Undead Side, Session 03

[19:09] <ArgentGM> Talia's astounding upset struck the crew of the Void Tredder so hard that the illusory mist and dancing ghosts brought about by the Captain's most -ghastly- declaration shatters, as if it were naught but broken glass obscuring the vision of those who beheld it. The empty deck is left behind, with the captain slumping upon his throne, the smallest of frowns marring his face even as the glint of satisfaction lights in his eyes.
[19:11] == shmone-else has changed nick to DrTallydIvores
[19:12] * Aoife tilts her head, "Well, two wins. This captain isn't very good at his games."
[19:12] <ArgentGM> "So two of our challenges have been bested," the Captain declares, the crew looking on in rapt attention, "and only one of them yet remains. But do not worry, snow fox, little wisp - the challenge of willpower is built for two..."
[19:14] <Yukiko> "Two versus one or will you get your own help, captain?" Yukiko stands up, ready to get closer.
[19:14] * DrTallydIvores counts on her fingers. "I thought all the challenges were built for two players..."
[19:14] <Blossom> "~?" Blossom's somewhat dulled curiosity has been drawn, as she draws herself up! Quite literally, projecting her image more firmly against her cloudy body.
[19:15] * Aoife mimics tally's handcounting. "Yeah they were, this would be four players, wouldn't it? Or three?"
[19:17] <ArgentGM> "'Tis a simple one, truly, not a match of wits or a contest of fortitude," the Captain explains, looming larger than he had but a moment ago "Just a question to be posed, and an answer to be given. But mind yourself - there's not going to be an easy answer, or some parlor trick to be played at the last second to win things for ye. So... let me know when yer read fer it."
[19:19] * DrTallydIvores tries to elbow Blossom, her arm sinking into the wisp's form before she withdraws it with a slight shudder. "You've got this!"
[19:20] <Yukiko> "I have waited for long enough." Yukiko shrugs and looks at Blossom awaiting her confirmation.
[19:21] <Blossom> The look on the ex-fairy's face is one of deep contemplation. Or possibly that of bewilderment. "I hope it's not another riddle... Please do say, good sir."
[19:22] <ArgentGM> "Alright then. Don't be afraid ta take all the time ye need ta work a proper answer to it, even if ye think the answer is obvious up front," the Captain swells in his seat, bringing himself up to full height. "My question is - which one of ye fine lasses will be stayin' behind on our vessel here, tha' the other may go free an' peaceful?"
[19:23] * DrTallydIvores slaps her head into her palms and sighs. "Damnit."
[19:24] <Blossom> "The obvious answer is neither, but it doesn't sound like that'd be an easy option," remarks Blossom quite simply.
[19:25] * Aoife immediately sets to growling, "A cheat!"
[19:26] <Yukiko> Yukiko furrows her brow in annoynace. "This is not what we agreed on."
[19:27] <Blossom> "The captain did say at the start this was for three fine ladies."
[19:28] <ArgentGM> "Nigh, I don' think it would be easy fer you ta pull that magic trick off, little wisp," the Captain drawls, "Why, this here deck, an' all the skellingtons below would be armed ta that teeth waitin' ta rip ye ta shreds if ye tried it. Now, give me a serious answer, little wisp - are ye willin' ta face death fer the sake of yer friend here?"
[19:29] <Blossom> "Yes," comes the answer, just as swiftly. Though her brow furrows. "Then again, I haven't died for a while. It probably might be problematic this time round."
[19:31] <Yukiko> "We already died together even though any of use could turn back and flee." Another shrug, almost as if Yukiko wasn't very interest in all of this.
[19:31] <ArgentGM> "Well, let me make this a bit more serious, then," the smile falls off the captain's face for the first time since you've seen him, as he whips out a pistol from his coat. "Are ye willin' to die -right now- without knowin' if yer fairy magicks'll bring ye back like they ought to, just fer the sake of little miss bushy tails here?"
