nexus_crossings | A Touch of Inspiration

A Touch of Inspiration

Sheets of paper are strewn about the Nexus today. Moreso than usual, and not just the innumerable 'Welcome to the Nexus, Newcomer!' pamphlets that can be found all over the Plaza. They're full of nearly ineligible scrawling (and some of them are sticky eww--oh wait that's just raspberry jam) but the title of each sheet is the same.

BUNKERS AND BADASSES Campaign the Second

Near the center of this litterocalypse sits Tiny Tina, a crayon tucked behind her ear while she writes fervently over yet another piece of paper in pen. A plate of crumpets sits to the side, only one of them half eaten. The young lady groans in frustration before balling up this piece of paper too and chucking it behind her.

"Hey y'all so I'm trying to plan a new Bunkers an' Badasses campaign but I gotta get some new ideas son or it's gonna be one hell of a lame trek through imagination land, ya dig? What's the most awesomest adventure you ever been on? Or, if you're hella lame and haven't saved the world or conquered one in the name of crumpets or what have yas, what kind of character would you play in an adventure game?"

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Micolash thinks to comment on the desire for iced cream being on par with locked-away knowledge, but he DOES recall that he IS talking to a small girl. Of course it's counted as a treasure.

"Mens? Ohh. You mean to say Mensis. Nothing beneath there, I'm afraid. But the labyrinth under Bergynwerth was full of. Vestiges of a dead civilization. Undead and accursed shells of Pthumerians left behind as guardians. A tomb of sleeping giants and their stirring spirits. Blood-starved beasts and roaming horrors. The echoes of Yharnam's tortured psyche." Despite the overall terrifying descriptions of these hidden creatures, Micolash looks almost nostalgic recalling this. "Things we could bring to the surface to decode and assist with our own goals. To learn where they fell and how we could surpass them."

"No they're not exactly like a robber. They're well..." Tyrion tries to find a good way to describe his old friends. "They're different from the rest of us Westerosi. And the story does have a good ending, but anyway, let me continue."

Tyrion talks and he holds up a hand, as he talks. "I was on the Vale, because I was accused of nearly killing someone's son. I didn't do it. But that was beside the point. But after proving that I was innocent, a very close friend and I were headed back to King's Landing. We had stopped for the night, and we were ambushed by one of the Hill's Tribes."

He leans over to grab another krumpet, and he takes a big bite out of it. "Mmm. Delicious."

"That sounds like a swank Bunkers and Badasses dungeon if I ever heard one."

Ooooh, he's got such a way with words. Tina has returned to her papers scribbling furiously. She needs to write as much of this down as she can because this is the sort of prose that makes a campaign.

Until Brick says he's bored, at least.

But hey, Micolash mentioned something about hungry beasts and roaming spoops so at least he'll have plenty of things to punch to death. Everyone else can appreciate her flowery storytelling.

"What kinds of horrors?" She looks up after a moment of feverish writing, eyes bright and wide with wonder. "Were they massive and made of meat? Spindly and wiggly like bugs actually no I hate bugs ew ick ewwww they're gross."

Tina knows loss, distrust, and the need to protect oneself against the world.

Her defenses may be different from the fluffy bird pokemon's, but they're no less extensive than his own. She backs up a step and then plops back down in her seat to keep scribbling at her notes.

"Okay but you'd have to go on adventures to find an' rescue them. Gotta save them from bad people and starving all alone out in the elements. What would you do then?" She twirls her pen between her fingers, staring up at Adia.

"The noble hero framed for murder, banished and forced to prove his innocence! Attacked in the midst of night on his way back to claim his rightful title!"

Excuse Tina while she narrates Tyrion's story in between his own speaking. She has a habit of making commentary during all kinds of stories. You really do get used to it. Besides, she's making him sound even more awesome than his story. It's a service, really.

"Dude, man," her hyperbolic movie trailer voice drops to something more conversational when he pauses to eat. "Crumpets are the shit."

