Roleplay log of Moriar's SG-1 event Part 1, Apr 22, 2023.
(Note: Recorded by Amy, so the 'you's are Amy) Moriar shouts "Do the mysteries of the Snowgate SG-1 draw your attention? Come to 'luge N10 W2; Stage' to step into an episode of the unknown at 6:00pm Server Time! (This is an open RP, all are welcome. Taking place in about a quarter hour!, please direct questions to Moriar.)" (Public-shout) Roleplay Stage(#3968RA) The room is devoid of substance and nature, being a meta-location. The DM plans to use spoofs to establish the setting. Obvious Exits: Out Contents: Mako, Gwen, Voksa, Niny'ah, Patashu, Moriar, and Gameobject ( The kobolds of Dredged Scales Endeavours have arranged the salvaged Snowgate in a mostly painted barn out in the endless cornfields district. The door to the blue barn is currently open, and robot kobolds are scampering about within to finalize the preparations. The Snowgate itself is a rather large diameter ring of ice, about ten meters across the opening of the middle and another meter radially of ice surface. There does appear to be another ring of ice laid into the larger frame, as if to be spun in place. The robot kobolds are performing maintenance checks on the drive motors to spin this inner ring, while another set of kobolds are pushing a great wooden pallet into position in front of the Snowgate. A kobold stands outside of the barn, waving for folks to gather, "Debriefing at the top of the hour, please gather here.", she explains. This kobold has been assembled from a few slightly differing models of kobold, and wears a DSE t-shirt over a clear Femashu Empire logo painted on her chestplate. [Context spoof, will repeat as folks arrive.] ) Ping has teleported in. Ping has arrived. Ping bounces in. Spool steps up to the stage that isn't really there. Spool has arrived. Ping waves. Spool says, "Hello." Patashu woah, cool. Vahno steps up to the stage that isn't really there. Vahno has arrived. Azure steps up to the stage that isn't really there. Azure has arrived. Azure slinks in. Slinkily. Spool's ferrety senses detect slinking. One ear slowly swivels to track Azure. Athares steps up to the stage that isn't really there. Athares has arrived. Patashu kobold waves to Athares! Chirp! (Transponder can be checked for identity) Amy thinks a snowgate sounds interesting! Azure pauses, their foxen wiles detect that someone is tracking them! They suddenly try to look nonchalant. Gwen says, "Beats sittin' around the ship complainin' about stuff.." ( The kobolds of Dredged Scales Endeavours have arranged the salvaged Snowgate in a mostly painted barn out in the endless cornfields district. The door to the blue barn is currently open, and robot kobolds are scampering about within to finalize the preparations. The Snowgate itself is a rather large diameter ring of ice, about ten meters across the opening of the middle and another meter radially of ice surface. There does appear to be another ring of ice laid into the larger frame, as if to be spun in place. The robot kobolds are performing maintenance checks on the drive motors to spin this inner ring, while another set of kobolds are pushing a great wooden pallet into position in front of the Snowgate. A kobold stands outside of the barn, waving for folks to gather, "Debriefing at the top of the hour, please gather here.", she explains. This kobold has been assembled from a few slightly differing models of kobold, and wears a DSE t-shirt over a clear Femashu Empire logo painted on her chestplate. [Context spoof, will repeat as folks arrive.] ) Azure is conspicuously, suspiciously nonchalant. The kind of nonchalance only displayed by bank robbers who somehow managed to steal the Entire Central Banking system WHILE kidnapping every world leater at once and ran into a hat-check clerk in the lobby and are trying very hard not to look suspicious [OOC] Azure says, "*leader" Room: Roleplay Stage -Stat-Name----------------Gender------Species--------------------------------- e^- Azure Electrodynamic Fox they/them ---[ Found 1 character. ( 1 Awake ) ]----------------------------------------- This fox is rather small, about three inches tall, but some quality of bearing gives the impression of something more formidable composited into an overlarge world. Their eyes are a bright gold with tiny sparks chasing eachother around, and they have a predatory yet infectious smile and flowing whiskers that sprout from their muzzle, a bit behind an inquisitive nose. They wear no clothing, but have a scabbard and sword around their hips. All their fur is exposed, showing it to be a gleaming sapphire blue in the main, ventral fur a shimmering, almost liquid, quicksilver. All four paws are black, claws neatly trimmed. Their markings don't match any natural creature's, blue fur patterned with fine curves in the same quicksilver, whorling into nexus points and branching out, as if someone fond of spirals and efficient packing took up integrated circuit board design. Bright sparks or a soft glow travel along the lines, becoming more frequent with movement or thought. Carrying: Blue Potion, Mist Cloak, Frozen Chrysanthemum Firework, and Plutonium PrismaCola Spool assumes Azure is engaged in some dastardly plot. That kind of nonchalance doesn't come accidentally! They slink over to loiter next to them in case they need help with the schemes. Athares waves to Patashu, smiles, then wanders over to patpat on him. "Showing off the latest kobold?" Then to those around in general. "Good morning, friends." Patashu chirps, "Just kobold moding. Though I'll take secondary effects gladly~" You say, "Hello Athares" ( A kobold wanders over to offer Patashu a DSE t-shirt, "Membership dues are very affordable." ) Athares . o O ( It's nice to see the FE kobolds have found a new source of satisfaction for their need to satisfy others. ) Patashu hmm! Sure. Wiggles in :3 ( The kobold scampers away to tend to a stack of hay. ) You say, "Secondary effects?" [OOC] Spool also looks up what "dastardly" means. Hmm, it's meaner than they thought. Probably not a DASTARDLY plot, then. Gwen says, "Membership in what?" Ping oos. A snowgate. ( When the time has arrived, the guide kobold perks up, "Aha! It time! We will have the gate spun up shortly. Once the portal has stabilizes, please deliver this crate to a flat, stable location at least one hundred meters from the portal. Once there, actuate the lever atop the crate to deploy the device, and return safely for payment." She nods, "Any questions?" There is a ramp up to make a walkway through the portal, appearing ready to extend a portion of bridge across. ) Spool sits up straight. "Yes, what does the device do?" ( From over next to one of the motors, a kobold calls over, "Remember, this is Snowgate. Nothing about stars, don't get us sued!" ) Gwen says, "No celebrities, gotcha." Mako says, "... roger. o.o" Patashu chirps, "Got it." ( From up in the hay loft of the barn, a kobold appears from within one of the hay piles to gaze down to Spool with glee, "Generate profit!", before cackling as she burrows down into the hay to resume whatever task she was up to. ) Amy rubs her head. Mission seems clear enough, but the kobolds seem a bit more unhinged than usual Spool narrows their eyes. Hmmm. ( The guide kobold coughs politely, "We hope that the initiation of trade relations would be the first noble step towards learning about the place that this portal leads, with arms held wide with transparency and honest intention." ) Spool says, "Oh, I see." Mako . o O ( As long as we don't pull the lever and see the golden arches.... oh god I think I'm channelling doppel... ) Niny'ah sideglances at Mako. "What the heck is That Face all about?" Gwen says, "Honest intention from us, or them?" ( One of the kobolds, closing up the casing on a drive motor calls over, "I recommend against attempting any sort of theft; we couldn't get a clear reading on what surveilance tech is deployed over there." ) Athares rubs behind an ear. Was about to ask a question- ah, that answers it. He looks to Patashu. "I think you should take point in that case. You're the one wearing the standard." ( The guide kobold smiles sweetly to Gwen, "From us." ) Patashu ahems, "I am at your