Finished [The Underbelly] It's a Bloody Dragon Scale!

[Femboy]

Viokii
9

Character Sheet
Titles: Construct, Otherworlder, All-Purpose Intelligence
Languages: %Analogue%, Common
Elvario RavenSong Maxxob Pet Panda

Letting the others come to their own decision to go along with the stranger half-construct to meet this said 'Professor', Viokii was hoping that the detour wouldn't prove too distracting of time from their own original task. Erich's forwardness in having the opportunity to meet this professor felt somewhat alarming when they didn't know what the reasoning of the summons were, but hopefully his motivation and aspirations would prove a good enough distraction or excuse to enter more peaceful terms with this other party so that things could be set well on their way to success. Taking note that Liu wasn't taking point as he was only here for a tour guide more-or-less, Viokii silently went along to meet with this other individual hoping to ask some questions so they could know what was necessary without overstepping. If one was to request someone's arrival, then they must surely have a reason that their requested person should probably aught know.

Interested in the developments of technology they currently had access to with the secretive base location, Viokii looked around the surroundings as she notably heard for herself to be called upon to be looked at by someone she hadn't met before. Before she was able to speak for herself, she looked to Scylla who had placed herself in front of her in refusal of letting her be inspected. Meeting the girl's gaze as Viokii deemed her questionably too innocent (at least in the current moment) to be placed in a position of danger, the construct made a gentle sigh and softly put a hand on Scylla's head before looking to the Professor.

"For the current moment, I am busy attending to other users I have granted access to my services. I understand my design may be of interest to you but for the moment I cannot permit said investigation access for my own security and regulated obligations on private property and owned rights. It would be more convenient if you would explain the reasoning behind inspection at first, but for the current moment I cannot grant such permission access. Do not regard this decision as influenced or controlled by the other members present, they are not Creators or Designers of my model and are simply trusted service users. Since you possess a partial construct who follows your orders and requests, it appears as if you would not be in immediate need of my supportive services. If you have anything to ask or question afterwards, I would like to request that this not take too much unnecessary time as my protocols dictate the impracticality of needing to partake in the individual requirements of this interaction" Viokii answered in response as she gently patted Scylla's head, before retracting her hands to hold behind her back to herself.

"For the current time being, my services and attending are primarily reserved to the requests and needs of my companions as repayment for their assistance. I am in consideration of genuine ownership for temporary stay for my own convenience and research, but this offer is not for public debate. As this one has stated, I have already considered my potential options for the moment and am not looking to bargain, I hope this is not a disappointment of your plans or time but even as an automated service construct I have my own matters to attend to" Viokii added, having no plans or interests in supporting the Professor's request so simply, since she was not exactly looking to be manipulated or damaged in any sort of way by some engineer who saw valuable technology. Such was a price for being a literal valued object, but Viokii was a very professional valued object. And professionals have standards.

Actions
1. blahblahblahblahblah talky talk @ professor man
Viokii is Talking - Business (F), Leadership (F), Investigation (F) - Viokii is always trying to learn and get progressive communication and interactions done. Hopefully they go better and she learns a thing or two - Grade F - 0 Post Cooldown​

 

[Maxxob]

Elvario RavenSong Pet Panda Femboy

After all his own notes, Erich noticed the Half-construct slightly annoyed tone at his throughout visual inspection. “What does she mean, there is no reason to look there? The devil is always in the details after all!” The tinkerer thought to himself, as he fell back and began to follow the Half-construct towards wherever she would lead them. While walking with slow steps, he felt Scylla’s elbow poking his side, making a chuckle escape his mouth because of the sensation. With the witch’s suggestion, his hazel eyes locked into her pink ones, widening a bit. “Really? Do you think she likes me?” Tilting his head, he considered that notion. Maybe that was why she seemed slightly annoyed during the visual inspection? Had the engineer missed a spot? That seemed simply terrible. With confidence shining through, he gave Scylla a thumbs up, trusting in the expertise of the Master of Dates. “Leave it to me, I will do just that!” He winked back, his naivety of the whole emotional field or societal nuances being palpable.

