November 2022 Test Drive Meme

[folkie]

NOVEMBER 2022 TDM

INTRODUCTION

[ TDM Questions ★ Jump to Comments ★ Full Navigation ]
Welcome to Folkmore's monthly Test Drive Meme! Please feel free to test drive any and all characters regardless of your intent to apply or whether you have an invite or not.

All TDMs are game canon. You can choose to have your TDM thread be your introduction thread upon acceptance or start fresh. Each TDM will provide a scenario for how characters arrive in-game that particular month.

Playing TDMs will allow characters to immediately obtain canon items from homes especially weapons or other things they may have had on their person when they were pulled from their worlds! There will always be a prompt that provides some sort of "reward" to characters who complete certain tasks.

Current players are allowed to have in-game characters react to TDMs via the Network or make a log with the prompts. Current players are always encouraged to tag new people on the TDM!

TDM threads can be used for spoon spending at any time by characters accepted into the game.

[ Prompt One ★ Prompt Two]

BUNNY BUSINESS

You snap to awareness, ready perhaps to fight or flee, and find that you are… sitting on a couch. Huh.

Yes, you have fallen from the sky, Star Child, to wind up inside a cozy lodge There are several other couches dotting the spacious room, host largely to new arrivals like yourself. The lodge is rustic, built of wooden logs and stone, with a massive fireplace dominating one wall. Through an open archway just past the fireplace there is a mellowly lit bar serving free hot chocolate as well as spirits. The bar is tended by a tall, fluffy white creature with earmuffs on. Star Children from Earth might think it looks like a bigfoot or a yeti, but cute. The bartender speaks in a soft, low voice and can direct you to the other half of the lodge, where you can borrow winter clothes and outdoor equipment.

What sort of equipment? Skis, of course! And snowboards, and snowshoes too!

Step outside the lodge and you will discover that you are at the base of one of the mountains in Wintermute. It rises majestically, the very tip lost amongst white clouds. The snow is a perfect powder, ideal for beginners and experts alike.

There is a wooden sign near the rental area pointing the way to the Bunny Hill.

The ski hill is manned entirely by rabbits. They are mostly white and grey, but you can spot them against the snow because they are all wearing little winter coats. They will help get you into your skis or on your board or what-have-you, and they will be your silent instructors. If you don’t want to downhill ski and would rather snowshoe around, one of the bunnies will guide you to safe paths. No matter what you’re doing, the rabbits insist on pairing you with another Star Child. Bunnies believe in the buddy system! Might be a good time to get to know someone else. In fact, you’ll notice that the more you talk to someone else, the more your winter sports skills improve, and the happier you will feel.

If you go off course, whether on ski or board or shoe, having a buddy makes it far more likely that you can find your way back to the lodge safely!

GRAY NOVEMBER

Content Warnings: Monster fighting, optional violence.

ADDRESSED TO THE FIRE

Among the snow laden pines, all is not still. There is a soft chiming noise you may be able to hear, and amongst the tree branches move hundreds of tiny blue forms. These humanoid figures are no more than three inches tall, sparkling like fresh fallen snow. Wherever their feet touch frost forms, and they flit and dance overhead joyfully, occasionally causing snow to dislodge from the branches and fall to the ground below. You may be hit with a light shower of the stuff if you happen to be below, which is all in great fun… but you best be careful where you step, as a heavy load of snow can hurt you quite badly.

These little ice spirits seem friendly enough, flying down to inspect you. You might not even notice that they are herding you further into the evergreen forest, away from the sun and into the shadows. If you do notice and try to resist, they will dart lightly across any exposed skin, causing sharp stabs of cold. If they do this enough, there is a real danger of frostbite. The spirits don’t die if you squish them - they just puff into a cloud of snow, and there are so many of them that it’s unlikely you could hurt enough of them to escape.

The ice spirits lead you to a clearing before they abruptly vanish - they have done a wonderful job of disorienting you, and their icy feet have filled up your footprints so you cannot follow your own trail back. Here, it is quite dark, and trying to find your way back is nigh impossible. In the center of the clearing is a small pile of wood and kindling, just waiting for a spark. There is a a small metal box next to this and inside is a pack of matches and a note reading:

The heart, like fire, must be fed to stay alight.
Memories held dear burn brightest of all.

You will find that you can light the fire very easily, but keeping it from going out is a challenge! It keeps guttering and threatening to plunge you into the cold darkness. That is, unless you take a cue from the note and share some things about yourself with your companion. The more you share, or the more private the story, the more strongly the fire will burn. It never requires more wood - if you have a good conversation with someone it will last til morning quite easily, and keep you warm the whole time.

Once morning does arrive, you will find that somehow another box has appeared, set just to the side of the clearing. This one is a proper wooden chest, and inside you will discover some canon item from your homeworld - this can include magical objects or weapons.

A racoon in a red and yellow sweater will waddle into the clearing once you have discovered your prize and escort you safely out of the evergreen forest.

WILDEST WINTER

Okay, but maybe you hate sharing time. Maybe you’d rather take your chances with the dark woods. It’s possible to create a torch with the supplies in the clearing, or maybe you have other ways of lighting your way. Heck, maybe you just have halfway decent night vision!

As you make your way through the woods, you might notice that there are weapons half covered by snow lying about. These are all normal, unenchanted weapons - knives, swords, guns. Sweet, free swag!

But be warned: the moment you touch any of these weapons you will hear the howling of a blizzard wind. The air will turn colder still, and then out of the darkness will stalk a monstrous being roughly the size and shape of a polar bear, but haphazardly covered in ice-like spikes. These ice crystals are deadly sharp and incredibly hard, so you’ll have to aim carefully between them to pierce the monster’s flesh. It is possible to melt them if you have the means to generate enough heat.

The creature is every bit as fast and strong as a polar bear, so you really don’t want to let it catch you! Teamwork is probably your best option to fight it - running might not be your best option in this case, although the bear might be too big to be able to climb a tree with much success. Maybe. Possibly. You sure you want to risk it?

If you defeat the ice bear, it will melt away to nothing, leaving in its place a heart-shaped box. Inside you will find a canon item. If you manage to make it to morning without killing the creature, you will escape with your life and whatever unenchanted weapon you picked up.

The sweatered racoon will appear at dawn to guide you back to the ski lodge.

Comments

Questions?

[folkie]

Ask them here!

Re: Questions?

[untitledshuos]

Can you eat the little spirits and/or monster bear? (possibly only parts of the ice bear... mid-combat pre-meltiness?)

