Footman Industries

August 12th, 188x: Dead man Walking

2011-09-05T15:13:00.003-07:00

Bump doesn't have any real inns, most places to stay (not that anyone ever wants to) are rooms over the seedy bars. The Sump Rat was the closest attempt in Bump, at a roadhouse. It was an abandoned pumping station before Debbie McMourning won the small, shedlike structure and worthless land around it, in a poker game. After that, some of the storage rooms, once it was determined they contained nothing of value, were rented out to traveller's (often finding themselves sleeping amongst the rotten crates that were never removed).

The main room, sitting at a card table, surrounded by pipes, Sump Debbie played solitaire. the hunchbacked old woman, slipping out a card from her sleeve when she was sure she wasn't looking.

"I saw that! ye cheated!" "I tain't done no such thin, mama McMourning ain't never raised a cheater!" "well whatya call this then?!" she grabbed her right wrist in her left, and shook, the old woman watched angrily as cards poured out of her sleeve. "I ain't never seen those before! get your groddy mitts off me!" Her argument against herself was interrupted when someone came in the creaky door. "'Ello Debbie" Patchwork nodded to the haggard old woman. Debbie let go of her wrist and nodded as Patchwork dropped a bag of coins on the table "E's in room 2, wait'll i'm out 'fore ye do anyfing! old woman likes of me, can't be hangin aroun' if there's a beaten, does no good for my health!" Patchwork waved her away "fine, fine, go get yerself drunk." As the old woman snatched the money and made out the door, Bowler stepped in, blocking her way "Key?"

"nao, nao key, what you think this is? a fancy 'otel?" the woman shoved past him to spend the money as Bowler looked at Patchwork and shrugged.

"c'mon, let's get on wit it." The man in the patchwork coat ground his stogie on the table, and pulled out his cudgel as they walked to one of the doors, this one had a crudely painted 'Too' on it. Bowler blinked, "Is this it?" Patchwork pointed at the door"What'd you think?" "ya knows I can't read." Patchwork rubbed his hand down his face and sighed "C'mon, get ready."

The two large men pressed themselves against the wall on either side of the door, Patchwork nodded to Bowler, who turned the knob.

The room was dark, after a moment, their eyes adjusted. it was small, and amazingly had a bed and table as opposed to the usual piles of broken gears and junk left from when it still operated as a pumphouse. The table was covered in schematics and maps, neiter men could really understand what they were looking at, but they were more concerned about something else
"ere, were is 'e?" Bowler looked around, nervously aa Patchwork waved him off "Not 'ere, but lookit this!" he pulled out a leather case, grunting with the effort, getting it onto the filthy bed and opened the lid. The two men looked at the assorted machine components, not understanding what any of them were, but understanding they could get a good price for them. "Look aroun' see if 'e's got anyfing else, money, gold, somethin, toss it all in that case an' we'll see what Sully'll take for the whole lot." Bowler nodded as the two men searched the room. Patchwork climbed under the bed, the only real storage space in here, and heard a crackle, and a thud "That you? what you find? all's under 'ere's dirt now." Patchwork crawle out from under the bed, and saw Bowler laing face down on the floor "what you doin' sleepin?" "He's been temporarily paralyzed sir, an electric shock, now, what exactly are you two in here for?" Patchwork turned and saw a tall gaunt man, in a long black coat. with a gasmask , and a window in his chest, displaying a heart that looked like it came from something else. He was adjusting knobs on one of the two large metal gauntlets he was wearing, the smell of formalyhide and other chemicals wafter in the air.

"ah, er, well..." Patchwork suddenly rushed Grendel, raising his cudgel over his head. Grendel managed to dodge the swing, and brough his hand up, as blue arcs leaped from it. He lightly touched Patchwork on the back of the head. The larger man's hair stood on end as the shock went through his body. As Patchwork slumped to the ground, Grendel detached he cables leading to the backpack containing the eel battery, and shrugged it off the bed "that was it's highest setting, I'm going to have to find a better way to power them when we're not in Babbage of near the Clokhaven plant." He nodded to the door, as one of his pengi's waddled in with a loud clanking. "make sure these two don't go far, I'll need test subjects for our work here, I need to talk to our landlady first."

Debbie staggered into the door of the Sump Rat, and flopped onto her chair, cradeling the bottle of rotgut to her. "I wunner if they 'ad enough sense to clean th' room when they was done." She took a swig of her rotgut and was about to get up, when she heard Grendel behind her "Miss McMourning, I had thought I asked not to be interrupted in my room."

The old woman shreiked and swung around, holding the rotgut like a bat, ignoring the rancid liquid pouring out the empty bottle. "Don' scare an old woman like that! what if'n me 'eart gave out?!" "Ma'am, I am a skilled surgeon, if your heart gave out, I would have you up again in no time, now, I had two visitors tonight, after their complication, I'e been convinced that I can not possibly continue my research, if I am renting a room here. security is rather lax."

The old woman looked at him ."you wanna leave then?"

"no, I am purchasing this pump house from you, it still has much of the eqipment, plus it's fairly isolated location from the rest of the town, will suit my needs after some renovation."

He plopped a large heavy bag in her hand as she just stared at him, confused. "This should be enough to cover the cost, now please. leave the perimiter or N0. 67A will have to escourt you out."

The pengi clanked over from wherever he'd been lurking, and taking the old hag's hand, lead her out the door as Grendel walked back to his room.

Bowler was lying on the bed, with enough tranquilizers in him to keep a rhino comatose,

Patchwork glared from where his head was connected t the aparatus the two were looking at earlier, his body lay on the floor.

"Thank you again for volunteering, I hadn't tested the cranal-translatrophier yet." the head groaned at him while the rubber tubes trailing from his neeck pumped serum through it , the device the head was connected to transferred through the bolts drilled into the skull, to a small typwriter "what is going on?" Grendel looked at the paper and nodded "good, good, I have agood feeling about this place."

August 11th, 188x: The natives are restless

2011-09-05T15:10:00.001-07:00

In Bump, in a small dirty saloon, three dirty, unkempt men were sitting around a broken table, one of the legs snapped off and propped on a stack of bricks.

"You see the train came in? another out o' towner's 'ere" the one in the patched together coat managed to drink the questionable liquid in the glass, while still keeping his stogie puffing.

"ya, I'd seen i'm, mask, some window in 'is chest, had to be another from Babbage, why're they coming here so of'n now?" the scrawny redheaded one twitched as he spoke, and rubbed under his eyepatch.

"who cares? they're good pickin's, got me a fine watch from one last week." This one was a corpulant one, with a beat up bowler balanced on his head, a size too small, and a stained vest.

"naw naw, this one, I ain't touchin 'im, he was wierd, the thing in 'is chest, I could see 'is HEART! was all wierd lookin', like weren't from a man." One-eye took a swig of his swill and wiped a greasy hand over his mouth. "Bad feelin from 'im."

Patchwork puffed on his stogie "Man looked like another doctor, they have nice thin's, I don' care what 'is heart looks like, 'e can still bleed."

"'e 'ad some sorter, whatcha call 'em, 'tomo-tons, looked like a 'pider, didn't he?" Bowler asked thoughtfully "I seen 'im this morn, at stucky's, he' was sittin' there at one o' the tables drinkin' din't see no mask tough, 'is face looked bad, like he'd been dead."

One-Eye shuddered "they had them problems with zombies in Babbage, don't they? mebbe 'e's one o' them?"

Bowler smacked One-Eye on the back of the head "Don' be stoopid Chauncey, there ain't no such thin as zombies!"

the one called CHauncey rubbed the back of his head "No! it's true! I heared they had them walking corpses, a couple o' times now! he's gotta be one o' them!"

Patchwork puffed his stogie thoughtfully "corpse 'er not, ee's pretty well off lookin, just lookin at the fancy bird with 'im, you know where he's stayin'?"

Chauncey nodded and swallowed "The Sump Rat, Debbie's place, not sure what room, but you can count me out, I don' want to be messin' with walking dead."

Bowler laughed hard "Fine, then you don' get no share!"

Chauncey got up and shakily made his way out "I'm warnin you, that man ain't right"

"yeah, yeah, " bowler waved him off dismissively as Chauncy left, then leaned forward "So, what's th' plan?"

Patchwork puffed his stogie, before grounding it on the wooden table "The Sump Rat eh? Debbie owes me a favor, she'll let us a key to 'is room, and we 'it 'im tonight..."

Academy: Old Spear House: Explosion

2011-09-05T13:42:00.000-07:00

The pengi bartender had unveiled a new drink, the flaming iceberg, unfortunatly, the fire, industrial alcohol, high voltage electricity, and clockwork, caused a spontaneous explosion.

Footman's Logg, June-July, 188X, Laboratory notes

2011-07-04T01:42:00.001-07:00

June 18th: Edward, aka: Project #626, is developing nicely, the energy emissions are increasing on an almost daily rate, much faster than the eels. I have noticed an effect some of the stray emissions have had on the etheric containment chamber, the one the SLenderman is currently held in, the output of the feild has been fluctuating, I've had to move the machine before we had a breakout. An examination has shown the shadowman is still safely trapped inside, but better to be safe than sorry.

June 24th: Since the removal of the Spirit Containment Unit from the lab, Project 626's development has slowed, it's possible there was some sort of etheric emergy feedback loop occuring between both machines. The organism has become more sluggish, the energy output lessened. I even halved the ration of sedatives, but it seems to be regressing.

June 28th: Little work was preformed, as I have found myself taking care of a broken leg at the currently being remodelled hospital. I did return to the lab after, to find Project #626 actually active, slapping the viewing glass of the development chamber with his tentacles, while the energy readyouts had spiked. Whatever had caused the recent regression, it couldn't have been the containment device then. Edward was quickly sedated.

July 1st: Project 626 was regressed again, I had increased the ration of immortalus serum, and decreased the sedative again, to little avail, I'm hesitant to call it a lost cause and flush him into the canals, the tissue sample alone was expensive, and not easy to come by another.

July 2nd: On further examination as to project 626's sluggish state, it appears to be growing an arm, it could be most the organism's energy is being diverted to it's regenerative abilities, this may requite further study.

Footman's Logg, June, 26th, 188X, mixology for constructs

2011-06-25T21:38:00.001-07:00

The Old Spears house is now, for all intent's and purposes, open for business, and even has a tenant in one of the upstairs rooms. the bartender however, needs more work.

Pengi #99 had returned from advanced mixing classes, and after being assured his lack of thumbs, fingers, and anything other than iron flippers would not impede his mixing, I put him to work behind the bar, I ordered a rum. the avian construct went to work, pouring me, a whiskey. Miss Eslan had stopped in and after ordering an absynthe, received....a rum.

It could be an error in his cognigator, or it could just be the amount of liquor he'd already imbibed himelf, but reguardless, it appears he'll need some work before he can get drink orders right.

I should of just hired a zombie.

The Old Spears House

2011-06-18T08:58:00.000-07:00

Formerly a pump station, supplying water to the Academy district, it was then bought and refurbished by a Dr. R.A. Spears to lie in as he preformed research into what he termed 'Arcaneotech" . Dr. Spears dissapeared mysteriously one night, and the house fell into disrepair until it was recently bought and rebuilt by Prof. Grendel Footman.

Now it has a bar, and possibly rooms to rent.

2011-06-05T19:35:00.000-07:00

I had arrived at the port, as there were cries of 'Snake!' apparantly it struck again, dragging someone into the sea. Miss Kimika Ying and Seraphina Puchina were there, as he creature kept peering out of the water, to be met with gunfire. We were joined by Mr. Mournington just in time to see a large steamshovel, with passengers, drive down the stairs, and off the dock, into the water with a splash, After the riders were fished out, Miss Chrometria and Mr. Lorefield, the serpent emerged again, to bite Victor befre swimming off. At this point the crowd dispersed. I mase my own leave to get to where I had docked the Iron Kraken, taking it down to the depths.

As I descended in the submersible, I donned my juggernaught class diving suit, Returnning to the controls, I caught a flash of fin, thr snake was here.

Unfortunatly the serpent was too agile for the Kraken to keep up with it and I lost it, but I disembarked from the submersible to examine the wreckage it was swimming around.

What I saw, was a pile of bodies, most in blue suits, some just bones. I feel this is where the snake has been bringing it's victims. I took a deuurogotype and returned to my sub, to surface and write a report to the naval command.

Footman's Logg: File A-12, essay on geography of the steamlands

2011-06-02T09:12:00.000-07:00

The geography of the world is often argued and refuted, many of the maps currently are out of date, or lost in fires or the fall of empires, the rest are often inaccurate on scale or sometimes shapes of the landmasses. It's always been a fact, that despite the fact we have reached the moon, we still can't come to agreement of the layout of our own world.

Many of the old timers in Babbage have settled to where their curiosity of the world ends at the city limits, possibly due to senility. As some of them have possibly been involved in the creation of the early maps and explorations, it makes obtaining information difficult.

What is known and accepted currently:
New Babbage is on the eastern side of the landmass known simply as the 'Old Empire'
it's built on a harbor of the Vernian Sea.
to the Northwet, are mountians and some mining towns, farther West is Ichor Falls, Bump is to the North, Ravilia is to the south, across the Vernian.

Farther out to sea, to the Southeast, lies Armada, a town existing on an artificial floating island of ships, wrecks, and driftwood.

Far to the East, across the ocean, lies Cala Mondrago, Caledon is located a further northeast, with Winterfell north of that.

West of Babbage, and on the western coast of the landmass known as the Americas is Steelhead Oregon. Going much much further West, between the Americas and Orient, is apparantly Steeltopia.

Travelling farther brings you to Japan, home of the late Miss Hermit.

The recently dscovered Forgotten City s located far north of there.

To the extreme south, as far south as you can go, lies Antarctica, where in Byrd's Landing, the Harbor Landing colony is established, the last surviving antarctic colony.

Back north, beneath the seas of the Atlantic lies either Nautilis City, or Rapture, depending who you ask.

and past the stratosphere of course is the Moon, where Babbage's first moon base has been erected.

There's actually much more areas who's status after the fall of the Old Empire is unknown, Miss Gizzy's claims to have come from an 'Empire of Steel", the Island of Katonia, much of the orient, still requires exploration and study. it is a large undertaking however, as many maps and charts, as has been mentioned earlier, have been lost or distorted after the fall of the old empire, lost in fires, or misplaced. And there is much ignorance and superstition still these days, people insisting it's irrelevant as the whole world is a 'dream' or that we're all travelling on the back of a giant louse clingng to te head of an unwashed, universe sized urchin. it makes true researh difficult without just packing a ship and looking for yourself.

Footman's Logg, Cala Mondrago, Sultana's suggestion

2011-05-26T09:31:00.000-07:00

I had awhile back, opened shopspace in the desert kingdom of Cala Mondrago. Selling automotons and automoton accessories imported from my factory in New Babbage. The upper floor I had used as a mall research lab into the 'Djinn' species that seem to be native here.

I had met a couple people I knew from oter steamlands already making their residence, the Sultana, Miss Bianca Namori being one of them. Whether that' a good or a bad thing, I am not sure.

I had been in Cala Mondrago that week, running tests on a mummy the pengi's had found in the desert, I'm not aware of any civilizations practicing mummification in the area, but it could easily have been a natural one.

Miss Gizzy had been printing posters advertizing a mummy on display in the lab, I let her run with it for now, as I'm leaving her to run the store while I'm back in Babbage, when I received a telegrahm from Bianca.

"Bianca Namori: Mr. Footman! STOP I have the dumbest idea ever....STOP
Open up an amaretto breedable auction house....in Mondrago for horses. STOP
I say you should start clockwork breedable pets...STOP
Do it. =_= STOP"

"Grendel Footman: ?
not a bad idea, I'd just need to work out the mechanics, STOP
I can build the pets theselves, making them breed, that part might take some research STOP
I'll look into it STOP"

So, somehow, from a suggestion "that almost sounded more like an order" from the sultana of Cala Mondrago herself, I now am finding myself stuck working out how to make 'breedable pet clockworks" how do you get a machine to breed anyway?

I first attempted on one of the pengi, #33, he was always somewhat mean tempered. Installing a miniturized factory to build smaller pengi. Once he was reactivated, he stood there, 'warked', then exploded. I left Miss Gizzy to clean up the peices and reassemble him as I prepared to return to Babbage, this was going to require more research.

Footman's Logg, May 25th, 188X, Test 47

2011-05-24T23:38:00.001-07:00

:Refer to visual recording cylinder 12B, labelled 'Bio-Alchemical Power Generation Test-12, Projeckt test 47":

**when inserted into viewer and cranked, visor lights up to show a shakey image of a lab, Grendel Footman is standing at a table, connecting wires to an object in a dissection tray**

"#92, keep the imagfier steady and bring it closer."

*image zooms in as a mechanicle 'warking' is heard in the background* "Yes yes, I'll give you an extra ration of rum, just focus on the table already!"

*Image zooms in to what appears to be a dark, twitching tentacle, partially vivisected, held open by pins, with copper wires clamped inside the inscision, Footman is heard clearing his throat*

"Ahem, you're looking at a freshly amputated tentacle from the organism, nicknamed 'Edward', at a couple months old now, the rganism's growth has caused the need to cut back on some components of the serum/nutrient broth in the chamber. Thi tentacle was found growing through a crack found between two of the plates making the main body of the chamber, the gap has since been repaired. We have connected copper wires to the tentacle, in the hopes the organism has inherited the desired traits from the C-Cells. The other ends of the wires are connected to an invention of Edison's, the electric light bulb. We will proceed with the test now."

*Footman's hands appear in the image, wearing heavy rubber gloves, as the ends of the wires are attached to the lightbulbs. nothing happens.* "that's strange, it should have lit up, don't tell me the cells weren't really from -"

* a rubber gloved fist slams on the table, as the tentacle twitches, and sparks are seen, as the lightbulbs light up*

"ah, there we go, success!!"

*sounds of mechanicle warking*

"Hm? oh no, it won't be neccisary to bring a team of pengi to visit that dealer, anyway,"

*image zooms out as Footman clasps his hands together*

"As you can see, the power output of just a 12 in. tentacle is enough to power a few lightbulbs, imagine the whole organism. The next step is to figure out a way to control the growth and regeneraton of the organism, It's been occaionally forcing it's way into the plumbing. Sedatives were helping, but I've been having to use stronger and stronger chemicals."

*the image shifts past Footman to show a brass chamber with something dark floating in the window*

"work will continue on the development of the organism, As the test has shown, there is a very high probability the old man told the truth, and the sample I bought is in fact, cloud angel cells, or, they could just be the skin shavings of an incredibly large electric eel, eitherway, they have taken with the other cell samples, quite well, though I maybe should have gone lighter with planarian flatworm, one thing I can say, it does not like the human skeleton."

*the image centers back on Footman*

"it is my hope, that with further testing, we can soon replace steam and gas, even go beyond acheivements in electrical generation, by introducing a new surce of power, utilizing these self replicating, perpetual, power plants. Alright, you can turn the imagifier off now."

*Image dims and goes dark, just as the tentacle is seen waving in the background*

Footman's Logg, May 17th, 188X, Purging the factory

2011-05-17T16:36:00.000-07:00

As there still haven't been any snakes in the snake trap (just a very annoyed urchin), I've researched the sightings further, as it always seems to be exiting or entering one of the city's waterways, it seems to be apparant, that's primarily how it gets around.

So, to flush the thing out, I've had the waste tanks of the factory purged, opening the waste expulson pipes, and draining all the leftover material fromthe assembly room, excess chamber fluid from Edward, and the byproduct of the production of my serum, all dumped into the canal.

It should, with the inter-connectivity, eventually spread to all the canals, and possibly the Vernian, and hopefully expel the snake, for capture and study, as it should push the normal chemical levels of the canals, to a more extreme level.

Then again, if the snake is already used to the canals, there's a good chance the new chemical slurry introduced would only be a minor irritation to it, though it may cause an increase in wiggyfish size...

Footman's Logg, May15, 188X, Snakes on a Zepplin

2011-05-16T00:05:00.000-07:00

After reading the articles, hearing the rumors, and finally glimpsng what I thought was the monster snake in Wheatstone slipping into a canal, I've gotten out my old monster hunting equiptment. The trap, thankfully was still in working order, if a little dusty, and so was set up near the canal I saw the tail end of the creature slip into.

Iron shod box with large iron plate opened on one side, one metal grate on the other, the mechanism of gears on top designed to slam down the plates on either side when the monster attempts to pass through, sealing it in, the grate on one sie allows the hunter to see the monster, this design has aided me well in capturing wild yeti in the hymalayas, As I have situated it near one of the waterways the thing travels by, I beleive it will be only a matter of time, then, the task will be a study and dissection

Footman's Logg, in the world of the Trichromat, the Monochromat is king

2011-05-13T09:41:00.000-07:00

((just thought of typing this up after a conversation during the regreening party that came up, I'm monochromatically colorbling in RL, and since it's easier than faking that I see colors, I just RP Grendel as colorblind as well))

Earlier this week, when I was out and about, there was all this commotion, people staring at their walls and obsessivly scrubbing them. No idea what they've developed OCD over.

I had been taking a walk earlier, when I saw some sort of missle come out of nowhere and strike one of the buildings, splatting in some sort of dark grey liquid. It didn't seem too do much harm, so I continued on, despite the apparant distress at som of the fellow pedestrians, who started going on about something being purple.

As the week went on, I started hearing more about this 'purple', Dr. O apparantly had taken as his new evil plan, to launching purple paint all over Babbage.......he must be running out of ideas for death machines then is all I can figure.

Then I started worrying my own factry would be hit with the purple, and I wouldn't know. It's been dry the whole week, but if I was out and it was hit and had the time to dry, how was I to know?

So, a new test, while I've replaced many organs on myself in the past, I've never replaced my eyes. A trip to the hospital was in order. After making sure there wasn't any other staff or patients around, I paid a visit to the mourge. It took some doing, but I was able to find a corpse with both eyes still (I suspect a victim of the snake). Taking them was simple, then I prepped the surgery, and went to work. Work was....interesting, when you cant really see what you are doing. After a few false starts, and with the pengi orderly I brought with me busy with a bottle of jack daniels and a hammer (I'll have to replace the smashed bottles with ones from my own kit I'm afraid), it was soon done. I quickly left the hospital, and looked over the city to see what exactly everyone was so anxious about, and saw, grey.

Had I read the chart I would of seen the cadaver was colorblind as well.

Footman's Logg, Apr 20th, 188X, further project notes

2011-04-20T00:26:00.000-07:00

Project 001, nicknamed 'Edward" is on week 3 of it's development.

The necroization of the cells has almost completley cleared now with the introduction of the c-cells.

After aquiring the 2nd sample, it was left to soak in an immortalis serum based culture, before being extracted and introduced to the organism in the regenetorium.

