>>1122784
The bigger problem being us needing to complete our mission on the moon first?

You know, we could just leave the Aegis on the moon if it's THAT much a problem

>>1122852
Honestly, that would probably be the best course of action. It's too powerful and attracts too much attention to keep. The courts will never stop hunting for it so long as it remains "in play," and there's nowhere it can be hid on the planet that we can be sure that it will be safe long term. If it can't be destroyed, it's gonna have to stay up there, where nobody can have it.

Better yet, since the gravity on the moon is so low, Gabe could just make a gate outside its orbital influence once they're on it and they could literally yeet the thing off into deep space.

Bigger problem is either big undead doggo, or the 'Barge' warning.

Are the Fey agents obvious or incognito/veiled? Dangerous (kidnapping or immediate assault) or able to disguise themselves (codewords and 'prove its you' might ne needed...)?

Regarding the Aegis being stolen, aren't there literal rules and procedures to do such?

Also worth asking about the Dullahan. We completed their request and have likeely earned their assistance/advice.

Besides leaving the Aegis on the Moon or yeeting it into space, one could potentially send it into THE GHOST ZONE via a willing ghost/undead. The Fey likely can't go there by any easy methods, or return / speak of the trip. And it would be pretty hard to find.

We might need to keep the Aegis untik the amoon quest is done though - the Aegis might be needed to keep Argus alive if we do the Jeartstone trip (and conveniently, brings it out of play again).

Toxoglossa 2026/03/05(Thu)03:42 No. 1123002 ID: d10be1
File 177268214393.png - (220.39KB , 800x565 , 18-7.png )

“Bigger problem?” Kol asks, “How big are we talking? Bigger or smaller than the barghast?”

“Actually it would be better to show you. Gabe, would you mind gating us to my aerie? Its, oh… forty paces west and about sixty feet up?”

“Uh, sure?” Gabe flexes his fingers, having not done much magic in a while, and opens a gate. A few moments later, they step out onto the unpainted wooden slats of the platform. Workmen’s tools sit under a tarp on one corner, and a railing has been hastily thrown up to ensure some semblance of safety.

“There! Below the point!” Cecil shouts over a gust of wind.

The mice follow his gaze and gasp. Sitting in the mouth of the Moot Point harbor is a massive ship of fae construction. It’s keel stretches the full with of the port, and at it’s center sits an alabaster-white tower easily as tall as the statue of Madam Moot.

Cecil grips the railing and explains, “I believe that to be a royal barge! Belonging to one of the high courts!”

Kol pinches the bridge of his nose as he feels the stress already hitting him. “Cecil, that’s pretty fuckin' big!”

>>1123002
okay ha ha ha look maybe i wasn't clear before but incautiously fucking about with fae is really bad ha ha

Though it's just a *fancy* boat, right? It's not a *dangerous* boat, right? I worry about the nature of our message, is all, because the thing is that one boat, singular, is a really obvious target for something but also possibly a really obvious cause of the danger, too.

Like, two hypotheticals: What if the ship blows up, vs what if the ship wants to blow something up. I'm uneducated on the purpose of the ship, is what I'm saying.

>>1123002
Hmm. Alright. That certainly is inconvenient. Let's go back inside before saying much of anything, then ask if this changes your plans much. You have what you need to go to the moon; can't you just... go there? Once the gate beacon is in alignment anyway.
I guess we don't have a good way of getting back aside from Argus's heartspace. We might want to look into alternatives since that should be our last resort.

...oh! It's been a while, maybe we should check on our skeleton friend's progress.

What's our timetable Cecil? because it looks like we might need to leave in a hurry.

Open up a few portals beneath the waves. With luck, you can legally push the barge away, or manipulate the captain according to Fae law.

Well, that sure do seem like some kind of Problem... but this doesn't actually tell us anything about it, other than Big and Fey.

Ometra available for another Law consultation? It seems likely that we'll need it.

One would think a month enough time to find their head... but retrieval is another matter.

Okay, yeah, that definitely qualifies as a "bigger problem."

What has the boat and it's inhabitants done so far? And what are the rest of the Guardians doing about it?

Toxoglossa 2026/03/06(Fri)02:30 No. 1123047 ID: d10be1
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“A royal barge! I guess we finally pissed off the courts enough for them to show up in person!” Casey raises her voice as the wind whips at them, “We received a telepathic message while in Argus’s gallery warning us about a barge! I didn’t think it was a literal ship, though!”

“A message? From who? Ometra?” Cecil asks. “They left shortly after you were defeated! They said they were going to go hunt down their head! I haven't heard from them since that night!”

“What do they want?” Casey shouts, pointing to the royal barge.

Cecil shrugs, “No one knows! They haven’t responded to any messages from the city! They arrived roughly a week ago and haven’t moved or issued any communication! I suspect that they have been awaiting your return!”

