Seaside 5: Kinda like One Piece without the anime

[Rebonack]

[Marlick Bay]

Boy howdy does it ever catch the monster off guard.

Something Sekhmet might not be aware of when it comes to fire.

When you suddenly have a whole bunch of it all at once in one place? And it heats up the air a bunch? Y'know what that's called?

*kra-KOOM!*

An explosion.

A roiling fireball explodes in the monster's general direction, shredding pews and boiling the air. The monster does what it can to dampen the blast, but it had just used its relic and just like Sekhmet's the alien device doesn't work so well after being used for something else a few moment's prior. It partly shunts the blast around itself, but only enough to keep from getting utterly pulverized. By the time the smoke and dust settles the horror is laid out, sizzling and punched through with shrapnel. It coughs, an awful wheezing sound, and then probably says something suitable for a villain to say after getting blindsided by the hero. Probably something witty and bit a cutting.

But Sekhmet can't hear it.

She's still deaf.

Meanwhile!

A massive explosion shakes the building somewhere high above.

Huh.

Wonder what that was about?

Then shards shot at tentacles! The tentacles seem mostly unbothered by that. Then they're grabbing that poor cultist and slithering back into the void!

"Wait, no, that's the wrong-"

Bye cultist!

Have fun out there!

Certainly more fun than the high priest is having what with that spear sticking out of his back now.

Whoop, he just started shrieking incoherently. Then Anchor stabs him again.

Then he explodes.

Gross.

Upon seeing that happen the rest of the cultists cry out in terror and try fleeing back up the stairs.

The useless elf laughs as if this were all a terribly amusing show and begins clapping.

[bc56]

Marlick Bay

Sekhmet looks at the injured monster. She picks up a particularly sharp piece of debris and presses it against the creature's torso, right where she senses its relic. "I don't know what you are, or were, but, uh, I can't let you hurt those people," she mumbles. She can't hear herself speak, so her voice probably sounds a bit odd, a little slurred. She presses her makeshift weapon into the horror using her body weight for extra force. Hopefully, this puts an end to it.

[5a Violista]

[Marlick Bay - Meanwhile!]

Explosion upstairs?
Is this the next phase of the angel or whatever? he wonders.

It's incredibly fortunate that all the other cultists ran, because otherwise whatever caused that explosion could go unchecked and cause a serious problem. (However, it's also unfortunate: because now they won't be able to tell off the cultists.)

He runs up to Anchor and the elf. "You both alright?" he asks them. There's no need to ask Benedict - he seems alright, and was too far back to be directly targeted.

Also.
This elf.
Zophiel's is feeling a very...familiar sensation from this elf. Not from this particular elf, but from...the general fae feeling around the elf. He recalls advice he got from Cleo, way back when their daughter was born, and what happened then. In particular - don't say where you're going in front of them, among other things.
He glances at the elf. A little bit of suspicion.

The paladin picks up the spear he threw. And then the hammer he also threw.

Since Anchor mentioned earlier she was low on magic, Zophiel offers the Memory Spear to her again: "I know you've already got one," he says - her shadow-formed spear - "but this might be better." Silly Zophiel, too concerned for his daughter and not thinking logically that - if the explosion were caused by this saint of whatever, then it'd be best to take it up there ASAP.

Then, to Anchor (and loud enough for Benedict to hear), he says, "I trust you and guys can take care of things from here?" He says this, hoping Anchor can pick up on the subtext that Zophiel is going back to find the source of the explosion - fearing that it's the next stage of the ritual, or the call, or whatever - without having to spell out what they're doing in front of this elf.

Assuming Anchor seems confident, and Benedict doesn't loudly object, Zophiel turns back to sprint in the direction the fleeing cultists took, to find the stairs back up and to find the source of the explosion.

