[Nexus] Riverside VIII: A New Side

[Earl of Purple]

Westside- Dark Alleyway

The prone figure continues to give off a stench of rotting flesh and decomposing bodies. It's rather strong now; perhaps somebody should go and investigate.

Westside- Walking to Exbourne Manor

There's a hotel on the route. It's a bungalow-like structure with an ornate façade and it's surrounded by several chimneys erupting from the earth suggesting that it's much larger below ground than it is above ground. A sign nearby proclaims the hotel to be called the Sleeping Silence.

[Lost_Deep]

Westside - Walking to Exbourne Manor

"Pity."

She doesn't say anything more for a minute. She's kind of upset at this whole thing... this city, Light's Heart, her amnesia, the shadow inside her...

Why? Just, why? What is up with all this?

As her thoughts continue, her disposition sours visibly.

[Shadowcaller]

[Suncrest Manor]

"Yeah, relax a bit Nadia, I'm right here. You got nothing to worry about." Irena ensures her before leaning back a bit in her chair. "So what do you work as Aubrey? Why don't you tell us a bit about yourself?" She asks the cultist, mostly not to fall asleep in the chair.

[The Flying Castle]

"Good. Then we got that out of the way. Is there perhaps any other details about the city you'd like to mention to us? Something your administration like us to do?"

[Gullara]

[Suncrest Manor]

"I'm not worried..." Nadia mumbles. She closes her eyes. Okay, maybe this wasn't so bad. Irena's still totally misinterpreting it she thinks. She's not worried, it's just awkward having a strange woman on top of you when you're barely dressed. =x

[The Flying Castle]

Dacio smiles. Nope, they weren't going to get much info out of him this way. "I'm sure we can let you focus on getting settled in. I can imagine it's a process working with this whole building. Might be hard t find some place to land it. That's what you're doing, right?"

[Westside - Walking to Exbourne Manor]

Cynthia looks curiously at the hotel as they walk by it. That's a lot like the one that they stayed in in Inside. She never really paid any attention to it when she's been around this area before. Huh.

They won't be stopping though. Not when they have a nice manor to sleep in. Speaking of which. "Maybe you can stay at the manor for a couple days when you look for something?" She suggests, ignoring the fact that it's far from her place to offer.

[Halae]

[Suncrest Manor]

"I do the rounds with everybody else. you know how it goes here, with all the monsters and stuff," Aubrey says, still working Nadia's back, "There's always people on the streets and we can't protect them all, but by all that's right, we try."

[Shadowcaller]

[Suncrest Manor]

"So your... some kind of monster hunters then?" The witch asks with a raised eyebrow, making sure she doesn't close her eyes.

[The Flying Castle]

"We aren't planning to land it, no. One of the benefits of having a flying structure is keeping it flying." It replies. "Malechenar is actually built to stay in the air at all times, it isn't supposed to land unless there is an emergency. That's what we are using the platforms for. Our next step is just to move it over to northside's air space actually."

"Which reminds me, how is crime usually dealt with over here?" Rye asks.

[Gullara]

[Suncrest Manor]

Nadia appears to be only half paying attention at the moment. She makes a small sound when Aubrey works part of her back. Okay, that really does feel good.

[The Flying Castle]

"Ah, I see. It'll be a landmark at least." Dacio says, mentally filing away the information. "Crime? We have patrols and and prisons. Basically we catch any criminals we can get our hands on and the punishment varies depending on what they've done."

[Halae]

[Suncrest Manor]

"Sometimes yeah," Aubrey says, continuing to work Nadia's back with those little sounds as encouragement, "Most of the time we just make sure the regular homeless people that hang around are doing as well as they can for the moment, and give them a little support. We can't see to all of their needs, unfortunately."

[Shadowcaller]

[The Flying Castle]

The two vampires nod in unison thoughtfully. "I see."

Then the vampire might hear how the door behind him opens and yet another figure steps outside, this one with a white mask covering it's face. It's clothing looks far more practical then the two vampires however, a pair of snug-fitting black pants combined with a black long-sleeved short and a hood which covers most of it's head.

"Ah, let me introduce you to Radian Niccaru from the fourth tower." Celestel is quick to introduce the newcomer. "He's our guest at the moment and have interests into putting a compound into riverside."

"Yes... do you know of the fourth tower? We are quite widespread." The man says in a chilling voice.

[Riftline]

Cynthia grins. "Okay, but I get to be the princess!" She says enthusiastically. This is going to be so much fun.

[Riftline]

"Didn't you have any friends to play with back in hell Cynthia?" Astrana asks before the train suddenly stops and people starts to leave. She get's out of her seat as well and starts moving towards the exit.

[Suncrest Manor]

"Sounds like what I'm trying to do." Irena replies. "So do you know the name Slaanesh?" Really smooth there Irena.

