Riverside 19

[Morty]

[The Lotus Gardens - Training Ground]

"Go ahead. I'll watch and wait," Wenomir says, before drinking some water. He's sparred with Harnetta not long ago.

[MERC Office - Kids]

"What do we do?" Iknika asks Koshal, a little panicky. "Dena will blame us for letting them get away!"

[Shadowcaller]

Northside Tour

Celestel nods back. "It was my pleasure, Lady Tel'Vree. I hope this establishes future connections between our two governments. But before we say farewell, let me take you back to Eastside." The flying creature will then fly Jezebel back to Eastside.

Malechenar Party - Dance Hall (Jezebel and Cessie)

Cessie gives the glass of juice a suspicious glance as she accepts it. They actually knew about that?
But she quickly meets Jezebel's gaze once she asks to dance. "A dance? I'm not particularly good, can't we just talk a while? There are quite a few new faces around and it would be pleasant to make some new contacts, don't you think?" She asks with a smile. "Do you know everyone here?"

Eastside Streets

The gorgon accepts the card, but stares at it as if he had just handed her his left ear. Not even putting away, she lets out a final hiss before slithering away. The hunter will have to wait a bit before someone would return...

[Gullara]

[MERC Office - Kids]

Eliseo rolls his totally invisible eyes, and it loses all effect. But anyway, he lets himself be dragged away by this strange girl. "Sure sure, just take me there."

[Malechenar Party - Dance Hall] Nadia/Irena

"Oh, that's right." Nadia gives Irena a sidelong glance. "Furry party? Why do I take you out again?" Nadia gives Irena a wink. It's pretty hard for her wife's comments to phase her anymore.

[Malechenar Party - Dance Hall] Dena/Kirk

The man on Dena's arm is unsurprisingly Kirk. "What a pair we are. The blind the the crippled." He jokes morbidly. Kirk has his own costume this evening. His clothing is rough and weathered while still looking like he paid too much for it. He's also openly wearing an array of knives. Surely just props, yes? It's his hat that completes the costume, however. It would be stylish if it weren't a splotchy mess of deep reds. It almost looks like it could be dripping wet.

[The Lotus Gardens - Sleepover]

"Uh..." Cora hesitates for a second. Everyone knows who Wenomir is! "He's a swordfighter and he works with my mom." Cora looks at the screen again with her eyebrows furrowed. "And he has scars too." Cora points at the screen. This is weird!


Bastion looks at Sergei and then whispers something in Jillian's ear. The little girl giggles and bobs toward Sergei. When she's close enough... SPLASH! And a fit of giggles.

[Shadowcaller]

[Malechenar Party - Dance Hall] Nadia/Irena

"You liked it! I think you came as a mouse or something." Irena claims out loud. "We need to do more crazy things like that, you know? Meet some cool people. Gotta be plenty of interesting individuals around here. Like Ilpholin for instance."

[Malechenar Party - Dance Hall] Dena/Kirk

"Cripple is it now? I've seen you doing all sort of stuff with that hand of yours, more use than a blind woman's eyes at the very least." Dena muses, turning to Kirk. Then, without looking away from him, she adds. "Speaking of seeing... ancestors piss, its the furries. The ones I talked about, the 'gorgon' in the cleavage dress and the 'gargoyle' girl over there." Dena subtly nods in Irena and Nadia's direction. No need to alert them of her presence yet...

[The Lotus Gardens - Sleepover]

"Its not just the number of kids, Jezebel. Its the fact they're clearly being manipulated by a spirit, it might not even just be effecting Sakura, but Adir, and indeed, perhaps even me somehow. That's what I'm really worried about. They might not even mean it, but the fact I can't even tell is really bothering me, and have been on my mind ever since I found out about all this." Cessie admits to Jezebel, now getting out of her hug.

[Gullara]

[Malechenar Party - Dance Hall] Nadia/Irena

"Maybe not that crazy. At the very least we shouldn't get drunk while hosting a party..." Yeah, that could have went worse.

[Malechenar Party - Dance Hall] Dena/Kirk

Kirk quirks an eyebrow as he appraises the pair. "In the flesh? Truly? They don't seem all that furry to me." Kirk didn't have to pay that close attention to see Dena's tall tale grow with every telling. He was expecting so much more.

[Slii Arhem]

[Wildside]

Sticks actually turns around when he feels that hand on his shoulder. He stares around at the empty forest, feeling the air, and places both of his implements in one hand so he can use the other to rub his pointy chin. Hm.

