Nimodes
Weary Worldwalker
- Location
- Arizona
I added one word to the last scene just to make it less mysterious. I will await Kryslin's reaction before I write further scenes.
The Adventures Of Doctor Curlyhair, Girl Genius!
- Thread starter Nimodes
- Start date
- Crossover
Kryslin
[Has Delusions of Authorship]
- Location
- Mythic Iowa
You mean beyond the like I left on the story?
Go ahead, keep going. Naurelin will answer some questions, but leave out things regarding what might happen in the future because Naurelin is farther down the timeline than Dr. Curlyhair is.
Naurelin is best described as a cross between D&D's red dragon and gold dragon. Her scales are a rose gold color, a bronze-gold mane of stiff hair, and her human eyes. She's slightly smaller than a C-130 Hercules, a potent spell caster, and bears the title "Favored of Tiamat" (Granted, Scaling Up's Tiamat is a not-evil carzy great aunt version instead of the avatar of greed and atrocity. Still queen of the chromatic dragons, though). She also has a parahuman powerset.
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Even with the timeline of Naurelin being in the future from Dr. C, I don't think Naurelin has much info that would be of use to Dr. C that would act as 'Spoilers'. The two worlds are fairly divergent in a lot of ways, and Dr. C has changed enough that her timeline will never work the same as SU Taylor's did.
Naurelin would probably like to give Annette a big hug though. So that'll be nice for her.
Are you going to run at least some scenes by
Kryslin
just to make sure you got the reactions right? Talking to some other authors who use "current" characters it can be the toughest thing to get right. Especially if the "current" character is wildly different from the base due to whatever the other author changed. Either way I am like the others this is going to be interesting. Very Very interesting.
Ace Dreamer
Verified Reality User
- Location
- Between The Unknown & The Known
Will there be... concern when you need to use more than one hand to count-up the number of different ways you can fly on your own?
(For thoroughness, we'll let that include the Forerunner suit, that merged with all the other suits.)
Th\t sounds like... Taylor has become 'Mr. Apollo'???
Yeah, there's been some really weird stuff done over the years...
from 1953...
Maybe you'd prefer the Bonzo Dog Do Dah Band?
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-mol9ONK4c
from 1953...
Maybe you'd prefer the Bonzo Dog Do Dah Band?
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-mol9ONK4c
Good that Taylor now has ten clones... And, is helping out at the hospital...
BTW, too much gets in the way of Healing Pods? People will move to the Moon, become Lunatics, to get access.
... x-over with 'Scaling Up' ... Guess we'll see how that goes... Bet Dragon from there's like to go chat to DCH's Dragon...
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So it's Taylor's 13th birthday, spending it with her parents, plus the involuntary X-Over with another Taylor, for a moment I thought it was Varga, until I saw the explanations
This Taylor, Naurelin, has quite a few surprises waiting for her, like seeing her mother alive who is pregnant (Emma having powers), plus the corresponding reactions between her and Curlyhair, who has the necessary knowledge to understand the circumstances of her alternate version, and while Naurelin, if I understand correctly, is more advanced in the Worm plot (which she might or might not talk about to avoid Spoilers), Curlyhair already has an idea of what the situation is (Shards and entities, courtesy of Washu) and the enemy to beat (Scion)
Apart from seeing a bit of Max/Kaiser, plus what will be the introduction of a certain pair of gamers, although whether or not things turn out the way they want that would be another thing
As for the Perks, well Clarktech sounds good, although that last condition seems like a limitation, But its freebie, that one is very useful, given the ships she has received/found thanks to her Perks
And the second perk, very useful and more at being Crunched with Autofactory
Good luck and keep it up
This Taylor, Naurelin, has quite a few surprises waiting for her, like seeing her mother alive who is pregnant (Emma having powers), plus the corresponding reactions between her and Curlyhair, who has the necessary knowledge to understand the circumstances of her alternate version, and while Naurelin, if I understand correctly, is more advanced in the Worm plot (which she might or might not talk about to avoid Spoilers), Curlyhair already has an idea of what the situation is (Shards and entities, courtesy of Washu) and the enemy to beat (Scion)
Apart from seeing a bit of Max/Kaiser, plus what will be the introduction of a certain pair of gamers, although whether or not things turn out the way they want that would be another thing
As for the Perks, well Clarktech sounds good, although that last condition seems like a limitation, But its freebie, that one is very useful, given the ships she has received/found thanks to her Perks
And the second perk, very useful and more at being Crunched with Autofactory
Good luck and keep it up
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Ace Dreamer
Verified Reality User
- Location
- Between The Unknown & The Known
What this story needs is a visit from Uran, Mighty Atom (Astro Boy) little sister. This version will, of course, have her own 'rocket boots'...
