[User]
 Only join if you playing the Beginner's Adventure Quest by DM Meathaunches and Nfidelx
NOW WITH EVEN MORE RATSSSSS!!

[User] whats good

[User] I have been summoned once again also side note wheres my son

[User] i just sent the link to the discord chat btw

[User] wassup bois

[User] Art thou a baseborn knave?

[User] Allo you good and evil nerds

[User] a&hhhhhhhrcfdg

[User] What's up guys

[User] pophhgxCBC sees rfduh jbbi

[User] The   f u c k

[User] Sorry tested magic went wrong

[User] Also dwarf whats your backstory why are you here

[User] So, once I was a young dwarf, venturing out from the mountain hold for the first time. I could employ in a band of mercenaries, who worked for the king of a tiny human kingdom called Swedesia. After 7 years in his service, I decided to go out and experience the world. Working as a roving swordsman, working for the people of the kingdoms, slaying monsters and bureaucrats alike. During this time, I was traveling through a village, I met your group. I decided I like you guys, so I went along with you. However, my soul was weak, and it soon fell to the corrupting powers of the malignant gods. One day, a vision came to me, of a great rat king known as G'norlack. He was powerful and began to unite the warring Skaven tribes of the underdark. He wished to seize control of the surface world. This was a big obstacle in my own plans, which was to conquer the world for my Malignant gods. So, as our group was in the village, I left, determined to kill G'norlack. And after 10 months in those pitch black tunnels of his domain, I succeeded. I was hunting down the last of his honour guard, when he fled for a hatch leading outside. I burst outside behind him, and he froze in fear, due to the scorpion. Taking advantage of this, I stabbed him in the back, and his body fell, I saw you guys.

[User] Neat story would you like too hear mine as well

[User] Anyway, so uh. I'm sneak attacking the scorpions leg. Can I roll to see if I hit?

[User] yes you moron

[User] Good morning you inside out cronenbergs

[User] greeting ya weakling

[User] Good evening gents

[User] helllllloooo

[User]
 [roll]#d#[/roll]Diplays cumulative results. 1d6 gives the results of 1 six-sided die, for example.
 [roll]1  d6[/roll]gives you (1d6)[ 3 ]

[rollv]#d#[/rollv]Displays individual dice results, then cumulative.
[rollv]3 d6[/rollv]gives you (3d6)[ 3 ][ 2 ][ 4 ](9)

[roll]#d#+X[/roll]Displays the cumulative results, with the added modifier (X) totalled into it.
[roll]3 d6+5[/roll] gives you (3d6+5)[ 14 ]

[roll]#d#-X[/roll]Displays the cumulative results, with the added modifier (X) subtracted from it.
[roll]3 d6-5[/roll] gives you (3d6-5)[ 6 ]

[roll]#d#b#[/roll]Diplays the cumulative results of the best of the dice (4d6b3, for example, would give cumulative results of the best 3 dice of 4 6-sided dice).
[roll]4 d6 b3[/roll] gives you (4d6b3)[ 15 ]

[rollv]#d#b#[/rollv] DOES NOT WORK! It only gives the cumulative result of all the dice, not the best # of dice. You have to do the math yourself if you want to see the best-of results, or remove the v from the roller.

[roll]#d#b#+X[/roll] DOES NOT WORK! It gets ignored.

Negatives results are possible if you give a modifier on the end that can cause a negative. The dice themselves cannot give you negative numbers, even if you were to type in d-40 or something. [roll]1d-40[/roll] will do nothing.

d0 always give you 1. 6d0 gives you 6, and so on.

Spaces are NOT your friend in the code. They will result in the whole lot being ignored.
[roll]3 d 6 + 4[/roll]

[User] What is that

[User] dice rolling

[User] Nice iiiiiiiiii

[User] try it for a test

[User] Just a me and you adventure tonight?

[User] 1d6[/roll]

[User] probably if the others dont arrive

[User] [roll0] lol it's stupid

[User]
 (1d20)[ 19 ]
dooorrrrr

[User] You try the whole dice thing

[User] the 0 counts as 1 btw

[User] Okey I have to wait 1 minute between posts and have over 10 characters so I'm doing this

[User]
 [roll]#d#[/roll]

just copy and paste

[User] [roll0] lol why

[User] I did and I keep getting that roll0 ****

[User] thats the correct way to do it replace the two # with a number

[User] Huh I did watch

[User] (2d6)[ 6 ]  help I hate character minimums

[User] I copy pasted it, turned the # into 1s and 6s and the bloody thing disappeared

[User] roll]1d20[/roll]

[User]
 [roll]#d#[/roll]
edb hg


[User]
 An alteration/adaptation of ANDROMEDA BY ALED LAWLOR & PANAYIOTIS LINES © 2022 LEYLINE PRESS

 OOC THREAD HERE

Like all CivSec documents in regards to a mission, they were written rather blankly and made for tedious reading, but even those with low attention spans can eventually slog through the information. (Or get someone else to relay the important stuff.)

8 days ago, 1600: Mining Frigate  Oseberg  docks on the Goetia Penal Mining Station in stable orbit over Vestis. This vessel is a known component of the CFM, the Colonial Freedom Movement. Assumed goal was to take over the station for new recruits and resources. Contained 18 armed members of the CFM led by GEOFF GUNNARSON.

Emergency Beacon activated at 18:33 >

      {PENAL STATION GOETIA 14

  65.563,79.418  273SAG03

  18:33 AST  PRIORITY

   SOS SOS SOS
TX HSA HSA HSA
STATION UNDER ATTACK BY CFM
18 CONFIRMED HOSTILES
1 CREW WIA
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ONBOARD
SURVIVING CREW BARRICATED IN STATION
RX ACKNOWLEDGE
DATA PKT ATT

  {END TRANSMISSION}

  DOCUMENTS ATTACHED

  >CREW MANIFEST
>CORPORATE SECURITY REPORT
> ---REDACTED---
>STATION SCHEMATICS 1.00-7.00

19:01 Station lost all power, emergency life support activates.

Since then, there has been no confirmed contact with the space station. A single UNSC scout was sent to learn more about the location and found it to be dark. All but two airlocks appear to be non-functional, but once the scout docked it seems that number is down to one.

The Oseberg is confirmed to still be docked, but a preliminary scan shows that the reactor isn't functioning properly to sustain power, no life signs aboard.

You have your copy of the readout, but it doesn't look good. These penal colonies always give only the basics of their schematics to discourage breakouts ahead of schedule. Furthermore, you have 24 hours before the station goes beyond the point of no return and is doomed to enter Vestis' atmosphere.

Your current mission:

  !! Detain GEOFF GUNNARSON !!
 Restore reactor functionality.
  ---REDACTED---
 Rescue remaining penal workers for reassignment
 ALT: If reactor is unsalvagable, trigger the emergency beacon and CelsCorp will execute emergency orbital grounding.


[User]
 Gled is sleepless in his tent. His purchased army is bivouacking for the night on the edge of terra cognita. Ahead were miles and miles of unknown kingdoms, populaces surely to raise arms against him when he would be happy to just let them live. If the fools were set to die then he would be happy to oblige. If he needed to build a funeral pyre out of the whole blasted continent to bring back Ffiona - he would be happy to do so.

His eyes are red with rage, loss and the knowledge that if he closed his eyes he would see her face melting into honey. He was happy his mother was preserving Ffiona's body, but Rose made him uncomfortable. Her strange faith of flowers and dirt, after she embraced him he could still feel her presence in the back of his mind like a fly.

Suddenly a flapping of a leather tarp as someone unexpectant enters. Gled quickly draws his sword and holds it to the intruder's throat. It was his father. Gled snarls.

  What are you doing here?


[User]
 The evening draws near. The time of ascension is at hand.

For three days now, the Ko have hosted visitors from all across Mamut, with the notable exception of the Crimson Kingdom. While not everyone arrived at once, the time for the main event has come. This very midnight, the stars will reach an alignment never before seen, one which Theris declares will be quite fortuitous for what they Ko have planned. As for the nature of their coming ceremony, few among the Ko know the true details, and even fewer outsiders.

Still, that does not lessen the Ko’s hospitality. In celebration, Zinnia has invited the principle representatives of the various kingdoms for what she calls her ‘Final Feast’, held in the Towerhome’s grand feasting hall under the light of many torches. There, in close company, they are free to talk, laugh, and interact as they are wont to. Theris puts on a magic show, displaying her honed skills with sleight of hand and lunar mysticism. Onyx gathers a few of those willing for a game of riddles, each player betting that they can solve more than the rest. In short, Zinnia tries her best to recapture that feeling of unity and happiness that occasioned the very first meeting in the Towerhome all those years ago, when she herself was quite young.

Of course, things have changed since then. Tensions have risen. Alliances formed, broken, and discarded. Wars fought. Friends and family killed. Tonight, however, is not the time for such things. For now, there is food, music, and whatever other entertainments the Ko can offer.

 Spoiler: General Outline
Alright! So, decided to skip ahead past the greeting stage of everyone coming in. Assume you’ve been here for a little while. That said, currently we have several areas of interest.

Zinnia’s Table: At the front of the room, where Zinnia herself sits. Onyx has a seat, but has abandoned it in favor of…

The Winery: Laden with amphoras full of the finest wines, this table is your go-to for getting absolutely hammered. Prince Onyx is currently here, issuing a tipsy challenge to anyone. Exchange riddles and the first to fail to guess the other’s pays up. If that is not to your taste, perhaps you prefer…

The Stage: With a rotating series of Theris’ finest stageplays, interspersed with personal performances by the Ko’s high priestess herself, there is surely something here to catch your eye. From folk tales like, “The Uzii Who Punched A Mountain In Half” to high, contemplative works of art based off the collected wisdom of Thorn, you can find it all here.

[User]
 It's been sixteen years since Onyx last saw An’Uorg, but the heavy built Goliath was easily recognizable by his portly face and sneering smile. Unlike Onyx, An'Uorg had visibly aged in the almost two decades since their heist in Cook-Slab's underground casino. The Goliath was greyer, more lined, but he carried himself with a more distinguished rarified air. After returning the Kursaal without his quarry - the various Mob Bosses of the city demanded recompense with which An’Uorg paid for with his fingers. The punishment and anger did not last and "Seven-Finger" An’Uorg remained on the payroll of many of the gangs. Time passed - but Seven-Fingers did not forgive or forget and worked through the decade to betray and ousted many of his employers until it came to it that Seven-Fingers was one of the most powerful Bosses in the city.

That is the man who came by - dressed in finery, wearing a golden flower on his robe like a Boutonniere - to pay his respects to an old friend. An’Uorg sat down across from Onyx in the Winery and revealing a hand with only three fingers grabbed loosely a bottle of wine and poured himself a cup to the brink.

 Hello Onyx - It has been a while. How has time treated you?

