ORIGIN - [Quest] we can dream, we can pretend

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Nikolai Berkley

More and more showed, but he didn't spare them a passing glance, his attention on the strange thing in front of him as well as the only creature he knew here. A quick glance up at Esther made him hum in thought. Even they didn't know, and considering how knowledgeable they had been about other things, this just made him even more curious.

He turned his attention back to the creature as they spoke of golems and he shrugged to himself, figuring why the hell not. He doubted he would ever really use a golem, he liked more hands on combat, but he could see where it would be useful. Sure, why not? He would sit himself down next to Esther and listen, curious to know more.

• I take my whiskey neat •

@Esther for visibility

Giggle had had some time to come to grips with the visions Wilder had channeled to her. It was still hard, and the longer she sorted through it, the more sense the visions made--and the more lost in time she felt. That was too much to think about, right now. She needed a break, but moreso, she had to pursue something she'd learned through the perspective of those visions: she'd vastly limited herself.

She'd spent so much of her life in the stale silence of the Room of Bones. She'd travelled only very little even in these caves; she still hadn't seen them all.

It was by chance that she happened by the lesson in progress, and the Gembounds gathered there; it was only Omen, soaring overhead as her scout and spotting that gathering, that informed her of it to begin with. She hesitated--large gatherings were not really her thing, and her learned wariness made them unsettling--but... It was odd. The hyena found that such fears, such nervousness, were distant now. Like they didn't really belong to her, anymore.

A little social anxiety was nothing in the face of billions of births, lives, deaths, and wars.

So Giggle turned, threading her way through ruined stone to the Forum, and then descended down among the rows of stone benches to get close enough to see what was happening. Had she spotted Wilder, she'd have turned to make her way to the cat--but the black fur and small shape blended too well with the shadows. And Giggle's eyes were drawn, anyway, by the other creatures there: the hulking white Drone, the Valkhound, the canines...

She eyed them, her gaze absent, and then turned her attention to Totum, moving to sit a bit alone--trying to get an idea of what, exactly, was going on.

The golems were... interesting. She didn't understand them, but the little one--it was tumbling about in dirt and sand, and it was... cute. The tiny rock-person was cute. Like a child. She tipped her head quizzically to one side, her gaze following it, and her mind cast back along long roads of memory as she tried to remember if she'd seen anything like it before. Anything outside the caves--not the monstrous beasts of Polaris.

The chorus of voices was surprising, and Totum lifted their head. Ahh--there were so many here, so many gathering! Their expression shifted into something like a smile.

"Here, then. Watch," they offered.

Hands hovered over the sticks, shaped as they were into a small creature. "Feel... the magic I am using? You can grant it to this shape, and it will live--for a time. It isn't... true life, but it can be a friend, for a time." They sounded almost sad to admit it, and the tiny golem already formed down beside their table peered up at them.

The one on the table began to twitch, and those paying attention might begin to grasp the spell... but then it stopped.

"Or..." And here, one of Totum's hands delved into a bag, and came up with a glittering gemstone. "If you can find a stone that still bears life, it may be used as a power source. It will last... perhaps a cycle, but it can be replaced." The stone was inserted into the chest of the twig-creature, slotted in like a battery--and Totum's hands hovered over the creation. After a moment, that magic swelled back up--and the twig-figure began to move. It sat up, and stared at Totum, and they smiled and patted its head.

"Come... try it yourselves,"they offered. They scooped up their twig-creature gently, setting it aside, where it looked at the first rock golem. Then it ran away, and the rock creature gave clumsy chase. The two tiny golems began to play while Totum stepped back from the table, making room for their guests.

The table stood waiting. Materials--bones and twigs, rocks and gems--waited.

----------------

Gembounds are being invited to practice making a golem with the provided materials. Their created golem will last for a few days unless a gemstone is found and inserted. Those who take part in this will learn a new spell once the thread is completed.

Characters may join this thread at any time.

