Legends of Epica

[Probably Pixel]

The candle burned, illuminating the room with a flickering light.

The room was small and unwindowed, and inside the room was a single table.
Next to the table was a tall, dark man, his eyes unwavering and his beard combed to absolute perfection. He wore a tailored armour, coated with red markings that labelled him as a general. This man is General Barst, sixth commander of the Epican legion. He was silent. Opposite him were five adventurers, each different in their own special way. They were silent, too, though somewhat restless. Then the knight spoke.

"As you might be aware..." He said, "The gathering is tomorrow. This event, as I'm sure you're surely aware, is a great political meeting between the kings and queens of our age. To please the crowd, of course, there is a grand, expensive, festival." He turned away from the adventurers. "and yet there is a problem. An archmage is dead. And not anyone can kill an archmage. And not anyone would carve cancel the gathering or die on said archmage's back. We have a powerful enemy."

"This is the arrow." The general places a single arrow down on the table. It is still red. "Many suspect drow as the killers, but I know that drow..." He strokes a scar on his arm. "are more subtle."
He slams his hand on the table. Everybody jumps. "A good defence is a good offence, I always say. You must find these killers. Bring them to justice. By whatever means." He then calms down somewhat. "This is a map of the city." He rolls you a parchment. "This is fifty gold coins." He places down a jingling bag. "You know your missions. Dismissed." He leaves the room like a shadow.

You are all alone with the map, the arrow, and the money.

The candle goes out.

Legends of Epica!!!

[gremlin-pult]

"This is pointless." Raze said in a monotone voice, distorted and given a mechanical vibe by his helmet. Rising from his chair, he adjusted the sword on his back. "This is a job for law enforcement. There is no monster here to hunt. I fail to understand why I was called for this meeting."

[Probably Pixel]

There is a mild cough from the door.
Standing there is a teen, with scruffy, golden hair and an innocent young face.

"Hello sirs." He says meekly."My name is Cameron Byzantine Achilles the third and a half. Officer of the junior peace keeping division." He shuffles uncomfortably. "I am here to answer your questions, and also make sure you don't bail on this mission. Trust mercenaries, the boss does not. He he he..." He begins to panic. "Um... I should say... that you have been trusted with dangerous secrets, and if you reveal them... You might go to prison, or have your minds messed with! Trust me, prison is probably better.
So about your question, mister glowing orange sir. Practically every officer in the city will be setting up for the grand gathering festival. Plus, if anyone knows about this, it could cause a massive outbreak. The gathering might be cancelled! That, of course, would be very bad. So the boss trusts you to find these killers... Yeah."

He claps his hands suddenly.
"Shall we go? We can always walk and talk!"
He begins leading the party outside.

[gremlin-pult]

Raze simply stared at the boy for a moment, before nodding curtly. As he followed him out the door, he spoke again.
"Politics is a bother. Let it be noted that this will be the first and last time I take on a mission involving it."

[Probably Pixel]

Cameron shrugs.
"Well, I could say politics are boring, and I could say that they are important... But all in all... I am very young...

so I have no idea what I'm saying and I'm going to stop talking."

[T-Mick]

As the boy and the gangling figure move through the doorway, one of the adventurers, a ragged man in a grey cloak, looks up from the table.

"Hold a moment, boy."

Taking the arrow in his hand, he rolls it in his fingers some, and beckons the boy closer.

[Probably Pixel]

Cameron does a U-turn.
"Yes?" He says questionably. "Is there something you have to ask?"
He sees the arrow. "In case you are wondering, I can confirm, that object right there is indeed an arrow."
He awaits your actions.

[neriractor]

a few laughs are heard from across the room as Archimonde raises his hand "hey, kid I have a question, are fifty gold pieces the pay or the funds for the job?"

[T-Mick]

Aethrod glances at the money and the devilish figure across from him, suppressing a grin, and turns back to Cameron.

"I should hope it's the same arrow that was found in the archmage. When we get the opportunity, would you be so kind as to show me where the body was found?"

With that, he takes the arrow and his walking stick, and moves towards the door.

[Probably Pixel]

"Well, mr. demoney sir, the boss says he'll give you that much money again if you complete the task at hand. I assume you already have anything you need?"

He glances over to Aethrod.
"I do believe that is indeed the arrow that struck him down. My good... acquaintance johnny has the misfortune of pulling it out himself. Ugh. Yes, I could show you where it was found..."

[Razade]

Bastion slowly detaches from the wall, having stood in the back for much of the briefing with only a faint hint of a smile on its pale lips. "Before we do that? I think perhaps we need more information. Who was this Archmage and what was he doing for the gathering? Who were his enemies when he was alive and which of them had access to Drow weaponry? Investigating the site he was killed isn't going to do us much good I'm afraid. After all this time it's bound to be contaminated even if you've closed it off from random foot traffic. Anything we might find, even if there's anything else to find that is, won't do us a bit of good if we don't know what any of it means and if time is of the essence surely we don't have the fortune of being able to sit over it once we find it. Forgive me but I think we're all being just a little hasty with what amounts to barely any information. Really...this is all very sloppy. And only fifty gold between the five of us? Ten gold for what very well could be a massive terrorist attack? I think it's fair to say...are you setting us up?" The seeming High Elf offers a wider grin revealing sparkling teeth, a gloved hand motioning to the rest of its supposed "mercenaries". "Surely they'll want to know all this too. All we know now is an Archmage is dead, hardly a secret that will keep and I know no one at this table by name. As far as I can see...you've given us no reason we cannot say no to your little proposition. An answer I feel rather inclined to offer you."

