[Fellowship 2e] Underwater World III: The Long Tomorrow

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Alumnus Post: Dec 29, 2009; They are weird and troubling. We owe it to our neighbors to kill them.; Pillbug

: Cruel Beast [] || Carpe Jugulum []
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I start. So does Duchess. The gently caress does this cheeky boy think he's playing at?

"Hey! Back it up." I give Duchess the 'guard' whistle, and her attention is abruptly allll on him. She's still muzzled - I'm not about to take it off her without a better reason than this - but that don't stop her from giving Mr. Nobody here a rippling warning chuckle. He wanna play around with that little pigsticker, he'll find a couple hundred pounds of hyena on his chest real drat quick.

"I'll thank ya for the tip-off on the bars and the quartermaster, but you really oughta put the knife away, laH�re." I give his so-called 'name' the proper elven inflection, with a little flick of the tongue on the 'I'.

"Mer Keaweth's just a bit on edge, I imagine. Like most of us."

# ? May 27, 2020 12:50

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# ? Apr 29, 2024 11:48

nil.: Nov 11, 2012

Well, speaking of diplomacy, Lahire here seems to have a very interesting take on it. Oh, his manner and his smile is showing that he�s our friend, our pal, our buddy, but what he is saying and how he is saying it tells a different story. He has a certain air about him, it reminds me of that potentially racist elven pirate that stabbed me in the shoulder. Just my impression. If I didn�t know better, I would say he�s trying to piss us off - maybe he has some problem with us, or maybe he wants to test us, see how we react, or maybe he�s a little slow on the uptake, what with antagonizing a group of of mean-looking newcomers, as well-armed as himself, at a minimum.

Well, I�m not mean-looking, or, am I? Whatever the case may be, I�m certainly not a giant hyena on a leash or a muscled triton staring daggers at you. Aaaaand� now things have escalated even further and there�s a knife out. However, in a slightly surprising turn, Anastasia actually seems to be making good on her quip about diplomacy by being� diplomatic, compared to how she could react, anyway.

Krisgha raises her hands, the smile on her face still unconcerned about what has happened. �Ohoho, there is no need for that, Mister Lahire. Let�s not put a premature end to our chance meeting, and all just over a simple misunderstanding.� The Goblin stands on the metal bench next to the group�s table, running her finger over the metal rim of her coffee cup. �Someone like you must meet a lot of different people in your line of work, with a lot of different temperaments, and I am equally sure that you are quite adept at handling all manner of situations amicably because otherwise, well�� Krishga cocks her head and gives a sheepish shrug. �I would say you would not be where you are today, but obviously, you are! So let's continue our friendly chat over terrible coffee, huh?�

nil. fucked around with this message at 19:20 on May 27, 2020

# ? May 27, 2020 18:54

AnAnonymousIdiot: Sep 14, 2013

I fight the urge to smirk at his display. The most that gives is an eyebrow raise. I'm more worried Olan would jump at this. Not sure if the Landdweller was even paying attention to her. I give a brief look to my left, and she hadn't tried anything.

Most of the others seem to have come down on Lahire's little display. Getting him to back off would be a cinch, but he's here to give information, and if he seems to be sizing us up as enemies, I'd like to be sure it's his choice.

"I look like I mean you ill, but I don't. And I can't help this face-" I gesture to my cold expression. "-no more than the base crew here can make something palatable."

Maybe he'll catch on to the stray mug near me and put two and two together. But I really should see what he knows.

"If you know what's been happening here the last couple of months, my superiors, and I would be in much better spirits."

pre:

Konas (AnonymousIdiot)Today at 6:39 PM
/r 2d6+2 #Talk Sense Lahire
Xom (dicebot)
BOT
Today at 6:39 PM
@Konas (AnonymousIdiot):  2d6+2 Talk Sense Lahire = (2+5)+2 = 9

# ? May 28, 2020 01:53

AnAnonymousIdiot: Sep 14, 2013

(Duplicate post was here. Thanks internet!)

AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 07:18 on May 28, 2020

# ? May 28, 2020 01:59

Shardix: Sep 14, 2011; The end! No moral.

Lahire doesn't immediately pay heed to the goblin's words, his attention wholly focused on Konas. After a long moment his face softens a bit and the blade vanishes back up his sleeve as quickly as it appeared.

"...Right." It's clear that being outnumbered is not what cooled his head. A man like this too obviously spent much time in an environment where that attitude is necessary as a survival mechanism. It does not work so well out here in the free world, relatively adjacent to what used to be the freest part of that world. A beast remembering what it means to be part of civilization.

"Yeah. My mistake." Lahire's youthful face takes on the weight of decades for a brief moment before he brings back his jovial smile. "Out of respect, let's call this a favor owed and leave it at that for now. I'll even promise not to be a prick about it when the time comes." He drums his fingers for a moment before continuing. "I could lay out the minutes for you if necessary but I wager that's not what you're after. You lot want the Big Picture. Am I wrong? What does little Masada and its people have to do with Aqualantis, and how does any of that factor in to the absolute shitstorm we're looking at? "We" as in a collective group of people who want to continue existing as best we can, I mean."

He leans in close, a sly smile on his face that he is utterly incapable of suppressing.

"Absolutely nothing." Before anyone can raise a complaint, he holds up a hand to arrest the words. "Nobody here can confirm, but I have my sources: Warwick has returned, and he...she?" Lahire shrugs. "Warwick does as Warwick do, I suppose. Anyway, rumor has it they popped back up with deeds and contracts in hand and laid claim to what is theirs. As it happens, XK-Masada is the singular aspect of Aqualantis' sphere of control that Warwick has no claim over. All the poo poo that's gone down since the city sank? Warwick was nowhere to be seen. For ten years, nothing. And during all that nothing, plans were put together to establish a secondary research outpost, blah blah blah. You saw the plaque leading out of the submarine pen. The point being, Warwick has no ownership of this place."

"What I am driving at is this is deep contractual poo poo running all throughout the behind-the-scenes, which means you have one of two places to look: Dwarves...or Elves. And speaking from my own experience, the last time things were this interesting down here I did not see a single dwarf among the crews moving hither and yon, and I saw a lot of crews moving hither and yon. Elves though? I saw elves. Saw other things too." Lahire flicks his gaze over towards Branwen.

What do you do?

# ? May 30, 2020 10:13

nil.: Nov 11, 2012

Lahire here is just gonna ignore me, huh? Typical. I�m sure those goblins back at the ceremony after I saved Zepplintrolpolis Guttlefink would say it�s because I�m not wearing my big hat, but I know better. That big hat usually only works on other goblins! Now I could make something out of this, but� ehhn. I�m not sure if the others are picking up on this, but I get the impression Lahire is actually trying to take another tack, after his mind caught up to that stuff he pulled with the knife. Figure he did that out of instinct, perhaps. Lucky for him, we�re all friendly, forgiving fellows and not a bunch of drunk idiots looking for a knife fight.

Whatever the case may be, looks like he�s actually being helpful and besides, if I chewed out everyone that ignored me or a fellow goblin, I�d never get anything done. I�d much rather figure out what he just told us might mean! Now that�s a secret worth uncovering, a clue that might just lead us very interesting. Everything that disappeared was in some way legally owned by Warwick, and the XK Masafa was not. Very interesting. Now it makes sense he mentions elves, everyone knows how they get about contracts and promises, but as far as I know that doesn�t give them magic powers. I bet the elves would just love that, but no. The fact that we�re not living under an elvish dictatorship spanning the globe is proof enough of that. Still, very interesting.

And what was that about �other things� and that oh-so-subtle look at Branwen? Well, I�ll just have to ask her about that later, Mister Mysterious here would just use the opportunity to demand some favor if I asked about what exactly he meant.

�Weeeeell�� Krishga stands up and stretches, as if getting up from a restful nap. The coffee�s been awful, but nobody got stabbed and we made a most interesting new acquaintance, so all in all it all worked out well. I hope the feeling is mutual, Mister Lahire?� She bends forward ever so slightly, with something approaching but the suggestion of a bow.

I noticed how Anastasia pronounced it differently back there, but I have no idea what that was about, so I�ll stick to how he said it.

