"Spicy tuna coming up." Tony says with a smile.
Glenn sees how you reacted to their shouting, and leans in close to you.
"Do loud noises bother you? I can't help but notice that you like, jump every time someone raises their voice. I mean, I don't wanna dig into your personal life like that, but, if it's something that really freaks you out, I'll try to keep my voice down."
The minotaur waiter you saw earlier slides Glenn their drink.
"Thanks, Adonis." Glenn mutters.
Adonis extends his hand to Jenny. Jenny looks at Glenn. Glenn rolls their eyes and slaps a $5 bill down.
"Why do you offer me a drink if you're not going to pay for it?" Glenn sighs.
"Because you need to loosen up!" Jenny cackles.
Glenn whispers in your ear.
"Somebody has to be an adult in this family. Mom #2 can't do it all by herself."
Glenn sees how you reacted to their shouting, and leans in close to you.
"Do loud noises bother you? I can't help but notice that you like, jump every time someone raises their voice. I mean, I don't wanna dig into your personal life like that, but, if it's something that really freaks you out, I'll try to keep my voice down."
The minotaur waiter you saw earlier slides Glenn their drink.
"Thanks, Adonis." Glenn mutters.
Adonis extends his hand to Jenny. Jenny looks at Glenn. Glenn rolls their eyes and slaps a $5 bill down.
"Why do you offer me a drink if you're not going to pay for it?" Glenn sighs.
"Because you need to loosen up!" Jenny cackles.
Glenn whispers in your ear.
"Somebody has to be an adult in this family. Mom #2 can't do it all by herself."
"Thank you, Tony," Charlotte said, smiling a bit more. Glancing over as Glenn leaned in close, she nodded. "A little, yeah... Thanks," she said. "Just... bad experiences in the past can lead to things like this." She would welcome the quiet of her tank, and the river, if they ever got to go down there. Maybe a night swim?
She looked up at the minotaur, her eyes tracking the mixed drink as it slid smoothly across the counter. Adonis. He seemed quiet, but maybe that was just his mood at the moment. She had calmed down now, more relaxed as the buzz of activity resumed around them.
She let out a small laugh as Glenn whispered, glancing over at Jenny. At the designation of #2, the dragoness sat up a little taller, looking around for the plesiosaur. "Speaking of which, where's the other?" She asked. "Morgane, right?"
She looked up at the minotaur, her eyes tracking the mixed drink as it slid smoothly across the counter. Adonis. He seemed quiet, but maybe that was just his mood at the moment. She had calmed down now, more relaxed as the buzz of activity resumed around them.
She let out a small laugh as Glenn whispered, glancing over at Jenny. At the designation of #2, the dragoness sat up a little taller, looking around for the plesiosaur. "Speaking of which, where's the other?" She asked. "Morgane, right?"
"Oh shit, right." Glenn almost yells, but then lowers their voice down to a whispered hiss.
"Hey Tony, make that sushi to go. We gotta leave."
"Gonna go swim with the old lady, huh?" Jenny slurs.
Glenn's eyes glow red. I don't mean that in the figurative sense. Glenn's eyes, quite literally, catch on fire. Their face contorts to a terrifying grimace. Their liquor begins to bubble and steam. The heat coming from their hands causes the glass to crack.
"Mom, you've had enough." they growl. "You're going to say something you regret."
"Don't talk to me about regret." Jenny grumbles. "You're still young. You got your whole life ahead of you. No crummy job, no wet blanket wife, no snot nosed kids."
Glenn's tentacles begin to wave erratically. The hand they use to hold their liquor begins to change shape, becoming a massive crab claw. The glass shatters, and they use their other hand to begin waving the spilled liquor around in the air, forming an amber tsunami suspended in the air.
"Go home mom. Go home right now."
Jenny stares long and hard at Glenn. The look is not a mother about to chastise their misbehaving child. The look is like an annoyed teenager who thinks she's much too cool to have to deal with this.
"Bye Tony!" she cries in an obviously fake happy voice. She staggers out of her stool, stares at you, scoffs, and slithers out of the bar.
Glenn begins to calm down, returning to their usual form.
"Sorry you had to see that." Glenn scowls, not able to look you in the eye.
