Metal Fish Out of Water [Closed]

Freeman frowns - but that's hidden by his hood. He prints out another message on a this time pre-made slab of sandstone, and hands it to Ruby Eyes:

Code:
No metaphor. 

Also, once Burning Lion has properly introduced us
to the silver dog-man we will not need to hide our true nature.

The effort and energy required to conceal our power is not is
well spent in the long term. To do so is inefficient and wasteful.

Also, does the local industry not use metals? I am not seeing
many craftsmens using or working metals.
 
Ava smiled under her hood. She lets the others discuss, right now she's soaking in the community. The rhythm, the pulse of this hive of mortals. She wanted to feel how they live and act and think. She watches the movement of the crowds... the gestures of the individuals, every word and inflections... It felt like a deep drink of water after being the furnace district.
 
Having revealed her quite beautiful face a lot of people in the western gate square turn and look, at least briefly. A brief flutter of gossipy murmers spreads, but little else appears to happen from it as people get back work, though a few cargo haulers to make a few lewd and suggestive jeers in Ava's direction: "Hey pretty, wanna come polish my spear?"
 
...and, its been almost four days since anyone said or did anything.


You have reached the city of Ozmea, the heart of the Silver Coyote's kingdom. Most of the buildings are mud-brick or sandstone, many shops have colorful tapestries hanging off their storefronts (sandy winds would wear off paint too quickly) - and people seem to be going about their business.


Seriously, what do you do?


To give a few suggestions:


1) Go to the castle - its at the edge of northern edge of the city, with its walls built into the city walls. Its sandstone towers can be seem from all over the city, so its not really that difficult to find


2) Go to the markets - lets assume that you can buy most of the things you'd expect to find in a african iron-age city. Herbs, spices, food, tools, materials, jewelry... maybe even magical materials if you know who to ask? (ofc, the concept of a marketplace or a bazaar is uterly alien to Autochtonia, unless some of them started dabling in money, but why would any Autochtonian nation do that? For the Great Maker provides for all?)


3) Hit the nearest watering hole, get out of the sun. Its noon, its hot, why not?


4) [insert your own idea here]
 
  • Gleaming Marionette of Relentless Progress kept her head down and profile minimal, to keep with her designated cover as a simple automaton, should someone get a look under her hood. Keeping her voice low, so that only her companions could hear her words, the Starmetal prompted, "We should seek out Lion's contacts."
 
  • Indeed, both Ava and her Brother were built for the express purpose of enhancing the Glot Market's usefulness.
 
((I know - I just wanted to point out that money-use wasn't normal in Autochtonia))


But ok - Where would the Lion's contacts be... assuming that he has any?
 
  • When webkilla was running Burning Lion, Lion said "I know a few people in the palace - I can arrange an audience. If you come as visitors from a strange and powerful place, then he won't steal you away... but until I can arrange that I can't quarantee your safety"... So, those contacts in the palace?
 
  • Ignoring the comments directed at Ava, Lion adresses his companions:


    "Now that we're in the city, and if you are still intent in meeting Silver Coyote, we are going to need to arrange an audience with him.


    Our best chances are either looking for the patronage the Gundai, of whom I once trained to a part of before being Chosen, or we could try to attract Coyote's attention to us directly, which would be easy if you were to show your true appearances to the palace guards."
 



  • After the first couple of Lew comments have been hurled in the direction of Ava Ruby shifts his position from his supplicant role to stand behind Ava. One step Behind her, one step to her left. And makes it a point to walk straight and keep a watchful eye on the surroundings. Suddenly, at least for appearances sake, the spineless supplicant goes to a competent bodyguard for the young lady. “Well I’ll never be as good at this whole brute force intimidation as someone bigger, but if one of those people wants to make a play for her… That could become “interesting” to say the least… He hoped this would at least stop the people most likely to get “improper ideas”...


