Mister Andersen
Shinobi 15
Mister Andersen
Mister Andersen
(Mar 4, 2011)
Yukio's and Kasumi's conversation about the finer arts spans an hour, alternating between insightful commentary on the classics, recommendations on a few new pieces and - we'll admit - some amount of swooning over pretty actors. The two find themselves talking animatedly and even laughing with each other, a nice diversion that Sadatsugu's quiet lying-in-bed does not disturb. But as the messenger stays absent, your checks on Sadatsugu's condition become more frequent, and Yukio can't hide her worrying. Fortunately, after almost two hours, the messenger does show up. Trailing her is a man in a heavy leather cloak, wearing gloves and a peculiar long-nosed mask that covers his entire face. A leather hood and hat complete the ensemble. The messenger speaks animatedly to him in the foreign tongue, and you gather that he is a doctor - he sets to work on Sadatsugu at once, checking the ninja's temperature and removing the bandages to clean the wound.
"Thank you for watching him," the messenger says. "Kasumi, I've another favor to ask of you."
Kasumi places her hand on Yukio's thigh, motioning her to stay with Sadatsugu, then stands up and follows the messenger to a quiet corner of the room. "Yes?"
"I've procured this... doctor," the messenger says, "but I've no idea if he is trustworthy. I'm sure he will treat my brother competently, but this is for nought if he will not keep quiet about it. I have...I realise that I have not acted with the foresight and rationality required to make such calls, so I did not inquire of him personally to gauge his intentions and character. If you could...without making it feel like an interrogation..." the messenger says, then trails off. "I just have to know if we can let him leave this place."
Kasumi looks at the doctor, who is peering at Sadatsugu's wound through his mask. "How much money do you have on you?"
"A hundred pieces of silver. The rest of my coin is already in his purse."
"I've got a few hundred," Kasumi says. "That should hopefully be enough if we have to turn to bribery." She looks back to the messenger, and tries to get a read on where she's at.
(1d20 + 10 (Kasumi's Sense Motive) = 21)
Though her mask makes her hard to read, a few of the messenger's worries are apparent. The way she spoke of the silver, she must have had far more - or the doctor took more coin than she expected. Either way, you can see her questioning the expenditure, whether she has enough left to get them out of the city, or how she will pay for a second visit, if it comes to that. She didn't say "let him leave this place alive", but that part of her thoughts is easy enough to guess: she still sees the doctor in terms of an inconvenient witness, one that either has to stay quiet of his own volition or be killed, anything to prevent more exposure. The way she's clearly questioning her own judgment about it shows that this is hardly a foregone conclusion, though - whether it's a pang of conscience or simply the pragmatic thought that another corpse will be more trouble down the road, you can't say. All in all, though, she seems calmer and more together than previously - obviously, seeing her brother getting competent medical care has eased one of her biggest worries.
Kasumi mentally files away her observations. "Does he speak our tongue? I work better when not having to speak through a translator."
"He does not," the messenger says. "I thought it was best if we could be sure he would not listen in on our conversations."
"Or it might make him suspicious we are plotting behind his back," Kasumi says. She shakes her head. "No matter, we work with what we've got. Let's get started, shall we?"
Kasumi walks over to the doctor's side and bows towards him. "Excuse me, is our friend all right?" she asks in a girlish, sing-song voice.
"Gnädge frau, sie haben ihrem kumpan keenen gefallen getan, ihn dahinvejetiern zu lassen! Ich verabreiche ihm ein tonikum, dass sein fieber zügelt, und dann wird er wohl wieder auf die beene kommen!"
The messenger translates. "He says we should've called him sooner, he's giving him medicine against the fever, and that he will probably recover."
Kasumi sighs with relief, placing her hand on her chest and slumping against the messenger. "Thank the Gods, I was so worried about him. My friend knew that I had taken care of my family when my mother was sick, but that was just a cough and some times she was clumsy, just twisted ankles and cuts and scrapes, nothing like this, he says that he tripped and fell onto a piece of scrap, but I know that he's a bit of a drinker, if you know what I mean, but that doesn't mean that he deserves to die, you know what I mean? Just a little mistake and -" she claps her hands together, "- just like that he's bleeding all over the floor, at least, that's what she said, and so she called me and my friend here to come take a look at him, but I just know how to treat a twisted ankle or something like that, we did the best we could I think but then he started to get feverish and sweaty, and then he passed out, and I was all like, oh Gods, what are we going to do, but then she went and got you, and now everything's going to be just fine, yeah?"