“How’s it even standing up? It looks like a single wave would knock it over!” Gabe looks down at the oddly top-heavy structure as it sits impossibly still. “Can’t we just, you know, move it?”

“Ah, that is- in fact- the problem!” Cecil replies, pointing at the harbor. In a full circle around the barge, the water is eerily calm: reflecting back the full length of the tower as though it were resting in a gigantic mirror. “The field prevents any water from moving around the ship! The harbor is essentially blockaded! The senders have been organizing a gate relay to try and bypass it, but there aren’t many members skilled enough to open ship-sized gates!”

Ach, if they're causing problems for the city it can't just be ignored. But at the same time until their intent is known the trio can't just go over there.

An envoy will be needed

Directly dealing with a High Court... these mice ain't that good at trickery without help, but there ARE other ways to deal with them.

Not MANY other ways, for instance even should Vivian want to help... she probably shouldn't.

In all truth, the best way to deal with the ship is to snag someone good at fey from the dead wiki order of spirit guides? and just walk up to the ship.

>>1123047
It prevents water from moving, ok. Why does that prevent ships from going around? Does it also prevent other things from moving the water, so that ships wind up smacking into the area like an iceberg? ...here's another possible solution: push boats around the edge of the area, along the beach. Dig through the land to create a water bridge if you have to.

>>1123002
... Okay, so...
What if we made a canal?

On the, uh, left hand side there, the port is made by- look, the little stick-out bit of land. I don't know the term. However, the water *inside* the port and the water *outside* the port can move, yeah? Near the coast and outside the coast, respectively. If the water is of any appreciable depth on the outside, we can make a current of water flow out of a gate so powerful it slices right through there.

I think.

There might be people there? The canal doesn't have to be that deep inland, even. we just need to make the shore a little further away, make a hole around the calm field, so people can pass. It's destructive and terribly disruptive, but it's all I can think of.

>>1123076
Yeah, a water bridge, sort of deal. A torrent of high pressure water aimed at the shore at the correct angle will, in short order, mean less shore.

Here I am asking for caution when I more or less ask to water-laze a significant amount of real estate, haw. Still, a solution is a solution.

Is this going to turn into some kind of hijinks chaos scenario where the aristocracy complains and get their asses whooped due to Fae law, leaving a power vacuum?

If I had to hazard a guess, the delegation on the barge is here to demand we explain what we plan to do with the Aegis now that we have it. They want to know if we're going to be a threat. Assuming they're from one of the more reasonable high courts. If they're from the Reflected Sky, we could be in for trouble. If that was the case though, I would think they would've already pulled something rather than just sit there silently.

>>1123099
...well, the magic IS reflecting the sky.

>>1123100
It is, indeed, a big fuckin mirror.

I suppose we should probably go talk to Vivian before deciding on a course of action in regards to the barge. If anyone could clue us in on who this might be and how to approach them, she could.

>>1123100
>>1123103
………what if they know of our mission to go to the moon? Is this some kind of elaborate trap to catch us in the reflection and trap us while we're trying to get to the moon?

Surely there are laws (fey or otherwise made with mortals to prevent wars) against passively-aggressively blockading an entire port from travel and trade?

Otherwise, this is practically a naval siege. They could easily move the ship a bit away to allow proper naval movement and are actively harming the town with their passive-aggressive occupation of the dock.

One solution to this could be having a Fey of importance/fame attempt to arrive via ship to Moot from outside and be blocked. That might require the ship to move aside.

Also, 'no sender capable of opening a ship-sized gate' isn't true now that a (well trained) Gabe is here! But that also would immediately get the courts attention.

As for a more mechanical approach to moving the ship, the water in the field itself is immobile, so that might mean it can be 'pushed' away so long as sufficient force to move both the water in the field AND the barge is provided. Unless the magic makes it work on 'immovable rod which respects planetary motion' logic.

Portal cutting the 'immovable' water and mining out a canal might also work? That said these are things best not done till we know what a royal barge can do and what their intents are.

That saud

That said best not do anything to the barge until we know what it can do if provoked to aggression, or its owners intents are discerned.

If the water is immobile, wouldn't kill/trap any sea creature caught within the field (imagine being incased in rock, but with water). Or is it more like an ice sheet (only the surface is immobile)?

Worst case scenario: Angry fey royalty want revenge or retribution/compensation on the mice.

Best/funnier case scenario: Fey royalty wants a Booty Call from a trio of mice that have become literal kamasutra art (and possibly caused some religious experiences).

Either way, we might end up adding 'fucked with royalty' to the checklist. Not as impressive as fucking a Deity or Thy Maker, but...

Toxoglossa 2026/03/09(Mon)02:36 No. 1123215 ID: d10be1
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The group huddles together to consult and block the wind.

