Everything So Far

Lezekim Urral


A dour reaction to the back talk from Macrus was avoided as L'amnia provided some insight that she hadn't heard before.


Lezek politics, while smaller in scale than the Spire, were no less inundated with intrigue and intricacies. Urral was immediately peaqued. If this had been a Lezek issue, demands could have been drawn up before the matriarch for a legal duel with her uncle, utilizing their seconds. Urral held an official title of on call Leketh Second before she was tasked with spreading the Lezek name outside of her home. If the Princess was to need one, it would have been her.


These Spire politics didn't seem to have such things and most of their issues seemed to be full of conspiracy rather than politicking.


"I have had an idea. I will be conscripting a letter. I'll be waiting for our entourage to leave."


Urral takes a few backwards steps before turning and heading up to find some ink.
 
L'ámnia Silverlight


She watched Urral hasten back towards her quarters. "Does anyone else but me think something is about to happen?"
 
Ichabod - The Rose > Pulse


The fuzzball was curled up in his nest in the forge - a hammock made of blankets and pillows and plush things, even few pilfered Prideling's feathers, please don't tell her - hosting a tiny donut of grey fur and pink limbs.


This fluffy mush poured itself out of bed, cricked it's back and yawned ludicrously wide.


"Teeeeeaaaaaaaaaa..."


Precious warm liquid acquired and consumed, a bath was had, fur rubbed dry to explosive electrostatic levels, promptly wrestled into something more dignified. Whiskers combed, woodblock chewed to clean teeth, and new shirt, trousers and bracers donned.


Gleefully grabbing his blueprints he races off into port to meet Heresh to discuss matters of MAGICAL SCIENCE.
 
Heresh


PULSE Café





Heresh looks up from her prints and beams.


"Mr. Colby! It's bloody great being in port and being able to just wander off and get tea, innit?"


She'll pour him a cup without even asking, and gently push it to the other side of the table.


"Green tea alright?"
 
Roland Macrus


Roland snorted - of course something was about to happen. "Well, you can handle that - your arena after all." The mercenary really did not still feel any better with that kind of report. Just because the House Olimak was a fearsome name did not automatically mean it would be a complete deterrence.


Determined, and reckless people - probably like Namia's uncle, would try anyway, and simply seek to not be the ones caught. So he grunted, returned to the confines of his room, changed, cleaned and decided to trust in Llorn, Urral, and the protections Lenore could provide. Politics, hnn. May Namia be as good as she said she was.


Maybe Heresh had something better to do. This path brought him to find her note, and then to the Pulse Cafe.
 
Roland Macrus


"I suppose, but I was more looking for you, Heresh." Roland found a seat, and plopped in. "I'm not exactly caring for what your cousin has planned today."
 
Lezekim Urral Leketh


The quill practically flew across the parchment, words seemingly popping up all on their own. All of this accompanied with a sly smile on her face.


Quickly she wraps up the final line, signing her name and title. A lengthy process to be sure, even a cramp coming up she hadn't felt since her days in class. She smiles a bit painfully before continuing on. L'amnia had really brought on this idea and she truly deserved it. Come to think of it, very few mortals have held themselves with such distinction around both Lenore and Urral. This would be a grand gesture and a gift.


Lezek House and Leketh bloodline seals in place, urral takes the letter and makes sure to re-announce her departure from the cabin and hastens toward the docks and their postmaster. A few gems for speed and a couple more for postage and the letter was on its way. Feeling a bit smug, she takes her post outside the ship, waiting for the others to depart.
 
L'ámnia Silverlight


"Well," she said once Urral had reappeared only to dissapear again, "that's interesting. I think it's time. I'll let Lenore know we're leaving." She smiled up at Llorn. "Ready?" She squeezed his hand at his reply and went to the captain's quarters.


She knocked, because it wasn't her door but she also knocked like one who expects it to be opened. "Captain, we're ready to head out." Her tone belied the demand of the knock. She wasn't telling the captain, she was informing the captain that, if she was ready for the to leave, all was in readiness. "Urral went back into her rooms and did... something, and I think she's waiting for us up top. Roland and Colby went to find Heresh. I don't think he's thrilled about our plans though."
 
Olimak Lenore - Captain's Quarters, the Ember Rose


Lenore stepped out from her door, all seven foot six of her, regarding L'amnia with an impassive burning gaze.


"Prepared for a battle Quartermaster?"


She glanced over at the Doctor.


"And as much as I trust Doctor Miles and the Lezek to take care of you, I am still going to let my own presence be known with a pair of my warriors, the Bones. They will act as your bodyguards Silverlight,"
 
Heresh


Pulse Café





Heresh's mouth twists in concern.


"L'ámnia's going up Spire to cause trouble, right? I might swing by later and see what's going on. Morrikin doesn't have the pull that Silverlight does, but doesn't have the problems associated with it either."


