>>29735342
It takes you about fifteen minutes to walk from the sprawling mansion of Esther’s extended family to the edge of the woods where you usually enter onto the Faerie trails. This is where you encounter your first signs of trouble: massive thorny vines blocking the path. They’re woven together into a solid wall, perhaps eight or nine feet high and stretching off into the woods on either side as far as you can see. The wall is almost perfectly vertical and covered in enormous thorns the size of your hand, and it’s very blatantly supernatural.

[]Try to climb over the wall. Those thorns might make good handholds, as long as you can avoid impaling yourself on them.
[]Pick a direction and walk along the wall in hopes of finding a door or gate or something.
[]Other

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>>29735356
>[]Try to climb over the wall. Those thorns might make good handholds, as long as you can avoid impaling yourself on them.

>>29735356
[]Try to climb over the wall. Those thorns might make good handholds, as long as you can avoid impaling yourself on them.

The barrier is there to not let people in. The only way to enter, is by climbing or finding the entrance and asking to be let in.

Invasion of property is faster.

>>29735402
>>29735615
((Okay, for the sake of not having the thread drag out too horribly when we're already several hours late, and because this is about our typical audience these days anyway, I'm going to call the vote five minutes early. Actually, I'm going to call all the votes five minutes early, just so that this thread finishes some time before five am. Voting window will be fifteen minutes for the rest of the thread.))

>>29735356
[x] Other
Knock on the wall, after looking inwards in our soul towards the link we have with the King of Spring and infusing our knock with his essence.

>>29735881
It's not exactly an easy climb. The thorns stick out in all directions, crossing over one another, and many of them have edges as sharp as their points. Your hands are bloody and painful and your clothes are torn in many places by the time you finally haul yourself over the top of the vines. But you manage to make it to the top without falling into the thorns or getting yourself impaled, and the rest is fixable later, after you make sure everyone's safe.

There are no thorns on the far side of the wall, which makes descending faster and probably safer, but a little daunting. The landing jolts you, but you're more worried by what you see as you look around. Or rather, don't see. On the other side of the wall, there's no sign of any Fae, or birds or animals. You don't even see insects. The forest is deathly quiet.

There's no signs of the usual paths or trails, so you try and walk directly away from the wall - hopefully that will take you more or less into the centre of the forest.

As you walk, you try to focus on your link to the King of the Spring Court, but it's not easy to meditate while you walk, and you don't know if you have the time to stop. That barrier could well mean that the Fae have come under attack already, and a wall of vines isn't going to stop someone with incendiary, explosive bullets.

You don't see any bodies as you walk, or any signs of explosions. That's probably a good sign. Just in case it was the barrier blocking you before, you take out your mobile phone. No signal at all.

A path! It's running almost horizontal to the way you were walking, but it's a start. Looking in each direction is... weird, though. The scenery in the distance looks blurred, like you're viewing it through a piece of warped glass. To the left looks like buildings. Maybe someone will be home. To the right is a wide open space. The clearing where the court was?

[]Left.
[]Right.

>>29736558
>[X]Right.
Court might be in session.

>>29736558
>[]Left.
Open ground with a sniper on the loose is never a good idea.

>>29736558
>[]Right.

>>29736586
>>29736606
>>29736603

((Right it is.))

>>29736603
((Sniper uually implies a level of training, discipline and patience that Coriander Hasp doesn't really have. He's more of a 'crazed gunman' with a powerful magical weapon. Although admittedly, he can, with a moment's exertion of will, become superior to the finest mortal shooters in the world, so a certain amount of caution is still in order.))

>>29736953
The path is strange. In the course of a few steps it changes from a broad avenue flanked by hedges to a tight, winding path cut through heavy undergrowth to a barely traceable path through widely spaced trees. When you look back, you have no idea how far you've come, and the clearing ahead seems just as far away as when you started walking. Occasionally there's a blur that might be another person seen out of the corner of your eye, but turning to look always shows nothing.

How long have you been walking on this path? It can't be that long, surely. The sun is... you can't seem to see the sun through the forest canopy. But it's still daylight. Was... was it daylight when you started? It feels like you've been walking for hours. You're so tired.

You wish you had a watch, or a clock, some way to see how long... wait, you do. Your phone. You pull it out, trying to focus, to remember when you started. It must have been... not long after you tried to call Jill and couldn't reach her. That was just outside the forest. Was that three hours ago? Four, perhaps?

It's been.... five minutes?

You look back at the long, winding path behind you, all sign of where you joined the path long vanished, and the unchanging, long-distant clearing ahead of you.

It's a trick. It's all a trick. Just another barrier, blocking the way.

You close your eyes, and take a step forward. Then another.

Noise bursts around you, a hundred voices shouting over one another. You open your eyes. You're at the edge of a familiar clearing, packed with Fae of all shapes and sizes. In the middle of the crowd you can just about make out the towering antlers of the King. You can't make out what anyone's shouting about, but they all sound angry.

"SILENCE!"

The King's shout rolls over the crowd, and silence indeed descends. He continues, in a massive, booming voice.

((Cont.))

>>29736953
>He's more of a 'crazed gunman'
Ah, so he's a man with mental illness, not a professional.

>>29737544
“This is my final word on the matter. This place has been profitable, yes, and it has shown us many fine inventions and magics. But it is too dangerous. I must think first of the safety of myself and my realm. We must retreat completely.”

“But Father, I -“ Avril’s voice, cut off by the King’s sudden reply.