As the group reached the metallic door, Erich took notice on how it was opened. He stared at the orb for a moment, wondering how it worked. Was it some sort of signature reading? Was there a database with information about who was allowed to enter and exit the laboratory? Regardless, it was a nifty apparatus. When he stepped into the laboratory itself, he started to look around, taking a few steps to the machinery and workbenches, not distancing himself from the group too much, checking it intently from afar. “Ohhhh… so one can find this sort of equipment down here.” The engineer exlaimed, while his eyes darted all over the place, taking note of everything that was available in that laboratory until his attention was caught by the professor’s authoritative and demanding voice.

The young man listened as Scylla was the first who tried to dissuade the professor’s idea, while reaffirming her claim of ownership over Viokii. The next one to talk was Viokii themselves, making it clear the inspection wasn’t going to take place. Erich fell into contemplation as that situation was taking place, his logical self racing with the thoughts of what could be the best approach to it. After a few moments, he finally began, stepping towards the professor while his spanner was already being twirled on his right index finger. “Professor Dougal, wasn’t it? I am Erich Zann. I gotta say, that Half-Construct you have is quite ingenious. I was a bit distracted, so I couldn’t exactly calculate the travel speed of the hook to determine if it used gunpowder charges to launch iit or possibly some electromagnetic apparatus using opposite forces… well, I suppose it wasn’t gunpowder, I didn’t hear a shot ringing out.” The young human began the first series of questions. It was difficult to pinpoint exactly what his intentions were: to forcefully drag the Professor’s mind from Viokii, to massage his ego or true curiosity about his work.

“So, what kind of work have you approached thus far? I have worked quite a bit with electromagnetic radiation, focusing towards light amplification for stimulated emission of radiation, lasers in short. Not only that, I have delved into absorption of energy, kinetic or otherwise, even managing to deal with this ‘mana’ you folks have around here, whatever that is. It resulted in the creation of my Hi-tech Hurt Stopper™, a personal protection device to help one stand in less savory situations that could present health hazards.” While bombarding the professor with information, the spanner spun faster and faster, the young man’s hazel eyes focusing on the professor's goggles intently.

 

[Elvario]

Mentions & Character Goals:
Elvario Kalina – Find the 'Bleeding Dragon Scale'
RavenSong Scylla – Help out Kalina
Pet Panda Fei Liu – Go on a day trip from the bad slums to the even worse Underbelly.
Maxxob Erich – Explore what unethical inventions a place like the Underbelly might have to offer.
Femboy Viokii – Avoid getting sold. Join Erich in the search for unethical technology.

Narrator note: It's the last round before the ending of part 1. Anything you want to set-up for the next part and/or conclude right here and now, get it in while you can.

Location: Second Continent, Ryken, Ryke, The Underbelly, Professor's Laboratory

The Professor

Spoiler: Full Image & Source

From:
https://www.artmajeur.com/yuriy-kra...masterpiece-of-steampunk-the-genius-professor

The man seemed a bit irked by Scylla. Whether it was her suggestion to make love potions, refusal to hand over Viokii, or just her being her in general. “My name not as relevant as my title. Do you know how many rivals I had to outlive before I managed to become THE Professor? I'll kindly have you refer to me as such and...” before he could finish, Erich casually interrupted by calling him Dougal. “It is not. Besides, gunpowder? Magnets? Don't be ridiculous. It's pneumatics and air pressure.” That's when he realised he had yet to further tell off Scylla. “And no, you cannot have my hat.”

He grumbled a bit. “Blimey I should've just brought the construct by itself..,” As for the construct, he turned to Viokii. Out of all she said, it seemed like he was only interested in a few parts. “So basically, these aren't your owners and your actual owners aren't around.” He concluded. It was clear he was debating some things.

Chandra Jarmil

Spoiler: Full Image & Source

From:
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/4QrLn

Kalina, having some idea of what might be up, figured she'd interrupt. “For the moment, consider her ours.” She spoke, slowly tapping her hand on he rapier. That seemed to give a clear enough message.

