February open log

[emet_sulk]

Who: Emet-Selch and anyone
Status: Open
Where: See individual prompts
What: Quick blurb describing what's happening
Warnings: Include any content warnings


1. Television Tinkering [Eltrut] (General quest)

For those paying a visit to the Adamantine Forge, they may see Emet-Selch hard at work upstairs. A somewhat proper workspace-cum-office has been constructed now, walls and a door reducing the sound of the forge workers and tinkerers below greatly whilst still allowing him a way to keep an eye on things.

A mess of electronics is on his work table. None of it recognisable to...anyone, really. Although one can take a guess. The DVD he's analysing sits between some manner of minuscule laser and mirror set-up, which is itself connected to something that makes a clicking sound as the disc spins in place. THAT is then connected to another, larger thing that projects some sort of hovering, indistinct field of colours. The colours shift in what seems to be an intentional pattern, but they never form anything meaningful.

The man himself is seated beside the whole thing, crossing off certain lines in his notebook.

"Not fine enough... It is not a grouping of four nor five. Mayhap six, then?"

He drops his head into his hands, runs frustrated fingers through his hair. "How did magic-less men come up with such a simple yet complicated device?" he mutters.

Sometimes he can be found downstairs as well. During those moments, he is inspecting some fine wires that he has had some workers make for him. Soon-to-be electrical cables. There are a selection of protective covering samples that he is sorting through as well: varieties of rubber sheaths with varying thicknesses.

2. Scylla [open sea] (Bounty 6pts)

What a beautiful creature.

The mage has taken upon his own aquatic form to observe this rare, ethereal beast. Why are men so obsessed with killing that which they covet, he thinks sourly. Every age. Every civilisation.

He spots movement towards the surface of the ocean. There is nowhere to hide in the open water so he uses his tentacles to propel upwards and meet the would-be hunters right as the bubbles from their entry obscure their vision.

Emet-Selch is silent and subtle. One tentacle wraps around their throat and squeezes. Another rips the tubing of their oxygen tank away, causing that one to choke and drown. By then, he has been noticed.

"If you want that creature, you shall have to go through me." His voice echoes clearly in the mind.

3. Island Scavenging [that portal island] (Special 12pts)

Emet-Selch is not someone one might envision crouching in the dirt and rummaging about a mess of rubble and debris. Yet here he is, frowning quite intently as he carefully turns over pieces of glass and metal. He's muttering to himself: something about their reflective properties.

"Supply is the problem after all..."

He looks up sharply, piece of glass held delicately between two fingers. One of the creatures - apparently a 'sharkgull' - has alighted on a nearby rock. It seems to be eyeing his pile of shiny materials.

"Shoo!" He waves the glass at the gull. It fixes him with a beady eye. And then lunges forward.

A startled Emet-Selch stumbles back to avoid its teeth and ends up landing heavily on his backside. The sharkgull continues to harass him, snapping its sharp teeth as he flails to keep it away.

"Begone, you damned bird--!"

4. Wildcard

Other quests I'm interested in include the Moondrake, kite-testing, and mad alchemist MANTA quests. I'm open to other things too; send me a DM or comment here if you'd like to plot something else.

Comments

Scylla

[lucky_e]

A fast-moving figure very quickly approaches the scene, a wake forming behind it as it drew closer. It's a sailing ship, a speedboat, no... it's Enterprise!

She was largely just out sailing around- er, moving on top of the ocean like a ship. Not exactly sailing, given that she's not on a boat, but more like she's pulling a speedboat Jesus. Anyway, it's kind of by complete chance that she happens on the scene in front of her.

"Hey, what's going on out here!?"

Ugh, so much for her peaceful trip at sea!

[emet_sulk]

It feels like there's never any peace here, doesn't it? Emet-Selch knows he shouldn't keep meddling with would-be poachers but he can't help it - call it a certain wanderer's influence having left a lifelong mark on him.

"They want this beast," he growls, tentacles tightening around the hunter's throat. "A rare creature such as this ought to be protected, not hunted to extinction! I don't care what bounty has been placed on it."

[lucky_e]

This beast, he says, she takes a moment to think over what beast he could be talking about. All the while drawing her bow back as something clicks in her memory. A bounty? Oh, right... one of the MANTA board bounties. The Scylla, if she remembers right.

"Yes, you're right, it should be." She started, but still kept her bow drawn back and distance. "But you also shouldn't be ending other lives over it either."

Which is kind of rich, coming from her, a war machine.

