Random Plots and Places 10: Results may not be between 1 and 10

[Fenric]

[Caravan Building]

Stephanie nods and tries to think of details

I can't remember the names... I know there was a bird person... the last one. He died when I was little. There were also...

She shakes her head in frustration

Oh! The funeral was from someone who had been frozen in their spaceship and revived when they were found after like five hundred years!

[Lost_Deep]

Caravan Building

"Any more info, anything more, even simple trivia, we're getting closer. Does this ring a bell?" At this point, Caravan will start reading notable names, of people, places, or events, to see if any would spark Stephanie's memory.

[Fenric]

[Caravan Building]

Stephanie yells out

STOP! William Anthony Rogers! That's the guy, the funeral. I was six! I joined the Defense Directorate because of him... I was...

her eyes go wide... then go really wide, Inari pats her shoulder

It's ok... really it is.

Stephanie looks down

I was killed in action... Caravan... do you have any positions open?

[Lost_Deep]

Caravan Building

"I do! And I would accept a resume, but I do believe I asked you to make a wish." Caravan smiles at Stephanie. "Do you know how much a little change can cause? Maybe a child is named differently, or she gets different genes from the roulette of the womb, things go a bit differently, and you never existed... until you arrive, with a history complete with references. If you really want to go home, well, you won't be able to go exactly home, but the margin of variance can be very, very small."

"On the other hand," Caravan says, still smiling, "If you don't want to mess with all that, I'll be quite glad to assign someone to help you re-build your resume, and I think you'd have fairly solid references." she gives Inari a meaningful look. "The question is, what do you want?"

[Fenric]

[Caravan Building]

Inari smiles

Malukhar refuses to divulge the algorithm that assigns souls to bodies, but I am counted among the people who accuse it of being anything but random.

Stephanie, for some reason, you were meant to take one of ... me. You are not the sort of person to take a blow and go hide in a corner. You can do anything you want - far more literally than most people ever get the opportunity to. But you must decide what it is you want to do.

Stephanie closes her eyes, then smiles and shakes her head

I already know too much. You took the memories, Inari: but not the knowledge. How can I go back to being a fighter pilot when I know ...

She looks back to Caravan

I want to help people, Caravan. I want to make a difference. I am ... ready.

I am Flight Sergeant Stephanie Carlton, Earth Defense Directorate: three times purple heart, once outstanding airman of the year, once air force cross. Killed in action defending the human colony at Aries 7. I studied logistics and strategy at the New Milwaukee Academy of Arts and Sciences, and graduated Salutatorian, with Air Force ROTC special commendation.

My sole reference at this time is Her August Holiness, Inari Omi-Kami, President and CEO of Oryza Biological Products... my godmother.

Inari nods

Let it be recorded as such, on the record.

[Lost_Deep]

Caravan Building

"Well, someone who can fly fighters and wants to help people? Hm, are you willing to relocate? I don't have much need for fighters or shuttles in the nexus yet, but... well, I'm afraid that ironing out the details there might be a bit much for this moment, as I am doing a tour. Take some time, ponder what you want to do, do you want to fly a fighter more, or perhaps something more directly helpful? Think of your dream job. I can't guarantee that the job will be open, but it would make a fine starting point." Caravan places her computer back into her mane. "I'll still need to set you up for an interview, this must be done properly, but I'll put it on the top of my list."

"Anything more at the moment, from either of you?" Caravan looks between Inari and Stephanie. "Anything more to say before we move on? This is the time to say it. I'm willing to wipe the cameras, if you care about that."

[Hattish Thing]

[Breakview Hospital]

"Understood. Proceeding to analyze blood." Psi starts to look at the blood closely, bending down. She touches it with her fingers.

"Analysis suggests blood is fresh, left here less than 24 hours ago. By the patterns left on the floor, something was dragged over the floor and thrown over the railing. Whatever it was was not struggling. Likely unconscious or dead. Blood is red and of mortal, natural origins, but without equipment it would be difficult to tell if it is human or animal.

"All data successfully logged."

