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Mainline-Story/03 - Interactions.txt
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*BLACKSMITH*
Walking in to the red brick building with the HAMMER mark on the window, you are immediately greeted by the metallic THUD... THUD... THUD... of hammers on hot steel, and you are visually greeted by a single blacksmith, a middle aged jackal with a heavy apron and a hammer at one of the six anvils.
The left wall is full of metal hammers and camps, and the right side is full of smelting furnaces. A simple smithing office, but it definitely does the job. After a moment, he puts down his most recent finished product and asks you in a gruff tone, "How can I help ya'll?"
*Asking about making weapons,* He smiles and points to the anvils. "I can definitely make weapons for ya, but I stick mostly to simple stuff nowadays. Knives, hammers, swords, the basics.
*BLACKSMITH*
The red brick building is of a small yet sturdy design, with a hammer & anvil sign over the door. Upon opening it, you are greeted by the metallic THUD of hammers on metal and the stench of coal fire.
*ASKING ABOUT IMPROVING WEAPONS*
"I might be able to improve the ones you have, depends on what you're working with. Let me have a look?" Any weapon he is handed, he will survey top to bottom like it is made of fine glass.
- The left wall is full of hammers, chisels, punches, tongs, and files
- The back wall has a few built-in-the-wall forges, each with its own anvil, vise, metal table, and steel drum full of water nearby
- The right wall is covered in racks of aprons, goggles, thick gloves, and other safety garments
- The center is occupied by a square counter, ran by an older Jackal man with short brown hair behind a pair of goggles on his forehead and red flannel with a gold nametag reading MARVIN.
*IF SIMPLE WEAPONS AT 3DMG OR LESS*
"Oh yeah, I can do that for you, and it shouldn't take too long either." He will heat your weapon, add special metal along its edges, and smith it over the span of an hour. "And here you go. Now let's talk price."
*IF THEY APPROACH*
Marvin is in the process of smoothing out a large tube of metal with some old fashioned sandpaper. When he spots you, he puts it down and smiles wide. "Hey there! How can I help ya?"
*WHAT HE'S WORKING ON*
"Oh this? Someone ordered, and I quote, 'the biggest and heaviest hammer you can make.' Been working on it all week."
*IF THEY ASK ABOUT SPECIAL DESIGNED WEAPONS*
*OR IF THEY ASK ABOUT 4/5 DMG WEAPONS*
He shakes his head and crosses his arms. "Afraid that's outside my skillset nowadays. You wanna do any of that, you'd wanna talk to my teacher or maybe a disciple of his. He's likely still in THERE." He points to a glowing RED circle of energy against the rock wall in the distance.
*ASKING ABOUT IMPROVING WEAPONS*
"I might be able to improve the ones you have, depends on what you're working with."
-----=====-----=====-----
*IF SIMPLE WEAPON*
"Oh yeah, this is right up my alley. Problem is, I gotta finish this project first. The earliest I can have it done is tomorrow evening."
*IF NOT SATISFIED WITH WAITING*
*OR IF MORE COMPLICATED*
"I'm sorry, I got my limits. Doing a weapon that complicated/fast just ain't in me anymore."
He thinks for a moment. "But ya know, there IS someone who could help you out better than me, if you're interested?"
He leans in a little. "I was taught how to do metalworking by a hot-headed piece of work named Aodaghan. Pretty sure he's still around. You take that to him, he can do things with it I never could."
*IF INTERESTED*
"Well good, keep that energy high cuz you're gonna need it. Got a map?" He points it out as a spot on the northernmost part of the rock wall around Diadem.
-----=====-----=====-----
*BOOKSTORE*
The bookstore is a bit old style, tan bricks with a glass storefront design that currently has a metal pipe sticking out of a large gaping hole. Several people are in the process of cleaning the damage right around the time you show up, and the door still seems to be in working order.
Inside it is pretty minimal as a whole. Novels, encyclopedias, fiction and nonfiction, the standard stuff you'd see in here.
This old-fashioned tan brick building has a sign showing an open book with a quill over the door, and a glass storefront window with a metal pipe sticking out of it. There are already people sweeping up & picking up debris, and it LOOKS like the store is still open for business.
(INVESTIGATE ROLL) Alot of these titles are actually relatively new, none of them seeming more than a year old.