Curious to know a bit more about Uran?
(She's arguably one of the first robot (sub-teen) girls, as opposed to robot women...)
Tomboy? What do you mean 'tomboy'!
I might... admit to having used Uran. myself, before...
Curious to know a bit more about Uran?
(She's arguably one of the first robot (sub-teen) girls, as opposed to robot women...)
Tomboy? What do you mean 'tomboy'!
I might... admit to having used Uran. myself, before...
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Kryslin
[Has Delusions of Authorship]
- Location
- Mythic Iowa
No. Taylor's still struggling with that question, and for some reason, Annette's soul can't be found to be asked if she wants to come back. So Resurrection would outright fail to work, Taylor's out a a fairly expensive material component, probably laid up for a couple of weeks, and may even have a heroic quest to perform before she can try again.
Nope, that would be the other Gold Dragon, Verechelen. She raised her mother in Wyrm Wrecking Worm, by yours truly.
- Location
- Sandpoint ID
For the news station, you might want to change the k to a w. If I remember correctly the Mississippi is the dividing line.
- Pronouns
- he/him/his
Well. Between the Marvel Comics science, DC Comics science, Necron knowledge, the Kryptonian science ship with intact database and AI, various magic perks, and Omni-Disciplinary from two chapters ago, I was pretty sure Taylor could already reverse-engineer and replicate the Ship Girl Conversion Kit.
And then she got this.
Her main limiting factor really is time at this point, isn't it?
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Kinsfire
Verified {Redacted}
- Location
- New Jersey
I feel like a complete idiot. It was only upon reading the Informational post, where The Inbred Five were listed, that I realized who they were. I LVOED reading those stories, and how Phil Foglio actually used the characters in a very interesting story. (Look up DC Comics The Inferior Five, if you're one of the ones who doesn't recognize them. And I probably missed any mention of them in the comments as well ...)
Ace Dreamer
Verified Reality User
- Location
- Between The Unknown & The Known
The Inferior Five do have a couple of Brutes ('Bricks' as some have called them), and if no one needs mobility out of them, loadsa strength. 'Dumb Bunny' arguably (just) needs good direction... And 'Merryman' is pretty clever...
Yes, I do like them.
(Not having a Tinker/Mad Scientist, an obvious hole in their line-up... Mad science - really needed for complete disasters...)
EDIT:
I think I saw a comic which detailed the parents of the Inferior Five, who were all (suspiciously familiar?) supers. Classically, having two super parents is good for your powerset - this time... not so much.
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Kinsfire
Verified {Redacted}
- Location
- New Jersey
Oh yes, that was in one of their official comics, I think. Since they were doing it for humor, they couldn't state that Aquaman and Whomever Girl were the parents, but they could - for parody purposes - show suspiciously similar people, as long as it was only that once.
27: To Build More Tools
New
Nimodes
Weary Worldwalker
- Location
- Arizona
* Sunday, August 10 2008 *
The Auto Shop she'd gotten yesterday had been added to her factory, with one of the lines now including various scan functions that could make blueprints. With the addition of her Clarketech perk, this meant she could experiment with the Wisdom Cube.
Happily she set it into the appropriate slot and set it for Active but not Destructive analysis.
She was a genius but you could only do so much without data to build upon.
Breakfast with her parents was about the usual, pancakes from the Witch House were a frequent choice as they were tasty and that stove automatically produced them. The unused ones just vanished when nobody was looking, and her current theory was that the stove just returned them to the potential energy from which they'd formed.
