Skyside Prime

Locales found within the main city centers; primarily Inside, Riverside, and Skyside.
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Zefir
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Re: Skyside Prime

Post by Zefir »

[Groundtown]

Finding a building that is high enougth is a littel problem as the people here use only the trash from above to survive and they risk to loose more when something drops on them. Still they find one which allows a good view. They might even have a look at the old man they talked to who still sits at the same place.

It is doubtfull the monster will even notice that there is any easy bait in a building.

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Re: Skyside Prime

Post by Earl of Purple »

Groundtown

"Good sightlines here, I like it, but... in the dark, shadowy beasts, I won't be able to see them or shoot them unless they get close. The old guy says they pick on people at the edge of town, the weak and vulnerable, but not near where they lair." He also assumed they had eggs, but Sian's less willing to take that at face value given despite his extensive experience with similar beasts, he's not seen them either.
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Re: Skyside Prime

Post by Morty »

[Groundtown]

"The idea was that we'd set up here, then survey the area for any signs of the monster. But if we saw it take the bait..."

"If we had a bait."

"Right, yeah. Anyway, we'd need to chase it down and it'd be hard to do if we were up here."

"Should've asked that guy if it only eats people or also animals."
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Re: Skyside Prime

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Keeper wrote: Jan 17, 2023 4:21 pmMina's Place

"I said it was hard to remember, not that I forgot. It's because there were timeline created and stuff got messed with. Events were added, I got a little taller, and Sai had suddenly spent a hundred years as a mortal. It's hard to get the events straight to be honest." The interview almost doesn't seem real since it didn't happen at all in the original timeline and Mina simply remembered it having happened.
[Mina's Place]

"Reality bending bullshit? Well, that sounds weird and awful. But I guess at least you got a nice place out of?" That sure as hell wouldn't be enough for Emily if it happened to her.
Last edited by Halae on Jan 19, 2023 12:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Skyside Prime

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Reinholdt wrote: Jan 18, 2023 8:29 am [Black Abyss Milk Factory]

"Did I?" Not every mecha-zombie is getting up to follow Mina either, only a trio. The stragglers still functioning have to stay outside to make sure no other ne'er do'wells show up to Raven's schemes.

"I think you're reading into things. I think you're lonely and you missed me~. Well, not to worry. Sacrifice yourself to these gentlemen and you'll not want for company ever again. Your zombified corpse would make an excellent left hand." Right hand's taken.

The gentlemen in question are the four mecha-zombies within the front office lobby. These seem to be different on account of the weapons that are duct taped to their arms, sparking dangerously and extending their reach. Cattle prods, set to maximum output. One of them lunges at Mina, weapon outstretched while the other three circle around carefully.
Black Abyss Milk Factory

Mina brings up Sai, his prongs catching the opponent's weapon exactly as he's designed. Mina reaches back to deliver a slightly more wound up than practical punch to the zombie's center of mass.
"Trust me, you don't want that. I don't think your guys are waterproof and you don't want to be in a room with a minotaur who hasn't showered in weeks."
Mina eyes the other three zombies. She'll have more trouble if they all come at her at once...
Halae wrote: Jan 19, 2023 12:37 am[/b][Mina's Place][/b]

"Reality bending bullshit? Well, that sounds weird and awful. But I guess at least you got a nice place out of?" That sure as hell wouldn't be enough for Emily if it happened to her.
Mina's Place

Mina sighs.
"It was probably my own fault for even talking to that...person. But yeah, I mean. I didn't even fit in Mom's place anymore at this size. And we didn't have any money really. So it...well it saved me a lot of headaches. And being a minor celebrity at school because I was on TV once is kinda fun. Oh, I'm still in college by the way. I'm getting a degree in archaeology." Mina realizes that Emily might not have pieced together that she's only 20. Guessing the ages of other species can be pretty hard.
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Re: Skyside Prime

Post by Halae »

[Mina's Place]

"Archaeology's a good field. I got mine in criminology," Emily says. She's clearly still mulling over the implications of what happened to Mina, and what that suggests for other folks, but as long as she's doing alright, it's relatively fine, "I'm twenty-six at this point."
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Re: Skyside Prime

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Mina's Place

"Oh, cool. I'm twenty-one." Because Keeper forgot Mina explicitly celebrated her 21st birthday on-screen.
"I should try to do some actual archaeology some day. The one and only tomb I ever got to discover was my own, which is kind of a weird thing to talk about."
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Re: Skyside Prime

Post by Reinholdt »

[Black Abyss Milk Factory]

"... Huh?" Raven is caught off guard. What was Mina talking about? Oh... oh showering? Like... for scent purposes? The rotting decaying flesh of the mecha-zombies and the general rancid chemical smell that pervades anywhere Raven works has all but obliterated her nose a long time ago. She still showers of course, keeping clean is important for an Empress regardless of the circumstances. Probably the only reason Rose manages around her honestly. But smells? It would take a few months of detoxing from the undead before she really noticed them again.

