nexus_crossings | (no subject)

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Sam is hanging out on a battered old couch at the Plaza with his laptop resting in his lap as he is doing some research or just doing some general reading. He slowly closes the laptop, and he places it on the arm of the couch and he slouches back into his seat. He takes a deep breath. "What's the strangest thing you've researched?" He asks with a smile forming on his face, and he then looks at the laptop. "Or the weirdest thing you stumbled across while reading."

He stretches out his long legs, and he rests his arm on the back of the couch. "And did you find the topic you read to be worth your time?" And he follows this up with a long yawn, and he then looks over to his empty coffee mug. It was a long night, and despite the smile on his face he looks tired and worn.

"And..." Sam's brow crinkles as he starts to forget what he was about to say. "...Man I could use a good day's sleep."

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"Manticore parts? I don't suppose I can find an actual Manticore here in The Nexus. Not that is a good thing." Sam isn't looking to go face-to-face with a dangerous beast, or is he. Or perhaps Sam simply wants to get a close look at a real one instead of the pictures he has seen in books. But he is indeed interested in the Tiefling who's here to keep him company.

He follows her gaze towards his laptop, and Sam clears his throat. "A big hairy ape that is rumored to be found in parts of North America. Many people have claimed to have seen one, but nobody has brought up any solid proof as of yet." He then looks back to the laptop, and he ohs. "You mean that, that is something called a laptop." Sam leans over, he grabs the thin computer, he opens the screen up, and he turns it on.

"It's a device that I use to allow me to access all sorts of information."

"That, I am not sure of, in my world yes, but..." androgynous features with one blue stripe horizontal across her face over the bridge of the nose, turn toward him, bright blue eyes sly with humor. "For the right price I could get you pieces of one." What are you going to do with a full Manticore mane? The spikes make a killer fashion accessory but tend to not be well received in mixed company.

So slim! So compact! It looks relatively plain and boring, until he reveals the screen and turns it on. The glow is almost instantly hypothesizing, and it takes a shake of the head to pull back and disengage.

"Remarkable! Any information at what cost? This must be run by powerful magic." Reclaimer would be all over this.

"I suppose anything out here is possible. So maybe somewhere in the wilds of The Nexus there are Manticores. "And it depends on the price, and how much Manticore venom goes for." He isn't looking for a mane, but he is more interested in internal organs or parts that can be used for spell craft. And he is sure he saw something in a spell book back home calling for Manticore venom.

The laptop finishes powering up and Sam has a plain green background, and he then goes to fire up a web browser.

"It runs on some very powerful magic, and I haven't met the wizards who make it work. But there are some markets here in The Nexus that might be able to sell you one. As for the information, it is free, but not all of it is good information."

"That is perhaps true, I too have heard that anything is possible in this place. I actually just got caught in a downpour," which reminds her: no dripping all over the place. Pulling back the Tiefling tries to conduct business while unclasping the soaked hooded cloak. "I have harvested spines from a Manticore, how many would you need?" As for the price? Paladin will think about it, from the looks of him, even with his magic item he probably doesn't have gold.

The soaking cloak gets draped over the back of the same chair Paladin sinks into before leaning forward to look at the laptop.

"Hmmmm, currently my information is not free but so far it has been all good. I have a friend who I think would like something like that, he gathers all types of information. What are you searching for?"

"I've heard that also, and from what I saw at a recent party, this place is..." Sam looks her over. "...Something special." And the fact it is pissing rain outside is a good enough reason for Sam to hang out in the plaza. And even a bigger reason to do a little research or to just screw around on the internet. "How many do you have? But seeing I don't have much money on me, perhaps one will do just fine." Sam doesn't have gold on him, and he is sure she doesn't want paper money nor will a credit card do. And this means his eyes drift towards the gold plated watch on his wrist.

And he then looks back to his laptop and the blinking cursor. "I was doing some research on angels." Time in the Nexus has left Sam with a little more free time than normal. But he still wants to find out what or who got him and his brother stuck here.

