Iron Quill (The Clockwork Giant) - Cog Fight

ScrewedUpDice · January 14, 2014

Cog Fight

Morgan sat, feet dangling over the shaft's depths. The disengaged gear upon which she perched was one of the smallest in this section of the Mechanism, yet it was still large enough that she straddled only a single tooth. Far above her the vast gear upon which the Antikythera arena had been built continued its imperceptible rotation; as it had long before the Breach, long before the Mechanism was discovered, and long before the House of Iron had built the Cog Pit amongst its chambers, axles, leadscrews, shafts, and gears.

Antikythera was used for only the most prestigious of matches, amongst the elite of the Cog Pit. During such a bout the sound of the Constructs fighting would echo down here, each blow struck sending vibrations thrumming down the massive axle. Morgan and her Fight Crew, Resilient, were a long way from taking part in such a battle. They needed more wins to their name, enough to attract a patron, and sponsorship from the House of Iron itself. The thought of being wholly under the thumb of the House rubbed Morgan up the wrong way; there were as many shackles as privileges in such an agreement. With a patron Resilient could build a Construct capable of fighting its way through the other arenas to the top of a Soulstone Tournament. With that title, and one of the prized 'Stones they'd be able to build a machine worthy of the greatest arena in the Cog Pit, and stand alongside such legendary Crews and Cogs as Bisley, Watt, & Steiner and TFU; Haley and Bastard Jack; Vellocet and Moloko; Hammerstone; Diotoir.

Tonight's fight was the first real test of Resilient's ambition; a series of wins in the Mainspring arena had lead to being part of the opening match in Helical. It was a step up for the Crew, both in terms of prestige and risk. Morgan's fingers scratched at the ancient script circling the gear, as she wondered if their Cog would survive the evening. Mettle wasn't the first Construct Resilient had built, but she'd been with them the longest, and won the most fights. Painful experience had informed the design and construction. The scars from each win were carefully repaired, and the wreckage of each defeat made good. Each refinement saw performance improve, leading to the current string of victories. Although it was Morgan herself who'd pushed for the move to the Helical arena, the thought of sacrificing Mettle to the Crew's ambition gnawed at her. Their opponents, the Suicide Kings and their Cog, Lono, had faced Resilient and Mettle in the Mainspring arena twice before and inflicted damaging defeats both time, before taking their own place in Helical.

Morgan tamped down her pre-fight nerves, fear turning to focus. She pulled herself up, and began to make her way back through the Mechanism to the Crew's workshop, deftly picking her way through the moving machinery.

The crew had been going through their own pre-fight rituals and checks when Morgan returned; Ber shaving her head back to rough stubble, in pessimistic readiness for the heat and sparks of post-match repair work; Inès triple-checking the internal systems; Reagan sharpening the weaponry. Mettle towered over the members of Resilient, pseudo-humanoid form dwarfing her creators. Their experience in Mainspring had turned their eleventh hour routine into something almost as mechanical as the Cog itself.

"Any final adjustments Inès?" Morgan asked. The engineer shook her head, mouth filled with screws, as she replaced one of the inspection plates in Mettle's back.

"Reagan?"

"All finished Boss." Some Crews sent their Construct into the arena still covered in oil and tool marks, or polished their Cog's armour until it shone, but that wasn't Resilient's style. Mettle's outer shell was painted black, her name prominent on her hull, with other designs painted onto the large armoured plates; all the work of Reagan's hand. Inès had added flourishes to the metalwork as well, even taking elaborate care with the fretwork of the exhaust vents. That their artistry would be ruined during the fights deterred neither of them; in a few places the repairs from previous matches had even been worked into their designs.

"Ber?"

"Done and done. As always." Ber appeared from the back of the workshop, weaving between machinery, absently wiping grease off her metal hand onto her overalls, moving to help Inès with the last few screws.

"Lets fire her up then." Morgan began the pre fight sequence. Resilient subscribed to the theory that if your machine didn't walk into the arena it didn't fight in the arena- if you wheeled it in you were going to wheel it out.

Mettle's eyes lit up.

Crew and Construct advanced into Helical to the cheers of the crowd. Morgan made a point of taking in the new arena, fighting down trepidation and excitement. She'd seen matches in Helical from the stands, but the view from the fight pit was a complete change of perspective. The metal wall ringing the arena rose to twice her height, before rows of seats climbed steeply away.

