[Nexus] Inside 28

[Darkcomet]

Current events:
-The Empire has declared a total trade embargo on the City of Riverside due to that city's partial rule by the vampires that once plagued the Red Zone.
-A strange 'ghost ship', the Pale Bride, has arrived at the docks.

Rules and locations in the spoiler. Please Spoiler any fan service written in this thread. Thank you.

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All standard forum rules apply here, as do the godmodding rules generally agreed upon on this sub-forum.

Locations
PM Darkcomet to have a new location placed in this registry.

A note on the 'Zones'.

The Blue Zone is the area of the greatest Imperial presence, housing the Imperial Army and ISF HQs and boasting the greatest concentration of Imperial influence. Physically, it's located in the center of the city.

The Yellow Zone has some Imperial influence, but it's not as significant, so crime rates there are higher than in the Blue Zone. The Yellow Zone is physically located at the outskirts of the city, with the justification of having to keep an eye on what's coming in and out of the city, and thus the main concentrations of Imperial influence in the Yellow Zone are at the docks and city gates.

The Null Zone is around midway between Yellow and Blue, and lacks much Imperial influence, with a similar patrolling situation to the Red Zone below. Despite this, it's largely a quiet environment.

Perhaps it is because the Red Zone, a blemish on the otherwise neatly-organized Zones, is essentially a fancy term for the crime infested slums? Who knows! The Red Zone is essentially just the slums, independent of the neat physical arrangement of the others, though DC imagines it's around Null/Yellow, physically, since it wouldn't make all that much sense for the Red Zone to be right on top of ISF HQ of all things. The Empire's influence here is light, but not completely nonexistent, with occasional speeder patrols.

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Imperial Bases

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Acro-Imperial Army HQ (Blue Zone)

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The Imperial Army HQ itself is a massive dome-like structure in the center of the city. The building itself is fairly standard at ground level, but going up from there is when you reach the dome. The dome is the focus of the visible structure, and is capable of housing one of the Empire's oh-so-loved airships.

The main building itself also has underground portions, as it's not like the rest could contain everything a building of this purpose needs.

This building, however, has concrete walls surrounding it at a sizable distance in a square shape, with gates in the center of each segment. The walls have rapid-fire laser turrets mounted at corners and on each side of each gate. Interlopers beware!

ISF HQ (Blue Zone)

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Go here!

Acro-Imperial Civil Government Complex (Blue Zone)

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The main center of the Empire's central government is an odd complex composed of five main structures.

The more notable four are a group of futuristic, utopian-looking towers arranged in the shape of a Y, with the tower taking the position of the center joint being significantly taller than the outer three towers, by about 40% of the other towers' height. This is harder to make out than it seems, however, due to the odd nature of the fifth 'structure'.

This one is actually surrounding the lower two-thirds of the outer three towers, with all four appearing to be coming out of it from the outside. It resembles an odd set of walls, following along the Y-arrangement of the towers. These 'walls' are in the shape of a highly irregular hexagon. The top side, with the two points of the top of the Y within, is fairly long, with two shorter segments heading downward at an obtuse angle from them. These are very short, and two more long wall segments soon move downward and inwards, speaking from a bird's-eye view, ending a bit after the edge of the bottom tower in the Y-arrangement. A final long segment links these two ends.

However, the 'walls' are not merely walls, but actually enclose the area around the towers, with their own roof. The four towers seemingly erupt out of the top of this structure, while they do actually have the rest of them beneath it. The wall-like structure is built around the towers, linking to them at certain points. The structure is not merely that shape described previously with a flat roof, however-the walls reach to a certain point, then slant upwards and inwards, again from a bird's-eye view. The upward slant stops at the edges of the outer three towers, and from there now forms a flat area, this flatness marred only by the towers.

There are three main entrances to the odd complex, each at the center and bottom of one of the longer wall segments. These are oversized sliding doors, essentially. Each is a long, dull metal slab in appearance. When the entrance is open, these are drawn upward into the wall-structure, and when closed, they drop back down like blast doors.

The complex is guarded by normal military and ISF elements alike, landspeeders patrolling the ground outside with the silent gunships patrolling the skies above. The main soldiers guarding the area are ISF troopers, as they are more specialized for urban warfare. Several rapid-fire pulse laser turrets (laser chaingun turrets, essentially) are mounted on the slanted portions of the outer structure, with a single heavy turbolaser turret mounted at the upper central area of each slanted area of the longer sides.

