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Is Arch-Magister Roger Bacon here
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May 2, 2024 05:06
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Blasphemaster posted:What if I hold the ring for a little bit so you can rest your jaw?  GARGOYLE: What, for the five minutef you do it unfil I let you infide? Yeah, fure, that'll helf for the other 23 hourf and 55 minutef I haff to do thif. That'f HILARIOUF, that you even fink that'd work. You ought to be a comedian. GARGOYLE: How about thif? If you tell me a joke I hafen't heard before, I'll leff you in.There's a brief pause. GARGOYLE: Alfo if you tell a knock-knock joke I'll fet your hair on fire.McSpanky posted:Is Arch-Magister Roger Bacon here GARGOYLE: Yeff. He'f bufy. That'f why he faid to not leff anyone in.
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May 2, 2024 05:11
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Where do you weigh whales? A whaleway station.
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May 2, 2024 05:18
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Can we make an appointment for when he's less busy? Maybe come back in an hour or so?
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May 2, 2024 05:30
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AJ_Impy posted:Where do you weigh whales?  JOSEI: Where do you weigh whales? GARGOYLE: A fcale? JOSEI: No, a whaleway station. GARGOYLE: ...I don't get it. JOSEI: Like a railway station? GARGOYLE: What'f a railway ftafion? Actually, fcrafth that. If you haff to explain a joke, it'f not a good joke. JOSEI: ...you didn't say it had to be a FUNNY joke. Just a joke that you hadn't heard before. GARGOYLE: Fo you could make up a ftupid joke that ifn't funny and then fay it countf? No, I ain't doing fings that way. JOSEI: But that's moving the goalposts! GARGOYLE: Fo? If it bofferf you, you can bring it up wif the Mafter. Exfept, oh wait, you can't talk to him caufe he doefn't want vifitorf. Oopf.Aesculus posted:Can we make an appointment for when he's less busy? Maybe come back in an hour or so? GARGOYLE: Fure, I'll write it down on a piefe of paper I don't have wif the handf I don't got. Way to highlight my difability, affhole. JOSEI: Is there a good time when vifitorf- I mean, visitors, are able to see him? GARGOYLE: Doef it look like I'm wearing a watchf? ATHENA: You know, if you get desperate you can ask me for help. I'm just having fun seeing you two interact right now, though.
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May 2, 2024 05:35
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Stand in front of the door and do not move. Wait patiently in the company of our good friend gargoyle until Bacon is free.
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May 2, 2024 05:42
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I've got tens of thousands of them and nothing but time until I see Bacon. You're a captive audience. What do you call a man with a shovel? Doug. What do you call a man without a shovel? Douglas. What do you call a man with a seagull on his head? Cliff. (Etc...)
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May 2, 2024 06:04
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If this guy... thing... whatever, has no cultural context for railroads, then contemporary comedy is gonna really make its day! Take out our phone and start showing it skibidi toilet, ifunny skits, Jeff Dunham, open up with both barrels. The best, worst and everything inbetween that modern humor has become, on repeat, FOREVER, unless that door opens.
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May 2, 2024 06:42
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*grin, get real close and lower sunglasses* "Are you absolutely sure about that?". *begin to perform a sock puppet show mocking our past assholishness and stupid way of dying and mock the poo poo outta ourself. end with Kyle making requisite NCIS punny joke about our pseudonym*.
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May 2, 2024 13:02
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Blasphemaster posted:*grin, get real close and lower sunglasses* "Are you absolutely sure about that?". *begin to perform a sock puppet show mocking our past assholishness and stupid way of dying and mock the poo poo outta ourself. end with Kyle making requisite NCIS punny joke about our pseudonym*. McSpanky posted:If this guy... thing... whatever, has no cultural context for railroads, then contemporary comedy is gonna really make its day! AJ_Impy posted:I've got tens of thousands of them and nothing but time until I see Bacon. You're a captive audience. BraveLittleToaster posted:Stand in front of the door and do not move. Wait patiently in the company of our good friend gargoyle until Bacon is free. You lean forward, looking at him over your sunglasses. JOSEI: OK, you sure you want me to start really going to town with my sense of humor on you? GARGOYLE: Fince it'f awful, fure. I ain't gonna laugh at the fhit you're gonna fay. JOSEI: Alright! I'm going to start telling you jokes until you let me in. I'm not leaving this place until that happens. GARGOYLE: I gueff you'll get to look forward to hell freefving over, then.You crack your knuckles,and make steady eye contact. JOSEI: What do you call a man with a shovel? GARGOYLE: What? JOSEI: Doug. GARGOYLE: That'f ftu- JOSEI: What do you call a man without a shovel? GARGOYLE: I refufe- JOSEI: Douglas.You begin running through every single awful joke you know. From awful puns to terrible dad jokes. You break out your old repertoire of raps from when you were a teen, and get through all of them twice. When that well runs dry, you move on to showing the gargoyle videos of "funny" Internet humor while giving live commentary, like skibidi toilet, Jeff Dunham, everything you can think of. By the end of the 'show,' you are doing a sock puppet show re-enacting the most ridiculous moments of your life, and even poking some fun at your past assholishness or bad decisions. You're wrapping up the show with "Jyle Kohnson" the sock puppet telling a really awful NCIS-style joke about your fake name, Kiepon LeFin, when the door knocker finally cracks. GARGOYLE: FINE! JEEFUF! GO INFIDE, gently caress IF I CARE! I'd rather get chaftifed by the mafter then deal wif thif fhit, you monfter!The huge copper-clad door gives a click, and ponderously opens inwards, as if being dragged open by invisible chains. It slowly swings inward, revealing a large room at the base of the wizard tower. You pull your socks and shoes back on with a grin. JOSEI: Thanks buddy! It's been a blaft. I mean, a blast. GARGOYLE: I hope mafter turnf you into a newt.While whistling a jaunty tune, you stride into the mysterious wizard tower with a spring in your step. This day seems to be going pretty well so far. The entry room appears to be some kind of foyer. It's got an absolutely massive roof, like at least 30 feet tall. But the room itself is only 10 by 10 feet or so. You glance straight up, and pause. There's a doorway up there, oriented like you're supposed to walk vertically up the wall to another room. It makes you feel like someone took a normal hallway, and stood it up on end at a 90 degree angle against the ground. You look for a ladder, and notice something weirder. There are braziers mounted against the wall... oriented like the wall is the floor. As you stare at them, flames ignite, providing a surprisingly bright white light. There's also a red carpet that leads from the door you just came in, that runs up along the wall and ascends upwards. You wonder if Arch-Magister Bacon is some kind of weird gecko or spider person who climbs up the wall like Spiderman. It wouldn't surprise you, you've seen all kinds of strange poo poo. PERCEPTION ROLL: 15 +1 PERK BONUS (LUCK) = 16 VS DC 12. SUCCESS! Behind you, you faintly hear the gargoyle mutter something as the door begins to swing shut. GARGOYLE: Maybe he'll break hif ftupid leg...Character Sheets & Inventory USD ACCOUNT BALANCE: $74,611 SM ACCOUNT BALANCE: Ω1.55
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May 2, 2024 14:43
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Watch our step in here. Maybe just try to.. walk up the wall. That might be a normal thing here.