Tony comes by with a paper box, some napkins, and a glass bottle of Coca Cola.
"Spicy tuna to go," he says with a smile. "Hope next time you'll be here to stay. Love to get to know you better. You two enjoy your evening."
"Hey Tony, make that sushi to go. We gotta leave."
"Gonna go swim with the old lady, huh?" Jenny slurs.
Glenn's eyes glow red. I don't mean that in the figurative sense. Glenn's eyes, quite literally, catch on fire. Their face contorts to a terrifying grimace. Their liquor begins to bubble and steam. The heat coming from their hands causes the glass to crack.
"Mom, you've had enough." they growl. "You're going to say something you regret."
"Don't talk to me about regret." Jenny grumbles. "You're still young. You got your whole life ahead of you. No crummy job, no wet blanket wife, no snot nosed kids."
Glenn's tentacles begin to wave erratically. The hand they use to hold their liquor begins to change shape, becoming a massive crab claw. The glass shatters, and they use their other hand to begin waving the spilled liquor around in the air, forming an amber tsunami suspended in the air.
"Go home mom. Go home right now."
Jenny stares long and hard at Glenn. The look is not a mother about to chastise their misbehaving child. The look is like an annoyed teenager who thinks she's much too cool to have to deal with this.
"Bye Tony!" she cries in an obviously fake happy voice. She staggers out of her stool, stares at you, scoffs, and slithers out of the bar.
Glenn begins to calm down, returning to their usual form.
"Sorry you had to see that." Glenn scowls, not able to look you in the eye.
Tony comes by with a paper box, some napkins, and a glass bottle of Coca Cola.
"Spicy tuna to go," he says with a smile. "Hope next time you'll be here to stay. Love to get to know you better. You two enjoy your evening."
Turning back to the two others present at the bar, Charlotte gives a soft smile in Glenn's direction, the look soon turning to partial concern as Jenny speaks. Her eyes widened as Glenn's own heated up, glowing red and causing the liquor to start boiling. She could feel the heat even from behind them, thin wisps of steam starting to rise from her own scales as Glenn's anger grew.
"Glenn, please," she whispers, her head lowering down slightly, something akin to fear creeping into her gaze as she stared, wide-eyed, as the glass shattered. The fragments bounced off her scales, scattering around the counter and the floor to either side of it. This could be bad, and she knew it. She was faced with the choice to either run, and try to escape the hybrid's wrath, or stick around, possibly facing what consequences came along with it.
She watched as Jenny stumbled out of the bar, the dragoness's tail twitching and swaying, eventually curling through the seat, entwining around the various bars and supports. She stayed like that for a moment, almost not hearing as Tony came around with the meal. Closing her eyes for a moment, she took a breath, a slow sigh escaping her as her shoulders relaxed.
Turning toward Tony, she offered a small smile, nodding as the items were presented. "T-thank you," she said. "I'd like to come back here... under better circumstances, perhaps." Taking the box, she set the napkins on top of it, her tail uncurling from around the stool. "I do think we should go, though... It was nice meeting you, Tony." She would have to come back here, maybe without the others. Maybe once she got to now them better, though, things would be different. Quite a thing to witness on her first day.
"Glenn, please," she whispers, her head lowering down slightly, something akin to fear creeping into her gaze as she stared, wide-eyed, as the glass shattered. The fragments bounced off her scales, scattering around the counter and the floor to either side of it. This could be bad, and she knew it. She was faced with the choice to either run, and try to escape the hybrid's wrath, or stick around, possibly facing what consequences came along with it.
She watched as Jenny stumbled out of the bar, the dragoness's tail twitching and swaying, eventually curling through the seat, entwining around the various bars and supports. She stayed like that for a moment, almost not hearing as Tony came around with the meal. Closing her eyes for a moment, she took a breath, a slow sigh escaping her as her shoulders relaxed.
Turning toward Tony, she offered a small smile, nodding as the items were presented. "T-thank you," she said. "I'd like to come back here... under better circumstances, perhaps." Taking the box, she set the napkins on top of it, her tail uncurling from around the stool. "I do think we should go, though... It was nice meeting you, Tony." She would have to come back here, maybe without the others. Maybe once she got to now them better, though, things would be different. Quite a thing to witness on her first day.
