[Nexus] Outside XXXIII

[Reinholdt]

This place is just as it sounds. It's outside.
Want a change of scenery? Go outside.
Always wanted to visit the beach? Come outside.
Looking to have a climatic fight on clifftops? Attempt outside.
Secret meetings being held where there's no cameras? Try outside.
Want an ambush without nasty base defenses? Yep. Outside.

Any and all are welcome here. There are no NPCs unless you bring them in. The major exception is the creepy eyed squirrel. The creepy eyed squirrel does not interfere with anyone. The creepy eyed squirrel is everywhere outside. The creepy eyed squirrel is always watching. The creepy eyed squirrel never sleeps. The creepy eyed squirrel can not be damaged, manipulated, or killed by anyone. The creepy eyed squirrel will eat anyone's very being who attempts to do so. Anyone can god-mode the creepy eyed squirrel. You may pet the creepy eyed squirrel at your own risk.

Other NPCs currently include:
The menacing crabs. These intimidating creatures are usually found by the shore.
The non-existant duck. You'll miss every time you shoot at it.

There is very little you can't do outside. However, like always, please follow the forum rules and general rules of conduct. Private conversations can be held outside. If it seems like a private (secret) conversation, please respect that. Those having such a conversation should do their best to indicate it as such. Otherwise, other characters may stumble upon you. Those desiring to spy in on private conversations should first PM those holding the private conversation, more out of courtesy than anything else.

There are many areas outside, and people can be in multiple places outside. In order to keep areas outside separated so there's no confusion, consider bolding your outside location at the start of each of your posts, like so:

The Fields

Reinholdt sets up various targets and practices his sharpshooting. All these events recently has made him a bit rusty. To his left, he notes the creepy eyed squirrel. Giving him the heebie-jeebies, Reinholdt decides to head somewhere else.

The Cliffside

Calublufiok broods over his latest scheme as he flies over the cliffs. The creepy eyed squirrel is watching him again. He finds occasionally landing and telling the creepy eyed squirrel his plans helps him find holes in his plotting.

Note Reinholdt and Calublufiok do not interact because they are in different areas outside. They could interact, if Reinholdt moves to the cliffside. Of course, various things like telepathy help bypass this. Also, please note outside has no major buildings, though minor ones crop up from time to time.

And most importantly, enjoy outside. That's what this is all about.

Outside now contains various Outside locations! Such as...

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[Dead Pine Lake]

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This lake lies in the middle of the forest. On the eastern shore, woodpeckers feast on the dead pines that give the lake its name. Sometimes one can find Lady Death here, the Aspect of Eve also known as The Grandmother, or Jedwiga.

(Please PM happyturtle if you wish to interact with Jedwiga.)

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[The Islands]

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An island cluster forms an archipelago along the coast. Some of the islands are settled, some not, but most are at least occasionally visited by the fishermen who work these waters.

[Gersemi's Island]

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Now more commonly known as Melody's Island, since Gersemi has long ago retired.

Where once was a single hut with a few sheep, now stands a single hut, a barn, a few sheep, and a small tented community of orphans. Gersemi's loom still rests in one corner of the single hut.

Melody, like Gersemi before her, is a healer for the surrounding islands.

(Please PM Lex-Kat if you wish to interact with Melody.)

[Redbrick Falls]

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A mountainous, cliffy region with a prominent waterfall. A large quarry once was worked in these cliffs. Now, only a few scattered villages and solitary dwellings remain.

[Norosa, Great City of the Elves]

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A Lawful Evil city with an incredibly strong military and a very charismatic leader (Archmage Tyrion Lannister). It has a few CG resisters, but, otherwise, it is a city of peace and law, despite its evil nature.

[Brillian's Baneful Bestiary]

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A secret series of caves where a mad scientist lives. A mad scientist who creates mutant attack creatures. These can be purchased for the right price.

[Auxiliary MagCave]

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A relic from the days of the Age of Apocalypse, this abandoned cavern was once used by the infamous cyborg Magtok as a back-up laboratory and underground fortress, should Calublufiok have ever stormed the primary MagCave.

[The Katz Motel]

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Located in the middle of Nowhere, our roadside motel is the only decent place for miles near the Taverna that has a bed. Run by a suave anthropomorphic cat, there is a strict No Dogs policy.


A bellhop by the name of Bates is always ready to assist in carrying your luggage. Please ignore his constant mutterings about his mother. Other more unsavory employees can occasionally be found. Please try to avoid eye contact with them.