She's certainly more subtle about it than Bucky, who relaxes further when Tina sits back down, his feathers settling back into place. Sarah goes back to snuffling the crumpled papers, and Ethel goes ahead and plops down right next to Tina, intending to take a little nap while the humans chit-chat.

"Oh, hmm..." Adia finds a seat for herself while she thinks. "Is this game fantasy or science-fiction based? I like the idea of using spells to rescue animals... maybe someone else can do the actual fighting, and I can do the healing? This is a group game, right?"

"Both! Neither! It's your story, is what it is. Games like this are usually done in groups, yeah. Havin' a healer on their side would really make the badass heroes even more badass and heroic not havin' their inside spillin all over onto their outsides and junk."

Tina jots down a few notes before she looks up again.

"You are a kind hearted Siren who's calling in life is to protect the innocent cute puppies and kitties from all the evils in the world! You've trained for years to hone your powers into a healing touch that rejuvenates life and inspires the down trodden. When you come across a band of heroes travelling the world you reluctantly join them. They will be a good protection for you and travelling with them will give you the chance to rescue any cute critters you find along the way!"

Her real life story is turning out to be a healer of sorts, although she spends most of her time patching up fellow civilians. Does that make her idea boring? Shouldn't she try creating a character who isn't essentially herself?

But then Tina takes the time to turn her suggestion into something amazing. A siren makes her think of the dangerously beguiling creatures of myth, but it only adds to the character's allure. This is the character she'd select in a game without hesitation.

"That sounds really cool," she tells Tina with a warm smile. "You have a real knack for character description. Can I have an animal companion, too? Or is that too much?"

If nothing else, there is ALWAYS something to attack down in the chalice dungeons. But those things are fairly keen on attacking first with few exceptions.

"Oh, I rather like insects and spiders." He looks almost surprised that someone doesn't! "They're so elegant. Simple. Humble body and form that has regardless reached evolutionary perfection. Think of how long the dragonfly has remained unchanged over the eras. Inspiring.

"But in the labyrinth, ahh. Beings of blood, beings of phantasm. The Pthumerians, tall and ghastly men, pale and slack-faced in their undeath. Singular in their purpose of protecting and gathering. Crawling beasts with their hide flayed and heads lopped off, but still animated with feral hunger. And deeper, deeper, much deeper still, do you know who still lingers?"

Micolash pauses, holding up a single finger as if calling for silence. He wears the tight-lipped smile of someone holding back a giddy surprise.

"Queen Yharnam. None other than the birthmother of Mergo."

"Wait, but...I thought the baby's Momma was dead? Why's she in the depths of the dungeon, yo? Did she get trapped an' enslaved? That's so messed up! She should be with her baby not holed up in the deepest pit of the bunker like a slave..."

Granted, it would add a touch of drama to a session to do that. But she remembers all too well the Vault Hunters' horror at having to kill Jacks' own daughter who was enslaved in a very similar way. It's not something Tina feels would be a very good life.

She hopes the babymomma is okay.

"Sirens are p-much the best dayum ladies on the planet an' having known two of 'em I can assure you they are the For Real Deal of coolness."

Tina nods eagerly, pausing only to scribble down a few things onto one of her sheets of paper before she looks up again.

"Sure you can! You'd want to have one that could look after himself though. Even if he's not there to fight he should know how to defend himself and you if something big and nasty attacks."

"You have sirens where you're from?" Adia asks, intrigued. She reminds herself that they likely aren't the same thing as what she's thinking of, but she won't pass up an opportunity to learn about someone else's world.

Yay, an animal companion! She looks at her current companions thoughtfully. "That's a good idea... I know I feel much safer when I'm out an about with these three. Can it be something I can ride, too, like a horse?" Her eyes light up. "Can it be a flying horse?"

"She is quite dead. But she was so profoundly touched by the Great Ones that her consciousness is like theirs now. It stirs and wanders, restless for reasons that are her own." Although Micolash has plenty of ideas to ascribe to this restlessness, he sees no reason to go into them. ~~Especially since several lay blame at his or his school's feet. No thank you!~~

"I'm sure she'll have her chance for peace one day." There, a much better cap to this mystery.

