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[In and Out] PRD and parts beyond (3.3)
Apparently, breakfast isn't a communal thing at Thanatopsis. Erica's eating cereal and drinking a cup of coffee, and Jose's in the big kitchen frying up some bacon and eggs when you come down.
Erica beams when you come into the common room, stands, and gives both of you a hug and a friendly kiss. "You must be hungry... can I get you anything?" How is it for you, Trev, seeing Erica this morning?
Comments
It's weird. Not bad, regret weird, just a tiny bit awkward. She's familiar, and I've been intimate with her only hours before, everyone knows we did it. But still, not sure how to treat her. I let her kiss me and follow Reggie's lead. I know I could stand to spend another night here. I want to play my cards right.
"That cereal looks good. Could I have a bowl?" I look to Reggie, see if she will speak up or if I should suggest she jump in on that bacon and eggs.
Reggie said there was no worm in the apple, and she's acting like that's true. She returns Erica's peck with a friendly, if tired, "Good morning!" She looks through the open door and sees Jose cooking, calls through. "Hey, if you can spare a few pieces of bacon and an egg, I'd love to get in on that action! I'll wash up." Jose replies in the affirmative, and pulls a couple thick pieces of bacon out to throw them on the griddle pan alongside his nearly-cooked ones. "How do you like your eggs, chica? I'm really good at fried to a crisp and scrambled."
Reggie chuckles, pats you on the shoulder and walks into the kitchen.
Erica pours a bowl of cereal and offers you a pitcher of milk. "Coffee?"
I nod to coffee. I'm not a dead head, but that was a long night. And active. After a few sips, I feel some energy returning. "You guys mind if I log some time in TSol today?"
Erica grabs a mug and pours you some coffee.
"One thing the People's Republic of Detroit has in abundance is bandwidth, Trev. You and Reggie can spend as much time in the game as you want. Two things, though. You should go check some of the rest of the city out, with a native guide. Zero's best for that, he knows everyone. And, if you're staying on for a bit, you're going to have to take a work assignment."
She takes a sip of her coffee. Continues in a softer voice, "Hey, you're cool, right? Last night was pretty exceptional, but there's no reason for it to be weird. You're going to leave, today, tomorrow, whenever, and we'll keep in touch, maybe you and Reggie will swing past if you visit Lansing. The two of you are always welcome here at Thanatopsis, and barring previous engagements, you're always welcome in my bed. Capish?"
Always?
I nod. It starts sort of polite, like "yeah, sure", but then I look in her eyes and she seems so genuine, that I add to it, "Thanks, Erica." I respond low, too. "It was great, and I know Reggie had a good time, too. I... I'd like for it to not be weird." Then, a little louder for Jose, "Give me a work assignment, then. Oh wait... unless you want to leave now, Reggie? Is Jack Aubrey cool?"
Reggie has cracked a few eggs into the griddle pan, watching to flip them at over easy. "I've got food for Jack Aubrey. Would it be cool for us to let him out, in the room we're staying in? I promise, his box is top-of-the-line, you won't smell a thing."
Jose lets out a laugh. "Can't smell worse than the time Regina experimented with home-fermented kimchi. I've got no problem with it. Erica?"
Erica shrugs. "I'd have no problem giving him the run of the place, but some of the studios could be pretty dangerous. Jose, do you know who's around to give us a third yes? Seems like it should be a quorum kind of decision."
Jose responds, "Zero hates cats, so we should hope one of the others shows up first, to put in a vote."
Fortunately for Jack Aubrey, Deva walks in next, heads straight into the kitchen and grabs a clearly hand-packed jar of yoghurt and granola from the fridge. Erica puts the cat question to her, and she lifts an eyebrow. "Sure. Just the room, though. Too many things that are both attractive to, and bad for, critters around here."
Erica says, "Okay, that's three. Do your thing."
So, apparently you're staying.
There are several work details that need to be covered. What do you and Reggie choose?
I choose a position as Grime Assassin, which means "kitchen cleanup". I'm decent at scrubbing and I figure I can cook a little as back-up. Reggie chooses Oven Mistress, which means she's responsible for preparation of lunch and dinner. It's a good team effort. She cooks, and I cleans. And... I guess Jose brings home the bacon?
As it turns out, "Oven Mistress" and "Grime Assassin" only involve dinner here, so you've got some time, Trev. Do you hunt up Zero for a tour of the "city" and market time for dinner first, or do you and Reggie catch some TSol time?
We are here for research, not just gaming. I'll find Zero and beg for a tour, offering a wooden nickel for the privilege. Plus, we'll need to grocery shop for whatever we're fixing tonight.
Maybe TSol can happen in the afternoon. Or after supper. I should corner Reggie and check in about sleeping arrangements tonight, since Erica's bed is always open.
Reggie takes Jack Aubrey up to your room while you follow Erica's directions to Zero's studio.
Like the other studios you've seen, Zero's is spacious, lit from above by skylights. Canvases lean against the walls, with one large unfinished painting sits on an easel. Pride of place, though, goes to the computer setup on a table in the center of the room. Two huge displays show a fantastic and fantastically detailed landscape. Soaring mountains in the distance, with strangely twisted trees and the hint of eyes peeking out from underbrush. Something about the style seems familiar to you.
