enchanted forest . mingle

[misconceived]

WHO Forest planet occupants!
BROADCAST N/A
ACTION Enchanted Forest / Spa Time
WHEN Upon reaching the system (Jan. 4) to leaving it (Jan. 31)

[ It's another day, another planet for the Drift Fleet to explore. Whether it be relaxing in the landing field, checking out the spa (and subsequently getting urged to enter the woods), or taking on the Enchanted Forest's game, there's enough to do for stir-crazy Fleet members.

Just remember one thing: make it look good. ]

Comments

[merchantprince]

[Varric rubs at the back of his neck.]

Great. I don't feel a thing. Which means whatever you're sensing is probably going to try to eat me first.

[hearsthesea]

Don't worry, you're in between me and Chris. We can look out for any danger.

[That's probably not going to help him feel any better, but give the girl points for trying.]

[misconceived]

Unless it comes from underground.

[ NOT HELPING, CHRIS. ]

But, no. Trust me, this isn't evil. Whatever it is, it's not that. I mean, it's not good either... but if anything is going to happen, it probably won't be malicious.

[merchantprince]

That's the idea. You spot it, I'll shoot it.

[No it really doesn't make him feel better, but thank you for trying, Shirley.]

Probably, he says.

Let's keep going.

[hearsthesea]

Right.

[And onward it is! As they go Shirley notices something flickering at the edge of her vision and halts again for a second, but there's nothing when she looks.

Maybe she's feeling a little jumpy right now. Back home, in a place like this they would have surely run into monsters by now.]

[misconceived]

[ Chris grins, then begins moving on ahead. Light starts to get dimmer as the leaves above them start blocking out the sun. Chris's tiefling racial trait vision isn't so susceptible to the dark, but he glances back anyway. ]

Is it just me, or is it starting to get creepier?

[merchantprince]

[Varric's definitely clutching his gun.]

No, it's not just you. I don't know if what's out there is alive, though.

[hearsthesea]

Maybe...it's the forest itself, trying to tell us something.

[Says the girl who talks to an ocean. The others might find the idea a little more unsettling than she does.]

[misconceived]

It could have used that sign out there if it wanted to talk to us.

[ Which Chris knows isn't actually true and it isn't far-fetched at all, and the magical life is sometimes just bullshit like that. Walking back doesn't seem to be an option, and Chris has no intention of trying that anyway. ]

I have no idea what it would be trying to say, anyway. What about you, Shirley?

[ He doesn't even bother with asking Varric. The guy's a self-admitted magical doorstop. ]

[merchantprince]

It could've sent us a nice little letter by courier pigeon. 'Dear strange people from outer space, I am hiding something terrible and exciting. Please come to my forest so that I may eat you and feed off your souls for eternity.'

[hearsthesea]

No, it would probably be a warning of some kind. Although whether it's warning us about itself or something that might happen, I don't know.

[misconceived]

[ Chris actually does laugh at Varric's comment. Yeah, that sounds about right. ]

Maybe it's just setting the mood. [ Something brushes past his ear, magic or sound or air or something and he turns to stare discerningly out in the darkening brush. ] ... This is terrible timing, but did anyone else hear that?

[merchantprince]

Hear what?

[Varric isn't even kidding, but now that Chris is freaked out, SO IS HE.]

Aww, crap. This is where the monster pops out, isn't it?

[hearsthesea]

If so, then we should be ready. Varric?

[The glow of her eres might attract unnecessary attention in the poor light so Shirley doesn't resort to that yet, but she does grip her stick and shift to a more grounded stance.]

[misconceived]

[ Chris waits for a long moment, straining all of his senses to try and figure out where that thing is or what's out there but aside from that movement... there's nothing. The hand he has raised in front of him slowly drops and he exhales. ]

False alarm. I think. There's definitely something going on, though.

[merchantprince]

[Varric is ready, but he's looking increasingly paranoid.]

Keep going, I guess.

[hearsthesea]

Let's all be careful to keep sight of one another. It might help in case something does happen.

[Shirley relaxes and resumes walking, but not long after she does she starts seeing flashes in the corner of her eye again. A trick, or a threat? Shirley turns her head to the side slightly to look behind her, but when she sees nothing she swipes at her eyes with one hand and continues on.]

[misconceived]

[ how did I lose this tag... ]

I'd say we walk side-by-side but that might make staying on the path harder.

[ As they get further into the darkness of the forest, small lights begin to appear. Steady and soft, not like what Shirley is seeing from just out of reach, these lights appear to be coming from holes in the bark of the trees around them. Bioluminescence at its most ethereal. Chris doesn't stop but he does slow down to take in their new, creepy and kind of pretty surroundings. ]

Okay... Nothing bad so far. But I didn't see this ahead two seconds ago, so... we're probably in some kind of undefined maze here. Or everything is just reacting to us when we pass by. Like motion detectors.

[merchantprince]

No one's straying just yet.

[Varric is still alert, and he is definitely sweeping his gaze from side to side in case anything jumps out.]

So the creepy magical forest is actually magical? I never would've guessed.

[hearsthesea]

If it's responding to us, then we should be extra careful. I wouldn't be surprised if we came across a trap.

[Stay on the path, they said. But did they ever say the path wouldn't be dangerous?]

[misconceived]

Oh, shut up.

[ That's to Varric, and if it weren't so important to keep his eyes forward he'd start walking backwards just to make faces at the dwarf. He's very mature, you see. ]

What, like a booby trap? At least if one catches me, you'll know to walk around.

[merchantprince]

[Snrk.]

Haha. Booby trap.

[hearsthesea]

[Really? That's...Varric, you're the oldest. Shirley looks pointedly at Chris and tries to pretend she didn't just hear that.]

If one catches you, we might need to heal you first. But I hope it won't come to that.

[misconceived]

[ Chris slows, turns over his shoulder and just. Wow, Varric. ]

And you thought I was fourteen?

[ Okay, but no, he actually is going to walk backwards long enough to make his next point to Shirley. ]

Yeah, um, about that. Me and magical healing don't really get along that well, so... [ That medkit he's carrying isn't just for show. ]

[merchantprince]

[Varric shrugs.]

What? I have an appreciation for puns.

[He presses his lips together.]

Keep your limbs attached, folks.