A City of Sinister Delights IC

[AlanBruce]

Chapter I: From the Ashes

Don't bend; don't water it down; don't try to make it logical; don't edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.

- Franz Kafka



*********

A few nights ago...

They knew coming all the way here was not safe. Away from the flaming barrels and the singing of the Mercyfolk in and around the Bitter Coffee and environs.

They were told to stay out of this area. Hell, Kyle had been quite clear about night time exploring in The Mercy.


Loot all you want, but keep it within these areas. Barring that, I can make a run for the city and get you what you need...

But his warnings fell on deaf ears as the group of five, covered from head to toe in whatever cloaks, trappings and bits of rusted armor they could scavenge and polish, crossed the derelict bridges of the once lush parks of the Mercy, now a grim reminder of the Great Fire's legacy.

This part of the Mercy was untouched. Rife with riches in a sea of broken glass and concrete. If the pay off was to be found anywhere, it had to be in a place away from The Society and the Cold Hammer's jurisdiction.

Even those fools: The Rooster Gang.

To boldly go...

The towering buildings, many reclining against their dead brothers, watch the group through empty eye sockets as the scant moonlight creates eerie shapes on the cracked streets. The torches providing light, yes, but not enough to provide a feeling of safety.

At best, the fire from the torches increase the odd shapes as one in the group coughs and asks the rest to stop.

"What is it?""

"You can't smell it? Sheesh! What died here and forgot to flush itself... I'm getting sick!"

Another in the group walks up to his friend as this one is about to remove his mask.

"Are you daft? Keep it on at all times! Someone check out where that stench is coming from!""

Another in the group does a quick reconnaissance and grunts as the echo of metal on pavement rebounds along the street.

"It was a manhole... and it was open. Didn't you say that this place was deserted?""

A shorter figure in the group rises the torch to shed more light around.

"It is deserted! I know it is. That's why we are here. Now, let me check my map."

The group gets closer to the map reader as this one sits on the ground and spreads the map, tracing a gloved finger along all possible streets.

"We aren't far. Just a few more blocks. We do this and we'll be regarded as heroes. I want to thank all of you for your help.""

"Coin will do, thanks."

It is a few more minutes walking around a few uneven streets, with pieces of rubble trickling down the massive urban giants left here to rot so many years ago as the shorter one in the group raises the torch to a worn out sign.

"This is it! Here's where I was told they were. You guys got your bags?""

One of them walks up to the front door and tries the handle, realizing it's locked and then pushes against it.

"Barricaded from the inside. Hey! You three! Come and give us a hand here. We're busting in.""

A wind flies through the dark street and threatens to extinguish the torches as the group places their gloved hands around it.

"Don't let the fire go out! Come over here and...""

It is then that one in the group stays still as the sound of a manhole echoes not too far away.

"Didn't you close one on the way here?""

"I closed one, but that was several blocks back. Are you sure this place is... AHHHH!!!!""

The torch falls from the poor sod and extinguishes on the ground as the group runs to their comrades position.

"Hey, guy! Hey! Where are you?!""

One of them kneels on the ground where the burnt out torch lay and runs a gloves hand on the broken concrete.

"Blood... fresh, too. Screw this! I'm going back. You lied to us!""

The shorter one holds its scouting partner by the arm.

"We can't split now. Stay together and let's get what we came for. Then, we can go find him. It's a promise.""

The moment that all of them turn their attention to the door, their friend's blood curdling scream can be heard rising above the ground as something drops the extinguished torch on a rancid puddle and his screams are muffled several feet in the shadowy skies, never to be seen again.

Panic runs through the three remaining scouts as they begin kicking the barricaded door, dropping their torches on the ground as these roll a few feet away.

"We need to get inside now! Push, goddammit. PUSH!""

The shorter one in the group drops the map and joins in the fruitless attempt to gain access as shrilling screams, unlike any animal ever made, echo through the darkened street as one of the brave scouts cries in pain as its arm is pulled back from the door by an unseen force, causing the other two to freeze in place, subject to utter fear before his limb is brutally sliced by an unseen blade as the scout, its entire body drenched in blood, takes a few steps back, attempting to register what happened, only for its legs to be surgically removed as its body drops to the ground and a droning of wings can be heard over its body as its face mask is dissolved by acid, causing the poor guy's body to twitch and sizzle.

Hopefully he died from trauma at first strike.

The last two place their backs against the door to the building and the taller of the two draws a dagger.

"What the hell is going on here! Isn't this part supposed to be deserted??? You said none of the others come here.""

It's a females voice that can be heard in the dark.

And for good reason...

The dagger is sliced in two by an unseen blade, followed by the brave scout's face mask, which slides down his chest, taking his face along for a bloody slip and slide down his chest and on the cracked street as he keels over, leaving the shorter scout paralyzed with fear as the bodies of the scouts are dragged away into the shadows, the sound of cracked bones and ripped flesh the only sound as a cloaked figure walks towards the last survivor, who kneels and places its hands together in prayer.


Please, gods above. I meant no harm. Never have. All I wanted was to...

The cloaked figure grabs the last surviving scout by the neck and lifts its entire body off the ground, with its boots dangling a few feet in the air.

"Were you not told to come alone? I believe her instructions were quite clear, were they not?"

The poor scout can barely breathe as the woman's grip on its throat threatens to crush the windpipe.

"I... I... can't...breathe...""

The cloaked figure keeps her grip before dropping the scout, who takes off the mask, in order to get a fresh breath of air, accompanied by the thick scent of blood and acid.

"It is just as she predicted: You get to live, as per her wishes. And as promised...""

A small sack floats in the air from the shadows and is dropped at the scout's feet.

"All you want is in there. Now, let me take a look at your face.""

The woman checks the scouts facial features and this one tries to look behind the hood. See who caused the death of so many in such a short time.

And that's when a tiny sting is felt on the scout's neck as this one drops on the ground, feeling extremely sick as the hooded figure and the entire street seems blurred and hazy as the poor naive scout's body convulses on the ground.

"You will not die. Be content with that. This was just a bad dream. You will wake up to sunny skies and happy faces. Known faces.

You are also never to come here again...""

Numbness takes over the scout's body as a puddle of stagnant water meets an unconscious fool in the bowels of the Mercy.


************


Day 1


@Ketra: It's been less than a week since the Mass Migration.

Swift Eoil was good on his word- a hundred clipped wing binds, now taken away to his own hideout. Hell, this is as much raw metal as anyone will find in The Mercy. It isn't rusted and with a little creativity, who knows what that elf might be able to do with them and a good smelter.

He also found all of you a place to call home- The Royal Wyvern Luxury apartments.

Back in the day, before the Great Fire, Hope's Caress had the best in comfortable deluxe living. Be it as a citizen, or a traveler. The typical wooden shack seen all over Oerth for centuries and a staple of adventurer meetings was ditched in the City of Power.

Halmathan is a metropolis and unless you can afford the coin to live in the richest suburbs, across the city and as far from The Mercy as possible, the thirty story building is your new home.

Appearance wise, it's a dump. The pillars that hold the base of the building still stand- which is a miracle in and of itself, but years of looting and squatting by who knows how many brigands and petty thieves have left the once prosperous and pretentious hotel in ruins- garbage and waste litter each floor. Squatters at one point must've bashed the walls in order to set up large hiding holes to live and conduct whatever shady businesses people in the mercy are so fond of.

There is a positive side to this, though- because of the fire, age and lack of maintenance, the stairs connecting the tenth and eleventh floor have been destroyed. The lift, a marvel of gnome engineering has long been out of order and several floors beyond the eleventh have such faulty rotten floorboards, that they have become effective death traps.

Unless someone's flying, they aren't reaching you and the rest.

And to make your home just a little better and more comfortable, your mother Celitas came up with an idea, a few days before the flock took of to The Mercy:

Ketra, please ask fair Lady Silvarel for earth. Earth from Glenndale Park, as much as we can carry in bags.


Of all the churches in Halmathan, that of Ehlonna is not built in an urban trench. Glenndale Park is the only natural preserve in the City of Power. It is said that when Halmathan was built, Glenndale Park was left untouched, effectively, being at the center of the city.

This "park"is more akin to a forest. Yes, it is gated, with short walls surrounding it and over the years, pavement and benches have been placed for everyone to go and either take a stroll, sit down and paint a picture of the city amidst the only true nature in this place.

They even have those silly looking boats shaped like swans for couples to row across the clear lagoons and recite badly written poetry.

The place is idyllic, were it not for those smoke chugging machines: The Eyes in the Sky, always hovering a little too close to the canopy.

Lady Silvarel was not one to question your request. She had been impriosned falsely by Connor over a month a go and she knew what it is like to be oppressed and discriminated- Connor, on top of it all, despises elves and Lady Silvarel is a grugach, or wild elf in the Common tongue.

Everything was set and then...

Vaea was lost.

You and her used to sing as children, roosting on the tallest buildings in Halmathan before taking the ballsy glide to the next rooftop, an act that may have given your mother more than a few grey feathers.

And as you became attuned to the City and its untamed land, so did Vaea nurture her voice. She came to be known as Halmathan's Nightingale.

There is no remorse for blasting Teros Feldspar. Much less for bringing a tree down on his manor.

If there is any remorse to be had is that your actions, noble as they were, doomed the entire Aerie.

Wing binds? Are you serious? Tuilviel gave you wings to soar high and become that much closer to the Heavens.

And now Connor wants to keep you all grounded and shackled. One has to wonder if he did this because of a twisted sense of humor- because he enjoys watching people be miserable.

Or maybe. Just maybe... because the idea of a flying minority in the City, angry at him has given him the slightest glimpse of what may befall his fate, should he continue being the way he is.

One must also wonder if your stint against Feldspar and dozens of Raptorans flying across Halmathan's sky, dodging Connor's mighty machines will enact some sort of Retribution, a concept he loves to embrace.

Celitas was quick to take the mantle of leader- or as much a leader as she could be, being the eldest after Toomin.

Building large wooden terraces and hanging them from the many balconies in the hotel, the community has created a sort of hanging gardens. Not as impressive as those of Babylon, but with rich earth from Glenndale Park and your expertise on growing things, at least your flock has greens to grow and the occasional rain helps the fruit and vegetables come forth and not be polluted by the toxic ground and water below.

Celitas has made the younger ones understand:

You all stay on this rooftop. This is our home. The Mercy has a misleading name. Until you can fly properly, you are to stay here, where it is safe. And if you can fly, you are to always go out in groups of no less than two.


Your mother means well for the children, but you are not a child anymore.

Her words are honeyed, to reduce panic in the flock, but you know better.

Down below, it's a dog eat dog world. And they will eat anyone, feathers and all.

And so, bright and early, you wake up and commune with nature, even in this scorched concrete jungle and swoop down below and and take to the streets, ignoring the looks of the Mercyfolk, who, although they know what a raptoran is, have not had a flock of them dot the skies not too long ago.

A rare sight indeed for this place.

Soss, a few years younger than you, but with a promising future as an archer, has gone missing. There is always a hot head and now, the flock mourns his inevitable passing.

But you aren't mourning. You are going to find Soss. He is alive and you are going to drag him by the tail feathers back to your new home.

Whatever it takes.

But being new here, you need a lead. And so far, your only lead is Eoil.

His workshop is a few blocks away from the The Royal Wyvern. Well concealed, with a few steps leading down to a thick wooden door.

The elf is quick to recognize your voice as a multitude of locks can be heard on his side and he lets you inside.

http://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderChronicles/PZO1111-Pathfinder.jpg

"By Urbanus! If it isn't Ketra, free as a bird, coming down from her lofty heights to see us poor folk...heh. Come in, take a seat."

There isn't much space in here. Eoil has a bunch of junk littered about. The wing binds are nowhere to be seen, probably smelted already.

A large table cluttered with more junk and a ledger occupy most of it as Eoil uncorks a very old and dust covered wine.

"A gift from my brother. Aged eighty years. Want some?""

Eoil is quick to pour you from a dirty glass and one for himself.

"So how's the family up there?""



@Seti: You are late already.

Twice a month, The Society meets up at Hope's Caress Hall of Justice. Back in the day, the City had the finest judges and police stationed there to oversee its citizens and make sure that everything ran smooth.

Today, such hallowed hall serves as the bi monthly meeting point for all the factions in The Society. Mainly to discuss how each crew is doing financially. If there are any problems, and most importantly...

To collect a share from each crew, since some outrank others. Favors are owned and the only way to see that through is to pay in cold hard cash.

As usual, you are at the bar in the Bitter Coffee, with Kyle getting your drink in a to go cup as Nana Rose takes a break from her patrons and shows you a new card trick.

For such an old lady, she sure is nimble when it comes to cards. The stories say that she once left the King dry in a game. Yes, Marcus Airdan is said to have visited the Mercy several times after the Great Fire, usually in disguise and alone, escaping the stifling protocol that his station burdens him with.

Whether the tale is true, who knows. It's a good story and Nan isn't shy to talk about it.

Neither is she shy about saying her piece of mind about the Grand Inquisitor.

"Heard today that the old gas bag is going to raise taxes even higher. At least that's what one of the patrons earlier this morning told me. Raise them more? By Job! He's breaking the City apart with this. He thinks we are all made of money? Since when does a leech take the position of Church Leader?

Anyways... see that guy over there? That one. yeah, he...""

That;s when Kyle comes over and gives you the look, as he puts the cup on the counter.

http://i.imgur.com/9wBxQXO.jpg


"Your coffee. Watch it: it's hot. Two coppers.""

Maybe he knows what you call him and his little Boy Scout Squad. Maybe he doesn't, but it is clear that between you and Kyle, there won't be a flourishing friendship anytime soon.

You glance at the man Nana pointed out and he does seem rather different from the other regulars.

For one, he's dressed head to toe in a thick coat and a hat. The man keeps his hat down so as to cover his face as much as he can and his hand shakes a lot as he downs what you can guess, is the third shot of whiskey, given the other two empty glasses.

Breakfast of champions.

Nana speaks to you in her native tongue.

"Guy comes in once a month for the last three. Drinks nearly a full bottle and then, off he goes. Where? I have no idea. So tell me: how's things going outside the Coffee?""


@Isobel: It rained last night, but nothing even close to the Vile Rain.

Why would Lady Beory send something like that? Sure, Halmathan right now, given who governs it, would deserve a cleansing like that, but not for everyone, gods forbid.

If only that rain had fallen over the palace of Justice... wishful thinking.

Your apartment, in Green Meadows is anything but.

The once bustling gated community was said to be one of the upper crust sections of Hope's caress. Flora Park still remains here in name only.

The place is still green, but not because if the soft grass and trees, but because of the pool of toxic water a few yards away with a large grate that spews the nasty stuff into the pool every so often.

Birds won't even dare roost or fish there. Doubtful that any fish could live in such polluted water.

But at least the apartment, located on a third floor, does not get the smell, partly because of the many potted plants and flowers you and Vim Von have used to decorate place and maybe it is her music that gets them to grow faster each day.

That's when you spot one of the newer additions to the Mercy:

http://i.imgur.com/aUsiTaD.jpg

Senerain Blach, the Merciful Father's bodyguard. She has been scouting the area around the Mercy for weeks, looking for a place to build a mission to Phaulkon.

She hasn't seen you, and it is clear that her attention is on the stagnant toxic pool as she leans on its shores and takes out a vial, not before handling it with tweezers, and scoops up a sample before putting a cork in it, looking at it raised to the sky, swirls the contents inside, shakes her head and pockets the sample as she walks away.

"Rise and shineeeeeee!""

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6e/57/d3/6e57d3285786691d0934e112531b046c.jpg

Vin Vom, your adorable splurging roommate. Vin came from Halmathan, like you. The girl has two talents:

Singing and Spending.

A pity that the latter surpasses the former.

"Will be performing at the Coffee tonight. Hope to see you there. Oh! Big news! Met an artist here the other night. She's some big shot painter? Or was she a photographer... I don't know, but she saw me perform at the Bitter Coffee and told me she has a studio here. I guess rent's cheaper when it's free, huh?

Anyways, you're looking at the next Mercy Muse. At any rate...""

Vin flowers the plants and gives a loud yawn.

"Time for me to get my beauty sleep.. do we have milk? I sure could go for some milk. And eggs... no! Pancakes. Oh, what I'd give for those!""

And before you can answer, she goes to her room and collapses on her bed.

[Smeggedoff]

Bella watches stoic woman examine the pool with a slight pang of guilt and makes a note to see if she can't work at purifying some if it in the near future. Stagnant water is one thing, but that pool is anything but natural.

Jumping slightly at her friend's exuberant greeting, Bella nods along in a bemused fashion as she shares her daily gossip at a mile a minute.

"What's wonderful Vin, really, and I'll be there" She calls to the woman as she prepares to leave the apartment.
The sound of her kicking her books into place against the joorframe causes her erstwhile companion to rise from the shaggy lump on the floor and yawn before padding over to her

"Come on lazybones" she chides, letting him go first before closing the door behind them "Milk and eggs she says, still, can't hurt to look"

The dog lefts out a 'boof' in response as they make their way down the hall to the stairs and out into the Mercy heading towards the market

completely forgot about my animal companion, just gonna go with a riding dog, fits an urban environment and is probably a bit easier to explain away than a brown bear and less likely to get citations than a giant eagle

[TankLaser007]

Seti gathered his hair with one hand as he listened to Nana, his eyes sliding quickly over those in the bar that morning looking for anything out of the ordinary. One could never be too careful, especially these days. Not after what happened with Ivo. Whatever did happen to him. Seti took another quick glance around the room for Draven, the poor sod, before tying off his hair and placing a black leather bycoket on his head, tucking his hair beneath it as he placed the triangular cap tightly upon his head, running the glossy violet feather between his fingers in a habitual flourish as he returned his hands to the bar.


"Heard today that the old gas bag is going to raise taxes even higher. At least that's what one of the patrons earlier this morning told me. Raise them more? By Job! He's breaking the City apart with this. He thinks we are all made of money? Since when does a leech take the position of Church Leader?

Anyways... see that guy over there? That one. yeah, he...""

That;s when Kyle comes over and gives you the look, as he puts the cup on the counter.

"Your coffee. Watch it: it's hot. Two coppers."

You glance at the man Nana pointed out and he does seem rather different from the other regulars.

For one, he's dressed head to toe in a thick coat and a hat. The man keeps his hat down so as to cover his face as much as he can and his hand shakes a lot as he downs what you can guess, is the third shot of whiskey, given the other two empty glasses. Breakfast of champions.

Nana speaks to you in her native tongue.

"Guy comes in once a month for the last three. Drinks nearly a full bottle and then, off he goes. Where? I have no idea. So tell me: how's things going outside the Coffee?""

Seti's eyes took in the man, as Nana spoke, while Kay the Rook placed the hot beverage before him he began to reach out still not removing his eyes from the tremor plagued mystery man. Seti's hand slides down towards one of the magically sealed pockets on his belt, then he remembers he's broke -- as usual. While not everyone answers to that old "Gas Bag" the cutpurse cleric "Father Cutter", everyone does have to pay dues to someone.

Tithes were steep all round these days. The Stools running things in the Society were still new, and still testing their limitations with the flock. Give 'em a few months and "dues" would likely drop, but these last few weeks had been hard and with the new taxes, even the Mercy was feeling the squeeze, less people were giving to a poor old beggar like himself, and even less so since these disappearances started.

"On second thought Ka--- Kyle. I think I'll pass." he said sliding the steaming hot cup back towards the barista.

Turning back to Nana he replied to her in Gnome; "Can't say. Not much. A lot. You know how it is. But this character here," he says indicating the man with the whisky breakfast, "would you like I try to discern his story?" Seti asks the Gnome with a sly grin and a wink as he pulls the peak of his hat slightly down over his left eye.

[Syless]

Ketra wore a grin as she entered Eoil's 'home', if you could call it that. The grin was a false one, visible to anyone with the slightest social graces, but she wore it nonetheless. "Hey there, Swift. And I'll never turn down an offer like that." Stepping around the clutter and finding a seat, as much as she could, she takes a sip of the wine herself. "We're settling in as well as, well, anyone could. Lovely view of all the sights to see here in the Mercy, and such friendly neighbors."

Setting down her glass, she rests her elbows on the table and looks Eoil straight in the eye. "This isn't a social visit, I'm afraid. A member of the flock's gone missing- Soss, the boy who's been running messages for you and a few of the other locals. I know it's the Mercy, so he may just be gone... but I'm not giving up without a fight. If you've heard anything about him, or anything that might point me in the right direction, I would be quite grateful." She picks up her glass once more and takes another sip. "Naturally, I don't expect anything for free."

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: It's that dream again...

For the fifth night in a row, you have had the same recurring scene:

The entire City of Halmathan, consumed by flames. The cries of innocent numbering in the millions as a single crimson eye breaks through the smoke ridden sky and that mad laughter echoes chills your very being into waking.

The Rope Trick spell should expire in a few minutes, but you can easily take an hour at the House of Knowledge to prepare your own spells.

It's not like the classrooms will be full, anyway.

The Mercyfolk have flooded the streets early today. A good sign for their dwindling market place. And now with Raptorans having flocked and roosted over the many buildings, who knows...

Perhaps this place has a chance, after all.

It doesn't take long to reach the House of Knowledge:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/85/0a/0b/850a0b9f0117db7cbcd58ddb213fd783.jpg

Granted, it's no Runestone Academy, but when compared to the other buildings in The Mercy, this place isn't too terrible. The stories say that it used to look even worse. A mesh of planks and mortar mixed together along with a few nails to really bind them.

Needless to say, this is your new home and workplace. Is it a normal workplace? No, and that is something that you need to remind yourself every day:

None of this is normal.

A year ago, you and Michael would teleport from anywhere in Halmathan and pop right at the doorstep to the Royal Mare Inn and have a few drinks before popping back in Runestone, just in time for Mistress Fyrune's Theory of Enchantment: The Mind and You.

The class wasn't anything spectacular, but she sure was. Of all the teachers at Runestone, she is said to have made more hearts throb on campus than any spell, elixir or charm.

On a lazy day a year ago, you could take to the skies and fly above the buildings of Halmathan because... well, why not? You could fly.

Today, the mere thought of that is enough to warrant you a one way ticket to prison and from sleeping in a comfy bed at home, you have to watch your back every night before jumping in a Rope Trick because a bunch of losers who equate themselves to fowl have taken a disturbing liking of sorts to you.

It may be that you, being a wizard, has attracted The rooster's attention: few mages are known in The Mercy and who wouldn't want to have a Runestone graduate in their payroll?

Thankfully, they haven't been much of a nuisance since two days ago, when a crew of them was lounging at the doorstep to the House of Knowledge, bullying children and grown men alike for going to school.

It would have ended in bloodshed, had it not been for one of those Ilumians, Githslayer Kyrich, who simply crossed his arms and leaned against the door, giving them a silent deadly stare that drove the fools away.

That and a wicked spiked chain... probably that was motivation enough.

As soon as you walk inside, you can see Michael seated at one of the empty desks, finishing to review his own spell book as Sister Hannah greets you with a bow.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/a9/7d/d5/a97dd5b0c4e3489374efcf0eeaad1d54.jpg

"A fair and blessed morning to you, Master Travis! I hope those Rooster rascals didn't give you any problems on the way here? You do know the House of Knowledge has rooms to spare. You need not find a place outside every night.""

Hannah is working on placing a bunch of notes on a large wooden board. This isn't uncommon- although the house serves as a school, it also helps people reach out to others. A roster of sorts.

The word MISSING is repeated like a pattern all over the board, along with a multitude of names as Hannah sighs and finished taping the last sign before asking your help to place the roster outside for all to see.

"Five more of these came today. I really don't get it. The Mercy is a dangerous place, yes. But with Sarjon gone, we should be a lot safer now and yet... oh, well. Michael says he wishes to do pull a double shift today, if that's fine with you. Lately, the number of students coming has decreased.

I honestly don't know how to keep people interested in learning anymore. Not with all these disappearances.""

Sister Hannah sighs and takes a look at the roster, doing a mental count of the missing ads and walks inside. But there is one ad that does catch your attention, hidden under the many other parchments on the board:




Crafters Wanted

Knowledge of Arcane Magic a must.

If interested, head to:

45 Galatea Dr.

Discretion and Good Pay

This ad seems recent.


@Ketra: Swift savors the wine, taking an exaggerated pose as he straightens his back, attempting to show the slightest sliver of his elven heritage- which doesn't work in a cellar filled with who knows how much dirty rusted contraband.

"You know, if it weren't so far away, I would have had you settle in the Ashford Gardens. Back in the day, before the fire, that place was the hub for the rich and famous in Halmathan. The wealthiest families had deluxe apartments there that made the royal palace look like the Bitter Coffee by comparison.

Of course, today, that place is so ruined and polluted, that not even a rat would dare scuttle around the debris, but in its heyday? Forget it: you had a view of the entire city from the penthouse.""

Swift Eoil puts down his glass as you mention the nature of your visit and looks at you for a few seconds, clearly studying your words and motives behind it.

"Haven't we all lost someone? I remember Soss. Black feather tuft on his head? Yeah. Good kid. Big mouth on him, though. Too big if you can't fly off, if you ask me.

Look, Ketra I don't know where Soss is, but... but I may know someone who might. You don't live here for almost a century without knowing the locals."

The elf turns his back to you and fidgets in the drawers, taking out a piece of paper and a quill.

"You need to find a human by the name of Seti Udzich. He belongs to the closest thing The Mercy has to a government. If anyone has gone missing, they will know... or they will have done the poor bastard in and that's that. Regardless, he can give you answers.

However... because there is always a however in my line of work, Ketra. I need you to do me a favor."

Swift looks at you and then at his baubles in the cellar.

"I have reasons to believe that there's an arms dealer in The Mercy. I need you to find this person. Just give me a name, that's all I require. If you can get Seti to help you with that, all the better, BUT... you never heard this request from me, deal?"

@Isobel: A pretty lady walking alone in the streets of The Mercy is just asking for trouble.

But when you're a pretty girl who can turn into a freaking bear and maul people to death and who just happens to have a St. Bernard like Donna next to you, creeps tend to skulk in the shadows, several feet away, if not an entire block.

Hopefully Vim get her big breakthrough. As a bard in Halmathan , she could make it big. The girl can sing and dance like few you know.

But with Connor's stupid laws against bards, claiming that they... what was it he said:

They are demons that will confound the minds of good folk with songs taught by the Devil himself! I will not allow the fair citizens of Halmathan to become enslaved by these witches and their musical craft! Henceforth, to protect you, law abiding citizen of the City of Power, I am placing a ban on such heinous music and deviant arts!

Any music to be heard in public will have be closely monitored and reviewed by The City.

Everyone have a lawful and blessed day.


So many things to say against such a preposterous order, but who would stand up to His Holiness? Definitely not Vim, that's for sure.

And it would seem that the market place is filled with vendors. A lot more than usual. The whole Raptoran Exodus has swelled the numbers in this district. Who knows how many more groups move in.

There's only so many derelict buildings to squat in before someone gets cute and starts charging rent.

The House of Knowledge can be seen a few yards away, nicely settled between a pair of buildings. Who knows how many people are actually attending. With all these missing cases, it is a surprise to see people out and about.

Then again, it is early morning... and you need to get eggs and milk.

One thing The Mercy has is diversity. Food is expensive and the people are poor, so trade in goods is not unheard of here. You do spot several vendors, stacked next to each other with their carts and a few of them having a semi dead goat leashed to the cart, chewing on a tin can.

That is a good sign here- it means this man sells goat milk. It also means that it costs more.

Those that do not have a goat leashed to their carts means that they sell milk, and at cheaper cost... but you don't even want to fathom where it was milked from.

Then there's the eggs. The Mercy has resorted to very basic farming- the land is o polluted that it is nearly impossible to grow anything, but animals like chickens are a valued commodity here and you better have a deep purse to buy a dozen eggs, let alone a bird.

And it is as you browse through the wares, making sure Donna doesn't knock over a stand that you freeze for a moment and hear a familiar voice in your mind:

Tristram!


Sis, let me know where you are so I can meet up with you. Urgent.


@Seti: Kyle sighs as you refuse the coffee and he's about to pour it down the drain when he looks at nana, hands her a pair of coppers and takes a sip, wincing at the taste, which is sure to carry the Coffee's namesake.

Talks have been running like wildfire in The Society meetings. Mainly about the new Church Leader, Borazon.

Yes, the guy's a hero. He took down Sarjon, the meanest baddest mother in this place yadda yadda yadda...

But of course, new questions poured in:

With a Church leader in The Mercy, that means Connor will now start meddling here. Hello, stupid oppressive laws. Good bye any semblance of freedom.

And the Merciful Father is conveniently away... a conspiracy between the Falcon and the Cudgel? Not too far fetched.

There is that guy, Rothen, Borazon's second in command. The guy is as sharp as a hammer. He definitely does not have the makings of a religious leader. He has avoided giving any kind of information regarding Borazon's whereabouts, but that;'s because nobody has asked the right kind of questions at the right time of day.

Maybe something to check on later. Right now, there's a drunken fool with a very heavy coat on for early autumn that draws way too much attention to himself.

Nana pats your hand and gives you a wink.

"You do what you have to, kid. Just don't get in any trouble, ok?""

The man shakes profusely as he places three gold coins on the table and gets up too fast, holding onto the table as the whisky runs its course through his bowels and threatens to resurface, something nobody is eager to witness so early.

Thankfully, he composes himself with a loud belch, tips his hat to Nana and moves with a bumbling pace, leaving The Bitter Coffee and hitting the streets.

Something is odd, though:

You can swear you heard some jostling from this man. Something tucked beneath his coat. A stolen bottle, maybe?

[Syless]

Eoil's description was fascinating. Ketra was of two minds- without the Mercy as it is, she would be dead or imprisoned by now, as would her flock, but to have seen what it once was, what it was meant to be... a whole different world. But it's not one she had the luxury of imagining right now.

Eoil's assessment of Soss was spot-on, he'd been a gossip and a braggart back when it was safe to do so, and the fact that it could get him killed here hadn't quite sunk in.

She furrows her brow at the mention of Seti, though. The idea that Soss had gotten himself mixed up enough to draw the attention of someone important was... concerning. "Thank you, Eoil. You've been a great help. I'll see what Seti knows, and if something's happened to Soss... well, I might need to arm up to do what must be done." Ketra offers a small wink, the wink of someone not used to lying. "If he's not responsible, I'll see if Seti can help me get ahold of any equipment I might need..."

[AlanBruce]

@Raikou: The last few months in Choralis Isle have been nothing short of amazing.

Who knew Oerth had so much water- miles and miles of clear blue sea and bight blue skies with white clouds.

The Ossian Way is a dangerous place, of course, but so was home and you are alive.

Lady Choralis has been a good mentor... or rather, her sisters, Alsira and Severna, the Sirine Pranksters. One such tale they love to retell, always with more grandiose detail is how they stole a valuable treasure from the nefarious Captain Matlal, of Sekolah's Jaws, an order of deep sea creatures known for slavery and a particular fondness for the taste of man flesh- sea elves being their preferred dish.

Their ruse on Matlal was a success... somewhat. There were repercussions. Big ones. Choralia did not go into much detail, but suffice to say, that two names surfaced a lot during your last weeks in her island:

Archaidious Mithmironel and Tonel Carth.

Raikou, your training here is nearly complete, but these waters have offered you all the challenge you can get. To stay longer will not make you stronger.

I have a favor to ask of you. I am certain Kaalo will not object: Please, Raikou, go to the city of Halmathan and find them. Archaidous is an elf wizard. Tonel is a human priest. An archer priest. Hard to find those. He reveres the Sky Archer. Please find them and tell them to get out of that place.

To leave immediately. Once you have made contact with them, have them reach me.


And so, with teary good byes, you took off on top of your faithful friend, Cyrus the elemntal as Alsira and Severna swam below on hippocampi, astride the surf and foam of the sea until they stopped less than a mile away from an imposing dock filled with ships.

"That's where the humans live. Their port.""

"Choralia says we should not get close, Raikou. Besides, we wouldn't fare well on land. Go have some fun out there and make sure you return soon, ok?""

The sirine sisters dive with their steeds below the waves and you bid Cyrus to take you as close as possible, at the highest of speeds.

The smell of fish wafts through your nose as the masts of these beautiful vessels bid you good bye and you calmly soar above them all, catching more than a few with their jaws dropped as you wonder if they have ever seen a mage riding his familiar before...

And then, the City of Halmathan:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/90/39/b2/9039b2826ba59eff0d6523a4e2caf8ce.jpg

What the... who build this place? Humans? Are they as resourceful? The ones back home are nomads. An achievement in engineering and architecture back home is pitching a sand storm proof tent.

And this place extends for miles and miles. How many people live here? By the gods... how the hell are you going to find those two here?

Alert! Intruder detected!

An intruder? Where...oh. It must be you they are talking about, but who is...

That's when a shadow covers you and Cyrus as you look up and watch something breaking from the clouds:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/54/72/10/547210f047b00ddc162fe6c1ea052f1f.jpg

The hell? This thing is as big as a whale, but whales can't fly and they are definitely not made of metal.

You wave at the airborne monstrosity and are about to state your name when a single cannon aims at you, not unlike those seen in opirate ships, but much bigger.

And then, without giving you a chance to explain yourself, the blast.

You were hit once by a fire giant back home. A war hammer wreathed in fire, straight for your ribs.

That sensation would be welcome any day when compared to the massive blow suffered by this one single blast from that ship, as the explosion deafens you for a few seconds and Cyrus does his best to hold you as both are shot miles across the vast city and you barely can keep your eyes open as everything becomes a blur of buildings, roofs, a wall... people? Who knows by this point, but Cyrus is not able to stop your fall as he does his best to have you fall on the softer possible surface.


@Isobel: Tristram... what did he mean? Has Runestone finally fallen to Connor's zealotry? Is he going to be okay?

Donna barks at you, but you keep your thoughts swirling around your head and then...

It's a meteor that knocks you over at least twenty feet, carving a trench on the street and knocking several bystanders on the ground as Donna barks louder and a couple of goats panic and bleat and bite their ropes, scampering free and as far away from this as possible.

Your head feels dizzy... and there is a weight on you. Not your conscience, though...

A halfling!

http://i1313.photobucket.com/albums/t547/Darwin_Mendyke/6e43010cd55bfb306668a9fe4d2b1d51_zpsft5mgmhc.jpg

Who is this guy and why has he crashed directly into you? You are lucky there is only scrapes and bruises- no internal bleeding or broken bones.

The same cannot be said for him, who manages to smile with one eye shut and turned into a purple knot.

He isn't alone, however:

http://pathfinderwiki.com/mediawiki/images/thumb/5/5f/Air_elemental_1.jpg/250px-Air_elemental_1.jpg

An air elemental... you are acquainted with these. As a druid, you have come to summon a few back in the day. They are the most pure manifestation of the Natural World and its four building blocks taken life and free will.

This still doesn't answer how this guy fell on you.

The crowd is visibly scared. They have seen weird stuff happen here, but a fiery halfling drop from the sky?

That's a first.

@Raikou: That's... that's the best they got? Pansies.

But where are you? Is this still the City? Cyrus is close by and a large riding dog snarls at both of you as you look up at your cushion.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y32/Smeggedoff/drood_zpse1vggfpv.png

Maybe you died and went to Heaven, after all. Shortest mission ever.

@The Party: Whether at the House of Knowledge, the Bitter Coffee or scheming at Swift's, you all hear the commotion in the streets.

Something big has gone down.

[AlanBruce]

@Ketra: Soss and his temper.

That kid had to be gagged once when he was about to shout to one of the Eyes in the Sky back in Halmathan when Connor banned flight for everyone.

His heart may be in the right place, but that doesn't mean it may not be removed by those who most likely not share his loud views on, well...pretty much everything.

Still, a punk as he may be, given the new place he lives in, he must've taken a Wild West approach here and for someone like him, that means a swift death.

You need to find this Seti guy. If he has knowledge of your friend, then you have no other choice but brave The Mercy. The district is huge and although you could glide from building to building and get a good view of the streets below, you cannot see inside them.

Hiding in this concrete jungle is way too easy for anyone.

Eoil corks the bottle and hands you the brief letter with his signature.

"Seti and his friends... they meet somewhere in the Mercy, but going alone will not end well for you. This guy has clout. He is known and liked by his people. Find him and you may get access to the information. I know he is a local at The Bitter Coffee, so chances are you can find him there.""

So at least you have a lead. That place was mentioned many times by the Mercyfolk. A pub of sorts. The only one named and known by the populace at large.

Worth a shot.

Then there's the arms dealer Eoil wants you to investigate. Who knows where this guy is, but you can probably get a name and a face before taking off. Make it nice and easy.

And that's when the loud crash and bang can be heard a few blocks away, causing Eoils' cellar to shake and several of his valuable baubles to fall off the wall.

"What the hell was that? An earthquake? No. That sounded like a... hmmm. Ketra! We are done here. I have to close shop and would rather be alone when I do that.

Be safe.""

[Smeggedoff]

Bella makes the sort of wheezing noise one makes when a ballistic halfling knocks the wind out of them.
huh, so that's what that sounds like.

Gathering her wits sluggishly she taps the living projectile on the shoulder carefully

"Pardon, but are you alright? I only ask because if the answer is yes I wouldn't mind you getting off me so I can stand, otherwise... Well I'll see what I can do"

[TankLaser007]

Nana pats your hand and gives you a wink.

"You do what you have to, kid. Just don't get in any trouble, ok?""

The man shakes profusely as he places three gold coins on the table and gets up too fast, holding onto the table as the whisky runs its course through his bowels and threatens to resurface, something nobody is eager to witness so early.

Thankfully, he composes himself with a loud belch, tips his hat to Nana and moves with a bumbling pace, leaving The Bitter Coffee and hitting the streets.

Something is odd, though:

You can swear you heard some jostling from this man. Something tucked beneath his coat. A stolen bottle, maybe?

“And on that note, I’ll just head off to the latrine, and then be off. I think I am quite late enough as it is.” he says sliding off his stool as the jacketed man exits. “Thanks again for the Coffee, Kye.” he with a wry smile as he heads off to the head. Once near the door to the latrine, and out of sight he makes a quick change.

“Jib'syr'ree” he whispers puling a chipped ceramic mug from a pocket in his belt. With a thought the clothes he wears begin to shift and twist until his former attire has become nothing more than rags and tatters. Another thought and his appearance blurs for a moment before settling upon a new visage, an older looking and weather worn face with leathery looking and pocked skin and scraggly beard. Another whispered word, ““Veng'jow” and his belt of pouches disappears being replaced by an old knotted twist of ash stained rope.

https://s27.postimg.org/4rddkhxqr/beggar_cloak.jpg

His disguise in place he quickly makes his way out of the Coffee and into the street looking left and right for “hat and coat” as he stumbles and limps his way into the morning air towards Hope's Caress Hall of Justice. Trying to scrounge some change from anyone he encounters along the way; “Mercy on you, few coppers; spare some coins, coppers for a cripple?”

That’s when he heard a large crashing sound, sounding like it came from the market.


[roll0]
[roll1]

[Niwrad]

When Raikou first comes upon the massive metropolis his eyes widen with amazement. He had seen villages and small towns before, but nothing on this immense scale. The buildings here seemed to stretch for miles and miles with hardly an end in sight. What these humans had done here was nothing short of breath-taking.

Of course, that would make his task here a bit more difficult. Where in this massive city could those two be?

He and Cyrus rise quickly into the air and they begin to fly over the city. His thoughts and amazement are suddenly interrupted by a strange voice. The halfling turns to look at this giant metal flying monstrosity.

Huh...? What the heck is that?

Then he sees the cannon aimed right at him.

Uh oh...

Raikou and his familiar barely have time to react before a massive blast send both of them hurtling across Hamalthan.

When he finally regains consciousness he opens his non-swollen eye and once the World around him stops spinning, he begins to take note of his surroundings. If the city he had seen before was an impressive feat of engineering and ingenuity, this place was a dump. The houses here were run-down, crumbling, and in many cases had been completely burned to a cinder.

He then sees Cyrus, who is currenlty and somewhat nervously eying a rather aggressive-looking dog.

Finally, he looks at all the people gathered around him and he realizes he is currently sitting on something...

With a quick hop, he steps off of Isobel and moves closer to his familiar.

Really sorry about that, I do appreciate you cushioning my landing though. How rude, I was just flying above the city minding my own business when all of a sudden some giant metal flying behemoth comes out of a cloud and blasts me. And boy did that hurt.

Seriously, I think I've been hit by fire giants that hurt less than that.

Anyways, hi there. My name is Raikou and this little airhead is Cyrus.

He gestures to his familiar before turning back to the human cushion with a big friendly smile.

What's your name? Are you okay? And where is this place? Am I still in Hamalthan? This looks different than the place I was flying over earlier. Also... do you know where I can find Archadious Mithmironel and Tonel Carth?

[AlanBruce]

@Aren: It's been a few weeks since your arrival to The Mercy.

The City of Power has been seized by a Cuthbertine, that much has been clear to you from the information given by the locals. Grand Inquisitor Connor of the Cudgel now holds the power of a King in one of Oerth's strongest kingdoms.

And this has not gone unnoticed by other nations.

Maybe it's the fact that you don't like followers of the Cudgel as much. Yes, you and them show a devotion to the Law and Order, but in your tenure as inquisitor, you have seen more than a fair share of them- on both sides of the fence, mind you- take on a dangerously zealous streak.

Thankfully, those that demonstrated such inclinations were shut down quickly. Many of them did not have the power to stand up and mete out their own version of Justice before the manacles came upon them.

But here... here it's a different story altogether- this guy has access to the military, both mundane and arcane. On top of that, some churches have said to pay fealty to him and lend their own support, having armies of their own.

And this why you are here, basically: to verify if the representative of the Archpaladin in Halmathan, Sir Randolph Brunhausser has indeed taken sides with this Grand Inquisitor and if so, find out why.

And once you find out why, well... you'll have to figure something afterwards.

But Sir Randolph is not in The Mercy. People know his name, that is true, but in this part of town, his name is but a whisper in the wind. Few here have made it past that Wall of Separation and some couldn't care at all about the city's religious figures when they have more immediate problems of their own here.

Lawlessness, banditry, theft, extortion... and that's on a good day.

The Raptoran community is something new for you. Back home, you barely saw one, maybe two.

Now they have flocked in here, flying in droves from the city. Why? Who knows, but you didn't bother with them before, why start getting chummy with them now.

The Mercy is not entirely devoid of good honest people, thankfully.

The ilumian Kyrich, or as his fellows refer to him as Githslayer Kyrich has given you a room in the run down building he and his mates claim as their own, not too far from a modest little building, new in comparison to the crumbling structures around, known as the House of Knowledge.

These ilumians, the Githslayers, they belong to some Order, but none which you have heard of. Kyrich says they have the rank of knights and have devoted themselves to protect their race's most valued treasures.

Why they are in The Mercy, with so few in number and how long they intend to stay... these things the ilumians aren't saying, but clearly, these men of arms and great strength would make for brave paladins of Heironeous.

At least you are protected while with them. You have already seen enough petty theft in the streets under broad daylight to know that nobody is truly safe here. Maybe if Sir Randolph were here, he could put a stop to it, like any follower of the Archpaladin, but he hasn't shown his face in The mercy in years... and probably never will.

The closest thing to a religious figure here- besides you, of course, would be Rothen of Suel:

http://orig08.deviantart.net/d337/f/2012/243/a/3/archer_by_goshun-d5d2kqp.jpg

Like you, Rothen is not from Halmathan, but like his namesake, he's Suloise. This hunter was called from such far away land by the acting religious figure in The Mercy, Father Borazon the Merciful, Halmathan's religious representative in this district.

It would seem that Rothen and Kyrich have established a friendship of sorts. For one, Rothen is a close friend to the missing church head.

