Oct 13 — [Event] Doctor Funs Funhouse of Fun! (READ MORE) Sep 1 — September OTMs and News! (READ MORE) Aug 2 — August OTMs and News! (READ MORE)
CAVE STATUS
QUESTS/EVENTS
Autumn arrives, subdued by the caves' depths. Skittering leaves, thick fog or drifting mist, and cooler temperatures provide a crisp fall atmosphere. The spectres of Andromeda drift in and out of visibility, and pumpkins begin to spread beneath foliage shifting into hues of amber and flame. Strange whispering can be heard at the edges of empty tunnels, and the Carnival seems more boisterous than usual...
Nemean basked in the attention. She laughed at things like poor Tourmaline's glower, because it was funny, damn it. And she laughed more at Wilder's admission of having been jumpscared, though honestly that hadn't been her intent--still funny, though.
The banana she dodged--a cat couldn't throw well and thank fuck for that, because as it was the thing lobbed right past her. She buzzed after it, and when she spun to face the group again (in a shower of glowing glitter), it was peeled and placed neatly in a bowl of ice cream. Nemean passed a hand over the bowl, a sprinkling of Rock Candy™ glittering over the banana split.
Nemean took a bite, and winked at Wilder. "Thanks, doll." She stuffed a wandful of ice cream into her mouth and chewed (who did that?!) while eyeing up the others cheerfully. A loose salute (her mouth was too full to talk) was offered to Tectus. She started to answer Asterius, then, but--her mouth was still full, so she held up her ice cream-coated wand to request a moment to swallow. Just then, Fahl started in.
Oh.
Oh.
Nemean slowly stopped chewing, eyes widening as Fahl's tirade went on. Dung-eating? Pus-slathered? ...Heaping SHITS?
Nemean swallowed her ice cream and for a second there was almost murder in her eyes--but then she squinted a little, as if recognizing something. The ice cream wand pointed at Fahl. The room darkened, and Fahl was pinned in a blinding spotlight. A booming voice spoke: "YOU AGAIN?" and then there was a strange, echoing round of applause. The booming voice then added: "COOL STORY, BRO."
The spotlight began to fade, and Nemean still hovered high above, eyebrow coolly perked as she swallowed another bite of banana split. She pointed the wand at Fahl. "Are you STILL mad?! Your boyfriend already GOT his eyes back, jeez." Then the booming voice, projected from an unseen speaker: "THEY'RE JUST ROOMMATES."
Nemean cackled.
Then she gestured, both to the mimicking wolf pup and Asterius. "Anyway, yeah, what answers? And NO ATTEMPTED MURDER. I don't wanna get blood on these clothes," she sniffed, despite not really wearing any.
The creature actually spoke back to her. The master. The white wolf huffed. Her ears pinned to the back of her head while raising her gray eyebrows.
"How about what this April Fools is!"
Her voice was loud, nearly demanding. Not red eyes never darted from the master. Though not with challenge, yet. Pyrosera wanted to see just exactly what answer she could have. If there were none, she might decide upon a challenge.
The silvered pup turned on his paws. Heading for one of the exits. There wasn't much he could learn. But it was neat he knew how to make the rock candy. Maybe he could show Daphne. If she found him, again.
He only briefly hoped she was okay. But he would leave it at that. Who else could he show off his new necklace too? Silver fur dappled against the bright glow, lighter paws drove him out. Ears flickered for any sign in case anyone wanted to speak to him. But he wanted out.
Diem LOVED being able to ask stuff. And of a Master, no less?!
He thought fast, eyes sparking with purple light. He could ask what Nemean most valued-! Or why she'd betrayed! Or... hmm.
"WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE FOOD?!" he blurted, calling it up, eyes bright.
...He had a plan, mind. If he could find out what she liked, he could host a little party in her favor! Surely she'd be down for that? Something all about Nemean? He'd love to pick her brain. Of course, she could probably just order it from Nedies any time she wanted, but... still!
Apr 14 2025, 06:04 AM (This post was last modified: Apr 14 2025, 06:24 AM by Fahl.)
