He obviously doesn't spend the gold anything useful and also we don't have a lot of it. It might help to save up on it for more ammunition.
Also there is one other car so might as well check it out. There might be something or someone helpful there. We can always come back if it isn't good for staying in.
Also I had a question. Is there magic in this world like other than from items such as casting spells? Also the character should find sometime to actually examine herself somewhere private to find more clues as to who she is. Scars or other things. Imagine going through this whole adventure to find out later that you were pregnant the whole time.
(A) Flip him a gold coin for at least putting on a performance and then (A) move on to the next car. A storage car isn't really an ideal place for a lengthy railroad adventure.
Minor action: Ask the brave knight where he is traveling to, if he even remembers, before moving on.
(A) Flip him a gold coin for at least putting on a performance and then (A) move on to the next car. A storage car isn't really an ideal place for a lengthy railroad adventure.
Minor action: Ask the brave knight where he is traveling to, if he even remembers, before moving on.
-Give him 2 Gold: Rounded up average of votes: (5+1+1+0+0)/5 = 1.4
-Move on (4 of 5 votes)
-Minor Action: Ask him where he is traveling.
You continue to stand there, the man kneeling before you. Even if he is delusional it doesn’t seem as though he wishes you any harm. You mull it over and decide that giving him a few pieces of gold won’t hurt your purse too much.
You reach into your bag and retrieve two small coins. The man, hearing them clink together, looks up, an expression of delight on his face.
“Oh, thank you kind maiden! I knew you were sent to aid me in this time of hardship.”
He stands and clasps his hands together in a thankful manner.
Sure that the man is harmless you hop down and extend your arm to offer him the money. He cups his hands and you let the money fall into his palms. He seems to be in a state of surprise at first but then his face softens into a broad smile as he goes down and prostrates himself in front of you.
-2 Gold
“Thank you! With this I shall be able to continue onward!”
You smile a bit, slightly entertained by the old man. You hope he doesn’t go and spend it on spirits, but if he really is this happy then perhaps it’s simply enough knowing you’ve provided him with that. You actually find yourself curious about the man; where is he off to? What is this quest he has? You squat down and start to speak:
“Excuse me, but where are you headed to? What is your quest?”
The man rises, a serious and determined expression on his face.
“My journey does not end… The Maiden of Light has seen fit to send me, Sir Cairn, onward to cleanse all evil from Amarant! Until that task is done, I shall not rest, I shall not bend, and my divine will shall not be broken!”
You nod, slowly. You’re starting to believe that this man actually believes he is a knight of some kind. You don’t, however, believe he truly is one. One too many legends and his consumption of drink has probably addled his mind. You start to pity the man. Perhaps he could have been someone important, someone loved. Whoever he is, or was, he is now living in a fantasy. You’re glad you gave him the gold, and if nothing else, a bit of happiness.
Sir Cairn, as he called himself, then turns around and crawls under the stack of crates he was lying under before, only his legs still visible. You wait a couple of seconds, hearing various objects being shuffled around, and eventually hear the clinking of gold, as you surmise he’s added what you just gave him to the rest of his stash. You wait a bit more for him to crawl back out but he remains halfway in his hole. You take a step forward and lean over a bit, but see that he’s still breathing, apparently fallen back asleep. You chuckle a bit at the fool and then decide to leave him and the car, turning around and continuing to make your way over and between the remaining crates to the next car.
You make it to the end of the car and open the door to head outside. The subtle roar of the train bursts forth as you step out onto the grated platform, the wind threatening to knock you off and forcing you to grab onto the nearby pole connecting the platform to the roof; the train seems to be going much faster than when you departed. You look out and see that the train is still following along the cliff that drops off into the Hazelands. You surmise building a direct line between the cities would cut through the area below, a venture that neither of the lords are probably too keen on pursuing. After looking out over the Hazelands for a few more seconds, you repeat the process of carefully crossing the gap between the two cars and open the door to the next car, quickly stepping inside to avoid the wind. What you see however, isn’t exactly what you had hoped for.
Not only is the car, quite literally, devoid of any place a passenger would be meant to sit, but it also has a lot more than just one crazy drunk. Before you, spread out in the car are five men. You glance over them and see that their clothing isn’t exactly what you’d expect to see back in Novo:
The first one, sitting in the far right corner on the only crate in the car, is an orc. He’s wearing baggy pants, what looks to be a pair of sandals, a simple vest with no shirt, and has a bandana covering his head. Two teeth jut out from his lower lip, one looking as though it was broken some time ago. He's huge, his massive torso almost threatening to rip open the small vest he has on.
