[Nexus] Serious Plots 4 - So Srs it hurts.

[Hattish Thing]

Wizard's Field:

With a deep sigh, Haldavyr begins writing a response to the letter, pondering over what would be most appropriate for him to say to the commander. Something about Tobias seemed distinctly dangerous, what with the obviously aggressive mannerisms and, well, giant fortress. Haldavyr didn't believe in killing and executing evil, but focused on helping those affected by the evil of the world. He didn't like direct confrontation with the forces, knowing that he was hardly any use dead. The most he could ever do was banish whatever came his way, but never kill. It was one of the conditions that made being a wizard such a special thing. One must never take a life, and strive to help those in need always, even at the destruction of one's self.

Still, the Ex-Leader of Halo certainly seemed resolute in his desire to be an avenger of the people, while the wizards would ever be sentinels and healers. It would be good to keep them close by, in case something came that was too strong one day. He'll keep an eye on Suscipio, but continue to let his colleague talk to the boy. The oldest wizard was a tad busy with his letter. On an unrelated matter, Suscipio will find Haldavyr to be the exact age of seventy-seven, although he's quite spry and strong for someone his age.

Spoiler: Reply to Tobias:

Show

Captain Douglas,

On behalf of my good friend and colleague, Jerlynfran, I thank you for your understanding. I tend to shy away from the terms, "military" and "organization", simply because they can be taken to be so hostile, but I hope we can work together despite our differences in the way we deal with evil. Then there is, of course, the matter of said evil. I realize it's hardly my business, but I would like to know what you intend to do with the fortress you have built? Facilities as large as yours, and as reinforced, tend to be buildings of secrets and war. I assure you, it is not in our faith to be so centered about killing, and battle, and war. We are men and women of peace, tranquility, and healing. Though even I acknowledge a need for more aggressive tactics at times. I believe we can both benefit from a sort of mutual attachment between us. Please know, whenever you need it, The Stormguard will be happy to advise you and yours when it comes to a more... ancient and magical matter. We're rather skilled with that sort of thing.

Fondly,

Haldavyr the Red

((The note can be taken back to the fort by whatever potato dragon is floating about.))

[Aric Kale]

Field

Farlen is 102, it's a wonder that he can walk at all. I call magical shenanigans!

Hmm, tut tut, Cleo, no need to bristle, eh? Nyor.
He chuckles, keenly noting Suscipio's surprise. It's all in the face, don't ya know?
Nyor?
I am Jern Farlen the Brown, Wizard of the Earth and its creatures...Nyor.
Haldavyr prefers to call me Jerlynfran. I respond to anything as long as it's not late to dinner, eh? Hahahaha.
The old man gets a laugh out of his own joke. Not that it's remarkably original, but that's hardly the point, is it?

Now then, it is your turn, I believe? Eh?

One of the Nyor! potato dragons will take the note back to the castle, though I really would rather not copy/paste letters again.

[Cynceltri]

[Sunny Meadow]

A brilliant pink sun shown down out of a cloudless blue sky on the vast, rolling expanse of knee-high grass. A few lone trees dotted the landscape, each a different species. The trickle of running water could be heard somewhere close at hand, and the birdcalls drifted intermittently through the warm air, interspersed with the droning hum of various insects. Of the door they had just walked through there was no sign at all.

Nera turned about to face the companions with a wide, friendly smile, coiling her length endlessly through the air about herself.

“Much better! Now, let’s do something about that pesky little CCF aaaannnnnd…”

With a metaphysical jolt, they all felt their supernatural aspects flare up again. Magical essence crackled briefly around Jace like lightning, Dr. Yarr sensed his various gadgets regain their status above mere baubles, and Kenji felt a gentle murmur of his heritage in a comforting whisper without sound.

“I figure you all need to stretch your legs a bit, so to speak, before we send you on your way. We’ll be escorting you though oblivion to get you back to the Nexus, and that’s just not a fun place at all. And before anyone asks,” she added, glancing around with a frown, “I’m not talking about a realm or plane or dimension called Oblivion. I mean literal oblivion.”

She turned back to the group with a sigh, winked roguishly at them, and drifted away over the endless green expanse, chasing after the large clouds of butterflies that rose from the grass and flowers as she passed by.

