[Nexus] Outside XXXVII

[ImpSyndrome]

Cave Inside the Summet

Ray looks to his side and sees that Leo has managed to disable the trap. "Great work!" he pants, giving Leo a thumbs up before listening in on the flapping sounds from below. Ray is ready for a fight, but given that these could just be strangers rather than enemies he decides to try diplomacy first. "Hey!" he calls down at the top of his lungs "We aren't here to hurt ya! If you could just let us retrieve an item a friend of mine lost here than we'll be out of your hair in just a moment!"

As soon as he reaches his ally, Leo will try to grab Ray by whatever he can grip first - hand, arm, collar, etc. - and, assuming success, will start dragging him down the staircase. Either way, he will quietly berate him, "What in the fires of Gehenna are you doing?! You don't give your position away to a potentially-lethal enemy, especially if they haven't acquired you yet! Now hurry: we need to hide before they spot us!"

Should the duo reach the foot of the stairs without being detected, Leo will survey the landing and look for a place to hide them both from their pursuers...

((EDITED because I have no sense of up or down. I believe you Internet types call this a "derp"...?))

[GrandDM]

As soon as he reaches his ally, Leo will try to grab Ray by whatever he can grip first - hand, arm, collar, etc. - and, assuming success, will start dragging him down the staircase. Either way, he will quietly berate him, "What in the fires of Gehenna are you doing?! You don't give your position away to a potentially-lethal enemy, especially if they haven't acquired you yet! Now hurry: we need to hide before they spot us!"

Should the duo reach the foot of the stairs without being detected, Leo will survey the landing and look for a place to hide them both from their pursuers...

They do so, and there are two convenient suits of armour either side of the door leading to the stairs.

From above, there's a click of claw on step, and sniffing.

[ToTLI]

"Maybe. Let's try it!"

He does so.

[Rebonack]

[Outside the East Gate]

And here comes Timseam Proudfeet and Bill the Pony!

Tim is, of course, riding on Bill. Given their relative size hobbits are just right for saddling ponies, though whether or not a pony would be willing to allow it really depends on the pony in question after all. Bill doesn't seem to have any issue with it. Hence the saddle. No bit, though.

A bit would be rather rude.

"The road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began~"

Timseam is singing! An old hobbit traveling song, no doubt. His expression brightens when he spots fellow travelers. "Ho! Well met, friends! Are you ready for an adventure?"

[Earl of Purple]

The Clouded Void

"Best guess? The Abyss thinks they're funny." And this 'little world' is an infinite expanse; most of the others are infinite in some respect or another as well.

Tomb of the Lost Innocent

If the pyramid is moved to where the sphere was, the sphere to where the cube was and the cube to where the pyramid was, there's a thump in the room they left, with the levers. Another of the sarcophagi has opened, the door falling off.

Outside the East Gate

"We are. Can't talk for Xenna, though." I think the three ponies caught Xenna's name in the tavern, though they didn't really speak to each other. Cap'n Volley Shot smiles at Bill. Tim too, but mostly Bill. She still doesn't really trust the humanoid people she sees around, and doesn't know how to tell the difference between different types.

[Arkhosia]

Outside East Gate

Xenna happens to be behind the pony.
Well now you can.

[Recaiden]

[Clouded Void - Chariot->Town?]

Infinite, but so empty. Barely worth calling a world, from what he's seen. There's space and then there's emptiness. "Funny. I could see that. And it wouldn't pattern." Ranna falls quiet then, and just enjoys(?) the motion of the ride.

[Rebonack]

[East Gate ==> To Adventure!]

"Then onward to adventure!" Tim laughs.

Bill rolls his eyes and sets off down the road.

The road goes ever on and on...

A road of the Roman sort in this case. The kind with stones sunk into the dirt. The peg-legged pony had best watch her footing lest she get her peg stuck between the rocks. That would be pretty obnoxious.

Quickly the weather changes to brilliant high summer, the air fresh and clean with wind blowing in from the sea to the west. Sea birds wheel across the sky and tall, fragrant grasses ripple in rolling waves that mirror those splashing across the sandy shores nearby.

It's... Nice.

Timseam is eying the map as well as a strange spherical compass-like device.

"I've always liked the sea," Bill muses aloud as he gazes across the seemingly endless expanse of blue. "Though I'm not really sure if it's any place for an earth pony. I have no idea how I would feel without solid ground under my hooves."

[Deathkeeper]

TotLI

"That was simple enough."
Krayger shrugs and advances to the next room.