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May 2, 2024 14:50
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Test our footing as we go, and look round for our contact.
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May 2, 2024 23:26
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Tell our sneakers to engage spider climb mode.
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May 2, 2024 23:33
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JessAlias posted:You wonder if Arch-Magister Bacon is some kind of weird gecko or spider person who climbs up the wall like Spiderman. It wouldn't surprise you, you've seen all kinds of strange poo poo. This reminds us of something we once saw when casing a fine art collection... 
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May 3, 2024 00:05
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McSpanky posted:This reminds us of something we once saw when casing a fine art collection... Blasphemaster posted:Tell our sneakers to engage spider climb mode. AJ_Impy posted:Test our footing as we go, and look round for our contact. BraveLittleToaster posted:Watch our step in here. Maybe just try to.. walk up the wall. That might be a normal thing here. For a brief moment, you wonder if your Soul Speed Sneakers could let you wallclimb. Theoretically, even if they don't stick to the wall, you could just try doing the Sonic the Hedgehog thing and try running full tilt up the wall. INSIGHT ROLL: 17 +3 PERK BONUS (LUCK, ODIN) = 20 VS DC 8. SUCCESS! Then after a moment's thought, you realize that would be a Very Bad Idea in these tight quarters. You'd probably paste yourself against the ceiling. Instead, you cautiously walk towards the wall that has the carpet running straight up. A vague, half-remembered impression rises up in your mind, of an old art piece you once saw before. You wonder if you could walk straight up, vertically. Like if your personal gravity would reorient. Then the front door closes, and as you're walking towards the wall gravity suddenly rotates by 90 degrees. You plummet towards the new "ground," and slam into the floor a bit painfully. You're glad you were already walking towards the wall, because otherwise, you could have hurt yourself. As it is, all you've injured is your pride. As you push yourself up off the ground, you hear a strange thumping sound. Like someone slamming a piece of metal against the brickwork. You glance up towards the direction of the sound and freeze for a moment. Is that... a giant brass man? At first you feel a small amount of panic, but you realize that he is walking towards you at a slow, steady pace. If he wanted to attack you, you're pretty sure he'd be running for you, not strolling up at an unhurried pace. You raise a hand. JOSEI: Uh... hi?The automaton comes to a halt, and mirrors the gesture. It looks far less advanced then the automatons that accompanied Belisarius, of that you are certain.  CHARLES: GREETINGS. I AM CHARLES THE BRAZEN, BUTLER TO MASTER BACON. ARE YOU HERE TO DELIVER THE THISTLEDOWN? JOSEI: ...no? The name is Kiepon LeFin. I'm here for the bounty to recapture the water elementals that Mr- er, Arch-Magister Bacon placed.The automaton stands there, staring at you, as you hear the whirring and clicking of gears.  CHARLES: UNDERSTOOD. PLEASE FOLLOW ME. DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING WITHOUT PERMISSION.Charles the Brazen spins on a heel, and begins stomping back where he came from, down the long hallway. You follow behind him, looking around. The brick hallway has skylights as you move further down, and you feel a bit disoriented when you look up through them, because you can see a sideways city skyline outside. Fine paintings line the walls depicting various scenes from the Middle Ages, from knights battling dragons, to wizards in libraries and laboratories doing their thing, to merchants and tradesmen at work. Doorways line the walls, each leading to a different room that looks MUCH larger than it has any right to be. Starting out, they seem very functional. Some are for storage, and there's one that looks like a kitchen. The further along you go, the more grandiose and ornate things become. You see rooms filled with treasure, all of it sorted carefully and labeled. One looks like an art gallery, with paintings from artists that you recognize like Monet and Van Gogh and Titian and other ones that you don't recognize at all. There's a massive banquet hall, large enough to feed hundreds. And the closer you get to the top, the odder things become. One room is full of grass and trees, and you're pretty sure you see birds flitting about. You pause a moment in front of one doorway that's cracked open, blinking. Are those... red scales? You can't help but peek through the doorway, and you see what looks like a huge red dragon, curled up and fast asleep. As it dozes, curls of smoke rise up from its nostrils before vanishing into the air. There's an egg sitting in an enormous nest, which you assume came from the dragon. You back away slowly, and decide to risk asking Charles a question. JOSEI: Hey, excuse me?Charles pauses in his stately progress, and swivels on a foot. CHARLES: YES? JOSEI: Uh...You jab a thumb at the doorway, making sure to keep your voice low. JOSEI: Is that a dragon? CHARLES: YES.You wait for Charles to elaborate. Instead, Charles turns on his heel and resumes walking forwards again. You