Sorry <<

Hawke | Dragon Age

[da_champion]

Bunny Business

The cold didn’t bother Hawke anyway.

Years of fire magic meant he ran naturally hot. The little rabbit creatures didn’t seem to care and insisted he put on a fluffy jacket and strap snowshoes on his feet to explore.

“Listen,” Hawke said, trying to reason with the little creature. “I understand you’re trying to help me. It’s very kind of you but snow won’t be a problem. I have better ways of dealing with it than those shoe things.”

It wasn’t unusual for Hawke to talk to an animal. He talked to his mabari for years. Sure, rabbits weren’t supposed to be as smart as mabari but the creature seemed to understand. It certainly didn’t seem happy that Hawke was arguing with it. He seemed to be one of the few to do so.

“What if we walk a bit?” Hawke offered. “I’ll show you what I mean. I promise once you see what I can do you won’t insist I put on those silly things.”

Of course, Hawke lost the argument. The rabbit wouldn’t budge and refused to let him budge until the shoes were on. Immediately, he felt ridiculous. He was a tall, rather bulky with muscle man. Normally, he could move gracefully. With the shoes on his feet he had to take big, exaggerated steps.

And felt incredibly silly and stupid when he almost tripped over his own feet trying to move about two steps.

He stopped and took a deep breath, then looked over at the other person who had joined him on the snowy trail. “If I fall, leave me. Just bury me in snow. My pride would prefer it.”

-*-*-*-

Grey November: Addressed to the Fire

It was kind of the previous travelers to leave a poem and some sort of sticks but he didn’t see how useful that was. At least the firepit was clear of snow and had a nice stack of wood already placed. Hawke sat down on a log and held his hand over the firepit. A breath later flames leapt high from the wood and caught, growing into a steady warm fire.

As the fire pushed back the darkness Hawke brushed flecks of ice from his armor. He ran his hands through his hair shaking out the snow. Those little ice spirits had been just as biting cold as a Despair demon. Only smaller and more biting. He had to focus the fire magic within himself to warm the tips of his fingers and the tip of his nose. Any longer with those creatures and he might have actually experienced real cold.

Figuring out a way back would have to wait until morning. Hawke had already tried but he couldn’t find his path and too far made the little ice spirits appear to harass him. The safest and smartest choice was to wait by the fire until daylight and then try to figure out a way to shelter and safety.

He wrapped his cloak around himself and huffed out a breath, watching the steam rise into the night air.

The sound of crunching snow from behind made him look over his shoulder. Another lost traveler probably drawn in by the fire. “Have a seat, friend,” he said with a gesture to another log. “I don’t have much else to share but warmth and company. I promise I’m no danger though.”

-*-*-*-

Grey November: Wildest Winter

Honestly, Hawke grabbed the staff half-buried in the snow thinking it would make a fantastic walking stick. All this hiking through the woods was a little tiring even though that had been his life since he felt Kirkwall. It would be helpful to lean his weight on and would also tell him how deep the snow was. This winter wood was rather unforgiving.

He was not expecting something to yell when he picked it up. He was not expecting a bear to come charging from the woods straight at him. Hawke threw himself out of the way when it took a swipe at him. For a moment he was blinded by snow and cold but managed not to get sliced open and not to throw himself against a tree.

Hawke quickly got to his feet, pointed the tip of the staff towards the bear and a blech of fire flew out, scoring the creature’s side.

“Alright, you bastard. Let’s go!” Hawke roared his own challenge as he twirled the staff around himself.

The snow whipped up around him and a wave of force shot out this time, slamming into the bear which only stumbled back a few steps. He jabbed hard towards the bear’s eye but it smacked the staff away with one big paw.

Hawke responded by hurling a fireball straight into the bear’s side, melting some of the ice on its side.

“Take that!”

bunny

[haptrec]

You never walked around in a pair of snowshoes before?

( granted, burton doesn't get too much snow down south, not this early in the year, but he's gotten enough in the past two decades to keep a pair of boots handy in the back of his closet and, at the very least, manage to walk a few steps without falling all over himself.

besides, snow boots aren't too much bulkier than any other boots. it's like walking around a construction site. )

You sure you got yourself the right size? Don't think I've seen someone have this much trouble with footwear since we dared Leon to dance around in Mama's heels for $3,000.

Bunny

[keeperofkeys]

"I think you might be being a bit overdramatic," she says, even as she teeters on one foot for a moment before finding her balance again.

"They're not so bad, once you find a rhythm. You sort of have to swing your leg out as you step forward. Take wider steps than usual."

Helloooo stranger 👀 | Bunnehs

[defenderoftomorrow]

Jayce hated snow with a passion and would do anything to avoid coming in contact with it. He had disliked the cold ever since his mother and he were trapped in a snowstorm when he was a kid, and they would have died there had it not been for the timely intervention of a mage that teleported them to safety. His mother still lost two fingers to frostbite, so Jayce's dislike for snow remained.

However, Jayce was also very, very weak for cute, fluffy things that could be petted, and a hill covered in bunnies was very tempting. Bunnies wearing tiny winter coats? He had to stop himself from squeeing at the view. They were cute enough that he didn't mind being bossed around and made to wear ridiculous shoes. They even gave him a bunny hat to match them, and despite how it probably looked ridiculous on him, Jayce put it on because he was THAT cold.

Helping newcomers, Jayce minded even less. He walked closer to Hawke and hovered near just in case the man tripped again, and then said in a conspiratorial voice:

"How about I help you get far away from the bunnies' sight, and then you can ditch the shoes? I promise I won't tell them. If they ask, just say the Catbus eat them or something."  

Bunny Business

[toomuchinfo]

Sarajane Hawke had been here for only a month and she'd already been subjected to so many kinds of weird, she couldn't wait to go back home and tell Varric all about it.

But the weird shoes were new. Something she'd never seen or even heard of before and she found herself gallumphing her way across the terrain until she saw someone ahead of her.

So she called out to him. "Hey! Hi, lemme catch up, it can't be that hard, right?"

And then she faceplanted into the snow.

Grey November: Addressed to the Fire

[sweetoncebitter]

To say that Alicent wasn't dressed for the weather was putting it as kindly as possible. No, her off the shoulder Hightower-green dress was barely suited for Westeros, except to make a point.

No more would she let Rhaenyra pour honey in her ear while injecting poison with her bite.

And Alicent felt a pang of loss, seeing the friendly-appearing campground and wondered what it would mean to sit at it with a true friend. Not that she had any of those, anymore. She didn't even have her father, dismissed as the Hand of the King for speaking truth.