MAGICKA LEVEL 92% RESTORED TO 100%
Breath fully spent in that final hurling of acid-laced abuse, nothing more could be accomplished besides simmering in place, outrage practically steaming off his body. How much he despised how easily she took the Gembounds' collective displeasure in stride, chewing away in that casual manner; fair odds she'd done the same when she'd stolen Imp's eyes, twirling them by their optic nerves like some insignificant trinket instead of an artist's keen sight irreverently plucked away. The bile rose in his throat again, and he almost gagged forcing the disgust back whence it came. That physical of a reaction to her presence would only bring forth mockery, not that he'd have any chance to avoid it entirely as the following special attention demonstrated.
Intense light bathing scales flushed previously mottled scales fully white, and despite his own anger, the sudden assault caused Fahl to shrink back, squinting. His jaw tensed at the trivialization of her crimes, as that was his exact issue with her: a being of remarkable power, she used it for sadistic amusement and little else. While initial hatred might have been born from the wrongdoing his mischievous mentor received, learning of her other misdeeds—sending horses off cliffs, twisting Artio's servants into trees—had hammered it into unfathomable depths. And what he despised most was his incapability to end this once and for all, awareness of the gulf between them in strength rooting him in a position where grudging tolerance and caution had to be exercised instead of deserved retribution.
"And here she goes," he thundered once she ceased her roasting of him and moved on to playing interviewee. "With all that shitting around, you really ought to change your diet! But in the meantime"—a thin thread of humor wound its way into his mind—"how about a little something to cram up there for starts."
Fahl drew his claws together, and between them sugar crystals spun into a shape crafted entirely from a vulgar imagination. Possessing a flat base and a stem connecting to a spade-like top, the candy was clearly intended for insertion somewhere. Based on his earlier comments, it didn't take a genius to infer the location. Apparently the iguana had picked up more than just foul language from associating with his batgator friend.
"A parting gift. I'd plug you both ways, but then there'd be nowhere for the shit to go. And that wouldn't be very great for you, now would it?"
ROLL 8
Fahl attempts to Cast Spell — Rock Candy( A horrible, terrible idea... )
Nemean took a bite of banana split, in no hurry to depart. "April. It's a MONTH, fuzzball. You know, out of the year?" She took another bite, chewed, and swallowed. "There's twelve of the things. Don't ask what month it actually is. I'm guessing." She paused, shrugged, and peered at the ceiling for some reason. "...Mostly. I mean it's not like we get calendars down here. Especially not ones from-... never mind. You wouldn't GET it. Anyway, the 'fools' part--that's you! You're the PUNCHLINE. Hahaha! ...It's a day for PRACTICAL JOKES, so go get your jokes on!" Nemean waved a hand vaguely.
Nemean popped a wink at Zephiran. "You're welcome, kid!" Good to see one with manners.
Oh! FAVORITE FOOD. "WINE GUMMIES," she shouted back at Diem, without thinking about it. Was it true? ...Maybe.
It was right now, anyway.
Then, Fahl again, and Nemean squinted at his work before grinning. "Damn, you really studied those things, huh? How many didja have to look at to get the anatomy so good?" She winked three times as she ate another bite of split, then shrugged. "Save it for Imps, anyway. He loves the things." Imps. That HAD been the name, right? Ehhh. She was pretty sure she'd already said it a few minutes ago.
Imp. Imps. Impus. Something like that. Who cared?
Nemean turned. "ANYWAY, FOLKS. That's the show! Good luck, have fun, don't die. And remember," and here she turned, pointing finger-guns and a wink at Fahl (and where had the banana split gone??) "-use a WIDE BASE on your rock candy... sculptures, so you don't lose 'em!"-What?
Then she was... gone. A sparkle of magicka, a trail of golden confetti, a blaring horn... and the lights and magic were all gone.
As if to emphasize how "over" it was, the last remains of the rock candy "Spire" crumbled in collapse.
The thread's over. Go home. Go! Shoo. Stop with the CANDY!
Damn overgrown lizard. And go buy your shoe spell or whatever. Limited time, remember??
