Executioner Log 2 (Last Resort)

[22:12] The artificer strolls into her shop, pausing briefly only to toss aside her bow, her cloak, and to pat the head of the sleeping shot cat and scratch him behind the ears.

Then to work. Less so this time because of her passion, now more so for her own sense of self preservation. The runes had already been laid in the barrel of Verdict's gun.

If it was to be used against her, she'd need a means of evasion and escape. Was it in her to destroy one of her own creations? Maybe not, but anything to keep her life- or unlife- intact.

Even if the masked man had his redeeming qualities, things they could agree on. It's not a risk she can run.

From her stocks she takes several pieces of orchilacum and steel. The device she envisions will not be unlike the antimagic restraints.

Albeit not restraints. And not meant to hinder magic.
(Katrin Weiss)
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[22:19] The forge is stoked to life, but on a much lower heat than normal. The metals she's working with, at least currently, are softer than the Nyeshks, the arcaniums, even the blue steels.

Katrin takes piece after piece of orchilacum and, rather than melting it down into an ingot, softens it only until it's malleable. She begins molding it, shaping it, and drawing out multiple pieces into pieces of long, thin wire.

Once a piece is finished she spools it into a coil for easier storage and cooling.
(Katrin Weiss)
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[23:16] KATHUNK

A pillar of alabaster colored metal shot up into Moxtli's squares and... Just like that, in a brief flash of light. The two were transported into the Ardent Artificer!
(Thorn Meztin)
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[23:16] Thorn Meztin says, "Hey t-"
[23:17] Thorn Meztin says, "There's no one here.. Right.. AHEM."
[23:18] Home again, home again, jiggety jig. Thorn delicately opens a seam in the fabric of reality, closing it back behind them once they're on the other side in the shop.

She must be getting used to this travel, as she even sticks the landing with a flourish as she removes her cloak.

"...Yeah? Should be just us. Had Ek here earlier to fix an old injury, but no one else has the key but me and you."
(Katrin Weiss)
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[23:18] Thorn Meztin asks, "-An old injury?"
[23:20] Katrin Weiss says, "Yeah. Bite taken outta' my neck."
[23:20] Katrin Weiss says, "The Lord wanted one last snack before...y'know."
[23:20] Katrin Weiss asks, "But why're you askin'? Somethin' wrong?"
[23:21] Thorn Meztin says, "...I.. Don't want you hurt.. That's all."
[23:22] Katrin Weiss says, "No, no. I meant it bein' just us here, but-"
[23:22] Thorn Meztin says, "Ooohhh...."
[23:22] Katrin Weiss says, "...I'm fine. Better now, too. Got it patched up a lil'."
[23:22] Thorn Meztin says, "Nah, nah.. I've gotten into the habit of saying 'hey there'."
[23:22] Katrin Weiss exclaims, "...OH!"
[23:22] Thorn Meztin says, "When I go through my portals."
[23:22] Katrin Weiss says, "Well, nah. Just us- and Bramble."
[23:24] Katrin Weiss says, "Anywho...remote detonations. Right."
[23:28] The artificer begins as many of her projects do. With her raiding her supply chests. Out comes a rifle- one of simple, unremarkable make, but serviceable to their purposes. While it's not the arcanium barrel, instead comprised of mithril and orchilacum, it will no doubt serve a purpose regardless.

She sets it down onto the table and takes out the spools of wire she'd made before.

"So...here's the idea," she starts, beginning with an explanation for Thorn's benefit.

"I'm gonna crack the barrel of this rifle in half and rune it up like I did Verdict's. Sprinkle in some fire crystals.

Then I'm gonna make up a remote here with some of this wire. Idea is, like the collars, it'll hit the same frequency these runes are tied to and-"

Katrin claps her hands together for emphasis.

"Boom. Explosion. Best case? Barrel busts, can't use the gun. Worst case...hopin' enough smoke for a distraction."
(Katrin Weiss)
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[23:47] Thorn took a deep breath. The man rolled his shoulders, preparing himself for what was to come. Surely, this was going to be a wild ride. He was going to. Sacrifice his wellbeing for the ability to help Katrin... Survive, at the very least.

