Sha-Kairen

[Crel]

Welcome, players, to Sha-Kairen. Your location is within the towering city-state of Union. You currently are waiting to be called into the council chamber, having applied to aid the Council of Sha-Kairen in miscellaneous mercenary work. As you wandered your way through the city to reach the Council Hall, you observed the pristine nature of the city, effortlessly combining arcane, divine, and druidic might with the stoneworking knowledge of the dwarves of Errak and the masons of the Empire. As you get closer to the center, you notice a bright light getting stronger. That light is the Primus Arcanus, the gargantuan pillar of energy that rises above the flying city and keeps it in midair.

You climb upwards on a spiraling stair, and reach the Council Hall. It is made of pure white marble, and capped with a golden dome. The plaza outside is bustling with people, evidence that this is certainly the home of the most influential organization on Sha-Kairen.

Each of you are guided inside and led to a small-ish room containing three other people. When all four members have entered, your guide says, Welcome to Union. You have been assigned as Freelance Combat Unit 427-A. The council will be with you shortly to give you your first assignment. Please get to know one another in the meantime. Thank you for your patience. She turns around and leaves through a second door.

Just RP for a little. Your characters don't know each other, and likely mistrust each other a bit, but that's not for me to decide.

[Sissyphus]

A Middle age-ish elf steps into the room and looks around, his eyes flipping from person to person. Two Daggers hang at his belt conspicuously. He stands towards the back of the room and continues to survey silently while the guide speaks.

[Tacitus]

Cassius

Among those waiting is a beggar, by the looks of it. He wears no armor and has no adventuring gear one might expect of someone trying to get on with mercenary work. Then again, it might also require those crazy or desperate enough, and with not a coin to his name this man might just be both. His eyes are a sorrowful sort of blue and his head is clean shaven despite a growing stubble on his chin. Though he sits he leans against a wooden staff held before him in his right hand.

[Sissyphus]

Renthier
Renthier examines the beggar closely examining ratty gear and cool demeanor, picking him apart with his eyes. "Hey, I'm Renthier, it looks like we'll be associating with each other for awhile--do you have any special skills or are you just another poor front line meat-bag? Renthier asks, he fiddles with one of the daggers tossing it up and down and spinning it across his fingers.

[Tacitus]

Cassius

The staff slowly passes to his left hand and he raises his right and flattens out his palm to display a blemish covering most of his palm. For a moment is seems to be nothing more than a blotch, but as he focuses the lines become clear, a starburst. Despite being nothing more than flesh and pigment it gleams with an inner light and then he touches his open palm to the tip of his staff it glows with the light of a torch. He blinks slowly and then turns his gaze to Renthier, "My name is Cassius. I know many ways to mend the body and enlighten the soul, as well as a few dark corners."

[Jane_Smith]

Ariyn

A beautiful grey skinned elf finds her way to the corner of the room. She had not spoken a word sense meeting the others, though she seemed to whisper something from time to time as if she was talking to herself. Her hair is long and a shade of dark blue, dyed with white highlights and wearing more expensive clothes. One might have mistaken her for a priestess of some elven god or goddess, though she carries no symbol.. She carries a eriee pressence with her as she calmly scans the room and looks over both men, and the glowing staff, as if she was looking for something else behind them that was far more interesting.

[Sissyphus]

Renthier

"That's good to know, having a healer around is good for tight corners." Renthier murmurs. He continues to fiddle with his knives, turning to face the guide he asks "So what's the mission? If I wanted to stand around all day I'd be outside begging, not standing in here voluntarily offering my services for the betterment of the people (in a softer voice), and my pocket. Renthier does a handspring followed by a front flip if he can in the room.

[Crel]

Your guide looks at you strangely as you leap around in the room. She rolls her eyes, then says, Everyone has different missions. Last group was told to take a message to the Clawden prides in Kreet, the one before was assigned to the smith's guild as... assistants.

She thinks for a moment, then continues. However, I did hear something about one of the source conductors being infected again. Usually whatever little monsters show up don't effect the system, but the Council likes to have them cleaned out anyways. Plus, its a good indicator of whether or not a group will be of use in the future.

A short melody plays. The elf looks at her wrist, then begins leaving. If you should need anything, pull the cord at the door. I've got another group to take to a waiting room. I'm guessing the Council will be ready for you then.

