Random Plots and Places 11: Still more random than you!

[Deathkeeper]

Dreaming Fox Inn

"Preposterous. Whyever would I grow horns too large for me to bear? And what would I be if I did?

Either way, here, let me call Archbald." he says, blowing a small horn set beside him.
"He should be here momentaril-"
there's the flutter of wings overhead and Lord-Knight Archibald hovers down to alight on a perch.
"I'm here, I'm here, what do you want, Lockhart? Oh, a guest! What is it you've come to us for, Miss?" he says, his tone about-facing as he notices Cleo.

[Recaiden]

[Dreaming Fox Inn]

"Why, you'd be different. And of course large enough to bear them by then."

Cleo looks up at the alighting owl and bows.
"That was commendably fast."
Perhaps he has little to occupy his time, and can obviate the travel. If that is adjacent Domains though, there really isn't any worry.

"I've come to ask about the giving of Gifts by your people, and point out a particular trio of mortals. The former family of the King's Prince."

[Deathkeeper]

Dreaming Fox Inn

"Oh? And why them? Do you think the Prince is getting lonely? Oh, you have their file already. Good. Lean in for me you oversized hat rack." Archibald flutters over and alights on the Duke's antlers, peering at the file.
"Is-""Already called them." "Blast! But I suppose that is your right. But the question stands: why do you think I should make an old bird of that old bird, Miss? What would you have us do with those folk? This is most unorthodox." says the Lord-Knight.

[Recaiden]

[Dreaming Fox Inn]

"And now," the cat says, self-satisfied, "-I know something of the orthodoxy."

"If you think them worth giving a gift to, that is what I'd have done. One can certainly see him getting lonely, when you watch him awake. I think she might be glad of it, and has a connection to your domain already. A thin one, surely, but more than many might have."

[Deathkeeper]

Dreaming Fox Inn

The Nobles are brothers. They might not trust each other completely and there is certainly competition. But they are brothers.
"So then you would have us give them a Gift each and then release them into the Prince's care?"
"Our nephew is a fine lad, but Gifts are no small trifle to give away. What would be our benefit to this? All trades must be fair, in some way or another." the pair say to Cleo.

[Zefir]

[The Henge of Tormented Souls]

The sparrow ponders for a moment, then hops innocuously over to where the cultist is, reading his book. The book which now, unless it is somehow protected from magic, should be starting to burst into flame. While the cultist is distracted with that, Jazirian shifts back into human form besides the cultist, attempting to sucker punch him just at the moment the cultist is fully occupied with his book being on fire.

Wow, rude.

The Henge of Tormented Souls

The book actively resists magical fire, though as soon as it starts to smoke and smoulder the cultist knows something's up and grabs his electric goad. Just in time to be punched in the jaw. The man flails wildly with his deliberately non-lethal weapon sparking as he falls over with a grunt.

The tent collapses upon its contents of beds and boxes of tools. The six cultists, having a break after successfully damaging the outermost stone circle, walk back to the tent to put it back up again. They don't realise it's been sabotaged, and discuss who made the mistake that lead to its loss of structural integrity. There's nobody inside the tent at the time. Five of the beds were occupied, and now two are flailing around trying to find a way out, one is struggling to find the zip that opens their sleeping bag, one is still asleep and hasn't noticed and the last is panicking because they're claustrophobic.

The Henge of Tormented Souls

Fade slides away as the tent seems to be filled with people. He slowly slides to the plane, waiting for any sign of his partner. Maybe he needs his help.

[Recaiden]

[Dreaming Fox Inn]

Cleo shakes her head.
"Of course not. I don't expect you to show him charity. At first, you have a servant, as normal. Later, if the Prince wants them released into his care, he would have to arrange that trade himself. Now, if the main reason you gave them a gift was to have something to trade in the future..."
The cat gets up and paces back and forth.

[Deathkeeper]

Dreaming Fox Inn

The Owl goes back to his perch not sitting on his brother. They exchange a look.
"Fair enough. Go on. If that, then...?" says the Duke, more than willing to hear Cleo out.

[Recaiden]

[Dreaming Fox Inn]

That's a shame. It was better to have the owl sitting on the antlers. The servants all carry things in their antlers, why not a whole owl?
"Then I would be rather interested in that coming to pass. What is traded among you nobles?"
"Eventually, yes, you will wish another mortal in your court, and go and gift them, yes? If these, now, are the ones, they will have another value besides."

