Remove ads

Circle of Vengeance: Kung Fu Revenge Quest

Voting is open
Reader mode
Xantalos said:
who crashes into a nearby vegetable cart, nearly upending the whole thing with the force of his impact. A collection of root vegetables soar into the street,
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
My cabbages!!!
Xantalos said:
This month-long delay was brought to you by many things, but mostly a tumultuous move and draining work hours. I've rectified some of those issues and am working on the rest, and found time to get back to actually putting words down recently again. Feels good.

Info posts on Flaming Venom Palm, what you've learned of Infernal Meteor Fusillade, and the general structure of the Powder Scorpions will come out … sometime, so I can dump more info than would be easy to convey inside an actual scene.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Thanks for the update!😊

[X] Proactive Approach – Use a mixture of deduction, your own perspective as head of a clan, and perhaps a dose of persuasion to find her hideout's location, then head there directly. She'll know you're coming, but won't have long to prepare before you make your appearance, even if you have to insist you be let in.
 
[X] Proactive Approach – Use a mixture of deduction, your own perspective as head of a clan, and perhaps a dose of persuasion to find her hideout's location, then head there directly. She'll know you're coming, but won't have long to prepare before you make your appearance, even if you have to insist you be let in.
 
[X] Proactive Approach – Use a mixture of deduction, your own perspective as head of a clan, and perhaps a dose of persuasion to find her hideout's location, then head there directly. She'll know you're coming, but won't have long to prepare before you make your appearance, even if you have to insist you be let in.
 
[X] Watch the Watchers – You're no stranger to a little counter-espionage. Find whoever's tailing you and give them a runaround, then follow them and whoever they meet with until you arrive at the Matron. If you manage it correctly, you'll simply walk into her presence with no preamble, giving her no time to ready herself. Of course, if you're discovered, it could lead to a bad first impression as you have to fight her enforcers to a standstill before you're able to get any talking done.

Enigmatic Grandma
 
[X] Proactive Approach – Use a mixture of deduction, your own perspective as head of a clan, and perhaps a dose of persuasion to find her hideout's location, then head there directly. She'll know you're coming, but won't have long to prepare before you make your appearance, even if you have to insist you be let in.
 
[X] Proactive Approach – Use a mixture of deduction, your own perspective as head of a clan, and perhaps a dose of persuasion to find her hideout's location, then head there directly. She'll know you're coming, but won't have long to prepare before you make your appearance, even if you have to insist you be let in.
 
cheesyme said:
Violence is not the answer. :V
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Violence is always an answer, but not necessarily the best one

[X] Proactive Approach – Use a mixture of deduction, your own perspective as head of a clan, and perhaps a dose of persuasion to find her hideout's location, then head there directly. She'll know you're coming, but won't have long to prepare before you make your appearance, even if you have to insist you be let in.
 
[X] Proactive Approach – Use a mixture of deduction, your own perspective as head of a clan, and perhaps a dose of persuasion to find her hideout's location, then head there directly. She'll know you're coming, but won't have long to prepare before you make your appearance, even if you have to insist you be let in.
 
[X] Proactive Approach – Use a mixture of deduction, your own perspective as head of a clan, and perhaps a dose of persuasion to find her hideout's location, then head there directly. She'll know you're coming, but won't have long to prepare before you make your appearance, even if you have to insist you be let in.
 
[X] Make Yourself Obvious – Halfling eyes are no doubt already on the pair of you. Simply spend time strolling through the streets and wait for someone to fetch you – a surefire way of guaranteeing your entry without any fuss, but you'd be giving her time to prepare.

We gotta give some face. :V

Joke aside, I'm fine with either. But we aren't in a hurry, as far as I remember.
 
[X] Proactive Approach – Use a mixture of deduction, your own perspective as head of a clan, and perhaps a dose of persuasion to find her hideout's location, then head there directly. She'll know you're coming, but won't have long to prepare before you make your appearance, even if you have to insist you be let in.
 
Fuck it, I'm changing my vote. I followed that story to see cool fights. Coolness should be the most important thing when I vote.