Zero hears you enter and swivels around on his stool. "Ah. Trev, how are you this morning?"
I give him a grin of greeting and walk over to look more closely at the monitors. "I'm pretty great, Zero. Had a great night here, a good breakfast, this is not at all what I expected. How are you?"
As I get closer, seeing those eyes, the trees. I have to ask, "Hey... where do I know this from? Is this your work?" I gesture to the monitors in case it isn't clear.
"You wouldn't have seen this particular piece, but you have seen some of my work, I'm sure. I used to create a lot of the background art for Twilight Solstice. Landscapes, exteriors. That's how I knew Eve." He turns back to finish applying a gradient to a few patches of shadow, then starts the computer doing some complicated, math-intensive rendering magic.
"Do you mind me asking, what is it that you did expect to find, here at Thanatopsis?"
"That's it! I know those eyes, the shape of the trees." I look at him like he's some demigod walking the Earth, "Zero, your work is so amazing. It's so great to see how Eve touched some lives, and others, she just saw the amazing things they did, and showed them to a mass of people who might never had the fortune of seeing what you can do. It's awesome. Teaching me I need to keep my eyes open, you know?"
He asks what I expected to find. I frown a little. "Sure, I'll tell you. I have to be honest, I only ever skimmed the surface of the feeds about PRD. You know, Feral City, anarchists abound, skyrocketing crime. All the pundit shit. I was a little wrapped up in gaming, partying, just livin' life." I shrug, trying not to be defensive or dismissive. Honesty, at least.
"The media's way behind, when it comes to the PRD. When Eve first asked if I wanted to come back to Detroit, build this place with her, I wasn't sure. I'd watched this city, where I was born, eating itself for years, right? Both up close and from a distance. Detroit just wasn't even a city any more. There was no government, no emergency services, nothing. Then Sergey decided to see what happened if he dropped a rescue ladder made of bandwidth, and some of his friends and peers joined in. Right now, we're like a patchwork of little green spots, new growth after a forest has burned. Very fragile, and nothing you can call a success story yet, but something. Something special, I think."
He chuckles. "Long speech, sorry. You two sticking around for a bit, or taking off today?"
I don't answer his question on our plans right off, but since it's just me and him, and he's told me about what they're trying to do here, I ask, "If you don't mind me asking... how do you feel about Eve leaving so much money for this quest when it could have come to the PRD?"
Zero thinks a moment before answering you, watching the progress meter on the left screen creep up toward 100%. "There's a sort of informal agreement between the big guns. One project apiece at any given time, and once a project's up and running, it lives or dies on its own. Eve provided the funds to refurbish the building and an initial war chest for equipment and materials, but our operating expenses come from sales and commissions, and our personal needs are mostly met through barter and work-exchange. So, I'm just grateful we're here, no resentment that Eve's still playing her game." The render completes, and the left screen becomes a complex 3-D version of the already intricate 2-D work on the right.
"Tell me, Trev. What sort of project would you start here, if you had the money and the desire?"
I watch the 3-D artwork for a long minute, hoping the beauty of it would unlock some master plan in me.I hear Reggie heading our way, then look back over at Zero, "I don't know. I have... an inkling of an idea. Showing kids how to mod and tweak, even to hack and recycle tech. There's so much around that's already amazing, if somebody would just look at it the right way." I cock my head, looking at him, "It's not exactly formed in my head. But seeing this place, it's inspiring."
Reggie's back, so I clear my throat, "We want a tour. Of cool places to go and do. Everyone says you're the man. I'll offer nickels."
Zero seems delighted. "No nickels for this nickel tour, guys. I usually make the rounds every few days anyway, check in on folks. What we've got, instead of a government, is a web of personal connections, and it pays to maintain it. Let me finish up a few things here, and I'll meet you downstairs in half an hour?" Reggie's next to you in her usual spot, close enough that either of you can choose to touch if you want.
"I'm on cook duty for tonight, so I also need to pick up some food, if you don't mind adding that to the agenda?"
"Not a problem at all. Think about what you want to make and we'll see what we can dig up."
He turns back to the computer, putting a series of tips on his fingers and using them in midair to manipulate the 3-D version of the image.
What do you do?
I check in with Reggie, "You cool with this? I really dig this place, just me and you and some foreign country." I put an arm around her waist, "I want to travel with you, Reggie. See the real world." I lean in to kiss her temple. Watch her reaction.
Reggie accepts the kiss with a smile. "I'm more than okay, Trev. I've been so close to this place, but never more than scratched the surface. They do a big Market Day every few months, a bunch of the people selling whatever it is they make and performing and cooking, but that's like a kaleidoscope. You can never see the real picture. This? Last night, with Erica. This chance to have Zero show you and me what to love about the PRD. More gifts from Eve, y'know?"
She gives you a kiss. "I love you, Trev, and I want to spend my life exploring with you."
I listen in. More gifts from Eve. She speaks truth. After the kiss, I almost make some crack about her being a robot, too perfect to be real. Like, how long is your warranty? But it doesn't come out. I'm just grateful.
I think she just proposed to me.