There are two enclosed bridge-like structures linking each of the three outer towers to the main building. The lower one is within the wall-esque structure, and the upper one is visible from the outside, linking the upper areas of the outer towers with the main, central one. To avoid confusion, there are two of these per outer tower, putting the total count at six.

Imperial Docks (Yellow Zone)

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These rather typical drydocks hold the Imperial naval fleet. Due to its relative lack of size, the Imperial Navy falls under the Imperial Army's authority.

Evolution Industries Headquarters + Factories (Player: Darkcomet, Blue Zone)

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The headquarters of the company known as Evolution Electronics and Power is a fairly standard-looking modern-day tower in appearance, not quite reaching the level of skyscraper.

The company owns a large factory nearby, used in production of its MACE units, and potentially other products, should it be desired.

The company also possesses a number of other factories around the city, used for production of weaponry and other military materiel.

Retail outlets for Evolution's products are scattered around the city.

Trader's Trove (Player: EleventhHour, Null Zone)

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A large, crashed starship lies in what was once a park, now ruined by its crash.

The ship is very strange to most, resembling Gothic architecture, particularly cathedrals, in appearance, while at the same time being a spacefaring craft. Or, rather, a former spacefaring craft.

The ship remains in use, however. The owner is a Rogue Trader, and is currently using the ship as a shop.

Erin's Emporium (Player: The Bushranger, Yellow Zone)

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Construction Gnomes have been hard at work renovating a small store along one of the various merchantile roads. Well, it was small. Now it's bigger on the inside.

And filled with every sort of weaponry imaginable, from across the multiverse. From blaster carbines to P-90s, surface-to-air missiles to ballistas, zats to nunchucks, they're all here.

Is that a siege crossbow sitting in the corner?

The Misspelled Cemetary (Null Zone)

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It's the rain that makes for the perfect atmosphere.

Since the party left the well lit cobbles lanes of the Market Streets the sky has opened up upon our intrepid band of adventurers with a vengeance. The wind howls through barren trees as the rain descends in sheets. The heavens are split by a ribbon of lightning and a roar of thunder.

A massive cast iron gate surrounds this place of once hallowed ground. Yes, hallowed once but no longer. The earth appears dead. Rotten. A phosphorescent green fog creeping along the ground. Misshapen fungus and molds clinging to crumbling monuments. Corpses exposed on the surface, half-eaten with decay.

The gate creeks open of its own accord as the party nears.

And above the gate, in rusted iron letters, reads:

The Misspelled Cemetary

The Misspelled Cemetary is largely ruins now, due to the battle against Ebon Mirror, an evil Exalt that used it as his base of operations.

MagMart (Player: Lord Magtok, Blue Zone)

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An absurd mash-up of K-Mart, Wall-Mart, Target, and every other vile retail chain, MagMart is staffed by an unswervingly loyal Magbots, lobotomized talking cats that are too brain-dead to know any better, several voodoo spirits, and a pickle jar that everyone insists is a sentient being that only communes with those who truly believe in it.

Here you can find everything from curtains to carpets, macaroni to monkeys on motorcycles, groceries to zombies. The staff is always happy to help (or else), and if you aren't entirely satisfied with your shopping experience, you can pay a small fee to watch the MagMart employee of your choosing get fired out the MagMart complimentary employee morale cannon.

Pontius' Custom Constructs (Player: Earl of Purple, Null Zone)

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The caravan of 6 wagons (I never said 3! Well, I did, but still.) arrives at a warehouse, previously for sale. The gnomes lead the golems and other constructs inside, and get to work. The warehouse has an open yard at the main entrance, and several golems, like crude figures of worked stone or wood, stand in the yard. A gnome wearing an apron over smart-yet-practical artesan's clothes and puts a sign up.


Pontius's Custom Constructs
Golems of Any Material* at Unbelievably Low Prices!!!**
You Won't Find a Golem, Gargoyle, Guardian or Homonculus Cheaper!!***
Come Now and Buy 1 Get 1 Full Price!!!****



*Flesh has an additional charge. **Define 'low'. ***Except at our competitors. ****Terms and conditions apply.

Sanctuary Fortress of Zoemaytare (Player: Rebonack, Red Zone)

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Like so many other prominent buildings in Town, or not so prominent buildings for that matter, this place seemed to pop up out of nowhere over night.

Buildings are like mushrooms in Town. Probably spread via spores, too.

