"Science"

(Celest): Gurashi says, "A-AH, the seaweeds DOES have sharp teeths, unfortunately! And, it is
reluctant to release once it bites you, yes."

(Celest): You say, "What did you do."

(Celest): Gurashi says, "Nothing! Removed my gloves! Exposed my fingies."

(Celest): You say, "...Why would you offer food to a hungry beast, Gurashi?"

(Celest): You say, "I told all of you not to touch the damned thing."

Effervescent motes of light conduct a graceful dance about your form as you gaze into the distance,
forming the image of Gurashi in your mind's eye.


The motes swirl rapidly about your figure as you languidly stretch a hand through the ether towards
Gurashi. Gathering the domothean energies in your hand, you step confidently through the light.
Kennian follows you ether.
Falaine follows you ether.
In the waters of New Celest harbour.
A hazy, blood-red mist covers the ground here, indicating a war shrine of Darvellan nearby. From
behind a veil of frigid mist rises a shimmering glacier, pristine and majestic as it overlooks a
turbulent sea of undulating ice floes. The waters of the harbour are clear, and you can see right to
the bottom, where the shadows of the hulls above spot the sandy ground below. Some of the larger
hulls of the laden cargo vessels come within a couple of feet of touching the bottom. Razor-sharp
clumps of seaweed sway under their own power, their meaty fronds reaching out like so many spindly
fingers. Plumes of sea-spray jet continuously from the turbulent form of this water elemental,
shrouding it in mist. A slender leothin sits here motionless, brightening its surroundings with its
natural golden bio-luminescence. A low, protective growl escaping his muzzle, a ruddy Nyalian
mastiff sporting bronze platemail etched with sigils awaits instructions from his companion. Wyrden
Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk floats here, suffusing the air with the sickly-sweet
scent of blackthorn blossoms. They wield a dark, curved silver athame in their left hand. A sea-
green kelpie drifts here as though underwater, the air thick with the warm scent of the sea.
Perpetually in a dramatic pose, the inflated silken form of Avechna the Avenger towers here, ebony
muscles gleaming.
You see exits leading north, east, southeast, south, southwest, west, and northwest.

Alarin ponders the situation.

Gurashi frowns, sucking on their finger, tail wagging behind them.

As Esei gazes coldly into nothing at all, a chill mist begins to grow around their ankles.

Antennae bent down and forward in a severe frown, disapproval is heavy in Avaris's
voice as he admonishes Gurashi, "Why would you think that is a good idea?"

(Celest): Aesic says, "There does not seem to be seaweed in the Illwater."

(Celest): Cheliyi says, "It seems the second Thalassos is untouchables, right now. There is a thick
layer of salt.

Gurashi removes their finger from their mouth, examining as the wounds vanish. "We have been trying
everything else," They explain carefully, "poking it and setting fire to it and gusting it a-way,
sanctifying it. I am of the Light!" They insist, lifting their hand. "But, it bit me, no differently
than it bit Esei. Unfortunately, it does not have favorites, have learned."

Looking at their hand again, Gurashi, The Heart's Friend says, "Is hungry, regardless."

With a playful lilt, Humble Kennian, A Saltspeaker says, "Maybe the Healing Lady could fix it."

Staring at Gurashi, Avaris points a clawed finger at a blood red clump of razor
-sharp seaweed, speaking in a slow, clear manner, "We knew that from looking at it. Feeding the
blighted thing is beyond foolish, Gurashi."

Gurashi jerks slightly as the air fills with sparkling motes of bright light.

(Celest): Aesic says, "Seaweed remains in the Inner Sea and the Sea of Despair."

Attention flicking to Kennian, Avaris replies, wearily, "Perhaps. It may not be
something that requires fixing, so to speak. She cannot mend that which is not broken, and I think
this is serving its purpose well."

Esei slashes their hand towards Gurashi, who shivers.

Gurashi furrows their brow and gazes back towards the seaweed, pondering aloud. "Either way - I have
not seen it grab any fishes, but it -grabbed- me. Isn't that strange?"

You sense the passage of Esei to the west with a faceted pair of crystalline ears.

Quietly, Slakened Falaine, Novitiate of Purity says, "That depends what it is hungry for."

Gurashi looks up at you even as the kephera speaks critically to them, tail wagging slowly behind
them.

Gurashi nods their head at Falaine.

With a watery, seraphic cadence, Gurashi, The Heart's Friend says to Falaine, "Yo ucan touch it and
it does not care, if your hands are gloved."

Gurashi considers their bare hand. "It knows."

With a playful lilt, Humble Kennian, A Saltspeaker says, "How interesting. It recognizes."

Gurashi nods their head at Kennian.

Kennian ponders a blood red clump of razor-sharp seaweed thoughtfully, looking it up and down.

Falaine lifts a gauntleted hand, turning it midair. "It likely tastes the flesh," she notes.

Voice resonating with choral harmonics, you say, "Perhaps it thirsts for blood, or that which
possesses latent power."

Gurashi's tail wags a little faster. "Picky eater. Terrifying, oceans-wide picky eater."

