Riverside 18

[Shadowcaller]

The Lotus Gardens - Cessie

"I've mentioned that possibility, yes. Still, I don't know what their motivation for that would be. I know that Wenomir has declined an offer from Lucretia, but I'm not sure that's enough for a reason to do that. They have little to gain from trapping me there, VIGIL doesn't have enough money for a ransom and considering our last defeat, I doubt they'd like to use us as some private army. There might be other reasons, but I'm willing to take that risk if we gain something from it. I've done far too little for VIGIL lately so this is really the least I can do." Cessie explains. "As for BrightStar, I'm not sure a star is the direct opposite of a comet, but it is a bit odd now that you mention it. I know that the company has been around quite a while though, it's one of the most powerful companies in skyside."

The Lotus Gardens - Riftline

Hekta tilts her head. "Uhu, so you lick some god's boots and then you stab them in the back? Well, Hekta ain't no bootlicker, miss lady-god. I am way too awesome to serve someone else." She replies with a nod, hands on her hips. "Can't you become a god that way? Just being awesome? I don't even know any gods to kick in the shins!" Besides Jezebel of course, but Hekta wasn't going to suggest she would, that would ruin the surprise if she really did kick Jezebel in the unmentionables.

[Light's Heart]

"They do seem to hate these creatures, which could be dangerous. Hatred is not something you want to bring into war." Cessie observes before she turns to the scholar. "Ambrosia, can you confirm if they were demons or not?"

She looks up from her notebook and nods. "Yes, I believe they the same kind as you fight, just as that feathered woman you captured. They're all have the same influence about them, a powerful spiritual host existing within them. In addition, they seemed to be possessing an additional entity of the same caliber though I'm not sure what to make of it. I'm just telling you what I could observe with my senses."

[Ashen Lilies]

[Eastside Elections]

The Mysterious Figure is rather quickly found - she's still hanging out in the same alleyway, just inside the entrance.

[Morty]

[Eastside Elections]

Well, that was easy. Either it means this mysterious person wanted to be found and spoken to, or they didn't have any espionage in mind at all, which means he and Tobias just made right fools out of themselves. Only one way to find out.

"Greetings. What purpose would one have in watching an Eastside council candidate and a Vigil commander like this? I'm hardly here in official capacity, if that's what you were wondering."

[Light's Heart]

"An additional entity? Must be getting pretty crowded in there," Wenomir remarks. "Still, we've made some progress. Next time the demons make a move, we won't be caught unprepared."

[Ashen Lilies]

[Eastside Elections]

"Social call is it, then?" Says the mysterious figure, looking much the same as she does here. The figure leans against the wall of the alleyway, examining the nails of her left hand, having not so much as glanced up or looked at Wenomir at all as he approached. "I suppose that it's well known that the Vigil Commander and the druid from GLoG are friends. Was the visit between the other Commander and the leader of the Masks just friendly as well?"

[FireFox]

[Eastside Elections]

Toby makes his reappearance at the other end of the alley, walking up yet carefully remaining at unfriendly conversation distance. Always a good idea to leave some space, especially with someone so stylishly armored. Those people tend to be fast and dangerous. It seems like she was here for Wenomir after all, so no point in speaking up yet.

[Morty]

[Eastside Elections]

Wenomir's eyes narrow and his posture shifts slightly. If the mysterious stranger knew him well, she'd know that he's more on his guard now than before. But surely, she only know him from hearsay.

"I can't speak for Cessie, but regardless of our personal relationships, Vigil is neutral. Our only concern is that this election goes smoothly and safely."

[Shadowcaller]

[Light's Heart]

"I would hope so, though I would like to find our more about their 'technology', if you can call it that. Like this mass-teleportation they used to invade the base, that is a huge advantage they have." Cessie remarks as they presumably make their way out of the city.

"I will try to continue my research on these creatures, today has revealed a great deal about their nature. I will contact you as soon as I learn more about them." Ambrosia says with a nod.

[Ashen Lilies]

[Eastside Elections]

"So Lady Mithar and the Lady of Masks *do* have some form of personal connection. Interesting. I hadn't known that. Assuming you're telling the truth, of course."

The figure doesn't seem to react immediately to Wenomir's shifting of stance. Given that she still hasn't looked at him yet, it's possible she hasn't noticed.

"Did you know that?" She asks suddently, turning her head to Tobias as he appears at the other end of the alley. "Mithar and Jezebel - unlikely friends or nefarious co-conspiritors? What do you think?"

As she speaks, she carefully places the palm of her right hand against the wall, slowly dragging up her foot to do the same. So maybe she did notice. Or maybe she just doesn't like getting pincered in the middle of a conversation.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Eastside - Kate's Apartment]

"Alright then lets get to work. Don't worry I am not a total moron when it comes to things technological." He takes the gun to help Kate get a better view and will start to try and look find what they need in the pile. He is pretty well versed in most things mechanical and has a decent understanding of electronics so it shouldn't be too hard to get this set up.

