Inside 3: Please Ignore the Counterfeit Threads

[Rebonack]

((Boring rules and specific locations in the spoiler. I would request that random people stop making new Inside threads as I need to be able to edit them so new locations can be added. Thank you.))
All standard forum rules apply here, as do the godmodding rules generally agreed upon on this sub-forum.

This thread is for urban shenanigans as Outside is for wilderness shenanigans. It's generally a good idea to mark your PC's location with a [Location] tag at the top of your post so that other players using the thread will know where you are.

This thread is open for use by everyone. Feel free to make up locations within or even man a booth at the open market place. Please be respectful of other people's locations and refrain from blowing them up with an orbital laser strike or something.

There are NPCs all over the place, being a city and all. They are free to be used, abused, blown up, or turned into brain-hungry undead at your desecration. Please be responsible with your NPC use and clean up after you're done.

Above all else, be nice and have fun. That's the point of FFRP after all.

Locations
Barkhouse Bestiary (Public)
Odd that the building had seemed to simply spring up overnight. Even stranger is the fact that is has somehow managed to grow over at ACROville as well. Things like that happen all the time in Nexus though, so perhaps not. Or... perhaps so...

You see, when a building pops up over night in Nexus it is usually not there one moment and then there the next. Those who happened to be wandering about during the wee hours of the morning swear that they saw this odd structure growing out of the ground. Like a malformed tree maturing far faster than any tree has any business maturing. And like a tree the roof of the building sports a canopy of branches and leaves which several local birds have already taken up residence in.

The leaves are thick and broad, the bark a curious brick red color and as smooth as a paint finish. Said bark is peeling in several places, revealing younger mottled green bark below. Rather reminiscent of a madrone, really.

Despite the fact that the building is quite clearly a tree it is also quite clearly a building. A tree that has grown into a rather unnatural shape. Above the front door one will find a sign of bright yellow barkless wood which reads:


Barkhouse Bestiary
Exotic Critters, Companions, and Custom Creations

Off to the side is what one would assume to be a carved wolf of the same wood baying at the sign. Because tree puns are funny.

One will find that the door opens quit effortlessly into the roomy interior of the tree-house. Perhaps the first thing that might strike one as odd is how well lit it is inside, due both to window pains of transparent plant membranes as well as bioluminescent globes hanging from the ceiling. The whole building feels somewhat humid, though the temperature is quite comfortable for your average humanoid.

Also hanging here and there are wooden cages. More akin to old fashioned song-bird cages that the ugly boxish wire mesh variety. Some of the cages are empty. Others contain various animals, both fuzzy and not, which watch passersby with curious eyes.

Like the cages, in truth like the building as a whole, there really don't seem to be any corners to speak of. Only smooth organic curves in this place. Which makes the counter in the main room stand out a fair bit. But only because of its planed surface. It's certainly by no means square. Or even rectangular. Rather it curves and meanders around a fair bit in a very haphazard way.

Behind the counter is a perch. And on the perch is a rather odd bird painted with earth tones and a fair bit of blue. Should a customer have a message for the owner while he's out it will be more than happy to remember it for you. And if he happens to be in another room the bird will probably squawk until it gets his attention.

From the main room one will find three doors branching off to other chambers, all with similar furnishings and décor as the first. One seems to be packed with various supplies for the proper care of curious critters. Food and bedding and cages and the like. To the right one will find more varied critters as in the first main room, though the temperature here is a little warmer and the lighting slightly more dark. Also of note are a series of raised ponds which contain a plethora of colorful fish.

Yes. Even trout.

The final room is fairly large and packed to the gills with all fashion of truly bizarre plants. Many of which seem to be growing what could be assumed to be... equipment. Rope. Individual pieces of armor, pauldrons and bracers mostly. Pendants. And other less identifiable things. At one wall of the chamber is another pond with a smallish waterfall running out above it. And basking on a rock at the edge of the pond is a three foot long salamander. The amphibian, not the elemental. Near it is a sign which reads:


Please do not feed fingers to the salamander
-The Management

On the second floor of the tree house is Avatar's workshop and personal quarters, though the means by which this portion of the building is accessed isn't immediately clear. The quarters are rather plain and Spartan. The workshop seems cluttered with notes and cages, though there is some semblance of method to the madness.

In all a rather strange place, no doubt. A strange place that sells custom magical beasts and living wondrous items. How very curious indeed. What an item that won't get fried by disjunction? Need a fire breathing guinea pig? Have you always thought that it would be useful to be resistant to petrifaction? Do you need some exploding seed pods? Then, fine customer, you have come to the right place! The proprietor even takes custom orders, though expect that such creatures will take a day or two to complete. After all, it isn't easy to build a living thing from the ground up.

So come in! Look around! Have your lycanthropy repressed and buy a monkey of healing to sit on your head!

Erin's Emporium (Public)
Construction Gnomes have been hard at work renovating a small store along one of the various merchantile roads. Well, it was small. Now it's bigger on the inside.

And filled with every sort of weaponry imaginable, from across the multiverse. From blaster carbines to P-90s, surface-to-air missiles to ballistas, zats to nunchucks, they're all here.

Is that a siege crossbow sitting in the corner?

The Scrivener (Public)

The Scrivener
Information Exchange
For all your literary, investigatory, journalistic needs

Just inside the front door are rows of bookshelves, featuring many a book, tome, and article filled with useful information. At first one would assume that this is just a bookstore, but, as the clerk behind the counter will cheerfully inform you, The Scrivener specializes in obtaining and researching information for a fee as well. On the second floor is Douglas' office, where one can hire him as a private investigator.

Camlar Wines (Public)
Camlar Wines
Proprietess: Tessa Camlar Fairley

On entering, Camlar Wines appears more like a home than a shop. There are comfy chairs and a fireplace. The wine is, of course, in the cellar with magical wards to maintain its environment.

The shop specializes in wines from Camlar Vineyards in Faerun, though there are other varieties as well.

Not advertised, but possibly known through word of mouth, is that the proprietess can craft custom magic items with no waiting. Of course it takes time to do, but Tessa cheats. However, the cost is very high.

House of Oddities (Public)
*squeak*
*squeak*
*squeak*
*squeak*
*squeak*

This man approaches an empty lot. Walking over, the man kneels down, setting his briefcase next to him. Opening it up, he leans far in, almost to the waist, before drawing himself back out again, holding a beaker of water in one hand and what appears to be a small model house in the other. Closing the briefcase, the Squeaky Shoes Man maneuvers to the center of the lot.

Placing the model down, he pours the water on it and then dashs back to his briefcase quickly. The model grows, slowly at first, then faster until soon, there stands a single story house. The paint was a hideous cat-puke green and peeling. Rust lined the porch railings and shutters were hanging on their sides. The windows were covered in dirt and dust. The man smiled and picked up his briefcase. Moving quickly to his new abode, the wooden steps gave a strained groan under his weight, but held. The door swings open with a screech and the man steps inside.

Some time later, the man comes out with a hammer and a wooden sign. Staking it in front of the house, somehow pushing it into pavement, the man nods, seemingly proud of his work and goes back inside. The sign reads as follows:


ODDITIES

Barter Only

Those who walk up the ominously groaning steps and enter the shop/house will be greeted by an incredibly dusty room. Cobwebs lie all along the walls. Floorboards creak precariously. There even seems to be a hole or two in the floor. This place certainly seems unfit to live. To the right and towards the back of the room is another door that must lead further into the house.

In the middle of the room is a card table with one leg shorter than the others creating that annoying, impossible to remove, wobble. Sitting in a cheap folding metal chair facing the doorway is the Squeaky Shoes man. On top of the table is the briefcase.

Welcome to the House of Oddities. What is your flavor today?

Hestia Cyanide's Potions and Poisons (Public)
The rumbling of cartwheels and the clippetty-clop of carthorses comes to a halt as the quaint little wagon comes to a halt in the empty lot. And I do mean quaint. About the size of a small room, the wagon seems comically tiny compared to the large twin carthorses that pull it, appearing too small for someone to live in, let alone hold a shop in. At least, until it expands. The wagon seems almost to explode as it enlarges, rooms and walls and chimneys and roofs popping and appearing until the wagon resembles a small, double-story, brightly painted cottage on wheels. The house sinks to the ground, wainscots lowering lowering to hide the wheels from view, until steps pop out from the bottom of the front door, coming to the floor, and a stable pops out from the side. A large creature, perhaps a troll, or maybe an ogre or a morlock or a bugbear, comes out the front door, herds the two carthorses into the stables (which, curiously, hold room for four), then returns inside, but not before hanging up a wooden sign proclaiming
Hestia Cyanide's
Potions and Poisons

in large white letters.