"That's good! That's amazing!" The man raises his hands into the air, pumping a fist or two. "Hey that's not bad at all!" He could see the explosion now- Quite gory, quite gruesome.

"And what about the other people that have asked for your services in.. Creating 'immortal' killing weapons?" He cants his head to the side and scratches the nape of his neck. "Any plans for them?"
(Thorn Meztin)
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[23:54] The artificer regards him with a frown. She took no pleasure in it. At all. If anything her reluctance oozes off of her.

"...We can find another way to test it, y'know. Hook it up to a lil' mana battery or just give it a good charge. You ain't got to hold it.

But it works like the collar. 'Cept the runes're powered by the mana of the one holdin' it. Ideally. Since mana's already flowin' through the thing anyway.

For them...I ain't wanna. I don't. But if this works? Maybe somethin' similar. It's just. It's a last resort. Y'know?"
(Katrin Weiss)
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[23:54] Katrin Weiss says, "...I ain't want someone comin' along and offin' me because they ain't get it. Or think they're doin' the world a favor."
[23:55] Thorn Meztin says, "I ain't want that either.. I'd never.."
[23:55] Thorn Meztin says, "I-..."
[23:55] Thorn purses his lips, he stared at the table.
(Thorn Meztin)
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[23:57] Thorn Meztin says, "I feel like I saw a reflection of myself. When I fought."
[23:58] Katrin Weiss asks, "Hm? How ya mean?"
[00:03] Thorn lets out a sigh- Perhaps it was a bit wrong of him to be enthusiastic, but he only wished for Katrin's safety in the end. His hands laid flat onto the table, scratching the wooden surface as he pondered-

Eventually he went out and said it, "I fought Sebastian. The man who lost his wife to Cedar." That statement hung in the air as he turned his attention to fully face Katrin. "He was so pent up with the very idea of revenge…" He sought to place a hand on her shoulder, squeezing very lightly.

"I can't deny I haven't thought of a grim fate. Of how I would be if I lost you... He became so very, very strong. So powerful- But even I know... That power and strength doesn't hold a candle to the love that he shared for his wife." The silvery cerulean band on his finger- The violet gem began to paint a picture, of worry and concern. The ever present adoration that Thorn held for the artificer.

"I don't want to end up like that. Consumed by my rage." He shut his eyes. "And I fear I will end up like that. I know I will." It was in his nature, after all.
(Thorn Meztin)
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[00:08] The artificer has begun on making a simple remote, much in line with that used for the magical suppression collars. A great deal of what she envisions is co-opted from its construction. She takes a few lumps of steel and works them until they're a clay-like consistency with her magmatic magic, forming a simple casing.

A few scattered lightning crystals for a simple power supply when a button is pressed. And then, most importantly, she starts creating the interior circuitry from all the wire she'd crafted in the days before.

Spools on spools of the stuff all ready for her use.

But there is little joy in her work as Thorn recounts his tale. She frowns.

"...Hadn't known he was married. I..."

For a moment she stops entirely, feeling the squeeze on her shoulder. Her work pauses so she can lay her hand over his. Behind closed doors, without her gloves, the wedding band glitters brightly.

Katrin tightens her hand grip around his fingers. In the face of his worry she attempts to provide him comfort and succor.

"...You won't. We won't. We'll be fine. We'll be safe." Though she cannot fully suppress worries of her own. Life on Esshar was not kind.
(Katrin Weiss)
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[00:20] Thorn stared at Katrin- He just stared, he simply could only stare... The man swayed his head from one side to another. Thorn then saw that he had stopped her work... This wasn't about him… He didn't want it to be about him- The man cleared his throat and nodded, "Me either.. But every time he fights... Her name..."

He halts, pauses, freezes. There was no need to say anymore. There was no more need to sully the mood- To put a stop to Katrin's work any longer than he had already. The Meztin found his hand with hers.

"I know... I know... We'll have our happy life together." He wore a wary smile.
(Thorn Meztin)
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[00:26] Whether he willed it or not. In a way, it was. They were intertwined now- the heart wanted what the heart wanted. Whichever of them felt first...