Finally, I say, "You're the best gift Eve's ever given."
Reggie gives you a squeeze.
After grabbing your coats from the room (Jack Aubrey, sitting in the middle of the bed, glares at you with a mixture of malice and calculation), you head back down to the common room to wait for Zero. It's empty except for the two of you, everyone seemingly engaged in their own pursuits during the mid-morning. Various bits and pieces of art are scattered through the room, on walls and shelves and pedestals.
Reggie's fascinated by a small but amazingly intricate painting depicting some sort of alien Noah's Ark, fantastic creatures filing two-by-two up the loading ramp of a great leviathan of a spaceship. The little nameplate reads "Savannah Luecke," someone you haven't met.
Does anything catch your eye in particular, Trev? Or are you content to just wander around and graze?
I didn't know if it was actually done, the thing I ended up playing around with. I picked up what looked like an old Coleco handheld football game. Ancient stuff, antique tech. But then it came on, and I started fiddling with it. Played just like the emulators. I noticed there was a new toggle, didn't look like the wikipedia entry, so I flipped it.
That's when the football blips stood up. It was a fully 3-D microgame emulating an old school football. It played like Tecmo Bowl and Reggie had to drag me away from it, really.
When Zero arrives, he asks first what Reggie's thinking about making for dinner. "It could make a difference to who we visit, and the order we go in."
"Looked like there are some vegetarians in the mix? From last night, I mean, you had both kinds of sauce. So, if there are vegetarians, can we find some root vegetables and maybe some chickpeas? I could roast up some vegetables and make wraps with hummus."
"That's doable. We'll wander past a few folks with truck gardens, so you should be able to find what you need. Chickpeas, we'll see what Mrs. Abikhair has on hand."
He takes you out to start the tour, leading you to what is, for all intents and purposes, a souped-up golf cart with a chassis made to look like a Model T. Even has the AAAAHOOOOOGAH! horn, which he demonstrates with a touch of pride.
First stop is the Tesla Motors R&D facility you passed on the way in. As you enter the refurbished auto factory, he greets the young man at the desk. "Henry, got some visitors, thought maybe Felicity would be available to give a quick tour. She around?"
Henry pushes a button and says, "Felicity, Zero's here with some guests. Got a minute?"
You hear, "For His Honor? Absolutely. On the way."
This golf cart makes me silly happy. I even ask to honk the horn a couple times.
The Tesla factory is intriguing. I've heard about how green it is, and the place is scary quiet. I'm stoked to check it out.
It's not long before a woman in a lab coat comes through a secure door. "Your Honor! To what do we owe the pleasure?"
Zero says, "Cut that shit out, Felicity," but his tone is light. "Got some guests. Trev and Reggie, stopped in to see what Eve got up to here in the Republic, and I thought I should give 'em the whole tour."
Felicity's well into middle age, and was probably never pretty, but her eyes sparkle with intelligence and wit. She shakes both of your hands. "Welcome to Detroit, and Tesla. I hope you're ready to have your mind blown, because some of this shit blows mine, every day."
"Thanks for taking the time, Felicity. It's a pleasure."
Felicity responds, "For the Mayor of Detroit? It's not a problem."
Zero mock-growls.
I return Felicity's handshake, grinning, excited. When she reveals the mayor bit, I look at Zero, a little surprised. I mean, he's got the demeanor, the vision. I just didn't expect he had any power. This guy's really cool.
"Like Reggie said, this is all exciting, and I'm a big fan of Tesla Motors." If we win, I'm buying one of their self-driving cars.
Zero says, "Felicity, do not mislead these young people." He turns to you. "I was born here, and Eve's project was one of the first to get booted up, so I happen to have watched a lot of these little pockets of paradise start and end. Some asshole started calling me the Mayor, and it stuck. It's a nickname, not a title."
Felicity snickers. "Get over it, Zero. You know if we had elections, you'd be stuck with it."
She continues. "Okay, this way." She leads you through the door she arrived by.
It's quite a tour. Computer modelling, V/R simulations, materials testing, a hangar-like space devoted to battery technology. Finally, with a sly smile, she leads you through a door to a parking lot adjacent to something that looks like, holy shit, a race track. "I'm afraid, even though the PDR is something of a lawless frontier at the moment, you'll have to sign a form releasing us from legal repercussions, if you want to drive one of the prototypes."
There are about a dozen cars on the lot, each one different. Sleek, sporty models. A luxury number. Even something like an old-school SUV. Tell me about the car you choose, Trev. I mean, I assume you are willing to sign the release form so you can drive a prototype Tesla?
I can't sign it fast enough. The Model V. V for Victory, that's what the review on Car and Driver said. Still prototyped, fusion engine, Trevvy wants.
Reggie chooses the luxury model, but you slide your ass into the comfy bucket seat of a Tesla V. V for Victory, indeed. The push-button ignition fires and you hear nothing except for the hum of systems coming online. The windscreen lights up with translucent heads-up indicators.
You take the V onto the track and let her out. Adaptive expert-system steering makes it easy to keep the car stable as you accelerate. 50 miles per hour, 100, 150, 200 miles per hour. This is the fastest you've ever moved, under your own control. Do you push it further?
