epidemiology | EVENT ★ WELCOME TO LERAMZEN

EVENT ★ WELCOME TO LERAMZEN

WELCOME TO LERAMZEN

After nearly three weeks of "relaxation" in Oska, Audentes is given 48 hours to prepare for their next mission. Right on time, they are rifted to a different dimension, landing them in the futuristic city of Leramzen.

Instead of appearing in a large group, recruits are spread throughout the city center so as not to draw attention to themselves, arriving in isolated areas: behind buildings hidden from the street, in public restrooms, stepping into the street from behind parked cars. The key is to blend in, though the metropolitan nature of Leramzen allows for some wiggle room; the locals see enough country bumpkins from all over the galaxy that they're willing to overlook a faux pas here or there from an obvious tourist.

Recruits have two weeks before the day of the museum heist. During this time, they should contact their mission analyst, George, but the rest is up to them -- a perfect time to explore the luxuries that Leramzen has to offer.

CITY LIFE

Leramzen is a highly cultured city, with many museums and theatres, including its prized Lyushny Theatre which homes the galaxy famous Lyushny Ballet. While the natives of this planet are human, recruits will see a wide variety of other life forms in Leramzen, some humanoid and some most definitely not. Try not to stare!

The generous stipend will more than allow recruits to take in the sights and treat themselves to a luxury meal or two, but of particular interest should be the clothing and jewelry stores found in the city center. There are shops that cater to any style and taste, including a few bespoke tailors that have a convenient turnaround time of two weeks.

In addition to shopping and cultural pursuits, there is an ice rink in the city center, maintained for the long winter season, and horse-drawn carriages that will take passengers on a ride through Leramzen's historic Old Town.

This is also a good chance to observe the State History Museum to get a lay of the land before the mission begins. But remember -- don't draw attention to yourselves, so going in all together might not be a good idea.

Settle in and take in some sights, and get ready -- because when the mission begins, you never know what you'll be in for.

OOC NOTES

Welcome to the new mission! Heist sign-ups are now closed for current players, but all characters accepted after May 21st will still have the opportunity to sign up.

For more information on the mission, please check the dossier and direct all questions about Leramzen to this thread.

Questions about the game in general should be directed to the FAQ and you may submit mission ideas or player plots at any time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ call it a sixth sense, or call it an attuned sense of perception, but whatever the reason, lance tends to have quite the knack for knowing when certain situations are bordering on irrevocable and certain "damage control" is needed. maybe it's all his time spent as the middle child, constantly having to mediate between his siblings (when he hadn't been part of the problem himself), or maybe it's just the universe's way of telling him his talent lies in people and personalities... either way, he'd only been about two racks over when he glances up to spot the shop attendant's own expression border on something close to frustrated. it didn't take much more investigation to realize the source and lance, wishing to avoid a scene or any undue discomfort, decides to step in. ]

Hey there.

[ he appears at hayame's other side, a suit folded over one of his arms like he were some sort of butler, but it's clear he's merely another shopper like her. his eyes flicker towards the shop attendant briefly, who stares at him back in bemusement. ]

That color would go great with your eyes, why don't you give it a shot?

[ he has, essentially, done what the store attendant would have done, but lance figures it might be a little less stressful if it were to come from a peer than the alternative... maybe. ]

[Maybe.

At being hailed by a man with fabric draped over his arm, Hayame lifts her gaze, a flick of her tail almost toppling over a glass display base three feet behind her. This place was not made with the large and inflexible equine bodies of jinba in mind, to say the least. Lots of expensive and fragile items about just waiting forever a bump of withers or flank to knock them over.

She'd have the wherewithal to be slightly embarrassed if she wasn't being spoken to. New as she was, and unskilled with the magitech as she yet remained, she didn't recognize Lance as a team member. As a human yes, but there were many... species in this place, so for lack of knowledge yes or no, she addresses him in the safest way she can think to- as he approached her. In the capacity of a merchant.]

What does this pattern symbolize?

[She holds up the cloth... well, lower, more towards his eye level than her own, pointing out it's strange geometric pattern.

