Outside 48: Hotter than Inside

[Murkus]

[The Joining House]

"You talk like that fluffly little tail of yours gives much of an edge," Blanche smirks back, tearing off a piece and popping it into her mouth. "And I'm not entirely sure. They could have come from either of my parents, but I did get my mom's colors, so maybe it was actually her." She avoids continuing the topic of what stories her own past offers, commenting "But I'm sure you've got your own stories to whittle out, especially about all your scars." Her cerise eyes watch his reaction intently, trying to gauge just how well he got the message that she didn't want anything whittled out.

"Hey! It is not fluffy! Or little! Exactly! Well, it doesn't look so little in this form at least..." Votsona feigns annoyance, hiding a smile. He tries to keep it up when she asks about his scars, but he isn't quite that stoic. Still, he narrows his intact eye in a smirk. "Yes, well, maybe you can hear about them if you go about it the right way, hm?"

[Nova_Eclipse]

[A Different Sort of Party]

"I'm hoping the rest of it will be quiet by comparison," Electra says resignedly, "But at this point, I'm not expecting it."

[Reinholdt]

[New Inside]

A dark skinned 'human' woman with moderately length black hair and brown eyes head here. Unless there's some reason she needs to stop at the border, she'll head in straight for the largest Hospital with the intent to find out where the Fey that were admitted recently are currently.

[Fendrick]

[Edelina's Farm]

Edelina arrives at her farm. Up a winding driveway, atop a slight hill stands a ramshackle brick farm house. The house itself is quite large, it looks to be made up of a central building with extensions built on all four sides. There is a worn wooden porch, and a large brown wooden door with peeling paint at the entrance. To the north of the house is a large field, and to the east is a large barn. The driveway approaches from the south, and there is a fenced field to the west. Beyond the northern field is a dense forest, where Edelina likes to go hunting often. Edelina knows the forest well.

Edelina points to the north. 'I think I last saw my sister headed that way.'

[Morty]

[Dismal Swamp]

"Is that so." The voice of the King in Rags is like a whisper, but it echoes around the swamp. Which continues to be still and silent. "I see that the memories are indeed much stronger. Why did you help me, if you didn't know me or my servant?"

[Edelina's Farm]

Dipsnig is seated in a saddle on Rigu's back, the wolf carrying him easily.

"She might have gone into the forest, then. How well does she know it?"

[A Different Sort of Party]

"I think Magtok might just attract trouble without even trying," Fayyaad says. "Good luck, Electra."

[Ashen Lilies]

[A Different Sort of Party]

The rabbit unfreezes after a few moments, and Electra's voice chimes in.

"Ok, question time, sorry to interrupt. Can you describe Malice, please? I just want to confirm the info I've gotten about what he looks like. Also, I'd like to know a bit more about the compensation you were to receive. How much was he paying? Did he pay any of it up front, or was it all contingent on success?"

[City out of Time]

This time both of Electra's eyebrows raise in curiosity.

"That sounds like an interesting tale. Perhaps you can share it while we walk?" She gestures towards the road leading down into the camp. "And now that my curiosity is piqued, I do have to know, how the heck do you resurrect a dragon?"

[City out of Time]

Cass nods, walking down the road with Electra.
"Well, I didn't do anything. The fae lord did. I just led him there. Along with some other adventurers."

[Shadowcaller]

[New Inside]

A dark skinned 'human' woman with moderately length black hair and brown eyes head here. Unless there's some reason she needs to stop at the border, she'll head in straight for the largest Hospital with the intent to find out where the Fey that were admitted recently are currently.

[New Inside - Castilia]

The outer border of New Inside is actually relatively simple to pass if you avoid the roads. Though there are unofficial groups that zelously guard this border as well, this 'human' does not come across any of them on her way to the hospital.

