❪ introlog: #6 ❫ city of secrets

[natha]

You've spent the last few days on Thesa Station, taking in the knowledge that your world is no more. Now, the time to put all your survival training into practice has arrived: El Nysa needs you, and you're here to help the planet thrive. Are you ready? THE DESCENT     All refugees on the station are called to the hangar, where a large-scale teleporter awaits. Simply step onto the space between the arrays and wait; everyone will be sent down to the planet together. Before they depart, all refugees will be given a cold weather survival kit with warm clothing, rations, and bedding. The arrays build into a brilliant wash of light, creating a column that travels all the way from Thesa Station to the surface of El Nysa, teleporting the refugees to the planet on an aurora. Once on the planet's surface, refugees receive one last message from Darma. It has been a long, perilous year for you, refugees. And yet we must ask you to brave further peril. Within Nadril are the secrets to how poor Ysverai's revival was hidden from our sight and how this disaster has come to our star. Find the first refugee from beyond this planet, a man named Magda. He will not speak to us, for much has come between us, but to you… If you prove yourselves, he may be willing to answer your questions. We beseech you, for there is a veil over Nadril that hides all within from us. There may yet be more untold dangers waiting to befall this planet. For the good of all who make this world home, we ask you to lend us your aid. There is yet one more favor we would ask of you. In warding off the Storm's encroachment, the physical aspect of ourselves that you call Thesa Station was damaged. We must remain to continue repairs to El Nysa and to deal with Ysverai, but there should be suitable technology within Nadril that could be used for spare parts. If you have the chance to find it and can return it to us, it would hasten— Darma's message crackles with static, another image overlaying hers — her broadcast is cut off and replaced with another. A more sullen and alien voice takes Darma’s place, overlapping on itself in an ominous reveal. It has been a long, perilous year for you, refugees. And yet you’ve only just arrived here. To say I’m not disappointed in your… generation would be to lie, and I am nothing if not an honest creature. But I suppose these have been unusual circumstances. You must ask yourself this — are you only here as Darma's lapdogs? I can assure you, it's not worth being on the Natha's leash. With time, that will be something you'll have to learn for yourself. If you're so determined to come find Nadril, then follow the path north, and you'll find the border. What awaits you is revelation, if you're up to the challenge. A FROZEN LAND     The refugees land on a literally frozen world, both in temperature and time. Curls of icy wind hold swirls of snow aloft and an uncanny silence is broken only by the crunch of hoarfrost underfoot. Only Darma's protection allows the refugees to move through this frozen world — and movement is very necessary. Bitter cold sneaks through even the thickest clothing and without warning, a snowstorm rises: unnaturally quickly, a wall of white howls directly in the refugee's path. Bizarrely, the way back is perfectly calm; it's obvious that this storm is no product of nature. Magda's challenge becomes clear: the only way to Nadril lies through this storm. Visibility within the storm is near zero, the whiteout hiding any landmarks from view and making navigation near impossible. The only guidance refugees have is a sporadic path of faint, greenish lights, easily lost in the raging storm. Refugees need all the survival skills they practiced on Thesa Station to survive, for getting lost alone is a death sentence. Luckily, those separated from the group can happen upon guiding lights Magda has planted throughout the tundra. These blue-white sparks cause frostbite if handled recklessly, but they also serve as directional anchors, turning into ghostly flames that lead lost souls back to the path to Nadril. The trek through the storm will be no mean feat and will last for the better part of three days. By the time the refugees reach Nadril's gate, most will find themselves exhausted and running on fumes. As the snowstorm dies away and a gap in the glittering forcefield around the city opens to usher the refugees inside, it's clear that Nadril is a different beast. A WARM(?) WELCOME     I. Despite the unforgiving journey, entering Nadril is painless. Once inside, characters will be greeted by their predecessors: the original refugees who made this advanced city. They'll immediately be offered medical attention, as well as warm cider and blankets. But it's obvious that the Nadril citizens prefer higher tech to fend off the weather: they also offer wristlets and ear cuffs that that double as mittens and earmuffs by creating warm bubbles of air. The earrings also feature a few quality of life programs, such as timed alarms and thought-to-speech messaging. However, both programs are in beta stages so it's not unusual for a stray thought to accidentally slip through or an alarm to accidentally ring at an inopportune time. II. Refugees are offered free lodging in a large, crystalline building crafted from ice. Despite the coarse building material, the ice is unmelting and surprisingly well-insulated, and the beds are as warm and cozy. The