[Nexus] Random Places and Plots 8: Adventures! Thrills! Groceries!

[5a Violista]

[Mirror, Mirror]
Suthy: The Underwater Stairs

The swim down the stairs and into the darkness isn't actually that hard. He'll swim through what looks like an open doorway...after which, he'll find himself immediately falling to dry ground. It's almost as if the water simply stopped - stopped at an invisible barrier that allowed him through.

He finds himself in a long hallway with tile floors and tile walls. There's a dim bluish light at the end of the hallway, around a corner. The light reflects through the hallway enough to show there are barred cages on each side of the hallway. There's the sound of dripping water. There's footsteps far ahead: down the hallway, around the corner, around the second, and then down a spiral staircase. (The footsteps are going up the staircase.)

Also, in each of the cages along the hallway, there's cracked mirrors, each holding a cracked reflection of the world and a silent reflection unable to escape.


Card: East Hallway

In that case, Card's misdirections may lead him either into the library or into the ballroom. Actually, they lead him into the ballroom. The library was a couple of doors down.

The ballroom has a wide open area with a large hanging crystal chandelier. There's pillars and an upper balcony to the ballroom. Lining the walls are, once again, mirrors. However, possibly fortunately, the mirrors only hold the reflection of the room and of Card himself.

There are, however, the sound of footsteps above him, in the ballroom's upper balcony. If Card has any sense of musical beat, he'll feel the footsteps are moving in the gentle 3/4 time of a waltz.


Darsy: Flipped East hallway

And so, Darsy finds herself in the same hallway as Card was just in - only she's upside down and he's nowhere to be found.

As stated before, the hallway is long and wide and curves slightly. There's several doors - all closed at the moment, except for the one to the massive Library and the one at the end of the hall, to the Master Bedroom.

The further down the hall she goes, the darker feeling she'll get. It will feel as if the world's happiness was slowly dying. It will feel as if there's shadows around every corner: angry shadows. There's not just movement out of the corner of her eye: there's also strange scamperings and scratchings, just barely audible.

The library, of course, is a really large room. There's shadows everywhere, and the many mirrors don't help, either: instead of reflecting the light around the room, they merely reflect the shadows and make them look more foreboding. If you've ever watched the Dr. Who episode "Silence in the Library", that's what the library looks and feels like.

There's also a door that's only slightly cracked open - not completely closed. If Darsy opens it, she'll notice it's stairs that go downwards. Or, rather, they would go downwards if she were on the ground. As it is, upside-down, the stairs go upwards into the depths of the earth.

It's her choice whether to turn off into the library, continue down the darkening hallway to the master bedroom, turn around, or open one of the several doorways.

Which way did Harley go?

[Hyperbolic sine]

[Arty's Epic Quest]

"Thanks, guys. I'll see you again in Trog's sometime."

"It has been an honour, Mr. Arty, Miss Ashna. Farewell" Alistair replies, lifting the hat and bowing his head towards the two. He then steps into the portal after the centaur, thinking of the Black Dragon's Den: he has to join a certain group lead by a certain cleric.

[Morty]

[Pyramid of Painful Demise]

"I don't think there's much in terms of cover here," Wenomir say. "Let's get this party started."

[Hattish Thing]

In Search of Broken Things

Krystal gives a smile at Tinkers admirations.

She nods a bit. Yeah, like I said, those are my bones. Even my skull. She taps her knuckles on her head.

And while I'm okay with giving you a few of these, please don't expect me to pull out a lot. Doing that in a short time really wears me out.

Also, kinda weird to be sharing her bones with people.

Tinker plays around with the crystal in his hand for a few more seconds, his mind pondering what exactly he could do with the thing. There were so many possibilities, all so delightful. The things he could create from this. Something for his staff, a bit of extra protection for his faceplate, even his laser weaponry project could be completed with this material. It was rare he found something so sturdy. This will be most helpful. It will greatly advance my work... Thank you, so very much... It is... odd to find you here, and so helpful! I will need pieces like this to complete some additions to my other project. When you entered m labyrinth, you caught me at work with one of the platings I will use to my newest machine. You see... I am creating robotic life, fully capable of assimilation... You know what means, correct?