Regardless, here it is. A rather sizable campus marble hewn from the mountains some distance away. Carved and hauled here near the edge of the slums where they were no doubt assembled. Though... no one can quite place a finger on when this happened.

Though the buildings aren't of only cold hard stone, no. There are timbers as well. Not what one might expect, however. They seem almost organic. As though they had grown into place rather than being hewn.

Oddness aside, the temple is arranged in a rather interesting fashion. Several concentric wall and courtyards ending in a central temple.

The outer wall is lower than the rest, each tier of the temple built onto higher ground like a wedding cake. Each wall is topped with a roof supported on the inside by pillars, creating a sheltered walkway. The exact use of these porches depends on the section of the temple one happens to be in.

Anyone is allowed entry through the first wall and into the first court, the Court of Meeting. Beyond the second wall only worshipers of Zoemaytare are allowed admittance to the second court, the Court of the Blessed. Beyond the third wall only the priests are allowed, where they carry out holy rituals within the temple itself.

The Court of Meeting is dedicated to service of those the worshipers of Zoemaytare dwell among. Food is prepared for the hungry here and given out without expectation of recompense. Those without a place to lay their head are allowed to sleep within the porch. The grounds beyond the porch are devoted to a wondrous garden boasting vibrancy and spectacular color. This are is always comfortably warm and brimming with life. Wounds heal faster as the body is refreshed. Undead creatures will find that remaining here is decidedly uncomfortable.

The sky above the temple seems to be perpetually clear, filled with pleasant sunlight in the day and cloaked with gossamer stars at night. Benches are set up here and there, under trees with hanging branches and above fragrant shrubbery. A lively stream flows endlessly in a circuit about the Court, spilling into several larger pools and meandering up a small outcrop of stone before cascading back down the other side.

This section of the temple is tended by members of the faith. Not priests, though devote. They can be found tending the garden and serving warm food. When in service to the temple these devotees wear a white linen ephod bearing the symbol of a willow tree, ornately rendered in blue thread. They'll be more than happen to answer any questions. Priests tend to have stricter ceremonial garb, including a blue tunic and white robe in addition to the ephod.

Welcome, traveler. May you be more blessed when you leave than when you came.

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New information that isn't readily noticeable at first glance at the temple will be added here.

The temple grounds are protected by a dampening field that blocks unauthorized teleporation and dimensional shifting. The place is something of a fortress after all. Being able to pop in and out at will would defeat the purpose.

Zoemaytare isn't a god of (fill in the black) but rather the patron and protector of her people. As such, her domain, if she even has one, is over all that her people do. The people in question are collectively known as the Zoeos, and this particular temple is their first major venture into Town. At present their stated goal is to set up trade relations and aid the city. This is ministered through the temple on account of the Zoeos government being a theocracy.

It just so happens that there's a dungeon under the temple, though the entrance to it is well hidden.

NPCs thus far:

Potentate of the temple: the head priest and administrator. He has yet to be seen 'on screen' though he has been referred to.

Regent Zachius: And elderly human with a coppery complexion and deep-set wrinkles, the sort of face one expects of a person who has spent a great deal of time in the sun smiling. He's a kind old fellow who is in charge of the Court of Meeting.

Regent Stephen: A younger human who smells rather distinctly of wolf. He's in charge of the dungeons of the temple and seems to be a rather caring and compassionate fellow. It's his job to bring the cases of prisoners before the Potentate.

Regent Thadeus: One of the priests who aids in minor upkeep in the temple proper. He usually isn't seen outside the temple and since his position doesn't put him in much contact with the common folk he tends to be somewhat aloof and judgmental. Also happens to be an elf. Those snooty elves!

Bognus Thundershield: a lay dwarf that operates the temple's teleporter, primarily from Trog's. Though people can be 'ported in from elsewhere as well. While it isn't commonly known, this device can send people over rather long distances, though it's somewhat inaccurate when doing so. Bognus is a bit gruff, though generally good natured. He speaks with a thick Scottish Dwarven accent.

Trollfinger, Ironpick & Greencheek, Mining & Engineering (Player: Morty, Blue Zone)

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A run-down building near Trog's Tavern was bought by three goblin enterpreneurs with a large crew and now houses their mining and engineering company. Everyone who needs something dug, built, repaired or blown up is welcome.

