Researchers and Wanderers of Pharloom

"...I've got nothing better to do... zzzz"

*Zar flies down to the puddle and peers into it. They can feel a sort of presence, something js in there. Zar leaves some food crumbs at the side of the puddle and waits...*

@kindred-shells

*...................*

*The Puddle twitches. It seems to move closer to the food crumbs.*

*.........................*

"zz"

"Can you speak? Zzzwithout mimicking?"

"wAwOO"

*Zar takes out a piece of paper and takes some notes on this mysterious puddle...*

"Can speak... possibly something inside? Mostly mimics things that have been said to it..."

"scArIng"

"Alright... zzzI have to go now, little puddle creature. Goodbye!"

"...I've got nothing better to do... zzzz"

*Zar flies down to the puddle and peers into it. They can feel a sort of presence, something js in there. Zar leaves some food crumbs at the side of the puddle and waits...*

@kindred-shells

*...................*

*The Puddle twitches. It seems to move closer to the food crumbs.*

*.........................*

"zz"

"Can you speak? Zzzwithout mimicking?"

"wAwOO"

*Zar takes out a piece of paper and takes some notes on this mysterious puddle...*

"Can speak... possibly something inside? Mostly mimics things that have been said to it..."

"...I've got nothing better to do... zzzz"

*Zar flies down to the puddle and peers into it. They can feel a sort of presence, something js in there. Zar leaves some food crumbs at the side of the puddle and waits...*

@kindred-shells

*...................*

*The Puddle twitches. It seems to move closer to the food crumbs.*

*.........................*

"zz"

"Can you speak? Zzzwithout mimicking?"

"wAwOO"

*Zar takes out a piece of paper and takes some notes on this mysterious puddle...*

"Can speak... possibly something inside? Mostly mimics things that have been said to it..."

"...I've got nothing better to do... zzzz"

*Zar flies down to the puddle and peers into it. They can feel a sort of presence, something js in there. Zar leaves some food crumbs at the side of the puddle and waits...*

@kindred-shells

*...................*

*The Puddle twitches. It seems to move closer to the food crumbs.*

*.........................*

"zz"

"Can you speak? Zzzwithout mimicking?"

"wAwOO"

*Zar takes out a piece of paper and takes some notes on this mysterious puddle...*

"Can speak... possibly something inside? Mostly mimics things that have been said to it..."

"...I've got nothing better to do... zzzz"

*Zar flies down to the puddle and peers into it. They can feel a sort of presence, something js in there. Zar leaves some food crumbs at the side of the puddle and waits...*

@kindred-shells

*...................*

*The Puddle twitches. It seems to move closer to the food crumbs.*

*.........................*

"zz"

"Can you speak? Zzzwithout mimicking?"

"...I've got nothing better to do... zzzz"

*Zar flies down to the puddle and peers into it. They can feel a sort of presence, something js in there. Zar leaves some food crumbs at the side of the puddle and waits...*

@kindred-shells

*...................*

*The Puddle twitches. It seems to move closer to the food crumbs.*

*.........................*

"zz"

"...I've got nothing better to do... zzzz"

*Zar flies down to the puddle and peers into it. They can feel a sort of presence, something js in there. Zar leaves some food crumbs at the side of the puddle and waits...*

@kindred-shells

*...................*

*The Puddle twitches. It seems to move closer to the food crumbs.*

*.........................*

Seller: Gail

Currency: Rosaries, 30

Price: open to haggling/bartering

Description: a set of metal blocks and other miscellaneous shapes with Magnetite Cores, they can stick together to form nearly any shape

Huh, the kids would like these...

*She takes 30 Rosaries out of her bag.*

Seller: Gail

Currency: Rosaries, 30

Price: open to haggling/bartering

Description: a set of metal blocks and other miscellaneous shapes with Magnetite Cores, they can stick together to form nearly any shape

Huh, the kids would like these...

*She takes 30 Rosaries out of her bag.*

"...Stell? What are you doing?"