For reference, 'New Inside' is a bit more than just the city itself. Having to be self-sustaining in the old days the area which encompasses the map label actually contain more rural farmlands. Advanced farming mostly done through drones that span across wide open fields. The only things that break this monotony is the occasional forest and of course the roads going between the farmers, the suburbs and of course New Inside itself.

But one particular road leads to a facility that couldn't stand out more in this landscape, the border hospital of Castilia. It consists of several tall buildings that are all connected through skyways leading between them.
While the main entrance looks welcoming enough with soft white colors this visitor might note that some of the hospitals buildings have barred windows or are completely lacking them. As there are no other hospitals around, this has to be where the fey were taken.

The parking lot has a number of military-looking veichles parked in specially designated zones and there seem to be security cameras even here. Yet no one stops her from going up to the front desk. There wasn't even a waiting line. "Hello m'am, are you looking for something?" A young woman in a nurse uniform asks her. Her name tag reads "Savannah Espin".

[Arkhosia]

The Joining House

”Or perhaps I simply won’t pry into things that deserve to be kept close to the chest.” Votsona’s response wasn’t the answer that Blanche had expected to hear, but she manages not to let it catch her off-guard.

However, she does raise an eyebrow. “‘Not so little in this form’, huh? Is there some other shape you prefer to take on?”

Another Sort of Party

Cantata nods as Fayyaad speaks, wishing Electra luck as well, but does not add anything else.

[CosmicHobbit]

Dismal Swamp

Thryscir shrugs. "Few reasons, really. I've always come into the past worlds I've been in with a bang, but not a good one. I thought I would help somebody out for a change." Something about his tone suggests it really was "for a change", and not out of any kindheartedness. "Second, your servant elf here has a trustworthy face. Third, he said we could go out and check for drinks or something once we got this done." He speaks plainly and rather bluntly, seeing no reason to obscure the truth from this obvious nature demon. Or at least, he thinks it's a nature demon.

[Morty]

[Dismal Swamp]

Amalungak looks rather perplexed. This is the first time anyone has ever said he has an honest face.

"Refreshingly straightforward." Whether or not the King does find it refreshing is hard to tell. His rat-skull of a head doesn't exactly have expressions and his eyes just gleam with pale blue light all the time. "But you have done a service for me, and I do not leave such unrewarded."

"He desires one of your hunting hounds, my King."

"Truly? An odd wish, but one easily granted. Though I see you have lost an arm in this endeavor."

[City out of Time]

As the two women approach the camp, they're quickly noticed by its inhabitants. Quite a few dwarves hustle and bustle there. Workers, porters, soldiers, warriors, scholars, scouts and sorcerers, by the looks of it. Many stops what they're doing to look at them, but two in particular come out to meet them. One is a wiry female dwarf with dark skin, dark blue-dyed hair and a tattoo on her weather-worn face. She's wearing a leather jacket and a dark blue cloak, with a short, curved bow unstrung on her back. The other one is an agitated-looking old, balding dwarf with a long, greying beard, wearing a red robe threaded with black.

"Welcome to our camp. You must be from MERC... oh, it's you." She finally recognizes Cassandra. "But I don't recognize your friend. I'm Shayna Gleeveck and I'm in charge of this expedition."

"You are not," says the other dwarf indignantly.

"There are some jurisdiction problems."

[CosmicHobbit]

Dismal Swamp

Thryscir will call anything an honest face so long as it isn't immoving and isn't obviously suspicious.

He nods. "I'd rather have the hound than an arm, but both would be great! Oh, and is there any chance the hound could act less like a sworn protector and more like an actual dog?" He seems to have his heart set on having a pet while in this world.

[Nova_Eclipse]

[City out of Time]

"Huh, interesting," Electra says. She's not sure there's much more to ask, and they've reached the camp anyways. She nods to the few dwarves that acknowledge the pair, and listens as Shayna introduces herself. She gives the pair a confident smile. She's always liked the dwarves she's met in the Nexus, and these two seem to be similar to the others she's met so far.

