Gravestones and Smokestacks RP thread

[Stella Gaslight]

Nina frowned at the retreating form of the constable.  "What a bully. I bet he wouldn't have been able to do a blasted thing about those monsters and he won't follow up on the theft.  So I will but first I must know why that man went to all that trouble for an obsolete book. So Mr Salt Slinger you said Thomas Delaney vanished right? So why would his book be worth all this fuss?"  She was pacing now chewing on her thumb and thinking.  "I mean you can get copies of the annotated and updated volume for under five pence at any bookseller.  I just don't understand."

[Nigel Wetherby]

"Perhaps there was something special about your copy?" Aven inquired, shouldering his potive launcher.
"My father often said the Good doctor was on the eccentric side. I've heard tell he talked with Revers, perhaps it has something to do with that?" Her talk of going off to investigate caused the young man a bit of a start.

"Ma'am, I do not think you should be heading out there by yourself. Though i can tell you have much hidden beneath that exterior, one person alone cannot simply go gallavanting into the wilds with a pair of birds and one book gone from the inventory! You will most certainly need help!"
Her birds examined him carefully, their black, beady eyes baring down on him like a Surgeon's lamp.

"If you insist on going on such a treacherous Geass, I suppose you will need someone with skills in sewing up and inflicting wounds."
He bowed deeply.
"I will offer my services, I shall consider it an expidition."

As he made his offer, a great, and heavy hush covered the town. A pair of figures strode into the city, heavy dark cloaiks barely moving as emaciated, pale figures approached the corpse of the fallen guardsman. Not a word was said by the citizens, the guards who had been there to see the grim funeral gave a salute. One of the figures turned to a guardsman who's eyes were dotted with tears.

"Your friend has made a great sacrafice. He shall be a worthy defender of the hive. Take consolation in this." The figure said in a shallow, pseudo voice before assisting the second figure in taking away the dead soldier. The fallen guardian's mother let out a loud sob the moment the cloaked figures passed through the armored doors.

The revers always take the dead, they always have and always will.

[Stella Gaslight]

Demos turned from the young man and stared out the window. He watched as the dead man was taken to his reward.  Nina made the sign of the cross over her heart and sent a silent prayer for the guards soul.  She made a promise to herself to find the reason for his death.   "All right I accept your offer of help. I sugest we start with the book sellers.  Some of the ones that deal in exotics may have had some one strange in looking for our missing volume."

[Vancouver Air Privateer]

Kemp turned and walked briskly, catching up with them.

"Er, not being one to eavesdrop but I was overhearing what you were saying. Uhm.. if'n you're not too adverse to one... like me, I'd be wondering if I could help you with this little quest. I don't really have anything else to do here - my job is as good as gone. And I'd rather make myself... scare before the Constable decides he dislikes me any more than he does. That other man was right too, I don't want to deal with anyone higher up either. Thing is, with this, it'll be a bugger to get into any sort of military or policing job in the region. I s'pose I also want a bit of payback on that blighter, seeing as this whole mess was his fault. Messing with his plans would give me some petty satisfaction. I promise I can keep the... taint under lock and key, so to speak. This was just a sort of... well, the bloody bastard blew my arm off. That's sort of an exceptional circumstance. It doesn't really usually happen. And looking at you two, surely you'd need all the help you can get. I'm good at lots of things and can tend to myself, not be a hassle."

He paused, waiting. He was not used to saying so many words at once. But any chance to get out of Geneva would be quickly grasped. Also, he'd already saved the both of them, particularly the girl. No real point in that if she was just going to go get herself killed, right? Can't let good deeds go to waste.

[Thorinis]

"I wish to go if you'll take me., I have not really been in a fight, but my Master has trained me for over five years now on the art of combat, and I can keep your blades sharper then a honing stone."

Luther was not sure they would be willing to take on an untrained hand. After all the most he had hacked up was swinging dummies. Course that his axe could cleave most of them in half with a single swing was a bit different, and those that did not usually shattered against the wall. He just hoped they would agree, and relized that it was not going to happen.

[Nigel Wetherby]

"Well, you did prove yourself an amazing amount of help. And being a Goretouched of your standards would be a great boon outside the city, especially in the wetlands and seas."
He turned to this odd, new face who seemed to have ambled in to the library and eavedropped upon their conversation. Cautiously, He began to load his potive launcher with a cartridge of acidic clear liquid.