[Lost_Deep]

[Westside - Walking to Exbourne Manor]

Cynthia looks curiously at the hotel as they walk by it. That's a lot like the one that they stayed in in Inside. She never really paid any attention to it when she's been around this area before. Huh.

They won't be stopping though. Not when they have a nice manor to sleep in. Speaking of which. "Maybe you can stay at the manor for a couple days when you look for something?" She suggests, ignoring the fact that it's far from her place to offer.

Eadelain shrugs. "Perhaps." She doesn't seem too hopeful on this prospect. Or at all.

[Gullara]

[Exbourne Manor]

Soon enough they shall arrive at the manor. (At a different timeline than Astrana and she will be arriving in soon, of course.) "Here we are!" The demon says. Man does she live in a nice place.

[Exiting Riftline]

Cynthia follows the tiefling, trying to take her hand as to not get separated. "Somethings. Sometimes not really though. I like it better here."

[Suncrest Manor]

"That sounds nice." Nadia says lazily in response to Aubrey. she's dangerously close to actually being completely relaxed. She's practically putty in Aubrey's hands right now.

That is, until Irena brings up Slaanesh. The lampades lifts her head to look at Irena. Aubrey will most definitely notice Nadia tensing up a bit.

[The Flying Castle]

"I'm afraid not, but it looks like I'll be finding out more in not too long. It's nice to meet you." Dacio says. "So what does your organization do?" He asks curiously.

[Shadowcaller]

[The Flying Castle]

"We search for power basically, everywhere we can find it. A group of our members are actually interested in your form of vampyrism. They have requested that I should present their request to you once we get to meet." Niccaru replies with the same cold tone.

[Exiting Riftline]

Astrana sigh inwards as she have to take CYnthia's hand to lead her out, this felt a bit silly. "So you're planning to stay here forever then?" She asks. "You do realize you have to go and school and so on right?"

[Lost_Deep]

Exbourne Manor

Eadelain looks up at the manor. She decides she'll ask. She will ask and then if they say no she will leave.

And Cynthia... bah, who cares about Cynthia. Not Eadelain; other people do. She has a home and a happy life, and good for her. But what good is she?

(The effects of the glamor are starting to wane a little, but the above thought process is heavily altered by her mood... She's not honestly that apathetic toward Cynthia. Yet.)

[Gullara]

[The Flying Castle]

"Oh really?" Huh, Dacio wouldn't have expected that. "And what's the request?"

[Exiting Riftline]

"Huh? School?" It's very unlikely she's had any formal education, though that doesn't mean she's uneducated. "What do you mean?"


((I'll post for Lost in my next post.))

[Shadowcaller]

[The Flying Castle]

"To be turned of course." The man replies casually. "Is this possible?"

[Exiting Riftline]

"A school is a place where mortals learn things, like how to do math or the letters of the alphabet. I went to a school in my compound, I suspect it was a great deal more liberal then schools in my world usually are though." Astrana explains as they slowly make their way up the stairs.

[Halae]

[Suncrest Manor]

The blunt Delivery, plus Nadia's sudden tenseness make aubrey look over towards Irena, finally, thought she continues trying to work Nadia's back, "I would think you'd know that answer to that, Irena." She was there for Jezebel's speech, after all.

[Gullara]

[The Flying Castle]

Dacio blinks in surprise. "Oh. Well, I'm sure someone would be willing to do it for you." It's not everyday someone who didn't grow up in Gul-Thadar wants to be turned.

[Westside - Streets]

"That sounds kinda boring." Cynthia replies to Astrana. She doesn't want to do boring stuff!

[Exbourne Manor]

"Let's go see my room." Cynthia will guide Eadelain inside. Seems to be no one around in the immediate present. The demon guides her upstairs and down a hallway. She reaches a room which she unlocks with a key.

"Here it is." Inside is a rather large room with fine, though fairly sparse, decoration. It definitely has signs of being lived in, likely in the form of some of Astrana's stuff around. There are two beds in the room. One is a large queen size, while the other is a cot that looks a bit more out of place.

[Lost_Deep]

Exbourne Manor

Eadelain looks at the room. Hmm... not much to look at, but it's not squalid. she naturally assumes that the cot is Cynthia's. Ultimately, this doesn't matter as much as whether this place is willing to take her... and whether it's safe.

"So... what is it like to live here?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Suncrest Manor]

"So what's up with that? Why do you serve that entity? For the pleasure? The transformations?" Irena asks Aubrey, looking at her closely to see if she can spot any mutations.

[The Flying Castle]

"Excellent, when and where should I send the willing?" The fourth tower member asks.

[Exbourne Manor]

A tiefling enters the room holding a tray with food, her eyes quickly drawn to the new girl.



"Who's your new friend Cynthia?" Astrana asks as she places the trey on a nearby table.

[Gullara]

[Exbourne Manor]

"It's pretty nice. I hang out with Astrana mos-" Cynthia whirls around to face the tiefling. "Oh, hey Astrana. This is Eadelain. I met her on the street and we went for ice cream and I wanted to show her the mansion."