[Probably Pixel]

"Now hang on." Says Cameron. "Do you have no concern for the safety and... and... safety of anyone in Asentis?" Asentis, of course, being Epica's northernmost city, and the station for the gathering festival. It is stationed on a cliff-like mountain. "The archmage is a man of extraordinary power. Who he was is completely unimportant! Was is important is the giant terrorist threat carved on his (or her) back! This is a danger to the city, to the state, to the Nation!"

Now outside the building, the glaring sun blinding the adventurers. From here you can see the tall, stone buildings, the fluster and buster of the populace rages past. It is a hive of scum and villainy, as a wise man would say. To the skies you see great, shining, pentagon-like airships. The Terrainians, making an impression as usual. Thinner, triangular ones are seen, with the elven queens S.A.S Needlepoint clearly in sight. Square ships, thick and brimming with crates of supplies and goods. Truly a majestic sight, seeing it.
Cameron is flustering.

"It's as if you have no concern for your fellow man... elf... thing! I've never seen such a... insulting... undead person in my entire life! For goodness bloody deities all mighty!"
*Breathe* *Breathe*
"I can think of, like, three places possible. The crime scene, of course. The black market, and the underground of the mountain. What do you reckon, you greedy ********? I can see why the general doesn't trust your kind!

[Razade]

Bastion listens patiantly to the excited little man, folding his arms into the sleeves of his robes with as bored an expression as one might make. "I don't. Not a single one. This city will be ash in another three hundred years and another gem of civilization shall arise elsewhere and I'll be there too. I have always been, I shall always be. You're a thread in a tapestry, I'm the weaver." he starts, gazing down at Cameron with milky eyes. "And you mean was. Was a man of extraordinary power. He's dead now, a fate I think a few more people will share in a day or so." The former Elven mage slowly steps forward to cross the distance between himself and Cameron, clicking his tongue dryly against his teeth. "Now I asked you a couple questions and you did say you were here to answer them isn't that right my dear? Yes yes I think you did say exactly that. So I shall repeat myself. Who was this Archmage and who were his enemies. His name, their names and where we might locate them if they're within the city limits. Secondly, why is the price of our task so low? Ten gold per person seems rather low for saving your city. My....involuntary companions may not be exactly worried about the task you've set before us but I for one smell something rotten and it's not me for a change." The Lich chuckles, glancing at the other three who seem to be up and ready. "The lot of you are walking willingly into a trap and you aren't even questioning it. Accept a job, ask no questions and demand to be rushed to the scene of the crime with no knowledge if the place is secure. You'll excuse me if I say I have no intention of losing this body because you're all lazy. Now Cameron, child, you've got a good deal to answer for."

[T-Mick]

As the boy and the imposing elf, shall we say, negotiate, Aethrod draws near the wall, and begins to concentrate intently on the arrow he took from the meeting room.


"Little arrow, pray speak to me. I have come serendipitously come to have you, but I have no use for you. If you may be so kind as to answer me truly, you may be soon returned to your proper station, flicking through the air to steal the lives of men. Perhaps even I can restore you to your previous owner. If you are less than obliging, I should remind you whose hands you now rest in.

Are you truly the arrow that killed the Archmage?

What sort of men last fired you? Were they hired, or did they have real interest in the murder, so far as you know?

What might they have said of their purposes? What was their grievance with the Archmage? With the political gathering? Do you know if your previous master had other targets?

What have you heard of the festival and meeting? For what purpose, as you have heard, were the kings and powerful figures gathering?

From what direction did you fly into the Archmage's back?

While you were under the keeping of the general, what were his motives, so far as you heard them? Does he genuinely think these adventurers will solve the mystery? Does he expect to be able to take advantage of them?"


Employing here "Whisperer," "Journalist," Bluff, and Persuasion.

[Probably Pixel]

Cameron slowly steps away from the Elvish magician.

"I, I, Don't feel... Um, "

"The Archmage, Amalris Michellio, had one known enemy; a rival mage by the name of Wilder Desdraio. He would be at his mage tower to the east of the city. You might of misheard me- when the boss rewards you for completing the mission, he'll be giving you another fifty coins - each! Probably should have said that earlier, and, and, Woah!

A sky weaver, the working man's air fighter, goes streaking through the street, nearly hitting Cameron. He turns around, revealing a dagger stuck in his armour, with a piece of paper stuck on it. "How rude." he says.

Meanwhile,
"Oh! Hello! Hee hee! No-one talks to old mr. arrow anymore! Hee hee! I'll tell you many things...

