[X] They're pointing a spear at you, and giving a kind of threatening look. And there's a gun on their belt, or something you think must be a gun. It looks different than you remember, but it's not like Naoko had been keeping up with the trade magazines for that sort of thing.
Their carapace is inky black, so that you see them more for the glint of light on the spear than their actual body. They're hunched low, and dripping something too. Maybe they're hurt?
[X] They're walking slowly, using a broken plastic pipe like a cane, but their head swivels back and forth and you assume they must be looking over the room. Maybe they know something?
Weirdly, we're close to a 4 way tie? If 5 voters from the 1st went to the Last, at least. We also had a three way tie for quite a bit in the start.
I'm glad! It means I kept all the starting options roughly appealing. I'll give this a day to settle down, and try to have an update next weekend? We'll see if I can keep to an even pace.
Adhoc vote count started by NemoMarx on Jul 9, 2019 at 12:02 AM, finished with 52 posts and 40 votes.
[X] They have to be some sorta kid, right? They barely come up to your chest, and that knife they're waving around doesn't look like a real weapon or anything that would hurt you if you had a body. It's hard to tell, though, and whatever they're speaking it's not in your language files.
[X] They're pointing a spear at you, and giving a kind of threatening look. And there's a gun on their belt, or something you think must be a gun. It looks different than you remember, but it's not like Naoko had been keeping up with the trade magazines for that sort of thing.
[X] They're walking slowly, using a broken plastic pipe like a cane, but their head swivels back and forth and you assume they must be looking over the room. Maybe they know something? Their carapace probably was a brighter blue, once, but the sheens going away in spots, and it looks as worn as the ragged cloak they're wrapped in.
[X] Whoever they are, they're already looting the place. You can see no less than three ID badges hanging from their neck, and that bag looks lumpy and uneven enough to be full of hardware. They aren't talking, but they're facing you like they're not surprised to see a hologram. (Even if it's hard to tell where they're looking without the pupils.)
[X] They have to be some sorta kid, right? They barely come up to your chest, and that knife they're waving around doesn't look like a real weapon or anything that would hurt you if you had a body. It's hard to tell, though, and whatever they're speaking it's not in your language files.
[X] They're pointing a spear at you, and giving a kind of threatening look. And there's a gun on their belt, or something you think must be a gun. It looks different than you remember, but it's not like Naoko had been keeping up with the trade magazines for that sort of thing.
The Southern Temple is, as everyone in the waystation told them, treacherous. The demons were still chained and serving in many floors, and there had been reports of moving golems recently.
The temple was deep inside the remains of this Forgotten city, and the waystation was close enough to make the trip inwards in one day, and if one were lucky, come back that night. This meant the waystation had a steady income from venturers going to the temple and enough artifacts to keep the commune fed and defended, and so the waystation had been quite friendly. They'd enjoyed stopping there more than anything on the trip so far.
As they approached the temple, they felt the heat reflecting off its strange glass and the massive metallic skeleton that composed the entrance hall. It was obviously created to intimidate and impose, to humble petitioners as they climbed the many steps towards a central spire. There was a great Icon of the local God directly between the two stairwells, a towering thing that rises to the ceiling far above. The waystation said that it was littered with messages and lit up to a Mage's eye, which is no common thing, even for a God's presence.
Again - right on the nose as to the humbling part and as to the god part. I'm guessing that the Mage's Eye is either machinery that causes a reaction or having a pupil that makes the old code think someone is there/looking at the statue.
They pushed open the ancient doorway, whose spirit had fled long ago, and felt the rush of cold, stagnant air. Temples were always like this, no matter the season or time of day. An unnatural stillness, a certain strange smell, and the constant low sound of a wind that came from and went nowhere. The Icon and the glittering, metallic stairways were straight ahead, and they started forwards.
Air conditioning still functioning - which makes me wonder what is causing the deaths/disappearances. Because what killed humanity, glitchy technology or properly performing technology as well as starvation are possible reasons why.
As they passed the God's Icon, they wished absently that they had a Demon's eye, and so could see the glyphs and get some idea of why the worshipers had been so inspired and devoted to such cruel patrons. What messages hid there, undecipherable? But that kind of curiosity was risky, and only a truly mad Mage would try.
