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    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Rebonack's Avatar

    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    The King's Grave

    Default Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    Current Events: It's Thanksmas time! Snow is beginning to fall around the city and festivities are preparing to get underway.

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

    But what is this place, you ask?

    Inside is everything within the City Walls. As opposed to Outside, which is everything without. Except Seaside. And Riverside. And Skyside. And all the other Sides that have cropped up in recent years. This strange, whimsical city is the center of a planar Nexus, a crossing point between all possible (and some impossible) worlds. One can find just about anything in this wondrous place, dreams that defy imagination and terrors that freeze the soul. People and whole places are regularly drawn into the Nexus, added to the chaotic melting pot of all realities.

    The city is surrounded by defensive walls, with an artificially and accidentally created moat outside the walls, a moat that has been diverted into a river-channel for one many bodies of water flowing through Inside. A gap in the walls and a bridge allow for entrance into the city proper, the main gate opening up to welcome newcomers Inside.

    Welcome, traveler, to the City of Inside. The only boundaries you find within are the bounds of your own imagination.


    Rules

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    Rules

    1:Please Spoiler any Fanservice in this thread! It is accepted that there will of course be some, and that romance and curtains happen. However, please be courteous to others and spoiler any scene that goes on for a little while, and if it reaches the point, curtain. This is so you can stay within forum rules, as well as letting those uninterested in the scene, pass by. Thank you.

    2:Godmodding is not permissible! As stated in the rules in the FFRP Central Thread,, godmodding is generally not allowed without permission. If you're shaky on what might be, and what might not be godmodding, please follow the above link.

    3:Intersection. Please remember when doing any plots or large events, that even though it has it's own thread, Intersection - the Inside Police Force and Army - is located in Inside, and may respond to events, or may be asked to respond to them.

    4:All Inside-Wide/Nexus-Wide plots need to be brought up in OOC first! We all want to have the entire city be cast into a frozen wasteland from time to time, but such things need to be brought up in OOC first, to allow players plenty of warning, and so people don't feel like anything is being forced upon them that they don't want to RP.

    5:Inside is not Space! Anything involving massive spaceships, meteors, satellites, Lasers From Space, and the like, do not belong in this thread. Few PCs have the ability to fight off an orbital bombardment, so it is considered unfair to be able to call down such things inside Inside. The place for these sorts of things should be in Outside, or another thread all together.


    Zones and Streets
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    Zones:
    In the Zone(s): The City of Inside is separated into three zones that represent the general threat level color coded for your convenience.

    The Blue Zones are upper-class, well to do portions of Inside. You're pretty darn safe here.

    The Grey Zones consists of the more traditionally urban parts of inside. Certainly no gated community, but it isn't immediately life threatening either.

    The Red Zones represents the parts of the City that are degenerate, destitute, or downright dangerous. Sometimes all of the above. If you're poking around a Red Zone be ready to get jumped by Orks or ghouls or killer robots or something.

    Streets:

    Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Hodgepodge Street? The City of Inside also has a number of Streets. The Streets aren't a street in the literal sense, but rather portions of the City with a particular theme. While one can find anything anywhere in the City there are none the less areas were certain settings predominate. The Riftline monorail public transit system allows for quick and easy access between the many Streets of Inside, as well as take your PCs to other popular locations within the Nexus. Best of all it's fast and free!

    If you have an idea for a Street feel free to suggest it in the OOC thread.

    Hodgepodge Street: The generically modern setting! Hodgepodge Street is perhaps the most plastic of the Streets, displaying a decent mix of all settings, though modern predominates. Generally speaking most locations without a Street name will be found here. The most commonly seen locations here are the Streets and the Slums. Occasionally The Rooftops if someone is feeling daring.

    Steele Street: Need a Victorian location with all sorts of choking industrial pollution? Need an always-night urban landscape with superficial resemblance to 1800s London? Well Steel Street is by far the best place Inside to come down with Black Lung Disease! With spooky stinky fog, gross waterways, and the occasional murderer who may or may not be spring-heeled. Come for the fish and chips! Stay for the gritty atmosphere!

    Arkham Street: Spanning 1920s-1930s style fantastic horror, Arkham Street is home of such spooky locations as Philip Memorial Library, the haunted Carter House, and Dunwich Park. Ah Arkham Street, where the clustering gambled roofs sway and sag above the attics where witches hid from the king's men in the dark olden days of Town. The Town is gone, but the witches are still here! And the monsters, and the cultists, and the regular folks just trying not to lose their minds.

    Metropolis Square: It's Atom Age or Deco Punk or whatever you want to call it! 1930-50s era retro science fiction with ray guns and mad scientists and nuclear powered robots who just want to learn the meaning of love. This part of Inside is known for its slick hats, era cars, smooth jazz, a robotic workforce, and square-jawed heroes.

    The Skyway: High up above the tops of the tallest skyscrapes one can find The Skyway! A high future urban cityscape of floating buildings of glass and chrome and steel and plastic. And a space port too, if you feel like leaving the planet for whatever reason. Think Jetsons with more foot paths. Riftline, of course, grants access to The Skyway to for those not blessed with flying cars.

    [Burnt Chrome Street:] Need some cyberpunk action? You got some cyberpunk action! The gritty future of cyber-criminals clashing against government and corporate forces! With cyborgs and hackers and stuff! Grungy urban sprawl, a decaying job market, and an oppressed underclass mark this area of Inside. Burnt Chromes Street is the distopian counter-point to The Skyway's more optimistic vision of what the future holds.

    Market Street: Market Street is the ye olde portion of Inside, complete with bards, fools, open market places, and the occasional damsel in distress. While products of any age can be found in the sprawling street booths everything is done ye olde style-e. If you need a chase scene to crash through a fruit-cart this is the place to do it.

    Deadwood Street: The wild, wild west. Located on the edge of Inside this is the western part of the city. And that means any kind of western. From spegetti to steampunk to magical. Whether you need to hang around a saloon, have a duel a high noon, or go riding off into the sunset Deadwood Street is your best bet.

    PokéStreet: By popular demand! This one should be obvious enough. PokéCenters and PokéMarts and PokéGyms and PokéParks and PokéNarwhals and everything else Poké-related! Great place to visit if you feel like watching some adorable animals beat the tar out of each other. Just watch out for the tall grass. You never know what might be lurking in there.

    Carousel Court: So much pony. Carousel Court contains the majority of the City's pony population as well as a healthy helping of non-pony quadrupedal sapient races. Ranging from quaint thatched roof cottages to the towering mane offices of Roseluck Agrifirm to the opulent stables of the well-to-do Carousel Court has it all. The sweet tooth of ponies is absolutely legendary around Inside and if you're looking for a sugary treat, Carousel Court is the place to visit.


    Locations
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    The Red Zones
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    Just because here are some nice quick descriptions of the various Red Zones that see some degree of use. Or at least the ones that I'll run NPCs in if I get prodded at or notice someone's PC poking around there. I don't control everything in these locations and other people are free to run things here, just keep the Lethality level in mind. Anyone exploring one of the Red Zones will find caches of magical or technological trinkets to make the danger worth their while. The higher the lethality rating the better the loot!

    The Slums: (Lethality Level Low) Accessed from Hodgepodge Street. The Slums are a generally urban area of decay and disrepair. It's a pretty good place to run into muggers, thugs, vampires, random monsters, and other generically nasty things. People live in squalor here, but no one can really figure out WHY since the rest of the City is available for habitation and has fewer flesh eating mildew patches.

    The Sewers: (Lethality Level Low) Accessed from anywhere Inside. The adventure Sewers are not to be confused with the gross functional sewers. Where the former are huge underground tunnels filled with relatively clean flowing water, ghouls, oozes, rats, and treasure, the latter are just filled with poo. Some portions of the Sewers are infested with far worse creatures, but thankfully those nasty things have been dormant for a long time. Or so they say...

    The Mispelled Cemetary:
    (Lethality Level Variable) Accessed form Market Street. The Mispelled Cemetary is fully of the restless spirits of the unded who have been ripped from there eternal rest due to the endless propagation of spelling errors on the Internet. The unded in the cemetary proper are pretty week, but catacombs below the cemetary can be accessed through the various crypts on the surface. The deeper into the catacombs ones travels the nastier the unded get. Beware the Eternal Bone Horrers.

    Midnight Park: (Lethality Level Moderate) This place enshrines a patch of forest so thick that light never reaches the ground. The smallest trees are wider than most people are tall, and the largest are truly awe-inspiring. The forest floor is a maze of twisting roots, fallen branches, and decaying leaves. There is never a breath of wind among the massive trunks, and the atmosphere is oppressive with fear and gloom.

