Day 1 Night

[12npcs]

[ Over the murmur of conversations, explorations and violent attempts at escape, there comes a sound tick tick tick tick tick.............. CLICK.... The sky above snaps across the dome from blue to black... and everything goes dark.

A glow comes from the front door of each of the inns and one by one, you can see street lanterns begin to light up steadily past each of the gates.

The only flickering, organic light comes from above in the tower, spluttering high, high above everyone, through the slats of the closed shutters. After a moment, it's gone. ]

Comments

[allsneakandnoplay]

How did we even get in?

Anyone have any luck scouting?

[thisisace]

...Good point. I dunno about scouting though; I haven't seen anything myself.

[allsneakandnoplay]

[sighs... walking up to the nearest clockwork person.]

. . . Stole pieces of his "Twelve Heart," huh?. . .

[thisisace]

What's that even mean? What's a "Twelve Heart" anyway?

[allsneakandnoplay]

Not sure. It's what one of us stole, apparently.

[thisisace]

...So if we find the crook we can get out of here?

[allsneakandnoplay]

I wonder if it was really one of us? And it seems like the scale's a little inhuman. I get the idea this is supposed to all be working and running, but everyone either lost a single shared power source, of they all had individual power sources taken at once.

[thisisace]

[...words]

Huh?

[allsneakandnoplay]

...

[gestures.]

Everyone is just frozen. He was ranting that they should be moving.

Which means that whatever was taken is the reason nothing is working.

[thisisace]

Oh. So...if we get the mechanical people working again, we can get out of here!

[allsneakandnoplay]

Maybe. If it's what he's pissed about.

[thisisace]

What else would he have a problem with? I mean, if I had a bunch of mechanical dudes that broke I'd probably be kinda pissed too. But if someone went and fixed 'em, that totally sounds like a reward-worthy task to me.

[allsneakandnoplay]

Problem is, we have no idea how to fix them.

[thisisace]

Eh, it can't be that tough!

[12npcs]

[The nearest one to you is an old woman in a shawl. Her hands clutch a pink purse.]

[allsneakandnoplay]

[... Looking seriously at how she's built - even though he knows it can't be the same, because clockwork, he can't help but compare it to what he knows about artificial humans, and especially himself. Are they really comparable to him? And what's missing that just shut them all down? Looking for it...]

[12npcs]

[It's hard to tell. She looks still, not even the slightest fraction of movement. The face is only articulated enough to form a crude nose and the rest of her expression, somber and patient, has been painted on. No breathing, no sounds of moving parts...

Just, when you swap to thermal vision she, and all of the other dolls are just a little bit. So much as you might not even notice unless you WERE looking for it, warmer than anything else in the environment.]

[allsneakandnoplay]

[I was looking, but I wasn't actually expecting...

There's a cold prick up his spine when he notices.

After a moment of debate, he takes her arm. Can he move her?]

[12npcs]

[There's the slightest give at the joints, but she holds fast.]

[allsneakandnoplay]

'Scuse me, ma'am.

[checks her elbow, pushing up her shawl or any other sleeve. Any obvious casing that can be popped open, or clear seam?]

[12npcs]

[No obvious casing, but the joints are just a little not human, and thin, thin lines around them suggest seams.]

[allsneakandnoplay]

. . .

[i feel kind of bad cutting up what is apparently an old lady.

maybe it's time for a jog. I need to look around and maybe I can find a robbery in progress.

[12npcs]

[All of the frozen people seem... peaceful. Couples walk hand in hand or under sunshade parasols. Others were caught in mid stroll, examine a book or carry groceries...]

[allsneakandnoplay]

[HRRRGH THIS IS WEIRD. Is there a perimiter?

[12npcs]

[The court is a large circle, the inns butting directly into brick wall, and gates to each of the cardinal directions.]