[Nexus] Outside XXVIII

[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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Now more commonly known as Melody's Island, since Gersemi has long ago retired.

Where once was a single hut with a few sheep, now stands a single hut, a barn, a few sheep, and a small tented community of orphans. Gersemi's loom still rests in one corner of the single hut.

Melody, like Gersemi before her, is a healer for the surrounding islands.

(Please PM Lex-Kat if you wish to interact with Melody.)

[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.

[Gullara]

[Moonlit Cove]

Irena takes Nadia's hand and runs without a word, only the look of pure determination on her face.

Thankfully the flying nightmare doesn't seem to go after them, as the witch pulls up a cellphone it just passes right over, seemingly going straight for Riverside.

As it passed Irena looks after it, standing the obvious, "Something bad, we need to get back to town. I'll call the limo..." But as she dials the number she gives Nadia a quick glance. "I... I guess our evening was ruined huh?"

[Moonlit Cove]

Nadia chuckles, though it's rather strained. "We'll do something again sometime soon. Extra special to make up for this, okay?" She looks up toward the flying castle. "But first we should worry about getting back."

[Mr. Moon]

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[Field]

Two inconvenient matters will immediately present themselves to the two dragon-slayers.

The first, and most basic, appears to be some sort of transparent magic effect hardening the dragon's skin beyond what it should be.
A mage armor of some sort, that will be stubbornly denying Justice an easy stomach-kill on the dragon.
Sure, if he can force his sword through the initial barrier sitting around Feia, he'll be able to draw the sword to the scales...but the he has to cut through those as well.

Doable, likely, for the moment, if lacking in the entire gut-spilling effect he likely desires.
But the extra force needed might halt his attack speed a touch, long enough for the dragon witch to swat a large arm at him, seeking to force him further away.

The second point, is Feia's neck.
It is rather long and agile.
Perfect for turning around, wondering what the heck Kax thinks he's doing, and then snapping out to try to bite into the orc's leg, to tear him off her wing.

[Field]

Justice sword will power on through the magical barrier, and will even dig into some scales, but it's been sufficiently slowed that Justice is having trouble despite the amazing make of the blade. The magic on the blade should kick in; a burst of fire to sear, and magic to transfer vital energy from Feia to Justice. She'll have an open opportunity to hit back though, if she can focus on two targets at once.

[Field]

He'd been hoping that the dragon would be more concerned with Justice running about trying to cut her belly open. That was the usual plan, anyway. As Feia's gaping maw darts towards him, the orc pushes off the base of her wing-bone and launches himself up. Not a lot, but just enough that when Feia's jaw snaps closed on his position he is landing on her snout.

This was pushing things ahead a few steps. What a pain.

Grabbing onto a horn with his shield-hand, Tel-Zaff Kax pulls himself up until he is straddling the bridge of Feia's snout. "You have really bad breath." He grunts as he raises his war axe. With an easy flick of his wrist he spins it so that the sharp spike at the end was pointing outward, and with a mighty swing he brings it down on her right eye.

[Murkus]

Well, it's something unfamiliar to Marcus...and where he's from, the wild magic present constantly spawns new monstrosities. So he's normally quite cautious to begin with. So in an unfamiliar environment, hunting entirely unfamiliar beasts, he's being extremely cautious.

So when the big ol' monster comes charging at them, it doesn't really catch Marcus by surprise. Even the quietest snapping of a twig would've caught his attention in an instant. Anyway, the monster's method of attack is somewhat familiar to him. The landsquid, while not as slow as this thing, did still have to take a moment or two to aim and swing each tree trunk. And in a similar manner there, being close to the point of impact would probably result in you getting knocked about a bit anyway.

So when the beastie swings at him, Marcus quickly dives out the way, straight into a roll back to his feet. But he dived towards the creature, and as he comes up from the roll he breaks straight into a sprint, intending to take a slice or two at the creature's legs as he runs by, before getting clear on the other side.

