A Scarf by Any Other Name(Solo)

[Kaeson Dakano]

1st Day of Summer, 512 AV

"Can I help you -- SIR! Please DO NOT treat the scarves in such a manner!" a shrill voice behind Kaeson cried in protest.

"Huh? Oh yeah...yeah, I gotcha." Kaeson mumbled, still very much obsorbed with pulling an expensive looking silk scarf in every which way. "No...no, it's too weak," Kaeson observed, casually tossing the scarf in a a quickly growing pile of rejects. None of them had stood up to Kaeson's expectations for a shell for his next animation, and Kaeson was beginning to feel a little dejected. "I just need ONE good scarf, just one and --," Kaeson started to say, only to find himself interrupted once again by the same shrill voice that had so rudely interrupted his scarf search in the first place.

"SIR! DO NOT PULL THE MERCHANDISE! If I need to remind you again --," a small woman began only to pause to take in several deep breaths. "Uh, are you all right?" Kaeson interrupted, clearly not as worried as he sounded as he continued eyeing a red and gold striped scarf on the shelf besides him, "That looks like a strong one," Kaeson thought to himself and tried to grab it -- only to find his way blocked by the same small woman from before. "I, uh, kind of want that scarf," Kaeson said. After waiting a few seconds, Kaeson was surprised to find the small woman still in his way. Obviously the woman must be hard of hearing, surely she would have moved if Kaeson had spoken a little louder. "MA'AM, I WANT THAT SC --," Kaeson started to yell, only to find himself interrupted once again.

"I am QUITE aware that you want this scarf," the small woman said as she quickly grabbed the scarf off the shelf, making sure to keep it away from Kaeson. "However, I am also aware of how you've been treating our merchandise, especially the silks. You are aware we import only the finest silks from the Eyktol region? Of course you aren't, how silly of me to ask. Any idiot could tell by the way you've -- hey, HEY! SIR, WE DO NOT PULL ON THE SCARFS -- excuse me! EXCUSE ME!" the small woman yelled as Kaeson attempted to pull the scarf from her grip, smiling as he pulled on the red and gold striped scarf. It was soft to the touch, allowed for some pull, and didn't seem to show any wear even with two people pulling on the scarf. "Perfect," he said, letting go of the scarf causing the small woman to stumble back, almost falling into the large pile of scarfs Kaeson had created. "I'll take it!" Kaeson said, visibly excited, adding, "You wouldn't mind sewing some buttons on it, I really --," Kaeson started, only to be interrupted again by the small woman.

"No. No, you will not be taking anything from this store," she said flatly. "No?" Keason repeated, clearly confused. "What?" Kaeson bluntly asked. He couldn't understand why anyone wouldn't sell their wares, that's how shopkeepers make their money. "You may not buy anything from this store," the woman said, clearly not in the mood for Kaeson's questions. "But...I want the scarf and...and I'm a customer --," Kaeson started, only to be interrupted once again by the small, clearly annoyed woman. "A very rude customer, is a customer MY store doesn't need. Just look at the mess you've made!" She said , gesturing to the giant pile of scarfs in the middle of her store. "It'll take me a few bells as least to reorganize everything and that's --," this time Kaeson interrupted her, saying, "I'll do it, reorganize your scarfs, I mean. In exchange for the scarf. And the two buttons," he added hastily, saying, "I'll never come back, I swear -- just let me buy the scarf." Kaeson was desperate, he must've gone through hundreds of scarfs and the only good one he found was now hostage in someone else's hands.

"Fine," the young women said, after several minutes of careful consideration. Sure, she wanted Kaeson out of her store, but she also wasn't looking forward to the bells of work it would take to reorganize the large pile of scarfs that had accumulated in her store. "Sort them by size, and then by fabric - cotton, wool, and silks. I'll work on the sewing the buttons to your...purchase."

Smiling, Kaeson got to work.

[Kaeson Dakano]

Kaeson slowly began to separate the larger pile of scarfs into three smaller piles -- one for cotton, one for wool, and one for silks. Luckily, whoever made these scarfs had enough foresight to mark scarf with a small tag that indicated the material each scarf was made of -- red for cotton, blue for wool, and green for silks, or so Kaeson assumed. Kaeson could tell some of the scarfs apart by touch and texture - cotton was thicker then silk, but just as light, wool was the thickest of the three materials present as well as the most durable, and silk was the lightest and softest.

Kaeson was glad the scarfs were marked, it made his job a lot easier.

Kaeson smiled as he organized the last scarf of the orginal pile into the wool pile, all he had to do now was fold them. Starting with the cotton pile, Kaeson grabbed the largest scarf he could find, and folded twice before placing it back on the shelf -- not hearing any complaints from the shrill woman Kaeson continued on, folding the scarfs as he saw fit. Several bells had past by the time Kaeson had organized everything -- but the store looked as good as new, or as good as it did before Kaeson had ruined everything.

"Fine," the shrill woman growled as she handed him the scarf, two buttons on either side just as Kaeson had requested. "That'll be three gold miza -- consider yourself lucky i'm not charging you more," She finished.

