The brim of the ten gallon Stetson slowly went up with a push of a single giant finger. "Well, I'll be." Ralph 'Tex' Madsen, the world's tallest cowboy, spoke in a hush tone more appropriate for a church than a cave in the New Jersey wilds. Hoisting his ever present companion Tinymite up above the shoulders of the others, for a clearer view "Have you ever seen such a thing girl?" Answering with a diminutive snort Tex was sure she hadn't.
Prof. Tesla pondered a moment and motioned Marigold forward. Her father still stunned by the wondrous site, stood wide eyed as she handed the rock over to her mentor and benefactor. Tesla moves quickly back to the ladders leading up to the tower, stopping only once to pick up a tin containing food for Kapivar or one of his assistants. "My apologies gentlemen..." he said dumping three wax paper wrapped sandwiches onto the floor. "but until we can determine the nature of this phosphorescence, we should take care." He placed the crystal in the tin, secured the lid and looked to the group. "Let us reconvene this group in my workshop."
{an addendum - I will occasionally add in details to the story, that happen 'off camera', usually due to time or that I just plain forget and move forward with the game. They will contain extra details and sometimes clues, or pieces of information that add to the overall depth of the game.}
The assembled scientists quickly devise a simple test to determine an important aspect of the new found crystal. Prof. Phlemming erupts into the room carry all sorts of first aid equipment just as Kapivar and Tesla are placing photographic paper around the crystal. Tesla looks up. "See to Ms. Nelson." The others look about in genuine concern and her father erupts. "Whats the meaning of this Tesla? Is Mari in any danger?" Tesla moves to a table and directs Tex, Solomon and Jean to help place a shroud of black cloth around it. Kapviar pulls 3 large opaque jugs out of a light proof cabinet, a bead of sweat run down his face.
To the non-scientists in the room there is a growing air of anxiety. Tesla and Kapivar move with an as of yet unspoken purpose, to which they are single-mindedly working towards. Phlemming, the Biology Department chair and well known field surgeon from the Great War, sets his bags down next to Marigold and barks gruffly over his shoulder to Tesla "What are we dealing with here?" and indeed that question is reflected in everyone's face as they look to Tesla and Kapivar. Tesla adjusts black cloth as Kapivar sets the jugs down and races of to find trays for the solutions. "You see..." Tesla replies "in my younger days I exposed myself to something I thought of as Ozone, a name I gave to an invisible force I thought I could harness for power. It was only later that I found out that what I mistakenly called Ozone was actually radioactivity." At that time Tesla holds up his left hand. White burn scars mar the last two fingers.
"I knowingly exposed myself. I have never felt it appropriate to subject others to risks, I myself, were not willingly to take..." He smiles at Marigold "animals included." He adds. Marigold smiles back, gesturing with her hands. She stops and looks at them, half expecting them to erupt in blisters and pushes them into Phlemming's hands to examine.
"Shucks. Invisible power that can burn your skin off? Yer sounded like one of them Verne yarns." Tex says astonished. "Only this ain't fiction Tex." Solomon spoke smoothly. "Are you saying we were burned by that glowing rock?" Jean asked with an edge in his voice. "I sincerely doubt it Jean, but better to be on the safe side. At the moment I am most concerned about Ms Nelson's well being." Tesla replied.
"Are we ready Bernhard?" He asked to the Austrian Chemist. "Nearly zoh, Nikola." The anxious man replied stepping out of the shrouded table area. "Ve vill know in a few momentz." Kapivar said sliding the piece of paper from under the Crystal which he then placed a metal bucket over. He walked hurriedly back into the shrouded area. Tesla walked slowly to Marigold's side talking as he did. "You see Phosphorescence is an uncommon, but not unique, quality in minerals. Its also a hallmark of radioactivity, yet not always. By exposing the photographic paper to the rock we can determine whether or not its radioactive."
"You have to talk simpler doc. Tinymite don't understand them radio-things you're talking about." Tex said confused. "Apologies, my gentle friend." Tesla said calmly as Tinymite nudged between him and Marigold and rested her chin on Marigold's knee. "The paper. If its clean. Then the Crystal is merely Phosphorescent. If the paper is marred with black streaks, then we have something to worry about." The assembled people began to look about at one another and tried to look as reassuringly as they could if they caught Marigold or her father's eye.
Abruptly. "Herr Tesla! Herr Tesla!" Kapivar yelled startling everyone except Marigold and perhpas Jean. Bernhard clumsily exited the shroud, raising a wet piece of photo paper with a pair of tongs; a wet and very white piece of photo paper. "It's clean. It's Clean!" Bernhard began to laugh. Prof. Nelson mopped his sweaty brow with a sigh of relief. Marigold stood and jumped in place clapping her hands. Mustafa Karim the star pupil of Prof. Nelson thought to himself "So we CAN smoke it!" and smiled to himself.
"Perhaps now we can section off samples for everyone to work with safely." Tesla added quickly and all agreed.