Energy output from the organism is now at 200%, double the output I ever received from the eels.

I had ectracted a sample of one tentacle, the damaged tissue healed completely within an hour. As the sample itself, while examining it under a microscope, it was apparant the cells were replicating, possibly towards rowing a new organism. Once I was done studying the tissue, I had the sample sent to the incinerator.

The organism itself still appears unaware, the one eye shows no signs of intelligence, just as planned, the brain has not developed towards saience. Of course, the tranqualizers mixed liberally in it's serum/nutrient mix regulated by the factory's logic stack, keeping it drugged, just in case.

More tests will have to be taken of course, but it's coming out quite well.

Footman's Logg, Apr 17th, 188X, repairs

2011-04-16T23:05:00.000-07:00

I had brought Gizzy down to the assembly area/workshop. The arm was easy enough to replace, as I had plenty different models.

The key was more problematic.
I had to go back through my notes on Gizzy's engineering, primarily as all the gears to that mechanism that powered her, I had gone through and numbered.

In the end, thinking about all the times she had wound down at bad times, I reworked the mechanism, taking one of the type 8 steam boilers for the 005 series (as the brass might be more appreciated by Gizzy rather than cast iron of th 005 series), and was able to refit her kinetics to the boiler.

Stoking the small brass plated burner now on her back, I activated her cognigator. Once I saw the gears of the cognigator tcking as they should, I closed her up, and activted the rest.

Afer she took some time to adjust and get dressed, and examined the smokesacks on her shoulders in the mirror, she proclaimed herself ready to resume her duties. I had asked her what had happened to leave her in such a state. She had little memory except for a discovery at the excavation site at the colony in Antarctica, and had boarded the next zubmersible to Babbage, then something about a ruptured hull, claws, glimpses of a bright room with buzzing noises, activating again in the canals with a sense of urgency and low power reserves, then nothing until I finally reactivated her.

Whatever happened may have damaged the memory stacks in her cognigator, as for the discovery, she couldn't remember, I have sent a message to Harbor Landing about this, but as the weather in Antarctica can delay things, it could easily be a few days, or even weeks until I receive a response.

Footman's Logg, Cala Mondrago

2011-04-16T12:17:00.000-07:00

(journal notes on Footman's time in Cala Mondrago)

I had arrived in Cala Mondrago, after receiving a telegram that rather than travel to New Babbage, given the sensitive nature of my sample, Al Hazard was instead, sending his man to Cala Mondrago and would meet me there. As the Sparrowood was currentl being refitted for long term expiditions into unknown areas, I had taken a base F.I. cargo zepplin instead, the Voyinch.
It was a fairly cramped ride, the cargo zepplins are designed to be piloted by automoton, who need little space, or type omega logic engines, a new analytical engine based off my research into Miss Gizzy's cognigator, the end result is plenty of space for cargo, very little for people.

Once we arrived, it took awhile of wandering it's sandy streets until I found the location in the telegram, a small bar in a corner of what I think is either their residential district, or their business. After watching to make sure I didn't step in any camel piles, camel spiders, or scorpions, I made it into the bar. It was largely empty aside from a pair of barely clothed women in one corner, and a robed man in another. (interestingly, there didn't seem to be an actual bar in thsi bar, the bartender just stood near a wall and seemed to pull drinks out of his apron, as if by magic). I regretfully walked past the pair of ladies to the robed man.
Once I approached, he stood up and offered hs hand "Footman? I am Nikolai Krazamatic, I beleive I have a package for you." Once I saw his pale face, I could tell he wasn't native, from the paleness and name, i'd judge he was from one of the eastern european areas, possibly Russia.
We sat down and he pushed a drink aross the table "Before business, we drink." Taking the shot glass, I nodded cheers and pulled down my rebreather to take a drink. "Gods, you really are as bad off as I was told." "yes, lab accident, and a few weeks lost at sea without my medication did not help matters, so, let's get to the point, you have the item?"
Nikolai grinned as he pulled a copper and glass cylinder from his robe. "Yes, it is here and safe, my employer did not trust sending it to Babbage, too many things get lost in Bump."
"Your employer could have sent it by airship, we do have a few docking stations you know."
"He does not trust air travel either."
Thinking back on the various crashes I, or friends of mine had experienced, I could understand."
"very well, so the amount agreed, 45,000 Steeltopia calams."
Nikolai frowned, "I was told 55,000..."
"fine, here." I tossed the bundle of bills on the table and snatched the container from his hand.
"It was a pleasure doing business with you Mr. Footman." Nikolai got up and without saying another word, took the money and left. I finished my drink, looking at the container. It was a smallish glass vial capped on both ends by copper, with a small copper valve on one end. The vial itself was filled with a clear liquid, the important part though, was the small peice f faintly glowing flesh suspended in the liquid.

There's legends in New Babbage, mostly discounted by skeptics, despite the evidence found to support it. The old Empire New Babbage was built on the remains of, had powered many of their devices, not by steam, gas, or aetheric electricity, but through the aid of a creature reffered to as a 'cloud angel'. Then, whatever happened to cause the fall of the Old Empire, the magical dead zone in old quarter, and the 'clockhaven effect' that causes magical effects to either go wrong, or not work at all unless mechanically aided, these cloud angels stopped helping the old empire, and mostly dissappeared aside from occasional sightings over time.
The finding of old machinery with no apparant power source supports this.

I had preformed experiments in the past, attempting to harness other magical beings as a source of power, but fairies are hard to come by in Babbage, and the introduction of 'Reality Enforcement Devices" had caused an uproar among the magical based species in the city I didn't want to get embroiled in. I had attempted to redirect my research into ghosts, after my attempts at communication with an engineer at that time failed, and the incident with the SLenderman caused the development of the aetheric containment units. But that research hit a dead end when I found that rather than being magical themselves, ghosts aparantly just utilize the aetheric energy around them to manifest, and interact in the world of the living, wether magic, electric, or kinetic. (wich explains the ones seen in Clockhaven.)

And so, the sample of Cloud Angel cells that brought me to Cala Mondrago.

The cargo zepplin would have left by now to the Antarctic colonies, I would have to wait for the next one to New Babbage to rerout this way. So I took in the sights of the desert city.

The first thing on the agenda, there was a river flowing through it, and I had my pole, so some fishing was in order. I caught a few new species of fish to add to my aquarium at home after a few hours and so packed it in and went to be a tourist.

I could see both Steelhead and the Baron's people had set up a presence here, and Babbage itself seemed to have a small unserwater dome off the coast. Otherwise it doesn't seem that the culture is that impacted with the other steamlands. much of it still looked like I assume it would a few hundred years ago. But there were a few signs of technology, including a power plant, and moving pictures theatre. Magic seems much more common here as well, as there were a few proclaiming themselves to be djinn, or genies, more study would have to be taken.

Footman's Logg, Apr 16th, 188X, further work

2011-04-16T10:38:00.001-07:00

Development is proceeding well, the main logic-engine core for the factory has had some of it's processes rerouted to control the input of serum into the regeneratorium. It has taken to the new cell sample well. I had to travel to pick it up myself however, to Cala Mondrago where I met with the suplyer in some empty bar in a corner. After taking some time to fish, I took the F.I. zepplin back to Babbage. After the required tests to assure it was real (how they managed to get a sample from such a creature, i'm not sure of), and introduced it into the cellular culture growing in the regenaratorium. After a few days of new growth, the energy readings increased tenfold.

At this point my work was interrupted by the sounds of the doors upstairs followed by a loud thud. I sealed off the lab and went to see who it was, to find Miss Gizzy, sans an arm and wth her key ripped out, laying in a heap on my floor, as 004 chatted away at her mindlessly.

Footman's Logg, April 12th, 188X, Research and Development

2011-04-12T15:10:00.000-07:00

The organism in the lab is developing at a decent rate. The cells took to the culture quite well once the new formula of serum was introduced. The base cell sample had been taken from an air kraken off the coat of Caledon, a small section of tentacle. A couple weeks and it has already developed an eye. The project is coming along nicely, it i almost ready for the introduction of the type 2 cells at this point, his energy output ha already caused me to have to replace the external recongenitorium's outer shell with a stronger alloy, the second sample should be arriving soon, provided the man escourting it doesn't get ff the train in Bump that is

Footman's Logg, April 9th, 188X

2011-04-08T23:46:00.000-07:00

The new factory is now, for all intents and purposes, open. A new subsidiary of Footman Industries in Babbage, primarily dealing with what my grandfather founded the company for, automotons. Most the assembly is in the basement level, the constant noise coming from down there is soothing for the post part.
The showroom still isn't terribly crowded, just a few crates of commodities, such as the Pterano-flyer I had built some time ago, and the newer 004 series model of automoton, from the technology I had developed with Miss Aya after studying the remarkably advanced engineering in Gizzy's frame.
(they're still a sad shadow of Gizzy's intelect and personality, but I'm getting closer.)
The upper floors I have dedicaed to the library, parlor, and my rivate office/study.
While they still work as overall labor, I can no longer rely on the Pengi's to keep the facility safe, the explosion of my old electric eel power plant through their negligence proved that, And with Miss Gizzy still at the Harbor Landing site helping with the excavations, I have designed a new security construct. Resembling spiders, I call them Arachnotons. They have very simple cognigators that give them more a canine intelligence, but they've been guarding the building well so far. I am currently working on an arena for construct combat, I have a basic kit for combat models of automotons in the showroom, possibly a construct wrestling league would not be oo far in the future.

More importantly than all this is my lab, I have utilized one of the lower storage rooms, keeping the entrance behind a stack of shipping crates. All my more hands on research I have moved down there, as well as one of the brewing vats from Harbor Landing, the new research with takes much more than my usual amount I take from the plant in Antarctica. And my recent castaway experience had proved to me that I never wanted to run low on my own supply again.
Plus, I need much more than a few vials as Edward develops...

Footman's Logg: March 31st, 188X

2011-03-31T18:40:00.000-07:00

Having finally arrived in New Babbage, in time for the oiling festival no less (and no, my zombie eradicator did not win, I think the smell of frying zombie scared people away), I stayed a few days in my submersible while I cleaned up and managed to finally get a proper dosage of serum.

I successfully missed the ball, and mostly eyed the assorted machinery, windmills and rides set up around the city.

Once the oiling festival ended, I went forward with my plans, and began construction on Footman Automotons, an automoton factory in wheatstone. Construction has mostly completed, the machinery for the building and repair of automotons is slowly arriving, and I have a lab once again.

As the pengi have more important work currently loading and unloading crates elivered, I have built a kind of arachnopodic automoton to guard the assembly floor, (and my laboratory)

so far not bad, there are still some kinks to work out of the arachnotons, as one decided to guard the bottom of the canal running in back, but otherwise it's more or less up and running.

recount of Footman's Logg from Mar 7th, 188X

2011-03-31T18:30:00.001-07:00

I've been drifting on the sea for

awhile, I'm not exactly sure how long.

I've mostly lived off fish, as my

dwindling supplies of serum...well

dwindle.

I finally had good fortune, a fishing

ship came across the pod, and while it

took some explaining to convince the

crew on board I was not some spirit of

the drowned come to take them all to

Davey Jones, we were soon off.

After a few days, the ship reached

Steelhead, where seeing how it was semi

familiar, and they had no plans to head

towards New Babbage, I disembarked.

It was interesting, being far from home

while having no access to my resources

or funds. But after a time, I was able

to find an old woman in the Shanghai

district, who sold and traded herbs and

likewise from her own homeland. After

trading with the old woman, my cane,

and the automoton that had been less

than helpful during my crash and period

of castaway status, (the negotiations

were interesting to say the least,

given the fact she only spoke broken

cantonese, I may have alluded to the

fact the automoton was a lost Tibetian

god or something) for some needed

ingredients (I had suspected she kept

the rarer items in back, fortunatly I

was correct), and retreiving the boiler

from a boat I spotted at the bottom of

Steelhead's canal (the water was

disturbingly clear), I holed up in one

of the shacks on the outskirts,

recompensating the elderly woman the

room and board by enhancing her

smuggled opium with a simple mixture of

rattlesnake extract and strawberry

jelly. Where I was able to juryrig a

brewer and mixed the ingredients from

the Shanghai woman, with a leftover jar

of Footman's Balm, to make a somewhat

watered down version of my serum, (that

I am calling Formula 0, due to the fact

it has 0 redeeming qualities, it burned

like fire mixed with whiskey going

down, of course then again it had never

been intended for drinking).

After a time of more or less slumming

it in Shanghai, I was soon able to

locate the next ship to New Babbage, I

did have to convince the captian I

could improve the speed if he let me

take a look at his engines, hopefully

they will hold off exploding until we

reach port.

Footman's Logg; Feb 14th, 18XX :..........

2011-02-14T11:50:00.000-08:00

I sadly had to cut my visit to the moon short, having still never found Selenites, or really getting anywhere's with my lunar research, but it was a pleasant, if somewhat quiet, visit.

the skeleton crew up here keeping mostly scarce aside from repeatedly asking me if I had authorization to use the laboratory (usually a flat out lie telling them I was there on navy business would make them go away, but if that didn't work, informing them I worked for the hospital back in babbage seemed to grant me access, as well as a laundry list of typically overhyped ailments that particular person was suffering, why he never seemed to remember I'd been in the lab using it already, I haven't the foggiest), or to repair the steamrover.

My supply of serum # 14 was running low as well, I had used the last bit on the head (fortunatly the one peice of information my research had shown, the moon is relatively safer from zombies, they'd move even more slow if not freeze solid, much like escapees at the Harbor Landing facility), so I would need to return to earth for more supplies.

After seeing to the automotons packing my equiptment, I had made my way to where my rocket was docked, Only to be stopped by a young man in a ridiculous uniform, it appeared to have been some form of military dress uniform at one point, but with much gold colored material incorporated into it, and some badge that seemed to take over a good quarter of his chest, resembling a moon with a fairly inaccurate rocket orbiting it. He claimed to be one of the autorities of the base, though I had never seen any mention of him, or that particular uniform on any of the occasional crew I'd already met. And tried to bar me from boarding my own rocket!

He said I had no clearance for take off, it's a private aethercraft and I told him I was well withing rights to launch it when and where I required, especially on the moon. He babbled on about some 'federation' and, finally annoyed, I had the lunar automoton accompanying me let loose it's teslarod on him. Once I was assured he was out cold, I stepped over and returned to my rocket.

Sitting in the control seat, I started activating switches, making sure all systems were on, and there was plenty of air and we were pressurized before I removed my helmet. Once all gauges were at 100%, I hit the ignition button, and so we left the lunar surface.

I set course to earth, planning on re-entry coming down in the Vernian, and got up to make a pot of coffee.

As I was taking my fifth cup of coffee, I immediatly spit it out as warning klaxons sounded, rushing back to the cockpit, I saw the gauges were all off by 70%, and we were soon to be in re-entry, and the systems for closing the heat sheilds were only at 10%.
How this happened, I had no time to figure out, I had to get the heat sheilds up at the very least.

This involved prying up one of the floor panels, and crawling into the workings of the rocket, where it was already very hot. I found the cogwork for the heat sheilds and saw immediatly, one of my canes was in the works, how that happened, again, no time to work out.

I set to work extracting it, as I felt the vessel shuddering, and the klaxons sounding, as well as a new klaxon, as the automoton had decided to be helpful by following me and sounding a warning klaxon in my ear in rythm with the ship's.

Eventually, coated in sweat and with a pounding headache, I managed to force out the cane, and the cogs turned again.

Getting back to the controls in a hurry, I pulled the lever to manually close the heatshields, watching the glass of the viewscreen begin to melt, as I braced my foot against the control unit and pulled. Eventually it slammed down with a click, as the heavy metal sheild slammed shut.

It still wasn't a relaxing ride, As I'm trying to buckle myself to the seat, and failing as I'm tossed around like a ragdoll while the rocket tumbled from the sky. It finally ended abruptly with a loud crashing sound as the rocket slammed hard and I was whacked into the side of the hull.

The klaxons were still sounding, this time the cause was obvious, water was pouring into the hull. I retreated to the rear of the rocket, and standing in the bronze diving bell in back, activated the terrestrian escape system.

The diving bell was ejected from the rear of the rocket, high enough, I could see from the window, landmarks that looked unfamiliar, plus the fact the rocket was quickly descending to the depths, before the bell reached the end of it's arc, and splashed down into the sea, the rafts around the circumferance activating as they kept it afloat.

I should of just taken the portal back.

Footman's Logg; Feb 13th, 18XX :Further research on the Moon

2011-02-13T20:13:00.000-08:00

I've been at the moon base, preforming some research of my own while taking vacation.

Fist was testing the Tesla Field Generator, wich utilizes the human body as a tesla coil to generate a field, I needed to see how it reacts to the lack of an atmosphere, unfortunatly, it also causes 3rd degree burns.

Afterwards, I took one of the steamrovers out to continue my search for moon men, so far, not even a Selenite. I took a few rocks for further work,

Partially out of boredom, and partially for my research into the Immortalis serum, I had broght the head of a corpse, taken from the mourge. Bringing it outside to the lunar surface with me, I prepared a dose of serum formula 14, and injected it in the head's left nostril.

Freezing temperatures do not seem to sit well with the newly reanimated dead, it gnashed it's teeth much more sluggish than it would on Terra Firma. Eventually it vomited (I have no idea where the vomit came from, seeing as there was no stomache) in a cloud of frozen particles, and I drop-kicked it. The lower gravity gave it quite an arc. I soon lst the head over the horizon.

After returning to the station, I helped myself to a cup of coffee and reviewed my notes, so far little of my research here was coming to fruition.

Unfortunatly I will have to return to Earth eventually, as after the last experiment, my personal supplies of serum were running low, and I was not about to attempt the balm as a substitute after last time.

Footman's Logg; Feb 7th, 18XX :Holiday on the Moon

2011-02-07T13:15:00.000-08:00

I have returned breifly to New Babbage, where I learned of the moon base.

Determined to visit as part of my vacation, I first constructed a rocket to transport myself, it unfortunatly did not survive it's first launch and nosedived back into the earth spectacularly , sadly the test automoton did not survive.

So, I reconfigured a base rocket used in early experiment's breaking out of the atmosphere, and loaded it with more powerful rockets.

That seemed to do the trick, as it held together much better. So, setting a temporary launch pad in the Academy, fitted my pressure suit from when I visited Miss Static's orbital station over my winter coat, and the launch was soon underway.

]

It landed a little roughly, bending the base stand in the rear slightly on moon rocks, but otherwise handeled well.

I soon made my way to the base. Entering first, posing for the camera automoton by the Babbage flag, as any self respecting tourist would do.

The station itself is fairly impressive, and I see the Clockhaven power plant's portal technology has been linked already (had I realized, I might have save myself the hassle of aquiring a working rocket).

The living quarters were fairly nice, resembling some hotel, though the bed in one room wasn't made, they may want to see about either hiring a maid, or getting some sort of automotons (wich I'd happily make a deal on behalf of Footman Industries for)

I found the observatory first, the telescope give a very vivid picture of the heavens, including a detailed look at Mars, sadly, the camera drone had wound down at that point and dropped like a somewhat light rock (the moon appears to have a low gravity).

After a quick windup, and some time in the bar, (a true sign of civilization if I've ever seen one), I managed to locate the simulation room, which appears to utilize some sort of new technology to create a 3 dimensional representation of the stars.

After some searching, I finally located the lab, very basic, but has all the nessecities, I may borrow it during my stay for my own research.

After exploring the base, I donned my helmet again and stepped out to walk the surface, No sign of moon men so far, but the view is impressive, Earth seems about the size of a golfball from here, New Babbage is not even visible.

All in all, I may spend a while up here, as the research oppertunities are many. Sadly, there's no fishing here, I will have to make do.

Footman's Logg: January 27th, 188X

2011-01-27T19:29:00.001-08:00

After the destruction of the plant, I've taken a short leave of the city, handing the land the cemetary rests on to a man of similar sounding studies, Mr. Fanshaw.

I've travelled first to Harbor Landing in Byrdland, Antarctica, to oversee reopening of the automoton plant, and seal blubber cannery (as well as check on the serum distillery), as automoton manufacturing has been a sadly neglected part of Footman Industries as of late, and I had developed new upgrades from my study of Miss Gizzy's manufacture (who has lately dissappeared herself).

I then travelled to Armada in the A.C.Z. Sparrowwood, for a bit of a vacation, fishing. While there, I was notified on an attack on an Antarctic Colony airship, it had been picking up a shipment of gears for the machinery at the main production plants in Harbor Landing. Unfortunatly, there was no explosion, the theif made off with the shipment, (the worse part was they were also picking up a prototype cognigator I developed and had in storage, that had also been taken), but the crew was undamaged.

I've made note of this and continued to my fishing.

The Badger had accompanied me, as part of his early retirement, but claimed it was much too wet, and so he would be returning to his homeland in Caledon.

I will possibly take some time to visit a few areas before I return, I haven't been to Innsmouth in over a year, or Miskatonic for that matter.

Footman's Logg; Dec 26th, 18XX :Loaded up the cargo

2010-12-25T20:55:00.001-08:00

"I have reservations about reconciling a quantum
mechanics thought experiment with Egyptian mythology. More importantly, what
possible threat could superpositioned cats pose?"

The Badger scrunched up his face "and how did that involve the plant exploding? and what about the cemetary?"

I shrugged "No, that was from the pallet of bombs the pengi had left out from Exploding Yak Day, and don't worry about the cemetary, it's in good hands."

We were at the air tower, overseeing the pengi as they loaded the Oroboros.

"but what are you going to do now? what am I going to do?"

"take an extended vacation? I hear Armada's nice this time of year, you should see it at least once."

"but badgers aren't meant to swim, anyway."

"well, go visit the undercity then, it's got dirt, badgers like dirt don't they? "

"bah, I'd rather just get drunk"

Te Badger wandered off, waving hi claw dismissively, as I returned my focus to the pengi, watching #41 kick and warble at a delicate peice of equiptment, most the laboratory apparatuses were going to Harbor Landing for now, I had already taken the Oroboros out of storage, it's living quarters would suffice for now on my travels.

Leaving the pengi to finish packing, I headed to the Gangplank to make sure I was well stocked on supplies, while musing how the pengi had odd holiday traditions.

Footman's Logg; Dec 23th, 18XX :End of Footman Industries

2010-12-22T22:17:00.000-08:00

I had been cleaning out old experiemts and equiptment in the plant, when I came across a crate of bombs, ARMED bombs....

After digging myself out of the rubble, I looked across the smoking ruins. I don't think I will rebuild this time, as this location seems to be the target of every would be 'zombie killer' to get their jollys, I'll look for someone else to take over the graveyard, and hopefully not pave it over as it was before, and might take time to travel again for a bit. Fortunatly, most my scientific equiptment, as well as the Anti-Ectotheric Containment Device were in the lab beneath the crypt and were safe, at least until I put the pengi to work loading them onto the Oroboros.

