Cyllene 2017/01/01(Sun)17:37 No. 769665 ID: ca6f74
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The entity rears up and says something indecipherable, in a garbled, reverberating voice.

Even without verbal communication, body language is fairly easy to read. It seems aggressive.

I'm guessing it's telling you to back off
back away but stay on guard

It's got more limbs than you, and it's bigger than you.

It does appear to be speaking instead of instantly attacking, which is something.

Attempt to back away. See if it will allow it. It it's making a threat or warning you off, it might allow you to disengage.

>>769665
Hand on your weapon, back away slowly. Tell it you don't understand it.

>>769665
Our weapon is a lot better against exposed joints which... this fellow doesn't have. I say skedaddle!

Cyllene 2017/01/03(Tue)17:32 No. 770316 ID: ca6f74
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The thing shifts its appearance to mimic Cyllene and uses its new mouth to hiss some of her words back at her.

It's hard to say if this is an attempt to communicate, mock or threaten, but the vicious-looking claws don't inspire a lot of confidence in the former.

back away slowly. the fact it didn't attack instantly is usually a sign that a thing doesn't want to fight but will if it has to.

keep talking, it may learn your language from voice sampling. repeat how you do not wish to fight and it can have the pile it was digging at.

>>770316
Do you have any idea what this thing could be? An alien perhaps?

that first bit sounds a fair bit like "back off" so maybe back away and see how it responds

Your words? But you didn't say anything... Spooky.

Try not to be jealous of her second arm.

Cyllene 2017/01/04(Wed)13:48 No. 770502 ID: ca6f74
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It lashes out and reverts to gibbering. Fortunately, Cyllene is prepared for it and is barely able to parry the blow.

It's fast.

>could it be an alien?
It could be a lot of things. Is it likely? Probably not.

>try not to be jealous of her second arm
Or its second through sixth eye. This is unfair all around.

Faster than you and hostile. Retreating won't do much, then. How strong is it? Might be worth trying to hit its neck.

With a familiar shape comes familiar weak points. Go for the jugular!

Well, it created joints when it mimicked you. Start aiming for them.

focus on defense and keeping backing away. unless you see an opening then strike.

Cyllene 2017/01/06(Fri)04:23 No. 770858 ID: ca6f74
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A swift strike with the knife carves through the arm, leveling the playing field, at least partially. Cyllene then staggers it with a kick to the head.
Level of effectiveness: unknown.

assume none, try to fling the arm down the hall while getting back.

Kick arm down the tunnel, attack legs next.

>>770858
Don't bother wasting time kicking the arm anywhere.

Take out a leg if you think you can dodge retaliation.

>>771026
Yeah.

Cyllene 2017/03/11(Sat)20:17 No. 786750 ID: 669253
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Cyllene kicks out the figure's leg and plunges her knife into its chest for good measure.

Cyllene 2017/03/11(Sat)20:42 No. 786777 ID: 669253
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The blackness slips around the blade and down the tunnel into a drain pipe, slithering away in a strangely unnatural way. Not that much left in this world could be considered natural.

>>786777
Things which you can't stab are bad things to fight.

>>786779
Thus, leave the area.

Check out what it was rummaging through.

>>786777
Also is the severed arm still there and do you have a container to put it in if it is?

>>786777
On the plus side, I guess you don't have to feel bad about killing it.

On the downside, you have no idea why it attacked you or why it broke off after what should have been an ineffectual attack, nor can you be confident in your defense if it comes back.

So... let's not linger long, shall we?

>>786777
might as well see what it was scratching at.

And never go near another pipe again ever.

Cyllene 2017/03/14(Tue)08:51 No. 787297 ID: 669253
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Buried in the pile of rubble is an energy cell, fairly valuable, but not particularly rare. It could be from some machine, but given the state of the rest of this area, it would not be surprising if it was from a person.
Did it know this was there or was is digging at random?

Cyllene 2017/03/14(Tue)08:53 No. 787298 ID: 669253
File 148950678520.png - (57.02KB , 789x622 , 11011.png )

As for the arm, it is laying on the ground, seemingly inert.
Whether it's safe to touch is highly questionable.

