Ugh, vegemite. I'm far from a picky eater, but that stuff's just plain weird.
Ghost salt? The Wizard's never heard it called that before. Certainly has little enough to do with ghosts. But the catamander sounds sure, and she would be the expert here, so he'll trust her that he's not being cheated. Yes, that sounds about right.
And I would be glad to help you. Except. Except... Not to be rude, but this would not involve going against the law, would it? It's just that, I've never heard of an unattended deposit. All of them are owed to the university or the empire where he's from. Even if you did dsicover a new one, the most you'd get would be a finder's fee from one or the other, princely on it's own but a pittance compared to the actual worth.
"Well, it wouldn't be going against any law that I know of. Though... Do you maaaybe have a friend who's good with a blade or something? I mean.. Well, it'll make sense why it's not exactly an 'owned' source but I'd rather not speak of it here." the catamander said, dropping her voice to a whisper. "Y'see, I don't want any competitors trying to pick my personal gathering spots clean, for one, and some phrases just draw adventurers like honey. Or gold. Gold would probably work better than honey unless the honey is made by some kind of magical bee or something." she said.
"Of course, I've got a few things that you might find useful here if you want to look over my stock first. I'll even consider a discount given that we're gonna be partners in crime and all... Erm, metaphorically speaking." Nephea amended, waving a hand at her collection of multicolored bottles. "Just as a heads up, the green ones are for drinking, the red ones are for throwing, and the blue ones are applied on the skin or whatever it is you're putting it on. 'S easier for the customer to identify when their using one of mine in a hurry. Wouldn't want them to drink down a flask of alchemist's fire or anything."
"Guh, I can see how that would suck. Still, you got some of your old self back right? That's better than most things that get forced on you I guess." Small mercies compared to what seems to be Kate's normal life these days though.
"Hey, want to do something fun? See a movie or something? If you don't have anything better to do."
Kate nods. "True, true." Of course, part of the issue is that when things are "forced" on her, she doesn't bother to fix them if they might be useful. "I don't really have anything better to do, either. Do you have a specific idea of something to do?"
Kate nods. "True, true." Of course, part of the issue is that when things are "forced" on her, she doesn't bother to fix them if they might be useful. "I don't really have anything better to do, either. Do you have a specific idea of something to do?"
Parkspace
"Like besides seeing a movie? Not really, but maybe if we walk around we could find something neat. I should probably change out of these clothes first to prevent any more mishaps though. Can we swing by the mall so I can do that?" They'll have changing rooms there, and Mintbalm can just conjure up another set of clothes once she works her way out of these ones.
"Why don't we just go back to my place? We don't have to worry about the crowds or finding the rooms." Kate examines the skyline. Let's see... "That way."
"Why don't we just go back to my place? We don't have to worry about the crowds or finding the rooms." Kate examines the skyline. Let's see... "That way."
Parkspace
"That'd be fine, so long as Sophie doesn't mind me stopping by for a bit. Maybe you can check online to see what's happening around the city while we're there, to see what might be interesting to do?" The pixie starts walking in the direction Kate pointed while she chats.
That's fine. I have a few meals I can make without meat. My name is Terref, by the way.
The inside of her house is fairly typical. There is an entry hall, a living room with a cozy fireplace, a staircase leading upstairs to where the kids rooms are, and a homely but welcoming kitchen with a large table. Sigil may or may not notice a large number of toys scattered everywhere. He will almost certainly notice the maze of tubing that runs along the walls and ceiling through every room. The tubes look to be made of ceramic pipes and brass pipes and, in a few places, carved wood. The tubes are all at least six inches in diameter. There a plenty of gaps and holes in the tubes, ruling them out as being for water or some other substance. Perplexing.
Or not. As a ferret comes scurrying down one of the tubes and into the kitchen.
If you want to take a seat at the table, my kids should be down in a moment to help cook.
In the meantime, she starts chopping some zucchini and green peppers.
Sigil's analytical eye is abundantly obvious as soon as he steps inside. Though the pipes aren't the first thing to catch his attention. No, the first thing he looks for are any books that might be about. Mostly he's interested in magic, but anything that looks to be on history or mythology are likely to merit a second glance.
