Shore Leave: Geartopia [Open to All]

[cityship]

||Attention all crewmen, shore leave is now in progress, attention crewmen, shore leave is now in progress...||

Stacy's voiced called the entire crew, until all of them were gathered at the Obs Deck. Then, a dossier appeared on the screens, along with the image of a rotating planet.

Planet Designation: Geartopia
Status: Terrestrial, H-class.
Non-sentient life: Extensive flora and fauna.
Semi-Sentient Life: Yes.
Sentient Life: Homo Sapiens, Homo Animalia, Machina Erectus.
Water: 20.6% of the planet's surface.
Climate: Earth-like, Arid desert
Landscape: 70% Desert..
Air: Normoxic concentration.
Air Pressure: 101.3 kPa (kilopascals) = 14.7 psi (pounds per square inch)
Sky: Blue
Sun: A class G2V, yellow star.
Warnings: Wildlife, humanoids and plant-life can be hazardous.
Nomalanga has given us a map with which areas to avoid.
Mission: Shore leave, and preparing for an attack in a few days, planet's time. Nomalanga has promised food, clothing and animals in exchange for your cooperation in aiding her.



Once, long ago, Geartopia was built by aliens visiting the planet and granting intelligence to some native species. Of course you wouldn't know this apart from the giant black obsidian monoliths humming precariously outside of town. They are formed in a circle formation that might remind those who come from earth of Stonehenge, only built out of a much more study device. This is what Nomalanga used to contact you. The rocks cannot be moved and any attacks on them will be useless. The Wild Ones will come out of the forest at night, leaving a trace of plants as they go back and fro their own forest. The technology the elder aliens left them allows for contact with Stacy but otherwise there is nothing futuristic going on on the planet - the aliens wanted it this way and for the most part the population respects this.

All except Snidley and his goons, of course. Thankfully most of them have gone into hiding once their plot was found out. In fact, Nomalanga and those still loyal to her are busy working on making this planned attack, and getting the townspeople ready for it.

You can also find a few remains of their culture scattered around the land in the form of large stone carvings around the town, in between a wooden tavern bar or used as a sort of tribute, covered in dry plants. Most of the area is dry and arid, with very tiny grass and shrubs growing over the hill, and, strangely enough, an area from town that is densely populated by forest. Few dare go in, due to it being the territory of the Wild Ones.

As you walk around, you notice that the technology is steampunk with a cowboy flare; there is one train that comes from the towns every morning at 6am and leaves at 9pm. Horses can be rented for a price (some normal, some like this), chariot rides as well. Gears and dark clothing seem to be the norm, possibly due that their source of leather. The inhabitants are mostly humans, humanoid animals, alien natives and steampunk robots.

But enough of that, let's see what you can do here:

- Saloon and bars of all sizes, most comically named with an object, and a color. You can find all sorts of them across town, but those on the western side are more sympathetic towards Snidley and hate strangers with a passion. Do not go there unless you're ready to fight a few of them.

They do, however, have the best drinks, and card games.

There are hotels with gear pianos playing wistful tunes as you drink hard liquor made from cactus juice, honey and barley. The honey wine is especially prized and costly.

There is also a small carnival with steampunk and old west fair, sugar and cactus fruit pies, whole animals roasted over open pits, musicians, and a single wooden coaster. It's not much, but the food is excellent.

Be careful, however. The cactus fruit does cause stomach aches for most people not native to this world. Think of it much like lactos intolerance. It's a chance you take eating it. However if you do, it tastes much like an orange, strawberry and a banana were put together in a blender.

As thanks for helping her out, anyone stepping into the city is given by the mayoress as part of her exchange bartering price, one cowboy hat (all brown), one pair of steampunk goggles, a steampunk vest, and, most importantly, one part of leathersnake steampunk boots. This is a gift for anyone who is just visiting to blend with the locals and to prove she's honest about her dealings. As if it wasn't obvious after the first mission, in any case. She'll need your strange and powerful manpower in the upcoming days.