"Well, Lenai," he begins, "If I'm right, and you can hear me, then know I'm going to begin creating the barrier now. Actually, I won't be creating it... a spirit in my service will be watching over your forest's perimeter. He will erect a fence that only the beasts can see, and shoo them away if they try to escape."

The tall man pauses for more than a few beats. He coughs.

"I... also... wanted to ask," Sticks wheedles, and feels his face get a little hot. "I wanted to request your accompaniment to a costume party... being hosted by Malechenar." Sticks switches his implements to his other hand awkwardly. "Maybe this isn't the best time to ask, I just... I don't want to go by myself, you know," he admits, and laughs a little. "Is there some way you can answer?"

Wildside

It is a long time before the wind stirs the leaves again, but as it does, Sticks can feel it caressing his cheek briefly before moving on. It seems to be a sign that he should be patient.

After a while, there's a creaking sigh of old wood moving very slowly. From behind him, deep branches part and make way for something new. A large, slender figure made of woven boughs and covered with swaths of rattling bark marches towards him, its feet still attached to the ground by many small roots and its steps laborious at first.

As it approaches, the wicker making up its frame begins to shift and shape, becoming more humanlike, more sculpted and familiar. The swell of its hollow chest beneath its bark dress briefly parts the interlocking boughs, revealing a quick glimpse of a pale green fire flickering there, animating this skeletal tree-creature. As it becomes more similar to Lenai's statuesque form, its face carves itself before his eyes to a frozen imitation of her own. A facsimile of hair begins to sprout, thick carpets of pale green moss entwining its spidery way down over her neck and shoulders, and her face changes from one instant to the next, turning from a neutral expression to a beautifully carved smile.

Then, it changes again, becoming an entirely blank expanse of wood, upon which no eyes or nose or mouth form but instead a flowing, silvery cursive script. I would be delighted to go, though I hope that this form would suffice as my true body cannot leave the forest, especially at such a delicate stage as this. This body will become better at the needed pleasantries as time goes on, but for now is incapable of speech. She seems to pause to make sure he's read the entire thing before it shifts back to her smiling visage once more.

[Shadowcaller]

[Malechenar Party - Dance Hall] Nadia/Irena

"But it was fun! That's the whole point of a party, Nad! Something we can remember, we can't play it safe all the time. We have to go crazy sometimes, and not just at home either. A crazy thing was going to this party, and now I think that was the right choice. But we also have to do some crazy things while we're here." Irena grabs a whole bottle off the offered plate of refreshments and pours herself and her wife a lot of wine. "Come on, you will like it." Irena claims with a big smile.

[Malechenar Party - Dance Hall] Dena/Kirk

"Not right now, besides gargoyle girls tail of course, but they were all furried up when they invaded my room. I'll prove it to you if we go talk to them." Dena says, already starting to move towards the two women, tugging Kirk to follow along.

[Deathkeeper]

[MERC Office- Kids]

"Okay. When she asks, the thief cut the ropes and kidnapped Eliseo." Koshal whispers into Iknika's ear. Faye does her best to remember where she can hear the two kids scrabbling away. She got a pretty good whiff of Eliseo and can likely track him fairly easily.
"Or, we make a break for it right now. Faye can track him." he says.

[Murkus]

[Malechenar Party - Dance Hall]

"Yeah, I'd say a pretty damn good reason, Ryhe. Nobody ought to be offended about it--" Adir starts to explain, with a smile at both the gossipy girls, but a number of things happen at once. He looks down at Ilphy as his arm is taken. "Oh! Sure! Gardens," he agrees arbitrarily.

"Nice to meet you, uh, Lord, Lady," Adir does a much less composed bow. He waves to Mia as he and Ilpholin start to move off. "Hi, Mia! Yea, catch up with us later!" He's sure they can manage that.

Adir squeezes Ilpholin's arm in between his forearm and his bicep as they walk, glancing down at her with his lips teasingly pursed. "Is this the part where you scold me for embarrassing you by implying your wiles didn't work on someone?" He keeps this to a jesting murmur.

[Fourth Tower Compound - Library]

Sticks pores over the volumes, making note of a few obscene rituals that he's sure he has the proper rites and components to perform. The Tall Man derives some very nasty incantations from the Tower's library. While he is no stranger to vile magic or artifacts, and usually keeps them at a distance of 'useful tools', he can't help a little dark elation at the thought of wielding such power against his enemies.

He makes a note to see if he can sponsor an expedition to the Sea of Storms and this tunnel complex. Something does feel faintly familiar about the latter... The tunnels, not so, but what lies at their bottom...

[Wildside]

Sticks waits, and his patience is rewarded. He's a little dumbstruck by the simulacrum, and has to do his best not to gawk. It would take him hours of work to make something so large, so complex, and so mobile.

