Jump to content

Recommended Posts

4 minutes ago, Invocation said:

"I don't see why not."

“Great,” she said, tapping her finger against one of her brassmind bracers. “Well, if this all goes to hell at least we’ve got that plan. First plan, I’d say, is a quick alleytravel back to the Alleys. Make sure you follow me or Laurelai closely, and try not to look at the sky while we’re in the Alleys. I think it might devour your soul or something...” Lita shrugged, then took a sip of wine. “Not sure. Best to be careful though, when one’s soul is concerned.”

She turned back to the stage and the blue-skinned man, thinking. Her fingers strayed to the coin again, and this time she took it out of her pocket. It was cold, colder than she’d have thought after it resting against her leg all day. She glanced at its face, then froze. The scales were gone, replaced by the spiked skull. Lita turned it over - the image was repeated on the other side, identical.

What in all the worlds... A chill moved over her then. Hadn’t she just been thinking about this image? 

There is always a price.

She looked up again, glad for the darkness that hid her sudden pallor. Lita leaned over to Okame.

”Something isn’t right,” she whispered. “Whatever this is, it isn’t going to end well.”

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote

I love how all the DA people expect a trap, but there isn't one :P

The man rolled on.

"We wish to have science. Not hemalurgy, like the DA. We will use some, but little."

The screen showed a man with one spike through his eye.

"No, just investiture, plain and simple."

The screen flipped to an image of the fight during the Seven Day War, Devaan versus Hellbent.

"We have experiments planned. Now we just need more people. More funding."

He grinned, light beginning to radiate from the top, where the guild reps were.

"And that's where you come in."

***

4 hours ago, Vargo Seldon said:

Necromancer tried the door but found it locked.  The entire room was probably reinforced.  Well, there was really only one thing that he could do.  He unloaded his pistol on the two men.  Already weakened by the aging, his shots ripped through them killing them both.  He saved one shot, and sat down to wait.

@Ark1002

A dark shadow moved into the room. The only feature visible that wasn't just a shadow was it's eye. Deep purple, spiraling in, like some strange portal. Spiraling in... and in... and in...

The shadow lunged forward, grabbing the gun. It melted. Heavy chains began to appear, wrapping around Necromancer. Then syringes, from the men, floated towards the shadow. It approached, it's eye still glowing.

Every movement was perfectly silent.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lita dimmed her tin as the light returned to the representative platform, squinting only slightly and sliding the coin back into her pocket. 

Ah, she thought. So it's money they want. Well, that was a danger of its own, though considerably less bloody. The image on the screen of the man with a spike through one eye unsettled her a little, having just glanced at the coin. 

I certainly hope this isn't some kind of omen, Lita thought, putting on a practiced, careful smile as people turned to look up at the rep platform. She had entire body available for spiking, but her eyes were burdened enough, thank you very much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Ark1002 said:

I love how all the DA people expect a trap, but there isn't one :P

Quote

This is a world where literally every time people have tried to get a relaxing drink the bar has been destroyed. You can forgive people for getting a little paranoid after a while I think. :P

Laurelai watched the stage intently, reading everything she could about the man who stood upon it. People revealed a lot about themselves as they spoke, if you knew what to look for. A prepared speech wasn't the most helpful but it was something at least. A foothold.

The area around them began to light up as the man on the stage addressed the guild representatives.

Perfect. More attention.

She flashed a small polite smile once more as they were illuminated, but kept her eyes fixed on the stage.

Lita had raised an interesting point, if someone was interested with combining multiple Investitures in a single body then they almost universally found their way to the Dark Alley, why would someone attempt to strike out on their own and spend decades and huge amounts of resources reinventing the wheel? Were they simply lying about their goals? Or were they doing something that they knew the DA wouldn't agree to?

That was a chilling thought, research that someone thought was too extreme for the DA?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Zedkrin simply sits there, pondering what the jobs will actually be. But it doesn't seem like the man will give us any examples soon, Zedkrin thought to himself. He also looked around at the people scattered about. He didn't recognize any of them.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He waited until the lights faded, then continued.

"If none of this interests you, the door is that way."

He pointed.

"But before I continue, I'm going to let you have a break."

The room darkened further, and the curtains slid shut. Then the lights turned on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Ark1002 said:

The man rolled on.

"We wish to have science. Not hemalurgy, like the DA. We will use some, but little."

The screen showed a man with one spike through his eye.

"No, just investiture, plain and simple."