    “Well, sir, I for one think that anything that risks eeehm “undue attention” should be plan B or maybe even C… I’d rather we go and attempt to talk to this Gundai person you mention first. If that doesn’t work we can always concoct some plausible cover story if we go for a plan B.” Ruby said to Lion keeping in character of his subservient role.


 
Ava considers a moment. "Right now we are an unknown element. The dogman and his support have no idea we're coming, what we are, where we've been, or what we want. In essence, if we move fast enough into his presence, then we'll have the element of surprise. During such a surprise negotiation, he will have a much harder time hiding his reactions and motives then in a negotiation he has had time to prepare for."
 
Freeman nods from under his hood, all the while keeping a tight gaze on the shops around him... so many wares and materials unknown to him...
 
  • Marionette nodded slightly, agreeing with her fellow Champion's observation. "The first to act is the first with impact, we would do well to move before our nature is known by ." Her quartz orbs scanned the crowd again, computations and plans running through her sacred circuitry. "We do not have experience with the local behavioral patterns, however. If these 'Gun-dai' could become our allies, within the power structure, we would be well-served. Only Burning Lion can make a judgement on the likeliness of that probability. Can we gain one advantage without losing the other?"
 
"It would be unreasonable to hope to keep our "surprise advantage" if we contact the Gundai. If an impactful first impression is what you're looking for, than we might as well go to the palace right now."


Folding his arms under the cloak, Burning Lion eyes the others. "Whatever you decide to do, I'll remind you once more that I'm aiding you in acquiring this meeting because you have done a service to my village. But no matter what, I will see Silver Coyote thrown off his throne, one way or the other. Just wanted to make that clear."
 
Ava tempered herself... destabilizing the local government with a coup wasn't something she would condone unless necessary. Of course given his emotional state, there wasn't chance or time to calmly explain that to Burning Lion. "You have made your position clear, Burning Lion. Whether you shall have our aid on that venture, how ever, does depend on the character of this man we have yet to meet." She didn't mention that she and the assembly would likely be opposing the governmental destabilization is Silver Coyote was actually a good leader and Lion insisted on going forward with his plan.
 
"Well, I'll go along with whatever you guys deem best... Still dont like the exposure this brings but i can deal with it..."


OOC: Now to find out if Past me is on some kind of "watch list"... Personally i doubt it but ...
 
Freeman nods to Ava, handing her a somewhat thin slate of sandstone with old realm writings - it seems that he's trying to be more economic with his stone-use since the dirt covered street doesn't allow for on-the-move sand-to-stone compression:

Code:
Agreed. While we must respect the hospitality of our host,
we must be careful not to form biased oppinions and
making plans based on that.

Inform Ruby Eyes that he should be free to no join us
during our attempts to establish an audience with the dogman
 
She smiles at Freeman. She was going to do that already, but it was good that this orichalcum caste was engaged in the assemble's actions and wanting to contribute... She feels she rather lucked out on the personalities of her fellow cast-aways from the god-body or Autochthon... Neither were excessively xenophobia, aloof, or fans of their own proletariat uplifting info-fliers.


"Ruby, if you feel this meeting and it's exposure would be undo and dangerous for you, we could have you as a contingent member waiting off stage. Covering our escape should it be necessary is not a unuseful tactical position."
 
Freeman nods, handing Ruby a thin sandstone tablet, etched with firetongue writings:

Code:
While doing so, please gather information on local resource stores.
Particularly any of the following:
1) Any magical materials
2) Metals - Note what alloys
3) Other local material stores you might deem relevant

Additionally, keep an eye out for signs of religious observance
If possible, do a brief ethnographic probe with focus on local dogma

((The alchies and human PCs haven't really talked religion much outside of "the god of that shiny thing in the sky has given us powers" - it stands to reason that the alchies at this point think its normal that people worship the sun, since it gifts people with miraculous powers in return))[/code]
 
  • Ava's of the conclusion that the sun god is making some sort of local power play, what with having two champions in close proximity. Especially since deity's have to pay up the nose for champions (assuming this is just a large use of standard spirit investiture charms.)
 

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