[Crel]

A few minutes pass, and your guide returns. It appears that the fourth member of the team has been detained briefly, but the council is already ready to meet you. I'll take you to them now.

She leaves the room through a different door and begins to head up a flight of stairs. At the top of the stairs is a pair of large bronze doors, and three guards. Please hand over your weapons to the guards, and then we can enter. she comments.

[Sissyphus]

Renthier

Renthier hands over his Rapier and one of the daggers (if he can, the other is hidden under his robes; if not if gives that up too) "What do you want our weapons for? You think we'd want to stab our employers or something?" he asks, "really it'd make no sense if we go and kill one of the council members we'd probably be executed--not to mention the fact that any trained spell caster could zap them without so much a a component pouch..."

[Tacitus]

Cassius

The man in rags slowly gets to his feet and passes his staff back to his right hand. When he approaches the guards at the top of the stairs he extends his staff towards them and slips a knife from his waist, offering them the hilt.

[Crel]

One guard replies, I know, its an inconvenience. However, we've had cases of cultists trying to break in and assassinate Council members. And don't worry about spells; we've got it covered.

Just as the guards finish explaining the Hall's defenses, a man begins running up the stairs towards the door.

Nanoblack has joined the party! Would you like to give the captured Nanoblack a nickname? *Insert other bad Pokemon jokes here.*

[Nanoblack]

Daggon

An average sized, though on the thin side, man sprints up the stairs out of breath. Though a bit sweat-stained, you can tell his red silk shirt and pants as well as some of his jewelry were made by some famous designer. He has medium length brown hair, a red silk eyepatch covering his right eye, and black tribal style tattoos covering most of his exposed skin except for his face. Panting, he looks up at the group with his one bright blue eye.

"Hold the door! Whew, sorry I'm late. For some reason all of these tattoos scream "crazy cultist" to the door guards. Anyway did I miss anything?"

[Sissyphus]

Renthier

Not really.

[Nanoblack]

Daggon

"Well in that case, I don't want to delay us any longer. Lets get going." He gestures towards the doors with a friendly smile on his face.

[Crel]

The guards stand aside, and open the doors. As you walk through, a gentle blue glow surrounds you, lingering on Daggon slightly longer than the rest of the party.

A grizzled dwarf looks up at you. Group FCU 427-A, eh?... hmm... He glances down at his papers, then back up at the party. Let's give you an easy one first; clear out grid block 29-X. We've got a minor infection there. Shouldn't cause us problems for a few months, but nice easy work for young scallywags like yerselves.

He sits back in his chair, and the Scalar sitting in the middle of the hemispherical table says You are dismissed. A guide will be assigned to take you to your the transferrence station. Next appointment.

The guards re-open the doors behind you, and your guide beckons.

[Sissyphus]

Renthier

I walk out of the open doorway, reclaiming any weapons that I checked.

[Crel]

After you leave the Council Hall, your guide begins walking. And walking. And walking...

A few hours later you arrive at the bottom level of Union, twenty feet above the ground. You can see the Primus Arcanus flaring strongly upwards through the center of each level, toward the Council Hall. You can also see a fine webwork of metal surrounding it above and beneath you.

Your guide turns to an elderly Prey and hands him a paper. Another freelance team, cleaning out one of the power stations. Nothing unusual.

The Prey nods his grey head. Yesh, yesh, I shushpected. He raises one paw to draw a glowing sigil in midair. A platform appears. Hop on, an' it'll take you to block 29-X. He reaches into his pocket and hands Renthier a golden medallion. It is worn from years of use, and has some writing on it. Hurry up now. Don't got all day, ya'know. An' don't loshe that! Drop it, and the platform will vanish, and you can't get out. He wanders back over to the sigil, ready to dismiss it. He looks rather impatient.

[Nanoblack]

Spellcraft to identify: [roll0]

Daggon watches the Prey trace the sigils carefully then quickly hops onto the platform. "I wonder what we're gonna find out there."

[Tacitus]

The man in rags also boards the platform, "I suspect pain and suffering. Or rats. But there isn't really much of a difference there."

