Riverside, a small, modern city outside the reach of Remnant control. The city has always been known by one defining factor, it's status as a hive of scum and villainy. A number of factions vie for footholds in the city, though they are largely peaceful at the moment. No doubt some would jump at the opportunity to expand their influence. Riverside sits on the edge of the Nexus, so while it's still prone to the strangeness common there, it's far more stable than other parts of the Nexus. Being the hive and scum and villainy that it is, the streets can be dangerous and shady deals and dark alleys are plenty. Welcome to Riverside.
Quote:
Current Events:
The Democracy Now movement has taken hold in Eastside and a democratically elected council now governs it.
New construction has begun in Westside on three different sites.
After the fires wiped out a number of homes, a new residential district in Northside is being constructed.
Northside:
Spoiler
Northside, the richer part of Riverside. If you have money then you can get just about anything in Northside. That is if you know the right people. There is something odd about this part of Riverside though. Hardly a beggar or street urchin to be seen. In fact for a place of scum and villainy this place is too clean. Northside is the one that wears the best mask in Riverside. The best at covering up deaths and drug deals. The best at making everyone think that there is nothing wrong because everybody pays their protectors and rulers of Northside with what they ask for. This is Northside. A rich mask that hides the dirty city for what it is.
Eastside:
Spoiler
Eastside is mostly a middle-to-lower class, densely populated area. It's fairly multicultural, even by Nexus standards, and inhabited by a wide range of species and cultures.
Like the rest of Riverside, Eastside has been in the hands of either criminals or supernatural factions for a long time. Now it has changed - a democratic election organized by the Democracy Now movement led to the creation of the Eastside Parliament and a Mayor. They hold the power in Eastside now, and the Hunters enforce the law within it.
Southside:
Spoiler
The territory of the Court of One, Southside is an urban area heavily touched by magic. Based around the metaphorical and geomantic power of the river, the populated areas form a circle a distance around the river and its two tributaries. Within this circle is an area in which the normal laws of reality begin to alter, the changes becoming more profound the further one goes. In the very center is the Court of One itself, in a small region of primordial chaos and raw magical energies.
While the presence of such untamed magic presents danger to those who venture too far into it, the threat of crime in Southside is abnormally low due to the presence of the Devoured Legion. This knightly order has the dual purpose of administering justice and being the Court's punishment for capital crimes. Formed entirely of criminals 'reclaimed' by the magic of the Court, the Devoured Legion protects the populace as atonement for their crimes, using a series of crystalline pyramids to appear where they are needed.
The strangeness of Southside is offset for many by the promise it offers- it is not simply a place to live, but a place to change, and to move forward towards a new life. The Court of One offers power and purpose to those would take them, the ability to overcome the obstacles of poverty and despair, and the ability to let the river wash away the stains of the past.
Westside:
Spoiler
Westside, where vampires walk openly on the street. Mostly because said vampires govern this part of the city. The city has been cloaked in a field of eternal night allowing the vampires to walk freely. Furthermore, each mortal citizen is required to donate blood to sustain the vampires. In exchange, the streets are kept clean, for the most part. Of course, the cover of darkness does attract criminals as well as less beneficent creatures of the night.
Factions:
Spoiler
Court of One:Southside
Spoiler
This faction represents the will and power of the fair folk queen, Genesis, each of its main members representing and acting on a facet of her nature. While often inhuman and sometimes fearful, the Court of One strives for the betterment of Riverside and the improvement of lives within its borders, offering power, purpose, and redemption to those who would join in its patterns and work harmoniously with the Court's vision.
Played by Vael.
Eastside Council:Eastside
Spoiler
Mayor:
Donncha O Donnail, played by Morty
Council:
Percival Obree-Banton, played by Earl of Purple
Sedrat Quelg, played by Lost_Deep
Brody, played by Slii Arhem
Andrea Infanti, played by Gulaghar
Vita Octavia, played by Happyturtle
Trind Calanolius Evenart, played by Wolfbane
Followers of Scaal:Northside
Spoiler
The followers of Scaal are spoken of in hushed tones. When a black robed figure goes by people stop talking and give him the space he needs. These are the followers of Scaal. Not much is known about them besides they possess great magic, they protect this part of the city and its inhabitants for the right price, and rumors have it that Scaal is some sort of god or demon perhaps.
