Inside 65: A Very Busy Intersection

[Recaiden]

Well, if they knew Liria wouldn't give up on the girl, there was no need to tell her anything, was there?

The minotaur shakes her head, looking relieved that the dangers were overstated for dramatic effect.
"It sounds like a quest!" Very different from a test, isn't it?
"But that's all I know."

[Deathkeeper]

[Message's Shrine]

"Well, fine. But she better know that I'm going to be postponing my search for my people until you're safe there. And delaying royal business is only allowed because she's a goddess. So, we'll have to walk or hire someone to carry us since you can't fly. Come on." Liria says, giving one more bow to the shrine before trying to take the girl's hand and start leading her away.
"Oh, and what's your name, dearie? That pesky book didn't get mine right." Well, it did, but her identity wasn't as clear-cut as she remembers.

[Rebonack]

[Fall Market]

Liadi gets more answers!

"Honestly I have no idea," replies the guy getting grappled by all of those skeleton arms. He's doing his best to beat them back with that almost-there staff of his, but thus far it appears to be proving somewhat ineffectual. Mostly he's just bracing the thing against the skeletank to prevent it from pulling him into its gnashing insides. "I ran across this place a few days ago and this is the first time I've had to deal with skelecopters or skeletanks. Maybe they're just being festive?"

It IS Spooktober, after all.

The perfect time to be assaulted by spooky foes.

Oh.

And the war hammer proves quite capable of smashing skeleton limbs. The guy goes tumbling head over heels when the skeletal grip is released, causing him to lose his grip on the staff which promptly vanishes. He quickly hops back to his feet and draws an imaginary chair!

The chair is thrown at the skeletank, having absolutely no visible effect to speak of!

"Welp. I'm out of ideas."

Meanwhile!

Morne chops off the skeleflail! The tank responds to this by spinning its whole turret around, aiming to swat Morne like a bug. Lookout, Morne!

Meanwhile!

Dipsnig fires his bolt, pulling off an absolutely perfect shot! Rather abruptly the tank stops moving as the fire elemental begins causing trouble inside. See, turns out the skeletank is being driven by one actual skeleton who is now preoccupied trying to battle the aforementioned fire elemental. If our heroes move fast,t hey may be able to destroy the tank while it's disabled!

[Westhart]

[Fall Market]

Liadi gets more answers!

"Honestly I have no idea," replies the guy getting grappled by all of those skeleton arms. He's doing his best to beat them back with that almost-there staff of his, but thus far it appears to be proving somewhat ineffectual. Mostly he's just bracing the thing against the skeletank to prevent it from pulling him into its gnashing insides. "I ran across this place a few days ago and this is the first time I've had to deal with skelecopters or skeletanks. Maybe they're just being festive?"

It IS Spooktober, after all.

The perfect time to be assaulted by spooky foes.

Oh.

And the war hammer proves quite capable of smashing skeleton limbs. The guy goes tumbling head over heels when the skeletal grip is released, causing him to lose his grip on the staff which promptly vanishes. He quickly hops back to his feet and draws an imaginary chair!

The chair is thrown at the skeletank, having absolutely no visible effect to speak of!

"Welp. I'm out of ideas."

Liadi Grimaces, the hammer disappearing and a violin appearing. I would suggest you leave. Something in her voice says that what is about to happen is nothing that anyone will want to be near. She puts the bow to the violin.

If the guy moves Liadi intends to use her musical abilities to wrap the bone tank in an inferno of fire and ice, (She is immune to the effects of her own music) however she would prefer not to kill the man she just saved in the process.

[Deathkeeper]

[Fall Market]

The barrel whacks painfully into Morne, with naught but a crunch and a grunt. If he had ribs, they'd probably be broken. Good thing he doesn't have any, then.
Yet Morne still clings to the barrel, slowly crawling down it to the top of the turret. He wants to get down to the hatch on this thing so he can drop a nova bomb down its throat.

Which he probably won't actually do because his void powers didn't work well last time but he'd like to do that.
Eh, screw it. Once he gets to the hatch Morne hops into the air and throws a rather large purple ball of void magic down the thing's gullet, hoping to burst it in one void-tastic explosion.

