Riverside 17

[Morty]

[Museum Lot]

Just as Viima's jaws are about to close on Burglar's leg, she catches a whiff of his blood. And it smells wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. The wolf scampers back, whimpering and staying away from the man.

Dipsnig swears. What the hell did that guy to do his wolf? He picks up the pace, hovering towards the car, but as he relied on Viima capturing the Burglar, he can't do anything yet.

[Deathkeeper]

Museum Lot

Krayger tossed a sonic bomb down the tunnel, though he can only toss it down the mouth since there's a van on top of it. If he's lucky it'll slow them down. Oh, well.

[Murkus]

[The Toy Tinker]

"A more involved process, and also a less timely one," Sticks replies, frowning at no one in particular. The tall man spins and clicks his fingers along the shelves that back his counter, searching for something. A map. Ah. Sticks slips a map of Riverside from one of his cubby-holes, a relic that - to the trained eye - would appear fabulously old. Older perhaps than Riverside is altogether. As he rolls the thing out for the ladies to look at, however, it's age shows only superficial. All the buildings are in place. Even the newest of structures have a depiction.

"The haste with which we attack the entity must be directly relative to the threat it poses," Sticks begins, flattening the corners of his old map meticulously. "Are we aware of the outsider's powers? What physical or psychic harm is it capable of?" Sticks can only guess, and the ladies are supposed to have more information than he.

[Power Plant - Roof]

Caesa reels slightly, face flushing with the expenditure of power. She is tensing to move as the commando rematerializes, utilizing some sorcery beyond the witch's reckoning. Then... he is gone. In a flash of violent motion and flailing limbs. Swift enough to dodge an arrow, but not an attack he couldn't sense. Interesting. Notable.

"I think," Caesa begins to advise, as dangerous red lights begin to fly in the night around them, "We ought to escape this rooftop." Listen to her. The Scae of the Sky wants to leave the rooftop. What a silly thing to say. "If whatever took that human means to be a friend, it will follow us down."

And if there are no objections, Caesa will move into the darkness of the stairwell, her staff Splinter leading the way.

[WarKitty]

[Club Pulse]

Mark heard about stuff like this. Goons or middlemen tend to be trained to not trust easy and act pretty confrontational to drive out the narc's. Fortunately he also knew that those types of people tend to be underpayed.

"I'm not important. My boss's even less important. What does matter is I'm looking for business with coin to back it up. Doesn't do me much good without connections though." The Wizard says. "And if I were able to somehow find someone who had connections, I might owe them a certain weighty percentage of the purchase. Like a finder's fee, make sense? Now you wouldn't hapen'ta know anything about what I'm lookin' for, would you?"

It's around this point Marcus locks his stare with the other man's. Not challenging, rather than tempting.

The man snorts. Lots of people have coin. You're going to have to do better than that, mr. mysterious. He seems indignant that someone would take him for needing money.

[Shadowcaller]

[The Toy Tinker]

Zhareen studies the map Stick reveals curiously, reaching out the touch the part of it which marks the old eastside hospital. "We aren't aware of all of it's capabilities yet but it have proven itself capable of reshaping buildings, creating matter out of nothing, enslaving souls, controlling minds, conjuring illusions, telekinesis, mind reading... anything related to evoking fear." She lists. "Since that's what we have classified it as, a demon of fear." The merwoman pauses, suddenly exchanging glances with her wife. She appears unsure of something.

[The Third Circle]

Early in the morning, just minutes after the store opened the door to the third circle opens and a woman wearing a particular armor (minus the helmet) enters. She let's her gaze wander around the shop for a moment, her grey eyes fixating on anything spirit-related as she looks around.

But finally she will be drawn to whoever is sitting behind the counter. "Hello, I am told this is the place to go to if you want to find particular books?"

[Deathkeeper]

The Third Circle

The books are normal books. The shelves and paint and walls are just shelves and paint and walls. There should be little for Ambrosia to detect.
Oh, except that this is a chosen pocket of a demon lord's domain, and despite having a door for an entrance instead of a planar portal, it is still such.

At the counter on a tiny seat is a little goat-like imp, with horns and hooves but with bat wings and a canine tail and fur.
"We have a very broad selection here, Miss. What are you looking for?" Says the imp with a friendly expression.

[Ashen Lilies]

[Westside]

"We were ordered to make a deal with some fiends to get access to their realm for a few moments. The idea was to transport the entire city there if the power plant goes kaboom-y. In exchange they would get to take some material goods from the city. We hadn't gotten to the details before you came and killed us all." The imp explains.

[Westside]

"The power plant... That would explain some things. And no Vigil response? No, of course not. I remember now." Says the demon, seemingly more talking to itself than the imp. "What is your name, imp?" Asks the demon sharply.

[Shadowcaller]

[Westside]

The imp makes a rather sad sigh and slumps down on the floor. "I'm supposed to be assigned a new name eventually but my name... my human name is Grace." She admits. "No idea what my demon name will be yet. Probably some stupid tongue-numbing name that no one will remember." The imp stares back at the demon. "Is that what you wanted?"