    Or...

    At least it used to be oppressive with fear and gloom. Fear and gloom are still around, but they aren't nearly as bad.

    Foot paths have been cleared through the forest and lanterns hung up that glow with cool silvery white light to keep the feral shadows at a distance from anyone who decides to walk in the cool of the shadows. Undead creatures that stray too close to the magical lanterns will find themselves illuminated by incandescent sunlight until they retreat back to a safe distance. Signs have been set up admonishing visitors to stay on the paths and warning of the unspeakable doom that will probably befall them if they don't.

    Shadows prowl the darkness, their red eyes glinting in the gloom and the air filled with their hungry whispers, though they're loath to approach the paths. There's the occasional bodak or feral vampire spawn lurking around in the park as well, but they tend to keep well away from the paths since those areas are mostly commonly patrolled by the park's custodians.

    The custodians, of course, being Team Nightmćre. It isn't at all uncommon to find patrols of nightmćre shadelings poking about, chatting with visitors, maintaining the trails, or installing new equipment around the park to make visits by the living more pleasant.

    The Dungeons of Doom: (Lethality Level Moderate) Accessed from the Sewers. The Dungeons of Doom consists of a seemingly endless descent of themed dungeon floors filled with generally silly monsters and puzzles. But don't let the silliness fool you, the place is plenty deadly if you get too careless. Remember to pay proper respects to giant marble busts of science fiction and fantasy authors that might block your path.

    The Radiation Pit:
    (Lethality Level Moderate) Accessed from Metropolis Square. The Radiation Pit is exactly what it sounds like. A blasted crater full of radiation and the sorts of things you would expect to arise in 50's era films about radiation. So mostly giant irradiated arthropods. The danger here, aside from the radiation mutants, is mostly from environmental hazards. Make sure to pack plenty of Rad-Away.

    Bombed Out Zone:
    (Lethality Level Moderate) Accessed from Hodgepodge Street. A ruined urban landscape of burned out cars, shattered skyscrapers, and crumbling overpasses. It is the site of an ongoing three way battle between zombies, killer robots, and aliens. Getting caught between the factions is pretty dangerous, but scavenging the remains after a battle can yield some great loot.

    Black Goat Woods: (Lethality Level High) Accessed from Arkham Street. Black Goat Woods is a park full of awful eldritch abominations. If you go in un-warded you will almost certainly die a horrible death if you're fortunate. With proper warding by the Elder Sign this Red Zone is just dangerous and maddening rather than a complete death trap. If you need to collect some tomes of forbidden lore or repulsive idols try snooping around here. Just remember that Cthulhu eats 2d6 investigators per round.

    Everfree Park: (Lethality Level High) Accessed from Carousel Court. This is a wilderness within the heart of the City that hates you and wants you to die. The laws of physics and magic shift here chaotically and without warning. Powerful monsters roam the trees hunting for anyone foolish enough to stumble in. Everything that exists in this park, even the very air you're breathing, is a malevolent force that seeks your destruction. Enter at your own risk.


    Azik's Enchantments(Player: Halae, Grey Zone)

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    Those in the area will hear a rumbling as the Nexus begins pulling in something larger than just a single person. Reality bends, and the shape of portal opens above a certain street corner. For a sickening moment, nothing happens, but then things start coming out of the portal - all of them are bricks, building up finally to a door and a roof, with tiny windows built in. There's even a large chimney sticking out of the center of this strange, conical building that begins puffing rainbow smoke almost immediately.

    A creature steps out the front door, though many wouldn't consider it a creature - He is a warforged, a living golem. Covered in what appears to be adamantine plates, he looks up and down the street, his longcoat catching in the breeze. as it flutters, one can see a multitude of wands, schema, and scrolls all attached to several belts around his waist and upper legs. On his eyes he wears a pair of blue tinted shades, despite his lack of ears, and the metal orbs that serve as his eyes glow green behind these spectacles. He looks up and down the street. He doesn't seem to be particularly disturbed by the change in location, but he does take the time to call out, in a metallic voice:

    "Azik's Enchantments is open for business! Come find a potion, a wand, a scroll to fit any need! We have spellbooks for beginners and experts! Weapons of all shapes and sizes, and armor unlike anything you've ever seen! Come find what you're looking for here!"

    And then he heads back inside. So much work, so little time. Inside is as strange as outside, with magic trinkets lining the walls on shelves, but all behind the counter, to keep any stupid kid with the idea to steal something from doing so. You can find just about anything magical here, and that which you can't find, Azik the Warforged can make within a more than reasonable timeframe.


    Emergency Bunkers
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    Eight bunker-like structures in a ring-like arrangement at about the midpoint between the walls (or the docks) and the center of the city have been completed.

    The interior of each is rather dull, rather befitting a bunker, but there are underground areas beneath the visible bunkers. These are similarly dull and military-styled, but they also act as hospitals.

    These are mostly designed with emergencies such as shelling in mind, and are usually closed.


    Emergency Clinics

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    Like the bunkers the clinics are spread through-out the City and are equipped with technology akin to a modern emergency room. Since there's no magical healing available the speed of recovery is going to be noticeably lower than what is available at one of Inside's many temples. However their availability makes them absolutely vital in the application of life-saving care.


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

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

    Is that a siege crossbow sitting in the corner?


    Evolution Industries Headquarters + Factories
    (Player: Darkcomet, Blue Zone)
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    The headquarters of the company known as Evolution Electronics and Power is a fairly standard-looking modern-day tower in appearance, not quite reaching the level of skyscraper.

    The company owns a large factory nearby, used in production of its MACE units, and potentially other products, should it be desired.

    The company also possesses a number of other factories around the city, used for production of weaponry and other military materiel.

    Retail outlets for Evolution's products are scattered around the city.


    Hastings and Sons Mortuary (player: Ashen Lilies, Grey Zone)
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    Near one of the older parts of the city sits a large and somewhat dour building of brick and mortar, built in the traditional sense, with a metal plaque by the door that reads (predictably enough):
    Hastings and Sons
    MORTUARY
    For the preparation of the dearly departed.

    And indeed, should one go in one should find all the trappings of a conventional mortuary, including several large visitation rooms, run by this guy:
    Though of course, usually without the zombie there.
    In recent times however, the true business of the resident Mortician has branched into a more heretical bent, offering certain services to the living impaired (more commonly known as the foul Undead). These start at simple healings and flesh grafts (the flesh occasionally obtained 'legitimately', when a body comes in for cremation and the Mortician gives them an urn full of wood-ash, but usually corpses are obtained through donations from customers or good old fashioned grave-robbing). But services can also range into body part replacement and augmentation for the undead who wishes his creator had seen fight to give him a giant lobster claw or retractable venomous spines, or even full body/flesh reconstruction for the self-conscious lich (or lich in disguise, though making your new flesh look like someone else usually costs extra) or the zombie in his golden years. These customers usually come in through the back door, where there is a plaque listing the full list of services. Though of course some are brazen enough to come through the front door anyway.

    ((PM if you wish to interact with the Mortician, as Ashen Lilies may not always check the thread.))


    MagMart (Player: Lord Magtok, Blue Zone)
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    An absurd mash-up of K-Mart, Wall-Mart, Target, and every other vile retail chain, MagMart is staffed by an unswervingly loyal Magbots, lobotomized talking cats that are too brain-dead to know any better, several voodoo spirits, and a pickle jar that everyone insists is a sentient being that only communes with those who truly believe in it.

    Here you can find everything from curtains to carpets, macaroni to monkeys on motorcycles, groceries to zombies. The staff is always happy to help (or else), and if you aren't entirely satisfied with your shopping experience, you can pay a small fee to watch the MagMart employee of your choosing get fired out the MagMart complimentary employee morale cannon.


    Magnificus Theater (Player: ThePhantom, Red Zone)
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    This large theater is an attempt to bring culture to the city of the Inside. Plays are regularly show here, and if desired other events can be held here.

    The walls of the theater are colored with three shades of blue in a wave pattern. Inside the theater are a pair of grand staircases, with the railing colored gold, while the stone of the stairs is white. The stage itself is one of the largest in the Nexus, carefully designed for the greatest enjoyment.

    Rules: Please, no violence. If you must have some violent action in a theater, pm me first.


    MERC Office (Player: Morty, Grey Zone)
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    The building that serves as MERC's de facto embassy in Inside is now open for business (though there is a separate MERC thread that serves as a meta location to post in). It's a large, newly constructed office building with a very no-nonsense look to it. Its purpose is to do business, not more and not less.