The next two, elves, are dressed similarly to the orc, their blonde hair draping down around their shoulders. They sit on the right side of the car, playing what looks to be a card game of some sort. They're thin, a bit on the scrawny side, but probably still able to lift quite a bit, although, not for long.
The fourth, a fat bald dwarf, has a long orange beard and wears barely any clothing, a pair of shorts apparently sufficient for him, leaving even his feet bare. He lies on his back, fast asleep, in the corner opposite the orc, his snoring almost overpowering the rumble of the train.
The final man, sitting with his back to the wall off to the left, a few feet away from the dwarf, is dressed much differently. His chest is still exposed, but instead of a vest, he wears a long black coat which goes down to his knees, along with a pair of trousers that match. Instead of sandals he wears boots, a knife strapped to the left one. He wears a bandolier across his chest which seems to have a horn of some kind strapped to it, as well as an assortment of miscellaneous baubles and trinkets. You look at his ears and see that they are in fact round: He’s a human. His black hair is a bit bedraggled, hanging down around his face. His facial hair, however, is trimmed, a sharp goatee framing his mouth. His face is also a bit rough, if somewhat "ruggedly handsome".
You look to each of them again and see that they’re also all armed: Beside the orc lays a hatchet, the two elves each have a dagger strapped to their belt, the dwarf a mace, and the final man has a cutlass strapped to his side. Hopefully an altercation won’t occur; the odds don't seem to be in your favor.
As you shut the door behind you they all – except the dwarf - look up at you. You stand there simply looking back at them, your hand hovering over where your revolver is under your duster. They seem to have taken an interest in the lone female who’s decided to come to 3rd Class on this particular train ride. You’re unsure if you really should stay here, even if this is where you’re supposed to be. They continue to gaze at you, almost as if they’re waiting for you to make a move. You wonder if you’re afraid at first but reassure yourself. No, you think to yourself, I can’t show them I’m afraid. I'm not afraid..
You decide to simply get it over with. Your hand gripping your gun through the cloth of your duster, you walk over to the left wall. You can feel their eyes still following you, studying you. You keep going and eventually sit down, your back resting against the wall a couple feet down from where the human man is, positioning your sword so that the blade is flat between your back and the wall. You try your best to fold your legs, your skirt not really suitable for sitting down on the floor, as well as keeping your weapons concealed to the best of your ability. You look back at the pair of elves. They meet your gaze and you realize you’re almost staring them down at this point. They continue to look at you for a bit before eventually going back to their game.
You turn to the orc but see he’s already closed his eyes, simply waiting out the trip. The final man however, as you meet his gaze, smiles. His teeth are mostly white, but you can see a few of them replaced with various kinds of metal. Unlike the others he doesn’t look away. Eventually you look away and close your eyes, your head leaning forward as you cross your arms. You try your best to ignore him, but you can still sense his eyes looking you over. You peek out with your left eye and sure enough he’s still examining you, his smile broadening as he notices you spying on him.
You close your eyes again and try to ignore him, trying to think of something, anything, else. You’re almost successful until you hear the sound of movement of to your left. You open your eyes and see that the man has actually scooted down the wall so that he’s almost right next you, sitting only two or so feet away. You look back up to him, narrowing you gaze as you meet his.
“Yes?” you ask a hint of annoyance in your tone.
He simply continues to smile as he then shuffles a bit closer, his back still to the wall.
“Oh, well, just wondering what a woman such as you is doing here on such a night. As well as why you’re not in 1st class with all the yuppies and well-to-do types and back here with the paupers and ne’er-do-wells.”
You continue to stare him down, but eventually stop glaring at him, and answer his question somewhat honestly.
“I decided to save a bit of money.” You say turning away.
His eyes light up as he then takes on an almost mocking tone.
“Well then, how frugal of you. I admire a woman who has ‘er finances in order; never can be too careful in this day and age. Money’s a sure-fire way to get whatever you want in life. Don’t you think?”
You simply stay silent, letting the man ramble on.
“Yes, money is truly a wondrous thing. Of course, my crew and I here” he says, waving an arm out towards the rest of the men, “we have all we could ever want back home. Yes, we’ll probably fill a tub full of gold and then dive into it.”
You exhale out of your nose at the ridiculous notion, hoping they’d do it, break their necks so that they'd leave you alone.
“Yes, we have all the money we could ever want.” He continues. “Although, what my compatriots here and I lack as of this moment is something we all crave but find so hard to come by in this day and age. As sailors of ill repute we hardly find something that can give us a thrill. A few elven merchant ships are hardly any kind of a challenge. Do you know what it is we lack on this oh so boring train ride?”
