William grins and nods, lifting his hand in a vague wave. You and Emma head towards the city. The streets are far different than what you remember them to be, many of the hastily-built huts replaced by prefabricated buildings, stacked haphazardly atop one another. Each one has a solar panel atop the highest building in the stack. The walls are thin, and you can hear echoes of life within. The streets are full too, no one pays you any mind.
The colors of their clothes have not changed much, all browns and gray, but on occasion, you see the flash of color in shiny, thick, knee-length, square-paneled coats lined with blue fur.
Different tongues abound in the conversations around you as well, a motley collection of SEED dialect and a language that diverged from it long ago. The streets become more and more packed as you approach the 'center' of this sprawling city.
And then it opens up into a vast plaza, where there were neighborhoods once before. Many [beasts of burden] lay beside stalls that line the roads. Some are nothing more than poles holding up large cloth sheets, which people shelter beneath. Some are the more uniform SEED style, all blocky lines, and function over form, pre-fab and regular, made from portable sections of cloth draped over thin pieces of steel.
Hagglers abound, selling everything under the sun beneath their roofs of fabric—electronics, appliances, furniture, toys, cloth, guns, clothing, household needs...
Thick Winter Clothes, made of fur
A bright yellow and orange vest
A patch of leather, with two ties on either end and slits made in the center
Thick Canvas pants, in many colors.
Thick canvas jacket, in many colors.
Thick Canvas vests, in many colors.
Moccasions, made of bright blue fur and gray leather
An Outlander War Dress, made of leather, studded with gold and silver, with hanging designs
A tight cap made of synth-cloth
Thick white coat, made of heavy white panels
Leather Pants, in many colors
Leather Jackets, in many colors
Tall leather boots, lined with blue fur, with tight leather laces.
A thick, soft robes of blue fur
Leather cloaks, in many colors
Masks:
-Demons (twisted, gnarled fangs roar out of gray skin)
-Insects (much the same, except with bug-like eyes)
-[beast of burden] (long blue fur flowing down past the plastic, which has a pair of short horns and big, black eyes)
-Angel of Fire Mask (Blood red fur in a flowing mane, with a stern androgynous face and eyes lined with fire, cheeks blackened with ash and charcoal)
-Maiden Mask (Pale, with bright gold hair in a mohawk)
-Old man mask (a wrinkled face with gray hair painted on the top sparingly)
-Diamond Mask (A carving of white plastic with a strap and two eye holes)
-McCreary Mask (Blond hair and beard, and a tan face in gaunt repose)
-Gold Mask (More like a funerary mask than something to wear for fun)
Solar Panel systems, of varying sizes, down to portable, foldable systems
A fusion reactor, about five foot across, dormant/offline
A portable foundry system
A curious tube, with a black circle attached across at both ends
Electric Water Purifiers, of varying sizes
Gas masks, of varying sizes and applications, up to Crusader Grade
Heavy solar-powered lamps
A heavy, solar-powered lamp stick
Portable stoves, both electric and hydrogen-powered
Many fridges, of varying sizes, all handmade
Compasses
A finger-length tube of hydrogen with a mechanism atop it
Electric Drills, of various sizes
Strange, portable consoles, with a cheap display
A small gray pod of plastic and steel
Gray Leather
Brown Leather
Embroidered Leather
Hides
Flexible chitin plates
Gray and brown bio-plastic synth cloth
Threads, of varying sizes and colors
Needles of varying sizes and colors
Blue fur (DISCOUNTED)
A gray grass - A dull oniony smell
Blue, dried petals - They smell of the prairies of the Academy
Red, dried petals - Said to be a potent aphrodesiac
Black Salt - From the far western mountains, across the Great Crater Plains
Pink Salt - Refined from brine pools found in the Great Crater Plains
White Salt - Industrially produced in many towns
[Fish] Oil - A pungent, strong-smelling oil, made from leftover fish
[Bug] Oil - A pungeant, strong-smelling oil that makes your head swim from a sniff. Emma refuses- "Not in public." is her only comment.
A variety of vinegar, made from many different wines
A gold, shiny dust - Sweet and tangy. It makes your tongue tingle.
A thick, white liquid, sold in vials - You are not allowed to sample it-- its also under lock and key. Said to have numbing effects, and to help with sleep.
A bright, blue and clear crystal, powdered up - A homemade chemical, designed to be smoked. The merchant promises energy but warns not to overdo it.
A long-barreled, conventional pistol, made of heavy steel
A thick, shroud-barreled conventional rifle, made of heavy black steel
A gold-leaf las-pistol, with a steel frame and uncovered coolant tanks
Many Crusader Assault-Rifles
Many Crusader Rifles
Many Crusader Las-Pistols
An off-brand, cheap las-pistol
Many Inferno Shotguns, in a variety of colors
A massive Thornton assault rifle, welded to a tripod, its reactor humming to you
A conventional, squad Light Machine Gun, on a tripod
Many different types of magazines,
Many different types of conventional rounds
A variety of plastic plated vests,
A variety of kevlar greatcoats, with sewn plastic plates,
Helmets, some made from steel, some made from plastics
[Beasts of Burden]- Varying sizes of those mammalian, short-lgged, bulky beasts, with dark eyes and blue-gray fur. Supremely docile towards humans.