With a clank, something in the walls sputters about, like an engine exhaust somewhere down the stairs. I'm assuming the pair will move forward, down the stairway. There's nothing to stop them there, though there's a whole lot of insect-life down here that may be a little bit more bothersome to those of the fleshy mortal variety. Cockroaches scuttle across the ground, spiders lurk on the ceiling, and the terrible smell of flesh, burning flesh, can be smelt. Along with that, a very low quality recording of "Another One Bites the Dust" can be heard, playing on a seemingly endless loop. However, as far as they can tell, there's no one in the room. Whoever lives here must like music.

As they reach the bottom of the stairs, they'll find they're in what was once a boiler room, the walls a grimy brown to match the floor. This place had never been pretty, even while the hospital was working, but now it looks absolutely terrible. The boiler has been removed, and instead, a poorly built looking furnace takes it's place, the fire crackling lightly. Several bags of what seems to be bodies are clumped against the side of the furnace, and a conjoined area composing of three tables pushed against eachother is covered in rags, knives, and blood. There's even a few nasty looking bits of flesh and bone scattered about. One can reason that bodies are chopped up to fit into the furnace, but whoever's been doing the chopping obviously has absolutely horrible hand-eye coordination.

It's horrifying, and with the music, downright comical.

[Fenric]

Caravan Building

"Well, someone who can fly fighters and wants to help people? Hm, are you willing to relocate? I don't have much need for fighters or shuttles in the nexus yet, but... well, I'm afraid that ironing out the details there might be a bit much for this moment, as I am doing a tour. Take some time, ponder what you want to do, do you want to fly a fighter more, or perhaps something more directly helpful? Think of your dream job. I can't guarantee that the job will be open, but it would make a fine starting point." Caravan places her computer back into her mane. "I'll still need to set you up for an interview, this must be done properly, but I'll put it on the top of my list."

"Anything more at the moment, from either of you?" Caravan looks between Inari and Stephanie. "Anything more to say before we move on? This is the time to say it. I'm willing to wipe the cameras, if you care about that."

Stephanie laughs lightly

Relocate? I don't have a home to start from outside of my room here! I'll go wherever there is an opportunity.

Then they both shake their heads and Inari smiles

There is no need, Caravan: the facts of this overall situation are already known, and perhaps some record that Stephanie no longer has the information that some people might seen is not such a bad thing. Let us continue.

[Haruki-kun]

[Breakview Hospital]

"Analyzing. Accessing data. Unit detects a sense of hostility in the environment and has reason to believe Unit and subject 'Det' may be in immediate danger. The current ambiance is deemed unsuitable for comfort. Data logged."

[Aric Kale]

Breakview Hospital

Yeah, that does it...

Det vomits.

****...he pants.
No...this is the best thing I've seen all week...

He staggers to a more upright position.

Le's get the hell outta here, mk?

[Hattish Thing]

Breakview Hospital:

The pair of urban explorer's will be able to leave the place should they wish, there doesn't appear to be anything stopping them. However, an individual good at spotting things may notice that the shovel appears to be missing, along with whatever would normally be used to put the parts in. There had to be a basket or something, no one would be able to put whatever's being stuffed into the furnace inside without a basket, after all.

They'll be able to return to the empty main sitting area with no problems. The place had always been a small hospital, but when so many of the wings are closed off with wooden planks, or destroyed from wear, there's not a whole lot of options. There's a single hall with six doors in it, then to the right of it are the large double doors leading to what's labelled as the Surgery Wing, where the loud music is coming from.

[Lost_Deep]

Caravan Building

Caravan nods, and gestures for Inari to follow.

"The rest of this area is a mix of a few things. Executive suites, for myself and some of my tops, some boardrooms, the board of directors room..." Caravan leads past a sizable room similar to a ballroom, the hall becoming the room's balcony. "A room for entertaining groups of guests at functions. General VIP stuff. Stuff that I have to see everyday, so of course I've taken steps to ensure it feels homey."

"My personal home is a pocket dimension that I currently have grafted into this building in a way similar to the other extraspacial spaces. If needed, or when desired, I can simply peel it off and move on. Would you mind if I show off some of my personal interests? I like to give people the chance to get to know me."

[Fenric]

[Caravan Building]

Inari looks around, taking in the sights and nodding at the descriptions

It is very nice.

And your own little dimension that you can move around - very pleasant. And yes, I would love to see what you do in your own time.