As Esei gazes coldly into nothing at all, a chill mist begins to grow around their ankles.

With a playful lilt, Humble Kennian, A Saltspeaker says, "It seems to not like the fresh water. Or
at least, it hasn't traveled there yet."

With a playful lilt, Humble Kennian, A Saltspeaker says, "And the Thelermassis thing was crusted in
salt."

Gurashi nods at Falaine as they consider their own hands, then carefully slip back into a pair of
gardening gloves.

With a watery, seraphic cadence, Gurashi, The Heart's Friend says, "Thalassos, yes!"

Gurashi nods their head sagely at Kennian.

With a playful lilt, Humble Kennian, A Saltspeaker says, "Maybe it can pull the salt from the water
close to here and kill the seaweed."

A look of understanding crossing their features, Gurashi nods their head slowly.

With a watery, seraphic cadence, Gurashi, The Heart's Friend says to Kennian, "That's a thoughts..."

With a playful lilt, Humble Kennian, A Saltspeaker says, "I am... not good at the sciences."

Excitedly, Gurashi, The Heart's Friend says to Kennian, "Me either! Or maths."

Kennian giggles happily.

With a watery, seraphic cadence, Gurashi, The Heart's Friend says to Kennian, "But here am, trying
to do the Sciences anyway."

A mist-wreathed water elemental disperses into mist and settles into the waters.
A geyser of water erupts here and solidifies into the form of Tridemon.

Gurashi plants their hands on their hips, looking back over the harbor suspiciously. "I too wonder,
if it cannot live in fresh water or not."

With a watery, seraphic cadence, Gurashi, The Heart's Friend says, "...dear one!"

Kennian leaves to the west.

Gurashi sniffs the air while twitching a striped badger nose.

(Celestial Gathering): Gurashi says, "I'm just throwing science at the wall here."

Gurashi jerks slightly as the air fills with sparkling motes of bright light.

Trailing in a bone-chilling fog, Muginn, the ghost-feathered magpie flies in from the ether.

In a rush of summery warmth, the rich smell of grasses and flowers rises around Cheliyi in a sultry
wind. Briefly, her face is dappled with patterns of sunlight through waving grasses.

Like a gentle ripple in a crystalline pool, Slakened Cheliyi, Novitiate of Purity says, "I do not
think we will find a solution, today."

Gurashi tilts their head, gaze softening as they frown.

With a watery, seraphic cadence, Gurashi, The Heart's Friend says, "Oh -no-."

With a watery, seraphic cadence, Gurashi, The Heart's Friend asks, "Are we gonna have to wait? Like
with the reefs?"

Voice resonating with choral harmonics, you say, "Perhaps not. I will emphasise, once again, that we
should not touch it."

You think to yourself: "Despite, apparently, how overwhelming the temptation seems to be. Against
all sense."

Gurashi stares at you, gaze softening and frowning at you as their expression fills with concern.

Irate, Slakened Cheliyi, Novitiate of Purity says to you, "For god's sakes Avaris, you are not a
parent. People will make choices. Leave them alone."

At last, Gurashi, The Heart's Friend says to you, "Peoples are naturally curious."

Falaine creases her brow in a frown.

Cheliyi grumbles angrily.

The room grows warm once more Muginn the ghost-feathered magpie glides off to the west with a click
of his beak.
You sense the passage of Cheliyi to the west with a faceted pair of crystalline ears.

Voice resonating with choral harmonics, you say to Gurashi, "Curiosity should be tempered with
prudence and caution."

Slakened Falaine, Novitiate of Purity says, "One need not be a parent to speak good sense."

Gurashi's tail wags, and they blink, then watch Cheliyi depart, looking surprised.

With a watery, seraphic cadence, Gurashi, The Heart's Friend says to you, "...ah - I mean. Was being
cautious, until now. When saw that it only bit Esei and nothing more, had to see." They shrug. "I am
not afeared. Must understand it. Or, try to."

Gurashi suddenly cants their head and narrows their eyes at a blood red clump of razor-sharp
seaweed, peering at it suspiciously.

With a watery, seraphic cadence, Gurashi, The Heart's Friend says to a blood red clump of razor
-sharp seaweed, "Even if you are a pointy weed."

Quietly, Slakened Falaine, Novitiate of Purity says, "Curiosity is admirable, but when it can effect
others, prudence is far more important."

(Celest): Aesic says, "I am going to speak with the kelpies and make sure that the Inner Sea is well
strengthened."

Gurashi frowns. "A-gain, I would not..." They heave a great sigh at last. "Nevermind. I know you are
just trying to protect everybody. Sames. Same goals."

Gurashi jerks slightly as the air fills with sparkling motes of bright light.

Esei emerges from a cloud of icy, freezing fog, their eyes glazed with the chill of the grave.

Breathing out a low, hissing sound of irritation, Avaris lifts his upper right hand
to place it across his visored face. "You think touching the obviously carnivorous, hostile plant is
cautious?"

