Steam and Sand Game Thread

[Stella Gaslight]

"Yea and the lass would be no burden at all." It was obvious she had grown rather fond of them. 

Dear waved goodbye enthusiastically with both arms.  "I told them you could read books and they said they would take Dear to Genty's house and Dear could pet a bunny if you would read them a story."  She had seen bunnies before but they were far too fast for her to catch.


The Anglian commander was angry the entire recovery of the house had been botched and he had Cotton an earful for letting that rig get there first. He had orders now rather particular orders to find this wild girl that attacked them and bring her before the king.  They gave no reason why but he suspected that she might know where more treasure was hidden.  He sighed looking for tracks to give him some clue as to where they went, he was getting too old for wild goose chases in the desert.

[Rowland Elmstone]

Flint nodded and finished his drink.

"Sounds good. I believe the only thing stopping the expedition are the scavengers that have been keeping an eye on the site. I am sure your crew wouldn't have any problems with them, judging by that steam armor and Knight."

He nodded and ordered another drink.

[Nigel Wetherby]

"Hmm a story eh? I think that can be arranged." Conlan chuckled.
"But first off we need to get you some clothing, then we can decide what to read your friends."
The clothing store was across the street. The sand-scratched windows modeled mannequins clothed in bright pink confections of dresses and white fluffy gowns that resembled exotic desserts rather than clothing.
Next to the delicate store was a Salvagers depot, there was no sign, but anyone could tell that's what it was. Old, outmoded rigs stood on eiter side like tired old sentries.

[Stella Gaslight]

It was dim inside and cool from the heat of the day.  Dear had never been inside a store like that before and found the place very interesting. Laid out on long counters and time worn displays were all the things one would need to survive in the wastes. Things hung above there heads and piled up all around them.  Dear wanted to know what everything was.  Some things she recognized from the 7-7 and some things were alien to her.   She was holding a canteen upside down and peering in to it when a rather amused sounding voice called out from behind a tall over packed shelf. "What can I for for ya?"

[Nigel Wetherby]

"Yes, well...my friend, Dear needs some help. A friend of yours told us to tell you that she sent us."
He pointed to the cobbler's across the street.
"We are looking for an outfit that will keep her safe while she is playing, out in the wastes, and of course in battle."
He recalled his promise made to her the night before.
"We will also need a slingshot."

[Skinner]

Skinner emerged from the household, smiling more brightly than she had in a while. A chorus of young voices accompanied her out, alongside her father's booming tennor "Ta-Ra!" and her mother's echo in a higher lilt. She waved as she left, and still had a comfortable amount of money in her pocket even after the sizable cut to the Illegitimate Son Fund.

Then she jogged across the quay down to the repair garage, she tipped the man keeping an eye on it quite kindly as she re-boarded, and trotted down the corridors to her cabin.

"Anyone 'ome?" she called, wondering if Malc was about, smelling something that smelt like food and wondering what infernal beast had spat that out. She rifled through her duffle bag, colouring a little as she remembered the contents and that she hadn't changed her clothes in three or four days... yep, four days. Then she picked up her old fiddle case, filled her wallet with cash till it was fat and wholesome looking.

"C'mon Malckey!" she cried down the corridors with a wry grin. "Whyn't we join Royce up in town, he said he to go up fer a celebratory meal. I want to pop by the jewelers on the way, too. Fancy gettin' someone summat, if yeh follow me."

[MWBailey]

"
Sounds okay ter me!" Malc said, and trooped out with Skinner. "If there be time, I'd like tae find that lclothier's shop, the one owned by that woman  that said I was welcome for bringin' 'er man 'ome alive. I do need a new shirt, at that," he said.

[Titus Wells]

Scarcely three hours after starting out, the Boar search party picked up tracks heading north for Bristol. At first it looked like part of the Anglian contingent, but Red remembered Malc's tank and explained the disturbance that covered the rig's tracks. It looked like the APC was either following very closely, or, more likely, attached to the rear of the 7-7.