Kyrich has hinted that he and Borazon underwent a mission not too long ago, but he has refrained from divulging more.

Rothen has taken to your appearance here as a blessing. The man has no knowledge of how to run a church and he has been pressured by the City to establish one in The Mercy.

Truth be told, where could a church be built here? Unless you were to kick out squatters from some building, the Mercy has no safe open areas to build such a lofty temple, something that Rothen is always quick to correct.


It's a mission, not a church. The Merciful Father was very clear about that. He does not wish to build something pretentious and lavish here.

And so, in this particular morning, you find yourself with Kyrich and Rothen scouting areas around the marketplace as Senerain Blach, one of Rpthen's close friends and a follower of Phaulkon, walks up to all of you and shows you a glass vial with brackish water in it.

"Good morning, Aren, Kyrich. Rothen, it's not good: I thought the Green Meadows residential area might have some potable water, good ground to build in, but look.""

Senerain shakes the vial a little and the water fizzles inside.

"Without a proper lab or someone to run tests, I can tell by gut instinct that we are walking on poisoned land. We need to get the druids of Glenndale to come here and cleanse it before we even think about building anything.""

Rothen looks up at the sky as his pet falcon flies over head, always keeping watch.

"Tell that to Dalpinian. He has been making my life a living hell since Borazon disappeared. He insists that a church needs to be built immediately.""

"Well, have you told him about the poisoned water? This place is not fit for anyone to live here. It's a miracle these folk are alive and healthy.""

Kyrich is about to say something when he points at the sky and Rothen's falcon screeches and evades a ball of fire that lands several hundred feet, right in the middle of the market place.

Rothen looks at you and Senerain and then at the explosion.

"We'll discuss that later. Let us go see what's happening over there. The last thing I need is for Connor's people coming here and asking questions."


@Seti: Kyle listens to your not so subtle commentary about your destination and raises an eyebrow.

"Restroom sounds a lot better than latrine.""

He may be right, but the bathroom at the Bitter Coffee is not exactly a hallmark of sanitation.

A jagged shard serves as a mirror on the wall and the toilet has been clogged recently, with a small window that is not enough to dismiss the smell as a parade of cockroaches tread quickly around your boots.

You look at your reflection in the mirror and think of a million possibilities:

What will you be today?

If you were to pull this trick in Halmathan, chances are you'd be in shackles the moment you uttered the first word but here?

Here, you are free to do as you wish and this becomes quite clear as your appearance becomes disheveled and your clothes ragged. Wrinkles form around your face and your back humps just a tad, not too much so as to seem forced, but enough to compel the idea of a man weighed down by his own miseries in life.

Nana Rose doesn't even notice you walk out but Kyle sure notices a different person leaving the bathroom, something that does not draw much of his attention as he gets about to work making more coffee.

And so, you pick a spot outside the Mercy Pub and rattle a rusty mug, asking for help, any kind of help.

In coin form, preferably.

It's a single silver that drops in the mug as you look up and watch Senerain, one of the priest's lackeys nod quickly and tighten her purse as she rushes past you with Rothen, the massive Kyrich Githslayer and a Raptoran girl.

Most likely one of the new feathered folk that flocked from the City.

The crowd has gathered around and smoke rises from the ground as Rothen and his posse make their way through it. You are about to go check for yourself when that man from the Bitter Coffee is seen way back in the crowd trying to get a better look...

That's when someone butts into him, being pushed from another bystander, causing the man in the hat to look at him.

"Watch it, you punk!""

That is no punk. Direct in his approach and yet subtle enough not to get noticed:

http://www.rpgbooster.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Namrik3.jpg

That's Drakan, perhaps one of the last few Olidammarans left in the entire city.

"You watch it! And real nice: drinking so early. Great role model!""

The people around him turn around at Drakan's words as the man is about to respond, but stays his tongue and walks further away, deeper into The mercy.

"That's right, walk away, drunkie! Alright, guys let me see what's going on here.""

Drakan is not one to just bump into people unless he's drunk. And even if he's drunk, there's always some part of his mind that is always sharp and very attentive.

In other words, that was no accident.

But what to do? That guy is walking steadily away from the crowd. You could follow him or go check out what happened.

@Isobel: Maybe this guy got hit harder than you thought... what is he talking about?

Thing is: he isn't getting up and the people gathered around are really getting into your personal space as Donna barks at them.


Are you alright?

It's Rothen, the Phaulkonite and de facto church leader of The Mercy. The young man extends his hand for you to get up.

"Alright, everyone! Nothing to see here! Get back to your shopping.""

The crowd is quick to react.

Ooooh! If it isn't Connor's pet!

That leash still tight?

The Inquisitor Cometh!


Rothen sighs and smiles despite the clear attacks directed at him.

"Are you alright, madam?""

@Raikou: You start spinning your tale when a massive hand reaches out and grabs your head and lifts you off the woman and places you on the ground.

Ready to blast the idiot to kingdom come, you realize it's some kind of bald giant decked in armor, ready for a fight by the looks of it.

"You're hurt. You have any way to treat those wounds?""

A black haired warrior crosses her arms and looks at you.

"And hide? Because that would be a good idea.""


There is another in the crowd that stands out from the rest: a bird woman. You have seen these before, back in the Ossian Way.

Harpies... never a good sign. Where did Choralia sent you, anyway?

[kinem]

Travis paces to clear his head of the nightmare. After washing his face, he heads to the House of Knowledge. Holding his quarterstaff at the ready, he tries to keep a sharp eye out on the way. Not that I'm afraid, but being jumped would be embarrassing.

Along the way he thinks about what spells to prepare this morning. He'd seen women choosing clothing to wear by trying on various items in front of a mirror, and thinks of a wizard choosing his spells as much the same process.

Soon he is there, and greeted by Sister Hannah. Ah, she is a pleasant sight at least! "Good morning, Hannah! Michael! No problems, and it'd take more than a few chickens to bother me, though I may yet take you up on the offer Hannah."

"The missing ... No, it's not normal, even for here. Probably there is a single force behind many of these disappearances."

He examines the board closely, looking for names of anyone he knows well. I should prepare a scrying spell and try to find one of these people, if they are still alive. But I would need a team to attempt any rescue. Michael? No; perhaps he knows some spells to fight with but to endanger a friend would be foolish. I am not going down that road again ...

Suddenly he hears a crash or something outside. What the hell now?

"Wait here. I'm going to look." He goes out to try to see what happened in the direction of the market.

[Syless]

Ketra takes the letter and tucks it away safely in her pack, ever-so-slightly buried so as to not be visible. No sense in making it a target for pickpockets. "Thank you, Eoil. Again. May our mutually-beneficial relationship continue. I'll let you know when I-" The sudden jarring noise startles Ketra, causing her wings to ruffle to fly- not that it's possible in the cramped cellar. When he ushers her out, she nods. "Of course, take care, I'll be seeing what that is." Rushing out, she takes a quick flight up to the nearest rooftop, gaining some altitude to try and see if she can find the source of the noise.

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: Getting jumped in this place is way too easy.

Without actual law enforcement, someone getting robbed and gutted in view of everyone has become the norm. yes, there are so called "warlords"and "vigilantes"that, for a price, make sure that doesn't happen...

Because if you don't pay, they are the ones who will rob and gut you, so being extra careful helps, even in broad daylight.

But once at the House of Knowledge, you breathe a sigh of relief. Sister Hannah told you once how Sarjon sent people to burn the place down, but with his death, none have attempted to do that.

Still, she has been living here longer than you. It's only a matter of time before some thug with a big stick knocks on the door and demands protection money.

And it is because of that reason and many others, that Hannah is more than grateful that you and Michael are here- thugs in the Mercy are stupid. They know how to use a blade, but display a few flashy spells, and rare is the brigand that will stick around to find out how the incantation ends.

But thugs are the least of your concerns now- people are missing. And a lot more than the usual rate here. Yes, you could Divine the location of one of these many disappeared and find him or all of them.

If your hunch is right, this isn't a disparate operation. Someone is behind them all, but at this point, it's wild speculation and who to bring along for that?

Sister Hannah is well intentioned, but she's a teacher. Raised as one. Her dedication to the school should remain here. Out there, fighting these thugs...

The Mercy would lose a good person.

Michael is capable on his own, yes. As versed in the arcane as you- maybe a little less. Still, you are not losing friends again after that ghoul ambush.

This district has a lot of bad seeds, but there are a few who are fighting the good fight. If you could get ahold of them, maybe... just maybe.

And then the ruckus and cries from the market.

Something went down.

Michael gets up from his desk and pockets his spell book as he walks with you outside the school and watches the commotion several hundred feet away.

"Be safe, Travis. We are very close, ok?""

The crowds of people make it very difficult to get a clear view of what's going on, but a thin trail of smoke can be seen emerging from the center.

What is clear is that whatever fell in The Mercy, must've flown at high speeds, since you can see a ditch carved on the ground at least twenty feet in length.


@Ketra: Eoil has to make sure his trinkets don't fall off the walls as he turns to look at you and smiles.

"You get me that name, Ketra, and I will have a lot more jobs for you. You have my word.""

Tucking the letter in your pocket, you leave the cramped cellar and take in the direction of the noise, noticing quite the group of people gathered around the market. Many are booing someone as a healthy gout of smoke begins to dissipate in the air.

You need to get a better view.

It's a bundled pile of trash overflowing an old trashcan that serve as a jumping point as you bend your knees and keep your eyes locked on a window sill several feet above you.

With a grunt, you take off and hold on to the ledge and waste no time to jump to another sill in the opposite building. If you had the chance to fly like your mother, this would be much easier, but as it stands, ricocheting between towers will have to do.

And so, once you find yourself a good thirty feet high, you hold on to an old lion head made ornament, now a nest for pigeons and covered in their caked droppings and look down on the crowd.

A bunch of beggars and other miscreants are gradually parting ways from a small crater on the ground.

A human lady in robes is being helped up by a hunter. Eoil told you about him, the Mercy's Church Leader. A man by the name of Rothen.

A halfling with an elemental very similar to Sfaer assumes a fighting stance against the slowly receding crowd. The halfling has seen better days, that's for sure- he is the source of the smoke.

But there is someone else that catches your attention:

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRE9wbiidWHGRg0e2yalV4WSPQu73WIt Ns-gDlt7aEJI2yiIZM9

A Raptoran! But wait... she's not one of your Aerie, or any flock in the city. You know every single one of them.

This one dresses differently. Has an air about her and her trappings belie either a knight, a warrior or most likely, a secular position.

But that is odd: no churches exist in Halmathan devoted to Tuilvilanuue...

[Frendle]

Aren walks up on the scene as Kyrich picks up a wounded Halfling and sets him on the ground next to his victim. What is happening here? An attack? No, no one seems to be getting ready for a fight, at least not until the Halfling sees you. Then he strikes a fighting stance.

You have seen enough in your time not to underestimate anyone, and he does seem to have an air elemental as a pet, familiar? Something. Rothen reaches down and helps the woman up who apparently got knocked down by whatever just passed overhead.

“Do you see me as a threat Sir? I assure you I am not, so long as your intent is not to do harm.” The Raptoren Inquisitor looks at the woman Rothen just helped up, “But perhaps you already have….”

[Syless]

Ketra's eyes only lock on the chaos momentarily before her gaze is drawn to the other Raptoran. There's another of us here? She has to have heard about us by now, we're not exactly hidden... I have to find out who she is. Before she gets herself hurt or bound, she doesn't look like the Mercy type. Leaping from her makeshift perch, Ketra glides towards the market, attempting to land as close as she can to the crowd without landing in the middle of it all. And if things get messy... well, she'll be glad she was there.

[Niwrad]

Woaahh. Thanks for the assist big guy.

Raikou begins to notice the crowds of people starting to gather around him. But he turns back to the bald knight with a confused look.

Wait, I don't get it mister... Why would hiding be a good idea?

He also turns to look at Aren when the Raptoran addresses him.

A threat? No no. You just look a little like some harpies I've met before. Not pleasant people those ladies. But I'm sure you're not one. And I don't mean anyone harm. This incident here... well, I had a bit of trouble controlling my descent. Some metal monster flew out of a cloud and blasted me what feels like halfway across the World.

I'm here to find two people though, an Archadious and some human named Tonel... heard of them?

[TankLaser007]

Seti slowly makes his way through the crowd, tripping and limping along towards the centre while thinking to himself; Leave it to Draken to sharp my mark. As much as I would love to follow the Tipsy Hatter, it'll have to wait. It would be too conspicuous now, that he is peeling off on his own, with most of the crowd still here, I'd have scant cover. Besides I am Late. I'll catch up with Draken at the Coffee later and see if he knows anything about our mutual 'friend'. In the mean time I should gather as much info about this disturbance, so I at least have something of value to report once I reach the court, and can always use it as a resealable excuse for my tardiness.

He takes up the people's cries of disdain at seeing Rothen and tries to take stock of everyone assembled; "Ole Cutter's traded his cudgel for a bow, come to bleed us from far!" he yells limping closer so as to be able to get a clear look.
A Halfling?!, no wonder he couldn't see what the commotion was about through the crowd, there at the heart of all the commotion was an eclectic assemblage of people, a smoking, singed, Halfling, a robed woman, a swirl of air and debris some type of magical beast or spell, a very big dog -- would make a small family happy for at least a few days, 'Mercy meat', beggars can't be choosers as they say. The Suloise Rothen and Senerain , no surprise there, although the woman was much prettier than people had mentioned, but a many viper beguiles with its beautiful colours. There was a Raptoran, but she had a different cut to her than those recently taking roost here, a hardness, a determination, for some reason she reminded Seti of the watch, defiantly an outsider. Just as he was about to limp a little closer to better hear what they were all saying, another Raptoran came gliding in.

[Smeggedoff]

"Um, Isobel" Bella replies to Raikou before replying to Rothan as he helps her to her feet "And yes, I'm fine thank you. My, it certainly is lively today, what's going on?"

Bella pats her dog to reassure him and looks around in confusion

[kinem]

Travis replies "Thanks Michael. I will be fine. Just keep yourself and Hannah safe, in case the trouble is not confined to the market."

He considers casting a few defensive spells, but absent a definite threat, decides that it is best to keep them in reserve for later.

He makes his way through the crowd towards whatever meteorite must have shot from the sky, only to discover that it appears to be a halfling. With an air elemental ... that tough little guy is a caster.

He also notes the others who chose to move towards, rather than away from, the source of the commotion. Raptorans in the Mercy, I might have expected. These are all brave folks ... hmm ... Wait, a metal monster in the sky? I don't like the sound of that!

He approaches. "Hello there! Uh, welcome to the Mercy, meteor man. I am Travis. I would very much like to know more about what just happened. Perhaps we could talk about it over coffee? Also, if any of you are would-be heroes, there is a matter that I would like to discuss."

[AlanBruce]

@Aren: You watch Senerain flip a silver to the beggar and smile at the Arcanamach.

Not many people here have the coin to be giving it away like that and yet, heavily taxed and living in subpar conditions, this warrior woman does not hesitate to help a man in need.

Your smile turns to a tight lipped concern as your training as Inquisitor to the Archpaladin kicks in and something tells you immediately that there is an illusion shrouding that beggar.

That posture. Those rags. The wrinkles... not of that is real. An elaborate make up, to be sure, but alas, as you move away from him, you are unable to make out who hides behind the mask.

Is it a caster? Most likely. Senerain did mention that many wizards fled here and hid amongst the Mercyfolk. She might have just shown kindness to some corrupt mage...

But let us not get ahead in passing judgement. Your race already attracts attention- you don't need zealous fingers and lofty accusations thrown around.

Not here, at least.


@Ketra: So a burning halfling, a human woman who has been knocked to the ground, the Mercy's own priest and priestess and ...

A Raptoran. Definitely not one from your Aerie or any other in the City.

Why is this one here? Has she gone mad?

And so, the mob accusing Rothen of Suel is caught by surpriuse as you land a few feet away from the crowded group and display your wings as Rothen gives you a nod as he helps the lady back on her feet.

http://i.imgur.com/lcbPg.jpg

"I had heard of a raptoran community making a home for themselves here. A few weeks ago. Pleased to finally make your acquaintance. I am Rothen of...""

he voice keep chiming in.

...The Cudgel!

The Inquisitor with a bow!

And with Holy thugs, no less!


@Aren: She simply landed amidst the protesters... a leader type? Time will tell. One thing is for certain:

They don't like priests here. Rothen and Senerain follow Phaulkon, a good of the skies and birds. A god who preaches freedom, but the people's attitude here towards him is one that you;d be getting if they knew who you really are and what you do for a living.

Rothen raises his hands, showing that he carries no weapons and does a quick 360 turn so everyone gets to see him.

"Please, I mean no harm. Return to your shopping. We will handle this...""


@Seti: You are effectively another face in the crowd. None of those big shots could ever tell who you really are and so, taking a cue from the crowd, you utter some words of your own. Might as well play the part as good as you can.

There are two things that disperse the crowd.

One is Senerain reaching for her great sword and gripping the handle as she begins to unsheathe the blade, having a few rays of sun cast a blinding glean around her.

"You heard the man... scram.""

Rothen may not be as strong willed as his Suloise friend. He is certainly a good shot with the bow, but when it comes down to the masses, he is not suited for this.

And this is where his colleague from Suel shines, driving several peddlers away.

There is something else that disperses the mob: something you said. Can't point out what, but the eldest amongst the mob of people have turned pale as they walk away, looking back at the large group.

With most of the crowd gone, you loiter around a kiosk, several feet away, but at good earshot range.

Why give away your position and identity, after all? Although it is unlikely any of them can figure out who you are.

@Isobel: Rothen waits until you have gotten back on your feet and gives a slight bow.

"Sorry that you got to be target practice, Isobel. We will not bother you anymore. The market is still in one piece... mostly. I am sure the vendors will track their runaway goats.

Have a nice day."


@Raikou: You pat your self and clean your robes as Isobel's Riding Dog sniffs you and licks the side of your face as he wags his tail and barks loudly.

And then you tell the story on how you got here. Something that Rothen, Senerain and the giant bald guy who lifted you off Isobel are quick to respond:

"You got shot by the Eyes in the Sky. We were told that those things have massive weaponry attached to them.""

Senerain looks up at the sky and clenches her fist.

"That is something I can vouch for really well... and yet, Raikou, you survived. And you said you were looking for?""

@The Party (whether in disguise and hiding or not): Senerain looks at Rothen, who looks at her and then at the massive Kyrich. Something about the names mentioned by the halfling have not settled well with these three.

@Raikou: Rothen walks up to you and places his hand on your shoulder and looks you straight in the eyes.

"Now, more than ever, do I believe firmly that keeping you hidden here in The Mercy is the best course of action.""

@Travis: You muster your confidence to step forward as the crowd has largely dispersed and clear your throat, addressing all gathered- raptorans, halfling, elemental, ilumian and human.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/0d/78/68/0d78680e06ca91c42f08a794a31fa7a8.jpg

A human, by the looks of it, but dressed like an adventurer. Not much meat on his bones, though. Maybe a rogue?

Senerain looks at you and listens to what you have to say.

"Hello, Travis. I don't believe I have seen you before...""

Kyrich places his hand on Senerain's shoulder and looks at you.

"But I have. He cares little for the Inquisitor beyond the Wall of Separation and is a good man, teaching the people here at Keéra's school. I vouch for him...

And I vouch for Aren as well. I trust you two will know what to do. Take care, everyone.""

@The Party: Rothen crosses his arms and looks at the building a few blocks away and then back at Raikou, Travis and Aren.

"I'd rather not discuss this at the Bitter Coffee. Raikou, we're taking you to a safe place. There, we can talk. Travis, since Kyrich has put the good word for you, I see no reason why you could not sit down and talk about this. You are a mage. Runestone? If so, you might be able to help.""

Rothen then looks at Isobel and Ketra. Seti, being so well disguised, goes utterly unnoticed.

"I do not mean to take off your busy schedules. I heard the raptorans have settled in just fine. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to come and talk to either me or Senerain, please.

Isobel, sorry that you got thrown on your back. It will not happen again.""

He then looks at Travis and then at Aren and Raikou.

"Pleas lead the way.""

[Smeggedoff]

Isobel's face sets as she is dismissed "Now hang on one moment" she hisses quietly moving to keep up "I think if the eyes are firing into the Mercy we have a right to know what's going on and why, don't you think?"

[Niwrad]

Raikou glances at Isobel and attempts to assure her.

Oh don't worry Bell. The... whatchamacallit... the Eyes in the Sky? Wasn't firing into this place.

I just happened to be flying and it hit me so hard I crashed here.... So yeah. You got nothing to worry about.

The halfling grins uneasily.
Then he turns and follows Kyrich

[Smeggedoff]

Bella narrows her eyes at the halfling
"... fine, if you say so" she decides finally, "but only because I have other things to worry about today. Nice to meet you anyway"

Bella sighs and calls Donna to heel before heading off to the Coffee, thoughts of milk and eggs gone from her head.

[TankLaser007]

So this Halfling is looking for a "Archadious" and "Tonel" and seems like the Suloise and this Kyrich guy know who he is looking for. I need to get to court and report this. Seti takes another quick glace at the group as they walk off trying to get an idea of where they might be going, so as to follow up should he be ordered to. He begins limping away shaking his mug with the silver piece in it as he does so and casting glances at the retreating group of the Halfling, Githslayer, and the two Suloise. He makes a mental note of this "Travis" should he need to follow up on him, he seemed rather eager to speak with the group, seemed ready to possibly pitch some type of work. Might be a useful contact.

[Syless]

Ketra had obviously flown into a mess. She recognized Rothen, but he was interrupted before she could offer her own greetings in turn. In truth, she was a bit stunned by... whatever had happened here, and waited to gauge the situation before getting a word in edgewise. As things began to slow down, and Rothen offers his support, Ketra gives a slight bow, her wings drawn back to indicate trust. "Thank you. Should you need any allies in the sky in return, send a message to our aerie at the Royal Wyvern apartments. My name is Ketra, either direct your message to me or Celitas, our current leader."

Her next target of address was to the unfamiliar Raptoran. "Excuse me... um, I didn't catch your name. What are you doing here in the Mercy? I know you aren't from here or the city proper, I would at least of heard of you if you had... and I really have no idea why one of our kind would come here willingly under the circumstances. If you need somewhere safe to stay, you're welcome at our aerie."

[Frendle]

Aren nods to Kyrich in acknowledgment of his endorsement, “Thank you Sir Kyrich.” The she turns to the Raptoren and stands tall in a soldierly manner addressing her in Tuilvilanuue, “It is good to meet you…. Lady Ketra? I’m sorry, I don’t know the correct form of address.” While the words are correct, the accent is thick, and the grammar is as though Aren learned it from a book. Which in act she did. Not only that, her body language and mannerisms seem odd, not just foreign, but alien to an avian’s body.

“I am not from the City, as you have guessed, nor am I from Hopes Caress. I come from a good ways away.” Aren looks upward as though hoping to see others roosted on the buildings above. “I am Aren," she leaves off the usual title she would add to her name in the interest of discretion. There are undoubtedly prying ears about, "you say you wonder why I might come here willingly, do you mean to say you were brought here unwillingly?” Aren narrows her eyes at Ketra, but can find no signs of magic or mischief about her.

“I am glad to meet you, Lady Ketra, perhaps, if I find the time, I will come to vist you. I have not spent time with others like myself. It would be interesting to see how your lives and worship is ordered.” Aren inclines her head to Ketra, if she were human, it would be taken as a polite but reserved gesture. In the armored Raptoren, it is hard to be sure that is what she meant.

[Syless]

Ketra smiles at the sound of her mother tongue, despite the oddness to how she spoke. Nonetheless, she responds in kind. "It's nice to meet you, Aren. And just Ketra, no formality, no title. I do what I do and people listen to me because I can protect them."

The girl seems to evade her question about her purpose, but Ketra lets it slide. No need to pry in the Mercy. "We... recently left the city under bad circumstances. We're hoping we can head back before long, but while the, um, leadership is as it is, we'll remain here. While you're always welcome to visit, you'll find our worship situation a bit insufficient- our shrine to Tuilviel Glithien was forcibly dismantled and we were unable to salvage anything before our move, and we don't really have anyone in the way of true clergy. But come by whenever you'd like."

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: With all these blokes around, there is no way you;re getting any good info or bauble.

You could perhaps, maybe, get the jump on one of them alone, but as it stands and with all the attention that halfling has drawn to himself...

You have a Society Meeting to attend anyway.

The people go about their business in The Mercy, as usual- which includes making a quick coin. In a sense, many of the people in the district as a whole fulfill the roles laid out in The Society's charter, but the group was never organized enough to round people out in the street and tell them what to do and not to do?

Has it happened in a more private manner? Yes. Some poor fool decided to take on a few desperadoes and began messing with the Gardeners’ Guild once, taking on their name and activities as their own.

You heard they were given a choice- join the Guild or leave The Mercy. Whether these idiots paid attention, who knows. The Society is spread out so much in the district that crew members often gravitate to another faction and then bank on the successes of both sides, usually without one side ever getting wise to the move.

But if they do... watch out. Better have a big stick close by. Which, if the stories are to be believed, is how Boss Sarjon came to be the undisputed leader of The Mercy for several years and strong armed many members of The Society in the process.

The entrance to the old building has the Society flag flapping against the wind and, although you cannot se them, a few brigands are sure to be hiding amidst the ruined houses leading to the meeting.

Chances are they have been tailing you for a few blocks already. That's one thing The Society gets done right- security and surveillance.

By the time you reach the ruined building, the hat has worn off and only your beggar trappings remain, but you do know the codes inside and if anyone jumps in to stop you, a few well placed words should allow you entry to the meeting room.

What used to be a grand office for judges back in its hey day, is now a broken mess of chairs, a large uneven table and sprayed graffiti of the Society's symbol on the walls.

The heads of each guild are seated with their most trusted m,en lounging behind them, hands in their belts, ready to draw a weapon in the odd case things goy ugly.

Spooner turns around the moment he listens to your footsteps and finishes a swig from his earthen mug as the rest of the Society watches you come in.

"You are late, boy. I hope it was worth it.""

There is one amongst these unsavory medley that at least lightens up the mood amidst cheap cigar smoke and contraband liqueur:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/c4/e4/46/c4e4469b53db1d9c49e6293773b12b20.jpg

Sedge Bonney, The Ambassadress. Rarely is this neutral party invited to Society Meetings, but her counsel is sought out by every faction leader. Her knowledge of the working inside and outside The Mercy are invaluable.

It's the Bitter Boys & Girls Club leader, Coco "Lean Eye" Lucciani, who starts the meeting as he nods to all those present.

"My crew is losing clout in the market place. They claim that Drakan has been taking and taxing from all items hard gained by my men. I want to know who here hired that son of a bitch and I want my cut. If I don't get my cut in coin...""

The others look at Lean Eye and laugh.

"What are you going to demand.. your pound of flesh?""

"He's a lone agent. Nobody here has him as hired muscle. Don't make your problem ours. Besides, the market is open to everyone. We have bigger issues at hand here.""

Benny "Fat Boy" Gamboa, of The Fraternal Order of Cobblers puts out his cigar and looks at all of you.

"I lost my men a few nights ago. Not too far from here. No bodies. No trails. Nothing. I have families to feed now that are coming out of my own pocket. So yeah, I am making this issue everyone's issue. I know we have had our differences in the past, but we are civilized, goddammit! Keep the kills outside The Society.""


The group goes into whispered murmurs, but Sedge remains quiet as she looks around at the ceiling and the possible exits before one of the other leaders, Frank "Bagels" Brancaccio of The Office of the Watch chimes in.

"You want extra coin? Tax the newcomers. The Raptorans from Halmathan have flocked in and settled in the Wyvern Apartments. I heard they made a deal with that twitch elf Eoil Swift to get their wings unbound. They probably don't know the rules here, so if you want your money so bad, get their cut.. but I must remind you:

That building is under my supervision, so I get ten points, which is quite fair, if I do say so myself.""


Benny Gamboa nearly chokes at Frank's suggestion.

"You got guts, you know that? That building is on the border of your turf, not in it. So it's... who owns that part? Spooner?""

Your mentor was just about to refill his glass when he's brought back to the now and looks at the other thugs.

"It's not my area. Truth be told, it's not really claimed, but... I can have someone go talk to their leader. Just hand me the info after the meeting.""

Spooner looks at you and lowers his voice.

"You got this one, right?""

The rest of the meet revolves around money. Always the money. There may not be much in coin to be had- over the years after the Great Fire, the Mercy became a looter's paradise and it would be rare to find a building with a box of jewelry or expensive furniture.

It is then that Coco Lucciani calls one of his guys to light his cigar.

"I think it's about time we addressed the elephant in the room- the church.""

Everyone stops talking amongst themselves and their eyes direct to the thug leader.

"This guy... Rothen of Suel. I heard he was made Church Leader in the Mercy. I think, in the name of good faith, that we ought to tax him as well. For protection. The guy only has that one bitch that shadows him and he doesn't seem like a tough guy. Easily shaken.""

It's a light chuckle from one of the chairs that causes everyone to direct their gaze to Sedge.

"What's so funny?""

Sedge gets up and walks around the room, checking all of you out as she places her hands in her pockets.

"You boys and your games. It's all fun until you mess with the wrong guy. I was invited here to oversee that no silly business was thrown about.

You want to investigate the missing people? Go for it. If I have to tell you by now how to run recon in The Mercy, then you shouldn't be here in this meeting.

If you want to muscle Drakan and get him to give you a share of his cut? You know his name. Go knock on his door... wherever he may live.

You want to shake down the Raptorans? I hope you can fly. Have you checked the place they live in?""

Sedge stops and places her hands on the table as she moves forward, a ray of light falling on her face and extending her shadow over the Society's leaders.

"But if you are that stupid to go muscle Rothen, then you are all dumber than I thought. There is a cardinal rule you all should be well acquainted with:

Never shake a stick at someone when they have a far bigger one.""

One of the bosses looks at her and raises an eyebrow.

"Rothen? If you mean he has an army, you need to get your eyes checked, Sedge.""

The Diplomat shakes her head.

"Rothen does not have an army, true. But who do you think put him here in the first place? Halmathan's biggest crook, that's who. You start shaking up that farmer boy and we'll have a couple of Eyes looming above us before you realize what the hell happened.

As a personal favor, I am asking that you leave Rothen of Suel out of your business. I knew his superior... he was a good man. But sentimentality aside, you'd all be committing suicide if you even think about extorting him."

Sedge starts heading for the door when she turns to look at all of you.

"Also, you might want to check on a rumor running around about weapons being sold. In large amounts, so I've heard.""


And having said her piece, the Diplomat walks out of the meeting.

The bosses wait for her to be gone when they start laughing.

"She's getting soft and wants to scare us. Any takers to shake the farmer?""

Spooner gets up and takes a final swig.

"I have my own business to run. See you around and make sure you get me the names of the people to talk to. Seti, you coming or staying?""


@Ketra: Rothen bows to you and smiles.

"Back in Suel, my friend Borazon and I used to watch the birds fly. Our land is rich with wildlife and as a follower of Phaulkon, I have come to see them as emissaries of his divine being.

We are all very fortunate to have you in The Mercy. Know that if you need any help setting, please do not hesitate to come and talk to either me or Senerain. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to talk to mister Raikou here.""

@Aren: Rothen nods to you and smiles at Ketra.

"Whenever you are ready, please join us. Have a good day, Ketra. Nice to meet you.""

You never did have much to relate to people like Ketra. being raised as a Heironean, your duties to the Archpaladin gave you scant time to deal with matters outside the church.

And yet, despite a life time devoted to his tenets... well, who knows how long you will be stationed here. And who knows how long before you meet Sir Randolph face to face.

Might as well attempt to make peaceful dealings with the natives.

@Isobel: The giant bald ilumian, Kyrich shakes his head and looks at Raikou.

"Those things shot him, not The Mercy. You should be fine as long as you stay in this side of the wall. I will go and train a little on my own. Aren, let me know how it went.""

And so, the crowd is dispersed and you contact Tristram about meeting you at the Bitter Coffee.

You have been here a few times since your arrival, mainly to watch Vim perform. The pay isn't great- when you live in a slum, you can't expect gold coins to fall on your lap. You are lucky if you get enough coppers for a silver.

The good thing is that, unlike many places in Halmathan, the Bitter Coffee is animal friendly, so Donna is welcomed by Nana Rose, who runs the joint and gives your St. Bernard a plate filled with what you can only hope is processed dog food.

Whether it is or not, Donna eats up gladly as Kyle serves you a tall cup of coffee, on the house.

Vim may have to have a late breakfast as an hour goes by and Tristram walks in, doing his worse to disguise himself, having donned a large straw hat and a worn out poncho...

His runestaff, though... he has yet a lot to learn. Still, seeing family is always good, as both share a warm fraternal hug and he hands you a small bag with ten silvers.

"Mom worries about you. She hopes you are doing well over here. Things back in the city... it isn't good. Not at Runestone definitely. Connor has really put down the hammer on us mages and is threatening to go as far as shutting down the school...and everyone inside. He is getting out of control and I doubt my school masters will take much more of it before something really bad happens.

And so, I spoke to one of my teachers, Itharr Griswold, an abjurer who is, by chance, acquainted with some people in The Mercy. I told him about someone I know here and he asked that you help us, sister.""

Tristram takes out a piece of parchment and shows you a detailed drawing:


http://cdn.obsidianportal.com/images/632088/elvenMALE02.jpg

"I don't know how long you have been here, but this elf is one of ours. His name is Archaidous Mithmironel, a recent student at Runestone and one of Connor's biggest enemies.

This mage is said to have unraveled many mysteries surrounding what is happening in the city. It is my belief that he may hold a key to actually set the city free, Isobel.

However... master Itharr lost contact with him and his team awhile back. We have attempted to track him down through divinations, but we aren't getting any response. we haven't ruled out the fact he may be dead, but we are still clinging to hope at this point.""

Tristram pats Donna on the head and then looks at you.

"There is another reason why I thought of you when my teacher mentioned getting help:

Archaidous Mithmironel is said to be involved with the Vile Rain. How? I do not know, but if you can find him, you may get your answers... and we may be that much closer from getting a break from that bastard Connor. I need to know first if you can help me with this. If you can't I will understand."

[AlanBruce]

@Travis & Raikou: Senerain and Rothen lead you to the House of Knowledge and Sister Hannah is quick to meet all of you with a deep bow.

"Blessed day, Merciful Father Rothen! And lady Senerain! Always a pleasure.""

Rothen blushes and returns the bow.

"Just Rothen, sister. I was wondering if we could have a room in your school to have a private chat with our friend.""

Sister Hannah walks with all of you to her main office, which is just a desk with some book shelves- all stacked and a couple of chairs. A painting has been hanged on the far wall with a crude plaque beneath it:



https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/34/57/10/34571054e51559507235bd3104213338.jpg



Our Mercy Maiden, Who Brought us Freedom

Rothen looks at the painting and then at Hannah.

"That's a nice painting. Is that her?""

"Yes... or at least as I remember her. I will go see to the other students. Take all the time you need."

Sister Hannah closes the door behind all of you and Rothen invites both to take a seat as he walks around the room and eyes Raikou.

"You never said where you came from, Raikou. Your clothes tell me you're a wizard, is that right? Look, I don't know how to tell you this, but...""

Rothen looks at Senerain, who takes the main chair behind the desk and looks at you straight in the eye.

"Tonel Carth is dead. I am afraid you flew all the way here for nothing. I can arrange a ship for you to...""

Rothen clears his throat and places his hand on your shoulder.

"Why exactly are you here, Raikou? This place... it's not the best place to be.""

[Niwrad]

Raikou listens to Rothen speak and his face turns into a frown of disappointment when he hears that one of those he was supposed to be looking for was already dead. Lady Choralis would be devastated to hear of this. But this guy didn't say anything about the other one though.

Wait... so this Tonel guy, he's dead? That's sad.

What's wrong with this place? Why is it not a good place to be? The city over there seems nice, except for those flying blasting metal monsters. And this place... well it don't look as nice but it's decent enough.

And on wondering if he was a wizard.

And no, not a wizard, a sorcerer actually. I'm here because my master asked me to find out what happened. She was friends with Tonel and Archadious and is worried about them. And she wanted me to find them and tell them to leave Hamalthan immediately.

She'll be really sad to hear that Tonel is dead though. What happened to him? I think I should at least be able to tell her that. Wasn't he like a Sky Archer or something?

And what about the other one. Archadious? You haven't mentioned anything about him...

Is he still around?

[AlanBruce]

@Raikou: This is a downer.

All that sailing and flying across the Ossian way. To be shot down by one of those machines and now... he's dead.

Rothen nods and looks at the painting of the Mercy Maiden.

"Tonel Carth ceased to be over a month ago, Raikou. He was murdered in The Mercy. An assassin caught him unawares and he is no more. As for the City? You got lucky- those things that float past the wall will shoot down any caster. especially those that fly. Chances are they have deemed you dead and so, have chosen not to pursue.

Right now, Halmathan is under the rule of a very unpleasant man by the name of Connor. He has taken the powers of a king and rules the city with an iron fist. In a way, The Mercy- which is where we are now- is so far devoid of his influence, but that doesn't mean it's any less dangerous.""

Senerain leans back on the chair and looks at you.

"You're a sorcerer, then? I should have known... look. I may have come out as a tad hostile just a bit earlier, but Rothen and I are the only ones who now stand for the church of Phaulkon, established by Father Borazon the Merciful. The Mercy is not a kind place, but if you plan to stay, your spells will not be sanctioned here... as long as you don't start blowing things up. Sorcerers have gained such reputation, after all."

On the matter of informing Choralis about Tonel's demise, Rothen looks at Senerain and then at you.

"Let's not start sending out somber news. I don't know who your friend is, but if she was a friend to Tonel's, she might want to come here and frankly, the less people that get involved the better, given the city's situation.

As for Tonel? Yes, he was a Sky Archer, devoted to Kord's father. A peerless man of faith and bow. You did mention Archaidous... he was a friend of Tonel. I met him briefly. he and his friends allied with the new church leader, Borazon to end the threat that was Sarjon, a warlord in The Mercy.

But... we have no idea where Archaidous is. The last thing we know is that he and the Merciful father Borazon went on a recon mission deeper in this place to find... someone, I believe. The details weren't that clear.

If you wish, you can return. Father Borazon left me in charge of sorts. I can have a ship chartered back to your home. If you wish to stay, we could get all the help we can. The Mercy is not bereft of dangers and injustice. Connor may not have his grip around this place, but bandits and warlords and who knows what else are hiding and scheming in the shadows.

Truth be told, Senerain and I have wanted to go look for father Borazon and, if we are right, we will find Archaidous as well. However, my newly appointed duties keep me within Connor's sights."

Senerain looks at you and smiles.

"But you, Raikou- nobody knows who you are. If you choose to stay, together, we may find Srchaidous and the Merciful father and perhaps... perhaps find a way to bring back Tonel Carth.""

[TankLaser007]

It seemed like things were getting tense, not new, things were always rough but there was something new, something not quite right – even for the Mercy. The last few months had been building to something, and whatever it was it wasn’t good.

So that was Sedge. One of these days he would have to actually speak to her. Seti, tipped his hat on the way out falling into step behind Spooner as he left.

“Here.” he said fliping the silver piece out of his mug and towards Spooner, “A donation from our esteemed Suloise visitors from the ‘High Church’… sorry ‘Mission’ of the Phaulkon. There’s a dodgy bloke been frequenting the Bitter Coffee, has a penchant for a three whisky breakfast and the gold to pay for it. Or at least he did Drakan sharped him in the market, a flawless bump. Was wondering if you know anything about the guy, something off about him, was thinking of asking Drakan if I couldn’t a look at whatever he filched.”

Seti takes a moment to reset his disguise while he enters the street with his mentor. “Also, about the market was a bit of a show, seems some Halfing crashed there goes by, ‘Roku’ or something like that wasn’t able to hear his name clearly or catch everything but it seems he is looking for two people here that peaked our missionaries interest. Two fellows by the names of ‘Archadious’ and ‘Tonel’. One of the letter heads staying near the House of Knowledge, by the name Kyrich was with them and also seemed to be interested in however this Halfling was on about. Oh and there is some recruiter who showed up goes by Travis, looked like another ‘Rune Refugee’ from his cut. That’s all I got, aside from that Silver there."

He e rolls the mug in his hand for a moment before saying, “Submai” causing the mug to fill with water, taking a sip as they walk he continues, “so you want me to check on the Raptorans at the Wyvern? Speaking of which I almost forget there is a new Raptoran palling about with the Missionaries. She is nothing like the others. Also what about Sedge’s tip off to some bulk arms dealing going on, should we be looking into it?” Seti takes a moment to down his mug of water before waiting for Spooner to reply.

[Smeggedoff]

Bella greets her brother with a hug and a kiss on the cheek and a promise to visit her mother 'soon' before listening to his tale with a pensive expression on her face

"Of course I'll help, Tris, even if you weren't my brother. Always. Where was his team last seen? And is anyone else working on this? I'm not saying I'm afraid to go alone, but well, if something caused an entire team to go missing it may be prudent to go in a group"

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: Spooner takes the silver coin and flips it back to you.

"You earned it, boy. Keep it as a lucky charm. As for the man you mentioned? yes... I have gotten word of some such individual. Been seen crossing The Mercy alone for the past few months. Those that follow him report that he seems to pack heavy contraband beneath a coat, but his destination is always further into The Mercy, in places where the Society dares not venture: The Crash Site.""

You have heard about this place. It happened a few months ago. A huge explosion that many mistook for a second great fire. The reasons for it are, like the fire, unknown to the populace at large. What is known is that explosion left behind a Dead Man's land- as in, anyone who walks around the place is dead. The air hangs heavy with poison from the explosion's aftermath.

As far as everyone is concerned, nothing could live there and The City itself has made no comments regarding it.

Spooner looks around at the buildings, noticing a few Society thugs, somewhat well hidden as they run their rounds.

"I must agree with Sedge- shaking down the Suloise priest is a terrible idea. If any of them get greedier than usual and I am not around, I hope you can bend their will in the opposite direction. And if their will cannot be bent, a broken arm will have to do.

Regarding Drakan, sure. Go find that guy. Be warned: he may not be tough, but he is sly. Find out what he took off that guy and maybe we can find out why this fool walks into a hazard zone."

You then mention Roku the fallen from the sky.

"Those names do not ring a bell, but Kyrich is one of the ilumians stationed with his garrison not too far from Sister Hannah's school. If so many people are concerned about this halfling, perhaps it would be in our best interest to get inside. Offer them help. Tell them... tell them you know your way around town. Gain their trust, but most importantly, find out if this halfling is somehow connected to the City. Sedge's comment bodes like an ill warning.

And regarding the Raptorans, I'd rather have you go talk to them. Be careful- they have nested up high, in a very inaccessible building. There are two you want to talk to. The ones that matter:

Celitas, their flock leader.

Ketra, the actual leader and scout of the Flock. She is the one that's been spotted on the ground the most.""

It is then that you utter the words of power and your decanter fills with water and you take a good chug.

"So there is another Raptoran in the Mercy? I haven't kept a head count of all of them, but Connor must've sure spooked them good. That Travis fellow. A mage? Keep an eye out for him too.

As for that arms deal... I'll have the Bitter Boys and the Office Watch peel their eyes and ears. Once I have info on that, I'll let you know.""

Spooner takes another swig from his flask and then lowers his hood and walks away from you.

"Where you go now, I leave it up to you, boy.""


@Isobel: Tristram checks the silver he gave you and counts the coins.

"Are you sure this is the place you want to live in? When I got off the cab, I had twenty pieces in this bag. I'm sorry, sis. No wonder people kept bumping into me. Anyways..."

Tristram takes out a folded piece of parchment and spreads it on the table, showing an intricate map.