No doubt whoever was left, if either, would not having anything kind in store. Whether it was her or him that had the misfortune of surviving.

In that way it is not just saving her own hide. It was just as much preserving the happiness, the sanity, of the one she held so dear. There's still enough time, enough of a pause, for her to take his hand and kiss his knuckles. All before the work resumes.

She returns to fashioning the remote, carefully winding the wires within the steel casing and snapping it closed once she's finished.

"We will."

Whatever it took. They would have it.

"Gotta rune up the inside of this barrel. Then you wanna hold it and run mana through it for me? I'll...I'll do a half charge of what I put in the real deal. I don't wanna hurtya."
(Katrin Weiss)
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[00:34] A kiss to his knuckles? His heart would yearn for more, his head resting on her shoulder as he watched her get to work once again. His smile would quickly come naturally as he let out a sigh, a melancholic moment of thought. He begins to nod slowly before eventually?

He'd stand, nodding along to Katrin's instructions. "Yeah! That sounds good, tell me when you're ready. I'll be ready to put in the work!" The minimal amount of work required to have something explode into his hands- "I can't say I've ever had anything explode in my hands. That sounds cool to do."

A memory of his youth...
(Thorn Meztin)
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[00:40] For both their sakes, it is good that the more troublesome thoughts subside. It improves her mood and, in turn, her work. She doesn't even mind the extra weight the Meztin's chin adds to her shoulder.

"Good...I got some emergency supplies. If it gets outta' hand. I ain't no doctor though."

And, true to what she said, she takes up the gun, dismantles the barrel from the rest of the body, and begins cutting down the middle of the tube lengthwise with a concentrated application of fire magic.

The two halves melt apart from one another, rolling off to either side. In one half she begins to etch a long series of runes all down its interior. Sigils meant not for protection or instilling vitality. Oh no. These were meant to do some harm.

The indentations are summarily sprinkled with crushed fire crystals- no more than a handful, lest she get too risky with her experimentation, and then she welds the two halves of the barrel back together.

It's not the prettiest work she's done, but it doesn't need to be. Not for testing purposes, anyhow. The barrel is replaced back onto the gun and the whole thing passed over to Thorn.

"So. You know how to use one of these. Right?"
(Katrin Weiss)
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[01:05] Thorn took some moments to breathe, he watches her hands move intently. There was always a level of care to her work, no? He nodded along slowly. A slew of happenings before him. Thorn... Was not at all good at forging nor artificing, he didn't believe himself to have the mental capacity to not burn himself- But definitely enough rigor in hiis mind to enscribe runes into the air with a finger.

Katrin could assuredly hear some muttering coming from him, nodding along until it was his time to move and turn.

"Yeah?" He rubbed his hands together, standing upright. "Well yeah! I told you I wanted to be an outlaw before I became Voice, no?" He remembered quite many conversations that the two shared. The weapon was pointed towards-- The wall. A step closer was taken, in order to keep Katrin safe.. Just in case.

He pulled on the trigger- HE. Pulled on the trigger without a second thought.
(Thorn Meztin)
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[01:10] Her experience grows with each passing day, with each new project she undertakes. Which, as it turns out, ends up being a LOT of them. The world continues to slowly recognize her proficiency. Which, in turn, grows her expertise.

Perhaps her aspiration of being without peer, without parallel, is not so far out of reach after all.

"I remember, yeah. Think you'd have made a good one, for the record." And how could she have forgotten. "Alright just...yeah. Like that. I-"

And there he was, jumping the gun. Almost literally. Well. No time like the present. Mana flows through the rifle and Katrin presses the button on the remote.

A rumbling. Then a little, tiny puff of smoke from the barrel...
(Katrin Weiss)
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[01:18] Thorn blinks. Hard... The anticipation for such an event practically slowed time. His mana coursed through the weapon, he felt his potent mana slip out and into the weapon- What could happen? What could it be?!

Poof... Nothing, nothing at all? He bent his head off to the left, and then quickly switched to the right. "Hey?" He blinks erratically, "Wasn't it supposed to explode? Why.. Why is it..?" He pulled the trigger again and again and again.