And hey, if you're up to it, you can help with a little cleanup. After all most people here don't know your skills. However, it's also calm and quiet in the farms. You want to do some honest work for a day, they'll give you some of their seeds in exchange. The system seems to be based more on services and barter than any money.

There is still currency and Stacy has given you a few golden coins, spend them wisely. A few farms are opened up to sleep for free, if you don't mind being with the animals.

The General store has steampunk items for sale, but most of them are much too expensive for anyone on the ship to by. You can try to barter.

Oh and news travels fast. Cause problems, and Nomalanga won't be too happy about it.

[OKAY ALL DONE GO FOR IT. You are also free to create additional places, to post your own private logs involving the town! Contact me if you need extra information about Geartopia either via PM to things_go_boom's account or by AIM, I'll be happy to answer. NPC goons if you want to do a bunch of bar fights, just think typical cowboy stuff. Shore leave will last until the 31st and players can go to and from the ship to the city each day, so you can have your characters stay for a day or two and then come back.

People in the miniplots, the mini plots will start up in a few days! There will also be a general fight for anyone who wants to join in on the 29th. Thank you and enjoy yourselves!]

Comments

General Store

[cityship]

Owned for generations by the same family, the General Store sells rights for horse riding, train tickets (which you are not allowed to get, being outsiders). They also offer a lot of guns and steampunk items, however their prices are rather high.

The best way to get anything is by barter or offering a service.

thievery ahoy!

[greeedycat]

Cazali had managed to get through HHFW with quite a plethora of stolen goods, in the end. It helped that he could pretty much stuff anything in his body without notice, but there had been crowds and stimulation around for that. The stupid general store was hardly full of tourists. And while Caz was usually much more stealthy...he was a Greeed. Taking things was just what Greeed did.

So there may have been a few less watches than there had been on that counter, with a goggled, yellow-coated Caz nearby enough to be pretty suspicious.

horse renting!

[windwitch]

Maybe it was a silly thing to get excited about, but Maxine? Was definitely excited for the horses. She'd never actually had a chance to ride one before, but it sounded like a lot of fun! Plus there was something really cool (and sometimes romantic) about the notion of riding horses in the Wild West, honestly, it was just like in a book! Which counted for a lot.

The problem was that she only had so much money, and she was worried about losing it all on renting a horse. She peered at the rights they were selling, wondering if she could haggle, or if she had anything she could barter.

Re: horse renting!

[tetsuwan-atom.livejournal.com]

"Hey! Are you gonna ride a horse?" A bale of hay with legs appeared to be addressing Maxine; Atom had actually been carrying it over to a barn.

[windwitch]

Maxine was a little surprised to see the apparently talking bale of hay, but she recognised the voice, anyway. "Hi Atom!" she greeted cheerfully, before she said, "I want to, yes. But I was worried that I might not be able to afford it or something? Because it's kind of pricey and we were only given so much, right? So I was trying to decide if I could..."

[tetsuwan-atom.livejournal.com]

He set the bale down for a second, holding it to make sure it didn't roll off.

"Well, that's what I was thinking, too, but this farmer said I could ride one of them if I helped him out. So that's what I'm doing!"

[windwitch]

"Oh, that sounds great!" Maxine said cheerfully, nodding to Atom. "You're lucky-- I mean, bartering help like that is much more effective than trying to buy it..." she trailed off before she asked, "Maybe I could help, too, and then they'd let me?"

[tetsuwan-atom.livejournal.com]

"I bet they would," said Atom brightly, waving over to a farmer a bit of a distance away. "Hey, if Maxine helps, can she ride a horse, too?"

When the man (who looked like some sort of pumalike creature) gave him a wave in the affirmative, he turned back to Maxine. "I'm supposed to help carry this to the barn and herd the Shepolafant into the corral. Do you know how to herd stuff?"