[19:32] <ArgentGM> "Think about this carefully," he says, cocking back the hammer on the pistol for emphasis, "An' give me a serious answer."
[19:32] * DrTallydIvores coughs and edges slightly to the side, so that if a shot passes through Blossom it won't hit her, but starts spinning up wisps of magic behind her back.
[19:34] <Blossom> A slow smile crosses the insubstantial face of the hovering wisp as she drifts obliquely towards the captain. "I have things to do elsewhere. Do you, Miss Yukiko?"
[19:37] <Yukiko> "Certainly more than spending rest of my time here." Yukiko steps forth and shields Blossom, her tails swaying. "Between leaving and dying, I will gladly offer myself so at least others can be free."
[19:37] <ArgentGM> "Is tha' right..?" the Captain asks. "Well... if tha two of ye'rr so willing to put yer lifes on tha line like tha'..."
[19:37] <ArgentGM> He pulls the trigger.
[19:38] <ArgentGM> The room roars with the sound of exploding gunpowder.
[19:38] <ArgentGM> And Yukiko and Blossom both get a face full of confetti.
[19:39] * Aoife 's claws shoot out of her hands!... "What."
[19:39] * DrTallydIvores stands stock still as errant confetti hits her face and side, slowly hanging there before starting to drop off save for a piece stuck to her nose. "...What."
[19:40] <Blossom> "Oh no, now I have to clean that up-!" Blossom looks absolutely distraught.
[19:40] * DrTallydIvores reaches up and flicks the piece of confetti off her nose. "Truly... a fate worse than death."
[19:41] <Yukiko> Yukiko laughs heartily, grasping at her belly. "I knew it! No way it could be anything more than bluff."
[19:42] * Aoife growls, "I hate this ship."
[19:42] <Blossom> "I was actually going to say that I would be able to stay temporarily for Yukiko's sake, but I don't think I would be able to stand such uncleanliness. -It's in my hair-!" Even more distraught as the wisp tries to dust it out.
[19:43] * DrTallydIvores pats Aoife on the shoulder. "I know what you mean."
[19:43] <ArgentGM> "Then I think ye've a stout enough a resolve ta be trusted ta walk about freely without givin' into yer baser instincts," the Captain's smile returns, as he twirls the pitol back into its holster. "Congratulations. Ye've passed the test o' willpower. Tha' means the four of ye will be free ta offload yerselves at the Port o' Tortugh. This to yer satisfaction, doc?"
[19:44] <Yukiko> "Oh, and it's in my tails..." The kitsune frowns and grabs one of them.
[19:47] * Aoife sighs. "At least I didn't get covered in confetti, or have to embarrass myself with strange games. I just had to drink weird water.
[19:47] <Blossom> After a moment more of consideration, Blossom curtseys deeply to the captain, wincing as some of the little colourful pieces of paper drop to the floor from her wispy body. "I do not think anyone has ever had easy deaths, but this send-off a has been a kind one. Thank you for your jovial-heartedness."
[19:48] <ArgentGM> "Oh yes, I think it shall be," Doktor Gilles rubs his hands together like a merchant what caught sight of a fat purse. "No loss in cognative abilities, such -tremendous- fortitude, and of course... the ability to retain the first mark of a sapient creature, the ability to sacrifice of themselves for another! Ohohohooooo! Wonderful, wonderful, I did not think this experiment would be such a success!"
[19:49] * DrTallydIvores opens her mouth. Tally closes her mouth. Tally opens her mouth again. "...experiment?"
[19:52] * Aoife growls a bit, "I am not an experiment!"
[19:54] <ArgentGM> "Why of course!" Doktor Gilles' tone is filled with the most sublime ecstasy, the joys of knowledge gained, progress made. "The Necropolitan conversion has been known to use for centuries now, as has the creation of ghosts, and simple skeletons. But every time someone dared reach beyond that, the results were... tainted. You... you four are the next step of our evolution as a species!"