"Electra," she says, offering a hand. "Do we need to work out the jurisdictional problem before we get started, then?"

[Deathkeeper]

[Edelina’s Farm]

Kray watches impassively from behind Dipsnig as he handles the investigation. During the trip she’s geared up with some leather padding for her upper body as well as her weapon harness. For now she stays silent.

[Recaiden]

Universe A

"I... I wanted both. One to vivisect. Find out how they work, maybe trap their souls and quiz them on their biology, see if there was anything I could use. The other- I'd have summoned a demon into them, bound it to my will. It'd be stronger bound into a living person rather than a corpse. I... I hoped I might be able to convince you they were both dead, not paralysed, but I've done too much in too short a time. My powers need to coalesce, and I couldn't paralyse the second." The fangs enter Benedict's body and he's just able to pull out a small glass bottle before he finds himself unable to move. He's glad he's still breathing, and focuses on that. Well, that and the skeletons; now he can't move his own body, Benedict puppeteers his minions to a greater degree, able to direct their attacks at the monster's eyes, nostrils and maybe even its tongue.

One of the skeletons has had its ribs smashed by the flailing limbs, and both have been decapitated by the swords. They should aim at the spine for best results; they don't need most of their bones, so attacks directed at their torsos aren't very effective.

The wasp dodges around the fighting skeletons and stands over Benedict, glaring. It's too bad she doesn't understand what he's saying, really.

"No demons." Moschu insists. That's the important part.
But also, how greedy. Their agreement clearly indicated that she should get two of the living wasps, didn't it?

The spider steps over the paralyzed occultist and leaps to help her monster, aiming to splinter a skeleton's arms and/or shoulder apart with her forelegs.

Speaking of the monster, it seems to have lost an eye to the skeleton's claws. Which makes it, personally, angry. Sure, it'll get better eventually. But right now it's hurt and mad. It gathers itself up and lunges in, trying to get its jaws around the other skeleton's spine, below the ribs, and bite it in half.

Universe B

Benedict doesn't pursue, still a bit drained by the paralysing touch used on the other wasp. Instead, the skeletons start to move a little more naturally as they run after the fleeing wasp, directed by Benedict as he waits for his reservoir to refill. If they catch up, the wasp will find they aren't as stilted on the attack as they were, though as Benedict isn't really a brawler (and isn't even much of a swordsman) they still aren't the best combatants.

The wasp's homeworld has its own physics-defying horrors, so the Hound of Tindalos emerging from the corner doesn't shock her as much as it could. She brandishes both of the skeletons' swords, twirling them in wide, slow arcs, and buzzes something at the Hound, circling aggressively around it.

Moschu wouldn't call it physics-defying. Just using a broader set of physics than most creatures.

The Hound maneuvers to keep itself between the wasp and the door. It just needs to give the skeletons and the spider time to catch up.
Look, here they are now!
"Just give up! There's no way out!" Moschu instructs the wasp, forgetting that it can't understand.

[UncleWolf]

[Treehouses]

Oh! Treeisa leans out and snatches the bag out of the air. She snorts and laughs. "You got that right. Nothing like getting laid to mellow out." She laughs. Before Leap starts climbing up, Treeisa starts plucking the jewelry out of her leaves and stowing it in the bag as well.

Treehouses

"Aww. Now why are you removing all that? I thought it looked quite nice." Leap bemoans when she notices all the jewelry being removed. "Though admittedly I thought you were some kind of dryad rather than a Magpie." She teases before taking a few long moments to look Treeisa over. "If you've got nowhere to go and you want a place to shack up for a bit, I can make a hammock for two. I can even breakfast. Well, if you eat the same stuff I do anyway. You're the first I've met so I admit I'm out of my element here."

Triple B - Ambrosia

"I am both actually. If you give me a moment, I can show you." Ambrosia offers.
Assuming Lydia agrees to it, the scholar will start to walk off. "I'll be back in a minute. Need to exit this body." She could technically do that in front of Lydia but she didn't feel very comfortable having a relative stranger looking over her empty human body.

