Inside 69: Nice.

[Chaotic Bob]

[A Small Well]

G'nichi is reminded of someone once warning him that shortcuts to power always have their consequences, if due caution and preparation is not taken.
He also has possibly never actually experienced this memory, but it is there nonetheless.
There is no other response from the rod.

The staff clearly doesn't believe in this message, but G'nichi asked and it delivered.

Its tail swishing lazily behind it, the cat-thing gets up and languidly walks around to the opposite edge of the well. There it sits and gestures a paw into the well.
A painfully simple request. A law of the world demands there be no gain without cost, however.

Offer to the well.

[Deathkeeper]

[A Small Well]

G’nichi is not liking this. Especially with the rod’s warning.
”Offer what, exactly?” A shiny coin? Something sentimental? His soul? He isn’t exactly going to just stick his head down there with this weird alien mammal staring at him. It’s spooky.

[Chaotic Bob]

[A Small Well]

It continues to stare rather unblinkingly at him, tail slowly swishing back and forth.
Back and forth.
It would be rather hypnotic, if not for the children playing Over There being rather noisy.

I couldn't say. It's your wish, not mine.
What seems appropriate?
It manages to not sound as snide as this remark looks, instead seeming like it genuinely doesn't know.

Uh, your soul isn't for sale, for the record. No worries there?
This is a terrible plan.
Just toss in a rock or something! Strong! Like a boulder!

[Deathkeeper]

[A Small Well]

G’nichi stares at the cat monster.
”Nope.”
Nope nope nope nope. G’nichi spins on his booted heel and walks out of the park to chase one of the other ribbons.
There has to be one that is less horrifically sketchy than this one. He’s seen more reputable ifrits in his time.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Not A Small Well]

G'nichi retreats! And thus misses the small head tilt from the cat-thing, a little twitch of its tail, and it lying back down to stare at his retreating form.
Unblinkingly, as always.

Aw...okay, well we have five more I found nearby-
No more faustian devil deals.
...three more I found nearby!

So, upon making a new decision amongst the three ribbons that were definitely the only remaining options, he aways again!

Which now brings us to what looks like the exterior of a perfectly normal clothing store. There's a simple wooden sign above an equally modest wooden door. It almost looks more like someone turned their house into a business, by nailing a title above it.

Triumph's Garb

[Deathkeeper]

Triumph’s Garb

Well. A clothing store. That sounds much more reasonable.
He doesn’t know how it will actually help him, but he will give this a try.
So he heads in. This store will get a fair shot.

[Earl of Purple]

Chalcedony House Gemstone Museum

The laser cutter disables the alarm! Hopefully. Given it's a silent alarm, there's no sound this end if it didn't work. But the unconscious guard's radio remains silent, with nobody asking him what's going on. So it probably worked.

Now Larza just has to pick which case she wants to open first and get to looting. Rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings or the big and fancy clearly magic crown?

[Chaotic Bob]

[Triumph's Garb]

It seems more intelligent just to engage a strict exercise regimen. Pushups and running can get you quite far.
Our dashing hero didn't ask for an exercise regimen! He asked for RESULTS!

"Oh lordy, I hope you're here for something a bit less...all that there, lad."
Interrupting the arguing voices in his head, G'nichi is greeted by the typical gruff voice of a dwarf in the back.

In a shop filled with racks of clothes of every kind less extreme than G'nichi's current one, the muscular dwarf looks rather out of place.
He's clearly got the build a demeanor of one who one would expect to be out in the field, raving and murdering orcs. Burly, irritable, mildly armored. He is the quintessential prepared-for-violence-at-any-moment dwarf.

He is also currently sewing together some pants on a table, having glanced up only long enough to take in his newest maybe-customer.

