MEETUP: Artificer Open House

=============> 15) MEETUP: Artificer's Open House <=============

Open/Closed: OPEN: This event is open to any player who wants to sign up Start Time: 08:30:00 PM (LOCAL), Wednesday, October 12, 2016 (29m 57s) Location: Sage Orum's Plaza Level Range: All

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! PROBABLY NO GIANT KILLER ROBOTS!

As the Tribune recently reported (Issue Xd), the recent eruption at the Artificer's Hall has revealed some old areas beneath Alexandros, causing some anxiety amidst the population. To help reassure everyone, the Hall in conjunction with the Temple of Reos is holding an Open House. There will be refreshments, games, prizes, and NO giant killer robots this time, we promise. Probably.

Some of the heroes who helped uncover those areas will be on hand to answer questions. Or at least nod sagely in response to questions while hastily changing the subject.

VERY SAFE tours of the lower levels showing off the new Decontamination Area that keeps Alexandros VERY VERY SAFE INDEED are available. Also, a display of charming clockwork devices assembled by some of our younger students to distract -- er, entertain our valued visitors.

Fun for the whole family!

(OOC: This is a meetup! I don't intend to run combat or do anything site-plot relevant... though if someone else wants to, they are welcome to.)

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[Public] Gnome Artificer/Crafter Alik says, "Artificer's Open House starting in 2 minutes in Sage Orum's Plaza!!!" [Public] Gnome Artificer/Crafter Alik says, "+event 15 for details"

(Emits by alik)

The Open House has been going on for some time now, with a variety of diversions all around. There are fireworks going off overhead, and a seventeen-piece band playing a collection of strange instruments, often artifice-enhanced. The resulting sound bears some distinct relationships to music.

Alik is there, in front of a small portable smith-and-shop with a large artifice sign that reads "Alik Sparkthrower's Wandering World of Wonder" in multiple colors.

Abrahil has arrived.

Alik waves cheerfully to Abrahil, a gnome he knows entirely by reputation from his home in Happy Valley.

"Oh, how MARVELOUS! So wonderful...so wonderful!" Abrahil says. The elderly gnome bobs along, floating uncertainly through the air through the power of magic. His feet--if they do indeed exist, though often as not are a subject of rumor and legend--are tucked beneath. As he nears Alik, he slows. "Oh, why--hello there! Why, this is lovely, just marvelous!"

When closed up, this vehicle is a metal cube about 5' on a side, covered in artifice circuitry, somewhat reminiscent of a Borg cube. A glowing artifice sign atop it reads "Alik Sparkthrower's Wandering World of Wonders!" in colors that change over time. On the four facing sides are signs advertising available services and prices. (See http://www.tenebraemush.net/index.php/Alik for more details.)

Although the vehicle has wheels, they are rarely used. It is built around a Runeplate and, when travelling, hovers a foot or so above the ground. The Runeplate gives off an eerie purple glow as it drifts along, at about the same speed as a walking human.

When stopped, it unfolds into an open-air smithy, with gun barrels and stocks laid out on racks nearby. Around the sides are arranged numerous shelves displaying artifice and clockwork items for sale: animated toys, self-operating household labor-saving devices, heated winter garments, that sort of thing. The prices are high, as is the quality. A smaller display is labelled "Adventurer's Corner" and contains examples of masterfully crafted firearms, weapons, armor, headbands, bracers, boots, and so forth, ready to be enchanted to specification.

A small hovering platform contains coffee and jelly doughnuts.

Alik shrugs. "Acceptable, is," he says in Trade, and then continues in Gnomish "Have a jelly donut!" He gestures to a small hovering tray that contains doughnuts and coffee.

Blauensturm walks his way out of the hall and tilts his head at all of the.....different things. "Good day Alik. I say...what ARE these things?" he says gesturing towards the pastries.

"Oh, my," the gnome Abrahil says. "Oh! And raspberry, my...oh! Why, it's in the shape of a cog!" he says. If it wasn't before, it is now. Just one-of-those-things that happens, as the elderly man takes it gleefully in hand.

"Oh, they're quite good, I imagine. Oh...why, where did you get the recipe?" he asks Alik.

"Jelly donuts," Alik explains to Blauensturn. "A traditional Runite confection, is. Have one! Family recipe, is," he explains to Abrahil. "As a wedding gift, our husband's mother gave it, when he married our wife. Receive it I did, when I married them."

