#Rumours Circulating Around Polaris At The local Pub - The Frostbitten Pony.

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split kestrel
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The warmth of a local pub bursts into your face as you slug yourself through its door. Wearily you begin to scrape the snow off your shoes before the barkeep shouts at you for letting the cold in. You clumsily close the door letting yourself in for a well earned drink and watered down soup when you hear from a table away two men talking

"Psst, between you and me I heard that ever since the captain outlawed the old child labour laws apparently a lot of them are now "yearning to return to the mines"

(This is a dumb thread to create, spread and discuss dumb rumours going through polaris...also enjoy the pub setting)

rustic anchor
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"A friend of a friend of mine told me that the technocrats use babies as fuel for the generator, that sounds just like those machine slaves" - Drunken Forager

cedar cypress
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“I’ve seen the technocrats trying to resurrect the captain with my own eyes..” - Unemployed New Londoner

dawn ember
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"I dunno 'bout you, folk, but me sister says that Blackrock gonna fall in on itself one day, right inside! A've ya seen the bloody caverns under de thing? If I was on yer part, I would run outta there like a rabbit in de Whiteout." - Red-nosed coal miner

rustic anchor
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"Aye... and now they wants us to go even deeper... since those damned engineers finished their research on Deep Vein Shaft Coal Mines." - Tired Miner

rose prism
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A drunk man, halfway to collapse, is yelling something that might pass as words, "Didja hear- Hear, uh the thing where..."
He stops for a moment, blinking, before reviving to a shout, "There's a monster hiding in the ridge pits! I saw it, was like one of them wolves with one of em birds. Big as a good rock! I swear it by the captain!"
He collapses shortly after

rose prism
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Soon after the proclamation of doom, a man in a snow bleached suit quickly rushes to the collapsed man and addresses his sparse audience.
"A dreary and most dreadful sight to be sure! But fear not my dear compatriots, for my new miracle medicine will have you fearing no monster and no beast!" In a dramatic flourish he draws two green tinted vials from his bag.
"Introducing... Snow Oil! It shall grant you dominion over all monsters and beasts, and give you unknowable strength! Just two heatstamps for a vial to buy your eternity! Fret not travelers, for this vial is not just for wolves and pit monsters but also grants you grandiose powers beyond-"
"Oi!" another man from the table the man just left speaks up. "This medicine tastes like paint thinner!"
The salesman quickly turns red, "I must be gone friends. My rivals have sent their assassins. My medicine is too great you see." He sprints out the door before anyone can get another word out.

neon temple
#

"Hmph.. wonder what was in that junk.."

dawn ember
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"Some folk I talk to close to the Council say 'dat our new Steward gal, get it, is hiding something. Not ye old corruption, mind ya - real tough stuff to swallow. Like, have any of ya lot heard 'bout Captain's health lately? Ah, I thought so. Makes ya think, don't it? We all need to keep our eyes on the woman, or she'll do us blind."

swift lichen
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"I'm not one to follow all the rumors that are circulating about the Steward. And yet...she just seemed to appear out of nowhere. As if she had risen from the snow. I had never heard of her before and neither had my lads at work. You would think the captain would appoint a prominent member of the city government as his second in command. Strange... all very strange."

split silo
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"have you heard? There is a cult called children of the frost. They want to blow up the generator so we can truly adapt."

pliant whale
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“I’m not one to complain about that steward gal, with all the changes she’s making maybe it’s a good thing she’s in charge”

drifting tartan
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A factory worker from Ridgewell "Heard what they tell in the Ridgewell-Slums? Supposedly the Steward is the Captains bastard daughter from one of the prostitutes and all of this is just him passing down his crown to her."

swift lichen
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"You wouldn't happen to know the names of these individuals, would you?"

drifting tartan
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"Nah .... it's just what they talk in the parts beneath the ol' lamp factory."

swift lichen
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"Huh, I see. Well, it's definitely not the most absurdest story I heard today. Some maniac we've sweeped off the street today kept screaming about how the Steward is an Angel sent by the divine to punish the Captain for his sins."

teal osprey
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a man listening in on the conversation
“That is… certainly a story.”

#

“One of them zealots eh?

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“I’ve heard that some folks who want to follow the old ways are considering making their voices heard. Just a rumor passed through the hothouses.”

drifting tartan
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"Sounds like ya got that from Overlook, where all the fine people are livin."

swift lichen
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"Yes. Folks who never got over the fact that the captain chose order over faith. Crazy people, these ones. But still, I wonder...where did the Steward come from? I thought that it only seemed to me like she had appeared in the city like a sudden whiteout, but surprisingly, many of my colleagues expressed the same opinion."

drifting tartan
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"Does one of ya know, what the name of the gal is? I mean, we knew Captain Crawford, but shes just the Steward?"

swift lichen
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"I heard one say it's Margaret Thatcher. Don't know where that came from."

