Coal into Diamonds! (RP tiem)

[Zerrif]

(Okay... so everyone is welcome to join into the RP. I've never really run one before-- only participated in them, so here's hoping that this isn't a bust. The character I'm using is Shichiro, found here.)

---

If this had been any other sort of alchemy, he knew that he would have been able to seek answers solely within the guild. In fact, that was where this whole bloody thing had started, within that guild. If he hadn't made that stupid bet, he wouldn't have been in this predicament!

Well, it wasn't stupid anyway. A rival alchemist had said they were able to turn coal into pure gold bars, whereas Shichiro had said that was impossible-- but he could create diamonds. Didn't that blundering idiot know that coal had no traces of the element Gold within it at all, while Coal and Diamonds were both forms of carbon (albeit the former not being a pure carbon makeup)?

All science-y thoughts aside, the Alchemist was now sitting on the edge of the Pronteran fountain. His Amistr, Ch?vre, bounced around idly around him, following this adventurer or that child, receiving a few pets and scratches before they moved on. This seemed far too silly, and perhaps a little selfish. Still, his advertisement was still up.

"Seeking a party to help me attain coal in Einbech Mines! Will explain why the regular Coal Mines do not suffice! Adventure, and perhaps rare ores await!"

"Well Ch?vre, I suppose if no one joins, it's up to you and me. Again." The alchemist said, with a slight sigh. The last time they had tried to venture in alone, they had been forced out by Gopinich-- barely even reaching more than a few dozen feet into the first few mine shafts. Dear Odin, why had he made that bet?

[Slate]

(Spiffy, an RP. Haven't RPed in quite a while now; should be fun to get back into it. I'll jump in as my up-til-now backstory-less blacksmith, mostly for the novelty of playing a character named Coal in a story about coal. )

"I'll see ya again tomorrow!" This shouted departing phrase rang out across the area, catching the attention of some of the street vendors and passersby, who looked up briefly from their activities. Immediately following it was the equally loud noise of a slammed door.

The source of the noise was a broadly muscular man, who, noticing the glances he was receiving, paused briefly, looking confused, and, after a moment, turned back to the item shop, reopened the door, and voiced a significantly less audible apology to its inhabitant.

His fumble having been cleared to his satisfaction, the man quickly counted a sizeable wad of bills, turned to the banker and, grinning, handed them to him with an enthusiastic nod. This done, he strode over to the fountain, filling the air with tuneless humming.

To the alchemist's luck (or lack thereof), the advertisement caught the boisterous man's eye.

"Hi friend." His tone was admonishing but the same grin remained plastered on his soot-stained face. "I don't think ye're allowed to advertise on the streets like that. 'Swhat I heard anyway. Best take it down. However!" - his facial enthusiasm rose another couple notches - "If it's Einbeck ya wanna see, I'd be glad to show ya 'round a bit. No harm in visitin' the ol' homestead."

[Zerrif]

(I'm actually the same, Slate. Haven't RP'ed in well over two years now X_X. I tend to on YIM or stuff, but nothing forum based.)

The raucous sound caught the alchemist's ear, and even started his Amistr, who bounded over and behind his legs. He gave the sheep-like Homunculus an appreciative scritch behind it's ears, before he noticed that he was approached by the rather boisterous and noisy fellow.

He was well... dirty. Then again, for some reason, he didn't really expect much. Most smiths that he adventured with were... people of the earth, for lack of a better term, and always seemed to come just from mining, or from the forge. He wasn't about to discriminate, however-- a broad smile forming on his lips. "Is that so? I didn't know-- I'm not from around here. I'm sorry." He said, looking over at the advertisement. Already being told to take it down, just when it got some attentio--

"You're from around there?" His facial expression started to be one akin to the Blacksmith's. "That would be quite generous of you at the very least. You see I've tried going in there myself and... let's just say that I don't have as many lives as little Ch?vre here does. The name's Shichiro, Alchemist by trade and Creator by nature." A gloved hand was outstretched at the Blacksmith, a large rectangular square of the glove glowing with a faint yellowish-green outline.

[Aaronock]

*OOC: Woo my stalker will fit pretty good on doing a little busy work like this one.??Besides haven't RP'd him a lot lately it'd be nice to do again.*

He was an average height figure, a light tan, lean muscles, toned abs.??His looks were that of a typical thief really, with his dagger on his side, his dark purple and black outfit a little dirty around the edges, but he mostly look like he had traveled in them too long more than anything else.??He had let his hair grown out a great length these days so he wore it in a ponytail at the back.??