Hopefully if it behaves just as slowly in all its movements as it does when attacking, then it'll still be turning around by the time he's got out of reach of it.

Marcus gouges deep into the creature's calve, gold-white ichor spilling from the wound and staining his blade. It forms a glowing puddle on the forest floor, and the Fessenoch starts to turn, searching for this new source of pain. Instead, it finds an arrow quivering in it's 'face'. Adir whoops and takes off down the streambed, running as if the devil were at his heels.

With almost ponderous slowness, the creature raises it's arm, aiming the limb at Adir. Without warning, several of the fingers shoot out like tremendous spears. They crash into the ground where Adir was with frightening speed, digging holes three feet deep in the soil. They retreat only seconds later, returning to their normal length almost instantly.

Arm still raised menacingly, the creature turns, looking for it's other target.

[Gnrlshrimp]

Well, let's see if we can completely cripple one leg, shall we?

While the creature's busy shooting its...erm...fingers at Adir, Marcus does a U-turn and runs back at an angle, intending to slash across the heel of the creature's already injured leg.

Regardless of success, Marcus repeats his tactic of running on a little way, stopping sooner to remain closer this time, aiming to try and match the feesenoch's turning and keep out of its sight.

[Chaotic Bob]

[A Field]

Okay, so Justice trying to stab stomach.
Kax trying to stab eye.

Hooray, both are successful!
Really?
Really!

Feia has an axe in the eye and her stomach scales getting rather carved up, with bits of indigo fluid seeping through. Probably blood.
This would be the part where she should probably feel alarmed, right?
Not really.

No roaring, no squirming.
Just a sudden surge of magical energy over the surface of her body.
Kax is presently sitting on her face, and Justice having a hand lurch down to grab at him again.

Both will be (probably) in contact with her body during this surge of energy.
Which, is her trademark ice, and will simply seek to flash-freeze their body fluids.

Her body continues to grow.

[Halae]

[A Field]

When the icy magic is attempted upon Justice, he just grins and bears it. Feia will find that her ice magic is ineffective. So ineffective, in fact, that it literally doesn't touch him at all. Justice's armor flashes blue as it deflects the magic, and his innate nord resistance to the cold wards him further, effectively making him immune to such an attack.

Feia will find that Justice slashes at her hand, likely striking between the fingers. If the blow hits correctly, assuming the mage armor covers her entire body, then it may even dig into the bone. Without that mage armor it might have sheared a finger off.

[Murkus]

Well, let's see if we can completely cripple one leg, shall we?

While the creature's busy shooting its...erm...fingers at Adir, Marcus does a U-turn and runs back at an angle, intending to slash across the heel of the creature's already injured leg.

Regardless of success, Marcus repeats his tactic of running on a little way, stopping sooner to remain closer this time, aiming to try and match the feesenoch's turning and keep out of its sight.

Adir disappears out of sight amidst the trees, perhaps readying an attack that can actually harm the creature. The Fessenoch twists it's body to face Marcus, but doesn't raise it's arm to strike. Instead, it's... head begins to glow. Adir's arrow that had been stuck their simply burns away, turned to ash.

A sunbeam suddenly bursts from it's twisted visage, scorching the earth where it touches, burning across the ground toward Marcus with frightening speed. The cone of energy can be felt as well as seen, the heat is intense just being nearby.

[Shadowcaller]

[Moonlit Cove]

Nadia chuckles, though it's rather strained. "We'll do something again sometime soon. Extra special to make up for this, okay?" She looks up toward the flying castle. "But first we should worry about getting back."

[Moonlit Cove]

"Yeah, I'm calling the limo, but it won't be here for a while..." Which she's doing right now.

Meanwhile they can only watch as the fortress flies in over riverside unless Nadia plans to try to run all the way, vampire endurance and all.