Once it finds other machines, other robotic life, it will absorb it's powers, it's parts, and grow larger! A constantly evolving man-thing of metal. I will be it's creator... I will make new life! Better life... Down here, no one hurts Leech... No one teases him, no one hits him. The world was... cruel, to me. Yes. But my machines are very kind to me here. Let me show you him... He'll leave this room, his mind drawn away from the possibility of repairs.

He had his prime creation on his mind.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Mirror, Mirror

Darsy cautiously walks down the hall, not liking the feeling it gave her as she went. To help herself feel better, Darsy channels Light energy into her hands, causing them to glow white.

Darsy will check the library first. She notes the open door, but doesn't go through it yet. Ms. Martinez was probably hurt and scared, which means she probably wouldn't bother to close doors behind her.

Assuming, of course, that she was on her own and hadn't been grabbed by something. Or someone.

Anyways, if Darsy doesn't find any signs of Ms. Martinez in the library, she'll head for the master bedroom.

In Search of Broken Things

Krystal will follow Tinker, starting to worry about what he was making.

Um, Tinker...it sounds pretty cool. What you're making. Something that can do that is definitely unique. But, uh, are you certain it won't get out of control? I mean, if something that can do that did get out of hand, it could do a lot of harm to people.

[ThePhantom]

Mirror, mirror-Ballroom

Well, its a good thing that these mirrors are normal, there's way too many large mirrors in here. Hmm, a waltz, that's a dance that can be quite creepy if paired with the right things, one of which is mirrors. Card moves towards the mirrors opposite of the balcony, this way should let him see what's up on the balcony. If its someone he knows, he might be able to get help.

[5a Violista]

[Mirror, Mirror]
Card, Ballroom

As it turns out, it's not someone he knows. Unless he knows Mr. James Smith and Ms. Joia Carston. Noticeably, their eyes are closed and their necks are slack.
There's also another couple up there dancing, but it's hard to make out who it is, exactly...

Wait.

As the dance turns the couple, their facial features come in view. It's himself - Card as he looks now - and Darsy, but dressed up like one would dress when going to a ball. Also, like the other couple, the eyes are closed - sewn shut, actually - and necks are slack like they're asleep. Necklaces on them, too - something so pink and girly that I'm sure neither Card nor Darsy would be caught dead wearing it.

I don't know how often one looks at a copy of oneself, but wearing different clothing, but I imagine it's a tad on the eerie side.


Darsy, Flipped Hallway

The library is interesting, but there is no sign of life in it. There's probably all sorts of valuable books in it.

The Master Bedroom is much darker than it was when Card went in it. There are still broken mirror pieces across the floor, and the room is semi-ruined. There's a lockbox (the exact same one that Card opened) still locked and containing jewelry.

In the shadows, there appears to be movement. But there's nothing there; just shadows that shy away from the light in Darsy's hands.

Also, there's a strange body-shaped lump on the broken queen-sized bed. The bedcovers cover the shape, but there's something unsettling about it. Something slightly...off.

[ThePhantom]

Mirror, mirror -ballroom

Okay, this falls under plan h: Find the others, check that they won't take the curse with them, leave the place, and burn it to the ground.

Okay, first thing, check if that's really Darsy. Hmm, too high to jump, and jumping from pillars was never a strong point of his. Well, maybe that will work. Card goes over to a pillar and tries to use it to help himself climb the wall so he can get to the ceiling. From there, he hopes to get to the balcony.

[Shadowcaller]

[Pyramid of Painful Demise]

"I don't think there's much in terms of cover here," Wenomir say. "Let's get this party started."

[Pyramid of Painful Demise]

"Whenever you're ready sir, click the button." And Morty probably don't need to post for Wenomir just clicking the button so Earl can assume it's activated after this post.

[5a Violista]

[Mirror, Mirror]
Ballroom

And so, Card - with difficulty - successfully climbs the pillar and then the wall. He should be glad that he didn't touch the mirrors on the wall. No reason specifically, just that the mirrors around here have been pretty spooky.

