text ; 8/10 ; the soldiers lift their rifles, they're aiming at the head

[hyperlit]

[The Drifter found something. They found something cool. Their traveling companions were not, evidently, too interested in dealing with the ancient weaponry found in the old ruined buildings - but the Drifter very much is.]

[So now they have ten very old firearms between the three of them. Pieces of another civilization's history that's also a weapon? This is Christmas.]

FOUND

10 GUNS
VERY OLD
NO AMMUNITION
MAY BE POSSIBLE TO RESTORE

[Who's interested?]

Comments

[hyperlit]

[Beau why are any of these words necessary.]

at buildings
northern region of nastrandir

[That's the only real part of this answer they feel qualified to respond to.]

[lesbeau]

[They aren't, this is just what happens when Beau's typing speed has picked up and also she likes you.]

thanks
be there soon
ill bring the balls

yknow the bearings not like
forget i sent that i tried to erase it and hit send

[Now she can get a gun and maybe see if the Drifter has fingernails. Win/win across the board. Either or, she is Comin' For That posthaste.]

[hyperlit]

[The Drifter has no idea what else she would mean by "balls." She was talking about ball bearings. Ergo, she was referring to the ball bearings. Right?]

[They're not going to question it.]

ok

[That's their only response. They'll be where they said they were, regardless of how long it might take for her to get there.]

--> action!

[lesbeau]

[It's probably better to just not question. Regardless, she's going to make her way over as quickly as possible; her approach is quiet by default, but the Drifter is always perceptive, so they likely catch where she is before she speaks.]

Hey! Okay, set me up, what's first?

[hyperlit]

[She's not the first person to meet them in person, but she is one of the more enthusiastic, and thus the easiest to see coming. Or, in this case, hear coming.]

[They hold up one of the weapons - oblong, cylindrical, far heavier and not as sleek and well-designed as their own guns - and offer it out to her without any hesitation whatsoever.]

know how to use?

[lesbeau]

[She takes it from them without a break in stride or her voice.]

Not even a little.

[Which is partially why she's here. Thankfully, the Drifter probably won't bat an eye at her antics at this point, which... feels kind of like trust and y'know what nevermind this internal conversation is over. Beau turns it over in her hands, trying to track where everything that moves is.]

Hope you do.

[hyperlit]

yes

[...well, all right, then. Best to start with the basics. They point to each part of the gun as they relay information in their usual direct manner.]

barrel fires projectiles
shaft stores projectiles and incendiary component
pull trigger to fire

must first load and aim

[lesbeau]

[For as much as she can be blasé about lots of topics, Beau does look intently upon their instruction, committing it to memory. It all makes sense in theory; just going to be a matter of getting the muscles to do the right parts.]

Gotcha. So how do you get the stuff in there in the right way? Unless you just pour it right in there.

[She thankfully doesn't straight peer down the barrel, holding it to the sky, but she is doing that eyebrow raise and head tilt people tend to do when they're looking down big pits they could fall into.]

[hyperlit]

pour it in
greater quantity will reduce accuracy
too much will jam it

[And, because it bears mentioning - ]

dated weaponry
no safety
do not aim at anything you do not want to shoot

[Especially don't point it at yourself!!]

[lesbeau]

[Beau watches their words carefully, snapping her head back at Drifter's reminder not to bring the end right up to her face. She was being responsible with it! She swears!]

Right, right. But when it's not loaded it's fine? Show me how to make it dangerous.

[None of this inspires confidence that she won't blow off a limb, but hopefully Drifter remembers that she's often more competent than she sounds.]

[hyperlit]

best to point away regardless

[Basic gun safety! Don't go sticking your face or hands into the barrel of a gun unless you know what you're doing!!]

must have gunpowder
or something flammable

[lesbeau]

[It's fine, she's fine, there's no stuff that goes in there! It's goooood. You're talking to a girl who grabbed a currently running lightning rod, took 30 points of damage, and stole it. To her credit, it was to disarm a ghost-generating spell, but self preservation is not her strong suit.]

Alright, alright. You have any so we can test? Or is that a question for the rabbit?

[She's kept her exchanges with them cordial, brief, and businesslike. No need to upset that kind of contact, after all, even if she has some damn words for them.]

Also, when you say something flammable, just like... anything that can be lit on fire? That seems like a lot of things.

[hyperlit]

gunpowder most reliable

[They lift one of the other guns they have on hand, running a hand along the top.]

flintlock structure contains piece of flint
cocking weapon lights the incendiary component
pulling trigger fires it

gunpowder is most reliable
do not currently possess any

[Their guns are more sophisticated than this, alas.]

[lesbeau]

Oh, okay. Ohhhh, wait--

[She looks at the gun one more time, and it all falls into place.]

It's a cannon. Just way smaller so you can carry it around. I know how to load and fire those.

[She was the first mate on a boat for like 3 months, she gets that. Alright, this now explains most things.]

Huh. Good idea, having a flint strike in there. Keeps it dry. Where are we gonna find gunpowder, though?

[hyperlit]

[A blink.]

[A moment to process. She's not incorrect. It is, in essence, basically a cannon. They remember seeing cannons, mounted on clifftops, encased in crystal...]

same principle
yes

[The question of gunpowder, however...]

may ask god
may find here

[lesbeau]

[Alright, now she's on pace. Beau nods, considering her options now that she has context.]

I'll keep an eye out. Sucks Nott isn't here, she used to be able to make that kinda stuff, or at least work with it real well. Guess we can't test these though.

[She reaches into a pouch at her waist and pulls out a couple of ball bearings, letting them roll a bit in her palm.]

These are what I was talking about. You think they're an okay size?

[hyperlit]

[The Drifter remembers Nott! They don't know her name was Nott, though, so they miss the reference to her entirely.]

[They peer at the ball bearings speculatively for a moment until, finally, they nod.]

not optimal
but functional

[lesbeau]

[She can imagine them getting along VERY well. Beau nods in response, putting the bag back in her pouch.]

Hell yeah. Could we shoot, like, other shit as long as it would fit and also not be on fire. What about a knife?

[beau NO]

[hyperlit]

too heavy
also too large

[Think smaller, Beau. Maybe...a bunch of tiny knives.]

possibly needles

[lesbeau]

Needles would rock.

[Maybe she can tie a few together. Make some tiny needle bombs. Who knows.]

I'll figure it out. See what fits well. Keep my eye out for good explosion stuff.

[hyperlit]

contact if located?

[The Drifter, too, is very interested in finding gunpowder. Their own weapons are far better than any antique found on this island, but they are also limited in ammunition, daily.]

[Being able to have an extra weapon to discharge in an emergency would be a massive assist.]

[lesbeau]

Yeah.

[She gives a nod. At least in this situation she knows exactly what she's looking for, which means she's not at a disadvantage of fumbling for tech she doesn't understand. Gunpowder? Easy.]

Thanks for the tips. You know I'm good for whatever trade you need too.

[hyperlit]

contact if locating incendiary material
fair exchange

[A gun for some gunpowder. It's a fair trade, and a thematically appropriate one.]

[lesbeau]

Cool.

[She swings her staff around, sliding the wooden stick out of it's bindings and replacing the gun in the ties. The staff stays in her hand, for now, as she starts walking to get down the mountain.]

See ya.

[hyperlit]

[A polite nod and a wave of farewell; they still have others who wanted to have a look at these guns, so they're still going to be here for a bit.]

[Still, they don't think twice of handing one off to her. She'll be fine, probably.]