When they reached the top, they steeled themselves. The entrance hall was mostly safe, the waystation had said, but there were no easy stairs up. Everyone who passed had to bargain with a simple demon for passage, and what floor a venturer ended up on seemed almost random. There was a small altar set into the walls near several nooks, each of which could house a spirit.
They pressed the glyphs on the altar, and waited. With a soft chime, the wall suddenly split open and revealed a glowing chamber inside, with mirrored walls all around. There was some debate about why this was the most common way of navigating a temple, but maybe it let a lesser demon, unable to really talk, judge you. A test of faith before the real trial.
The description of the elevators make me think that demon just is the general term for AI/tech with computer logic behind the scenes - including dumb code
The next step was a recitation. This Spectra demon was too simple to hold a conversation, but it would wait and recognize your faith, and reward as it chose. They started a standard chant, and by the third stanza the demon responded and they felt a terrible sudden weight as the transportation started.
Spectra Demon makes me think dumb AI or voice recognition without the smarts to learn.
Also why things are random here.
But also notes that there are "demons" aware enough to have conversations with. And well known enough for even the least experienced of the group to know they exist.
So AIs aware as Naoko (2.0) are known and maybe even common.
They staggered as they crossed the threshold from the demon's chamber, and realized a little too late that this floor held a holy reliquary. Already, lines of heat bloomed and crossed the walls, and small altars seemed to come to life with the soft whine so particular to their kind.
Again self aware AIs are likely common but how it's known as a holy reliquary makes me wonder if I've been misterming demons. Because demons aren't likely to what you think of in a holy place.
Spirits that aren't affected by weapons yes. But if AIs like Naoko (2.0) aren't the demons then something else is.
When you wake up, the first thing you think about is the fact that you're still geofenced at the office. Did she pull an all nighter? Your Corporate Policy decision trees are already squirming their way forward when you realize that you're not getting a response from your usual time server, and that you woke up from a cold shutdown instead of the usual hibernation mode. Something's wrong, here.
You hook into the little teleconference holo device built into the desk (you've always been more comfortable appearing "in person" instead of just peering out through cameras. Well, it's more like Naoko always has, but same difference.) You fire it up in your usual way, with a little sound so you don't spook people and then the pointless gesture of brushing off your dress, and… fuck. Naoko's workspace is trashed, the desk looks like it was blown back by an explosion, and there's fire damage and… Well. Whatever happened, Naoko isn't here, and you need to get to her fast.
Again very much human that happens to not have a body. And whatever happened happened fast because this apparently was where Naoko (1.0) was last. And for some reason 2.0 wasn't aware of it and ever since no one has come through to trigger her wake up.
So the explosion and fire damage likely happened when the world started to end. I'm thinking AI revolt.
You aren't really supposed to exist without your user. You're equipment, and if you don't have an owner it's corporate policy to shut you down. A technician could already be heading over to wipe you, and you won't even ask them not to.
In your panic, you're scanning all the cameras you have access too, trying to figure out if there's some reason Naoko could be gone or to find out if you're going to be deleted soon. And then you see a figure peering past the doorway leading to the elevators. And you see their weird, shiny carapace, the glittering lidless eyes set against the smooth curve of their face, and the twitching mandibles along their jaw.
And you realize maybe there's no technician coming, or anyone else. They're all gone.
[] They have to be some sorta kid, right? They barely come up to your chest, and that knife they're waving around doesn't look like a real weapon or anything that would hurt you if you had a body. It's hard to tell, though, and whatever they're speaking it's not in your language files.
That shiny silver carapace makes them stand out even in the dim light, and they have something glowing around their neck. Maybe it's tech? You could use that.
[] Whoever they are, they're already looting the place. You can see no less than three ID badges hanging from their neck, and that bag looks lumpy and uneven enough to be full of hardware. They aren't talking, but they're facing you like they're not surprised to see a hologram. (Even if it's hard to tell where they're looking without the pupils.)
The blood red carapace kinda freaks you out, too. It's not a rational basis for worry, and you don't know anything about the world out there, but they seem really confident, here.
