Foxside: The Temple of Inari 56 - Rice, Wine, and Spell Slots

[Rebonack]

[Guest Lobby]

Obviously the nurse is talking about eating bandits Outside.

Who would miss bandits Outside?

No one, that's who.

Because bandits are just terrible.

Rey will turn around, allowing her back to be examined.

From her shoulder blades to the small of her back, there's no skin there. Just burned, blackened wood with deep cracks and fissures running through it. The deeper bits glow like embers in a fire.

"I'm not sure if it's shape trouble or just a huldra thing?" Rey replies. "Or are you not talking about the wood?"

She's probably talking about when you turned into a monster and had trouble changing back, Rey.

[Recaiden]

Or just anyone in Skyside. Not a crime!

Teshi will run her hands along the cracked wood, exploring it.
Although careful not to burn herself.

"That I am, Grant. And Rey, I mean when you had trouble changing back into this shape?"

[Deathkeeper]

Guest Lobby

Grant nods, and stands back for a bit. He can probably be skipped for the shapeshifting lesson.

[Rebonack]

[Guest Lobby]

Rey nods.

"It felt harder when I turned into that weird fox monster."

A beat.

"Um... no offense."

Another beat.

"I mean, I guess I'm a fox monster right now, though?"

She has a fox tail, just like any proper fox monster should.

"The foxier looking fox monster."

The giant wolf sized fox. That one.

[Recaiden]

"Harder to turn into, or harder to turn back?"

Teshi almost laughs.

"None taken. You are a particularly weird fox monster."

"What else can you become?"
That's probably an important fact.

[Deathkeeper]

[Guest Lobby]

"You mean the adorable, fluffy fox monster?" Grant asks with a big smile.
Maybe she wasn't that fluffy. But she was definitely adorable. And Grant wants to compliment Rey on something.

[Rebonack]

[At the Mirror to Trog's]

"It's actually a fascinating bit of artifice," Geneva says conversationally as she steps through the mirror from Trog's and into the temple proper. "It isn't bent space as such. Instead it briefly traverses a universe that touches every location in the material world simultaneously. The range of means used for teleportation is an interesting subject, if you ask me."

She's looking for the nearest priest and or acolyte.

Why?

Well, quite clearly it's because she has business here!

Also because a newcomer is new and needs a place to stay.

The temple is pretty useful for that sort of thing.

"Trog's used to be much more violent," the hippogriff explains. "So having a direct path to the temple here was a pretty expedient."

[Zefir]

[At the Mirror to Trog's]

"It's actually a fascinating bit of artifice," Geneva says conversationally as she steps through the mirror from Trog's and into the temple proper. "It isn't bent space as such. Instead it briefly traverses a universe that touches every location in the material world simultaneously. The range of means used for teleportation is an interesting subject, if you ask me."

She's looking for the nearest priest and or acolyte.

Why?

Well, quite clearly it's because she has business here!

Also because a newcomer is new and needs a place to stay.

The temple is pretty useful for that sort of thing.

"Trog's used to be much more violent," the hippogriff explains. "So having a direct path to the temple here was a pretty expedient."

[At the Mirror to Trog's]

"An intressting concept." Karl replies. "The summoning in my worl might have something in common with this. After all we mostly open portals to specific planes and call a resident of that plane. wild guessing we make something like the mirror."

Karl takes a look around. The whole fox woreshipping is new for him and the sudden presence of a greater beeing makes him shiver. It's not alarming, just to sudden.

"What happened to Trog's? Why did it wnt more peacefull?"

[Recaiden]

Visitors! And neither of them look like they need to be whisked to the hospital area for healing!

"Greetings, neighbors; the blessings of Inari be upon you. What can we do for you today?"
There's a priestess nearby, between the door and the portal, just to run across people who have business. She has a bright blue robe with a darker blue sash, and rather than being any kind of fox, is actually a bird-person.

[Rebonack]

"The Nexus has gotten more peaceful over the years. Relatively speaking," Geneva says. "I know people have a predilection toward focusing on the 'good old days' but those sentiments aren't born out by the data. It's MUCH safer here than it was years ago."

And then a fox!

Also not a fox.

A bird of some kind.

Like Geneva! Just not a birdhorsecat.

Probably.

There aren't that many other hippogriffs in the Nexus. Or at least none that Geneva has met.

"Oh, hello there! This is Karl, he's a recent newcomer to the Nexus and is looking for a place to stay. The temple helped me out when I was trying to get my feet under me and I thought I would recommend you to him as well," she says. "I also wanted to run those optimization tests on the Ravenloft portal. I sent a message here about it last week."

[Zefir]

[Where are we?]