((Sorry for the wait; I've been very busy lately with school starting and such. We can probably handwave this part; nothing too interesting except some general jury-rigging.))

[Eastside - Kate's Apartment]

It doesn't take much, in the grand scheme of things. Grab the right piece, and almost just plug it in. Kate apparently has a standardized brain-analogue-to-machine interface cable design, which she'd probably have patented by now if she knew how that worked, and there's an appropriate port on the Door-Homunculus, only a little soldering required. From there it's as easy as pulling the right capsule out of the gun and putting it into the mechanical body.

"This is strange.", she says aloud, odd Homunculus voicebox taking a moment to regulate her voice correctly. Which is itself a little odd, in fact. The homunculus voicebox in question is essentially a mess of tiny steam whistles with slightly different sizes and tones; accurately mimicking her voice of all things should really be beyond this sort of technology...assuming of course that technology is all that's involved here.

The homunculus' fingers twitch and move as the new being inspects itself. "I will confess, I did not expect this. It is...strange. This form is far more familiar than the gun, but nevertheless more uncanny. Perhaps the gun was not comparable and so the effect was lost on me, but here I notice the differences." Those flashlight-eyes seem to focus on Mick a bit. "Thank you, regardless. Dysphoria aside, it is good to be able to move autonomously again." Gosh, that's creepy. Really, unless you're used to them, Taelaryn Homunculi tend to be legitimately pretty scary. They're almost human in appearance, but...not.

But really, Mick's probably seen far worse. Writing for the Hitchhiker's Guide and all that.

There's a new voice coming from the gun, warmer than Kate's cold tone and smoother than Grey's rough voice. "Well, that's a new look for you, Kate. I'll confess, when you first told me about these Homunculi, I thought you were making them up. Oh, and hello...Mick, is it? I'm Rochelle Stone, the software lady of our little team. Nice to meetcha, finally. Sorry about dragging you into this...whatever this is."

"You're always so cheerful, Stone.", Kate mutters.

[FireFox]

[Eastside Elections]

Toby gives such a casual, lazy smile that it almost makes the impression he's too oblivious to note the social rudeness of surrounding a stranger. He's just here for the ride, new friend, don't worry about him. First I've heard of it, to be honest. And while I don't know too much about Jezebel, calling Cessie nefarious just might be a violation of Hanlon's Razor... or some such thing. Conspiring at any thing just seems like a stretch.

[Morty]

[Eastside Elections]

Wenomir snorts.

"Cessie couldn't conspire if her life depended on it. It's why I respect her. She believes Jezebel is trying to change, and be honest. She may be right. I leave it to her judgement. What's a more interesting question is why you want to know that. A concerned citizen of Eastside?" the martial artist asks.

[McBish]

[Eastside - Kate's Apartment]

((No worries, I understand completely))

If Mick does feel an unease at the stare of the Homunculi he doesn't show it. No need to give Kate one more thing to worry about in her new body. So he just acts as normal as he ever does. And it is unlikely that he has any idea how the voice box of the machine works.

"Nice to meet you Rochelle. Don't worry about dragging me into anything. I am happy to help, as long as we can take care of the impromptu brain surgery to a minimum."

[UncleWolf]

The Lotus Gardens - Cessie

"I've mentioned that possibility, yes. Still, I don't know what their motivation for that would be. I know that Wenomir has declined an offer from Lucretia, but I'm not sure that's enough for a reason to do that. They have little to gain from trapping me there, VIGIL doesn't have enough money for a ransom and considering our last defeat, I doubt they'd like to use us as some private army. There might be other reasons, but I'm willing to take that risk if we gain something from it. I've done far too little for VIGIL lately so this is really the least I can do." Cessie explains. "As for BrightStar, I'm not sure a star is the direct opposite of a comet, but it is a bit odd now that you mention it. I know that the company has been around quite a while though, it's one of the most powerful companies in skyside."

The Lotus Gardens - Riftline

Hekta tilts her head. "Uhu, so you lick some god's boots and then you stab them in the back? Well, Hekta ain't no bootlicker, miss lady-god. I am way too awesome to serve someone else." She replies with a nod, hands on her hips. "Can't you become a god that way? Just being awesome? I don't even know any gods to kick in the shins!" Besides Jezebel of course, but Hekta wasn't going to suggest she would, that would ruin the surprise if she really did kick Jezebel in the unmentionables.

The Lotus Gardens - Cessie

Jezebel is silent for a few good moments, considering what she'd been told carefully. "Alright. When is it and when do we leave?" She asks. "I'll have to prepare some items to take with me. Skyside is far enough from here that most of my power will be taken from me, but I wouldn't wish to rely on it anyway."