"I-- I understand," he tells the wicker vessel, a tad too loudly. He grins and laughs awkwardly. "It is nothing if not a striking costume!" He reaches out, thinking it much less forward in this form, and tries to take the construct's hand. "I do hope we will be able to speak by the time the party comes. Not that I much mind reading."

"I shall abscond with you... with this particular 'you' when our night comes, then," Sticks decides. And that can likely be skipped to after this brief scene. Sticks has some work to do.

[Slii Arhem]

Wildside

Lenai's carved face splits at the jaw, its lower lip sliding down like a ventriloquist's dummy's and letting out a whistling, trilling note similar to a bird's call. Seems like she's already working on something in that regard, but this whole puppet was a rather spur of the moment construction, so she's just kind of winging it with forced intent and semi-divine power being thrown around willy-nilly.

A finely engraved eyebrow shifts, appearing in a raised position, as Lenai's puppet leans forwards and folds its arms beneath its woven chest, mockingly emulating a seductive pose. It whistles a slow, impatient-sounding tune, as if prompting Sticks to get on with his work.

[Gullara]

[Malechenar Party - Dance Hall]

"I will sip, thank you." Nadia says, doing just that. "I'm too old for drinking the night away. I might not wake up tomorrow morning." She jokes. Her attention is drawn toward the two individuals approaching.

"Sorry to interrupt, but my friend here swears she recognizes you two." Kirk says with a welcoming smile as he and Dena approach.

Nadia blinks a couple times when she realizes that this is an actual gorgon. She's not sure if that's funny or awkward.

[Morty]

[Xar'Cha Residence]

An unusual visitor is approaching the home of a nymph drow demon-hunter. The figure seems to have materialized from the mist that covers the city in the evening. It slides over the ground, and appears to be a lanky figure draped in a cloak, with a rat's skull for a head... if there was a rat with deer antlers. There's also a pair of skeletal wings trailing behind it. There's a vague sense that the form is just the tip of the iceberg, and the true nature of its wearer is somewhere and something else. The King in Rags stops in front of the door and calls out:

"I would speak with the lady who dwells here. The King in Rags has an offer for her."

[Deathkeeper]

[The Toy Tinker]

Jim Puck reports for work as always at Too-Early-o-Clock. The Westside haze makes mornings so odd. He'll go about opening up the shop as usual while Barnabas sweeps up, as usual.
Not as usual, Sticks has been secretive the last few days, but Jim has waved that off. It's not incredibly strange for the old mage to be working out on some secret project. He'd dare say that Sticks always has at least one of those going at all times. But it might be a few minutes at least before the elf shows himself...

[Reinholdt]

[Xar'cha Residence]

Well forthrightness certainly expedites HALlelujah's job. After a few moments of silence the front door whirs to life, grinding open for the beckoning King. A barren hallway stretches before him and offers no resistance or interest beyond the door shutting behind him. Repeating the performance, the door at the end of the hallway gives way to the much warmer foyer, itself dressed up in fancy amenities and pleasant patterns. The grotesque size of the room and lack of a host gives the foyer a feeling of isolation.

It would be a kindness to claim the feeling is dispelled when Ilpholin finally arrives, stepping in from the other end and moving to meet the King in Rags halfway. She stops before him, violet cape settling along her back. Standing in a guarded stance, her eyes search over his form, frequently darting past and around him as if looking for the rest of him. The sense of more generated unease, but she her voice flowed steady regardless. "You'll forgive my lack of servants. I wasn't expecting royalty today. What can I help you with?"

[Shadowcaller]

Spoiler: Quotes

Show

[Malechenar Party - Dance Hall]

Ilpholin hmphs lightly, not sure how this got turned on her. "I assure you, any rebuffs that may have happened were always because Cessie already had her mind set on someone else. The first time she chose Harnel. Given how quick she was to play up Jezebel's positive traits a few days ago, and who she's with, it seems pretty evident now she's chosen Jezebel. I don't know what would lead you to think otherwise," Ilpholin claims, one hand taking a glass of wine. Adir must be in denial. Maybe Cessie turned down his wiles too before he started pursuing Ilpholin. The nymph isn't sure, but there's definitely something going on there.

Her other hand slides in to wrap around Adir's arm. "We should leave you to your other guests. Besides, we still need to visit the gardens." Comparing the gardens at these various parties has become something of a tradition and Ilpholin enjoys the plant life more than she lets on. "It was a pleasure meeting you Lord Ryhe, Lady Celestel." Ilpholin turns to address the two who approach as well, intending to keep the pleasantries brief. "It's good to see you again Mia. General." She gives them a slight bow.