That takes a while to translate, even with the messenger obviously taking shortcuts. The doctor cranes his neck between the two of you.
"Naja, dat schlimmste hat er nu hinter sich. Hegen und pflegen se ihn nochn paar tage und stelln se sicher, dass er wat heißes trinkt und wat leichtes isst. Und beim neesten mal rufen se mich gleich."
(1d20+10 (Kasumi's Sense Motive) + 1d4 = 11 + 4 + 1 = 16)
"He says that he's got the worst behind him now, that we should give him hot drink and some light food, and that we should call him right away the next time."
Kasumi has to try not to look too baffled as she tries to puzzle out the doctor's state of mind. For one, she can't see any of his face, not even his eyes. Plus, foreign language. Fortunately, there's some body language to fall back on - open arms, some minor moves of the hands. It looks like a professional explaining his trade with no passion or falseness. His thoughts seem to be on the patient, not on what you're telling him or who you are. It's hard to be a 100% sure, but he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would go and sell you out.
"Oh, of course, of course," Kasumi says. She bows, but then stops halfway and tries the thanking tradition these foreigners seem to have. She pretends to awkwardly grasp the doctor's hand, grabbing him by the hand and forearm and shaking. "Thank you so very much," she says, moving her off-hand to the man's shoulder. The odd actions both add to her cover, and give her a chance to maybe get a better read on the man's disposition.
"Eh, ja, keene ursache, gnädge frau," the doctor says. He's clearly surprised by Kasumi initiating close contact, but doesn't recoil from it. You get the impression that his customers usually prefer to avoid touching him or being close to him.
"He says it's no problem," the messenger translates.
"Is there anything else you need?" Kasumi asks.
"Nee, aber schönen dank der nachfrage."
"No, but he thanks you for the question."
"He seems honest enough," Kasumi says to the messenger, keeping up the sing-song voice and giving him a smile and another bow. "I think we can trust him."
Yukio's and Kasumi's conversation about the finer arts spans an hour, alternating between insightful commentary on the classics, recommendations on a few new pieces and - we'll admit - some amount of swooning over pretty actors. The two find themselves talking animatedly and even laughing with each other, a nice diversion that Sadatsugu's quiet lying-in-bed does not disturb. But as the messenger stays absent, your checks on Sadatsugu's condition become more frequent, and Yukio can't hide her worrying. Fortunately, after almost two hours, the messenger does show up. Trailing her is a man in a heavy leather cloak, wearing gloves and a peculiar long-nosed mask that covers his entire face. A leather hood and hat complete the ensemble. The messenger speaks animatedly to him in the foreign tongue, and you gather that he is a doctor - he sets to work on Sadatsugu at once, checking the ninja's temperature and removing the bandages to clean the wound.
"Thank you for watching him," the messenger says. "Kasumi, I've another favor to ask of you."
Kasumi places her hand on Yukio's thigh, motioning her to stay with Sadatsugu, then stands up and follows the messenger to a quiet corner of the room. "Yes?"
"I've procured this... doctor," the messenger says, "but I've no idea if he is trustworthy. I'm sure he will treat my brother competently, but this is for nought if he will not keep quiet about it. I have...I realise that I have not acted with the foresight and rationality required to make such calls, so I did not inquire of him personally to gauge his intentions and character. If you could...without making it feel like an interrogation..." the messenger says, then trails off. "I just have to know if we can let him leave this place."
Kasumi looks at the doctor, who is peering at Sadatsugu's wound through his mask. "How much money do you have on you?"
"A hundred pieces of silver. The rest of my coin is already in his purse."
"I've got a few hundred," Kasumi says. "That should hopefully be enough if we have to turn to bribery." She looks back to the messenger, and tries to get a read on where she's at.
(1d20 + 10 (Kasumi's Sense Motive) = 21)
Though her mask makes her hard to read, a few of the messenger's worries are apparent. The way she spoke of the silver, she must have had far more - or the doctor took more coin than she expected. Either way, you can see her questioning the expenditure, whether she has enough left to get them out of the city, or how she will pay for a second visit, if it comes to that. She didn't say "let him leave this place alive", but that part of her thoughts is easy enough to guess: she still sees the doctor in terms of an inconvenient witness, one that either has to stay quiet of his own volition or be killed, anything to prevent more exposure. The way she's clearly questioning her own judgment about it shows that this is hardly a foregone conclusion, though - whether it's a pang of conscience or simply the pragmatic thought that another corpse will be more trouble down the road, you can't say. All in all, though, she seems calmer and more together than previously - obviously, seeing her brother getting competent medical care has eased one of her biggest worries.