The inside also has some damage here and there, but nothing a simple wipedown couldn't fix. You see racks of fiction, nonfiction, romance, sci-fi, comics, children's books, all the normal stuff you'd expect to see.
"Hello younguns, can I help ya find anything??" The voice comes from an older bulldog gentleman with inch thick glasses, a simple wooden cane, and a blue apron, smiling as wide as you would imagine. His gold nametag reads WARTON.
(INVESTIGATE ROLL) You can't seem to spot the book you're looking for immediately, but you DO recognize alot of these titles on the shelves. In fact, some of these books you know were released maybe a year ago on the outside, if not less.
"Hello younguns, can I help ya find anything??" The voice comes from an older bulldog gentleman with inch thick glasses, a wooden cane, and a blue apron, his gold nametag reading WARTON.
ASK ABOUT THE HOSTORY BOOK
He will laugh a bit and reply "Oh, you'd want the OLD history book then. The schools get to those quick, but I think we have one or two copies left." He guides you to walk through one of the aisles toward the farther back part of the store.
ASK ABOUT THE HOSTORY BOOK
He will laugh a bit and reply "Oh, the OLD history book? Hm.. the schools usually get to those first, but I think we have one or two copies left. Planning to use it for a school assignment I assume??" He chatters with you as you walk down the aisle.
"So if ye don't mind me asking, what do ya need it fer? Old book like that, gotta be something special."
-----
*AFTER ANY RESPONSE*
"Then this book'll give you some insight fer sure. You'll hafta excuse the mess though, those rassafrassin' Marauders have been makin' a mess outta everything lately. 'Speaking fer the unhappy people of Diadem' my patoot."
*IF THEY MENTION FREEING THE PEOPLE
He will pause and start swinging his cane around. "YOU HEATHENS ARE WITH THOSE AWFUL MARAUDERS AIN'T YOU?! HAVEN'T YOU DONE ENOUGH DAMAGE TODAY?!" He starts violently bopping you with the cane to try and scare you away.
.
(CONTACTS OR EMPATHY ROLL) He suddenly stops, and calms down near immediately. "Oh.. oh you're being serious? My apologies, I'm just fed up with people whiming and groaning about being stuck here, that's all they ever do is complain."
-----
He reaches the shelf where the book SHOULD be, but the book and several others on the shelf have been burned to ash. "Oh dear, those were my last copies, and my next shipment isn't for another week..." He seems downright downtrodden.
He perks up suddenly, turning to your group with renewed vigor. "I can do you one better! There's a place not too far from here with books about everything, The Grand Library!"
He laughs heartily as he walks back back to the front of the store. "It's a magical place I went to when I was a kid, an amazing library of infinite knowledge and wisdom! The librarian there was so nice too, he inspired me to open my bookstore."
He points to a larger version of the map you are all carrying plastered on the wall of the store, currently singed in one corner, and points out an orange spot on the westernmost side of the rock wall around Diadem.
-----
He reaches the shelf where the book SHOULD be, but sees the book and several others on the shelf have been burned to ash. "Oh dear, those were my last copies, and my next shipment isn't for another week..." He sighs a bit, but perks up suddenly, turning to your group excitedly.
"Er, wait! Before you head there, could you do an old man a kindness?" He steps behind the counter to start digging around for something.
"But I can do you one better! There's a special place not too far from here with information about everything in Diadem, The Grand Library!" He laughs heartily as he reminisces, walking back to the front of the store and expecting you all to follow.
"It's a magical place I went to when I was a kid, an amazing library of infinite knowledge and wisdom! The librarian there was so nice too, he inspired me to open my bookstore. All you have to do is go... There!" He will point to a spot against the rock wall in the distance beyond the Business district's border. Wherever he is pointing, it's definitely walkable, but too far to see what exactly it is.
He pops back up holding an old children's book titled The Phantom Tollbooth. "Here it is! Could you please return this to the library? I borrowed it as a tot, but I think it's time for the next generation to be inspired by it."
"I'm a bit too old to go myself, these old joints ain't what they used to be.. but if you go that way, could you do an old man a small favor and return this book for me? I don't need it anymore, heh." He hands you a children's book, *The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, And The Horse.*
-----=====-----=====-----
He waves you off as you leave his store, the damage all cleaned up upon your exit.
*GYM*
The two story brick building itself seems pretty basic. Concrete pathways, wooden double doors, large sign with both an arm flexing and a body in a yoga pose. But you DO spot a pool off to the side.
