World Tree MUSH

    It's a cold and snowy day outside of the port of Hellawes, where Miss Magilou has asked for those who would join her to provide a bit of assistance to meet. For some reason, she hadn't wanted to do it in that town... in fact, she's rather closer to one of the outlying villages, leaning on a rocky outcropping near a gate, wearing her usual jester-witch hybrid of an outfit. On a related note, she seems to be shivering as she waits, tugging her hat down over her ears as best she can, standing out quite obviously. She's warned people to not make too much of a scene getting through the port, at least, making her rather more of a helper than normal. Regardless, she'll wait patiently to see just who might show up for a vague mission with little in the way of promised rewards...

    A vague mission with no actual promise of reward? SIGN ALOY UP! Well, actually that isn't too far out of place with her normal life, but Magilou is decidedly less helpful than most. The fact that she asked for help at all is what brough Aloy to lurk out at the port and come by to meet. In accordance with not making a scene, she is not riding a giant robotic water buffalo or anything.

    "So you're actually asking for help?" Aloy asks as she hops down nearby and approaches the rock. "You might have better luck if you'd been more helpful yourself." Yeah, there's that mouth.

    "Tut, she did help me when I needed it," Raylene replies, walking up in a somewhat nice dress this time. "Though I'm afraid what assistance I can lend is limited. Summoning the Horror takes quite a toll on me, still, and I'd rather not do it often. I have other talents, however." She curtsies as she stops her approach.

    "Aloy, a pleasure to see you again," the young girl smiles.

    "It's not for myself that I'm asking." Magilou will state, lifting her head up as she sees the two approaching. "I'm not sure how much you might have picked up on on the way in, but a local organization has been pressuring citizens to accept their tyrannical rule, threatening them for even the slightest resistance to their rules. First, by banishing them out to ignored and hazardous villages like this... but far worse. I got word that they sent one of their upper operatives to this village, a red-haired woman who binds spirits against their will, to force the villagers to pay tribute to support their operation. I just want a little help putting up some resistance, showing her that she can't just force them to give everything.." Magilou will sigh, a bit dramatically.

    "But if they see my face here, they'd burn the whole village down for information on me. I can't let that happen, either."

    Aloy looks suspicious about that, just because she likes to now a little more. "What sort of rules? If that's the case then I don't mind causing a little trouble in the right places." Okay, so it did sort of ruffle her feathers about the oppression thing. "Not really sure I buy the spirits thing, but I've seen enough to accept it's possible I guess. Where's a good spot to start poking?"

    Even when she asks, the young woman turns and eyes the town. Raylene gets a nod though. "Raylene. Don't worry, I can probably handle the fighting. I'm not used to working with a group, but knowing you aren't helpless makes it easier."

    "Hmm. It sounds as if you are not so well liked," Raylene comments. She fishes around in her bag, producing a handful of vials. "As I said, I'd prefer not to rely on the Horror, but I do dabble in alchemy. Sadly I do not have the ingredients for anything especially potent like an invisibility potion, but I do have a few things to toy with."

    Siiiigh. "Well, Aloy, if you can fight, I can see about spotting any of these spirits. That is what I am good at. I have the sharpest Sight of anyone I've met, with the possible exception of Vhander or... well, I'm very good."

    "As a matter of fact, I happen to know she headed into the village from Hellawes this morning. She's almost certainly still in there, probably threatening the village elders right this very moment! There were rumors in Hellawes of a demon gone rampant, and she's likely extorting them at this very moment, threatening to drive it this way if they don't give into her wicked ways!" Magilou says, smiling.

    "Don't worry about a potion, though. I can stay out of sight, unless the need becomes so great that I could come out." She'll gesture to the wooden gates, though, through which if the duo heads they'll find quite the ramshackle little village.

    This is sounding either very bad or like Magilou is trying too hard. Either way, Aloy is at least going to check things out... and not by storming in with her weapons ready to fire. "Guess we'll see what's going on ourselves soon enough." She'll head through the gate, just wandering into the village to look around as if she belongs there. These people don't seem TOO territorial.

    No potions for Magilou, hm? "Well, they're more for utility than combat. Even with my potions, if we get into a real fight then I will need luck or magic to get by," Raylene explains.