[RyanKoopa]

OOC: Wait they didn't already see us? Whoops my bad

Cave inside the summit

Ray wiggles himself out of Leo's grip and dusts himself off, obviously annoyed at his allies comment. None the less he realizes Leo does have a point and begins looking for a way to get inside the armor without moving anything.

[Arkhosia]

[East Gate ==> To Adventure!]

"Then onward to adventure!" Tim laughs.

Bill rolls his eyes and sets off down the road.

The road goes ever on and on...

A road of the Roman sort in this case. The kind with stones sunk into the dirt. The peg-legged pony had best watch her footing lest she get her peg stuck between the rocks. That would be pretty obnoxious.

Quickly the weather changes to brilliant high summer, the air fresh and clean with wind blowing in from the sea to the west. Sea birds wheel across the sky and tall, fragrant grasses ripple in rolling waves that mirror those splashing across the sandy shores nearby.

It's... Nice.

Timseam is eying the map as well as a strange spherical compass-like device.

"I've always liked the sea," Bill muses aloud as he gazes across the seemingly endless expanse of blue. "Though I'm not really sure if it's any place for an earth pony. I have no idea how I would feel without solid ground under my hooves."

Xenna puts her hood on as the weather changes. Drow are rather susceptible to the sun. Ive only ever seen pictures before, it is a truly marvelous sight. I prefer the caverns of my homeland though. Much less...vision impairing.

[Zefir]

Thatcher nods, chuckling. Aye, that'd be better.
He holsters the revolver and draws his bastard sword.
And what are your skills?

[Old Arena]

Andy holds up an helm

"Thats a suit I invented. Right now it shoots hot plasmaballs, but I already decreased it so it should just feel hot but not burn the skin."

[Everysize Hotel]

Nothing will stop her and the room appears clean.

[Earl of Purple]

The Clouded Void

They arrive at the hill first. I don't think Atorre can walk on clouds, which would be problematic. "Here we go. The materials we have available are out there, though if there's anything else you need let us know and we'll see what can be done. The workers are in the town; not just ponies, you'll be glad to hear. There's some mephits, too- humanoid creatures made of a deliberate imbalance of the Four Elements, much like the various genies, though mephits are less powerful." Pazuzu has a few djinni working for Him, though most prefer their independence, or serve a djinn sheik.

[Inigo Montoya]

Spoiler: Previous Post

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QUOTE=Darkcomet;16175800]

[Operation Ascendant]

"If that is all, we'll proceed. Major?"

"No, Emmy, no other ideas." One gets the impression Xanatov is grinning up there.

N'alae rolls her eyes under the helmet. "Infiltration team, proceed as planned. We won't have the Major's intuition in there, so be on your guard, and not just with the Borg."

Hill leads the way into the base, on point. Cross and N'alae keep in formation where the others can cover them, being rather mission-critical.

[Operation Ascendant->Infiltration Team]

The base is dim, warm and humid, lit by eerie, sickly greenish light. The floor and walls are lined with almost crude-looking additions and circuitry, definite signs of Borg assimilation. The entrance area they're in doesn't seem to have any drones, though...

Cross speaks up. "The Borg likely have control of the system, so I will need to stay at the console we find to keep the hatch open for the Major's assault force. Officers Hill and Chedid, you're it. Richards and Allomyrina will stay with the Emissary." Makes sense. N'alae will need someone to deal with whatever the unknown threat is too, and close combat capability is good to have in extended defense against the Borg.

"Yes sir," Hill responds.

"Looks like you have somehow ended up trying to protect me from aehallhir* again, Officer. I'll try not to make it a habit," N'alae says, referencing the last time she and Allo met.

*'monsters, as in ghosts or nightmares.' The wonders of DC pulling things off the internet.

This is the part where they round a corner to face their first Borg drones. Several of the drones present are in regeneration alcoves on the wall, others walking along in the hall. The drones are of a variety of species; one of them that might look elven upon first glance appears to be of the same species as N'alae, if you go by the forehead. That one's in regeneration.

The problem is that they look a bit different than the one shown in the briefing. Not quite as crude-looking, as if a bit more advanced.

"Hold your fire. They will not consider us a threat yet," N'alae instructs, sounding ever so slightly unsure. As if something is off.

[Operation Ascendant->Assault Force]

After the infiltration team enters the base, Major Xanatov turns on the comm. "Alright, everyone, ascend and prepare for the hatch opening. Red, hope you like mountain climbing."

