[Nexus] Outside XXVI

[Reinholdt]

This place is just as it sounds. It's outside.
Want a change of scenery? Go outside.
Always wanted to visit the beach? Come outside.
Looking to have a climatic fight on clifftops? Attempt outside.
Secret meetings being held where there's no cameras? Try outside.
Want an ambush without nasty base defenses? Yep. Outside.

Any and all are welcome here. There are no NPCs unless you bring them in. The major exception is the creepy eyed squirrel. The creepy eyed squirrel does not interfere with anyone. The creepy eyed squirrel is everywhere outside. The creepy eyed squirrel is always watching. The creepy eyed squirrel never sleeps. The creepy eyed squirrel can not be damaged, manipulated, or killed by anyone. The creepy eyed squirrel will eat anyone's very being who attempts to do so. Anyone can god-mode the creepy eyed squirrel. You may pet the creepy eyed squirrel at your own risk.

Other NPCs currently include:
The menacing crabs. These intimidating creatures are usually found by the shore.
The non-existant duck. You'll miss every time you shoot at it.

There is very little you can't do outside. However, like always, please follow the forum rules and general rules of conduct. Private conversations can be held outside. If it seems like a private (secret) conversation, please respect that. Those having such a conversation should do their best to indicate it as such. Otherwise, other characters may stumble upon you. Those desiring to spy in on private conversations should first PM those holding the private conversation, more out of courtesy than anything else.

There are many areas outside, and people can be in multiple places outside. In order to keep areas outside separated so there's no confusion, consider bolding your outside location at the start of each of your posts, like so:

The Fields

Reinholdt sets up various targets and practices his sharpshooting. All these events recently has made him a bit rusty. To his left, he notes the creepy eyed squirrel. Giving him the heebie-jeebies, Reinholdt decides to head somewhere else.

The Cliffside

Calublufiok broods over his latest scheme as he flies over the cliffs. The creepy eyed squirrel is watching him again. He finds occasionally landing and telling the creepy eyed squirrel his plans helps him find holes in his plotting.

Note Reinholdt and Calublufiok do not interact because they are in different areas outside. They could interact, if Reinholdt moves to the cliffside. Of course, various things like telepathy help bypass this. Also, please note outside has no major buildings, though minor ones crop up from time to time.

And most importantly, enjoy outside. That's what this is all about.

Outside now contains various Outside locations! Such as...

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[Dead Pine Lake]

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This lake lies in the middle of the forest. On the eastern shore, woodpeckers feast on the dead pines that give the lake its name. Sometimes one can find Lady Death here, the Aspect of Eve also known as The Grandmother, or Jedwiga.

(Please PM happyturtle if you wish to interact with Jedwiga.)

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[The Islands]

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An island cluster forms an archipelago along the coast. Some of the islands are settled, some not, but most are at least occasionally visited by the fishermen who work these waters.

[Gersemi's Island]

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Gersemi the seighkona lives on a small island in the archipelago with a single hut and a few sheep. Inside the hut, there is a single room, and a fireplace. A loom rests in one corner.

(Please PM happyturtle if you wish to interact with Gersemi.)

[Redbrick Falls]

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A mountainous, cliffy region with a prominent waterfall. A large quarry once was worked in these cliffs. Now, only a few scattered villages and solitary dwellings remain.

[Norosa, Great City of the Elves]

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A Lawful Evil city with an incredibly strong military and a very charismatic leader (Archmage Tyrion Lannister). It has a few CG resisters, but, otherwise, it is a city of peace and law, despite its evil nature.

[Brillian's Baneful Bestiary]

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A secret series of caves where a mad scientist lives. A mad scientist who creates mutant attack creatures. These can be purchased for the right price.

[Auxiliary MagCave]

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A relic from the days of the Age of Apocalypse, this abandoned cavern was once used by the infamous cyborg Magtok as a back-up laboratory and underground fortress, should Calublufiok have ever stormed the primary MagCave.

[The Katz Motel]

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Located in the middle of Nowhere, our roadside motel is the only decent place for miles near the Taverna that has a bed. Run by a suave anthropomorphic cat, there is a strict No Dogs policy.


