JohnA1nut
Member
"I think I'll pass on the flour. Three days old is a little too much for me."
Is there any mention of fist fighting? I want to improve my boxing skills. Maybe see if I can find some form of competition fighting. Any trainers around for that kind of thing?
(Doing Therapy)
Tadeusz
Member
He glares at you, but you can see he know's that you know he's lying.
"Then get out, and don't be spreading lies."
===========
Fist fighting is for young boys you find out. There's no notion of organized sports here. And getting in too many fights might result in your being sent to the Road (they don't say any more, but you can see the fear in their faces) or punished by the Mage Guards (which can vary from a few weeks hard labor to being flamed on the spot.)
However, there are trainers who will for pay, instruct you in the use of staff, club, or sword (only bronze).
JohnA1nut
Member
However, there are trainers who will for pay, instruct you in the use of staff, club, or sword (only bronze).
Club? Wanna learn to use a club. Gonna try to make another collapsible baton. That's a club. On-person melee weapon for the VSP. Learn to use a club. Try to build a collapsible baton. We can go into detail later.
I was seriously going to leave the board. MJ talked me out of it. I would have thought he would have pushed me off....
(Doing Therapy)
Tadeusz
Member
Master Club looks piercingly at you from under his heavy eyebrows as if he's seeming something more than a normal man might.
"You have some talent." He starts you working on using the club, or straight nightstick, until he gets an idea how good you are. "Now, let's work with the practise club. Keep in mind that the typical chaos type is going to have an 'edge' on you with his sword. But, we can definitelly make you better than the typical thug."
The practise club is the same look, but its loaded with lead pellets so its very heavy.
OOC: Good you're staying.
JohnA1nut
Member
OK, so are we still skipping ahead?
I'm going to try to build another collapsible baton. The other that I made before wasn't very good quality. I'm going to try to build a weapon of quality. I'm going to take a month to build it. (Hence, asking if we're still skipping ahead) Three pipes of descending size with stoppers at each end. The ends have a screw type mechanism to keep them locked open or closed. To employ the weapon, pull it out, give it a twist to unlock, snap my wrist to open, then give it another twist to lock it open. That last is optional. I could still hit with it. Take a month to build it, build it carefully and put a lot of effort into the project. I'm a professional metallurgist, so building a weapon of quality is within my skills.
(Doing Therapy)
Tadeusz
Member
Over the next month, you learn how to make rolled metal. And you find out how to make the pipes of descending size, although you're less used to that. But, the metal is not up to what you want. Either its too large and too heavy for use, or its too flimsy for use.
And you don't have a lot of time. Remember, you're doing blacksmithery and woodworking, and both take precedence over private projects.
Master Smith is interested in your project on an intermittent basis.
JohnA1nut
Member
Over the next month, you learn how to make rolled metal.
So, no pipes? Well, that's a new use on blacksmithing then. For the moment, I'll just carry a baton and learn how to use it. Build the weapon of quality in the next world. I hate the sight of blood, so I need a bludgeon weapon, not a bladed weapon.
Just keep skipping. When I get to 1@10 woodworking, you can feel free to take the story wherever you want.
(Doing Therapy)
Tadeusz
Member
They do have pipes, just not anything meant to stand up to the brutal pounding of combat. However, the blacksmith does mention that since you're from Recluse, maybe you know how to make black iron. That might do the trick.
About three weeks later, as you leave the woodworker's shop to go home to a well-deserved rest, you notice three guys in the street in front of you.
One of them seems to glimmer with a whitish-redness. He leads the move in stepping toward you in a predatory manner. You can tell by the way the other two flank him that they've fought before.
"Alms for some poor soldiers from the South, good sir?" The words are polite, but the white light builds, and you have a distinctly uneasy feeling in your stomach.
JohnA1nut
Member
"OK, you asked for it. I've got the money right here in my coat pocket."
Pull the 9mm under my coat and give them each one piece of lead. Then take my money back, and any they have.
I didn't want to pull the gun right away, on the off chance that they were just beggars. They're obviously not beggars. Well, they want shiny metal from me, who am I to keep it from them?
(Doing Therapy)
Tadeusz
Member
You pull the gun right as the man in the lead, the one that glimmers white, draws his knife and lunges toward you. You clip him in the arm, and he goes down. The two behind him are hardly slower when it comes to attacking, and are coming at you with curved daggers held overhand.
You shoot the one to your left in the chest, and he topples sideways. And then you turn fractionally to the right, and shoot the last one center mass even as he slashes you on the shoulder with his blade.
Unless you've got some extra defenses, you've got a long, narrow, not deep slash down your right bicep.
