Current
Ma! The sex roleplayers are being weird in the advanced tab again, Ma!
4
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4 yrs ago
Stack sats, print gats, distill vats, feed cats
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4 yrs ago
We here at Cyberdine Systems have heard your demands and we answer your cries with "BullyBot". With the push of a button you can now automate all of your cyberbullying. The future is here. Embrace it.
5
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4 yrs ago
>using the phrase "normie" unironically
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4 yrs ago
They always ask me, "What the fuck are you doing!?" but never, "How the fuck you doing?"
Sounds like y'all got a fun thing going. Really like the setting and story so far.
Current idea is a Nem who functions as more of a scout/tracker/sneak-thief combining unusual bladework, trickery, and alchemy to pull the rug out from under his opponents. His craft is rather un-knightly but of the utmost value. I was thinking he is someone outside the order who assists the knights in ways they would be hard pressed to do themselves.
Of course I'm very flexible and more than willing to reshape this idea or come up with something entirely different
Clive turned to Anna with the great grandpappy of all disapproving glares. Every day it seemed the alchemist said some new and creative blasphemy and he couldn't help being mildly impressed. This feeling was, of course, far surpassed by his irritation and concern for her eternal soul. Maybe someday, some day in the far, far future, Lord willing and the creek don't rise, he would get through to her. "I pray for you every day." With a glance at Junia and narrowed eyes he added, "And now you too."
Returning his attention to the corpse, he scratched his chin for a moment in thought. Considering the elaborate nature of the death it told him a few things about what it could be but a lot more about what it wasn't. "Whatever happened here was planned and took some sorta intelligence to pull off. This wasn't a feeding, or at least not any kind I've seen. The whole ink business makes me think it was something that can think, something that schemes, so we'd best be real careful going forward." Clive didn't like things that could scheme. Schemers are unpredictable, sometimes messy, and don't always follow patterns. He didn't like when the prey was as smart or smarter than him. That made things less of a hunt and more of a fair fight with extra steps and he never fought fair if he could help it.
Clive heard the tail end of Manny's analysis as he descended the steps after him and gave a nod of greeting to the assembled party. The former had never been one for history the way his coworker was. His methods were much more direct and streamlined: track, identify, destroy. Simple, just the way he liked it (at least as much as dealing with the supernatural could be, anyway). Still, he respected anyone who knew their trade so well.
He mentally prepared himself for whatever ungodly thing the boss lady had in store for them as he cleared the last few steps. The smell of rotted flesh hit him and simply rolled off as if it weren't even there. The seasoned hunter had smelled so much decay in his time it simply didn't faze him anymore. Once you've smelled a hundred corpses you've smelled them all, but the sights were always new and exciting in their own uniquely horrible ways. His face screwed up in disgust at the mess on the table as shook his head. "What in the world happened to… him? Her? That?" He shook his head again and made the sign of the cross and muttered a prayer before he approached to get a better look. His hands went to his pockets as he examined the human soup and sighed. "This right here is why I don't fool with magic. Like Granny always said, no good can come of it."
Maréngo grinned and gently scratched the monkey on the head which earned a soft hoot of approval. "His name's Pyka and he's my newest friend." Pyka bounced happily on his shoulder at the mention of his name and reached out with a grabbing hand toward the bag in his off hand. Maréngo laughed and handed him another plantain. "Hungry lil' bugger, too."
“Oh,” said Solange with a flat expression, clearly uncertain of how to react to the excitement for something that would just eat their food supply, spread disease, and eventually die. She looked down at her book, as if she were completely dismissing Maréngo and his monkey, and then remembered the thought she had earlier. She snapped the book shut, shook her head, and gave the sailor a big, fake smile. She hoped that Maréngo had been too distracted with his monkey to notice that she’d at first clearly not cared.
“What an absolute darling, darling!” she said with a girlish squeal that took years off of her life just to produce. She scooched forward on the cart, intentionally pushing against Neh’miah’s barrel to rock it ever so slightly, and pointed at Maréngo’s bag, “May I feed it?”
Maréngo took the bait and smiled, producing a dried fruit from the bag and handing it to Solange. It was then he noticed the black cord around the woman's wrist and the stone attached to it. The pirate had assumed a city-dweller would think herself above the Old Knowings and scoff at the wisdom of things that go bump in the night. He nodded sagely and gestured to the stone. "A spirit stone, eh? Always a good idea to have a bit of protection when the journey moves through uncertain waters."
