Smithsguild
The third monkey...
- Location
- Somewhere 'near' Atlanta Ga
Toughness 2 requires 10 successes (8/10) . All rolls completed, sooo close too.
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Mammoth Apostate vs the World 1: "Lost in the Mist"
- Thread starter Smithsguild
- Start date
- Council Original Sci-Fi Horror
Nixeu
Lord of Madness, Harbinger of Llamas
- Location
- Your nightmares.
..."Reactor. Noun. An apparatus or structure in which fissile material can be made to undergo a controlled, self-sustaining nuclear reaction with the consequent release of energy."
Keyword: "self-sustaining". This would be a generator or engine, not a reactor. This stuff is exposed to a magnetic field, and does it's thing, without provoking that reaction from other particles.
Neodymium is fairly soft, as metals go. Not great for penetrating Kaiju flesh.
Unless the body of the target completely contains/absorbs the toxins, which might be tricky, given that they're gaseous, any misses, and even some hits, will result in Blue toxin leakage.
...And that's probably why they're experimenting on those orphans. Unfortunately, at least part of why I say that is based on knowledge of IRON-BLOODED ORPHANS, which might not exist in this universe. So...
"...Well, that's a fine mess, isn't it? I supposed Mrs. Choi is opposed to further testing or observation, just to make sure it wasn't her? After all, with how little we know of how magic works, it could be that it is commonly done unconsciously and unintentionally."
Smithsguild
The third monkey...
- Location
- Somewhere 'near' Atlanta Ga
Oh it is a thing. How closely the tech's convert to a PR universe is the Question. The answer? Research Anything...
Mrs. Choi is a trooper, she wants the Protectorate to triumph. She thinks its an enormous waste of time and she refuses to allow it to interfere with her duties to the Jaegers. But if PODC wants to spring for daycare for Yeye in her off duty hours while she gets poked and prodded, & the Council believes it'll assist the war effort she doesn't mind the inconvenience.
KnightDisciple
Love God. Do Right. Fear No Man.
- Location
- Midwest, USA
I'm all for paying for a couple nights of childcare to facilitate the testing.
So, she's a Jaeger Technician?
Nixeu
Lord of Madness, Harbinger of Llamas
- Location
- Your nightmares.
Oh. Well then, apparently their mad scientist likes anime. Neat.
Honestly, I was more thinking having Glass monitor her during her work, rather than interfering with it. If she's been enchanting our munitions/Jaegers, she's probably part of why we've been doing so well, and I don't think I'd like to risk screwing that up. If we have more reliable test, though, then yeah, I'll spring for childcare.
Smithsguild
The third monkey...
- Location
- Somewhere 'near' Atlanta Ga
An ordnance officer, responsible for weapon repair, preventive maintenance, weapon upgrades, etc... She's had a large hand in developing Tritons Sniper rifle. If it is designed for Jaegers to maim and kill on a K-Scale , its covered in her fingerprints.
Edit: more correctly stated :
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KnightDisciple
Love God. Do Right. Fear No Man.
- Location
- Midwest, USA
...I want her training whoever the senior for the SOTF is.
Smithsguild
The third monkey...
- Location
- Somewhere 'near' Atlanta Ga
Technically she is not the head of Ordnance, she refused the position as she views the job as a glorified clerks position and threatened to not re-up if it was forced on her. She wants to remain hands on with the Jaegers.
But anyone with common sense defers to her on things in the Jaeger bay scaffolding, or when your a 100m inside a k-scale rifle barrel filing off burrs from the rifling. (her 'Boss' included.)
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KnightDisciple
Love God. Do Right. Fear No Man.
- Location
- Midwest, USA
My point stands!
Smithsguild
The third monkey...
- Location
- Somewhere 'near' Atlanta Ga
With a minor nudge from Councillor Knight (and access to the proper technical manuals) She would be glad to help institute an Armored Jacket maintenance program and provide guidance for Senior NCOIC in how to make sure those benchmarks are achieved.
