Riverside

Locales found within the main city centers; primarily Inside, Riverside, and Skyside.
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Re: Riverside

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Outside Moth Park: Midnight

Yes, she had asked before and Jaahlyn still had no good answer. Since she knew several calendars and the years of the one MERC used were rarely relevant to her. "I... it's two, zero, something." She remarks sheepishly. "Sorry, I don't actually keep track but-" At this point the satyr brings up her phone and holds up to show 'Bobbi' the screen which should display a date for her. "That's the date."

She pauses a moment to let it dawn on her before bringing up that other thing she mentioned.
"Were you taken by fey then?" That's... awkward. But it would mean that the claims she came out here to investigate probably were true.
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Re: Riverside

Post by Murkus »

[Theories of Necromantic Adhesion]

When Reilana returns, the shop is quite dark. The door is unlocked in spite of this. She can pick out the counter and shelves if she peers into the darkness... as well as a ghostly light flapping around the door to the back. Closer examination reveals it to be a miniature mechanical butterfly, glowing with golden flame. It seems to be trying to get her attention.

If Reilana follows the little creature, it will lead her through the back room and out into a yard in the rear of the store. It would be tough to spot directly from the street, enclosed as it is by the surrounding buildings. Sticks is here. He's wearing a sleeveless vest and simple muck-trousers now, and he's sitting cross-legged in the center of the yard (which seems to be thin grass and semi-soft earth in equal measures). He has his back to the shop. He seems to be deep in concentration.

All around him the yard is a great flutter of activity. Numerous artificed beings crowd treebranches, flit through the air, scurry along the ground, and duck into little hidey-holes as Reilana arrives. Birds, squirrels, weasels, voles, moles, hamsters, and many more. Some play, some watch Sticks, and some scurry forward to sniff or gently poke at Reilana before darting away. They seem to be much less fearful than 'real' animals might be.
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Re: Riverside

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Arkhosia wrote: Mar 23, 2023 2:20 am
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[Big Trouble - Post Scriptum]

Ana's eyes flash with fresh insistence the moment Atsede starts to argue again, ready to scramble for some way to double down - until to her surprise, she suddenly backs off, leaving the kitsune to blink like a cat who doesn't know what to do after trapping a mouse.

"- Okay, um- good!" She states, planting her hands on her hips. "And, like - you better not be lying, or I'm gonna be very cross." Some errant part of her does linger on the thought of Atsede as a well-behaved student, and particularly how cute she'd look in a school uniform - but it doesn't get the recognition and introspection it deserves in that awkward cooling-off period you get after an argument.
Gullara wrote: Mar 23, 2023 2:26 am [Big Trouble - Post Scriptum]

Eliseo snickers quietly, looking between the two girls. It's one thing to see Atsede so mollified, but the bonus of stern Ana is just as fun. It's actually funny how much she looks like her mom in that moment. It's a sight very familiar to Eliseo, usually while he's being scolded for sneaking in through the window.

"I'm glad we're all seeing eye to eye now." He can't manage to keep the laughter out of his voice.
[Big Trouble - Post Scriptum]

"Uh, yeah, um... right." Uh oh. Ana was going to be very cross later. Atsede would have to avoid getting hit in her round 2 fight then, so she doesn't find out. Given last time though, that doesn't seem super likely. Ah well. That was a future Atsede problem. It was a bit hard to take Ana seriously though- she was trying very hard to look stern, but it wasn't fully working in the Changeling's eyes. She looked kinda adorable, really.

Atsede doesn't miss the laughter in Eliseo's voice, a sure sign that the rungs had been pulled out from under her. She made a face at him. "When we finally get to play CoD together I'm gonna steamroll you so hard," she lightly jabbed.
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Re: Riverside

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[Project Icarus]

Tauron has the good fortune of Ilpholin's death being violent in only one direction. The nymph does not awake in a start, grab his neck and toss him across the room into a wall. Instead she notices the strangest thing. Sheets? Bedsheets? When's the last time she slept under those? She can't recall... not that these were her sheets. She was very picky about the thread count and material of her sheets, having to wash and switch them out with some frequency. These were someone else's sheets.

