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Cave-In - knux400 - 12-30-2021
(OOC NOTE: Trying out a new mechanic for this quest! In addition to suggestions, you can select any of the text in the current update or previous updates and request more information on it! To do so on most computers, simply highlight the text, and a small "reply" button should appear beneath it. It should end up looking like the post below. Without the response, of course.)
You are a BAREBONES.
You live in Draw, a city on the outskirts of Monte.
This is your first job. You selected it because your kind has a natural affinity for mining jobs. It's what you were built for, after all. The pay is good, and the job offers upkeep benefits for any construct employees, which is what attracted you in the first place. Your creator also said it would be a good transition into the world, since it had a variety of both barebones and other creatures to interact with. You've been told your social skills are less than adequate. This is typical for a barebones your age, but other species tend to be alienated by it. It's something you're working on.
You arrive at the Draw Crystal Corporation. The building is old and rundown, with a faded billboard that reads "Draw-ing the best high-quality crystals from the soil since 288!" It's a play on words you've seen in 126 other adverts in this town, not counting repeat ads in the newspaper. Statistically speaking, it's a tired joke to say the least.
Which FRAME are you? (Click links for images)
Biped Frame- The original design for the Barebones, and the kind most still use as a starting point. Consists of a standard body shape with a lightweight and skeletal design. The rectangular head features a lens with a small light for illuminating dark areas. The unit stands at roughly 6 feet tall.
Lifter Frame- A heavy quadruped frame with a flat back for carrying large objects. Consists of a rectangular body with four large legs, each with a set of gripper claws for traction and stability. The platform on the back is mounted on a gyroscopic joint, which can tilt to avoid disturbing sensitive cargo, and there are numerous open loops present for securing the cargo with straps. The front of the torso has a rotating lens and a pair of floodlights. The unit stands at roughly 4 feet tall.
Sheala Frame- A pod-shaped frame designed for deep sea exploration. The turbines on either side can unfold into a pair of legs for land travel. Consists of a teardrop-shaped body with two large legs, each with a set of turbines built in. They have a small set of folding arms for manipulating objects, as well as a large lens and a pair of floodlights protected by a thick plexiglass dome. The unit stands at roughly 4 feet tall.
Crawler Frame- A small insectoid frame designed for scouting and charting new areas. Consists of a spherical shell that divides into eight sections. The tip of each section serves as a claw to dig into surfaces, allowing them to crawl along most walls or ceilings. They can retreat into their shell at any time for protection or for rolling along surfaces. The sphere is 6 inches in diameter and has a telescopic lens with a small light built in. The unit stands at roughly 1 foot tall when unfolded.
Nymph Frame- A miniature version of the Biped frame designed for long-distance flight. Its short legs aren't suited for walking more than small distances at a time, but they can fold into the chest area for more streamlined flight. The unit stands at roughly 18 inches tall.
Scorpion Frame- A large, six-legged frame with a retractable jackhammer tail for demolition and excavation. The attachment on the tail can be easily removed and replaced for different purposes, making this frame excellent for more specialized applications. The outer shell curves up and around the tail while retracted to provide protection and stability. The unit stands at roughly 3 feet tall.
RE: Job Opportunity - knux400 - 12-30-2021
(12-30-2021, 10:33 AM)knux400 Wrote: You live in Draw, a city on the outskirts of Monte.
From what you're told, the proportion of barebones to other creatures is extremely disproportionate compared to the average population of most Morbit cities. Roughly half the people here are barebones, but this is due to the proximity to the mining corporation.
RE: Cave-In - sarcovyn - 12-30-2021
sheala
(12-30-2021, 10:33 AM)knux400 Wrote: This is typical for a barebones your age, but other species tend to be alienated by it.
what is our age ?
RE: Cave-In - Wilds - 12-30-2021
We are a Crawler! Funky little skittery things.