get the distinct impression he's not much of a conversationalist. You look back towards the sleeping dragon's den, then hurry after him. As you manage to get apace with him, you hazard another question. JOSEI: Can I ask why Arch-Magister Bacon has a dragon? CHARLES: YES.You pause, confused. Then you realize your mistake. JOSEI: Please explain why Arch-Magister Bacon has a dragon. CHARLES: I DO NOT KNOW WHY MASTER BACON HAS A DRAGON.You decide that you're not going to get much out of Charles the Brazen. Still, you're not one to let a little thing like a taciturn butler stop you. You might as well ask more about Roger Bacon and his tower of mysteries. You pester him with more questions, and through navigating his often terse answers, you understand the following: Roger Bacon is an Englishman. He graduated from Oxford. He's a member of the Franciscan Order, whatever that is, along with the Council of Merlin. He's also apparently one of the senior-most members of the Council of Merlin. You're not sure how useful this information is, but it's a way to pass a time until the pair of you reach a large archway. Beyond it is what is clearly a combination of a small library along with an arcane laboratory. Large workbenches filled with complex apparatus line the walls, with dozens of beakers and glass containers with unknown solutions inside. You see stacks of books carefully arranged on wooden tables, with notebooks full of handwritten notes on the nearest table. To your amusement, a lot of the notebooks are spiral-bound and wouldn't look out of place in a college student's dorm room. Standing at one of the workbenches is a white-haired man in dark robes with a golden trim. He wears a pair of wire-rimmed glasses, and has a neatly trimmed beard. Currently he seems engrossed with consulting a large grimoire, turning pages with one hand. He pauses in his reading, and makes a twisting gesture with his other hand. A flask of a red liquid on the table turns a brilliant purple color, and he nods slightly. The Arch-Magister takes out a pen, and scribbles something down on a piece of paper next to him before turning his attention back to the book he's studying. Charles comes to a halt, and loudly announces your presence. CHARLES: MASTER BACON, A BOUNTY HUNTER HAS ARRIVED. HIS NAME IS KIEPON LEFIN.With how focused the wizard seems to be, you half expect him to jump a foot at the interruption. Instead he just sighs and gestures at Charles to let you in without even bothering to look at the doorway. He continues to focus on his notes and his grimoire. You step inside quietly, and decide to politely wait. Arch-Magister Roger Bacon continues studying his grimoire in silence for some time, before he sighs again and slams it shut.  ROGER: What a mess! Half superstition, half gobbledegook! A dreadful waste of a soulmark.He turns, and peers at you for a moment, before a broad smile crosses his face and he stands up. His eyes look focused and alert. In fact, this wizard seems even more vigorous than Cadogan is.  ROGER: Ah, excellent! My apologies, young man, I simply couldn't step away from that little experiment without giving it a shot. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Roger Bacon, former friar, member of the Council of Merlin.He pauses, furrowing his brow. ROGER: ...and your name is Kiepon Lefin? That sounds like a pun, or play on words. I'm guessing you keep your real name secret for some reason?You contemplate how to respond to that, and decide rather than bullshitting him, you'll just own it. JOSEI: Yeah, I'm kind of hesitant to just give out my real name to everyone I meet. Is your name really Roger Bacon?The Arch-Magister pauses, and chuckles lightly. ROGER: Why, yes, though don't try to put me in a pan and fry me. But here... why don't we settle down, and have a drink together? JOSEI: What, like tea?He laughs again. ROGER: I was more thinking of a beer, actually, but you're free to have what you wish.He heads to a corner where there's a surprisingly rustic looking oak table, and sits down, beckoning you to join him. Charles the Brazen obtains two bottles that are unlabeled, and uncorks them using his metal fingers before carefully pouring out frothy beer into two clay mugs for each of you. Roger raises his mug up, and gives it a sniff before smiling and nodding in approval. You cautiously sniff it as well, and find that it is a very rich smelling ale that seems a bit nutty and sweet at the same time. Roger takes a large gulp, and smacks his lips in satisfaction before setting his mug down and folding his hands on the tabletop. You take a sip as well, to be polite, then set the mug aside. ROGER: Now... I can say that the bounty is deceptively simple. I created four water elementals, and I need to recover as many as possible. Preferably all of them... but at this point I'll take what I can get. ROGER: I'm sure you have questions. How can I help?Character Sheets & Inventory BUSINESS USD ACCOUNT BALANCE: $2,000,000 USD ACCOUNT BALANCE: $74,611 SM ACCOUNT BALANCE: Ω1.55 JessAlias fucked around with this message at 01:42 on May 3, 2024 |
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May 3, 2024 01:07
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What happened to help these water elementals get loose? Does he have any rough idea of where they could have gone? Can he offer us a thorough explanation of water elementals, their composition, how they're made?