"These are the old sewer system in Hope's Caress before the Great Fire. I have been informed just recently that one of the former headmasters at Runestone had a lab there. Some sort of research he was conducting, but it never panned out due to the fire itself. Our intel says that Archaidous and his team were headed there.

Direct access to the lab may have been destroyed, so you may have to take one of several entry points through the sewers to get there. The place should be abandoned. I was told the premises were vacated, but it was thought by Archaidous' team that they could find important information there that could lead to solving the problems Runestone is facing now.""

Tristram folds the map and hands it to you.

"Look, this is as new to me as it is to you. I would go there myself, but Connor's men are being extremely militant- if I fail to reach Runestone by nightfall, my fellow mages will suffer the consequences. If needed, I can have money sent to fund any merc... friends you might find here. But most impirtnatly, I need you to stay safe, you hear me? And just so we are connected...""

Tristram hands you a small polished emerald colored pebble.

"This is a Sending Stone. One of a pair. I have the other one. If there is any information you wish to relay, think into the stone and I will be quick to act.""

Tristram gets up and pats Donna on the head.

"You take care of her, ok? Sis...""

Tristram gives you a warm hug and a kiss on the forehead.

"Be safe... and thank you.""

[Smeggedoff]

Bella returns the hug and watches her brother walk through the door, flipping the stone idly before putting it away.
Sighing she looks down at Donna "What now eh? Imagine me trying to recruit an expedition, Benji was always best at this"
Bella sighs and rubs the dogs head before standing and heading to the door.
"breakfast first eh? We'll get Vim to help us write a notice to put up on the board, she's got a way with words"

Bella heads back to the market, hoping that the excitement has calmed down, to buy eggs and milk and head home for now

[AlanBruce]

@Isobel: Tristram walks out of the Bitter Coffee and you take a look at the stone he's given you.

Bella looks up at you and barks once as you mention the idea of recruiting a team to explore some long forgotten lab in the sewers beneath The Mercy.

Of all the strange things you have done... and then it hits you:

The sewers. That's underground. Closed spaces. Dark spaces...

Horrible memories, as you instinctively reach for your back and can swear the wound is still fresh, despite all those years.

You give a nod to Nana Rose and Kyle and hit the market place, which, although still filled with people, is not flocked as it was an hour earlier when that Raikou fellow crash landed on you.

A quart of milk and a dozen eggs... all for a silver and a few coppers. Not a bad deal. The 'cold cuts' are definitely a no go in this place. Who knows how many rats were skinned and had their tails cut off to have them pass as pork.

And so, with a nice woven basket held on one hand, you make your way back home, with Donna always by your side, making sure the muggers and stalkers are kept safely at bay.

The rusted gates to Green Meadows are nearly falling apart. Back in the day, this place must've been kept clean and nice and well secured, with beautiful trees surrounding its lake and even a playground for the kids to pass the day...

But now, all that remains are heaps of garbage, blackened vestiges of swings and a swamp for a pond that brings forth a stench most foul with each passing day.

At least it's free living.

The metal steps threaten to collapse as you reach your apartment on the third floor and find the door ajar, which prompts Donna to butt in head first as he barks and sniffs the air...

Something smells good...lavender?

Vim walks towards both from her room carrying a vase with beautiful flowers:

https://www.residentevil.net/share/chro/image/dictionary/flower_yt.jpg

"What took you guys so long? I'm starving! And look what I found: decided to take a stroll around the building and found these pretties in full bloom. Nice touch, huh? Make it a lot more homely around. Here, let me help you with the groceries...""

Vim places the vase on the table and takes the eggs into the very tiny kitchenette and begins to sizzle and crack the eggs.

"So, Belle... I'm going to see that artist I told you about tonight. She says I'm a shoe in for her next show. She mentioned the City. can you believe that? Hitting the limelight again...""

Vim sings a pretty tune as she cooks for you, herself and Donna. It won't be much, but at least this should keep you pepped up for most of the day.

Donna places his massive paws on the table and takes a whiff of the flowers, nearly taking the entire table down with his bulk and sneezes loudly as he gets down and lies on the ground, clearly exhausted from the long walk as you take a seat on the couch and look out the window.

You could probably ask Vim to join you in this mission your brother has bequeathed upon you, but as much as you love Vim, she's not a fighter. She's an artist. Sure, she can sing a hell of a tune, but when it comes to field experience...

Hopefully she does well in her audition.

[Frendle]

Aren turns and follows the direction Rothen went. It is a good time to check out the Haflling and to hear his tale. Her new acquaintances seemed to know the folks the small mage was looking for. Perhaps it is important, perhaps not, but she must start somewhere.

She heads to the House of Knowledge, leaning her head into the doorway she looks for Sister Hannah. Seeing her with a cluster of students around her as she is bestowing upon them some fascination of learning. Amazing that in the ruins of Hope’s Caress that such a place as this would exist. Aren feels a surge of admiration for the teacher, it cannot be an easy task, but it is a worthy one. Sister Hannah is to be respected for taking it on.

Aren waits until she catches the sister’s eye, “Excuse me Sister Hannah, I hate to interrupt, did Rothen and the Haflling come in here? Rothen asked me to join them when I could.”

[AlanBruce]

@Aren: Having exchanged pleasantries with Ketra, you perform a courteous and semi militaristic bow and head to the House of Knowledge.

There aren't many people attending classes these days. Kyrich mentioned that when it was officially finished, a bunch of Mercyfolk came here in droves. many, tired of living the life of a ruffian and a street rat, decided they wanted to get a higher education.

Learn a craft, no matter how mundane and then, with enough skill and a diploma, leave The mercy and actually work in the city, where the pay is better and you don't have to be shaken down every few weeks by the warlord du jour.

But given what you have heard about Halmathan's current state, it comes as no surprise that many would become disenchanted with the idea of a school - even if it's free. Why spend months or years honing a craft that may not even yield solid coin when you can just join some guild here and steal?

Regardless, the school is not entirely bereft of adherents to Knowledge and Sister Hannah is overjoyed to watch you come in as she and a handful of students- of different ages- greet you with a bow as she holds on to a book.

"Good morning, Lady Aren! Everyone, this is Lady Aren Highclaw. She is a guest in The Mercy and dear friend. We were just going through the history of Halmathan. I believe it is important for everyone to know who founded this city and the brave sacrifices done in ages past, so that they may be revered and improved upon in the future.

But you must be in a hurry. Rothen and the others are in my office. Go ahead.""

It is said that a teacher has the most noble of careers. It may not be fancy. Hannah may never slay a dragon or rid a village of marauding goblins or scribe the spell to end all spells, but here, in this school, she is training the minds of many who, years from today, may accomplish just such deeds.

You head for the main office and watch Senerain seated at the main chair and Rothen pacing around as Travis and the sky bound Raikou take two other chairs and discuss whatever they have been talking about. Enough to have Rothen rather concerned.

The Suloise archer smiles and nods as you come in.

"Did you make new friends with Ketra? She seems like a nice person. Raikou here has, unfortunately, come from far away for a seemingly lost cause, but that doesn't have to be necessarily the case.""

Senerain smiles and looks at you and the halfling.

"This district is rife with bandits and assassins. The Merciful father and his team were able to defeat one warlord, but in doing so, he opened the door to many more, who have been awaiting in the shadows to strike and pick up where he left off.

Rothen and I cannot get involved directly. For now, while The Merciful father is away, he and I are under Connor's watchful eye, but like I was telling Raikou, you aren't.

Perhaps if you and he get together and help us make this place a little safer. Perhaps Travis wants to help as well. We don't want to start a bloody battle in the streets, but I am certain your skills could come in handy, especially here, in a town full of thieves.""

[kinem]

Travis listens intently. He greets Aren when she joins the meeting.

Finally he explains what's been on his mind. "I don't know if this is common knowledge around here yet, but a lot of people have gone missing recently. The Mercy has long been a dangerous place, but this is different. We are losing students here! I suspect that the disappearances are the work of some sinister group or deranged individual. What I didn't know was that some people who would be far from defenseless appear to have gone missing as well.

I can prepare a spell of scrying to attempt to find one of the missing individuals, or at least get some clues. If it works, perhaps we can work together to attempt a rescue. Of course, if the people have been murdered, or powerful magic prevents scrying, then another approach will be needed.

In any case, I am willing to help."

[Syless]

The last one at the scene, Ketra realizes a bit too late that she should have asked someone there about Seti. She was tempted to follow the group back to the House of Knowledge... but they seemed more upstanding. Less likely to to know where to find someone of his position. She would rather not tarry. Going to her original destination- The Bitter Coffee- she steps in, rushing but not running, looking for someone who might be in the know, to ask if Seti had been there recently. Not mentioning she hadn't met him.

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: Rothen walks up to the painting of Lady Keéra, who funded the school and stares at it for a few seconds in pensive thought.

"We have seen the roster, Travis. More and more people are going missing in The Mercy. More than is usually the case. Senerain and I would love to join you in this endeavor. It is what Borazon would have wanted..."

The Suloise archer looks at his comrade and the Arcanamach slumps in the chair, a feeling of defeat washing over her. A strange spectacle, since Senerain is rather strong willed and rarely if ever puts her guard down.

"A deranged individual, you say? That would not be a first. Travis, Raikou, Aren... if you wish to help find these people, I will move worlds to see that all of you are well paid. That is my promise as acting church leader in The Mercy.

Travis, use your skills to locate any one of those gone missing. If your suspicion is true, then finding one, may lead you to all the others. Senerain and I will...""


@Aren, Raikou & Travis: Rothen lowers his head and shuts his eyes as a grimace draws across his face.

"Senerain, we have a visitor. Dalpinian is on his way to see how the new church is coming along.""


The Arcanamach gets up and looks at the door.

"But we don't have anything to show him yet! Why is he coming so soon?""


"Because he has nothing better to do. Connor must've loosened his leash. Everyone, we will meet with the inquisitor outside this school- I don't want him coming in here and inciting more bad blood. That smug bastard loves making fun of the Mercyfolk and he never comes alone.

I leave this in your hands, then. Come along, my friend.""


And having said that, both Suloise warriors leave the three of you in Hannah's office.

How to proceed? Who knows, but it would seem Rothen has deputized you to see into these matters.


@Ketra: With the who's who in The Mercy gone to the school house, you decide not to join them and head towards the Bitter Coffee.

People still look at you funny as you walk past them. Many people in The Mercy were once, like you, from the City of Power. many forced to move here because their money ran out and their meager wages were no match for Connor's obscene tax raises.

Many of these people have seen your proud flock soar above the City for years... when flying free as a bird was a natural thing.

Today, it gets you bound in iron clasps, like some animal.

The Bitter Coffee doesn't have that many patrons. That girl, Isobel and her dog have taken to one of the tables and the woman barely acknowledges you as the minutes turn into hours and a strange dressed man walks up to her table and have a quick chat before all three- dog included- part ways.

But no sign of this Seti fellow Eoil mentioned. He's supposed to be some big shot here in the Mercy. A man that can get things done... or possibly undo them.

It is then, as you daydream on how to get Soss back that a short figure props herself on the chair opposite you and hands you a cup of coffee with an enticing butterscotch scent.

This is Nana Rose, the gnome proprietress of this fine establishment.

"A pretty lady all alone? It's dangerous out here. Have my caramel latte. It's a new flavor I've been working on. On the house.""

Nana takes out a pipe and lights it as she looks at the few patrons here.

"So how's life in The Mercy? I saw your family fly over the wall a few weeks ago. Nobody's giving you trouble, I hope?""

It is then that Kyle, one of Nana's baristas, walks outside as people are heard running down the streets. He peeks outside and then looks back in.

"Cudgel, Nana.""

The few patrons in the pub get extremely nervous as the gnome woman, aged way more than her kind ought to be, smiles at you and gives you a wink as she gets up.

"Enjoy your coffee, dear. This won't last long.""

Nana Rose and Kyle walk behind the counter and the gnome grabs a stool on which to stand on as heavy footsteps can be heard outside as a garrison of Royal Guards, bearing both the Airdan and the Cuthbertine seal nearly break the door as they invade the Bitter Coffee and form a regimented phalanx, shoving the patrons around and forcing them to scoot their tables and lower their heads, lest they catch their attention and be dragged away.

It is a set of lighter footsteps that herald the coming of another figure:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/73/52/06/735206d7c2838541e62700f713184412.jpg

"This is the second time I have to come to this rat hole you people call an inn. Is it too much to ask for basic sanitation? I could have an inspector come here anytime, you know?""

You have seen this man before: Inquisitor Dalpinian.

When Keros Feldspar realized that keeping Vaea was impossible due to your actions, he went to Connor to seek out "justice and retribution".

These lofty concepts came in the form of a man- inquisitor Dalpinian, Connor's protege. This cowardly worm, always protected by Halmathan's mightiest soldiers, was the one who oversaw the binding of your people in the City of Power.

It was during Celitas' binding that the bastard is said to have asked for the iron bands to be pressed even harder, forcing your mother to kneel from the pain.

Animals are supposed to look up at their masters. Never forget that. Guards! Make sure the others are tagged and numbered.


He may not recognize you now, with his attention directed at Nana and Kyle, but you could probably blast him and his guards right out of the Bitter Coffee. A well deserved shot.

But the aftermath would be unthinkable given his rank in the City's oppressive regime.

"Where is that backwards hunter? Rothen? I gave explicit instructions! I represent His Holiness and cannot be made to wait in a cesspool like this!""

Nana does her best to smile and pours Dalpinian a cup of coffee.

"It's on the house, inquisitor. The finest beverage for a man of your regal standing. I call it Pisse de serpent. I brew it from the finest ingredients: A dash of Ignorance, a pinch of Idiocy- although in this case I was overly generous with that one- and a sprinkle of blind zealotry. Perfect for the up and coming Law enforcers of our fair city.""

Dalpinian clenches his fist and looks at one of his heavily armored guards to stand between him and the counter as he looks over the soldier's shoulder.

"Be mindful of your words, you gnome crone! You beggars and cutthroats have enjoyed your life of lawlessness for way too long. Where is Rothen of Suel and his warrior witch?""

You need to get your goons out of here, Dalpinian.

Connor's star pupil turns around and you can see Rothen and Senerain, who plays with the hilt of her blade, ready to draw it at any time.

Dalpinian smiles like the snake he is and looks around at the crowd, their heads lowered in fear.

"About time, Merciful Father. We have business to discuss. I am a very busy man and cannot stay in this hell hole your superior chose as a home."

Rothen sighs and gestures to the door.

"We can talk at the site. Let's go.""

Dalpinian looks at Nana and Kyle.

"Enjoy your little slice of brigand paradise, gnome. Very soon, His Holiness will make sure you are all put in your rightful place! Guards! Make sure none of these low lives brush against me.""

And so, in tight formation, the Royal Guard escorts the inquisitor outside and tension decreases at the Bitter Coffee as Nana shakes her head and goes back to your table.

"Quite a catch he is, huh? Sorry you had to see that. That worm comes in to meet with Rothen. Poor guy- thrown into Connor's politics.

So.. what brings you here and alone? The coffee isn't that great.""

[Syless]

Ketra graciously accepts the offered coffee and takes a small sip. "Thank you... Nana Rose? I believe I've overheard that name as the owner of this place. And thankfully, no, no trouble yet. I'm sure it'll happen sooner or later, from what I've seen and heard, but I'll enjoy the peace while it lasts." She keeps drinking her coffee as the proprietress walks away, but she nearly chokes a moment later.

Him.

It took every ounce of restraint to not let loose every bit of magic she had into his disgusting frame. She knew everyone in her flock would suffer if she did- they were an easy target for the Eyes in their aerie, and she'd already made them suffer enough with her escalation with Teros. She wouldn't lose them like she lost...

Ketra chugs down the rest of her coffee. It's a waste, she enjoyed the taste she had, but she needed to keep her head focused and not give in to her temper. As he walked out and Rose returned, she had at least regained enough composure to fake the rest. "Who knows, maybe he'll meet someone, and they'll sweep him away. Far, far, away, preferably. Another plane should do." She grins wryly, a bit of her anger slipping through. "I'm looking for Seti, if you've seen him recently. A mutual friend suggested I talk to him, and told me he comes here often."

[AlanBruce]

@Ketra: A storm is building up within your body as the coffee begins to swirl on the cup's surface and everyone becomes blurred, except for Dalpinian, who emits blood red flames, eager to be quenched by your power, which is ready to burst at the seams.

There is only a prey and predator now in the room.

And although you could send this miserable bastard flying several blocks away and then pursue as a beast and rip his throat under the sun, you take a deep breath and watch Rothen come to the rescue as he leads the inquisition outside the pub.

The maelstrom inside you recedes... if only a tad, as Nana comes back to check on you.

"Heh. That is a nice thought. To think that a pencil neck like him has been promoted to second in command in Connor's corrupt regime. He is nothing but a puppet, dear. A puppet whose strings are pulled by a fool who, in this barista's humble opinion, has been in power for waaaay too long.

And that plane idea? I like it! Very creative. One day, if people rally up and stop fighting each other here, you may just get your wish. But for now, we must all make a living and make the best out of what Fate has handed us.

So you are looking for Seti... I see. Not someone who is sought out out of the blue. I will not pry further on why you want to see him, but you are welcome to stay here and wait for him.

A word of advice: chances are he'll find you first. If you're hungry, I can have Kyle cook something for you while you wait. The food isn't the greatest, but I have some gnome recipes that will make anything taste like ambrosia.""

Nana gets up and looks at at you straight in the eye and winks.

"You'll do just fine here. Be strong, Ketra.""


@Seti: With Spooner gone to run his own investigations, you find yourself walking back towards the market place when instinct takes over and you slide into the shadows of an alley.

City Guards here? And with an inquisitor in their midst? And even better:

Rothen and Seberain leading them out of the Bitter Coffee.

Is it true then, what Sedge mentioned? That the church of Phaulkon is backed by Connor? Those are not normal guards. those are the ones that serve the Royal family. No ordinary grunts. In fact, these guys are the same order Kyle belonged to and you can count at least a dozen.

But what on Oerth where they doing here and in the Bitter Coffee, no less?

[TankLaser007]

Seti rolls the silver piece across his knuckles before having it disappear into the folds of cloth encircling his body. So, Tipsy Hat was likely dealing in some heavy contraband, maybe even weaponry. Cutting in on the Gardeners like that is not only disorderly it was disrespectful not to mention dangerous. Rules. Order. to an outsider they saw the Mercy as a anarchic cesspool of lawless thugs, thieves and criminals. But that was only partially true. For its many failings there is one thing the Society brought a semblance of to the Mercy, and that was Order. There were rules, limits and what resulted from that was some semblance of stability. He would head to the Bitter and wait for Draken, who was bound to turn up at some point, get something to eat, and plan how best to approach the Raptorans maybe Nana knew something about this 'Ketra' or ' Celitas'.

Lost in his thoughts he barely managed to dodge the guard. What were they doing at the Bitter Coffee. Where they coming to get reports from the Suloise? Or issue orders? Seti waited for them to pass before making his way towards the Coffee at a more brisk pace. While in the shadows he returned his clothes and appearance to normal,returned his mug to its place in the magical belt and set off to see that Nana and the Coffee were both unmolested by that Cudgel crony. Or so he hoped.

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: The silver, rightfully earned, slips through your knuckles before disappearing altogether.

Someone is running a big arms deal in the Mercy and none in The Society seem to be in the know.

Or if they are, those that know got greedy, which comes as no surprise.

At its core, the society is supposed to bring stability to The Mercy. Order.

Sure, like the old saying goes "beauty is in the eye of the..." however that old saying goes. Point is, you all bring order to the Mercy. there are rules. Yes, some people end in the wrong end of the deal. This happens. It's normal.

You can only place so much order in a place that has been plagued by scumbags for generations, though. It's a grueling and daunting task but somebody's gotta do it, right?

And there is no way... absolutely NO way, that an arms deal that big has gone unnoticed by at least one of The Society's factions.

Question is who and also what are these weapons. Because if it's a handful of blades, every single member and their mother has one. It would be a short coup. A bloody one, too.

Hopefully Spooner may be able to track them down and then you can go dispense some good old fashioned Mercy Justice.

Which then leads you to Drakan.

What did he pickpocket off that drunken fool? He was quick to take off when the halfling crash landed hours ago. You need to find him or wait for the guy to get thirsty and visit the Bitter Coffee.

You're getting that trinket from him. That's a done deal. It's just a matter of when and how.

And then your mind wanders into the matter of raptorans Celitas and Ketra, the Halmathan escapees.

You have had to muscle people before. It usually takes a light squeeze to their windpipe and they're emptying their pockets down to the last ball of lint.

You have seen raptorans- agile fliers. Thin bones to propel their builds across the air currents of the city.

Hopefully these are cooperative: snapping a neck as an intro is a bad sign for good business.

And that';s when your body reacts before your mind and you find yourself hiding in the shadows as the Cuthbertine Guard, straight from the City itself, makes its way out of the Bitter Coffee, with Rothen and Senerain in toll.

What the hell are those guys doing here? Taxing the Mercy now?

You wait a few minutes until the armed group leaves the immediate area and hustle towards the Bitter Coffee...

Hopefully Nana is safe. Kyle, well... he can fend for his own or at least protect her.

And he better have.

And as you walk in, the few patrons look at you for a few seconds before resuming their meals, cheap and from made from mystery meat.

Nana is fine, seated at one of the tables with that raptoran from earlier. The one who landed amidst the crowd at the market.

The gnome looks at you and quickly darts her eyes towards the lady bird before turning to talk to her again.

@Ketra: Nana turns towards the door and smiles as she looks at you and pats your hand.

"I'll get you a sandwich, dear. On the house.""

As Nana gets up, you take a look at the newcomer:

https://s27.postimg.org/nt2hbu3rn/Seti_Uzdich.jpg

A disheveled human. Most likely a commoner or, in the worst of cases, a beggar, what with all that mangy hair...

But something's different about this guy as he walks in a semi drunken state, yet flawlessly around the tables, never once bumping into anyone.

[Syless]

Ketra offers a genuine smile to Nana Rose. One of her few since arriving in the Mercy. "Thank you, that sounds wonderful." She's extraordinarily kind. Too kind, for a place like this.

"If you ever need any help at all, let me know. Aside from the obvious-" She flutters her wings. "-I studied with the Ehlonnan druids. I'm not one of them, but."

Her gaze turns to the drunken beggar. It takes all kinds, she supposes, in a place like this. What did he used to be, to keep this grace even like this? Maybe he had a story to tell.

[TankLaser007]

Seti makes his way to the bar, well if today wasn't turning out to be 'one of those days', was that... a Raptoran and if he wasn't mistaken it was one the one who landed in the market. Maybe she would know how he could get in touch with Ketra or Celitas. First a silver piece than a bird plumb in his nest.

Seti sidles up to the bar next to the Raptoran. He raises a finger of one hand up to towards Nana and plucks a silver piece out between two fingers of the other slapping it on the bar with a satisfying click. Something to eat for me and my feathered guest here and something for two of us drink, a private booth if one's available as well. he winksat Kyle as he slides the silver piece towards Nana.

"Saw your old mates outside. Came to pay you respects did they? Late on your dues to the King's Club?" without waiting for an answer he immediately swivels to his left to face Ketra, "Seti. I am most pleased to meet you Lady..." he says, a broad warm smile lighting his face as he extends his hand to the Raptoran.

[roll0]

[Syless]

Ketra's gaze stays locked on the stranger, startled by his sudden shift in demeanor. But when he begins to talk, Ketra can't help but feel at easy. It had to be a defense mechanism of his, nothing more. And who should it be but the man who she came here to meet- Seti. She takes his hand and shakes it, smiling. "Ketra. But no 'Lady', please, you're the second person today to do that. It's kind of strange, especially around here. And I'd say you're a hard man to find, Seti, but considering you just walked right over, it'd be a lie." She tilts her head and looks back at him. "It can't be a coincidence, though, that you'd come right over to me. I suppose we must both have a reason to talk to each other."

[TankLaser007]

Seti takes the Raptoran's hand as he listens, wait what was that? She was looking for him. It really was one of those days. "So, Miss Ketra, was. Or just Ketra." he says with a wide grin on his face.

"You may not believe this but I think I have just been spared a trip to the Royal Wyvern Apartments. I have, in deed, been very much looking forward to seeing you. If you would be so gracious as to join me some where a little more..." he casts a quick sideways glance at Kyle, "...private. Or if you would rather finish your sandwich" he continues indicating the plate in front of her, "or if you're busy..." he leans neck raising both of his hands up to his shoulders palms outward, "I could come back and sit with you later, or if you would prefer I might visit you at your place?"

He leans his right arm on the bar propping up his head against his hand while moving his hair from his face with the other and tucking it behind his ears. "Take your time." he finishes still smiling.

[Syless]

"Let me finish this, then we can move somewhere else- I would hate for Kyle's cooking to go to waste, it's delicious." She takes another bite of her sandwich, continuing after she's done swallowing it. "I'm definitely not busy, I came here hoping to find you. A mutual friend told me you were the person to talk to for help with something."

Finishing up her sandwich, she smiles and quietly slips a gold coin under the plate. It's not much, but it's the least she can do for Nana Rose's kindness. She stands up and waits for Seti to lead onwards. "Shall we?"

[Frendle]

Aren bows to the two Sulinese as they leave. It remains to be seen if such courtesies are warranted, but until otherwise demonstrated, they serve a God of Goodwill, if not a civilized one. She turns to Raikou and Travis, “Well, it would seem there is some cleaning up to do here. I did not come here for this specific purpose, but I do see the need to get things a bit more stable. If we can make a dent in the local banditry, then we will have done a good day’s work.”

The Raptoren loosens the long sword at her side a bit from its sheath and runs her thumb along the keen edge. “So, I’m new here, any idea where we should start? We need some targets. There must be some folks here who would be happy to see things in better order. They should be able to point us int the right direction. Anyone have a suggestion?”

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: Kyle brings over what looks like a BLT sandwich to the raptoran Ketra and smiles as you bring up his past.

"That's very clever, Seti. How's the shake downs going today?""

Kyle nods to Ketra and walks back towards the counter as he mumbles a few last words towards you.

"Is that thug code still in place? I hope it is...""

You'll have to straighten Kyle up later. He probably has some of his crew lounging around the Bitter Coffee. Getting the jump on him won't be as easy in broad daylight, but once night falls...

At any rate, you do have a shake down to make- and she's enjoying a sandwich.

How to go about this? The Society will definitely want their cut, never mind yours. Bunch of Raptorans from the City had to bring along some jewelry and coin.

Subtlety is key here.

@Ketra: It's a good thing Kyle put the mayo on the side.

Who knows how old it is and judging by the assortment of food offered at the market, chances are that dressing will have you keeling over in a few minutes.

Still, the sandwich is good. Not great, but good. It was a wise move from your mother to have those hanging gardens around the Wyvern- in a few months and with good rain, you and your people will have ample food to keep you all healthy and strong to survive in this place.

And as you munch down the meal, you take a look at this Seti guy:

Some haggard looking, crazy haired beggar by the looks of it. But looks can be deceiving.

Swift vouches for him and the elf did snap off those bindings... for a fee.

But if you want Soss back, this guy seems to be your only contact right now.

[kinem]

Aren, Raikou & Travis

Travis thanks Senerain and Rothen as they leave, then looks over his two new potential allies.

"I'd appreciate any help you offer. I realize that both of you are new to the Mercy. I'll point out what I can as it comes up, though I am by no means the most streetwise person. Suffice it to say that here, many came to escape oppressive laws, but there is also a shortage of more useful laws. There are some good people here, some who fight for justice either with force of arms or like Hannah through other means.

If we are to work together, I think we should first, well first we should get some healing for you, Raikou, if you still feel the effects. Thankfully you don't seem seriously injured, but if we end up in a fight any battering you took could take a toll.

I think we should explain a bit about our skills to each other. I have had good training as a wizard, though certainly am not yet a great master of the art. One of the most powerful spells I can prepare is that of teleportation. I can transport up to three people plus myself, if I have a good image of the destination. It can be risky especially if the image I have isn't that good. Yet together with a spell of scrying, it could offer us a way to reach one of the victims if he is still alive. We must decide if we should bring along some other ally as the third passenger. If that Ilumian Kyrich were around I might suggest him, but I don't know how to reach him.

It would take me a couple of hours to prepare new spells, and another hour to cast the scrying spell. It is one thing we can try, though if you have another idea I'm all ears.

By the way the Bitter Coffee is something of a local gathering point; you never know who will show up there."

[TankLaser007]

Seti considers nicking the gold, only for a second, and then thinks better of it,Once Ketra has finished eating he grabs his plate and sandwich and finds a place near the corner, "If you would Ketra, right this way," he jerks his head towards anyone sitting near the corner table letting them know they need to relocate. He then hooks the chair with his foot slides it out and takes a seat placing the plate on the table and his back to the corner, so he can keep an eye on the room while they talk.

"So." he says picking up the sandwich and taking a bite, "it would seem we are in need of one another, and that fate has smiled upon, and united us." He smiles as he wipes some crumbs from the corner of his mouth. "I am sorry for any hardships you experienced across the wall that brought you and your people here. I know this is not what most of you would consider good living" he continues sweeping a hand across the room, "or maybe even living at all," he takes another bite and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. "but it is our life, and one we try to make the best of. We are family here, Ketra." Seti brings a earthenware mug up from under the table and mumbles something while he does so.

"It may not seem it to you, but we take care of each other here. Just like family does. You have any siblings?" he takes a sip from the cup which seems to have some deep red or burgundy liquid in it. "I had a sister. Niffah. She would be... ...twenty-four, maybe twenty-five." He starts picking pieces of the bread off from his sandwich and dropping them on his plate looking down, "she'd tease me, even beat me up, but..." He looks up from the table and straight into Ketra's eyes, "If anyone else even looked at me wrong, she was on them like wild cat." Seti picks up the mug and empties its contents in one long chug, he wipes his mouth again with the back of his hand and places the mug back under the table.

"That's family." he pushes the plate off to the side and leans in over the table close to Ketra, "looking in from the outside you might just see some girl beating the tar out of her little brother, but..." he raises a finger up, "... she loves him, maybe more than she loves herself, and she would die." he slams his hand down on the table causing the plate to rattle, "to make sure her little brother lived." Seti leans back in his chair throwing his hair back with one hand, and smiling at the Raptoran. There is a slight glint, a shimmer in his eyes.

"That's us." he says spreading his arms out over the Mercy, "we may not look it but we are family. We may beat up on each other, have salty words, but in the end, we watch out for each other. We take care of each other, because that's what family does. And you..." he says putting his hand on Ketra's hand. "...you and your group, you are family now too." Seti slides his hand back across the table. And leans back against the wall, "but I am sorry, look at me, I've gone on and on, please you had mentioned you wanted to see me about something, you need help? Well go on, let me know what you need, that's what family is for." Seti smiles as he looks at the Raptoran and waits to see what she says.

[Niwrad]

As Senerain and Rothen depart the room, Raikou is left in silence for a bit wondering what to do next. Lady Choralis had sent him here with a purpose and he was already unable to complete half of her request. Tonel was already dead, and Archadious was nowhere to be found. The people here he had met so far seemed nice though. Kyrich the muscley bald warrior, and the two church people.

Perhaps for now the best thing to do would be stick around and learn a little more about the Mercy, make himself useful and help people here. Maybe in the process he might find out more about what had happened to this famous wizard.

The halfling turns to look and realizes that there are still two others in the room with him. The regal-looking bird-lady and the jumpy guy in robes.

Raikou stands up in his seat and leans against the back of the chair and grins at both.

An interesting place you got here. It's no Sea of Sands or Ossian Way I'll tell you that but it's something. My name is Raikou, Raikou Stormborn although I think you might have both heard that back in the marketplace too.

Seems like you guys both just heard why I'm here and seems like you guys probably don't know much more about this Archadious guy than I do?

But first... what are your names?

The friendly halfling hops up onto the table and bounces over to where Travis is sitting and drops down into a seated position on the table edge next to him.

That Ross guy said your name is Travis...? I don't know if I'll remember that. You seem like kind of a jumpy guy, how about I call you Jumpy?

Then Raikou turns his head to look at Aren.

And you are Aren? I think I like the name Angel since you kinda look like an angel with a beak.

Anyways Jumpy, you were saying?

The halfling gets up again and moves over to his elemental familiar and takes a relaxed position ontop his friend while he listens to Travis's suggestions.

So basically this place is kind of a slum? No laws. And there's people going missing? That doesn't sound good. Never a good thing when people are disappearing left and right. The guy I'm looking for, my master has already tried diving for him and that hasn't worked. She has a lot of pretty powerful magic so if she can't find him with divinations, then that's probably not going to work for us either.
But maybe it might work for some of these other missing people, and if we find them, we can find him.

So you're a wizard Jumpy? Just like that Archadious guy.

As for me? I'm a sorcerer. Just show me the bad guys and I'll show them the Thunder.

He grins again at that last statement.

It's at this moment that the air elemental grunts. Raikou's grin turns into a frown as he looks down.

What is it? What do you want?

You going to introduce me?

Be patient jeez. I was getting to that...

With an annoyed look, Raikou gestures down to his floating recliner.

And this little airhead here is my friend Cyrus. He doesn't talk much unless you know Auran. He helps me move around quickly.

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: Raikou Stormborn, the sorcerer...

As a Runestone graduate, you have been blessed not only with the best mentors Oerth could offer, but you have also had a chance to experience arcane diversity.

Runestone Academy prides itself in that, as a matter of fact. Over the years, you have shared classes with not only scholarly wizards, but with bards and even warlocks as well. Outside regular classes, in campus grounds, these tend to form cliques, which is expected, since everyone claims that their own version of The Art is the true version.

Of course, as a conjurer, you know that, although they do have certain tricks up their sleeve, you can outdo them. This has been ingrained not by the teachers- since at least one of them is a sorceress herself- but by your tight niche back in school.

However, for all the books and hours spent by candle light learning spell after spell, sorcerers always seem to get a slight upper hand. This has been demonstrated in duels back during your early formation years at the Academy.

And then there are those sorcerers that harness the elements themselves to an almost religious degree- The Stormcasters.

These arcanists are known for having an explosive temper. Like a billowing storm, they usually come off as a gentle breeze, but if angered or pushed to the limits of manic euphoria... watch out.

A single stormcaster can lay waste to an entire city block, and that's at a novice level. Never mind those that focus enough to unravel the mysteries of Lightning itself.

In fact, it was said that after the events of the Vile Rain, Connor is said to have placed the blame on Runestone, stating- and this has yet to be proven as fact- that:


I would not be surprised that those vile devil worshippers at Runestone have harnessed fell lightning form Hell itself, aided by those fiendish Stormcasters they keep as weapons of mass destruction!


Whether he actually said that, nobody knows, What is known is that the druids in Glenndale Park paid dearly for that freak storm, but the power of a sorcerer that can channel such elemental font is not a caster to be taken lightly.

And if Raikou is on your aide, who knows:

You could very well get rid of several guilds on one day, starting with those damn Rooster Boys.

[kinem]

Travis says "Jumpy, am I? Well, maybe anyone who lives in the Mercy soon learns to be jumpy. All the more reason that I'm glad to have someone like you on my side. All of you.

I am Travis Wood. I studied wizardry at Runestone Academy. Archaidous was a student there as well, more recently than I was, but I didn't really know him.

Nice to meet you, Cyrus.

Yes, I hope to find all of the missing, but we'll see what happens. If my scrying fails, we can still try other approaches, but what? I mean, I could walk the streets at night hoping to get kidnapped, but that approach would seem to have its downsides.

Aren, what is your perspective? And, where did you come from, if you don't mind me asking?"

[Frendle]

Aren looks at the two folk, “Angel? Well I suppose it is better than Devil, but Aren will do nicely. It was the name given me by my parents, who are long dead. I would ask you to honor them in using it please.”

“Travis, Raikou and Cyrus it is good to meet you.” Aren bows slightly to the three. “I am from a place called the Empire of Iuz. It is a place much worse than this, but we do survive there.”

“I have come on orders, and that is all I am free to disclose, but I do have discretion within those orders to assist in worthy tasks. I would deem this as such and so am willing to help as I can.”

Aren looks at them with a more discerning eye then after a couple seconds she states, “I have the ability to cast divine spells as well as in might of arms. It is my privilege to combine both in the service of my Lord Heironeous.”

“We should try diving what information we can. I do not think that getting yourself kidnapped is a solid plan, though a brave one. There should be some who can help. Perhaps among the Raptorens, or perhaps the Sueloniese might have a suggestion. Is there a meeting place where folk of good will gather? a council or something?


When Aren looks at them for a few seconds she is detecting evil.

[Smeggedoff]

Bella seats herself at the table as Vim busies herself

"Mmm, Sorry V, trouble at the market and then Tris had a favour to ask otherwise I would have been right back." she explains tiredly "Don't worry, I'll still be at the coffee tonight. And I could walk you to this artists if you don;t mind some company, introduce us maybe."

She idles for a few minutes until Donna catches her eye and chuffs impatiently

Bella sighs lightly and rolls her eyes, rising from the table to go and fetch parchment and charcoal before reseating and pondering the page

"Actually I had a favour to ask, Tris wants me to run an... errand and I need to hire some people, so I was thinking I'd put up a notice and since we both know you have a way with words..." Bella lets the point hang in the air

[kinem]

Aren, Raikou & Travis

Travis says "Iuz ... I have heard of it. Sorry that your homeland is under bad rule Aren, but I fear it is a preview of what may be in store for us here.

I'm a fairly recent arrival in the Mercy myself, and I mostly concentrated on the teaching here and my magical studies. I've also had to deal with a few local hoodlums who call themselves Roosters. Not a big deal but if having you two around helps run those bad boys off, so much the better.

Anyway, I don't think there's currently a ruling council here. I've heard rumors of some kind of organized crime operating here, but if there is such a group I highly doubt that they are behind the disappearances, which started fairly recently. I've even heard a drunken hobo spin a tale about demons dragging victims into the sewers. In light of recent events, perhaps it's not so crazy. The sewers might be another place to investigate, after all.

If you really want to meet some locals and maybe get a more streetwise take, and brunch at the same time, then we might as well head to the Bitter Coffee."

[Syless]

Ketra's feathers ruffle almost imperceptibly. Seti certainly had a quick wit to him, that rather... verbose story, clearly meant to try and put her at ease and bring her in. He had something important to ask, to be sure, and letting her ask first was a bargaining tactic, so his request would seem like payment or a favor in turn- but she didn't care. She would cross that bridge when the time came. "Well then, if we're family, then perhaps you can help me find one of my own. One of my flock- his name's Soss, he's one of the few that's been regularly leaving our home, working as a messenger. He went missing yesterday, and I'm not about to lose him without trying to find him first."

She smiles back. "So, if we're family, we should try and keep it all together, right? If you don't even try to make it whole, then I suppose we'll become quite estranged quite quickly. Once we're all together, I'm sure we can help you in turn. So what do you say? Have you heard anything?"

[AlanBruce]

@Aren: Your training back home shall serve you well in this city as you rest your eyes for a few seconds as Travis speaks a little about himself and what may be happening in The Mercy and then you open them again...

Raikou, Travis and Cyrus... no traces of malice can be sensed in their hearts. They are clean. And a good thing, too:

Where they to harbor wickedness in their hearts, you'd have to apply the rest of your clerical training upon them.

@Travis: You have heard about The Empire of Iuz...

Back there, Lies and Oppression are the rule of the land. It is a blasphemous city founded upon blood and evil. What mighty churches would operate here, back there, they are reduced to splinter factions and cults.

And the way things are going with the new Regime, who knows if a new Empire may yet to grow from this once proud city.

At any rate, staying in the school will not fetch you any answers. Raikou just literally fell out of the sky and who knows how long aren has been in The Mercy. You are rather new to it as well and most information you could relay to these two is just plain hearsay.

And so, you lead the group towards the Bitter Coffee, well aware that those Rooster rascals may be waiting to get the jump on you...

But with these guys to back you up, chances are they won't even attempt to move in. Not with a Stormcaster like Raikou by your side.

@Raikou, Travis & Aren: The old pub is partially full as you walk in, and quickly enough, several patrons turn their gaze to the halfling and his familiar.

Having rats and cats walk next to a caster is one thing- sometimes the caster won't even dress up the part.

But a sentient whirlwind? That's something odd even in a place like this.

Nana Rose, the Coffee's owner, waves at all of you and gestures to a table.

"Be there in a minute! Try not to blow up the place, ok?""

Cyrus hovers besides Raikou as all of you take a chair at a dirty table and check beneath it for bugs.

It doesn't disappoint, as a few roaches scuttle over your boots and into the many holes in the wall...

But more importantly- that Raptoran, Ketra. She's here at another table and having a conversation with a stringy haired man, who raises his eyebrow for the briefest second at all of you and keeps engaged in hushed tones with the raptoran.



@Isobel: Vim comes back from the kitchen and Donna nearly knocks her off as she juggles the plates above her head.

"No, Donna, NO! This isn't for you! Down, boy! Down!""

Your St. Bernard does as told and both sit down to have a late brunch as Vim listens to your idea and gulps down her glass of milk.

"Oh no! Nah, don't worry. I'm a big girl and it isn't the first time that I go see this artist. I'll be safe. She says this is the last session. Hopefully. after that, it's my big break in the city! Of course, you are invited to come along. I'll send tickets for you and your family.

I will, of course, be at the Bitter Coffee this evening- Nana Rose says that I can make extra money if I play a few more hours past midnight. Just need to work on my routine. Been recycling the same songs over and over and over and...""

That's when you mention your brother and Vim Vom smiles lasciviously.

"Your Runestone brother? And you didn't even tell him to stop by? I am wounded, you know... so what is it he wants? An errand? Ohhh ! I like this, Belle. Getting all Nancy Drew here!""

Vim finishes half her brunch and puts the plate on the floor for Donna to finish up the rest.

"Ok, let me see what I can come up with. Been awhile since I wrote prose. But you want it more like an ad, don't you? Like those at that school? yeah... Give me a few hours.""

And so, you lay on the couch and pet Donna for a few hours as the sun begins to set over the ruined buildings and you can hear Vim Vom scribbling like a mad man in her room as she comes out holding a pair of large pieces of parchment, with her hands stained in ink.

"Ok, belle: I have carpal tunnel after this, but you might as well go big or go home.

here's the first one:




http://image.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/342295/300835553/stock-vector-a-skeleton-pirate-holding-a-mug-of-beer-there-are-the-treasure-chest-of-gold-near-him-vector-300835553.jpg




TREASURE AND RICHES AHOY!

Tired of Mercy living? Haggling for a few silvers day by day. Just waiting to 'get by'?

Well, struggle no more! Riches await. Riches that Connor himself would kill to get his hands on!

If you want to live it large. A life of luxury, then wait no longer and contact:

Isobel Thorne

At:

"Too piratey? And a little ominous too, now that I look at it well.. I was running low on ideas. I left the address open for you to fill it up. Ideally, not to meet here.

At any rate, here's the second one:




http://orig15.deviantart.net/9c23/f/2008/019/4/c/my_adventure_party_by_rob_jr.jpg


ADVENTURE AWAITS


Tired of killing rats for a living?

Wishing to leave your mark in the history books... stained in BLOOD?!

Then come on over! The Syndicate of Swords welcomes thee!

Inquire to Sword Mistress:

Isobel Thorne

At:

Vim cracks her knuckles and sighs in relief after hours of carefully drawing the figures and getting her calligraphy right.

"Go big or go home, right? I'll let you choose which one you want to use and... oh no! I'm late! She;'s gonna freak out!""

Vim Vom rushes to her room and you can hear her packing a bag as she quickly does her hair in front of the only mirror in the apartment and rushes out.

"I'll be at the Bitter Coffee around midnight. Maybe earlier. We can have drinks after my show there. On me. See you later, Belle... and you too, Donna!""