"New development yesterday," commented Taylor between bites of pancake. "Someone was nosing around my cave in that world with the strange day/night cycle."
"Oh? Did you ever figure that part out?" asked Annette. "Just the idea of a world with no visible sun makes me think of tales of the fae, and those do not turn out well."
"No fae. This was another dragon, a big one with golden scales," said Taylor. "They examined the place but didn't break anything. Whoever it was, they figured out where one of the cameras was and waved at it."
"So a technologically aware dragon," said Danny as he poured blueberry syrup over his own pancakes. "That world seems to be a very strange place."
"Tell me about it," agreed Taylor. "Aerial Drone 7 noted that one town moved 17km in relation to topographical features over the course of a night."
"Moving towns?" asked Annette. "It just get up and walked?"
"Or the hills were moving," admitted Taylor. "That doesn't get into some of the animals and plant life. I saw what appeared to be Pleistocene megafauna, particularly a herd of giant buffalo, grazing along a trade route."
"Well, I was wondering what kind of prey would be around for dragons to eat," admitted Danny between bites of pancake. "Giant buffalo does sound like it could fit the bill."
"There's a trade caravan of what looks like ninja lizard-people moving along one of the roads," said Taylor after finishing her plate. "I'm planning on sending a drone there to see what I can trade for whatever they're carrying. Having a few samples of trade goods might give me a better idea of the cultures and levels of both tech and magic over there."
"You know, it's a bit of a concern when your daughter is talking about trading items with 'ninja lizard people' over the breakfast table, and this is perfectly normal," stated Danny Hebert.
"Did you want to talk about the fact that one of the Dockworkers is dating a gynoid?" asked Annette, one eyebrow arched.
"As long as it is consensual and not during work hours, it's none of my business," stated Danny. "Once I thought about it, I was surprised it hasn't happened more often."
* Glu Gluten's Glue Factory *
"Too early," complained Uber.
"I finished the Snitch!" declared Leet.
"Still too early," complained Uber.
"I've got the Grand Theft Auto holo-projectors made!" declared Leet."I already installed them. We can change the make and model of the car with just a flick of a switch!"
A hand reached out of the covers, reoriented the face of the bedside clock, then dropped the clock back on the table. "Way too early. Not even eight yet. Go away."
"I've pulled up a map of where the likely problems are, and we can focus our attention on the remaining areas."
A hand emerged from the depths of the blankets and pillows and a single finger was extended.
"We could try..."
"By the love of all that is gaming, Clarence, shut up and go back to bed."
"I've had twelve cups of espresso. I can't sleep."
"Sounds like a 'you' problem. Check back after noon."
* Ackerman Financial Offices, San Francisco California *
The teleconference was scrambled by a Tinker whose focus was computer security, using an algorithm that changed every three point one seven seconds, and only accessible through a specific code-key.
Even with those sorts of security measures, four of their members were using virtual representatives and two were just visible as brooding silhouettes. One was just a black screen with red lettering proclaiming status.
They were the Elite. Paranoia was just good business practice.
"ForgeTech," stated the red lettering member.
Agnes Court and Uppercrust had significant enmity between them but both muttered something very close to "this again?" almost simultaneously.
"ForgeTech is not our concern," said Lithograph from his own little box of the conference call. "We block the technology we don't want hitting the public at large, we make use of the technology we do allow. The PRT we work around. The rest of the alphabet soup of government agencies we can either utilize or subvert where we can. Business as usual, just with more bells and whistles."
"I thought there was something about Doctor Curlyhair that threw off your precognition the same way other Thinkers are affected," said Agnes Court, leaning forward.
"She does. Early on I was able to work past the garbage messages that kept popping up, and I was able to see some of what she was doing and where it would lead," admitted Lithograph. "She went completely blank not terribly long ago, but ForgeTech itself? They are not nearly so protected as long as one is precise in one's inquiries."
"Uppercrust, I heard you were able to acquire some time in one of those 'healing capsule' devices?" asked Andros, the Stranger-3 speaking in a Southern drawl that was as false as any of his various identities.