The inside of the shop is smoky and warm, with a sitting room at the front, consisting of a variety of mismatched comfy chairs arranged around a low-slung table, and a 'kitchen', if it can be called that, at the back, a chaotic arrangement of shelving containing a perplexing multitude of jars, vials and bottles, all facing inwards towards a giant cauldron (and a small stepladder, for Hestia is of the small sort).

The upstairs part of the store is out of bounds, for it is where Hestia lives and sleeps, when she is not at PEACE.

Samantha's Smith (Public)
An open workyard greets you as you walk up to this building, an anvil and random scatterings of all sorts of raw materials lying on the floor, with neater, untouched pieces stacked in piles up against the wall. A few tools lay on a work bench attached to a forge, which, should one be knowledgeable about these sorts of things, will be found to be of the highest quality.

Inside the building your eyes are immediately drawn to the rows of weaponry adorning the walls. There aren't too many modern weapons there yet, most of the weapons primarily being swords, although there is a large selection of other such weapons as well. All of the weapons that are there are obviously the highest quality, and have clearly been polished recently.

Once your eyes finish taking in the weaponry they'll spot the counter on the opposite side of the room, with a young woman, probably in her early twenties leaning on it, with a cash register off to the side. Her blond hair is tied back in a sensible ponytail, and her smile is warm and genuine as you come in.

The title is a misnomer, of course. No doubt the moniker of this place was settled on after a brief conversation that started with, 'Wouldn't it be funny if...?'. But now the name has stuck.

But what is this place, you ask?

Quite simple.

This is the place between the others that isn't Outside. Now, not outside as in outdoors. That out-door market place is certainly outside. But it isn't Outside. It isn't nestled between the roaring waves of the sea and the ancient, decaying mountains. It isn't hidden in the wilds.

It's here.

In this city.

This urban center that has burst forth like a field of toad-stools after an autumn rain. This city that begun to grow as soon as the first place of business was planted outside the various ACRO organizations.

It's a strange city, to be sure. Filled with all manner of people and places and dangers and wonders. One day a location may be an empty lot. The next a butcher shop. The next a lichen-choked cathedral long since abandoned. Nothing is static. All is in flux.

It had to have been here before. Right? People walked from the Taverna to the various Orgs all the time. So how would it have been missed? Perhaps it is now so much more real because it has been acknowledged.

So then, what is this place you ask?

Well my dear hypothetical inquirer, it is the urban counterpart of Outside. It is the inns and shops and streets and slums. The markets and the parks and the fountains and the city squares. It is the libraries and the places of worship and the dank sewer systems. It is all the urban locations that don't have a place to call their own.

Always wanted to crash through a fruit stand in a dramatic chase scene? Well now you can.

Beware the Cute Diseased Pigeons, however. While they may be adorable they are known carries of the deadly Vaporization Flu.

[Chas the mage]

Imperial troops patrol the streets, walking in groups of two.

there are some medics hanging around the clinic at the base of operations...

[McBish]

[Streets/Maria's House]

Well perhaps the troops will see several looters heading towards Maria's house.

Maria sees this and rushes to the phone, only to find it dead. Apparently the riots knocked out several of the phone lines.

[Chas the mage]

[Streets/Maria's House]
You there!
he shouts at the looters
step away from the house!

[McBish]

[Streets/Maria's House]

This causes the looters to freak out a bit so they kick open the door and rush inside to get some cover.

[Chas the mage]

one of the soldiers chucks a flashbang grenade in the door.

[Lord Magtok]

Magtok is more than happy to sit quietly in the containment area for now. If he goes unsupervised, he'll start to doodle on the side of a wall. His finger doubles as a pen, you see.

Repost, in case it was missed.

[McBish]

[Maria's House]

There are several curses from inside the house by the looters. Several gun shots are fired at the open doorway, probably by blinded looters.

[Chas the mage]

after they take their pot shots, the soldiers run in and open fire on the looters...

[McBish]

Only two of the four looters seen running into the building can be seen ducking behind cover of sofa. One drops from the fire right away, the other is wounded but using a handgun opens fire with little accuracy in the general direction of the soldiers.

[Chas the mage]

One of the shots nicks a soldiers body armor...
the one soldier goes on the left of the couch, the other on the right, and they both shoot at the looter.

[McBish]

[Maria's House]

That looter is dropped as well. There can be the sound of a struggle upstairs.

[Chas the mage]

both of the soldiers sprint upstairs.

[Rebonack]

[Barkhouse Bestiary]

Zee is confused.

Very very confused.

Why isn't anyone coming to her shop.

She has a sign proclaiming a 20% off sale and everything! People love sales!

After a bit of careful soul searching and actually bothering to look outside she comes to a conclusion. It must be the rioters.

Hmm...

She'll have to do something about that then. Poor business due to riots just won't do. And thus... she's off! Off to find the source of the trouble!

[Streets]

And so there she is, tromping along and humming mirthfully to herself. Anyone who she happens across will be battered with questions like: "What are all these riots about? How come there are space bugs all over the docks? Who was that guy on TV last night? What's your favorite flavor of ice cream?"

[McBish]

[Maria's House]

At the top of the stairs they are greeted by gunfire from one of the looters. And the sight of one of the looters using Maria as a human shield. He has a slash on his chest but it isn't too deep. He yells. "Get out of here or this girl gets it!"

[Chas the mage]

the soldiers step down the stairs just out of view. they put on gas masks, and open up a can of knock out gas. Its colorless, tastless, odorless...

[McBish]

[Maria's House]

Soon there is a thump as the looter not holding Maria falls to the ground unconscious. The other one knowing that something is wrong fires a couple of shots while dragging Maria into a room away from the gas.

[Chas the mage]

the men jump further back the staircast to avoid the bullets. they then step back up, just out of view, and unleash their last can of knockout gas...

[McBish]

[Maria's House]

The men should probably hear the sound of breaking glass from one of the rooms.

[Chas the mage]

one of the men goes downstairs, and the other goes upstairs, to see if it was the looter jumping out a window...

[McBish]

[Streets]

The looter indeed climbed out a broken window and is now running down the street.

[Maria's House]

The other soldier will find an unconscious looter in the hallway, and an unconscious Maria in the room by the broken window.

[Chas the mage]

[streets]
one soldier runs out of the house into the streets, takes off his gas masks, and gives chase to the looter...

[marias house]
after dispatching the unconscious looter, the other soldier picks up Maria, and takes her the the clinic...

[McBish]

[Streets]

The looter will give the soldier a merry chase, being in good shape and knowing the streets he might even give him the slip.

[Maria's House]

Maria doesn't struggle since she is laying unconscious, though she does start to stir upon reaching the clinic.

[Chas the mage]

[streets]
the soldier passes another group on patrol, and they join in on the chase...

[McBish]

[Streets]

Well in the end he makes a last stand emptying his clip at the chasing soldiers.

[Clinic]

Maria's eyes flutter open. Ug, where am I?

[Chas the mage]

[streets]
One of the soldiers (the one from the first group) is critically wounded.
The two remaining open fire on the looter.
EAT HOT LEAD!

[McBish]

[Streets]

And so ends the looter. In a blaze of glory.

[Clinic]

Maria looks around starting to freak out a bit about waking up not knowing where she is.

[Chas the mage]

[streets]
the two remaining soldiers pick up the gun off the looter, and then bring the wounded soldier to the clinic.

[Base of Operations]
Theres a man in the same armor as the soldiers, with a red cross on his sleeve.
Calm down, you're in a clinic.

[McBish]

[Base of Operations]

Maria calms down a bit. How did I get here?

[Chas the mage]

[Base of Operations]
Two soldiers carry in a man with several bullets in his chest...

It says here...
he picks up a clipboard from the foot of the bed. he reads it a bit.
...That you where held hostage by looters and then knocked out via gas...
he looks up
you should be fine.

[Neon Knight]

Magtok is more than happy to sit quietly in the containment area for now. If he goes unsupervised, he'll start to doodle on the side of a wall. His finger doubles as a pen, you see.

And so he'll be left to his own devices for a while.

[McBish]

[Base of Operations]

Who are you people. Are you the police?

[AmberVael]

[Temple]

Twice-Made gently strokes Milli's hair.
"So when will you go?"

[Chas the mage]

[Base of Operations]
No, we're the Imperial Army. This is our base of operations.

((deadtime))

[Neon Knight]

[Temple]

Twice-Made gently strokes Milli's hair.
"So when will you go?"

