AN: I did not like the way I setup the original version. This is a reboot of sorts. Also...
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1.1 The Beginning
DaBlueSky
Writer's Block Incarnate
- Location
- South Dakota
AN: I did not like the way I setup the original version. This is a reboot of sorts. Also, inspired by the game ^
A young woman leaned against the bar counter, smoke drifting lightly from the lit cigarette in her mouth. Inhaling deeply, she took the cigarette out of her mouth and blew small rings of smoke, watching them slowly dissolve as they floated towards the cracked ceiling. Across the room, a few patrons were seated at the booths, mulling over their alcohol of choice. The woman recognized none of them. That was to be expected. She didn't bother learning their names. Their business was none of hers, she only served the one item that took a load off their minds after they finished droning for one of the many corporations in Glitch City: alcohol.
"Hey, Jill, gimme a refill would ya?" An older man in a corner booth called out in a raspy voice. Jill nodded slowly, taking her arms off the counter and turning around to the racks of bottled amber liquid behind her. She didn't have a knack for remembering faces but she sure as hell remembered what each person ordered at night. Huh, maybe I could use that to remember names. This gentleman essentially had no taste. He'd asked for multiple shot glasses of Starman's Vodka, cheap liquor that had a ridiculously high alcohol content of 90% APV. Jill snorted, nose wrinkling as she unscrewed the top. The man wasn't here for luxury. He was here to get drunk.
Shoes tapping lightly, Jill made her from behind the counter, Vodka in one hand and cigarette in another. Reaching the table, Jill carefully poured one of his many shot glasses to the near brim, before stopping and glancing at the older man inquisitively. The man's weathered face scrunched in dissatisfaction, and he held up two fingers. Heh. Pouring two more shots, Jill took another puff of her cigarette before quietly muttering, "We don't do tabs here."
"What makes ya think I don't have the money?"
"You haven't actually paid for any of this, you know. And I'm honestly surprised you're not sprawled on the ground."
The older man grinned and patted his stomach, "Ain't no liver left to rot away. My corp actually thinks I'm somewhat valuable. They had a prosthetic installed after my last bit of alcohol poisoning. Too bad. It takes far too long to for me to get drunk, and drains my wallet. Heh, maybe they thought that was some sort of way to stop me."
...Jill scratched her head awkwardly. It would do her no good to worry then. About what his life is like for the man to nearly kill himself with alcohol poisoning, or why he continues to drink, despite the apparent near death experience. Whatever.
"Whatever you say, old man. Got enough money for a cab?"
"Hm, why?"
"Well, if you pass the hell out, I wouldn't know how to get you home. Make sure you pay before you leave, yeah?"
"Yeah, yeah, no problem." The old man burped loudly, loud enough to make you wince, "What's a pretty girl like you doing running a bar in the Barrens? This place ain't fit for a young one like you."
Jill set the bottle of Vodka down, and considered for a second. A quick glance around showed no one at the bar counter, and no calls from the booths for more drink. Ah, what harm does it do to talk to this guy?
[] Bartending School: "This building is falling apart, and was within my price range so I bought it. Paid for a course in bartending. It was cheap but I sure as hell ain't getting any business as a store. 'Sides, being a cashier at your own corner stop is far less fun than owning your own bar."
Skill Acquired!
Cocktails and Dreams: During her tenure at the course, Jill learned the basics of bartending as well as mixing drinks. She is fully capable of mixing cocktails with a higher chance of not failing to the Average skill tier. Interactions during creation of cocktails are opened.
[] Self-taught "bartender": "Mmm. Dad drank a lot...and I mean a lot. Bastard always had cans lying around our little apartment, and he'd send me to grab his six packs. Grew up with alcohol so why the hell not open a bar? Beats being a corporate drone. No offense intended."
Skill Acquired!
Hard Liquor and Harder Punches: Jill's dad was an alcoholic, no two ways about it. Any alcoholic beverage labeled as Mediocre in skill tier is instantly recognized and can be made or found. Interactions with those who hold the titles, "Corporate Drone" and "Downtrodden" are now more likely to open up to you.
[] What Do I Know?: "I just work here."
Skill Acquired!
Apathy and Lonely(?) Nights: Jill doesn't know a damn thing about mixing drinks. This is simply a job to you...but your apathy peaks people's interest for some reason. Why is that? Higher chance of people getting to want to know you.
"That's...interesting..."
Jill noticed the slurring in his words. Looks like the drink was starting to affect him finally. Suppressing a grin, Jill grabbed the bottle and walked back to the counter, slamming it on down on the cracked wooden surface. For a moment, Jill considered pouring herself one. No one would care if she did. Just like everyone who inhabited the bar, called Valhalla, was from the ghettos, nicknamed "the Barrens". Anyone would need a drink after spending a day here. Finally, Jill just pushed the bottle away. Quiet night. Suddenly, the door whipped open. A young man stood there, his shirt wet with water.
"Ah, shit. Hey, boy, is it raining out there?!"
"A bit. It's only drizzling, really." The man was soft spoken, and one of his eyes was an unnatural green-ish blue. Prosthetic, eh? Anyone with cybernetic limbs was a rarity to see in the Barrens. And to run into two of them in one night. How odd.
With a shiver, the young man approached the counter and sat down on a stool. Stubbing the nearly burnt out cigarette, Jill sighed and approached him, "What can I get ya?"
"Uh, just a Sherry martini would do." It was clear he didn't expect much from Jill. In fact, he seemed more curious about the others in the bar, rather than whatever he was going to get. Fine then.