rooms are, however, small. The sleeping quarters house two people, and are some cross between an igloo and a capsule hotel. Though built for efficiency over comfort, all rooms are also outfitted with the latest Nadril AI, RoboAlfred, or Ralf for short. This helpful program is installed in practically all the furnishings: the closet tells guests to bundle up, the bathroom sink reminds them to brush their teeth, and the mirror offers helpful fashion tips. Ralf's personality matrix still needs polish, though: it may very well insult your clothes and passively-aggressively question your lifestyle choices for the entire stay. III. Though not as advanced as Thesa Station, the colony has technology far beyond the rest of the continent, such as rudimentary AIs and mechanical transportation. Nadril's skyline is a point of pride — refugees can take a (literal) lightrail that gives an aerial view of the colony, which is hewn almost entirely from ice and rock. Despite its tech, Nadril is much more sparsely populated than Olympia and Wyver, and its residents stay near a central hub: a Natha refugee drop ship, Central, which has crashed and long embedded itself into the earth. Central is similar to an older, smaller, grounded model of Thesa Station, in functional order with round-the-clock solar power. Within Central are lounges similar to ones on the Station, though many of the damaged areas have been converted. They include repair stations, different wings dedicated to science, botany, astrology, and mechanics, and a research and history facility, which has a smattering of technology from planets beyond El Nysa — including your own. The staff here don't mind if anything is sampled and studied, but objects cannot be taken from the labs. IV. On the outskirts of the central hub, many will find several curious looking bots with insect-like wings perched about high traffic walkways. Simply passing the bots will cause a dizzying flash before a series of photos print out. Upon closer inspection, people will find that these images reflect stills taken from their home worlds as they remember it. Unfortunately, these photos only last a couple of hours at best. At that time, they will revert back to regular pictures of the refugees. People will be encouraged to share these images of their worlds. The residents of Nadril comprehend the value of remembering one's origins, and will be pleased to see that people still hold memories of old homes close to them. RECREATION IN NADRIL     I. Small, mechanical creatures scampering through the city are a common sight. Ask anyone, and they’ll tell you that they come from a shop called Paws About Town. They’re very useful, as companions, gophers, and couriers (though the more mischievous will note that they’re just small enough to keep tabs on people without being noticed). Premade robotic pets are available on display inside the shop. They come in all shapes, but small sizes; one may be able to find robots that even look like miniature creatures from their homeworld. These are a part of a new, highly customizable line with programmable personalities. Customers have the chance to take pets for a one-day trial run. Those who don’t know how to program may want to enlist more knowledgeable aid, but the pets come with instructional pamphlets for basic personality traits such as obedience, helpfulness, playfulness, and bloodthirst. For returns, the switch to wipe the robot's personality to a blank slate is on the back of its neck, right between a switch to invert all traits, and a switch to have them learn by observing. Try not to press the wrong switch — you might wind up with a pet with a mind of its own! II. A. The Frosty Tap Cantina is a thriving hub of activity, but one of the major draws is the self-service bar: molecular mixology is wildly popular here. Playing with drink compositions can be a game in and of itself, and newcomers to the cantina will find that the bartender — a cheerful woman with lilac skin and three eyes — is always happy to give them a few tips on how to use the wide array of tools within reach of the barstools. All manner of drinks are possible — from glowing, layered cocktails, to clear drinks with colored, spherical bubbles and vividly-colored shots that give off their own smoke. There's a nightly contest in the cantina for the most creative drink created by a team — this may be as good a time as any to partner up with someone and see what can you come up with. Winner gets all their drinks for the night free! And, hey, even if you don't win, you get to drink whatever you make. The well-lubricated patrons of the bar are eager to challenge anyone nearby to a different sort of drinking game… Just how well can you hold your liquor? B. Holo-screens in the cantina are nearly always broadcasting some match or another of a game that looks very much like hockey, albeit played with sticks that light up and a puck that changes shape from time to time. Colonists here merely refer to the game as "the sport," and one of their favored pastimes is betting. However, they don't use currency — they wager dares. Nadril colonists are a tough, weathered lot, and they prefer to speak with actions over silver. Colonists will urge the refugees to take part as well. Common dares range from the ridiculous (lead a sing-a-long, attempt to make someone with a poker face smile) to the suggestive (kiss the person in the cantina you find most attractive, strip