She voices a more than casual interest in the performance of the Jackets, and it's easy to see with little fanning of the flame, she could be coaxed to maybe split her focus to come 'play' with some new toy designs for the SOTF when there is lag time in her own department.
Smithsguild
The third monkey...
- Location
- Somewhere 'near' Atlanta Ga
(OOC) More Casting Call goodness.
@cokerpilot I ran with including Mr. Gray, (Your story was too juicy NOT to include) but I left the interview as bare bones as possible in case you wanted to flesh it out Omake style. Either way the story meritted becoming IG knowledge.
-----------------------------------------------
Interview #3
The next interview, well to say it checks all the supernatural checkboxes is a gross understatement. What makes it even more disturbing is it happened inside the defensive perimeter, inside the city proper and never raised a single eyebrow.
The strange tale of Mister Gary Gray and the Finest of Meals.
Perception manipulating changelings with a taste for human desperation and flesh? Check.
Mysterious entities who quietly emanate power (one Randal Flag) and give magical gifts? Check.
Enchanted coins that lethally strike foes and a coin purse that may never be stolen? Check.
Strangeness achieved!
The individual involved never came forward to avoid risk of committal, he lived thru it and found it hard to believe, what were his odds of convincing the people in power?
The climate on what now sounds insane has recently changed, Magic is indisputably real. Savannah has their own Mage that levitates and whose eyes glow. (Mr. Gray has seen the footage!)
With the government actively looking into the strange and unusual and even offering rewards it seems as safe a time to come forward as there will ever be.
(OOC - Knowledge of the Events of @cokerpilot 's Omake are now In Game knowledge and fully actionable.)
@cokerpilot I ran with including Mr. Gray, (Your story was too juicy NOT to include) but I left the interview as bare bones as possible in case you wanted to flesh it out Omake style. Either way the story meritted becoming IG knowledge.
-----------------------------------------------
Interview #3
The next interview, well to say it checks all the supernatural checkboxes is a gross understatement. What makes it even more disturbing is it happened inside the defensive perimeter, inside the city proper and never raised a single eyebrow.
The strange tale of Mister Gary Gray and the Finest of Meals.
Perception manipulating changelings with a taste for human desperation and flesh? Check.
Mysterious entities who quietly emanate power (one Randal Flag) and give magical gifts? Check.
Enchanted coins that lethally strike foes and a coin purse that may never be stolen? Check.
Strangeness achieved!
The individual involved never came forward to avoid risk of committal, he lived thru it and found it hard to believe, what were his odds of convincing the people in power?
The climate on what now sounds insane has recently changed, Magic is indisputably real. Savannah has their own Mage that levitates and whose eyes glow. (Mr. Gray has seen the footage!)
With the government actively looking into the strange and unusual and even offering rewards it seems as safe a time to come forward as there will ever be.
(OOC - Knowledge of the Events of @cokerpilot 's Omake are now In Game knowledge and fully actionable.)
- Location
- Georgia
Omg, @Nixeu I am inspired by you.
Glass doesn't even need to follow Mrs. Choi around.
If she gets a list of recent work performed (maintenance log) she can retrace Choi's steps and look for any other signs of 'accidental spellcraft'.
If she can find a few examples, places Choi worked where magic occurred & then perform a voorish sign on Choi so she can -see- the mounting evidence with her own eyes ... ìt makes denial harder.
Glass doesn't even need to follow Mrs. Choi around.
If she gets a list of recent work performed (maintenance log) she can retrace Choi's steps and look for any other signs of 'accidental spellcraft'.
If she can find a few examples, places Choi worked where magic occurred & then perform a voorish sign on Choi so she can -see- the mounting evidence with her own eyes ... ìt makes denial harder.
Nixeu
Lord of Madness, Harbinger of Llamas
- Location
- Your nightmares.
You're too kind. And also rather brilliant. That should also work quite nicely.
Smithsguild
The third monkey...
