Day 156 and 157, maybe even day 158 | The Mancer Observatory Part Deux

[freedom_engineer]

Who: Colin Starfury, and everyone else who wants to come.
Open: Open to all, but be warned, it's at least two in-game days of event.
When: Starts on day 156
Where: The Mancer Observatory
What: Time for round two! The observatory needs to get plundered, and a giant plant needs to be dealt with.
Format: Action by default, but prose won't be turned down.
Warnings: Don't get sloppy, this is a dangerous expedition. The wrong move can result in injury, maimery, or even death.

[The last time they'd come out here, they'd had to turn back before they'd gotten everything they wanted. This time was going to be different. This time, they had experience with what they were looking at. This time, their objectives weren't uncertain, they were quite well-defined. And this time... they had less of an exploratory force, and more of a solid strike team.

This time, Colin wasn't going to settle for the group coming back with their tail between their legs.

They had muscle, they had brains, they had information, and they had the tools they would need. So of course, Colin was just waiting for Murphy to rear his ugly head and cause trouble. He hadn't smacked Murphy around recently, and it was high time that the universe be reminded what a Starfury with allies was made of.]


THREAD LINKS

Day 156 - Getting started.
Day 156 - Settling into the hangar.
Day 157 - Plant Hunters
Day 157 - Salvage hunters
Day 157 - After the plant fight.

Comments

Getting Started for the second time!

[freedom_engineer]

[They set out for the observatory after breakfast. It was a slightly more complicated departure this time, as there were more of them to wrangle, but everyone knew where they were going, so it wasn't going to be terribly difficult in the end.]

[Once they're all out on the Skyway, Colin jogs to the head of the group and turns around to address everyone.]

Okay everyone! Here's a quick briefing.

When we get to the observatory, we're going straight to the hangar. That is going to be base camp, and it will be a good fall back point that we can defend with moderate ease.

There is likely to be a presence of creatures there! Peckers, Gasfella, Squirts, you name it. This time, though? I don't want us picking any fights. Those guys saved our asses last time with a warning that something big and nasty was in the records building, so let's try to be nice.

If we're attacked, by all means, let's defend ourselves. But I don't want to see anyone picking a fight! I'm going to try and give the squirts and Gasfella a gift in thanks for their help last time.

Once we've got our base set up, we'll split up into our teams. If we're tired, there's a residence building very close by that we can use for sleeping quarters, once we've swept it to ensure safety.

My ONLY major request is... please, do NOT touch any buttons, switches, or anything else without having Nathan or myself check it first. We almost got in big trouble last time because we inadvertantly triggered a fire extinguisher system, and there are still lots of booby traps.

If you assume that everything can kill you, and you take steps to protect yourself, we'll all be a LOT safer!

[thirdoutofthree]

[ Once she heard that there was going to be a second assault on the observatory, Viola quietly set about preparing herself for it. Checking her gear, sharpening her arrows, getting in some last-minute target practice. Those vines on that plant monster moved fast-- fast enough that Viola wasn't confident she could hit them every single time. ]

I still don't get why they did that. [ She said after Colin finished speaking. ] Warned us, I mean. [ She hadn't received any such warning herself, but heard about it afterwards. It still struck her as odd. ]

Why would a bunch of monsters care if we live or die?

[windgod]

Alright, that sounds like a plan to me.

[Ippo said as he finished adjusting his new gauntlets to his hands. He hadn't had any time to really give these things a proper test drive...so now seemed as good a chance as any. Once he was finished, he nodded and resisted the urge to tap them together; not wanting to accidentally trigger the built in lasers and hurt himself before he'd even got the observatory. He'd heard the stories from their last trip...seen the state people had come back in; this time he was going himself to make sure to the best of his ability that things like that didn't happen again.]

So long as we stick together and have each other's backs, things should go alright...right?

At the observatory, in the hangar.