Ezekiel was as usual, running out on his wife Conch looking for some busy work.??His stupid wife had found a way to make him marry her ages ago.??Damn the judicial system, he took that dowry money at 13 to get away from her in the first place, only to have her claim him in the name of "love" now at his age of 21.??She was very good at being quite the nuisance and this time actually had managed to get her off his trail so she wouldn't botch another job.??They needed money, they needed food and had a house payment soon.??Ezekiel held himself strong to any contract, and sadly he hadn't figured out a way to get himself out of his marriage one yet.

He stopped thinking about this after seeing an alchemist stand next to a poster.??"Seeking a party to help me attain coal in Einbech Mines! Will explain why the regular Coal Mines do not suffice! Adventure, and perhaps rare ores await!"??Zeke wasn't much for "partying" but he was desperate enough to find work and maybe he could at least have a drinking partner for the night after it was all done.??

He stood there a moment before responding, he would have to mind his manners like usual with a job.??"Hi, I'm Ezekiel Stalker, and I'm one of the best when it comes to finding a mass collection of items."??Zeke just then noticed the Blacksmith standing there but paid him little heed for it wasn't required at the moment.??"Surely you care little of my class, and instead trust me on my capabilities.??I'm interested in the job in other words, and now I ask what kind of payment you'll give me for taking in this job.?"

[Zerrif]

(Your stalker sounds like rape-bai-- er... wait. I cut out the wrong word.)

Shichiro blinked at the second person that came up. Maybe that sign oughta stay up just a smidge more-- at least before the authorities noticed. Well this one was straight to the point at least. He smirked, and raised an eyebrow at him. Didn't care for his class? Possibly not-- but knowledge was always a tool. Besides, there would be no use bringing an unbalanced party. They would only get destroyed.

"Question is, what can you bring to the excavation? You ask me to trust you based on your capabilities, but I have no idea as to what those are." The Alchemist said, still eying Ezekiel over suspiciously. He rubbed his hands together greedily, and stood on the edge of the fountain.

"Gentlemen, as both of you know, I am an Alchemist. And I have been studying the foundations of alchemy, transmogrifying something into another object! Science has proved that there is a link between Coal and Diamonds--" He looked over at Ezekiel with a grin. "I am setting out to get the purest, deepest Coal that I can get my hands on, in order to create pure diamonds! Of course, you'll each have your own share of those, or any other rare ores we might come across down there-- the only trick is getting down there, of course!"

[Aaronock]

Ezekiel eyes this man a moment again.??What could he bring he thought to himself.??There was much he felt, but what answers would please the alchemist in front of him.??Any man who could just make money for himself to him was probably just a tad crazy, and probably much to ambitious.??That wasn't really for Ezekiel to care about. He did figure out how to respond as the man talk of it being difficult to enter the mines in the first place.??

"If for whatever reason it is you want to sneak into the mines is, I can get us in there.??I know how to hide even right in front of your eyes and I blend in the shadows like no other.??I'm also quite the escape artist, quite skilled in trap removal and opening doors you could say, so any little barriers they put up into the mines I can easily dismantle.??I believe you think I may be a little stupid, but I can guarentee you I seen way more of the world than you and I can certainly find exactly whatever gems, jewels, coal, and whatever else you want from Einbech Mines."

He thinks a moment, this guy was ticking him off already but he had to keep his cool, food was the goal here afterall, no need to prove to this kid anything outside what he had to.

"You want in, I can get you in, I useta sneak in there past the miners during the daytime in an old entryway they've forgotten about. I useta go there a lot when gathering materials for blacksmiths like that fella about a year and a half ago," He pointed at his other assumed companion as he said it. He then looks straight at the alchemist and states, "Am I in or out now?"

[Slate]

The noisy man had been about to accept the handshake when the rogue had shown up and stolen the conversation, perhaps not too surprisingly. Their third member, if he was to be that, seemed a little too confrontational for his taste, but he figured that was something that came with the lifestyle he had chosen. Though naturally loud and enthusiastic, the blacksmith was not a person easily roused, and so busied himself in petting the fuzzy critter that seemed to be Shichiro's pet.

Despite the grey coating that covered most of his visible skin, nothing rubbed off onto the sheepy animal. This man was actually quite clean at the moment: his tarnished complexion was the permanently darkened skin of a mine-worker who, spending years of his life handling coal and soot, absorbed some of the color into his skin and could no longer get it out.