Clothing aside, the Darsy-with-the-eyes-sewn-shut looks just like Darsy would to anyone else who doesn't know her well. The same thing is true with the Card-with-eyes-sewn-shut. However, with all the time they spent on the train, it's possible he got to know her well enough to tell the subtle differences. Then again, maybe not. In my experience, only a handful of people on trains like getting to know others on the train. It should be much easier for Card to spot the differences between himself and this strange clone of him. There's several; for example, the clone doesn't even know that it's a full-blooded dragon. Actually, the Card-a-like has more in common with one of the reflections of the mirrors that were back in the hallway than with Card himself. This Darsy, up close, can be seen to have these same features that a few of the reflections had.

They continue dancing as if Card wasn't even there looking at them dance. They'll continue to dance unless Card happens to get in the way of their dancing and bumps into them.

However, there is something odd that Card will probably notice. When he left off the east hallway, Darsy was back sticking her head through the tile floor and trying to find a way to go down through the tile that Harley vanished through, as well. If that really happened, how did both Darsy and a copy of Card get here, when there was obviously nobody following Card through the hallway? If Darsy and Harley Ms. Martinez both went in the same place, why isn't Ms. Martinez anywhere around here?

[KerfuffleMach2]

Mirror, Mirror

Darsy finds the sight of moving shadows a bit odd. However, given that they are moving away from her light, she decides to not worry about them too much for now.

Instead, Darsy will focus her attention on the bed, and the large lump occupying it. Her hands still lit up, Darsy will slowly approach the bed and poke the thing there. If that provides no response, she'll go to pull back the covers.

[ThirdEmperor]

((Sorry for the delay. Kept trying to write this, and it kept refusing to be written.))

[The Court of the Vegetables]

There's several hours before the pumpkin carriage comes to a halt, traveling beyond Inside and past Riverside and out, farther than the ACROs often look, into the badlands and the weirdlands where reality is stretched out thin, and things slip in or out of reality depending on how you look at them. The sudden stop makes the carriage lurch, and the door swings open again of it's own accord.
The Court of the Vegetables is a garden, of course, but what a garden. The flowers grow in stately rows, as tall as trees, and winding stone paths wander between them, the canopy of petals overhead as bright as fireworks. The rich, loamy smell of the earth is everywhere, and the sweet scent of the flowers, the garden alive with the hum of a thousand bees marching like soldiers through the air. To the west of them, fields of towering flowers give way to rolling, verdant hills, and vast fields of grapes. To the east, an orchard of gold, the bark and the leaves and the fruits of the swaying branches all the same shining color.

Men in green robes come down the path towards the open pavilion where the carriage stands, their heads bent, walk slow and shuffling. They have the sound of the bees about them, a low busy hum coming from beneath their clothes. Some carry censors that waft fragrant green smoke, and all seems greener, brighter once they pass, as if they paint the garden's wondrous colors in by their presence. The leader alone wears his hood down, a bald man with a beatifically happy smile. "Welcome! Welcome to the Far Gardens, the most beautiful place in the Nexus. Please, enjoy the fruits of the soil."


[Mirror, Mirror]

Suthy stumbles and gives a gasp as the pool suddenly stops, feeling very glad indeed it's air rushing into his lungs instead of an ugly, watery demise. He pokes at the standing wall of water, curious, but there's a lot of other things to draw his curiosity down here. Those footsteps, for instance. He walks cautiously, trying not to make too much sound as he heads down the pale hall for the source of the noise.

[ThePhantom]

Mirror, mirror -ballroom

Well, that's good, it seems that these are imperfect copies, at least based on his copy. After all, there should have been screams if someone sown Darsy's eyes shut. Well, this is one of the strange creepy things of this mansion. Card looks at the balcony, trying to see if there's an exit to the balcony, that way he can make his way to get the rest of the people who came in here, while still staying on the wall.

After all, its not likely not a good idea to touch those things. That usually results in trouble.

[5a Violista]

[Mirror, Mirror]
Card, Ballroom

Yes, there is a doorway on the balcony-level that leads back to the hallway. Obviously, it's not the exact same hallway, but a similar hallway on the second floor, with the same gentle curve to it.