@Esther @Juggernaut @Wilder @Setanta @Nikolai @Cardan @Miriam @Wulfsige @Zephiran @Nikolai @Zoey @Giggle @Mocha

Cardan stepped forward, it was neat to see a little creature run around. A limp he had, as he moved slow towards the table of materials. He went forward, grabbing a jaw full of a few rocks, a twig, and a bone. So many choices. hen he would move to quickly settle back where he originally was. Hiding among the back of them. But in a clear spot to watch.

It wasn't a lot, mainly because he wanted to give others more. Much more to work with, he'd rather them create bigger ones. As he planned to gather different stuff later to see how these golems worked. Purple eyes waited. Patiently.

"Speaking"

@ no tag

Zephiran wasted no time to move forward. Watching the two golems up and playing was kind of cute. Maybe he could use them to help him find some things. Or overall have a guard for the cellar. That'd be interesting.

"Thank you."

It was quiet, but it was supposed to be for the one teaching him these new things. It seemed like such a joy to come across these.

Upon going to the table, he managed to grab what stones he could. It was a very little amount, but he could make do. Then he stumbled his way back over to the section to lay down. Tucking his paw around the stones.

Now he waited to see what the others might grab. How they might do it.

"Speaking"

( @ none needed to tag)

Five Seven and Two, lacking a neck, had to scooch around to peer down at Zoey. It was careful, of course, movements tentative to avoid stepping on anyone's toes, though its' size and shape were inimical to delicate movements. It did not think anything particular of Zoey's appearance, moreso focused on one thing: it was being addressed! It! Five Seven and Two creaked loudly in a show of joy, blissfully unaware of whatever was happening between Zoey and Juggernaut. Five Seven and Two sent another strand of thoughts, this one directed at Zoey.

"You...yes! New friend! I'm 572. Sit here..!"

Its attention was soon recaptured by Totum, and the stick figures that they were piecing together. Then it was their turn. 572 stood up, whistling in excitement, before shaking itself off. It approached the table and grabbed a collection of things with one foot, leaving it hopping back to its spot almost comically. It dumped the materials there, and used its lantern-stick to rather clumsily drag a number of sticks and a couple of bones together into the vague shape of...something. A dog with five too many legs on one side if you squinted. And were generous. Were it to animate, it would most definitely be uneven. Regardless, 572 seemed proud of its work, puffing out a cloud of smoke before settling onto the ground once more. It sent another string of words to Zoey.

"Friend...Want sit in? Use things..?" With this it quieted, but sent flickering, vague images of teapots and cushions, its door opening a sliver.

@Zoey

Setanta's eyes glittered with amazement as Totum willed the second little golem to life. "WOAAAAAAAAH. That's SO COOL!" she'd chirp, eyes taking in every movement of their hands and the golem. In all honestly, if it was just a demonstration, the little lynx cub still would've been happy with it ending there.

But it was not. Totum was giving a lesson, and their hands turn the materials on the table over to her and the rest of the crowd. With a big grin, Setanta would swipe a pile of bones, mostly ribs and limbs, alongside some vines and sticks.

She'd struggle to wrap the vines around the pieces, but eventually it would come together in a weird four-legged gangly thing. Then there just came the magic. Which. Well. Setanta isn't exactly sure how to do that. So she ends up staring really hard at her creation, hoping something will happen.

572? This was the first Box-shaped-huge-gembound Zoey had ever seen, and the idea that there could be five-hundred more of them seemed. Cartoon-ish. Even if Five Seven and Two came from a large family, that was still much, much more than even the Chaos Forge, which at times felt like the largest group in the caves... maybe barring the Hive. Maybe it was part of a family of lessers? Or maybe it had been apart of the Trials-- there had been hundreds of Hydra trial-goers, in ancient times...

But it was a lot of questions that didn't feel appropriate to ask a relative stranger, who seemed content to just have the company. So Zoey nodded and turned her attention to Totum's lesson, listening attentively. It all seemed very interesting, and useful, and... well, wouldn't it be nice to have a little animated friend, even for a little while?