[Septimus Faber]

[Sunny Meadow]

A brilliant pink sun shown down out of a cloudless blue sky on the vast, rolling expanse of knee-high grass. A few lone trees dotted the landscape, each a different species. The trickle of running water could be heard somewhere close at hand, and the birdcalls drifted intermittently through the warm air, interspersed with the droning hum of various insects. Of the door they had just walked through there was no sign at all.

Nera turned about to face the companions with a wide, friendly smile, coiling her length endlessly through the air about herself.

“Much better! Now, let’s do something about that pesky little CCF aaaannnnnd…”

With a metaphysical jolt, they all felt their supernatural aspects flare up again. Magical essence crackled briefly around Jace like lightning, Dr. Yarr sensed his various gadgets regain their status above mere baubles, and Kenji felt a gentle murmur of his heritage in a comforting whisper without sound.

“I figure you all need to stretch your legs a bit, so to speak, before we send you on your way. We’ll be escorting you though oblivion to get you back to the Nexus, and that’s just not a fun place at all. And before anyone asks,” she added, glancing around with a frown, “I’m not talking about a realm or plane or dimension called Oblivion. I mean literal oblivion.”

She turned back to the group with a sigh, winked roguishly at them, and drifted away over the endless green expanse, chasing after the large clouds of butterflies that rose from the grass and flowers as she passed by.

"Well," says Yarr, looking a little nervous, "that sound bad, to say the least. I don't think even *I* have a contingency plan for the ultimate annihilation of the entirety of existence. Does... Does anyone else?"

On another note, his gadgets are working! He tests this by inserting an appropriately coloured power cell into his cane and performing a few feats of aerobatics before settling gently back upon the grass.

[Solidarity]

[Wizard's Field]

The man reels back a bit as Cleo pulls a 180 in her demeanor. Eternus wasn't used to people knowing much about him at all, let alone that he could use magic. It was startling, is all. Nevertheless his head will bow and his shoulders sink at her accusation. The insult might have hit him more than she intended.

"Apologies, miss. I meant no offense. Normally people tend to introduce themselves before asking me questions about things I had thought to be slightly more secretive. As per the norm, those who know of my abilities or that I have any before I tell them are rather dangerous." he sighs.

It would seem this one is a tad temperamental. I would do well to tread lightly.

"You are all mages of sorts, then. Well met. I suppose that would make me a Wizard of Time and Fate." Suscipio says evenly. Then he adds with a grin, "Though it is possible you may have had some hint about that, Mr. Farlen."

[Recaiden]

[Wizard's Field]

The insult was spoken as it was meant. How the recipient takes it is up to them.
Cleo nods to Farlen.
"No need, perhaps, but anyway, all is forgiven. Welcome, Wizard of Time."
Wait a minute. This is all sounding like another 'fictional' universe she's familiar with. Surely nothing to worry about.

"I think it was that no one would find their way here without some magic. But yes, he clearly was expecting something."
Suspicious, joking glance at the mages already here, and a grudging chuckle at the joke.

[Lost_Deep]

[Oryza Biological Products]

Inari looks apologetic

I am a botanist I'm afraid, not a IT professional. So yes, it would be best to get specific details from the staff here rather than from me - I am all too likely to give inaccurate information.

For the first level call center, it is really fairly simple because the nature of the communication there is usually one-way: people log requests. The system should collect the requests and based on certain parameters either dispatch directly to fulfillment, log and decline, or escalate to second-level.

Because of the wide range of requests, it is very difficult to make a keyword-driven system: people may be more or less elaborate, or spend a great deal of time talking around their point. The system needs to be sophisticated enough to determine the actual request.

[Oryza Biological Products]

"It should be considerate when people get angry at it, and make it clear that it isn't a person. That would be my concerns, anyway."
Tavlii is briefly excited, then apologetic.

((can be skipped if you want here, she has no real IT insights))

Oryza Biological Products

Caravan smiles. "Except it would be a person. That's the trick. It would need to be trained, but it would be an honest, thinking program, and a highly intelligent one at that. Real thoughts, real emotions, the whole shebang."

[Hattish Thing]

Wizard's Field:

Haldavyr will glare at Jern as he pronounces his human name, rather than his druidic one. The old wizard will scold his friend as the drake floats off somewhere, the letter gripped in it's maw. "Jerlynfran! How many times must I tell you, you are Jerlynfran in our company. Your odd attachment to your given name confusticates me endlessly, humph." He breathes in deeply, looking towards Suscipio deeply this time. "Yes, yes, I think you'll do. Give me a sign..." As if on cue, Suscipio may find a rather interesting object in hand. It starts as a line of glittering gold light, but then solidifies. It's not painful or anything, but it's bizarre. It seems to be resembling a bronze pendulum, to where the rounded point is facing upwards. The shaft of the staff is thick, and somewhat worn down by time. The circular end is smaller than most pendulum's belonging to the grandfather clocks they're built for, but seems highly detailed.