[windwitch]

Maxine brightened even further at that, and nodded enthusiastically. "Great! I'd love to help then, if I can. I've never actually herded anything, but I know sort of how it works, and I've seen it in movies and stuff? So I think I have the right sort of idea, if nothing else, maybe. I'd do my best, at least."

[tetsuwan-atom.livejournal.com]

"Me either," said Atom, "But it shouldn't be too hard, right?" He finished placing the bale, then made his way to the nearby pen, outside of which a herd of Shepolafant were grazing in a sort of contemplative fashion.

Atom walked up to one, unsure of how to get it to move, exactly. He pushed against its side, but it merely walked a few steps forward, continuing to graze.

[carrieswar.livejournal.com]

As if Jr. was going to leave this planet with a bunch of cowboy gear and no weapon souvenirs to go with it. And what better way to top it all off than do a little horseback riding? Only for the enthusiastic little man he was more looking forward to a lot of horseback riding. It wasn't every day you came to an entire planet that was basically your dream life. Bartering, charming, and everything in between he was up for to make the most of his stay.

[bonnypiperlad]

Jr.'s not the only one looking forward to horseback riding. Jamie hasn't been on a real horse in quite some time. Sensorium horses just don't count. The problem is, it's a wee bit expensive. So the question is, what does he have to barter?

He starts to rummage through his sporran to see what he can spare, occasionally glancing up at the sign to re-check the prices for those rights. On one of those glances, he catches a flash of red hair, and turns his head towards it. Realizing it's likely someone else who wants to see about the horses as well, he gives the wee man an apologetic look.

"Sorry, am I in your way?"

[carrieswar.livejournal.com]

"Huh? Oh, no, just looking right now, like you are." He looked around quickly, then beckoned Jamie to lean down with a finger as he leaned up to lower his voice. "And trying to figure out a way to get'em to maybe cut some slack on the price."

[bonnypiperlad]

"Ah, I see." But at that crooked finger, his eyebrows go up ever so slightly. That's...not a bad plan, assuming something can be managed. So he too gives the room a quick glance, eyes darting back and forth to make sure they're not overheard. Then he leans in, letting his voice drop as well.

"What do ye have in mind so far?"

[carrieswar.livejournal.com]

"Well, I'm still trying to come up with more ideas, but hey. They've got herds out there needing to be tended to and stuff, right? You can use horses for that. Offer a little help for them and they'll do the same, I think!"

[bonnypiperlad]

It's a start - and not something that had occurred to him. "Aye, that might work. I was thinking of seeing what I've on hand to use for bartering, too."

As an example, he reaches in and pulls out a yo-yo, eying it thoughtfully. "Well, maybe not that. But if there's something they could use, they might be willing to to come down some on what they want for those rights."

Or, he supposes, he could track down the Doctor, who could likely talk them out of one of the horses fairly easily. "We could always try to haggle with them as well, I suppose. How are ye with bargaining?"

[carrieswar.livejournal.com]

"Not bad."

Truth be told, usually Jr. could afford things he really wanted. And he and his brother's thing were collecting antiques from Earth through auctions. Things like that definitely did cost a pretty penny. But because of how many things they had and wished to add to their collection, occasionally they were good at talking to people to get better deals on things.

"We can offer mixes of both, too."

[bonnypiperlad]

Jamie, on the other hand, grew up without the benefit of wealth - at one point three hundred pounds seemed like quite a lot of money to him. But he's used to bartering, and looking around at these people in their slightly strange outfits, he's beginning to have an inkling of what they could use besides the gold.

"Hey, I might just have an idea what'll work for trade goods. Give me a minute, will ye? I need to get something out of here, and it might take some doing."