RE: Cave-In - King-Clod - 12-30-2021
(12-30-2021, 10:33 AM)knux400 Wrote: Your creator also said it would be a good transition into the world, since it had a variety of both barebones and other creatures to interact with.What is our creator like? What species are they, what's their name, and how do they treat us?
And either Scorpion or Crawler for us, I'd say.
RE: Cave-In - victorianflorist - 12-30-2021
We're def a crawler
RE: Cave-In - knux400 - 12-31-2021
(12-30-2021, 02:24 PM)sarcovyn Wrote: what is our age ?You will be seventeen years of age next month. It was around this time that your creator started forming social connections with other species, and 'becoming a part of the world'. Technically, you're already a part of the world, but you understand the metaphorical meaning he was going for.
(12-30-2021, 02:50 PM)King-Clod Wrote: What is our creator like? What species are they, what's their name, and how do they treat us?
Your creator's name is Jorge. He is a Biped frame barebones. Sixteen years, eleven months, and fourteen days ago he constructed you using parts he had received from his creator, a Sheala named Sweetweed.
You are a CRAWLER frame.
You raise one claw to the door and gently tap it to indicate your presence. After a moment, a Biped frame answers. They appear worn, with several cosmetic modifications to their chest and head. They also appear to have a powerful flashlight on their right arm in addition to the standard one near their eyepiece.
"You're the new hire, right? I'm Ortho. Come on in."
You step through a decently well-maintained lobby into a back room that appears to be a workshop of some sort. There are boxes of parts and filing cabinets haphazardly scattered around.
"This is where you'll be headed if you get banged up down there. As head technician, I'm supposed to get you all checked out and registered so we'll know how to fix you." They pass you a clipboard.
"Once you've got this all filled out, I'll show you where you'll be working. You're going to be looking for surface crystals in a few potential land purchases we're thinking of acquiring. The more surface crystals you find, the more likely it is there's larger ones underground we can get our hands on. You'll mostly be working with Crawlers and Nymphs, but the boss might be onsite too. He likes to check things out himself."
There's a few empty spots on the form. It looks like they need your NAME, COLOR, and any MODIFICATIONS you've received.
RE: Cave-In - victorianflorist - 12-31-2021
Our name is Pillbug but most call us Roly [Roll-E] or Poly [Pole-E].
We are a dark brown with gold accents in the shape of leaves.
We have an enhanced camera unit with a display as well as a Polaroid setting, allowing us to take photos that we can develop immediately.
RE: Cave-In - knux400 - 01-01-2022
You fill out the form and hand it back to Ortho, making sure to mention your ENHANCED HEADPIECE with both DIGITAL and PRINT PHOTOGRAPHY capabilities.
"Okay... Roll-E, I guess? You kind of put three different names here but whatever."
Ortho leads you into their office, scribbles down some more notes and forms, then takes you out the back door again.
"We haven't done any mining at this facility for years, nowadays the building is mostly used for storage and administration stuff. But the company has the rights to a bunch of different quarries out here in the..."
They gesture vaguely to the fields of mud stretching in every direction. All of the larger flora have been cut down, leaving stumps and half-grown saplings.
"That. Great view, huh?"
"Well, with no obstructions, the view is actually pretty amazing. The scenery is pretty drab, though."
Ortho chuckles. "Suppose so."
They step into a small offroad vehicle with two seats and a large flatbed area.
"Everyone else is down at the site already. We got a little sidetracked what with the paperwork and all. Hop in."
You oblige, stepping into the passenger seat. It's a bit awkward, but you fold your legs underneath yourself in some sort of a sitting position.
"We're heading to site... 13-A, near the west edge of our land claim. There's a new cave system we found about 9 miles down. We haven't been in there at all yet, so we're sending you guys to scout it out and see if it's worth our while."
A pang of worry rises through you. It's a new feeling, and it takes you a moment to compose yourself.
"Isn't the maximum regulation depth supposed to be 8.5 miles? I hear it's unsafe beyond that."
Ortho sighs.