But almost despite herself, she settled down on the log across from the stranger and gave him a small, strained smile.

"I am, of course, no danger. Though, I appreciate your...sincerity in declaring your own self harmless. Few do such a thing and mean it."

And the unspoken question was "do you?"

Fran Bow Dagenhart | Fran Bow

[keeperofkeys]

Bunny Hill

Well. There are certainly worse places she's woken up. And at least she's not a tree, this time. In fact, the whole place seems quite charming! Especially the helpful little rabbits who point her towards winterwear and a pair of snow shoes.

So now she's bundled up, making her way slowly and carefully across the snow. Taking in the winter wonderland.

[wwrench]

Truth be told, Wrench has come by the lodge and its many amenities no more intentionally himself. He's managed to keep track of the time since his own arrival with the changing seasons, so it isn't that he's surprised by the presence of so much snow; he just isn't as prepared as he'd like to be. Being offered a seasonally-appropriate wardrobe by a sentient bunny isn't the worst of what's happened to him since he got here, but he still regards the whole getup with some amount of wary disdain.

The snow shoes are welcome, however. The tall man intends to find the path back to his makeshift lean-to, but in the blanket of white on white, it's no surprise that he gets turned around. It's not long before one of the rabbits intervenes and insistently ushers him in what he hopes to be the direction of a viable trail. Instead the bunny shoos him face-to-face with an unfamiliar woman.

id like to thank the anti-hero event for giving me wild tag in opportunities,

[seacub]

The boy on the path is not Emporio.

It is 'someone else', in Emporio's body. Someone filled with self-confidence and self-motivation, unhindered by the desires and needs of those around him. Someone who can take Emporio's cleverness, and play pretend if he needs.

'Alniño', in any case, has never gone skiing. He's never done many things, in fact. Not skiing, not snowboarding, not even snowshoeing.

And definitely not...Biathlon?

"Alright, alright, I'm coming..." Well, it wouldn't matter if he had, the bunnies would be ushering him toward SOMEONE who can watch him. For all that he can pretend he cares, Alniño seems to give the aura of someone who would calmly watch someone fall off the path if he could get away with it.

(The ghost behind him, frankly, wishes he could apologize to the rabbits.)

"So...do we have to be partners then?"

cyno | genshin impact | legend

[cashewlater]

bunny business;

[ this is certainly new.

cyno recalls the fox, the things she said, her sly explanations that found him somehow agreeing to this - as if he has the time. sumeru may be stable once more, but there's still plenty of work that needs doing, work that won't get done while he is here. he snaps awake, tense and watchful, more than a little uneasy, and immediately cyno is on his feet, nearly out the door before the cute furry yeti cries out, warning him of the bitter cold. he's not, um, exactly dressed for the weather, and one blast of wind from the open door is enough to convince him. desert nights are frigid, so he's not unused to the cold, nor the dangers of hypothermia, but unfortunately, he doesn't have his heavy cloak on hand.

thankfully, clothing is provided, and cyno soon finds himself bustled into warm dark leathers and a black, fur-lined cloak. all the better to face the weather with. also, apparently, he's being assigned a buddy?? why does he need one? though his gaze toward his newfound partner is not unfriendly, it's not particularly warm, either. ]

I've never seen snow, before.

addressed to the fire;

[ these pixies are maddening..

cyno has absolutely no interest in following them wherever they might lead, but they're infuriatingly persistent, and no matter how he fights them, they return in droves, three more replacing every single one he crushes, or zaps. fine. if they're leading him somewhere dangerous, he'll just have to deal with that danger once he arrives. cyno isn't afraid. annoyed, but not afraid.

nevertheless, he finds himself not lead somewhere dangerous, but instead.. to an idyllic clearing, where a fire waits to be lit. cyno approaches carefully, as if he's waiting for something or someone to reveal themselves from the underbrush, but nothing comes. it's quiet all around. and there's a small note. hm.

The heart, like fire, must be fed to stay alight.
Memories held dear burn brightest of all.

cyno turns to whoever has the misfortune of being his buddy, while one hand lifts the message to offer it forward, the other lights the kindling, with a spark of electro. ]

What do you think it means?

wildcard;

[ feel free to come at me with something new, or plot with me via pm or plurk at owlcoholic! ]

Bunny business

[shadowsincryo]

[His companion is dressed for the weather too. Except for a little flash of his chest. Hell would freeze over before he stopped doing that. But Folkmore has made changes to him. Dark blue wolf ears, a long tail, claws on his fingers, and fangs that are revealed when he smiles.]

Really? You’re in for a treat. It’s a bit like sand. Just cold and acts like ice ever does.

[He steps outside and breathes in.] Smells so clean out here. They said to go up the hill but I wouldn’t mind taking the longer stroll if you are fine with it.

bunny business!!

[descender]

[Aether heard people discussing newcomers arriving, and that makes sense, as he arrived a few months ago around the time. Once he's found out where they're landing, Aether wants to see if Paimon or any of his friends are among them. Last time he met Heizou and Kazuha, so who knows who will come this time.

He doesn't realize how cold it's gotten in this part of Folkmore, needing to borrow some warmer clothing. He keeps a lookout for anyone he could know, but the bunnies seem to have their own idea, too. Maybe it's Thirteen's influence again, as his "buddy" ends up being he's actually friends with. He looks at where that voice comes from, that voice matching who he thought it was. He approaches him so he can be closer to him.]

Well, now you have. What do you think of it? [He smiles at him, tilting his head.] So you ended up here, too, and during winter of all times.

bunny business

[sweetsong]

[ robin's more than happy to accept a partner for a little bit of adventuring out in the snow. even though he doesn't look particularly happy to be here, it's... kind of expected. he can't assume anyone would be as excited as him all the time.

so. ]

You haven't? [ as he takes a few more steps into the powdery cold stuff. ] Are you from a hot place, then?

[ the young man twirls, doing a short and somewhat slow pirouette. ]

Astrid Becke | Critical Role

[verbrannt]

Lodge
It's hard to say what is more unsettling: that her arrival to this place is hazy, like an already fading dream, or that this is, clearly and inescapably, reality.

Astrid takes in the details before she moves: the size and layout of the lodge, the smell of the fireplace and snow in the air, the people, the unknown creature behind the bar. The door opens as someone enters, bringing in a swirl of cold air and snowflakes, and she holds down a sudden shiver; her dark robed dress is more appropriate for the warm night she'd apparently left behind in Rexxentrum.