The fighter-gunships, including the Major's, begin climbing to the appropriate altitude. Blu will probably want to follow, and Red is just gonna have to climb.[/QUOTE]

[Operation Ascendent->Infiltration Team]

"Yes sir."

Keep the doors open, no problem. Balthazar snorted quietly. Of course there was a problem. The person most experienced with these...things was starting to sound like she wasn't sure what she was doing. In addition, there were ghosts, and to top it all off all these machines around made his skin itch. Still, it wasn't to bad yet. He held his soulknife out in front of him, using it's purple glow to illuminate as much of his surroundings as possible.

[Aric Kale]

[Old Arena]

Andy holds up an helm

"Thats a suit I invented. Right now it shoots hot plasmaballs, but I already decreased it so it should just feel hot but not burn the skin."

[Everysize Hotel]

Nothing will stop her and the room appears clean.

Thatcher nods approvingly, swinging his sword in slow figure-eights. That's very interesting. Luckily, my sword is enchanted, or I would have a hard time blocking...
The enchantment is a spell cast into the blue gem in his pommel. It is a ward of blocking, designed to let him clash with lightsabers and the like.

[Recaiden]

[The Clouded Void - Hill]

Atorre looks out over the hill as they pass it. "I'm familiar with mephits, actually. Although, only 4 elements? That's frightfully few. How does the town stand? Like to your own magic? That there should be enough to get a start..."

[Earl of Purple]

The Clouded Void- Hill

"Not all eighteen gazillion chemical elements. The four magical elements- Earth, air, fire and water." They'll go to land on the hill. It's quite a large hill, if it is a hill and not just a large lump of stolen soil and rock from some world Pazuzu raided. It's mostly flat, though there's a slight curve. If Atorre needs it a different shape, then the pegasi and mephits can probably alter it.

From Inside's East Gate --> Adventure

"You get used to it, eventually. I was awfully sky-sick my first month or so aboard our ship, but now I miss life amongst the clouds. It might be different with a sea-ship rather than a sky-ship, though." Cinnamon smiles at Bill. It makes her much prettier than before; she's quite a plain pony, and her usual scowl doesn't help.

Volley, meanwhile, will try to walk next to the road where there's less rocks. Unless the road is going through a marsh or something, in which case she'll stick to the road and grumble a lot. Either way, Doc Sorebones sticks quite close to her.

[Rebonack]

[Adventure!]

Thankfully the ground isn't marshy. The ground is quite firm with the sorts of rolling hills that would be pleasant to run on. Only downside is that the grass is quite tall, easily three or four feet in most places. Which means it would be easy for a large predictor to conceal itself in the verdant waves.

There may also be wild pokemon in there.

One can never be too careful.

So the captain should have an easy enough time walking. The grass is a little shorter near the road.

"I've never flown in an airship before," Bill muses. "Though I've taken the Riftline up to the Skyway. That place is pretty amazing. Way above my pay-grade, though."

To be expected of super FUTURE! cities in the sky.

"Once upon a time there were lots of pirates in the City," Timseam says. "But once the military folk got in charge they clamped down on that in a hurry."

Bill makes a clicking noise with his tongue. "If the light is rough on your eyes maybe you should pick up some sunglasses?" he says to the drow.

[Arkhosia]

Adventure

Xenna raises her eyebrow.
Sunglasses?
So, she's read Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but not heard of sunglasses? Odd.

[Earl of Purple]

Adventure!

"Well, when we get one, we'll be hiring a crew, though the work's likely to be violent. I mean, look at us!" Since they haven't mentioned anything about pirates, they think that secret is safe and Tim's comment about piracy is unrelated. Still, Cinnamon and Doc Sorebones both change their stance slightly as they walk, prepared to reach for their weaponry.

[Rebonack]

[Adventure!]

"Sunglasses," Bill clarifies. "Dark glass or plastic lenses you wear over your eyes. They help keep the glare down. Some folks wear them just because they think they look neat."

Cool, Bill. People wear them because they think they look cool.

As for Tim, "Oh... You aren't pirates then?" He actually sounds a little disappointed. "I had just assumed with the talk of ships and the peg legs and false eye."

Gotta admit, peg legs and false eyes are pretty stereotypical pirate-y things.

Almost as pirate-y as saying 'yar!'

