Seaside 3: A load of carp

[Shadowcaller]

Seaside 3

What is this place? Seaside is exactly what it sounds like, a sea.

Isn't there already a sea in Outside? There is an archipelago outside the cost of outside but Seaside is the ocean outside that coast.

So how can I get here? Seaside is actually more connected to the rest of the nexus than one might think. From the ocean you could reach HALO, Inside, Outside, Riverside, Random Places, The Hunting Grounds and other locations you can justify being near the sea. There are boats going to every major island in the ocean so a PC can easily get to Seaside from any of those locations as well.

But what can I do here exactly? Seaside is made for sea-based plots take take place under or on the sea. Riding pirates and vikings, giant sea monsters, sunken cities, great reefs, eldritch monsters, underwater exploration, volcano islands with cannibalistic tribes and epic battles both under, on and/or above water.

Seaside is a vast ocean which links many of the major cities within the Nexus as nearly all rivers eventually end up here somehow. You can probably find a lot of the garbage and filth from the cities washed out here near the coast. But the majority of the ocean is clean, far from the city centers of inside and riverside.

Seaside have it's own cities instead both above and underneath water populated by all manners of underwater creatures who can't live above land or too far away from the water. Here you also find sailors, pirates, submarine crews, vikings and other air breathers that are associated with the sea.
The environment these people live in can be from tropical coral reefs and sharks to frozen seas and ice bears. Anyone can feel free to make up what exactly exist in Seaside as long it's primarly connected to the sea, for more land bound adventurers there is Outside (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=289592) and if it doesn't fit there either Random Locations (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=268687) might be what you're looking for.

Locations in Seaside

This floating island have recently risen from the very depths of Seaside and is completely inhabited by various species of crabs, some of them perhaps related to the crabs in Outside? Recently it is said that the new island has been overtaken by mermen slavers.

On the coast of a more arctic region, a small village lies near the water. It is little more than a collection of small igloos. They all face toward an area where water has collected on top of the ice, creating a shallow pool.

The inhabitants of this village are a number of selkies; people with mostly human-like upper bodies wile the rest of them resemble sea lions. They live here in a simple hunter-gatherer society.

An olde time beach (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17670284&postcount=1438) for parties!

An wild island filled with ancient ruins of a civilization that simply disappeared one day. Yorichi is infamous around seaside as few ever return from there despite the rumors of the treasures that are said to be hidden among the ruins. Those who survived claim that the island is inhabited by all manners of jungle beasts and ancient golem guardians placed there by the former civilizations.

Over the sea of storms towers the spires of the rather aptly named city of Galespire. A symbol of arrogance some would say as it's location would be completely uninhabitable if not for the large force walls protecting it from the extremely violent storms that build up nearly every day. But it was not the arrogance of man that had built this place, it was the ethereals, energy beings from a world far from the nexus. With a reputation of traders they had apparently thought the nexus being important enough to set up an entire city here, though who they had done so on an island in the middle of seaside is anyone's guess. The city's trademark is its many bridges and floating spires reaching up to the sky. The majority of the city is in fact flying above ground with only teleportation being able to take a person in-between the different sections of the city.

Under the protection of the force walls other beings have decided to settle down here, building up a form of undercity out of shackles and huts nearby providing a sharp contrast to the advanced Galespire. While these settlers now live under the ethereal collectives laws they are not allowed to share their technology which is held from other beings by ethereal law.

A buzzing port city not too far from Galespire and one of their most important trading partners. Generally you can't go to Galespire without passing Bayside first as only they have the captains crazy and skillful enough to sail into the sea of storms. The city have under it's long existence been claimed by a good number of different pirates and warlords which still somehow hasn't effected it's trade. The citizens of Bayside simply don't care who they're ruled and have learned to adapt to even the harshest of systems rather than trying to resist whatever new warlord that's parading into town.

That said, the current ruler is Don Juliano Karnago, an upstart goblin pirate that raids both the sea and the air with his fleet of ships and airplanes.
He has adapted Bayside to not only accommodate ships but airplanes as well with a primitive airport build in the middle of the jungle that his air pirates use as a base. Anyone else is welcome to land however, as long as they're willing to pay a very reasonable fee.

Spread across an archipelago of smaller islands is the home nation of the seaside goblins. While their technology isn't as advanced as the ethereals they have far better living conditions than the rest seaside and even have their own navy protecting them from slavers. But it hasn't been needed in many years as the goblins have a 'understanding' with most slavers and pirates operating out here and is even rumored to partially practice slavery themselves. Nothing official however. The goblins have advanced enough technology that slavery shouldn't even be needed after all, still the rumors persist thanks to the high number of goblin crime lords that have spread across the nexus. From the infamous Gadzet company operating in skyside to Don Juliano Karnago, ruler of Bayside, who both originated from the Ithki-Ithki isles.

The Sea of Storms is very appropiately named, as the violent, ship-ending, storms here are nearly constant. Countless of ships, both air- and seabased have sunk here, creating the so-called ship graveyard that is rumored to be in the very center of the sea, a huge swirling whirlpool that pulls everything sunk here into it. The sea is quite obviously cursed, some say as a divine punishment for some long-forgotten civilizations sins, others by some angry sea entity, what is known however is that whoever braves these water is either a treasure hunter or a foolish landcrab. As a precaution, the etereals have set up a warning system around the sea to warn those uneducated of the dangers that only they consider themselves powerful enough to brave.

Located on a isolated island, this strange city both boggles the mind, yet terrifies it. Giant skyscrapers made entirely out of ice, streets submerged in murky water, and strange amphibious creatures with claws the size of human torsos stalk the streets. This is the domain of The Riverman, a demonic entity who just came out of hiding for the last few hundred years. This place has many opportunities for the mortal folk, The Riverman can ferry you across rivers both literal and figurative, you can set up residence, or perhaps you could join him and his cult to perform actions that are for the betterment of The Riverman.

Who runs it: The Riverman, though while he is away cult leader Jacobs runs it.

Police force: Daemon's of Dagon. While there is no system of laws in the Docks of Despair, if you take any action against The Riverman or his cult, the Daemons of Dagon will do their best to smite you.

If you want a location added to Seaside, just PM me and it will be added to the list. More locations will be added as more characters end up here.

Previous Threads
Seaside 1 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?291836-Nexus-Seaside)
Seaside 2 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?358834-Seaside-2-Rising-Tides)

[Rebonack]

[Tanari Island]

"Absolutely not," Orion retorts, visibly growing several inches taller in a matter of seconds. "I'm not taking orders from you. I'm not on your side. And it's already painfully obvious that neither you nor these gnolls are able to come to peaceful terms on your own. Otherwise you would have already."

Is Orion worried the goblins might attack him?

Sure.

But he's more worried that a whole bunch of people will die if he does nothing.

What a brave akhlut he is.

Hopefully he won't be a brave dead akhlut.

That would be sad.

[Deathkeeper]

Continuity Cruise Lines

Ben shakes his head.
"How sad. I can't imagine being ripped into such a different world. Or, heh, maybe I can. But if you're here, you must still be doing pretty well for yourselves." he reasons.

[Shadowcaller]

[Tanari Island]

That reply causes Gnizel to pause for a moment, but then he just waves his hand dismissively. "Right, right, your funeral kid." He shrugs and then walks off. "Just give us a few moments to prepare and then you can watch me talk to the gnolls all you want." The goblin is then surrounded by the soldiers, they're quietly discussing plans by the looks of it.

In the distance Orion will see Sargera and her bodyguards waiting impatiently, anyone can tell that this meeting probably won't go over very well. Neither Gnizel or Sargera are the most reasonable of people.

[Lost_Deep]

Continuity Cruise Lines

Ben shakes his head.
"How sad. I can't imagine being ripped into such a different world. Or, heh, maybe I can. But if you're here, you must still be doing pretty well for yourselves." he reasons.

Kate falls quiet, sipping her drink. Bella is also quiet, but less awkwardly so.

[Rebonack]

[Tanari Island]

Orion scowls at the goblin leader guy.

He really isn't making this nonsense any easier to deal with.

Instead of waiting for the goblins, he begins padding toward the waiting gnolls at a pace that he figures isn't terribly threatening.

At least he hopes it isn't threatening.

If he can go through the day without getting stabbed, that would be just great.

[Fenric]

Frank smiles softly

All of us are pensioned from the sale of the ship itself, and we all have perpetual cabins for as long as we live... A modern 2400-berth cruise liner is worth a lot, even here. Sal's right, of course... our kids don't visit because they can't.

He looks out the window at the sea beyond

I just... try to forget that as often as I can.

The newlyweds are feeling decidedly unsettled. Santo swallows

We were born here... I mean... this world. We're from away south in Cozymel, and uh... this is our honeymoon! We've known each other since Junior High, and uh...

Lychordia smiles both happily and sappily

We've got an egg on the way.

[Deathkeeper]

Continuity Cruise Lines

Ben is thoroughly distracted by the good news.
"Oh, good for you. I don't really know the first thing about eggs. Not something that's going to be coming up any time soon. Probably." he admits.

[Beans]

[Moray Sandbar]
The Moray Sandbar is a fairly popular part of its beach, a long and wiggly strip wherein some sections are mildly submerged depending on tides. At least one beach wedding has been held here, but today its only visitors are shorebirds and crabs.

"AAAAAAAAAA---"

And two visitors, thanks to a screaming Warprift.

A Tau lady flops out of it and falls with a splash into one of the mildly submerged sections; her fellow unwilling traveler's luck may range higher or lower.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Moray Sandbar]

"EEEE-"

The second accidental wanderer's screaming is cut short with a muffled 'oomph' as she touches down, too fast to see anything about where she landed. Which means that it takes her a minute of utterly confused and somewhat terrified flailing - accompanied by renewed shouting - to figure out that rather than being transported to some sort of horrible daemon-world with flesh for land and bloody oceans, the warm soft thing she landed on was, in fact, her companion's butt.

Unless Sharps has done something about her by this point (which given she suddenly had a screaming lady on top of her is entirely possible), the Sister calms down a little and uses the ground to push herself up to a sitting position, blushing about as deeply as she can.

[Beans]

[Moray Sandbar]
The Tau woman squirms out from under the the Sister, slipping and splashing again. Scrambling into a sort of kneeling position, she finds her cheeks darkening as well. Having a lady faceplant into your caboose does that.
"... Where are we? What's going on?"

[Lady Serpentine]

[Moray Sandbar - Sadly, no drinks are served at sandbars]

"Um. That's a good question," Manticoa replies, looking around with a sort of helpless little half shrug. "I mean. Warpstuff? But that's sort of a terrible answer. And I have no idea where we are. Other than 'by the sea'. Probably. Unless this place is a really big lake." She pauses for a few moments, fidgeting nervously with one of the skulls on her robes, before speaking again. "Are you, uh. Okay and all?"

[Beans]

[Moray Sandbar]
Sharps sloshes out onto the sand, shaking herself. It's an overcast, cool day and she already shivers.
"N-not hurt, uh... soaked and cold, though. Are your... robey things dry?"

[Lost_Deep]

Continuity Cruise Lines

Ben is thoroughly distracted by the good news.
"Oh, good for you. I don't really know the first thing about eggs. Not something that's going to be coming up any time soon. Probably." he admits.

Continuity Cruise Lines

Kate smiles and nods. "Congratulations." She then turns back to her food, having said her part. In fact, Kate and Bella have been quiet most of the meal.

[Fenric]

Even awkward dinners don't last forever, and at last it's time to say goodnight! The couples head off, leaving Ben, Kate, and Bella to their own devices.

[UncleWolf]

Above the Rocks

On a high cliff above the crashing waves below, Sorrow couldn't help but feel at peace. It was an uncomfortable feeling, a foreign one after so many years of endless battles and bloodshed, but it allowed her clarity of mind. A clarity that was growing ever rarer as her years accumulated. Standing here however, with Sorrowsong purring in her hands as she meditated and slowly moved through her forms in the sea's salt-spray filled air, the burning fires of hatred and war were put at ease. The cold fury that literally radiated from her was subdued to simply a slight shimmer around her form.

Any onlooker would see that she was a tall woman, standing a little over six feet even without her armor on, with an almost amazonian array of muscles. The pure white cloth she wore as a vest and shorts was only a few shades lighter than her heavily scarred skin. Old wounds, both self-inflicted and hard-won in battle dotted her hide. Through her vest, it was easy to see the large fleur-de-lis tattoo that covered her back, matching the tattoo on her left cheek. Her right cheek was marred with a scar, cruelly self-made into a symbol that would raise the hackles of anyone who stared at it for too long.

Her motions, while slow and carefully measured, seemed to almost be dance-like in the wind and sea-spray, but even with her eyes closed she seemed fully aware of everything around her. Again and again she moves, closing with the precarious edge before backing off or turning at the last moment, heading towards the blanket with her heavy black armor carefully laid out. The white-haired woman seemed perfectly at ease and relaxed while her sword sung through the air with a sound akin to a choir of angels.

[Shadowcaller]

[Tanari Island]

As Orion walks off, one of the soldiers notice him. "H-hey! What are you doing?!"
If Orion continues walking forward the gnolls, who also have noticed him, will meet him half of the way.
"What do you want, whale-human?" Sargera asks as she steps up to him. "Realized that the goblins are bad, hm?"

[Above the Rocks]

Below the cliffs, at the horizon, the white-haired woman can see a ship (http://static.planetminecraft.com/files/resource_media/screenshot/1404/alliance-ship-_7041014.jpg) approaching. It isn't moving particularly fast however and soon enough it's clear that the ship is drifting. The masts have cracked, the sails ripped, and the crew is no where to be seen. The ship simply continues drifting until it suddenly hits the cliffs below with a ear-deafening crack.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Moray Sandbar]

"Yeah, pretty much... I didn't get splashed too much when I hit you." Manticora blushes again (or more accurately, the blush that was starting to fade flashes back to full prominence), biting her lip before she goes on. "You. Um. Should probably get out of those? We're close enough to the same size you can probably wear them. If you want to, I mean, since you're cold and all."

[Beans]

[Moray Sandbar]

"Yeah, pretty much... I didn't get splashed too much when I hit you." Manticora blushes again (or more accurately, the blush that was starting to fade flashes back to full prominence), biting her lip before she goes on. "You. Um. Should probably get out of those? We're close enough to the same size you can probably wear them. If you want to, I mean, since you're cold and all."
Her own cheeks darkening, Sharps nods. "Yes please, that'd... that'd be great, actually, thank you." There is, unfortunately, nothing to stand behind while she changes. There's nobody else out here, though.
"Uh, just---I'll be quick." Taking the offered, detached robey bits, she turns and begins to get out of her wet clothes.

[UncleWolf]

Above the Rocks

Sorrow doesn't see the ship crash, but she definitely hears it as it snaps her out of her martial contemplation. Her thumb turns off her blade as she leans over the edge slightly to look down at the crashed ship, and with a frown the woman heads back to her armor to put it on. It takes a few minutes to do so, but the woman finishes putting on the hardened carapace armor and slips Sorrowsong into the scabbard at her hip next to her bolter. So He wills it. The Sororitas tells herself before stepping off the cliff.

For a moment she allows herself to fall freely before her jump pack ignites, slowing her descent until her feet land softly on the deck. Afterwards she begins to search for any signs of life.

[Lady Serpentine]

Her own cheeks darkening, Sharps nods. "Yes please, that'd... that'd be great, actually, thank you." There is, unfortunately, nothing to stand behind while she changes. There's nobody else out here, though.
"Uh, just---I'll be quick." Taking the offered, detached robey bits, she turns and begins to get out of her wet clothes.

Manti turns away, mostly, but she does end up sneaking a peek or two (or five or six) at the Tau woman, though she tries to keep it subtle and not have Sharps notice her; if it goes according to plan, she'll be staring off into the distance when she finishes up, reading to turn at whatever signal is given. Not that her blush will be lessened at all by that point, of course. If not... Well, it depends on Sharps there.

[Beans]

[Moray Sandbar]
Sharps doesn't notice the peeking. She turns, wearing the dark-red robey things. The top portion forms a vague sort of poncho-ish top when pinned at the front; the lower bits she has made into a wrapped short skirt and a longer asymmetrical one, which do a decent enough job of covering her.
"Um... Head for the mainland?"

[Shadowcaller]

Above the Rocks

Even as she starts her descent the stench of rot and decay can be felt coming from the ship and it's only getting stronger the closer she gets. Once she lands she can hear groans and moans coming from the bowels of the ship, was that the crew? She still can't see a single living soul, or even as much as a ship-rat.

[UncleWolf]

Rotten Ship

Sorrow frowns at the smell, wrinkling her nose at the familiarity of it. All too often she'd wallowed in it during her battles. It wasn't that the smell was unpleasant, but the copper tang of blood started to rekindle the fire inside her. Before going any further, she takes a moment to pull on her helmet to filter the air, but she could still taste that succulent flavor rolling over her tongue. She keeps her jump pack activated on a low setting, removing much of her weight and the weight of the armor from the rotten deck beneath her feet as she begins her advance once more. Just to be on the safe side, she pulls her heavy gun from its spot at her side and turns off the safety.

[Shadowcaller]

Rotten Ship

Very wise, as she starts to go below the deck she gets to met what remains of the crew, a bloated corpse comes charging towards her as soon as she have taken a step down the ladder. It groans loudly, blindly reaching to grab onto her.

[UncleWolf]

Rotten Ship

The rotten corpse is met with a trio of bolter shells, fired quickly right at center mass. If they hit, each of the shells explodes, hopefully taking out the zombie before it reaches her. If she's successful, she'll pause for several moments to try and listen for any more than might be near by.

[Shadowcaller]

Rotten Ship

Yes, that zombie has been reduced to a bloody mess of organs before it can ever reach Sorrow. There are more of these things nearby though, rotting remains of humanoids that somehow have gained the semblance of life. While the first attacker had been human, there are a pair of smaller human-like creatures grabbing at her ankles. In the middle of the room a huge werewolf-being that is dressed in a leather armor, yet despite it's mighty form it has succumbed to the same fate as its comrades. It's jaw hangs open and its eyes look at her blankly, without any vigor or spirit before it starts to move towards her as well. The wolf-creature soon followed by short bearded men and the rotting remains of a pointy eared woman. If she was purple before death it's hard to tell at this point though.

[UncleWolf]

Rotten Ship

Sorrow takes a brief second to analyze her situation, prioritizing the threats in her head. First and foremost were the two at her feet. It was doubtful they could claw or bite their way through her armored legs, but each one receives a single bolt to their upper back, just below their neck in the hopes the resulting blasts will cause their heads to be blown off. Afterwards she'll look up at the others lurching towards her before leveling her gun towards the biggest one, the werewolf. "Begone, foul creatures." She says, voice dripping in disgust at the rotten display before her. She doesn't bother aiming this close and simply opens fire at the mass until her clip runs dry after ten more shells. Depending on how resilient the werewolf zombie was, it might take too many shells to put down before she could aim at the others.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Moray Sandbar]

Manti nods, reaching into her pack to pull out a boltpistol, though she's careful to keep her movements slow so she doesn't frighten Sharps, and offer to it her grip-first; the last thing she needs is her companion freaking out due to a misunderstanding, and aiming a gun at her is a good way to cause one, for the obvious reason.

"Mainland sounds good. Let's move," the Sister agrees; should nothing else come up they'll likely move off to Outside, since they're going inland and Manti at least is looking for some kind of forest or cave to set up camp in.

[Beans]

[Moray Sandbar > Southwest Shore]
Sharps takes the blocky, heavy pistol and manages to stow it in her clothing. She's glad to have something to use should they be in trouble, but she'll be standing behind the Sororita---she's not heavily-trained and can't use melee weapons for a heck.

Eventually, the pair of them find a dry cave. It's not very big, but it should serve its purpose well enough.

[Shadowcaller]

Rotten Ship

The undead creatures moans are cut short as Sorrow makes their head explode in showers of blood and gore. The 'werewolf's" arms and chest is blasted apart, and while it doesn't keel over, the remains that slowly staggers forward is but a bloody mass, it's lower jaw completely gone along with its arms. It had armor, once, but it didn't offer much protection against Sorrows bolter. The other undead won't offer much resistance either, they can hardly do much against sorrow with their bare hands and teeth.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Southwest Shore]

Unless there's any objection from Sharps, Manti will gather up a fair amount of driftwood and build a decent-sized fire at the entrance, lit with her flamepistol; as far as food goes, well, unless the Tau girl has got anything else, they'll be sharing ration packs, though Manti only has enough for a week or so at the outside, with them both eating out of the same stock.

Still, she is a Sister - her ration packs are the nice kind, albeit a bit bland so as to not be actively distasteful to as many people as possible, and made up of things that can be easily kept from spoiling for long periods of time, so it won't be a particularly unpleasant meal as such things go.

[Beans]

[Southwest Shore Cave]

Eating rations together in the firelight as the sun starts to set over the water outside, wearing borrowed clothing (for a given value of "clothing") while her garments dry, Sharps can't help but find it... a little romantic, kind of. She barely knows Manticora, but the human has been nothing but kind and helpful. That, and she's so pretty---unlike quite a few others of her race, this particular Tau finds a special sort of allure in humans. She can't help it that there's just something about their warm range of brown-to-pink skin tones, their external olfactory-respiratory structures, the odd and yet fascinating shape of their feet. The fact that they don't completely suck at close combat can be intimidating, but in this case it's more comforting to know she has a Sister of Battle looking out for her.

Scooting up just a bit against Manticora's side, Sharps looks at the human. "Thanks for, uh... y'know, taking care of me and all. Hopefully I can be of more help later. I, uh... couldn't... help but notice we only have one sleeping bag. I think we might both fit if, uh... y'know, we squeeze a little. I-if you don't mind that, I mean." Blushing indigo, she smiles in awkward hope. Sororitas hugs are fabled throughout the galaxy, and she wants 'em.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Southwest Shore Cave]

Manti nods as she shyly shifts just a little tighter against Sharps, though a blush creeps into her own cheeks as well. "I don't mind, though, um. Are your clothes dry yet? Or, well. Your, uh, u-underwear, anyway." The skirt-y thing and the top aren't exactly going to be as good at their job if someone is rubbing up against her all night, after all. They're definitely better than nothing as far as that goes, but she's pretty sure they're not going to be incredibly hard to dislodge by accident when they're getting out, if not before then.

[Beans]

[Southwest Shore Cave]
"
Sharps pokes at her clothes and finds her underwear still damp from the seawater. "It looks like it's not... uh, um, that's probably a problem." She swallows. "Although, uh... that doesn't need to be a problem." She smiles up at the human, hoping she's doing this right. Holy heck, how do you do this flirting thing?

[Lady Serpentine]

[Southwest Shore Cave]

"I, er. I-I don't have a problem with it if you don't?" Manti ducks her head as she speaks, half-mumbling her reply and fidgeting with her hair; what can be seen of her face makes it quite clear that her blush hasn't faded one bit. "W-were you tired now, or did you want to stay up for a while?" It's pretty clear that she's just trying to change the subject at this point, but it's also a good question; it's not like either of them is out of shape or needs a lot of sleep in general, and they didn't walk that far today.

[Beans]

[Southwest Shore Cave]

Oh heck it's working. Aaaaaaa.
"I, uh... might... be pretty tired now." She scoots a liiiittle closer. "It's been a... really stressful day and all, and we should probably get up early tomorrow so we can get a good start on finding civilization of some kind."

[Lady Serpentine]

[Southwest Shore Cave]

"It has. C'mon then, let's get some rest," Manti replies with a nod, turning more out of force of habit than any actual intention and trying to scoop the Tau girl up to carry her off to the sleeping bag.

If Sharps doesn't stop her, she lets out a little squeak of embarrassment once she's halfway there, having suddenly realized that this wasn't the Sororitas she usually carries off that way, but by that point it's a little late for her to stop before they get there, especially as she managed to avoid dropping the blue woman in her surprise and doesn't have that as an excuse anymore.

[Beans]

[Southwest Shore Cave]

Sharps meeps as she's scooped up. This is so unexpected and yet... so romantic, just like in those translated novels she borrowed from the Gue'Vesa. As the human girl stops, she decides to take charge. She throws her arms around her neck and kisses her!

[Lady Serpentine]

[Southwest Shore Cave]

Manti returns the kiss without any particular hesitation, though she's got a nagging worry in the back of her mind about if she's ever going to be able to stop blushing around this girl; still, it's not hard to ignore it when she's got a pretty girl to focus on, even if it does make trying to get into the sleeping bag pretty much impossible. For now, at least, she keeps her hands to herself though - getting too wandery is hard when you're carrying someone.

[Beans]

[Southwest Shore Cave]

Wiggling, she manages to get her feet on the ground so Manticora can focus less on having to hold her. "I think we should focus on actually getting in the sleeping bag. Thank you for carrying me, though, that was very, um, nice..."

[Lady Serpentine]

[Southwest Shore Cave]

"I. Um. Yes. Sleeping bag. That would be good." The Sister wisely shuts up at that point to avoid embarrassing herself further, fidgeting uncertainly with her power armor as she watches Sharps get in the bag - on the one hand, she wasn't supposed to be without it here, but on the other, she can't imagine it would be comfortable for Sharps to sleep next to; the Tau can probably tell what's on her mind, if she'd have any helpful insights to contribute.

[Beans]

[Southwest Shore Cave]

The Tau hesitates, watching the pretty human and tilting her head.
"Do you need help with your armor, hon? I can help, I know tech things... uh, that didn't mean to come out as flirty as it maybe was. I think."

[Lady Serpentine]

[Southwest Shore Cave]

"I-if you want, yeah..." She nods a little, turning around so that the Tau girl can reach some of the trickier seals more easily. "We always have someone else to help us out of it back home, so don't worry about it. I know what you meant." Not that the offer isn't a way of flirting back home, half the time, but Sharps doesn't need to know that.

[Beans]

[Southwest Shore Cave]

Her nimble hands undo seals and disengage safeties, allowing her to help Manticora out of her power armor.
"Though... I mean... we kind of are already flirting, given..."

[Rebonack]

[Tanari Island]

Looks more like a wolfwhale at the moment. The human part really isn't apparent right now what with Orion down on all fours.

"I'll admit, I only have a tentative grasp of what's going on here," Orion replies to the gnoll. "But you said you want to hash out an agreement with the goblins to get their prisoners back, so I'll be mediating since I don't have a stake in either side of this dispute."

Orion thinks this is all a very reasonable thing to do.

"I'm not on the goblin's side. And I'm not on yours, either. Consider me a neutral third party."

Isn't that nice of him?

Hopefully he doesn't get stabbed in the face for his niceness.

[Gold Bluff Cove]

A wide, yellowish bluff of loosely consolidated sand and pebbles overlooks the crashing of the sea. Wildflowers, vibrant but short lived, burst from the bluff's face in all manner of colors. Sea-stacks dot the landscape, sticking out the waves and the beach alike. They're strange things of jumbled geology, many choked with vegetation and sporting one or two straggly streets that cling tenaciously to their crowns in spite of the ever-present sea spray. Colorful pebbles litter the beach, worn from the bluffs by the inexorable action of high tide and stormy seas. To the north, the stacks grow all the more craggy as the sandy bluff is replaced with great mounds of greenish pillow basalt pockmarked with tide pools, shelves, arches, and the occasional water spout. When the tide ebbs low, great mats of barnacles, mussels, and hungry starfish are revealed. Out in the surf, one can spy fields of kelp gently swaying in the current.

The only access is a winding trail following a creek that has cut its way into the bluff before meandering out into the sea and mingling with the waves.