Taking a moment to ensure her sleeves are tugged all the way down to her wrists, she stands up from the couch, and takes a sharp breath as a wave of dizziness hits. Vague memories of a fox appearing in her office and guiding her, onward and onward, surface through the haze of her darkened vision. Astrid remembers making the decision to follow this fey-like creature, but she doesn't remember precisely why. There is something meant to be discovered here, but if she'd had any clue as to what, it is gone for the moment.

She takes a seat at the bar, asking for a cup of mulled wine to warm herself and think.


Bunny Business
After much urging from the almost overly friendly though soft-spoken bartender, Astrid dons a dark green wool coat, hood and cuffs lined with fur, and heads into the cold. The majesty of the mountains stirs something sharp in her chest. She allows herself a long moment to take them in, sitting with a memory, before setting it aside again and continuing toward the snowshoe trails.

The bunnies are unfairly cute. They manage to pull a soft laugh from her as they help secure the straps of the snowshoes, and she can't resist a simple spell to build them a little tower of snow to climb on in thanks.

Yet as they guide her to the paths, it's increasingly clear that they're not letting her go off alone. Perhaps it is just as well. There is much yet to learn about this place, after all. She assumes a suitably amicable demeanor, turning to her apparent companion and asking in a faintly accented Common: "So, have you done this before?"



Addressed to the Fire
In truth, after a snowy hike, Astrid has determined that she still hasn't quite had long enough away from the bitter cold of Eiselcross to make a prolonged stay particularly enjoyable. Yet when she tries to return to the lodge, she finds herself cajoled into a clearing by some particularly snippy ice spirits. Trying to clamp down on her irritation, she lights the fire easily enough with a wave of her hand before the metal box catches her eye.

Tension draws her shoulders stiff and tight as she finishes the poem. Beneath layers of wool and clothing, an old scar that licks along the slope of her neck and shoulder tingles.

Astrid closes the box with a loud snap, and lets it drop unceremoniously into the snow at the sound of approaching footsteps. She steps invitingly to one side, a smile not quite on her face as she gestures to the fire.

"Come, warm yourself."


[ ooc: pardon any rust on tags, it's been a bit! For reference, I'm pulling her from post canon. I write in prose, but feel free to respond in whatever format you prefer. Hit me up with a DM or ooc comment if you want to do something different! ]

Lodge

[da_champion]

After trudging through the snow and all that business of being in a new place with no idea how he got here Hawke was deeply, incredibly relieved to see a bar. A bar! Blessed civilization and alcohol. Well, he was mostly excited about the alcohol.

He dropped heavily onto a stool next to a blond woman. "Your strongest whiskey. Please. I want to burn from the inside if you don't mind."

The bartender, luckily for Hawke, was quick and got him a glass of something a dark amber color. He would worry about how to pay for it later. Hawke picked up the glass and glanced at the woman next to him.

"Cheers!" he said brightly, toasting her with his glass and then he took a deep drink which immediately scalded his throat. He coughed once. "Oh yeah. That's better."

It burned and burned him up from the inside. It was a good pain though, much better than the biting cold.

Shuos Jedao | Machineries of Empire | Familiar

[untitledshuos]

Whiskey & Whist

Baby, it's cold outside. Sometimes it's cozier to relax at the lodge. At a table near the bar, a man of medium height and modest bulk—certainly mature and possibly, some might say, middle aged—hosts a game of cards at a table built for four. There's always a hot toddy before him and a deck or two of cards nearby.

One game ends, to one team groaning and his smooth smile matching his partner's eye. Two stand up, and he looks around the small audience they have. "Who wants in for the next round of Whist?" Jedao drawls.

The game makes you draw for partners, so anyone has 2:1 odds against being his partner.

Jedao sips the hot toddy, raising it toward the bar tender/wait staff bunny that keeps everything going. He's in no rush. Finally, a 'parlor' he hasn't been banned from.

Silly Rabbit, Jackets are for Geese

Coming around the side of the lodge is a white goose who very well might have blended in with the snow save that it's wearing a little red winter coat. The coat doesn't look like it is meant for a goose exactly. The coat has become more of a cape, with the sleeves widened into slits through which the wings fit. That fashion change hasn't been sewn down yet, but the goose hurries along.

Even for a goose, it's fast because it's wearing snowshoes that make it flit fast as a jackrabbit across the snow. It honks at the closest star child standing alone and leads the way toward the snowshoeing trails. Honk honk, come up, calls the criminal avian.

Slower coming around the bend is a bare white rabbit. This bunny blends in nearly invisible without a winter coat on. It thumps its feet when it spots the goose, who the other bunnies are encouraging someone to partner up with. Everyone needs a buddy!

The goose bolts, honking in a way that sounds like laughter.

All Quiet in the Western March

A loud noise something like a burp spans several seconds followed by sounds of crashing, something akin to wildly drunkenly crashing through a thicket of evergreens. The trees aren't that closely spread, contributing to the vibe of intoxication. It all quiets down in smaller and smaller shudders of the forest until everything stills.

Then comes the sense of being watched. After a few minutes, a man in black practical wear and a puffy red coat walks out of the trees, rubbing his hands together. While he's wearing gloves, they are fingerless; that hardly suits the cold.

"Mind if I join you?" Jedao asks with a pleasant smile. He pats his stomach at one last burp. No real protein, alas.

All the Guns are Belong to Me

This… this is like releasing a child in a candy store. At the accompanying growl, Jedao modifies his simile to add 'then opening the doors of a zoo exhibit.' He scoops up a few rifles, tosses as many handguns as he can grab into his satchel, and turns toward the exotic affected beast. It's always fun when they get interesting. Whatever calendar this place is on, bravo.

He starts with a few high powered blasts at the base of spikes. They explode, thankfully away from him, in a waterfall of broken crystal. It doesn't slow the beast down. With the abandon of anyone facing an unknown undamaged opponent, Jedao moves for space.

Most people can run. Those with wings could fly. Jedao? Jedao travels in a way that doesn't entirely make sense. To regular onlookers, he seems to travel exceedingly fast, even faster than light, to some distance away. It'd be more impressive if he weren't swallowing screams the entire time. To anyone who can see the fabric of space and time, they can see him bodily drag himself across extra dimensions while screaming into them. Essentially. Still not entirely cool with that.

Whiskey and Whist

[keeperofkeys]

Fran takes a seat near the card playing group with her hot chocolate, watching curiously. "I've never played this game before. Whist, you said? How is it played? What are the rules, exactly?