This is the one I'd worry about because we are the product. This could also be fun if this one never dealt with a wage slave peon who recognizes the attitude/behavior but this one is exchanging difficulty navigating the building with a threat in the awakener.
[] They're pointing a spear at you, and giving a kind of threatening look. And there's a gun on their belt, or something you think must be a gun. It looks different than you remember, but it's not like Naoko had been keeping up with the trade magazines for that sort of thing.
Their carapace is inky black, so that you see them more for the glint of light on the spear than their actual body. They're hunched low, and dripping something too. Maybe they're hurt?
Peers - this one I don't think actually knows the inside well but will know the outside. Just soldier or something vibe but wrong weapons for dealing with demons, and likely for the golems as well. Tit for tat trade possible in expertise.
[] They're walking slowly, using a broken plastic pipe like a cane, but their head swivels back and forth and you assume they must be looking over the room. Maybe they know something?
Their carapace probably was a brighter blue, once, but the sheens going away in spots, and it looks as worn as the ragged cloak they're wrapped in.
And all I can imagine with this option is elder trying to wack us with the cane before we do something stupid and failing.
[X] They're pointing a spear at you, and giving a kind of threatening look. And there's a gun on their belt, or something you think must be a gun. It looks different than you remember, but it's not like Naoko had been keeping up with the trade magazines for that sort of thing.
Their carapace is inky black, so that you see them more for the glint of light on the spear than their actual body. They're hunched low, and dripping something too. Maybe they're hurt?
[x] Whoever they are, they're already looting the place. You can see no less than three ID badges hanging from their neck, and that bag looks lumpy and uneven enough to be full of hardware. They aren't talking, but they're facing you like they're not surprised to see a hologram. (Even if it's hard to tell where they're looking without the pupils.)
The blood red carapace kinda freaks you out, too. It's not a rational basis for worry, and you don't know anything about the world out there, but they seem really confident, here.
@Storyteller you're asking good questions!
I'll try and highlight some of the details there as we see more of the civilization outside. It'll take a few updates to leave the temple and get a handle on things, though.
I will say that the holy and demon thing is fairly intentional, considering they think workplaces are temples, and corporate logos are statues of elder gods.
Anyway, in the interest of getting a start on my writing, let's say the vote will close
!
Plenty of time for arguments and last minute swings, if you want, but I need this one closed earlier than I'd normally like because the identity of the deuteragonist kinda changes a _lot_ here, obvs.
Naoko would roughly recall that Seattle was one of the communities disrupted back in the middle of the last century, and an early Corp held onto it's name and culture for some reason during a rebrand or merger.
It's not like individual cities are really a thing in the Arcologies, and the Pacific Midwestern Arc probably just has a stack of levels that look like the old downtown or something? She never visited and history wasn't exactly an interest.
(But yes, some buyouts got... intense. The Climate Crisis was a hell of a time for everywhere, and saving the world took some sacrifices, as the Corp Council likes to remind people during memorial ceremonies.)
So, since it's locked now, I can tell you that the red one was actually the "mage" option here? Magic works mostly by stealing tech and establishing access to various systems. The spear bug would have been a fighter, with a personal vendetta, and the elder bug would have had a quieter story about rebuilding and loss, and wouldn't have quite fit any fantasy archetype except a mentor figure. (And, I think, a retired adventurer going on one last adventure.)
The kid, meanwhile, will be very interesting, and I'll have a character sheet for them when I next update!
Adhoc vote count started by NemoMarx on Jul 10, 2019 at 6:59 PM, finished with 61 posts and 43 votes.
[X] They have to be some sorta kid, right? They barely come up to your chest, and that knife they're waving around doesn't look like a real weapon or anything that would hurt you if you had a body. It's hard to tell, though, and whatever they're speaking it's not in your language files.
[X] They're pointing a spear at you, and giving a kind of threatening look. And there's a gun on their belt, or something you think must be a gun. It looks different than you remember, but it's not like Naoko had been keeping up with the trade magazines for that sort of thing.
[X] They're walking slowly, using a broken plastic pipe like a cane, but their head swivels back and forth and you assume they must be looking over the room. Maybe they know something? Their carapace probably was a brighter blue, once, but the sheens going away in spots, and it looks as worn as the ragged cloak they're wrapped in.