Milli stretched out a bit. "I need to see Glorious, and I still want to look into the matter of that Wyld Seed. After that, I'll go." She looked at Twice-Made. "...but I won't stay too long, okay?"

[McBish]

[Base of Operations]

Imperial Army? She sits up, I think I should go home.

[AmberVael]

[Temple]

"As you wish, Milli."
Glorious says gently, kissing her on the forehead.

[Neon Knight]

[Temple]

Milli smiled and moved to stand up, stretching a bit more.

[Rebonack]

[Streets]

Exploring!

Flaming, gutted homes.

Whole blocks grown over with alien tendrils and swarming with bugs, air choked with sulfur fumes.

Looters running past with armfuls of the worldly possessions of others.

What a cheerful day!

Zee continues to hunt for someone who might know what's going on.

[AmberVael]

[Temple]

"If you wish to see Glorious, she's just outside the temple."
Says Twice-Made.

[Neon Knight]

[Temple]

"Alright, then. I'm off!" She smiles and gives Twice-Made a little wave as she goes to find Glorious.

[AmberVael]

Glorious is just outside of the temple, out in the gardens.
There are hundreds of beautiful flowers, all planted with tender, loving care- but these do not have Glorious's attention.
She's sitting on the garden wall, looking out into the battle torn city.

[Neon Knight]

Milli gasped a little at the sight herself and moved over to stand next to Glorious. "Hi, Glorious. What happened?"

[AmberVael]

"I don't know."
Glorious says quietly.
"Our worshipers have come here for sanctuary and to pray for peace."

[Neon Knight]

Milli moves to hug Glorious. "... you're upset, aren't you?"

[AmberVael]

"This shouldn't happen."
Glorious says with quiet conviction.
"It isn't the way things should be."

[Neon Knight]

Hugging Glorious, Milli nods her head. "I know. And somebody we'll be able to stop this. All of us." She tries to smile reassuringly at Glorious and brushes at her hair.

[AmberVael]

"I should stop this."
Glorious insists.
"I shouldn't just stand by and watch..."

[Neon Knight]

Milli rubbed Glriious's shoulders a bit. "Even if you're an exalt, you're just one person. It's dangerous, and there are many strange and powerful people in this place. It's terrible, Glorious, but for now we can't do much."

[AmberVael]

"I have people praying for me to bring peace. I'm just sitting here like a coward."
Glorious insists. Her heart is torn with pain, and her voice is the guilty instrument of her agony.
"They believe I can do this. They have faith on me, and are praying, hoping, and depending on me to make some kind of difference. I shouldn't just stand aside and watch. Its just so wrong- all of it."

[Neon Knight]

"Glorious, please." Milli hugged her. "You're not a coward. Even if you used up every last bit of your strength, you couldn't stop it. You can't really change things right now. You'll just get hurt. Please..."

[Lord Magtok]

In addition to some rough, vague designs for various MagCorp weapons, Magtok begins to toss some words onto the wall he's writing on, starting with the lie he gave to the police, the made-up name of the supplier he gave them. The words spaced out and seemingly tossed about at random, but slowly make their way down the wall, with the last word nearly touching the floor.


Joseph Kerr
Josh Kerr
Joss Kerr
Jose Kerr
Joey Kerr
Joe Kerr
Jo Kerr
Joker
Joke

Magtok then steps back to admire his work, before deciding it isn't quite done yet, and needs a life-size portrait of Mr. Green with a dunce cap on the north wall.

[AmberVael]

"I should try."
Glorious says, tears starting to roll down her cheeks.

[Neon Knight]

Milli hopped up to sit on the wall next to Glorious, wrapping her arms around her. She kissed Glorious's cheek and rested her head against hers, her fingers wiping at her tears. "You give them hope, wisdom, and shelter. You show them the right way, so that hopefully one day this will be impossible. The present has to be the way it is now, Glorious, but you can try to make sure the future doesn't see days like this."

[AmberVael]

Glorious holds tight to Milli, burying her face into her shoulder.

[Neon Knight]

((Sorry about the delay.))

Milli just held Glorious, stroking her hair and whispering soothingly to her.

[AmberVael]

"Is this all I should do, Milli?"
Glorious asks with quiet uncertainty.

[Neon Knight]

"Glorious, you should do whatever you can to help people and make their lives better. I think you should be a beacon of hope, peace, and care amongst this darkness. Feed the hungry, shelter the cold and homeless, heal the sick and wounded. you may not be able to stop the fighting, but you can do a great deal to ease the pain of it, and you should do that. You can speak out against it and show people there is a better way."

[AmberVael]

Glorious holds to Milli, while Vael wonders just what precisely is going on in the streets of Inside at the moment...

[Ashen Lilies]

[Streets]

Lo! A pale horse approaches, eyes aflame with the fires of eternal torment and agony, bearing it's dark and hooded and distinctly biblical rider to its destination. Which happens to be the Hijacked TV Station.

[Neon Knight]

((It seems like the fighting has died down. The mercs are capitalizing on their propaganda victory. The police are busy patching everything together. The gangsters are licking their wounds and plotting. There is still sporadic violence from looters and mobs, but it has apparently settled a bit.))

[Ashen Lilies]

[Streets]

Lo! A pale horse approaches, eyes aflame with the fires of eternal torment and agony, bearing it's dark and hooded and distinctly biblical rider to its destination. Which happens to be the Hijacked TV Station.


Arr! Kris hates getting stuck at the bottom of the page! Especially when someone else makes a post roughly 4 seconds afterwards!

[AmberVael]

((Hmmm. A lull then. Oh well.))

Glorious sighs and looks up to Milli.
"How are you, Milli?"

[Neon Knight]

Milli strokes Glorious's cheek softly. "Well, I'm fine. But I didn't know all this was going on." She looked out at the city and bit her lip as she thought.

[AmberVael]

Glorious gives a little shake of her head and holds to Milli.
"It was a nasty surprise to me too."

[Artemis97]

[Streets]

Raril stretches a bit as the cloud of deadtime he'd gotten caught in dissipates. The first thing he noticed was the smoke as the scent reached his sesitive nose. Opening his eyes, he soon saw the cause. The city was in ruins, torn by a war for power. People were hurt, soldiers patrolled the streets, factions carved up the city blocks like so much cake. And the drow had seen it all before.

He sighs heavily. This was definately going to make getting rid of the bug critters more difficult. Oh well. Nothing that was worth doing was easy, right?

Yeah, right. Stupid surface expressions.

Growling and grumbling, the drow stalked off, trusting the others he was standing with would catch up to him whenever they woke up.

[Neon Knight]

Milli ran her fingers through Glorious's hair. "We'll be able to stop this one day. Remember that, hold onto that. That'll help you get through this."

[AmberVael]

Glorious nods and nuzzles against Milli slightly.

[Chas the mage]

The impirial troops begin to patrol, in groups of 2.

[Neon Knight]

"...I'm going to go out into that. I've got to try and find that Wyld seed for Koine and Wilder."

[The Bushranger]

((...
:smallannoyed::smallsigh:))

[Erin's Emporium - Upstairs]

Erin, meanwhile, is still glaring at Vincent and Caroline, clearly steamed.

[Reinholdt]

[Erin's Emporium]


Caroline, blowgun in hand, looks at Vincent. I think we may have screwed up. :smalleek:
"How so? Did she sell illegal stuff or not?" Caroline is the one who said it. Hopefully she's not forgetting the BATTLESHIPS.
...
Cause I want one if Erin's still selling.

[Ashen Lilies]

Some imperial soldiers may run into the guy who looks suspiciously like Horseman Death, who is riding slowly forward towards the Hijacked Tower. Might take a while, since DC appears to be deadtimed.

[Neon Knight]

((???))

[EE - Upstairs]

And May continues to be a passive, concerned bystander.

[Chas the mage]

One of the soldiers waves cheerfuly to the horseman, and the other one slaps the first upside the head...

[Ashen Lilies]

The Horseman rides past them, briefly wondering if it would be worth his time to kill them both and make quick zombies out of them.

[McBish]

[Base of Operations]

Unless the soldiers stop her Maria gets up thanks them, and then hurries home.

[Artemis97]

[Streets]

The drow bard stops to watch as a pair of imperial soldiers walk down the street. Who were they? he wonders What faction? Were they friendly, or the sort that would attack a lone wanderer on sight?

His player would settle for a description.

[Chas the mage]

[base of Operations]
No one stops maria. There is a clearly marked white exit door.