Somehow though, I feel as if I'm back to where I've started...

((OOC: logging on to SL tonight, I found I had 1 day left on my plot in Babbage, and as it has been a very tight week being the holidays, and I still have xmas weekend at my dad's, wich visits to my dad always tend to be more pricey than I'd like, I wouldn't be able to make tier, so, rather than do the mediocre quietly take down any buildings and list the land for sale, so something entirely diferent can replace it, I blew up my plant, and am currently looking to give the land to whoever will A. keep the graveyard, as others do seem to use it, and B, keep it RP friendly, I'd hate to see another generic shop plopped down and the new owners start banning whoever speaks IC within 20 meters of it, eitherway, this is my IC reason, I may rebuild Footman Industries sometime down the line, after the holidays, when the months are kinder to me financially, and I can afford land again, otherwise I may take a short break from SL, as I haven't been on it lately for various reasons anyway))

Footman's Logg; Dec 13th, 18XX

2010-12-13T09:36:00.001-08:00

I've largely stayed in either the lab, or my study in the plant, in an effort to avoid most the holiday 'cheer' like my great uncle Ebineezer Scrooge Footman, only with enough devices to keep any spirits of other timelines, or krampuses away, and focus on my work.

The new formula of serum seems to be losing some of it's potency, as my current appearance and need to return to a respirator have been testament to. I haven't been able to atch Miss Macbain to examine her for ill side effects either, but when I last saw, she didn't seem to be in the same condition as I am, but then again, I didn't have to stitch her back together.

I have also attempted work on the new power source again, while aquiring sources has been difficult, possibly due to time of year and the general babbageness of this town, but I've sent pengi outside te walls to aquire more.

I have also pried my nose into this beast business, including returning to the crypt next door. I've come to the conclusion by this point, that the tomb is much older even than the cemetary on my own property, aside from that, more information was found as to the nature of the beast, the site it's self , where the creature emerged from the statue, has some sort of large boxlike contraption over the crossroads nearby, apparantly some sort of very large trap or something. Having not seen the creature myself , I can't say if the thing would hold it much.

Footman's Logg; Nov 24th, 18XX

2010-11-24T18:11:00.000-08:00

Finally returning to Babbage, the Badger has aparantly kept all in order, however, the Anti-Ectotheric Containment Device seems to be starting to fail, the SLenderman was able to knock the device on it's side. Since his eventual escape seemed likely at this point, and the fact the device kept getting confused with the 'reality enforcing device' it was based off of, a new Anti-Ectotheric Containment device was needed, the Mk II, improving many of the design flaws inherent in the original (such as sending curious midgets who touch it into comas)

Powered by the very Ectotheric energy it traps, the SLenderman should be well contained by now, of course, given the weight and the necessity of monitoring the device, I will not be able to ship him to the Harbor Landing labs at this point.

Footman's Logg; Oct 11th, 18XX

2010-10-11T17:18:00.001-07:00

I finally returned to Babbage, having managed to get out just before the quarentine, wich given how my appearance has reverted back to before, is unexpected I would have made it out. I've heard reports of this new outbreak, most the city apparantly becoming infected , but unlike the F-virus spawned off my serum experiments last year, this strain seemed to not only be airborne, but those infected kept their mental state....Most of them at least, I've heard some went mad.

The last of the escapees from the lab have also been rounded up from the graveyard, and somehow there's more than there should be. I'm not sure if the extra zombies are leftover victims of this airborne virus, with their minds gone, or if the graveyard zombies had bitten some and spread it slightly, I do keep Dayafter's cure on hand, but it's really hard to say, some of them did seem to be old corpses, and covered in dirt.

The doors are back up, the Eels have been replaced and we are now back at full capacity again. I have told the Badger to wall over the holding cell for now, for the most part, Mr. Mornington seems to have cured all the infected.

I've taken to using my rebreather again, as my lungs have again degraded, the serum may be losing it's potency, or my time in Kadath without access to my serum, equiptment, or even a real lab may have caused it. I'll have to send Miss Macbain a letter warning her to take care not to overuse the serum until I can be sure.

Footman's Logg; Oct 9th, 18XX

2010-10-09T11:16:00.003-07:00

I've been overseeing the repairs on the plant, and it is now back to full power, and managed to retrieve my heart from Dr. Sonnerstien, finally able to leave off the circulatory device I had been using in place.

Apparantly now too, there is a new epidemic in he city, similar to the F-virus from last year. I've heard the details second hand, but those infected tend to resemble the undead or something (wich would explain why people keep asking me if I'm feeling well, my time without serum took a toll unfortunately), I did have a group come to the plant convinced it was my doing. and while, the zombies currently contained in the graveyard are escapees from my lab, they're not the same strain of virus as this other one.

It's possibly a new strain of disease, apparantly centered around the museum in Babbage Square. Unfortunatly, I have to take a trip to Ichor Falls this week, or I'd see about studying this, possibly retreiving a sample.

Footman's Logg; Oct 3rd, 18XX

2010-10-09T11:16:00.001-07:00

I've returned to Babbage. Having escaped the moon-things that came for the book and hid out in the parallel dreamworld city Kadath. I had converted the mechanicle black mirror into a black gate, wich I had been working on in the study the night they came, and hurredly ducked in, Sadly the device somehow rejected my heart chamber, and so while in the otherworld had to cobble a circulation machine.

Unfortunatly I had no way to activate he gate device while on the other side, the Badger had moved it to the lab in the meantime, so I was effectively stuck.

It was Miss Gizzy who finally activated it, she had found my notes I had scrawled on the margins of the pages left behind, though she didn't really understand them, and claimed to have turned the machine on to see what it did.

I had been getting inceasingly sick from the lack of an actual heart, and had been atempting to cobble together what I needed to jury rig another black gate, when I was shunted back into the lab.

An injection of serum and I examined he grounds. One tank had been smashed and the eels in the other were dead and so we'd been losing much power, the zombies broke out of the holding cell and ha infested the graveyard, wich seemed larger. And my prototype automotons were wandering around lost with no clear purpose.

I'll have to work on cleaning and fixing things in the next week or so it seems, as well as find a replacement heart.

THe Badger's Notes: Disturbance

2010-09-28T14:49:00.001-07:00

The Badger had made his rounds of the plant and burial grounds, the graves were quiet, though the cemetary as a whole seemed larger lately, The Badger nodded to the girl playing around the gravestones as he climbed over the new fence that seemed to have replaced the old overnight and walked under the boards sealing off the plant. It was dark, with the only light coming from the remaining eel tank, a pile of Pengi lounging in the corner, surrounded by bottles of rum. Unlike the clockworks in Clockhaven, the pengi didn't have a strike, they just went on an apparant week long bender.

The Badger shook his head and went upstairs, there had been a slight disturbance, a coule of the books had apparantly exploded, most the loose pages were picked up by the maid, but there were still a couple showing up here and there. lighting the lamp on the desk, nothing looked too out of sorts, He was about to leave when he heard what sounded like tinkering behind him, he turned to look just in time to see an image face away. in the couple seconds he saw it, it looked like the boss working on something, but he was all glowing like a ghost.

The badger snorted, he's been up too late these days, it was making him see things, He wandered back to his burrow, past the graveyard and nodded to Mac, leaning against the crypt. He wa going to go to be early for once and swear off the rum.....maybe just a shot of rum...maybe just one bottle, couldn't hurt.

The Badger's Notes: Cleanup

2010-09-16T10:51:00.001-07:00

The Badger watched the Pengi board up the entrances to the plant until the doors could be repaired. They had already cleaned up inside with Miss Gizzy overseeing that part, set the furniture that wasn't broken back to rights, scrubbed the floor of the study, cleaned up as much of the blood and glowing fluid as they could. Now, with 2 of the doors having floated down the canals and no word yet when they could be replaced, He had the pengi board up the lace, to keep the urchins out. The remaining eel generator was brought ut of storage and the urcins were always too interested in trying to steal eels, despite the nasty electric shock they'd get (some were gettin wiser and bringing gloves made of indian rubber).

The Badger watched the Pengi work , neatening the place for the Boss's return, when he saw someone tanding there near the graveyard also watching.

"you! this is private property!"

the raptor in the suit examined his claws "I had heard rumors that the man who ran this place has dissappeared, I assumed it would be up for sale"

"ee's missing, not dead! ee does that sometimes, though usually ee tells us were he'd be goin, no, the plant is not up for sale Mr."

"Dr. actually, Dr. Dinosaur, and you would be Lunch? "

The Badger bristeled "They call me The Badger, I'm the groundskeeper and Mr. Footman's accountant, ain't noone's lunch!"

Dr. Dinosaur nodded as he started to turn and walk away "I'm sure, anyway, we'll see how long before it's up for sale, a shame to let a location like this go to waste. Good evening Mammal."

The Badger made a rude gesture as the raptor walked away. "now who the hell was that? Dinosaurs now, what's this town coming to?"

The Badger's Find

2010-09-16T10:50:00.001-07:00

the Badger left his burrow and headed to Footman Industries . When he arrived, he saw something was amiss.

the doors were ripped off, both sets (the miner automoton and an angry #9 were fishing one out of the canal), the eel generator was in peices, electric eels flopping on the floor, the sitting room was a mess, furniture overturned, painting tilted, only the aquarium with the boss's catches was untouched. Upstair the Badger got worried.

a puddle of blood was at the top of the ramp, the lamp and the Skull of Omizuka were knocked off the desk and the Boss's copy of the Necronomicon was gone. What worried the Badger though, was what he saw in the center of the painted circle on the floor, the boss's cane, heart chamber (complete with deformed heart) and a large pool of glowing liquid.

The Badger sighed when he saw it "all this damage will cost a fotune to fix"

((OOC, I am starting a new job as a tour/museum guide of my local town's historic area, taking people through houses dating from the 17th trough 19th centuries, and the next few weeks won't be on as often as I'm training. who knows what happened at Footman Industries........ ))

Footman's Log Sept 8th. 18XX

2010-09-08T21:08:00.000-07:00

I had set up the study, with the mythos symbol on the floor, and the candel burning in the center, then the pengi wheeled in the black mirror. I had taken the ancient concept of an oracle and worked on the design, the machinery in the back would power it much more than any primitive blood sacrifices would.

I had the pengi move the device to the center of the room and vacate, lighting the insense and all that extra,

I started up the machine, stoking the small burner in back and setting the conrols, turning the sigils on the dials until they spelled Loosestrife's name in elder sigils. and activated it.

While it sputtered and smoked from the smokestack, I moved to the center of the miskatonic circle and concentrated on it's black surface.

It took a good amount of focus, and I was fighting not to doze off,

but then had had noticed an image forming.

I saw on the glass, a large black cloud over the city, I stared at the image and looked closer, noicing that the cloud seemed to have a small trail leading down.

AAt this point I subconsously noticed that the only light came from the candle burning in front of the device. I didn't pay too much attention as the image held my eye,

I followed the trail down into the city following it as it lead to a glowing green stone.

At this point I stood up , wondering what a glowing green stone had to do with Loosestrife, and where it was now, or if it even was a stone or some symbolic meaning these sort of things always seem to produce.

As I stood up, then I noticed the darkness and the shadows flitting, this is why I don't do this very often, you see more than you want to.

Footman's Logg; Sept 6, evening, 18XX Miss Macbain

2010-09-06T16:32:00.001-07:00

I had run into Mr. Melnik talking with the church's newly arrived sisters. Once they had left, I had told Mr. Melnik about what Miss Anatra had told me, and we went to look for Star at the Gangplank. The pub itself was quiet and empty, with no sign of Star, we were about to go look at the Bucket for her, as Sonnerstien and Anatra had mentioned she had been seen there, when Miss Bilavio had entered. I left her and Mr. Melnik to talk and headed to the Bucket on my own.

I had entered to see Mss Macbain sitting at the bar, looking slightly disheveled. She sounded cheerful admittedly, but there was still something amiss, the fact we were in Underby's bad being just the lesser of them. Mr. Melnik soon entered, he must have left shortly after I had afterall, and we enquired to her well being. She insisted she was fine, that she had slept there rather than walking home, then she looked behind her, at what, I couldn't tell, it's possible it was the other pub patron that had entered. She also seemed very unconcerned being in Underby's establishment, despite their hate/hate relationship. She claimed Loosestrife would step in if Underby tried anything. Apparantly she is staying in Loosestrife's house, in a red room, the sound of it brought to mind a cell. When I asked what she knew of this man, she practically gushed (Stargirl gushing...I have never been more disturbed), claiming she loved him and all, he had apparantly given her sanctuary in his house (in this red room) as she had felt threatened by the recent graffiti, some of it showing up inside the gangplank. I lied and told her the graffiti had been showing up all over, even in my plant as Dr. Sonnerstein then entered.

She said 'they' had been trying to summon Pocket, but strangely seemed to have no memory who Pocket was, or Maggie, for that matter. there seemed to be some gleaming who Tenk was however, though she apparantly hadn't been able to see him when he was right there by her last nnight from what I heard. and when asked about Pip, she called him a rotten little beast.

I had suggested she come to the lab for an examination, partially as I wasn't sure the new hospital was completed, and I wanted to test her serum levels. (and possibly break whatever spell she is under), she said Kaylee had worked on her leg, and totally oblivious to what I meant by her 'other condition'.

Underby then showed himself, seeming strangely unperterbed the woman who evicted his wife was having breakfast in his pub. We asked him what he knew f this, he fed us some line of only somewhat knowing Loosestrife, and tried to explain away Star's symptoms like some Builder addled preist. When Mr. Melnik asked f he answered to Loosestrife, and Underby denied it, Star laughed. it was also noticeable how the snake was rattled by Loosestrife's name. He knew more than he was letting on, that was apparant.

I'll admit I lost patience with Underby's avoidance of answering questions, and had informed him, if I found out he was not being truthful, I would see to it, he wished he had joined Pip. Star finally had gotten upset, I decided at this point then to return to the lab before I throttled the worm in front of everyone.

I'm concidering breaking into Loosestrife's house and looking at this room. or falling back on something I haven't done in years and attempting to scry without any mechanical aids. Last time I tried it I almost lost my mind.

If Star truely was in love, I can't say I'd be thrilled, but I would oblingingly step back and let her be happy. But this all feels wrong, and Underby I trust as far as I can throw.

Footman's Logg; Sept 6, 18XX

2010-09-06T12:12:00.000-07:00

I am worried now.

I've returned to Babbage from Armada, having been there researching their haunted district, and had gone to the Gangplank for my usual rum.

The first thing I noticed, the circle marked on the cobbles outside. the symbols inside weren't from any culture I recognized, but with all the recent graffiti and the recent vandalism, it could be meaningless, another symbol taken at random from an old book. The fact it was in Clockhaven lead me t beleive it wasn't done by anyone who did their homework. There was recent evidence of scrubbing as well, obscuring any idea what the intent had been.

Entering the Gangplank, I nodded to Mr Morou, and sat at the bar, helping myself to an ale, and throwing some money in the tips.

When Miss Anatra entered. She asked Mr. Morou how Miss Macbain was doing. This caught my interest and I asked her why. She explained to me Star's mental state recently, and how she seemed to be under the influence of some mesmerist named Loosestrife. I don't worry often, but Miss Anatra's explanation caused me concern, and so I inquired if she knew the adress of this man as I checked and loaded my pistol. If he is doing something to cause- /writings is more scribbled and not very ledgeable/ .

I'm sorry, I have successfully avoided sleep for the past few days. Eitherway, she hadn't seen him lately, and claimed he had dissappeared. Dr. Sonnerstien had entered then, he had just seen Miss Macbain in the Bucket of Blood of all places. The fact she is patroning a pub owned by a man who he and his wife she has had a relatively unhealthy history with may be a sign of her current state. I will have pengi keeping an eye out for him, and talk to Underby, see if he knew why'd she'd be in the bucket. if that brings me no information, I may have to use other means.

I am releived however that according to Miss Anatra, she is not biting people.

Footman's logg. Sept 2. 18XX

2010-09-02T13:45:00.001-07:00

I made the mistake of sleeping again last night, the dreams were much more vivid, of Kadath and rotting things. I awoke with a start to see one of them staring at me... bulging eyes. and slimy frog belly, in my own factory! somehow it had gotten past the signs, possibly through my nightmare. I reacted as you'd expect, drawing my pistol and firing. the shot hit #11 and ricoched into one of the eel vats, spilling flopping, sparking eels all over. The thing was gone. I got up and took more of the pills I picked up in Steelhead, a combination of stimulants to war off sleep. and ordered the pengi to clean up the mess (they tend to enjoy the electric shocks of the eels anyway). as I went out to the cemetary to collect myself. eyeing the new graves before making my way to the Gangplank for some rum and possibly pie from the bakery.

Footman's logg excerpt cemetary strangeness

2010-08-28T11:21:00.001-07:00

The Badger entered Footman's study, "Mr. Footman Sir, there's someting with the graves.."

"What is it now? did the ghosts possess someone else? Someone dig up M on us?"

"no sir, there's new graves, it looks larger"

"so people are burying more stiffs, it is a city cemetary afterall."

"no sir, it's more like it's growing...the fencing has moved a good 3 inches closer to the plant in fact."

"wait...what?"

Walking outside, they look over the graves. as Grendel rubs the bridge of his nose.

"growing, you're sure of this? aside from a couple new stones, I don't notice anything out of sorts."

"er, some of those new stones are relatively dated..."

"well, keep track of if Badger, the cemetary has had an odd history so far."

"yes sir"

Footman's Logg; August 25 18XX

2010-08-25T14:48:00.000-07:00

I wanted to have boxing matches at the plant, the Pengi always used to enjoy matches on the deck of the Rama afterall, and Babbage seems to have a dearthe of gentleman's sports (plus with the loss of the CHampaigne rooms, what else do we have to occupy our spare time?) The large empty space on the floor where the Geistmagorium used to be has been bothering me as well. The unforseen issue I've run into however, is the ring is a bit too large for my plant.

So to get over my dissapointment, I continued work on the accidnt prone Tiamat, where I proceeded to have a peice of the hull come and bend my thumb backwards at a right angle. I had snapped back the thumb easily enough, but the dscoloration stayed, now it was black and blue to add to the rash. I decided a break was in order and after a quick stop near port, have continued on to visit Miss Macbain at the Gangplank, Miss Frye and Mr. Mornington where also there. Mostly talked about land in babbage and my plans to eventually expand the graveyard, then I had to return to the lab and said my goodbyes. I hadn't seen any discoloration on Miss Macbain aside from her recent scarring (I would offer to replace the arm and leg, but to be honest, I think the prosthetics are endearing, and I doubt she'd let me stitch a new leg onto her), So I've decided for now not to tell her there may be some side effects of the serum, it could just easily be summer rash, as it had been a very warm summer and I had found myself in the vernian often

Footman's Logg; August 19 3:02PM 18XX the Vernian Triangle

2010-08-19T20:47:00.000-07:00

I had been working on the new airship, the Tiamat, and took it for a test flight before working on the weapons. The Airship...exploded....once I was a few thousand meters in the air.

After patching myself back up again (it had taken a bit to find my left hand), I rebuilt the Tiamat and tried again, with Miss Macbain and Kalee as passengers.

First. Kaylee fund herself somehow stuffed in one of the engines, then we lost her completely as she fell out. Then it got worse, in attempting to navigate to Clockhaven, the laggstorm blew us off course, and we were trapped.....in the Vernian Triangle...

While Miss Macbain had said it seemed like we were undewater, and was worried about what sort of water creatures could live beyond, All I saw was the empty sky, not even the airship around me. The clocks were running backwords, earthquakes, volcanoes, the dead rising from the grave, human sacrifices, dogs and cats living together..mass hysteria!

actually none of that happened, the dimensional limbo we seemed to be in was more dull than anything else, the Tiamat was stuck solid. I told Miss Macbain we may have to risk abandoning ship, she agreed.

I don't know what happened when she left, there one moment, gone the next, I found out later she made it safely back to the Gangplank wih Kaylee, when I bailed though, I found myself, briefly, in some land where everyone was just standing around in an empty white lobby looking confused. It passed once I was able to escape and return to my lab.

I'm considering the Tiamat may be cursed at this point, I'll wait for the wether to improve before I attempt it again

Footman's Logg; August 19 18XX

2010-08-19T00:14:00.000-07:00

I've visited Miss Macbain and seen the extent of her injuries, missing leg, eye, some scarring, it's amazing she survived the crash, then again she had the sample of serum I had given her still, but apparantly the doctors that healed her noticed her healing was slowed. She never did say what caused the crash however, could easily have been an airkraken. The prosthetics are well made however, and do nothing to detract from her appearance. Sadly I had to return to my lab and work, so the visit was unfortunatly cut short, work on a new airship, this one different from the Rama and Oroboros class ships and designed more for combat, I've run into a slight hang up mounting the Big Bertha gun on it's carriage however, as the zepplin was unable to lift off the platform with it, I may have to just settle for smaller weapons.

Footman's Logg; August 16 18XX

2010-08-18T09:57:00.001-07:00

I've noticed my eyesight has appeared to be getting worse, I've had to taken to wearing my work goggles everywhere's again, the benefit at least is the teloscoping vision I suppose, but reguardless....
the discoloration on my hands has me more worried, it resembles gangreen, but there's no pain, I've kept my gloves on now when I leave home
it's been fairly uneventful since the Geistmagorium exploded, the wreckage has been cleaned up, and there is a large empty space on my floor. the portable Device Mr. Slenderman was trapped in is locked away safely, and all is quiet....
So I've started a new project, I still had tissue samples from the dinosaur that was running amok some time ago, I may be able to utilize it.

OOC: moving OOC's to a new blog

2010-08-10T12:58:00.000-07:00

((to clean up my blog here and keep it largely IC, I am moving all my OOC rants and such to 'Footman Unplugged' and will be using that as my general Second Life, non-RP blog...http://footmanunplugged.blogspot.com/))

2010-07-16T15:02:00.000-07:00

I had been preparing to pack up the Geistmagorium for transport to the Harbor Landing labs until a suitable time to return to hat particular project, when just to see if maybe one last shot could contact the engineer I had been hoping for, I reactivated it. I had forgotten the apparant meddling by some others tat I had never rectified, (the SLenderized #13, and the Badger had informed me Nightshade had mucked with the machine as well) It made a sizzling noise, then, rather than the low hum and gradual materialization of a spirit, instead it make a booming noise, and a gate of sorts opened up, the horrors I saw within, sparkling vampires, badly draw moving illustrations shiftng spazmadically, something called 'the Face-books", and tentacled teddybears based off of elder gods. On the one hand it was fascinating, except for the sparkling vampires that is.