[Lost_Deep]

Caravan Building

Caravan leads toward another transporter, and this time Inari is led to what seems to be a room with different decor and a large amount of display cases. In each case (or in some cases lying on pillows) is an artifact, with the exception of a few that are holograms or replications. Inari may notice that the fakes are of dangerous objects.

She will also likely notice that not all of the items are magical. some are superscientific, some are just... inexplicably powerful.

"Viola! Yes, yes, the rich pony is a collector, how predictable, but nothing here is worth money. What you see are not just artifacts, they are aberrations."

[Fenric]

[Caravan Building]

Inari looks through the items, puzzling at some, smirking at others, frowning at yet others.

Do you have histories and information on them, or are they curiosities?

[Lost_Deep]

Caravan Building

"Most of them do have histories, but not all of them. The main thing that ties them together is that each one breaks the rules in which it was made, each one is somehow an exception. This one here is a literal perpetual motion machine, that one gives the holder the ability to analyze and dispel enchantments, something that was not thought possible in that world. Of course, the hazardous ones I keep contained instead of letting them lie out like a fool, but all that you see here are in my collection in some way." She places her hoof on a large, bejeweled magnifying glass, which she identified as being able to analyze and dispel enchantments, and picks it up. "The ones on pillows are the ones that are quite useful and nonhazardous, so I actually use them sometimes."

[Haruki-kun]

[Breakview Hospital]

Psi seems unfazed by the vomit, but she observes Det carefully.

"Suggestion accepted. Unit is analyzing possible courses of action. Returning to the surgery wing is suggested."

[Gullara]

[Sticks' Other Study]

Zareen's voice is in fact very musical. She is a very good singer, naturally talented in fact.
The merwoman is shortly behind Vax, with the two guards taking the rear. She's using her initiate spirit sense to determine where the concentrations of spirits are and if any of them are nearby. All mermen were open to the spirit world as a curious side effect of being changed from humans many generations ago. The spirit parts that made up their being were more loose than other beings as they had to be "opened up" to be changed in the first place. This allowed them to tune into the other world, but also to be easy to possess or being changed further. "Anything specific we should watch out for?"

[Sticks' Other Study]

"Come along, Zareen. Don't fall behind. We don't want to linger long." Vax gives her a smile and slips out the door. She creeps down the hall, keeping an ear open for any suspicious sounds. One of the guards keeps pace with her while the other makes sure to stick by Zareen.

[Aric Kale]

Breakview

Det glowers. I figured you'd say that. Not that he wanted to see any more scenes like this one...
He's still visibly shaking from how badly he vomited.

Alright, lead the way, Psi.

Yeah, the robot can lead, mk? Det is gonna stay nice and safe behind her.

[Hattish Thing]

Breakview Hospital:

As the pair walk through the double doors, they'll be able to quietly skulk through a hallway, before it opens up into a clear area. The music is loud here, obviously a recording of, oh dear gods, The Safety Dance. However, it seems to be playing from five different radios, creating a cacophony of painfully bad and downright ridiculous music.

The room above absolutely reeks of ammonia and blood. The floor is the same cracked tile seen elsewhere in the hospital, but seems a bit more well-worn here, as if passage through the hallway leading into the room is often done. A voice can be heard, but not seen, somewhere above and around the corner. The voice of someone, crisp and occasionally wild can be heard of a man sounding about in his forties. It might remind one of those 50's era commercial actors. "NURSE, I NEED YOU TO UNDO THE TARP! LET US SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT TODAY?!" Another voice can be heard, sounding incredibly low and cracky for a female, almost as if it was the same voice as earlier, just slightly higher. Creepy. "Yes, Doctor! The patient requires a heart transplant, and I've strapped the extremities down in the operating table." A pause.