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May 3, 2024 01:18
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BraveLittleToaster posted:What happened to help these water elementals get loose? Does he have any rough idea of where they could have gone? Can he offer us a thorough explanation of water elementals, their composition, how they're made? JOSEI: What happened to help these water elementals get loose? ROGER: Ah. A very good question! Here, follow me.He gestures for you to follow him into an adjacent room, where there's another laboratory setup. This one has a series of large... well, you can't really call them tanks. More like huge bell jars, each of which is about the size of a person. A small glass passageway leads from them to a larger tank with a pool of water, and strangely, several hammocks, alphabet blocks, and other toys. You guess that Roger would keep them confined to the bell jars when he was cleaning the larger enclosure, things like that. Roger notices your confused expression, and laughs. ROGER: The elementals aren't simple beasts. Or rather... they originally were, but I was trying to train them. Nobody believed it was possible... elementals are usually seen as barely sentient creatures, only fit to be used for rituals or as slaves. But I believe that not only are they capable of learning complex tasks... but they can actually develop empathy for others. JOSEI: Seems kind of progressive of you.He pauses, lips moving as he processes that word. ROGER: Progressive... ah, as in espousing progress? Yes! I suppose you could say that. ROGER: In any case, things were going well until they started demanding to be let out. Which... I couldn't do. Elementals are DELICATE creatures. Even evaporation could be a danger... or so I thought. JOSEI: That leads to another question, I was gonna ask how they're... created? Summoned? ROGER: Created is the right word. In a way, an elemental is a lot like a golem. You take an ineffable essential building block, like rock or stone. Then you invest it with vital energy that allows it to... live, after a fashion. ROGER: Fire elementals are often used to act as a heating source, while earth elementals are good beasts of burden. Generally, water and air elementals were seen as useless. Too incorporeal. At the most, they can be used as guards. JOSEI: How so?The wizard gets a grave expression. ROGER: Well... imagine a water elemental about half again as tall as you.You nod. JOSEI: Yeah? ROGER: Now imagine it rushing into your mouth, and shoving all of its' mass into your body. Waterboarding is a game in comparison... your lungs would be filled with water, your stomach would be filled with water, etc. It would literally flood you from within, leaving you as a drowned corpse on the ground, but only if it doesn't actually rip apart your body's inner structures, causing you to burst messily.You blanche, and raise your hands in the 'slow down' motion. JOSEI: I think I get it. ROGER: Oh. Right. I suppose it is rather gruesome.He says this in a strangely analytical tone, like he's examining a specimen under a microscope rather than talking about killing someone horrifically. JOSEI: Uhhh... maybe a little bit?Roger stares at you, then blinks, and shrugs. ROGER: In any case... these water elementals were learning to speak. I had helped them figure out how to create a basic voicebox, you see. Little did I know that they could mimic my own voice with so much skill that they tricked poor Charles! One of them managed to turn into a copy of me, and ordered him to open up the outside door for them, and the rest escaped.He rubs his face tiredly. ROGER: I rather wish they had kept trying to mimic me... that would have made them easier to catch. As it is, a part of me wonders if they've created fake identities for themselves, and have scattered to the four corners of the Earth. JOSEI: Do you know where they are? ROGER: No idea. Far away from here, I suspect. They did steal some of my treasure... probably to sell in order to get funds to support themselves. JOSEI: Can you show me what they look like?Roger pauses, and shrugs. He takes you back into his lab and finds a grimoire where, of all things, he's carefully inserted a polaroid between the pages. JOSEI: You use a camera? ROGER: ...yes? I'm not technologically illiterate, unlike some of my brethren.You examine the photo. It shows the containment area with four... well, walking masses of water is what they look like. Vaguely humanoid shapes formed from clear water, but no facial features at all. JOSEI: Creepy. ROGER: I can safely say the one mimicking me didn't look like that. It appeared like, well, me. Complete with clothes. I must admit, I'm fascinated in how they could duplicate textures and change their coloration to allow that. I'm guessing that they must be doing something similar to how octopi...As he rambles about the ability of the octopus to change color and texture, among other things, you look from the picture to the containment tank. You wonder what to ask next.
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May 3, 2024 01:37
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Could a water elemental disappear into the ocean or a large body of water and be impossible to ever find? Did they start to exhibit any kinds of habits unusual for elementals before they escaped? What treasure did they steal? How would one theoretically tell the difference between a human or supernatural humanoid or whatever and a water elemental mimicking one?
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May 3, 2024 01:49
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BraveLittleToaster posted:Could a water elemental disappear into the ocean or a large body of water and be impossible to ever find? ROGER: For short periods, yes. The issue is that if they stay immersed too long, their bodies will disassociate. It would basically be suicide.BraveLittleToaster posted:Did they start to exhibit any kinds of habits unusual for elementals before they escaped? ROGER: Considering that my training of them was unusual, that's difficult to say. But I can say they were getting quite surly and moody when I kept denying their requests to be let out to explore!He sighs. ROGER: The sad part is, I was building towards getting them a larger enclosure, if they could have just waited a little longer...BraveLittleToaster posted:What treasure did they steal? ROGER: Some old Roman coins that I had collected, jewelry, and a few gold bars. Nothing of vast arcane significance.BraveLittleToaster posted:How would one theoretically tell the difference between a human or supernatural humanoid or whatever and a water elemental mimicking one? ROGER: Hmm... a good question. They would probably have difficulty mimicking true blood, at least once it left their immediate person it would revert to being mundane water. I doubt they'd have true organs. Also I suspect their reflexes would be off... shine a bright light in their eyes, and I doubt the pupils would contract correctly. ROGER: I could also lend a thaumoscope, I suppose? It would be a device that would show high levels of magical energy within a being. Sort of like a magnifying glass. Of course, that could just mean that they're a magic user, or a vampire, et cetera. It would be better if you were a trained magic user... or if you had one assisting you in the search. Then you could interpret the readings more accurately.
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May 3, 2024 02:34
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Could they be frozen in some manner? Have you tried asking your door gargoyle about them? Do you think they ever talked while you weren't around, and could Charles have overheard some of their plans?
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May 3, 2024 02:45
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Did they make any specific requests? Things they’d like to be released to do, places they expressed an interest in going?