The Temple of Dalachrech (Player: Earl of Purple, Null Zone)

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The first room entered is a foyer. On the walls are red drapes with silver, two-tailed scorpions embroidered on to them, and next to the door is an ornate font. The granite font stands about waist height, and is a plinth with a bowl of unholy water. Winding around the font are carved centipedes. A door away from this chamber leads to the main prayer hall. This room also has drapes with the two-tailed scorpion device on the walls, and a red velvet carpet flanked by wooden pews leads to an altar at the far end. The altar is covered with red velvet, with a gold statue and red candles placed upon it. The statue depicts a demon with a centipede's body, a scorpion's tail with spinnerets next to the sting, a stag beetle's head and the claws of a praying mantis.

This is a hidden location in the Null Zone. Please PM Earl of Purple if you wish to interract there.

Warwick Works (player: happyturtle, Yellow Zone)

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In the industrial area, a building is rented and has a new sign put out front.

W
Warwick Works

The building itself consists of a small office area in front and warehouses in back. There is no indication of what sort of business this is, but a certain cyborg with a satellite might recognize the logo and name.

Eternal Library - Across from Trog's (player-Eternal Drifter)

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The First floor has bookshelf after bookshelf of various books, and a few tables in three corners, and a checkout counter. There is a fireplace leading upwards at the side opposite the door. All the books are stamped "Property of the Eternal Library," and have security devices on them. There is a security bar at the entrance of the building. In one corner is a stairwell leading upwards.

The Second Floor is a hallway with three rooms. One of them is a bathroom for public use. The other two are rooms with chairs and a large table in each, mainly for meetings. The larger of the two meeting rooms, "Space," has a fireplace.

The Third Floor is Drifter's personal residence, with all the necisities. This floor is private, officially only open to Drifter and those who have recived and invitation from him.

Drifter (played by Eternal Drifter) is the librarian. You are free to check out books as you wish, but be sure to actually have the books checked out before you leave... those who forget quite often find themselves at the receiving end of Drifter's glare and Magic Missile spell.

Emergency Bunkers

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Eight bunker-like structures in a ring-like arrangement at about the midpoint between the walls (or the docks) and the center of the city have been completed.

The interior of each is rather dull, rather befitting a bunker, but there are underground areas beneath the visible bunkers. These are similarly dull and military-styled, but they also act as hospitals.

These are mostly designed with emergencies such as shelling in mind, and are usually closed.

Hastings and Sons Mortuary (player: Kid Kris, Yellow Zone)

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Near one of the older parts of the city sits a large and somewhat dour building of brick and mortar, built in the traditional sense, with a metal plaque by the door that reads (predictably enough):

Hastings and Sons
MORTUARY
For the preparation of the dearly departed.

And indeed, should one go in one should find all the trappings of a conventional mortuary, including several large visitation rooms, run by this guy:

Though of course, usually without the zombie there.
In recent times however, the true business of the resident Mortician has branched into a more heretical bent, offering certain services to the living impaired (more commonly known as the foul Undead). These start at simple healings and flesh grafts (the flesh occasionally obtained 'legitimately', when a body comes in for cremation and the Mortician gives them an urn full of wood-ash, but usually corpses are obtained through donations from customers or good old fashioned grave-robbing). But services can also range into body part replacement and augmentation for the undead who wishes his creator had seen fight to give him a giant lobster claw or retractable venomous spines, or even full body/flesh reconstruction for the self-conscious lich (or lich in disguise, though making your new flesh look like someone else usually costs extra) or the zombie in his golden years. These customers usually come in through the back door, where there is a plaque listing the full list of services. Though of course some are brazen enough to come through the front door anyway.

((PM if you wish to interact with the Mortician, as Kid Kris may not always check the thread.))

Emergency Clinic (Null/Yellow Zone border)

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Funded by the empire, this clinic provides the care you would get in a modern emergency room. This is the place to come for getting bones set, wounds stitched, normal illnesses treated, etc. They can't handle magical ailments, nor do they provide magical healing, and the further a being is from being human, the less likely they are to have the necessary expertise to help.

This is an NPC facility. Please godmod your own care.

Witch Which's Wish Shop (Yellow Zone, Player: Haruki-kun)

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Welcome. If you have stepped into this store, it is because you have a wish.

The store is big, ancient and beautiful. It has a large garden with colorful flowers, a pond with fish and running water, and chirping birds. This is the outside of the store. The inside, however, is, to put it simply, gloomy. There’s burning candles and incense everywhere. From the hall where you enter you are led off into a side room with a low table and cushions around it. A tall, masked and unnamed stranger brings tea and snacks to the guests. The Witch sits opposite and rarely ever moves.