[X] Watch the Watchers – You're no stranger to a little counter-espionage. Find whoever's tailing you and give them a runaround, then follow them and whoever they meet with until you arrive at the Matron. If you manage it correctly, you'll simply walk into her presence with no preamble, giving her no time to ready herself. Of course, if you're discovered, it could lead to a bad first impression as you have to fight her enforcers to a standstill before you're able to get any talking done.
 
[X] Proactive Approach – Use a mixture of deduction, your own perspective as head of a clan, and perhaps a dose of persuasion to find her hideout's location, then head there directly. She'll know you're coming, but won't have long to prepare before you make your appearance, even if you have to insist you be let in.
 
[X] Proactive Approach – Use a mixture of deduction, your own perspective as head of a clan, and perhaps a dose of persuasion to find her hideout's location, then head there directly. She'll know you're coming, but won't have long to prepare before you make your appearance, even if you have to insist you be let in.
 
[X] Watch the Watchers – You're no stranger to a little counter-espionage. Find whoever's tailing you and give them a runaround, then follow them and whoever they meet with until you arrive at the Matron. If you manage it correctly, you'll simply walk into her presence with no preamble, giving her no time to ready herself. Of course, if you're discovered, it could lead to a bad first impression as you have to fight her enforcers to a standstill before you're able to get any talking done.
 
Remove ads
9. A Meeting of Matrons
  • Threadmarks
    • Proactive Approach – Use a mixture of deduction, your own perspective as head of a clan, and perhaps a dose of persuasion to find her hideout's location, then head there directly. She'll know you're coming, but won't have long to prepare before you make your appearance, even if you have to insist you be let in.

    Life in Dust Town was hard. The residents of Shelldrop who lived here were poor, forced to work in the shell-ore mines within the city's iconic chasm to sustain themselves, for which they earned a pittance. Despite the value of the pearly stone they extracted from within the earth, most of them were paid barely enough to make a living, and bound with restrictive contracts to the company that employed them. They lived in neighborhoods shrouded with dust that came as an aftereffect of processing the shell ore, and after years of exposure, many developed hacking coughs and raspy voices. Death by respiratory illness was relatively common, with the most prolific ailment picking up the name Hatching Lung. Those afflicted by it would begin to cough up blood, and their breath rumbled and crackled inside their lungs. Exposure to clean air slowed its progress, and certain herbal remedies had shown promise in early onset cases, but the general prognosis was death, delivered over long months.

    Due in large part to the poor living conditions and general tendency towards illness in Dust Town, the rest of Shelldrop had developed a rather distant attitude towards those who lived there. A 'duster' was not an outright pariah to the rest of the city, but those who went to other parts of the city experienced a distinctly unwelcome attitude. Prices for goods were hiked even for those merchants who accepted their business, people would often cross the street so as to not come close to them, and everyone they talked to seemed to find an excuse to cover their mouths and noses, even though the air they breathed was not clogged with debris. For this and other reasons, the residents of Dust Town tended to keep to themselves, and had developed a frugal way of life that didn't require much in the way of luxuries.

    This, ultimately, is what guides you unerringly towards the small, unassuming pastry shop you spy from the corner of a street. It's painted a welcoming shade of periwinkle blue, with not a hint of dust besmirching its exterior, and the scent of baking bread wafts from the door. It has no windows, no advertisements, only a quaint wooden sign that hangs above the door, proclaiming the name of the shop as Babushka's Blini. It's no gourmet establishment, and there's nothing particular about it that draws the eye - indeed, this is what gives it away. Walking in Dust Town inevitably leaves a trail of disturbed particulate behind you, something Alya bemoaned the entire way through, grumbling quietly about the damage to her coat and boots. Yet when you look at the exterior of Baba's Blini, the tracking and smearing you'd expect to see from customers walking in or out, or even from the opening of the door, is absent. Were it not for the lights inside, it would almost appear as if the shop was closed down.

    "So we're just going to walk in?"

