[RP] The Inn of Peace - IoP (Open to all)

[Azana Brown]

"I...oh!" Orrin blinked in surprise. They had been so busy, and he hadn't even given a single thought to his own looks. He could see his outfit (kind of), and his hands. His hair seemed white, still, at least that he could see. He dug in his pocket, looking around for a mirror.

"What could it be? Heterochromia? Freckles? I don't think I've ever had the joy of freckles, even after sunbathing..."

Stella wandered downstairs, finding the down-trodden shadow user deep in thought at the bar, Sosol seeming to offer a crash course to the Japanese tea mistress. He looks healthy enough, she thought, and yet...

She took a seat next to him, glancing over with her bright blue eyes. "I'm guessing you're the one with the mysterious energy sink..."  

[Amir Van Helsing]

(My apologies Azana if I have kept you waiting. I have hopped on while on the road to check. Then getting Zero home and now a stop to father hen I suppose you'd call it Time.)

Amir sensed the other's presence and opened his eyes. Turning his gaze her way. "A pleasure to meet you milady. I am Amir." He said with a tired yet warm tone. He looked at her more fully. "I am fully healed...scanning equipment made for making sure picks up nothing. I know what I am doing I am over 100% certain all illness is cured. All injuries mended without issues."

He sat up fully. "Yet rest should make energized instead it makes me feel more drained. Shadow jumping to me is as inate as breathing to those who need to and walking when it is learned. It should take no energy to sliver of energy if it does to shadow jump. As a shadow realmer...that is day one knowledge. Yet...I've noticed I feel quite winded and quite tired from something I've done forever. The shadow jumping causing energy sink is honestly more worrisome to me than feeling tired from resting."

He looked at her. "My apologies but who is it I have the honor of bouncing ideas of causes with? It is a pleasure to meet you milady."  

[Azana Brown]

Stella nodded to his introduction, quietly listening to his story with thoughtful focus. Terry had done a decent job of describing it, but Amir here knew his plight better than anyone. A person with the ability to travel through shadow...a natural, tribal gift. Her thought process was derailed, however, by a question.

"Oh, why thank you," she smiled sweetly. What a gentleman! "My name is Stella...and if you know the rest and shadow jumping aren't draining you, then we need to find out what is. Hopefully it's inadvertent, or benign, but I don't know much about you. Do you have many enemies? Anyone who would hex or set something against you...?"  

[Amir Van Helsing]

(18 wheeler on the road at stop with wifi...I am putting drive by posting to a whole new meaning XD)

Amir stood and gave a traditional bow then sat down. "You are welcome milady." He said sincerely. He would remember that name. "Ah...so you are the one people said could further help my adopted in a way sister of a friend. I was wondering. It is even greater an honor to meet you Lady stella." He said with a smile. Though he returned to his normal self as he listened to her. Noticably thinking over what was said after she finished speaking. He thought it over before speaking.

"It is not that I know they aren't draining me Lady Stella...it is the fact they are and should not be that is an issue. There should be refreshment when a Cleric rests...not feeling more drained. A shadowrealmer should have no tiredness and feeling winded from something inate like walking or breathing." He said seriously.

He listened to her. That was a hope. "My name is Amir. I am a Shadow Realm elf. I have no enemies that remain alive from when I did have enemies. I mended bridges with a few...save my kin." He got a thoughtful look. "I am a Cleric or a Healer. Well versed in Healing and Clerical ways. Magic, medicine and herbal yet there is always more to learn. That became my passion. I was not always overcoming of my inner darkness. My heritage is part of who I am. A much much younger me was an extremely powerful Shadowmancer. However, I rarely fight but I can."

He looked at her. "I don't know of any who would wish to hex me. However, I was on a quest to rescue a friend of mine until recently. It involved dimension jumping and various portals and shadow realms. Some of them not ones I deal with normally. I did rescue her...a friend and ally of mine. She is resting at Lady Ari's. However, I was fine until after we returned to this realm. That is when, after I tended to my injuries and wounds, when the patient my ally was healed...I noticed these things." He informed her.

"I will answer any questions I can. I hope some of that was helpful to infomring you more about me Lady Stella? If not feel free to ask me anything you need to. If I am able to answer then I will."  

[Gren_Eckener]

"No freckles, and your eyes match, but your jawline's hardened a bit, as have your cheekbones..." murmured Charlotte, producing a hand mirror and holding it out for him. "You might be able to freckle now, because I don't know if you're like the Doctor regenerating or like a Pokemon evolution. Either way, people have tried for ages to get that kinda colour gradient, but you got it in one!"  

[Azana Brown]

"Oh, my eyes are a little different!" Orrin exclaimed, never having been so enamored with his own face. Then again, he wasn't used to having a new face at all. "My cheeks...I look more manly now! And -- is that a Nirro streak in my hair? I love it! It's like Christmas came early for me...though, wow...not even thinking about how I look for a good month..." He felt like a fledgling again, just still getting the bearings on his looks, his powers, what life would be like as an Agent, a "protogod"...

"Red and blue...a balance between my two sides. And so classy!" He handed the mirror back. "Sorry if I'm gushing a bit...I'll get used to it."