"Whatever, you'll bovine." Raven really stretching the pronunciation on that one.

Mina fends off the first cattle prod mecha-zombie, but she may have forgotten about the three filtering in slowly from behind! One of them makes it past the door to jump at Mina's back while two of the cattle prod zombies suddenly jerk forward with their electric weapons, trapping Mina in a three way pincer attack!
► SHOW SPOILER
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Re: Skyside Prime

Post by Earl of Purple »

Groundtown

"Probably cheaper to buy a person here than an animal, and I'm only really familiar with one set of merchants dealing with livestock anyway, and I don't want to deal with 'em." Sian shudders at the thought of dealing with the Guild, disgusted either by the idea or previous experience. "I'm kinda happy being bait or at least being near the bait. I'm a good shot, but pistols are not especially long-range weaponry." They don't provide as stable a firing position as a rifle or other longarm, and the short barrels also play a part- at least for those weapons in her coat that rely on barrels to propel a projectile.
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Re: Skyside Prime

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[Groundtown]

"If you volunteer, we should set you up so you look helpless and tempting, while hiding a gun on you. We'll set up nearby, so if the creature comes after you, we'll be out guns blazing." Even if two of them don't have guns.

"If we did lay an animal out as bait, one of the locals would try to swipe it," Olvisin points out. "Fresh meat must be a luxury in this place."

"Guess we're doing it the hard way. There wasn't really going to be another way."
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Re: Skyside Prime

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Keeper wrote: Jan 22, 2023 9:47 pm Mina's Place

"Oh, cool. I'm twenty-one." Because Keeper forgot Mina explicitly celebrated her 21st birthday on-screen.
"I should try to do some actual archaeology some day. The one and only tomb I ever got to discover was my own, which is kind of a weird thing to talk about."
[Mina's Place]

"Pursuing your passions is a worthwhile endeavor," Emily encourages, "You've got the skills for it. Why not lean into that fact? I've been in a few ruins myself, and it's always fascinating."
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Re: Skyside Prime

Post by Earl of Purple »

Groundtown

"If I get to keep my coat, I'll have more guns hidden on me than a octogenarian's had hot dinners." Might depend on the octogenarian, but there's quite a lot of potential guns within her coat of arms.

Sian's going to think a moment. "I don't want to take all my clothes off; it'll be cold. Does anyone know how to make me look weak and helpless without stripping?" No other ideas are coming to her, though. If she keeps her coat it might not get too bad.
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Re: Skyside Prime

Post by Morty »

[Groundtown]

The goblins immediately pipe up with ideas. It might be slightly concerning.

"We can rub some dirt onto it and slap on some fake patches. Make it look like it's been through hell and back."

"Find some shabby clothes under the coat, too, so it looks like it's your only valuable possession."

"We can make you look beaten up and dirty, too. Then it's a matter of acting. Bend over, cough, moan, stuff like that. Like you're one foot on the ocean floor."
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Re: Skyside Prime

Post by Earl of Purple »

Groundtown

"Patches might work, dirt probably won't, not for long. It's self-cleaning and repairing, to a limited degree. I've been shot in it before, and you'd never guess now." Which does make things tricky. Though enough dirt might help temporarily, since it's not immediately self-cleaning. "You got make up for the bruising, or we gonna do it the old-fashioned way? I don't mind, so long as it's not Olvisin punching me in the head. No offence, but your fists look like they hurt." Given they're made of metal, a punch could do considerable damage as all the force is directed into Sian's face because the bone under the skin is softer and more brittle than the metal fingers doing the punching.
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Re: Skyside Prime

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[Groundtown]

"We ought to have some stuff that will work like makeup. We'd rather not have to punch you for this to work."

