[Nexus] Outside XXXVIII

[McBish]

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-existent 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.

Frozen Forest & Hermitage
A large forest of tall trees and once very pretty flowers lies here. The entire forest has been completely frozen over, and a blizzard constantly storms and snows over the forest, but doesn't affect even an inch past the forest border. The forest is still very pretty; the flowers and mushrooms glittering under a frozen layer. The place is pretty safe, if you're used to constant snow and cold temperatures.

PM the thread maker if you wish to add locations to Outside.

[Recaiden]

Sith'ari Temple: Shadows of the Sith

Trucido simply begins to move forward, activating his lightsabers in the process. He speaks to Skye as he enters the temple. Follow me, close. This place is old, yes, but I do not doubt that Sith traps have lasted this long. There's most likely a room full of computers. We should be able to access logs, a map of the place, locations of items we should know about, and activate the full security system. Shouldn't be too difficult. He walks forward and glances down the dark corridor to the right. There's a light mist along the floor, which hides it from view. ....I suspect some form of pit trap soon.

"I follow." Skye steps carefully after the Sith as they make their way into the temple, flipping the knife back and forth in her palm. "No, something in the pit, to make mist like so. The map be the most important." The avian woman extends a tendril of flame down the corridor, trying to create enough light to pierce the mist and reveal any dangers.

[Hattish Thing]

Sith'ari Temple: Shadows of the Sith



"I follow." Skye steps carefully after the Sith as they make their way into the temple, flipping the knife back and forth in her palm. "No, something in the pit, to make mist like so. The map be the most important." The avian woman extends a tendril of flame down the corridor, trying to create enough light to pierce the mist and reveal any dangers.

Trucido happily accepts her lighting as he glances down. Sure enough, the magical fire illuminates the hallway, revealing two pits with large machines at the bottom, silently generating the intense fog. Sith Acolytes were required to use the force to split away the fog to walk through the temple at all times. One mistake, and you'd have a broken neck or spine at the bottom of a pit. And once you landed in there... It was rules that no one was to assist a fallen comrade. Cruel, harsh, yes... But inspiring. Efficient in raising cruel, harsh, efficient Sith warriors.

Trucido moves past the pits and as he moves close to one... He notices a very old looking skeleton. It looks to be a long-dead and forgotten Sith clad in tattered black cloth and faded battle armor printed with the Second Galactic Republic symbol. This individual must have fallen in there somehow. The odd part is... Right by the Sith is what appears to be an attacker in almost completely decimated white robes, split in half by a lightsaber. The two must have been battling and fell to their deaths. As they proceed further down the hall, more and more skeletons appear in their path. Jedi, Sith, and Mercenaries hired by Jedi. All dead. ...A great battle was fought here. There seemed to have been no victor. Their lightsabers, collect them. Those ought to be... very useful.

Forward is a large door, clear, but splattered in crusty black blood...

[Zefir]

Fish On Ice

"Hmm. We need a bigger portal. Do you have the ability to move it yourself, or do you require the assistance of Pazuzu?" The creature is one of Pazuzu's best torturers, giving it an unequalled knowledge of anatomy and causing pain, even if it does regret killing. The flying octopus-creature is naturally predatory, and knows how to use its chain with devastating effect, though it does have several severe weaknesses that make it a poor soldier.

Fish On Ice

"Actually I was going to bring it back to live. After that it can fly on it's own. It would be a shame if we send him out in this state. He would just fall down like a giant ice cube."

Well, Arkant can't see that the speaking one is a torturer. Unless he got a sign or something alike. But after all he notice they aren't in the same way as the pnoies. Via his mindlink he will call Vutha, the black dragon in half dragon form to him. He already needs her to pick him up, but it can't hurt if she also guards him.

[Lex-Kat]

Melody's Island

"Next, we need to get you somewhere where I can help mend you. You still have several broken bones that I need to set, and I need to be where there's a flat, and sterile, surface in order to do that," Quinn says, smiling softly at Melody and Lyanna. "And then you're going to need to stay off your feet for awhile. Even with magical healing, the body can still think it's injured - and be prone to re-injury."

Melody rolls her eyes at Quinn. I thank you for your help, doctor. But I think I can.... Her face stops, her brows furrowing in confusion, then in focused concentration as she also closes her eyes.

After a moment, she looks up at Quinn. Who may recognize a panic about to come. It's.... gone!