If so, why don't you make me a roll. Difficulty 9. Make your case for what you roll, and for a Bonus Die, if you think it's applicable.
Hell yes, I push it. My years playin' ball gives me an edge here. I've got pretty good reflexes, you know.
I've played a bunch of car sims, too. Not saying it's the real thing, but Gran Turismo Extreme 5 was a VR game noted for it's realism.
Trev, we've established that you live in more than one world. I'll allow the bonus die for your Gran Turismo Extreme 5 experience. So, that's roll 4, keep the top 3.
(Rolled: 4d6. Rolls: 3, 2, 2, 5. Total: 12)
Whew. Squeaked by with a ten.
I'll be telling Jake this story until we die of old age. The test track is a circle, and the track starts flat, but it's almost a bowl. It's really amazing. So, I'm in the V, zipping around at two hundred. Then, I shift into overdrive, and slide up to two fifty. Then two seventy five. I push it faster, I want to hit three hundred twenty five. I want to hear the fucking sonic boom.
But the car's been creeping up. Up the wall. Like some carnie ride where you circle round so fast that you stick to the wall. I look outside the driver's side window, and I see the bottom of the track. I'm completely sideways. It takes my breath away. There's video games, then there's VR. Then there's... real life.
I start freaking out about reaching the top of the track and flying off. Then I worry that I can't stop, or I'll just fall sideways. I actually call into the control room, and they talk me through easing it down. After several harrowing minutes, I finally ease her down, and come to a safe stop. I'm covered in sweat. And it was the greatest ride of my life!
You're still panting with adrenaline a few minutes later, when Reggie finishes her rather sedate try-out of the Ghost luxury sedan. She gives you a quick kiss. "That was fun! Such a smooth ride, all the way up to 85 miles per hour! And quiet, like... well, like a ghost."
Felicity beams at you, Trev, she heard the conversation with Control and sees your obvious elation. "Well, that's the tour. What's next for this dynamic duo, Mister Mayor?"
Zero grins. "I figured I'd take them over to the Raeburn's next. See how the other half live."
Felicity returns his grin. "That... will be fun. And educational! Hey, remind Mary Beth that she owes me two chickens, dressed, and a dozen eggs. Alright?"
Zero nods and follows Felicity through all of the secure doors, back to the street and the golf cart. "Next stop, 1852, or thereabouts. Y'all hold on to yer hats, hear?"
About five minutes later, you pull up to an actual wood palisade, with a gate in it made of thick but amazingly delicately wrought iron. There's an intercom set next to the gate, and Zero gets out, walks up and pushes the button. "Hank? You accepting visitors today, or shooting 'em?"
This should be a treat. I've heard about the retro-futurists. It's a bit like the steampunk craze fifteen years ago, except these guys having mostly working tech, some of it very experimental, but the aesthetic is Victorian. I bet Reggie would look great in a corset.
The gate buzzes open, and Zero drives the Model-T golf cart in, then gets out. "Hope you guys are ready for some fun. Hank and his crew are special."
You follow Zero into a large, open-walled structure with thick, too-even supporting columns that look like stone and a peaked roof. Inside (if inside's the right word), there are several forges, fuelled by something other than wood or coal, since there's no smoke or even the smell of smoke. Ancient tools line racks scattered around the space. Hammers in many weights, tongs, pliers. Several monolithic anvils. There are bins with lengths of turned wood, and barrels full of water.
A man in a leather apron walks up. "Goldurnit, it's a right pleasure t'see ya, yeronner! Who're these fine folks?"
Zero chuckles. "Cut it, Hank. Visitors, not tourists. What do you have going today?"
The man, Hank, replies. "Well shit, Zero, staying in character's half the fun." Sounds New England. Maine, maybe? "Working on a commission for the Institute for Peace. Replacing the gate, after it got blown up when that crazy drove his truck into it and exploded his fertilizer bomb."
Hank looks the part, and I'm wondering what powers those forges. Doesn't look like they've got a reactor, that would be overkill. Still, some kind of cold fusion would be amazing, probably far fetched.
The Institute of Peace was something else Eve funded, if I recall. Peace of Ages profits after a certain point poured straight into it. It was amazing how well it sold after that announcement, and made Eve pretty damn famous, too.
Hank leads you around the big open shed. "The forges use a stream of plasma to come to temperature super-quick, and the ceramic composite lining holds the heat for nearly a half-hour before they have to be refired. There's a high energy cost to ignite, but overall they're very efficient."
Zero jumps in. "They're Hank's design. He used to be a rocket scientist. This is Branson's project. These forges are the perfect expression of the People's Republic, I think. Highly advanced, and nearly as useless, in the real world."
Hank chuckles and introduces you to some of the smiths. There are about half a dozen in all, men and women with broad shoulders and thickly-muscled arms and torsos. Some are actively pounding away, fitting hot bar iron into complex molds. Others are relaxing or doing finishing work on various curlicues and structural pieces. All seem happy to meet you, and greet Zero with respect and varying degrees of affection.
He takes you then to a large, low building. Most of it is taken up with digital equipment, a big prototype holo-tank in the center displaying the rotating image of an ornate gate. A young man is marking up plans, noting individual pieces to be fabricated and the placement of joins and welds. A gray-haired woman sits at another station, working on a different design.