�But now I believe duty calls. I�m off to work. See you there, huh?� With that, Krishga salutes her companion with her big wrench, jumps down from her chair and confidently, if slowly, strides off towards where Commander Durell�s makeshift office is. He would need to be briefed on the latest developments and the fellowship, in turn, would need his help and one of the XK Masada�s subs to investigate LEM-7. Lists of tools and parts, schematics of cables under metal go through Krishga�s mind as she reviews her plan for the beacon she still wants to build. It will be something to occupy her on the way to the fellowship�s destination� and keep her mind off the Abyss Wyrms that might await once they arrive.

nil. fucked around with this message at 16:58 on May 30, 2020

# ? May 30, 2020 16:50

ArkInBlack: Mar 22, 2013

# ? Jun 1, 2020 13:21

Shardix: Sep 14, 2011; The end! No moral.

Krishga

Lahire actually looks a little sheepish as you hop up. "Right. Uh, shift change is due in about twelve minutes. In case you'd prefer to take a side passage over the main corridors." It seems that while Lahire has metaphorically knocked the tea cup off the table, he is at least attempting to catch it before it hits the floor.

You are quickly let into the commander's office and explain the gist of what you've learned. Aric and Owen have already passed along a brief report but he appreciates the consideration. He's a bit leery about the LEM-7 situation but, well...you're all here to find out what's going on with Aqualantis. At least LEM-7 is a place he can confidently say exists. He'll loan you and your crew a submarine, with the explicit understanding that while its crew will have orders to aid you in all reasonable ways, it is still an ESCO vessel.

While you work, tell me about your Big Hat.

Morning Glory

At your question, he leans an elbow on the table and rest his chin upon it. He looks at you intently for a moment before his eyes flick over towards Ana and especially her very large, very hungry looking companion. They then slide over towards Konas. He still doesn't appear frightened, but he is very obviously treating this whole situation a bit more seriously. Whether because your group seemed willing to do violence upon him, or because despite his brandishing a blade he was allowed the opportunity to retract the brash action. Probably a bit of both.

"Just an honest answer to some questions of my own. How does that sound?"

What do you do?

Anastasia

Looks like your big sister wants some information, and it's going to be a bit of quid pro quo. Could be interesting, could be real boring. If you don't feel like sticking around, you could hit up some other places. There's apparently a gunsmith, there's the quartermaster which you'll want to stop at anyhow to get some not-dying-from-exposure kind of gear. There's the Dead Echo if you fancy a drink, or maybe you have somewhere else in mind?

What do you do?

Konas

As this drylander quickly backpedals from his ill-advised threat, you sense Olan next to you, standing in the "I have a report to make" way that she does. Leaning in she informs you that she has heard no songs in response to her own querying call. There is a large assemblage of different peoples aboard this base, but you two are the only Tritons on it or nearby. Maybe not the most immediately useful knowledge, but at least now you know. If nothing else you can be pretty well assured that this base is not under siege by the clans.

Much like Anastasia, you've got the base to poke around in as you like.

What do you do?

# ? Jun 2, 2020 02:15

AnAnonymousIdiot: Sep 14, 2013

AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 03:19 on Jun 2, 2020

# ? Jun 2, 2020 03:16

nil.: Nov 11, 2012

Well, will you look at that. Hell, Lahire�s trying, and besides, the four of us figuratively flexed our muscles at him after he pulled his stunt with the knife, daring him to make something of it if he�s so tough, so� ehh, all is forgiven.

�Will do, Mister Lahire, will do.� Krishga gives her new acquaintance a final salute and a grin, enough to show his efforts are appreciated. �See you around.�

In her journey to the XK Masada, Krishga had visited many foreign cities she had never been to before, but unlike many of these foreign, bustling places, the station had a certain familiarity to her. It was not unlike a Zepplintropolis or a Goblin mechanized land snake - all metal corridors, indistinguishable to the untrained eye, but all built for a purpose. The goblin runs into a few dead ends, even gets turned around from heading further into an area only meant for authorized personnel by polite, but firm guards but finally, she once arrives at Commander Durrell�s makeshift office.

The military man keeps his professional demeanor, but Krishga can tell that he at the very least is pleased that there now is an actionable plan with at least some knowledge of its parameters, even if it will take the fellowship into an area normally forbidden. The two shake hands, the Goblin once again standing tall on the Commander�s desk.

The crew of the submarine lent by Durell hear the heavy footsteps of something large and heavy slowly coming towards them long before they see anything, sound reverberating through the station�s metal hallways. Technicians and seamen chatter among themselves about what it might be, but all look at the large mechanized combat suit when it finally steps into view in all its splendor - the Maximus Mk III. A clearly excited Krishga beams at them from out of the opened front of the Maximus, normally kepts closed, her voice the only one in the sudden stunned silence. �Got something of a larger item that needs to be stored in your sub. Where you want it?�

After things calm down again and Krishga hands over the official orders from Commander Durell, some of the people around cannot stop glancing at the Goblin�s battle suit, while others intentionally ignore it - perhaps just another among many recent exceptional events - and busy themselves with their duties. Krishga takes the time to introduce herself to the crew that will accompany them to LEM-7, and ensures that something is at hand so she can reach high enough to steer the submarine if necessary.

No need to tell these folks that I steered an entire Zepplintropolis once because, well, there�s a risk they�ll ask some follow-up questions and then I�ll have to tell them some parts of it exploded and burned just a few minutes after that, which, to be fair, was not my fault and could have actually been much worse. Still, not the best thing for morale, perhaps, especially since we�re asking these people to go out there into the black and dark on a mission that is far from normal and most likely far from safe.

I would like to pilot a sub, though! It�s not the Maximus, sure - speaking of which, you should have seen their faces when I showed up. Maybe I should integrate a camera into the Mk III? I could have run the Maximus in stealth mode, sure, but where would be the fun in nobody hearing the big stompy footsteps?

The submarine, though� I wonder if they�re more likely to let me steer it if I put on the Big Hat? Oh, of course, I�m a little hesitant to put it on around other Goblins, but that�s because to us, a hat like that is supposed to be a symbol of power and privilege, something that you�re supposed to immediately give respect to. Like a crown of one of the tall folk. I don�t want to just� steamroll other Goblins with the fact that I�m supposed to be a big Goblin hero, no, with the fact that all these Goblin bigwigs gave me that hat. I don�t know, it�d feel arrogant� presumptuous to me. The funny thing is, I bet I would have never thought about stuff like that if I had never met Tulgrom Lupp. When he started teaching me, I only wanted to know about building bigger and better machines, but he taught me about so many other, different things. About how in some ways, big hats like that are a status symbol - either of the power long-entrenched �traditional� goblins have always had or the power �modern� goblins grabbed for themselves, in money, and labour, and influence. Poor Tulgrom. If only I hadn�t asked him to join me here, at the XK Masada, maybe he�d still be alive.

Anyway! All of that doesn�t matter because none of these people are Goblins, so there are no power dynamics involving the symbolism of big fancy hats in play. And whatever else I might think, I do have to admit they have really outdone themselves with this hat. They told me the finest goblin hatters worked on it, that it is one of a kind - and I believe it! It kind of looks like this, only a bit more fancy. Ah, I�ll just describe it.

Oh, sure, when you are at a yearly Goblin Meetings of The High Scavengers, you will see much fancier hats than that, bigger too, but they�re not Adventurer�s Hats. Those hats only built for showing off would crumble like a too-large cake the moment you touch them incorrectly, but my hat? You can fold it so it�s just a tiny piece of cloth, and you can unfold it in just a few seconds and it�ll keep its form. And the material is sturdy, let me tell you. Flexible and light, too! Only the finest.

The feather? Oh yeah, that�s no ordinary feather. That�s a Thaumo-Ostrich�s feather, you know, those things that were created when some irresponsible wizard tried to do something with the magical runoff of their experiments? The wizard might have been picked to death by giant, suddenly magical ostriches, I do not remember, but the feathers are worth more than gold to Goblin hatters - which are the best in the world, by the way. Look, you can bend and even fold the feather! Oh, the embroidery? Well, the gold embroidery are all of the sigils of the companies and other interested parties from the �modern� Goblins, here, that�s Klimgum-Archer, there�s Salvage Unlimited and the black embroidery are the tales and heroes from the �traditional� Goblins� Tiffkuz Snake-Slayer, Klothra Orc-Friend. And on the inside, see those seams? They�re made to look like Zeppelin seams, just like in Zepplintropolis Guttlefink.