[Deathkeeper]

[Triumph's Garb]

G'nichi nods at the man, and shakes his staff.
Is there any way I could get my clothes back right now? I don't need the whole ostentatious affair just to talk to someone. he mentally asks the staff.
Regardless, he turns to the dwarf.
"Sorry about that, I just got some of these items and their powers come with...uniforms, apparently.
Anyway, I'm here because I'm looking for something to help with them. They've apparently chosen me as their hero and I'm looking for something to make me less, well... he groans.
less wimpy for when I need to actually use them." he admits.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Triumph's Garb]

NOPE! He'll want to see what you're working with anyway!
The staff is all too giddy about this refusal.

The dwarf grunts something and ignores G'nichi for a few more seconds, as he finishes up what appears to be a tricky seam of some kind.
He inspects his work, holding up the cloth to a few different lighting angles, before setting it back down and stretching out his back with some very audible pops.
"Ach, quite a different life from going out and about, stabbing things to death. Don't let age catch up to you too quick, boy."
The dwarf does not look that old, for his kind.

After taking a moment to get up from his chair, he pulls a pair of glasses with a very faint rainbow sheen on their lenses over his eyes to look G'nichi over.
"Hm..."
Skipping the usual part where the clothing-maker invades his personal space to examine all of his angles and measurements, the dwarf simply once-overs him from across the room before giving a vaguely confirming nod.
"Not to my aesthetic taste, but not a bad garb, enchantment-wise. But you say you're looking for something to make your scaly self better on its own, eh? How do you feel about capes?"

[Deathkeeper]

[Triumph’s Garb]

G’nichi remembers that he has to try to get new glasses while he’s out. He can’t do any reading without the pair he lost in the tunnels.
”Capes aren’t any more ostentatious than what I’m being made to wear. What did you have in mind?” he asks the tailor.
”I can’t rely on having this outfit all the time.” If the spear could come and go, he has to assume the staff might be gone tomorrow.

[bc56]

Pickpocketing

The gith turns and runs, smack into the man she stole from. Trapped between the two angry people, she drops the wallet on the ground and raises her hands in surrender. She looks silently at the vigilante, clearly wondering what he will do now, as the civilian goes to retrieve his wallet from the ground.

[Rebonack]

[Lot]

By the time the basket reaches the bottom of the pit it should be pretty clear that this isn't Fortuna's living room.

First?

Everything is old crumbling concrete, rusted steel, and a thick layer of grey mud everywhere that isn't the raised area that the basket just alighted on.

Second?

It isn't colorful or wacky in here at all. It's kind of depressing, actually.

There's enough room to fly down here, but considering that there are cables strung all over the place in addition to being really dark everywhere that a lamp isn't flying might not exactly be safe. Nothing like close-lining yourself on a rusty steel cable, right?

Should Nick poke at the mud beyond the raised portion of the factory he'll find that it's thick, sucking, ice cold muck. Walking through that stuff for any length of time is a case of hypothermia just waiting to happen.

One of those temporary plastic clean room sort of things has been set up on the platform, looking ominously empty. Judging from the rack of yellow hazard suits hanging up near the entrance there is likely something unpleasant in there. Hard to ask anyone, though, given that no one is here. Which is kind of creepy. Judging from the equipment that's set up someone most certainly should be here.

Further off into the cavern, well away from the platform, deeper into the factory, is the source of the sickly green glow. Every now and again a loop of green light rises toward the ceiling before dissipating, casting the gutted factory complex in an eerie, unnatural hue.


[Quaint Victorian Deathtrap- Upstairs]

Ah, come on Jack. It's clearly about those wonderful relics that you've found. It could be helpful! You should keep it.

The journal contains more notes on the experiments the master of the house carried out. Each subject is described in a detached, clinic fashion. The sorts of mutations that manifested. The ways they died. Whether or not that were successfully merged with other test subjects. Of particular interest is test subject H-14, a male human procured from the entrepreneurs in Skyside. The child appeared unremarkable at first glance, but he was unusually resistant to mutations caused by the formula. The master of the house, on a whim, had exposed the child to the Icon while applying the formula. To his surprise and astonishment, the child underwent apotheosis then and there, metamorphosing into a fully functional cherub. The cherub was bound in the standard fashion described in Westlake's Fundamentals of Angelology and retained for further study.