Inside gives you a school building feeling, aside from the sounds of grunting and metal clanking in the distance. There is one long hallway leading to multiple doors and one big staircase leading upstairs. You see the same yoga pose sign in the distance at the staircase, pointing up.
-----
*IF THEY STAY DOWNSTAIRS*
You see a door open beside you, and out steps a seven foot tall rhino man with a blond buzzcut held up behind an orange sweatband, wearing black and blue spandex-like workout clothing, his gold nametag reading CLINT.
"Spotted you through the door, you looking for a workout?"
*EXPLANATION*
He smiles and claps his hands, making a loud thud of a noise. "Fantastic, let's get started. First day is free so we can do a kind of... evaluation, see where you need work."
He guides anyone interested into one of the workout rooms, loaded wall to wall with workout machinery. There are maybe ten other people all doing their own thing, and they all look about the same sizes as your group.
Clint sets you up with your choice of a rowing machine, barbell, leg press, or treadmill to start, and puts you at the lowest setting.
You spend the next 30 minutes training under a slowly increasing workload guided by him watching over all of you simultaneously.
(PHYSIQUE Roll)
- (Highest roller) receives a bit of praise for handling himself so well and pushing their limits
- But (lowest roller) tried a little too hard and took a point of damage as a result.
He gets a solid read on what exactly it is you need to improve on, and its all fairly basic stuff. He hands each of you a written workout routine for longer better physical health.
"I recommend you do this regimen three times a week for 30 minutes, and you'll start seeing some solid results pretty quick. Were ya interested in signing up for a gym membership?"
*AFTER RESPONSE*
"Now hang on, I'm not saying you gotta do it, I'm just giving you options."
- You could buy your own gym and set yourself back a few thousand Z
- You could get a membership here, since we're the only gym in Diadem
- And I don't like telling first timers, but if you're really hard up for coin, there IS a free option if you wanna do a little traveling.
"You uh... you ever been to the Brown demense? They got a sweet ass gym, super top notch gear and trainers. Most people go there to get RIPPED, but they like helping new guys too."
*FREE OPTION*
"Cool cool, gimme yer map." He points out a brown spot on the southeast side of the rock wall around Diadem.
-----
IF THEY GO UPSTAIRS*
You spot a sign at the top of the stairs with a flexing arm pointing down, defining a separation between the floors. The second floor is mostly just one giant room, partly padded and partly wood paneled.
"Can I help you find your way?" As silently as can be, you are approached by a swan woman with blond hair tied into a long braid to her waist in a black leotard, her gold nametag reading JADA.
*EXPLANATION*
She will smile and take a step backward into the room, extending her arm in an inviting manner. "Then let's give you a free day to see what you can do."
She will them spend the next 30 minutes giving each of you basic instructions of flexibility exercises, including a few yoga poses.
(ATHLETICS Roll)
- (Highest roller) receives her applause and a moment of admiration for being so flexible.
- But (lowest roller) most definitely pulled something and took a point of damage as a result.
Once you all finish and she gets a good idea of what you can do, her recommendations are all fairly mundane stuff you could do as a morning warmup routine.
"Now these are all for basic flexibility and conditioning, and you should see results very soon. Curious though, were any of you considering working your way up to an intermediate aerobics schedule?"
*AFTER RESPONSE*
"I see... well I feel obligated to tell you that you could always have a membership here, or you could do it at home without the professional aid of myself or my co-owners."
She thinks for a moment. "There is also a third option if you're interested. We have a sort of 'sister school' operating in the Green demense, much more zen and atmospheric than inside a building. That one's free, but requires travel. We send any potential students to each other and find their preferred space."
*INTERESTED*
"Fantastic, if you have a map, I can point it out for you." She points out a green spot on the northwest side of the rock wall around Diadem.
-----=====-----=====-----
*HARDWARE STORE*
The concrete building itself is LARGE, easily two stories in height, and the parking lot is partly taken up by a frontside loading & unloading bay for the customers.
Inside, the aisles are floor to ceiling, and every inch is covered in every kind of building material, plumbing, electrical, cleaning, hand & power tool, and lawn & garden accessory you could imagine.
You are immediately approached by a TALL bull man with tied back brown hair in a black apron, his gold nametag reading ULRICH. "Welcome in, can I help ya find anything?"