Mix a sherry martini(Average)!
First, you need to select your sherry.
[] Manzanilla Zellan Brand: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms of flavoring. 17% APV.
[] Amontillado Hardwin: Crisp and fresh. Has notes of nuttiness in the aftertaste. Medium 22% APV.
[] Cream Lothar PX: A very young sherry. New stock and fairly fresh, all things considered. Cream, 24% APV
Secondly, the mix. Choose 1.
[] Vermouth: Aromatized fortified wine.
[] Tequila: Simple almost nameless brand. Low quality yet a flavor everyone recognizes.
[] Gin: Juniper flavored spirit.
AN: This is mostly going to be a social type quest with this experimental mechanics of bartending. New people you meet will be influenced by how you mix.
A young woman leaned against the bar counter, smoke drifting lightly from the lit cigarette in her mouth. Inhaling deeply, she took the cigarette out of her mouth and blew small rings of smoke, watching them slowly dissolve as they floated towards the cracked ceiling. Across the room, a few patrons were seated at the booths, mulling over their alcohol of choice. The woman recognized none of them. That was to be expected. She didn't bother learning their names. Their business was none of hers, she only served the one item that took a load off their minds after they finished droning for one of the many corporations in Glitch City: alcohol.
"Hey, Jill, gimme a refill would ya?" An older man in a corner booth called out in a raspy voice. Jill nodded slowly, taking her arms off the counter and turning around to the racks of bottled amber liquid behind her. She didn't have a knack for remembering faces but she sure as hell remembered what each person ordered at night. Huh, maybe I could use that to remember names. This gentleman essentially had no taste. He'd asked for multiple shot glasses of Starman's Vodka, cheap liquor that had a ridiculously high alcohol content of 90% APV. Jill snorted, nose wrinkling as she unscrewed the top. The man wasn't here for luxury. He was here to get drunk.
Shoes tapping lightly, Jill made her from behind the counter, Vodka in one hand and cigarette in another. Reaching the table, Jill carefully poured one of his many shot glasses to the near brim, before stopping and glancing at the older man inquisitively. The man's weathered face scrunched in dissatisfaction, and he held up two fingers. Heh. Pouring two more shots, Jill took another puff of her cigarette before quietly muttering, "We don't do tabs here."
"What makes ya think I don't have the money?"
"You haven't actually paid for any of this, you know. And I'm honestly surprised you're not sprawled on the ground."
The older man grinned and patted his stomach, "Ain't no liver left to rot away. My corp actually thinks I'm somewhat valuable. They had a prosthetic installed after my last bit of alcohol poisoning. Too bad. It takes far too long to for me to get drunk, and drains my wallet. Heh, maybe they thought that was some sort of way to stop me."
...Jill scratched her head awkwardly. It would do her no good to worry then. About what his life is like for the man to nearly kill himself with alcohol poisoning, or why he continues to drink, despite the apparent near death experience. Whatever.
"Whatever you say, old man. Got enough money for a cab?"
"Hm, why?"
"Well, if you pass the hell out, I wouldn't know how to get you home. Make sure you pay before you leave, yeah?"
"Yeah, yeah, no problem." The old man burped loudly, loud enough to make you wince, "What's a pretty girl like you doing running a bar in the Barrens? This place ain't fit for a young one like you."
Jill set the bottle of Vodka down, and considered for a second. A quick glance around showed no one at the bar counter, and no calls from the booths for more drink. Ah, what harm does it do to talk to this guy?
[] Bartending School: "This building is falling apart, and was within my price range so I bought it. Paid for a course in bartending. It was cheap but I sure as hell ain't getting any business as a store. 'Sides, being a cashier at your own corner stop is far less fun than owning your own bar."
Skill Acquired!
Cocktails and Dreams: During her tenure at the course, Jill learned the basics of bartending as well as mixing drinks. She is fully capable of mixing cocktails with a higher chance of not failing to the Average skill tier. Interactions during creation of cocktails are opened.
[] Self-taught "bartender": "Mmm. Dad drank a lot...and I mean a lot. Bastard always had cans lying around our little apartment, and he'd send me to grab his six packs. Grew up with alcohol so why the hell not open a bar? Beats being a corporate drone. No offense intended."
Skill Acquired!
Hard Liquor and Harder Punches: Jill's dad was an alcoholic, no two ways about it. Any alcoholic beverage labeled as Mediocre in skill tier is instantly recognized and can be made or found. Interactions with those who hold the titles, "Corporate Drone" and "Downtrodden" are now more likely to open up to you.
[] What Do I Know?: "I just work here."
Skill Acquired!
Apathy and Lonely(?) Nights: Jill doesn't know a damn thing about mixing drinks. This is simply a job to you...but your apathy peaks people's interest for some reason. Why is that? Higher chance of people getting to want to know you.
"That's...interesting..."
Jill noticed the slurring in his words. Looks like the drink was starting to affect him finally. Suppressing a grin, Jill grabbed the bottle and walked back to the counter, slamming it on down on the cracked wooden surface. For a moment, Jill considered pouring herself one. No one would care if she did. Just like everyone who inhabited the bar, called Valhalla, was from the ghettos, nicknamed "the Barrens". Anyone would need a drink after spending a day here. Finally, Jill just pushed the bottle away. Quiet night. Suddenly, the door whipped open. A young man stood there, his shirt wet with water.
"Ah, shit. Hey, boy, is it raining out there?!"