[Gullara]

[Moonlit Cove]

Nadia will stay firmly by Irena's side. It'd be a bit ridiculous to run the whole way back. She does whip out her phone to send a quick text. Someone on Riverside ought to know this thing's coming before it does.

That done, Nadia tries to take Irena's hand again. "I wanted to say, you're amazing for doing this. How 'bout I put together the next date?" She suggests with a small smile. Maybe she's got something in mind already?

[Shadowcaller]

[Moonlit Cove]

"Uh, okay." Irena replies, involuntary squeezing Nadia's hand as she looks into the vampires eyes.

"I mean, I would be... overjoyed if we could do something later on. Once everything is taken care of I mean." She tells her with a faint smile.

[Gullara]

[Moonlit Cove]

"Sounds like a plan to me." Nadia leans forward to give Irena a quick peck on the lips. She looks around. "I hope that limo shows up soon." Her brow furrows as she looks int he direction of Riverside.

[Eruantion]

"I can see my home!" Molodai says, pointing north to the fae forests that stretch for miles in that direction.

Brythaern grunts. "I'm afraid my home is very far from here."

[UncleWolf]

Empty Field

The glue succeeds for now, but the dragon quickly intercepts Puddin's attempted gnawing by interposing its head in the way. It will try to clamp its jaws around Puddin's face and a gush of liquid acid pours over its lips. It's trying to get some into the bug's mouth, but if it can't get a hold of Puddin then the mandibles will take a large chunk out of its hide, just over its lung.

Some of the acid likely starts eating through the glue, but how effective that is depends on the glue's composition.

Empty Field

Puddin finds its mouth filled with acid, which it promptly swallows before spewing its own out. It is the very same acid that Magtok's Bio-pistol in AMEN spewed out when it was cut in half. The teeth of the dragon do pierce Puddin's chitin however, giving it a good grip.

[Slii Arhem]

Empty Field

The dragon's digestive tract has little else but acid in it, and is used to such assaults coming up through it. So, although it chokes on the sudden rush of fluid, it isn't overly harmed.

Now that it has its jaws around Puddin though, it tucks in its wings and goes into a deathroll, attempting to yank the bug off with the force of its thrashing.

The two seem fairly evenly matched for now. If Pat and her sisters aim to win, they may have to tip the scales.

[Gnrlshrimp]

Adir disappears out of sight amidst the trees, perhaps readying an attack that can actually harm the creature. The Fessenoch twists it's body to face Marcus, but doesn't raise it's arm to strike. Instead, it's... head begins to glow. Adir's arrow that had been stuck their simply burns away, turned to ash.

A sunbeam suddenly bursts from it's twisted visage, scorching the earth where it touches, burning across the ground toward Marcus with frightening speed. The cone of energy can be felt as well as seen, the heat is intense just being nearby.

Well...that's new.

Been a while since-

Okay, no, even in the wastelands he lived in, Marcus never had to deal with any wild beasties with super-heated DEATH BEAMS!

Still, this creature's attacks all seem to be avoidable just be staying close to the damn thing, which is exactly what Marcus is doing. So in order to make sure he doesn't get fried to a crisp, he quickly u-turns and dashes back between its legs, taking a wild swing as he passes.

He's kind of primarily concerned about not-dying at the moment, so he doesn't line up the swing particularly well.

[Mr. Moon]

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[A Field]

Okay, so Justice trying to stab stomach.
Kax trying to stab eye.

Hooray, both are successful!
Really?
Really!

Feia has an axe in the eye and her stomach scales getting rather carved up, with bits of indigo fluid seeping through. Probably blood.
This would be the part where she should probably feel alarmed, right?
Not really.

No roaring, no squirming.
Just a sudden surge of magical energy over the surface of her body.
Kax is presently sitting on her face, and Justice having a hand lurch down to grab at him again.

Both will be (probably) in contact with her body during this surge of energy.
Which, is her trademark ice, and will simply seek to flash-freeze their body fluids.