The Lotus Gardens - Riftline

"I do not know if you can become a god by being such, but I wouldn't put it past this place." Jezebel says, entirely serious for the moment before she shakes her head. "Is that what you want? To become a goddess? There are certainly worse goals in life."

The Lotus Gardens - Toby Druid

The Druid turns his face to the breeze and studies the wind pattern. By holding the meeting outdoors, she seems to be conceding a significant tactical advantage and, more importantly, giving him a line of retreat. That's probably the best sign she doesn't want this to go bad that he could get. It's enough to make him relax, just a bit. This will do just fine, thank you. On my way in, I was able to get a good look at what a wonderful slice of the city you've carved out for yourself. Not just aesthetically, but it feels more pleasant than the other districts. He affects to admire the view from the railing, but his entire focus is on her. It can't have been trivial to create that effect. Or easy to maintain it.

The Lotus Gardens - Toby Druid

"Thank you, and no, it wasn't easy but it isn't for myself either." Jezebel points out. "Everything I did to accomplish this, for better or worse, was for those who depended on me. While creating the aura of this area wasn't easy, it is far easier to maintain than one might believe. No less than seven dear friends of mine, sick beyond all help arcane and divine, decided to sacrifice themselves to create this place. Primarily, it is to prevent rot and disease. Even though I am no longer affiliated with that Dark God, health is still something I stand firmly with." She explains. "And as long as the system is not stressed too much, it can even help remove genetic issues and bring out natural talents such as sorcery or psyker abilities." She explains before smiling a bit.

"As for the aesthetics, well, that was entirely my idea. I got tired of seeing so much brick and steel, so I figured marble would do. Again, it was something I agree with the Dark God about and still do. It is also surprisingly cost-effective to use this instead of tearing down and rebuilding everything or renovating."

[Gullara]

[Office]

His door only had a number on it '231', in little screwed-on brass plates. You might grab the last name (below) off the papers, but most are for 'Head of Construction'.
"Raneon Ignitis. Nice to meet you."
He stands and holds out a clawed hand to shake. Kinda loose grip, but he's just being careful.
"Where would you like to start? We can discuss things here first, or go down to see the site right away."

((I remember I saw this post at an inconvenient time, and then I totally forgot to get back to it later. Really sorry. .-.))

[Office]

Nadia shakes his hand without any apparently hesitation. "Maybe you can give me your overall vision first. help me get a sense of what I'm going to be designing. Then we can go take a look at the actual site. We can leave the the more boring bits to the end." She chuckles lightly. Mostly the paperwork there.

[McBish]

[Southside Park]

Clao has picked this little park on the river because it is fairly small and quiet. Before dawn when it is still dark there it is abandoned except for Clao. She still picks a piece of shore that has lots of brush covering it to give her more privacy.

The small cloth figure does her best to stay hidden as she washes in the river. To anyone sneaky enough to get a glimpse of her washing herself it looks like someone washing a cloak. A closer look will show that the fabric that makes up her body is shifting, moving to and from the cloak as it is cleaned in the river.

The cloth unravels and moves on it's own wringing itself out and getting rid of a ton of mud. The whole process of cleaning herself takes a long time and the sun will have risen before she is done.

((Interaction welcomed.))

[Recaiden]

Raneon settles back into his chair and sweeps a hand around the ramshackle office.

"You see this place? What is it like? It's indefensible, it's a mess. You gotta go door to unmarked door if you 're looking for anything. It's got space, radio, and a gas line all nearby. It's a big, ugly brick."

He points out the -
Just kidding.
There aren't any windows. Just waves at the wall.

"We sure are not going to run this district from a dilapidated apartment building that's still got laser burns, but we aren't even going to run it from a recently refurbished building with the burns sanded off. We need a place that handles the business of the city and just that, with no military personnel and labs that need heavy guard 24/7. Staircases. Elevators. Offices with the name of the department over the door in block letters. A big clock that you can look up and see and think for just a second that you're not in the same dusty wasteland 'a trash. Rooms that hold things that actually belong there and not in a cart. Archives. Pillars, no bricks. Plinths for statues. You know what I'm saying?"

[FireFox]

The Lotus Gardens - Toby Druid

"Thank you, and no, it wasn't easy but it isn't for myself either." Jezebel points out. "Everything I did to accomplish this, for better or worse, was for those who depended on me. While creating the aura of this area wasn't easy, it is far easier to maintain than one might believe. No less than seven dear friends of mine, sick beyond all help arcane and divine, decided to sacrifice themselves to create this place. Primarily, it is to prevent rot and disease. Even though I am no longer affiliated with that Dark God, health is still something I stand firmly with." She explains. "And as long as the system is not stressed too much, it can even help remove genetic issues and bring out natural talents such as sorcery or psyker abilities." She explains before smiling a bit.