    Once inside, the prospective licensed mercenaries will be confronted with a large hall lined with tables, behind which NPCs work at filing and cataloguing the people who arrive to receive their certificates. At least one actual MERC member is also usually on a shift in the building.


    Sable Spire (Player: Darkcomet, Blue Zone)
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    A great, black-colored tower now stands at the highest point of the Skyway. Appearing mostly similar to a modern-day skyscraper, albeit more futuristic, reinforced, and armored. Upon close examination, some parts of the tower appear to conceal compartments of some sort, likely something along the lines of concealed defensive turrets. the top portion of the tower is rather different in appearance.

    It appears as a truly massive hatch, similar to what one might see over a missile silo under normal circumstances.

    This hatch opens into the landing area of the aerial aircraft carrier Sanctuary, the main asset of the Altaran Irregulars. Said landing area is set to act as an elevator, capable of moving up to the top of the tower or moving back down to conceal whatever is landed (usually the aforementioned carrier) under the heavily armored hatch.

    The Spire, constructed by Remnant in an alliance with the Altaran Irregulars, is now a major base for the the latter, who currently act alongside Remnant in protecting the city. Their troops largely use the same equipment as Remnant's, but use the old Imperial black-and-navy color scheme to distinguish themselves.


    The The Temperance Teahouse (Grey Zone) Owned by Artemis
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    In an old section of the city stands a wooden building of ancient construction. From inside comes the sound of good conversation and, occasionally, music being played. The scents of exotic teas, spices, and good foods drift out onto the street. along with the scents and sounds come an aura of peace and comfort. It's a nice place here, you could definitely stick around for a while, to escape the general madness of the city.

    Two wings extend out from the main building. To the north (the right side as you face the tea house) is an extension of the main structure, still made of wood, the architecture is slightly different and more brightly colored, and also noticeably newer. The west side of the building is surrounded by a stone wall, enclosing a garden. The garden ends at a low stone building running the length of the west wall.

    [Restaurant]
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    Inside the restaurant is filled with tables and chairs, spread out across the dark hardwood floors. Thick wooden pillars support the second floor and the roof, their tops carved with geometric designs. At the north side of the restaurant is a long counter, surrounding an open kitchen. Steam and smoke drift up from the fires and the woks used for cooking. A shelf along the back wall is filled with dozens of tins, each containing a particular tea or herbal blend. Interspersed among them are tea kettles, each one used to brew a particular type of tea.

    The center of the restaurant is open to the second floor. Stairs lead up to more seating on the second level, which looks down on the restaurant below over carved wooden balconies. The ceiling above the open space is painted with a mural of a golden dragon floating through the clouds and circling the sun.

    Seats on the west side of the building go fast, as they offer the best view of the gardens. The south and east sides offer views of the bustling streets below. The north side of the second floor has no windows and sits above the kitchen, so it is often darker and smokier than the rest of the restaurant.

    Menu
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    Drinks

    Herbal Tea
    Green Tea
    Black Tea
    White Tea
    Yellow Tea
    Red Tea
    Blue Tea - Mentally stimulating.
    Purple Tea - Very relaxing and slightly hallucinogenic.
    Iced Tea - Served sweet or unsweet, with or without lemon.
    Sake - Available chilled, heated, or at room temperature.
    Lychee Wine - A rich sweet drink with a deep golden color. Pairs well with seafood. Served cold.

    Food

    Dim Sum
    Sushi
    Stir Fry - Served over rice or noodles
    Noodles
    Soup
    Rice Cakes

    Sweets

    Ice Cream - Vanilla, Green Tea, Red Bean, and Mango flavoured.
    Dragon's Beard Candy - A spun sugar similar to cotton candy.
    Moon Cake - A dense sweet cake around a salted egg yolk "moon".
    Sun Cake - A crunchy pastry filled with a sugary cream.
    Tempura Fried Bananas - Served over ice cream.


    [North Wing]
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    The north wing of the restaurant is of newer construction. It is more brightly painted and more heavily decorated than the main restaurant. Two doorways on each floor lead to a U shaped hallway that runs through the north wing. Sliding paper screens from the inner walls, so that they can be slid aside and make the spaces much larger. The lower floor holds private rooms that can be reserved for larger parties or special meetings. These rooms typically have a long low table surrounded by cushions. The second floor rooms have more flexible floor plans. Most have tables and chairs, often used to host card or board games. A few can be rented out for sleeping quarters, but patrons are reminded that the walls are, literally, paper thin. Disruptive behaviour will have you evicted without a refund.


    [Garden]
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    The west wing of the tea house is a large garden surrounded by stone wall. A circular gate leads directly from the garden to the streets, as well as doors leading into the restaurant. The garden itself is carefully kept, trees and bushes trained and cut into pleasing shapes. Stone lanterns and statues decorate the garden. Two pools filled with koi fish sit diagonally from one another, connected together by a stream filled with river rocks. The sound of trickling water fills the garden. A winding path leads through the garden and over a low stone bridge. On the far side of the bridge, the path passes through another circular gate guarded by two stone dragons on plinths. the pair stare down at any visitors, questioning their intentions in passing through their gate.

    Beyond the Dragon Gate the path becomes perfectly straight. On either side are large black stones surrounded by carefully raked white sand. The path passes under a red Torii gate before encountering the low stone building at the far side of the garden. The building runs the full length of the west wall and is open to the garden. Large prayer wheels line the opening and are turned by the breeze or visiting people. The walls within the building are heavily decorated and covered in hanging scrolls. At the centre of the building is a shrine, covered in candles. Behind it is a mural depicting scenes of a warrior, a golden dragon, and the sun. Sitting on the shrine a wooden statue of a warrior, sitting in meditation, his sword set aside. The wood is lacquered and carefully inlaid with delicate patterns in gold. From the statue emanates a strong aura of peace, which spreads throughout the entire property.


    NPCs
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    Hideki - A large man with a red face and a long nose, he is most often found in the kitchen, cooking up tasty things.
    Hanako - An older woman, her black hair streaked with grey. She is Hideki's wife and most often found behind the counter serving tea.
    Sakura - A lovely young woman and the daughter of Hideki and Hanako. She acts as a waitress and sometimes plays music.



    OOC: Please Read. Important information.
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    The Teahouse and garden are protected by an aura of non-violence. Violent acts cannot be committed here. You cannot attack another patron or do anything that would cause them bodily harm. Anyone who attempts it will find it extremely hard to convince themselves to do it. If a particularly willful person overcomes this compulsion, something in the environment will intervene, as if by seemingly random chance, to protect their victim as if by divine intervention. Because that's exactly what it is.


    Needle and Thread (Blue Zone, Player: Artemis97)
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    On one side of a wide cobblestoned street is a small shop. The sign hanging over the door depicts a simple spool of thread, pierced by a needle. No words were included, as a courtesy to those who could not read, nor were they needed. It was clear from the merchandise displayed in the two large windows on either side of the door that this was a clothing boutique. The right side displayed the latest in women's fashions, dresses and skirts in unique designs, all detailed by hand with beading and embroidery. The left window showed men's clothing, from a beautifully tailored three piece suit, cut from expensive fabrics, to the very best in adventuring style, rugged and sturdy, clearly built to last.

    Inside, racks and mannequins display more clothing, split down the middle between men's and women's fashions. The back wall held rolls of fabric, some plain, others with obviously magical properties. A large, three-sided mirror sits in the back corner, next to a small changing stall. On the other side is a small counter holding a cash register, behind that the door that led to a small workroom.

    The Needle and Thread is a clothing shop specializing in custom tailoring and speciality designs. It is owned and operated by Lillith Rock, and the kindly fiendish woman can usually be found behind the counter, or working on orders in the back workroom.


    Pontius' Custom Constructs
    (Player: Earl of Purple, Grey Zone)
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    The caravan of 6 wagons (I never said 3! Well, I did, but still.) arrives at a warehouse, previously for sale. The gnomes lead the golems and other constructs inside, and get to work. The warehouse has an open yard at the main entrance, and several golems, like crude figures of worked stone or wood, stand in the yard. A gnome wearing an apron over smart-yet-practical artisan's clothes and puts a sign up.


    Pontius's Custom Constructs
    Golems of Any Material* at Unbelievably Low Prices!!!**
    You Won't Find a Golem, Gargoyle, Guardian or Homonculus Cheaper!!***
    Come Now and Buy 1 Get 1 Full Price!!!****



    *Flesh has an additional charge. **Define 'low'. ***Except at our competitors. ****Terms and conditions apply.