Tony waves as you and Glenn exit the bar. Glenn has their hands in their pockets, looking down at their feet.
"I'm really, really sorry," they sigh. "You didn't need to see all that."
Glenn takes a vape out of their pocket and takes a long, deep rip. They exhale, filling the air with a minty cloud of syrupy smoke.
"She's been like this since I turned 16. I mean, I wonder if she was always like this and just stopped giving a shit about hiding it after I was old enough to understand her. Maybe she started out wanting to be a good mom but, once I started having my own opinions and stuff, she just stopped giving a shit. It was never this bad though. I mean, did you hear her? I knew she regretted marrying my mom, and my existance, but holy fuck. To be that blunt about it? In front of our new neighbor? I mean, fuck, if you weren't there, I probably would have killed her."
They take another long drag, exhale, then look at you.
"Fuck, I made it worse, didn't I?"
Glenn points the vape towards you, gesturing as if to ask if you would like to take a hit.
"I'm really, really sorry," they sigh. "You didn't need to see all that."
Glenn takes a vape out of their pocket and takes a long, deep rip. They exhale, filling the air with a minty cloud of syrupy smoke.
"She's been like this since I turned 16. I mean, I wonder if she was always like this and just stopped giving a shit about hiding it after I was old enough to understand her. Maybe she started out wanting to be a good mom but, once I started having my own opinions and stuff, she just stopped giving a shit. It was never this bad though. I mean, did you hear her? I knew she regretted marrying my mom, and my existance, but holy fuck. To be that blunt about it? In front of our new neighbor? I mean, fuck, if you weren't there, I probably would have killed her."
They take another long drag, exhale, then look at you.
"Fuck, I made it worse, didn't I?"
Glenn points the vape towards you, gesturing as if to ask if you would like to take a hit.
Waving back at Tony as the two exited, Charlotte took a deep breath of the cooling air outside air, her scales finally starting to lose their heat. As she listened to Glenn speak, her scales seemed to pulse in time with her steps. Not like the shimmering from before, but slow, rhythmic waves of faint discoloration, seeming to flow down her body, ringing her tail as they faded near the end.
Glancing over as she was offered the vape, she shook her head, turning her eyes back to the path ahead of them. "It did seem a little harsh," she said after a moment. "Both her attitude... and maybe how you reacted." She suspected that, from the almost bored look on Jenny's face, that this had happened before. Or maybe it was just from her intoxicated state, she wasn't as perceptive to what Charlotte would call unnatural.
"People change... it's just something that we all have to accept." Her tone wasn't accusatory, she wasn't trying to blame either Glenn or Jenny for acting out. Letting out a small sigh, she looked down at the box of food that she carried. "I can't say I've ever seen anything like what you did back there, though... To be completely honest, I was a little impressed." She looked at Glenn, a small smile trying to push its way onto her face. "It was frightening, yes, but we all have our moments..." She returned her gaze forward again.
Glancing over as she was offered the vape, she shook her head, turning her eyes back to the path ahead of them. "It did seem a little harsh," she said after a moment. "Both her attitude... and maybe how you reacted." She suspected that, from the almost bored look on Jenny's face, that this had happened before. Or maybe it was just from her intoxicated state, she wasn't as perceptive to what Charlotte would call unnatural.
"People change... it's just something that we all have to accept." Her tone wasn't accusatory, she wasn't trying to blame either Glenn or Jenny for acting out. Letting out a small sigh, she looked down at the box of food that she carried. "I can't say I've ever seen anything like what you did back there, though... To be completely honest, I was a little impressed." She looked at Glenn, a small smile trying to push its way onto her face. "It was frightening, yes, but we all have our moments..." She returned her gaze forward again.
Glenn's eyes almost begin to water, but then the tears fizzle and steam as burning cheeks evaporate them.
They sigh and look at you with a sincere smile.
"Not going to lie, but if I were in your shoes, I would have left by now. And that's not me being some angsty little shit who's all 'muh, my problems are too much, I'm gonna go listen to Green Day and cry about it'. I mean like, you must feel hella awkward."
They pause.
"Did I just say hella? Man, I've been in California too long. Where are you from, again?"
They sigh and look at you with a sincere smile.