The noise of the crowd rose as the Suicide Kings entered the arena. Lono had been modified since they'd last fought, now boasting even more armour plating, and what had to be improved power to mitigate the weight. The move to Helical had not lessened Suicide Kings' inclination for brutality and durability in their Cog. Morgan considered Mettle's comparatively lighter form. She had more speed, and it would hopefully be the edge Resilient needed. Not that they hadn't made a few specific tweaks to Mettle when their opponent had been announced. The Suicide Kings' would have done the same to Lono of course.

"Fight Crews, are you ready?" The crowd quieted in anticipation.

Morgan made her own quick checks and, getting the three nods she needed from Reagan, Ber and Inès, raised her fist high. Ryker, Suicide Kings' Crew Captain, did the same, signalling that both Crews were ready to fight. Cog Pit tradition dictated this as being the point of no return. If you didn't raise your fist you didn't have to fight. The crowd would boo you off, and the House would impose a fine, but if your Cog wasn't going to run it was often preferable to the alternative. Morgan had seen Captains raise their fist in front of Constructs that were clearly not ready for the arena. It always preceded a massacre; the Cog Pit had no place for mercy.

"You've seen them pound Croceus into scrap: it's the Suicide Kings and Lono!" The announcer's voice cut over the crowd. "Coming up from Mainspring, Resilient and Mettle! Fight Crews! Arm! Your! Constructs!"

The Cog Pit prohibited any Construct being fully armed outside either the arena or the workshop. In the event of mechanical failure it made sense to minimise the risk of fatalities; not that a Cog needed conventional weapons to kill you, but there was no sense in making it easier.

Mettle knelt down as Morgan helped Ber lift a heavy punching blade into place and attach it to one arm. It wouldn't pierce armour of a decent thickness, but if it went between plates it'd damage anything underneath. It didn't have the reach of a long blade, but that mattered little in this match; Lono's preferred style was to get in close. Morgan removed the leather sheath from the point as Inès and Reagan finished arming the battering ram on the other arm. Five feet of pneumatically driven steel bar, the ram would punch clean through armour when activated. It was a gamble though, reliant on precision, firm footing, and mechanical integrity, with only a single guaranteed use, but one that might pay off, if Mettle had chance to use it.

Across the arena, the Suicide Kings finished fitting their signature weapon to Lono: a huge pneumatic wrecking claw, capable of tearing Mettle apart. Its other arm ended in an equally large shield, to protect itself as it got close enough for the claw to do its work. The sight reminded Morgan of the bitter hours spent repairing Mettle after their last encounter.

The Crew made their final checks, and stepped back, leaving Morgan and Mettle together. The Suicide Kings did likewise, Ryker remaining beside Lono.

"Cogs, take your places." At the command Morgan activated Mettle's fight directives. The Construct stepped forward into the marked position. Opposite them Lono shuffled into place.

Morgan joined the others, the arena door closing behind her. With the Cogs readied for battle they had about thirty seconds until the fight started. They headed up the stairs to the Crew's box in silence. The announcer began the countdown.

"Five. Four. Three. Two. One. FIGHT!"

Word Count
1447

Ingredients
Theme: In the Shadow of Giants
Character: The Clockwork Girl
Line: Nobody panic, I know basic stuff!
Item: Severed Thumb

Edited February 3, 2014 by ScrewedUpDice

ScrewedUpDice · January 14, 2014

The story is still in far too many bits at the moment, but this is how I think it'll start. Then again this may get tossed out. Hitting the ingredients a little too rapidly. I'm having a pig of a time balancing out the setting description, which is why it's so lacking here.

"Nobody panic, I know basic surgery."

Steiner's thick hand covered Ryker's mouth, stifling his screams as the shears bit into flesh and crushed bone. The severed thumb fell away, pale and bloody. One of Steiner's white clothed assistants bent to pick it up. The other two remained in position, holding Ryker motionless with ease born of practice. Steiner pocketed the shears and took the proffered thumb, considering it it.

"This is a friendly warning. Which means, you get this back. But only because we like you." Steiner pressed the thumb into Ryker's sticky palm and wrapped the four remaining digits around it, crushing them in his own grip.

"Get to a doc, and they should be able to put it back on. Then you pay up what's owed." Steiner forced Ryker to nod, the mechanic's head thumping against the wall. "Next time I'll take back this thumb, and something else. After that, it's the old ultra-violence. You have three days."

The assistants stepped away, and Steiner released his grip. Ryker slumped to the ground, moaning and cradling his maimed hand.

Edited January 14, 2014 by ScrewedUpDice
It helps when I don't stuff up the Line I'm meant to be using.

ScrewedUpDice · January 24, 2014

Cog Fight - WIP

The original story appears below, wrapped in spoiler tags.

The opening I wrote above survives as a passing mention, although slightly modified (why give them the thumb back for free?).