-----
*ANYTHING BUT WOOD*
"Oh we got that in spades, right over here." He guides you all to a nearby aisle, and points out exactly what you are looking for. And the price is cheap, even for hardware store standards.
(NOTICE Roll) On your way to the registers, you spot the building supply aisle, and notice that nearly every type of wood rack is completely empty, save for some small scraps.
*IF THEY ASK*
"Hm? Oh. THAT."
-----
*IF WOOD*
He inhales sharply through his teeth and carefully asks, "What KIND of wood exactly..?"
*AFTER THEIR RESPONSE*
"Well uh... hm... I doubt we have any, but let's go take a look." He guides you to the building supply aisle, and nearly every type of wood rack is completely empty, save for some small scraps.
-----
"We can't exactly get more right now, the uh... supply chain is interrupted, and..." He sighs and rubs the back of his neck in frustration.
"Alright, I'm gonna level with you guys, we can't get into the Black demense to get more. Something fucked up happened over there, something NASTY. Everyone is too afraid to go in, and those that did, didn't come back out. Been a year since we got new supply, and whatever we can get from the other demenses usually gets earmarked for housing needs."
*IF THEY WANT TO GO*
He seems genuinely shocked. "Well... it's your funeral. Let me show you where you gotta go." He walks over to a nearby endcap, grabs a fresh map, and points out a black spot on the southwestern side of the rock wall around Diadem.
-----=====-----=====-----
THUNDER FORCE HQ
Walking up to the police office looking building, you are greeted by several DOZEN silver-clad officers with clipboards in hand, each one walking around and scribbling information down. It doesn't look like tryouts officially started yet, but everyone is doing warm-ups and getting ticks in advance.
A group of three high rank looking individuals spot your group, one of which approaches you with a judgmental glance. A Panther man with a rounded scar under his eye approaches, eyeing you all up. "Let me guess. You here to try out, just like them?" He points out the eighteen other men and women all in mixed physical shape lumbering and stretching around in front of them.
*HOSPITAL*
The Panther continues, "well everyone has a shot. I'm third commander Harken, and these are my associates, second officer Valeos and first officer Jensen." He pauses so Valeos the Gila monster and Jensen the Human can shake your hands.
The facility is an impressively tall three story brick building with multiple separate wings and sub-buildings. You see several doctors and nurses walking in and out at random intervals, with a parking lot full of civilian vehicles on one side and oddly designed ambulance vehicles on the other.
"You will be numbers 19, 20, and 21 respectively. When your number is called, just step out here and we will get started." *IF THEY ASK ABOUT PAPERWORK,* "OH, no no no, that is reserved for those whom at least make it past first cut."
The tryouts begin, and half of the participants are less than impressive. They mostly fumble with their guns full of blanks, fizzle out on their electric speed demonstrations, and jumble their words on the quick Q&A segments. It becomes so disappointing that all three Commanders step away, leaving the testing to the other officers for the moment.
Your turn comes up, and you step in front of the audience and are expected to demonstrate what you can do. They want to see your gun play, your weapon finesse, your electric magic, and your response to common situations. (Shoot, Fight, Academics, Empathy rolls)
Right at the end of your demonstration but before your result, an explosion goes off outside the building, close enough to hear but not to feel. An officer runs in and declares it an emergency in the residential district this time, and third commander Harken is in pursuit. (the enemy is the same LV2 villain with a bunch of new LV1s)
AFTER THE FIGHT
All three Commanders personally shake your hands and thank you for your work in that fight, and you are all offered entry level positions on the Thunder Force if you so desire. It will provide uniforms, income, and status represented by a publicly wearable trainee badge until your training is complete.
Harken then points out that guy was one he just caught last week, and wonders how & why he got out. *If you made any indication of recognizing him,* He will think for a moment and point out he will have an expedited trial for being a repeat offender, and offers to let you sit in on it as an evidence witness. He then points out the trial will take place THERE, and point out the silver gate.
Inside is even more impressive than outside. The building is immaculate, the lines are short, the floors are all marble squares, and the smell of cafeteria food fills the air.
--------------------------
-------------------------
The morning starts like normal at first, until you hear a massive rumbling explosion coming from the center of town. As you look out the window, you see a plume of smoke and a massive fireball erupting from (at your best guess) the Town Hall.