"Yes," said Uppercrust, inclining his head. "I won't ask how you know since I had kept that very close to my vest, but it was an unqualified success."
Agnes Court grumbled something that didn't sound complimentary.
* Monday, August 11 2008 *
It was quite distracting to get a roll just as she was outfitting a drone for a First Contact situation.
Still, the new "Goibnu" perk allowed her to make a quick set of knives from some ingots of M390 steel that she could use Nidavellir to put together and a set of runes to further strengthen the metal and enhance the edge.
She ended up with four knives, but since she didn't know what the market would actually buy - she went with different types of knives. A meat cleaver, a paring knife, a chef's knife, and a combat tactical knife. Supplies for her hobbies included some maple wood, so the handles would be made of that. Add some cowhide she could whip up into decorations using a Navajo-styling on the leather.
Should be fine.
Unfortunately, it was a school night, so she didn't really have a whole lot of time to work on projects like this. Especially with all ten of her clones on other projects.
Huh. She had enough materials here. Maybe she could start on something...
Taylor quickly left her workshop, going to her family's home and from there to a particular bookshelf.
Her mother was an avid reader, her father had a few books as well, but it was one particular series of books that she'd remembered.
Oh yes, this was definitely going to be a project.
Though when she'd get the uninterrupted time to do it was another question altogether.
* Saturday, August 16 2008 *
* Flibbertigibbet *
Flibbertigibbet was used to having to have a Translation Amulet handy. Her race, the saurials, communicated by a combination of sounds and body language and pheromones. Other races had difficulty trying to do communicate even simple concepts through gesture and sounds alone, with only Thri-Kreen having a similar olfactory component to language.
Yes, both the mantis-warriors and the saurials could form a bond over the common difficulties of co-existence with the nose-blind.
So when some artificer device dropped down in front of them with a pair of boxes, Flibber was quite ready and had already activated the amulet that allowed for communication. They only had two of the things, they were damn expensive, but it was well worth it.
"Trade requested. Please speak so that translation software can begin decoding your language."
"Not necessary," said Flibbertigibbet. "I have a translation pendant. I take it that you wish to trade? What do you want, and what do you have to trade?"
There was a brief pause before the oddly cadenced voice gave way to something that sounded more human-ish. "Honestly, one of those pendants would be nice. If I can find out how it works, I might be able to duplicate it."
"We only have the one and a backup," said Flibber. "I am Flibbertigibbet of the saurial enclave Roam-no-more. We are traders heading towards a human town here in the Outlands."
"I am Tailor of the human city of Bay of Brockton," said the translated human-ish voice. A flat panel of the artificer device lit up to display a human female. Very young from the look of it, though it was hard to judge such things.
"We have a number of trade goods," stated Flibber, making a gesture so that the others would throw out blankets and then set their wares out. It was the simplest method of conducting trade after all, especially with the inexact nature of translation spells. The human tailor no doubt had woven goods and clothing for trade, though with this being a clearly magical artificer creation - some form of exotic magic might well be on the trade-table.
"My studies are in the making of items," said the image-girl as one box opened up. "Please examine these as examples of my (wares/gifts/trade supplies/craft)."
Flibber was quite curious and clicked for one of their own mages to examine the knives shown within the box.
Wildeye plucked one of the items out of the box, whispered words that registered on the ear and then vanished. His tail and body language denoted a quick change from cautious to excited. "(This is exquisitely made, though for humanoid hands and sized not specifically for our race. Very good steel, functional but also a fair artistic value. There is also an elemental enchantment, a variant of Shocking Grasp I believe. I will have to study it much later.)"
"We are tentatively accepting of these items," stated Flibber. "What do you want in trade for them?"
"Those scrolls and books, what are they?" asked the tailor.
Flibber considered. An artificer named after a clothes-maker perhaps? Ah, she was seeking more magic. Well, it was good they had some of such things. "The scrolls are simple ones, three cantrips and a first-level spell. The books are tales of wizards and warriors from the far-off realm of Toril."
"I am quite interested in the scrolls and at least one book," said the tailor-named girl. "Do we have a deal, the knives for the named items?"