So I suppose I think my Big Hat is pretty impressive after all. Still, I should remember not to use it to often or, worse still, forget why I got it. This hat is not a pair of laurels to rest on, it�s a symbol of what I set out to do!

quote:

Rolling for what Krishga will do on the way to LEM-7 (with help from Konas):
@Krishga Tazz (nil): 3d6k2+2 Jury Rig a beacon = ( 3 +6+4)+2 = 12

nil. fucked around with this message at 09:16 on Jun 14, 2020

# ? Jun 2, 2020 21:21

Alumnus Post: Dec 29, 2009; They are weird and troubling. We owe it to our neighbors to kill them.; Pillbug

: Cruel Beast [] || Carpe Jugulum []
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As much as I want to stick around for whatever Branwen's after, I've had enough of the formavit to last me a lifetime. If I need to know about it, she'll tell me. She never kept secrets. I go collect the Duchess and make for the quartermaster's, but not before leaving cheeky-boy with a close-range smile and a coded business proposition:

"Yeah, alright. I'd take that deal. You been real helpful. Come find me when we're back, cousin. Favor for a favor: am I promised it?"

I leave before he can reply. If he wear elvish for a name like that (and he seem like he knows what his name means, too) - then he might just recognize the closest that tradetalk can get to the formal contract grammar. You know, the big-loving-deal stuff. Maybe this conman'll want to make a real deal once I've got some bargaining chips to play around with.

* * *

I know what I'm after once they let me into stores: a drysuit and scuba gear for me, something warm to wear indoors, and some bones with meat on 'em for the Duchess. And lights, lots of 'em. Maybe I can find something Krishga can finagle into breathing gear for Duchess, but I'm not pinning no hopes on it. She's not trained for that sort of work.

Alumnus Post fucked around with this message at 14:26 on Jun 3, 2020

# ? Jun 3, 2020 05:46

ArkInBlack: Mar 22, 2013

# ? Jun 4, 2020 13:01

Shardix: Sep 14, 2011; The end! No moral.

Konas

Lahire seems unsure of how exactly to respond. "Uh...That's a little out of my wheelhouse, to be honest. I can't even guess at Warwick's motives or capabilities. But if this is a strictly legal thing? It's just a matter of her name not being on the dotted line for Masada. It'd be the eighteen or so different investors who I can absolutely promise can never agree with one another on anything long enough to vanish it. No matter what sorts of magic they might have."

Later, when you have a few moments of privacy, Olan speaks once more.

"Are you actually intending to accompany these folk to the lair of a Wyrm?"

Tell me more about Olan. How did the two of you first meet? Is this a professional relationship, or something more?

Krishga

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt68ElKG8UQ
_{(The Fifth Element - That's a very nice hat}

As you hand over the orders, you see eyes glance at one another dubiously and at least a few curt handsigns that you have enough experience to know translates to "Do not let the goblin near any of the important things." On the other hand, you also catch a few quiet mutters about how it's about drat time they got sent off on a *real* mission. Even if it's just a glorified recon op, it's something. As you park the Maximus and debark, you see a pair of figures make their way into the cargo hold and stand at a parade rest - or as close as they can manage. One of them is a gnoll, and the other some kind of small automaton. Even to a goblin it is tiny, reaching up perhaps to the average human's knee.

The gnoll speaks. "Good day. You may call me Beloved-Summer-Day, or ideally Captain." Her voice is immensely deep and gruff as expected for a gnoll, yet her words are well enunciated and refined. This is no stereotypical barbarian. "My associate here -". She is quickly cut off as the machine strikes a sassy pose, hand on a hip. "THE NAME'S BROWNY. DON'T THINK YOU CAN JUST STOMP IN HERE IN THAT LUMBERING HUNK OF TRASH AND CALL THE SHOTS. THIS IS OUR BOAT. QUERY AFFIRMATIVE?" Her(?) voice is unnaturally amplified, and what might be otherwise considered cute has been rendered somewhat menacing from artificial noise being introduced in the background.

Beloved-Summer-Day is utterly stoic.

Morning Glory

Lahire gives you a long look, with just a flash of puzzlement as you invoke Nashira's name. As everyone else takes their leave, he sits up straight and his demeanor shifts entirely. The irreverent troublemaker and probable petty criminal has utterly vanished. "...I'll hold you to that. And by the same token, if I speak falsely let the winds scour my flesh from my bones."

That...is not an oath you are familiar with.

"First, and really, the most important: why are the gods so interested in this affair? Secondly. Why have you, specifically, been sent to look into it? I intend no disrespect. It's just that the Morning Glory is not invoked lightly in Aqualantis these days. You are a figure of awe and terror to a great many people. Lastly; could you ask your associate to relax please? She's making me nervous."

You see Hilda out of the corner of your eye, a hand resting casually on the butt of her gun. You know full well she isn't attempting to threaten him. A threat implies that she thinks he is capable of being a problem in any sense. No, she is looking at him the way she looks at most people: like they are no more than a paper target or perhaps a clay pigeon.

Lahire continues, regardless. "As for your own question. I won't argue semantics; I know what you mean. Scrimshaw is a name everyone is familiar with. Deceased, and hopefully on to a better afterlife than he ever had in this one. Serenity Alkirk n� Greymist. She did quite a bit of work in establishing something of a lasting peace between the various peoples and factions after the ~~three~~ two of you ended things so decisively. Eight years ago she vanished off my radar. I assume she headed back to the surface, but I can't confirm that. If she hasn't, than I can only guess at what may have happened. An accident, or murder maybe.

Stathis Argyle. He shows up now and again; lots of work for a private dick down here. A lot of families want to put their loved ones to rest however they can. Haven't seen him recently, though. So far as I know he's still working up on the Raft."

Lahire mentions a few other formavit but by all he can tell you, they were merely passing through on personal errands and left with a minimum of fuss. No great troubles passing in their wake. However, no matter how well connected a man might be he cannot know everything.

Anastasia

The quartermaster hooks you up. At a bark his subordinates get to work, hauling air tanks and various equipment up for your assessment. "Can se' you up wiv a wetsuit, a drysuit, or one uv the 'sperimental 'jections we got from Aqualantis proper 'fore...uh...well, you know. Spose' ta regulate yer body temperature wivout needin' any protective gear. Been tested on well...folks, wiv good results but uh...you'll be taking the risk on yerself iv you opt for tha' choice. Nothing 'gainst you, ma'am, I simply canno' promise you won't have an adverse reaction."

After a query, the quartermaster comes around and approaches Duchess with a shocking lack of fear. Respect aplenty, but no fear. He looks her over and hems and haws, finally shrugging and shaking his head. "Wizh I could help but mean old bitch like this? She'd thrash any makeshift accommodation I rigged up. I know when someone dun give two shits about the thing theys lookin' at and this lady? Doubt she'd pause long enough to piss on my corpse."

Wow, that accent is *thick*.

Ana has been around. Tell me a little about the human nation this guy hails from. Also, let me know your choice on gear. An oxygen mask and tank are needed no matter what, but you have a choice of skin tight but wet, baggy and unfashionable but dry, or trusting yourself to Aqualantian science.

Shardix fucked around with this message at 19:54 on Apr 18, 2021

# ? Jun 7, 2020 04:41

AnAnonymousIdiot: Sep 14, 2013

Olan posted:

"Are you actually intending to accompany these folk to the lair of a Wyrm?"

�Better than going there alone.� I tell her. That had been my plan before, and it was why I had wanted Olan to stay with the group, so she could inform them while I was at LEM-7. I think she didn�t like the idea, but now I�m not sure if her issue was me going it alone, or at all. Can�t tell if it�s snark I�m hearing or a complaint. �Besides, you confirmed that whatever we heard on their devices wasn�t a Wyrm. Means someone or something else was there before that junk city vanished.�

Olan said nothing but nodded. I can't say I know her that well. I'm not sure if she's trying to accommodate how delicate matters are with both our superiors. If she had no desire to work with me, she wouldn't be here with me. Some other Church officials would. She chose to come, and I think we're still feeling each other out. It hasn't been that long since we were both sent. But since working together I�ve found that Olan keeps her opinions to herself. She also wanted to know where I stood on everything that�s happened to our people, from the Death Currents, to the schisms. Kinda expected some sort of sermon from when I said my piece, but she said nothing, just looked concerned. Like how Olan appears to be now.

My guess she wants a clan or more Church Tritons to come here and take matters in her own hands. And if we found out about that Wyrm's Lair sooner, that would've been the right call. That ship had sailed though, and everyone else is following the wake. Not sure how fast the Church can respond to that without an incident. I wonder if she'll be pulling in the Church to get some support here.

AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 08:54 on Jun 12, 2020

# ? Jun 7, 2020 19:26

Alumnus Post: Dec 29, 2009; They are weird and troubling. We owe it to our neighbors to kill them.; Pillbug

: Cruel Beast [] || Carpe Jugulum []
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I can't help but laugh. I like this guy - he calls 'em like he sees 'em. "You ain't wrong, chivaro. She eat ya soon as look at ya! If she free to do it, anyway." I give her a a good scratch behind the ears for being so good about letting this guy scrutinize her. "She musta liked you, huh? I seen her put a man in the hospital lookin' at her that way. 'Course, he was a dogfighter, so maybe she smell it on him." She's getting ox bones for this. Barely a snap out of her today! She must be gettin' to be at home here.

"Anyway, gimme the wetsuit. Thermal underlayer too with it if ya got any. I don't wanna go gettin' stuck in no rocks or whatever down here. And..._{(ah, gently caress me)}...gimme the injection too, to take with. It ain't permanent, is it...?"

This guy's from Bagalish. A real pretty country, landlocked up past the mountains one side of orc country, chilly and sunny, all nice-and-windy. Pastoral, like. Lotta old religion up there, abbeys 'n suchlike, real oldtime moonwatchers. It's halfling country, but there's a lotta humies living there too. I had a little run-in with the passbana there once - that's the halfling mafia, real assholes, trust me, you do not wanta screw with them - back when I was touring in the wrong sorts of bars with my last boyfriend. Yeah, real good idea, rear end in a top hat, let's do a show in a godsdamned bootlegger's. More fool me for agreeing him.

# ? Jun 8, 2020 02:16

nil.: Nov 11, 2012

Now, my first thought should probably be about whether I overdid it with inspecting the bridge of the sub and asking everyone where the controls are - but once I see that gnoll and this marvellous automaton all I can think about is how those two are like something from the pages of the Cousinhood Chronicles. You know, the fictionalized retellings of heroic exploits and derring-do of the Cousinhood, aka GHOBS? Big fan.

Although. Browny here may be a fascinating piece of peerless engineering but I do not take kindly to anyone slagging the Maximus Mk III. This will not stand! What is it with all these people anyway, acting like, ooooh, there�s a Goblin around, everyone hide the silverware, only that the silverware is technology. Newsflash everyone, your research station is a slapdash collection of bolts and metal and the sub you are now trying to hide from me is the most run-off-the-mill cargo workhorse I have seen in a while, not some bleeding-edge prototype with technology not seen anywhere else!

No, that�s the Maximus Mk III! And you don�t see me proverbially clutching my wallet tighter because I accidentally walked into �the bad part of town�!

Yes. Okay. Alright, time to calm down and think� diplomatic thoughts. Not everyone can see how amazing the Maximus Mk III is right away.

Krishga in fact takes a few seconds to close her eyes, going through some breathing exercises but playing it off as if deep in thought. When her eyes once again open, she surges forward towards Beloved-Summer-Day and Browny with a smile and an outstretched hand. �Captain Beloved-Summer-Day, good to meet you, Krishga Tazz, Goblin inventor extraordinaire.� She draws out the last word, raising one eyebrow at Browny next to her, then once again onlay faces the captain. �You will have to excuse my enthusiasm in taking a look at your fine vessel, I am a terrible backseat driver. Once I get into anything mechanical, I want to know where all the levers and switches and wheels are. Perhaps you would be willing to show me around?�

Krishga nods at Beloved-Summer-Day, and then turns towards Browny and the two look at each other without saying anything for a second more than might be considered polite. Almost without thinking about it, the Goblin takes up a similarly sassy posture as the automaton, one hand on her hip, the other gesticulating. �Your query cannot be parsed. I believe I stomped in here in a marvel of modern engineering, a self-powered battle suit the world has not seen the like with a wide variety of adaptations to environmental, tactical and combat scenarios! If someone else came in with anything even approaching �trash� I did not see them. Query: Do your ocular preceptors require maintenance?� The goblin is not shouting, but simply sassing back at the strangely small automaton - though the fact that she (?) pretty much shouted at Krishga made it hard to say just how serious she (?) was being originally. �Anything constructed that can walk upright cannot be called... trash by definition. Wouldn�t you say?�

That�s something every Goblin knows, of course. We have different words with different shades of meaning, but the closest thing that non-Goblins would understand is �trash� versus �salvage�. And yes, I pointed out the fact that both the Maximus and Browny here walk upright and were constructed and that neither of them are trash intentionally.

Krishga waves her hand and grins, as if putting an end to that. �Regarding original query: Acknowledged. You call the shots.� She looks up at Captain Beloved-Summer-Day and nods at her, noting that military breed of stoicism she has already seen in Commander Durell and others, though it is less commonly seen in Gnolls. Or encouraged, perhaps. �We may need some decisive action with the mission we�re all going on. Any questions about that, by the way?� Krishga furrows her brow theatrically, as if remembering something, and turns towards Browny. Her hand is once again on her hip and a spark of sassiness has returned to her voice. �Oh, and since you cut off your Captain... what is it you do around here again?� She grins.

nil. fucked around with this message at 13:52 on Jun 10, 2020

# ? Jun 8, 2020 19:34

ArkInBlack: Mar 22, 2013

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
BLD +2 || COU +1 || GRA -1 || SEN +0 || WIS +2
Blessings: Strength[ ] || Speed[ ] || Glory[ ] || Power[ ][ ]
Gear: Armor[ ] || Fuel[ ][ ][ ]
Hilda: Crack Shot[ ] || Quick As A Bullet [ ]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Branwen shakes her head when laH�re mentions Hilda, and turns towards her with a shrug saying "Could ya not?" Without waiting for a response before turning back to him with "Forgive her, we all gotta remember how to act when we're safe and civil from time to time. But since I started with your last question guess I'll keep going in reverse order. I'm on this mission because I very insistently asked the Archbishops of Sol to be put on this mission. I have no idea what the significance of the title my Brothers and Sisters bequeathed to me has within Aqualantis and the reasonable assumption that neither do they, seeing how proper worship of the Matron of Detonation was viewed last I checked beneath the waves. As for your first question..."

Branwen pauses, carefully considering and contemplating before finally giving a shrug. "Dunno."

# ? Jun 12, 2020 00:29

Shardix: Sep 14, 2011; The end! No moral.

Anastasia

Finishing your preparations, you manage to stop in at the cafeteria and grab something for the Duchess. It's not an ox bone and frankly it's probably best not to ask what it did come from. Whatever it was, it was much too large and has too many joints.

quote:

Thermal Regulation Injection (T.R.I.)

Roll +Blood

On a 10+, you can safely exist in extreme temperatures (-20� to 120� Fahrenheit) without need of protective clothing. Lab tests indicate this should last for approximately one fortnight

On a 7-9, roll with Hope the next time you attempt to Overcome the deleterious effects of extreme environment.

on a 6-, your cells begin to dissociate. Ask the Overlord which stat has been damaged.

Morning Glory

Lahire almost looks disappointed. Maybe he was expecting something juicier. "Huh. You act like you're made out of metal, too."

Krishga

Browny turns and walks away at your comment, clearly done with this conversation. The Captain watches her go before returning her attention to you.

"I understand her attitude can be off-putting, but nevertheless I need to ask that you not antagonize her. In a very real sense, she and the ship are the same thing. So your questions are being seen in a very different context than we meat-based individuals would interpret them. But to answer your question, she oversees most of the sub's systems. Engines control, ballast, weapons, sensors, and so on. Technically even my role as captain is superfluous. It simply helps morale more to have a commanding officer with a face." A wave of a hand as she moves on to the next subject. "As for the mission, no. I have no questions. We will transport you, we will wait, and we will pick you up again. Any complications beyond that will need to be discussed, as our obligation to Commander Durell does not extend any further."

From that, it sounds like this submarine and its crew are not actually under ESCO command - they are doing this as a favor. Which probably doesn't change much except you cannot count on threats of moving up the chain of command to get them to do something they would rather not.

Everyone

Soon enough the lot of you regroup and board the Machine Wash Tumble Dry. From outward appearances it seems to be a conventional Type 55, intended to resupply other submarines when their operations required them to remain on patrol past the limits of the ship's food stores or torpedo reserves. The sailors aboard wordlessly assist in helping you board and stow your gear if asked, but otherwise pay you little heed. Tattoos and collar insignias give away their origins as Kolsac Sea Marines. Pirates and blackguards by origin, back in the early days of sail. Time, inertia, and politics have rendered them acceptable as sailors in the navy but they still have no sense of humor about anything.