Ilpholin will slowly open her emerald and black eyes, taking in the sight of Tauron and his clockwork-like toys. Well. These were someone else's sheets. Just not in the usual way. She stares at the doctor quietly for many long moments.
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Re: Riverside

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[Project Icarus]

Tauron had considered strapping Ilpholin down in case she got violent but eventually decided that to probably cause more trouble than it was worth.

"...are you feeling alright?" Tauron finally breaks the silence they've found themselves in. "Since I had to reattach your head to your body so you might find yourself having some neck issues. Not to mention having to reconstruct your memory." Hopefully her son would keep his mouth shut about that one.
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Re: Riverside

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[Project Icarus]

Nahlrae's blackmail letter will get to Tauron much later, after he's done with his daily mom mandated game of kings and assassins.

Right. That happened, didn't it? It almost feels like a fever dream, but it was real. As real as that girl... that monster. Living here in Riverside, preying on its citizens, touting honor and righteousness as an excuse for its depravity, like all the other deceitful monsters.

Ilpholin doesn't answer Tauron, not right away. She does, however, sit up, turning to where her legs dangle over the edge of the bed. Her hand raises up to touch her neck, fingers trailing over the thick scar that adorns the entirety of its circumference.
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Re: Riverside

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[Project Icarus]

Tauron steps back and his minions soon follow suit. Imagining that he should give the nymph some space as she sits up.

"Based on the condition your body was in when it was brought here combined with what HALlelujah and Mr. Squiggles has told me about the system they used to bring you back I would roughly estimate that you've been gone for 57 hours, 21 minutes and... well, I said it was a rough estimate." He would tell her more but one thing at the time. His bedside manners had started to improve.
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Re: Riverside

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[Project Icarus]

Ilpholin closes her eyes as her hand falls away from her neck, but that doesn't stop a few oily tears that escapes her eyelids and runs along the edge of her nose. "That the doctor who brought me to heaven should drag me back into hell, the irony is too cruel..." She says softly to no one. Her eyes open again and she looks up at the ceiling for several moments. Did she see Lolth? No... no, if she had done so she'd have remembered. The priestesses' visions of the queen of darkness ever so vividly described. Then even Lolth has abandoned her to this demon infested wasteland with no hope of a reward for success or rest for failure.

"I'd praise your efficiency doctor, but I don't know how long resurrections normally take. The third day seems as good as any other to rise," the nymph says, no warmth or humor in her voice as she pulls her eyes away from the ceiling and looks at Tauron once more.
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Re: Riverside

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[Project Icarus]

Tauron waits with his reply, giving her time to take it all in. He had been deactivated at one point so he knew how returning to life was in a way. His body hadn't been destroyed like Ilpholin's so he hadn't felt the pain but his mind had been turned off just as completely as hers had.
"It took the system you used about thirty hours to get you here in the first place so I would say I managed to get it done sufficiently effectively despite all the distractions." He finally remarks.

Then after a moment adding. "Speaking of said distractions, we have had guests. First, just mere hours after I was told that your body had expired there was a human with animal like ears all dressed in white that HALlelujah turned away. Then, just a short while ago, we had more of our kind joining us." He pauses but only to give Ilpholin a chance to process this information before he continues.

"There's a small battalion of phyrexians that are currently busy 'fortifying' this compound. This would be fortunate if they hadn't been lead by an irrational creature known as 'Svartha', whom I strongly suspect have already lied about her allegiances."
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Re: Riverside

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Outside Moth Park: Midnight

"What?" After that burst of shock, Bobbi leans back and puts her head in her hands. "Eleven... I've been gone for eleven years. I... Do I look thirty-seven?" No, she doesn't; she's apparently mid-twenties, though it's possible she won't age as fast now.