It is entirely up to you, Solid, what the other details of the staff may be.

"By the powers, there's a sign if I ever did see one."

[Fenric]

[Sunny Meadow]

A brilliant pink sun shown down out of a cloudless blue sky on the vast, rolling expanse of knee-high grass. A few lone trees dotted the landscape, each a different species. The trickle of running water could be heard somewhere close at hand, and the birdcalls drifted intermittently through the warm air, interspersed with the droning hum of various insects. Of the door they had just walked through there was no sign at all.

Nera turned about to face the companions with a wide, friendly smile, coiling her length endlessly through the air about herself.

“Much better! Now, let’s do something about that pesky little CCF aaaannnnnd…”

With a metaphysical jolt, they all felt their supernatural aspects flare up again. Magical essence crackled briefly around Jace like lightning, Dr. Yarr sensed his various gadgets regain their status above mere baubles, and Kenji felt a gentle murmur of his heritage in a comforting whisper without sound.

“I figure you all need to stretch your legs a bit, so to speak, before we send you on your way. We’ll be escorting you though oblivion to get you back to the Nexus, and that’s just not a fun place at all. And before anyone asks,” she added, glancing around with a frown, “I’m not talking about a realm or plane or dimension called Oblivion. I mean literal oblivion.”

She turned back to the group with a sigh, winked roguishly at them, and drifted away over the endless green expanse, chasing after the large clouds of butterflies that rose from the grass and flowers as she passed by.

Kanji blinks and stretches himself

Ok... that was just weird. And "literal oblivion"? Doesn't that kinda mean we die? I mean... um...

He looks around at the flowers and stuff

Am I the only one who thinks these guys are kinda nasty?

---

[Oryza Biological Products]

Inari nods

I was hoping for something rather more competent than many worlds are used to... my preferred universe will invent what I need in another five thousand years, which is not too terrible... except for the Nexus and its continual interruptions.

[Aric Kale]

Wizard Field

Jern sighs, Haldavyr, Haldavyr, Haldavyr...a name only has significance to the one who owns it.

You gave me Jerlynfran, and I except that as a title for which I am grateful, but my name is Jern Farlen. Eh?

The Brown wizard claps when Eternus receives his staff.

Aha, my potato dragons are quite astute, it would seem.
That's quite a remarkable staff, hmm.

[Recaiden]

[Oryza Biological Products]

"Do you receive so many requests, that living beings cannot perform the task adequately?"
Tavlii frowns.
"Anything that can act like a person is, is that it?"

[FireFox]

Vinose Woods

The path is lightly bordered by trees at both sides, but nothing overly suspicious. "A few miles" is more like four, so the three of them will be walking for a bit under two hours.

About halfway through, they may feel like they're being watched.

[Vinose Woods]
Carrie sighs. I'm not looking at anything. I'm actually blind and I'm outrageously offend---She stiffens, glancing around.
... I... feel like someone's watching us.

Ally takes advantage of the break to fish a water bottle out of a side pocket on her pack and sip from it. Ash, do you have highwaymen in your world? Robbers on the road who accost wealthy travelers all like "Stand and deliver, your money or your life!"?

[Devixer]

Vinose Woods

"...No. Bandits aren't nice enough to give you the option. They don't say words that big, either," Ashley says. And right on cue, a bout of laughter comes from around them as a group of four assumed bandits step out from between the trees. They don't look like typical bandits; these ones at least have some leather armor on. The bandits move to surround the trio.

"What's some girlies like you doin in these parts?" the one in front of them says. "Just asking for trouble."

[Beans]

Vinose Woods

"...No. Bandits aren't nice enough to give you the option. They don't say words that big, either," Ashley says. And right on cue, a bout of laughter comes from around them as a group of four assumed bandits step out from between the trees. They don't look like typical bandits; these ones at least have some leather armor on. The bandits move to surround the trio.

"What's some girlies like you doin in these parts?" the one in front of them says. "Just asking for trouble."