[Streets]
The soldiers don't seem to be shooting anyone. They're just walking, making sure no one shooting anyone else... most of them smoke cigarettes.

as for the description, a pictures worth a thousand words (http://battlefield.ea.com/battlefield/bf2142/images/screenshots/BF2142pcSCRNgibr12.jpg)

[The Bushranger]

((The whole thread legitmitacy thing, NK>))

[EE-Upstairs]

I'm waiting for an apology, here... Erin drawls.

And yup, she's still selling. Both the kind that float on water, and the kind that fly through space.
I doubt Vincent has enough GP for a Dilgar Dreadnought, slightly used, one careful owner named Deathwalker, though. :smalltongue:

[Ashen Lilies]

[Streets]

...
Screw it. Mindless mayhem and zombie creating was always fun.
The Horseman turns around.
"Hello there."

[Darkcomet]

DC returns from the game he is unable to minimize without it crashing.

The guards outside the hijacked broadcast tower raise their SMGs at the Horseman.

"Identify yourself!"

...drat.

[McBish]

[Streets]

Maria walks quickly towards her house being very careful to avoid any more looters, or rioters. She quickly goes into her home and sees that state of her home and frowns. She closes the door but it won't latch. So she pushes some furniture in front of it so no one can just walk inside. She looks at the various bullet holes and sighs. She goes upstairs and curls up in her bed laying just on top of her sheets.

[Neon Knight]

"...I'm going to go out into that. I've got to try and find that Wyld seed for Koine and Wilder."

((In case this was missed.))

[Artemis97]

((And what wonderfully rendered words they are))

[streets]

Armor and guns. Again. Raril thinks bitterly. At least this group didn't seem actively destructive. Hopefully they understood the meaning of 'cease fire'.

Looking to satisfy his curiousity, the drow casually walks closer to a nearby pair of soldiers. He was lightly armored in a mix of chainmail and leather, and caried a pair of shortswords and a rapier. He also wore a wicked looking crossbow across his back. Despite the obvious weaponry, he wasn't trying to be hostile. He really didn't want to get shot.

[Chas the mage]

[streets]
the first soldier says
Dude, thats one kickass horse...
then the second whacks him up the head
shuddup!

edit:
[elsewhere in the streets]
One of the soldiers turns his head slightly twords him, and nods to him. he then faces forwards again and continues his patrol...

[Ashen Lilies]

[Streets]

"Yes, well, I'm afraid you may just get your wish..."
The Horseman raises his hands, and attempts to spear them both with Negative Energy, intending to kill them and reraise them as zombies in one swift motion.

[AmberVael]

((Sorry, had to do a little bit of cleaning))

[Temple]

"Now? Alone? Milli..."
Glorious looks at her with concern.

[Neon Knight]

[Temple]

Milli gave Glorious a small smile. "The trail was already cold, and if I don't look for it now, any chance I ever had of finding it will be gone. Don't worry, I'll be okay. I'm a Lunar, remember? I'm all shapeshifty and tricksy and stuff!"

[AmberVael]

[Temple]

Glorious holds tight to Milli.
"Be careful."
She whispers.

[Chas the mage]

[streets]
the talkative on is instantaniously fried and raised, and the otherone is half zombified... He pulls out his radio
BACKUP! ASAP! UNDEAD! EVIL HORSE! GET HOLY STUFF! *** ***** **** **** ****** ***** *** ****!!!
and then dies.

[Neon Knight]

[Temple]

Milli kissed Glorious on the cheek. "I will be. I promise."

[Ashen Lilies]

[Streets]

The Horseman quickly raises the second one (unless there is something wrong that prevents him from doing so), and incinerates the radio, before making the zombies follow him.

"How unfortunate. Though perhaps I can turn this to my advantage...?"

[Hijacked TV station]

Lo! A pale horse approaches, eyes aflame yadda yadda yadda. Two zombies trail him.

[AmberVael]

[Temple]

Glorious turns to take the kiss on the lips, and kisses Milli lovingly, expressing her fear through it.

[Artemis97]

[Elsewhere on the streets]

Raril nods in return. "Evening" He says, before continuing his own wandering.

[Darkcomet]

The guards outside the hijacked broadcast tower raise their SMGs at the Horseman.

"Identify yourself!"

...those poor, ignorant fools.

[Lex-Kat]

Because the other thread died and I didn't realize it because Rebo didn't have the decency to place a link to the new thread:


Caroline, blowgun in hand, looks at Vincent. I think we may have screwed up. :smalleek:

[Neon Knight]

[Temple]

Milli gave Glorious one last tight squeeze before hopping off and heading out in search of the Wyld seed.

[Chas the mage]

[streets]
the now zombified soldiers shouts are heard through the radio
oh ****!
they ready their guns, and run back to the base of operations
[Base of Operations]
Imperial snipers begin to open fire on the horseman.

[AmberVael]

[Temple]

Glorious watches her go, then slowly turns back and goes inside.

---

Woo! Off searching! Where to first? There's a lot of places to look...

[Ashen Lilies]

The Horseman raises two gloved hands up to his hood and lowers it, revealing a fearful visage, the terrible maw of Death itse-
...
Oh wait, it's just Orson. Nevermind.
"I come to see your leader. Take me to him, or die."

Several sniper shots ping off the bullet proof shield Orson erected.

@ Chas: Wha? They're zombies now? As in, mindless souless servants of the dude who raised them? :smallconfused:

[Reinholdt]

Reposted for Lex then. Poor Lex.

[Erin's Emporium]


Caroline, blowgun in hand, looks at Vincent. I think we may have screwed up. :smalleek:
"How so? Did she sell illegal stuff or not?" Caroline is the one who said it. Hopefully she's not forgetting the BATTLESHIPS.
...
Cause I want one if Erin's still selling.

[Chas the mage]

Theres pairs alover the city doing patrol...

[Neon Knight]

Milli decides that she needs to look in the more put together sections of town not held by the mercenaries or the police. It did say it was on the black market, after all...

[The Bushranger]

((Psst, Lex, Rein already replied to that...
:smalltongue:))

[Darkcomet]

[Hijacked Broadcast Tower]

"You may as well, since we're going to have to go inside to avoid getting a bullet in the brain now..."

Stupid snipers.

The two head inside.

[Ashen Lilies]

Orson dismounts his Horse, and follows the two mercs, followed by Schrodinger's zombies(?).

[Chas the mage]

2 of the many soldiers patroling the city have been zombified. so yes. the 2 zombified soldiers are now under orsons control, and the rest are still alive...

[AmberVael]

To the slums then!

[Slums]

This isn't the nice part of Inside. The police don't have as much presence here, there are no target zones to capture, and the various gangsters and mobs tend to be slightly classier or simply don't get along with the people here.

There are a number of crime lords or shady groups... but they're rather separate organizations, and altogether more shady and underground.
Not that Milli knows much of this yet. She only knows she's patrolling a haphazardly created section of Inside with dilapidated apartment complexes and dingy bars with colored lights inside. There are a few people either lingering, skulking, or quickly traversing the streets.

[Ashen Lilies]

((Okay. Right. You confused me for a second there.))

[Lex-Kat]

[Erin's Emporium]

"How so? Did she sell illegal stuff or not?" Caroline is the one who said it. Hopefully she's not forgetting the BATTLESHIPS.
...
Cause I want one if Erin's still selling.
I... I think I got caught up in all the excitement. I'm sorry. Caroline looks at her feet and begins to try to lower herself through the floor.

[Darkcomet]

Orson dismounts his Horse, and follows the two mercs, followed by Schrodinger's zombies(?).

The two lead Orson to an elevator and head inside.

"Before we go... Would you explain why you wish to see him?"

[Neon Knight]

[Slums]

Milli approaches a person who seems to be not busy and knowledgeable, using her appearance and charm. "Excuse me? Could you tell me where you go to get special things?"

[Reinholdt]

[Erin's Emporium]

The battle fades to black and returns to normal game mode. "Wait! Caroline!" He goes to rush after her. Which probably means rushing downstairs.

[Artemis97]

[Somewhere on the streets]

Raril continues his wonderings, keeping a look out for any trouble.

[ThePhantom]

[IPD station]

An old man in white clothes walks inside the station.

"Hallo? Is anyone here?"

[Chas the mage]

((disregard))

[Ashen Lilies]

"I wish to extend him an offer."
Says Orson.

[AmberVael]

Someone knowledgeable?
There's a likely looking fellow sitting on a barrel, picking at his teeth. When she approaches and asks her question, he gives a wide grin.
"Special things, eh miss? I might could provide- depends on what ya want."