"Legally I'm not supposed to respond to that, but we're in a buggy in the middle of the mudfields, so no one's going to hear me telling you this- we've actually been going below regulation depth for years now. Mr. Stone has been having some issues getting his hands on more land, so it's cheaper and easier to just dig deeper into the plots we've got."
You're not sure, but the inflection Ortho gives to that name makes it seem like they're not fond of this Mr. Stone person at all.
"He's got us all equipped with some kind of experimental horror-finding tech he bought off a lab in the big city. I don't know how he got his hands on it, but it works. It's basically just this wand that starts beeping whenever it picks up horror radiation. It's company property, so we're not allowed to have them modded onto us, as convenient as that would be. I was dubious too, but we've never run into any horrors as long as we keep those things around and turn back when we're supposed to. The only incidents we've had are ones like a few months ago, when the batteries ran out on one of the wands and no one on the crew noticed. Apart from that it's been smooth sailing.
You sit silently, still unsettled. Ortho seems to notice.
"Between you and me, I tried anonymously reporting this to the MMSA, but nothing came of it. Except Mr. Stone got really upset and threatened to fire the guy who told on him."
"So don't rat me out, 'kay?"
Ortho leans in close and whispers comically, their tone slightly jovial. You're still not much for humor, but you appreciate their attempt at cheering you up.
"Gotcha. You're safe with me."
"Good. We're still a few minutes out, you got any questions? Anything you want to talk about? I know it's hard to do the whole social thing at your age, so I'm good if you want to just sit."
RE: Cave-In - Ignispark - 01-01-2022
So uh, how do you tell when the wand is out of batteries? And any other important safety info to keep in mind?
RE: Cave-In - King-Clod - 01-01-2022
I'd like to just sit right now, I think. Look at the scenery, as little of it as there is.
But our creator did want us to socialize...
"What's the schedule for today? What does a typical workday look like here?"
RE: Cave-In - knux400 - 01-03-2022
As much as you'd love to just sit, this is a good opportunity to get some socialization in. It'll be more comfortable here in a one-on-one situation than it will be later, you tell yourself.
"How do you tell when a wand is out of batteries? And any other important safety info to keep in mind?"
"Well, after that incident I told you about, we made it so each person has to carry one at all times while in the mine, so batteries are less of an issue now. But to answer your question, there's a blinking red light that starts going off when the battery is low. After that, it just stops working entirely. I think it lasts for a few minutes while the light is blinking."
You nod.
"Uhh, other safety stuff... If you don't have night vision of some kind, keep a flashlight on you at all times, watch for falling rocks or sudden drop-offs, and always have a buddy with you when you're exploring. Don't go out alone. I think that's all the big ones, but obviously just have common sense and stay alert."
"So what's the schedule for today? What does a typical workday look like here?"
"Depends on what you're doing exactly. You're going to be on the surveying team, so you won't be doing any actual mining. It's your job to find the best spots for digging up crystals, as well as making sure the cave is safe for bringing in heavy equipment. The rest of your team will be able to show you the ropes and tell you what to look for specifically. Surveying isn't really my line of work, so I can't get into many specifics beyond that.
As for your schedule, it's pretty flexible since these are caves we've never been in. We've got no idea how much time we can allocate to exploring each cave system, so you really just need to be out of there at around 5:00 so we can give you a ride back to the main building, otherwise you're going to be walking the whole way. Or rolling, I guess. Just keep track of how far you've been and how long it'll take you to get out. That's something the rest of your team can help with, too."
As Ortho is finishing his sentence, they pull up to a handful of other similar vehicles, all parked haphazardly a few feet away from some tall metal fences with barbed wire across the top. They pull out a key and unlock the gate, leading you inside. A large hole in the ground dominates your vision, with various crates and excavation equipment scattered along the edge. There are several walkways leading to the center, where a square framework houses a large elevator that descends down as far as you can see- and presumably a lot deeper than that.
"Oh yeah, and here's your key to get in and out of the gate. You've got fingers, right?"
