The Elephant In The Plaza

The recent Wave of Calamity put a huge hole in the middle of Alne Plaza. But a man wearing an Elephant Mask has appeared in the Plaza, lifting rocks four times his size, working on repairing the damage and rebuilding the home that once stood over it.

Liminality
Alne - Main Square

An enormous pile of pale rock has been gathered up at the edge of the hole that had been created by a Soul Devourer during the Fifth Wave of Calamity. The home next to the Hostess of Fertility has already been deconstructed, and various planks and wood has been moved to a side in the plaza - nicely stacked up to go into rebuilding the location.

It seemed to happen overnight. This arrival of building supplies. There's a few Landers (which says something, as Alne does not see a lot of Landers as is) and Adventurers that have since stepped in to help with some of the crafting and construction needed. But most of all, the one man that seems to be doing all the heavy lifting is drawing the most attention.

With the utter ease of some kind of superman, the elephant-mask wearing man lifts an enormous boulder up, bringing it over to the hole that gives access to the sewers, and slams it into place. Using some kind of strange 'magic' to even it out against the ground itself. Those watching can see the green light shimmer about in place, as he adjusts the ground itself to meld with the stone he places down.
Prophylaxis
Alne - Main Square

The repairs to Alne have been of considerable interest to each of the three Alliances, but Prophylaxis admits that he himself has been somewhat... preoccupied lately. He's been busy! He has a book deal to push through, multiple research projects underway, /and/ a massive public works undertaking to oversee!

But when he received notice of a weird man in an elephant mask hefting boulders like a burly Scotsman might haul a log, it got his attention. That's just not something you hear about every day around the Aincrad tower! It's worth at least a look around.

And so Prophylaxis is here... laying brickwork. He's not very good at it, what with being a noodly-armed wizard, but it felt weird to just stand back and interrogate the one doing most of the work. "So," he says, scraping another helping of spackle atop a half-formed wall. "You uh. You're sure moving a lot of ground there, friend. What exactly are we building here, again?"
Merek
Alne - Main Square

    Merek looks to the man while he begins to seal the sewers, then he nods. "Well, interesting." The man looks like he might want to ask questions, although he waits while watching the place in thought.
Goldenblade
Alne - Main Square

Goldenblade is generally found where construction and building are involved. Those are projects in which she finds her skillset well-suited to helping out. Though with the Elephant Mask man's amazing talents, her skills are better put to use in planning and arranging things, which is another important part of construction. Though it seems things are running smoothly now.

And of course she can help out the other players, standing with Prophylaxis and working to guide his bricklaying so that the things we're biulding will still be standing in a week. Just subtle shifts, really, he's not bad. But she's been a bricklayer for fifty years, she's got an eye for such things. "You don't need so much mortar," she advises, thinning a layer and plopping the goop back into the bucket. She taptaps a freshly laid brick a half inch to the side to give a more even build.
Mikage
Alne - Main Square

The last Wave of Calamity had not just brought with it monsters, but also far too many questions which have taken residence inside Mikage's brain. The word 'Traveler' had been mentioned, a few of those present identified by that title, however, it had been all but unfamiliar to her. Weren't they all travelers? What makes these ones different?

So, Mikage had stuck around long enough to watch one of the strangers. To watch, and to be amazed by the feats of strength being shown. It is certainly some kind of magic beyond any that she can wield. Hopping down from one of the nearby rooftops, the Ranger makes her way over, looking from the rocks to the Elephant-masked man and then back again.

"I'm more curious as to how he's moving that much ground." She chimes in, though her voice seems quiet and perhaps a bit soft-spoken. "I've never seen magic like that before."
Gwen
Alne - Main Square

Gwen isn't sure where they came from but it was time to get to work right? Gwen had made busy in the morning making food. When she'd caught word of what was going on? She packed food into her inventory and went to go take a look. She figures she'd fee sho was ever helping out and then pitch in herself she watches for a moment then calls out to the man.

"Want and hand and failing that would you like something to eat?!" Then it clicks to whom it is. She does look to Estelle.

"I have run into someone before with that on their inspect."

She then will call out to the Traveler for a moment.

"Didn't expect to see you again any time soon."

She will approach him to offer him a crescent burger combo.
Estelle
Alne - Main Square

The vixen hasn't been here the entire time, but she's asked some people to keep an eye out - and kept an eye on the stars, as well. And so it is by those combined providences that she's in Alne today, tails swishing behind her. Her arms are crossed, as her footsteps take up to the gathered crowd keeping an eye on the elephant-masked man. Her ears are partially pulled back as her silver eyes practically bore into him, watching his every move with keen attention. She has questions. So many questions. But she's not going to interrupt his work... on purpose.

But he can no doubt /feel/ her gaze.