[Sissyphus]

Renthier

"Dunno, probably something deadly, why else send out a team of hired weapons, or, more accurately, expendable hired weapons?" Renthier says as he steps onto the platform. The paper is gripped tightly in his left hand. "So, do any you have training in magic or or are we all just a bunch of meatbags?"

[Nanoblack]

"You could say that I'm a bit of both", he says with a sly grin. "Don't worry, you'll get to see a full demonstration of my abilities upon our arrival."

[Crel]

@Nanoblack: You fail to identify precisely what the spell was, but it likely combined weak conjuration and transmutation magic. In addition, you were able to identify that the sigil was a variant of the arcane mark spell.

You descend on the platform for about 15 minutes, until a fog begins to surround you. You cannot tell the distance to the surface, but it seems somewhat close. The platform stops next to a pathway. The medallion in Renthier's hand glows faintly. About twenty feet ahead on the pathway you see a door leading into a temple-like building made of marble. The door is closed.

[Nanoblack]

Once we land Daggon stops and says,"I need a moment to prepare, and once I'm finished please don't be alarmed, the creature is my companion."

He begins the 1 minute ritual to summon his eidolon.

[Sissyphus]

Renthier
while Daggon does his summoning I check the door for traps. (if I find any I take steps to neutralize them). Then I slowly, silently open the door and peer inside.

Search [roll0]
disable device [roll1]
spot [roll2]
listen [roll3]

[Crel]

As Renthier walks towards the door, a light begins to glow from the faded lettering on the medallion and from the door. It reads "20-X." The door opens without a sound once the glow fades. You can see about ten feet into a hallway made of a strange black iron. You can make out strange shapes near the walls, but can't tell anything else without a more investigative look.

[Tacitus]

Cassius

The beggar of a man follows along behind, his staff tapping the floor with every step. He glances inside the hall, though he has no light of his own to extend his vision.

Perception: [roll0]

[Sissyphus]

Renthier

I draw one of my daggers and slip into the hallway, eyes keenly searching
(remember I have low light vision)
Spot: [roll0]

[Crel]

The two warriors creep into the hallway as Dagon continues his ritual.

Renthier:
You see the floor. Good job.

Cassius:
You see that the lumps against the walls are some sort of arcane machinery. In addition, you sense movement at the far end of the hall, about twenty feet away.

[Sissyphus]

Renthier

My senses on full alert I march down the center hallway, fully aware that I'm framed by any light entering the hallway through the open door. I softly whistle a jaunty tune and Idly play with my dagger.

[Crel]

As you walk down the hallway, two humanoids emerge. One aims a bow at you and says Parada! Hablas Orc? while the other pulls a lever.

Renthier:
Make a reflex save.

Dagon:
In case you were waiting for an OK, your summon is done.

Everyone:
For anyone confused about the lateness of this and future posts, view the OOC thread. I can post the link/PM the link if necessary. Yes, I know. Orcs now speak spanish.

[Sissyphus]

Renthier
Non, Je ne parle pas en Orc. I try to roll forwards across the floor, dropping the dagger into my hand. I close distance as far as possible in my roll.
[roll0] reflex
[roll1] tumble

[Nanoblack]

Daggon

Daggon pats his Eidolon on its shoulder then gestures toward the ceiling. It scrambles up the wall then to the ceiling and begins heading toward the voices of the orcs.

Initiative? Daggon:[roll0]
Yog:[roll1]

[Crel]

Renthier leaps over a pitfall at the last minute and rolls, landing about 15 feet from the orc who has just pulled the lever. The other orc releases his arrow, and draws another from his quiver. The arrow flies past Renthier and falls to the floor next to Cassius.

The first orc takes a step forward and leers menacingly at Renthier, battleaxe in hand.

So Cassius and Daggon are at the entrance, Renthier is 10 feet from one orc on the other side of the pitfall, with the other orc standing 5 feet behind him aiming another arrow. They have only noticed Renthier. Yog is on the ceiling.

[Sissyphus]

Renthier
(I'm going to assume that the Orc who is behind me is only five feet from the pit based on the description--if not I'll change my action)
I spin around to face the or I just slid past, smashing the hilt of my knife int his face while trying to throw him backwards into the pitfall.
[roll0]

[Sissyphus]

I now pronounce this game dead... If it ever starts back up, Pm me.