Gregory Guy, Celles Gartens and Edgric Browne:It’s been about a week and a half since that fight in the bar. Luckily, there’s been no sign of Cade or the other assailants, which is good, since you’ve been getting the task force in working order. You have added a handful of heads to the force, Kyle, the tinker you met earlier, and Davis, Megan and Nicole, a few patrol officers who handled cleanup on some of the Puppeteer sites. They know what you’re up against, and eager to bring down the worms after the terror of the Organ Thief. Elias waits in the Pen, his trial delayed indefinitely until his usefulness is worn out.
His lawyer passed on a letter from the alchemist, detailing a possible safehouse for the puppeteers. While the main squad did drills, Edgric quickly cased the place, and found that it was frequented by at least ten different individuals of a wide array of races, who all seemed to have similar tastes in hoods and cloaks. You’ve checked with your higher ups and they’ve given you the go ahead to investigate further; if it’s not Puppeteers, they figure it might be a cult.
Since they turned down Guy’s suggestion to break through the roof and beat up everyone inside, the group is staking out the unassuming house.
Browne is lurking in the cool shade on the roof of the alley overlooking the alley behind the house. He was on the morning shift, and sent word back to HQ that there was some sort of meeting today, since most of the regulars arrived. Gartens is on the street in civies, idly browsing the small street market, Kemik at her heel. Greghir and her equipment are waiting in a nearby alley with the lackeys, as you figure that this is your chance to move on the safehouse. Guy is waiting in the wings, or, rather, in the sky.
The three of you borrowed some of the Coalition’s tactical gear; each wears an Earring of Message (which allows the wearer to cast Message as a first level caster, with a high enough UMD check, of course). However, Guy is out of range, as to avoid detection, so the three of you also carry Wands of Dancing Lights to signal him.
From your stakeouts, you figure that there’s about eight heads inside.
It is currently a few hours after noon.
(Spot rolls… Opposed rolls...)
Guy notices a black dot approaching the house.
Gartens sees a dark cloaked figure making a b-line to the house, but stares a bit too openly, causing the figure to look in her direction. She can’t make out anything underneath its billowing hood, but the way the shadows play under its hood is all wrong. It hurries on its way, nearing the door. It should go without saying that the cloak and hood is out of place for this warm, sunny weather.
Browne, from his vantage, sees a middle-aged elf, dressed in the same robes as the other regulars, running down the alley below him, towards the safehouse. He’s certain that the elf does not see him.
Alaris Valentis: You’ve spent the last week and a half running some odd jobs and dishing out the occasional vigilante justice against petty criminals by day and performing in the Stained Brick at night.
Your first three days are rather average, but you are a master with that violin, so your average is fantastic (Perform: 8+9, 12+9, 12+9). The next two days are even better, cumulating in one of your better performances, pulling in a big crowd (14+9, 16+9). The next two days, you are recovering from a few fractured knuckles from a tussle gone wrong, and so your performances are disappointing, to both you and your audience (4+9, 4+9). However, you manage to get them healed, and are back to average the next day, and the day after, you have the best performance of your life (11+9, 20+9). The next day, however, is dismal (4+9).
Some nights, especially the bad ones, you break for a quick breath of air, where Laura Godkissed, the cleric you met on your way to Kalgena, cornered you to offer you a position on an expedition into a pocket dimension filled with undead. The promise of loot, little danger, and adventure persuaded you to make some time in your schedule.
Laura Godkissed: The last week and a half has been rather quiet. In your off time, you’ve been planning for your expedition with Matthew. He has been trying to map the pocket dimension, while you’ve been out recruiting a few adventurers for the expedition, at his suggestion. Kalgena isn’t home to many freelancers looking for work, most of whom asked for too much pay or were obviously unskilled, but you settled on two candidates, the half-elf bard you traveled to Kalgena with, Alaris Valentis, and a rather ordinary looking man who possesses quite powerful magical ability, or so he claimed. You have a feeling that he’s not being completely honest, but the demonstration he provided has convinced you of magical skill. Never the less, you feel confident with the preparations you’ve made.
Joes Arlandt: You’ve had some strange encounters in the two weeks you’ve been in Kalgena. Puppeteers, gangs, secret corporate activities, mysterious figures of possible demonic origin… it’s a bit confusing, at least morally. The letters you penned have been responded to, and the council has essentially told you to back off and not get involved. They want you onsite in case something big happens, but with that line of occupation blocked off, you have decided to put out some feelers for freelance adventuring. A rather curious woman dressed in brightly colored rags offered you a job to re-kill some undead. She seemed a little skeptical when you claimed to be a wizard, but you pulled through with an impressive display of your “magic”.
Joes Arlandt, Alaris Valentis and Laura Godkissed: Your preparations complete, you stand in a half circle around a rather plain looking doorknob, while an excited sorcerer who introduced himself as Matthew explains what is inside this door knob.
“Well, it’s not quite ‘inside’ the knob, the knob is a key, essentially. The door is the universe. You can use the key anywhere to open the door. ANYWAY, I’ve been able to map out most of the dungeon that isn’t blocked by seals.” At this, he coughs quickly, hiding a smile, before returning to his fast paced monologue. “ The entrance is guarded by two Bugbear Zombies. In general, the halls are relatively free from undead, because they travel in packs. I believe there are three main ones, each made of assorted zombies and skeletons, all following a more powerful undead. If we can avoid them, we should be fine. I’m only looking to do two things today: open up the ‘sealed’ areas,” he suppresses another chuckle, “and stop the source of these undead. Any questions?”
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Topic: The Filth of Kalgena: IC Thread. Chapter 3. (Read 53227 times)