You get the feeling that he’ll simply wait until you answer, so you give in and ask.
“No. What?” you ask, looking straight ahead, trying to avoid looking at the man.
“Entertainment.”
Something about the way he says it makes you uncomfortable. You’re not sure if you want to be in this car anymore…
He then scoots a bit closer and places a hand on your leg. You feel a jolt go up and down your leg at his touch. You gasp slightly, a bit surprised at the action. Your breathing picks up a bit, from both his touch and your fear. You then notice the elves stand up and move a bit closer to the door you just came through. On the other side the orc is still sitting there, head forward and eyes closed. The dwarf, luckily, is still sound asleep. You don’t know what they want from you. It could be a simple matter, or they might want a bit of a show. Perhaps even worse...
You start to think of your options. You could try playing it safe until their guard is down and then go on the offensive and try to make a break for it. You might even be able to surprise them right now and rush to the door, making a clean getaway. It might be necessary to threaten them right from the beginning, though, maybe even going so far as shooting first and asking questions later. It may even be as easy as simply standing up and leaving. A part of you, in the back of your mind, however, suggests simply seeing what they mean by “entertainment”; it might not even be so bad, the man simply making it sound worse than it actually is.
You think about your options… the ball is now in your court.
Choices:
Decide how you're going to handle this situation.
Primary Vote:
A) Go along with it until you have a better chance to escape or you can catch them off guard.
B1) Make a rush for the left door! (Back of the car)
B2) Make a rush for the right door! (Front of the car)
C1) Brandish a weapon (Specify) and threaten them, slowly making your way towards the left door. (Back of the car)
C2) Brandish a weapon (Specify) and threaten them, slowly making your way towards the right door. (Front of the car)
D) Go on the offensive and attack! (Specify how)
E) Try to excuse yourself and simply walk out.
F) Inquire as to what he means by entertainment and let him know if you can help.
And of course if none of these options suit you:
X) Other. (Try to list a normal option and add a variation to it, for tallying purposes.)
Feel free to discuss it amongst yourselves. Also, don't forget your inventory.
Z) Minor Action.Unavailable
Minor Actions Explanation:
Minor Actions are small actions you may do in addition to your Primary Vote (A, B, C, etc). They will usually just provide you with additional information or perhaps, in rare circumstances, an item. If it would cause an encounter or runs the risk of causing general havoc then it's best to put it as an additional detail under primary vote.
Examples are asking someone a simple question, inspecting an object or feature in the environment, checking on or using an item in your bag, or changing some feature on your person. (i.e. Putting your hair into ponytail - See: Sections explained > Appearance)
They may help you, but please, try not to abuse the system. Trying to examine a couple objects in detail may be fine, but picking every item off the shelf in a store can get a bit... tedious.
And as always: I retain the right to reject them However much it may pain me to do so...
STATS:*
Current Inventory:
Gold: 13 -2 Gold
-Ticket from Hangsmire to Novo. 2nd Class.
-Ticket from Bayton to Respeiro. 1st Class.
-Ticket from Novo to Bayton. 3rd Class.
-Red Discrete Crystal x4
-White Discrete Crystal x2
-Note from “J”
-Bundle of Rope
-Lock-pick.
-Metallic Brooch (Type:?)
-Extra Shirt
-Leather Dress-Boots.
-Hook. Quite large. Three prongs.
-Compass. Points North
-Healing Potion. Will heal all but the most brutal of wounds.
Weapons:
-Revolver. Single Action. Single load. Holds Six Rounds.
-Rounds: x8 (6 in Cylinder)
-Rapier
Apparel:
-Belt & Holster.
-Small Belt-Pouch 1: Contains two revolver rounds
-Small Belt-Pouch 2: Healing Potion.
-Leather dress Gloves. Brown.
-Duster. Down to calves. Khaki.
-Skirt. Down to ankles. Black.
-Blouse. White. Slightly open.
-Vest. Dark Leather.
-Sturdy Boots. Brown Leather.
-Bra. Black. Silk.
-Underwear. Black. Silk.
-Stockings. Transparent. Black.
Abilities/Effects:
-Amnesiac: You have lost your memory and have little understanding of the world.
-Revolver Training: "It ain't much but you're a natural" -Tinder
Physical Appearance:
-Duster is unbuttoned.
-Red/Auburn Hair: Little longer than “Shoulder Length”. Let Down.
-Height: ~5’ 7”
Explanation of Sections:
A "*" next to the "STATS" title will denote that there has been a modification since the last post.
A blue + will denote that an item has been gained.