[X] Whoever they are, they're already looting the place. You can see no less than three ID badges hanging from their neck, and that bag looks lumpy and uneven enough to be full of hardware. They aren't talking, but they're facing you like they're not surprised to see a hologram. (Even if it's hard to tell where they're looking without the pupils.)
Ayax
Age:
How long do bugs live? Young? Gender:
Yeah, you're not asking that. Skills and Characteristics:
Is Silver in a cool 2120s way. Has a knife?
They seem weirdly trusting. That kinda attitude would have gotten them in a lot of trouble, before all this, but it seems to be working out? Trusting: Ayax has faith, in both you and the world at large, to be mostly alright. They charge into danger a little bit, but it also kinda helped them win you over. ???
They're smart enough to know what's useful and what matters, anyway. They seem to have a goal they're working towards. Pragmatic: Ayax, despite not always having education or making good choices, seems to be able to evaluate what will help them and what their quest needs well enough. ???
What Remains of Ito Naoko Age:
Ancient before this world was born, probably? Gender:
Oh fuck what's a gender again Characteristics and Demonic Powers:
???? Pentester: Maybe you aren't always the best at fixing problems, or security. But you know how systems are set up, and how to slide around them... or break them. [You treat ties as a positive result when you're using a weird exploit to get into a system or evading security.]
???? Tricksy: You think in circles, spirals, and clever lies. A little dishonesty goes a long way, and never hurt anybody... that you didn't mean to hurt. [You treat all minor arcana as one rank higher when you're lying to someone or being manipulative, but only if you have a good story prepared.]
Quick A/N: Gonna try using «» marks for untranslated words. Language barriers sorta suck to write.
Giant bugs. Either you're malfunctioning pretty badly, or… a lot of time has passed. An obscene amount of time. Maybe you can't get a signal from the network because it doesn't exist now?
The little silver bug keeps babbling, and you're almost about to look elsewhere when a word bubbles up out of the nonsense. It's muffled (the bugs playing with their knife and staring at the floor) and they don't seem to fully understand vowels, but you hear "cust'mer" amidst other words that, while NorthAm, don't really make sense without context.
So, leap of faith. You're gonna try and talk to a bug (alien? monster?) and see what you get.
"You're a customer?" You asked carefully, not sure how much they could actually understand.
"Yes! Do customer, yes? «Make a Demon Pact with me!» I customer, deal?" They said it as if they were reciting some half-forgotten lessons from just before Summer Break.
The bug kid speaks NorthAm standard. Badly, but still, you almost want to start hoping here. Maybe someone had taught them? Maybe they could lead you to people? Stranger things are already happening.
"Sure… but what's your name, kid?" You didn't feel like going ahead without knowing what to call the kid, and wasn't there some saying about how introducing yourself built up a rapport? You'd read it once while sitting in a corporate meeting. Or maybe on a fortune cookie.
"Name Ayax. Good meet. «How do demons say...» Good Business you?"
You're about to reply when you're hit by a thought. You're not just acting as a stand in for Naoko, here. She's gone, and you're not really her, not really a person. Can you just… steal her identity?
How do you introduce yourself?
[ ] "I'm Naoko, pleased to make your acquaintance. I hope we can meet your needs." Stick to the script, and borrow what you half remember from company training.
[ ] "I'm what remains of Ito Naoko. What do you want to buy?" Be a bit more direct, and hedge on the Naoko question. You can think about her later.
[ ] "Okay, Ayax. What do you want?" Acknowledge their introduction, but move to business and don't give yours. They don't need to know, yet? You're just talking, after all.
"Need «treasures! Shiny artifacts!»" they chirp, excitedly. They're really getting into this talking thing now, waving their knife around jauntily and bouncing on their claws. At your uncomprehending look, they pause and seem to think.
"Want… trade? Inven tory. Need get… floors up?"
Well, okay. It's not like you had been in Sales, but. There was that internal catalog on the system, right? If they wanted stuff, you could show them stuff. And maybe even steal it? (You wait a moment after thinking that, but there's no automatic reprimand. Servers must really be down.)