Then the ferret tubes. Those he can figure out easily!
Because of the smell.
Ferrets and weasels and stoats and other such creatures have a pretty distinctive odor to them.
At the mention of kids he perks up a bit. "Oh you have foals... eerr... children? How old are they?" he asks as he picks his way around the chaotic obstacle course of trinkets and toys.
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Warning! Random Encounter™ detected!
Spoiler
Zee is a perfectly normal human female. You suspect nothing!
Winifred 'Freddie' Fredrick
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Let's see... They would seven years old I suppose. Time around here is hard to judge, you know.
She shrugs and puts the zucchini on to steam and starts making a salad.
Thumping footsteps can be heard from the stairs and a moment later the two kids enter the kitchen. They are busy squabbling over a toy and don't even notice Sigil. At first.
Pony!
The boy releases the toy and leaps at Sigil to hug him.
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Not really here. Just an illusion.
That's welcome news then. The last thing the Wizard needs is trouble with the law here, but, being caught without any etheric material could be worse. I have some skill with a blade myself. I'm no master, but unless we are to face demons I think I should be able to ward off whatever threats await. Or so he hopes. In his very short time here the Wizard has already begun to suspect the Nexus to be a frightfully dangerous place, with all the good and bad that implies.
Now he turns to the potions, dropping to one knee to get a closer look at the little glass vials arrayed upon the counter-top. The names are unfamiliar save a few, the curious ways in which they betray their magical nature a fascinating curiosity to him. If there was more than one form of magic, as all evidence had shown, then perhaps there were many styles of alchemy as well? I have a question. You made these, yes? Were ghost salts used in all their constructions, or are you able to create alchemical substances without the use of etheric material?
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Thanks to Dorian Soth for the avatar.
"Hehe... I know what you mean. Ages tend to get convoluted pretty quickly around h-OOF!" and thus Sigil is hugged. He spreads his hooves a bit to prevent himself from being bowled over. After all he's smaller than even your 'normal' ponies. Really not that much larger than a really big dog.
The unipony casts a sidelong glance at the kids and offers a somewhat strained smile. "Ah, uh, hello there! My name's Sigil Stripe and I'll be joining you for dinner tonight. What are your names?"
Hopefully they'll answer his question before trying to ride him.
But the chances of that might be slim.
__________________
Warning! Random Encounter™ detected!
Spoiler
Zee is a perfectly normal human female. You suspect nothing!
Winifred 'Freddie' Fredrick
Souls Nommed: 657
Days Since Last Nomming: 0
"Ah, hee... Well. I'm somewhat accustomed to it by now. Usually children react fairly enthusiastically to me," Sigil Stripe laughs. Can't imagine why that would be the case...
And then a question!
To that question Sigil simply offers a rather sly smile and, "Yes."
He waits a few moments for the confused look that follows before continuing with one of his favorite activities. Explaining things to people! "I am both a unicorn and a pony," he says as he touches a hoof to his chest. "Ponies come in three main variates you see. Unicorn ponies such as myself, earth ponies, and pegasus ponies. We're a bit different from your standard tiny horses, as I'm sure you can tell."
__________________
Warning! Random Encounter™ detected!
Spoiler
Zee is a perfectly normal human female. You suspect nothing!
Winifred 'Freddie' Fredrick
Souls Nommed: 657
Days Since Last Nomming: 0
Sigil is about to reply when the dinner's on call goes out. Time to take a seat! "Salad and steamed vegitables will be perfect, thank you."
Hmm...
Take a seat...
Sigil peers at the chair uncertainly. He's not exactly... shaped... properly to use it. But that can be fixed easily enough! The pony's horn lights up with pearlecent white light and enshrouds the chair before morphing it into something of an odd little bed-like piece of furniture that the pony can lay on.
"Ha! That spell never ceases to be useful. And don't worry about your chair. The spell will wear off in an hour or two," Sigil assures his host as he takes his seat.