And the gold coins?

Well.

They're pretty shiny.

The relics don't really... fit. As such. They're more of an idea than a physical object. But it will be clear to Jack that there are two more pieces needed to make the Icon whole once more.


[Creepy Victorian Deathtrap - Below]

A shirt and trousers are acquired!

Also acquired is a distinct feeling of mounting dread.

There sadly isn't much space to move around down on the first floor. There's the kitchen, the foyer, the entry hall, and the dining room. And, of course, the smoking room. But that probably won't be very helpful unless our heroes feels inclined to take her chances with stabbing another monstrosity. Or maybe hide in the closet and hope that it can't find her? That's one possibility at least. Maybe in the pantry back in the kitchen? That would mean walking near the dumbwaiter again which... hopefully won't attack her.

Let this be a lesson not to open up doors with awful squiggling sounds behind them.


[Golden Flock Orphanage]

Oh hey.

That isn't creepy at all.

Lucas and Melissa are further up front checking out the rest of the kitchen, leaving it up our pal Isaac to turn his flashlight toward the ceiling.

Hopefully it won't be a jump-scare up there.

[Deathkeeper]

[Lot]

Nick looks at the suits. He looks at the glowing cave. He digs into his belt of gear that he carries around because he is incredibly paranoid and digs out a tiny Geiger counter.
No no no. No no no. He can’t do this again. He can’t go down another glowing cave in a radiation suit. His family can’t do that again. And he doesn’t have Fortuna to cheat him better again. No no no no.

[Golden Flock Orphanage]

Isaac doesn’t like this. He doesn’t like any of this. This is why he has been very close to Lucas, because everyone knows you don’t split the party. But sometimes things just get to you. A lot.
And that’s why Isaac stops for just a second to aim his little glowing flashlight ball up and look.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Triumph's Garb]

Inexplicably, there's a pair of bright blue, heart shape-framed spectacles on G'nichi's face.
The staff definitely didn't glimmer in the process.

The dwarf politely fails to comment on their appearance, instead putting away his own glasses and moving off towards the back corner.
"Always wise to not get too reliant on one's tools. Give me a second, I'll go get the collar."
And unless stopped, he'll trundle off through a concealed back door, to return mere moments later with what looks like the collar portion of cape.

Not the huge Dracula-cape style of collar, but slightly more than a ribbon of cloth.
Hundreds of tiny symbols are sewn into it's fabric, each one a slightly different color each time it's viewed.
"I suppose this will be either less or more impressive given your current... Outfit. But go ahead and give it a try. No cursed bonding or anything, craftdwarf's honor."

It is proffered.

[Golden Flock Orphanage]

Tap.

Isaac shines his light upwards to reveal absolutely nothing at all. Nothing.
The tapping stops too, if he holds the light there long enough to notice.

TAP. TAP. TAP.

And then three, substantial taps onto the door leading back to the cafeteria, almost enough to rattle it.

Elsewhere in the kitchen, obscured behind the room's massive refrigerator in the corner, is a heavy metal door. This one is locked and rather warm to the touch.
Weirdly so.

[Hattish Thing]

Pickpocketing

The vigilante rests an armored hand upon his custom sidearm as the alien woman sets down the stolen wallet, exhaling smoothly as she does so. There's a tense pause afterwards, in which the armored man merely walks calmly towards her, ever closer, in a most intimidating fashion. As he draws closer, the armored figure erupts into a calculated flurry of limbs, unleashing a devastating blow directed towards the woman's stomach. He's quite the skilled brawler, and the gauntlets he wears are crafted of a particularly firm and unaccommodating material, and as such, it's likely she'll find herself out of breath.

Capitalizing upon the fact that she'll likely find herself doubled over, he'll attempt to reach for her throat and slam her directly into the alley wall, before lifting her up off her feet. From behind mechanical lenses built into his mask, the vigilante stares into her eyes, shouting from behind an electronic voicebox.