A bellhop by the name of Bates is always ready to assist in carrying your luggage. Please ignore his constant mutterings about his mother. Other more unsavory employees can occasionally be found. Please try to avoid eye contact with them.

We at the Katz Motel wish to ensure you have a splendid stay. Any inconvenience due to randomly locking doors, giant spiders, secret passages, vampires, creepy paintings, and the occasional possession and subsequent exorcism are incredibly rare. Just look at our complaint cards! Not a single one mentions dying horribly in their sleep or becoming food for the monster in the basement.

And if you get bored, the owner will always be up for a game of sport, old boy.

((The Katz Motel is a horror filled place with the highest casualty rate of any motel in the Nexus area. Checking in is usually pretty easy and pleasant. Checking out is rare. Anyone can play the Motel and the NPCs within, free to invent their own horror. The NPCs within that can die usually only suffer death temporarily, the supernatural force causing the disturbances bringing them back to life for its own nefarious purposes. PCs get no benefit from this.))

[The Troll Cave]

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A cave in a craggy hill. The undergrowth outside is trampled completely flat, and there's not much wildlife. There's a burned patch where a fire is sometimes there. Inside are a few large caves, linked by surprisingly smooth tunnels that look like something big has been regularly pushing through them.

[Blind Cat's Bluff]

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A sheer cliff dropoff that travels straight down into the water, this is a favored point of people who commit suicide, romantics wanting to watch the sunset and anyone looking to get rid of evidence. The drop is pretty far and there are rocks at the bottom that spell almost certain doom, so watch your step.

[North Forest]

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A magical forest with a mythical spring of beauty. A bit like the Weald, but not nearly as dangerous. For starters, you can find your way back out and the pixies aren't cannibals.

PM Reinholdt if you wish to add locations to Outside.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Peaceful Field]

Karyana winces in sympathy.

"I should've warned you they can do that."

The D'lattu, although Zwei probably can't see this, is flailing at her.

Repost for ease of reference.

[Beans]

[Peaceful Field]
Getting caught by a stray blow, she steps back in alarm.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Peaceful Field]

Karyana increases the pressure of her grip, apparently. Zwei can probably hear a loud crack, just before the D'Lattu pops back into view.

He looks like he's in pain, and his arm appears to be broken.

[Mindfreak]

The Brick House

"Well, we shouldn't give the children too much trouble... somewhere with small creatures." Of course, given where they live, it's entirely possible that monsters roam everywhere. "I think I might know the place..."

The Brick House
He smiles.
"I trust your judgement. You should get some sleep.....you look tired."

[Beans]

[Peaceful Field]
Zwei tries to gently pat his back.
Hey now, let's all just stay calm, okay?

[Lady Serpentine]

[Peaceful Field]

The D'Lattu snarls at her.

[Shadowcaller]

[Ancient Tomb]

"We are." Ilpholin says, stepping out of the cave with Koro. She frowns. They didn't nearly accomplished what she had hoped. All their information was sketchy and nothing seemed like they had killed Darcy's kidnappers.

[Ancient Tomb]

I assume we're done here and ready to go home, then, Wenomir says, looking at his companions.

[Ancient Tomb]

"Right..."

Zanny rolls his eyes, and gathers up all the treasure with one sweep of his arm. No, I don't know how he does it either. Probably with dragon magic or something. He'll awkwardly try to climb up out of the hole after Koro is dislodged and his other companions go though.

Dead Forest

The elf sits there for a moment.
He looks at the vampire.
He blinks at her.
"I want you to go back and get me some tea from Insi-WHAT DO YOU THINK I MEAN?"
You'll have to forgive the elf for his impatience. He's somewhat distressed.

He sighs, leaning back and rubbing his forehead. "Y'know what. Why don't you just... stay here. Right here. That way if he comes back here he'll have someone waiting for him."

It is a long and eerily still walk down the path. The further they get, the darker it becomes - not because the branches of the trees are knitting together and blocking out the sun, but because of the setting sun.

As they approach the fork in the road, the forest behind them seems to swallow the clearing. The party needs to decide which way to go, but it shouldn't be a hard choice.

[Ancient Tomb]

As you climb out of the tomb you will find that the mist have withdrawn from the forest during the short time you spend underground getting up the lost treasure.