"A bit. It's only drizzling, really." The man was soft spoken, and one of his eyes was an unnatural green-ish blue. Prosthetic, eh? Anyone with cybernetic limbs was a rarity to see in the Barrens. And to run into two of them in one night. How odd.
With a shiver, the young man approached the counter and sat down on a stool. Stubbing the nearly burnt out cigarette, Jill sighed and approached him, "What can I get ya?"
"Uh, just a Sherry martini would do." It was clear he didn't expect much from Jill. In fact, he seemed more curious about the others in the bar, rather than whatever he was going to get. Fine then.
Mix a sherry martini(Average)!
First, you need to select your sherry.
[] Manzanilla Zellan Brand: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms of flavoring. 17% APV.
[] Amontillado Hardwin: Crisp and fresh. Has notes of nuttiness in the aftertaste. Medium 22% APV.
[] Cream Lothar PX: A very young sherry. New stock and fairly fresh, all things considered. Cream, 24% APV
Secondly, the mix. Choose 1.
[] Vermouth: Aromatized fortified wine.
[] Tequila: Simple almost nameless brand. Low quality yet a flavor everyone recognizes.
[] Gin: Juniper flavored spirit.
AN: This is mostly going to be a social type quest with this experimental mechanics of bartending. New people you meet will be influenced by how you mix.
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Important Info
DaBlueSky
Writer's Block Incarnate
- Location
- South Dakota
- Personal
-
Name: Julianne "Jill" Exquise
Age: 20
Appearance
- Skills
- Relationships
- Recipes
- Happiness
- Bank Account
Skill tiers of varying drinks. The asterisk indicates your current skill.
Horrendous
Disappointing
Mediocre
Average
Skilled*
Expert
Master
Grand Master
Legendary
Mythical
Horrendous
Disappointing
Mediocre
Average
Skilled*
Expert
Master
Grand Master
Legendary
Mythical
Kudos are a form of "meta" currency, so to speak. At varying levels you can use them to purchase skills or re-roll a situation into something more favorable. With enough of them, you can use them as a catalyst for events.
Omakes are basically written stories by you, the participant. You can take control of any character, including the player character, for your side story. If I consider them Canon, you will get a choice between Kudos or a Trait. If is isn't Canon, you will net Kudos. You are only capable of getting Traits from Omakes, as they are considered "bonuses" in rolls.
Omakes are basically written stories by you, the participant. You can take control of any character, including the player character, for your side story. If I consider them Canon, you will get a choice between Kudos or a Trait. If is isn't Canon, you will net Kudos. You are only capable of getting Traits from Omakes, as they are considered "bonuses" in rolls.
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DaBlueSky
Writer's Block Incarnate
- Location
- South Dakota
Yeah, it's a bit of an oddball, isn't it? Just doing some experimental stuff. Tired of doing the same ol' action quests I've been doing lately. trying something different. Thanks for voting.
Glint
Takina Inoue
- Location
- 『 』
DaBlueSky
Writer's Block Incarnate
- Location
- South Dakota
Isn't it? Haha. I'm hoping for a quest more about social interaction this time around.It's an alcohol quest.
Glint
Takina Inoue
- Location
- 『 』
Would be a nice change of pace. Been doing tons of CKII and Jaune quests.
[x] Bartending School: "This building is falling apart, and was within my price range so I bought it. Paid for a course in bartending. It was cheap but I sure as hell ain't getting any business as a store. 'Sides, being a cashier at your own corner stop is far less fun than owning your own bar."
Skill Acquired!
Cocktails and Dreams: During her tenure at the course, Jill learned the basics of bartending as well as mixing drinks. She is fully capable of mixing cocktails with a higher chance of not failing to the Average skill tier. Interactions during creation of cocktails are opened.
[x] Manzanilla Zellan Brand: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms of flavoring. 17% APV.
[x] Vermouth: Aromatized fortified wine.
Skill Acquired!
Cocktails and Dreams: During her tenure at the course, Jill learned the basics of bartending as well as mixing drinks. She is fully capable of mixing cocktails with a higher chance of not failing to the Average skill tier. Interactions during creation of cocktails are opened.
[x] Manzanilla Zellan Brand: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms of flavoring. 17% APV.
[x] Vermouth: Aromatized fortified wine.
DaBlueSky
Writer's Block Incarnate
- Location
- South Dakota
Fucking---
I needed someone to break the deadlock, and by that, I meant voting for one of the two already posted by others.
[X] Self-taught "bartender"
[X] Amontillado Hardwin
[X] Tequila
I needed someone to break the deadlock, and by that, I meant voting for one of the two already posted by others.
- Location
- Philippines
[x] Bartending School: "This building is falling apart, and was within my price range so I bought it. Paid for a course in bartending. It was cheap but I sure as hell ain't getting any business as a store. 'Sides, being a cashier at your own corner stop is far less fun than owning your own bar."
Skill Acquired!
Cocktails and Dreams: During her tenure at the course, Jill learned the basics of bartending as well as mixing drinks. She is fully capable of mixing cocktails with a higher chance of not failing to the Average skill tier. Interactions during creation of cocktails are opened.
[x] Manzanilla Zellan Brand: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms offlavoring. 17% APV.
[x] Vermouth: Aromatized fortified wine.
Skill Acquired!
Cocktails and Dreams: During her tenure at the course, Jill learned the basics of bartending as well as mixing drinks. She is fully capable of mixing cocktails with a higher chance of not failing to the Average skill tier. Interactions during creation of cocktails are opened.
