TURN 1 - DOWNTIME - PART 2
(I ended up deciding to actually give NPCs last names)
Zereth's lodgings were a rather spartan ordeal - a place in which he could comfortably sleep, research and investigate. A workstation in one corner - the usual resting place of his PDA, his pistol and various tools - a wardrobe and shelves holding various baubles in the other, and a bed in another. A secure lockbox next to it held some items from 'home' - including a carefully folded banner with his House's heraldry. Sometimes, he considered hanging it on one of the walls, but he always shot the foolish idea down in the end.
Zereth heads to the Bay, planning to get up to date with the rumors amongst the mercs and perhaps starting to build a proper contact network.
(You forgot to add the -10 to my ZSO relations.)
Woops yes. Another accounting mistakes, thanks for pointing that out!
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Sovereign has acquired a map of [Mercurio Independent Complex]An official map of the Mercurio Independent Complex.You may now access the following locations:
- MIC Parts Market [Unavailable at the moment]
- MIC Medical Center
- Toad's Bay
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Sovereign decided to hit up the Bay and see if it really was worth all the praise that seemed to surround it. Looking at the map, it was in a convenient location for the pilots: practically right next to the complex of hangars where most of the mercenary MUs were stored. He took an automated shuttle to the place in question, and to call it a bar was vastly underselling it.
The Toad's Bay was an immense establishment with many levels which offered varied grades of accomodations. The main entrance led to one of the many open access areas filled with tables and counters and servants hired or automated to cater to the hustling and bustling customers. For those who sought a less rowdy setting, or more privacy, it was possible to rent private rooms or use the side lounges where patrons enjoyed their drinks and stories in silence or whispers.
Rumors:Sovereign couldn't help but pick some rumors about the Zereon Star Order. Sightings of a cruiser by some mercenaries escorting traders, confirmed by another one who had
his mission ruined by a House Knight. Fortunately their description didn't fit that of your house.
Sovereign also heard of
a group of ZSO defectors who formed their own mercenary group under HUB. They went around by the name of
"Roland's Bastards".
Interesting Individuals:Sovereign couldn't help but notice one particularly out of place amidst the boasting and prideful pilots:
a chubby man trembling like a lost child, who twisted and turned his long brown hair adding even more twists to their natural tangle. The ancient noble was about to lose interest when a particularly drunk man with more muscles than brains started picking on the man. What a surprise it was when the nervous mess of a pilot retaliated with a high pitched scream and executed a flawless close quarters move to slam a mountain of muscles twice heavier than him on the ground. All of that in a fraction of a second.
At first glance, Derek's room may seem like a padded cell but with more furnishings. This is entirely correct, as every sharp corner occurring near the bed, walls, ... food containers, and sponges is covered with foam padding that ensures that he will not get bruised and nearly killed by a random falling plant pot. Which always seems to occur after suffering a minor injury...
Padded floors, walls, and surfaces of other furniture to prevent stubbed toes, which is not followed by a near miss with life-ending event but just generally sucks to have happen. Actually, his quarters might be safer than a padded cell, and sort of strange that the sponge needs padding, but that's the price to pay when life is out to get you.
Rename Longer Tommer to Long Tom please I realized my terrible mistake
Also hang out at Toad's Bay, and listen to any gossip concerning BIA and WMB. Sting needs an ego booster!
Also Nakeen, shouldn't my skill modifiers be 1/4, 1/4, 1/4 considering my cpu is now balanced instead of specialized?
Another mistake of mine, this should be corrected now!
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Sting has acquired a map of [Mercurio Independent Complex]An official map of the Mercurio Independent Complex.You may now access the following locations:
- MIC Parts Market [Unavailable at the moment]
- MIC Medical Center
- Toad's Bay
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Whether it was a typographical error or some spur of the moment misguided inspiration, String greatly regretted the name he had chosen for his rebuilt MU. He hastily filled in a form to update his MU name, and personally scratched the embarassing parts. For today his MU would be boasting Long
er Tom
mer on its hull, and hopefully no one would see that. To take his mind off that mistake, he decided to board an automated shuttle for the Toad's Bay.
The place in question was overwhelming for the cowardly String, and he was starting to reconsider his decision a bit. As soon as he had step foot inside the Bay, he had been thrust into a sea of laughs and shouts and insults that aggressively stabbed his ears. Nonetheless he managed to escape to a wing far from the main area, where he listened to the news in peace with glass in hand.