[Deathkeeper]

[Intersection Charity Beach Party]

In order to raise money to provide relief for victims of recent apocaplots (and to provide more orphanages to the city since they seem to end up ruined so often), Intersection has organized a charity beach party. Conveniently, it's hot enough to be beach weather despite the somewhat early start it's having. For a small fee, participants have full access to the grounds at scenic Bay Inside, the (current) closest point from the city of Inside to the nearest sea.
For the most part, it's a simple beach setup, with catering hired from MERC and other organizations with chefs-for-hire at a large wooden hut. The whole thing is a constant barrage of the smell of cheese and sizzling sausages (no pork) for meters around.
Beside it is a large open tent made of white fabric with gold sun symbols painted on it, containing several tables. One appears to contain a wide variety of lotions - sunblock lotion, tanning lotion, fur and feather protecting creams, and of course poultices for sunburn. Another contains a variety of insta-fit swimwear - you simply select the style you want and it automatically changes shape to fit you. For a surcharge you can get ones that change color and pattern on command too, and resists accidentally coming off. A third contains enchanted toys like sand animation powder and little soldiers that will run around your sand castles. And in the middle of the tent there's a wide variety of magically chilled beverages, alcoholic and otherwise. Next to the beverage table there's a cat on a stool.
Dotting the shore are a number of high chairs for the volunteer lifeguards from the city. Nothing too notable except perhaps a particularly large but nervous dragon-fellow in one of them.
And lastly, a deck seemingly for use in later events. And bathrooms, of course.

[Earl of Purple]

Marlick Bay

Benedict glances upwards at the explosion, before walking to the dead cultist and searching them. He's mostly checking to see if they have any icons or symbols on a necklace or amulet in their pocket, though any loose change or weaponry is also likely to stolen by the occultist. The fleeing cultists are allowed to, Benedict not caring if they escape. Hopefully they don't come back with reinforcements, but he suspects all the cult's brutes have been dealt with, leaving only more basically human cultists with little if any supernatural ability.

He would like to know how that rift in space was achieved, but that doesn't look very likely. "I think we disrupted the ritual. The chosen sacrifice is alive, the high priest is not, the cultists are fled- except two, one of which has moved to... I'm going to guess the Elemental Plane of Pain, and the other has died." Painfully at that, though rather quickly most likely.

[bc56]

Intersection Charity Beach Party - Arrivals

The Newly-Made Lady

Jade Fisher arrives at the beach a little early. She's a little uncomfortable about this. She purchased her ticket back when she was still Jason, and this is her first major social outing as a woman, and also likely to be her least clothed. Her curvy, female form is clad in only a green bikini, leaving very little of her quite attractive body covered. If you look deep into her lovely brown eyes, you can see a bit of self-consciousness about it, but she's doing her best to suppress it. She's brought a towel along, and she's going to try one of the many things she knows women do. Sunbathing. She spreads her towel out on the sand and lies down in the sun in an attempt to relax and enjoy herself.

The Reluctant Demoness

Sekhmet arrives nervously at the party. The fiendling is wearing a blue one-piece swimsuit, and has a metal pendant with a shooting star engraved on it on a cord around her neck. She doesn't look like the sort to enjoy being around water, what with the ball of fire floating between her horns, but she also doesn't seem to mind, either. The metal strands under her skin glitter in the sunlight as she stands and waits for her boyfriend to arrive.

The Lizard and Son

The lizardfolk paladin Kothar is here with his son, Achuak. "But daaad! Why do we have to come here?" "It good to help local law. And you need to practice swim." "But I don't wanna!" The two argue as they approach the party along the beach.

[Recaiden]

[Marlick Bay]

Anchor whisks the spear to the side, and then goes to wipe bits of exploded fish-priest off her glasses, paying no mind to the fleeing cultists.
"Doing fine."

Taking the other spear from Zophiel, she nods.
"We can handle it."
Then she leans the first spear over her arm, pats the side of its head, and slides it back into its alternately-dimensioned shadow storage.

To Benedict, she asks. "Do you sense any other magic on the altar? It might still be waiting for its sacrifice, or bring up the saint but slower."
And to the elf, she suggests "I believe you owe us for your rescue, hmm?"