Never having been dressed in clothing meant to flatter her specifically, (formal kimono were expensive items that took multiple artisans months to create, nothing to waste on tailoring to a single female up for auction), she doesn't know what to do with that comment about her eyes. So she ignores it, in favor of what she does find more important when it comes to banquet dress.]

[ he jerks back slightly when the garment is suddenly shoved in his general direction, and his eyes cross a bit as they hastily attempt to adjust to actually see the pattern. ]

Uh.

[ a merchant he definitely is not, but at least the sales person across from them now seems less concerned about approaching either of them. ]

These stripes here? Pretty sure they're meant to accentuate the hips. [ he points out how the stripes seem to grow wider and thicker around the hip area, whereas on the waist it grows thin.

a pause. ]

Is that what you want?

[The hips, he says. Such a comment brings Hayame's own gaze (glare) down to her own body, swathed though her human half is in a no nonsense hunter's top, with her shape somewhat obscured by the thick deer hide she wore wrapped about her waist.

Hips. Some could argue she had two sets of those, if you counted the equine shoulders where her hips ought be if she were human as an additional set to her more natural pair at the rear... which reminded her she'd need to shop for formal tack as well, where would she even find that-

There is a moment she thinks she ought to rebuke this... this man, for a comment about her body, but instead she attempts to be... diplomatic, thrusting the piece of cloth even closer to his face as if he might be blind.]

I do not mean to fish for comments on the fit. I speak to the pattern and its meaning.

[The stripes she is familiar with are not quite like this, but perhaps the meaning was similar?]

Is this meant for commoners, or the elite?

[ this time, when lance leans back to avoid a face-ful of cloth, he nearly backs into another display, which quickly earns the disapproval of the sales associate still watching them from afar. ]

It's less the pattern and more the price, [ he says, after rearranging himself and gently moving the cloth away from between them. as if he were drawing back a curtain. ]

If you can afford it, and you like it, why not wear it? I don't think they really care here so long as you're paying.

[Hayame's expression grows somewhat strained, fighting the instinct to say something others might find... rude. "They" implies he is not a merchant, and and his lack of knowledge leads her to think he must then have called out to her for another reason- perhaps some misplaced idea of companionship.

And if he were a member of Audentes... her lord seemed to desire she at least cooperate with them, despite her own lack of anything resembling allegiance to those people who seemed responsible for her removal from her world and all she had ever known.]

I have more money than one should ever need for such luxuries-

[Thanks, indeed, to ALASTAIR. Still.]

I am concerned less for personal preference and more for message being sent.

[She narrows her eyes and struggles for a moment with an attempt at understanding.]

Do your people not... consider such things?

[ lance is reminded, rather vividly, of keith. the way she seems to struggle with something as simple as communication (well, it's certainly simple to someone like him, who has never really known when to shut his own mouth) would be endearing if it wasn't slightly concerning. if she can't even ask something about clothing, who knows what else she can't really talk about?

so lance reels back a bit, course-correcting. he doesn't really like the way she says that — your people — but he chalks it up to culture shock. ]

I'm not from around here, so I can't really say what says what, [ he explains apologetically. ] Can I ask what message you're trying to send?

[Your people, because as familiar as she is with humans, almost more familiar with them than her own kind, born and bred at the master's command, raised by his trainers... she had yet to meet a human in ALASTAIR who reminded her of those she knew, of the regimented and nuanced culture that spoke volumes by color and pattern of dress, by the words carefully chosen and used, who lived their lives by a rigid code of honor and respect governed by rank one would see clearly in a person's dress and bearing.

These people-]

That which is worn by warriors.

[Did this place, with its fat merchants and ignorant city-dwellers know much of such things? She recalls the clothing her masters had always dressed her in- the arrow fletching pattern on her kimono, the lord's crest on her arm guard, the rich silks of her breastplate in a ceremonial vermilion.]

Whatever pattern speaks to such a role, and the implications of such.

[Despite the fact that the magatama jewel she wore in her pontytail, ALASTAIR's peculiar magic, allowed for their words to make sense... that was only the language, and not the actual content.