[The Flying Castle]

"Ah, it might be best if I have someone contact you to discuss it some more. I don't have the final word in this." Dacio says.

[Shadowcaller]

[The Flying Castle]

"Of course, discuss it with your superiors. I will pay you a visit later so I can speak with them directly. I feel there is a lot of unclaimed potential here, things we could share with you as well." Niccaru replies, touching the chin of his mask.

If Dacio have paid any attention it appears as if Lord Rye have left you, leaving only the other shadow vampire behind.

"A very good idea, we need to make more visits between each other. The key to a good community is discussion after all. We really need to build a community with the other groups around here as well, like the local monster hunters. A pleasant group of people if our agents are to be believed, a bit asocial but what can you expect from a group which is traditionally devoted to hunt us? I trust you have had problems with them as well?"

[Lost_Deep]

Exbourne Manor

"Hello."

Eadelain looks Astrana over. Well... it's certainly not any odder than what she's been spending time with recently. In any case, there's no reason to be alarmed. Just polite.

[Shadowcaller]

[Exbourne Manor]

"I see." Astrana says with a glance at the new girl. "Well as long as you don't touch any of my stuff, could be dangerous you know?" She warns them before placing her trey at the desk in the corner of the room. "So where are you from Eadelain?"

[Gullara]

[Exbourne Manor]

Cynthia goes and sits on the bed. The bed which is suspiciously void of covers. In fact, all the blankets and pillows in the room, as well as a few that weren't there initially, have been brought into one of the far corners of the room and used to make a ramshackle fort.

[The Flying Castle]

"I've heard a bit about them. Our encounters with them haven't exactly been friendly, but things have remained civil." Dacio replies. It's not entirely the truth, but close enough.

[Lost_Deep]

Exbourne Manor

"I am currently staying at Light's Heart... but there is some trouble, and I want to leave. Beyond that, I have solid amnesia and all attempts to break it have been useless."

She shrugs. Not the best story to tell, but accurate.

[Halae]

[Suncrest Manor]

"So what's up with that? Why do you serve that entity? For the pleasure? The transformations?" Irena asks Aubrey, looking at her closely to see if she can spot any mutations.

[Suncrest Manor]

Aubrey smiles, "Those are perks, but they aren't the reason," he says, "I'm... weird. I've always felt uncomfortable in my own body. The cult has helped me get past that and feel accepted for who and what I am."

No mutations are apparent, beyond being unnaturally hawt in an androgynous way.

[Shadowcaller]

[Exbourne Manor]

[The Flying Castle]

"How fortunate. We ourselves don't exactly live at the best of terms with the hunters of our own world so we are glad that there are some examples of good faith between our two groups. Perhaps you like to share how you maintained such an good relationship?" The shadow vampire asks.

But before he can reply Niccaru interrupts, "I suppose I shall take my leave then unless there was something else you wished to discuss while I were here." The masked cult member says.

[Suncrest Manor]

"Right, I have had some experiences with Slaanesh myself actually." Irena says. "So what is the worship around him based around exactly? What sort of rituals do you have?" Her tone still neutral as she leans against the wall in a relaxed pose.

Exbourne Manor

"Amnesia huh? I had a friend with that, her short-term memory was messed up for a while, had to help him remember things you told her five seconds ago. I'm guessing it isn't that kind of amnesia though, right?" The tiefling asks, watching the other girl curiously.

[Gullara]

[The Flying Castle]

"Nothing I can think of. It was nice meeting you." Once Niccaru leaves, Dacio replies to the vampire. "In all honesty, for the most part we've stayed out of each other's way. No secret to it, really."

[Suncrest Manor]

Nadia lies her head down again, but Aubrey is going to have to work at getting her so relaxed again. This direction the conversation is going in worries her.

[Exbourne Manor]

Cynthia says nothing for now. She'll just listen to the other two curiously.

[Lost_Deep]

Exbourne Manor

"No, my short term memory is solid. But my first memory is waking up in a bed... apparently I was unceremoniously dumped on the front steps of the temple. Anything further I can't remember."

Astrana may notice that Eadelain is not really acting her age... she's more mature, somehow. Not too terribly grown up, but she's acting older than she looks.

[Shadowcaller]

Exbourne Manor

"So you're an orphan as far as you know, suffering from a mysteriously specific amnesia?" Astrana asks with a raised eyebrow. "Have you noticed anything special with yourself then Eadelain? Any special knowledge? Manifested any powers?"

[The Flying Castle]

"Ah, perhaps we should correct that then, lack of communication usually lead to conflict in our experience. In fact, I think this whole city would work better if the different parts communicated more with each other. Now it's split into smaller parts without any centralized government. What do you say about some kind of meeting between the different parts, do you think that could be arranged?" Whyrn asks.