service!" ( Over in the barn, the drive motors whirr into action and the inner ring of ice begins to spin within its frame of the larger ring. As it gets to speed, a sheet of ice begins to grow from the outside of the ring towards the middle. Once it is a solid sheet, the inner surface of ice begins to melt. ) Mako says, "My brain just went somewhere bad, is all... Do we know what's on the other side?" Spool crouches out of the way, in case the snowgate emits a dramatic plume of anything. Azure grins, turns and hugs Spool, then asks, "Great and Magical Ferretbeast, may I climb onto your back?" ( A kobold who is currently staring a chicken in one corner of the barn responds to Mako without looking away from his ward, "Cold." ) Vahno says, "Helpful." ( Another kobold hastily paints 'SG-1' on the front of the barn using green paint. ) Spool ducks down onto all fours and lowers their muzzle to Azure. "All aboard!" Mako says, "Good thing I'm conductive, not thermal. :X" ( With a sharp crack, the partially molten sheet of ice gives way to a cloud of snow that puffs into the barn and settles quickly. The far side of the portal is bright and white, an expanse if snow and ice beneath a dull orange sky. There is a soft breeze present in the place where this portal leads, as the walkway extends to form a bridge to the other surface. ) Amy blinks at Mako. "You're unaffected by heat? Mako clack-clacks a knuckle on her body. "Solid amethyst right now." Vahno says, "...Cool." Room: Roleplay Stage -Stat-Name----------------Gender------Species--------------------------------- IC Mako Female Amethyst Dragon she/her ---[ Found 1 character. ( 1 Awake ) ]----------------------------------------- Patashu chirps, "Ooh, I like this place already." Athares walks up towards the gate, close enough to get a better look, calmly swaying his tail as he observes the process. Once the portal forms, he perks, quickly making his way through to have a look around, waiting for the others before going further. ( From the vantage of barn-side, there is an odd lack of any view of very much ground surface on the far side of the portal. It must be atop a hill, or something. ) Amy didn't realize mako's forms were that real. cool Gwen says, "Hey, as long as it's not, like, 'depths of space' cold, I'm okay." "I go swimmin' for Iceberg Day every year. :D" ( The portal appears to open to another Snowgate in the realm of ice. This Snowgate's inner ring is spinning, though no motors are obvious, and has been installed atop a raised platform that stands above the ruins of a city built of ice. There are around a dozen buildings left standing that are five stories tall, while a great many of the remainder of building are mostly ruble at this point. Scanning the horizon, there are five other platforms like this one, each with a currently inactive Snowgate. From the barn side, a kobold calls out, "Motors stable! Proceed as you wish!", before hastily appending, "Confirm the presence of the navigation brick, too. We want to be sure this thing opens to the same place twice!" ) Patashu chirps, "Navigation brick...?" Vahno hops on through! ( Several kobolds set to the task of installing four wheels onto the crate, to make it easier to transport. ) ( A couple meters from the platform is a brick on which 'Navigation' has been written in permanent marker. ) Niny'ah snugs up a fur-edged coat and heads on through! Amy'll grab the navigation brick before heading on through. ( The navigation brick is on the snow-side of the portal. ) Patashu aha! Slips on through, then. ( This is the second time the kobolds have spun up the portal, though the first time anyone has ventured through. They presumably tossed the navigation brick through on the first opening. ) Athares rubs his chin. Well, that's kobold-grade but kobold-grade things tend to work nonetheless. Granted, why was it already here? "The brick is present." He looks aside to the other platforms. "This seems to be a hub city, or at least, it was one." Patashu ear-perks. "Huh, I'm sensing a dragon I wasn't sensing before." Patashu, yes he can do that, no you shouldn't be surprised. ( A voice calls out from barn-side, "Excellent! That means the portal's opened to the same place it did last time.", then pauses, "If for some reason the portal closes, stay nearby. We'll open it back up as soon as able." The kobold's voice has wobblign confidence near the end bit. ) ( There is no RF present on the far side of this portal, excepting what is burbling through the portal. ) Vahno says, "...er. Well." You say, "...did anyone get the package?" ( There is a sensation of being observed, to any who can sense this. There are no immediate signs of life near the portal. ) ( The crate is in the barn, now on wheels. ) Niny'ah gives the crate a grab and haul, through the portal Gwen helps move stuff through... ( The crate rolls along through the portal. The platform that the snow gate is set up on has a walkway down to ground level, and what looks to be a main roadway through the city continues along. ) Vahno says, "...is someone here...?" Athares looks back to Niny'ah, nods. He steps out of the way, heading down just before the platform before turning and putting his tail in front of himself, conjuring an orb to look soulsight through. If there is a spiritual presence here, he should be able to see it. Niny'ah KRNCH KRNCH KRNCH in the snow. [OOC] Moriar raises a wing, "Does anyone have any acute senses, that they wish to utilize to try and detect folks nearby?" [OOC] Niny'ah has Pretty Good hearing and sense of smell ( Some dozens of meters away, the faint outline of a motionless kobold standing against a wall can be discerned with great difficulty. Both the kobold and wall are matte white, and the kobold is clearly organic. The kobold has a soul, though not much smell or sound. ) Mako has magic sense, but in current conditions she might not able to determine much else. :x ( An outcropping along the horizon, some many kilometers away, is just barely discernable as a dragon laying motionless under the pale orange sky. To any who can sense such things at this distance, this is a living dragon with an old soul who is observing the goings on of the visitors. ) [OOC] Niny'ah says, "GM check: is it actively snowing, and is there much cloud cover or wind?" Vahno peers at the kobold. ...snobold? [OOC] Moriar nods to Niny'ah, "Not actively snowing, just various snow shifting around at ground level in the breeze. The sky is a pale orange without many clouds." [OOC] Niny'ah says, "Got it" ( Atop one of the tall buildings some kilometers away, the silhouette of a kobold can be discerned. There is a flickering glint of a lens, as though the party is being observed through a telescope. After some moments, the figure vanishes down into the building. ) Athares spots the kobold and gives a wave as he lets his tail drop behind him again. "Seems this city isn't uninhabited." He looks to Patashu. "Shall we say hello?" ( At the motion of a wave, the kobold bolts to dive and vanish into some rubble. ) Patashu chirps, "Let's! ... Oh?" Patashu chirps, "Seems they're skittish." Amy enjoys the chill. She doesn't need warm clothing. She leaves the navigation brick atop the package. [OOC] Azure says, "Sorry, got distracted telling an AI it doesn't know how to program" Azure climbs up onto Spool and hangs on! [OOC] Moriar headbobs, "No problem." Vahno says, "Hrm..." Vahno says, "Well, there is, in fact, a dragon here, so... let's go that way." ( The entropy on this side of the Snowgate feels just a twinge different, like someone tried to make it mint flavoured. ) Spool perks ears and bounds through the portal! They act about like you'd expect a ferret to in the snow, leaping and diving and leaving a skipping ploughed-out trail. Except they're roughly the size of an elephant. Athares says, "They might not get visitors very often." He looks to Patashu. "You would know the protocol for greeting dragons better than I would." ( The ruins don't seem to mind the playful actions; the remaining pieces are all quite sturdy. ) Gwen hms. Patashu chirps, "Oh, yes, it's very easy. :3" Azure grins and hangs on tighter, winding their arms and legs through Spool's fur and hanging on with fingers and toes to better enjoy the Weasel Wargallop without accidentally enjoying flight instead. ( There is a lever atop the wooden crate, with 'Toggle to Deploy' hastily written on it with permanent marker. ) Vahno says, "Well, lead on then, Guidebold." Mako smacks her lips. "The air tastes wierd here..." She will do her job, tho. "Let's get this to where it needs to go." ( The dragon is not nearby; they are visible as a feature of the horizon. ) Spool forges a pretty substantial (if intermittent) path before abruptly digging in their paws and skidding to a stop. Their reality collapse alarms are returning... 