She was beginning to wonder if that would ever match up.]

[ honestly? probably not ever.

but that's part of the excitement in meeting someone new — the journey in meeting each ofher halfway. ]

You're definitely not gonna find anything like that in here, [ he says, but his tone now is more thoughtful than apologetic. a finger lifts, tapping along his chin as he considers their options. he had been fortunate enough to have had both the curiosity and the time to go exploring on his own within this sprawling metropolis earlier, and so he rifles through his memory for something that would be far more suitable—

bingo. ]

But I think I know where you can. [ he moves to settle the garment he'd been holding back onto the racks. ] What d'you say we take a little trip? Promise it'll be worth your while.

[Now, this is something she is more glad to hear. An offer to actually lead her to somewhere that might have what she required- something useful. And considering she herself was beginning to doubt she would find anything in this... boutique.

She replaces her own selection of cloth on the table, and though her features do not soften, she still bows from the more human waist to the store clerk before she turns to take this man up on his offer.]

In that case, I shall be in your care.

[Stranger danger was less of a concern when a kick from one of your hooves could kill a man.]

[ what does it say about lance that he neither (1) pays much attention to the "stranger, danger" idea, nor does he (2) even consider those hooves of hers...

in any case, he seems quite delighted that she would be so amenable, especially considering how difficult conversation had been just a few minutes earlier. he attributes this all to progress, of course, and there is certainly a bit more bounce in his step as he leads her out of this particular boutique, and a little further down the block towards a couple of shops that are a bit more niche in their holdings.

specifically, he leads her to a steampunk armor shop, the display window of which he gestures towards with flourish. ]

Tada! What do you think? Looks nice, right?

[ go on and tell him how fantastically he did, hayame. you know you want to. ]

[Not things to be said in polite company.

Hayame prefers action to words, solutions to debate, and so Lance's offer had been an easy one to accept. She whips her long hair back behind her as they leave the shop she had been unsuccessful in, and remains stoically silent even as they walk, apparently not needing to ask his name or his motives as her hooves clop along behind him.

His flourishes were... unnecessary, to say the least, but she tolerates them and casts her gaze on the item in question. Though her expression turns slightly cross at first, an instinctual reaction to even more foreign items, she keeps her mouth shut to look it over.

It wasn't what she considered proper attire for the formal event they were supposedly supposed to attend, seeing as she was imagining a full-sleeved kimono and ceremonial tack, but. It was not a poor choice for parade or duty, seemingly made of a durable fabric that left her arms free for archery, and the belts and pouches seemed practical...

She thinks it, rather than saying at it, staring at the garment with muscular arms crossed beneath her breasts, before finally,]

That is promising for field attire.

[She'll give him credit for that, even if it wasn't exactly the solution she'd wanted.]

[ he glances between her and the garment, disappointment made obvious in the way his arms sort of just flop at his sides. ]

Is that not what you were looking for? [ he rolls back onto the heels of his feet, looking thoughtful again as he considers their past conversation. she said she wanted something symbolically befitting of a warrior... he sort of jumped at the warrior part, and glazed past the "symbolic" portion. ]

Okay, something a little dressier? [ he tries to fill in the blanks where he can. ] They've probably got dresses inside, if you wanna look at those?

[This man was... very emotive.]

It is not suitable for a banquet, no. There are no sleeves, and there is too much... shape.

[Hayame had never drawn anything in her entire life, beyond a few brief childhood moments of using sticks and the edge of hooves to trace patterns in dirt or the like, but she is beginning to suspect she may need to take brush to parchment at this rate to communicate what it is she views as appropriate.]

I shall agree to further inspection, however.

[It was at least more promising than the last place she'd been in.]

[ someone has to be. ]

Okay... something classy, but also modest. [ he is, at the very least, taking care to pay attention to her needs more. it's similar to all the shopping trips he'd been dragged along to by his older sister, whose tastes were as fickle as hayame's, if you can believe that. ]

They seem to be kinda big into corsets in there, so that might be a little too much "shape" for you... but their sleeves are nice and long and flow-y?