Open Spoiler

H

Further to my previous report I have begun the infiltration of the Cog Pit, posing as a patron. Its environs and operation are far beyond what we suspected; both the Cog Pit itself, and the Mechanism on which it sits, are far greater in scale than we supposed.

Much to my chagrin I have been unable to deduce the exact location of Cog Pit within/beneath the City. The venue’s own security measures have obliged me to continue using a single entrance, although others certainly exist. Blindfolded by my escorts, we travel downwards by elevator, before continuing by a rail car of some sort which, after a journey with numerous pauses and turns, arrives at the Cog Pit itself. I suspect that the speed of both rail car and elevator is altered upon each visit; certainly the pauses in the car are inconsistent. Further details of the entrance location and security measures are provided in the first two appendices to this report, should you wish to send another agent, or compare my findings with others you hold.

The Cog Pit provides its patrons with a chance to witness Constructs participate in pit fights against one another. This machine-on-machine violence gives much wider variation than any mere boxing match, as the Constructs are restricted only by the abilities of their Fight Crews, rather than the limits of the human body. A standard match is thrilling enough, but such is the extent of the Pit that a number of dedicated arenas exist to cater for more specialist fights.

The Cog Pit has taken residence in a much older structure. While some rooms have been created recently, the majority of the space speaks of something ancient. The chambers and arenas that make up the Cog Pit are nestled atop the works of the Mechanism, housed within caverns hewn out of Malifaux's bedrock. The Mechanism is vast. Gears and shafts of phenomenal size run throughout the Cog Pit. Some are in constant motion, while others appear not to have turned since before the First Breach. The Mechanism's true purpose remains a mystery. Certain sections are under full control of the Cog Pit, with their original purpose having been perverted to provide practical use or spectacle; two of the arenas are built wholly on top of slower-moving gears, while others use the ancient machinery to operate pits, or similar hazards.

I have appended a full technical report and associated diagrams of the accessible areas of the structure. There are inscriptions on some of the parts and stonework, and I have attempted to copy these as fully as possible; I fear that someone with more knowledge than myself is needed to make a reliable survey. There are also vast stone and metalwork statues in the largest of the original chambers. These loom over even the largest Construct in the arenas, and I can't help but wonder if these Colossi once moved.

I have been unable to explore freely, but rumours say that the Mechanism descends far below the levels used by the Cog Pit (As soon as egress is found I would recommend sending down our own hand-picked team to survey these deep workings- there must be vast water pumps, of a design that might benefit the mines). Somewhere below must be a power source for the Mechanism. The most prevalent theory is that there is a monstrously large Soulstone, but then all things in this City seem to come back to those rocks.

The Cog Pit is controlled by the House of Iron, or simply "the House". I've made very little headway finding information on this front. I have yet to discover if it is a group, or a façade for a single individual; in either case the whole operation speaks of wealth and influence.

The Cogs, as the fighting Constructs are known, are the creations of individual teams of designers, mechanics, and apprentices, known as Fight Crews. A handful of these groups have rich patrons, while others are financed by the House, and have an income tied to their success. Some Cogs and Crews have already entered legend: Bisley, Watt, & Steiner's TFU; Haley and Bastard Jack; the sisters Vellocet & Moloko, famed for their clockwork machines; Panama Rose; Hammerstone; Diotoir; Bolt Thrower. More than twenty Fight Crews participate, running in excess of forty Constructs between them. These teams occupy workshops within the Cog Pit, but their exact location is closely guarded, both from patrons and potential saboteurs from other Crews. (See Appendix IV for full details of the Constructs and Crews).

The Cog Fights themselves are a true spectacle. A pair of Constructs enters the arena, watched by their Fight Crews. At the judge’s command the fight begins, with the two machines attacking each other as dictated by their logic engines. The command for the fight to stop comes from the judge when one Construct is deemed to have incapacitated or destroyed the other. See Appendix V onwards for breakdowns of fighting styles and vulnerabilities. There is a lot of information to be gathered from observation here, let alone if we turn a Fight Crew.

The fights are split across weights and categories, with different arenas dedicated to certain matches. Antikythera holds the largest and most spectacular fights. Tourbillon, Escapement, Helical and Mainspring all specialise as well. Within the loose rules of each arena anything goes, although there is a prohibition on the deliberate destruction of Logic Engines or Soulstones. Leaving them vulnerable, however, is considered to be a worse offence. There are very few Constructs powered by Soulstones; all of these are either House owned, or in the possession of the most elite tier of Fight Crews. The other teams rely on steam power, clockwork, or more unusual methods (again, see Appendix IV). Given the reports of rogue Soulstone powered Constructs, this seems fortuitous. The thought of a mechanical Spartacus rising from the gladiator pits is one I do not wish to contemplate.