Rumors:String saw on one of the screens some news about a protest against WMB, the very one whose protesters he helped defend. The officer who was working with him appeared on screen, but most of the information seemed heavily filtered. He at least learnt of his ally of a day,
Tomaru Sazaki.
Overall it seems all ended without any casualties, all thanks to him. The fact that WMB hired mercenaries couldn't be proved, but the BIA openly denounced the actions of the corporation which their representative naturally denied.
String heard a few more things. WMB seemed to be ramping up its MU production, and
some speculated some big conflict was under way. As for the BIA, they were clearly being overwhelmed by all their issues: the corporations, the illegal operations of CORSAIR, and how it was also related to hostile fauna from the
Hostile Ecosystem Area to move from their usual hunting grounds.
Encounter:Right as he was about to leave, a drunk man with way with a musculature String didn't think possible stumbled up to him and started picking up on him for no other reason than his own drunken entertainment. Well maybe he actually felt bad for String and wanted to ask him if he needed something, but his brash behavior and huge hand overshadowing String's head caused him to go into survival mode. Screaming at the top of his lardy chest, he caught and deflected the hand, using the massive brick's weight to immobilize it on the ground. Completely dumbfounded and still drunk, the man still hadn't realized what had happened.
Interesting Individuals:Although String hadn't noticed,
a particular dark-haired man too cleanly dressed to be a rabble mercenary was looking with mild interest.
I go out and schmooze with HPH and OBS
Iron Wrath has acquired a map of [Mercurio Independent Complex]An official map of the Mercurio Independent Complex.You may now access the following locations:
- MIC Parts Market [Unavailable at the moment]
- MIC Medical Center
- Toad's Bay
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Iron Wrath decided that getting on the good graces of Hephaestus and Obsidian would be a good way to kickstart his mercenary career. He started heading for the Parts Market where he would be bound to find some HPH or OBS employees. But unluckily for him, the entire Part Market was closed for maintenance or something today, ruining his plan. Without so much as a contact or an acquaintance of an acquaintance that could help, he ended up going to the Toad's Bay where he might be able to find some pilots from Hephaestus or Obsidian.
Encounter:After a bit of questioning around, Iron Wrath was pointed toward a group of men and women playing drinking games. They all had an armband with the Hephaestus logo,
a stylized hammer encircled by a gear. A few of them noticed the attention given to them. A pilot got up from her seat and approached him while the others just ignored the thing whole.
[HPH] Hephaestus MU Pilot: "You've been staring for a while. Need something?"
Drifter greets the smile with a nod. The slight upturn of his lips the only faint indication of him feeling pleased about the only thing he can take pride in being noticed.
"I am Drifter, I've took apart and worked on MUs and Ships longer than I've piloted. A tour would be appreciated.
Drifter accepts the offer for a tour.
Stokur grabbed Drifter's hand vigorously into a handshake.
[SCR] Stokur Urost:
"F'llow me, I will show ya'round."They took a few shuttles through the industrial areas of Mercurio, discussing of Modular Unit maintenance on the way. From time to time Drifter checked on the map where they were, but even with map in hand he could have gotten lost. They were now in front of a factory of sort inside of which one could hear the lovely screams of metal being cut apart, and the melody of an industrial grade welding machines. The smell of burnt metal and oil was overpowering, but Stokur huffed with a smile.
[SCR] Stokur Urost:
"Dat the smell of home. Welcome to da Scrapsters'! "SCRAP Salvage and Repurpose Centers" for da literate! 'ere we take apart da parts no one wants, and we give da babies a new life. We even take back used pieces at more than double da market rate!"Drifter couldn't hide his shock when Stokur somehow pronounced "SCRAP Salvage and Repurpose Centers" flawlessly.
Afterward the SCRAP mechanical engineer showed the pilot around the place, and gave him a glimpse of some SCRAP exclusive parts. The durability was clearly lower than those of even WMB, but each part had been carefully fine-tuned to make them incredibly responsive. He even got to drive a test unit, and was surprised by how well it handled itself.
Author
Topic: Modular Units: a Mercenary tale of Mechs, Missions, and Money (Read 4813 times)