RULES (OOC):

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This is a Wish shop. Your character will only enter this shop if he has a wish. Whether the wish is granted or not is a different issue.
Witch Which is in charge of the shop and will grant wishes to everyone who asks, regardless of intent or alignment, as long as the appropriate price is paid. Under certain conditions:

Condition one: Witch Which will not haggle. She couldn’t lower a price or overcharge even if she wanted to. A balance must be kept in order for the wish to be granted.

Condition two: When a Wish directly affects another player’s character in a way that would be considered godmodding, the other player must agree first.

Condition three: The Witch may not reject any wish unless the price is too high to be paid. Wishes to take a life or to destroy the world, for example, carry a price higher than anyone can pay. ANYONE.

Condition Four: The Witch will never engage in battle. Be glad. The Witch is the very definition of True Neutral.

Condition Five: The store is not hard to access; in fact, there’s a big sign outside and everything. However, the store’s grounds exist in a special separate dimension, protecting it from anything that could destroy it, up to and including plot.

Condition Six: Haruki-kun reserves the right to alter the conditions if he feels they’re causing problems such as godmodding or similar issues.

NOIR (Red Zone, Players: Moff Chumley and Project_Mayhem)

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In a rather seedy building, off of a rather seedy hall, is a door. It's not a pretty door, but it does its job admirably. It's got an eye painted on it, rather sloppily. Under the eye, is the word "NOIR". Inside, is a small, cramped, rather dusty reception room. Coffee machine, secretary's desk, several chairs, the like. The desk looks like it's never been touched; the coffee machine, like it's survived several wars. Three doors lead off the room: Raz's office, Ilyena's office, and a closet. Word to the wise: don't open that door.

Between the two of them, Ilyena and Raz are capable of everything from fairly standard PI fair to more complicated contracts using Ilyena's ability to write spells.

Needle and Thread (Blue Zone, Player: Artemis97)

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On one side of a wide cobblestoned street is a small shop. The sign hanging over the door depicts a simple spool of thread, pierced by a needle. No words were included, as a courtesy to those who could not read, nor were they needed. It was clear from the merchandise displayed in the two large windows on either side of the door that this was a clothing boutique. The right side displayed the latest in women's fashions, dresses and skirts in unique designs, all detailed by hand with beading and emboidery. The left window showed men's clothing, from a beautifully tailored three piece suit, cut from expensive fabrics, to the very best in adventuring style, rugged and sturdy, clearly built to last.

Inside, racks and manequins display more clothing, split down the middle between men's and women's fashions. The back wall held rolls of fabric, some plain, others with obviously magical porperties. A large, three-sided mirror sits in the back corner, next to a small changing stall. On the other side is a small counter holding a cash register, behind that the door that led to a small workroom.

The Needle and Thread is a clothing shop specializing in custom tailoring and specialty designs. It is owned and operated by Lillith Rock, and the kindly fiendish woman can usually be found behind the counter, or working on orders in the back workroom.

On the City's government

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As the capital city of the Acronymian Empire, Inside is subject to its laws. They largely resemble modern-day laws*, with the exception of weapons control and small-scale vigilantism, as those would be extremely difficult to enforce. Vigilantism, however, once again becomes problematic when it causes more problems than it fixes.

Slavery is illegal in the Empire. This would be treated as a given (see above), but it has come up many times.

The Empire has also imposed a light tax on arms sales and a light-moderate one on imports. The latter grants much more funding than it normally would, thanks to the Empire's location in a nexus of realities-many goods, mundane and exotic, often pour into Inside and the greater Empire.

*DC may experiment with punishments, though, as he's aware that being unable to play a criminal character because they're stuck in jail for a realistic amount of time is no fun.

On Apocalypses

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When determining apocalyptic effects that threaten Inside, please keep the bottom of this post in mind.

The title is a misnomer, of course. No doubt the moniker of this place was settled on after a brief conversation that started with, 'Wouldn't it be funny if...?'. But now the name has stuck.

But what is this place, you ask?

The city of Inside is the capital city of the nation known as the Acronymian Empire. The city was once the center of the Nexus, the dimensional anomaly that acts as a crossroads between any number of radically different worlds. Now, it is no longer the center, but still shows the influence of the Nexus.