“Fine, fine. Don't want to make a mess out of the laboratory.” He sighed. “As for why I want to inspect you, construct, it's research. The only way to survive here is to have the latest and strongest technology at your side and seem to hold some of that.” He scoffed. “Although whomever added your decorations were clearly not of the greatest humour.”

Once again, he turned to Erich. “Now you. You're a bit of a bugger, aren't you? Barging in a man's home and immediately asking him to show off, whilst he's being denied to inspect the product he asked for?” He'd listened to Erich's talk, but it wasn't exactly his field. “You've seen my assistant. You're seeing my goggles. Those are projects of mine. However, in a place like this, information can be a matter of life and death. The more I tell you, the more it might be used against me. In other words, I'll want reimbursement or equal exchange for any information I give. My assistant using pneumatics and air pressure was free of charge, simply due to it being common knowledge.”

Hearing the conversation derail, Kalina figured it was time to try stepping in again. “What we're really after, sir, is the Bleeding Dragon Scale that's rumoured to be here. We've heard you might be after it as well.”

“The Dragon Scale, huh? Yes. I heard of it. I figured it would be a good source of blood infusions for when I need to maintain my assistant or work on other partially organic projects.” He stated, seemingly not believing that bit to be information of particular value. “What purpose would your group have with it?”

“We're just on a quest to retrieve it for the Adventurer's Guild.” Kalina stated (Deception B), which seemed to be believed.

“How inconvenient.” He sighed. “Yet I'm assuming you're willing to negotiate some sort of truce? Try to win more information? Or perhaps even win my aid? I can assure you, none of that is cheap, as you'll have to first prove to me you're not easier to just get rid off.” The last sounded a tad bit like a threat.

Half-Construct

Spoiler: Full Image & Source

From:
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/d0PyeX

As if to add to the Professor's words, his half-construct assistant's arm let out a bit of air the moment he said it. Otherwise, however, she'd remained perfectly silent the entire time.

Kalina figured she'd bite back a bit. “Oh, trust me, it'd be so difficult to get rid of us that there's no other option that isn't easier.” She stated. “I'm sure we can come to a better deal, right?” She'd look at Viokii and Erich. Both might have some information or ideas to offer that'd please this man. She then looked at Scylla, hoping the witch wouldn't make things worse. Then at Liu, as perhaps his maps might even impress a more established and less travelled denizen of the Underbelly.

 

[Pet Panda]

It was difficult to step across the brazen threshold of this place for him. Implicitly, leaving would be more difficult than entering. A man like this could never have a normal door. Casting his gaze about, the room they entered had a stubborn gloom only mostly warded off by the brightly glowing machinery, out of place in this dingy cavern of a town. Sturdy furniture shone with tiny hairline scratches and the ghostly outlines of stains from substances Liu could only imagine, all contributing to an air of sheer industry. It gave him the same impression that a mechanic's shop would give him in other settings: lots of useful looking implements made of heavy metal, the applications of which he would almost certainly guess incorrectly. For that reason, unlike Erich, he stood at a point in the room furthest from all of that machinery, and his distruful gaze roamed across them from afar, mostly for his own safety.

Surpassing all of these little odds and bobs at perturbing him was the distinct lack of windows. It was natural and made perfect sense. There was no sunlight to let in, the stale air inside was as the stale air outside -- not particularly desirable -- and the good doctor mentioned of his own accord the fact that some fool peeking in the window could ruin his lead. One could argue that the windows down here were indeed vestigial, more a tradition carried down from the world above, but he sure would love to have something to dash himself through if the conversation took a turn for the worst, since the door was likely not an option.

When Chandra's gaze roamed to him, he could feel her message. In just the same way that he bartered with the rat, he could barter with the professor. For reasons he would not feel free to discuss here, he turned his head toward her imperceptibly to meet her gaze from the deep shadow kept by his hood, then turned his head back to the professor, staying silent. Perhaps the others would have to foot this bill, until the situation became dire. Liu feigned interest in a nearby stand as an excuse to change positions in the room. He kept his hands clasped together behind his back so as the reassure the professor that his hands were not sticky in the least, but kept an eye on the door and the green glowing person under the professor's employ both from his slightly different vantage.