- Location
- Somewhere 'near' Atlanta Ga
(OOC) More Casting Call goodness. (4 of 5)
Interview Subject #4
(Reported but not yet confirmed, from several independent sources the below represents an amalgamated overview of gossip, rumor, and local urban legend with enough hard facts to lend an air of credibility. Anton, however is difficult to find and has not been interviewed.)
In the nearby small town of Wadley lives a man by the name of Anton, he is of indeterminate age, with unkempt appearance (Think Don King with a scruffy beard) his hair is of a stark white that contrasts deeply with his maple brown skin.
The thick cataracts covering his eyes should allow no sight but he walks and acts completely unhindered.
No one knows where he resides but daily he is seen wearing fresh clothes, maybe a bit threadbare but always freshly laundered.
Anton is quite friendly but he attends no church, no social outings, and usually only nods in greeting when directly addressed.
Occasionally when the mood strikes him just right (or he has enough Rum) he will talk to a person sharing a bit about himself.
His speech is very proper british english but thick with a Haitian Creole accent.
He admits to Haitian birth and childhood, but he was born with a wanderers soul.
As soon as he was old enough (age 16), he jumped on the first outbound ship that would sign him, off to see the world. He spent a decade hitting every port he could.
Now in his mid twenties he returns to Haiti, he grows prominent in his faith Haitian Voudon, and marries his childhood sweetheart and rises to Houngan Asogwe of the local Hounfour.
Before his 30's things sour, his wife has become shrewish and emberasses him publicly with casual and unsubtle infidelity. No one wants to follow the lead of a man made public fool. His congregation dwindles to one or two adherents.
He takes again to the sea for solace.
This man, a native of the tropics, was to have his life change forever as crew member on an Icebreaker north of the Alaskan coast.
An unnaturally severe blizzard struck that outpaced the ship's ability to push through the ice. It became locked in the ice, most of the crew started succumbing to the cold.
The Coast Guard could hear the mayday calls but not respond in the gale force blizzard. When they did arrive they found most of the crew suffer varying degrees of hypothermia, several dead, and two missing. Anton was standing on the prow of the ship to greet them, hair now whiter than the snow, eyes frosted over.
He initially came to Wadely to be looked after by a spinster Aunt, the woman soon passed to advanced age, her house reclaimed and sold by a different nephew named in the will.
Anton was on his own, he didn't mind, in his accident he had achieved something he never possessed before; Serenity.
Every once in a while he will find a person living on the ragged edge as he had been, someone whom he offers words of wisdom and maybe... just maybe something more.
Those he help gain a new found confidence, and fate seems to turn around and smile at them (if but for a moment.)
Most that know him call him Anton, the few people he chooses to counsel have another name. They call him "Mister Miracle".
(OOC) lol, creative juices are high, but their moving from brain to print like syrup atm. My desire outpaces my ability to produce.
(Reported but not yet confirmed, from several independent sources the below represents an amalgamated overview of gossip, rumor, and local urban legend with enough hard facts to lend an air of credibility. Anton, however is difficult to find and has not been interviewed.)
In the nearby small town of Wadley lives a man by the name of Anton, he is of indeterminate age, with unkempt appearance (Think Don King with a scruffy beard) his hair is of a stark white that contrasts deeply with his maple brown skin.
The thick cataracts covering his eyes should allow no sight but he walks and acts completely unhindered.
No one knows where he resides but daily he is seen wearing fresh clothes, maybe a bit threadbare but always freshly laundered.
Anton is quite friendly but he attends no church, no social outings, and usually only nods in greeting when directly addressed.
Occasionally when the mood strikes him just right (or he has enough Rum) he will talk to a person sharing a bit about himself.
His speech is very proper british english but thick with a Haitian Creole accent.
He admits to Haitian birth and childhood, but he was born with a wanderers soul.
As soon as he was old enough (age 16), he jumped on the first outbound ship that would sign him, off to see the world. He spent a decade hitting every port he could.
Now in his mid twenties he returns to Haiti, he grows prominent in his faith Haitian Voudon, and marries his childhood sweetheart and rises to Houngan Asogwe of the local Hounfour.