[User]
 The Scrim are often considered a somewhat somber people by the standards of the other races of Mamut. Their demeanour can come across as dour and plain to those who do not know them well. Those who do will tell you a different story, one of a people who simply do not speak when they have nothing to say, with rich internal lives that they rarely share casually. Every action of a Scrim is considered, calmly and coolly. It is often a point of friction between them and others; their dispassionate affect is often interpreted as callousness, though the years have made them more normal to many.

Today, though, the Scrim delegation is a picture of harmony between Scrim and others. The Thunspeaker sits at Zinnia's table, their usual ostentatious gemstones notably absent. Sitting to each of their sides, leaning against them, are two older humans, the Warspeaker Arman and the "diplomat" Affel, both members of the Thunspeaker's Jouraka. Nithor's arms are gently curled about the two's shoulders, and the group sways softly to some unheard rhythm. The three hold a private conversation about nothing in particular in low murmurs, simply enjoying easy company borne of long familiarity.

Over by the Winery, Steady-Hand, newly dubbed as both Warspeaker and Champion of Light, is demonstrating a remarkable tolerance for alcohol. If her signing is a little clumsy, it does not impede communication much, thanks to her faithful translator, a quiet young basalt Scrim by the name of Holn. Dutifully, he conveys her increasingly drunken hand gestures.
 <Okay. Okay.>  She pauses.  <Whose turn is it to tell the next riddle again?

Finally, a solitary Scrim watches the stage intently. Atir, the young diplomat self-styled as First-Born of Arrakh-Rah, gazes with open rapture at the stories told on stage. All of the stories. They seem to have absolutely no sense of discrimination or preference- they lap it all up, from laughing at the low-brow comedies to making a strange grinding noise that might pass for weeping at the tragedies. Left to their own devices, they might never move again if permitted, content to watch the artistry on display.

[User]
 Karra sat in the audience for the stage plays with one of her children. Performances like this were still not familiar to her, but she found them interesting nonetheless. But it had not been her idea to watch them. Tsani, her eldest daughter, had insisted on seeing what they were about. As yet another performance ended, she cried “More! More! More!” She had inherited her father’s elven features more prominently than any of her siblings, and was remarkably beautiful.

Thaban, meanwhile, had lost interest in the acting quickly. He was drinking with the Ko-Balls that had played with his team during the past season, recounting their favorite matches together. Thaban had joined the Greenhorns and quickly become the team’s star thrower, causing the sport for the first time to truly surge in popularity among the Koxrrit. But a graceful loser he was not. He loudly voiced his displeasure at not being crowned champion despite the team’s undefeated season every time the topic came up.

The three had of course cordially greeted their hosts and introduced themselves. But they still didn’t know the Ko leadership very well. Karra had met Fosfer previously, but hadn’t seen him yet today. As such she had seen it best not to linger in Zinnia’s table for too long while she had other guests to attend to.

[User]
 Onyx has not visibly aged much, at least not to the eyes of other species. The scales of a Ko grow thicker and tougher with age, becoming rougher to the touch. However, with proper buffing and a little filing, the effect can be minimized.

He decants a small goblet of wine as he talks with An’Uorg. "A while, yes. I have been so terribly busy. You would not believe the work that witch of a mother has been making me do." He sighs and rolls his eyes. "But it's supposed to all be worth it here now. So it can't be all bad, now can it?"

They chat for a little longer as the group grows in size. The riddle game commences in earnest and Onyx says, "Oh, I do believe that is me." He clears his throat. "A house-full, a home-full, but you cannot catch a bowl-full. What is it?"

He takes a sip, looking pleased with himself.

====

The next play begins shortly after the last one ended. This time, Theris herself comes onstage, bedecked in all her finery, scales painted a myriad of shimmering colors. "Friends," she says, "Hear now the true origins of the Ko."

With her as narrator, the players emerge once more and tell the (perhaps modified) story of how the Ko were created as a slave-race to an old and cruel wizard. After suffering for years under him, a young Ko named Tangle poisoned the wizard and set the Ko free. He became the first Towermaster, ruling over the Ko in peace and harmony for many years, as did his son after him. But his grandson, Thicket, came to know that the Ko were not alone in the world. That there were many larger and grander than they. Here, the play takes an odd turn. While not overtly hostile towards anyone present, it does refer to the many monsters and dangers outside the Towerhome's borders. These words could merely refer to the Blightspawn, but the meaning is left a little ambiguous.

The play ends with Theris alone onstage once more. "And tonight begins a new chapter," she declares, "Which you will all see in due time."

[User]
 Seven-Fingers drinks his wine and looks into the empty bowl trying to divine the answer. He could gamble at dice and cards, but riddles were not his forte. He thinks longs and hard on what could fit inside a house but not a bowl? What type of house? What type of bowl? Would fire be an acceptable answer? The fire can burn down a hut but a clay bowl can hold it. With no better guess coming to his mind he ventures:

" Fire? "

[User]
 Steady-Hand continues to drink as Holn translates for her. When they finish, she almost doubles over with silent, wheezing laughter. When she is done, she signs her response to Holn to translate.

 <That is an easy riddle. It is the wind.>

[User]
 Onyx blinks several times. "Well...both those work, I suppose. The answer I had was smoke." He huffs a little, annoyed that not only was the riddle so easily guessed, it even had more answers than he had intended. "Well, I don't suppose either of you can do one better?"

=====

   ASCENSION APPROACHES

The hour came at last.

With the end of Zinnia’s last play, the time was right for the Ko to take their positions. The royal family and other assembled leaders excuse themselves and make their way to the very top of the Towerhome. Their guests are invited to watch, but the space marked out for doing so is at the tower’s base, though with a good view of the proceedings.

One by one, the Ko file out and onto the roof of the Towerhome. Stripped of all their usual adornments, they seem even smaller from this distance. A human child could overpower them in a contest of sheer strength. They are twenty in all, huddled together on the roof. They whisper to themselves, holding a conference of sorts. Then, upon some pre-arranged signal, they fall into silence. With unnaturally steady steps, they form a circle on the very edges of the roof’s tower, except for Theris. She remains in the very center. All eyes are drawn to her, which is exactly how she likes it.

The Ko playwright, poet, and high priestess of the moon scans her surroundings. Her eyes take in not just her fellow Ko, but all the eyes of all those from across Mamut who have come to witness this. Her heart flutters a bit. She takes a small breath, and a bit of fog forms by her mouth. “Showtime,” she says under her breath.

A grin spreads across her mouth and she spreads her arms wide. A faint shimmer ripples through the air, silver like moonlight. Then, she begins to dance in a strange, serpentine pattern. Hypnotizing. As light as a feather on her feet. As she does, Zinnia steps forward.

“Ever since you first came to this place,” she calls, “We have known that we were weak. We are small compared to you. We cannot run as far, fight as hard, kill as easily. When we make war, it is we who are slaughtered by the droves.”

She pauses and raises her eyes to the full moon, high above. “It has been my dream,” she continues, “for the Ko to stand on equal footing with the great races of Mamut. And now, the world has expanded once again. There are many peoples, strange and terrifying, far beyond our borders. The world is wide and dangerous, and we have been ill-prepared to face it. No longer.”

A ripple appears in the air behind her as Theris dances. She sees it and dances faster, yet faster. The Ko in the circle raise a low chant, arms raised, eyes closed. The ripple grows, warps, expands, contracts, whirls, and spins round and round and round.

Zinnia turns away from the crowd and peers right into the center of the rippling vortex. “Do you hear me?” she cries, “Oh great Sun, Moon, and all the Stars, you will hear me. Too long we have been ignored! Too long we have been the least of Mamut!”

The ripple spun yet faster and Theris still danced. Or maybe the ripple danced and Theris spun? Perhaps the whole roof of the tower spun at dizzying speed, so fast that it seemed to stand still.

Zinnia spread her arms wide. “I demand you—”

The vortex erupted. Light, color, a spectrum of cacophony erupted over the roof of the Towerhome. The Ko disappeared with nary a scream. The colors slowed and hung over them like a cloud. Then, right as it slowed almost to a standstill, one last cry from Zinnia rang out like a gong.

“My dream! Moon, monarch of the night! Stars, its children! You will make it real!”

The cloud let out a soft hiss. It collapsed inward, forming new shapes, solid shapes. It became a tangle of claws and wings and fangs and scales. They lay still for a moment, a long moment that stretched on and on. But then, they moved.

A figure rose from among the pile. Scales red as rubies, eyes glowing like flame. Taller than the tallest Goliath, though possessing a long, slender neck and an even longer tail. She held up her claws and studied them beneath the light of the pale moon. A ripple passed through her, and for just a moment, the audience could see right through her and to the stars beyond. But then, it passed.

The figure threw back its head and let out a triumphant roar. Fire sprang from her throat and lit up the night. By its flickering flames, the onlookers could see the forms of twenty other creatures, both like and unlike the first. They rose slowly, some stumbling like newborns, and each was stunning in its own way.

One had scales black as jet, but diamonds and rubies that glowed with power ran down his back. A single red diamond, larger than all the rest, pulsed rhythmically over his heart. His eyes gleamed with a gold-silver light, the colors of greed.

One had wings made of crystal and scales so fine they almost looked like smooth skin. White as the surface of the moon itself, she moved with ethereal, otherworldly grace. The light which caught and reflected off her crystal wings seemed to dance lightly, but her eyes had an unmistakable draw that compelled all to look into them.

One, however, was an image of terror. From his scales, black as well, though black as the deepest, darkest cave, to the foul vapors and a maw that spat both poison and acid, it looked as though he stepped out of a nightmare. Everything about him was designed to kill.

The others were both the same and different in their own ways. One rippled like waves on the ocean. One had eyes like the heart of a lightning bolt. They were equal parts beautiful, awe-inspiring, and terrifying at the same time.

The red one stepped to the fore and spread her forelegs wide. “ People of Mamut! ” Zinnia’s voice, though far more full and powerful, roared, “ Behold! And let our enemies tremble!”


[User]
 (Quick recap)
 Previous Posts
 How to roll
Please post here:


[User]
 Double Trouble is a military outfit in the Outer Rims region called the Grumani Sector.
Nilash III is a tropical world populated by several million Rodian, Ithorian, Khil, Chevin and near-Human settlers.
Aquilaris Minor is a water planet populated by several million aquatic species such as Mon Calamari, Selkath and Ishi Tib
Syned is an icy planet populated by Snivvian, Whipid and tough humanoids such as Zabrak. It has a larger population of approximately 20 million.
Sanrafsix is a Duros trade route planet and smuggling route planet. Duros, Chiss and spacers work here. The orbital platform and system wide navy operations
are stationed on the planet Sanrafsix and above it. Military members, mercenaries, pilots and smugglers work out of Sanrafsix.
30 million people live on and around Sanrafsix.
Sarrassia is a large planet filled with abundant and exotic chemicals and metals. It is the metallurgy and shipyard portion of the sector. It has a large population of Gand on it, bizarrely enough.
Mandalorians have settled in Sarrassia. Approximately 15 million people live here.
The Bounty Hunter's Guild for the system operates out of Sarrassia. The Force-Sensitive tradition of the Gand Findsmen are prevalent in it and its current leader is a Gand, Qarkus.

