[Nexus] NO XIII: Do Clockwork Penguins Dream of Mechanical Fish?

[Lex-Kat]

Training Room - No longer so cold

The dummy has scorch marks, but isn't on fire.

"Of course not!" replies Shanaya, replying with the same level of force in her voice. She also got a little angry. She learned that fire spell a couple of days ago! Of course it's strong enough.

"It's just a dummy! Dummies don't get hurt!" She's yelling, but only a little. Not as loud as she can get. Just a little annoyed.

The girl bends over, ready to fight. "If you want to see if it does damage, you should've said so!" Her brow is furrowed in anger, whatever that means.

Shanaya Evilene Klisvane starts to chant her fire spell again, and the glow encompasses her whole body again.

As everybody knows, anger makes Fire Spells stronger.

Bianca looks a little surprised at the girl's anger. Are... are you challenging me? Then a determined look comes across her face. I don't play fair, little one. You may come to regret it. she says as she reaches into her pocket, withdrawing something small.

{Main Room}

"I dunno. I still can't for the life of me figure out what the Main Questline is." Vincent says with a shrug. "Unless the whole growing up thing is. In which case I can thoroughly say this game's story is terrible." Terrible!

"Guess we might as well go to a tavern or town and bug people."

Caroline goes to the door and opens it. Lead on, oh mighty main antagonist. she says, grinning.

[Gullara]

[The door to NO]

There is a knock on the door to NO, looks like someone likes to enter.

[The door to NO]

After what clearly wasn't a very long delay, the door swings open. On the other side is Kirk. He looks out to see who's there.

[Reinholdt]

{Main Room}

Vincent gives Caroline a stare. "Now you're just being weird..."

He'll head through it and the two of them will head to... Inside? Riverside? Trog's? Or BDD?

[Lex-Kat]

{Outside NO}

Let's go to Trog's. You know, I tried to get hired there once. I think they're ghostist. They wouldn't hire me. Said I couldn't handle the drinks. Caroline walks with Vincent toward wherever he goes.

[5a Violista]

Training Room - A Little Hot
Shanaya's spell finishes, with her sword pointing straight in the air. Fire falls from the heavens, and hits Shanaya straight on herself.

The blue bar decreases another third and the red bar goes down, but the yellow bar goes up a little tiny bit. When the fire dies down, Shanaya looks a little burned, but not hurt a lot. "...you're right, that didn't hurt a lot."

However, Shanaya's sword caught fire! It now looks three times more deadly - I guess there was a reason to make fire rain from the heavens onto herself.

"Yes! I challenge you!" she replies, now pointing the flaming sword at Bianca. "I'm going to win!" The edge of annoyance in her voice remains, with the traces of anger.

The battle music starts! Whether that's from the Training Room stereo system, or what, but it sounds pretty cool.

To start off the battle, a ball of fire is launched from Shanaya's flaming sword at Bianca. It looks like it might hurt a little bit, but could be dodged by anyone who pays enough attention.

[Slii Arhem]

Corridors

"Yes-yes, Slii will make bugs, but not bugs the slavemasters can control. Will take time yes? Slii will have it done in no time." The ratty spymaster looks as if he's preparing to start right then and there in front of Dipsnig, pulling ingredients from his robes and inspecting them for the right qualities like a man possessed of some crazed temperament.

[Morty]

[Corridors]

Luckily enough, Dipsnig isn't as grossed out as others would perhaps be. Goblins are used to bugs.
"I'll leave you to your work, then."
With that, Dipsnig leaves.

[Reinholdt]

{Outside NO}

"Mmm... maybe the owner has a secret grudge against ghosts cause of some sidequest business. Worth checking out." Vincent says as they go to Trog's.

[Slii Arhem]

[Corridors]

Luckily enough, Dipsnig isn't as grossed out as others would perhaps be. Goblins are used to bugs.
"I'll leave you to your work, then."
With that, Dipsnig leaves.

Corridors

Considering most of the parts that Slii is handling are bits of bone, flesh, and organs from mammals, it's quite possible that "make bugs" means something literal. He walks off as well, muttering and cackling to himself.

[Shadowcaller]

[The door to NO]

Outside the door is an heavily clothed figure wearing a thick furry anorak along with two mittens and a fur hat. The drow can see two blue eyes looking out from somewhere between the hat and the muffler.