    But Aloy is tough and strong, so she trails behind the huntress. "Much easier when someone else can do this sort of thing who is trained for it, yes?"

    And, indeed, Magilou almost seems not to follow at all, more than a few steps behind the duo. The witch seemed to be telling the truth about at least one thing - the village was obvious quite poor, with signs of strain on all of the villagers who can be seen along the walkway, from children to the elderly. One of the most elderly of all, in the distance, is talking to a woman who is holding a spear, an animated conversation seeming to happen between the two of them, though they're keeping the tones low. The elder certainly looks unhappy about it, though.

    They could just approach.. or they could try talking to the villagers who are closer first. Magilou no longer seems to be offering input to guide them, anyways!

    Hmm. This is a tough call for Aloy, because there are temptations both ways. Her brusque and no-nonsense attitude says she should march right up and see what the problem is, while her other tendencies remind her that while the two are arguing, maybe she should talk to everyone ELSE in the settlement to see what is on their minds, maybe go rescue a lost sibling or child, or hunt down some valuable ceramic cups before she interrupted the conversation.

    In the end, she settles for the former rather than the latter, marching right up to the arguing pair and asking in a friendly yet careless tone, "What seems to be the problem?"

    Raylene is decidedly less direct than Aloy, trailing along behind and realizing she is a bit well-dressed for this place. She'll select someone who is paying attention tot he argument but not involved. "Excuse me, can you tell me where we are? We seem to have lost our way, and my companion is getting a little restless."

    Raylene will be met with the better initial reception, at least for the moment. She just gets a look of terrible confusion from the young man she picks, who'll reply. "You're in Beardsley. How could you possibly end up in this accursed village without knowing it?" He'll wonder, but he won't have too much time to follow up with questions.
    The arguing duo will look up and over at Aloy, both quite shocked at being interrupted. "I'm here on Abbey business." The redhead will reply, finally, looking to Aloy.. and then, perhaps more alarmingly, over to Raylene. "..Specifically, looking for demons. Like the one you're consorting with, right there." There's a gasp from the crowd, who'll start to back away from Raylene, as the woman holds her spear in front of her bracingly.

    Abbey business. Interesting. But more interesting still is the woman's alarmed reaction to Raylene. Raylene's general poor attitude notwithstanding, that sounds a bit like superstition to her. So she'll step in between the two. "I don't know if I'd call her a demon, but I'm pretty sure she isn't here to hurt anyone. I've even seen her help at times. She's just a girl, not someone to bully with your superstitious nonsense."

    Yeah, she went there, what are you going to do?

    "Is that what you're here for? Hunting spooks that you can't even see to convince people to listen to you?"

    "Never heard of it," Raylene admits. "Which is unusual, as I do try to keep an idea of where I am and the important-" She gets interrupted by the accusation that has others moving away from her.

    "Oh my," Raylene blinks, tugging on her braid. "Can you actually see my companion, or are you merely picking up the residue from my own presence? I'm always a little curious which it is, you see. I'd ask you not to get violent, though. I'm a scholar, really, not a fighter, and my companion tends to make a mess. As helpful as everyone dying here would be, I'm really not a violent person." She eyes the woman now.

    The admission - and related threats - will get the villagers making hasty retreats, the elder that the woman had been arguing among them. She's the only one who seems to think she can stand up to such a threat, in fact, and most of her attention won't be on Aloy, though she'll spare a word. "..If you didn't know what she was, then you can be forgiven. Just get away, while you can."

    And two spirits will appear beside of her, wearing helmets, as tall as the quite tall woman is. "And I know too well not to just let you go free. It won't just be one village who suffers, then. Will you come quietly?" The spirits, almost human, will start forward rather menacingly... Even Aloy should be able to see them, though she might try to disbelieve.

    Oh, Aloy doesn't disbelieve. She taps her Focus to see if she can get a reading on the ones that just appeared, but as they aren't robotic, she doesn't expect too much even if she can pick them up at all. In the meantime, she backs away toward Raylene, unshouldering her spear and lowering it to point toward the incoming 'soldiers' just summoned.

    "Now, I don't really know what is going on here, but this doesn't seem like the way to greet someone," she points out. "I just told you she helped out people. Meanwhile the village seems pretty scared because of your threats. I think I'll side with the girl who's helped me out."