At the Town Hall building, everything is broken and in flames. Papers are wafting into the air with ashes pouring off of them, and the only thing left standing is the front doors with a small piece of paper pinned to them under a gold dagger.
(INVESTIGATE ROLL) The paper simply says "GATED COMMUNITY, ONE HOUR" in handwriting you are not familiar with. And it is written on King Akarui's personal stationary.
*AT THE GATED COMMUNITY*
You see both guard shacks are completely engulfed in flames and the dogs are nowhere to be seen. But just beyond that point is Ace, arms crossed and staring at the gate patiently, assisted by three higher rank men. Once you approach, he unfurls his arms. "I admire your punctuality, Kings of Kings. Means I dont have to go hunting you down."
*IF ASKED WHY HE IS DOING THIS*
"Heh.. maybe I dont like the way King Akarui is running the show. Does it really matter anymore? Right here, right now, all that matters is you... and I."
The three men with him all step out and prepare to jump in but he raises an arm. "No... this one is mine. You go to Jack, Queen, and King. Let them know they have three more guests." The three men go running off, as Ace charges electricity in his hands. "(One player's name), I'M CHALLENGING YOU TO A ONE ON ONE FIGHT. ONE THUNDER FORCE TO ANOTHER. LAST ONE STANDING MOVES FORWARD FROM HERE."
*IF THEY SAY HE IS NOT THUNDER FORCE*
*OR HE IS A DISGRACE TO THUNDER FORCE*
He will laugh a little under his helmet. "I'm more Thunder Force than you will ever realize."
If accepted, the challenge will be an exchange of FIGHT, SHOOT, and ACADEMICS rolls, each one doing DMG based on which one rolls higher. Athletics will not be necessary in this exchange.
This floor of the facility is mostly comprised of a line of check-in windows, a large seating area with about two dozen chairs, and a series of glass doorways leading to catwalks to other nearby buildings.
-----
AFTER THE FIGHT
(NOTICE Roll) You hear a siren from outside, and it is approaching rapidly. Moments later, a team is wheeling a gurney with into the main lobby, carrying a parakeet man holding his side tightly.
Harken will fall to his knees, groaning in pain. "Urgh... Damn it..."
"What's the emergency here?"
"Patient received a nasty cut across his ribs and side."
"Okay, not a life threatening injury, we can get him some healing magic and--
"Healing magic doesn't work on this."
"WHAT?"
"Every healing spell we cast just... doesn't work on it. And there's something else, he's bleeding gold."
"Oh God, another one? Okay, get him to a room, we'll do what we can."
You watch the squad wheel the gurney away, the doctor writing something down on a clipboard.
IF THEY ASK WHY
"I already told you... everything I did was for the sake of the people."
*IF THEY ASK*
The doctor turns to you, a dolphin man with glasses and an ear length head of brown hair, wearing a white labcoat with a stethoscope around his neck, his gold nametag reading DR TOHRU BEIFONG. "Hm? Did you need something?"
"Let me ask you something... every time you saw the Marauders, did they ever actively attack the people in front of you? Or was it mostly property damage?"
*IF THEY ASK*
"I'm surprised you don't know. There's something of an epidemic going on in Diadem. People are coming in with injuries that can't be healed by magical means."
"And every time you fought the Marauders in the middle of Diadem, were we not always there to clean up the mess and minimize casualties by hauling bodies away?"
"Mostly cuts or gunshot wounds, all of which medicine and surgery can still treat, but there's the issue of the golden... whatever it is in their blood we can't identify."
"And why is it the only time you ever saw an escapee, it was always the same one VERY lucky man who conveniently always got out?"
*INVESTIGATE*
"We've done investigations and found the blood deeper inside doesn't seem to be affected. It's exclusively what is nearest to the wound."
*IF THEY SAY DOUBLE AGENT*
"Something to that effect... I'm an Immigrant just like you, on my 25th year here. But when I saw the people here, I immediately drafted myself into the Thunder Force. When all this Marauder nonsense started two years ago, we did all we could to minimize the damage from the outside, but couldn't fix the casualties they were causing."
"Whatever this is isn't fatal in and of itself for the moment, but healing magic is our fast acting option for critical care. If someone were to lose something valuable to this, it could be permanent. Possibly fatal."