off a piece of clothing), to the outright reckless (venture out into the snow for a certain amount of time, and no one will judge if you find some company to keep warm). The colonists are unfazed by even the most insane or tawdry of dares — but you'll certainly be called a killjoy for refusing too often! Why not grab a friend and give it a whirl, or challenge a rival to a dare yourself? THE MISSION     I. On the outskirts of Nadril is the communications tower of the old refugees. This is where Magda resides, monitoring Nadril's technological protections, the extent of the Natha’s influence, and running his own personal projects for El Nysa’s technological advancement. It is isolated, filled with research labs and relics of the past refugees who have come to El Nysa — a living mausoleum of worlds swallowed up by the Storm whose peoples have refused to forget where they came from. Crew photos line the walls of the tower: pictures of alien families and friends, the refugees who came to Nadril before you. Each group of photos gradually becomes smaller in number, and the most recent of the pictures are from half a century ago. Magda's picture can be found among the first group of refugees, an unusually small cluster of photos dating back centuries in El Nysa's past. I have been on this planet for nearly two centuries. Life has come, evolved, and collided in an ever expanding culture. But Darma fears interference, and made this place a prison, with she our warden, stifling the growth of the creatures native to this world rather than encouraging them to flourish. She sent you here for answers in her stead because she knows I'll spurn her, and after seeing what that fool Raysc has wrought, I'll give you them — not for Darma's sake, but because I trust after all the Natha have done to you, you'll understand my decision. Mistakes were made, and I won't hide them. You've made it here so there's some mettle to you, and unlike the Orbiters, I'm not interested in hiding the secrets of the dangers we face. I gave Raysc what he needed to keep his actions hidden from Darma's eyes — what he needed to advance the primitive magics the Natha had doomed him to. It was old Natha tech, Darma's very own used against her. Hilarious, isn't it? Raysc learned of Nadril, and like you, braved the snow to find his way here. He proved his worth and his determination, and he spoke of a brighter future, El Nysa coming into its own, its people realizing their true potential, unhindered by the shackles that had been put upon them. I believed him. He had vision — or so I thought. In truth, he was a fool. A madman. He wasted the opportunity I gave him on his petty vengeance. But not everyone on this planet is such an idiot. Surely you lot aren't. The Natha are hiding things from us — about the Storm, about everything. And here in Nadril, we're going to find all those secrets. What's it going to be? Will you help us, or are you going to stay obedient dogs on Darma's leash? Magda isn't too talkative yet; after all, the new flock of refugees may just be here as eyes and ears for the Orbiters. But what he has said leaves you with plenty to talk about, and if you can earn his trust by helping out around Nadril, he doubtless has a great deal more to reveal. II. Central isn't the only Natha ship that made its way to El Nysa — another, crashed just outside Nadril's borders, is little more than a junk heap. It's here that you'll find the spare parts Darma asked you to retrieve for Thesa Station. What remains of the ship's hull serves as a windbreak, and snow has built up against it, turning the piles of old Natha tech inside into something of a snowy morass. Holes in the deck offer would-be scavengers passage to the ship's innards, barely illuminated with flickering lights — the tech is old, but hardy enough to withstand a crash landing, the severe weather, and the passage of centuries. Deep in the wreck are the remains of living quarters, research labs, VR arenas, mecha bays, cafeterias, and a host of other rooms, many of which may seem familiar from Thesa Station, albeit with a decidedly older feel to what remains of the smooth curves and sleek surfaces of the Natha architecture. Most of the ship's systems are damaged and the technology is nonfunctional, but that just means there's plenty of spare parts to be found. The wreck isn't in the best shape, its structural integrity damaged, and the drifting snow threatens to block off exit routes. Be careful while exploring and be sure to bring a partner. As it turns out, Darma isn't the only one interested in the wreck — Magda is also eager to get his hands on Natha technology. In his own way of taking some responsibility for Raysc, he's asking scavengers to bring him parts, muttering about seeing what he can do about Ysverai's curse. Bring him anything that looks useful, and he may have a chance to succeed, though whether he'll be more effective than the Natha Orbiters is up for debate... FINAL OOC NOTES     An AC-eligible thread with a new character as a participant for 2 NADRIL REP POINTS may be submitted from this log. SUBMIT THE THREAD HERE BY AUGUST 5TH, 11:59 PM EST. As always, feel free to create your own prompts and explore the Nadril location page! There are a variety of activities made available, including fishing and cave exploration! Please direct questions to the questions thread below! Thank you! QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