We at the Katz Motel wish to ensure you have a splendid stay. Any inconvenience due to randomly locking doors, giant spiders, secret passages, vampires, creepy paintings, and the occasional possession and subsequent exorcism are incredibly rare. Just look at our complaint cards! Not a single one mentions dying horribly in their sleep or becoming food for the monster in the basement.

And if you get bored, the owner will always be up for a game of sport, old boy.

((The Katz Motel is a horror filled place with the highest casualty rate of any motel in the Nexus area. Checking in is usually pretty easy and pleasant. Checking out is rare. Anyone can play the Motel and the NPCs within, free to invent their own horror. The NPCs within that can die usually only suffer death temporarily, the supernatural force causing the disturbances bringing them back to life for its own nefarious purposes. PCs get no benefit from this.))

[The Troll Cave]

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A cave in a craggy hill. The undergrowth outside is trampled completely flat, and there's not much wildlife. There's a burned patch where a fire is sometimes there. Inside are a few large caves, linked by surprisingly smooth tunnels that look like something big has been regularly pushing through them.

[Blind Cat's Bluff]

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A sheer cliff dropoff that travels straight down into the water, this is a favored point of people who commit suicide, romantics wanting to watch the sunset and anyone looking to get rid of evidence. The drop is pretty far and there are rocks at the bottom that spell almost certain doom, so watch your step.

[North Forest]

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A magical forest with a mythical spring of beauty. A bit like the Weald, but not nearly as dangerous. For starters, you can find your way back out and the pixies aren't cannibals.

PM Reinholdt if you wish to add locations to Outside.

[Reinholdt]

Ilpholin's Grove

Darcy is rather annoyed during most of the walk - after all, she and Ilpholin just had their first fight - but she can't help but admire the pretty, overgrown grove.

"It's beautiful," she admits, a little grudgingly.

Ilpholin's Grove

That it is.

"Only two other people have been here." Ilpholin says, taking a seat on the grass.

[happyturtle]

Ilpholins Grove

"Who were they? Mister Squiggles, of course." Darcy says, sitting down close, but not directly next to Ilpholin. She's sitting at a bit of a diagonal because that makes it easier to see her beautiful girlfriend.

[Reinholdt]

Ilpholins Grove

"Raril was the other." Ilpholin says quietly, pulling out the amulet she recently received from him and fingering it. Of course, it was here she almost kidnapped him and brought him to the Matron as well.

"He gave me this the other day." Ilpholin explains, since she figures Darcy will ask.

[happyturtle]

Ilpholin's Grove

Darcy smiles and reaches out to squeeze Ilpholin's knee. "He's rooting for you too."

[Reinholdt]

Ilpholin's Grove

Ilpholin is quiet for a moment, though she gives Darcy a weak smile. A scared smile.

Without ceremony, she then proceeds to slip the amulet on.

[happyturtle]

Ilpholin's Grove

Darcy pulls Ilpholin close and kisses her on the cheek. "It'll be okay, love."

[ThirdEmperor]

[King's Blood Field]

From behind the three, the sound of a motorcycle/chopper can be heard coming nearer. The rider is a flame haired man nine feet in height wearing green military pants with boots, a loose black vest with dog-tag hanging on his neck, goggles on his eyes and black leather gloves. Attached to the seat of the ride a bag holds an egg like figure. Once the three in suits are within talking range he gets off his ride. He takes a closer look and sees the three armed to the teeth.

"Well now, I don't suppose you three aren't bandits? Hope not." His tone is that of an amused gambler.

[King's Blood Field]

The young man looks the aasimar over. And when the three suits of power armor show up, he looks them over too, noticeably alarmed by all their weaponry. The loud two wheeled vehicle, the likes of which he has never seen before, also surprises him. So he just shifts from foot to foot, sizing up the situation.

King's Blood Plains

The assimar is also clearly surprised by seeing so many weapons that she doesn't understand. She stays back for now, wondering what in the world these people have.

Depends. One of the three turns and steps forward to address the cyclist, stance guarded, arms crossed over the pattern of bloody red splatters and streaks emblazoned on his armor's chestplate. We're here to take something away from someone, but we've got good cause. You the one who put the ad up on the wall?

The other two outright ignore the conversation going on behind them, keeping their eyes on their fellow questants. Just in case. The one armed with sword and sickle stays silent, but the heavily armed one seems more friendly, holding out his hand to the skittish-looking young man.

