Inside 66: Order up!

[Deathkeeper]

[Curious Curios]

"Why don't we get it for you, then?" Aly suggests.

Curious Curios

"Well, okay. But we should get something for you!" Sam insists. He can't be the only one to get something!
"What about these?" he asks, pointing to a shelf that contains a wristlet of animal shape, a guardian plant's seed, stilletto heels of protection from knives, and a pet scorpion wonderous figurine.

[Artemis97]

[Curious Curios]

"Ooh, those heels are cute." Aly'ithra decides. She then reads the card. "And useful."

[Devixer]

Kushiro Inn

"I... Do not know that word. What is 'demon'?" Makuro could probably be mistaken for a tiefling or something of that ilk herself, or at least mistaken for just about anything that isn't human. She'll follow Kelko if the other girl leaves, however.

"What is - demons are beings from the underworld, basically. At least they were, until I came here. Now there's like eighty definitions of the word." The clerk rolls his eyes a little. "Best not to get caught up in it all. You'll figure it out." Keiko turns toward the door, and they can likely find their way to their room.

Bayt Alshshay

Naku is very much surprised at the table choice, but obviously doesn't mind a nice corner table.
B-because backs to the wall means you can't get ambushed.
Not because they're closer or anything.
"Oh." Is about all Naku manages to mumble, looking down at her own weapon. "I do try to be respectful, but, um, in this case, it's honestly safer if I just keep it with me."
Then Naku looks at the menu, and blinks several times as she realizes she can't actually read it at all. Her face starts to flush slightly as the lines of . . . scribbles, for all she could make out, slipped past her gaze.

"If you are certain, then I shall explain it to our server." Iamar is having no trouble reading the menu, as it is written in the same language as the sign on the wall.

In a moment, a rather scrawny man, dressed in a fine raiment, approaches their table, and gives a small bow. "As-salaam ‘alaykum. Lady Shalhoub, you grace us with your presence. And you have brought a friend as well?"
Iamar closes her eyes for a moment, then looks up at the man. Wa ‘alaykum salaam. More, an acquaintance, I suppose. But she shall not pose any trouble."

[Recaiden]

Telue appeared here and, unfortunately, decided she should probably get as far as possible from her strange attacker.
So she picked a direction and started walking briskly away. Her levitating luggage has yet to catch up, though it's doing its best. However, the newcomer can't help slowing down to marvel politely at some of the strange sights of the Nexus (here a building apparently made entirely of wildflowers, there a dark elf fencing with a figure of living light, over there a robot going about its shopping). Looks like she's going to end up on the docks if she continues on that way.

Probably it will be fine. It's not like she's at risk of wandering into a park and dying. Well, okay, maybe that's exactly the sort of thing that could happen. But it hasn't happened yet.

[bc56]

Streets behind Trog's
Alewer emerges from the tavern a little bit later and climbs onto the roof, hoping to see something. The white-armored Toa of Ice looks for the luggage. If he sees it, he follows it.

[Recaiden]

Well look at that, it's the luggage. It seems to have gotten stuck in a particularly deep pothole. It shouldn't be any trouble to go over to it and set it free.
If one can get to it in time.
Alewer might notice that atop another nearby roof there's a small figure in an eight-piece-cap, currently attempting to hook the luggage with a heavy-duty fishing line.

[bc56]

Streets

Alewer walks toward the luggage, intending to pull it out. If the fisherman catches it, he'll conjure ice on their line to slow them down.

[Recaiden]

The next cast of the hook sends the line spinning around the luggage's handle (it still needs a grip to lift, even if it gets from place to place mostly on its own), and the luggage is caught!
But he seems to be having some trouble reeling it in as the line and rod ice up.
With a curse at the fickle spring weather, the fisherboy tries to get the line working again.

Which gives Alewer time to reach the luggage himself. Now they both have a hold of it!

[bc56]

Streets
Alewer draws his spear and attempts to slash through the line. He holds the luggage in his free hand.

[Recaiden]

The fishing line snaps easily, prompting an angry cry from the fisherboy.
"Ey! What're you doing, big guy? That's my catch, fair and square!"
It does not seem like he's keen to come down from his perch, though.

The luggage tilts slightly in Alewer's grip, wanting to continue on after its owner.

[Mee]

Bayt Alshshay

"If you are certain, then I shall explain it to our server." Iamar is having no trouble reading the menu, as it is written in the same language as the sign on the wall.

In a moment, a rather scrawny man, dressed in a fine raiment, approaches their table, and gives a small bow. "As-salaam ‘alaykum. Lady Shalhoub, you grace us with your presence. And you have brought a friend as well?"
Iamar closes her eyes for a moment, then looks up at the man. Wa ‘alaykum salaam. More, an acquaintance, I suppose. But she shall not pose any trouble."