[freedom_engineer]

[A little over half a day's walk, and they've reached the Mancer's observatory. They left the place in worse shape than they found it, last time. The doors are open, and one of the back walls has doors blown off their hinges. Something bad happened here less than a month ago.

The hangar itself is huge. Wider than a football field, taller than the Tower Apartments, and so long that it would easily take more than five minutes to cross from one side to the other if someone was walking at a leisurely pace. This place is huge, and definitely meant for storing huge things.

From the looks of it, the contents of the hangar have seen better days. There are several ships, whether flying machines or floating barges, in disrepair all around the hangar. There are a couple of bizarre tools lying around, along with plenty of barrels and crates. The place has seen a fair amount of foot traffic in the past month from various creatures, though the presence of Paarthurnax seems to have scared off anything that might have been here recently.

Sweeping the hangar to make sure they're not going to get ambushed won't take long, and when that's done, it's time to settle in and eat up after the long hike.]

All right, everyone!

Welcome to the Mancer's hangar. We had a little bit of trouble here last time, so again... DON'T touch any buttons! We've all had a long walk, so lets break out the food and enjoy a quick bite to eat before we get to work.

I'm going to get to work once I've had a quick snack, so... I'm not going to be much use for directing things at that point. There's a couple of buildings nearby, and lots of stuff to see. Just remember, this is still hostile territory, so do NOT wander off alone! Group up in pairs or threes if you want to explore, and lets all get our bearings here.

I highly recommend that we hold off on plant hunting until tomorrow, though. After that hike, we're gonna need some rest to get back up to full strength, and believe me, you're all gonna need that strength to take on Audrey 2.

Now let's break out that food, shall we?

(OOC: Okay! This is an opportunity for socialization before we get into high gear for this event! Grab a corner of the hangar and go nuts with whomever you want! And if you've still got stuff you want to hit in the "Getting Started" thread, don't feel like you've got to skip it or get left behind.)

[amphibian]

[Did someone say FOOD]

Oooh, I brought donuts! [Of course she did.

Aoi has a bunch of glazed donuts in, of all things, a basket. The frosted ones are laid out in a few boxes so that the frosting doesn't stick. Yes, she definitely spent ages picking the perfect donuts to harvest; these donut trees are the best thing that ever happened to her.

She sets them all down with the supplies, and grabs a treat for herself. Then another. ...And a third, but just a small one!

Other people should probably get some donuts before she eats them all.]

[wayofvoice]

[On their journey, Paarthurnax mostly kept to the skies. His festival-given saddle has proven useful in carrying items, apparently not affecting his flight very much. Upon arriving at the Observatory, however, he's since landed and listens to Colin's explanation patiently.]

[He's since eaten before they ever started their trek, indulging in devouring one of the mammoths. Like many large predators, a large meal like that should keep him content for months. So he simply seems to wander out through the large hangar doors...]

[There's the sound of him taking to the air, and then- oh. Uh. That sure does sound like something heavy carefully landing on top of the hangar. The building seems to settle a little bit at the weight, but hold well.]

[That's Caelondian building for ya.]

[At least his obvious presence perched on top of the hangar will certainly discourage any beasts from coming near.]

[stoleyourshit]

[Toshiko starts poking around, picking up some of the tools and then putting them back. Some of them look like they might be useful, but she has no real idea what they'd be useful for. At least it doesn't look like they're in any immediate danger. She follows Colin back as he rounds up the troops, and when he finishes, she laughs.]

Did you just make a Little Shop of Horrors joke?

Re: At the observatory, in the hangar.

[bastionpc]

[SO.

Is there anyone who is particularly skilled at noticing things who would be looking closely enough at different parts of the hangar to notice something?

Because there is something to be noticed, if people are looking.]

Closed to Alucard and Viola

[fuckthemancers]

[Hey, Alucard, Viola, are you two remotely near each other? If not, then Zulf is going to wave you both over. He kind of needs to talk to you two about something.]