Technically she's out here to follow up on a report of a bridge that cycles with the phases of the moon. That's certainly a new one. According to what she read, the bridge should be in a sea cave nearby that floods at high tide. Finding the place had been pretty easy, there aren't too many places were forests of mixed pine, spruce, and redwood grow right to the proverbial edge of the world. The parking lot up at the top of the bluff was pretty easy to spot, too. It's your standard wide asphalt deal, built at the edge of a natural meadow with a little road meandering back to one of the major highways connecting the large cities of the Nexus. Geneva drops earthward, sans her usual jacket and instead wearing some light, airy clothes with a wide sun hat. She wouldn't want to be cooked, after all. Alighting in the middle of the parking lot, the nimbus of magenta light around her fades, though her entry still draws some attention.

A boy with a pair of pokémon themed swim trunks pulls at his father's shirt. "Dad! That's the mew lady! Can I go say hi to her?"
"Don't bug her, Tony, she's probably busy."
"Aaww..."

Okay...

She can't just pass that up.

Especially after Fortuna's attempt at outing her backfired radically. Apparently she has gained a fan club. And that has done wonders for helping her Bridge project gain visibility. Geneva pulls her flight goggles off, allow them to settle around her neck as she strolls over to the boy. The child's grin and excitement alike grow with every step Geneva takes, until at about five paces away she lets her Transform dissipate, revealing a mew with an adorable tiny hat.

"You're so cool! Mew is my favorite pokymon!"
"I thought pikachu was your favorite pokyman."
"No, mew's my favorite now! Can I pet you, please?"

Geneva gives a small laugh, snagging her hat with her teek and pulling it off. "Sure, just be gentle, alright? I'm not very big."

With exuberance possible only in children, Tony begins rubbing the mew between her ears. "Haha, they pop up like cat ears."

Hopefully there aren't too many other children in the parking lot. Otherwise she might never make it down to the sea cave.

[Lady Serpentine]

[Southwest Shore Cave]

"Y-yeah. The, um. That," Manticora agrees quietly, stepping out of her power armor and turning to face Sharps; under it she's wearing a fairly plain set of underwear in the same colors as the robe-things that Sharps has on. "So, um. Time for bed?"

[Beans]

[Southwest Shore Cave]

Looking at Manticora and blushing hard, Sharps fidgets. She's not sure about this, but... well, everything's so... sudden and confusing, and all she can be sure of at this moment is that the human woman is beautiful and kind and... safe.
She reaches for Manticora, holds her face, and kisses her. The borrowed robes hit the cave floor, as does the Curtain.

[Rebonack]

[Gold Bluff Cove]

It's a merciful thing that there are so few children up in the parking lot, otherwise Geneva might have never escaped to the beach. Once the petting is done, Geneva pulls a mew card out of her inventory and signs it for the little boy, resulting in a great deal of thank-yous and excitement. It's funny, really. Not too long ago, Geneva felt exposed when using her natural shape in public. But since it became common knowledge who she is... well. It's... actually kind of fun! Especially since she can be a good influence on children who might wish to be a pokemon trainer some day. And let's be serious, here, how many children don't want to be a pokemon trainer?

Maybe I don't need to hide myself? People recognize me now. Or at least everyone who uses PokeSpotter does. And if someone doesn't then they probably won't care much about who I am, beyond the Bridge project?

She zips down to the trailhead, gazing out at the sea from the top of the bluff. There's a cool wind blowing today, sending waves crashing against the rocks.

Maybe I can just go as me today? And if people get too excited I can just explain that I'm here to do work? I'm sure they'll understand.

The mew glances down, wiggling her toes.

Maybe I can even figure out how to use my hilariously over-sized feet today?

Honestly, she really hasn't ever bothered trying to figure out how to use them. She just always... floats everywhere. But given that her teek failed her when she was mentally exhausted, maybe some good old fashioned mechanical locomotion practice would do her good? She settles down to the trail, feeling the coarseness of the gravel below the soft evergreen needles that litter the path on the soles of her feet. She stands flat-footed, as she would if she were human, and tries taking a few waddling steps.

I feel like I'm wearing clown shoes... This can't be right. Come on, Geneva, you're smart. What sort of body-shape do you have? Long feet. Strong toes. Long tail. That would be for digitigrade walking, right?

Geneva lifts herself up on her tip-toes, using the time-worn post of a wooden hand-rail along the edge of the trail to support herself. She wiggles her toes, scrunching her little pads against the duff. Eeeeever so carefully she leans forward, holding her tail behind herself to maintain balance. And then carefully, cautiously, she takes a few tentative steps and ends up half walking half stumbling to the next post.

"Haha... yeah, see? This is easy. I can walk like a normal person. I don't have to float everywhere!" she announces to a large red snail slowly oozing its way up the post she's hanging onto. The snail is, perhaps unsurprisingly, not impressed. "Okay. Walk to the next post without grabbing it this time. And then... once I've got that down... maybe hopping? It feels like my legs are supposed to be made for hopping. Haha, sure, why not? What's the worst that could happen?"

Three minutes later

A pair of pink feet and a long tail are now sticking out of a salal berry bush at the bottom of a small hill where the trail suddenly jaunts to the left.

"Oow..."

[Deathkeeper]

Continuity Cruise Lines

Once they're alone again, Ben rather awkwardly turns to the girls, having devoured a large plate of food the second they were alone. He can't use utensils well and using his tongue and claws is a bit crude.
"So uh, what now? You girls just going to hang out in your room tonight?"

[Lost_Deep]

Continuity Cruise Lines

"Yeah."
"Yep."

No hesitation from either of them. A night alone with a loved one and computers? Sounds like a good time.

[UncleWolf]

Rotten Ship

With her gun dry, Sorrow doesn't bother reloading. She lets her gun drop, the sling catching it so it doesn't hit the floor. Afterwards she closes in with her armored fists in order to stomp and kick her way through the rest of the zombies. Her enhanced strength is likely enough to nearly rip off someone's head with a blow, so a half-rotten one shouldn't provide much resistance unless they're toughened somehow.

[Shadowcaller]

[Tanari Island]

Sargera bares her fangs, looking rather skeptical to say at least. "So the giant whale-human think that he has negotiation skills, does he? How do you expect to negotiate where everyone else failed, wolfeye? The green ones think us stupid savages and would rather kill us all than giving up anything they see as theirs. So how can there be a agreement when there isn't even mutual respect? We just want to reclaim what was once ours. To raise ourselves up from the barbarism we've let us sunk into." She explains as she gestures at Gnizel and his mercenaries who seems to be still talking to one another. "I wouldn't trust them if I were you. Being so small, the green ones has to use deceit to get their way."

Rotten Ship

Sorrow can easily rip their heads off, while their bodies are toughened by their undead condition (otherwise they would just fall apart by themselves) with her strength, there still aren't any problems. However as she goes about the ship she can hear knocking deeper inside the ship. It's coming from a door which have been barricaded from the outside. "Who's there?" A feminine voice calls out. "Could use some help..."

[UncleWolf]

Rotten Ship

Sorrow takes a moment to wipe herself clean and reload her bolter before nearing the door. "One moment and I will free you." She tells whomever is there before ripping down the barricade to let the person out.

[Shadowcaller]

Rotten Ship

The barricade is torn down, unblocking the door. As she opens it, it appears to have been a storage of some kind, being nearly completely filled with barrels and crates. Sitting upon one of the larger creates is a pale blue-skinned humanoid being. Female, if one compare her to a human.
But more importantly, a xeno.
The blue skin color and the hoof-like feet would suggest that it might be a tau, but those short tentacle-like appendages behind its ears, the human-like face and the horns indicates otherwise.
It is wearing a black breastplate and a pair of linen pants, the other parts of what must be the same armor, laying scattered over the floor together with a lot of empty bottles.
The xeno stares at Sorrow curiously, it appears to be unarmed, but you never knew with such creatures, it could be attempting to attack her mentally with its gaze alone. It raises a bottle held it its hand towards the Sister as... a cheer? "Echada! Most appreciated. Just as I ran out of booze too." She get's off the crate, but nearly falls over as her hooves connect with the wooden floor, her she manages to catch her balance and make a short clumsy bow before Sorrow. "But where are my manners? You are my savior madame. I am Faithel Suraan, at your service."

[UncleWolf]

Rotten Ship

Sorrow simply stares at the armored woman for a bit, fingers twitching ever-so-slightly on the grip of her boltgun, but she lets it go after convincing herself that she was in no position to pass judgment on a Xenos. For being a Xeno anyway... She thinks to herself as she kicks an empty bottle. "Call me Sorrow...are you drunk?" She asks, sounding disgusted before shaking her head with a sigh. "Get dressed and I can get you out of here."

[Shadowcaller]

Rotten Ship

Faithel makes a psh, sound. "Drunk? I'll have you know that I'm nearly sober. I was running out of booze after all." She smiles, probably meaning that to be a joke. "But seriously, I rather starve to death drunk than sober. You know how it is." She shrugs and starts looking Sorrow over, picking up a wrist piece of the armor from the floor with a tail that Sorrow might just have notice. "But before I start getting armored up, Sorrow, you should tell me how we're getting out of here. By boat? By land?" She asks as she puts on the wrist piece she just fished up.

[UncleWolf]

Rotten Ship

Even Sorrow has to give a small shrug of acceptance at that reasoning. However, the alcohol would have been calorie-rich enough to sustain someone for a good long time. At least until malnutrition set in. "We fly." Sorrow says. "You are at the base of a cliff and I can carry you up using my jump pack." She explains. Faithel will be able to tell that Sorrow is trying to keep her distance for now, wary and on guard just in case.

[Shadowcaller]

Rotten Ship

Faithel's eyes widen as soon as she mentions a jump pack. "Whoa, you 'jump packed'? Don't tell me you got that off a gnome, they explode every time I used em'. Besides, our armors combined are probably pretty heavy." As she talks she unsteadily straps on more of her armor, it might still take a bit at this pace.

[UncleWolf]

Rotten Ship

The insinuation that her jump-pack would be shoddy quality makes Sorrow pause. Even under the helmet it'll be easy for the woman to tell she feels somewhat insulted by it. "My pack..." Sorrow says, choosing her words carefully to mask any sense of annoyance. "Has been made with the utmost care. It will carry us both up without any cause for concern."

[Rebonack]

[Tanari Island]

"I don't trust them," Orion states simply. "That's why I'm not taking their side. But I'm not too keen on trusting your side, either. I've only been given bits and pieces of everyone's story, and I would rather like all of it. Once I have th full story from both sides, then I'll be in a better position to help you both."

He glances back toward the goblins behind him.

"And I'll promise this. Whoever resorts to violence again first? I'll stand against them. I'm not sure how much you know about akhluts, but you do not want me as an enemy."

Creatures that can control water are rarely fun to fight against.

[Gold Bluff Beach]

Geneva extracts herself from the salal berry bush and decides that this has been quite enough experimentation for the time being. She simply Transforms back into human shape and marches down the path. It's a pleasant little walk, to be sure. Forest gradually gives way to thick bushes clinging to the cliffs and a raised wooden walkway that winds its way down the hillside. Geneva pauses for a time at a little overlook, gazing out across the rolling sea. At the waves lapping against the beach and crashing against the crags. In the distance sea birds dive for fish and the occasional harbor seal pops their head out of the waves for a breath of air. The beach is sparsely populated for now, and Geneva is fine by that. She was worried she might get swamped by small children wanting to pet a mew. She sets off again, tromping down the wooden path and eventually coming to a contrivance of logs and chains serving the rough equivalent of stairs. A stream runs down a little draw to her right, forming a little river of fresh water cutting through the cobbles before vanishing into the sand. Directly in front of the path looms a sea-stack of amalgamated of sandstone cobbles that has proven to be a popular target for climbing. Even now, several older children are sitting at the top waving a beach town like a flag.

Geneva can't help but smile at the spectacle, but she isn't just here to site see. She sets off to the north, walking toward the basalt crags where the sea cave is hidden just around the edge of the cove. She'll probably have to fly to reach it; the tide is too high to get around the point on foot. Thankfully she doesn't have to worry about sticking to on foot.

And speaking of feet!

Geneva kicks off her does and stows them away, letting the soft sand squish between her toes.

[Shadowcaller]

Rotten Ship

"So you're saying that a gnome didn't make it then? Good. Just practical, human engineering, I can live with that." Faithel replies casually as she continues to attempt to put on her gear. Her hands appear to be a bit shaky though, which might not be all that strange considering the only source of nutriments she have had, for gods knows how long, is alcohol. "Who are you anyway, and why do you come to the rescue of a poor drunkard like me? I can tell that you're human and hell of a fighter but not much else."

[Tanari Island]

Sargera conceals her fangs in response to that, that's a good thing right? "The 'full story'? The full story is that Gnizel's government hired him to seize 'unclaimed' property, such as the remains of the many civilizations that once had their home in Seaside in the 'interest of the goblin race'. Completely disregarding that such historical artifacts, according to their own laws, should rightly belong to their original owners, us. I did try to have a neutral party look at the matter, but the matter is being delayed by bureaucracy, the green ones are making sure the trial won't even start before they've stolen all our ancestral artifacts, it's outrageous." She shakes her head in rage.

[Deathkeeper]

Continuity Cruise Lines

"Yeah."
"Yep."

No hesitation from either of them. A night alone with a loved one and computers? Sounds like a good time.

Ben nods.
"Well...okay. Let me know if you want to see a movie some time or something." he asks a bit bashfully and drags his feet back to his own room for the night.

[Rebonack]

[Tanari Island]

"So a complaint has already been made, but government corruption is clogging the rightful application of justice?" Orion replies. "Back home, a heritage site like this would be studied in place as much as possible. Dismantling artifacts like these is a violation of international law."

Do recall, Orion is an archeology sorta guy.

This kind of stuff really gets his hackles up.

Now much more literally than before.

"What is here that the goblins are so willing to risk bloodshed over? You're fighting for your people's history. What are they hoping to gain?"

That right there?

Is an important question.

[Shadowcaller]

[Tanari Island]

"They're scared. Simple as that. See, I don't want to go into too much story, but my ancestors, the one that build that arena over there, created their empire out of the enslavement of demons."

Sargera gestures at the coliseum atop the hill.

"They perfected ways of controlling and empowering demons to perfectly suit their needs. That arena had demons fight one another to the death to the entertainment of my ancestors. But nothing last forever and when internal strife drove the empire apart, the demons rebelled and destroyed the empire. After that, the roles were overturned, my people became slaves and worshippers to the demons that they once dominated. The same demons that now are attacking the nexus. The goblins hope that by studying my ancestors technology they can protect themselves against these creatures, perhaps even control them, which neither of us would want."

[Rebonack]

[Tanari Island]

"I think a compelling case can be made, then," Orion replies with a nod before turning his gaze back toward the Colosseum. "Would you be willing to try diplomacy again?"

If the answer is yes, the ahklut will begin heading back toward the goblin camp.

Hopefully with a few gnolls following?

And maybe those prisoners?

A show of good faith is always helpful.

[Shadowcaller]

[Tanari Island]

"Fine, but I'm keeping my distance. Gnizel will not be afraid to play dirty if this doesn't work out." Sargera states before heading after Orion back to the steep where the goblins and the mercenaries are waiting. If Orion would look behind him he can see several large golems, like the one he fought earlier, following them in the distance.

"So... what's up, kid?" Gnizel voice can be heard, though he can't be seen. "Why did you turn yourself over to the gnolls, eh?"
All his soldiers look fairly calm right now, but they are no doubt ready to open fire if anything goes wrong. Same goes for the gnolls.

[Rebonack]

[Tanari Island]

"Why weren't you listening earlier when I explained what I was doing?" Orion replies, giving off a short pulse of sonar. He's trying to get a read on where everyone is nearby. Sonar sure is handy like that. "I'm not on their side. Nor am I on yours. I'm a neutral observer here. The gnolls have agreed to enter negotiations again. Are you willing to negotiate?"

Orion sure hopes so.

Because if not, then a bunch of people are probably going to get stabbed.

And that would be awful.

[Murkus]

((Starting this for Morty - though it's an open scene!))

[Beachside - Party!]

By a crowded coastal concession stand, a large gathering is forming! All manner of flirting, fixing and feather-wagging is occurring by this little beachside bar - the Shipwreck Shandy! This little get-together is populated with all manner of colorful Nexus individuals, all flaunting what they've got with small swimsuits and smaller inhibitions. People stream in and out of the actual shipwreck that makes up the castaway bar, through the broken hull and out onto the beach, people or monsters of every stripe or color. Quite a few of them have real stripes!

It might be a bit of a challenge to find out who put this thing together, who's running the bar, but one could meet this stranger if they explored a little. And a certain dark-skinned waif intends to do just that... though he could care less about the party-starter! He just wants to get some booze and have a little fun - along with find the tiefling he's supposed to meet here.

This waif's name is Fetty, and he's a small, chocolate-hued young fellow with closely braided hair. He's got blue neon eyes that glow, and is currently barechested, but wears a pair of tight, surfy-looking black camo swim trunks as his bottoms. He skims his way through the party, looking for Fayaad or anyone else who might be interesting.


Overseeing the goings-on and ensuring a relative level of safety is the professional hunter Adir, having traded in his hunting gear for a red lifeguard's Speedo with a big white cross on the butt. He's muscular and tone under the sun, a dark and seemingly permanent tan taking well to his lithe form. A pair of antlers (and a pair of wild deer's ears) swing on his head as he looks left, then right, eyes hidden by a pair of orange sunglasses.

Adir's enjoying this little part-time! He even gets a whistle! And the money's not bad when you have to brave the silliness of the Nexus seas to save the occasional drunken idiot. The stag just wishes he could go down and join the festivities a little, to be honest... maybe he can take a little break soon.

[Deathkeeper]

Gold Bluff Beach

The wind blows gently from the ocean towards the path, but despite the sparse population the beach currently merits, the path isn't entirely empty besides Geneva. Tromping down in towards the same destination comes a very small greenish creature (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2hlQDhZoiMc/T1InCT32zFI/AAAAAAAAAFA/_iXTI3huMXc/s320/158.png) wearing a tiny bandanna and pack, and carrying a gnarled wooden staff over one shoulder because it's much too big for him. His eyes are set in a look of determination and he's walking very, well, over-the-top as any child playing army does. He looks very young, as Geneva can probably recognize.

[Rebonack]

[Gold Bluff Beach]

The little adventurer will soon find himself confronted by a rather daunting obstacle. The last twenty feet or so of the 'trail' consists of little more than large logs linked together by chains with a good two feet separating each one. For someone as small (and adventurous!) as he, he'll have to be jumping from one log to the next! And considering that they're all sprinkled with sand, that leaves them as treacherous footing. Will he be able to overcome this hardship? Can he summon the bravery needed to make it to the beach so he can...

Well...

Do whatever he came here to do?

Only time will tell.

And for what it's worth, unless the totodile came trekking in through the forest, he likely would have been accosted by the same little boy further up the trail and informed of the super-awesome mew down on the beach.

Regardless of that, totodile may notice something worthy of his attention. Several seaguls... appear to be fighting over something! Or maybe SOMEONE! There's a long yellowish fish out there in the surf that keeps flopping free from the beaks of the hungry birds! But who knows how long he'll be able to keep it up!

Geneva, meanwhile, sits down in the sand to watch the surf. She has yet to notice the plight of the poor eel.

[Deathkeeper]

Gold Bluff Beach

The totodile isn't worried about small children. He's on the No-catch list.
Which was reinstated about fifteen minutes after that list was nearly wiped. How mysterious.

The young pokemon takes one look at the scene and the laughably simple challenge, and strikes a daring pose! No simple puzzle of wood will stand in his way! He steps back for a running start and launches himself at the first log. He almost hits it face-first but instead launches himself forward with a blast of water from his mouth, and he simply repeats the process until he's gotten over all of them. And then he sprints straight forward and performs another Aqua Jet so he's at the right level to deliver a flying axe-kick at the scariest looking seagull of the bunch.

People said that you can't just punch a bird.
Those people are dumb.

[Rebonack]

[Good Bluff Beach]

Indeed they are.

The bird gives a startled squawk upon getting booted, launching it out of the air and straight down into the wet sand. It flops around, trying to get upright again while the rest of the birds scatter in all directions. Seems they've quickly decided that small angry reptiles aren't worth fighting over a tidbit of fish. They're just go bug the tourists at the picknick tables in the meadow for free food instead. The fish is now sitting there at the upper reaches of the surf, flopping occasionally and mouthing at the air in that way fish do when some jerk pulls them out of the water.

Well.

Pokemon fish don't do that.

But pokemon fish are cheaters.

The commotion manages to draw Geneva's attention. After all, several blasts of high pressure water and a fierce shout upon kicking a bird are pretty hard to miss. She frowns slightly at the sight of a somewhat maimed gull and the young pokemon messing with something in the surf. Has no one told him yet that normal animals can't be treated like pokemon? They're much more fragile! It reminds her of the talks Jace had to have with Khannie about what she was and was not allowed to punch. With a smirk and a shake of her head, she stands up and begins walking toward the little totodile. Thankfully the bird isn't dead, so she SHOULD be able to mend it with softboiled and heal bell.

"Hello there! What brings you to the beach today?" she calls out to the totodile as she draws near.

[Deathkeeper]

Gold Bluff Beach

The small pokemon gingerly picks up the eel in his claws and throws it into the surf, seemingly without much trouble despite the slipperiness of the creature. Geneva might be able to hear him mutter, "May the blessing of the Nile go with you."
Upon close inspection, the pack the shiny pokemon is carrying is covered in stitched hieroglyphs, and his little bandanna's pattern is sewed in gold thread.
"I'm on offi-shul bis'nis for Daddy. Very offi-shul. Very im-por-tant." he says in poke-speak, enunciating his words in a way kids do when they don't necessarily understand the exact meaning of the phrases they're parroting.

[Rebonack]

[Gold Bluff beach]

Welp! The eel splashes into the water and swims away, no doubt pleased to be alive. As opposed to being gull food.

You know what Geneva knows about Egyptian history?

Absolutely nothing.

The make of the child's outfit doesn't register to her as anything other than some interesting symbols.

"Really! That sure sounds exciting," Geneva replies in that fashion adults do when they're talking to a child about something serious that's actually rather silly. "Is your daddy here at the beach? Or did he send you out all by yourself?"

Sending kids out on adventures really isn't that weird.

At least not where Geneva came from.

Young teens going out and fighting legendary monsters and all that. It's pretty conventional, honestly.

[Deathkeeper]

Gold Bluff Beach

"I'm not alone! Daddy is always protecting his children! But he's...not here-here. He doesn't do that." he says, a bit less sure of himself.
"I'm Nak. Son of Sobek. Very impor-tant." he tells her proudly.

[Rebonack]

[Gold Bluff Beach]

"I... see...?" Geneva replies uncertainly.

She doesn't see.

Not really.

Pretty sure the various pokemon 'gods' don't work that way, so there isn't really anything Geneva's mind jumps to right away.

"Well, I like to think everyone's special in their own way," Geneva says brightly. She considers that for a moment, opens her mouth slightly, and then quickly adds. "But not special like 'everyone is special so no one is' sort of special. I mean actual special. Everyone is actually special and unique."

Like snowflakes! And like snowflakes, people are totally unique while also being hard to tell apart when there are several hundred billion of them crushing you to death.

Geneva pauses quickly, her head snapping around as she glances behind her.

"Could have sworn..." she mutters. It was that feeling you get when someone is standing near you. And then there isn't anyone there. Maybe a Hunter is lurking around being a butt. "Oh well. So! Nak, was it? I'm Geneva. Daughter of Simon. Nice to meet you! What sort of super important business are you up to? I'm enjoying the beach until the tide goes out."

[Deathkeeper]

Gold Bluff Beach

For some reason Nak's mind flashes back to Thanksmas for a moment. He's not sure why, but that makes him think of-
"Like Simon Belmont?" he asks her.
Oh no, who gave him an NES?
"There's a magic hole in the cave over there that leads to where Daddy's from. Daddy needs me to stick his magic staff in it. But not touch it. Touching it is super bad and I shouldn't do it. Daddy said so." he says with a grave nod.

[Rebonack]

[Gold Bluff Beach]

Given that the protagonist pretty much always has a Nintendo console in pokemon games it stands to reason that all of Nintendo's non-pokemon games exist there. And probably a few of the non-Nintendo classics, too. They did, in fact, have video games at Geneva's Vault! Though the amount of time she spent playing them as a child was somewhat limited, she did play enough to recognize-

"The guy with the whip?"

That was a weird game. Hearkened back to the days before pokeballs when monsters were just monsters and there were fewer options to deal with the nasty ones.

"No," she laughs. "My father didn't hunt vampires. He was a doctor back in my... well... I guess you could call it my home village." Close enough. At the mention of the rift, Geneva's eyes brighten. "Oh! You're here to do something with the bridge in the sea cave? I was hoping to run some telemetry on it since I haven't seen one before that's linked to lunar cycles. Do you mind if I watch while you stick a stick in it?"

She makes mental note of the 'do not touch' warning. That's an interesting one.

Maybe it reacts in an unstable fashion when fiddled with before fully opening at the peak of low tide?

[Morty]

((Starting this for Morty - though it's an open scene!))

[Beachside - Party!]

By a crowded coastal concession stand, a large gathering is forming! All manner of flirting, fixing and feather-wagging is occurring by this little beachside bar - the Shipwreck Shandy! This little get-together is populated with all manner of colorful Nexus individuals, all flaunting what they've got with small swimsuits and smaller inhibitions. People stream in and out of the actual shipwreck that makes up the castaway bar, through the broken hull and out onto the beach, people or monsters of every stripe or color. Quite a few of them have real stripes!

It might be a bit of a challenge to find out who put this thing together, who's running the bar, but one could meet this stranger if they explored a little. And a certain dark-skinned waif intends to do just that... though he could care less about the party-starter! He just wants to get some booze and have a little fun - along with find the tiefling he's supposed to meet here.

This waif's name is Fetty, and he's a small, chocolate-hued young fellow with closely braided hair. He's got blue neon eyes that glow, and is currently barechested, but wears a pair of tight, surfy-looking black camo swim trunks as his bottoms. He skims his way through the party, looking for Fayaad or anyone else who might be interesting.


Overseeing the goings-on and ensuring a relative level of safety is the professional hunter Adir, having traded in his hunting gear for a red lifeguard's Speedo with a big white cross on the butt. He's muscular and tone under the sun, a dark and seemingly permanent tan taking well to his lithe form. A pair of antlers (and a pair of wild deer's ears) swing on his head as he looks left, then right, eyes hidden by a pair of orange sunglasses.

Adir's enjoying this little part-time! He even gets a whistle! And the money's not bad when you have to brave the silliness of the Nexus seas to save the occasional drunken idiot. The stag just wishes he could go down and join the festivities a little, to be honest... maybe he can take a little break soon.

Fetty will spot Fayyaad quite easily. The bronze-skinned tiefling is wearing a pair of dark red swimming trunks, and is carrying a blanket and a basket. He was happy to accept Fetty's invitations, since beach parties aren't exactly something he's familiar with. But looking around, he can tell he's going to like this Nexus custom.

[Deathkeeper]

Gold Bluff Beach

Nak shakes his head.
"No, I don't mind. You can come, but don't touch the magic hole. Not even for tell-mety. Daddy said no touching the hole." he insists, and immediately turns to head towards the cave. After all, they're going, right?