And just like that, the door slams behind your bubbly roommate and her light steps echo through the metal grated steps going down towards the city and her benefactor.

Now what to do with these ads?

[TankLaser007]

Seti listens to Ketra as she speaks, picking up what's left of the sandwich and finishing it off just as she finishes. He licks his fingertips free of crumbs then leans back in over the table, "Of course Ketra. Soss you say his name is? A name is something, the fact he is a Raptoran, and there are not many here is also a help, but is anything else you can give me, you said he was a messenger, you know his routine, he have any friend's here... maybe a lady friend?"


Keeping an eye trained on the door he sees the Halfling, the other Raptoran and that Travis guy enter as he is speaking, "Maybe she knows something? Doesn't seem like one of yours, she seems different somehow..." he says nodding his head and pointing over Ketra's shoulder to the group as they take a seat.

[Syless]

Ketra shakes her head, leaning back as her wings permit when he moves forward. Distance seems like a good idea. "No, he's definitely not seeing anyone, he wouldn't let us hear the end of it if he was. Very few of us leave the Aerie- he's younger, has a black tuft of feathers dead center on his head. As far as I know he didn't know anyone outside of the people who hired him as a messenger- he was very fast, as long as the message was written and sealed. He wasn't exactly good for keeping secrets otherwise."

She looks over her shoulder, seeing Aren and the others walk in, and sighs. "No, she has nothing to do with us- I have no idea who she is." Ketra bites her tongue at her next thought. And she acts odd enough as it is.

Remembering, she reaches into her bag and pulls out the letter from Eoil. "Here. The luck in finding you made me forget about this." She slides the letter across the table carefully, watching his response. She didn't quite know what was in it.

[AlanBruce]

@Ketra: You have dealt with crooks before.

Although they wore a badge of office. At least it was easy to distinguish them back in the city. But here, well... anyone can be anybody. This place is, as far as you are concerned, a no man's land...

So why is Seti giving you this hammy talk about 'family'? You have a family. They are safe at the top of one of the tallest buildings in The Mercy. Nobody's getting to them, that's a given...

Unless this guy can fly... but there are no wings on him.

That's when the mage, the halfling and that raptoran walk in.

You know mages can fly if so desired, but they can't do it all day. Not to your knowledge.

That elemental, though... those guys are fast. You reckon he alone could ascend to the top of the building your Aerie is in under a minute if he really put his mind into it.

But then he'd have to deal with Sfaer.

And then there's that uptight raptoran, Aren. Not one of yours... maybe Seti's? No, no point plotting now how to deal with them. They haven't shown to be a threat.

This place just gets the worst out of people.

And then your attention turns back on Seti and you hand him the letter Eoil wrote for you earlier today.

@Seti: That name... Soss.

You may have heard someone in The Society employing a 'feather brain' not too long ago to run errands in The Mercy. Odd jobs that no one in the higher ranks of your conclave would bother to.

And all for meager pay- a few coppers at best.

But you never had a chance to meet this gofer. And Ketra seems quite interested in getting him back.

You open the letter and read it to yourself as Kyle starts lighting the candles and lanterns in the Bitter Coffee and the pub flocks with beggars and working class men alike- in fact, with Halmathan being so damn expensive now, many who serve houses in the City- be it maids, gardeners or even city guard- have homes in the Mercy and they are always more than happy to unwind at the Bitter Coffee after a long day's work.

What did Eoil have to tell you?

Seti,

The person who gave you this letter should not be aware of its contents. I trust in good faith that as a skilled member of The Society, you will honey the news contained here and keep the letter to yourself.

I have reasons to believe that this Soss fellow may have run into Asgrim. If that is the case, I am afraid there is little anyone can do.

However, if he is still alive, the Raptoran Community will be more than happy to see one their own returned safely. For this information, I ask a five point cut.

Some in The Society are well acquainted with who this character is. They should have an idea of where to find him.

How you go about this, I leave it in your capable hands.

You read the letter and do your best poker face as you fold the letter.

Asgrim... where have you heard this name before?

Knowledge Local and/or Religion

[TankLaser007]

Seti carefully and deliberately folds the letter his hand disappears under the table, and returns without the Eoil's missve. "So you are sure Soss doesn't have any lady friends you're not aware of?" he pauses for a minute raising one eyebrow, "wait... do your people, I mean do they... 'mix' with other races or that's just not something..." he let's the thought trail off as he leans back again into the comforting embrace of the corner. Nothing like solid wood to your back in a room full of rouges.

"I don't want to get your hopes up Ketra. But I will tell you this, I think I may have an idea of where to start, regarding our little wayward brother Soss." he scratches his head, tucking some stray locks of hair behind his ear, "I am not going to promise you we will find him." He looks off over her shoulder at the table with the other Raptoran and the Hlafling from the sky, "but I will promise you two things." he turns his attention back to Ketra and looks straight into her eyes, while raising two fingers, "Firstly, I will always keep my word to you, and your people." he says moving his index finger, "and secondly, I won't lie to you."

He turns his attention to the bar where Kyle is, "for now I need to think, and Nana's got just the thing to help jog the 'oe memory, there is something, it's on the tip of my brain..." he raises his hand towards the bar and calls out, "Two Bitter-sweets! For the lady and me!" he faces Ketra once more,, rubbing his chin with one hand as he reflects on the name in the letter, "...it'll come back to me... in the mean time let's enjoy a bit of the local 'colour' and acquaint ourselves. So miss Ketra of the Royal Wyvern Apartments what is it that you do amongst your people?"

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: You read the letter and casually fold it and then look at Ketra, doing your best to keep a smile, given the circumstances.

And not the best circumstances given, Not at all.

Back when Sarjon ruled The Mercy uncontested, it is said that many in The Society answered his call. His premise was simple:

You work for me now. You don't, and you are dead.

It is not known how many within The Society sided with Boss Sarjon. After his eventual demise, many have kept their mouths shut. And understandably so: The guy was a mean bastard. He went above and beyond what regular warlords did to the people of The Mercy.

That guy was utterly ruthless and possessed formidable strength, on top of being a sadist, torturing many in The Mercy- usually in public, so as to make his point clear that he was in charge.

It is no wonder that it took the combined efforts of a church leader and the Mercy Maiden to bring him down.

However, what made this tiefling so feared towards the end of his reign was that he had assembled a team, dubbed Sarjon's Scabs.

Many of these assassins were said to be in Death Row in St. Noria's. How the hell did they get out? Nobody knows. The stories about them and their appearance in The Mercy has not been documented and anyone trying to find out wound up dead.

The Scabs were defeated shortly before the big boss himself, but Sarjon is said to have made dealings with another group of undesirables.

The Maws of Hunger, one of the oldest guilds in The Mercy, answered his call. These assassins do not belong to The Society- in fact, many in the society actually fear them. And with good reason.

That reason being Asgrim Garak, aka The Thousand faced Killer, aka The Fangs of Camazotz.

Nobody knows who Asgrim really is. He cares not about money or taxing, no.

The Maws of Hunger, which he lords over, are cannibals. These depraved individuals are said to have a base of operations way deeper in The Mercy, where nobody would dare even squat, but that doesn't mean he and his crew have not shown up from time to time to act as Sarjon's enforcers.

In fact, it was said that Sedge Bonney, the Diplomat, was kidnapped by Asgrim when Borazon and Lady Keéra fought the Scabs right outside the Bitter Coffee.

It would be this final act that moved those two heroes and their team to take the fight towards sarjon and end him for good.

But with that guy dead, Asgrim is most likely plotting to make his return. No longer as an enforcer to the dead tiefling...

But as a warlord himself.

[Syless]

Once more, Ketra shakes her head. "It's not a matter of species, it's a matter of him bragging immediately if he found someone. I'm sure you know the sort. And as... flighty as he can be, he knows better than to disappear without even a message, because he knows I'll hunt him down otherwise." She stares at the human as he trailed off. There were multiple ways to interpret that question, but she opted to let it drop.

She nods at his promises, but her face starts to ignite in anger. "That's all I can ask. That, and that if someone is responsible for his disappearance- if someone took him- you don't get between the two of us. Let me tear them apart." She regains her composure. "And I think that should sum up my role- I'm their protector. Anyone who wants to mess with them has to go through me first, and I don't play gentle. There aren't really mansions to wreck around here like there are back in the city, but they're still fixing up that last one." Ketra tries to be intimidating with that last sentence, but there's a waver in her voice. She's avoiding mentioning what she lost escaping from the scene.

She tilts her head in curiosity. "But enough about me. Who are you, Seti, the silver-tongued man who can shift in demeanor at the drop of a hat, who carries such influence in the Mercy, who makes such lofty promises? I don't expect the whole truth, I doubt you've told anyone that, but tell me whatever story you'd normally tell."

[TankLaser007]

Seti smiles at her forwardness, even more so when she appears to get angry at the thought of her people coming to harm. She's loyal. So few are these days. There is a twinkle in his eye as he leans in. "Remind me never to get on your bad side," he says with a smile, "so I see you are already putting me to the test... aaand taking advantage I might add." He takes a quick glance around to make sure no one is too near or seems to have their attention turned to their way. "I did make you a promise didn't I."

He slides the empty plate in front of him bringing it to rest in the centre of the table between Ketra and himself. "Not much to tell, me story isn't too much different from more than half of the Mercy. I lost me family in the fire. Lost my home. It's not a building you know. Home, I mean. Hell you can be at home sleeping in an alley. Home, its family. People you love, who love you, who protect you, and you them. But I am sure I don't have to tell you that."

"So there I am an orphan in a city of orphans." he nods his head towards the bar, “Kyle there, he’s not much different in that department, except for the leaving and living life as one of the ‘King’s Finest’ , Nana there, she took care of a lot of us did what she could.” He picks the plate back up spinning it between his hands as he looks around the room.

“So there I was, a kid, a kid in world full of vicious petty children and poor excuses for men. I did what all of us did I learned to survive. I tried to make it on my own. I did pretty well too, for a while. But you know that’s the problem with this world. Maybe its not a problem but just a reality.”

He stops spinning the plate and slaps it on the table between them, “You can’t make it alone. We need each other.” He looks quickly away. “What I mean is us, you know the people of the Mercy, in general, anyway. So, Spooner – that’s my friend, actually like a father to me, he finds me, takes me under his wing and well there you have it.”

He looks again towards the bar. “Man Kyle likes to take his time… so I joined a group. Bad men, trying to do good things, badly. And here we are today. Good people in a very bad world with hard choices, that really aren’t so difficult once you gain perspective.” He smiles. “Not much for talking about myself, if there is anything specific you want to know just ask. I won’t lie. I might not answer, but I won’t lie.”

[AlanBruce]

@Ketra: You try and maintain your composure with Seti. This guy has a silver tongue. Talk about family and home...

You already have those. And you make it clear you can, single handedly, obliterate any who stand between you and your family. The buildings in The Mercy are old and unstable. Feldspar's manor was robust and well kept and by your count, he's still paying for renovations.

Never mind any of the run down steel frames that ache and creak under the night breeze.

@Seti: All you need is to get a little more persuasion on this Raptoran and hopefully, you'll get her to cooperate. They certainly must have money...

But will they have enough money to bring back the dead? because if what Eoil says here is true. if his hunch is correct...

Then that raptoran must be a pile of bones and bloody feathers by now. Still, you need to keep a calm demeanor here. Not everything's set on stone.

If Ketra is as tough as she projects herself to be, maybe you could have her aid you in taking down that bastard before he starts getting hungry around this part of town.

And it is then that Kyle walks up and places a pair of shot glasses with an inky black and purple liquid inside as the strong scent of liqueur damages your nostrils.

"Two Bitters. Nana has opened your tab. So you have to pay her for these. Lady Ketra, a pleasure meeting you...""

Kyle walks towards the bar and takes off his barista apron, picking up his blade from behind the counter.

"Quttin' time for me. It is at night when the creeps and crazies like to claw out of the alleys. Have a good one, guys.""

And having said, Kyle lights a few lamps in the tavern and leaves for the Mercy streets, most likely to play his vigilante role.

The door has barely closed behind Kyle when a hand props it open and in slides Drakan, a smile in his face as he flips a gold coin in his hand and checks the patrons inside as he walks up to the counter and leans over to Nana Rose.

"It's a nice night, isn't it, Nana? The usual, please.""

The gnome proprietress takes the gold and is quick to mis four tall paper cups covered in a plastic lid and encased in a plastic holder.

"For tall ones to go. Have a good one. Send my love and regards.""

Drakan winks at Nana and carries the cups with both hands as he leans against the door and nearly falls as another patron walks in, giving him a chance to exit without dropping anything.

"Will do, Nana...""

And just like that, Drakan leaves, but this place is not getting emptier anytime soon.

[Syless]

Ketra grins, having put the man visibly on the defensive for the first time. "A good lesson to learn. I don't like resorting to violence, but it's so often sadly the only solution, and if so, I do not hold back." She leans back herself this time. "It's that or run, and I have to wonder which of the two you'd do. From what I've gleaned, it could go either way."

His story, however, weakens her resolve. She couldn't even imagine that. She had to abandon her physical home and a small amount of her flock, but to lose them all at once- that would have crushed her. He survived. A fighter of an entirely different kind. It might have been a plot meant to soften her defenses, but whether or not it was, that's what happened. "...I definitely can't say I understand what you've been though, but it's devastating to hear. I've only lost one- hopefully not a second- and that's devastating enough."

She smiles and thanks Kyle, drinks the shot, and gags a bit at the strength. "But I notice you evaded my real question. Who are you now? What makes you important? Who do you work for- or who works for you?"

[kinem]

On the way to the Bitter Coffee, Travis pays attention to something he rarely has, signs of the sewers - drains, manholes, and the like. He tries to guess if it's plausible that monsters could be dragging people down there, and to find a usable entrance.

ooc: Spot [roll0]

When Nana waves, he waves back. Taking a look around, he sees a raptoran, Ketra, at another table; she was there for the incident in the market. He considers going to talk to her, but thinks better of it as she is conversing with some low-life. When Nana gets around, he orders coffee and a cheese sandwich.

"If I were skilled at chatting people up for information, here is where I'd do it. All kinds come here" he tells Aren and Raikou. He looks around for any other familiar faces.

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: Dusk begins to set over the imposing dead buildings, once home to Halmathan's finest and the old barrels are lit by the Mercyfolk, the only safe spots in the street.

It has become common knowledge that if you find a flaming drum barrel, chances are that you will be safe. This district, devoid of proper infrastructure and deemed abandoned for decades, does not enjoy the lamp posts found in the City, so the Mercyfolk have established a sort of Safe Trail for themselves and any who would wander these streets after dark.

Of course, that isn't to say that being close to the barrels guarantees safety. yes, many hobos congregate around it for warmth at night and to cook the occasional rat on a stick, but it is not unheard of for pickpockets to be found within their midsts and it would not be the first time when someone joined a hobo party to share a drink of cheap ale only to leave with far fewer coins in his pouch.

The alternative of course, is to find shelter in one of the many buildings or, if you;re feeling brave and bold, walk several blocks deeper into the Mercy, where the flaming barrels wane in number and the streets are taken over by shadows, especially in an overcast night such as this one.

You do keep an eye out for the manholes on the street.

Heavy, rusted and covered in some green goop, the slits produce a healthy gout of sewage steam that is an insult to to the senses, but the people here have grown used to it. Who knows how many diseases these poor folk have accumulated over the years from the waste running beneath the cracked streets.

A blazing barrel casts an eerie light on some street art on your way to the Bitter Coffee:


https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/30/92/76/309276d487eaa7fcbd89c23189a4f52f.jpg

You have seen these drawings before, done by the kids in the Mercy using whatever paint they could get their hands on.

The hobos stay away from the street art and mumble to themselves as they belch and bite their chewy meal on a stick.

These drawings have been around since your arrival, but not many people talk about it. And those who have been asked, would rather not tell the tale, for, as they have claimed:

This is to appease the Devil. That its chains may not drag you into the night...

And so, you, Raikou, Aren and Cyrus head to the Bitter Coffee and do spot Ketra, talking to some low life as she down a shot of who knows what, but it must be pretty strong, since the raptoran winces and tears roll down her cheeks as she shakes her head and slams the glass upside down on the table.

The other guy with her turns regularly to look at all of you, but his attention is focused clearly on Ketra.

The Bitter Coffee is abuzz with with people by now and several oil lanterns have been hanged from the ceiling, each with different colored paper wrapped around the glass, but they have yet to be lit.

And getting up from one of the tables, is that guy... Pyotr Marat, the Voice of The Mercy.

At least according to him. This guy, like you, hails form Halmathan. Unlike you, he lives there and makes it a habit to come to the Bitter Coffee every so often to denounce the evils of The City.

The man is a visionary, says some. An attention whore, claim others.Whatever the case may be, Pyotr is nothing short of driven to his cause.

And his cause is to talk... and he sure loves the sound of his voice:

"It is this fate, I solemnly assure you, that I dread for you, when the time comes that you make your reckoning, and realize that there is no longer anything that can be done.

May you never find yourselves, men of Halmathan, in such a position! Yet in any case, it were better to die ten thousand deaths, than to do anything out of servility towards the Tainted Cudgel and Broken Mask that is Connor!

A noble recompense did the people in The Mercy receive, for entrusting themselves to their unwavering beliefs, and thrusting the nefarious inquisitorial rule aside! And a noble recompense the democracy of Queen Maira, for driving away the evils that plagued this fair city!

Make no mistake, though: we are slaves, scourged and butchered! An elegnat blade, thrust in the night into our hearts and souls, driven us to abject servitude!

Fall not to folly, despair and cowardice. Cherish that here, you are FREE! Arm yourselves, men and women of The Mercy and heed not the evil counsel of the Palace of Injustice. Walk out of this Wall and in so doing, break the walls in your heart. Because to refuse to do anything that you should do, advocates of the enemy’s cause, and to fancy that you dwell in so great a city that, whatever happens, you will not suffer any harm."

The crowd is not amused. Not because of his words. Yes, something must be done about that bastard, but who's going to do it?

People starve here. They struggle every day not to get killed by man or whatever else lurks in the night.

And he wants to build an army. An army of untrained peasants to march all the way to the Palace of Justice and reclaim the City.

Yeah... and maybe then you can go punch Connor in the face.

It's a bootle flown towards Pyotr that barely misses him as the crowd gets restless.

Hey rich boy! You talk the talk, but where's your actions, huh?

I didn't break my back all freaking day to come here and listen to a pseudo revolutionary!

Get off the stage? Where's Vim?

Yeah! We want Vim Vom the Bom Bom!


Pyotr looks at the crowd and then at the wall behind him, with a liquor stain and turns to look at the crowd.

"You fools! Don't you get it? We can get up and fight for our rights! You want to waddle here and be nobodies. Come on! Strength in numbers and...""

Get off the stage!

You suck!

Nana Rose is quick to jump on the bar and whispers something to Pyotr as he nods and takes a seat as she addresses everyone.

"We all have something to say here. Nobody is less than the guy next to him. Not in my pub, is that clear?

And you... you like throwing bottles? That's cool. You know what's even cooler? Working an all nighter behind the counter to pay it off. So get your ass off that chair and start mixing drinks and you better know how to cook as well.

As for everyone: Vim will be here shortly for her performance. So in the meantime, get your drink on!"

The crowd cheers as the one idiot that threw the bottle gets up and begins working behind the counter as a familiar figure hauls a chair near your table and shakes his head:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/9d/1b/b6/9d1bb6ee9ae0b0462276bf5585c69491.jpg

"His heart is in the right place, but good intentions alone are not enough. Good evening Travis. I see you've made some new friends here.""

This is Anarion Lenwe, the elven bard.

You have met your fair share of bards back in Runestone and the City of Halmathan. Many performed at the best inns and restaurants in the City...before Connor declared them a menace to society.

Although you have not met Anarion before moving to The Mercy, he claims he was a well known musician back in the City, performing at the Halmathan Royal Theatre.

Today, Anarion is seldom seen around The Mercy, keeping mostly to himself. The few times you have spoken to him, he has made it clear that he is not a fan of the current regime, but has so far to outwardly state his intentions, unlike Pyotr.

Still, he is a jack of all trades, like all bards ought to be and he has become close friends with that massive ilumian, Kyrich the Githslayer.

[Smeggedoff]

Bella shakes her head in exasperation as Vim runs out of the door
"Sword mistress?" she mumbles to herself in bemusement "I'm not sure I've ever touched a sword"

'whuff'

"Oh come on, I'm just saying it's a little misleading and-"

'chuff, sniff'

"well no, I don't want people to think I'm a pirate either... and I'm not sure I want to be seen as making for of connor, even in the mercy, it's just the second one's a bit... hardcore?"

'snort'

"oh don't even... fine, on your head be it"

She carefully folds the poster and pockets it securely

"come on wonderdog, best get this up"

'boof!'

For the second time in one day Bella head down to the coffee and attempts to flag down Nana Rose for permission to post the notice

[AlanBruce]

@Isobel: You light a candle in the apartment, given that the sun has completely set and darkness has fallen.

You and Donna both check the posters drawn by Vim and although the idea of being a pirate looking for treasure is a fun kid's tale, the whole mention of Connor would definitely drive people away.

Then there's the one about the Syndicate of Swords... with you as Sword Mistress, no less.

It is true that druids can wield a blade. The scimitar being a favorite, but that's not exactly your cup of tea. After all, you can harness the powers of Nature itself and by Beory's Blessing, you will never need a blade by your hand.

Still, you might get some people interested with either of these posters.

You lock the door behind you and begin your loud and clanky descent down the metal stairs to the ground floor of the Green Meadows Apartments.

A few lights can be seen from some of the other apartments. The place isn't entirely devoid of people. Squatters like you and Vim, but this place is far from The Bitter Coffee. Unless you carry a torch or some other form to produce light, your only recourse is natural moonlight, which seeps through the heavy clouds above and shine over the very unhealthy pond in the patio.

The dead trees rustle against the breeze and create eerie shapes on the ground, which clearly put your brave St. Bernard more than jumpy.

It is then that Donna sniffs the air and whimpers as he hides behind you.

For such a big dog, he sure gets scared easily.

That's when a cold breeze blows through the patio and your eyes catch under a moon beam someone on the swings:


https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/b6/f3/ab/b6f3abd53e3be346e244726b2ceb939f.jpg

It's a little girl. Probably no more than five. She's lazily swinging on the scorched swing and looks at you and Donna as she giggles and them something splashes in the water not too far away from her, causing both you and Donna to direct your attention to the pond...

Nothing... and when you turn around to check on the girl, she's gone too.

It's a light pain in the back of your head as your vision gets blurry for a few seconds, but then, it is all back to normal.

All these talks about disappearing people must've caught on to you as well.

At any rate, you need to head to The Bitter Coffee.

The silent buildings tower above you. Not a single light coming from the broken windows above. By your count, it should be about five blocks, maybe a little more, before you start getting into the more crowded area of the Mercy and those flaming barrels and their hobo owners.

And as you take step after step through the streets, you feel that cold air again, funneled through the alleys as Donna turns to look at an empty point in space.

Something's not right. It's quite... too quiet.

It is then that a distant fire drum provides some light as you accelerate your pace. You have trained back in Halmathan to keen your senses and you can swear that a buzzing sound can be heard above you as the walls of these derelict buildings crack and shards of glass trickle down onto the street.

Donna begins barking loudly as he stands by your side and speeds up the pace. It is natural for pets to protect their masters and animals are said to have some sort of sense that warns them of things that to the untrained eye, should not be there.

It is then that you hear a bunch of hobos a block away kicking a man away from their safe spot as the flmes from the drum barrel extend their shadows.

Get out of here, man!

You're crazy!

I'll cut you if you stay here. This is our place... GET OUT!

What's going on there? and you can faintly see the man being harassed by the Mercyfolk as this one mumbles and groans and shuffles towards you.

This guy doesn't look like a Mercy resident- he wears a thick coat and a hat, of expensive make.

The man clutches his stomach as he vomits on the ground , leaving a disgusting scent of bile as his eyes, blood shot red and his face pale and veiny sees you and walks up to you, nearly tripping in the process as Donna barks incessantly, a warning for him to keep away.

The man nearly falls over you as he holds on to your hand. His is clammy and very warm. It's like he's been stuck in a furnace.

His speech is garbled, as copious amounts of saliva drools down his mouth and his blood shot eyes stare at yours.

"Goddam bitch! GODDAMN BITCH! Urghhhh! Owww! I need... I need...help.""

The man is hurting you as he holds on to your hand and then notices Donna growling at him.

"F*** her! Goddamn bitch... GODDAMN IT ALL!!!""

And just like that, the man pushes you aside and shuffles a little faster down the road you came and disappears into the shadows, not before hearing his vomit in the dark.

Maybe he had too much to drink. Nothing new here. People tend to do that to forget where they live.

You keep walking and the hobos watch you, since they were witness to the attack.

"You alright, miss? Damn fool got violent and we had to teach him a lesson. You be safe now, ok?""

And so, you make your way to the Bitter Coffee. Whatever you heard above you is gone...if it was there in the first place.

The Bitter Coffee is packed with people. Hard to find an empty chair as Nana rose tends to the patrons and smiles when you walk in with Donna.

"Hey Isobel! How are you? Come to see Vim?""

The gnome walks up to you and lowers her voice.

"She is late already. The patrons are getting drunk, but they will want a performance from her. The last one was a dud. How long before she comes over? Do you know?""

And then you show her the ads Vim drew, causing Nana to laugh heartily.

"Nice! Yeah, of course! Usually, people post these at the school's roster, but yes- you can put them outside the Coffee. I'm sure you'll fish someone soon enough with them. Are you putting both of them? You might want to put an address there. seems she forgot to fill that part out."

Once inside the Bitter Coffee, you catch several faces, old and new.

Raikou the halfling, who chose your stomach as a landing mat.... and his air elemental familiar, Cyrus.

Travis the scholar. A teacher at the House of Knowledge.

And then there's Aren the Raptoran. All seated with some elven guy you have not seen before.

And speaking of Raptorans...

Ketra from Halmathan is at another table, talking to some seedy looking guy.

You unfurl both posters and take a look at them.

Which to use?

[Niwrad]

Raikou stays close to the two he had already met, Travis and Aren, and he and Cyrus both wander through the crowded mess of drunken humans. Many times Cyrus pulls him to safety just as some drunken patron is about to crash into him. Clearly this wasn't a place for those of shorter height...

He had not been in a human place with this many people in quite a while, if ever, so he was still quite overwhelmed with everything and everyone here.

The halfling and the elemental stay close behind Travis, when suddenly he recognizes a familiar face and he lights up with a grin.

Heyy! Bell nice to see you again!

Raikou says, bouncing over to the human woman.

How are you doing tonight? Are you still alright from when I hit you earlier? Again, very sorry about that... So what brings you to this place?

Then he notices the posters in her hands and his curiosity takes ahold.

Oooooh. Whatcha got there? Can I see can I see?

[TankLaser007]

Seti smiles at Ketra's replies, and his face breaks into a wide grin as she downs her shot. he picks up his shot downs it quickly and spins the the glass on the table as he begins his reply.

"Well for one thing, I am known as a man who can handle his drink. I could drink a dwarf or ogre under the table. That, one could say is one of my many 'specialities'." He stops the glass in its spinning then spins it in the opposite direction. "As for as being important. That all depends. The fact that I am un-important, is part of what makes me so indispensable. I bet you didn't notice me in the market this morning. I saw you glide down into the midst of the crowd when our friends there," he nods over at Aren, Raikou and Travis, "were holding court."

He flips the shot glass upright and shakes it front of Ketra, "Spare some coppers, help a poor man fill his glass" he smiles and winks laying the shot glass back down on the table between them. "You see... people like ole' Cutter Conner hate to look up because they cannot soar, their jealousy makes them blind. Yet also most people hate to look down, because they fear to fall. You soar in skies, above the eyes of the jealous and the dreamers, both, and I... well I... I scurry in the gutters, unseen and ignored. Seti 'Guttereyes' Udzich" a half smile plays across his face.

"I am the ears and eyes of my people. A drunk, a beggar, a knave, just another haggard face, another nobody in a sea of nobodies. You see the fact that I am nothing, that's what makes me something." He stretches his back a bit before continuing.

"As for who I work for, now that is something that might take a bit more time than I think we have, at the moment. For now we can just say I represent the closest thing the Mercy has to a government. It isn’t perfect, and we aren’t, any of us angels, but we’re sure as hell not devils either. We are men and women, bitter boys and girls trying to do right by our neighbours and our home. Because sure as hell nobody else is. We are known by many names, but most know us as 'the Society' warlords will come and go, rooks and their cukoo's will nest, then take wing and migrate as the wind blows them, but the Society, we are the oldest, and when there is nothing left of the Mercy but a memory and ash, you'll be sure that one of our number will be there to watch that pile of cinder, and to make sure that memory is never forgotten."

Seti laughs as a bottle flies through the air and crashes near Pyotr, "see what happens when someone from the city tries to teach one of the Merciful how to live?" he wipes a tear from his eye, sighing before continuing. "I really hope you get to know us Ketra, you and your people. I know you are used to taking care of yourselves, but to live here, not just survive, but to really live, you are going to need a community. Your people, you are family. But your family and ours, we can make a larger whole, a society amidst all this savagery. OR..." he points at Pyotr on the stage, "We could always just get some pitchforks and march on Hamalthan..."

[Syless]

Ketra's grin rises back as he takes his drink much better. Show-off. She is a bit surprised to hear about his presence that morning, however. "Wait, you were there? I should have guessed, once I saw you walk in and feigning vulnerability." His description of his framework underneath the Mercy is fascinated, though she wouldn't be surprised in the least if it turned out he was exaggerating. She'd heard about warlords in the past, so their influence can't be too universal.

"Well, I certainly have no designs on bringing our old life to you. And while I can understand the need to work together to build something greater... well, it's not as though we isolated ourselves in Halmathan proper, if anything we were fairly integrated into society outside where we chose to live, but here, well. Most of us know nothing of the Mercy but the rumors of its danger. The vast majority of us have only seen Eoil's workshop and the higher levels of the Wyvern. And since we can stay there, live for ourselves... I don't think we can ever really become part of your society, unless we remain here for a very long time, but I think until then we can at least be allies. Distant cousins, to keep the metaphor going."

She stares into her empty shot glass. "Though I'm not totally against the torches and pitchforks plan."

[kinem]

If Travis had seemed lost in thought on the way to the Bitter Coffee, it probably had something to do with the street art he'd seen. The sewers ... perhaps a monster could live there. And devils are real enough, wicked creatures from another plane, like the bearded devil whose aid in combat I could briefly summon. Perhaps the hobos' information is accurate. Or perhaps I am the one who is going crazy. But it seems to me that I know entirely too little about what really goes on in the streets of the Mercy.

At the Coffee, he listens to Pyotr Marat's ranting. He is a fool. I'd like to be rid of Conner, but a few commoners armed with makeshift clubs trying to storm the palace would be more farce than force.

Getting late already? Where did the time go?

Anarion Lenwe comes over and Travis greets him. "Hello! It's good to see you. Aren, Raikou, this is my friend Anarion. Oh, and the air creature is Cyrus. Anarion, what are you up to these days? As for me ... well there is something troubling that you might be able to help with."

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: As you walk past the many eyed graffiti, your mind hearkens back to the rumors uttered by the many drunken hobos in this place.

As a Runestone Scholar, you have called forth denizens from many different realities. Be they lofty celestials, forged from the purest and most noble essences...

And you have splintered the earth to call forth the denizens of Hell, awash with fire and brimstone.

Could any such beasts actually be living below The Mercy? Hard to tell- Raikou confused Aren with an angel and he's a sorcerer. They have knowledge of Outer Denizens, after all.

And if he could confuse a raptoran with an angel... what chance would a poor drunken sod have to properly identify a beast living below the sewers? At this point, it could be anything and that makes it a lot more worrisome.

For now, you have to find more people to join your cause. And if they won't join in person, provide information.

Once at the Bitter coffee, you watch Pyotr being booed by the crowd. How the hell are you going to get rid of Connor? That man is now virtually untouchable in The City of Power. If the Mercy took to the streets, it would end bad. It would be a massacre probably worse than the Great Fire that left The Mercy in its current state.

And once Anarion Lenwe joins your table- or as close as he can, given how crowded the place is, you introduce him to your new acquaintances.

The elf smiles and nods to all of you as he listens to your inquiries.

"Me? Been in the City today. That place isn't looking any better. I dare say that by the end of the year, unless the King is brought back, we might be looking at The Halmathan Empire, given Connor's many new rules. I heard he;s going to institute martial law, even.

That may be the reason why so many are flocking here, but this place isn't any safer. I am supposed to meet with Kyrich here, but he;s late, as usual.

So I will make time: what troubles you?""

[TankLaser007]

He notices her looking into the empty glass, "You want another? Or anything to drink for that matter, it needn't be hard -- could get coffee?" He grabs the empty glasses, standing. "Cousin dearest, tomorrow, we follow up some leads regarding our little brother, or cousin, if you will, Soss we won't much done in that department tonight. Tell me though..." he leans on the table standing next to Ketra, "how long ago did he go missing? Exactly."

[Smeggedoff]

Teh vision of the creepy girl and the pool puts Bella solidly on edge, increasing the guilt that causes her to make a mental note to work on purifying the water as soon as possible

By the time she's assaulted by the man who, honestly seemed ill (and wouldn;t a plague be a fine capper for the Mercy) she solidly has a case of the willies.

The things make the Coffee a welcoming and calming reprieve from the unusual night
At nan's inquiries Bella frowns slightly "No, sorry, I know she went to an appointment with an artist friend and sh's been running a little late all day, if she doesn't turn up soon let me know and I'll go looking, I'd hate for somethign to happen to her"
She nods along with nans opinions of the posters and at the lack of an address
"Yes, I though that, vim would prefer I not put down our address though and I agree, would I be able to rent a back room for interviewing people? Or if not could you make a suggestion for a venue?"

As she turns to the room proper and spots the table of... adventurous looking people she hmms thoughtfully, and when Raikous approaches her...

"Oh, hello, Raikou wasn't it? Nice to see you again too, and yes I'm fine, you were worse off than I"

she chuckles at the halflings exuberance

"I'm her for a friend but trying to get a little business done at the same time" she explains, handing the Raikou the second poster "I've been asked to find a missing person so I'm looking for some brave explorer types."
She pauses for a moment before asking innocently "Would you know any?"

[Niwrad]

Raikou accepts the poster and reads it thoroughly.

So you're looking for missing people too? That makes two of us.

Then when Isobel asks if he knew anyone, he looks up, grins, and points to himself.

Lady, if you're looking for a brave explorer type, then you got one right in front of you.

Cyrus scoffs with amusement as the halfling says this and mutters something in his native tongue.

Brave? Sure.

Ignoring him, Raikou continues.

I also know at least two other people who might want to help out. Come on, I'll bring you to them. Consider this my way of making up to you for using you as a landing pad earlier.

Help me make some room Cyrus.

He tugs at the bottom of her coat and attempts to squeeze through the crowd back to where Aren and Travis were.

As they push through the tavern, Raikou looks again at the poster.

So who are you looking for and what is this Syndicate of Swords?

[Smeggedoff]

Bella smirks and replies to the elemental
"Bravery covers a multitude of deficits little one"

She follows the little man to the table and takes the proffered seat with a polite "good evening Gentlemen, Isobel Thorn, pleasure to meet those of you I haven't before"

She chuckles at the question before answering "My housemate's sense of humour in answer to your second question, I think it sounds bit grandiose myself, I'm looking for Archaidous Mithmironel, apparently he was seeking some sort of magical laboratory in the sewers-" Isobel swallows heavily "-but his team stopped reporting in. Who are you looking for? I'd be happy to offer my help in return, as well as payment of course"

[kinem]

Travis says "Hello, Isobel. Syndicate of Swords? I like it, sounds influential. Of course, we seem to have only one sword among us, but let that confuse our foes. I can cast a spell or two if need be.

Actually - and Anarion, this is the matter I wanted to discuss - many people have vanished recently in the Mercy, including students at the House of Knowledge. Though the Mercy was always dangerous, this is something else, something recent and rapid. We three - Aren, Raikou, and myself - already planned to search for the missing, including Archaidous.

I hate to say this, but I fear that most likely the missing are already dead. I have heard tales from hobos on the street of a monster that drags people into the sewers. Just a tall tale I thought at first, but it could explain the recent disappearances and some of the weird behavior of people on the streets, and the fact - which I didn't know before now - that Archaidous was exploring the sewers when he vanished tends to confirm it.

Anarion, have you heard any rumors? Also, you mentioned Kyrich; I believe he knows a thing or two about fighting, a skill we might need before this is over.

I had been planning to prepare a spell of scrying to try to find one of the missing students, and I will still try that, but now I think we'll need to look into the sewer instead. Aren, do you have the ability to protect people from hazards like poison and acid which we might find there even without any monster?"

[Syless]

Ketra shakes her head. "No thanks, that was more a response to how... strong it was." When he asks about when Soss disappeared, she rubs the back of her neck. "Well... yesterday. Or the night before last, if you want to get technical, but he went out that night to run a message, and wasn't back by dawn like he promised. I know it doesn't seem like much, but we barely got here a week ago, and immediately put in place rules to ensure that we take everything seriously until we're settled in. Soss helped write the rules, in fact, since he was the first to go out and find extra work. One day is all we're granted before we're treated as lost- and at that point, I'm the only one who can do anything about it. Threats and lightning, etc."

She meets Seti's gaze quite deliberately. "But that makes our meeting all the better. If we work together and find him, if we can feel safer here, we can start relaxing those rules and integrate a bit more. Better for all of us, don't you think?"

[AlanBruce]

@Isobel: What exactly is happening here in The Mercy?

Tales of ghosts are not uncommon in places like this one. After such a tragic event like The Great Fire, who knows how many died and their souls have been unable to find proper rest.

And if Green Meadows Apartments are indeed haunted, that just adds another mark to the many troubles in the Mercy. You might need the assistance of a cleric for that matter.

Then there's that stagnant water... pollution. You haven't been here for long and so, have likely not felt the effects. Besides, as a druid of Beory, your body is quite resilient.

The same cannot be said about the other residents around that pool, never mind Vim, whose body is quite frail.

And perhaps, you have already met someone poisoned by it, given that man that brushed against you.

But at least now you;re amongst friends... after a sort. Nana shakes her head when you mention Vim' late show.

"An appointment with a friend...here? In The Mercy? And you let her go on her own at night? How long has that girl been in this town? Hmmm... maybe it's just me being a tad too nervous. Here, put the ads either outside the Coffee or inside. I have a room I used to rent out to someone who has... sadly gone missing too. NowI use it as storage for the pub's supplies, but you can use it to meet with whoever is interested. Speaking of which, hold on.""

@The Party: Nana clears her throat amidst the drinking and the mumbling and the cheap gaming and raises her voice.

"Hey, listen up, you lousy drunks! Anyone interested in a job, read these while you stagger your sorry asses out of my joint!

You may now get back to your drinking and illegal gambling."

The Bitter Coffee's patrons look up from their tables and some nod and others try to make out what the ads say, but withs cant light, they shrug and keep enjoying the very low quality drinks and food at the pub as Nana looks up at you and smiles.

"Hey, it's a start. But jokes aside, Belle: This place is dangerous. I think you and Donna can fend for yourselves quite well. I cannot say the same for Vim. Girl's got a golden heart, but that won't do her any good if someone stabs it to death.""

@Raikou: Nana pats you on the shoulder and winks as she watches her newest barista mess up an order across the pub.

"You two get acquainted and find grab yourself a chair. And remember:

No blasting in the Bitter Coffee, ok?""


You read the ads brought in by Isobel and can't help but hearken to the many tales told in the Ossian Way about pirates and hidden gold in the many isles and atolls in the Caribbean.

But this isn't the stormy seas. This is a city...and a dirty smelly one at that.

Still, nice drawing of a pirate chest.

And as Isobel's St. Bernard attempts to sniff Cyrus' non existent bottom and your familiar rises a few feet above the hound, you are surprised as you tug on the druid's cloak to discover that she, like you, can speak the language of such magnificent beings.

That doesn't deter you from proclaiming yourself a brave explorer. In a way, you are- you have soared above the waves in the vast ocean and met all manner of extraordinary beings, both of good will and malign.

So yeah: You are a brave halfling...and a dangerous one too, if the situation calls for it. Regardless of what Cyrus would howl and wheeze otherwise.

@Travis: Once acquainted with Isobel for the second time and with her ads placed up for any interested, you hear what she has to say about a lab.

Anarion listens to Isobel's tale and smirks.

"Archaidous Mithmironel? The Devil Worshipper? He isn't very liked across the Wall of Separation. The Grand Inquisitor's hatred for all wielders of the arcane extends doubly for him. But Isobel mentioned a lab..""

Anarion lowers his head in thought for a few seconds and then looks up at all of you.

"Missing people is a problem, yes, Travis. But I have someone who is missing of her own accord. You are looking for a mage. So am I. Kyrich should be here shortly, but then, both will head off to look for this mage.

A few things you must know:

The mage I am after is slippery and she won't be easy to catch, but I need her alive.

This mage is acquainted with Archaidous and his team. I have been told rather well, too. You help me get to this mage, and you might get your answers.""

Anarion Lenwe gets up from his chair and looks at all of you, stopping at Aren.

"But know that I cannot have anyone squealing after this. I have to make sure that nobody here carries a badge, if you know what I mean. If you are so inclined, I am to head off with Kyrich to get her. If you decide to join us, speak so now. Chances are that she already knows I am en route towards her and may be switching locations, so time is of the essence.""


@Ketra: You listen to Seti's proposal and and his questions.

What did Soss tell you before he disappeared?

Then it hits you:

I won't be gone for long, Ketra. Met this guy, Gram. Says he's in the trade business. I think we might be on to something here. He promised me weapons. I 'm going to meet him later this evening and make him an offer he can't refuse.

We're getting armed and ready even if Celitas thinks it's a bad idea. Just don't tell her I'm doing this, ok?

[AlanBruce]

@Aren: You are clearly pointed out by this elf. An elf that just got back from the City...

But why is there something wrong here? Your training kicks in as Anarion Lenwe talks to Travis and you begin to unravel his very being for your eyes and your eyes alone...

The scars and elven ears seem to peel off, as does his blade as a woman is revealed as something within her snaps and immediately she covers her left cheek as she gets up and does a very quick and altered Sending Spell, one not used with any components, directly into your mind.

Did he send you? I can tell when you Cudgel Cronies use your skills. Two choices:

1. You squeal and I will have to put you down here and now.

2. You shut up and never speak of it.

Your choice.

@Travis, Aren, Isobel, and Raikou: The massive ilumian makes his way in and looks around the crowd of drunkards as Anarion raises his hand and the bald warrior nods as he steps back outside.

"I am afraid I must be leaving now. Your call, ladies and gents. And Travis, should you want information about more things in the Mercy, I am certain some of the patrons here would know more than me.""

[TankLaser007]

Palming the shot glasses, Seti nods his assent to Ketra, "You're right cousin mine, that's why first thing in the morning we'll going to get to work. You and me, birds of a feather so to speak, until we find out what has become of Soss -- and then, hopefully, we will be able to move forward in our relationship, may it be beneficial one for us all, and on that note I am getting myself another bitter sweet, and for you a Winter Rose -- it's one of Nana's better coffees."

He turns on his heel and begins walking to the bar, before quickly turning back to address Ketra, "And don't worry I'll have Nana make it, not that--" his speech is interrupted by the Gnome herself:

"Hey, listen up, you lousy drunks! Anyone interested in a job, read these while you stagger your sorry asses out of my joint! You may now get back to your drinking and illegal gambling."

Seti, glances over to where this 'work' is and then heads to the bar to order the drink, eyeing Isobel as he does so, Well I'll be, it's the girl that halfling sat on, from the market...