There are suits of armor and mirrors on this floor. I'm sure that if he looks through enough doorways, he'll find the stairs back to the first floor.


Darsy, Flipped Master Bedroom

As Darsy nears the bed, gravity flips to downwards, so she's finally on the ground instead of the ceiling. This is mostly because I kept on losing track of it, but one of the others here in the mansion did do something that merited Darsy's flipped world correcting itself so she's on the ground rather than the ceiling.

Immediately upon prodding the shape on the bed...nothing happens. It feels soft and fleshy.

However, drawing back the covers reveals something possible frightening: It's Ms. Martinez. It also becomes extremely clear what exactly was off with the shape of the body: the body is decapitated, with no head lying on the pillow. There's a silvery metallic blood, much like mercury, coming out of the neck, but no injuries anywhere else.

Unfortunately, Darsy doesn't have any time to contemplate this. The shadows darting around seemed to have gathered their courage together. They all mashed together to form a single human-shaped figure. In spite of the light on Darsy's hands, the Shadowman silently creeps up behind her. The light dims as he approaches, and a chilling feeling is spread. The shadowman swings an icy punch at Darsy's back. If it hits, it'll feel colder than ice - cold like the warmth has been drained out of her.


Suthy, Dungeon

As Suthy reaches the stone spiral staircase, the only sounds he can hear are the footsteps and the dripping water. The only light here is that strange teal fire bouncing off the walls. But that's not what he was looking after; he was trying to approach the source of the footsteps.

When he gets there, he'll see four people, one holding a torch. Two men, two women. The same four people who went into the mansion. None of them see him yet. Their mouths move as if they're talking, but no sound comes out. It looks like they're arguing, actually. A heated debate between Darsy and Harley, while Xanthos and Card stand by watching.

There's something else interesting that might catch Suthy's eye: every single one of them is missing pupils or irises. In fact, their entire eyes are the color of polished silver.

The Card-alike notices Suthy first, and looks like a cross between confused and surprised.

What will Suthy do?

[KerfuffleMach2]

Mirror, Mirror

Darsy takes the switch of gravity well enough, landing easily on the floor.

When she finds the body, Darsy draws in a sharp breath. What the crap!?

Now, Darsy has been trained in martial arts for many years. Her instincts have been tuned very well. So, while her thoughts start focusing on the silvery blood, her instincts tell her that something is flying towards her back.

She's learned to go ahead and listen to those instincts.

Darsy twists herself to the side. The punch still connects, but because of her movement, it just clips her shoulder.

She continues her spin so she can face her opponent, her fists quickly brought up in front of her. She quickly takes in details. The dimness of her lights. The coldness of the punch. And the fact that her opponent is a blob of shadows.

Well, aren't you an odd one, huh?

She smirks as the light on her fists changes. Now her fists are on fire. The flames don't seem to bother her at all.

Darsy strikes fast, aiming one fist at his face, and the other at his stomach.

[ThePhantom]

Mirror, mirror -ballroom

Well, that's better. Card therefore goes to jump onto the balcony, and carefully goes around the dancers as he heads for that hallway out of here. The sooner he gets out of here, the better. Besides, he knows a trick or two on how to handle suits of armor in case they get aggressive.

[Earl of Purple]

Pyramid of Painful Demise

The harpies go boom! The secret door fades from existence, revealing a short corridor leading to a door made of thick iron bars. The lever remains unpulled, and there's still a ring in the secret compartment.

The rubble is made of pebble-sized chunks of broken rock.

[Morty]

[Pyramid of Painful Demise]

"Now we're getting somewhere. Let's take a look at that ring and lever down there and then move on," Wenomir says.

[Shadowcaller]

[Pyramid of Painful Demise]

"Violet has some curse and magic detection gear to tell us what it is." It was rather important in adventuring after all and since Dena lacked magical detection herself Violet were her magical eyes here. And so the drone will move forward and give the ring and level a close scan to determine it's purpose and if it's cursed or not.