Stella grimaced only momentarily. The whole nobility title thing never stuck with her...even her employees knew to just call her Stella. Miss Stevenson if they were especially formal. She listened to his story, one of her hairsticks jotting down short notes on key points. Keeping wands handy, and knowing such practical spells...she had gotten some practice, with all the office work. One thing that stuck out to her was his quest.

"Dimension jumping is always dangerous business," she said, looking over the notes. "Particularly ones in which you are unfamiliar. You didn't have these symptoms until your return...so, my best educated guess is that something befell you in the Beyond and has followed you home. While the good news is that it's not actively malicious, it also means it will be much harder to deal with. Extradimensional matters are always a bit tricky."

Max had taken enough time. Doe was probably already on the move, and if she was going to exploit this contract, she needed to do it now. She opened her wardrobe, pulling out the same outfit as before alongside the small arsenal of magical materia she had stocked herself with prior. "I gotta see 'im," she muttered, " an' I gotta be ready. No flakin' out...no losin' my steam..."  

[Gren_Eckener]

"It iiiis~!" she trilled, lazily switching her feet in the air. "Isn't it lovely? Don't feel bad about it, dear, because if you don't gush, I surely will. Don't get me wrong, you were divine before, but this is an entirely different style of divine, one that truly suits you...isn't it nice and fresh, being free?"

To her, this was a twofold delight: his freedom and his ascension all ran to his and her advantages alike. He was at the beginning of a marvelous new chapter, one that she was more than delighted to show him into.  

[Amir Van Helsing]

Amir looked at her. "Are you like Zulma and the formality upsets you milady? If so...I can try to be less formal." He said. Noticing her grimace. Reminded him a bit of when he first met his good friend Zulma. He watched the hair sticks in fascination. "That is really fascinating...are you moving them by hand, thought or spell?" he pondered in interest.

He blinked and focused on it. "Yet it was necessary. Unfortunately though I can give you more details it is not something I wish to discuss in the open. Even knowing all these people and that they are good folks...my friend and ally's business is not something I can in good conscience say amongst even friends. The only reason I would need to now is to help repair whatever it is my rescue of her caused to happen."

He said as he rubbed his temples a bit of a head. He sent a pulse of energy into his head. Feeling it soothe yet feel tired again. "While they are not frequented I would not say that most were unknown. Especially since I knew where I was going to have to go to save someone from death's door at their own powers evolution's doing." He said with a smile.

"I'd say it is more like unless necessary even this Shadow Realmer is smart enough not to play with shadows that dance with the death realms hand in hand." He soon went serious again. "That makes sense. Followed?"

He pondered this and sat up. Looking at Stella. "If you have somewhere we can talk that is less open I will be able to give you more information on the quest and why such risky actions were necessary." He looked releived a bit. "If it is not actively malicious that means I do not have to worry about it attacking Lady Ari or my friend." he stated with a smile. "Good. Then I know that it is my burden alone and therefore that makes me lighter of soul."

He chuckled a bit. "You are telling me....starting with a fiddle for a pen to write across the dimensions." He said cryptically.  

[Azana Brown]

"That's a bit of a trick question," Orrin replied, taking the moment to steal a hug and a kiss from her. "I always felt free, until just a bit ago. Nirro's practically throwing a party in my head, though. He--er, we-- want to invite you."

"I'm just not used to it," she answered. "I do find it charming. Speaking of which...it's a simple scribing charm. So, a little bit of the latter two. I direct it what to write down with my will, but the writing itself is all from the spell. I've been meaning to refine it, but I haven't needed to yet." Oh, it felt good, finally being able to talk about magic again instead of paperwork or the latest disaster in the Labs. This was why she trained...wasn't it?

"I respect your privacy, and your boldness," she nodded, ever content to ease someone's mind. It was her best guess, so it wasn't solid fact, but at least it seemed to help. If it was extradimensional, it wasn't personal. But it was still very dangerous, being alien to this area. "However, since you have offered, more information might help us discern the nature of this strange phenomenon. How much privacy do you require? I have plenty of locations at my disposal."

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Max let out a sigh, looking into the mirror and seeing that Rainbow Mage stare back at her. She even added the Rainbow Connection for an extra touch (and an escape plan if this didn't really work). Part of her was excited to give this whole thing a try again...but her knees still shook. She had been thinking it over, which may have been a very, very bad idea. Should she take Remy with her again...? What about Ty? He seemed to be pretty good at shady deals.

"Why'm I always leanin' on them...?" She asked her reflection, adjusting the scarf. "They like me an' all, but I'm a big girl...okay, figuratively. But ya know what I mean, right? What if I took this guy down myself? I can be more than a partyin' hacker chick...with these, I can be a Superchick. I can do stuff, instead of askin' around. Vicky needs help...an' nobody else did it. Just Remy and me...you can do it. You can do it. Doe ain't nothin'. Just a pansy prissy-pants with muscle men." She gave her best heroic look to the mirror and left her room, strolling down the hallway.  