    Raylene eyes this entire situation. "In all fairness, the Horror does feed on death, so it isn't exactly the most charming presence for normal humans," Raylene points out. "But neither is it going to rampage so long as I hold the leash. This entire idea seems rather counterproductive, especially since it is likely to just make it stronger if we get into a fight in the middle of the town."

    Which is why she looks left and right and... hurls something on the ground. "SMOKEBOMB!" POOF! Smoke billows out around her in an enveloping and growing cloud.

    The smokebomb is going to lead directly to the confrontation, it seems. The redhead stays behind the others for the moment, keeping her spear on guard, trying to watch where Raylene might exit it. Meanwhile, one of the spirits will charge forward at Aloy, a sword in hand, while the other starts to cast.. something. Well, casting seems likely, at a minimum. Fire is starting to dance in his hands while his companion spirit tries to distract Aloy; a fairly classic tactic.

    "I told you to surrender!" The redhead will shout at the puff of smoke, seeming quite angry about the refusal to.

    "Tch... actual magic. What a pain," Aloy replies with a way eye toward the caster. A little busy at the moment! "Raylene, do you have some way of slowing or stopping that stuff?" Seh doesn't know much about it, and has... well, a distraction coming her way. That slash of a sword, namely, that keeps her on her feet and dodging backward. Seh doesn't actually want to kill this person(?) so her blunt spear end is what sweeps toward the feet, trying to knock off balance.

    Hm, leaving the smoke would be tough. But Raylene has other tricks! For one thing, she has Witchcraft. Her form is barely visible in the smoke as it starts to clear, but she replies to Aloy with a voice that is easier to hear. "Oh yes, I suppose I should do something while you rely on your physical violence."

    Raylene... covers her eyes and then calls out, "How is this?" Of course it looks silly. But it's also necessary for the brief momentary curse of blindness she's hurling at the caster.

    The spear will meet something solid, at least, resistance being found. The malak spirit - for that is what it is - will fall to his knees, slashing out wildly with the sword at Aloy. This is dangerous if she doesn't get back, or try to defend herself, but he's at a disadvantage for certain.

    Meanwhile, the other spirit's casting will go wildly awry as it is suddenly blinded, the flames lashing out at a house that was in roughly the direction of Raylene, bringing to mind Magilou's mention that the village would probably burn if she were spotted. To the redhead woman's credit, she's rather aghast at this, momentarily forgetting the immediate threat of the demon in favor of the even-more immediate threat that the entire village might turn to cinders around them.

    Another flash of light will shoot out from her, and another spirit will start to cast. "I've got this, Madam Eleanor!" He calls out, with a voice like nails on a chalkboard.

    This spirit is not as tall as the woman - Eleanor. This spirit is less than two feet tall, and a not inconsiderable portion of that is a tophat, which is pulled down over his eyes with holes cut out to see through. He's also directing a flow of water towards the flames, before they can start to truly spread. Still, he'll chide everyone around.. "You fiends thought that you could cause the village to burn?"

    Okay, this is getting dangerous. The sword slices through Aloy's armor, with the mesh stunting the blow but still leaving a shallow gash in her thigh. Nothing critical, but enough to remind her that this is life and death for the strange soldier, even if she doesn't want to hurt him too bad. "I'm trying to go easy on you, some thanks I get. You should be lucky Nils isn't here."

    Aloy is pragmatic though. She isn't going to kill someone, but whipping her spear around to stab the arm swinging the sword at her is something she's wiling to try, while she has the advantage. Then she gets to see... something else. "What is /that/ thing? Where did it come from? Never mind! You stay down on the ground, I've got to see to the village!" Yes she's going to abandon the fight to see if anyone is burning in the house.

    Raylene knows more than anyone here that her blindness curse is very, very temporary. This only gives her a short opening to rush forward, hurling one of her other potions at the caster. This one will immediately smoke and sizzle on bursting, to try to melt anything non-organic. She's not sure if it'll work well on a spiritual being, but figures it should still be painful just as it is on a human.