Kasumi mentally files away her observations. "Does he speak our tongue? I work better when not having to speak through a translator."
"He does not," the messenger says. "I thought it was best if we could be sure he would not listen in on our conversations."
"Or it might make him suspicious we are plotting behind his back," Kasumi says. She shakes her head. "No matter, we work with what we've got. Let's get started, shall we?"
Kasumi walks over to the doctor's side and bows towards him. "Excuse me, is our friend all right?" she asks in a girlish, sing-song voice.
"Gnädge frau, sie haben ihrem kumpan keenen gefallen getan, ihn dahinvejetiern zu lassen! Ich verabreiche ihm ein tonikum, dass sein fieber zügelt, und dann wird er wohl wieder auf die beene kommen!"
The messenger translates. "He says we should've called him sooner, he's giving him medicine against the fever, and that he will probably recover."
Kasumi sighs with relief, placing her hand on her chest and slumping against the messenger. "Thank the Gods, I was so worried about him. My friend knew that I had taken care of my family when my mother was sick, but that was just a cough and some times she was clumsy, just twisted ankles and cuts and scrapes, nothing like this, he says that he tripped and fell onto a piece of scrap, but I know that he's a bit of a drinker, if you know what I mean, but that doesn't mean that he deserves to die, you know what I mean? Just a little mistake and -" she claps her hands together, "- just like that he's bleeding all over the floor, at least, that's what she said, and so she called me and my friend here to come take a look at him, but I just know how to treat a twisted ankle or something like that, we did the best we could I think but then he started to get feverish and sweaty, and then he passed out, and I was all like, oh Gods, what are we going to do, but then she went and got you, and now everything's going to be just fine, yeah?"
That takes a while to translate, even with the messenger obviously taking shortcuts. The doctor cranes his neck between the two of you.
"Naja, dat schlimmste hat er nu hinter sich. Hegen und pflegen se ihn nochn paar tage und stelln se sicher, dass er wat heißes trinkt und wat leichtes isst. Und beim neesten mal rufen se mich gleich."
(1d20+10 (Kasumi's Sense Motive) + 1d4 = 11 + 4 + 1 = 16)
"He says that he's got the worst behind him now, that we should give him hot drink and some light food, and that we should call him right away the next time."
Kasumi has to try not to look too baffled as she tries to puzzle out the doctor's state of mind. For one, she can't see any of his face, not even his eyes. Plus, foreign language. Fortunately, there's some body language to fall back on - open arms, some minor moves of the hands. It looks like a professional explaining his trade with no passion or falseness. His thoughts seem to be on the patient, not on what you're telling him or who you are. It's hard to be a 100% sure, but he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would go and sell you out.
"Oh, of course, of course," Kasumi says. She bows, but then stops halfway and tries the thanking tradition these foreigners seem to have. She pretends to awkwardly grasp the doctor's hand, grabbing him by the hand and forearm and shaking. "Thank you so very much," she says, moving her off-hand to the man's shoulder. The odd actions both add to her cover, and give her a chance to maybe get a better read on the man's disposition.
"Eh, ja, keene ursache, gnädge frau," the doctor says. He's clearly surprised by Kasumi initiating close contact, but doesn't recoil from it. You get the impression that his customers usually prefer to avoid touching him or being close to him.
"He says it's no problem," the messenger translates.
"Is there anything else you need?" Kasumi asks.
"Nee, aber schönen dank der nachfrage."
"No, but he thanks you for the question."
"He seems honest enough," Kasumi says to the messenger, keeping up the sing-song voice and giving him a smile and another bow. "I think we can trust him."
Mister Andersen
(Mar 4 - 6, 2011)
Takao gingerly loads the provided gonne. He's careful with the amount of powder - too much and it'll blow up in his face, so he goes a little lighter than he thinks he should. Wad the ball and press it down. Takao sweats a little while the Blue Oni watches. Surely, this will go faster with experience!