[Neon Knight]

((Milli is explicitly in a gang controlled area without soldiers.))

[Slums]

Milli smiled at him. "Well, I'm looking for something rare. Magical. Powerful. Know anyone who sells things like that."

[Chas the mage]

((scratch that then))
the men are setting up turrets at the base of operations...

[Darkcomet]

[Hijacked Broadcast Tower]

"Don't try to pull anything."

The non-talky merc pushes the button for the top floor of the tower.

Elevator music!

[The Bushranger]

[EE - Upstairs]

Apology accepted...
Erin watches them flee, and then turns to May, looking distinctly worried.
Are you OK, sweetie? Really?

[Neon Knight]

[EE - Upstairs]

May smiled a bit weakly at Erin. "They were really weird and a bit scary, but I'm okay, really."

[Ashen Lilies]

...
...
...
...
OH GOD MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP!!!
*collapses*
*shivers uncontrollably*
...
...
*ding!*
mercy... have mercy... mercy please... kill me....
...
...
Okay, that doesn't happen. Orson likes elevator music. Which is further proof of his evilness. Srsly!

[AmberVael]

"Magic?"
The man raises an eyebrow.
"Magic, you say? What are you looking for, anyways?"

[Neon Knight]

[Slums]

Milli kept smiling at him. "I'm looking for a seed with very, very potent magic."

[ThePhantom]

[IPD station]

"Well, it looks like no one is here."

The old man starts heading for the cells.

[AmberVael]

[Slums]

"A seed? Just what kinda drugs are you after, anyways?"
He shakes his head.
"None of that, none of that- I've got what you want right here though. This is good stuff, trust me."
Hmmm. Maybe not so knowledgeable.

Milli might notice a few people slowly converging on their position.

[Neon Knight]

[IPD station]

"Well, it looks like no one is here."

The old man starts heading for the cells.

((Missed this. >.< Drop me a Pm or something next time.))

To retcon this into reality, this is an abandoned, empty IPD station, not the one holding Magtok.

[Darkcomet]

...
...
...
...
OH GOD MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP!!!
*collapses*
*shivers uncontrollably*
...
...
*ding!*
mercy... have mercy... mercy please... kill me....
...
...
Okay, that doesn't happen. Orson likes elevator music. Which is further proof of his evilness. Srsly!

*ding*

The door opens, revealing a heavily guarded room. At the end of the room is a window, overlooking the city, with a certain revolutionary royal looking out into the distance.

The guards in here are all armed with laser rifles, a-la commanders. Must be important.

[Neon Knight]

[Slums]

Milli glanced at the converging people. Great. Gotta make this fast. "Not drugs. An actual seed. Like a tree grows from."

[ThePhantom]

[Empty IPD station]

The old man walks down into the cells.

"Shoot. This is the wrong one."

The old man walks back up and heads out the door of the station.

[The Bushranger]

[EE - Upstairs]

And Erin steps over to wrap her arms around May in a quick, yet tight hug.
Well, I'm glad to hear that! We need to talk about something, though...

[Ashen Lilies]

[Propoganda Tower]

Orson steps out from the elevator, humming Girl from Ipanema.

"Hello there."

[Neon Knight]

[Empty IPD Station]

The real IPD station is close by.

[Real IPD Station]

See? See how close it is?

___

[EE - Upstairs]

May looked at Erin. "About what?"

[AmberVael]

[Slums]

"Look, see what I got?"
He starts reaching into his jacket...
And then the converging people slip out crossbows, pointing them at him, while a few more slip from the shadowy side alleys with knives.
"Know who you're dealing with, miss?"
One of them asks in a quiet voice.
The man she's talking to starts sweating.

[Neon Knight]

[Slums]

Milli turned to the speaker and smiled. She wasn't worried yet. She was sure she could slip away if she needed to. "Don't have that pleasure, I'm afraid."

[ThePhantom]

[Real IPD Station]

"Well, that explains the mix up."

The old man walks inside the station.

"Hello. Is there someone I can talk to reguarding someone I believe is being held in a cell here?"

[Neon Knight]

[Real IPD Station]

He's stopped at the door by police wearing body armor and shotguns. "I'm afraid you cannot, citizen."

[ThePhantom]

[Real IPD Station]

"I am his lawyer, and I want to see my client."

[Neon Knight]

[Real IPD Station]

"The city is under martial law. He'll get to see his lawyer when this is over. For now, he remains in detention."

[Darkcomet]

[Propoganda Tower]

Orson steps out from the elevator, humming Girl from Ipanema.

"Hello there."

Vyrn turns to face Orson. I understand you wanted to see me?

[AmberVael]

"He's not approved by the boss for selling stuff down around here. If you aren't approved, boss don't take kindly to you selling...
"He's been warned a few times. Got a few scars and beatings for his trouble. Might want to step aside and look away. Work can get bloody."
The speaker seems rather amused more than anything.

[Ashen Lilies]

"I did." Orson looks around. "Nice place you've got here. Cozy."

[ThePhantom]

[Real IPD Station]

"I see, sir."

The old man walks some distance from the station until he is out of sight of any officers, becomes invisible, and head back. He waits for an time when the door to the station is open, and when such time comes, he heads through the door.

[Neon Knight]

[Slums]

Milli bit her lip. Oh, this was a problem. Although the man wasn't in a good business and probably wasn't a very nice person, she couldn't really just stand by while this happened.

"And what if I'm afraid that I can't do that?"

___

[Real IPD Station]

They do have scanners for that sort of thing. Invisibility and intangibility are annoyingly common defensed in ACRO.

[Darkcomet]

"I did." Orson looks around. "Nice place you've got here. Cozy."

Vyrn scowls. Well, out with it. I have other things to attend to.

[The Bushranger]

((Gah, fast posting! :smalleek:))


[Erin's Emporium - Upstairs]

About your dad, and what you want to do, Erin says, sighing, stepping into the library and flopping into a chair. I talked to the folks at the police station, and they said he skipped town the moment they weren't looking, she says sadly.

[ThePhantom]

[Real IPD Station]

Well, those scanners have just gone off.
The old man, while still invisible, tries to run down to the cells.

[Neon Knight]

[EE - Upstairs]

May looked at Erin, a bit surprised. "O-oh."

___

[Real IPD Station]

The cell block entered crackdown the second the scanners were tripped. And heavily equipped policemen with True Sight goggles are pouring out of everywhere, searching for the intruder.

[Ashen Lilies]

Vyrn scowls. Well, out with it. I have other things to attend to.

"I can help you with your task, if you will help me with something in return, when I ask of it."

[Darkcomet]

Vyrn raises an eyebrow. And what is it you would want me to do?

[ThePhantom]

[Real IPD Station]

Well, those policemen with True Sight goggles in the area next to the cell block should see a skeleton in white armored robes.

"Hello, pawns. Now, you can let me talk to one of the prisoners here, or you can attack me and have my rook,
that's the giant flying undead T-Rex carve my name onto the city, using entire cityblocks to make the letters."

[AmberVael]

[Slums]

"You're new down here, kid."
The person pulls back their hood, revealing a masculine, but female face.
"So I'll let you in on a secret: there's no use for heroes here. Everyone is a villain, and heroes only get more people hurt if they stand in the way of things. If business goes on like normal? No one gets hurt, things keep in order, things run smooth."
She holds out both hands, then lowers one.
"That balance tips, more people try and take advantage, more people move in our territory- aggressively. Lots of violence, chaos, and disorder. Heroes just gum up the works. Boss doesn't like that."
She reaches up and draws off her cloak, revealing a rather large greatsword beneath it.
"I've got no quarrel with you, but if you start trying to play a hero, its in everyone's best interests to see you get stopped. Got it? So why don't you just not get in the way of business?"
A small smirk appears on her face.
"Besides, if you're all peaceful, we might have something for you. Boss deals in a lot of things..."

[The Bushranger]

[EE - Upstairs]

Yeah. Erin sighs, running her hands over her face. Now, I can see about tracking him down for you...

[Neon Knight]

[Real IPD Station]

The crackdown team responds by emptying automatic shotguns into him.

___

[EE - Upstairs]

"Or?" May knew a prompt when she heard one.

___

[Slums]

"I know I won't change anything with my one small act here. But I can save a man's life. I did put it in danger, after all. I'm sorry, but I won't stand aside." Looks like it was time to put Yaza's bow to the test...

[Ashen Lilies]

Vyrn raises an eyebrow. And what is it you would want me to do?

"I want you to stand in a circle with some other people while I cast a spell. But that's not important. What's important is your takeover of this city." Says Orson. He briefly runs his eyes over the room, counting the opposition.