Recent rumors abound about Vagaari, a predatory slaver-species. They may hit either of these planets for slaves, though the icy planet of Syned has been discovered to be their coveted target.
Threat Level Orange has been raised from Sanrafsix and Syned and Sarrassia are on high alert. The other planets have little in the way of defending themselves and depend on Sanrafsix, Sarrassia and
Syned.

[User]
 Notable NPCs:

Skolops Repulsive, Kerkoiden Military Commander

 Spoiler

Skolops, named after a nasty stinging insect, is the military leader and president of Sanrafsix. He hires Double Trouble and other people as part of the Grumani Sector militray.
He is particularly adept at helping people in squad combat and leaves the ship based missions to handpicked people, though he is still capable of leading if need be. He runs Sanfrasix
very much libertarian, though his detractors sometimes term it "lawless." He is very plugged into the "crime so-called" elements of Sanfrasix, as he would put it.

Qarkus, Gand Pontifex Maximus of Sarrassia

 Spoiler

Hailed as the preeminent bounty hunter in the Outer Rims, Qarkus is also a celebrated leader of Gand Findsmen who received prophesies to set up a community on Sarrassia.
Though Gand rarely leave their gaseous homeworld, Qarkus has led to millions of Gand to follow him to Sarrassia. He leads the planet and the Grumani Sector's Bounty Hunter's Guild.
Qarkus is particularly fabled for being essentially impossible to kill, and always bringing his bounties back alive with minimal collateral damage. He has popularized Shock Spray Nets and Carbonite Rifles, most of them with Gand improvements to be even more effective at immobilizing people, and especially effective Stun and Ion weapons. These are mass-produced on Sarrassia by Qarkus Manufacturing. Gand serve as law enforcement and bounty hunters in the Outer Rims and all of them ultimately answer to Qarkus. He is lionized almost as a deity by the Gand of Sarrassia.

Theophilus The Dissident, Chevin Leader of Nilash III

 Spoiler

Theophilus is the leader of a group of anti-slavery Chevin on Nilash III. He was a politician who was brutally attacked and nearly killed for his abolitionist sentiments and desire to clean up the Chevin home world of Vilash of corruption. He led a band of Chevin who were fed up with the unsavory and criminal way of life in Chevin worlds and works with the utmost fidelity and morality in the Grumani Sector. Nilash III is turning into a tourist colony on Grumani and the other Outer Rims worlds are starting to come here to see the flora managed by Ithorians and Khil and go on safaris held by Rodians.

Tomm Skragg, Ishi Tib Sea-Captain of Aquilaris Minor

 Spoiler

Tomm Skragg is a long time seafarer and spacefarer who went to Aquilarius Minor to hunt its fabled sea monsters. He wound up staying on the planet since it produces an outrageous quantity of stupendously nutrient deep sea fish and kelp "superfoods" that are highly nutritious and delicious to almost every known humanoid species.
He is the Kelp Kingpin of Aquilaris and the wealthiest person in the sector. Any sort of aquatic issues are dealt with by him, as well.

Tor Zakku, Snivvian Chancellor of Syned

 Spoiler

To Zakku is the leader of Snivvians, Whipids and Zabrak on the icy planet of Syned. The planet is abundant with ice-adapted life and natural resources and is self-sufficient.
This planet has large amounts of gasses and fuels that are used in almost all aspects of life, particularly weaponry, and military hardware is a speciality of the planet.
Tor Zakku loves to gamble and the planet has a large number of casinos on it frequented by snivvian and whipid and zabrak. The planet also produces a large amount of alcohol and luxury goods.


[User]
 One Minute Since You Were Abandoned On Cyre

The low roar of the transport ship's engines have attracted the attention of the planet's inhabitants and you are definitely exposed. A low roar comes from the rest, but immediately turns to a cry of pain as responding screeches erupt in the same vicinity. Everything around you, once impossibly silent, now seems to be filled with a deadly life. What do you do now?

 Spoiler: Looking Around

Beyond the shell of the Kings's Scabbard, there's nothing particularly large in the immediate vicinity. Grey tendrils litter the floor and give off the occasional twitch, belying their living nature. A small pile of corpses, their bodies ling since picked clean by scavengers, are lying next to a small escape shuttle driven deep into the ground. Thick mist fills the air, ever present on the mutated planet. Junk from a decades old war make moving around difficult and worryingly a large number seems to have been strategically placed with inhuman hands, almost to make it more difficult for prey to escape.

[User]
 As Sionnis d'Cannith's transport ship zooms off into the distance and leaves them marooned on the blasted and cursed surface of Cyre, Luka curses in Talentan,   "Glidewing dung!"   The halfling turns towards the other mercenaries who have survived Sionnis's bloody betrayal: the warforged, the green-skinned hacker...and the other Cannith heir, whom she zeroes in on:   "Cannith, I assume you knew nothing of this if you got left behind too? If we find a ship, can you repair it and take us off this planet?"   Luka has been in the Cyran scavenger business long enough that her reaction is brusque and practical.

As she speaks, the unarmored and tattooed halfling is scanning their surroundings as well, grimacing at the unnaturally twitching gray tendrils. At the sound of the roar followed by shrieks of pain, her eyes narrow knowingly. She's heard the same sequence on Talenta many times, though she has no idea what monstrosities are making the noises here on Cyre.   Predators.   Her fists clench around the handles of her wristblades.

[User]
 Luka's words shake Syvara out of her shock, her eyes narrow.   "You think I want to be here? I am..."    what was she? An heir of d'Cannith, or was she of no more value than these mercenaries. Little sense in antogonising her only allies right now.    "It doesn't matter who I am I'm stuck here along with the rest of you, let's find shelter before we become prey for whatever is out here... If we can find something not too badly damaged I may be able to do something, but I'm not a team of engineers. I can't just fabricate a starship from scrap."

Conscious of the threats around them, Syvara takes a moment to focus and raise a shield around herself.

 Spoiler: OOC

Activate Protection Field talent

[User]
 "This... this isn't real. This can't be real"

Sarin is... not doing well. The theatrically dressed hacker has her back to the outer hull of the Scabbard, looking up at the spot where Sionnis' ship had broken through the atmosphere. It's still hard for her to register what just happened. They'd been betrayed, left alone, out here. On one of the  most dangerous planets in the  galaxy  . Sparkling tears fall slowly down the tiefling's rainbow hued cheek as she continues to softly moan, almost insatiate to the words of her fellow mercenaries.   "This can't be haaaapenning..."

[User]
 "Sorry, no offense meant, Ca--Syvara,   says Luka in a conciliatory tone,   "I'm still not used to how quickly some people turn on their own tribe, where I'm from that's unthinkable."   She thinks, but wisely does not say aloud,   Unless you're dragonmarked.

She continues,   "But there's some spirits of treachery haunting this planet. That foolish war about who should be king, Darguun, Valenar, now this...anyways, your skills will almost certainly be our survival out here, so it's a blessing for us that you're with us. The Scabbard should do for a base camp, but we'd better find something smaller for you to repair. I have a few days' rations but we'd best conserve what we have. I can hunt and cook, though I can't vouch for what kind of creatures we'll find out here..."

She turns to Sarin, and says gently,   "We'll need your skills and wits to get through this too."

[User]
 The amber light that makes up Wrench's eyes flicker in the approximation of a blink as he watches the ship soar off. "  Hmm... A major malfunction has occurred in the mission. Possible reasons. Sionnis regrets hiring spare help due to how light defenses were, Sionnis has suffered a major brain malfunction, or most likely Sionnis wanted disposables. Irregardless of the reason the present situation is unfortunate.  " Frigate and himself wouldn't have to many issues surviving potential hostiles aside. There was more than enough scrap around to barricade themselves and it wasn't as if they needed to consume anything. The fleshies on the other hand... That presented an issue.

"  If I may interject, we may find something salvageable in the escape craft over yonder though the framework is probably beyond repair. Otherwise a more thorough examination of the Scabbard may be in order for remaining small craft.  "


[User]
 They call it The Plant.  It provides water and power, and, everyone says, air.  No one is quite sure when it was built, or why.  But all agree, it will serve as long as the city built around it continues to thrive.

And that was the problem.  This place was built on a desolate crossroad.  Without the Golem-cannons and the walls, it dissolve before an army like mist.  Without the ancient roads, no one would come here.  The soil nearby is too poor to grow grain, and, without the water, it would never hold Wollipedes.

This was a planned, artificial city, built in the first days after the War.  It has none of the strengths and advantages of one that grew naturally from the dark times before the coming of machines.

But that is ancient history.  The city is dying NOW.  And you must open the roads, or trade will stop.  And, without it, the city, the plant, the land itself, cannot live.

You were the greatest champions in the City, so you were sent out.  Open the roads, defeat the bandits and the monsters, and make the world safe again.

The Eternal Warrior, the Gunslinger, the Holy Man, and the Mystic Master, out on a quest.

The road beckons onward...

[User]
 Currently not wearing my mask.

 "Who are you lot then?"  Looking the group up and down trying to suss them out

[User]
 Ciel looks to the others in a slightly cold, yet calculating, expression.

 "Call me Ciel... I've never worked in a group before. Tell me, how are you in a desperate situation?"

He adjusts his headphones slightly as he looks between his new... acquaintances again and explains

 "a good way to get to know someone is to see how they react when their life is on the line"

[User] Raising an eyebrow  "Is that a Threat?"  Slightly looking forward to a fight she reach's back to grasp her mask and ready putting it on out of sight.

[User]
 Ciel, looking off into the distance, idly pulls back the bolt of his rifle and lets it slide silently back into place as he says in a calm tone
  "No, just a question. I don't make threats. That would require my target to know I'm present..."
 He then looks to the one who had spoken to him
 "But if it's that important to you then I'm willing to fight..."

[User] Moving her hand back into sight away from the hidden mask she Onyxia moves her hands out in front of her to show that she is unarmed   Not that it matters   she thinks.  " No I think that I just got what I need to know about you"  She lowers her arms to her side then stretches one out to shake  "Onyxia's the name and you like to stay hidden then?"

[User]
 Ciel looks at Onyxia's outstretched hand and after a moment cautiously takes it and shakes.

 "I like nothing about what I do... But yes. In combat I prefer to be hidden."

He takes his hand back and again adjusts his headphones ever so slightly

 "do you have any preferences in tactics?"

[User] Onyxia takes a moment, and thinks   No one knows who I am, they don't know me as the Drake   but responds with  Personally I avoid combat but I have a friend who takes care of things for me.

[User]
 Arriving late to the meetup, Adran approached the two having a conversation.  Not saying a word he stopped a few meters away.

 Spoiler

As for why he was late, gonna say he's used up one of his Channel Energies, he was at whatever counts as a hospital in the city helping out with an emergency.

[User] Gazing over to see the new arrival  "And you happen to be?"