I'm Fran, by the way."

Nadir | Original Character | Legend

[nada]

I. BUNNY HILL
[Nadir, unfortunately, isn't new to this weird being-taken-from-one-world-to-another shenanigan, and when he comes back to himself, he is (also unfortunately) relieved to find he has not been returned home.

He does spend awhile looking around the lodge, both out of sheer curiosity and looking for familiar faces from the last place he had been at.

Once bored of that (and possibly disappointed not finding anyone), the weird bunny-yeti informed him of things to do outside. Eagerly, he puts on a coat, boots and the chunkiest goshdarned scarf he could find and goes out. It's cold, but his fur and unusually higher body heat (thanks fire powers) makes it bearable.

He tries to immediately fly away, planning to go high up into the air to take stock of his surroundings, but he's piled on by rabbits, trying to tug him back down. He keeps shaking them off, but more get on him to stop him, until he's effectively dropped into a snow drift, covered in frantic rabbits telling him he must go with a buddy, he must.]

Fine! FINE! [He shouts as he rolls around in a mix of snow and fur and rabbit paws, trying to sit up. He calls out to people unseen:] Who wants to act like preschoolers and hold hands into the forest with me!!


II. Skipping ahead to: ADDRESSED TO THE FIRE
[Your character was kind enough to take the shouting fox man up on being his buddy, maybe or maybe not holding hands as you go, really, that's up to you. Nadir's a friendly, chatty fellow, but he's not sharing anything meaty, really. Just some real basic Lore generation here.

When the sprites show up, he's appropriately enchanted. He watches them drift about with a charmed smile on his face, tail wagging, and completely oblivious that they may be herding both of them to some destination.

When one sprite gets a little too close to him, not even touching him, it dissipates from the heat of his body and he gasps in horror.]

No!


III. Skipping ahead to: WILDEST WINTER
[Your character was kind enough to take the shouting fox man up on being his buddy, maybe or maybe not holding hands as you go, really, that's up to you. Nadir's a friendly, chatty fellow, but he's not sharing anything meaty, really. Just some real basic Lore generation here.

As the route begins to get darker, Nadir glances up, squinting at the canopy that seems to be getting tighter, strangling out all the light—or is it night already??]

Hey, how does time work here?

[He asks his buddy as he absent-mindlessly holds up a hand, a strange gesture that almost looks like he's saying "hey" or "stop" out of the blue. It suddenly bursts into flame, supplying them with light, much more than his halo was supplying. (A halo which he, incidentally, has no clue he has.)]

Does it usually get dark this fast?


IV. WILD CARD
[If you want a unique starter or want to do one, feel free to PM me or hmu on plurk at mundofine to hash things out. Info on him can be seen here if needed.]


((Note: he's a crau from Noct, but he's not really bringing anything from that game other than his memories.))

addressed to the fire

[dreamsofwings]

[ Eren goes along with the walk thing because there's no reason not to. This place just kind of gets people into situations with each other as a way to generate Lore, whatever that really means, and he's used to it. It's possible something awful could happen, but he's kind of used to that too.

He's listened more than he's talked on this walk, and anything he's shared is also superficial. He does start to notice the sprites herding them, though. ]

They're taking us somewhere. Probably want us to do something. Should have guessed.

Kang Sae-byeok | Squid Game

[saespicious]

Bunny Business

[ It's not the first time she's wound up in a strange place. It's also not the first time she followed some vague promise to a place that hadn't exactly been outlined in the sales pitch. But all the same, here she is in a ski lodge -- manned by some kind of friendly, fuzzy creature. As she collects her cup of free cocoa, she eyes the beast with uncertainty before taking it to the far most corner of the room, settling in and sniffing the drink with a mild suspicion. Could something like that thing make something that's even edible for humans? It smells fine, but...

Fingers fold around the container, warming there as she turns to watch someone else -- any one of the other quote unquote "star children" who might have received a drink from the magical yeti. And it's only after they take a sip with no ill affects that she follows suit, finding it's not bad. Not at all.

And if the person she's watching happens to notice her watching them, her gaze awkwardly flickers down to avoid eye contact. The key to surviving here is supposedly interaction, but Sae-byeok simply can't trust there won't be some unwelcome catch. Not enough to be the one to initiate. ]


Wildest Winter (cw: blood/violence/potential eye stuff)

[ Fuck sticking around in this clearing until morning. If no one there knew how to get back, then she'd find her own way -- take her chances in the woods. It's freezing and it's certainly not wise, but the feeling of sitting here waiting to be rescued doesn't sit right with her. If the relic is like a typical smart phone, it should come with a flashlight feature, right?

So this is how Sae-byeok lights the way -- heading along her own path until she steps on something hard and partially covered beneath the snow. Nudging it with her sneaker unveils the glint of a metal knife. In fact, a sweep of the light over the area shows several more weapons at her disposal. But the first one she picks up is the knife of course, feeling the weight of it in her hands with a hint of a smile.

And that's when everything goes to shit. With a whirl of wind, the twisted beast of a bear comes charging toward her. Sae-byeok barely has a chance to blink before its massive paw swipes, throwing her back into the trunk of a tree. Pain lances up her spine and she can feel the sting of something warm and wet beneath her shirt where claws met skin. But like a cat, she somehow manages to land on her feet -- eyes wide and knife drawn. It might be said to never bring a knife to a gunfight, but one probably shouldn't bring one to a bearfight either. Yet, here she is with little choice in the matter.

The fortunate thing is while it charges at Sae-byeok, this creates plenty of opportunity for someone coming upon the scene to get a free hit using any of the weapons strewn about. And if they don't take it, all she can do is try to aim for the eyes. ]


Wildcard

[ Choose your own adventure! ]

[dedoink]

[ There's an ice-covered polar bear charging towards a young woman, and Grog doesn't even have to stop to think about what he's going to do about that. He immediately goes into a rage and rushes forward to attack. However, he's still not entirely used to his Familiar abilities, so as he runs, his body grows and shifts, until he's down on all fours, muscles bulking up and fur spreading out across his back.

Next thing Sae-byeok will see is a huge grizzly bear with brown-black fur, leaping in from the side to tackle the ice bear and throw it off its trajectory. Even as he's stabbed by the icy spikes on the bear monster's hide, Grog doesn't seem to let the pain stop him, chomping down with his large muzzle on the bear's neck. ]

bigby wolf • fables

[jurisdict]

❅ addressed to the fire ;

[ Well, one thing's for damned sure: he's not in Kansas anymore.