"As for the aesthetics, well, that was entirely my idea. I got tired of seeing so much brick and steel, so I figured marble would do. Again, it was something I agree with the Dark God about and still do. It is also surprisingly cost-effective to use this instead of tearing down and rebuilding everything or renovating."

The Lotus Gardens - Toby Druid

"...ut iure sit gloriatus marmoream se relinquere, quam latericiam accepisset." Not that he expects Jezebel to have even heard of Augustus, much less Suetonius. The quiet recitation of Latin from memories of a childhood that, at times, seems to have belonged to another man is almost a reflex at this point. Just a ritual to tie the fantastic things of the Nexus to something he once knew. He resists the urge to reach for his pipe, then turns to face her. All smiles to her smiles. If I was a better doctor, I suppose I would be jealous. An entire urban district, free of that nastiness... Well, a few years ago I never would have believed such a miracle would be possible. It's rather nice to know that someone else is determined to fight disease.

[Slii Arhem]

Wildside - Lazy Afternoon

As distracted and focused as the Bunny is, he doesn't even notice the stinger until he nearly pokes himself on it when Lenai speaks up again. "Ah, so sorry, My Lady. I just believed it best if my gifts were usable rather than merely tossed aside in frustration." He explains as he carefully extricates himself from the Bee-Woman and steps back. "I will be on my way, but I shall return." He promises, giving the pair a bow. As he does so, he reaches up to sweep his hat from his head only to remember he had put it on the other woman. "Farewell."

With that, he departs, taking his merry time as he looks at plants and flowers and any other number of creatures both floral and faun.

Wildside - Lazy Afternoon

As he makes his way back to the paths running through Wildside, he can hear the murmuring of the trees blowing in the wind, the river bubbling its way through the city, the buzzing of insects... the buzzing of some very big insects indeed. In fact, the sound keeps pace with him as he goes, off several yards back and always just out of sight if and when he looks. It seems like he has a follower keeping him honest about leaving. Or... perhaps an admirer? Does he dare hope?

[Gullara]

[Office]

Nadia produces a worn notebook from her bag when Raneon starts to speak and starts scribbling. Just words for now; she doesn't want to forget anything. Pictures can come later. "Right. An open concept. Big windows to let the sunlight in." She looks up and smiles. "That does sound a lot nicer."

[UncleWolf]

The Empress' Estate

As Victor slept, he found himself dreaming...no, remembering once more. In the depths of his exhaustion-gifted slumber he caught flashes of his new Mistress' night of betrayal. The memories felt old, ancient compared to his own as he watched a young boy in his teens be impaled upon a shining steel spear. He'd thrown himself in front of the cruel point as it lunged for his Mistress, preventing it from reaching her. Even so, she cried out in fright and fury before blasting the entire bed-chamber with a cold as chill as the heart of winter itself to freeze all but herself solid.

Including the young man.

With hot tears running down cold cheeks, she crawled out of her bed to hug her Champion, begging his forgiveness before being dragged away from him by an older woman's arms. With a brief glance up, Victor can see The Empress' mother, just as hardened and weathered as she is now, wearing little more than night clothes as she dragged the younger girl through one doorway as axes rang on the other. Even more traitors had arrived to finish the job only to find the entrance frozen shut. Victor could feel the fear and pounding heart within the Empress' chest as her mother dragged her down a staircase. Lower and deeper they descended, seemingly forever as they passed bodies and blood but not once were they intercepted as they made their way to the lowest levels of their great castle. Again and again the young girl asked what was going on only to be met with silence or being told to keep moving. Despair settled upon her shoulders, but eventually the young Empress learned to keep her mouth sealed.

It was only when they reached the final level, sealed by an iron gate, that they finally met someone else. The guard, a full grown man barely taller than the young Empress and far shorter than her mother, nodded upon seeing them and unlocked it from the other side. He was dressed as the would-be assassin except for a blue sash hastily tied onto his right arm. His leather armor was older than the assassin's as well, cracked and weathered from use, matching his skin and the bronze short sword he kept at his hip. "How far has it spread?" the mother asks, gently pushing her daughter through the gate and following her. "Three out of five have turned, My Lady. They have cast out their Legacies and are following Lords Abernath and Bay. I..." The man stops, casting a glance at The Empress. "asked one of the traitors what the plans were besides the deaths of The Family, but he expired before he could provide more details." When The Mother starts to speak again, he holds up a hand to stop her. It was surely an affront, but after pausing for a moment, the older woman gives a nod, telling him to continue without a word.

