[Nexus] Random Places and Plots 4

[Slii Arhem]

A Blooming Field

"Gods are not all knowing, and even if they could see who had told me, they are too lazy and self assured to try. Only the fates can see all, and they back me in this gambit, for otherwise my meeting you this day would not have come to pass. They shall know only what I allow them to, and I owe you too much to put you in their path."

Charon seems sure that Riss will come to no harm for this, confidence bleeding through into his posture.

"Please, eat what you will. The entire banquet is yours to do with as you choose. I would recommend, however, that you save the ambrosia until last, or for another occasion entirely." That's quite a lot of food Charon is offering Riss. It would be unwise and unhealthy for her to eat it all, even if it didn't have a narcotic effect on her. He doesn't seem to care, however, intent on giving her whatever she wishes in order to somehow repay this debt.

[Terumitsu]

A Blooming Field

Riss would not hide her relief upon hearing that she would be pretty much exempt from any kind of retribution... Although she did notice that she had peeled the whole rind off of the orange now and had been scratching at the inside for a little bit. Just enough release more of that amazing scent. Oh, hey. It even pulls apart into bite-sized pieces. Whoever designed this thing knew what they were doing.

The flavor was vastly different from the pomegranate and the fruit more fleshy. However, the effect would be near the same although it was clear that Riss was attempting to show some restraint so as to make the meal last longer. Failing mostly, but she managed to be less messy this time around at least.

She did follow Charon's advice, however, and set the slice of ambrosia aside for later. If it was something best saved 'til later then she wouldn't argue. Besides, there was probably more than just oranges with which to feast upon.

[Slii Arhem]

A Blooming Field

Charon will steadfastly refuse to take any of the food unless Riss offers him some. He doesn't have anything left to say, too intent on how this new information significantly changes his plans.

Unless Riss has more questions, he is content to pass the time in silence until she is ready to go back to her lab in the Magcave.

[Terumitsu]

A Blooming Field

Riss would pick up on the Ferryman's abstinence during a brief moment of trying to pry open another pomegranate, this being her second after two oranges and a green apple. Really there was no discernment to her choices aside from what was closest by. In any case, she would frame a question to him. "Um.. Weren't you going to have any?" the muse asked. While she honestly wanted to greedily keep this bounty to herself, there was no way she would be able to finish it all in one setting.

This offer also may or may not have been triggered by what she could only describe as a gently lapping, foamy feeling. Like a warm bath but only on the inside. There was a mildly numbing sensation about it but she honestly didn't care at all at the moment.

[Slii Arhem]

A Blooming Field

"I do not require any, and it should be rightfully yours by the terms of our agreement. I would ask you to stop soon, however. Too many such fruits and you may find yourself afflicted with an ache. It is wise to moderate yourself." If necessary, Charon will begin packing the excess fruit back into the basket. He won't take any for himself, but wishes to keep Riss from doing herself harm.

Even so, he leaves out a few more small ones of types she hasn't yet tried. Berries mostly, but a mango as well.

"Once you have finished what is left, we should depart. You have given me much to think on, and there are many souls for me to tend."

[Terumitsu]

A Blooming Field

Moderation? With this bounty? ...Well, saving some for later would be the prudent thing to do although it would similarly difficult to do at the same time. Maybe just the ovoid red and yellow fruit... But those smaller fruits would probably be good for filling in the corners after that. And maybe one or two slices more of that orange- No, no. Just the ovoid. Come on, show some self control.

Gathering up the berries, Riss pocketed them as well as the mango. It would probably be best to stop now and save them for a little later. Besides, she had the seeds in the pomegranate to finish. She wasn't quite ready to go, however. "So.. Um. What is all this?" she asked, making a gesture at the rolling lands. Now that her focus had been taken away from more pressing matters.

[Slii Arhem]

A Blooming Field

"Natural land. Every hill is a ripple, caused by shifts in the rock underneath, caused by pressure even further beneath that. It is an unstable weave, and one that relies on certain forces to balance each other carefully. I am aware it is not so everywhere, but it says rather nice things about how nature continues to keep itself in check without direct intervention."