Her body continues to grow.

[A Field]

When the icy magic is attempted upon Justice, he just grins and bears it. Feia will find that her ice magic is ineffective. So ineffective, in fact, that it literally doesn't touch him at all. Justice's armor flashes blue as it deflects the magic, and his innate nord resistance to the cold wards him further, effectively making him immune to such an attack.

Feia will find that Justice slashes at her hand, likely striking between the fingers. If the blow hits correctly, assuming the mage armor covers her entire body, then it may even dig into the bone. Without that mage armor it might have sheared a finger off.

[Field]

The freezing aura flashes over Feia, but Tel-Zaff Kax stubbornly remains unfrozen. For now, at least. He doesn't have the same Nordic nonchalance towards cold as Justice does. After all, he's not a Nord. But he does have similarly enchanted armour: It flairs a bright blue in response to the spell, frost nipping at the edges. Pulling his axe out of Feia's eye socket, the orc rolls to the right, pushing off the side of the dragon's scaly face. He rolls as he hits the ground, grunting as his shield bends his arm at an awkward angle. Tel-Zaff Kax is up in a matter of moments, hefting his war axe.

Standing at Feia's feet, the orc pauses to size up his foe. She towered over him, but he'd fought bigger. The cold was easy enough to ignore - the enchantment on his armour ate the worst of it and what was left over he just ignored with the heat of battle.

Raising his axe, Tel-Zaff Kax charges in a second time. He directs himself at her wing again, but this time he has other interests than climbing up. Darting under it, he swings up and outwards. The heavy blade arcs towards the membrane of her wing to cut through it and rip a hole through it.

Tattered wings means no flight. And a dragon that can't fly is doomed.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Field]

One moment, my lady, and I shall be there.
Keep at the bounty hunter, Sasch, I'm fine.
But your eye-
You have been with me how long? Some faith, if you would.
My apologies, Lady Feia. Enjoy your play.

The is a low rumbling sound from the dragon, merely the size of the largest mammals.
Justice's sword swings at her hand, Kax's axe to her wing.

They both slice through open air.

Another rumble appears, this one accompanied with a shaking of the ground.

The hex dragon had performed a technically simple, and definitely irritating, magic and stepped slightly sideways to reality for the briefest of seconds.
A little "dimension hop", as some sources label it, to reappear some distance away from the pair of dragon slayers.

This time, however, she is much bigger. At least three times the size she had been a moment ago.
Her eye still appears very much ruined and blood present on her chest, no healing having taken place. Merely finished the size growth.

If her face could support it, she'd grin, as she holds her head low and bellows, a literally deafening noise as close range.
It is also accompanied by a massive spray of gray gas, the color of smoke, but far thicker.
She does not breath flames or ice, but rather poison, one that will seep through the skin just as readily as through the lungs, to attack the muscles and mind alike in a sweeping effort to drain the afflicted of their strength.

Not lethal, save in the weak (who could theoretically lose the strength to even breath), but certainly dangerous to others.
Does not do to be crippled in combat.

[Halae]

[Field]

Enchantments or not, you don't want to get hit in the face by a dragon's breath, and from Justice's perspective, that's the only thing a dragon could be doing at such a distance. unfortunately, it's doubtful there's enough time to dodge out of the way... but there is enough time to say a simply phrase. O rather, shout it.

"TIID KLO UL!" Justice yells, and the world seems to slow around him. At this point, Feia's venomous breath weapon likely coming toward them, from a normal perspective it would seem that there's no escape, but Justice has quite a bit of time for this.

He grabs Kax by the collar of his armor, and with all the strength he can muster quickly, pulls the orc out of the way of the breath weapon. Kax safe, Justice will once again charge towards Feia, but the time slowing effect will end by the point where he reaches Feia. Unfortunately, that took quite a bit of power; it's going to be a while before he can shout again, but it was probably worth it, as the Dragonborn Nord swings his blade towards Feia's leg, likely the only thing he can reach right now.