"Yup." You raise a claw and reveal three small digits that were tucked inside your shell. "I've got some pockets in here, too."
"Great. Most crawlers have stuff like that nowadays, but you can never be sure."
They hand you the key and you tuck it inside your shell, sliding it into one of the many small pouches lining the inside. Meanwhile, Ortho steps onto the walkway, motioning for you to follow. Once you're both on the elevator, they press the button labeled "-9.25". The elevator slowly descends, bringing the two of you deeper into darkness. You can't help but peer out the sides- this cave is immense, and all the floodlights lining the walls begin to look like stars in the night sky. Ortho follows your gaze.
"Believe it or not, this is one of the smaller ones."
You simply continue to stare, awestruck.
"Anyway, this elevator takes a while, so... Anything else you wanted to chat about?"
RE: Cave-In - King-Clod - 01-03-2022
How are we going to be...picking a buddy. Will one be given to us based on our personalities and aptitudes, or is it on the employees to seek one out? I'm not entirely sure I'm ready for that yet. But I will do that if that's what the job requires.
RE: Cave-In - Wilds - 01-03-2022
We're nervous about the buddy-picking aspect. We're not used to socialising yet--and what's the protocol for if we don't get along with our buddy? I'd hate to be stuck in a cave somewhere trusting someone who hates my guts or vice versa to keep us alive.
(Also, I love Ortho - the "Most crawlers have stuff like that nowadays, but you can never be sure." line was a really good piece of natural worldbuilding exposition)
RE: Cave-In - knux400 - 01-04-2022
"How are we going to be...picking a buddy? Will one be given to us based on our personalities and aptitudes, or is it on the employees to seek one out? I'm not entirely sure I'm ready for that yet. But I will do that if that's what the job requires. And what's the protocol for if we don't get along with our buddy? I'd hate to be stuck in a cave somewhere trusting someone who hates my guts or vice versa to keep us alive."
"I think you misunderstood the term there a little bit. Buddies aren't official or permanent or anything, they're just sort of... on the spot. If a team needs to split up for some reason- which doesn't happen all that often, by the way- it'll pretty much just be whoever volunteers. If you're worried about it, just say so and the team will generally let you stick with the larger group. Especially considering it's your first day and all. If you end up hating someone's guts, then, well... just try to bear with it for the rest of the day and file a report when you get back to the main building. I'm in charge of admin stuff, so I'll try and do my best to make sure you don't get paired up with anyone you don't like."
The elevator stops near the bottom of the shaft and the two of you step off, continuing your conversation as you walk. All the sunlight is gone- the only light sources are the many floodlights placed haphazardly around the cave system. You and Ortho also have your head-mounted lights on. They're not nearly as bright as any of the large floor-mounted ones, but they do shine exactly where you happen to be looking.
"Site 13A, Branch 5-7-3... Thank Stope for the signage around here. This place would be a labyrinth otherwise." Ortho mutters to themself. They pass you a small rod-shaped object with a series of ten indicator lights along its length. The bottom one is on and the second one flickers from time to time. The rest are off.
"That's your horror radiation detector. Once it gets past this line-" They gesture to a line in the middle of the wand, just past the sixth light.
"You drop what you're doing and bail immediately. Don't stop for anything other than co-workers. There's signs at every intersection telling you how to get back to the central shaft, so navigation shouldn't be too bad if you keep an eye out. See, there's one." As you come to a fork in the cave, you notice a bright yellow sign indicating Branch 5-1, Branch 5, and Central Shaft, the latter of which being the way you just came from. Ortho leads you down the path marked Branch 5.
"So after this you'll see a sign for Branch 5-2, 5-3, and so on. When we turn down branch 5-7, you'll see signs for 5-7-1, 5-7-2, et cetera. It's an easy system to pick up."
"Got it." You glance at your wand idly. The second light is flickering a bit more frequently now.
"It always picks up a slight reading down here just because of the ambient radiation." Ortho answers your question before you have a chance to speak it.