With the gonne loaded, you pack up your materials for further shots and head out. You draw attention, but that's to be expected - and the message of "Do not fuck with these men" transmits clearly with your weapons and armor, even across cultural borders. With Knut's house close to the docks, finding a currently empty warehouse open to the sea does not take you very long. It's hardly ideal - for one, you've no way to test the weapon's accuracy or power - but firing out into the waters at least means you can't hit anything important. A few seagulls are gathered at the piers and in the beamwork of the warehouse, watching the two of you set up and deliberate with casual disinterest.
There's something to settle, though - who will actually pull the trigger?
"Bust some caps, Takao / Shoot a seagull in Kargbeck / Just to watch him die," Toshiba says, lurching into Holger's odd grammar for a moment. He waves Takao on to take the first shot. It shows a measure of trust to fire a gonne loaded by another man, but it would also be quite rude to take away the pleasurable part of the shooting experience first.
The gonne is flintlock, yes? I don't have to light a fuse?
Takao weighs the weapon in his hands. It has been a long time since he trained with the daikyu, and he's not sure he'd still be able to use one. What was the lesson? Oh yes: target and archer becomes one through the breathing. Not much different from kenjutsu, at the basics, but oh so unfamiliar. Like he has seen before, Takao holds the barrel with the left hand and grasps the stock and trigger with the right. He raises the gonne over his head as he inhales, brings the stock to his shoulder and lowers the barrel towards his target, a seagull sitting near the end of the pier. His breath ends almost with his motion, and he squeezes the trigger as the exhalation ends.
(1d20+6 = 24)
Once more, the price of science is paid by a humble seagull — Takao's experimental loading proves to be correct, or at least workable, and the gonne spits lead, bursting the seagull into a cloud of blood, guts and feathers. The other birds take flight as you observe the results of your handiwork and try to shake the ringing out of your eyes.
So, yeah. The gonne works.
Takao gingerly loads the provided gonne. He's careful with the amount of powder - too much and it'll blow up in his face, so he goes a little lighter than he thinks he should. Wad the ball and press it down. Takao sweats a little while the Blue Oni watches. Surely, this will go faster with experience!
With the gonne loaded, you pack up your materials for further shots and head out. You draw attention, but that's to be expected - and the message of "Do not fuck with these men" transmits clearly with your weapons and armor, even across cultural borders. With Knut's house close to the docks, finding a currently empty warehouse open to the sea does not take you very long. It's hardly ideal - for one, you've no way to test the weapon's accuracy or power - but firing out into the waters at least means you can't hit anything important. A few seagulls are gathered at the piers and in the beamwork of the warehouse, watching the two of you set up and deliberate with casual disinterest.
There's something to settle, though - who will actually pull the trigger?
"Bust some caps, Takao / Shoot a seagull in Kargbeck / Just to watch him die," Toshiba says, lurching into Holger's odd grammar for a moment. He waves Takao on to take the first shot. It shows a measure of trust to fire a gonne loaded by another man, but it would also be quite rude to take away the pleasurable part of the shooting experience first.
The gonne is flintlock, yes? I don't have to light a fuse?
Takao weighs the weapon in his hands. It has been a long time since he trained with the daikyu, and he's not sure he'd still be able to use one. What was the lesson? Oh yes: target and archer becomes one through the breathing. Not much different from kenjutsu, at the basics, but oh so unfamiliar. Like he has seen before, Takao holds the barrel with the left hand and grasps the stock and trigger with the right. He raises the gonne over his head as he inhales, brings the stock to his shoulder and lowers the barrel towards his target, a seagull sitting near the end of the pier. His breath ends almost with his motion, and he squeezes the trigger as the exhalation ends.
(1d20+6 = 24)
Once more, the price of science is paid by a humble seagull — Takao's experimental loading proves to be correct, or at least workable, and the gonne spits lead, bursting the seagull into a cloud of blood, guts and feathers. The other birds take flight as you observe the results of your handiwork and try to shake the ringing out of your eyes.
So, yeah. The gonne works.
Mister Andersen
(Mar 5 - 6, 2011)
It's been five minutes since the doctor left, minutes the messenger has spent silently sitting by her brother's side, holding his hand. Finally, she seems to be able to let him go for a moment to talk to you. Her head is lowered and her voice quiet.
"I can take care of him for the night," she says. "You can leave, if you want."
Kasumi wants to leave with a quick bow. "Are you..." She stops, trying to come up with a good excuse to leave her alone. "Are you going to be all right?"
