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[HighEndNoob]

"Fair enough. Removing the threat of further harm should come first. Still hope for a more ideal solution."

"Oh where are my manners! My name is Ezekiel Hessemont, or Zeke for short. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

[WunderKatze]

Raioyris rises an even cooler staff with an even cooler crow on it out of the earth.

[_DivideByZero_]

Raioyris rises an even cooler staff with an even cooler crow on it out of the earth.

Beatrice assists Raioyris in creating a crow staff that is extremely cool. He can feel the warmth draining from his hand and arm.
The attempt created several inferior staves in a starburst pattern around the original, marred black and mysteriously scorched.


"Your help will be appreciated!"


While weathering the storm, Lucene explains her plan for entering the castle:

• Zeke will request entry into the castle, to speak with the local lord and offer his skills. The party will disguise themselves as his attendants.
• Lulu's drones will simultaneously infiltrate the castle, disguised as birds by Lucene's magic.
• The drones will carry weapons and deliver them to the party in secret, once Count Doukas is located.
• The tactics afterward will vary depending on the situation.

[_DivideByZero_]

Night came by surprise. Slowly, but surely, the storm expired, but the sun had always been hidden, and now that the sky was clear it was only the twinkling of the first star in the sky which signaled nightfall.

That night was uneventful. Strange eyes peered into the came from all around, quickly dispersing as motes into the night sky. Far from human habitation, the wilderness of Marianas was mysterious and unpredictable. No two journeys were alike.


The village of Mihara stood on the horizon. Located on the banks of a creek, surrounded by sparse woodland, the village seemed out of place, with its multi-story buildings and the tall fortress located at the creek's widest, yet shallowest point, overlooking a wide bridge over a dam made of rocks and boulders.

William was staring at a picture in his hands.
"That's the one."

The gates to the fortress were humble, manned on the other side by a single guardsman at a pulley, and another who stood at a window and asked newcomers their intentions. There was no moat, nor was there a second wall within the first. The building was abnormally tall, as was everything else in the village, but the upper windows were dark, while those midway up the tower shone with the unnatural tint of fluorescent lighting.

[Caellath]

"You know, I'm fine with the plan but I'm hoping you take the necessary measures to avoid spilling innocent blood." Gilles commented as his eyes took in the scene, spending a good bit of time on the guardsmen.

[AzyWng]

"I wonder what's going on in the middle floors," said Johan, as he tried to see how many floors there were.

[_DivideByZero_]

"I wonder what's going on in the middle floors," said Johan, as he tried to see how many floors there were.

One... two... three... four... there's sort of two levels staggered after this one... but the whole tower is about eight stories. Wow.

"You know, I'm fine with the plan but I'm hoping you take the necessary measures to avoid spilling innocent blood." Gilles commented as his eyes took in the scene, spending a good bit of time on the guardsmen.

"Of course. In fact, you should probably leave your weapons behind. Lulu's drones can't pick those up. And ditch the robot, too. It'd be difficult to paint yourself as a lowly follower."
"You sure they can't carry those?" Lulu takes off her backpack and starts unzipping it, while Lucene holds her back.
"Not out here! Let's head to an inn. We can secure what we can't bring with us."

[WunderKatze]

Raioyris follows whistling to himself. Try to see if his staff is functional by raising some spikes out of the earth or some shit. Staff stuff.

[HighEndNoob]

"Hmm, only one wall and few guards, no moat or other extra defense, tall and vulnerable to collapse. Everything else is abnormally tall, but you'd think the fortress would be less... outstanding. Yup, this man is mad."

[AzyWng]

Johan whispered to Zeke, "I wouldn't go around critiquing the security systems when there's two guards standing right there. Besides, we don't know what's inside the building itself - it could be they spent the security budget on that."

[Caellath]

"Sure, let's do that." Gilles felt uncomfortable leaving his hardsuit behind after getting used to its protective embrace, but he knew that sometimes things just don't work like you want them to.

[HighEndNoob]

"You have a point, but it's still odd. Why build a fortress tall, and not wide?" Come to think of it this entire place is abnormally tall. Odd"

[_DivideByZero_]

Raioyris follows whistling to himself. Try to see if his staff is functional by raising some spikes out of the earth or some shit. Staff stuff.

It's a staff. It's not particularly functional, seeing that any power in it came directly from Raioyris himself, but the fact that it is of a different mineral than the surrounding earth seems to negate any interaction with the surrounding earth at all.

Touching it to the ground does not conduct any of Raioyris' thoughts without direct effort. It is not like touching the ground at all. It is almost an impediment...

"Hmm, only one wall and few guards, no moat or other extra defense, tall and vulnerable to collapse. Everything else is abnormally tall, but you'd think the fortress would be less... outstanding. Yup, this man is mad."

Johan whispered to Zeke, "I wouldn't go around critiquing the security systems when there's two guards standing right there. Besides, we don't know what's inside the building itself - it could be they spent the security budget on that."

"Sure, let's do that." Gilles felt uncomfortable leaving his hardsuit behind after getting used to its protective embrace, but he knew that sometimes things just don't work like you want them to.

The party finds an inn to store items at, temporarily.
Once hidden, Lulu takes a drone out of her backpack, and sets it to hover in the air as she tries to hang several items from it. Two of them seem to be enough to carry Solj--though with three drones total there aren't any left to carry much else.
Raioyris is asked to leave his sword and pistol behind. The knives are easy enough to conceal.

Lucene manages to create a cloud of matter around the drones, which spreads out in a vague pattern resembling a bird. "This should work, from a distance. Try to fly them away from people."

...

Returning to the castle, the knight-errant and his entourage approach the humble gates. The guards expect an introduction from Zeke himself.

Gilles follows near the horseman, his imposing figure casting doubt on who exactly is in charge.
Millenus' skin has changed from a bony white to a lightly less pale color.
Solj is being carried by two of Lulu's drones, disguised as a large raven by swirling clouds of dust. They're on the way to the upper floors.
Lulu herself is no longer wearing her armor, save for her right arm which is evidently cybernetic. She now wears a gown with large, bell-shaped sleeves to hide the arm, having the appearance of a whimsical child. Which is not far from her usual demeanor. Her helmet is gone, but her visor has returned as a contact lens, with a wire attached, leading across her temple and behind her ear.
Lucene no longer dons the fanciful cloak, wearing simple peasant garb.
William wears his usual outfit. He doesn't look too out of place.

[HighEndNoob]

"Hail, vigilant guard! I am Ezekiel Hessemont, Knight-Errant of Estilia! I am on a quest to prove myself to my city. Me and my entourage seek an audience with your lord to discuss potential job opportunities."

[_DivideByZero_]

The guard at the window sighs. Why now, read his tired eyes. The guard in the back grips the chain to open the gate, simply waiting for the call.

"You may enter, but be prepared for a long wait," says the first to the party. "The lord is currently missing, and it will take us some time to find him."

The gate creaks open, crawling into its masonwork frame.


The guards escort the party into the courtyard. A tiny space, strictly speaking for a castle, only about the size of a house. A solitary tree stands in the center, still recovering from the winter, its pink leaves just now emerging. Up above, walkways, stone stairways, and haphazardly-placed rope bridges span across the chasm many times. A skylight at the top, wide as the courtyard is on the bottom, looks like a pale window on the top, the yellow morning sky reflected off the inner walls.

A butler emerges from the far side of the courtyard. "Greetings!" he greets. "What land brings you here? You are welcome to come in. We've arranged a wonderful feasts for our guests, worthy of our generous liege!"