[ThePhantom]

[Real IPD Station]

The White King responds with a shield made of magical energy.

"Okay, then. Lucky for you, I can't do that yet, but I can soon."

The White King tries to blast open the door to the cell block.

[AmberVael]

[Slums]

"No one's going to die. Boss hasn't wanted him killed before... won't want him killed now. He's just going to get taught a little lesson, is all. Boss doesn't typically like killing people- not permanently, anyways..."
The woman's sword is out and ready.
"I'm giving you one more chance."

[Darkcomet]

"I want you to stand in a circle with some other people while I cast a spell. But that's not important. What's important is your takeover of this city." Says Orson. He briefly runs his eyes over the room, counting the opposition.

There are ten of the elite guards and the two door guards at the elevator. The elites, as mentioned, all have laser rifles, while the door guards just have SMGs.

Magnificent, is it not? The populace is already being swayed by our victories. Soon, it'll all be ours... But where do you think you can assist?

[The Bushranger]

[EE - Upstairs]

Or, Erin says, her cheeks blushing slightly greenish, If you wanted...Mike and I could adopt you...

[Ashen Lilies]

"Extra troops and manpower. Of the disposable kind." He gestures to the zombies behind him.
"And you need not worry about morale, I can make them quite realistic."
"Or, if you would rather, some mass effect spells come to mind."

[Neon Knight]

[EE - Upstairs]

May considered it for a second. "...I wouldn't be a burden to you, would I?"

___

[Real IPD Station]

They continue to blaze away at him as he blasts the door. It's a very, very sturdy lockdown door, but if the White King is using a powerful blast, he'll punch through.

___

[Slums]

Milli shrugs her bow off her back. "I'm not taking it."

[McBish]

[Maria's House]

Maria finds it hard to sleep. She gets up and wanders around her house starting to feel trapped, but not really thinking it is a good idea to go out.

[Darkcomet]

[Hijacked Broadcast Tower]

Vyrn ponders for a few moments. Hm. I apologize-but this will be a war won by the public image. If word got out that we were using zombies, well, I doubt we'd have much support after that. Thanks for the offer.

[ThePhantom]

[Real IPD Station]

Yes, its a powerful blast.

The White King heads down the cell block until he reaches Magtok's cell.

And there, he waits.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Near Taverna]

Zel walks out of the tavern. She looks around for a moment, the sets off. Seems she knows where she's going.

[AmberVael]

[Slums]

The woman begins her lunge before Milli has even touched her bow, swinging the flat of her sword at Milli's knees.

Two others lunge in at the seller and begin wrestling him to the ground.
The others keep their crossbows trained and their eyes out for anyone moving to interfere.

[The Bushranger]

[EE - Upstairs]

Erin shakes her head emphatically. Not at all. You're a strong and fine young lady who anybody would be proud to know, yet alone have as part of their family. She smiles warmly at May.

[Ashen Lilies]

"Right. Well, I'll just have to switch to plan B then."

[Darkcomet]

[Hijacked Broadcast Tower]

And what, dare I ask, is plan B?

The elite guards don't like the sound of plan B at all, and have their laser rifles at the ready.

[Ashen Lilies]

"You come with me, or tell me where I can find another of royal blood to take your place..."
He gazes around the room again, making it obvious this time, almost contemptuous.
"... Or I decapitate your entire operation. And then I take you with me anyway."
He smirks.
"It's your choice. If you could call it that."

[Neon Knight]

[Real IPD Station]

The officers try to secure the area around the deadtimed villains.

___

[EE - Upstairs]

May smiled shyly at Erin as she started blushing furiously. "Um, Erin? T-this may be a little w-weird, but... you were the first person I ever saw. I.. I k-kinda think of you as Mom a-already. I'd r-really like to be your daughter."

___

[Slums]

Go-Go-Gadget Dexterity Excellency! Boosts dodging ability, enhances bow use, and grants an Essence arrow if Milli can get the shot lined up.

Milli will try to throw herself backwards, using all the Essence she can to enhance her dexterity. She'll try to draw and fire her bow in mid-air, and hit the woman.

[ThePhantom]

[Real IPD Station]

One villian isn't deadtime, but feels free to ignore the officers surrounding him.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Outside Maria's House]

Zel smiles a little at the sight of the house. She'll walk up to the door and knock on it.

[Darkcomet]

[Hijacked Broadcast Tower]

I fear I cannot comply with that.

And Vyrn lunges, trying to grab a hold of Orson's arm.

If he's successful, well, he'll try a short-term memory wipe on Orson.

[The Bushranger]

[EE - Inside]

Erin's blushing furiously too.
And, lost for words, just hurries over to pull May into a tight hug.
With tears actually running down her cheeks.

[AmberVael]

[Slums]

Milli's shot streaks out towards the woman, and appears to encounter some sort of resistance. However, it pierces through it and sinks into her shoulder anyways, albeit in a less damaging manner.
She grits her teeth, shifting her grip on her sword as a blue aura begins forming around her.
"Dammit!"
She sweeps her sword out in a feint, then redirects it in a split second, moving with precision timing that can't be natural...
Her slice turns into upwards slash that might cut open Milli's leg.

[Ashen Lilies]

[HBT]

Orson lets the royal grab him.
"Physical combat? I would have thought better of someone with an army of lasers."
He raises his other arm, intent on casting a spell to destroy the tower utterly, save for Vyrn, when...
He blinks.
"Why the hell are you grabbing my arm? Come to think of it, where am I anyways?" :smallconfused: :smallannoyed:
"I want explanations!"

[Neon Knight]

[EE - Upstairs]

May hugs Erin tightly, smiling and wiping at her tears.

___

[Slums]

Milli is surprised by her opponent's ability. She's still doing her usual combat tactic of dumping all the Essence she can into dexterity as she send off another arrow at her attacker.

As for her leg, well, Milli gasps in pain as she does indeed receive a cut on her leg.

[Darkcomet]

[HBT]

Orson lets the royal grab him.
"Physical combat? I would have thought better of someone with an army of lasers."
He raises his other arm, intent on casting a spell to destroy the tower utterly, save for Vyrn, when...
He blinks.
"Why the hell are you grabbing my arm? Come to think of it, where am I anyways?" :smallconfused: :smallannoyed:
"I want explanations!"

You were just leaving.

Vyrn lets go and points at the elevator.

[AmberVael]

[Slums]

This time, the woman actually manages to dodge the arrow, in fact beginning her movement before it is ever fired. Still, she has to lunge out of the way, and barely even recovers her balance, much less gets in a counter attack.

[Ashen Lilies]

"Oh. Huh."
He turns.
"Come along."
He enters the elevator, absently humming Girl from Ipanema, as the zombies enter with him.

[Neon Knight]

[Slums]

Yaza's bow had a great advantage. Another full Essence dump into dexterity and Milli instantly had a new arrow to fire. She tried to hit the woman when she was still of balance, counting on the fact that she could hopefully make a follow up shot quicker than the woman could react.

[Darkcomet]

[HBT]

Vyrn smirks as Orson goes.

[AmberVael]

[Slums]

The woman throws up her sword, managed to actually deflect the arrow just in time, though its clear the movement is paining her with that wounded shoulder.
"Shoot her!"
She shouts.
Three crossbowmen open fire.

[The Bushranger]

[EE - Upstairs]

Thank you... Erin finally manages to compose herself enough to whisper. I was hoping, but... She sniffles, and pulls back with a happy smile and tears of joy.

[McBish]

[Outside Maria's House]

Zel smiles a little at the sight of the house. She'll walk up to the door and knock on it.

Zel should be able to tell the door has recently been kicked in, but is propped shut at the moment. A little bit after she knocks there is a scrapping noise and the door opens to revel Maria looking relived to see Zel. Hey.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Maria's House]

Hey. She eyes the door. Forget your key?

[Chas the mage]

Imperial troops are patroling the streets...

[Neon Knight]

[Slums]

Unimaginatively, Milli maximizes her dexterity with as much Essence as she can muster, throwing herself aside from the crossbow bolts and trying to get another shot off at the woman. The shot will probably be too clumsy and easily dodge-able, and I'll actually leave it up to Vael whether Milli gets hit with crossbow bolts or not.

___

[EE- Upstairs]

"W-when I first saw you, I liked and trusted you immediately. I just knew you were a good person." She smiled at Erin. "It's great to be able to call you Mom."