Thanks to the Nexus, the cityscape is high in variety of architectural styles, varying tech levels factoring in to the myriad designs. Though the city is now relatively stable, it's still possible to find buildings of any number of architectural styles within it. Shopping malls lie beside medieval architecture, and futuristic towers rise alongside old cathedrals.

The city is surrounded by defensive walls, with an artificially and accidentally created moat outside the walls. A gap in the walls and a bridge allow for entrance into the city proper, the main gate opening up to welcome newcomers Inside.

[Shadowcaller]

[Pale Bride, Cabin]

Hold for a moment, we have a guest.
Replies the figure, as Cessie knocks on the door, moving to answer it.

Cessie will find the door opening for her, and the strange, hazy and uncertain scene that Nite has found himself in will display itself to her. Nite stands out in clear contrast amidst the blurred scene before her.

What is it you have come for?
The figure asks Cessie.

[Pale Bride - Captains Cabin]

She looks confused at it for a moment and then glances at Nite and back to the figure again, "Well, I... I was told by the woman downstairs that you could help me with a bargain I had."

[Project_Mayhem]

It's a good thing that oak trees are known for being particularly sturdy as there might otherwise be a problem. The lower branches were strong as could be expected and so ascension would be easy. It would be hard to see with all the branches in the way, apparently the tree had never been pruned, but the growling noise seemed to be coming from up just a little higher.... Where something roughly the size of a small tiger was sitting and growling at the troll. The midnight colored fur was easy to pick out from all the green. It had a somewhat cat-like head but two... Tendrils, for lack of a good word, sprouted from it's back and waved about semi-erratically. The thing glowered at Gunther with indigo eyes and growled.

This.. Might be more trouble than first expected.

oh. your quite a big kitty. we gonna do this the easy way or the hard way?

[ThirdEmperor]

[Deck]

Magnio will not find it difficult to get aboard the Pale Bride, but will not clearly see anyone to speak to, except the black clad sailors who move silently about their work, not looking at him at all.

Well, if they aren't paying attention.... They can't stop him from swiping stuff! He creeps over to the Captain's Cabin and attempts to sneak inside. He's about as stealthy as a elephant.

[Earl of Purple]

Docks- Pale Bride

Berenice the medusa, hearing the word 'price' frowns slightly. She doesn't have much money. "How much will my eyes cost me? I'm not especially rich..." She's wearing tattered rags, and whilst her longbow looks expensive, the way she holds it suggests that she is unwilling to trade it.

[Gimliggamer]

[Red Zone/Slums]

Hayden attempts to cut out Unhinged Rae's heart.

[Terumitsu]

Apparently Mr. Mittens chose the hard way as he was now scampering up to a somewhat higher branch. It was really typical cat behavior as they were known to be wary around strange new people. Or maybe just new smells. Either way, the 'kitty' was now just a bit out of reach to Gunther and the height he was at, he might feel the slight swaying of the tree. He might feel that it would be a good idea to be careful... Or not. It wasn't that bad yet at least.

[Project_Mayhem]

Gunther frowns

uh, miss. how attached are you to this tree?

[AmberVael]

[Pale Bride - Captains Cabin]

She looks confused at it for a moment and then glances at Nite and back to the figure again, "Well, I... I was told by the woman downstairs that you could help me with a bargain I had."

I can. What trade do you seek to make?

Well, if they aren't paying attention.... They can't stop him from swiping stuff! He creeps over to the Captain's Cabin and attempts to sneak inside. He's about as stealthy as a elephant.

He is swiftly noticed, but absolutely no one seems to care. The door to the captain's cabin is currently open, and Cessie is standing in the doorway. The contents of the cabin are blurred and hazy, incapable of being seen clearly- except for Nite, who is distinct and obvious against everything else.

Docks- Pale Bride

Berenice the medusa, hearing the word 'price' frowns slightly. She doesn't have much money. "How much will my eyes cost me? I'm not especially rich..." She's wearing tattered rags, and whilst her longbow looks expensive, the way she holds it suggests that she is unwilling to trade it.

The woman in white looks at where her eyes once were curiously.
"As I've said, you need not pay in coin. Perhaps you could pay in the span of your life, or memories, or emotions. Maybe flesh, blood, or bone?"
Her voice is quiet as she moves around the medusa in circles, examining her as one might value livestock.
"There are many things you have to offer. Perhaps if you give us a little extra, we could even provide you with coin in return."