[Malechenar Party - Dance Hall - Hosts]

Mia returns the bow to the (maybe) leaving pair. "Ilpholin, Adir, I hope we can get a moment to talk later. There is something I would want to ask you."

As a reminder, too. Mia is dressed like a mermaid. Not the disney version with human upper body and lower fish body. It's more like a a fish wth human traits like the nagas. The fin bows upwards and leaves her enougth space to use her feet.

Spoiler: Costum

Show

She then turns to the other two persons. It is good that Ilpholin called their names. Mia didn't met them and her player wasn't sure if they are public known. Mia returns the bow.
"Lord Ryhe, Lady Celestel. It is a nice evening and yet this room is breathtaking." she says.

After waving off the servants (the General has never been observed to eat or drink anything but water (possibly with sugar) after all) the General curtsies to the assembled luminaries of Riverside (and Adir).
"Good to see you, Ilpholin. Do enjoy the gardens."
She gives an additional nod to the voodoo doll, wondering if he'll say anything interesting.
"My thanks for inviting us, Lord Rhye. Though I still can't say I've seen you in the flesh, can I?"

[MERC Office - Kids]

"What do we do?" Iknika asks Koshal, a little panicky. "Dena will blame us for letting them get away!"

[MERC Office - Kids]

Eliseo rolls his totally invisible eyes, and it loses all effect. But anyway, he lets himself be dragged away by this strange girl. "Sure sure, just take me there."

[MERC Office- Kids]

"Okay. When she asks, the thief cut the ropes and kidnapped Eliseo." Koshal whispers into Iknika's ear. Faye does her best to remember where she can hear the two kids scrabbling away. She got a pretty good whiff of Eliseo and can likely track him fairly easily.
"Or, we make a break for it right now. Faye can track him." he says.

[Malechenar Party - Dance Hall]

"Yeah, I'd say a pretty damn good reason, Ryhe. Nobody ought to be offended about it--" Adir starts to explain, with a smile at both the gossipy girls, but a number of things happen at once. He looks down at Ilphy as his arm is taken. "Oh! Sure! Gardens," he agrees arbitrarily.

"Nice to meet you, uh, Lord, Lady," Adir does a much less composed bow. He waves to Mia as he and Ilpholin start to move off. "Hi, Mia! Yea, catch up with us later!" He's sure they can manage that.

Adir squeezes Ilpholin's arm in between his forearm and his bicep as they walk, glancing down at her with his lips teasingly pursed. "Is this the part where you scold me for embarrassing you by implying your wiles didn't work on someone?" He keeps this to a jesting murmur.

[Fourth Tower Compound - Library]

Sticks pores over the volumes, making note of a few obscene rituals that he's sure he has the proper rites and components to perform. The Tall Man derives some very nasty incantations from the Tower's library. While he is no stranger to vile magic or artifacts, and usually keeps them at a distance of 'useful tools', he can't help a little dark elation at the thought of wielding such power against his enemies.

He makes a note to see if he can sponsor an expedition to the Sea of Storms and this tunnel complex. Something does feel faintly familiar about the latter... The tunnels, not so, but what lies at their bottom...

[Malechenar Party - Dance Hall] Lords and Generals

"Yes, please enjoy the rest of your evening, it was a pleasure talking to you." Celestel bids Adir and Ilpholin with a polite nod as they walk away and Ryhe do likewise. "Indeed, I suggest that you ask lady Mithar about the particulars though. Otherwise I might go about that myself." Ryhe muses before turning to Mia and the General.
"Thank you for the kind words, but it is not really our brilliant servants that should be thanked for this wonderful display. I didn't even see the room until it was finished." The doll chuckles. "But yes, I suppose I'm not 'in the flesh' tonight. But your costume tradition is about seeing things from a different perspective, isn't it? An interesting tradition, if I may say so. I just hope we didn't go overboard with it. Our clientele have been all too eager to embrace these new traditions."

"Yes, greetings." Celestel adds. "I certainly didn't expect you two together. Have Souhtside united?" She jokes.

The servants can of course serve the general water with sugar. It is no problem for them.

[Malechenar Party - Gardens]

As Adir and Ilpholin enters the giant bio-dome that makes up the center of the castle, they can see that the gardens" appears to be more of a well-kept jungle than an actual garden. There are a wide variety of plants, fungi and trees that cause the air to be heavy with pollen and spores. The vegetation here is so dense and tall that it is impossible to see much beyond the illusionary sky that makes it appear like the entire garden is located in an actual jungle. Right now it appears like a star-filled night sky with a full moon overhead, bathing the jungle in a soft white glow.