A moment later the shadow passes, like a cloud blown by on a sunny day.


"Meanwhile!"


Heresh juggles pot, papers, and cups, her hands seeming to pass through each other, at some point each cup almost falling, and ends the shuffle with the teapot to one side, three steaming full cups in front of herself, Macrus, and Colby, and the papers in the middle of the table.


"You're a stone cold professional in the field of putting arrows in targets. You might like to meet the folks who frequent this place. They make accelerators. Oh yeah, I meant to ask, how's the bow? I was worried it might not be 100% capable of sustained use, I might need to tighten a couple of things up on it."
 
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L'ámnia Silverlight


She inclined her head. "I had figured you would say that. And yes, I do think I am ready for battle. This will be the first time I am heading in nominally on my own. Usually I have an advisor suggesting how I ought to proceed with any given individual, today it's only me. I fully expect that the fight will be long, and engaged but I suspect that I shall be successful in my endeavors. One does not engage in battle with the intent to lose." She smiled briefly. "With that in mind, I need to know if you want me to return to the ship at the end of the evening. If I stay up top for the evening then I can commander a set of apartments that will include sleeping quarters for my attendants. I could have my guards anywhere I want them. It would let whomever know is after me that I am unafraid."


She thought quickly. "It could also mean that I'm currently on liberty and my plans are not subject to my employer's will at the moment. The Bones, which I will admit took me a little longer than it should have to figure out what a 'bone' was, will be viewed as-," she looked up at Lenore. "I hope I'm not rambling. I've got a lot of things going on in my head and the various implications of anything I do and over the years I've been instructed to let my advisors know, in advance, what political affect each action could potentially have. I will say, however, that if I stay then there can be more chances for your bones to figure out who is after me. If, however, I return to the ship, it will only confirm that I am fully employed on a ship to hone my skills. The benefit of that would to let those after me know that I am learning how to defend what is mine."


She then grinned malevolently. "Because, Captain, you see, I am a fairly young female and it generally known that I have not received any martial training and it might make some second guess me." She then shrugged. "So, it really depends on you. Do you need me to return to the ship at the conclusion of battle?"
 
Roland Macrus


Roland paused before coming to the realization he'd not gotten around to really putting it through the proper paces. "Damn, I don't think I really tested it yet. ...Though you have some maintenance, I should let you handle it first. Better to be safe than not, especially when magi-tech is involved. Now if your new friends want thoughts from a hired merc, I'm all for that."
 
Heresh


Pulse Café





"No problem, Mate. What I can do is disassemble, tighten some things up, perhaps our esteemed colleague Mr. Colby might be able to strengthen a couple of spars, and then I can seal it together again."


The excitement visibly creeps back onto her face.


"If you want to give it a proper go, they've got a firing range here! Yesterday I blew a hole through the bulkhead, it was awesome."


She'll also glance around. Any sign of Selina or George, or any of the other technicians whom she and Colby met yesterday?


"So, Macrus, turns out that the upper classes of the Spire here are somewhat divided. The older rulers are rather stuck in the past, very old fashioned in their design, construction, and enchantment philosophy. The younger members are much more forward thinking, eager to take some risks and try new things."
 
Olimak Lenore - Captain's Quarters, the Ember Rose


The Captain considers this, rubbing a bell with one massive gauntleted hand.


"A valid point. If you are allowed to spend the night, it shows that we trust in our strength to defend and to retaliate. If you return, you are better defended in a more familiar environment, as well as having access to a nigh instantaneous escape,"


A moment of thought passes, and the Olimak rests thick fingers on the Spireling's shoulder.


"I believe it would do you well to present a strong face. Stay amongst your peers, and remain vigilant. I trust you," decides Lenore, before adding with a smile. "Though I trust in the lethality of your entourage as well,"
 
Roland Macrus


Roland smiled at the mention of the firing range, and he definitely approved at the fix and test possibilities. From his pack, he drew the coilbow and passed it over to Heresh. "Smart lads and ladies. New doesn't mean better right out, but a completely predictable opponent is a vulnerable opponent."
 
L'ámnia Silverlight


"I trust you." Her heart stammered to a stop. That was high praise indeed.


She smiled and dipped into a curtsey. "Thank you." She rose and a smile was plastered on her face. "I have full confidence in the skills of the others. And please rest assured that I will not be stupid, Urral and Llorn both know my skill level. If they tell me a situation is too much for me and to hide and stay silent then I shall do as bid. If they tell me to run, I shall do so. I have read far too many stories of some lady who decides she's going to ignore those who are there to keep her safe and end up running into harm's way." She laughed a bit. "I don't think Heresh would listen though."


She then inclined her head. "By your leave then, Captain. We shall be off. I'll ask Urral to write you a report in Urd sometime this evening so you know what's occurred. I'd write on in Spire for Heresh to translate to you but," she shrugged, "it would probably be pointless, too many people here seem to speak the language."
 