[Deathkeeper]

The Court of Vegetables

Spako hops out of the carriage and looks about in amazement. He hasn't seen anything like this before. He's quick to greet the fellow playing host for him, approaching him with his barefoot stride and a small bow.
"Hiya, sir. Were you the one who called us? And what are these things anyway?" he asks, as he only recognizes the grapes mostly.

[Earl of Purple]

Pyramid of Painful Demise

The lever doesn't do anything. Well, it doesn't do anything any more; the statues it animated have been destroyed. The ring offers a mild regeneration factor, though it does nothing about the pain of any injuries inflicted will heal faster; mild ones in a matter of minutes, a lost finger in days, a more severe amputation in weeks, and a decapitation kills too fast for the healing to help.

[OrchestraHc]

((Sorry for the delay. Kept trying to write this, and it kept refusing to be written.))

[The Court of the Vegetables]

There's several hours before the pumpkin carriage comes to a halt, traveling beyond Inside and past Riverside and out, farther than the ACROs often look, into the badlands and the weirdlands where reality is stretched out thin, and things slip in or out of reality depending on how you look at them. The sudden stop makes the carriage lurch, and the door swings open again of it's own accord.
The Court of the Vegetables is a garden, of course, but what a garden. The flowers grow in stately rows, as tall as trees, and winding stone paths wander between them, the canopy of petals overhead as bright as fireworks. The rich, loamy smell of the earth is everywhere, and the sweet scent of the flowers, the garden alive with the hum of a thousand bees marching like soldiers through the air. To the west of them, fields of towering flowers give way to rolling, verdant hills, and vast fields of grapes. To the east, an orchard of gold, the bark and the leaves and the fruits of the swaying branches all the same shining color.

Men in green robes come down the path towards the open pavilion where the carriage stands, their heads bent, walk slow and shuffling. They have the sound of the bees about them, a low busy hum coming from beneath their clothes. Some carry censors that waft fragrant green smoke, and all seems greener, brighter once they pass, as if they paint the garden's wondrous colors in by their presence. The leader alone wears his hood down, a bald man with a beatifically happy smile. "Welcome! Welcome to the Far Gardens, the most beautiful place in the Nexus. Please, enjoy the fruits of the soil."

The Court of Vegetables

Spako hops out of the carriage and looks about in amazement. He hasn't seen anything like this before. He's quick to greet the fellow playing host for him, approaching him with his barefoot stride and a small bow.
"Hiya, sir. Were you the one who called us? And what are these things anyway?" he asks, as he only recognizes the grapes mostly.

The Court of Vegetables:

The knight exits the gourd, re-equipping his sword belt. "The Unicorn knight thanketh thee for thy offer, but he doth respectfully decline. He doth not require sustenance for the time being. Best we solve thy problems with haste." He looks around at the Gardens. "Thou art under the affect of a drought, art thou not? Thy garden still possesseth much beauty."

[5a Violista]

[Mirror, Mirror]
Darsy, Mirrored Master Bedroom

Where Darsy's flaming fists connect, the shadow melts away and disappears into the air. The shadowman, however, doesn't react with pain - it seems the shadows don't feel pain. Makes sense, I suppose. Shadow isn't flesh.

In reaction to her punches, the shadowman reaches out with both hands, trying to grab one of her forearms.

Then, a tendril of shadow shoots out of its waist. The tendril swings at Darsy with the same raw, cold power.


Card, 2nd Floor East Hallway

In general, each suit of armor is in front of a large mirror. There are probably twenty suits of armor lining this section of the hallway, and a nearly uninterrupted series of large mirrors.

As Card walks down the hallway, the suits of armor do NOT move.

However, their reflections do. The reflections start moving towards Card's own reflection with their arms outstretched, trying to grab him.

If they do grab his reflection, it will feel to Card exactly as if an armored man grabbed him and not just his reflection.

[Hattish Thing]

In Search of Broken Things

Krystal will follow Tinker, starting to worry about what he was making.

Um, Tinker...it sounds pretty cool. What you're making. Something that can do that is definitely unique. But, uh, are you certain it won't get out of control? I mean, if something that can do that did get out of hand, it could do a lot of harm to people.