 

[Maxxob]

Elvario Pet Panda RavenSong Femboy

“Pneumatics and air pressure…” Erich repeated, searching for information of the antique technology within his own memory, the spanner which was being twirled stopped, being now held tightly in the engineer’s right hand. “... that makes sense.” With that comment, he shrugged, listening more to the exchange between Chandra and the Professor. It seemed like the threat of violence and material loss in his laboratory had been enough to dissuade the idea of forcefully inspecting Viokii, thankfully enough. Having them being damaged could be a great loss in the possible leaps and advancements in this world's technological march in the young man’s mind.

As the professor mentioned barging into his home, the tinkerer couldn’t help but have a puzzled expression on his face. Unless his memory was playing tricks on him, the group was ‘invited’ into the laboratory by the Half-Construct. Was the professor senile? His beard was a bit white after all. “Oh… poor thing, he must be showing the first signs of dementia…” Erich thought to himself, nodding dutifully as the man explained the dangers of sharing information in the Underbelly, showing newfound empathy towards the professor’s imagined mental condition.

With the conversation progressing, the engineer’s hazel eyes met with Chandra’s as a quid pro quo was struck with their host: practical knowledge for the exchange of information, or even help, about the Dragon Scale. Conveying a silent agreement with his eyes, the young man started to think about what sort of knowledge, that could readily be used by their host to give him an edge, would be more practical to share. Silently, Erich’s eyes darted around the laboratory once more, taking notice of the machinery around it and formulating what could be brought forth with everything that was available. After a few minutes, finally reaching a decision, his hazel orbs once more focused on their host’s goggles. “Say, professor, how about I share with you my knowledge about lasers? They make for quite a useful kind of projectile and, depending on the type of the optical amplification used, their uses are endless. Got pen and paper for me to sketch the blueprints?” Erich grinned, his eyes narrowing a bit.

 

[Femboy]

Viokii
10

Character Sheet
Titles: Construct, Otherworlder, All-Purpose Intelligence
Languages: %Analogue%, Common
Elvario RavenSong Maxxob Pet Panda

It was a positive outcome to find out that he was negotiable about some things, and wouldn't prove an immediate problem. Potentially even an ally within their own quest, although the trouble they would have to go to in order to garner his support and cooperation would be properly difficult. With at least the convenience that Liu was currently keeping to his own lane, Erich and Scylla's distracted off-topic interests would probably lessen their favour if they were to continue too much. Noticing Chandra's gaze towards her, it would most likely pertain to his interest the knowledge on technology beyond his understanding. Not looking to be touched or tampered in any way, she met somewhat in the middle as she gave an offer.

"I understand my hardware and software may pertain to your technological development interests, of which I do not allow tampering or illegal modifaction in any way, but I am willing to give knowledge and aid in your own work from the extensive knowledge and data files I have access to in order to give assistance. Due to the different developmental methods of my design, I would suggest that the majority of myself or my design is not of particularly any use or benefit to your work and similar results for your own interests are attainable with your own progression independent of my assistance. I may be able to enlighten a few answers if I may request simple aid in our own task of finding this Scale, if you may have a fair price in asking for it, or wish for us to not disturb you" she answered patiently before looking to address something that he had mentioned.

"I don't possess any 'decorations', nor am I intended to be 'humorous'. Even if I was, it is thoroughly researched that humour is a subjective topic that differs between individuals. It is tied to the personalities and characters of those who possess it, and others may react in a completely different way, and all research of conveniences and purposes have been thoroughly researched for optimization. Please do not question or criticise my design and structure again, it is commonly considered rude and indecent among organic being social structures to negatively judge the visual appearance of another" Viokii added.
"And if it distresses your patience, please do not pay too much mind to the extensive questions or personality traits of the companions who are found present. I have not diagnosed the reasoning for these symptoms so far. I am willing to be cooperative on specific terms and matters, if you are willing to do the same" she said as she was eventually turned to address Scylla's interest in the man's hat, wondering if such little distractions were too much for the girl and needed to be cautiously treated unless they stepped out of hand.