Charon stands, and holds the basket out to Riss. She'll find it won't open for her just yet, if she intends to reach in for more of the fruit. Instead it will open three times per day, whenever she cares to withdraw a certain amount of fruit. It will close when she has surpassed that amount, although there are of course ways around it.

Those are considerations for another day though. Charon rolls the blanket up, and the mist bearing the portals back to the Cave draws closer to them.

[Terumitsu]

A Blooming Field

Charon's words took a little while to sink in... Likely due to the reason that the pleasant numbness was just present enough to insulate her mental functions somewhat. It would quickly pass within half an hour or so as her metabolism took care of things but for now she would be ever so slightly dazed. And yet she couldn't find herself worrying about it either.

Acting on a whim, she reached down and brushed her hand over the grass, digging her nails slightly into the earth and prying out a small clod. It was moist and gritty yet slick at the same time while the grass atop it was strangely soft and pliant but still firm enough to spring back up after being pressed down. The wispy roots underneath were stiffer yet almost ticklish when handled. It smelled strange. Pungent. It was incomparable to the scents of industry and machinery she was so familiar with. Holding the clod in both hands, The muse turned her eyes again to the horizon and upward still, taking in the night and it's countless little twinkles like shimmering sequins on a magnificently flowing gown.

How should I feel about this? she asked herself. How should I react? She pressed Aesop for a potential prompt but simply returned an error message. A strange thought crept up from the back of her mind. For years, having been so focused on the small details of living, it was staggering to take a step back and see at least a larger portion of the picture she was in. With a quiet confidence, likely an effect of being somewhat high off of fruit, she posed a question to the Ferryman. "Charon? What are we in all this?" the muse asked, her face still turned skyward.

[Slii Arhem]

A Blooming Field

Without hesitation, Charon replies, "We are the artificers of the universe, and the architects of reality. Anything we can see is in our grasp, and anything we set our minds to can be realized. It is true for both gods and men, although one would not believe it of the other. You have given me proof of this, Ms. Heln-Gelter. I do not believe for a moment that you could not one day reach out and grasp at those stars, cupping them in your hands like that clod of earth." Charon stands rigid, waiting for Riss to respond or shake herself from her musing and lead the way back to the cave.

[Terumitsu]

A Blooming Field

That was.. That was a very expansive view. Was that possible? Was that Charon just being poetic? It was hard to say. Riss certainly had a lot to think about.

About thirty seconds more ticked past before the muse finally looked away from the expanse to infinity above her and gently replaced the clod of earth from where she had pried it. Brushing her hands against each other to rid herself of the dirt that still clung to her skin, the muse stepped forward and made for the way back into the cave.

However, she halted mid-step just before leaving the field behind, whispering something before stepping through. "Thank you." she said, and was gone through the portal immediately after.

Charon wasn't the only one who had received something worth more than they could repay on this meeting. Perhaps they would balance out.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Swamp of Not-Quite-Sanity]

Despair, incidentally, did attempt to take the flail and add it to his portion of the treasure. His success or failure was not mentioned; Thus I assumed success.

Anyway, the tall Revenant disinterestedly stares at the boxes before training it's eyes on the door. He does not stop Jasmine, but his personal inclination says he should defend her.

[Ashen Lilies]

[Cottage]

Wenomir sighs internally. He was hoping KR would be glad to see him like this, but apparently he miscalculated again. There goes a part of his plan to get her into the right mood...
Well, it is rather warm. Besides, I wear armor a lot of the time so it feels nice to let loose sometimes. It's not a problem, is it? He asks with a raised eyebrow. I thought you'd like it, anyway.

"Um... no. I mean, yes. I mean, I don't mind it." >.>
Silly Wenomir, mistaking her speechlessness for distaste.
Also because I have apparently been playing too much Prototype recently, I feel the irresistible urge to type "THE SUPREME HUNTER HAS BEEN STUNNED. GRAB THE SUPREME HUNTER."
...
The player accepts no responsibility for any consequences resulting from actually following this course of action.