[Rebonack]

[Gold Bluff Beach]

"Well it's a good thing I don't have to touch the hole to gather telemetry, then," Geneva says as she follows the little crocodile pokemon. The walk down the beach is nice. Very nice, in fact! The boulders littering the beach very from craggy, basaltic monoliths to warped, twisted, colorful metamorphic rocks. A soap stone slab the size of a car looks like it has been attacked by beach goers, clearly interested in the numerous large pyrolite crystals that speckle it like warts. Where the surf has cut deep into the sand, little pockets of shiny gravel have been exposed as well. Most of it is nothing more than drab grey rock, but occasional flashes of color from agate, jasper, and jade can easily be picked out by someone who knows what to look for. Eventually they'll reach the north end of the cove where it stretches out into the sea, a lumpy mass of pillow basalt topped with golden yellow sediment.

"The, ah, magic hole in the cave won't be open until low tide," Geneva points out. "And it'll be pretty hard to walk around the point until then. Unless you were planning on swimming?"

Of course he was planning on swimming, Geneva.

He's a water pokemon.

That's what water pokemon do.

Geneva could just fly over if she felt like it, but she came down to the beach a bit early for a reason.

Because beaches are nice!

[Shadowcaller]

[Tanari Island]

It depends how long range, and how wide an area, Orion's sonar have. He will be able to tell that there is a big group of people spread across the hillside, but so can his eyes. As the sonar bunches off the hillside it detects what may or may not be more goblins hiding in the bushes further up. There are probably a lot of false positives though as there are smaller rock formations all over the hillside.

He can't still which of these people are Gnizel though. "If you think it will work out better this time then fine, let's talk. I'm not handing over this arena to those demon worshippers though, I'm under contract to deliver see and I have a reputation to uphold."

[Beachside - Party!]

At the party a long merfolk woman (http://i.imgur.com/RU4y7vM.png) has dragged herself to the beach, her lower body leaving deep tracks in the sand wherever she goes. People might watch out or they might end up tripping over it. She seems to be absentmindedly scanning the beach with metal dowsing rod, people better watch our or they'll run into her, one way or the other.

[Felandria]

[Beachside - Party!]

And now Felandria has arrived, carrying her XXXXL beach towel, and some sunscreen, because redhead.

She is wearing a blue bikini with a little hint of black.

https://cdn.lulus.com/images/product/xlarge/1273570_197274.jpg

Her hair is in a ponytail, just in case anyone is up for a very lopsided game of beach volleyball.

She will head towards the bar, intent on obtaining a fruity drink.

[Deathkeeper]

Gold Bluff Beach

Nak doesn't pay much attention to the stones. He's not really one to understand the intrinsic value of minerals and stones of any kind really, except when people tell him so. Which is why he knows gold stuff is fancy.

He seems extremely puzzled at Geneva's statement.
"Uh, yeah. I was gonna swim."
Duh.

[Rebonack]

[Tanari Island]

"A contract to deliver what?" Orion asks simply. "Are you willing to make any concessions? Negotiating can be difficult when both sides are unwilling to move an inch."

It's all about compromise and concessions, after all. You know negotiating is working when both sides are equally displeased with the results.

[Gold Bluff Beach]

The stones on this beach are, for the most part, not particularly valuable. They are, however, quite shiny. Lots of people like shiny stones! The pyrrolite, for example, has a very pleasant coppery to bronze luster.

So!

Swimming.

"Well... if we're going to be swimming I should probably change then, shouldn't I?" Geneva says as she dismisses her Transform, reverting into her natural mew body. That done, she focuses on the little crocodile pokemon! Her body becomes slick and blue with a white underbelly while her tail thickens and gains a pair of flukes at the end! Reflect Type is very useful when she's needing to mimic a type she doesn't have an attack for. Such as Water! Geneva quickly stows her sun hat away in her inventory since she has absolutely no intent to get it all soggy with sea water. "Okay, that should do it. Ready to go?"

[Deathkeeper]

Gold Bluff Beach

Nak peers at Geneva intently, and comes to a very important conclusion.
"You're weird. But yeah." he tells her, and will follow her into the cave.

[Rebonack]

[Gold Bluff Beach]

"I'm not weird," Geneva replies with a huff. "I'm a perfectly normal mew."

And with that, she hovers over the breakers before diving into the sea. The water is clear and quite cold. But water resists ice so no problem, right? Right. Sea palms wave in the surf and further out, as the water grows deeper, a thick kelp forest can be seen teeming with life. Below the sand shifts, occasionally punctuated by basalt boulders absolutely encrusted with sea life. Squirts, anemones, barnacles, muscles, starfish, all jockey for position on the few holds available. As they round the point, the sea cave soon looms into view. It's... huge to say the least. A massive trench runs down one side, fed and carved by an underwater river flowing at respectable speed. On the other side is a sandy shelf that proves quite a bit more shallow, shallow enough to be exposed when the tide will eventually go out. Both trench and tunnel reach deep into the mountain, and once swimming up the tunnel a good hundred feet or so, the gradual swallowing eventually gives away to wet sand.

It also happens to be incredibly dark in the cave.

Thankfully Geneva didn't come unprepared!

Her PokeGear is equipped with Flash, which is more than enough to offer illumination.

As she trudges up the sandy tunnel and onto dry land, Geneva gives herself a shake, throwing off her aquatic form as she does. All around the basalt cave drips, mats of faintly luminescent fungi feeding on the stone while cave crabs pick at tidbits. And there, standing before our heroes, is an almost perfect stone ring sticking out of the sand. Strange symbols have been carved into the smooth rock, glowing with faint orange light. The bridge is pretty easy to spot.

[Deathkeeper]

Gold Bluff Cove

Nak has some trouble swimming with that big staff, but he manages by holding it in his jaws delicately and paddling with all his limbs and his little tail. He pops out and scuttles across the sand excitedly.
"Okay, so that's the hole right? I just stick the staff in it? Or do I wait? You said it doesn't open yet." he says, puzzling over her words and trying to figure out what to do.

[Murkus]

[Beachside - Party!]


Fetty will spot Fayyaad quite easily. The bronze-skinned tiefling is wearing a pair of dark red swimming trunks, and is carrying a blanket and a basket. He was happy to accept Fetty's invitations, since beach parties aren't exactly something he's familiar with. But looking around, he can tell he's going to like this Nexus custom.



[Beachside - Party!]

At the party a long merfolk woman (http://imgur.com/RU4y7vM) has dragged herself to the beach, her lower body leaving deep tracks in the sand wherever she goes. People might watch out or they might end up tripping over it. She seems to be absentmindedly scanning the beach with metal dowsing rod, people better watch our or they'll run into her, one way or the other.

"Oh, look who we have here!" Fetty says, sidling over his favorite tiefling and leaning up to give him a peck on the cheek. "Always wearing some shade of red, too. Cute. And, ooh, for moi?" Fetty tries to take the blanket off've Fayadd's hands... and then just throws it around his shoulders, as though emulating a regal cloak. "You're great. Thanks. I was cold. Now come on, let's find a drink... Oh!"

And Fetty nearly trips over... Zhareen! Her long, snaking tail is quite the obstacle, especially while slithering along like that. Zhareen might feel a foot tap against her side before Fetty catches himself... or maybe if Fayaad catches him. "Ho-ho, jeez, that's..." Fetty looks in Zhareen's direction... er, well, in the direction of her torso and other more humanoid features. He looks at Fayaad. "Interesting. Do you think she'd be offended if I asked to ride her?"


[Beachside - Party!]

And now Felandria has arrived, carrying her XXXXL beach towel, and some sunscreen, because redhead.

She is wearing a blue bikini with a little hint of black.

https://cdn.lulus.com/images/product/xlarge/1273570_197274.jpg

Her hair is in a ponytail, just in case anyone is up for a very lopsided game of beach volleyball.

She will head towards the bar, intent on obtaining a fruity drink.

It's easy to find the bar... though it'll take a minute to get up to a spot where she can order something. Of course, depending on Fel's current size, it'll also be easy to get the barkeep's attention. He's... strange. An enormous tentacular fellow, glowing various neon hues, his limbs arcing out to catch empty glasses or fill new ones. He's humanoid above the waist, though not exactly normal looking, as his complexion has an almost cartoonish rubbery quality and the top of his head becomes a little array of tentacles merely mimicing hair.

The octo-man runs a hand over his 'hair' and straigthens his black sunglasses, looking at Felandria with widening eyes. "Tell me what you need," he says, with a bit more dramatic bartending flair than is really necessary.

"Hey!" comes another male voice a moment later, this time from beside the giantess. It's Adir! The brown-skinned, scantily-clad fellow seems to have come down from his lifeguard's perch. His nose twitches and his large deer ears (https://countryliving4beginners.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/white-tailed-deer-1.jpg) lance outward from his very human head in a friendly, inquisitive manner. "You're Felandria, aren't you? You own the house VIGIL's put up in?"

[Felandria]

[Beachside - Party!]

It's easy to find the bar... though it'll take a minute to get up to a spot where she can order something. Of course, depending on Fel's current size, it'll also be easy to get the barkeep's attention. He's... strange. An enormous tentacular fellow, glowing various neon hues, his limbs arcing out to catch empty glasses or fill new ones. He's humanoid above the waist, though not exactly normal looking, as his complexion has an almost cartoonish rubbery quality and the top of his head becomes a little array of tentacles merely mimicing hair.

The octo-man runs a hand over his 'hair' and straigthens his black sunglasses, looking at Felandria with widening eyes. "Tell me what you need," he says, with a bit more dramatic bartending flair than is really necessary.

"Hey!" comes another male voice a moment later, this time from beside the giantess. It's Adir! The brown-skinned, scantily-clad fellow seems to have come down from his lifeguard's perch. His nose twitches and his large deer ears (https://countryliving4beginners.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/white-tailed-deer-1.jpg) lance outward from his very human head in a friendly, inquisitive manner. "You're Felandria, aren't you? You own the house VIGIL's put up in?"

A nice fruity drink, one of those fishbowl things, please.

Fel smiles as she puts the money on the bar, then Adir introduces himself.

Yep, that's me.

Course, very soon the house will be empty again, fortunately and unfortunately.

And who might you be?

[Recaiden]

No 'nearly' here, Anchor runs right into the mermaid's tail and goes sprawling into the sand.
That's what one gets for staring out at the ocean while walking along.

"Ow! Oh, sorry, sorry sorry. I didn't see you there."
The woman's wearing a one-piece black swimsuit, and right this moment getting back on her feet and dusting herself off.

[Reinholdt]

[Beachside - Party!]

Two further party goers are present and about. One bare chested human Reinholdt wearing a pair of blue swimtrunks that might be one size too small is enjoying the sights. His appraisal of determining who he knows and who he doesn't gets immediately distracted by the presence of the beach bar. He pretty much makes a bee-line there immediately once he finds it. It's important to stay hydrated after all.

The other looks decidedly out of place. What appears to be a small child or a large gnome wrapped heavily in cloak of inky darkness that's only half metaphorical. This mysterious hooded figure is doing their best to stay out of the light and not draw attention to itself, though their contrasting appearing makes that difficult. Still, it does the best it can under the shade of an umbrella stuck in the sand, staring out unceasingly at the party goers from its little 'safe spot'. Staaaaare.
http://i455.photobucket.com/albums/qq276/Reinholdt9000/Gaia/Sashacloaked.png

[Shadowcaller]

[Beachside - Party!]

Zhareen who's been looking down at the sand underneath her this entire time suddenly stops with a, "Eep!". She starts looking around in surprise, almost as if she just realized that she was at a party. She puts away the dowsing rod in a tool belt she wears around her waist, filled with other odd tools, and crawls over to the fallen woman and offers her a hand to get up, but also look worriedly at Fetty. "Oh, dear, oh dear! Neither of you hurt yourself did you?" Besides the tool belt, Zhareen is wearing a colorful kitenge (https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/ae/e7/1d/aee71d6870b60c1173cde03cee645d5f.jpg), covering her chest, and a short skirt in the same colors and patterns just underneath the tool belt. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

[Tanari Island]

"Deliver, as in, 'get the job done'? It's figure of speech, kid, you-" Gnizel, who is starting to sound really annoyed, suddenly pauses and then expresses a sigh as it sounds like he's calming down. "Look, when you started talking about negotiating a deal, I expected that you had some amazing compromise that would solve the entire issue. So spit it out kid, you've already talked to the gnolls, what is the arrangement you're offering us here?"

Meanwhile, Sargera looks on quietly, her eyes more kept on the goblin soldiers than Orion.

[Rebonack]

[Gold Bluff Beach]

"Your dad didn't give you any other instructions?" Geneva asks as she begins assembling some equipment around the edge of the ring. Aside from being imposing and glowing, the ring isn't really doing much right now. At least nothing that a normal ring of polished obsidian wouldn't be doing. "Just give me a moment to get my equipment ready, then you can try poking it with your stick and I'll be able to tell you if anything happened! How does that sound?"

Geneva knows her stuff!

Once she's got her gear ready to go, she'll be able to tell if the bridge starts doing anything unusual.

"Okay, I'm ready!" Geneva announces after a few minutes of fiddling. "Go ahead and poke it with your stick. Poking things with a stick is a time-honored scientific practice."

It's the best way to nudge things that might bite your arm off! Stick poking has a long and distinguished history.

[Tanari Island]

Geeze... is this guy naturally obtuse or does it require effort on his part? Orion never offered to negotiate a deal. He offered to mediate negotiation as a neutral third party so that people wouldn't be killing each other.

Well, hopefully wouldn't be killing each other.

"The gnolls want access to their heritage site for the purpose of binding demons, not worshiping them. From what little you've told me, your aim is to learn from the artifacts here to use as a weapon against the demons that have been harassing the Nexus. Given that the gnolls here represented by Sargera and her party already have a working understanding of the demon binding artifacts, wouldn't cooperation be in the best interest of both parties? War is expensive, after all."

Very true.

War is quite expensive.

[Beachside - Party!]

As the festivities really get kicking, making the most of the sun and the surf, another newcomer arrives!

Or, well, not really arrives per se. Arriving would require that he come to the beach from somewhere other than the beach. And considering that the little sand-bee pixie drake just poked his head out of a hole in the sand he was ostensibly here the whole time. There are quite a few holes over there, as it happens, along a sandy dune held together in roughly the same shape by tufts of beach grass waving in the wind in addition to a wide, rubbery mat of iceberg succulents in full bloom. It's a nice little sandy hill, really. And while there are many like it, this one happens to be Drake's. Because he made burrows under it. And when you're a hive-minded swarm of stinging faerie dragons people typically don't argue with you setting up shop unless it's a hive on the side of their car.

Drake has been keeping himself busy collecting pollen and nectar and other such things. Busy as a bee and all that. But he's still a person, not just a bug, and so that means he's more than happy to spare some time for fun!

A single pixie drake crawls out of his burrow, gives his wings a buzz to warm them up, and takes off toward the party! The mouse-sized drake alights atop a conveniently placed sun umbrella, hanging onto it with his little feets while watching the fun from his new vantage point. "Oh wow! Oh neat! That's so many people! I wonder if anyone wants to buy some honey? People are always wanting to buy honey since it's the best. Maybe I should set up a booth? Or talk to someone? Or buy a drink? When's the last time I had a drink? I think I left some of me at Trog's, but the networks kinda thin out here..." he chatters, waving his horn-like antenna (or maybe antenna-like horns?) in the general direction of Trog's Tavern.

"Hello under that umbrella!" he calls down to the staring girl. His voice is amazingly loud for how small he is. "Why aren't you out there having fun? Are you worried about skin cancer? Skin cancer is the worst. What do you think, should I sell some honey? People love honey. Especially magic honey and I've got more than I know what to do with."

[Morty]

[B]"What can I say, red is my colour," Fayyaad says, as he kisses Fetty back and puts an arm around his shoulders. "Just like blue is yours. And... probably. Just a hunch."

[Murkus]

A nice fruity drink, one of those fishbowl things, please.

Fel smiles as she puts the money on the bar, then Adir introduces himself.

Yep, that's me.

Course, very soon the house will be empty again, fortunately and unfortunately.

And who might you be?

"You got it," the tender says, and so it is, as he deposits a multilayered, colorful cocktail in... something that much too closely resembles a fish bowl after all. A straw is poking out the top.

"I'm Adir! I used to work with Watchtower. Been doing a little work helping VIGIL here and there," Adir offers his hand to shake, still stuck in that obsolete means of greeting even when it comes to women. A symptom of being culturally enriched by middle-aged humans. Of course, it helps afford him a certain element of courtesy not present in young men such as he... he couldn't be any older than twenty-two, surely. "What, everyone's leaving for the new base that soon?"




Two further party goers are present and about. One bare chested human Reinholdt wearing a pair of blue swimtrunks that might be one size too small is enjoying the sights. His appraisal of determining who he knows and who he doesn't gets immediately distracted by the presence of the beach bar. He pretty much makes a bee-line there immediately once he finds it. It's important to stay hydrated after all.

The other looks decidedly out of place. What appears to be a small child or a large gnome wrapped heavily in cloak of inky darkness that's only half metaphorical. This mysterious hooded figure is doing their best to stay out of the light and not draw attention to itself, though their contrasting appearing makes that difficult. Still, it does the best it can under the shade of an umbrella stuck in the sand, staring out unceasingly at the party goers from its little 'safe spot'. Staaaaare.
http://i455.photobucket.com/albums/qq276/Reinholdt9000/Gaia/Sashacloaked.png

While the small, strange robed figure goes unnoticed for now, Fettina/Fetty spots Reinholdt headed for the bar, and makes a note to at least say hi later on.

It's as easy to get the barkeep's attention for Rein as it was for Felandria. The spectacular tentacular creature looks at Rein from behind his shades. "Hey, baby," He smiles invitingly. "Tell me what you need."


No 'nearly' here, Anchor runs right into the mermaid's tail and goes sprawling into the sand.
That's what one gets for staring out at the ocean while walking along.

"Ow! Oh, sorry, sorry sorry. I didn't see you there."
The woman's wearing a one-piece black swimsuit, and right this moment getting back on her feet and dusting herself off.


[Beachside - Party!]

Zhareen who's been looking down at the sand underneath her this entire time suddenly stops with a, "Eep!". She starts looking around in surprise, almost as if she just realized that she was at a party. She puts away the dowsing rod in a tool belt she wears around her waist, filled with other odd tools, and crawls over to the fallen woman and offers her a hand to get up, but also look worriedly at Fetty. "Oh, dear, oh dear! Neither of you hurt yourself did you?" Besides the tool belt, Zhareen is wearing a colorful kitenge (https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/ae/e7/1d/aee71d6870b60c1173cde03cee645d5f.jpg), covering her chest, and a short skirt in the same colors and patterns just underneath the tool belt. "I wasn't looking where I was going."


"I'm okay, sweet-cheeks, but the nice girl there took quite a spill," Fetty starts to try to help Anchor up with Zhareen before retreating to Fayaad's side, smiling like the handsome lad he is. "That must be quite a hastle, going to parties with your... all of you like that. But you're very pretty!" Fetty assures her with a nod.


[Beachside - Party!]

As the festivities really get kicking, making the most of the sun and the surf, another newcomer arrives!

Or, well, not really arrives per se. Arriving would require that he come to the beach from somewhere other than the beach. And considering that the little sand-bee pixie drake just poked his head out of a hole in the sand he was ostensibly here the whole time. There are quite a few holes over there, as it happens, along a sandy dune held together in roughly the same shape by tufts of beach grass waving in the wind in addition to a wide, rubbery mat of iceberg succulents in full bloom. It's a nice little sandy hill, really. And while there are many like it, this one happens to be Drake's. Because he made burrows under it. And when you're a hive-minded swarm of stinging faerie dragons people typically don't argue with you setting up shop unless it's a hive on the side of their car.

Drake has been keeping himself busy collecting pollen and nectar and other such things. Busy as a bee and all that. But he's still a person, not just a bug, and so that means he's more than happy to spare some time for fun!

A single pixie drake crawls out of his burrow, gives his wings a buzz to warm them up, and takes off toward the party! The mouse-sized drake alights atop a conveniently placed sun umbrella, hanging onto it with his little feets while watching the fun from his new vantage point. "Oh wow! Oh neat! That's so many people! I wonder if anyone wants to buy some honey? People are always wanting to buy honey since it's the best. Maybe I should set up a booth? Or talk to someone? Or buy a drink? When's the last time I had a drink? I think I left some of me at Trog's, but the networks kinda thin out here..." he chatters, waving his horn-like antenna (or maybe antenna-like horns?) in the general direction of Trog's Tavern.

"Hello under that umbrella!" he calls down to the staring girl. His voice is amazingly loud for how small he is. "Why aren't you out there having fun? Are you worried about skin cancer? Skin cancer is the worst. What do you think, should I sell some honey? People love honey. Especially magic honey and I've got more than I know what to do with."

It certainly wouldn't be hard to sell some honey to the right people here. Especially depending on it's effects. Unfortunately, nobody approaches the drake on their own, aside from a seagull-person who veers to one side.

"Watch where you're treading air, pal!"

He descends toward the party.


[Beachside - Party!]

[B]"What can I say, red is my colour," Fayyaad says, as he kisses Fetty back and puts an arm around his shoulders. [B]"Just like blue is yours. And... probably. Just a hunch."

Fetty chortles as he's smooched and snuggles up further against Fayaad, winking at him. "Wellll, maybe I should try anyway. Or you should. She looks like she's got a strong back." Fetty peers at Zhareen again. "Do you have a strong back?"

[Deathkeeper]

Gold Bluff Beach

Nak nods and slips off his pack, dropping it to the floor. He goes over to the hole and plunges the end of the staff into it. Immediately the staff begins to glow and absorbing...something. Who knows what Geneva will pick up?

[Lost_Deep]

Ben nods.
"Well...okay. Let me know if you want to see a movie some time or something." he asks a bit bashfully and drags his feet back to his own room for the night.

Continuity Cruise Lines

Well, the pair never come and knock on his door, but it's not that they don't think about it. It's more that they never get together enough to do it. Of course, good intentions don't count for that much, and in the end the night will pass without incident unless something else happens.

[Reinholdt]

Bar Party

Reinholdt takes a moment to look over the bartender in return, definitely appraising him. It's, uh, clearly curiosity and nothing else, I'm sure. Though his gaze does linger a little longer than necessary. "I'll take a long island iced tea please." Mixing it up today. If anyplace would have rum it'd be a beach bar. But this is a party! Gotta change gears every once in a while.

"You remind me of someone I used to know. Really into the neon thing. Some sort of body modification parlor was involved I think?" Rein didn't look into the business too closely because he was too wrapped up in a pirate's arms at the time. Said time has past.

Umbrella Party

Mysterious Hooded Figure looks up and the shadows under her waver briefly as if startled. Must be a trick of the sun. This creature was strange. Wholly different and unusual from the characters out at the beach hitting balls and swimming and forming sand into their own tiny kingdoms. Exactly the kind of creature Master loved to dissect and experiment with. He would probably be really happy with her if she brought it home to him. He... he might even actually smile at her.

On the other hand, it is far too bright out there to be performing kidnappings. Plus, it talks. It talks to her even. It would be extremely rude to kidnap someone while they're addressing you. Not to mention there were way too many witnesses here. Besides, the creature seemed much cuter than the rats they had back home. If Master got it, then it probably wouldn't look cute for much longer. And that would be sad. Maybe just for today she wouldn't kidnap anyone. So long as Master doesn't find out, it should be ok.

Drake did talk a lot though. Was he an adult... thing? Adults could talk. Children should be seen, not heard. Except for being directly asked a question by an adult. Even then she should avoid talking. People usually disliked it when she talked. She would just have to find another way to communicate with the excitable creature.

She had heard of fun second hand before, but it was much too bright out there to go and try the so named 'fun'. Beyond that, though, she had no idea what the creature meant. So she tilted her head to one side while staring at him inquisitively with the dark eyes of an empty, deep spanning void. She had found this an effective non-verbal communication for What is? It seems to work decently for dogs. What is skin cancer? What is honey? What is the creature? What is?

If this fails to be understood, well then she would have no choice but to give voice to her thoughts. And that would be bad.

Drake will probably also notice that the temperature near the umbrella was several degrees cooler than the rest of the beach. As if the little girl herself was somehow removing the heat from the area immediately surrounding her. That or it's a magical umbrella. Climate control umbrellas would actually be super handy to take to a beach on a hot day.

[Slii Arhem]

Beachside - Partay!

Cresting over the last hill before the ground gives way to sandy dunes comes a cart! Well, first comes a woman, tan skin and tiny bikini and curves and... light scatterings of pale, electric blue scales and wavy blonde hair that gives way to deep ocean blue all trudging up to scout for the party before waving the cart onwards.

Then comes the cart. Well, then comes the beast pulling the cart. And beast is an apt descriptor. Despite the nereid treating it like a favored pet and scratching it under the chin...s, the two-headed, quilled, scorpion-tailed Thing that is somehow both vaguely feline and canine in movement, looks, and attitude is definitely not what one would call a natural animal. But after its (Her, if the reader must know) stallion-sized bulk is out of the way, you can definitely see a cart somewhere there behind it.

Riding up in front, most people can see a pair of identical looking women in wide-brimmed sun hats sitting side by side. The more eagle-eyed among them might even notice some particularities, such as the thick, fuzzy red belts cinched around their middles or the gleaming silvery horn decorations strangely decorating their hats. Even closer attention would espy a third passenger, sitting on the shoulder of one of them. Practically minuscule compared to her roughly six foot companions, or indeed compared to most people partying today, the luna moth pixie's arm is behind the neck of her seat, steadying herself on the bumpy ride.

That is, if anyone can bother to look past their rather unconventional pack animal, which is a rather unlikely prospect. Especially as the ambulatory one of the quartet begins to remove the harness from the impatient beast, its forelimbs tearing up dune grass in its eager haste to get free of its restraints as it eyes the shoreline with wide, predatory eyes.

The loaded cart has the emblazoned logo for HG Industries on the side, and Misha's already excited for what they brought with them, eying the sturdy box she packed herself even as she undoes buckles to help free Imp and let her roam at her own leisure. It's so gratifying to find a beach without any leash laws.

[Rebonack]

[Gold Bluff Beach]

"Huh..." Geneva hums as she watches the readings do...

Well.

She isn't totally sure. There's clearly some sort of information transfer going on. And that's certainly something. That implies the bridge is still somewhat active, at least in the sense of being able to transmit information. She's encounter tiny bridges like that plenty of times.

"Well! That was certainly illuminating," she says brightly. "Now we just have to wait a little while until the tide goes out and the bridge opens up properly. Did you have anything else you needed to do out here?"

[Beachside Party!]

Drake is peering over the edge of the umbrella at the girl. She isn't replying! Not even a little bit! She's just doing that confused head tilt thing! "Oh! Oh no! Are you mute? Or maybe shy? Or maybe swarms of angry biting flies come pouring out of your mouth whenever you say anything out loud? I met a weird goblin that did that once. He was really weird and flies are rude. Did you know that bee flies lay their eggs in bees? I sure didn't! Having a maggot eat your insides and then burst out of your chest really hurts. You shouldn't ever let a baby animal burst out of your chest, it's the worst. You must be really good at listening 'cuz you do it so much. Hey! Want to try some honey? I'll give you some for free since you're such a good listener!"

The little pixie drake buzzes his wings and takes off toward the bar.

Um...