In the middle of all this colorful vegetation there is a well-kept stone road though, making it possible to easily walk through it.

[Malechenar Party - Dance Hall] Nadia/Irena/Dena/Kirk

"Come on, if you act that old, you're going to become old!" Irena insists as she takes a much deeper sip from her glass. Her wife was no fun!
But speaking of fun, here came a sexy couple! Some nice abs...

"Yes, sorry if I'm intruding, but aren't you Nadia and Irena Rizzo? You had a animal themed party a number of years ago, everyone came partly transformed into an animal, correct? Since that's where I think I recognize you from." Dena asks with a smile as she offers her hand to shake.

"Whoa, holy crap! That's just what we were talking about!" irena exclaims with wide eyes. What a coincidence! She didn't recognize this lady from the party though, but perhaps she had come as something else...?

[MERC Office - Kids]

It should be noted that Iknika and Koshal can see which general direction Hekta and Eliseo are going as they have to walk over a lot of broken furniture which moves slightly as they have to walk over it.
"Yeah, yeah..." Hekta whispers back as she guides Eliseo to the very back of the cellar where a section of the wall is suddenly pushed open and Eliseo will find himself being pulled into what appears to be a dungeon. It is noticeably colder than the cellar

On the other side is a number of cells barred with heavy bars, and at the end of the corridor is what appears to be a cave, leading even further down. If Eliseo inspects the cells, he will find them empty with the exception of some skeletal remains. Someone must have died in here.
Once they're inside, Hekta will attempt to close the door behind them.

Now the other two will have a few moments to decide if they are going to tail the two, or if they are going to wait for Dena to arrive.

[UncleWolf]

The Lotus Gardens - Sleepover

"Well Cessie, from what you've told me about the spirit and its influence, there's an easy way to tell." Jezebel says, taking a seat and crossing her legs before putting her hands in her lap as she looks at Cessie seriously. "Do you want to make babies? With me or anyone else? Do you have a new or more powerful desire to mother the children of others? If the answers are no, then I think you're fine. I can't say the same for Adir given that he's around her far more than you are and far more intimately, but I imagine you're fine and once they leave your home any influence it might have had should have faded swiftly. But what tells me that you're fine the most is because you're concerned that you've been influenced." She points out. "The very act of feeling concerned over this and actually voicing that concern tells me that you have enough control over your own thoughts to override anything that it might have been attempting to do to you."

After that she gives a small sigh and reaches up to brush some hair back over her ear. "As for my own concern...I do not know if it is changing her children. But even if it does, it isn't like we can do anything or have any real proof. And if it has fully merged with her...then there isn't anything we can do without harming her beyond repair. It is truthfully well out of our hands by this point. All you can do is mitigate the damage she can do." She explains, opening her hands and shrugging in a gesture of defeat.


When Sergei is splashed, he freezes, seemingly unable to figure out what to do except scowl. Wordlessly he turns his back and clambers out of the pool, seemingly leaving in a huff, but after a few steps he spins around on his heel. With a grin and four fast steps back he leaps into the air and grabs his knees. The kids who splashed him will find their revenge being given ten-fold as the cannonball completely covers them both! Christine, watching near by only raises up her sunglasses for a moment, frowning and being entirely too judgmental of the three noisy kids before going back to her sunbathing in the shade.

Cora will see Ariel looking entirely confused by the show for a moment as she thinks. "He looks like Mr. Claws from Thanksmas to me." She says, frowning and furrowing her brow in thought. After trying to puzzle it out she just flops back, arms flopped out as well in defeat.

Malechenar Party - Dance Hall

Jezebel frowns slightly in thought as she looks over the dance hall, glass in hand. "I know a few personally, I know a few more in passing, but several I only know by reputation." She explains as she looks around. "Not quite like my homeworld, but close." She warns Cessie, likely referring to the temperaments involved in a way that only she would really understand. Essentially she's compared them to a den of wolves, just in far less polite terms. "Though I recommend caution regardless since they seem to have done their research." She says quietly, nodding towards the juice they had brought out for Cessie.

"I had wanted to actually go congratulate Adir, but..." She makes a small gesture to where Adir and Ilpholin have stealthed away to the gardens. She doesn't voice her concern, but she couldn't help but wonder why he was here without Sakura. "Perhaps the moment has passed."

Eastside - Hunter's Station

Hunter Jones, true to his word, wasn't able to just stay on a street corner. Whomever is taken to meet him will have to go to the station on his card where they'll be told to stay in the Lobby by a clerk who heads back to go fetch him.