Flibber glanced at Wildeye, who was examining another of the knives. If they were all magical and of similar quality, it seemed they would be making quite a profit here. She was a merchant after all, and a good profit now forestalled lean times in the future. Still, it seemed weighted in their favor a bit much. "Done, and if we acquire another spell scroll we will put one down as paid in advance. Do we meet here for such an exchange?"
"There is a mountain with a split top three (unit of measure unknown) from your position. Do not go beyond the first flattened area to avoid my security measures. I will set up a trade area on that flattened area."
Flibber took out her spyglass and looked at the mountain in question, quickly noted the large ledge that had to be the one in question. While it was good that their new trading partner had some idea of security and had taken precautions, it was also a slight disappointment that they couldn't see what other artificing might be around. Just this remote-viewing flying trade mechanism promised that the girl-child was part of some advanced group. Possibly Gond worshippers, though Flibber's experience with such individuals usually meant they were missing fingers or other body parts due to improper safety procedures.
Yes, it was a good day for trade. They ought to be able to sell these knives for things they actually needed.
Though from the look of it, she might have to pry one of those away from Wildeye physically if it came up. He was looking awfully possessive of that one.
* Outlands Cavern *
Taylor looked over the scrolls eagerly. This appeared to be a form of Vancian magic, at least as regarded that "1st level spell" which was something called "Identify" which took ten minutes to cast, required a pearl, and would tell her whatever kind of magical properties a particular object possessed. Unfortunately, once cast, it would disappear until she rememorized it from these notes she was making as a more permanent record. That it was similar to something in one of her Dad's old D&D books was noted.
The "cantrips" were simpler things and could be apparently cast at will from memory without that limitation. Those were "Mage Hand" which apparently was a minor telekinesis effect, "Mending" which was a fix one break in an object, and "Firebolt" which did not produce a broom but was actually a bolt of fire that could set things ablaze at a distance.
"I take it you have something interesting?" asked her mother as she came out of the portal.
"Examples of the system of magic on this side of the portal," answered Taylor.
"I see," said Annette. "Is that dragon approaching someone you know?"
Despite another roll taking this moment to interrupt, Taylor had already put a palm near the emergency force shield. Just in case, after all.
* Perks This Chapter *
3.39.1-Goibnu (600CP)(Irish Mythology)(Time):
The greatest of the Tuatha smiths, Goibnu could create a spearhead with three strikes of his hammer, and it would be so sharp the man it cut would surely bleed to death. Like this legendary smith, you can forge or assemble anything you've the materials for, no matter how complex or intricate, in moments and whatever you forge shall be of mythic quality, whether armor lighter than cloth and harder than a mountain or plows that can turn over ten acres with one pass. Truly you are worthy to be called the smith of the gods.
FREE: Metal-Worker: Wouldn't be much of a smith without the basics. You know how to mine, refine and work all forms of metal, and are well-steeled for the hard labor and heat of the forge.
FREE: Nimble Fingers: There is none better for fine detail work than yourself, Your precise and certain hands can make etchings too small to be seen with the unaided eye, and anything you have even a minute to embellish is beautiful to behold.
31.11.1-Arcane Interface (400CP)(Storm Hawks)(Magitech Crafting):
While many places and inanimate items are magical, magic itself normally requires a living thing to evoke it. Not so with this perk. You gain insight into creating a technological interface for magical items so that people not versed in magic can pick up and use them. Send a golem instructions through a PDA, or activate a portal with a TV remote. For those capable of magic, this Perk also gives insight into designing spells that manipulate technology, such as conjuring complex machines or altering computer data.
The Auto Shop she'd gotten yesterday had been added to her factory, with one of the lines now including various scan functions that could make blueprints. With the addition of her Clarketech perk, this meant she could experiment with the Wisdom Cube.
Happily she set it into the appropriate slot and set it for Active but not Destructive analysis.
She was a genius but you could only do so much without data to build upon.
Breakfast with her parents was about the usual, pancakes from the Witch House were a frequent choice as they were tasty and that stove automatically produced them. The unused ones just vanished when nobody was looking, and her current theory was that the stove just returned them to the potential energy from which they'd formed.