The Cog Pit appears to run on a similar model to other, more mundane, establishments of its ilk. Bookmakers and loan sharks provide the main income of the House. Those unable to pay their debts have their thumb severed and held as collateral against a quick repayment. A number of my fellow patrons bear a tell-tale scar circling the base of their thumb, a testament to its efficacy. No one I met was missing this digit, and rumour in the Seized Gear (the Cog Pit’s own drinking establishment) suggests that failure to pay up leads to a fatal encounter with the House's own Construct, "Ultra-Violence". These death matches/executions seem to be the final fate of many a malefactor within the Cog Pit, and I've little wish to investigate them in earnest lest I find out the truth first-hand.

The level of technical skill displayed by the Fight Crews is impressive. Very few of the Constructs are based on existing chassis, and those that are have been extensively modified. All others Constructs appear to be of totally unique design and fabrication. The Guild's Magewrights could certainly learn a lot down here. There do appear to be a number of "Guild" Constructs retained by the House for putting in the arenas as opposition in some of the narrative fights. This is in need of a separate follow–up report, as the idea that complete Constructs have found their way outside of Guild control is a fascinating one.

The Fight Crews are not the only possible source of recruits presented by the Pit. The crowd may also provide willing members to our cause. While much of the audience is made up of those merely here for the thrill of the fights, there are others who are clearly rapt by the mechanics of the Constructs. I've seen at least a dozen patrons taking notes or sketching diagrams. I would be unsurprised to find a colleague in R’s employ already in the audience, or possibly in the Fight Crews themselves. Nor would the presence of a clandestine Guild observer shock me, although I suspect the Cog Pit is being deliberately hidden from Hoffman and his division. How long it will avoid his notice, I don't know. There must be some form of bribe being submitted to the Guild, although if it is in scrip, Constructs or mechanical innovations I do not know. More evidence of Guild payoffs can be seen in the spectacle matches, with some of the Fight Crew members actively using powers in support of their Constructs. I fear the Witch Hunters may find them regardless of bribes. Criid might find herself ill-matched should the whole Cog Pit rise up against her and her misbegotten soldiers, though. It would take a Guild action of considerable scope to dislodge any entrenched resistance, should it be stirred up.

Should any other agent wish to contact me, have them use the phrase "Nobody panic, I know BASIC." I'll reply indicating their next course of action and if a meeting is possible.

Word Count

1520

Ingredients

Theme: In the Shadow of Giants

Character: The Clockwork Girl

Line: Nobody panic, I know basic stuff!

Item: Severed Thumb

I've also posted the above in the comments below (well, I did this, and the comments one is what you're reading now), so there's a record of what this story starts like, before any forum led alterations. It's certainly not the story I expected to write, as the setting turned out to have a far bigger story in it than I expected. I've managed to avoid dialogue again, which I'm really going to have to reverse in the next round.

I look forward to your thoughts.

Hateful Darkblack · January 26, 2014

What a great piece! I have thoughts about it, but most of all I want to say that I enjoyed it.

The "Nobody Panic, I Know BASIC" made me chuckle. That was the first programming language I ever learned, back in the 70s when I was a tot. A little anachronistic, but funny all the same.

The style of this is intriguing - I like the epistolary false-document style, and the references and hints are intriguing. One stylistic point: consider using "R____" instead of "R". It's a charming period way to anonymize.

The setting itself is fascinating. I like the idea of a Construct fighting pen. Why so much anonymity and secrecy for the location, though? Seems like a lot of unnecessary expense for an even that's not all that illegal or controversial. Is there another side business happening here? Are the Constructs contraband or something? It seems weird, given the setting, that you don't mention Jacob's Fighting Pit, which is canonically the biggest similar arena. You may want to consider adding reference to it.

My main thought on this, though, is that it feels like an expository rather than a story. There's a character there, and some narrative, but they're more there to flesh out the description of the place, rather than to make a full story. It's more like an introduction to a setting than a story. Which is fine, but I think you could strengthen it by making some more events *happen* within the Cog Pit, rather than introducing it and leaving more followup. Unless this is a first section to a larger piece, in which case, continue with the story! You've introduced the place. What happens here?

ScrewedUpDice · January 27, 2014

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed the piece, and the BASIC joke.

One stylistic point: consider using "R____" instead of "R". It's a charming period way to anonymize.

I'll change that.

