barely breaks five fulms, you realize.

[Somewhat deadpan, but she's smirking like it's funny anyway.]

Even at the bottom of the ocean, though, it's... nice. Something about it is...

[Her lips twitch; there is a word she wants to insert there that she's not letting herself use, and so grapples for a different one.

In the end, she comes up with nothing else.]

[angeloftruth]

Is...? Don't leave me in suspense.

[omnicrafter]

[She makes a face, but decides to oblige him against her better judgment.]

Familiar. Homely, even, though I imagine you might've already filled in that blank.

Personally, I just hate that you've got me feeling like maybe I really am missing something. Like a ghost clinging to my back, or some such.

[angeloftruth]

I haven't "got" you feeling anything. I simply wove the enchantment. What you take from it is your own doing.

[omnicrafter]

Really? That's not it sounded like to me back in Kholusia...

[angeloftruth]

[He has to think a moment but when he remembers, Emet-Selch just shrugged.]

For it to feel familiar, you would have to remember it. And you don't.

[omnicrafter]

And that is the most frustrating part, isn't it?

Talking to you is like trying to chat with a sphynx, I swear...

[And yet, she doesn't seem to be leaving anytime soon.]

[angeloftruth]

I, at least, won't obliterate you with lasers should you get my riddles wrong.

[omnicrafter]

That'd work about as well on me as it would on you.

Amaurot seems like it's a city into intellectual workouts like that, though. If not for the practicality of it, I'm surprised there aren't more of those here. It's just not an ancient city without some puzzle or other to put together.

[A thin smile.]

[angeloftruth]

Why in the name of creation would we have wasted our time and energy on something as banal as puzzles? What good would they have done us? They'd just get in the way of things.

[omnicrafter]

I don't know. Ask the Ronkans, maybe.

[Because talk about unhelpful obstacles...]

But you had that debate hall for fun, right? I actually... really like that kind of stuff, though I bet they'd baby talk me even more if I tried to go in.

[angeloftruth]

Likely, yes. Unfortunately unless you feel like growing about ten fulms they won't think you anything other than a precocious...oh, ten year old?

[omnicrafter]

Hmph. Don't I wish...

[Maybe more like six or seven, given how much shorter she is than most of her friends. She turns on the balls of her feet and finds the nearest seat, placing her back to the window.

Needless to say, there is a lot yet remaining on her mind.]

Were we friends, too, back then?

[angeloftruth]

[Well, if she's doing this then he might as well humor her. What's the harm?]

The closest.

[omnicrafter]

Ah... I see.

[Her tail makes the faintest of sounds as it thumps against the seat, more pensive than agitated.]

And even if I were to suddenly about face and do things your way, I'm guessing we can't really go back to that, can we?

...Even just for a little while?