As Karl sees the other bird person he really is unsure where he is. Didn't this temple be some fox related place? Well, no need to mention it. After all it might be a coincidence.

"Ehh.. Yeah. What she said." Karl replies "The part about me, not the testing one."

[Recaiden]

It's definitely a fox place.
There are fox statues by the door behind you.
There's a fox-person depicted on the altar.
There's a fox-head symbol on the priestess's amulet.
There's a little fox running through the back of the room towards the garden.
There's a cartoon fox on the vending machine in the hall.

But it's not just for foxes, so there's also a bird-person (really just a human with some feathers. Nothing like Gevena's horse/cat silliness).

"Nice to meet you, Karl. I'm Bloom, a priestess here. We can definitely give you a spot in the guest quarters for a while. And let's see, last week?" She considers; does she remember a message like that? "Oh, you must be Geneva! Right? The portal is down the 2nd door on your left. Hasn't seen much use in a while now."
"And you came here by accident, Karl? The same thing happened to me, years ago now." It might be discouraging to meet someone who never got back where they came from. On the other hand, it might be helpful to see another castaway who's become happy and successful in this new world.

[Rebonack]

Horsecatbird silliness.

There are other, sillier things.

Probably.

They just aren't here right now.

"Thanks! I might be an hour or so with the tests. Good luck Karl! I'll contact you when I've made some headway with the data on your home universe."

Then off she goes!

To do nerd things.

No doubt it will be very exciting.

[Zefir]

[Temple Sanctuary - Now with 100% more birds and no fox at all]

CatBirdhorse, thougth I can't imagine that. On another thought what will be the differences. Half elfs are normaly half humans as well.

Either way. You still would assume fox people around. For Karl it seems more like birds worshipping foxes. But isn't it allways that way when you only know a small part of something?

"Hey Bloom." Karl says . "Accident is the right word. You might even say I stumbled into this. "


"Yeah sure, thanks." Karl says to Geneva. as she leaves and turns back to the priestress.
"What happened to you that you landed here?"

[Recaiden]

It is like that. As you see more of the picture, the whole thing changes.

A boy with fox ears and wearing a light grey robe walks into the sanctuary.
"Watch the altar for me, won't you novice? I've got someone to help settle in."
He gives a quick nod and goes to kneel by the statue of Inari.

"How did I get here? Well, our ship was attacked, and the lifeboat I was in washed up here in the Nexus. I was just a baby back then, so I cna't tell you details. But it wasn't where the lifepod was supposed to end up, so I guess that's an accident too."

Bloom will Lead Karl out of the sanctuary, through the gardens (where you see a full-on fox-person and a dryad tending the new saplings) over the bridge, past the koi pond, and towards the guest quarters.

"What can you tell me about yourself, Karl?"

Geneva will find the portal buried behind a stack of boxes, but otherwise it's right where the priestess said.
Hopefully she has fun.

[Zefir]

[Temple Sanctuary - Walking]

Wow, that is quiet a difference. Sure you didn't wanna go to your homeworld if you never knew it. At least not so much then Karl does.

"So you got no idea about your homeworld?" he asks. "Guess your story would be less then an accident for me. Back in my world I was an adventurer. Kind of a common lifestyle there. We got a lot of monsters and wars going. Most include family wars. I lost my memorie when I arrived here, but got it back mostly. Only the part between lossing and getting it back is missing."

[Recaiden]

Karl is a mystery.
"You lost your memory? Oh, how awful." How can he really know that the memories he got back are true and actually happened to him? Especially if they took place in another world, what if it's all a fantasy?

"Well, I've heard some things about it. But very little. And I think the Nexus sounds better."
"You know, there are lots of adventurers here too. Do you think you're going to continue in that profession?"

[Zefir]

[Temple Sanctuary - Walking]

"It's not a great deal, I got most back." Karl says. And he can easily confirm that it's the truth. The skills he got there are the same he can use so it is at least very close.

"Maybe. I'm not sure things will be the same here." he says. "I got some differetn monsters in my world, but they aren't the same here. Are there any places to leave for an adventure? Or do they got a tavern for adventurers?"

[Recaiden]

"That's good. I was worried you might have had amnesia a long time, and then lost a lot of your new memories."

They had inside the guest quarters, where a fox-man in yellow robes will get Karl's name and situation, then assign him a room. It's a cozy and clean enough place, but it's probably styles and furniture Karl's not used to. He is, after all, in a strange new land.

"Ah, yes. There's is an adventure place, it's called Heroes' Hearth. Plus there's Trog's Tavern, you can get right back there from the portal in the sanctuary, and the Black Dragon's Den, down by the sea."
"I don't usually look for adventure myself. Plenty of it ends up finding you already, you know?