A red - will denote that an item has been lost or destroyed.
Current Inventory: What you have with you.
Weapons: Objects that may be used to inflict harm on opponents. Note, that these are your primary means of damaging an enemy in combat but you may use other items you possess or objects in the environment in creative ways. This includes your bare hands and feet.
Apparel: Clothes that are currently being worn. Any damage will be detailed as well. Clothing not being worn will be held in your inventory. A “???” symbol denotes the knowledge of it being worn, but no specific details are known.
Abilities/Effects:Special abilities possessed by the character. Some may be directly linked with items/pieces of clothing. Also lists passive effects present upon the character, including passive skills and negative conditions.
Physical Appearance: A basic overview of the physical features of your character. Some aspects may be altered via a minor action if necessary requirements are met (Tying hair up into a ponytail), or against the character’s will depending on the nature of the alteration.
Depending on how this goes... the next couple of posts will be quite short and have a LOT of different choices and different branches...
Who decided we should leave the previous car? I really dislike said person right now.
Stand up to leave, returning to the previous car. If they attempt to intercept, warn them you'll hurt them badly. Should they insist/grope/block the exit, we shoot them.
Who decided we should leave the previous car? I really dislike said person right now.
Stand up to leave, returning to the previous car. If they attempt to intercept, warn them you'll hurt them badly. Should they insist/grope/block the exit, we shoot them.
Its practically 3 on 1 if we don't count the 2 who are sleeping. So we came through the front door? Isn't this the last car? We should run now before the elves block the way. Maybe shoot the human as we exit to deter them which might wake up the other two. Maybe Sir Cairn would help if she screamed. Also I wouldn't rely on melee because we don't know how proficient she is with a rapier.
Alright get up and run for the door we came through. Pull out the rapier and use it to keep some distance between you and them as you back towards the door.
Well, if one of his hands is resting on your leg, that leaves him somewhat at a disadvantage. A rapier would be uncomfortable to brandish when the man is right next to us, so,
X) Ask him about this entertainment, and while he's flapping his mouth, reach for your firearm, retrieve it, and press the barrel against his neck. That should get our meaning across. Let him know you have enough ammo for everyone in the room, and the skill to place it between their eyes.
Sidenote: In the previous choice you divided by 4 instead of 5. The result should have been a 1.4.
Vote 1: Try to leave. Threaten if they try to stop you. If they persist, shoot.
Vote 2: Try to leave. Threaten if they try to stop you. If they persist, stab.
Vote 3: Dash to the forward Door. Pull out Rapier and threaten, while moving to door.
Vote 4: Play along and then threaten him with the revolver.
I’ll let you know, though, that this isn’t the last car and if your first attempt goes awry there will be other opportunities to escape. Although, the votes may be... restricted in some fashion.
Given that this is a stressful situation and the gentlemen are being oh so kind as to wait for your response... I'll let you guys discuss it a bit more aongst yourselves.
Alright I change to the back door then since the elves aren't standing near it. In these I feel like its always harder to run away after you're already caught and surrounded.
D: Shoot the speaker in the face after Z: threaten to shoot the speaker in the face. Give him approximately 3 seconds to respond. If he tries anything other than getting out of the way, promptly engage in competitive face shooting.
Vote 1: Try to leave through the forward door. Threaten if they try to stop you. If they persist, shoot.
Vote 2: Try to leave through the forward door. Threaten if they try to stop you. If they persist, stab.
Vote 3: (Changed) Dash to the back Door.
Vote 4: Play along and then threaten him with the revolver.
Vote 5: Threaten him with revolver. Shoot him if he doesn't let up.
New condensed votes, so that this doesn't take too long and so that we may all come out of this content:
The forward door is where we just came from. The back door leads to an unknown car, the last one of the train.
A) Calmly try to leave through the forward door. Threatening them, with both revolver and blade, if they try to stop you, and then attacking if they don't back off.
B) Dash to the rear of the car and try to make your escape through the back door.
C) Wait and then draw your revolver on the man who has his hand on your leg. Threaten to shoot him if he doesn't let you go, and then try to leave through the front door.
I still want to know whats in the last car but he said choose wisely so there's something in the last car that's not good or maybe there's something that will help. B
Sorry for the delay: kitchen’s being renovated as well as a few other distractions. On with the story!
Results:
With a tie-breaking vote from Cyka:
A - Calmly try to leave through the forward door. Threatening them, with both revolver and blade, if they try to stop you and then attacking if they don't back off.
Whatever they have in mind you know you want no part in it: You must get out of here.
