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Re: No Gods, One Master [Vanessa]

Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2022 12:00 am
by Anton
Below decks, Anton and his colleagues took their notes in an almost monastic silence, none of them daring to distract any other with chatter until they had finished recording everything that they could glean from the arcane engine. With growing familiarity of the ship's movements, the researchers had braced themselves far more casually, many simply keeping themselves pressed against a corner of the hull in order to continue their work unimpeded. Anton himself was desperately trying to get his air legs under him, finding it somewhat embarrassing that he lacked much of the practical skills required to even stay out of the way on such a vehicle.

Haber on the other hand was all too happy to engage in talk, much to the consternation of the graduate students who had joined him on the quarterdeck. "Nothing beats elbow grease I see, fascinating, I can't see why you'd have ever retired with stories like that. Not that I'm complaining of course, we've probably learned more about Gelerian shipbuilding techniques in the past hour than in the past decade."

Talk of the engine assembly was at least of intense interest to all crowded around Vanessa, and the researchers were hanging upon her every word. Literally, in some cases, with the scientists having forgone any attempt to brace and instead trusting solely upon their lifelines as they wrote notes. Some were writing her statements verbatim, while others were attempting to sketch out the assembly that connected the conn to the engine, but all were enraptured with any secret of the Every Waking Moment she might deign to share.

And Haber was keen on seeing as many of them as they could before they departed. He knew his time, and Vanessa's patience, were limited, and was intent on seeing as much as possible of the airship in as little time as he could manage - while asking the fewest questions of her. Directness seemed the part to play with her.

"I would like to see a full spin."

Re: No Gods, One Master [Vanessa]

Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2022 7:42 pm
by Vanessa Quill

"You want her to invert?" Vanessa repeated back to him, eyebrows raised. It wasn't an impossible request, but it also wasn't something she had anticipated from Anton's professor. She looked over the group once more with a more critical eye, running her hand through her hair while she judged if they could be trusted for something such as this. It only took her a few seconds, but the captain soon nodded. "Aye, then you'll have it." She gestured to the group with her index finger "But you're all going to listen very carefully, and make sure everyone down below gets this same information. Do I make myself clear?"

Of course, she had. She explained what was required of them, which wasn't much but was important. Once Vanessa took to the wheel again, everyone's feet were to remain firmly planted on the deck. As she explained the importance of keeping one hand on the railing as well as keeping any glasses or loose jewelry secured, Vanessa was walking around to check everyone's lifelines. Shipmates had a nasty habit of thinking they were too good to need a second chance, but she was glad to see these eggheads understood the importance of a backup plan.

Once everyone was secure, Vanessa opted to keep the sails up and instead used the engine to provide the thrust. She let the aether flow unrestricted, and the engine went from a rumbling hum to an empowered howl as the ship surged forward with sudden power. The speed itself wasn't paramount to the complete inversion, but it was ideal for making sure that an untrained crew weren't dangling upside down for longer than absolutely necessary.

Wind coursed past them now, roaring as the Every Waking Moment picked up speed. Then Vanessa angled the bow of the ship down. It started off gentle, but with every second the figurehead pointed more intensely towards the fields below. In her head, Vanessa was counting heartbeats to keep time. Once she reached ten, she reached down and threw one of the levers back entirely, and the ship swept up in a nimble crescent, the sight of the fields replaced now with open sky.

It was then that she revealed how she intended to keep everyone alive for this rotation. With her thumb, she flipped open the head of one of the levers to reveal a button underneath. She jammed down on it, and the engine flared an eldritch purple. This was a bit of an... aftermarket addition, which was why she had not disclosed it previously. From deep within the engine, a foci tuned to kinetics joined the aether of the deck of the ship to the feet and shoes of the guests, creating a temporary anchor. The rest of their clothes weren't spared. Luckily Vanessa had tucked her shirt in beforehand, but some of the researchers weren't so lucky and had to fight with their shirts and jackets as the ship completely turned on its end and there was precious little keeping them from plummeting to their deaths.

The inversion did not last long, but Vanessa made the most of her time by taking her hands off the wheel and letting her arms dangle down over her head. She couldn't help showing off. This had been her life's work! She grinned all the while, and reveled in the reactions of those above deck.

They ran the entire spectrum. Some, like Haber, were having the time of their lives, trying to take notes while enjoying themselves too much for that to be feasible. Others were hunched down into a low squat, grabbing onto the railing with both hands and yelling. Others still managed to be perfectly analytical, and Vanessa feared them the most.

The ship was back right-side up in short order, and her captain wheeled her back towards the docks. The kinetic lock released, and the researchers were free to share their notes while the captain tended to the ship. The group split themselves between energetic murmuring, furious notetaking, and stumbling over their words when trying to thank Anton.

While she was still damned glad they'd be off her ship and exclusively in Anton's hair for the foreseeable future, she was glad to have relented.



Re: No Gods, One Master [Vanessa]

Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2022 2:50 am
by Anton
Review

Anton

Lore: 11
Points: 10, may be used for Semblance
Injuries/Ailments: None
Loot: None

Vanessa

Lore: 11
Points: 10, may not be used for Magic
Injuries/Ailments: None
Loot: None

Notes: She actually did it the absolute madwoman