Tinker's smile remains steady, and doesn't appear to waver. In fact, he's quite proud of his work, and quite eager to show his new friend. He enjoyed showing off sometimes. He'll come to a large door after navigating through the sewer system. It's close to the workshop, but still far enough away to be a bit of a walk. On the way, he'll speak. Harm... people? That... does not matter, woman-thing. Besides, what I make is for a greater cause. A good thing. Trust, yes? He nods for her and moves forward to the door. He'll enter a twelve digit passcode from memory before the door swings open. Leech walks into the darkness of the room, and as soon as Krystal enters, he'll close it behind her, sealing them both in the dark. There's no sound but Leech's heavy breathing and the scuttle of his metallic... something's under those robes scraping against the stone floor.

It'll be tense for her, no doubt, for a good few seconds. Alone, in a dark room deep underground, with a creature like this?

A light penetrates the darkness. It's the red glow of his mechanical eye. The eye turns to Krystal first, and he speaks. It is dark, and Tinker is forgetful... You are not like me! You cannot see dark. You see only light. You are... in need of evolve. You must evolve. Be like me! Then you can see in the dark. But enough of that. He moves away from her, and to the wall. He plays a lever, and bright lights on the ceiling activate, revealing this final chamber in all it's glory.

A fair amount of the wall has been broken away, revealing pipes. The place seems to be at a slight angle, and a fair amount of water puddles in the lower corners of the room. The walls are covered in what seems to be a light green tinged goo. It doesn't seem to bother Leech, but it does smell in here. Like gasoline, and rust, and sewage. However, her mind will most likely be pulled to the four large robots in the middle of the room, three completed, with one obviously still being worked upon. The things are large, about 25 feet tall, and scaled. Wait, scaled? Yes, the things appear to be covered in small metal chips forming a scale like hide upon the monsters. They don't appear to have heads, but cameras jut out of where it's neck would be, looking upon the world unblinkingly. It's limbs are incredibly thin, and the machines look as if even a simple punch from a thicker and larger opponent would crush them. However, despite their odd body proportions, they still look quite intimidating. Leech walks over to one of them and speaks. Do you see them, woman-thing? My creations... My new life beings...

[Morty]

[Pyramid of Painful Demise]

"Quite useful," Wenomir says. "Mind if I hold onto it for now? We'll split the loot properly once we're we out of here."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Mirror, Mirror

Darsy has a moment to register the fact that part of the shadow simply melted away at her attack. Which was odd.

Then comes its counter attack.

Darsy lets it grab her forearm, giving her a free hand to try to block its attack with.

If that works, Darsy will try something a bit different. Her head suddenly lights up with the same fire on her hands. She then goes to headbutt the shadow where its face should be.

In Search of Broken Things

Krystal stares wide-eyed at the machines before her. He must have been down here a while to get these built.

Okay. Again, these are pretty awesome.

But...it does matter if you hurt people. You can't let these run wild and cause harm. That's just wrong.

If you want to show them off, okay. I'm sure there's quite a few people up there that'd like to see these.

[Shadowcaller]

[Pyramid of Painful Demise]

"Sure, but only if you go first." Dena replies as she hands Wenomir the ring and gestures towards the newly opened door. "Don't worry, I'll be watching your back all the time." It was a rogues duty!

[Morty]

[Pyramid of Painful Demise]

Wenomir slips the ring on his finger as he goes to examine the iron bar door. No doubt it's locked by another clever contraption. But who knows.

[Earl of Purple]

The Pyramid of Painful Demise

The next door is made of heavy iron bars. Visible through it is another narrow corridor, lined by other doors of heavy iron bars. The corridor has eight such doors- four on each side. The end of that corridor terminates in a steel door that looks like a massive slab of metal that has been turned vertical and put on hinges.

The first door, into the next corridor, is locked, but not trapped.

[ThePhantom]

Mirror, mirror

Okay, let's not play this game. Hope this works. Card drops a smoke bomb, thinking that as this will block the light from the mirrors and thus ending the reflection might get rid of these mirror knights.

Regardless, Card continues forward down the hallway, planning or either the smoke working or just muscling through.