“Oh, this?” asked Solange, lifting up her wrist and pulling the dried fruit away from Pyka so she could inspect the stone like she had forgotten about it. What luck! Solange didn’t even have to brooch the subject. “It was thrown in with my purchases by the apothecary. She is a good friend of mine, and quite superstitious. She wouldn’t let me buy anything without putting it on! Said it would protect us from ghost ships, can you believe it?” Solange laughed a little too nervously as she motioned as if she were going to remove the bracelet but left it on. The quickness of the following words flooding out of her mouth betrayed her attempt at casual disbelief, “I mean it’s utter nonsense, right? No such things!”
Maréngo shook his head with a grave expression. So many people dismissed such things as the ravings of drunken sailors driven mad by months at sea, but he could tell Solange was more clever than most people. He could only hope and pray that she would heed his warning. "They're real as the ocean itself. We should be fine on this journey, but should you stray too far from the shipping routes and you risk them finding you."
Neh’miah could hear Solange talk from inside his barrel. Of Course he was still alive. However the young thief hoped that these knuckleheads would finish up their shopping spree fast. As a dark, cramped barrel is not exactly the most comfortable place to stay in. In fact, it sucked pretty hard. However, he had to endure it until they had reached the ship. Having Solange intentionally rock his barrel wasn’t helping.
Solange slid back against the barrel, nudging it yet again. She clasped her hand around the spirit stone, the bit of dried fruit falling from her hand and on to her book. Her eyes were wide, both in worry and in awe, as she asked, “Have you seen one?”
I haven't and I hope I go to my grave that way. There are fates far worse than death." Though he hadn't witnessed many of the supernatural dangers of the sea, he'd taken great care to abide by the hushed warnings told around circles passing rum. And so far, he'd mostly avoided any treacherous spirits so clearly the advice worked.
“Truer words...” Solange trailed off, glancing in the direction of the Faded Lantern. Solange bristled at a chill despite the morning sun beginning to transition from a welcoming light to a sweltering bastard. Neither ghosts nor Vargas was something she wanted to consider any longer, although both would certainly be on her mind for the rest of the voyage. She looked back at Maréngo and her stomach knotted, although she couldn’t say why.
“Thank you for the wisdom, Mr. Maréngo,” said Solange. She sniffed. Her throat felt dry as she flicked the fruit off of the opened page and tucked the book away. “Well, if you ever find yourself with one foot in the grave, I’ll have you know that I am quite the accomplished healer. Just because there are fates worse doesn’t make death any more acceptable. Do not hesitate to call upon me if anything ever ails you, love.”
As if on cue, his stomach groaned and he grimaced in pain. He hasn't planned on this being his first impression to the ship's crew but it was quickly becoming unavoidable. "Now that you mention it, I think something I ate last night is having it's revenge. Do you have anything for guts that put up a fight?"
A wicked little smile appeared on Solange’s face as she pulled open her satchel, “I’ll see what I can whip up.”
The discomfort in Maréngo's stomach grew as they neared the market but he dismissed it as after effects of his night of drunken debauchery. After all, he was still trying his damndest to ignore his splitting headache. He made his way to the market with the rest of the merry band and couldn't help but snicker every time he glanced at the barrel. It took considerable effort to not ask Neh'miah how he was doing out loud. Best not to give any indication the wanted thief was around and with them. Even still, he noticed an occasional side eye directed at their motley crew but no one had the nerve to ask them their business given the sheer amount of weaponry and muscle they had to bear.
The party quickly began to disperse once they reached the market and the pirate took that as his cue to break away. There were a few things he'd like to do with that hefty bag of coin. He couldn't help the giddy smile on his face at the thought of being able to buy just about anything he wanted at the market. His first stop was a series of ox carts manned by a dwarf. The plethora of items and weaponry drew his attention as soon as saw the displays. Of all the items for sale, it was an ornate dagger that caught his eye and his curiosity. It was a thing of beauty (if a tad rusted) with brass accents and mahogany furniture and to his amazement, a flintlock barrel fixed to the cross guard. He pondered for a moment about the applications of such a device. The idea of a one stab blade in such a small package was more than a bit attractive. With a little love it would be quite the ace up his sleeve if he didn't have room to swing a sword.