The figure is now leaning on a thick wooden staff, staring at Kirk. Not far from it the drow might be able to see a large gargoyle rummaging around on the ground, stretching it's arms and legs.

"I'm here on the behalf of... wait, you're Kirk right?" The figure asks in a defiantly feminine voice.

[Gullara]

[The door to NO]

Kirk raises an eyebrow at the woman. "It seems you have me at a disadvantage." He tries to place the voice in case he's heard it before. It bothers him a bit when people know who he is but the opposite isn't true.

[Shadowcaller]

[The door to NO]

He doesn't recognize the voice but this woman apparently knows him, perhaps by reputation. "I'm Shalyn Eagelheart, beast master of Malechenar." She explains while offering her gloved hand to shake. "And the gal behind me is Scorn." The beast master explains with a nod in the direction of the gargoyle.

[Gullara]

[The door to NO]

Kirk shakes the offered hand. "I'm afraid I can't place you. Can you tell me how you know my name?" He asks. Her organization doesn't ring a bell either.

[Shadowcaller]

[The door to NO]

Shalyn chuckles as if Kirk had just told her a joke. "I'm not sure it would be appropriate for me to tell you just how I got to learn your name, but you certainly seem to be an funny guy." And even if her mouth is covered by a muffler, Kirk can tell she's grinning.

Then she gestures inside the building, "But you don't mind if I move inside do you? Scorn could use a place to stay as well, she deserves some warmth after braving that storm."

[Gullara]

[The door to NO]

"Really now?" He smirks a little. Now this is interesting. "I hope it was good rumors at least. But please, come inside. And Scorn can stay in the beast pens out back. If you can tell her to, she can get in through a fenced off clearing."

Once she's done that Kirk steps aside to let her enter. When Shalyn's inside, he closes the door and looks at her curiously. "Now, just what can I help you with?"

[Shadowcaller]

[The door to NO]

The beast master steps inside once Scorn have flied off to the beast pens. Once Kirk closes the door behind her, she removes her muffler and hat revealing the face of an rough-looking middle aged woman. She have short blond hair hanging down over her forehead and an heart-shaped face with an straight nose and full lips. Perhaps her most prominent feature however is the three healed scar marks on the left part of her face which partly are covered up by her hair which gives her a rather rugged look.

"I'm here to hire NO for a job actually, so I'm supposed to talk to your boss. Dipsnig." Shalyn explains as she looks around curiously within the base.

[Gullara]

[The door to NO]

"It's just your luck, because I happen to to be second in command around here. I'm sure I can help you." The drow says, flashing his signature charming smile.

[Shadowcaller]

[The door to NO]

Shalyn smiles back, such luck. "Ace, then you my friend is the new owner of this bag of money." The beast master says as she removes a small bag of gold from her belt. "This is half the payment, you get the rest once the job is done. What is the job you say and why am I offering this to you before I know you accept it? Well, let's just say I got a good feeling about you and it's a pretty standard job. My employer want you to find out as much as possible about the temple of Dalachrech in riverside and everyone who lives there. I'm guessing she's mostly interested about the dirt though which means you need to be pretty discreet about it." She explains while dangling the bag in front of him suggestively.

[Gullara]

[The door to NO]

"Ah, you speak the language of my people." Despite Kirk's joke, he only spares only a glance for the money. "I think we can do that for you, though. Who should the info be given to?" The drow holds out his hand to take the payment.

Also, please fill out the contract form in the OP.

[Lex-Kat]

Training Room - A Little Hot

Shanaya's spell finishes, with her sword pointing straight in the air. Fire falls from the heavens, and hits Shanaya straight on herself.

The blue bar decreases another third and the red bar goes down, but the yellow bar goes up a little tiny bit. When the fire dies down, Shanaya looks a little burned, but not hurt a lot. "...you're right, that didn't hurt a lot."

However, Shanaya's sword caught fire! It now looks three times more deadly - I guess there was a reason to make fire rain from the heavens onto herself.

"Yes! I challenge you!" she replies, now pointing the flaming sword at Bianca. "I'm going to win!" The edge of annoyance in her voice remains, with the traces of anger.

The battle music starts! Whether that's from the Training Room stereo system, or what, but it sounds pretty cool.