"Most have been armed with the new steel and the firearms Lord Bay has been experimenting with. It seems they were able to convince most of the newer recruits and guards to their way of thinking. Half the Knights were taken in their slumber and most of the rest have fallen to ambushes or are too far away to help. The rest are fighting trying to secure your husband but the fighting is fierce." He says with a frown as he grabs a torch from a near by recess and starts to guide them down the tunnel. "Lord Abernath, he...he...he's changed My Lady. I only caught a glimpse of him but we all knew he was a short blaggard. Now..." "I know Richard, I've sensed it. He's Ascended." she says with obvious distaste. "Rally the remaining loyalists and head to Ikgsald Fortress. We will meet you there." She says, causing the guard to laugh and shake his head even as he offers the torch to The Empress' mother. "You don't need to lie, My Lady. I know you won't be headed there."

The woman offers a sad smile back to him. "If it is Lord Abernath, I must. You know that." The man offers a shrug, accepting his doomed fate before looking down at The Empress and kneeling, still smiling. "C'mon, Lass. You know how it is. Even if you're heading out in the middle of the night, you gotta look the part." He takes a white rag from his belt and reaches up, blinding her for a moment as he wipes her face off. After he pulls it away, he smiles as he tries to hide all the blood he'd wiped off. "Good lass. You follow your mother and I promise to tell you some more daring stories soon." He promises before heading off, back the way they came.

Onward the pair goes, heading deeper down the dark tunnel until they find another doorway which The Mother opens, revealing the inside of a massive acqueduct. A boat rests on the water, heavy with supplies and tied up. "Come. We're to meet your father elsewhere. Her mother demands, leaving no argument for anything else. The Empress rests a bare young hand on the doorway, looking back and giving a small sniffle. As she watches the scene shifts, the same but darker and deader. Where the walls of the aqueduct had been wet and dark, the stone was now crumbling and covered in dying lichen. The hand, once young and unadorned, is now covered in plate armor. A torch is held in the other as The Empress, aged, shoulders open the dry-rotten door to break it open. The once dark tunnel is now filled with dull light from holes broken in the surface. Either due to her now longer strides or the illusion of childhood, the once long hallway has diminished into one far smaller than before. At the end, the iron gate stands, busted open with dark stains all around that couldn't be anything other than blood. The Empress reaches down into the dust and pulls out an old and familiar bronze blade, eliciting a small sigh from the woman as she shoves it into her boot for safe keeping.

She takes her time traveling up the decayed stone steps, making sure each step can support her great weight before moving on. Eventually however her way is blocked by collapsed stone, forcing her out into a kitchen. The kitchens are as massive as everything else here, but where once wild boar or venison could have been prepared, the half-chewed skeletal remains of people rest on the massive cutting boards or molding as they hung on hooks with their skins flayed. As grisly as a sight it was, no one had been here in ages and The Empress barely spared a glance as she simply strode through to shoulder her way through another rotten door to enter a grand banquet hall.

Unlike the rest of the rotten castle, this room was nearly pristine and heavily adorned with crystal, gold, and silver. Fine bright red and purple fabrics adorned the walls or hung down to billow in the air currents. Every place was set and free of dust, all several hundred of them as they rested on the tables. The seats however, betrayed the corruption of the decadence. Each one was molded from a body, bones nailed together and skin tanned and stitched with the heads still whole and resting at the very top. Each had their mouths stuffed with rotten food, blackening and cracking the preserved flesh around them, but while The Empress snarled at the display, she didn't comment on it as her stride carried her onward to another staircase and upward.

This staircase was unharmed, barely damaged by what must have been a great passage of time, and lined with thick red carpeting. A prickling sensation creeps over The Empress' skin and Victor can feel her heart quicken with every step towards the top. Halfway up she draws out her familiar blade and pulls her shield from her back, holding it ready until she finds herself facing one final hallway with a pair of pristine golden doors three times her own height. Bones, human and otherwise, have been cast out, scattered over the floor where she walks. She crushes them under foot, paying them or the noise they make any heed before she sets her boot to the door and kicks it open. "Lords Abernath and Bay! I have come to reclaim my rightful throne and seek vengeance!" She declares, only to be met with a hideous laughter.

The Lords, or what they had turned into, sat upon a single throne. They stood easily thrice as tall as The Empress with long gangling arms that ended in hands with far too many joints on their skeleton like fingers. we know you the twisted voices say, sprouting from the twin mouths adorning the angel like being's adjoined faces. we knowKNOW you, daughter of winter, and have been waiting you are tooTOO lateLATE It says with another bout of hideous laughter as its golden flesh begins to turn grey before her eyes. your vengeance has been takenTAKEN by time and there is no throne left for you to takeTAKE it says as it stands on its many legs and reaches down to rest its hand on a melted pile of flesh as it smiles and starts to disintegrate into ash. there is no lifeFLESH for us to take here so have your rotten homeHOME. It says before bursting into a flash of light, stealing away the woman's vengeance as she screams in rage and frustration. She charges forward blindly, sword acing through the air before clanging on nothing but dust and stone, a sound that causes Victor to awaken...