[Rebonack]

[Marlick Bay]

The horror makes a nasty squelching noise as the weapon is driven through its ganglia and that's that.

So long, horror!

And as it expires?

Suddenly an object is existing in its proximity.

If one could even call it an object.

Most properly, it is the concept of motion. A thing never at rest. Perhaps a spinning wheel or a revolving sphere or an endlessly flitting mass of sharp, fast shapes. Every mortal mind perceives its differently. But regardless, it now buzzes in front of Sekhmet, waiting to be collected.

The third Relic.

They must be brought together again.

Hmm... it would appear as though the awful song from the sea is dying off again. And speaking of dying off! Those still living cultists come fleeing up the stairs and out of the church!

Later cultists!

And then?

Zoph begins heading up the stairs! Once he reaches the top he'll find that the church has been torn up pretty significantly and there's a huge dead thing that looks almost, but not completely, wholly unlike a horseshoe crab. It has apparently been cooked, judging from the smell and the burn marks. Sekhmet is also likely up here in the process of grabbing another Relic.

Meanwhile!

Benny begins riffling through the dead cultist's things. There are a few gold trinkets. But perhaps most interesting is that journal that is bound in... yeah that's leather. Probably spooky leather. Not that Benny is bothered by that sort of thing.

The elf seems disappointed that things ended so quickly.

"No, I don't believe so," it replies.

What a rude elf.

[bc56]

Marlick Bay

Sekhmet grabs the relic, a twisting, corkscrewing lump of molten metal, yet not hot to the touch, and puts it in her purse next to the other. Then, leaving the broken shaft of wood in the horror's corpse, she stumbles towards the stairs, following her sense of the location of the last relic. She probably bumps into Zophiel without even really registering that he's there. She's pretty out of it, clearly exhausted both mentally and physically, and the bloodstained makeshift bandage on her side is very obvious amidst her darker-colored clothes.

[Recaiden]

Another partygoer arrives at the beach, feeling a little uncomfortable about this. She hasn't been to a beach to just have fun in...well...ever. But it does bring back memories of a happy time.
She has pale brown hair worn in a few braids, hazel eyes, skin that's going to need a lot of sunscreen, an impossibly willowy figure, and wears a red one-piece swimsuit with lots of straps. Most distinctively, there's a long, ragged scar running down the inside of her left arm.

Let's see...what do people do here? Swim... no thanks? Drink...not for her, no. Sunbathing! That could be nice, just like lying in a sunbeam, right? And look, someone's already doing it.
She strolls over and unfurls a beach towel next to Jade to lie down on.

Jade probably noticed that the temperature dropped several degrees as she approached.

[bc56]

Beach Party - Sunbathing Ladies

Jade begins to relax and maybe actually enjoy herself a little, when she feels a chill in the air. Maybe a bikini wasn't the best choice this early in the year. She doesn't connect it to the newcomer yet, but she does turn to examine her new neighbor. "Hello."

[Recaiden]

The new neighbor turns on her side to face Jade. It seems she has passed for a normal sunbather so far! Excellent.
"Hello there. Enjoying the party?"

The cold doesn't seem to be getting any worse.

[bc56]

Beach Party - Sunbathing Ladies

Jade smiles, although maybe not convincingly. "It's nice. A little cold though." She doesn't feel entirely comfortable with how exposed she is, and the cold is just making it worse. She's subconsciously covering her chest with her arm. Her midriff and legs are chilly.

[5a Violista]

[Marlick Bay]

Zophiel comes up after the cultists do. He doesn't have the spear; just his two massive swords on his back and the small clawhammer in his hand. Glad that everything seems to have gone fine down there, and confident that those two have everything under control.

The first thing he notices - and is grateful for - is that the awful seasong is going away. This is a relief, because now his magic seal won't try to amplify it to him.

He gets up there.

