MERC

Herein lies the various threads in which our characters live out their lives
User avatar
Morty
Moderately Powerful Moderator
Posts: 2786
Joined: Jul 04, 2022 10:59 pm
Pronouns: He/Him

Re: MERC

Post by Morty »

[Entryway - Following A Trail]

Olvisin is watching the apparition from some distance. They do sure get all sorts in MERC...
Ironsmith
Poster from Beyond the Veil
Posts: 2996
Joined: Aug 01, 2022 12:46 pm

Re: MERC

Post by Ironsmith »

Zefir wrote: Nov 11, 2022 7:46 pm [Entryway - Following A Trail][/b]

The towering armor might look around when suddendly a shadowy figure stands in front of him that wasn't there and didn't seem to walked there.

"Can I help you?" the echoing emotionless voice of the shadow figure says.

The figure looks simular to Fade who stands a bit away.(Or amybe not in the same scene) just skin and other not dark grey things are dark grey
Morty wrote: Nov 14, 2022 10:37 pm [Entryway - Following A Trail]

Olvisin is watching the apparition from some distance. They do sure get all sorts in MERC...
[Entryway - Following A Trail]

The knight does not, in fact, reply at first. Fade('s double) will find himself looking into a set of eyes(?) that seem to be almost as devoid of soul as he is, their presence only betrayed by the little shimmer of the room's lights reflecting off of them.

Then, rather than explain itself, the knight... takes a deep sniff, the rush of air rattling its helmet slightly. And then, finally, it will speak.

"...I come looking for a goblin." The knight explains, in a deep, growling voice that echoes slightly inside its helmet. "I was told there are a great many of them here. And if my quarry is not among them, I understand you have mercenaries who might aid me."

clunk!

The knight withdraws its hand from the counter, leaving a small pile of glowing gold coins in its wake. "...I see I have come to the right place." It continues, indulging in another deep sniff. "The scent is... much stronger here. Much..."

cr-rack!

The knight's helmet turns abruptly to face Olvisin, a set of uneven teeth flaring underneath its helmet. The rest of its body soon follows as it starts moving up toward her, boots slamming into the floor with every step.
Who're you? ...Don't matter.

Want some rye? Course ya do!

Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
User avatar
Earl of Purple
Transcendent Soul Poster
Posts: 2022
Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
Pronouns: He/Him

Re: MERC

Post by Earl of Purple »

Entrance

"The supply of guns is 'just' the coat, pulling one out, aiming, and shooting when there's not so much control over what kind of gun it's gonna be? That's skill. Especially in a stressful situation." The longer she has to prepare herself, the more control she has over what gun comes out. Sometimes she can choose a specific firearm; other times she can only grab what she needs- either a potent pistol for heavily-armoured foes, or a pistol with some melee capabilities if they're getting really close, or a more rapid-firing pistol if there's a group of enemies she needs to kill. And if she's caught by surprise she reaches in and just grabs a pistol, even if it's not going to be very effective for the situation.
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.

Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
User avatar
Morty
Moderately Powerful Moderator
Posts: 2786
Joined: Jul 04, 2022 10:59 pm
Pronouns: He/Him

Re: MERC

Post by Morty »

[Entryway - Following A Trail]

"Wait, what the- back off, buddy!" Olvisin retreats into the doorway, pulling one of her guns. The knight's sudden movement causes a commotion that is sure to grow.
User avatar
Zefir
Coffin-Bound Aged Poster
Posts: 416
Joined: Aug 03, 2022 6:59 am

Re: MERC

Post by Zefir »

Entrance

Fade can't really tell if it is difficult. For him guns and other arms do the most work and people just pull a trigger.

"So it is random? It appears whoever made the coat didn't think it through." he emotionless says. Then he looks up.
"Excuse me for a moment." he puts the pad down and walks over to the knight.

[Entryway - Following A Trail]

"Yes there are Goblins around here, but if you search for someone you need to describe them." Fade replies

The shadow doesn't seem to react immediatly when the knight has sniffed his prey. Short after he runs the shadow will have disapearedas it just melts into the ground and slides past he armor (Which i assume is slower then a normal unarmored person).
When Olvisin reacts to the knight the shadow will reapear between them, but this time it 's not the human like figure. This time it appears like the upper halv of a giant with hands big enougth to hide people. and obviously attempting to block the path of the armor.
Ironsmith
Poster from Beyond the Veil
Posts: 2996
Joined: Aug 01, 2022 12:46 pm

Re: MERC

Post by Ironsmith »

[Entryway - Following A Trail]

If the knight is at all concerned by the shadow's rapid change in size and location, it doesn't seem to show it. Rather, it simply walks right through, or at least intends to unless or until that proves to be impossible, at which point it will shove him aside instead (it's quite a bit stronger than it looks, and it already doesn't exactly look scrawny).