He's got more reason than some to be wary of the little ice spirits that seem to flitter and fly around him given their traditionally tricky nature, and their tendency to ally themselves with powerful figures irregardless of — you know, morals. And a quick swatting at the damned things determinedly gathers more of a crowd of them that pinch and prick at his skin until he's got no choice but to move into the trees against his will.

The cold cuts deep and Bigby's always run hotter than your usual, sure, but even he isn't impervious to the winter chill in this ... form. But as he comes across the clearing, studying the beginnings of a fire and the ever-so-helpful note, and sees you shivering ... well, something in him just ... relents.

He lets out a breath; it comes out sounding a lot more like an exasperated sigh. His voice is gravely and deep when he speaks, and he reaches into his back pocket for a well-worn carton of cigarettes. ]

All right, let's get this over with.

❅ wildest winter ;

[ Yeah. Yeah, he absolutely hates sharing time.

After doing his best with it, or seeing that person to someone else who might be a little more ... suitable for the gig, Bigby makes his excuses (piss-poor though they may be), throws the last remaining dredges of his cigarette down into the trodden snow path, and continues onwards into the woods. Maybe you'll follow. Maybe you'll see a large-ish man head off towards the dark woods without a torchlight or supplies or just about anything and seek to join him out of the goodness of your own heart. (Or to see if he's got anything worth robbing off of him after the woods gets him. Who knows, we aren't your mother.)

He'll know you're following him, though he doesn't make that known until he's well into the trees, coming across those glinting weapons in the snow just waiting for hands to touch them. ]

You might not want to touch those.

[ At least not until he's done ... surveying the area for any more little tricky ice spirits or forms lurking in the dark.

Nothing. (That he can detect anyway.)

The moment his hand grazes the grip of a small pistol gun however, he swears aloud. ]

Fuck.

[ And then because he's doomed anyway, the monstrous polar bear-like creature lumbering in his direction, he grabs the pistol and a loose magazine, and clicks it into place. ]

You ever fought one of these before?

☼ wildcard ;

[ ooc: for those familiar with canon, bigby's roughly coming in from a little after charming has taken over fabletown as mayor and he's just left his position as sheriff. also— feel free to leave your own starter below if nothing above hits your vibe. PM this journal for plotting! ]

Addressed to the Fire

[keeperofkeys]

Fran studies the note curiously. "I like a good riddle," she says, half to the man next to her, half to herself. The fire sparks a little, and burns hotter for a moment before cooling down again.

"Oh! Let me try that again." She scoots closer, talking to the embers more directly. "I have a black cat. My parents got him for me for my birthday. His name is Mister Midnight, and I can understand him when he talks." Another flicker, and the fire grows a little.

"You try it! Tell the fire something about yourself."

Rezo the Red Priest | Slayers | Myth

[redprayer]

Bunny Business: Bunny Lodge

Rezo is amongst the crowd who’s disoriented by being here, somewhere they don’t recognize, with a heap of fox-related existential baggage to sort through. And in Rezo’s case the fox has additionally granted him a pair of large horns weighing down his head and a long tail that drags along the floor behind him as he wanders through the lodge.

He’s choosing to get his bearings mainly by walking very carefully through the building and eavesdropping on the other people in the lodge. So far he’s heard people talking about winter clothing to borrow, and… some sort of equipment? And something about rabbits?

While he’s distracted by the chatter of other Star Children, Rezo makes a careless turn and his tail promptly smacks into a snowboard rack, knocking several of the boards into each other and onto the floor with a loud clattering and banging.

Rezo winces. It seems the tail is… going to take some time to get used to.

Bunny Business: Bunny Hill

Hanging around outside the lodge? Just minding your own business and haven’t been assigned a partner yet? Well congratulations, you’re getting one now as a pair of bunnies lead a tall man with closed eyes towards you. He’s wearing snowshoes and is walking with the slight awkwardness of one who doesn’t wear them often.

The bunnies have also kindly provided Rezo with a hat that has holes in it he’s able to wrangle his horns through, and his tail has been wrapped up in a long wooly tube that looks sort of like a leg warmer from a 1980s aerobics video. It’s pink and cyan striped, though he is unaware of what it looks like and is more appreciative of the fact it works to keep his new appendage warm.

“Hello,” he says, “I hope we're not putting you to too much trouble.”

Rezo gives a smile that is as warm as a mug of the lodge’s hot chocolate. He’s not so prideful that he can’t admit he’d do better with help to navigate the snowy landscape. And hopefully whoever the bunnies have just grabbed will be able to provide more information about his situation in general.

Grey November: Wildest Winter

Rezo does not have decent night vision but he does not, in fact, have decent vision of any sort so in that regard the darkness of the night makes no difference to him. Part of the journey through the woods however, he made the mistake of picking up a strange object in the snow so he could examine it.

The object in question (a handgun) has since been tossed aside and now Rezo darts through the snow and trees, a blur of red propelled by magic and adrenaline as the icy monster pursues him. It’s roaring loud enough to shake the snow from the trees, but Rezo maintains his focus and keeps moving as light forms around his hands.

And then, with a cry of “Fireball!” Rezo sends a great ball of enchanted fire flying through the trees, launching it towards the beast pursuing him. Once it connects, there’s a very sharp smile on Rezo’s face as the beast’s shoulder ice dissolves in a burst of hot steam.

No time to gloat, however. The beast may be partly melted but it’s not down for the count, and it continues to chase Rezo as the priest flies through the woods.

Bunny Hill

[timelostsong]

There is a soft crunch of snow as his companion remains within a close distance, the bunny having dutifully done his task. They do not seem to be a very heavy person, and the quietness that lingers about them is unusual, especially in this much snow. But Klaus gently nods into his scarf-- a lost gesture-- and his voice is a little airy, as it rises from his cold lungs.

"You are not." His murmur is still clear, each sound carefully molded. There is a strange lilt to his words, something sharper around his letters, but it would be difficult to place a name to it. A heartbeat splits his hesitant reply to his next, as the blond forces his eyes to turn away from the heavy horns and the tail that makes him unwell. These are dreams, nothing more, he tries to soothe again, before he goes on.

"Apologies. I mean to say, it would be my pleasure," he corrects, but there is still a nervous shift to him. Habitually, he raises both hands to the curls of his hair-- but buttoned down and bundled up with thread and yarn and the edges of sharp gloves, he cannot think it a good idea to try.