[Arkhosia]

Adventure

I'll look into it.
The drow replies

[Earl of Purple]

Adventure

"Yes, we're pirates. That's why the work would be violent. It's not something we exactly advertise, though, since we don't have a crew, a ship, or any cannons." They do have a load of maps, sextants and other navigational doohickeys, though! Plus a cutlass, four flintlock pistols and some ship's rations.

[Rebonack]

[Adventure!]

Better watch out!

Those pirates have ship's rations!

"So long as you don't pirate at me we'll get along swimmingly!" Timseam laughs. Seems he isn't terribly concerned about their occupation.

Bill is about to make another comment about sunglasses as they come over the top of a tall hill, but pauses when he spies something.

A large wagon, the sort that moves on its own without anypony to pull it. Not one of those automobiles, either. Just a normal wagon magic'd up to propel itself.

In bright red letters 'Ivan's Imports' is written across the canvas.

"Greetings and salutations!" calls out the human. "A lovely day, isn't it? Might I interest you in my fine wares today?"

Looks like a traveling merchant.

[Arkhosia]

The drow backs away behind Timesan. She's had bad experiences with humans in the past.

[Earl of Purple]

Adventure!

"What weapons do you carry?" Volley is hoping there's a cannon, even a small one. Or maybe a musket or something.
"How's your food and ingredients?" They have plenty for the journey, but that doesn't mean Cinnamon will say no to variety.
"I would like to see your medical supplies." Again, one can never have too much medicine.

[Rebonack]

[Adventure!]

"Only the finest and the best, my friends!" Ivan replies with a wide grin. He knocks his elbow up against the wagon and the whole thing unfolds into a pretty impressive set display.

Most of his stuff has a ye olde vibe to it, but it should be obvious that the quality is high.

He's even got a hand-cannon of appreciable size. The sort that someone might sling over a shoulder like a bazooka.

The food is mostly in the form of easy to transport rations. He does seem to be the sort that caters to adventurers. Quite a supply of potions, too. All meticulously labeled.

And?

He has a rack of stylish sunglasses.

[Arkhosia]

Adventure

Xenna quickly purchases sunglasses. She then takes off her hood and puts them on.
You're right, they do work well.

[Slii Arhem]

Elsewhere

After only a moment of surprise at the sudden change in scenery, one hand half-raised in anticipation of stopping time to deal with the ghost, Lydia lunges fowards. Dropping into a roll, she pulls a grenade from her pocket, priming it and hurling the bomb at the largest concentration of the acid-spewing mollusks.

The first time she was here, they got her but good, and it was only thanks to the miracle properties of Dr. Sokolov's elixir that she wasn't permamently scarred; she doesn't intend to have a repeat performance.

Elsewhere

The grenade rolls, bounces, comes to a halt and then is knocked into the water by a rampaging swarm of rats larger than any she's yet seen that simply materialized out of nothing in an instant. Between the masses of the piled-high, furry horde, she can see glimpses of hagfish heads and scales being held in bloodcaked rodent mouths.

The rats turn to her as one, a sinister collective intelligence guiding them, but they merely sit stacked atop one another and stare with guileless red, infected eyes. She can hear things, words amidst the chirps and squeals and chatters. Words of condemnation and bile. The river krusts spit no acid nor bile at her, that is the job of this mass of dead before her. Each tiny, twisted head bears some previously unnoticed feature. An ear, a lock of hair, a human eye, a scent, an air of superiority. Each is a soul, man, a woman, a life cut short.

A sin, a blight on her soul.

They seem far too numerous now, stacked high before her. Has she truly killed so many?

[Earl of Purple]

Adventure

"How much for the culverin and twenty balls?" Since that was a very cannon-like handgun, and ponies don't have hands so won't call it a hand-cannon. She's already got plenty of gunpowder, though don't ask me where she keeps it.
Cinnamon will look through the different flavours of trail ration, going for the ones that sound most unusual. She's also an accomplished bargainer, and will do her best to get a good deal.
The ship's doctor meanwhile, will select healing potions for the journey. I'm not going to specify how many, because that way he'll have enough.

[Rebonack]

[Adventure!]

A decent price is quoted for the hand-cannon! Hopefully the unicorn's telekinesis is strong enough to actually wield the crazy thing.

"Thank you all for your fine business!" Ivan says. "And do watch yourself on the road. Word is a band of brigands has been giving travelers some trouble of late."

Oh no!

Brigands!

Sort of like knaves or thugs or thieves!

"Thank you for the warning, kind sir," Timseam says. "We'll be on our guard."