"A great number of things. A bit of magic tutoring here and there. Though mostly I design and build various enchanted trinkets and tools. The adventurer population here is fairly high and you wouldn't believe some of the odd devices they want to buy."
__________________
Warning! Random Encounter™ detected!
Spoiler
Zee is a perfectly normal human female. You suspect nothing!
Winifred 'Freddie' Fredrick
Souls Nommed: 657
Days Since Last Nomming: 0
"No demons but I'm not too sure that wards will be as effective as you think." Nephea said, apparently insistant on being vague. At least for now.
The questions about her craft, though, set her whiskers twitching. "And if ghost salt were easier to get, then I'd use it in just about everything. Stuff is an amazing enhancer. Gives everything a good bit of kick, you know? It's not necessary, though. You know how some plants can be used as a balm when crushed up or how a powdered root has some medicinal properties? That's effectively using the base properties inherent in all materials. When mixed with complementing substances, you can amplify the effect. That's the basics of what I do, although the refinement processes bring out and purify the mixtures for greater effect. I won't lie and say there isn't any magic because that flask on the left lets you breath fire while the one right next to it gives you gills for a short time but I'm no wizard or anything either. Mostly, I just bring out what's already there and give it some 'oomph.'"
The Wizard nods, a little of Nephea's enthusiasm for her craft catching on in the form of an energetic grin. Yes. Now this is something he understands. It could even be reconciled with his previous knowledge, if one accepts the existence of other alchemical catalysts beyond the etheric materials. I see. It is much the same where... where I am from, but, we are entirely dependant upon the etheric materials. Nothing else we knew of could draw out a reagent's inner properties. It's even getting a little easier to accept that he's no longer in his own world, now that he's found some tiny shred of familiar ground in this one.
If it is not asking too much could you tell me of these other 'complementing substances' you spoke of? I am quite new here and still learning of how things are different. And how very, very much there is to learn in that regard. Still, he's a quick study. Already he's forgotten his initial nervous reaction to Nephea's odd appearance.
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Thanks to Dorian Soth for the avatar.
Last edited by ThirdEmperor : 10-22-2012 at 12:48 AM.
Nephea wrinkled her nose at the question. "Well, to be honest, I'd normally cite that it's a trade secret but really it's just that there are a lot of them out there. I mean, sure, some things react well with a wide variety of things, like ghost salts, but that's more because they have a greater inherent 'charge' than anything. This is why I use them to buff up my mixtures but just using them in place of another regent results in maybe only a bit more potent result than that of a regular mixture. More or less.
"It's like.. Each regent is a puzzle piece or... No, wait. Each one is a card of a certain suit and we're playing with jokers wild rules. You can make a good hand, yes, but the wild card can ensure your victory.. Or close to it at least. But a joker on its own is useless and if you have no idea how to play cards then making a good hand with what you've got is going to be an accident at best." the catamander said, finishing her drawn out metaphor. "Still, a few more 'friendly' ones you may know: Iron oxide, sulphur, bone dust, ethanol, and aloe cover a sizable chunk and it's usually gonna give you some kind of result if you start with those. Fun fact: You know that rhyme that mentions 'eye of newt' and such? Hair growth potion."
Last edited by Terumitsu : 10-23-2012 at 12:23 AM.
Oh boy! I can't wait to get in there and kill all those filthy kobolds! That'll show them to... uh.... why are we burning them alive again?
>.< Yes, now she finally wonders why she came along for the ride. No problem, I'm sure they have completely rational reasons for wanting to exterminate the kobolds. Perhaps the lizard people have been eating babies or something.
"I dunno, I'm just here 'cause you paid me. Maybe they've been eating babies or something?"
Dalton shrugs. Lizard people, monkey people, giant floating brain people, it really makes no difference to him. Innocent or guilty, they all look and smell the same when reduced to cinders and ash. It's the fire that matters, the great big beautiful flames he means to set into motion. Arson is his specialty, his business, his weapon of choice and dearly beloved bride all in one.
