CROSSROADS ※ 1: DISCUSSION POST [mod event] [video] [open]

[konman]

Okay, so those bird dudes weren't lying about the different paths. I found the crossroads they're talking about.

[Kon really shouldn't be tromping around alone like this so much but he's used to being nigh on invincible. It's going to take a while for him to get used to the idea that he's not.]

[The road was all overgrown but there is a road through the woods - and it leads here, to a place where the line of the forest breaks into wide fields of golden grasses. Kon sets up his mirror to expand to its largest side and leaves it to float. There's a crossroads here with a battered wooden sign. The wood is so faded and weathered that words can no longer be read on it.]

[The path splits off into three paths. Down the left-most path, the unlabeled path leads down a dark and dreary road towards some hills. One hill can be seen all the way in the distance, standing out above the others. Rising a thousand feet above the rest of the land around it, it's covered in battered ruins that offer at least some shelter from the elements and cover from potential enemies.]

[Down the center path, the path clearly leads to a sinister-looking wild forest, a dark and dreary wood that seems filled with endless shadows. The path disappears into the woods and the tangled branches make it impossible to see into the forest's depths, especially at this distance.]

[Down the right-most path, there's candy. No joke. Dirt and normal plants start to give way to cobblestones made of hard candy and sugar-spun delicate trees. Gummdrops line the side of the road. The other two paths are grim, with even the hilly path dim from cloudy skies, but this path seems to have clear skies and constant sun.]

[Kon stands in front of the mirror, so that the paths are behind him.]

So our choices are: the Land of the Hill Trolls, Mirkwood, and Candyland.

[He narrows his eyes.]

I don't trust Candyland. [He gestures vaguely at it.] The other two roads have the good graces to be creepy from the get-go, but that looks deceptively nice. It's trying way too hard to be cheerful and sunshine-ey.

[ooc: See the OOC Post here.]

Comments

[awfulcer]

We can just make someone else eat the candy first. As a test run. Feed it to Phos.

[The kid's got some points, though. It's enough to get Dixon to rearrange his second and third choice. The woods are still, to use a technical term, "creepy as shit", but exposure isn't going to be great either. And they don't know how long they'll be on that route dealing with sun and sparseness.]

On the other hand, though, if someone gets lost in the woods we ain't never finding them again.

[astrarche]

I can track them.

[Probably.

Maybe.]

[awfulcer]

Alright, that makes one. And what, twenty other idiots to keep an eye on?

[outofresets]

Phos doesn't eat.

[ Because that's totally the only issue with that plan. Though really, he's choosing to take that as a joke, because that couldn't be a serious suggestion...right?

At the idea that someone might get lost forever he just shrugs. ]

The teleportation will just [ He makes an exaggerated "poof" motion with his hands ] poof them back with the rest of us eventually.

[ Thinking on it some though, Dixon did have a point, too. ]

But we should probably make sure no one ever goes off alone, no matter what route we take. Maybe have a kind of buddy system or something? Even if we can just get ported back to the group no one should have to be lost alone, especially if something attacks them.

[awfulcer]

Right, so he'll be immune to anything too bad happening.

[It's a combination of a joke that turned into a half-baked idea is what it is.]

That's what I'm saying. Someone gets lost in the forest, it don't matter if they're close or far out if they get killed before they get back to the group. At least on the hills we'll be able to see everyone in the group, notice if anyone goes missing or ain't keeping up.

[shipoftheseus]

[A shitty idea. Here's Phos chiming in via mirror from the Brugh with a flat look.]

You know I don't have...whatever it is you people have to turns organic gunk into energy, right? If I put that stuff in my mouth it'll just sit there until I spit it out. Besides, I'm not even there.

[awfulcer]

I'm not keeping track of your whereabouts, Farrah.

[shipoftheseus]

[ pffffft ]

I doubt you're keeping track of anything.

[awfulcer]

Why, you gonna pay me to?

[shipoftheseus]

Am I gonna what?

[Someone's gonna have to teach them about economic systems someday, huh?]

[awfulcer]

It's a fucking- you know what, nevermind. I got better shit to do than explain jokes to rocks.

[shipoftheseus]

[ this face ]

I think you just suck at jokes.

[awfulcer]

I think you just suck a lot of things.

[shipoftheseus]

Nah, I'm pretty much perfect.

[awfulcer]

That's not what I was saying.

[outofresets]

You're stuck in the creepy place people have been talking about?! You guys okay over there?

[shipoftheseus]

Yeah, it's not awful. At least there's food for everyone else here. And much comfier beds.

[They can't help but sound very slightly smug in saying so. Give them a break, there are few luxuries a rock can actually appreciate.]

[outofresets]

[ There's a pause where he looks slightly stunned as he takes that in. ]

I didn't hear anyone saying anything about food and beds!

[ If he sounds a little indignant it's because that's some important information to know right there! Why is he only hearing that now?

While he tries to force himself not to pout, he's not doing a great job of it. ]

I mean...at least you guys are okay there.

[shipoftheseus]

[Are they supposed to feel guilty about this? Because they look more like they find it kinda funny.]

I'll give you a mirror tour later. It's all really fancy. I'd swap with you if I could. The beds are nice but there's not a lot of sun here and I don't really have any use for the other stuff.

[outofresets]

[ You've earned a gross tongue being stick out at you Phos.

But at the mention of a lack of light, his bratty attitude turns to mild concern. ]

Oh, you said you needed the sun for energy, right? You gonna be alright there without much of it?

[shipoftheseus]

[Aww. The concern is appreciated, even if Phos is quick to shrug it off with just a self-satisfied little grin.]

I'll just be a bit sleepy. I did winter duty last year so it's fine, I can handle it.

[outofresets]

Well, at least you'll have a nice bed to sleep in.

[ That bitter tone is meant to be in jest...mostly. ]

What's winter duty?

[shipoftheseus]

[That's apparently a super weird question from Phos' perspective, as they give the mirror a perplexed look, head tilting bemusedly.]

You people don't do anything like that...? I guess I was kinda wondering what you do during winter if you don't need sunlight.

[outofresets]

[ He gives a little shrug. ]

We pretty much just carry on like we always do, just with warmer clothes. What is it you guys do?

[outofresets]

Okay...yeah, that's a good point. The hill thing, not the Phos thing. We're not doing that.

[ Just going to shoot that one down, just in case. ]

Though if that one guy actually knows the woods like he says he does, maybe he can get us through them faster. I don't know...

[ Chewing on his lip a bit as he thinks the situation over, it seemed this wasn't as easy a choice as he initially thought. This is why he leaves the group decision stuff up to people like Tim and Cassie who were good at taking all these little details into account and making decisions that would be best for the whole group. ]