[Mr. Moon]

[Field]

"You're leaving then, Kax?"
The orc looked up from his gear, splayed out in front of him with half of it falling out of his backpack. Above him stood an elderly Nordic man. The man was wearing the soot-coated, simple tunic and trousers of a smith. Despite his age, the man's muscles were firm and strong from a lifetime of working the forge. "Aye." Tel-Zaff Kax replies. "'E didn't say anything 'bout it, but ye heard the talk. The Greybeards 'ave summoned the Dragonborn." Tucking a petty soul gem into a pocket of the backpack, Tel-Zaff Kax stands and crosses the floor of the dark room to the armour stand in the corner. The steel was strong and well-forged, but coated in a light layer of dust. "If he really is the Dragonborn, I can restore my honour. I can return to the stronghold with my head held high and tell great tales of slaying dragons and saving Skyrim." Lifting a gauntlet from the stand, Tel-Zaff Kax slides it onto his hand. It was looser than he'd like - it used to fit him perfectly. But that would change soon enough. "'Sides. He saved my life. I owe 'im."
Standing behind the orc, the elder man nods. "Aye. No need to explain yorself, lad."
"You'll take care o' Rai Tera and Lucus?"
"If Tabatha will let me." The old man chuckles. An awkward moment of silence passes, before the man speaks up in a more solemn voice. "It'll be quieter without you around the forge, Kax."
"I know. Lucas is just about ready t' learn th' craft." Turning, Tel-Zaff Kax holds out a hand and when the Nord man takes it pulls him close for a brief but tight embrace. When they step back, the orc looks his adoptive father in the eyes for the last time. "Thank ye," he says, "for everything ye've done for me."

One moment, Tel-Zaff Kax is standing next to a dragon and cutting its wings to ribbons. The next, he is cutting through air and the dragon he was supposed to be attacking is gone. It's not hard to miss a dragon, though, and the orc spins around to confront it a second time. But even as he charges forward it drops its head down and spews a dark grey miasma. Even as he brings up his shield and sucks in a deep breath of clean air, Tel-Zaff Kax discovers himself suddenly being thrown to the side. He hits the ground with a grunt, watching the gas pass by harmlessly.

He really hated it when Justice did that.

Once he's back on his feet, Tel-Zaff Kax darts towards the dragon and circles behind her front leg. He swings downwards and upwards with incredible force, hacking through muscle to eventually hamstring the dragon.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Field]

The stupid one suddenly seems to be moving incredibly quickly, quickly enough to be over here, putting his sword inside her leg.

Ow.

At least he has the decency to slow down afterwards.
Still, this primitive magic appeared to have a fair piece of power to it. Something to look into later.

Justice rams his sword into Feia's lower-arm, with all the immediate threat of a needle being jammed into a bear.
Not to say it doesn't hurt...
There's a growl, before she snaps the rest of the arm over, twisting the fingers sideways to try to grab Justice.
Which will work perfectly with what Kax is doing, so that Feia can place the orc's friend in the way.

Otherwise she'd have to stretch her hind leg up to grab at Kax, and that'd be silly and unbalancing.

[Halae]

[Field]

That's a bleeding shame really. Justice rather liked being able to move, but that just seems to be an impossibility as Feia grabs him. Because of the angle he was holding his gratsword at, Feia should find herself with a very painful piece of ebony digging straight into her palm, but the overzealous dragonborn is caught. He struggles in vain for his turn, likely unable to break free from the dragon's grip.

"Keep FIGHTING Oswald! I'll get FREE SOON!"

[Shadowcaller]

[Moonlit Cove]

"Sounds like a plan to me." Nadia leans forward to give Irena a quick peck on the lips. She looks around. "I hope that limo shows up soon." Her brow furrows as she looks int he direction of Riverside.