All of them are dead, including the one you shot in the arm. You feel exhausted.
JohnA1nut
Member
Unless you've got some extra defenses, you've got a long, narrow, not deep slash down your right bicep.
How about a bulletproof, untearable, laser proof trench coat? It would probably break his knife before he went through it.
Muttering to myself. "Guy died from a shot to the arm? They make some really weak criminals here."
Take everything they have. All their money, their knives, whatever else. Then just go home.
JohnA1nut
Member
Two
Just an observation. I'm kind of surprised that the other two continued their attack after I shot the first guy. This doesn't sound like a world where guns would have been invented yet. A loud bang and then his buddy goes down, I'd think he'd be thinking "What in the HELL was that?" and run with his tail between his legs. Just my two cents, that's all.
(Doing Therapy)
Tadeusz
Member
OOC: There is always a variety of responses, and a variety of characters. And you didn't give them a whole lot of time to change their minds.
You pick up their knives, their nine silver, and four copper. You also scoop up a couple leather purses, and some dice.
Your arm is slightly bruised.
You go home and dream of horrors and madness.
JohnA1nut
Member
You go home and dream of horrors and madness.
Wake up shaken and disturbed. I might even call off work today at both places. I've been working nonstop for months. That's as good a reason as any to take a day off.
You may recall I was doing a snap to boxing stance from hands raised surrender position trick in TerraNova. Try that again. How I do is is stand with my feet planted in stance and my hands raised in surrender. All I'd really have to do is change the position of my arms. There's a cop in front of me with his gun out, I'm standing in surrender. The moment he glances at his partner, I move into stance and pop him in the nose. That's the idea of it, anyway. I would imagine there would be a sit-mod for doing this with a few minutes notice. A penalty if I had to do it instantly.
If I succeed, do it from hands on top of my head position. That's what I'll spend the day doing instead of working.
What are my skills at? How much money do I have?
OOC) I like your style.
(Doing Therapy)
Tadeusz
Member
You are steadily working on the first process, when you feel a sense of unease. And then one of the mage-guards, the fellow who flamed the man in the street, steps in.
"Good morning. I am Mage-Guard Flame. I understand from the others that you have not taken any day off in a long time. Now you take one off today. Care to explain? Any special significance?"
His eyes are piercing, and he stands in a ready balanced position, and you can feel the whiteness around him although it does not seem to be tinged with red. However, it is a great deal more than was around the man you first killed.
His words are formal, and polite, but also demanding.
JohnA1nut
Member
"Good morning. I am Mage-Guard Flame. I understand from the others that you have not taken any day off in a long time. Now you take one off today. Care to explain? Any special significance?"
<cough> <cough> "I'm just a little <cough> sick today. <sniff> I think I got a bug somewhere. Just not <cough> feeling too good, that's all. I figured I would <cough> stay at home today <cough> and relax. I hope there <sniff> isn't a problem with that."
And of course, I'm ready to go for the pistol.
(Doing Therapy)
Tadeusz
Member
"Really? I seen no sickness chaos in your body. Please try again, and be honest this time, outlander. You stand in peril of your life."
The whiteness not seen by the eye, but seen all the same gets much brighter so that it outshines the sunlight coming in a shoulder high window.
His words have that same formality as before, and you sense he's said them before. He's still here.
JohnA1nut
Member
"Really? I seen no sickness chaos in your body. Please try again, and be honest this time, outlander. You stand in peril of your life."
Thinking:
"I'm not the only one, jackass. My coat is fireproof. Is your coat bulletproof?"
I've folded my arms across my chest. It looks like a harmless enough position, but my right hand is right next to the gun.
Speaking:
"OK, OK, I'm not actually sick. Where I come from, we call it 'Working Man's Flu'. Not sick, just sick of working. What? You never take a vacation day?"
I'm getting a bit of a scared/annoyed attitude with him.
(Doing Therapy)
Tadeusz
Member
His coat is a bright red with brass buttons that looks to be made of good quality cotton. Bulletproof? No.
Also you feel a bit queasy after your lie.
"Outlander Blackstaff, while ignorance of the law is no excuse, still, I am going to give you another chance. Your lie would have justified flaming you if I chose."
You get the feeling that he's telling the truth, kind of. Like its technically true.
The whiteness you can see but not see dims a bit.
"Anything unusual happen to you in the last day or two? See something? Hear something? Unusual?"
JohnA1nut
Member
OK, now I'm getting nervous. I told you my right hand was next to my gun? Move it to the gun, pull the gun out but still under the coat, and wait there. It's in my hand, one move brings it up and in his face.