"He's a Traveler. I think the D in his Inspect is the mark of such, though I only know it from him and another." Estelle asides to Mikage, at that comment, one hand pulling away from the other arm to gesture towards Ganesha. "He physically wrestled one of the Soul Devourers during the Wave, and vanished from sight without a Chant afterward. I think we're only seeing the tip of the iceberg."
Liminality
Alne - Main Square

"We're rebuilding the damage that was done by that invasion of Monsters of course." Ganesha answers Prophylaxis as he inquires with him, having used some kind of 'special ability' to reform the ground and permanently integrate the white stone against the ground, and moves to head to another large stone to do the same with.

As Mikage inquires about his magic, the Elephant Masked man halts for a moment, looking to the young white haired woman. A big smile appears. "Ahh... child of mine. It's not really magic. It's... something else." He explains to her. The man offers her to get a bit closer as he pushes one of the rocks down into the gap, and then declares; "Erra lhasya rre ganna yeal ganna." His hands spreading out, as a green glow overcomes this rock as well. It smooths out, reshaping, reconnecting to the previous piece of stone, until it is finally solidified.

With that done, he pats the stone, which now seems like one solid entity with all the other stone, as if it had forever been part of the stone. Rising back and looking to Gwen, he nods his head. "You are one of those who met Artemis, are you not? She is still pretty peeved about that encounter." He remarks to her, followed by a boisterous laughter.

He then nods to Estelle. "Yes, the Landers call us Travelers." He notes. "Or Wanderers, sometimes. Because we came from a different place than this world."

At the offer of the burger, he considers it for a moment... and then accepts it. Taking it into his hand and slowly bringing it to his mouth...

Squish.

Bite.

Sparkles practically appear around his face. "Soo gooood..." He declares, suddenly just kind of lost in the feeling of eating something he's never had before.
Merek
Alne - Main Square

    Merek seems to think about something while he nods a bit to everyone. "Do you know a person named Demiurge?" the man asks. That seems to be the question he asks anyone that's new.
Prophylaxis
Alne - Main Square

Prophylaxis looks only a little chastised at Goldenblade's gentle prodding. "Hrmnph. I'm a doctor," he huffs, scraping off a bit of mortar at her recommendation, "Not a stonemason...!"

And certainly not one of such skill as this elephant-headed person. "The other one had a D in her Inspection as well. The one with the, uh..." Prophylaxis pauses. He thinks for a moment about... how to... actually describe this person accurately and politely. Then he eventually settles on: "The one with the twin-tails, the boy-toy, and the underbust support ribbon. Her name was Hestia."

Yeah, that'll do it.

"We ran into her while we were pursuing the other Devourer. I assume she's probably around too, but-- does that make /us/ Travellers as well? Hm." Then why don't they have the 'D' under their inspection status...? Curiouser and curiouser.

But just when he's about to lose himself in thought, the elephant man says... words. Words that he doesn't necessarily /recognize/ but which belong to a language which he /does./ "...Hm. those words you used, sir elephant man-- the Landers sing in that language, don't they? What... what /is/ it? We can't seem to translate it like we do everything else."

The Songs of the World... Do they hold more power than he gave them credit for?
Mikage
Alne - Main Square

As Estelle joins her, Mikage looks over at the woman, inclining her head politely. Her words, however, cause a passing look of confusion on the face of the pale-haired Were Fang. "I've heard that word used before, but I don't really understand what it means." Her hand rests against her side, one thumb lightly hooked into a belt loop.

Then, to her surprise, the Elephant-masked man speaks directly to her, calling her a 'child of his'. She blinks, looking up from behind her fringe of slightly unkempt white hair. "That's... not a term of endearment I'm used to hearing." She actually looks behind her for a moment, perhaps expecting that he might be talking to someone else, entirely.

The strange language is equally unfamiliar. "I've ... never haerd that language before." She seems hesitant to add her questions to the mix, perhaps because some of the others here seem to have a far better idea of what might be going on than she does. "Is that where your abilities come from?" She doesn't call it 'magic' a second time, but without a proper name to call it, she just defaults to general terms.
Goldenblade
Alne - Main Square

Goldenblade nods to Prophylaxis about being a doctor. "Indeed," she replies. "And I've done bricklaying for fifty years, so it's fine. We all do the best we can, when we can." She hrms as he describes Hestia, she must have missed that. Wait, how does that even work? The songs of the world is one of many things that goes over her head, but she can't understand everything, so she lets that one go completely.