"New development yesterday," commented Taylor between bites of pancake. "Someone was nosing around my cave in that world with the strange day/night cycle."
"Oh? Did you ever figure that part out?" asked Annette. "Just the idea of a world with no visible sun makes me think of tales of the fae, and those do not turn out well."
"No fae. This was another dragon, a big one with golden scales," said Taylor. "They examined the place but didn't break anything. Whoever it was, they figured out where one of the cameras was and waved at it."
"So a technologically aware dragon," said Danny as he poured blueberry syrup over his own pancakes. "That world seems to be a very strange place."
"Tell me about it," agreed Taylor. "Aerial Drone 7 noted that one town moved 17km in relation to topographical features over the course of a night."
"Moving towns?" asked Annette. "It just get up and walked?"
"Or the hills were moving," admitted Taylor. "That doesn't get into some of the animals and plant life. I saw what appeared to be Pleistocene megafauna, particularly a herd of giant buffalo, grazing along a trade route."
"Well, I was wondering what kind of prey would be around for dragons to eat," admitted Danny between bites of pancake. "Giant buffalo does sound like it could fit the bill."
"There's a trade caravan of what looks like ninja lizard-people moving along one of the roads," said Taylor after finishing her plate. "I'm planning on sending a drone there to see what I can trade for whatever they're carrying. Having a few samples of trade goods might give me a better idea of the cultures and levels of both tech and magic over there."
"You know, it's a bit of a concern when your daughter is talking about trading items with 'ninja lizard people' over the breakfast table, and this is perfectly normal," stated Danny Hebert.
"Did you want to talk about the fact that one of the Dockworkers is dating a gynoid?" asked Annette, one eyebrow arched.
"As long as it is consensual and not during work hours, it's none of my business," stated Danny. "Once I thought about it, I was surprised it hasn't happened more often."
* Glu Gluten's Glue Factory *
"Too early," complained Uber.
"I finished the Snitch!" declared Leet.
"Still too early," complained Uber.
"I've got the Grand Theft Auto holo-projectors made!" declared Leet."I already installed them. We can change the make and model of the car with just a flick of a switch!"
A hand reached out of the covers, reoriented the face of the bedside clock, then dropped the clock back on the table. "Way too early. Not even eight yet. Go away."
"I've pulled up a map of where the likely problems are, and we can focus our attention on the remaining areas."
A hand emerged from the depths of the blankets and pillows and a single finger was extended.
"We could try..."
"By the love of all that is gaming, Clarence, shut up and go back to bed."
"I've had twelve cups of espresso. I can't sleep."
"Sounds like a 'you' problem. Check back after noon."
* Ackerman Financial Offices, San Francisco California *
The teleconference was scrambled by a Tinker whose focus was computer security, using an algorithm that changed every three point one seven seconds, and only accessible through a specific code-key.
Even with those sorts of security measures, four of their members were using virtual representatives and two were just visible as brooding silhouettes. One was just a black screen with red lettering proclaiming status.
They were the Elite. Paranoia was just good business practice.
"ForgeTech," stated the red lettering member.
Agnes Court and Uppercrust had significant enmity between them but both muttered something very close to "this again?" almost simultaneously.
"ForgeTech is not our concern," said Lithograph from his own little box of the conference call. "We block the technology we don't want hitting the public at large, we make use of the technology we do allow. The PRT we work around. The rest of the alphabet soup of government agencies we can either utilize or subvert where we can. Business as usual, just with more bells and whistles."
"I thought there was something about Doctor Curlyhair that threw off your precognition the same way other Thinkers are affected," said Agnes Court, leaning forward.
"She does. Early on I was able to work past the garbage messages that kept popping up, and I was able to see some of what she was doing and where it would lead," admitted Lithograph. "She went completely blank not terribly long ago, but ForgeTech itself? They are not nearly so protected as long as one is precise in one's inquiries."
"Uppercrust, I heard you were able to acquire some time in one of those 'healing capsule' devices?" asked Andros, the Stranger-3 speaking in a Southern drawl that was as false as any of his various identities.