[kikoku]

[HOW. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN AGAIN. What did he do wrong. Was he not rude enough? Can these red idiots just somehow see right through him? No, no there's still time. He can course correct on this. First things first, he turns away from the hand on his shoulder.]

Stop, back up, I'm not your friend. You don't even know who I am.
[Surely, you can't be friends with someone whose name you don't even know? Law's not really an expert at friends, but he's PRETTY sure that's a rule. Maybe if he can rectify this misunderstanding, he can comfortably ask the guy to help him salvage some of said useful medical devices. He may be able to work without the x-ray machine with his ability, but he really would like that ventilator if it still works.]

[conqueredhearts]

[He doesn't appear to be the least bit put off by that fact. If anything that only seems to encourage him as he laughs about it.]

Nor do you know me. That is the wonder of this. We can get to know each other, my friend!

[Because that's clearly how this works. Obviously.]

I am Iskandar, King of Conquerors! It is an honor to know you and to include you among my friends now!

[kikoku]

[Law has SO many thoughts about the title of "King of Conquerors." Not only is his track record with authorities pretty damn neagtive, he literally just got finished completing a 13 year revenge mission on some large man who called himself a king. And then... Conquerors... He has to assume haki isn't a universal concept, but it's fitting in the worst sort of way that this guy seems to have the presence of someone who'd be able to use Conqueror's Haki, isn't it. Still, maybe he can use his experience with anti-establishment rebellion to his advantage.]
Is it? Even if I tell you I'm a pirate captain?

[He walks across the room, mostly to go head over to inspect the equipment in the corner, but also partly for a dramatic pause before he turns his head back at Iskandar.]
Trafalgar Law, Captain of the Heart Pirates. The last bounty I had before I ended up here was 500 million. Should a king really associate with a notorious criminal?
[He's got a dark sort of smirk on his face, now. It's vaguely ominous, but mostly he's just SURE that this'll finally put the guy off. It's not like he can actually be arrested here, so it's fine to flaunt his Bad Boy Street Cred.]

[conqueredhearts]

[The man tells him that he's a pirate captain and his red eyes go wide. For a time he really doesn't say anything at all, just stares at him with those wide eyes. It's hard to figure out what is going on there but then he reaches out and he puts a hand on Law's shoulder as he leans in close.]

You are a pirate captain? And you have a bounty?

[Suddenly he's laughing and then he actually plops his ass down right there as he leans forward like an excited overgrown child about to be told an amazing story.]

Tell me more! Did you create that name? What inspired it? What did you do to get your bounty? Tell me everything, my friend!

[kikoku]

....
[That's it. This is hell, isn't it? He's actually died and this is hell? Nothing makes sense and everything he tries to do backfires immediately? And worst of all, he's being asked to talk about himself?