Carrie sighs, starting to take her gloves off, revealing the clay-dust color of her bony hands and the slight heat haze around them.
No, nope nope nope. This isn't happening, you guys are going home, and I'm not going to have to touch any of you.

[FireFox]

Vinose Woods

The redheaded thief unclasps the pack at her waist and shrugs out of it while she thinks of what bluff to go with. The situation seems to call for a pretty classic "You are so far in over your heads you don't even know" routine. Hells, for all she knows about her traveling companions, that could be the truth. She elevates her nose and sniffs with regal disappointment, addressing her girlfriend without deigning to look at the six people beneath her. You may- Wait. Demonstrating Ashley's power is the exact opposite of what they're supposed to be doing here. The easy way of intimidation is going to make this journey a great deal more difficult down the road. -ask them if they are your Lord's footmen. She steps forward, imperiously shouldering Carrie aside. Furthermore, you may communicate my displeasure for him not providing us with a carriage. I hope it is with the other half of these retainers. I was promised an escort of eight, not four.
**** **** ****

[Devixer]

Vinose Woods

The leader of the group breaks into laughter as Ashley just withdraws into her cloak. "Retainers? Well boys, looks like we got us some nobles!" Two of the other bandits start laughing as well, as the leader draws an axe from his belt. "I bet nobles like you have a lot of gold, huh?"

"Wait," the bandit behind the group says. "What about the lady with the grey hands? You think she's a mage?" This one looks a bit younger than the rest, but obviously not by much. "The one in the cloak, too. I don't like her, she looks suspicious."

"Don't be stupid, everyone knows mages got wiped out years ago."

[Beans]

[Vinose Woods]
Carrie smiles. In a circle around her, plants are starting to wither and blacken, crumpling in on themselves.
Oh, I wouldn't come close if I were you. In fact, I'd leave and rethink my life.

[Lost_Deep]

Oryza Biological Products

Caravan smiles at Tavlii. "Careful, Tavlii! I know people who could talk about whether an AI is a person or not for weeks on end. An AI has certain advantages over a person, like the ability to handle literally thousands (or more) tasks at once. With proper networking and computer resources, one AI could run a city, or a planet."

[Rebonack]

[Somewhere Awful]

Ish

The transition is likely jarring.

One moment, Ish was playing a game of poker with his friends and the next he's strapped to a metal table with what feel like cold and slightly damp leather straps. A bright medical lamp blazes away directly above him, assaulting his eyes with brilliant halogen light. Seeing anything is difficult, but the air is filled with the stinging scent of disinfectant. The room feels cold. Cold enough that Ish might be able to see his breath if he could see anything at all.

What does he do?

Napira

She had fallen down a hill.

Fallen down a hill and hit her head on a rock.

And when she awakens? She finds herself somewhere completely different, now the proud owner of a splitting head ache. She's laying in a hospital bed wearing a hospital gown caked with enough unpleasant smelling substances that it would probably be better off burned rather than washed. Gauze has been wrapped around her head, gauze that feels slightly sticky to the touch. A large counter sits nearby housing a large number of drawers. Atop the counter is a jar of what appear to be cotton balls and tongue depressors. A red sharps container sporting a bio-hazard sign sits below what appears to be a Sony PlayStation attached to the vitals monitoring equipment. Next to the sink is a box of thick yellow rubber gloves and a bottle of infectant hand de-sanitizer. On the wall behind her bed is a painting of a sad clown.

A heavy steel door separates her room from a hallway outside. The whole place smells like cross between fermenting yeast and custard.

What does she do?

Tanya

Last thing she can remember, she was going to investigate a weird hospital that had kinda sorta vaguely started existing. When she stepped inside there was a feeling of being hugged by ten thousand horrible stabbing things, then vague, hazy memories of surgery? Upon awakening she'll feel awful. A vague impression that something important is missing.

Now she's laying in a hospital bed wearing a clean, minty green hospital robe that smells like york peppermint patties. And IV has been hooked up to her arm, if you consider some kind of horrifying jellyfish monster with a tube combing out of it impaled on the end of a spear on little wheels to be an IV. It looks down at her with flaccid, shriveled eyes in a distinctly accusing fashion. I died for you, it seems to say. At least show a little respect.

The walls of the room appear to be somewhat padded, made of some kind of soft foamy plastic covered material that gives like a childhood gymnastics mat. A mural covers three of the four walls dipicting all sorts of happy, smiling things. The happy sun and the happy hills are pretty easily identified, but everything else looks like some kind of nightmare vomited out by a bigger, more horrifying nightmare and then drawn with cute eyes, smiles, soft curves, and warm pastel colors.