Eventually, a large, though signitificantly smaller than Lydia, dragon comes flying towards her. It then stops and inclines its head in a nod. "Greetings once more."

The Triple B - Ambrosia

Lydia nods and waits for Ambrosia to return, though when the scholar does come back she'll find that the dragon has gone back to her full form to stretch out under the stars. "Now there is a gorgeous dragon." Lydia coos, staring at Ambrosia as if hypnotized. "Why would you ever want to hide that form here? You're absolutely beautiful. Only a fool without any taste wouldn't love to gawk and stare at you."

Camping Trip

Koshal nods, though the fire is a bit...alarming.
"Please don't set the forest on fire." he tells the monster.
"Um...did you want to show it anything, Master Wenomir?" he asks, unsure how to proceed.

[Camping Trip]

"I think I have an idea," Wenomir says, watching the Glavenus closely. This is a really odd encounter, but ultimately an entertaining and possibly educational one. "It's a move I have been practising. I don't think I've shown it to you yet, so you can watch and learn."

He lifts the answer in an ox guard and faces a nearby withered tree stump. Without announcing himself, he becomes a flash of force and motion as he charges it, driving his sword into it with enough force to split it down the middle, before tearing it away and somersaulting above it in a dizzying spin, landing behind it and cutting twice diagonally with motions so rapid they seem simultaneous. The stump topples in several pieces.

Camping Trip

At Koshal's comment, the Glavenus looks over at the small fire, confused for a moment before seeming to understand. It starts to cut away the charred sections of brush, but it freezes when Wenomir offers to show some of his skills. By the time he's finished with the display, the monster is still frozen for a bit. Eventually it just awkwardly and heavily sits down before staring at its own clumsy feet and tail. It glances back and forth a few times before staring at Wenomir, the lack of expression telling him and Koshal what it was thinking without issue.

Are you kidding me?

It seemed like the Glavenus just realized how far it has to go.

[Gullara]

[Treehouses]

"I was just going to lose them anyway." Treeisa shrugs. She likes to collects odds and ends, but she never ends up with too much despite never deliberately throwing anything away.

"For two, huh?" Sher arches her brow, smiling. Hm, now this is familiar territory. "Sure, go ahead. I wouldn't mind staying a bit. I usually find plants that are good to eat. I almost tried a 'hotdog' once, but I got a bit distracted..."

[Fendrick]

[Edelina’s Farm]

Kray watches impassively from behind Dipsnig as he handles the investigation. During the trip she’s geared up with some leather padding for her upper body as well as her weapon harness. For now she stays silent.

[Dismal Swamp]


[Edelina's Farm]

Dipsnig is seated in a saddle on Rigu's back, the wolf carrying him easily.

"She might have gone into the forest, then. How well does she know it?"

'My sister's not as familiar with the forest as I am; she's not so good with a bow as I am either. But if she was stuck in that forest, she'd find her way out again. That is, unless she didn't realise she was in danger, she may not have realised the gargoyle (if indeed she was taken by the gargoyle) as a threat. She likes adventures, is a bit of a daydreamer, so.... She probably went willingly. Whether she's captive somewhere now against her will, well, that is my concern. Usually she sends word when on her adventures.'

Edelina strides towards the forest. ''I guess we'll want to look for clues?'

[Earl of Purple]

Old Wood
Universe A

"It wouldn't be a powerful one. I've been binding demons for decades. I know what I can handle." He doesn't currently look old enough to be doing it for 'decades', but then he does look older after he used that healing magic. He's got a bottle in his hand, so he'll try to pop the lid off. It's tricky; the bottle is pretty tightly sealed. The wasp might be able to intervene.

The skeletons aren't much of a match now they're facing Moschu as well. One's got shattered arms and tries to jab at Moschu's face with the splintered humerus whilst the other has been bitten in half. It'll try to grab hold of the beastie as it falls, clinging tight and biting with its human teeth. It's little more than an annoyance, right now.