"Yes," the messenger says. "I will meet you tomorrow to discuss our target. Then we can follow your plan, leave this city and..." She trails off. "I shouldn't have sent him on this mission," she finally says. "He wasn't ready."
"He got the job done, he was just unlucky," Kasumi says. "This wasn't your fault... messenger. And you moved Heaven and Earth to save him. You have nothing to be sad or ashamed about. If he was awake right now, he'd tell you the same thing."
"I disagree," the messenger says. "But I know better than to argue with you."
Do you hear the vague beginning of a smile in that line?
"In any event, our path is set. Tomorrow, we will speak of the man who will hang in stead of my brother."
"Indeed," Kasumi says, and bows to the messenger. "We shall speak again tomorrow, Messenger."
After one last check on Sadatsugu, Kasumi and Yukio start making their way towards the sea front and Hilga's house. The night sky is clear, and with the exception of the occasional town guard walking his path with his lantern and local foreigners out on late-night errands, the streets are clear. Kasumi keeps her hand on her sword, anyway.
After a minute or so of walking, Kasumi speaks up. "Is it okay if we talk, for a moment? About us?"
"Of course," Yukio says, and smiles. "What about us?"
"I know that it's only been a day since we, well..." Kasumi tries to think of a tasteful way to put it.
"Took a roll in the proverbial hay?" Yukio says, still smiling.
"Yes, and I just want to know...if this is what you really want. If us is what you really want." Kasumi sighs. "If I'm just pushing this on you because I started to have feelings for you after we sparred at the Academy, and you're just being polite and nice. I don't want you to have to do anything you don't want to do, especially when it comes to...intimacy. I mean, it's just that I've been making all the advances and you've been...reluctant to follow up? And then as soon as we've arrived, you claim a room for Toshi and yourself and go off and have sex with him, and I'm wondering if that wasn't a message of some kind, and now tonight, where you say you want to take things slowly and just talk, and I may not have had many true relationships but I do know what that means..."
Kasumi sighs again after talking for what seemed to her at double-speed, and looks out over the water, away from Yukio for a minute. "I do know it's just been a day and you're still trying to figure out what all of this will be like and if Toshi's really okay with it, but at the same time, it seems like you're just being polite and don't want to hurt me. I just don't want to force you into this. I care about you, and if you don't want this, I will be content with just being your friend."
Yukio looks lost in thought for a moment.
"Kasumi, you've said many things, but let me try to cut to the heart of it - yes, I do love you. I don't want to string you along, and if I wanted to be just friends, I would have said so yesterday. Please do not doubt my feelings in this. But I cannot - I cannot act so madly in love with you as you seem to wish. It is not my way. I wish for our relationship to bloom like a flower, not to burst in the skies like fireworks. I like romance, and courtship, and tenderness - but I feel...embarassed if we kiss or touch each other too openly. I would very much like to walk this road with you, Kasumi, you just seem so intent on running..."
Kasumi nods. "I understand. I am pushing you too fast. But it's only because...no, it's because I feel such a deep, immediate connection with you, and because it has been a few years since I could feel this way about anyone I was walking beside." She smiles, then continues. "If you want our love to blossom and take root, I will be as tender and courtly as you wish. But at the same time, are not flowers in bloom in possession of even more stunning bursts of color than the brightest fireworks?"
"A tempting turn of phrase," Yukio says. "And here we are with the day's work done, too. Perhaps you would spend the evening in my company, then?"
"I would be delighted to, my lady." Kasumi smiles, and carefully starts to reach across Yukio's back to place a hand on her hip. She looks up at Yukio, eyes asking if this is all right.
Yukio puts her arm on Kasumi's shoulder and pulls her a little tighter. "I believe we are in agreement. Let us enjoy the walk back and then retire."
Kasumi completes the motion, and her smile grows wider. "Yes, let's."
It's been five minutes since the doctor left, minutes the messenger has spent silently sitting by her brother's side, holding his hand. Finally, she seems to be able to let him go for a moment to talk to you. Her head is lowered and her voice quiet.
"I can take care of him for the night," she says. "You can leave, if you want."
Kasumi wants to leave with a quick bow. "Are you..." She stops, trying to come up with a good excuse to leave her alone. "Are you going to be all right?"
"Yes," the messenger says. "I will meet you tomorrow to discuss our target. Then we can follow your plan, leave this city and..." She trails off. "I shouldn't have sent him on this mission," she finally says. "He wasn't ready."