There are several cabinets set up in the room, though they're all attached to the wall and well out of reach for anyone who is less than four feet tall. The room is dimly lit, though bright white light is pouring through a slat in the door and shining right in her face. Her bed is just as padded as everything else and appears to be bolted to the floor. The only thing that seems particularly anomalous about the room is the gallon-sized can of creamed corn sitting in the middle of the floor. There's a cupcake sitting on top of it with a little candle and 'Gat Well Soun' misspelled with frosting.

What does she do?

[Lost_Deep]

Napira

How... how did that happen? Napira is fit, athletic, and acrobatic to the point of an Olympic athlete (but she doesn't know what the olympics are) and her combat training had ensured that she was always able to do something if given ANY time to react. How did she fall down a hill, and not only fail landing utterly but not even avoid cracking her head open?

That said, she needs to get out of this place to to somewhere with real medicine before she gets an infection. Wherever she is, it's not a good place to be. She gets up, and wishes her sense of smell wasn't so good. And what was with this... could this even be called clothes!?!

Napira checks herself for any telltale signs of a poison dart or barb. There was no way that she just tripped and failed so hard she broke her crown. She had been through years of training! She was better than that!

[ThirdEmperor]

[Somewhere Awful]

Oh.

One second he's there and then he's trapped. Tied down. Helpless. Before rational thought catches up, every muscle of Ish is throwing him against the binding leather, and every inch of breath has left his lungs in a panicked gasp. His wide and buggy eyes can't blink and the searing light pounds into them like nails. He turns his head away hard enough to bring his weight behind the motion, likely rocking whatever table or gurney he's been trussed upon.

And even overturning it, maybe?

[Rebonack]

[Somewhere Awful - Napira]

Napira finds no signs of darts, barbs, cnimadocysts, or any other form of stabby-injecty thing stuck in her.

There is, however, a clear and obvious sign that she was given an injection recently on her arm as evidenced by the gauze pad attached to her with surgical tape...

...the pad is soaked in WAY more blood than it should be.

What does she do?

[Somewhere Awful - Ish]

The straps rip away when even the slightest amount of effort is made to break free.

Those are some pretty lousy straps.

As Ish blinks away the spots and gradually regains his vision he might notice that the straps weren't leather restraining straps at all. They're uncooked strips of bacon. The room looks like an industrial kitchen. If a kitchen were a hospital examination room. Everything is done up in stainless steel with various surgical instruments dangling from hooks like utensils in a kitchen. Instead of the usual medical posters there are pictures of animals with various cuts of meat displayed. With all the glinting metal everywhere the large wooden barrel filled with pickled herring stands out like a neon sign.

Very quickly, and likely much to his dismay, Ish may note that his feathers have all been plucked and the skin smeared with healing salve that smells suspiciously like teriyaki sauce.

The door to the room appears to be nothing more than a medical curtain, its bottom torn and spattered with yellow fluids.

What does he do?

[Lost_Deep]

Somewhere Awful - Napira

That's not good. That's likely where she got stung by a dart, too. She needs to get real medical treatment, or at least access to some herbs. Also, to find out who and why and likely break some of their bones. She looks around the room, likely heading for the door if there isn't anything more notable going on. She's going to go about this stealthily; sneaking, listening, keeping a low profile.

She's not at her best, splitting headache and all, but is still going to treat this as a hostile situation!

[Rebonack]

[Somewhere Awful - Napira]

Upon looking closer around the room, she'll notice that there are... things... squirming around. Colorful, translucent, strangely shaped things. Almost what one might expect a cartoony representation of germs to look like. Whenever she gets close to them they go scuttling off into dark crevices to hide.

And the door?

The heavy steel door is locked tight.

What does she do?

[Ionbound]

Tanya wakes up and glares around at the room, then swallows as she realizes...Something...Is missing. Something important, but she can't quite put her finger on it. She looks up at the IV and mutters, "What the ****?" before pulling the IV out of her arm, hoping, no praying, that something mundane enough to deal with is pumping hallucigenics into her.