Before his 30's things sour, his wife has become shrewish and emberasses him publicly with casual and unsubtle infidelity. No one wants to follow the lead of a man made public fool. His congregation dwindles to one or two adherents.
He takes again to the sea for solace.
This man, a native of the tropics, was to have his life change forever as crew member on an Icebreaker north of the Alaskan coast.
An unnaturally severe blizzard struck that outpaced the ship's ability to push through the ice. It became locked in the ice, most of the crew started succumbing to the cold.
The Coast Guard could hear the mayday calls but not respond in the gale force blizzard. When they did arrive they found most of the crew suffer varying degrees of hypothermia, several dead, and two missing. Anton was standing on the prow of the ship to greet them, hair now whiter than the snow, eyes frosted over.
He initially came to Wadely to be looked after by a spinster Aunt, the woman soon passed to advanced age, her house reclaimed and sold by a different nephew named in the will.
Anton was on his own, he didn't mind, in his accident he had achieved something he never possessed before; Serenity.
Every once in a while he will find a person living on the ragged edge as he had been, someone whom he offers words of wisdom and maybe... just maybe something more.
Those he help gain a new found confidence, and fate seems to turn around and smile at them (if but for a moment.)
Most that know him call him Anton, the few people he chooses to counsel have another name. They call him "Mister Miracle".
(OOC) lol, creative juices are high, but their moving from brain to print like syrup atm. My desire outpaces my ability to produce.
Smithsguild
The third monkey...
- Location
- Somewhere 'near' Atlanta Ga
(OOC) I agree with Nix, a bright approach.
-----------------------------------------------
When followed up as Councillor Katt suggests, Glass finds several small workings done within the last month. Most would qualify only as minor mendings.
The most impressive is a repair of something too small to detect with the eye yet a critical working, microscopic stress fractures in an armature inside Mammoth's neck that are scheduled to be replaced next week as part of routine maintenance. Had the cracks been detected outside the maintenance window it would have forced Mammoth out of the active roster for emergency repairs for a day.
Without reinforcement they may have given way in the heat of battle, currently the fractures are held together stronger than the surrounding material by magical sutures that are only apparent from their glow seen by magically augmented sight. This mystic triage keeps him service ready, and keeps him as strong as a fresh replacement part.
----------------------------------------------
(OOC) Dice time, this is for how well researched the Voorish sign is ATM. Someone plz roll 1d10 .
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Nixeu
Lord of Madness, Harbinger of Llamas
- Location
- Your nightmares.
"I like the cut of this man's jib. I may have to see about having a drink with him at some point. Actually, given his background, I wouldn't be too shocked if some of my captains have met him, or even drink with him regularly. I'll have to ask around. I don't see him really wanting to join up with us in any official capacity, but I can't see having a friendly relationship with him being a bad idea. Worst case, I just get an interesting drinking buddy. Best case, I get some valuable advice and a bit of luck when I need it. Or, if he so desires, though I doubt he will, I'd be willing to let him sail one of my ships. Serenity is, in and of itself, a valuable boon to any Naval officer, ignoring any potential magic powers."
"Yeah, she's too valuable to risk pissing off. She's frankly invaluable where she is. I'd only consider pushing her to acknowledge her abilities to let us give her training to improve her skills, or let her teach others. Until we think we'd have a lot to gain, I don't think we need to push her out of her comfort zone."
One roll, I can do.
Smithsguild
The third monkey...
- Location
- Somewhere 'near' Atlanta Ga
And when you apply the research dice bonus for BPR&D added to modified an 8, well exceeds your target number for competency.
Glass may attempt not only the Voorish self on her own behalf but apply it to others as well, she understands the underpinning of it well enough to attempt to research variants of the spell. (Such as Sammael's inversion to protect itself from 'seeing' the Elder sign)
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Smithsguild
The third monkey...
- Location
- Somewhere 'near' Atlanta Ga
Glass explains although Mrs. Choi does possess magic in some capacity, it seems to be more of what councillor Highwinds books would describe as a magical developmental disability, she is a Savant.