    You turn and regard Alya with a single raised eyebrow, one of the few features of your face visible above your scarf. Her ears shrink back and she looks away, reflexively smoothing the fur on her head with a hand. "I mean … didn't we come here to avoid taking on a whole crowd of gangsters? Strutting headfirst into the Matron's den seems, well, I'm sure you can handle it, but…"

    "Counterproductive?" You offer, seeing her think of multiple words only to bite them back.

    Alya nods with relief, trading the insult you could see brewing on her tongue for something more productive. "Counterproductive, yes. It might be better if we let them come to us. We're here for their help, after all."

    You nod thoughtfully - it's not a point without merit, even if you have decided otherwise. "A question for a question," you reply. "A man is beset by an infestation of insects that force him out of his home, and is forced to live within the wilds while he plots how he will force the bugs out. One night, sitting by his fire, he notices a pair of eyes gleaming at him from the dark, atop a long, pointed snout. What is his first reaction?"

    Alya clearly has no clue where you're going with this, but answers anyway, her tone hesitant. "Grab a weapon? Make sure whatever it is can't harm him."

    You nod. "Precisely. Now let us say the beast growls at the sight of the man's spear, and a fight ensues. No matter who wins, the victor is weakened, and more likely to become prey. If the man had not raised his spear, and instead used his eyes to observe the snout of an anteater, perhaps both of them could benefit from the situation. One gets his home back, the other is able to feast upon its natural enemies."

    "So the idea is to start a dialogue with them before they get their hackles up?"

    "Or begin to think too much about negotiating for our services," you affirm. "Everyone always wants something from you, and I'd rather not give too much time to the Matron to consider." Your piece said, you stride up to the door of the bakery. "Come along now, unless you'd like to stay out here and get more dust on that coat of yours."

    The girl's quick on your heels as you pull open the door and step inside, and you suppress a smirk as you look about. The interior's modest, but well-kept, with polished wood floors and glass-paned shelves that house a wide variety of cakes, pies, tarts, crepes, muffins, scones, dumplings, and a few other sorts of confectionery that even you haven't seen before. The eponymous blin are, of course, set prominently in the center of the display, and though they're not quite as visually astounding as some of the inventions here - little more than a stuffed pancake, truthfully - there's something in the aroma they give off that tells you all you need to know about their quality. Alya's instantly drawn to the displays, and stands in front of them, very nearly visibly salivating. You consider reprimanding her, but reconsider after a glance at her thin frame. A bit of fattening would do her some good, mayhaps.

    There's a halfling behind a stone counter at the rear, a stout fellow with pale skin, ruddy cheeks, and cheery blue eyes. He's wearing a tight-fitting cap of white cloth and a matching apron that bears faint stains. He sets well-muscled forearms down upon his work surface and grins as he sees you enter, revealing a set of chipped and cracked teeth with at least three replacements. "Well now," he chirps, his voice smooth, deep, and bereft of any accent. "We don't see cousins come to visit every day, now! A welcome to you from Boris Blinchik, goodmarm."

    Your eyes narrow for a moment before you reciprocate, curtsying briefly and dropping your voice into a Brimbledon burr. If everyone in this city is intent on thinking of you as a halfling, you may as well get something out of it. "Well met, cousin," you reply. "It's good to see some relations in these parts."

    Boris nods enthusiastically, dusting his hands free of flour as you approach. They're thick and calloused, and rest on the counter with curled fingers, revealing an array of scars on the back of each. "Well met, well met indeed! Haven't spoken with one of the Brimbledon families in years, I do hope things are well. What can I get for you, goodmarm?"

    You point to the pile of blini in the center of the display. "Good work, those," you offer, and he nods proudly. "Family recipe," he chirps. "Passed down direct from the old country, formulated before old Kazzer swept through and made a mess of everything."

    You pull your shawl away from your face, and for some reason Boris seems taken aback, his eyes going wide for a split second. Sensing an opportunity, even if you don't quite know its source, you lean in closer. "I'd suppose it's your babushka that makes them, then? Her name on the sign and all."

    Boris blinks, looking closely at you. "...She does," he offers with previously-unseen caution. "Gets up in the wee hours of the morning to mix the batter."

    "I'd like to speak with her, then. I've got a few recipes of my own to share, if she'd be interested."