[Morty]

[Cottage]

Wenomir uses this opportunity to shift closer to KR. He doesn't feel like being subtle right now. The time for subtlety has passed. Right now, being too forward is better than continuing to beat around the bush. He'd like to think that stunning her with gratuitous shirtlessness was a part of some sort of plan, but the truth is it just seemed like a good idea.
I'm glad to hear that. He then tries to slip his arm around KR, lean down and kiss her gently.

[Slii Arhem]

A Blooming Field

Charon adjusts the portal after Riss leaves, letting it lead back to styx instead. Then he steps through, letting it close behind him.

The mist vanishes from sight, leaving very little trace of his presence.

[ThirdEmperor]

Swamp of Not-Quite-Sanity

The kicked sack lets off a puff of flour. It's surprisingly fresh flour, too; white and puffy.

So, two doors, five boxes and sacks of flour. Will they check out the boxes, or try one of the doors?

Incidently, what happened to that flail?

"Hy don' know, but Hy'm gunna check hennyvay." Rolling up his sleeves, Nimrod sets to work tearing open the crates, looking for treasure.

[Earl of Purple]

Swamp of Not-Quite-Sanity

Jasmine's box contains a pair of bronze greaves and a matching helmet, both looking rather Grecian and etched with small runes.

Nimrod's box contains a knife in a pentagon drawn in what appears to be blood.

Despair, it seems, doesn't get a box.

Despair did get the flail; it's magic.

[Gullara]

[Swamp of Not-Quite-Sanity]

"Oh wow. This is kick ass." Jasmine retrieves the helmet first and immediately puts it on her head. She'll pick up the greaves right after if nothing happens to interrupt her.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Swamp of Not-Quite-Sanity]

Despair indeed doesn't root through the boxes. He's too busy keeping an eye out for potential ambushers. That otyugh, no matter how awkward their conversation was, did mention a group of possibly violent cultists in this castle, and Despair has no desire to allow them to sneak up on his allies while they are claiming treasure.

Considering that a large part of his reason for coming along was to ensure that these aspiring adventurers didn't get themselves killed, that's kind of important.

Nevertheless, there's no reason not to experiment a bit. Putting his other weapons away, Despair wields the magic flail, swinging it a few times and trying to observe any obvious effects it has. He can't identify it without some sort of clue, but he can check if it explodes with fire when swung.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Harin's Universe]

Alas, such dangers must be risked for the future of the Nexus' silliness!

Rahona nods and responds ponderously.

"That one way ta look at it. If sumthing's confusing, that means there more ta learn, tha's pretty interesting ta me."

[Harin's Universe]

Harin nods as well, looking thoughtful.

"That makes sense. Of course, things don't have to be confusing to be interesting, or interesting to be confusing... Sometimes things just don't make sense, or you know how something does what it does, but you want to know why it does it."

[Mina Kobold]

[Harin's Universe]

Rahona takes a few seconds to reply, looking off into the mist while thinking.

"Sum things dun seem ta make sense, but that can be pretty interesting on it own, perhaps it has a why that we dun know yet."

Looking back into the mist after talking, the bird-humanoid briefly looks for something other than wraiths.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Harin's Universe]

She might notice what looks like a cross between a rat and a deer, apparently drowning, though they're on dry land.

"True. Frustrating, sometimes, if you can't figure it out, but..."

[Ashen Lilies]

[Cottage]

Wenomir uses this opportunity to shift closer to KR. He doesn't feel like being subtle right now. The time for subtlety has passed. Right now, being too forward is better than continuing to beat around the bush. He'd like to think that stunning her with gratuitous shirtlessness was a part of some sort of plan, but the truth is it just seemed like a good idea.
I'm glad to hear that. He then tries to slip his arm around KR, lean down and kiss her gently.

[Cottage]

Oh Wenomir we'll make a master tactician out of you yet.

And gentle kisses are good kisses! They are also short kisses, when KR pulls away rather quickly.
"This just... it seems like this is happening so fast."
Clearly Wenomir must wait another year. Then they can make out. Then in another year KR will take off her shirt. Then in another year she will take off her pants.

[ThirdEmperor]

Swamp of Not-Quite-Sanity

Jasmine's box contains a pair of bronze greaves and a matching helmet, both looking rather Grecian and etched with small runes.