    Sanctuary Fortress of Zoemaytare (Player: Rebonack, Blue Zone)

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    Like so many other prominent buildings in Town, or not so prominent buildings for that matter, this place seemed to pop up out of nowhere over night.

    Buildings are like mushrooms in Town. Probably spread via spores, too.

    Regardless, here it is. A rather sizeable campus marble hewn from the mountains some distance away. Carved and hauled here near the edge of the slums where they were no doubt assembled. Though... no one can quite place a finger on when this happened.

    Though the buildings aren't of only cold hard stone, no. There are timbers as well. Not what one might expect, however. They seem almost organic. As though they had grown into place rather than being hewn.

    Oddness aside, the temple is arranged in a rather interesting fashion. Several concentric wall and courtyards ending in a central temple.

    The outer wall is lower than the rest, each tier of the temple built onto higher ground like a wedding cake. Each wall is topped with a roof supported on the inside by pillars, creating a sheltered walkway. The exact use of these porches depends on the section of the temple one happens to be in.

    Anyone is allowed entry through the first wall and into the first court, the Court of Meeting. Beyond the second wall only worshippers of Zoemaytare are allowed admittance to the second court, the Court of the Blessed. Beyond the third wall only the priests are allowed, where they carry out holy rituals within the temple itself.

    The Court of Meeting is dedicated to service of those the worshippers of Zoemaytare dwell among. Food is prepared for the hungry here and given out without expectation of recompense. Those without a place to lay their head are allowed to sleep within the porch. The grounds beyond the porch are devoted to a wondrous garden boasting vibrancy and spectacular color. This are is always comfortably warm and brimming with life. Wounds heal faster as the body is refreshed. Undead creatures will find that remaining here is decidedly uncomfortable.

    The sky above the temple seems to be perpetually clear, filled with pleasant sunlight in the day and cloaked with gossamer stars at night. Benches are set up here and there, under trees with hanging branches and above fragrant shrubbery. A lively stream flows endlessly in a circuit about the Court, spilling into several larger pools and meandering up a small outcrop of stone before cascading back down the other side.

    This section of the temple is tended by members of the faith. Not priests, though devote. They can be found tending the garden and serving warm food. When in service to the temple these devotees wear a white linen ephod bearing the symbol of a willow tree, ornately rendered in blue thread. They'll be more than happen to answer any questions. Priests tend to have stricter ceremonial garb, including a blue tunic and white robe in addition to the ephod.

    Welcome, traveller. May you be more blessed when you leave than when you came.

    Spoiler
    Show
    New information that isn't readily noticeable at first glance at the temple will be added here.

    The temple grounds are protected by a dampening field that blocks unauthorized teleporation and dimensional shifting. The place is something of a fortress after all. Being able to pop in and out at will would defeat the purpose.

    Zoemaytare isn't a god of (fill in the black) but rather the patron and protector of her people. As such, her domain, if she even has one, is over all that her people do. The people in question are collectively known as the Zoeos, and this particular temple is their first major venture into Town. At present their stated goal is to set up trade relations and aid the city. This is ministered through the temple on account of the Zoeos government being a theocracy.

    It just so happens that there's a dungeon under the temple, though the entrance to it is well hidden.

    NPCs thus far:

    Potentate of the temple: the head priest and administrator. He has yet to be seen 'on screen' though he has been referred to.

    Regent Zachius: And elderly human with a coppery complexion and deep-set wrinkles, the sort of face one expects of a person who has spent a great deal of time in the sun smiling. He's a kind old fellow who is in charge of the Court of Meeting.

    Regent Stephen: A younger human who smells rather distinctly of wolf. He's in charge of the dungeons of the temple and seems to be a rather caring and compassionate fellow. It's his job to bring the cases of prisoners before the Potentate.

    Regent Thadeus: One of the priests who aids in minor upkeep in the temple proper. He usually isn't seen outside the temple and since his position doesn't put him in much contact with the common folk he tends to be somewhat aloof and judgmental. Also happens to be an elf. Those snooty elves!

    Bognus Thundershield: a lay dwarf that operates the temple's teleporter, primarily from Trog's. Though people can be 'ported in from elsewhere as well. While it isn't commonly known, this device can send people over rather long distances, though it's somewhat inaccurate when doing so. Bognus is a bit gruff, though generally good natured. He speaks with a thick Scottish Dwarven accent.


    The Statue of Vyrn (Blue Zone)
    Spoiler
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    On a hill near Evergreen Gardens at an previously empty lot surrounded by spot lights now stands an over 300 feet tall (100 meters tall to be exact) mitharal statue of Emperor Vyrn. Whoever made it seems to have tried to come as close to his likeness as possible on a white mithral surface.
    The emperor is dressed in his most most archetypical attire, one fist raised to the skies and another clutching a sword held against the ground. His face perfectly stoic as he overlooks Inside's harbor.
    The statue is actually hollow and small groups of people are allowed to take the elevator up to be able to see the city from atop the statues head. Otherwise security is tight around the statue with a tall fence, guards and security cameras there to prevent people from defacing it.
    At night the statue is still clearly visible thanks to the many spotlights illuminating it, still making it visible for anyone approaching the city, by day or night.


    The Swordfish (Player: Gulaghar, Grey Zone)
    Spoiler
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    A new shop has opened up in Market Street. The building is a simple affair. A brick building with a massive chimney that constantly billows smoke. On the inside a massive forge dominates the far wall from the entrance. All manner of smithing equipment is carefully placed around the large room that dominates most of the building. Lining the two side walls are many tools for his craft, while lining the far wall are the products of that craft.

    Swords, swords of all shapes and sizes. Some brutally efficient, simple weapons and others pieces of art that are no less functional. Each and every sword is obviously the work of a master.

    And the master is always present. A great robot moves around the room, always working and experimenting with its remarkable talent. The machine is a hulking, bronze coloured humanoid. The robot has a number of slides and doors, implying there's more to it than is immediately apparent. Finally, at its head is a glass dome, filled with water. Dominating the container is a great carp, as big as a man. It gazes at it's work with eyes that know little more than hate. Hate and its new inspiration.

    Word travels quickly of this bizarre master swordsmith. Though it is quite fearsome, the quality of its blades are unmatched.


    St. Guinevere's Sanatorium for Lunatics and Object Seekers (Player: Anyone, Gray Zone)
    Spoiler
    Show
    This insane asylum exists for people questing after Objects from the Holders Mythos. Anyone can run an Object quest, but please look at the community agreed guidelines first as it helps keep things consistent.

    If you want to use the Sanatorium for other uses, feel free, but expect it to be a house of unspeakable horrors.


    The Temple of Dalachrech (Player: Earl of Purple, Grey Zone)
    Spoiler
    Show
    The first room entered is a foyer. On the walls are red drapes with silver, two-tailed scorpions embroidered on to them, and next to the door is an ornate font. The granite font stands about waist height, and is a plinth with a bowl of unholy water. Winding around the font are carved centipedes. A door away from this chamber leads to the main prayer hall. This room also has drapes with the two-tailed scorpion device on the walls, and a red velvet carpet flanked by wooden pews leads to an altar at the far end. The altar is covered with red velvet, with a gold statue and red candles placed upon it. The statue depicts a demon with a centipede's body, a scorpion's tail with spinnerets next to the sting, a stag beetle's head and the claws of a praying mantis.

    Please PM Earl of Purple before entering this location.


    Trollfinger, Ironpick & Greencheek, Mining & Engineering
    (Player: Morty, Blue Zone)
    Spoiler
    Show
    A run-down building near Trog's Tavern was bought by three goblin entrepreneurs with a large crew and now houses their mining and engineering company. Everyone who needs something dug, built, repaired or blown up is welcome.


    Warwick Works
    (player: happyturtle, Grey Zone)
    Spoiler
    Show
    In the industrial area, a building is rented and has a new sign put out front.

    W
    Warwick Works


    The building itself consists of a small office area in front and warehouses in back. There is no indication of what sort of business this is, but a certain cyborg with a satellite might recognize the logo and name.


    Witch Which's Wish Shop
    (Grey, Player: Haruki-kun)
    Spoiler
    Show

    Welcome. If you have stepped into this store, it is because you have a wish.

    The store is big, ancient and beautiful. It has a large garden with colourful flowers, a pond with fish and running water, and chirping birds. This is the outside of the store. The inside, however, is, to put it simply, gloomy. There’s burning candles and incense everywhere. From the hall where you enter you are led off into a side room with a low table and cushions around it. A tall, masked and unnamed stranger brings tea and snacks to the guests. The Witch sits opposite and rarely ever moves.