Then, there's a smash of what sounds like a blunt object smashing against bone or hard plastic, and the surprised chuckle of the male voice can be heard, before he speaks again, his voice incredibly loud. "AHAH, EXCELLENT. THE HAMMER HAS BEEN MOST EFFECTIVE AGAINST THAT THING THERE. GOOD GOLLY, THE RIBS LOOK THICK! I SEE SOOOOOOMEONE'S BEEN EATING HIS WHEATIES, EH?!" There's a loud and forced chuckle before something clatters to the ground. "WE SHALL REQUIRE THE BIGGER HAMMER, NURSE!" The other voice again. "Yes Doctor! I know we can do it, oh doctor, you're so handsome, and, and-"

There's a clattering thud, smashing, followed by a squelch, then the doctor begins yelling loudly at his apparent Nurse."YOU NINCOMPOOP, YOU DROPPED THE HAMMER INSIDE THE PATIENT?! BUT YES! I AM QUITE HANDSOME, I KNOW. THE THIRD HAMMER, PLEASE." There's a clang as metal grates on metal, before another smash like the one previously heard can be detected. "I BELIEVE WE HAVE UNDERESTIMATED THE STRENGTH OF THE RIBCAGE HERE, THERE MUST BE ANOTHER WAY, HE'S LOSING TOO MU-""Doctor, perhaps we ought to use the bonesaw instead of th-"

"SHUT UP NURSE."

I AM A TRAINED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL. I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING!" The voice pants loudly, before calming again and resuming his regular voice. "AHEM. PASS THE ROTARY SAW." There's a clank sound before the vibration and rhythm of the saw can be heard. There's a few seconds before there's a grating sound, bone chipping as the 'doctor' does his work. "EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT! OH THIS IS JUST GOING WONDERFULLY! OH MY, PATIENT, YOU ARE QUITE THE JUICY ONE, WHATEVER HAVE YOU BEEN EATING?!"

There's a final squelch and the saw goes off. "NURSE, REMOVE THE CHUNKS!" There's a clatter of bone on a metal tray. "AAAAAH, THERE'S THE STERNUM, AHAH! OH, WHAT'S THIS THING? IT BEATS! LOOK AT THE VALVES NURSE, OH IT'S JUST SPEWING EVERYWHERE!" The nurse voice howls widely and shrieks. "Oh, doctor, the patient is dying!"

"SHUT UP NURSE."

The voice quiets down, to a whisper. "It's fine... it's fine, patient is fine. It's quantity over quality, QUANTITY, NURSE." The surgeon seems to be upset here, and for a while there's only the sound of sickening squelches as he appears to just start hacking and slashing the body of whatever this poor patient was. There's a ripping sound, and a kidney goes flying across the room, landing right where the poor investigator can see it.

"MMMM, THAT BAD BOY WAS IN THERE!"

[Haruki-kun]

[Breakview Hospital]

Psi speaks in a much lower than usual voice, so that only Det can hear her. "Analyzing situation. Probability of current situation being dangerous for Unit: 68%. Probability of situation being dangerous for 'Det': 87%. Probability of survival for both, Unit and 'Det', unknown.

Finding a hiding spot is suggested."

She will start to look around the area for crates, barrels, or other hiding spots.

[Aric Kale]

Breakview

That. That is a kidney...yup...oh god...

Don't worry, he's not gonna vomit. Yet.

Forget hiding though, Det immediately begins looking for something that he can use as a weapon...or that he can light on fire and throw...

Damn, he needed to smoke.

[Fenric]

Caravan Building

"Most of them do have histories, but not all of them. The main thing that ties them together is that each one breaks the rules in which it was made, each one is somehow an exception. This one here is a literal perpetual motion machine, that one gives the holder the ability to analyze and dispel enchantments, something that was not thought possible in that world. Of course, the hazardous ones I keep contained instead of letting them lie out like a fool, but all that you see here are in my collection in some way." She places her hoof on a large, bejeweled magnifying glass, which she identified as being able to analyze and dispel enchantments, and picks it up. "The ones on pillows are the ones that are quite useful and nonhazardous, so I actually use them sometimes."

Inari nods: that explains why they did not seem so unusual. Here in the Nexus where everything is possible, they would not seem so strange.

Fascinating. A "Museum of the Impossible", as it were. Are any of them you are particularly fond of?