Nimrod's box contains a knife in a pentagon drawn in what appears to be blood.

Despair, it seems, doesn't get a box.

Despair did get the flail; it's magic.

"Ooh, culty." Without bothering to stop and think that maybe the knife in the very obvious circle of blood might be, say, cursed, Nimrod snatches up the dagger eagerly. After all, it's not one of those sneaky doors, how much harm could it do?

If the knife doesn't immediately stab him in the eye, Nimrod will swing it around, toss it at one of the sacks of flour, strike it against the wall, generally testing it for magical effects.

[Morty]

[Cottage]

Oh Wenomir we'll make a master tactician out of you yet.

And gentle kisses are good kisses! They are also short kisses, when KR pulls away rather quickly.
"This just... it seems like this is happening so fast."
Clearly Wenomir must wait another year. Then they can make out. Then in another year KR will take off her shirt. Then in another year she will take off her pants.

Wenomir... manages to restrain himself from blinking in surprise. "Fast" isn't the word he'd use to describe their relationship. "Slow" and "awkward" would be his first choices, which is the whole reason he took her here in the first place. Sadly, waiting three more years is not in his general plans.
I'm sorry... I thought you'd expect that, he says, trying to softly brush KR's hair as inside, he feels increasingly helpless. Is there anything he can do to make it all work? I just wanted to show you that I love you.

[Mina Kobold]

[Harin's Universe]

She might notice what looks like a cross between a rat and a deer, apparently drowning, though they're on dry land.

"True. Frustrating, sometimes, if you can't figure it out, but..."

Deerrat!

"Th-Hey, what's that? An' why is it drowning?"

Rahona looks suspiciously at the mist, apparently suspecting the water vapour to be the mastermind of the poor creature's terror.

[Earl of Purple]

Swamp of Not-Quite-Sanity

Jasmine will find that the helmet enables her to see in the dark. Like the Night-Eye spell from Oblivion. The greaves, meanwhile, make her slightly faster. Assuming Jasmine knows enough about armour to put them on her legs.

The flail can change the length of its chain at the weilder's command.

The good news is that the dagger doesn't try to stab Nimrod in the eye. The bad news is that removing it from the pentagon opens a portal to the Abyss which tries to rip out Nimrod's soul it compels Nimrod to use it in battle. Also, it doesn't cut anybody it's used against- instead, the wound opens up on the equivalent place on Nimrod's body. This effect doesn't work on inanimate objects, animals, undead, constructs, robots, or anything with an anatomy radically different from Nimrod's, so it slices the sack as usual.

[Lady Serpentine]

Deerrat!

"Th-Hey, what's that? An' why is it drowning?"

Rahona looks suspiciously at the mist, apparently suspecting the water vapour to be the mastermind of the poor creature's terror.

"It's a delletal. It's drowning because we allow nothing but the Ceochain and their guests through the mistwall. Or, to be more precise, because one of the other wraiths has condensed themselves into its lungs."

[Gullara]

[Swamp of Not-Quite-Sanity]

Of course Jasmine knows where the greaves go! She's played so many video games, how could she not? "Whoa, this is great." She doesn't know what the greaves do yet, but being able to see in the dark is pretty sweet. "Hey Despair, Nimrod. Check this out." She turns toward them to show off her fancy new armour.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Swamp of Not-Quite-Sanity]

Even as Despair figures out what to do with the flail, he hears Jasmine's words. He turns around for a quick, appraising look, followed by a pair of brief sentences.

"Interesting. Now, try not to be wounded upon the torso."

...Is he not a bundle of optimism and joy?

[Mina Kobold]

"It's a delletal. It's drowning because we allow nothing but the Ceochain and their guests through the mistwall. Or, to be more precise, because one of the other wraiths has condensed themselves into its lungs."

Rahona looks quite confusedly at the Delletal.

"Wouldn' it be a lot easier ta just shoo it out? If ya drown it, ya'll just have a corpse ta lie around an' attract more animals."

Pausing for a few seconds, she adds.

"Oh, and that sounds really cruel."