Wasn't he going to share some honey with-

"Hiya!" chatters another Drake. Still a weird little dragon-bee, this one looks slightly larger and his coloration is a bit different. The first one had a sand-bee color scheme, all grey and black, this second one is black and orange and QUITE a bit fuzzier. He's also holding a small piece of honeycomb. Considering that he's about the size of a rat, the piece of honey comb in question isn't terribly large, otherwise he wouldn't be able to fly with it. "Here you go! I made this from the iceberg plant flowers that grow on the beach! It's pretty great." The insectish drake hovers a bit closer to the girl, holding out the honeycomb. It's a pleasant yellowish color, full of dark amber honey.

The first drake, meanwhile, lands over at the bar. He grins up at the barkeeper with a tiny, toothy grin that would look quite in place on a gecko. "Hiya! I'm Drake Apis and I want to sell some honey to people! I've got a batch of red honey for clubs and bars and parties and stuff that I've been told is a lot like absinthe that makes people feel really relaxed and tingly when they eat a little bit but I don't know anything about that since whatevers in it doesn't make me drunk. But it's nice! And it tastes great! Because all my honey tastes great because I'm pretty much the best and only honey-making pixie drake in the Nexus how come your hair is made of tentacles?"

Ah, you were doing so well, Drake.

You manage to almost get through a whole conversation without getting distracted by something.

[Deathkeeper]

Beachside- Party

With the sound of hooves behind the cart, another partygoer quickly catches up to the cart. She's a bit less strange than the cart and its beast, but perhaps more than others at the party. The young woman in question looks to be in her late twenties, pretty, slim, and curvaceous from the waist up, and a pretty white mare from the waist down, wearing a swimsuit top and carrying a small bag of things as a saddlebag.

"Hey there! Just coming in? Pretty crazy friend you've got there." she says conversationally to the little person as she passes the cart.

Gold Bluff Beach

After a while, the glyphs on the staff burst into light and stay lit, and Nak cheerily pulls it from the bridge.
"No, that's it. Just got to give it back to Daddy." he says, still all smiles as he waddles over to the water's edge and places the end of the staff into the water, whereupon it sinks slowly despite there not seemingly being enough depth for it to do so.
Also?
After the staff is gone, the bridge should stop getting more open. And it likely won't for some time.

[Terumitsu]

[Beachside Party!]

Watching the hellbeast scamper off to make a mess of the dunes and sand, Riss held in a chuckle as she hopped off the cart to start unloading a few things. Or rather, one of her did.. Though even that was a misnomer. The muse had trouble enough when trying to explain to people that she was all a single entity despite how many physical bodies they might see doing things otherwise. At least, she had trouble explaining it in a quick and easy way that didn't come off like she was following in the footsteps of Elder Things From Beyond The Pattern Of Existence.

At any rate, wearing a red beach skirt and a black bikini that left more to the imagination than Misha's, though that was hardly much of a feat, the muse shifted her 'belt' a little before lifting a wheeled cooler up and off the cart, the inside sloshing somewhat in the way that ice, water, and miscellaneous other things tended to when jostled.

Still, given that the 'little person' was on her shoulder, or at least one of her form's shoulders, Riss responded anyway. "The little hell-raiser or the sea-and-sun haired one?" she replied with a laugh. "Yeah, we just got here... Probably brought a little too much with us but there's enough people here to where it'll be fine, I suppose." she added, her tone shifting just slighting at the idea of being so close with so many others at the same time. Still, it could be far worse. At least there was plenty of room here rather than needing to bunch up in a crowd.

[Gullara]

[Beachside Party!]

Mimi stands up on Riss' shoulder and leaps into the air. Her wings flutter, keeping her effortlessly aloft. The pixie, standing at eight inches tall, is wearing a two piece that brings all new meaning to 'itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polkadot bikini'. "She better not be talking about me." Mimi flits over and stares the centaur lady down. Not that there was any indication she was.

[Recaiden]

[Beachside - Party!]


"I'm okay, sweet-cheeks, but the nice girl there took quite a spill," Fetty starts to try to help Anchor up with Zhareen before retreating to Fayaad's side, smiling like the handsome lad he is. "That must be quite a hastle, going to parties with your... all of you like that. But you're very pretty!" Fetty assures her with a nod.


[Beachside - Party!]

Zhareen who's been looking down at the sand underneath her this entire time suddenly stops with a, "Eep!". She starts looking around in surprise, almost as if she just realized that she was at a party. She puts away the dowsing rod in a tool belt she wears around her waist, filled with other odd tools, and crawls over to the fallen woman and offers her a hand to get up, but also look worriedly at Fetty. "Oh, dear, oh dear! Neither of you hurt yourself did you?" Besides the tool belt, Zhareen is wearing a colorful kitenge (https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/ae/e7/1d/aee71d6870b60c1173cde03cee645d5f.jpg), covering her chest, and a short skirt in the same colors and patterns just underneath the tool belt. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

Oh my. Look at all this help! This handsome lad at one hand, this...long woman on the other. Given that, Anchor has no trouble getting back up.
"I think I'm okay."
"No, I wasn't looking either. Sorry, very sorry."
Oh. Zhareen isn't mad? Well. What a nice surprise.

[Murkus]

[B]Bar Party

Reinholdt takes a moment to look over the bartender in return, definitely appraising him. It's, uh, clearly curiosity and nothing else, I'm sure. Though his gaze does linger a little longer than necessary. "I'll take a long island iced tea please." Mixing it up today. If anyplace would have rum it'd be a beach bar. But this is a party! Gotta change gears every once in a while.

"You remind me of someone I used to know. Really into the neon thing. Some sort of body modification parlor was involved I think?" Rein didn't look into the business too closely because he was too wrapped up in a pirate's arms at the time. Said time has past.


The tender grins, his tentacles work, and in a flash a tall glass of the old half n' half is glistening dusky brown in front of Reinholdt. He plops a lemon wedge on the rim as his limbs stretch out to accommodate the other patrons.

"Neon? Like my signs, my man?" The tentacular fellow glances upward at the Shipwreck's swinging lights. "Sorry, no mods here. Not on me either." He curls his tentacles up such that they bulge - even if there doesn't seem to be a defined musculature, somehow - and he grins a deep grin. Of course, he has to busy those multiple arms a moment later to keep the booze flowing, but he very obviously winks at Rein behind his glasses. "It's all natural baby."


[Beachside Party!]

Drake is peering over the edge of the umbrella at the girl. She isn't replying! Not even a little bit! She's just doing that confused head tilt thing! "Oh! Oh no! Are you mute? Or maybe shy? Or maybe swarms of angry biting flies come pouring out of your mouth whenever you say anything out loud? I met a weird goblin that did that once. He was really weird and flies are rude. Did you know that bee flies lay their eggs in bees? I sure didn't! Having a maggot eat your insides and then burst out of your chest really hurts. You shouldn't ever let a baby animal burst out of your chest, it's the worst. You must be really good at listening 'cuz you do it so much. Hey! Want to try some honey? I'll give you some for free since you're such a good listener!"

The little pixie drake buzzes his wings and takes off toward the bar.

Um...

Wasn't he going to share some honey with-

"Hiya!" chatters another Drake. Still a weird little dragon-bee, this one looks slightly larger and his coloration is a bit different. The first one had a sand-bee color scheme, all grey and black, this second one is black and orange and QUITE a bit fuzzier. He's also holding a small piece of honeycomb. Considering that he's about the size of a rat, the piece of honey comb in question isn't terribly large, otherwise he wouldn't be able to fly with it. "Here you go! I made this from the iceberg plant flowers that grow on the beach! It's pretty great." The insectish drake hovers a bit closer to the girl, holding out the honeycomb. It's a pleasant yellowish color, full of dark amber honey.

The first drake, meanwhile, lands over at the bar. He grins up at the barkeeper with a tiny, toothy grin that would look quite in place on a gecko. "Hiya! I'm Drake Apis and I want to sell some honey to people! I've got a batch of red honey for clubs and bars and parties and stuff that I've been told is a lot like absinthe that makes people feel really relaxed and tingly when they eat a little bit but I don't know anything about that since whatevers in it doesn't make me drunk. But it's nice! And it tastes great! Because all my honey tastes great because I'm pretty much the best and only honey-making pixie drake in the Nexus how come your hair is made of tentacles?"

Ah, you were doing so well, Drake.

You manage to almost get through a whole conversation without getting distracted by something.

"Thanks for noticing, little dude," he says, slicking his tentacles back with a touch of the hand. They spring back up defiantly... and he doesn't answer the question. "Oh, sure little man, how much have you got? I could use a good mixer."


Oh my. Look at all this help! This handsome lad at one hand, this...long woman on the other. Given that, Anchor has no trouble getting back up.
"I think I'm okay."
"No, I wasn't looking either. Sorry, very sorry."
Oh. Zhareen isn't mad? Well. What a nice surprise.

"I think maybe everyone here could stand to do a little drinking," says Fetty, though he'll say no more as I don't want to get the scene too far ahead of Morty and Shadowcaller.

[Beachside - Mimi, Misha, and Riss]

The three arriving ladies are met with a variety of stares, some lewd, some surprised, some apprehensive at the presence of the monster that accompanies them. A few people blather amongst themselves. Does the trio have something to sell? Or give out, maybe? Even better.

[Rebonack]

[Beachside Party]

Not too far from Drake's sandy hill is a large patch of moss, lichen, and small flowers that has spread over the dunes. Normally patches of cryptobiotic crust like these are fairly unremarkable in sandy environments, but this one sports a rather unique feature. A ring of unusually large cup fungi have grown here, the mushrooms glowing with dull lime green light and giving the patch of soil a distinctly uncanny feel. Within the ring shadows and shapes flit and roil when viewed out of the corner of the eye, a testament to another world that exists just beyond the veil of perception. There is, briefly, a fluting sound as of blasphemous pipes being played as that veil grows thinner, heralding the arrival of a small swarm of pixie drakes.

There's no flash of light or puff of smoke. They simply weren't before.

And now they are.

Each one carries a small wax bottle reinforced with paper large enough to hold about a teaspoon of honey. The flight of faeries takes the air and converges on a little seaside bar not too distant...

"Bunches!" Drake announces to the octo-bar-tender just as a few dozen more pixie drakes come buzzing into the room, each carrying a shot of red honey. They begin unloading it on the counter in a predictably hexagonal pattern before taking off again to fetch more. "It's really really strong, though, okay? If someone is already drinking they shouldn't have more than one of these otherwise they'll get sick and throw up everywhere and feel awful and I don't want people to feel awful because this is a party and parties are supposed to be fun so don't let anyone have more than one shot okay? Will you promise? You've gotta swear that you won't give anyone more than one."

[Shadowcaller]

Beachside- Party

The merwoman giggles. "We shouldn't stand around and say sorry, we... we are apparently at a party, after all!" She grins widely with all her sharp teeth. "But, ah, to answer your questions, all women in my family have strong backs. So I guess there is something you need to help you carry, sir? I carried a big keg of beer at a party once, so I have experience in party-related carrying tasks and I was hired to do beach-related tasks at work, so it's a double-fit! I'm the perfect woman for whatever beach thing you need carried at a party."

[Tanari Island]

Now Sargera decides to speak up, suddenly stepping forward. "As I already said, our warlocks can help you identify each item for free, as long as we get to keep them. We'll even sell them to you for a discount. With our help you can actually get them to work."

"But in exchange I have to hand over everything to you. Plus, I have still no way to actually trust you. Each time I find one of these sites, they're usually crawling with demon-worshipping gnolls that we have to drive out. I lost a lot of good women and men to those crazy bastards. So is it really that insane that I want some proof of your allegiance, or lack thereof? You got here by using those things 'gating' and use their magic to animate those golems of yours. With all that, am I just supposed to take your word for it? I'd not just be risking my soldier's life, but the ones of my entire race if you're secretly aiding those creatures."

Sargera bares her fangs again. "Aiding? Those monsters have enslaved my people! I started all this to fight back, so don't you dare call me a 'demon-worshipper'!"

Orion might want to add to this discussion before things get out of hand.

[Morty]

[B]"I won't say no to a drink or two," Fayyaad says, looking over the assembly. "This is a party, just like the lady said. I'm Fayyaad, by the way." He decides to leave his full family name for later.

[Slii Arhem]

Beachside- Party

With the sound of hooves behind the cart, another partygoer quickly catches up to the cart. She's a bit less strange than the cart and its beast, but perhaps more than others at the party. The young woman in question looks to be in her late twenties, pretty, slim, and curvaceous from the waist up, and a pretty white mare from the waist down, wearing a swimsuit top and carrying a small bag of things as a saddlebag.

"Hey there! Just coming in? Pretty crazy friend you've got there." she says conversationally to the little person as she passes the cart.

Gold Bluff Beach

After a while, the glyphs on the staff burst into light and stay lit, and Nak cheerily pulls it from the bridge.
"No, that's it. Just got to give it back to Daddy." he says, still all smiles as he waddles over to the water's edge and places the end of the staff into the water, whereupon it sinks slowly despite there not seemingly being enough depth for it to do so.
Also?
After the staff is gone, the bridge should stop getting more open. And it likely won't for some time.


[Beachside Party!]

Watching the hellbeast scamper off to make a mess of the dunes and sand, Riss held in a chuckle as she hopped off the cart to start unloading a few things. Or rather, one of her did.. Though even that was a misnomer. The muse had trouble enough when trying to explain to people that she was all a single entity despite how many physical bodies they might see doing things otherwise. At least, she had trouble explaining it in a quick and easy way that didn't come off like she was following in the footsteps of Elder Things From Beyond The Pattern Of Existence.

At any rate, wearing a red beach skirt and a black bikini that left more to the imagination than Misha's, though that was hardly much of a feat, the muse shifted her 'belt' a little before lifting a wheeled cooler up and off the cart, the inside sloshing somewhat in the way that ice, water, and miscellaneous other things tended to when jostled.

Still, given that the 'little person' was on her shoulder, or at least one of her form's shoulders, Riss responded anyway. "The little hell-raiser or the sea-and-sun haired one?" she replied with a laugh. "Yeah, we just got here... Probably brought a little too much with us but there's enough people here to where it'll be fine, I suppose." she added, her tone shifting just slighting at the idea of being so close with so many others at the same time. Still, it could be far worse. At least there was plenty of room here rather than needing to bunch up in a crowd.


[Beachside Party!]

Mimi stands up on Riss' shoulder and leaps into the air. Her wings flutter, keeping her effortlessly aloft. The pixie, standing at eight inches tall, is wearing a two piece that brings all new meaning to 'itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polkadot bikini'. "She better not be talking about me." Mimi flits over and stares the centaur lady down. Not that there was any indication she was.


[Beachside - Party!]



The tender grins, his tentacles work, and in a flash a tall glass of the old half n' half is glistening dusky brown in front of Reinholdt. He plops a lemon wedge on the rim as his limbs stretch out to accommodate the other patrons.

"Neon? Like my signs, my man?" The tentacular fellow glances upward at the Shipwreck's swinging lights. "Sorry, no mods here. Not on me either." He curls his tentacles up such that they bulge - even if there doesn't seem to be a defined musculature, somehow - and he grins a deep grin. Of course, he has to busy those multiple arms a moment later to keep the booze flowing, but he very obviously winks at Rein behind his glasses. "It's all natural baby."



"Thanks for noticing, little dude," he says, slicking his tentacles back with a touch of the hand. They spring back up defiantly... and he doesn't answer the question. "Oh, sure little man, how much have you got? I could use a good mixer."



"I think maybe everyone here could stand to do a little drinking," says Fetty, though he'll say no more as I don't want to get the scene too far ahead of Morty and Shadowcaller.

[Beachside - Mimi, Misha, and Riss]

The three arriving ladies are met with a variety of stares, some lewd, some surprised, some apprehensive at the presence of the monster that accompanies them. A few people blather amongst themselves. Does the trio have something to sell? Or give out, maybe? Even better.



Beachside Party!

Those poor fools should be more apprehensive of Misha, and less of her now bounding, loping dope of a murderbeast. The last time she was at a beach party, she sort of threw a tidal wave at it as a prank. She should be fairly infamous! But lewd stares are commonplace where she's concerned, and she's plenty used to them. In fact, she doesn't even seem to mind, wriggling her hips as she searches around in the cart for what turns out to be a massive backpack, sturdy cloth sides fitted with two side dispensers about the size of a softball. Straightening her back, she scans the crowd of miscreants, perverts, deviants and drunkards. A deft flick of her fingers opens a hatch, letting a perfectly filled water balloon slide down into her palm. She hefts it experimentally, considering her targets with care. And then shrugs and just begins flinging balloons from atop the hillside with glee, letting her inborn control over water arc and guide the projectiles farther than they should possibly go. A few will even expertly bounce through the doors of the bar, curving impossibly with the last of their momentum to strike out at targets who should have otherwise been safe. It wasn't quite a tsunami, but Misha wanted to ensure everyone could get good and soaked regardless. Well, everyone who didn't have very good dodging skills. She could only fit so many in the pack, and so at most she could allocate one per person.

Imp, the great big hellbeast, has decided to charge straight past everyone on the shore and wade out into the surf, intent on playing with some sharks. Failing that, dolphins, squids, manatees, or moderately sized whales will do in a pinch. Misha expects they'll have to cook more than one whole aquatic monster before the day is out, but the barbecue pit isn't her duty, so she's fine with that.

Rather than throw at Willa, Misha simply ambles up to her and tries to slap a water balloon against the centaur's chest, "I think she was talking about me, Mimi." She turns to Riss with a smile, "Have I told you how great it is hearing things now that these big long ears aren't just for show?"

[Deathkeeper]

Party!

Willa does absolutely nothing to stop her, and even grins the entire time. After all, it takes a lot more than the snapping of a plastic balloon to make her flinch. And she's already dressed for water.
"I meant yer pack-beast, actually. Ya don't look all that crazy from where I'm standin'. I'd have said somethin' else if I meant any of ya. Fun, maybe."

[Reinholdt]

Umbrella

Well the strange creature before her seemed far more interested in asking questions than in the answers to those questions. That suits the mysterious hooded figure just fine. It could talk and she would listen. No problems there...

Unless the discussion turned to horrible nightmare fuel. Which it does. Being the small child creature that she is, the casual mention of maggots bursting out of your chest and eating you alive is really quite terrifying. Maybe someone else would find it fascinating. Master would probably find it fascinating. She doesn't. Coalesced darkness well at the corner of her eyes, threatening to spring forth in a manner normally reserved for making a oil prospector ecstatic.

The suddenness of Drake's departure and arrival of Drake 2: Drakier provides just enough unexpectedness to keep her confused instead of crying though, as her mind focuses on keeping up with the events. New Drake seemed to be offering her something. Was this the honey he kept mentioning? After a moment's hesitation, a slithering shadow protrudes from the ground just beside her, pushing upwards and growing. The tendril of darkness stretches until it reaches the offered honeycomb and wraps around it, gently constricting and pulling it to her. Where it and the shadow tendril hover uncertainly, bobbing lightly in the air.

The mysterious hooded figure then performs a deep bow in Drake's direction. Well deep for someone that small at any rate. Always be thankful for gifts, even odd ones.

Bar

"Ah. I thought you were- never mind." Reinholdt looks embarrassed to have mistaken the neon reflection to be neon body modification. Typical. He clearly hasn't been drinking enough and starts to work on remedying that problem.

Whatever thought he might have had about the tentacular man and/or Drake's honey ends up waiting though as a number of round objects bounce in the door. Instinct immediately kicks in. "Grenade!" Rein slams his hands down on the bar, pushing up and kicking off as he dives over the bar. He'll probably end up smashing into the barkeep and landing on top of him in what seems a most heroic effort to protect the man. Really though, getting behind the bar is just the safest place that pops into Rein's mind in his split second decision making.

It does him absolutely no good though, as one of the bloons lands next to him and explodes in a brief torrent of water, getting him soaked. The now glistening fey looks decidedly grumpy and pissed as he gets to his feet. Who the hell thought it was ok to throw water in a bar? Water. Ewww.

[Felandria]

[Beachside - Party!]



"You got it," the tender says, and so it is, as he deposits a multilayered, colorful cocktail in... something that much too closely resembles a fish bowl after all. A straw is poking out the top.

"I'm Adir! I used to work with Watchtower. Been doing a little work helping VIGIL here and there," Adir offers his hand to shake, still stuck in that obsolete means of greeting even when it comes to women. A symptom of being culturally enriched by middle-aged humans. Of course, it helps afford him a certain element of courtesy not present in young men such as he... he couldn't be any older than twenty-two, surely. "What, everyone's leaving for the new base that soon?"

Felandria happily snatches up the fishbowl in her hand and pays for the drink, then turns to Adir, shaking his hand.

Hopefully, not that I neccesarily want to kick everyone out of my house, but more like I want to make sure the new base is up and running as soon as possible.

Plus it'll be nice to have a bit of alone time, I'm just coming off of an emotionally wrenching breakup.

But enough of that....

Fel waves her hand as though swatting away a bug.

What's past is prologue, today is for partytimez!

Meeting new people, getting buzzed, having fun, all the good stuff.

Enough about me, what about you, Adir?

[Recaiden]

"M-maybe one."
Anchor agrees. Not out of any apparent actual hesitance. Just that one must have made an effort to hesitate.

"I think you might need to carry him over? I'm Anchor, by the way."
Fayaad is right. Family names are too involved. Tedious, even, at times.

[UncleWolf]

Rotten Ship

"So you're saying that a gnome didn't make it then? Good. Just practical, human engineering, I can live with that." Faithel replies casually as she continues to attempt to put on her gear. Her hands appear to be a bit shaky though, which might not be all that strange considering the only source of nutriments she have had, for gods knows how long, is alcohol. "Who are you anyway, and why do you come to the rescue of a poor drunkard like me? I can tell that you're human and hell of a fighter but not much else."


Rotten Ship

Sorrow gives a shrug. If you can call the Mechanicus humans, then it is good enough. She thinks to herself before quashing such heretical thoughts. It didn't do well to think of them as anything but human and loyal to The God-Emperor. "You crashed at the base of the cliff I'd been meditating on top of." She explains as she reaches out to set a hand on Faithel's shoulder to steady her. There was a bit of hesitation in that gesture, but she pushed through it. She even offers a small metal flask with her other hand. "Drink this. Its water. I have ration bars at the top of the cliff. They are not particularly tasteful but they will help." She tells the other woman.

[Murkus]

[Beachside Party]

Not too far from Drake's sandy hill is a large patch of moss, lichen, and small flowers that has spread over the dunes. Normally patches of cryptobiotic crust like these are fairly unremarkable in sandy environments, but this one sports a rather unique feature. A ring of unusually large cup fungi have grown here, the mushrooms glowing with dull lime green light and giving the patch of soil a distinctly uncanny feel. Within the ring shadows and shapes flit and roil when viewed out of the corner of the eye, a testament to another world that exists just beyond the veil of perception. There is, briefly, a fluting sound as of blasphemous pipes being played as that veil grows thinner, heralding the arrival of a small swarm of pixie drakes.

There's no flash of light or puff of smoke. They simply weren't before.

And now they are.

Each one carries a small wax bottle reinforced with paper large enough to hold about a teaspoon of honey. The flight of faeries takes the air and converges on a little seaside bar not too distant...

"Bunches!" Drake announces to the octo-bar-tender just as a few dozen more pixie drakes come buzzing into the room, each carrying a shot of red honey. They begin unloading it on the counter in a predictably hexagonal pattern before taking off again to fetch more. "It's really really strong, though, okay? If someone is already drinking they shouldn't have more than one of these otherwise they'll get sick and throw up everywhere and feel awful and I don't want people to feel awful because this is a party and parties are supposed to be fun so don't let anyone have more than one shot okay? Will you promise? You've gotta swear that you won't give anyone more than one."

"Scout's honor, little dude," says the tentacular man, crossing his tentacle over his chest. He's wearing, of course, an obnoxiously pink Hawaiian over his hypnotic bioluminescent form. "YO, EVERYBODY, FREE SHOTS!" He hollers at the bar, and a cheer rises up in return.


Beachside- Party

The merwoman giggles. "We shouldn't stand around and say sorry, we... we are apparently at a party, after all!" She grins widely with all her sharp teeth. "But, ah, to answer your questions, all women in my family have strong backs. So I guess there is something you need to help you carry, sir? I carried a big keg of beer at a party once, so I have experience in party-related carrying tasks and I was hired to do beach-related tasks at work, so it's a double-fit! I'm the perfect woman for whatever beach thing you need carried at a party."



[Beachside Party]

[B]"I won't say no to a drink or two," Fayyaad says, looking over the assembly. "This is a party, just like the lady said. I'm Fayyaad, by the way." He decides to leave his full family name for later.


"M-maybe one."
Anchor agrees. Not out of any apparent actual hesitance. Just that one must have made an effort to hesitate.

"I think you might need to carry him over? I'm Anchor, by the way."
Fayaad is right. Family names are too involved. Tedious, even, at times.

"Ooh, yeah, she's right, I'm pretty sure you strained my... like this whole thing," Fetty winces and holds his foot out daintily, wobbling on one leg. He sucks air through his teeth, a little hiss of pain. "It could be broken. Can you gimme a ride to the bar? Me and Fayaad and... Anchor." Interesting name.




Beachside Party!

Those poor fools should be more apprehensive of Misha, and less of her now bounding, loping dope of a murderbeast. The last time she was at a beach party, she sort of threw a tidal wave at it as a prank. She should be fairly infamous! But lewd stares are commonplace where she's concerned, and she's plenty used to them. In fact, she doesn't even seem to mind, wriggling her hips as she searches around in the cart for what turns out to be a massive backpack, sturdy cloth sides fitted with two side dispensers about the size of a softball. Straightening her back, she scans the crowd of miscreants, perverts, deviants and drunkards. A deft flick of her fingers opens a hatch, letting a perfectly filled water balloon slide down into her palm. She hefts it experimentally, considering her targets with care. And then shrugs and just begins flinging balloons from atop the hillside with glee, letting her inborn control over water arc and guide the projectiles farther than they should possibly go. A few will even expertly bounce through the doors of the bar, curving impossibly with the last of their momentum to strike out at targets who should have otherwise been safe. It wasn't quite a tsunami, but Misha wanted to ensure everyone could get good and soaked regardless. Well, everyone who didn't have very good dodging skills. She could only fit so many in the pack, and so at most she could allocate one per person.

Imp, the great big hellbeast, has decided to charge straight past everyone on the shore and wade out into the surf, intent on playing with some sharks. Failing that, dolphins, squids, manatees, or moderately sized whales will do in a pinch. Misha expects they'll have to cook more than one whole aquatic monster before the day is out, but the barbecue pit isn't her duty, so she's fine with that.

Rather than throw at Willa, Misha simply ambles up to her and tries to slap a water balloon against the centaur's chest, "I think she was talking about me, Mimi." She turns to Riss with a smile, "Have I told you how great it is hearing things now that these big long ears aren't just for show?"


Bar

"Ah. I thought you were- never mind." Reinholdt looks embarrassed to have mistaken the neon reflection to be neon body modification. Typical. He clearly hasn't been drinking enough and starts to work on remedying that problem.

Whatever thought he might have had about the tentacular man and/or Drake's honey ends up waiting though as a number of round objects bounce in the door. Instinct immediately kicks in. "Grenade!" Rein slams his hands down on the bar, pushing up and kicking off as he dives over the bar. He'll probably end up smashing into the barkeep and landing on top of him in what seems a most heroic effort to protect the man. Really though, getting behind the bar is just the safest place that pops into Rein's mind in his split second decision making.

It does him absolutely no good though, as one of the bloons lands next to him and explodes in a brief torrent of water, getting him soaked. The now glistening fey looks decidedly grumpy and pissed as he gets to his feet. Who the hell thought it was ok to throw water in a bar? Water. Ewww.