"And how I ended up here." Sam looks at the special search engine that is geared towards the supernatural occult. "And maybe away to go back home."

"Special is a good word for it," out of this world is another one. Despite the fact that there are parts of the Nexus that look very much like home it is still completely foreign to the Tiefling. Which serves as a reminder: "my name is Paladin," a dark, hand is extended in greeting. "I am a Tiefling," since that doesn't seem to trigger the same reaction here as it does in other places.

"Currently I have a dozen, one would be easy enough to part with. Perhaps, in return, you could show me more of your magical laptop." A fair enough trade one imagines but haggling is always acceptable.

"You've been visited by a celestial? Usually that bodes well, unless you're evil and unless you're in the shit," but by that time you'd want that power to get you out of that shit. The last part? That's troubling. "You can't get back to your world? Your portal is closed?"

"I don't think I ever met a Tiefling before, Paladin. And I'm just a regular human who goes by the name, Sam." He offers out his hand to Paladin to shake, even if he doesn't seem sure, if she knows of any human customs. And he is use to working and meeting different beings that aren't human, so it makes it a lot easier for him to deal with meeting non-humans. And Sam being Sam, he loves the diversity that the Nexus has to offer.

And his eyes drift back towards his laptop, and back to Paladin. "I think we can do that." Sam goes to bring up a music-streaming program, and he mmms. And he turns the laptop around so Paladin can get a closer look. Sam opts for some classical music. "This magic box can do a lot more than let me research celestials."

He knows what she meant by it, and what might be one religious deity is no different from any other being that inhabits the Nexus or other realms.

"Yes, that is what I am finding in the Nexus. I am the first of my kind here." Nope, Paladin gets the gesture and a slender hand takes his in a warm shake of greeting. "It is very nice to meet you, Sam." Maybe that's why Paladin enjoys the Nexus so much, there is that friendly diversity, even she has met people that surprise her. Those same people are generally not familiar with her kind, a nice change.

Leaning forward, arms on thighs, Paladin watches with interest the mouse movements and what he's doing. "I am familiar somewhat with the internet, my friend Adia explained it to me." And the first thing the Tiefling did was Google themselves. Which was mildly amusing.

The music is startling though and it's probably good that he started with classical, it's familiar, not so jarring. "Ahhh, that is a beautiful sound!"

Edited 2016-12-09 18:26 (UTC)

Smiling, Sam lets go of Paladin's hand. "There seems to be plenty of humans here. Or at least beings who look like they are human here. But how are you handling being the only one of your kind here?" He seems curious, and Sam leans over to look at computer screen. He is never heard of a Tiefling before, so he goes to take advantage of finding out what exactly one is when Paladin Googles herself.

"Ah, that's good, being somewhat familiar with the internet that is." Sam continues to read the screen, and he mmms. And he soft music is a bit of a break for Sam, and while it isn't something he normally listens to, it is a nice touch. "I'm not sure who it is, but it isn't bad. And there's another thing you can do with this magic box."

Sam moves the mouse over towards an icon that resembles a box of cards, and the load screen has a little Western sounding jingle. And in big bold letters, Texas Hold'em and other card games pops up. "I can play games on it."

"The same way I handle being the only one of my kind where I currently live: well enough. In Rensford and the surrounding area I am the only one of my kind. In the city in which I grew up we had a ghetto." Now that's interesting, Paladin didn't think to google 'Tiefling.' Without realizing it she holds her breath and watches him intently.

"Well," a slight clearing of the throat. "That's certainly one description of a Tiefling," not an entirely incorrect description of a Tiefling either. Though she doesn't know what the fuck Golarion is.

But it's hard for the Tiefling to ignore the look of cards and without doing much thinking she sits down next to him and leans forward, a very calculating, intent look on those dark features. "Do you play much cards? I enjoy a game every now and then." Liar.