Edited 2017-07-28 00:47 (UTC)

Blaze wraps her arms around the girl and gives her a careful squeeze that probably carries more static than intended, before she lets Tina go to give Ghost his hug. The Exo leans an arm on her knee and watches them, wondering how she of all people wound up trying to watch over a child. But someone should do it. And in Tina's case, that someone better be fireproof.

Besides, watching her hug Ghost is about the cutest thing Blaze has ever seen.

"Hi, Tina." The little bot peers up from her arms. "It's good to see you again."

"Hunting's good," she says, pulling a stone bench up to the table so she can sit across from Tina. "System's infested with blight thanks to a Hive god, but we're rooting it out bit by bit. We've seen what that bile-spawned monster has to throw at us now, don't have to worry about a lot of nasty surprises. Word is the Vanguard sent a raiding party to finish him off for good, so give it a couple days and we'll really be celebrating.

"But that's not the story I was gearing up to tell. Not yet." She leans on the table, making it creak. "I ever tell you about the Vex? Vicious machines that share one mind across time and space. They have a foothold on the next planet in from ours - Venus."

"And for someone of my stature, defeating one of the Hill's Tribemen with nothing more than an axe was almost going to be the end of me. But you see, I was able to use my brain as my blade and offered to get them better weapons than the crude ones they normally use. Convincing my father to agree to their terms was not exactly easy, but in the end I prevailed."

Tyrion knows he might be muddling up some of the details of those events. Those events that seem like they took place so very long ago, and now with another chapter of his life coming to an end and another one dawning on the near horizon as the armada of ships was nearing the Stormlands.

He nods his head about the moist little cakes being delicious. How he misses real food. "I've been eating dry biscuits for the past few days, so anything that isn't them is the shit."

"Yeah, but only like, a few can exist at any one time. They're real good at controllin' space and elements and shizz like that. Lilith is all about the blaze and Maya's foiiiine ass is all kinds of talented too."

Hmm, an animal companion for the lovely Adia has to be equally as lovely. Tina frowns in thought.

"Gonna level with you, you prrrrobably don't want to use a horse. For one, they spook easy and for two the evil magistrate Jack has like a huge boner for them and would probably steal yours and rename it Buttstallion Jr."

Whatevs.

Just means when Blaze lets her go Tina's got a real nice 80s glamrock look to her hair. Sticking up in every direction. She doesn't seem to mind it in the least. Too busy dishing out hugs.

"I missed you huggabutts somethin' fierce." Tina does eventually let go of Ghost to reclaim her seat at the table. Finishes off her half eaten crumpet while Blaze pulls up a seat for herself.

"Ohhhh hivemind robos. That sounds dangerous. Do tell, my good lady~"

That doesn't exactly explain what sirens are in Tina's world, but it gives her a vague idea. Enough to be flattered by her character concept, anyway. "They're a myth where I'm from. They're like mermaids, or birds with the faces of women. Their singing is so beautiful that sailors will crash their ships trying to reach them."

She looks disappointed, but only for a moment. Tina brings up a good point about horses spooking easily. Some can be trained to enter battles, but she wouldn't want to put a horse through that, even in fantasy. "Who's Jack? The villain in your story?" She purses her lips. "I most definitely do not want my horse stolen and renamed that."

A flying mount would be pretty cool, though. Looking around for inspiration, her gaze lands on Bucky. "What about a hippogriff? They'd be able to defend themselves better."

Bucky gives her a look in return. Adia, please. He can learn Fly. What does she need of some weird made-up creature when she already has the real deal?

"Really? They're like...kickass lady magic users of some kinda something on Pandora. To be real I don't really know too much about it. It's a hella rare trait to have."

Tina looks momentarily surprised when Adia asks who Jack is, before her gaze drops to the table. Who is Handsome Jack? A hero? A villain? Either way, he's the man who killed Roland and deprived Tina of her father figure once again.