[Frendle]

Aren looks the man directly in the eyes, unwavering in her devotion as always. She leans forward mentally sending a reply, “If you call me a Cuthbrtine once more we shall see here and now who will live and who will die.” Then she tells the man in a whisper she is certain he can hear. “There are more faiths which need defending than Conner’s.”

Sitting back Aren looks intently at the man, then she says for the table to hear, “So, you are here to meet Kyrich. Once he gets here we will see what his opinion of you shall be. If a fair or foul man, we shall see.”

When Kyrich enters the door, Aren rises with Anarian and heads out the door, intent on grabbing a quick moment with Kyrich before he leaves with Anarian.

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: It took a while of back and forth banter, but chances are, you may have this raptoran's trust.

Sure, getting back her friend Soss may be difficult, if not impossible- Given what you know of Asgrim, he may already be dead, but at least you can then show her that your intentions were true and slowly but surely, get her to be a part of the Mercy family.

You make your way across the tables and scoot between a pair of drunks, one which falls off his stool and doesn't even get up, having way too many drinks on him already.

Nana Rose looks across the bumbling drunks and then listens to your orders as she starts mixing them.

"Going all out on your date, aren't you? Bitter and Sweet and Winter Rose... coming up.""

Yet, before Nana starts preparing your drinks, you hear her yell out the new roster and potential job and coin, which drives your attention across the Bitter Coffee and towards the halfling, the mage, the bombarded lady earlier, other raptoran and an elf.

So that girl is setting up a job here? How much is she paying? After all, you already have a job of sorts- which hopefully does not involve identifying a body... or parts of it.


@Aren: The woman, unknown in her true form to those at the table, keeps her left cheek covered and her eyes widen as they turn into a glint of blue energy, revolving around her irises.

And having said that, she leans over and whispers back.


There are many other faiths indeed. You get a pass... for now.

And so, with Anarion excusing himself and leaving the table to meet Kyrich outside, you ask the others to stay put and gently shove the people aside as Anarion seems to slide between them with great ease, true to an elf.. or whatever he or she is.

Once outside, Anarion cannot be seen as Kyrich stands tall and proud with his massive chain wrapped around his left arm.

The ilumian watches you come outside and sighs as he looks around, but Anarion is gone. There is no illusion now covering him.

"I was told, you were following someone, Aren. You wish tos peak? We shall. I cannot promise it will be a long talk, though. I am on a schedule now.""

And so, you walk behind the Bitter Coffee, where a single stray dog browses through some overturned trashcans as the massive bald sigil runed giant leans against the wall and crosses his arms and the questioning begins.


"How well do you know this person, and do you vouch for her?"

Kyrich looks at you and then at the massive spiked chain wrapped around his arm, enough to bring down the Bitter Coffee with one mighty swing.

"Aren, not only do I vouch for her... I owe her my life. Mine and that of my company. She told me you saw through her guise. In hindsight, I should have warned her that you were an inquisitor, but did not expect both to meet.

She isn't a bad person, Aren. But like many here, she has a chip on her shoulder. A big one. And as a favor to her, I wish to help her with this mission of hers.

A word of caution, though: she absolutely despises inquisitors, Cudgel or not. Gaining her trust is no easy task, but a vile person, she is not.""

[Frendle]

Aren bows to Kyrich, certain of the Knight’s honor. “I leave you then to whatever it is you must do now, and may you go with the Lords blessing. And thank you for vouching for her. My life is complicated enough, one more thing I do not need.” Aren smiles and bows and leaves the big Iluiman, and she is certain, the woman to their business and returns to the cafe.

Sitting at the table again she states, "Well, this is an interesting Cafe to be sure. Let us see what else happens."

[AlanBruce]

@Aren: Kyrich return the bow and then places his massive hand on your shoulder.

"She has little love for the Inquisition, but you aren't a part of it here, Aren. She and I... we have a history here in the Mercy and in another, less hospitable place than this district. I can talk to her and I can convince her to let this one situation slide.

After all, I did know Father Borazon and right now, you are the only cleric in this place. Probably in the entire Mercy. If you still want to come, I would take it as a personal favor. Think about it. I will wait out here for five minutes. if you do not come out, I will understand.""

[Frendle]

Aren watches the Knight head for the door and considers for a brief moment, then follows him, “Well, what is the mission tonight? It is time I shook off some rust and made good use of my learning, for other than see what wishes to remain hidden.”

[AlanBruce]

@Aren: Kyrich does not go into the Bitter Coffee.

Anarion is nowhere to be seen- if this woman or man or whatever it is has used some spell, your sight ins't piercing it.

The ilumian checks his own gear as you ask about what's to go down.

"Anarion... that's the name she gave you. We'll use that for now. She wishes to catch a mage that is connected to the City. This mage is one Borazon and others have met as well in the past. Last I heard, she was hostile. Maybe she is still now, but one thing is for certain:

She is not a friend of Connor and that makes her a potential ally. Anarion has a lot more information about her. Something about having battled them before, but she won't go into much detail.

What I can tell you is that during my brief time outside The Mercy, I did fight in a bloody place that claimed many good people. A place connected to this mage. Right now, she should be lacking resources and that makes her vulnerable and an easy target, but what Anarion said is true:

She is slippery and if we take too long, me just may lose the chance to find Archaidous and Borazon.""


The ilumian knight checks his spiked chain one last time and adjusts a tight collar made of iron and red sigils around his neck.

"Five minutes, Aren. That's all the time we can spare before we move out. Let the others know what you deem necessary for them to know- the mission and the time frame to act.""

[Syless]

Once Seti turns away Ketra rolls her eyes hard enough to fear they'd fly out of her head. Okay, you can stop laying it on thick now, we've made our deal... That's when she overhears what Nana says to him. Oh dear sweet Tuilviel, is he trying to seduce me with awkward metaphors? Please tell me that was a joke on her part.

Thankfully, Nana's next call stops that train of thought. The call for work, coupled with the eccentric menagerie on the other side of the bar, leads Ketra to wonder what's even going on here anymore. Something dangerous, no doubt. She's not sure if she should hope it's related or not, if it is, that means it's worse than she thought, if it's not, then that's two particularly bad situations. Even more of a mess than the bar itself.

[TankLaser007]

Seti watches the deft Gnome juggling glasses and ingredients like a magician working magic, when she mentions his "date" he smiles shaking his head,


"Nana, you know you're the only girl for me."


He says with a wink before scooping up the drinks. Work for coin huh... he casts a quick glance back towards Ketra and then makes his way through the patrons of the Bitter towards Isobel.

"Excuse me, I heard you are offering 'work'?" he cranes his neck looking at one of the posters, "Syndicate of Swords? You do of course have a licence to operate a mercenary guild don't you?" he tries not to smile at his last remark and sizes up the group up close as he didn't quite get a chance to be so close in the market.

[kinem]

Travis considers what Anarion said. Not the reaction I'd expected, but it sounds like a lead.

He's surprised that Anarion leaves so suddenly when Kyrich shows himself at the door, before Travis can even question the bard. Before he can follow, he sees Anarion exchange whispers with Aren, who quickly follows him out the door. Something I missed?

Then the bum is there, looking for work. He looks almost as trustworthy as a large rodent. Travis considers shooing the man off, then reconsiders. He might be just what we need. A man of the street.

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: Nana Rose finishes mixing the drinks for you and Ketra and looks at the raptoran from across the Bitter Coffee and replies in her native tongue.

"Well, if you aint so sweet, you make sugar taste like salt... go entertain your lady friend.""

The crowd is packed at the Bitter Coffee, but this does not deter you from bobbing and weaving around the drunken smelly patrons as you hold both drinks above your head and these threaten to fall at any time, but your training is solid and as you;re about to reach Ketra's table, your attention is directed towards the ads and the ad owner...

The Sword Syndicate? What kind of name is that and why haven't you heard about it?

And if you haven't heard about it... who's cashing in on it? It is true that their are some low level grunts that like to claim ownership of The Mercy, like those idiots, The Roosters. But even they know when to cough up coin when they start stepping on The Society's toes.

And so, you look at the group assembled. Not your every day drunks, that's for sure.

The one who brought the ad is a fair looking dame with a massive hound by her side, his tongue lolling to the side as he sniffs the heavy liquor in the air.

Then there's another raptoran, but according to Ketra, not one of hers.

A mage, with robes and all.

And then there's that sky bound halfling and his halfling sized whirlwind about to cook up a storm in here.

To say they stand out would be an understatement.

And so, you inquire about the job... and whether or not they're licensed.


@Ketra: This guy wants to get you drunk or what?

Although that last drink was pretty good as you play with the empty shot glass and test your skills balancing the glass against the table's edge with your index, hoping it won't fall to the ground...

A deal has been made. How you pay up, that will have to be figured out down the road. The important thing is that you find Soss. He is alone out there, in this city...

And if he met people like Seti or worse... speaking of.

Seti balances a couple of drinks and makes his way towards your table and you're about to get up and help him when he veers to the left and stops at the other table with that Aren Raptoran and several other unique looking fellows.

Is he trying to make a new deal now? One job at a time, as they say...unless he's into multi tasking.

[Frendle]

Aren makes her way over to the table and looks at the group there including now the scruffy looking fellow from the bar. She hesitates for a moment then seems to make a decision, "So, Lord Kyrich has a job for any who want it. No pay, but it is worthwhile work. If you want, you can join us outside. But be quick, we leave in a few minutes."

Aren then turns away and heads back to the door, but she stops, looks at the scruffy man, then over to the Raptoren. She turns and walks over to her. "I'm not sure what your relationship is with that fellow, but I seem to ahve offered him a chance to to do a good deed. I extend the same to you. Lord Kyrich is outside and needs some help. If you wish to join him, no pay is involved, but it is, as I say, good work."

With that Aren turns toward the door and walks out with a nod of her head. "Lord Kyrich, there may be a couple others who will be joining us. I told them we leave soonest."

[kinem]

Travis stands up. He leaves a few coins on the table as a tip for Nana, but wouldn't be shocked if the new recruit to the group might pocket them on his way out.

"I say we join Kyrich's quest. From what Anarion said, it could give us a lead on the missing persons case" Travis tells the others. As always, he puts no title before the names - he acknowledges no kings, knights, nor clergy. No man is worth more because he was given a job or his ancestors were successful warlords. The only role he truly respected was that of student.

He casts a couple of spells as he heads out into the night air.

(ooc: 9-hour defensive buffs: greater mage armor, heart of earth.)

He is surprised not to see the elf. "Good evening Kyrich. Where is Anarion? And who are we looking for?"

[AlanBruce]

@Aren: You inform the group that if you want to go on a mission, there is one.

But unlike those that Isobel is advertising, there won't be coin involved. Hopefully answers, though.

And then you walk up to Ketra's table and signal to your friends and the haggard Mercyfolk, stating that their may be good work here, with good people involved.

And with those words, you leave the Bitter Coffee as Kyrich greets you outside, chains wrapped around his massive arm. his sigils alight around his bald head.

"Thank you for coming, Aren. She is around here and will be giving us directions shortly."


@Travis: You say your piece and leave a few in gold on the table, eyeing the Mercyfolk with suspicion.

Unless Nana Rose is quick enough, that gold won't end up in her pocket.

And so, you follow Aren the Raptoran outside, where she is waiting with massive Kyrich, who nods at your appearance.

@The Party (those who leave the Bitter Coffee with Aren and Travis):

Kyrich watches those assembled and does a military salute.

"Normally, I would have captain Byeresk oversee this, but the rest of my company have decided to keep an eye out at the House of Knowledge. Keéra did go through a lot to see that place built and we wouldn't want any brigands coming in and finishing what Sarjon started.""

It is a female's voice that can be heard from the shadows as a woman comes into the light cast by a flaming drim barrel:


http://t13.deviantart.net/fuSQ9UEhcz1NcneGhCg2t0j1BaY=/fit-in/300x900/filters:no_upscale():origin()/pre12/084c/th/pre/f/2007/199/b/f/tales_of_the_abyss_by_x_chan_.jpg


"It is not Sarjon that worries me, Kyrich. That tiefling was slain a long time ago. The one we are after is a runaway from Halmathan."

@Aren: It's that woman you saw, but now, you cannot discern whether her features are an illusion or something else. She isn't covering her face, though.

@Travis: The woman walks up to Kyrich and shakes his hand as she looks at you.

"Anarion had to leave. I am Clover and I shall be your guide. Thank you for joining us. Now, about the mission at hand..""

Sense Motive check

Clover looks at you and the rest gathered and takes out one of the parchments nailed to the roster outside the House of Knowledge.

"Do any of you know about The Velvet Glove? And more importantly, is the name Ellen Martell familiar to any of you?""

Knowledge Local for the Velvet Glove and another Knowledge Local for Ellen Martell. Travis gets a +5 to the roll on that particular check, even if he doesn't have ranks in the skill.

[Syless]

Sighing at the sight of Seti getting distracted, Ketra is startled a bit when Aren walks over and invites her to hear her out. "A good deed in the Mercy? I'll definitely hear him out, though I have something I need to take care of before I'm willing to help anyone else." She stands up and swings by Seti, taking a long drink of what she presumed was hers. "Since you seem to have been distracted, I'm going to hear out this Kyrich. We'll pick things up after, hm?"

As she walks out and sees the man- and shortly thereafter, woman- Ketra furrows her brow ever-so-slightly. From the looks of things, she was a bit right about a righteous mission in the Mercy being one that could have... consequences. Still, nothing wrong with listening to the details.

Hooray, a reason to have invested in Knowledge (Local)!

Velvet Glove- [roll0]
Ellen Martell- [roll1]

[TankLaser007]

Running around the Mercy after dark...

Seti, downs his drink, what was left of Ketra's, scoops up both glasses as well as the coin the spell caster naively left on the table and swiftly spins his way through the drunks to the bar.

"Here Nana, one of the city folk there, left this on the table" he slides the coins to Nana, "listen I should be expected a bit of coin of my own shortly could you give me a bottle of something cheap and strong and put it on my tab, have to go and keep an eye on my 'date' -- think she is about to get herself into some trouble -- should be 'fun'"

Seti slips through the crowd like a shadow to exit on the heels of Ketra and join the small cluster of would be 'do gooders' outside. He steps next to Ketra, and says in hushed tone, "Can't leave my cousin to get herself lost or killed on her first night out in the Mercy, now can I? What would, auntie say if you didn't come home? I think I'll stick with you, keep you out of trouble until we find out what happened to Soss."

He listens to the human woman's speech, and keeps a wary eye on both her and the Githslayer.


[roll0]
[roll1]

[AlanBruce]

@Ketra: Aren's sudden appearance at your table and her invitation to help out on a mission here in The Mercy is welcome... for now.

First, a few things.

You get up and swipe the drink from Seti's hand and down it, ruffling your feathers in the process.

Then, you let him know that there will be time to discuss your little arrangement later and follow the group outside.

Once in Kyrich and Clover;'s presence, you try and recall something about the Velvet Glove...

Yes, of course! Not a good thing, that's for sure.

A few weeks ago, the City of Halmathan ran rampant with a serious illness. Hundreds of people had become addicted to a drug called The Elysium Bliss. The City churches- all seven of them now- had devoted themselves to treat those afflicted by The Bliss, but no matter what magic the priests used, the effects of this nefarious drug could not be solved with mere magic, since it offered only temporary relief.

Back then, Toomin, before his untimely demise, had warned and ordered your Aerie not to take anything from any strangers and so, the Elysium Bliss' nefarious influence amongst your flock had ben averted.

This was not the case for the people in the streets, as incidents of violence began to erupt and the churches found themselves unable to avert an impeding disaster...

And then, the disaster was averted.

Grand Inquisitor Connor announced that the leaders of a terrorist faction named The Velvet Glove had been gunned down in a fiery shoot out. The members of this vile organization would not go quietly into the night and so, extreme force had to be applied.

As a result, a cure was found by The City and given freely to all afflicted, ending the reign of the Velvet Glove for good.

Today, the names of these drug lords are known to the public, always mentioned in the most derogatory of terms:

Lysa Silentwhisper, the anarchic pixie smuggler.

Victoria Glasz, the undercover journalist and twisted brains behind this operation.

Both made millions from the City's suffering, but thankfully, according to the Halmathan City News Network (HCNN), Brave Inquisitor Dalpinian and Connor, along with a handful of soldiers, were able to brave their hideout, mete out justice and recover the cure.

This would solidify Connor's title in the city as The Savior.


@Travis: You have not heard the name of The Velvet Glove mentioned before- your studies at Runestone and later here have kept you absent minded form such affairs.

That and arcane persecution by the Inquisition does not give one time to worry about little else.

As for Anarion? Pity, an elf bard would have been of great help. This Clover will have to do.

The name mentioned by Clover, though... Ellen Martell.

That name does ring a bell. A death knell, to be more precise.

Back in Runestone Academy, everyone is supposed to be treated basically equal. Whether your magic comes from hours of study or innately, or by playing music, everyone is treated the same.

Now and then, though, someone with talent in The Art will rise above the rest. This is unavoidable- be it diligent study, an unnatural knack or what have you, these people gain notoriety within the school.

This does not mean that they are favored by the Grand Masters at Runestone, but amongst the student body, they certainly stand out.

One such student was Ellen Martell, a favored of Mistress Merla Lidenbrook, of Divinations.

Ellen was born a warlock and as such, became ostracized by the city even before Connor's takeover. In Runestone, Ellen found a kindred community that welcomed her, if not with open arms, definitely unbiased ones.

As the years went by, Ellen took to the Art, delving into many tomes of the arcane to complement her already increasing abilities as a warlock, being able to mesh both rather well.

Unlike other casters, and maybe because of her close studies of Divination, Ellen was said to have developed a unique power:

The power to Travel through Time.

This was never confirmed by anyone at Runestone. If Ellen has this ability, it is not recorded in any book. At any rate, her intense training got the best of her and, after a test gone horribly wrong one day, she was expelled from Runestone and that was it. Nobody got word of her again.

Of course, by the time this happened, you were just filling out your cantrips in your very first leather bound spell book, so it's not like you got to see her, but definitely heard about her.

What happened to her after Runestone? Nobody knew. Nobody asked.

@The Party: Clover shows all of you one the parchment in her hands and Kyrich walks up to it, rubbing his chin.

"When did you get ahold of this?""

"Earlier today. We are headed to Galatea Drive, one of the old districts in The Mercy. I heard that back in the day, it was the artist community in Hope's Caress. I have reasons to believe she might be there.

Problem is... I don't if she'll be alone."

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: Nana watches you slide a coin down the counter and catches it deftly and responds in gnome as she slides a dark red bottle towards you.

"Your credit is good here, Seti. Here, take a bottle of Orc Raggrut with you. Be careful- this will give you a killer hangover."

Who knows how strong this thing is, but it will have to do if you're going out into The Mercy at night.

Even for a man trained, such as yourself, the prospect of walking these streets after dark is unwise at the best of times. Muggers love to make a fool out of hero types like these guys, who definitely stand out from the rest of the crowd.

And if muggers aren't a problem.. whatever is taking people certainly is.

As for the velvet Glove... another fancy name for an outfit. To think that only the Mercy would have a Society of sorts would be foolish. Crime- organized crime- can be found in any city, wall or not.

You never really had a chance to interact with any of those people beyond the Wall. There's enough problems here as it is, trying to bring The Mercy into a semblance of order.

As for Kyrich, the tall ilumian eyes you warily as he flexes his arm with the chain wrapped around it.

This guy could probably bring down an entire building if he wanted to. He has the strength for it too...

But does he have the brains?

As for this woman, Clover. Who knows what her agenda really is. She says she's here to hunt a mage. There are some in hiding. One of them is right with you here, but as for the name she's mentioned... not a clue.

What you do know, is how to get to Galatea Drive.

Clover is right- back in the day, Galatea Dr. was a Hope's Caress art district, but now, it's just another pile of broken and shattered buildings. The many once great sculptures have melted and meshed together into bizarre shapes over there after the Great Fire and it is a frequent hang out spot for The Rooster Gang.

There are several ways to get there, but they will require to leave the more populated areas of The Mercy.

One is to take St. George Bridge- the broken structure has a large tunnel beneath it and you could cut through several blocks, making it a more direct route, however, chances are that The Roosters are camping there, but you should be able to deal with them... if they are dumb enough to pick up a fight.

The other safer route takes you across Green Meadow's Apartments, past Wiltshire Boulevard and then through The Skylarios Museum of Wonders, a building devoted to the marvels of Halmathan architecture- now a base of operations for some of the Society's factions.

The only issue is the hours taken to reach the destination.

[kinem]

Travis says "That's not the only problem. I've heard of Ellen Martell. A dangerous mage and warlock; and I'm not saying I believe this rumor but she's said to have time travel magic. Why do you seek her? And what's the Velvet Glove?"

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: Clover takes out an old map of The Mercy and starts looking for the street in the ad.

"So you have heard of her, Travis? As a mage I amnot surprised. She did attend Runestone for awhile.

As for Time Travel? Not quite. Stories about her are greatly exaggerated. Thst isn't to say she has a unique ability: amongst The Velvet Glove, she was one of the smartest and most cunning."

Clover shows the map to Kyrich, who traces a route with his finger over the parchment and addresses you again.

"I seek Ellen for answers. I have several questions of my own and I am certain she can answer them. If you have questions of your own, she may be able to answer them as well.

As for the Velvet Glove... it would seem that things in this City refuse to stay dead. And that's all there is to be known about that."

[Smeggedoff]

Isobel groans and lets her head hit the table with a thump when Seti asks about the 'syndicate'
"Yes I'm offering work, no I don't have a guild license, there is no guild just an imaginative scribe"

When the group begins moving regard this quest from Kyrich, Isobel follows, building rapport with potential hirelings can't be a poor idea, and community is all about helping out after all

Oh geez, this is actually my fault for being away from the thread for a day or so (family birthday, sorry), but I'm kind of lost now due interlacing viewpoints, slight timeline displacement and such. Last I saw Seti was asking about the 'syndicate' and licenses but then stuff moved on, once again, terrible sorry, I'll try to keep better on top of things

[TankLaser007]

Seti gives everyone there a once over, watching the light from the barrel dance on their faces, casting each one in a mask of shadow and flame.

"So... let me see if I understand this correctly. There is a witch from Hamalthan, who is hold up over on Galatea Drive, possibly with a gang of her own, and you all want to go after her at night?"

He smiles to himself, "I am not sure if you lot are naive, mad, simple, suicidal or brave. Probably a bit of each, eh? As for myself I have little interest in being gutted in the black of night, saving myself for a glorious death at the hands of the time travelling witch, so at the least I would advise we go the long way round. If we double time it, we should be able to make it in a reasonable amount of time, with less trouble than if we take St. George Bridge's underpass, which is likely a pecking grounds for those cpcks who consider themselves the kings of the roost in those parts.”

He glances at Kyrich’s map, "we go this way.” he says tracing the longer route on the map with his finger, "through the old Green Meadow’s blocks we'll leg it past Wiltshire and cut through more friendly territory here,” he taps the Museum on the map, “Skylario’s Museum of Wonders – that’s ours, no tolls no troubles. It might take a bit longer but I’d rather sweat than bleed.”

[kinem]

Travis wouldn't mind if the group were to put the Roosters in their place, but can't fault Seti's logic.

He asks Clover "Do you expect her to be willing to answer our questions, and do so honestly?"

[AlanBruce]

@Isobel: You watch the group from your table begin to leave outside and look at the haggard looking man, mentioning that there is no license to be paid, because there is no Syndicate that was ever founded.

Donna follows you outside and barks and wags his tail at Clover as this one gives a curt smile to your St. Bernard.

"Good to have you join us, Isobel Thorne. I am sure your skills will come in handy.""

@Travis: Clover looks at the road ahead as everyone gets ready to follow Seti's advice on routes along The Mercy and then the woman smiles as she hands the Mercy Beggar the map.

"She will have to answer our questions, Travis. Whether she answers truthfully or not, well... I think I can make her speak the truth if needed.

Hopefully it won't come to that. Ellen may not be a bruiser like many here, but she is rather sly with her arcane skills. If it comes down to it, I hope you can hold her down with your own training.""



@Seti: You look at the group assembled.

Ketra and Aren, the estranged Raptoran sisters.

Raikou the halfling and his whirlwind pet.

Isobel, the leader of the Syndicate of Swords and her massive war hound.

Travis, the scholar who seems to know way more than he leads up to.

Kyrich, the bald mountain with that spiked chain seemingly morphed into his body, never letting it go.

And then there's Clover, who brings tidings of groups from the City itself and tales of an errant witch... and she wants to go after her at night, something you make quite clear for everyone to understand.

"She isn't a witch, although many would consider her that. She's a warlock, but it is common amongst people on either side of the wall to make such a mistake.

And yes, if I want to catch her, I have to go at night. Chances are she's aware of my presence here already, so I must make haste. You are not required to come if you don't want to.

Truth be told... I haven't fought her in a long time. And back then, I had help. But if my intel is on the money, she is the last of her group and on the run, which gives me a small window to catch up to her.""

Regarding whether all of you are suicidal, mad, or brave, Kyrich begins unwinding the chain from around his arm.

"In my experience since arriving here? An unhealthy mix of all three. You need not worry: if things get bad, just draw any enemies towards me.

Once my chain sets its eye on a target, nobody is known to escape its range and wrath.""

And so, you approach the group and point out a route towards Galatea Drive. It may not be the fastest, but it is the safest. Gutting in the dark should reduce by a considerable margin.

Clover gestures towards the street, still illuminated by flame barrels and hands you the map.

"These are your streets, right? Be our guide, then..."


@The Party: The flickering barrels and the people around them become a distant dream in the shadows as Seti guides you further away from the more populated areas of The Mercy.

Moonlight barely reaches the street as Clover simply looks on at the massive dark urban silhouettes and stays close to Kyrich.

"If anybody has the means to produce light, now would be the time.""

Kyrich takes front line in the wide cracked street, his chains dragging on the asphalt as Clover walks beside the ilumian titan and stops every few seconds to look at her surroundings.

"Faint traces of magic can be sensed around these ruined buildings. Nothing to worry us...let's continue."

It is a rolled over drum barrel with waning traces of ember that draws Clover's attention as Kyrich walks up to it.

For Isobel, that was the drum barrel where the Mercyfolk were warming up a few hours before, when they kicked out the sick man.

The drum has been crushed and slices into three uneven parts as Kyrich kneels down and examines the marks as Clover looks at him.

All the people in this area have gone as well.

"Is this the same...?"

Kyrich gets up and checks his gear while shaking his head.

"No. Anyone with a blade could've done that and there are no slithering traces. Best keep our eyes peeled.""

It takes a little over an hour to reach the rusted and gated community of Green Meadows Apartments, with Seti sliding through the bar gaps with ease as Kyrich uses his bulk to push the gates wide open, echoing a creaking metal sound as several windows in the run down buildings light up and coughing can be heard from the walls as the entire group walks in, surrounding a noxious lagoon and a ruined playground.

Clover stops and looks around as she goes dizzy and loses her footing, causing the woman to nearly drop into the pool, were it not for Kyrich, who holds her fast by the waist and carries her along the way as all of you cross the Green Meadows apartment grounds.

@Isobel: You cautiously check up to the third floor, but your window is dark.

Vim is either home already and in bed or...

Kyrich keeps carrying Clover as she points with a weakened finger towards the green pool and its surroundings.

"Best... best not try to sense for magic here. Readings are off the charts...""

The ilumian looks at Seti as Clover begins to doze off in his arms and his own sigils spin like a mad carrousel around his head.

"How much longer, little man? This place is killing her!""

@Seti: You eye the bald man and scout ahead, past the main building blocks of the Green meadows and try a padlocked fence, using some of your own tools as the rusted lock drops on the ground and you can swear something is watching you from the rooftops as you turn around and look up, but with such few lights and little moon piercing through the clouds, there is nothing that your senses can sniff out.

What is true, is that Isobel's dog is rather nervous as he moves around his mistress, snarling and barking at the night sky.

@The Party: It is after a few blocks walking away from the Green Meadows and heading for Wiltshire Boulevard, that Kyrich puts Clover down as she turns to look at the massive buildings around her.

"I haven't sensed a surge of magic like that ever.. that was not normal. It was an aggressive force. But I am better now. Take us to Galatea Drive, Seti. And let's make haste: I do not think we are alone."

The massive ilumian looks around at the once glorious Wiltshire Blvd. with its trendiest inns and stores. Now, a collection of shattered dreams and cracked cobblestone rotunda.

"You think it's Ellen?""

Clover limps for a few seconds before regaining full control of her motor functions.

"No. This was different. A very long range assault. Nothing I have seen before."

Chances are that there are people here, given that a few can be heard moving through the ruined streets and alleys, but none of them are showing their faces as you walk amidst the twisting alleys and another few hours go by as old gargoyles watch in utter silence from above while Seti guides you, using old code marked in the streets, visible only to the trained eyes of The Mercy.

It is about three hours later, and deep into the district already, after who knows how many stairs and small broken bridges and alleys and avenues that your city guide stops at the front of a massive building with a bronze cast statue of a man riding a horse, but the steed is made entirely of intricate gears as a plaque reads beneath it:



Dedicated in the Memory of Lord Bardak Skylarios

Visionary

@ Seti: This name ought to come as little surprise. The Skylarios family are one of the most influential in the City of Halmathan. The Mercy is said to have come to be because of Bardak's amazing plans for infrastructure. He and another well known noble and fellow visionary, Lord Edward Ashford.

The museum has been bereft of any useful items over the years. the Great Fire consumed most of it, but Skylarios built his things to last, and so, the main building remains, with its walls still housing The Esteemed Cartography Society, directed by Anthony "Cheeks" Licata.

Immediately a few torches light up as several men approach the group and you exchange the sign language shared by The Society as one of Licatta's men walks beside you as you cross the museum with the group.

The Society members keep a sharp eye out for everyone, making sure to keep crossbows aimed at Aren and Ketra, since they clearly display wings, but everybody else is a prime target as well.

In fact, it would seem that the entire group here is on high alert../

And that's when a few torches light up a giant hole in the wall as one of the men walks up with you to examine it.

"Tony Cheeks and his men were taken by surprise when an assault on the museum shook the very foundations. We lost a few in the scuffle, but it just doesn't make sense...

The ones who attacked us were The rooster Gang. They certainly don't have the manpower to come at us so brazenly. In fact, it almost seems too well scheduled. Our boss has been injured and is getting some rest, but i heard they came here to take something...""

The fellow rogue looks at the size of the hole, easily twenty feet in diameter.

"..and whatever it was, it must've been rather big...and fast.""

At any rate, you keep guiding the group towards Galatea Drive and stop as Clover reads the address on the ad,

"45 Galatea Drive. What street are we in...""

The woman walks past the enormous twisted metal forms left behind by artists decades ago and focuses her thoughts as she points at a short flight of stairs that lead to an abandoned subway station, littered with metal scrap and junk as she smiles and points at a massive area caved in by the fire years ago.

https://cdn.gamerant.com/wp-content/uploads/Star-Wars-1313-Junkyard-Concept-Art.jpg

"This is it. Ellen must be inside."

Kyle walks up a few steps as Donna begins to bark and growl.

"What's wrong, boy? This place seems rather abandoned...Clover, are you sure?""

Clover taps the metal scrap bunched together and forming towers thirty feet high as bits of bolts and nuts fall from their perfect balance.

"Yes... I'm positive. We should begin to explore. I doubt she will come to us.""


Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198158)

[Niwrad]

Eager to prove himself to his new allies, Raikou makes sure to stay close behind Clover and Kyrich, but that doesn't mean he isn't unnerved by the abandoned and ruined structures of the Mercy, so he makes sure to stay really close behind Kyrich. Cyrus follows just in back of him.

When they finally reach the eerie underground complex Raikou is once again amazed by the engineering marvels these humans had created here. Sure this one was in complete shambles, but it was impressive nonetheless.

And now, they had to find a witch here...

So now the witch-hunt begins. You know, back where I'm from there used to be a trio of scary witches. Well, hags really.

I'm sure this Ellen can't be anywhere near as bad.

The halfling turns to his familiar.

Well airhead, time to fly.

With that said, he casts a few protective spells on the two of them.

alter self (on Cyrus) - 90 minutes
dragonskin (blue) - 90 minutes

[Syless]

Quite frankly, Ketra was reluctant to come. She had her own business to take care of... but Seti said the next morning, he was coming along this trip. Even if he hadn't, she wasn't about to let these people get themselves killed. Despite not being one of Ketra's, Aren is still a fellow Raptoran. She stays quiet and keeps to the back, more intending to watch and play it safe for the time being. As they arrive in the wrecked tunnel, she begins to invoke a few blessings of nature, to protect her and grant her grace.

Casting Greater Resistance (24 hours), Freedom of Movement (90 minutes), and Barkskin (90 minutes).

Relinked Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198180)

[TankLaser007]

So it was show time. It had been awhile since he had danced, but they say it's like riding a horse, you never really forget it. He took out a small bag of rocks, and then whispered a word, Veng'jow, he tied the bag onto the corded rope belt wound around his waste. He gave the bottle he had gotten from Nana a quick spin. He was hoping he wouldn't need it. Seti looked around for a bit of old cloth or rag, to wrap around the bottle and waited to see what this Clover had in mind. He flipped the bottle up catching it by its neck in his left hand and his right hand hovered above the pouch of pebbles at his waste.


Can't access the Map at the moment. No buffs, wearing the monk's belt and readying the bag of boulders.

[AlanBruce]

@Raikou: You were blow out of the sky by one of those Eyes in the Sky earlier this morning.

You will get a chance to retaliate against that big chunk of metal, but for now, it is time to hunt down a witch... a time traveling witch, at that.

Cyrus floats by your side and you begin to cast the incantations as your body suffers a radical transformation and your skin becomes blue with hardened scales and a single tiny horn on the tip of your nose as your skin hardens to match those of the blue dragons found in the Sea of sands.

Your familiar knows the drill, as his body begins to swirl faster and faster and his mass increases to be as tall as Seti and on cue, he lifts you up and places you on his back.


@Ketra: You watch Raikou look slightly draconian as he rides the wind, literally and you decide not to be outmatched here.

Looking at Seti, so he knows you are not some stool pigeon, you rise a few inches off the ground and close your eyes as you begin to rapport with Nature, Tuilviel Glithien, and even this place, a junkyard of metal as the forces of Oerth embody you and your feathers turn to leaves, your body coated in ancient bark and the stylized symbol of a golden fish appears on your chest, which begins to swim around your body before submerging into your wooden body.

Finally, the symbol of the Mother of Raptorans, the golden stylized owl, becomes visible for all upon your heart as it recedes into your bark like body and you land softly on the ground.

@The Party: Clover looks at both of you as sparks fly off the rusted heaps of metal and some piles in the distance can be heard collapsing.

"She will not play fair... so neither should we. Time for me to make some changes here.""

And having said that, Clover lowers her face and sighs deeply as her hair color changes to silver white and her features turn to look like a Raptoran, with a pair of angelic wings sprouting from her back:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/12/80/fa/1280fa412cfae8850f6c4087b578c7ec.jpg

For those who know, Clover did not cast a spell, as much as invoked a power.

A power used by very few warlocks.


Humanoid Shape

"We should be able to navigate through this place rather quickly on wings and magic. What about you, Kyrich?""
The ilumian shakes his head and tightens the grip on his chain.

"I do not have spells at my disposal, Clover. My gear has to be used once an enemy shows up, so I will save those when the time comes.""

It is then that Clover and everyone hears a whirring sound rounding the corner further ahead as a floating creature looks at you with a face best described as a mirror or some form of lens:


https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/e7/9f/72/e79f723328fbe3e530606bb687c2c97c.jpg


The lanky individual is heavily armored, but you can see that steam shoots at intervals from its feet as it focuses sits gaze on all of you and in a very neutral female tone, it begins to address all of you:

"Magic detected. This is private property. You are not to trespass. By ordinance 2B-A, you are to vacate these premises immediately.

Failure to comply shall be met with force. Do you comply?""

What is this thing?

Know. Arcana

Clover flaps her new wings as Kyrich tenses the chain in his hands.

"I have seen this one before... this isn't good. Are you sure only one of them is alive? Of the Velvet Glove?""

Clover looks at the ilumian and nods.

"All of them are gone. That much is a fact. But why is Ellen here?""

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198181)

[TankLaser007]

Seti crouches a bit when this strange thing appears, he lowers his centre of gravity, widens his stance, his muscles tense as he readies himself to spring into action, he quickly scans the room, noting the bits of scrap, beams, and rubble that may be of use. He waits to see how the others respond before acting and scans the shadows for any "surprises" that might be lurking.


[roll0]
[roll1] Looking for any other possible enemies or people hidden in the shadows or behind rubble.

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: You have no idea what this thing is. In all your years living here, you have not seen one of these flying around The Mercy.

In fact, by its rusted color, it looks rather antique in design, when compared to things one may find across the Wall of Separation, in Connor's Halmathan.

Still, it's been a while since you got engaged in a fight. It looks lanky, but that flight of hers might be an issue.

You crouch a bit and dig into one of your pockets and feel the tiny innocuous pebbles. With but a thought, you could bring that thing down easily...

And that's when your eyes and ears pick up several more ... people? Are they even alive?

The bits of junk are shoved away at different heights and five new beings show up, looking down at you and the entire group, making no attempt at hiding:


https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/3e/a3/9e/3ea39e6c07d4fb5219601f41ef35b489.jpg

Like the flying one, these look old and rusted, but unlike the one that addresses you, these have no legs, instead having a large gear for feet.

Know. Arcana to ID them

@The Party: The flying figure places two of its hands together in what seems like prayer as smoke spews from its feet, keeping it aloft and hovering in place.

"Once more... will you comply? This is a restricted area. Trespassers get a single warning before force is applied."

Kyrich looks at the five new comers and gets nervous as Clover looks up at him.

"What's wrong?"

The ilumian takes a defensive stance and looks around at the new enemies.

"Now I know you are wrong, Clover: Ellen isn't the only one who survived. We need to be very careful now.""

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198183)

[Smeggedoff]

While the others are buffing themselves Isobel takes the opportunity to weave some magic of her own, toughening the skin of herself and Donna and surrounding them with a rustling cloak of sand

She doesn't react to clovers change, shapeshifting is nothing new to her after all but she is somewhat intrigued by the mechanical creatures


Halo of sand - 90 mins
Barkskin - 90 mins
Freedom of movement - 90 mins

Knowledge arcane [roll0]

aaaand I have never used this map site before, so I do apologise if I end up needing help with it
Such as not realising I needed to relink the map for instance

MAP (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198211)

[kinem]

Travis has his misgivings from the beginning of the quest. If I had known we were going to do this, I could have prepared better.

When the group enters the strange complex, and the others cast protective spells, Travis casts a couple of spells as well. Hmm ... Should I go high or go low?

His appearance first changes to that of a Raptoran, with wings spreading behind him. Then his skin reddens and becomes scaled like that of a dragon.

Upon seeing the constructs he thinks back on what he's read about such things ...


Cast Alter Self (90 min; raptoran; glide 40', fly 3 rnds 40' (avg), +2 spot, +2 climb, +10 jump)
Cast Dragonskin (90 min; red; +4 natural armor, fire resist 10); Current AC is 26

Knowledge (Arcana) [roll0] for the strange pool
Knowledge (Arcana) [roll1] for what happened to Clover
Knowledge (Arcana) [roll2] for the flying construct
Knowledge (Arcana) [roll3] for the wheeled constructs

Spot [roll4], Listen [roll5]

I can see the map, but most of the icons don't load. They appear as gray squares, but if I mouse over one on the map it tells me what the icon is supposed to be.

[Niwrad]

Woaahh! Robots!

Raikou is fascinated by the mechanical constructs, and he is even more intrigued upon hearing them speak.

He seems to largely miss Kyrich and Clover's sudden apprehension, and continues to stare at the things. Cyrus rises ten feet into the air and the halfling rider calls out to the robots.

Sorry Mr. Clanker, I'm new around here. What's this ordinance 2B-A? And who's property is this?

So far, Raikou wasn't really frightened by these guys. They seemed frail enough that one or two blasts would easily put them down.

MAP (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198237)

[AlanBruce]

@Isobel: So that's why Donna was barking at the piles of metal.

He knew there was something wrong here since you descended.

It would seem everyone here can shape shift to a degree, but that comes as little surprise to you: That is second nature with Beory's Blessings.

And so, calling on The Earth Mother, you surround yourself with scraps of metal which turn into autumn leaves that surround your body and that of your faithful hound, strengthening your skin as the sound of the ocean washes around the compound and both of you feel as nimble as fish.

But these clockwork machines... what exactly are they?

Then you remember a tidbit about Halmathan's history and how these things are connected to it.

In an attempt to automate police services, a cadre of experienced crafters, under the auspices of the Skylarios Metalworks Corporation made attempts at binding lawful and insane elementals into clockwork bodies. These attempts were less than successful, and one such result was the "Falchion Police".


@Travis: Your trek through The Mercy has not been uneventful, despite not facing opposition along the way.

It may be that this guy Seti is well known and the other cutthroats won't engage. That and because who would be foolish enough to jump on a bunch of heavily trained people such as yourself?

But there are some things that do catch your attention.

That cesspool at Green Meadows Apartments... that's raw arcane sewage. You have seen these accidents happen in Runestone, usually in the lower labs, and the Headmasters are quick to send the apprentice fools that caused it to clean up their mess.

Now and then, some of it has seeped to the upper ground on campus, causing unexpected results in the surrounding area. Those too were quickly disposed of, thankfully and major catastrophe was avoided.

But here in The Mercy, this arcane spillage has ran unchecked for who knows how long. The effects on fauna and flora would be devastating at this point, never mind irreversible.

It is impossible to predict what effects it has been doing to The Mercy now. Closer analysis may be necessary.

As for Clover's seizure, that is usually a result of attempting to divine a source of power that overwhelms the caster attempting to divine it. Whatever the source of the spill was, it was strong enough to send Clover into a near comatose state.

And when you reach the compound, you watch your new allies all adopt several forms and, taking a cue on Raikou, your skin becomes red and scaly, with vestigial horns on your forehead, resembling the mighty red dragons of legend.

And because some of these automatons are at inaccessible spots right now, you take a look at Aren and Ketra and your body suffers yet another radical transformation as grey feathers spring from your back and your face takes on more finely chiseled features, akin to an avian creature.

And then, you take a look at these constructs.

There are those that came out of the metal heaps, with their blades and wheeled feet.

In an attempt to automate police services, a cadre of experienced crafters, under the auspices of the Skylarios Metalworks Corporation made attempts at binding lawful and insane elementals into clockwork bodies. These attempts were less than successful, and one such result was the "Falchion Police".

The Falchion Police use their namesake weapon to attack. Their commands are simple: subdue law breakers, but given the elementals bound to them, what actually constitutes as "Law" has been twisted by their faulty programming. It was said that these machines were quickly removed from the City of Halmathan by the King's orders, stating that they were a lot more of a problem than a solution.

In combat, The falchion Police is straightforward, swinging their masterwork blades at an amateurish degree, given that they were so cheaply made.

What they do have and can make them rather annoying is an implanted Police Siren, concealed in their helmets. This siren can blare a deafening sound or attempt to blind you, or both.

Or at least that was the intention. At best, they can dazzle anyone that isn't a construct within thirty feet. Enough to gang up on the law breaker and bring him to Justice- which usually entails butchering the poor sod with their blades.


Then your attention goes up at the floating machine.

The SMC had formed several lucrative contracts with Halmathan military and police forces, and in its development, constructs inevitably took over the roles associated with scouting and recon. As spies which needed not food, nor rest, and the reliability of science and magic backing it, they were used in all manner of functions.

The SkyEye-767 Autonomous Scout is a craft capable of flying for days at a time with no rest, keeping track of things and working in shifts with others of its kind.

