Prepare for the #LodanRespawn2024 Existing characters may choose to be displace from/have memories of different timelines, thereby allowing returning members the option to retcon their whole character. These changes are the result of the "Unnatural Fog" plot device that is running between now and the Respawn. The plot is simple: no matter where your character is, that place is shrouded in a thick fog that suspends time, but not thoughts or memories, so even if they're repeating the same day over and over again, they continue to remember, so each time feels like a new day. For those retconning OCs; this is where new versions of themselves have the opportunity to replace the old versions. Official lore and tree updates will be announced asap
OPEN TO MINGOS MERCHANICS "Sonofa-" swore Amon. He was in the back room of his personal shop. Well, a nondescript building in the Merchant's District that would eventually be his shop. He had planned on making and clockwork toys, just like his dad. Presently though, he was pouring all of his attention into a new project. Though he's having a lot more trouble than he'd like...
"Okay, so this connects here...and if we just turn this...and attach here...and..."
BOOM! A small blast had gone off, wrecking a good part of what Amon was working on.
"I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible! And when I leave, you will finally understand why storms are named after people!" - Taryn, Nerf This
"Well... that was telling," Mulven mused out-loud from the sidewalk he was strolling along. As per usual he was most at home in the Merchants district and as it so happened he was walking along one of its avenues when across the street a loud noise and some smoke erupted from the shop windows. He crossed the road and peeked at the name on the wall mounted mailbox plate closest to the door. "Amon." It read. "Hmm I wonder if Amon could use a little help," the mechanic spoke, rolling up his sleeves and pushing on the door to let himself in.
"Hullo??" he called into the place. The remainder of the smoke escaped through the now open door and was starting to clear up his vision into the shop space.
*Cough* *Cough* "Well...that didn't go as planned..." muttered Amon, the smoke stinging his one eye. "And there goes the chassis..." he said, surveying the damage. Just as he was about to sort out the salvageable parts, he heard a voice coming from the front of the shop.
"Oh now what?" he thought. He walked towards the front and was about to politely tell the intruder to buzz off when he noticed there was something familiar with the fellow dressed in black.
"...Don't I...know you from somewhere...?"
"I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible! And when I leave, you will finally understand why storms are named after people!" - Taryn, Nerf This
Post by Mulven Renehan on Mar 9, 2014 16:08:39 GMT
"In this part of town? You should," Mulven grinned. "Fastest Mechanic in Mingo's - not that I've been put to task by everyone yet, but i have a flawless record so far..."
He waved his hand in front of his face, trying to clear some of the air. Then he thrust his hand out for a proper shake. "Mulven Renehan at your service."
"Oh...this guy..." thought Amon. He knew of Mulven; kinda hard to miss his constant contests and the looks of frustration on his opponents' faces after each win.
"Amon," he replied, keeping an impassive and shaking Mulven's hand with his mechanical one. "What brings you to my little shop?"
"I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible! And when I leave, you will finally understand why storms are named after people!" - Taryn, Nerf This
Post by Mulven Renehan on Mar 10, 2014 2:05:32 GMT
"Curiosity," he answered the man. He appraised the mechanical hand with a firm shake and smiled at the craftsmanship of the device. "I heard something combust, saw smoke and next thing ya know here I am!" He raised his arms to either side and grinned. "Is there anything I can help you with? I make a handy chief assistant." He rubbed his palms together, eyeing the grease and soot covering Amon. He himself was dressed in all dark wear for that very reason, and kept a clean cloth carefully tucked away in his back pocket for whipping his hands after doing dirty work. In a way, he was at odds with himself, loving to tinker and eager to build, but deadset against being caught with any muck on himself in the process.
"Great...just what I need," thought Amon sarcastically. He wasn't found of people like Mulven (or people in general), but on the other hand, there was no denying Mulven's skills. Amon could either waste more time and resources by himself, or he could have some help from this guy.
He chose the lesser of the two evils.
"I guess there is one thing I could use some help on, but we'll see if you can lend a hand. Speed isn't everything for this project," Amon replied, rubbing the back of his head with his left arm. "Follow me," he said, as he turned and made his way to the back.
By this point, a majority of the smoke had cleared, but there was still enough to give an ominous effect on the room. The room itself was rather spacious, but it felt cramped due to the amount of stuff in the room. Shelves upon shelves of dolls and clockwork toys occupied most of the walls. What wasn't occupied by shelving was occupied by numerous schematics; some were of various clockwork mechanisms, but a majority seemed to be about human anatomy. Add to the fact that various human-like limbs and bodies were piled here and there, and you'd have a rather disturbing setting. At the center of the room was a large table, upon which laid the source of the smoke: a human-like body with its chest charred and burned out. Amon calmly walked to the table and started to sort out the charred parts from the untouched parts, letting Mulven absorb the scene.