Hey. Name's First. You got a name? It's a genuine question too, not at all rhetorical. It would seem they're used to people not having names at all.

[Shadowcaller]

Ilpholin's Grove

True to Libra's promise the amulet she gave to Raril, the amulet will cure her. It will just burn like hell first.

Ilpholin will first feel a slight burning sensation as the amulet touches her skin which then turns cold as her vision starts to fade for just a moment as if she just had swallowed something extremely cold. This is followed by a strong headache as she starts to feel extremely weak all over, her legs probably starting to shiver at this point which might cause her to collapse entirely.

[Reinholdt]

Ilpholin's Grove

Then I suppose it's a really good thing Ilpholin's already sitting down then, huh?

"Maybe..." Ilpholin says weekly, one hand going to hold onto Darcy. In this case, to steady herself. In a world of cure disease and magical healing, Ilpholin's never felt this weak before, even with all the power behind her. It's terrifying.

Not that she'd admit that out loud. Nope. She blinks and briefly shakes, before forcing herself under control. Or at least appear under control.
"Guess no one mentioned how much it hurts." Ilpholin gives Darcy a silly smile.

[Asha'man]

[Lings Blood's Plains]

Wall, what wall? Wait..... it must have been shadow.
"Sorry boys looks like I'm your target. Shadow put up that bounty for me I guess. Well bad day for you to meet me Serph the pyromancer. It means code red for you three." Time to [/I]annihilate[I]

Serph says this real fast like words slurring up next to each other but it was clear he was ready for a beatdown. As he was about to call on fire to roast the egg on his ride glowed.

"Serph..... Code Red..... annihilate..... mission parameters recieved."

The egg promptly explodes to a radius and damage of a grenade.

[ThirdEmperor]

King's Blood Field

****.

Alpha doesn't even go for his gun, even the bare split second it would take to draw and open fire more time than he has to spare. He just lunges, trying to get his hands around Serph's neck to choke the life from the bastard. Even then, he's still a little too slow.

His armor takes the brunt of the blast, stopping nearly all the shrapnel short of reaching the infinitely more vulnerable flesh and blood beneath. The brute, on the other hand, it can do nothing against, not with him well within the concussion radius. Alpha is shaken like a beetle in a jar, lifted off his feet and dashed against the ground, tearing skid marks into the earth.

His brothers are granted ever so slightly more time to act, of which they waste none. First tries to tackle the man he's speaking with and pull him to the ground, out of the way of flying shrapnel, while One simply barks something incomprehensible, causing a shimmering blue semi-circle of energy to spring forth just in time to catch his share of the damage.

[Lex-Kat]

{The Lost Wave}

And, unless someone has something else to add, they arrive at Melody's Island, finally.

[happyturtle]

Ilpholin's Grove

Then I suppose it's a really good thing Ilpholin's already sitting down then, huh?

"Maybe..." Ilpholin says weekly, one hand going to hold onto Darcy. In this case, to steady herself. In a world of cure disease and magical healing, Ilpholin's never felt this weak before, even with all the power behind her. It's terrifying.

Not that she'd admit that out loud. Nope. She blinks and briefly shakes, before forcing herself under control. Or at least appear under control.
"Guess no one mentioned how much it hurts." Ilpholin gives Darcy a silly smile.

Darcy tries to help Ilpholin to lay down in her lap and strokes her hair. "I didn't know. I would have told you." In captivity, the people around her being changed were going in the other direction. She's never actually witnessed a de-demonification before.

[Reinholdt]

Ilpholin's Grove

"Yeah, k..." Ilpholin says, not resisting laying down in Darcy's lap at all. Lying down is pretty much what she wants to do right now. Heck, she's having trouble even thinking up counter-arguments for this whole thing right now. Other than the obvious 'this sucks' one.

Probably for the best really.

{The Lost Wave}

"Come on. Let's go up top." Reinholdt says to Estia. He's not ready to try and convince her to give Derek a chance. Doesn't know Derek well enough. But hopefully she can put up with him for now.

[happyturtle]

Ilpholin's Grove

Darcy holds Ilpholin as well as she can, and tries to make her comfortable. "I wish Mister Squiggles was here..."

[Reinholdt]

Ilpholin's Grove

"Had to leave him at AMEN, just in case."

She's his go to guy for when she can't be somewhere.

"Could always call him."
The conversation will probably be more unintelligible than usual. Phones don't get great bars out in secluded groves.