"And just who might you be?" He said warily, preparing his gun.
"State your business." His voice was sharp, cold, and stern.

[Stella Gaslight]

"Thank you gentlemen. I will be glad for the help. The more eyes looking the more we will see."  Demos flew down and perched on her shoulder. he looked at the newcomers haughtily like they were beneath him while Phobos was far more friendly and hopped from person to person.  "If we hurry we could hit the Quill Lane shops before they close.  The library will have to be closed until the doors can be fixed any way."  After seeing Aven aim she prepared to step in.  "I think the constable called him Luther and if he came to harm us I think he would have already."

[Vancouver Air Privateer]

"Hrm." said Kemp. "He seemed like just a passerby. Do you know precisely what happened? This isn't a fun little jaunt in the countryside. We're dealing with some black stuff here and someone who's damned good at making hurt." He looked Luther over, noting the medieval choice in weaponry. "There's no dragon-slaying or what-not."

"On the other hand..." he said. "This boy's a regular giant. Figure if he comes along people will at least give us some room. Well, I don't care either way. Here." he said, moving towards an alley, gesturing. "This way you can get to Quill Lane in half the time. Being a guard means I know... knew... well, still know the fast ways to get around.

[Nigel Wetherby]

"Well then, i suppose we could use his company. At the very least, we can use him him as bait." He chuckled warmly at his own dark joke, but immediately stopped when the the library tossed him an icy, sightless glare.
He retreived the canister from his gun, placing it back in its case.

"Quill lane would be ideal. Perhaps we can find ourselves an Iron-clad to ferry us across the sea. Well, that is once we figure out where in the hell it is that we need to go."
As he spoke, he approached one of the still whole bodies of the amalgamated beasts, one that the guardsman had dealt with, as his own kills were almost completely melted.
He drew a shiny, lean saber and sliced off the arm of one of the beasts, placing it in one of his larger cases.
"We've no clue what these beasts are, research must be done."

[Thorinis]

"My name is Luther sir, and I am an apprentice blacksmith and blender. While I have only just started blending metals and stone, my master said I already outpace the speed at which he learned. I realize I am bigger then most, but I am more agile then I look as well. I don't care if it is dangerous. The guards are never going to take me serious until I can prove I am not a coward and can fight anything I come against. Even if it means to die trying."

"The only reason I have the axe is because it is the only hand to hand weapon that was big enough for me to wield. I know how to use guns, but I have little money to buy my own, and besides this axe is cold iron forged completely with out heat. It will create its fair share of damage and I made it myself same with the shield."

Taking a large chunk of stone from the floor I focus on it until it becomes acorn shaped and smooth save for a few dimples. Pulling a sling from a pocket I place the stone in the pouch, "Besides a stone can do just as much damage as a bullet if you know what your doing." Hurling the stone fast enough to create a slight hiss in the air toward a collapsed section of wall it hits creating a spiderweb crack a few inches round as the original is embedded.

[Stella Gaslight]

The streets were full of the press of people going home for the evening. In the alley the voices were muted and Nina was grateful, while Demos and Phobos had lived it the city for many years they still did not like crowds. Demos was likely to peck when pushed to far but Phobos was likely to flee and go to the highest point she could find.  They had been to Quill Lane many times in the past seeking supplies to repair the books and new volumes to add to the collections.  Many of the older vendors were smiling and waving at her.  It was one of the few places in town that did not regard her as odd while traveling with her black feathered companions.  The first place she could think to go was Smith Brothers Book Sellers.  The sign was chipped and faded but the windows were bright and free of dust.  A bright brass bell chimed above their heads as they entered the bright and cheery shop. 

Nina took a deep breath enjoining the way the crisp air from outside smelled with the warm papery smell of books.  "Why Miss Lafayette I haven't seen you in a coon's age."  Said a amused sounding southern voice from the stacks.

Nina smiled.  "I thought you were going south for the winter Mr Halloran."  He was her first true friend when she was just a transplant to the city.  Their extended families had actually lived next to each other in the rural Louisiana town she had grown up in but they had not met until they were half a world away.

"Ah child these old bones don't much like the cold sea air any more.  It is much better this snow bird roosts here. Now what brings you here? Anything to with that almighty racket I heard coming from your side of town?" He emerged from the stacked wrinkled and as brown as the rich wood around him.