If it has powers other than scouting, these would have to be field tested at this point.

@The Party: The flying machine watches Isobel and Travis ignore her claims to comply as they too cast a multitude of spells in succession and its lens face focuses on all of you as spurts of steam below from her feet as it struggles to maintain aloft.

"Request for compliance ignored. Arming defenses and raising alarms. Level 1...""

The entire compound begins to shake as a heavy metal door begins to whirr and gears seal you behind as the Falchion police look down at you and nearly disassemble for years of disuse as they aim their blades down at all of you.

Kyrich begins swinging his chain and looks around.

"It's a welcoming committee, alright.""

Clover's hands begin to glow with golden arcane light as she looks at all of them.

"We blast through all of them. Ellen must've sent them to stop us.""

Roll Initiative: Companions and familiars go in the same initiative count as their masters.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198242)

[kinem]

Travis says "Falchion Police. Beware their sirens. If anyone has some kind of authority, try ordering them to stand down."

Travis readies himself to shoot a blast of acid at any of the constructs that comes within 25' of him.


Acidic Splatter to hit [roll0] ranged touch, acid damage [roll1], not subject to SR

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198257)
ooc: Still can't see the icons except as gray boxes.

[AlanBruce]

@Raikou: One has to wonder if these things would actually survive out at sea... or even in the desert.

With their rusted frames, these piles of metal can barely stand on their own, speak of staying aloft and airborne.

The Autonomous Scout fixes on you as Cyrus takes you ten feet off the ground.

"Ordinance 2B-A: Only authorized employees of the SMC may have access to factory grounds. You are not identified as SMC employees and so, you have been issued orders to comply and leave.

Repeated use of magic identified as threat to SMC property. Intruders shall be neutralized.

Have a good day.""


Round 1

@Travis: You warn the others about these constructs, especially about their sirens, which can be an annoyance, and then tap into the vast fonts of arcane power within your mind and prepare a globule of sheer acid to strike one of these creatures should they wheel in closer to you.


Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198300)

Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Autonomous Scout
Falchion Police x 5
Seti
Isobel & Donna
Clover
Aren
Kyrich
Ketra

[Niwrad]

Raikou crosses his arms and frowns as he addresses the autonomous scout.

Factory? I don't see much of a factory here.

And uh... we're not intruders. We're guests of the Skylarios Company. Here to talk to your boss. So I really don't think you want to be trying to neutralize us.

bluff [roll0]

Assuming that doesn't stop them, Cyrus flies higher and forward. Now at fifteen feet, the halfling shrugs.

Eh well. Worth a shot. Time to start blasting?

With a few simple gestures, the halfling begins to gather electrical energy towards him. At the same time, the crystal shard around his necklace begins to glow with arcane light.
After a few seconds, the electrical power condenses into a small sphere in his hands, which he launches at the scout.

Hey Clanker! Enjoy!

Cyrus uses move action to fly up.

Raikou uses standard action to cast lesser orb, and uses swift to activate his empowered spellshard.

Ranged touch attack [roll1]
Damage [roll2] (35) electricity damage

MAP (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198301)

[kinem]

OOC: Travis also moved 5' forward and left. This was visible on my map link but I guess I should have mentioned it in the post.

MAP (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198302)

[AlanBruce]

@Raikou: The flying contraption's many arms begin showing you around the ruined heaps of metal.

"This is the SMC's Prototype Headquarters. Created by...""

And it is then that you have Cyrus ascend until you are almost at eye level with this chunks of bolts and cup your hands together as the automatons look up and your entire body begins to sizzle and crack with a monstrous maelstrom of arcane surge, unseen in these areas of The mercy... probably ever.

The Autonomous Scout is blast straight in the lens face as its entire frame convulses with sparks for a few seconds as its thrusters begin to fail and struggle to keep it aloft...

And then the Scout machine twitches and stabilizes itself as gouts of smoke spew out of its feet with increased strength, looking at you with the tiniest of cracks running across its glass orb of face.

That blast should've killed anyone! Fried them on the spot and yet...

This thing seems to have resisted your storm by a large amount.

@The Party: The Autonomous Scout twitches one last time as two of its rusted metal arms assume the position of prayer as the other two extend, pointing towards twelve o clock and three o'clock, maintaining its body almost perfectly symmetrical.

"Threat confirmed. Intruders are to be neutralized immediately. Initiating Hermes Program...""

And just like that, The Autonomous Scout's gears begin to grind at incredibly fast speed as steam pours out of its delicate frame and bronze colored sigils representing cogs appear around her and the Falchion Police, who also begin to emit steam and twitch uncontrollably.

Haste

And with renewed speed, the scout looks at all of you and darts deeper into the compound, disappearing from sight as sirens blare in the distance.

Kyrich watches it go and shrugs.

"Last time, I just hit it hard enough with my chain. I had no idea they could do that.... but we aren't done with these yet.""

And it is true, as the Falchion Police wheels around the scraps of metal and descend in a zig zag manner through the metal debris and touch ground as their renewed speed wheels them towards all of you, heading for a few choice targets and immediately opening their helmets to release a multicolored red and blue siren.

As a free action on its turn a falchion police can turn on or off its police siren on its head, producing a klaxon noise as if using ghost sound and bright flashing lights which illuminate the area as a torch. The light and sounds are dazzling, and creatures in a 30 ft area around an active police siren are dazzled, no save, for as long as they remain in the area.

Reminder on the dazzled condition:

Dazzled

The creature is unable to see well because of overstimulation of the eyes. A dazzled creature takes a –1 penalty on attack rolls, Search checks, and Spot checks.




@Seti: One of the Falchion Police wheels towards you and slashes you across the chest with its signature weapon.


9 damage

@Travis: You watch your city guide get slashed and immediately, your own attack comes into play, having Seti so close to you and covering the automaton in acid as its rusted carapace corrodes a little, but it isn't enough to bring it down.

@The Party: Clover and Kyrich are both attacked by a pair of Falchion Police and the ilumian shows off why nobody messes with him and his company in The Mercy as the spiked chain bashes both of their shields and causes massive oil and steam to leak off their nearly ruined bodies.

This doesn't stop the machines from stabbing Clover once and standing.

@Travis: One of the Falchion police wheels above the debris and zig zags its way down towards you, getting a face full of chain courtesy of Kyrich on its way down, but not enough to drop it.

And then it goes straight for the soft underbelly between your dragon scales.


8 damage

@Seti: The last of these broken machines comes wheeling down and rushes at you...

But this time, you are prepared, as your leg is raised in a reflexive and circular motion, nearly parrying the Falchion police's blade out of its hand and causing it to almost lose its balance.

@The Party: Clover looks at the gash across her chest and her eyes ignite with golden light as she places her index finger on the Falchion Police's blaring forehead and discharges a single eldritch beam that utterly destroys the automaton's head and leaves behind a wheeling carcass that drops on the ground covered in smoke.

"I cannot waste my time with these machines. Kyrich! Follow me!""

The ilumian rips down the construct with him and kicks the broken husk aside.

"But what of the others? Clover, wait!""

"They can handle this. That flying one will lead us to her!"

Kyrich looks at all of you and then at the runaway warlock and sighs.

"Catch up once you're done here, ok?"

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198305)

Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Falchion Police x 3
Seti
Isobel & Donna
Clover
Aren
Kyrich
Ketra

[TankLaser007]

Seti rocks back as the machine strikes him, he then stagger to his left almost tripping over Donna before bending backward as if he is about to fall on his back, he slips on a rock and takes and leans forward then lurches right before bringing the cloth wrapped bottle down on the constrict constable the movement is fast and almost at the same tim the bottle is being brought down his other arm snakes out trying to catch the contraption with a rapid palm strike.


Using Dodge & Swaying Waist against the Clanker in front of me +3 AC Effective AC 24
Attack the clanker in front with Flurry of Blows (Dazzled penalties included):
[roll0]
[roll=Flury2]1d20+6/roll]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: Donna keeps barking at the machines as several more can be seen starting to crawl out of the metal heaps above.

Very soon, these Falchion Police are going to flood this area, unless you start to leg it onward, since the door out is shut.

It is an apparent slip up to the untrained eye as you arch your body in a way nobody could without seriously damaging their back permanently and immediately wrap the bottle given by Nana in a cloth as momentum brings you forward and you begin your assault on the Clanker Constable as your palm seeks to punch through his rusted breastplate of a body...

These machines may not be very sturdy and accurate with their blades, but their constant twitching gives them some fluidity as the Falchion police twirls his upper body and parries every single one of your strikes!

You need to take these guys down before more join them in the fray!

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198309)

Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Falchion Police x 3
Seti
Isobel & Donna
Clover
Aren
Kyrich
Ketra

[Smeggedoff]

Donna lets out a deep bass bark as he rams forward shoulder-checking the nearest bot before attempting to drag it to the ground with his teeth

Isobel meanwhile, seeks open space before concentrating for a moment and surging upwards in a grisly blossom of fur and fang


Donna
Full attack (-1 to attacks due to police siren?)
Strike [roll0]
dmg [roll1]
Strike [roll2]
dmg [roll3]
Bite [roll4]
dmg [roll5]
Trip (If bite successfully hits)[roll6]
Isobel takes a 5 foot step and transforms into a bear as a standard action

MAP (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198312)

[AlanBruce]

@Donna: You growl at the metal man in front of you and lunge at it with paws and bite, nearly dropping the machine as your paws scrape its chest, revealing old rusted pipes and spurts of oil and steam...

But the construct isn't down yet and it its a quick butt on your nuzzle by its falchion's hilt that prevents you from biting it and dropping it to to the ground.

@Isobel: With Clover and Kyrich having ran further down into the compound and sirens blaring in the distance, you know these won't be the only enemies that will stand in your way.

You don't need to be careful at this point...

You need to be huge!

Calling on Beory's Infinite Power, what natural powers may still drift in this patch of urban decay answer your call and your body swells in size and your posture becomes slumped as thick fur grown all over your body, massive claws replace your hands and your mouth turns into sharp fangs as you growl louder than the sirens and the remaining Falchion Police look at your new form and then at each other.

"Large threat confirmed. Requesting reinforcements...""

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198351)

Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Falchion Police x 3
Seti
Isobel & Donna
Clover
Aren
Kyrich
Ketra

[Syless]

Ketra stares with a look of barely-disguised disgust as Travis and Clover take on Raptoran forms. It's strange enough to see Aren being a Raptoran with no knowledge of the species, it's another thing entirely to see two non-Raptorans steal their nature. But she doesn't have much time to fume before the attack sets upon them- mechanical creatures. Mechanical creatures of unknown origin, accusing them of being trespassers, resistant to lighting. Joy.

Watching Seti's barehanded strikes fail to find their marks on the constructs, Ketra steps forward while chanting a prayer to Tuilviel Glithien in her native tongue. <Goddess of the skies, grant this fool the dexterity and strength of Your talons so that he may tear our enemies asunder!> A brief glow appears on her hands, then a shimmering outline of birdlike talons appear around Seti's hands, and she smirks. "Try it again, and hit them this time!"

Taking a 5 ft step forward, casting Greater Magic Fang on Seti for +2 for 9 hours.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198433)

[AlanBruce]

@Ketra: With Clover gliding a few feet off the ground and away from you in Raptoran form and Kyrich in hot pursuit, you shake your head as Travis takes on the noble features of your estranged kind in the City of Power.

But chastising those two will have to wait- automatons have taken on this part of The Mercy and they seek to bring you down, evidenced by Travis and Seti getting slashed across the chest.

And by the sounds of the metal heaps rumbling around you, you won't be alone for long.

Your "cousin" needs a well deserved boost if you plan to get back home to The Wyvern apartments and meet up with Celitas and the rest. No way you are getting killed by these machines in the middle of the night, in some dark and dank subway!

And so, you reach out to Seti and ask Tuilviel to grant upon this alcoholic fool but a sliver of her predatory grace and ask him to try one more time. For you.

@Seti: Who knew buying drinks for a girl would pay off this way?

Well, not really- this actually sucks. You're trapped with a bunch of crazies fighting even crazier robots and your kicks and punches aren't really doing the trick.

And that's when tribal tattoos form on your legs and hands, resembling dark blue talons and your entire body tingles as a surge of strength courses through your body, honed to be a weapon over the years, but now.. a much deadlier one.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198434)

Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Falchion Police x 3
Seti
Isobel & Donna
Clover
Aren
Kyrich
Ketra

[AlanBruce]

@The Raikou:From your higher altitude, you watch Clover hold on to Kyrich's arm and both are surrounded by a golden purple nimbus of energy, disappearing from sight and leaving only Clover in place, her head down in abject concentration.

Flee the Scene

If your knowledge about these casters is right, that isn't Clover. She's taken the big bald guy who knows how much further into this place. Then again, she does seem in a hurry to catch that other witch, Ellen.

As for the group below, they are doing good, but not great. You could use Cyrus and fly deeper into the compund, in hot pursuit of Clover and Kyrich, or you could stay and provide aerial support.

Speaking of aerial support...

@The Party: The ceiling of this place lights up with tiny bulbs of energy, in blue and red color as tracks can be seen on them and heavy chains start carrying large metal containers, which are dropped with a loud metal clank in different areas of this compound.

With one right where your entrance was, blocking it even more. The containers are ten feet tall and twenty wide, with a russet color and signs of rust and age.

A gear logo painted white with the letters SMC are barely visible on the side of the metal crate as several clanking sounds can be heard from within.

Something's trying to get out...

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198481)

Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Falchion Police x 3
Seti
Isobel & Donna
Aren
Ketra

[Niwrad]

Raikou glances nervously at the container with the clanking sounds.

Seems like they had woken up something nasty. Best to get out of here as quickly as possible.
He could go fly after Clover and Kyrich, but who knew where they were now. It would be safer to stick with these people.

Alright Cyrus, enough playtime, lets finish these police off shall we?

With that said, Cyrus flies down to ground level, and the halfling begins to charge up for another blast.

Once ready, he points at the two falchion police lined up in front of him and unleashes a potent line of electricity.

Cyrus move action to fly down to ground level.

Raikou standard action to cast lightning bolt, targeting police 5 and 3.

both take [roll0] electricity damage; reflex DC 20 for half.

MAP (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198504)

[AlanBruce]

@Raikou: Clover and Kyrich better be able to fend for themselves in this mechanical maze...

You need to keep these people safe first and foremost and so, you ask Cyrus to descend and watch both Falchion Police engaged with Seti and Isobel's dog, Donna.

Both are badly busted- especially the one engaged with Donna- that dog can sure maul and swipe people around.

And then there's Isobel as well, turned now into a big grizzly bear.

This almost looks like Choralia's Island when she gets drunk and decides to turn everyone into animals for a single evening.

But no time to reminisce. That flying bot was able to resist your orb, merely causing a crack over her reflective face. But that machine acted as some form of leader. Protections are usually expected on caster types- even if they are constructs.

But these wheeling machines should not be graced by the same.

This time, the power flows through you at a much quicker and natural pace, causing both machines to electrify as a massive golden lightning bolt courses through their copper skeletons and the one with Donna begins to twitch more than usual as its siren shatters due to the electric surge and its body collapses in electrified scraps of blackened metal at the dog's feet.

The one with Seti faces a similar fate, as the electricity surges through its body and causes the Falchion Police to perform donuts in place as portions of its body begin to drop from its main frame until only the single gear used for locomotion clanks on the ground, releasing a curtain of steam carrying the scent of ozone and oil.

As for the crate that has dropped, who knows what's inside. Right now, there is only one Falchion Police seen engaged with Travis, but chances are these aren't the only ones.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198505)

Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Falchion Police
Seti
Isobel & Donna
Aren
Ketra

[kinem]

Travis watches as the situation takes several turns for the worse, and Isobel changes, and Raikou shows what he can do. I can see why time is of the essence, but sticking together would have been wiser.

He's not actually hurt, but the construct's blade did erode some of the protection his heart of earth spell gave him.

He looks with interest at the crate. Bad news for sure ... maybe more falchions in there ... but I wonder if it would be possible to re-program such constructs?

Travis backs 5' away from the construct that struck him and shoots another blob of acid at the thing.

ooc: ranged touch attack [roll0], acid damage [roll1]

MAP (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198509)

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: With Clover and Kyrich gone into the compound and most likely lost, you watch Isobel show her true power and turn into a massive bear as Raikou demonstrates his powers as a feared Stormcaster, frying two of these constructs with a single spell.

Who knows what is inside the fallen metal crate- most likely more of these machines. If you can find a way to control them, navigating through this place should be a lot less hazardous.

But first things first.

You sidestep away from the Falchion police and once more conjure forth a caustic glob of acid that strikes the automaton, but does not melt him all the way, as his blank helmet face is partially melted away, revealing old rusted copper pipes and whistling steam fumes arranged in an almost skull like manner.

@Isobel: The last remaining Falchion Police sizes you up and looks at Travis, but chooses to slash your large bear body instead... a brutal slash, aimed between the ribs and puncturing the kidney.

22 damage. If Isobel has some degree of fortification, please let me know so as to roll against it and possibly negate the critical hit.

Satisfied with its meting of Justice, the falchion Police attempts to wheel around you and slashes you once more, confident in the airborne machine's earlier "Hermes Program".

But luck only favors someone so much. That second slash bounces off your fur and armored clasps as the automaton's siren keeps blaring and steams escapes its face in uncontrolled gouts.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198511)

Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Falchion Police
Seti
Isobel & Donna
Aren
Ketra

[TankLaser007]

Whao! Seti instictivly makes an evasive roll back as the halfling lets a thunderous bolt of lighting strike, uttler detroying the two creatures and a shower of sparks and oily spray. These magic types are useful but unpredicatable, and a halfling mage -- maybe some of the more whimsical races shouldn't be taught such devestaing magics Yet there was little time for such thought now, not while there was still one of those things attacking them.

Carying the momentum from his previous roll away from the blast Seti stumbles off towards the bear, rolling and bouncing along his path like some matty haired rubber ball, he skips along the wall behind the sword wielding construct attacking the bear landing opposite the beast and donna on the bias and unleashing another flurry of strikes to the machine's flank. Hoping to put his "cousin's" gifts to good use.


Staggering Charge, and Acrobatic Backstab -- can make non-linear charges.
[roll0] vs. DC15 enemy is Flat Footed and Looses Dex to AC, can move through threaten space without provoking AoO
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]



Modifiers:
+2 Attack for Charger
+2 Attack for Greater Magic Fang
+2 Attack for Flanking
+4 BAB (Flurries)
-1 Attack for Siren (Dazzled)
Total Attack: +9

+1 AC Dodge
+2 AC Swaying Waist
-2 AC Charge
AC This Round: 21



Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198525)

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: It is well known that many factions in The Mercy would pay heavy coin to have a caster amongst their ranks. The Society has a few, but many are refugees from the City after Connor's oppressive laws and the ones working for the Society are barely able to light up a room when it gets dark.

But these guys... these are loose cannons, to say the least.

Travis has so far demonstrated he can melt these guys... albeit slowly, chucking globs of acid at them.

Isobel can turn into a massive bear. These animals are definitely not found in The Mercy. Rumors say that plenty of them can be found in Glenndale Park in the city, but chances are that those, like this lady and her faithful hound, are druids in disguise.

Ketra has demonstrated a less flashy but no less deadly power of her own, honing your body into a feral weapon.

And then there's the halfling- this little guy fried two of these machines with little effort, nearly frying you and the St. Bernard.

If they chose to gang up and form a faction here, independent of the Society... who could stop them?

But that will have to wait for later- right now, you have to put down that clanker.

And so, putting your training to impressive use, you climb over Isobel's hairy hide and use her as a trampoline, somersaulting over the Falchion Police and sliding down the uneven piles of metal as this one turns to look at you, oil squirting down his broken face plate and before he has a chance to react, it's an elbow to the face, breaking his inner plumbing, followed by a steel knee thrust into its chest, that caves it in as the automaton releases a tremendous gout of steam and oil leaks from every conceivable part of his rusted body...

And yet, twitching and rattling, it stands!

This one is one flick away from going back to the junkyard it crawled out of as it manages to mutter some preprogrammed words:

"Requesting repairs... re...re.. repairs...""

The large metal crate definitely has something inside as clanking sounds can be heard from within. It will be awhile before whatever is inside gets out, but so far, you have been able to deal with these lowly appliances with little effort.


Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198526)

Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Falchion Police
Seti
Isobel & Donna
Aren
Ketra

[Smeggedoff]

Isobel roars as the falchion slides painfully through her fur to lodge in her borrowed flesh, it'll be a memory later, but it bloody hurts right now
She barely (bearly?) notices as Seti uses her as a springboard and turns her bulk, rearing up to her full 9 feet and slamming her immense paws down on the mechanical man the pugilist had failed to put down for good
Donna meanwhile, circles his master, barking at the construct


Nope, no crit negation or DR, oh for levels in warshaper

Isobel
Full attack
Claw [roll0]
dmg[roll1]
Claw [roll2]
dmg[roll3]
Bite [roll4]
dmg[roll5]
Grapple (if a claw hits and the bot lives)
[roll6]

donna takes a move action, but otherwise does nothing

edit: forgot to process the size change to large on my sheet, please note that these attack rolls should be 1 2 lower (doh, forgot the siren too)

MAP (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198527)

[AlanBruce]

@Isobel: You turn your massive bulk at the diminutive toy soldier and roar from the pain inflicted by his blade as Donna rushes closer and begins snarling at it too, but quickly realizes that you got this...

@Seti: You have heard of beasts out in the wild, rarely if ever seen in The Mercy. Especially the dreaded grizzly bear, said to be able to decapitate a grown man with a single swipe of his claws as Isobel's shadow envelops you and the Falchion police, who begins to trickle oil down his wheeled foot as his entire body rattles and steam escapes in whistles of agony as the druid roars and brings down lightning strikes of fur and claw and fang on the automaton, with the last bite chomping the construct's head clean off as a splatter of oil washes over your face and body and the bear that was once Isobel snarls at you before spitting the crushed helmet at your feet and the mess of metal that was once a brave law enforcer collapses on the ground and twitches a few times before a last faint whistle of steam escapes one of its many dents.

@The Party: They are all dead now. All that remains of these guys are their signature weapons- masterwork falchions, five to be exact.

The compound is still rather large and you can hear the sound of Clover's blasting much further ahead.

She and Kyrich have likely faced some opposition of their own, and at this point, the decision is yours:

Go and aid them or examine the large metal crate that has dropped not too far from your location.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198652)

[kinem]

I should have taken the threat from those things more seriously. Travis glances at the well-made falchions and sees spells that he could buy for his spellbook if they were sold, but there's no time for such things now.

He casts another spell to further protect himself, at least for the next several minutes.

ooc: shield, 9 min, AC 30

"We should go help Kyrich" he tells the others.

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: You look at the five falchions, smeared in oil and blood and immediately your mind reels with the amount of spells and arcane materials you could purchase from selling these blades.

For now, given the alarms going off all around this compound, it is better to have an even greater measure of safety around yourself.

And so, you outline a translucent shield in front of you made with glowing white runes that cover your body and disappear from sight.

The shield is nowhere to be seen, but you can feel its protective abjuration flowing through your body.

@The Party: With someone picking up the swords, assuming they have the room to keep them safe and secure, you follow Travis' advice and head deeper into the metal compound, as the sounds of Kyrich and Clover fighting draw ever near, accompanied by the smell of oil and the sounds of thrashed metal.

There is something else that catches your attention. Hastily glued to the walls of metal junk all over this place:



http://www.clipartkid.com/images/847/angry-rooster-mascot-team-symbol-isolated-on-white-aoaVSX-clipart.jpg

For Seti and Travis, this is a familiar sign: The Rooster Gang.

Some within their crew have taken a fancy to mass print these and paste them all over The Mercy, as a sign of ownership. None in The Society takes them seriously, of course- the Roosters are at best, lowly thugs with way too big aspirations for their own good, but the fact they have marked this place bodes ill...

It seems they may have secured these constructs for their own use. Not a good sign. Not all.

And yet, no Rooster thug can be seen as you spot two more large rusted metal crates watching you walk past as Donna barks at them, but no sound comes forth.

And then you reach what seems like the end of the compound and watch Clover and Kyrich fending off against half a dozen of the Falchion Police and the Autonomous Scout, who looks at all of you and its cracked lens face glows red as a pair of large heavy metallic doors grind fast and shut, preventing your access further in.

Something seems written on a side of the massive door.

Clover is quick to turn her head around to look at all of you as Kyrich swings his massive chain around, but the door block passage entirely.

The warlock is quick to yell from the other side, as the sound of blasting echoes beyond.


Find a way inside and join us! We are heading down! Hurry!

It is then that a diminutive round hole opens on the highest section of the door and a curious little creature peeks its head out, thirty feet above from all of you:


http://orig13.deviantart.net/5d56/f/2009/251/0/b/clockwork_crow_by_cursed_sight.jpg

It's like some sort of cuckoo bird... no. It's more than that.

@Travis: You have seen these back in Runestone, far newer models, of course. This must be one of the first ones ever made years ago.

The Nixie-1080 Cam Drone.

The Skylarios Metalworks Corporation did not devote entirely to "consumer products", but the Nixie-1080 Cam Drone ended up being just that. Originally a drone for police, rescue, and other fields where autonomous photographers were required, they were rapidly co-opted for civilian use as a photographer on the go and the master of taking what many wildly refer to as "selfies", as the drone can fold up tightly on the arm or leg as a band when not in use thanks to its flexible plastic arms and safe bladeless dyson fans which keep it afloat. When in operation, it gives off only the soft woosh of moving ionized air.

Cam drones are about the size of a large bracelet and weigh practically nothing.

Lately (before the SMC's shutdown), some wizards redesigned the Nixie Cam and gave it a more familiar look- usually, that of a bird.

This extremely small construct is not designed for battle, unlike the Autonomous Scout. It has the ability to capture an image and, if a lab is nearby, develop it onto paper. The idea is quite novel, but due to their price, few in Halmathan- let alone The Mercy- are able to purchase one.

The only minor side effect is that sometimes, these things cause temporary blindness with its flash, but that was reported to be the case back in the old days, when the first models were introduced into the market. Today, for the lucky owner of a Nixie Cam, that is a rarity.

The humming bird sized machine turns its head sideways and its eyes begin flashing and shutting really fast and then it speaks, in a very high pitched voice.

"Initiating Heracles Program

Initiating Minos Program

Initiating Thanatos Program

Any SMC employee and registered product must present ID and proof of ownership before accessing Executive Offices."

And having said that, the Nixie Cam shuts its eyes and dives back into its hole in the wall.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198750)

[Niwrad]

Raikou grins as the scrawny police-bots are completely demolished by his lightning bolt and as the giant bear finishes off the last one without mercy, the halfling turns his attention to the surroundings.

First he looks at the large container with the clanking sounds. Content that by the time the thing inside got out they'd be long gone, he then turns to look at the walls, the rooster images catch his eye.

Huh. Is that a rooster...?

Looks funny. I wonder what it's for. Anyways, lets keep going.

Oh, and is there any way to shut off that infernal alarm?

Once everyone is ready and they start moving towards the other end of the compound, and when Raikou sees Clover and Kyrich, he grins and quickly flies forward, only to be stopped by the large door.

Well, I wonder how else we're getting through there.

He knocks on the large metal door a few times to see how sturdy it was. Then he begins to examine the area around the door.
Then he sees the little bird robot and shouts out to it as it dives back into the wall.

Hey wait! I have ID and proof of ownership! Come back here and let me show you!

Besides, what are all those programs anyways?

Of course, he had a bad feeling that his questions were soon to be answered...

[AlanBruce]

@Raikou: Satisfied with having brought down two of these mechanical minions with the power of the Storm, you watch the single metal crate close to your newfound allies and follow Travis' advice to rendezvous with Clover and Kyrich.

The rooster poster is an odd thing. Those animals are somewhat common in your homeland, especially in the rare spots where oasis allow the scorched sands to grow green.

Back in the Ossian Way, Lady Choralis has an entire flock of them running around the windy cliffs, usually wearing fowl custom made clothing, resembling knights, rooks or pawns in a chessboard as they flutter awkwardly from grassy stone to grassy stone, careful not to plummet towards the raging seas below.

But a place like this? Who knows... maybe there are farmers here.

And then the door leading towards Clover and Kyrich shuts and you can tell that incessant blaring sound is heard stronger beyond the metal door.

Whatever has roused these machines from their slumber must be beyond it, but how to get in there?

You then watch the teeny tiny robot bird issue commands and retreat back in its hidey hole, ignoring your claims to ID and get closer towards the door as Cyrus ashes away a thin layer of rust off it and specific words can be read on one side of this impassable metal barrier:


216 Heavy Loader Area Access

What is that supposed to mean? What's a heavy loader?

@The Party: It's a distant sound as something large breaks through metal, coming from the area you were fighting before as sparks of electricity can be observed extending through the corner and a loud hollow bellow echoes through the compound.

Something has broken free, but whatever it is, it hasn't come towards you yet.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198821)

[kinem]

Travis says of the poster "The Rooster Gang again. Apparently there's more to them then I'd thought."

At the door, he ponders what kind of mechanical monstrosity might have just emerged from the crate.

OOC: Knowledge (arcana) [roll0]

"I have an idea that's so crazy it might just work. Don't follow me, yet."

He casts a spell to disguise himself as a winged version of the flying construct with the glass face that had confronted the party earlier.

OOC: Disguise self in 3.5 should allow this, you just can't change your body type, in this case a winged man. Note that the Pathfinder version of the spell is much stupider, and instead prevents you from assuming a form of a different creature type, which makes no sense for an illusion spell.

ooc: disguise [roll1] Adjust to 21 as it's a different race.

Thus disguised he flys back to where the crate was and attempts to bluff the thing. The following words depend a bit on the result of his Knowledge check. He tries to stay well out of its reach just in case the ruse fails.

"Heavy Loader, here is the situation. Some of the older models are malfunctioning. Your first task is to move that crate aside in case officers and guests of SMC desire rapid egress through this route."

OOC: Bluff [roll2]

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: You hear the broken crate way back where you fought the Falchion Police and veil yourself in an illusion, doing your best to mimic the form of the Autonomous Scout and ask the group to stay put...

You're going solo.

Why are The Roosters here? Yes, they are a nuisance and it's about time someone showed them what's coming to them, but they are idiots- how could they get ahold of these machines and use them?

Casting those thoughts aside from now, you employ the Raptoran wings to help you glide back towards the area where the Falchion Police were dropped rather easily and halt in your tracks as stampeding sounds and metal hooves destroy the remnants of the battered Falchion Police and the air charges with electric energy, not unlike the one Raikou used to dispatch a few of them earlier.

But this isn't a loader that has broken free of its metal crate. Not at all:


https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/9d/0f/9e/9d0f9e362288ec48b47e306b973c4cb1.jpg

This is a Clockwork Bull, most likely the Minos Program the Nixie Cam mentioned.

Back in the early days, when Halmathan was still partly rural, farmhands faced a disease that claimed the lives of their livestock. A plague brought as a result of poor sanitation.

The city faced a famine induced winter... until a few gnome crafters came up with the most obvious solution: make construct bulls.

As automatons, these would not suffer the plague and could work the land tirelessly. At first, the clockwork bulls did just as intended however, as things are prone to go with magic, especially back in those days, the constructs malfunctioned and these machines took on a hostile demeanor, breaking loose of their restraints and rampaging through the city and farm villages before the very mages that built them had to put them down.

As far as everyone is concerned, the clockwork bull is a discontinued product: The SMC claimed that they would never make more of these, but some people spoke rumors that their blueprints were not destroyed and so, someone must've built at least one and kept it in storage over the years, hidden from view until now.

Like their flesh and blood brethren, a clockwork bull lacks the intelligence to heed orders and understand them. They are known for having a savage and destructive demeanor, which may be the reason why the gnomes who crafted them were so quick to blast them to bits.

In combat, a Clockwork Bull is straightforward: Charge and gore anyone in its way. In fact, the clockwork bull amasses a potent electric battery within its body, making it able to not only impale anyone unlucky enough in its way, but also discharge a nasty electric shock.

Oddly enough, they themselves are not immune or resistant to any kind of energy- it's their extremely tough body that made the mages back then nearly deplete their spells when a herd of these began their stampede.

Also- and this is important- the reason why this beasts were taken down by mages and not the city guard is that a Clockwork Bull's body is so tough, that only adamantine weapons have chance to actually hurt it reliably.

You speak to it from a safe distance and the mechanical bovine's eye lenses turn deep red and his horns become charged with electricity as you attempt to speak to it and have him open the door for you, a valued SMC employee and bellows loudly as it lowers its head and gouts of steam escape his nostrils.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198827)

[kinem]

Travis was disappointed to see that his ruse would not net him a minion. Ah well. I'd best destroy it as the other mages did.

Taking to the air, he begins to bombard the construct with globs of acid.

OOC: I'm not sure it's worth running this as a regular combat. Travis can stay airborne and has an unlimited supply of acid, and it appears to have no ranged attack. If it can't harm him up there, it's just a matter of time until he puts it down.

BTW I'm currently posting from a phone and can't see the map.

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: This construct is a threat to everyone here right now. Uncontrolled and extremely strong, you need to follow the old lessons by the mages before and blast this thing from the safety of the skies.

The Clockwork Bull is blast by one of your never ending globs of acid and you can tell it has hurt it, but not enough to actually drop it as the bull automaton looks up at you and its horns crackle with electricity and steam erupts from its body, delivering a deafening bellow as it charges blindly towards you, but being airborne, it manages to cause structural damage to the compound, causing the heaps of junk metal to fall on it as it rams itself against a corner.

The metal debris explodes around him as the metal bull shakes his massive head and is blast once more in the side if the face, causing its red lens eyes to burn as it bellows once more and rampages through the compound, away from you... and towards the group.

Roll attack and damage for the acid twice to see how much you hurt it.

@The Party: It is impossible not to hear what's happening further down, as Travis unleashes enormous amounts of arcane power against a rumbling enemy and the earth shakes as a clockwork bull nearly falls on the side as it stops stampeding and looks at all of you.

It shows signs of being hurt, with his hide and face partially melted. Travis is safe while he remains aloft...

But for those who cannot fly, this thing might be trouble.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=198900)

The Party
Clockwork Bull

[kinem]

Attack [roll0] ranged touch, [roll1] acid
Attack [roll2] ranged touch. [roll3] acid


Travis wonders Why is nothing ever easy? as he pursues the bull.

[TankLaser007]

From the sounds of things whatever was in that crate was big and not of the friendly persuasion. Seti craned his neck to see what was there as the sounds of the thing neared, then he saw it barrelling out of the corridor, it looked like a massive black mechanical bull, Seti would be hard pressed to tussle with a flesh and blood bull head on, let alone one with metal skin, and sparking horns. Caution was after all the better part of valour. Time to take wing, so to speak. Seti darted for for nearest wall and began scaling up towards a ledge, a perch where he might better be able to peck at that thing from afar.


[roll0] if passed moves 17.5' up (1/4 Move + 10' for Speedy Ascent)



Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=199126)

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: What else have the Roosters gotten their hands on here?

A bull... a mechanical bull, to be precise.

Bulls are dangerous beasts. You'd have to be mental to wrangle one barehanded. This one must weight several thousand pounds of rusted metal and those horns are deadly enough to impale you, never mind fry you much like Raikou did with the Falchion Police earlier.

You can beat this thing, yes, but you need higher ground.

Isobel and her St. Bernard, well... together, they should be fine on the ground. A bear versus a bull? That should be interesting.

Raikou will most likely use his familiar to take to the skies again and Ketra and Aren can fly, so that leaves you with your own survival skills.

Leaping towards the rusted pieces of metal that make this compound, you watch the bull a few feet away as it lowers his horns and these charge with electricity and immediately adrenaline sets in and you find yourself kicking loose pieces of junk on the ground and angling your body in impossible ways as you find a flat surface to lay your back on and a few falchion police bodies, rusted and very much not moving which serve as footholds as you look further away at the mechanical beast.

If the others can distract it and prevent it from coming towards your position, you could find a way to hurt it, but if this thing decided to trample and where you are, the sheer strength of his charge could possibly send you falling down on the ground.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=199128)

The Party
Clockwork Bull

[Niwrad]

Whoah there! Time to go up Cyrus... Up!

Raikou is slightly concerned when he sees the fearsome mechanical bull round the corner. His eyes widen and he quickly spurs his familiar to take to the air to avoid the construct.

So this is what had been trapped in the earlier crate.

Hopefully though, this bovine foe shouldn't prove to be too much trouble. Those police-bots that had greeted them went down easy, so perhaps this would go similarly. A few solid blasts of lightning should do the trick.

Once thirty feet into the air, the halfling grins and starts the channel electric energy.

No point in trying to talk to it Jumpy.

It just goes in one ear and out the udder.

Cyrus silently shakes his head as his master's robes glow with magic and the halfling unleashes a powerful blast of thunder that runs directly towards the mechanical beast.

Cyrus move action to fly up to 30ft

Raikou swift action to activate robes of master evoker for +2 spell DC and +6 damage, then standard action to cast sound lance.

Does [roll0] electricity damage, fortitude DC 22 for half

[AlanBruce]

@Raikou: More of these machines... and now they come in new animal forms, like that bird before.

But if that bull came out of the crate that fell near your initial location:

What lies in the crates nearby?

No time to wonder about that now, as Cyrus rises as high as he can, careful that you do not squash your head against the metal ceiling and then you cross your legs and look below.

Seti has not wasted time climbing the metal heap. He may not be a flier, but he sure is agile.

Travis keeps airborne and blasting this thing with acid- probably drew him here so the rest could finish it off.

The others should be able to get out of its way- or at least toughen up enough to resist its charge.

As for you? You're blasting this thing apart, of course.

It's a million diminutive shards of rust that peel off the walls and floor as a wave of sound focuses like a hurricane and pierces the mechanical animal between the eyes, as the lance of sound reaches a crescendo and widens its strength inside the beast, causing its clockwork innards to rattle and crash.

Copious amounts of steam and sparks of electricity dance around this corpulent beast as it shakes its massive head and looks at you and the rest...

It's been blasted throughly well, but it can take solid punishment, unlike the smaller ones. This thing is still very much a threat.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=199183)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Clockwork Bull

[Syless]

Ketra sighs as she takes sight of the mechanical bull. This was not what she set out to do today. She joins the others in the air, the Raptoran and the fraud, and her dark gloves shift into a midnight black, specks of light akin to stars slowly appearing on them. With a swift gesture, she flicks her wrist and the stars come flying out, crashing into the bull, attempting to dent its mechanical frame.

Flying 40 ft up, using my Gloves of the Starry Sky to burn Thunderhead for Magic Missile.

Magic Missile Damage- [roll0]

[AlanBruce]

@Ketra: Back in Halmathan, once Connor had taken over the City of Power, the emergence of the Eyes in the Sky, monstrous machines that chug black smoke and float sluggishly above everyone was already considered an affront by your Aerie and its leaders.

They were polluting the fair skies of the city with their black trails and on top of that, His Holiness had banned flight for everyone.

In The mercy, you at least had hoped that you wouldn't have to run into more of those bolt laden beasts, but it would seem fate has taken you to a nest of them.

At least here, you can freely practice your craft as you ascend thirty feet and place your hand on the ceiling- lest you bump your head should you fly higher than that and look down at the clockwork bull...

With no laws to bind your wings or chain down your power, you focus your hand towards the clockwork animal and watch the stitchings in your black glove begin to move and form some sort of constellation, that of Apus, the Bird of Paradise.

The moving stitches hurt your hand as your Natural Power is diverted down your arm and the stitches glow with intense white light against an ever darkening glove.

the power swells and the clockwork bull looks up at you, its horns creating monstrous amounts of electricity and then, in rapid and flashy succession, several owls made of raw arcane power hoot and dart towards the automaton, flying into him and diving in concert towards its right flank, creating a fissure that leaks electrified oil on the ground and causes the beast to beloow loudly...

And yet, it isn't down!

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=199186)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Clockwork Bull





*************

Meanwhile, somewhere deeper in The Mercy…

Vim Vom, wearing nothing more than a drape around her body, stands still on a pedestal, which is plugged to dozens of cables that run all over a studio as a cloaked figure dabs her forehead with wet cotton swabs and then tapes cables to her forehead and steps back.

“Good, Vim. Very good. Now, if I could have you extend you left arm skyward and the other one pointing towards the east…. And lift your left leg at a forty five degree angle.”

Vim nearly loses her balance, but manages to do as she’s told, something that causes the cloaked figure to gasp as the cables nearly fall off the bard.

“Like this? How long do I have to be in this pose? It’s difficult to maintain poise with all these cables. Are they props?”

“…yes! They are props, Vim. Expensive ones, too! I just need you to stay as still as possible, my muse…”

The cloaked figure walks to a table connected by cables from Vim’s pedestal and examines a small bundle covered beneath a dirty blanket.


This will have to do. I will not make the same mistake as last time. But first…

The cloaked figure walks away and lowers her head and conecentrates for a few seconds in utter silence as she shakes all over and nearly collapses on a table filled with all manner of electronic devices.

Vim begins to lower her leg and raises an eyebrow.

“You ok? You nearly fainted.”

The woman stabilizes herself and looks at Vim.

“Oh! It’s nothing… had a very light lunch earlier today and nothing for dinner. That must be it… stick to the pose!”

Vim gulps and lifts her leg up as the woman pants heavily and walks towards a large metal switch and grips the lever with all her strength.

“Whatever you do, Vim… don’t move.”

Vim Vom’s eyes go blank and her hair stands on end as a massive electrical surge runs through the room, revealing a tangled mess of cables and old metallic junk as the cloaked figure looks on, her hand on the switch as a large white wolf comes next to her and breathes a gout of ice air into her ear, whispering something in an unknown language, that causes the woman to walk away as the room lights with electric energy.

“She's here??? I cannot catch a break, can I? And she's with that brute... not good. But wait- you say there are more? Damn that assassin. She must've joined with them to come after my cache. I cannot have them do that! Not when I am so close! But worry not:

They will not make it here. I want you to activate the remaining forces in this place. Have the Scout help you in that endeavor. Do that and then come back.”

And as the white wolf walks away, the cloaked figure turns her gaze to young Vim, who twitches and her hair stands on end as crackles of electricity wash between her and the flat table covered in a dirty white drape.

I must give it to this bard- she is quite hearty and resilient. Mental note to pay her twice for this session....

Assuming she lives through it, of course.

[AlanBruce]

@Isobel: With most of the group taken to the skies or the rusted walls, you and Donna watch as the bull lowers its head, amidst the smell of ozone and oil, steam escaping his many wounds...

And then, with a mighty bellow, it erratically charges towards you, the entire compound shaking under its weight as the horns find their way between the straps of your armor, even as a bear, and a surge of electricity fries your wound and swims through your blood stream.


18 damage plus 3 electric damage

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=199334)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Clockwork Bull

[kinem]

Out of range for his acid, Travis flies back towards the room where the others are.

OOC: I can't see the map right now, but double move, since i don't think I'm close enough to move and attack. But if I am, then move + acid.

[TankLaser007]

Bear or not, that... 'thing' is really a girl, a powerful one granted, but a woman none-this. He wasn't sure how those magics worked but he didn't want to find out what happened if Isobel was killed as bear, gored to death by some blasphemous bovine construction. Seti reached into the pouch at his belt and flicked a small stone from between his nimble fingers at the bull, from his precarious perch on the refuse. He watches in anticipation as the pebble increases in size as it hurtles towards the construct.


Use 3 charges to fling a 4d6 stone at the Bull
[roll0]
[roll1]

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: Navigating as fast as your borrowed wings can glide you through this metal infested maze, you just about round the corner and avoid the rusted debris left by the bull, just in time to see it already in battle with the others.