[Deathkeeper]

[Triumph’s Garb]

”Thank you.” says G’nichi with a nod, who carefully tries on the collar. He also pushes for the staff to remove the outfit so the tailor can fit it properly without the ostentatious suit getting in the way, and for sizing it when the staff isn’t around to give him the outfit anyway.

[bc56]

Pickpocketing

"They're all dead," The gith croaks, "All eaten up. I told them. I told them he was wrong. Then they all got eaten up, and I... I... can't remember." A look of insane glee crosses her face, followed by childish curiosity.""I can't remember anything. They all got eaten up, and then I can't remember! Do you remember?"

The civilian takes this time to quickly vanish back the way he came. He doesn't want to watch this.

[Hattish Thing]

Pickpocketing

The vigilante raises his free hand up into the air, forming it into a gauntlet-clad fist once more before thrusting it forward halfheartedly. The move is purely for the sake of intimidation, and he pauses about an inch away from the gith's nose. The man gauges her reaction for a split second before gritting his teeth. What did any of that even mean? From beneath his mask, Marco squints and frowns.

He'll pull the woman off the wall before tossing her into the other across the alley, easily catching up to grapple her in the same suspended position.

[bc56]

Pickpocketing

The gith doesn't even flinch at the strike. It's not clear she realized it could hit her at all. Her mind is definitely addled in some way. She weakly points to the west. "Over there. I think my sword is there too. I'm supposed to have a sword, I think. I can't remember..." She stares at her empty hands incredulously, as if the concept of not having a sword is completely alien. She clearly doesn't comprehend the gravity of her current situation.

[Hattish Thing]

Pickpocketing

Realizing that violence would only go so far in this particular situation, the vigilante lowers the woman from her position up against the wall, allowing her to slump down to the ground as she pleases. This was pathetic to see, and hardly worth his usual levels of aggression. In a way, he almost felt bad. Almost. After shaking his head free of such notions, he'll proceed to very quickly check the woman for hidden weapons of any sort, and should his check come back empty, he'll grab her around the waist.

A button built into the chestplate of his suit is pushed, and with that, the thrusters built into his uniform activate, propelling the pair up into the sky.

[bc56]

Pickpocketing

The gith has almost nothing on her person. A bit of loose change in her shirt pocket and a plastic shiv made from a broken fork tucked into her shoe and hidden by a fold of her sock. She won't stop any of it from being taken. She doesn't resist when carried into the air either. She points towards the prison, an imposing rectangular edifice a few blocks west of their previous position, surrounded by a high barbed wire fence, and watched by five guard towers, one at each corner, and one smaller one in the middle of its central courtyard. A small parking lot serves the building, about half filled by 10 or so vehicles.

[Hattish Thing]

Pickpocketing

Her items will be confiscated and unceremoniously thrown into the street prior to takeoff. It's a short flight, a mere five or so minutes, before the pair will proceed to descend just outside of the prison, around one hundred and twenty feet away from the very entrance. Once they land, she'll find herself cuffed quickly, with her captor manacling her in a far less violent fashion.

With a beleaguered sigh, he'll start marching her forward.

[5a Violista]

[just outside the The Temperance Teahouse]

Holly the Half-Elf^TM is here for a date, all dressed up in casual-elegant attire.

She's got a pretty snazzy black dress on - just above knee-length, with a slit going up the side and a dip in the front a bit deeper than she's normally comfortable with. Paired with it is a matching shawl, and low heels. Her hairs up, with a couple black roses twisted in. Long, black gloves are also worn, with the thumb, pointer finger, and middle finger missing so her actual skin and fingernails are seen.

Her make-up is also bolder than when Rein last saw it - and it isn't smeared this time, either. She's got a ring on her middle finger on her left hand with a small dark red gem with some swirling black, a silver bracelet, and a necklace with a similar dark red gem. A small purse, also.