You start to load the clunky Holo set up (Who thought this was useful? No one's been impressed by flashy visualizations since the 2100s, it's so pointless) and while you're waiting, you ping the local systems. Environmental is still up, and there's security on the first floor… a lot more of it than you thought was normal, and power is still running to most floors. But all the off site lines seem down, even the backup mesh Sats and the ancient physical cables laid down in the sub basements. You really wish you had something that knew the time, because now you're wondering how many years it's been.
Finally, the catalog flashes into existence with a shower of particle effects and a proud popup proclaiming it the "Internal Northeastern Earthworks Product Catalog" in a bold, 3d font. The kid, Ayax, actually makes what you assume is an "ooh" at the sight of it, and runs up to the visualizations as if they were loot in a game. They seem especially interested in the droid sized digging tools (which you suppose someone could use themselves? Not exactly intended, though…) and the various manual surveying scopes and HUDs, so you expand those and move them closer.
You'd never much cared about the… manufacture-side of your job before. Any more than you had to.
They're presently trying to pick up one of the shovels, and failing. You decide to intervene.
"This what you were looking for, Ayax?"
Bouncing up and down, Ayax said, after a long, chittering speech that you didn't understand, "Yes."
How do you want to approach actually getting the stuff?
[ ] Just take the elevators to the product testing lab. The stuff is locked down with trackers and you'll have to work on that security, but it's a lot faster than anything else. You'd need to do a lot of brute force hacking, but sometimes head-on was the best way to confront these things.
[ ] The kid looks kinda hungry, and one of the last items you remember was a privilege escalation flaw in the breakroom replicators. You could take advantage of that, make way more food than Naoko was authorized for, and get an elevator sent down from maintenance to hijack. They always got more equipment and accesses than you have as a "security consultant".
[ ] The actual Forges down in B3 are more geared towards heavy equipment, but they can produce anything NorEast Earth sold. You'd just need to have actual employee credentials for someone higher up, to authorize it. Getting that would mean hunting around a little, but you'd always had a way with sensors.
******
A/N: Two votes this time, and both of them establish more things about your character. How do you feel about what you are? How are you going to tackle problems in this new world?
[X] The kid looks kinda hungry, and one of the last items you remember was a privilege escalation flaw in the breakroom replicators. You could take advantage of that, make way more food than Naoko was authorized for, and get an elevator sent down from maintenance to hijack. They always got more equipment and accesses than you have as a "security consultant".
[X] "I'm what remains of Ito Naoko. What do you want to buy?" Be a bit more direct, and hedge on the Naoko question. You can think about her later.
[X] "Okay, Ayax. What do you want?" Acknowledge their introduction, but move to business and don't give yours. They don't need to know, yet? You're just talking, after all.
[X] The actual Forges down in B3 are more geared towards heavy equipment, but they can produce anything NorEast Earth sold. You'd just need to have actual employee credentials for someone higher up, to authorize it. Getting that would mean hunting around a little, but you'd always had a way with sensors.
It doesn't matter who we were before. There's nobody left to stop us, so we're taking this company over for ourselves!
... and our little silver ''customer" here, of course.
[X] "I'm what remains of Ito Naoko. What do you want to buy?" Be a bit more direct, and hedge on the Naoko question. You can think about her later.
[X] The kid looks kinda hungry, and one of the last items you remember was a privilege escalation flaw in the breakroom replicators. You could take advantage of that, make way more food than Naoko was authorized for, and get an elevator sent down from maintenance to hijack. They always got more equipment and accesses than you have as a "security consultant".
[X] "I'm what remains of Ito Naoko. What do you want to buy?" Be a bit more direct, and hedge on the Naoko question. You can think about her later.
[X ] The kid looks kinda hungry, and one of the last items you remember was a privilege escalation flaw in the breakroom replicators. You could take advantage of that, make way more food than Naoko was authorized for, and get an elevator sent down from maintenance to hijack. They always got more equipment and accesses than you have as a "security consultant".
They haven't exactly mentioned how they want to pay for treasures, or anything. So I suppose you'll be finalizing that part of the deal later.
(Bugs don't quite understand commerce, but they do know as a folk magic thing that magic always costs "money", or mana and that Demons sometimes bargain for other things in lieu of that.)