[Westhart]

Lidia stops when she sees something on the tank's barrel, her face rather... annoyed. She begins walking towards it, the violin and bow disappearing. She is fiddling with a coin in her hand now, which slowly grows into a large two handed hammer. She throws the hammer forward, aiming for the tank, but in such a way to not hit the (thing/person/whatever) on top, and another coin slips into her hand.

[Morty]

[Fall Market]

Dipsnig loads a new cartridge into his crossbow and fires quickly, three times. Or as quickly as even a repeater crossbow can manage. He's aiming for the skeletank's treads, to make sure it doesn't move away from them.

[Recaiden]

"Well, fine. But she better know that I'm going to be postponing my search for my people until you're safe there. And delaying royal business is only allowed because she's a goddess. So, we'll have to walk or hire someone to carry us since you can't fly. Come on." Liria says, giving one more bow to the shrine before trying to take the girl's hand and start leading her away.
"Oh, and what's your name, dearie? That pesky book didn't get mine right." Well, it did, but her identity wasn't as clear-cut as she remembers.

"Royal business? Oh, I'm sorry to be such trouble, Your Grace."
This is even worse! She'd thought Liria was just another rescuee! But she's someone really important! What if she's thrown in a dungeon for disrespect!? But she does take the little lizard-bird-space-princess's hand and follow. The sudden light of being outside leaves her blinking her eyes and stumbling for a moment.
"I'm called Susila."

[Deathkeeper]

[Message's Shrine]

"Okay, Susie. Well, I'm going to take you back to the library so I can see if I can't find where Message's chapel is. Then I'll charter a carriage for us, and I'll have you home by sundown." Of course, where Liria will end up in all of this remains to be seen. "Say dear, how old are you? Nine?" It's hard when they likely have different lifespans.

[Rebonack]

[Fall Market]

Crossbow bolts in the treads! Hammer to the hull! Some guy thwacking the side of the thing with an imaginary stick! Explosive tossed down the hatch where a fire elemental and a skeleton are having a slap-fight!

One earth shattering kaboom later, smoke begins billowing out of the tank as it rapidly loses integrity, collapsing into a heap of bones that begin fragmenting into little pixels that are in turn sucked into a swirling portal that just appeared out of nowhere. Once the tank is completely gone a large heap of loot is disgorged along with a victory fanfare!

"Woohoo!" that guy exclaims, but makes no move for the loot.

The loot in question, upon closer inspection, consists largely of gold and silver foil wrapped chocolate coins, rock candy gems, and other such thematically festive treats. There are several... other things in there, too.

Objects of power.

A large purple top hat decorated with brass gears, a baseball cap which reads 'Fightin' Cephalopods' and bears a logo of an octopus in boxing gloves, a worn leather fedora, a classic pointy wizard hat with 'WIZZARD' written across it in gold lettering, a black pith-helmet with a steel spike on the top, and a purple nightcap decorated with yellow stars and moons.

Or... hats of power. I guess?

Our heroes will have the distinct impression that they should take only one.

[Morty]

[Fall Market]

Dipsnig takes the gear helmet. It might make for a fun present for Rilla. They don't exactly lack for magic items, but a gear-adorned top hat is new.

"Everyone alright? This thing didn't actually run anyone over?"

[Deathkeeper]

[Fall Market]

Morne smiles under his helmet.
"Just fine, sir." he calls, shoveling as much candy as he can carry into the purple nightcap. He can't wear these hats, as he rarely if ever removes his sacred golden helm, but Anpu would look absolutely adorable in it. Alsohe needs the candy for the kiddies, who always come to visit the spooky death temple this time of year.

[Westhart]

Liadi steps forward, looking at the Fedora, although she waits until everyone else has their pick. The coin in her hand liquefies and runs down her hand to form into a small ring. She quietly observes the surrounding area, unsure whether or not any skeletons intend to get a surprise in on them... Somebody has to keep an eye out right?

[Rebonack]

[Fall Market]

The skeletons don't appear to be plotting any sudden surprise attacks, given that they all ceased to exist pretty soundly. Even the bones they were tossing around the market a few minutes prior are gone.

"It looks like everyone made it out alright," that guy mentions as he leans on his not-quite-there staff. "Aside from a few minor femur to the noggin injuries I don't think anyone was actually hurt. Except the skeletons. Can you hurt skeletons? Since they don't have any nerves, y'know?"

Though...

They don't have any muscles, either.