"Not going to lie, but if I were in your shoes, I would have left by now. And that's not me being some angsty little shit who's all 'muh, my problems are too much, I'm gonna go listen to Green Day and cry about it'. I mean like, you must feel hella awkward."
They pause.
"Did I just say hella? Man, I've been in California too long. Where are you from, again?"
Charlotte nodded, listening to the boiling tears as they evaporated. "Any other person would have left... I think. You're the first people I've met here, and I'd like to stick with you guys, even if there are some disagreements." The dragoness let out a small laugh. "You're right on that one... it is a little strange experiencing all this, especially on the first day. Where am I from?" She paused, thinking.
"Well, off the coast of a lot of places. I was born and raised in the water, only let out onto the land when I was old enough to take care of myself..." She shrugged. "I guess different species come from different places, and just adapt to new environments."
She looked back at her tail, raising it up a bit as the end simmered quickly, almost looking softer than before.
"Well, off the coast of a lot of places. I was born and raised in the water, only let out onto the land when I was old enough to take care of myself..." She shrugged. "I guess different species come from different places, and just adapt to new environments."
She looked back at her tail, raising it up a bit as the end simmered quickly, almost looking softer than before.
"That must be nice. I've lived in a couple of different places. Was born in Loch Ness. Then we moved to the Gulf of Mexico, occasionally spending time in the Caribbean. We were going to just live in the Pacific Ocean, but the real estate is getting pretty competitive. It's hard to find a decent place away from the major shipping lanes. It was either Oddity Park or risking getting chopped up by boat propellers or drowning garbage. Maybe that's why things fell apart. We're going tank crazy."
You arrive at the bank of the river. The beach is littered with ancient looking bones and driftwood. Morgane pokes her long neck out of the water and smiles.
"Hello, dearies!" she cries. "Glad you could join me! The salt levels are just right, and it's not too chilly!"
She ducks back into the water, then resurfaces with a bicorne hat resting on her head.
"I found another pirate skeleton! No gold, but some more clothes for your collection, Glenn."
Glenn looks genuinely excited, their hands clenched and waving back and forth.
"NICE!" they shout, then suddenly covering their mouth.
"Sorry." they whisper.
You arrive at the bank of the river. The beach is littered with ancient looking bones and driftwood. Morgane pokes her long neck out of the water and smiles.
"Hello, dearies!" she cries. "Glad you could join me! The salt levels are just right, and it's not too chilly!"
She ducks back into the water, then resurfaces with a bicorne hat resting on her head.
"I found another pirate skeleton! No gold, but some more clothes for your collection, Glenn."
Glenn looks genuinely excited, their hands clenched and waving back and forth.
"NICE!" they shout, then suddenly covering their mouth.
"Sorry." they whisper.
"Oh, I know what you mean with the shipping lanes. I've had a few close calls with boats more times than I fancy." She craned her neck backwards, and then the middle part seemed to shimmer and disappear, her head twisting completely backwards for a moment. She had stopped walking, but quickly pivoted her head forwards again, her neck solidifying as she jogged to catch up with Glenn. "I do know a thing or two about going tank-crazy. It's not the most pleasant experience."
Slowing to a stop at the bank of the river, Charlotte looked around, observing the scattered debris. "Wonder where all this came from?" She wondered aloud. Her attention quickly focused on the large shape rising from the water, and she recognized it as Morgane. Smiling, the dragoness waved, glancing over at Glenn as the plesiosaur came back up with the hat. She flattened her ears as the hybrid showed their excitement, the yell not affecting her quite as bad.
"It's alright," she said. "Let's take a swim, shall we?" She said, taking a couple steps toward the water.
Slowing to a stop at the bank of the river, Charlotte looked around, observing the scattered debris. "Wonder where all this came from?" She wondered aloud. Her attention quickly focused on the large shape rising from the water, and she recognized it as Morgane. Smiling, the dragoness waved, glancing over at Glenn as the plesiosaur came back up with the hat. She flattened her ears as the hybrid showed their excitement, the yell not affecting her quite as bad.
"It's alright," she said. "Let's take a swim, shall we?" She said, taking a couple steps toward the water.