She steps closer to Ganesha as his method of construction is wholly strange to her. She's got no concept of magic, either in her character, or in her worldview, so this method of making things happen confuses her badly. "How ... how do you do that?" she manages to ask aloud. It'd take her hours with a chisel and she'd never get something so perfectly done if she took days at it. But her curiosity as a builder drives her, and she watches, rapt. "Something with the mask, then?" she wonders aloud.
Prophylaxis
Alne - Main Square

"I... think so, maybe?" Prophylaxis squints at the elephant man's mask. The mask that-- seemed to glimmer there, when he massaged together the shattered stone into a unified whole again. "We can do earth magic, but it's often so... temporary. It doesn't last, not like this. We can push other stuff out of the way, but just outright restoring a street...?"
Liminality
Alne - Main Square

As Prophylaxis asks about the words that the Elephant Mask bearing man spoke, he raises his hand to the back of his head, rubbing that big crown of black hair of his. "Hestia is probably busy with other things right now." He simply answers.

And as the subject shifts to the words he spoke, he shakes his head a bit. "It's the Old Language." He simply answers. "It's not that meaningful to me, to be honest. Certainly not anymore." He seems far less interested in Prophylaxis and answering his questions than Mikage for some reason.

Each time he looks to the white haired woman, there's this broad smile that he can't even hope to hide. "It's not a term of endearment, my Child. You are one of mine. Your Name was given by me." He explains to her, as if this meant anything that she could remotely wrap her head around.

He glances to the stone. And at Mikage's question, he shakes his head. "That ability is not drawn by those words specifically." He explains to her. And at Goldenblade's note, he nods. "That's right. It's this mask." He taps it. "It was... gifted to me." He then begins to move again, lifting another big stone, seemingly waving for Mikage to follow him as he does so.

"Most of my abilities come from me being me. Being this strong, for instance, is me. The stone thing is the mask. Once upon a time, I could have handled that myself under my own power. But now... it's the mask." He explains.

"Magic is temporary, because the energy supplied to it is temporary." Ganesha notes to Prophylaxis.
Gwen
Alne - Main Square

Gwen says "Yes, I do appricate her being willing to talk and not use other means with us." Gwen seems to mean it at least it wasn't Hera or Zeus they were dealing with right? She seems in good spirits. When the masked Elephant man take the burger, and one eats it. Then he enjoys it and she grins leaving him to enjoy his meal and she seems very proud of herself right now. She does get back to watching the masked man work. He may not need her help after all but at least she got him an enjoyable gift for his help cleaning up.
Liminality
Alne - Main Square

Noting Merek having spoken to him, he adds to that; "Hrrrm... no. Not familiar to me. Should it be?"
Merek
Alne - Main Square

    Merek looks to the bracelet that keeps his Enigma Pieces, then nods a bit to Ganesha, "Ah, probably not in that case, thank you anyway," he notes to the man, while he takes a moment to adjust his potion belt, "... Are you sealing up the way to the place that we all saw before?" he asks. There's a moment while he places a cigarette into his mouth, then lights that.
Goldenblade
Alne - Main Square

Goldenblade has her answer, but it's no answer, not really. Not given her untutored understanding of gameworld metaphysics. "Wait," she wonders. "If magic is temporary because the energy is temporary, then physical things must be done to be permanent?" That's as far as her logic takes her. But it seems reasonable to her. "Though I guess if a thing is physical but not comprehensible, we'd call it magic regardless. So, you're physically restructuring the rocks you're placing?" she asks. "That seems like the only way to make the changes permanent?"
Estelle
Alne - Main Square

"Visitor was the term I heard first, Shri Ganesha, but I'll remember Wanderer, too." The vixen admits, ears still flicking as she memorizes the sound of that other language - and turning towards Proph, as he mentions hearing the Landers sing in it. Curious. But a valid target for an Arte initiation, no doubt, if what the Traveler is doing even counts as Arte use. Her tails flick behind her, curling and shifting this way and that as the others' questions are addressed - especially the one about 'my Child', her ears perking at that explanation.

"... Do the Landers understand the songs they sing, or repeat them by rote, I wonder?" Her tone is musing, as she starts considering angles. "If it's the 'Old Language', then a number of things are likely recorded in it alone. It would be useful to learn." A beat. "... would you have any advice for such, Shri Ganesha?"

"Also, on an unrelated note, is there anyone among your group who specializes on the Heavenly Bodies and the Stars, and their interpretation? I have a number of questions on the Moons, but I'm not finding the answers in any record the Landers have."
Prophylaxis
Alne - Main Square

'Busy with other things' he says. Yeah, probably like snuggling that firebolt fanatic. Ah, young love...!

Beat.

"Fifty years, huh...? I suppose that makes sense," he answers and goes to stack another brick. "Hopefully we're not stuck here for too long, but--"

The Old Language. The doctor's brow furrows. He pauses in his brick-laying to... pull a little notebook from his pocket. "I'm sorry, would you be willing to... teach me some of it? I may be a doctor, but there are-- mmn, I'm not sure how familiar you are with our situation, but I would like to know as much as I can of this world."

Ganesha speaks as though he has been diminished somehow. But if that's the case, if he refers to those words as the 'Old Language,' then how old /is/ he really?