    The baker's face pales. "Babi … meaning no offense, of course, but she generally doesn't accept unexpected meanings. She's a very punctual woman and has many things to do with her time."

    You smile the sweet, compassionate, and thoroughly unimpressed smile of a matriarch who knows when someone is trying to bluff you. "It'll be worth her time, you can be sure of it. Just bring me to her and I'll handle the rest, dear."

    Boris locks eyes with you for a moment, thinks better of it, and chews on his lip. "I can't," he confesses. "She's meeting with some, er, family friends and it'd be my hide if I interrupted her." He gestures to Alya, who's staring hungrily at a beautifully-frosted gochenberry pie. "I don't know if your friend there stole from somebody or just doesn't care about her wellbeing, but I'd get rid of that jacket or get to another part of the city if I were her. She's with you, so she can't actually be with the Scorpions, but it isn't wise to wear red in Dust Town, lest you want to see it on more than just cloth." His fingers idly toy with the handle of a nearby rolling pin.

    Obstructing your path and now he threatens your tagalong? That won't do, not in the least.

    Your hand darts out with the speed and malignancy of a hornet, grasping his nose and digging into several pressure points with hooked fingers. Boris squeals in sudden pain as you drag him over the counter, bringing him face to face with you without discernible effort. "I've asked nicely, boy, and I won't ask again. I'm going to see your Matron, do you understand?"

    He nods frantically, eyes watering, and squeaks out something approximating agreement.

    You glance at Alya, who still hasn't taken her eyes off the dessert. "...and get her a slice of that pie."

    -----​

    After a short climb down into a cellar and through a series of tunnels and hidden doors, you enter into a room that appears to have been transported directly from a halfling's home. The style is slightly different than that of Brimbledon design - bigger fireplace with an iron grate, more emphasis on natural wood patterns in the walls, fur-lined carpets rather than knotted wool, but the low ceiling, long dining table covered with plates and silverware, and sturdy, plush chairs are immediately familiar to you.

    The room's inhabitants, gruff halflings with brick-shaped figures, hatchets on their belts, and similar facial features as Boris, cease their chatter as the door creaks open. All eyes turn to you, and you have the odd experience of watching as over a dozen scarred faces doubletake at your appearance. A few of them look towards the head of the table in apparent confusion, but not one of them says a word. The crackling of wood in the fireplace becomes much more apparent.

    "...Boris." The silence is broken by the thickly-accented - Vlashik, if you place it correctly - voice of an elderly woman, coming from the head of the table, at the other end of the room. "You bring us guests with no time to prepare seats for them? And I thought I taught you manners." The words are spoken calmly, but underneath them is a tone you're more than familiar with.

    Boris visibly flinches, but steels himself, clearly having anticipated this. "Forgive the intrusion, Babi," he offers tentatively. "Our guests have a conversation that … could not wait," he finishes, glancing nervously between you and the table.

    The voice chewed on the silence for a moment. "... Feh. Tarkov, Igni, head upstairs with him and make sure the shop is tidy," it decides at last, and a pair of particularly burly halflings seated towards your end of the table nod gruffly and get up from their chairs, picking up the plates and cutlery in front of them as they did. "Come, cousin," one of them rumbles as they make their way towards Boris, clapping a hand firmly upon the baker's shoulder. "We should check the locks, make sure you know how to work those properly." He's led away by the two of them with a resigned expression, and the door thunks shut behind him.

    "Come, then, sit," the voice beckons, and the recently-vacated chairs are pulled backwards for you. "Vladimir, fetch a little something from the kitchens for them, if you'd please. It may be short notice, but I won't have anything untoward said about my dinner spread." Another of the seated halflings mutters an affirmation and trots off, and you purse your lips in appreciation as you approach the offered seat. "A habitually polite son is a rare sight nowadays," you say. "It speaks well of the parent, dame…"

    You trail off as you ease yourself into the plush leather and finally see who you're speaking with.

    It's you.

