thehometree | 1 // amber (backdated to tues)

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1 // amber (backdated to tues)

[There is a very odd-looking face on the amber shards today. Young, nervous but keeping it in check, and bumpy. With little chin tendrils. He'd hide himself, but its possible that you've already seen him wandering around the second level and food branch, and also it's pretty clear that his weird appearance is not the only strange thing going on.

Weird-thing shifts around awkwardly before taking a breath to speak a bit stiffly.]

Hello. I'm...looking for someone who can tell me how I arrived here. And - if my uncle is here. His name is Vindicator Maraad.

[Shoulders go up slightly and the little face looks vaguely guilty.]

And um. A part of the gem on the first floor - the gold one - sort of...broke off. I'm sorry. [oops?]

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[The face which stares back at him -with interest- is pale, white hair framing her face and pointed ears giving away the fact that she's not human. There's a long, think scar down one cheek. Her own voice is calm, and she shakes her head at that last part.]

There's no need to apologize. All of us who arrive here receive our own gem. It's a gift from the Tree, allowing us flight. It's best to hold onto it, as traveling is difficult, otherwise. [Not that she hasn't known those who have managed.]

As for your uncle, I'm sorry to say that the name isn't familiar to me. I don't believe he is here, though it's possible that he could arrive later.

[Med'an is a polite young man who has been taught not to stare, so he doesn't, but he does take note of her appearance. An elf? Elves on his world, though, look a bit different. It's a little hard to tell through the amber.]

Oh. A gift? [surprise, and then a little relief, with just a touch of smile.]

Sssso.... the wings were supposed to happen too. [THATS COOL. HE TOTALLY DIDNT FREAK OUT ABOUT THAT OR ANYTHING. ITS COOL. He nods and sobers slightly at the mention of his uncle's absence.]

Well, thank you for letting me know. Have you...met any other Vindicators here, maybe?

Yes, the wings are meant for us. If you aren't used to aerial travel, I can assist, though it's truly not as difficult or intimidating as it might seem at first glance.

[She raises an eyebrow at that question, stumped.]

Vindicators? I'm afraid you'll have to define that for me. I'm not familiar with the term.

[Which probably means the answer to his question is 'no' but then again, maybe not?]

Well, I've definitely never had wings before...but I - got up to this level, at least. [He's cool with it as long as it's supposed to have happened, really. It's just that his genetics are weird enough without added magical things doing even more to his body.] They won't disappear on me when I'm in the air?

[The expression on her face does pretty much give him the answer to his question, yeah, but there's no reason not to explain it if she wants to hear. It wouldn't be...too strange for there to be no draenei here - they're not a populous race, after all. A little disappointing, but he'll manage.]

Oh, a Vindicator is a paladin sworn to protect the draenei people. Are there any draenei here? [HE ASKS INNOCENTLY...]

No, you'll keep your wings as long as you hold onto the gem. Some of us have taken to wearing it as a pendant or in a ring, since as long as it remains in contact with you, the benefits will remain.

[Her expression is sympathetic, knowing a little of what it's like to feel out of one's depth.]

When I first arrived there was one, a woman named Valamia. I haven't seen her in some time, however.

[Knowing that there have been draenei here actually makes him brighten up a bit. It's a thin thread, surely, but it's at least something. People from his world - or sort of from his world, since draenei were actually aliens on Azeroth, but anyway - have been here, he's not the only one.]

Valamia? Do you know where I might find her?

[Just a day ago, Ivaera would have had no suggestions to offer, but today is a bit different. The elf woman hesitates a moment, but figures the least she can do is provide information. She can't guarantee anything beyond that, but still.]

Not exactly, but there is a list of names up on the seventh floor. It seems to contain the name of every person currently here. I didn't deliberately seek hers, but if she's still at all present in this realm, I believe her name will be on it.

[That reminds her, manners.]

I am Ivaera Surana, by the way. I can't claim to be an expert on this realm, but as I have lived here almost three months now, I'm not entirely new to it, either. If I can provide answers, I shall.

We're summoned by whoever made this tree and turned us tiny! Nobody actually knows what that's about!