Bayt Alshshay

"Thank you very much." Naku's still rather feeling a bit awkward, but that's definitely, deeeefinitely just because of the menu and the setting.
For sure.
"I promise. I'll behave." She assures the waiter with a happy smile.

[bc56]

The Streets

Alewer releases the luggage and follows it to Telue.

[Recaiden]

The luggage races off after its mistress, finding her at the ocean's edge, where two piers intersect, looking out over the water.
Telue puts a hand on the luggage, patting it like a well-behaved dog.
"Alewer, you've come with me?"
She wonders, but does not ask 'why?'

[bc56]

The Docks

"I battled the cataphract until he asked for a truce. If he's after you, there may be more, and I need answers. Why was he trying to take you prisoner?" Alewer seems tense, tapping his spear against the ground, where it forms small patterns of frost.

[Devixer]

Bayt Alshshay

"Thank you very much." Naku's still rather feeling a bit awkward, but that's definitely, deeeefinitely just because of the menu and the setting.
For sure.
"I promise. I'll behave." She assures the waiter with a happy smile.

The server glances at Naku and her sword. "If Lady Shalhoub gives her assurance, then I shall trust her judgement. Now then, may I start coffee for each of you?"
Iamar nods. "If you please."

[Rebonack]

[The Docks]

That Guy steps out of the Black Dragon's Den and onto the docks. He is, for the record, pretty unremarkable looking. No tail. No horns. No weird ears. Generically modern attire. No glowing eyes or halos or anything. He could easily blend in with a crowd of NPCs, assuming the NPCs aren't equestrians or kobolds or something weird like that. Given that this is the Nexus, weird NPCs is kind of par for course, but that's neither here nor there.

"No sharks AND a coherent scene transition? Color me surprised," he mutters as he moves to the edge of the dock into the brackish water. He takes in the briny smell, the bits of refuse sitting on the surface, the muscles and barnacles clinging to the pilings, that jellyfish slowly pulsing its way through the water on some mindless errand. And in it all, that feeling of insulation for lack of a better word is missing. This is, without a doubt, NOT the Dreamlands. And he really needed to be SURE of that little fact. Being out in the Waking World, even if it isn't HIS Waking World, is a bit of a game changer.

Ships coming and going. That's always interesting to watch. The eclectic grab-bag of styles is pretty striking. He recalls that little detail from his last visit.

But, alas, he's not here to admire ships.

He begins moving from one ship to the next, pausing every now and again to give a shrill whistle.

More than a few sailors begin eyeing him suspiciously.

[Earl of Purple]

Kushiro Inn

"Under World? What can be under a sphere?" Is what Makuro mutters as she heads to their room. Or possibly rooms. Hopefully there's two beds, though it'd be a big bed to fit Makuro without her feet hanging out.

[Recaiden]

"I battled the cataphract until he asked for a truce. If he's after you, there may be more, and I need answers. Why was he trying to take you prisoner?" Alewer seems tense, tapping his spear against the ground, where it forms small patterns of frost.

"Some seven hundred years ago, in my home, there was a war. One side lost their homeland, the other side their freedom. Both disappeared from the pages of history and continued their struggle in the shadows. Hardly to do with me at all. But technically there has never been peace. It was twenty generations since the Court founder's great battle, the end of the fighting - until just last year."
"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that our old enemies have made it here as well. But I was very surprised they still exist, and still care, after all this time. So pointless."

Telue faces Alewer, paying no attention to the weird whistling man over by those ships. Is he trying to help? Or do the terms of the truce include recapturing her?

[bc56]

The Docks
"Telue. If you will need protection, I can come with you. It seems like that guy is only taking a break. Alewer is on the lookout, and seeing the whistling man doesn't help. He looks suspicious.

[Recaiden]

"Then I had best be going quickly, hadn't I?" Telue says.
"I wouldn't think of asking someone whom I had just met to come along just for my protection. Besides, it would be foolish to come to this world at all without making preparatinos for its dangers." Meaning that she has such preparations, as who would announce themselves as a fool? Moreover, however nice Alewer is, she doesn't trust him with anything that important.
But she couldn't just decline.
Giving the Toa a smile, she sets off down the pier. Surely she will find an approachable-seeming native of the city sooner or later.

[bc56]

Docks
Alewer recognizes a silent "no" when he hears it, and turns the other way and heads back into the city.

[Mee]

The server glances at Naku and her sword. "If Lady Shalhoub gives her assurance, then I shall trust her judgement. Now then, may I start coffee for each of you?"
Iamar nods. "If you please."

"Yes please." Is about the extend of the words Naku's able to make out, with an at-least somewhat assured smile. Which doooes manage to show more than a little bit of her teeth.