ETA is two hours, and radar shows nothing to be concerned about. The cargo hold is spacious - relatively speaking - and while hardly the seat of luxury there is plenty of crates and materiel to sit or lay down on. These may well be the last quiet moments you are able to snatch, so enjoy them.

If there are any last minutes things you wish to handle or clarify, do so now.
What do you do?

Shardix fucked around with this message at 04:01 on Jun 14, 2020

# ? Jun 14, 2020 03:58

nil.: Nov 11, 2012

Well, drat, I misjudged what was going on with Browny. Hey, don�t blame me, I�m good at building and repairing machines, not at being able to tell when machines would be able to handle some backsass after they insulted my Maximus which is just about the furthest thing from trash on the entire planet and�

Okay, maybe that�s a little petty and maybe this whole thing could have gone a little better especially now that I know Browny is basically maintaining this entire sub, almost is this entire sub, which is simply fascinating! I would love to chat about that, but, like I said, things could have gone better.

�Understood, captain.� Krishga once again shakes Beloved-Summer-Day�s hand, then raises an eyebrow. �About Browny� it�s kind of hard to tell, but did they actually take offense? Or is this just the first time someone else took up their �Query� bit and turned it around on them?� She throws up her hands. �Browny� knowns I basically just said �get your eyes checked�, right? Well, I�d appreciate it if you threw in a good word if this is actually something serious, captain. I�ll be on my way now. See you around, huh?�

Krishga leaves and soon is busy overseeing that the Maximus Mk III and all her other equipment are stowed properly aboard the Machine Wash Tumble Dry, who, just as the Goblin observed earlier, is a sturdy workhorse of a submarine. The crew seems competent, if a little taciturn, though in Krishga�s experience all seamen and seawomen change their tune once they come into port after a long journey and have time as well as money to spend before they once again must set out into the great wide sea. After a while, the rest of the fellowship arrives and Krishga greets them and shows them around the submarine as if she had been part of the crew from the very beginning.

The minute the Machine Wash Tumble Dry is on her way, the particular sounds of a submarine in motion, the low hum of the engine and the shouts of the crew echoing through the metal bowels of the ship can be beard, all encased in steel and outside, the great weight of the endless ocean. Unperturbed, a mischievous smile appears on Krishga�s face as she ambles up to Konas. �My favorite assistant! Care to lend me a hand again? There�s a probe that needs building!�

For the next hour, the submarine�s cargo hold is transformed into a makeshift workshop, with Krishga enthusiastically working on a thing of metal and cables that looks nowhere near what you would find in any official blueprints for a probe or beacon. Konas� help seems to mainly consist of handing the Goblin the tools she calls for whilst buried deeply in the guts of her jury-rigged contraption which at times only has her feet still sticking out of it. The small inventor gives a running commentary and various, somewhat convoluted explanations of what she is doing, though whether Konas or anyone else is actually listening is another question entirely. Nevertheless, eventually, Krishga closes up the beacon and stands atop of it, her wrench slung over her shoulder, oil on her face, and grinning as if she could not be happier. �Now, it�s no lie when I say this is about one of the finest improvised low-frequency radio wave / acoustic and visual signal beacon I have ever built in just over an hour.� She slaps her head, covering her hand in yet more oil, though she barely seems to notice. �What am I saying? The finest beacon we have built, Konas. Marvellous work. If we didn�t have to do the whole saving-the-world bit and if you didn�t have all your other responsibilities, I�d think about ask you to become my assistant, permanently.� She holds up her oil-covered hand, and for once, standing on top of the completed beacon, she is almost at the height of the Triton�s chest. �Up top, Konas. Don�t leave me hanging.�

quote:

Forge A Bond with Konas. Konas most likely can also Forge A Bond with Krishga.

nil. fucked around with this message at 19:33 on Jun 14, 2020

# ? Jun 14, 2020 09:05

AnAnonymousIdiot: Sep 14, 2013

Krishga posted:

�Up top, Konas. Don�t leave me hanging.�

Okay, over this I guess. I respond in kind. Not sure gentle you�re supposed to be with it. Can�t imagine you�d slam your palm as hard as you can. They�d not appreciate it.

pre:

Konas (AnonymousIdiot)Today at 10:42 AM
/r 2d6-1 #talk sense marines
Xom (dicebot)BOT
Today at 10:42 AM
@Konas (AnonymousIdiot):  2d6-1 talk sense marines = (1+3)-1 = 3

pre:

Sure, form another bond with Krishga, why not?

EDIT: MY THREE QUESTIONS?

What should I be wary of when dealing with them?
What were they doing, and what are they going to do next?
What can they tell us about XK-Masada?

AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 07:34 on Jun 15, 2020

# ? Jun 14, 2020 18:00

nil.: Nov 11, 2012

Krishga grins at Konas� somehow both clumsy and incredibly earnest high five. �Now, based on the delay I surmise you do not have high fives under the sea. You�ll have to show me what the equivalent is one of these days, Konas.�

The Goblin claspy her dirty, oily hands together and jumps off the recently completed beacon. She strides towards Anastasia and Branwen, cleaning her hands on a much-used rag and adjusting the goggles resting on her head. �Before we head out, I�ve just been wondering� after I left, did you play nice with Mister Lahire? I mean, I�ve taken a look at Duchess and she seems happy enough, but not �I�ve just had my fill eating an entire man� happy. So, spill it. What happened? Was he just a tall, dark, handsome and troubled stranger or did he actually have something to reveal behind all that mystery? Did it turn out it was actually just some ploy to hit on one of us? Wouldn�t be the first time...�

Krishga gently elbows Anastasia or, to be more precise, elbows Anastasia�s leg and winks up at her. �By the way, I know we were joking around back then but you actually were diplomatic. Don�t take this the wrong way, but I was a little surprised! But it�s good, there�s lots of people a lot more deserving of being roughed up by you than men with poor, or at least inconsiderate manners, huh? I get the feeling we�ll run into them someday soon. But, until then...� She winks at Anastasia. �...diplomacy.�

quote:

Forging a Bond with Anastasia.

The Goblin clambers up a nearby crate�s netting to be at least a little bit closer to Branwen�s face before addressing her. �Speaking of being roughed up, good thing Mister Lahire didn�t try his knife trick back in, hm, that bar back on The Raft, what was its name? The Sunken Something, right? There would have been a knife, then the music would have stopped suddenly, then someone would have thrown a punch, then thrown a chair, then someone would have broken a bottle and shanked someone and then the music would have started up again and we would have had ourselves a big dumb bar fight.� Krishga throws up her hands and shrugs. �Not that one of us started a bar fight or anything like that. Still, I get the feeling Mister Lahire might have won if it had been just some drunken bar patrons, but�� She gives Branwen�s rippling abs, her entire incredible physique a meaningful look, then glances at Branwen herself again, as if everything that needed saying had now been said. �Well.�

quote:

Forging a Bond with Branwen.

# ? Jun 14, 2020 20:21

Alumnus Post: Dec 29, 2009; They are weird and troubling. We owe it to our neighbors to kill them.; Pillbug

: Cruel Beast [] || Carpe Jugulum []
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Nah, he's a waste of good punchin'. I'm saving these guns for the big game. Until then..." I give her the same grin I gave Lahire, showin' off all my big white teeth - and on an orc that don't mean friendly, except it's pointed at her so this time it's strictly for demonstration - "...diplomacy."

I left stores in pretty good spirits, but I'm already startin' to miss my good girl. I had to leave her care of that crusty old Bagalishi who runs the supply depot. I figure he's got enough sense to know to leave her the gently caress alone and bring her some offal from the galley twice a day. She'll pine for days if I don't back to get her soon, but I couldn't go bringing her in for somewhere as cramped as this. I hate to leave her, all the same.

Not to mention...Bran's sure got some talkin' to do, doesn't she? I give her a gentle little shove. "Yeah, spill it McAlister. That jackass is more'n he seems, and I wanna know what his angle is. I dunno if you-all picked up on it or not during your little t�te-�-t�te, but that "name" s'elven, and it's not even really a name at all. He's just callin' himself 'nobody' in a language he figures nobody speak around here."

"Well, I figure best case, he's just some jackass thinks he's being real clever with his choice of sobriquet. Worst case...well, fuckin' tell me it ain't gonna be the worst case, would ya?"

# ? Jun 18, 2020 04:24

AnAnonymousIdiot: Sep 14, 2013

pre:

Is something hidden or out of place? If so, what looks suspicious?