As the rogue explained his intended contribution to the party, the smith listened, his grin melting into a curious expression. The miners had not, of course, forgotten about the other entrance. Rather their contractor had deemed that they were not to use it anymore: what ore remained down there was on the edge of dangerous chasms, and strange monsters had begun to roam the area. The smith was impressed that this newcomer had neither been seen by any of the miners nor phased by the mine's deeper dangers.

Seeing a moment to jump in when the rogue was done his piece, the smith seized the opportunity to toss in a phrase or two. "'Strue what he says. They don't use the other way anymore 'cause it's dangerous, but it's still unguarded. The main way is bound to be swarmin' with workers, and they'll have to try an' stop us gettin' past, else they might lose their jobs. I never seen this guy in all my years workin' there, so if he's tellin' the truth about sneakin' in, it'll be a useful skill to have around, regardless o' which way we go."

[Zerrif]

Hiding? Nono, hiding wouldn't be-- well... that could be useful. The knowledge about the old entryway would be a boon, and the dismantling would be rather useful. He figured that he and the Blacksmith could be the ones to actually mine, if it was needed anyway. "I suppose you're in. If the bit about losing their jobs is true, I'd rather not create a conflict with people who are just working." He said, after taking in the Blacksmith's comments.

"So at least getting in can be taken care of. My only real concern is the dangers that lay inside. Not only is the mine infested with monsters-- but to be honest, there could be worse. I've heard tales that the mining and the resonant sounds have awaken Gopinich. Do we have the manpower to stand up against such a thing?"

He looked down and smiled as the Amistr started to take a liking to the Blacksmith, bleating lightly and nuzzling his hand. "Then again, a smaller group would be better at sneaking around, don't you think? So what do you two believe would be the better idea? One who has worked around the mines, and another expert at sneaking. Do you two believe we should try and power our way through, or sneak around to our goal?"

[The Legendary Joe]

Oolong scoffed,??reading the advertisement for herself while vaguely listening to the??group formulate their plan of attack.

'Einbech....' That word alone sent her straight into a funk. Gopinich was a minor concern, as she wanted revenge against that blasted Pitman who had kicked her arse many a time before then??by piloting??that Giant mining mecha known as RSX-0806. If anything It would would be a boon to the dark side for one of their esteemed??members and their intelligence piloting that mechanized monstrosity rather than a Mindless undead thing. But alas, there was no way to incapacitate that pitman without severely damaging the whole machine.

"Without a highly skilled Priest, like me, you might as well stick to sneaking around like the cowards you are..." Oolong blurted out without a second thought, before starting to cast assumtio on herself.

[Fruityla]

Linnea caught sight of the illegally placed poster and sighed. What part of 'don't put up signs in the street or on the fountain didn't people grasp?' The champion shook her head and went to confront the three when she caught a bit of their conversion;

"I've heard tales that the mining and the resonant sounds have awaken Gopinich. Do we have the manpower to stand up against such a thing?" the alchemist said.

She stopped in her tracks at this and looked at the four who seemed to be forming the party. An alchemist, a blacksmith, Ezekiel, and Oolong. If the blacksmith and the alchemist were transcended, then there would be no problem but?they weren't. She knew Ezekiel and had been told countless times by the stalker that he wasn't much of a fighter.

"To answer your question, no, you don't have the manpower. In fact you'll get yourselves killed with that group," Linnea spoke up abruptly, folding her muscular arms. She was quite tall and buff for a young woman, just falling short of the average height of a male.??Her orange hair was being worn long and down at the moment with a small braid in the back. In a sharp contrast to Ezekiel and the blacksmith, she was as clean as can be, she was a noble after all, she had to appear well.

Linnea continued speaking, "Well, you could probably eliminate the smaller fry, but you won't have any chance against the big fish like Gopinch. And he isn't the only one you should be worrying about," she paused for a moment, brushing her hair over her shoulder, "Once you're down in the mines you have the oversized tin can to deal with." She looked at Ezekiel "And hiding isn't going to save you from those two."

It was only after she stopped talking that she realized she basically just offered her services up to them. Then again, she felt she had to, knowing two of the four, one of which was a close friend, were about to go out and potentially get themselves killed....along with two strangers.??

"Alright I'll come, I can't be letting people get themselves killed," she sighed. She thought about how it would have been nice if she could have found her friend, Aaronock. He somehow escaped her radar and now she actually needed his assistance...well not needed, but the professor's soul change ability would be nice. Oh well, blue potions will have to do.