The energy supplied to magic is temporary. That makes sense. But-- "Then, you aren't using magic. And the energy is being supplied... permanently, by the mask? Or--"

Hm. He's beginning to feel vaguely Mizuki-ish, maybe he should stop and just settle for learning more about that fascinating language.
Mikage
Alne - Main Square

There is a certain level of helplessness as Mikage looks to the others, obviously uncertain as to what the Elephant-masked man may be talking about. His interest in her is not unnoticed either. She doesn't come to the answer immediately, as if she were trying to sort through everything and piece it together while the man answers other questions.

With him motioning her forward, Mikage follows, falling into step. "Stone... thing in the mask?" She asks, as if seeking more information simply by repeating his own words.

Then, she seems to realize what he might mean by one of 'his'. "When you say 'one of mine'... do you mean that I'm a Were Fang?" She asks. "I can't say I know much about the creation of them, other than that the Mage's Tower was involved." It's not something she has looked into, either.
Liminality
Alne - Main Square

Ganesha gives Merek a bit of a look. And then looks at the others. He doesn't answer Merek, because he isn't sure if the guy is serious or not. As such, he files it away as Adventurers lacking common sense sometimes. He seems to mutter something under his breath.

At Goldenblade's questions, Ganesha just kind of... stares. "You just said a lot of words little lady. Ehm... and I'm honestly not sure what to answer, or /if/ I should answer. So I shall answer with silence." Before looking to Estelle. "Right... Visitor. That is an word I have not heard in a long time."

He kind of just 'shrugs' at her question about the Landers. Letting Prophylaxis get his question in as well. "I would recommend aiming your sights elsewhere. The Old Language is old and out of use for a good reason. Even if you -understood- it, it wouldn't help you." He doesn't go in on the matter of the mask any further with Prophylaxis.

At the follow-up, another shake of his head. "We don't look to the skies anymore." He simply answers.

Ganesha bends down, and brings up another stone, proceeding to the hole. It's almost entirely filled in now. "Ah! Yes. The Mage's Tower did a good thing in ensuring your existance once again here. I am glad. Especially after that mess with the Waves and Helba and..." Pause. "I shouldn't have said that." He then mutters, shaking his head. "Now they're going to be mad with me. I didn't say any of that." He tells Mikage, before changing the subject. "Yes. You are a Were Fang, one of my Children. Do you like the name?" Were Fang. "I think it was a good name at the time."

It seems she gets answers more willingly from him. "And yes, the Mask enables me to manipulate that stone. A gift. It was a good gift. I can't tell you who gave it to me, but I appreciate this gift." He taps the mask.
Merek
Alne - Main Square

    Merek looks then to Ganesha in thought, while he nods, "Alright, I won't tell them you said it," he notes. The man takes a moment to think about it, while he takes a drag from the cigarette and looks to Estelle. "Interesting," he notes. "I am Merek, an alchemist of the people." The man introduces because that's polite.
Prophylaxis
Alne - Main Square

"It's not though, not really," Prophylaxis answers, shaking his head slowly. "The Landers still sing in it, even though they don't know the words. It's a beautiful language, and that's enough for me to want to know more about it, and besides--" His expression brightens into a genuine grin, "I've always been interested in learning what those songs were actually trying to say. They may have seemed like nonsense, but they were beautiful nonsense. So, please?"

Can you turn down such a genuine, honest and earnest smile, Ganesha!?

(Mikage, help a doctor out here.)

(Incidentally-- Ganesha created the Were Fangs? Does that mean--)

"...Is there a Traveller responsible for each of the other races as well?"
Goldenblade
Alne - Main Square

Goldenblade gets no answer, but much more eloquently than Merek. "I don't understand much," she admits to Ganesha. "I'd like to understand what you're doing, if I can, though somehow I think I wouldn't have understood if you /had/ chosen to answer. But, building is what I've done my whole life, and if I could build like you do, I would. You said you used to be able to do it without the mask, too. Can you tell us how?" Not that she expects an answer she could use, but if she doesn't ask, she's got a 100 percent chance of no answer. This way, she's got a 99 percent chance of an answer that won't help her. That's the best she can do.

Proph gets a smirk as he realizes how old she must be. Her player, anyway. But she nods about not being stuck here. "I can't imagine we will be. Not me, anyhow." At least she's not afraid of her own mortality. After all, there's not much she can do about it. Wait, there's another conversation going on, and she ohs about the songs, and tries to pay attention to what's said about those. They do seem significant, somehow.
Mikage
Alne - Main Square

There is another of those confused expressions on the Were Fang's brow, then a hint of a smirk at something the man muttered to himself. Of course, that seems to be lost as he goes into explaining more.