[Artemis97]

[The Docks]

That Guy steps out of the Black Dragon's Den and onto the docks. He is, for the record, pretty unremarkable looking. No tail. No horns. No weird ears. Generically modern attire. No glowing eyes or halos or anything. He could easily blend in with a crowd of NPCs, assuming the NPCs aren't equestrians or kobolds or something weird like that. Given that this is the Nexus, weird NPCs is kind of par for course, but that's neither here nor there.

"No sharks AND a coherent scene transition? Color me surprised," he mutters as he moves to the edge of the dock into the brackish water. He takes in the briny smell, the bits of refuse sitting on the surface, the muscles and barnacles clinging to the pilings, that jellyfish slowly pulsing its way through the water on some mindless errand. And in it all, that feeling of insulation for lack of a better word is missing. This is, without a doubt, NOT the Dreamlands. And he really needed to be SURE of that little fact. Being out in the Waking World, even if it isn't HIS Waking World, is a bit of a game changer.

Ships coming and going. That's always interesting to watch. The eclectic grab-bag of styles is pretty striking. He recalls that little detail from his last visit.

But, alas, he's not here to admire ships.

He begins moving from one ship to the next, pausing every now and again to give a shrill whistle.

More than a few sailors begin eyeing him suspiciously.

[The Docks]

Raril follows That Guy from ship to ship, staying on the dock, however. He knew better than to piss off some crusty sailor by trespassing on their boat.

"Why are you whistling?" Raril asks when That Guy gets off the next ship.

[Rebonack]

[The Docks]

Well, strictly speaking That Guy hasn't boarded any of the ships.

Yet.

But he has been moving out along the peers and doing that odd whistle of his.

At Raril's question he pauses, but only briefly, to explain his actions. "Whistling offends kobolds. And offending a kobold is the fastest way to get his attention."

With that, he moves to the next ship, gives his shrill whistle again, and-!

Suddenly there's a rather grizzled looking... humanish... thing? wearing a yellow rain slicker with a pipe sticking out of his mouth standing about half-way down the gang-plank. It couldn't be more than two feet tall. The strange little goblin immediately begins berating That Guy.

In German.

That Guy replies in kind, though his tone sounds far less confrontational.

At the sound of all this, more than a few sailors wail in despair and avert their eyes. Seeing a ship's kobold is dreadful luck.

After a few minutes of exchange, That Guy extracts a piping hot meal consisting of stir-fried meats and vegetables from somewhere and offers it to the kobold, who seems placated by this gesture. The plate of food is taken, whereupon both the plate and the kobold vanish from sight. The sailors begin shouting at That Guy to leave, which he seems happy to do at this point.

"Well! That was informative. Our little buddy there said he knows of a whole bunch of awful stuff going down," That Guy says brightly as he begins tromping away from the moored ships. "Apparently The Goblin King teamed up with The Boogie Man and they've been snatching children. They somehow managed to get The Morgwyn to help him. How anyone could convince that cat to do anything cooperative is beyond me. The Moddy Dhoo and its hounds have been hunting down anyone and anything with a connection to the Far Realm. That's quite a few big-name Daoine Sidhe causing a ruckus. And I guess there's some other fae lord skulking about causing trouble, too. One I've never heard of. Does the name 'The King in Rags' ring any bells for you, mister elf?"

[Artemis97]

[The Docks]

Raril shakes his head. "No, but the kidnapped kids sounds familiar. There was a group of them taken from the park somewhat recently. Parents were pissed, of course. You said someone was after people with connections to the Far Realms? That's... That's not good news for me." The drow frowns. "My kids, well, most of them, they're farspawn... sort of. My wife is of the Far Realms herself. I don't have a direct connection, but I've been touched by that place often enough, it must have left a trace."

[Rebonack]

[The Docks]

"Do you know WHERE these abductions took place?" That Guy inquires. "The kobold was pretty tight-lipped about that."

Maybe he's expecting to find some sort of evidence there?

At the mention of his wife, Raril is given an appraising look. "Really? That's... umm... huh. Okay."

How does one even respond to a revelation like that, anyway?

"Well, be on the lookout for barghests I guess? They're rarely friendly to begin with."

That implies that some of them ARE friendly, which is interesting in and of itself. Usually one wouldn't consider giant black ghost hounds to be the most amiable of company.

That Guy continues on down the docks, past a fishmonger with a collection of weird deep-sea critters that don't look particularly appetizing. Raril will have a weird eel brandished at him as he passes. Would Raril like to purchase a weird eel?

"When you say she's from the Far Realm, what... eerr... scale are we talking here? Is she one of the little things or one of the big things?"

[Artemis97]

[The Docks]

Raril sidesteps the eel brandishing fishmonger with a polite "No thank you," keeping up with That Guy.