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May 3, 2024 03:56
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BraveLittleToaster posted:Could they be frozen in some manner? ROGER: As in turned into ice? I... suppose? Perhaps if they went north. But I know they'd find being frozen even more unpleasant than being imprisoned.BraveLittleToaster posted:Have you tried asking your door gargoyle about them? Do you think they ever talked while you weren't around, and could Charles have overheard some of their plans? ROGER: Oh, Roderick? Of course I did! He was the one who alerted me about the fact that he saw "me" leaving with the elementals. ROGER: Also unfortunately, they didn't seem to have discussed anything while he was stomping about... I made sure to question Charles most thoroughly.AJ_Impy posted:Did they make any specific requests? Things they’d like to be released to do, places they expressed an interest in going? ROGER: Let me think... Specimen One was very interested in traveling. First it was interested in Europe, especially France, after I brought in a bottle of wine to see what they all thought of it. That grew into an interest in California once it found out that's a wine growing region, and things snowballed from there. That one was quite curious about how people worked, too. Not in a gruesome sense, just... why do people do things they do. Of all of them, that's the one I suspect took on my identity to lead the charge with escaping. ROGER: Specimen Two was particularly fascinated with clothing. Probably due to the textures. If Specimen One didn't steal my identity, I'd guess that one did since my duplicate had a very good simulacrum of my own clothes. Though that could have been a collaborative effort, One and Two were always very close. I had given it some waterproofed fashion magazines... one of the magazines was talking about some kind of fashion show in New York City. So that's a possible lead? ROGER: Specimen Three was the first to start reading and writing, and was voracious when it came to books. It was the first one to figure out how to make an outer membrane to keep from soaking them. Giving it some serious thought, I could see it taking on the role of a librarian, somewhere. Three was also learning a pinch of magic, just little cantrips, so... it might be masquerading as a wizard, perhaps? That would be difficult, though. ROGER: As for Specimen Four... that one was an enigma. Very violent, slowest to learn, gets frustrated easily. I had slated it for a possible guard, and it was quite intrigued by weaponry which... is now rather worrying to think about. I hope it's not going on a murdering spree or something equally awful. I can say of the group, Four probably would have gone on its' own too - it never was friendly with the others.
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May 3, 2024 04:19
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Request that thaumoscope he offered to lend, that could be helpful.
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May 3, 2024 04:26
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How can they be contained once found?
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May 3, 2024 13:33
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BraveLittleToaster posted:Request that thaumoscope he offered to lend, that could be helpful. JOSEI: Can I have that thaumoscope? ROGER: Of course! One moment.He goes and rummages around on a worktable, and returns with something that looks like a very large handheld magnifying glass. He gestures for you to hold it up in your hand. You do so, and peer through it. The whole laboratory is covered in swirls of slightly psychedelic arcane energy. In particular, Charles and Roger are lit up almost like Christmas trees. ROGER: Again, it'd help if you had training to interpret the readings.... and that is easier if you're a magic user. If you have a friend who's a student of the arcane, it'd be best to give them the lens.You nod, and put the thaumoscope away. You have gained an item: A thaumoscope, for detecting magical energies. Blasphemaster posted:How can they be contained once found? JOSEI: Ah, Arch-Magister? Can I ask how I'm supposed to contain the creatures? Especially if there's a chance they could be dangerous.The wizard pauses, and you realize this hadn't occurred to him. ROGER: Well... with that, I could come up with an arcane device that you could throw at them that would instantly chill the creature, causing it to freeze solid. ROGER: Then you could either cart it back here, or contact me and I could send Charles over to fetch it.You get the mental image of Charles the Brazen stomping through the streets of modern America. JOSEI: Wouldn't that cause, uh, an uproar? ROGER: Have no fear, Mr. Lefin, Charles has no trouble in situations that require discretion. He's even got his own disguise.He pats Charles on the arm. ROGER: Go ahead and demonstrate your perception filter to the young man. CHARLES: YES, SIR.He reaches into the air and seems to pluck a top hat out of nowhere, and places it on his head. You go cross-eyed for a moment, and feel a brief headache. When you refocus, you feel surprised. Charles appears to have disappeared, though on a completely unrelated note, there's a nondescript man standing in the room who you vaguely feel like you've seen before. You ignore him, because he's obviously not important. JOSEI: ...it turns him invisible?Roger gets an amused expression. ROGER: He's right here, actually.You look around, feeling confused. You're pretty sure you'd notice a giant brass automaton. You step around the random dude in the room, trying to see if Charles is hiding under a worktable or something. ROGER: He's right next to you, Mr. LeFin! JOSEI: What?You glance at the random, nondescript person again. JOSEI: Are you screwing with me? I don't see Charles-The nondescript man removes a top hat that you vaguely noticed he was wearing, and abruptly, your eyes cross again. You get another headache, and notice that Charles has mysteriously reappeared. JOSEI: What the gently caress. ROGER: Mr. LeFin, that top hat has a perception filter. It lets him walk around town without anyone noticing him, and humans will simply fail to notice he exists. The other day I even saw him buy groceries in front of an entire crowded supermarket, and nobody had any reaction at all.You nod, and make the appropriately awed noises of appreciation, but the first thing you think of is that you could use that hat to rob a bank without anyone noticing. Your palms get very itchy. Or maybe it's your fingers getting sticky. > We have received most of the information that Roger Bacon has about the escape of his water elementals. We can still ask more questions, if we want, or we can begin wrapping up our conversation. Character Sheets & Inventory BUSINESS USD ACCOUNT BALANCE: $2,000,000 USD ACCOUNT BALANCE: $74,611 SM ACCOUNT BALANCE: Ω1.55 JessAlias fucked around with this message at 15:30 on May 3, 2024 |
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May 3, 2024 15:26
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Start wrapping up this conversation, this seems like enough information.
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May 3, 2024 15:54
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That perception filter hat is very impressive. Could I potentially commission one? No need to steal and piss off a potential asset. We can always claim it's for our favorite definitely a human.
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May 3, 2024 16:28
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AJ_Impy posted:That perception filter hat is very impressive. Could I potentially commission one? JOSEI: ...how much would it cost to make one of those hats? ROGER: Hmm?The older man blinks, obviously befuddled at the concept of doing work on commission. ROGER: Oh, well. Tell you what - if you manage to get back all four elementals, I'll give you one for free.He holds up a finger. ROGER: I must note that it is only effective against mundane humans and the like. It won't work well on animals, or on supernatural beings. JOSEI: Sure, still sounds useful, though. Thank you!He gives a nod, and the pair of you shake on it. > Anything else? We do have one vote to move on.
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May 3, 2024 16:34
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We're done here.
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May 4, 2024 00:06
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Yup, that wraps it up.