He finally takes a step, and a delicate touch perches onto Rezo's arm. He is not entirely surprised when the eyes do not open, but there is something uncanny about the sightless demon before him. Klaus catches his lowerlip under the minute bite of his teeth- a terrible habit he'd thought for sure he'd conquered- but he forces himself to move.

"Please excuse my manners. Is this tolerable to you?" he asks lightly, before adjusting his hold so that Rezo may reach the short distance between them. "I am afraid I am unfamiliar in the ways that may aid you, Sir."

It is, woefully, the least of his concerns, if he is to be honest. The demon frightens him. The bunnies were strange enough of their own, but this-- this leaves him unnerved, a little distressed. Too many legends, too many stories screaming at the back of his head to run, run and never look back.

Introductions ought to be in order.

Klaus balks at the mere notion of it.

[astheravenflies]

Bunny Business

Matthew is less dropped from the sky and more like physically pulled down until he ends up perched on the back of the couch. He's got a touch more experience with weirdness though so he doesn't panic yet. First, he looks around carefully and for all intents and purposes, it looks to be a ski lodge? he's going to investigate this idea.

Inside the lodge; Couches

Usually, someone would be seated on the couch next to you but at first, it seems like there's no one there. Then, a voice;

"Yeah, excuse me. Uh, I'm up here."

Then you would look at the back of the couch and see a common raven. A common raven that talks like a human.

"I'm going to take a guess that you don't know why we're here either."

Inside the lodge; Bar

Matthew flies to the actual bar itself, since he would otherwise be unable to use a bar stool, and is treated like any other patron by the bartender. A steaming mug of hot chocolate is set beside him.

"Oh, hey, thank you and everything but -"

And the fluffy bartender has moved on despite Matthew's concerns. Matthew sighs in resignation. He moves closer to the mug and tries pushing it with his head. Well, that isn't going to work, the mug is much too hot. He sort of awkwardly uses his beak to bite and hold onto the handle and push from the rest of his body until he manages to push the mug to the closest person at the bar then lets go of the mug and straightens up.

"Hi. Do you want another mug? I'll end up burning my tongue if I try to drink it and I don't have lips to try and blow on it any. So, free mug I guess?"

Bunny Hill

Bypassing the skis, snowboards, and anything else that requires feet, Matthew is quite at home in the snow and cold. And since it's the bunny slope there are a lot of humans (and humanoids) milling around and trying out skiing, many for the first time. Matthew finds a perch on a line of skis pushed into the snow so that they stand upright. When someone comes over to retrieve them, Matthew Moves along to the pair of skis next to them.

"Oh, excuse me. Hey before you go, I'm getting a lot of flack from the bunnies just from being here. Would you mind me sticking with you as a buddy?"'


((OOC: Sadly there isn't enough backstory for Matthew so I apologize on the other prompts.))

Bar

[defenderoftomorrow]

Jayce hates snow just as much as a cat hates water. The only reason he's hanging around Witnermute is that he wanted to see if he knew any of the newcomers  - and also because the sled dogs were very cute and he had been petting them. He has to be here, but that doesn't mean he has to be in the same vicinity as snow, which is why he is at the bar nursing a cup of tea.

As he looks out of the window, he faintly registers the sound of something scraping across the table, but it doesn't dawn on him that the noise comes from the mug now placed next to his hand until the voice speaks. Jayce turns...and sees no one, then his gaze drops down until he spots the crow. Or is that a raven? He can never tell the difference. Either way, that's a bird that is speaking to him. Ah, never a boring day in Folkmore.

"I, uhm...I had tea but thank you. I could blow on the chocolate for you, if you wanted?" It seems only polite to offer. Gods, Jayce's life has turned so bizarre that his brain breaks sometimes.

Alicent Targaryen, nee Hightower | House of the Dragon | Myth

[sweetoncebitter]

BUNNY BUSINESS

Screaming in fear wasn't something Alicent had the chance to do before her landing.

And seeing herself in the mirror was another shock. Dragon scales covered her arms from the elbows down, turning into sharpened claws at the fingers. It was like greyscale, only visibly different Instead of the grey of the disease, the scales were as green as a dragon's. As the signal fire of House Hightower itself when it called its banners to war.

War was what Alicent had been anticipating, ever since she made the choice to wear Hightower green to Rhaenyra's wedding. A line drawn in the sand between her closest and dearest friend and herself. No more would they have even the slightest of intimacies they'd enjoyed in the past, no more would they hear each other's secrets and take them for the truth.

But she was shocked from her reverie by the bunny people in their little, colorful coats. Alicent had never seen such a thing before and she didn't know what to make of what they'd offered her. The long, thin items seemed entirely capricious, so she opted for the strange, webbed shoes which somehow fit perfectly on her slippers.

Once the shoes were on, Alicent was consumed by the desire to find someone, anyone. Someone who would fill the ache of loneliness which had consumed her ever since she knew Rhaenyra lied, so she ventured out into the snowfall.

ADDRESSED TO THE FIRE

Normally, Alicent wasn't one to spill her miseries and pain to anyone she knew, let alone a complete stranger.

But it seemed as though the more intimate of a story as she told, the more the fire burned. That, Alicent welcomed. Her dress wasn't fitting this sort of weather and she had no furs to bundle herself into.

So she gave her companion a strained smile and asked, "Would you like to hear about my mother?"

WILDEST WINTER

Though, there was only so much Alicent was willing to say. Whenever the subject approached Rhaenyra, Alicent felt her throat close to the point of not being able to breathe, much less speak. She begged her pardon of her companion and went wandering into the wilds.

It was strange, not having a member of the Kingsguard accompany her as they'd done so many countless times before. Sometimes, it grew hard to remember a time when she was simply the Lady Alicent, even though deep down that was how she'd wanted people to see her. Not as The Queen, not as a mother, not as the wife of the peacemaker.

Herself. Alicent.

But she didn't know what to make of the field of weapons. Swords and daggers, she recognized. Other things were about as foreign as anything else which might be seen across the Narrow Sea.

Rhaenyra had wanted to fly with Alicent over the Narrow Sea, see all of the sights to have been seen, live with Alicent and only eat cake.

It was out of that memory that Alicent reached for one of the strange things she'd never seen before, but as soon as she tore it loose from the ground, a terrifying growl sounded behind her.

She turned to face it and was confronted by a creature she'd never seen the like of before and she had no idea how to defend herself. How to keep herself from being killed.

Alicent raised her voice loudly enough to be heard over the creature and cried out "Help! I need your assistance! Defend your queen!"