The idea of using a life-bearing gemstone brought her thoughts to a complete standstill, however. When it was Zoey's turn-- she let some others approach first, so as not to crowd-- she stepped up to Totum and tilted her head way back, so that she could look the teacher in the eyes with her own golden, glowing gaze.

"... what happens to the life in the stones, if you use a stone? Does the magic get all used up?" She asked with a cautious click of her mandibles. "... it is a bit like killing. But... To sustain a creation that does not truly live, with... the life of something that could be made into a living being." There was a moral quandary here. The one that filled her when she took the life of a lesser to bring food to her family. It did not sit right with her, though... she could not blame someone for using the stones in this fashion. The stones were not truly alive, not... not really. They just had the potential.

She would take some materials all the same: a bit of plant fibers and a particularly sturdy chunk of bone-- perhaps something like a large knuckle bone, squarish in shape. She returned to Five Seven and Two's side, and began to delicately wrap the plant parts around the bone. The tendrils of vines could be limbs, she thought, with that sturdy center...

Five Seven and Two spoke to her again. She looked up sharply, considering the invitation, and... She tried to reach out with magic, to understand what that invitation meant. Zoey wasn't a particularly edible creature, but she couldn't help but think that the box-creature was inviting her into it's belly.

... Zoey also did not want to be rude, and there was-- Juggernaut, in the corner of her vision. Part of her wanted to hide, and part of her did not want to move at all. But more than anything she did not want to be rude. She could probably get out if she needed to. The gembound's mouth did not seem particularly sturdy, and there were no sharp teeth that she could see to impale herself on.

"... oh, if you would like," she said, "but... Please do not... Eat me?" She felt silly even saying it. All the same, she clutched her little golem in her talons, and crept forward to take a few cautious steps into Five Seven and Two's domain.

@Five Seven and Two

She was quiet and nervous through the gathering of gembound, only really reacting when Wulfsige stepped up next to her. Eyes widened in surprise and delight and she stood a bit to look at him. "Oh, Wulfsige! I'm glad you're okay, I was worried!" She glanced back at the gathered gembound (and drone), the fur on her neck raising a bit. "Yes, it makes me nervous. But Master Totum is here, I don't imagine he will let them fight each other right now." She glanced towards the Master and calmed herself again, settling down in a crouch as she watched and listened, wide-eyed and attentive.

She knew little of golems - she avoided them when she could out of fear, but creating golems? She didn't even know it was possible. She hummed softly and tilted her head, leaning forward a bit as Totum showed them the golem-making. They mentioned life-bearing stones and Wilder perked up. She had one with her, actually, the petalite that she carried in the satchel around her neck...

Ah, but...there came the dilemma. It would fade, it would take the life still within the stone, wouldn't it? Only a cycle of animation in the stone, in exchange for the last echoes of life from a stone?

She frowned and began to step forward a bit, coming up to take some materials to construct her own golem out of some of the twigs, but glanced at the Master as she did. "Is there another way to animate them besides living stones? That seems...sad, to sacrifice the last echoes of somebody that was once alive, just to animate a small creature for a cycle." She looked to the Zoisite, who echoes the same sentiments as her and she nodded in agreement, the same moral questions in her own head.

@Wulfsige

Giggle paced down, carefully weaving through the crowd. Her eyes were drawn--after her ears--to the small black cat to one side. She hadn't noticed her, but the voice was hard to miss, and so she called out softly: "Hello, Wilder." Nothing more--Wilder was speaking to others, and there was indeed a crowd.

She made her way to the materials and chose, of course, a bundle of bones. She took this back with her, setting it on a bench, and--not really sure what she was meant to be doing--began to sort of arrange them in a body-like shape. The ribs... there, the vertebrae there. The- That one looks like the Orthoclase creature. She studied her, then looked back to the bones, the thought passing. Maybe if Orthoclase had siblings, via a bug? Strange.

The tail bones here, the toes there... oh, there was a little skull...

Why is there a creature of wood?

Her mind drifted between things: between visions she had seen that still struggled to the forefront. Between the absolute clutter of strangers around her, overwhelming. And between the bones beneath her paws: steadying. Familiar.

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