The oil lamps in the room suddenly begin to flicker for a moment before burning normally again

"....strange."

drifting tartan
#

(fuck, you killed me with this one)

teal osprey
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“Pays plenty fine though, what with needing to know how to prune grave vines for their champagne. Never was I so glad that my father was a gardener before the frost than the day that we had to try out for the position.”

#

(Btw this man is not Heinrich)

drifting tartan
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(same, this is not Conrad, just some bloke from Ridgewell)

teal osprey
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“Speaking of, you boys ever tried what those 1% Clubbers call ‘champagne’ before? Mighty sweet stuff, practically not alcohol at all! I prefer myself a good ol’ tuber vodka m’self.”
he holds a decanter of the stuff up, it’s strong scent wafting out of the open top.

drifting tartan
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"Never tried that lordy stuff. Usually don't have the Stamps for it. But yeah, tuber is ..... intense. It keeps ya warm at least."

teal osprey
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“What drinks do you folks fancy, if you don’t mind my asking?”
he starts ushering them towards one of the booths, intent on making conversation with them

#

it’s clear that he has had several refills of his current drink already

swift lichen
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"Anything that has the word "beer" in its name is something I'm willing to try."

teal osprey
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as he tries to begin seating them, he asks their names

#

“Can’t say I’ve seen the two of ye ‘round these parts!”

drifting tartan
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"My poison is the good ol' 'Ridgewell Moss Brand' it's not the sweetest, but tastes better than tuber."

teal osprey
teal osprey
drifting tartan
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"Industrial. This kick is what makes it so special"

teal osprey
swift lichen
drifting tartan
teal osprey
teal osprey
# drifting tartan "Don't ya grow that stuff in ya hothouses?"

“Y’see, in Overlook’s ‘luxury hothouses’ as we call ‘em, they want only the ‘finest ingredients’ grown there, whatever that means. They say that they don’t want any of them ‘common rabble crops’ contaminating theirs. I say they’re missin’ out!”

#

his voice takes on a more serious tone as he discusses the one topic he has any actual knowledge on
“Now for the industrial hothouses they use in normal agricultural districts, thats where hops, barley, filtration moss, and other foodstuffs are grown. Why we currently have a hops shortage is because they’re—for good reason mind you—prioritizing the growth of food products instead of alcohol ingredients, to keep up with the demand for actual food.”

teal osprey
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“Anyhow, howsabout I buy us all a round of drinks? Still a bachelor, so ain’t got no kids to feed, just meself and me other little’uns.”

teal osprey
drifting tartan
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"I would be dumb ta decline that offer."

teal osprey
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“You as well!”

drifting tartan
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"I would take a tuber, its ya favorite, so I drink one with ya."

teal osprey
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“Sounds about right! Make sure not to drink it too fast, lest ye regret it in the morning! Did that once and couldn’t speak for several hours after due to how bad of a sore throat I got.”

#

“Not a fun experience trying to get to work in Overlook without the ability to talk.”

drifting tartan
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"Can imagine that."

swift lichen
teal osprey
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he bites his lip at the mention of the expensive bottle, but orders it from the waitress nonetheless alongside the tuber vodka and an unmalted barley whiskey

#

“So, either of ye got any family?”

teal osprey
swift lichen
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"Well, I for one never found the right time...or the right woman."

drifting tartan
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"I got a missus and ma Pa is still kicking. N' I hope to get a little rascal in a few months."

teal osprey
teal osprey
swift lichen
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"Oh, right, other than that: My Father and Mother are still alive and well. Thanks to the Captain's wise leadership that is...my grandfather died around two years ago but my grandmother...well, she is doing her best."

Henry takes a sip from his beer and nods

"Thank you. For your wishes and the drink."

teal osprey
swift lichen
teal osprey
drifting tartan
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"Cheers"

teal osprey
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he raises his worn glass of whisky, evident on making it a toast

drifting tartan
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raises glass, and takes a small sip of the tuber

teal osprey
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he looks intently at the man, wondering how he will handle his drink of choice

obsidian eagle
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Some old man in the corner of the pub speaks out.