[Gullara]

[Pale Bride - Captains Cabin]

"We will continue our conversation after you are finished." Nite says and leaves the cabin unless stopped.

He may be seen by Magnio.

[Shadowcaller]

[Pale Bride - Captains Cabin]

"Thank you." Cessie says with a nod to Nite and will then close to door after him, unless she is stopped somehow of course.

[Rae Artemi]

[Red Zone/Slums]

Hayden attempts to cut out Unhinged Rae's heart.

He may find that hard. As soon as he cuts into Unhinged Rae's chest a burst of black energy will launch out to push him back.

It's been fun, Kid, but I think playtime is over...

He pulls his arms and head out of his bonds and crosses his arms in front of him.

So, what is it gonna be? Are you going to beg me to tear out your heart, or will I just leave you to become exactly like me? It'll happen slowly, painfully, but it will happen, and then you will hunt down and kill the ones you cherish most. It's your choice.

[Terumitsu]

"That tree? Oh my late husband planted that when we married. It would be a shame if harm came to it. It may be a bit older than me with all the different kinds of time flowing this way and that but it's still the one that my hubby planted and I'd like it to stay upright as long as it's alive." said the elderly woman. Apparently there was a time before now when she wasn't so much of a crazy cat lady...

[AmberVael]

[The Pale Bride]

[Cabin]

The door is easily shut, leaving Cessie and the indistinct figure alone. Presumably, she restates her request and the various details behind it, bringing them back to the point where she had left off.
I've had such requests before- it is a predictable conclusion to such a situation.
The figure says, in that silent impression of a voice.
There are several solutions I can offer. The first is that I simply give you the life span you desire. It is the most direct, but by far the most costly, as it requires those four hundred years you lack to be given to you. It is strange how few people are willing to part with pieces of their life span.

It continues on, chillingly calm about its suggestion and observations.
Yet, your real interest is to live together for the rest of your life. I can easily siphon life away... if your love would be so willing, I could easily take half of their life and give it to you, ensuring you would both have the same potential. It would lengthen your own life, but decrease theirs... assuming you both live to the point where it would become an issue at all.

Lastly... you could share a life. I could add your life span together, but when one would die, the other would die with them. To me, this seems the best offer I can make. It requires no resources that I cannot easily replace, and it gives you what you desire- the chance to live a life alongside your love. That you would both die at the same time seems no true drawback to me, as its entire purpose is to ensure you live together.

[Gimliggamer]

[Red Zone/Slums]
Hayden's eyes flare is he is knocked backwards. "I'm going to kill you." Hayden says, sending an extremely large blast of power at UnRae.

[ThirdEmperor]

[The Pale Bridge]

Magnio sees Nite, and takes the only course of action possible. He dives behind the nearest barrel.

[Gullara]

[The Pale Bride]

It's too bad for Magnio that the same barrel he is hiding behind happens to be the barrel Nite decides to sit on while he waits. He hasn't noticed the likely cowering man yet. He's too busy pondering the ship.

[Shadowcaller]

[The Pale Bride]

[Cabin]

Cessie nods slowly, not looking entirely unfamiliar with the suggestions presented yet still not very happy with the, "He suggested something like that..." She smiles to herself as if remembering something, "Strange, I can't remember..." The smile fades as does the memory it seems.

The mage then sigh, "I know he would be okay with it, but I don't like to decrease his lifespan just because of my weakness. I was born in the wrong type of body, thats all. I just need to overcome that handicap." She looks thoughtful for a moment.

"I don't suppose there is a way to turn me into one of his kind? Otherwise I don't have many more ideas if the price would be so high. Beside trying to fulfill it myself..."

[Haruki-kun]

[Abrajin's Library]

"Establishment with the purpose of maintaining books and other manuscripts detected. Analyzing. It appears to be run by Abrajin as the sources instructed. Now proceeding to enter."

Psi looks at the Library from outside. No one warned her about the man who runs it. "Displacing movable structure," she says, as she opens the door. "Success. Now searching for signs of human interaction. Scanning."

[The Bushranger]

[Streets]

Presumably Brendan and Ashna are still walking.

It's been a long walk.

[AmberVael]

[The Pale Bride]

[Cabin]

It is possible that I could do such a thing, but if you are willing to go that far, to change your basic nature, I could give you both far more than a mere four hundred years, and for a much smaller price.
The figure says slowly.