"Yes," said Uppercrust, inclining his head. "I won't ask how you know since I had kept that very close to my vest, but it was an unqualified success."
Agnes Court grumbled something that didn't sound complimentary.
* Monday, August 11 2008 *
It was quite distracting to get a roll just as she was outfitting a drone for a First Contact situation.
Still, the new "Goibnu" perk allowed her to make a quick set of knives from some ingots of M390 steel that she could use Nidavellir to put together and a set of runes to further strengthen the metal and enhance the edge.
She ended up with four knives, but since she didn't know what the market would actually buy - she went with different types of knives. A meat cleaver, a paring knife, a chef's knife, and a combat tactical knife. Supplies for her hobbies included some maple wood, so the handles would be made of that. Add some cowhide she could whip up into decorations using a Navajo-styling on the leather.
Should be fine.
Unfortunately, it was a school night, so she didn't really have a whole lot of time to work on projects like this. Especially with all ten of her clones on other projects.
Huh. She had enough materials here. Maybe she could start on something...
Taylor quickly left her workshop, going to her family's home and from there to a particular bookshelf.
Her mother was an avid reader, her father had a few books as well, but it was one particular series of books that she'd remembered.
Oh yes, this was definitely going to be a project.
Though when she'd get the uninterrupted time to do it was another question altogether.
* Saturday, August 16 2008 *
* Flibbertigibbet *
Flibbertigibbet was used to having to have a Translation Amulet handy. Her race, the saurials, communicated by a combination of sounds and body language and pheromones. Other races had difficulty trying to do communicate even simple concepts through gesture and sounds alone, with only Thri-Kreen having a similar olfactory component to language.
Yes, both the mantis-warriors and the saurials could form a bond over the common difficulties of co-existence with the nose-blind.
So when some artificer device dropped down in front of them with a pair of boxes, Flibber was quite ready and had already activated the amulet that allowed for communication. They only had two of the things, they were damn expensive, but it was well worth it.
"Trade requested. Please speak so that translation software can begin decoding your language."
"Not necessary," said Flibbertigibbet. "I have a translation pendant. I take it that you wish to trade? What do you want, and what do you have to trade?"
There was a brief pause before the oddly cadenced voice gave way to something that sounded more human-ish. "Honestly, one of those pendants would be nice. If I can find out how it works, I might be able to duplicate it."
"We only have the one and a backup," said Flibber. "I am Flibbertigibbet of the saurial enclave Roam-no-more. We are traders heading towards a human town here in the Outlands."
"I am Tailor of the human city of Bay of Brockton," said the translated human-ish voice. A flat panel of the artificer device lit up to display a human female. Very young from the look of it, though it was hard to judge such things.
"We have a number of trade goods," stated Flibber, making a gesture so that the others would throw out blankets and then set their wares out. It was the simplest method of conducting trade after all, especially with the inexact nature of translation spells. The human tailor no doubt had woven goods and clothing for trade, though with this being a clearly magical artificer creation - some form of exotic magic might well be on the trade-table.
"My studies are in the making of items," said the image-girl as one box opened up. "Please examine these as examples of my (wares/gifts/trade supplies/craft)."
Flibber was quite curious and clicked for one of their own mages to examine the knives shown within the box.
Wildeye plucked one of the items out of the box, whispered words that registered on the ear and then vanished. His tail and body language denoted a quick change from cautious to excited. "(This is exquisitely made, though for humanoid hands and sized not specifically for our race. Very good steel, functional but also a fair artistic value. There is also an elemental enchantment, a variant of Shocking Grasp I believe. I will have to study it much later.)"
"We are tentatively accepting of these items," stated Flibber. "What do you want in trade for them?"
"Those scrolls and books, what are they?" asked the tailor.
Flibber considered. An artificer named after a clothes-maker perhaps? Ah, she was seeking more magic. Well, it was good they had some of such things. "The scrolls are simple ones, three cantrips and a first-level spell. The books are tales of wizards and warriors from the far-off realm of Toril."
"I am quite interested in the scrolls and at least one book," said the tailor-named girl. "Do we have a deal, the knives for the named items?"