The gem's supposed to do that, don't worry about it!

[ Gil's not very helpful, but already infinitely more helpful than usual. ]

[AWW BABY GIL c: CUTE...]

Oh. I guess I won't worry then. [Oops, Med'an likes friendly children. And hey, Gil is trying to be helpful at least. That counts for something in Med'an's book.]

Do we know who made the tree? Or...is it just...the tree itself?

I doubt trees like this just spring out of the ground without somebody's direction. [ Although confluences of nature spirits have made stranger things happen. ] There's almost somebody behind this, but nobody really knows anything about them, and it looks like our only choice is to keep climbing the tree until we find something out.

Hmm. Maybe...[he's not so sure. What with said nature spirits and all. But, oh well, they'll figure it out later, right?] So our goal is to climb the tree? Is that how we find out...what the tree wants us to do?

There's a mirror which gives everyone quests, which slowly unlocks the upper floors of the tree, which lets us do more things. It sort of works itself out.

[As Me'dan pokes around the lower levels of the tree, a lanky, long-haired and roachy-winged human stops in the middle of exiting her home to glare his way. She can see him fiddling with the amber slice he's got and, on a hunch, she closes her door slowly and quietly and cants her head to listen to the first part of his speech.

When his back is turned, she takes a half-step forward and utters,]

They're all dead, Jim.

[Poor Med'an jumps at the sudden voice behind him, swiveling his upper body around to find the source of it. Seeing a human is almost relieving - he was raised in human culture, so they're something of a default for him - but the roach wings are kind of disturbing. Also Jo's general weirdness.]

...who's all dead? [And now he is taking her seriously because why not. Sob.]

Uhh, no one, [watching him jump had been about all the satisfaction she needed, but the little creature... man? had an unnerving face. Jolene crossed her arms without realizing she was taking a defensive stance, dropped her joking tone, and leveled a careful stare on him.]

What are you?

[He looks surprised at the question - no, he hasn't actually been asked it a lot. It's a long story - and his green cheeks turn slightly reddish. How does he respond to that? No, seriously, it's a really weird answer, how should he phrase it. 8( ]

...I am half-human. [That's true, and simple, though obviously not the entire story. But it feels like the best way to go for now - to identify as (partly) the species she is.]

My...my name is Med'an. Who are you? [This is. Totally a normal conversation. It's cool, this is normal.]

[Jo picks up the scent of uncertainty. Were Med'an any older, on, say, the par of peers, Jo would have tracked him down until she had him up a tree, but she wasn't often in the business of mortifying children or teenagers. They were too easy. She let off and stood back, arms crossed. 'Half human'. What the fuck did that mean? She'd maybe... ask later. He sure didn't look human or even half-ways human, but then her standards were perhaps a little more stringent than those from the world this green bean came from.]

I'm Jo'lene. [She couldn't help it. The apostrophe sounded too fantastic for her not to mock just a little, though her tone was flat enough that she could just as well be serious.] I have the fucked up pleasure of living in this knot pole. Now you do, too.

Don't worry, you're in the same boat as everyone else here.

[The young man who shows up on the amber is human, fairly plain, his red hair especially orange with the amber's extra tint. He's wearing a grimace, but it's a sympathetic one.]

No one really has any idea how we've been brought here. I've heard some fluff about the tree having brought everyone here in order to fulfill tasks, but really no one has a clue.

Did the gem do anything else when it broke off? Or the gem shard?

[He knows what's supposed to happen, but the little nerd has been busily taking a census to see if it happens to everyone, and expecting a particular answer before the data's been gathered is just plain Bad Science.]

Well...at least there's that. [Sunny side? And at least people seem nice! No one has even gone 'what kind of creature ARE you dude' yet.]

The tree...wants us to fulfill tasks? Do we know what tasks? [Alas, a tree telling him to do something actually makes a bit of sense to Med'an. There are definitely talking tree-things on Azeroth :|b Not that he's ever met any, but.]

It...made me grow wings. [Now that he knows that's what happens to everyone, he's not as shy about it, but he does still sound a little unsure. It's not everyday you just grow wings, ok.] They're a gift from the tree, right?