Why so much anonymity and secrecy for the location, though?

That's mostly come out of how I envisioned things, rather than from firm in-universe reasoning. If pressed then (this is just stream of consciousness);

The Guild don't seem likely to look favourably on such a gathering of potential force under their streets, unless it can be turned to their interests.

The clandestine nature of the gathering lends a certain frisson to an evening for the patrons.

The House is playing a very clever game, and our writer is seeing the façade of secrecy they want him to see.

There's the paranoid nature of some of the Fight Crew members, with powers, who are essentially being sheltered by the Cog Pit.

Dealing with either side of the Guild/Arcanist struggle is much easier if it doesn't look like you are in bed with the other.

There's also the nature of the soulstone economy, which suggests the Guild impose sanctions on Construct numbers etc if they had a hand in the running of the place.

The situation of the Mechanism lends itself to secrecy (both its position and its potential value being a factor).

The House's death-matches may only be the tip of the iceberg, with pit fighters with Flesh-Construct grafting being used somewhere in the depths, with other more unusual things.

I like the idea of the Guild having dedicated Wrecking teams (possibly under Hoffman, or indeed just a group of freelancer unconnected to the Guild (turning up a railway sites etc and just going for the constructs and other valuables- that's definitely another story)) who confiscate and break down Constructs just to get at the Soulstone.

It seems weird, given the setting, that you don't mention Jacob's Fighting Pit, which is canonically the biggest similar arena.

There was a mention of it until the pre-posting editing pass. I didn't think I'd cut it to be honest. I'll see if I can reinstate the head nod to it.

My main thought on this, though, is that it feels like an expository rather than a story...It's more like an introduction to a setting than a story...Unless this is a first section to a larger piece, in which case, continue with the story! You've introduced the place. What happens here?

I agree. You're on the same page as I was while writing this.

I worked with trying to get the idea (the fight pits), the setting (the Mechaism), an event (which would have to be a fight to make good on reader expectations), and characters (either our debtor from the abortive paragraph, or one of the Fight Crew) into 1500 word, and I couldn't find the space or the story hook. Going with only one of these four, would leave the others swinging in the wind far more than I'd like.

Going for the "zoomed out" version of events meant I could include everything at the expense of a story, which has left me uncomfortable.

There's a much bigger story to be told in this setting, following the fortunes of a Fight Crew (I've been reading too much Manga recently, and the story in my head has divided into fairly neat sections, stealing something of that story form), as they battle towards a title, and the larger world around them (internal tensions, rivalries with other crews, the machinations of the House, saboteurs, Arcanist and Guild meddling, general life in Malifaux - I have an image in my head of either the undead or Hamlin breaking through into the Mechanism at some point; Leveticus and Alice in a cameo somewhere in the audience; Ramos' Arachnid's spying for him; One of the Soulstone powered Constructs going rogue; etc).

I'm going to continue twiddling with this story in the background, and see if anything the right size for Iron Quill comes from it. Of course there's a story there, it's just a question of if I have the skill to write it.

I'll also see if there's more of a narrative to underlie the above piece, but I'm not sure.

Hateful Darkblack · January 27, 2014

It looks like it could be an intro to more! I agree, there's a lot of potential for story here, possibly more than can fit in 1500 words. It may be the best thing to do with it is continue it!

ScrewedUpDice · January 28, 2014

Below is the story with the tweaks suggested by Hateful implemented and highlighted in red.

Open Spoiler

H

Further to my previous report I have begun the infiltration of the Cog Pit, posing as a patron. Its environs and operation are far beyond what we suspected; both the Cog Pit itself, and the Mechanism on which it sits, are far greater in scale than we supposed.

Much to my chagrin I have been unable to deduce the exact location of Cog Pit within/beneath the City. The venue’s own security measures have obliged me to continue using a single entrance, although others certainly exist. Blindfolded by my escorts, we travel downwards by elevator, before continuing by a rail car of some sort which, after a journey with numerous pauses and turns, arrives at the Cog Pit itself. I suspect that the speed of both rail car and elevator is altered upon each visit; certainly the pauses in the car are inconsistent. Further details of the entrance location and security measures are provided in the first two appendices to this report, should you wish to send another agent, or compare my findings with others you hold.

The Cog Pit provides its patrons with a chance to witness Constructs participate in pit fights against one another. This machine-on-machine violence gives much wider variation than any mere boxing match, even those seen at Ringside, as the Constructs are restricted only by the abilities of their Fight Crews, rather than the limits of the human body. A standard match is thrilling enough, but such is the extent of the Pit that a number of dedicated arenas exist to cater for more specialist fights.