[19:55] <Yukiko> "And you are... letting us go?" Yukiko tilts her head.
[19:56] <DrTallydIvores> "Hmm," Tally says. "It would let them get... less tainted results. Plus, they can just repeat the process again..."
[19:57] * Aoife steps closer, looming towards the doctor, "Tainted how?"
[19:57] <Blossom> "It does seem odd. It's not like any of you wouldn't be able to sacrifice for fellow crew members..." Blossom looks judgementally at the rest of the cheerful crew. "Aren't you?"
[19:57] <ArgentGM> "Intelligence, but also cognizance, the ability to restrain the primal urge to destroy..." Doktor Gilles almost swoons at the thought. "A glimpse at eternity, that is what you are... to waste you upon this ship like some common pirates - no offense to my beloved crew mates, mind - why... it would be a -travesty-! No, no, no, no, no... you must be free to act as you would see fit."
[19:59] <ArgentGM> The crew does mutter in affirmation towards Blossom.
[19:59] * DrTallydIvores nods enthusiastically. "Exactly! It would be a travesty! Yes, you should definitely let us off quickly," she says. "Tortugh you say?"
[20:01] <ArgentGM> "The doctor does not lie, sweet faerie child," the woman Aoife had been with can be heard over the crowd. "Vampires... ghouls... Necropolitans and Ghosts alone remain fully able to act according to our own will, because we are simple, or born of that will. More advanced undead, far too saturated with the Negative, the Anti-Positive... they are driven towards destruction."
[20:02] <ArgentGM> "And that is what I mean by tainted, young Forest, miss - Aoife, was it not?" the Doktor nods. "You... are above such things, we can see it plainly."
[20:04] * Aoife puffs a breath out from her nose. "I would not be so sure." She sighs. "I want out of this box of metal. I want to see a sun again. How long until this 'port'."
[20:05] <Yukiko> "All this flattery is nice but it would be ven nicer to get out, yes."
[20:06] <ArgentGM> "Aye, the greatest City beneath the black, outside the Way and a ways off from any major shard," the Captain explains, bringing up a map of the Black with a wave of his hand. "We'll be there in a handful of days as long as no one does anything stupid and, say, tries looking outside or listens to the voices telling them to let them in. Don't do that, by the by, that's a bad."
[20:06] * Blossom drifts slightly inwards towards herself.
[20:07] <Blossom> "That explains a lot!" the ex-fairy exclaims.
[20:09] * DrTallydIvores tilts her head towards Blossom. "It... does? Were you hearing voices?"
[20:09] <Blossom> "Oh, no, last time there was a scuffle last time and the ship went everywhere. It took a while to come back!"
[20:10] <Blossom> "It was very unpleasant!"
[20:14] <ArgentGM> =Three Days Later=
[20:19] <ArgentGM> If ever there was a wretched hive of scum and villain, the Pirate City of Tortugh would be it. Thrown together haphazardly on a shard so small you can see the whole of it as the Void Tredder makes its approach, shanty shacks stack up on top of each other whilst fine estates are built atop floating orbiters, tethered to the land by bridges of rope and chain to keep them from floating away.
[20:20] * Aoife looks around as she steps out of the ship... "This place needs more trees."
[20:20] <Blossom> "It has more trees now! They're kind of limp and dead, though."
[20:20] <ArgentGM> The air is thin here, and even though the cancerous orb of the sun hangs brightly overhead, shedding light like day, the sky is black as the deepest void, and no starlight can be seen piercing through. The pirates keep their word, leaving you with 40 gold a piece as wages for your labors on their ship, enough to get yourselves started over.
[20:21] * DrTallydIvores sniffs at the thin, dead air. "I don't know, I think I like it. Something about the air smells right."
[20:21] <Blossom> With each passing day, Blossom has slowly been regaining some more of her motivation, though it has come slowly to her. Working for her upkeep had somehow managed to brighten her mood quite a bit, from cleaning the galley spick and span to serving a portion of fear up to the crew.