[Zefir]

[Temple Grounds - Walking]

"Kyoshin Style." he mumbels as he gets in the house. Suprisingly Karl appears familiar with the furniture and style, at least to a certain point. Like he doesn't get the TV (if there is any).

Karl titlts his head in confusion. "Find yourself?" he asks irritated. "Not sure if you mix that up with a search for inner peace or such crap." he shuts himself. "Sorry for that. Just ... well ... me and those things never came together. I'm not the man for that."

"Trog's appeared to me like "The first place you mention for everything' Adventure, food, meetings whatever you get there. I try Heroes' Hearth next time i go out."

[Recaiden]

There's no TV in the rooms, but there is one in the lobby, showing fox news.

The priestess smiles less for a moment. How rude!
But he did apologize right away.
"I don't mean metaphorically, although we do that too, and I encourage you to give self-reflection another try."
"I mean adventure happens here pretty often." she tries to explain.

[Zefir]

[Temple Grounds - Guest Qaurters]

"Maybe I do." he says leaving no room for more talking about inner peace stuff. After all he got no tragic backstory or maybe he does?

"Here as 'in the nexus' or here as 'in this ground'?"

[Recaiden]

Hmm, he clearly doesn't want to talk about religious matters, and that's fine. The high priest is very clear about not pushing these things on people. She leaves the topic alone.

"Well, both. I never have explored this city much, but the temple grounds can be eventful enough."
At just this moment, one of the gardeners (he's a jackal-person, not a fox-person, though I'm not sure Karl will appreciate the difference) races by, sees them through the windows, and bursts in through the door.
"Priestess! And a human. Thank goodness!"

[Zefir]

"You should go. They got a lot of fancy stuff." Karl replies befor the man can come. Trains and cars are just one thing that had suprised him but maybe there is something the priestress never saw?

Karl indeed has no idea how to get the difference. Especially since his world is hunted by monster which causes several animal races to disapear from his world. It's obviouse that Karl is a bit upset when the Jackal person just calls him humanoid. Sure it happens sometimes but this situation calls for a 'guest' instead of 'human'. Maybe this can be talked out later, siunce he seeems to be in a hurry.

"Whats up?" he just asks.

[Recaiden]

"I probably should, but it's so busy here, and there's so much that can go wrong out in the city, I never-" She breaks off when the gardener rushes in.

He explains-
"There's a monster that's torn into the new fields! It has some effect on the Fen- on the foxes. You've gotta do something!"

[Zefir]

Karl appears confused for a moment. He is not sure if the guy means him or the priestress, but after a moment he realizes that the guy means him. Since it has 'It has some effect on the Fen- on the foxes.' it might not effect him. Still he needs a bit more informations first.

"Tell me what exactly this monster is AND what kind of effects does it have?"

[Recaiden]

He explains, with a bit of confusion, since he doesn't know exactly what's going on himself.
"It seemed like it was just a normal fox, but hurt from how it was wailing."
"Then it grew gigantic, and we knew it must be a spirit or something, and then it burnt up a whole patch of the fields. People started crying and collapsed, and then a few started walking up to the monster like they're hypnotized."

[Zefir]

"That sounds wired. First it burns then it hypnotize." Karl looks at his bare hand. He closes it and opens it, which causes some circle to appear. With his other hand he shiftes the circles to create the summoning pattern he wants.
"So there may be some innocent next to it?. That is kind of troublesome." He stops his moving. "Maybe I got an idea. are you effected by certain noise?like a whistle or so? Maybe if they hear that noise they will break the hypnosis. If you know what I mean."

He starts preparing to head out which goes very fast since he got no gear to take on.

[Recaiden]

"Never seen anything like it. So you'll help? Oh, thank you!"

The priestess chimes in. "A signal horn would get the most reaction. I'll go fetch one from the stores!"

It helps to travel light, I guess.

[Zefir]

Karl nods as he goes on for the scnene. he will wait for the horn. He had thought of something like a dog whistle or such, but that may do the trick as well. He just needs to adjust the plan. He pulls at his circle dragging out a second layer. This one contain some more use based summon with no combat capabilities. Most of those summons aren't even bound to a creature like the other summons. Which makes it sometimes a guessing game.

Eitehr way, if he comes close, which he either notice by hearing or seeing, he makes a short summoning. A baloon like creature appears. The creature appears to have thin reptilian skin is around 2 meter tall and nearly transparent. two eyes are on top and on his side and bottom he got fish like flowed.

"When you are ready, put the horn against him and blow as best as you can. Don't wonder if you hear nothing it swallows the sounds. After that drop the horn and cover your ears."