"Let them go, I doubt that they'll do anything else with the both of us here." Even less so now with his tentacles all up in their business.

[emet_sulk]

He chuckles wryly. His tentacles do not ease up but, at least, they do not tighten further either.

"What? Are you going to shoot me if I kill this one? I don't trust them to return another day and try their luck. Money has a way of superseding common sense."

As they speak, the other poachers are trying to slink away. Apparently hoping to slay the Scylla whilst Emet-Selch is occupied with this girl.

[lucky_e]

"And even more will come after them. Repel them, don't try to end them."

Speaking of, she sees all that sneaking going on right now and looses a bolt of light towards the poachers. Punching into their diving equipment, making them useless and stopping them in their tracks.

"Not everything requires bloodshed."

[emet_sulk]

He shoots a glare towards the ones she interrupted. Disgust twists his lips into a sneer as he watches them flail over their broken equipment.

"I was going to let one escape to spread the word to their fellows. Some people see mercy as weakness, you know. 'Oh, it's just one man. Just kill him and kill the mark.'"

His sarcasm is somewhat muffled by water. While he speaks, his other tentacles caresses his captive in a gently terrifying way, making sure to impress that he could snap any one of their bones in a moment. If nothing else, he's going to make sure to leave an impression on this one.

[lucky_e]

"Then they're fools."

She would really rather avoid killing whenever earthly possible. Enty's already ended so many, sunk so many down below... far, far below.

"It shouldn't stop a person from being stronger and making the decision that shows actual strength. Restraint."

She pulls her bow back once more, letting a bolt of yellow light form again, taking aim at the tentacles in question. All the while, aircraft begin to launch from her rigging, the airstrip connected to her body.

3

[multidisciplinary]

Zelda arrives at the scene at probably the most unfortunate time for Emet-Selch-- when the sharkgull sends him falling onto his backside into the dirt. Comedic as the scene is (an esteemed mage flailing about as he is harried by a bird with teeth), she doesn't stand by to laugh. She hurries forward to assist.

"Stop!" She throws out her right hand, a tiny mote of golden light glowing in her palm. The air ripples as a wave of magic flows out from her palm and overtakes the sharkgull, stopping it in place.

Problem (temporarily) handled, Zelda lowers her hand and approaches Emet-Selch. "Are you all right? It didn't bite you, did it?"

[emet_sulk]

By far the greatest injury is to his pride. He glowers at the frozen gull, sitting in the dirt looking very sulky indeed.

As for injuries, well... He feels about his head carefully and inspects his fingers. There is a little blood smeared on the tips.

"It nipped my ear, it seems. Why is it always the sharks..."

[multidisciplinary]

Zelda kneels down beside Emet-Selch. "Here, let me see."

She doesn't actually wait to receive permission-- reaching out with both hands, she gently takes ahold of his head and guides him to angle it so get a proper look at the bite.

"In my experience, it's these awkwardly located injuries that tend to get infected the most easily. Once while Link and I were traveling, a bird swooped down and tore the earring right out of his ear. He refused to let me bandage it, insisting it would heal just fine on its own." As she talks, Zelda fishes a clean handkerchief out of her belt pouch and pinches it against Emet-Selch's ear to stop the (very minimal) bleeding. "And what do you know? It became infected and we had to make a detour to find a proper doctor."

Is that a bit of saltiness in her tone? Nah, couldn't be. She's definitely not still annoyed by Link's recklessness when it comes to himself.

She sits back on her heels, still pinching Emet-Selch's ear. "Are you regularly running afoul of sharks?"

[emet_sulk]

He hardly needs her fussing over his ear when he can simply heal it with a bit of magic. The question is: should he tell her that or let her fuss and vent?

"Fortunately it missed my earring then." The sharkgull only got the top of his ear rather than the lobe. "An old friend of mine had...something of a grievance with sharks for a time. I remember his complaints quite vividly."

Said friend could already talk one's ear off for hours at a time, but few things had truly exasperated them more than the shark creation fad. Emet-Selch feels a pang in his chest merely thinking about how much simpler those times were.

[multidisciplinary]

Sometimes, the easiest course of action when it comes to these talkative types is to let them get all their fussing and venting out of the way instead of trying to deter them.

"Were they the one regularly running afoul of sharks, then?" Zelda laughs. "Honestly, I can hardly fault them their grievances-- especially if your world is home to such awful varieties of sharks as this one."