[McBish]

[Maria's House]

No, there has been some looters and rioters around here. A couple of them broke in. Come inside. She opens the door wider to invite Zel in. Zel should see the downstairs looks like a gun fight has happened recently.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Maria's House]

A look a surprise comes to her when she sees the place. Holy crap, Maria. It's a wonder you didn't get hurt.

--------------------------------------------------

[Skies near Outside]

A roc flies above the area of Inside. It watches below as it circles.

[The Bushranger]

[EE - Upstairs]

Erin blushes more, and ducks her head a little. I liked you the moment I saw you. I knew you were a good person and had a good heart. It's great to have you as my daughter.

[McBish]

[Maria's House]

Yeah well not entirely unscathed. She holds up her bandaged hand. But I got this before they broke in, just a stray bullet breaking my window. Some soldiers fought with the looters, I was upstairs.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Maria's House]

Zel shakes her head a little. Man...I'm sorry...

[McBish]

[Maria's House]

Yeah it has been pretty hectic here lately. I'm glad you stopped by.

[Neon Knight]

[EE - Upstairs]

The daughter smiles at her new mother as NK ponders how this works with Patty from the future.

[Rebonack]

[The Infestation Zone]

It started with a few disappearances after the stars began to fall.

A whiff of sulfur seeping up from the ground. Then a whole building emptied of life. No remains. No trace. Just that foul stench.

The vanishings have grown in number over the past few days. And as stories of the strange plague that has befallen the city spread that diabolic scent has set a whole district living on edge. But where else shall they go?

Homes.

Businesses.

Abandoned. Emptied. The blight spreading. Silent, deadly as cancer.


[The Burned Out District]

The riots had caused untold damage. With so much chaos and violence putting an end to the fires was an impossibility. The earth still smolders. Only ash and cinders remain. Ash and cinders and broken dreams.

Promises of hope and strength take deep root here.

The most insidious lies are often the ones seasoned with truth. The vilest of schemes are those that wrap themselves in the guise of noble endeavor.

....

The tent is abuzz with activity.

He had arrived only recently as disaster befell Inside.

A prophet?

A visionary?

A good man, certainly.

Here to make people's lives better! Here to explain mysteries of existence. To expose ancient secrets that lead to happiness and prosperity! All topics that the down on their luck denizens of Inside are eager to hear about.

The fact that there's free food certainly helps.

Chairs have been set up in front of an impromptu stage. The stage being little more than a podium and an odd looking, bulky device that two men are presently wrestling onto a table. Here and there excited folk are chattering about the doctor. About the zombie sightings. About their own personal lives and of course how the doctor's guidance has improved everything. In such a short time he had given hope.

Patched together dreams.

Given new purpose and resolve.

Doctor Daxter Ward is a kind and wise man.


[Right behind Raril]

*glomp!*

"Ah ha! I found you!" Zee exclaims as she aims to tackle the drow from behind. "You thought you could get away from the Bestiary without doing any cleaning, did you? Well now you get to tell me what on terra happened to the city while I was cleaning out bird cages."

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Maria's House]

Yeah. So, what made you pick this house?

[McBish]

[Maria's House]

I don't know it seemed nice for the price, and the neighborhood didn't seem to bad. It seemed like a good deal.

[AmberVael]

[Slums]

Unimaginatively, Milli maximizes her dexterity with as much Essence as she can muster, throwing herself aside from the crossbow bolts and trying to get another shot off at the woman. The shot will probably be too clumsy and easily dodge-able, and I'll actually leave it up to Vael whether Milli gets hit with crossbow bolts or not.

Most of the bolts miss, as Milli is Exalted, and the crossbowmen aren't precisely capable of dealing with such a person. However, one bolt shatters off a nearby wall, and sends a jagged shard of wood into her.

Her antagonist runs in, abandoning her sword in favor of a leaping kick that carries her over the fired shot and straight at Milli.

[Terumitsu]

[Streets]


Raril clears his throat, realizing he might have said a little too much there. "Well, one of my sisters had this vision and she went to the surface along with my older brother. When they didn't send word back for a long time, my family was worried something had happened to her. So, they sent me after them. I got up here, had a look around, and decided finding my sister wasn't a real priority." He says, grinning again.

Ispen, having this amazing ability to keep moving while in deadtime, Zombietime he called it, was likely already caught up with Raril the moment he came to the world of the concious of action again. "Did you ever fi-OH GODS!" Ispen suddenly ducked into an alleyway, attempting to take Raril with him as a hail of gunfire rushed through the spot he had just been standing.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Maria's House]

Zel nods a little. Well...you gonna show me around?

[McBish]

[Maria's House]

Sure. I'll give you the grand tour. She starts in the living room which they are now standing in. Beyond that is a short hallway with two doors, one leading upstairs, one to a bathroom, and at the end of the hallway is the kitchen with a back door.

Upstairs she shows her the two bedrooms and a second bigger bathroom with a shower. Only one of the bedrooms is furnished like anyone lives in it. So what do you think?

[Neon Knight]

[Slums]

Milli let out a small cry as the jagged piece of wood pierced her. All out of Essence from her personal supply, Milli was forced to fall back on her peripheral Essence. Her Changing Moons caste mark glittered on her forehead and it was possible that it could be spotted. Her Tell also became more prominent, making it more likely for her foes to notice her animal ears and tail.

As it was, she just went for another full essence dexterity boost, trying to dodge to the side and plant another Essence arrow into her opponent.

She couldn't keep this up forever. Soon, she'd be lighting the whole place up.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Maria's House]

Zel nods appreciatively. Nice. I like it.

--------------------------------------------------

[Skies]

The roc lowers its circles. It lets out a screech, which will probably be heard for a few miles.

[AmberVael]

[Slums]

Her opponent throws herself flat to avoid the arrow, giving out a gasp of pain as her shoulder wound opens up a bit more from it.

The crossbowmen are reloading frantically.

[The Bushranger]

[EE - Upstairs]

It means Patty will be getting a headache the next time she undeadtimes as her timeline realigns itself. :smalltongue:




Erin, meanwhile, leans back in her chair, smiling happily. Will you want to keep your last name? she asks May softly.

[Neon Knight]

[Slums]

Milli stood up and looked at her foe, drawing an actual arrow from her quiver and knocking it. "You can give up, you know. Just leave now, leave him alone, and we can just forget that this happened."

___

[EE- Upstairs]

May shook her head. "No, I want to take use yours."

[McBish]

[Maria's House]

Thanks now I just need to get the windows fixed up and the bullet holes patched up and I'll be happy with it.

[Artemis97]

[right behind... no, wait, exactly were Raril is.]

"Oof!" Raril rocks a bit as he's tackled, but manages to keep his feet. She might notice he's wearing what's been coined the 'medieval haz-mat suit' minus the helmet, rather than his usual clothes. "Zee! Oh, it's gone a bit crazy out here, hasn't it? There was this guy sayi- Whoa!" The drow gets dragged into the alleyway by Ispen. He tries to pull Zee along with them. "Thanks." He says to Ispen, before continuing, not terribly phased by the gunfire. "Anyways, he was saying that there was too much crime and violence and the police weren't doing anything and called for an overthrow of the government. I kept getting this weird feeling of... what's the phrase? De ja vu?" Raril shrugs. "Well, that ignited all this madness. I think he's taken over a hospital now, or something. Claims o be using it for the good of the people and all that. Sounds like a poorly planned publicity stunt, if you ask me."

"Oh, and do you remember Ispen?" Raril asks Zee, conversationally.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Maria's House]

Might wanna think about getting some bars in those windows.

[AmberVael]

[Slums]

The woman doesn't reply, but holds up her hands in a manner that says she surrenders.
"Put down your crossbows."
She says to the other men.

[Neon Knight]

[Slums]

Milli keeps an arrow trained on the woman, but takes a quick glance to see if the goons are following orders. She also glances at the fellow whose rear she is trying to save.

[The Bushranger]

[EE - Upstairs]

Erin's cheeks start turning chartreuse again. May O'Connell. That sounds good... She giggles happily.

[Neon Knight]

[EE - Upstairs]

"I like it." She smiled at her. "When do I get to meet Dad?"

[McBish]

[Maria's House]

Yeah and better locks for the doors, maybe get them reinforced. But anyways, how was your talk with Selvik?

[AmberVael]

[Slums]

The precise instant Milli glances, the woman blurs to one side, then to Milli's side, moving swiftly enough (with some clearly supernatural aid) to take her off guard, but in a pattern that takes her away from the aimed shot.
She kicks out with a flurry of three strikes, one to knock away the bow, a second to drop Milli to the ground or to her knees, and then one last one to keep her down (though not fatally). Though she might not succeed, of course.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Maria's House]

Good. Caught up on a lot of stuff. And she deadtimes.