"Unfortunately there has been a theft."  They both bore hurt expressions at the thought of someone taking a book from it's home.  "It was the first addition On the behavior of Revenants by Thomas Delaney.  In fact it was in a lot at that rare book auction you told me you found six months ago..." She trailed off as an expression like a thundercloud grew on Mr Halloran's face.

"Oh lawd." He muttered while Nina just looked confused.

[Vancouver Air Privateer]

Kemp nodded at Luther. "Well, I can understand the want for a lad to prove himself. Just realize its natural for us to be suspicious after the little incident. But I suppose if you keep yourself out of trouble you can come along. And you definitely have strength."

Kemp nodded again. Boy seemed nice enough, if a bit dull and overeager. Ah well, he was no Newton himself compared to the more esoterically trained members of the little party. He found it a bit humorous that he would draw the least amount of stares on the street, while he was probably the one there who was farthest from being human. Life was funny that way. He leaned outside the store, lighting a pipe with some unknown mixture inside, blowing smoke to mix with the grey sky. Things could always be worse. Or they could get worse.

[Nigel Wetherby]

Aven stared, wide-eyed at the crack in the stone wall formed by the hurled acorn. A grin crossing his thin lips.
"Alright, you're in." He said with approval ringing in his voice and giving the Shaper a satisfied thumbs up.

"Just be sure to not entirely evicerate every new beast we come across," He warned the large man, who seemed to swing about the axe as if it were little more than a dried twig. Their steps taking them to the Quill way. "I'd like to do a little studying. Perhaps there are some new species we've not yet discovered, these metal-jawed cur are obvious signs of that..."

The old book dealer gave a heavy shudder as he recalled the fateful day of the book auction.
"After i sold that book to you, some rake charged into my room and grabbed me by my throat. He had a demon's strength, he did! He could have crushed me like a ripe peach then and there, but instead, he took the marks you gave me to pay for the book, smelt them, and left without a word."
He looked as though a great cold had taken him to the very bone.

"He had an odd accent, something southern, African perhaps. But i couldnt see much else...It was those eyes...those horrid..icy..blue eyes." His skin itself became pale, pink splotches making themselves known, he looked as though he were just back from the frozen mountains of the alps.

[Stella Gaslight]

Nina put her arms around Mr Halloran's shoulders as a comfort. "Well I am not entirely sure the thing that stole the book was human.  It called on monsters and vanished, I have yet to meet a person that can do that.  We will find out who took it I promise you that."

Mr Halloran shook his head.  "There is a price for messing around with the other side, you know that girl."

Nina touched the place where her eyes once were.  "Yes that I do but if I had not had warning and gotten the students out.  Well their would be more for the hive." They both knew how much she cared for the students. "Thank you for the warning tho.  We could all use that reminder every now and then.  I think we had better go to the docks and see if any exotic ships have come in.  Don't fret tho with these strong young men I am sure I will be fine." They both laughed warmly at some hidden joke. "Now you take care of yourself."  They had a lead now and Nina was feeling more confident.

[Thorinis]

Luther grinned big enough to show his teeth. He understood they did not fully trust him, but to show them he was capable and willing to prove himself was good enough. He strode after them as they moved down the street. He was no really sure where they were going as he normally did not have time to wander and learn the city they were in. He had to slow his pace though because every time he took a normal stride he came close to passing them up.

He watch the blind woman and her two ravens or crows and she seemed to respond to how they looked around the world. While he had never seen anything like it he also knew he did not have the first clue about the world around him. A bigger smile crossed his face as he thought about getting to learn. He would have to take them to the Masters shop for a chance to look over gear and weapons. But for now he stood back and listened to conversation only half listening.

When it looked like it was over, "Um, if you want a chance to stock up before we leave on weapons I can take to you the shop I work out of. Its not that far from here and he has equipment good enough to supply the wall guards."

After they all nodded Luther took them through the maze back to his shop where they started. Opening the door he thought it a bit funny that his master was not insight. "You guys look around, I need to find Master Gund Fen, he should be here I think something happened to him." Passing the counter to the back where they lived he searched through the living area. Ads he approached the masters bedroom he knocked on the door when there was no answer he pushed it open and found him lifeless and blue in his bed. "I knew you were old Master, but I thought you had enough years left to really teach me how to blend."

Returning to the front where the store was he watched as the group looked at the various weapons from swords and maces, to guns that had bullets the size of of his thumb in thickness. Frowning he looked at them all. "My master is dead. it happened while he slept. Since it is unlikely that I will be back this way take what you want since the shop is likely to be abandoned and the weapons taken to the armory."