Law turns back around, away from the other man, to focus his attention on this nice ventilator that looks to be in working condition. This is easier. The ventilator doesn't ask questions or force him into unplanned social situations. It just helps people breathe. With a small gesture of his hand, he pulls up a small Room around the machine and himself, the gauzy circular boundary of which should be obviously visible to anyone in the vicinity,]

I named my crew, yes. I got my bounty by breaking the law on numerous ocassions. I'm not telling you about any of it.
[He presses his thumbs against the machine, applying a small electric shock. With the suddenly jolt of power, the display screen lights up. Why Law thinks demonstrating magic powers in front of a man who's suddenly deeply interested in his life is a good idea is beyond explanation.]

[conqueredhearts]

[That's a surprising reaction. He takes a moment to watch him and figure out what he means by that. Eventually he just laughs at the entire matter.]

Ah I see. Well then, my friend, I look forward to getting to know you better. When you are ready to tell me then I look forward to hearing the tales. You need not worry though. I have plenty to share with you until that day.

[Sorry not sorry, Law. You don't get a choice here. He senses that you're such a good person so he plans on being your friend. He likes hearts like your own too much to just leave you alone. In fact, he comes closer to watch as he causes the display screen to light up. His eyes widen for a moment to show how impressed he is as he crouches down for a better look.]

Are you able to do this with all technology?

[kikoku]

[Actually, this is fine. Talking about his ability is preferable to talking about himself. It's obvious there's nothing he can say to dissuade Iskandar from considering him a good Friend Candidate, so any positive thoughts he has about the devil fruit ability doesn't matter all that much.]

Not exactly. It worked here because the machine just needed power.
[He turns back towards the other man, throwing up another Room, and demonstrating the technique again without touching anything, electricity sparking off of his thumbs.]

It's one of the things I'm able to do within my "Room," among others.
[He gestures to the transparent spherical barrier as it expands to encircle the both of them.]

[conqueredhearts]

Amazing. I have unique things I can do as well. Though some of my abilities appear to be closed off presently.

[He wonders if that's this place finding him to be too powerful. It's very possible. Whatever the case is, he literally cannot access those abilities for the time being.]

So you call what you do your Room?

[kikoku]

[That admission gets Law's attention.]
Is that so? I haven't lost any abilities, but I found the size of Room I can generate has been limited when it wasn't before.
[Well, other than the fact that larger rooms eat away at his life expectancy, but that's neither here nor there.]

And yes, like an operating room. I can use this for combat, of course, but the real use of my ability is for medical purposes...
[He pauses for a moment more, mulling it over before deciding to do something wildly unnecessary, and he reaches up to press his fingers to Iskandar’s chest. After a beat, out pops the taller man’s heart in a cube, still beating, into Law’s hand.]

To be able to cut and remove without causing damage... it’s useful.

[conqueredhearts]

[The heart that Law has actually seems to be more energy than actual organ. It pulses but it glows as well. Much like it's a magical core rather than a part of the body. Iskandar doesn't appear panicked by this as he leans forward to look at the thing that is clearly trying to return to him.]

So you could do things like cut out disease or poison without bringing harm to another?

[kikoku]

Yes-
[He was about to be surprised that Iskandar arrived at the basis of his unorthodox medical procedures, but he's distracted by the abnormality of the "heart" he's procured.

Holding it closer to his face to observe the ethereal magical quality, he frowns. He's encountered a lot of weird bodies in his travels, but had always been assured everyone had the same guts on the inside. Even Caesar Clown, a man made of gas, he'd pulled a regular heart out of. Finally, he looks back up at the man.]
What in the world are you?

[conqueredhearts]

How useful.

[Of course his next observation is interrupted for a moment by the fact that the man is currently baffled by his heart. Or his core rather. He looks at it himself and sees that it really isn't so much an organ as it is more a heart made of energy. The mana that keeps him in the world.

To him this really isn't a surprise so he just looks at it then looks back to Law.]

A Spirit.

[Like that's obvious.]