Purpose: Religious order who runs an orphanage in West Riverside and the Red Zone of Inside. Their Inside presence is much smaller than their presence in Riverside
Alignment: "Compassion! Courtesy! Let's be really **** polite to everyone!"
Locations: Riverside Cathedral of the Sacred Order of Cunningham (Westside)
Sacred Order of Cunningham Westside Children's Home
Sacred Order of Cunningham Inside Children's Home
Inside Temple of the Sacred Order of Cunningham
The Sisters and Elders of the Sacred Order of Cunningham have a perspective based religion with a hodge-podge of beliefs pulled from science fiction and popular culture. They are not a celibate order, and in fact strongly promote marriage and sex (in that order) with the goal of having large families.
All of their abilities are based on their faith, which means their symbols, holy water, etc are completely mundane if there is no one of the Order there to believe in it. Their 'do bad stuff to evil people' or 'do good stuff to good people' powers are completely based on their perspective. It's possible they could 'Turn Undead' a living creature who they believed was undead or 'Smite Evil' a good person that they believed to be evil, and their healing magic will generally not harm anyone that they are trying to help*. They are unable to raise the dead.
Except for the orphans and their caretakers, the members of the Order do not live in one location. Families have their own homes, and go to the Cathedral for holy services or group events. You know, sort of like people treat their RL churches.
Because it is a subjective religion, vampires and other undead can enter holy grounds if the vampire in questions believes they can and believes their motives to be pure.
The vampires of Riverside came to the Nexus from the city of Gul-Thadar, a city where vampires and humans live in harmony. They took up the role of governing Westside after the city's leadership collapsed. Humans and vampires alike fill their ranks. They aren't above unsavory methods or shady deals, but they keep a good public face.
((All vampire NPCs associated with Tenebras should be assumed to be controlled by Gulaghar unless otherwise stated.))
Played by Gulaghar.
Places Within:
Spoiler
Northside
Moth Park:
Spoiler
About 100 acres, the moth park is approximately rectangular in shape, with a bandshell/performance stage at the north end, a soccer (football) field and softball diamond at the south and a forested area in the center.
It also holds two playgrounds (swing sets, slides, monkey bars) several fountains (most of which are nonfunctional) various statues and a network of walking paths.
Since the re-opening, Moth park is pretty popular with the local residents as well as those who come into the area to work or visit.
Police Station:
Spoiler
The police station is a large but simple brick building. All police activity is based out of this building. It's outfitted with interrogation rooms, a few offices, and other rooms that a police station would have.
Riverside Hospital:
Spoiler
This hospital is the only one currently in Riverside. It was built after the old hospital burned down some years ago. As a result, it's of fairly modern design. It works just like a normal, modern hospital would with the exception of magic being used along normal medical procedures to achieve better results.
Sawyer's Inn:
Spoiler
The inside of Sawyer's is beautiful, though humble. Whoever keeps the place, keeps it in fine condition.
The dark wooden floors are waxed and shiny. There are four wooden pillars that reach up to the ceiling. The four walls are painted in a brick red, with light grey accents.
Along the left wall there is a large hearth fire burning, with a dog and cat sleeping together. The dog raises it's head slightly to observe the newcomers, but doesn't rush to sniff them out.
Along the right wall is the customer service area, with a dining hall just past it. The smell of freshly baked bread and some kind of meat can be smelled eminating from beyond.
And then there is the back wall. There is a set of stairs leading up and another leading down. Both sets are made of the same wood as the pillars and floor.
Temple of Dalachrech:Earl of Purple
Spoiler
This building closely resembles all the other semi-detached houses along this road. The temple takes up both halves of the house, however; although the building has been designed such that the halves don't match to maintain the illusion of seperate owners. It has a red tile roof and is constructed from red brick, although the left half has been painted white. There's a pair of garages and two front doors, both of which work.
The temple is a private location. Please PM Earl of Purple before visiting.
Eastside
Fallow’s Furry & Feathered Friends:Earl of Purple
Spoiler
The shop is lit up with bright lights and neon advertising. Around the store is a secure, electrified fence and there's four watch towers in the corners. The gate is near a large, secure-looking building within which are three ogre guards. Inside lie four warehouses, a large collection of aquariums and gigantic tanks, a squat and ugly toilet block and three seperate bunkers for customers to evacuate into should something more dangerous escape, such as a smilodon from the Mammal House, a wyvern from the Reptile House, a giant carnivorous slug from the Invertebrate House or something worse. Patrolling the wide, open spaces are the occasional group of six uniformed humans armed with net-guns. Slaves can be bought here if one asks the right questions.