[Lost_Deep]

Somewhere Awful - Napira

Napira decides to try to look around the room for something that can be used as a lockpick. She doesn't like the smell of the room, she doesn't like the weird floaty thing, and she doesn't like that she was apparently locked in. Just... doesn't like any of this at all. Therefore, searching for lockpicks. Oh, or a key if someone is stupid enough to leave the room key in here. She starts with the drawers.

[Fenric]

[Oryza Biological Products]

Inari chuckles softly at Tavlii

No, actually the first level calls can be handled by a reasonable number of staff. But keeping anyone in that mind-numbingly boring job for more than a month is nearly impossible. The annual turnover rate is on the order of five hundred percent. And yes, I mean that on average we replace everyone five times a year. We pay well and our benefits are generous, but it is so tedious and dull that I have had other people ask if they can condemn lightly fallen followers to my call center.

The replacement training and turnover costs are a substantial portion of Field Operations' budget.

A grin for Caravan and a gentle change of subject!

And they don't get bored and quit

[ThirdEmperor]

[Somewhere Awful - Ish]

The straps rip away when even the slightest amount of effort is made to break free.

Those are some pretty lousy straps.

As Ish blinks away the spots and gradually regains his vision he might notice that the straps weren't leather restraining straps at all. They're uncooked strips of bacon. The room looks like an industrial kitchen. If a kitchen were a hospital examination room. Everything is done up in stainless steel with various surgical instruments dangling from hooks like utensils in a kitchen. Instead of the usual medical posters there are pictures of animals with various cuts of meat displayed. With all the glinting metal everywhere the large wooden barrel filled with pickled herring stands out like a neon sign.

Very quickly, and likely much to his dismay, Ish may note that his feathers have all been plucked and the skin smeared with healing salve that smells suspiciously like teriyaki sauce.

The door to the room appears to be nothing more than a medical curtain, its bottom torn and spattered with yellow fluids.

What does he do?

His panicked thrashing sends him tumbling from the table then, and he lands on the floor with a groan, covering his aching eyes with a hand and waiting for the terrible throbbing in his skull to make way for rational thought. It takes a while. Full consciousness returns in drips and dabs and only makes the pounding of his headache worse - but thought does come.

The first is, "Where are my feathers?"

His fingers brush over the raw skin of his shoulders, and come away covered in that awful sauce. He tastes it. And then the knives hanging from the ceiling and the limp little strips of lukewarm bacon, the whole macabre kitchen and everything comes into horrible focus under the pale halogen lights. Oh hells.

Reaching up, he tries to unhook the sharpest, nastiest looking thing he can find from the ceiling, and clings to it protectively as he advances on the barrel.

His feathers can't vanish. They're here somewhere.

[Rebonack]

[Somewhere Awful - Tanya]

When Tanya sits up there comes a muffled, sickly sounding 'mooo...' noise from inside her chest. It kind of hurts a little when she breaths in... This is almost without a doubt a terrible thing.

Then she pulls out the IV. It makes a gross sucking noise when it gets yanked, but there's no needle or any such thing connected to her. It was just a weird jellyfish monster on a pike giving her arm a hickey. Once removed, the 'IV bag' continues to hang there just as dead as ever.

What does she do?

[Somewhere Awful - Napira]

The smell is pretty weird. And so are the creepy macroscopic germs.

Napira pulls open the topmost of three drawers and discovers that it is full of colorful animal-shaped bath sponges. The next is filled with what appear to be Hersey's Kisses. The last drawer has a hammer, a flathead screwdriver, a chisel, a hacksaw, and a tiny alabaster statue of James T Kirk hidden away in it.

What does Napira do?

[Somewhere Awful - Ish]

Fumbling around with the surgical tools, Ish acquires ONE (1) AMPUTATION KNIFE! The oversized blade has a very unfriendly, almost talon-like quality to it. The blade is honed to a lethal edge and it is utterly spotless, just like everything else in the room. And then? Then he approaches the barrel of pickled herring and cautiously eases it open.

Within the barrel of picked herring is a great deal of pickled herring.

I don't know what he was expecting to find.

What does he do?

[Lost_Deep]

Somewhere Awful - Napira

Okay... cute sponges? Eh. What are these? They're like... drop shapes covered in some kind of thin metal? Useless. Aha! Tools! while not good for actually picking the lock, they might be good for forcing the cover of the lock off, and from there gutting the lock so she can turn it manually.

Assuming it's the kind of lock you can break the outside off of with a screwdriver backed up by a hammer. She's not going to bust the lock like an idiot. Only like a smart person.