He knew what he would take. Walking up to the row of handguns, he pulled out a prototype that was going to be tested soon to see if it worked. "No time like now I guess," talking to himself out loud. He rounded the counter and pulled out the box with the battery and the solar generator to keep it working. It was supposed to shoot concentrated plasma that was hot enough to melt steel. He also pulled from under the counter a large four barrel shotgun what was his master own design of a double over under. Grabbing several boxes of slug ammo he carried it all back to his room and stuffed it in a pack before returning to the front. Pulling on his chain link coat and the skull cap, "I am ready when ever you all are."

[Vancouver Air Privateer]

Kemp led the way to the docks after Luther's detour. He gave a short condolence for the death of the lad's master. He did feel bad - but only in the way one can with people who were pretty much total strangers. The boy seemed to be taking it strangely well. Either he had little in the way of feelings or it just wasn't his body that was tough.

Kemp mused on this as he sucked on his pipe, blowing a strange silvery mist into the cold air. They were soon at the air-docks, large airborne behemoths sitting at rest, or slowly emerging from or entering the fog like unreal leviathans. He led them to a long wooden building and slipped inside. A few minutes later he was out, carrying a sheaf of paper.

"I had a favour or two to call in with the harbour master. He let me have this copy of the shipping schedules and some rumours. Now, there are lots of "exotic" ships but if we cut it down to just Africa its a good deal less. Especially if you restrict it to the parts beyond the desert. Now, most of these are from South Africa or the like, British or German or Portuguese traders. Now, this one caught my attention and I probed further."

On the sheaf, there was one short entry. There was a signature written in an indecipherable hand. The home of the ship was listed simply as "Congo". The arrival time had been only a few days ago.

"That looks a bit suspicious." said Kemp, passing the paper around. "And the talk goes it's a funny ship. All black and red and gold with real... bizarre decoration scheme, at least. However, Jim at the harbour office only saw it yesterday. It may not still be here so we best get moving to check. It was at the farthest non-freight docking."

[Stella Gaslight]

Demos cawed softly rubbing at Nina's neck.  There were traces of black now fleeting and frightening.  An odd smell of sweet decay became prevalent sneaking up then drowning her until she felt dizzy and sick.  She cursed the sensitivity that came with her sight.  She could see a haze like a black smoke pall hanging in the air near the end of the docks.  "I think we have found our ship."  A black form looking like a man but not watched them from the shadows.  A sentry that loved by harsh rules about handling people but once they entered his realm they were his playthings.  A grotesque smile grew on his face.  It had been so long since he had ran free these bursts of destruction and madness were all he had to look forward to.  Nina was uneasy something about this place made her stomach sour.  Closer, closer ,thought the twisted figure, Soon I shall have my fun.

[Nigel Wetherby]

Aven felt a horrid cold overtaking him, as if a stiletto carved from glacial ice drove itself into his guts.  He could not smell what Nina smelt, but indeed the sensation was there, a horribly sick feeling. He tried to shake away his apprehension, looking around for a suitable ironclad to transport them across the sea. The wealthier of monster-killers travelled along in mighty airships, painted with insignias and symbols, their gondolas clacking with monster bones and bristling with devastating looking weaponry.
But the ironclad was the vehicle of the common man. Great steel-banded boats with hulls like sword blades, Stout, armored men running back and forth on deck in the standard protective clothing of a seaman.

"I beleive our best bet may be an Ironclad ship, unless we want to kneel over and kiss the feet of some posh sellsword."

[Vancouver Air Privateer]

Kemp shuddered, though he knew not why. The ship had left the dock, but he could still feel it's blackness.

"Are you sure you want to go after something like... that?" he thought aloud. He didn't know why he had a feeling for the enemy ship already - but he could almost still smell it here. His question was also simply rhetorical. He was going through with this. He'd promised.

"Yes, an ironclad would be best. Something solid." he said. "Though how do we pay? I lived rather... hand to mouth, as it were, during my stint with the guards. I can give my savings but its not much really at all."