[x] Manzanilla Zellan Brand: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms offlavoring. 17% APV.
[x] Vermouth: Aromatized fortified wine.
[x] Bartending School: "This building is falling apart, and was within my price range so I bought it. Paid for a course in bartending. It was cheap but I sure as hell ain't getting any business as a store. 'Sides, being a cashier at your own corner stop is far less fun than owning your own bar."
[x] Manzanilla Zellan Brand: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms offlavoring. 17% APV.
[x] Vermouth: Aromatized fortified wine.
[x] Manzanilla Zellan Brand: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms offlavoring. 17% APV.
[x] Vermouth: Aromatized fortified wine.
- Location
- Spain
[x] Bartending School: "This building is falling apart, and was within my price range so I bought it. Paid for a course in bartending. It was cheap but I sure as hell ain't getting any business as a store. 'Sides, being a cashier at your own corner stop is far less fun than owning your own bar."
Skill Acquired!
Cocktails and Dreams: During her tenure at the course, Jill learned the basics of bartending as well as mixing drinks. She is fully capable of mixing cocktails with a higher chance of not failing to the Average skill tier. Interactions during creation of cocktails are opened.
[x] Manzanilla Zellan Brand: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms of flavoring. 17% APV.
[x] Vermouth: Aromatized fortified wine.
Skill Acquired!
Cocktails and Dreams: During her tenure at the course, Jill learned the basics of bartending as well as mixing drinks. She is fully capable of mixing cocktails with a higher chance of not failing to the Average skill tier. Interactions during creation of cocktails are opened.
[x] Manzanilla Zellan Brand: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms of flavoring. 17% APV.
[x] Vermouth: Aromatized fortified wine.
[X] What Do I Know?: "I just work here."
[X] Manzanilla Zellan Brand: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms of flavoring. 17% APV.
[X] Vermouth: Aromatized fortified wine.
[X] Manzanilla Zellan Brand: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms of flavoring. 17% APV.
[X] Vermouth: Aromatized fortified wine.
1.2 The First Mix
DaBlueSky
Writer's Block Incarnate
- Location
- South Dakota
[x] Bartending School: "This building is falling apart, and was within my price range so I bought it. Paid for a course in bartending. It was cheap but I sure as hell ain't getting any business as a store. 'Sides, being a cashier at your own corner stop is far less fun than owning your own bar."
[x] Manzanilla Zellan Brand: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms offlavoring. 17% APV.
[x] Vermouth: Aromatized fortified wine.
Cocktails and Dreams skill activated!
The young man had his attention focused elsewhere, so Jill simply hmphed, swiped his cred stick, and set about to making his drink. For a moment, she considered lighting up another cigarette, then waved the thought away. The thought of ruining a drink with her bad habits made Jill's nose wrinkle. If this man wanted poorly prepared drinks or ashes in his alcohol, he could've gone to any of the numerous bars in the Barrens. They would've done so much more worse.
Rolling the sleeves of her black shirt back, Jill grabbed the Manzanilla and vermouth bottles and set them with a small thump on the bar counter. Next, Jill fetched a mixing glass and filled it halfway with ice cubes. The Armored Cocktail was a simple piece to create. With the aged sherry, especially the manzanilla, and sweet tasting vermouth, many had described it as being simply "lovely". With a pop, Jill poured the Manzanilla, the amber liquid flowing gracefully into the mixing cup before--
Hm?
His gaze was transfixed upon her hands, the young man's eyes were wide open with interest. Gone was his earlier discomfort and jitterness. Hands placed on the counter--Hmm, his right hand is metallic. More cyber prosthetics?--he'd been fiddling with his PDA, the logo of a hawk inside a globe visible on the back. Another corporate boy made his way to the Barrens? Jill could never understand those types. There were plenty of bars downtown, presumably with a better environment, quality of drink, and lower probability of getting robbed out of the door.
"There a reason you're staring at me, sir?" Jill's voice was apathetic, her hands never stopping as she screwed the top back onto the Manzanilla before grabbing the vermouth. Within a few seconds, she'd mixed that into the sherry and was thoroughly stirring them with the glass rod.
The young man stuttered out a reply, embarrassment evident in his darting eyes, "O-oh, I was just fascinated by your work."
...?
"Why? This is just normal mixing. Nothing special about it." There was a small clink as Jill attached a strainer to the mixing cup. Swiping a cocktail glass from the rack behind her, Jill slowly poured the prepared Armored Cocktail into the cup. The aroma of sweet tea accented alcohol. Hm, not bad.
"T-the thing is, I don't think I've seen any bar in the Barrens d-do what you did. Last one I went to just mashed two different kind of vodka's together when I asked for a cocktail."
Sliding the finished drink to him, Jill's mouth rose into a half smile, "Let me guess, the alcohol tasted like battery acid and had the consistency of murky soup."
"...Yes, exactly. A disgusting, and frankly, alarming yet accurate description. How'd you guess?"
"I don't know if you can't tell, but everyone can tell you live in the metropolitan area. As in, you're more well off than people who'd normally make places like this their haunts."
"I-I see. So it's a petty form of revenge?"
Jill placed a finger on her lip, thinking, "Mmm, partially. It's also because the ingredients that get filtered down here aren't top quality. If that bar had served you regularly, I'm sure a mix of theirs wouldn't taste much different than what you got. You said you've been to other Barrens bars, yeah?"
