As soon as the purple-colored Genassi sat at the table, the far door opened. Inside strode a dwarf and a darkly-clad figure. "<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(44, 130, 201)">Please, welcome your employer, Professor Bartimesius Cragborn!</span>" Sir Wetherby announced, his hand gesturing at their stout employer. He took up the front center wall of the room. He was tall for a dwarf, over 5ft in height, with golden blond hair captured in braids down his shoulders. A thick beard covered his chest down to the large belt at his waist, braided with thick strands and held together with a metal ring near the end, emblazoned with his house crest. It was made of brass and gleamed as if with an inner light.<br/><br/>Blue eyes stared out at the party under bushy eyebrows, his face gnarled and beaten by the many years he'd lived. However, he had only one biological arm, as his right arm was a prosthetic, a brass mechanical arm with what seemed to be a boiler on the back. Every so often, little bursts of steam escaped from his shoulder where what looked like an armored pauldron sat. Pistons made up his muscles, with iron rods making the bones of his arm. Delicate fingers under what was almost a gauntlet made up his hand, each finger made of intricate, fine brass rods tied together with rings of iron and capped with rounded "fingertips". He wore a lab coat, the right sleeve removed while the other covered his muscular left arm.<br/><br/>Both of his legs were similar, brass prosthesis covered in pants but with steel "shoes" at the bottom. His feet clanked as he walked, more steam releasing from pipes coming out of his hips. His tunic under the lab coat came down to his knees, a thick belt around his hips bearing what seemed to be alchemical solutions and rifle ammunition. A large tome sat under his left arm that he easily carried, but was almost as tall as he was. Everything about him screamed inventor, from the lab coat and prosthetic limbs to everything being hand-forged by either his House inventors or by his own hands.<br/><br/>His maker's mark was on almost everything, only a few things out of his skill to manufacture.<br/><br/>"<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(251, 160, 38)">Welcome, friends. I am happy that you took up my summons. Not many have in the past, so I am anxious to begin. However, before I start, I would like to introduce our guest.</span>" The burly dwarf said, his voice gravelly and deep, a rumble that the party could feel through their feet. The person standing beside him was clad head-to-toe in black fabric, a heavy cloak about them with a hood over their head and a mask over their mouth and nose. The only features showing were slightly slanted, silvery gray eyes framed by tanned skin and shocks of white hair.<br/><br/>The figure bowed to the party. "<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(128, 128, 128)">I am Justicar Alaysa Col-Daba. I shall be accompanying you on this mission as an observer for the Justiciary.</span>" The figure said, a softly spoken feminine voice speaking out of the black-clad figure. She shifted, showing the Justiciary badge at her hip - a heater shield bearing the two-headed raven emblazoned in gold metal, a claw bearing a magic seal while the other bore their famed silver sword - and nodded briefly to the professor.<br/><br/>"<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(251, 160, 38)">She'll be along to make sure whatever we dig up isn't some pre-Everwinter magic bomb or hell-gate device that could kill us all. She will only help when needed, but will otherwise be around purely to observe. Are there any objections to her joining you?</span>" Prof. Cragborn asked, crossing his arms over his barrel chest and looking/glaring at each of the party members to hear their complaints.<br/><br/><a class="username" data-user-id="3869" data-username="Seraph" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/3869/">Seraph</a><a class="username" data-user-id="8632" data-username="EldridSmith" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/8632/">EldridSmith</a><a class="username" data-user-id="2342" data-username="Naith" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/2342/">Naith</a><a class="username" data-user-id="8531" data-username="Equusheart" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/8531/">Equusheart</a><a class="username" data-user-id="2171" data-username="Far_Beyond_Boundaries" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/2171/">Far_Beyond_Boundaries</a>