Esei gives a platter of deep-fried maple leaves drizzled in maple syrup to Tridemon Regalis, Keeper
of Pure Waters.

Falaine shakes her head slightly. "I refer not to you, Gurashi, but to Chel-" she pauses, lifting a
brow and frowning at you.

Kennian arrives from the north.

You tell Slakened Falaine, Novitiate of Purity, "[Thrumming, crackling frustration, keening quietly
like a struck blade.]."

With a wistful look on their face, Esei touches a blood red clump of razor-sharp seaweed.
Esei reaches towards the clump of red seaweed as its fronds latch hungrily onto their hand, the
razor-sharp edges opening tiny wounds upon their flesh. The plant laps hungrily against their hand,
the wet plap of seaweed audible as it somehow sucks up the liquid through the leaves. Pulling away
their's hand, the plant latches on hungrily, even as the majority of the fronds fall and and still,
their hunger sated except for one last leaf that seems unwilling to release them from its meal.

Falaine turns to you, the frown on her face. "These are your citymates, Avaris," she says softly.
"Tact is also important."

Gurashi's face pales slightly, and they clear their throat. "Well. Some learning has come, from
this," They explain matter-of-factly. "According to Miss Cali, if one continues to ... ah, 'feed'
the seaweed, then it will eventually too, get 'full' and stop eating."

With a playful lilt, Humble Kennian, A Saltspeaker says, "The fishermen do not seem concerned."

Avaris rounds upon Esei with a flare of red light, "Are you an idiot?"

Gurashi's eyes widen as they stare at you.

Tridemon ponders a blood red clump of razor-sharp seaweed thoughtfully, looking it up and down.

Trailing in a bone-chilling fog, Muginn, the ghost-feathered magpie flies in from the west.

Gently, Gurashi, The Heart's Friend says to Kennian, "No, they do not."

Cheliyi returns looking much calmer.

Esei crosses their arms, gloved hands folding against the crooks of their elbows as they stare
mildly at you.

Gurashi furrows their brow at this, then steps closer. "Please do not call people idiots, Mister
Avaris," They say more firmly. "Though know you are upsets."

Gently, Gurashi, The Heart's Friend says to Esei, "Please stop feeding the angry seaweeds."

With a watery, seraphic cadence, Gurashi, The Heart's Friend says to Esei, "Miss Cali says it gets
full, it does. If it keeps eating."

Ocean waves echoing softly behind his voice, Tridemon Regalis, Keeper of Pure Waters says, "Let's
see here... does it only want fresh blood straight from a vein, I wonder."

Uttering a low, resonating sound that thrums through the air with menace, Avaris
grates out, "I will stop when they cease acting like one. Do not. Feed. The. Evil. Plant."

Tridemon empties out a bucket on top of a blood red clump of razor-sharp seaweed, covering it in
shark's blood.

With a watery, seraphic cadence, Gurashi, The Heart's Friend says, "One touch was more than enough."
They rub their hand against their pants. "It is a--."

Slakened Falaine, Novitiate of Purity says, "I am uncertain if it is a good thing to sate their
bloodlust."

Gurashi stares blankly into space.

Cheliyi stares blankly at Tridemon.

Gurashi stares at Tridemon, eyes wide.

Cheliyi openly laughs, her frills resonating with joy as the occasional squeak escapes her.

Like a gentle ripple in a crystalline pool, Slakened Cheliyi, Novitiate of Purity says, "-DAD-."

Cheliyi bonks Tridemon lightly on the head.

Avaris stares skyward, breathing in a deep, slow breath.

((Flies off.))

(Celest): Cheliyi (from the Prime Material Plane) says, "Mister Avaris, the only way to know how to
starve and kill the plants it to know -how- it eats. Which is why we poke and prod and feeds it."

(Celest): Cheliyi (from the Prime Material Plane) says, "If it will not be cut or burned or
purified, then it must be removed from sustenance."

(Celest): Gurashi (from the Prime Material Plane) says, "It is a strange, the seaweed. IT is
carnivorous, yes. Miss Calioliahali of Hallifax reported that continuously touching, or, 'feeding'
it would eventually fill portions of the seaweeds. That they would stop eating. It is not advised,
to keep touch it, though. Do not know yet what it does, or why it does."

(Celest): You say, "I have washed my hands of the situation. Do not feel the need to speak to me of
it further."

(Celest): Faragan (from the Prime Material Plane) says, "I find taht reasoning falty. you'd not
treat the soulless so for example just to find out how it feeds or what it likes."

(Celest): Gurashi (from the Prime Material Plane) says, "But keep this in mind, for once others
learn of what will take to make the seaweeds happy, will probably be some who WANT to feed thems
until they are full, and not just a test."

(Celest): Gurashi (from the Prime Material Plane) says, "Please look after one another. Keeps each
other safely."

(Celest): Tridemon (from the Prime Material Plane) says, "It may well require someone willingly
carrying poison in their veins and letting it feed."

(Celest): Cheliyi (from the Prime Material Plane) says, "Washed your hands of its?? I- no.
Neverminds."