Glenn takes off their long read leather coat and swan dives into the water. Instantly, you can see their scales begin to shimmer like you hadn't seen yet. The water appears to rejuvenate them. They and Morgane splash around in circles before going deep into the river. After a few minutes, it's clear that they're going to stay down there for a while, and are waiting on you to join them.
Watching the hybrid take off their coat, diving into the river, the dragoness saw the shimmering scales not unlike her own, but a new sight for her to behold. Watching until they disappeared under the surface, she stepped to the edge, closing her eyes for a moment as her fins lengthened, and took a deep breath, her gills slicing open just before she dove in, making hardly a splash as she slipped under the surface. Looking around, she spotted the two, and lashed her tail to propel herself down to them.
You find the two circling around a skeleton dressed in raggedy 18th century clothing, lying half buried next to a sunken canoe filled with Native American jewelry.
"I think this belongs to the Chumash people." remarks Glenn. "We should give it back to them. There's a reservation up river."
"Oooh, but it looks so nice!" remarks Morgane. "I'm sure they wouldn't mind if we took a little bit."
"Naaaah, I think they don't need any more people stealing their stuff."
"Alright, Glenn. We should give these to Professor Aguado. He's our resident history expert. He'd be able to know for sure."
"Hey look over there." says Glenn. "I think that's some stuff from the old Cervantes Mission. You're not allergic to holy stuff, are you, Charlotte?"
"I think this belongs to the Chumash people." remarks Glenn. "We should give it back to them. There's a reservation up river."
"Oooh, but it looks so nice!" remarks Morgane. "I'm sure they wouldn't mind if we took a little bit."
"Naaaah, I think they don't need any more people stealing their stuff."
"Alright, Glenn. We should give these to Professor Aguado. He's our resident history expert. He'd be able to know for sure."
"Hey look over there." says Glenn. "I think that's some stuff from the old Cervantes Mission. You're not allergic to holy stuff, are you, Charlotte?"
Swimming down to them, Char spotted the scene, and drifted down for a closer look, tuning into the conversation. She agreed with Glenn; whoever these people were, it sounded like others had been here before, taking what they could off of sunken treasures like this, and either selling them or keeping them for themselves, as it seemed the hybrid had done in the past.
The dragoness lashed her tail, propelling herself down to the sunken canoe. Taking one of the jewelry pieces, she turned it over, examining it. It was intricate, crafted by someone who clearly knew what they were doing. She looked up when Glenn mentioned her name.
"I hope I'm not," she replied with a grin. "Let's go check it out." Carefully replacing the jewelry piece, she gently pushed herself away from the canoe so that she wouldn't cover it with a layer of silt.
The dragoness lashed her tail, propelling herself down to the sunken canoe. Taking one of the jewelry pieces, she turned it over, examining it. It was intricate, crafted by someone who clearly knew what they were doing. She looked up when Glenn mentioned her name.
"I hope I'm not," she replied with a grin. "Let's go check it out." Carefully replacing the jewelry piece, she gently pushed herself away from the canoe so that she wouldn't cover it with a layer of silt.
Glenn and Morgane swim toward a skeleton dressed in the robes of a nun. The nun is clutching a massive leather bound book, and as you draw closer, you notice her clothes are riddle with bullet holes, and her canine teeth are longer and sharper than the average human's.
"What happened here?" asks asks Morgane.
"She was probably a vampire," replies Glenn. "The old Spanish mission in Cervantes colony was attacked by monsters constantly. It took Saint Peralta and her militia to stop them. That's where the city of Santa Peralta gets its name, and it's the origin of those fucking Knight assholes."
You probably heard about the Knights of Saint Peralta before. Five years ago, before the masquerade was dropped and the existence of supernatural beings was common knowledge, the Knights were an underground monster hunter group that worked for the local Catholic church. Now that their work is no longer secret, they are seen by many humans as heroes keeping darkness at bay, but as violent bigots by the supernatural community.
Yes, there are some violent and malicious supernaturals in the city. The Scrub Dog werewolf motorcycle gang, the Korean vampire crime syndicate known as the Mulbaem, and the Obsidian Court of unseelie faeries to name a few. However, in the eyes of the Knights, there were no good supernatural beings. You have been advised by many to avoid the human parts of town.
"What happened here?" asks asks Morgane.