    Or rather, not precisely - the face is just a bit rounder, skin slightly spotted where you're more wrinkled, and she's both more heavyset and wearing dark furs, where you're still enveloped in sea-green silk that trails loosely off of you. Aside from those differences, however, you're faced with a spitting image of yourself - white hair drawn back in a bun, a stooped back and gnarled fingers, and kindly eyes that hold steel behind them. It's a disconcerting experience, and you belatedly realize why you've been getting so many odd looks lately.

    "Matron Olga Blinchik," the mirror image says, her face placid and genial. "Just Matron if you're not family. Might I know you, cousin? I'd heard of your presence in the city, but hadn't expected you to come visit so quickly. I would've made more of a welcome for you if you'd sent word."

    You make a dismissive gesture as the third son she'd sent off, Vladimir, re-enters the room with his arms piled high with an assortment of dishes. "There's no need to stand on ceremony," you say, keeping your eyes locked on hers even as enough food to feed a household is set down in front of you. "We've both got plenty to do, and I wouldn't like to waste your time. A short bit of discussion between two grandmothers is all I ask."

    There's a pregnant pause, and all the other halflings glance back and forth between you and Olga, who's matching your gaze without any sign of perturbation. The tension grows invisibly, until at last the halfling matron blinks and looks down to grab a sugar-frosted tart, and a round of quiet breaths are let out as fingers let go of axe handles and backs settle more firmly into their seats. "So tell me, then," Olga muses as her descendents begin to quietly eat from their plates. "What is there to speak of that brought you all the way to Shelldrop?"

    Article:
    You and the Matron have a polite discussion in which a number of topics are brought up. You swap stories of your time spent with family and business, and find that you share similar views on many things, including the proper raising of sons. Inevitably, however, the talk turns to recent events, and the reason why you're here…

    [] Minor Assistance: You need the help of Olga and her family for a minor matter. Not much more than what will be necessary to cause a distraction or perform some other small errand for you. This will not require much of the gang's resources to be diverted, and she'll ask only a small thing in return. (Gain a minor favor from the Blinchik crime family to use in the future, requiring a small threat to be dealt with.)

    [] Moderate Assistance: You need some muscle, enough to cause a proper ruckus without your assistance, and Olga is willing to provide, if you show her some consideration - there's been an inconvenience that's come up,and if you resolve it for her, you'll have your men. (Gain a medium favor from the Blinchik crime family to use in the future, requiring an average threat to be dealt with.)

    [] Major Assistance: You've come to Shelldrop to raise hell, and you ask for a commensurate commitment of force. Olga sees the opportunity this presents, but such an expenditure of manpower could leave her family's neighborhood precariously out of sorts if certain things aren't attended to. Eliminate one of her primary obstacles, and she'll give what you ask for. (Gain a major favor from the Blinchik crime family to use in the future, requiring a serious threat to be dealt with.)

    This vote will determine the scale and severity of whatever it is you're asked to deal with in the next section.


    Article:
    The question from there inevitably becomes what 'errands' Olga needs to have completed, and you settle upon…

    [] Trouble in the Mines: There's been word from the cousins down in the shell-ore vein recently - they've unearthed something, and whatever it is needs to be attended to. (Some variety of artifact, entombed being, or other subterranean thing)

    [] An Unwelcome Guest: There's a new resident that's moved into Dust Town as of late, and one with distinctly negative effects on the neighborhood as a whole. An eviction is in order. (A supernatural creature of some variety causing trouble)

    [] Scuttering Scorpions: The Powder Scorpions have expanded since last Alya remembers, and have set themselves up an outpost on the border of Olga's space. Needless to say, that won't do. (Beating up various concentrations of gangsters)

    [] (Write-in): Subject to QM approval, but can be pretty much anything within reason

    The exact content of each of these side missions will be determined by a mixture of thread discussion and the above severity vote. Feel free to give your suggestions!


    A/N: So! Been a while. I went through something of a depressive spell and locked myself out of my own creative space (as well as looming IRL stuff, but that's besides the point) by accident for a while there. Wouldn't recommend it. My writing muscles are distinctly atrophied, given how it took about 2.5 days just to compose this, I'm very much not satisfied with the state of it, and I've decided that none of that matters because God Dang It I like being creative and I don't wanna let my perfectionism stop me from being that way anymore. So barring my life completely falling apart in the near future, I'm updating more frequently. What that looks like? Dunno, but I wanna find out.