"Horrors themselves give off a lot of radiation, so a quick spike is a sure sign that a horror is nearby. And obviously, the bigger the horror, the more radiation it gives off."
"Wait, doesn't that mean smaller ones could get to us, since they wouldn't bring the detector up to the limit?"
"Well, yes, but if they're that size they'll be too small to want to bother us anyway. Just throw a rock at them or make a loud noise and they should skitter away. But, uh, do make a note if you see one. We don't want to be seeing any down here."
The two of you turn down Branch 5-7.
"I think you're pretty much good to go, though! I'll just introduce you to your team and then head back up. I've got some veeery exciting paperwork to fill out."
"Do you do this with all the new hires?"
"Do what?"
"...All this. Bring them down yourself, show them the ropes, and all that. I really appreciate it."
"Oh, you're welcome. I only do this for people if they're new to this line of work, though. If they come from another mining job, they can probably figure things out on their own."
You head right through Branch 5-7-3.
"Well, thank you anyway. It helps a lot."
"Yeah, don't mention it. ...Actually, please do mention it. It helps me not get fired."
"Heh, sure thing."
The two of you enter a large opening. You can see more headlights moving in the darkness, presumably belonging to other barebones.
"Hm, this is a pretty big area. No wonder it's taking so long to chart this all out." Ortho thinks out loud.
You can hear voices in the distance. Just like Ortho said, the group before you is primarily Nymphs and Crawlers, but there's also a Scorpion and a Lifter towards the back of the group, as well as a handful of other Morbitians. You're close enough you can hear the Lifter talking. You can't catch all of it, but it's something about a sample?
"This is our stop. Good luck out there."
Ortho turns to leave. The Scorpion extends its tail and activates its jackhammer.
The cave shudders. Almost in unison, everyone in the room pulls out their horror detection wand. After a moment, you follow suit.
Still just a baseline reading.
"That happens sometimes. We can track earthquakes in advance if they're big enough, but small tremors like this tend to fly under the-"
Ortho's thought is interrupted by the ground itself opening just under the Scorpion. The moment it does, a cacophony of digital beeping fills the room as everyone's horror detectors hit their maximum reading. The noise is quickly drowned out by the crumbling rock as the gap opens wider and wider, filling the entire floor of the room. Ortho grabs you by a claw and turns to run, but it's already too late. The two of you slip and fall into the pit as stalactites fall around you. You see all the other barebones tumbling down with you, their headlights flashing wildly as they tumble down the widening slope. It seems like the entire ceiling is falling...
...Or the floor is rising. Using one of the nearby Nymphs as a reference point, you realize something is emerging from beneath you. The first thing you notice is the color- or rather, the lack of one. The rest of the room may have been dark, but there's a distinct point where it suddenly fades to total blackness, and around the edges of the blackness you can just barely make out a shape. Rows of pitch-black teeth emerge around the edges of the room, rising further and further up. None of the Nymphs are fast enough to make it to the exit tunnel before the jaws rise up over it, closing together in midair and sealing everyone in total darkness as the ground settles.
You barely have time to comprehend your new environment before a massive wave of fluid washes over the room, pulling it and everyone inside even deeper into the pit. Ortho loses their grip on your claw and you instinctively tuck yourself inside your shell as the world falls around you...
0206300_02.tsl - 0:00
you are
sleepy
you feel a body
yours?
it moves when you want it to
you see a face
not yours
it smiles?
you are in a room
there are things around you
there is something connected to your torso
a wire?
the face makes a sound
it takes you a moment to understand
"Hey bud. Welcome to life."
you are confused
you think you can make words
you have many questions
what do you ask?
RE: Cave-In - victorianflorist - 01-04-2022
Who are you?
RE: Cave-In - King-Clod - 01-05-2022
What. Uh. What happened to me?
Where am I.
...Why?
RE: Cave-In - knux400 - 01-05-2022
"What happened to me?"