[Abrajin's Library]

The front area of the library is fairly quiet. There's a sign on a nearby cart that says "Please place all books taken off the shelves here," as well as a giant group of shelves that say "Library Guide" over the top. The shelves are packed full of books, to the point where it would be difficult to take anything off the shelf.

There's a desk that presumably should have a person behind it, but said person is instead nearby a crackling fireplace, reading a book that is entitled:
Non-Correlating Cross-Dimensional Temporal Mechanics (As Relating to Matters Arcane) Made Simple. This person is an old man with little hair left on him except for a scraggly, whispy white beard which looks about ready to fall off. He has strong glasses, watery eyes, and an obstinate look on his face that says he hates everyone and would you please leave him alone and stop pestering him about his books.

It's really quite an eloquent expression.

[Rae Artemi]

[Red Zone/Slums]
Hayden's eyes flare is he is knocked backwards. "I'm going to kill you." Hayden says, sending an extremely large blast of power at UnRae.

UnRae, yeah, that works. He smiles, cutting through the blast of energy.

You'll come begging eventually. Until then.

And he disappears in a black flash.

I'll be waiting.

[Haruki-kun]

[Abrajin's Library]

The front area of the library is fairly quiet. There's a sign on a nearby cart that says "Please place all books taken off the shelves here," as well as a giant group of shelves that say "Library Guide" over the top. The shelves are packed full of books, to the point where it would be difficult to take anything off the shelf.

There's a desk that presumably should have a person behind it, but said person is instead nearby a crackling fireplace, reading a book that is entitled:
Non-Correlating Cross-Dimensional Temporal Mechanics (As Relating to Matters Arcane) Made Simple. This person is an old man with little hair left on him except for a scraggly, whispy white beard which looks about ready to fall off. He has strong glasses, watery eyes, and an obstinate look on his face that says he hates everyone and would you please leave him alone and stop pestering him about his books.

It's really quite an eloquent expression.

"Human detected. Now engaging Human Interaction Interface. Loading. Loading. Complete."

Psi hovers silently, closing in on the old man. "Greetings," she says.

[Gimliggamer]

[Red Zone/Slums]
"Damn it!" Hayden yells, punching a nearby wall. Then injuring his hand. He shakes it to get the pain off. He's totally forgot about Crae.

[Rae Artemi]

[Red Zone-Slums]

This Is Bad.

Says Crae, walking up to Hayden and trying to grab his arm that was bitten.

Very, Very Bad.

A soft laugh can be heard from the rooftops. He's taunting you.

[Gimliggamer]

[Red Zone/Slums]

Hayden's arm is grabbed. The red comes out of his eyes and suddenly he looks quite dizzy, and/or tired. He doesn't respond to Crae or UnRae's taunting.

[Rae Artemi]

[Red Zone-Slums]

Very, Very, Very Bad.

Says Crae, reaching into his pocket and pulling out another roll of bandages. He tries to pinch Hayden to get his attention.

The Way I See It, We Have Two Choices, Either I Can Pump You Full Of Holy Energy And Hope That At Least Slows The Infection, Or We Cut Off Your Arm.

Or he could become a white lantern, but Crae doesn't like that idea.

[AmberVael]

"Human detected. Now engaging Human Interaction Interface. Loading. Loading. Complete."

Psi hovers silently, closing in on the old man. "Greetings," she says.

"Bugger off."
Wheezes Abrajin, not looking up from his book. His nose wrinkles in a scowl, and his glasses slip down along it with the motion.

[Gimliggamer]

[Red Zone/Slums]

"Huh?" Hayden listens to Crae. "umm, can I vote for opshun one? Fighting evil ish kind of hard wif one arm." Hayden says groggily.

[UncleWolf]

Chapel-Red Zone

In the center of Red Zone, the ruined Chapel has been rebuilt. The holes in it's stone walls are now filled with marble, and the stained glass windows replaced. Each of the pews has been stripped and resurfaced and same with the flooring.

The great double doors of ancient and warped oak have been replaced with solid redwood, reinforced with iron. The Lady looks over the area around the new beacon of hope and smiles to herself as a few more people(6) join her cause, impressed by change.

She sets her sight on the ruined apartment complex right across the street and gestures towards it with a staff. "There! That shall be our new target! In the morning, we shall begin work anew!" Her White Masks nod, and so do most of the Red Masks. The latter look healthier now, stronger and cleaner since joining her.

It was a miracle what being fed hot food twice a day and sleeping under a roof at night could do for you.