Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

As we play, occasionally we'll close a thread and open a new one to keep the size of threads (and relative complexity) down to a dull roar. Here's where we store the closed posts from the history of Errant Road.
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Jack Rothwell
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Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

Post by Jack Rothwell »

OOC Mana-rifles are actually just re-purposed yukki staffs. The first being made here./OOC

Tamina went with Drusia back to the campsite and went in search of the staff she'd been alluding to. The kobold retrieved the short, wooden object from under a pile of travel garments and held it up for the elf's inspection.

"Hope I can make this work." She said with no small amount of trepidation. "I've... umm... been examining this Ralkin stuff, this amulet too... I really think they can help if we can control them... might be the only way to stop them."

She clasped her hands tightly around the magical aid and closed her eyes to concentrate.
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Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

Post by Alberich »

[OOC: As I said, ray guns, Yuuki staffs that can be used by non-wizards, maybe. And if she's making eight a day, she'll have a company equipped every two weeks.]

"So, what'cha think, Khoo," said the shaven-faced, fuzzy-domed Udo as they walked along, "how does isolating somebody's life force and projecting it into other places help us kill the enemy? Are we there yet?" Idle question - they weren't even in town yet.

Angrist, walking ahead, was nearest the outskirts. A shepherd and a laundress were deep in political discussion and ignorning him.

"It's perfectly simple," said the shepherd. "The way elections get decided is people cast their votes. Then the votes get thrown away, and the Eisenfaust says who wins."

"But why's Mr. Logan even running if that's the case?"

"Only one possible reason. Because he's already cleared it with the Eisenfaust. Depend on it, he's working for them."

"But why would they try to kill him?"

He made a dismissive gesture and spoke with absolute authority. "They're just haggling over the price now. Just haggling over the price. Like how you turn around and walk out of a shop when it's too expensive, so they'll make it reasonable."

She changed the subject.
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Jack Rothwell
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Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

Post by Jack Rothwell »

OOC Yukki staffs can already be used by non-wizards, and that's 8 including the initial group already purchased from her by Eli. Getting back in tonight, bloody 14 hour day at work again./OOC
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Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

Post by Alberich »

[OOC: Can they? The Wiki says only that they're wielded by "battlemages" - not by all and sundry - and I never thought a mage's staff of any kind would be for "layfolk." Has this been established in the game?]
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Jack Rothwell
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Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

Post by Jack Rothwell »

OOC I always thought they were just weapons with a magic charge, at least that was the canon we've been running with in-game. Think I had a chat with Grey about it a few years back. They won't be mary-sue-ing the pc's though, pinky promise./OOC

Eli had almost made it to the door of the forge before it was flung open. The half-elf jerked his hand away and spared himself a crack on the knuckles as the blacksmith poked her head and out yelled to the assembled soldiers.

"Hey! I need more lead for the... oh, Captain Eli, what brings you here?"

"I was just checking..."

"Your new stockpile, of course, of course." The woman interrupted in jittery tones. "Yes, come on in." She turned, stopped dead, and wheeled back, nearly colliding with the half-elf as she barked another order. "...and rifles! I need rifles!"

The smithy itself was best described as organised chaos. An array of yukki staffs and long-barreled guns were scattered around the work area in various states of deconstruction, the glow from energy crystals added a silvery sheen to the light of the forge and added a twinkle to the drops of sweat beading on the forehead of the woman as she strode to a nearby rack and liberated a fresh weapon.

"I'm on schedule." She said, setting the gun down on a table and reaching for a screwdriver.

"So I see." Eli replied, casting an eye around in faint bewilderment. "Carlson tells me the training exercise went well."

"Of course it did. I'm a professional, and I deliver."

"Well, they'll be a demonstration for the company at large later in the day if you wish to admire your work some more." The woman spared him a nod as she bent to her task.The Captain smiled at her confidence despite himself. "Are you sure we can't convince you to stay past the end of the month?"

"Can't. Won't." Jade said in a distracted voice. "I have responsibilities I can't ignore."

"That's a shame." He muttered, reaching a hand into his pocket in an unconscious gesture. "Perhaps we could change your mind?"

"Sorry handsome, this cherry's already been picked."

"Mr Logan can be very convincing..."

"So I've heard. If that's all...?"

"Uhh... yes. Carry on." He left the forge with a last backward glance at the clack of the Blacksmith pulling another rifle to pieces and made his way out the outpost. The day was still young after all, and there was a lot to do.
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Drusia
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Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

Post by Drusia »

"Hope I can make this work." She said with no small amount of trepidation. "I've... umm... been examining this Ralkin stuff, this amulet too... I really think they can help if we can control them... might be the only way to stop them."

The staff looks safe enough - a fairly simple, if ingenious application of forces rather than complex magic systems governing it's operation. While it would take a mage to create one, any idiot should be able to operate one in the field. Repairs might be an issue, though.

As to the amulet....

"That thing still gives me the creeps," I tell Tamina, flinching slightly as she picks it up. It's too much like the one Eli wears. I'm always afraid something like that is going to happen to Tamina as well.

-- Drusia
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Jack Rothwell
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Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

Post by Jack Rothwell »

"That thing still gives me the creeps."

"Not gonna touch it unless I have to." She said, putting the stone to one side as she began to focus her attention on the staff. "Creeps me too."

..........

It was like threading a needle in the dark, perhaps that was the best way to describe it.

The kobold stood in the center of the traveler's camp, gripping the hated Ralkin artifact in her stubby digits with an expression of intense concentration on her face. She'd been that way for several minutes, trying to wean her mana into the object and unlock the bound magic contained within.

"<Pain in the backside.>" She muttered under her breath. That damn, dead, Arcelius had made it look easy. Of course, that gnarled old bastard had had years to train in the evil magic of his leader, the kobold's approach was a crash course in comparison.

She saw the energy in her mind's eye running the length of the twisted staff, the knots in the wood flaring like pools of green light connecting to a stream... maybe that was the way forward. She pushed towards mentally and applied pressure.

A crackle from the object snapped her eyes open like a shock. Tamina stared, wild-eyed, as the brief surge of power blinked out of existence, then grinned.

"Think I'm figuring it out." She said to the elf. "We can..."

She was suddenly aware that Druisa's gaze was not on her but on something behind. Tamina turned around and saw the Ralkin amulet she'd placed on a stone near the campfire. It was glowing.
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Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

Post by Alberich »

[OOC: I'm not worried that they'll be Mary Sues; I'm worried that we'll have to Summon Deusexmachina to fight them at this rate...but I would not presume to denigrate a solemn pinky promise so I will say no more about it. Inviting discussion of staves here. Waiting for Graybeard to proceed with the Poundstone encounter.]
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Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

Post by Graybeard »

"how does isolating somebody's life force and projecting it into other places help us kill the enemy?"

"It doesn't," Khoo answered. "But remember that we have to avoid getting killed too. Or getting taken over by awful enemy mind-control forces. The people at the clinic are supposed to have something to help with that, or at least that was what my contact at the consulate said."

[OOC: More on this later, when I can think more about what the Poundstone people can really do, but I wanted to make sure Khoo wasn't slowing movement of the thread too much.]
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Re: Port Lorrel- Puppet Masters

Post by Browncoat »

It didn't take Angrist long to find and sneak into the library. He paused for a moment to just take in the sight. He didn't often get to visit libraries, but he loved them; vast collections of knowledge.

[OOC: just giving Angrist something to do for a while]
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