Given the speed taken to reach it, right now, you don't have the necessary mental acuity to conjure forth another glob of acid, but given its state, it should go down rather fast.

@Seti: That gore looks painful.

As a bear, Isobel should be able to take such punishment, but for how long? She has already been wounded by one of those Falchion Police and that was no flesh wound.

Ketra has already began bombarding this thing, as well as Raikou, safe above the threat on wings or wind.

You? Well, that's why you're a survivor. And survivors climb.

Time to bring the house down on this Bull. Something about rocks falling and all that...

And so, from your rickety metal ledge, fifteen feet high, you dig into your bag and draw a single pebble and rolling it between thumb and index, whisper a secret word of power and fling the tiny stone towards the mechanical beast below as an avalanche of stones bury the contraption for a few seconds.


It seems you got him...

And then, steam shoots from the gaps left by the small rock collapse and the Clockwork Bull bellows and the stones turn to chunks of harmless dust as it gores through and bellows at all of you, its eyes so red, that a his left lens has broken and electricity courses through its massive body.

Not a single scratch! This thing has taken blasts from everyone and it's still standing!

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=199662)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Clockwork Bull

[Niwrad]

Raikou raises an eye as the mechanical creature continues to charge and gore after his thunderbolt. Well, if all of his experiences had taught him anything, it was that if at first you didn't succeed, blast, blast, and blast again.

What a load of bull-s**t.

Let's hit him again shall we Cyrus?

And so, Raikou repeats the same motions as before and sends another thunderous blast hurtling towards the bull.

Raikou swift action to activate ring of mystic lightning for +2d6 damage, then standard action to cast sound lance.

Does [roll0] and [roll1] electricity damage, fortitude DC 20 for half

[AlanBruce]

@Raikou: If there is one thing you learned back in the Sea of sands and later out in the Ossian way is that no enemy, no matter how big and tough, can sustain repeated blasts.

This mechanical bull will not be the exception.

Cyrus mimics your somatic motions with his vestigial windy hands and his face becomes a small whirlwind as you turn the ring in your hand a shock of electricity washes over you and your familiar.

The entire compound begins to vibrate and again, a million particles of rusted metal rise around you and shatter as you begin intoning the spell and then,,, the blast.

The entire compound booms as the arcane lance flies like a javelin towards the Clockwork Bull and you watch his entire body rattle and shake and emit copious amounts of steam and electricity and fizzling oil, its bellow no longer resembling that of the mighty animal it must've been modeled after so many years ago: more like grating metal, with its mechanical larynx destroyed completely.

And yet... this beast isn't down! It's take monstrous punishment from everyone- a deluge of rocks, acid blasts, arcane blasts and the powers of the Storm itself and although its entire frame rattles and threatens to collapse at any moment, that single red eye left on his face and the electricity surging through its horns is enough to show that, like the animal is what made to emulate, it will not go down without a fight.

@Isobel: The Clockwork Bull rises its head, exposing its destroyed neck and brings down its horns, impaling you brutally on your furry flank.


21 damage

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=199840)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Clockwork Bull

[kinem]

Though impressed by the bull's resilience, Travis' main thought is worry about Isobel. Why hasn't she retaliated? Perhaps the electricity has a stunning effect. Yes, that must be it.

As he flies towards them he unleashes another blob of acid at what's left of the bull, though with the need to avoid risk to the bear who's in such close proximity his aim is less sure.

ooc: attack [roll0] touch, damage [roll1]

MAP (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=199854)

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: You fly closer towards the scuffle and watch Isobel's body bleeding all over. Her fur and armor stained red by the Clockwork Bull's brutal goring.

One thing you have to give credit to the SMC for: they did make their machines top last... for good or ill.

But right now, this construct is a threat to all those below, which aren't many, thankfully. And so, you once more draw from your vast arcane fonts and conjure a glob of acid and hurl it towards the clattering contraption...

Despite being rusted, corroded and fried, it inexplicably manages to find a way to sidestep its bulk as the acid splash erodes a small patch of ground mere inches away from him.

This thing is not only hardy but lucky!

@The Party: One of the crates begins to shake slightly as something inside attempts to break out, heralded by the droning metallic sound of wings.

If you cannot dispose of this bull quickly enough, whatever is in the other crate will come out and who knows if you can afford the time?

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=199917)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Clockwork Bull

[TankLaser007]

This. This is why he hated heroes. Heroes, adventures, and 'do gooders' of all stripes. Damn. He would have to take the proverbial, and in this case, quite literal bull 'by the horns' or better by its tail. He couldn't let this Isobel girl die. The dog maybe. That would mean Mercy meat burgers for at least a few days, but not the girl. At least not while his 'cousin' was watching.

Seti slide down the rufuse in rolling and running as soon as he hit the ground, he focused on his inner fire, bringing it to his exterior as it wreathed his hands and feet in a halo of flames, spinning the bottle once over his hand as he ducked around behind the beast he crashed into its flank, flame and furry. And foolishness. If he died a fools death in this dark place he would never live it down.


[roll0] vs. DC 15 no Damage
[roll1] vs. DC 15 Bull Flat Footed and no AoO
[roll2] Flanking, Charged, Magic Fang +2
[roll3] + [roll4] Fire Damage
Using Dodge & Swaying Waste vs/ Bull so AC is 23 until next turn





Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=199920)

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: Why did you have to guide these fools on a fools errand that will only get you foolishly killed?

Granted, dog burgers are a big thing in The Mercy today. Far meatier than rat and with a slightly better taste than cat, however that girl, Isobel- even as a large hulking bear, she's not going to last long against that oversized tinker toy, despite everyone's efforts...

Time to man up here.

And so, with the blaring siren coming from beyond the sealed metal door, you begin a speedy descent down the junk pile that has served you so well to avoid the beast and take a leap off shy of ten feet, using Isobel as a spring board once more, causing the bear to look up at you and snarl despite her wounds.

Then, you charge towards the bull in mid flight, locking eyes on his one remaining red cracked lens and wink at it as the beast lunges towards you and, just as you expected, you grab the automaton by one of the horns and use its momentum to land on the ground and roll beside him, at the same time, calling forth the Orc Raggrut given to you by Nana hours earlier as your stomach begins to boil and your eyes and fists become inflamed.

It's a massive strike to the bull's flank that leaves your fist embedded on its cracked and rusted plating, igniting its cogs from within as flames escape his many wounds.

The Clockwork Bull attempts to bellow, but only a gout of steam and fire escape its mouth as it lowers its head and his entire body begins to twitch and convulse, electricity and steam and fire raging through it as massive pieces of metal that form its tough exterior begin to fall on the ground, revealing a much weaker clockwork skeleton beneath.

And yet, despite your impressive strength and training, this bastard rears its head once more and locks its good eye on you.

It's still standing? How is this possible?!

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=199924)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Clockwork Bull

[Niwrad]

Raikou sees the beast nearly down and attempts to deliver a finishing blow.

Standard to cast lesser orb, swift to activate empowered spellshard

Ranged touch attack [roll0]
Does [roll1] * 1.5 (37) electricity damage

[AlanBruce]

@Raikou: This thing is built like an ox, alright. Not very smart. Not smart at all, actually.

But it sure could take a beating. Hopefully, there are no more of these left around this place.

And so, you rub your hands together as fast as you can and Cyrus mimics your actions as both produce enough static electricity to call forth two orbs of crackling raw arcane power.

Cyrus tosses his own upwards and this one meshes with your own, doubling its size as you get up and stand on your familiar's windy head and look down at the rattling clockwork bull.

No mere machine can stand up against the power of a Stormcaster, That is a fact!

@The Party: The halfling's entire body crackles with a storm as a gigantic sphere flies too close to all of you and encapsulates the clockwork bull, whose bashed and eroded and burnt body attempts to hold the surging power in him, but to no avail.

It's a last bellow, as the arcane powers conjured by Raikou take its course and the Clockwork Bull's good eye crack and shuts down as its body disassembles and drops on the ground, lifting a thick curtain of steam in its wake and leaving behind blackened charred cogs and gears, with its face barely recognizable as a bull, given the punishment it has taken from almost everyone.

The bull may have been a mighty opponent, but against airborne enemies, it never stood a chance.

Still, there is that sealed door and the alarms going through it as Clover's voice can be heard beyond it:

Kyrich and I found a way in. We mopped up the area here. I am leaving you something. Mnake sure you pick it up once you get past this door...

I am certain more than a few amongst you may be able to use it. See you inside.


And then, nothing. Where has Clover and Kyrich gone? Who knows, but you do have two crates not too far away from you and one has something inside aching to get out...

And still no way for you to proceed further in.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=199939)

[kinem]

Travis nods to Raikou, impressed by the stormcaster's arcane power, and comes in for a landing near Isobel.

She hasn't really seemed herself ever since the fight with the falchion police. Maybe she was wounded then more than I thought.

"How serious is it? Who among us can heal? I have an item that could perform some limited healing, but was saving it for an emergency."

Perhaps I could have handled the bull better, led it away ...

[TankLaser007]

Seti dusted himself off. "Well while she is like that, I am not sure what can be done. I am out of my depth here. These seems more your area of expertise. As for myself..." he turns to face the door, running his fingers along it and looking to see if there are any exposed or perhaps hidden catches, locks or mechanisms. "...I'll check on something more my speed."


Spot and Search taking ten on both, if we have time, take twenty.
Search 12
Spot 20

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: With the rest left to tend to Isobel, you walk up to the thick metal door and examine its surface, whereas Raikou merely read the writing on the wall.

The sirens blaring beyond this thick metal door make it somewhat hard to concentrate, but you are quite certain that there isn;'t any fighting on their side- Clover and Kyrich must've disposed of the enemies there and moved further in.

How to rendezvous with them later? That's a different matter.

Another matter is the sounds coming from one of the heavy rusted metal crates. Something is aching to break free and very soon. Maybe another bull, which could be handled by the group just like the other one, but as has been proven, that bull could take some serious punishment. In fact, all these machines can take a hit or two before dropping.

Resource conservation is key here.

And then you notice it- an indentation on the door. A big one, barely the shape of a giant's fist, with four small sockets inside.

Some sort of key, perhaps? But if so, where's the key to insert?

[TankLaser007]

A door that opens with a key could in theory be opened by other mechanical means. That is assuming that the mechanism was solely mechanical and not magical, or in need of some extraordinary means. Seti drew out the tools of his trade. Unfurling the leather case running his fingertips across the oddly shaped yet finely crafted bits of metal. If this didn't work then they might have to start looking for something amongst all this junk that fit the approximate shape and size of this depression.



Take 20 (28) on Open Lock if there seems to be time, regarding the healing and crate issue. If things seem rushed or there is no time:

[roll0]

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: The sirens keep blaring on the other side of the wall and it has become clear that time is of the essence here.

You could go looking for a piece that fits this indentation. You could.

Or...

You turn around and look at your allies and carefully open your set of tools. Carefully shined and sharpened every morning, so as to perform at its finest and then, with the skill of a master craftsman, run your hand down the right set of tools and begin working on the four indentations with your own lock picks.

You get zapped a few times, as the door seems resistant, but nothing to worry about as your eyes seem to uncover the secrets to this mechanism and insert the tools the right way and begin carefully unscrewing whatever heavy locks reside within.

@Travis: You watch Seti further down working on the large rusted door and your attention goes towards both crates.

One begins to shake and rattle as several blades can be heard inside.

The other is beginning to show multiple bumps on the roof. Something inside is mad and attempting to get out.

@Seti: Sweat runs down your brow and your hands receive one final shock of electricity, but a smile draws upon your face as with one last click, the massive metal doors begin to open and you finally get a better view inside the rest if the compound.

There are six destroyed Falchion Po;lice here, with their signature weapons scattered about.

One of them has been crushed and lies face down on the ground, with oil use to draw an arrow at the back of its head.

A wand has been dug on its nape.

More importantly, there is a large mechanical contraption, similar in shape to a tower, with four blaring sirens and a rusted panel.

Clover, Kyrich and the Autonomous Scout, however, are not among the casualties here.

@Travis: It is at the exact moment that the door begins to open, that a female mechanized voice can be heard a lot louder now with the shutters opened by Seti:

Unauthorized entry. Tampering with SMC products is a crime. Security has been notified...



And it is just then that one of the crates opens on all six sides, revealing eight neatly stacked Falchion Police, eager for a fight.

And then your attention goes to the other crate, which is destroyed as a pair of mechanical foes fly out:



http://data.whicdn.com/images/60631280/large.jpg

These are new... and they don't look friendly.

Knowledge Arcana to ID them

But the door is now open. You could find a way further into the complex, or you could stay and fight. The Falchion police will not be able to get all of you, but what about the other two and Isobel and her dog?

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200033)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
New Enemy x2
Falchion Police x8

[kinem]

ooc: Knowledge (arcana) [roll0]

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: You take a look at the new machines that have come forth in response to the unlawful entry provided by Seti and try and remember what you have heard or read about these constructs.

Back when the SMC was up and running, the noble ideals of such a corporation were to make a better Halmathan. This is evidenced today by many great advances in the area of architecture and engineering in the city, merging magic and machine to make everyone's life better. Easier. More enjoyable.

Yes, there have been SMC products that have failed and been disposed of, like the Clockwork Bull, which, at the beginning, served a valuable purpose in the agricultural sector before they went haywire and had to be disposed of.

Not so with this one.

Someone at the SMC must've thought that crafting a machine capable of great feats of destruction was a great idea and so, the Leaden Monstrosity came to be.

Designed to look like an insect to scare off its enemies, this construct is a tough contender in the automated arms race and was supposedly shut down immediately once they went berserk and began slaughtering personnel.

A Leaden Monstrosity is vicious in combat and has a reinforced plating made of lead, which makes it extremely hard to damage, by weapon or energy sources alike.

It is known to carry off single targets with its metal claws and drop them from great heights. Perhaps some twisted programming made by its chief engineer.

Offensively, it radiates electricity and can transmit it through its bite.

If it has other abilities, you may have to learn them the painful way.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200039)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Leaden Monstrosity x2
Falchion Police x8

[kinem]

Travis sighs. Both crates at once? Well, maybe I can use that to our advantage.

Still getting used to the strange sensation of having wings - though he's taken the form of a raptoran many times over the years - he takes off towards the closer crate. Once again, he attempts to bluff the constructs with his crystal-faced mechanical disguise.

"Falchion Police, your services are needed! Those Leaden Monstrosities have gone berserk and they will endanger the lives of the innocent if not stopped. Help to stop them!"

Hmm, that's actually all true I think ...

ooc: Bluff [roll0] if needed

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: Still disguised as the Scout from before, you watch both crates open and then look at the group.

Maybe all of you can take them on, but the Leaden Monstrosities can fly, and they could prove to be a problem. But the Falchion Police...

And it is then that you address the lesser constructs and attempt to speak in as a robotic way as possible, signaling to your allies and the couple of clockwork insects flying above, explaining that these are berserk and are a threat to all here.

Which may be true, after all.

The Falchion Police looks up at you in unison and then at each other, steam whistling from their backs and immediately, roll out...

It may the illusion you have on. Maybe your silver tongue.

Maybe they are just that faulty in their build up.

But whatever the case may be, the Falchion Police blares their own sirens and move towards Aren, Donna and Isobel and a few of them surround the Raptoran, bear and hound and, rather than attack, they form a defensive phalanx!

They actually bought it! For how long? Who knows, but will it be enough?

Three of the Falchion Police wheel towards the two Leaden Monstrosities and blast their own sirens as the heaps of metal and junk brighten up with red and blue lights as they look up at the two fliers and raise their blades defiantly.

Of course, being grounded, the Falchion Police is as effective towards them as they are towards you and those in your company, but perhaps they can buy you and the rest some time.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200044)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Leaden Monstrosity x2
Falchion Police x8

[Niwrad]

Raikou's face lights up with a smile as he watches his spell demolish the bull. But then his delight turns to annoyance when Seti manages to open the door and yet more constructs appear to stop them.
He could probably take them down easy with his blasts, but eventually he'd run out.

He and Cyrus fly over to the others.

Geez, we've certainly caused quite the stir.

Nice work with the door though. Shall we stay and fight or are we leaving?

He's about to take advantage of the gathered position of the falchion police when he hears Travis's attempted bluff.

Oh I see...

Sure Jumpy was somewhat convincing, but Raikou was sure he could help a bit more.
He puts on his most pleading, innocent-looking face and calls out to the Falchion police.

Yes police-bots we need your help. Those flying-things have gone haywire and are destroying company property. Look at those other police-bots they destroyed.

The halfling points to the robots that Clover and Kyrich destroyed.

And they're going to hurt a lot more innocent people if they get out of here!

BLUFFFF!!! [roll0]

MAP (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200045)

Seeing that their joint bluff was successful, Cyrus and Raikou prepare to fly further down the hall should the others continue.

[AlanBruce]

@Raikou: You watch the door opened by Seti and are about to leave this place when more machines come out to play...

Travis is on to something, as you join him in the lie and watch your small army of tin soldiers wheel and blast their sirens and form into an almost perfect military phalanx to protect the others on the ground.

But those lies aren't working with the two insects, who belch electricity and spew toxic fumes from their gears.

@Isobel, Donna, & Aren: Still on the ground and surrounded by rusted constructs for defense, you watch one of the Leaden Monstrosities buzz forward and hover in place, just above the Falchion Police and their blades.

The automaton's entire body begins to crackle up with electricity and its gears begin to speed up as it reveals a wicked stinger and aims it at one of the robots below.

The entire compound has began to shake and crackle, not unlike one of Raikou's spells...

And then, it's an electric blast that catches one of the falchion Police and causes its entire body to accumulate so much electric energy, that the poor clanker explodes in a blue crackling light of nuts and bolts...

But it doesn't end there.

That electric blast begins to leap from bot to bot, catching each in a horrid electric surge, and even you, as your fur and feathers become charred by the Leaden Monstrosity's horrific power.


25 electric damage to each. No save.


@Raikou, Cyrus, Travis & Ketra: So much for the Falchion Police.

Those below will not stand a chance against these constructs. Not with an attack like that.

But little time to be concerned about them, as the second machine flies several feet in front of Travis and locks its clockwork eyes with him and all of you, as its fumes, noxious in smell and color, are siphoned into its body and charged up, similar to its brother and its stinger.

Except this one unhinges a set of metal mandibles and releases a cone of noxious electrified gas, that charges up the space where all of you are and seeks to kill you outright.

32 electric damage. Reflex DC 15 for half. A failed Reflex also imparts 1 Con damage

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200052)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Leaden Monstrosity x2
Falchion Police x7

[TankLaser007]

Blasted, bloody heroes. He wondered how these Hamalthan's ever lived this long.

"Everyone through here! Travis, Ry--Ro-- .. Lightning Halfling and swirly pet you guys keep those bug bots busy, everyone else over here, we'll try to reshut these doors..."

Seti scrambled quickly through the opened door, scooping up his tools, and ducking behind the steel, He just need to keep them open just enough for Isobel, her pup, Ketra, and Aren to get in then hopefully those clankers could distract the bug bots long enough for Travis and the stormage to make it inside before the rest of them were able to shut the doors. At the least, he hoped, it would be them a bit of time.



Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200063)

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: There is no way you are fighting those machines.

Sure, you could pummel the Falchion Police- they are weak clankers and a few well placed punches and kicks should knock them down, but those two fliers are frying everyone and, although you could punch one of them into rusted metal bits...

You cannot fly.

Rushing into the newly opened area, amidst the sound of growls and barks and the smell of ozone from those damned machines, you look at the Falchion Police corpses littered about and do see the wand left by clover embedded in one of them.

Of note, is the siren system that makes it deafening clear that it is the one calling these machines... and probably more.

There are no immediate entrances anywhere here, but that siren system has a bunch of bolts and knobs and wires. Maybe you can figure out someway to get everyone out of here and hopefully, somewhere safer.

The problem is... how to do it?

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200065)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Leaden Monstrosity x2
Falchion Police x7

[TankLaser007]

Seti grabs the wand, rod or whatever it is as he makes his way towards that siren. Maybe there is something he can do from here to help improve their odds. He looks over the "gift" the others left as he goes to the long wailing structure.



Whatever might be applicable (if any):

[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
roll=Disable Device Siren]1d20+5



Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200067)

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: You rush towards the dropped Falchion Police and snatch the wand embedded on the back of his head.

It's a wand, alright. You have seen wands before. You've even had a chance to use a few in the past, but right now, without actual proper guidance, you have no idea what the wand does, much less the time and skill needed to activate it.

Maybe the others, clearly better versed in the arcane, may have a higher chance to ID it. Right now, you need to figure out how this damn siren works and shut it down.

with the blasting going on several feet away from you, you place both hands on the broken blinking panel and look up at the structure, with its sirens blaring with enough noise to wake up the dead.

And so, you get to the task of attempting to decipher how this contraption works. If you can guess right, you may get everyone out of danger.

But how to go about this...

So, you start fiddling with knobs and buttons, switching one power cable into a rusty socket and pushing buttons like crazy.

And then, the alarm tower begins to emit a voice, as the sound gets higher and unbearable around you:


INTRUDER DETECTED. TAMPERING WITH SMC PROPERTY IS A CAPITAL OFFENSE. INITIATING RESTRAINING PROGRAM. ALL SECURITY PERSONNEL: DISPOSE OF THE INTRUDER.

Something went horribly wrong here as the sound blasts louder around you, attempting to explode your ear drums!


2 sonic damage and Fortitude DC 12 or become deaf for 1 minute

@The Party: The Falchion Police, heavily battered by the Leaden Monstrosity, turn their metal heads towards Seti and brandish their blades.

Whatever trick Raikou and Travis used earlier has been dispelled. These guys have been issued new orders and if they gang up on your guide...

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200069)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Leaden Monstrosity x2
Falchion Police x7

[kinem]

Travis is nearly caught by the strange breath weapon but reacts in time to quickly teleport 10' to the side to avoid it.

With the situation beginning to look desperate, he hears Seti call for the party to retreat to the next room.

He'll try to close the doors? I don't like the sound of this!

He watches as the others heed the man's advice. Isobel, the large bear, leads the way past the large open doorway. She is followed by the dog Donna, and by the two raptorians, Aren and Ketra.

Sighing, he follows as well, flapping into the room with the siren.

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: You didn't go to school for so many years for naught!

The entire compound begins to rumble and shake and in the blink of an eye, you see yourself ten feet away, stretching his hand towards you as the Leaden Monstrosity, Raikou, the Falchion Police and everyone stops in time for a blink and then, when the shuddering stops, you appear safely ten feet away as the flying automaton breathes on Ketra, Raikou and his familiar, leaving the air elemental with a slight green coloring as the toxic fumes whirl around his body.

Following Seti's advice, you flap your disguised Raptoran wings and glide over Isobel, Donna and Aren, urging them to get out of this place and towards safety.

The bear, the hound and the feathered cleric roar, bark and curse as they too make a hasty retreat, not bothering to fight the Falchion Police or their air bound foes.

You watch the rest cross the thresh hold and deeper into the compound, with Seti messing around with some busted control panel.

The doors are wide open and they aren't closing, as the sirens blare louder and louder.

Unless your city guide can find a way to shut them, you may very well find yourselves trapped in a dead end with these machines.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200254)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Leaden Monstrosity x2
Falchion Police x7

[Niwrad]

As the burst of electrical energy surrounds them, Raikou is able to easily dodge the worst of it, and his training with storm magic meant that he suffers little harm from the blast. His familiar is not quite so lucky...

Owowowowowowww!!

Hold on Cyrus. I gotcha. You've been struck by plenty of lightning blasts before.

He places a hand on his swirling mount and casts a simple necromancy spell to temporarily increase both of their fortitude.

full round action to cast shared empowered false life on both.

they both get an extra [roll0] * 1.5 (24) hit points

Then the halfling notices the others retreating behind the newly-opened door.

Hey wait for me!

He nudges the elemental into action and together the two of them soar through the hallway and rejoin the others.

MAP (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200266)

[AlanBruce]

@Raikou: You and Cyrus have braved storms far more terrifying than these mere sparks.

And yet, something about that machine has left your familiar much weaker. A fell wind blown by these infernal contraptions.

You could probably stay and outsmart them, but right now, speed is key.

And so, calling forth some of the fell sorcerous powers learned in the Sea of Sands, you and Cyrus are surrounded by a reddish aura and feel your wounds revitalized... if only for a little while.

And then you familiar speeds as fast as he can, pass the newly opened path and past Seti, Travis and the others.

But there is no other way out of this place. This is a dead end... where to go from here?

@The Party: The falchion Police, burnt heavily by the Leaden Monstrosities, turn their helmed heads towards all of you and with their own sirens blasting, begin to wheel towards all of you, as fast as their gears can carry them, which is just a few feet before the opened metal door.

The Leaden Monstrosities, however, enjoying the advantage of flight, buzz their clockwork wings and both fly at fifteen feet off the ground, making a beeline towards the group.

Although they haven't crossed the door thresh hold... they don't need to.

Both begin to amass enormous amounts of electricity as the complex gears within their body begin to whirr and grind at accelerated speeds and both show that dreaded stinger , which begin to accumulate large amounts of electric energy and then...

@Travis: That blasted stinger of theirs is brutal!

One of the Leaden Monstrosities unleashes the electrified arc, which catches you point blank and then, you watch the electricity shoot towards Seti, but your city guide is able to deflect it with a backhand and avoid for the arc to strike him or any others nearby.

You aren't so lucky, though.


38 electric damage

@Isobel: Still in bear form, you form a gigantic shield of fur between Donna and the second flying contraption as this one unleashes electric hell upon your animal form and your fur stands on end and blood boils within, but you take the damage like a true champion of Beory, protecting Aren and your loyal companion to the very end... or hopefully a few gasping breaths.


32 electric damage

@The Party: This is it. If none of you can find a way to keep those machines outside, they will storm in and butcher and fry you all.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200267)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Leaden Monstrosity x2
Falchion Police x7

[TankLaser007]

Seti, sees the halfling and his wind pet wish by, as well as -- no he must have blinked, maybe sweat in his eye, Travis was suddenly in the room, Isobel and meaty mutt rushed in while Ketra and that strange, unnerving Raptoran all flew in as well. It was now or never.

"Stormy!" he yelled pointing to the halfling, "Do whatever you can buy us our time! Travis" he jerked his head towards the mage, "we need your Rune schoolin' NOW, you and me and this." he says stabbing a finger into the junction box on the blaring poll. "The rest of you HOLD that DOOR!"


See OOC Thread for actions


Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200323)

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: It isn't a matter of twisting your brain through the issue. It's finding a way to manipulate your way around it and have it work for you.

This board filled with wires and steam valves and buttons is no different than a wand. Unlike a wand, you cannot carry it around, but you should be able to make it work.

But ry as you might, you cannot get this thing to work. Not currently. Not with the skills at hand. This requires more time than the door mechanism.

@Travis: You look down at Seti and then at your own wound on the chest and check the panel he's working on.

For a dedicated Transmuter or Effigy Master, this would be a cakewalk, but you majored in Conjuration and so, all you know are the basics about that gadget.

There is arcane magic at work on it, but it isn't as simple as casting an abjuration on the alarm tower to make it stop, no. Years of study and dedication, plus a knack for machinery and tools should grant someone with enough knowledge the ability to exploit this device.

What can you do with this device once someone has figured it out? Well, it depends on what functions it had upon construction. Right now, the most immediate and obvious would be the loud alarms.

You could, in theory, attempt to figure out how to make it work... or at least how to stop the alarms.

It wouldn't be scientific. Definitely not professional, but it is guaranteed to at least stop one of its functions. Maybe:

Blast the panel Seti's messing with.

Sure, it may not solve many problems. It may render the whole thing unusable but, at this point, it's all a gamble.

Isobel will not be able to hold down a combined attack by the Falchion Police and the Leaden Monstrosities. The same goes for her hound.

Ketra and Aren may attempt to fly around over the weaker constructs, but the flying ones will not be fooled just as easily.

And then there's Raikou, who should be faster than even the leaden Monstrosities while riding his elemental.

Still... what to do?

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200339)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Leaden Monstrosity x2
Falchion Police x7

[kinem]

Gods damn it! This was not what I hoped to see.

Shaking off the pain Travis quickly considers his options; he finds none that are good.

If this doesn't help, I'll look like a fool, but I guess that will be least of my worries.

He shoots a glob of acid at the control panel ...

ooc: attack[roll0], damage [roll1]

ooc: Assuming the doors remain open ...

Aren casts a spell of protection the group, helping to insulate them from further electrical burns.

ooc: Mass Resist Energy: Electricity Resistance 20 on the whole group.

Meanwhile, Isobel and Ketra take the offensive. Despite her bearlike form, Isobel casts a spell, calling down a flame strike on the foes. Ketra is of like mind and there's really no way to know whose column of fire was the first.

ooc:
Isobel's [roll2], Reflex half DC 20
Ketra's [roll3], Reflex half DC 19

Both are centered between the bugs and should catch both if I read the map correctly. Half of the damage is fire, the rest divine energy.

At this point Isobel has 27 hp I believe, and Donna has 55 hp. Travis is at 32 hp.

In spite of everything Donna and Isobel assume positions to protect the others from the falchion police.

ooc: Donna readies an action to bite any foe that comes within range.

MAP (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200446)

ooc: Raikou to act.

@Niwrad, feel free to adjust the positions of Donna, Isobel, Ketra & Aren on the map. The constructs will act right after Raikou.

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: The acid begins to conjure around your hand as Ketra and Isobel, along with her faithful hound, take on the offensive and defensive.

There has to be a way out of this place. Seti tried fixing it, but he was unable to get it going. In fact, one could argue he made it worse, drawing the attention of the Falchion Police.

But there is no time for chastising now. Your headmasters back in Runestone, particularly Master Callis, would be proud:

He did teach the finer aspects of Evocation and its derivatives and how they can, unlike what many people think, solve any problem.

And as the acid splashes against the Siren Tower and nearly catches Seti in the splash as the entire tower begins to crackle with blue arcane lightning and the sounds from the sirens increase...

Nothing!

@The Party: Aren is quick to into a few words in Celestial and raising a prayer to the Archpaladin, shrouds everyone in a golden nimbus that crackles with small sparks heavenly lightning which recede around all of you.

Ketra spreads her wings, staying as airborne as she can, while Isobel, heavily injured, stands her ground as a massive bloodied beast and both roar and chant as the entire compound becomes red hot and the heat rises as the Falchion Police and the Leaden Monstrosities look around and begin to move forward, when tow immense pillars of sacred flame bombard the automaton group, sending sparks and fried and burnt chunks of metal exploding all around the compound.

The entire Falchion Police unit, dispatched by fire!

But once the flames recede, the Leaden Monstrosities, heavily damaged, begin to amass electric energy around their bodies and prepare their stingers...

And that's when the Siren Tower begins blaring louder and the gears, unseen, click in motion as the solid rusted metal shutters slam shut and block the leaden Monstrosities from all of you.

You may not see them, but you can certainly hear them, droning outside and discharging their lightning wrath on someone- most likely the fried remnants of the Falchion Police.

@Seti: Whatever Travis did it must've held the machines at bay, nut there is something else....

As a result of his magic trick, the sirens are blasting at full volume, but the power surge caused by the mage has revealed a smaller panel within the big mess of wires, valves and buttons with three buttons addressed to three choices:

1. Lift Control

2. Siren Control

3. Gate Control

Currently, the button marked Gate Control is blinking and the other two are shut. The tower itself has been greatly damaged by Travis and trying to work your own skills right now would be dangerous,

In fact, at this point, who knows how long you will be safe inside this area and what would happen should you decide to go button mashing.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200448)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Leaden Monstrosity x2

[TankLaser007]

Lift control. Unless the others went through some concealed passage they had to have left this room somehow, perhaps via this 'lift'.

"GOOD WORK!" Seti yells to Travis, over the claxons. "If it isn't working... break it. Hell, maybe I could have go to Runestone after all." setting pulls the wand out of his belt tossing it towards the human mage, "Here maybe you can figure out what this is for, or just shoot it with some exploding light."

Seti looks towards Isobel and the rest, "Um... Aren? AREN!" he yells cupping his hands and yelling at the Raptoran, "Maybe look to Isobel" he screams pointing at the bleeding and singed bear. Now let's see about this 'lift'. Careful not to actually touch anything Seti leans in closer to the newly exposed panel trying to see if he can figure out how to access this "lift" or stop the "siren".


[roll0]
Trying to figure if there is a way to trip the lift activation, or turn off the sirens, or both.

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: Who would have thought all it needed was a proverbial kick to get it to work?

Whatever Travis did, it has closed the doors and kept the enemies at bay... for now.

You ask Aren to tend to Isobel's wounds- that girl bear is brave enough to stand up at this point and then you put your hands behind your back and examine the panel.

This would explain why Clover and Kyrich are not present: she must've figured out this thing and taken a lift elsewhere in this compound, but being so heavily busted now, there is no way to tell if you can rig this machine.

Pushing the buttons seems like the obvious choice, but there is no way to tell if they'll work right now.

Andif there is any other option, it is clearly out of your scope at this point.

@Travis: You catch the wand Seti tossed your way and look at the druids and the cleric, since they would give this a better use.

This is a Cure Light Wounds wand. Used, yes. A mage can typically tell when one such item is brand new or nearly depleted, but if it was left here, it should help. Maybe not as much as Aren's iwn clerical powers, but at least contribute.

Someone roll a cure spell for Aren on Isobel or any other injured

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Leaden Monstrosity x2

[Niwrad]

Hey nice shot there Jumpy! I guess we're safe... for now?

Those sirens are still annoying as hell though. I don't suppose there's a way to shut those off?

Raikou shouts, holding his hands over his ears and looking around at the blaring lights. He and Cyrus fly around the area, not really sure what to be looking for, before finally landing next to Seti at the small control panel.

The halfling takes a quick glance the the strange contraption.

Hmm, lift control, siren control, gate control. I wonder what these do.

He waits until everyone has finished healing before turning his attention back to the panel.

Gate control probably does something to that gate. Maybe we shouldn't mess with that.

But what if I press this one?

Unless Seti stops him, the curious mage reaches his hand out to push the button labeled 'siren control'

Pyromancers isn't working for me even on Chrome now...

[AlanBruce]

@Raikou: You yell amidst the blaring sounds of the sirens and have Cyrus descend towards Seti and take a look at the newly uncovered panel.

Flashing lights and buttons... this ought to be interesting.

As quick as lightning, you place your tiny hand over the Siren Control button and the loud blasting comes to a honking and screeching halt.

No more loud sounds for now, as the new panel looks like this:

1. Lift Control

2. Siren Control

3. Gate Control

@The Party: The mechanical gates open just as quickly as they shut, revealing the pile of destroyed Falchion Police and the pair of Leaden Monstrosities.

Those flame strikes cast by Isobel and Ketra... they burnt them a lot more before the door shut.

These things look singed... but not singed enough. They have repaired themselves somehow, but more importantly:

They aren't attacking.

The Leaden Monstrosities hover in place and twitch their clockwork bodies and stare at all of you in electric silence, as noxious steam erupts form their gears.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200497)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Leaden Monstrosity x2

[kinem]

"Aren, this wand should help with healing" Travis said as he handed the wand over to her.

The Raptoran priestess thanked him and wasted no time in testing that theory.

Once the party is healed, it appears that the halfling sorcerer can't help messing around with anything shiny.

Travis winces when the doors re-open. The fact that the constructs are no longer attacking is a relief, but who know what they'll do next?

"Maybe that siren was making them attack. Still, best to close the doors I think. There must be a way downstairs, and for now that's our next worry I think. Try the other buttons ..."

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: You hand Aren the wand, something a priestess of Heironeous would be a lot more suited to use.

Although, if Clover, a warlock, left it for you and the rest to use, in theory, Seti, who has demonstrated some aptitude with mechanical and arcane devices could use it just as well... in theory.

Whoever Aren heals using the wand, must roll for the amount of healing. It's a CLW spell CL 9th, with 25 charges left.

@The Party: Isobel and Donna remain on the ground, keeping their eyes on the Leaden Monstrosities as Ketra sticks to the air, confident in her abilities to outmaneuver these bots.

And then the Leaden Monstosities turn to face each other and their clockwork bodies begin to crackle with an absurd amount of electricity as their stingers face each other and both fire at the same time.

The arcs of industrial lightning swarm around both and then , you realize why they weren't looking so damaged once the doors opened again.

These machines eat electricity. It is as useful to them if not more than you and the wand left by Clover. Their metallic bodies have been repaired completely as they then turn to look at all of you, but do not fly inside, past the open door.

Whatever you decide to do, it better be fast, since one wrong move, and you could have both of these moving in and blasting all of you.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200725)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Leaden Monstrosity x2

[TankLaser007]

Once Isobel has been treated Seti also receives some of Aren's healing. Even if he doesn't quite trust her, he is never one to turn away [roll0]

Especially considering their night may just be getting started. "So," he says to Raikou, "you feeling like pushing that last button?"

[kinem]

ooc: Let's try a 2nd level healing spell and a wand charge

[roll0], [roll1]

That puts Travis up to 59/62. Good enough I guess.

[TankLaser007]

While the halfling seems more concerned with being treated by Aren, Seti returns to the pillar. Well we'll see what this "lift" is all about. After a brief sigh, and a moment to collect himself Seti pushes the button labelled "Lift" and braces for the worst while hoping for not immediately dying.

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: With your wounds healed as much as they can, you walk back towards the silent Siren tower and look at the panel...

You need to follow Clover and Kyrich and get their help, but most importantly:

You need to find a way to get out of here!

And so, with no small amount of trepidation, you push on the final button, which reveals the panel as follows:

1. Lift Control

2. Siren Control

3. Gate Control

It's a surge of arcane power that electrifies the entire control panel as the ground begins to shake and then you see it not too far.

From the junk heap on the ground something flashes red lights as an old rusted lift rises, scattering pieces of debris around, the SMC logo- a Cog- barely visible on the side.

The lift is not too far away from your location. With your monk training, you should be able to get there rather quickly. The problem is...

It's not that big. At most, four people should be able to ride it down.

@The Party: It is then that the sirens begin to blast louder than before and the two Leaden Monstrosities whirr back into action, droning their metal wings as they look at all of you and now, with the sirens blasting and the metal door not shutting down, they will move in rather fast.

But worse... heavy footsteps can be heard coming from further away, towards you and the Leaden Monstrosities.



Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200855)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Leaden Monstrosity x2

[kinem]

Yikes!

With the situation having taken a bad turn, Travis quickly tries pressing the Gate control button.

[TankLaser007]

Seti makes a bee line for the lift while yelling out, "Scatter!" to those nearest the door. These flying constructs and now the sound of something loud and possibly 'big'. No it is most defiantly time to retreat. "Ketra!" he yells from the lift, waving to the Raptoran. If this thing can take four better he and Ketra be in the first group down, maybe Stormy and Travis will join them.

[Niwrad]

Raikou places his hands on his ears and winces as the blaring alarms begin to sound once more. Then when he turns to look back at the door and realizes the flying monstrosities were once more on the move, he gulps and attempts to search for an escape route.

That's when he notices Seti's dash towards the lift.

He seems to have the right idea. I think it's time we say goodbye to this place!

With an overwhelming amount of speed, Cyrus and Raikou speed over to the lift next to Seti.

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: With the Leaden Monstrosities back in gear and something big coming your way, you sprint as fast as your legs can take you and into the lift.

If there was any other time for a retreat, this is it.

The lift is old and metallic and rusty, with a simple panel nailed to the inside wall with a single red button. With you inside, at most, three other like sized people may fit in.

Isobel alone may be able to take the lift down, but who knows how deep this thing goes and how fast.

@Travis: With the sirens blaring once more, you push the button marked Gate Control and watch the panel electrify itself as the doors begin to shut in, but at a much slower rate.

And then, they fly in.

One of the Leaden Monstrosities aims its stinger at you and begins charging it with electricity and then...

It zaps its horrid electric arc at you, which then jumps towards Raikou.


Travis takes 40 electric damage and Raikou takes 20 electric damage. If Travis chooses to AJ, none take any damage.

@Raikou: Despite being hit or not, Aren's spell should keep you safely warded.

At any rate, you cannot risk staying here for long and so, you have Cyrus fly you inside the lift with Seti, dashing past the murderous machines.

@The Party: The other Leaden Monstrosity aims its stinger, but not at any of you:

It aims it at the control panel, as monstrous amounts of electricity begin to charge up and in a loud explosion, the control panel is destroyed, sending a surge of electric power up the sirens , which blast even louder, causing more sounds from back in the junk compound to join the thundering footsteps.

Ketra looks at the fliers and then at Aren, as both exchange brief words in Tuilvilanuue and then Ketra addresses Isobel in a completely unknown language, causing the bear to growl and stand her ground.

@Seti: Ketra looks at you and then at the machines already inside.

"You, Travis and Raikou need to get out of here. We won't be able to fit in that lift all at the same time and who knows if these machines can follow us below.""

Aren brandishes her blade and looks at the Leaden Monstrosities.

"We should be safe from their attacks, but Kyrich needs help down there. We can handle these enemies. We will rendezvous with you below, unless we find another way around this place.""

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200901)

Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Isobel & Donna
Ketra
Aren
Leaden Monstrosity x2

[kinem]

Travis uses his ability to quickly teleport to dodge the bolt of lightning.

There are two things that Travis knows will not happen.

First, there is no way he is going to abandon his companions in the face of monsters again. The first time he had been forced to flee, leaving his fellow adventurers to fall before a pack of ghouls, was something he had barely come to terms with. A second such instance was just not going to happen.

Second, fighting the two flying constructs plus whatever else is now coming would not likely have a good outcome, especially with the power of the fleeing Stormcaster no longer backing up the group. The bugs are fully healed now, and many of the druids' best combat spells are now spent. Even with the resistance to electricity, Travis can not see how the group could win without losing any of its own.

He needs a third option and quickly. Fortunately, he is a wizard.

He pulls his rope out of his pack and casts a spell, causing to hang from mid-air though not too far from the ground.

"Climb in quickly; you'll be safe for up to nine hours. I promise to return for you by then or to die trying. Pull up the rope when the last one's inside" he tells the women.

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: Be it rotting flesh and sharpened teeth or rusted metal and slashing gears, the end will always be the same:

Death.

Ketra, Isobel and Aren, along with faithful Donna are going to sacrifice themselves for you three to escape, but even if the druids and the priestess are protected, they are not in top shape. Not against these Leaden Monstrosities and certainly not against whatever rumbles its way across the junkyard.

Back in Runestone, Master Ydalff Cliffstone, Headmaster of Transmutation once told you and the entire class:

We have the ability to twist fate. Years of study here in these hallowed halls will make sure you come to understand one basic principle:

There is always a loop in the stream. Find it and exploit it and when you do, with a clear mind, then nothing will be impossible to you.


If only you could go back to school to thank him for that very simple lesson...

With a quick gesture, you take out a simple piece of hemp rope and a pair of loops made of old parchment as you toss them into the air and intone the arcane words and crate a safe zone for the brave warrior women.

Aren is about to head towards the Leaden Monstrosities head on when Ketra holds her by the hand and swoops towards the circle.

"Lifesaver! Thank you, Travis... Isobel, come on!""

Isobel's form reverts to her human self and looks at you as Seti bangs the red button inside the lift and gears begin to grind and you all begin to descend.

The druid of Beory bows to you as Donna tugs at her robes and both dog and druid jump into the extra dimensional space and then, you cannot see them anymore, as the lift descends below ground level.

@Seti, Raikou & Travis (from now on, The Party): The lift grinds as it descends at a slow pace, but the ride underground isn't that far, at most, it must be a thirty foot descent.

And then, the doors open with a loud hiss and a release of steam as you step into a new underground area:

http://cornucopia3d.e-oncontent.com/storeItems/Scenes/Sets/Fear_Factory_Vue_9_0_img.jpg

Just how old is this place? And what have they been doing down here? At least there are no sirens blaring in this metal tunnel, but it is awfully quiet, except for the echo caused by your footsteps on the cold metal ground.