He sees Sekhmet. Frankly speaking, the fact that she's grabbing another relic isn't as important as the fact that she seems really injured. This probably happened because he left her up here alone.
I believe Zophiel still hasn't gotten her name yet, because they've hardly been together except for when she has been deafened.

He runs up to her: "Hey, kid," he says. He goes to grab her by her shoulders and move her in front of him. "Hey. You alright?" he asks, slowly and intentionally. Maybe she can read his lips? He tries to get her to look at him. "I can heal you; show me where."

[Recaiden]

The other lady pulls a long face. Jade doesn't mean that.
"Oh, right. Let me warm you up." She says sincerely.
Closing her eyes, the chill sweeps away, heat radiating our from her until the beach is a toasty as a summer should be.

[bc56]

Beach Party - Sunbathing Ladies

Jade relaxes in the sudden warmth. "Ahh. That feels good." Her skin still feels bare, but in a better way, exposed to the sun's comfortable rays rather than biting cold. Is this how she's supposed to feel, lying on a beach on a summer's day, in a bikini? Maybe the other woman catches Jade occasionally glancing awkwardly down at her chest once in a while

[Earl of Purple]

Marlick Bay

Benedict does in fact pocket the journal. Even if it's clearly made of human leather, so are the protective robes he's wearing. It really doesn't bother him- so long as it isn't his skin.

He does as asked and draws another symbol to find magical energy, sketching white lines in the air and creating another lens with which to examine the room. He'll also check out the elf, see what that looks like under his magic-sensor.

[Arkhosia]

Moonwell: Keep Talking and No Feline Explodes

Blanche only catches a glimpse of the massive skeleton starting to materialize in the looming glow that flares from the moonwell as she rushes downstairs, forcing the terrifying sight from her mind before she can dwell on it. There's nothing she can do about it at the moment. She needs to focus on what she can do, what matters now.

The catgirl slows as she enters to let her gaze dart through the room. Two hostile constructs, one stunned and the other on its way out as Geneva engages it. Another ally incapacitated, holding- her eyes light up at the sight and she lowers to snatch up the contraption as she moves into the room. She looks over it, finding for the activation... there! - before swiftly arming it, winding back her arm and throwing the device square into the metal construct's face. Hands immediately go to her new rifle as soon as the throw is made, toggling the safety - or reaching for one that isn't there, making Blanche silently frown and judge its construction - and pulling the trigger. If that stun wears off, hopefully a couple rounds will keep the thing's focus occupied before it can notice the explosive about to detonate in its face.

[Recaiden]

[Marlick Bay]

Well, the elf is clearly wrong, but it's not worth pressing the imaginary thing.

Anchor is going to poke around the room, looking especially at the altar and where the other cultists and their sacrifice sprang out from.

[Charity Beach Party]

Oh good, she hasn't completely gotten out of practice at that.
Now to just lay back down and relax and listen to the people at the party.
Except... "Is something not right? Your outfit?" she hazards a guess.

[bc56]

Beach Party

"No, it's not the swimsuit." It's not really much different from wearing a bra, and she's done that ever since the curse hit. Jade has a moment of indecision. Should she tell her story, or keep it secret? She decides that she has nothing to gain from hiding it. Not here and now, at least. "It's, um, well... I used to be a man. I was cursed and turned into a woman." Her current clothes probably seem like a bold decision given that knowledge. How many men would be comfortable with a bikini in public? Or maybe Jade just likes seeing her beautiful self scantily clad.

[Recaiden]

Oh, that's a little interesting, isn't it?
"Oh, I understand now. Being a woman is very difficult."
It's funny, she was cursed into becoming a woman as well, in a manner of speaking. But unlike Jade, she does have a reason to keep the details secret.
"But I wouldn't have guessed that if you hadn't told me." She's blending in just fine.

[bc56]

Beach Party

"I'm still getting used to it," Jade continues, "It's weird having all... This stuff." She gestures to indicate her large chest. She seems to smile just a little when told she passed for a natural woman. "I've been like this for about a week and a half now. A couple days ago, I realized that if I'm stuck as a woman, I might as well wear it with pride. So, here I am."