    "Me? You're the ones throwing fire around carelessly! It is a sad day when I show more care for my fellows than their so-called defender!" Raylene shouts like a... brat. Because in many ways she is. "Cease this at once or I really WILL call the Horror to fight!" She huffs, "What are you going to do with me anyway? Throw me in prison? The way I hear it those aren't exactly difficult to break out of."

    Wait... was she actually paying attention to Magilou's comments earlier?

    The spirit seems to be quite capable of hurting, feeling the potion smoke and sizzle, and it will writhe on the ground for a moment before disappearing, light trailing back into Eleanor as it retreats. Eleanor, meanwhile, is taking a step towards the house, getting a bit away from the fight, clearly quite worried about the fire even with the water spell having reduced it quite a bit. Aloy will find herself met at the door with a family, though, a father and daughter who seem quite uncertain whether the still-smouldering house or the fight outside is the bigger hazard. They'll stare wide-eyed at her, uncertain what to do...

    "Bienfuuu..~" This singsong voice doesn't seem like it should be all that scary. Why, then, does the little spirit in the hat give a shriek as though that Horror Raylene keeps talking about was trying to devour him? "You traitor, I've finally caught up to you." And Magilou is THERE, behind Bienfu, picking him up by the top of his head with a sinister little smile on her face.

    She may not have had entirely innocent reasons for visiting the village, after all.

    Oh, what a surprise. Not that Aloy is paying as much attention to this as the family. "Come on outside, I think we've stopped fighting for now, and that could be dangerous in there," she offers... and then gives Eleanor a glower, as if DARING her to restart the fight.

    "Raylene, are you all right?" she calls out, before noticing Magilou's presence. Traitor? "... Magilou, is THIS why you were here?" In an annoyed tone, she eyes the woman grabbing the... "And what IS that?"

    "Apparently," Raylene says, to the question. She sounds surprised that she got out of that mostly unscathed. Technically Eleanor is still here, but... she has a feeling it is mission accomplished. As such, she points at Magilou.

    "I see, this is the traitor you mentioned," she notes, eying Bienfu. "It looks like some variation on the soldier spirit things called on to malevolently bully innocent children." A small pause. "And me, too."

    Eleanor is not happy, of course, even as she tries to comfort the family at first. She doesn't really take notice until a circle of mystical symbols flashes into being above Magilou, who speaks in very much ritualistic tones. "You, descendant of the Seventh Grove, see our vows renewed. May our prayers of discontent vanish infinitesimal into the void! Remember this true name I bestow upon you: Fuschie Cass!" And, with a flash of light, the creature disappears, clearly settling within Magilou, who'll slump over with an air of exertion. "...Oh, that's more like it!" She'll say, with almost a smile in her voice. "Thank you, both of you, for your help..." But she won't have a chance to finish her thanks, because there's an irate Eleanor to deal with.

    "You, girl, what do you think you're doing? There are no other exorcists assigned to this area, I know that much." Eleanor will state, angrily.

    "I'm no mere exorcist. I am a witch!" And, with a windup, Magilou will throw a watermelon-sized ball of ice at Eleanor, surely the start to more fighting...

    Wait, no, she's definitely running away towards the village entrance. That's what the full-fledged sprint the blonde's displaying, without regard for her allies, could be called. At least she offered them a distraction?

    Aloy doesn't run from battle! But she does get out of town when it's obvious fighting won't solve anything. Sighing, then shouting, "I should have known! Come on, Raylene, can you run?" She can scoop up the girl if not, but Raylene doesn't seem unfit so much as a little soft.

    For her part, Raylene seems rather amused at the whole affair. "A witch, hm? Quite different from an exorcist in my land. I am a witch as well, so I suppose that does put me on her side..." And Aloy is running for it?

    Raylene lifts her skirts so as to give her legs more room to run, just tugging up from ankles to knees and dashing off at a swift but very steady pace. "Oh, quite capable of running, yes. Do try to keep up." Actually Aloy probably can keep up rather easily, but it is true that the girl's supernatural stamina is useful here.

    There won't be pursuit, exactly - between the damage done to one of her malak and the outright reclaimation by a previous owner of another, Eleanor's actually in pretty rough shape. But Magilou seems intent on booking it regardless, not stopping once she's out of the village, and it might just be better to have words with her at a later time down the road..

    It won't be too bad a getaway. It's just really, really cold.