It'll take a moment for her to recover her shock. "Yes, I... I think so. They... took me as I was cleaning my teeth, dragged me into the shower except it wasn't the shower. I was pulled through a vast hedge, and... then I was put in a cage, released when a horn sounded, and then dogs started barking so I ran. I got caught, eventually, I think. I woke up in that cage... Many times." The memories are hazy, and faded, and getting hazier and more faded with every moment, as her experiences don't match up with actually realities.
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Re: Riverside

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Outside Moth Park: Midnight

"Erm..." Did the woman look thirty-seven? Did Jaahlyn look eighteen? Both were true yet also in a way false.

She looks over the woman again, From head to toe.
With that new information in mind the implications seemed clear of just what they had used her for.
She could see it before her minds eyes so clearly.
Since it wasn't the first time she had met someone like this.

Jaahlyn will tentatively try to pull Bobbi into a hug. "I'm so sorry." She murmurs in what she hopes is a comforting tone as she feels guilt wash over her.
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Re: Riverside

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Murkus wrote: Mar 26, 2023 8:15 pm [Theories of Necromantic Adhesion]

When Reilana returns, the shop is quite dark. The door is unlocked in spite of this. She can pick out the counter and shelves if she peers into the darkness... as well as a ghostly light flapping around the door to the back. Closer examination reveals it to be a miniature mechanical butterfly, glowing with golden flame. It seems to be trying to get her attention.

If Reilana follows the little creature, it will lead her through the back room and out into a yard in the rear of the store. It would be tough to spot directly from the street, enclosed as it is by the surrounding buildings. Sticks is here. He's wearing a sleeveless vest and simple muck-trousers now, and he's sitting cross-legged in the center of the yard (which seems to be thin grass and semi-soft earth in equal measures). He has his back to the shop. He seems to be deep in concentration.

All around him the yard is a great flutter of activity. Numerous artificed beings crowd treebranches, flit through the air, scurry along the ground, and duck into little hidey-holes as Reilana arrives. Birds, squirrels, weasels, voles, moles, hamsters, and many more. Some play, some watch Sticks, and some scurry forward to sniff or gently poke at Reilana before darting away. They seem to be much less fearful than 'real' animals might be.
[Theories of Necromantic Adhesion]

Reilana watches the butterfly for a second, but then guesses the reason it's here. She follows it out back and then stops o the threshold. Huh.

"Lot going on out here." She remarks as she steps closer to the man. There's the hint of a question in her tone. She distractedly turns her head toward some of the animal constructs again.
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Re: Riverside

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Outside Moth Park: Midnight

Bobbi hugs back and starts to cry, the shock of the amount of time she's been away combining with the knowledge that she has no idea whether most of her family's still alive just suddenly proving too much for her.
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Re: Riverside

Post by Reinholdt »

[Project Icarus]

"Well... not exactly how I wanted to test Icarus. It'll have to be refined." 30 hours is a long time for transit. She turns her head towards the wall, staring at nothing in particular quietly for a moment.

"... Yes. I see them," Ilpholin finally comments. "Bring me my clothes." Visitors is the last thing she wants to be dealing with right now, but visitors she must.

Her gaze returns to Tauron, looking at him in particular. "And where do you think Svartha's allegiances lie?"
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Re: Riverside

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[Project Icarus]

The myr's are quick to obey and will soon return with a number of choices from whatever Ilpholin had in her wardrobe. Is it just black bodysuits?

"Well... to explain that I have to give you some context. Phyrexia is ruled by praetors. Each one with their different, ah, philosophy. While technically there's more, practically there are only four relevant ones. Jin-Gitaxias, Umbrask, Vorinclex and finally Elesh Norn. They all claim to serve phyrexia but do so in quite different ways. Some more effective than others. Svartha claims to serve Elesh Norn yet I know for a fact that she served Umbrask the last time I heard about her. Now, when I was taken from our plane of existence Norn was gaining power so its plausible that Svartha has changed her allegiances. Yet her stubborn and irrational nature makes me think otherwise. Not to mention that she used the term 'the Great Work' which is associated with Umbrask's philosophy."