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May 4, 2024 00:07
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AJ_Impy posted:Yup, that wraps it up. McSpanky posted:We're done here. With that, you bid farewell to Arch-Magister Roger Bacon, and head off to do the next task on your list. As you walk out, you hear the gargoyle mutter in disbelief at the fact that Roger Bacon didn't do something terrible to you due to disturbing him. You cheerfully ignore the unpleasant doorknocker. You drop by your penthouse to have lunch, along with letting Goodboy out to pee. Then, you give Kenjiro a call.  KENJIRO: Mr. Joko. JOSEI: Good day, Mr. Takamura. I hope today finds you well. KENJIRO: Indeed it does. I was surprised to see that the 750,000 has already been deposited. I admit, I was expecting you to be cheating me yet again.You snort. JOSEI: Be stupid if I did. Did everything go alright? KENJIRO: Yes. It was a simple job. Though a confusing one. What use do you have for all this equipment? Selling it?You decide, what the hell, you might as well be honest. JOSEI: I'm setting up a possibly illegal quantum physics lab. KENJIRO: I... see? You are... a very strange man, Josei. JOSEI: A more honest one now, at least, in a weird and roundabout way. KENJIRO: Hn. In any event, how do you want this stuff? JOSEI: I guess asking you to ship it would be out of the question...?To your surprise, he grunts and says the opposite. KENJIRO: I can throw that in for free, we'll send it by rail. I'll send you the terminal it will end up at, then you just have to figure out the last few miles. JOSEI: Well... thanks. That's surprisingly kind of you. KENJIRO: Unlike you, I don't make a habit of burning bridges.You wince, because what he said is true. JOSEI: Yeah, you got me.You contemplate your options, and decide to continue the trend of what you started with Michelle and Fernando. JOSEI: Listen- KENJIRO: Absolutely not. JOSEI: I was just gonna ask if you would like to meet up again at the bar? Share stories? KENJIRO: I know, and the answer is still no. It takes more than six figures of cash to make up for being a dishonorable bastard.He grunts. KENJIRO: The one you really owe an apology to is Kasumi.And with that, he abruptly hangs up on you, obviously to get the last word. You can't help but laugh, that's surprisingly petty. But deep down, you wonder... > Do we re-establish contact with Kasumi, and cultivate Kenjiro as a contact? Or do we move on with our life? We've tried our best to build bridges with the ghosts of the past. But this is one bridge that Josei burned down to the foundation. Character Sheets & Inventory BUSINESS USD ACCOUNT BALANCE: $2,000,000 USD ACCOUNT BALANCE: $74,611 SM ACCOUNT BALANCE: Ω1.55
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May 4, 2024 01:08
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Not now, but hang onto the possibility for the future. We've got a lot of balls in the air just now, breaking bread with our Yakuza princess ex across the country is a bit much to pile on. And a text message just doesn't feel right for this one.
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May 4, 2024 03:12
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Not now, there's a lot of irons in the fire already, but we should wait for a better opportunity to approach her in the future.
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May 4, 2024 03:17
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With two people selecting "not now, but maybe later," I'll go ahead and roll with that. It isn't a no, and isn't a yes - the Procrastination Special! With that done, it's time to visit Sami to pick up the reagent gathering contract. We've got a growing team, and really, Josei could use the cash considering how much we had to pay to Kenjiro...
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May 4, 2024 03:25
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Proceed to get our pals and coworkers in a group chat re: Project Magitech Bounty Hunter's Spa Resort Bar & Grille is a go. We're going to start with helping Becca set up her lab in a quonset hut on the property. Dart board is open if anyone wants to see if an idea sticks. Get $$$$$$ because we're broke as gently caress.
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May 4, 2024 04:16
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Blasphemaster posted:Proceed to get our pals and coworkers in a group chat re: Project Magitech Bounty Hunter's Spa Resort Bar & Grille is a go. We're going to start with helping Becca set up her lab in a quonset hut on the property. Dart board is open if anyone wants to see if an idea sticks. You decide to table what to do regarding Kasumi and Kenjiro for now, and look at your watch. You've still got a good amount of time left. After some thought, you decide to head back to Sami to inform her of your new busienss arrangement with the IBoH. She had pledged a million dollars worth of seed money... and on that note, you decide you ought to sign up for another bounty to get some more cash on hand. Just in case. You head to the Crossroads nightclub. Since night approaches, the place is filling up with supernatural creatures, along with a few mundane counterparts that are completely unbothered by a werewolf or vampire drinking next to them. You head down to Sami's study, through the labyrinthine corridors beneath the nightclub. You knock on her door, and she calls out.  