[kikoku]

[Law just stares for a moment before he realizes there's no elaboration coming.]
You can't just- You can't just say that and not explain. What do you mean, a "spirit"? Like a ghost? If that's the case, how are you tangible?

[He's also gonna just... shove this spirit core heart back into the large man's chest. Wouldn't want to forget to do that in the midst of the insane discussion he's clearly about to have.]

[conqueredhearts]

Ah yes. I sometimes forget that is not a normal matter in other worlds.

[He pats his own chest to indicate himself.]

I was born human. However, after my death the Holy Grail took my soul and turned it into that of a Heroic Spirit. With new strength and power to represent all that I was known for in life.

[And then he smiles.]

I can become intangible though. You simply would not see me then.

[kikoku]

I-
[Give him a second, he's gotta.... process this. So Iskandar is some sort of... idealized magic ghost... that's also coporeal, sometimes? This is certainly a new concept for him, but on the other hand, he's encountered so much zany shit, this might as well be happening.]

... I can't imagine someone like you ever choosing to be not seen.
[That's the thing he chooses to comment on, out of everything he could or should say.]

[conqueredhearts]

I prefer not to be unseen, you are right. I like people to know what I am going to do and who I am. Besides, I can't carry things in that form! It's inconvenient!

[He laughs like it's just no big deal that he just confessed to this sort of thing. Then again, for him, why would it be? He doesn't mind if people know what he can and can't do. It helps to level the playing field after a fact.]

Ah, but I could show you now, if you like.

[kikoku]

Only if you'll remain that way until I'm done here.
[It's mostly a joke, if only because he assumes the larger man will interpret it as one. Either way, he's going to move back to the cabinets to finish up loading smaller supplies into his bag.]

... You mentioned something about being a "King of Conquerors," earlier. Should I assume you have to be somehow special to get turned into a "heroic spirit" by this... "Holy Grail"?

[conqueredhearts]

Ha! You are a funny man.

[Yep. Totally taking that as a joke.]

Of course I am special. I am the King of Conquerors!

[You know. Like that's obvious. Weren't you listening?]

[kikoku]

[He knew it. For once he's glad for his past experience dealing with Luffy. It allowed him to predict that. As for the latter, he sighs a moment.]

I don't know what that's supposed to mean.
[Ideally it'd just mean he's the former king of a country oddly named "Conquerors," but that'd just be too easy, wouldn't it. No, this is some sort of conquering king, big and boastful, exactly the way Doflamingo was. Surely, someone like this is his natural enemy. Maybe if he boasted about what he did to the last conqueror he met, this guy would back off.

But he didn't feel like Doflamingo, he felt like Luffy. Which of course presents its own unique problems, and a distinct urge to distance himself, but...]
... Where I'm from, there's something called "Conqueror's Haki." Your aura is something similar to that, I think.

[conqueredhearts]

Ah you're right. A fair point. I'll tell you and then you can tell me more about this Conqueror's Haki.

[He goes to look through some more of the equipment to see if he can tell if any of it can turn on. If he's not sure then he hands it over to Law since he figures the man has a better chance of checking to see if the electricity works.]

When I was alive, I was a King who spread my territory across most of the known world at that time. I never lost a battle in any of my campaigns and history knows me for the strategies I employed. That and for the fact that I let those who were ruling the lands I conquered continue to do so. During my rule my lands experienced times of great prosperity and there were wonderful developments in artistic and scientific achievement as well as cultural. I was well loved by many. When I died, tales about me and my accomplishments continued to ring through history. Modern generals are known for studying what I did in my campaigns to apply them to what they know now.

[He smiles as he hands him another thing.]

To win, but not destroy; to conquer but not to humiliate... That is what conquest is to me. That is what I showed the world. In doing so I became the King of Conquerors for there is no greater conqueror in history than myself.

[kikoku]

[Law's quiet all through the explanation and for a fair few moments after it. Taking it in, considering it, just as he does with the equipment he's handed. He manages to turn on an Electrocardiograph, a flat green line lighting on its screen. He glances over at Iskandar as he finishes speaking, before he pulls the ECG over to the overturned cabinet, sittig down on it as he untangles the electrode nodes attached to the machine. After all, the machine might turn on, but it's no use if it doesn't work. It has to be tested. Is all of this business an excuse to not have to engage immediately? Maybe.