[User] "Adran,"  he replied simply.

[User] Such a short answer makes Onyxia inquisitive.  "That it, what do you do then?"  All said while looking him up and down to see any clues about him. (Give a brief description of your look)

[User] The road wanders on, you see an inn in the middle distance of the long, wide horizon as you moves toward the mountains to the south.

[User]
 Ciel walks about fifteen feet behind the group, scanning the area as he walks with his hand resting unmoving, inches above his rifle's trigger.

 Spoiler: Perception

 (1d20+14)[ 34 ]

[User] Watching for any signs of hidden things but to intensely, only for the obvious. But mainly keeps her eyes on her new "friends". Keeping her stride in the middle where she can watch the others.

[User]
 Looking puzzled he responded,  "I do several things."   Walking at the head of the group Adran kept a steady pace, regularly looking back to see how far he was from the others.  Upon seeing the inn he reached inside his cloak checking one of his pouches before closing it again.

 Spoiler

 Adran's appearnce .

[User] This Inn was once a fueling station for cargo groundships, in the early days of machines, before more long lasting power sources became small and common.  Then, it became a way station, and it remained in that capacity until well after the War, when bandits decided that the ancient rules of hospitality and neutrality need not apply to them.  Now it is a shell.  Some people but emergency supplies in there, and sometimes traveler wait out storms, but it is usually abandoned, and never that safe.

[User] Seems nice enough, do ya think bandits could use it?    Wanting to move from sight quickly to put on her mask without anyone se begins to walk around the side of the building making an excuse   "Don't follow me, a lady need to refresh herself

[User]
 Ciel looks to her with a skeptical look.  "Okay, give a shout if you find anyone. I'll check the inside."

He then slings his rifle back as he stealthily creeps into the closest doorway.

 Spoiler: Stealth
 (1d20+19)[ 31 ]

[User] Watching the two walk away Adran shifted a bit in place.   "Then I'll just wait here?"   Glancing around he stared at the ground for a few seconds, kicking around some dirt before sitting down with his cloak between himself and the ground.

[User]
 Ciel looks inside the abandoned station.  There is nothing here now.

He looks a little closer and finds a body, a burly male gnome.  Much larger figures killed him, then dragged the bleeding body. of one of their fellows off.

The Drake looks and finds a cellar door.  It was hidden with means both magical and practical, but the enchantments are wearing down, and it was impossible to cover the hatch fully from the inside.

[User] With this sight Onyxia slides the Drake mask on to her face. Now with blue flame lapping from her flesh, the Azure Drake leans down to open the suspicious cellar door pulling at its handle.

[User]
 Ciel examines the body looking for any signs of it being some local creatures or perhaps a bandit clan he'd heard of.

 Spoiler: Roll
 Knowledge (local)
 (1d20+9)[ 17 ]


[User]
 IC Thread for the Realm of Mavcerith.
Opening post should be by rweird to describe all of the camps and his starting day in the capital.


[User]
 For the entirety of the False dawn, the people of Clann Solais, the Children of Light, had wondered what lay beyond the mountains. They lived  in  the mountains, to be sure, but there was always a higher peak to the south and west, always a blocked pass, always a part that was too cold, too high, too airless. They'd told stories of what lay beyond, of fertile fields and gardens, lush plains and shores, and all manner of fantastic creatures. But no matter how many imaginations were sparked, visiting had always been a pipe dream - until now. Rauri had ventured far and wide, and finally,  finally  reached a point where the mountains receded into a truly expansive pass. Far to the southeast she had seen more mountains still, but for the first time in her people's memory she got to see what lay beyond.

And it  was  beautiful, though not quite so fantastic as the stories held. There was somewhat less of it than she'd imagined, since it seemed that a coastline had the sea pacing its mountains in a tremendous arc, but there was still a substantial amount of land to travel. It was gorgeous, more temperate than Star's End, with creatures and plants she'd never seen before - similar to home, but not quite the same. Some of the fruits were downright exotic, and she'd made herself sick gorging on one before she could stop herself.

The most shocking discovery of all, though, was that she hadn't gotten there first. Not even close, in fact. In all the generations of campfire stories, not once had it occurred to the Children that someone else might live on the other side of the mountains. In hindsight it seemed obvious, but it was the kind of hindsight only available from the years since the end of the False Dawn. Even now, Rauri suspected that many of her kin didn't understand how  big  the world was. She had explored for four or five Star's Ends in any direction and there was no end of new land in sight, to say nothing of the many cultures she'd met at the gathering right after the Phoenix made its appearance. She hadn't even found all of them yet.

Still, no one had attacked her at that meeting, which gave her hope that these people were friendly. They looked familiar - and it was entirely possible that they'd been represented at the same meeting that had put her in touch with the Dannu-Gaon and Hiverness. So it was that she approached the largest settlement she could find, openly, and waited to be noticed as was custom among the Clan of the Wind.

[User]
 Ruari had found Summer Town a small port at the mouth of the Ka River. Rippling fields of wheat and barley grew on the outskirts and herds of horses grazed in the surrounding meadows. Brisk salty winds blew in from the ocean and she could see sea-fairing boats with simple sails in the blue distance. There were some fortifications of watchtowers and simple palisades, but the gates were open and her approached didn't provoke any challenge, nor even much attention.

For it seemed many people were arriving to the village. By boats and by road, shaní were gathering in the Summer Town, with supplies packed on their backs or carried by horses. Dogs ran by in excitement and there was a general fanfair of festiveness. Though almost everyone Ruari saw was shaní, with their copper-brown skin, long black hair and pointed ears, but there were a few other humans. They seemed to mostly be gathered near sea wharfs, tradesmen and Dreamspeakers, eagerly bargaining with the shaní in a mix of the trade tongue and a flowing melodic language that seemed to be the native speech.

The houses around the town were simple affairs, wigwams of hides over limber pole frames, as well as some more permanent huts built of stone and thatch. There were many of them and some had adornments out front, wooden windchimes carved with the Kagahara script, animal furs and woven blankets of white and blue wool, but, aside from these adornments, there seemed to be little differentiation in size or grandeur.

As she wandered through town, her appearance finally garnered some interest, though not a much surprise as she might have thought. A few people greeted her in the strange language, their voices friendly and inquisitive. When she couldn’t reply in the same tongue, they smiled said a few more words and then moved away again.

A short time later, a shaná with a heavily laden mule saw Ruari and approached purposefully, a big smile on her face. Her age was unguessable. She seemed to bare the same ageless youth and beauty of all the shaní. Her black breads fell down well past her waist and her eyes were amber in color. She greeted Ruari in the shaní language and when she could tell by the hero’s face that she couldn’t understand, the shaná switched to the western trade tonged, speaking it slowly and simply, but with gusto.

“Long days! Warm Nights, Cia!” she pressed fist to forehead and bowed, one legs crossed before the other. It was a gesture of respect and greeting Ruari had already witness a few times in this place, though this was the first time it had been accompanied by words she could understand.

“I have not nary seen ye before. Ye a new tradesmen? First time at Summer Festival? Swanny?” the shaná smiled again and tilted her head, observing Ruari’s bow, quiver, spear and the rest of her equipment. “Ye trade weapons?! Very nice,” she motioned at the bow, “Ye be a’wanting fur? Wools? I have!” she turned and took a rolled up woolen blanket from a large pack on her mule and unfurled it to show an elaborate pattern of blues and whites. “Nice yes? Best mammoth wool! Woven with such care an’ perfection.”

Before Ruari could answer there was the sound of some more people approaching and she looked over to see the group of shaní who had first tried to speak to her leading another, who was more heavily armed, with some hatchets on his belt and a long spear in hand. He looked somewhat familiar and Ruari realized that she had seen him at the Summit of Southrock, though she’d never spoken to him, nor learned his name.

Those leading him motioned to her, still speaking in their own language. He locked gazes with her and his forest green eyes showed recognition as well.

The woman with the wool was looking between Ruari and the newcomers and her smile had turned to an annoyed frown.

“Ye should move along, Yaruí. I kin this human h’aint here to barter fer yer wools. At least she is nary no ordinary tradesman off’a the summer boats.”

He then turned to Ruari and bowed deeply, pressing his first to forehead. “Long days an’ warm nights to ye, Ruari’Siah, warrior o’ the Children o’ Light. I am Tessá’Lýn scout an’ dinh guardsman fer the Winter Council. I kin ye from the Summit o’ Southrocks an’ bid yeh welcome t’ Summer Town. We in Shandolýn have heard o’ yer adventures trekking many lands yonder hither an’ far. What brings ye hither here? Ye kin to join the Festival o’ Summer?”


[User]
 Magic has always existed. There were quiet spirits sleeping in the world around us, and in the Heavens above, Hells below, and Otherworlds besides. Women and Men born under the right Stars could sometimes nudge the magic with their prayers, incantations, hexes, blessings, and rituals. And sometimes, very rarely, a spirit would awaken, an angel would be revealed, or a demon summoned.

And of course, there were the Monsters, who kept to the shadows, and would cause trouble only once in a blue moon.

But something happened. Three years ago, give or take, on All Hallow's Eve. Nobody is sure what it was, in fact, it took quite some time to even pinpoint WHEN it happened, never mind what. But the world changed. Magic came flooding into the world, stronger than ever before.

Every place that the magic touched was transformed. The darkest parts of the forests became darker, the tallest oak become a doorway to Faerie, and that coal mine that had re-opened was dug just a bit ... too ... deep.

Science, industry, and the all-mighty firearms had forced the Darkness into the corners of the world. But as the magic pulses with new power, so too do the Monsters.

Who will stand against the Monsters?

Who will be their allies? Who will be their enemies?

Will they embrace the rise of Magic or try to turn it back?

What caused the Magic tide to rise in the first place? And why?

Play to find out.

Vieques, Puerto Rico.   Located on an smaller island, 8 miles from the shore of the main island, Vieques is often thought of as a Little Sister island.  It was hit hard by Hurricane Maria and some areas of the island still haven't recovered.

The United States Navy controlled most of the island up to 2003, and their departure led to redevelopment of agriculture and infrastructure on the island, redevelopment that was set back immensely by Hurricane Maria.

As if things weren't bad enough, however, something else is threatening the families that have been building lives and betting their futures on the island.

We open up our scene at the Romero farm.  The farm specializes in goats and sheep, as do many on the island.  However, the animals have been viciously attacked lately, in a wave of animal violence.  Some of the more lurid explanations are alien dissections, but the local authorities think its wild dogs or coyotes.  The farmers themselves, though, believe whatever is behind the attacks on the animals possesses a malevolent intelligence, and have begun blaming the mythical Chupacabra for the attacks.

There are few tall trees on this part of the island, and the landscape is dry, a bit scrubby and rocky.  Goats and sheep do well here, but largely livestock would not.  The Romero farm is a smaller farm, operated by the owner, his wife, and son.  There are several other farms in the immediate area.   Electrical service is not reliable since the Hurricane, and there is no cellular service available at all here.