(I will post for other scenes in the morning after work)

[Ashen Lilies]

[Eastside Elections]

Toby gives such a casual, lazy smile that it almost makes the impression he's too oblivious to note the social rudeness of surrounding a stranger. He's just here for the ride, new friend, don't worry about him. First I've heard of it, to be honest. And while I don't know too much about Jezebel, calling Cessie nefarious just might be a violation of Hanlon's Razor... or some such thing. Conspiring at any thing just seems like a stretch.

[Eastside Elections]

Wenomir snorts.

"Cessie couldn't conspire if her life depended on it. It's why I respect her. She believes Jezebel is trying to change, and be honest. She may be right. I leave it to her judgement. What's a more interesting question is why you want to know that. A concerned citizen of Eastside?" the martial artist asks.

[Eastside Elections]

"No one who matters." Says the woman.

[Morty]

[Eastside Elections]

Wenomir's face bears the look of a man who is thoroughly unimpressed.

"I don't think anyone who has ever said that actually was no one who mattered," he says, as he takes a few steps to his left. He's trying to get a better look at the mysterious figure, and force her to look at him.

[Slii Arhem]

Spoiler: Previously

Show

The Empress' Estate

As Victor slept, he found himself dreaming...no, remembering once more. In the depths of his exhaustion-gifted slumber he caught flashes of his new Mistress' night of betrayal. The memories felt old, ancient compared to his own as he watched a young boy in his teens be impaled upon a shining steel spear. He'd thrown himself in front of the cruel point as it lunged for his Mistress, preventing it from reaching her. Even so, she cried out in fright and fury before blasting the entire bed-chamber with a cold as chill as the heart of winter itself to freeze all but herself solid.

Including the young man.

With hot tears running down cold cheeks, she crawled out of her bed to hug her Champion, begging his forgiveness before being dragged away from him by an older woman's arms. With a brief glance up, Victor can see The Empress' mother, just as hardened and weathered as she is now, wearing little more than night clothes as she dragged the younger girl through one doorway as axes rang on the other. Even more traitors had arrived to finish the job only to find the entrance frozen shut. Victor could feel the fear and pounding heart within the Empress' chest as her mother dragged her down a staircase. Lower and deeper they descended, seemingly forever as they passed bodies and blood but not once were they intercepted as they made their way to the lowest levels of their great castle. Again and again the young girl asked what was going on only to be met with silence or being told to keep moving. Despair settled upon her shoulders, but eventually the young Empress learned to keep her mouth sealed.

It was only when they reached the final level, sealed by an iron gate, that they finally met someone else. The guard, a full grown man barely taller than the young Empress and far shorter than her mother, nodded upon seeing them and unlocked it from the other side. He was dressed as the would-be assassin except for a blue sash hastily tied onto his right arm. His leather armor was older than the assassin's as well, cracked and weathered from use, matching his skin and the bronze short sword he kept at his hip. "How far has it spread?" the mother asks, gently pushing her daughter through the gate and following her. "Three out of five have turned, My Lady. They have cast out their Legacies and are following Lords Abernath and Bay. I..." The man stops, casting a glance at The Empress. "asked one of the traitors what the plans were besides the deaths of The Family, but he expired before he could provide more details." When The Mother starts to speak again, he holds up a hand to stop her. It was surely an affront, but after pausing for a moment, the older woman gives a nod, telling him to continue without a word.

"Most have been armed with the new steel and the firearms Lord Bay has been experimenting with. It seems they were able to convince most of the newer recruits and guards to their way of thinking. Half the Knights were taken in their slumber and most of the rest have fallen to ambushes or are too far away to help. The rest are fighting trying to secure your husband but the fighting is fierce." He says with a frown as he grabs a torch from a near by recess and starts to guide them down the tunnel. "Lord Abernath, he...he...he's changed My Lady. I only caught a glimpse of him but we all knew he was a short blaggard. Now..." "I know Richard, I've sensed it. He's Ascended." she says with obvious distaste. "Rally the remaining loyalists and head to Ikgsald Fortress. We will meet you there." She says, causing the guard to laugh and shake his head even as he offers the torch to The Empress' mother. "You don't need to lie, My Lady. I know you won't be headed there."

The woman offers a sad smile back to him. "If it is Lord Abernath, I must. You know that." The man offers a shrug, accepting his doomed fate before looking down at The Empress and kneeling, still smiling. "C'mon, Lass. You know how it is. Even if you're heading out in the middle of the night, you gotta look the part." He takes a white rag from his belt and reaches up, blinding her for a moment as he wipes her face off. After he pulls it away, he smiles as he tries to hide all the blood he'd wiped off. "Good lass. You follow your mother and I promise to tell you some more daring stories soon." He promises before heading off, back the way they came.

