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Abrogation (Steampunk)

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Alivaril said:
Slowing your travel speed so dramatically may not be worth the trouble.
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Hmmm. It appears to be generally cited that a small mounted company could travel 60km a day. Recorded record is a single expert rider, Richard II of England, doing 120km in a single night with the world's best horses and a change in the middle. A fit person on a modern bicycle and modern roads can do a century, 150km, in about 12 hours. If we assume that our horse is hilariously badass, over twice as hardcore as any horse IRL ever was, I could see it doing the 120km/day to match Skybreaker. I guess we're trying to keep Skybreaker relatively well topped-off in case we run into trouble? Otherwise the horse is likely contributing to between a quarter and half of our overall speed.
 
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Vebyast said:
Hmmm. It appears to be generally cited that a small mounted company could travel 60km a day. Recorded record is a single expert rider, Richard II of England, doing 120km in a single night with the world's best horses and a change in the middle. A fit person on a modern bicycle and modern roads can do a century, 150km, in about 12 hours. If we assume that our horse is hilariously badass, over twice as hardcore as any horse IRL ever was, I could see it doing the 120km/day to match Skybreaker. I guess we're trying to keep Skybreaker relatively well topped-off in case we run into trouble? Otherwise the horse is likely contributing to between a quarter and half of our overall speed.
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My impression is that our horse is more designed for endurance than speed. Or at least more modified for it. Some focus may also have been put on durability and an efficient metabolism. Basically, a hardier, lower maintainence horse, which is less likely to inconvienence it's rider by breaking a leg, or by requiring really nice food to recover from the long run at it was just forced to make.
 
Alivaril said:
You use some of your spare clothes as improvised bindings and make a mental note to pick up better rope in the next town. You rejected it last time due to excessive weight, but maybe you can find something better without too much work?
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We should just make some rope ourself; we can probably make far better fibers then anything anyone else makes, or at least anyone we could get our hands on.
 
Actually, if we build several small spiders that make string, we could then put several of them to work to eihter make string and rope, or even perhaps to weave or knit.

If you take this thought one step further those spiders could even create something equivalent to spider silk, which would give us the ability to create super strong materials,perhaps even strong enough to be balistic protection. Those weaves could aslo be used as sailcloth or even for the hulls of aircraft (both lighter and heavier than air).

There's also a new technology that if recently come across, where wood is chemically treated and then highly compressed to form a material that is just as strong as steel, but also abit lighter and can offer balistic protection at reasonable thicknesses to boot. I read, that plywood made from this material is about 10 times stronger than the original wood if the layer are glued together across the grain.
 
[X] Plan Ambition
[X] Continue to speak with the scout.
-[X] Ask him where the Inspired are located amongst the army.
-[X] Thank him for his time.
[X] Skybreaker your way into the two Inspired's quarters and bargain with them.
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If we're gonna stick around in the League, let's be its ruler by next week. These Inspired don't know much about us aside from the fact that we're a powerful Inspired. If we show up in their quarters out of a tear in space-time wearing a clockwork mask, they'll be intimidated.

But, consider this: they're a pair of Inspired who live in a nation ruled by people who eat Inspired. If a powerful Inspired suddenly appears to them and offers to overthrow that leadership in return for their fealty, what do you think they'll do?
 
Alivaril said:
"Another Inspired, Sir. A girl, even.
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Hmm. I am reconsidering whether this guy is proper minion material. He might become less cooperative and more of a pain when he discovers our gender.

[X] Continue to speak with the scout.
-[X] Ask for his name. He's been too helpful for you to continue thinking of him as 'the scout' or 'your prisoner.'
-[X] Ask about League Inspired, how do they differ from normal, what their role is in the League, do they take freelancers?
-[x] Ask about his time working for that Inspired he spoke of, the strong one. He appears to be surprisingly at ease right now.
-[x] Ask him to describe the two Inspired and how to identify them. Also ask him to describe and identify who's in charge of the mercenaries.

Knowledge is power, let's learn more about this place and this army in general. And also the League, because just in case.
 
Kai Merah said:
Hmm. I am reconsidering whether this guy is proper minion material. He might become less cooperative and more of a pain when he discovers our gender.
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That whole "a girl, even" may be more to do with the fact that male Inspired are considered to be stronger than female Inspired, in that the stuff they make is usually more advanced.
 
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1.8: Goals
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    • QM's Note: Why was everything IRL on fire


    [X] Continue to speak with the scout.
    -[X] Ask for his name. He's been too helpful for you to continue thinking of him as 'the scout' or 'your prisoner.'
    -[X] What would he make if he had the chance?

    "What's your name? You don't deserve to merely be called 'the scout' or 'my prisoner.'"

    "Franz Baumgartner," he answers immediately. He's either too smart to lie to you or has had that one prepared.

    "What would you make if you had the chance?"

    Franz leans back as far as he possibly can. You hadn't really expected an immediate answer, but you still find yourself dissatisfied by the sheer amount of time it takes him to answer. Minutes at the very least.

    "Dragons," Franz says eventually. "Dragons and any other mythological creatures the world is currently lacking. Viable species, not just lone experiments like so many others have made before. Creativity dies just a little more every time a child learns something doesn't exist."

    You resist the urge to roll your eyes. Contrary to what Franz seems to believe, constructs capable of breeding have been made numerous times. They have a tendency to escape the control of their creator and kill everyone nearby.

    "Anything else?"

    Franz shrugs.

    "From my perspective, Inspired beat the world into submission every time they Surge, Sir. I can't imagine what I don't know. Once I know what I could do, then I'd know what I should make."

    Any trace of guilt vanishes from Inspiration, replaced by vague discontent and scorn. Inspiration already has knowledge; what it needs is imagination and innovation. If Franz can't conjure either, it's no surprise he never joined the ranks of Inspired.