>>787298
Are you a curious enough person to plug power cells into unknown bits of potentially hostile tech?
I say yes!

take battery, forget arm continue searching for more loot

>>787298
Since it didn't melt down and follow the rest of its mass into the pipe, the arm may be brainless tech awaiting the right input.

Even if you can't reprogram it yourself, that thing could be worth a fortune to some nerd.

Do you have some sort of containment protocol for gathering hazardous scrap, like maybe a sealed wrapper with integral Faraday cage to render the arm transportable?

Cyllene 2017/03/19(Sun)12:13 No. 788807 ID: 669253
File 148995078414.png - (137.43KB , 619x767 , 11100.png )

>>787301
Cyllene is only curious enough to pick the arm up. Plugging it into anything seems reckless, if for no other reason that it lacks a proper connector.

>>787380
The configuration is definitely unique.
>>787443
Cyllene doesn't even have all her limbs, let alone highly advanced plastic bags.

seems inert enough take it with you and move on

Potentially dangerous and potentially valuable seems pretty much like what you're here for.

Take the arm with you and continue on.

take it, and check the spot it was scraping at.

How does this compare to your usual haul? You may have enough now to turn back.

Cyllene 2017/03/21(Tue)11:43 No. 789333 ID: 669253
File 149012178420.png - (305.35KB , 1024x768 , 11101.png )

>>788908
Given the higher than usual amount of strange or valuable artifacts, Cyllene heads back toward the city. Rondo rises on the horizon like a row of broken teeth, a bustling metropolis that protects its citizens against the hardships of the outside world, but not so much from each other.

Now to decide what to do.

A: Deliver the severed head of the stranded skeleton to the authorities
B: Sell the power cell
C: Have the black arm examined
D: Contact scrappers to claim the material found in the tunnel

>>789333
A first. You don't want to be holding onto someone's head longer than you have to.

handle the most volatile things first, the arm.

A: deliver severed head

All of the above, in the order of A, D, C and B.

>>789333
D, A, C, B

>>789333
skull first. somebody probably cares. Also carrying a skull around is going to attract the attention of the authorities anyway.

After that, get paid.

A, D, C, B... well, that depends on what else can be done with the power cell.

Cyllene 2017/03/23(Thu)07:49 No. 789694 ID: 669253
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Cyllene drops off the head first, and after confirming that it does not belong to some random person off the street, she receives a finder's fee for her humanitarian efforts.

Then on to this black arm. She takes it to an associate; a physician well-versed in limb removal and reattachment and all the stages in between.

"Look who drags herself through my door. Every time you come back here you look more and more like a broken china doll. I still say a reinforced alloy plate chassis would better suit your lifestyle."

"Sounds bulkier than I would like, Doc. Anyway, I have something I want your opinion on."

Cyllene hands over the black arm and the Doc examines it carefully.

"It's an undifferentiated mass of a material I don't recognize. You've got me, what is it supposed to be?"

After an explanation of the events leading up to acquiring the arm, Doc places the mass gently on the counter top and shuffles away from it.

"I would need to do more through testing to even begin to understand what this is. Did you have your eye on anything else? A new arm? A new eye that you could then have on a new arm? Tank tread legs?"

"Hm..."


Tank treads might be more trouble than they're worth, but having at least two arms is generally beneficial.

Hmm... You'll come back after you make a sale, then consider rearming.

got anything weapon's grade? left arm for when you need to handle with care, right arm for when you want to break shit.

New arm is good yeah.

having at least 2 arms seems practical

Bimanual manipulation seems like it would give more of an immediate return than binocular vision.

It's kinda important to get that scrap claim squared away quickly, in case someone else tries to cash it in. Unless Doc has any limited time specials, we should take care of that first so that we're more likely to get paid, and paid more, for the claim.

Say that you have your eye on that arm but there are some things you'd like to do first. Come back when you have sold the information and ideally the stuff you picked up.