Well, the 'gift' part is up for debate but they're definitely something that happens to everyone as well. [He nods, as if in satisfaction.]

As for what tasks, well -- honestly I haven't sorted out a pattern, they seem kind of arbitrary. A bunch of people were sent out to retrieve pieces of a sword, which in turn got rid of an obstruction on one of the upper floors -- really, I don't think we have all the pieces to figure out what we're being told to do, yet.

What does your uncle look like?

Oh... [Right! Cue slightly mystified looking Med'an. But he won't ask, because...he totally knows what you're talking about. It's cool. He totally gets it. Oh well, not too important, right?]

Pieces of a sword, that got rid of an obstruction on the upper floors...hhhuh. [pause.] How do we know what the tasks are?

He's a draenei. Tall, long black hair...um, his eyes are kind of like mine. [There's a little quirk of a smile there, like that phrase has some sort of secret meaning. And it does, sort of, though it's not really secret - it's just that Med'an is still getting used to - and enjoying - having an actual biological relative around. It's fun to share physical traits with someone. c: ]

...he has four - face tendrils. [Aaaand now he's motioning at his own little chin-things. This is totally not a weird thing to say. LOOK, DRAENEI HAVE WEIRD TENTACLES ON THEIR FACES, OKAY. DONT JUDGE THEM.]

[Evan tries not to look too fascinated by the aforementioned fabulous face tentacles: he's now officially got a million questions... but even he knows better than to bombard the fresh-faced newbie]

Draenei is the name of your -- species? I'm afraid I haven't seen anyone else here like you, sorry. That's pretty par for the course, though. Most people seem to be from different worlds here.

[he leans back, a little further from the amber, and taps his chin]

As for the quests... well, that gets a little complicated. There's a branch, we're supposed to solve riddles that are left there... and sometimes other things.

Honestly I'm not entirely versed on the varieties of tasks. I arrived just as one major one was winding down.

Have you sorted out how to fly yet?

[ There's a bit of a yawn as she stirs awake from a nap no doubt, not paying much attention to his appearances at first. ]

s'pose to do that. [ She murmurs with a slurred speech, too tired to address him properly. The downside to the amber slices is they can be heard often and from everywhere. ]

The ge....

[and then he yawns back. DAMMIT, RIN x-(!!]

.....Gem? [ >.> ] Um, I'm sorry if I woke you.

We do not know who brought us here. [Or why. It's fairly irritating to be in the dark after months.] And do not be concerned about the golden gem, it is yours to keep. Half of us were given it while the other ones were gifted with the blue one.

[A little tentatively: ] I've been hearing that the tree itself brought us here. It's clearly a special tree in some way, isn't it? ....has anyone tried communicating with it?

[Okay, now his curiosity is piqued.] Does the blue one do something different?

It is possible, although I do not think the tree brought us here. It is probably someone who lives in this tree and uses its power. [Her eyebrows furrow. An elemental spirit who inhabit the upper levels, or a divine one.] There has been attempts to communicate with the spirits who dwell here, Chime, for instance, and it is difficult to decipher their language.

[She assents.] Their wings are more sizeable than ours and are shaped after moths.

I suppose it could be - I mean, the tree could just be their home, or maybe a part of them...

[In fairness, Med'an has not actually had much experience with elemental spirits. He hasn't had much experience with anything, really. But he's a little hopeful that he can be of help here: ] There are spirits who live in here? - I'm a shaman. Maybe I'll be able to speak with them. [~~eager puppy med'an, excitedly wagging his tail. HE CAN DO IT!!! HE CAN HELP!!!!~~]

Oh. Everyone must have different wings, then?

Yes, that is entirely possible.

[They could have a pact or a bond with this tree. She wishes Merlin were here to know this. She is no magus to be aware of it.]

There is Chime. She inhabits the fifth floor.

[She considers hold her yellow stone to show him, but it seems unnecessary.]

We do, although there is something they have in common. For example, those who chose the yellow stone have smaller wings that are see-through.

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