[Nexus] Riverside VI

[Gullara]

[Wellspring Tower - River of Shadows]

Upon looking closer at Ramiro, Janice will see that he doesn't look like his normal self. He almost looks sickly. His skin is at its palest, his eyes bloodshot. He looks weak, weary, and a little shaky.

"I am only out because I found it necessary to be aware what is happening here. I could have sent another, but it strikes me as important enough for my personal attention." Ramiro smiles pleasantly despite his obvious poor condition. "You are with the Order of Cunningham if I'm not mistaken, yes?"

Ramiro listens to the priest's speech intently. He shakes his head on occasion. It's simply astounding how many false truths were flowing like the sewers beneath their feet.

[Westside - Exbourne Manor]

The front door isn't locked, so Rot will have to content himself with just opening it. On the other side is... Durin, the drow vampire! He puts a hand on the sword at his waist, his eyes narrowing. "What do you want? Speak quickly."

[VampireRot]

[Westside - Exbourne Manor]

Rot gives a twisted grin and spreads his arms wide in a friendly gesture. Like he wants a hug! Which he definitely doesn't.

"What's wrong? Aren't I a fellow creature of the night? There is no need to be rude."

The well-dressed vampire looks pointedly down at the threshold.

"May I come in? I have many things to discuss with your leader, your patriarch. Or matriarch if you want."

He'd been hoping the manor's status as the Riverside vampires' communal home would let him enter without permission, but this is evidently not the case due to Durin's reaction.

[Gullara]

[Westside - Exbourne Manor]

It's not exactly a communal home. Most have homes and apartments of their own. There are a number that do stay at the manor, however, as well as guests from time to time.

It was mostly the bursting in that set Durin off anyway. That and that he knows Rot's description and his status as public enemy number one.

"You may enter." Durin says without any hesitation. He relaxes, removing his hand from his sword. "What do you want to speak with Ramiro about?"

[VampireRot]

[Westside - Exbourne Manor]

Rot doesn't know this, and wouldn't care much anyway.

The vampire gives Durin a cheeky grin and attempts to step past him into the manor.

"Oh, just some things about your whole state of affairs in this city. Dreadfully boring, if you ask me."

His red eyes scan the interior of the house critically. He does not approve of the ground floor's bright and cheery decor. It's not a proper vampire mansion at all.

"Where is this 'Ramiro', then?"

[happyturtle]

((*sneaks in a post between randomly waking up and trying to go back to sleep*))

Wellspring - River of Shadows

"I am," Janice says. "I am Sister Janice. My husband is the pastor of the Cathedral here in Riverside."

Some of the npcs in the crowd are members of the Order. These people have not been exposed to Telerusian propaganda before, for the simple reason that they already had a church when the people from Inside arrived. Also, the Order are scattered throughout the city and not concentrated in any one area.

These people have lived under the crime cartels, and some are now living under the dark shadow of the Gul'Thudar vampires. Despite the dispute they are having about the lack of sunlight, they continue to donate blood without complaint - not because the vampires have brought order to Westside, but simply because they are nice people and they would not see their neighbours starve.

In general, the people who are attracted to the Order are not revolutionaries. They did not oppose the attempts of the Telerusian cult to gain influence among the people by doing benevolent works, nor did they oppose the vampires when they began stomping out crime and establishing order. They are certainly not going to oppose Genesis, who seems to desire to do both. So long as Genesis does not require renouncing their own religion or violating their principles, a few of the Order npcs in the crowd are likely to now feel some allegiance towards her. Most are simply willing to be open to her and give her a chance.

((OOC: I still need to do a faction entry for the Order, but I have been operating under the assumption that they comprise a small minority of the Riverside population - maybe 5%. They might be slightly over-represented in a crowd made up of people who responded to a call to improve the city, or slightly under-represented since part of the call involved an appeal to ambition. I will let Vael decide. I simply thought all the factions of Riverside should get an npc response here. Perhaps SC should post how the homeless would respond? They aren't really a 'faction', but he's been the player who has done the most with them, and would seem to be the ones who would benefit most from what Genesis offers.))

*poofs to return to sleep*

[Gullara]

[Westside - Exbourne Manor]

Blame Tia. It was a proper vampire manor before. D=

Durin ignores the boring comment. "In his office." Without further comment, he'll lead Rot there. Not before subtly signalling a nearby servant, however. "Go inside." He says once they arrive.

