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Post by Nerius on Jan 28, 2023 21:32:27 GMT -6
[2]
It was difficult to tell where the plants ended, and the crystals started, all of them glowing with shifting light. Nerius couldn't help but remember the last time there had been crystals in the mansion, he'd had to deal with reflections attacking him. These weren't the massive, flat, reflective formations of the other month, but he'd be wary all the same.
Iseldur lacked that experience, and so far had been calm during the trip. He did seem a little confused at the glowing, crystalline plants, as if unsure weather he could eat them or not. For that matter, Nerius had no idea if the plants were edible or not. Reaching out to touch a leaf, it felt much the same as natural foliage, as flexible a regular leaf. That didn't make it safe to eat, but at least the equillion didn't seem inclined to actually try to munch on any sparkly foliage, though Nerius would need to keep an eye on him.
(Nerius: 2/20) (Iseldur: Lv: 0, 2/5 | Lyl: 0, 2/5)
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Post by Nerius on Jan 28, 2023 23:51:53 GMT -6
[3]
He'd been expecting the crystals though, in fact, he was here to retrieve some. Nerius didn't tend to do a lot of personal retrieval jobs, but since he visited the Mansion for his own purposes as it was, he'd been willing to take up a side job. The client, who wasn't much for danger or adventure, wanted some of the crystalline plants and spires, but was afraid to actually explore the Mansion. The Mansion was hardly intimidating for Nerius, but, he supposed, to be fair, most people probably spend their childhood delving old magical ruins.
The client had been vague on what the crystals were to be used for; research, alchemy, decoration? It would have been nice to know if he'd need to prioritize appearances, or just grab anything, but at least there were plenty of 'pretty' examples around. Before starting his harvest, he checked on the equillion... who was now.. licking one of the large crystal spires.
(Nerius: 3/20) (Iseldur: Lv: 0, 3/5 | Lyl: 0, 3/5)
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Post by Nerius on Jan 29, 2023 0:17:26 GMT -6
[4]
Why was he licking it? Did the equine creature think it was a salt lick? Nerius stared for a moment, before shaking his head; it didn't really matter, as long as he didn't try to eat it. The plants were questionably edible, but ingesting shards of crystalline rock couldn't possibly be safe for Iseldur.
The crystal plants were intriguing, maybe he'd take a few samples for himself, as well. They, and the crystal spires, were faintly magical, as much in the Mansion was, but nowhere near the power crystals used in node crafting. Though, it was possible these crystal gardens had some connection to the remnant crystals It was also possible they were just part of the winter aesthetic, and the similarity was coincidental. Either way, it would make actually finding a crystal a nuisance. Like finding a piece of hay in a haystack, and would have been impossible without sensing the magic.
(Nerius: 4/20) (Iseldur: Lv: 0, 4/5 | Lyl: 0, 4/5)
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Post by Nerius on Jan 29, 2023 0:33:33 GMT -6
[5]
Everything felt like magic here, which made his ability to sense anything rather muddled, but the remnant crystals were strong enough that they shone though, like a lantern in the fog. The magical background radiation wasn't unpleasant, though it had taken a bit to get used to, and to be able to filter it out as a background sensation. But he had, over time, and the constant hum of magic didn't bother Nerius at all as he clipped some of the crystal leaves. Perhaps be ought to get a variety, and some of the crystal blossoms? Without tests, there was no telling if they were simply a visual difference, or if they contained different properties.
Iseldur had gotten bored with licking the crystal (maybe it didn't taste like salt?), and had turned to watch Nerius. Maybe it was the herd mentality kicking in, but after seeing the mage clipping plant samples, the equillion decided to try and take a nibble.
(Nerius: 5/20) (Iseldur: Lv: 1, 5/10 | Lyl: 1, 5/10)
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Post by Nerius on Jan 29, 2023 1:33:52 GMT -6
[6]
Nerius was stowing away his current set of clippings, he'd move on to other plants for more, and glanced down at the equillion, and noticed the munching.
"Don't eat that!" Nerius tried to pull the foal away, it was too late, and he'd already downed a large leaf. Iseldur didn't seem happy about being tugged away from his snack, but as Nerius observed him, also didn't appear to be suffering any ill effects from it. It was a possibility for it to be poisonous, but at least wasn't tearing up anything like eating shards of glass would.