She's also a little more nervous than she's trying to appear - before Reinholdt, the last date she went on was several years ago, with Magtok, wearing fake mustaches. ...It didn't really work out. And the last time she had a dinner-date like this was more than a decade ago.

[Murkus]

[Moonrise]

Orrey's cigarette flares, and for a moment reveals the curdled curve of his mouth. Smoke rolls out onto the table and climbs toward the ceiling.

"Sounds fine," he says plainly. "I've got people who can back us on this - muscle, mostly, but I'm not going to waste them if the job looks too crap or too dangerous. Got suppliers, too, if we need special gear... or something for this demo guy of yours."

"When do we start? How are you planning to start?" Orrey cracks his knuckles under the table, his burning cig jostling left and right in his mouth.

[bc56]

Prison

The stench of sulfur hangs over the prison, although Marco may not be able to smell it through his suit. The structure has no windows on the outside, making it appear like a featureless block of concrete from here. As the pair approaches the gate, a security guard stationed there calls out, "Stop! What are you doing here?" to which the gith cowers away from the guard post and cries, "No! No! You were eaten up, eaten up!"

[Rebonack]

[Lot]

No radiation is detected.

Whatever is going on here is... Something else.

Several routes of exploration remain. The clean room, the freezing depths of the factory, or-

Now that he's pausing to look, it would appear as though there are a series of rickety catwalks strung between buildings in the factory complex. Honestly, from the haphazard way things are tossed around it looks more like a chaotic jumble of buildings than anything intentional. Maybe the Nexus just yanked it all in here?

No.

That doesn't seem quite right.

Usually when the Nexus pulls random stuff in you get clashing between architectural styles. Everything down in this cavern has a very uniform appearance of dull, grey, monolithic dilapidation.


[Golden Flock Orphanage]

Ever seen a cat reacting to the sound a metronome makes?

That's Melissa right now when the loud taps happen.

Jumpjumpjump!

She scowls back at the door in a rather cat-like way, her tail lashing behind her. "I can't see whatever's doing this," she huffs. There really isn't any fear involved to speak of. More like irritation.

Lucas scoots a bit further forward, raising his utility-stick-which-is-currently-a-flashlight toward the fridge. "Hey, the refrigerator is shoved in front of a door," Lucas observes. That is, of course, a really weird place to put a refrigerator. He'll look a bit closer to see if he can't discern any unusual details about the fridge. "Why would someone put a fridge in front of a door?"

Are there any scuff marks on the floor suggesting it was moved recently? Does it look like one of those walk-in freezer doors? Big kitchens have those sometimes.

[Deathkeeper]

[Lot]

Oh, good. Not dying due to invisible death particles.
Nick still isn't too keen on plunging into those depths just yet. So...
Maybe the catbird can go by the catwalk. A simply leap with his wings and some climbing should get him on top of the catwalk. Then he can scope out the area down here.

[Golden Flock Orphanage]

Isaac scowls, but heads over to the refrigerator. He begins trying to move it with his enhanced strength. It's not as easy as it would be if he changed, but he's still trying to save that.
"You know, normally I'd be trying to keep the barricade up...but since we're actively looking for the dangerous ghosts here..." he grumbles. This is all still a stupid idea.

[Earl of Purple]

Quaint Victorian Deathtrap

That's as maybe, but unless it's simple enough for Jack to understand it, with no background in magic, she's leaving it. She will look for Westlake's Fundamentals of Angelology on the shelves, since it seems like it might be a good starter if she decides to start learning how to use this power.

So she's looking for one cherub and two more relics, as she continues her search into the next room. She'll glance to see if the stairs are back yet, as she goes.

[Ionbound]

[Creepy Victorian Deathtrap - Below]

Mounting dread is certainly a feeling Melissa is going through right now, along with deep terror and self-disgust. She retreats from the smoking room more, backing towards the foyer as she looks around for a staircase to get off this floor.