[Lost_Deep]

Caravan Building

"This glass is useful on occasion. Apart from that, the cape over there," She points at a cape in a glass case, "Is oddly fun to use. Not very useful, and it looks dumb, but it's fun to use." The cape is black and red, with a high collar... it's more or less a generic vampire cape. "Apart from that, a lot of them are very situational, or just not worth the hassle. That mask, for example," she points at an utterly blank mask, "Makes it so that the wearer is ignored when seen, even by proxy, like in surveillance footage or a photograph, but the effect stays after the mask is taken off. It can be dispelled, but it's hard enough that a casual practitioner likely wouldn't be able to do it."

[Hattish Thing]

Breakview Hospital:

There's nothing in this hallway to hide in, but there could be something in the room ahead. The doctor and his supposed 'nurse' don't seem to notice the strangers just yet. However, it's only a matter of time before something horrible happens, and knowing the situation, the doctor probably has the only key that opens the way out of the hospital. Should they turn to look over the corner, they'll notice the room and see a figure around a large operating table. There's a few machines hooked up to the body, but they don't seem to be turned on. The 'patient' is obviously dead, seeing as he's missing the upper half of his head, the brain long removed and put somewhere horrible, most likely. He's clad in a soiled medical coat over his scrubs, a face mask covering his mouth. Goggles are on his head, splattered in blood from incisions gone terrible wrong. However, the strangest thing would be his hands... The left is a claw, crude and thick, composing only of two sections which clack together. His right currently has a buzz saw attached.

There's a rack of sacks against the left wall, full of corpses hanging upside down, their blood dripping into what looks like a trough for farm animals. Who knows what he's collecting those for. A large refrigerator is pressed against a wall, probably full of bad things. The man's back is to the others, so they don't see his face. However, the startling thing is that there is no nurse, just the one man. "MMMM, WHAT WAS THAT SOUND?!?!" This might startle the investigators, before he continues and most likely brings them each a sigh of relief. "THAT RIPPING, GUSHING SOUND! IS THAT YOU, STOMACH? ARE YOU BECKONING FOR ME?" The nurse voice can be heard. "But Doctor, his lungs are far more important!" "AAAH, CORRECT! COME HERE THEN, YOU!"

"GGRRRRR, NURSE! GIVE ME A HAND WITH THIS, I CAN'T SEEM TO GET LEVERAGE. COME ON, COME ON... GET OUTTA THERE!" There's a squelching noise as something that shouldn't be tugged on is struggled with, before there's a sickening pop. The Doctor's voice calms a little bit, but he's still way too loud. Maybe he's a little deaf? He speaks to the patient, obviously days dead. "ALRIGHT! THANK YOU, SEE, PHIL, WHEN YOU COOPERATE WITH ME THIS SORT OF STUFF DOESN'T NEED TO HAPPEN. YOU KNOW, YOU COULD HAVE KEPT THIS, FOR DAAAAYS LONGER. SO, UH, YEAH. PUT THAT IN THE TRAY THERE. PUT IT IN THE TRAY!" A nurse reply. "Excellent work, Doctor! You're so talented! And handsome, and perfect!"

"SHUT UP NURSE."

"MMMM, NOW LET'S DIG UP THE OTHERS."

[Fenric]

Caravan Building

"This glass is useful on occasion. Apart from that, the cape over there," She points at a cape in a glass case, "Is oddly fun to use. Not very useful, and it looks dumb, but it's fun to use." The cape is black and red, with a high collar... it's more or less a generic vampire cape. "Apart from that, a lot of them are very situational, or just not worth the hassle. That mask, for example," she points at an utterly blank mask, "Makes it so that the wearer is ignored when seen, even by proxy, like in surveillance footage or a photograph, but the effect stays after the mask is taken off. It can be dispelled, but it's hard enough that a casual practitioner likely wouldn't be able to do it."

Inari listens to the descriptions and nods

I have always found the variety of side effects some of these items produce very nearly as fascinating if not more so than the item's originally intended purpose.

She smiles

Which is your favorite?

[Lost_Deep]

Caravan Building

Caravan puts the magic magnifying glass back down. "Probably the cape. Like I said, not super useful, but it's simply fun to use."