Then the shoggoth started crawling through, Shoggoth's I know and can deal with. I quickly shut down the machine, then realized the emergency brake was disconnected! the shoggoth was crawling itself in more, filling up the room, so I did a last didth effort, and tossed one of the explosive devices I had leftover from trying to explode the martian structures last summer, and lobbed it.

Amazingly, there was little damage to the plant, I needed an injection, but no broken bones, the machine though, was in shambles. After picking through the smoking wreckage, I decided there was little to salvage, I'd have to rebuild it eventually, fr now however I have tasked Miss Gizzy and the pengi with cleaning it up and carting it out as I work on other projects, like refining the balm so it does not randomly change genders

Footman's Log, July 12th

2010-07-13T00:04:00.000-07:00

Miss Gizzy has returned from Harbor Landing, I had sent her there shortly after the troubles with 13, both to aid the automotons there in renovating the colony, and for her own safety.
I was fishing at the canals (and finally caught the top to the bikini I had sent to Miss Macbain)

Apparantly she and Miss Anatra had moved Pocket from the field when he found himself trapped in it.
(not entirely sure how that happened, as he seems quite alive)I had breifly worked on Miss Gizzy's new casing, some ceramin/steel composite I had found at Ichor Falls.
It was simple to attach the peices to Miss Gizzy's frame, and soon she was back up and out the door to run errands.
Back to the device, I have worked on a smaller device. It utilizes the same ideas as the larger anti-ectotheric device. Miss Gizzy was not available , so Miss Hermit aided me. I brought out my elemental manipulatory gauntlets and entered the feild, we had to syncronize the frequencies of the devices with tht of Mr. Slenderman,. His was three numbers, I adjusted the dials, the gauntlets diffusing the feld around me, and called out each number as I reached it. She would input it in the portable. I finally called out the final number in the sequence, 11.∞.....
Miss Hermit asked if it was a smudge, I yelled back no, it was eleven, point, figureeight on it's side...11.∞. She set the dial and shortly after, as the hair on my arms was starting to singe from the energy loop between the devices, the indicator lamp came on, SLenderman was in the portable.
I set the controls and finall threw the main switch on the larger device.....and it did nothing.

I stood there confused breifly, then wih a loud bang, it collapsed into peices, spoke coming from the wreckage admidst a series of small explosions.

I left a note to the Badger to clean up the mess tomorrow, and rebuild the crypt

Footman's log, July 9th, 18XX

2010-07-09T20:33:00.001-07:00

Mr. SLenderman has been contained. Mr. Melnik, and Miss's Anatra, Heinrichs and Hermit had gone searching for him, armed with weapons and using Bookworm as bait.
I stayed in the graveyard, making adjustments on the device, when with a silent hiss, Mr. Slenderman materialized above it, reeling in pain, they must have wounded it, forcing it back to the graveyard.
I quickly threw the switch and took a step back as the feild activated. Mr. Slenderman raged behind the arcs of energy, until finally using up the last of his reserves, his shadowy form dissapated. I advised everyone who gathered to leave the graveyard, as the feild was growing, and I was not sure yet what it's effect wold be on the living.
The feild should be enough to contain Mr. SLenderman and any of the remainng spirits, similar to the anti-magic devices of miss Frye's, it disrupts the ecto-theric energy that allows a ghost or spirit to interact in our world. Slenderman would not be able to manifest, rip into any more graves to devour anymore spirits of the dead, or leave.

There was some discussion, Mss Hermit had asked if it was permanent, or if she could return the refugee spirits eventuall, I assured her I would find a way to transport the device without releasing Mr. Slenderman. Or, barring that, if there was a way i could extract him possibly. Eitherway, for now, the cemetary is under quarentine, the Badger has been informed not to intern anymore for now until we can move it out of there.
Miss Hermit dissapeared via smokebomb, Miss Heinrichs returned home to find curtians so she can sleep without being distrubed by the feild's lights.
and I told Mr. Melnik and Miss Anatra to go get a drink at the gangplank on my tab, while I went to go telegraph an order to ichor Falls for some instruments. I have a new project now.

Footman's Log, July 2nd. 18XX

2010-07-02T20:06:00.000-07:00

I have received word that Miss Hermit has preformed what rituals she required to remove certian ghosts and have finished the preperation on the Anti-Ectotheric Containment Device.
It should trap SLenderman inside the graveyard, along with whatever ghosts remain. I need Mr. SLenderman there in the graveyard to activate it first however, as he has had free reign in the city though, that may be tricky...
I may need to lay a trap, lure him back to the cemetary perhaps, or have someone disrupt his energy as he is out, sending him back in time for the activation. eitherway it is a tall order to fill, but the effects should be interesting.

The Geistmagorium is a failure at this point, Once the AEC Device is actvated, I can't risk activating the other machine, as it could cause an aetheric loop, and there is no telling what could happen then. the AEC however, if it works, will be a new direction in my research. Every cloud has a silver lining.

Footman's log, that wich creeps

2010-06-28T23:22:00.001-07:00

I am working on modifying one of Miss Kaylee Frye's anti-magic devices, into an ecto-theric containment device, the purpose, to imprison Mr. SLenderman.
it will take awhile to complete the neccisary adjustments, so until then I am keeping a crate over it. Having discussed it with Miss Heinrichs, who watched me as I assembled it. She had some concerns about the other spirits, but with the SLenderman shadow attacking people, it's too dangerous to wait.
I've also noticed the rash has spread, 3 fingers are now grey and sligtly numb, almost similar to how they used to be before I injected Formula 18 of the Immortalis Serum into my heart...
I have researched in libraries and archives throughout the steamlands to see if it could be the serum wearing off, and learned that I am not the first to attempt such a thing, there was another scientist before, a reanimator, with a knowledge of engineering, occult science, and 4th dimensional way of thinking. he and his family have been lost in the winds. So many details of the serum seem similar, though the zombie plauge was never mentioned. This has made me keen to find this man's notes and learn more, as he seemed to have managed it without reverting to a walking corpse himself.

/back to the regularly schedualed insanity/

2010-06-28T22:22:00.000-07:00

I had been working on my new fihing boat, a 5 turreted ironclad (for catching kraken...) when Mr. Scotti Melnik approached, telling me the SLenderman was back, and active again...I may have to push the timeframe for the anti-ectotheric devices

old livejournal entries

2010-06-28T22:20:00.000-07:00

note: I am moving my old livejournal entries from when I attempted a livejournal and promptly forgot my password, and even the email I used

THE THINGS BUILD
It appears the objects that had crashed into the old church have recently developed into full fleged crab creaures, and now have little ones working on building some sort of structure. I took it upon myself to look into it. The creatures stood silent flanking their project, and watching the smaller ones build reminded me of ants, perhaps they're similar, with the smaller ones acting as the worker caste, and the larger ones as the soldier caste, so they may be much like our insects here on Earth, or they may just be parents and offspring. I made sure I was sufficiently armed, after hearing some accounts of the creatures chasing some and firing. and looked around, the object they are building resembles a metal anthill, with smoke emitting from the top. While i was investigating, I met Mr. Tyler Xigalia, another member of the militia, and we discussed the creatures, eventually coming to the conclusion that whatever they're doing, it can't be good for new babbage. At this point, Miss Scarlet Strazytski, some sort of faery, arrived. now that there wasn't anyone to protest this time, we went to work unpacking our assorted collections of explosives. The creatures seemed inactive, just standing like statues, maybe it was their sleep cycle, or they were replenishing their store of energy, eitherway they weren't very responsive. we tried Mr. Xigalaia's dynamite first, and either it was a dud, ineffective, or both, then I tried a custom made bomb laced with a highly explosive alchemical formula i had developed. It made an impressive explosion, for all the creatures and their spire seemed to care, as none of them were scathed. then Miss Strazytski painted the top with some sort of explosive paint, again, no effect. the other two eventually wandered off. So after standing vigil for a bit longer, I again assigned a pengi to watch, leaving it with plenty of espresso this time and threats of smelting if it doesn't stay awake this time!

I will be working on mounting my cannon on the Oroboros (the large boxy airship at the palisades tower, you can make out one of the motors in the video showcasing the palisades, but not my ship, maybe i should have worked on making it more pretty rather than functional)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v16/grendel/Snapshot_007-2.png

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v16/grendel/Snapshot_006-1.png
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May. 5th, 2009

THINGS FROM THE SKY
There has recently been a crash as two metal objects slammed into the old church near Iron Bay.
I went down to see, and the objects had already attracted quite a crowd. There were still raging flmes, but the ladies Fire Brigade seemed to have it handeled. And so, we tried to open thm, or I id at least, with a hammer, then a chainsaw. someone else was just shooting at them. All my hard work only managed to prodce some metal shavings I then gave to Miss Dagger for her investigation.
My own theories, since it is painfully obvious they are not shells from cannon, is that they could be vessels, possibly martians, or even venusian. Eitherway , whatever is inside probably is not friendly, but my suggestion of detonating them with explosives was shot down fairly quickly. I've retured to the site today to assign some of my crew to watch over the site, and notify me if there is any activity. and discused it again with Miss Gizmo Theas and Morty, who claimed he thinks they are some sort of helmet.

Since last night, the objects appear to have activated some sort of lights, and have roots or tentacles of some sort pushig out of the ground around them.....
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May. 1st, 2009

IRON KRAKEN'S, CALEDONIAN INVASIONS
I have developed a new submersible to aid me in any underwater explorations, Designed after the Giant Squid seen sometimes in the waters , (and it's avian cousin, the air kraken, seen in the skies above new babbage) I call it the Iron Kraken.
I was transporting it to Port, when I saw the Caledon ships. They were hard to miss, as the bright colo9rs they were painted in stood out among the more rusted, dirty, utilitarian appearance of the New Babbage vessels. I brought the Kraken in for a closer look (and to pull any down into the depths if they fired, as thier guns were all pointed at the city). Unmanned, their crews must have been ashore for one reson or another. I finished the tests on the Kraken , giving the auto-maid, Miss Allen, a ride to show off my newest genius, ten had everything shut down as the sub sank like a brick and water started leaking in. Miss Allen apparantly had some experience welding (and a miniature welder built in, I'd love to do a study of her inner workings some day). and after some spot welding, percussional maintenance to the controls, and some curious passers-bye, it was running once again, and we were able to surface so Miss Allen could make it to some clothing store grand opening (I had suggested her maid uniform could use some washing, since she's a civilian now and not a soldier anymore, I sill can't help but wonder what sort of emporer would pick maid uniforms for his soldirs, but we all have our quirks I guess).
I took the Kraken to Breakaway later, finding it navigates the anchorlines strewn beneath the town pretty well, and scared off a school of mer even.
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Apr. 26th, 2009

CHULHU RISING
In the empty lot where Myrtl's bakery once stood, someone has apparantly erected a small shrine to the elder god Cthulhu. I had gone to look around. There were crates stacked in one corner of the lot, with blood smeared on them, apparantly from Miskotonic U., my old alma mater. Looking around, I'm fairly sure they have no knowledge of any crates they may be missing. The statue itself was small, and set on a pedestal, with a small flame in front. While I was examinging the statue, I attracted the attentions of the local urchins, and Dr. Watson, who soon arrived. I originally had started out explaining the Necronomicon and the elder gods to the urchins, wich somehow led to how i had to replace my eyes after trying to decipher the pages with the naked eyes (my poor baby blues, these new eyes, I took them from the body of a hung criminal, and I have to say, not at all impressed, and really they seem to repel the ladies more now, hence why I am always with my goggles. but I digress)
, wich somehow led to how I once replaced my stomach with that of a goat, wich somehow led to a discussion on goat mammaries, wich somehow led to the discussion of Tardises and personal transportation devices, one of the urchins declaring the other mad, and all the urchins eventually scattering while Dr. Watson, feeling suddenly tired, went home. I myself kept suddenly thinking of mermaids and their mammaries I beleive the statue, and whatever is in those crates is already affecting the minds of new Babbage, I just may have to prepare elder signs n the orooros, just in case...

and the original account of the urchins who discovered this latest addition to the city:
http://newbabbage.ning.com/profiles/blogs/creepy-stuff-in-babbage
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Apr. 25th, 2009

AND DEATH RAYS TICKLE
I was out earlier today testing my new boat i built, the canal Rambler, in the Vernian Sea. As I passed by the observatory, I was hit by a strange ray. It overloaded the cogs to my circulation unit, causing the circulation of blood and serum through my body to seize and myself to collapse at the bottom of the boat, it acually tickled. After a minute, the backup system jolted the shoggoth heart in my chest back to life and I was able to pick myself back up, though much weaker without the unit on my back functioning correctly and adding more serum to my veins. I went back to the controls, and brought the boat in to th island, where i saw the infamous Dr. O and his feline manservant at some device. Once i docked, they had mved to the entrance to the observatory, where Miss Wolf and another woman were exiting. My shoulder still stung, but i waved to the doctor and asked him about the device, i could see the potential if mounted on an airship. the poor old man may be senile and come across to others as evil, but he does have some amazing devices at his disposal. After chatting a shor bit, i agreed to return the two ladies to port. alway
s willing to show the womenfolk my genius of course.

a death ray, if i could increase the output a hundredfold and mount it on the oroboros....
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CLOCKWORK MAIDS
About a week ago, while i was at the Babbage Docks, I watched a woman in a soaked maid uniform walking a little stiffly down the wharf.

It seemed she was a clockwork automoton from a lost kingdom, the 'Steam Empire', recently sunk to the bottom of the sea. Apparantly she was part of an elite force of soldiers called Chainsaw maids. Currently she goes by Gizzy. As I talked to her, it turned out she had been in te sea for somr time, and had only recently washed ashore in new Babbage, and of course the seals in her joints have long since ruptured, letting in the sea water, no doubt corroding quite a bit of the gearworks. I offered her the use of my lab and workshop on the Oroboros to repair herself. with the aid of Miss Aya's mechanicle expertise, and my store of spare parts and cogs, she was able to replace much of her more damaged components. as Miss Aya worked on reassembling her body, I talked more with her head. apparantly, the chainsaw maids were first and foremost soldiers, and only servants as a secondary purpose, to a now long dead emperor. I'll admit I asked her many questions about her homeland's culture, along with a detailed study of her cognitive engine. It's amazing that such a machine is powered entirely by being wound. Once she was in one peice again, I offered her a place in the ordor, wich she took without hesitation, apparantly it is in he mechanics to require orders. Of course, after her refurbishing, she seemed slightly more lifelike, and not at all as mechanicle as when I had first met her, wether that is something Miss Aya had accidentally caused in her repairs, or something else, I don' know.
Still, if what she told me about her model is true, and i am sure the blades on her arms can attest, then the order can use a good warrior machine like her.

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Apr. 22nd, 2009

FIRST ENTRY
this is to record my studies, explorations and investigations into the unknown sciences. and i suppose whatever else happens in my day to day life in New Babbage as well i suppose.

for the first ever entry, a little background, I am a practiced surgeon, though I've mostly practiced on myself. a scientist, inventor, and i have a little bit of experience in the occult arts. Lately my research has leaned more towards the marriage of science with the occult, with some interesting results.
I also will admit, i am very much to all appearances, a corpse, I'm not quite dead per say, regular infusions of a serum i developed keeps my organs going, but I have stitched myself back together, and replaced organs so often, i'm not a very pleasant sight.

I am a member of the volunteer militia of New Babbage, as i do have some small military experiance in my days in the war.

On my off time, I also am overseer of the Ordo Absconditus, a society of myself and a few like minded others, who set out to study the darker sciences, and protect New Babbage from threats caused by such. All headquartered in my airship, the Oroboros III (currently crewed by iron penguin constructs I found in the palisades, quite feral at the time)

Footman's Log, Fishing Day

2010-06-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

Today, I took a break from building, or trying to contain the SLenderman, and went to Armada to fish.
the first catch, black bikini bottoms, some poor girl was swimming bare bummed, though it was pointed out, it could have been from a transformed mermaid. As they don't go in aquariums so easily, I mailed it out to Miss Macbain as an apology for crashing last night, if I ever find a top I will send it to her as well.
Things improved since then, a variety of fish (including some multi-eyed mutant), a crab, t-shirt, and some hydroelectric...uh, thing.
I set the fish up in an aquarium at the lab. What brought on this sudden obsession with fishing? who knows, I just did.

logs april-

2010-06-22T17:34:00.002-07:00

I have ordered the pengi to search the city for #13 after Miss Gizzy had told me of the attack, #13 must have had his cogigator unaligned at some point, possibly one of the many times he fell into the canal.

I will have to readjust when he is found.

Meanwhile, the machine has been working, but still no success contacting the engineer I need, I am startng to notice a bit of activity in the graveyard lately however, from both the living and the dead.

And I have finally managed to get my sleep back under control, down to 5 minute spans again, rather than the near coma I had lapsed into for sleep lately. that was much too long to sleep, the things almost reached me then, I could almost feel their webbed hands clinging... regaurdless, 5 minute naps and plenty of coffee seem to do the trick nicely.

13 again:
he stood off to the side of the door listening in, the woman in the Kimono wanted Footman to dissassemble the pengi? this would not do, he still hadn't found a better automoton to possess, one with fingers, that maid had fought a bit too much. As he leaned in more to listen, Footman refused the dissassembling idea, but agreed to trap and examine the pengi. He had to find a new body quick in that case , it might be time to find a flesh and blood body. Footman soon left, citing a trip to Armada, the Hermit woman walked out. 13 followed a bit behind, watching. He watched , crossing between 2 building as she chatted with another woman, The albino was a possibility, she had some knowledge f the spirit world that was troublesome, but could be useful in his work on Footman's machine. 13 picked up a rock, intending to knock her out so he could ransfer to her much easier, humans were always so much trickier to posess than automotons, when his metal flippers started feeling weak, the fire in 13's burner already burning low. He waddled quickly off to search for coal quick.

May 18th;
I had been at the docks, working on my new submersible, when an odd man approached. Apparantly there's a new cult in Babbage.

I happaned to have a new recording device in my cane I had activated just for it's first test.

[15:09] Abaddon6 Flux: hello there

[15:09] Grendel Footman: hello

[15:10] Abaddon6 Flux: may i have a few words sir

[15:10] Abaddon6 Flux: perhaps read a few passages

[15:10] Grendel Footman: about?

[15:10] Abaddon6 Flux: the book of Origin

[15:10] Grendel Footman: who in the what now?

[15:10] Abaddon6 Flux: I am a Prior of the Ori, sent from distant lands to preach the book of Origin

[15:11] Abaddon6 Flux: Those who follow the path of righteousness shall be raised up high

Those who reach enlightenment shall rejoice with the Ori forever

[15:11] Grendel Footman: this isn't anything like the Church of the Builder is it?

[15:11] Abaddon6 Flux: no

[15:11] Abaddon6 Flux: The Ori, unlike other gods, share there knowledge to enlighten you and bring you one step closer to ascension

[15:11] Grendel Footman: I see

[15:11] Abaddon6 Flux: all they ask in return is your belief and devotion

[15:12] Abaddon6 Flux: all thos whom stray from the path, may be given a second chance whilst the believers are hoisted up to the stars upon mighty ships

[15:12] Grendel Footman: I'll keep that in mind then

[15:12] Grendel Footman: mighty ships?

[15:12] Abaddon6 Flux: should you wish to believe, and eventually, ascend to a higher plane of existance, and become one with our gods...we will be in town

[15:12] Abaddon6 Flux: and a demonstration can be made to those whom doubt there powers

[15:12] Grendel Footman: what sort of demostration?

[15:13] Abaddon6 Flux: demonstration of the powers that the Ori have

[15:13] Grendel Footman: slight of hand then

[15:13] Jimmy Branagh is Offline

[15:13] Abaddon6 Flux: off hand?

[15:13] Abaddon6 Flux: The power and the greatness of the Ori cannot be denied

[15:14] Abaddon6 Flux: Make yourself one with the path, and the journey will lead you to eternity."

[15:14] Grendel Footman: I'm sure, and has your group been in town long?

[15:14] Abaddon6 Flux: yesterday i arrived

[15:15] Abaddon6 Flux: as it said in the book of Origin:

[15:15] Abaddon6 Flux: Life and death, light and darkness, hope and despair. The rift was created, and on that day, the Ori were born. But the hatred of those who strayed from the true path festered and bloomed in the dark corners of the Avernakis to which they have been cast! And consumed by this hatred, they poisoned all they touched, bringing death, darkness and despair. And the souls of their victims knew no peace, until the Ori came and whispered to them: 'Sleep, for the end draws near!' And on that day all will rejoice, when the Ori come and lay them low."

[15:15] Grendel Footman: ah, I see

[15:15] Grendel Footman: the Ori you say

[15:15] Abaddon6 Flux: Glorious are the Ori, who lead us to salvation, who did fight the evil that would doom us all to mortal sin. Did they defeat the old spirits and cast them out? And now, with the strength of our will, they do call upon us to prevail against the corruption of all unbelievers

[15:16] Abaddon6 Flux: "Fear not the Ori, fear the darkness that would conceal the knowledge of the universe. Believe in the truth of all things, and you too may find the path to enlightenment."

[15:16] Abaddon6 Flux: the Ori shall bring about a new era

[15:16] Grendel Footman: and where do these Ori come from?

[15:17] Abaddon6 Flux: ask not where the Ori are from, but ask where we were created, and by whom

[15:17] Abaddon6 Flux: they originated from Universes much like our, only more distant

[15:17] Skyler Gant is Offline

[15:17] Grendel Footman: sounds alot like what the Builders say too

[15:17] Abaddon6 Flux: whom is these Builders

[15:18] Grendel Footman: oh, the local church, more shucksters, but they have a small following, and the ear of the mayor

[15:18] Stargirl Macbain is Offline

[15:18] Abaddon6 Flux: have they shared there knowledge and technology

[15:19] Grendel Footman: they usually seem more inclined to excommunicate anyone they can't explain rather than really come up with any science themselves

[15:19] Abaddon6 Flux: have there Priors shown the poweres gifted to them by there gods

[15:20] Grendel Footman: unless an exorbient baldness is a power, I'd assume not

[15:20] Abaddon6 Flux: exactly

[15:20] Abaddon6 Flux: all we ask is that you believe in them

[15:21] Abaddon6 Flux: and should they ask of it, serve in there armies and on there ships

[15:21] Grendel Footman shrugs "builder, Ori, it's all the same to me, it will take a fair amount of convincing for me to beleive in any gods

[15:21] Abaddon6 Flux: or in there labs

[15:21] Abaddon6 Flux: watch

[15:21] Grendel Footman: now labs, I might be interested in seeing

[15:22] Abaddon6 Flux: shall i give a demonstration

[15:22] Grendel Footman shrugs "go ahead

[15:22] Abaddon6 Flux: as i rip out your heart, and replace it with another...