The Third Circle

The books are normal books. The shelves and paint and walls are just shelves and paint and walls. There should be little for Ambrosia to detect.
Oh, except that this is a chosen pocket of a demon lord's domain, and despite having a door for an entrance instead of a planar portal, it is still such.

At the counter on a tiny seat is a little goat-like imp, with horns and hooves but with bat wings and a canine tail and fur.
"We have a very broad selection here, Miss. What are you looking for?" Says the imp with a friendly expression.

The Third Circle

"A book about dragons, how many of those do you have? I need a specific species of dragon." The woman replies as she leans her arms on the counter.

[Deathkeeper]

The Third Circle

Exar bobs his head. "Excluding fiction, we have eleven on dragons, Miss. Magic section in the back, left side is bestiaries and biologies." the imp indicates with a finger.

[Shadowcaller]

The Third Circle

Ambrosia nods and takes a step back from the counter. "Thank you. I shall give it a look myself then." She then makes her way to the magic section to look for the book. Hopefully the genie hadn't twisted the wish more than he had told her.

[Deathkeeper]

The Third Circle

Sadly Ambrosia won't find her book there. It is far too valuable to put out in the shop where some vandal could damage it before Exar could stop them. Tep cares about his imps but the only one good in a fight is not very good at minimizing collateral damage.

[Shadowcaller]

The Third Circle

After looking around while Ambrosia returns to the counter. "I'm unable to find it the book I'm looking for and I've searched the entire section." She pauses, letting out a small sigh. "I was told it was supposed to be here, in this library." She looks at the imp. "Could it be anywhere else? It could be spirit related?"

[Deathkeeper]

The Third Circle

"With a name we might be able to narrow it down. I don't know of any dragons that are also spirits. Are you sure you got the right directions? As you can see, this is a book store, not a library." The imp says impassively. They could never give the Master's books away for free!

[Shadowcaller]

The Third Circle

"I don't know the name." Ambrosia admits, cursing herself for not asking for it. "But I'm certain this is the place, my information told me that this was a library however." She turns to look at the books for a moment.

She didn't really understood why anyone would trade mere currency for books instead of simply letting it be free. But apparently a lot of people put a strange value to knowledge.

[Deathkeeper]

The Third Circle

Exar responds very slowly.
"Did your informant specify the store in Riverside or did it specify the owner of the book you seek?" He asks her.

[Shadowcaller]

The Third Circle

"The curator was to be someone called Tep, the owner of this... store." Who now had a book of her species. Hmph.

[Deathkeeper]

The Third Circle

There is a displacement of air and the store's owner appears. He is as he is always described.
"I have no idea how people keep getting me by my nickname. It's not like I advertise it. Anyway, I don't suppose you would be after a certain extremely magical tome that showed up mysteriously in my private collection last week, would you?" asks the demon lord pleasantly in that odd voice of his.

[Shadowcaller]

The Third Circle

Last week? It couldn't have been more than a day ago... Yet she nods in agreement at the newcomer. The owner of this shop in all likelihood and yet another greater spirit. This plane had a lot of them. "It might be, I know it was transported here by supernatural means by a trickster spirit. I'm the owner though." Ambrosia claims., trying to keep a calm demeanor despite his sudden appearance. It was perfectly true the way she saw it.

[Deathkeeper]

The Third Circle

Yeah well. It's Sunday so yesterday was last week. Clearly.
"Are you now? Do you have any proof of this? I'm sure you must understand, the book is quite valuable. I can't simply hand it to anyone claiming to be its owner. Especially after it was given to me with all the necessary paperwork to properly donate it to the Third Circle library." he says, with some sympathy.

[Shadowcaller]

The Third Circle

"I'm the only one besides this tricksters that know about this book and the fact it appeared here." She replies. "I don't know how I could prove it to you but I need that book. It's a family heirloom."

[Deathkeeper]

The Third Circle

Tep scratches his chin, not sure how to respond. He does sniff the air with his canine nose.
"Right. It's a family heirloom, but you don't seem to be of the species it records, and you don't know the name of it, and you can't prove it. Miss, I hope you understand why I can't simply hand it to you under these circumstances. Any vagabond could say the same with a straight face. Let me give you an offer. Entice me with something. I try to avoid trading souls as per the stereotype since mortals understandably don't like trading them. Do you have any other rare books I might want? Then I can give you access to my library." he says politely.

[Shadowcaller]

The Third Circle

As she suspected, this was going to be one of those 'deals' spirits often enticed mortals with. She might as well attempt to deal with her father, it would be just as painful. Ambrosia closes her eyes for a moment and takes a deep breath. "Let me put it in clearer terms then, I am Ambrosia Ithil the last dragon of my world and that book is the only thing that connects me to the rest of my kin." As she talks Ambrosia let's out her draconic presence, her aspect making her skin darker and scalier and eyes changing more cat-like and green. Tep might also have a greater understanding of what's happening considering he most likely can see what the human eyes cannot.