The Boars continued following the tracks as they turned north and headed for the Atrium. By noon they had found the telltale deep track marks where the rig had stayed overnight and from there the trail lead straught towards Bristol.

[Vancouver Air Privateer]

Royce had bought himself some new clothes. The ones he had were plain York salvager gear and had been patched up multiple times. With his new ones, he looked a bit more like a captain of a reputable rig. Still, the waiter at the restaurant looked a bit puzzled as he entered. Most of the people sitting there were merchants, who had made their living trading what they could, or people with other respectable jobs in the atrium - doctors and officials and the like. There was even a group of Mercian knight officers, out of armour and in smart black uniforms, sipping at fine ale. The

Once again, money was passed and Royce got himself a large table, seating himself at the head. He looked out the wide windows of the restaurant. It was right in the center of town and gave a beautiful view of the carefully tended fields laying in the middle, farmer constructs methodically moving among the rows to water them. Brizzle wasn't quite as big as Bromwicham, but the size of the field was still impressive.

He checked his wristwatch - another new purchase. He already had a pocketwatch he was attached to, but wristwatches were popular with working men, who often needed times at a glance, such as salvagers like them. It said he was very early. Everyone was still shopping, but he had at least gotten a table. He just ordered some drinks for Flint and him and enjoyed the view. Everyone would head over to the Avony restaurant when they were done their purchases.

[Mina]

Kat returned from her little spree with nothing new but the groceries, more ammunition, and another pistol. She stocked the pantry with the new food, then headed to her bunk.

She decided to brush out her hair, and so very carefully removed the long braid that hadn't been really unbraided in perhaps a week. After brushing it out she decided to pull it back with only a ribbon, so that the loose, copper curls almost reached her waist. She changed her blouse to be presentable, and of course removed her ammunition harness, though she did not remove her holster. After giving her face a good scrub, she decided to head to the restaurant Royce had suggested earlier in the day.

She made her way through the atrium, occasionally stopping a passer-by to ask where the Avony was. She was releived to see that Royce was already there when she arrived. It made walking through a room of well-dressed people much less awkward. She took a seat near the middle of the table.

"Well, don't you look spiffy! A right and proper captain yeh are now," she commented on Royce's new clothing.

[MWBailey]

Malc and skinner found the jewelry shop, and after Skinner had made her selection (Malc didnt ask, but thought maybe it was for Scarlette or Skinner's mum) and he had looked at a particularly nice platinum watch fob-- a charm in the shape of tanker's goggles, no less, on a ribbon and a short chain. Too bad he didn't trust fobs; their unattachedness bothered him.

They left the jewelry store, then, and went to the clothiers, where Rusty saw them coming, and met them at the door, and ushered them over to the khakhi dress uniform shirts, and lo and behold, they had the same cut and cloth of the Yorkshire Tankers shirt that Malc was wearing. They even took all the insignia off of Malc's damaged shirt and put it on the new one, and while he was trying on the fit and hang of the new shirt, Rusty's wife polished up the steel plates on his cuirass and cleaned and dyed the once-black leather they were rivetted to!

Malc ended up paying a cut rate for all the service, and promised to let them handle all of his uniform replacement needs, and also suggested the salvager's shop for 20mm and .454 ammo for his Lemat. (he was still wearing the hip rig, and several of the cartridge loops were empty, as well as a few of the 20mm loops on the bandolier from which he hung his scabbarded cutlass) He had gotten a few looks, wearing the whole tanker's uniform(khakhi shirt and pants, black leather cuirass with bright steel plates, cavalry-style knee-high boots instead of his usual tall wellies, and the big-bore revolver in the hip rig, cutlass on the bandolier, hanging scabbarded on the other hip, goggles on the officer's cap) through the middle of town, with his peaked officer's cap instead of his helmet, but he preferred to have his sword, and the helmet was just too dinged-up to go to a fancy restaurant in. He missed his rifled musket, but figured he'd have small use for it in the restaurant, unless Royce called for volley fire, directed at the salad counter Their shopping done, they went to the restaurant, and earned a few more looks. "Lookit them whiskers on the Yorkshire Tanker! you ever seen a handlebar that wide before? He looks like a bloody walrus in body armor!" He nearly balked on seeing the mercian knights, but saw that the one he'd run afoul of in Yorkshire was not in evidence and relaxed a bit. then, they arrived at the table. "Well, now, Royce, you lok like a cap'n o' substance in them new duds!" Malc said as they were ushered to their seats.