"Olvisin can put some of her bandages on you, then we'll rub dirt and something red into them. Make it look like you've got old, soaked bandages."
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Re: Skyside Prime

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Halae wrote: Jan 24, 2023 12:11 pm [Mina's Place]

"Pursuing your passions is a worthwhile endeavor," Emily encourages, "You've got the skills for it. Why not lean into that fact? I've been in a few ruins myself, and it's always fascinating."
Mina's Place

"Well, it's easier said than done. I don't have the connections yet to know where to look. Once I get my degree that'll be easier I think. I do have an in with an archeology magazine who interviewed me a while back but you know. No need to rush everything, right?" Mina taps her chin, thinking about it. She's very good at punching things. Less good at the social stuff.
Reinholdt wrote: Jan 23, 2023 9:29 am [Black Abyss Milk Factory]

"... Huh?" Raven is caught off guard. What was Mina talking about? Oh... oh showering? Like... for scent purposes? The rotting decaying flesh of the mecha-zombies and the general rancid chemical smell that pervades anywhere Raven works has all but obliterated her nose a long time ago. She still showers of course, keeping clean is important for an Empress regardless of the circumstances. Probably the only reason Rose manages around her honestly. But smells? It would take a few months of detoxing from the undead before she really noticed them again.

"Whatever, you'll bovine." Raven really stretching the pronunciation on that one.

Mina fends off the first cattle prod mecha-zombie, but she may have forgotten about the three filtering in slowly from behind! One of them makes it past the door to jump at Mina's back while two of the cattle prod zombies suddenly jerk forward with their electric weapons, trapping Mina in a three way pincer attack!
Black Abyss Milk Factory

"That doesn't even make sen-ugh!" Mina's inability to understand Raven's joke sets her up to being zapped in the back!
Mina sinks to the floor...
And lashes out with a spinning leg-sweep at the three zombies!
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Re: Skyside Prime

Post by Earl of Purple »

Groundtown

"Conveniently, I would also rather not be punched. Let's get to work then." And with that, presumably they can get to work making Sian look weak and vulnerable to the shadowy predators that they are here to hunt.

Rubbing dust into her coat won't work; the dust will just fall away instead of clinging to the fibres of the material. Liquid can soak in- it's not really a waterproof coat- but it dries quickly and refuses to stain.
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Re: Skyside Prime

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[Mina's Place]

"Never too early to start forming connections," Emily points out, "You could probably get away with a lot if you got in good with an already leading archeologist."
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Re: Skyside Prime

Post by Morty »

[Groundtown]

Between the four of them, the goblins should be able to give Sian a reasonably realistic look of misery and despair. Maybe a bit over the top, but the monster may not be able to tell. Once that's done, they'll take up positions, hidden near Sian while she acts as bait.
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Re: Skyside Prime

Post by Reinholdt »

[Black Abyss Milk Factory]

Mercifully, perhaps, Raven declines to explain, elaborate, or even add any more to the conversation, letting it lull for a time.

The three zombies are tripped, one landing on its own cattle prod and sizzling both comically and with a kind of horrendous twitching and equally awful smell.

Zombies don't give Mina much in terms of breathing space though, the relentless nature of the undead menaces shining brightly through electric prongs as the last cattle prod zombie and the second trailing zombie both lunge at Mina.
► SHOW SPOILER
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Re: Skyside Prime

Post by Earl of Purple »

Groundtown

Sian's going to slump next to a wall and start coughing into a bloody piece of tissue paper, with a fake black eye and heavy bruising over her face. She's got her other hand in the pocket of her jacket, grasping the butt of a pistol she's concealing within the expansive space.
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Re: Skyside Prime

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Black Abyss Milk Factory

Mina reaches into her robe and slips on a ring. She doesn't wear it often in case her punches break it. She's not really sure how it works. And also rings don't look very good on her giant minotaur fingers. But that part's not important when she's doing fighty stuff
Mina steps to the side, letting the momentum of the zombie's wild prod-swing keep it going so she can deliver a crushing elbow to its back, the aiming a kick at the trailing zombie.
Thanks to the ring she got from those weird water-monsters, all her hits now have additional fire damage! She doesn't know how that works either but it's pretty cool.

Mina's Place

"Well, that's kind of the plan. Going to get my degree and see who we meet in the process, you know? I can always make some calls to the folks at the Archaeology Society. They're the ones who interviewed me. They were really professional about it all."
And she was being her huge self gushing on TV so she is very happy they were professional about it.
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Re: Skyside Prime

Post by Reinholdt »

[Black Abyss Milk Factory]

The mecha-zombie isn't really sure how it works either, but the scent of cooking flesh and melting electronics gets added to all the other pleasant aromas that were pervading the area.