"The kids were taken from the Playground in the Playground, I think. Calm place, most of the time, unlike some of the city's parks. Also the start of adventures. Went on a dungeon crawl there once, started in the little plastic cave. You never know what you'll find down there." As to his wife. "Zee is an aspect of Ragnorra, pretty big from what I understand. I've also got a scummy little doppelganger called Vice around. Parasitic thing, from was Zee told me. He burst out of my chest. That...that was a bad day."

[Rebonack]

[The Docks]

The fishmonger is disappointed. He was so sure Raril would enjoy a weird eel.

"Alright, sounds like I'm visiting a playground, then," That Guy muses as he continues on his way. There's no reason why he should have any idea where that is, but that hasn't ever stopped anyone before, has it? Just makes the journey more of an adventure. He slips down a narrow alley between a barrel-wright and a fish canning plant and finds himself at a wall rather rudely blocking his path. He considers this for a few moments before taking in a sharp breath and tensing-

-which for some reason causes him to casually levitate up into the air.

He steps off the nothing he's presently standing on and continues his stroll. It's pretty nice up there, actually. One of those cut stone walls that doubles as a foot path with an ornate brass railing and the occasional bench and water fountain. Perfect for taking a walk whilst admiring the sea. None of the people up there even blink when That Guy pops over the rail and begins considering where to head from here. After all, how common is it that people can fly or levitate under their own power around here?

He'll wait for Raril, since everyone knows that D&D drow can levitate for some reason.

"I'll admit I don't know much about the Far Realm," That Guy muses aloud. "Just the basics, really. I know they've, like, platonic ideals. Or something. Ragnnora's the information one, right? Like... biological information? Living things? The fertility goddess?" he gives a bit of a laugh at that. "Of course Ashera would hook up with comely mortals. That's her thing after all, isn't it?"

[UncleWolf]

Main Gate
The hero is sent flying. He hits the ground hard, further injuring his leg, and crumples, maybe unconscious.

[Truck -> Main Gate]

"Yeah yeah, oversized wolf with an ego, got it. Don't make him grumpy or he'll kick a building over. I- look, just leave, please? One way or another, I don't care, I've got bigger-" Mid-conversation, Ithuriel pauses for a moment to watch as the wolf's opponent is sent flying through the air, wincing as he crashes to the ground. "-problems. Like making sure he's still alive. Ugh!" Ithuriel lets out a frustrated growl and spreads her wings. "Lemme put it this way, I'm going to have to hunt down your little group eventually but if I find out that you caused any trouble, I'll be coming for you first." With that she leaps into the air, wings beating furiously to gain a little height before she glides low...

...and touches down beside the hero, stepping in front of him and spreading her wings wide. As her radiant aura passes over him, he should feel the tingling of divine magic pouring into him, seeking to heal his wounds and bring him back to consciousness. She folds her arms and glares at the wolf. "Back down, fuzzball. You've had your fun. Now please leave before anyone else gets seriously injured."

Main Gate

The Wolf casts a glance at the likely unconscious man and gives a snort when the truck pulls up. The wolf looks over Ithuriel before looking back at the truck and giving a sigh. He twists his head quickly, causing a loud crack before he jerks his head back. A large fang the size of a dagger lands near the would-be hero to stick into the asphalt. Give that to the man when he awakens. Whatever he does with it is his choice. He was amusing. Prince says before stepping into the back of the truck. The fang is sharper and stronger than steel would be, and naturally freezing cold.

The Driver shakes his head at the show and kicks the truck into gear, but stops to look at the angel again. "Yanno, if ya want to see what we do, then head on over to Raider's Cove sometime. Ain't what ya think. Then again, maybe it is." He says with a shrug before driving the truck on out of town.

The Docks

The final few vehicles arrive and the raiders quickly set about strapping those down. They finish up just as Brokenfang arrives. She doesn't even have to speak and just gives a small whirl of a hand to cast the barge into motion. Mere minutes after the raid arrived, The Porkchop Express departs. Most of the city probably wouldn't even hear about the raid for a while longer, with the only real evidence left behind the two busted modified semi-trucks at the gate itself.

[Artemis97]

[The Docks]

Only the nobility can levitate for some reason. But Raril doesn't feel like wasting his limited levitation time just to scale a wall, not when he can smell there's adventure afoot. The drow takes a few steps back and then runs at the wall, planting one foot, propelling himself upwards, planting another foot, to give him just a bit more verticality, and grabbing the top of the wall with one outstretched hand. A little scrabbling and Raril lifts himself up easily, rolling over the railing to land on his feet. He grins at That Guy, somewhat proud of his little feat of acrobatics. He was getting older, but he wasn't old yet.

"You've got it." Raril confirms. "Though Zee's a bit different than your usual fertility goddess. Fertile, yes, but a brush with a deity called Deios kind of...mellowed her out a bit? Gave her values, good ones. She's not all Far Realms scary anymore."