[blackblooded]

[Crona does not understand this, not really. What's the point in resting? Crona fights better (or at least fights harder, fights more) when half-crazed from exhaustion. This feels weak, this stopping and waiting and resting. They're wasting time, just for the people who can't keep up.

So for now, Crona is going to wander and explore.]

[earthandpine]

[If anyone was curious what Rosethorn had in her pack, now is their chance to find out. If people are splitting up, she wants her store of medicines split up as well.

Rosethorn has out a lot of small jars and packets. She's transferring the contents between them and also writing out in neat script what they are and what they treat. There's no sense leaving medicines with people who don't know how to use them properly. That does more harm than good.

Suddenly, a concern occurs to her. With all the confusion about languages here...]

Will someone come here a moment? I need to know if you can read this.

[rebellionsheart]

Jazz remembers this hangar. It was the sight of one of their more unfortunate happenings the last time they were all here. Not that this time would go the same way. Or so Jazz hoped. The major threat wasn't in this part of the observatory anyway. The true beast laid deeper inside. That didn't mean things couldn't have changed while they were away. He walks the parameter of the hangar with his sword over one shoulder. It's best to keep an eye out for any other dangers that might have moved in while they were gone.

[followsthevoice]

[If you were looking for Raile, he had set himself up in a quiet corner of the observatory, quickly having gotten to work starting a small fire he'd managed to scrap together from a few broken wooden objects lying scattered around; maybe they'd been desks or something, there was no way to know at this point and all he cared about was that it burned. On top of the fire he'd set up a pot in which one might soon smell cooking food from; it wasn't anything fancy and certainly nothing like Zia could make, just a simple beef stew with some carrots and celery, but there was more than enough for everyone, so if you're hungry or just want to talk, feel free to come grab a bowl. He brought plenty in his pack.]

[fuckthemancers]

Prepared as always.

[That's Zulf coming up nearby after his talk with Colin, although judging by the worried crease of his eyebrows and his quiet tone, he isn't here just to chat.]

Spare a moment?

Day 157 - Plant Group

[freedom_engineer]

[After a night's sleep, everyone should be rested up and ready to do their best against whatever may come. The prior day had been mostly uneventful, which Colin is grateful for. Today is going to make up for that in spades.]

[He's got a little something special for the plant hunters, and the headset he's wearing this morning should give some indication of what he's prepped for them. He raises his voice, and the headset he's wearing seems to amplify it even more. When he speaks, he can be heard clearly throughout the hangar.]

All right, everyone! If you've come on this expedition to go looking for the giant plant, can you come here please? I want everyone to get together, I have a couple of things for you before you set out!

[A large, full backpack is open on the ground next to him.]

[earthandpine]

[Rosethorn heads over as soon as Colin calls them.

She has a much smaller pack of her own, in addition to the case of medicines and belt pouch of thorn seeds that she's keeping with her.]

I have something for you too. If we're splitting up, I want half of my supplies to stay. All the medicines are labeled, and Polka checked to make sure my writing was readable even for people who don't speak Imperial.

[Burn salve, disinfectants and healing accelerants for cuts, willowbark, painkilling salve, mixtures for sleeping draughts as well as keep awake tea and smoke inhalation treatment, plus a few other other plant-based treatments, all of which are magically enhanced for greater effectiveness. Then there are a couple mundane things like bandages, needles, and thread.]

Day 157 - Salvage group

[freedom_engineer]

[Now that the plant group is equipped and setting out, Colin's got some more people to call to attention! Once again, his voice is booming all throughout the hangar, though he doesn't think he needs it quite so much this time.]

Everyone who's left, could you come here please? I've got a couple of things to hand out here, too, as well as some direction and warnings to give you all!

[The backpack is a lot less full now, but there's still a few toys in there for everyone.]

