[Nexus] Random Places and Plots 4

[The Alexandrian]

[Loarna Manor]

Juppy: "You two are descended from the same bloodline, Tlannae."

Oh no! Juppy butchered Tlannae's name again!

"There is a good chance that you and Karyana are alike with respect to magic, if I understand the workings of magic."

Which she doesn't, as a matter of fact.

"Still, is that chance that you might not be able to manipulate magic worth risking our life over? We can't be certain of whether or not you are magical yet, but we know for a fact that if you are magical and remain here, you will be tortured relentlessly for months and then brutally murdered for no good reason."

[Lady Serpentine]

[Loarna Manor]

"Brutally murdered?"

"That was actually only because I joined a group that was trying to put them out of power..."

[The Alexandrian]

[Loarna Manor]

>.<

Juppy: "So they're not as lenient as I was originally led to believe..."

"A prolonged life of unending torture. No free will. Is death not that existence's better?"

[Lady Serpentine]

[Loarna Manor]

"No, I was released after a year - I joined that group afterward. They wouldn't keep her for life, unless she could still use magic until she died."

"It's been twelve years since Karyana got her abilities, though. If I had the capability to use it too, why wouldn't it have manifested by now?"

[Gullara]

[Sif Erath Grove]

"We just want to talk to him, that's all." Sakura explains. She isn't sure how much she should tell this gnoll. Bluh, she doesn't like being all secretive. =X

Also, Old Oaks totally sounds more male.

[Halae]

[Sif Erath Grove]

Harnel says, "We have to see Old Oaks, but we were asked not to tell anybody, and I always make sure my promises are kept." He gives a look to Azalea as he says that, before looking back towards the gnoll.

[Shadowcaller]

[Sif Erath Grove]

Not the spirits fault humans have such biases against names.

"Yes, it's very secretive. We were sworn to it actually, now scatter off." Azalea replies while just trying to walk past the now annoyed gnoll as if he hadn't even been there.

Darkhide makes some annoyed yip's as he puts himself in the way of Azalea and the others. "Okay! Okay! Fine, you can see Old Oaks but only if you do a task for him." The hyenaman claims.

[Gullara]

[Sif Erath Grove]

Sakura had moved to follow along, but here they are being stopped again. "Well, I guess we could help with something." She glances questioningly at her companions, wondering their opinions. "What do you want us to do?"

[Halae]

[Sif Erath Grove]

Harnel looks suspiciously at the gnoll. He's dealt with some before, but it's always been in combat. It's clear he doesn't trust the hyena man.

[Shadowcaller]

[Sif Erath Grove]

"You have no right to demand tasks of us." Azalea says with a sigh, seemingly starting to get annoyed as well.

"It's an important task!" Darkhide exclaims. "Evil goblins are cutting down forest so you must make them go away and then Old Oaks will be happy with you." He explains.

[Gullara]

[Sif Erath Grove]

"We could go talk to them at least. Maybe we can convince them to leave." Sakura says. Not that she's sure how, but clearly violence isn't an option."

[Halae]

[Sif Erath Grove]

Harnel nods, "If they're causing a problem, we'll see about them moving on. Take us to them then." He still has his arms crossed, but will follow the gnoll if he begins to move

[Shadowcaller]

[Sif Erath Grove]

"Um, no needed." Darkhide explains. "Just follow the ill trees and smoke on the sky and you find them. Lot of bad machines and such." The gnoll nods, showing all his sharp fangs in a grin.

"And all this just to meet Old Oaks?" Azalea asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, yes... Old Oaks be busy, we talked goblins and she said 'no more meetings now', she be very worried about forests."

"Right... I have seen those goblins." She says, hesitating.

So what will Sakura and Harnel do now?

[ThirdEmperor]

Swamp of Not Quite Sanity

Sticking his tongue out at the otyugh, Nimrod stomps over to the other two adventurers, brushing the mud off his now considerably dirtier hat. "Ve use de back vay, no qvestion. Vat kinda heroes vould ve be if ve chust valked in de front door? No self respectink hero ever uses de front door. Hain't dramatic enough." He says, nodding in agreement with himself.

[Earl of Purple]

Swamp of Not-Quite-Sanity

Looks like two votes for the back door.