[Moonlit Cove]

"Yeah... it should be coming around soon." Irena replies as they part again. "So... I'm glad you enjoyed the evening even if it was so brief. I had been planning it for quite some time." She admits with a faint smile.

[Gullara]

[Moonlit Cove]

"Well maybe this should be our special place." Nadia suggests with a grin. Definitely planning on coming back here sometime, that's for certain.

[Shadowcaller]

[Moonlit Cove]

"Uh, if you want to. It's probably warmer during the summer too... and very few know about it." Irena replies awkwardly as they finally can see limo approaching.

"Finally, I guess we don't have much else we can do tonight though" She asks while getting into it.

[The Alexandrian]

Library of Alexandria

Zero doesn't like that the room seems to be empty but he does walk forward into the middle of the room. The fact that he can't see the door very well also worries him. If the room is that big or dark then a monster would have a very easy time hiding and maybe sneaking up on him.

[Library of Alexandria]

A red light pierces the darkness from directly above Zero, it sweeps across the room in a figure eight pattern before settling directly on Zero. Suddenly, eight more beams of this red light appear. The creature's eyes (which lack distinctive pupils) are opening, presumably.

The walls of the chamber begin to rumble as a deep, inhuman voice grumbles,

"You dare enter the archives of this library, human? Why have you ventured thus far? What can you not find outside that might be found within?"

-------

Percival laughs heartily at her enthusiasm and dives for the beach. He flaps hard a few times and hits the ground in a tornado of sand. When it clears, only the blue-green horizon remains. "My parents took me to the coast once. The only time I've seen the ocean." By the dreamy look in his eyes, Percy's enjoying the sight as well. His family was rather well-to-do, and they took vacations often. The Mediterranean sea was nicer (not to mention warmer), but he always loved the ocean.

Oddly enough, that may well be true. Even if he wants to use her soul to further his own power, Percy rather likes his indentured servant. This bodes well for Eericka, I think.

[At the Coast with Percival]

Eericka quickly closes her eyes as the flurry of sand is kicked up about her. Soon after the debris rest upon the ground once more, Eericka eyes open. She is immediately stricken by the beauty of the scene. She beholds the lapping waves in silent fascination, captivated by its mystic qualities and soothing grace. As the waves break against the shore, a calm overtakes her and stills her normally meticulous and ceaseless threat-analysis of her surroundings.

Eericka actually feels safe in Percy's arms.
That's weird.
And it might just be the start of something...
Perhaps.

Except for the fact that Eericka is no older than sixteen...

"It's beautiful, Percival."

Indeed it is.

-------

Just Outside the Rusty Wheel

Warsh can't sneak out through the windows, because there aren't any! "Window" generally implies a flat plane of glass set over an opening, giving a nice view of the great outdoors without letting any of those annoying insects in. What the Rusty Wheel has are holes in the wall to let the air in during the summer, covered by heavy wooden shutters, which are currently latched shut. Fortunately the latches are on the inside, so despite the lack of windows Warsh should have no problems escaping from the tavern via the vents.

Outside it is indeed quite cold, the mountain clime only a few degrees above freezing, the hot air that rushes out of the tavern as the shutter is opened visible even in the darkness. Also quite visible are the scene between Rick and the guard, the two rather grisly corpses and the four villagers dissappearing into the night as they chase after Javert.

[Just Outside the Rusty Wheel]

There's only one solution to the taxing issue of the meddling hot air rushing out of the tavern! Warsh attempts to shut the shutters behind him and secure them in place with piece of string ripped out of one of cloth garments! That, a few droplets of water, and a portion bubble gum might do the trick for awhile! And awhile is all the time that Mister Warsh requires.

Warsh attempts to sprint from cover to cover, using the shadows of the night and the bountiful walls the villages provides to his advantage, keeping an eye out for lone soldiers that might serve his purposes well enough. He's slowly and stealthily picking his way toward Riv's mountain fortress, utilizing landmarks which match the map of the area gifted to MURDER by Phil to select the most opportune path by which to forge onward!