"She was probably a vampire," replies Glenn. "The old Spanish mission in Cervantes colony was attacked by monsters constantly. It took Saint Peralta and her militia to stop them. That's where the city of Santa Peralta gets its name, and it's the origin of those fucking Knight assholes."
You probably heard about the Knights of Saint Peralta before. Five years ago, before the masquerade was dropped and the existence of supernatural beings was common knowledge, the Knights were an underground monster hunter group that worked for the local Catholic church. Now that their work is no longer secret, they are seen by many humans as heroes keeping darkness at bay, but as violent bigots by the supernatural community.
Yes, there are some violent and malicious supernaturals in the city. The Scrub Dog werewolf motorcycle gang, the Korean vampire crime syndicate known as the Mulbaem, and the Obsidian Court of unseelie faeries to name a few. However, in the eyes of the Knights, there were no good supernatural beings. You have been advised by many to avoid the human parts of town.
Following the two, the dragoness's eyes widened as she saw the figure. Drifting closer, she examined the large amount of bullet holes, the lengthened teeth, both things that should point to support Glenn's observation of the woman being a vampire.
"So, she was just thrown in like this? How long do you think she's been here?" Charlotte had a rough idea, but she wanted to know what the others thought. The book looked like it was in relatively good condition. The pages weren't too damaged, probably because the river wasn't used as much as other bodies of water where wear and tear would be greater against the remains.
She had heard about the Knights, the stories about what they had done to 'clear out' those that they caught and deemed unworthy. She accepted the advice to stay away from the human-occupied parts of town, not wanting to get mixed up with anyone that didn't like her kind. She shuddered just thinking about it, and pushed it to the back of her head.
She swam around the skeleton after Glenn and Morgane, pushing against their current. "It seems like there's a lot of old stuff down here. Why is that?" She asked.
"So, she was just thrown in like this? How long do you think she's been here?" Charlotte had a rough idea, but she wanted to know what the others thought. The book looked like it was in relatively good condition. The pages weren't too damaged, probably because the river wasn't used as much as other bodies of water where wear and tear would be greater against the remains.
She had heard about the Knights, the stories about what they had done to 'clear out' those that they caught and deemed unworthy. She accepted the advice to stay away from the human-occupied parts of town, not wanting to get mixed up with anyone that didn't like her kind. She shuddered just thinking about it, and pushed it to the back of her head.
She swam around the skeleton after Glenn and Morgane, pushing against their current. "It seems like there's a lot of old stuff down here. Why is that?" She asked.
"Oddity Park sits at the intersection of ley lines," says Glenn. "Ley lines are channels which magical energy flow through, and intersections are very powerful and usually can open up holes between dimensions and alternate universes. So, supernatural and strange phenomena are drawn to them. That's why the Cervantes colony was a paranormal hot spot back in the 1700s, and Santa Peralta is today. Even though this river isn't very deep, a lot of stuff that is charged with magical energy just ends up floating down here."
"Loch Ness sits at one too," says Morgane. "That's why my people call it home. We share a line with Stonehenge, which sits at one of the largest intersections. Merlin got his powers from that line."
"Loch Ness sits at one too," says Morgane. "That's why my people call it home. We share a line with Stonehenge, which sits at one of the largest intersections. Merlin got his powers from that line."
"Oh, really?" Charlotte asked. "That explains a lot of things about this place." She stayed quiet as Glenn and Morgane explained the lines, the intersections, and what they meant for supernatural occurrences. She wondered what other magical items had been found here.
She looked over at the plesiosaurus when she mentioned that Loch Ness and Stonehenge shared a line, and that they were both intersections. "Do you know how many lines there are?" She asked. There must have been quite a few, or maybe there weren't all that many, because they crossed over each other as they circled the globe. The tilted ones, at least. "And more than two lines can cross at an intersection?"
She looked over at the plesiosaurus when she mentioned that Loch Ness and Stonehenge shared a line, and that they were both intersections. "Do you know how many lines there are?" She asked. There must have been quite a few, or maybe there weren't all that many, because they crossed over each other as they circled the globe. The tilted ones, at least. "And more than two lines can cross at an intersection?"