[Stella Gaslight]

Nina turned and her skirt hem swept the boundary.  The figure in the darkness grinned, that one was now marked as his and any others that got in his way well...  He latched on to her passing shadow fading in to her own personal darkness and she stumbled for a moment both crows cawing.  They knew something was wrong but they did not know what.   She felt oddly heavy for a moment and then shook it off.  "I have enough for passage provided we do nothing extravagant.  I get paid well by the university and they provide room and board so I have a small savings."  Nina yawned feeling tired, she assumed that was because of the excitement of the day but she was wrong. "So how do we go about getting passage on a ship?"  She had only ever used a travel company before and she was sure they would not go where she needed to.

[Nigel Wetherby]

"I beleive I may have the answer to our little dilemma!" Aven declared, the shine of the sun on his glasses punctuating his vigor as he produced a rather hefty pouch of coins.
"Being a sellsword myself (Or sell salt as it would be) I have amassed some coin, particularly from exterminating a cutty black sow form a villaige in Scotland."
He pulled out a palmful of shining coins. "A small ironclad should be sufficient, we need only find a captain willing to ferry us to our destination."

[Thorinis]

Luther felt a cold chill run up his spine from the ship that was departing. He did not want to get aboard that ship unless he had too. He thought saw something out of the corner of his eye but when he turned to look nothing was there save the crows making a ruckus.  Listening to them talk about coin he wished he had grabbed some from his master before he departed, he had a little but it was measly compared to the rest of them.

 "Well I don't have much of anything, what I have I can give for passage, anything else I am willing to work off. Wonder if the crew would be willing to take a bit of blending for our passage. After all they have to have some form of weapons on them, and I can sharpen like no one else," smiling grimly.

Thinking about what they were saying he looked to Kemp, "Whats a sell sword?"

[Vancouver Air Privateer]

"Just what it sounds like." replied Kemp. "One who draws their weapon for the money, as opposed to... well, any other reason. He makes his living hunter monsters in return for cash."

He looked around the docks. "Well, we'd best be looking for some form of conveyance now. No point in hanging around longer than we need to. We'll need to get one that's not got a destination yet and that's open to hire. Let's go to the harbour tavern. That's generally where jobless crews listen for the jingle of approaching coins."

[Stella Gaslight]

The pub was a dark hole in the wall full of smoke and the smell of stale beer.  Nina was interested in what was behind the grubby wooden door.  She had never been in a pub before.  Her mother had always said that ladies were above such things.   She had been in the saloon on the voyage across the sea but that had been a different beast.  There were knots of people sitting all around, some talking but some watching them.  Nina was glad for her companions, this did not look like a friendly place.  "So how do we know who is a real sailor and who is going to take us in to an alley and slit our throats?"

[Nigel Wetherby]

"Simple, look for the one that smells the most of ale and wenches." Aven said, casually sidestepping a green bottle of ale, which smashed into a wet, sharp mist against the wall behind him as he calmly approached a grizzled man who looked more bear than human. His thick, salt and pepper beard resembled steel wool which smelt of old perfume and cheap ale. A pockmarked, ale-bellied woman with scraggly red hair clung to his arm and chattered on before the neat and tidy Aven wiped away a stain on the bar beside the man and sat down.
The haggard man turned towards him, his one good eye glaring a hole through the stony faced young man, his baeful scar used to intimidate so many before seemed not to phase the salt-slinger.

"I understand you are an ironclad captain, just returned from a job, sir?" Aven said before casually ordering a bottle of milk. "We are in need of service from one like you."

"One like me, eh?" The old man rumbled, chuckling mirthfully. "What makes ya think I'm an ironclad cap'n and not some rouge what's killed one?"

"Well, sir," Aven stared intensely to the old man. "You are wearing cologne derived from the poppy flower, a flower which is located in the asiatic municipalities, you are spending a gross amount of money on ale and good-gala-girls, and that scar across your left eye is that of a Yuan-ti, a monster native to the chinese waters, meaning you have recently, or at least in a twelve month window, been to asia judging on the necrotic tissue around the scar."

There was a pause one might have been able to cut with a knife, which lasted all of a minute before the old salt laughed and smacked Conlan's back, jarring his glasses from his nose.

"Alright lad, you've got me, now, what are you fixin to pay, and where are you headin'?"

"We are heading to northern africa, territory of the french foreign legion, and a territory of minimal danger. It is in sailors lingo," He took a deep swig of the milk bottle. "A milk run. And you will of course be compensated." He held out his pouch of gold, waggling it like a tasty treat before a hound.

"Alright boy, you got yourself a deal!" The large sailor gripped his small, pale hand and shook it furtively.