You can hear birds singing in the trees and how a rabbit quickly runs away as you ascend. It appears as if life returned to the forest once again.

However Wenomir can still feel the presence of demons even with the mist gone, there is a presence still watching you from afar.
However considering you got the treasure you can feel free to go back to watch. If that is the case however, the presence will follow you all the way there.

Dead Forest

Looks like we need some light friends, I can provide that if you give me a moment. Sidney fumbles with a pocket in her/his robe and finally picks up a rod. Here we go. A crown of pure light forms around Sidney's head which will spread light a fair distance outwards.

Valente seems rather uncomfortable. In fact, he has been since they've been out in the sun. Understandable really. He's determined to enjoy himself though.

The vampire has one arm around Astrana, and the other has a large beach umbrella that he purchased before leaving the city. Presumably Astrana has the towels they clearly brought, of course.

"Not really. We've got machines and stuff. There is some fishing on the river though." Valente glances toward the changing booths. "I guess we can get changed now." He can't wait to see her in that bikini again.

[Luna Beach]

Yep, that was in the things she already packed.

Valente is so silly but Astrana doesn't mind and just smiles brilliantly at the young Vampire. "So do we share a booth or...?" She teases him as they head off towards the booths.

[Beans]

[Peaceful Field]

The D'Lattu snarls at her.

She sighs.
I have some weak heal spells---mind if I help with that wrist?

[Lady Serpentine]

[Peaceful Field]

He looks like he plans on saying something rather rude for a moment, but a quick application of pressure from Karyana (Zwei may or may not notice it) stops it, and he says: "Fine. Go ahead."

[Beans]

[Peaceful Field]
She goes to first make sure that the bones are properly set (which might hurt) and then tries to heal them.
He'll probably be left with his bones okay but a good deal of bruising around the wrist.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Peaceful Field]

The D'Lattu snarls again when she touches it, and the shards of bone are moved around, but it's clearly an instinctive reaction this time.

Is a completely splintered bone within the range of her spells abilities?

[Beans]

[Peaceful Field]
Yes, but only if she uses a different spell to redistribute a bit of the damage to other bits of him. Namely, the flesh around the wrist.
Well, that's the limit of my healing... hope it's enough.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Peaceful Field]

"It's better than it was. Thank you."

"Now, are you going to let us use your blood, or do I need to break your arm again?"

[Mr. Moon]

Lost Coast - Lighthouse

"Who here would be foolish enough to turn it off?" Bellan asks, looking at the cowboy without a trace of visible suspicion. His mandibles click quietly.

"Oh, I got no idea. Missed the sod, I did. Was gonna really lay a lesson inta him but I gess he were a wily one." Allen shrugs helplessly, leaning to in what he hopes is in complete nonchalance but is really more nervous anxiety peer around the giant man blocking his path. "Ah well. What's done is done, eh? No need to dwell, ain't nobody been hurt. Say, hows about you 'n' me go find that boat, huh? I always wanted to see a boat meself, I did." The cowboy nods emphatically. Yes, this was an excellent idea. They should go do this, they should go do this now.

[Forest]

Avatar steels himself. As he is now his ability to impact the world around him is pretty darn limited. Aside from a few tricks with dream essence and, well... that's pretty much it right now. At least without a body. He could make a new one, but that would be pretty taxing...

Maybe even impossible.

Better to get what's left of the old one back.

Alright. Let's do this then.

And then! A voice?

That doesn't sound like the sorts of monsters Alley has been imagining.

Amil, meanwhile, gives a rather audible sigh of relief. Almost more like a gasp. "Oh thank God you're not a monster. I thought for sure something would jump out of a tree and try to eat me if I spoke up. I felt something really weird nearby... Like a little mental star. Was that y-"

And then ball of light!

A humanoid shape right at the edge of the illuminated area holds up a hand to shield her eyes. "Wow, I guess so."

And then question!

"I'm Amil. Amil Wightson. I'm... well... A human. A mutated human? The Nexus decided to vomit weird all over me after I avoided it for five years."

Avatar will feel a quiet but not insignificant twinge of disgust as Amil reveals herself to be a mutant. Alley hated mutants, just as any good Imperial subject should. Disgusting freaks, the lot of them. Alley's eyes narrow at the silhouetted figure hiding among the trees, before the importance of their situation returns to her. There would be time to kill the possibly rouge psyker mutant later.