[20:22] * Aoife pouts at Blossom. "I'm not limp..."
[20:22] <ArgentGM> Some trees can be seen, their roots sprawling over the sides of smaller buildings, red lanterns hanging from their branches as they lead up into finely wrough elven tree-homes. Or, as the lanterns might suggest, elven pleasure palaces.
[20:24] * DrTallydIvores has been spending her time getting used to her new body. Well, her old body. It still feels a little muted and nonresponsive, which is annoying, but she's been getting the hang of controlling her movements to not be so jerky. It still doesn't feel like it's hers anymore, which is weird and has caused a few incidents when she forgot to put clothes on before leaving her room.
[20:28] <Yukiko> Yukiko can't get used to how cold it is. No matter how many layers she puts on, whether she is in her human or true form, it is always chilly. It is not even that unpleasant, just... cold.
[20:30] <Blossom> To the crew, then, Blossom provides little trinkets that she has made as thanks for their aid, even if her ghostly mentor and others cannot quite touch them. It's the thought that counts, probably!
[20:30] <DrTallydIvores> "This place feels surprisingly familiar. It's just missing some shitheaded little students running around to feel like home," Tally says before pausing. "Well, and more grass. And a sky. And innocence. But that's overrated."
[20:31] <Blossom> "On the plus side, such an uncivilised place will be likely less... sensitive about any lack of vital signs... But first, we should find a place to stay, at least."
[20:32] * Aoife lets out a sigh as she looks around. "I was hoping for some sunlight."
[20:33] <ArgentGM> "Oi take it you've been 'round tha block then, have ye?" a leering man drawls from the shadows as the party navigates their way through on of the... well, there isn't a part of town that isn't seedy, to be completely honest. "Good to hear that the fresh meat's been tenderized. Makes for... a noicer meal, as it were, dunnit Jane?"
[20:34] <DrTallydIvores> "I mean, there is... sunlight. Just no sky," Tally says before drawing to a stop. "Oh, how charming. There's a welcome wagon."
[20:34] <ArgentGM> "Aye, that it does, brudda," a gangly woman - her voice like nails on a chalkboard - declares. "Dat it does."
[20:34] <Blossom> "...Do we need a meal?" asks Blossom, as she glances over the others, to the man with the wondering eyes. But what did Jane look like?
[20:34] * Aoife shrugs, "Its not the same."
[20:40] == Aoife_ [~qwebirc@Rizon-A209172A.hsd1.co.comcast.net] has joined #UndeadSideRP
[20:40] == Aoife [~qwebirc@Rizon-A209172A.hsd1.co.comcast.net] has quit [Ping timeout: 240 seconds]
[20:44] <ArgentGM> "Ah, oi see at least one of yous has got themselves some perceptive ois," the leering man sneers as he steps out of the shadows and blocks the party's path, noting the eyes of Yukiko and Aoife catch the men on the roof. "So oi'll be noice, see. Yous is in the territory uv da Backalley Boyz, and see we's has a toll fer all who wanna pass through our territory. Ya kin pay it in wunna two ways - yer booty, or yer booty."
[20:44] <ArgentGM> "Oi'd prefer yer booty, all things considered, but if it's coin ye wish ta pay with, it'll five gold a piece."
[20:46] <ArgentGM> "Stop finkin' with yer snake, ye sod!" the woman complains, stepping up. "He means 10 a piece, just got distracted."
[20:47] * DrTallydIvores rolls her eyes upwards to the black sky, strangely lit despite the absence of any visible atmosphere, before turning her face to the group on the ground. Magic starts sparking at her fingertips as she conjures a glowing crystal behind her back. "I have a counteroffer. Back off and you'll get to keep breathing."
[20:47] * DrTallydIvores coughs. "Unlike some people."
[20:47] * Aoife_ Aoife looks at the man. "I'm hungry." She says, sounding bored as her hair tendrils begin to writhe.
