Scene #5843: Landscape

Owner	Pose
Carna	Enark asked people to join him in the entry area to the Tower of Escher once before due to discovering a painting. However, they couldn't be sure it hadn't always been there, or at least been added at some point between when the mimics were installed to protect the tower from the Unlit and when it was found by Enark when he began reclaiming the area for proper usage, which included installing lights and replacing the lock on the front door. Now, however, it is pretty clear that at the very least a second painting has been added. Along the wall, at an angle to the first, which depicts a white-haired girl sitting in the lap of some ancient deathly thing whose head is 'out of frame', there is now a broad painting of a dismal alien landscape. Like a marsh or moor, perhaps, but all in blacks and rot-greens, with a line of mountains in the distance. There's a lot of details to unpack in this second painting, ranging from the skull-headed sheep to the robed figure tending them, scythe in hand in place of a shepherd's crook, as well as a tower in the background, thin at the base but stretching up into a massive cage about half-way up that extends up out of frame. There's signs of a village with dark-lights or something brain-and-eye hurting like that, and a small gaggle of ill-lit and sunken eyed people in late 1800s attire on a hill looking out of the painting at the viewers. The aged scholar makes no bones about the nature of the meeting, after providing a recap to those who were not here the first time. "Whether by the willful action of someone, or as a result of an unknown phenomenon, there are art works appearing here that do not belong here." he says plainly.
Kushiko	When she wasn't doing other business, say sparring with Lemeza or Septette and looking into another matter altogether recently, Kushiko kept something of a quiet lookout where she could when it came to matters in Lumiere. Not as much as she might like, but she'd gotten reacquainted with it a bit better--especially given the answers they still didn't have. Thus it was Mag, the monocular eyed mistress of magnetism that she sent out here to speak with and look into this as requested of her and others that had been asked here. <"Maybe it's something regarding the past here? Given what we had begun to relive back in Emblem City,"> comes the Tenno's offering as she arrives--arrival, mind you, by typical ninja shenanigans, having dropped in from /some/ point here in the Tower's entry. <"That is, on the assumption it's something malign.">
Dorian Pavus	Dorian has been interested in the world of Lumiere for some time now -- more so since he ended up trapped inside that false afterlife. So of course, when Enark mentions that there is another painting, Dorian is going to go and take a look at it. If all of the paintings go somewhere, the picture may give them clues to where it leads. Or what's trapped inside it, if anything. Dorian arrives in his usual -- for once he's more interested in the events he's heading to. The painting itself gets a disgusted look. "Ugh. Whoever painted this must be going through his 'dead' period," he quips. It's weaker than his usual snark, yes... but his attention is on the painting, and the situation. More seriously, he notes, "I'm guessing these paintings aren't JUST paintings?" Kushiko/Mag gets a smirk. "At this point I'm not sure EVERYTHING in this world intends to cause us harm," he quips. His old pessimism kicking in, perhaps? His look towards Enark suggests it's not all in his head...
Kushiko	A finger is lifted by the technorganic ninja. <"Well, at this point we can assume the worst, and be pleasently surprised."> That said, Mag Prime's 'gaze' shifts a little bit in Dorian's direction before focusing on the... old. Enark's old. That's something wrong, right?
Staren	A new painting in Escher means a new world to explore and it's probably horrible and dangerous so Staren just goes straight to the robot body loaded up with weapons and armor. Upon arriving, he scrutinizes the painting. "Well. If we weren't already in the afterlife, I'd find the imagery concerning."
Tomoe	Tomoe has been a bit of a ghost, as of late. The trouble with the whole Dark Lady Quest Line on her own world, combined with what she unwittingly helped Bloody Revelations pull off ahs left Tomoe rather mute and scarce as of late. If she were honest she had been reconsidering her life choice and a life as an office lady in some cubical was seeming not so bad to her now. Still, whatever choice she mad she's not one to generally leave something undone. So she heeds Enark's call for help and as she arrives at the painting she finds her mind lost for a moment as some memories of Jeci start to surface for some reason. She pushes those thought down to focus on the matter at hand as she looks to the aged scholar for a moment. "It's been a while, I am sorry. I have had other thing holding on to my attention and they took a lot out of me." She takes a look at it for a moment and then looks to Kushiko. "So connect to us being kidnapped and the people we were made to be or ... carried the memories of?"