"Now, we'll want to start by sealing this **** up. The kobbies have already done most of the job for us, so we just got the window to deal with. Then, we either throw the match in just before the last brick is slapped into place, or we teleport it in after. Both work just as fine as the other, honestly."
He reaches into his jacket, pulling out what appears to be a shiny Coca-Cola bottle, filled with a volatile mixture of things that are definitely not Coca-Cola. Occupying himself whilst others either do as he says or question his logic, he begins dropping little bits of styrofoam into the bottle, along with some baking soda, motor oil, turpentine, dish detergent, and other miscellaneous fluids. Most of those things, for convenience's sake, seem to be held in itty-bitty perfume bottles. Perfect for the arsonist on the go, who never knows when he might need to ruin everyone's day.
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"If two wrongs don't make a right, try three."
-Laurence J. Peter
Maggy Dent avatar by happyturtle
Last edited by Lord Magtok : 10-23-2012 at 01:02 PM.
Throughout the city, a dozen Prometheus Securities trucks are driving around to install distress beacons at many convenient locations and intersections. Each truck has two technicians to set the beacons up and an armed guard to provide security. Unless they are obstructed for some reason, they should eventually bring the emergency warning network online. If anybody should activate a beacon, a message will be sent to Remnant, HALO, Vyrn's group, and WATCHTOWER with the exact coordinates of the distress beacon.
__________________
"No friend ever served me,
and no enemy ever wronged me,
whom I have not repaid in full."
-Lucius Cornelius Sulla
At a later...or perhaps earlier (who knows in this crazy place?) point in time to the events currently unfolding...
A gentleman enters the restaurant, eyes quickly searching for the fellow he's looking for. His white-gloved hand gently closes the door behind him as he steps inside, striding towards Brian Starling's VIP booth, cane gently tapping against the floor along the way.
The gentleman certainly seems well dressed. Right from the smart, expensive, freshly polished black shoes, past the neat grey suit with handkerchief neatly folded over the breast pocket, right up to his black silk top hat. Clearly a man with a lot of money to spend, since such an outfit can hardly have been cheap.
"Would you, sir, be Mr Brian Starling?" The gentleman asks, stopping a few paces away from the booth.
Brian Starling dabs his lips with a napkin and looks over at the gentleman. "I'm afraid you have the advantage of me."
Hank's Hookahs
Quote:
Originally Posted by McBish
[Hank's Hookah's.]
An exhausted looking Calvin ducks inside looks around quickly and then slumps into a comfy couch with a small sigh ordering up some hookah. He flips open the book of poems Charity lent him.
Assuming it's the Friday night when she told Uncle John they were supposed to be meeting, Charity will turn up a bit later. "Calvin? I've been worried."
The gentleman removes his top hat and bows, revealing very neatly combed black hair, evenly parted straight down the middle. "A pleasure to meet you, sir." The top hat is place neatly back on his head as he straightens up. "My name is Professor Martin Roberts." One hand is offered to shake.
Should Starling accept the hand, he will find that the Professor has a strong, firm shake, but not overly so. Exactly the sort of handshake one would expect from a gentleman.
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Before you criticise someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticise them, you'll be a mile away and you'll have their shoes.
"Thank you." Roberts sits down, leaning his cane against the edge of the table. "I am feeling rather parched so a waiter would be appreciated, yes. But aside from that, I was more wondering what I could do for you, actually."
__________________
Before you criticise someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticise them, you'll be a mile away and you'll have their shoes.
Starling lifts a hand, and a young man immediately arrives, as if his entire job was to watch for that hand to be raised. It isn't. He still has to mind the other customers as well. But when Starling wants a waiter, he gets one immediately. One of the perks of being the owner.
The waiter takes Roberts' order, and when he steps away, Starling turns back to him.
"What you can do for me? How intriguing. Whatever do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what I say, of course. I am a man of science, sir." Roberts smiles, "And you are in charge of a lot more than just a restaurant. And as a man who agrees with your beliefs with regards to humans and their position relative to other races, I'm hoping I could be of use to you in some way."
__________________
Before you criticise someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticise them, you'll be a mile away and you'll have their shoes.
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