A large table occupies pride of place, the center of which is a collection of mechanical arms whirring around a central column that is spinning continuously as various substances pour into the column from attached barrels. From time to time the arms scoop out a large quantity of a frozen confection, which it partitions into dozens of small cups, which is distributed among the guests.

The elderly gnome blinks a few times behind his rose-tinted lenses. "I...oh!" he says. "Well, it's quite delightful, you know. Why, it's been forever since I tried one, but. ...oh, I think the last time was at my grandfather's farmstead. They always had a bit of a buttery flavor, you know. We were never certain why." He lifts the doughnut, and bites into it. Red jelly oozes out the side of the cog-shape.

Alik smiles. "Butter, I think?"

Astaren has arrived.

Blauensturm would smile.....if his faceplate would allow it. "I don't think a jelly doughnut would be good for me....but I shall try." he says as he picks one up....and bites it in half. Sadly...he cannot chew.

"You know, that could be it," the elderly fellow responds thoughtfully. "He was a dairy farmer, you know. Oh, why, he had the most lovely pasture. And cows, of course. Why, he had quite the herd! And oh...you don't mind...?" Abrahil says, as he gestures towards the platter again.

Alik smiles at the charming grandfather. Ordinarily the donuts are for PAYING customers, but he'll make an exception.

Off to one side is a large circular disc, mounted on an artifice engine that spins it. Several well-behaved ponies are standing on the disk, leashed to the central column, looking very confused about why they're there. A number of local children are sitting on the ponies.

Blauensturm would chew but...well...golem. He does take the part that's in his mouth and mash it in his faceplate. Politeness, after all.

"Oh, how delightful!" the elderly fellow says. Abrahil floats towards the tray. With said delight, he examines its colorful contents, eyes alight behind his lenses. "You know, why. The butter wasn't all that bad a taste. Oh, it wasn't, but it got to be a touch overwhelming at times. No one had the heart to tell him," he says with a sigh that sends his lower lip a-tremble.

"Oh, now this one looks quite--oh! Is that oil?" he asks, leaning closer to the doughnut for a better look.

Astaren is making his way into the area, his pace quick and eager as he bee lines straight towards one of the tables. "OH this looks delightful!" Glancing at all the mechanical devices and contraptions. He pulls up his left book and flips it open. He snaps his fingers and the book starts to hover in front of him. He starts to take notes on everything he sees and is not the paying attention to people around him. Almost bumping into several peoepe in the process.

A harried looking human woman with three half-oruch children following her distractedly stops at Alik's shop-cart, browsing. She begins haggling with Alik over the price of a self-heating cookpot.

"Oh! Why, it IS! Oh, how exciting, you know," says Abrahil. He wriggles his fingers, and the oozy doughnut wobbles upwards. "Oh, my. I do think this is for you?" he says to the golem present. "Or at least, I think it is. I'm not quite sure. I haven't er, worked with many golems before?" he asks.

Blauensturm tilts his head and picks up the one Abrahil indicates....and he bites into it. "it seems it is." he says as he munches...as best he can with a faceplate. "thank you for indicating this one to me, sir. I am Blauensturm..."

Alik is apparently not very good at haggling, and she gets him to drop his asking price by quite a lot. Then a large oruch man, presumably her husband, joins and begins arguing with Alik over the price, not realizing she has already done so. After much back and forth, Alik agrees to sell the pot for significantly more than the original agreed upon price, and the woman rolls her eyes.

"Most not for golems, I think." Alik agrees with Abrahil once he completes the sale. "But, every customer, trying to please."

Joy and festivities are temporarily, for but a split second, interrupted by a glorious and astounding belch. From beneath a wide brimmed hat stands the belcher. An artificed thunderbelcher slung across his back, form and frame hidden beneath hat and sarape. Stepping away from some mechanical wonder his head lifts, vials of vile liquid sloshing from strings about the brim. Beneath the hat the gunslinger licks a giant ball of frozen confectionery in a rolled up waffle. His ponder nose dips into the cold cream, leaving a white smear on his gray skin.