Onward the pair goes, heading deeper down the dark tunnel until they find another doorway which The Mother opens, revealing the inside of a massive acqueduct. A boat rests on the water, heavy with supplies and tied up. "Come. We're to meet your father elsewhere. Her mother demands, leaving no argument for anything else. The Empress rests a bare young hand on the doorway, looking back and giving a small sniffle. As she watches the scene shifts, the same but darker and deader. Where the walls of the aqueduct had been wet and dark, the stone was now crumbling and covered in dying lichen. The hand, once young and unadorned, is now covered in plate armor. A torch is held in the other as The Empress, aged, shoulders open the dry-rotten door to break it open. The once dark tunnel is now filled with dull light from holes broken in the surface. Either due to her now longer strides or the illusion of childhood, the once long hallway has diminished into one far smaller than before. At the end, the iron gate stands, busted open with dark stains all around that couldn't be anything other than blood. The Empress reaches down into the dust and pulls out an old and familiar bronze blade, eliciting a small sigh from the woman as she shoves it into her boot for safe keeping.

She takes her time traveling up the decayed stone steps, making sure each step can support her great weight before moving on. Eventually however her way is blocked by collapsed stone, forcing her out into a kitchen. The kitchens are as massive as everything else here, but where once wild boar or venison could have been prepared, the half-chewed skeletal remains of people rest on the massive cutting boards or molding as they hung on hooks with their skins flayed. As grisly as a sight it was, no one had been here in ages and The Empress barely spared a glance as she simply strode through to shoulder her way through another rotten door to enter a grand banquet hall.

Unlike the rest of the rotten castle, this room was nearly pristine and heavily adorned with crystal, gold, and silver. Fine bright red and purple fabrics adorned the walls or hung down to billow in the air currents. Every place was set and free of dust, all several hundred of them as they rested on the tables. The seats however, betrayed the corruption of the decadence. Each one was molded from a body, bones nailed together and skin tanned and stitched with the heads still whole and resting at the very top. Each had their mouths stuffed with rotten food, blackening and cracking the preserved flesh around them, but while The Empress snarled at the display, she didn't comment on it as her stride carried her onward to another staircase and upward.

This staircase was unharmed, barely damaged by what must have been a great passage of time, and lined with thick red carpeting. A prickling sensation creeps over The Empress' skin and Victor can feel her heart quicken with every step towards the top. Halfway up she draws out her familiar blade and pulls her shield from her back, holding it ready until she finds herself facing one final hallway with a pair of pristine golden doors three times her own height. Bones, human and otherwise, have been cast out, scattered over the floor where she walks. She crushes them under foot, paying them or the noise they make any heed before she sets her boot to the door and kicks it open. "Lords Abernath and Bay! I have come to reclaim my rightful throne and seek vengeance!" She declares, only to be met with a hideous laughter.

The Lords, or what they had turned into, sat upon a single throne. They stood easily thrice as tall as The Empress with long gangling arms that ended in hands with far too many joints on their skeleton like fingers. we know you the twisted voices say, sprouting from the twin mouths adorning the angel like being's adjoined faces. we knowKNOW you, daughter of winter, and have been waiting you are tooTOO lateLATE It says with another bout of hideous laughter as its golden flesh begins to turn grey before her eyes. your vengeance has been takenTAKEN by time and there is no throne left for you to takeTAKE it says as it stands on its many legs and reaches down to rest its hand on a melted pile of flesh as it smiles and starts to disintegrate into ash. there is no lifeFLESH for us to take here so have your rotten homeHOME. It says before bursting into a flash of light, stealing away the woman's vengeance as she screams in rage and frustration. She charges forward blindly, sword acing through the air before clanging on nothing but dust and stone, a sound that causes Victor to awaken...

(I will post for other scenes in the morning after work)

The Empress' Estate - Victor's New Dawn

His jaw clenched so hard he can feel his teeth grind, Victor rises in one smooth, steady motion until he's sitting at the edge of his bed, swinging his legs out around and feeling his feet touch the floor despite his expectations. After a brief moment of vertigo that he shuts his eyes against, he bends forward with his hands rising to meet his face.

And he allows himself to weep.

The boy, he knows, means nothing to him. A noble lad who sacrificed himself for his mistress, a story oft repeated and each time regrettably less heartbreaking than the last. He mourns that he cannot care more for the loss of the budding man who came before him, but honoring his memory will have to fill the void left by heartfelt emotion.

But what has spurred him to such genuine emotion this morning is the pain that has brought his Empress to these lands. A wholly unique thwarting at the hands of her truest of foes, the loss of all she held dear and all chance at vengeance for what had been lost to her. As world-weary and cynical as Victor has been, seeing the trials of the one he so recklessly bonded himself to has dug a fresh gash into his soul which poured out the blood of his sorrow.