After checking to make sure he's not being observed too closely, he hunts through the sporran again, his arm disappearing a bit further inside the small purse than it by all rights should be. Soon enough, though, he comes out with a couple of small items - old mechanical parts gleaned from the pile of junk Captain Eneesh had foisted on him way back on Gondepetil. They were broken, unable to be repaired...but inside were plenty of interesting looking gears and smaller pieces that could be turned into decorative items. Just like the ones on the boots they had been given, and on some of the clothing the townsfolk were wearing. He holds one up for Jr. to see.

"Want to give it a go with this?"

Horseriding

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Yay horses

Horses were a lot bigger than Zouichi had expected them to be, somehow, but it sort of made sense. After all, they had to be large and strong enough to carry a fully-grown person around. He made his way down a grassy trail, letting the horse find its own footing down past the occasional rock or other obstacle.

[bonnypiperlad]

After having successfully purchasing rights to one of the horses - a normal one, in this instance, although those clockwork-looking ones had been interesting - Jamie fights the temptation to ride without the use of bridle and saddle, deciding ultimately that using the equipment might not be a bad idea. After all, it's been at least a year since he's ridden a real horse, by his reckoning. Possibly longer, thanks to the oddly moving time on Stacy.

But he hasn't been completely away from it, thanks to the Sensoriums, and he falls into his old patterns with relative ease. The grassy trail he chooses seems to be a popular one. Once it spreads out enough to allow for two riders, he's able to catch up with the familiar figure just ahead, lifting an arm to wave cheerfully.

"Zouichi! Hey, Zouichi!"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Zouichi turned to spot Jamie coming up behind him; he raised one hand in greeting, using the other to hold of the reins. His horse, a mare with a reddish-brown coat, used the opportunity to snag a tasty-looking weed off the ground and munched it with a satisfied air.

"Hey. I didn't know you rode."

[bonnypiperlad]

"Och, why is everyone so surprised to find that out, anyway?" Jamie grouses. First Daniel and now Zouichi. To be fair, though, its not as though he's specifically admitted to either of them when exactly he's from. And unless they happened to wander into the Sensoriums at the right time, they'd not have seen him riding before, so there's really no point in being too put out about it, and the mild grumpiness vanishes.

He pulls on the reins to bring his own horse to a stop. Soon, the dapple grey mare is joining in on the grazing, having found a likely looking clump of grass on the side of the trail. "Aye, I do. Have since I was a wee lad. It was mostly either that or walking, unless you'd a cart or a carriage of some sort. Or were on the water. I could say the same for ye, though. I thought you'd prefer something more like a motorcycle."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Zouichi smiled. "Well, where I come from, there aren't many horses left. Let alone people who know how to handle them. I guess I just never thought about whether anyone on the ship knew how to ride." After all, in a megacity, there were far more efficient ways of getting around than on the back of a large equine.

"I have files on the basics of riding," he said by way of explanation. "They don't really substitute for experience, but I don't plan on jumping any canyons today, either. So I think things should be fine as long as I stick to a trail. Besides, how often will we have the opportunity to ride an actual horse?"

[bonnypiperlad]

"Aye, that would make sense." Thinking about it, he doesn't recall seeing a lot of horses in many of the places he's been with the Doctor. It's not that hard to picture that extending to where Zouichi's from, and he nods. "You're right, though. We may not have the chance to do this again for quite some time."

His mare, having satisfied the immediate urge to snack, lifts her head from the ground and takes a few steps forward, clearly wanting to start up again. Jamie reins her in, but a thought occurs to him. Zouichi may not want to jump any canyons, but the trail here is even enough and wide enough they may be able to try something else - that is, if the man's amenable. Casually, he adds, "I don't suppose your files would tell ye how to do a wee bit of racing, do they?"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Zouichi patted his horse's neck affectionately, getting a soft whicker in in response. "I might be persuaded to give it a try," he said with a little smile. "Not quite the kind of vehicle I'm used to, but there does seem to be plenty of space. So, where to? I think this trail's supposed to circle around eventually... but don't quote me on that."