[Wellspring - River of Shadows]

"A pleasure to meet you, Janice." Ramiro's gaze wanders over to GGenesis for a moment. "What do you think of the Lady Genesis? A curious woman, no doubt."

[happyturtle]

Wellspring - River of Shadows

"Indeed. Should she fulfil her promises, she will be worthy of the crown she claims." Janice says. "This will not cause any conflict with your people, I hope?"

[Gullara]

[Wellspring - River of Shadows] Totally not edited. =x

"I have no wish to have any conflict with her. In fact, I support what she is doing here in Eastside. I'd like to know how far her ambition reaches, however." Ramiro pauses thoughtfully. "One of my people joined her court. Of course, she was free to do so. When she informed me of this she sounded rather won over by Genesis. I see it wasn't an isolated event."

[happyturtle]

Your Location Tag is WRONG

"Let us hope the choice was freely taken, though I have seen no evidence of coercion of any type. But may we not speak about the darkness of Westside? Must it continue? If it does, I fear you will lost many mortal citizens. Westside has been the safest part of the city, but now..." She gestures towards Genesis. "... there is an opportunity for security and sunlight. I believe the mortals from your world are immune to any ill effects of deprivation, but I see daily the effects that sunlight deprivation has on the psyche of my flock."

[Zefir]

[Heralds Hideout]

"And your friend here tried to kill us. I don't see a problem here."
Zefir seems to liky kill them all befor getting insulted and killes by this gang.

"And as you said 'work for us' includes me as well, but your guys act like I'm just a tourist so i have to show them that they are wrong."

[Somewhere Else]

In another part of Riverside, when the sun falls down and the night starts, Fog raise from a backstreet. The fog fills the backstreet and blocks your view. Indeed this fog isn't natural one. The fog will move through the connected streets of the backstreet and every inhabitant will find his way blocked by a wall of Fog.

The poor inhabitant who tries to cross this wall will disappear for a moment. And when they leave the fog they only wear their underwear. Also they seem to have seen a great horror due to their frozen face and there ashen skin. These people will walk down the street searching for help.

[billtodamax]

River of Shadows - Wellspring Tower

When Genesis touches the mind of the man with the long black hair she'll feel two things right off - a faint but insistent pull that tries to draw her mind into his own, which will grow steadily stronger and stronger the more she's there, as well as a very... well, not a fractured mind, but more a crowded one.

Greetings. Says a voice, stronger than the background mumblings of the others.

To offer, I have the limited services of three psions, and myself, a powerful fleshshaper, with an unfortunate heritage. He thinks, bitterly.

I wish for change in this city, but I confess it is not my primary goal. I want you to get rid of someone from me.

Information is presented to Genesis - this man's mind tries to swallow those who enter it, and any who are pulled in, while leaving their consciousness intact, and able to operate the body when the current operator becomes weak or tired. He want Genesis to find some way to remove from his mind and destroy the man responsible for the upsurge in violent crime perpetrated by the new gang. The fleshshaper powers are tied to the body, so he's been using them.

I'm willing to do what you will for me to do to improve this city. Your reach is greater than mine.

[Shadowcaller]

[Eastside - Hospital Site]

"Wait one minute." Estella says, hopefully halting the group. "Something definitely smells like smoke at the window." The necromancer walks over to the window, and will look out of it.

The symbol's merely an ink circle with a small, trapezoidal break in the top. It's quite easy to copy down. Part of his incantations were in Common, and went as follows, provided Cierra was listening closely.

Sixth Wheel, Guza,
may your dominion remain intact.
May the dead remain so.
Keep this mortal from harm,
That they may pass on in peace...

The rest is either too quiet or too foreign to make out.

Back in the present, Teq frowns to himself and follows Cierra. All present might notice one hand is resting in his coat, upon the hilt of what appears to be a sword. "Let's get this over with." Presumably, they head toward the nursery, and the rooms surrounding.

[Eastside - Hospital Site]

She can't see any smoke but it seems to get heavier, like she can breath it in. It starts to stick in her throat as well as she approaches the window.
All she can see is the parking lot outside and a art of the front entrance to the hospital. It's still raining heavily and suddenly the whole yard is lit of by a flash of light.

Then Estella can see it, the entire hospital is engulfed in flames, the fires licking the scarlet colored sky as she can see someone from the top window leaping out into the streets below with a death defying scream.

And then the vision is gone, and all she can see is the rain outside, she can still smell the smoke though, it smells of death.