Two goats and a sheep are dead by the fence on the approaching edge of the property, and there are swarms of irritating flies buzzing around.

This is ground zero of the infection, infestation, possession, or curse.  Whatever it is.

It is obvious that you are in the middle of it.

 Spoiler: Mechanical Stuff
A couple of you have start of session/mystery moves to make, so let's deal with those first.
 Once those are settled, we'll move into the scene at the edge of the Romero Farm property

[User]
 Somehow, someplace, someway, Lyeo Myung-hon finds herself pushing into the midst of another mystery.  In pursuit of her mission; in pursuit of the dedication she has to eradicating that which lurks in the shadows, in pursuit of the greater goal of the Lyeo Shrinehood: to re-seal the Great Barrier and prevent the continual trickle of demons and other supernatural predators into the human world.

(It probably involved a lot of trouble for poor Brendon and Viator, all told...)

She's a gaunt young girl, wirey but with a ghostly, intense expression.  Her hair is a bright shock of white - those who knew her before her days as the Chosen One know it was black before, but it was irrevocably changed when she laid her hands on and was selected by the heirloom weapon of the Order and the Shrinehood - the  Demon Slayer,  amongst other names, which rests at her hip.  A silver chain whip laced up with numerous bladed segments, thrumming with a faint power that abhors all; maybe also its owner.  She's dressed in the Shrinehood's excessively formal hunting clothes - something akin to the garments of a shrine maiden, albeit modified for combat, with a white coat and leather fasteners.  Fastidious and impeccable, much like the no-nonsense personality of its owner.

The young huntress is kneeling by the dead, slain animals, seeming to take no particular distaste in rotten flesh or the swarm of flies buzzing about it.  She's scrutinising the scene with as keen an eye as she can manage.

 Spoiler: Actions
 Destiny's Plaything:  I'm rolling  Weird  to see what fate has in store for me... uh oh...  (2d6-1)[ 1 ]

[User]
 Viator approaches the farm slowly lagging behind Lyeo Myung-hon. His leather oxfords digging into the wet earth with every slow step. Viator always prided himself on outward appearance. First impressions were important to him. Which meant suffering in the heat with a long sleeve shirt to cover his various arcane tattoos. They helped him in combat and to channel energies, but to the uninitiated they might just see a street thug.

Approaching Myung the shocking revelation reared again in his mind, still fresh in his memory. The order sent him this assignment a few days ago, along with the standard notes and a dossier which held a secret that had been kept from him his entire life. His latest colleague in world of monsters and spirits was his younger sister, and somehow destined to play a part in the grand scheme of things. Needing more time to process this he pushes it to the back of his mind.  Focus on the current task  he thinks to himself. Recalling his orders from the Silver Shield.

 Spoiler: Roll for in good standing
 (2d6+0)[ 4 ]  Edited wording for better phrasing

[User]
 Brendon stays behind Victor and Lyeo Myung-hon as he follows them, looking around to examine their surroundings. Brendon was wearing his black square rimmed glasses, a red and green floral print short-sleeved shirt over a white T-Shirt, tan cargo shorts, and black and white sneakers. He was the kind of guy who had stayed up late at night for a lot of nights, and he had the unkempt red hair and peach fuzz that shows it.

Brendon could tell that there was something that was bothering Victor, and he also couldn't help but to notice that there was something about both Lyeo Myung-hon and Victor that he couldn't quite pinpoint. But he decided against asking. After all, they have a job to do here. So he continues examining the area.

 Spoiler: Actions
Brendon is going to  Connect the Dots

The one question I want to ask is:

 When and where will the next critical event occur?

If I get a 10 or higher on my rolls, I'll also ask:

  What does the monster want from this person?
  How does this mystery connect to the bigger picture?

Now for the rolls:  (2d6+2)[ 9 ]


[User]
 The Song of Sky and Mountain

  Galilei's face was as dark and foreboding as ever. The so-called Lord-Of-Knives, was a dour and sinister man, even on his best days, and not of an overly patient nature. Though he appeared unarmed, everyone who was anyone that had heard the name Valper Galilei knew the legendary assassin was outfitted with hundreds of near-undetectable weapons of various application. The short 4' 9'' man, smacked the absurdly large hammer with his boot, setting the heavy trigger into motion and casting the hammer-and-pin built into the spine of the weapon's head to crash forward with a loud slam sending sparks about the large stone room.   "Heavy. Crude. Loud. Just your kind'a weapon, Long-ears."   He stepped wide, and spun in a circle casting the weapon at the Rabbitfolk, which she deftly retrieved from the air with an outstretched arm, though the weight nearly bowled her over. Mr. Galilei wiped the grease from the hammer's oiled bits onto his worn brown duster coat.   "I'm not going to go easy on you, Long-ears. You want to learn to kill things, you're going to have to learn to get your hands dirty. You're silly luck-nonsense is the same as anything else. It's about stabbing faces and breaking skulls. When you're ready to get smacked around, open the door behind you."   He pointed at a large siccitite door some 40ft behind her.   "A'int nothing free. Doors' made of that burning skymetal - you want to move on, you'll need to take it down, the normal way."

 Spoiler: The Door

To advance, you must destroy the Siccitite Door. Touching the door will inflict fire-damage, and potentially set you aflame. Use your hammer to sunder the door in one attack to avoid damaging the weapon!

[User]
 Oh, what a weapon! Thank you sir..    At first La'Min's ears perk with excitement and eagerness. She could feel the weight of the haft in her hand as she appraised the glint of the Mithral metal and it's nigh-magical sheen. But her ears drooped at the notion of the door- it was, afterall, rather ominous. It was thick, sturdy, and hung in such a manner that it would not deftly be unhinged. She stopped and took a breath, exhaling all of her anxiety. She'd just have to make it work.

She shifted her weight onto her back foot and entered her Broken Blade Stance and moved away from the door, with a clear path straight to it. She took her time, aiming for the door and considering her plan- she was going to have to give one strike all it was worth. The next round, she used Momentum Crash (swift, boost) and charged for the door, breaking into a blur of incredible fast motion as she leapt the requisite 20 feet into the air (you said large, I presumed large enough) and practically dive bombed the door(diving charge). The head swung down hard as it simultaneously exhaled the breath of its inner forge in the ominous door's direction.

 Spoiler: hit and damage
 (1d20+18)[ 38 ]  to hit, for  (1d12+112)[ 121 ] + (1d6)[ 2 ] (fire)+ (2d6)[ 8 ] (falling) damage.

 Spoiler: Edit OOC
 Oh my god, my first roll was a nat 20! Ohmygod! oh frabjous day! Calloo Callay! Do the fire or fall damages get multiplied?  it's x2.

[User] (254 dmg total)

[User]
 The heavy 40ft tall door exploded in-ward. The metal shuttered and cracked before being ripped off its hinges from the wall to fall with a resounding crash to the stone ground. Galilei snorted before spitting off to the side.   "Sloppy an' barbaric, but I suppose 'hats not bad fer' an amateur. Don't get too excited about that - the door was old and rusty, but at least ya' didn't set yer'self aflame like the last kid. Step off. We got things to do."   The man turned sharply and walked directly into the wall at his side, vanishing into the shadow.

The hall was massive and long, 15ft wide and stretching onward until it was dark. Dimly lights could be seen in the distance, the slowly begun to illuminate bringing a large circular arena into view. A simple stone platform some 40ft wide, elevated 5ft off the ground, as if it were a pedestal. Mr. Galilei stood in the center with his arms crossed lighting a stick of devilweed. Though it was some 400ft off in the distance, his booming voice could be heard;    "Stop wastin' time, long-ears. I got places to be!"

He moved around the ring, tapping tiles. Golem-like figures animated from the ground. After a moment there were 6 of them, seemingly made of living metal and baring strange clock-work weapons, that hissed with steam and hummed to life.

 Spoiler: OOC

Always roll your unlocked maneuver first.
Post your:
AC:
HP:
Status Effects:

 Action Type:
Standard Action: Smack the troll with a sheep
Move Action: Run away from the troll
Free Action: Drop the sheep
Free Action: Change grip on your troll-bane bastard sword
Misc: Make a 5ft step

etc.

 Combat Begins: Round 1

[User]
 Spoiler: Rolling unlocked maneuver
 (1d10)[ 2 ]

 Spoiler: Statistics

 AC:  25,  T:  23,  FF:  15
 HP:  66
 Status Effects:  None

 Current Spells Active:  Future's Boon (4 hours duration): You may make any one d20 roll (typically a check or attack roll) twice, then take the better of the two results. The subject must choose which die roll to affect before the roll is made, at which point the spell discharges. Only one may be active at a time.

 Standard Action Round 1:   Cast Future's Boon.

 Swift Action Round 2:  Momentum's Crash: +10 damage to a successful charge attack,
 Full Round Action Round 2:  Charge Attack/ Diving Charge Attack
  Jump Check Round 2:   Will roll this.
 Strike as Part of Charge Round 2:  Steel Flurry Strike:  Make three attacks against his foe at full BAB-2. Hits do +3d6 damage per hit.
  Regular melee attack at end of Charge due to Stance  .... need to roll all of these.
 Current Stance:  Broken Blade Stance: +Level competence bonus to Acrobatics checks to avoid AoOs, and may make an additional attack at full BAB+mods when making a full attack action.

 Readied Maneuvers:
Momentum Crash ( Boost/Swift ): +10 damage to a successful charge attack.

Steel Flurry Strike ( Strike/Stand ): Make three attacks against his foe at full BAB-2. Hits do +3d6 damage per hit.

Hunting Party (	Strike/Stand ): When this strike is initiated, a successful melee attack may grant one adjacent ally who is attacking the same target an AoO against that target.

Fading Strike ( Strike/Stand ): Teleport up to base speed before or after attacking a foe.

La'Min felt uneasy at the sight of the six constructs, as she'd never faced anything like that before. The very idea of constructs was foreign to her, and she felt uncertain of how to deal with them. She realized that she was in a perfect position to make an opening for an ally, if only she had one- but since she didn't, she'd need a better plan. As she felt that the odds may be against her, she settled for casting Future's Boon and trying to position herself to be capable of using her better techniques. Once pleased with her new position, she set her sights on the nearest golem. If things went well, she knew she would likely take it out quickly. If things went poorly, she felt confident she could at least get out of there alive with that knowledge in mind.  She dashed into her iconic blur of motion and for better or for worse, unleashed the move of which was proudest- Flying Rabbit Technique.