"Look... Amil." She says. " There's a tyranid around here somewhere. You should probably leave."

[Lady Serpentine]

((Rebonack, is S'Kanthos able to make a working Trump of Amil? You never said.))

[Beans]

[Peaceful Field]

"It's better than it was. Thank you."

"Now, are you going to let us use your blood, or do I need to break your arm again?"

Zwei winces at that, but accepts it as necessary.

[Reinholdt]

[Ancient Tomb]

As you climb out of the tomb you will find that the mist have withdrawn from the forest during the short time you spend underground getting up the lost treasure.

You can hear birds singing in the trees and how a rabbit quickly runs away as you ascend. It appears as if life returned to the forest once again.

However Wenomir can still feel the presence of demons even with the mist gone, there is a presence still watching you from afar.
However considering you got the treasure you can feel free to go back to watch. If that is the case however, the presence will follow you all the way there.

Unless one of her companions has an objection, Ilpholin will give Koro a quick pet and head back to the Watchtower!
"We'll split up the gold back at the Watchtower, ok?"
She'll tell the dragon bear.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Peaceful Field]

"Fine."

They move onto the next Quill Wolf. After Karyana has finished, and the D'Lattu is unconscious for the moment, she says "I'm sorry about that. I come from a pretty harsh place, and sometimes my reactions are like I'm still there."

[Beans]

[Peaceful Field]
It's... it's okay, sweetie. I'm a death knight and violence is sort of a family tradition...

[Lady Serpentine]

[Peaceful Field]

"Well... You didn't look okay with it. I figured I owed you an explanation. And just because something's a family tradition doesn't mean you have to follow it if you don't want to."

[Beans]

[Peaceful Field]
She shrugs.
I'll be fine for now, might wanna talk it over some more once we get back to the Nest...

[Lady Serpentine]

[Peaceful Field]

"I'll make time for it."


The third Quill wolf is whimpering weakly, having had its hind legs and tail blown off.

[Beans]

[Peaceful Field]
Zwei kneels by it, stroking it gently.
Shhhh, shhh... we're here, we're here.

[Rebonack]

((It would help if I knew what a Trump of Amil is or does =P))

[Forest]

Yeah, those disgusting mutants! How dare they be born with physical abnormalities which they have no control over! They totally should have considered the heresy of what they were doing and made a point of being born normal.

Avatar wrinkles a mental nose at Alley's reaction. Boy is her home universe ever a horrible place...

Amil, meanwhile, laughs nervously at the mention of Tyranids being about. "Right! Yes. Those Tyranids. They're really dangerous," Amil babbles. She tends to talk a lot when she's nervous. Tends to say things that are kind of dumb when she's nervous, too. "With their violent instincts and their Hive Mind driving them toward devouring people. Pushing them to kill and devour, driving them toward slaughter no matter how much they might fight against it."

A beat-

"Not that... I would know about that sort of thing. Umm... Personally. That would be crazy since I'm not a Tyranid," very smooth Amil. Very smooth.

I think she might be the Tyranid we're looking for, Avatar suggests.

[Gullara]

[Luna Beach]

Yep, that was in the things she already packed.

Valente is so silly but Astrana doesn't mind and just smiles brilliantly at the young Vampire. "So do we share a booth or...?" She teases him as they head off towards the booths.

"Well, I definitely wouldn't mind." He's mostly joking, but he really wouldn't. She shouldn't tease the poor guy like that.

Once they reach to booth he'll let her go. Part of him still hopes she was being more serious than she sounded. >.>

[Lady Serpentine]

((Ah. That makes sense. I take it you're not familiar with the Amber books? I have a sort of explanation here...))

[Peaceful Field]

"Do you think your healing spells could do anything, for him, even if it's just making it hurt less?"

[Beans]

[Peaceful Field]
I'm out of heals.
But numbing, I can do numbing...

[Lady Serpentine]

[Peaceful Field]

"Thank you."

She then turns to the the Quill Wolf, and says "It's okay Leata, Zwei's going to make it stop hurting."

[Beans]

[Peaceful Field]
She does her work; the injured areas should go numb.