'mint'. This is not supposed to be an alert level. "Does anybody else feel particularly minty?" You say, "It does feel pretty fresh around here." Gwen says, "I'd say 'Pizza Delivery', but I have no pizza so that'd just be cruel." "And even if we did, if they don't have money it might lead to indecent suggestions." "...What?" "That's how it works in the movies.." Spool shakes out, head and tail whipping around dramatically but keeping their spine mostly stationary under Azure. ( Spool's romping does dislodge some cardboard sticks that look like they contained some sort of chemistry inside, as if someone made road flares with 'tealight candle' levels of heat output and used them. ) Niny'ah says, "Gwennnn" Niny'ah splats a snowball down on the last Gwen's head Spool says, "Oh! I think I've found some discarded pyrotechnics..." Athares licks his own nose, looking up and adjusting his coat. "Something feels different, but I'm not currently sure why. ... There might be some powerful if subtle magic present. Curious." Vahno hrms... He'll look around with Magesight then. Spool sniffs at a flare tube. Then licks the burnt-out parts. Hmm. Niny'ah says, "Whatcha find, Spool?" ( There does not appear to be any sort of active magic being cast, beyond the long distance observation spell of the dragon, the active Snowgate, and plentiful inert ruins of magi-tek ice structures all over the city. ) Spool gives Niny'ah an expended cardboard thing! Amy heads for that building with the kobold in it. Spool says, "I wonder if they're infrared flares. Our body heat could be quite visible." Niny'ah sniffs at it. "... Smells a bit like the Most Anemic Firecracker Ever." ( That building no longer contains a kobold, if anyone employs soulsense to check. ) Spool says, "Well. Should we pull the lever and see what it does? I have to say, if it starts emitting *advertisements* or anything like that I'm going to dismantle it." Athares looks towards Amy for a few moments. "The locals seem skittish... if we're not likely to meet them, we could move the crate some distance down the road towards wherever the dragon is then pull the lever once we've achieved the minimum distance." Amy nods. "Yer right... I get carried away and forgot mission goals." Mako says, "Makes you wonder what it was that spooked them, but that's not in our remit right now" Spool sniffs curiously at the crate as they travel. ( The crate smells like it contains a compact fusion reactor, and hot cocoa. ) Spool says, "Ooh. Chocolate and starfire. Well, this must be something nice." You say, "Ooh." Athares . o O ( Hot cocoa, guaranteed warm. If the sun isn't forthcoming, bring your own. ) Vahno says, "Something to warm the place up, huh?" Spool forges ahead, a bit less leapy now, to shove a path through the snow for those wheels! ( The crate is happily scooted along. ) Amy simply burrows into the snow. Azure grins Gwen moves back a ways... Azure says, "Well, that's a nice way to make a nice impression." Athares smirks. Well, seems our path is clear now! He'll follow along; once we've made the distance, he'll look to Patashu. "Care to do the honors?" ( Out on the horizon, the outcropping that is a dragon stirs and stands to flap great wings and become airborne. They fly away from the cityo of snowgates, and beyond sight. ) Patashu perks, waves up to the dragon! "Greetings, sir! How can we be of assist..." Watching it fly away 9w9; Patashu chirps, "Did I do something wrong? uwu" Mako says, "... I feel we should get things done before they return." Athares waves to the departing dragon even afar. "Some are skittish." Vahno says, "...Welp." [OOC] Spool says, "It's really beautiful outside here. Very snowy, and quite dark, with all the streetlights and porches casting glowy auras into the falling snow." [OOC] Patashu says, "Ooh" ( The crate makes a soft chime sound, once it is a hundred meters from the snowgate. ) [OOC] Spool says, "The neighbor has fairy lights strung up that look ESPECIALLY magical now." [OOC] Athares grins. Glad I'm not the only one that enjoys that ambiance [OOC] Niny'ah says, "I want pics. it was a Shorts Day here" [OOC] Niny'ah says, "and splated to be even warmer todmorrow" Vahno says, "...should... should we pull the lever now?" Niny'ah says, "what were the instructions given?" [OOC] Spool says, "My camera is not cooperating u_u" [OOC] Spool says, "I need to get a new sd card for my Fancy Camera to take more artistic pictures :B" ( There is a lever atop the wooden crate, with 'Toggle to Deploy' hastily written on it with permanent marker. ) Gwen says, "Ooh, can I do it? I love pulling levers. :D" Spool says, "Gremlins ARE talented gadget-activators!" Spool pretends to hide behind Gwen. Gwen says, "Only thing better is a big red button." Athares takes a single step back, inviting anyone to do the honors. [OOC] Niny'ah says, "... NMS just CTD" ( The lever atop the crate remains untoggled. Temptingly. ) Niny'ah Looks At Gwen. Athares smirks with amusement... Athares . o O ( 'After you!' 'No after you!' I love my new friends. ) Vahno reeeaaaches for the lever... Gwen leaps for the lever! "Mine!" PULL! Amy grins. ( When the lever is pulled, there is the sound of a cord being retracted into a spool. Several seconds later, the sides fall off the crate to reveal a vending machine. The surface is bright orange, with an image of a kobold bundled up and sipping from a mug on the front. In clear block font, "Hot Cocoa", is the only button. There is a dispensation slot, and a small square opening to insert currency. ) Patashu :9! Gwen facepalms. Gwen says, "Honestly, I don't know what I was expecting..." Vahno blinkblinks. ( The machine does not appear to have any sort of attract mode; sitting largely inert and waiting for someone to buy cocoa. ) Spool says, "Oh! It's perfect." Gwen says, "Is it? Do you want hat cocoa that you have to hike out into the snow to get?" [OOC] Gwen says, "*hot" ( Everywhere is snow, here. ) Spool says, "Yes. They always make much better cocoa where it's cold." Athares hmms, pondering a moment. He'll make sure this vending machine addition is placed on a sidewalk or equivalent area so that it's not in the way of the road if need be. ( There is fine print below the dispensation slot that reads, "Satisfaction Guaranteed. Contact the nearest Dredged Scales Endeavors representative for assistance as required." ) Patashu chirps, "*Guaranteeing* satisfaction is a big claim." Mako says, "I mean, they said outright this was a profit generator." [OOC] Mako says, "Oogle, sorry for quiet, body not cooperating" Vahno digdigdigs in his pack, and slips a silver coin in. ( The machine rejects the coin; the opening for currency is square. ) Patashu . o O ( The cubes @w@ ) Spool cups their paw around their mouth and leans in to talk into the slot. "I'd like one cocoa, please." ( A small screen above the slot reads, " ) ( A small screen above the slot reads, "Free Sample!", before a paper cup drops into view and hot cocoa is dispensed into it. ) Spool lights up! "Aha! Thank you." Slurp. Mako digs in her bandeau, and gets out a cube. Then pauses. o.o Vahno frowns at his coin. "Be less round, dang it." Azure says, "I had a currency cube." Azure says, "But a fox ate it." Azure says, "To be fair I invited them to." Athares says, "I expect this is designed to accept local currency, whatever that is." Azure says, "...I can't help it, I just find the idea of feeding plastic treats to plastic friends funny." Spool laughs! "Oh, *that* fox, good." Mako says, "I feel like the free sample shoul go to a local. But I have currency..." Spool