[Deathkeeper]

Dreaming Fox Inn

"What do we trade? Servants who would do better in our brother's care, or tools one might want. For our nephew, we would likely ask that he carry our Aspects as he has honored you with."
"If you truly wish this, it is not too much to ask that we do this. But tell me, do you think yourself cruel? Would the Prince want this?" Cleo is asked.

[Recaiden]

[Dreaming Fox Inn]

"As he has honored me with? Whatever do you mean?"
The cat puts a paw to its chest, feigning confusion.

"I do, though I have had to turn it on narrower and narrower ways. I think he would. He wishes to see them again. He says that they would not like his world, but he does this, it seems, to distance himself from the pain of lacking them. He will be somewhat perturbed, surprised, but also glad."

[Deathkeeper]

Dreaming Fox Inn

"Do not play games, cat. He wears your symbol in two places, only one of your make. It is an honor; he can only hold a few foreign Aspects on his person. And so rarely are they not from family." says the Knight-Lord.

[Recaiden]

[Dreaming Fox Inn]

"Ah, the second, I see how it could be that way. Apologies, I did not know he was of a kind."

She shakes her head. "I expect to see that rarity vanishing. All the same, I ask that you do this."

[Deathkeeper]

Dreaming Fox Inn

"Very well, dear. It shall be done, against our better judgment.. Though if you wish to speak to us there are better routes to take than the Prince's dreams." says the bird with a chortle.

[Recaiden]

[Dreaming Fox Inn]

"My thanks, to you."
The cat looks away.
"What route would you suggest?"

[Deathkeeper]

Dreaming Fox Inn

"Find yourself a forest, Mark one of the trees with one of our symbols, and turn about three times. That should bring you to the respective domain." says the Duke. His banner still hangs behind him, and the Owl wears his symbol on his tabard. The Fox likely had his on his crown. Or maybe on the Dirk?

[Recaiden]

[Dreaming Fox Inn]

"Is there as simple a way back?"
Cleo hops to her feet and peers at the two displayed symbols.

Wonder if they get anything from the marked tree. It could be dangerous.

[Deathkeeper]

Dreaming Fox Inn

They again exchange glances.
"Well yes. You walk far enough, you will be out of our woods. That's it."
Sounds simple enough?

[Recaiden]

[Dreaming Fox Inn]

Cleo looks between the two of them.
"But whose woods will I be in? Not the woods I arrived from, are they?"

"Thank you for your hospitality and consideration, sirs."
And she starts walking anyway.

[Deathkeeper]

Dreaming Fox Inn

"You will be where appropriate." says the Duke, who lets her go. The Knight-Lord gives a loud hoot and flies away into the night.

Nothing should bother her exit, though the Duke's oblivious Heir wishes her safe travels as she passes.

Once she walks far enough, she should find herself back in the first level of the Inn's dreams, free to leave in the way she normally does.

[Recaiden]

[Dreaming Fox Inn]

The cat walks off without a look back. Just a "Thank you, sir." to the heir as she goes by.

That's incredibly convenient. And a little disappointing. She was expecting to end up in a mysterious foreign domain, totally lost and having to adventure her way back.

She hops back to her own dream, scarcely asleep, far from awake, and plays through ideas of how this might end up. Frederick shows up far too often in the dreams, for some reason.

[Cyber Punk]

Spoiler: Nalix Quote

Show

Gara looks out the window and sees someone stagger under the force of the hail. She grabs a folding chair and holds it over her for protection as she rushes out the door and makes of show of aiding the struggling youth, the girl looked about eleven though was already taller than Gara.

After dumping her on the sofa in the house she rushed out again. Nothing I haven't done a hundred times before. Save some folks, gain their trust. Ask them for little favors, wait for an even bigger threat to show up, find the natural leaders and heroes among them...

She rushed out again, following the screams and shouting, making a show of her quickly battered folding chair (that was somehow "miraculously" holding together) shielding her against the hail. One by one she helped people inside, saved a couple animals, and one child's toy. Trees were torn to shreds around them, vehicles were battered and windows shattered.

...give them my own desperate cause to excuse my behavior, no one trusts a saint, and then help them against the escalating threat, real or imagined. And from there it's all starfish, dice, and martyrs.