Golden Flagon Tavern:
Spoiler
The Golden Flagon Tavern was once the main hideout of the local mafia. It was destroyed, but recently it has been fully restored. It still tends to attract the unsavory sort, but the owner keeps things civil.
The tavern is very old fashioned. It's a stone building with polished, wooden supports. A fire always warms it's large hearth and the drinks always good. It makes for a comfortable atmosphere.
Light's Heart:Shadowcaller
Spoiler
The citadel rises up like something taken from a sci-fi movie. The walls are golden colored, untainted by age and dirt. Like something that was just build just recently.
Five towers have been built into the wall, standing no less then 40 feet tall, looking like they have been cut out from the same stone.
Above the towers rises the citadel itself, completely square in form and made of the same golden stone it have numerous arrow slits carved out at the upper floors.
Leading around it's form is a wooden staircase going from the top of the citadel to the courtyard below.The only visible entrance is the massive gate made of obsidian colored wood which stands wide open, inviting anyone inside.
Southside
Court of One:Vael
Spoiler
In the center of Southside is a clearing, its shape a perfect circle. It is relatively small in size, and the chaotic powers that surround the clearing and converge on it mean that it sees few visitors. Yet, here it is that the heart of the Court of One is found. Imbued with all the geomantic power of Southside, charged with the symbol power of the river, the Court of One has transcended a true form of shape, and so how it appears depends on the viewer. Some see it as a floating castle, flying above the clearing, while others see it as a pool of clear water.
One might assume that this area is the physical court, a place in which the members of the court meet- and while true, it is also the court itself. While its members may rove outward and touch other areas of Riverside, or even leave the city, the will of Genesis is always manifest there. As much as her body contains her, so too does the Court of One- yet here, she is not fettered by the laws of reality, here the world is raw and unshaped, and her power is at its highest.
So those few visitors who find their way here will find the power and presence of Genesis and the Court of One at their strongest. Here, the greatest and most improbable pleas can be answered, should they prove persuasive to the fey ruler.
Maelstrom Castle:Vael
Spoiler
Formed of circling, twisting walls and a labyrinth of gates, this proud and fae castle stands in the middle of a twist in a river, the currents of which churn and race around it, rising impossibly into the air to form new layers of the fort's walls out of running water.
Winding to the center of the structure, the river's flow partially hardens into mirror-like ice, forming a garrison in which the Devoured Legion resides. The polished ice that line the walls give views out of the crystalline pyramids in the centers of the most populated areas of Southside, and for the knights themselves, act as portals.
Radiant Ocean:Vael
Spoiler
Do not the waters of the river pour into the ocean? Though each comes from a different path, they join and merge, each mingling and sharing in the same world. Though some are vast and mighty, some weak and small, their nature is the same, and in coming together, their strength is as one. All are of the same family, each deserves the same kindness and share as another.
Let this court be an ocean. None who need its power will be turned away.
Radiant Ocean is a place of generosity and wealth, entertainment and exchange.
Home to the most populous portion of Southside, Radiant Ocean itself is a luxurious housing complex, its four petal-like wings of apartments separated by glass covered gardens. The central portion of the building is a market, in which imported goods and the products of the garden are sold and exchanged. The housing in Radiant Ocean is divided between those who most need it, and those willing to pay notable sums of money for a place in it, money which is then put into expanding the markets and buildings that have sprung up around Radiant Ocean.
Solemn Depths:Vael
Spoiler
At the city walls, where the river first passes into Riverside, there is a deep reserve. Carved deep into stone, it first appears as just a man-made lake, but once one enters the water, they will find that it is so much more. Buildings lost to time and the changes of Riverside reappear within beside more fantastic ones born from alien imagination, the lake's depths easily holding countless tall structures that glow eerily in the darkened water, while careful currents of water create an upwards clockwise gyre but leave the center of the reserve untouched.
At the still eye of the gyre and the bottom of the lake is a well lit with soft blue and green lights every so often, giving it a muted glow. Small streams of bubbles spiral out of it, their source a large number of spiraling side passages that lead into circular caverns with apparently self sustaining air pockets, and enough rocky surfaces for a human to draw themselves out of the water. Yet, going even deeper, one will encounter something even stranger- the water is easily breathable. Yet, at this depth there are also strange energies like those from the mists, capable of altering mortal form and reality around it. Still, they seem more constructed, more directed, manifesting in structured ways. From this point, however, what one encounters is no longer certain, changing readily for each new visitor.