So he wept, and vowed to put his blade between his Empress and the dangers that would darken her door, and not his body. If a child had what it took to die for her, he would harden his heart further and kill in her service.

Even if it wasn't exactly chivalrous. He scoffs to himself lightly at that thought, and stands with a tiny little wobble, the faintest of tremors in his newly massive limbs. He could hide it, of course, but it's not like anyone else is here to see his weakness.

Now, time to dress, to train, and to prepare for the road ahead.

[Recaiden]

[Office]

Nadia produces a worn notebook from her bag when Raneon starts to speak and starts scribbling. Just words for now; she doesn't want to forget anything. Pictures can come later. "Right. An open concept. Big windows to let the sunlight in." She looks up and smiles. "That does sound a lot nicer."

"Right. We're going to need space for at least <moderate number of people> to be working. No one's intended to live there. We're thinking three levels above ground, not counting the bell-tower, and one below. Don't actually have the whole lot to work with, there's supposed to be some space between it and anything else around."
Raneon holds up fingers as he goes over points about the building.
"Does this fall in the right general area for you?"

[BladeofObliviom]

Spoiler

Show

[Eastside - Kate's Apartment]

If Mick does feel an unease at the stare of the Homunculi he doesn't show it. No need to give Kate one more thing to worry about in her new body. So he just acts as normal as he ever does. And it is unlikely that he has any idea how the voice box of the machine works.

"Nice to meet you Rochelle. Don't worry about dragging me into anything. I am happy to help, as long as we can take care of the impromptu brain surgery to a minimum."

[Eastside - Kate's Apartment]

Understandable. The explanation involves weird steampunky not-physics and a tiny bit of black magic anyway. Actual black magic; Mr. Knob's a necromancer, but what he does isn't really traditional evil magic at all. Well, it certainly can be used evil, but so can most forms of magic.

"I assure you, I am more than capable of handling any impromptu brain surgery in this form, though unfortunately the durium carapace making up my exterior stains easily.", Kate says, the humor having apparently gone right over her head. "Well, still.", Stone mutters, having largely ignored Kate's comment, "Thanks for the help. This started off weird and is liable to get weirder."

Kate takes a few uneasy steps as she acclimates herself to the weight and balance of this new form, before mumbling something inaudible and digging some tools out of one of the piles.

"Kate gets like this sometimes, especially after being social." Rochelle mutters conspiratorially. "Brilliant woman, but also bit of a wreck, if you know what I mean." Kate doesn't appear to have heard. She doesn't appear to be paying attention to much of anything as she tinkers with some odd device or another.

[Gullara]

[Office]

"This is all great info. It'll be very helpful." Nadia says as she finished her notes. "So how flashy are you aiming for the whole structure to be? There's a whole world of possibility there."

[McBish]

[Eastside - Kate's Apartment]

Mick picks up the gun and makes sure to stay out of Kate's way as she goes into her work. "Well you are welcome Rochelle. Weirdness is good business for me. Plus you know seeing a guy laying bleeding on the floor, what else are you going to do. After that I didn't have anything else to do, plus I think there was mention of a shower." Yes Mick, you mentioned it. You need one and everyone can be glad to have no sense of smell. Everyone besides Mick.

He speaks quietly to the phone. "Yeah I could guess what you mean. I would have probably written it up to being stuck in a gun then robot." Hard to pick up on a persons real personality in such odd situation.

[Recaiden]

[Office]

"This is all great info. It'll be very helpful." Nadia says as she finished her notes. "So how flashy are you aiming for the whole structure to be? There's a whole world of possibility there."

"How flashy can it get without looking tacky by this time next year?" Raneon asks. It's rhetorical, he hopes she knows.
"Use your imagination there."

[Shadowcaller]

The Lotus Gardens - Cessie

Jezebel is silent for a few good moments, considering what she'd been told carefully. "Alright. When is it and when do we leave?" She asks. "I'll have to prepare some items to take with me. Skyside is far enough from here that most of my power will be taken from me, but I wouldn't wish to rely on it anyway."


The Lotus Gardens - Riftline

"I do not know if you can become a god by being such, but I wouldn't put it past this place." Jezebel says, entirely serious for the moment before she shakes her head. "Is that what you want? To become a goddess? There are certainly worse goals in life."

The Lotus Gardens - Cessie

"It's supposed to be in three days at 6 'o clock, I hope that's enough time to prepare? It feels like I'm throwing this at you now." Cessie explains.

The Lotus Gardens - Riftline

"Sure!" The demon exclaims. That would make Hekta's 10 minute long dream a reality! At least until she grows bored by it and does something else. "So where do I start?!" She grins widely.

[Gullara]

[Office]

Nadia laughs. "Maybe a poor choice of words. I mean more... showy, than flashy. Do you want something that stands out and draws the eye? Or something more subdued?"