Colby - Pulse Cafe


The little rat nods, offering to look at all the plans and blueprints. Even the act of improving a design gave him a gleeful sense of accomplishment. It was just good to be making again.


Sip.


Ahhhh. Good Tea.
 
Heresh


Pulse Café





Heresh coos softly over the coilbow, passing her fingers over her own work with care, noting the faintest give or slight imperfection in the joints.


"Certainly, now.......Oh, my blueprints are here, Mr. Colby. You may recognise the specific suit of armour which these blueprints are built around, and I trust that a craftsrat such as yourself can quite clearly make out what the general thrust is. Please, let me know your opinions?"


The blueprints are, of course, a set of significant modifications to the armour which Colby made for Heresh months ago.


Meanwhile! Heresh murmurs to herself as she prods and pokes at the coilbow, and when she unseals the bindings, Colby's fur might stand on end for a moment, and Macrus might feel the air grow fuzzy with static.


The weapon's components temporarily unbound, Heresh will shuffle her chair around closer, beside Macrus. She extracts the bow's blueprint from the pile to show Roland.


"Right! This here is the power core. It's built with a tight coil of copper containing several sapphires in a steel matrix, um, heart made of nets. Never open this chamber unless there's a stormlord present to do the unsealing, it might respond, um, poorly. And kill everyone in the room."


The spars come undone, and she carefully stacks them on the blueprint, corresponding to their own shapes in ink.


"These flexible spars give the bolt its initial push into the acceleration coil. The only concern here is whether they can handle the strain of loading up, followed by the explosive destressing when the bolt catches in the coil."


"...and, here we have the tricksy dangerous bit. See this coil here? You can't really see the full extent of the mechanism without being able to see into the magnetic right now, but actually, hang on, fuck, wait, dammit, fuck, give me a second...."


Bustling across the workshop, Heresh fetches a wee bag of iron filings and uses them to demonstrate the exact shape of the magnetic fields around the acceleration coil, letting Roland see where the field catches, and how to hold his fingers in the optimal way to let the tip of the bolt guide into the coil. Then she'll power down the coil and use her own magnetics to pull the filings away, off the mechanism.


"Now, it's counter-braced here, to provide a bit of resistance when you pull the arms back, but it's all a bit, um, fuck, whats the word in Tradestongue, fuck, it means that the armature as a whole is quite flexible, but the individual components are all rigid. The, um, elasticity comes entirely from the joints."


Having dismantled the bow and stacked the metallic struts on the blueprint, Heresh looks over the table making big, big puppy dog eyes at Colby.


"Mr. Colby.....Would you please, if it's ok, be able to try strengthening the framework pieces, around the joints?"
 
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Colby - Pulse Cafe


The minute the coilbow is dismantled, the rattus's fluffy mane jumps like it's being stuck to a vandergraph generator.


He purses his lips over his buck teeth. Today is just not a day for hair, is it?


After a moment of furious patting, he sits and marvels at the construction. You're going to put me out of job, young Skylady.


"Mr. Colby.....Would you please, if it's ok, be able to try strengthening the framework pieces, around the joints?"


He looks up at her and beams, "It would be my absolute pleasure."


He massages his fingers, warming them up, "Could you please assure that no electrical feedback occurs? That would be most helpful, thank you kindly,"


Whiskers twitch and runs an eye over the blueprints of the bow, studying it with rapt attention.

Intellect (4 +1 for Academics/Armsmaster) + Academics (4)


[dice]17553[/dice]


[dice]17554[/dice]


[dice]17555[/dice]


That's 4 successes, so +2 to the Craft roll?
Hrm~ You're most certainly talented, Lady Morrikin but a little inexperienced... let's see..


He runs his fingers over the bows surface, gently feeling the metal underneath his clawtips. The steel hums and the copper trills in his nerves, vibrating like it was alive. It's not an unpleasant felling, if just unusual.

Logos (3) + Willpower (4)


[dice]17556[/dice]


[dice]17557[/dice]


[dice]17558[/dice]


I'm gonna go with that being 2 successes? So another +1 to the crafting roll?
He nods to himself, before the metal trills under his grip. A squeal of the bolts turning and the grinding moan of the cabling somehow flexing despite being taut. The bow itself shifts and heaves, but never leaves it's place upon the counter.

Dex (4 +1 Craft/Armsmaster) + Craft (4)


[dice]17559[/dice]


Woo! So that's... 3 successes, right?
The sounds cease. He lets go. The bow sits upon the table, humming softly.


He takes a handkerchief from his pocket and dabs his forehead lightly before finally relaxing.


"My apologies for any inconvenience," he mentions, only now realizing his concentration.
 