says, "Oh. Well, I could give it back, but I don't think anyone wants it any more." Azure calls up toward the sky, "Dragon! Come back! We have cocoa!" ( A kobold's voice can be heard from the Snowgate, "Hoy! One of the driver motors is starting to throw warnings for bearing overheat." ) Azure says, "Well, I do kinda' want to taste it and see if it's actually satisfying." Spool perks ears! Patashu chirps, "Oh, that's bad, right?" Athares nods. "That's our cue to depart." Spool says, "All aboard!" Athares starts on his way back, no need to delay! Spool gathers up whoever's willing to go plunging through the snow in a terrifying weasely blur. Niny'ah clambers up on Spool and takes a good grip of fur! Mako says, "LEaving time." Mako places her cube by the machine, a freebie, and roadie-runs back to the portal. Patashu kobold-scampers! Athares... is willing to go plunging through the snow in a terrifying weasely blur! Hey, it's a new experience. And a fun one! Azure grins and hangs on to Spool. Azure cannot think of Spool as terrifying. No disrespect. Spool runs with their whole spine! Riders are rocked up and down quite a bit but moved mostly forward, and rendered briefly weightless as they leap to dive through the gate. Gwen nods and returns to the gate ( On the barn side of the portal, the kobolds are scampering about to try and make sense of the abundance of chickens that have arrived in the barn. ) Vahno says, "Right, time to scram!" ( A kobold peers through the portal, "Everyone back who's coming back?" ) ( The other kobolds, once folks have returned, begin to collect up the chickens and offer one chicken to each adventurer. ) ( The chickens seem rather calm about all this. ) Mako gets Out. And... holds up a confused chicken. "Bkgawk? I mean, this is new." Athares lets his tail flap around like a streamer as he clings onto Spool! And once we're on the other side, he gives Spool a hug and a patpat before carefully lowering back down to the ground. "Thanks for the ride!" Patashu chirps, "...My chicken looks like Mort" Spool bellyflops and slides a few meters, panting. "It is... Now safe to... Disembark." Gwen has chicken. "...Huh." Spool carefully pets a chicken. Vahno says, "Pata, shush! We don't have permission to use him." ( All of the chickens coo. ) Athares does all that after Spool's power slide. Fun times! Though, now he has a chicken. He headtilts slightly? "Oh, thank you." Azure climbs up and down Spool's spine on their hands and knees, scratching along either side. Mako says, "I mean, I can always use more eggs. :3" ( The ring of the portal is allowed to spin down, snow forming a barrier before melting away to reveal.. barn on both sides of the ring. ) Athares . o O ( Normally I would've asked for a carrier but these chickens act as though they have already seen far stranger situations. ) Mako . o O ( Around here they might have. ) Vahno says, "Right... Well, that was fun." Spool flattens and streetches out, big fluffy tail wagging. "Aww. Thank you, fox." Spool says, "It was! The cocoa was good, too." ( The chicken that was given to Athares clucks softly. ) Niny'ah holds up her chicken; "Do you Talk?" Niny'ah figures no harm in asking! ( The chicken peers back to Niny'ah, "..is this a debugging question?" ) Gwen blinkblinks. Niny'ah ... Patashu ... Niny'ah cracks UP. Athares smiles and gives a soft 'hello' to the chicken in response. Then looks to Niny'ah. Then to the chicken he's holding. "I see." He smirks. Vahno says, "Ahahahahah, what?" Mako @.op Gwen says, "This raises certain questions..." Mako says, "You done clucked up, there...." Athares sets the chicken he was offered down nearby. "I guess I should ask you then where you would rather be." He asks of the chicken. Amy chirps. ( After a pause, the chicken replies to Niny'ah, "...no?" ) ( Athares' chicken peers up, then continues to follow him. ) Vahno says, "Right... Well, I'm gonna slip off for elsewhere for a bit. See ya." Niny'ah uh. huh. Vahno has left. Spool says, "Goodbye." Spool says, "Oh." Spool crosses their forepaws and props their head up. [OOC] Moriar raises a wing, "I believe that resolves the story? Does anyone have any questions or follow up?" [OOC] Spool says, "Why DID entropy taste minty?" [OOC] Moriar poofs innocently, "There is a reason; but I plan to go into that in a follow up story." [OOC] Spool says, "Ooh. I see!" [OOC] Spool says, "Intriguing..." [OOC] Niny'ah says, "WOW, NMS VR perf is ASS" [OOC] Moriar's plothook for that was the fine print on the vending machine. [OOC] Spool says, "Oh! Oh dear." [OOC] Moriar doesn't know what WOW, NMS, VR, or ASS stand for. [OOC] Spool says, ""Wow, No Man's Sky virtual-reality performance is ass"" [OOC] Niny'ah says, "^ that" [OOC] Spool says, "The VR version of the game is slow." Gwen sighs. "Well, at least I got to pull a lever." "Yes, it had been a while." [OOC] Mako will look forward to the next one. :3 Athares hmms. Goes to pick that chicken up again. "Looks like I'll be spending this afternoon and tomorrow setting up an area for my new friend here." ( Chickens cluck happily. ) Mako says, "Maybe you need to part-time Igor, Gwen." Niny'ah attempts to set the chicken on her shoulder Gwen says, "Ooh, is there a sign-up sheet for that?" You say, "Isn't your ship full of levers?" [OOC] Athares is wondering what the deal is with these chickens. Will they actually lay eggs etc.? [OOC] Amy is confused by chickens. were they the reward? I had to afk for a minute and when I got back, chickens. [OOC] Moriar looks to Athares, "Synthetic pet chickens. All of the cluck, none of the poop. Debugging menu available." [OOC] Patashu giggles [OOC] Amy says, "ah." [OOC] Athares says, "Ah, so no eggs, no sapience, just robopet chicken. This might make an amusing addition to Athares' plot all the same" [OOC] Moriar nods to Amy, "The last step of instructions from the guide kobold was to return for payment. When y'all got back, the kobolds decided to use the chickens as payment since they showed up." [OOC] Moriar nods to Athares, "Effectively a chatbot for the debugging menu, and otherwise a particularly chill and friendly chicken." [OOC] Athares nodnods, thanks for hosting! Gwen says, "Not ones that need puling on a regular basis. No big emergencies and I haven't been transporting any big cargo." "And I haven't dropped the piano on ANYBODY lately." "We should find some bandits and give them a musical education." "Why not pirates?" "Do YOU want to fish the piano out of the ocean?" [OOC] Moriar headbobs, "Thank you for attending, and rest well when y'all do!" [OOC] Amy says, "thanks for the strangeness, sleep well" Azure says, "Well, I know a solution for that." [OOC] Spool says, "Goodnight!" Azure says, "Use ...Disposable Pianos!" Spool says, "Or buoyant pianos!" Azure says, "Made of sugar and calcium alginate, our new, Disposable Pianos are biodegradable and guaranteed to return to the ocean ecosystem in a day at most." [OOC] Amy says, "for no reason: https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/869790756984991805/1078153034447716382/image.png?width=571&height=584" Spool says, "Maybe we can finally tune a fish..." Moriar has disconnected.
Roleplay log of Moriar's SG-1 event Part 2, Mar 1, 2023.
(Note -- last episode, we had mysteriously delivered a cocoa machine to the frozen middle of nowhere. --Amy)
Moriar shouts "Do you answer an urgent summons from the Snowgate SG-1 barn? Come to 'luge N10 W2; Stage' to step into an episode of the potential violence and diplomacy at 6:00pm Server Time! (This is an open RP, all are welcome. Taking place in about a quarter hour!, please direct questions to Moriar. Content Warning: May contain violence.)" (Public-shout)
SHOUT: 18 folks heard that.
Whospe status set to DM.
Amy steps up to the stage that isn't really there.
Amy has arrived.
Patashu steps up to the stage that isn't really there.
Patashu has arrived.
Niny'ah steps up to the stage that isn't really there.
Niny'ah has arrived.
Azure steps up to the stage that isn't really there.
Azure has arrived.
Voksa steps up to the stage that isn't really there.
Voksa has arrived.
Mako steps up to the stage that isn't really there.
Mako has arrived.
Azure pads in, wagging their tail, grinning.