".. I was there. I saw it all. The children were begging the captain to go to the mines.."

teal osprey
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“And I realize now I never got yer names, nor did I give you mine! Sorry ‘bout that, the names Håvel. Håvel Nilsson.”

drifting tartan
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"Archie, Archibald Harris."

teal osprey
obsidian eagle
swift lichen
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"Henry Winter. My mother is still laughing about the fact that our family name is now the only season we will ever know."

dawn ember
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(Damn, ya making multiple characters already?)

swift lichen
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(Got one in the planning after I get to write my first story in stories of polaris)

obsidian eagle
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( im making a satire character for the sake of saying "i was there.." to weird-ass rumors)

teal osprey
obsidian eagle
dawn ember
teal osprey
swift lichen
#

"But hell, we're no merciless shadow agents like some would want you to believe."

teal osprey
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he silently orders another round of drinks, trying to diffuse the tension in the room slightly

obsidian eagle
teal osprey
#

(this man is ancient!)

swift lichen
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(A fossil. And fossils can be fuel...)

obsidian eagle
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He chugged another thing of pure alcohol.

drifting tartan
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(even Marge and Cromche are children to him)

obsidian eagle
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" I was there when London formed. Me ole buddy, George Washington was there drinkin' beers with me. "

swift lichen
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"Someone had one too many drinks it seems."

obsidian eagle
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" The cap'n is a DARN SEAL!! "

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" I mean, we never see 'em, he has an S, E, A and L in his title and captain in latin means seal man. "

swift lichen
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Gosh darn it, don't make me have you escort you to a cell to sober up Henry thought to himself

obsidian eagle
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He chugged 3 things of pure alcohol within 20 seconds.

swift lichen
#

"A connoisseur of all I see."

obsidian eagle
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" I done darn was dere when teh captain was sent to Korea.. "

#

" Horrible times, it were. "

teal osprey
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“…So, how would ye all like to see a photo of me little’uns?”
pulls a weathered photo from his pocket, displaying it before the group
“This is me old man holding one of ‘em.”

swift lichen
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"Aaaaaaw, look at the little fluffball."

teal osprey
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“His name is Jeckell”

teal osprey
swift lichen
#

(We have found it that it is in fact Not-Bauer)

obsidian eagle
swift lichen
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Again, Henry simply closed his eyes and lowered his head, thinking

Don't make me go out there with you, it's -40 degrees. Come on grandpa, get a hold of yourself

teal osprey
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“…Are ye sure you haven’t had too much to drink, old man?”

obsidian eagle
#

Lying on the floor, he thought to himself..

" You know, I was there when the first reptile was born. He wuh my son, yes he was. He ate my wife though. "

swift lichen
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"Was the Steward there as well?" Henry asked half annoyed but also half amused

teal osprey
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Håvel is, for once, entirely without words to say. He is utterly confused

obsidian eagle
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" The Steward was my wife. She died in a chair accident.. "

teal osprey
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(Ouch.)

teal osprey
drifting tartan
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"4 Months. I hope its a boy."

obsidian eagle
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" 84 years ago, I'm pretty damn sure. "

olive bluff
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"D'ya hear what they tell at the ol prefab factory"

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" 'parrently the steward was the one who put th captain in th 'ospital"

#

"Why?"

#

"To make us hick not be able to drink anymore hick DAS WHY"

teal osprey
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an entirely unrelated man to my other two characters
“Is that true?! Well then I say we storm the hothouses! Make ‘em grow hops again!”

olive bluff
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"AYE, THEY CANT STOP ALL O' US"

#

"We can hick do it man"

#

"We can makit hapen"

teal osprey
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(To be included in the next Radio Broadcast)
‘Several unsavory folk from a nearby tavern were recently arrested for attempting to lead a mob and replace all crops with alcohol ingredients. They were later charged with insurrection and placed in a penitentiary prison.’

swift lichen
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'Henry Winter, a city guard present at that time, faces disciplinary action for not intervening.'

rustic anchor
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"Bah these loonies donts knows whats guud, im keeping miselsfs to mah dystiled club oil, only this drik hic workz on the lamps too ..." - shitfaced patron

teal osprey
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a figure entirely covered from head to toe in warm garments staggers through the door, it’s outfit heavily dusted by the heavy snow outside

#

he removes the wrappings obscuring his face, revealing a sharp face blackened with soot and dust

dawn ember
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(HOLY SHIT JOHN FROSTPUNK)

teal osprey
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making his way over to the counter, he makes eye contact with the bartender who seems to immediately recognize him, pulling a bottle of very strong alcohol out from under the counter

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instead of pouring a small amount of the liquid into another vessel as he would typically do for other patrons, the bartender hands the entire bottle to the man, who in turn pulls out a rather thick wad of Heatstamps, exchanging them with the man behind the counter

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nodding his head in appreciation to the bartender, the man makes his way to a booth over in the corner of the establishment, his heavy footfalls easily heard by all in the room

#

holding the bottle by it’s neck, he takes a large swig of the alcohol within, coughing slightly as he removes it from his lips
he turns to the rest of the room, who have fallen rather silent while watching him
“So! How ‘ave things been in the city while we were out? It’s been a good several months or so since last I got to see another soul beside my team, and it seems in my absence whoever’s in charge now has made some mighty big changes ‘round here!”