[Stella Gaslight]

"Hmmm."  Perfecta said giving Dear a once over.   Dear was trying to figure out how and old gas mask worked but currently had it on the top of her head like a hat.  "She will need some of our double knee-ed pants I usually suggest the ones with additional leather patches for hard wearing folks like her."  She saw Dears necklace. "And plenty o pockets for her treasures.  She will need some undergarments too, cotton is best for that, it breathes well.  A belt would be good, something thick she can hang some necessities from. I always suggest getting a set of hooks and pouches it makes thing much easier to find.  Of course she will need goggles to protect her eyes from the blaze, a grit mask for storms and a hat or kerchief to keep the sun off.  She will need at least three shirts and you should get both long sleeves and short sleeves. We have some with built in sleeve guarders so that may help get some more use out of them.  It can get rather nippy at night does she have a coat?"

[Nigel Wetherby]

Conlan's eyes widened, most of the features the salesman had listed were mostly bult right into his armor. He had no idea that seperately, so many elements were needed.
"Er...well..."
It was easy to see the knight was in over his head.
"No, she has no coat. I only recently discovered the poor dear. We also might need something she can use to defend herself with. Maybe a combat-slingshot or edged boomerang. Something you throw, she's very good at throwing." He said while stroking the bruise on his head induced by her dead aim with a rock.

[Stella Gaslight]

"I have just the thing. dome of the local riggers around here use them to hunt and save on ammo."  Perfecta handed him a sturdy looking slingshot made out of some darkly polished wood.  "See the bars on the back brace against the arm for added power.  I might be able to find some pyrotechnic ammo for ya if you are planning on hanging around for a few days.  As for the clothes if ya come back in about an hour I can have a full kit ready for ya if ya can get Miss Dear to stay still while I measure her."

[Nigel Wetherby]

He began to ponder the potential of explosive shots, dear seemed to have a dead aim with big, heavy bombshells. Tony, explosive pellets should be no different!
"That sounds wonderful! I've got a day or so to kill, I suppose I could wait for the pellets to arrive."
He readied the slingshot, firing off an invisible pellet and admiring the speed and durability of the band. He gave it a real test by scooping up a small, dusty pebble from the wooden floor and aiming it carefully out of an open door. He aimed carefully for the dangling pan of a cookware salesman. A shot from the slingshot and bits of rubble and dust landed upojn the cookware counter. A deep dent was formed within the steel of the pan.
"Very nice!"

Conlan nodded in understanding as Perfecta explained the need for measurements.
"Dear, please come here. Prefectas here needs to take your measurements so they can give you some nice clothing to wear during our trip."

[Stella Gaslight]

Dear ducked behind Conlan.  "She isn't going to tie me up is she? Cause some men tried to do that to Dear before and Dear didn't like that."

[Nigel Wetherby]

"She'd be smart not to."
He said, stroking the hilt of his sword, not so much to warn Perfecta as it was to console Dear.
"She just wants to measure your body so your clothing can fit."
He flashed Perfecta a reassuring smile, then giving Dear a far sweeter one.