“Can’t they just go around?” Gabe asks, pointing to the shoreline. “Look, it doesn’t cover the whole harbor!”

Cecil shakes his head, “Its too shallow over there. Anything bigger than a rowboat is going to end up beached.”

“What if we make it deeper? Like dig a channel or something?”

“Hmm… dredging a new channel. That might be feasible, although it sounds somewhat drastic.” Mr. Ochre paces around on the creaky platform, engrossed in thought. “I’m not sure of what the long term effects would be."

Casey snaps her fingers as a synapse fires. ‘“Making it deeper’! That gives me an idea! What if you were to raise the water level, specifically in that area?”

“What, flood the beach? Wouldn’t that be worse? The whole south end of the city would be underwater!” Concerned, but interested, Cecil cocks his head and listens.

“Not if its kept under control! We know a water elemental! I bet Fennel could create a kind of ‘bridge’ that ships can sail over.” The mouse shrugs, “Or at the very least, I bet she could help cut a channel.”

“That sounds promising. I also I think you’d want to talk to an actual sailor about how feasible it would be: none of us are exactly experts on any of this.”

He turns as Flashing Feathers alights on the platform and embraces him. “Oh, hello dear! I was just informing our friends of the situation! Any updates?”

The coatl nuzzles his partner and greets the mice warmly. “Hello beloved! Greetings, guardians! The fey agents have become increasingly difficult to track-“ he waves a wing in the direction of the mice and nods” -however I believe I spotted one in the vicinity of your home some time ago.”

>>1123215
Hm. Alright. So, do we go there and fuss at them, or do we avoid home for a bit and... visit the academy?

Visit the academy. Let the agents find you, don't go to them. coordinate with as many allies as you can before then.

>>1123221
This.

If they want to talk, then they come to us. Ambushing us at our house is unacceptable.

>>1123221
There's portal techniques for this, right? Like, a palm-sized or even smaller just for talking?

Well, if they are waiting for you that IS a reasonable place to wait.
Ah to figure out the order to do things, when there ain't no one right ordering.
...Well, there IS a risk someone barges into your home, so I suppose that must be first.

Caleb is an experienced sailor, certainly the best person to ask about this plan to just 'channel around it'. And probably the person besides Fennel who knows just how the magic water-suspension field works in practice.

I'm still curious whether the field is just 'surface layer' like a giant slab of ice, or if it's a whole hemisphere or water that's effectively trapped or in stasis (which has implications for anyone who happened to be in said body of water when the barge showed up - could be trapped fey in there... Or the equivalent of royal aquatic guards).

A sillier option to deal with the field could be temporarily turning the ships into sleds and pulling them across the field.

Could also ask Deliliah to carry/pull the ships. We haven't seen a limit to her strength yet.

Toxoglossa 2026/03/11(Wed)02:33 No. 1123281 ID: d10be1
File 177319639636.png - (155.50KB , 592x700 , 18-10.png )

“If they’re waiting at our home, we may want to coordinate with the guardians first. We may want to tell them about the water bridge idea too.” Casey says with a sigh.

Gabe’s shoulders sag and he moans, “Awwww, alright. I’ve been missing the house, you know?”

“Yeah, so have we, man. Duty first, though.” Kol pats him on the shoulder and steps up. “Cecil, thanks for holding down the fort here. We’ll talk more later. Okay?”

“Mmm, agreed! Lets catch up soon! It was a good heist, a shame about the after effects.” Mr. Ochre gives them all a hug as they depart.

Toxoglossa 2026/03/11(Wed)02:33 No. 1123282 ID: d10be1
File 177319639789.png - (157.18KB , 700x618 , 18-11.png )

A quick portal later, and the mice find themselves in the Sender’s Academy. They exit the chambers designated for arriving gates and make their way towards the office of guardian, Mariana Rue-Larrey.

Gabe knocks and hears a frustrated “Come in!”

Mariana looks up as the trio enter. “You’re back! Has it been a month already? “ The cardinal is looking slightly haggard, sitting up from a slouch and fixing her head-feathers. She puts aside a half-eaten sweetbread roll, clearly feeling the need for calories after lots of magical exertion.

>>1123282
Yep. How are things? Anything need doing? Is this space private? Anything we should or shouldn't talk about?

It's been a Lunar month, yes.
Man the Fey have been giving you trouble, would you like a hug?
Got anyone to help us help you with the Fey?

Gabe could take the opportunity to joke that he hasn't seen her looking this worn out since she had to deal with him and his antics as a student~

Toxoglossa 2026/03/12(Thu)01:44 No. 1123341 ID: d10be1
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“We got off early for good behavior.” Gabe says, flopping down into an ancient, well-worn chair: its stuffing leaking through cracks in the leather. “You know about what happened?”

