@Grandmaster | Audio

[paletteswap]

[Kuai has been here for over half a year and has never made a network post. The fact that this technophobe is using his tablet for something other than Sudoku is already pretty alarming. And then...]

Rosinante, General Hughes, and I went searching for the downtown area some had seen in their dreams, following the map that was created. We found it, but we found something else as well.

[Faint in the background is music, it sounds like they might be being pursued by a marching band. There's also hooting, hollering and sounds of general shenanigans in the distance.]

There is a group of forest spirits in some sort of a parade. They are heading towards town. We are trying to get back ahead of them, but if we do not, something is wrong about this. There's a sense of ... wanting to follow them.

Stay wary.

Comments

@scientia ; voice

[reigniter]

[This is alarming. The sounds less so, but the way Kuai talks about it-]

Another attack? Do they seem violent? Do you need a backup?

[There is a lot of snow now, Ignis won't sit idle.]

[paletteswap]

They don't seem violent, they're putting on some sort of show. But something about the music...

[There's a pause as he turns to look back.]

There's an enchantment around them perhaps. And there's far too many for the three of us to attack. We're attempting to slow them down; however.

[reigniter]

I can head out your, I just need a location.

Not to attack, but to keep an eye on things, should they go awry.

[He's not easily swayed by music.]

@wayne

[pearlstrings]

Can you record the sound more clearly? The spirits use sound to communicate, we might be able to glean something from it.

[paletteswap]

I can try but I don't know if that's wise. There's some compulsive aspect to it we're trying to avoid.

[pearlstrings]

Yes, you mentioned that you felt compelled?

But perhaps it might affect them in turn? To hear it back? It's a gambit with little to lose if you're unable to resist- and a record might be helpful when it's over if we can ask other spirits. Perhaps the librarian or post master.

I apologize for asking more. I realize you've already done your best to warn us.

@kingofwei; voice

[pure_havoc]

[WELL THEN]

Thank you for the warning. You three are all right?

[paletteswap]

So far yes, we're trying to get back to town ahead of this. I'm not sure if they're following us or not, the music seems to be fading.

We did find additional housing and some stores, but we weren't able to investigate the stores.

[pure_havoc]

You're certain they're headed this way, then. No chance of them deciding they've gone far enough and ending before they reach us?

@mollymauk; voice

[mollymocked]

But it sounds so delightful.

[Sarcastic tiefling is sarcastic.]

[paletteswap]

Perhaps you can join them then.

[He is in no mood.]

[mollymocked]

[No one is ever really in the mood for Molly.]

Tempting. Are you absolutely sure they're dangerous? I mean if they want you to follow them and they're headed here, then wouldn't that mean they're leading you back home? Am I getting this right?

@langit; voice

[arsarcanum]

[ Uh-oh. Sora doesn't know who this person is, exactly,, but Rosinante and a guy who may or may not be Maes? Not great. ]

Should we try to meet you halfway? [ sora why are you even asking??? you don't know!!! where they are!!! ]

[paletteswap]

I don't think that'll be necessary. I also don't think I'd be able to give you proper directions to where we are, other than towards the west.

Once we're somewhere safer I can check the map to see coordinates.

[arsarcanum]

Okay. Stay in one piece out there. You're not alone. [ At the very least, he won't let them be alone. In the good way. ]

[audio] @thursday

[freetobe]

Does the compulsion take effect only if you hear the music, or are you able to get within hearing distance if you block your ears?

[paletteswap]

We heard the music first and then went to investigate. After we realized what was happening, and where they were headed, we left before trying anything else.

The compulsion didn't start until we were closer though, it might have some visual component too.

voice

[patriotnow]

You mean like a pied piper?

[paletteswap]

I suppose that is one way of putting it.

Except extremely unsettling.

[not network; to Kuai and Maes]

[callada]

[But as long as the spirits don't seem to be following after them so closely, and given how they need to update the town on what they found, Rosinante gestures to the other two when they're about an hour or so out from the museum. There's no music for now.]

Doesn't seem like they're close. Must be taking their time. Do you think they even saw us?

[dadandgone]

[They'd been moving at a pretty fast clip since leaving the parade and the hotel. Of course the teleportation to the hotel had probably helped give them a head start. Maes looked back over his shoulder anyway, listening for a moment, waiting to see if he felt compelled to go back. It didn't happen.]

I'm pretty sure they didn't. Of course we have no way of knowing for sure, but they didn't seem to react when we fled the scene.

[primordialerebus]

Do you guys need help!?

[paletteswap]

I think they've turned and are heading in a different direction. We seem to have avoided them for now.

If you hear anything, let us know.

@cuttingedge; text

[knifecollecting]

What kind of spirits were they? Did they do anything other than march?

[paletteswap]

There were entertainers: fire breathers, dancers, acrobats. That sort of thing.

They were not the green eyed ones from before, or at least they did not look like those. But they felt sinister in a way.