Provided someone is willing to search him out so far to make the report.

Eastside Hospital

"How did she get injured?" Hunter Joan asks finally after so much silent as she waits outside with the plant monster.

Inside, the ER doctor and nurses go about treating their patient as best as they can without keeping her, but one of the Orderlies notices the guy acting oddly. "She'll be fine, we promise. Give us fifteen more minutes and a prescription and you all will be out of here." He promises, thinking the nervousness was just due to the woman being injured.

[Morty]

[Xar'cha Residence]

"I'm not much of a royal right now, the King admits. His posture changes slightly. He's now less tall and more stocky, although his body is still shrouded with a cloak. The presence that normally hangs behind him concentrates in this form now, making him feel more physically real. "But that is something you can help me with. I have felt that there is a descendant of fey here, and a powerful warrior, at that. Exactly the kind of..." He pauses, and his skull seems to peer closely at Ilpholin, taking her measure. But his examination goes beyond visual. He continues, as if differently than he'd originally planned. "Ally I need to reclaim my former status. Mine is a sad tale, you see, of a Lord of Faerie cast down from his throne. But were I to regain it, any who helped me do it would find that a Fae Lord is never ungrateful."

[MERC Office - Kids]

Iknika looks around and decides to charge ahead, trying to follow Eliseo and Hekta. Standing around and waiting for Dena doesn't seem very knightly.

[Murkus]

Wildside

Lenai's carved face splits at the jaw, its lower lip sliding down like a ventriloquist's dummy's and letting out a whistling, trilling note similar to a bird's call. Seems like she's already working on something in that regard, but this whole puppet was a rather spur of the moment construction, so she's just kind of winging it with forced intent and semi-divine power being thrown around willy-nilly.

A finely engraved eyebrow shifts, appearing in a raised position, as Lenai's puppet leans forwards and folds its arms beneath its woven chest, mockingly emulating a seductive pose. It whistles a slow, impatient-sounding tune, as if prompting Sticks to get on with his work.

Wildside

Sticks laughs and sets to. He retrieves a patch from his cloak and whispers a few words to it, then murmurs quickly aloud, "Tir who Shepherds the Lost, I grant you the boon of Freedom in exchange for your service."

There is a snap as a deal is made and the circle closes. Lenai, if she can see or sense ghosts, might be able to detect a change in the air. The tall man inclines his head to the Lenai-construct. "I will need to walk Tir around the perimeter of your forest. This could take a little while. I will see you... later, then?" And with a small smile he begins to lay the intangible 'fence' that will hold Lenai's beasts at bay.

[The Toy Tinker]

Jim Puck reports for work as always at Too-Early-o-Clock. The Westside haze makes mornings so odd. He'll go about opening up the shop as usual while Barnabas sweeps up, as usual.
Not as usual, Sticks has been secretive the last few days, but Jim has waved that off. It's not incredibly strange for the old mage to be working out on some secret project. He'd dare say that Sticks always has at least one of those going at all times. But it might be a few minutes at least before the elf shows himself...

[The Toy Tinker]

The tall man shows himself. Appearing in a crash of clutter from the back, what looks like huge brass cogs and film reels and various other bits and bobs. He grins as he sees Jim. He's looking much better himself these days: pale but lively looking skin, clean copper and brass instead of iron, warm fey-lights in his eyes instead of glass bulbs. It certainly must help with business.

"Jim! You will never guess where we're going." He points at a map of what looks like Riverside's streets, though it also shows the terrain and the foundation of the town. "I know where some of my old things are. I've found one of my Vaults again!"

[Halae]

[The Lotus Gardens - Training Ground]

"Go ahead. I'll watch and wait," Wenomir says, before drinking some water. He's sparred with Harnetta not long ago.

[The Lotus Gardens - Training Ground]

Harnetta pulls her red falchion off her hip. She holds it in a high guard, the grip and guard of her blade level with her face. Her wings are spread lightly, as if they could extend to allow her to take flight at any moment, while her tail swishes slowly from side to side. Her face is a mask of focus, and she reads Jezebel like the professional swordsman she is, "Ready when you are, Jez."

[Deathkeeper]

[The Toy Tinker]

"Uh, like the last one? I don't know how prepared I am to keep delving these dungeons of yours. I can't exactly go around beating all those totally necessary traps you stuck downthere with a bat. Again. You really had some serious power to be throwing around in those." Jim says, crossing his arms.
Not that their first outing went badly, not at all. But he hadn't exactly been expecting any resistance at all for old Sticks' hidden basements.