He was watching Nerius now, and not attempting to eat anything else, but considering the sheer amount of crystal foliage around, there was no way he'd be able to keep the equillion from going after another snack if he wanted to. Nerius wasn't ready to go inside yet, he needed to harvest more samples of the plants, and crystals.
(Nerius: 6/20) (Iseldur: Lv: 1, 6/10 | Lyl: 1, 6/10)
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Post by Nerius on Jan 29, 2023 2:03:41 GMT -6
[7]
Which maybe wasn't the most responsible of choices, but eh, there was always healing magic. Besides, the Mansion wasn't 'safe' to begun with, if he'd been that worried about it, Nerius wouldn't have brought a young creature along in the first place. And at least Iseldur wasn't trying to eat anything else now, likely startled by Nerius' shout.
Not overly concerned, Nerius turned his attention back to the plants. He'd already gotten a good selection of the ones in reach, and scanned the area for other varieties. There were some flower shaped varieties not to far off, and Nerius decided to take a few samples of those. They were pretty, if that's what the client ended up wanting, and if the was a functional difference between the crystal plants, a flowering plant was more likely to have different properties. He clipped a few samples, long stems, lined with flowers in a variety of sparkling colors.
(Nerius: 7/20) (Iseldur: Lv: 1, 7/10 | Lyl: 1, 7/10)
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Post by Nerius on Jan 29, 2023 2:15:30 GMT -6
[8]
The crystal blooms were undeniably pretty, and Nerius wouldn't have minded having a few for his own garden. Maybe it was worth seeing up he could dig up some bulbs, there was no guarantee they'd be able to survive without the magical influence of the Mansion, but it was worth a shot. The soil wasn't as frozen as he expected, and after poking at the ground a bit, was able to collect a few.
Iseldur had taken advantage of Nerius' distraction, and was nibbling on some of the crystal flowers. In hind sight, maybe bringing a herbivore along hasn't been the best plant. Few of his creatures at plants, and having his companion snacking on the crystal foliage wasn't something he'd thought about having to deal with. It didn't seem to be bad for the foal, at least, though it'd be something to monitor. He'd need to put one of his kennel robots on observation duty after they returned from the trip.
(Nerius: 8/20) (Iseldur: Lv: 1, 8/10 | Lyl: 1, 8/10)
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Post by Nerius on Jan 29, 2023 2:32:30 GMT -6
[9]
He'd gotten a decent collection crystal flora samples, though would still gather anything particularity interesting, and he still wanted to get some of those crystal spires. The latter he suspected would be a bit sturdier than the plants, but he was sure he'd be able to chip off a few pieces. The spires were everywhere, and Nerius could always collect the samples on the path, if he wanted to head to the Mansion itself. Or he could keep exploring the grounds, there was sure to be something interesting among the crystal growth.
It was one of the more unusual grounds the Mansion displayed, though the similarity to magical crystals was no doubt influencing his desire to explore them further. The path he was on looked to wind further through the grounds, though the towering Mansion was still in view. Gently pulling the equillion away from the blooms, and encouraging him to follow, Nerius set off along the path.
(Nerius: 9/20) (Iseldur: Lv: 1, 9/10 | Lyl: 1, 9/10)
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Post by Nerius on Jan 29, 2023 2:45:57 GMT -6
[10]
The snow crunched underfoot as the pair traveled down the twisting path, traveling under the branches of entire trees made of crystal, and around massive spires. Nerius took a few samples of both, adding to his collection. It took up an unfortunate amount of space, but for a guaranteed payout he was willing to sacrifice the cargo space. Still, unless he found an entirely new variety of crystal flora, he likely had enough, and he was less interested in the foliage now. Iseldur had given up on snacking on it as well, at least for the time being, being on the move there wasn't really time for him to stop and browse.
Which was just as well, Nerius was paying only vague attention to the foal, and was more invested in observing the grounds. They were beautiful, but there wasn't anything notable (for a crystal garden) until he came across a large, clustered mass of spires, with an opening large enough for a person to fit inside. (Nerius: 10/20) (Iseldur: Lv: 2, 10/15 | Lyl: 2, 10/15)
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Post by Jack on Jan 29, 2023 11:27:14 GMT -6
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Post by Nerius on Jan 30, 2023 18:04:28 GMT -6
[11]
The large crystals that formed the structure of the spire glowed less brightly than the surrounding crystals, it wasn't pitch dark inside, but it was dimmer than the outside grounds. Nerius was able to see as he stepped inside, though not far, as the path inside twisted and curved. Iseldur's hooves rang faintly on the crystal floors, the foal was reluctant to follow inside, but Nerius wasn't about to leave the young creature unattended in the Mansion grounds.