"Seeing something?" Edward asks, trying to peer out the window as well.

[Neon Knight]

[Eastside - Hospital Site]

Cierra peers over their shoulders. "Just looks like night sky to me."

___

[Cent Street]

Takara pauses, not looking behind her. Her abilities of perception are above those of normal humans, and she picks up the lurker quite soon. "If you wish me ill, strike quickly; you will get only one chance, and it ends soon."

___

[Eastside - Streets]

Takara watches and waits, hoping they they are working on fulfilling their promise and not just trying to lure her into a false sense of security before springing an ambush.

___

[Eastside - Light's Heart]

The heron tilts its head. "One makes a fortress to guard something, usually oneself from others. What does this one guard?"

[Gullara]

[Eastside - Hospital Site]

Estella staggers backward. "Fire! The building's on fi-" She stares blankly at the now perfectly normal scene outside the window. "I saw something. The building was burning and someone jumped from the roof." She tries to calm her racing heart with little success.

[Wellspring - River of Shadows]

Ramiro knows what Janice says is true, and that fact shows on his face clearly enough. "I'll reexamine the matter taking that into account." That's probably the best she'll get from him right now.

[happyturtle]

Wellspring - River of Shadows

"I thank you, Sir," Janice says, and she moves away through the crowd and away from Wellspring.

Exbourne
((Should I bring Vino out of deadtime to help deal with Rot? I don't know if you two already had something in mind for this encounter or not.))

[Gullara]

[Wellspring - River of Shadows]

"Have a good day, Janice." Ramiro bids her farewell and returns his attention to the crowd. He watches carefully, saying something in a low voice to his body guards in occasion.

[Exbourne Manor]

((Probably not nessisary. They know they can't kill him here anyway. It'll likely be a non violent exchange. Though, this is Rot.
I'll get back to you on that.))

[AmberVael]

[Wellspring Tower - River of Shadows]

The crowd mutters darkly in response to the priest, and Genesis feels that which is suddenly rising in their hearts. Among those discontent and desirous enough to answer her call, a strange shift has taken place, in response to unconvincing words. He had not the strength to convince her, or many of those of more significance or greater will. Janice and Ramiro seem unaffected, as does the Servant and a few others.

A suspicion grows in her mind, recalling patterns of old and the twisting words of past enemies. Her shadows slip among the people, coiling through their minds, whispering soft words of reassurance, asking questions that undermine the words of the priest, calling them to recognize the reason they came, to examine and question why they now felt the way they did.

The suspicions of Genesis slowly cement in her mind. Lies fed as truth, twisting words and insidious powers and hypocrisy were old foes to her, a pattern she had long ago learned to work against. That it arose in a few guise and power was no surprise to her.

"Do you recall why you came here to me? Have you not seen what this city is with your own eyes?" She asks the crowd with a soft voice. "Are the ills you suffer so unimportant, to be derided by one who holds himself over you? Are the desires you hold to be ignored in the light of spoken fears? Rise up, those of the River. You may build better by your hands, and I will lift you up if you so desire."

Piece by piece, the charm that holds them falls away. The words of Genesis prove to be more than words, as the speech of the priest was more than speech. Yet, rather than the rattling of manacles, the voice of Genesis is the key that dissolves chains, cleansing madness and recalling those gathered to purpose and identity. A few, having reexamined their true reason for being here, turn and leave. Yet the vast majority stay, their minds and purposes renewed in the light of her liberating words.


[Servant of the Burning Light]
What proof can I offer those who will distrust all my words? What token of good will can I extend to those who have no interest in it? Inquires Genesis with a quiet sigh. I tell you this- the only life a queen has is the one given to her by her people. Seek out the Lady of Rings, Takara, and ask her for the story of how she came to be a member of my court, and perhaps you will find evidence enough.


[Cyra]
Then it is your desire to understand this scene and story? The Queen of Rings inquires. What provokes your interest, masked stranger?


[Black Haired Man]
The man will inadvertently find that trying to draw in the mind of Genesis is as futile as trying to drink the sea or capture a cloud. Her identity swells around him, vast and strange, but will be more likely to overwhelm than be consumed, a river pouring into a cup.
A strange plight you bring to me. Your shape is broken, a withdrawing tide where it should be a wall. There are many ways I might assist you, but if you were to willingly relinquish your hold on this form, I could draw you from it more easily than I could banish your enemy.