SAMI: Come in.You stroll into her study, and find that like you did once before, you've interrupted her dinner. She has a bowl of... something meatlike, and mildly stomach turning to contemplate. You do your best to politely ignore it, though it's not easy. Sami sips from a glass of red wine, and waves for you to take a seat. A part of you feels bad about bothering her, but she doesn't seem annoyed. SAMI: So, Josei... you have that look on your face that tells me you need a favor. JOSEI: I guess you could say that. I ironed things out with Naomi, and the business venture's moving forward. Are you still open to getting a stake in it?Sami doesn't even pause for a second. SAMI: Of course.She picks up her phone, and pulls up her IBoH app. After a few taps, you get a notification from your phone saying that she's deposited a million dollars in your account. There's something surreal about how quick this process was. You have gained $1,000,000. SAMI: I'll admit, I'm a bit confused about you coming in person for that. JOSEI: Well... it's a lot of money, you know? So... yeah.You clear your throat. JOSEI: Though admittedly, I wanted to sign up for a bounty too? If that's okay. SAMI: Another one? Very well.She raises a hand, and a binder floats from her desk into it. She flips it open. SAMI: What were you looking at?You tap at the bounty from Apollyon, for the magical reagent recovery. JOSEI: This one.There's a long pause, as Sami stares at your finger. You could almost swear she's doing that deliberately, as she refuses to look at the bounty at all. Finally, she sighs, and looks down at the bounty form. Her lips move slightly as she rereads the entry for Apollyon's bounty. SAMI: ...if you insist. JOSEI: What? Is Apollyon a backstabber like Viktor or something?Sami sits back in her seat, and silence falls as she thinks about how to respond to that question. SAMI: I simply don't like her. That's all. JOSEI: Why-Sami leans forward suddenly, her eyes narrowing. You suddenly get the sense you're walking on thin ice. SAMI: I SAID, that I do not like her. But I cannot stop you from pursuing that bounty. You have two others assigned to you - my suggestion would be to finish those first, and THEN deal with Apollyon. JOSEI: Uh... okay. I was actually planning to farm it out, since it doesn't involve capturing or killing anyone? I figured I could split it up between me, and Ivan, and-Sami holds up a hand, and you see her scribble on the page, reserving the bounty for you without any of the usual pomp and circumstance where you sign off on paperwork. She pulls a sheet of paper out of a drawer, hands it to you, and slams the binder shut. SAMI: Well, since it sounds like you have an EXCELLENT idea of how you want to do things, you can kindly see yourself out of my office. JOSEI: I- SAMI: Get out of my office.The roaring fireplace in Sami's study suddenly climbs up the chimney, along with the flames of all the candles leaping, and you feel an unseen force shove you backwards through the door of Sami's office and into the hallway beyond. The door slams shut behind you. You hear the locking mechanism activate immediately after, with a solid CLUNK. You stand there, feeling a little stunned. You've never seen her like this. You stare down at the piece of paper, it's a flyer advertising some kind of entertainment venue... the Afterlife Casino. "The Greatest Place in the Underworld!" You vaguely remember driving past it a few times. It's a member's only joint, very exclusive. A hand-written note is on the lower right-hand corner. "Come any day of the week at 9PM sharp, I'll be finishing my show. - Apollyon." *** You spend the rest of the day feeling thoughtful. A part of you almost feels tempted to just back out of the bounty. But you doubt that this... Apollyon person would just try to kill you, or something. Sami would have just told you to NOT go in that case. Right? So it can't be dangerous. You decide that maybe Sami and this Apollyon person had some kinda falling out, and that's the reason for all this bad blood. Besides, you REALLY need the money. You're kinda broke right now. While on that train of thought, you also spend a little time setting up a group chat for the team to at least get the ball rolling with the whole business investment thingie. There's so many moving parts that you want easy communication. You vaguely remember Rebecca talking about setting up a "Discord Chat." You need to ask her how that would work exactly. You decide to take Goodboy with you, just in case. He's always been a good judge of character. When it gets close to 9:00 PM, you both pile into your Corvette, and drive downtown to the Afterlife Casino. The place is in a glitzy part of town, right next to the Silver Spire Mall. It's a tall building, bright white, and almost makes you feel like someone dropped a marble monolith in the middle of the downtown area. At the very top is a sign spelling out "AFTERLIFE CASINO" in a stylized script, with a pair of neon halos on either side. There's also banks of spotlights set up to illuminate the entire structure, casting the street in an almost blinding white light at night. You head up to the front door, where a hulking bouncer stands. Goodboy softly growls at the man, who ignores him. He's wearing a bowler hat, and... you realize, you can just barely see a hint of horns under it. He must be some kind of demon. On a hunch, you show him the flyer, and even roll up your sleeve for good measure to show Sami's sigil. He blinks, and wordlessly waves you in. You pat Goodboy on the head, and he calms down as soon as the bouncer's no longer threateningly looming over him. Inside is the foyer to an incredibly ritzy casino, like many you've seen in your past life. The main difference is that this place is designed to cater to the Underworld. There's a vaguely Japanese looking lady with a bunch of bushy fox tails cashing out for a pile of soulmarks on one side. On the other, you see a group of cultist-seeming fellows in finely embroidered red robes strolling into a nearby restaurant, each one of them with a third eye growing in the middle of their foreheads. You squint at them in confusion, then shrug and check your watch. 8:40 PM. You notice that one of the hallways leads to some kind of theater, and there's a board advertising Apollyon singing every day at 8PM, so her show must still be wrapping up. Plenty of time to explore a little, if you want. Or you could head directly to the theater and wait there instead. > We can cut to the chase, or wander around some. This feels like a neutral ground. We won't get harmed while we're here, unless we do something idiotic. Character Sheets & Inventory BUSINESS USD ACCOUNT BALANCE: $3,000,000 USD ACCOUNT BALANCE: $74,611 SM ACCOUNT BALANCE: Ω1.55
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May 4, 2024 04:38
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Oh no, Josei.  Of all the belt sanders we could apply to our face, we chose the one with 10 grit.
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May 4, 2024 05:07
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Ulp. Go straight to the theater. (Good lord, "kind of broke" with ~$75k in the bank. Josei really is a high roller.)