Wellspring Tower:Vael
Spoiler
A tower of stone and glass with limbs that branch out like those of a tree, Wellspring Tower is positioned in nearly the center of Riverside, twisting the water of the river up into its hollow glass tubing in a manner that produces a quiet and beautiful song. Fountains, statues of ice and topiary, and small pools of water fill its courtyard, a vibrant and natural environment in the midst of the city.
On the inside, Wellspring Tower is much larger than it is without, its stretching limbs opening out into other planes of existence, containing entire worlds within its mighty arms.
Westside
Blood Donation Clinic:
Spoiler
A small clinic has been established in Westside for the purpose of collecting blood from those willing to donate. The blood is then distributed to those that require it. This is primarily Tenebras vampires, but any being that requires blood for sustenance can get it here. Some blood can be given tot he hospital when needed as well.
The clinic itself is a small building. Inside there is a reception area, and a few different rooms for the actual procedure. There is usually one person on site twentyfour seven.
Club Pulse:Shadowcaller
Spoiler
The club is quite easily noticed by the huge neon sign outside, Pulse was easily recognized as Riversides largest nightclub. Beyond the line and the bouncer outside is a classic club layout with a large dance floor with loud music and flashing lights.
In a slightly more calm area of the club is the bar run by an one-eyed bartender called Ryo.
There are two stairs leading up to the upper floor where it's easier to talk and drink.
The atmosphere is pretty heavy as you walk inside with techno music playing very loud.
Doctor Stroffelnburg's Psychiatric Clinic:Reinholdt
Spoiler
This rather unassuming white building contains the world's finest psychiatric doctor. After the setback at his hospital that caused the loss of the use of his legs, Doctor Stroffelnburg took his savings and set up a smaller clinic here in Riverside. Walk-ins are encouraged.
Evolution Industries:Darkcomet
Spoiler
The Westside branch of EI. The main building is a fairly nondescript, tall (not a skyscraper or anything, but still with several floors) modern one, with a large Evolution Industries logo on it.
Exbourne Manor:Gulaghar
Spoiler
Exbourne manor is rather old, though kept in excellent condition since it was restored when Tenebras moved in. The rooms are large and spacious, and most of the public areas have been painted in bright pastels and decorated with vases of flowers.
The ground floor largely consists of the lofty entrance hall, a comfortable living room, and the kitchen. Ramiro's office is also on the ground floor for easy access. The second and third floor have mostly bedrooms and attached washrooms. The basement serves as rooms for the servants primarily. In a separate part of the basement is a large vault as well as an Evolution Industries Class 2 MACE Unit which provides the building with electricity. Finally, the attic contains whatever it is that creates the darkness field within Westside.
The manor is surrounded by a courtyard. An iron fence surrounds it, and a number of trees provide privacy along the sides and behind the building. The courtyard is grassy and has a cobblestone trail leading to the front door. Behind the manor is a private garden. The courtyard's gate is almost always left open.
MagMart:Lord Magtok
Spoiler
If the individual entering has any sort of familiarity with the other MagMart, back when it was its own building apart from Mallside, they'll probably notice that this Riverside one doesn't look anywhere near as glamorous as its predecessor. It's a modest purple brick building, the glass display windows aren't even properly bulletproof, and the smelly homeless people usually employed to wander around about the front of the store in a wacky MagMascot costume with an enormous cyborg head are mysteriously absent.
That said, you can still find just about everything here that you can at the Mallside store. Curtains to carpets, macaroni to monkeys on motorcycles, groceries to zombies garlic. The staff is always happy to help (or else), and if you aren't entirely satisfied with your shopping experience, you can pay a small fee to watch the MagMart employee of your choosing get fired out the MagMart complimentary employee morale cannon. Except in this store, the 'morale cannon' is really more of a morale bazooka, and while it's still fun to watch, it's nowhere near as charming.
The Cathedral of the Sacred Order of Cunningham:happyturtle
Spoiler
The Westside Cathedral is large enough to house people for emergency purposes, but in general, only the family of the pastor and the groundskeeper live there.
Pastor Rockwell is the Pastor
Sister Janice is the Pastor's wife, and a skilled hippiemancer.
Spoiler
History: by Lex-kat
Spoiler
Long, long ago, Riverside was a simple fishing village.