Tauron taps his claws against one another. "Though the fact she's here at all is something of a mystery to me admittedly. Since unlike me it doesn't seem like she was taken away by the machinations of those demons. She was sent here and that would mean she has the means to travel between planes. An intriguing thought I must confess."

Outside Moth Park: Midnight

"Let's... try to find your family, okay? Since I know your address." Jaahlyn remarks after a while of just hugging Bobbie.
It had been a long time since she had been involved in this business but she had a vague memory of something called a 'fetch' being involved. Something which concerned her.
"If you're ready for that of course." Her own family, with the exception of her brother, was just dust at this point. Not even their skeletons remained. Eleven years was a long time but it wasn't nearly as long time as that.
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Re: Riverside

Post by Reinholdt »

[Project Icarus]

There's so many more outfits than that, but the clothes in particular Ilpholin meant was her previous skin, the thing she tends to wear most places for its shifting capabilities and versatility.

She stands, the bare skin of her curves highlighted as she takes it and wraps it around herself, letting it mold back onto her form until snug. Spaces form, slits across the entire outfit, leaving a series of tasteful straps that frame her thighs and cleavage. A purple strap wraps around her neck, forming a velvet choker that completes the ensemble well without standing out of place.

"So a potential double agent in a competition far removed from here. I would say Elesh Norn doesn't trust Svartha's loyalties either if she were sent such a distance." If Svartha spoke truthfully about Norn to begin with and did work for her in some capacity.

"And what of you, Tauron? Where do your loyalties lie?"
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Re: Riverside

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[Project Icarus]

Tauron's claws twitch as they do when he's nervous. "Erm, I'm somewhere in-between I suppose you could say. My own philosophy doesn't match any of them so I commit to serve whoever is giving me orders. I should warn you that most phyrexians aren't quite as civil as me though. They rarely, if ever, ask for feedback regarding compleation and just leaves most jobs half-finished in my opinion. It's hardly much of a process at all really."

He raises a claw as to point something out. "Ah, but being able to cross the planes at all has huge implications. Since if they can travel here it must mean they could travel anywhere else. It is the goal of phyrexia to bring out blessing to everyone we can so I suspect that our forces are now out there across many planes doing the good work. It would mean we might get even more reinforcements in the future. Though I suspect we're still expected to do most of the work ourselves."
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Re: Riverside

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[Project Icarus]

"Committed to whomever is giving orders..." Ilpholin nods in understanding. Then strides over to grab Tauron by the 'throat' and shove him into the wall. Not that he needs to breathe. Probably. "That's funny. Because I thought in here, that was me. Yet here I am, being told you brought a beacon into my house without even informing me? A beacon that's brought an army ready to burn this place to the ground just to claim it for their own," Ilpholin hisses.

She tilts her head towards Tauron aggressively. "Now I have to manage and control an army which is very much not ours in any way despite your claims, so long as they're serving some Praetor off in whatever plane they've traveled from. Ensuring, at the very least, that I cannot stay 'dead' and take advantage of any potential opportunity that provided. Flush it down the drain, the Phyrexians shat on it."
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Re: Riverside

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[Project Icarus]

Tauron doesn't breath no, but that means that he can still talk even in this position.