"OK buddy, since you seem to know so much about me, why don't you tell me why I took the day off work? I don't want to risk lying to you again."
I'm scared.
Tadeusz
Member
He stares at you coldly, but you can sense the fury underneath. He takes a deep breath.
"I will be back within the hour, outlander blackstaff. Do not go any where."
He turns and walks out of the room, his back rigid. You hear him asking questions in a low murmur to others in the household.
JohnA1nut
Member
He turns and walks out of the room, his back rigid. You hear him asking questions in a low murmur to others in the household.
Use that psionic enhance senses trick to listen in on him. Enhance my hearing by dropping smell. That should be a new use.
Also, I'm on red alert status.
OOC) I need you to post my character sheet. I got a new computer and I lost that information.
Tadeusz
Member
He's asking about unusual noises, and strange people nearby in the last couple days. Your employer is clearly nervous to talk to him.
OOC: Um, you could go look through your posts....and recreate it, right? If I do it, it will be real low on my list of priorities, like I might get to it in a month.
JohnA1nut
Member
"Hey, Mr. Flame (Or whatever he called himself) There's no need to harass my boss. You want to know why I took a day off work? I'll tell you. Three guys tried to mug me the other day and I was forced to dispatch them with extreme prejudice. If you've got a problem with that, take it up with me, but leave him out of it. What business is it of yours what I do anyway? I don't tell you how to barbecue people do I?"
Of course I've got the gun in my hand whilst saying all of this. In my hand, out in the open. To him, it probably just looks like a blacksmithing project, since guns don't exist here.
OOC) Then what the hell are you using for my character sheet?
Tadeusz
Member
OOC: A bit of memory. Don't you have a sheet on this site somewhere?
"Thank you." He says. "I have no problem with your defending yourself. Its well within the Codex to do so."
He eyes your gun warily.
"Order Mage, however such as that is not within the Codex. You will have to leave and take it with you, now."
You glance at the gun, and it seems to be blacker than black, a soothing coolness, a rightness to it, and this feeling spreads out from it even as Mage Flame brings his whiteness up to a higher pitch than you've seen before.
"If you resist, let your boss leave the room first."
JohnA1nut
Member
"If you resist, let your boss leave the room first."
"Hey boss man, you heard him. Get lost."
"Order Mage, however such as that is not within the Codex. You will have to leave and take it with you, now."
"This thing? This is just a blacksmithing project. It's nothing, really. I was just trying to see if I could make two pieces of metal slide smoothly. It's nothing."
Looks like we got ourselves a Mexican standoff. If he makes any move that even resembles he could be about to flame me..... Well, I don't really need to explain that, do I?
Sometimes you remind me of data too.
OOC) Care to elaborate?
Tadeusz
Member
He breathes out a long sigh.
"Excellent. Order Mage, according to the Codex, I am instructed to tell you that this town does not allow such as you in it. You are to leave in the span of one hour."
He steps back, never taking his eye off you, and abruptly leaves.
JohnA1nut
Member
Your gun is black iron. Black iron is against the Codex
"Would it help if I told you it was made out of aluminum?" (Which it is)
So I've got an hour to get out of town. Nuts. Well, I promised the blacksmith I wouldn't be competition, here's my chance to prove it.
"Master Smith, it seems I might be departing company."
What's my woodworking up to?
Tadeusz
Member
Well drat. He might not have reacted as strongly to such, although he probably would have reacted still. I'll remember that the next chaos mage you run into.
He blinks.
"You made a weapon out of a precious metal?"
"Ah, yes," He looks unhappy. "You've been a good worker, you have." He scratches his chin. "Wife, get the man a packet of food!" He barks, and she nods, a tear in her eye. You can see he's not not mad at her, he's just trying to hold back his sadness.
He writes you a letter and folds it up like an envelope.
"You can give this to Master Wrought in Carbondale up the coast, or to Master Ore in Falconsburg inland. They both know me. And both cities are free to Order Mages."
"Carbondale is more accepting of Order Mages." Master Flame says with a small, formal nod. "As you're aware, Chaos and moving water do not get along well. But in either place, you will have to cross the dispute border."
"If, you're done with your business, Master Flame, this is my place of business." Master Smith says. The chaos mage bows, and leaves, taking the hint.
Tadeusz
Member
OOC: Well drat. He might not have reacted as strongly to such, although he probably would have reacted still. I'll remember that the next chaos mage you run into.
He (the Chaos Mage, Master Flame) blinks in surprise and asks a question.
"You made a weapon out of a precious metal?"
==============================
"Ah, yes," He (the blacksmith) looks unhappy at hearing later that you must leave. "You've been a good worker, you have." He scratches his chin. "Wife, get the man a packet of food!" He barks, and she nods, a tear in her eye. You can see he's not not mad at her, he's just trying to hold back his sadness.