    But enough about me, back to the kung fu. Any critique, comments, etc are appreciated, as ever.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] Major Assistance: You've come to Shelldrop to raise hell, and you ask for a commensurate commitment of force. Olga sees the opportunity this presents, but such an expenditure of manpower could leave her family's neighborhood precariously out of sorts if certain things aren't attended to. Eliminate one of her primary obstacles, and she'll give what you ask for. (Gain a major favor from the Blinchik crime family to use in the future, requiring a serious threat to be dealt with.)

    [X] Scuttering Scorpions: The Powder Scorpions have expanded since last Alya remembers, and have set themselves up an outpost on the border of Olga's space. Needless to say, that won't do. (Beating up various concentrations of gangsters)
     
    [X] Major Assistance: You've come to Shelldrop to raise hell, and you ask for a commensurate commitment of force. Olga sees the opportunity this presents, but such an expenditure of manpower could leave her family's neighborhood precariously out of sorts if certain things aren't attended to. Eliminate one of her primary obstacles, and she'll give what you ask for. (Gain a major favor from the Blinchik crime family to use in the future, requiring a serious threat to be dealt with.)

    [X] Scuttering Scorpions: The Powder Scorpions have expanded since last Alya remembers, and have set themselves up an outpost on the border of Olga's space. Needless to say, that won't do. (Beating up various concentrations of gangsters)
     
    [X] Moderate Assistance: You need some muscle, enough to cause a proper ruckus without your assistance, and Olga is willing to provide, if you show her some consideration - there's been an inconvenience that's come up,and if you resolve it for her, you'll have your men. (Gain a medium favor from the Blinchik crime family to use in the future, requiring an average threat to be dealt with.)

    [X] Scuttering Scorpions: The Powder Scorpions have expanded since last Alya remembers, and have set themselves up an outpost on the border of Olga's space. Needless to say, that won't do. (Beating up various concentrations of gangsters)

    See, I like fucking up the scorpions. But I want some Build Up me thinks.

    Lets punch some material suppliers, some folks who are trying to punch their way into weapons manufacture and all that.

    I want to see a battle with mine carts.
     
    [X] Moderate Assistance: You need some muscle, enough to cause a proper ruckus without your assistance, and Olga is willing to provide, if you show her some consideration - there's been an inconvenience that's come up,and if you resolve it for her, you'll have your men. (Gain a medium favor from the Blinchik crime family to use in the future, requiring an average threat to be dealt with.)
    [X] Scuttering Scorpions: The Powder Scorpions have expanded since last Alya remembers, and have set themselves up an outpost on the border of Olga's space. Needless to say, that won't do. (Beating up various concentrations of gangsters)
     
    [X] Moderate Assistance: You need some muscle, enough to cause a proper ruckus without your assistance, and Olga is willing to provide, if you show her some consideration - there's been an inconvenience that's come up,and if you resolve it for her, you'll have your men. (Gain a medium favor from the Blinchik crime family to use in the future, requiring an average threat to be dealt with.)

    [X] Scuttering Scorpions: The Powder Scorpions have expanded since last Alya remembers, and have set themselves up an outpost on the border of Olga's space. Needless to say, that won't do. (Beating up various concentrations of gangsters)
     
    [X] Major Assistance: You've come to Shelldrop to raise hell, and you ask for a commensurate commitment of force. Olga sees the opportunity this presents, but such an expenditure of manpower could leave her family's neighborhood precariously out of sorts if certain things aren't attended to. Eliminate one of her primary obstacles, and she'll give what you ask for. (Gain a major favor from the Blinchik crime family to use in the future, requiring a serious threat to be dealt with.)

    [X] Scuttering Scorpions: The Powder Scorpions have expanded since last Alya remembers, and have set themselves up an outpost on the border of Olga's space. Needless to say, that won't do. (Beating up various concentrations of gangsters)
     
    Reader mode
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Voting is open
    Remove ads
    Back
    Top