It was able to blossom into a city once trade begun, because of it's placement not only on the river, but between most of the other small villages within this area of the Nexus.
Of course, this means that the Merchants were able to take over the government of the city. But other than that, it remained quite peaceful.
Very few other cities attack Riverside, and it would remain neutral in conflicts. Though, due to the few that did try to attack it, the citizens of Riverside did develop a small military force. For protection purposes only, of course.
For years, Riverside grew in power, yet never exerted it over any of the other villages. That is, until a man named Johnny Duluth came to power.
At first, the people loved him. He was fair and just. And soon, he brought even more prosperity to Riverside.
Then a change. A small force of unknown marauders besieged the city. Mayor Johnny declared a state of emergency, reorganized the military, and with the help of some of his aides, transformed them into a offensive unit.
After a long 4 month battle, Riverside won a decisive victory. But they didn't stop there. Mayor Johnny declared that a nearby village was responsible for the attack.
He personally led the military and crushed the village with no resistance.
Some Merchants balked at this, and tried to warn the citizens of the dangers of allowing Mayor Johnny to take this power.
They were all silenced, one way or the other. Bought off, murdered, or their families kidnapped and held hostage.
By the time the residents realized what was happening, it was too late. They found themselves over run by the same marauders that they had "defeated" before.
Soon, the city was run by a Mafia-dictatorship, and Johnny Duluth was it's mayor.
What the citizens didn't know, was that Johnny Duluth was just a puppet. There was another man pulling his strings.
Ezekial Von Hookes, a prominent member of the Merchant class had employed Johnny for just this. He even arranged for his own daughter, Patricia, to be kidnapped, tortured, and finally returned to him a gibbering mess.
Mayor Johnny ruled Riverside for thirty years, before dying of a sudden heart attack at the age of 78.
A kinder, gentler man took his place, returning Riverside to a peaceful, defensive center of commerce it was before Johnny Duluth took over.
The citizens were happy. But deep within the dark corners, and under the city foundations, the Mafia still ruled. Ezekial passed his hidden empire to his son-in-law, Cameron.
Cameron and Patricia (yes that Patricia) had a son, Frederick Von Hookes. Cameron raised his son to be his successor. Slowly the citizens of Riverside became aware, yet intentionally ignorant, of the criminals that were truly in charge.
People would disappear, and the police did nothing. There were rumors of daughters from surrounding villages being kidnapped and sold to wealthy men, or held under the bar for the local prostitution ring.
By the time Frederick "retired", and Jonah took over, everyone in the city knew that the city was run by a mostly hidden group of men, maybe some women.
When Reinholdt came to town, and murdered Johan, and set the prostitutes free, business came to a screeching halt.
The Green Flagon Bar, where Johan ran his business out of, shut down for repairs. But has only just recently reopened.
There is rumors that Frederick has returned. ASnd people are afraid. Where Johan was cunning, Frederick was brutal.
++++++++++++++++++
The police are owned by the Mafia. Unless you wish to die, you turn a blind eye to any crime you see.
For the most part, the citizens are protected. Only those who try to reform or change the current system find themselves on the wrong end of the "law".
Otherwise, the victims are from the more rural villages surrounding Riverside.
The Mafia has dealings with people in other large cities, including the Empire run Inside. Though most of those are in deep hiding since the Empire took over.
More recently, SAINT, the Assassins guild has sprung up in the cities underworld. Since there has been no fighting between the guild and the Mafia, it is assumed that they have a peaceful agreement with each other.
Of course, in the most recent happenings, the Golden Flagon has been shot up recently when a human female and some blue girl came asking questions.
Soon after they disappeared, an earthquake struck the twon, felling many buildings. A strange man named Riv is reported to have been to blame. How that can be, the citizens do not know.
"No. Vinny was a ferret the night of the party, so I have a fond spot for weasel-kind." Billie says, then tries to think of an alternative. "How about a pigeon?"
The River's Mouth
"Of course, how foolish of me." Dionysus gestures with the hand not currently occupied with Billie and the grass around them grows a bit taller, each strand turning a darker yet more visbile shade of green.
If the brute advancing on them decides it's worth walking into this half-circle of grass on the riverbank, he should find that every step brings him one step closer to pigeonhood. By the time he'd be close enough to threaten Billie with physical violence, he'll be very unintimidating indeed, unless she's afraid of scrabbly little claws and beaks. Walking out, sadly, won't reverse the process, but if he stops halfway then at least he might be spared living the rest of his days as a scavenging bird.