Oh no! Some of the more skittish patrons (or those with feathers-slash-fur) flee from the torrent of balloons! A few giggle or fume or look, startled, in the direction from which they've just been bombarded. A few squeals and startled screams from nervous ladies (or Fetty's) echo from around or within the seaside bar. Fetty even has to duck (behind Fayaad, of course) giggling as he does.

The barkeep, meanwhile, is tackled! How... not heroic. Ah well. The tentacled man smacks Rein on the back with his colorful appendage. "Yo man, I got drinks to serve!" He follows Rein back to his feet, arm around the fey's shoulders. "Look, I'm all for being hit on, but I don't get off for another coupla hours..." He says slowly. "You, uh, want some water balloons? You look like payback is in order, man." He grins and his sunglasses tilt jauntily to one side, revealing a multi-faceted eye that twinkles with starlight.


Felandria happily snatches up the fishbowl in her hand and pays for the drink, then turns to Adir, shaking his hand.

Hopefully, not that I neccesarily want to kick everyone out of my house, but more like I want to make sure the new base is up and running as soon as possible.

Plus it'll be nice to have a bit of alone time, I'm just coming off of an emotionally wrenching breakup.

But enough of that....

Fel waves her hand as though swatting away a bug.

What's past is prologue, today is for partytimez!

Meeting new people, getting buzzed, having fun, all the good stuff.

Enough about me, what about you, Adir?

Adir is tempted to say 'sorry to hear that' but the lady wants to forget! He can understand. The stag grins. "What about me? I'm not the big, beautiful giant hero girl. But I can drink to meeting new people," He holds his up to her fishbowl and offers a little clink.

[Shadowcaller]

Rotten Ship

"Water? You better not try to make me soober..." Faithel remarks in her heavily accented voice while she leans heavily against Sorrow's hand to take a sip from the bottle. She grimaces once she managed to swallow it down. "Blech, I think I forgot what water tastes like." This is followed by a series of coughs. "Food... food sounds good though, don't even care what it tastes like. After eating scourge mushrooms, pretty much everything else taste great." She laughs weakly and humorlessly, her voice very thin.
Then she closes her eyes for a moment. "You know Sorrow, this might be the alcohol talking, and we've just met and all, but do you think you could carry me? It should be easy as I'm pretty sure I've must have lost a couple of pounds on this all alcohol diet. One of ten draenei would recommend..." Faithel muses, her eyes remaining closed.

[Beachside Party]

"Uh, I'm Zhareen. Unless I already said that, sometimes I forget what I said the moment it leaves my mouth." Then water balloons starts flying all over the place. "Oh no, we gotta hurry!" And with those words Zhareen will attempt to lift up Fetty with one arm, carrying him as if he was nothing, and quickly crawl over to the bar under the barrage of water balloons. "Parties are so intense these days!"

[Rebonack]

[Beachside Party]

Over at the umbrella, Drake decides to be encouraging. "You pull the top off and squeeze the insides into your mouth! It's really good! You should try it, I'll bet you'll like it because honey tastes great and I make pretty much the best honey in the Nexus 'cuz I'm pretty sure I'm the only honey-making faerie in the Nexus but I guess there might be another one that I don't know about and-"

And then he gets hit with a water balloon.

He makes a comical gurgling sound and flops into the sand, flailing his six little legs.

Poor Drake!

Now he's all covered in damp sand, too.

What a terrible turn of fate. "Being wet is terrible!"

You said it, Drake.

Meanwhile, in the bar!

"Oh hey water balloons are coming," Drake observes, giving his wings a buzz as he zips under the projectile intended for him and lashes out at it with his tail. He's swift enough to avoid getting soaked! This time. Seems the other him might have taken the proverbial bullet for the girl under the umbrella. That accomplished, he lands on the wall and begins watching the goings on. He would keep chattering at the bar tender, but he seems to be getting groped by some other guy right now so Drake will be polite and wait.

[Tanari Island]

"It sounds like we're making progress here, but I think focusing on common goals would be best," Orion pipes up. "There are worries about subterfuge. How many warlocks would it take to properly identify and activate the artifacts here? If there are fewer gnolls on the island, I suspect the goblins may feel slightly less threatened by their presence."

The goblins could handle a half dozen nerd-gnolls if it turned out to be a trick, right? And if not then what chance do they think they have to begin with?

[Reinholdt]

Beachside Blast

The creature under the umbrella thinks it understands. The honey is to be eaten and is being held like in a cage. Honey might be something living then. Non-living food never tasted very good. Other people seemed to enjoy it for whatever reason. It was strange. Living food was usually much warmer.

A second shadow tendril rises from the ground, approaching the container to open it and eat it as instructed. But before she can even pop the lid off, Drake gets bombarded with a water balloon meant for her! Oh no! The inhumanity!

That, uh, might be the wrong word involving these two. Or the very, very right word. But the concept is solid all the same.

The cretin of shadows redirects the second shadow tendril to the towel beneath her, grasping it and extending it out to the poor waterlogged Drake. She's seen people use these things before to get dry when water bothers them. Water is clearly bothering Drake, so the towel it is. She even awkwardly tries gently rubbing it against him, to help dry him off. It probably is nowhere near as effective as just taking the towel from her and doing it himself.

Gotta wonder whose towel and umbrella these belong to though. Because it sure isn't hers.

*****

"I, um, errr... That is..." Reinholdt mutters most embarrassedly before climbing back over the bar and avoiding the stares he was getting. "I, uh, no thank you." He didn't even see where the dowsing attack came from and certainly wouldn't want to fight water with more water.

"Sorry for the... interruption." He orders a replacement drink for the one he knocked over and decides to spin in place to face an entirely different direction now. Namely, watching the entrance to make sure nothing like that happened again without him being ready for it.

[Felandria]

[Beachside - Party!]


Adir is tempted to say 'sorry to hear that' but the lady wants to forget! He can understand. The stag grins. "What about me? I'm not the big, beautiful giant hero girl. But I can drink to meeting new people," He holds his up to her fishbowl and offers a little clink.

Felandria returns the clink!

Thanks, you do flatter so.

But I'm always ending up talking about myself, I usually feel the need to explain stuff too much, the old verbal diarrhea and all that......

Then the water balloons!

Look out!

Fel steps in front of Adir, shielding him while taking several balloons, getting somewhat wet in the process.

Not that she minds, she is in a bathing suit, after all.

Did they get ya?

Speaking of getting ya, can I get ya one of those free shots?

[Murkus]

[B][Beachside Party]

"Uh, I'm Zhareen. Unless I already said that, sometimes I forget what I said the moment it leaves my mouth." Then water balloons starts flying all over the place. "Oh no, we gotta hurry!" And with those words Zhareen will attempt to lift up Fetty with one arm, carrying him as if he was nothing, and quickly crawl over to the bar under the barrage of water balloons. "Parties are so intense these days!"

"Ah-ahaha!" Fetty giggles as he's hefted into the air like a stuffed animal. "Whoah! Strong lady!" He puts a hand on top of his head and ducks under a balloon. "Thanks for the cover, fishy! Can I buy you a drink?" He glances over his shoulder. "And I guess for those two, when they catch up?"




Meanwhile, in the bar!

"Oh hey water balloons are coming," Drake observes, giving his wings a buzz as he zips under the projectile intended for him and lashes out at it with his tail. He's swift enough to avoid getting soaked! This time. Seems the other him might have taken the proverbial bullet for the girl under the umbrella. That accomplished, he lands on the wall and begins watching the goings on. He would keep chattering at the bar tender, but he seems to be getting groped by some other guy right now so Drake will be polite and wait.





"I, um, errr... That is..." Reinholdt mutters most embarrassedly before climbing back over the bar and avoiding the stares he was getting. "I, uh, no thank you." He didn't even see where the dowsing attack came from and certainly wouldn't want to fight water with more water.

"Sorry for the... interruption." He orders a replacement drink for the one he knocked over and decides to spin in place to face an entirely different direction now. Namely, watching the entrance to make sure nothing like that happened again without him being ready for it.

"Was that no thanks at the flirting, or the balloons, man?" The 'tender asks, rubbing the side of his head with a tentacle. "You seem kinda on edge. You wanna shot?"


Felandria returns the clink!

Thanks, you do flatter so.

But I'm always ending up talking about myself, I usually feel the need to explain stuff too much, the old verbal diarrhea and all that......

Then the water balloons!

Look out!

Fel steps in front of Adir, shielding him while taking several balloons, getting somewhat wet in the process.

Not that she minds, she is in a bathing suit, after all.

Did they get ya?

Speaking of getting ya, can I get ya one of those free shots?

"Oh, please, I'd rather hear about adventures than--" Adir starts to wave a hand dismissively, but flinches as she throws herself in front of him. He blinks, crouched on his stool, then resettles with his legs spread out. His ears flatten against the sides of his head. "No, I'm uh, all dry. Thanks, sweetheart."

He takes another little sip from his drink, glancing past Fel toward the source of those odd balloons. "Oh, you don't gotta do a thing like that. I mean, suppose maybe if you did one with me..." He grins. It's broad and foolish. "My heroine here deserves to relax."

[Felandria]

[Beachside - Party!]


"Oh, please, I'd rather hear about adventures than--" Adir starts to wave a hand dismissively, but flinches as she throws herself in front of him. He blinks, crouched on his stool, then resettles with his legs spread out. His ears flatten against the sides of his head. "No, I'm uh, all dry. Thanks, sweetheart."

He takes another little sip from his drink, glancing past Fel toward the source of those odd balloons. "Oh, you don't gotta do a thing like that. I mean, suppose maybe if you did one with me..." He grins. It's broad and foolish. "My heroine here deserves to relax."

Felandria smiles warmly and giggles.

Thanks, Adir.

I do have some adventuring stories.

There was this one time my friends and I went down into the underdark, and an evil, creepy old wizard stole my body.

This was before I was giant, when I was just tall, he stole my body and stuck me in his, I escaped and tried to warn my friends, but I ended up getting killed in his body and then I was stuck in a soul gem, but they managed to keep it from getting smashed.

When I got my body back, it felt weird for a bit, like wearing a sweater you let your friend wear the day before..

Also, I think he did stuff with i, I'd say the whole situation was a little hellish, but we went to Hell once, so it would seem a bit gauche.

Anyway, what about you, any adventure stories?

[Morty]

Fayyaad waves his hand in the direction of an incoming balloon, sending a jet of fire towards it... which only serves to burst the balloon and spray him with water anyway. Soaked, he trots after Zhareen and Fetty.

[B]"Does this happen often?"

[Recaiden]

"Usually not at a beach..."
Seriously, there's enough water here already!
Turns out knowing about water balloons doesn't protect you being hit with them, and Anchor's blinking at a splash of water herself.

[Shadowcaller]

Zhareen waves away Fayyaads and Anchor's concerns once she managed to put Fetty on a bar stool. "Oh, I'm sure it was just someone who wanted to be nice and refresh us. It's awfully hot today, y'know? And a little water never hurt anyone. In fact, that's exactly what I want now, a big glass of water please!" She requests. "Oh, and my name is "Zhareen", it doesn't really sound at all like fishy, huh." She appears puzzled because of this.

[Tanari Island]

Sargera snarls. [B]"I'm willing to agree to that, as soon as he gives us what's ours and take back those accusations."

Gnizel is addressing Orion this time though. "Hmph, we found the ruins first, we claimed it first. So if you're so eager of solving this kid, have your gnoll friend agree to this, we split the findings seventy/thirty after her people helped us identifying all of it, with us getting the first pick. Then, she might keep the ruins. I'm not apologizing for making reasonable assumptions though."

[UncleWolf]

Rotten Ship

"Water? You better not try to make me soober..." Faithel remarks in her heavily accented voice while she leans heavily against Sorrow's hand to take a sip from the bottle. She grimaces once she managed to swallow it down. "Blech, I think I forgot what water tastes like." This is followed by a series of coughs. "Food... food sounds good though, don't even care what it tastes like. After eating scourge mushrooms, pretty much everything else taste great." She laughs weakly and humorlessly, her voice very thin.
Then she closes her eyes for a moment. "You know Sorrow, this might be the alcohol talking, and we've just met and all, but do you think you could carry me? It should be easy as I'm pretty sure I've must have lost a couple of pounds on this all alcohol diet. One of ten draenei would recommend..." Faithel muses, her eyes remaining closed.

Rotten Ship

"Of course." She says before bending down to scoop Faithel into a bridal carry in an attempt to walk her out of the room and onto the surface. "I can come back for the rest of your gear after I get you up there. Rest and it will be done soon." She tells the woman. If there's no objections, she'll get to the surface and activate her jump pack so she can carry her up to the top of the cliff with a roar of her pack's jets.

[Shadowcaller]

Rotten Ship

"Suuure...." Faithel slurs back, her eyelids almost opening for a moment there. She then doesn't raise a single objection on the rocket-pack trip back up to the cliffs. Once they're back up, the blue-skinned woman looks passed out. Sorrow might have to wake her up somehow.

[UncleWolf]

Above the Rocks

Sorrow doesn't bother to wake the woman and instead sets her down on the blanket from earlier before wrapping the extra around her to keep her warm. The Sororitas will take her time afterwards to retrieve the rest of Faithel's equipment. She finds it odd that there's no weaponry stashed away, and afterwards will explore the ship for any good food and water.

When Faithel awakens, she'll find a warm fire has been made next to her, made from the driest wood from the broken ship and lit with some sparks and strong booze. It is a small fire, but it is certainly warm. A ration bar has been set next to her, as well as a wooden bowl from the ship next to a pony-keg of water. Sorrow sits near by, running a cloth over her helm and showing her face. She appears to be in her mid-to-late 20s with white hair down to just above her shoulders and skin nearly as pale. A fleur-de-lis tattoo rests on one cheek while the other bears a self-made scar that seems to pulsate with a sickening power. Most disturbing however is her eyes, twin blood-red pools that seem to gaze at nothing in particular as she cleans her gear. And it might simply be a trick of the light, but a haze of heat seems to radiate from her head.

Near by, a variety of weapons and armor is laid out neatly, gathered from the ship and set apart from the armor Faithel had that Sorrow gathered.

[Shadowcaller]

Above the Rocks

Faithel's pale white eyes flickers open eventually and then first thing she does is getting on all four and throwing up, or rather attempting to as there is very little escaping her mouth. "Uhh... Katethi Keleos... my head..." She mutters while staring down at the ground.
Then ever so slowly, her gaze wanders up to Sorrow who can see them glowing faint blue, even in the yellow light of the fire. "What's up with your eyes?" She blurts out. "Magic incident?"

[UncleWolf]

Above the Rocks

"There's water in the keg, so use the bowl to drink it. The ration bars are tough and you'll need a lot of water to eat them, but they'll give your stomach something to digest. If you can't stomach them, then we will have to fish. The rest of the food on your ship was rotten, unfortunately." Sorrow explains before finally putting her helm aside. "These eyes and other...changes are marks I bear to show that I must redeem myself in the eyes of my god." She explains.

[Shadowcaller]

Above the Rocks

Faithel crawls over to the keg and shakily fills the bowl before drinking deeply from it. She then takes a deep breath before stuffing her mouth with a ration bar and swallows it down with another bowl of water. "...redemption eh? Been there, done that." She seems almost amused now, but there is sadness behind that smile. "So you've been corrupted, is that it? I'm not judging at all, since I'm well past redemption."

[Murkus]

Felandria smiles warmly and giggles.

Thanks, Adir.

I do have some adventuring stories.

There was this one time my friends and I went down into the underdark, and an evil, creepy old wizard stole my body.

This was before I was giant, when I was just tall, he stole my body and stuck me in his, I escaped and tried to warn my friends, but I ended up getting killed in his body and then I was stuck in a soul gem, but they managed to keep it from getting smashed.

When I got my body back, it felt weird for a bit, like wearing a sweater you let your friend wear the day before..

Also, I think he did stuff with i, I'd say the whole situation was a little hellish, but we went to Hell once, so it would seem a bit gauche.

Anyway, what about you, any adventure stories?

"Uh, nothing quite like that. And certainly no adventures in hell," Adir shakes his head. He sips his first drink. "I don't do wacky body-swap stuff. Don't get me wrong, sounds creepy, but most of my stuff is steeped in blood. It's, uh, ugly." He grins rather sheepishly.




Fayyaad waves his hand in the direction of an incoming balloon, sending a jet of fire towards it... which only serves to burst the balloon and spray him with water anyway. Soaked, he trots after Zhareen and Fetty.

[B]"Does this happen often?"


"Usually not at a beach..."
Seriously, there's enough water here already!
Turns out knowing about water balloons doesn't protect you being hit with them, and Anchor's blinking at a splash of water herself.


[Beachside - Party!]

Zhareen waves away Fayyaads and Anchor's concerns once she managed to put Fetty on a bar stool. "Oh, I'm sure it was just someone who wanted to be nice and refresh us. It's awfully hot today, y'know? And a little water never hurt anyone. In fact, that's exactly what I want now, a big glass of water please!" She requests. "Oh, and my name is "Zhareen", it doesn't really sound at all like fishy, huh." She appears puzzled because of this.

Fetty, still not wet, holds his taut belly and giggles. "Zhareen here's got a great outlook on the world. I'm sorry, miss Zhareen. It's lovely to meet you," Fetty offers his hand to her, and if he can take the mermaid's, he'll snatch a kiss on the knuckles! "Come on, Fayyaad, sit by me! I'll protect you. And you, dear, if you wish." He turns from them both and steals a wink at Anchor.

[Rebonack]

[Beachside Party]

Drake is dried off!

Rather ineffectually!

But sometimes it's the thought that counts.

"Oh wow thanks I hate being wet it's pretty much the worst not as bad as getting eaten or smushed by still pretty bad so I try to avoid it as much as I can but you can't always avoid it because what if it starts raining you know since you can't control the weather but I guess some people can except I'm not one of them since I'm just a bunch of lizards."

Don't sell yourself short, Drake.

You're so much more than just a bunch of lizards.

Hmm...

Maybe the girl is going to try the honey now?

Drake is waiting expectantly to find out what she thinks about it.

Meanwhile!

"You should try some honey!" Drake suggests to Rein. "Everyone loves honey, and you're part of everyone so I'll bet you would love it too."

Well.

That's pretty sound logic.

[Tanari Island]

Oh boy, now for the fun part!

At least this next little bit should be simple.

"Do you find Gnizel's counter-offer agreeable?" Orion asks of the gnoll leader. If not, then it may be time for a counter-counter offer. Because that's part and parcel with negotiation.

[UncleWolf]

Above the Rocks

The ration bar is...tough. It is easy enough to take a bite of, but the flavor is almost non-existent, it takes a long time to chew, and it is almost as dry as bone. It was going to take a while to choke it down.

...or she can just wolf it down like that, in which case Sorrow just shakes her head in amazement at such a feat.

The Sister's hands stop when she's accused of Corruption and for a brief moment the haze around her head expands and writhes violently. Her expression doesn't change at all, but Faithel will sense that a powerful fury lurks right beneath the surface of her skin. Those red eyes stare at her for a moment before closing and causing the sense of anger to vanish as the woman chains it up once more. She continues on with her cleaning as if nothing happened, but she speaks after a bit. "Corruption, no. I am faithful to my God-Emperor still and I always will be. The shame I must make amends for is that I fell into a battle-lust and allowed my Sisters to be slaughtered as a result." The way she says it seems to tell Faithel that she's trying to convince herself that it is the truth, as well as trying to convince Faithel.

[Reinholdt]

Beach Party

The shadow creature puts the towel down once it seems Drake is content with the amount of drying that has occurred. Drake was still a very strange. He didn't seem to be a lizard at all, despite its words. Well he kind of resembled a lizard. But lizards don't fly or talk. Maybe Drake was experimented on. That would explain a lot.

She takes a moment to glance up, as if reminding Drake of the umbrella whose shade she was currently occupying. If he didn't want to get wet when it rained, he could always use an umbrella. Theoretically that's what they're there for. To avoid the wet.

Now that there are less bombardment of doom balloons and Drake isn't writhing in agony anymore, she will return to her prior action. Still using the tendrils of questionable origins, she pops off the top and moves the honeycomb under her hood where it disappears into the inky black void that seems to make up her palette. Presumably this is where she hides her mouth too hideous for human eyes to gaze upon for when the honeycomb is pulled back out into the relative light, it has been drained of its honey.

Well she didn't spit it out in disguise or start crying in fear so I guess she liked it. Her unchanged facial expression of intensely staring at Drake isn't really giving much help. Well, maybe the staring appears to relax a little.

*****

"The balloons. And I'll drink anything." Reinholdt raises an eyebrow as a mer... something enters the bar, though can't be too surprised with tentacle man about. He gives Anchor and Fayyaad a wave of recognition before turning to take the shot of honey. He almost drinks it too, before stopping and peering at it suspiciously. Then looking over at Drake and peering at him suspiciously.

"Waiiiit. You're awfully eager to push this thing on people." He points accusingly. How rude. "You aren't trying to get a bunch of people to drink your honey so that we all horribly mutate and turn into creatures like you thereby forcing us to join your hive, are you?" Everyone loves honey sounds an awful lot like an evil mutation cult hive franchise slogan.

[Morty]

[B]"Protect me? Well, I feel very reassured now," Fayyaad says, sitting next to Fetty. "I'll have something light and cold, I think."

[Terumitsu]

[Beachside - Party!]

"Maybe not directly but I've noticed just how you've changed the way you listen whenever I'm singing to you." the muse replied, hoisting a large cooler down from it's perch to beachfront property. She brought down another, using it as a socially acceptable reason to not immediately respond to Willa, and fiddled with the handles of each before turning her head to say "I suppose 'fun' might be one way to put it. Though speaking of fun.." there was a nearly imperceptible pause as Riss hesitated. "Want to help us set up a bit?" she asked. It wasn't something she actually needed help with but.. Well, trying to engage with people was easier when there was a reason.

And plus free labor if Willa accepted.

"I've probably brought a few too many things but ice blocks don't really transport well in anything but cold storage." she said.

[Shadowcaller]

Above the Rocks

Faithel will simply swallow it down with water then. She notices Sorrows reaction though, it was obvious even to her that she probably should change the subject. "I didn't meant I had managed to get redeemed, not in the traditional way anyway. Sometimes you just have to do the best with the new situation you're in you kno'ow? There is simply no way to go back to what was and you just have to accept the new hand you're given, no matter how much it might suck, and make the best out of it. Have you, for instance, tried to drink the problems away?" The blue-skinned woman smiles. "Makes one less depressed at the very least. I personally a real downer while I'm sober, it's not really fun for anyone."

Beach Party

"Oh, thanks!" Zhareen replies in a casual tone, the kiss on her knuckle apparently having meant very little. "Nice to meet you too everyone. I don't often meet people outside Riverside. Where are you all from?"

[Tanari Island]

It looks like Sargera might reject the offer outright, but instead she turns to Orion. "Stay out of this now, I don't need a cub to talk for me." She says dismissively. before turning away once again. "I do have a counter offer though, I want the same legal rights as you do to claim future sites such as this. No matter how things go in court. I also want at least of the half of the artifacts found, I won't settle for less."

"Whoa, that will only lead to future conflict if we are to compete for each island. Instead we should have the same agreement for each site, and we divide the profit fifty/fifty, just like you want."

Sargera pause, considering. "We'll see. I have to think this over. Until then, ceasefire?"

"Agreed. Ceasefire. But you'll send back my interns, right?"

"Hmph, interns..." Sargera turns abruptly turns around and marches off, her two body-guards at her heels.
"Well... that went better than expected." Gnizel admits once she's gone.

[Morty]

[B]"I come from a land called Moran-Ir, and I've come here on a... holiday, of sorts," Fayyaad says. "I've been loving the place, so far."

[Gullara]

Beachside Party!

Those poor fools should be more apprehensive of Misha, and less of her now bounding, loping dope of a murderbeast. The last time she was at a beach party, she sort of threw a tidal wave at it as a prank. She should be fairly infamous! But lewd stares are commonplace where she's concerned, and she's plenty used to them. In fact, she doesn't even seem to mind, wriggling her hips as she searches around in the cart for what turns out to be a massive backpack, sturdy cloth sides fitted with two side dispensers about the size of a softball. Straightening her back, she scans the crowd of miscreants, perverts, deviants and drunkards. A deft flick of her fingers opens a hatch, letting a perfectly filled water balloon slide down into her palm. She hefts it experimentally, considering her targets with care. And then shrugs and just begins flinging balloons from atop the hillside with glee, letting her inborn control over water arc and guide the projectiles farther than they should possibly go. A few will even expertly bounce through the doors of the bar, curving impossibly with the last of their momentum to strike out at targets who should have otherwise been safe. It wasn't quite a tsunami, but Misha wanted to ensure everyone could get good and soaked regardless. Well, everyone who didn't have very good dodging skills. She could only fit so many in the pack, and so at most she could allocate one per person.

Imp, the great big hellbeast, has decided to charge straight past everyone on the shore and wade out into the surf, intent on playing with some sharks. Failing that, dolphins, squids, manatees, or moderately sized whales will do in a pinch. Misha expects they'll have to cook more than one whole aquatic monster before the day is out, but the barbecue pit isn't her duty, so she's fine with that.

Rather than throw at Willa, Misha simply ambles up to her and tries to slap a water balloon against the centaur's chest, "I think she was talking about me, Mimi." She turns to Riss with a smile, "Have I told you how great it is hearing things now that these big long ears aren't just for show?"


Party!

Willa does absolutely nothing to stop her, and even grins the entire time. After all, it takes a lot more than the snapping of a plastic balloon to make her flinch. And she's already dressed for water.
"I meant yer pack-beast, actually. Ya don't look all that crazy from where I'm standin'. I'd have said somethin' else if I meant any of ya. Fun, maybe."


[Beachside - Party!]

"Maybe not directly but I've noticed just how you've changed the way you listen whenever I'm singing to you." the muse replied, hoisting a large cooler down from it's perch to beachfront property. She brought down another, using it as a socially acceptable reason to not immediately respond to Willa, and fiddled with the handles of each before turning her head to say "I suppose 'fun' might be one way to put it. Though speaking of fun.." there was a nearly imperceptible pause as Riss hesitated. "Want to help us set up a bit?" she asked. It wasn't something she actually needed help with but.. Well, trying to engage with people was easier when there was a reason.

And plus free labor if Willa accepted.

"I've probably brought a few too many things but ice blocks don't really transport well in anything but cold storage." she said.

[Beachside - Party!]

"Oh..." Mimi crosses her arms and flits closer to Riss again. Hrm, well... Oh, what's this! Mimi flies over to circle around Misha. "You're throwing them already?! You're supposed to wait till I'm watching!" Mimi protests. Well, she's here now, right?

[Slii Arhem]

Beachside Party - Aquaerial Bombardment

"That's why we brought all the extras, Mimi! I just wanted to get everyone's attention so they'd know we're here to make the party more fun!" Misha responds more loudly than necessary, unsubtly hinting to beachgoers that there's free ammunition, fun, and competitions available at the cart. And speaking of extras, Misha flips open the top of her oversized backpack to reveal dozens of baggies of unfilled water balloons taking up the majority of its storage space. No pumps, though, but anyone getting a bag worth of balloons from her can probably fill them at the bar, or just ask the nereid herself to fill them from the ocean. She takes out one of the colourful assortments and tosses it towards Willa as compensation for the mixup about who the centaur was calling weird.

"Are you in charge of the watermelons or the ice carving, Mimi? I can't remember which is which?"