"Yeah. He's uh...he's a real bad guy, Adia. Real bad."

Her shoulders hunch up and she bites at the cap of her pen. Come on Tina. You gotta smile. Showing weakness gets you killed. She forces it and perks up after only a second or so.

"Yeah son, a hippogriff would be ten kinds of awesome and much more rideable than a skag or the like. Marjorie is a purebreed with snowy white feathers speckling into a charcoal grey to black as her coat transitions and you have raised her since she was a chick. She's always got your back and knows you'll keep her safe."

Ah, okay. That gives her a better sense of what they're about. "Sounds like it. I'm flattered my character gets to be one."

It's impossible not to notice Tina's change in mood. Is Jack real, too, like the Sirens? He must have been pretty horrible to make such a negative impression on her. But aside from looking concerned, Adia doesn't say anything. Tina doesn't seem to want to talk about it,

Sarah also picks up on the shift in mood. She stops chasing discarded balls of paper so that she can pad over to the Tina's side and lean her warm, furry body against her legs.

"Marjorie," Adia repeats, her smile returning. "What a great name. She sounds beautiful." Bucky puffs up in annoyance, and this time Adia notices and reaches out to soothe his feathers. "It's just a game," she tells her feathered friend, which seems to mollify him. He is way cooler than a hippogriff, whatever that is...

Tina was hoping Adia would like the name. She's apparently a classy lady who's quite picky about what her friends are or are not named. How crushed would she be to learn that Buttstallion was in fact a real pony? Or that she belonged to Handsome Jack?

Used to, at least. Tina hopes the pony is in better hands now, but considering Hyperion's track record....she kind of doubts it. And that's a shame.

"My friend Mordecai would loooooove your character, Adia! He loves birds and pets in general too. So apologies in advance if his characters hit on yours, just sayin' that's a real possibility."

She'd be more crushed to learn how Tina has suffered from Handsome Jack's cruelty, but the idea of someone stealing a horse and renaming it something juvenile is plenty awful.

"If he loves animals then I'm sure we'd get along." Although the thought of him hitting on her in the game makes her laugh nervously. "So long as he keeps the flirting in the game only."

Tina gives Bucky a sidelong look that's a bit knowing before nodding along to Adia's assertion that Mordecai loves animals. It's best not to bring up what Handsome Jack did to his pet bird in real life. It's probably best in general for Tina just not to talk too much in length as to what her life is actually like on Pandora.

Just, for the best for everyone.

"Don' worry none he's a gentleman and pretty easy to tell off. Sides, he's a vault hunter an' like always busy with Lilith and Brick doing work so it's not much of a worry." Tina looks over her sheet and gives Adia a smile.

"What else would you want in a character? I think I'm actually gonna use this in my next game as an NPC. This is a dayum fine character you've got going on here."

Bucky's not sure what to make of that look, but for once he doesn't return it with a creepy glare. Perhaps he can recognize someone else who has learned to survive despite the cruelty of others. Or maybe he really liked that crumpet. Either way, he's warmed up a little to Tina.

"Oh. Okay." Adia doesn't seem like the sort of person who tells off others. Politely deflect, perhaps. It's unlikely she'll even have time to play a round of Bunkers and Badasses anyway, as she's too busy with her current responsibilities. "What's a vault hunter?"

She smiles at the compliment and shrugs a little at the question. "I don't know, that sounds plenty to me. If you make her too overpowered, it won't be much fun for anyone else. She'd be a great NPC for some sort of animal rescue mission."

She chews at the end of her pen when Adia asks, looking thoughtful for a long moment.

"They're like mercenaries I guess? They're real strong huggabutts who can take on any badass that comes after 'em and do work for the people of Pandora along with looking for ancient troves of alien technology buried underground in vaults."

They're also some of her best friends and surrogate family.

"She sounds real sweet and I will make sure no one gets her killed being a dummy." Tina promises to keep Siren Adia as safe as possible. She likes the design too.

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A Touch of Inspiration

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