He, Master Smith, writes you a letter and folds it up like an envelope.
"You can give this to Master Wrought in Carbondale up the coast, or to Master Ore in Falconsburg inland. They both know me. And both cities are free to Order Mages."
"Carbondale is more accepting of Order Mages." Master Flame, the Chaos Mage, says with a small, formal nod to you. "As you're aware, Chaos and moving water do not get along well. But in either place, you will have to cross the disputed border."
"If, you're done with your business, Master Flame, this is my place of business." Master Smith says. The chaos mage, Master Flame, bows, and leaves, taking the hint given him by Master Smith, a barely polite 'please go away'.
At this point, you can do whatever you want. However, if you stay in teh city for more than fifty more minutes, you're likely to be testing your ability to survive chaos fire. There is a road along the coast, not much of one, or you can take ship to get to Carbondale. Falconsburg has a better road over the hills inland.
The wife has given you a bag of food to take with you, and Master Smith has given you a letter of reccomendation to two other blacksmiths.
JohnA1nut
Member
"You made a weapon out of a precious metal?"
Aluminum is a precious metal? I've got a roll of aluminum foil. How much do you suppose that would weigh? What's it worth compared to gold, copper and silver?
"Master Flame. Would it be possible to stay, now that you know my weapon is not 'black iron'?"
I'm betting no, but if yes, the rest is canceled.
Didn't Master Smith have a daughter he needed looked after? His health was failing as I recall. Lisbelle was her name, I believe.
"Master Smith, I told you I wouldn't be competition for you. I'm a man of my word. Would your daughter like to accompany me? I'm not promising marriage, not ruling it out either, but I'd be more than happy to look after her for the time."
There is a road along the coast, not much of one, or you can take ship to get to Carbondale. Falconsburg has a better road over the hills inland.
Sounds good. Let's follow our toes.
(Doing Therapy)
Tadeusz
Member
Ten ounces? The smith tells you aluminum is worth about 3/4ths the price of silver, although some places itsmore and others less. But his eyes boggle when you show him the super smooth, ultra thin sheets of aluminum.
"Your weapon is not black iron, but it is an Order Device, and hence by the spirit of the law, forbidden." He stops explaining and orders. "You must leave."
That was Master Wood.
He looks startled, and then looks at your face.
"Ten years ago, I would have thrashed you, or tried to. But I see clearer these days. You mean no insult to a girl of a good family. My friend, I release you. You've done what you can, and aided me much. You cannot strive against the government. We will make do."
Do the toes go down the coast or inland?
JohnA1nut
Member
Ten ounces? The smith tells you aluminum is worth about 3/4ths the price of silver, although some places itsmore and others less. But his eyes boggle when you show him the super smooth, ultra thin sheets of aluminum.
Tear off a square and give it to him.
"If you can figure out how to do that, you will make yourself all kinds of money."
"Your weapon is not black iron, but it is an Order Device, and hence by the spirit of the law, forbidden." He stops explaining and orders. "You must leave."
That's the mage.
"OK, I'm gone."
Do the toes go down the coast or inland?
Inland. I don't want to risk going overboard the ship with 100 pounds of dead weight strapped to my back.
(Doing Therapy)
Tadeusz
Member
You leave with your water bottles filled up, and soon enough you're grateful for it. The white stone highway that slashes razor like through the hills is even and steady footing, but its always got a thin coat of dust on it. With every breath, you get a tiny taste of limestone and earth. Its not so bad as to have you coughing.
You come upon a merchant with a small wagon and a donkey about three hours onward. He's carrying salted fish in barrels. His bodyguard gives you a close eyes look while the merchant asks if you'd like him to crack open a barrel and buy from him a nice foot long salted tuna.
Tadeusz
Member
OOC: Don't think so.
The merchant mutters, but his bodyguard hushes him.
You proceed onward, and every few hours you pass a merchant (some with a guard, some without), until its nightfall. You camp in a secluded spot by the White Road, and immediatey after you leave it, you feel better. The next morning, its the last of the bread and cheese Master Smith's wife gave you, and onward.
Two hours later, about ten in the morning, you see six cavalrymen in dark green uniforms, on horseback. They are standing about a couple on foot, questioning them
JohnA1nut
Member
Two hours later, about ten in the morning, you see six cavalrymen in dark green uniforms, on horseback. They are standing about a couple on foot, questioning them
Stay on the path. It's not my concern. Keep walking, just pretend like I didn't see anything.
OOC) Then what is my woodworking at?
You must log in to post.