An anglian soldier searched the looted weapon storage, finding a cutchullan model rifle propped up against the wall, and unlike the few weapons left over, it was loaded. Someone had been here, recently. The soldier reported the clue to his commander, proudly presenting the gun like a bone to a dog's master.
"What do you make of it sir?"

[Stella Gaslight]

Dear was still rather suspicious of most people that weren't Conlan or the crew of the 7-7.  She stayed very still and Perfecta had a light touch so the work went quickly.  "Now Miss Dear when ya come back in an hour or so there will be a lot of all new clothes waiting for ya. Won't that be nice?"

Dear thought about that for a moment then smiled.  "Dear hasn't had new clothes in a real long time." She said with a smile.  Dear took Conlan's hand.  "Where are we going now?"

[Nigel Wetherby]

"Well, Didn't your friends say that you could pet a rabbit if I read them a story?"
He reached into his satchel, producing a thick tome filled with stories for children. Knights, dragons, princesses and rat pipers paraded across the cover.
"Which story do you think they should hear about? The knight and the clockwork dragon, the Pied piper, or perhaps Rapunzel?"
The illustrations of each picture practically leaped off the page.

[Stella Gaslight]

Dear thought on this for a moment and then smiled.  "How about the the one with the long hair lady.  Dear was very curious about how her hair got so long."


The Anglian commander smiled, finally a lead.  "The knight was with the raiders and we have reports of a rig flying Cornwall's colors dragging that infernal armor behind them.  We have found our salvage scum and I would bet my hat that the wild girl is with them.  Get the tanks ready to go now, we have no time to lose."  

[Nigel Wetherby]

"As you wish." Conlan said cheerfully, flipping open the book and  looking with fondness at the picture of the dashing steam knight climbing the ahair of beauitful maiden. The picture seemed more like a photo, one could tell each illustration was guided by the hand of someone with a child.
"My theory is that she ate lots of vegetables. They make your hair long and shiny."

"Yes sir!" The soldier gave a smart salute, vanishing out the door to ready the tanks.
The loud roar of motors and steam engines filled the quiet air. The isle of wight shook with the roar of engines that brayed like dogs for the wild girl.
The Anglians were on the move.

[Titus Wells]

The bikes were stopped just outside Bristol. There was no way an Atrium would allow them access, they would have to wait until the rig left and ambush it in the dunes. Shamus directed five of the bandits to skirt the area the others pitched a rough camp out of sight of the Atrium's watchposts. Richard gave some orders, but Red guessed they were just show. Shamus was running this outfit, of that there was no doubt, and Red sensed Richard was on edge. One way or another, as soon as the 7-7 hove into view his time with the bandits would be over.

[Stella Gaslight]

Martha's children were playing put in the street and let out a whoop of excitement.  "Story story story."  Marta said jumping up and down."

They could see tracks now leading east.  The anglians were traveling light and lean giving up strenght for speed.  The miles were passing fast and they would be to Brizzle by nightfall and then the true hunt would begin.

[Nigel Wetherby]

Conlan sat down, setting the book upon his lap.
"Well sit down, and listen closely. This will be a good one, I should know, I grew up with it."
He opened the book like a treasure chest, flipping to the page which held the illustration of a beautiful princess wrapped in golden locks of hair.
"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young princess named Rapunzel..."

Anglian soldiers prepared for battle, the wild girl would be heavily guarded. A steam knight in of itself would be a terrible thing to get past.

 

[Titus Wells]

A few hours later the scout party returned, telling tales of a mass Anglian movement to the south.

Shamus turned to Richard, "Right, my leige," his grimace and tone suggested he was not being altogether sincere, "your royal escort draws near. Wave your kingly seal and lead forth your men to victory."

Richard turned to Red, "Are these Anglians from the Isle? If so they're either following us or your friends. Sir Red, have your comrades any allegiance with the Anglian usurpers?"

"No my leige, I suspect their looting of the manor has caused a bit of uproar. Looks like all of Anglia is on their tail. I hope we can get to them first."