Amy follows in, tapping feet to some inner music
( The SG-1's science barn is in the patchy grass district, painted a soft gray colour. The action will begin as the group of volunteers are travelling closer to the barn; in this before-time everyone is travelling on or near the walking path to the barn. When it is time to begin, it will be noticed that the barn doors are open with flashes of light coming from within in time with what sound like weapon blasts. A few stray bolts of bluish light fly out through the barn door, dispersing into the air after a couple decameters. [Context spoof, shall repeat. This story will be sliding the player characters into the action in progress.] )
Gwen steps up to the stage that isn't really there.
Gwen has arrived.
Vahno steps up to the stage that isn't really there.
Vahno has arrived.
( The SG-1's science barn is in the patchy grass district, painted a soft gray colour. The action will begin as the group of volunteers are travelling closer to the barn; in this before-time everyone is travelling on or near the walking path to the barn. When it is time to begin, it will be noticed that the barn doors are open with flashes of light coming from within in time with what sound like weapon blasts. A few stray bolts of bluish light fly out through the barn door, dispersing into the air after a couple decameters. [Context spoof, shall repeat. This story will be sliding the player characters into the action in progress.] )
[OOC] Gwen says, "I have commented previously about the old Cap'n Crunch ad campaign that coined the phrase 'Crunchatize me, Cap'n!'. Crunchatizing is where he transports live action kids into his cartoon world by converting them into a stream of cereal. Let me reiterate that. The spokesmascot of a cereal company has a machine that turns CHILDREN into CEREAL."
Skai steps up to the stage that isn't really there.
Skai has arrived.
[OOC] Azure says, "Horatio Magellan Crunch is only a commander anyway ;)"
Amy tsks. "Maybe I should have brought more of my live stuff."
[OOC] Skai arrives to watch!
Gwen unfolds a set of Shockguns, appropriate for punching people from very far away. "Welp, here we go.."
Mako hoooboy. "That don't look good..."
Azure says, "Hmmm. Only downside is I can't wield a sword this way. I'll just have to use...Tail-Aikido."
Azure, on the other hand, finds bolts of bluish light quite welcoming.
Niny'ah has her staff, and a few Heavier Options in her bag. Hopefully not needed.
Amy reconfigures her staff.
Niny'ah says, "Azure, you're big enough you can probably pin someone by the shoulders until they're willing to Talk Diplomacy"
Niny'ah says, "Someone up to about my size"
Azure grins, "Well, yes."
Azure says, "...I just like the idea of tail-fu."
Niny'ah says, "Your ... Biggest Size can one-paw-pin for that"
Azure says, "...mostly because it makes me laugh."
Voksa grins.
Room: Roleplay Stage
-Stat-Name----------------Gender------Species---------------------------------
Skai[5m idle] Male Nusauan Phoenix he/him
Vahno[9m idle] Male Sheep he/him
IC Gwen[4m idle] female gremlin she/her
IC Mako[2m idle] Female Nekomata she/her
ic Voksa spaceship-dragon they/them
e^- Azure Shiny, Sparky Monster they/them
IC Niny'ah female Seirmerine she/her
EXC Patashu[14m idle] neuter Dragonite Combat Robot they/them
IC Amy female Lynx canadensis she/her
DM Moriar Husky-Crow Gryphons (They/Them) they/them
---[ Found 10 characters. ( 10 Awake ) ]--------------------------------------
( Anyone who is clued into the Patashu Industries' kobold network will be aware that significant computing resources have just been allocated from the processing acreage to the task of decoding some mysterious language. The decoding tasks under this entry have 'Mortal Peril' listed as the priority level. )
Azure says, "Besides, there ARE giant dragons on the other side of that portal."
Niny'ah giggles into her hand, and illustratively uses her tail to lightly curl-grab around one of Azure's wrists and give a small tug, just enough to demonstrate the dexterity
Gwen has connected.
Azure says, "I suspect they're just coming for tech supp---"
Niny'ah earfwips to attention. "Heads up. Boldnet just got Somethin."
Patashu does check that out, with concern. That's a rare one.
[OOC] Gwen says, "Ghah, had a disconnect."
Azure decides, for the heck of it, to yip! and fall over and the tug...before rolling back up to their feet.
Amy is oblivious!
Mako has a sword, a staff, and a lack of common sense. She thinks she is ready. :x
( Anyone who is clued into the Patashu Industries' kobold network will be aware that significant computing resources have just been allocated from the processing acreage to the task of decoding some mysterious language. The decoding tasks under this entry have 'Mortal Peril' listed as the priority level. (repost for Gwen) )
( The SG-1's science barn is in the patchy grass district, painted a soft gray colour. The action now begins as the group of volunteers get within sight of the barn. The barn doors are open, with flashes of light coming from within in time with what sound like weapon blasts. A few stray bolts of bluish light fly out through the barn door, dispersing into the air after a couple decameters. Anyone with clear weapon expertice may recognize those as energy based stun-bolts. )
Niny'ah browfurrows. "'Mortal Peril'? Ohboy."
Patashu ahems, leaning to the side to let a stun bolt fly past. 9w9 "Sounds like we better not waste any time. We going in?"
Niny'ah thumbs at her shield projector and the hexes sweep over her form before fading to near-unseen
Gwen and Gwen get out wrenches. "I'll be relying on the ancient gremlish fighting art of Fah Kyu.."
Niny'ah checks her bag. Aha! PI Restraint bubblegun launcher.
Vahno says, "Mortal Peril sounds bad."
Niny'ah, equipped with ironshod staff and bubblegun, plus The Rifle and LMG in her bag. Those will only come out if shit gets Really Bad
( The Patashu Industries Boilerworks of Launguage begin to make glacial progress on deciphering. The sounds in the buffer are like someone tried to drown a death metal harmonica. )
Niny'ah pulls out her phone to sample some of the.... "Oh my ears do Not like that."
[OOC] Moriar raises a wing, "So, there's action inside the barn. Make clear when someone's got line of sight in the open doors, and I'll post the description of what's visible."
Room: Roleplay Stage
-Stat-Name----------------Gender------Species---------------------------------
Skai[2m idle] Male Nusauan Phoenix he/him
Vahno Male Sheep he/him
IC Gwen[2m idle] female gremlin she/her
IC Mako[4m idle] Female Nekomata she/her
ic Voksa[5m idle] spaceship-dragon they/them
e^- Azure[3m idle] Shiny, Sparky Monster they/them
IC Niny'ah female Seirmerine she/her
EXC Patashu[3m idle] neuter Dragonite Combat Robot they/them
IC Amy[4m idle] female Lynx canadensis she/her
DM Moriar Husky-Crow Gryphons (They/Them) they/them
---[ Found 10 characters. ( 10 Awake ) ]--------------------------------------
Niny'ah gets Low and prowls up to the barn, poking her phone around the door with a sStream to the Party Chat
Amy puts up one of her bubble shields, those bolts dont' look that dangerous, and charges forward! "Aaaaaaaaaaa--"
Azure perks their ears up, grinning.
Patashu, being a weapon AND cover in Dragonite form, goes to the side of the open barn doors and peeks in, ready to advance if the situation looks like it calls for it.
( Within the barn, most of the robot kobolds are laid to the ground in haphazard sprawls. Of those who's faces are visible, their eyes are scrolling the text, 'Stunned'. The portal itself is open, the realm of cold and ice visible beyond. A team of heavily armored kobolds are standing around the barn-side of the Snowgate, holding what look to be pulse laser rifles coloured in matte gray. The kobolds are wearing armor that looks like refrigeration suits, heavy fabric with padded joints. They have metal helms with no visible face, just muzzle and a glowing blue strip where their eyes would be. They are talking among themselves with grinding sounds like alarm clocks that have been tossed into a dryer on tumble cycle. Two of these kobold troopers are setting up some sort of boxy device against one of the sides of the Snowgate. )
[OOC] Niny'ah says, "Phone Periscope is a lot safer than Your Whole Face, y'know?"