She still remembers the horrifying shark ships she saw when she first arrived in this world.

After a minute or so, Zelda removes her handkerchief from Emet-Selch's ear. "Good, the bleeding has stopped."

Congratulations, Emet-Selch, you are free of her fussing.

[emet_sulk]

"He rarely had to deal with the realised concept. That was another overseer's problem. There was one type which had legs with which to walk on land..."

As soon as she announces his ear has stopped bleeding, he reaches up to check for himself.

"--My thanks. Now that the creature is gone, I thought I saw..."

He immediately gets to his feet and tries to pore through the scraps again, searching for the thing he had his eye on before the gull thing attacked.

1

[forwearemany]

(Apparently this month is "explore the technology available in this world" month, because Legion has heard about the Adamantine Forge and has come to check it out.

They're in the downstairs area of the forge examining some equipment or other when they notice the man, turning to look at him.)

Greetings.

(Hey Emet-Selch, you interested in an incredibly advanced alien robot? If asked, they might be able to help with your projects.)

[emet_sulk]

[ He looks up. Blinks. Frowns a little as he looks the...android? Over. Interesting how the evolution of technology always converges upon certain forms. ]

Well met. And you are...?

[forwearemany]

We are Legion.

(Terminal of the Geth? Relict? They do not know the status of their people at this time. Has Shepard-Commander doomed them at the crucible just as she saved them over Rannoch?)

[emet_sulk]

[ After a careful glance beyond the robotic thing to confirm that, no, there is no literal legion of machines waiting, he focuses on the one in front of him. This...'Legion'. Curious thing. ]

You may call me Emet-Selch. Are you interested in the Forge? What's here may be a touch primitive compared to what you may be accustomed to.

[forwearemany]

(When they'd see him looking past them, they will also glance over their shoulder, checking to make sure there's nothing behind them. Why is he staring? They make a confused chattering noise before turning back to him when he speaks.)

Yes. (They don't even need to explore in depth to know he's is correct.) However, it is also significantly more advanced than much of what this world has to offer.

[emet_sulk]

That is so. I initially used this space to build the first magitech ship. Since it seemed a waste to shut everything down and destroy the facilities, I decided to repurpose it towards further technological development, not just magitech.

[ An all-encompassing gesture at the Forge highlights the facilities within view: in the centre, an actual forge of course, producing custom metal parts for current projects; on the edges, processing stations and workbenches where various test devices are being assembled; on the upper level, stations for engineers to conceptualise their designs on paper. Emet-Selch's own space is a walled off section with a wide-spanning window so he can keep an eye on everyone below. ]

If there is something specific you wish to see, I can give you a brief tour.

3

[refantasma]

Nico steps out of a shadow near Hades to see the man shooing the bird away. He can't help but laugh a little at the full-grown man flailing at it.

"Want me to try?" he asked, locking his dark eyes on the bird.

[emet_sulk]

"Be my guest," he growls, waving at the bird again. It snaps its many rows of teeth at him and he snatches his hand back quickly. "I'm glad that these things never became real creatures in my world."

[refantasma]

"It wouldn't be too out of place back home," Nico commented as he stepped towards the bird.

Nico stared the bird down. It snapped at him, then stared back. He let a bit of his 'death aura' out to scare the bird. Animals tended not to like him because of it. There were some exceptions; any animal sacred to his father tended to be neutral.

But this was shark-bird, so who knew if it'd work or not. Worse comes to worst; he could summon a zombie, but this required less effort.

[emet_sulk]

The bird does jerk back initially and seems to size up the newcomer. Then after a moment's consideration, it launches itself at Nico in a frenzy, trying to attack what is clearly the greater danger.

Emet-Selch instinctively thrusts out a hand. But no magic is forthcoming. If he casts a spell, he may very well catch this man in it as well. What will Nico do?

[refantasma]

Nico pulls his sword from his belt, jumping towards the bird, meeting it head-on.

He strikes it with the broadside of his sword, knocking it away, then hits it again to knock it even further. "Go away!" he barked. "We're not food, and you'll die if you try to eat me."

oops I blame Monster Hunter for slow tags

[emet_sulk]

The bird looses something between a screech and a coarse snarl. It flaps unsteadily away, deciding to find easier prey amongst the new arrivals.

Emet-Selch drops his gaze downwards, brushing down his clothes now that the danger has passed. Alas, the mud stains and such will have to be washed out later.

"My thanks. 'Tis unfortunate when violence is the only language a creature understands."