And they still manage to move around just fine.

Nature is strange and mysterious sometimes.

When Dipsnig picks up the top-hat he'll immediately be aware that it is equipped with a pair of 'helping hands' to be used while worn. These mechanical limbs can simply grab things, or produce a number of Inspector Gadget-style contraptions of sometimes dubious usefulness. They will, of course, pop out of the top of the top hat. Where else would they come from?

When Morne picks up the nightcap, he'll immediately be aware that he's discovered a Cap of the Dreamer. While wearing this headgear, the user is asleep in a dreamwalking state, however they're completely aware of their surroundings. This obviously renders them immune to various nasty sleep-causing magics. In addition, they become aware of the many places where the Dreamlands bleed over into the Waking World as well as offering some degree of protection against hostile glamor.

That guy, meanwhile, doesn't seem very interested in the pile of hats. Those are obviously for other people who actually exist.

[Morty]

[Fall Market]

This actually might be quite useful for Rilla. She does seem like she wishes she had more than two hands.

"The good thing is I don't care. Come here, Teerka."

The wolf trots over to the goblin (who looks like his player's avatar), but sniffs curiously in the direction of Morne and Liadi.

"Good work, both of you."

[Lazorath]

[Library]

"They are big for sure." mia replies. Looking at the pictures.

"I guess we get as many information as possible about both. Then we can introduce them to the people taking part in it. That way we are sure to pick the right one." she explains. "I can build some robots to get their location, later at the base."

Veya nods in agreement before she continues reading, "they can stay awake for decades at a time because of their power cores before they feel the need to rest, but when they do their hibernation span tends to be a full year."

"The fiery beast known as Nogorn is nocturnal. It's a carnivore, but only feasts on its prey after they've been incinerated by its fiery breath. It's capable of fighting at day, but prefers the pitch black darkness far beneath the surface so it can unleash its fiery breaths as sneak attacks from unknown directions. It's very irritable, and will attack on sight."

"The land beast known as Vayidrid operates during the day. Vayidrid has been classified as an omnivore, but tends to eat trees whole since they're far easier to capture. A Vayidrid doesn't respond with violence unless it feels threatened or provoked, and once it has been they don't stop attacking until the threat is dead. They either attack by bashing their bodies against their victims, smashing them with their paws, or by firing the spikes on their backs."

"Based on the rest of their information, Vayidrids seem to move far faster than Nogorns despite their size. Nogorn's move in a slower, and more majestic manner, but being hit even once by a Nogorn could be life threatening to any large creature because of their dangerously sharp claws. Regardless, we'll have a large threat to deal with, and the only big weaknesses they seem to have are their organs located directly beneath their power cores. I already know for a fact that I won't be able to extract the core without damaging it if the beast hasn't been killed, but if we can restrain it, or somehow cut off its legs then I'd be able to extract it. Then, it'd be up to the rest of the group to decide what'll happen to the beast," Veya looks from the book to Mia.

[Deathkeeper]

[Fall Market]

Morne frowns. That doesn't seem like a safe effect to put on a dog. But he'd be so cute in it!

"Thank you, sir." says the voidwalker, who kneels down and extends a hand for the wolf-mount to sniff.

[Westhart]

Liadi picks up the fedora, after having waited. "I hope I didn't barge in on you there." A slight smile accompanies the remark, although it is aimed more at all those present then any individual. The frost blue ring with black engravings on her finger glows slightly and the coin in her hand disappears. She admires the well worn hat, trying to find any remnant of its previous owner.

[Morty]

[Fall Market]

Teerka sniffs Morne's hand. He smells weird. She then pads over to Liadi.

"No, there seemed to be just enough of us to handle this... there always is, somehow. It had been too long since I got to shoot my crossbow in a proper fight. I'm Dipsnig Razortooth, by the way. Chief Executive of MERC. You may have heard of me."

[Westhart]

Liadi holds her hand out to Teerka. She smells like the earth itself, that and frost, although there is no human smells no sweat, nothing. Something about her males it obvious that she would never willingly hurt an animal. ((She's an elf lord, so the whole connection to nature thing)) "Afraid not, I'm rather new here." Her accent is strange, the closest thing to it would be elvish, even though that is not quite right, and she is searching for the words although she quickly puts them together. "Pardon my familiarity with the language, it is new for me, although I have encountered similar dialects." Again that strange accent, although it is rapidly disappearing, and for those that "are in the know" would know that to make an accent like that go away requires years of disguise training.