[User]
 Spoiler: Can't edit rolls into posts, this is for my newest maneuver

Please be something usable.
 (1d9)[ 9 ]

[User]
 Spoiler: Rolls
Jump Check:  (1d20+57)[ 73 ]
Steel Flurry Strikes(16+2 from charge -2 from Steel Flurry Strikes):  (1d20+16)[ 25 ]   (1d20+16)[ 20 ]   (1d20+16)[ 34 ]
Regular Strike(16+2 from Charge):  (1d20+18)[ 24 ]

[User]
 Spoiler: Damage Rolls

Steel Flurry Strike's Damage:
Attack 1:  (1d12+72)[ 73 ] bludgeoning+ (1d6)[ 2 ] fire+ (3d6)[ 9 ] SFS+ (2d6)[ 3 ] falling +40momentum charge
Attack 2:  (1d12+72)[ 83 ] bludgeoning+ (1d6)[ 3 ] fire+ (3d6)[ 6 ] SFS+40momentum charge
Attack 3:  (1d12+72)[ 75 ] bludgeoning+ (1d6)[ 4 ] fire+ (3d6)[ 7 ] SFS+40momentum charge

Regular Melee Attack Damage:   (1d12+72)[ 76 ] bludgeoning+ (1d6)[ 3 ] fire+40 momentum charge

 Spoiler: Damage Results

Attack 1: 127=73bludgeoning+2fire+3 falling+49untyped
Attack 2: 132=83bludgeoning+3fire+46untyped
Attack 3: 126=75bludgeoning+4fire+47untyped

Regular Attack: 119=76bludgeoning+3fire+40untyped


[User]
 The sun rises over a new day, although you wouldn't be aware of such things given the tons of stone that surround you on all sides.
Built deep into the heart of Mount Irongullet, the headquarters of X-COM is a stranger to daylight but never truly sleeps.
Even in the middle of night the sound of footsteps echo through the hallways, as messengers run back and forth between the base's various chambers.

This morning seems different from those of the past month - perhaps its just your imagination but the messengers running past the door to your quarters seem more numerous today.
The air is filled with an electric excitement at odds with the almost tomb-like mood Mount Irongullet usually displays.
Something was going to happen today.

But if something was going on, the assignment would probably be given to the Alpha or Beta teams - it had been drilled into your head over and over that there was no ranking between X-COM's fireteams, that the team names were just designations as each fireteam had to be called something.  But if that was the case, why use numerical designations at all?  Such reassurances certainly did nothing to curb the competition between fireteams, and with no one actually being sent out on assignment yet, "friendly" competition and rumor-mongering were about the only things around here to do besides train and practice fighting in preparation for an enemy that no one knew anything about.

Still . . . today was going to be different.
You could feel it, and it seemed as if the mountain itself could feel it too.


[User]
 You have made your way deep into the capital city, a city sized castle that extends in all directions, the literal center of the world. The four of you are among the most powerful beings in all of existence, and yet oddly not noble. You now stand just outside the grand hall of the emperor, however today you meet with Secretary Evergreen, an older gnome. This is not uncommon, as she is the advisor directly to the emperor and in charge of all magical dealings of the Empire and thus each of the 5 kingdoms. Clearly something magical was afoot and you are meant to stop it.

 Greetings, I am glad all four of you could make it. Unfortunately I bring you dark tidings.  The gnome reaches to a belt pouch and pulls something out. Putting it in his mouth he crunches the amber stone loudly. You are all aware his addiction to maple flavored candies.  I need you to travel to Te'wo, and investigate the town of Dwarka along the inner sea. Royal informants believe a cult is there seeking to feed our world to its dark lords. Unfortunately I do not have more to provide you with, but I believe you possess sufficient skills and magics to find more evidence.

[User]
 With a bow strapped across his back larger than he is tall, Rorik Bjornson considers the gnome's words seriously.  Anything that warrants the summoning of him and the others present must be dire indeed.  Stroking his beard idly, he considers what he knows of the town of Dwarka.

 Spoiler: OOC
First roll(s) of the game, baybee.

Knowledge (Local) on Dwarka, like is it a small or large town, what is it known for, any potential hotspots of horror, or whether any new cults have popped up; assuming Local would cover it:   (1d20+49)[ 67 ]
Knowledge (Religion) on possible cults that may be around Dwarka that would be possible leads to investigate:   (1d20+16)[ 18 ]

[User]
 "Ah, that's always sad to see,"  bemoans an aged halfling with her hair in an uncomfortably tight bun.  "I'll clear my schedule. Is there a contact in Dwarka who we should meet when we arrive?"

Margo dressed for the meeting in an official-looking blue robe, worn over the silvery bodysuit that constitutes her rumpus gear. With a snap of her fingers and an unintelligible word, a quill pen and a small stack of church stationery appear in her hands. She starts writing down the notice to her acolytes of her impending absence, but stops halfway through the first word.  "Speaking of informants, is this meant to be a  secret  mission?"

 Spoiler: Stuff
She's casting Quickened Minor Creation twice. Using powerful magic for mundane tasks is a thing we can definitely expect from Margo.

If one can assist with knowledge checks, then Margo will do so. She has a bunch of copies of Expert's Insight and can take 10 on any skill she's trained in. She likes to know exactly how her actions will turn out, and so will try to use this ability pretty much all the time.

Knowledge (Local): 61, to assist Rorik's check when he brings up the subject.

Also Perception: 61 and Appraise: 73, just to notice things about Evergreen's candy. You don't get to 40 ranks in Perception by only focusing on what's obviously important. 😛

[User]
 The gnome looks down at his feet.  "We don't have a contact there any more."  Evergreen looks up at Margo.  "This mission has already proven lethal, that is part of why you are here. I would suggest keeping your location or at least your purpose secret. I fear things may become more dangerous if you do not. However under no circumstance should you reveal that this cult is a credible threat to the entire world."

 Spoiler: Knowledge results

Dwarka is a small town inhabited mostly by elves and half elf fisherman, and a few lizardman traders. It is only a few centuries old and is the result of migrants after a fire destroyed much of the nearby town Gullwing and polluted the river.

[User]
 Brak stands eye to eye with the gnome. His robes is plain and well worn, though made of good quality fabric. It is, however, strangely, not magical. In fact, to magical detection, virtually nothing he wears is magical. It is possible that he is merely hiding his magical aura, but it is also possible that he is what he appears to be, a simple blue goblin. However, he stands calm and confident in this gathering of the finest the world has to offer.

 "I can travel there, and have some ability to gather information, minor as it may be compared to others of my kind,"  he says, leaving it unsaid as to exactly what he considers himself to be 'his kind'. Blues tend to be psionic, but are not necessarily renowned for their power.

[User]
 "Why would I say that?"  Margo pipes up regarding the 'credible threat to the entire world.'  "It would be a lie. Whatever they may have done with our agents, their credibility is far from established."

Even so, she rewords her note accordingly, hoping to discourage rumors without giving anything away. She then opens up some invisible river through spacetime and sends the message to the desk of another cleric in her convent.

 "That would be appreciated, Brak. Asking around does seem like the most straightforward path at this stage,"  she says, assuming from idiomatic connotation that he means the mundane, skill-based sense of information gathering.  "Though, knowing what happened to our operatives who tried that, I don't like the idea of going anywhere alone. What's your mode of transportation? Can you take the group with you?"

[User] I am very sorry I do not have more information to give you. I have arranged for an airship to take you there. You will find it at the north dock.

[User]
 "Then let us be off,"  Rorik declares.  Fitting deed to word, he begins to make his way towards the north dock.

 Spoiler: OOC
For future reference:  Rorik will constantly be taking 10 on Perception for  73 .

He has Blindsight out to 60ft, but only for the purposes of things that have moved within the last round.  Anything that hasn't or doesn't move while within 60ft of him is not detected.

He also has Blindsense out to 400ft, Tremorsense out to 200ft, and  True Seeing  out to 100ft.

He can also see Invisible creatures as long as they are within his line of sight.

[User] "I can do a psychic version of teleportation, and I could take the whole group with me. But I am unfamiliar with the area we are going to. So it might be safest if we travel by airship, as suggested. It will also give us a lower profile than travelling by dint of my powers,"  Brak says.  "Shall we depart? I have all I need already with me, so unless one of you has need of further time, we should go as soon as possible."

[User]
 "True enough,"  Margo nods. She turns to Evergreen again.  "I believe we are ready, Secretary. Do you have a ship that you think would be better for this trip than mine? Particularly if time is of the essence?"

Evergreen probably already knows about the baroque metal contraption that the old priestess created. It clocks in at roughly twice the speed of a wild roc: pretty fast, albeit not quite on the level with some things ancient magic could accomplish.

[User]
 if you are comfortablewith your own ship, you may take it. I did not know it would be ready with supplies for such a journey.

The trip will mostly be downward decent with some travel south east. Expect to take 2 weeks.

[User]
 “It was thoughtful of you to prepare it,”   Margo says,  “but the trip should not be too long, and I can keep everyone fed in any case.”   She smiles reassuringly.  “Also, it where I keep all of my maps, and I’d rather they stay organized. I hope you understand.”

As Margo’s adamantine ship resides in the same guarded dock as the empire’s fleet, this doesn’t constitute much change of plans. It’s big enough to house the crew and their supplies and equipment, with space left over for a small chapel to the Sculptor that she uses for religious functions abroad.

She gathers the group in the small windowed room that constitutes the bridge. Either wall is decorated with meticulous maps, organized and dusted with a stylized pin on the capital dock as a you-are-here marker.

 “Alright, as we’ve noted, teleportation directly to the small town would be problematic. Ship travel directly there may be an issue as well, as they likely do not have a dock. As such, I propose we to dock in a nearby city and walk the rest of the way…”

[User] The airship is teleported a few times until it eventually arrives near greatfall port. A rather large port near the largest water fall of any continent exists. A giant cascade of water falls from the sea deep down into the abyss far bellow. Once a year the continent of Erifu passes under it seeding a number of temporary oases miles bellow.  From there the group gets an accurate description of a large city not far from your destination and teleport to it.  Now is the last chance of the group to interact with a large city life before they walk to the remote fishing village.

[User] Brak has little interest in the city, since it is not anywhere near as fascinating as Capital City. So he starts to head towards the small fishing village. He doesn't waste any of his powers, in case people can detect the use of psionics, which would blow their cover.


[User]
 The base the Silverleaf Sentinals chose is not in the nicest part of town, but for sheer space to cost ratio it can't be beat. But the front of house was now spick and span, with a professionally made (read: expensive) sign out front advertising their clan to the city.  The scent of Kirman coffee emanates from the kitchen, meeting the smell of oil from the garage to create a unique brand of aroma in the main common room. Meera has tidied the mission board so it's actually legible for the first time in weeks. What will the clan be doing today?