#

he looks at the other patrons intently, obviously wishing for them to fill him in about what has been happening recently.

olive bluff
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a 30 ish year old man near the counter spoke up "not much, well except that the Captain got bombed"

#

"But yknow"

teal osprey
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the mans eyes widen slightly in surprise

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“Well I suppose someone was going to get fed up enough and try to do the deed… I‘m just surprised that they actually managed! Were the city guards not on duty when it happened?“

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“I imagine that it‘s sort of their job to stop such things from happening.“

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he takes another hearty swig of the bottle

teal osprey
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“Now, what else has been going on in the city? A little change of leadership isn‘t exactly the biggest news; I‘m the new leader of a team just about every time I come back to the city.“

rustic anchor
teal osprey
obsidian eagle
teal osprey
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“What‘s all this about ‘voting‘? Didn‘t whoever take charge from the old Captain just assume his job and title? That‘s what I‘d imagine happened anyways. Also I’ve been wondering what that big new building in the City Central is, do any of you know?”

obsidian eagle
teal osprey
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“…My question was referring to what exactly is the building, not the number of fingers broken in its construction.”

obsidian eagle
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" We're tired of eating dem damn sawdust meals!! "

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" I worked at a cookhouse once. The damn recipe was 1 cup of boiled water, half a carrot, 1 piece of meat (1 square centimeter big), and 120 grams of goddamn SAWDUST!!.. sawdust.. "

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" Do you know how much sawdust was in each serving?.. "

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" My son died eating it.. "

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" Actually, when I think about it, I never worked at a cookhouse or had a son. "

teal osprey
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he looks thoroughly confused, glancing at the other patrons who all shrug their shoulders in collective confusion

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“…I see. Well, do any other folks ‘round here know what’s been going on lately? Ones who don’t have delusions of working in Cookhouses and having sons preferably.”

obsidian eagle
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" Ehh.. fffFfFUCK you, pal. I'm gonna go water my.. my carpets.. "

The old man stumbled on out.

drifting tartan
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a drunk guy at the next table "They started up a council. ...... again ...."

teal osprey
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his face darkens at this information

drifting tartan
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"worked so well the last time"

teal osprey
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“…Well if there’s anything that could be considered is worrisome in this city then that most certainly is.”

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“Do the bastards not remember the atrocities of the Founding Council?”

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“I just about walked off into the Frostland with my partner when I heard that they would be forcing people to swap relationships every year. What do they expect to happen now?”

drifting tartan
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"I tell ye, this new council planned the bombing on the Captain. It was planned for years!!!!!!!!!"

teal osprey
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“That is… certainly an idea.”

rustic anchor
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A tired engineer having his pint "And now everyone is getting polarized on how we should run the city, there is even some radicals that call themselves the Technocrats." He takes a sip

#

"I just hope they don't start protests near my workshop"

teal osprey
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“Well the Technocrats ain’t exactly ‘new’ y’see. They’ve been around, albeit not officially recognized by the Captain, ever since old Herman Cromche founded them a while back. Have they been causing any ruckus lately?”

rustic anchor
#

"Not that i know off...
Still what i'm saying is that the city feels tense since the bombing, i have the feeling they (the Council and the Steward) are hidding something... and nowdays we only get a notion of whats happening through the frost rádio...
Recently they even started denying all demands or solicitations from citizens at the Council Hall building." (No new posts allowed Meta kekw)

teal osprey
#

“Well that’s just censorship, plain and simple!”

split silo
#

"The captain didn't allow that. maybe they did it in the beginning to calm the people?"

teal osprey
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a man in a rather expensive looking cloak stumbles through the doorway, the smell of fine alcohol already on his breath

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he takes a look around the place, his eyebrows furrowing in disdain at the rather messy interior of the Pub.

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he takes a seat at one of the booths, grimacing at the obvious grime caking the seats.

split kestrel
#

A young kid who looks like he probably shouldnt be in the pub is sat next to his dad downing a drink of...its hard to say what exactly, dirtyish water? Brandy?..

"Oi paw, didja hear aboot the gotiulùnge?"
"Mmm? Wass that boy?"
"Sean, the Bakers boy said that there's a monster looming in the ole abandoned coal mines searching for the coal we stole from it. It looks like a stretched out tall woman but entirely black, covered 'n soot and long fingers that peel the coal off the rock."
"Jacob, That was probably just a shadow someone saw against the wall. Theres no monsters like that in Polaris"
"Are there other monsters?"
A award silence met the two as the father stared into his own drink.
"I...uhh...Dinnae really wanna say just now son, When your older alright?"