Finally the area is clear of active threats trying to murder Mina, leaving the minotaur in an almost unnaturally quiet lobby with a door leading further into the factory waiting for her. No taunts or anything. There is a fifty percent chance that Rose made another pun and Raven had no choice but to shut her up with the catgirl's mouth and isn't paying as much attention as she should.

If Mina listens closely though, she can hear some sort of knocking or banging sound, not coming from directly behind that door but from somewhere nearby past it.
► SHOW SPOILER
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Re: Skyside Prime

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Black Abyss Milk Factory

Hmm. Well. Mina wasn't gifted with a map of the place, so she doesn't have any real idea of where she's going or what to look for.
So for now she starts towards that noise. It could be hostages, or a malfunctioning piece of machinery. Or just an uneven table in the break room. But might as well check it out.
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Re: Skyside Prime

Post by Reinholdt »

[Black Abyss Milk Factory]

Hostages seems the most likely answer based on the manner the noise is occurring the closer Mina gets to it. A small hallway extends out past the lobby and there are a few doors to choose from, one that clearly leads out into the factory. The noise, however, is coming from a different door and now includes the faint cries of "Hey! Is anyone there?" As well as noises suggesting they settle down, he was just hearing things. This particular door is both locked and barred!

... On Mina's side, which means she pretty much has full control if she wants to unbar and unlock the door. So it's really only keeping the hostages in, not Mina out.
► SHOW SPOILER
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Re: Skyside Prime

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Black Abyss Milk Factory

Mina can't ignore the possibility that this is a trick, but she's also not sure Raven is smart enough to use fake hostages. She also can't ignore the chance that it's real, so off go the bar and the lock.
"There's still a lot of zombies outside. I wouldn't advise running out right away." she tells them, assuming nothing tries to kill her as she opens the door.
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Re: Skyside Prime

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Earl of Purple wrote: Jan 27, 2023 4:56 pm Groundtown

Sian's going to slump next to a wall and start coughing into a bloody piece of tissue paper, with a fake black eye and heavy bruising over her face. She's got her other hand in the pocket of her jacket, grasping the butt of a pistol she's concealing within the expansive space.
Groundtown

Time wil pass by as they wait with their trap and it might be very likly that the creature won't appear at the place for a lot of time.
But some time after the sun set (or maybe just the city above blocks all light) they will notice something lurking around Sian. Shadows move in the corners whcich can't belong to a person, but still the beast seems to keep a distance, likly testing if this prey is worth attacking. The others can see the shadows as well, strangly something that throws that shadow should be easily spoted from their place especially since it is above most huts.
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Re: Skyside Prime

Post by Halae »

Keeper wrote: Jan 29, 2023 3:03 pmMina's Place

"Well, that's kind of the plan. Going to get my degree and see who we meet in the process, you know? I can always make some calls to the folks at the Archaeology Society. They're the ones who interviewed me. They were really professional about it all."
And she was being her huge self gushing on TV so she is very happy they were professional about it.
Mina's Place

"Huh. Good to hear you've got a plan," Emily says, nodding, "Lots of college students just kind of... don't. Never went, myself, but you meet that sort of person when you're doing hero work."
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Re: Skyside Prime

Post by Reinholdt »

[Black Abyss Milk Factory]

Inside are three hostages. Well two hostages and one former employee, Greg, who has fallen in love madly with Kai. Which is unfortunate because Kai has yet to confess their feelings to Jessie, the other hostage, who actually has an unrequited thing for Felandria that Kai's been trying to help them with but simultaneously sabotage in an unhealthy amount of relationship drama and...

Well for now, that side story can step aside as do the three people in the room, all backing away from Mina as she unlocks and opens the door, each of them maintaining as much distance between them and her for the moment. Regardless of their romantic inclinations, they all seem hesitant for the moment, uncertain as to what to make of Mina and do as a result.
► SHOW SPOILER
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Re: Skyside Prime

Post by Morty »

[Groundtown]

The goblins begin circling the creature and Sian when they see it. They're silent and wary as they stick to nooks and crannies that hide them, their readied weapons making no noise. Ready to strike as soon as the time is right.
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