Universe B

The skeletons will try to flank the wasp, keeping one on either side as Moschu and the Hound occupy its other sides.

The Woods Near Edelina's Farm

Well, there's a pretty major clue. One of the larger paths into the forest has recently had something much larger than usual walk through it, leaving a few broken branches marking its passage, moss and lichen scraped onto the trunk of one larger tree and a large footprint, almost a half a metre long, with three clawed toes.

[bc56]

Old Wood

Universe A.
The wasp sees the movement of Benedict's hand towards the bottle and assumes he has some sort of poison inside. She swings one of her swords at the occultist, trying to block his attempt. If the blade amputates said attempt at the wrist, that would be a bonus.

Universe B.
The wasp is surrounded, but not helpless. She jumps towards the Hound, swinging the swords downward, hard. They're heavier than she's used to, but that just puts more force behind her blows.

[Deathkeeper]

Camping Trip

Koshal winces, looking sympathetically at the giant dinosaur monster.
”Aw, don’t feel bad. I don’t know how he does it, either.” Because really, how does he do it? Koshal can do similar things by cheating with his levitation but it’s nowhere near as smooth looking or as fast. He just doesn’t get how Wenomir pulls it off. He hopes it doesn’t have anything to do with having toes or something ridiculous like that.

[Recaiden]

Universe A

"That's what they all say. Right up until- ow!" Moschu breaks off as the skeleton jabs her in the jaw and she has to fend it off with her claws.

The Hound ignores the little biting thing and tries to apply its much stronger bite to the skeleton still menacing its mistress.

"-right up until the demon kills them and starts wearing their skin."

Universe B

The Hound, unwilling to retreat any further, springs up to jab its terrible tongue towards the wasp, even as the swords cut into its flanks.
Moschu rushes in to the room, casting a spell of slowness towards the wasp.

[Morty]

[The Woods Near Edelina's Farm]

Dipsnig nods and directs Rigu towards the woods. He then stops the wolf when they run into the marks of passage.

"I'd say that's fairly major, as clues go," he observes. "Is it related to our search, though? Have you ever seen anything like it?" he asks Edelina.

[Dismal Swamp]

"An actual dog..." The King in Rags seems confused by it, if that were possible. He seems to gather himself quickly, though. "Very well, if that is your wish." He seems to place an emphasis on the "wish" part. As he speaks, one of the hounds emerged from behind a tree, despite never having come there before, as far as Thryscir can tell. At the same time, one of the branches breaks off that tree and floats towards them, shaping itself into the form of a skeletal arm as it does.

[Camping Trip]

"I'll be honest, sometimes I'm not sure myself," Wenomir admits. "Did I manage to break past a human body's normal limits with my training? Or is it something in my soul that pushes me onwards? That's no reason to despair, though. We all start somewhere and our bodies aren't all the same. Yours has a few advantages over mine, I'd say. And overcoming our limits is what martial arts are all about."

[Earl of Purple]

Old Wood
Universe A

"Demons want fear. You help them get that fear, you're safe." Then he screams and drops the bottle as the sword hits his wrist, repelled- mostly- by the protective magics of his robe, though there's a pretty serious gash in his hand.

The second skeleton is bitten in half, but can't grab hold and grapple like the other, which continues trying to bite and otherwise harm the Hound.

Universe B

The skeletons also rush in, trying to grab and pull the wasp's arms, ideally the ones that aren't holding the swords.

[CosmicHobbit]

Dismal Swamp

Looking between the arm and the hound, Thryscir's grin seems to get wider. He stares a moment longer before simply saying, "Sweet!" Turning to the King in Rags, his face still in a wide grin, he says, "You know, you too seem like nice guys. Whaddya say I join up with you two?"