"Ensuring our existance... here." Once again, Mikage seems to repeat the man's words, as if she were making sure she heard him correctly. "So, Were Fang existed at a time before the Mage's Tower re-created them? Or in some other world than this one?" Those seemed to be the two options based on what he'd said.

Then, he goes on to talk about Waves and Helba, and Miki opens her mouth to ask, but he is quick to ask them all to forget he said that. Uncertain, she hesitates, but doesn't press that particular line of questioning. "Uh... yes, actually. Though I don't wear my fangs all that often." She answers with her own play on words.

"I suppose you could say that we have some of our own relics that grant gifts, but not anything quite like yours." She lightly closes her hand around a blue stone at her throat. That's when she spots Prophylaxis' smile. Damn the man looking so gosh darn genuine.

"Prophylaxis is right.  think, anyways. It's connected to the songs of the Landers, right?" She asks him, then looks back at the Elephant-masked man. "They're haunting and beautiful and... sometimes downright scary."
Estelle
Alne - Main Square

Those starry ears pull flat, at the talk of how they shouldn't bother learning the Old Language because it fell out of use for 'good reason'. "I don't care about using it as you do; I just want to be able to learn from the past, to see where this world has been and thus better aim what paths to walk in the future. 'Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it'." The quote is said with earnest belief behind it, the vixen's hands spreading.

What Ganesha follows up with, however, has her /freeze/. Estelle goes utterly still, ear flat and silver eyes wide as she just... looks at the Traveler. For a moment she could be considered a statue. "You... don't look to the skies anymore?" There is complete and utter disbelief in her tone. "No stargazing, to look upon the infinite beauty and possibilities of the heavens? No reading of the stars and moons, to help find the hidden miracles they allow? No consideration of the Moons, to keep track of the shifting, disjointed sections of the Red, and ensure nothing disturbs it enough to come crashing down?"

"... also, I heard the 'current' Cait Sith essentially called the mark two, though I have no idea what... 'Ursprunglich... Versammlung...'? meant, as the defining difference." The fox asides to Mikage, in a much calmer tone. And likely butchering the 'German' to a fair degree.
Liminality
Alne - Main Square

"Responsible for you? No, you're responsible for yourselves." Ganesha answers Prophylaxis as he asks about the other races. "And no, I am not going to teach you the old language. No offense, mister Adventurer, but I have better things to do than play teacher." Up comes another stone, even larger than the last. Just an enormous /slab/ of stone he'd clearly gathered overnight from various others stones that had fallen during the Wave, and slowly brings it over. A massive shadow looming over him as he does so.

To Goldenblade, Ganesha answers; "You can't do what I used to do. Not even if you had this mask. But if you want to do what I can do now... I suppose I could point you in /a/ direction. But it tends to be far too dangerous for you Adventurer types. I don't think you should." He notes.

As Mikage tries to interfere, he halts for a moment, massive slab lifted over his head. "Of course you existed before the Mage's Tower, and you come from Here. Do you think they just happen to come up with such an existance on their own? Of course, your tribes used to be very different in a way. But your essence is the same really." A pause. "But I recommend you keep that to yourself, alright? Some people are really sensitive about that."

At her note of her fangs, he smiles. "That is your perogative. I only gave you your Name. You can do with what you are whatever you wish, my Child. Just like you always could." He points out. Before pausing as Mikage pushes the matter of the song. He glances aside a few times, then leans in to whisper something to Mikage.

Rising back up, he finally throws the slab onto the stone, and speaks similar words once again in a commanding tone, and begins to adjust the shape of the slab, slowly sinking it into the hole and making it fit.

As Estelle speaks, he notes; "The skies are no longer our place. And we are better for it. Please, do not speak to Travelers of the skies and the stars. Some will most assuredly get angry with you." He pointedly tells Estelle. "Not all of them are as patient as me." He doesn't continue to speak on the Cait Sith.
Gwen
Alne - Main Square

Gwen is paying keen attention to things for a moment, she just stares for a moment at the masked man for a moment.

"Don't look to the skies anymore that's somewhat sad."

She then pauses for a moment thinking about that, the Mage Tower may have just made an enemy of Scale Emblem right there.

"Helba...."

She pauses only recalling that name from some old post about a PC who had a strange appearance in fragment. Strange to hear such a name from him.

"The mage tower had a hand in this?"

The Tower may be about to get a lot of agro on it she'll have to talk to Proteus later. She doesn't do more to bring that up and she thinks a bit more. "So I got to ask a few things who are the Sylphs children of and humans for that matter. Also, I found some old references to calling humans monkies..."

She does heed the warning about the Travlers but they may be something they need to deal with. She may have missunderstood about the Mage tower though and it seems that is the case.