[happyturtle]

Ilpholins Grove

"I just thought he'd be a comfort to you if he were here," Darcy says. "Is there anything I can do? Anything you need?"

[Reinholdt]

Ilpholins Grove

"Just stay with me." Is Ilpholin's only real request on the matter.

Although some pillows and a blanket would be nice too, once Darcy's lap gets too uncomfortable. Unless Darcy's using some sort of shapeshifting cheat on that matter.

[happyturtle]

Ilpholin's Grove

After a while, Darcy will try texting Mister Squiggles to ask him to bring them some supplies. They really should have planned this better, huh? Stupid lovers quarrel.

[Shadowcaller]

[Elsewhere...]

You have been given a gift, something many fear because of what it is. Change. But what they fail to see is that this gift you have is change for the better. You are-

Ari stopped, something had changed, the connection to one of the Sogv's demons sleeping agents was weakening. The insight of which one soon followed causing Ari to activate his visual sensors, the demon expect to have to use them soon enough.

The crystal antechamber hadn't changed, everything was just as it always had been, perfectly black. A color chosen to mimic the non-visual world which Ari and the others lived in most of the time. A purpose it failed to fulfill.
The chamber itself was not much better, despite it's crystaline furniture perfectly carved directly out of the floor and the walls it couldn't possibly replace the void.

True to his prediction however another figure came into existence on the opposite side of the great table which centered the chamber. Unlike Ari's slender humanoid form with a triangular-shaped head and perfect surgical claws Sybris wore a body which only purpose was battle.

Without a discernible head or any limbs Sybris form was a simple large black sphere with curved red spikes that Ari suspected the other demon had added to making him more intimidating then well... an sphere. Sybris always had too much of an mortal emotional side though, no matter how much of that were hatred for them.

"You have lost your most important puppet Ari. Admit now that you have failed." Sybris spoke with a humming voice being emitted from the core of his body.

"I will do no such thing." Ari insisted, moving the delicate instruments which were the armors claws tryingly. Sensing every joint moving freely without any hint of resistance. "There are still sleeper agents under our control and my plans haven't even begun come into fruition."

The other demon was already about to reply when a third being appeared to
Ari's left side. "You. Disturbed. Me." Jaccalish monotone voice reached the armors auditory sensors. The third demon were unlike Sybris clearly not designed for combat and unlike Ari not for any astethic value. It was a mess of arms made specifically for various purposes (most which involved cutting up specific types of creatures). Some of them which seemed to have recently been used judging mortal goo which stained them. The rest of the body being a simple energy tank with a triangular-shaped head similar to Ari's attached to it.

"Actually, you want to hear this. Ari is about to explain 'the master plan'." Sybris hummed, causing the other demon to tilt the armors head in the direction of Ari, expecting some sort of audible response.

"As I was about to explain when Sybris expressed his doubts, you must remember that the previous plans have been involving needless slaughter and complete waste of resources."

The other two made no motions but the lack of direct protests made it clear that they knew what Ari were talking about. Jaccalish failed experiment in riverside which had caused a loss of an entire regiment of soldiers and Sybris invasion of mountainside which when it come down to it just had lead to loses even if they had been minimal.

"So what makes your plan so much better then? The way I see it, the invasion was a complete success. We purified that entire disgusting mortal hole."

"And. New. Subjects."

"Yes, but you are seeing this the wrong way. We must stop seeing mortals as things that just are there to be purified and experimented on. We must renew our way of thinking. Mortals are in fact resources there to be used, to expand our armies.

Remember, even if we are pure most of our armies are just made up of improved mortal flesh. While the purification of mountainside was nessecary we could have turned it to our side instead, we could have made them join us."

"How?" Sybris didn't sound very convinced no doubt since Sybris would have preferred to kill every mortal they came across. A simple plan for a simple mind. But Ari had better ideas.

If Ari's armor could have smiled, it would have. But instead it's claws moved over the table, causing an projection of a assumed nexus to appeared (it was all rather relative considering the very nature of the plane caused all attempts to make an exact map to fail.)

Pointing at a location which read 'riverside' Ari caused a red light to appear. "Riverside, after our latest failure there we must reconsider our strategy. From our initial reports the city was just 'a bunch of zones with ragtag factions vying for power'.

The very same 'ragtag factions' which managed to defeat a whole regiment. Which is why I suggest a new strategy to deal with it. Already having a sleeping agent there, I want to expand into the city, turn it to our cause.