[fuckthemancers]

[Despite whatever small bits of training he's done before, Zulf has positively no interest in being in the plant group and it's only now that he steps forward. His thoughts are still a bit elsewhere- and Colin can probably guess why he looks just a tad frowny today- but he's still paying attention to what the other has to say.]

Day 157 - Gasfella talks!

[freedom_engineer]

[Paar had reminded him that he should get his gift distribution done now, before he got so sidelined with working on a ship that he'd forget all about it. So here he was, setting out to find some of the Gasfella and Squirts from before, with a bundle of supplies wrapped up in his arms.]

[He'd made a couple of sledge hammers, some mining picks, a set of industrial pliers, and several smaller tools that wouldn't find much use as weapons. He knew, quite well, that the larger tools he gave these people would likely be turned into weapons by whoever claimed them, but he wasn't too worried. There was nothing terribly advanced in here, just very sturdy, very useful tools.]

[He also hadn't set out alone. He was on a mission of peace, but even diplomats needed body guards. He'd hoped Paar would join him, but for now, he'd take whoever he could get.]

[All he had to do now was get someone to come out.]

Hello! Is anyone here? I come in peace, bearing gifts! I wanted to thank you for the warning you gave us last time!

Day 157 - Scavenging here and there, open

[fuckthemancers]

[Once Colin finished up with the directions, Zulf promptly set off with some very persistent insisting that Raile not wander off from him. Normally he wouldn't worry (too much) about the kid being off on his own. But, well... Listen, Raile still has one arm in a sling and stitches in his head. Zulf considers himself well within his rights to worry.]

[He'd actually prefer visiting the records building first but that's obviously out of the question with its current leafy inhabitant there. So for now he's making his way through the observatory, steps careful and dark eyes sharp. He has a pack where he can fit whatever he can in it, and anything too large he tries to pull out or just keep in mind.]

[He's taking this all very seriously. The Bastion can only provide them so much right now.]

[Feel free to come bug him as he's picking his way through the ruins of this once proud and highly guarded place.]

Day 157 - near the ship/around, open

[gianthobo]

[AZ is working along with Nathan and Colin on the ship, but every so often he does need to step away, if only to clear his mind on some problem or another. He's easy enough to spot, and easy enough to approach, so long as you don't startle him.]

[Golurk, on the other hand, can be found roaming around a bit. Occasionally it'll move a large piece of metal or machinery as directed, but when it's not needed it will be found nearby, poking around a bit curiously.]

Day 157 - The Ship!

[freedom_engineer]

[And this morning, the reason he's brought everyone here in the first place. They need a ship. They actually need MULTIPLE ships, but Colin doesn't expect that's going to happen. One will do.

He's narrowed it down to one. And now it's time to get his workcrew ready.]

Nathan, AZ, you ready to touch the ship that will touch the skies?

The lady I've found has her frame is intact, her internals are... a bit of a repair job, and she's got some aerodynamic quirks to work out, but we can definitely get her up and running again.

Come get nifty stuff

[bastionpc]

[SO.

WHO WANTS TO FIND MAGICAL THINGS?]

[fuckthemancers]

[well it's not like he can do anything else, lbr]

[Time to randomly pick a building that isn't records or hangar and gooooo]

[brb hoping not to get eaten by a fucking plant]

AFTER THE PLANT FIGHT

[bastionpc]

[The plant monster has been otherwise taken care of, and a core has been retrieved. But that's not all that was found deep within the records building. Inside the plant, there is an unconscious older man, one who may look familiar to some of the people on this trip.

He's going to need some help getting out of here, by the way.]

[narrativestranger]

[ More specifically, there is this unconscious older man.

He's out cold, for the moment, but for anyone who'd recognize him - it's definitely Rucks. The cane and army carbine he had when he arrived were both lost among the tangle of vines in the plant - anyone might have found them, but right now, he's not looking his best. Not exactly looking his worst, either, but...

Anyone gonna try and wake him up? He's slept long enough, he thinks.]