It was then his perusing was noticed by the dwarf who scowled as he watched this stranger loiter by his goods. "Well? Are you gonna buy it or just stand there gawking?" Maréngo gave him a good natured smile and gestured to the dagger. "She's beautiful. How much?" "Seven gold. Take it or leave it." The finality of his tone made him certain there would be little room for bargaining. Still, it couldn't hurt to try. "How about tossin' in a cleaning kit with oil and brush for say... an extra 30 bits?" "50 bits." "Deal." Maréngo reached into the coin purse at his belt and the dwarf seemed to soften just a bit as the coin dropped into his hand. "Hmm. Since you didn't bust my chops about haggling, and I can tell by the look of you you'll need it, have some shot and patches on the house." "You guessed correctly. Never know what could be waiting in a place like Gnok." The dwarf pocketed the coin and retrieved the extra ammunition from a crate on the back of a cart. Maréngo smiled and affixed the dagger to his belt, giving it a small pat. It felt good. like it truly belonged to him. He couldn't wait to restore it to its former glory. It was then the dwarf returned with a small cloth bag tied neatly with twine. "Now don't go telling everyone and their mother about this. But nevermind that, what are you doing out by Gnok?" "I'd be happy to tell you, but the boss would probably have stiff words with me if I said. Even sayin' the where might've been too much." "Alright, alright I won't pry. Anything else for you?" "No, this is plenty. Thank you and be sure to buy yourself something to fill your belly and warm your throat." The dwarf smirked and patted his coin pouch. "Already ahead of you."
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Maréngo made a quick stop by the apothecary to grab himself a serviceable pipe and some tobacco and a tinder box to go with it. He was pleasantly surprised at how cheap he got the tobacco for. Though he had quite a bit of gold left, the pirate found himself captivated by a display of exotic animals he passed on his way to the ship. Reptiles and birds and small mammals he didn't recognize despite his travels sat in cages arranged on tables. Parrots and birds of prey and even some type of hairless cat paced in their cages or made a ruckus out of sheer boredom. One animal in particular drew his attention like a moth to flame. A small monkey hung from the bars of its cage and hooted at him with its furry hand outstretched. It made a grabbing motion at him and Maréngo grinned. The idea that he could simply buy a pet was too enticing to pass up. He reached to gently grasp the primate's hand when a Jin-Zho man wearing a courtly robe stopped him. "Careful, he bites." As if to prove his point, the monkey screeched at him and spit on his robe. "And spits." The man wiped his clothes somewhat dry and bowed gracefully. "Welcome, friend. My name is Po and this is my collection of wondrous, exotic creatures and this little bastard for sale. If you'll take him off my hands I'll give you a discount and even throw in some food to keep him busy." Maréngo had already decided he'd pay whatever amount the man wanted, but pretended to mull it over. "What sort of discount?" he asked, thoughtfully stroking his chin scruff. "45 gold and a sack of food for free." "Would you take 38?" "I'll take 40." "Deal." Po grinned and vigorously shook the pirate's hand with both of his. "Congratulations, friend! Now take this and this and get that hell creature away from me!" He shoved a sack of fruit into his hands along with a leash and collar, positively ecstatic to be rid of the animal. Turning the collar over he saw a name engraved into the leather. "Pyka?" The monkey only seemed to grow more excited at the mention of her name. Maréngo took a plantain out of the bag and held it out in front of him. "You want some treats? Are you hungry?"
Po breathed a sigh of relief at having closed the deal and reached into his robe for a keyring. Hesitantly, he unlocked the cage after a silent three count and immediately jumped back as Pyka sprang at his new owner, latching onto his arm. He snatched the fruit up and climbed onto his shoulder where she quickly peeled the skin away, throwing it to the ground at Po's feet, before tearing into her snack. "Keep the leash," Maréngo said and placed it, along with the gold on the table by the open cage, "He won't need it any more." Po gave him a look bordering on concern but it quickly faded as he gathered the coins into a pouch. "Thank you, friend! And good luck!" "Too you as well."
Maréngo turned and headed for the docks. He'd wasted enough time already and it was about time he earned his keep. Although, was it truly wasted time if he had such a fun little companion to show for it? "Come, Pyka. There's some people I want you to meet."
Dagger pistol: 7G Weapon Cleaning Kit: 50B Tinder Box and 1lb of Tobacco: 50B Smoking Pipe: 50B Pet Monkey: 40G
Creative Chaos
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