Addressed to the Fire

[subject_013]

She may find herself sharing the fireside with a tall, blond man in black who looks like a slightly odd Lannister, his eyes hidden behind dark lenses. He might be kneeling by the fireside, feeding sticks and sections of branches into the flames.

Sitting back on his heels, he turns his face toward her. "I suppose that's a good place to start, if we are to share 'memories held dear'. I regret that many of my memories are dark and strange."

lio fotia / promare / myth

[flameous]

🔥 bunny business

( and snap awake he does. lio is sprawled — half on and half off one of the couches, legs akimbo, hair mussed and sticking up all over the place. there's a wild look in his eyes as he looks around, ready to fight rather than flight. quickly he rights himself, sitting for a moment before pushing up to his feet.

giving a cursory look around, he doesn't recognize anything. he does a double-take when he happens to look toward the bar and sees what he can only think to describe as a yeti... but he thought those only existed in stories.

a.) he heads to the bar to speak to the... yeti... thing. nothing makes sense after that conversation ( but he didn't expect it would ) and he opts to just hang around in there for a while, sipping on hot apple cider or even some mulled wine. it's warm and cozy in here, after all. eventually, he will make his way over to a window and watch people outside in the snow and he shivers, clicks his tongue, ) I'll never understand why people like that stuff.

b.) ( OR:
guess who actually borrowed some clothes to go outside? this guy. he's bundled up to the point he can barely move, but he's sensitive to cold and doesn't want to actually feel the snow or any lingering wetness from it when ( and he's definitely going to ) he falls.

except, once he makes it to the slope, he looks down and just shakes his head as he backs up. )

Nope. ( he about-faces and drops the snowboard in his wake as he heads back toward being inside by a fire. ) No, not doing this.

🔥 addressed to the fire

( so, these pixies are really pissing him off.

he lets his temper run away by itself and winds up getting all twisted around in the forest, unable to find his way back. that's even more annoying. and the fact that the fire won't stay lit only further sours his mood. if only he still held promare within him, then this wouldn't be an issue.

he sits as close as he can to the useless fire, arms wrapped around himself and pretending he's not violently shivering. part of him wants to fling the note into the remaining sad and tiny flame, but that requires untucking his hands from his armpits. instead he exhales a long, harsh breath through his nose, his breath curling around his head like angry smoke. )

So, what's the note mean, do you think?

🔥 wildcard
( feel free to hmu with something wild and crazy, kids. )

bunny business b

[lakesides]

[On the other hand, Galo has no problem with the cold. Which is why he probably headed up the slope. Someone probably has to stop him and practically shove a coat in his arms, his short-sleeved shirt CLEARLY a mistake and not on purpose.

(It's freezing but he's not admitting fault) He's in the middle of zipping it up when Lio about faces -- right into his chest. Maybe he shouldn't have been following so close? He hadn't meant to, the zipper's stuck. He almost immediately recognizes Lio despite his getup so he forgets his zipper problem in favor of settling hands on both of Lio's shoulders.]

Woah, haha-- hold on there marshmallow man! Where're you goin? We're already up here the only way down's the way you just walked away from!

[He's grinning at Lio, the expression splitting his face from cheek to cheek in genuine, thrilled excitement. How could this NOT be fun?]

louis de pointe du lac | the vampire chronicles | familiar

[deathoftheauthor]

i. bunny business

( Just outside the lodge, Louis leans against the wooden railing of the deck, watching the infinite expanse of stars twinkling high above the summit. He's nearly as pale as the snow, a thin angular young man dressed in nearly all black, from his turtleneck sweater right down to the tips of his old-fashioned leather boots; the only scraps of color on him are his green eyes and a festive knitted holly-patterned scarf that he'd begrudgingly accepted from a talking animal (which had seemed a more sensible tactic than arguing with the little beast).

Steam curls slowly from the untouched mug of hot cocoa in his hands, but his breath doesn't cloud the cold air at all. )

I hope you aren't looking for a buddy, ( he says, softly apologetic. ) I'm still trying to decide whether or not I've gone mad. I don't know if putting on snowshoes will help.


ii. addressed to the fire

( As it turns out, Louis was right: venturing out into the snow had done nothing to improve matters. Perhaps if the pixies hadn't been so relentless, he wouldn't have lost sight of the landmarks he'd noted — but he'd been led out into the dark woods like a fool. And worst of all, he had done it alone.

He deserves this, he thinks bitterly to himself; he is the tragic protagonist of a cautionary tale about bullheaded individualism.

A bough cracks overhead, and a mass of snow tumbles to the forest floor, half drowning Louis in white; by the time he staggers out of it, the pixies are nowhere to be seen, and a clearing has opened up before him. He brushes clumps of flakes off the dark shoulders of his coat, green eyes wide as he assesses the stranger he finds there at the nearly dead fire. )

I'm sorry if I surprised you… I didn't expect to find anyone else so far out in these woods.

( His voice is soft, wavering between relief and concern. )

Are you lost, too?


iii. wildcard

( Feel free to throw something random at me if neither of these strike your fancy, or pm me to plot! Louis's info is here, and I'm on plurk at melodramatics. )

i. bunny business (CW: self-harm, blood, anxiety)

[sweetoncebitter]

[Alicent wasn't wearing anything even remotely well-suited for the temperature and climate. she was still in her Hightower-green gown, fresh from the chaos of Rhaenyra's wedding, the sort of chaos which always followed in her--her stepdaughter's wake.

the chaos which would follow, should her stepdaughter be crowned queen. the chaos which threatened the lives of her children, that she'd never allow.

Alicent wasn't stupid. she knew that she felt a distance from her children that she'd never noticed in her own mother before she died. distance that Queen Aemma never displayed towards--Alicent's stepdaughter. that there was something wrong with Alicent herself, but not so wrong as to allow any harm to come to them.

not now. not ever. she would shield them from Rhaenyra's chaos as much as possible.

but now she was far, far from home, the pale flesh of her arms and hands replaced by green dragonscales. her fingernails and cuticles, those she'd chew on when she was nervous until they bled were replaced with claws.

so she joined the man who was also not dressed in suitable clothing at all, her nose picking up the scent of chocolate, something almost never found in Westeros, not even in Dorne. she, too, wasn't in snowshoes. she'd never even seen such things before, being from the Reach.

but her breath did leave steam in the air]

Yourself as well? I thought perhaps I'd gone mad when I saw a fox in the middle of a wedding feast and it told me it could help me reach my potential. [and she realizes how mad that sounded] Did you see the same creature?