[15:22] Grendel Footman: too late for that

[15:22] Abaddon6 Flux: by the will of the gods, it can be done

[15:22] Grendel Footman: I know, I've done so

*at this point an impressive show of a beam of light emitting from the man into my chest occured, with a heart looking nothing like my own, flew from my chest back along the beam*

[15:23] Grendel Footman looks at the chestplate "it's still there

[15:23] Abaddon6 Flux: it was replaced

[15:23] Abaddon6 Flux: with a newer one

[15:23] Abaddon6 Flux: one better for your system

[15:23] Aizek Tchailenov: Greetings Gentleman

[15:24] Abaddon6 Flux: greetings sir

[15:24] Grendel Footman: I'll have to run some tests, looks like the same shoggoth heart I've had

[15:24] Grendel Footman: greetings

[15:24] Abaddon6 Flux: mhmm

[15:24] Abaddon6 Flux: do so sir...do so

[15:24] Aizek Tchailenov: are you looking for something sir?

[15:25] Abaddon6 Flux: yes

[15:25] Grendel Footman: me? no, I was just using the dock to test a submersible

[15:25] Abaddon6 Flux: people whom would but listen to the word of Origin

[15:25] Aizek Tchailenov: very interesting sir, of the origin of what?

[15:26] Aizek Tchailenov: If I may ask

[15:26] Abaddon6 Flux: let him test his sub

[15:26] Grendel Footman: well, I'll return to my lab, we'll see if it's a different heart, or the same old shoggoth meat I've been using, take care

[15:26] Abaddon6 Flux: is there another place that we may speak

[15:26] Aizek Tchailenov: take care sir

I returned to my lab, and as suspected, the interesting trick of making a heart that looked nothing like my own deformed monster heart fly from my chestpeice while impressive, did little, it's the same old peice of meat in my chest it''s always been. So, another cult comes to Babbage, trying to sway the populace. I will file the recording away for now, and examin the remains of #13 Miss Hermit dragged into my lab.

May 25th;

After patching up Mr. Kuroe's stump and seeing to his transfer to the hospital, and the blood tranfusion to replace lost plasma, (helping myself to a spleen from the morgue for a future project) I returned home to examine and repair #13. I must have fallen asleep on my couch again, (not surprising as the last few days, the sleep pattern I trained myself on had been thrown out of whack) as I found myself back at the hospital, surrounded by many of the ladies of Babbage, in some very breif version of a nurse's uniform, all clinging and congradulating me on some difficult procedure, then the captian of the militia and clockwinder suddenly appearing to promote me to General of the Militia and present me with the key to the city respectively as

Miss Macbain in some burlesque costume replaced the nurses dancing around me....then I noticed they all had pale webbed hands, as they started grabbing at me, figures I had went and let my guard down and they got through.~~I knew it was too good to be true, Miss Macbain would never be quite that...~~.

I fought them off, running down a blackened tunnel, where I heard their croaking behind me. coming close and I was running out of breath before finally reaching the ward and waking up in a cold sweat.

I stepped to the back door breathing heavily, and saw the dark figure flit in the graveyard. At that point, I decided I could really use a drink, and headed to the Gangplank

SLenderman and the Mausoleum;
The fog twirled around the graveyard, the spirits of the dead stayed in their graves, because he was out and about.

he leaped on the roof of the mausoleum and crouched there, behind the symbol of the gear.

A man had been buried here, ages ago, the name on the crypt had been long worn away with age, but the spirit stayed inside still, huddling in the corner. Mr. Slenderman could smell him. As his fingers stretched, wrapping around the mausoleum, pushing their way between the cracks in te brickwork, then, he pulled. The crypt groaned and shuddered as Franks huddled tighter on himself in fear, until with a final crashing sound, the small tomb was pulled apart. Mr. Slenderman leered close to the terrified ghost now, and reaching, he grabbed the spirits shoulders, pulling him closer as a horizontal crack opened up where the shadow's face would be.

Frank's was devoured that night, suffering a sort of second death. Finishing off the last whisps of ectoplasmic energy, Mr. Slenderman stood up, as long tendrils of shadow stretched from his back . Stronger now, he turned, directing his attention at the cemetary gate, he walked towards it, The wards reacted as they often did, with pain, but Mr. Slenderman pushed on, overriding the wards as he managed to step out onto the Babbage cobbles. He stepped forward into the shadows cast by the Mechanix arms and sank into them.

June 10th;
These sightings of the shadowman have gotten worse apparantly, with people spotting him outside the cemetary.

And he apparantly may have tried possessing others as well.

I had shut down the Geistmagorium to see if it possibly will cut off one energy source. And for once it stayed off.

but the sightings had continued. Then the Badger alerted me to the demolished crypt, this was of course the last straw.

After meeting with Miss Anata who had taken to standing watch over the graveyard, and loaning her one of my Etheric Lightning packs, I sent a breif letter to Miss Frye, asking for the loan of one of her anti-magic devices, as with some adjustment, they could possibly be used for disrupting the Ectotheric energy a ghost uses for their form, and to interact with the world of the living. Hopefully this will calm the activity of the graveyard enough to disperse the shadowman for good. Sadly I will have to move my work with the geistmagorium to another location as it's workings would also be disrupted. I haven't had much luck contacting an engineer, though Miss Hermit after last meeting had said she beleived the shadowman was one.

I've also since examined myself after my recent run in with the trolly, he bones seem all healed, with no necrosis, the final test basically of the serum seems a success, but I will not be releasing it to the general public, as my original intention was, as it is still slightly dangerous. I instead developed a balm, using some of the same ingredients as the serum, (with wiggyfish added for flavor) as an all purpose cure all, despite a minor side effect being the temporary status as a female, a quick recall and remixing of the balm seemed to handle it.

SLenderman again:

It awoke in the shadows of the graves, it still needed a more stable body, the previous spirits helped strengthen it, but only for so long before the wards of the cemetary pulled it back, last time was when it approached that man with the sword, the sword somehow managed to sap the last of the energy, dispersing it back to the graveyard.

As it emerged from the shadows, it saw the horned woman, she would suffice.

As to be suspected, the woman ran, and so it gave chase, chasing her down the streets until she suddenly stopped and turned, pulling at the device on her back, she fired some sort of lightning bolt at it, it was easy enough to dodge, as the being moved in close. The second volly it didn;t dodge, as a bolt of lightning sheared through it's form, and once again, it dispersed and awoke again in the graveyard,

it was going to need another snack in that case.

He laid in the grave, biding his time, the spirits he consumed had strengthen him, to where he could force his way through the wards, but the time wa so limited still, and his current form, not suitable for working on the machine,

He had seen a few hosts that would be suitable, the bookworm woman, the odd man with the silver sword, but in the woman's case, he had run out of energy and was pulled back to the graveyard. The man sliced through his manifestation, sending him back, then the demon woman, with the strange weapon, she hit him and again, the ectotheric energy he had aquired had been sapped, sending him back yet again. He had to rethink his strategy, Footman had deactivated the machine, leaving him to resort to feeding off the spirits here for the energy he needed.

but just going after random hosts was just not working. So he laid in the grave, storing up ectotheric energy as he fed and plotted. the albino had not been around, the wards could not hold him any longer, now it was just a matter of biding his time...

13

2010-06-22T17:34:00.001-07:00

The pengi emerged from the canals, brackish water burbled from it's smokestack, clearing out and allowing the smoke from it's miniature furnace to billow out as it waddled past #10 at the door to the plant and 'warked' in greeting. 10 nodded and continued on it's guard duties, slightly wondering why 13 was entering as they had all agreed the pengi tribe would only enter the plant as long as that machine was there, in an emergency.
Even the Boss's attempts to make deals could not get the pengi to go near it. and 13 just waddled in.
Then 10 saw a well dressed man in some sort of fancy suit pass by and forgot all about 13 as it followed, pulling out a blackjack to mug him and hoping this one actually had fish on him this time.

#13 waddled with a clanking sound past the waiting room while Grendel slept on the couch. 13 had made sure there was enough sleep powder in his tea this time to keep him out longer than the 5 minutes he had been traning himself on. so this time should not be interrupted. As 13 approached the machine, the cognigator started to panic and tried to regain control of the iron body, but he reinforced his control, it was getting harder daily, but a better body had not shown itself. He had found out about this machine, the experiments, and the supply of readily available, (if somewhat artificial) bodies through others in the graveyard, primarily the boy who had caused some trouble in the plant, and seemed to be what caused the creation o the machine, that medium in Footman's employ seemed to had done away with the boy somehow, as he had not returned in some time. then there were the few who had taken turns possessing the neighbor,
All to waste their time drinking and playing dress up, and of course jeapordized everything as they got that Somerset's attention, and that albino, the man sealed up the graveyard, so that none of them could leave easily, unless through the machine, fortunatly he had taken one of the automoton workers before then, noone would notice one of the ugly metal creatures acting odd, they already do act odd from what he could see.
Since he had taken 13, he had turned the machine on regularly, allowing others to come across as he worked, It was time consuming, but he felt he was very close to reaching her, some more modifications to the machine would be needed, but it was difficult with iron flippers to do very much, he couldn't for the life of him visualize how these things could be so dexterious with knives and guns. He would need fingers for the fine tuning.
He'd prefer another automoton, but the metal girl who seemed to work for Footman had not been around the plant much lately, there were parts in the laboratory, he could cobble hands together...if he had fingers. 13 sighed, it might be time to try a flesh and blood body, if idiots like Mac could manage, surely he could do better. 13 looked at the sleeping Footman, that one so far wasn't an option, his mind crisscrossed itself and spiraled into odd directions so often, anyone else with a mind like that would possibly be commited, he doubted he could keep control for very long, or worse, be trapped in the man's mind forever.
He's have to look around, it would be harder to control, but there were plenty of flesh and blood bodies in this city, For now, 13 flicked the machine on and set to work,

Footman's Log Mar. 2nd

2010-06-22T17:33:00.000-07:00

As the deliveries to and from Footman Industries increase, I have had the pengi's build a landing area on the roof for embarking airships, as it's much more efficient than transporting heavy machinery to and from the tower at Palisades, or Wheatstone.

As they were working on the construction, I was making adjustment's on the Giestmagorium, Somerset knocked on my door, apparantly wanting me to shut it off as he believed miss Bookworm was being possessed. I honestly can't even keep it shut off for long, and still have not had success contacting the spirit of an old empire engineer, so I informed him it simply wasn't possible, then he wanted to ward the cemetary, closing off the main connection I currently had. I finally agreed to his idea of restricting the activity to my property, and shut the door on his face as I heard a crash. The skull on my bookcase had fallen off, after apparantly moving a good three inches to the edge.. I heard giggling as I almost gave Somerset's request a second thought, then disreguarded it and set back to work.

Sadly this contact had only managed to be an old woman, who apparantly died working a textile mill not too far from here. She didn't seem more confused than anything, asking if it was her turn yet or something before fading back to the spirit realm. I'm starting to lose faith in this project, as I have yet to contact an engineer,
and all I seem to be accomplishing is increasing the spirit activity, there's not a night now that somethng isn't flung across the lab, or shapes can be seen wandering around. Somerset's mention of the woman's possession is interesting though.
I've currently taken to large amounts of coffee and other perscriptions to stave off sleep and try to return to the sleep pattern I used to have, meaning no sleep, as they seem to be getting closer now everytime I take five minutes rest. I've even started seeing them in the waking world, though it's hard to say if it's them, or the spirits I see in the lab, I am sure I saw one peeking in the window at the Gangplank however,

I've put the steamjack project on hiatus for now as well, while I finish the citywork clank (based on Mr. Streeter's designs). It's fairly large, and should make construction much easier.

Footman's Log Feb 25th. 18XX

2010-06-22T17:32:00.000-07:00

I had returned from a late dinner at the gangplank, more bacon sandwiches, and stopped by the town hall to check the archives about possible diagrams of the sewers, only to find every door locked, with some proclimation nailed to them with daggers, the militant arm of the church of the builder. Figures those religious types would finally start to interfere with the workings of the state. I had heard troubling talk of many residents finding theirdoors locked, and nailed with similar proclimations, Morningtons, the clockhaven aquarium,
It hadn't happened yet to Footman Industries yet at least, maybe the pengi intimidate them, ormaybe they just aprove of some of my moe unorthidox research. Eitherway I'm fairly glad the preists hadnt tried anything similar.

I returned home, and let myself in the front door, instantly noticing something was amiss.
Yes, the Giest Machine was on, but I'm always finding it on, no, this was something much darker....
My upholstered chairs....they were Missing!!

Of course too there was the fact my jars where I had been keeping spare body parts were all smashed as well, but more importantly...MY CHAIRS!!!!!!

Oh, and not too much progress with the steamjack armor im afraid, but the larger battery is almost complete, now I just need a more larger creature magical in nature to insert into it.

but for now, I need rest, I have #13 ready to wake me in 4.5 minutes.

Footman's Log Feb 23rd. 18XX

2010-06-22T17:31:00.000-07:00

I had been working more on the prototype for the steamjack armor, attempting to integrate one of the smaller pixy sized fey batteries to power it (sadly they just don't provide enough power). I had taken 5 minutes of rest in the lab, and had been awoken again by Miss Gizzy, as I had asked her to wake me.

I disconnected the battery before the power drain could wipe out the sprite inside, and felt hungry.
I decided it was time for lunch, and accompanied by Miss Gizzy, went to the Gangplank for some bacon sandwiches. I had stopped at Miss Macbain to ask if she wanted to join us, but noone seemed to be home, so I continued and met Miss Gizzy there. As I ate and discussed the current spirit behavior centered around the machine, making sure Gizzy was not the one activating it, two diminutive ladies entered. I had taken them for urchins at first, but their faces were more adult. They were apparantly sisters, and as they commented on how high the stools were, I had taken them as relatives of the clokcwinder at first. They denied it, claiming they were irish and knew of no clockwinders in their family (I have to admit i'm not sure what Tenk's nationality is). They seemed to think Miss Gizzy might have been old Empire technolog, I have to say the thought had never crossed my mind, I never thought the old empire, and the empire Gizzy mentioned as originating from could be one and the same, it would explain how she ended up at the bottom of the Vernian afterall.
They claimed both were looking for work, I did mention possibly having some work in the lab, but then they had left as quick as they had come in, without either a yeay, or nay about it.
At this point, finding myself alone as Miss Gizzy had to leave suddenly remembering she was supposed to pick up a shipment for me from the train station, I sat back and finished my lunch. Why do I always seem to meet strange shor women in odd places?

When I was returning to the plant, I thought I saw a woman in the cemetary, but when i approached, she ran dissappeared, alright, maybe not dissappeared as much as ran off, but it was foggy and I didn't have my goggles on that night, and with the odd occurances lately would not put it past odd pale women standing in the graveyard.

Footman't Log, Feb 19th 18XX

2010-06-22T17:30:00.001-07:00

After the unfortunate fire at Miss Writer's cafe (I swear I saw the shadowscribler duck in!) and the failed assault on the Lord Smashington near Oldbridge, I returned the steamjack armor for repairs and modifications ((the unscripted avi will be available near the pile of crates by the end of today, I still am working out how to make them compatable for combat for tose with a more combative leaning))
as usualy I returned to find the machine on, and all devices and machines active actually, so after deactiviating the unneeded ones, and again, shutting off the giest machine, I noticed the floor of the plant.
caked with oil and blood from past experiments. I ordered the pengi to pull up all the flagstones, they gave me an odd look, and were wary around the giest machine, but they did as I asked.
Now that the ground has thawed, I will have a new floor put in, until then, the bare cobbles of the city work just as well

((I pulled up the floor at the plant, mostly to rework it as it was kind of hurredly placed when I realized the snow textures outside, were the same as inside))

I also have continued my work in the batteries again, as the giest machine still has failed to contact an empire engineer, so I still could not find out more of the cloud angels.
I am working on a larger chamber, as larger vaireties of the fey type creatures should theoretically produce more power, as well a last a bit longer.
Miss Gizzy threw my smaller models into the canals when she thought I wasn't looking, she is becoming even more free willed, wich is both a good thing, and a bit of an annoyance. I just wish I could get her sisters to that point, or even to where thy have intelligence would be enough.

I need to rest now, I have set #13 to wake me if I do not rize after 5 minutes, If I break down my sleeping pattern to 5 minute incriments inbetween periods of an hour or two, it should allow enough sleep, but not enough so that they will reach me

Footman's Log, Feb. 17th, 18XX

2010-06-22T17:29:00.002-07:00

I had been approached today by a woman, Cynster Clowes, on behalf of her 'client'. Peter Warwillow. She had contacted me as I was catching 10 minures of rest in the laboratory. Apparantly the man had an odd growth in hs head, rooted in the brain and protruding. She had told me the doctors they had approached previously refused to do anything, and so they had traveled to Babbage in search of a surgeon with experience in brains. Somehow they had found my name. The woman wanted me to excise the part of the brain infected by the growth, and replace it with a mechanical device she was developing. I examined Mr. Warwillow, the growth in question was not bone, but appeared to be excess skin, forming an abcess in the skull.
I assured both I could preform the needed surgery if she had her device ready by then, Mr. Warwillow would only have a few months left otherwise, it already appeared to be effecting his speach and cognitive functions.
They had left with Miss Clowes promising she would contact me once the device is complete so that we may schedual a date for the operation. I'm actually fairly looking forward to it I must admit, I haven't preformed a serious surgery in months. I declined to mention how I am still getting used to the need for sleep, I'm sure it will work out fine.

Work on the steamjack armor continues, I have moved the project to the community stockyards, as there are no voices there. and I am finding it much easier to work. I did catch myself falling asleep last night however. They almost got me, and I saw the tree was with them this time. Fortunatly # 13 woke me up, he had found me slumped over the main chassy in the middle of the stockyard. I had forgotten how cold weather effects the body and have contracted a slight cold it seems. Miss Gizzy has returned, but won't say where she has been. She has taken to sitting out in the graveyard, feeding the finches...wich is odd seing how they too are clockwork. I may have to examine her cognigator t see if there is still a malfunction, right now however, with the machine activating itself, and my discussion with Miss Darkfold, I'm considering asking Miss Macbain to let Gizzy stay over at her place for now.
work on the machine contnues in the meantime, but no success contacting anyone useful, and from the cryptic way spirits communicate, am beginning to wonder if I'd learn anything even if I did find a scientist or engineer of the old empire.
I am still receiving comments on my eyes, they should have healed by now, and it is not a failure of the serum either, I can see just fine, but the comments and questons about my health are annoying, I may have to take to wearing goggles everywhere's again.

In the meantime, I may feild test the armor later, perhaps I can use it to find this anarchist everyone's been talking about, I could use some practice before the operation I suppose.

Footman's Log Feb 14th. 18XX

2010-06-22T17:29:00.001-07:00

The sudden need of sleep is starting to bother me, I caught 20 minutes today on the table in the lab/clinic.
it's the safest place right now, and still the whole time, I saw them pawing at the edges of my sleep.
Miss Macbain and Tenk had commented on my eyes, but I told them it was simply lack of sleep. I didn't bother to mention I received acidic fumes to the face when the mechanized armor I had been working on misfired. it should have healed itself by now, I'll give myself an injection later.

The voices have been getting louder at time, and I'm sure I've seen someone dancing in the cemetary one night, I keep finding the machine activated when I'm not there, and so far my attempts at contacting one of the old empire's engineer's has failed, I've mostly gotten contact with mill workers and one sad urchin spirit.
I'm considering shelving the project and packing away the machine, its constant self activation is leaving me worried, the pengi won't enter the plant anymore, and Miss Gizzy has completely dissappeared.

But enough bad news, The Steamjack Armor is in it's first trials, and was a semi success. The shoulder mounted cannons worked fine, but there's still some flaws
in the movment and armor plating. I'm hoping to complete it soon, and
present it to the militia. The Ladies Fire Brigade might find use for them too, they are of a heat resistant design afterall.

ALICE still needs me to build her a body, but her conversations, she is a chatterbox.

It is late, I wasted too much time in the bar talking with people, Star and Miss Frye mostly.
I should get another 30 minutes rest, too long and they might come through..

sleep

2010-06-22T17:27:00.000-07:00

I've had some difficulties with my work lately, My apparent newfound need for sleep, is leaving me exposed to certian types I've long managed to avoid, back when I could do without sleep. I've been drinking plenty of coffee and doing what I can to stave it off and stay awake, and far away from their amphibious paws.
Unfortunatly, my work is beginning to suffer for it, one f the new automotons I had been working on, I neglected to tighten a bolt, and her body spectacularly exploded, so she is now back to a somewhat chatty head on my worktable. I might have to give in and sleep, I'll just have t make sure to erect the right formula to keep them at bay.

I've also noticed, the new machine, I keep finding it running, It has been draining much of the power from the plant, I only intended it to be activated at certian times for research, as it is such a drain. I returned from Innsmouth to find it had been running all day. Miss Gizzy swears she doesn't touch it, and I'm sure she doesn't know what levers to pull anyway, And I know Miss Macbain wouldn't know how to activate it, besides, she's been too busy apparantly flirting with Dayafter. She lacks the knowledge to do so also. Maby Miss Darkfold has, I'll have to ask. otherwise, the pengi's are the only one's left, and te generally don't show much interest in anything other than coal, fish, liquor, or violence.
It's constant running has also been a problem in other areas, the machine was built to make it easier for the spirits of the dead to communicate in this world, when it's been running unattended for so long, there's no telling what could have come through. I have already been finding my tools tossed around, my couch upturned, and my dinosaur egg smashed, as well as have been hearing voices.

I was iceskating last week, as usual, my skill on theice stops at, well, stopping, as I sped quite amiably into walls, there was a reason I was always goaly on the team in school. Meanwhile i watch Dayafter skate all over with Star like they were in some sort of figureskating contest, he's certiantly enough of a ponce for that.
I'm looking forward to the spring thaw.

Miss Gizzy has also been acting odd, often taking off and ignoring tasks I assign her too, I'm not sure if there is still something damaged from the fire, or if it's just a mechanical version of adolescence.

meanwhile Miss Lisa, anytime I activate her, she just dances and repeatedly tells me not to feed the pengi, wich has agitated them to no end, I finally deactivated her, dissassembled her, and packed her away in crates until i can work out what the problem is.

Mr. Nightshade's formula, I'm at a loss how to complete it, possibly from lack of sleep. though he has said he's had some progress at least.

I'm honestly half tempted at this rate to pack up everything, lock down the plant, and just go back to Antartica permanently, wih all these setbacks and dificulties I've been running into, on top of it all, I keep finding people in the cemetary trying to dig it up, and they're not even in my employ!

visiting Innsmouth

2010-06-22T17:25:00.000-07:00

I had gone for a breif tour onf Innsmouth with my lab assistant, Miss Darkfold, having visited her somewha disrepaired family manor, we took a walk, coming across the occasional local, who seemed a bit froglike..

As we walked, we saw something in the distance...