The young man snickered, "Yeah, I have. Varying qualities, to be sure."
Finally, he took a sip of his cocktail, and Jill watched with satisfaction as his eyes lit up.
"Normally, I'd have garnished your drink with a lemon twist, but such ingredients aren't--"
"No, no! This is fantastic." His voice had gone up an octave, "Wow, only the Barrens can be capable of such a dip and rise in quality."
O-oh. He looked genuinely excited.
"Forgive me for being forward, but your bar doesn't look the type of place that could serve something such as this."
This time, Jill was far from pleased concerning the state of her bar. With a scowl, she mumured, "Yes, well, I sacrificed aesthetic for alcohol quality. Can't have both when you're in the Barrens."
"Ah, sorry. I didn't mean to be rude." His eyes were downcast.
"No, it's fine." Jill sighed heavily, "Believe me, people are surprised whenever the come here. It's probably the reason why this little shack survives despite being at the edge of the City."
"Hm, true enough I suppose." Suddenly, there was a small beep on his PDA. Without even looking at it, he swore and stood up, downing his cocktail, "Looks like I'm needed. Thanks for the drink. I'll keep this place in mind when I swing around again."
Jill nodded solemnly, grabbing the empty glass. But just as the man was about to get off his chair, he paused and reached inside his pocket, "I never did introduce myself. I'm Orion Rocksfelt. Here."
He tossed a dark object, and Jill caught it in both hands with surprise. He waved over his shoulder as he left, "Just a little tip."
The door's opened to the sound of the pittering of rain. Then they slammed shut. Jill was still looking at the cred stick. A tip? That was rare, all things considered. Hmm...30 creds. That was actually pretty generous! Opening up a drawer, Jill was about to deposit it when--
THUMP.
Something smashed into the floor. The old man was collapsed on the dirty wood flooring, drooling as he snored. Aw, goddammit. Jill stalked over to the man. Crouching besides him, Jill shook his shoulders back and forth, trying to wake him. All she got was a burp reeking of alcohol and him rolling over to his side, snoring louder than ever. He did say he had money, didn't he? Better call him a cab.
Jill dug into his pockets and found a cred stick. Swiping it on her own PDA for a balance check, Jill soon found herself facepalming.
0 Credits in Balance.
The old man had lied about him having cash. Now, he couldn't pay for his drinks, nor did Jill know how to get him home. Her thoughts drifted to the tip she'd just recieved....
[] Use Jill's tip to get the man a taxi ride home (Cred stick will be fully used)
[] Wake him up and send him on his drunken way home through the Barrens.
[] .....................Let him sleep on the floor till morning.
Met Orion Rocksfelt!
Learned the Armored Coctail recipe! Added to new tab of Recipes.
[x] Manzanilla Zellan Brand: An aged sherry. Very pleasant on the tongue and is reminiscent of tea in terms offlavoring. 17% APV.
[x] Vermouth: Aromatized fortified wine.
Cocktails and Dreams skill activated!
The young man had his attention focused elsewhere, so Jill simply hmphed, swiped his cred stick, and set about to making his drink. For a moment, she considered lighting up another cigarette, then waved the thought away. The thought of ruining a drink with her bad habits made Jill's nose wrinkle. If this man wanted poorly prepared drinks or ashes in his alcohol, he could've gone to any of the numerous bars in the Barrens. They would've done so much more worse.
Rolling the sleeves of her black shirt back, Jill grabbed the Manzanilla and vermouth bottles and set them with a small thump on the bar counter. Next, Jill fetched a mixing glass and filled it halfway with ice cubes. The Armored Cocktail was a simple piece to create. With the aged sherry, especially the manzanilla, and sweet tasting vermouth, many had described it as being simply "lovely". With a pop, Jill poured the Manzanilla, the amber liquid flowing gracefully into the mixing cup before--
Hm?
His gaze was transfixed upon her hands, the young man's eyes were wide open with interest. Gone was his earlier discomfort and jitterness. Hands placed on the counter--Hmm, his right hand is metallic. More cyber prosthetics?--he'd been fiddling with his PDA, the logo of a hawk inside a globe visible on the back. Another corporate boy made his way to the Barrens? Jill could never understand those types. There were plenty of bars downtown, presumably with a better environment, quality of drink, and lower probability of getting robbed out of the door.
"There a reason you're staring at me, sir?" Jill's voice was apathetic, her hands never stopping as she screwed the top back onto the Manzanilla before grabbing the vermouth. Within a few seconds, she'd mixed that into the sherry and was thoroughly stirring them with the glass rod.
The young man stuttered out a reply, embarrassment evident in his darting eyes, "O-oh, I was just fascinated by your work."
...?
"Why? This is just normal mixing. Nothing special about it." There was a small clink as Jill attached a strainer to the mixing cup. Swiping a cocktail glass from the rack behind her, Jill slowly poured the prepared Armored Cocktail into the cup. The aroma of sweet tea accented alcohol. Hm, not bad.
"T-the thing is, I don't think I've seen any bar in the Barrens d-do what you did. Last one I went to just mashed two different kind of vodka's together when I asked for a cocktail."
Sliding the finished drink to him, Jill's mouth rose into a half smile, "Let me guess, the alcohol tasted like battery acid and had the consistency of murky soup."
"...Yes, exactly. A disgusting, and frankly, alarming yet accurate description. How'd you guess?"
"I don't know if you can't tell, but everyone can tell you live in the metropolitan area. As in, you're more well off than people who'd normally make places like this their haunts."