He turns his head toward the inner part of the Gated community. "I came up with a plan, something to slowly mitigate the Marauders to property damage. I would enlist as a man whom was simply 'sick of how Diadem was functioning and wanted to leave,' offered myself as a mole, and was promoted through the ranks to an identical level. Top secret mission, only one other person truly knew."
"We've had one fatality from this so far, but we get better at managing the issue every day."
*KING AKARUI*
"That's why he was willing to let ME assign you to that guard job. I arranged it with the Crooked King so I would be there aiding in the supply pickup, and made sure to give you every reason in the book to come after me. You would discover my identity, you would realize how deep this went, and you would come after us when you KNEW you were ready. King Akarui and I set it up to all fall down."
*CAN THEY SEE*
"... aside from that being completely unethical and a bit morbid, the body is no longer here. He's already been processed and is being sent to the gray demense."
*IF THEY DONT BELIEVE HIM*
"It doesn't matter anymore.. The Crooked King did something I didn't expect that jeopardized the final objective. He had Jack and Queen take hostages."
*WHERE IS IT*
"I... you... this is very awkward for me, but if you have a map..." He points out a GRAY spot on the westernmost side of the rock wall around Diadem
"I saw Jack hauling a fox man... Nash I believe was his name, tied up, gagged, and blindfolded. I saw Queen carrying a bag over her shoulder, quite a bit smaller. I assume it to be King Akarui inside. I cannot guarantee my abilities if it means the King and his aide may be at risk. But you have all twelve Regalia in hand... you can do things I cannot."
-----=====-----=====-----
"I don't care if you trust me or not, but you can trust this. The hostage situation is real. And they are commandeering one of the houses as a new base until their prep work is done. Jack and Queen are waiting to keep you from King until... whatever his objective is done. I know it involves leaving, but I dont know anything more."
*MALL*
The outside looks fairly standardized, large concrete building sun bleached into a bland pale gray over time. But the facility looks well maintained, the streets are paved with no visible cracks, and the doors are ten foot high glass panel with brass handles.
Inside the two story building is a different matter. The walls are all painted a startling white, the staircases are immaculate, every storefront looks trendy & clean, and there are old-fashioned elevators with liftmen.
*EXPLORE*
Every store is a specialty store selling all manner of fashionable AND functional clothes. There are stores for sportswear, swimwear, shoes, accessories, heavy duty workout wear, even winter wear.
*ANY STORE THEY GO TO*
You will see a solid array of color and style options, in sizes ranging from toddler to giant.
*AFTER THEY SHOP AROUND*
Once the merchandise is brought to the counter, paid for, and put in a brown paper bag, the clerk will slip a bright pink piece of paper with the clothes.
It's a flier for an upcoming once-a-month fashion show this afternoon, taking place in the PINK demense, and hosted by "The One And Only demense Mistress, Madam Miranda."
*IF THEY ASK*
The clerk smiles and points out the small pink flower pin on their uniform, on the opposite side of their chest from the nametag.
"Madam Miranda is the one who designed all the clothes everyone in Diadem wears, and every piece has her insignia on them somewhere."
(NOTICE Roll) You didnt notice this before but:
- Every store sign has that little symbol
- Several people are walking around with that pinned on their clothes, bags, or hats
- Every article of clothing you bought has that symbol embroidered on their tags
- Why is there a winter wear store in the summer?
*WHERE IS IT*
The clerk turns to a giant map behind the counter on the wall, and points out a pink spot on the southeast side of the rock wall around Diadem.
-----
*WINTER WEAR STORE*
The store is overall no different than any other store, it has a myriad of thick clothing & gloves and stylized weatherproof coats to handle any blizzard.
*IF THEY ASK*
The clerk will smile a little with a knowing grin. "You aren't from around here, are you?"
"Okay there's three reasons. One, alot of people are cold blooded and need a little more thermal layering to get by."
"Two, we do get winter weather here when the season aligns for it, and people prep for it year round."
"Three, alot of people like to go to the white demense, and it tends to get a little chilly. It's better to be prepared for the worst, ya know?"
*WHITE demense*
"You've never been? It's a nice place to beat the summer heat. You got a map? I'll show you where it is." They point out a WHITE spot on the southwestern side of the rock wall around Diadem
-----=====-----=====-----
*RESTAURANT(S)*
*MALL FOOD COURT*
The food court itself is fairly basic, dark green square metal tables with matching chairs, four seats each. There are several food vendors to pick from, and while most of them are more fast food related, there are also options for more specific tastes.