[Gullara]

[MERC Office - Kids]

"Damn, that's messed up." Does Merc know about this? Best he doesn't find out. He'll keep following. "So how far back does this go?"

[Eastside Hospital]

"Our pursuer attacked us with some manner of bound spirits." Vax replies. She doesn't feel the need to give much more detail. This whole venture has been messy enough that she's eager to conclude it.

[Malechenar Party - Dance Hall]

"Sounds like an interesting party." Kirk gives Dena a sidelong smirk. Is this where her furry story comes from? Then where does the attacking come in he wonders.

"I'm not sure I remember you there." Nadia looks at the snakes in particular. She'd have thought that'd stand out. "Did you come as something?"

[Reinholdt]

[Malechenar Party - Gardens]

Ilpholin gives Mia a nod of acknowledgement before heading into the gardens with Adir. She can't really fathom what the priestess needs to ask, but figures she's capable of finding the nymph during or after the party as needed.

Adir meanwhile gets a light elbowing in his side as they step into the garden, the awkward angle pretty much guaranteeing it won't hurt. "You better watch yourself or you won't get any wiles for yourself," she states with an observable pout. "We still don't know their game and I'd rather keep a good impression. Reputation is a fickle mistress in a white dress."

As they move further into the jungle, Ilpholin's mild annoyance dissipates into wonder, apparently as fickle as her metaphor. "This is not at all what I was expecting," she says, her voice carrying a spark of excitement. "There's so many forests and glades around that you hardly ever see jungle in the Nexus. Not since the Weald disappeared off the maps. And I never had the chance to visit the Weald myself. You grew up in a forest too, right? With that rather excitable family of yours."

[Xar'cha Residence]

Such a careful examination of Ilpholin feels strange, but not unsettling. Years of being examined closely in other no less careful ways have prepared her well. But it gives credence to his claims of being a Faerie Lord. He is decidedly operating on a level above and beyond the purely physical.

"So you wish to be King once more." A fae king could prove handy to wiping out the demon scourge from these lands. Or he could prove to be a waste of her time and talent. "What would this entail?"

[Zefir]

[Malechenar Party - Dance Hall] Lords and Generals And Priestress

Mia giggles a bit at the joke, but her expression turns normal as she speak.

"No we aren't." she says. "There are still some issues, but we came to the conclusion that a constant war will cause only harm to both sides." She makes a puase.
"Yet I didn't expect an invitation to a party."

If a servant comes by she will just take a glass of Water. Just now she doesn't feel like taking anything stronger.

[Recaiden]

Is there a 'wonderful display' here? Oh yes, there is, the sort of things rich humans like...she had already known that.
"Not...yet, at least.
Skye effects a smile.
"These traditions of costumes are new to me as well, since taking charge of Southside. It's seemed more to be about changing and overcoming than any shift of view."

[Morty]

[Xar'cha Residence]

"I need to... establish myself, you could say," the king explains, his wings spreading more widely and a faint glow waking in his eye sockets. "The King in Rags is a figure of dread. A voice in the night and nightmare. But I can't spread the fear and terror I need by myself. I need allies and minions. Ferocious and cunning ones." He pauses. "Of course, I'd need more than just sending out hordes of lesser fey to rampage around... that didn't work out very well for me last time. What would you say to an offer of being a commander in my armies?"

[Reinholdt]

[Xar'cha Residence]

"Do you grow off of any fear or does it have to be of you?" If it was the former he could just hang around the movie theaters this time of year and be back to his old self in no time. But if it was the latter, as it probably was, and she went around spreading this fear, maybe there the possibility of usurping his power and becoming the dread fey queen. An enticing-

No no no. Those thoughts were wrong. The only ones she wanted afraid were the demons. Maybe the King in Rags could feed off those. "Tempting as your offer might be, I'm already fighting a war of my own. I don't think I could spare the sort of energy and attention befitting of a proper commander to a second one."

[Murkus]

[The Toy Tinker]

"Uh, like the last one? I don't know how prepared I am to keep delving these dungeons of yours. I can't exactly go around beating all those totally necessary traps you stuck downthere with a bat. Again. You really had some serious power to be throwing around in those." Jim says, crossing his arms.
Not that their first outing went badly, not at all. But he hadn't exactly been expecting any resistance at all for old Sticks' hidden basements.

[The Toy Tinker]

"It's true! Sadly. You are woefully underequipped," Sticks agrees, fingering his bottom lip. You'd think with such a sharp finger it would be painful. "And this foray is likely to be even worse. Worse by far! So we'd better make sure you are safe for the journey."

"Tell me, lad," Sticks swipes an array of junk off his countertop with a sweep of his arm. "What can I do to make you feel more safe? Or powerful?"