Touta Konoe	Touta Konoe arrived at the Tower of Escher upon Enark's summon. Every time that Enark's requested assistance it's always felt like it was due to an extreme sense of urgence or importance. Though when he arrives to the tower he's a bit baffled to hear that Enark had brought out a request regarding paintings of all things. When Touta looks at the picture first hand it does appear a bit morbid for multiple reasons, though to Touta plenty of the things appearing in Lumiere might be considered a bit morbid or peculiar to the average joe. If there's anything to know about this place, it's that you can't look at things at just the surface level. You tend to need to look deeper. For now though he's just glad to see a bunch of familiar faces and Enark...Who had really taken a lot out of himself from what had occurred with the others previously. His face looking aged in comparison to what it once was. Though it was definitely Enark all the same. When he explains the situation with the paintings it sorta raises an eyebrow. "Not really sure I get why this is a big deal but I guess there's definitely more to the pictures than meets the eye right?" With that said Touta really takes a moment to look not just at the second painting, but the first painting as well. After all, while he wasn't much of an artist he learned enough about writing to know that imagery tended to be used to portray a message. So what kind of messages could paintings like these be trying to say?
Staren	Staren turns to Touta and enlightens him: "The paintings lead to other worlds."
Carna	Enark shrugs by way of answer. "We know precious little about them so far. I have not tested touching them in the event they do act as portals, given the last one you all went through nearly killed you. We do not know if they have any connection to Emblem City or if they are something else entirely. We do not know if they are appearing on their own, or if someone is placing them here. And, if the latter, we have no idea who, how they are doing so undetected, or to what ends." He seats himself in a bolted-to-the-floor chair. It's not bolted because it's a mimic, but to distinguish it from any that might sneak in. Likewise, all other furniture in the huge, circular room that forms the tower's base is secured. "While paintings are one of the associated elements of Lord Tharmas, he whom founded the Blue Scholars, I can make nothing of these. Paintings were not my forte. I do not recognize the people or locations in them, nor can I say if they are intended to be telling us something, or here as traps, or... Anything. And I fear to tamper with them or move them in the event it either sets something off, or ruins whatever benefit they might provide to us."
Dorian Pavus	Dorian nods. "As much as I don't support just charging in, that may be the only way we can find out," he replies. "Not without taking every precautionary measure we can possibly think of, though." A pause. "Then again... it's hard to prepare for unknown dangers." He crosses his arms, rubbing his chin with one hand. "Given time, I might be able to figure something out about it... but I'd need to find a repository of knowledge." Yet another reason to help the Blue Scholars, Dorian realizes. There is a chance that he might get access to all this information to pore over, and then he might learn a great deal more about Lumiere than he already knows. It could help shed light on a great deal of unknowns about this world. In addition to perhaps increasing his own power... Hey, he's not a complete bastard, but he IS still a mage from Tevinter.
Staren	Since Staren verified that he could TOUCH portal paintings before without getting sucked in, he looks around for something to use as a poking stick and goes to prod the painting. Only then does it occur to him to explain, "When we saw the other paintings in Emblem, I tried poking one of them. It had some give to it, but I didn't get sucked in. If that's how the portal paintings behave, poking it should be safe... although I still wouldn't use my hands."
Kushiko	<"We admit, our instinct at this point is just to try and shoot it. Or throw a kunai or anything else we can think of,"> Kushiko admits. She turns back to the painting, and considers what Staren's saying. <"It would be... relatively safe for us, in a sense."> she offers. <"Maybe."> She reaches towards her back as if drawing out a sword--and in fact, does. Fading and sortof being 'squeezed' through light, a massive greatsword bigger than she is is drawn out as if it were on her back the entire time. To which, well. She simply moves towards the painting, and flipping it so the pommel of the sword is going first, and she applies just a bit of careful pressure to test and gauge it.
Tomoe	Tomoe takes note of the measure to help out mimics that might sneak in, she doesn't look to sit, not just yet. She looks over to Dorian for a moment and humms. "I'm afraid in something like this I'm mostly just a meat shield not that I mind." She gives Enark a look for a moment. "Glad to have you on board for this with Enark, Dorian." She ends up looking at Kuskoo and going to poke the painting, she now moves to spring into action if she's needed.
Touta Konoe	It seemed for the most part everyone was a bit cautious when it came to going through the portal because of the mortal danger. Well, Touta wasn't the kind to brag but considering his immortal status it did make the most sense at least for him to check it out first. After all, he's been killed more times than he can keep track of. Not that he enjoys that fact in the slightest. But as he watches Staren attempt poking the picture with a stick Touta gets a pretty bright idea. There's a slight grin as a he looks down at his black sword, and then back to Staren and then back to his sword. "Touta, I know what you're thinking. Don't you dare put me thro- Ah, noooooo!" Without any warning Touta slowly puts the Kurobo's handle to press into the painting like Kushiko to see if there was in fact another world on the other side. "It'll just be a second buddy! Just tell us if you see anything in there and then I'll pull you out as soon as I put ya in." And like that Kurobo's handle was attempting to peak through another world, or simply just touching a very awkward and strange painting. One or the other, maybe even technically both!