-----
*ACTUAL RESTAURANT*
There are multiple restaurant style buildings right beside each other, all of them looking mostly identical inside AND out, except for the signs on the front.
Inside, the walls are all a basic white with paintings & photos of their meals. The chairs are all lightweight black metal, the seats & tables are all treated wood, and the counterspace is some form of stylized corful stone.
-----
*REGARDLESS OF THE FOOD*
Everything on this table is rich in the purest and most savory flavors you could've asked for. The ingredients are top notch, the beverages are fresh, even the salt & pepper are more flavorful than you expected.
*IF THEY ASK OR COMPLIMENT*
The clerk will laugh proudly, already in progress of making more food for the next people. "We get our ingredients fresh from the demenses! Mostly the VIOLET one, but our seafood comes from BLUE!"
*WHERE IS IT*
The clerk checks out the next person in line, trots over to your table, and asks to see your map, pointing out a:
- BLUE spot on the southernmost side of the rock wall around Diadem.
- VIOLET spot on the easternmost side of the rock wall around Diadem.
-----=====-----=====-----
*MUSIC STORE*
This brick building is alot more stylized than the others. The front of the store is covered in a black iron mesh meant to resemble speakers, covering and slightly obscuring the glass open front display.
Inside is wall to wall aisles of musical instruments and supplies, but the aisles shorten in length closer to the store's center. Instead, there are four black leather couches, a small coffee table, and a few people sitting to either enjoy the atmosphere or test the instruments.
Behind the couches and beside the door is the register, manned by an Ibis woman with braided black hair and a loose tiedye tank top, working a modernized record player connected to the store's sound system, her gold nametag reading ELLEN.
- Drums and percussion instruments
- Fretted instruments (guitars, ukuleles, etc)
- Brass and woodwind instruments
- Violin family instruments
- Metronomes, music stands, and sheet music
- Consumables (strings, reeds, drumsticks)
- Microphones, cables, audio tech, & amplifiers
- Racks upon racks of records, with record players nearby
(NOTICE Roll) You spot a yellow flier on the wall for a beach party, hosted by DJ ZAHIR in the yellow demense.
*IF THEY ASK*
Ellen puts down her headphones and lets the record play for a bit. "Hell yeah, love his parties. Guy throws one about every week and everyone is invited. Hell of a shindig too, last one had at least a hundred people. You going?"
*IF THEY GO*
"Sweeeet, gimme your map." She points out a yellow spot on the northeast side of the rock wall around Diadem.
-----=====-----=====-----
*THUNDER FORCE*
The two story precinct building looks relatively basic, the bottom half made of stylized brick and the top half more concrete. There's no obvious sign like the other buildings, but you see a few Thunder Force agents walking in and out of the main doors, as well as normal people whom all seem a bit excited.
Inside, there are several more officers with clipboards in hand, all talking to a large group of normally dressed people in the middle.
A group of three agents in the back spot your group, all of whom approach you rather quickly.
- The first is a human woman with tightly bound brown hair in a bun, her silver nametag reading JENSEN
- The second is a Gila monster man about her height, his hair jet black and cut tight to his skin, his silver nametag reading VALEOS
- The third you immediately recognize from the Marauder incident, the tall Panther man with the scar under his eye, his silver nametag reading HARKEN
Harken crosses his arms, eyeing you all up from behind his tight shades. "Wait, I recognize you lot, you're from the Marauder incident the other day. Good to see you all in our office. Do you plan to try out? Or were you just here to watch?"
*EITHER WAY*
"(Good to hear / That's too bad), we are always looking for promising new recruits." He pauses and looks at his two associates.
"It occurs to me none of us have been introduced formally. I am Third commander Harken, this is Second commander Valeos, and this is First commander Jensen." All three of them extend a hand to shake yours.
*IF THEY WANT TO TRY OUT*
Harken will hold out a slip of paper. "You will be number 29 (add more per person). When your number is called, just step out into the center and we will get started."
The tryouts begin, and half of the participants are less than impressive. They mostly fumble with their guns full of blanks, fizzle out on their electric speed demonstrations, and jumble their words on the quick Q&A segments.
(NOTICE Roll) Poor Harken looks so disappointed, he eventually turns around and walks out of the building entirely, leaving Jensen and Valeos to finish evaluations.