    RULES (OOC):
    Spoiler
    Show
    This is a Wish shop. Your character will only enter this shop if he has a wish. Whether the wish is granted or not is a different issue.
    Witch Which is in charge of the shop and will grant wishes to everyone who asks, regardless of intent or alignment, as long as the appropriate price is paid. Under certain conditions:

    Condition one: Witch Which will not haggle. She couldn’t lower a price or overcharge even if she wanted to. A balance must be kept in order for the wish to be granted.

    Condition two: When a Wish directly affects another player’s character in a way that would be considered godmodding, the other player must agree first.

    Condition three: The Witch may not reject any wish unless the price is too high to be paid. Wishes to take a life or to destroy the world, for example, carry a price higher than anyone can pay. ANYONE.

    Condition Four: The Witch will never engage in battle. Be glad. The Witch is the very definition of True Neutral.

    Condition Five: The store is not hard to access; in fact, there’s a big sign outside and everything. However, the store’s grounds exist in a special separate dimension, protecting it from anything that could destroy it, up to and including plot.

    Condition Six: Haruki-kun reserves the right to alter the conditions if he feels they’re causing problems such as godmodding or similar issues.


    (Haruki-Kun wishes for a PM to be sent to him upon someone entering the shop so he knows about it.)


    Intersection HQ- LordDeathkeeper

    Recently re-branded, this large but basic structure serves as the new HQ for Intersection, separate from previous Remnant associations. It's well-guarded but given a nice blue-grey paint job and is meant to look more personable and comforting than the stark look of the Empire. It is reasonably, but not heavily guarded. This building is where deputized Intersection groups may seek out the chief of police, Nick Richards.


    Inside's Defenses and RemnantIntersection
    Spoiler
    Show


    Defenses
    Spoiler
    Show

    As stated above, the city of Inside is defended by the Walls, moat, and a force field that can be called upon in times of need, as well as a number of more conventional defensive capabilities, nearly all of which are manned and controlled by Intersection. These include things from Emergency Bunkers, Relief Stations, Anti-Aircraft Cannon, and the like.


    Intersection
    Spoiler
    Show

    As stated before, Intersection is Inside's police force, army, and main defensive body. It is made up of the remains of what was once the Acronymian Empire, and now has again become Insides's police force containing members from Remnant, the Altaran Irregulars and other Revived Empire units, and consists of hundreds of men, women, elves, ponies, bugs, indescribable organisms, and machines, both soldier and civilian, sacrificing their daily lives and time to make sure the city of Inside is relatively safe for it's citizens. There are Intersection Outposts all throughout the city, with the main HQ in Blue Zone, and less Outposts in Red Zone. These can be reached fairly easily, and allow people to report crimes, turn in criminals, collect bounties, and even ask to be recruited. Intersection controls most of Inside's defenses, but also controls Rapid Response Units capable of stopping fires, providing emergency medical aide, and even disaster relief to clean up debris and fix buildings and roads damaged by the day to day events of Inside.

    Squads of Intersection patrol the streets "every so often" and should anyone need one, can interact with them (Please check in OOC upon doing so, however).

    As a note, Low-Level Intersection officers can be Godmodded! They can be assumed to fight the fires that pop up, but can also be asked to provide basic information. This also means that they can be bribed for less well-known information such as someone's name and rank, or to look the other way for a small crime, such as theft. Anything more, please post in OOC in case there is something that needs clarified. The Intersection grunts can be godmodded to be killed on occasion, but if it happens too fast, too often, one of the Intersection players may step in and RP it out. Once again, please post in OOC if you plan on killing a Intersection NPC.

    What is NOT Godmoddable:

    -Getting Security Codes
    -Accessing Secure Areas
    -Killing off more than one or two NPCs at a time, or killing a Named Intersection NPC/PC
    -Stealing Identities
    -Destroying Intersection facilities

    It is not impossible for these to happen, but with proper warning provided to a Intersection player, it can be RP'd out and attempted. However, it should be noted that only Low-Ranking Intersection officers can be Godmodded in this way.
    Last edited by Rebonack; 2020-11-23 at 11:34 AM.
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    The Church of Binding Truth

    Iris places a hand on Alex's shoulder. "Your beloved is still alive. There is always hope. Look at me." She stands in front of Alex. "I was Sister Amelia before I was Sister Iris. But I remember who I was. Your betrothed does too. She will return in time. Just have faith and hope." She'll try to hug Alex again. "She is different, but people change all the time. But at heart, we know who we are."
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [The Church of Binding Truth]

    The woman ponders these words.

    Could it be true?

    Could the internet have lied to her and her betrothed is still alive?

    What if there IS some way to restore him? She's filled with uncertainty. Uncertainty and, perhaps, just a little bit of hope.

    "Thank you," she finally says in a small, timid voice. "Thank you for-"

    And then her phone begins blasting All I Want For Thanksmas Is You at maximum volume, loud enough to cause her to jump in surprise and begin scrambling with her bag to pull it out. She holds the device at arm's length and begins messing with the buttons to try to mute the thing, but to no avail. It won't shut up.

    It's really killing the mood.

    In fact, the same song begins playing from several parked cars nearby. And the phones of other pedestrians. And the speaker on that little ice cream shop across the street. It's playing from EVERYTHING!

    "~I don't want a lot for Thanksmas...~"

    In her panic the woman manages to remove the phone's casing and pull the battery out of the device, but against all possibility that doesn't stop it. The song keeps playing.

    "S-something's happening!" the woman shouts over the song blaring out of every single machine that can make noise. "THANK YOU! I HAVE TO GO!"

    Alex runs off, heading toward her apartment. Mission accomplished, right? But now there's Nexus weirdness to deal with.
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    The Church of Binding Truth -> Alex's Apartment

    The sudden blast of sound proves an ample distraction to get away from the gaiad and back home. When Alex arrives at her apartment, she should find two things. First of all, Sapphira is there waiting for her, reclining on one of her armchairs with her tail draped over the side. The second is that there's a field of magical silence throughout the room. It's probably a blessed relief from the awful sounds of overplayed Thanksmas music.
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    Quote Originally Posted by William Shakespeare, King Lear, IV.i.46
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    All I Want for Thanksmas Is You

    Nimrod, whose last name is not Sphinx or Of Thebes but has to resist writing such on his papers, was doing his papers today when suddenly everything became an obnoxiously popular Thanksmas song from over a decade ago. Which he would have been maybe fine with, if his hearing wasn't suddenly quite good. And someone hadn't used the word 'mystery' to describe it.
    Sphinx hates unsolved mysteries.

    So our brown-haired, thin half-elf goes wandering the streets of Inside with his phone in hand. Maybe if he walks around enough he will see if the noise gets any louder? Or maybe he can hide in Chimera's forest. There won't be so many electronic devices there...
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    Near Cormorant House
    Spoiler
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rebonack View Post
    [Near Cormorant House]

    A chunk of rubble is hurled at the wendigo, to which is reacts with a detonation of frostbite in Mishnehel's general vicinity. Having her flesh rotting a bit probably isn't fun. Thankfully bison are pretty resistant to the cold. The monster looks like it's getting ready to charge, but then it gets stabbed pretty solidly with a sword. This of course means even more corrupted ice blasting out of the wound with greater force due to the deeper wound. This awful thing just doesn't show much sign of slowing down.

    It DOES show signs of flying, though.

    Not because it wants to. Because the celestial is dragging it into the air. It reacts to this in a dreadfully negative fashion, which mostly involves lashing blindly at Mishehel with its icy claws.

    The swordsman shouldn't despair that the beast is out of reach, though. A half dozen flesh-crazed cannibals with pallid skin and spike antlers burst from nearby homes, their faces bloody with chewed off gums. They don't seem terribly interested in eating each other, but they DO seem to think that the swordsman looks tasty. As such they're all rushing toward him now with the intent of devouring him alive.
    Quote Originally Posted by Vahnavoi View Post
    [Near cormorant house]

    If not for the corrupted ice repelling it again, the masked figure probably would've gone flying with the wendigo, hanging from its swords.

    But now, it is left behind, its head tilted up nd muttering curses under its breath at the tranformed half-elf for stealing its kill. How it sees anything through its mask remains an open question.

    The exposed skin of the figure's hands, wrists and feet are already turning black, rime coveeing its mask, swords and rags. It looks like easy prey for the crazed locals, but just before first of them manage to touch it, it bursts into action again, slashing them with its swords. It is expecting them to be tough as trees as well, so now it is cutting with force to fell trees. It bobs and weaves past the grasping hands and hungry mouths of the cannibals with such speed that it becomes just a black-and-white blur. If it can cut down the first... it will cut down them all.