Finally, you go into a small shop, and Hank introduces you to his daughter Lucy, who's presiding at the moment. There are a wide variety of forged tools and decorative items on offer. Do you pick up anything, Trev? They accept cash, credit, and wooden nickels.
I drop a nickel for some little figures that look like Jake and Tandy, pay some cash for a roach holder (the joint variety, thanks) that I know Jessi would die for, and grab some really slick fabricated joints for my gloves, and some for Reggie, of course.
The rest of the tour takes a few hours, and you gather supplies for Reggie's meal along the way.
You meet the folks that built the chassis for the golf cart you're riding in, who have the biggest 3-D printer you've ever imagined, a DIY effort that apparently requires a great deal of loving-care and attention.
As you graze your way through lunch at various stands and porches and carts, someone comes up behind Zero. They put their hands over his eyes playfully, then give him a big kiss. Tell me about meeting Zero's 'special friend', Trev.
Some of the projects are obviously reaching the end of their experimental lifecycles, but some are thriving. Tell me about something that intrigues you but doesn't look like it's going to make it as a going concern.
Your last stop before returning to Thanatopsis is a business called "Cumming Attractions." I'm sure you can figure out what sort of things they manufacture and sell, Trev. Reggie winds up with a brown paper bag in her hands, but she didn't let you see what she was buying. Do you pick anything up, yourself?
Finally, you make it back to Thanatopsis. Zero's tour was most definitely a whirlwind, and he clearly enjoyed every minute of showing you around. It's about two thirty, and Reggie will want to start prepping dinner at around five. What's next? A nap? TSol time?
Zero's "special friend" is a handsome guy in his forties maybe, hard to tell, he's got that Asian youth thing kicking. Reminds me of an older cousin to Jake, in a way. I recognize him from pro hockey, Ichiro Tanaka. He was a lightning fast skater, the Asian Wayne Gretsky, which was really offensive, but that's what the media ran with.
I wish the 3-d keyboards would hit the market, but companies like WeYu and MT have a stranglehold and keep stuff like this off the market. It's cheaper for them to make the physical mods, and sell these as a custom, high-priced item. They're so great. Maybe I'll talk to Tonya.
At Cumming Attractions, I buy the following: some lubricant, a box of flavored condoms, some flavored body wax, "special balls", an adult anime art book, mostly as a joke for Tandy, a butt plug for Jake, also a joke. What? Margie might like it, heh heh.
TSol time is what's on the menu right now!
You and Reggie head up to your room, after she drops off the groceries and makes a cup of tea.
Jack Aubrey is sitting on top of your travel bag when you arrive, occasionally scratching at the heavy canvas with his claws. Reggie makes a cooing sound and scratches him behind the ears. She puts her brown paper bag on the desk, then starts getting out her gear.
"I'm excited to see what we can find on Olympus! Do you know much about Greek Mythology?"
"I know a myth or two." I answer with a grin. "I used to really dig them when I was a kid. My dad was huge into mythology, especially Greek, Roman and Norse. You?"
"I don't know much. I did read those Percy Jackson books when I was young, though."
You get your gear on, log in, and maneuver your way to the unlocked Olympian content.
When you enter the area, you find yourself on a windswept field of sparse grass growing from sandy soil, the sound of the sea coming from just over a low rise. Your viewpoint takes in a tall slab of stone, nearly edge-on to you, and a woman kneeling before it with her head bowed, a bow next to her on the ground. Her long dark hair streams free, the ringlets waving slightly in the breeze.
I fiddle with my avatar for a bit until he's wearing some Spartan armor. It's just a skin, but hey, when in... I mean. Just, whatever.
I approach the woman stealthily, watching her in prayer, no wish to interrupt.
There is a small buckler on the ground, next to her bow and quiver, with a stylized owl painted in the center. She is saying a quiet prayer. The slab of stone seems to be a funereal stele, carved in bas-relief with the image of a proud young warrior. The whisper of the surf and wind covers the sound of her words.
"There's no question mark, but doesn't this seem like, I don't know, a thing? Strange to arrive here and not be meant to interact, isn't it?"
Over chat, "Yeah. Luckily she's not naked and bathing, then I'd run screaming."
I approach her and quietly clear my throat. "Greetings. I am Abbadon, and this is my questmate Jace. I see the owl upon your shield. That is the symbol of Athena the Wise, is it not?."
She turns, with a bronze knife in her hand, seemingly from nowhere. "That is right, Spartan. I have taken a vow to serve she of the Divine Wisdom, but you would do well to remember that she is not without her virtues in battle. Why do you creep behind me to disturb my mourning?"
I incline my head in respect, not staring directly at her, "My apologies warrior maiden. I know well the many virtues of the goddess of wisdom, battle and the olive tree. I am more of a kind blessed by Hermes, which is why I leave no sound in my path. Why is it that you mourn? Who has fallen?"
She considers you. The look is eerily real, invested with personality. Finally, the warrior maiden seems to make a decision. "Another servant of the Bright-Eyed. My brother, Agathon. Dead by the hand of an unknown enemy, in this very spot."