Intelligence, sadly, is not one of this guy's strong suits. The first step causes his hair to turn into feathers. All of his hair. The second step causes his face to start changing shape. The third step changes his hips and legs. That makes his trousers no longer fit, which causes him to stumble, and involuntarily run a couple steps forward to keep from tumbling, scoring him wings and a tail.
But he stops here. Just past the halfway line. Trying to say "What did you do to me, you ****?!" but as he opens his mouth... beak... it only comes out as a squawk.
"All problems can eventually be solved through the right abuse of nigh unlimited godly power. Since you're sorely lacking in your own, I'm afraid you're going to have to find another way out of this one young sir. Pray to any god you like, but I doubt many of them will answer you if that's the kind of language you use." While Billie is laughing, Dio picks up his thyrsus and gestures with it at the more-than-half pigeoned man. A vine rises up from under his talons and tries to snare him around the legs and fling him out of the circle he ran into. He probably wouldn't take a hint if it was glued to his eyelids, so maybe this will prevent him from suffering any more for his actions.
"You don't want that." Harnel says, shaking his head. Getting devoured is not pleasant!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lost_Deep
"Why would you?" The Kami moves away. "Can't you go be hungry somewhere else? There's an ice cream place down the street that way."
Kami Hunting
"No, you're causing whatever it is somehow." Cessie replies, not actually having eaten a ice cream in her whole life so that part is pretty confusing as well. "And you need to stop now." The dragon orders the kami in a sharp voice.
[Northside Hotel]
Finally as Valente is waiting he can finally see the tiefling approaching, smiling faintly. "Hey, how are you holding up?" She asks as she approaches, brushing away some strains of her black hair from her face.
Most would not, but Dionysus is one of the few who could make it if he so chose.
Thankfully, he's not going to say no in this instance, which saves Billie from having to steal his wallet later.
Probably.
In any case, a curtain is pulled as Dio lets out some merry laughter of his own. Billie has turned out to be the silver lining in this grey cloud of a day.
Probably by sunrise they are done with debauchery. Maybe.
At any rate, Billie will eventually remember Elaine. "Say, Dionysus, when is this big event happening? I have to make arrangements to make sure I'm me at the right time." Not that she gives two hoots what Elaine thinks, but she knows that if she doesn't keep up her end of the deal, then Gus will be angry at her, and she might end up locked up in Remnant for good.
"A week or so. There will be some small stirrings before then, but after a week passes the real event will have begun one way or another. There's no way of tell how long it might last though. Are you not always yourself then?" Dio seems interested, but that may just be the afterglow.
"There's another person inside me. A real Mrs Grundy type. I used to fight her for control, but now we take turns all polite-like because my son and her son are making us. They're the same way as us, two people in one body, only they are actually friends." Billie pulls a face at the idea of being friends with Elaine, but then she has a happier thought. "Nah, it'll be okay. If I tell her what's going to be happening, she'll thank me for staying in charge until it's over. I'll just make up the time later."
"Hmm... I'll leave those arrangements to you then. So long as you don't miss out on all the fun." He takes a moment to smooth the hair back from her forehead and leave a kiss there instead.
"I wouldn't want to have to eat that hat of yours just because your other half turned out to be a stick in the mud."
"Glad to hear it. For you." Dionysus pulls a bottle from the folds of his discarded toga and places it on the grass.
"Once the contents are gone, I'll leave you a message so you'll know what to do. I'm going to have to think up similar ones for all the rest of the disorganizers I'll need here just to show the Nexus how to have a proper good time." He explains, grabbing his toga and beginning to fasten it on properly. This has been a magnificent distraction, but it's past time he starts preparing for things to get interesting.
"Wait! Should I pray or anything? I don't know how to be religious!" Billie asks. She grabs the bottle and gets to her feet to help him on with his toga and cop a last feel or two.
Dionysus laughs merrily, "Drink! And when you need me, raise a glass to my name and call it out loud. That usually gets my attention better than some half-hearted prayers. Other than that, just wait for my instructions and follow them when you can, and have fun when you can't." Dionysus almost invites the gropes with how slowly he's dressing, and runs a hand through Billie's hair to straighten it out a bit when he's done.
"Anything else you need to know? This isn't how my crash courses in godly worship usually go."