Miss Darkfold suggested Dagon, but it resembled Cthulhu more to me

Fotunatly it also seemed almost completely petrified. as it was still as stone...

A History of the Antartic Colonies

2010-06-22T17:24:00.000-07:00

Antartica, according to surviving records, was first discovered in th
days of the old Empire. After the fall of the Empire and forming of
the city-states. Tobias Footman, a scientist and industrialist of
Babbage and founder of Footman Industries, funded the first of the
Antartic colonies, Harbor Landing. It's main export, (it's only
actual export) was seal blubber back in the early days, since then
it has expanded to canned colossal squid (a possible cousin to the
Air Kraken of New Babbage), and blue whales, for thier blubber and
oil. (much more there than on a seal). The early days were harsh,
with the colonists laregly living off the seals and penguins. Most
bulding supplies were imported in, or the hulls of some of the ships
were used to build te settlement.
After the first year, Tobias moved his estate to the colony, and
with it, brought some technological advances, larger nets, allowing
for the capture of the colossal squid and blues, clockwork krill
harvesters, cannery equipment, team heated greenhouses allowing for the growing
of crops, and steam tunnels to heat the colony
(wich coincidenally has caused the whole colony to gradually sink
deeper into the ice every year)
Since those days, other colonies, funded by Footman Industries have
formed. but Harbor landing remained the largest.
It was Tobias's son, Jebidiah, that formed the
"Antartic Colonial Collective", looely governed group of the colonies owned by
Footman Industries. Shortly thereafter forming the First Antartic Navy
(consisting of a total of 3 ironclads, and 10 submersibles).
By this time, most transportation was still by sea, as the winds in
Antartica can be treacherous to any airships much of the time, only
certian windows of tme when the weather allows is air travel possible.

many of the files on the colonies were lost , so there is a large gap in
the history of the colonies, up to the last few decades.

Dr. Phineas Footman the 4th soon became chairman of Footman Industries,
expanding it's research into medical sciences with his wife, Eliza, and their
son Grendel. During this time, Ruins had been found under the ice at the nearby
Byrd's Land colony. Colonists began excavating the ancient ruins.
All contact with Byrd's Land ceased on night, repair automotons sent out
to check the telegraph lines found the colony totally deserted.
Soon the other colonies began to dissapear, becoming empty ghost towns
until Harbor Landing was all that was left. Superstition began to cause
the Harbor Landing colonists to begin to leave, until there was
only a handful left. Footman Industries began production of automotons to
help with the workload, and now Harbor Landing is primarily populated by
automotons. Much of the navy mothballed, and the Footman Estate now used primarily
to house the stills for the Immortalis Serum.

Footman's Log Jan 30th. 18XX

2010-06-22T17:23:00.000-07:00

I had returned to the plant, to find a small group in back near the cemetary, Gizzy, Sekhmet, Miss Buccaneer, Miss Darkfold, and even Tenk had shown up, before I could really get what the gathering was all about, an odd automoton arrived.

It was bulky, and the head little more than a block with a single spotlight/eye.
it looked like it was about to attack, but then screetched out a sound aproximating 'Materials'
I tried offering it the automoton parts I keep in storage, but i ran into the plant, and started to pull apart one of the generators. I fired my pistol at it, as Tenk hit it with his wrench, but it took Miss Darkfold's....um....tentacles....to hold it in place.
It continued to make it's noises as I opened it's head to see who had made it, and talking to Miss Darkfold of the apparant haunting fo the plant as I worked. I spotted a maker's mark, a Mr. 'Chess Clowe' who I may remember having met in passing. At ths point we were deciding what to do with it, when it's head fell off...and it ran away.

An odd night, but it then got odder. Miss Darkfold insisted on activating the machine and summoning the spirit she had been sensing. After she showed me a portrait of herself, that aged before my eyes, I agreed and we got to work. As she recited some rite, no doubt one mediums also use, I adjusted the controls on the machine, redirecting all the power from the generators to the machine, as the symbols on the copper plate glowed, Miss Darkfold's words became louder, until I could see a transparent form appear. it looked like a small child, as we heard the sound of crying from all around us. The spirit then rushed Miss Darkfold, interrupting her rite and knockng her over. I immediatly came to her side of the device to assist, but she claimed to be alright, and that the only way for an infant spirit to move on the the land of the dead was to 'be reborn, raised, and then when at the right age, sent to where it belongs' wich apparantly somehow meant she was now pregnant with the thing.
She asked if she could keep a crib in the plant, I have to admit babies disturb me, ever since I saw those demon cannable babies n the Amazon. I had told her so, then she mentioned lettng Underby or those rediculous preists take care of it, and I conceded, offering the airship over the plant, as I'm sure Miss Gizzy would not mind. This seemed to placate the squid woman, and she went off to build a crib.
So all in all much stranger than I expected, and I am beginning to question Keithen's mental state after that, but still, it proved the machine worked, now my next step is to contact a scientist of the old empire if possible.

Footman's Log Jan 27th. 18XX

2010-06-22T17:21:00.000-07:00

I have worked on a machine to communicate with the dead, specifically the ones in the cemetary between the plant and Mechanix Arms. The Giestmagorium, based on discussions with Miss Darkfold, as she wishes to study spirits more, I have offered her access to the lab and any equiptment I have in her studies, the machine came about as we discussed odd occurances in the lab, items moving on their own, voices, I've heard them myself ever since the cemetary was dscovered but was busy with the serum at the time. The macine itself utilizes power from the Eel generators, rerouted trough a large copper plate etched with one of the symbols from the Necronomicon, basically. Miss Darkfold has some techniques she will be using as well, one of wich is to prevent possession by the spirits, using portriats of those involved.
She seems to feel it is a very real threat, especially with automotons like Miss Gizzy, who supposedly do not have 'souls' (I personally beleive souls are nonsense, only another word for one's consiousness, but I'm not about to argue against another's beliefs)

I would have also hired a medium, but the only one I know of in the city s apparantly deceased herself, fairly homely spinster actually, and had been in league with that charlatan Underby, who I'd rather not be involved with anyway, as some of my work is highly sensitive, plus there's the work with Mr. Sixpence's formula.

Meanwhile, my work with the automotons continues, Automoton 1 has some rather interesting conversations as I fit her with a body, while 11...dances.....vapidly. As for the construction clank; I have decided against a cognigator, as I could see it turning out like 11, and dancing....vapidly....destroying the city under it's bulk in the meantime. Or at best, become self aware and decide it would really prefer floral arrangements to bricklaying, plus I just remember the initial activation using the punch cards that turned out to be from a prostitution model automoton and shudder.
What I will be doing instead, is usuing a more simple cognigator, aided by a humanoid operator, wich means gutting the thing and putting in a seat and controls.

and as usual, all these projects is using a constant source of power, I'm contemplating adding another floor of electric eels to the facility until I can develop a more suitable source of power.

Footman's Log Jan 25th. 18XX

2010-06-22T17:20:00.000-07:00

I have been working n the lab, as well as developing the device for opening channels to the spirits with Miss Darkfold, I have been working on automotons, trying to replicate the tecnology in Miss Gizzy's cognigator, My first new automoton, Miss Lisa, so far.....well she dances, and appears to be stuck in a loop, more work will need to be done.
There is also the other on the worktable, right now unfinished, yet actiive, I am calling her automoton 1 for now.
she can hold a conversation, but it often goes into very abstract directions and she often seems to get confused. I had built the head first, where she informed Miss Macbain and I she was a female and was apparantly convinced she was wearing a dress.

All in all neither has quite the independance or personality of Miss Gizzy yet.

((basically playing with the idea of bots, and no, there won't suddenly be a ton of bots wandering babbage, it just me playing around out of curiosity lol, automoton one is in the lab, if you want to try her, just click her head and say hello
))

Footman's log, Jan 24th, 18XX

2010-06-22T17:19:00.002-07:00

Miss Darkfold and I were discussing things in the lab earlier, aside from the usual comments I've been getting about my appearance for some reason, she had also mentioned her interest in studying spirits. I have preformed similar research, so offered her the laboratory's resources for her disposal. She also mentioned, a feeling, something with the recently rediscovered cemetary I had reopened. Miss Darkfold claims the spirits are being drawn to the plant, possibly from a combination of the electricity the generators give off, and the close proximity of the mythos symbol burned into the floor of the lab, both operating as a sort of circuit or conduit for the spirits of the dead to affect the land of the living. I'll admit I've noticed some items moved from were set them and the occasional voices heard, so she may be on to something.

If a device could be built, similar to the reaction occuring with the generators and symbol, and more controllable. perhaps we could communicate, some of those graves date to the old empire, imagine what we could learn.

As we were talking, Pizzarro opened the door, He had been evesdroppng for awhile but I had sad nothing. He tutted around, made some small talk before hurredly leaving so am not sure how much he heard.

I sadly missed the airship race, I had planned on fling the Oroboros II, but other issues took me away from the race, I fortunatl was able to return for the ball at palisades. I danced with Miss Macbain, and quite honestly enjoyed myself, I'm finding I enjoy her company more and more.
We talked while dancing, I told her of yet another future project and she let me know, those
preists had visited....and had given her thinly veiled threats to burn her.
hearing this made me angry, wich have to say I have not felt anger for a matter of year, annoyance yes, never anger. I offered to have a talk with Pizzarro and Moonwell, tell them in no uncertian terms to leave her alone. but Star sad no, I still intend to have a talking t with both those charlatans Priests. I've also ordered the pengi not to allow either one in, to kill if needed.
I don't take kindly to threats against those close to me.

Footman's Log, January 22, 18XX

2010-06-22T17:19:00.001-07:00

I had been in Palisades today, taking a break from overseeing the work at the plant, and decided to stop in at Miss Macbain's to see how she was feeling.
he claimed to be feeling fine aside from the cough (wich seems to be a matter of state now), but then mentioned an incident that made her heart panic. I asked her what had happened, but all she would tell me was she had some visitors that upset her. Knowing Miss Macbain I didn't press much aside from telling her to let me know when there's trouble, and i will help the best I can, then when i was sure she was alright for now, took my leave. Saying Hello to Pip on my way out who was strangely standing on her upper window terrace lurking.

Once i returned to the plant, I assigned #'s 5 and 9 to 'stake out' her home, stay out of sight, and alert me if there is trouble such as Underby's hench-thug.

After that, I sat in the couch in front of the furnace to have some cheese, as Sixpence entered the plant. he seemed to guess the serum had been a success, and asked what my other plans are, I told him the basics for some of my future plans, such as the construction clank (as i've studied Miss Gizzy enough to beleive I can reverse engineer her cognigator now), the vegetables, and of course my research into 'other' power sources.
He then seemed thoughtful, and offered to show me something.

We went to his lab in Clockhaven, where he showed me an alchemical formula in the floor, apparantly meant to boost physical and mental attributes. But he claimed it was missing something. I of course offered to help with it, so then tacked another project in my notes.
we had then talked more on m research in 'alternate' sources of power. I brought up how fairies don't seem strong enough to fare in this city well, I needed something stronger than a few pixies imported from other lands. I had mentioned sme f my early research in the occult, summoning demons, and how it burned half the Antartic colony last time attempted as much,
Sixpence agreed demons were too dangerous, jokingly offering Underby as a substitute in a battery, but as I returned home, I have to admit my mind calculated the power required to burn down a half mile of colony.

new construction

2010-06-22T17:18:00.001-07:00

The Pengi have finished work on the new lab and clinic, it's now located on a loft over a sittng area. I've also had a furnace added to the facility, as ever since I awoke on the Rama, I've been feeling the cold more than I have in years strangely enough. the stovepipe goes up through the loft, to heat upstairs as well. and of course the construction of the walls is brick this time.
Miss Gizzy seems none the worse for wear, I'm honestly glad she was able to find someone able to do the needed repairs when I was unavailable. I still have to see about having a new casing cast for her, though she seems to have adjusted to her metal exposed fairly well.

My health seems to have improved greatly, I can now breathe without aid of a rebreather, the damage to my lungs seeming to have healed, I've also noticed much of the scar tissue seems to have healed as well. Apparantly the serum does not regrow lost organs however, so I will still require the shoggoth heart, as an examination shows no new heart growing, but that was expected, the serum is only to heal, nt to regenerate what isn't there afterall.
Fortunatly one of my larger concerns, rejection of many of my own surgeries, seems to have been in vain, as everything else appears to be working just as it should.

I've also admidst the new construction, while watching the pengi hang the bunting up around the plant for founder's week, looked over my upcoming schedual, now that the serum finally appears to be perfected, the formula has been sent to the Harbor Landing colony for production, as I can finally use it to heal patients rather than have to hope for whatever surgeries to take on their own. Gizzy told me Miss Macbain had been under the impression I wished to sell it, the thought had crossed my mind once, but the serum being what it is, it is something that need be strictly controlled, for now I will just use it in my clinic, for the patients too far gone for simple surgery to save.

but for now, now that the serum has finally been perfected, and my health is much better, I can move my attentions to other projects, such as the construction clank, my research into the old quarter, and the fey battery and generator project. I may have to expand the facility

Footman's log, Janurary 15th, 18XX

2010-06-22T17:16:00.002-07:00

I awoke on the guestbed on board the Rama, Miss Gizzy was hovering over me with a bowl of wiggyfish chowder, she looked a little different, she was lacking the somewhat cracked casing she usually has, and I could now see the gears and sprockets spinning in between the metal plates that were left.
I asked her what had happened, as my last memory was of injecting myself with the new formula, then blacking out. Apparantly I had keeled over and knocked a lantern down, Miss Gizzy dragged me out, and was able to save my research, and call the fire brigade even, but at some major damage to herself apparantly, much of it repaired by Victor after Mr. Lionheart caused her cognigator to deactivate. She told me the laboratory had burned down, but the Ladies Fire Brigade had managed to save the rest of the plant. I had gotten up to make my way down to assess the damage, when I realized my rebreather was off, I could breathe much more easily...I had also noticed the pain in my leg was gone, apparantly the new serum worked. Gizzy said something about my skin as well, but I only half heard her as i hurried to the transport to the ground.

The lab was a smouldering pile, I sifted for a bit through the charred rafters for anything salvageable.
It had all been burnt sadly, but at least Gizzy was able to save my research. I quickly called the pengi's to me, apparantly they were glad to see I wasn't yet dead, and quickly went to work on my orders, clearing away the burnt wreckage, and erecting a barrier to patch the hole in the plant.
I supervised for a bit, as I made sketches as to how the labs would be rebuilt, then wish I still had a chair to sit on. It would take a few days of work no doubt, and the cost for supplies would make my accountant go into a tizzy, but once complete, we can resume the tests, and soon go into full production.

one good note, the pengi had found an urchin, apparantly dead from the tram hitting him, and must have been in a snowbank for a good day or so, since the lab was gone for now, and I had been wanting to test this serum on a fully dead body, we went with a field test. The boy had almost immediatly sprung up wih a shreik, seemed confused where he was for a second, moaning something sounding like 'damn trams' and shuffled off to clockhaven.

Footman's Log, Jan 9th, 18XX

2010-06-22T17:16:00.001-07:00

Tonight's experiment appears to be a success! My new asssitant Miss Darkfold, and a visiting Mr. Sixpence had witnessed my brilliance.
I had blended a new formula, utilizing the original serum, and a recreated batch of Dayafter's vaccine after I analyzed it, but had been worried as the new formula was causing the subjects to...explode...
It was after the discovery of a similar project, and retreival of the formula from that other experiment, that seemed to be the missing element. As the new serum, with the addition of the other mixture, when injected into the head I had prepared, seemed to fully bring it back, as the eyes looked at me, and the mouth formed words, not only that, but the decreption in the flesh seemed to heal.
Of course the head soon died having no circulatory system, oxygen supply, or body, but it was alive and self aware for the short time. I felt more confident on the upcoming experiment.

Mr. Sixpence, I had asked to take Miss Gizzy's role manning a vaccine gun in case things got out of hand.
he had arrived, with Miss Darkfold shortly after.
I had prepared the lab already when Miss Macbain arrived and laid on the table. I strapped her in only as added precaution to prevent another outbreak of the zombie plauge. and after offering he the chance to back out one more time, injected her with the poison first.
It had taken about 5 minutes for the poison to take efect, as her speach slurred, she evntually closed her eyes and fell silent. I checked for a pulse finding only a very slight pulse, she was near death, as was planned, we were recreating the conditions that had lead to my own injection, near death was nessicary, I would try for bringing back someone fully dead later on a fresh corpse. Miss Darkfold kept singing to herself and looking out the window during this phase, she says it was only a childhood song, but I have my suspicions, considering her nature..

Once I was sure Star was practically dead, I then injected her with the serum...

It took a minute, I was afraid it had failed completely at first as I hadn't heard any improvement in her heartbeat, in fact it sounded as if it stilled at first. Then it started up again, much like starting up a motor, as Miss Macbain awoke, and screamed.
I had told her, while the poison was painless...that first shock from the serum is agonizing...sadly there wasn't much way I could make it easier for her, but at least I could warn her.

Her scream subsided, and after muttering 'frag', I took it as a sign of her coherency. She said she felt sick, wich was to be expected, it's a common side effect of the serum and should pass, pluss she still had the poison in her system. She was brought water, at wich point she worried me as she seemed to become delirious. I myself had been delerios after my first procedure, but that had passed after a bit, her's seemed t stay. I suspect it was the poison still in her system. I was going to try a vomiting agent, but Miss Darkfold seemed to have an interesting medicine, that mostly seemed to help, but would take 7 hours she had told me.

Mr. Sixpence had left at that point, promising to check on Miss Macbain, as Miss Darkfold and I brought her to the sfa downstairs to rest...and after a few moment's consideration and concern for my sofa, I brought a bucket. Star soon fell asleep.

We will keep her under observation over the weekend, Miss Darkfold had already offered to watch her tonight, and Miss Gizzy should be returning, and has instructions to watch her as well, bring her water, food, all that. After the weekend, i will examine her to see how her health is, and run some tests. but for all intents and purposes, I think I've finally suceeded...wich raises some interesting questions on my own condition, and it's curability...

Eitherway, I am a genius!

Footman's Log, Jan 6th 18XX

2010-06-22T17:15:00.001-07:00

I had gone to see the body found at the old theatre (and no, it was not to take it). and as I was returning to follow up on something I saw there, I ran into Mr. Sixpence, and as we chatted, were suddenly attacked by some sort of flying automoton. As we fought it off, two more arrived and tried repeatedly bashing themselves into the side of the plant. I pulled my revolver and fired on them as Sixpence released his electrical spell, and we must have hit a volatile component on hem, as they then exploded.

After making sure there was no damage to myself, sixpence, the pengi, or the plant, I continued investigating.

without going into too much details, I think I may have found what is missing from my own work, and have taken notes, hopefully this discovery will spell sucess on friday

Footmans Logg, Dec ?? 188X

2010-06-22T17:14:00.001-07:00

I had lost track of time during this latest test, Miss Macbain had been showing some concern about the upcoming experiment, about the pain the poison she will be injected with will cause, while I can't garauntee the serum will not cause pain, I would much rather not cause her more pain than nessicary.
So, naturally, I injected myself with the poison to test it.
it is similar to the 'zombie' drug utilized by voodoo preists, houdoun, in areas such as New Orleans.
Te drug itself lowers your metabolizm to a state near death, though too much time without the antidote can bring you to true death.

True death was not so much my concern as I injected the poison directly to my bloodstream, by way of my jugular...

I awoke sometime later to Miss Gizzy, holding a Hypodermic of serum in her hand, leaning over me.

"What Happened? I come home from shopping to find you laying in the lab dead! Don't do that to me! I had to look all over the building for your serum, wy did you do something so stupid anyway?!"

"Miss Gizzy, as much as I love the personality you have developed, please refrain from calling anything I do 'stupid' ever again, If you must know, Miss Macbain, her upcoming procedure, I was testing the poison to be sure it will give her no pain."

Miss Gizzy gave me a look, "why are you going through with it if you're so worried?"

"I have given Miss Macbain ample oppertunity to back out, and she hasn't, I owe it to her to make sure it goes as smoothely as possible, seeing how she hadn't yet run for the hills to hide, don't you think?"
I had asked, a little shortly.

Miss Gizzy just gave me a dirty look, nodded, and went up to the Rama to sulk no doubt.

also, I have hired Miss Darkfold as my lab assistant, Miss Macbain seems be upset, saying we can't trust her, it's probably just jealousy, thought I can't imagine why, public relations is much more than a simple lab assistant, both in pay and rank."

Footman's log, Dec 24th

2010-06-22T17:13:00.001-07:00

I had been in the back lot, winding the clockwork finches, when a soaked and freezing miss Macbain appeared, apparantly she fell into the sewers and had to wade trough the muck to find a ladder out, from the aroma, I had almost thought Skyler had come by. I brought her inside and directed her to go upstairs, use the emerency chemical shower in the lab, and borrow sme of Miss Gizzy's clothes while I made coffee. Sadly as Miss Gizzy and I don't feel the cold and often leave everything but the lab unheated, I doubt Miss Macbain was feeling any warmer. We had discussed the upcoming experiment, and preperations we both were making to avoid another outbreak, and I explained the process to her, promising there would be little pain, the poison we would be using I had tried myself, with no apparant pain.

Eventually she left for home to hopefully warm up, and I went to the study, I saw Miss Darkfold outside m window and invited her in, as after our talk last night, had wanted t offer her a positon as my lab asistant. Fortunatly she accepted, and we worked out what all er duties would entail, basically handng me the tools and chemicals when need, and assisting wit some of my more side researches.
She actually seemed quite enthusiastic, though Miss Macbain seemed a little less so when i told her later, it must be te lack of sleep

Footman's Logg Dec: 23

2010-06-22T17:12:00.002-07:00

I had arrived in Clockhaven in time to see Padre Moonwell leave in a rush, apparantly he was called in to excorcize Underby's old home, and was spooked. Miss Macbain and I entered to see what could have spooked the old preist and found nothing. Eventually a small group had formed outside and the discussion took a few turns, from ghosts, to sewer women, to the New Babbage dinosaur a few months back. The automoton I had met at the Gangplank a few days ago had been there, refuting the existance of all of t of course, infallibly logical (I would like to get a chance to take him apart and see how he works before putting him back together, but will respect another man's work not to do so). Eventually, when I mentioned some of my research into supernaural beings and power generation, he started making claims that Mss Darkfold was not human. She denied t of course, but it peaked my curiosity, Astor kept claiming she was some sort of sea creature, and with my expedition to capture a live mermaid on hold until spring, I was more intriqued. I offered t buy Miss Darkfold a drink at the Gangplank, as Miss Macbain was there too at the time. I bought both ladies a round and watched Astor's run it with his creator, Lionheart, (wich was very entertaining by the by). Miss Darkfold had changed her mind and said she just had water earlier, so Miss Macbain managed to have 2 rounds. During the commotion of Astor and Lonheart, I had a whispered conversation with Mss Macbain, as we were going to kidnap find out if Darkfold truly wasn't human. I offered to show her the recently discovered cemetary on my land, and we set off. At the plant, Miss Darkfold viewed the graves, some as old as he old empire by my reckoning. Sixpence then arrived, causing another distraction, but eventuall he left, then sadly Miss Macbain had to return home, leaving me to determine on my own if Darkfold was as Astor claimed...