LEDGER- 3 gm = a new total of 0

[Kaeson Dakano]

"So...you're absolutely sure you won't hurt the snake, uh -- Kaenon?"

Kaeson stopped drawing the animations, and smiled at the Konti. "Kaeson -- no worries, the snake will be fine." Kaeson responded, perhaps overplaying his own confidence. Truth be told, he had never used an animal as a second source and wasn't really sure how it would effect the constrictor. He had been used as a second source before, and Kaeson had used other people as a second source with no problems -- Kaeson couldn't remember it hurting, and that's what he essentially told the Konti.

"Like I said, Araline, the snake will be absolutely fine --it won't even feel it," Kaeson said, thinking, "Well, that's what I hope anyway". "Besides," Kaeson continued, "This can't be the first time someone's asked you for, uh," Kaeson paused, struggling to find the right words, "For, uh, a snake," Kaeson smiled sheepishly. Kaeson had never been good with words, but he was finding more and more how useful they were -- for example, getting Araline to lend him one of her many snakes she had for sale at her pet store. Sure, it had been awkward at first and he may have told a little white lie about needing the project for school, but eventually Kaeson had convinced the white Konti and was this much closer to animated a scarf -- just like the one Zarik Mashaen had.

"Actually, it is," Araline giggled, "Most people buy an animal -- I usually don't know what happens afterwords," she said, adding, "Would you mind walking me through the process? It might be good to understand what you're doing -- seeing how the python is still mine, er, the shop's, I mean."

Kaeson was silent for the next couple of seconds as he mulled over the Konti's request. Magic wasn't a knowledge Kaeson was supposed to give out so freely, at least not to someone like Araline. Kaeson willing spoke of his learned magics with mages he considered his equal or better, people he could learn from in some way or another -- the Konti was no practicioner of any of the learned arts as far as he could tell and the only reason she had even knew of his self-declared status as an animator was because Kaeson couldn't afford the 150 mizas he needed to buy the snake.

Sighing, Kaeson nodded his head rather unenthusiasticly as he started to continue drawing the animated circles.

[Kaeson Dakano]

Placing the caged python in the larger of the two circles, Kaeson rushed through a rough translation of what he was planning to do -- and why he would be needing Araline's back room for so long.

"Basically, I'm copying the snake's essence -- what it means to be a snake, how a snake should act, how it reacts to certain stimuli. Since I'm not a snake, I need a snake to get that information and this one's memories and behavioral instincts should be more then helpful with that." Kaeson said, carefully looking over the two circles -- he was not about to risk a mistake with an animation that would be spending the majority of it's time around his neck. Nodding at his work, satisfied with the animation circles Kaeson continued, saying, "But all that takes a while, plus I'll be needing to add my own personal touch to the scarf -- I need to it recongized me and act in a somewhat predictable manner, which will be a couple of bells at least," Kaeson said, scratching the back of his head. Looking back at the Konti, Kaeson hoped she was done with her questions -- he really needed to get started on this animation if he wanted to get back to the dorms before dark.

Looking at the Konti, Kaeson was pleased to see Araline seemingly too focused on the snake to ask him any more questions and placing the red and gold striped scarf in the smaller of the two circles, Kaeson sat down besides the line connecting the two animation circles and pricked his finger. Looking back at the Konti, Kaeson said, "I need you to be absolutely quiet for this to work, alright?" The Konti nodded, and Kaeson allowed his blood to drop over the connecting line between the two circles.

The chalky white of the drawing slowly deepened to a scarlet red.

Eyes mimicking the same deep red of the chalk circles, Kaeson slowly began to establish a basis for the scarf's identity. Using the python's soul as the template of the scarf's soulcore, Kaeson began to craft the very thing that would give the scarf life, or the closet thing to life Kaeson could give the scarf.

[Kaeson Dakano]

Having crafted a satisfactory soulcore for the scarf, Kaeson carefully lifted the python's cage slowly out of the source circle, careful not to disturb the animation circle's in any way. Slowly, Kaeson made his way over to Araline and placed the python by her side.

"You already finished?" Araline asked, "I thought you said it would take a few hours, at least?!"

Kaeson shook his head and smiled at the Konti, "Nah -- I still need to direct the directives, give it persona," Kaeson gestured at the snake, "I'll still need scales for that part, and then I just wake the scarf up. I animate it."

Stepping into the larger of the two circles, Kaeson began to focus on the transfer of the directives he had previously decided on this morning. Obedience was first and foremost directive Kaeson gave to the scarf, Kaeson needed to make sure he was in complete control at all times -- especially when Kaeson wore the scarf around his neck. Kaeson decided on Protection of Creator as the second directive. He figured that tasking the automaton with his own protection, teaching it to value his life above even it's own would only to add to his own sense of security. Of course, that would mean to teach it to value the automaton's own life, making it obvious to direct the scarf with a directive of Self-Presevation. Kaeson also threw in a directive of Awarness of Limitations -- it was a complicated directive, meaning the scarf would have to have at least a minimal notion of self awarness, but it was a necessary one. Kaeson didn't need the automaton throwing itself at something it couldn't stop. Finally, Kaeson gave the scarf animation the two phrases he gave to everyone of his animations -- a temporarily kill phrase and a permanent one.