She goes over, takes the cape out of the case, and puts it on. Her eyes immediately turn red, small vampire fans appear, and the shadows around her seem to deepen. "The most obvious effects are an illusion, which can be repressed at will." Caravan goes back to normal. "I usually keep it off, it looks ridiculous. The wearer has increased strength, speed, durability, and endurance, but that's not the fun part." Caravan suddenly breaks apart into a swarm of batlike shadows, which flit around the room and then converge on the other side of Inari, re-forming into caravan. "That is. It's a unique feeling, and oddly easy to control. It can be used to fit through small spaces, and is feasible for crossing a city if not for longer distances. There's a few other uses, mainly involving conjuring those little shadows in combat."

[Haruki-kun]

[Breakview Hospital]

Psi looks at Det, then towards the area where the good Doctor is. "Analyzing. Possibility Medical Subject being mentally unstable: 82%. Possibility of hostility: 67%."

She says this in a voice barely more audible than a whisper. "Possible courses of action: Leaving. Hiding. Attacking and terminating target."

[Aric Kale]

Breakview

Det looks paler than normal. Still, a look of resolve settles across his face.

Terminate. He whispers coldly, reaching out to grab a severed limb or misplaced organ.

This would not be pleasant.

[Murkus]

[Sticks' Other Study]

Zareen's voice is in fact very musical. She is a very good singer, naturally talented in fact.
The merwoman is shortly behind Vax, with the two guards taking the rear. She's using her initiate spirit sense to determine where the concentrations of spirits are and if any of them are nearby. All mermen were open to the spirit world as a curious side effect of being changed from humans many generations ago. The spirit parts that made up their being were more loose than other beings as they had to be "opened up" to be changed in the first place. This allowed them to tune into the other world, but also to be easy to possess or being changed further. "Anything specific we should watch out for?"

[Sticks' Other Study]

"Come along, Zareen. Don't fall behind. We don't want to linger long." Vax gives her a smile and slips out the door. She creeps down the hall, keeping an ear open for any suspicious sounds. One of the guards keeps pace with her while the other makes sure to stick by Zareen.

Sticks doesn't bother reinforcing Vax's statement - it's obvious enough they musn't linger, and one reminder should be enough. The tall man does, however, answer Zareen's question. "Ahm... I quite honestly couldn't tell you, young lady. The undead are difficult to understand - I can say it wouldn't surprise me if the souls trapped there have evolved or devolved into as-yet-unseen varieties of spectre. Why I remember my brief trip to the plane of negative energy - just these... dead things, that'd been dead for a thousand thousand years. Exposed and wandering without nourishment, it was as though they'd become one with the Void. I would let each foot fall with great caution."

Empty halls await them. They move through what must have been dormitories for Palace staff, for they are neither lavish nor large. Most doors are locked and shut forever, but a few lie eerily open, permitting glimpses of Spartan quarters or dusty office settings. Curiously there are no signs of struggling - not even messes or ancient corpses in the halls. Everything lies eerily still, as if preparing for civilization to clock back in and march on again.

The architecture is simple, but fine to look upon - eggshell-white stone makes up it's base, hewn smooth first by the mason's hands then the feet of the Royal retinue. Ancient tapestries dangle from the walls, depicting scenes most strange - men cannibalizing themselves in a fashion indescribable, a huge, deeper darkness creeping across a clear night sky, cities collapsing into a boiling sea. Religious apocalypse, if the consistent theme can be identified.

The series of halls, if the women follow Sticks direction, gives way to a courtyard. A rectangle of grass and fruit-trees stretches for fifty feet ahead of them, and another hundred in either direction. The perimeter of the yard is lined by thin pillars reaching up from the stone, bearing the weight of a red slanted roof. It leaves the walkway at the yard's edge in shade, and the yard itself in the sun, plants growing lush beneath it's rich gaze. Beyond the edge of the yard, shadowed beneath the pillars, dark doorways prophesy the unknown. One torch-capped archway lies directly across from where the women stand, with another to either side, leading away into what must be a vast complex.

The courtyard is full of people. Large, brown creatures with thick red robes and humanoid posture speak to one another in cordial Common. Some eat delicate lunches beneath the shade of the fruit trees, some linger by the pillars and chat, others read scrolls together in great clumps beneath the shade of the walkway. Dozens of them.

No one seems to notice Vax and Zareen's party, nor do they make challenge. It's very peaceful. The jowl-mouthed, stocky citizens of Ssut give off a natural and pleasant warming aura.