There was a flicker of light up ahead, stronger than the ambient glow of the crystals. The pathway didn't branch, and it was less a case of searching out the light, as it was ahead on the path. Assuming it wasn't refracted through the crystals, the translucent spires caused strange reflections of flickering lights and colors, and several times Nerius had thought he'd reached the source. If the path hadn't been a single trail, it would be easy to get lost among the spires.
(Nerius: 11/20) (Iseldur: Lv: 2, 11/15 | Lyl: 2, 11/15)
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Post by Nerius on Jan 30, 2023 18:34:51 GMT -6
[12]
Though that might have been speaking too soon, he hadn't had to try to find the exit yet, and turning it into a maze on the way out was exactly the sort of thing the Mansion would do. That, and murder reflections, though at least Nerius hadn't seen any unexpected movement in the crystals this time. Iseldur, well, he wasn't happy to be here, but he hadn't been reacting to any perceived threats either. Not that startled baby creatures was a great indication, but Aithon had been concerned by the crystals before.
Then, as if summoned by his thoughts, there was movement in the crystals ahead. For a moment, Nerius was sure it was another moving reflection, but after a second realized he was seeing through the large crystal. It was hazy and warped, and Nerius couldn't quite make out what it was but there was something moving; on the other side, he realized, not a reflection within the crystal.
(Nerius: 12/20) (Iseldur: Lv: 2, 12/15 | Lyl: 2, 12/15)
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Post by Nerius on Jan 30, 2023 18:55:51 GMT -6
[13]
Cautiously peering around the crystal, the source of the movement was revealed to be... a pair of birds. Two ordinary looking quail, squabbling over a glittering streamer. Well, that was anti-climactic. Feeling a little silly, though not too silly considering how dangerous the Mansion was, Nerius considered if the streamer was the source of the light. It was a source of light, but the light he'd been following was brighter, and further down the tunnel.
A soft noise from Iseldur made him look down, the foal has spotted another small creature on the ground, a starlight bear that looked very put out that the birds, being able to fly, had much easier access to the streamer. The streamer, along with the quail, were on a ledge a few feet up, while the bear looked on from below. Their collective distraction made them easy to catch, at least, and Nerius collected the trio and the streamer.
(Nerius: 13/20) (Iseldur: Lv: 2, 13/15 | Lyl: 2, 13/15)
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Post by Nerius on Jan 30, 2023 19:18:44 GMT -6
[14]
The light was still further on, and Nerius was starting to wonder if there actually was a light source, of if it was just how the light was refracted through the crystals somehow. Still, he continued on, the cavern wasn't empty, at least, the odd little gathering of pocketpets had shown that much.
Indeed, as he traveled, he encountered a glittering mote, grabbing it before continuing. Still not the source of the light, but something of note, at least. Nerius was starting to wonder if the light was just another exit, and not something special. It would be a bit of a disappointment if there wasn't anything of note in the crystal cluster, but at least it would save him a trip out. Iseldur was handling the enclosed space okay, but there was no telling how long that would last, particularly if something startled him. The pocketpets, fortunately, hadn't been large or energetic enough to upset the young equillion. (Nerius: 14/20) (Iseldur: Lv: 2, 14/15 | Lyl: 2, 14/15)
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Post by Nerius on Jan 30, 2023 19:39:35 GMT -6
[15]
But the Mansion did not disappoint, and as Nerius rounded another interior cluster, the tunnel opened into a large chamber. Large, carved spires ringed the cavern in a half circle, each glowing a different color, and carved with rune patterns. In the center of the spires was a large slab, not a natural shaped formation, and though it was carved with the same symbols and patterns as the spires, was not glowing. it was also clearly magical in nature, Nerius could feel the unmistakable hum of magic as soon as he reached the chamber.
After looking around for any obvious dangers, and seeing none, Nerius entered the cavern, equillion in tow. He'd probably need to find somewhere to secure the lead to, trying to keep hold of a creature while studying the crystals and runes wouldn't be the most convenient. Why did he always bring critters along on these trips again? It wasn't like they had the utility of a mining familiar.
(Nerius: 15/20) (Iseldur: Lv: 3, 15/20 | Lyl: 3, 15/20)
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