[Nexus] Outside XXXI

[Earl of Purple]

Thingummywhat Village

"Not at all, Oh Mighty One. Though, none of our myths speak of a child. Nor, for that matter, any being worthy enough to be a father." The priest respectfully bows. "Doubtless such things have been hidden from us for reasons our poor, mortal minds cannot comprehend."

[Mindfreak]

Thingummywhat Village
"That's because I've been making him strong so that none could appose him. As for the father...a long time ago a mortal was pure enough and ascended to the level of a god. That's all I'll day about him."
She stands up, stretching.
"When you as a people are ready for the story of how he came to be, you shall receive it but not any sooner."

[Earl of Purple]

Thingummywhat Village

"Of course, Oh Mighty One. I would expect nothing less. Out of curiosity, however... When do you think we'll be ready to hear the story?" He's curious and wants to know now.

[Mindfreak]

Thingummywhat Village
"Maybe after a month or so of my child being chief...maybe even less. It depends on how the people here react to my child."
She gave him a serious look.
"But first...I've gotta see about getting rid of your first chief."

[ThirdEmperor]

Fortress Mountain- Below

No flash. No ear-shattering boom. No blast wave tearing him to shreds and frying the last scraps of meat off his flesh. That's.... That's a good sign, right?

Grabbing hold of the boulder behind which he was cowering, Barry hauls himself up, squinting to make out out the words on the flag through the dust-choked air. 'Bang'? Was this some kind of joke?

No. No, got to be nerve gas, nanos, biological. No one would go through all that for a joke. Covering his mouth and backing away from the canister, Barry sounds the alarm to have this room shut off, get some people outfitted with scanners and the closest they can get to decom gear.

Fortress Mountain- Above

Well, I hope Erin's in a patient mood 'cause it's a long, boring trip. When she does finally surface, it's in the last place Excelsior wants her to be. A large, brightly illuminated room, light raining down from flourescent bulbs above onto the double-reinforced cables that snake across the room, all leading up to a large, rectangular vat in the center of the room, surrounded by expensive looking medical equipment.

But it seems the boys downstairs phoned ahead, 'cause there's on serious obstacle to Erin causing all the chaos she wants. Said obstacle is personified by Icarus, standing guard over the tank in the very Kull armor earlier stolen from her store and with a pair of gleaming metal claws strapped to the gauntlets. Now, it's a little hard to determine expressions behind that mask, but if I had to guess, he's glaring.

Outside Fortress Mountain

Huh. I have no clue if Francium has the 'ATA gene'. When Riv modified them from the base 'superhuman' blood sample he got from Umbrella, he used an extremely varied range of data for reference on what would make them strongest, toughest, fastest.

Enough that this ATA gene having worked it's way into their DNA is not inconceivable. The question, I suppose, relies upon three matters; How common the ATA gene is in humans, whether it is has any noticeable positive effects and conversely, any significant negative ones.

[Earl of Purple]

Thingummywhat Village

"Easily sorted. Ask him to take five warriors around to the next village along the lake shore, give them bronze, or maybe iron, swords and put some of our herders nearby. He'll either die in glorious battle or flee- the next village along have these hollow pipes they shoot bees from." He means their iron, not Megan's steel for the swords. It seems a bit harsh, however, and may cost more than just the chief's life- the five warriors, for a start, plus any of the other villagers should they get into melee with the blowpipe-wielding foe.

[orb_of_blood]

Forest outside the SG

It'd be hard for him to lie back against grass as he was already propped up against a tree, and Tyalla's in his lap. Unless he's shifting to the side and pushing her from his lap, he may be kinda stuck.

"Oh? Do you find it easy to discredit yourself? I was amazed at first that I didn't rip you to shreds in the sewers. But after you sang for me several times, I knew your talent was, and is still, enough to-" the realization comes suddenly. "D-did you just call me Tea?"

[Lex-Kat]

{Melody's Island- Cottage}

"What?"
Vincent's just trying to convince her to play more mini-games for free loot. =x

That just doesn't sound like something you'd say. What kind of bonuses could speaking your mind give?