After a moment, "He was a good brother, Spartan. You speak of questing. Would you consider avenging my loss? My arrows fly true, but I know not where to aim them."
Over chat, "Raisin, are you checking how realistic she is? The movement is better than mo cap."
I nod, once, accepting her offer. "We will find the killer of your brother, Agathon. Do you want us to serve out vengeance, or bring him to you?" I look at her now, with a slightly appraising look, "Or do you travel with us to seek this killer?"
She stands in a fluid motion. "I am Atheneia, and I will travel with you, if you can help me avenge my brother's death. I must tell you, though, that whoever took him from me must have been formidable indeed, for Agathon was a warrior of great skill and valor."
You stiffen as a familiar modulated voice says from behind you, "Then you'd better take me instead of this witless wonder and his little girl." Atheneia looks over your shoulder, and you turn to see... Roddik. Of course. Kitted up in a full set of new gear, a great axe in his right hand and the Orb of Agurzil in his left.
Over chat, "Shit. She's here. Let's keep is casual, she's probably Twitching this out on her channel."
I push down my mask, grin at Roddik, "Well met, Roddik. I see your wit is as clever as always." Back to Atheneia, "Perhaps this quest can take on a stout warrior like Roddik here as well?"
Atheneia looks between the three of you. "I, ah..." Then a strange thing happens. The toon freezes. Not the game, just the toon. Ten seconds, maybe, while the three of you sit, staring. Then her eyes blink. "Ah, yes. such a warrior would be most welcome."
Jace, over the chat channel. "What the?"
Over chat, "Did she hack it? How the hell did she find this quest anyway? This smells fishy. Can you set to follow and maybe look around for what just happened?"
"Good then. See, Roddik? I knew we'd work together soon. Come, Atheneia, show us where he fell so we can look for a trail." I keep Jace close so Reggie can mutli-task.
"Actually, I meant the NPC. Ever see that happen before? It was almost like she was... checking with someone?"
"No. I will not help little Abby complete this quest. I spent hours fighting in the pits to earn the right to be here, and I will be the first." He brandishes the orb and pauses. You'd guess that Toby is setting PvP macros.
"Well, crap."
Over chat, "Roll with me here."
I hold up my hands defensively, "Whoah. Roddik, why can't we just work together, like before? Split the loot and move on? I'm not going to fight you, alright? I mean, that's new armor, right? I'm not specced for a scrap. Can't we work this out?" I'm guessing Tobes will push this, and I plan on selling it hard that I'll cave if it comes to a fight.
Roddik laughs. Now that you know, the voice modulation is obvious and almost a bit creepy, especially that laugh. "Let me get this straight. I shouldn't kick your ass because it will be too easy? You going to let your girlfriend fight for you this time, too?"
The big warrior starts to advance, flipping the axe around dramatically.
"Uh. Rolling?"
Over chat, "I'm a thief. I'm gonna thieve."
Moving back a little, "Hey now, there's no reason to go aggro here. You want this quest now? That's fine, I'll take the next refresh. Cool?"
"Guys, ah, brave warriors, you demean my brother by fighting thus over helping me avenge his death. Do you not see this monument? We are in a holy spot, a place for grief, not meaningless contest."
Roddik ignores Atheneia, continues showing off with his axe, but stops advancing.
Let's see a roll, here. If you win by 4 or more, you can choose: team up, or have Toby let you back off, so you can do your thief thing. If you win, but not that margin, I'll choose. If you lose, well... Roddik attacks.
Toby will roll her 3d6 Trait, "Natural Bully". I assume you're rolling Likeable?
(Rolled: 3d6. Rolls: 3, 3, 3. Total: 9)
(Rolled: 5d6. Rolls: 1, 5, 6, 1, 5. Total: 18)
I look over at Atheneia, then back to Roddik, "Listen. Something is funky about this quest, and you're too focused on me to see it. She's popping in and out of character, someone's running her live, man. Or something. This could be a trap. So, the way I see it is: let's team up, like we did before, work together and reap the benefits and watch each other's back. Or, I pull a fade, shadow you, let you do all the heavy lifting and then swoop in and tag the loot. I don't want to play that way, okay? And I know you don't want to gank me, either. We were here first, but I know we'll need you as a tank and probably DP, too. So we split it fifty-fifty. One half yours, the other half for Jace and me. That's more than fair." What can I say? I decided threeways can be really fun!
"Fine. For now."
"Good. I will take you to the place of Agathon's demise. Perhaps your eyes will find clarity where mine see only loss and confusion."
She leads you to a trail that winds up to a bluff overlooking the blue-green sea, calm and throwing back shards of sunlight. The bluff-top is scrubby, and signs of violence are plain to read in the broken vegetation and stains of blood. Both Jace and Roddik seem to expect you to take the lead here. What do you do?
I'll head up to the area where they fought, looking for signs. A blood trail, prints, something to tell me where the murderer went.
The signs of the battle are clear. One set of footprints, sandal-clad, must be Agathon's. You can read the swift footwork and subtle shifts of balance. The second set is much larger, and barefoot. The impressions are deep, indicating great weight. There are multiple impressions of some heavy, blunt weapon hitting the ground and leaving deep scars.