If they go with the majority, around the other side of the keep they will find that there is indeed a hole in the wall. It is akin to a massive crack, a vertical rent in the keep's side. It's easily forty feet tall, and ten wide. Beyond, the chamber is dark and dank. I don't know if anybody can see in the dark, but if so it's a kitchen, with a row of ovens opposite the rent and rubble on the floor and atop splintered, mouldy worktops, whilst copper pots and pans hang from hooks in the ceiling, all of which is green with verdigris.

[Gullara]

[Sif Erath Grove]

"Okay, I guess we'll be back soon." Sakura says, and presumably they get going. If it's as bad as the gnoll says, Sakura would be able to find the way on her own, but in any case they should just head there unless anyone else wants to say something.

[Swamp of Not-Quite-Sanity]

Jasmine peers in to the hole, assuming they do indeed go that way, and frowns. "I can't see a thing in there. Anyone got some light?" That would sure be handy.

[Halae]

[Sif Erath Grove]

Harnel gives the gnoll a suspicious glare. He doesn't trust this. Something's wrong. But he follows Sakura.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Swamp of Not-Quite-Sanity]

Despair doesn't see, in the usual sense of the word. He just kind of senses things around him. On one hand, he's immune to flashbangs and overly bright lights. On the downside, he can't see things like Lasers.

"I can see, but I have no useful light sources. Is there perhaps some dry wood nearby? I can light a fire."

[Shadowcaller]

[Sif Erath Grove]

Azalea gives Darkhide a suspicious look as well but finally decides to follow Harnel and Sakura. "Stupid gnoll, I don't get why Old Oaks would let him speak for her." She says shaking her head.

"I guess you two want to talk to the gnolls though? At least we won't have to be naked out there." The elf asks as they start heading back to where they entered the grove.

Wonder what the other elves will think of the couple suddenly leaving the grove...

[Gullara]

[Sif Erath Grove]

Back to their clothes, right. Might help with talking to the goblins. "Yeah, hopefully they'll listen to us and they can go get wood somewhere else." Sakura isn't entirely opposed to woodcutting, as long as some care is taken doing it... Something tells me she will not at all agree with how the goblins do it.

[Slii Arhem]

In a ruined Halfway House

(Again, Spoilered because etc. etc.)

Spoiler

Show

Damn.

Why must he be so blasted difficult? He knew the risks he was taking, and now he doesn't even have the where-with-all to finish this asinine plan and has left me holding the bag.

Arkinos the savior? Heh, not likely.

The man behind the counter lies dead. Freshly dead... Fresh enough for this certainly. He awakens to my touch, staring at me in awe. He thinks me a savior.

He is wrong. They're all wrong.

"I seek the Holder of Bloodlust." he falls back into his trance. Back into his hell. He doesn't even notice he's still bleeding from a hundred wounds as he stumbles to his feet, entrails slopping out before him and tripping up his feet.

The door is the same. Exactly as described. Exactly as that fool had seen mere hours before. For a moment I think I've done something wrong. Things aren't going as the old man described. Perhaps we Fiskes aren't as connected as we thought...

Then, time leaps forward, and the world turns to snow. The universe melts around me, its molten existence scalding me as it runs by. The sensation of everything gone wrong.

It is indescribably intoxicating. Ecstacy in eternity.

And then all is gone. Except for me. Except for them.

White stretches out over my field of vision. White untarnished by color or shade. We are in the moment between moments, and they are waiting for me.

Two heads stare away. They pretend ignorance of my presence. I will not be denied.

Arkinos the Savior.

Heh.

"Who are you?" my voice-that-is-not-a-voice crosses the expanse between us in a moment. In an eternity.

The leftmost head moves, no bones to prevent it from swiveling about on its stalk.

"I am the Holder of Duplicates. I restore the items that Seekers lose with their lives and stock them to the Holders themselves."

The second head doesn't give me the courtesy of turning, "You shouldn't be here. How did you get to me?"

"It has happened before. I sought an Object I already possessed."

Pity is there, in their eyes. It's a lie. They know why I have come, and what I do. The first head shakes, even that gentle motion rocking the stool on which they sit slightly.

"You're foolish."

"What do you seek?"

They're almost talking over each other now. Driving each other to new heights as they further the ritual. Just reading lines from a script, no imagination, no insight.

It sickens me.

"More. And an end to this." I throw a wrench into the gears. The tired ritual is turned on its ears.

The don't seem to notice.