"You." The knight glares at Olvisin, a smoldering look in what can be seen of its eyes. "I know of you. You were at the Silver Tomb." It straightens up and continues to glare at her, but makes no attempt at moving in and hurting her. "You do not know me. Allow me to remedy that. I am Arne, the last son of the Dragonslayer, one of many you wronged that day."

The knight grabs ahold of one of its gauntlets by the forearm, slowly pulling it free to reveal a gelatinous mass underneath; a tangled mess of veins running underneath a transparent membrane, connected to the gauntlet by a trail of clear mucus as it pulls the armor free.

"I offer you a choice, goblin." The knight continues. "By one means or another, I will have satisfaction. You may decide whether this will be a hunt..."

clunk!

The gauntlet is thrown, landing about a pace away from Olvisin's feet.

"...Or a duel." The knight finishes. "Will you face me as a Man, or a beast?"
Who're you? ...Don't matter.

Want some rye? Course ya do!

Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
User avatar
Earl of Purple
Transcendent Soul Poster
Posts: 2022
Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
Pronouns: He/Him

Re: MERC

Post by Earl of Purple »

Entrance

"Not totally random. If I think of a certain gun, it'll come to me, or if I think I need a certain type of weapon for a given situation I can pull out something that will prove useful. And if I run out of ammunition, or it jams? I can put it back and pull another gun out. If I need to give guns to a group of unarmed people, I can take the guns out and hand them around- though they will degrade the further they go from the coat. It's useful." Just, perhaps, not as useful as it could be, if it had a smaller selection of guns.
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.

Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
User avatar
Morty
Moderately Powerful Moderator
Posts: 2786
Joined: Jul 04, 2022 10:59 pm
Pronouns: He/Him

Re: MERC

Post by Morty »

[Entryway - Following A Trail]

"The hell's a 'duel'? Is that when humans try to kill or maim each other according to rules?" Olvisin seems to have some genuine trouble understanding the concept. "Anyway, we were there on a job and it went bad. We wish we could have saved your family before it was eaten." She may be making a mistake here.
User avatar
Zefir
Coffin-Bound Aged Poster
Posts: 416
Joined: Aug 03, 2022 6:59 am

Re: MERC

Post by Zefir »

[Entryway - Following A Trail]

Well yes it is impossible to just walk through it since it's not an illusion but a real body. (IMpossible might be the wrong wording). Shoving it away should end up in a clash as this is a giant, likly 3-4 times the size of the knight and as Strong. Just imagine him playing with real cars like kids do with toys. Still since the giant only puts his hand in between the knight might make it far enougth to Olvisin for his challange.

By that time the real Fade should be close by and will go to stand between the two as he assumes Olvisin might not be able to stop him with that gun.

"Yes thats what he means. Thought it seems his physic gives him an advantage. I think some would assume that an unfair fight, if it goes for common rules. Either way if you threaten a coworker right in front of me I can't let that go. I just warn you once befor I ue force."

Entrance

Fade sees to have heared that, but his understanding of gun and how powerfull they are is just to less to be impressed. On the other hand he seems to jump into another 'guest'.
Ironsmith
Poster from Beyond the Veil
Posts: 2996
Joined: Aug 01, 2022 12:46 pm

Re: MERC

Post by Ironsmith »

[Entryway - Following A Trail]

The knight gives Fade a look (it's hard to tell what it's thinking, exactly, under all that armor) and... promptly ignores him, turning its attention back to Olvisin. "You have three days to put your affairs in order." The knight rumbles, seeming to have no care for her explanation of what happened. "On midnight of the third day, if you have any sense of honor, you will meet me, ready for battle, by Inside's northernmost gate. If you do not..." The knight flicks out its exposed hand, a shaft of bluish light appearing in it and materializing into a halberd. "Then a hunt it will be."

With that, the knight turns and makes its way back to the door, leaving the gauntlet where it lay.
Who're you? ...Don't matter.

Want some rye? Course ya do!

Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
User avatar
Morty
Moderately Powerful Moderator
Posts: 2786
Joined: Jul 04, 2022 10:59 pm
Pronouns: He/Him

Re: MERC

Post by Morty »

[Entryway - Following A Trail]

"...does he realize I'm just going to set up an ambush there and blow him up?" Olvisin asks as she watches the knight leave. "Topsiders can be weird sometimes."
Ironsmith
Poster from Beyond the Veil
Posts: 2996
Joined: Aug 01, 2022 12:46 pm

Re: MERC

Post by Ironsmith »

[Entryway - Following A Trail]

One can't discount the possibility that the knight might actually know that. It didn't seem to be particularly bothered by the prospect of arranging a meeting place with someone toward whom it showed unabashed hostility. Setting up a trap would be the logical thing to do. The knight might even be planning to do that itself; it's already proposing to fight her away from any support system she might have in place, in a predetermined location it may have scouted out and prepared before issuing its challenge. It almost certainly had more time than three days to do so.

And then there's making sure that trap actually works, and is worthwhile. Admittedly, there are few problems in life that can't be solved with gratuitous amounts of explosives and a minimum safe distance, but Inside's authorities probably would not take too kindly to having one of the city's gates destroyed over a grudge match. And anything more precise is going to demand Olvisin have some sense of what she's fighting; she was ill-prepared to handle heavily-armored knights last time the subject came up, and the added quirk of them being undead only made the usual tactics even less effective.

Fortunately, Olvisin might just have ways of finding out more about her opponent. The knight, or something very much like it, was seen in Underside only a week ago. She might recall reading something about it on an advisory report or possibly an incident that was resolved before MERC got involved. Or maybe she heard about it through less-official channels; it certainly would not have arrived quietly.

It also would have been seen in Skyside, and definitely made a mess there. In a very literal sense. There'd be rumors floating around there, too, and if MERC's keeping any tabs on the Slaver's Guild, the knight's description would be floating around as another person of interest at a minimum... in the sense that it's pointedly not a customer and would be a good reason to sound the alarm if sighted.

Or she could take a broader approach and take the time to discuss the matter with experts on the things she knows she's going to have to deal with. Heavy armor, an implied penchant for combat with medieval weaponry, and possibly some form of kinetic magic. Maybe even find some way to deduce the identity of the creature based on what it's already said and done, which would be a tremendous asset. If she has three days to prepare, perfectly mundane (as much as the term could apply in the Nexus) research might make a lot of difference.

...All dependent on what actually occurs to her, of course.
Who're you? ...Don't matter.

Want some rye? Course ya do!

Here's to us!
Who's like us?
Damn few,
And they're aaaaall dead.
User avatar
Zefir
Coffin-Bound Aged Poster
Posts: 416
Joined: Aug 03, 2022 6:59 am

Re: MERC

Post by Zefir »

[Entryway - Following A Trail]

"Maybe he expects that or maybe he is just one of those stupid honour bind beeings." Fade replies.
"If honour is of no value to you as it is for me, I wouldn't mind joining to. His main strength lies in his physical abilities."

Then Fade turns to her, since he has watched the knight leave.

"On the other hand, didn't you want to take another job from the job board? There is a new recrut over there you can take with you."
User avatar
Earl of Purple
Transcendent Soul Poster
Posts: 2022
Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
Pronouns: He/Him

Re: MERC

Post by Earl of Purple »

Entryway

"Sounds t'me like she's got bigger fish to fry, given that dude's gonna try either fighting her in three days or failing that hunting her down. I've got some good bullets for armour, 'less his suit's fancier'n it looks they should penetrate it, if you want 'em." Reaching into a pocket, the gunslinger pulls out a large semi-automatic pistol with a boxy magazine sticking from the barrel ahead of the trigger.
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.

Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
User avatar
Morty
Moderately Powerful Moderator
Posts: 2786
Joined: Jul 04, 2022 10:59 pm
Pronouns: He/Him

Re: MERC

Post by Morty »

[Entryway]

Olvisin waves her hand.

"I'll deal with this clown one way or the other, but in the meantime jobs still need doing. Me and my siblings could sure use someone to help us out with those monster contracts."
User avatar
Zefir
Coffin-Bound Aged Poster
Posts: 416
Joined: Aug 03, 2022 6:59 am

Re: MERC

Post by Zefir »

Entryway

Fade would have liked to challange the armor guy, but if Olvisin has things under controll he won't bother. After all his question to help was more one of the things on the lst he recived. Socialize with other members. That counts?

"I see you two can talk this out? I return to my work now."

And so he goes off.
User avatar
Earl of Purple
Transcendent Soul Poster
Posts: 2022
Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
Pronouns: He/Him

Re: MERC

Post by Earl of Purple »

Entryway

"Well, count me in. I'm Sian, pleased to meet you." Sian grins and puts her hands in the pockets of her coat, the pistol apparently disappearing.
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.

Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
User avatar
Morty
Moderately Powerful Moderator
Posts: 2786
Joined: Jul 04, 2022 10:59 pm
Pronouns: He/Him

Re: MERC

Post by Morty »

[Entryway]

"Olvisin." The goblin holsters her own gun. "You new here? My siblings and I are preparing to take on some recent monster-hunting contracts and we could use an extra pair of hands."
User avatar
Earl of Purple
Transcendent Soul Poster
Posts: 2022
Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
Pronouns: He/Him

Re: MERC

Post by Earl of Purple »

Entryway

"Yep, just asked for membership, so this'll be part of me application, I think. Hands I got, and guns. What kinda monster we hunting?" Knowing that would help Sian know what kind of pistols would be most useful to penetrate its hide or slow it down.
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.

Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
User avatar
Morty
Moderately Powerful Moderator
Posts: 2786
Joined: Jul 04, 2022 10:59 pm
Pronouns: He/Him

Re: MERC

Post by Morty »

[Entryway]

"Come with me, I can show you the notes on the way."

Olvisin indeed has a copy of the original bounty with her.
A shadowy salker like beast has setteled near Skysides groundtown. It is likly that it will feed on the people down their when the pack is big enougth.
A beast that seems to controll water and fire has been spoted near Riverside.
The last one are Zombilike people with features like jelly appearing in inside. near everyone can run from them but they seem to increase in number by splitting.
"We haven't decided which one to go after yet."
User avatar
Earl of Purple
Transcendent Soul Poster
Posts: 2022
Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
Pronouns: He/Him

Re: MERC

Post by Earl of Purple »

Entryway

"I've been to Skyside before. Some of the gangs there might want me dead, but... none of 'em had much going on in Groundtown. I'm not too up to date on local politics, but I think Skyside might be most vulnerable. If you wanna do the most good, those shadow stalkers might be an idea. Not sure how easy they'll be to shoot, though, and that's my major skill." Of course, there's a few different options available to Sian if conventional firearms won't hack it; she's also got a number of energy weapons which might work.
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.

Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
User avatar
Morty
Moderately Powerful Moderator
Posts: 2786
Joined: Jul 04, 2022 10:59 pm
Pronouns: He/Him

Re: MERC

Post by Morty »

[Entryway ==> Map Room]

Olvisin leads Sian to a room where three other goblins are already seated. A tall and muscular (for a goblin) man, a lanky and slim one and a slim woman with a boyish haircut.

"This is Kuvesh, Luuvat and Zaalmin," she says, pointing to them in turn. "Guys, this is Sian. She'll be joining us on whichever job we pick. And as I was telling her, we'll probably need to do some recon."

"The slime-zombies might be a matter of finding the right agent to dissolve them so they don't split," Zaalmin says. "We could try capturing one for study,"

[Tattoo Examination]

After the Spooktober party, Olvisin and Cassidy will emerge from the railway in the tunnels.

"My siblings and I have rooms here. Comfortable enough and goblin-friendly. And I know my room has pretty good light. I'll be able to examine your tattoos real close." She winks.
Ember
Less-Fresh Toddler Poster
Posts: 71
Joined: Oct 09, 2022 12:07 am
Location: Wouldn't you like to know, weather boy?
Pronouns: She/Her

Re: MERC

Post by Ember »

[Tattoo Examination]

Cassidy's mask is fully off now, along with the red wig she had worn in the Spooktober party, stashed away in a bag she's carrying. She's smoothing over her short crop of black hair as she glances down at Olvisin with a grin. "Yeah, Snig was always pretty good about making the rooms comfy. Wonder what he did with my old room..." She shrugs. "Ah well. I'd much rather show all my ink off in your room."
User avatar
Earl of Purple
Transcendent Soul Poster
Posts: 2022
Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
Pronouns: He/Him

Re: MERC

Post by Earl of Purple »

Map Room

"I got some familiarity with Skyside, but I'd be relying on you guys and the maps to navigate the other cities. Capturing I think I can do, if we go for those. I got some options for light if we go after the shadow-stalker thing. My coat produces guns, I think of something, reach in, and pull it out. Got used to thinking on the fly, so I don't get something useful even if I don't always know what it'll be." Or she can just reach into a pocket and pull out a gun without any real control over what it'll be. The gun she's just produced is a semi-automatic pistol with an integrated magazine and a rounded wooden grip.
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.

Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
User avatar
Morty
Moderately Powerful Moderator
Posts: 2786
Joined: Jul 04, 2022 10:59 pm
Pronouns: He/Him

Re: MERC

Post by Morty »

[Tattoo Examination]

"Yeah. I'm sure we'll keep each other busy enough with that." Olvisin leads Cassidy through the corridors of the base until they reach a door with her nametag. She opens it and reveals a compact but comfortable room, strewn with bits and pieces of technology and various books and magazines on the subject. There's a separate table set aside for gun maintenance. It's all rather messy, in general. "Well, here we are. Make yourself comfortable."

[Map Room]

"It really depends on how shadowy this stalker is," the large goblin identified as Kuvesh says. "If it's made of shadow, we'd need to find a way to hurt it. If it lives in shadows, it's easier. Since so do we."

"Like I said, we'll do recon. It's got to have a weakness of some kind," Luuvat adds.

Zaalmin and Olvisin seem awed by Sian's gun-conjuration.

"That means if we find its weakness, you might be able to have the right gun to use it. We can make ammo too, but that does take a while."

"Either way, let's see what we can do about this stalker in Skyside."
User avatar
Earl of Purple
Transcendent Soul Poster
Posts: 2022
Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
Pronouns: He/Him

Re: MERC

Post by Earl of Purple »

Map Room

"The guns I pull out are always fully loaded. Even if I do run out of ammo, all I need do is put it in my pocket and I'll pull it out full. Just gotta keep a good grip on it, otherwise it won't be the same pistol I put in." Which can be frustrating, but isn't always; if she pulls out a flintlock, for example, holding it loosely to reload it might get a weapon with more shots or accuracy when she pulls her hand back out again. "I'll need some way of seeing in the dark, though. I don't live in shadows." Sian should really invest in some night-vision goggles of some kind, but she's not entirely sure what might happen if she kept them in a pocket of her coat of arms.
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.

Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Ember
Less-Fresh Toddler Poster
Posts: 71
Joined: Oct 09, 2022 12:07 am
Location: Wouldn't you like to know, weather boy?
Pronouns: She/Her

Re: MERC

Post by Ember »

[Tattoo Examination]

"Thought you'd never ask," Cassidy says, quickly moving to get more parts of her costume off. "This thing got itchy as all hell over the night. Guess it doesn't help that I was wearing my normal clothes underneath it." She cackles as the rainbow shirt comes off, revealing her red tanktop underneath - and perhaps more to the point, the tattoos that cover her built arms. Chains wrap around her forearms, a flaming jack-o-lantern blazes on her bicep, a viking boat sails onto one of her shoulders. Practically all her visible skin is covered in similar scenes to that.
User avatar
Morty
Moderately Powerful Moderator
Posts: 2786
Joined: Jul 04, 2022 10:59 pm
Pronouns: He/Him

Re: MERC

Post by Morty »

[Map Room]

"We'' have to make do somehow."

"When I mentioned making ammo, I meant special ammo that can hurt a shadow-creature. But without knowing what to expect, it's hard to do it."

"Not much more to say without scouting out. Hopefully the people down there know something. And they might be eager to give information to someone who could kill the thing."

[Tattoo Examination]

Olvisin grins, admiring both the tattoos and the arms they cover. Yes, this is going to be a very good night.

"Those are some great tattoos. Must've taken ages to finish them. Good thing you've got the right kind of muscles to show them off."
Ember
Less-Fresh Toddler Poster
Posts: 71
Joined: Oct 09, 2022 12:07 am
Location: Wouldn't you like to know, weather boy?
Pronouns: She/Her

Re: MERC

Post by Ember »

[Tattoo Examination]

"You're not kidding. Started getting them when I was... fourteen? Something like that. Back when I joined my first chain gang." Cassidy points out the flaming pumpkin on her arm, before running it up the flames to a small scene of a motorcycle on her shoulder, leaving a trail of fire. "Had to get creative to put em together. Or, the inkers did. Never had much of a mind for that, myself."
User avatar
Earl of Purple
Transcendent Soul Poster
Posts: 2022
Joined: Aug 01, 2022 3:59 pm
Location: Amongst the Folk from the North
Pronouns: He/Him

Re: MERC

Post by Earl of Purple »

Map Room

"I could maybe see if I can give you an energy weapon for you to reverse engineer. They don't use magic, just physical laws, but... Dunno how hard it'd be to reverse engineer it from what you know already." They're reasonably advanced, given that Olvisin has cybernetic arms, but the energy weapons she uses don't use similar design principles as cybernetics so they might not be useful.
Avatar provided by Happyturtle. Still using it, after all these years.

Don't run now, my eggs are hatching.
Post Reply