The scene is confused, though, and there are large rocks spaced close enough to provide stepping-stones to either of the rocky paths leading down from the bluff's broad, flat top.
Let's see some dice, Trev. Acute Senses vs. a target of 9. Degree of success will determine the amount of information you get.
Acute Senses + Level 6 roll:
(Rolled: 2d8+9. Rolls: 5, 3. Total: 17)
Under your keen gaze, it's as if the evidence is a jigsaw-puzzle that assembles itself. Agathon was drilling alone, footwork, sword and shield, rote patterns. He was interrupted by a sudden charge from his larger opponent, and held his own for quite a while, and injured his enemy, perhaps seriously, before a lucky blow from the giant club, probably the only one that found its target, landed. There's a single large dark puddle of blood at the head of the imprint of Agathon's body in the soil.
The assailant made an attempt to hide the blood trail, but you find spots on several of the stones and the low brush, leading to the path opposite the one you took.
...yes, I said we're live! No one warned... shit. (A male voice, coming from nowhere.)
OOC: You will be able to follow the trail further, based on your roll. Pausing for reaction.
I look over to Atheneia, "Your brother fought well. His opponent was lucky, felled him with one mighty blow, but only after an epic battle. You should be proud." I gesture for them to follow me as I trace the footprints of bare feet leading away.
You lead the way, and Jace and Roddik follow immediately. Athenaeia trails behind by a few seconds. It's easy enough to follow the trail along, well, the trail that leads down from the bluff. Once back down to the shore, it's harder, but you're on the scent. Eventually, it becomes scent, literally. You smell something foul and primal (according to the HUD), coming from a cave entrance that would be hidden at high tide. It's dark in there.
"I, ah, suggest we stop and consider our options for... ah, a time... before proceeding. Do you have any sense of what sort of man or monster my brother's foul killer might be?"
"What the fuck?"
"Yeah. What she said."
Over chat, "I don't think Eve coded this all the way, Raisin. Maybe she didn't finish it and the team's trying to lay out the track five feet ahead? Or was it hacked? What do you think?"
"That's twice. I let it go the first time. Are you trying to call me wrinkled, Trev? Anyway, yeah... I think there's a person trying to be Atheneia, and catching up. That's good, in some ways, means you and that bitch are first through, caught them by surprise, whoever Eve's minions are, here."
You hear a roar, equal parts pain and rage, channelled out through the throat of the cave entrance. It echoes and merges with the sound of the surf.
Over chat, "No raisin? Bummer. Well, if they're making this up as they go along, let's play our part."
I gesture to the cave, "Roddik, the monster lies inside. Clear us a path. I'll sneak in to back you up and Jace will lay down artillery." I start off at a jog for the cave mouth.
"Don't tell me what to do!" But the large figure heads in, regardless.
You follow the cave a short distance to what is clearly the entrance to a built structure, a rectangle of darkness framed by worked stone. On either side of the entrance, this symbol is carved:
"A labyrinth. Well, I guess we know what we're up against, now." That roar/howl sounds again.
To Reggie: "Who knows? Maybe we'll see a bunch of small ones? Wouldn't it be fun to fight a bunch of mini-taurs?"
I creep in behind Roddik, watchful, but not close enough for his wake to affect aggro for me. Reggie will come in last, eyes wary.
Jace's hand moves strangely, and in the real world you feel a punch in the arm.
You seem pretty "large and in charge" right now, Trev. Did you ever lead any raids for the guild? How'd that work out?
You follow a maze of twisty passages, all alike. The occasional roar continues to sound, sometimes seeming nearer and sometimes farther away.
Roddik stops.
"We're not making any progress here. This sucks."
To Reggie: "Can you check on labyrinths? Sequences and patterns. Do you think it's even complete?"
I'm hunting for a solution. I'm climbing up, see if I can see the maze at once, or at least find the beast.
I've led a few raids, but that was early on. There was nobody else, the guild was too new, too inexperienced. Now, we have raid leaders and planners like Reggie. Or, well, I guess they do. Am I even really WeMar anymore?
The walls are imperfect enough that you make it to the top with little trouble. The maze is not infinite, and you easily locate the center, which is where would would assume the monster waits. Tracing the path, remembering it, and communicating it to your companions, that isn't so easy, really.
Not to mention convincing Toby to go along with it.
Two rolls, here.
First a roll in TSol/SH, which I will assume is "Acute Senses" again. Difficulty will be 13. This determines who accurately you remember and communicate the route.
Second, a roll in "the Real World"/WaRP. Likeable is fine, but you also have a penalty die for Waffler (roll 5, keep the lowest 4). Difficulty is 10.
Acute Senses:
2d8+9
Likeable:
(Rolled: 4d6. Rolls: 4, 4, 6, 4. Total: 18)
(Rolled: 2d8+9. Rolls: 3, 5. Total: 17)
You climb back down and quickly recite the path that you saw to the center of the labyrinth. Reggie nods that she's got it, and you know she'll remember, so you don't have to.
"Hey, Trev. Should we get Toby on audio, so we don't have to talk out loud?"