All we need to do is making it appear to be a good thing, which it is. They just need to be convinced of our good intentions." All they wanted was to save the mortals from their own corruption after all.

"And if that fails?"

"Then we get a bit more aggressive, but if it succeeds we can soon enough expand into Inside as well... and from there, who knows? Our intentions are after all as always, pure..."

[Devixer]

Ancient Forest

"Something's not right," Hildur says, keeping her knife ready. "They can't have just ran."

King's Blood Field

The aasimar barely notices that the egg's going to explode, but she wastes no tine in reacting. She drops to her knee and raises her shield, which protects her much more than its size suggests.

[BladeofObliviom]

Ancient Forest

Jacob's armor returns to its normal noncombat appearance, revealing a look of... ...vague disappointment? Hmm.

"Agreed. We brought significant force to bear, but in my experience run-of-the-mill demons rarely retreat unless some greater power is involved."

With that, Jacob begins projecting a cone of cyan light, scanning the area for any signs of unusual activity.

[Morty]

[Ancient Forest]

"I'm convinced that this is all a trap at this point," Wenomir says dryly. "And we walked right into it like our house was on fire."

[Reinholdt]

Ilpholin's Grove

After a while, Darcy will try texting Mister Squiggles to ask him to bring them some supplies. They really should have planned this better, huh? Stupid lovers quarrel.

Ilpholin's Grove

Ilpholin thought they were staying at Watch, jail or no, where there'd be supplies and protection.

And then Ilpholin thought she'd, you know, be able to move around reasonably with this thing on.

Anyways Mister Squiggles will come by a few hours later with a large pack of miscellaneous goods that can be mostly handwaved throughout this scene, unless it's particularly obscure.

[Shadowcaller]

[Ancient Forest]

Well...that was a bit of an anti-climax.

Damon, now back in zern form, is stomping over towards the group, still covered in black flames, glaring at Vizek. "Vizek! What the [hissing] was that? You [more hissing] fool, you could've got us all killed. If I hadn't been so quick to react I might have been knocked right out of the sky. You think I'd survive a fall from that height, you [loud hissing]?!"

He is not very happy, it would seem.

So unhappy and angry, in fact, that he's slipping into his own language to find suitable words for what Vizek is.

Wenomir shakes his head. "It all seems like a huge waste of time. And do you know what that bright shape was?

Ancient Forest

Jacob can still feel magic coming from the tower which seem to have doe remarkably well despite being burned by Damon's fire and then bombed with water. In fact, it feels like more demonic energies are gathering there now.
Damon and others that can sense such things might be able to sense this as well.

Vizek that was about to reply to Wenomir get's an angry zern to deal with, "Damon, I didn't know! There were no clues that any demon that powerful here!" He shouts back.

Meanwhile the clouds which gathered shortly before they caused that mass of water to fall seem to spread outwards, with more dark clouds coming up in the horizon, bearing a promise of storm.

[Morty]

[Ancient Forest]

"Like I said, a trap. Now, do we investigate here or clear out before something even worse happens?" Wenomir asks.

[happyturtle]

Ilpholin's Grove

Just basic 'hanging out in a grove for a week' supplies. *applies handwavium* Darcy will make a little bed for Ilpholin and then go and hug Mister Squiggles. "Thank you. I'll take good care of her for you, I promise."

[5a Violista]

Oldale Town Ruins

I'm most used to Pokemon Ruby (hence the town; Oldale is the second town encountered in Ruby), but I've played every generation since even if I can't seem to get as into it as I used to and haven't completed a game since probably about FireRed.

All the buildings have been explored, and the sign has been examined.

Oldale Town Ruins

How sad. The Pirate-Dragon has explored the whole town, and hasn't found any treasure besides some running boots, a little bag of sparkly red dust, a confusing map, a capturing ball, and an Evil Doll...and the letter M.

"How unfortunate," she says, looking around at the town. There's nothing left there.

So, she grabs her shovel out of nowhere, and starts digging. The hole is as wide as she is tall, and she continues to do so until she finds something interesting. Most likely treasure, dinosaur bones, or an underground pirate ship.

Dig, dig, dig...

[Reinholdt]

Ilpholin's Grove

Mister Squiggles chitters. She'd better. He can't stay here. He already has plot clones and it's making him nervous. He's supposed to be a minor character at best, not a plot clone character!

Darcy will get a cheek kiss and Ilpholin will get talked to briefly before Mister Squiggles heads off. Good luck you crazy people.

Humanoids.