"He got the job done, he was just unlucky," Kasumi says. "This wasn't your fault... messenger. And you moved Heaven and Earth to save him. You have nothing to be sad or ashamed about. If he was awake right now, he'd tell you the same thing."
"I disagree," the messenger says. "But I know better than to argue with you."
Do you hear the vague beginning of a smile in that line?
"In any event, our path is set. Tomorrow, we will speak of the man who will hang in stead of my brother."
"Indeed," Kasumi says, and bows to the messenger. "We shall speak again tomorrow, Messenger."
After one last check on Sadatsugu, Kasumi and Yukio start making their way towards the sea front and Hilga's house. The night sky is clear, and with the exception of the occasional town guard walking his path with his lantern and local foreigners out on late-night errands, the streets are clear. Kasumi keeps her hand on her sword, anyway.
After a minute or so of walking, Kasumi speaks up. "Is it okay if we talk, for a moment? About us?"
"Of course," Yukio says, and smiles. "What about us?"
"I know that it's only been a day since we, well..." Kasumi tries to think of a tasteful way to put it.
"Took a roll in the proverbial hay?" Yukio says, still smiling.
"Yes, and I just want to know...if this is what you really want. If us is what you really want." Kasumi sighs. "If I'm just pushing this on you because I started to have feelings for you after we sparred at the Academy, and you're just being polite and nice. I don't want you to have to do anything you don't want to do, especially when it comes to...intimacy. I mean, it's just that I've been making all the advances and you've been...reluctant to follow up? And then as soon as we've arrived, you claim a room for Toshi and yourself and go off and have sex with him, and I'm wondering if that wasn't a message of some kind, and now tonight, where you say you want to take things slowly and just talk, and I may not have had many true relationships but I do know what that means..."
Kasumi sighs again after talking for what seemed to her at double-speed, and looks out over the water, away from Yukio for a minute. "I do know it's just been a day and you're still trying to figure out what all of this will be like and if Toshi's really okay with it, but at the same time, it seems like you're just being polite and don't want to hurt me. I just don't want to force you into this. I care about you, and if you don't want this, I will be content with just being your friend."
Yukio looks lost in thought for a moment.
"Kasumi, you've said many things, but let me try to cut to the heart of it - yes, I do love you. I don't want to string you along, and if I wanted to be just friends, I would have said so yesterday. Please do not doubt my feelings in this. But I cannot - I cannot act so madly in love with you as you seem to wish. It is not my way. I wish for our relationship to bloom like a flower, not to burst in the skies like fireworks. I like romance, and courtship, and tenderness - but I feel...embarassed if we kiss or touch each other too openly. I would very much like to walk this road with you, Kasumi, you just seem so intent on running..."
Kasumi nods. "I understand. I am pushing you too fast. But it's only because...no, it's because I feel such a deep, immediate connection with you, and because it has been a few years since I could feel this way about anyone I was walking beside." She smiles, then continues. "If you want our love to blossom and take root, I will be as tender and courtly as you wish. But at the same time, are not flowers in bloom in possession of even more stunning bursts of color than the brightest fireworks?"
"A tempting turn of phrase," Yukio says. "And here we are with the day's work done, too. Perhaps you would spend the evening in my company, then?"
"I would be delighted to, my lady." Kasumi smiles, and carefully starts to reach across Yukio's back to place a hand on her hip. She looks up at Yukio, eyes asking if this is all right.
Yukio puts her arm on Kasumi's shoulder and pulls her a little tighter. "I believe we are in agreement. Let us enjoy the walk back and then retire."
Kasumi completes the motion, and her smile grows wider. "Yes, let's."
Mister Andersen
(Mar 6 - 15, 2011)
For a moment, Takao is stunned. He's never been this close to a firing gonne, and the deafening boom of the report and the smoke overwhelm his senses. But then excitement takes over — he has operated the foreign weapon all by himself, and what a weapon it is! Such power! He turns to Toshiba
"Let's do it again! Would you like to try this time?" His hands have already started cleaning the weapon as he speaks, and he sets out to load it again, going through the motions once more deliberately, but with more certainty now, since it obviously worked.
"What?!" Toshiba shouts back, wiggling fingers in his ears to try to clear them. "Can I try it this time?!" Part of him wants to move back away from the docks, find out how impressive the weapon is on a human target, and Toshiba wonders where that thought came from.