Lyanna looks from Melody to Quinn.

Forest Island

Mmmm... fish. Reinholdt tries very hard not to be distracted and goes to fly over the river and continue on his way towards the mansion.

As he flies over, one of the jumping fishes tries to jump high enough and slap him with it's tail.

Another follows it's lead, and another, and another. If he gets a good look at them, he may be able to tell that they are intentionally going after him.

[High Seas Adventure -> Melody's Island]

No interuptions. When Derek goes back down, he finds Jezebelle rolled up and snuggling in the warm blanket.

Derek will gently try to shake her awake saying her name gently. "Hey Jezebelle, we are back at the island."

She slowly wakes up, rolling over to look up at who's waking her. It... wasn't a nightmare, was it. she states, then sits up and lets out a breath. I can't believe it's real. She starts to stand, then stumbles a bit. She's feeling the toll of the strain her bodies been through.

[Morty]

[Old Woods]

When Adir reaches the wood where he once met the Old Man Forest, it looks much like the last time. The year that has passed means little to the wild that had been there since before humans figured out not to eat fire. By now, of course, most of the leaves have fallen off the trees and a light coat of early snow covers the trees and rocks. Adir might see a few of the gnomes which he once met, watching him from various spots.

[GrandDM]

Sith'ari Temple: Shadows of the Sith

I wanna get this going, so I'm just going to go forward here.

Trucido simply begins to move forward, activating his lightsabers in the process. He speaks to Skye as he enters the temple. Follow me, close. This place is old, yes, but I do not doubt that Sith traps have lasted this long. There's most likely a room full of computers. We should be able to access logs, a map of the place, locations of items we should know about, and activate the full security system. Shouldn't be too difficult. He walks forward and glances down the dark corridor to the right. There's a light mist along the floor, which hides it from view. ....I suspect some form of pit trap soon.

I've been waiting on you for ages! And then you just go and continue the scene without me.

[Temple]

As Trucido touches the sliver with the Force, he'll feel a huge backsurge of anger, and possibly the surfacing of angry memories. At the same time, it blocks his grip with Force power of its own.

[Murkus]

[Old Woods]

A line of tracks in the snow stretch away behind him.

"<I've come to see the Old Man,>" Adir declares, to the forest and its gnomes. He looks around at the lot of them, and unless they stop him, he'll walk still deeper.

[Morty]

[Old Woods]

A line of tracks in the snow stretch away behind him.

"<I've come to see the Old Man,>" Adir declares, to the forest and its gnomes. He looks around at the lot of them, and unless they stop him, he'll walk still deeper.

The gnomes do not stop Adir or address him. The forest is very quiet as he walks, the silence broken only by the crunching of his boots on the snow and frozen ground. Eventually, he will reach the grove where he once met the master of these woods. He will see him, seated upon an old, gnarled tree, wearing the same form of a blind old man in threadbare clothing.

"<Welcome, Adir Frescot,>" he says. "<I am glad to welcome you in my woods once again.>"

[Murkus]

[Old Woods]

"<I am honored to be invited here again,>" Adir replies, bending in a small bow to the ancient fae. His breath comes out in steamy puffs. "<Your forest is beautiful in the wintertime. So quiet.>"

[Morty]

[Old Woods]

"<It is,>" the Old Man agrees. "<Especially in my grove, where neither humans nor animals trespass. It's been very quiet for the past few seasons... for which we have you and your mortal friend to thank.>"

[Earl of Purple]

Fish On Ice

Given that the lanky pale-skinned creature's name translates to 'Creator of Pain', it can be guessed if one knows Irish or has access to Google Translate.

"Very well. I shall enlarge the portal." The creature flies up and carves a much larger hole in the air with its enchanted dagger; this one is aligned horizontally rather than vertically.

[Murkus]

[Old Woods]

Adir laughs a bit. "<I find wild-fae often disturb the quiet just as much as humans do.>" The stag smiles mildly, eyes wide and bright. "<Boris, the mortal was called. I will pass on your gratitude, Old Man Forest. It was worth our efforts merely to preserve this peace.>"

[Morty]

[Old Woods]

"<It's true that no Fae other than my gnome helpers venture into my woods,>" the Old Man admits. "<I keep friendly enough relations with some neighbouring and travelling ones, like the one who brought you my message. But they're too intimidated to actually enter here. It's a boon and a price of being as old as I am, I suppose.>"

[Murkus]

[Old Woods]

"<Intimidated? By your power?>" Adir asks, uncertain. The old man seemed friendly enough, but the fey of this area have been here far longer than he - they might know things about Old Man Forest that the stag doesn't. "<How old are you?>"

[Morty]

[Old Woods]

The Old Man stares off into the distance for a moment.

