Silver Insanity

Precious, Valuable Madness
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:34 am 
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Prismatic Pangolin

Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:50 pm
Posts: 2283
This cylindrical extrusion on the side of the airship Aerixoc* once housed a massive propulsion turbine**. Now it houses a bar, conveniently located with an excellent view of the deck of the Nonsuch. The bartender is a thin woman with large metal wings neatly folded against her back - probably a minor spark herself. Behind the bar is a vast display, listing every project that's been entered into the exhibition, along with a tiny space for notes on current status.

To the rear of the bar, set into what would once have been the thrust nozzle of the turbine, is a vast dart board, covered in complicated diagrams, and studded with occasionally active machine parts - as if someone had decided to mix darts with pinball.

The patrons are typically a mix of local technicians and engineers (and the occasional spark) with visiting sparks (and technicians, and engineers) who found the Aerixoc just too fascinating a construction to ignore.

_____
* The Aerixoc, also called the air-sock, is one of the four city-ships parked adjacent to the Nonsuch. It is also the oldest of the four, and has probably been - one piece at a time as things eventually wore out - completely rebuilt several times over during its lifespan. Still runs fine, of course - but rather resembles a giant floating frankenstein monster.
** Of course, there's no particular reason to believe that the original turbine was mounted in this exact location - or was even ever a part of the eclectic construction of the air-sock. Still, the walls of the place seem to have been patched together enough different times that it could have been. Though at least some of that is decorative; for example, it's a safe bet that the windows weren't installed until after the conversion to a bar.


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:49 am 
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Prismatic Pangolin

Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:50 pm
Posts: 2283
The display board is currently mostly empty of notes - only a few projects have been set up, yet, and there hasn't been time for any of the really interesting sabotage to start happening. Still, several sparks are discussing the relative merits of various projects (Of course, no project is more meritorious than their own), or are looking out the windows (often with spyglass in hand) at the few projects that are already being set up.

A loud bzap comes from the dart board at the rear of the bar, as lightning leaps between the metal bodies of the darts. "Triple dart arc! That's eighty points! And I got the steam gate online!"
There is a small smattering of appreciative applause from those watching the dart game in progress.


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 5:18 pm 
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Lunatic

Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:46 pm
Posts: 515
Location: In front of my computer
A curious individual steps up to the throwing line, amber eyes gazing intently at the board. A faint, muffled groan comes from one of the previous participants, and a wicked gleam dances in one yellow eagle-eye. A dart buries its tip into the board, accompanied by the shrill whistling noise of escaping steam (one older spark who had dozed off at a table in the corner wakes up and ducks under his table with a muffled yelp before climbing gingerly back out and muttering something about pressure valves and magnetic boilers). The previous thrower blinks in surprise, "You overloaded the steam gate?" I didn't..." The rest of his response is cut off as a second dart thunks into the board with the crackle of lightning, followed shortly by a sonorous hum. Murmured whispers among some of the regulars dart back and forth, "...the gravity engine?" "I didn't realize it still worked..." "...that even possible...?"

The susurrus cuts off in a mixed fit of smug grins and astonished chuckles as the third dart wobbles awkwardly in and barely embeds its tip in the board. The previous contestant puffs his chest up with a gloating grin as the dart falls from the board, "Hah! That's..." The hum deepens as spikes of purple energy skitter across the dartboard. The falling dart shivers and stops falling inches short of the floor before arcing up, around, and flinging itself straight at the still-open steam gate to plant itself squarely in the bull's eye within. Dead silence, filled only by the board's indifferent humming... A strangled voice from the eighty-points thrower breaks it, "You overloaded the gravity engine?"


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:51 pm 
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Prismatic Pangolin

Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:50 pm
Posts: 2283
The hum continues to intensify, purple energy arcing and spattering across the mechanisms of the dart board. A mechanical arm activates and swings wildly for a few moments before locking into place with a crackle of burnt circuitry. The next dart thrower cautiously sidles up, looks dubiously at the board, and then dives for cover behind a table as the spikes of energy lash out into the bar proper.

This draws the attention of several of the "scientists" who'd been mostly focused on the exhibition area outside.

