Big City Living (Midpoint Mingle)

[midpointmods]

The town of Midpoint: called thus because it is at the exact center of the game arena, a busy little Western town full of strange people, many of whom don’t look remotely human, because this is where all the players gather and live. Midpoint Saloon: called thus because it is the only bar in Midpoint. It’s also the biggest building in town, four stories high, dotted with windows, painted a jaunty yellow and decorated with red and green flowers in all the window boxes.

This is where your veteran teammate points you. Or just stomps off to and hopes you follow.

Downstairs is a bar and tavern, Old West style, right down to the upright piano in one corner and a raucous crowd of locals - largely locals, but with a healthy smattering of unusual or downright alien faces that clearly indicate the presence of other Players - eating, drinking, gambling, and getting into trouble. There’s a broad, bearded man behind the bar, waving cheerfully at you as you enter.

The rest of the night and the next day is yours to do with what you see fit. Explore the town, take a long nap in your new room, try to get to know people... everyone is here for the next twenty-four hours before travel to the mission site, so it’s a good chance to scope out the competition, at the very least.

Comments

[givemyrightarm]

I. Arrival (closed to teammates)

The trip through the desert by itself hadn't been terribly onerous; when the heat had gotten worse, Irene had simply altered her metabolism to compensate. The greatest challenge had been the horse; as a warrior of the Organization, Irene had mostly walked everywhere she needed to go, and with her left arm gone, mounting had been a challenge. Still, they'd managed.

Though she's still not sure what she's going to do with a horse.

She eyes her 'teammates' warily. She still isn't quite sure she believes everything she's been told about this place or their 'missions' here, but even if she did, neither of those two are particularly helping matters. They may very well be the competent fighters they claim to be, but they're also both hotheaded idiots, and whatever tolerance Irene had once had for hotheaded idiots has long left her. Unfortunately for her, their mysterious masters don't particularly care about any of that, so she'll just have to make the best of it.

As they draw near to the town, she turns to whichever one is nearer. "Now what?"

II. Exploration - OTA

It's been a long time since she was last in a human settlement - or any settlement, really. It's certainly a far cry from a tiny shack in the woods, though whatever feelings Irene has about that she is keeping firmly to herself.

She cuts a memorable figure as she makes her way through the streets, a pale, statuesque woman with pointed ears, her long silver hair hanging down her back, flowing around the massive sword also sheathed there. Silver eyes take in the sights with wary curiosity; the heavy belted cloak she wears flares out around her as she walks. Irene won't not talk to people if they approach her, but conversation isn't her primary goal at the moment.

III. Saloon - OTA

She does eventually make her way to the saloon, though she's not particularly interested in the recreational activities. She might try out some of the food, although as her nutritional requirements aren't the same as a human, she doesn't need to eat nearly as much as some. She will avail herself of some of the liquor, but notably, it doesn't seem to be hitting her at all. As for procuring a room for herself... well, she's not really in any hurry to do that, either.

I

[ragingwolf]

Fuwa had made a point of keeping his horse close to Irene's, when it would let him - clearly it's as ornery as he is, for all that he can at least get it to walk in a straight line. And with Irene's one arm and lack of experience, he was reasonably concerned about her falling off.

(At least he'd managed to behave himself and not fight horribly with Hajime on the ride over.)

When they get into town and Irene pipes up, he points towards the four-storey building, visible over the small shacks and other buildings. "The Midpoint Saloon. That's where we're staying. They've got stables for the horses and rooms for the Players. Two of the old-timers run the place, North and Soap."

[givemyrightarm]

Irene honestly rather appreciates her own horse's attitude, inconvenient as it is for her. At least its spirit isn't broken, unlike others she could name.

She listens solemnly when Fuwa answers. "Tell me about them," she says, then pauses and adds, "Please."

(In her defense, this entire mess is the first contact she's had with anyone else in literal years if not decades.)

[ragingwolf]

"Nicholas St. North runs the Saloon," he explains. "Big old buy with a white beard and tattoos, pretty hard to miss. Nice enough, but don't start any shit or he'll come down on you hard."

His horse nickers quietly, and Fuwa absently gives his neck a scratch. "Soap runs the stables. He can be a bit of a brat, he's one of the youngest Players, but he's good with animals. He can teach you anything you need to know about taking care of them."

[givemyrightarm]

"Hm." Though Irene is thankfully unlikely to start any shit anytime soon (Quickswording the door to Teresa's room at the inn she was taking refuge in that one time notwithstanding).

She nods at the information about Soap. "I'll remember." Then, after another few moments of silence: "What else do we need to know about this settlement?"

[ragingwolf]

"It's the biggest, it's the dead center of the arena, and it's the only inn where we can stay for free. It's more or less neutral territory." Partially because of rules, partially because no one wants to get run out of town for something stupid.

[givemyrightarm]

"How restricted are our movements, both within and outside of it?"

[ragingwolf]

"We can go about twenty-five miles in any direction from here. There's only about half a mile behind the jails before you hit the forcefield. It's like a big fence," he adds for clarity, tugging on his reins to get his stubborn horse to turn. "If you touch it you can get pretty hurt."

[givemyrightarm]

"Small territory." There've been warriors who had larger.

"How badly hurt? I assume the... forcefield... isn't fatal because they want our deaths to be entirely within the missions?"

[ragingwolf]

"It won't kill you if you touch it, but try too hard and it'll lay you out for a while," he says. "I don't know of anyone who's brute forced their way through it."