[Rebonack]

[Fall Market]

Liadi will realize that she has acquired the Fedora of the Tomb Plunderer. The otherwise unassuming hat affords the wearer absolutely preternatural luck and reflexes for the purpose of evading deathtraps of all kinds, up to and including shrugging off nuclear blasts by hiding inside a refrigerator. What's more, it grants understanding of many obscure and ancient dialects.

As for that guy over there?

He doesn't take any of the hats.

Does stuff his pockets full of candy, though.

That'll probably be really useful in the coming weeks.

Once everyone has made their selections, any remaining loot will simply vanish into thin air, leaving no indication that anything had happened here aside from the destruction wrought by the skeletank and the skelecopters. Weird. But... hardly the weirdest thing that happens around here. With the excitement done for the time being, that guy picks up the candy corn on the cob again. It's still a mystery, but maybe some day he'll be able to unravel it.

[Westhart]

Liadi smiles, then looks at the wizard had. She picks it up, and her hands start glowing with a shadowy light, eyes closed in concentration, as the at seems to bend, although the distortion is not pleasant on he eyes.
((She is trying to use her power to make the item semi-illusional so she can give it to the guy with the walking stick, "it's not fair that everyone else got one" ))

[Recaiden]

[Message's Shrine]

"Okay, Susie. Well, I'm going to take you back to the library so I can see if I can't find where Message's chapel is. Then I'll charter a carriage for us, and I'll have you home by sundown." Of course, where Liria will end up in all of this remains to be seen. "Say dear, how old are you? Nine?" It's hard when they likely have different lifespans.

"Not 'Susie', 'Susila'." She insists. If Liria responds well to the correction, the girl will explain that she's ten years old. Otherwise, especially if she keeps using the wrong name, the minotaur won't speak a word for the rest of the trip. But she will follow along regardless, too worried and out-of-place to try anything else. It's not safe to be out in a city by yourself.
The library reveals that strictly speaking there are no chapels, but a pair of temples are recorded, one in west Riverside and another older one in a small foreign town near the Dancing Fox Inn.
Distance folds itself up obligingly before the carriage and the sun is still (barely) hanging in the sky when they see the Skullfort over the hill and then arrive at the small first temple.

[Morty]

[Fall Market]

Teerka's tail swishes as she sits down. This strange-smelling new two-legs seems nice. Not as nice as her master or her great-grandmummy, but nice.

"Well, then... I guess you'll hear sooner or later. I head this place's largest mercenary company. Don't worry about the language, no one pays attention to this kind of thing here. My wolf seems to like you, too."

[Westhart]

Liadi gives a slight nod in Dipsnig's direction, I've always gotten along fairly well with animals. Her voice is strained... Obviously changing magic item's nature is much harder then a nonmagical item.

[Morty]

[Fall Market]

((Sorry for the delay.))

Dipsnig's long ears twitch.

"I don't think I caught your name. Also... what are you doing with that hat?"

[Westhart]

((No problem.))

Liadi A long pause as she stands up, the hat now infused with illusion, and tosses it to the strange man with the walking stick. Will that work? She turns back to Dipsnig My name is Liadi, and I was attempting to infuse the hat with an illusion, so he could wear it. She wipes sweat off her face, and adjusts her coat, and to those watching closely she isn't breathing... which is rater unusual... and problematic for most.

[Rebonack]

[Fall Market]

"Umm, I'm not actually-" that guy begins moments before the hat is tossed at him-

-and passes right through him.

And then rather resolutely ceases to be, since that's what it had done previously before it was picked up. Good effort, though? Things don't always work out. And that guy really isn't too much of a wizard, really.

Or a WIZZARD.

Either of those things.

"-an illusion."

Or one of those.

"I do appreciate the gesture, though?"

[Deathkeeper]

[Fall Market]

Morne waves a hand and starts to turn away to leave. He's not interested in the cleanup at the moment, and he has very important sacred dog-walking duties to do. And spooky pumpkins to carve for the kiddies.

[Westhart]

Liadi blushes slightly, "my bad." She turns to Dipsnig Sorry if I was a bit short with you, magical items are much harder to morph.