# ? Jun 18, 2020 10:36

ArkInBlack: Mar 22, 2013

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
BLD +2 || COU +1 || GRA -1 || SEN +0 || WIS +2
Blessings: Strength[ ] || Speed[ ] || Glory[ ] || Power[ ][ ]
Gear: Armor[ ] || Fuel[ ][ ][ ]
Hilda: Crack Shot[ ] || Quick As A Bullet [ ]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Branwen brushes back some synthetic hair. "The Sunken Sailor, I remember. Built where a different bar burned down or something. Calling it a hive of lowlifes an' scum would be giving lowlifes an' scum a bad name." Branwen nods a moment before looking at Krishga and crossing her arms. "Someone had to shut his mouth, and Nashira knows he wasn't gonna do it himself. Not my fault that things got blown out of proportions like that."

"Wish I could say for sure. Got confused when I invoked the Mother Serpent when I was swearing to be truthful. And might've been hoping I had an inside line to the desire of the Divine, collectively. Kept eyes and ears open for movement of Formavit too. Mix in the choice o' name and there's some troubling implications... Could be a time bomb, could just be jumping at shadows." Bran shakes her head. "The important bit is he had seen y-" and the sound catches in Bran's throat as she realizes the words she's saying. She clears her throat, sounding less like a cough and more like an engine quietly backfiring. "Serenity. Though it was eight years ago. Stuck around for a least two years after things got resolved. And there's that prophecy poo poo Scrimshaw had laid down about her, so..." Bran lets out a huff. "I dunno. Think it's something we'll just need to keep an eye open for."

# ? Jun 18, 2020 15:27

Alumnus Post: Dec 29, 2009; They are weird and troubling. We owe it to our neighbors to kill them.; Pillbug

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
BLD +2 || COU +1 || GRA +2 || SEN -1 || WIS +0
STR �� | CNG �⚬ | TUF �� | WPN ��
FOOD �� | BOOZE �� | TRAP �� | GEAR ��
~~: Cruel Beast [] || Carpe Jugulum []~~
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Mom?"

Suddenly my voice sounds real small. The kit bag with my wetsuit and air tanks in it hits the deck with a thump, and I follow it right on down, sitting down hard on the cold metal.

"Oh gently caress. She really...really was here? But she left? And wai -- what the gently caress are you talking about a prophecy? Who's this...Scrimshar...you're talkin' about? What am I talking ab-- wait, are you saying you met her?! What the gently caress..."

I'm kind of freaking out here. Get it together, Ana...gods-damnit, I figured I could come here to get away from family (except for her, anyway), and now this whole thing's starting to reek of coconuts. Formavit, prophecies, prophecies about my mom...

Well, this is what you wanted, isn't it, girl? Don't be surprised you start digging around mom's side of the family tree, you find a whole orchard of skeletons under those roots.

Alright. gently caress it. I slap myself across the face a couple times, give myself a good shake. Then I fish out the autoinjector they gave me back in stores and slam the tip against the meat of my right deltoid. "_{Mmngggaaahhhfuckthathurts.} Yeah. We better keep our eyes wide fuckin' open if you're hearin' that formavit are gettin' involved Down Here. When we get back to base, you're gonna tell me - us - everything."

dicebot posted:

2d6+2 T.R.I. = (2+2)+2 = 6
On a 6-, your cells begin to dissociate. Ask the Overlord which stat has been damaged.

# ? Jun 19, 2020 03:42

Shardix: Sep 14, 2011; The end! No moral.

Konas

Unfortunately, it seems whatever work these sailors have before them is keeping them too busy to chat. You do at least get the sense that it truly is simply a matter of not having time versus any sort of distaste or hatred towards you - nobody is casting ugly looks at you or Olan. As you set about exploring the sub, they are gruff but not openly rude. They explain what this or that area or device is for, and you even get offered a cup of rum when you poke your head into the bunks. This boat is already cramped, but a quick laughing mention of how this also doubles as the forward torpedo room only drives the point home further.

Moving on you get to the control room. The Captain is leaning over the shoulder of one of her sailors as they quietly discuss some minor matter and one sailor is lazily hanging on the periscope, clearly bored out of his mind. He happily hands it over to you, and answers any questions you have about how the thing is used in normal operations. You get a clear picture that most everyone sees this is a very routine operation, in spite of the Aqualantis situation.

As you scan the surroundings through the periscope, one thing is very obvious: there is no aquatic activity in the direction of your destination. Oh, there's coral and clams and all the typical sorts of things you'd expect on the seabed, but there are no fish or dolphins or anything of that sort. Is there something about LEM-7 itself? Normally you'd presume ecological devastation from the war but even the worst hit areas have had some signs of motile life return over the last ten years.

Krishga

Time passes as you work on the Maximus and eventually the actual necessary work for the sailors is handled and a few wander in to take a break. No alcohol is produced, but there are a few off to the side having a cigarette break, and you see Konas' companion Olan focusing intently on a card game a pair of sailors are teaching to her. You hear her ask a question now and again in broken, clipped Common, and the sailors prove remarkably patient. It's not long after that you hear her declare Gin with a decisive slapping of her cards on the makeshift table. There is no joy on her face - only a cold determined look of victory. You get the impression she would have that exact same expression when looking down at an enemy bleeding to death at her feet.

Anastasia and Branwen

Gonna let you two chat a bit longer: It's been years after all. How do you feel seeing one another again?

Anastasia: You feel fine for now. There's even a pleasant warmth that radiates out from the injection point, like basking in the sunlight. I'll let you know what stat gets damaged when the next scene begins.

Shardix fucked around with this message at 04:20 on Jun 19, 2020

# ? Jun 19, 2020 04:18

nil.: Nov 11, 2012

Now, when Anastasia gave me that very toothy grin, I was all prepared to make some quip about pet owners starting to look like their pets. Even when Branwen said all that stuff about Formavit and Someone called Serenity and goddamn prophecy - which to my mind is usually either some God being cute about knowing so much more than the little people or the equivalent of writing up your homework in an hour after going on a bender, only the homework is supposed to be divine instructions helpful to someone - anyway, the point is, when I was first starting to notice that this is some stuff that really means something, emotionally, to those two� my first instinct was to think of some smart remark about how I thought I was in the top spot with the Maximus Mk III, but Anastasia and Branwen had me beat when it came to the baggage they brought onto this trip.

But then Anastasia, that big muscled mountain of attitude and toughness, actually falls[ down onto her knees talking about her mom and suddenly being a smart alec doesn�t seem like the thing to do anymore. I�m not going to lie and say I know exactly what is going on with her mother, what all of this means, but� poor Anastasia.

Krishga walks over to Anastasia and for once, with Anastasia on the floor, the Goblin does not seem comically small compared to her. Gently, the Goblin puts a hand onto her companion�s shoulder and helps her lean against a nearby crate. �There you go, Anastasia. Sit for a second, alright?� A few quiet moments pass as Krishga busies herself with picking up the equipment Anastasia dropped, and only after she has put the wetsuit and the air tank once again next to her does she speak again. �I�m gonna give you two some space to catch up, but if you wanna hang out afterwards - well, it�s not a big submarine, you�ll be able to find me. Alright? And don�t worry. Family can be tough.�

_____________________

Krishga passes the time doing some final checks on the Maximus, sketching some preliminary blueprints for a giant underwater turbine / water purifier she had thought of earlier when drinking terrible, terrible coffee as well as doing some squats and pullups. One of the sailors gives her a bewildered look when he and his colleagues walk in for their smoke break, but Krishga simply stops and shrugs at him.

The goblin is about to busy herself with something else when she spots Olan, Konas� shadow in more ways than one, at the makeshift table. Playing cards.

Though really, looking at her, you would not guess that she was playing! If I didn�t know any better, I�d say she�s planning to stab the cards. I know a few games like that, but this is not one of them. Still� compared to Konas, Olan is even more economical with her words, so this is a little unexpected. Let�s see if I can�t learn a little but about what Olan is all about, huh?

Krishga climbs up one of the crates arranged around the makeshift table. �Room for one more?� One of the sailors makes some space and even fetches a smaller crate to stack on top of the other for Krishga to sit upon. The goblin intently listens to the explanations regarding the rules, even though she is quite sure she already knows them - but then again, sailors are a particular sort and may just have special rules. Besides , they seem to not mind, perhaps even enjoy, teaching newcomers.