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  • Heresh


    Pulse Café





    Heresh smiles, her eyes on Colby's swift paws, seeing him adjust the coils and struts of the weapon. As he finishes, she reaches forward, her hands following the motion of his, reassembling the weapon, preparing it to be resealed.


    She turns and presents the bow to Macrus, her smile near spilling off the edges of her face.


    "Here you are, Mate. Armed and protected by both of us."


    With her other hand, she pulls forward the rest of the pile of blueprints.


    "Mr. Colby, I don't like to impose, but.....I have plans to adulterate your fine work, adding ugly seams and rude cabling to your elegant armour. Would you care to be complicit in the ruination of your own very fine craftsmanship?"


    The specific designs she's showing to Mr. Colby are those of a complex system of magnets and cables, attached to reinforced silk and canvas patagia. It looks like she's going to make the armour into a self-deploying and retracting flying squirrel analogue. The other design is that of a sealed mask and breath filter in the helmet.


 
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Heresh, Colby, and Roland


It's a bit early for many of the PULSE regulars, but Rainrat is here. He's a bit more old-fashioned to look at than his compatriots; less piercings and tamer fur. His studs are arranged in strict grids, and overalls pristine, his tail carefully wrapped around his waist.


He's cutting metal without taking measurements, and intense concentration. Heresh will recall he seemed quiet, even shy, until he started near-compulsively itemizing some blueprints. Selina had apologized with a mix of frustration and affection.
 
L'ámnia Silverlight


With a final goodbye to the captain, Her Serene Highness made her way back to where Llorn awaited her. She took his arm once he offered it to her and allowed him to escort her to the top deck. Urral was already waiting for her there even as she was going over the Bones and making sure that they would not embarrass her in the Upper Spires. The carriage had already arrived and the driver was waiting for her to show up. Llorn escorted her to the carriage, opened the door and helped her arise into it. She was nervous, that was natural. She was also excited, that too, was natural. She was also quite determined to metaphorically slay everyone in her path. That was politics.


Llorn followed her into the carriage and took a seat beside her even as the Infernal herself entered the carriage at her insistence. "It would not do to have dust on you when we arrive. Imagine how stunned people will be when you alight from the carriage only to have your wings unfold. Our people are of the storms and it is always our dream to fly. Many of the grand shall be verdant in want of such plumage."
 
Lezekim Urral Leketh


"Expressions of Pride that hopefully won't be looked upon with too much envy. I'd much prefer your kin to feel our Pride and have their own stirred. They should seek to be like the Lezek."


Urral ruffles her feathers before settling down in her seat. It would have been proper for L'amnia to exit the carriage first but being given that privledge was something she wouldn't argue against.


With the cyclopean helm at her side, Urral contemplates exiting fully armored or with her face exposed. Her hair was long, braided in the fashion L'amnia had both shown her was proper for the Spires and her patched eye nearly covered by a well placed lock. But the imposing look of her fully armored form was something she was equally prideful of.


"Shall I have my helm donned for our entrance? I do not know your customs well enough to decide what would be better"
 
L'ámnia Silverlight


"Off," she replied quickly but gently. "If you wear it then it would appear as if we're looking for trouble. Carry it by your side and it suggests peace. Plus if you have your helm on then no one can gaze upon you." She leaned back. "Also, you should alight first, make a security sweep and then let me know if you feel it is safe to alight. This will let everyone know a few things. One, you're chief of security and if they want to come to me, then they need to get past you first. Your armor will make people think that you will be easy to disable. Should someone try that, I will easily run interference. Second, it lets people know that I, or my employer takes the threat against my person seriously. Since my employer is an Infernal, it only makes sense that she's hired Infernals. That I call you friend should confuse others."


She smiled gently. "When we are there, don't call me by my titles, call me L'ámnia as this suggests that we are close enough that you feel confident in that friendship to take such liberties. That will also confuse them greatly. I like the idea of making their head spin-figurtaively, of course. "


She then turned to address Llorn. "I think it would be interesting for you to address me Highness when there are ears present but to address me as L'ámnia in private. And when I say private, I mean any point in which it's possible for someone to overhear. I think it would be interesting for you to give me some orders 'in private' as well. When you do, use the familiar Mia. My immediate family called me Mia." She placed a hand on his arm. "The games I play are political in nature and I can only imagine that asking you to play the familiar confidant sounds cold but I'd not ask any other to do such. I am not going to tell you what to do," with her hand on his arm still, she glanced over at Urral, "either one of you. Please don't think I am ordering you what to do, that is not my intent, I just want you both to understand how this game of politics can be played."


"Urral, stun them with who you are. You're a bright star in the middle of a cloudy day and I want you to enjoy yourself. Many of the older generations like formality so if it amuses you, give them your most florid language and stun them with it. Llorn." She smiled then and her heart was behind it. "All I really ask of you is that you continue to be you, to be someone I can depend on."
 
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