 Spoiler: Mission Board
 - - - Mark Hunting - - -
Requester: Various
 Dangerous monsters roam the world. People take care of most local beasts themselves but sometimes phenomena change them or a singular powerful beast emerge and more expert handling by Clans is required.
Difficulty: Easy, Medium, Hard, Extreme - monsters of all sorts await, with commensurate rewards
Time Commitment: Low
Risk: Low, but Hunter Clans are the bread and butter of the industry, it's hard to distinguish yourselves as exceptional without also taking great risks
Time Sensitive?: No, Repeatable

 - - - Magicite Mining - - -
Requester: Mystra Mining Company
 Strong backs and keen minds required to operate the magicite mines. Full training and innoculation against magicite poisoning is provided. Applicants must have wits to respond to difficulties encountered during deep dives without immediate support.
 Difficulty: Medium
Time Commitment: Heavy, magicite inoculation lasts for a month and the Company requires that full commitment to offset the costs involved
Risk: Low
Time Sensitive?: No

 - - - Gazillions of Goblins - - -
Requester: Varid Hewnstone (Mayor of Epilogue)
 Open call to all clans within a day's travel of Epilogue. A Goblin King has appeared in the eastern village area and it's minions are running riot. The police are overwhelmed and urgent aid is needed.
Difficulty:  Easy
Time Commitment: Light
Risk: Moderate - lots of clans will be involved, could get messy, but can we afford to ignore such a local incident?
Time Sensitive?: Yes

 - - - Overthrow A Tyrant - - -
Requester: Too scared to give their name
 We're under the heel of a powerful mystic warrior, I don't know what else to do. Kesswick is small, we have no way of fighting back and he has taken over everything. Please save us.
Difficulty: Hard
Time Commitment: Light-Moderate
Risk: Low
Time Sensitive?: Yes

[User]
 Cid Blackpaw
 Hrothgar Engineer
 AC: 23 HP: 36/36
 touch: 17, ff: 20, CMD: 27
 Conditions: Cybernetic (weak to electricity), Prosthetic arms (+2 to Str, +2 AC, double carry capacity, +5 to climb, CMD vs disarm)

Cid entered the kitchen with a yawn and wet eyes indicating he had just woken up. The engineer had just adjusted himself to sleeping well again. Meera hated it when he took his mechanical arms to bed as they leaked hydraulic fluids prompting Cid to wash his sheets in the middle of the night like a kid that hasn't fully grown into sleeping without diapers. But the Hrothgar missed the presence of them at night, feeling defenseless and adding to his nightmares.

The smell of coffee in the morning was like a life elixir for Cid. He clutched the mug carefully in his cybernetic arms made of metal and mesh. He had the regulation of grip strength down now, so he didn't crush food or cups in them anymore. What remained now was a reminder that he would never again feel the warmth of a cup of coffee in his hands.

Reading the posts on the board, he stretches his back and downs the piping hot mug of coffee, hastily grabbing a bottle of water to calm his now inflammated throat. He had indeed forgotten coffee could be hot. Of course, like a proper cat, he then pretended that what he was meaning to do all along.

Sitting down, like a spoiled teenager, he claimed:  Nice job posts, and finally legible, Meera. I would go for those urgent ones first, if I were to decide on my own. And honestly, buttin heads with goblins seems boring, but we might want the mayor on our good side, but that sounds like a job for you and the kittens.

I would love to break someone who thinks bullying the small guy is a good idea. So...what's for breakfast?

[User] "As always, I'm happy to go on a mission, but all that lost time I could have spent on paperwork will mean you'll need to do the next load of invoices. Your call."  Meera is perfectly polite but you know that she is also deadly serious about making you do admin.

[User]
 Cid Blackpaw
 Hrothgar Engineer
 AC: 23 HP: 36/36
 touch: 17, ff: 20, CMD: 27
 Conditions: Cybernetic (weak to electricity), Prosthetic arms (+2 to Str, +2 AC, double carry capacity, +5 to climb, CMD vs disarm)

Already accepting, that she would not make him anything to eat, Cid stands up again, preparing a warm bowl of porridge. He wasn't vegan by any means, but sometimes even a huge cat would go for the easy and filling option.

 As long as I don't have to make a failure report on your behalf, I am fine with it. I am more at ease with the kittens having your guidance. To keep Mogo from trailing off and Danyl from destroying unnecessary things.

Where are the others? Still sound asleep?  Cid asked. He enjoyed the silent morning hours but he liked his new comrades and hoped they would show up soon.

[User]
 A large yawn answered Cid's inquiry. Duncan indeed kinda overslept - it was a busy night for him tuning Ascalon yesterday. However, the delicious smell of coffee lured him out of his accomodation.
- Morning, everyone - the knight greeted the early birds, and moved towards the kitchen. Halfway there he suddenly stopped and looked at Cid.
- Say, how are you so cheerful today? I mean, we were both busy tinkering all night, and yet, you're here, early and all. What's your secret - Duncan asked, light-hearted, but clearly interested.

[User]
 Cid Blackpaw
 Hrothgar Engineer
 AC: 23 HP: 36/36
 touch: 17, ff: 20, CMD: 27
 Conditions: Cybernetic (weak to electricity), Prosthetic arms (+2 to Str, +2 AC, double carry capacity, +5 to climb, CMD vs disarm)

Cid smiled.  They say, if you're doing a job you love, you're not working a day in your life.  The large furred creature turns to face Duncan.  Plus, it helps these puppies don't get tired anymore.  He clutches his fists and smashes them together to produce a loud C L U N K. Indeed his arms were tireless, but the bioelectric converters still needed energy.

 The nice thing about fur is, you don't see the giant bags under my eyes. Next time if you understand the wiring and ceruleum processing of your old thing, we can swap and you do the fine-tuning and I will do the heavy lifting.  Cid laughed it off.  Last time you tried coupling the weapons with the movement unit. But I must say, you did a stellar job with the power converters. Usually these things are built as artillery, but your refit is nothing I have ever seen before.

[User] "Ok, oh glorious robotic leaders. What's it going to be, where are you going?

[User]
 - Eh, I wish - Duncan answered, smiling to his fellow machina entusiast. - I doubt, I'll understand something if I spend years working on it. That thing's ancient.
The knight then tried to move towards kitchen, but was stopped by Meera's voice.
- Well, for now - coffee. And after that, let's see, what we have - he approached the board. - Ugh-huh. Yeah. Yeah, No way - he mumbled, looking through the missions. - I see two urgents, so let's pick one of these - regular monsters are not going anywhere. I'd visit that "mystic warrior", but with just two of us here - it could get messy, if he's not alone there.

[User]
 Cid Blackpaw
 Hrothgar Engineer
 AC: 23 HP: 36/36
 touch: 17, ff: 20, CMD: 27
 Conditions: Cybernetic (weak to electricity), Prosthetic arms (+2 to Str, +2 AC, double carry capacity, +5 to climb, CMD vs disarm)

The yellow-furred cat looked at Meera. His face was a mixture of emotions. On one hand the joke was pretty damn funny, on the other the Hrothgar had never really thought about him being treated differently now that his body weight was at least 20% machine. He produced a strained smile and left it at that. He thought to cover up his metallic arms, but decided against it. The small joints would tear and drag cloth inside the arms. He put a shirt on now that he tore the arms off before.

 Duncan is right though. I do not know where the others went. We should probably do something small and fast for now. The tyrant thing sounds more like subterfuge and sublety, and Iron Cat and Ascalon are not the most silent.  Cid wasn't very stealthy even for a cat, but that's what a certain size carries with it.  So clobbering some goblins, I guess. They might have more juicy salvage too.

Cid financed his endeavor and part of the guild by simply picking up the worthwhile items after battle. It was often worth more than the actual monetary reward.

[User]
 As the early risers discuss their options, they hear the intermittent thud of Teibor climbing down stairs made for someone appreciably taller.  Teibor enters the common room with bleary eyes and an almost-legible ink smudge on the fur of his right cheek.  He shuffles through to the kitchen as they continue their discussion, and takes a short stool from a lower cupboard to retrieve his coffee in a too-large mug before returning to the common room.

 "Make that t..."  a wide yawn interrupts the Nu Mou before he can finish,  "two votes for the goblins.  They're right on our doorstep, after all. I'd hate to see how they'd redecorate in our absence."

[User]
 "Alright, goblins it is. I'll start the PR, but try to avoid the Heartstrings, we don't need any bad press from those posers. You two are going too, but you're on crowd control, you three are going after the King. I want his head on our mantle - deal?

Meera gets a vague 'aight' from Danyl, whilst Mogonnaise lets out a yip and his pom-pom turns green with excitement at slaughtering dozens of pesky goblins.

When you are ready, you will leave and head to the town centre where there are Goblins everywhere. Clanners are everywhere fighting them off. Now's the time to show your skill and get ahead of the pack. Danyl finishes his cigarette and immediately draws a suspicious amount of knives and launches himself at the largest group he can find.

-------
Roll initiative

[User]
 Cid Blackpaw
 Hrothgar Engineer
 AC: 23 HP: 36/36
 touch: 17, ff: 20, CMD: 27
 Conditions: Cybernetic (weak to electricity), Prosthetic arms (+2 to Str, +2 AC, double carry capacity, +5 to climb, CMD vs disarm)

Cid sighs.  Leave some for me.  He follows the mad time mage into the fray. He jumps into it too, with a twohanded uppercut.

 Spoiler
Charge (+2 atk, -2 AC), overhand chop (double strength to damage) with Iron Fist Slam.
Attack [roll]1d20+16 [/roll]
Damage  (1d8+10)[ 13 ]  +  (1d6)[ 1 ]  from Iron Fist.

[User] I'm too stupid to roll in this game:   (1d20+16)[ 32 ]

[User]
 - ...Hey, guys, any battlleplan? Tactics? - Duncan tried to reason with his more hot-headed comrades, but it looked futile. Oh, well, so he had nothing else to do, then to rush into the battle along with the others.

 Spoiler: Actions

Swift action - Shield Oath (+1 AC, +1 to attack DR 1/ -2 damage)
Charge with power attack (-2 AC +6 damage)

Attack roll  (1d20+14)[ 32 ]
Damage  (1d10+11)[ 15 ]

[User]
 Cid slams his metal fist into a group of goblins, sending them flying into the sir. Two disperse into mist and pyreflies, another two follow as Danyl, seemingly waiting for that exact moment flung two knives into their backs.

Duncan shimmers as two more goblins fall before him, just in time to see a goblin mage jump out from behind a fountain and launch a fist at him, trailing stars and the sound of goblins cackling.

------
Goblin Punch:  (d20+1)[ 19 ]  ranged touch
 (d4+3)[ 4 ]  wind damage

Perception roll from Teibor please.

[User]
 Cid Blackpaw
 Hrothgar Engineer
 AC: 23 HP: 36/36
 touch: 17, ff: 20, CMD: 27
 Conditions: Cybernetic (weak to electricity), Prosthetic arms (+2 to Str, +2 AC, double carry capacity, +5 to climb, CMD vs disarm)
 We are going straight to pound town.  Cid was happy to finally use his arms in combat. They tended to build up static if not exerted regularly, attracting all kinds of dust and hair.

 Spoiler

Attack Right  (1d20+14)[ 16 ]   Left  (1d20+14)[ 32 ]
Damage Right  (1d8+5)[ 9 ]  +  (1d6)[ 4 ]  Left  (1d8+5)[ 7 ]


[User]
 A new day dawns upon Greycove City. It's Monday once more, and the everyday citizens drag themselves out of bed, to begin another working week, while wondering how did the weekend fly past so quickly.