[Deathkeeper]

Beachside Party

Willa smiles and takes the little collection of balloons and sticks in her saddlebag. She likes that one. Well, she likes the ones who are smiling. Really, asking strangers for work? She'd object more if she wasn't wearing an outfit making her fitness so obvious. So she considers the request.
"Yeah, I s'pose I can help ya a little. Depends on what you need, though. My brother's the draft horse in the family. But I can spare ya a few minutes, assumin' I'll be getting a thank-you at least." she offers Riss pleasantly.

[Terumitsu]

[Beachside Party]

"How does first go at the watermelon sound then?" the muse replied, pointing towards another albeit smaller cooler with her self that was still on the cart, ensuring that everything had been locked down properly as well as grabbing a large sun umbrella and several beach towels.

""And.. Well, first go and I make sure you end up with a decent slice or two that comes up properly cut." she adds with a hint of a mischievous grin. Turning to Mimi, her expression softened a bit as she broke into more of a smile. "Now that Misha's cleared us a spot, think you could find us a place to set up?" she would ask once the pixie had made her decision on just what she would be in charge of.

"Anyway, if I'm asking you to help, I suppose I'll lay another question on you and ask your name while we're at it." Riss said, turning back to Willa, not entirely dropping the softened expression. "I'm, er, Well, my name is Clarissa but just 'Riss' is fine." she began. "You've probably heard but this is Misha and she is Mimi." she continued, gesturing towards each other fey in succession. "The worst part about the both of them being here is that I can't introduce either of them as 'the sexy woman over there' as they both fit the bill." she added, slightly forcing a laugh in hopes that it would get a real one out of the centaur.

[Felandria]

"Uh, nothing quite like that. And certainly no adventures in hell," Adir shakes his head. He sips his first drink. "I don't do wacky body-swap stuff. Don't get me wrong, sounds creepy, but most of my stuff is steeped in blood. It's, uh, ugly." He grins rather sheepishly.

Felandria puts a hand on his shoulder.

Hey, don't worry about it, I've seen some things that haunt me, too, best thing to do is move forward.

That being said, it's quite fun to share stories with new friends.

Hey, wanna see something cool, check it out.

Fel reaches inside her rolled towel and pulls out a rod.

She holds it out in front of her and pushes the button, then lets go as it remains in place.

Man, I love these things.

They're so versatile,like today they're to hold my towel down so it doesn't blow away in a wind, but they're great for exercise, they can be an instant chin up bar or they can hold your legs down when you do sit ups!

[UncleWolf]

Above the Rocks

Faithel will simply swallow it down with water then. She notices Sorrows reaction though, it was obvious even to her that she probably should change the subject. "I didn't meant I had managed to get redeemed, not in the traditional way anyway. Sometimes you just have to do the best with the new situation you're in you kno'ow? There is simply no way to go back to what was and you just have to accept the new hand you're given, no matter how much it might suck, and make the best out of it. Have you, for instance, tried to drink the problems away?" The blue-skinned woman smiles. "Makes one less depressed at the very least. I personally a real downer while I'm sober, it's not really fun for anyone."


Above the Rocks

"That is what I am already attempting." Sorrow admits after a bit. "Managing my best, that is. Drinking would be a...mistake. A serious one. What is inside me needs to be restrained at all times." She explains, setting her helmet aside and pulling her ornate chainsword into her lap. Despite being deactivated it gives an audible purr in her hands as she begins to wipe it down and apply clean sterile oil to its sharp chain and the angelic grip. "I have settled on slaying anything or anyone that threatens the livelihood of my remaining Sisters. I will never be accepted into their ranks again, but I will protect them as best I can."

[Gullara]

[Beachside Party]

Mimi frowns. "I dunno. It's kinda hard for me to do either." Everything's so dumb and huge sometimes! It makes it hard for a normal sized person like her to get anything done. "Can't you just do it? I can help with part of it or something."

[Shadowcaller]

Above the Rocks

"Oh... uh, I'm like the worst person to ask advice from then. I'd tell you to just pick up some other hobby, but I was never able to follow that advice myself. It helps a bit though, I collect gems I find on my travels and cut them into little sculptures. Gives you something else to think of for a while, you know? History is another old subject I put great interest in. Just anything but the constant slaughter. As they say, she who fights monsters should look to it that she herself does not become a monster." Despite the grim quote, Faithel still smiles by the end. "Though perhaps it's a bit too late for the both of us?" She ask rehorically. "Being a monster ain't so bad. You can cut past any line, plus it's the perfect excuse when you take take the last beer, 'I am a monster, I can't help it'."

[Recaiden]

The movement catches her eyes and Anchor waves back. "Hi!" But that's all. Don't want to come between a cat and his drink.

Now, there must be a seat on the other side of Fetty, right? Still nice and safe? She gives him a clear smile in return.
"From Inside, but I kind of go all over these days."

[Slii Arhem]

Beachside Party

Willa smiles and takes the little collection of balloons and sticks in her saddlebag. She likes that one. Well, she likes the ones who are smiling. Really, asking strangers for work? She'd object more if she wasn't wearing an outfit making her fitness so obvious. So she considers the request.
"Yeah, I s'pose I can help ya a little. Depends on what you need, though. My brother's the draft horse in the family. But I can spare ya a few minutes, assumin' I'll be getting a thank-you at least." she offers Riss pleasantly.


[Beachside Party]

"How does first go at the watermelon sound then?" the muse replied, pointing towards another albeit smaller cooler with her self that was still on the cart, ensuring that everything had been locked down properly as well as grabbing a large sun umbrella and several beach towels.

""And.. Well, first go and I make sure you end up with a decent slice or two that comes up properly cut." she adds with a hint of a mischievous grin. Turning to Mimi, her expression softened a bit as she broke into more of a smile. "Now that Misha's cleared us a spot, think you could find us a place to set up?" she would ask once the pixie had made her decision on just what she would be in charge of.

"Anyway, if I'm asking you to help, I suppose I'll lay another question on you and ask your name while we're at it." Riss said, turning back to Willa, not entirely dropping the softened expression. "I'm, er, Well, my name is Clarissa but just 'Riss' is fine." she began. "You've probably heard but this is Misha and she is Mimi." she continued, gesturing towards each other fey in succession. "The worst part about the both of them being here is that I can't introduce either of them as 'the sexy woman over there' as they both fit the bill." she added, slightly forcing a laugh in hopes that it would get a real one out of the centaur.


[Beachside Party]

Mimi frowns. "I dunno. It's kinda hard for me to do either." Everything's so dumb and huge sometimes! It makes it hard for a normal sized person like her to get anything done. "Can't you just do it? I can help with part of it or something."



"Well, Riss can probably handle both the ice sculpture and watermelon contests while I stir up a water balloon fight, but I was wondering what you wanted to help with. I suppose you could air bomb people with balloons too. Or maybe just do your own thing. Or help Imp hunt sharks? Plenty of stuff to do." Misha replies reasonably, an arm snaking around a Riss torso when she's complimented, and a peck on the cheek delivered as thanks for saying she's sexy.

"I just thought you'd like laughing at people trying to cut melons in half. I bet less than a quarter of everyone here's even held a sword before in their life." She wouldn't bet any lower than that though. Nexus, after all.

[Deathkeeper]

Beachside Party

Willa nods, and goes over, hefting the cooler onto her horse-back and comfortably moving it to where it has to go.
"Willa's m'name. Pleased to meet y'all. But uh, what do you mean properly cut? You want me to try cutting a melon? I think I might be cheating since I'm, well, trained." she says with a confident shrug.

[Murkus]

Beach Party

The shadow creature puts the towel down once it seems Drake is content with the amount of drying that has occurred. Drake was still a very strange. He didn't seem to be a lizard at all, despite its words. Well he kind of resembled a lizard. But lizards don't fly or talk. Maybe Drake was experimented on. That would explain a lot.

She takes a moment to glance up, as if reminding Drake of the umbrella whose shade she was currently occupying. If he didn't want to get wet when it rained, he could always use an umbrella. Theoretically that's what they're there for. To avoid the wet.

Now that there are less bombardment of doom balloons and Drake isn't writhing in agony anymore, she will return to her prior action. Still using the tendrils of questionable origins, she pops off the top and moves the honeycomb under her hood where it disappears into the inky black void that seems to make up her palette. Presumably this is where she hides her mouth too hideous for human eyes to gaze upon for when the honeycomb is pulled back out into the relative light, it has been drained of its honey.

Well she didn't spit it out in disguise or start crying in fear so I guess she liked it. Her unchanged facial expression of intensely staring at Drake isn't really giving much help. Well, maybe the staring appears to relax a little.

*****

"The balloons. And I'll drink anything." Reinholdt raises an eyebrow as a mer... something enters the bar, though can't be too surprised with tentacle man about. He gives Anchor and Fayyaad a wave of recognition before turning to take the shot of honey. He almost drinks it too, before stopping and peering at it suspiciously. Then looking over at Drake and peering at him suspiciously.

"Waiiiit. You're awfully eager to push this thing on people." He points accusingly. How rude. "You aren't trying to get a bunch of people to drink your honey so that we all horribly mutate and turn into creatures like you thereby forcing us to join your hive, are you?" Everyone loves honey sounds an awful lot like an evil mutation cult hive franchise slogan.

Tentacle man, meanwhile, looks up from passing out several of the aforementioned honey shots. "Dude. That doesn't sound so bad. I've never flown around before, dude."


[Beachside Party]

[B]"Protect me? Well, I feel very reassured now," Fayyaad says, sitting next to Fetty. "I'll have something light and cold, I think."




Beach Party

"Oh, thanks!" Zhareen replies in a casual tone, the kiss on her knuckle apparently having meant very little. "Nice to meet you too everyone. I don't often meet people outside Riverside. Where are you all from?"





[B]"I come from a land called Moran-Ir, and I've come here on a... holiday, of sorts," Fayyaad says. "I've been loving the place, so far."


The movement catches her eyes and Anchor waves back. "Hi!" But that's all. Don't want to come between a cat and his drink.

Now, there must be a seat on the other side of Fetty, right? Still nice and safe? She gives him a clear smile in return.
"From Inside, but I kind of go all over these days."

"I'm glad to hear that, Fayaad," says Fetty, gaze passing just as easily from him to Anchor. "Inside? Really? I haven't met a whole lot of people actually from there. I can't imagine what the growing up was like." He grins.

"I'm from a planet called Earth. City called New Anchorage. Beautiful town. Everybody oughta see it at least once."


Felandria puts a hand on his shoulder.

Hey, don't worry about it, I've seen some things that haunt me, too, best thing to do is move forward.

That being said, it's quite fun to share stories with new friends.

Hey, wanna see something cool, check it out.

Fel reaches inside her rolled towel and pulls out a rod.

She holds it out in front of her and pushes the button, then lets go as it remains in place.

Man, I love these things.

They're so versatile,like today they're to hold my towel down so it doesn't blow away in a wind, but they're great for exercise, they can be an instant chin up bar or they can hold your legs down when you do sit ups!

"W-well, I wouldn't say I'm haunted, just, uh," Adir stammers a little bit, backpedalling. He hadn't meant to sound like someone with PTSD. He can't claim any right to such a condition. Thankfully she has a change of subject.

"Whoah," Adir does a little double-take as the rod remains in the air. "That's a trip. May I...?" Adir reaches out to touch n' grab the floating thing if she permits. In fact, after a second he'll even stand up and go so far as to do a couple chin-ups himself!

"Hah! What the hell do you think the guy who made this was thinking?" He asks, grinning as he peers at her over the top of the bar. The stag holds his legs straight and feet pointed downwards as the bar suspends him in the air.

[Felandria]

[Beachside - Party!]


"W-well, I wouldn't say I'm haunted, just, uh," Adir stammers a little bit, backpedalling. He hadn't meant to sound like someone with PTSD. He can't claim any right to such a condition. Thankfully she has a change of subject.

"Whoah," Adir does a little double-take as the rod remains in the air. "That's a trip. May I...?" Adir reaches out to touch n' grab the floating thing if she permits. In fact, after a second he'll even stand up and go so far as to do a couple chin-ups himself!

"Hah! What the hell do you think the guy who made this was thinking?" He asks, grinning as he peers at her over the top of the bar. The stag holds his legs straight and feet pointed downwards as the bar suspends him in the air.

I dunno, he musta been pretty smart though.

It's a neat weapon too, somebody charges at ya, you just hold it out pointy ways and click it in place, then they get the wind knocked out of them.

You think this is neat, I got a whole bunch of cool things like this.

You can come over to the house sometime!

[UncleWolf]

Above the Rocks

"Oh... uh, I'm like the worst person to ask advice from then. I'd tell you to just pick up some other hobby, but I was never able to follow that advice myself. It helps a bit though, I collect gems I find on my travels and cut them into little sculptures. Gives you something else to think of for a while, you know? History is another old subject I put great interest in. Just anything but the constant slaughter. As they say, she who fights monsters should look to it that she herself does not become a monster." Despite the grim quote, Faithel still smiles by the end. "Though perhaps it's a bit too late for the both of us?" She ask rehorically. "Being a monster ain't so bad. You can cut past any line, plus it's the perfect excuse when you take take the last beer, 'I am a monster, I can't help it'."

Above the Rocks

The last bit actually makes the woman snort and give a small smile. It seems she has some sense of humor beneath that Srs and Strong facade she throws up around others. "Perhaps it is too late, and perhaps it isn't the worst fate provided I can retain my sanity." She admits as she reaches down into a pouch sewn onto her hip. She pulls out a small scrap of white paper and offers it to Faithel. "Eat it. Looks like paper and tastes like it, but it will replenish any nutrients you're missing after your stay in the belly of the ship. I didn't see any weapons in the room you were in, so I scavenged what I could from the corpses." She adds, nodding towards the bits of arms and armors she has laid out and cleaned. "Choose what you want and I'll cast the rest back into the sea."

[Shadowcaller]

Above the Rocks

Faithel smiles. "Glad I could give you some perspective then." She looks rather skeptical about the little piece of paper however. "It... doesn't have side-effects right? Never heard of humans making things like these before. I mean, what is it?" She asks while slowly getting up, picking up the paper as she moves.

[Beachside - Party!]

Zhareen waves to the kitty as well! How adorable! :smallbiggrin:

Her attention is brought back to the conversation by Fetty's story however. "Earth? Who'd name their world after dirt? My world is called Elshar, it means 'all'. It is really lovely too, well, if you don't mind all the monsters. Really cool place though, we should really visit one another's worlds someday!"

[Rebonack]

[Tanari Island]

Orion lets out a long breath he hadn't been aware that he was holding.

"No one got killed over it, which is all I can ask for," he says. "And if these gnolls really ARE looking for a way to fight back against these demons you were talking about, then they should be valuable allies."

If grumpy.

And somewhat rude.

But hey!

It all worked out, right?

"I don't suppose you know which way Inside is? I was trying to get some help at a temple there before things go... weird." A beat. "Well, weirder."

[Beach Party]

And as the girl under the umbrella eats the honey-!

Nothing nefarious happens.

It tastes good? At least if you're the sort of person who likes honey. Some people don't care for it.

"Well? Did you like it? I'm selling some special red honey at the bar but I think you might be too young for that since kids shouldn't do drugs and stuff but maybe you're not a kid I can't really tell I met someone the other day who looked like he was maybe eight but he said he was eight thousand and I wasn't sure if I should believe him or not but then again there are a whole bunch of really weird things in the Nexus so maybe that's normal hey look at that sea gull!"

With a buzz of his wings, Drake takes off to go investigate a gull trying in vain to capture sand crabs.

...bye?

Meanwhile!

"Whaaaaaat? Noooooo!" Drake wails in reply to Rein's accusation. "I just like selling it! People sell things all the time it's how I get money to get things that I can't make myself like cellphones and video games and chocolate and tiny cars and gemstones and broccoli!"

All sorts of things!

All sorts of very important things.

Doesn't Rein understand the concept of selling surplus agricultural goods for profit?

[Morty]

[B]"I'm a little unwelcome in my homeland at the moment," Fayyaad says smoothly. "Otherwise I'd love to show it to you all."

[Recaiden]

"Inside. Really. I can't recommend it as a place to raise kids. Or for adults. Or at all. It was eye-opening, I guess, but this-"

"What? Tons of people name a world after what its made out of!"
Anchor protests. She knows of like 5 'Earth's, one of which is orbited by a 'Cheese' and itself revolves around 'Fire'. Not to mention the 'Erda's and the 'Terra's and so on. It's only normal.
"So you've seen my world already, Zhareen. But I'd love to see these other places."

[Reinholdt]

Beach Party

The shadow girl nods gravely. It was surprisingly good for something that wasn't alive and squirming. She could see why pe- oh. Drake 2 was flying off. The shadow provides a solemn goodbye stare at his retreat. Goodbye cute thing friend. Good luck catching that seagull.

The shadow monster resumes being very still and quiet under her umbrella.

*****

Theoretically the cat fey should know the concept of basic economics. In practice it might just be too foreign to the ignoble thief.

"You'd lose your all natural abs." Reinholdt points out to the tentacle man. Or maybe he wouldn't. He'd be a horribly mutated ab bee dragon thing. Who knows?

I guess Rein will know in a second as he gives one last pointed questionable glare at Drake before downing the honey shot. It's quite pleasant. And he hasn't turned into a horrible hive mind cult. He gives it a few moments to work and to be sure, but the moments pass.

"It's good." He reluctantly admits. "I'll buy a box set." It's the grumpiest sounding agreement to purchase you could hear. It's like he doesn't enjoy buying things he actually likes. Maybe he's just disappointed there wasn't an evil conspiracy going on.

[UncleWolf]

Above the Rocks

"It is fortified paper. That is all. Fortified like that ration bar was with reclaimed minerals and the like. The ration bar won't give you everything you need, but that will help." The Sister explains. What she doesn't explain is that the ration bar was a corpse starch ration. It was hard enough to stomach without knowing what it was made from. Or who. "No side effects except a bad taste." She adds. After a few moments of silent from her, she gives a sigh. "I wish there were some place with a hot bath around here." She mutters. It was the one vice she allowed herself, a single pleasure. Such things were dangerous to those Marked like she was, but the thought of it was certainly attractive.

[Shadowcaller]

Above the Rocks

Sorrow's explanation doesn't make Faithel look any less skeptical. "Fortified... paper." She slowly repeats. "Ah, Eidthi, it isn't the weirdest thing I've eaten." Eidthi likely being some kind of swear word considering the way she says it. She glumps down the piece of paper. "A hot bath? Yeah, that and some fine wine would be beautiful about now. Anything that could wash off this stench..." She gestures at the dirty, tattered clothing underneath her armor.

[Tanari Island]

"Well... yeah, we got maps n' stuff. But kid, seaside ain't a safe place. Even if you're a great swimmer you should let us take you ashore, or at least use my dimensional ripper. It'll take you to where you need to go in the blink of an eye." Gnizel argues as the mercenaries and the soldiers appear stand down. Looks like there wouldn't be any fighting right now at least. Would always be a chance to earn money later though. "It would be the safest way to travel, so you don't get eaten by a sea monster or something. Plenty of those around here."

[Terumitsu]

[Beachside Party]

"Oh fine. But I'll find you something else to do later!" Riss replied to the reluctant pixie albeit with a smile. The muse knew she wasn't much for people but that didn't mean she couldn't help her fey have fun with others. At least, that was what she felt interacting with others should be like. She would admit that sometimes it could be fun or at least not that bad.

Slightly leaning into Misha though not too much given that she still carried a cooler, she tittered from the light peck before replying to Willa. "Oh, now that you say that then I'll probably have to ask you to stick nearby just to show everyone else up then." she said, a little more conversational flow to her tone. "Or maybe you'd like to pose for an ice sculpture as Vit- Misha just mentioned." she suggested thoughtfully. "You've got a nice figure so I don't see why not if you'd be up for it. I've got a pretty good memory so it's not like you'd have to stand around in the sun for ages or anything." she added, finally reaching a spot on the beach that seemed like a good area to stop and setting down the container.

[Rebonack]

[Tanari Island]

Orion considers the offer, but finally he shakes his head. "No, I think I need to make the journey on my own," Orion finally concludes. "I need to get use to... this..." he glances back and gives his tail a shake. "I can tell that whatever did this is yanking me around from place to place for a reason. Not sure what that reason IS yet but... I just can't shake it. I'll be safe. Or safe enough at least. When you can dissolve into water while swimming in water, well, I can't think of a better way of hiding from something that means ill."

What would the sea monster do?

Gulp up the whole ocean and hope for the best?

"Just give me a heading and I'll take it from there," Orion insists. "I think the compass I've got in my head will take things from there."

Having a compass in your brain meats is pretty darn helpful.

All sorts of animals that roam long distances have them! Super handy.

[Beachside Party]

A dorsal fin breaks the surface of the water! Though anyone with any biology sense would instantly recognize that it doesn't belong to a shark. The thing is quite a bit too tall and the skin quite a bit too rubbery in appearance. A spout blasting mist into the air shortly there after really proves it. This is no shark! It's a whale! Or maybe a dolphin? Or maybe-!

"AAAAAAAHHHH!"

A strange creature that appears to be both an orca and a wolf at once bursts from the waves and goes crashing toward the beach-line, and angry giant blue sea-crab waving at the end of his tail like a banister. Several more grumpy crustaceans are close behind, clacking their claws menacingly. The akhlut bounds up onto the beach and begins spinning in a tight circle, doing his best to dislodge the menacing crab.

"Getoff!Getoff!Getoff!Getoff!Getoff!Getoff!Getoff!"

Looks like Orion has arrived!

And he brought a bunch of giant crabs with him!

Quick! Someone get a pot of boiling water going!

[Deathkeeper]

Beachside Party

The akhlut's arrival is probably good timing. One Sam Bacon arrived at the beach ages ago, but he's been rather awkwardly sitting under an umbrella the whole time. A rather undersized umbrella, I might add. He didn't really think of it, but well, everyone here seems to be prime examples of pretty Nexus people and well, that's certainly not him. He's kept his shirt buttoned, and his swimming trunks wholly unused since he has no idea how to swim. Every once and a while his eyes glance over to someone he recognizes, like Riss. He can't tell if he would like her to say something or not. Probably not. He's determined to be anti-social at the moment.

So when the poor sea-dog comes screaming in for help not twenty feet from his umbrella, it gives him some excuse to not be having fun with everyone else. The excuse being that he's busy picking up a folded beach chair and clobbering the crab on Orion's tail with it.

[Rebonack]

[Beachside Party]

The crab is clobbered!

Thankfully this is enough to knock the crustacean off. It sprawls out on its back, all its pointy legs scrabbling uselessly at the air. The rest of the crabs, meanwhile, begin to close in, clacking their claws menacingly! Really, though. Someone get a pot of boiling water going. That's a whole bunch of crab and boiled crab is amazing.

"Stay back you stupid crabs!" Orion shouts at them. "Why are you harassing me! I didn't even do anything!"

It's true, he didn't.

He did nothing at all offensive to anyone.

But that doesn't matter to the menacing crabs.

Because they're menacing crabs.

They don't need a reason to be menacing.

As one they continue their march across the beach! Orion lowers his head and blasts one of them with a stream of high-pressure water from his blowhole, sending it bouncing tumbling through the sand.

[Deathkeeper]

Beachside Party

Sam's poor chair isn't in very good shape after being used as a club. Barring a notable weapon, Sam tries to simply grab one of the crabs in front and swing it into the others!
There aren't that many, and crabs really aren't that tough. He's not really expecting to have to run for a weapon.

[Rebonack]

[Beachside Party]

After a sound thrashing, the remaining giant crabs retreat to the sea!

Run awaaaay!

That still leaves four crabs to make a wonderful meal for anyone who happens to enjoy crab.

And let's be honest, here. Who doesn't enjoy crab?

Orion frowns at his bruised tail. Giant crab pinches hurt! Sam, on the other hand, is flashed a smile. "Thanks for the help. That whole situation was... weird."

Yes.

Weird.

That's exactly what it was.

"Have I stumbled into the middle of a beach party? I hope it wasn't invite only," he comments, glancing about at the festivities.

[Deathkeeper]

Beachside Party

Sam knows exactly how to cook the crabs, but he doesn't have any equipment for that and he's sure the bar as cooks anyway. Not a big deal, right. He'll just leave the crabs as they are. Someone will clean them up.
"Uh, yeah, it's a party. No invite needed, you can go enjoy yourself." he says, picking up his chair and starting to trudge back to his umbrella.

[Rebonack]

[Beachside Party]

Well...

If nothing else, the sea gulls will probably eat the crabs.

Gulls will each just about anything, after all.

"Oh, good, I'm glad I'm not ruining anything," Orion says as he begins padding through the sand. Stupid quadrupedness. How are you supposed to use your hands for things if your hands are feet? "This is a nice change of pace from my last stop. I've actually made it back to... well... closer to the Nexus, right? This is the mainland and not another island?"

Some of those islands were...

Weird.

Really weird.

[Deathkeeper]

Beachside Party!

Sam puts his chair back in place and flops onto it. It creaks piteously.
"Yeah, this is the mainland. Took a bus here straight from Riverside. No problem really." Sam says, drumming his fingers on his belly. Something seems to be bothering him, if Orion takes notice...

[Rebonack]

[Beachside Party]

It's weird how quickly Orion has dried off. That thick fur of his should still be sopping wet, but it's already bone dry. This results in him looking hilariously poofy. His hair always poofed up like that, even when he was human. But now that's he's got dark blue fur (and white!) everywhere the problem has only gotten worse. He sits down next to Sam, trying his best to ignore the fact that he's getting sand all over his butt-fluff. At least he doesn't smell like a wet dog...

"Oh good, glad I finally made it," Orion sighs. "Last island was populated with flesh eating tomatoes. Name's Orion, by the way."

It was exactly as absurd as it sounds.

He glances over at Sam, then over at the party.

"Something wrong? Or just not much into socializing?"

A beat.

"Oh geeze, sorry. That was a stupid question to ask. It's not even my business. Thanks for the help with the crabs."

And then the akhlut begins to move to leave...

[Deathkeeper]

Beachside Party

"Sam. Nice to meet you. " he says, glancing to his side at the beach-goers, but he snaps back and waves his hands dismissively at the creature's apology.
"No no, it's fine, really. It's just....I don't really have a beach body, you know?" he says, the hand on his belly poking it for effect. "I don't know, maybe it was a stupid idea to come. I don't have any friends here, and I don't really know how to act at a place like this. Not to mention I don't exactly fit in."
Really Sam, having four arms and bristles really isn't the weirdest thing here. You're not even sitting next to the weirdest thing here.

[Rebonack]

[Beachside Party]

I dunno.

Akhluts are pretty weird.

"Does that really matter?" Orion asks as he sits back down again. "You didn't come here so other people could look at you, right? Then what should it matter whether you're shaped like a muscle builder? I honestly don't think 'fitting in' is that huge of a deal. I've been in this crazy place for all of twenty four hours and it has already seen fit to turn me into a fuzzy whale."

He glowers at his paw, lifting it out of the sand and flexing the toes.

"I know I can make myself humanoid again, too. I pulled it off once already, but I can't figure out how to do it again."

He would really love to get his hands back.

Hands are helpful.

"Besides, if you're worried about weight I probably have you beat. Whales and blubber are pretty synonymous."

[Deathkeeper]

Beachside Party

"Well, yeah, but...you're all lean." he grumbles.
And then? Sam takes his shirt off. It's a bit of an affair, with all those arms. There's nothing really notable about this, save for that Sam lacks a navel.
"At least you're something neat. You could have been a slug or something. But unless you can make yourself a set of spare trunks, you might want to wait on being biped." he adds with a guffaw.