    [] Continue speaking with Franz.

    -[] Ask about his time working for that Inspired he spoke of, the strong one. He appears to be surprisingly at ease right now.
    -[] Ask about League Inspired, how do they differ from normal, what their role is in the League, do they take freelancers?
    -[] Inform him that his mindset is likely why he never experienced Inspiration. Imagination is the mother of invention; if he doesn't possess the former, he won't ever be able to manage the latter.
    -[] Write-in


    [] Move on.
    -[] Head back north, out of the League. You'd prefer powerful Inspired over murderous Empowered.
    -[] Head west, further into the League. Empowered won't threaten you until and unless they learn you're Inspired.
    -[] Free your prisoner.
    --[] Drop Franz ahead of the army after forcing him back into unconsciousness.
    --[] Leave him near the road, but leave him conscious and simply threaten him with death if he turns around before several minutes have passed. He should know better than to challenge your threat.

    [] Write-in
     
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    • Alivaril said:
    -[] Head west, further into the League. Empowered won't threaten you until and unless they learn you're Inspired.
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    Bad plan, they can probably sense Inspiration so they can eat it.

    Grngh. I should have put more effort into the last vote, this vote doesn't get us very far.

    Okay, one thing we want to do before dumping Franz: Get more information out of him about the Inspired we're up against.

    [] Continue speaking with Franz.
    -[] Ask about his time working for that Inspired he spoke of, the strong one. He appears to be surprisingly at ease right now.
    -[] Ask if he can describe or otherwise identify the Inspired for you.
     
    Vebyast said:
    Bad plan, they can probably sense Inspiration so they can eat it.
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    As far as you can tell, Empowered in general cannot; you know of experiments that have been attempted to prove the presence of such. All they really proved is that Empowered don't have them.* However, Inspired are rarely subtle, so it's not as though they need such an ability.

    You suppose it might be possible for an Inspired to make an Inspired-detector, but you've never heard of one.

    *EDIT: The exception seems to be when they kill people. If they don't get any stronger, it was a normal human. If they did, it was an Inspired, or maybe an Empowered; more research is needed on if Empowered can get stronger from killing other Empowered. See also: Determining whether or not someone was a witch by if they floated.
     
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    Okay, I'm just going to vote for exactly what I voted for last time, minus asking for the scout's name.

    [X] Continue to speak with the scout.
    -[X] Ask about League Inspired, how do they differ from normal, what their role is in the League, do they take freelancers?
    -[x] Ask about his time working for that Inspired he spoke of, the strong one. He appears to be surprisingly at ease right now.
    -[x] Ask him to describe the two Inspired of this army and how to identify them. Also ask him to describe and identify who's in charge of the mercenaries.
     
    So if we start having Empowered killing Empowered in order to get stronger, I hope they don't start calling it "The Game" while running around beheading each other, shouting: "There only can be one!"
     
    [X] Continue to speak with the scout.
    -[X] ask if he WOULD be our minions, and what his service might cost you, regardless of if you're actually going to make the offer.
     
    [X] Continue to speak with the scout.
    -[X] Ask about League Inspired, how do they differ from normal, what their role is in the League, do they take freelancers?
    -[x] Ask about his time working for that Inspired he spoke of, the strong one. He appears to be surprisingly at ease right now.
    -[x] Ask him to describe the two Inspired of this army and how to identify them. Also ask him to describe and identify who's in charge of the mercenaries.

    Continuing intel gathering seems like a good plan.
     
    [x] Continue speaking with Franz.
    -[x] Ask about his time working for that Inspired he spoke of, the strong one. He appears to be surprisingly at ease right now.
    -[x] Ask him to describe the two Inspired of this army and how to identify them. Also ask him to describe and identify who's in charge of the mercenaries.
    -[X] Ask about League Inspired, how do they differ from normal, what their role is in the League?

    I'm removing the "do they take freelancers" bit from the question there. I do not want to deal with the backstab-heavy politics that would certainly exist between the League's Inspired and Empowered and I'd prefer to just stay away from that entire topic. That said, getting more information about this region's politics is a good idea.

    We need intel that we can use to grab this army for a Surge.

    And finally, we want to figure out just how minionable he'd be.
     
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    [x] Continue speaking with Franz.
    -[x] Ask about his time working for that Inspired he spoke of, the strong one. He appears to be surprisingly at ease right now.
    -[x] Ask him to describe the two Inspired of this army and how to identify them. Also ask him to describe and identify who's in charge of the mercenaries.
    -[X] Ask about League Inspired, how do they differ from normal, what their role is in the League?

    I'm curious of his time being a minion and what info does he have on that armies inspired. Not to mention how are inspired treated in the league, when not being killed.
     
    [x] Continue speaking with Franz.
    -[x] Ask about his time working for that Inspired he spoke of, the strong one. He appears to be surprisingly at ease right now.
    -[x] Ask him to describe the two Inspired of this army and how to identify them. Also ask him to describe and identify who's in charge of the mercenaries.
    -[X] Ask about League Inspired, how do they differ from normal, what their role is in the League?

    Yeah, fair point about the getting involved in politics. We can get the information later, in the conversation or otherwise, if we decide we want it anyway.
     
    [x] Continue speaking with Franz.
    -[x] Ask about his time working for that Inspired he spoke of, the strong one. He appears to be surprisingly at ease right now.
    -[x] Ask him to describe the two Inspired of this army and how to identify them. Also ask him to describe and identify who's in charge of the mercenaries.
    -[X] Ask about League Inspired, how do they differ from normal, what their role is in the League? Do they take freelancers?

    Just because we ask about it, doesn't mean we have to become one. We sort of asked about the inspired already, but asking again can't hurt I guess.
     
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