"Then there was that song with the Chim Chims..."
Merek
Alne - Main Square

    "Remember what we learned about where the Travelers came from," Merek offers as an aside for Estelle without offering everyone there the information. He then nods to Ganesha, he doesn't have a lot of questions for the man. He doesn't seem to be thinking of a lot except the smoking.
Estelle
Alne - Main Square

"I think it's more the Mage Tower was used as a tool to help safeguard his creations, or create them anew to prevent their loss." The vixen notes to Gwen, even as her tails flick behind her in an agitated manner. She does seem to take the repeated statement that the 'skies aren't for them anymore' in mind now, though, even if it /obviously/ rankles her. She shakes her head, after long moments, and then straightens up.

"... Alright, Shri Ganesha. If you won't share some of your hard-earned wisdom with us, we'll just have to seek it ourselves. Thank you for what you have said, though. Even the removal of a path is a guide forward; a warning about dangers a clue of caution." Not to mention the slip-ups, and the hints they provide for other things to dig into. Helba. Artosh. That the skies /were/ once for the Travelers. All things to follow up on. She gives him an honest curtsy. head briefly bowing.

Estelle asks no further questions, though, just glancing aside to Merek at his comment and tipping her head. Then she just... listens.
Prophylaxis
Alne - Main Square

Mikage is Helpful! But Ganesha decides rather pointedly to not be. Prophylaxis sighs, scratching idly at his cheek with that forlorn, unused pencil. "Well, that's fine I suppose. But would it trouble you so much to at least tell me its name? Maybe draw a hieroglyph quick? Knowing it only as The Old Language will make wasting my time digging through ancient history that much more difficult."

Ah, but it's probably not going to get anywhere. Alas and alack, maybe Mikage learned something there...?

Well, at the very least, there's still more work to be done. More bricks to lay, more mortar to layer...!
Mikage
Alne - Main Square

Despite the size of the massive rocks that the Elephant-masked man is lifting, Mikage doesn't seem to be intimidated by them. It's more a matter of wonder. Amazement that that kind of strength could exist in the world, even if only by some unknown supernatural means. There is a lot to take in, and the Were Fang girl tends to be one of those who takes time to formulate her thoughts.

Between the tidbit of information that Estelle offers, and the man's own comments, her brows furrow. It's Estelle she answers first. "The robot, right?" That is the only creature she's met who uses German as a language. Then, she adds, "If Cait Sith and Were Fangs existed before, I wonder what happened to cause them to disappear the first time." Though, with some of the negative feelings towards the beast-races, it wouldn't surprise her if they weren't wiped out.

She might have pushed the matter of the strange language again, but the whisper seems to draw another of those thoughtful looks from the girl, so the matter is left where it lies. "A lot of times, I don't feel like I understand very much about this world. I think I'll always have more questions than answers, but... I appreciate having more to think about." She laughs softly, shaking her head in amusement.
Goldenblade
Alne - Main Square

Goldenblade perks up, intrigued by Ganesha's words. "Far too perilous?" That sounds like a challenge, to her. "I probably shouldn't," she agrees with him. "On the other hand, everyone seems to be moving forward but me, so I'd like to try this thing." She bows her head to Ganesha, "If you'll tell me about this direction I could go, I assure you, I will go as carefully as I can." Anyhow, if she never did things she shouldn't do, she'd never do anything interesting. She watches as he places and sets and forms the slab to his will. That just rings all kinds of bells in her bricklayer's brain.

She's only assisting Proph's bricklaying with half her attention, now, and it shows, perhaps, in that she's not backing him up quite so aggressively. Bricklaying's a 2-person job if you can help it, it's much slower without a helper. As Mikage laments not understanding about the world, she chuckles. "You and me, both." And she nods about having more to think about.
Liminality
Alne - Main Square

Ganesha shakes his head at Gwen. "If the Traveler responsible for the Sylph wants to make themselves known, they'll do so." He simply answers her. The rest isn't really a question for him to respond to. So he finishes the stone-laying and rises back up.

"Be aware seeking out the Old Language. Not all who and what, which would give it power, are friendly to your plight." He points out to Estelle. It seems that warning is all he'll give to that. And it's also the only hint he'd give Goldenblade, as it points to more than just a language.

To Prophylaxis; "The Old Language is the Old Language. Some people have named it different things in the past, but those people are long dead."

He then puts his big hand onto Mikage's head, and ruffles her hair like a parent might to a child, boisterously laughing. "There is much to understand. It is a whole world out there. From Orth to Fort Ouph, from the Navel of the Lake to Singing Hill, from Tír fo Thuinn to the Palace of Light. And you have all no doubt only seen a little bit of it."