"So tell me, what do you know about robotics?"
"I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible! And when I leave, you will finally understand why storms are named after people!" - Taryn, Nerf This
Post by Mulven Renehan on Mar 11, 2014 2:29:35 GMT
"Oh, um, little to uh, nothing actually," Mulven chuckled and rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. "But I'm a fast learner, just tell me what to hand you or ask me to find the tools ya need till I start catching on... I've got all afternoon." He tried to smile but he was less confident now than he was before. Mulven was a builder, he built things, places, bridges, boundaries.... he was into construction but not so much into --
then he saw the clockwork dolly on the table
"Whoa there," He looked it over hungrily, his eyes devouring the broken beast of a machine. "Haven't seen one of these since before the war!"
Amon's head snapped up. He had expected something arrogant from Mulven. At the very least, he had hoped to humble the guy. What Amon didn't expect was Mulven to actually have some knowledge of clockwork dolls.
"Really?" asked Amon, skeptical, but excited. "I've been trying to recreate a clockwork doll for quite some time now, but with little success," he said, gesturing to the various parts scattered across the room. "How much do you know about them?"
"I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible! And when I leave, you will finally understand why storms are named after people!" - Taryn, Nerf This
Post by Mulven Renehan on Mar 12, 2014 1:08:46 GMT
He planted his hands on his hips and gazed at the assortment of pieces Amon had on his table. "Not a lot... just speculation from watching the rich parade around their expensive toys back before the city broke out in fights. Uh... I have some theories that might be useful in putting this back together but you're right about one thing.... it wont be quick. It also wont be easy."
"Hey, any information is more than enough at this point," Amon replied, spreading his arms wide. "I've been mostly basing the designs off of my arm. That, and I've been trying to convert clockwork configurations to human anatomy, but with limited success."
"I've sent my old man a letter for more information. I remember that these dolls had some sort of core, so I've presumed that it was some power supply, hence my current debacle," he said, gesturing to the charred chest.
"I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible! And when I leave, you will finally understand why storms are named after people!" - Taryn, Nerf This
Post by Mulven Renehan on Mar 12, 2014 5:35:47 GMT
"Hm..." Mulven cupped his chin in his hand and drummed three of his fingers across his bottom lip. He contemplated Amon's theory and could see how much sense it would make, if a power-source could be compact enough to fit into the chest cavity. "Maybe if it was a steam wheel?" He wondered out loud, imagining a steam powered wheel, much like a watermill but with steam airrating up and spinning the device to power the doll.
"Of course, that would require a boiler in the pit of the belly," he continued, suddenly leaning over the remnant shell of the clockwork doll. "Does it look like it has any such mechanisms?" He asked the man who'd already spent countless hours digging through the parts.
"That's the problem," replied Amon. "If the clockwork dolls were larger, and made for moving large and heavy cargo, then I could see them having something like a steam wheel." He scratched his head. "But now that you mention it, something of this size may be able to run sufficiently with nothing but a winding mechanism..."
"It may be due to my own lack of knowledge in advanced robotics, but I can't help but think that something is missing..."
"I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible! And when I leave, you will finally understand why storms are named after people!" - Taryn, Nerf This
Post by Mulven Renehan on Mar 16, 2014 0:04:53 GMT
Mulven circled the table as Amon gave his thoughts out loud. He nodded. "I think you might be right, at least some of the smaller robotics seem to be wind up capable, so perhaps it would work for a more advanced beast like this... I really should invest some coin when that skills merchant comes through this week.... I always get kind of weary when he comes into town. Its odd having a man with that much knowledge setting up shop in our district without him being one of us is all."
He shut up after that, not wanting to voice his insecurities out loud. It had to be a common feeling though, among men of the trade. An outsider rolling through town every couple of months, offering to train people from his precious how-to books. It was a wonder the man never got robbed on his route. One day that old coot would retire and then where would they all be? He had to have a fortune from what he did. Still, learning a thing or two on his next visit might help he and Amon with their little mystery.
"He has his reasons," replied Amon. He has yet to visit the skills merchant, but from what he's heard, Amon could understand why the man wouldn't stick around; being a fount of knowledge, it could get hectic for the man, especially since people would want to visit him every day.
"I'll need to save up a little more before visiting that guy though. In the meantime, maybe we could scout around the older parts of town for spare parts," suggested Amon. Though he didn't like to go out much, he was getting tired of being in the shop for so long, and taking a walk could be good for the mind. What did his old man use to say? "Turning the gears of the body helps to turn the gears of the mind." Besides, as much as he disliked to admit it, he was beginning to warm up to Mulven.
"Who knows, maybe we could find the parts of an older clockwork doll."
"I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible! And when I leave, you will finally understand why storms are named after people!" - Taryn, Nerf This
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