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May 4, 2024 05:57
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McSpanky posted:Ulp. You decide to cut to the chase, and head straight for the theater. As you make your way down the hallway, you can hear the sound of thumping music, followed by the sound of applause and cheering from a live audience. As you get closer, you see a crowd gathered in front of a closed set of double doors with a pair of buff demon bouncers in tuxedos keeping them back. On a hunch, you push past the crowd and show the bouncers the flyer with Apollyon's note on it. One of the bouncers nods and gives you a quick pat down for weapons, while the other opens one of the doors for you with a bow. You nod in thanks, and slip into the theater before the crowd can react to what happened. You blink a bit, and it takes time for your eyes to adjust. You're in an absolutely massive auditorium that's packed with people - clearly, Apollyon is very popular. Rows of plush seats are lined up neatly, like you would find in any high-end modern theater. As you scan the crowd, you notice it's about as eclectic as you can expect for a place like this. Vampires, demons, a group of what you suspect are magic users... you even see a scattering of dragons, including Sokolov of all people. You're glad he doesn't seem to notice you, the less you have to do with him, the better. On the stage is, well, an angel. She's imposingly tall - taller even than Sami, you think, with a pair of huge, white, feathery wings coming from her back that she casually fans out with a playful smirk. She's wearing an white cocktail dress that's practically glowing thanks to the stage lights being trained on her, and a golden halo hovers above her head, bobbing up and down like a buoy in water. You glance up, and notice the place has skylights, or maybe some kind of projection that's meant to look like a night sky. Stars twinkle up above as the impressive black of the night sky contrasts to the brightly lit stage, in what you suspect is a very purposeful way.  APOLLYON: Thank you, thank you... now. For my next song...The angel pauses to scan the crowd, and suddenly, you get the sense that she's making eye contact directly with you. Even at this distance, you notice she has rather arresting yellow eyes. They remind you of someone...  APOLLYON: I think I'll be going for a personal favorite of mine. A love song, like almost all songs are.There's some scattered laughter, as she finally breaks her intense eye contact. APOLLYON: But come now, don't just sit there. I need a beat.She begins clapping rhythmically, and after a few false starts the audience begins joining in on the beat as well. It builds and builds until she abruptly snaps her fingers and begins singing, her voice sounding like... well, an angel. APOLLYON: There's a fire starting in my heart, reaching a fever pitch, it's bringing me out the dark...The angel - frankly, more of an archangel, considering her height and presence compared to the one other real angel you've met - once again makes intense eye contact with you as she launches into a cover of "Rolling in the Deep." You glance away, not feeling comfortable with the intense attention, and look down at Goodboy to see how he's doing. Your dog is obviously uncomfortable with the noise and the crowd of people. He's not growling, but his tail is tucked between his legs, and he's tense as if he's expecting an attack from someone at any moment. You reach down and gently pat him as he gives you a pleading look, obviously confused about why you're hanging around in this terrible place. The angel's song draws to a close, and the audience bursts into a riotous round of applause. Apollyon simply bows, and waves to the crowd as she leaves the stage. As the curtain falls behind her, you blink, and wonder where you're supposed to go now. Before you can finish that thought, a large hand lands on your shoulder. You turn to see a demonic bouncer in a suit standing there with an impressive scowl on his face.  BOUNCER: Come with me. Boss is ready to see ya.The bouncer is huge. Broad shouldered and muscular enough that it's almost inhuman. You decide that really, you don't want to see what would happen if you refused to listen to him, so you just give an easy-going nod and follow him through a backstage passageway until you reach a staircase leading up to a mezzanine balcony, with an ornate wooden door leading into Apollyon's dressing room. He raps a knuckle against the door.  BOUNCER: Bounty hunter's here, ma'am.You hear the archangel's (?) voice project from inside the room... she has a very distinct, resonant tone that carries easily. APOLLYON: Hmm, already? Let him in then!He pushes open the door and gestures for you to head on inside. The dressing room is pretty luxurious, with a huge mirror and makeup tables on one side, and a ridiculously opulent couch and rug setup on the other with several expensive paintings hung up on the wall. Apollyon is seated at the mirror, doing some touch-up on her makeup. The lights in the room are almost blinding with how much they're turned up. Apollyon turns around and stands up in a single smooth motion. You swallow a bit. Not so much from attraction as just feeling a sense of anxiety. The level of power and confidence she radiates reminds you of Athena, but without any of the goddess of wisdom's reserved kindness. You hear Goodboy give a very soft growl, then a confused whine as he sniffs the air. He doesn't seem to know what to make of the angel. APOLLYON: Why, aren't you a cute little fellow.She waves the bouncer off, and then leans down to pat Goodboy on the head as he eyes her warily. JOSEI: Ah... right... so you're Apollyon? APOLLYON: Guilty as charged.She gives a surprisingly musical laugh, and waves to a nearby couch. APOLLYON: Have a seat!You cautiously sit down, and Goodboy moves to sit right in front of your legs, almost as though he's trying to guard you from Apollyon. JOSEI: You seem to be doing pretty well for yourself.She shrugs in an exaggerated fashion. APOLLYON: I do well for myself, but alas... nothing quite compares to Celestia.Apollyon clicks her tongue, and sighs, as she sits back down and crosses her legs. APOLLYON: Would you like a drink? Coffee, tea, something stronger, perhaps? JOSEI: I... generally don't drink when on the clock. Some coffee would be nice?She gets a smirk, and snaps her fingers. The motion reminds you of Sami, though while her magic has a whiff of brimstone to it, Apollyon's brings just a gentle breeze that has a hint of something flowery. Maybe jasmine? It's hard to tell. You jump as a silver platter manifests on a nearby end table, with an expensive-looking French press and two cups waiting for you. Apollyon simply taps the handle of the press twice, and it automatically floats into the air, dispensing two cups of coffee for you both. APOLLYON: There. Oh, don't look so gobsmacked. Just a little miracle, you know?She laughs as she adds some sugar to her own coffee cup, and stirs it with a spoon that seems to come out of nowhere. JOSEI: Right... got it.You add some sugar and creamer to your own coffee, and take a sip. It's pretty good. Then again, you figure it would be. JOSEI: So, uh... about the bounty...Apollyon pauses, and wags a finger. APOLLYON: Anyone ever tell you it's rude to rush straight to business? We need to get to know each other first, Mr. Josei Joko. After all, we're going to be business associates.She leans forward, grinning, and you notice something. The other angel you met had a normal smile. In contrast, Apollyon's teeth are razor sharp. You hear Goodboy give a very, very quiet whine. APOLLYON: Tell me about yourself, Josei.> How much do we choose to share with Apollyon? You get the feeling that lying to her wouldn't be a good idea... but oversharing might not be a good one either. Character Sheets & Inventory BUSINESS USD ACCOUNT BALANCE: $3,000,000 USD ACCOUNT BALANCE: $74,611 SM ACCOUNT BALANCE: Ω1.55
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May 4, 2024 14:01
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Nice singing voice, I take it you've had a lot of practice. Still getting used to casually meeting all kinds of legendarily powerful figures.
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May 4, 2024 16:02
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