[Amir Van Helsing]

Amir looked at her. "Would Ms. Stella be less formal enough yet still maintain a level of respect deserved?" he asked willing to try but some of his upbringing was harder to denounce than denouncing his family was. He looked rather fascinated. That is extremely interesting and fascinating. "That is very fascinating and handy I'd imagine." He studied them. "Multi use I assume merely based on design and build." He looked at her with a questioning look. As if wondering if correct.

He looked at her with an arching of his eyebrow. Boldness? When did he do this? Oh...right. Overworlders viewed bold differently from how he grew up. He looked at her with a hand going to his head and sent a pulsating healing light through his forehead. Looking at her. "Wherever ears who favor one of the deities of the forest of holidays are least likeliest to hear. Or someplace where walls do not have ears. The less around the better."

He looked at her. "If it is a concern for your safety amongst a strangers presence I would be more than willing to adorn powerbinding artifacts." He offered with a slight smile. "Just lead the way and I will follow." He said kindly and with genuine honesty. "Not that I don't trust any here. I actually trust Lady Zulma, Lord Tyler, Lord Sol and Lady Azana with my life. I have no reason to distrust any others here...except that Jacoda fellow. Then again...he and I never see eye to eye." He said with a chuckle.

"It is merely the nature of the content...the less who hear the more safe and not at risk my friends identity and other things will be." He said veiledly.  

[Azana Brown]

"Call me whatever is comfortable for you," Stella decided at last. "If it's Lady, I'll deal. Besides, if Az is a Lady, then I surely am, too." She chuckled, peering around him to see Az's reaction. He seemed a little puzzled by her declaring him bold, but to go exploring through dimensions for a friend, particularly alone, took some serious courage.

"So, secluded but no forests. Fewer people, the better...Azana? Sosol? I know you guys don't particularly own it, but would you mind if I used Eden Forsaken to hear him out?"

"I'm honored," Sosol grinned, acknowledging the noble title before going back to sampling a margarita with Lin. She was a quick study, very meticulous in her measuring. The real trick came, though, when you could do it with just your eyes. "And I don't mind. Like you said, it's not exactly private property."

"Hard to get to, though...think you could portal to it, or do you want to borrow the cloak?" Azana added, feeling far too underdressed to be a lady but happy enough not to care. She raised the glass to Amir and nodded. "I'll let Ty know you trust him. That seems to make him happy."

"I've never been there myself, but I can give a portal a try," she answered. "I'd hate to take your artifacts from you if I don't have to." It only took her a moment to realize she had discussed all that without even explaining it to Amir.

"A few years ago...four, if memory serves, Azana helped stop a demonic entity from opening a way for all sorts of Hell to break loose. The temple he was trying to drag across is stuck halfway between worlds; you can see it from the coast, but you can't get to it through normal means. It's completely abandoned. And if whatever happened to you gets loose, we can trap it there. How's that sound...?"  

[Gren_Eckener]

Giggling madly, Charlotte snuggled in. "Nobody knows how trapped they are until they've dropped their shackles. As for a party, I'd love to join! Where and how?"

The door opened, a black-and-gold garbed merchant strolling in, all smiles and spice. "Hello~!"  

[Azana Brown]

Max hit the ground floor and paused to look at everyone there. Azana, Sosol, Lin, Amir, Stella all at the bar...Orrin and Charlotte not far off, noises from the kitchen. This giant, Talented, dysfunctional family...she smiled softly, juggling a surge of morale and a light pang of guilt. They'd hate to miss out, but oh well!

She bounded for the door as Marouse stepped in. She beamed, meeting him with a short hug and a wink. "Hi! Bye!" She grabbed her glider and left before she had a chance to be questioned or change her mind. "Here I come to save the day! That means Mighty Mouse is on the way~!"

Orrin described his idea with Charlotte, pulling out a few strange gizmos to illustrate his point. In shorthand, he planned on using one of his 'splitter' items to give Nirro his own temporary form, a mental projection to bring the imaginary party to life...and a failsafe to make sure Nirro didn't opt to run loose and find some bad karma.

"We just need somewhere empty enough that my projection won't run into it."  

[Gren_Eckener]

Marouse chuckled, waving after Max in her retreat. "Always so colourful...such a wonderful woman!" At her departure, he took up a seat at the bar, setting a loaded satchel beside his stool. "Mint julep, please!"

"Won't run into what? I'd worry more about how unsettled the rest could be by the sight of him...remember, they've only seen him on business."  

[Astra_Senpai]

Her eyes widen at the touch, tall ears flicking back and forward again, a delicate peach tone darkening her pale skin. She's icy to the touch, hand soft and smooth, her shoulders tighten but she does not withdraw. "I'm delighted to hear that... though I haven't been doing more than sleeping as of late."

Wrinkling freckled nose, the girl mumbles something unintelligible but undoubtedly rude about 'women's places'. She sips at her drink humming, "Everyone's got reasons f' acting 'ow they do. Still flesh and bone, don't mean y'should treat them any less like you wan'ta be treated." Honey taps the tabletop, "You 'ave beautiful pieces in your shop. 'Ow d'you go about planning? Do they jus' come to you in your dreams?"

[[I'm sorry for my absence, things just aren't consistently okay lately ]]