{End Addendum}
End Part 2
Part 3 coming soon.
Prof. Tesla pondered a moment and motioned Marigold forward. Her father still stunned by the wondrous site, stood wide eyed as she handed the rock over to her mentor and benefactor. Tesla moves quickly back to the ladders leading up to the tower, stopping only once to pick up a tin containing food for Kapivar or one of his assistants. "My apologies gentlemen..." he said dumping three wax paper wrapped sandwiches onto the floor. "but until we can determine the nature of this phosphorescence, we should take care." He placed the crystal in the tin, secured the lid and looked to the group. "Let us reconvene this group in my workshop."
{an addendum - I will occasionally add in details to the story, that happen 'off camera', usually due to time or that I just plain forget and move forward with the game. They will contain extra details and sometimes clues, or pieces of information that add to the overall depth of the game.}
The assembled scientists quickly devise a simple test to determine an important aspect of the new found crystal. Prof. Phlemming erupts into the room carry all sorts of first aid equipment just as Kapivar and Tesla are placing photographic paper around the crystal. Tesla looks up. "See to Ms. Nelson." The others look about in genuine concern and her father erupts. "Whats the meaning of this Tesla? Is Mari in any danger?" Tesla moves to a table and directs Tex, Solomon and Jean to help place a shroud of black cloth around it. Kapviar pulls 3 large opaque jugs out of a light proof cabinet, a bead of sweat run down his face.
To the non-scientists in the room there is a growing air of anxiety. Tesla and Kapivar move with an as of yet unspoken purpose, to which they are single-mindedly working towards. Phlemming, the Biology Department chair and well known field surgeon from the Great War, sets his bags down next to Marigold and barks gruffly over his shoulder to Tesla "What are we dealing with here?" and indeed that question is reflected in everyone's face as they look to Tesla and Kapivar. Tesla adjusts black cloth as Kapivar sets the jugs down and races of to find trays for the solutions. "You see..." Tesla replies "in my younger days I exposed myself to something I thought of as Ozone, a name I gave to an invisible force I thought I could harness for power. It was only later that I found out that what I mistakenly called Ozone was actually radioactivity." At that time Tesla holds up his left hand. White burn scars mar the last two fingers.
"I knowingly exposed myself. I have never felt it appropriate to subject others to risks, I myself, were not willingly to take..." He smiles at Marigold "animals included." He adds. Marigold smiles back, gesturing with her hands. She stops and looks at them, half expecting them to erupt in blisters and pushes them into Phlemming's hands to examine.
"Shucks. Invisible power that can burn your skin off? Yer sounded like one of them Verne yarns." Tex says astonished. "Only this ain't fiction Tex." Solomon spoke smoothly. "Are you saying we were burned by that glowing rock?" Jean asked with an edge in his voice. "I sincerely doubt it Jean, but better to be on the safe side. At the moment I am most concerned about Ms Nelson's well being." Tesla replied.
"Are we ready Bernhard?" He asked to the Austrian Chemist. "Nearly zoh, Nikola." The anxious man replied stepping out of the shrouded table area. "Ve vill know in a few momentz." Kapivar said sliding the piece of paper from under the Crystal which he then placed a metal bucket over. He walked hurriedly back into the shrouded area. Tesla walked slowly to Marigold's side talking as he did. "You see Phosphorescence is an uncommon, but not unique, quality in minerals. Its also a hallmark of radioactivity, yet not always. By exposing the photographic paper to the rock we can determine whether or not its radioactive."
"You have to talk simpler doc. Tinymite don't understand them radio-things you're talking about." Tex said confused. "Apologies, my gentle friend." Tesla said calmly as Tinymite nudged between him and Marigold and rested her chin on Marigold's knee. "The paper. If its clean. Then the Crystal is merely Phosphorescent. If the paper is marred with black streaks, then we have something to worry about." The assembled people began to look about at one another and tried to look as reassuringly as they could if they caught Marigold or her father's eye.
Abruptly. "Herr Tesla! Herr Tesla!" Kapivar yelled startling everyone except Marigold and perhpas Jean. Bernhard clumsily exited the shroud, raising a wet piece of photo paper with a pair of tongs; a wet and very white piece of photo paper. "It's clean. It's Clean!" Bernhard began to laugh. Prof. Nelson mopped his sweaty brow with a sigh of relief. Marigold stood and jumped in place clapping her hands. Mustafa Karim the star pupil of Prof. Nelson thought to himself "So we CAN smoke it!" and smiled to himself.
"Perhaps now we can section off samples for everyone to work with safely." Tesla added quickly and all agreed.
{End Addendum}
End Part 2
Part 3 coming soon.
What I want to know is who's the Monkey Bonzai!?
ReplyDeleteOutstanding. Clay, I'm loving this setting and you're doing a great job handling the new characters and system.
ReplyDeleteThree cheers for both of our GMs so far!