"Oh! Why, Abrahil Fizzletorque Brindlegear! I work in theatre," the gnomish man says, his voice almost hushed in delight. And then... "Oh! Oh, my. These are for sale! Why...oh, I thought they were for the festival!" he says. The poor, elderly fellow turns a touch pink, and he fumbles for his purse.

"Oh, no, no," Alik assures the charming gnome. "Is not part of festival, but is not for sale... enjoy, please. To encourage browsing, is."

Astaren continues to look over items and making notes, "Magic equiv, magic equiv, magic equiv, not sure if magic equiv, magic equiv, not magic equiv." That item catches his attention the most as he takes notes on a cooking device, "Fasinating, wonder if I could develop a spell for this." Nodding to himself and continues on, "So possible equiv for that one." He stops at Alik's booth and glances up, "Hey there. How are you doing today?"

"Oh!" Abrahil says, and then, "Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry--well, I'm so relieved, that is. But oh, how wonderful! Thank you!" he says. And the rotund little gnome does look it, relieved that is. Also--happy to help himself to a second doughnut.

Alik looks over at Astaren. "Arcane research, are doing?"

The seventeen-piece band finishes their set, except for one lanky human boy playing a long saxophone-like instrument that sets off chiming noises every time he blows into it. Hurdrizh Silverarm comes out and brusquely shoos him away. "Are they not WONDERFUL, ladies and gentlemen? Troop #23, Artificers all, not a Bard among them. You couldn't tell." That last seems more like a command than a question.

Astaren shakes his head, "hardly, curiosity. I am from Rune, and everything there is done through magic. Here far more focus on mechanical engineering. I can cast spells, not everybody can. So like seeing what we can replicate for non-magical people." Nodding as he takes a few more notes. "Care to tell me about the devices here?" He offers looking behind Alik.

Sharp toothed mouth closes around ice cream, and the treat disappears. Long-fingered hands clapped together when the music ends, but the yappy mouth opens despite the hands' praise. "Yah, n' I's ears be made of tin!" He yells up to he stage. He walks past the vendors, running a hand along the butts of Alik's dragonspitters and thunderbelchers.

"From Rune, you are!" Alik repeats, delighted. "I, also! And yes, of course. This," he explains, picking up a spatula with a complicated artifice device on the handle, "is spatula, also thermometer. Is for knowing if meat correctly cooked, yes? And this," he explains, picking up a hat woven through with circuitry, "is hat. Warm in winter. And --" he cuts off as the nameless person walks by. "Good day, sir!"

Blauensturm taptaps his faceplate as Astaren and Alik meet, apparently both from Rune, so he steps back and looks to Abrahil. "You make good shows, Mister Abrahil?"

Astaren peers at the spatula and nods slowly, "I see, but does that take internal tempratures or only external?" He tilts his head and ponders the item for a moment, "Ground foods require internal tempting, learned a little about cooking.' Then glances to the hat, "Wouldn't a endure elements work better? How long does it last and work for? Does it recharge naturally over time or does it need to be re-enchanted?" Astaren then glances over to Blauenstrum, "Hey here! Doing well?" He then glances to the other person passing and offers a wave.

The gobber looks at the distracted gnome covered in artifice. "Ain't no sir," he states, his accent claiming some background of lower education. "I's Striglegoff." He points at Astaren with a yellowed nail. "I is takin' the peek peek. Deal with youse sir firsht, yah?" He picks up one of the tunderbelchers and sights down its length, fingers running over it with a careful touch.

Silverarm continues. "So. You've seen the wonders the boys and girls of our Artificers Troops can provide, you've tasted the ice cream and ridden the carousel. Some of you tried the Flight Suit... terribly sorry about that. The Altheans say they'll all be fine in a few days. ANYWAY. As you all know, there was an... incident... on 25th Callem that was reported in the Tribune recently. This has caused some... concern... among our neighbors. We're here today to dispel these concerns. You see--" he is interrupted by two twin redheads running down from the road the the Artificer's Hall. He whispers with them and looks disturbed, then looks around hastily and continues "we fortunately have one of the heroes of the Hall who uncovered the tunnels here to answer all your questions. ALIK!!! Get up here!"

Alik is about to answer all of Astaren's questions, which he absolutely knows the answer to, since he's an artificer after all! But he's interrupted by Silverarm's voice calling his name.

LOG ENDS HERE, MEETUP REPLACED BY DM-RUN SCENE (Brundle and Smythe).