Choi's working are purely instinctual, pushing raw magic in to serve a purpose her higher brain recognizes and reacts to without any conscious thought or effort on her part. (Her brain associated the con-pod as the weakest point on Whitecap, it supplemented it. Dealing with the stress fracture the wrong way could have grounded one of 'her' Jaegers, magic found the 'right way'.)
Something in her life is blocking her ability from expressing normally, whether it is a past trauma, a current stress, no one knows... and while the impediment remains in place she will NEVER be able to actively realize the ability to cast consciously.
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Nixeu
Lord of Madness, Harbinger of Llamas
- Location
- Your nightmares.
"Fine. If Glass feels she can learn anything useful from observing her work, Glass, or any other magicians we manage to find, are free to do so, if it doesn't interfere in Choi's work. And Choi herself should be kept in a hands-on role with our Jaegers, and any other tech she feels like working on. Maybe see if we can minimize the amount of paperwork she has to do, maximize her hands-on work."
Highwind
To Rise From The Ashes
- Location
- Brazil
The attack against Charleston suddenly became that much more important. We need to deal as much damage to their infrastructure as possible to slow down their Jaeger construction efforts. I have no doubt their Dr. Minsk will be in a hardened shelter as soon as the first bomb drops, but even they can't research without proper facilities and as God is my witness these facilities will be rubble by the time we're done.
Well now, That's interesting. Do we know what exactly she is doing? Wain, no, we already know it's some sort of protective enchantment so the question is HOW she is doing it? What do we need to do to replicate that protective effect? Just a magically awakened individual performing mundane tasks with vaguely protective thoughts?
...Screw it, the next research project for the BPRD: Finding more magically active people.
Well now, Richard will have to find this man and have a proper interview with him!
...Not in an omake, though. I am 100% sure I wouldn't be able to make this character justice.
Good to know Glass spent her time stuck in the hospital productively.
...I have an idea about what she needs to get rid of that block, but I don't think its going to happen any time soon. We can at least observe her as she goes about her routine to see when and how the magic happens and use the observations in proper research.
Smithsguild
The third monkey...
- Location
- Somewhere 'near' Atlanta Ga
No ritual, no spell. Merely some subconscious portion of her psyche recognizes a problem, and then batters it with raw magic and force of will directed at a specific goal until ...shit just happens...
The same way a more mundane Savant can do high order mathematic in their head but be unable to tie their own shoes. Pop culture example: when Dustin Hoffman's Rainman counts the number of matches from a spilled box as they hit the floor.
Edit: IE. a talent that can't be learned or even learned from. It simply is.
Edit-Edit: I was wrong it's toothpicks
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Nixeu
Lord of Madness, Harbinger of Llamas
- Location
- Your nightmares.
Seems worthwhile to me. Do some sort of screening procedure, or something.
Honestly? Same on that last bit. That said, I do kinda get the impression he's unlikely to want to be interviewed much, even with enough rum involved to get him to tell his tale. Seems to prefer to keep to himself, for the most part, hence why he didn't show up. I also feel like his story has some clues as to the origins of any magical powers he might have, but I couldn't say for sure on that front. Something linked with the Arctic Circle and blizzards, apparently.
Smithsguild
The third monkey...
- Location
- Somewhere 'near' Atlanta Ga
(OOC)
You did not just equate him to Elsa from Frozen did you?!? All isolationist and frost powers, now all he needs is a chorus of let it go.Seriously for a moment though. After re-reading what I wrote I do see the parallels bleeding thru that do lineup with an Elsa analogy. The insightful I gave was he is definitely one to move to his own motivations and not one for tying himself to any group or individual easily.
Smithsguild
The third monkey...
- Location
- Somewhere 'near' Atlanta Ga
(OOC - The conclusion to the 'Casting Call)
Interview #5
Ngawang Yesheyan an ancient appearing Bhutanese Woman. Her apparent ethnicity lies somewhere between East Indian and Oriental.