The screen flipped to an image of the fight during the Seven Day War, Devaan versus Hellbent.

"We have experiments planned. Now we just need more people. More funding."

He grinned, light beginning to radiate from the top, where the guild reps were.

"And that's where you come in."

***

A dark shadow moved into the room. The only feature visible that wasn't just a shadow was it's eye. Deep purple, spiraling in, like some strange portal. Spiraling in... and in... and in...

The shadow lunged forward, grabbing the gun. It melted. Heavy chains began to appear, wrapping around Necromancer. Then syringes, from the men, floated towards the shadow. It approached, it's eye still glowing.

Every movement was perfectly silent.

Necromancer screamed in pain and fear as he lost consciousness.

Quote

Well, looks like my brand-new character is done for :P.

@Ark1002

——

Galvris studied the man intently.  In Alleycity, no one would dare stand up before a crowd of invested individuals without some powerful investiture themselves.  Standing before pretty much everyone in the city?  He would have to be extremely powerful, or extremely expendable.  Galvris wondered how far Plasmacore would go in either direction.  A test.  A simple one, of course, would suffice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lita huffed and relayed the man's closing remarks as the curtain slid shut, glad at least that the representative platform had faded back out of high scrutiny. A low buzz of conversation immediately struck up when the lights came back on, everyone trying to figure out what, exactly, was happening.

"Certainly fond of the theatrics, these 'PlasmaCore' folks," she muttered. "I don't suppose we can leave as he suggested? If we got back before winter we might not even miss the remainder of the speech..."

She turned to Laurelai, then Okame. "Looks like we've got time to kill. Over-under on whether or not this really is just a harmless, fancy party trying to wheedle chrysts from our coffers?"

@Voidus @Invocation

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, ZincAboutIt said:

She turned to Laurelai, then Okame. "Looks like we've got time to kill. Over-under on whether or not this really is just a harmless, fancy party trying to wheedle chrysts from our coffers?"

"The odds don't seem good that it's harmless, and, no offense, but I don't particularly want to get forcibly merged with anyone today."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"About as likely as a Koloss with a sense of humour." Laurelai commented, smiling wryly at Lita's own joke. "If they were after resources then why set up such an elaborate party and not even speak to people ahead of time? Sweetening people up with some fine food and wine would be expected, but all this.."

She gestured towards the gathered crowd, the stage, the servers nearby.

"If we all simply withdrew now it would have been a complete waste. Resources lost rather than gained. So why set all this up if not for some ulterior motive? And if so, should we leave now or stay until we at least find out the nature of it?"

And there was something else that didn't make sense, this was the Alleycity. And they'd gathered a huge number of people into one location for what amounted to a party. Local history wasn't a particular specialty of Laurelai's, but even she knew that never once had a party this large in the city ended peacefully.

"Might as well stick around until the fireworks begin." She muttered.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Invocation said:

"The odds don't seem good that it's harmless, and, no offense, but I don't particularly want to get forcibly merged with anyone today."

Lita almost choked on a mouthful of wine, covering her mouth and coughing through her laughter. "Indeed," she said, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "I, personally, don't just give up my soul to the first corporation to buy me a drink and some mediocre cheese and crackers."

No, indeed, the little voice sneered. You bought your own drink in the tavern with Laurelai, and waltzed down to the Alleys without so much as a roasted cashew. Lita felt her cheeks redden, hoping that no one saw the color in her face.

"Might as well stick around until the fireworks begin."  Laurelai muttered on Lita's other side.

Lita turned, hand going to the coin in her pocket, still cold against her thigh. She leaned towards the other woman, keeping her voice low. "Something is up," she whispered. "That coin, it's face changed. The picture is different - or was, I don't know. It's too light in here, I don't want to take it out now. But something is weird about this place."

@Voidus

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Stranger's coin? Well that's a tad ominous. Maybe he'll be the one blowing the party up this time? Would that be exciting to watch? Or horrifying? Probably both.

Laurelai stayed silent as she deliberated before she looked at Lita directly once more.

"Weird isn't exactly the word I would have chosen but I agree. But as they say, 'knowledge is power', so I'd rather learn a little more before we do anything. Shall we mingle?"

She stood from her seat, and began walking past one of the servers she'd covertly watched earlier. She let a trickle of the Dor flow through her, quickly constructing a simplified stamp to get what she needed done.

Just as she was about to pass them their leg muscle suddenly cramped, causing them to lose balance and nearly trip into her. She was already ready for this, managing to catch and steady them by the shoulder before either of them fell.