Patashu calls out to the barn-side kobolds, "What's the situation? What do you need?"
[OOC] Moriar also clarifies, "Their language is hard to decode. Let me know if anyone leverages magic against it, otherwise I'll assume that PI's computers will make gradual progress."
Azure trots along, not really looking like they're running, but the length of their stride makes them cover ground pretty quickly. Conventional stunners probably wouldn't work very well on them, though Unconventional stunners might.
Amy, since they have been firing stunbolts, is heading straight into the building. Worst case she'll just be stunned right? Though Azure's longer strides probably bring him there first
( spoof Upon noticing the player characters' arrival based on the inquiry from Patashu, one of the kobold troopers strides to the barn door with more loud mechanical grinding sounds as they waggle their head. This is presumably shouted orders, then followed by waving a hand in a 'Go Away' gesture. The kobold troopers behind this leader hold their pulse stun rifles at the ready, though not yet aiming them at any of the new arrivals. Ice can be seen to be forming on the joints of their armor; it must be really cold inside of that. This lead kobold trooper seems inclined to bar entry into the barn so long as those behind them are occupied on their task. )
Niny'ah mags her phone unobtrusively to the door of the barn (probably on a hinge) so The Rest Of The Group can see what's happening
Patashu antennae droops. "Seems they don't want to let us in, but we've got a language barrier in the way so it's hard to say for sure what they're thinking."
( The lead kobold trooper tries to simply push Amy out of the barn, with more gear shearing sounds of 'orders', and another 'Go away' hand gesture. )
Patashu wroos, "Anyone fluent in *mechanical grinding noises*?"
Niny'ah says, "Translators are Workin On It."
( The lead kobold's statement currently parses as, "[...] yours [...] conquer." )
Azure says, "Anyone know a good gesture to communicate "It is generally considered impolite to invade someone else's science barn and then have the nerve to tell *them* to go away?""
Gwen says, "Only the curse words."
Voksa says, "Oh no."
Voksa says, "They may have interpreted the hot chocolate delivery as an attack. Look at how frigid they are."
Patashu wroos, "There's always the classic 'two middle fingers', that seems pretty universal..."
Patashu peers aside at Voksa. Hmm.
Azure says, "...I don't have fingers."
Niny'ah facepalms at Voksa's revelation. Oh No.
Voksa says, "I know jut what to do!"
Azure grins at the Kobold and raises a forepaw, wiggling their toes in a wave.
Azure says to Voksa, "Ice cream?"
Voksa runs off to fetch liquid nitrogen :D
( The hot cocoa machine is visible in the science barn, with several ice spears having been driven into it. It lays on its side, leaking hot cocoa into the hay. )
Niny'ah says, "Azure do you have- ..."
Niny'ah was About To Ask if they had any Cryonic tech they could bring so Ok!
Amy hmms. "...They didn't like the cocoa machine."
Patashu aha! Voksa was right.
Azure does not GO Away, doesn't use force. But they don't go away either. They sit down in front of the kobolds, smiling.
( One of the two kobold sappers lets out a profanity, while the other bounds through the portal as if going to grab a tool. )
Mako says, "... so help me this whole thing is a mess. o.o"
( The kobold troopers behind the leader point their stun rifless at Azure, but are not firing at the moment. Azure and Patashu both probably have a sensation of their energy reserves being drained to somewhere. )
( The lead kobold's statement currently parses as, "Our home [...] yours [...] conquer." )
Voksa gets the fanciest vacuum flask they can find! Gold trim and everything. They return, head bowed, with a peace offering of Cryogenic Icecream.
Niny'ah is hiding around the side of the barn, can see across but not into the door
[OOC] Azure says, "The /rifle's/ energy reserves or OUR energy reserves?"
[OOC] Amy says, "or theirs?"
Patashu wroos, "Make way for Voksa! We have our peace offering."
[OOC] Moriar clarifies, "Yours; something is just barely drawing the heat and energy out of whatever are the biggest reserves on this side of the barn. Voksa is likely now included."
Gwen has disconnected.
( The lead kobold waves a hand at Voksa with a reply that includes two profanities as well as "[...] loyalty [...] not bribed [...]" )
( The second kobold sapper has returned to the first, with some sort of tool. They are now making steady progress on setting up a bomb against the side of the Snowgate. )
Voksa hrms. They check the translation database to see if they can find a word for "mistake" or "error".
( With a clear line of sight through the portal, the face and shoulders of a great dragon can be seen nearby on the ice-side of the portal. The dragon is simply observing from across the Snowgate. )
Patashu squints at the dragon. "Isn't that the same one that fled last trip?"
( The lead kobold's statement currently parses as, "Our home is not yours to conquer." )
Azure says, "Do we have enough to say "We're not interest in conquering your home"?"
Amy says, "Let's try for 'do not want'.""
Amy says, "Short and sweet"
Niny'ah checks the translation progress.
Azure says, "Well 'not conquer' might work"
Voksa mostly wants to point at the hot cocoa machine and say it was a mistake :B
Azure says, "Also, should we stop that kobold from building a bomb or just let them go for it?"
Voksa says, "Well, if they get it ready enough to set off, I can put a hole in it."
Patashu thinks folks have good ideas for things to say. Says to Azure, "Let's stop it if negotiations fail. We don't need to be violent YET."
( Once the reverse entanglement engines are brought to bear on the decoding, fluency follows within moments. Deep in the computing acreage, cooling lasers begin to calculate things upside down, and the chatter of the kobold troopers is apparent. )
Niny'ah says, "Only if we can convey Why without making this even more of a diplomatic debacle than it started as'"
Patashu antennae perks. "I think we got a translation breakthrough!"
Azure says, "Ah, well! IN that case."
Niny'ah says, "If you need a translated voice, target my phone, it's patched into the database"
Azure hooks into the translator and generating a loudspeaker to make the requisite sounds if necessary, says, "We don't want to conquer your home."
Niny'ah points to the PI-issue smartphone magged to one of the doorhinges
( The kobold trooper chatter consists mostly of the troopers discussing the notion of if the barn has been breached, the Leader just keeps repeating an order of, "We have no quarrel with you; only the invaders who have unearthed one of our abandoned portals. Leave this place, and we will unmake it.", while the sappers are trying to figure out what's why the magitek control in their bomb is throwing esoteric error messages and are having to carefully work through each one. )
( The lead kobold looks to Azure and replies, "Then you will not stop us from unmaking the stolen portal." )
Amy huffs. "... Well. That's pretty clear."
Amy says, "Dangit."
Vahno says, "Stolen?"
Patashu squints. Turns head left, right. "I guess I'm not up to speed on what the portal's background *is*. I think if they want to be left alone that's their right."
Azure says, "'Stolen' is a bit much. But if they don't want to communicate with our world no reason to make them."
Azure says, "Oh, well, people can always build more snowgates."
Azure says, "Simply saying "We'd like no visitors, please." generally works better."
Azure says, "...besides, I think we'd do a better job of unmaking it."
Amy says, "spoiled for choice, really."
Niny'ah says, "If I may?"
Niny'ah, to Azure, indicating, 'I'd like to try a diplomacy'
Azure steps to one side and lets Niny'ah at it.
( The lead kobold looks between Patashu, Vahno, and Azure, "All of the offworld portals were unmade when the invaders isolated our colony from the hub. This portal must be stolen, and we will not allow these machine kobolds to come to our world in another [...] immortality [...] quest." )
Niny'ah holds off until the translation comes through. "Repeat that last please?"
( One of the kobold sappers looks to Azure to reply, "Only those of our kind can construct these." )
Athares steps up to the stage that isn't really there.