"Is there anything I shouldn't do? Um... should I give up other guys?" Billie asks, which is something she really doesn't want to do, and probably couldn't do even for Dio. But she's very much smitten, and at the moment is drunk enough on lust and god-wine to make the offer.
"I wouldn't dream of asking such a thing. Besides, if all my followers went to me and me alone for those kinds of things, I'd have no time to devote to my wine!" It's true after all. Wine is very important to a god of, well, wine.
He plants a surprisingly chaste kiss on her forehead in return, "That's why I exist. To bring my followers happiness and freedom when I can. It must be the greatest treasure in the world for me to covet it like this." The hand still holding his staff thumps it on the ground with a quick motion, and a few vines rise up from between them to pull Dio back, and then down into the earth without another word. This goodbye was getting long, and he wasn't lying to himself about having work to do.
Billie lets him go, blowing a kiss at the ground, and then slowly getting dressed herself. Mostly. She tossed her shoes and her hat already, and now she decides her ripped stockings deserve the same treatment.
She puts the bottle and the remains of the yellow rose in her bag, and then lies back on the grass, holding the wooden wineglass in her hands, and replaying the encounter in her mind to fix every moment of it in her memory.
If this turned out to be a dream, she wanted to make sure she never forgot it. Not one word. Not one touch.
... "We can get ice cream after this right?" Now Harnel's hungry.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lost_Deep
Kami Hunting
"Stop what? Why? What did I do to make you angry?"
Maybe the Kami really is unaware of her role as a Kami. Why would a Kami know what a Kami is if no one ever told it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gulaghar
[Northside Hotel]
Valente moves over to Astrana quickly. "I'm fine. Did everything go alright?" He asks, clearly relieved that she's alright.
Kami Hunting
"Yes, but I'm not hungry it's..." Yes, what was it again? Maybe another approach would be for the best? She turns back to the kami. "Do you now what you are? Or anything at all?"
[Northside Hotel]
"Everything went alright. Ramior claimed you would get a light sentence in case you came back if you like to trust him on that." Astrana explains. "We should get up on the room though, I'll explain more once we get there." And then she start to move up the stairs.
"Yeah, alright." Valete walks with her toward their room. "What exactly is a light sentence, though?" He's not sure he likes how ambiguous that sounds.
"I expect you are going to get interrogated, might spend some time in room arrest, possibly pay for the damages you caused before you get sent home to Gul-Thadar. You have proven to be untrustworthy to them after all." Astrana explains as she closes the door behind them and takes up a stone carved all over with blue-colored runes. "Hold this please. Trust me, it's nothing dangerous."
Valente doesn't hesitate to take the stone. He doesn't look all that happy about the latest news. "I don't suppose they'll listen to the I was brainwashed theory."
Northside, Eastside, and Westside Residential Areas
For the past week, authorities and those who study such things in their spare time may have noticed a recent upturn in petty crime such as vandalism, bar brawls, break and enters, and so on. It's been a steady rise spreading down from Northside until three-fourths of the city seemed on edge, yet among those caught and charged for their crimes there has been very little tying them together. Few common links exist between one crime rash and another, and the only goal so far seems to be pure anarchy.
The streets are abuzz with something new, different and strange. People talk in low whispers with flushed cheeks, huddled in groups of three or four. Despite the surges of violence and destruction, there seems to be a camaraderie to these people that draws in the lost and lonely, and they never begrudge another joining their hushed conversations.
One thing is certain, whatever is happening now the mood of the city is tinder dry. Despite a few metaphorical fires here and there that were quickly put out by those in charge, the whole city feels as if it is on the edge of a massive conflagration.
Just waiting for the right spark in the right place, where no one will be able to put it out in time.
On the seventh day, Dionysus judged everything ready, and messages began appearing in bottles. Followers are being called and making their way here, ready to perform their requested roles. Tomorrow, everything begins and ends.
"They might consider it, but they will likely just put you away anyway. Just in case." Astrana replies before Valente touches the orb, an aura os silence suddenly surrounding him as well to ensure utter privacy.
The tiefling sigh, "Alright, here is the thing I haven't told you. On my way back I was contacted by the fourth tower by mental projection. They are right in the city and now they like me to meet them. I'm not sure what to do."
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face at the idea of being friends with Elaine, but then she has a happier thought. "Nah, it'll be okay. If I tell her what's going to be happening, she'll thank me for staying in charge until it's over. I'll just make up the time later."