She is exceedingly short in stature (4'3"), and her hair style, a severe bun, does nothing to disguise a large forehead and receding hairline. The asiatic slant to her eyes does nothing to lessen the severity of her bulging eyes reminiscent of a goldfish.
She has ran a booth at the Fort Pulaski open air market for weeks now and her knowledge of Herbal lore is epic for both common and exotic plants. Her home remedy poultices, tinctures, and tonics are medicinal grade homeopathic remedies equal to or exceeding most western pharmaceuticals.
Her 'family' (actually a close-knit group of fellow refugees from the same area in Bhutan)runs an ethnic restaurant in Savannah serving a fusion of Curry dishes and Chinese cuisine.
She relates all of her extended 'family' are from Paro Taktsang,(The Tiger's Nest) Taktsang Trail, Bhutan and that they arrived via snakehead as illegal immigrants fleeing the Pacific Rim to the 'safety' of America.[Pre-Atlantic Breach]
It wasn't only from the threat of Kaiju they had fled, recently south of Bhutan in coastal India, there was an upswing of Deep Ones and their offspring much worse than even the Innsmouth infestation.
Innsmouth was the product of a mere hundred years of Deep Ones alliance, the infestation in India dates back nearly a thousand, the threat locally known in legend as Nagas, it was Guru Rinpoche the Lotus Born that exposed that the Naga were not the beneficent spirits their adherents and spawn claimed they were.
In Innsmouth the Deep Ones had improved fishing, and provided treasures to their followers to garner favor, an extension of a policy repeated world wide across the ages.
The Tiger's Nest monastery had for centuries trained actual Wuxia style heroes to travel south and fight to drive the Naga out combatting their physical and spiritual taint. None of her family are so trained, but generations of her people have known of the reality of these dangers.
(OOC comment -Oh no, my brain just labeled the 'Movie' of this. "Crouching Tiger, Hidden... Fishmen").
Interview #5
Ngawang Yesheyan an ancient appearing Bhutanese Woman. Her apparent ethnicity lies somewhere between East Indian and Oriental.
She is exceedingly short in stature (4'3"), and her hair style, a severe bun, does nothing to disguise a large forehead and receding hairline. The asiatic slant to her eyes does nothing to lessen the severity of her bulging eyes reminiscent of a goldfish.
She has ran a booth at the Fort Pulaski open air market for weeks now and her knowledge of Herbal lore is epic for both common and exotic plants. Her home remedy poultices, tinctures, and tonics are medicinal grade homeopathic remedies equal to or exceeding most western pharmaceuticals.
Her 'family' (actually a close-knit group of fellow refugees from the same area in Bhutan)runs an ethnic restaurant in Savannah serving a fusion of Curry dishes and Chinese cuisine.
She relates all of her extended 'family' are from Paro Taktsang,(The Tiger's Nest) Taktsang Trail, Bhutan and that they arrived via snakehead as illegal immigrants fleeing the Pacific Rim to the 'safety' of America.[Pre-Atlantic Breach]
It wasn't only from the threat of Kaiju they had fled, recently south of Bhutan in coastal India, there was an upswing of Deep Ones and their offspring much worse than even the Innsmouth infestation.
Innsmouth was the product of a mere hundred years of Deep Ones alliance, the infestation in India dates back nearly a thousand, the threat locally known in legend as Nagas, it was Guru Rinpoche the Lotus Born that exposed that the Naga were not the beneficent spirits their adherents and spawn claimed they were.
In Innsmouth the Deep Ones had improved fishing, and provided treasures to their followers to garner favor, an extension of a policy repeated world wide across the ages.
The Tiger's Nest monastery had for centuries trained actual Wuxia style heroes to travel south and fight to drive the Naga out combatting their physical and spiritual taint. None of her family are so trained, but generations of her people have known of the reality of these dangers.
(OOC comment -Oh no, my brain just labeled the 'Movie' of this. "Crouching Tiger, Hidden... Fishmen").
HolyDragoon
Call Gespenst!
- Location
- Portugal