[Rebonack]

[Beachside Party]

"Only because I just swam a few hundred miles," Orion points out. "Staying in shape requires effort, you know? If your size bugs you so much, then there's nothing stopping you from expending the effort to change that. Hell, there's probably some wizard who specializes in weight loss spells or some nonsense who could just magic you into shape."

Orion has no idea whether or not such things exist.

He WAS told that you can encounter just about anything in the Nexus, and ostensibly weight loss spells should fall under the category of 'anything.'

And then talk of trunks!

Orion probably just flushed a bit.

Though given all the floof, one can't really tell.

"Ah, hah... yeah. That's a good point. My clothing didn't fare well when I got all whale-y."

It exploded.

[Deathkeeper]

Beachside Party

Sam shakes his head emphatically.
"No no no. No magic changes. Not now, not ever." he insists. Calming down a bit, he adds, "And I do my best, but I work at a restaurant. It's hard. I've gotten used to this size, really. It hasn't really bothered me in a while really but...this is a bit of a special occasion."

[Rebonack]

[Beachside Party]

"Haha! I can understand not wanting any more magic weirding you up," Orion laughs. He stares at his paw some more, giving it a few good shakes and trying to will it to be a hand again. This time around, the limb abruptly turns into water and reshapes, this time resembling some medium between an otter paw and a wolf foot. Which means he has adorable little hands! "Ha! That's-! Well... Better than before, I guess?"

He experimentally picks up a handful of sand with his silly webbed toe/fingers.

"Did you get dumped into the Nexus and turned into something weird, too?" Orion asks. "I was walking into a grill on the waterfront back home and all of a sudden I was in some place called the Dancing Fox Inn instead. One weird thing led to another and suddenly I'm a whale wolf."

Silly whale wolf.

Leaves him all whale wolfy.

"...I'm getting the impression that whatever did... that... to you, made you overweight as well? Unless that's a normal weight for whatever it is you're supposed to be."

[Deathkeeper]

Beachside Property

Sam just sort of stares at Orion.
"Oh no, I live here. I've always lived here. This is just the replacement body I got because someone hacked off my only right arm at the time and I needed a replacement. They went nuts with it. I'm really not that fat. Well, maybe a little, but my frame's just really big. They put a lot of redundant systems and stuff in me so they needed the torso space. That's why I'll probably live to be two hundred and never get sick and can digest almost anything. Really it's entirely worth the cost of being kind of ugly. Just uh, that doesn't mean a con less of a con."

[Rebonack]

[Beachside Party]

"Oh... your arm? How did you lose your arm?" Orion asks, concerned and more than a little bit sympathetic at this point.

Hopefully it didn't get eaten by a monster or something.

"I honestly have no idea what kind of impact being an akhlut has on my life span," Orion muses, flopping his tail fluke in the sand. The end of the limb turns into sea water, though it still maintains its general shape. "Since I'm pretty sure I count as some sort of water elemental now. Do water elemental even have life spans? Do I even have organs anymore? I really don't know. I'm surprised I haven't had a complete nervous breakdown by now. I've been dropped right into the middle of a bunch of really weird stuff."

Extraordinarily weird.

Just...

The weirdest.

[Deathkeeper]

Beachside Party

Sam blinks.
"...someone hacked it off. I just said that right? Well, he hacked it off because I was dying of neurotoxin. Nasty stuff." he adds with a shudder.

[Rebonack]

[Beachside Party]

"Dying of deadly neurotoxin, I take it?" Orion asks, trying his best to lighten an awful subject a little bit. "How did you manage to get yourself into that kind of situation? Things don't just wander around here stabbing people in the arm with syringes full of neurotoxin, do they?"

Gosh.

He sure HOPES that doesn't happen.

Because Orion really would rather avoid getting poisoned if he can help it.

Meanwhile, somewhere out in the surf, a sea wasp is feeling lonely and would love to provide someone with a hug.

Poor, poor lonely sea wasp.

Won't anyone share friendship with it?

[Deathkeeper]

Beachside Party

Sam shakes his head.
"No, it was my fault. But can we uh, not talk about what was objectively the worst day of my life? This is a party, you know." he asks gently.

[Rebonack]

[Seaside Party]

"Oh, ah.. sorry..." Orion says, his ears drooping. "Right, don't want to kill the mood. This is a party after all."

Sadly, Orion is a socially awkward nerd.

He's not totally sure what to do at social gatherings like this.

Typically he'll try desperately to find someone else with a passion for archeology and folklore to chat with.

Or, barring that, table top RPing and fantasy literature.

Sadly, that's a pretty narrow range of interest. Which means he typically spends his time at parties hanging about awkwardly.

Maybe they could... um... play...

"Volleyball?" Orion offers. "Are you any good at volleyball? Those people over there have a game going."

At least... he's pretty sure they're playing volleyball. It might be some weird Nexus sport that just appears to be volleyball. Never know around here.

[Deathkeeper]

Seaside Party

Sam shakes his head.
"Uh, I don't know the rules of that game. Well, come to think of it, I don't know how to swim, either. I'm not really sure how I thought this would go well for me." he admits, tugging at one of his ears.

[Rebonack]

[B]"You don't know how to SWIM?" Orion gasps. "Alright, we aren't having that. C'mon, you're going to learn how to swim."

The akhlut rises to his feet and makes a 'come hither' gesture with his tail flukes as he trots toward the surf.

"The waves here are pretty gentle and there's a wide sand bar, too," he says. "This part of the beach is pretty much perfect for swimming. And if you get in trouble, I can bail you out pretty easily with my whole water elemental thing."

He could start being whale sized under Sam if Sam is in trouble.

Of course...

The water where Orion is trotting is only about four to six feet deep.

If Sam wanted to avoid drowning he would just have to stand up.

[Deathkeeper]

Beachside Party

Sam gulps and follows the sea-dog, wading into the water with his somewhat short legs. The water is only up to his chin at its highest until Orion goes deeper, so he doesn't have any trouble with breathing just yet.
"So, what happens if I just sink?" he asks, not really sure how buoyancy works.

[Rebonack]

[Beachside Party]

"Then you stand up, of course," Orion replies as he paddles around in circles, kicking his little webbed feet and splashing his tail. Sam might notice that he can hear Orion just fine despite the fact that Orion's mouth is both underwater and motionless. The weird whaledog is probably talking via his blowhole. "When you're learning to swim, the first thing you need to learn is how to float without panicking. That's why we're in water where you can touch the bottom standing up."

Seems simple enough.

Benign, even!

"So here's what you need to learn first. How to float without panicking. Everyone floats no problem, trouble happens when people start to panic. Now, just fill your lungs with a deep breath and start leaning backwards. Let the water hold you up. If you start to feel uncomfortable, just put your feet down again."

His trotters, Orion.

Sam has trotters.

[Deathkeeper]

Beachside Party

Sam leans back slowly until he falls back into the water, a motion that would pair excellently with a cartoon sound effect of straining metal.
"So....is this it?" he asks, bobbing in the water. Luckily he has a very buoyant torso despite his mass.

[Gullara]

"Well, Riss can probably handle both the ice sculpture and watermelon contests while I stir up a water balloon fight, but I was wondering what you wanted to help with. I suppose you could air bomb people with balloons too. Or maybe just do your own thing. Or help Imp hunt sharks? Plenty of stuff to do." Misha replies reasonably, an arm snaking around a Riss torso when she's complimented, and a peck on the cheek delivered as thanks for saying she's sexy.

"I just thought you'd like laughing at people trying to cut melons in half. I bet less than a quarter of everyone here's even held a sword before in their life." She wouldn't bet any lower than that though. Nexus, after all.


Beachside Party

Willa nods, and goes over, hefting the cooler onto her horse-back and comfortably moving it to where it has to go.
"Willa's m'name. Pleased to meet y'all. But uh, what do you mean properly cut? You want me to try cutting a melon? I think I might be cheating since I'm, well, trained." she says with a confident shrug.


[Beachside Party]

"Oh fine. But I'll find you something else to do later!" Riss replied to the reluctant pixie albeit with a smile. The muse knew she wasn't much for people but that didn't mean she couldn't help her fey have fun with others. At least, that was what she felt interacting with others should be like. She would admit that sometimes it could be fun or at least not that bad.

Slightly leaning into Misha though not too much given that she still carried a cooler, she tittered from the light peck before replying to Willa. "Oh, now that you say that then I'll probably have to ask you to stick nearby just to show everyone else up then." she said, a little more conversational flow to her tone. "Or maybe you'd like to pose for an ice sculpture as Vit- Misha just mentioned." she suggested thoughtfully. "You've got a nice figure so I don't see why not if you'd be up for it. I've got a pretty good memory so it's not like you'd have to stand around in the sun for ages or anything." she added, finally reaching a spot on the beach that seemed like a good area to stop and setting down the container.

[Beachside Party]

"Oh." Mimi may have misunderstood. Here she thought Misha wanted her to try and muddle through setting up this giant stuff on her own. "I can help Riss set stuff up." She says, even if she's not exactly sure what she'd do. Staying with Riss sounds like the best option in any case.

[Rebonack]

[Beachside Party]

"That's pretty much all there is to it," Orion replies. "This is why panicking is really the only thing you have to worry about when it comes to swimming."

Barring things like lethal undertow currents.

"So long as you float, you're fine. And floating really doesn't take much in the way of effort," Orion says as he continues paddling about with his tail. "Now spread your arms out and push against the water with them. Cupping your hands a bit helps," Orion continues, showing off his webbed paws as a nice visual aid.

Poor Sam.

He lacks adorable webbed otter paws for hands.

That means he'll be far less effective when it comes to the swimmings.

But not everyone can be an amphibious sea mammal thing.

[Deathkeeper]

Beachside Party

"All of them?" he asks, moving lazily in the water.
With any luck the lessons can go smoothly. Sam isn't really at risk of getting tired for a while.

[UncleWolf]

Above the Rocks

Sorrow's explanation doesn't make Faithel look any less skeptical. "Fortified... paper." She slowly repeats. "Ah, Eidthi, it isn't the weirdest thing I've eaten." Eidthi likely being some kind of swear word considering the way she says it. She glumps down the piece of paper. "A hot bath? Yeah, that and some fine wine would be beautiful about now. Anything that could wash off this stench..." She gestures at the dirty, tattered clothing underneath her armor.


Above the Rocks

Sorrow gives a slight smile at the mention of the bad smell. "I wasn't going to mention it." She says, joking just a bit in a true effort to be a little friendly. "If you have rested, then choose which of these blades you wish and let us see if we can find a natural spring or a place that offers a bath then." She decides as she pulls on her helm and begins putting everything back into their appropriate pouches over the course of a few minutes. "It is always best to continue on with a goal in mind after all. An empty mind is Their plaything."

[Murkus]

I dunno, he musta been pretty smart though.

It's a neat weapon too, somebody charges at ya, you just hold it out pointy ways and click it in place, then they get the wind knocked out of them.

You think this is neat, I got a whole bunch of cool things like this.

You can come over to the house sometime!

"Okay! Although I'll admit, I've been there once or twice already. Uh, I hope that's okay? I think it was? Wenomir let me in. We're old friends," Adir explains, blushing just a tiny bit due to the fact that he technically entered Fel's house without even meeting her prior.





Zhareen waves to the kitty as well! How adorable! :smallbiggrin:

Her attention is brought back to the conversation by Fetty's story however. "Earth? Who'd name their world after dirt? My world is called Elshar, it means 'all'. It is really lovely too, well, if you don't mind all the monsters. Really cool place though, we should really visit one another's worlds someday!"


[Beachside - Party!]

[B]"I'm a little unwelcome in my homeland at the moment," Fayyaad says smoothly. "Otherwise I'd love to show it to you all."


"Inside. Really. I can't recommend it as a place to raise kids. Or for adults. Or at all. It was eye-opening, I guess, but this-"

"What? Tons of people name a world after what its made out of!"
Anchor protests. She knows of like 5 'Earth's, one of which is orbited by a 'Cheese' and itself revolves around 'Fire'. Not to mention the 'Erda's and the 'Terra's and so on. It's only normal.
"So you've seen my world already, Zhareen. But I'd love to see these other places."

"That's, uh, quite a leap," Fetty says of Zhareen's suggestion. "I don't mind travelling, though. I guess Fayyaad here doesn't either. Maybe someday, huh, handsome?" He tries to put an arm around the tiefling.

"Mine's not much of a sight to see. 'Cept the safe zones. I like Inside much better! Hell, I'd rather raise kids there, dubious danger or otherwise," Fetty says. He casually takes the shot of honey he received a few moments ago. What's that do again?

[Morty]

[B]"Oh, I love travelling," Fayyaad says, his tail wrapping around Fetty. "There were a few easier ways of escaping the heat back home, but I chose the most interesting one. You'll be the first I invite if I decide to go back," he tells his lover with a wink.

[Rebonack]

[Beachside Party]

Oh.

Right.

Sam has a ton of arms, doesn't he?

"I... guess so?" Orion replies a bit uncertainly.

He's not quite sure how swimming with a ton of arms works?

Can't be any harder than swimming with just two.

Right?

[Slii Arhem]

Beachside Party

Willa nods, and goes over, hefting the cooler onto her horse-back and comfortably moving it to where it has to go.
"Willa's m'name. Pleased to meet y'all. But uh, what do you mean properly cut? You want me to try cutting a melon? I think I might be cheating since I'm, well, trained." she says with a confident shrug.


[Beachside Party]

"Oh fine. But I'll find you something else to do later!" Riss replied to the reluctant pixie albeit with a smile. The muse knew she wasn't much for people but that didn't mean she couldn't help her fey have fun with others. At least, that was what she felt interacting with others should be like. She would admit that sometimes it could be fun or at least not that bad.

Slightly leaning into Misha though not too much given that she still carried a cooler, she tittered from the light peck before replying to Willa. "Oh, now that you say that then I'll probably have to ask you to stick nearby just to show everyone else up then." she said, a little more conversational flow to her tone. "Or maybe you'd like to pose for an ice sculpture as Vit- Misha just mentioned." she suggested thoughtfully. "You've got a nice figure so I don't see why not if you'd be up for it. I've got a pretty good memory so it's not like you'd have to stand around in the sun for ages or anything." she added, finally reaching a spot on the beach that seemed like a good area to stop and setting down the container.


[Beachside Party]

"Oh." Mimi may have misunderstood. Here she thought Misha wanted her to try and muddle through setting up this giant stuff on her own. "I can help Riss set stuff up." She says, even if she's not exactly sure what she'd do. Staying with Riss sounds like the best option in any case.

Beachside Party

Misha reaches over to the cooler in Riss' hand and taps its lid, and the muse may detect a faint tinkling like shattered glass within as the nereid winks at her unsubtly and pulls back with a loving caress across her red-haired lover's arm.

Then she whirls on the spot and races down the hill, waving plastic packets above her head and no doubt attracting plenty of attention with her bouncy, exuberant gait, "Free water balloons, filled on the spot! Get some ammo here!" She'll be handing out and filling balloons to anyone who asks, and probably plenty who don't. The plastic baggies unfold smartly into mesh baskets when they're shaken, tiny seam lines splitting to accommodate the filled balloons so everyone can cart around their full loads of summer fun.

[Artemis97]

[Beachside Party]

Two new people arrive at the beach. First is Joel, a tanned half-elf with blue eyes and long dark hair. He was dressed in a pair of green board shorts and a button down Hawaiian shirt with a brown tiki pattern on it. Under one arm he carried a towel and a beach umbrella, across his back was an acoustic guitar.

With him was Victoria, a half-fiend with pale skin and honey colored curls done up in a pony tail. She was dressed in a pink plaid ruffled bikini and carried a large bag full of beach-going essentials. Two tiny horns sprouted from her forehead, and her wings were red and feathery. Her left wing was crooked and didn't sit against her back as evenly as the right. She looked nervous.

"Gods, there's a lot of people here." She said to Joel.

"Don't worry about it, Tori. Everyone's just here to have a good time. Besides, I'm with you. I won't let anything bad happen." He promised.

[Deathkeeper]

Beachside Party- Sam

Sam waves his arms in the water, moving slowly.
"All at the same time seems to work fine." he comments, floating. He'd say more, but he's just sort of enjoying the moment.

Beachside party- Willa

Willa gives a small laugh at the ice sculpture suggestion.
"Well, if yer plannin' on makin' that thing to scale, I hope you brought a pretty stinkin' huge block of ice. Slim figure or not, I ain't lyin' to myself about my size. Horses ain't small. But I'll stick around either way, for yer contest or the art." she offers with a shrug.

[Shadowcaller]

[Tanari Island]

Orion considers the offer, but finally he shakes his head. "No, I think I need to make the journey on my own," Orion finally concludes. "I need to get use to... this..." he glances back and gives his tail a shake. "I can tell that whatever did this is yanking me around from place to place for a reason. Not sure what that reason IS yet but... I just can't shake it. I'll be safe. Or safe enough at least. When you can dissolve into water while swimming in water, well, I can't think of a better way of hiding from something that means ill."

What would the sea monster do?

Gulp up the whole ocean and hope for the best?

"Just give me a heading and I'll take it from there," Orion insists. "I think the compass I've got in my head will take things from there."

Having a compass in your brain meats is pretty darn helpful.

All sorts of animals that roam long distances have them! Super handy.


Above the Rocks

Sorrow gives a slight smile at the mention of the bad smell. "I wasn't going to mention it." She says, joking just a bit in a true effort to be a little friendly. "If you have rested, then choose which of these blades you wish and let us see if we can find a natural spring or a place that offers a bath then." She decides as she pulls on her helm and begins putting everything back into their appropriate pouches over the course of a few minutes. "It is always best to continue on with a goal in mind after all. An empty mind is Their plaything."



"That's, uh, quite a leap," Fetty says of Zhareen's suggestion. "I don't mind travelling, though. I guess Fayyaad here doesn't either. Maybe someday, huh, handsome?" He tries to put an arm around the tiefling.

"Mine's not much of a sight to see. 'Cept the safe zones. I like Inside much better! Hell, I'd rather raise kids there, dubious danger or otherwise," Fetty says. He casually takes the shot of honey he received a few moments ago. What's that do again?

[Tanari Island]

"'kay, suit yourself then, kid." The goblin pauses. "But, i guess I ought to pay you for that job. Can't go around owing people favors can I?" The goblin himself appears in the flesh as he emerges from the still gathered group of soldiers standing about the steeps. He will hand over a bag of gold and a map of part of Seaside to Orion. "There you go, friend. Payment for this whole ordeal. Just take care now and while you swim, don't go investigating floating corpses, that's a bad idea!"

Looks like he can leave now with this conflict taken care of.

Beachside party

"Oh, but the nexus consists of several worlds, doesn't it?" Zhareen inquires. "Not sure if just being here counts as you being in all of them at once. Like, Inside and Riverside could be completely different worlds, not to mention Skyside!" She takes a sip of water before continuing. "That's why the nexus is so fascinating. You could probably wander into any of our worlds from here by accident, or go the other way around." The merwoman nods Before she appears to get an idea. "Oh! Does any of you like to get their fortune told? It's free for you!"

Above the Rocks

"There are hot springs at a place like this? Kaso, looks like the light haven't completely abandoned me then." Faithel remarks with a amused smirk as she leans back. "Now all I need is a proper pillow and life will almost be on the right track again. So let's find that mysterious hot spring of yours sister, talaedos, talaein." She then slowly gets up. "So, lead the way. Haven't been in a spring since I fell into one in Northrend."

[Recaiden]

[Beachside - Party!]


"Oh, but the nexus consists of several worlds, doesn't it?" Zhareen inquires. "Not sure if just being here counts as you being in all of them at once. Like, Inside and Riverside could be completely different worlds, not to mention Skyside!" She takes a sip of water before continuing. "That's why the nexus is so fascinating. You could probably wander into any of our worlds from here by accident, or go the other way around." The merwoman nods Before she appears to get an idea. "Oh! Does any of you like to get their fortune told? It's free for you!"


"That's, uh, quite a leap," Fetty says of Zhareen's suggestion. "I don't mind travelling, though. I guess Fayyaad here doesn't either. Maybe someday, huh, handsome?" He tries to put an arm around the tiefling.

"Mine's not much of a sight to see. 'Cept the safe zones. I like Inside much better! Hell, I'd rather raise kids there, dubious danger or otherwise," Fetty says. He casually takes the shot of honey he received a few moments ago. What's that do again?

Anchor raises an eyebrow at Fetty. Those poor hypothetical kids. But then she focuses on Zhareen's happy babble.
"I think the point of the Nexus is that there's just one! But we probably could. You just take a wrong turn and-there you are. Fortune? That sounds fun. Yeah."

[Felandria]

"Okay! Although I'll admit, I've been there once or twice already. Uh, I hope that's okay? I think it was? Wenomir let me in. We're old friends," Adir explains, blushing just a tiny bit due to the fact that he technically entered Fel's house without even meeting her prior.

Fel puts a hand on his shoulder.

Nah, don't even worry about it.

Believe me, it's not a problem.

Anyway, what should we do now?

More drinks?

Go for a swim?

Get a buncha water balloons and seek revenge?

[deleteman900]

Beachside Party

Misha reaches over to the cooler in Riss' hand and taps its lid, and the muse may detect a faint tinkling like shattered glass within as the nereid winks at her unsubtly and pulls back with a loving caress across her red-haired lover's arm.

Then she whirls on the spot and races down the hill, waving plastic packets above her head and no doubt attracting plenty of attention with her bouncy, exuberant gait, "Free water balloons, filled on the spot! Get some ammo here!" She'll be handing out and filling balloons to anyone who asks, and probably plenty who don't. The plastic baggies unfold smartly into mesh baskets when they're shaken, tiny seam lines splitting to accommodate the filled balloons so everyone can cart around their full loads of summer fun.


[Beachside Party]

Two new people arrive at the beach. First is Joel, a tanned half-elf with blue eyes and long dark hair. He was dressed in a pair of green board shorts and a button down Hawaiian shirt with a brown tiki pattern on it. Under one arm he carried a towel and a beach umbrella, across his back was an acoustic guitar.

With him was Victoria, a half-fiend with pale skin and honey colored curls done up in a pony tail. She was dressed in a pink plaid ruffled bikini and carried a large bag full of beach-going essentials. Two tiny horns sprouted from her forehead, and her wings were red and feathery. Her left wing was crooked and didn't sit against her back as evenly as the right. She looked nervous.

"Gods, there's a lot of people here." She said to Joel.

"Don't worry about it, Tori. Everyone's just here to have a good time. Besides, I'm with you. I won't let anything bad happen." He promised.

A kitsune picket out half a dozen smaller, somewhat less filled water balloons, the smaller orbs fitting better into his relatively small paws as he smiles gratefully at the nereid, "Grazie, Mademoiselle." He performed a small curtsy before disappearing from view behind another person, winding through the crowd and looking for a likely target for his shenanigans...~ Eventually, he saw the big, strong half-elf and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was the one! Winding up a shot at the elfy, he let fly with the fastball, and caught him in the upper leg, the poor water balloon not standing a chance against the elf's rock hard leg-abs.

(If anyone else wants to do something to this guy, feel free to go ahead, I won't bite, ;p )

[Terumitsu]

[Beachside Party]

A raised eyebrow was offered to Misha as the light noise was just barely picked up over the noise of the waves and chatter but it was met with a shrug and a smile as she loped off to generally instigate a water war.

"Maybe not 1:1 scale but around 1:2 scale wouldn't be out of the question, I think." Riss replied, opening the cooler to show it utterly full with a single block of ice. Given it's size,there really was no way that it should have been able to be carried by just one person but, then again, oddities and hidden attributes were pretty much expected of at least half of the Nexus populace. At the very least it was a meter tall and half that as wide on a side which left plenty of room to make a somewhat smaller, icy Willa with a little time and effort.

"And you're too late now!" Riss replied to Mimi, playfully sticking her tongue out at her for her earlier reluctance. "I'm kidding. There is something I'd like you to do for me, though. Think you could grab one of the melons, slice it up, and carve, say.. 'Melon Chopping Contest' or something like that on the bottom of each before randomly handing them out to people? Obviously any event worth going to has a pretty gal out there advertising, you know." she said with a smile. " Oh! Make sure that guy with the arms over there gets one too, if you don't mind." she added, gesturing at Sam. He'd left a fairly decent impression during their brief meeting and she could at least empathize with his rather shy demeanor with someone new.. Or at least that was how she had read his body language.

Turning back to Willa, she asked "So, got a pose for me that you'd like to be immortalized in? Or.. At least immortalized for as long as the ice lasts." she asked the centaress. It was getting a bit easier to just chat with her now, at least. She was having fun.

[Murkus]

[B]"Oh, I love travelling," Fayyaad says, his tail wrapping around Fetty. [B]"There were a few easier ways of escaping the heat back home, but I chose the most interesting one. You'll be the first I invite if I decide to go back," he tells his lover with a wink.

"Aw, thanks, Fay," he offers the tiefling some of his towel back, around his shoulders. "Your hypothetical invitation is noted."



Beachside party

"Oh, but the nexus consists of several worlds, doesn't it?" Zhareen inquires. "Not sure if just being here counts as you being in all of them at once. Like, Inside and Riverside could be completely different worlds, not to mention Skyside!" She takes a sip of water before continuing. "That's why the nexus is so fascinating. You could probably wander into any of our worlds from here by accident, or go the other way around." The merwoman nods Before she appears to get an idea. "Oh! Does any of you like to get their fortune told? It's free for you!"



[Beachside - Party!]

Anchor raises an eyebrow at Fetty. Those poor hypothetical kids. But then she focuses on Zhareen's happy babble.
"I think the point of the Nexus is that there's just one! But we probably could. You just take a wrong turn and-there you are. Fortune? That sounds fun. Yeah."

"I've had a few very nice, very cute scientists try to explain it to me over the couple years I've been here. Never got it. I don't think any of them were all that smart, but it could've just been the late hour and the dubious levels of intoxication," Fetty says with his own haughty wink at the collective group. Though she does look more particularly at Zhareen, now. "Fortune telling? Seriously? I mean, sure. But only if everyone gets it told." He glances teasingly at Fayyaad.


Fel puts a hand on his shoulder.

Nah, don't even worry about it.

Believe me, it's not a problem.

Anyway, what should we do now?

More drinks?

Go for a swim?

Get a buncha water balloons and seek revenge?

Adir grins. "I'd say more drinks, followed by one of the two." The stag looks over at Misha. "I've never been the vengeful type, buuut..."

[Artemis97]

A kitsune picket out half a dozen smaller, somewhat less filled water balloons, the smaller orbs fitting better into his relatively small paws as he smiles gratefully at the nereid, "Grazie, Mademoiselle." He performed a small curtsy before disappearing from view behind another person, winding through the crowd and looking for a likely target for his shenanigans...~ Eventually, he saw the big, strong half-elf and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was the one! Winding up a shot at the elfy, he let fly with the fastball, and caught him in the upper leg, the poor water balloon not standing a chance against the elf's rock hard leg-abs.

(If anyone else wants to do something to this guy, feel free to go ahead, I won't bite, ;p )

[Beachside Party]

"Gyah!" Joel exclaims, suddenly finding his leg drenched in water.

"Joel?! What happened?" Victoria asks, worried.

"Ugh... uh... water balloon, looks like." He says, finding a scrap of rubber on the sand. "Who threw that?!" Joel's head whips around, searching for the source.