“Word got around. Cecil Ochre showed up after you went missing to explain why Clio hadn’t shown up for classes.” She sighs. “I should be more angry, but from what I’ve been told, she really gave those old fey a fright. Kinda wish I had been there to see it...”

“It was incredible.” Gabe says, shaking his head and snuggling back into the leather. “She ripped a hole in the sky that blotted out the moon! The Claíomh Solais she summoned was a good three feet long, at least!”

She sighs, imagining the blazing blade under a crimson sky. “Well, we’re certainly feeling the backlash now.” Mariana leans back to look out the window and glare at the royal barge. “We could really use someone of Clio’s caliber right now. Cecil told us the broad strokes of what’s happened, but I hope she’s doing okay.”

“Speaking of which, is this room warded against scrying?” Casey asks. She casts her eyes around at the general office clutter: paper, scrolls, books on ley line arrays, a photoplane of Mariana and Ashe together.

The bird shakes her head wearily. “Nah, I need to be able to stay in contact here. I also prefer being able to scry just in case I need to gate directly here.”

“Then, we shouldn't really discuss anything secret. So, maybe we should focus on how we can help?” Casey suggests.

“Good idea. You-“ Mariana points at Gabe, “are a full fledged guardian now, so you should report to the dock and help with the gate crew. They’re running ragged down there.” She glares at the mouse and demands, “Also, where’s your cloak and badge? What is this outfit? Come on, at least look like a guardian!”

Looking like a guardian might be a bad idea right now, actually. The fey already know a lot about you three and presumably have been out here gathering information about you for a while now. Better to give the impression that the New Yous aren't going to be as predictable as they think, set back their plans for a bit.

Argus happened to them? No I don't think we even brought them to him, they should still be with Vivian?

Not a matter for right now, unfortunately we are quite rushed.

..hmph, I guess the cloak and badge can go on over it.
Alright Gabe, it's portal duty time! What about the other two?

Who do the mice have to fuck to sluttify the official guardian uniform? Is there rules on how Guardians have to act/drezz or is that on a per-guardian basis?

Wonder if these new Fey threads can change shape or fit under a uniform in any case.

> Gabe: Tease Mariana about wanting him to lose his clothes and slip into something more 'official'. Maybe help her relax and wind down.

Toxoglossa 2026/03/13(Fri)01:43 No. 1123379 ID: d10be1
File 177336620805.png - (150.24KB , 500x700 , 18-13.png )

“Gimme a break! We just got back! We haven’t even gone home yet!” Gabe whines. “And I’ll have you know, this is one of Argus’s outfits! Its classy!”

“Mm-hmm, I’m sure. Don’t you have a spare cloak in your portal-space-thing?” The guardian squints.

“I do, but its dirty. I meant to do laundry, but I didn’t expect I’d be gone for a month.”

“Actually-“ Casey says, interjecting. “Not looking like a guardian might be handy right now. A lot of fey are looking for us, and not having a big red cloak might be a good idea.”

“Alright, but you should at least have your seal on you.” Mariana concedes.

“Before Gabe goes in gate duty, we wanted to run something by you.” Casey says.

Mariana takes a bite of her sweet-roll and waves her hand in an “I’m listening” manner.

“We noticed that the field doesn’t cover the whole harbor. There's an area on the south side we think ships could get through.”

“Mm- too shallow. And if you’re thinking about digging a canal, the harbor master said no.” The guardian shakes her head. “We could cut one pretty easily, but she said that it could cause the shore to crumble without proper support.”

“Okay, but what if instead of making it deeper, we raise the water instead?”

The bird swallows the bite of pastry and cocks her head, “What, like flood the shore?”

“No, well, kind of. We know a water elemental who’s working with the fire department: what if we get her to make a bridge out of water? Or carry the boats over?”

“Can she do that?” Mariana asks.

The mice look to one another, “We haven’t, uh, asked her yet.” Kol admits. "We were just about to."

Whelp, off to collect your friend... once you find them, probably your house? Has it been renovated yet? Surely...

>>1123379
Well, we'll have to wait until the Fey aren't lingering around the house, if we want to keep our presence secret.

Might be worth checking the exterior state of the house with a spyglass (you know, in case you've been robbed in the last month or had Fey intruders search the place). Also likely the house has been heavily bugged/scrying is happening. What would it take/cost to get ones house scrying-protected?

Can Kol keep his presence secret with his spirit form, or would that alert the Fey immediately, as a way to scout the house for intruders or such?

Gabes portal shelter at least is the most secure place available for any sensitive objects...

Also worth hopping by the Bakery and see the newlyweds and talk about the whole surrogate situation. Maybe grab some of their premium baked goods too, whether as a gift or a bribe to any Fey agents/royals (remember how Vivian reacted to them?).