The myr watch impassively on as their master is shoved against the wall.
A master whose left scrambling for an answer as his claws seem to start to spasm. Almost as if acting on their own accord. "I- uh-" He looks away for a moment as if he would find those answer as soon as he wasn't in the ironclad grip of her gaze.
"-I-I thought you understood. P-phyrexia is the goal. It's what I was made for. What every phyrexian is made for. Why I saved you and offered you its blessing. It was of course always my intention to bring it here." He pauses, but if she isn't hurting him any further he will continue. "See, that beacon is me, Ilpholin. I didn't think to mentioned it since it just seemed so obvious to me. I thought it was what you wanted to. More allies against the demons." He closes his eyes, expecting more pain.
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Re: Riverside

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[Project Icarus]

Ilpholin guessed as much about what the beacon was. It's the only reason she didn't demand Tauron dismantle it immediately. He still should have told her though. Regardless, she doesn't hurt him. Just slowly lets him go.

"Yet not all Phyrexians are beacons? So it's still unusual that you are one. Why are you one?" As far as Ilpholin knows, she is not a beacon herself. Nor is Nahlrae.
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Re: Riverside

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[Project Icarus]

Tauron claws become very still the moment she lets him go as he seems to relax somewhat.
"I... am a golem." He responds after a moment. "I was made with specific things in mind. My creator didn't want to lose something he had spend so much time and effort into creating so he made sure he would be able to track me down should she lose me. I was honestly not even aware that it was effective across planes though. But perhaps that's something else phyrexia has managed to do in my absence." He makes a dismissive gesture with one of his claws.
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Re: Riverside

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[Project Icarus]

Ilpholin turns and steps away, pacing. "And who is it that made you then? One of the praetors?" The nymph asks. "Tell me of them. You've mentioned their philosophies several times. What does each one believe in?"
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Re: Riverside

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[Project Icarus]

The golem shakes his head. "No, in that case I would be serving them now I imagine. My creator was- is a vedalken. A four armed humanoid species. I imagine she took inspiration from herself in my design." He gestures at himself. In particularly his four arms. "While she wasn't unimportant she couldn't make any claims to praetor status. At least not while I was around."

Her next question makes him pause though. Taking this moment to steady himself a bit after being pushed up against that wall.

"As for actual praetors I'm probably not the best person to explain their philosophies but I will attempt to." He takes a moment to consider, his claws gently tapping against one another as he gives this explanation some thought before sharing it with Ilpholin.

"So, the first one I mentioned, Jin-Gitaxias or simply 'Jin', is perhaps the one I align closest with. Since he too believes that phyrexia is not a goal but a process. A process of continually improving our creations, our people, to reach their highest possible potential. Making him both a scientist and a visionary. He's groundbreaking innovator in the field of surgery for instance. Having perfected the techniques I used to repair your memories after you got cut down. He tries to improve everything he can get his hands on, much like me in a way." It looks like he's about to add more but instead pauses and moves on.

"...now, Sheoldred is- well... I didn't mention her earlier since there's a whole slew of upstarts also making claims to her title. Making her status somewhat questionable. But I suppose since she officially had the title when I left so you should probably know about her too. Something of a spy-master from what I understand, hence her title 'the whispering one'. Though..." He lowers his voice and leans in closer as if expecting someone to be listening in. "...like her underlings she has problems 'getting in line' if you catch my drift. Very, ah, ambitious. Dangerously so, even. I believe she cares more about ruling phyrexia than she cares about phyrexia itself."

It doesn't look like he wants to stay too long on the topic of Sheoldred's ambitions as he pulls back and continues with the next one.
Unlike the other two, Tauron doesn't even seem to hold back with the criticism of this praetor however. "The next one is 'Vorinclex'." He's even making air-quotes with his claws.
"Which isn't as much a praetor as a self-proclaimed animal. But as said animal is a part of a larger pack, or whatever those he leads call themselves, and happens to be big and strong he's relevant enough. Now, I say 'animal' since he believes that acting like an animal is an ideal. As in the survival of the fittest and so on." Tauron waves his claws dismissively.