[Reinholdt]

[New Inside - Castilia]

The outer border of New Inside is actually relatively simple to pass if you avoid the roads. Though there are unofficial groups that zelously guard this border as well, this 'human' does not come across any of them on her way to the hospital.

For reference, 'New Inside' is a bit more than just the city itself. Having to be self-sustaining in the old days the area which encompasses the map label actually contain more rural farmlands. Advanced farming mostly done through drones that span across wide open fields. The only things that break this monotony is the occasional forest and of course the roads going between the farmers, the suburbs and of course New Inside itself.

But one particular road leads to a facility that couldn't stand out more in this landscape, the border hospital of Castilia. It consists of several tall buildings that are all connected through skyways leading between them.
While the main entrance looks welcoming enough with soft white colors this visitor might note that some of the hospitals buildings have barred windows or are completely lacking them. As there are no other hospitals around, this has to be where the fey were taken.

The parking lot has a number of military-looking veichles parked in specially designated zones and there seem to be security cameras even here. Yet no one stops her from going up to the front desk. There wasn't even a waiting line. "Hello m'am, are you looking for something?" A young woman in a nurse uniform asks her. Her name tag reads "Savannah Espin".

[New Inside - Castilia]

New Inside may actually be larger than Inside and Riverside. Fortunately at least, that actually tended to make it less prone to demon activity. Sure, you'd get them on account of a higher population allowing for more morons who wanted to summon them, but you'd also get a greater accountability as people were always around you watching you. Neighborhood watch was an amazing thing.

But was there too much? This hospital looked less like a hospital and more like a secure ward. This may be trickier than Ilpholin had intended. That's ok. She's at least got a semblance of a plan or two depending on how this plays out.

She'll walk up to the desk, all smiles as she deliberately glances at the name tag. A gentle amount of pheromones start exuding from her body. Nothing particularly strong yet. "Yes. There were recently some fey brought in from the outside who were attacked by demons. Could you direct me to their rooms please Savannah?"

[Fendrick]

Old Wood

The Woods Near Edelina's Farm

Well, there's a pretty major clue. One of the larger paths into the forest has recently had something much larger than usual walk through it, leaving a few broken branches marking its passage, moss and lichen scraped onto the trunk of one larger tree and a large footprint, almost a half a metre long, with three clawed toes.

[The Woods Near Edelina's Farm]

Dipsnig nods and directs Rigu towards the woods. He then stops the wolf when they run into the marks of passage.

"I'd say that's fairly major, as clues go," he observes. "Is it related to our search, though? Have you ever seen anything like it?" he asks Edelina.

Edelina frowns, 'Nope. Usually nothing larger than a deer roams these woods. This footprint is very big, nothing I've seen makes footprints that big.'

[Deathkeeper]

[The woods near Edelina’s Farm]

Kray nods.
”Does this match the size of the gargoyle you saw? Or are we looking at multiple creatures here?” she asks.

[Morty]

[The woods near Edelina’s Farm]

"There's only one footprint, but that doesn't say anything for certain," Dipsnig points out.

[Fendrick]

[The woods near Edelina’s Farm]

"There's only one footprint, but that doesn't say anything for certain," Dipsnig points out.

[The woods near Edelina’s Farm]

Kray nods.
”Does this match the size of the gargoyle you saw? Or are we looking at multiple creatures here?” she asks.

Edelina nods, the size of the print could match the gargoyle, the gargoyle was quite large. 'Yes, I mean, the gargoyle was quite big. But I didn't look at it's feet much.'

Edelina heads down the path, curious to see where the gargoyle went, and eager to find her sister.

[bc56]

Old Wood

Universe A

The wasp snatches the dropped bottle away from Benedict with one of her lower arms, keeping her swords trained on the occultist.

Universe B

The wasp jumps back, away from the Hound, flipping backwards as the slowing spell hits. As her movement slows, her graceful style becomes more evident, acting in a single fluid motion to extend her blades from her sides and strike the skeletons as she moves past them.