"<Older than I can count. Numberless seasons. I saw the Fairest of Lands before they were taken away forever, and what was before time started to flow steadily. Few who remember that age still remain in the mortal world.>"

[Recaiden]

[Shadows of the Sith]

((Sorry. I was waiting on you. And Hatter was waiting on me. So someone had to post again.))

Skye picks her way carefully around the pits, keeping the corridor bright and warm, and then hurries over to scavenge the ancient weapons. "No. Two sides, but one of them would have won, with many lost."

She glances worriedly down at Trucido. Does he seem particularly sharp and irritable? Well, it's probably just this place.

[McBish]

Melody's Island

She slowly wakes up, rolling over to look up at who's waking her. It... wasn't a nightmare, was it. she states, then sits up and lets out a breath. I can't believe it's real. She starts to stand, then stumbles a bit. She's feeling the toll of the strain her bodies been through.

Derek moves to catch and support her. "Careful, no it wasn't unfortunately. Hold on, I have some sweatpants you can wear. Then lets go find Melody and the girls." Once he is sure she can stand on her own he moves to the wardrobe and digs out a pair of gray sweatpants. They have some wood stain and paint on them, but they can synch tight so they won't fall off her.

[Hattish Thing]

[Shadows of the Sith]

((Sorry. I was waiting on you. And Hatter was waiting on me. So someone had to post again.))

Skye picks her way carefully around the pits, keeping the corridor bright and warm, and then hurries over to scavenge the ancient weapons. "No. Two sides, but one of them would have won, with many lost."

She glances worriedly down at Trucido. Does he seem particularly sharp and irritable? Well, it's probably just this place.

He does appear to be rather... unwelcoming at the moment. Certainly not feeling the most comforting either, judging by how he moves. Skye's personal comfort and safety appears to be the last thing on Trucido's mind. He was feeling angry. So many Sith lost their lives here. Powerful Sith. As he approaches the rows of pits, walking across the ledge by the left wall, he uses force pull to summon the unique sabers from the pits.

There are very few still functioning, for the Force Crystals had mostly been destroyed by time and battle-wear. The surviving

Spoiler: six lightsabers

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are placed in Trucido's pocket.

He moves to the door and attempts to open it. I'sek tah! He growls and curses under his breath as he tries to push it, or activate the key code. He didn't want to have to damage the place further. ...I can slice through it, and break it. Or we can try to hack it. What do you want to do?

[Murkus]

[Old Woods]

The Old Man stares off into the distance for a moment.

"<Older than I can count. Numberless seasons. I saw the Fairest of Lands before they were taken away forever, and what was before time started to flow steadily. Few who remember that age still remain in the mortal world.>"

"<You sound like my father, Old Man Forest. Perhaps he is one who still remembers,>" Adir muses, looking at the old creature thoughtfully. Wondering what those blind eyes, remote as misty mountains, could have seen in days long past. The stag begins to think that the Old Man really is the forest, taking on a mouth only when in need of one.

"<Though, I doubt it. He is young yet, by the standards of fae kings. But he tells stories...>" The stag shakes his head. "<What was it like, in the age before time and men?>"

[Morty]

[Old Woods]

"<It was colourful and vibrant,>" the Old Man Forest says, dredging up images from the bottomless depths of his memory. "<Laws of time and reality held as much sway as we allowed them to. The Fae crossed between the Fairest of Lands and the realm of mortals as they would. We were strangely drawn to it, grey and drab as it seemed. I was a young Fae back then, under the command of a great and terrifying King. I was taken from my forest to join the armies he led against the giants, who rose up from the earth to oppose him, and later mortals as well."

[GrandDM]

[Shadows of the Sith]

"I can help you. Just open up to me. You hurt inside. Use it. Call me. I can open the door, but only through you."

The mist slips up and coils around Trucido's neck as the voice whispers this in his head.

[Recaiden]

[Shadows of the Sith]

Skye watches the lightsabers fly up. She thought there were some remaining on those who had not died in the pits, or are they just left to her to describe?
"Hack? What you mean, like with saws? Only if the code-enter box is broken down."