Flibber glanced at Wildeye, who was examining another of the knives. If they were all magical and of similar quality, it seemed they would be making quite a profit here. She was a merchant after all, and a good profit now forestalled lean times in the future. Still, it seemed weighted in their favor a bit much. "Done, and if we acquire another spell scroll we will put one down as paid in advance. Do we meet here for such an exchange?"
"There is a mountain with a split top three (unit of measure unknown) from your position. Do not go beyond the first flattened area to avoid my security measures. I will set up a trade area on that flattened area."
Flibber took out her spyglass and looked at the mountain in question, quickly noted the large ledge that had to be the one in question. While it was good that their new trading partner had some idea of security and had taken precautions, it was also a slight disappointment that they couldn't see what other artificing might be around. Just this remote-viewing flying trade mechanism promised that the girl-child was part of some advanced group. Possibly Gond worshippers, though Flibber's experience with such individuals usually meant they were missing fingers or other body parts due to improper safety procedures.
Yes, it was a good day for trade. They ought to be able to sell these knives for things they actually needed.
Though from the look of it, she might have to pry one of those away from Wildeye physically if it came up. He was looking awfully possessive of that one.
* Outlands Cavern *
Taylor looked over the scrolls eagerly. This appeared to be a form of Vancian magic, at least as regarded that "1st level spell" which was something called "Identify" which took ten minutes to cast, required a pearl, and would tell her whatever kind of magical properties a particular object possessed. Unfortunately, once cast, it would disappear until she rememorized it from these notes she was making as a more permanent record. That it was similar to something in one of her Dad's old D&D books was noted.
The "cantrips" were simpler things and could be apparently cast at will from memory without that limitation. Those were "Mage Hand" which apparently was a minor telekinesis effect, "Mending" which was a fix one break in an object, and "Firebolt" which did not produce a broom but was actually a bolt of fire that could set things ablaze at a distance.
"I take it you have something interesting?" asked her mother as she came out of the portal.
"Examples of the system of magic on this side of the portal," answered Taylor.
"I see," said Annette. "Is that dragon approaching someone you know?"
Despite another roll taking this moment to interrupt, Taylor had already put a palm near the emergency force shield. Just in case, after all.
* Perks This Chapter *
3.39.1-Goibnu (600CP)(Irish Mythology)(Time):
The greatest of the Tuatha smiths, Goibnu could create a spearhead with three strikes of his hammer, and it would be so sharp the man it cut would surely bleed to death. Like this legendary smith, you can forge or assemble anything you've the materials for, no matter how complex or intricate, in moments and whatever you forge shall be of mythic quality, whether armor lighter than cloth and harder than a mountain or plows that can turn over ten acres with one pass. Truly you are worthy to be called the smith of the gods.
FREE: Metal-Worker: Wouldn't be much of a smith without the basics. You know how to mine, refine and work all forms of metal, and are well-steeled for the hard labor and heat of the forge.
FREE: Nimble Fingers: There is none better for fine detail work than yourself, Your precise and certain hands can make etchings too small to be seen with the unaided eye, and anything you have even a minute to embellish is beautiful to behold.
31.11.1-Arcane Interface (400CP)(Storm Hawks)(Magitech Crafting):
While many places and inanimate items are magical, magic itself normally requires a living thing to evoke it. Not so with this perk. You gain insight into creating a technological interface for magical items so that people not versed in magic can pick up and use them. Send a golem instructions through a PDA, or activate a portal with a TV remote. For those capable of magic, this Perk also gives insight into designing spells that manipulate technology, such as conjuring complex machines or altering computer data.
ExaltedNekoKun
Exalted Glorious Feline Light Source!
- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He/Him/Lord/Fuzzball
This and access to D&D style magic? Aaaand now Dr. Curlyhair can sell reproducible, easy to use mass market non-failure prone Tinkertech. Because standard interface and incomprehensible design to produce and intended effect must be parahuman tech, after all, magic doesn't exist!
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- Location
- Buffalo, NY, USA
Do I see a sonic screwdriver in the near future?