Yes indeed, I am the arrow that killed him! It was delightful! Hee Hee! Who fired me? Radical extremist's of course! What was their greivance? They just simply wanted to make an impression on an important man! Cause a stir! Ha! Despite that, I'm not sure about what they want... It was rather forest-ty where I was fired.

General whats-his-name? No clue. Sorry.

[neriractor]

Archimonde talks to Cameron with a polite smile "kid, is there a more country-level threat that could kill the archmage? I mean, if the other guy is of importance in this country he may care for its safety enough to not try to stop that festival thingy..."

after a pause to think he keeps going "maybe the guy is using this whole terrorist threat so we will ignore him and go find a different threat that isn´t related to the incident at all, that seems likely as we know they already did that with the "drow" arrow. Mmm... hard to know without having met the guy, any thoughts on that old bones?" the last part crearly adressed to the elf-lich

[Probably Pixel]

Cameron is just peeved right now.

"Honestly I don't know why you guys ask so many questions. Can we just make up our mind on what we're going to do?"

[gremlin-pult]

Raze watched in silence as the others grilled Cameron for answers. He was displeased. First a contract that turned out to be involving politics and unimportant targets, then finding out that he had no choice in doing it. And now it seemed that his employers were hiding something!
Raze was very displeased indeed.
"When you find out who or what the target is, point my blade in that direction." He said. He then returned to watching his surroundings, not at all interested in being part of the inane conversation. It was not part of his purpose.

[Razade]

Bastion purses his lips, finally letting out a sigh of consternation. "I think this whole thing is a folly and we should be away from it all and forget what we heard and let what happens happens. We won't be able to do that I think so we do what our enemies wouldn't suspect. Hear me out. The boy employees to answer our question thinks we're asking too many questions. When pressed about our payment we're told "oh but you'll be getting more once you're done, didn't we tell you!" by our new friend here." the Elf does a surprisingly good job mimicking Cameron's voice as he motions to Raze. "Child, sweet child. Could you stand in front of the door? Weapons out if you'd be so kind dear. I believe there might be violence and that seems something you care for." He then turns back on Cameron, trying to pluck the plot convenience off his armor. "A flying machine inside a building? Certainly this is important. I think we take it and our little friend here to the nearest guard station. Tell them what we've learned and do our best to speak with the rulers of this city. They'd certainly like to know what's going on. All this cloak and dagger...why? The sudden urgency. The unwillingness to answer any questions and when pressed...hostility? I'm sorry boy, the others may go and do what ever they wish on this contrivance but you and I are going to be taking a very long walk to some very curious people I think. I only hope they see the reason in this action. Someone claims they don't want the festival shut down but it's too late for that. We're less than twenty four hours away from the Festival itself. Nothing we could do could stop it. Who ever did this didn't want the Festival shut down. They wanted scapegoats for when what ever they plan happens and the four of us will be stuck holding that particular bag once it's all said and done."

[gremlin-pult]

Raze stood completely motionless for a moment, staring intently at the talkative elf-thing. Child? how did he know? I am wearing my armor and helmet... Hmm, it is probably because he is an elf. they can get very old, so it would be no surprise for him to view others as children...
While his body language showed nothing, Raze did relax slightly, removing the elf-lich from his mental "threats needing neutralization" list. for now. He DID add him to his "to be watched and hunted carefully" list instead. He also added Cameron to that one.

After this moment of silent contemplation, Raze took a step over in front of the door without a word. He did not draw his sword, but he did adjust the sheath slightly so the grip could be reached a half-second faster. He then waited.

[Probably Pixel]

Suddenly, a knife appears on cameron's neck! He begins to choke.

An assassin has him at his total mercy. "Hello, friends." He says, in a manaical voice "I see you've heard what's going on, about the peculiar incident with an arrow. My bad. So, listen up boys. This ones mine. Come any closer and i'll stab him, painfully" He begins to pull Cameron back. He chuckles. "Oh, is this yours?" He says, holding up the groups fifty gold coins, and a veriety of other gear. "My bad, now you'll have to chase me! Yay!" Grabbing cameron by his hair, he begins to escape through the streets, causing chaos as he goes.

[Razade]

Bastion stands motionless as the strange and random man simply appears from thin air and somehow manages to slip past the young hunter guarding the door. "Well. I think I'm going to go back to m business. I can make fifty gold easy enough and it's not like I'm attached to any of this. I bid the rest of you good day, it would be my advisement that you get out while you still can. Nothing will come from playing these games with the likes of that." He motions to the sudden and random kidnapping. "You all can do better than this. The world is large and options are many. If you'll excuse me?" The Lich offers a bow, waiting for the hunter to move before slipping out onto the street and into legend.

[Probably Pixel]

Suddenly a sleep needle appears on Bastions neck.

The party is suddenly surrounded by assassins! The assassins are wearing standard Epican garb and wear a symbol of their order on their chest. They approach the party with knives and blow darts at the ready. A priest steps forward. "I am priest For'tha'wal! bring you a message from the gods! The gods semand you stay on the rail-road, you morons!" However no-one can decifer the meaning of this statement.

OoC: Basically every suspision bastion has had is correct.