His hand lifts. "But to the unspoken question in your eyes, and at the edge of your lips... there was once a great war. One in which my children, and two others, were the bravest of them all. Leading to their collective demise. Yet, if it was not for you... none of us would be here today." He looks so very proud.
Merek
Alne - Main Square

    Merek does take a moment and looks to Ganesha, then he begins lifting up his bracelet. The bracelet is little of note, it's simply a device to keep the two puzzle box pieces on them, the man nods a bit, "... What do you know about the Enigma Pieces?"
Mikage
Alne - Main Square

There is an almost affectionate laugh that Mikage manages as her hair is ruffled. The gesture gives her a pang in her chest that she hasn't felt in a long time. It reminds her of her father, and it causes a hint of a glassy moisture to build in her eyes. "I plan on seeing all of it, or at least as much as I can before our time runs out." None of them know how long they have, and even if this world is only a fraction the size of the real one, that is still more than a lifetime's worth to see.

She takes in all the names of places, some familiar, but most very much not. "You said Orth. It's a place on this world, then?" It may sound like a strange quetion, but she had heard others talk about it as if it was a word for the real world.

When he mentions her unspoken question, Mikage just nods. It is better, in her mind, that their kin had fallen in battle than to have been wiped out due to other reasons. "I'm glad their sacrifice wasn't in vain. And I'm glad to have a chance to follow in their footsteps." She might not be worthy of that legacy, but damn if she wasn't going to try.

"Thank you." The girl doesn't offer a reason why, but from the look in her eyes, it suggests it may be simply something in his words that sparked her own past, and her own drive to keep exploring the world.
Prophylaxis
Alne - Main Square

"Gonna make me look the hard way, huh...?" Prophylaxis sighs even more deeply. Such are the way of things, he supposes. "That's fine. If there are any clues at all out there, it seems like I'll just have to put the old one-hundred-percenter skills to the test...!"

But there's been enough hints dropped here already anyway. Of an ancient war and those that fought in it, and the sacrifices made, and...

"...Huh," he mutters, thoughtfully. "You're... a god, right? Or, you have the name of one of the gods from our world at least. Ganesha, do you know anything of the Three Goddesses? Are you... old acquaintances, perhaps?"

He lays another brick. Puts down more spackle, then another brick. And so it goes.
Estelle
Alne - Main Square

"... Thank you again, Shri Ganesha." The vixen replies, at this latest point of warning. She turns it around in her head, mouthing 'or what' to herself once, and then gives a resolute nod. The power behind it isn't what she seeks, but she might brush upon such things in the learning all the same. Though her ears twitch again, at the hint that it may be known under other names. Some might not be too hard to track down, all the same...

"I'd be willing to help the search, Prophylaxis. The stars have guided me to secrets before, though they do not always choose the safest path. And I do have some skills in tracking down and sifting through research, besides."
Goldenblade
Alne - Main Square

Goldenblade looks blankly at Ganesha, but ... was that a hint? She'll have to work it out for herself, after all, it seems. But the idea that there =is= something to be worked out is a step forward. She focuses on bricklaying with Proph, though he seems to have the hang of it by now, and she's trying to work out what's being half-hinted at. She nods as Proph mentions puzzling it out, ourselves. "Count me in with that," she tells him quietly, looking to Estelle as she offers to help the search. "I'd like to help, if I can," she says aloud.
Gwen
Alne - Main Square

Gwen says "Very well I was simply curious." She admits but she takes it in stride sh won't press Ganesha has been pretty chill after all. He may have reasons for not answering certain questions. He's already told them some damn useful stuff as it is already.

"It is a wonderful world one I'm very happy to be living in now Ganesha. I wish to remain here if I'm being honest." She notes tilting her head for a moment. She also takes a look at him with a grin.

"IT's just more adventure Prophylaxis and sometimes it's best to learn on your own y0ou know? Earned information is worth more, right? I'm curious about this too."
Liminality
Alne - Main Square

At Merek's question, Ganesha grimaces for a moment. "I know nothing of those... Ashes." He answers him, clearly lying.

Ganesha clearly had not expected the waterworks, and tilts his head a bit. "It's alright, my Child." He remarks. "All is well." He doesn't understand why she speaks of time running out. But he simply smiles at her as that moisture builds up. Reaching into a pocket, and pulling out a simple hankerchief, and gives it to her. "There, keep it." Ganesha tells her.

"Hmm, yes. Orth is a place in his world. I do not recommend delving deep into that place. Something sleeps there, which must not be awoken." He is sure to remind her. "Though I am sure the people of Orth will tell you the same when you travel there." Seeing her explorer's spirit, he changes the 'if' to a 'when'.

"Orth is a dangerous place." He points out. He then motions his hand to the remaining building materials. "The foundation has been lain. You may proceed to build on it safely. Please see that the house is rebuilt." He asks of the gathered Landers and Adventurers.

His eyes glaze over a bit as Prophylaxis speaks, as if he didn't quite hear him. "I'm a Traveler." He simply answers him, before suspiciously looking at him, before noting to him and Gwen both; "I am no God. I did not make this world. This is your world now."