The gonne is reloaded soon, and Takao hands it to Toshiba. "How about the fat one over there?" Some small voice in the back of Takao's mind is trying to call to attention that they should make sure nobody heard them, and maybe leave it be at that one test, but there is something about this gonne that makes it hard to put it down.
"No more breadcrumbs for you," Toshiba comments to the bird. He sights in and makes like it's his arbalest.
(GM OOC: See, here's the thing. Despite the stock and the trigger, the gonne really isn't like the arbaleste. For one, the damn thing does not have very useful sights — it's clearly built for massed volleys from a firing line, not for anyone in particular to snipe with it. That and the anticipation of the big boom is all it takes to induce a worrying amount of sway...)
(1d20+3 (Toshiba's attack check) = 17)
...before he pulls it right on target again. BLAM! The seagull, in its defense, looks like it saw that one coming, but it's hardly faster than a speeding bullet. The lead slug tears through the small birds, leaving a smear of guts and feathers on the pier.
(Historical note: Ornithologists recorded an unusually low rate of seagull births in that year. Potential explanations ranged from environmental changes to food scarcity due to overfishing. Target practice by two bored Imperial citizens was, however, not considered.)
When his hearing returns, Takao turns to Toshiba and says "Another round of shots? How much of the black powder is left, anyway?"
Eyeballing the powder reserves, Takao guesses that they're good for about four more shots. Toshiba remembered to bring plenty of the little lead balls, though!
"Perhaps four shots?" Toshiba offers. "Although I wonder if retiring this activity for now might not be prudent. One shot is a curiosity, two shots rouses suspicion. I daresay more than two and we will be explaining ourselves before too long."
"You are right. But I must say, this would be the perfect spot to figure out what the range of this gonne is, when the sea is calm enough. We'll see where the ball splashes into the water. Maybe tomorrow there will be another opportunity."
For a moment, Takao is stunned. He's never been this close to a firing gonne, and the deafening boom of the report and the smoke overwhelm his senses. But then excitement takes over — he has operated the foreign weapon all by himself, and what a weapon it is! Such power! He turns to Toshiba
"Let's do it again! Would you like to try this time?" His hands have already started cleaning the weapon as he speaks, and he sets out to load it again, going through the motions once more deliberately, but with more certainty now, since it obviously worked.
"What?!" Toshiba shouts back, wiggling fingers in his ears to try to clear them. "Can I try it this time?!" Part of him wants to move back away from the docks, find out how impressive the weapon is on a human target, and Toshiba wonders where that thought came from.
The gonne is reloaded soon, and Takao hands it to Toshiba. "How about the fat one over there?" Some small voice in the back of Takao's mind is trying to call to attention that they should make sure nobody heard them, and maybe leave it be at that one test, but there is something about this gonne that makes it hard to put it down.
"No more breadcrumbs for you," Toshiba comments to the bird. He sights in and makes like it's his arbalest.
(GM OOC: See, here's the thing. Despite the stock and the trigger, the gonne really isn't like the arbaleste. For one, the damn thing does not have very useful sights — it's clearly built for massed volleys from a firing line, not for anyone in particular to snipe with it. That and the anticipation of the big boom is all it takes to induce a worrying amount of sway...)
(1d20+3 (Toshiba's attack check) = 17)
...before he pulls it right on target again. BLAM! The seagull, in its defense, looks like it saw that one coming, but it's hardly faster than a speeding bullet. The lead slug tears through the small birds, leaving a smear of guts and feathers on the pier.
(Historical note: Ornithologists recorded an unusually low rate of seagull births in that year. Potential explanations ranged from environmental changes to food scarcity due to overfishing. Target practice by two bored Imperial citizens was, however, not considered.)
When his hearing returns, Takao turns to Toshiba and says "Another round of shots? How much of the black powder is left, anyway?"
Eyeballing the powder reserves, Takao guesses that they're good for about four more shots. Toshiba remembered to bring plenty of the little lead balls, though!
"Perhaps four shots?" Toshiba offers. "Although I wonder if retiring this activity for now might not be prudent. One shot is a curiosity, two shots rouses suspicion. I daresay more than two and we will be explaining ourselves before too long."
"You are right. But I must say, this would be the perfect spot to figure out what the range of this gonne is, when the sea is calm enough. We'll see where the ball splashes into the water. Maybe tomorrow there will be another opportunity."