"I-I see. So it's a petty form of revenge?"
Jill placed a finger on her lip, thinking, "Mmm, partially. It's also because the ingredients that get filtered down here aren't top quality. If that bar had served you regularly, I'm sure a mix of theirs wouldn't taste much different than what you got. You said you've been to other Barrens bars, yeah?"
The young man snickered, "Yeah, I have. Varying qualities, to be sure."
Finally, he took a sip of his cocktail, and Jill watched with satisfaction as his eyes lit up.
"Normally, I'd have garnished your drink with a lemon twist, but such ingredients aren't--"
"No, no! This is fantastic." His voice had gone up an octave, "Wow, only the Barrens can be capable of such a dip and rise in quality."
O-oh. He looked genuinely excited.
"Forgive me for being forward, but your bar doesn't look the type of place that could serve something such as this."
This time, Jill was far from pleased concerning the state of her bar. With a scowl, she mumured, "Yes, well, I sacrificed aesthetic for alcohol quality. Can't have both when you're in the Barrens."
"Ah, sorry. I didn't mean to be rude." His eyes were downcast.
"No, it's fine." Jill sighed heavily, "Believe me, people are surprised whenever the come here. It's probably the reason why this little shack survives despite being at the edge of the City."
"Hm, true enough I suppose." Suddenly, there was a small beep on his PDA. Without even looking at it, he swore and stood up, downing his cocktail, "Looks like I'm needed. Thanks for the drink. I'll keep this place in mind when I swing around again."
Jill nodded solemnly, grabbing the empty glass. But just as the man was about to get off his chair, he paused and reached inside his pocket, "I never did introduce myself. I'm Orion Rocksfelt. Here."
He tossed a dark object, and Jill caught it in both hands with surprise. He waved over his shoulder as he left, "Just a little tip."
The door's opened to the sound of the pittering of rain. Then they slammed shut. Jill was still looking at the cred stick. A tip? That was rare, all things considered. Hmm...30 creds. That was actually pretty generous! Opening up a drawer, Jill was about to deposit it when--
THUMP.
Something smashed into the floor. The old man was collapsed on the dirty wood flooring, drooling as he snored. Aw, goddammit. Jill stalked over to the man. Crouching besides him, Jill shook his shoulders back and forth, trying to wake him. All she got was a burp reeking of alcohol and him rolling over to his side, snoring louder than ever. He did say he had money, didn't he? Better call him a cab.
Jill dug into his pockets and found a cred stick. Swiping it on her own PDA for a balance check, Jill soon found herself facepalming.
0 Credits in Balance.
The old man had lied about him having cash. Now, he couldn't pay for his drinks, nor did Jill know how to get him home. Her thoughts drifted to the tip she'd just recieved....
[] Use Jill's tip to get the man a taxi ride home (Cred stick will be fully used)
[] Wake him up and send him on his drunken way home through the Barrens.
[] .....................Let him sleep on the floor till morning.
Met Orion Rocksfelt!
Learned the Armored Coctail recipe! Added to new tab of Recipes.
Last edited:
A Va-11 Hall-A quest? Count me in!
[X] Use Jill's tip to get the man a taxi ride home (Cred stick will be fully used)
Just this once, but if he does this again then he can get tossed out on the street.
[X] Use Jill's tip to get the man a taxi ride home (Cred stick will be fully used)
Just this once, but if he does this again then he can get tossed out on the street.
1.3 First Day Done!
DaBlueSky
Writer's Block Incarnate
- Location
- South Dakota
[X] Use Jill's tip to get the man a taxi ride home (Cred stick will be fully used)
There was a tightness in Jill's chest as she glanced longingly at the cred stick in her hand. This was something that she'd genuinely earned. It really could've helped her own dwindling personal finances. Payday was coming up admittedly, but so was rent soon thereafter. Glancing at the old man with a hard stare, her fingers tightened around the plastic casing of the cred stick. As much as she found it distasteful, Jill reached into her back pocket and pulled out her phone, fully intent on calling a taxi service. The streets were a little too dangerous for this man to have to go toddling through, and who knew what your boss would do if he saw him spread eagled on the ground in the morning?
Connecting to the Matrix, Jill used the touchpad to cycle through available on-call services. After selecting one of the few taxi's willing to go to the Barrens, Jill input the address of the shambling little bar, and selected the "Go!" icon. A happy little character saluted her on the screen, bubble text streaming from its mouth; Your taxi is on its way! Thank you for choosing the Helix Taxi Service. Jill snorted at the expected price figure from pickup to destination. They could afford to overcharge her. There wasn't much competition.
Now for the annoying part. Trying to get the old man up and about before the driver arrived. A few of the patrons look over curiously but none offered any help. Typical. Setting her phone on the tabletop of a booth, Jill crouched down again. The best she could do was be persistent. Grabbing his shoulders, Jill shook him, ready at any time to jump back from the inevitable puking. Starman's Vodka was heavy stuff.
"Hey! Old man, you gotta get up." Continuously murmuring, Jill was slowly becoming frustrated. He wasn't stirring, untill--
"Hm, what?!" With alarming speed, the old man's eyes red rimmed eyes shot open, and he sat up quickly, looking around, "Where tha hell am I?"
"Valhalla. You passed out."
"Val-whatta?"
"...Valhalla. Get up, I called a cab for you."
The old man chortled, "Gahaha, what are you talking about? I don't have any money for that!"