And with that said, he begins to head down a road, and literally fades from view.
Mikage
Alne - Main Square

Taking the handkerchief, Mikage laughs softly to herself, using it to wipe at her eyes. "Sorry, you just... reminded me of my dad for a second." Like many people within the New World Alliance, Miki doesn't talk about her life in the real world that much. She offers the man a smile though, eyes bright with some rekindled light.

"I'll be sure to find it then, someday." She confirms, "But I'll be careful." Best not to wake a sleeping beast. Then again, the world is full of many dangers. Some of them seem to be simply stepping stones on the path to understanding.

When Ganesha does take his leave, Miki watches him go, still holding that handkerchief. She looks down at it, then tucks it into one of her pockets. Then, she walks over to Prophylaxis, leaning in towards him to offer him a whisper of her own.

When that is said, she leans back, shrugs her shoulders helplessly as if she were unsure that would help him at all.
Merek
Alne - Main Square

    Merek nods a little bit to Ganesha, "Thank you for the information, you be well." The man waves to people, "I need to find a few things for a farm."
Prophylaxis
Alne - Main Square

Bah!! God-named people and their too-cryptic answers. Prophylaxis huffs, just a /little/ bit petulent. "Straight answers save everybody time and effort. My curiosity may be insatiable, but it'd be nice if we could be spared the trouble. Bah! Oh well."

He looks to Estelle then, and nods. "I'd be glad for the help, stargazer. Whatever it is that we find, I hope it at least helps make sense of all the background music. It'd be a shame to have it all just remain songs with no meaning." But perhaps the emotion behind them is meaning enough...?

Mikage whispers in his ear, and said ear twitches just a little bit. "...I see. It's not as if I'm going to make them /stop.../ Hrmph. Thank you regardless."
Goldenblade
Alne - Main Square

Goldenblade peers after Ganesha as he departs, and calls, "Thank you!" That foundation work he did in an hour or two would have taken days or weeks with mundane artisans. She looks over the solid foundation, recalling the hole that had been there. And then nods about reuiblding the house. "Absolutely!" she agrees.

And .... if we're advised not to go to a place, that's certainly where we've got to go. That's not so much sense as genre-savvy, though she's certainly not savvy to gaming. But it's a common enough thing in fiction. To Proph and Estelle, she says, "I'll do what I can, simple as that may be." She's just an old country bricklayer.
Estelle
Alne - Main Square

"... Goodbye, Shri Ganesha." Estelle speaks to the air, as the Traveler vanishes once more. "I wish you well."

Her tails swish behind her, as she looks to where his back was... but she shakes off her thoughts after along moments, especially when Proph speaks to her again. "I imagine it will shed light on many things, some of which the Travelers would wish remain in the dark. There's a... history, there, that they seem to either dread, shame, or both." She closes her eyes a moment, and breathes out. "So take care if you ever see the name 'Artosh'. It appears tied deeply to it."

"... But, I need to think awhile. Get my thoughts in order. It looks like I will have to do my study of the Moons and their alignments from scratch, unless I get lucky and find some ruins with information on them." There's a shake of her head, and she turns her gaze skyward. And then her hand reaches out, so she can send a Friend request to Proph so they can keep in contact.
Prophylaxis
Alne - Main Square

"Yeah, goodbye mister Elephant," Prophylaxis calls after the space the god-named man vanished into. "Thanks for your help with the street."

He nods to Estelle, then. "Let me know if you want help building a telescope or something. There was something that I found on the fourth floor of the tower that could maybe be of assistance. And-- yes, I do suppose we will more likely than not come into conflict with the Travellers. Or at least, those who would keep the past buried." He shakes his head, then... "Though I do wonder... the skies are no longer theirs? What then of those of us climbing Aincrad? As we reach for the skies ourselves, what will we find there...?"
Gwen
Alne - Main Square

Gwen thanks Ganesha for his help, he has helped to speed up the repairs quite a bit. "Right I get it sometimes it's best to leave things in deep places sleeping." She gets that much she thinks about the warning and will try to heed it she'll watc has he leaves and gives him a wave as he does so. "I hav some thinks to think on." She looks to Prophylaxis. "This is a word that could have things right out of Mythos things best left sleeping."
Goldenblade
Alne - Main Square

Goldenblade asks Proph, "About the skies no longer being theirs? Doesn't that just mean no one can fly, even with wings?" She hrms as he then metions telescopes. "Lens grinding can't be that hard, can it?" She nods to Gwen about things best left sleeping. "The had that as backstory in that one recent movie, yeah? Dwarves digging too deep, or something?"
Gwen
Alne - Main Square

Gwen says "Could be why these are just a fun fashion accessory." She notes flaping her wings a bit. "I slow fall with them at best... and could be. Drums in the deep..."