"Oh dear, are you alright?" She asked, brow beginning to furrow in concern.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lita stood to follow Laurelai, picking up her purse and motioning to Okame. @Invocation

"If my legs feel cramped, I can only imagine how yours feel," she said to the Horneater. She watched Laurelai almost crash into a server, catching him at the last second. Odder still, her brow furrowed in concern as she pulled back, her voice almost breathy. She had changed again, like she had in the tavern.

Fascinating, she thought, turning back to Okame. He towered at least a head above most of the crowd. I wonder what it would be like if he put me on his shoulders. I could see everyone. 

Lita snagged another glass of wine from a passing waiter and positioned herself at the edge of a small group, turning up her tin so she could hear Laurelai's conversation. There were only so many people to choose from up here, so she had maneuvered herself and Okame at the edge of the Ghostblood table. Knowledge is power indeed.

She turned and addressed the man who had been rolling a ball of fire around his hand during the speech, putting on her most charming smile and allowing her fur wrap to dip and show the edge of her shoulder. 

"Enjoying the show?" she asked. "That was quite a trick with the fire, our hosts should take lessons."

@Vargo Seldon

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cakuin chewed on a piece of flatbread thoughtfully. As far as she knew, she was the only vampire in existence. It would be good for her to apply here. She could investigate the company for the Ghostbloods, and perhaps learn about her powers. Maybe these people knew those who had killed her and her friends, all that time ago.

~~~

Ciera regarded the woman with a raised eyebrow. She held out her left hand, Well jingling. A blue-white sphere appeared there. She snappped her other hand and flames began to dance inside of it.

"Perhaps we channelers like to show off. What's your name?"

@ZincAboutIt

Edited by Dr. Dapper
Ciera
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, Dr. Dapper said:

"Perhaps we channelers like to show off. What's your name?"

@ZincAboutIt

Ahh, well, now I know who's in charge, Lita thought, taking the woman's raised brow and raising one of her own. A channeler - two channelers, now those were rare, even in the Alleycity. And she even demonstrated her power, how generous. Lita looked at the woman and let some of the charm slough off her smile, cracking it into something sharper, more jagged. 

"I'm Lita," she said, sipping her wine. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'd shake your hand, but, well..." she looked at the blue flame in the woman's hand. "And you are?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Ciera." Ciera said, smiling, "I assume you're Dark Alley. You know, I think my old master was DA. How odd." she shrugged. DA people were much more fun to talk to than those from TUBA. Their lack of morals made everything more intresting. "How about Grey Man's speech. Unique Investiture my foot. I'll bet they wasted all their cash on this building and are trying to recoup losses by begging for Crysts." her smile became a bit more sinister, "Or perhaps they lured us all here to kill us. We'll see."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Dr. Dapper said:

"Ciera." Ciera said, smiling, "I assume you're Dark Alley. You know, I think my old master was DA. How odd." she shrugged. DA people were much more fun to talk to than those from TUBA. Their lack of morals made everything more intresting. "How about Grey Man's speech. Unique Investiture my foot. I'll bet they wasted all their cash on this building and are trying to recoup losses by begging for Crysts." her smile became a bit more sinister, "Or perhaps they lured us all here to kill us. We'll see."

"Killing us I do not think is likely," interrupts Okame. "Though forcing some of us to potentially merge is another story entirely. Also, nice trick with the fire."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Dr. Dapper said:

"How about Grey Man's speech. Unique Investiture my foot. I'll bet they wasted all their cash on this building and are trying to recoup losses by begging for Crysts." her smile became a bit more sinister, "Or perhaps they lured us all here to kill us. We'll see."

Lita felt her mouth twist into a bit of a real smirk at the woman's irreverent tone. "At least you got a meal out of it," she said. "I very nearly had to assault a server to get a few crackers. It would be such a terrible shame to die hungry. I fully intend on going out stuffed to the gills with pastries, myself."

She looked at Ciera, taking in her confident air - that was no surprise, with all the power at her command. "I am, indeed, from the Dark Alley. And you must be from the Ghostbloods, seeing that you aren't trying to bake brownies at me or whatever it is that TUBA does." Lita waved a hand absently. Upstanding moral citizens were about as interesting as furniture, and half as obligingly useful.

Lita gestured sideways at Okame, introducing him properly. "This is Okame," she said, silently willing him not to divulge either of their inexperience in the guild.

Edited by ZincAboutIt
Introducing colleagues like a polite spy.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...