You turn towards the man who has his hand on your leg and simply smile at him. He seems to take this as a good sign. However, as you reach over and move his hand off your leg, his smile fades.
“I’m sorry gentleman,” you say, standing up and moving towards the door. “But I don’t think I’ll be able to help you.
He stands up as well, a stern look on his face. He starts to approach you, a hand resting on his belt as he begins to shake his head.
“Begging your pardon, Miss, but I was never interested in your opinion." He then looks down, frowning. "Ah, it’s such a shame when they’re unwilling.”
He then takes another step forward, his hand moving closer to his sword. You hear the pair behind you moving a bit closer as well. It seems you’re not going to get out of here without a bit of persuasion.
“Now,” the man asks, gripping the cutlass on his belt “What’s it going to be, then: Pain before pleasure, or just pleasure?”
Quite a bit of persuasion...
You instinctively take a step back from him, but are reminded of the pair behind you, now reaching for their weapons as well. They’re obviously not going to just let you go. It appears it's time for a show of force.
You reach your right arm over your torso and in one swift motion unsheathe your sword from its scabbard, whipping it around, so that it's pointing directly towards the pair behind you. They seem surprised, one almost tripping as thhe both take a step back. You look back to, what you assume at this point to be their leader, and see he’s surprised as well. Apparently they didn’t expect you, a woman, to defend herself. The man doesn’t back down though, instead, choosing to draw his blade as well. He seems almost disappointed with your decision as he sighs and starts to approach you again, his boots slowly setting from heel to toe.
"So very unfortunate. I do detest bloodying them beforehand."
You decide that it's now time you controlled the situation.
You reach over with your left hand now, and grip your revolver, bringing it to bear and pointing it directly at the man's head. He stops mid stride, almost frozen. His eyes go wide and you can see how they’re now transfixed on the firearm. His chest is all that moves, his breathing remaining surprisingly calm given his position.
“You know what this is, don’t you?” You taunt him.
He gives a quick curt nod
“Good.” You respond. “What you probably don’t know is that I have enough for all of you, including the other two if they decide to get involved.”
You motion your head forward towards the two in the back, noticing now that the orc is awake, simply sitting and watching the scenario unfold.
The man slowly falls back onto his back foot, lowering his blade as well. You glance back to the two elves, and motion for them to move with your blade.
“You two. To the left. Move.” You order them, almost surprised at how forceful you can be. Although, you suppose it helps when you’re armed as such.
They stay frozen at first but eventually one pushes the other, and they move back to the wall and out of your way to the door. You look back to the man and see he’s still as you left him. You flick your gun at him and glance to his sword. He narrows his eyes, staring you down in defiance. You cock the hammer back, letting him know what will happen if he doesn’t comply, and he finally complies, tossing the sword down, the metal clattering against the floor. The noise causes the dwarf in the corner to grumble a bit but, luckily, he remains asleep.
The man continues to glare at you, knowing he has to let you go lest he decides to risk his life and the life of his compatriots.
“Well, what are you waiting for? The sooner you leave the sooner that thing’s not pointed at me”
The elves by this time have moved back towards the far end of the car with the orc and the dwarf. With all of them in your sight you sheathe your sword and grip the revolver with both hands. They watch you as you back up, looks of defeat, fear, and anger present in their eyes.
Your foot finally hits the door and you reach back, grasping the handle and twisting. They follow your movements as you then slide the door open, and step back out into the wind, keeping your gun trained on them right up until you close it. The last thing you see are the man’s eyes staring you down.
Click
You shut the door, thankful to be out of that car. Things could have gone quite badly in there for you. Even with your blade, your revolver was all that kept them from ganging up on you. Something tells you that if you run out of bullets things are going to be much harder further on down the road. You let out a sigh of relief, and close your eyes, letting your nerves calm down a bit now that you’re safe. It seems that, unlike Scarper, some people are just going to try and take what they want from you.
You carefully squeeze the trigger to your gun and let the hammer come forward to a rest. The gun no longer in danger of going off you holster it and decide to move back to the Sir Cairn’s car. He seemed genuinely harmless and, in comparison to those previous thugs, was practically a saint. You grasp one of the poles on the platform and jump across the gap, this time almost losing your balance, the wind threatening to send you tumbling over. You recover easily enough and go to open the door to the car as you think some more about what could have happened and about what other dangers may be waiting for you.
You’re so caught up thinking about this that you don’t notice the door behind you slightly crack open...
-----
Story's coming later tonight. Just wanted to get this part to you guys before I went to sleep. Didn't want to go too long without an update.
Although I am glad to see some of you are right and ready to be underway.