"Does that description fit you?" Sam asks, as he looks up to her and he points to his head. "And I can tell you one thing, I've never seen a demon with horns before."

He moves over a little bit to make room for her on the couch, and he goes to start the game and he goes to pick a stereotypical looking cowboy in a big hat. And he moves the computer over towards Paladin. "A little bit. My brother is the one who tends to kick my ass when it comes to playing cards." Sam is a little bit too honest sometimes.

A mouth opens and shuts, and then opens again before reconsidering the response all over again. Finally there is just a helpless sigh and a shrug. "I can tell you that I encounter fear and distrust where I go because of how I look. I can also tell you that I was born to human parents who wanted a child very badly and made a pact with the wrong being." Her hand absently move to one of her slick backed horns and the band of silver studded with moonstones at the base. "You haven't? Horns are relatively common among my kind and the outer planner demons and monsters of my world."

What the hell is that being? "I like the hat," she does like the hat actually, it is so absurd that she has to like it. "It's all about being able to read people, cards, and there is a small amount of luck involved." A look over at Sam comes with a broad, grin, flashing slightly elongated canine teeth. "We should play, or you should show me how this game works."

"Most people back home have no idea about half of the other beings that share the Earth with them. And the demons, perhaps they do have horns and look like a traditional demon but I only see them wearing a meatsuit." He points a finger in his own direction when he says meatsuit. "Or in better words. They look human while they're on Earth." Sam looks down at the game and back to Paladin. "It has to do with their inability to survive outside of the celestial plane in their natural form.

He then looks back to the game, a smile on his face. "If I ever visit Earth, or an Earth, I'll see about getting you a hat like that one." A smile is on his face, and he just leaves the game be and eventually the demo starts up. And he can't help but to laugh. "That's what he tells me, and I tend to get my ass handed to me each time we play each other. Or if I happen to play someone else. So, I leave any important card games to my brother."

Sam then looks back to the computer and he mmms. "Do you happen to have a deck of cards anywhere?"

Demons that look like humans. "Indeed? Well that is mildly troubling for you. How do you know what is a demon if they all look human? I believe that is not the case in my world. In my world the danger looks rather obviously like danger."

As for the hat she gives him a rather amused look and then laughs. "I don't know if I would be able to wear it but that is very kind of you to offer. I will have to find you something from my words as a token of appreciation. Outside of the manticore spike." Surely that wouldn't be too hard to do.

As she reaches into an inner pocket of her coat and withdraws a deck of cards that she shuffles with ease. That satisfying ripple is like music to her ears. "Is your brother younger or older than you? Are you two close?"

"There's a bit of a tinge to sulfur in the air, but no, we don't know unless the demon has decided to go on a killing spree. And trust me; some of them are a lot better at staying under the radar than others." And it is hard to tell if Sam is either annoyed or relieved. "And then there are some who rebel for the better good."

His attention remains on the game, and he looks at the buxom wench next to the big-hatted Texan. "My brother is older than I am. And yeah, we're pretty close to one another." Sam leaves out exactly how close he is to his brother and the amount of trouble the two causes for the sake of one another. "Very close. He pretty much raised me when I was a kid."

And he watches Paladin pull out a deck of cards, and he laughs. "Are you any good?" Sam asks about her card playing abilities.

"Well that's a change," the Tiefling remarks. "Those turning against their nature for the better good. I suppose there are some in my world who are sentient enough to do the same." The evil creatures, the undead, the demons, tend to remain so - Paladin has never heard of the undead turning back. It's different with people, where there is more free will.

"Ahhhh," being raised by a sibling isn't something Paladin is familiar with but it paints an interesting picture of how home life must have been for Sam. "Is your brother here with you in The Nexus?"

Another satisfying ripple of cards goes along with a modest shrug. "I used to be much better I am sure, it was my living for awhile. Now I find myself busy with village tasks for such things."

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