Athares has arrived.
( The lead kobold looks to Niny'ah, "Another [<concept not found-adverb>] immortality [<entropic reversed>] quest." )
Niny'ah asides to the Party Channel, "Going out on a limb but I'm guessing that Translation-error is 'damned' or 'fucking' or something like that."
Gwen says, "Ah, grawlix."
Azure says, "They're not after immortality, they just want to sell you stuff."
( The translation notes, at length, indicate the un-decipherable words contain negative information. )
Niny'ah says, "Harsh Grawlix "
Azure says, "...though banning the Capital Cult from your world isn't a bad idea, really."
Somewhere on the muck, Myril has connected.
Vahno says, "Immortality...That sounds... ugh. Folks will stop at nothing to chase that down, huh?"
( The lead kobold looks to Azure, then Nin'yah, then Amy, "...what? Why would merchants deliver a weapon into our midst?" )
Patashu squints at the notes. What?
Niny'ah appends a note for the translation database for use of Grawlix Notation for future uses
Niny'ah says, "... It was not intended as a weapon, but I can see how it would be read as one, given now-known contexts"
Amy says, "We did not understand your universe."
Voksa says, "Well. It was SUPPOSED to be food. But it seems our people have very different ideas of food."
Azure says, "...mark that note as slightly uncertain, perhaps."
( The notes contain an analogy; if conventional language is Direct Current where all the words are positive information, the underlying language these kobold troopers are using is Alternating Current; where some of the words contain negative amounts of information. )
Niny'ah . o O ( Azure, now that we have Translation, bring the Cryo Icecream as a peace offering? )
Patashu wroos, "Hmm, yeah, I'm starting to realize something - I think maybe the universe on the other side of the snowgate has some kind of reverse entropy."
Patashu wroos, "Their cold is like our heat."
Patashu wroos, "Or maybe it's more complicated than that. But it is at least complicated."
Amy says, "So hot chocolate is what, a hole in spacetime?"
Niny'ah says, "... Yeah I can definitely see how that would read as an attack."
% #271: key_shift_end: no such command or macro
% The key "shift_end" is undefined; you may use "/def key_shift_end = <commands>" to define it. See "/help keys".
( One of the sappers look to Patashu, "We are from your universe. Our home is not negative entropy, we are.", now distracted from their task. )
Niny'ah sits down in a side-legs-folded (not kneeling, but getting down lower to be Less Threat.
Mako says, "An automated mercantile device intended to dispense what was likely intended to be a foodstuff viewed as a tasty treat and useful, at least to us, in your climate. What we have here is a failure to understand the customer. :x"
( All of the kobold's armor suits are forming ice around the joints. )
Patashu oOooh.
Patashu wroos, "Thank you for the clarification."
Patashu wroos, "Still, same idea, right? Hot coffee is like poison to you?"
Azure says, "Ah, that's it, someone wanted to use them as a fountain of youth by reversing the degredation in their body"
Azure says to the kobold, "We have other ways of immortality anyway, so trying to conquer your world would...well..be...kinda' dumb. Break the life you have in a war trying to get an extension when you can get one here."
Amy says, "...you must have been watching us closely. Did you see us eat the cocoa?"
( The other sapper, easily distractable as well, looks to Azure, "That was their plans, yes. It wouldn't work, else we'd have been set to our task rather than abandoned to exist." )
Azure says, "BUT if knowing nobody here actually *wants* to go there for immortality doesn't make you want to stay in contact, by all means, break contact."
( A kobold trooper looks to Amy, "What's a cocoa?" )
Amy says, "The stuff the machine dispenses. We tried it to make sure it works."
Niny'ah says, "Does your armor read temperature of what you're looking at?"
( There is a soft rumbling from the other side of the portal, and everyone feels like something is trying to chill the core of themselves by just a little. The rumble settles into a soft, albeit still chilled, chuckle as the sensation subsides. )
Niny'ah's mane STANDS ON END! Ohgodgoosebumps!
( The trooper shrugs, "We know only what portal sent it, and that it was from here." )
( The lead trooper looks to Niny'ah, "..no? It keeps us from catching fire." )
Vahno says, "...Catching fire? It... This temperature here isn't... are you that flammable?"
Amy furfoomps a bit.
Voksa's blazing starfire heart compensates by getting a little more blazing. They bump their head against Niny'ah. Warmth!
Niny'ah says, "I, and several others here, keep a body core temperature similar to the cocoa's dispensing temperature. The cold like the other side of your gate causes us Problems, and drinking warmth like that is a welcome thing to us."
( A low rumbling tone comes from the far side of the portal, the dragon calling, "...it appears our caution, while rational, may have been a tad in excess of urgency. We will delay our unmaking of this portal for this day." )
Azure's eyes glow a little brither and they shake all over, the fur on their back fluffling a little as a frisson goes down their back.
Voksa says, "Oh, good. You seem like nice creatures! I like your language."
Patashu woah. Trippy.
( One of the troopers looks to Vahno, "I do not understand how you are able to survive in this place." )
Amy says, "...For what it's worth: We apologize for trying to sell you confectionery."
( The two sappers divert their attention to now rendering the bomb inactive. )
Niny'ah pulls her phone off the door and tap taps. there we go. Thermal camera mode! She shows it pointed at her, at Vahno, then at the armored kobolds.
( The lead kobold trooper shakes their head to Amy, "You did not; the machine kobolds did, apparently in their naive nature. Such is the way of us, across all realms." )
( A trooper nods to Niny'ah, "You are confusing creatures, beings of flame." )
Niny'ah says, "So no malice or hostile motives, just a straight-cut misunderstanding."
Vahno says, "We're- They're not beings of flame."
Voksa says, "Would you prefer... Some very cold foods?"
Patashu wroos, "Think about it, Vahno. They're reverse entropy compared to us."
Mako says, "... Maybe some nitrogen icecream?"
Niny'ah says, "I wouldn't be surprised if there was CO2-snow over there."
Gwen says, "No idea how that works, but okay."
Amy says, "Might be the wrong kind of atoms."
?SYNTAX ERROR (Type 'commands', 'help', or 'globals' for help.)
( The lead kobold whistles, and all of the troopers begin a careful backwards march towards the portal. )
Somewhere on the muck, Rielle has disconnected.
Niny'ah says, "Thank you for listening to our explanation, and thank you for deferring the destruction of the gate. I hope beneficial interactions to both sides can come from this meeting."
( The kobolds, in the interest of complete clarity, don't quite run entropy in reverse. They are thermavores, created with a goal of being able to reverse entropy; but their creator concluded the process inable to scale up to productive levels. )
Niny'ah *ALMOST* said 'positive interaction' but caught herself at the last moment
Azure says, "Voksa is TOTALLY a creature of flame."
Azure says, "(Well, Quark-Gluon Plasma, which is like SuperDuperFlame.)"
Niny'ah says, "(close enough for conversation, Azure :D )"
Voksa will avoid demonstrating for now.
Amy says, "We are star stuff, most of us, forged in their bright nuclear hearts. Azure and Voksa possible exceptions."
Vahno says, "And, well, I am familiar with fire magic along with being mostly fireproof."
Voksa says, "I might be more directly starstuff."
Niny'ah side-mutters, "Not sure that's helping, Vahno..."
Gwen says, "Whereas I'm just hot. ;)" Gwen elbows Gwen. "Don't make it weird." "It was weird when I got here."
Voksa snickers.
Azure asks the kobolds, "Are your dragons anentropic as well?"
Niny'ah smirk. Snort. Cackle! at Gwens
Voksa says, "Well, thanks for not shooting us, visitors. Sorry for the alarm."
Amy raids the broken cocoa machine for its heart of cocoa goodness.