Jill hissed, "Yeah, I'm aware. Don't worry about that. Just...get up. You're going home."
His face fell as he realized the implications of what she said. For a moment, a grave look overcame his face, "Thanks, young 'un."
Glancing away, Jill gave disheartened half-nod before helping the man to his feet. He leaned heavily against her, one arm firmly grasped across her shoulder. In fact, despite his apparent alertness, Jill still ended up half-dragging him to the door. Breathing heavily, Jill threw open the door and was greeted by a light spray of freezing rain. Shit. The streets were slick and bare of any people. Lonely streetlights flashed their warning and go signs to a phantom audience. With the crunching of gravel, a vehicle pulled up, a tired young man in the drivers seat.
"Alright, let's go--"
"It's ok," The old man burped, pushing himself away from Jill, "I can walk the rest of the way."
"...If you say so, and here, you'll need this." Jill slapped the cred stick into his quivering hands. Crossing her arms, Jill shivered in the cold night, as a gale swept through the streets.
With a strange look in his eye, the old man murmured, "Many thanks again."
Then he proceeded to wobble down to the taxi. The back passenger seat popped open automatically as he clambered in. As the car was pulling away, he looked at Jill through the windows, but she'd already turned away, heading back inside Valhalla. Her breath was misting, and Jill quickly pushed the doors shut. Good thing I brought my coat.
Suddenly, the clock on the wall above the bar counter beeped loudly, repeatedly. There was a collective groan as the few patrons grabbed their bags and coats.
It was closing time.
Even through the warmth of the jacket, Jill could still feel the cold. The wind was picking up, whipping her black hair back and forth. Eyes narrowed, Jill brushed her bangs out of her face and threw a glance across the street. A few select restaurants were still open, boasting the "Open 24 hours!" slogan on their signs. At this point, it didn't really matter if their food was good, Jill would settle for something simply warm. Placing her hand over her stomach, Jill heard it grumble.
[] Enter the 24 hour restaurant, Sweji's Diner?
-[] Chicken soup (5 creds) +3 Happiness
-[] Steak Tips (8 creds) +5 Happiness
-[] Warm cream donuts (3 creds) +3 Happiness
Jill couldn't spare any money, although she wished she could. A little bit of mindless spending would do her some good. Besides, it was freezing.
-10 Happiness
Soldiering on, Jill picked up her pace, hoping she could generate enough internal warmth to stave off the chill. Pushing her neck into the collar of her coat, she watched the pavement blur together as the blocks passed by. Her route had been memorized. Funny though, Jill used to think that the walking distance wouldn't make her miserable. All things considered, it was only several blocks but...
Sniffling, Jill found herself in front of her apartment building. It was an old, old building, one of concrete. Cracks had appeared in the bricks and dying ivy had sprung up everywhere. A guardrail was missing on the staircase up to the door, and cigarette blunts littered the untended lawn. Though that was arguably mostly Jill's fault. Home sweet home.
A few minutes later, Jill fumbled with the key to her own apartment, 217. With a click, the door swung open, and Jill launched herself in gratefully. Stripping down to her underwear, she collapsed on the bed, eyes already closed. Curling up into a ball, Jill's breathing evened out---
RIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG.
The housephone was relatively quiet, yet it was as if someone was banging pots and pans next to Jill's ears. In response, Jill just groaned loudly. But the ringing was persistent. Finally, Jill shot out of the bed, barefeet thumping against the wooden flooring,
"Yes, what is it?!"
Silence on the other end, "...Did I disturb you?"
Jill's fingers rubbed her temple, "No, you weren't interrupting anything, Mom. Did you need something?"
Curt, yet the other woman's voice continued on unperturbed, "No, I was just checking up on you. How are you doing out in Glitch City?"
"...Fine."
"You're very proud, did you know that?"
"No."
Silence again. Jill could practically hear the gears turning in her mother's head, "I don't need the smalltalk, Mom. Was this check up all you needed? I'm fine. If there's nothing else, I'm going to hang up. I've got work tomorrow."
"Hold on, please! I, uh, I'm worried about you. If you needed any help, I'm here for you, you know...Just say the word, dear, I can send a bit of money your way. It should be in your account by tomorrow."
....
Choose one
[] "Yeah, fine. I do need some help..." [Receive 150 credits and WARNING -25 Happiness WARNING]
[] "I'm fine. Seriously." [No change]
[] Write in. [Varying change, depending upon on what it is.]
Happiness Tab added to Important Info
There was a tightness in Jill's chest as she glanced longingly at the cred stick in her hand. This was something that she'd genuinely earned. It really could've helped her own dwindling personal finances. Payday was coming up admittedly, but so was rent soon thereafter. Glancing at the old man with a hard stare, her fingers tightened around the plastic casing of the cred stick. As much as she found it distasteful, Jill reached into her back pocket and pulled out her phone, fully intent on calling a taxi service. The streets were a little too dangerous for this man to have to go toddling through, and who knew what your boss would do if he saw him spread eagled on the ground in the morning?
Connecting to the Matrix, Jill used the touchpad to cycle through available on-call services. After selecting one of the few taxi's willing to go to the Barrens, Jill input the address of the shambling little bar, and selected the "Go!" icon. A happy little character saluted her on the screen, bubble text streaming from its mouth; Your taxi is on its way! Thank you for choosing the Helix Taxi Service. Jill snorted at the expected price figure from pickup to destination. They could afford to overcharge her. There wasn't much competition.