[Malechenar Party - Gardens]

Ilpholin gives Mia a nod of acknowledgement before heading into the gardens with Adir. She can't really fathom what the priestess needs to ask, but figures she's capable of finding the nymph during or after the party as needed.

Adir meanwhile gets a light elbowing in his side as they step into the garden, the awkward angle pretty much guaranteeing it won't hurt. "You better watch yourself or you won't get any wiles for yourself," she states with an observable pout. "We still don't know their game and I'd rather keep a good impression. Reputation is a fickle mistress in a white dress."

As they move further into the jungle, Ilpholin's mild annoyance dissipates into wonder, apparently as fickle as her metaphor. "This is not at all what I was expecting," she says, her voice carrying a spark of excitement. "There's so many forests and glades around that you hardly ever see jungle in the Nexus. Not since the Weald disappeared off the maps. And I never had the chance to visit the Weald myself. You grew up in a forest too, right? With that rather excitable family of yours."

"Ow," Adir says with a dry chuckle, smirking down at Ilpholin as they slow a little to observe the gardens. "Watch it, I'm pretty tender there. Years of abuse." Women, always with the elbows...

"So, you think there is a plan? I'll try not to badmouth your psychosexual prowess again, m'lady," Adir promises. Though he's not as distracted by the jungle as Ilpholin, it does warrant some looking around. "The Weald just got, uh, sucked off to some place else I guess." He wags his eyebrows. "But yeah, that's right. Neither one of them has anything on Yuriain. Trees as thick as a titan's ankle, a thousand feet tall... Berry bushes that dropped these great gummy things..." Adir waggles the fingers of his free hand at Ilpholin. "Big as your head."

"But, I guess this is okay too..." Adir sniffs. How much of what he says is exaggeration or nostalgia, one couldn't possibly guess. The stag raises his eyebrows a little, looking away from Ilphy, as he realizes that last thing she said. He turns on her with another grin. "Excitable? Yeah, I bet you got them real excited..."

[Deathkeeper]

[The Toy Tinker]

Jim ponders the question.
"Well, besides helping me with what spells would actually be helpful, as illusions don't work on traps, something more sturdy than a bat and maybe some armor would be nice?" he asks.
"Preferably something that isn't going to chafe." which is an issue, with such hairy legs.

[Shadowcaller]

Malechenar Party - Dance Hall Jezebel and Cessie

"Congratulate Adir? Seems like a rather empty gesture, don't you think, Jezebel? Unless of course you believe he deserves it. It sounded like you had some reservations against the whole deal." Cessie had a few, but if it got them enough money to take care of all their children she wouldn't protest it. Quite the opposite in fact. She just didn't like the way it had happened.

[Malechenar Party - Dance Hall] - Important people!

"Very wise, everyone benefits from peace." Celestel points out. "If we would start fighting, there soon wouldn't be much of a city left to fight about. Nor would there be people who would want to live here."

"That's certainly one way to see things, pet. But not everyone sees things the same way." Ryhe turns to the General and gestures towards her with one of his tiny doll hands. "For instance, General, how do people view such things where you are form? I know first hand how difficult nexus mortality can be to adapt to."

[Malechenar Party - Dance Hall] - Dena/Kirk/Nadia/Irena

"Yeah, you probably wouldn't recognize me. I looked completely different back then." Dena claims with a chuckle, even as her snakes are all staring silently at Nadia. "But you look pretty different yourself, just how much of that is a costume exactly?" She gestures at them both.

"Pretty much everything, besides the tail that is!" Irena replies enthusiastically as she swings it out front as to present it to the pair.

[Eastside Hospital]

Nazaan grunts, and hastily turns to the nurses. "How long until she is well? Please tell me you at least have a spell caster within this house." The right ritual could heal her instantly.

Eastside - Hunter's Station

Eventually, Lady Celestel herself shows up with a couple of guards and the gorgon in tow. "It seems like there has been some kind of misunderstanding here."

[Malechenar Party - Gardens]

They can hear all sorts of insects around them and nothing else. It seems like they are alone here for now with no watchful eyes upon them.

[Morty]

[Xar'cha Residence]

If the King in Rags is disappointed, he doesn't show it. The glow in his eye sockets dims again, as he takes a few steps around Ilpholin, circling her.

"You fight a war of your own? Unfortunate, but... maybe we can still make it work." A wiry, black arm reaches out from under his cloak, the fingers twisting into strange shapes. "I propose a pact. You will carry my mark and the terror and pain you inflict on your enemies will become mine. In return, I will aid you with your efforts, once my strength waxes."