Voksa . o O ( the COCOA CORE... )
Niny'ah sets about collecting the Stunned DSE kobolds and putting them in More Comfortable Positions to wake up in
( The lead kobold trooper bows to Niny'ah and everyone else in turn, "I appreciate your patience. We will next contact with a diplomatic team.", while one sapper seems to be tapping commands into the smooth ice on the side of the Snowgate. One kobold trooper calls to Azure in reply, "We are of one brood and blood." Once they've all walked backwards to the ice side, the portal abruptly ceases, the inner ring of the Snowgate ceasing to spin, )
Voksa slowly wags. "That went well."
Niny'ah says, "Well that was fruitful, if stressful as [grawlixes]"
Patashu wroos, "That went better than I expected."
Vahno says, "Yep."
( To any who can sense the presence of information, the Snowgate no longer contains the information of 'Most Recently Dialed Location', as if someone just cleared a cache. )
Niny'ah says, "Very glad the translation came through when it did"
Azure chuckles
Voksa says, "Anyone want this icecream?"
Niny'ah looks over at the gate with a 'sensed something but not sure What' expression
Niny'ah says, "PLEASE."
Voksa gives the dewar to Niny'ah!
Amy says, "So, they said this gate was stolen. How did that happen?"
( This Snowgate, if manually spun, will no longer dial to the ice world. )
Niny'ah scoops some into a bowl and lets it warm up to body-safe temps before taking a bite
Azure says, "No idea. We could ask the Capital Cult Kobolds."
Azure says to Niny'ah, "They just made it so we can't go to /them/ as easily."
Azure says, "We don't have their number on redial."
Voksa hmms. They write "ammonia inhalants" on a stickynote and wave it under a stunned kobold's muzzle.
[OOC] Niny'ah says, "serious-talk time: CryoCuisine is *dangerous*. people have Lost Their Stomach to it"
Amy says, "...but they have ours. That is a little less friendly."
[OOC] Voksa says, "Oh yeah. Be careful playing with liquid nitrogen."
( The kobold startles awake, coughing at the 'ammonia inhalant'. )
Voksa says, "We're at CONSIDERABLY less risk of invasion."
Voksa says, "Oh, good morning!"
Niny'ah side-eyes at Voksa. "WHY did that work."
Voksa says, "The situation has been resolved peacefully."
Voksa says, "Typographic attack."
Amy says, "I mean, we seemed quite fine in their dimension." She barely noticed the horrible cold. "Why they have such trouble with ours?"
Vahno cackles! "Oh, that's STILL working!"
( The kobold rolls over, and begins to vomit up clean glass marbles. )
Niny'ah ... .... ...... ... WAT.
Patashu wroos, "The Voksa Special."
Voksa raises one ear and lowers the other. "I thought I was the only one with a marble breath weapon."
[OOC] Gwen has had LN-made ice cream before. It's given a few moments for the nitrogen to boil off before serving. And it's pretty good, the fast-freeze makes it very smooth.
[OOC] Niny'ah says, "I am giggling SO HARD at that"
Amy scratches her head, and picks up one of them to analyze
[OOC] Voksa says, "See: https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/f37b767e98639aefb82acaa324850f5505a61794/0_0_1758_514/master/1758.jpg?width=620&quality=85&dpr=1&s=none"
( Once depleted of their belly of marbles, the kobold confesses, "...but marbles are so delicious!" )
Patashu wroos, "Too true, kobold. Too true."
Voksa says, "Oh. Well, you do you!"
[OOC] Niny'ah says, "oh, yeah, seen that it's hilarious"
[OOC] Patashu says, "Moriar literally based an RP on this picture"
[OOC] Patashu says, "can't remember if you were there for it or not"
Vahno says, "...No more eating marbles."
[OOC] Niny'ah says, "oh it's happened more than once in a PI context"
[OOC] Voksa says, "You may notice that even the unmodified picture of an apple has "ipod" with 0.4% confidence. Can you guess why? :D"
[OOC] Niny'ah says, "Patashu needed to get a Parser-patch to resist it"
[OOC] Niny'ah says, "Apple Reference"
( The kobold sticks out their tongue at Vahno, "You're not my dad." )
Voksa giggles.
( The marbles are plain marbles. So tasty. )
[OOC] Amy says, "..."
Voksa quietly passes the kobold a bag of yttrium-doped marbles. Glows under blacklight! "My signature brew."
[OOC] Niny'ah says, "as long as I've been here, some things can still provoke a Severe Wat reaction"
Voksa says, "I also have... A question. Can you tell us where you got this portal?"
( The kobold glances about, and hands Voksa a packet labeled 'Instant Ball Pit', which should turn into a kiddy-pool of ball pit once the tab is ripped off. )
Patashu :eyes:
Voksa perks ears! Onscreen eyes sparkle. "Ooh. Thanks." They stash the packet for future mischief.
Niny'ah goes around the rest of the stunned DSE 'bolds with the 'ammonia inhalant' postit
( A kobold looks to Voksa, "Yes. Approximately. We pulled it out from a tangled timeline of some temporal cold war, when no one was listening." )
Voksa says, "Woah. I see."
Niny'ah tries not to Groan at 'cold war'
Voksa says, "Well, that sounds impressive. It seems like the critters on the other side were involved in a conflict, and a lot of things from this world are dangerous to them. Please avoid trying to sell them anything."
Patashu wroos, "Interesting!"
Voksa snickers. Oh.
Azure says, "Who runs Dredged Scale Enterprises, anyway?"
( A kobold blinks to Azure, as if the question doesn't make sense. )
Niny'ah says, "Is it a Co-Op group?"
Amy says, "...jeez."
Amy says, "...so they thought we were -- like -- commie troopers. or something. and then we marched in with this heat bomb."
Azure says, "...a lot of us ARE commie troopers ;)"
Azure says, "Well, not troopers."
Azure says, "But possibly commie, depending on your definition."
Amy says, "are we militant enough? we might be anarchists, but again, not all that militant"
( The kobolds, rising from their stunned state, go about their business tidying up the barn. )
Voksa will put an "OUT OF ORDER" sticky note on the portal for now, too.
Gwen says, "I'm not an anarchist, too much pressure. I wanna be able to blame who's in charge."
[OOC] Moriar volunteers some degree of clarification, "In case it's not clear, the kobolds (and dragons) from the other side consume heat and live on it. They can't handle the range of temperature regarded as confortable on this side, however.
[OOC] Voksa says, "That's very cool."
[OOC] Amy swat
[OOC] Moriar's ears perk, "Oh! I forgot. Anyone mind if I share a log of this one hte Discord? Ping's requested a copy."
[OOC] Voksa says, "Pun not intended. You have creative ideas!"
[OOC] Voksa says, "That's fine with me!"
[OOC] Patashu says, "No problem"
[OOC] Niny'ah says, "good with me"
[OOC] Amy says, "good with me"
[OOC] Azure says, "I don't object, though the wiki might be good, too."
[OOC] Mako says, "No complaints here. And yeah, the wiki's a good idea too"
[OOC] Patashu says, "also, wait, I think I just figured it out - they need to have negative information content expletives regularly in their sentences BECAUSE it has 'AC entropy'. that's so weird and cool"
[OOC] Voksa says, "OH like, "bits of entropy" in information..."
[OOC] Moriar nods, "If anyone minds, please let me know. I'm not sure that I know how to put it on the wiki, at this hour."
[OOC] Patashu says, "Yes, Voksa"
[OOC] Patashu says, "Some parts of it have to be so offensive that they suck out information content so the important parts can be more important, by this logic, lmao"
[OOC] Voksa says, "pfff"
[OOC] Patashu says, "like umming and uhhing but Aggressive"
[OOC] Amy says, "if you put up the log on the discord I can put it up on the wiki." (foreshadowing)