Cyllene 2017/04/02(Sun)22:04 No. 793009 ID: 669253
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"I could definitely use a new arm, but I'll need to free up some assets first."

"You came straight here for this then? You know, I try not to ask too many questions of my patients, but you have me wanting to break that rule."

"I would have to know what the hell I saw to tell you what happened. That used to be an arm, but I'm not about to ask you to attach it to me."

"That's good, because I wouldn't have the slightest clue as to how to go about it."

Cyllene produces the power cell.
"Any idea on the value of something like this? Knowing what it's worth in the first place might help and you'd be the one to ask."

Doc examines the cell and places it on the counter.
"I would say it's worth enough to replace your arm and maybe your eye if you don't want anything too extravagant. I'd be willing to do it in barter too, cut out the middleman, if you'd like."

Deal. What are our options on arms & eyes?

>>793009
What's the handjobbiest arm you've got, Doc?

Sell me on your arm options.

We're wasting time on the claim we might get jumped on if we dawdle. If we get it in time we might be able to get a nice arm AND KEEP this power cell.

Tell doc we're interested, but we gotta run to another appointment first.

Cyllene 2017/04/07(Fri)00:28 No. 794052 ID: 669253
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Cyllene agrees to trade the cell for replacement body parts and Doc goes to work removing the damaged stump.

"What were you thinking for a replacement?

>>793033 "I just need a hand that lets me do my job."

"Come now. You must have something in mind. I doubt you could imagine a limb I couldn't build, as long as it's within your power system and structural tolerances, of course."

>>794052

"Can I have one with a retractable blade? Blades are cool."

how about a wrist mounted railgun? for when you really need something dead.

A spring-loaded arm for punching.
An eye with toggleable IR vision should be fancy enough for now.

>>794052
Something sensor-dense. Pads that can taste, or maybe a sense of touch that can read printed microdots? Something like that.

>>794052
A heavy duty arm so you have one arm for delicate work and one arm for not being torn off.

Not like you aren't lopsided already

>>794052
We already have a knife, so we don't need a knife arm, but a taze arm could be useful.

Have it so we can temporarily power up old doors and junk while exploring, but also shock beasts and bandits if it comes to it.

I don't expect a whole lotta juice since it'll be running off us, but it's nice to have options.

>>794053
A retractile blade would be cool. Better than a gun, since we wouldn't have to worry about reloading, and money appears to be a perennial issue.

Some kind of mismatched eye so you had more than one vision mode would be useful.

I like the idea of a heavy duty arm.

And for built in stuff, how about a grappling hook?

>>794052
just go for durability. one that won't break or come off short of the rest of you being at risk. (with emergency detach options of course )

Cyllene 2018/12/30(Sun)12:38 No. 915625 ID: 9c522c
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"Anatomical symmetry is an overrated concept, I've found. I try to keep my personal preferences to myself, however.
You expressed interest in a heavy arm, retractable blade arm and a... spring-loaded punching arm? I can do better than that. Charged pneumatics."

Heavy Arm I think. Think of all the jars and stuck doors that thing could open!

I like the pneumatic limb. It looks strong enough to do double duty.

The yellow is gaudy tho. Can we get it paint stripped to be gunmetal like our other limb? I think gray suits us.

>>915625
Get the blade arm! Cut other people with your wrist.

>>915625

Pneumatic limb. Big O arms are the way to go.

Cyllene 2018/12/30(Sun)16:43 No. 915638 ID: 9c522c
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Cyllene opts for the punching arm.

"You might want to install some counterbalances in your left arm to offset the weight difference and please keep in mind that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Try not to launch yourself through a wall or shear your arm off at the shoulder, which is a very real possibility."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Cyllene has been restored to the minimum number of body parts required to be considered not horribly maimed.

Power Cell (1) removed from inventory.

Practice rocketpunch-jumping using the recoil, bracing against your shoulder.

ask if there is somewhere you could test out your new arm so you can get use to it.