Krishga plays a few rounds, only exchanging looks with Olan, no words. While the goblin�s skill and luck at the game seems to be unexceptional, everybody is impressed with how she flicks her cards from her seat of boxes onto the pile in the middle of the table with unerring aim - a necessary trick for any Goblin wanting to play at tall folk�s far-too-large tables. Whether by luck or intent, Olan and Krishga find themselves head to head, and the Triton studies both her cards and her opponent with a serious intensity.

Krishga simply smiles, even though she knows her hand is poor. �You know, I heard some professor say that you can learn a lot about people based on the games they play. The games that adults encourage the children to play, the kind of games adults play in turn, if those are different, what they play for�� She shrugs. �I don�t know about that. I like games because you have a set of rules and, well, you�re pretty much invited to make the most of what you have, only what you have is a lot easier to see than in real life. What about you, Olan? Do they have Triton card games?� She furrows her brow. �Would that work? Oh, sorry. I don�t mean to distract you - from the fact that your hand must be terrible.� She grins mischievously, though is fully aware that Olan�s hand is likely far, far better than hers.

Not that that matters though. I�m not really here to win the game. Well, of course I�m also trying to win the game, but it�s not the main thing I am here for. Because I think that professor had a point.

quote:

@Krishga Tazz (nil): 2d6+2 Speak Softly With Olan = (3+2)+2 = 7

What can they tell us about what their thoughts on our quest are?

What should I be wary of when dealing with them?

What do they want, and how could we help them get it?

nil. fucked around with this message at 11:00 on Jun 21, 2020

# ? Jun 19, 2020 15:49

AnAnonymousIdiot: Sep 14, 2013

# ? Jun 21, 2020 03:58

ArkInBlack: Mar 22, 2013

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
BLD +2 || COU +1 || GRA -1 || SEN +0 || WIS +2
Blessings: Strength[ ] || Speed[ ] || Glory[ ] || Power[ ][ ]
Gear: Armor[ ] || Fuel[ ][ ][ ]
Hilda: Crack Shot[ ] || Quick As A Bullet [ ]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The metallic clang of Bran's palm smacking her head rings out. "gently caress me, that... Sorry. poo poo's been moving so fast I just forgot." The amber glow from her eyes watches as Ana slams the injector home. "No, I'm telling you now. You should probably know, need to know. I got sent down with a squad first days of the war, wound up separated from 'em and stumbled into an ambush meant for Her. You can probably guess how she responded to Murgo's rotten deeds, headed by a formavit called Scrimshaw. Only, she knew him as Ighirian, and he'd been exiled from the Choir or somethin'. And during the, encounter, he did that sort of proclamation. The mad kind when ya see and speak from beyond. That Serenity Greymist would never walk the world's shore again."

It's about then Konas announces his presence with a simple 'hey', startling Branwen. "...Uh. Hey. What's uhhh, what's the word?"

# ? Jun 21, 2020 04:57

AnAnonymousIdiot: Sep 14, 2013

# ? Jun 21, 2020 05:46

Alumnus Post: Dec 29, 2009; They are weird and troubling. We owe it to our neighbors to kill them.; Pillbug

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
BLD +2 || COU +1 || GRA +2 || SEN -1 || WIS +0
STR �� | CNG �⚬ | TUF �� | WPN ��
FOOD �� | BOOZE �� | TRAP �� | GEAR ��
~~: Cruel Beast [] || Carpe Jugulum []~~
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

I twitch so hard the side of my head whacks against a pipe. "Aah! Owwww! Don't do that, you fffishffff...riendandcomrade, _ow. Yeah, hey." I subside, rubbing my shoulder to spread around some of that good warm feeling. I'm missing sun-heat already.

"And no kidding I need to know this. You too, fish-stick, so siddown, you're getting a history lesson, unless you know all this already. Tazz, we'll...fill her in after she wins us some booze money."

"Ighirian Greymist. He was my...fuckin' I don't know, uncle? My mom's nephew on her dad's side. Family tree never said anything 'bout him being alive, though. Way I had to learn it growing up after Mom had me extradited, he died like...eighty years ago? Took up by the Queen of Eyes and poof, never heard from again. Not an assumption, he was too young for that. They took him to become formavit."

"Good riddance, I guess, only now you're telling me he ain't dead, he's a prophet, and you fuckin' met him?" I haul myself to one knee and rap on Bran's forehead with a knuckle. Clang, clang. "And you fought him. And you are still alive."

"Alright, wiseacre. What'd he look like? And maybe you wanna back any of this up, Konas?"

I feel like the whole world just got pulled out from under me. Bran was my best friend - only friend, growing up, before Mom took me to go get raised in the home country - and now she's some kinda metal-and-nylon superhero telling me she faced down a formavit and lived to tell about it. I can't believe it. She's gotta be pulling a fast one on me.

# ? Jun 21, 2020 06:03

AnAnonymousIdiot: Sep 14, 2013

AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 00:44 on Jun 23, 2020

# ? Jun 21, 2020 06:31

ArkInBlack: Mar 22, 2013

# ? Jun 21, 2020 10:57

Alumnus Post: Dec 29, 2009; They are weird and troubling. We owe it to our neighbors to kill them.; Pillbug

# ? Jun 22, 2020 05:08

AnAnonymousIdiot: Sep 14, 2013

# ? Jun 23, 2020 01:00

Shardix: Sep 14, 2011; The end! No moral.

Krishga

You speak with Olan, who barely registers your presence. She continues playing as you get a feel for her personality and you get the sense that in spite of her taciturn nature, she is reading you as much as you are reading her.

"I do note care why the city vanished. I only care about what may happen if it returns. Drylanders have caused enough damage to the sea and my people. I will not permit them to harm us further." It is very clear Olan is not a fan of non-tritons. As you continue to inquire as to her personal motivations she abruptly cuts you off with a chopping motion of her hand.

"I am not your friend. If you insist on prying into my personal affairs I will open your guts and leave you to die as chum for the sharks." Well. At least you know where you stand. The sailors at the table shift uncomfortably and this particular hand of cards comes to an awkward close.

If it's possible to befriend this woman, it will take work and dedication.

Everyone

As your conversation progresses, you see the sailors on break return to their duties and the card game wraps up. Feedback screeches through the ship wide speakers and a voice blares through them. "ALL HANDS TO COMBAT STATIONS. ETA FIFTEEN MINUTES MINUS." The voice gives a few more orders to the crew before abruptly cutting out.

The pair of sailors that were playing cards get up and spare a few friendly words to Krishga and a curt nod to Olan. They approach the group and introduce themselves at Corporals Lonik and Matra. Matra excuses herself as she begins hauling gear cases from stowage and arranging their own diving gear while Lonik briefs you.

"Once your team has debarked, the Captain will be taking us up to surface level to recharge the batteries. We'll drop a hydrophone so you can communicate with us. Be aware that if you have an emergency situation, we can crash dive within thirty seconds. It typically takes several minutes to get a rescue team into the water you retrieve you, but Matra and myself will be on standby until the shift change. That will be..." He checks his watch and adjusts something. "Five hours from now. Our replacements will be Sergeant Ava and Corporal Zekk." He turns towards you, Konas, and continues. "If necessary for you or your associate to try to contact us directly, we will be able to hear you if you bang on the hull."

The sailors double check your gear before okaying you and finish their own prep. They will accompany you to ensure the area is secured before returning to the boat. While you are not on especially close terms with this crew, it seems they have every intention of being professional about this. No dropped stitches on their end.

Anastasia

It's difficult to say if it's the injection or just emotions from reuniting with Bran and hearing about what she and your mother got up to, but you find your thoughts scattered and it is proving difficult to focus.

Until you have an opportunity to heal, your Sense is damaged.

-----

It's a slow laborious process of getting everyone out into the water. Mainly on account of the Maximus - this ship was not designed with the idea of being a mech carrier in mind. In the end, the easiest solution was simply sealing the bulkhead and flooding the cargo bay and letting Krishga walk it out and gently fall to the sea floor.

As Lonik explained in the briefing, LEM-7 is roughly half a kilometer away. Enough time to adjust and get comfortable for those of you born to the surface, and a welcome relief to those of you native to the sea. Dryskin is just unpleasant to deal with, no matter how accustomed to it you might be.

As you begin your trek, Lonik and Matra flank your group. It swiftly becomes clear that it is wholly unnecessary - like Konas told you, this place is dead. No trace of toxins in the water nor any kind of thermal vents that might render the area inhospitable. The sea life simply avoid this place. If it truly was an Abyss Wyrm lair, though, perhaps even the simpler sorts of life knew better than to stick around.