A door at the end of the hallway is closed, with the SMC logo- a giant cogwheel- welded in bronze over the door. A desk can be observed on the side, made of wood- a stark contrast to everything else here.

There is also a painting hanging on the wall opposite the desk, with a plaque beneath it:


https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/c3/cb/14/c3cb14b00a458a74e3bef6d6f2724371.jpg


Lord Bardak Skylarios, Visionary

1919

This painting is almost a hundred years old! And it looks like it's in good shape. This must've been the guy who built all these machines.

But where to go from here?

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200910)

[TankLaser007]

Seti pats Travis on the back as the lift descends squeezing, his shoulder as it grinds to a stop, "Nice work there 'Jumpy' " he says winking at Raikou. Seti slowly exits the lift instinctively sliding along one of the walls, leaning his back into the cold metal, and lowering his stance. "Ketra is important to me. So if you need anything -- assuming we all live -- you let me know. We'll see you are properly cared for." Seti squints his eyes at the picture, "That the dandy that made all of these wondrous death beasts? Listen gentlemen, and I value your input given your given specialities in this field, should we run into this witch and Clover and Kyrich are unable to assist in matters I think we should have some time of plan in place with how to deal with her, before we are put into that situation. So if the lot of you might be willing what say you we take a moment here to try to reflect on our situation so far and how we might deal with what may be ahead of us -- and thanks to Master Travis, how we are planning on dealing with those lightning bugs and whatever that was coming once we're done here so that we can get our friends back."


I can't get the map to open at all now, I think I found a fix but need to manually edit a file, have to set up my root access and then restart. I will likely look into that later after some work. If there is a new map, which I am assuming there is please maybe move my out of the lift and against one of the walls not too far down the hall. Still a standard move action away from the lift.

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: You pat Travis on the shoulder and address him with the nickname given to him by little Raikou and then walk down the metal hallway, placing your back against the cold wall.

You have seen buildings like these on the surface- usually those used by The Society to meet. Although those buildings are in ruins and some are made of wood, the idea remains the same.

This looks to be some sort of reception area. If this is a company... or was one, it would have greeted people here.

There are no apparent enemies to be sen- the hallway is direct and has low ceiling- fifteen feet high at most.

The door marked with the bronze cog looks heavy, but a strong push should get it open. Then there's the desk, filled with papers of all kinds.

The painting of Lord Bardak does ring a bell. He clearly was a big shot in the city, but why?

Knowledge Local to gain more information

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=200921)

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: You look at the painting, which was drawn in real life proportions, making it a very large piece of art already and read the plaque.

This name is known to you... and pretty much everyone in the City of Power.

Halmathan has a rich history, and within it, resides the most powerful families, known by some as Founders or Captains of Industry.

It is true that the Airdan family governs over the whole city and that the eight churches help balance power with the aid of the mages at Runestone, but there have been, over the centuries, families of royal bloodline that have literally shaped the city into what it is today.

And one such family is the Skylarios, with Lord Bardak as its scion.

The Skylarios family has been around Halmathan for over three hundred years. They managed to amass their wealth in the manufacture of constructs, since many of their family members attended Runestone and saw the enormous potential of automated services to assist in every day affairs.

It would be Lord Bardak who would truly push that ideology to the limit by starting Halmathan's Industrial Revolution, something that was praised even beyond Halmathan, since the SMC, his company, made a fortune worldwide selling its products.

But he wasn't alone in the spotlight.

Lord Bardak is said to have had a muse to inspire him. His wife Lenore. Both are said to have tinkered for years in the City and many of his greatest creations are attributed to his wife.

If there is any other information about this man, it eludes you, but he ought to be dead by now, given the date on the painting and guessing his age there to be in his early thirties.

Then, you take your sweet time to rummage through the wooden desk, checking for traps, which are non existent and fidgeting with the old drawers as you pull one out and a stack of papers fly all over the place, with one catching your attention, since it's written in gnomish.

This is some sort of memo, but it looks very old:



http://s21.postimg.org/r22qn3b1z/robot_propaganda.jpg

It is with a heavy heart that I must abandon our first company in Hope's Caress. Lord Bardak has taken the loss of Lady Lenore harder than expected and now wishes to build a much bigger factory in the City, closer to his home. It may be a way for him to grieve, but I am not one to question his decision.

She was a great person in life and will be missed by all. It is because of her, that we are leaving this smaller complex for you to run.

Since I will not be frequenting Hope's Caress that much, I must remind you about a few things:

1. The products made here are in a test phase- they are not to be used in public until either myself or Lord Bardak have green lighted them. This is EXTREMELY important to remember.

2. It has come to my attention that some SMC employees have been working late hours in 'secret projects'. Need I remind you that there is a reason why I was hired by the King himself to come here and see the development of these constructs. Notify those working on such weapons that they are to be disposed of immediately. I have had a chance to look at their blueprints and this is not what the City needs.

3. Because the products here are in a test phase, there exists a small yet very real chance that they may malfunction. If such is the case, have all personnel evacuate the premises immediately and put the factory in lock down mode.

If the unthinkable were to happen, and lockdown mode is not a possibility, have security lead a certified SMC personnel to the Main Power Chamber for manual shut down. This will send a surge of arcane power that will effectively 'kill' all SMC products.

If this situation has arisen, chances are that getting to the Main Power Chamber will be difficult. As such, I have crafted some items to assist security personnel in dealing with any hostiles. These can be found in the emergency storage kit in the Lounge area. Grab them immediately and do not hesitate to use them.

In closing, I would like to thank all of you for your hard work, responsibility and dedication. Lord Bardak and myself trust you will run this place as smoothly as the dearly departed Lady Lenore would have wanted to.

I shall be coming back shortly to check on any progress.

Chief Effigy Engineer,

Tanking Greasesprocket

[TankLaser007]

"Gentlmen," Seti says waving the memo over his head as he leans against the desk, "you might want to take a look at this. Not sure if the pair of you read gnome, but it seems, at least according to one Tanking Greasesprocket -- trust me its more poetic in gnomish -- anyway according to him there should be some 'items' that have been designed to combat these constructs in an 'emergency storage kit; in the Lounge. Also if we can find out where this 'Main Power Chamber' is we can shut down all of these devices. That means we can ensure Ket-- that our friends are safe."

Seti continues to look around the desk, floor or walls for anything resembling a map or schematic of the building, as sometimes is posted in some of the more posh buildings he has been in in the Mercy.

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: You read the memo to yourself and then look at Raikou and Travis, letting them know that whoever this Tanking fellow was, he foresaw this would eventually happen.

You can take down these machines. In fact, if you can find out where the main power room is, you could shut them all down at once!

And so, you get on the task of looking around the desk, floor and walls for a map and you do find one: a torn piece of paper depicting the entire factory. However, most of it has been torn off purposely, with a few red marks jotted down in key areas.

The ink on them looks recent, unlike the map itself.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201081)

[kinem]

Travis looks at his remaining companions. Neither man hesitated to leave the others behind when the going got rough. How can I trust them now? Still, if we don't work together, failure is certain.

"Good thing you know Gnome. I guess we just have to explore at this point.

I have spells that can help knock people out without doing any permanent damage, and one chance to maybe even force a person to do things. Beyond that, we can hardly plan when we don't know what lies ahead."

ooc: Just in case it helps: knowledge (arcana) [roll0]

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: Hopefully Isobel and the others have chosen to remain safe within the Rope Trick.

These two did not give a second thought about running away, but at this point, chastising them will have to wait- this place may seem empty now, but it is only one room of who knows how many.

Then, you explain to Raikou and Seti that you have spells at your disposal to incapacitate any hostiles mentioned in that memo your guide read.

Hopefully these hostiles aren't more machines.

As for magic, clearly this place was built with arcane properties, now expended and fused into the metal hallways. It should come as no surprise if constructs have been built here.

And yes, at this point, all it would take is for the three of you to brave through that heavy metal door and explore the rest of this place.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201114)

[Niwrad]

Raikou listens to Seti read the strange note and thinks.

Ahh, gnomes. Like halflings but more nerdy.

So you're saying according to that note there we got a find this lounge to get some help fighting these clankers everywhere? And then there's a main power chamber thingy? Cool. I guess I can lead the way!

Let's go Cyrus!

With a gesture, he and Cyrus begin to fly down the hall, hopefully the others would follow.

And when Travis begins to mention his uncertainty regarding what they might need, the halfling laughs.

Cool tricks Jumpy. Guess we're improvising then. Fine with me.

[AlanBruce]

@Raikou: Gnomes.

They love jokes just like you, but as their love for pranking is oftentimes juxtaposed by their passion for artifice. In fact, the gnomes you have met during your travels have been, for the most part, dedicated mages that love to build stuff. can't get enough of it. the bigger the item, the better.

One could argue that it's a way to compensate for their short size, but who are you to scoff? after all, tales say that both halflings and gnomes are distant cousins.

But halflings are better in the short run.

And so, you head towards the grand metal door, with the cog wheel emblem on it and before you and Cyrus attempt to budge it open, gears can be heard whirring within the metal walls of the factory and with large gouts of steam, the massive door opens for all of you and remains open.

@The Party: This is one long metal corridor, with a fifteen foot ceiling and barely enough room for the three of you to walk side by side.

Rooster posters lie on the ground, some of them charred. Others remain on the walls, unevenly plastered and it is evident that something went wrong down here:

There are blood smears on the wall and floor, with a few footprints heading further down and taking left and right turns.

Sparks jump from the old electric cylinders coated in glass above, providing dwindling light and you can observe small round portholes, slightly smaller than Raikou, lined all the way down the hallway, on each side, located at the highest point of the walls.

The door you came in remains open, but that isn't what catches your attention:

The Autonomous Scout from earlier hovers ten feet above the ground and sixty feet away. Its form nearly obscured by the steam that projects from its feet, which keep it aloft.

The construct points at all four of you and begins speaking, but this isn't the same mechanical voice from before.

It's a woman's voice, somehow projected from the Scout.

"You have no business here! Who sent you? Judging by your friend earlier, the Crook, no doubt, looking to tie loose ends, is he? And I see he hires mages as well... or are you here by orders of the treacherous fowl?

Regardless of your allegiances, leave. Immediately. Only misery and pain await you if you stay. The doors are open behind you. Do the right thing and leave us alone.

You only get one such warning.""



Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201131)

[TankLaser007]

"Ellen? Lady Ellen Martell?" Seti slowly steps forward a few steps and stops in the middle of the hall his hands raised, "Please, we are not here with any ill intent, nor do we work for anyone, least of all those gutter scum rat suckers the Roosters. In fact, if I am being honest, which I am should I see another dawn, seeing those C0cks wiped off the streets of the Mercy is going to be top on my to do list." Seti relaxes his stance he lets the muscle in his body go loose, and the tension bleed away, "we, my friends and I here," he jabs a thumb back towards Raikou and Travis, "we are here to seek your help. Also some others very close to use are in need of help, and we think the only way to do that is by coming here. We do not wish any conflict with you, or anyone else here for that matter. Conflict, in general and fighting and killing in specific is rarely profitable or of benefit for anyone. Do you think we might be able to sit and speak? A parley if you will, perhaps there is a lounge or guest hall we might sit and see if we might find an amiable and mutually beneficial solution to any problems we may have?"


Everything he said is true. Move up to row 43 in the centre of the hall so that he is in front of the rest of the party and a few meters ahead of them.

[roll0] trying to open negotiations
[roll1] trying to see if the woman seems honest in her speech
[roll2] keeping on eye out for anything dangerous or possibly helpful

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: You take a look at the long hallway and notice that the small circular indentations fifteen feet above are actually tiny latches, which begin to open.

Who knows what's inside of them, but they must be very small.

The Autonomous Scout listens to your words and folds two of its arms, with the other two signaling the posters and blood on the ground.

The machine tilts its head back and a chuckle can be heard from it.

"Lady Martell? So you know my name? Tell me, stranger- what is yours and was it Clover who gave you such information? Once an assassin, always an assassin...

And in my line of work, claiming lives was very profitable. If only Clover and Kyrich had been as verbose as you, they would be standing now.

So you claim that your allegiance lies not with those double crossers? Hmmm... very well. I will give you the benefit of the doubt. If you want my help- and I cannot fathom why- find me at the end of this hallway and get past the Security Room, but I must warn you:

The machines have been already awakened and shutting them down right now is not an option. That is beyond my control now. Also, there are lives at stake here and I cannot afford to lose them both. I will attempt to make your passage through this factory as smooth as possible, but for that, you will need to find some weapons to dispose of the remaining constructs. If you have made it all the way down here, that should be very easy for you.

Meet me at the end of this hallway and proceed to the lower levels and then we shall speak. I am marking areas immediately within your vicinity that may prove of use, but you best hurry...""

It is then that the Autonomous Scout's visor turns green and glows as a shut down neon sign turns on and you can see a flashy display of pink neon that reads LOUNGE on the right side.

And then another neon sign to the left that reads in green neon INFIRMARY

The Autonomous Scout extends all four arms and several locks can be heard clicking all over the hallway.

"All the doors except for one have been opened for you. And now, I must leave to tend to my own affairs. If you are still decided to meet with me, you know what to do... good luck, for what it's worth.""


And having said that, the Autonomous Scout flies back and rounds the corner at the very end of the hallway and disappears from sight.

@The Party: As soon as the Autonomous Scout has scooted away, recrodings played in child's voices can be heard coming from the tiny latches above:

Come play with us!

Let's play tag!

What fun! Oh what jolly fun!


What are these things?


https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/9c/3a/2f/9c3a2f4df60595f32bc64231b8727f90.jpg

Knowledge Arcana to ID them


They float and hover safely above the ground, away from most of your reach and they are small- smaller than Raikou, even, but by much.

And as they giggle with a mock child's voice, red dots begin to dart around all of you, projected from their clockwork bodies.

It would seem that you're either going to have to bash these things all the way through or find an alternate solution. If Ellen is indeed saying the truth, it still will not guarantee an easy stroll through this place. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11yt07zTqlI)

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201215)




The Party
Pop Bee x6

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: You look at these tiny floating giggling machines and try and remember something...anything about them.

The SMC, as has been informed by Travis and learned the hard way above ground, was a company that produced many constructs for military application.

Yes, most of them resulted faulty, as tanking's memo indicates and many apparently were left in a test phase, with clear instructions not to be released into the public.

It would seem that not many agree with that gnome engineer. At any rate, you have heard about these guys, if only briefly.

The AP-1948 or "Pop Bee" construct is an anti-personnel security robot decided to "keep the peace" in conquered war zones.

Dimly intelligent, they have the calming voice of a child and a curiosity which many find "cute". However, when ordered or left to their own devices, they become deadly hunters chasing opponents in packs, hiding in the shadows, and catching targets off guard, utterly unaware that it is a bad time to greet targets in a friendly way... before riddling their bodies with holes.

Pop Bees work best in large groups, all about to chatter and communicate with each other.

if there is any further information to be known about these machines, it would come through trial and pain... lot's of pain.

[TankLaser007]

"Pop Bees. These little blighters like to swarm. Assuming Miss Martell was forthright the lounge is open, and assuming Travis' fanclub hasn't already looted the place and mist Greasesproket's goods are intact we may have some means of levelling the field. I am going to make a run for the lounge. If they follow me come in after, if not keep 'em busy till I get back." with that Seti takes off running towards the door marked "Lounge".


[roll0] In case needed for navigating through threatened spaces to avoid AoO

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: You let the others know what these new creatures are, swarming like the busy bees they were designed to be, fifteen feet above all of you and a few feet away, enough not to be an immediate threat.

Assuming it stings you like the Leaden Monstrosities above.

Regardless, it's quick reflexes and a nearly broken ankle as you use the smeared blood on the ground and rush and take a sliding right towards the door marked Lounge, as the Pop Bees giggle in a childish voice and you are nearly blinded by their red lights as these focus on Raikou and Travis and, before your body slams on the metal door, Ellen is true to her word and the cog wheel embedded door hisses and fumes and whirrs as it opens for you and your body, propelled by momentum, slides in, causing the door to shut behind you and then you stop.

Raikou and Travis should be able to handle those Pop Bees in the main hallway. Now, you need to make sure The Roosters didn't pluck any weapons from this room.

The stench of blood is strong in this small hallway. The metal walls have been covered in striped grey and brown wall paper, a poor attempt at making this place lively, with a few old broken benches strewn about the small hallway.

A poster hangs on a wall, lacquered in blood:


https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/retro-cocktail-lounge-vector-poster-design-promotional-one-most-popular-cocktails-bloody-mary-vintage-bar-special-32622989.jpg

By the looks of it, a sixty year old piece of cheap art. Maybe that's what they used to drink here before resorting to sewer water.

A sign has been nailed to the wall beneath it:


Class A Executive Employees Only



What's a 'Class A Employee', anyway?

But no time to muse about it, as a crunch can be heard in the room ahead, with its door wide open and three curious creatures come forth to meet you, all three have their hands and feet stained in blood and it is from them that the scent emanates the strongest:


http://orig08.deviantart.net/9a7a/f/2011/165/e/b/ichido_geisha_attendant_by_ahbiasaaja-d3ivacd.jpg

Know. (Arcana) to ID them

One of them closest to the door, looks at you and its eyes glow with blue light, speaking in a female voice:

"Another customer. Service with a smile, ladies...""

These things are fast. Faster than you, even.

The one that spoke darts towards you, its motions and stance not too different from yours, as the wall paper nearly peels off the walls from her speed and then..

A single bloody palm against your chest. A precise strike as its blue eye lenses meet your own.

The hell? This machine is doing something you do..and rather well!

9 damage plus Fortitude DC 17 or be stunned for 1 round

The other two lower their bodies and extend their arms and follow suit, with one of them running across the walls for a few seconds to gain momentum as she leaps into the air and closes her hands in a praying pose and spins her leg in the air, causing you to dodge at the last second.

Why the hell would they build these things?

The third one uses the second machine's failed attempt to distract you as it sidesteps and brings her open palm, covered in blood, against your spinal tap, attempting to shut down all movement!

7 damage plus Fortitude DC 17 or be stunned for 1 round


Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201358)



Juno x3
Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Pop Bees x6

[kinem]

Travis can't help but admire Seti's silver tongue as the man calmly asks for a meeting with the mysterious mage behind the voice - and she agrees.

I knew that Clover was a fool to charge on ahead without us, but I had hoped for better news. Kyrich was a good man.

Travis considers what he knows about the Pop Bees.

ooc: Knowledge (arcana) [roll0]

Despite Seti's cleverness, it appears that the man had not learned from Clover's mistake as he runs into the 'Lounge'.

"I say we stick together from now on!" Travis declares as he attempts to follow Seti through the doorway.

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: So Clover and Kyrich are dead...

You barely knew the warlock, but the ilumian was a good friend of yours and Hannah and everyone at the House of Knowledge. He may have seemed dour to others. Aloof, even.

But when in good company, that bald mountain of muscle was a good chap. A trustworthy soul in a place like The Mercy, where trust is but a poor man's dream.

And yet, despite your losses, Seti has managed to persuade the machine... or whoever is behind it. So you have to deal with a bunch of rogue robots? This can be done. You dealt with a few on the surface- these shouldn't be too difficult.

And then the Pop Bees come to play.

Seti was right: these things like to swarm about... and with good reason.

The AP-1948 model was designed to scout. To scout and hunt, to be more precise. These constructs have built in guns that can fire with great accuracy and deal devastating damage to targets made of flesh and bone.

And the reason why they are so efficient and dangerous is their numbers: the more there are, the higher their chance to strike a target. Pop Bees always lock on a single target and focus fire, ensuring that their chosen prey does not get up after a barrage.

As if that weren't enough, Pop Bees were crafted with the memories of professional hunters- rangers. As such, they are known to employ many tactics used by such legendary outdoorsmen.

Barring a mighty spell to wipe them all out with a single casting, Pop Bees are best dealt with adamantine weapons.

Maybe Raikou has a a way to zap these bastards off the sky, for now, it's best not to risk being riddled with holes out in this hall way and spreading your wings, you follow the rogue into the Lounge area, leaving the halfling and his familiar behind.

He should be fine.

The door opens inches away, as if sensing your presence, as the giggles of the Pop Bees are left behind, you stop and watch Seti getting his behind smacked by... robot girls?

They still make these?

Developed by the SMC as a pet project for one of their martial artist minded researchers, the Unarmed Combat Android was little more than an animated fighting dummy to test one's skill against. Covered in a dilantantoplastic outer shell, its surface was soft enough to not cause severe injury yet durable enough to take a beating.

Of course, it wasn't long before they realized that the relatively cheap units could be used as actual combat soldiers as well, and so, their programming was upgraded to take on a varied amount of missions while armed or unarmed.

The Juno appear as vaguely feminine humanoid robots with glowing blue optics on an otherwise blank face plate, expressive "ears", "horns", or "hair" which double as antenna, and uncannily articulated bodies capable of extreme flexibility.

It was said that some executive at the Company had the wizards working there rewire the Juno droids to perform massages for the fat cats during break hours.

This was never confirmed because the company was shut down quickly afterwards.

Unlike the machines met earlier, a Juno can take damage from any enchanted weapon. No need for special alloys against them.

If there are other things these constructs can do, who knows, but chances are Seti is already getting acquainted with them rather well.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201366)

[AlanBruce]

@Raikou: You watch Seti and Travis dart fro the Lounge Room and are not quick to react as the flying giggling machines hover down the hallway.

And then, a few move closer and all form a swarm as red pinpoint lasers mark your entire body as Cyrus looks up at you and shrugs, not knowing exactly what is going on here.

These machines begin giggling in childish voices as tiny turrets begin to aim at you.

Play with us!

Dodge! Dodge!

Jump! Jump!

Dance! Dance!

Before you figure out what they mean by that, the barrage begins.

Tiny bullets shot as at deadly speed, which rip through your robes and flesh with uncanny precision.


8 damage


12 damage

The bullets ricochet against the metal walls and ceilings and you barely catch your breath as another of those Pop Bees giggles and opens another nastier barrage.

This time, Cyrus uses his own body to deflect most of the bullets as they bounce off the walls and nearly drive you deaf, but one grazes your shoulder.

10 damage

You need to get away from here! But before you have a chance to react, another one of those ghastly machines focuses right on your heart.

Watch him dance!

This shot is brutal, with the bullet going through your chest and out your back.

22 damage

8 damage

8 damage

Vision...getting... blurry...

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201368)


Juno x3
Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Pop Bees x6

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: Body unresponsive.

These machines have actually numbed your body, applying the same pressure points Spooner taught you years ago. At this point, unless you can have someone aid you, you have effectively fallen at the mercy of monk machines!

And these do not let such an opportunity go to waste.

One of them slides to a more advantageous position, effectively flanking you and assumes a combat stance, raising her left arm and lowering her right, with both palms formed into a flipper shape and then the other two adopt the same stance as their eyes flicker with blue light.

You have seen this stance before. Used in close combat by you and Spooner. Usually reserved against lone enemies when you need to pummel them quickly.

And so, a storm of fists and kicks come your way as the three begin to assault you with the dreaded Flurry of Blows!

One of the machines is quick to jab you in the stomach, nearly knocking the wind out of you.

This is followed by a round house kick to the face as your knees begin to falter.

11 damage


9 damage

The other android opposite the one that just gave you a royal beat down follows in the example and digs her sleek white metallic elbow into your cheek bone, clearly shattering it.

13 damage

Blood pours down on the metal floor as you struggle for your body to regain consciousness, but these damn machines have managed to stun you well, as your vision becomes a blur of white and red.

And then, a solid, well placed kick on your tibia, that causes your body to nearly collapse on the ground from such force.


7 damage

The third Juno droid tilts her head sideways as you stagger between her sisters and for a second there, you actually believe she feels some pity for you...

And then she leaps off the ground a few inches and barrages you with two whirlwind kicks, nearly breaking your neck!

10 damage

12 damage

@Travis: Poor Seti.

He's being treated just like the sparring dummies those machines were designed to be. Poetic Justice some may call it, but unlike them, Seti cannot be simply repaired once broken completely.

You need to find a way to save him before they decide to gang up on him again!

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201419)

Juno x3
Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Pop Bees x6

[kinem]

Travis hears the gunfire from outside the room. I hope Raikou has the good sense - and time - to get in here with us ...

This is not good. Not good at all ... they are killing him ...

With few options left at this point, Travis rushes up as he casts a new spell. He reaches out and touches Seti, and the man vanishes from sight.

"Get away when you can and find the gear. If you attack you'll reappear" Travis tells Seti with an accidental rhyme.

ooc: Cast invisibility.

ooc: Niwad is still an active player and I don't want to interfere in his business, but unless he posts in time, Raikou will join us in here.

MAP (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201421)

[Niwrad]

Owowowowowowwww!!!

Raikou cries out in pain as the machine gun bullets rip through him.

He notices both Travis and Seti fleeing into the adjoining room then looks back at the horde of flying robots. No way was he facing all of these alone...

But first, might as well leave a little something for these bees.

The halfling takes a deep breath, calls upon his arcane powers, and blasts the giggling bees with a healthy dose of thunder.

Swift action to activate ring of mystic lightning, full round action to cast the spell.

Since I can't see the map and for sake of time, Alan, if you could place the area wherever is the most optimal that would be great.
Either a 40ft cone, 20ft radius sphere, or 4 10x10 ft cubes.

All caught in the effect take empowered [roll0] (62) electricity; reflex DC 22 for half

Then, not one to be left behind, Raikou glances at the door.

Alright Cyrus, time to get out of here.

As if on queue, the elemental takes off and follows Travis into the next room, where he then turns and closes the door.

move action to fly into the room with Travis and Seti, standard action to close the door if possible?

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: These things may be tough, but how perceptive are they?

You rush towards the bloody pulp that is Seti and place your hand on his shoulder, which has a piece of bone protruding from it and intone the arcane words, causing your city guide to disappear completely from view.

The Juno Droids watch Seti vanish completely from sight and turn their blank white face plates at you, with their blue optic eyes flashing as they get ready to vent their assault on you.

They cannot see Seti- that much is clear- hopefully the rogue will know what's best for him and go find that cache of weapons mentioned in the old memo.

And that's when you hear a tremendous blast of thunder in the hallway you just came in from.

@Raikou: The entire hallway is filled with smoke and the walls have dozens of bullet indentations. These machines sure like to shoot.

You could stay and fight them, but alone, who knows if you'll have a chance. Still, you have to repay their hospitality somehow.

Cyrus knows the drill, as he begins to fly towards the door Seti and Travis went through and you begin to amass a tremendous amount of electric power around your body as you whisper into your ring and look at the Pop Bees, who once more ready their tiny turrets and aim them at you.

Come play with us!

Watch him dance!

Let's play... huh?


It is difficult to see through the electric field of destruction you have called forth, but these things, unlike those above ground don't like a storm, that much is clear, as the metal door opens for you and your familiar and you peek one last time out into the hallway and watch with satisfaction as two of the wretched machines drop on the ground and break as their metal parts still crackle with electricity.

Four remain airborne... if only slightly. Their metal bodies twitch and crackle with the remnant thunder you just invoked, spewing steam and dripping oil on the ground as their red lenses flicker on and off.

You hurt them... and you hurt them good.

With the door closing behind you, you find Travis looking at you, still with his disguise on and three new robots- girlie types.

And a bunch of blood between all three, but no Seti.

@Travis: With Seti out of sight and as far as the machines are concerned, out of mind, the Juno focus their attention on you, as they sidestep and surround you this time.

Unlike Seti, who was ill prepared, you are heavily protected, by virtue of your many spells.

The kicks and punches and swift karate chops strike your body, but you don't even have to flinch- their attacks bounce off your hardened arcane skin.

And it may be because of overconfidence that you lower your guard, if only for a second, that a single metal knee strikes your stomach.

13 damage

@Seti: You contain vomiting blood from who knows how many internal injuries and watch the machines focus on travis, who clearly never had any training like the one Spooner put you through.

And yet, with only robes and a staff, they are barely touching him! This guy is between these three assassins and he is barely getting a scratch!

And now Raikou has joined the party as well. He doesn't look that good either, with smoke coming out from several holes in his body.

But you can barely stand now as you drop on the ground and your vision begins to fade into bloody darkness...

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201425)

Juno x3
Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Pop Bees x4

[kinem]

ooc: Seti would have been down when Travis made him invisible, so Travis should still know exactly where Seti is in order to touch him again.

Ouch!

With the situation growing increasingly desperate, Travis decides he has little choice but to expend some of the few resources he still has. If only I had known what we would be in for, I could have been better prepared.

He swiftly triggers the protection offered by his heart of earth spell, and bends down to touch Seti. Confervo! he commands his healing belt to do its utmost to heal the fallen man.

"Don't blast there, Raikou!" Travis lets the Stormcaster know not to end their invisible comrade.

ooc: Swift action trigger DR 10/adamantine for 9 rounds or until it prevents 90 damage.

Healing belt [roll0]

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: These things are going to murder all of you unless you can do something... but where is Seti?

Wincing through the pain as one of the Juno androids cracks one of your ribs, you keen your sight and look at the puddle of blood where the rogue lay.

A slightly visible outline forms on the ground- he didn't get far, it would seem.

And so, immediately intoning words of arcane power, your skin transmutes to hardened rock, enough to survive the brutal kicks and punches from these constructs. And then, with a final powerful incantation, you transfer a large portion of your life force towards the grounded Seti, making sure Raikou knows not to shoot in this general area, lest your guide be blown away and charred.

@Seti: It's a gasp and a cough of blood that causes your sight to recover and you watch Travis withdrawing his hand from your chest.

The guy looks like a statue now, but whatever he did, he brought you back.

You still cannot see yourself and judging by the machines, they cannot see you either.

However, you are flat on your back and the Lounge Room is but a few feet away. You need to use Travis' distraction to get in there and find whatever Tanking left...

And hope it's enough to give you an upper hand.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201429)

Juno x3
Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Pop Bees x4

[TankLaser007]

The broken monk crawled across the floor before shakily making his way to his feet. He cast his glance around trying to find the "Emergency Kit" Greasesprocket had mentioned and hoping that there was, in fact something that might aid them.


Whatever might be applicable:
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: You muffle a grunt as you pick your broken body up and don't even look back- Travis and Raikou should be able to keep these machines busy.

Travis' spell has worked wonders. These monk machines haven;t even noticed you as you limp as fast as you can and actually enter the Lounge.

This must've been a place for relaxation, with wooden bars and leather stools surrounded by chrome. Who knows how many drinks must've been in the bar behind the counter, but they are all gone now or broken.

A few round tables have been toppled and several chairs have been broken as you follow a trail of blood and stop at the body of a recently dead man- a member of the Rooster Gang, given the tattoo on the back of his neck.

This guy has been killed recently, the back of his head punched through and exposing brain matter, pieces of shattered skull and copious amounts of blood.

It would seem he knew where to go, but didn't quite make it past these robots.

The body lies on the ground and nailed to the wall above him and at eye level of you, a metal box that has been partially opened.

A poster has been hanged above it:


http://academic.evergreen.edu/z/zaragozt/robowaitress_02.jpg

... Cool.

You open the metal box affixed to the wall and smile invisibly at the contents inside.

Metal wand with a cog drawn on it

Crossbow

adamantine arrows x30

Opaque grey crystal with a broken cog carved on the surface

Leather bound diary



There may have been more stuff here, but it would seem that someone else took other items in a hurry.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201442)

Juno x3
Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Pop Bees x4

[AlanBruce]

@The Party: Raikou is still too tired after unleashing such arcane assault on the main hallway, but it is clear that he did not dispose of all the Pop Bees...

That much is evident as the sounds of gunfire can be heard rattling against the metal door, but these walls are reinforced- they can shoot all they want, but they aren't bringing it down.

Still, the Pop Bees aren't a concern now. Seti is hopefully out of danger, but the three Juno Droids remain with you and are completely unscathed.

@Raikou: One of them looks up at you and bends her knees a bit and gains momentum as she flies several feet into the air and with unnatural grace, smacks you across the face before gently falling down on her feet and looking back at Travis.

6 damage


@Travis: Both Juno machines attempt to circle kick you once, but by now, your arcane defenses are so high, there is no chance they are getting a single hit, barring extreme luck.

And this is something both have learned all too well, as they look at each other and perform a series of back flips and face both you, Raikou and Cyrus, adopting an offensive monk pose.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201481)

Juno x3
Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Pop Bees x4

[TankLaser007]

Seti whispers the word of command bringing calling his belt of pockets, he quickly stuffs the items within, starting with the rod and crystal then the diary the bolts and crossbow he tucks beneath his clothes and makes his towards the bar, hoping to find a place to shelter while he looks over the items.


Cant' see the map but I am trying to go behind the bar if it provides cover but also move to an area where I am not far from Travis or Raikou but won't be in the line of fire should the Storm Mage cut loose.

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: You whisper the words of power and your belt reveals a myriad of hidden pouches and pockets, which you are quick to stuff with everything found in the metal box.

With Travis and Raikou keeping those machines busy, you limp as fast as you can and barrel roll behind the old mahogany bar and avoid several old broken glass shards on the ground as you lay your back against the bar and lower your head, investigating what you just retrieved.

The crossbow should come in handy, as do the bolts. these are definitely expensive and it is doubtful you could find anyone selling them in The Mercy. And if you do... they would most likely be hot and very pricey.

The crossbow itself looks of fine design. Not your regular cheap shooter. This thing has been carefully crafted, with the SMC logo branded on the side of the holster.

The wand and crystal are most likely magical, since you have seen wands before. And some in The Society are known to use crystals like the one in your hand from time to time. Expensive little relics, they are usually attached either to armor or weapons.

But what this one can do? Who knows.

And finally, you open the leather diary and take a quick skim at it.

This is old. The dates vary, but they are at least over fifty years old. Unlike the former memo, this is written in Common.



https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/83/01/d1/8301d18e4cdf8b72cedef074e7c3d273.jpg

Who would've thought that I, who knew nothing about machines and how they work, would become involved with Bardak and his contraptions.

It seems only like yesterday when he and I first met at the Cafeotheque in Halmathan. Love at first sight, my friends told me. Bardak was a charmer, filled with dreams about making the city the best city there ever was on all of Oerth. I laughed, of course- inwardly- I did not want to be rude when he told me about flying ships. Flying ships! That's a new one. I have seen mages fly before, but never a ship!

Starting wasn't easy. He introduced me to his colleague at the time, Edward. A noble from one of Halmathan's finest families. He too was a dreamer and a very driven man, seeking to usher forth his family's Golden Age, whatever that meant.

In the end, we got married and Bardak bought a parcel in Hope's Caress. With the dowry of his family and my own, we saw an empty lot turn into a great building with even greater dreams inside, waiting to be built.

The look of my friends when I switched from sewing and embroidery to welding and smelting! I even had Greaesprocket build me a friend to test the bigger designs- something Bardak did not approve at first but you know what they say: getting some elbow grease on you isn't that bad.

And to make sure that I was able to dispose of the dangerous ones, Tanking crafted a few gadgets for me. These will make sure even a machine hurts. How did the guy do it? I do not know, but as long as he keeps building stuff for the company, I am more than happy to test drive them.

In the end, we were able to root out the dangerous and faulty designs and keep the good ones to help the city.

Although, as of late, my time in the factory hasn't been the best. I've caught something Highfather Jace refers to as Rust Lung and has suggested that I stay away from the factory until I can feel better.

I just might do that... after a few more test trials, of course. What's a little cough, after all?

We are doing great things here and I will not abandon my husband to do all that hard work on his own.




Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201486)

Juno x3
Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Pop Bees x4

[kinem]

"Raikou? Blast 'em!"

Travis backs away from the nearest construct and towards the wall, and sends a blob of acid towards the thing. But the stormcaster could get the job done a lot faster, I hope.

ooc: attack [roll0] ranged touch, damage [roll1] acid

MAP (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201488)

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: What is taking Seti so long?

Time to test how durable these Juno Droids are against a wizard.

Sidestepping one of the female machines, you conjure forth a glob of acid and hurl it at the construct- a nice direct hit!

The Juno takes a step back and clutches its shoulder, revealing her metallic skeleton beneath the clear white material used for a skin, now corroded by your spell.

The android's eyes flicker as she assumes a martial stance, smoke whistling from her wound and looks at you.

"A dissatisfied customer? Can we do anything to improve the quality of our service?""

Who knows how long they have been down here and malfunctioning, but best not be caught off guard by their response= these things are out for blood.


Thankfully, it's been hurt. But she isn't down. Not yet.

You may have to blast a lot to take these three down on your own, assuming they don't choose to gang up on you.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201489)

Juno x3
Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Pop Bees x4

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: That last slap across the face must've left Raikou dazed, since neither he nor his familiar are assisting in the fight.

But no time to delve on his health now, as the three Juno droids come at you.

The one struck by your acid splatter is the first, sidestepping and bringing her hand towards you in a slicing motion...

Your tough stone exterior causes a small crack on her hand as this one bounces off your cheek.

Another one of these machines does a sprint and leaps into the air, spinning her legs and nearly breaking your neck, just like with Seti. Thankfully, unlike Seti, your skin is now a lot, lot tougher.

14 damage. This does not factor DR

The third machine watches her two sisters fight you and rushes forward, but she doesn't seem intent on striking you...

She's lurching forward to hold you down! Just like the monks they must've been designed after. Unlike them, this one isn't as trained, and leaves herself wide open to an attack.

vs. Juno #1. If Travis has a way to attack and deal damage to her, the grapple is negated. If Travis fails, he must beat a grapple DC 21

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201506)

Juno x3
Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Pop Bees x4

[TankLaser007]

Seti places the crystal in his jacket's pocket load's the crossbow and takes aim at one of the constructs, with the cross bow in his right hand and the wand in his left he takes a breath and let's fly a bolt at the closest construct. As soon as the quarl is loosed he ducks back down behind the bar and begins loading a second bolt.


[roll0] I can't see the map so if there is a Juno Bot 10' from a PC I shoot at that to avoid the -4 for shooting into Melee, if not than I will go for the one that is trying to initiate the grapple (if it fails) or the one that was already damaged.

[roll1]

If the attack hits I am not sure what the damage is or if there are any modifiers for the arrows or bow.

[AlanBruce]

@Seti: Travis has been completely surrounded by the Juno androids, so picking off the one that is further away at this point is impossible.

And because you haven't been able to decipher how that wand works, you keep it close and held, just in case, while aiming with your new crossbow at one of the machines and closing one eye for good aim...

The bolt fires perfectly and flies across the Lounge and into the small hallway where Travis and Raikou are engaged in battle, striking one of the machines that had already been struck by Travis earlier with acid.

Roll damage normally for a hand crossbow, which is 1d4. The extra damage, if any, will be factored by me and Seti may not know what enchantments if any are present in the weapon until one of the casters IDs the item correctly.



Of course, at that very moment, your veil disappears and you are quick to duck behind the bar, as one of the machines turns its blank faceplate in the direction of the shot.

Whether they have seen you or not, it is impossible to tell, but one thing is certain:

That bolt hurt the android. It hurt it good. Of course, the bolt was destroyed upon impact, but so was part of her shoulder as it embedded itself within its wiring and gears.


Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201518)

Juno x3
Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Pop Bees x4

[kinem]

ooc: AOO quarterstaff [roll0], damage [roll1]

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: You try and whack this machine as it invades your personal space, but the Juno android ducks at the last second and holds both your wrists with her hands, which crush your bones like a vise.

You can escape this situation- for a conjurer such as yourself, it should be exceedingly easy, but unless Raikou and Seti get in gear, you mat find yourself expending all your arcane resources on these three.

[kinem]

Travis is a fairly muscular young man by the standards of wizards, and for an adventurer, that sort of thing can come in handy. This time however, his attempt to use his quarterstaff to fend off the construct trying to grapple him fails.

A crossbow bolt flies out of the next room and strikes one of his attackers. Thanks Seti but you should have stayed invisible! he thinks.

Unsure of Raikou's ability to help and of Seti's concealment, he feels the need to change his tactics.

Swiftly teleporting out of the android's grip, he backs into the hall to the next room and casts one of the few spells he had prepared that might affect the constructs. Black rubbery tentacles spring up from the stone floor and attempt to grab the androids.

ooc: tentacles grapple [roll0], damage [roll1]

The spell is basically centered on the wall next to Juno 2.

MAP (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201522)

[AlanBruce]

@Travis: It would seem you need to do all the heavy lifting here.

You have already bent Space & Time twice on the surface of this wretched factory and you aren't even close to finding Ellen, but if this onslaught continues... you just might end up sharing Clover and Kyrich's fate.

The moment the Juno starts wrestling with you, time stops, if only for a brief second as you see yourself at the entrance to the Lounge, calling your name forth and the entire room rumbles as reality is rewritten and you appear in place of your consciousness as time is once agin allowed to flow normally.

The Juno Androids look at each other and then turn to look at you, with their blank white face plates and already plan to tumble and jump towards your location when you flick a dried piece of squid tentacle, a must for any self respecting conjurer to carry around.

The androids look at the shriveled piece of tentacle landing amidst them and tilt their heads in curiosity...

And that's when the entire room begins to shake and rumble.

Metal plates from the ground break as a field of rubbery black tentacles are called from who knows what reality and squirm and lash around with mad fury as the three Juno attempt to break free, but to no avail...

Your spell has held them tight as the tentacles wrap around their sinuous lithe bodies and crush with all their might...

But something's wrong here. Yes, they are caught. In fact, moving through this field is very dangerous now unless you can fly, something you, Raikou and Cyrus can do, but the Juno droids, with their toughened bodies, resist the crushing onslaught and kick and punch the tentacles, unaware that it will do them no good.

Still, they are caught now. All three of them. It's a matter of finishing them off before the spell expires. At this rate, they could still be ticking when the tentacles disappear.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201523)

Juno x3
Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Pop Bees x4

[Niwrad]

Nice one Jumpy!

Raikou says, congratulating Travis on the success of his magic. There was probably no better time to hit these guys than while they were stuck in those tentacles.

So first, the halfling taps his familiar, and with a swirl of air, the two ascend quickly to the max height of the room. Hopefully they would be out of reach of the robots from there.

He looks at the grappled Junobots and calls out to them.

Hey ladies! Your service is appalling. Lemme show you just what I think of it.

With that, Raikou takes aim, and fires off a blast of sonic towards the nearest Junobot.

Move action for Cyrus to fly up

Standard action for Raikou to cast sound lance.

Does [roll0] sonic damage, fortitude DC 20 for half

[AlanBruce]

@Raikou: Cyrus rises and you look below at the squirming mass of tentacles cast by Travis.

These things, string as they may be... they aren't getting freed, no matter what.

And so, addressing them for their terrible service, you call forth a mighty titan shaped lance of swirling sound and hurl it at the Juno android must hurt by bolt and glob.

The lance strikes the Juno directly, its construct nature unable to withstand such punishment as most of her sleek outer casing is ripped apart by the sonic energy and, although it is still active it looks more now like a fiber glass skeleton, with a disturbing perfectly crafted anatomy beneath that white plating.

In fact, half her face plate is gone, revealing a red lens skeletal face made of metal. Someone went through a lot of work to craft these as humanely possible, inside and out.

@The party: try as they might, those tentacles are holding them tight. You actually got them where you wanted. Now, it's a matter of disposing of them or leaving this accursed Lounge, hoping they won't follow.

Map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=201554)

Juno x3
Seti
Travis
Raikou & Cyrus
Pop Bees x4

[Niwrad]

Raikou frowns as his spell fails to completely destroy the robot.

If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again.

The halfling then conjures up a small orb of electricity, and launches it at the second Junobot.

Swift action to activate empowered spellshard. Standard to cast lesser orb.

Ranged touch attack [roll0]
If it, does empowered [roll1] (45) electricity damage