*Gail walked over to see Stell drawing something odd...*

"...Sibling? Is that your sibling"

*Stell nodded.*

"Don't know where they are... name was Singe. Miss them..."

"Singe... Did they work here in the Docks? Did you work with them back when you were a vessel?"

*Stell nodded again, sadly. Shades could not cry, but Stell's voice crackled with strong emotion.*

"M... miss them..."

"Huh? Hey! Don't cry, They might still be out there! ...do you wanna go look for them?"

*Stell looked up in surprise, they hadn't even thought to look.*

"...yes..."

*Both Gail and Stell set off further into the Deep Docks, Gail grabbing her staff on the way out.*

"I... Is that your sibling?"

*Stell freezes in place.*

"Y-yes... it is..."

*Stell tries to call out but can't. They feel too sad, they've been away from them for so long...*

*The vessel in the distance notices a presence, and turns around, shouting in an attempt to intimidate the intruders.*

"WHO GOES THERE?"

*Gail AND Stell now froze in surprise*

"ANSWER ME, INTRUDERS! I AM FORGE SENTRY SINGE, IN CHARGE OF KEEPING INTRUDERS OUT OF THE HOLY CITADEL'S DOCKS!"

*Gail went to speak, to answer Singe.*

"M... my name is Gail! My friend Stell told me-"

*Before Gail knew it, a wrench was flying at her head.*

Gail Defense (2d4): 2, 2

Singe Attack (2d6): 4, 4

Gail gets knocked off balance by Singe's wrench.

4/5

But as Gail lands back on her feet, the wrench ricochets back and hits her properly off her feet, barely grabbing onto the ledge of the hanging platform and helped up by Stell

3/5

"DO YOU SURRENDER?!"

*Singe readies their wrench again as it returns to their claw.*

*Stell was just barely able to move to help Gail up a moment ago, and still felt frozen in place.*

"STEEL ONE. WHY DO YOU HELP YOUR FRIEND IN SURVIVAL BUT NOT ATTACK? LEARN BRAVERY!"

*As they spoke the last word, Singe threw their wrench again, this time at Stell.*

*Stell felt feeling return to one arm, after a moment of being frozen to the spot. Their arm moved up, moving to catch the wrench.*

Stell Defense: 1d4 (double dice to match Singe's attack so 2d4)

Result: 2, 1

Singe's attack: 2d6

Result: 5, 1

Stell is disoriented by Singe's wrench slamming against the side of their metal shell (4/5 hp), but they gain control of their body just in time to catch the wrench on its way back to Singe's hand.

"S... sibling... stop fighting..."

*Singe stepped back in surprise. Sibling? Were they... no. It couldnt be...*

*Stell began to feel sadness creep into their mind at the recognition of that name, a thing that shouldn't ever happen to a vessel. But Stell wasn't a vessel anymore. They could feel. They allowed themselves to cry, in memory of who they used to be...*

"Stell! Are you okay??"

*Gail rushed over to Stell as they began to cry, void teara falling onto the platforms of the deep docks.*

"I remember..."

"Sibling! Is it really you?"

"What's going on????"

*Stell grabbed the paper they drew their depiction of Singe on earlier, and drew again, on the other side.*

*Stell was trying to speak through their sobs*

"U-Us... used to work... work h-here... the Docks... worked.. with sibling... for forebrothers... d-defected... out of line... got attacked... by forebrothers... I remember now... It is all coming back to me."

*Their condition was starting to recover, as Singe pulled Stell into a hug.*

"Oh, where is it? Do you live this nice snail lady here?"

"Yes, They do. My name is Gail, for your information."

"Oh, hi! Can we visit your home? Id like to see where my sibling has been living while they've been gone!"

"...Sure."

*The group started to walk put of the main part of the deep docks. When they got to the crack on the wall that led to the way to their house, however, they were very abruptly stopped by a bug dropping in from nowhere. Or was it two?*

CLANG!

CLANG!