    Mishnehel does get a bit of rot from the icy blast, and the claws ripping into her are also very distracting. She'll reach out to try and grab the thing's wrists and hold them tight so it can't hurt her any more, at least not like that, or... Well, if it doesn't work she'll probably end up dropping the undead ravenous beast.

    She is pretty resistant to the cold, since she has thick feathers and fat underneath it. The fingers are more vulnerable, though, from all her hands.
    Last edited by Earl of Purple; 2020-11-17 at 01:24 PM.
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [All I Want for Thanksmas Is You]

    Nimrod is joined by another half-elf. This one, as always, looks like he got off the wrong side of the bed, and into something that chewed him up and then decided it doesn't like the taste of him. Michalson marches a little behind Nim, checking on his collection of gadgets. Which may or may not be useful in dealing with an... aggressive song.
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    Bugbear in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [Darkened Alleyway]

    The back of his knees get hit, and he falls back and then twists towards the wall. He twists, mostly so that the one in his arms doesn't hit its head on the ground, because a child getting hurt by him falling would not be okay. His shoulder hits the wall, and he uses that to brace himself.
    He changes his mind from just getting away to carrying both of these kids with him out of this alley.

    Well...
    let's just say there's a reason why martial arts tend to be split up by weight classes and not by strength classes. Given this guy's experience with wrestling younger siblings and cousins, there would have to be at least four before he would lose confidence in his ability to carry them away.

    Plus, the fact that one of them is somehow being attracted towards him makes this immensely easier because all he'll have to do is hold them in place and they'll do all the heavy lifting for him.

    Using the wall to brace himself against, he twists the boy so that his arm goes around the boy's waist and twists him horizontal to the ground and facing away, trusting that its unique gravity holds it in place. That frees up a hand, so that he can deal with the other. He pivots a leg and reaches down to grab at the girl.
    "Come on, let's get you both to the police, they can help you then," he says. Using the wall to get power, he tries to pick up the girl, too, and keep the momentum to toss her a little so that he can wrap his arm around her waist too, to hold her vertical with her back also to him.

    Once he feels like he has them both under control, he starts moving back towards the entrance to the alley.

    Also, his pocket starts blaring Thanksmas music, too. Weird.


    [Some Street]

    Obsidian's eyes go wide as she says, "Oh! You can fly too!"

    Since the mouse is up, she stands up too, and nods. "It's this way," she says, taking a step in the direction she was going originally. But, speaking of the zombie, she turns and gives the zombie a pat on the head and ruffles its hair. "He's just a good wittle obedient boy, aren't you?" she says, getting into a little bit of baby talk. "Zombies are always good at following but this one doesn't want to get punished so he's being nice and obedient; so he doesn't need any help." It's just a mindless zombie.

    Obsidian snaps and points down to get the undead's attention and tells it to "Heel!"

    She continues walking, and after two turns there's going to be a large tree.

    ...
    But, before that, they'll pass a street that farther down has a tree with a half-dozen zombies impaled on its branches.


    In the Painting

    June pulls her arms off of Lilly, but keeps her bodyweight on her legs. "I already told you," she says, "And then you tried to kill me."
    "I. Don't. Remember," she says forcefully. "I'm sure you'll tell me he's not normally like this, but the only thing I know about Arthur is that he doesn't care about me and he's abusive, and the only thing I know about you is that you hate me and want to get rid of me."

    Even though she knows this isn't really her life and that it's someone else's, some tears still come to her eyes. Ugh, why does she cry so easily? She brushes away the tears. "And if that's how you two are, then I'm scared to even run into Edward to find out what he's really like."

    She pauses, to breathe and get her wet vision back under control. "I may not have any memories of here, but it is not hard at all to tell when nobody wants me around."
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    Bugbear in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    Quote Originally Posted by Recaiden View Post
    [Park Inspection]
    "Oh, it couldn't be a handshake." since the cat has no hands, just paws and pads. "But that's a clever thing to ask for. I could make it for you." Wonder what the woman would do with another body, hmm? It's not a common thing among her fae; they prefer numerous bodies that are not them, things that will always listen and not divide their attention.
    "I could take a promise if I were convinced that you could be useful." The cat looks the woman up and down with its empty blue eyes, seeming to smirk. The park inspector would have to take the initiative and do some convincing.
    "Or some treasure less valuable to you than another body. Which is quite a treasure, isn't it?"

    "Or if you have nothing to give, I'll take a bit of your heart, a little thing that made you...you."
    [Park Inspection]

    "A bit of my heart?" She inquires thoughtfully while hesitantly stepping closer to the fey. "How would you go about taking that? Sounds like I'd be painful and I'm not sure about the other alternatives. You need someone to fight? Labor? ...love?" Her face is cast in shadow, but the fact that her skin is coal black makes it especially difficult to make out her features in the dark, even with cat vision.
    Last edited by Shadowcaller; 2020-11-17 at 04:01 PM.

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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    In the Painting

    Lilly looks very relieved of something when June says she's not interested in re-meeting Edward. "Arthur really isn't normally like that. He's, um, very passionate, and he suspects you're seeing Edward." Which Yssa was, from what June's read in the diary. "I can help keep Edward away from you, if, um, that's what you need. Or you can just go. I won't stop you."
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    Darkened Alleyway

    The child in the man's arms reaches out to the wall as he braces himself, shifting their gravity to the wall, rather than the man. The girl is also caught, and she struggles too. They're both trying to bite and scratch him, but they can't probably stop him from carrying them out and finding an officer of Intersection to hand them over to.
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [All I want for Thanksmas is you!]

    Solstice had turned in to rest in her room not long ago. But first, before actually going to sleep, and perhaps after a nice bath or shower, some brief mental exercises. Or meditation, if you will. Nothing like closing your eyes, deep breaths, and untangling the mess of thoughts that was your hectic day to relax one's self in the evening. Surely nothing else concerning would happen today.

    WROOONG!

    About as jarring as a man suddenly yelling in Solstice's face, music started playing from the electronic devices in her room. She still didn't really know what they were and had avoided messing with them. And in all seriousness, her mere presence had glitched them out or fried them already. And yet, now they were playing music. Really loudly. What was once quite startling was quickly becoming an annoyance. Though Solstice had to admit, it would have otherwise been an okay song.

    Wincing a bit, she gets up and approaches the TV and DVR in the room, trying to cover her ears and get a closer look at what was going on. Well, she still was clueless, but now that these devices were being a nuisance.. she'll try to poke at some of the buttons.

    She's got no idea what she's doing. But surely her magical nature and technology-disrupting aura would do a number on these things if she directly touched them... right??
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [Alex' Apartment]

    Thankfully Alex' apartment is quite old fashioned; her phone is really the only piece of modern digital technology she has. And as soon as it became clear what was going on she had dumped the phone outside. Better than having to listen to that awful song one more time. She can still hear the music blaring through her walls, though, so when she steps into the zone of silence she appreciates the blessed peace.

    ...or maybe the profane peace?

    Something.

    Reaching into her bag, Alex retrieves the crown and holds it out to the devil queen.

    "Here you are, Mistress. Without them suspecting a thing."

    All in all she thinks it worked great!

    She didn't even need to use the seduction plan.


    [Near Cormorant House]

    Grabbing the monster's wrists DOES make it much harder for it to slash at the celestial with her claws. This is true. The beast is hideously strong and it is certainly fighting back. Eventually it decides to try for something even better than clawing.

    It tries biting Mishnehel instead.

    Just chomp down on her and rip out a great big chunk of flesh.

    Meanwhile, down on the ground, the gang of cannibals are finding themselves drastically out-classed here. Against regular, unremarkable, unarmed humans they would absolutely be a threat. But against a swordsman with supernatural strength and speed?

    No.

    As it turns out, they are quite a bit less resilient than a sturdy tree.

    The swordsman is now surrounded by corpses, their blood freezing to the ground. It would appear this fellow is quite skilled in the art of turning men into ghosts.

    This leaves him with a problem, however. He's down on the ground and the beast is up in the sky. How shall cutting solve that problem?


    [All I Want For Thanksmas Is You]
    Solstice

    Oh hoh, you thought you would have a relaxing afternoon did you?

    Normally poking at the machines wouldn't do much. Or at least no more than anyone else pushing the buttons on the machines. After all, Solstice isn't a wizard. Now, if she were to cast some spells in her room that might cause the devices to be malfunctioning. But would that get her in trouble with the no breaking things clause?

    Maybe they're broken already.

    They definitely weren't doing this before. And as loud and terrible as they are, this is almost certainly not what they're meant to do.