"Cutie, you can have my hat for the moment if you like, just make sure to not touch other people's things in their home. It's rather rude to do without permission. I'm sure we'll all have time to play later, but this isn't the bestest place for us to have an adorable little playdate, little cutie!" Viokii softly chimed to the girl, offering her hat instead if it would keep her fulfilled of hat-requirement quota for the moment. If anything, Scylla seemed overly energetic and easily excitable that within her inner programming she was running her 'hoping' algorithms which generated the hope that Scylla would keep it at a single hat and not start asking for other things. She was a service bot for the moment, but she couldn't just pull a Fast-Food Industry out of nowhere on demand if the girl's tummy rumbled next, and convincing her not to ask strangers for food or try to drink random stuff was a concerning thought. Hopefully there was a boundary of normalcy Scylla would stick to, for she felt like quite an anomaly in organic being social and mental structuring logics.

Actions
1. skhlskfhkmlshermshmlsmlks yes
Viokii is Talking - Business (F), Leadership (F), Investigation (F) - Viokii is always trying to learn and get progressive communication and interactions done. Hopefully they go better and she learns a thing or two - Grade F - 0 Post Cooldown​

 

[Elvario]

Mentions & Character Goals:
Elvario Kalina – Find the 'Bleeding Dragon Scale'
RavenSong Scylla – Help out Kalina
Pet Panda Fei Liu – Go on a day trip from the bad slums to the even worse Underbelly.
Maxxob Erich – Explore what unethical inventions a place like the Underbelly might have to offer.
Femboy Viokii – Avoid getting sold. Join Erich in the search for unethical technology.

Location: Second Continent, Ryken, Ryke, The Underbelly, Professor's Laboratory

The Professor

Spoiler: Full Image & Source

From:
https://www.artmajeur.com/yuriy-kra...masterpiece-of-steampunk-the-genius-professor

“Hmmm...” The professor pondered about Erich's proposal for a bit. “Fine, consider me interested.” He stated, as he brought out some paper, ink and an old ink pen. To that extend, the charcoal pencils he also put out might be an easier sketching option. Either way, he spoke up again. “Show me if you're offering anything of worth then.”

He turned towards Viokii afterwards. “I'd rather verify what is and isn't of use by my own hands and research.” He sighed. “Yet if such a thing would have to be fought over, perhaps your offer would not be the worst alternative.” He scoffed. “Among organic beings, yes. I'm not sure who gave a construct like you a programming like that, but it only further shows they've got bad taste.” He clicked his tongue, starting to loose interest in her. “I hope you can at least offer some good information later...”

With the professor seemingly interested to continue negotiations, the first leg of their journey into the underbelly to find out a way to chase down the Bleeding Dragon Scale was at its ends. Whether it'd turn into something lasting or whether or not they'd eventually find the scale was left to be seen in a part 2.

The End.​

Spoiler: Note to grader, narrator bonus and title suggestions:

Note to grader: This RP has a second part planned to start at the beginning of march.

These are only suggestions, please wait until a grader confirms them before adding them.​

Narrator bonus worth = 42 points (From having multiple A-grade characters.)

Scylla
Title: [Matchmaker] – Character is known for setting-up others with future romantic prospects.

Fei Liu
Title: [Guide] – Character has worked as a guide for others.
Skill: [Area Knowledge [Ryke] (7 points) – for knowing his way around the capital of Ryken and even into the city underneath it.
Skill: [Navigation E => D] (7 points)

Erich
Title: [Unconventional] – Character has been shown to both behave and think in rather unconventional manners from time to time.
Stat: [Precision D => C] (7 points)
Skill: [Artisan [Tinkerer] E > D] (7 points) - for being able to study a variety of [Tinkerer] products.

Viokii
Title: [Servile] – Character has shown a far-reaching willingness to serve and please others.
Skill: [Seduction F] (7 points) – She certainly seems to know how to try please folk.