["Classy but modest", vague though the phrase is, is at least not incorrect. The sense of beauty Hayame was used to aligned itself for women of slim build and only slight curve, willowy and delicate- and while she certainly wasn't the latter, training-honed muscles visible quite clearly in the sleeveless top she wore despite the cold, she was used to formal clothes that were intended for such women.

Long sleeves sounds promising, but first-]

Which part of this is the "corset"?

[She gestures to... all of the outfit he pointed out.]

Ah.

[ there is a slight coloring of his cheeks, something both boyish and sheepish. as vaguely as he can, he gestures to the shape-hugging bodice on the mannequin. ]

That bit right there. It's, uh... meant to be accentuating. [ a pause. ] To things.

[To things.

Indeed, it certainly seemed to cinch in at the waist... Lance is spared reaction caused by perverse thoughts by the fact that... she doesn't have much bosom to jump to conclusions about... so she simply nods clinically after giving the tight garment a long stare.]

Your women can still move freely in these?

[Priorities]

They definitely manage it somehow.

[ there is a slight hint of awe in his voice, mingling there with a certain amount of humor. his sisters never really took on to the steampunk phase, nor were they big on corsets in general (thank god) but he's known some woman to take to it, and take to it well. honestly what women manage to do in their clothing astounds him on the daily. ]

But if you're looking for more mobility, robes or wraps are probably gonna be more your jam.

As long as my arms are unrestricted.

[Considering she has a sword and quiver at her waist she feels like she probably doesn't need to elaborate on why she wants that to be the case, reaching over Lance's head with ease to grab the door and open it.

Humans first.]

[ he tenses, but only for a moment. because for a second there it looked like she was reaching for him, but the moment quickly passes. he laughs a little, mostly at himself, and slips into the little store. ]

Then I'd swing back to what I suggested initially. Sleeves kind of get in the way whatever the design, don't they? Unless you're okay with skin-tight sleeves, but said you didn't want anything that showed too much shape, so...

[ maybe drawing it would be a better idea. it seems like they're just going back and forth here. ]

Besides... I'm not sure if any fancy place you're going to would even allow all those weapons, so...

Edited 2017-06-02 15:40 (UTC)

[Ducking into the store requires a bit of maneuvering on Hayame's part, human half leaning forward to take some of the height off her imposing figure and moving inside carefully into to avoid scraping her sides on the doorframe, but. She gets inside.]

When one is anticipating a battle, one ties the sleeves back with a cord.

[She gestures in a vague way to try and illustrate a cord that ties the sleeves back with a cross in the back.]

And one can conceal a weapon in the sleeves or obi. Or in one's hair.

[Which might not work for Lance, but Hayame's when unbound is down to her equine knees, so.]

Fair enough...

[ still, he has to wonder what kind of battle she's expecting at a fancy party... maybe that's just the way of her culture. there are worse things to live by than "always be prepared," after all. ]

—Wo-oah, look at these!!

[ far smaller and slighter than her, he's able to easily slink past to dart towards a stand of goggles, plucking a particularly blue and gaudy one (to be fair, many of them were just as garish) up and not even hesitating to place them upon his face. ]

Oh man, this is cool, don't I look cool??

[ he turns to her excitedly. ]

[He darts ahead and Hayame cannot follow so quickly, what with the... people. She has to excuse herself curtly to the other shoppers to get around them and avoid stepping a hoof onto a foot, belatedly taking a look at... whatever it was he seemed to be excited about.

Her eyes narrow in confusion, having never actually seen... glasses up close before.]

... what are those?

["Cool" notwithstanding...]

[ there is a brief moment where lance looks like he's waiting for the punch line, but in the next he is removing the goggles from his face to hold them out between them, reminded (belatedly) of their likely vastly different cultures. ]

These are goggles. They're usually for eye protection, but these are definitely more decorative than functional...

[ he pauses a moment, then offers them out to her with a small smile. ]

Try 'em on.

EVENT ★ WELCOME TO LERAMZEN

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