Because yeah, that all sounds great. But in the end they’re just words. Anyone could claim all of that. That isn’t to say Law thought it was all lies. He just wasn’t willing to take it at face value before really knowing Iskandar. Of course, all of this leaves him not sure what he should say, but since his wariness of big loud kings with grand claims isn’t the man’s fault, he figures he can’t just say nothing. Finally, he settles on;]
… I’ll keep all that in mind.

[Then, proceeding as if it’s not a weird thing to do, he unbuttons his shirt, pulling rubbing alcohol and gauze out of his bag before applying the former to the latter, to wipe clean the skin he then sets about applying the electrodes to.]
It’s not really important for you to know, but since you’re curious… Haki is a sort of special skill, two kinds you can train at, and one that you just either have or don’t . That third one is Conqueror’s Haki; the ability to exert your willpower to overpower others. I’ve seen someone use it to knock out almost an entire theater full of people in an instant.
[He’s explaining all this while also sticking electrodes to his ankles and then his wrists. As if this is a normal thing to do while holding a conversation.]

Someone like you would probably be immune to it, in any case.
[He taps a button on the ECG, and after a few seconds the droning beep shifts into the short rhythmic beeps indicating a heartbeat.]

[conqueredhearts]

That is a powerful ability to have. One that someone could abuse if they were so cruel.

[He shakes his head in disapproval. However, he can see why Law would say he'd probably be immune to it. Such is the life of being as stubborn as he is. Iskandar scratches his beard then and...

Notes there are a lot of tattoos on this man. Excuse him while he leans over to admire them while Law makes sure the machine works.]

Do your tattoos have meaning?

[A topic change yes but he has to ask.]

[kikoku]

Frankly, it's so rare that the other types of haki are more of a common issue.
[Which he's not explaining just in case things ever go terribly wrong and he has to fight this giant hero-ghost, he'll have a secret weapon up his sleeve. Is that insanely, needlessly paranoid? Not important. In any case, a convenient topic change. Given how cagey he is about nearly everything else, he doesn't seem ruffled by his body being scrutinized.]

Nothing especially deep... My crew is called the Heart Pirates. [Gesturing to the stylized heart on his chest.] I have our jolly roger on my back, the rest of the designs are mostly based off of that... [He turns his hand over as he looks at it, thinking.]

Ah, right, and the Marines decided to start calling me the "Surgeon of Death," so I decided to get these. [Brandishing his stupid, stupid knuckle tattoos like any of this logic follows. Like getting spiteful, ironic finger tattoos is a reasonable response to anything.]

[conqueredhearts]

[Leaning forward, he actually takes Law's hand in his own so he can bring it closer to have a better look at the tattoos. Soon he's laughing softly before letting him have his hand back, resting his arms on his knees while he waits to see what Law thinks of the machine he's testing.]

Because you can remove organs without injury? That is quite the name to get. Like my King of Conquerors.

[Cocking his head to the side, he grins a little more.]

I like what your crew is called though. The Heart Pirates. It has a nice ring to it.

[kikoku]

[Said machine actually demonstrates it's working when Law's hand is grabbed, and the ECG dutifully records how his heart rate speeds up at the unexpected physical contact. Ruining his image of a cool aloof dude. As soon as his hand is released, he's yanking off the electrodes, hoping the change in the frequency of those beeps isn't questioned.]

... More because I'm mainly a surgeon and they needed to make me sound dangerous when they issued my bounty.
[Granted, he is dangerous in the sense that he can do some damage. But the Marines would have you think he just went around disemboweling people for fun. A notion he frankly is fine with since it encourages most people to leave him alone. As far as his crew's name goes... well, he can't admit the namesake behind it. Not right now, anyway.]

I didn't think too much on it. We just got to a point where our crew needed a name and that felt appropriate.