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Hermitage of Dalachrech- Elezibethele

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"I am the second most powerful individual in the Cult of Dalachrech. I am encouraging elves and other non-humans to join the Cult, and when the human leader dies, I and my allies will drive out the humans and start killing them where ever we can. I won't have to wait long; he's only got maybe another sixty years." Elezibethele knows the truth of Terrowin's age; he's twenty five, though tells potential converts he's forty nine to claim Dalachrech has granted him eternal youth.

Hermitage of Dalachrech- Azurelle

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"Oh? And what, in this dream, are you going to do now?" Azurelle's smiling with amusement. She finds this very funny.

[Hermitage of Dalachrech - Azurelle]

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It is more pathetic than funny, I'd say. Irony where the slave believes just for a moment that he/she is the master. It'd be a suitably laughable matter if it weren't so horrible inherently and in its execution.

"Well, now that you mention it, I was going to prove to you that being kind to others pays large dividends as time goes on. In my last dream, you were very, very kind to me."

Toy smirks at Azurelle impishly. She attempts to gradually advance on Azurelle not an instant later.

"If only you were real. I could make you oh so marvelously happy."

Toy warmly announces as she attempts to run her right hand through Azurelle's hair.

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[Hermitage of Dalachrech - Elezibethele]

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The head of the cult possesses a gilded tongue, then? Like the insects he covets, his words drip with poison. A fine parallel. I'll wager that, given his age, he hadn't attained the most lofty position available to Dalachrech's clergy when Terrowin's home planet was destroyed.

"But what of the repercussions of such an action, mistress? Would not the retaliation of the humans endanger your followers as a whole?"

Mine can only hope so. This institution needs to fall, in his mind. Elezibethele has a mean-streak in her toward elves as well. Mine did note the placement of the brand on himself and compared it to the brand placement on the other slaves as well. That might be worked out of her, but not in her current station. He also isn't receptive to the concept of putting sapient life, however crude and brutal, after the health and welfare of bugs. Bugs are important in the grand scheme of things, but some accords should be able to be struck upon between all creatures.

Except for irrational monsters. Irrational monsters can be dealt with, but only with a good weapon.

[Gullara]

[Moonlit Cove]

Nadia slides into the limo and sits nice and close to Irena. She slides her arm around the other woman. "Hm, nothing that I can think of I hate to say." She puts her free hand on Irena's leg and rests her head on Irena's shoulder.

[Shadowcaller]

[Limo]

Irena slowly puts her hand on Nadia's and squeezes it a bit, actually feeling a relief going so slow. Since she got free from the sword she had got more relaxed and it had felt they had rushed the whole relationship anyway.

She slowly reaches out to touch Nadia's hair stroking it slowly, "This is nice too though." She whispers into the vampires ear.

[Gullara]

[Limo]

"Mm, it is." She turns her head to kiss Irena's shoulder, then returns it to resting on her shoulder. One would think she could fall asleep, if she wasn't incapable of doing so at night.

[UncleWolf]

Empty Field

The dragon's digestive tract has little else but acid in it, and is used to such assaults coming up through it. So, although it chokes on the sudden rush of fluid, it isn't overly harmed.

Now that it has its jaws around Puddin though, it tucks in its wings and goes into a deathroll, attempting to yank the bug off with the force of its thrashing.

The two seem fairly evenly matched for now. If Pat and her sisters aim to win, they may have to tip the scales.

Empty Field

Lita sighs at how long its taking, and gets up to the top of the hill before she begins muttering and gesturing. Even as Puddin's carapace begins to crack under the strain, the creature seems to be growing larger as the ant-woman infuses it with magic. Its legs try to dig deeper into the dragon's scaly hide, but eventually its thrown off.

Even so, it won't be long until Puddin is the size of the dragon itself.