[Shadowcaller]

[Eastside - Light's Heart]

It guards what's within shifter, no more, no less. What matters is the one who decides whats inside. Do you not agree? The eagle asks.

[Servant of the Burning Light]

"If this is the proof you offer me I shall do as you ask and seek up Takara. Thank you artisan, I shall seek of your servant." Daeva replies, then focusing on finding Takara who might already have enough plot clones. <.<

[AmberVael]

[Wellspring Tower - Library]

Despite having no idea what the library looks like, or where it is, Johann will find it almost immediately. It's hard to explain how it happens, however, but it was rather like the entire building just conspired to point him in that direction. This aside, past the library's double doors are numerous tall shelves, stacked with scrolls, books, and many sundry items, from vases, to masks, to odd gems and rocks.

Sigrun is in the back of the library, organizing a few of the books, apparently trying to alphabetize them. She doesn't notice Johann enter, and so he'll have ample chance to study her without her noticing, if he wants. She's a very slight young woman in blue robes, and while in many ways she seems human, there are patches of scales that dot her flesh. Her ears and strangely shaped, pointed and small, while there is definitely a draconic cast to her head and eyes.

[Morty]

[Wellspring Tower - Library]

Johann activates his Second Sight, wishing to see this place for what it really is, although he feels he may regret it. The Second Sight strips away illusions and shows things for what they are. The Second Sight is not perfect, but Johann compliments its usage by an Edge that sharpens his perception futher. He clears his throat.
Excuse me.

[AmberVael]

[Wellspring Tower - Library]

The illusions that Genesis wove into the making of her tower peel away before Johann's eyes, leaving only the truth- and the truth is terrifying and strange. The tower around him exists, but is not real, a construct fabricated by perception and held together with golden gossamer, the finest thread woven of dreams and emotion. Yet, this realization does not leave emptiness in its wake, but a realization that this tower held more potential and substance than anything around it. While it is not anything, what the tower might be consumes his vision, a thousand possibilities condensed into a single reality, tied to its single form only through the rigid weave of gossamer that constrains it.

Further, it is not only the tower that changes. While many objects within the library are real, many more show themselves to be of similar form to the tower. The mouth of hauntingly carved mask yawns wide, its eyes gleaming with bestial rage and hunger. Hints and facets of animals prowl around and across it, while the phases of the moon shine silver across its surface. A simple gem unfolds like a field of flowers, a growing thing, the seed of a tree but that grows stone and mountains. One of the scrolls sings a thousand songs, musicians erupting from its surface.

Johann stands in a vast river, a growing tree, the throne that rules over a kingdom, the beating heart of an ancient being. It is all and none of these, nothing and everything, anchored into his understanding by slim threads that were the only keys to comprehension. You are not ready for this. The voice of Genesis rings strong around him, pulsing from the midst of that storm of reality. Look away before you unravel.

"Oh!" Somewhere far in the distance, in a tiny box that defines the place he knew, Sigrun the librarian turns around and looks to him. "I'm sorry, is there something I can help you with?" She stares at him for a moment, waiting for him to respond.

[Morty]

[Wellspring Tower - Library]

Johann forces his supernal senses to rest and his perception to become like an ordinary mortal's, fastinated and terrified by the images before him. Just who are they dealing with here?
Willing himself back to what he likes to think of as reality, he looks at Sigurn. Ah, yes. Sorry, miss. I'm Johann Pannevitz and me and some of my fellows were talking to your mistress, Genesis. She allowed me to visit her library in order to learn more about her and her servants. I assume you're the librarian.

[AmberVael]

[Wellspring Tower - Library]

"Yes. My name is Sigrun." Supplies the young woman. "Is there something particular you were looking to learn about?" She inquires, giving a polite little curtsy.

[Morty]

[Wellspring Tower - Library]

Where does Genesis come from? How and why did she come to the Nexus? What is the extent of her power? Those are three questions I'd like to know the answer to as soon as possible, Johan replies, his tone polite in an old-fashioned way.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Eastside - Streets]

Takara watches and waits, hoping they they are working on fulfilling their promise and not just trying to lure her into a false sense of security before springing an ambush.

The one reaching into his pocket draws out an odd looking key, of an archaic type, seemingly designed for placing into chains, and starts to move toward the middle Keserathi.

The Tiefling quickly gets off to one side of the drow who grabbed her, and, while not foolish enough to draw her knives, lays her hands on their hilts, which start to glow malevolently, though the effect would be easy to miss.