Suffice to say, she is nothing but a perfectly, normal, human woman, not a sense of fishyness about her...none at all.

Notes on the Immortalis Serum

2010-06-22T17:12:00.001-07:00

The Immortalis Serum, the original formula was derived from alchemical texts, namely a partial copy of the Book Of The Crow. The first mix had been created from obscure ingredients found from My travels around the world collecting. The mix itself is created by combinging the ingredients through a very precise process, as the first batch had been flawed due to part of the formula missing, leaving me with my current condition. Since then there have been newer mixes, each one more successful than the other. I had refined the brewing process to be able to make more, substituting some ingredients as they are now no longer in existance, or so rare as to be impossible to find, and the brewing process mechanized to increase the amount that can be brewed, and eliminating the chance of human error.

There have been 7 mixes made so far.

Formula 1; the original formula, It was flawed from lack of a full copy of the Book of the Crow, as such has left me in a semi-dead condition, requireing regular infusions, regular surgery as my organs fail, and some artificial respirators and blood circulators to keep me alive.
key ingredients, the blood from a vampire, extract from the very rare Agony flower.
mixed by hand, refined in the old ways.

Formula 2; follows the same mixture but brewed mechanically, little results from the test subjects, living or dead...more precise the living test subjects simply got sick and died.
continues to react in my own body much as the first mix

Formula 3; As vampires had become hard to come by, that ingredient was replaced by a chemical substitute. Could see sentience in test subjects for almost 5 minutes before they died again screaming.
again, continues to react in my own body the same as the past mixtures. some slight added benifits

Formula 4; Chemical mixture replacing Vampire blood, as the agony flower is now extinct, extract from the Madagascar Man-Eating Tree is used. All test subjects other than myself are successfully brought back, but in a state similar to my own, and irreverseably braindamaged and feral, trying to eat the locals, had to leave quickly before the angry mobs burned down the lab

Formula 5; Same results as Formula 4, still cannot understand why it is only successful on myself, zombies seem more strong and fast this time around. sucessfully managed to use them as a workforce with the creation of the zombie collars, until they were sabotaged and the zombie plauge spread through Babbage. Dayafter lucked into a cure for the zombies, that seemed to regenerate any damage they had sustained as zombies

Formula 6; Dayafter's cure was able to be analyzed, and I made more myself, the cure itself had no effect on me aside from my heart stopping, wich it had never done since I implanted it. Miss Gizzy was able to inject me with serum and I was able t come back to. I have tried mixing with the serum.
have not only been able to reanimate seperate body parts, but had managed to obtain a full 5 minutes of sentience in a test subject before its head exploded, I have not tried the mix myself after the effects of the cure in it's pure form.I beleive I just need to find the right percentage mix

Formula 7; a 30/70 mix, Miss Macbain has suggested studying the effects of the serum on a more supernatural test subject, as I myself, the only successful test...technically,(at least im not eating people) have had years previous exposed to...things.... so it could very well be what is missing
Miss Macbaine has volunteered herself, this will be the first test on a fully living subject since Formula 2, we will be trying to replicate the situation when I was first injected, Miss Macbain will be brought to near death by poison, then given the infusion....Miss Gizzy will be there with one of Dayafter's cure guns in case things go wrong....and her saws if they go very wrong.....we have a time in January set for this......I have given Miss Macbain the option to back out, so far she has not......For her sake I'm hoping this works...

Additional notes: the current brewing procedures as they stand require large amounts of energy, I have had to upgrade my facilities from steam to the electric eel generators, and it's still bareley enough.

Found under Footman Industries, An old graveyard

2010-06-22T17:11:00.001-07:00

I had had the Pengi's dismantle the cannon and load it onto the Oroboros I to ship back to Antartica to make room for more construction, when in thier digging, #28 found a carved stone, further excavation found that there was in fact a cemetary. From the dates it seems at least a hundred years old or so.
So I had the pengi clean the ground a bit and will be opening the Old New Babbage Cemetary, A good place to intterr your lost loved ones (and give me easy access to supplies for my tests).
The cannon will be set up for launching procedures at the Harbor Landing colony in Antartica, for upcoming tests in lunar travel.

((OOC-basically I took the cannon down, replaced it with a graveyard, as imposing as the cannon was, I'd have at least once a week someone would have launched themselves off world and IM me for a teleport back))

another log entry

2010-06-22T17:10:00.001-07:00

I've returned back to New Babbage after some time at the Harbor Landing colony in Antartica, overseeing the automoton's repairs, and checking on their work on the ruins found a few miles west.

when I disembarked from the Oroboros, and made my way back to the plant, I saw an arm jutting from a snowbank near the front door, I quickly unburied Miss Gizzy, who apparantly had fallen from the deck of the Rama, she's been repaired since, but during her time buried in the snowbanks, the pengi had been left unsupervised, and suffice t say the plant was a mess. They had apparantly decided they enjoyed pulling the electric eels from the vats, and tossing them at passers-by, had smashed my liquor cabinet to get to my supply, and proceeded to leak lubricant in the snowbanks around the plant , writing their numbers in the snow.

I managed to get them back under control, and once Miss Gizzy's internal gyro was repaired, and she was able to stand without falling over, she cleaned up the mess.

During the time as well, the pengi had gotten into the lab, and the head I had been able to semi-animate, they had smashed in, causing me to have to start with a fresh new on, it will be some time before I'm ready for the next step in the project sadly, as this has set me back quite alot. and the head had been showing so much progress too. I'll have to let Miss Macbain know that she has a bit longer before we carry out the next test.

Footman's Log Nov. 15th

2010-06-22T17:00:00.000-07:00

After 'visiting' Underby, I'm still not entirely convinced he doesn't have some sort of sinister plot going on, even though the militia see's hom as some paragon of virtue for 'caring for' the sickly clockwinder.
Right now though there isn't too much to be done about it, aside from watching him, wich despite what I had suggested, Miss Macbain still plans n doing, at least I talked her into being an outside cat when she does. I've also been working on a device to watch over parts of the city, incorporating a miniature gyroscope and some spare eyes I had, I'm thinking of calling it the 'eye n the sky', if I can ever get it to work.
I've also agreed to pay for the services of some urchins, two of them had come into the plant and took an eel to eat, they're fortunate the eels weren't active right then, or that tey didn't fall into the tank.
I heard them yelling from the lab, and had come out just in time to see them round the corner with an eel. I followed to find them both sitting on the tracks that run past my plant to the port.
They had quickly hid the eel, and I suggested they not do that again, then after they were almost smeared along the tracks by the next tram I advised them to nt sit on the tracks fr their lunch.
Somehow after all this, the conversation turned to my work, and an agreement was made, they would bring me bodies for my experiments, and I will pay them for the service. It seems like a good way to get myself some test subjects, (the pengi usually bring them to me in peices), while giving some urchins something productive to do.

Underby's

2010-06-22T16:47:00.001-07:00

After field tests of the mark II Pengi deployment device, I took a walk through the city, eventually found myself in Clockhaven. I was bored and so decided to look for Underby's shop. I personally had never met the man, really only ever interacting with his lackey, Pip, but had heard a bit about him between his fued with Sixpence, his apparant death, the seance, is ressurection, Miss Macbain's reports, and rumors of the clockwinder's odd behavior lately, plus the fact he was apparantly flirting with my maid as she was shopping. I've previously stayed away, as some recent complications have been apparantly caused by a 'pale man', now however, don't beleive it was the same pale man as Underby afterall.
I had gone looking, figuring the man can't possibly be as bad as they say and Miss Macbain hadn't mentioned much out of the ordinary, aside from Tenk's visits. And I'll admit to feeling somewhat protective lately of my business partner. I finally found it and knocked, there wasn't really any answer, ~~So, I pulled out my lockpicks and forced~~ Found that the door was unlocked, and being the inquisitive sort I am entered.
It really hadn't looked too unusual, about as i would expect a ~~charlatan~~ fortuneteller's domicile to be. Charts, Astrological signs, diagrams, noting too out of the ordinary, aside from the large hanging diagram of the Kabbalah, with Astrological symbols interposed, references to the tarot, and some interesting notes scrawled on it, the Church of Starry Wisdom, the names of the local preists, Sixpence, Dizelle, Tenk's name in all capitals, Phaedra, Chronozon (a name that sounds very familiar) numbers, some of the sphere's in the diagram were circled, there was obviously something to it. I had taken out my notepad and copied the diagram the best I could to compare some of the scrawlings and phrases to my books later. Choronzon, the dweller of the abyys, and the Church of Starry Wisdom, their relation with names of known citizens of the city is troublesome. I beleiv Phaedra is out of greek myth, and am not sure how she is related. the term scrawled on top,'Ein Sof Aur, infinity? as for the Church of Starry Wisdom, last I knew, that had been a cult that followed Nyarlathotep, thought it's possible some other organization could have taken up the name. The circle upstairs was also interesting, it seemed to incorporate norse runes into a pattern taken from the book of solomon. Had I not left my guantlets at the plant, I could have taken readings. Underby must be plotting something, and I doubt it is much that would be benevolent to Tenk and New Babbage.
I quickly made my way back to the plant, to study my books over a glass of absynthe. I will send Miss Macbain a message advising her to cease spying on Underby, and assign pengi to watch over her in case he realizes who his cat is. while I still don't beleive his 'fortune telling', I do believe there is certantly more to the man.

launching corpses

2010-06-22T16:46:00.001-07:00

The pengi as usual, have found their own way of doing things, rather than incinerating the leftover corpses like I asked, they loaded them into the cannon Miss Aya had built before leaving my employ.
the one intended to reach the moon. and then they launched the corpses, from the cannon, I'm assuming towards the moon....or maybe Mars...I'm not quite sure what trajectory it had last been left at.
Of course, it's alway's failed tests in the past, often getting rider's lost somewhere's in the void between, so it's possible they may not even make it anywhere's near any heavenly body.
I should probably warn anyone who happens to be in a 50,000 mile line straight Northwest of the plant to stay in cover for awhile, as the pengi neglected to seal the capsule, so falling bits and pieces are likely,
but it should work itself out eitherway.

Serum tests

2010-06-22T16:45:00.000-07:00

I had been in my lab earlier yesterday. While I had all the remaining zombies, and corpses shipped back to Antartica for keeping, there had been some tests I had wanted to run. After the incident, I had aquired a few samples of Dayafter's cure, and had been working on a few mixes of serum with cure.
I had hit up the graveyard I had seen in the Academy district ((OOC I'm not sure if it's still there, or was just a halloween decoration, but using it anyway)) and had taken a few peices, as well as the aputated limbs from some of my past patients, to test the mixes on. First I had injected the serum into one of the corpses from the graveyard, it reacted as I expected, reanimating the carcass into a snapping biting undead, fortunatly I removed all the limbs first this time. Eitherway, I then injected the cure, the zombie just went back into it's original dead state, apparantly the cure does not work on those who had been dead for awhile.

My next step was an amputated arm, if I remember correctly, it had originally been from a man who had rushed in with a bullet wound, and left as soon as he could think through the pain of the amutation, took my best bottle of whiskey too. I injected the serum, watching the hand flex and grip a few times, then the cure, lkewise, it reverted back to dead meat. In this case, the results were inconclusive, as unattached limbs often would revert back after the serum had run out, being as theirs no full circulatory system.

I then took another prepaired corpse, this one more recently deceased, the Pengi had found it floating near the port, thought the damage to the neck suggests hanging was the cause of death. This time I injected the corpse with an equal mix of 50 parts serum, and 50 parts cure, and the body did seem to restore itself, to an extent, the limbs did not grow back as they had some of the zombified citizens, but the skin did regenerate over the stumps, the body blinked, looked at me with actual intelligence behind it's eyes, then immediatly proceeded to turn blue, and then the head exploded. The blueness could be explained by the damage to the throat possibly, the trachea had been pinched shut, the exploding brain matter, I am not too sure about, I could have had the mixture wrong.

I will take what I can use from the fresher corpse, and store it, and have the pengi incinerate the rest tomorrow.

tests

2010-06-22T16:41:00.000-07:00

I've been testing Miss Frye's version of the Reality Enforcement Device, the device apparantly does work, on both magical creatures, as the comatose fey batteries show, and amulets as I tested it on assorted talismans and amulets, both had gone dead when in range,slowely regaining thier properties when taken back out of range.
alchemy, the formulas and serums seemed to glow slightly less, I'm assuming the chemical aspects keep them somewhat functional, but at a weakened state. it also had an odd side effect, I think I may have been working on it too long, as the shoggoth heart in my chest became very agitated, and sprouting tentacles that burst frm the chamber implanted in my chest, tried to destroy the device, the device is fine, and I've amputated the tentacle, as well as strengthened the glass on the chamber, the itching is very annoying still, but I'm concluding the tests as succesful and so ending them for now and sending the results to Miss Frye, as well as returning the device.

away

2010-06-22T16:40:00.000-07:00

I finally returned to Babbage after my time back at the family homestead, fortunatly, nothing was moved, or destroyed while I was gone. Though my copy of the Necronomicon seemed like a page was turned. Apparantly while I was gone, the Mr. Underby everyone seems so afraid of returned to the land of the living. I was given a reverse engineered
reality enforcer device from Miss Frye to test on some of the collected amulets and objects of a more magic nature as she couldn't find a volunteer among Babbage's magical community. And while I personally never considered mself an inherenty magical creature, I'll admit the original reality devices always gave me an itching sensation. so I'll be testing this device and forwarding the results back to Miss Frye,of curse I won't test it on anything valuable.

Footman's Log Oct 26th

2010-06-22T16:37:00.003-07:00

Tonight I had been working in the lab. Dayafters cure for the zombie plague had given me an idea as to how to stabilize the serum, if I combine it with the cure, it's quite possible it would prevent the mutation of the zombie disease the current formula creates. Not too sure how the pure serum in my own body would react to the cure, I had Miss Gizzzy handle and mix it as I stood back and gave her instructions, not as hands on as I usually like to work. Unfortunately, so far all the subjects I've tested Mk. 2 on, have....spontaneously exploded...I'll have to work on finding just the right ratio.

The fey-batteries have reached a slight hitch, aside from the fact I often have to send Miss Aya and some pengi into Winterfell near Caledon to catch the obnoxious little bastards,(plus the fact Miss Aya quit my employ after the zombie incident) They don't seem to produce as strong a charge the closer the batteries get to the 'dead zone' the 'dactyl flyer I had rigged a couple to, had died in midflight and crashed into the Vernian. I could possibly use the old reality blocking device I had built for Miss Softpaw during DR. O's short reign, but as the batteries themselves inhibit some of the fairies abilities (escape being one of them), the addition of components from the device could destabilize the whole battery.

The Constructo-clank project is coming along well, After studying the pengi's cogigators, I've fixed the apparant problem when the constructiclank, activated and told to pour foundations, proceeded to bash it's own head in.

As I was replacing some of the bearings, I had a visitor, a Mr. Faith, banker according to his card, a bit overdressed for an industrial plant, he had some foppish Caledonian dress on, and bald as a billiard ball.
He had claimed to be interested in funding some of my research, I seriously doubt it.
He made some non-commital comments about my generators, and looked over the constructiclank. then almost immediatly asked questions about the serum. He seemed to know much more about it than he should, and offered to purchase the formula, I had Miss Gizzy escort him out.
The Pengi are on orders not to allow him back in, and to attack if they see him tresspassing.

Footman's Log Oct 26th

2010-06-22T16:37:00.002-07:00

Footman's Log OCT. 25th

2010-06-22T16:37:00.001-07:00

I had attended the masquerade, ((OOC originally thought it was a costume ting, and not something formal, so semi changed)) not that 'm a large fan of dancing, but more out of hope there'd be absinthe.
I was by the stairs going through some approximation of dance moves, when I saw the murder of Miss Obedience, Apparantly the wheelchair man is somewhat known in Babbage, I had overheard the comment about eating children wich is possible I suppose (I personally would have figured that Creaky fellow to be the urchin eater myself, or perhaps a stray zombie) but the mention of a key is what originally caught my attention, that and her servant's apparant houdou spell that caused them to disappear. I do have some suspicions about Miss Obedience's nature, but mostly have kept them to myself, as I mostly assumed Dr. O would be the one to run afoul of it. regaurdless, some left the ball, visibly shaken, others continued on. I stayed around for a short time longer, listening in on conversations as the whole incident caught my curiosity. Eventually however, I had to return home to finish on some projects, feed Bub, that sort of thing. I paid a visit to the hotel the next day, just to look around, the late miss apparantly had little use for furniture, as there was only an unlocked chest, posibly what the aforementioned key belonged to. I had come back downstairs and left the building, to see an appirition out the corner of my eye, before it was gone, it could be her ghost, or could be another wandering spirit as it is that time of year afterall for pirits to wander. I tried findng where it could have gone to, and soon found my way into the sewers (admittedly, I fell in). I went down one of te tunnels in what I assumed was the general location of the Temple of Dagon, as i had heard rumors of growling coming from underneath, and thought, since I was in the area..

I had come to a dead end, and doubled back, when I came across an odd man with a wide brimmed hat, and some sort of sword, running into another peron down there set off m paranoia, and his cryptic comment as he left, I almost beleive he was following me until I doubled back. I'm not sure if he is in leauge with the pale man or not, and being unarmed, I quickly returned to the plant.

also when I returned to the plant, I had found a message from my new busness partner, Miss Macbain about adopting one of the urchins, Mr.Gant, the one who leaves the artwork on my walls, I could use an assistant, preferably far, far away from my lab, like Greenland maybe.

((originall had it typed up, then read miss dager's blog and the comment h0w the book isn't actually supposed to be there, so meh)

Footman's Log Oct. 16

2010-06-22T16:36:00.001-07:00

With the last of the zombies mopped up or cured, I've went back to work on the main goal of my research, the zombie workforce was only a sidetrack, taking the failings of the project and making something useful from them. The problem has always been, I can ressurect the corpse, but often te brain is damaged, and they crave the flesh of the living. What's more, for some blood types, the derivative of the formula I use, (adapted from the original brew), when the corpse is injected, it apparantly mutates into a blood born disease, which would explain the recent outbreak when OHare and No. 5 got out (or stolen in the case of N0. 5). I have a sample of Dayafter's cure, apparantl it not only cured many of the infected, but even restored and healed some of the otherwise fatal wounds some infected managed to recieve. If I add it to the mix, it may stabilize the formula, and possibly finally work as far as completely bringing back the dead, physically, AND mentally. I will have to run some tests to see.

I have also gained a new business partner, she will handle all the marketing and PR, so all I have to do is focus on the science.

Also the Driveable Costruction Automoton is coming along nicely, I just have to figure out why the gattling gun keeps going off at random times. Plus it occasionally start propositioning the pengi, probably due to the parts I used from the shelved autonomous streetwalker project, I'll have to adjust that so it stops. once I find out what the pengi's did with my sledgehammer, hopefully they aren't taking out people's kneecaps again.

The Transmogrification machine has been shelved for now, it kept turning test subjects into badgers, angry, rabid badgers.

Miss Aya's Vern Cannon has been attracting too many joy riders, I've had to personally rescue 4 from either the sea this week, and 2 more were lost offworld completely, hopefully they packed a lunch and Elder Gods don't eat them.
I've put a warning sign on the cannon.

I've also noticed someone scrying into my lab lately, not too sure how they can keep it focused so well in this city, but I have put a circle in my lab/clinic to hopefully dissuade that behavior.

Footman's Log. Oct. 11th (outbreak continues)

2010-06-22T16:34:00.000-07:00

With all the bad press right now with the plague, I've posted mega-pengi guards at all entrances to the plant to keep any potential arsonists from burning it down. I had taken matters into my own hands, and loading my pistol, strapping on rocket boots, and pulling on my gauntlets, went out to hunt down the infected before they spread the plague, as they're not likely to infect me. I saw miss Aya in Clockhaven, and landed to chase her down..but she managed to give me the slip. Eventually, during my hunt, I made my way to the academy grounds, where I found a contingent of people, Miss Elle, Dr. Dayafter, Miss Frye, Miss Carver, Victor, someone named Scientist, and the Clockwinder. They had been out curing the infected, apparantly Dr. Dayafter had found a cure, and Mr. Scientist had devised a gun to deliver the dosages. After some talk, took one of their vaccination guns , taking care that none of their cure splt out, and we all went our ways to cure the infected left (I wish I had known there was a cure made before I shot some of those zombies, but no use crying over spilt milk) At this point most of the zombies had been cured, it was just a matter f cleaning up.

Then a short woman with a beard came up to me at port and started the oddest conversation I ever had in this city, Im still not entirely sure the whole thing wasn't an after effect of the opium I had earlier.
Not quite m type, I suggested if she ever felt ill, to look up Dr. Dayafter, I'm sure he could use the business.

Footman's Log. Oct. 9th (beggining of the outbreak)

2010-06-22T16:33:00.000-07:00

Last nights unveiling of Mr. OHare.....could have gone better. it started out fine, He stayed fairly well behaved, even remembered the dance Miss Gizzy ,unfortunatly, taught him when she was snooping.
sadly though, the collar malfunctioned, it fell off. for weeks it worked perfectly, both on Mr. oHare, and the purloined No. 5, so naturally, it as to malfunction, right. in. my. presentation.....
I'm a little....annoyed, panic happened, as can be expected, once free of the device, Mr. OHare went for the crowd, trying to bite. I ran inside to fetch a weapon, but apparantly he fell into the canals by the time I came out and was washed away. shortly after the crowd dispersed, (fortunatly none had flaming torches this time), I had explained about the stolen No. 5 to the Clockwinder and Miss Frye, and about the subjects so far. Shortly after, Mr. Sixpence and Lo verified to me OHare was still in the sewers, and apparantly bit Sixpence. I examined him in my clinic/lab, but he seems strangely immune, and was already healing. I had explained some of my research behind the serum that reanimated the zombies, and apparantly mutates in certain bloodtypes into a highly contagious disease. he suggested destroying the serum, and the eel generators as they supply some of the power needed to refine it, I pointed out how that was not the option, besides, the eel vats are already supplying power to a few other locations in the city, free of charge, and I need the serum, for my condition, that is.
Sixpence did have an interesting notion, that the collar, that had worked fine in all tests, would suddenly fail at the worst possible time, suggesting sabotage, I've had attempts on my life before, but have to say, if they beleive zombies would do me in, they didn't do their homework, still, there was a pale man I had seen just before No. 5 dissapeared, and a pale man is what Miss Gizzy claimed tampered with her cognigator, but idle speculation doesn't solve problems.