{Melody's Island}

Derek reaches over to gently lift up Jezebelle's chin to look into her eyes.

"Don't worry about pushing me. I've been told I am pretty solid."

And with that they should gently run aground on shore.

Okay. Jezebelle bounces forward slightly as they run aground. Oh! she squeeks in surprise.

[Beans]

[Lake of Dreams]
As they arrive on Maera's hoverbike, Eo looks out at the Lake, uncertain of whether what happens in her mind even counts as dreaming.
((Trying to resist starting a new story thing for her backstory when I've already got two on my plate, but Eo has lots of potential for interesting stuff.))

[Lady Serpentine]

[Lake of Dreams]

((Sorry about the delay. Things took rather longer than I expected, and then I was tired enough that I basically fell into bed and slept.))

Unless Eo is specifically concentrating on some sort of dream she'd want to see, or has had, the Lake will be in its standard state of showing various bits and bobs of pretty much every dream in the Nexus.

"Be careful when we head down. Touching the water without something specific in mind can be fun, but it can be dangerous, too."

[Mindfreak]

Village of Thingummywhat
Megan sighed.
"No. You'd lose too many warriors. I will just help him move on to the great beyond early, painlessly."
"Tell the chief that I wish to bring him on a journey."

[Beans]

[Lake of Dreams]

((Sorry about the delay. Things took rather longer than I expected, and then I was tired enough that I basically fell into bed and slept.))

Unless Eo is specifically concentrating on some sort of dream she'd want to see, or has had, the Lake will be in its standard state of showing various bits and bobs of pretty much every dream in the Nexus.

"Be careful when we head down. Touching the water without something specific in mind can be fun, but it can be dangerous, too."

She nods, sticking close to her friend and benefactor.

[Eadin]

[Picnic]

Ormirrah blinks for a moment, absorbing everything that had just been said, "You're a wish granter?"

A very simple way of saying the above, but in the end a summarization may have been somewhat necessary.

Such a confusing explanation! Luckily, Ormirrah seems to get what has been said.
"Wishes? Like a genie?"

[Shadowcaller]

Resistant to fire the pit lord may be, but just how much fire can it handle? Damon uses the same trick again, shifting shape and moving out of the way before shifting back again, to keep out of the way of the blinded pit lord's blades. And then he resumes blasting away with fire.

...but at the same time, the black fire on the ground is still spreading. And now it's trying to spread up the pit lord's legs. If not dealt with quickly, soon the pit lord may find his entire body coated in flames, burning away at him.

[Wilderness]

"I know... but I still can't be anywhere near the manor at least. I'm surprised no one has come for me yet to be honest." Valente rubs his eyes. s much as he disliked AMEN, he supposes that it was at least keeping Tenebras agents from getting to him. "I have no idea where to go or what to do."

[Wilderness]

"Technically I came for you Val, I'm an agent of Tenebras remember?" That's what she was being paid for after all. She smiles sweetly at him at attempts to pull in the vampire in a hug. "We'll find something though, don't worry."

[Cyan Beach]

This time the demon don't react with rage but rather in fear. As it's seemingly not able to hit the zern and constantly take damage from the fire, it suddenly turns and runs. Despite the pain it goes with a flap of it's wings and attempts to take itself away from here and into the ocean nearby.

Meanwhile Damon can hear a loud roar in the skies above, but as he can't keep track on the feeling pit lord and whatever is up there at the same time, he might need to choose.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Cyan Beach]

The roaring can wait for a moment. Damon is confident the darkness will keep him hidden from whatever it is that's roaring up there...assuming it even is hostile.

Time for some more shapeshifting!

Damon quickly takes the form of the tree-like demon and lashes out with his tentacles, seeking to get a grip on the pit lord and hold him in place to let the fire do its work. "You try to flee? There iss no esscape from me. Sstay with me in the darknesss ass the fire conssumess you!"