------------------------------------------------------------

[Skies]

The roc finds a tall building and lands on it, deadtiming.

[Rebonack]

[The Streets]

"The city has a police force?"

Zee sounds honestly surprised. She also waves cheerfully at Ispen. "Yeah! You're the guy who got that robot hand because your old one got disintegrated or something, right?" she wrinkles her nose. "Or am I thinking of something else..."

...

...

A faint whiff of sulfur wafts up into the streets from a nearby storm-drain.

[Neon Knight]

[Slums]

Milli reacts by trying to throw herself out of the way, burning as much Essence as she can to help her. Her caste mark and tattoos flare and burn, impossible to miss, shining through anything placed over them. Her Tell is also automatically visible.

Since NK is unsure just how good reflexive full essence dump into dexterity excellency with above average dexterity would be, I'll defer to Vael again.

[McBish]

[Maria's House]

Well that's good. So what brings you to my neck of the woods, not that I don't appreciate the visit.

[Terumitsu]

[Streets]

"Yeah, that would be me." Ispen said, waving his robotic hand at Zee with a smile and a doff of his tengallon. "Though.... Um.. Pardon me for asking but I can't seem to place you. Have I met you before miss?" he asked, scratching his head while his hand was still in the neighborhood.

He then sniffed and made a face... Something smelled a bit rancid..

[Destro_Yersul]

[The Streets]

Remind me why we're here again? The impatient voice, belonging to a young looking man in a leather jacket and jeans, is directed at his two companions. His unruly sandy-blonde hair is sticking out at all angles, and he's scowling at something no one can really see. Instead of a belt, he's got a long chain wrapped two or three times around his waist, at the opposite ends of which are a weight and a blade. These hang off to each side.

[AmberVael]

[Slums]

Milli manages to evade, though her antagonist seems to glow brighter as well, preparing herself, and then-

"That's quite enough, thank you."
Says yet another person.
The crossbowmen, as well as the drug dealer, are cowering on the ground, while a black robed figured approaches. They're obviously female, but nothing else is immediately apparently.
"Stand down, Vivian."
The warrior attacking Milli immediately backs away, retreating to her sword.

The newcomer's black robes are fastened with silver, and their back seems a bit... deformed or something. Definitely something off about the back of the robes.

[The Bushranger]

((Sorry about the slow posting, NK))

[Erin's Emporium - Upstairs]

Mike isn't around very much, unfortunatly. He's around more than he used to be, though. Erin sighs a little, with a wispy smile. I guess you'll meet him when you meet him, then. He'll like you, though.

[Neon Knight]

[Slums]

Milli lowers her bow, but keeps an arrow notched. Of course, all stealth and attempts to hide her identity were pretty much shot. "Hello. I take it you're the boss?"

___

[EE - Upstairs]

May nodded. "Okay." She smiled a bit, a small that turned into a small yawn.

[AmberVael]

[Slums]

"I would be vague on the matter, but considering how the others are reacting..."
She gestures to them with a well muscled arm that appears to have a great deal of scarring along it.
The drug dealer is actually whimpering.
"I am."

[Neon Knight]

[Slums]

"Well. I guess you consider me a problem, then?"

[Artemis97]

[An Alley]

Raril wrinkles his nose and steps closer to the storm drain. "Sulfer." He growls. "They're in the sewers."

[The Streets]

"We are here because we must be." A more patient voice explains. This one belongs to a golden-eyed elven woman. Her skin was very pale and her long black hair was pinned back by a set of chopsticks, before it cascaded down between her shoulder blades. She was dressed in a cream colored wrap sweater with wide sleeves, a knee-length red skirt, and a pair of black boots. She carries no visible weapons.

[AmberVael]

[Slums]

"Intriguing, actually. So far I seem to have avoided attracting your kind... besides, there are things about you which appear quite unusual. I do not believe I've ever seen such a person before.
"I do not suppose that should surprise me, given the area, but still..."
She gives a faint gesture towards the drug dealer.
"You may go."
He practically scampers, actually scurrying away on all four limbs for a moment.
"There. Now you're satisfied. Perhaps you will return the favor for me?"

[Neon Knight]

[Slums]

Milli looked at her curiously, and eased out the tension on her bow and put the arrow away. "How so?"

[Rebonack]

"You have!" Zee announces in that ever cheerful tone. She seems more or less oblivious to the rancid-eggs smell. It might be because she's too busy being bouncy and in a generally good mood.

Besides, there are ye olde parts of this city.

Ye olde cities smell gross.

"But I was a little more... eerr... Just a sec..."

Several pairs of massive wings bearing midnight black plumage rather abruptly unfurl from nowhere and enshroud Zee. And whilst doing so a fair number of crimson eyes watch the mecha-hand-man in a spooky unblinking fashion.

And when they part?

"I think you met me like this, right?" inquires Avatar, aka 'Zeek'. "It was a long time ago."

He then wrinkles his nose in the precise fashion Zee does. Probably because she's he. "Who's in the sewers now?"

[The Bushranger]

[EE - Upstairs]

Tired, sweetie? Erin asks with a small grin.

[Neon Knight]

[EE - Upstairs]

May nodded. "A little bit."

[AmberVael]

[Slums]

"Talk with me. Perhaps you might care to have dinner as well?"
She suggests.
"It might be that I can provide information on the subject you're inquiring into..."

[FireFox]

[The Scrivener]

Douglas enters his store, spends a few minutes tidying up, then heads upstairs and doublechecks the safe behind a painting in his bedroom before going to sleep.

[Neon Knight]

[Slums]

Milli blinked. "Um... I guess? But right now, looking like this?" Open, bleeding wounds that were starting to sting so much she couldn't ignore them, bright silver tattoos and glittering caste mark, and her prominent, odd Tell.

[AmberVael]

[Slums]

"You're hardly the most unusual thing to be seen, and we'll be in private anyways..."
The boss says.
"I can have someone tend to your wounds, if you wish."

[Neon Knight]

[Slums]

"I'll be fine, thanks." Milli was still confident she could slip away if she needed to, even if she ended up being visible from a mile away, so she put up her bow. "I accept your offer."

[The Bushranger]

[EE - Upstairs]

Erin stands, yawning a little herself. Well, then I guess as your mom I need to tell you to go to bed now. She grins lopsidely.

[Neon Knight]

[EE - Upstairs]

May grinned back. "Awwww... okay, mom."

[AmberVael]

[Slums]

"Very good."
She gestures for Vivian and her men to move out, while she offers a hand to Milli.
"I can provide swifter transportation than walking..."

[Neon Knight]

[Slums]

Milli hesitated before stepping forward and taking the hand. Perhaps a dumb move on her part if her host proved treacherous.

[Terumitsu]

Traveling with the impatient fellow and the more restrained elf was a second elf with eyes that were quite dark. If one looked in bright light, one would guess that they were some sort of blue but it was hard to tell either way. She was garbed in warm, dark furs as if she had expected temperatures closer to that of winter and had too much pride to take the hot garments off. Her dark brown hair was done in a thick braid that fell over her shoulder only to become lost in her fur scarf, adding to the impression that she was an escaped fashion model... The only thing that belied that impression was the faintly warm expression that she held upon her face. "Looking at the state of things here, I have to wonder how it is this place has existed for so long." she said.

Oddly enough, she seemed quite unarmed as well. Perhaps the young man was a protector of sorts?

_____________
[The Streets..... In an Alleyway]

Ispen blinked but took it in rather quickly. He was probably getting used to things much more quickly than he should but right now wasn't the time to be bothered by that. "Ah. I remember yeh now. Been a while since then. I'd want to catch up but I think Raril is on to something here." the gunslinger said as he turned his attention to the drow. "So, who is in the sewers now?"

[The Bushranger]

[EE - Upstairs]

Erin laughs and reaches for May's hand, to squeeze it gently and lead her to her room.

[AmberVael]

[Slums]

There is a flash of light as the two are transported to....

[Boss's Den]

Due to teleportation, it's rather difficult to place where this is, but its obviously a rather fine room- at least in certain standards. It has a very criminal sort of feel to it- dim red lighting, a number of decadent pieces of furniture (precious metals and stones placed tastefully along it all), with a private bar and a few servants.
It's probably a smaller area in the back of a tavern somewhere, or something like that.

[Neon Knight]

[EE - Upstairs]

May takes the hand and is led to her room.

___

[Boss's Den]

Milli looks around and releases the hand she took as they arrive.