She stayed quiet during the back and forth between Nemean and the other gembound around, waiting for her heartbeat to finally calm itself. She eyed the crystal candy and couldn't help but dip her head to try a little taste. It was kind of similar to the banana but wayyy sweeter and crunchy, like cracking through prey bones. So, really, nothing like the banana. Just the taste of sugar.
Even just the small taste lingered on her tongue and made her mouth feel vaguely sticky. She turned her attention back to the shouting match, not really caring what they were going on about - it was just a prank, really, and all Wilder's frustrations with being caught in it had been thrown out with the banana. So she just watched, vaguely amused, until it was over. From there, she picked herself up and departed quietly, shelving this in her mind as just another weird Nemean encounter.
Apr 26 2025, 01:44 PM (This post was last modified: Apr 26 2025, 01:44 PM by Diem Dark.)
MAGICKA LEVEL 100% RESTORED TO 100%
Diem stared for a long moment.
Wine gummies..?
He'd had ideas, at least he had after asking the question (admittedly he'd never thought about it before this very moment), but--that hadn't been one of them. Actual wine? Maybe. Or cotton candy, or something.
Chewy stuff--he was surprised.
Maybe she'd like Starbursts? If she'd never had them before, he'd see if he could get his hands on some. ...Somehow. Or Skittles? They might be made with crushed-up bugs, sure, but somehow he didn't think that'd matter so much to Nemean.
Well-! Anyway.
Diem looked around, then offered a wave to the other Gembounds present. A weak smile was directed toward Fahl--genuine, but the reassurance he was trying to offer him... well. Nemean was an asshole. He knew that. As he turned to leave, he leaned in a little. "See her as real fucked-up comic relief," he suggested.
Then he leaned down, picking up a bit of "Spire," popping it into his mouth as he wandered off.
exit Diem, but @Fahl for visibility (one single dialogue line, sorry-)
Wrath could only escalate so far. Fahl's having reached its apex a good minute ago, now there existed two ways it could proceed: plateau and remain at an unhealthy boil or decrease to calmer, more physically tolerable levels that didn't threaten to burst blood vessels. His spiteful little rock candy sculpture had been a step in the second direction, heat redirected into an action capable of evoking some amusement, even if drawing hers as well was an unfortunate secondary effect. (Was there nothing to truly phase that despicable sprite?) The suggestion from another spectator was the next event to draw away further rage, and unable to lash out at a stranger for a genuine attempt at support, he settled for allowing his shoulders to slump. No Nemean to heckle further, he let petulance direct itself to another target and smacked his magical handiwork down. The meager strength behind the hit broke it into pieces, the sugar composing it fragile.
"Who are all the sick jokes for then," he muttered beneath his breath. "Whose backward idea is it... that strife... pointless pain is funny."
It seemed the opposite for him. Nemean wasn't comic relief in a dramatic tale. Instead the Gembounds were hapless bit players in a full-blown comedy, a twisted one whose audience burst into uproarious laughter every time eyes were torn from sockets and cheered when the troublesome main character miraculously escaped from brutal justice served to inflict the caves again with her unique brand of sadism. If she'd remained boiling in the Eyes, maybe he could believe her to simply be a minor player in a chapter of his life. As it stood presently, she was a recurring villain that demanded eventual defeat, something he couldn't achieve in his weak state as a mere lizard, mutation-riddled though he was.
He glared at his surroundings, kicked scattered remnants of fake Spire, and distanced himself from the scene with a huff of personal dissatisfaction. A walk would burn away the remaining embers of his disgust surely. If not, there was always improvement to focus on. Polaris had enough crystals to melt into puddles, regardless if they were the ordinary sort or those that tasted sweet.
Not much more was said. Then the creature left in a bit of a pretty thing. Popped and gone. There was a huff to the white wolf's jaws before she moved with a mission towards one of the tunnels. She had cared less to pick up any of the candy to take with her. One day she'd try it, but not until she knew she would feel better away from this damn cave. She decided it was time to take her leave. Find something useful for once.