[Airstrip Town]

((Sorry, I've been super-busy the past few days, and I prefer to focus completely on this post when replying. Was gonna post yesterday after posting for outside, but I fell asleep. Also, I didn't want the post to be too short.
))

Agony is keeping an eye on her new friend, Discordia, along with the other inhabitants. The smell of blood increases in strength as the blood-soaked hail balls hit the ground and spread a little bloody horror around. At this point, the hail has become the size of softballs. The water supply of the town gets contaminated with blood.

What doesn't help matters is the ominous spiral-shaped cloud that is circling over the city. The people inside can't help but be frightened, praying futilely for the deities they've long abandoned to save them.

A man inside the house approaches Gara and thanks her profusely, praising her bravery and promising to aid her in any way she wanted.

[Shadowcaller]

3:10 to Nowhere

John takes a moment to try and brush off any of the stragglers and he gives a shiver at the sight. It's likely that he can't get them all, but he'll use his empty hand to continually brush at any he feels falling or crawling on him. "Right. Let's go." He says, trying to sound brave but looking more than a little apprehensive over this entire ordeal. Unless it is otherwise blocked he'll try to make his way to the next car, looking for any other survivors of the crash.

3:10 to Nowhere

Sutha attempts to swath away and brush away the motes of darkness swarming around them, grunting loudly as she does. Stupid things. She walks quickly after John, trying to walk besides him rather than after him. If there are any obstacles in their way the half-orc will attempt to simply force through them (within reason).

[Nalix]

[Airstrip Town]

((I'm kind of not sure what to do here either, we'll see where this goes))

"Does this place have a shield generator of some sort?" Gara asks the man she just saved. "We won't last much longer without one."

Gara looks for a shed or warehouse, or anything that looks like it may contain technology she needs. It's been centuries since I've made a shield generator without an AI assistant. Still, getting a simple one up shouldn't be too hard. And what are the odds of having another one pop up around here? Well, if the town gets leveled I'll still be fine and will have plenty of raw material to work with...

[Cyber Punk]

[Airstrip Town]

((Shall we get another player to play the inhabitants of the city, then? They'll control the NPCs, and we'll control our chars and the stuff that'd be inflicted on them... or, we speed things up a bit?))

The man nods hurriedly. "Is per-house, there is not one for the whole darn town!" He points at someone and barks some orders. The young man he's pointing at nods with wide eyes and rushes outside to a warehouse, with Gara presumably in tow.

The street are covered in a slimy blood-like substance at this point, though they somehow make way for Gara's steps, not that anyone would be looking at her feet.

There are reports of mismatched weather, some areas randomly having heavy rain. The wind is getting to the point of causing small lightweight things to fly everywhere....

[Nalix]

[Airstrip Town]

((Nah, I like where this is going for now.))

Perfect, a working generator. That should be much easier to modify. I've pulled off the master mechanic act before, and to a much tougher crowd. Upon entering the shed she sees a mixture of machines and scrap. More than enough for her long term plans, assuming they reached that stage. A few things that could be computers. She'd need to check later in order to set up a rudimentary AI incubator.

"This one should still work," shouts the young man, over the thunderous hail, which has already made cheese out of most of the warehouse roof.

"Bring me whatever scrap you can find, I need to work fast," shouted Gara. Now time to see what you're made of. ((What universe is the shield generator from? Don't feel like you have to limit yourself here.))

[Recaiden]

[Mysterious Meeting]

Arlem has led Ross and Shaneir out of the graveyard and right out of the city, to a big shady tree where once there was a lemonade stand, but now there's just tumbleweeds and dust.
"Have fun, Ross."

There's a cloud of dust bouncing down the road, an approaching automobile.

[DoomITP]

Mysterious Meeting

Ross looks around the now abandoned area.

Now see, you say that and I start to worry.

[Recaiden]

[Tumbleweed Meeting]

"Why worry? What is there to fear, Ross?"
Arlem tugs at her sister's sleeve and turns into a helicopter. With a sigh, she hops inside and the rotors start to spin. Barring interruption by Ross, it'll quickly (and oddly quietly) lift away.

Eventually the dust cloud resolves into a slick black limousine.

[Cyber Punk]

[Airstrip Town]

The shield generator is a dome-like electronic structure with two electrode-like components sticking out the top. It's covered in a faint holographic blue fog.

The young man nods and hurriedly hands over every piece of scrap to Gara as she prepares to work. "You're gonna enhance it?" He asks, a hint of fascination in his voice.