"Hundreds," replies Glenn. "I don't know an exact number, I haven't dabbled with magery or anything like that. I'm sure any of the magic users we have around here could tell you. I think they change too. They sever and reform through the ages. A very powerful magic user could manipulate them, too. Merlin could. Baba Yaga could, or can if you believe the conspiracy theories. The Dalai Lama is said to have that power, but I don't know if they've ever used it."
"I know Santa Peralta is at the intersection of at least 20," adds Morgane. "I think we have a Mother Line too. Mother Lines are lines that connect you to all of the major planes of existence. Arcadia, The Astral Sea, Heaven, Hell, and the Crossroads."
Heaven and Hell should be self explanatory.
Arcadia is the homeland of faeries, dragons, unicorns, and other creatures you might typically think of as "magical". Not all magical creatures come from there directly, but they can all trace their roots back to Arcadia somehow.
The Astral Sea is where souls of the dead go to either be reincarnated or be sent to Heaven or Hell. Only truly remarkably good or remarkably evil souls leave the Astral Sea. The majority stay in the Astral Sea until they are ready to be reincarnated (or stolen by a necromancer in need of some spiritual juice).
The Crossroads is the space between universes which can only be navigated by extremely powerful magic users. There are some small settlements there where ambitious travelers call home, but for the most part is a howling void of chaos and instability.
"I know Santa Peralta is at the intersection of at least 20," adds Morgane. "I think we have a Mother Line too. Mother Lines are lines that connect you to all of the major planes of existence. Arcadia, The Astral Sea, Heaven, Hell, and the Crossroads."
Heaven and Hell should be self explanatory.
Arcadia is the homeland of faeries, dragons, unicorns, and other creatures you might typically think of as "magical". Not all magical creatures come from there directly, but they can all trace their roots back to Arcadia somehow.
The Astral Sea is where souls of the dead go to either be reincarnated or be sent to Heaven or Hell. Only truly remarkably good or remarkably evil souls leave the Astral Sea. The majority stay in the Astral Sea until they are ready to be reincarnated (or stolen by a necromancer in need of some spiritual juice).
The Crossroads is the space between universes which can only be navigated by extremely powerful magic users. There are some small settlements there where ambitious travelers call home, but for the most part is a howling void of chaos and instability.
Charlotte's eyes widened a little at the large number. She definitely hadn't expected there to be that many. Heeding Glenn's advice, she decided that she should see about some of the others inhabiting this place. They were as good a source of knowledge as anyone, and the dragoness didn't think that they would be too difficult to find.
"20 lines? And a Mother Line?" Swimming away for a moment, Charlotte quickly turned and swam back, keeping her attention on the conversation. "So, that means mythical creatures, right? Like unicorns, fairies, things like that." It would be interesting to meet a unicorn. She had never seen one in person, but she heard that they were fairly rare, and becoming more so.
She didn't recognize the Crossroads by name, but it sounded like a powerful place, if it was being mentioned with the others. She would have to do some reading on it.
She had heard of Arcadia, hence the previous inquiry. The Astral Plane was something that she recognized, and of course, Heaven and Hell were naturally woven through everything.
For now, though, Charlotte was content with the current plane, the one that she had lived her whole life in, the one she considered normal. Glancing behind her to make sure that neither of her two aquatic companions were too close, she suddenly stopped, turned around, and started swimming the other way. Undulating her body, her pace increased, beginning now to stir up a funnel of silt from the river bottom.
"20 lines? And a Mother Line?" Swimming away for a moment, Charlotte quickly turned and swam back, keeping her attention on the conversation. "So, that means mythical creatures, right? Like unicorns, fairies, things like that." It would be interesting to meet a unicorn. She had never seen one in person, but she heard that they were fairly rare, and becoming more so.
She didn't recognize the Crossroads by name, but it sounded like a powerful place, if it was being mentioned with the others. She would have to do some reading on it.
She had heard of Arcadia, hence the previous inquiry. The Astral Plane was something that she recognized, and of course, Heaven and Hell were naturally woven through everything.
For now, though, Charlotte was content with the current plane, the one that she had lived her whole life in, the one she considered normal. Glancing behind her to make sure that neither of her two aquatic companions were too close, she suddenly stopped, turned around, and started swimming the other way. Undulating her body, her pace increased, beginning now to stir up a funnel of silt from the river bottom.