Miss Aya came in later for our appointment in overhauling the mechanisms to the eel vats, but seemed strangely sick and left early, and I hear Mr, Frakture is not feeling too well himself, I may need to visit them to put them down before they get much worse and spread the infection...

Footman's Log oct 1.

2010-06-22T16:32:00.000-07:00

I had gone into Clockaven last week to examine the ghost seen there myself, after spotting the incorporeal blighter, I returned to my airship to ~~wait for the activity of the living in the area to die down~~ to retreive some equiptment. After setting up in the location it had been seen the most, the spirit returned and repeated the same path as before, at wich point my equipment.....malfunctioned.....horribly. And so, I gave up for the night and packed it in, to try again at a later date.

I've also held off on my upcoming expedition into the Deep in search of a living mermaid, as I had recently aquired an area within the city, where I have had built, the first ever, Electric Eel Power Plant, primarily to produce enough power to run my own experiment and work, but I suppose it could help power some of the city as well, it does tent to expel enough extra electricity afterall.
I've also opened my surgery for the general public, specializing in amputations and steam prosthetics, of course.

My work with the reanimating of the dead has reached a..dead end, as no matter what I do, extra doses of serum, electric jolts, complete removal of unnessicary organs, the result is still braindamaged beyond hope, even the passages in some of the books ~~swiped~~ borrowed from the late Underby's apartment(while interesting) don't seem particularly useful for what I have in mind, and I hesitate to use much from the C'kuthinikkk'u Manuscript itself. However, I see a very good marketing oppertunity in cheap labor, and have started work on how to keep them better trained, sometime next week before the weekend, I hope to show my results to the city, and hopefully get some orders for undead servants of their own, all in the name of Science!

New source of power

2010-06-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

Having just gotten the lots behing Mechanix Arms, I have now opened Footman Industries.
this installation will produce a new power, wrought from the electric eel, as well as be the place to go for breakthroughs in the sciences of engineering, medicine biology, chemistry, and the lesser understood sciences.

Planning an expedition to the Deep

2010-06-22T16:30:00.002-07:00

After my first trip to the Deep, and finding the flotsam and wreckage housing, I recently have read other accounts of similar structures found in the deep, and creatures that apparantly live there.
My assistant, Miss Gizzzy, also had recently been in the Deep herself, with her piscean tail component (wich makes her resemble one of the 'mermaids'), her report, of semi-humanoid shapes seen at a distance, this, and my interest in the passing strange, convinced me that another trip out there was required. as far as the existance of the 'mer-folk', there is much evidence, Dr. Kaligawa's study of the frozen carcass discovered, similar creatures found underneath Armada, (I believe them to be a sort of varient of that island nation's 'remade'), the 'sea-urchin' discovered and photographed, and rumors of a 'sewer-maid' (though the smell of such a thing must be terrible). So, I plan on setting out and capturing one of these creatures, alive, and bringing it back to Babbage for study. I'm wiling to accept any help, maps, supplies, information that could be helpful, hearty workers and those good with harpoon guns to volunteer for the first major expedition of the Ordo Aspconditus since the somewhat disastrous expidition some time back to find the fabled Man-Eating Tree of Madagascar (poor, poor Harvey). any and all volunteers will have thier wives and families taken care of i~~n case they don't return~~ unfortunate accidents occur. The advantages of being a part f such an expedition would be immense, part of the fame will be yours, plus the fact that there are quite a few wrecks down at the bottom with the possibility of salvage, possibly some riches as well, or we could just find piles of rusted junk, and futily die at the hands of intense pressure and drowning, eitherway it should be an exciting experience.

Any skilled individuals interested in the discovery of a lifetime, please contact myself, Prof. Grendel P. M. Footman, Esq. at the A.H.A.S. Rama, docked at the aetherport tower in Palisades.

Mechaniology: The Study of Feral Automotons

2010-06-22T16:30:00.001-07:00

One of the crew dragged in the remains of a feral automoton, heavily damaged, apparantly it had attacked the pengi during their trip into clockhaven to look for fish. In the ensuing fight, this specimen was reduced to a torso and arm, unfortunatly from what the pengi told me, they tossed the rest into the sea before deciding I might want it..

Feral Automotons are primitive autonomous constructs that apparantly wander the city, often automotons whose masters are no longer around, they tend to wander about attempting to do whatever tasks they were built for until they eventually break down. Not to be mitaken for many of the independant automoton in the steamlands, ferals have a limited intellect generally, and will often go through the motions of loading, cutting, or whatever their tasks once were before, some of the more dangerous ones are those who'se purpose causes them to interact badly with people (a dress making automoton going after someone to make a dress out of them, for example) Ferals can range from modern steam powered constructs, to antique clockwork dolls. A feral could have once been a simple factory worker with a specific task, or a fully independant, advanced automoton, with a malfunctioning cognigator. Rare in Babbage, here they are usually very old antiques dating back to the old city, often powered by clockworks, occasionally found deactivated with no apparent power source.
The pengi that make up m crew are an example of feral automotons, I had found their clan wandering palisades stealing coal out of homes and ships, or mugging citizens, I was able to retrain them (thanks to reintroducing them to fish, the other part of their diet, that they ha no idea where the sea was to obtain on their own), and now utilize them as the crew to my airship, security, and general labourers. They are an example of a more modern feral, as they can be dated,by the brass plate on their backs, as having been built in the last decade, and run obviously, on steam. They are actually what I call 'Independant Autmotons" as they can think for themselves and utilize a baic form of cognigator, wich ile allowing them to make their own choices, does not grant them much intelligence. I'm not entirely sure why they still have a violent streak to them however.

the specimen brought into me had been reduced to a torso, no head, one arm terminated at the elbow, but suprisingly the brass it was made from was virtually untarnished despite it's apparant age. the remaining joints were ball joints, allowing the construct a free range of movement, wether it had legs, or wheels is unknown at this time. The torso s cylindrical, with exposed gears in the chest. I couldn't find any apparant power source, the Pengi tell me it but it is entirely possible it could have been removed, as many ferals have shown the habit of preying on each other's power sources (possibly why it attacked the pengi). The arm, head, and torso terminated somewhat roughly, the pengi tell me they used rocks, but as the damage doesn't quite match, I believe they had been more heavily armed then they will admit, again.

The specimen's remaining arm terminates in a claw, wich would lead me to believe it was meant for heavy labor, rather than more sensitive work, except the arms are very narrow and light, and the construction itself isn't very strong, usually most modern automotons meant for heavy work are built much more heavy, this looks like it was designed to be very light and slim however.

the lack of a head is very annoying, as I could look at it's cogigator (if it has one), and determine what it was supposed to do, perhaps even find a punchcard that possibly would have commanded it's movements, seeing how it was a much older machine. I should see about a trip to the Vernian to attempt to find it, but the tides could have carried it out by now, and sadly, despite their design, the pengi are very poor swimmers.

Do not play with Elder things

2010-06-22T16:29:00.001-07:00

I was returning from my recent trip to the family estates in Antartica, when I came across an island far out to sea , where I had found an interesting circle of stones, I wasn't able to identify the stones it was composed of, however, they reacted strangely to my guantlets.

I took a small sample of the strange rock, and continued on my way back to Babbage. I had forgotten about the sample for a month or two with all the business with Oblininskia, until finding it recently again in the drawer to my desk.

Most of my scientific testing of the sample yielded no results, so I turned to....less.....scientific methods.

Aided by one of the pengi's, I drew one of the 12 Circles of Yobb, as found on page 3,987 of the G'lngh'ytthe Codex onto the deck of the Rama, I placed the sample in the center, and adjusting my guantlets to their aetherical settings, said the words 'Klatuu Barada, Nikto"

At this, the sky darkened, the wind picked up, and a terrible ripping noise poundd the air
as the fabric of reality was ripped open, etc, etc, eitherway, something began pushing it's way through,

The creature knocked the pengi off the deck (fortunatley whoever originally built the pengi's built them to be durable), and began tearing the boards from the deck, pulling the lines for the airbag, and making a mess as it pulled it's way further through

Not wanting to deal with the hassle of removing another Elder being from another airship, I readjusted the settings on my guantlets and began to close whatever gate I had opened up

the creature fought hard, and it took much of the energy in my gauntlets, and I myself wuld be needing another infusion soon as well, but it eventually weakened.

Eventually, the creature retreated back to it's own dimension, and I was able to seal the rift, unfortunalty, the sample was depleted during this whole business. More research into the symbols on the stone circle has lead me to beleive it was meant to open a much larger gate, However, when I returned to to island to research it more, it was mysterously gone..

Exploring the Deeps

2010-06-22T16:27:00.001-07:00

After the recent apparant attempt on my (semi) life, I needed to relax a bit, so I took the Iron Kraken (now fully mobilized for combat, thank you for the help LordInquisitor)
out to the Vernian Deeps to look around.
I pulled out from Port.

heading out to sea (this is a headon view, as the Iron Kraken moves like a real giant squid, so the guns and bow are the end of the cone, apparantly someone was confused as to why I was always going backwards :p )

As I went farther out, I came across what almost looked like smokestacks, underwater

I took the Kraken further to find out more, and soon came acro what looked like a pile of wreckage, including Ti ny's leg?(nature photo of a jellyfish included for those of an oceaniczoological bent)

I brought the Kraken down farther, and donning my diving eqiptment, disembarked to look closer, apparantly attracting attention from a local shark

I approached the leg of Tiny, wondering when he was damaged, and thought I had seen someone standing inside, but it must have been my imagination

Turning from the leg, I approached the pile of wreckage, somehow, from the way it was arranged, t almost looked like a house

As I approached, the shark seemed to finally make up it's mind and come for me,

fortunatly, hitting it on the nose with my lantern seemed to dissuade it from biting (I dubt it would enjoy the taste anyway)

I entered the wreckage through what looked like an old diving bell, nd what I found almost makes me beleive there are people ving here, n the water, maybe the caretakers of the temple of Dagon, maybe the merman dicovered sometime back, maybe mermaids or those lobsterpeople immigrating from Armada, maybe even the elusive sea urchin.

Leaving in a hurry before having to explain to some angry denizen of the deep why I was in his home, I soon came across giant geodes, they were enormous, I cult stand upright, inside one

After taking a sample, I hurried back to the Kraken, pausing to look at some other sights (honestly, since oceanograpy is not my strong point, have no idea what these are, underwater mushrooms?)

I soon boarded the Kraken again, and commanded the Pengi to disembark again, pausing to look at the wreckage of some poor sod's ironclad, must not of survived that battle I guess

Minor Adjustments

2010-06-22T16:25:00.000-07:00

I was standing on the deck of the Rama shooting the clockwork finches that keep swarming my airship (possibly attracted to the magnetic resonation caused by the new eel generators I devised?)
when I saw a familiar face down on the ground approaching the tower the Rama is docked to. Zooming in with my goggles, I recognized Miss Allen immediatly. She had left the Rama to essentially patrol the Vernian in her glass deathtrap of a submersible, presumably looking for signs of Dr. O's men, or Deep Ones, I had told her deep ones, but she seems to think that means everything in the sea.

Regardless, Usually she only comes to where I am docked when it's time for one of Miss Aya's personality adjustments, where I usualy take the chance to examine some of the machinery that powers her (much of it is just the regular clockwork i've seen in so many older model automotons, but some of her cognitive engines are still a total mystery). Miss Aya was currently in Caledon and last I knew, there was no personality upgrade for today, so I knew something was amiss. As the elevator arrived to the level of the docking tower, and Miss Allen stepped up the gangplank onto the top deck, I nodded to her, and asked what was wrong, assuming something had happened during one of her patrols, possibly the glass mockery of proper subs springing a leak.. She replied by revving the sawblades in her forearms and taking a swipe at me. Apparantly she had somehow gotten stuck in combat mode again. Luckily, the fact she did it in an unusually jerky motion gave me enough warning to duck out of the way. I rolled back, and drew my pistol, she leapt up as the bullet I fired pinged uselessly off the metalwork of the deck, and then was upon me, slashing with her blades, and digging deep furrows into my chest. I was able to kick her off, and activated the gauntlets I always wear. The gauntlets had been an early project of mine back in Antartica, utilizing copper disks engraved with a specific series of tetragammic wards , and powered by miniture, self contained tesla turbines, they harness the powers of the elements depending on the settings, the current settings were lightning. I swung one fist at her, attempting an uppercut, She deftly sidestepped and swinging around one of the envelope's tether cables, landed a kick in my face, mashing my resporator into my skull. I pulled off the mangled device, and spat out a couple teeth, glad there were no other spectators than the clockwork finches, the teeth I'd have to replace later. I rushed towards Miss Allen as she crouched on the decking, and swung both fists down towards her head in a hammer blow. She blocked the blow with one of her arm saws. her arm shattering as it connected with the lightning field emitted from the gauntlets. We both backed up and eyed each other, this is when i noticed the red glint in her eyes, wich was very unusual to say the least, I tried to speak to her, after spitting out a little more rotten, congealed blood, "What are you doing? This is not like you at all." pretty pointless and cliched, but enough to make her pause to reply "I must kill Footman" As she spoke, I changed the settings on my gauntlets, and swinging my arms as far apart as they could go, clapped them together as hard as I could, sending a sonic blast of sound towards her. She took it full in the chest, losing her balance and falling off the edge. I approached and looked over, expecting her to be shattered all over the ground. I saw nothing, then two steel strong legs swung up and pinned my neck between them, she then pulled me down. She was hanging onto one of the engine mounts apparantly, and was now trying to crush my throat with her legs. I was beginning to lose my vision, I don't often need to breathe as much oxygen anymore, but I do still require some, as no matter how much serum I use, or research i preform, the brain still needs oxygen to function, and with the current lack of respirator, and now an insane automoton's thighs squeezing it all out of me, no much of that was reaching my brain now, and I really did not want to have to keep it in a jar again while I repair everything else. So as i blacked out, I switched the dial on one gauntlet, while smacking the resistors on the other against her leg, cracking the ceramiam covering, and exposing the metal underneath. reaching for the exposed metal with my other hand, I grasped her leg and sent jolts of elemental lightning through her body, and coincidentally through my own as her legs were still firmly clamped around my neck as I smelled burning and realized it was me, she let go and we both fell.

When I awoke, my crew had apparantly returned from their foraging for fish and coal, the pengi's bringing down a stretcher as I propped myself up, feeling a possible broken leg, and of course the smashed in face, misssing teeth, and deep oozing wounds in my chest, I was also having a very difficult time breathing. Fortunatly, one of the pengi approached with one of my backup respirators. I gladly put it on, and started to breathe much more easier. As the pengi's loaded me onto the stretcher, and I mentally went through my inventoy of parts, i believe I had enough in spare bones to replace the broken ones, the wounds I could stitch shut again, my teeth were the easiest to replace, and a liberal infusion of serum should help, As the pengi brought me up to the ship, I turned to look at Miss Allen, her arms and legs were still in peices, but I could ell she was still functioning from the key on her back still turning. Wanting to know what happened to her, and who would want me dead, I ordered the pengi to gather her up and bring her in.

After preforming some basic surgical procedures to myself, some bone splinters still remained in my leg, but they'd soon work their way out anyway, and I had a new femur to stand on at least. I then turned my attention to Gizzy. Her torso was propped upright on my desk, the bits and peices of her arms and legs in a box underneath. I had popped her head open, and looked a her brain, her body is typical clockwork many of babbage's older automotons, such as the ones in Clockhaven have, but her cognitive engine, or her brain, were still unlike anything I had seen, the scientists of her homeland really knew what tey were doing. I didn't want to damage anything, so I simply flicked the small copper lever in her brain marked 'Reset'. She came awake immediatly and looked around, no sign of red in he eyes at all. "Where am I?"
"Gizzy, you're in my study, do you have any memory of what happened?"
"none, I had been in th canal district, and now I am here, why am I damaged?"
"so you don't remember who sent you to kill me?"
"me? kill you? why would I agree t something like that? no, I didn't! Where's Miss Aya? does she know what happened to me?"
I sighed, apparantly any recollection was purged when I reset her, but someone obviously had tampered with her engine, "no, Miss Aya is out of town, it's alright, I can patch you up, you are sure you don't remember anything?"
I took out my tools ad began to work on her limbs as she thought about it.
"Well, there was a man I met and was talking to just before......I tried to kill you, he was.....hm....I don't remember what he looked like. I'm sorry"
"It's alright, maybe you should switch to conservation mode, save your energy until you're fixed."
She nodded and blinked as her eyes went stark black, signifying she was in her version of sleep, leaving me to repair her and think things over, Who'd want to kill me? I've actually managed to keep a low profile in this city, most enemies i've made are dead, and I doubt Langain's dinosaur friend is smart enough to even remember all the tranq darts I fired at her months ago.
so who could it be?.....

New Airship (less ugly)

2010-06-22T16:22:00.001-07:00

Sadly, after returning to the Oroboros, I've seen how much the crew neglected the ship in my absence, with leaky pipes, the airbags bleeding hydrogen, and the racoons that somehow managed to get past lockdown mode and nest under my desk. So the oroboros III has been decomissioned and sent back to Antartica, as i move my belongings to my new ship, the A.E.F. Rama.

needed a new change of scenery anyway

Post Oblineskian Occupation: exploring the observatory

2010-06-22T16:18:00.000-07:00

After the previous nights events and having witnessed the destruction and apparant death of Dr. O.
and the routing of his minions, I returned to th observatory to look around, and make sure no Oblineskians were still lurking around.

As I guessed, it was completely empty, lackey's having all run off.

going upstairs, I found a throne at the head of a curved table, probably where he plotted, I was tempted to cart the throne back with me, but abandoned that idea when I realized I had nowhere's to put it.

poor senile old fool honestly thought he ruled Babbage.

After using the telescope ~~to view the dressing rooms at the champaign~~ to study the layout of the stars and see if they were 'right', I returned downstairs, fully ready to leave, when I found a hidden room underneath.

I looked around, seeing little more than a bookcase, and some sort of empty display tank. Not much for a hidden room. Leaning against the bookcase in irritation, I found yet another hidden door that led to a room with a deep shaft going downwards.

With no elevator, I took a leap of faith and ~~freefalled~~ climbed my way downwards. After resetting some bones, I traveled onward, soon the tunnel ended in a dead end, with just a switch,
hitting said switch let me out of what appeared t be a large radio in a well furnished room.

Apparantly the tunnel led to the Dr.'s submarine docks under the Vernian, I looked around, admiring the paintings on he wall and wondering why a plate was under glass,

when I wandered upstairs. Any submersibles Dr. O had were now long gone, but there was an odd crab-like automoton in the corner.

Looking at it, it definatly looked unfriendly, but was apparantly inactive, Not too sure what it did, but it might be a stroke of luck the automoton wasn't used by the Oblineskians.

Diving into the sub docking area, and swimming to the surface, I boarded my ship and sailed back to port, pretty much assured there were no lurking remnant's of Dr. O's forces around. Though I'd definatly reccommend a thourough search of the observatory and confiscation of any devices found, and possibly reclaim the building itself for Babbage, rename it the 'Footman Memorial Observatory' maybe.

Footman Industries

August 12th, 188x: Dead man Walking

August 11th, 188x: The natives are restless

Academy: Old Spear House: Explosion

Footman's Logg, June-July, 188X, Laboratory notes

Footman's Logg, June, 26th, 188X, mixology for constructs

The Old Spears House

Footman's Logg: File A-12, essay on geography of the steamlands

Footman's Logg, Cala Mondrago, Sultana's suggestion

Footman's Logg, May 25th, 188X, Test 47

Footman's Logg, May 17th, 188X, Purging the factory

Footman's Logg, May15, 188X, Snakes on a Zepplin

Footman's Logg, in the world of the Trichromat, the Monochromat is king

Footman's Logg, Apr 20th, 188X, further project notes

Footman's Logg, Apr 17th, 188X, repairs

Footman's Logg, Cala Mondrago

Footman's Logg, Apr 16th, 188X, further work

Footman's Logg, April 12th, 188X, Research and Development

Footman's Logg, April 9th, 188X

Footman's Logg: March 31st, 188X

recount of Footman's Logg from Mar 7th, 188X

Footman's Logg; Feb 14th, 18XX :..........

Footman's Logg; Feb 13th, 18XX :Further research on the Moon

Footman's Logg; Feb 7th, 18XX :Holiday on the Moon

Footman's Logg: January 27th, 188X

Footman's Logg; Dec 26th, 18XX :Loaded up the cargo

Footman's Logg; Dec 23th, 18XX :End of Footman Industries

Footman's Logg; Dec 13th, 18XX

Footman's Logg; Nov 24th, 18XX

Footman's Logg; Oct 11th, 18XX

Footman's Logg; Oct 9th, 18XX

Footman's Logg; Oct 3rd, 18XX

THe Badger's Notes: Disturbance

The Badger's Notes: Cleanup

The Badger's Find

Footman's Log Sept 8th. 18XX

Footman's Logg; Sept 6, evening, 18XX Miss Macbain

Footman's Logg; Sept 6, 18XX

Footman's logg. Sept 2. 18XX

Footman's logg excerpt *cemetary strangeness*

Footman's Logg; August 25 18XX

Footman's Logg; August 19 3:02PM 18XX the Vernian Triangle

Footman's Logg; August 19 18XX

Footman's Logg; August 16 18XX

OOC: moving OOC's to a new blog

Footman's Log, July 12th

Footman's log, July 9th, 18XX

Footman's Log, July 2nd. 18XX

Footman's log, that wich creeps

/back to the regularly schedualed insanity/

old livejournal entries

Footman's Log, Fishing Day

logs april-

13

Footman's Log Mar. 2nd

Footman's Log Feb 25th. 18XX

Footman's Log Feb 23rd. 18XX

Footman't Log, Feb 19th 18XX

Footman's Log, Feb. 17th, 18XX

Footman's Log Feb 14th. 18XX

sleep

visiting Innsmouth

A History of the Antartic Colonies

Footman's Log Jan 30th. 18XX

Footman's Log Jan 27th. 18XX

Footman's Log Jan 25th. 18XX

Footman's log, Jan 24th, 18XX

Footman's Log, January 22, 18XX

new construction

Footman's log, Janurary 15th, 18XX

Footman's Log, Jan 9th, 18XX

Footman's Log, Jan 6th 18XX

Footmans Logg, Dec ?? 188X

Footman's log, Dec 24th

Footman's Logg Dec: 23

Notes on the Immortalis Serum

Found under Footman Industries, An old graveyard

another log entry

Footman's Log Nov. 15th

Underby's

Footman's logg excerpt cemetary strangeness