"Yet he doesn't actually understand how survival of the fittest even works. In that there's more components to it than mere brute strength. So he amazingly enough, despite actually being sapient, manages to be dumber than an animal. Thus, calling him a dumb beast would be a compliment and an undeserved one at that." He shakes his head, coming off as more upset than dismissive now.
"Considering this he has someone acting in his stead most of the time as I assume he's off... marking his territory or whatever he believes animals do." As he finished Ilpholin might note that two of Tauron's hands have been pulled to as closely resemble fists as they can considering how long surgical claws were.

They only relax somewhat once he starts discussing the next praetor.
"Anyway, Urabrask. He's called 'the hidden' for a reason so I don't actually know that much about him. Supposedly he's irrational and quick to anger, much like Svartha who we've just taken in. Other than that he seems to give his followers more freedom to follow their own volitions than the others which I admit isn't a bad thing as it aids in the creative process."

The golem makes what seems to be a shrug. "But if you actually want to know more about him you should ask Svartha since she can probably give a much better description than I can. Then again, since he's so secretive I'm not sure she would even tell you. It could be a test to see where her true allegiances lie however."

"Finally, there's Elesh Norn. The closest thing to a leader figure we had when I left. She strives for unity rather than progress. Instead of improving us she probably would want all phyrexians to kneel before her- or-" Tauron pauses.

"-this might be a good point to mention Karn. Since he's the golem which created our world and thus all phyrexians. I believe my creator was inspired by him to make me in fact as... well, it doesn't matter." For a moment he sounded almost proud over the fact that he, like this Karn, is a golem.
"What's important is that Norn believes he should be our god. The 'father of machines', as he's called by her cenobites. The representatives of, ah, the machine orthodoxy. However, Karn seems to be in some kind of... stasis. At least when I was taken from my plane. But as Svartha hasn't even mentioned Karn yet I suspect that might still be the case. Thus, Norn probably still acts as the grand cenobite over the orthodoxy and therefore as his mouthpiece." Tauron lowers his voice again. "If she communicates with him at all that is."
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Re: Riverside

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Outside Moth Park: Midnight

"I just... hope they haven't moved." It's been eleven years, meaning Bobbi missed the demonic invasion (amongst other things) so many things may have changed since then.

Bobbi wipes her eyes and stands up, her eyes still wet but no longer crying.
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Re: Riverside

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Outside Moth Park: Midnight

"If they've moved, I'm sure we can find them again." Jaahlyn assures as she slowly let's go of Bobbie and stands up. "People don't just disappear after all." Unless they're Bobbie of course.
"Are you ready then?" She offers her hand to the changeling. Ready to guide her to the address in question. Jaahlyn had a special sense when it came to guiding people. As long as she had been at the location she was going to neither she or the people she guided could lose their way.
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Re: Riverside

Post by Earl of Purple »

Midnight: Hompton Road

Between Jaahlyn's supernatural navigating skills and Bobbi's knowledge of the city, they should get there fine. It's quite late, so the front door is locked- and it's been replaced, and Bobbi doesn't have a key. She'd use the Hedge to get in, but that doesn't seem a good idea. Somebody's awake inside, however; there's a light on upstairs, shining through the curtains.

"Maybe... maybe I should wait until morning? The front door's changed, which might not mean anything, but it's late and they're asleep. If Harry's missed me, six hours won't matter, right?" Bobbi's a little nervous at this potentially final hurdle.
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Re: Riverside

Post by Reinholdt »

[Project Icarus]

Ilpholin leans against a wall as she focuses on absorbing all this, knowing she's really not in the headspace for it, but forcing herself to concentrate anyways. Vorinclex and Elesh Norn were the important ones here... unless Svartha is playing a triple agent game with Sheoldred. Tauron could be involved with Jin-Gitaxis as well. If not now, then at some point behind her back. If he's willing to hide a beacon because Ilpholin didn't really 'need' to know, then he's willing to hide other information as well.