[20:48] <Blossom> "Would you want booty? I could probably give booty..." Blossom follows the other's two gazes upwards, floating higher and... dispersing, as she does so, the cloud she is in(?) expanding so her image is almost lost in it.
[20:50] <Yukiko> "Are we really going to fight over 40 gold pieces? So pedestrian..." Yukiko sighs and unfolds her fan.
[20:54] <ArgentGM> "What the soddin'-" the man says, as combat begins.
[21:02] <Blossom> From out from the cloud of fairy, a knife flies through the air at the cloaked figure opposite. -It blurrs, and speeds up, vanishing at the end of its trajectory only to rememerge from Blossom once more, flickering in its speed, even as it passes through the cloak harmlessly.
[21:04] <ArgentGM> "Sodden... bloody hell-" the man stares at the way the little fairy just threw that knife, and in an almost blind panic pulls something from his coat and slams it to the gound. "SMOKE BOMB!"
[21:07] <ArgentGM> The two men on the northern roof exchange a glance and a shrug at one another, before pulling out a pair of crossbows and taking aim at the ones on the ground they assume are the most vulnerable - Talia and Yukiko.
[21:13] * DrTallydIvores blinks at the arrow sticking out of her shoulder, the pain taking a moment to register before she grits her teeth. "...hey!"
[21:14] * DrTallydIvores raises her hand and crackling energy pours into it before exploding in a long line, conjured crystals exploding down the path and covering the alleyway with their spiked forms. "Who said you get to leave!?"
[21:14] <ArgentGM> The two men look a bit shaken by her rather understated reaction to a blow that would have dropped most folk, sharing another look.
[21:23] <ArgentGM> Noting their comrade's success - and none of their uncertainty, the two thugs on the southern wall make to mimick them. But with Yukiko stepping into a smoke cloud, they only have Talia to take aim against!
[21:24] <Yukiko> Yukiko simply sweeps with her fan, sending a wave of chilling cold through the air. Then she takes a few graceful steps, disappearing in the smoke like a wisp.
[21:25] * DrTallydIvores tilts her head back and stares at the thugs with room-temperature dead eyes as one crossbow bolt sticks in her seemingly-insubstantial robe before she pulls it out and drops it to the floor.
[21:26] <ArgentGM> The woman - apparently the more competent and fearless of the two highwaymen - also begins to fear that she may have chosen inappropriate targets to mug. As any ration actor would do, she reaches into her coat and pulls out a small pouch before throwing it to the ground. "Ah- SHIT... erm, I mean, SMOKE BOMB!"
[21:30] * Aoife_ enters the smoke looking one way, and comes out the other, features finer, jaws slavering with brutal teeth and claws looking more brutal than ever. She lets out a predatory howl as she closes in on her prey of the male highwayman
[21:31] <ArgentGM> "Th-That's a nice pretty plant lady," the man stammers at Aoife. "I don't suppose you're just after my booty, are you? It's yours if you want it."
[21:33] <ArgentGM> "Here lies me brudder," the woman says, almost mournfully. "He died as he lived, seein' everythin' through the one eyed snake in his trousers. Poor sod."
[21:43] <Blossom> A flow of lightning arced down the path of the insubstantial dagger towards the unfortunate brigand! -It doesn't seem to do much, until abruptly multiple daggers phased into existence around him. He'd have to move very carefully not to be poked!
[21:43] <Blossom> To both, Blossom smiles!
[21:44] <ArgentGM> The thugs on the north rooftops decide it might be better for them to support their boss against the plant woman than to continue shooting at the woman who does not appear to care so much that she took a bolt to the shoulder. Reloading their crossbows, they take careful aim... and fire!
[21:46] <ArgentGM> And as the bolts either bounce off the plant woman or just plain miss, the entangled highwayman throws himself prostrate before the plant woman. "Please, miss, mercy! I... I can be useful to you. We can be useful to you! I know... people. Places. Things. This town. You're obviously new and I know my way around so maybe you can decide to so mercifully spare my life and I can help you with your everything!"