Carna	Enark gestures at Dorian as he elaborates for Touta. "The painting that almost killed a number of Elites was a happy scene of a family in nature. I do not care to think about what might lie on the other side of a more gruesome scene." He taps his chin in thought. "Staren, why do you not simply have one of your robots do it? A disposable drone? That seems far less risky, and if it does get sucked in, it can use recording and transmitting equipment to tell you what is on the other side." Then Kushiko pokes it. Enark tries to caution her, "Wait, don't just--" Then Touta does too. "--Or you could poke it." Thankfully, nothing happens. These either aren't portals or aren't working ones. "Well, one mystery down. Now all that's left is all the other ones." He shrugs. "Not to worry, Lady Tomoe. It appears you will not need to suffer injury for the sake of anyone else this day. But let us exercise a bit more caution moving forward. And yes, Sir Dorian, if we had full access to the Library we could do a better job of research. It becomes increasingly a priority to gain that access. I suppose we shall have to move forward with your exploration sooner rather than later."
Staren	It's just a painting. "It may be that the scenes depicted have no direct connection to the worlds connected to them." Staren comments, then pulls a small quadrotor out of his bag and queues up orders to firmly bump into every new painting in the place until it goes through one.
Kushiko	<"Eheh, sorry about that. Seemed like the time was for doing something, rather than just waiting about."> Kushiko admits, before giving the sword a light spin, the greatblade being 'attached' back behind her, and the weapon itself disappearing from sight. <"Kind of glad nothing happened. I rather like this Galatine."> she admits. <"Exploration is it?"> she wonders of Enark and Dorian, <"Probably going to need to deal with a great mass of Unlit or other foulness, sounds like."> She gives Tomoe a brief nod; she noticed she was ready to move into action, after all. <"So, in review: we know nothing about the paintings themselves, try to research them elsewhere because the knowledge has been forgotten and-or lost. If lost, it can be found, what if it's forgotten?"> She means a particular situation with this, but may not well be explaining it the way she's intending to.
Dorian Pavus	Dorian notes people starting to get curious enough to poke at the painting, and tenses. He leans back, as if he was about to step back, but forces himself not to. He wants to be at hand in case the thing starts trying to 'eat' any of them. Thankfully nothing of the nature happens, and he breathes a sigh of relief. "Well, that's ONE less worry..." he mutters. Enark's words of exploration of the Library gets a nod. "That does seem to be the best course of action, doesn't it?" Though he pauses as Staren sends a drone to play bumper cars with the paintings. "Oh, do be careful, you could release something into the gallery..." he cautions. Kushiko's words of exploration get a nod. "I have... taken a particular interest in the Blue Scholars. I want to see if I can uncover any of their knowledge." His tone brightens a bit, the one he uses when talking about something that he finds fascinating. "Perhaps they had unlocked the secrets of this world -- if I were to re-establish access to their knowledge, some of this might actually make sense." Though then his tone turns dour. "Though you're probably right... there's been very little in this world that hasn't wanted to see me dead, I shouldn't expect a Library to be any different." He smirks. "A place where everyone wants me dead... ah, it reminds me so much of Ferelden. Even has that Maker-awful stench at times."
Touta Konoe	The picture proves to be a dud and no one is more ecstatic about this fact than the black katana which begins to shout at Touta. "What were you thinking?! I'm not your test dummy!" "Sorry! Sorry! I just figured it was our best shot. Besides your a tough sword, you could have handled something going wrong." The blade says nothing else in return but there's a sense of discontempt with the blade. With that being said though with everyone's deductions so far it did seem like the pictures' images had no direct relation on whether it had a portal or not. "Maybe..." Touta has an idea in mind but he's not really sure if it'd be correct. While he's ready to go at any moment if they decide to investigate into the library, he's curious into the exact details of the first picture. It was a happy picture, but what was it specifically? What was on the painting that made it so pleasant?
Tomoe	Tomoe sees tha tit's just a ptaining, and she can't help but laugh a little at Enark's comment about her not getting hurt. "I'm glad It's not like I enjoy it but that's what I'm good at." She notes she looks to Kushiko for moment and nods. "Sounds like we're going to clean it out then? I can help with that and Dorian sounds like Sword Art Online for me."