"And your creator was killed by demons? Or was she killed by Vorinclex's clan?" Ilpholin asks. Tauron clearly despises them with something that seems more than mere disagreement on philosophy.
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Shadowcaller
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Re: Riverside

Post by Shadowcaller »

[Project Icarus]

"Oh no, she's still quite alive. At least when I was still around. But I can't see even Vorinclex's animals changing that fact despite their idiotic ways. A survivor through and through my creator." Tauron nods, sounding oddly proud once again. "Perhaps with other phyrexians now being able to travel here I could actually see her again at some point. She would be a great boon to our cause here."

Midnight: Hompton Road

Jaahlyn raises an eyebrow. "Where would you sleep? Or are you simply planning to stay out here all night just watching?" She asks in a skeptical tone. "Since I could just walk up and knock on the door right now and if its still your family that lives there you could introduce yourself." The satyr hesitates a moment before adding. "-just consider that you have changed during your absence and that they might have too. Fey- well, if they could kidnap you from your own home just like that." Jaahlyn snaps her fingers. "Just imagine what else they can do to cover their tracks."
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Re: Riverside

Post by Reinholdt »

[Project Icarus]

"I'm sure she would." Tauron speaks of the cause like Svartha does, both presuming it was Ilpholin's cause as well.

"In that case, how did you end up with the demons to begin with? And how is that you know Svartha so well? You two seem to have a personal relationship of some kind." When two Phyrexians drink too much of that moonshine oil, wild, unforgettable nights just happen. Ilpholin's in no position to judge Tauron's one night stands.
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Re: Riverside

Post by Shadowcaller »

[Project Icarus]

Tauron certainly doesn't seem to doubt Ilpholin's convictions. If Svartha doesn't either remains to be seen.
"I believe they conjured me here alongside the forces I happened to be working with at the time. I was working away in a makeshift surgery when all of sudden the world beneath me seemed to shift. All of sudden brown pillars appeared all around me, putting holes in the tent and even killing some of my patients. It was only luck that saved me from ending up inside one of them as well." His claws twitch nervously, his voice suggesting that mere idea of that fate would have caused him to shiver should he have been more biological.

"Panicked I looked outside and found that I couldn't see the quicksilver sea anymore and what was now in what you would call a 'forest'. My associates were as confused as I were and suspected it must have been the work of terrorists." He pauses as if he was taking a deep breath. But it seems to be more for dramatic purposes.

"That's when we encountered those monsters. They had a base set up nearby. Completely made of black metal in sharp contrast to the sea of brown and green we had found ourselves in. Initially I was relived as it was the only sign of civilization around but it was a fool's hope." Tauron waves his left claw dismissively. "To make a long story short, my allies and the demons quickly got into conflict with one another. As I'm a surgeon I didn't participate in the battle however. Instead I was ordered to set up a base camp nearby to take care of the wounded and the expired along with a few centurions and my assistants." He gestures to the myrs as he talks.

"But we were ambushed and only the commitment of those centurions gave me chance to witness the battle from a hilltop. They in an heroic effort, despite all the odds being against them, made the demons retreat. If I were still pursued by my ambushers they must have taken them with them as even their black citadel blinked out of existence before my very eyes. Along with every demon on the battlefield. Be they dead or alive. Yet in their moment of triumph I could only watch in horror as they were all consumed by a pair of other beings that those demons must have conjured from some other plane." He makes a shrug-like motion with his four arms.
"I'm saying 'other plane' as it was my best guess as to what they were doing. The whole area was filled with creatures and objects that didn't seem like they belonged there. Or anywhere else on this plane for that matter despite its... patchwork nature."

Tauron moves over to the myrs though soon turns back to face Ilpholin. Having learned that it was best to look right at her if anything you said would be believed. "As for Svartha... she and my creator knows one another. She aided in my creation. Giving my creator access to the forge from which my parts were made. Which is why I often have had to endure her company and presumably also why she of all people would track me down. It's rather annoying."
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