"Before we do this, who grants you the right to prevent us from keeping these people?"

[BladeofObliviom]

[Wellspring Tower - River of Shadows]
Then it is your desire to understand this scene and story? The Queen of Rings inquires. What provokes your interest, masked stranger?

[Wellspring Tower - River of Shadows]

Cyra pales a little as people suddenly seem to switch from doubting to unfettered joy. She definitely didn't expect that...

Congratulations are in order. You have uncovered my basic reason for being here.

My interest is in one who would call forth half of a city for an entirely idealistic purpose. What do you mean to accomplish, really? That is what I am here to learn.

[Murkus]

Eastside - Hospital Site

Teq stands back and remains silent, just waiting for something more physical to happen. That's when he'll step in.

He'll go with the others when they're ready to proceed.

[AmberVael]

[Wellspring Tower - Library]

"Oh. Um, well, those have some kind of detailed answers..." Replies Sigrun, before getting started. She sweeps off through the library as she answers, expecting Johann to follow her.

"Well, she comes from a world known as Creation- kind of. Not a very creative name, but I mean, we live in a nexus named Nexus, so who are we to judge. Anyway, Creation is a flat world that is kind of a metaphorical island." Sigrun pulls down a large scroll from one of the shelves and unrolls it, showing it to Johann. It appears to be a map of the land in question. "See, it's a world held stable by five poles, one for each of their elements, and one for each direction, and the center. But if you go beyond the poles, and off the edge of the map, things become strange. The laws of reality that hold the world together stop applying, and if you go far enough, they don't exist at all."

Sigrun rolls the map back up and sticks in the shelf, the starts moving again. "That place- the place beyond existence- is where Genesis comes from. It's a very strange... place. Not really a place though, more of a state of being. It's only a place when you leave it."

"It's not easy to leave though, at least if you're a native, and not easy to enter either. People on either side aren't made to endure the way things are on the other side. In order to leave, people like Genesis have to take on certain shapes and restrictions, basically mimicking people who live in the area she wants to get to in some basic ways." Sigrun stops in front of what looks like a tapestry that depicts an odd heraldic symbol with four quadrants, one with a cup, another with a staff, a third with a ring, and fourth with a sword. "She tells me that each is a symbol for a virtue, and each one of these symbols is something one has to have to exist in our reality. It's what she had to make to come here. Anyway, I don't really know the details of how she did it, but I know that she traveled through this- outer reality until she reached another reality, ours, and then she made a form for herself and stepped in." Sigrun pauses, biting her lip. "...if that makes sense at all."

"I don't really know why she is here, but I do know that very few of her kind stay outside their realm purposefully, particularly since our reality is somewhat hostile to them. I get the feeling that maybe she's an outcast or rebel in some way, but I really don't feel it's appropriate to talk to her about it." Sigrun finds a table and takes a seat, offering the other seat to Johann. "As for her power- well, a lot her power fades in our world, except under certain circumstances or in certain areas. Wellspring tower is a place she made to specifically work with her powers. When she's here, I've not really seen a limit to what she can do."


[Wellspring Tower - River of Shadows]

[Cyra]
It's really less that everyone suddenly goes joyful, and more that everyone started muttering randomly after the priest spoke, then went back to normal.

To weave a story worth telling.

[Morty]

[Wellspring Tower - Library]

I see... Johann mutters. Most curious. I've never encountered such a person before. This "Creation" she comes from is unusual as well. It also seems she herself is unusual for her kind, if our reality is normally abhorrent to them. Well, what I've seen gives me no reason to distrust her. At least not more than he distrusts all powerful supernaturals. If I may, there is something else I would like to seek out in the library, but it involves us Hunters, not Lady Genesis, he says a little uncertainly.

[Cent Street]

Along the street walk three people, glancing around for Takara... not that they know who she is or how she looks like. But they suspect they'll know when they see her.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Cent Street]

The may or may not run into Rael, a clawed vampire with dark red angel-like wings, Karyana, who looks like my avatar, except that she has eight arms, multiple eyes, like those of a spider, a set of mandibles, her skin appears to be black chitin, and she's wearing a long black dress with a red hourglass on the back, and Adrin, who's a tall man, with blue eyes, and brown hair. He's wearing formal-looking black pants, narrowing towards the bottom, and a black shirt and jacket. He also has a sword on his belt, which seems to be made of the tanned skin of some sort of strange creature. At this point, he's also got bat wings made of solid shadows.

They're also looking for Takara.