“Silence, I say! There are plenty of other worlds. We will take ourselves to Ofreil, or Parabola, or the Marches. We will do well there. Our court will grow and prosper. Abandoning Earth is not a step I take lightly, but it is a step we must take. This is the word and command of the throne on this matter. This is the decision of the King! Will it be challenged?”

There is a general silence. The crowd seems to be shifting, drawing back. You can make out Avril, standing to one side of the King. Is there anything you want to do or say?

>>29737570
I'm not sure if we can do too much to convince the King to not move, but maybe we can get him to keep an outpost open?

"Will you not keep an outpost open here, Your Majesty? Some means of keeping tabs on your investments made, on the off-chance that certain other parties may yet intervene?"

>>29737701
((Writing now, I guess.))

>>29737951
woops, sorry about wondering off there OP, got other things going on right now, I would have challenged, but >>29737701 gets my support, it could be like an embassy, with us as the human ambassador to the fae and Avril as its station chief, with Jill as her security

>>29738011
Also, an embassy can be abandoned in quick order if it turns out that we're unsuccessful in fighting the Excrutians.

On that subject, what IS the Man's plan, if any?

>>29737951
You start to push your way forward through the crowd, raising your voice so you can be heard over the quiet, concerned mutterings of the people around you.

"Your Majesty! Will you not be leaving an outpost open on Earth, some means of keeping tabs on your investment? There is still a chance that others might intervene to protect this town."

As soon as you begin to speak, Avril squeals with joy and dives into the crowd, pushing her way towards you. Meanwhile, the King makes a sound like two great boulders grinding against one another.

"Hrrrrmph. Ambassador. It is not merely this town I do not expect to last much longer. It is Earth itself. And I would not risk the lives of my people by leaving open any connection there that the Pale Horsemen might follow back to my realm. My decision is final, I say."

As the King turns and seats himself again in his enormous throne, Avril pounces on you, hugging you tight.

"Chris! I was really worried you wouldn't make it here before we left!" She leans in, whispering in your ear. "Listen, you can stop this, okay? You're bound but you never actually swore a fealty oath, he can't stop you from challenging him. You win the challenge, and you can make the decision be reversed. My father will have no choice. He's far too stubborn, he's not going to listen to reason on this." She draws back, looking you in the eyes. "He'll dump you back out onto Earth, and we'll never see each other again. Are you going to just sit back and let him split us apart forever like that?"

What do you want to do?

>>29738270
This is worth risking, I think.
Quickly ask Avril what we can challenge the King at, that we have a chance of winning.

>>29738270
time to take the leap of faith

challenge him

>>29738396
is a good point, we dont want to challenge him to something we can't win

>>29738396
>>29738496
((Okay, writing.))

>>29738671
"Okay. What do I challenge him at, then?"

Avril looks a little puzzled, drawing you aside into a part of the crowd that seems to be thinning out quicker than most. There's still muttered conversation around you, but you don't think anyone's listening in.

"A duel, of course. What else? But don't worry," she adds, seeing the shock on your face, "it'll be a fair duel. He won't be able to use any of his magic, any of his tricks. Without those, you can take him. He's been getting complacent, too used to winning fights with teleportation and magic. You're strong, you're fast, you're powerful. From the moment I first saw you I knew you had the potential for greatness. Go on. Prove me right." She pushes you towards the dais where the King sits, consulting with a small, wizened Fae carrying an enormous book. The King looks up as you approach.

"Your Majesty, I, uh... I challenge your decision, on the matter of leaving Earth."

All noise stops. Most of the crowd seem to be holding their breath. The King says nothing for a moment. He simply stares at you, then looks over to Avril, and back to you.

"So," he says at last. "That's how it is, then. I might have known. Very well, Ambassador. I am required by law to accept your challenge. Robin, read the oath."

The wizened Fae flicks through the book, reciting in a high voice that carries easily throughout the clearing.

"Do you, King and challenger both, swear to abide by the results of this challenge, to respect the surrender of your opponent, and to prove your worthiness by your valour and strength? Do you swear this by the oak, the elm and the holly?"

The King recites the oath back in his deep, rumbling voice. "... by my valour and strength. This I swear by oak, elm and holly."

The small Fae turns his piercing gaze upon you, and you falteringly recite the oath. From nowhere, he produces a pair of slim, bronze swords, with leather-wrapped hilts.

"Then let the court be cleared, and let the challenge begin."

>>29739048
((Okay... decision time. It's 3:30am already here, and this duel is not going to be a short thing resolved with a few die rolls. I can keep going until I'm utterly exhausted, break wherever that is, and then pick up where we left off on Tuesday. Or we can break scene here, cut the thread short, and have Tuesday's thread entirely dedicated to it. But there's no way we'll be able to finish the entire challenge tonight, I'm really sorry. What would people prefer?))

Rolled 10, 6, 10 = 26

>>29739119
I say break scene here and to the duel in another thread.

>It's 3:30am already here
Go get some well deserved sleep OP

>>29739163
Yeah, what he said. Thanks for running, but go get some rest.

>>29739119
Break the scene here.

>>29739163
>>29739189
>>29739277
((Okay. Thank you all for being an awesome audience, and I guess I'll see you all on Tuesday. I will endeavour to be on time next thread, and sorry again about the delay on this one.))

Rolled 7, 9, 3 = 19

>>29739407
s'all good OP, cya then

>>29739407
Good night, MH.

Now... does anyone else think Avril is acting a bit weirdly? She suggested challenging her father before, over Jill's mother. And the Man told us she shouldn't have been able to propose it. So what's going on?