Now for the annoying part. Trying to get the old man up and about before the driver arrived. A few of the patrons look over curiously but none offered any help. Typical. Setting her phone on the tabletop of a booth, Jill crouched down again. The best she could do was be persistent. Grabbing his shoulders, Jill shook him, ready at any time to jump back from the inevitable puking. Starman's Vodka was heavy stuff.
"Hey! Old man, you gotta get up." Continuously murmuring, Jill was slowly becoming frustrated. He wasn't stirring, untill--
"Hm, what?!" With alarming speed, the old man's eyes red rimmed eyes shot open, and he sat up quickly, looking around, "Where tha hell am I?"
"Valhalla. You passed out."
"Val-whatta?"
"...Valhalla. Get up, I called a cab for you."
The old man chortled, "Gahaha, what are you talking about? I don't have any money for that!"
Jill hissed, "Yeah, I'm aware. Don't worry about that. Just...get up. You're going home."
His face fell as he realized the implications of what she said. For a moment, a grave look overcame his face, "Thanks, young 'un."
Glancing away, Jill gave disheartened half-nod before helping the man to his feet. He leaned heavily against her, one arm firmly grasped across her shoulder. In fact, despite his apparent alertness, Jill still ended up half-dragging him to the door. Breathing heavily, Jill threw open the door and was greeted by a light spray of freezing rain. Shit. The streets were slick and bare of any people. Lonely streetlights flashed their warning and go signs to a phantom audience. With the crunching of gravel, a vehicle pulled up, a tired young man in the drivers seat.
"Alright, let's go--"
"It's ok," The old man burped, pushing himself away from Jill, "I can walk the rest of the way."
"...If you say so, and here, you'll need this." Jill slapped the cred stick into his quivering hands. Crossing her arms, Jill shivered in the cold night, as a gale swept through the streets.
With a strange look in his eye, the old man murmured, "Many thanks again."
Then he proceeded to wobble down to the taxi. The back passenger seat popped open automatically as he clambered in. As the car was pulling away, he looked at Jill through the windows, but she'd already turned away, heading back inside Valhalla. Her breath was misting, and Jill quickly pushed the doors shut. Good thing I brought my coat.
Suddenly, the clock on the wall above the bar counter beeped loudly, repeatedly. There was a collective groan as the few patrons grabbed their bags and coats.
It was closing time.
Even through the warmth of the jacket, Jill could still feel the cold. The wind was picking up, whipping her black hair back and forth. Eyes narrowed, Jill brushed her bangs out of her face and threw a glance across the street. A few select restaurants were still open, boasting the "Open 24 hours!" slogan on their signs. At this point, it didn't really matter if their food was good, Jill would settle for something simply warm. Placing her hand over her stomach, Jill heard it grumble.
-[] Chicken soup (5 creds) +3 Happiness
-[] Steak Tips (8 creds) +5 Happiness
-[] Warm cream donuts (3 creds) +3 Happiness
Jill couldn't spare any money, although she wished she could. A little bit of mindless spending would do her some good. Besides, it was freezing.
-10 Happiness
Soldiering on, Jill picked up her pace, hoping she could generate enough internal warmth to stave off the chill. Pushing her neck into the collar of her coat, she watched the pavement blur together as the blocks passed by. Her route had been memorized. Funny though, Jill used to think that the walking distance wouldn't make her miserable. All things considered, it was only several blocks but...
Sniffling, Jill found herself in front of her apartment building. It was an old, old building, one of concrete. Cracks had appeared in the bricks and dying ivy had sprung up everywhere. A guardrail was missing on the staircase up to the door, and cigarette blunts littered the untended lawn. Though that was arguably mostly Jill's fault. Home sweet home.
A few minutes later, Jill fumbled with the key to her own apartment, 217. With a click, the door swung open, and Jill launched herself in gratefully. Stripping down to her underwear, she collapsed on the bed, eyes already closed. Curling up into a ball, Jill's breathing evened out---
RIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG.
The housephone was relatively quiet, yet it was as if someone was banging pots and pans next to Jill's ears. In response, Jill just groaned loudly. But the ringing was persistent. Finally, Jill shot out of the bed, barefeet thumping against the wooden flooring,
"Yes, what is it?!"
Silence on the other end, "...Did I disturb you?"
Jill's fingers rubbed her temple, "No, you weren't interrupting anything, Mom. Did you need something?"
Curt, yet the other woman's voice continued on unperturbed, "No, I was just checking up on you. How are you doing out in Glitch City?"
"...Fine."
"You're very proud, did you know that?"
"No."
Silence again. Jill could practically hear the gears turning in her mother's head, "I don't need the smalltalk, Mom. Was this check up all you needed? I'm fine. If there's nothing else, I'm going to hang up. I've got work tomorrow."
"Hold on, please! I, uh, I'm worried about you. If you needed any help, I'm here for you, you know...Just say the word, dear, I can send a bit of money your way. It should be in your account by tomorrow."
....
Choose one
[] "Yeah, fine. I do need some help..." [Receive 150 credits and WARNING -25 Happiness WARNING]
[] "I'm fine. Seriously." [No change]
[] Write in. [Varying change, depending upon on what it is.]
Happiness Tab added to Important Info
Last edited:
Old Man, better appreciate this act of kindness.
While having some spending money would be nice, the hit to happiness is too much.
[X] "I'm fine. Seriously."
While having some spending money would be nice, the hit to happiness is too much.
[X] "I'm fine. Seriously."