In a free moment, Aaron tells those he is with "No-one here has any concrete idea what is causing this. You might hear some interesting stories if you asked what they think is to blame. I'm gong to see what I can figure out about the Geenveil place. It might be the source of the problem, or it might be a good base of operations. Or even both!"
Aaron then attempts to know which quarter of the forest Greenveil is in, and if any intelligent being lives there now. He also relinks with Grey, since he just showed up, and the link dissolved.
Name: Aaron Blackstar
Description: A thin, tall man with pale skin, long ink-black hair, and a carefully trimmed goatee. His eyes look like finely faceted balls of smoky quartz.
Nature: Cognizant
Status: Having wild guesses and suspicions.
HP: 10
Inventory: Robe, needle, and gloves.
FP: 0
Links: Red:Hugh, Yellow:Youare, Green:Grey, Orange:Greed
Relinked
[?]
The southern section, and about a mile underground.
I'm gong to see what I can figure out about the Geenveil place. It might be the source of the problem, or it might be a good base of operations. Or even both!"
"Going to this Greenveil place sounds like it might be quicker than traveling the forest paths for a few days in hopes of something happening. I'll see if I can find out anything as well."
Not having any magic databases in his head, Grey asks around the village to see if anyone has been to Greenveil before, in hopes of getting directions or a guide. He also probes the people he talks with a little in hopes of getting details on this depravity they were known for.
He relinks with Aaron and Youare.
Name:Grey
Description: A hairless pink colored man with lacking facial features, little more than a pair of eyes, two holes for a nose, and a line for a mouth.
Nature: Verbomancer (Maintain)
Status: Not going to do that again...let's talk to the townsfolk
HP: 10
Inventory:Purple robe, white gloves, giant needle and a rifle fused to a magic saber
Fate Points: 0
Red Genesis
Orange Debby
Yellow Luta
Violet Youare
Blue Tess
Indigo Hugh
Green Aaron
[2,3]
No one is willing to guide you through the forest, and their directions are vague at best. They say it should be along the path somewhere, and that there is an old gate arch which should mark the way, but thats about it. As per the "depravity", apparently the town was once very prosperous. It made a great deal on fishing the river, mining the hills and cutting the forests. But eventually those markets began to dry up and their profits with them. The town, hedonistic in its wealth, became desperate to keep its money. The depravity was a reflection of both the old hedonism and the new greed.
"It seems to me that the logical thing would have been to have a tracker attempt to find their last known location, with a decently large group accompanying them to escort and help with any rescues. Did you try it?"
ask the villagers
Name: Terissa / Tess
Description: a passive but brave teenage girl with purple hair and brown eyes, she has a hint of protrusions on her shoulderblades like the beginnings of wings, and a thin lizardlike tail, but nothing useful at this time.
Nature: Chameleon
Status: miniwings replaced by moderate-size wings made of air.
HP: 10
Inventory: Purple robe with red eye symbol on the back, white gloves with red eye symbol on their palm, 4-foot long iron needle that has been charged once from stabbing The Hammer.
Fate Points: 2
violet= Genesis
blue= Grey
They did not. Most of the villagers here are older, and farmers on top of it. Tracking and hunting in the forest is not their way, and if too many go missing then the harvests will fail and all will starve. They have, as far as you can tell, simply given up on the forest as a place beyond them and started avoiding it. You can tell there's a fair amount of fear underlying these seemingly logical arguments. Perhaps they could not muster enough volunteers for a search party.
"That Greenveil place is probably the first place we should check out."
Ask people what they think is taking the people.
Name: Debby
Description: Looks like a regular human woman but with the head of a deer.
Nature: All-Tounges
Status: Normal
HP: 10
Inventory:
purple robe
white gloves
big ass needle
Sword
Elizabeth Audrey Foxington, the living fox doll, now with parka
Rope
Rifleaxe
10' rope
Spork with sharp serrated edges on the spoon part
Humanoid doll made from a knotted sheet, it's alive now
Fate Points: 3
[5]
They are not certain, but the older among them remember that during the decline of Greenveil it was said to be dangerous to pass near it at night. There were rumors of young women being snatched off the path and spirited away into that town, never to be seen again. Those rumors then encompassed young men, then anyone on that forest whatsoever. As Greenveil vanished into the encroaching woods the rumors vanished with it but...these disappearances have brought those old stories back. Some say they simply suspect a connection. Others go off on wild tales of mansnatchers hiding in the forest and committing unspeakable acts in return for gold. Others believe it is something else, a remnant from those days lingering on and mindlessly acting. A curse, proverbial or perhaps real.
Hugh links needles with Aa and then saunters over to the others who are discussing the Greenveil place.
“Ho! Ho! Ho! So… you need to get to this Greenveil place! I’ve got a proposition. How about you let me pick up two humonculi and I eat the distance between here and Greenveil. Once we’re there, I set them down and tell the rest that we’ve arrived. Then they can tug on their links to teleport over to us. Oh… and please remind them to relink after they teleport.” Hugh then waits for a reply. After replying to Aaron, Hugh seeks out some of the villagers and asks them for information on this Greenveil place (including what direction it is in, and it’s distance from the village).
Part of a rock wall.
Darkness.
Plates and silverware
The distance between the conduit and the village.
Name: Hugh.
Description: A large, fat, bald human male who, despite being seemingly obese, is immensely strong. He towers over others, with the tallest of the other (current) humonculi only coming up to the center of his abdomen. He has a hearty laugh that makes his belly shake like a bowl full of jelly, and is very kind and jovial
Nature: Glutton.
Status: Ho! Ho! Ho! All aboard the Glutton Express!
HP: 10
Inventory: Robe, gloves, and needle.
Fate Points: 0
Red - Aaron
Orange -
Yellow - Genesis
Green - Greed
Blue - Youare
Indigo - Grey
Violet - Aa Tou Tou Lesia
Edit: edited action. Included link to Aa.
[2] The villagers tell you they do not know the way other than that it should be along the path somewhere.
Name: Aa-tou-tou Lesia
Description: A pale, fat thing resembling a waterlogged corpse, bloated, with discolored nails and recessed eye sockets. Shoulders, upper back, and thighs covered in incongruently healthy-looking orange fur. Large, triangular, yet bald ears atop head, and a huge mouth lined with numerous needle-like teeth. Apparently female.
Nature: Glutton (Air Darkness Fireflies)
Status: Nominal
HP: 10
Inventory: Purple Robe, White Gloves, Long Needle
Fate Points: 0
"Well, I think if someone disappeared trying to find the last people who disappeared, then all we have to do to find the objective is to do what they did and go out there! And then we can butcher whatever it is and eat its remains!"
Link needles with Hugh, then prance down the path into the forest. While being some distance from everybody else, try to eat a spot of air, then eat the Vacuum before it goes away.
If that goes fine, then poke my head into the woods. I can afford to explore a little bit since I can just Link back to Hugh.
[2] You try to take a bite of air but it all runs out between your teeth. Tricky.
The entrance to the forest is...unassuming. Seems like just a normal forest. Sure the path is pretty overgrown- just a thin strip of ancient stones almost completely lost in the undergrowth- but nothing about it screams impending doom. Though its trees are high, and the path is dark thanks to the branches.