Really, Calamity should just pick a plan and lead. This is his peoples' realm, and he's asking Skye what to do?

She strides up and examines the edges of the door. If it's hinged they'll be on the other side, but she might still be able to burn through and cut them off. If the door rolls or lifts it will be more difficult.

[Arkhosia]

Forest

Xenna's meditating here. Her Holy Symbol is clearly visible, and she is muttering abyssal. Her rapier hangs by her side as usual.

[Darkcomet]

[Over A Mountain]

The base reclaimed by the Altaran Irregulars has been busy. Transports ferry people and supplies to and from the facility as the Irregulars reclaim it and strip out unwanted Borg additions. And probably only mess with it a little.

The rift above the mountain still hangs over it, casting eerie, color-shifting lights over the area.

Out on the ground, a number of Evolution Industries hovertrucks approaches. An individual in a shiny new suit of high-tech armor hovers in front of them.

"Alright, everyone bring the containment systems out. I'll go take some readings from the rift so we can tune the confinement fields properly. Don't break anything," DC orders, the helmet apparently now equipping a voice modulator to disguise certain problems. The armor leaves the whole thing rather hard to tell, really, though if anyone had the other suit for reference they could probably tell if they paid close enough attention.

A fancy scanning device in hand, the psychic executive flies up to the rift and starts taking readings. "Wait, what? That's not right..."

[Recaiden]

[Forest]

A masked figure is walking through the woods, looking everywhere. Most of them knows they'll find nothing, not after all these years. If she was ever in these woods, she's long gone by now. But one has to keep up hope.
It's a woman, dressed in a pink kimono, wearing a knife at her side, connected to her wrist by a thin chain (save that the middle part of the chain fades off into nothing).
Then she notes a mind, a little ways away. Arlem makes her way through the woods, looking at the meditative elf and trying to look further, into her thoughts and recollections, before she approaches.

[Murkus]

[Old Woods]

"<It was colourful and vibrant,>" the Old Man Forest says, dredging up images from the bottomless depths of his memory. "<Laws of time and reality held as much sway as we allowed them to. The Fae crossed between the Fairest of Lands and the realm of mortals as they would. We were strangely drawn to it, grey and drab as it seemed. I was a young Fae back then, under the command of a great and terrifying King. I was taken from my forest to join the armies he led against the giants, who rose up from the earth to oppose him, and later mortals as well."

Adir is held still as a curious child, listening to these memories. He's likely sitting cross legged in the snow by this point, the cold having little affect. "<Is that why lesser fae fear your grove, old one? Were you a great war-maker?>" The stag does hope he isn't overstepping by asking questions. If there's anything he truly respects, it is old fey, not powerful mortals. He hasn't seen any man do what the eldest of fae lords can. No matter how smart or strong.

[Lex-Kat]

Melody's Island

Derek moves to catch and support her. "Careful, no it wasn't unfortunately. Hold on, I have some sweatpants you can wear. Then lets go find Melody and the girls." Once he is sure she can stand on her own he moves to the wardrobe and digs out a pair of gray sweatpants. They have some wood stain and paint on them, but they can synch tight so they won't fall off her.

Jezebelle sits as she waits for Derek to find her some pants to wear. She then pulls on the sweatpants and ties the waist-strings tight. Thank you. Now, let's find my girls and Melody, and let them know we're alright. She stands up, this time not falling or tripping, and follows Derek back up.

[Arkhosia]

[Forest]

A masked figure is walking through the woods, looking everywhere. Most of them knows they'll find nothing, not after all these years. If she was ever in these woods, she's long gone by now. But one has to keep up hope.
It's a woman, dressed in a pink kimono, wearing a knife at her side, connected to her wrist by a thin chain (save that the middle part of the chain fades off into nothing).
Then she notes a mind, a little ways away. Arlem makes her way through the woods, looking at the meditative elf and trying to look further, into her thoughts and recollections, before she approaches.

She mainly has Dalachrech on her mind, and is praying for spells currently. There is a bit of worriment about Lolth, and worriment of people seeing the amulet.

[Recaiden]

[Forest]

After a moment, Xenna may hear someone approach, on eight legs. A drider woman, with the lower body of a black widow, the eight-point symbol of Lloth on her garments and a spiked whip coiled in one hand. She speaks in slightly archaic drow, "Explain that symbol you wear. Have you fled from the holy arachnids to that which is rightfully prey?"