Around Ambrosia a great black serpent-like body curls around, barely contained within the relatively tiny human body it has been stuffed inside. "I simply want the last remnant of my species knowledge mister 'Tep'. Please." The dragon nods respectfully towards him with her hands brought together as if in prayer.

[Deathkeeper]

The Third Circle

Tep shakes his head. "Oh, I had heard of how melodramatic dragons can be. Very well, Miss Ithil, don't break that lovely little disguise you've made for yourself on my behalf. You'll get your book. I would very much like to take another hour to finish it, but if you must have it now I suppose it was not mine to read in the first place. But I will ask a condition of you:
Come back some time and actually buy something. I get so little business besides students looking for text books, and I've already had issues with those." says the demon with a shake of his head. A thick tome appears in his hand after setting down his own one he always carries.
"I hope you don't think ill of me for being reluctant to let it go. You of all should know its value. But one more thing:
If you have deceived me, I will find out." he adds gravely, tail lashing.

[Artemis97]

[Power Plant - Rooftop]

Sszinyon silently agrees with Caesa, turning to follow her only after a moment's hesitation. The drow was disturbed, having been unable to sense the soldier that attacked them, and the speed with which their ally? had savaged him was impressive even to the vampire. He hoped the rest of this mission would go a little more routinely. Sszinyon did not like being outclassed.

[Shadowcaller]

The Third Circle

Tep shakes his head. "Oh, I had heard of how melodramatic dragons can be. Very well, Miss Ithil, don't break that lovely little disguise you've made for yourself on my behalf. You'll get your book. I would very much like to take another hour to finish it, but if you must have it now I suppose it was not mine to read in the first place. But I will ask a condition of you:
Come back some time and actually buy something. I get so little business besides students looking for text books, and I've already had issues with those." says the demon with a shake of his head. A thick tome appears in his hand after setting down his own one he always carries.
"I hope you don't think ill of me for being reluctant to let it go. You of all should know its value. But one more thing:
If you have deceived me, I will find out." he adds gravely, tail lashing.

The Third Circle

Ambrosia shoots a glare at Tep for that first comment but then reins her aspect back in, returning to her fully human form. "Have I have no intentions to deceive you after showing me such kindness Tep. In fact I have a better idea if you like something in return. Let me work for you, I have need for money you see and there aren't many reliable sources of currency around here that are suited for my talents. It's said that you pay rather well." She glances at Exar for a moment before her gaze meets Tep's once again.

[Deathkeeper]

The Third Circle

The demon raised an eyebrow.
"Uh, I suppose that depends on what you refer to. I am the highest paying demon in the history of my world, since my imps are paid at all. I do pay people to hunt down books for me on a regular basis, and there are free bounties on items I have located on the bulletin board. What did you have in mind?" he asks her, curious at her intent.

[OrchestraHc]

The Third Circle:

A golden eagle flies in and flutters to a landing in front of the Third Circle bookstore. Peculiarly, begins to use it's wings to dust itself off. It slowly begins rising in size, shifting to the shape of a human.

In place of the eagle stands a long haired human male in a blue tunic, wizard hat, and cape. Pulling off the cape, he folds it over and over again until it's impossibly become the size of a napkin and he slips it neatly into a pocket.

Romeo Firé casually walks into the store.

[Deathkeeper]

The Third Circle- Romeo

"Welcome, sir." Says a little white imp at the counter. He sticks out from the soft browns and reds of the store. He looks like a rather nervous combination of a goat and a hound, sitting by the cash register.
"How can I-"
The imp is interrupted by a sharp displacement of air, and an immediately looming beside the boy, and clapping a large furry hand on his back.
"Romeo! How have you been, lad? Been learning more magic? How long has it been? Half a year?" says the demon lord.

Exar sighs. His master keeps interrupting him.

[ThirdEmperor]

[Museum Lot]

The Burglar is as glad as he's ever been to feel the earth close around him, and escape the evil little glint of the sonic grenade rolling towards him. Milo says something mumbly and indistinct, something along the vague lines of thanks, an arm wrapped securely around his rescuer.
There is heavy blinking and a few half-swears as they lurk underground, the thief sprawling out inside the little earthy hollow to rub his ears. There's blood dripping down, among other awful, terrible things that shouldn't be leaking out your earholes - and regeneration might seal the wounds up easily enough, but the headache and the awful sensitivity to the least noise remains.
"Okay, um.." He winces, and drops his voice lower. "Okay, uh, are they still up there? We should probably, y'know, tunnel into the museum, see if we can't just take the thing, erm, sneak out without any more of this.. Well, um, this getting kicked around."

[OrchestraHc]

Third Circle - Romeo:

"Lad is a new one," Romeo remarks, a big smile on his face. "I've been doing fine, and at this rate, I couldn't stop learning if I tried. It's great to see you again, Tep. And you own a book shop! That's not a thing you expect a Demon Lord to do, but it's very you."