"Ah-hah! A chance to test my power-eating leech bomb!" There's a flash and a bang as the leech bomb goes off. Indeed, it does seem to attract the energies of the gravity engine - but instead of absorbing and nullifying them, it merely provides a focus, and the device is soon floating in midair before the dart board, surrounded by a coruscating shell of purple energy.

"Never fear! Holy water solves all problems!" A splash, and a gurgle, and the distinctive fizz of circuitry that was never meant to be exposed to conductive liquids. The region around the leech bomb seems to darken and shrink, purple energy now folding entirely inwards towards towards some infinitely distant point. "See? All better now." The dart board chooses to emphasize this comment with a loud snap as the gravity engine breaks loose from the board and, trailing a crackling arc of electricity, falls sideways into the remains of the leech bomb. Wind howls towards the purple orb, and bits of dart board and loose glasses and utensils spiral into the abyss.

"Marcy! Shut it off already, will you?" calls one of the dart players, as the next madboy in line readies a device that looks like a cross between a blender and a typewriter. "I can't make my throws with that thing in the way!"

The bartender shrugs. "Oh, come now. You have to admit this is more interesting than your normal games."

"It ate my drink!"

Marcy sighs, and flips a switch under the counter. The dart board shuts off. A few seconds later, deprived of its power source, the remaining bits of purple energy quietly detonate. When the smoke clears, Kaelyn is standing there. Of the gravity engine, there is no sign.

Kaelyn: Having stepped through an ancient and only barely operational portal mere moments ago, and after facing an interdimensional transit buffeted by apparently random bits of machinery and silverware, you find yourself standing in what appears to have been the center of a small explosion. A number of people are looking at you curiously from around overturned tables, and somebody is pointing a device at you that looks like a cross between a blender and a typewriter.


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:03 pm 
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Lunatic

Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 3:28 pm
Posts: 265
Kaelyn scrunches up her nose and pouts a bit with an awkward look of concentration on her face. After a moments pause she curtsies, her cheeks slightly red with embarrassment, and says apologetically. "I'm sorry, I'm really not sure how I'm supposed to address so many people. I'm Kaelyn. How do you do?"


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 6:27 pm 
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Prismatic Pangolin

Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:50 pm
Posts: 2283
"Bah," mutters the guy with the typewriter-blender hybrid device. "And that looked like such a perfect chance to test my selectric deblobulator."

"How sad," comments the spark in line behind him with a sarcastic tone. "No, the real tragedy here is that I didn't get a chance to use my infomatic crystallization engine; your clumsy device would only have made matters worse."

Soon enough, the entire ensemble of mad inventors has drifted back over to the windows, arguing the whole way over whose invention would have most efficiently dealt with the energies from the overloaded gravity engine.

The (comparatively) regular patrons of the establishment, having concluded that Kaelyn is not an immediate threat, set about righting their tables, ordering new rounds of drinks, and generally resuming their normal business.

Except the dart players, who still have to deal with a young girl standing in the way.
"Excuse me, Kaelyn. Would you mind moving a few steps to the side? We still have a game of darts to finish, here..."


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 6:38 pm 
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Lunatic

Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 3:28 pm
Posts: 265
"Um, sure..." Scoots out of the way. Tilts head curiously. "Is here alright?"


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:28 am 
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Prismatic Pangolin

Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:50 pm
Posts: 2283
"Yes, thanks."

The man steps up to the mark on the floor, and takes his throw. The dart makes a solid *thunk* as it hits the board, followed by a definite lack of sparks, moving parts, or other absurdity.

"Huh." He turns towards the bar. "Marcy, did you turn the board back on?"

"Yeah."

"...Seven points, then, I guess," and he moves off to one side, muttering.


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 8:28 pm 
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Needs a Guide

Joined: Wed May 21, 2008 7:43 pm
Posts: 47
Francis walks into the bar (sans carpet). After surveying the area, and whatever debris hasn't been cleaned up yet, he walks over to Kaelyn. After taking a seat at the closest table, he adds "Hello, I am Francis of Samskra, and who might you be?"


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 8:52 pm 
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Lunatic

Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 3:28 pm
Posts: 265
Smiles at him and tilts her head curiously: "I'm Kaelyn, it's a pleasure to meet you, mister." Takes her overly large backpack off her shoulders and sets it down causing the backpack to make an overly large metallic CLANG when she does. "Mind if I sit here?"


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