    What will Solstice try next? Step one: poking, has failed to yield any useful results.


    [All I Want For Thanksmas Is You]
    Nim and Michalson

    So!

    Two investigators out trying to solve the mystery!

    First of all, if they have phones or radios on their person those devices are loudly singing the song that's sweeping Inside. Second, it is worth noting that not even removing the batteries from the devices causes them to stop. If Michalson's trinkets can detect such a thing, he'll definitely be able to tell that there is some sort of magical influence going on, though precisely what isn't clear.

    More than a few people are in the process of smashing their phones to try to get the awful racket to stop, but somehow they keep playing even after they're destroyed. Definitely something fish.

    Interestingly, there's a nearby antique shop that seems to be mercifully quiet. Wonder what's going on there?
    Across the street from there a shrine priestess is trying to exorcise someone's phone. Maybe a more mystical angle will help?
    And then there's that phone repair shop with a large crowd outside banging on the windows. They seem kind of upset.
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    Alex's Apartment

    Alex of course finds her voice makes no sound at first. Then Sapphira makes a couple adjustments to her enchantment, and she should be able to speak. Sapphira gently takes the crown and runs her finger around its edge. "Ah, the Crown of Nebuchadnezzar. You have done very well, Alexandria." Sapphira makes a motion towards one of the chairs. "Sit. Let us talk." She wraps her tail around the leg of an endtable and watches Alex's gait to judge her adjustment to her body. "You really do your new form justice. Are you adjusting well?"
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [All I Want For Thanksmas Is You]

    Nim's keen ears pick up the strangely quiet corner of town. He turns over his options before heading into the antique shop to see what's up.
    Could it really be just that low-tech?
    Maybe he'll pass the detective on the way there. Though really there's not much to make him stick out from the crowd, unless you note the piercing green eyes and can sense magical titles bestowed upon people.
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    [Near Cormorant House]

    What? The beast still has not fallen back down? How inconvenient. The masked figure sways from side to side and slowly turns around, as if looking for it. Then, it flips its shorter sword around in its hand and grabs it by the blade. Strangely, the sword seems to melt into liquid in its hand and then shapes itself into a needle-like javelin.

    The figure pulls its arm back, wheels around and then throws the javelin into the sky, towards the wendigo. The force of the throw is such that the air cracks and the figure's feet stomping the ground make it quake as if the javelin was shot from a cannon rather than thrown by a man.

    Immediately after, the figure points a finger after the weapon. "Path of Destruction: White Lightning!" A spark of electricity races up its arm and leaps after the javelin from its finger tip, cracking the air again as a white electric arc splits the sky.

    That's what you get for being outside proper cutting range, damn it!

    ...

    Hopefully, that attack hits just the wendigo and not the transformed half-elf wrestling with it.

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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [All I want for Thanksmas is you!]

    Well, this wasn't really working. The only thing happening was Solstice beginning to feel like she was getting a headache from being so close to the machine. She backs away and then realizes the only thing to do is go downstairs and complain about the malfunctioning electronics. There was no way she was getting any sleep with that thing blaring!

    She exits her room and heads downstairs looking for someone that ran Trogs. Usually Zee was there. Like pretty much always. But on the off chance she wasn't, there were some other people that worked here too...

    But come to think of it, Solstice noticed this music just seemed to be coming from everywhere.
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [All I want for Thanksmas is you!]
    Nim and Michalson

    Michalson won't be noticing Nim just yet. The first thing he tries to do when his phone starts blaring that sodding song is to concentrate on it and breathe out, focusing his anti-magic discipline to get it to stop. The technique reasserts reality around it, specifically, so it might work on... whatever it is. He can't do it for too long while sober without getting a headache, but it's worth a try.
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [Alex' Apartment]

    Alex moves with grace and poise.

    This isn't her first rodeo. Infiltration magic and the sort of acting skills to go along with it are something Alex is quite skilled with. This is far from the first time she disguised herself as a woman and used that subtle sway of the hips to attract the right eyes. She places a hand on the chair's back and does a slight spin as she takes her seat.

    "Adjusting well enough, Mistress. I'm still not sure what to do with the tail, I'll admit, but I'm no stranger to leveraging appearances."

    There is, however, something bothering her.

    "There was a Buttercup at the temple. Or maybe not a Buttercup. She called herself Iris," the warlock reports. "The resemblance was there. A nymph with the lower body of a deer, flowers in the hair. A different personality as well. Though with definite Buttercup overtones."

    She figures it's worth pointing out, at least.


    [All I Want For Thanksmas Is You]
    Nim

    A little brass bell jangles above the door as Nimrod steps inside.

    He'll discover a cramped, somewhat dark little store packed to the gills with all manner of old lamps, furniture, toys, records, and other odds and ins. It smells pleasantly of wood polish and old books. A hand-cranked phonograph is set up not to far away playing some pleasant, classic Thanksmas music. NOT the infectious song, though. Thank goodness. A little old woman is sitting behind a counter, quietly reading a book. Compared to the din outside it's downright pleasant in here.

    Looking around, Nim will soon discover that there isn't a single digital device of any kind in the store. Except his phone, should he bring it in. If he does, then it's loud in here now, too.


    [All I want For Thanksmas Is You]

    Michalson

    The detective focuses his spell-bending technique on the phone and-!

    Mercifully it falls silent.

    That isn't all it does, though. It also begins to rapidly warm up. Not hot enough to burn, yet, but certainly enough to be notable. As phones get sometimes when they're being over-taxed by something. Maybe the spell energy is just being redirected to making heat since it has to go somewhere?


    [All I Want For Thanksmas Is You]
    Solstice

    Yep.

    It's happening downstairs, too.

    Phones are the most common culprit, but even the jukebox is blasting the way too loud Thanksmas music! Goodness, what a pain this is!

    Zee looks like she's busy at the moment, having pulled the jukebox open to get at its internal mechanisms. It looks like she's trying to figure out what's causing this awful noise.
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    All I Want for Thankmas is You

    Nim opens the door and finding it quiet, hides his phone under a decorative wagon outside the shop. No one is going to be trying to dig up phones when they can only blast music at the moment. He waves to the man in the Intersection coat. If he wants to do investigating, maybe he'd want to do it in the one silent part of town.
    "Wow Miss. I think you've got the only quiet place in all of town. You wouldn't have any idea what's going on, would you?" he asks the proprietor.
    ...and immediately starts looking around the place. Oh, right. Sphinx loves old things. And right now Nim isn't feeling enough urgency to push down the Mantle.
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    Alex's Apartment

    "Ah. You use it to emphasize your movements and draw attention. Like so." Sapphira stands and gives that twist of the hips that Alex knows, but puts her tail into it. "You'll get the hang of it." She thinks about Iris as Alex mentions her. "Curious. Perhaps I will look into it. That was certainly unexpected." Sapphira stands and turns to go. "Relax, enjoy yourself. I will return with new tasks for you in a few days." She vanishes through a portal and leaves Alex to her own devices. Fortunately, the silence charm remains, the racket from outside kept at bay.

    Several days pass...

    What has Alex been up to in the meantime? Sapphira hasn't interfered at all. But her magic continues holding the painful tones of "All I Want for Thanksmas is You" out of Alex's apartment.

    Then, without warning, Sapphira appears again in the apartment, no doubt interrupting whatever Alex is currently doing. She has a man in a straightjacket slung over her shoulder. "Hello Alexandria. I'm not disturbing anything, am I?"
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [All I want For Thanksmas Is You]
    Michalson

    Well, that's a start. If his techniques can stop this effect, it means it might be a known quantity. If it hadn't worked, he'd be stumped. Michalson stops concentrating and pockets the phone, once again blaring this Ivory-damned racket. He then approaches the man who just waved at him.

    "Detective Michalson Barring," he introduces himself. "I'm 'ere to investigate this... musical incident, as you can surmise."
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    [All I want for Thanksmas is you]

    What in the nine hells? This music was coming from everywhere! Solstice didn't quite have down which objects necessarily counted as electronic or not... yet all electronics were not doing this. Only those that were capable of sounds.

    Something had to be happening. Well there was no point bothering Zee. She was sure she already realized this. No point going back to Solstice's room either. Maybe she had might as well head somewhere else?

    But for now, she'll cover her ears and wait patiently to see how Zee fares with her exploration of the jukebox.
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [In the Painting]

    June sighs:
    now that there's less adrenaline running through her, she realizes something. If she's planning on leaving a letter for the real Yssa anyway, it'll probably be just as easy to just survive this night and tell her to get out of this situation ASAP than to pack up everything that she might need, prepare a horse while avoiding Edward, and run off. Besides, hadn't she already thought of that back in the library? If this is some sort of fate-thing, which is entirely possible because there's almost certainly two people willing to kill her in the same way, this means that running off will just mean a highwayman or bandit or something.