[Recaiden]

"You do have more stuff to deal with than most of us."
To be fair, this person is not the best judge of what is normal for men or women.

"What was the biggest difference so far, do you think?"

[bc56]

Beach Party

Jade ignores the comment about her having more "stuff." She didn't choose her figure. The curse gave it to her. She shrugs. "There are a lot of changes. My voice is different. That was awkward at first. My balance has changed. New clothes too. I had trouble getting my bra on at first. Long hair isn't actually that bad, once you get used to it. I think the worst thing is the height. The curse took about 9 inches off me." That's a lot, considering the height difference between the average man and the average woman is about half that. "There are a lot of things I can't reach any more."

[Recaiden]

Not one for a joke like that, huh?
"Hmm, I think long hair really is that bad. I usually wouldn't wear it even as long as it is now."
"That really is awful. Reaching tall things is, mm, probably what humans are best at."

"What were you like before you were cursed?"

[bc56]

Beach Party

Jade isn't comfortable enough with her new body to make jokes about it yet. "I was taller. I was about the same color. I think my eyes are a bit darker now. I was fairly muscular, but still a little thin. There's actually not much resemblance between how I am now and how I was then. The curse took that too. I don't have my phone, or I could show pictures." One of the other changes she forgot to mention. Women's clothes don't have as many pockets.

[Recaiden]

Hmm. She's worked on it so much, but sometimes words still fail her.
"You looked different. Taller, thinner. But who were you?"

[bc56]

Beach Party

Jade nods. "I'm Jason Fisher. You can call me Jade; that's my female name. I'm a superhero with," (the now-defunct), "NERD." She shrugs again. 'Other than the name, I don't think who I am has changed much.'

[Rebonack]

[Moonwell: Keep Talking and a Demon Probably Explodes]

Oh good.

Help is here.

Geneva isn't totally sure what the purpose of the device on the demon's face is, but she's guessing it probably isn't something friendly.

Is that a bomb of some kind?

It sure looks like one.

Hopefully it doesn't cause the other bomb to blow up.

Geneva alters the shape of her barrier from a sphere to a teardrop shape, causing the pressure to launch her free from the demon like a watermelon seed. As she zips away she reaches out with her telekinetic grasp and pulls the unconscious halfling away likewise, before warping the enclosed barrier into a wide hemisphere. With any luck it should be able to catch any stray shrapnel from the face-explosives.

And with luck?

They'll still have time to get the bomb off the ship.


[Marlick Bay]

Well it looks like Zoph and Sekhmet will have the chance for a touching reunion! Nothing will be interrupting them.

Yet.

Let's see what's going on with Benny, Anchor, and that terrific elf?

Into a pocket the journal goes, its secrets as yet unknown!

As for the elf? They do indeed appear to be magical in a decidedly fae sort of fashion. This isn't one of those run of the mill mundane elves. It's one of the weird otherworldly ones. The elf also makes a show of being bashful when examined.

"Goodness, sir, you could have just asked."

The alter is an interesting thing, certainly. Now that Anchor is looking at it a bit more closely she'll be able to see that there's a highly stylized rendition of the sea-mount they're inside of carved into its surface. There's the church up there, and the three tired hidden chapel, and... something else. A cave, maybe? Below that. A symbol in the middle of the cave that incorporates that strange spiral features prominently and proves uncomfortable to look at for long. There's a hole in the center of the spiral with channels clearly meant to direct the flow of blood to there.

Creepy.

Behind the alter is a small lectern that contains a spooky looking unholy book and several spare iron knives.

[bc56]

Marlick Bay

Sekhmet nods. She understood what he meant. She grabs his hand and moves it to her side, where the bandage is. She slowly, carefully pulls the cloth scrap off to reveal the wound, four deep, parallel cuts where one of the fish zombies slashed her. She's clearly lost some blood, and if Zophiel is looking for it, he can see a trail of blood drips leading out the door of the church.