To start off the battle, a ball of fire is launched from Shanaya's flaming sword at Bianca. It looks like it might hurt a little bit, but could be dodged by anyone who pays enough attention.

Bianca dodges easily enough. For her turn, Bianca throws down a smoke bomb, and disappears.

[5a Violista]

Training Room - A little hot

Shanaya suspects that Bianca used a secret Ninja move to disappear. She's guessing this, based on the smoke bomb, and everybody knows that only ninjas use smoke bombs.

Since she can't see Bianca yet, she prepares for the incoming Ninja Strike. She closes her eyes, and uses Psychic Powers (signaled by purple shards of light swirling around her) to sense any movements. Even if something comes up on her from behind, she won't be surprised.
(The purple bar is slowly decreasing.)

With her eyes closed, she holds the flaming sword upright in front of her, prepare to strike in any direction in which she senses movement.

[Shadowcaller]

Job: Find valuable (AKA dirt) information about the temple of Dalachrech in Northside, Riverside and it's inhabitants and report it to Shalyn. Discretion is advised, if the subject finds out they are being spied upon or even worse, who hired NO, the payment will be reduced.

Hired by: Shalyn Eagleheart

Target: The temple of Dalachrech in Northside, Riverside and it's occupants.

Job assigned to: Any whose interested (stealthy individuals are preferred however.

Status: About to start.

Payment: Depending on the value of the information, 500 gold have already been paid to NO for taking on the mission however.

Notes: Be quick about it, if the mission takes too long time, the contract will be turned to someone else.

"Me, personally." The beastmaster replies while gesturing at herself. "I'll write all the information down and bring it to my employer." She explains while reaching into one of the pockets of the anorak and picks out two perfectly oval blue stones, one which she hands to Kirk. "Just drop some water on it and it's twin will react. That way we will be able to communicate. If you need to reach me in the flesh so to speak I'm currently looking for a home in inside. I would prefer one around here though if you know of any?" Shalyn asks hopefully.

[Gullara]

[The door to NO]

After investigating the bag to make sure the money is there and real, Kirk sets it aside. "Around here? You like the cold, eh? I can't say I know of much in the immediate area. It's not exactly the most habitable place. You could look around, though. I can't say I've explored much."

[Shadowcaller]

[The door to NO]

"Not really the cold as much as the outdoors, gargoyles need large free spaces to move in, to hunt. A city just won't do in the long run." The beast master explains. "How about you? Do you like the cold? Doesn't really seem to fit into the rumors I heard." Shalyn asks with a smile.

[Gullara]

[The door to NO]

Kirk shrugs. "A person can adapt to anything if they try." The drow looks Shalyn over, especially reading her face. "I have to say, I'm still rather curious what these rumors you've heard so much are." He takes a few casual steps forward, a smirk on his face. "Care to enlighten me?"

[Shadowcaller]

[The door to NO]

Shalyn regards him curiously, trying to read him as much as he's trying to read her. Kirk is perhaps a great deal easier to read though. "If you really like to know I heard you were fun to hang out with." She replies with a dismissive gesture. "The rest was not as flattering depending on who you ask though, you sure you want to know?" She asks, looking into Kirk eyes questioningly.

[Gullara]

[The door to NO]

Only when he wants to be easy to read. "I'm thick skinned. I don't let what people say about me bother me." The drow replies with a shrug. Up to her if she wants to tell him.

[Shadowcaller]

[The door to NO]

"Okay then, the word that were used to describe you were as I quote, 'loose man' since you were said to sleep around a lot. Sometimes with even more then one woman at once. Oh and 'complete scoundrel' and 'knave' were also words used several times, sounded like a couple of complicate yet simple relationships you've gathered over the years." Shalyn remarks with a smile.

[Gullara]

[The door to NO]

"Really now?" The question is, who has she been talking to? He's fairly certani these rumors shouldn't be quite so wide spread as she makes them sound, so she probably knows someone that knows him better than most people. "And what do you think of these rumors?" He looks at Shalyn expectantly, though he looks mostly amused at all this.

[Shadowcaller]

[The door to NO]

"They made me curious actually." She admits, sizing Kirk up. "I heard you were tiny but I had imagined you a bit taller though." Considering the one she spoke to was pretty tall herself.

"But the important question is, are they true?" The beast master asks with an raised eyebrow.