Atheneia waits, a few steps back, checking the arrows in her quiver. Something about her actions seem more like a "normal" NPC at the moment. Scripted, precise.
To Reggie: "Yeah, link her in. Although I'm sure she's got WeYu ears on her."
"Lead on, Roddik. I'm right behind you." I'm trying to seem into the RP and the game to buy us time.
Roddik begins to move forward toward the first junction you pointed out. After a few turns, Toby's voice comes in over the chat channel, unmodulated.
"I don't know why I let you talk me into things. Okay, I'm lost now, what's the next turn? Left or right?"
Reggie guides the party to the entrance to the central chamber of the labyrinth. The roars of pain grow louder and louder as you approach.
Atheneia unslings her bow and sets an arrow to the string, and Roddik turns to look at the rest of the party.
"You'd better have my back."
Roddik strides into the room, his axe at the ready, and you sneak in right behind him. Either your perspective from atop the wall was skewed, or this chamber is bigger on the inside. It's round, a full hundred feet or more in diameter, and near the farther side is a huge minotaur. Easily 12 feet tall. In one hand, it holds an axe big enough to count as a halberd, and when it sees Roddik, the other hand curls into a fist. Blood oozes from several cuts on its shaggy body, and that ROAR starts again.
Minotaur: AC 4, Hit Dice 8 (would be more at full health)
Chat channel: "Oh Tobes, we're besties and you know it. Nice axe, by the by. This seems oddly easy, don't you think?"
I'm skulking up and around the minotaur. I direct Roddik to move up as I position for a stealthy attack.
You hear a snort from Toby over the chat channel.
You and Roddik move forward. You'll be in range to engage in a round. You have no problem avoiding the creature's attention, since it's entirely focussed on Roddik.
Jace steps just inside the entryway and starts that creepy chanting, then thrusts her hands forward three times in quick succession. A cloud forms above the minotaur's head and three bolts of lightning crash down to strike it.
Athenaeia takes a perfectly-aimed shot which strikes the creature in the chest, but the arrow bounces off without penetrating the tough hide.
(Rolled: 1d6+1. Rolls: 6. Total: 7)
(Rolled: 1d6+1. Rolls: 1. Total: 2)
(Rolled: 1d6+1. Rolls: 1. Total: 2)
The monster bellows and starts charging toward Roddik, picking up amazing momentum over the ten yards or so that it covers. At the last moment, it lowers its bull-head and attempts to gore the fighter.
Gore (Special: Bonus for charging)
+8 attack bonus, additional +2 for charging
+3 for Roddik's AC
(Rolled: 1d20+13. Rolls: 15. Total: 28)
Damage if hit
(Rolled: 1d8+2. Rolls: 3. Total: 5)
As it gores Roddik, I sneak in and burying my sword in its back.
Rolling attack (Attack Bonus +6, AC +4, Sharpness +1)
(Rolled: 1d20+11. Rolls: 2. Total: 13)
Damage (d8+2)
(Rolled: 1d8+2. Rolls: 3. Total: 5)
Roddik recovers from being knocked back by the minotaur's charge and swings his axe in an overhand arc at the creature's shoulder.
Axe Strike
+6 base attack bonus, +2 for weapon enhancements, +4 for Minotaur's AC
(Rolled: 1d20+12. Rolls: 3. Total: 15)
Damage if hit (1d8+2)
(Rolled: 1d8+2. Rolls: 1. Total: 3)
"Trev, I'm going to hold my spell, in case there's more to this and we need the firepower later."
Atheneia takes another shot, this one flying just over the minotaur's left shoulder and striking the wall.
Your enemy straightens and swings his own large axe at Roddik, following up with a powerful punch from his left fist.
Axe
(+8, +3 for Roddik's AC)
(Rolled: 1d20+11. Rolls: 4. Total: 15)
Damage: (Rolled: 1d8+2. Rolls: 6. Total: 8)
Punch
(+8, +3 for Roddik's AC)
(Rolled: 1d20+11. Rolls: 6. Total: 17)
Damage: (Rolled: 1d8. Rolls: 4. Total: 4)
Since it's ignoring me (not that i blame it right now)
Rolling attack (Attack Bonus +6, AC +4, Sharpness +1)
(Rolled: 1d20+11 . Rolls: 13. Total: 24)
damage if hit (d8+2)
(Rolled: 1d+2. Rolls: 1. Total: 3)
Roddik growls as he swings his axe again, this time slicing across at the Minotaur's chest.
Roddik's Axe
(Rolled: 1d20+12. Rolls: 13. Total: 25)
Damage: (Rolled: 1d8+2. Rolls: 5. Total: 7)
The minotaur staggers back howling his pain, and falls to its knees.
Seeing the opportunity, Atheneia looses another arrow from her bow, and this one takes the creature right in the eye, ending its life, and the fight. There's a pause, where she stands utterly still, and then she lets out a yell of triumph. A golden question mark appears above her head.
Chat channel: "Woot. Great work, Tobes, as always."
I head up to Atheneia, "Well done, warrior maiden. Your brother's avenged."
"Thank you, heroes, for your aid. I would not have found, not to mention slain, this beast by myself. I can only wonder though... who sent it?"