    She finally gets off Lilly and then immediately grabs the pillowcase and its contents. "Okay. I'll give him a chance." She totally called that Lilly would say that exact same thing, though. "Keep Edward away," she instructs in a forceful voice. "Don't tell anybody what happened here, and don't you dare try anything like this again."



    [Darkened Alleyway]

    The guy gets bitten and scratched. It's...mostly only skin-deep, but every so often a scratch gets deep enough to give a little blood.

    This leads him to holding on to them tighter.

    However,
    unfortunately,
    because the male child shifts gravity for himself, it suddenly makes it a lot harder to hold on to him. If he had both arms on him then he could probably hold on, but after struggling a little the boy should be able to get out of his grip.
    (If he does that, though, that'll make it a lot easier to secure the girl)

    None of this stops the guy, though.
    He's nearly at the exit of the alley.

    Once he gets out, he starts asking people for help (speaking up to be heard over the sound of blaring Thanksmas music) for a police officer or whatever equivalent they have here, because this child clearly needs help.
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    Near Cormorant House

    Well, the bite is certainly more effective than the scratches, and Mishnehel lets go of the wendigo-corpse. "Look out below! Sorry, it bit me!" Hopefully she's now immune to diseases. She isn't sure. She was mostly flying up to ensure the aura was out of the range of the street as much as possible, so it should go straight down. Which unfortunately there's nothing big and spiky to land on, particularly since she blunted the spikes it tried attacking her with. She's not following it down; she's diving, but aiming a short distance away, to grab more rubble she can throw at the thing. She's not sure she's as good in melee as it is, or how fast she'll heal and how much damage she can take. This is the first fight she's got in since her apotheosis.
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    In the Painting

    "Sorry. I, don't know what came over me." Lilly says abashedly. That's definitely evidence for June that some sort of fate thing is going on. "You just, um, stay safe and I'll take care of Edward." Lilly gives June an expression that says that she really appreciates that Yssa is willing to give up Edward to her.
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    [Park Inspection]
    Quote Originally Posted by Shadowcaller View Post
    "A bit of my heart?" She inquires thoughtfully while hesitantly stepping closer to the fey. "How would you go about taking that? Sounds like I'd be painful and I'm not sure about the other alternatives. You need someone to fight? Labor? ...love?" Her face is cast in shadow, but the fact that her skin is coal black makes it especially difficult to make out her features in the dark, even with cat vision.
    "I'd just reach over and take it. You wouldn't feel a thing." the large cat-beast reassures her
    "But yes, if you can provide someone to fight - someone skilled, of course, that would do nicely."
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [Alex' Apartment]

    A few days?

    Well. Alexandria keeps herself busy.

    She spends a good portion of that time looking some something, anything, that she used to enjoy that still brings her some measure of happiness.

    Everything is like ashes between her teeth.

    The books she used to like, the hobbies she had dabbled in, the volunteer work that used to bring her satisfaction. At all those things she feels nothing. And when it comes to aiding others it feels like worse than nothing. She feels contempt for their weakness and disgust at their uselessness. She finds all of this quite distressing.

    Next she sought out others who had Sapphira's 'cure' applied to them. Each and every one of them had the same affliction. The only thing that felt good was being bad; partaking in acts of cruelty and corruption. And unlike Alex, none of them seemed to display any degree of ethical conflict over this state. They were perfectly fine being wicked. So of course that lead to a question. Why was she different?

    After a little bit of (literal) soul searching Alex found the answer.

    She still has a little bit of Buttercup left. Weak. Small. Dying. But there.

    That lead her to look into the 'Buttercup cure' of Intersection's out of curiosity, which in turn lead to chatting with one Copper Mallow and subjecting herself to the 'Buttercup Name Integrator' just to see what would happen. Outwardly? Nothing. Inwardly? Definitely something.

    Alexandria now stands in front of the full length mirror in her appartment, staring into her own eyes.

    "So. Who are you?"
    she asks her reflection.
    Her reflection shifts as she applies her disguise magic. A nymph with fair skin, cervine ears, and deep burgundy roses in her hair is smiling back. "I'm you of course. Who else would I be?"
    "No. None of that," the tiefling retorts. "I need specifics here. WHO are you?"
    The nymph makes an exasperated face and points at her hair. "I'm Rose. Duh? I'm you. The only part of you that hasn't been poisoned by that absolute meany."
    The tiefling crosses her arms. "I'm not poisoned. I was freed from Buttercup's curse."
    "Pbbbbbt," Rose raspberries back. "Wowie zowie I know for a fact I'm not that dumb. You're feeling awful because you hate all the stuff you used to love AND now you love some things you used to hate. This curse is WAY worse than the other one."
    Alex looks uncomfortable at that.
    "All the other tieflings are one hundred percent jerks and the only reason YOU aren't is because of me. All your kindness, all your niceness, all your goodness, I'm hanging onto them for you."
    The nymph places her palm against the glass.
    "I'll keep them safe."

    Alexandria the tiefling steps away from the mirror-

    -and jumps when Sapphira asks if she's disturbing anything. Her eyes quickly flick to the bound figure, then back to the devil queen.

    "Oh, ah, no Mistress. Just admiring myself in the mirror," she replies. "Who's our guest?"

    It isn't often that she ends up with bound men in her room. Not since night before last at least.


    [All I Want For Thanksmas Is You]

    Nim and Michalson

    "Hmm?" the old woman grunts back. "You talkin' to me, sonny?"

    Then?

    She begins digging around behind the counter for something. After a few seconds she comes up with an antique ear trumpet. Ye olde hearing aids!

    "What was that, now?"

    Seems she's hard of hearing, too. Maybe try shouting?

    [All I Want For Thanksmas Is You]
    Solstice

    Well. Disconnecting the speakers from anything approximating a power source sure isn't working. Trying to garble the Information SORT OF helps. Then it's just really loud and incomprehensible. Zee gives a groan of exasperation.

    "HEY SOLSTICE!" she shouts over the din. "SORRY ABOUT ALL THE NOISE WEIRD STUFF IS UP!"

    Geeze what a pain.


    [Near Cormorant House]

    The beast is dropped.

    Then hit with a needle-canon. Then hit with a lightning bolt. Then it smashes into the pavement. It isn't particularly fond of any of these things but somehow, impossibly, it still manages to climb back to its feet from the crater it just smashed into the street. The monster is burned from the lightning and a hole has been punched clean through it, livid pink eldritch light bleeding from the wound.

    A chunk of rubble smashes into it. Just to add insult to injury.

    Crouching low, ice spiderwebbing around it, the beast gathers its unholy strength for a moment before exploding toward the swordsman, aiming to slam into him with its claws and attempt to rend him in two.

    Rending people in two usually does a great job of killing them so the beast is going to try that.
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    Alex's Apartment

    Sapphira gives Alex a look, but says nothing. The tiefling clearly has some issues she needs to work out, but she'll served her purpose long before they become a real problem. "An old friend of mine, rather the worse for wear." The man struggles feebly. "I need you to look after him for a day or so. The place he was staying was compromised. I've enchanted him to not need to eat or drink, so just make sure he doesn't hurt himself. Don't release him from his bonds, that would go very badly for you." She gently sets the man down on the floor. He squirms in the straightjacket and says something unintelligible. "If he disturbs you with noises, feel free to gag him as well." Depending on her sensitivity to such things, Alex may be able to feel fiendish power crackling around the man, more than would be needed just to maintain bodily functions like Sapphira said she was doing. A lot more. "I'll be back to collect him sometime tomorrow. Remember, don't release him." With that, she leave. The man lies there on the floor, unable to do more than wriggle in his bonds. He manages to face Alex and fix her with wild eyes that seem unable to make sense of anything he sees.
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    Default Re: Inside 71: All I Want For Thanksmas Is You

    [Alex' Apartment]

    Oh that's a look.

    How much of that chat with Rose had Sapphira seen?

    And then some guy gets dumped on her and Sapphira vanishes. That's... well.

    Baby sitting really wasn't what she was expecting when she signed up for this. It wouldn't have even been in her top one hundred guesses.

    She raises an eyebrow at the man.

    "Alright, so who are you?" the tiefling inquires of him. Will he answer?

    Guess we'll find out!

    If she's going to have some random person in her apartment she's at least going to find out who he is.
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