Eventually, a massive metal structure sits before you in the gloom, encrusted in barnacles and coral growth. It seems to be a colossal door, some thirty feet tall and twenty feet wide. Just off center of it a hatch sits closed, a sally port of some kind. Neither it nor the larger hatch are open, and the corrosion and barnacle growth suggests they have not been opened in a very, very long time.

Next to the sally port, an errant beam up light from the Maximus picks up words stenciled in black.

The wheel sits in the center of the hatch, awaiting your hands.

What do you do?

Shardix fucked around with this message at 03:08 on Jun 23, 2020

# ? Jun 23, 2020 02:53

AnAnonymousIdiot: Sep 14, 2013

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BLOOD: 2 || COURAGE: 1 || GRACE: 2 || SENSE: -1 || WISDOM: 0
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The klaxon couldn�t have come sooner, and after rousing Anastasia back onto her feet, we take to the Ocean. She still looks a bit spaced out, getting her gear set. Had to keep checking that she isn�t going to drown herself in her own suit. I wave Branwen over to us.

�Can you make sure she�s following us when we�re outta the chamber?� With that out of the way, I dive in, gear and all. Olan follows suit not too long after.

�What was that about?� I hear from Olan. I just shrug.

�Drylander took something her body couldn�t handle.� It�s gonna be on Anastasia if she wants to come despite her sudden stupor.

**************

Olan and I are swimming at the front of the party, just close enough to see the others and the escort that�s coming with us. The water feels much colder than I remember. It hadn�t been long since I treaded the depths not far from here, and last I remembered, I had been killing Aqualantis troops before the Ocean went black. I keep a tune playing to calm my nerves, and everyone else�s. Last thing I wanna do is lash out at a perceived cleanup crew. Currents are pushing at us, but I think that�s just how they usually are.

Then we spot a junk pile in the distance. We swim up to it, and see the heading. And my senses scream out we�re being led into a trap. I prime the others with a warning tone, for what's ahead.

�Wanna bet the Drylanders did this to themselves?� That got a laugh out of Olan, but not much else. Wanted something to distract. Not sure if the Marines can understand us. Ain�t like they have the ears for it.

The readings didn�t lie to us, and while we�re going to have to talk to Durell about this bunker when we get back, this seems a bit circumstantial. I sing another tune to focus, to find something else that�ll give a clue. Something that would correspond with the city�s vanishing.

pre:

Until we find ourselves out of the water, Whisper on the Wind Waves is gonna be spammed with prejudice. 
Talks'll need to be started by Konas before other players he has a Bond with can speak back, unless MC says otherwise. 
For now, I've sent a starting 'ping' so people can respond back.

Also, Freely tapping Sense Magic to check anything that matches up with the readings

AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 04:11 on Jun 23, 2020

# ? Jun 23, 2020 03:56

nil.: Nov 11, 2012

Well, what am I supposed to say to that? Someone I�m going to fight side by side with, someone I have to assume went willingly on this whole heroic quest and wasn�t drafted, basically just threatened to kill me. Scratch �basically� actually, because that implies that Olan said something other than the actual, literal thing. That she is going to murder me. And this is not an angsty teenager - I was one too, and I remember that you say stuff like that sometimes - this is not someone in the depths of despair und turmoil, no, this is a trained killer telling me they will gut me just because I am trying to get to know them better over a game of cards.

I admit my first instinct is to tell Olan to go gently caress herself, and then run for the hills, maybe not in that order. Because I won�t lie, I�m pissed off and scared because, again, Olan is a trained killer. What is it with this place? Some people pulling out knifes for little reason, others starting a conversation by insulting my greatest creation and then stomping off in a huff when I give them some attitude about it, and now this?

Slow, steady breaths. It�s probably being locked up in metal tin cans for too long and whatever things Olan saw in the war, maybe. Or maybe everyone needs a valve and thinks the little Goblin is the best target. Whatever the reason is, I still remember growing up with all my brothers and sisters and friends so I suppose I�ll try to be the bigger person and be the goddamn adult in the room.

Oh, and �be the bigger person� is not meant to be a joke.

Krishga contemplates her cards, hiding her eyes, her expression behind them before finally, she lays down her cards and concedes. �Looks like you win, Olan.� The Goblin gets ready to jump down from her improvised chair of stacked boxes, but once more turns to the Triton opposite of her. �I�m heading back to join the others. If you have some specific problem with me, I�d wish you�d tell me, because otherwise, there�s nothing I can do about it.� She shrugs. �You know we�re all in this together, have to be able to watch each others� backs, all that, right? See you around, Olan.� And with that, Krishga jumps off her position and disappears towards where the Maximus and the rest of the fellowship waits.
______________________________________

Krishga�s face is illuminated by the internal lighting of the Maximus Mk III�s cockpit, the darkness of the black, murky ocean just outside her viewport. The inventor pulls several levers, turns dials and studies readout, clearly in her element.

The barnacle-encrusted metal structure is an ominous oddity in an ominous surrounding, something artificial, waiting amongst a dead, empty ocean floor. Krishga swings the Maximus� headlights over the great door and finds the markings stenciled next to the sally port. The Mk III points to the phrase �Strategic Coordination 9906753� and then mimics a silent shrug, a somewhat odd looking thing for the big, armor-plated battle suit to do. Krishga moves the Maximus back towards Anastasia and Branwen and points onto its back with one hand, then puts its hands cupped across its front, like a child playing with pretend binoculars.

After everyone including Konas seems to have understood that she wants to take a closer look at the structure with her headlights and that everyone should help keep a lookout, Krighga sweeps the headlights all over the metal gate and then, in an unnecessarily showy move, jumps over it with the Maximus' powerful mechanical legs while keeping the lights pointed downward, at the metal structur. After and landing on the other side of it, she walks the perimeter with a more measured pace to complete the inspection - after the stirred-up silt from her jump settles.

Also, what's with this noise, like... a ping? Never heard the Maximus Mk III make that kind of noise. I'll have to do some checkups when we get back from this spooky metal bunker potentially inhabited by giant underwater snakes, or almost-snakes.

quote:

@Krishga Tazz (nil): 3d6k2+1 Look Closely = ( 1 +1+5)+1 = 7

What is going on here? What do my senses tell me?

Is something hidden or out of place? If so, what looks suspicious?

What will happen if I open the big door?

nil. fucked around with this message at 16:40 on Jun 23, 2020

# ? Jun 23, 2020 16:23

Alumnus Post: Dec 29, 2009; They are weird and troubling. We owe it to our neighbors to kill them.; Pillbug

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
BLD +2 || COU +1 || GRA +2 || ~~SEN -1~~ || WIS +0
STR �� | CNG �⚬ | TUF �� | WPN ��
FOOD �� | BOOZE �� | TRAP �� | GEAR ��
~~: Cruel Beast [] || Carpe Jugulum []~~
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hook an elbow through the handgrip on the maximus' back and just...drift with her. I know I should be scared, alert or something...but it's all so big out here. I'm surrounded by almost-silence, wrapped in ice-cold velvety vastness, but inside I feel calm and full of pliant light. That injection must be working, 'cuz I don't feel the cold at all. It's almost like I'm floating. Well, I guess I am floating. We're in water, underwater... I gaze out into the depthless black and try to be vigilant, but soon my thoughts are drifting with the currents.

Ping. An echo! Whose?! I jerk, stiffen - brace my feet against the hull and flatten out like a barnacle. Enemies so soon?! Wait, no, I know that voice...it's the fish-stick. Is he singing? Pinging? What's he doing?

Oh, he's saying 'wakeup'. It's a wake-up call. He wants me wakeful. Is he worried my awareness might be wavering? How wise.

I bang on the hull of the maximus a bunch. I want walker-lady to wake up too.

# ? Jun 23, 2020 20:12

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? Apr 29, 2024 11:48

nil.: Nov 11, 2012

Okay, that clanging must be Anastasia, that's something different from this... is someone singing? Are we going to see sirens? No, I think that's a male voice. But what does Anastasia want? I seriously shouzld have tried to build some sort of communication equipment before we left.

Krishga once again mimics a shrug with the maximus Mk III, hoping that Anastasia can even decipher what she means from her angle. She then mimics to the front of the large battle suit, where she would actually be able to see what Anastasia is doing.

# ? Jun 23, 2020 20:23

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Traditional Games > The Game Room > [Fellowship 2e] Underwater World III: The Long Tomorrow

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