[Dark Elf Bard]

Forest outside the SG

It'd be hard for him to lie back against grass as he was already propped up against a tree, and Tyalla's in his lap. Unless he's shifting to the side and pushing her from his lap, he may be kinda stuck.

"Oh? Do you find it easy to discredit yourself? I was amazed at first that I didn't rip you to shreds in the sewers. But after you sang for me several times, I knew your talent was, and is still, enough to-" the realization comes suddenly. "D-did you just call me Tea?"

He'll lie still then.

Yes... sort of an, um, pet name? Like you called me Elkie, and I thought that... Would you rather me not?

[Gullara]

[Wilderness]

Valente hugs her back after a moment of hesitation. "Thanks. I'm not sure what I'd have done without you." He's still not sure what he's going to do now, but at least he has support.

[Reinholdt]

{Melody's Island- Cottage}

That just doesn't sound like something you'd say. What kind of bonuses could speaking your mind give?

"Well apparently physical combat bonuses if Catoline's any indication." Vincent points out.

[Artemis97]

[Degenburg Castle]

"Hmm." Endrik considers the statement, tapping an armoured finger against his helmet as he thinks. "Myself, I would not go. If you think there may be some value in the event, though... There could be a lot at stake, too. People talk, at parties. Alcohol can have a way of loosening tongues. I do not know how applicable that is to a naturally suspicious people, but even so someone might say something interesting."

[Degenburg Castle]

Sszinyon shrugs. "You would be surprised how loose lipped we can be. I do not indulge, but others may imbibe too much. It could be valuable to learn the state at which my House is in. I may still have allies there, or a new set of enemies. Either way, the knowledge we could gain would be well worth the relatively limited risk."

[Lady Serpentine]

She nods, sticking close to her friend and benefactor.

And, presumably, they'll head down the stairs to the Lake.

"Is there anything in particular you want to see?"

[Beans]

[Lake]
She shakes her head, not really familiar with dreams herself.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Lake]

Maera thinks for a bit, before settling on the launch of her ship, which is quickly reproduced in the Lake.

[Beans]

[Lake]

Maera thinks for a bit, before settling on the launch of her ship, which is quickly reproduced in the Lake.

She stares in wonder, sticking close.

[Lady Serpentine]

She stares in wonder, sticking close.

"Do you want to head in, or just watch from here?"

[Earl of Purple]

Village of Thingummywhat Worshippers

"At most, we would lose six warriors including the chief. We have fifty. That would leave us with forty-four, and that would be enough to defend ourselves and our flocks. That's not so bad." The priest is quite nonchalant about the potential of sacrificing five warriors to replace the priest. "We could even send the five oldest warriors, the ones that are approaching the end of their usefulness. If they don't return, they have received an honourable death in battle, rather than an ignoble death over a long period, of disease and fleeing wits."

[Beans]

"Do you want to head in, or just watch from here?"

I WILL FOLLOW YOU IN
She nods, typing.

[Lady Serpentine]

I WILL FOLLOW YOU IN
She nods, typing.

In they go, then!

What exactly they find is probably up to you, since you're the one who would know what a Hornet launch entails.

[Beans]

[Lake (Hornet Launch 061)]
The way this plays out partly depends on whether Maera was a willing test subject or not; if she was not, she'll have been forced into the smallish pod in restraint garments, her egg-shaped craft about as tall as the length of a large van.
It is in a longer rocket-shaped frame, which is placed in a launch tube. As the researchers look on, the tube's pulse system whirs, hums, and finally gives a sharp bark as the rocket is hammered through the atmosphere; the rocket itself only kicks in late in the flight, and eventually breaks away when she has reached the proper orbit around the Kerwan Gravity Well Sphere A5, a sphere about the size of a sports stadium that keeps some of the Hornet pods in a manageable location.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Lake (Hornet Launch 061)]

Maera most likely was unenthusiastic, and may not have volunteered, but she wouldn't have resisted being sent up, either.

[Beans]

[Lake (Hornet Launch 061)]
Eo watches, frowning a little.
QUESTION: WAS THIS BY CHOICE