"Occasionally, a Seeker manages to destroy one of said Objects that you Seek."

"I make them again. Truly, I do the Devil's work, helping these Objects, but, I'd prefer the end of the universe than going to the alternative to this..." This monotony? This endless blank canvas at their disposal? This ability to create anything?

"This is getting off-topic... "

"I possess an Object that isn't on your list of the 538." My list is far longer than that.

"Do you want it? All you have to do is ask." If I didn't, I would have never come here. And we all know I cannot leave without it.

"I'll warn you... It won't be what you expect." I rather doubt that.

I take the hammer. The first tool, used to craft the end of the world. It, and it alone is stained with the blood of those lost to Seeking. It is the numberless Object, and my family's salvation. With this we shall seek no more, no matter how hard we may try.

Arkinos the Savior. Who would have thought?

Heh.

It's also the perfect bait. With this, the trap I've laid outside the city will attract mice aplenty.

Arkinos the Conniver? That title rings familiar...

[UncleWolf]

Jeremy's Realm

"Yeah, I heard." Jeremy admits with a small smile as he cradles the happily snoozing dog. "Not sure it was a good idea to say my last name, but we'll get by." He says, sure.

The back door leads to a large wooden porch with wire chairs and tables. There aren't any patrons out there at the moment, but the man from earlier stands out there, arms crossed with a pair of 7ft long PVC pipes next to him. Jeremy sighs and sets the pup down. The pekinese snorts up at him before paddling off to sit on Shawna's feet, watching the two men.

"Are we really going t-" He starts before he has to stop to catch one of the thick pipes. Even as he gets his grip on it, he has to twist to avoid the man's swing before returning it. As enhanced as Jeremy is, this man is easily as fast and even if he isn't as powerful, is much more skilled. In mere seconds Jeremy is laying on his back, tripped, with the man's foot on his chest.

They burst out laughing before Jeremy's pulled up into a hug. "What the hell happened to you, and who is the woman with you?"

"This is Shawna. Shawna, this is my father. Jeff."

[The Bushranger]

Jeremy's Realm

"Better to have things open now, rather than suspicion later when they wonder why it was kept secret," Shawna explains, following jeremy to the back door...

...where the Pekinese keeps Shawna captive while Jeremy is assaulted! She tenses, ready to jump into action...then looks confused at the laughing!
Then relieved.

And then she blushes! And bows formally as she is introduced.
"It is a pleasure to meet the man who is the father of my herzbegleiter," she says, straightening up and offering her hand.

[Halae]

[Sif Erath Grove]

Back to their clothes, right. Might help with talking to the goblins. "Yeah, hopefully they'll listen to us and they can go get wood somewhere else." Sakura isn't entirely opposed to woodcutting, as long as some care is taken doing it... Something tells me she will not at all agree with how the goblins do it.

[Sif Erath Grove]

"I don't like this," He says, "Something is telling me that the gnoll isn't being straight up with us, and I'm worried about what might happen if we don't get all the facts."

If they're coming out near their gear. Harnel will pull on his clothes and pieces of armor, and reattach his wedding earring. He does this all quite quickly, in a matter of minutes. Impressive, for armor.

[Shadowcaller]

[Sif Erath Grove]

Azalea is equally fast with putting on her (thankfully not stolen) clothes. But she's probably faster considering Harnel got an actual metal armor.

"Do you really think we will get any clues from the goblins though? If he's really lying it might just be a misdirection." The elf inquires.

[Gullara]

[Sif Erath Grove]

Sakura probably has the least clothes of the bunch, and is dressed quite quickly. =O "Well, we can always go back if he wasn't telling us the truth, right?" She' s very careful to make sure all her jewelry is there. It's all important to her after all.

[Halae]

[Sif Erath Grove]

"I don't see why not, no." Harnel says, "Unless the gnoll is expecting us to get killed by the goblins, I don't really see a problem with that."

[Shadowcaller]

[Sif Erath Grove]

"So what do you want to do? If we are going back we need to take off all clothes again..." The elf rolls her eyes.

[Gullara]

[Sif Erath Grove]

"We'll talk with the goblins first, of course. I just mean after we see what's going on there." Sakura says.

[Halae]

[Sif Erath Grove]

"To the goblins then. May as well, at this point," Assuming they know where to go, Harnel will start heading off in the direction of the goblins. He seems a bit tense.