Like most other days, the bright rays of the sun are obscured by a acrid fog of smoke, from traffic and industry. The pallor cast over Greycove matches the city's mood, as crime continues to climb to all new highs.

 OOC: Describe Annihila's typical morning routine.

 OOC Thread

[User] As the streaks of light crept into her room Annihila stirred and slithered her way out of the apartment bedroom and into the cramped bathroom. After a nice long and hot shower she dried herself off; a long and towel consuming process due to the size of her serpentine half and wings. After cleaning up and slipping into some clothing, the dragon moves her way into the kitchen and grabs a pan and a couple of eggs. She cracks the eggs open on the pan, starts the stove and begins cooking. Taking her phone out of her pocket, Annihila makes the usual call to the police station to see if she's needed today.

[User]
 The phone rings for far too long before someone eventually picks up.   "Hello, this is Captain Clifford, please have some good news for me."

In the background you hear the ringing of countless other phones, and plenty of shouting. While this police station had never been a paragon of orderliness, things seem especially bad today.

  "Oh Annihila, it's you."   Captain Clifford lets out a long sigh.   "I take it you haven't heard the news? The mayor and some councillors embezzled the entire city budget and disappeared. There's no money for anything. The Police are getting furloughed."

[User]
 Upon hearing this, Annihila lowers the phone from her ear and looks at it in disbelief. She turns her head towards the calendar, running a claw down the dates to make sure it isn't April Fools. The mercenary scowls as she realizes this isn't just a joke. She pulls the phone back up to her ear, her mood quickly worsening.

"Captain, I'll be there ASAP so we can talk about this in person."

She hangs up the phone and quickly finishes up her breakfast before leaving her apartment and into the skies, all while she thinks about how she's going to remind the mayor and council that payment  wasn't optional .

When she arrives, she makes her way inside, flashing her identification as necessary to get inside and search out the captain.

[User]
 You fly over the city through the choking haze of pollution, past disorderly streets and the occasional burning rubble. Greycove seems to be getting worse and worse with each passing day.

As you land in front of the police station, you see a stream of officers leaving, each carrying a box of their personal belongings. Casualties of the furlough.

You walk past security, but the usual duty officer isn't there, and you easily find Clifford in his corner office, packing his items into a box.   "Oh hey Annihila, how's your day been? Would you like a drink?"

He opens his drawer and takes out a shot glass and whiskey bottle. He pours a shot, and pushes it towards you, before chugging directly from the bottle.

[User]
 Annihila catches the shot glass and downs the whisky in one smooth motion. Her face flushes a bit from the alcohol and then she set the shot glass back down.

"I'd say having the city cut off my source of income is bad way for my day to start."  tells Clifford.  "I'm going to find the council and mayor and present my case on 'how the theft of payment is not productive towards fostering positive relationships.'"  She the smile smugly, imagining for a moment how good that sounds in her mind.  She then returns to reality and looks back at the captain.

"So disappearance aside, what do we have to work with?"  the dragon asks as she takes a seat and slides the shot glass across the desk back to the officer.

[User]
 "Very little. I only received an email from Councillor Briggs, who has currently assumed the role of acting mayor."   Clifford shakes his head.   "All I know is, the Mayor - the original one, not Briggs - embezzled most of the city budget and as a result, Greycove has had to furlough almost every government employee."

He pauses and takes another swig of whiskey.   "Which unfortunately includes me. Damn that Mayor, I reckon he's enjoying the sun in some tropical paradise right about now."
  "If you want more details, go find Councillor Briggs. He should be holed up in city hall."

[User]
 "Hopefully by the end of this we'll be the ones on a nice beach."  Annihila comments.  "Well, if we both don't end up with a surplus of work after this. I'll be in contact if something comes up captain."

With that said Annihila gets out of her seat and takes her leave of the building. Once outside, she takes to the skies once again this time towards city hall. Once arriving at city hall, Annihila enters, hoping to get some quick and easy directions to Briggs.

[User]
 Annihila arrives at city hall to find that it has been placed under lock down. Outside, a horde of government employees - teachers, police, firefighters - loudly protest the furlough. They are currently peaceful, but that could change very quickly.

The front entrance was barricaded from the inside, and jammed with protesters on the outside. It looks like Annihila couldn't go in that way. She would have to think of something else.

[User] Annihila watches the crowd from the sky. Judging that they're peaceful for the moment, she circles the building looking for another way inside or at least a good place to cut her way into that the protestors couldn't easily reach.

[User] OOC: Make an Investigate Check

[User]
 Spoiler: OOC
Investigate check:  (1d20+1)[ 14 ]

[User]
 Spoiler: OOC

That falls slightly short.

You can choose to use Succeed with Cost to retry a more thorough search, at the cost of gaining 1 Fatigue. If you pick this option, you will automatically find an unlocked window without needing to roll.

Or you could try something else. E.g. pick any window and just smashing it open.

[User]
 Flying down near a window, Annihla carefully focuses her Vorpal Blade from a tip of a claw. With the most care she can manage, she tries to cut open the lock without too much damage.

 Spoiler: OOC
Dexterity roll:  (1d20-2)[ 12 ]

[User]
 Annihila tries to selectively destroy one of the window locks, but she doesn't know her own strength and winds up shattering it completely. Down below, the noise attracts the attention of some protesters, who point and stare at the dragon lady. Fortunately, the broken glass falls into the building rather than showering the onlookers outside.

With nothing left to stop her, Annihila makes her way into city hall. Following the signs, she soon finds Councilor Brigg sitting in his office, shouting at the phone.   "I'm telling you, we don't have the money! If you detonate that bomb... Hello? Hello?"

Briggs slams down the phone and buries his face in his hands.   "Damn you Mayor Waycroft!"

After a while, he looks up and spots you.   "What the? Who are you and how did you get in here?"

[User] "Annihila- I worked with the GCPD and I'm here with a bone to pick with the runaway mayor over my paycheck. Clifford said that I should talk to you about tracking him down."  the dragon says, introducing herself.  "Though, did I hear correctly that there's a bomb somewhere?"

[User]
 Briggs groaned.   "If it's your paycheck you want, then get in the queue, along with all those people."   He gestures out his window, at the protesting crowds outside.

  "As for the bomb, some nut job says they have a bunch hidden somewhere in the city, and they'll detonate it unless we pay an enormous ransom."   He shakes his head.   "Of course, we don't have any money to pay them. But I'm also not sure if they're serious or just bluffing. There hasn't been any 'demonstration' if you get my drift."

[User] "Alright, not much go off there then. That can stay on the backburner. Anyway, I'm not interested from getting payment from you. I'm interested in tracking down the Mayor and dragging him back along with the rest of council to get it out of  them . Do you have any leads I can work with?"

[User]
 Briggs rubs his chin.   "Well, I won't be able to PAY you for your efforts. But if you want to track him down, all the better for me... I mean us. All the better for us."   He gives you a pained smile.

  "I'm unsure of all the details. I've been forced to barricade myself in city hall since this whole mess started. What I can tell you is that Greycove ran out of money just this morning. I contacted the bank, and they said that the accursed Mayor Waycroft had withdrawn most of the money last Monday. That certainly explains why he's been on sudden leave this past week."   Briggs shakes his head.

  "Unfortunately, due to the disappearance of the budget, we've been forced to furlough virtually every government employee. This has consequently made it extremely difficult to investigate what's happened. However, we still have a few personnel on our payroll... sort of. Specifically, we have a bunch of unpaid interns, which I've been forced to rely upon. I've already tasked one of them to look into this case. If you really want to chase down the Mayor pro bono, perhaps you should try to work with Eileen."   He scribbles a phone number on a scrap of paper, and holds it up.

  "Speaking of which, how DID you get in? I'm pretty sure I had the place locked down tight."

[User]
 After listening, Annihila takes out her phone and adds Eileen's number into her contacts list and puts it away.  "Oh, I came in through a locked window that was out of reach of the crowd out there."  she casually comments.

"Is there anything else I should know before I leave?"

[User]
 "Nothing comes to mind."   Briggs shrugs.   "Like I said, I'm unsure of all the details myself."
  "You came in through a locked window? How does that work?"

[User]
 "I cut a way in."  Annihila casually comments as she grabs a pen from the desk. Grabbing a spare piece of paper from the desk she scrawls down her own phone number onto it and puts the pen back.

"There's my phone number in case something else comes up."

With that said, Annihila leaves out the way she came in and to a quieter place. Once found, the dragon makes a call to Eileen.

[User]
 "Wait what?You cut your way in? What do you mean..."

You run before Briggs can press for details.

*****

After a few rings, a female voice answers the phone.   "Hello?"

[User] "Hello, Eileen? I'm Annihila, I worked with the city's police department. I got word from Briggs that you're the one to talk to about tracking down the mayor. I've got my own bone to pick with him, so why don't we work together to track him down and drag him back to the city?"

[User] "Oh! Are you another unpaid intern as well?"   Eileen asks.   "To be honest I could use the help. I'm headed down to the Greycove Central Bank to ask some questions. You can meet me there in about half an hour."

[User] "Well, you could say that I am one now thanks to the Mayor. I don't have any other leads, so I'll be waiting for you at the bank. You can't miss me, I stick out."  With that said, she says her good byes and flies off to the bank to kill time for Eileen's arrival while keeping an eye out around the bank. Last thing she needs right now are people trying to steal what savings she has.

[User]
 Since the beginning of the crime wave, Greycove Central Bank has greatly tightened security. Rather than simply walking in, customers must now pass through a security check at the front entrance, complete with metal detectors and x-rays. Heavily armed guards flank the checkpoint, brandishing SMGs and keeping a watchful eye out for trouble. It seems all but impossible to rob the bank without first breaching this checkpoint.

OOC: While waiting for Eileen, do you want to wait outside, or join the security check queue to get into the bank, or try something else?

[User]
 You wait outside, away from the queuing crowds. The wall of people blocks off any sight the bank guards might have of you, and none of them notice the Dragon loitering in the back.

Unfortunately, it also means that you can't see what's going on in front either.

Suddenly you hear someone shout   "Get 'em now!"

Instantly, bursts of gunfire echo from somewhere at the front of the queue. Panicking crowds begin a stampede to get out, and you see a couple of elderly folk get trampled in the process.

 You get 5 AP for a minor Setback. Describe your actions and make a Reaction Speed Check.

[User]
 Annihila shoots an agitated glance towards the origin of the voice, her glare looking as though it could melt metal. Wasting no time, she tries to slip into the building, flying as necessary to avoid running into others.

 "Make way, coming in to solve the problem!"

 Spoiler: OOC

Reaction Speed:  (1d20+2)[ 18 ]
Persuasion Check hopefully to convince those that hear her to make it easier for her to get by:  (1d20+2)[ 5 ] ; Potentially an additional +4 from those attracted to her and a +2 from appropriate etiquette.