Cyllene 2018/12/30(Sun)18:24 No. 915653 ID: 9c522c
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Cyllene leaves the clinic and finds something to test her new arm on. She primes the piston and slams her fist into a broken pipe. The sudden jolt of stored kinetic energy violently bends the pipe at the point of impact and launches Cyllene a few meters backwards.

Hopefully no one saw that.

hmm, so it has some knock back when you hit something. Could be useful for gaining some distance from someone you don't want to be near that's rushing you.

>>915653
Alright next time you'll be prepared for the knockback. How about we talk to some scrappers now?

>>915653
How high can you fly if you strike the earth?

>>915653
The knockback will be less of a problem the more mass you carry around. Or you could get a counter-balance system like the doctor suggested.

Cyllene 2018/12/30(Sun)20:14 No. 915670 ID: 9c522c
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>talk to scrappers

Cyllene heads for the scrappers or "material recovery institution" that she routinely deals with.

"Oh hoho! Do my optics deceive me or Cyl, struttin' in here with all her bits intact. Got something good for me, considering how you're all alive and sportin' Doc's shiny new parts?"

"Untouched transit system, refined copper and steel as far as the eye can see."

"Easy pickings. That's what I like to hear. I'll throw you 10,000cr and give you your usual percentage after the recovery, yeah?"

>>915670

Let's fuckin' do it.

Push for a higher percentage. As far as the eye can see, remember!

>>915670
Make the obligatory comments about the scrapper trying to starve your non-existent children with how badly they're cheating you, and attempt to haggle higher.

Don't push too hard, you've done this dance before.

15,000 upfront for hazard pay.

Cyllene 2018/12/31(Mon)20:28 No. 915807 ID: 9c522c
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>>915672
>>915681
>>915682
"Now, now. Being greedy's all well and good, but I need to be greedy too.
Besides, you know I'm already giving you the best rate you're gonna find from here to Osto."

>>915807

Alright fine, we'll take it.

Yeah fine whatever.

See you next week, or whenever I have more scrap to sell.

Cyllene 2019/01/01(Tue)15:16 No. 915882 ID: 9c522c
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Cyllene leaves the scrapper office and meets on of the material recovery workers, Arche on the way out.
"Aren't you looking good. All your arms and things where they ought to be," Arche says, "Be careful though, that arm looks a lot heavier than your old one. You start putting on weight, it can get out of control before you know it. Just look at me. My girlish figure is long gone," she laughs. Cyllene shakes her head.
"I don't think that's going to be a problem."
Arche shifts her weight and the asphalt groans under her feet.
"Right, I don't think you'd do well at skulking around, looking in all the nooks and crannies for the good stuff if you were four meters tall and a few thousand kilos. Speaking of the good stuff, you must have found a new haul if you're here. Find anything interesting?"

Well there was that weird shadowy shapeshifter thing. That was pretty interesting.

A crazie in need of rehab, a power back, some mineral scrap, some kind of hostile freaky shadow monster.

Little above average, I don't usually find all of those in one haul.

Cyllene 2019/01/01(Tue)17:19 No. 915889 ID: 9c522c
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Cyllene tells Arche about the things she found, including the amorphous black creature.

"No way. You're just trying to scare me." Arche replies defensively. "There's no way something like that is out there. I gotta go out there."

Cyllene explains she had to fight it off and that the piece she cut from it is made of something no one has ever seen before.
Arche squeals in terror and recoils backwards.

"It's really real and not a piece of a tire or something? What could it be? There's no such thing as monsters... It's an alien, isn't it?"

>>915889
*Shrug* Could be anything. We've forgotten a lot since the world went to pieces.

>>915889
Why would an alien be in an abandoned railway rooting through trash? It's probably some kind of weird science experiment that got loose.
But I mean yeah let's go back and look around some more.

>>915889
could be some new tech. Just because most people no-a-days scavenge for gear doesn't mean their might be some out their who are making new stuff.

Probably nanomachines, son. Never trust anything you can't see with less than a 500x optic, I say!

Would it be possible to put together a mech suit out of parts like what your friend here has that would fit a more natural body? Would it be financially feasible for you to do so in the future?