[?]-A medium, rotund insect, coming up to a knee, chittering softly to its companions in the cage, scratching at a pile of scraps.
[?]-A fragile, angry-looking insect that hurls itself at the cage its contained in, clicking its mandibles.
[?]-A medium-sized mammal with soft, long fur, and alert eyes. Every now and then it makes an odd whining sound to its brethren as they pick at bones and meat
Sweet rolls of fried dough, smothered in a sugary syrup
Thick potatoes, cut into [fries], sold in a cardboard container. marked with golden rings
Deep-fried and battered onions
Long wisps of candy, kept from sticking with potato flour
Potato Candy, soft and chewy, filled with jam
Bottles of Wine, Beer, and Vodka
Gossamer clouds of Sugar, wrapped around paper handles
Thick rolls, filled with fresh cut [beast of burden meat[, topped with pickled onions and a sour cream sauce.
Bags of grain meal
Coolers of [bug] meat
Coolers of [fish]
Coolers of Thick-Skinned Grapes
Coolers of Potatoes
Coolers of Beets
Jugs of [Beast of Burden] Milk
Coolers of Butter
Coolers of Onions
Coolers of a red, sweet fruit
Coolers of [apples]
Plastic jugs, filled with bulk wine
Plastic jugs, filled with Bulk Vodka
Many glass bottles, filled with Brandies of differing vintages
Plastic jugs, filled with grainmeal beer.
A bag full of thin, hard brown grains - Apparently grown in the Crater Plains, around pockets of water there. Its labeled [Exotique Grainz].
Full body mirror
Gold encrusted head mirrors
A variety of pre-fab bed frames, packed into cardboard
Portable cots, in a variety of colors
A variety of pre-fab chairs, packed into cardboard
Rugs of a massive amount of sizes and colors, mostly gray-blue fur
A variety of pre-fab desks, packed into cardboard
Portable counters, made of steel frames, topped with a thick wooden board
The prices on things are vague-- many aren't listed. [Haggling seems to dominate this market.]
You are Pheobe Gainer AKA Alphira
Local Time: [1720] 10/24/2011
Personal Time: >4 months
Empyreal Time: NO NETWORK CONNECTION.
Upper Body:
A dark black, gold-embroidered greatcoat.Torso:
A fitted grey shirt with long, tight sleeves. Lower Body:
New grey semi-formal, military-style pants.In a holster:
An archeotech Cutter Hilt.490/500Hands:
A pair of leather gloves. Feet:
Woolen socks(hidden)
Feet:
A pair of new leather boots.Overload: Qualified
Inferno : Able
Healing Factor: Apprentice
-
Endurance Boost: Amateur.
-
Strength Boost: Amateur.
Matter Manipulation:Silicon::Competent
Skill:
Charisma: Apprentice
Skill:
Attrition Warfare: Apprentice
Skill:
Marksmanship: Proficient
[100 credits] in local currency.
You are under contract with The Brotherhood of Scholars for twenty-three years. [Angel] of The Holy City State of SEED
--High Influence within its borders
--Full command of all military resources, as approved by Crusader General
--Full command of all military resources, in emergencies
--Assigned a personal team of researchers, medical officers, and trainers.
Grandmother(adopted), Handler: Mother Nicole Gainer
--Contactable in person.
--High Influence with Scholars, Crusaders, the Thornton Family
--Current lawful ruler of Steelworks 9 Region (Crusader Supported)
Organization: The Thornton Family
--Contactable through Mail, Emma
--High Influence within Steelworks 9 Region
--Allied with Nicole Gainer, you
Organization: Personal Guard
--A complement of fifty guards, highly trained, heavily armed. Each carries a las-rifle, a las-pistol, and a personal knife. They wear Heavily Armored Crusader vests, leggings, boots and face obscuring kevlar face masks.
--Lead by [null]
--Currently in charge of protecting Emma Thornton.
--49/56 Loyal, Fanatic
--3/50 Uncertain
--4/50 Defiant
--McGee Foster (Loyal)
--James Foster (Loyal)
--Erica Hail (Loyal)
--Johnathan Shellton (Loyal)
--Eric Armstrong (Loyal)
--Quincy Black (Loyal)
Organization: Thornton Mercenaries
--A complement of hulking Thornton soldiers turned into cybernetically augmented heavy-duty infantry. Equipped with fusion reactor based las-gun assault rifles, Inferno Shotguns, super thick armor, and technicians standing by.
--Lead by William Thornton
--21/48
Ally, Superior: The Pontifex
--Church leader for the Scholars of the Holy SEED city-state.
--High Influence within its borders
--Incredibly High Influence with Zealots
--Minor feud with Crusaders
Ally, Subservient: William Thornton
--Contactable through Mail, Emma
--High influence within the Thornton Mercenaries
--High influence within The Thornton Family
--Feared within Steelworks 9 Region
Personal Scientist, Ally: Silas Thornton
--Contactable in person
--High influence within The Thornton Family
Contact, Military Trainer Coordinator: Tyler Hop (Cordial)
Lover, Adjutant: Emma Thornton
--High influence within The Thornton Family
Friends(?) (Lost Contact):
-Jesse Hardhouse
-Amanda Silversmith
-John Frost