-----
*IF PARTICIPATING*
Number 29 is called out. Once you step on the floor, a Thunder Force agent steps up with a clipboard (A shorter cat woman with a silver nametag reading BINX) looks up to you.
"Just like the others before you, we will be judging you on several specific attributes of being a Thunder Force officer. Are you ready?"
- FIGHT/SHOOT/STEALTH roll for weapon finesse
- ACADEMICS/MANA roll for magical prowess
- EMPATHY/DECEIVE roll for verbal skills
Each time, Binx will scribble something on her clipboard, as do a few other officers randomly. Once you finish, she offers to shake your hand. "Thank you, we will have your results once all testing is complete."
*REPEAT AS MANY TIMES AS NECESSARY FOR EACH ADDITIONAL NUMBER*
-----
*FIVE MINUTES LATER, OR*
*AFTER LAST EVALUATION*
You hear an explosion outside, and Harken runs back in a moment later, coughing up smoke and covered in debris. "The Marauders are attacking the Residential district! I pursued but they outnumbered me!"
He winces in pain, but Jensen steps up beside him and casts a violet healing spell on him to take the edge off. "I'll get you fixed up in a sec.."
Valeos turns to everyone in the office. "Attention Thunder Force, current and potential! The time to truly test your merit has come! All non-agents are temporarily deputized until this threat is neutralized! I am deploying you all to the Residential District immediately!"
He pauses to look at your group. "That includes you! Get down and help however you can! If there were enough to outnumber Harken, we need all the help we can get!"
*RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT*
You see a group of about thirty Marauders, all laughing and swinging their weapons into whatever they can find. Car windows, mailboxes, light posts, everything breaks and they enjoy every second of it.
The other non-agents approach the Marauders, and immediately start breaking up into street brawls with them. There is about as many on both sides, barring the one group in the middle that you would assume to be the ringleaders.
*WHEN THEY APPROACH*
You hear a familiar laugh, and see the same ram man waltz out into the open, waving that fancy little white sword of his around. "I was hoping I'd get to see you fuckheads again. Ready for round two? Cuz I know I am!"
AFTER THE FIGHT
The ram lies in a heap with not only the group HE fought you with, but also every other Marauder in the area. The non-agents are all fairly battered and banged up, but you all did win today.
"THUNDER FORCE!!!" You hear Harken's voice bellow out behind you. The agents all turn and form a lineup, saluting Harken immediately, holding his stomach with one hand.
"TODAY YOU HAVE DONE WELL. RETURN TO THE OFFICE TO RECUPERATE. NON-AGENTS, STANDBY." All the Thunder Force agents suddenly take off with electrically charged leaps, leaving you all behind in the lineup.
"As for the rest of you... what I witnessed out there was sloppy, uncoordinated, and barely qualified as a victory." Everyone around you looks dejected.
"So when you don that uniform, I expect each and every one of you to be better than you were today." The entire group suddenly seem surprised.
"We will be using today's fight to evaluate each and every one of you, so pay attention to your mail. You will each receive a letter within the week with your results. BUT, regardless if you pass or fail, remember that on this day, you all fought to make Diadem better. DISMISSED."
All the people start cheering for themselves and each other, before dispersing and walking away. Harken turns and looks at your group. "NOT. YOU." He ushers you all to come toward him. By this time, Jensen and Valeos join his sides.
"We saw what you all did. Out of all the people in this fight, we recognize coordination and effort when we see it. You definitely have what it takes. I think I speak for all of us when I say, we want you to be Thunder Force."
"You would start at entry level of course, but this will immediately qualify you for all employment perks. Uniforms, income, and status, including a publicly wearable trainee badge with a hit or miss chance at bonuses with the people."
*REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY PICK*
Jensen and Valeos walk away to grab some of the defeated Marauders, and Harken takes notice of the ram. "Wait, I know him. Didn't we just book him a few days ago?"
*THE PARTY RECOGNIZES HIM*
"Well this expedites things a bit. Since both our groups have dealt with him more than once, he is officially a repeat offender, and will likely receive an expedited trial."
"In fact... if you three would be willing to go to the courthouse in the silver demense and speak as witnesses, we might be able to put him behind bars permanently."
*IF THEY AGREE*
He will pull out his own map and point out a silver spot on the northeastern side of the rock wall around Diadem.
--------------------------