It was almost cartoonish- Although he did not... Point it at his head. Just at different spaces of the wall.
(Thorn Meztin)
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[01:22] "Y-yeah...Look. This ain't exact yet. That's why we're testin' it, okay? Otherwise stuff might go wrong. I ain't know anyone else that's doin' this...Well. Not with weapons. Knew an Achyonite to do it with a prosthetic once."

The artificer starts fiddling with the remote, cracking open the back of the steel case and fidgeting with some of the circuitry and wires. Which end was the issue on?

Well, whichever it was, between her fiddling and the Meztin's insistent trigger pulling there's a second, louder detonation. One that causes a choking cloud of acrid smoke to pour from the barrel which quickly fills the shop.
(Katrin Weiss)
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[01:33] Click. Click. Click. Surely, surely, it would work soon enough. Practically no waiting in between trigger pulls. "That seems gruesome... Sheesh, imagine having an exploding arm- Maybe if it exploded AWAY from you if you like. SHOT it at someone. But. Just exploding?!" He worried himself over the hypothetical, as if it was about to happen to HIM.

BANG… It sure did fire something- A massive cloud of smoke that would practically blind the man! A violent cough escaped him as he waved his hands in the air, trying to get the smoke AWAY from his precious, thirty-seven year old lungs!

"KATRIN?!" Numerous coughs right after, winds would seek to blow it all away soon enough. But the question truly was how soon!
(Thorn Meztin)
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[01:37] The gun was still intact. The best case scenario? Didn't come to pass- then again, she'd loaded it up with far fewer fire crystals than she had in the real deal. It was, in effect, a 'dry run'.

Katrin might be used to smoke, and the inhalation thereof, but even she sets to coughing with the dense smog that fills her shop. If she can't be located by sigh she can surely be located by the wheezing and hacking.

"Y-YEAH? YOU OKAY? STILL GOT YOUR ARMS!?"

The shouting was maybe unnecessary, but her ears had set to ringing. A few gusts of wind finally allow the smoke to clear.
(Katrin Weiss)
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[01:42] The gun had fallen onto the floor- A bit more effort placed on pushing away all the smoke out of the shop and into the open outdoors. Thorn scratched at his throat- "THIS FEELS LIKE NIFFTY'S SMOKE." -He still couldn't get the smell out of his nostrils. Even with Katrin's whereabouts out of the way, Thorn still looked about- Ensuring the safety of not only the eponymous Ardent Artificer but of the kitten they had adopted along the way- It was definitely fine! Lying low was the best thing to do in these types of situations!

When it all started to clear out, he took a deep breath. "YEAH, I'M OKAY!! ARE YOU?!" He thumped at his chest a bit.
(Thorn Meztin)
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[01:44] The smoke clears with some serious effort, but clear it does. There stands the Ardent Artificer herself, a mix of delighted that it worked and pained by the ringing in her ears. She busies herself by wiggling a finger about in one of them, as if to clear a blockage.

All that mattered was still whole and hale. Even the practice gun.

"YEAH. YEAH, I'M- AHEM...I'm good! That. That was super fuckin' loud. Fuck."
(Katrin Weiss)
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[01:50] Was tinnitus still achievable? Certainly, perhaps not after just a single shot from the weapon.. But multiple could do the job, eventually! He regards Katrin with a smile, stuffing the hand that held the weapon into a pocket and offering them an enthused nod.

"Damn right it was loud! Had me worried I actually shot it!" He rubbed at his chin with his opposite hand, "At least it gave you the smoke needed for a getaway, yeah!" He rose a hand into the air-

High... Five?
(Thorn Meztin)
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[01:54] A few tweaks, and some improvements, then it would likely be ready to ship. A failsafe that hopefully, if treachery struck?...

It would ensure that they both would be safe and happy. For a long time to come.

"Ha. That's the plan," she wheezes, clearing the last of the smoke from her lungs. And of course she returns that blessed high five.

Then pulls him into a hug. A high five is not enough, evidently.
(Katrin Weiss)