Opening his eyes, Kaeson was suprised to see Araline asleep. Had he really been working so long?

Grabbing the caged python once more, Kaeson carefully placed it once more into the source circle -- careful not to disturb the chalk circles in any way.

Focusing on the flow of Djed between the two circles, Kaeson once agained forced a flow of knowledge between the source and recieving circles. Kaeson focused on the snake's responses to various stimuli -- forcing the python to recall memories that would provoke it to instinctually act to stimulated emotions or status, fear, anger, protectiveness, anything Kaeson could think of. In this way, Kaeson not only ensured the scarf's behavior but also allowed him to introduce various basic emotions to the automaton. Of course, Kaeson would give the scarf happiness later but he would take advantage of the knowledge the snake could lend as well.

Satisfied with the transfer, Kaeson carefully laid the caged snake by the sleeping Konti. Kaeson nudged the sleeping beauty awake to tell her the snake had finished the job.

"Wha -- Oh! I must...have dozed off," Araline said, grinning sheepishly, "So you finished? Can I see?"

"No, I still have the persona, but that shouldn't take more then a bell or two," Kaeson sighed as he looked out the window. It was twilight, Syna was setting allowing for Leth to rise. He had hoped to be finished by now -- but at least the last stage wouldn't take as long as this one had.

[Kaeson Dakano]

Sitting back in the larger of the two circles, Kaeson began forging what was left of the scarf's persona. Truly, the python had supplied the majority of the knowledge he needed -- the scarf would now behave like the caged reptile. The automaton would coil itself comfortably, adorning Kaeson neck, or if need be, slowly squeeze the air out of another's body. Kaeson would now make sure that the scarf would not confuse him, it's creator, with another.

First, Kaeson spoke out in various tones to allow the automaton to understand and know his voice. Kaeson also gave out a varied set of commands and common place words with their respective images. He wouldn't want the scarf to choke him should he say loosen. Kaeson needed to make sure the automaton would understand him at all times. Then Kaeson sent an memory of looking into a mirror so as to give the scarf an image of himself. Kaeson then focused on several pre-selected memories that signified happiness; at least to him. He pushed them through the source circle, through the connecting line till they were in the receiver circle. Kaeson programmed the scarf to feel the happiness he associated with these memories when the automaton successfully completed a command Kaeson gave. Kaeson also programmed the automaton to feel safe when Kaeson was around.

Satisfied with the constructed persona, Kaeson set out to construct the scarf's astral body.

Opening his eyes, scarlet clouded his vision -- enabling him to see the amorphous Djed, the collection of the soulcore, directives, and persona Kaeson had created, that surrounded the scarf. Kaeson slowly sculpted the Djed to form around the scarf, then stretched it out to essentially cover the entire automaton. Kaeson then focused on the general body of the scarf, simultaneously focusing on his ears and what he was hearing. Being made of wool, the automaton's entire body would essentially be the 'ear'. Kaeson then sculpted the Djed around the shiny buttons, simultaneously focusing on his eyes and what he was seeing -- he would need to use memory though, Kaeson wasn't sure he wanted the automaton solely seeing the astral plane.

Finished with the astral body, Kaeson had only but to name the automaton. "What to name you..." Kaeson said, and quickly got his answer.

"Volos, call him Volos," Araline said, adding, "It's his name, too," gesturing to the slumbering python.

Kaeson smiled, and called Volos into being.

[Arcane]

Rewards and Treasure! Experience Points +1 Negotiation +1 Organization +3 Animation +1 Teaching Lores Disapproval of Scarf Shopkeeper Araline the Snake Shopkeeper Miscellaneous Ledger: -3gm +Inventory: Scarf, Silk +Inventory: Volos the Animated Scarf Comments I liked how you added a little humour to the first bit. No issues with your use of Animation, although a little more description for the Stimuli/Behaviour stage would be nice. Kaeson is a Competent Animator after all, XP would be harder to come by as a result of that. If you want to keep up the >3 XP, try to give Kaeson challenges, and to make more complicated (but within his competency) animation assignments. Also, I scanned your CS briefly but can find no mentions of Araline. Normally you would have to buy the snake for such use, or RP such alternative methods such as persuading Araline to lend the snake to Kaeson. I give you the benefit of the doubt this time, but for future threads please account in some way (either by CS in terms of certain relationships your PC has with various NPCs) or by RPing (like that instance with the Scarf Shopkeeper). Finally, make sure you detail the statistics of your new Animation Construct (Volos) in your CS. Include detail such as URL to this thread, the proficiency at which Volos was created, details of his programming/directives/behaviour/reaction to stimuli. A good example would be Minerva's CS in which she lists and details the various Animation Constructs she created.