"Who are you?"
"Where am I?"
"Your name is Pillbug. You're a barebones, an artificial lifeform. A machine, controlled by an intricate series of code and algorithms. You've just been activated for the first time."
that
makes sense
"My name is Jorge. I'm a barebones too, like you. My body is a bit different to yours since I'm a Biped frame and you're a Crawler frame. Barebones can take many different forms, and we can even change what we look like over the course of our lives."
those words seem
correct
"You're on my living room floor. Right now there's a cable in your midsection connected to the wall outlet. Your body is still charging for the first time, so you might still be feeling a bit woozy. Just try to take it easy, it'll be another few minutes before you're operating at a regular capacity."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
...
"Are you asking why I built you?"
...
"It's... complicated. There's a lot of feelings and desires behind it that you wouldn't understand yet. I guess part of it is sort of... a desire for companionship? I mean, it's more than that, but that's a decent way to summarize it. But most of it was carrying on the legacy of another. Just as I created you, I was myself created, by a Sheala frame named Sweetweed. She also had a creator, a Crawler named Truffle."
jorge turns away
what is it looking at?
there isn't an object in the vicinity of its gaze
"...She passed away about a week ago. Me and Sweetweed were both there. Her memory banks were getting overfull, but she couldn't afford to transfer them anywhere, but she didn't want to delete them, either. She ended up accidentally writing memory data over parts of her operating system, and eventually she couldn't function anymore."
...
"Most of her actual body was pretty well-maintained. I had to patch it up in a few places, and replace some of the internal components, but for the most part..."
"That's her body you're using."
...
"We carry on the legacy of others through recycling and reusing as much of them as we can. Truffle's body was itself made up of bits and pieces from other barebones before her, and those barebones from other previous barebones, and so on. It's efficient, but it's also like... life after life. Even when you're not around anymore, you're still there in a sense, living through others. Helping them through their lives. If we discard a part of someone that still has the potential to be used, that's... denying them that chance. It would be just as bad as killing them all over again."
"So that's why you're here. Just by existing, you're continuing the legacy of Truffle and all those who came before. That's why I created you."
there is
a lot
that you don't understand about this
but
it makes sense
it would be efficient to recycle used components rather than source new ones
this seems to be significant for jorge
there is context you are missing
but you're still too tired to think so
you understand for now
"I understand."
You eventually hit the floor. Hard. Even with your shell absorbing most of the impact, you can feel one of the hinges on your legs popping out of place. Rocks and debris fall all around you as you stay tucked in for what feels like an eternity- but that's your fear talking, you remind yourself. So far the debris has been falling for thirty-two seconds after you landed. Given your position at the edge of the pit, you should be above the majority of the debris. You're not sure how many stalactites fell from the ceiling, but those and any Nymphs that got caught in the wave of goo would be the most dangerous thing likely to fall on you at this point. You stay in your shell until the roar of debris slows to a small crumble, and then stops.
You let out a high-pitched whine and wait, staying hidden inside your shell. After a moment, your audio processors detect the noise as it resounds through the cave around you, and an image of your surroundings pieces itself together in your mind. You're in a tunnel, not unlike the one you traveled through to get here. There doesn't seem to be any upward-facing opening nearby, so you're not sure which direction you came from. There's surprisingly little debris around you, considering how large the cave floor was. And that liquid that washed over you is gone, save for a few shallow puddles. In fact, the tunnel is essentially empty.
Apart from you.
RE: Cave-In - Ignispark - 01-05-2022
It seems relatively safe to uncurl and see about standing up and if it's possible to pop that one leg back into place. Additionally, looking around for any distant light sources could be ideal, though unlikely to work. If there is any faint light to work with, skimming over what little debris is nearby for tools could be ideal. Especially if one of them is a flashlight.
RE: Cave-In - victorianflorist - 01-05-2022
If possible, we should acquire both digital and print pictures of the substance in the puddles, the collapse, and the debris; as a record of the event.