[21:51] <Blossom> "Ahhh~" For some reason Blossom looks somewhat satiated.
[21:58] <DrTallydIvores> Tally steps forward into the smoke, black energy crackling around her hands as she raises them into the air. "I think... you'll be more useful as an example," she says, before the line of crackling black power lashes out to drain the life from the two rogues.
[21:59] <ArgentGM> The man screams incoherently in pain as Tally blasts him.
[22:00] <DrTallydIvores> "Mmmmm," Tally giggles. "That feels good!"
[22:07] <Yukiko> Yukiko suddenly emerges from the smoke, still moving in slow, deliberate dance. She takes her position near Aoife and immediately blasts the woman hiding behind the corner. This time it is a bit different though, since it is less a wave of cold and more of warmth living the thug and bathing Yukiko. For just a single moment colours return to her skin and she feels warm...
[22:08] <ArgentGM> The woman reaches out to her brother, but before se can act, Yukiko's blast freezes her solid. That lasts only a moment before her moment tips her over and onto the ground, where the impact shatters her into a dozen frozen chunks.
[22:09] <ArgentGM> "What... what..." the man, keeled over in pain, struggles to comprehend all that has happened in the last six seconds. "Sis, what the fuck, you killed my sis... what...?"
[22:11] * Aoife_ hisses, "Thirsty." Down at the man, and then her roots jam into his flesh, one into his neck, another into his chest, the hungry plant material draining him dry of blood
[22:14] <Blossom> At this point, it's kind of more a desultory howls of noise that chase off the other two, as Blossom throws sound across the rooftops. It rattles the tiles, echoing with the sound of fleeing footsteps.
[22:16] <ArgentGM> And so the party is left alone in the alleyway, grown suddenly quiet as all the mooks fled back to the rats nests from whence they emerged. The highwaymen had no small amount of goods on them, fresh pickings from their work across town today...
[22:17] <Blossom> "Honestly. Threatening people in broad night... light." Floating back down onto the street, Blossom pulls a part of Aoife off her back, shifting it into a broom shape  to dust the remnants of the icy remains off to the side. "Very discourteous."
[22:18] * Aoife_ blinks in surprise as a branch is pulled off of her. "I feel... Better now."
[22:19] <Yukiko> Yukiko stands over the shattered woman with an uncertain, serious expression, her tails held low. The warmth she stole from her was exhilarating but there is also a vague sense of... something. As Blossom begins to dust the remains off, she blinks and turns back, shrugging.
[22:20] * Aoife_ points at the amount of... Gear. "Thats quite a lot for street thugs, isn't it?"
[22:21] * DrTallydIvores dusts herself off, reaching down to lift one of the bodies... part of the body, actually. "See? That's why murder is good."
[22:22] <Blossom> "It is." Blossom frowns as she assists in pulling the surviving items that was on the woman. "This was probably some sort of welcoming token shakedown. We may have upset some criminals."
[22:22] * DrTallydIvores pauses to wonder if she always felt like this, before shrugging and collecting more well-gotten gains. "And look, we're even cleaning up the streets, right Blossom?"
[22:23] * Aoife_ looks around the city, "Well then, they'll be aware that we are dangerous."
[22:24] <ArgentGM> [[Spellcraft 17: The Necklace is a set of Lantern Pearls, which can, with the appropriate gesture, shed light in a 40ft cone that is near as bright as natural daylight.]]
[22:26] <ArgentGM> [[Spellcraft 30: The Rod is a Dousing Rod, attuned to sources of Fresh Water.]]
[22:30] <ArgentGM> [[Kn. Engineering 25: This is a Slate, an artifact from the Promethean Times. While it lacks the infrastructure in the moder day to make full use of its abilities - such as accessing the Reticulum, the Promethean's vast archive of knowledge - it can still be used as a fairly powerful tool for solving complex maths, if it has an appropriate power source.]]