Victoria giggles, thinking he sounded so indignant.

[deleteman900]

[Beachside Party]

"Gyah!" Joel exclaims, suddenly finding his leg drenched in water.

"Joel?! What happened?" Victoria asks, worried.

"Ugh... uh... water balloon, looks like." He says, finding a scrap of rubber on the sand. "Who threw that?!" Joel's head whips around, searching for the source.

Victoria giggles, thinking he sounded so indignant.

A small distance away some bushes shook back and forth a bit, a long, fluffy fox-tail giving away the kitsune who was hiding, and the faint sound of snickering wafted over on the breeze as the tail poked up out of the bushes like a periscope, looking right at them before waving back and forth as if the owner of the tail were wagging it slightly.

Another water balloon came sailing out of the bush, pinging off of Victoria's shoulder before splitting open, unleashing its payload of non-consensual hydration.

[Morty]

[B]"Fortune-telling? Why not," Fayyaad says. "I'll take whatever fortune that's told to me."

[Artemis97]

[Beachside Party]

Victoria manages to put a wing up between herself and the incoming water balloon. She still gets wet, but not so drenched.

"We're under attack!"

Joel scowls and pops open the beach umbrella, using it as a shield as he approaches the bush with the hiding kitsune. "What's the big idea?" He asks.

[deleteman900]

[Beachside Party]

Victoria manages to put a wing up between herself and the incoming water balloon. She still gets wet, but not so drenched.

"We're under attack!"

Joel scowls and pops open the beach umbrella, using it as a shield as he approaches the bush with the hiding kitsune. "What's the big idea?" He asks.

The kitsune went still for a moment, bushy tail retreating before he poked his nose out of the bushes, "Uwoh! Hehe... You guys looked like you were just standing around not having fun, you've never had a water balloon fight?" the fox smiles, lobbing another one underhanded at Victoria before retreating some distance to another bush further away. :D

[Artemis97]

[Beachside Party]

Victoria covers herself with a wing again as another balloon splashes against her.

"It's no fun when it's one sided." Joel declares. "I need a balloon or a water gun or something."

The half fiend giggles at him. "Fine. Let's set our stuff down somewhere, then you can go seeking revenge, ok?" Victoria looks for a likely patch of empty beach and puts her things down on a towel. Joel follows and sets up the beach umbrella over it, and was careful to set down his guitar on the towel. He didn't want sand to get in it.

"Alright, now where did that guy get those balloons?"

Together the two go hunting for ammunition.

[deleteman900]

[Beachside Party]

Victoria covers herself with a wing again as another balloon splashes against her.

"It's no fun when it's one sided." Joel declares. "I need a balloon or a water gun or something."

The half fiend giggles at him. "Fine. Let's set our stuff down somewhere, then you can go seeking revenge, ok?" Victoria looks for a likely patch of empty beach and puts her things down on a towel. Joel follows and sets up the beach umbrella over it, and was careful to set down his guitar on the towel. He didn't want sand to get in it.

"Alright, now where did that guy get those balloons?"

Together the two go hunting for ammunition.

A wicker basket full of water balloons almost seems to mysteriously appear next to the bush the kit was originally in, with a note-card attached saying "Good luck, XOXO~ <3" and another balloon is lobbed high into the air, striking down like a mortar shell a scant few feet away from Joel, :D

[Shadowcaller]

Anchor raises an eyebrow at Fetty. Those poor hypothetical kids. But then she focuses on Zhareen's happy babble.
"I think the point of the Nexus is that there's just one! But we probably could. You just take a wrong turn and-there you are. Fortune? That sounds fun. Yeah."





"Aw, thanks, Fay," he offers the tiefling some of his towel back, around his shoulders. "Your hypothetical invitation is noted."


"I've had a few very nice, very cute scientists try to explain it to me over the couple years I've been here. Never got it. I don't think any of them were all that smart, but it could've just been the late hour and the dubious levels of intoxication," Fetty says with his own haughty wink at the collective group. Though she does look more particularly at Zhareen, now. "Fortune telling? Seriously? I mean, sure. But only if everyone gets it told." He glances teasingly at Fayyaad.


[Beachside - Party!]

[B]"Fortune-telling? Why not," Fayyaad says. [B]"I'll take whatever fortune that's told to me."

[Beachside - Party!]

"Oh, but if we go by that defenition, we could say we are in all our worlds right now as the nexus is somhow connected to all of them, otherwise we wouldn't be here." Zhareen argues. "Anyway, of course I'd do all your fortunes! Just offer me your hand and I'll tell it. Just don't be scared! The future is nothing to be scared of!" She pauses and strokes her chin thoughfully. "Unless of course it's terrible, but then if you see it, you might be able to change it! But if you can change it, is it really the future? It'd change the moment you hear it... If not the future it predeteremined and our actions can't change anything the future at all, which means that history, and by extentions, our lives are- uh, let's just do it shall we? Who goes first?! Give me your palm, don't be shy!" She looks between them with a happy grin.

[Felandria]

[Beachside - Party!]

Adir grins. "I'd say more drinks, followed by one of the two." The stag looks over at Misha. "I've never been the vengeful type, buuut..."

Excellent.

Bartender, another round please!

Felandria reaches into her shoulder bag of holding and pulls out some balloons and a funnel.

And some water, please.

[Recaiden]

"Maybe it's just a future."
Anchor holds out her palm - wait, maybe it should be the other hand, yeah, that's better. So now she's holding out her left palm, waiting to hear what the future holds.
"Can't be any scarier than the past, right?"

[Artemis97]

[Beachside Party]

Joel throws up his arms as water and sand splash up beside him. "Oh it's on now." He declares, picking up two balloons and throwing then in quick succession towards where he last saw the kitsune.

Victoria's more calculating, taking a single balloon from the basket and watching to see where the kit might show himself next.

[deleteman900]

[Beachside Party]

Joel throws up his arms as water and sand splash up beside him. "Oh it's on now." He declares, picking up two balloons and throwing then in quick succession towards where he last saw the kitsune.

Victoria's more calculating, taking a single balloon from the basket and watching to see where the kit might show himself next.

The fox released a short yelp of alarm as he scampered out of those bushes, dripping water from where a balloon had split open too close for comfort, some of the liquid shrapnel finding its mark, in return he did a spin move where his tails gripped a balloon every foot or so, unleashing each one in turn to fly straight at Joel with pinpoint accuracy, 2 more following from his hands towards Victoria before he tried to duck into the brush again with a chuckle, taking cover behind a low-lying rock concealed under the bush, though his tail stuck out a bit.

[Fenric]

Several uneventful days pass: after a pleasant day at sea and a day at a quaint little beach with a very touristy little town, the ship is once again out in the midst of the waters.

Breakfast is done, and lunch is hours away: it's the part of a cruise where one begins to doubt the amount one spent just to be trapped in your hotel for days at a time.

Or it would be... if the massive ship didn't abruptly slow dramatically and come to a halt, flinging people to the ground and causing quite a bit of disruption, to-do, and disturbance!

[Deathkeeper]

[Continuity Cruise Lines]

Ben's too stable to fall over, but he scampers over to the side of the ship and looks down curiously.
"I don't think ships are supposed to do that."

[Lost_Deep]

Continuity Cruise Lines

Bella arrives back at her cabin from getting a snack to find an orange furred cat on Kate's bed. Immediately putting her snacks down, Bella rushed over to hug the kitty. "You're so cute!"

Kate, currently a cat, stutters a little. "I just wanted to see if being a cat helped with seasickness. And... maybe? I'm not sure."

"You should be a kitty more often!" Bella says, setting Kate back down, "I think-

Then, with a lurch, the ship stops suddenly, and Bella is thrown to the floor.

"Bella!" Kate turns back into her her normal self, and then rushes to help Bella up. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Bella says, shaken but not injured. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Kate admits, "but if there's an emergency, we should be on deck. Come on."

And so, the pair walked out onto the deck, looking around to see if there looked to be an explanation yet.

[Fenric]

Looking below, there are two huge crabs that have grabbed the ship and brought it to a standstill.

But more importantly, dozens of crablike soldiers are swarming up the sides and will have access to the lowermost open deck in mere moments! Other passengers have noticed them and people are starting to scream and panic.

[Deathkeeper]

Continuity Cruise Lines

Ben swears something child-friendly and takes a deep breath. Opening his mouth, he fires an intense beam of light that sweeps over the various crabs on his side of the ship, likely burning on contact and certainly blinding should it be looked into.

[Lost_Deep]

Continuity Cruise Lines

As people start screaming, Kate and Bella are confused. Then they notice Ben firing over the side of the boat. Bella rushes over to look down.

"Bella!" Kate calls, "Don't! It might be danger-"

They both get there and look down.

"Aw... crud."

[Artemis97]

The fox released a short yelp of alarm as he scampered out of those bushes, dripping water from where a balloon had split open too close for comfort, some of the liquid shrapnel finding its mark, in return he did a spin move where his tails gripped a balloon every foot or so, unleashing each one in turn to fly straight at Joel with pinpoint accuracy, 2 more following from his hands towards Victoria before he tried to duck into the brush again with a chuckle, taking cover behind a low-lying rock concealed under the bush, though his tail stuck out a bit.

[Beachside Party]

Joel is drenched by the hail of balloons and left sputtering.

Victoria manages to dodge one balloon, but takes the hit from the other. Still, she's spotted her target and lets fly with her balloon.

[deleteman900]

[Beachside Party]

Joel is drenched by the hail of balloons and left sputtering.

Victoria manages to dodge one balloon, but takes the hit from the other. Still, she's spotted her target and lets fly with her balloon.

The kitsune was unfortunately left off-balance after over-extending on his power attack, and wasn't flexible enough to continue the spin to avoid her return attack, the balloon hitting him center mass and leaving his fur a drenched, soggy mess. "Aww c'mon! Do you know how hard it is to dry out this much fur?!" he exclaims, pouting angrily. Suddenly, he gained an evil grin, spinning a relatively low-level illusion of 3 to 4 mirror images of himself in various points of cover around Victoria, since she was currently the larger threat, and they all simultaneously wound up and threw a water balloon with each hand, aiming to confuse her long enough to be unsure which one to dodge and take the balloons dead on in her own torso.

[Artemis97]

[Beachside Party]

"Feathers aren't so easy, either, buddy." Victoria shoots back. She frowns, concentrating on the illusions. "That's not fair." She picks the third one and throws another balloon at it, but can't be certain she'll hit. The half-fiend is, however, hit center mass by another balloon.

Joel recovers in time to pick up some more balloons and throws them at the two closest illusions, hoping to hit something.

[deleteman900]

[Beachside Party]

"Feathers aren't so easy, either, buddy." Victoria shoots back. She frowns, concentrating on the illusions. "That's not fair." She picks the third one and throws another balloon at it, but can't be certain she'll hit. The half-fiend is, however, hit center mass by another balloon.

Joel recovers in time to pick up some more balloons and throws them at the two closest illusions, hoping to hit something.

The fox pouts as the illusions waver and collapse by being hit with water balloons, one of Joel's landing on the real kitsune as he gets even wetter, tail now thoroughly droopy. He is now thoroughly soaked enough that his final technique won't affect him too much, and launches himself bodily through the air towards both of them, some kind of weird string vest of sorts holding what must be at least 3 dozen water balloons in place all over his torso, as he attempts to belly flop near enough to them that the balloons bursting will get all 3 of them soaking wet, :D

(Not true, actually. Certain kinds of birds, particularly waterborne fowl secrete oils through the quills of their feathers that does basically what Rain-X does, making the water slide right off their bodies. Food for thought, ;p)

[Rebonack]

[Tanari Island]

And thus, Orion has completed a quest!

He feels like it took a whole lot longer than the few hours that it actually was. Weird. Regardless, he'll thank the goblin for the help, wish him well with the gnoll relations, and take his leave. No idea how he manages to carry that map without utterly ruining it in the water, but he pulls it off.

Somehow.

Eventually his trip to Beachside will lead him through an angry school of giant pelagic crabs...


Beachside Party- Sam

Sam waves his arms in the water, moving slowly.
"All at the same time seems to work fine." he comments, floating. He'd say more, but he's just sort of enjoying the moment.

"See? Easy!" Orion declares. "Now, I wouldn't suggest trying to swim out in places where the surf is dangerous or in any rushing rivers, but you've figured out the basics. So long as you can float, you're okay. So long as you remember to kick your limbs, you can slowly scoot in your desired direction. You might not be an amphibious sea mammal thing, but progress is still progress."

Orion rests his tail and hind legs in the sand, grinning down at Sam. "Now that quest one is finished, how about quest two? There's still that game of volleyball going on and now's the perfect chance to give it a try. It's quite a bit of fun, and I bet all those extra arms might come in-"

Oh no.

No.

Don't do it Orion.

You're better than this.

"-handy."

[Murkus]

[Beachside - Party!]


Excellent.

Bartender, another round please!

Felandria reaches into her shoulder bag of holding and pulls out some balloons and a funnel.

And some water, please.

"Righteous," says the tentacular man, laying out another round of the same for Fel and Adir.

"What he said," Adir agrees with a glowing grin. The 'keep gets them not just water, but a hose, and they're welcome to fill as many as they like. Adir palms a particularly fat balloon. "I, uh, didn't actually see who hocked one at us. Did you?" Adir squints at the probable perpetrators. The ladies handing them out seem pretty likely...


[Beachside - Party!]

"Oh, but if we go by that defenition, we could say we are in all our worlds right now as the nexus is somhow connected to all of them, otherwise we wouldn't be here." Zhareen argues. "Anyway, of course I'd do all your fortunes! Just offer me your hand and I'll tell it. Just don't be scared! The future is nothing to be scared of!" She pauses and strokes her chin thoughfully. "Unless of course it's terrible, but then if you see it, you might be able to change it! But if you can change it, is it really the future? It'd change the moment you hear it... If not the future it predeteremined and our actions can't change anything the future at all, which means that history, and by extentions, our lives are- uh, let's just do it shall we? Who goes first?! Give me your palm, don't be shy!" She looks between them with a happy grin.


"Maybe it's just a future."
Anchor holds out her palm - wait, maybe it should be the other hand, yeah, that's better. So now she's holding out her left palm, waiting to hear what the future holds.
"Can't be any scarier than the past, right?"

"Zhareen, you're really cute and all, but you make my head hurt," Fetty says, leaning in to peer at the mer-woman and Anchor. He's got nothing more to add for the moment.

[Fenric]

A swath of crab-soldiers are burnt and briefly blinded and fall back into the sea, but they are swiftly replaced by more.

The attacking crabs don't bother trying to get all the way to the upper deck, instead climbing into the lifeboat deck and making their way inside. But more and more continue to emerge from the sea - something more decisive is going to have to be done.

[Morty]

[Beachside - Party!]

Fetty also waits for Anchor's fortune to be told, leaning against Fetty as he does so.

[Artemis97]

[Beachside Party]

"What the-?!" Joel shouts, suddenly finding himself being tackled by the kitsune. The move knocks him into Victoria and all three tumble down, soaking wet. The half-elf is dazed, but the half-fiend is left giggling. Noticing that, he smiles at her then reaches over to pat the kitsune on the head. "Thanks, little dude." Victoria needed laughter, right now, and Joel was glad the little fox fellow could provide.

[Shadowcaller]

[Beachside - Party!]

As Zhareen takes Anchor's hand, she can feel that the merfolks skin almost feels like a snake, all scale-y and slippery. The warlock places one of her claw-like fingers in the middle of Anchor's open palm and starts drawing a circle in it. Then she opens her mouth and sings, or more accurately, hums. Just a series of clear, beautiful vocals.
Then her eyes glances over as Anchor can feel Zhareen press her finger deeper into her flesh. "I see calamity and death. Disaster is coming for you, Anchor, and it will strike those around you mercilessly. Do not enter the storm that is coming, Anchor. Do not get caught up in it. If you see the storm clouds gathering, turn and flee or you might lose that which you hold dear. Fear the color of the storm." Then Zhareen let's go of Anchor's hand and appears to shrink back a bit, her eyes slowly returning back to normal.
"So how was that? Did you learn something cool?" She asks as she looks in-between the three as if she had no idea what had just happened.

[Recaiden]

Anchor winces when Zhareen presses her claw in the circle, but keeps her hand as steady as she can to listen to the fortune.
Her eyes get progressively wider as she hears it.
"I don't know about fun. Hopefully it's a useful warning."
She pulls back her fortune-telling hand and takes hold of it with the other.
"Uh, who's next?"

[deleteman900]

[Beachside Party]

"What the-?!" Joel shouts, suddenly finding himself being tackled by the kitsune. The move knocks him into Victoria and all three tumble down, soaking wet. The half-elf is dazed, but the half-fiend is left giggling. Noticing that, he smiles at her then reaches over to pat the kitsune on the head. "Thanks, little dude." Victoria needed laughter, right now, and Joel was glad the little fox fellow could provide.

The fox smiled happily, not having enough willpower to resist the urge to nuzzle into the headpats, thoughts of drowning the world forgotten for the moment as he beamed, tail swishing happily. In his supreme pleasure at headpats, only surpassed by bellyrubs, he was more than content to just sit there more or less in Joel's lap, tail swishing gently and ending up tickling his chin without meaning to, :D

[Artemis97]

Joel chuckled at the kitsune's reaction. When the little guy's tail tickled his chin, he sputtered. "Alright, I think that's enough."

Victora just smiled at them both. "That was fun. Thanks for dragging us into this."

[UncleWolf]

Above the Rocks

Sorrow gives a snort, smiling beneath her helm. "I don't know if there are any or not, but it is in our best interests to remain hopeful, isn't it?" She asks, offering Faithel a hand up. "If you give me a few moments, I can fly up and scout the area for one. I know if nothing else, there is a waterfall near by. It will be cooler, but a fire could be built next to it to warm us up afterward." She reasons. "It may be our only choice until we reach a town."

Unless prevented from flying up, she'll do so and return in a few minutes, leaving Faithel a chance to collect whichever weapon she wants. When Sorrow returns, she gives the woman a shake of her head. "No springs, but the falls are this way." She says as she walks to lead the way.

The falls are about twenty minutes away through a forest, but eventually they get there. It's a small waterfall but it looks cool and clean, and most importantly, freshwater. It falls into a deep pool of clear water, lined with rocks along the bottom and sides, and lacks a path to get to it so it'd be nice and secluded. Once they arrive, Sorrow begins to gather materials for a fire and sets a small pouch near the pool. "Soap and oils are within." She explains.

[deleteman900]

Joel chuckled at the kitsune's reaction. When the little guy's tail tickled his chin, he sputtered. "Alright, I think that's enough."

Victora just smiled at them both. "That was fun. Thanks for dragging us into this."

The kitsune's tail wags mischievously as he leans forwards, trying to steal a kiss from the half-fiend before hauling tail away, chuckling these weird, short laughs as he goes, noticeably lighter on his feet now, despite the good extra ten pounds or so from the water trapped in his fur.

[Morty]

[Beachside Party]

Fayyaad reaches out to Zhareen, curiosity apparent on his face.

[Shadowcaller]

Above the Rocks

Faithel can't say no to a helping hand, especially considering how thick her skull still felt. "Right, flyy. You go ahead and do that, savior. But if you would see a rowboat, you inform me, okayy?"

When Sorrow returns from her scout trip she will see that Faithel have at least managed to managed to put on some proper pants and a shirt. She have taken off some of her armor though and put it it in a bag, with a huge claymore sticking out of it, which she is holding over her shoulder with one hand. She waves as Sorrow comes closer. "She reeturns, pasa da'thar, so what did she find?"

As Sorrow tells her about the falls, Faithel chuckles. "You look past it for treasure? Therre is alwaays treasure behind those things." She comments before starting to follow the Sister. "But seriously, waterfalls are loud and unpleasant. Nice scenery though."

Her remark is likely confirmed once they reach the waterfall. She had imagined it to be larger however. "You know... I cannot recall last time that I bathed." Faithel remarks as she sees the oils. "Least of all using thaat sort of... chemicals."

[Murkus]

[Beachside - Party!]

Fetty looks flabbergasted and perhaps even a little frightened as Anchor's fortune is told! He blinks, grins, and his whole face changes. "Ooh, this ****'s gettin spooky! I love it," Fetty confesses, hopping up and standing behind Fayyaad, putting his hands on the tiefling's shoulders. "What do you think it'll be, sweet-cheeks? Grim and dark?"

[Deathkeeper]

A swath of crab-soldiers are burnt and briefly blinded and fall back into the sea, but they are swiftly replaced by more.

The attacking crabs don't bother trying to get all the way to the upper deck, instead climbing into the lifeboat deck and making their way inside. But more and more continue to emerge from the sea - something more decisive is going to have to be done.
Continuity Cruise Lines

Ben really doesn't have much that's decisive. He's not exactly a cannon, glass or otherwise.
Ben tries to flutter down to the lower levels to do something about the soldiers. He's really got no idea what he's doing.


"See? Easy!" Orion declares. "Now, I wouldn't suggest trying to swim out in places where the surf is dangerous or in any rushing rivers, but you've figured out the basics. So long as you can float, you're okay. So long as you remember to kick your limbs, you can slowly scoot in your desired direction. You might not be an amphibious sea mammal thing, but progress is still progress."

Orion rests his tail and hind legs in the sand, grinning down at Sam. "Now that quest one is finished, how about quest two? There's still that game of volleyball going on and now's the perfect chance to give it a try. It's quite a bit of fun, and I bet all those extra arms might come in-"

Oh no.

No.

Don't do it Orion.

You're better than this.

"-handy."

Beachside Party

Sam crosses his four arms over his belly.
"I dunno, I really don't think I'm very good at jumping around and stuff. I'm not really fast." he ponders slowly, as if proving the point.

[Shadowcaller]

[Beachside Party]

"Spooky?" Zhareen asks hesitantly, she loved spooky, but this wasn't supposed to be. It was supposed to be exciting and fun!
Though it looked like Fetty enjoyed it anyway so probably didn't matter. "Well, as long as you guys like it."

She carefully takes Fayyad's hand and once against presses her sharp finger against the palm before she starts drawing circles. She doesn't humm this time however, she just appears to go into a trance by herself. "You are being deceived, Fayyaad of Moran-Ir, a person close to you is not truthful who they are." Zhareen speaks in a grave manner, completely unlike her. "However, I see fortune in your future as well. Trust in the number of three, for you it is a blessed number. If you let it guide you, you will end up pleased." She pauses, her eyes slowly returning to normal and she let's go of the tieflings hand. "Um, was that spooky as well?"

[Lost_Deep]

Continuity Cruise Lines

"Careful!" Bella calls to Ben.

Kate is thinking... "Ben! Get inside, there's likely a few retired adventurers on board fighting, find them and give them support. We know your blessing can hurt these things, find someone who can fight and bless them!"

Kate looks at Bella, "Bella, could you shield off the lower deck?"

"Uh, yeah-"

"Okay, hold that thought." Kate watches what goes on off the side of the ship.

[Artemis97]

The kitsune's tail wags mischievously as he leans forwards, trying to steal a kiss from the half-fiend before hauling tail away, chuckling these weird, short laughs as he goes, noticeably lighter on his feet now, despite the good extra ten pounds or so from the water trapped in his fur.

Oh that was a bad idea, to steal a kiss from Victoria. She had succubus blood in her. Even a little peck would leave the kitsune feeling light headed. The half-fiend freezes in shock and fear, knowing what her lips could do.

Joel was instantly furious and runs after the kitsune, trying to grab him and pick him up.

[Reinholdt]

[Beachside Party]

Reinholdt finally manages to extract himself from the deadtime ooze that seems to have been complimentary on purchase of a box of Drake honey. Shoving the goods into his hammerspace for later consumption, he gets up and heads over to where Anchor and party are, moving next to Anchor and addressing her directly for the moment. "Hey. How's it going?"

[deleteman900]

Oh that was a bad idea, to steal a kiss from Victoria. She had succubus blood in her. Even a little peck would leave the kitsune feeling light headed. The half-fiend freezes in shock and fear, knowing what her lips could do.

Joel was instantly furious and runs after the kitsune, trying to grab him and pick him up.

The kitsune (who I should probably name at some point, XP) wasn't expecting to feel so punch-drunk off of a simple kiss and stumbled over his own feet before making it more than a dozen meters. He attempted to scramble to his feet once more, but by then it was far too late, and Joel was already bearing down on him, leaving the lithe, wiry little fox to wriggle about on the ground like a wet fish to evade any grappling the still-standing half-elf might attempt, "You'll never take me alive, coppers!" he taunts, still very much thinking this is a game, and not QUITE getting that Joel might actually be upset, o3o.

[Slii Arhem]

Beachside Party

Misha ambles up behind Victoria, having mostly divested herself of balloons and only carrying a few packets around to turn the tide in any emergency water fights she might come across. Naturally, the best way to do so was to tuck the baggies into the strings of her bikini bottom, along with one nestled snugly up top, just peeking out. Looking at the impromptu chase over the part-succubi's shoulder.

"Some people's kids, huh? You okay?" Not that she's particularly concerned, but hey, meeting new people requires more than just supplying them with biodegradable latex and cool, wet fun times.

[Recaiden]

"Only a little."
Hmm. There's someone literally close to Fayaad, but that's probably not what the fortune means.
Anchor gives a small smile; that was a nicer fortune for sure.

[Rebonack]

"I don't think you have to be that fast to play volley ball," Orion says as he peers out of the water at the nearby game. "Of all the sports I'm aware of, fastness is pretty low on the importance totem pole when it comes to volley ball. It isn't quite at the level of golf or bowling, but it's approaching that point."

Especially when you have five or six people on each team. All you have to do is cover one smallish area!

"You're here, right?" Orion inquires. "You're looking for something different to do? Or at least trying something new. So try something new."

A beat.

"Okay, well, something else new. You already did the swimming thing, so that's a plus. Or I guess you can just keep floating here? Or lounge around on the beach. Maybe dig for sand crabs."

Everyone likes digging for sand crabs, right?

Weird little things.

Meanwhile!

"Yeah! The beach!" Khannie declares as she comes charging down the path carrying a beach ball nearly as big as she is. There's a beach towel draped over one of her arms, a plastic bucket over the other, and she's wearing an adorable little one piece swim suit. At present she's indistinguishable from a normal human child. After all, Grandpa Koi taught her how to be human. And that's something very important to her. After all, she wants to be like daddy. Of course, given that her human body is quite a bit different from that of a juvenile kangaskhan she's still hilariously awkward. Which leads to more than her fair share of spills. Especially when she gets overly excited and tries hopping despite lacking a tail for counter-balance purposes.

Like right now.

Khannie springs off the top of a dune and pitches too far forward. Her face twists with the sudden realization of her mistake as the sand rapidly approaches and she gives a little squeal of surprise. That squeal gives way to a loud "Uuf!" as she belly-flops into the sand beach-ball first, the ball compressing comically before launching her skyward, leaving her towel and bucket spinning in place rather cartoonishly. The whole slap-stick scene ends with a splash as she lands flat on her back in a shallow, water filled sand trough. Several sand-crabs begin tickling at her.

After the initial shock has worn off? "Hahaha! That was fun!" Khannie exclaims with glee as she leaps to her feet, shaking water out of her hair and sprinting off toward the beach ball. "Imma do it again!"

[Morty]

Fayyaad's eyebrows rise. He can't think of anyone he'd consider close in the Nexus that might have a reason to deceive him. Maybe it's someone back home? Could be...

[B]"Then I suppose I'll pick the number three next time an opportunity presents itself," he says in response to the other part of the fortune.