Feeling the urgency of the approaching red dragonflight, Kincaid glances at Rokas and throws his all into the cranking. In between ragged breaths he mutters, "Hope somebody know how to aim this thing..."
If a housecat told you to stop eating meat, would you listen to it? Terex replies to Abbo's jest, his mental voice tinged with humor... and perhaps the slightest hint of resentment. After a moment he adds, Assuming it was normal for housecats to talk, that is.
Looking up at the incoming flight of dragons, T'Krell searches his memories for any information he can dredge up about them.
He floats over to the controls for aiming the smaller multi-ballista, reaching out with his mind he begins aiming at the incoming targets. "Lyrio, keep on that alarm for now. Hylar, turn that crank there to arm it." He gestures, pointing with his spear.
"I can fire this one, maybe you should take the bigger one? I don't know that anyone can fire the big one, and this is the one I'm better trained on." He continues the cranking he was already doing.
I don't imagine you can argue with your cousins? - Abbo tries to light the mood, but his voice has an obvious sense of urgency.
T'Krell reevaluates the situation as the dragons continue to dive. "Everyone who can, let's get the big ballista aimed and primed to fire at the lead dragon. Then Hylar and Kincaid get the multi-ballista ready to hit as many of them as possible while Lyrio and Terexaltherin get the dragon-bane bolts."
I don't think I can help with carrying those bolts, Terex replies. But if one gets on the ground, I can get around behind it and surprise it with my stinger!
I mean, I could probably drag one end of a bolt if I had to, but I think anyone else in the group would be faster, and there's six of us.
Breathing heavily from the exertion of cranking the big ballista, Kincaid shouts, "Right you are, one shot from this. We need to make it count! Is somebody able to get the special bolt from the storage building?"
"Is this thing ever going to be done cranking..." Red in the face, Rokas look completely out of breath. He's been focusing on keeping up with Kincaid who is obviously more suited for the physical part of the job.
Looking up for a second, he tries to see if other emplacement manage to get a shot at any of the dragons.
Ill seek the Dragonbane ammo for the big one. - says Abbo, speeding up to get another round of ammo.
T'Krell continues directing until a single thought goes out to the crew, "Now! Fire now!
Unfortunately the shot goes wide.
Rokas look at the shot go and without noticing if it was a hit or not, he restarts the procedure to get the ballista ready for the next shot.
"We need to get has many shots has we can before they get to us."
In his mind he can hear all the advises he ever received. Don't panic, stay focused. One shot at a time and don't worry about the rest. It felt so obvious when he was being told those advises, but now that he is seeing real action for the first time, he understand it.
The group fights the flying dragons, getting singed in the process by a fireball that detonates on the launcher, but with the help of the townsfolk, they put down the smaller red dragons that landed nearby and drive off the larger flying dragons. In the skies overhead, magic spells begin to go off, reaching up to strike down dragons. Many of the smaller ones implode under dozens of magic missiles, lightning strikes take the larger ones along with black tentacles that appear in midair and balls of ice and even a few meteors that strike the truly massive ones.
After less than 10 minutes, the surviving dragons fly off to the east. Unfortunately, while the dragons are down to less than a third of their original numbers, most of those are the older beasts, and half of them have inhabitants of the city in their claws as they fly off to the east.
The next few weeks are busy times, with the squad spending much of their on and off duty time working on rebuilding efforts, the dragons did a non inconsiderable amount of damage. Although, all said, the damage was less physical than it was mental, the city is not used to flying threats of such magnitude, and the Council begins debating ways to make the city more dragon proof.
A week before the squad's muster out, they are visited by an odd drow. The drow looks to be in his early adult hood, but then, he could be 30 to 50 years old. He has a clockwork arm for his left arm, which whirrs and pings softly as he moves around. His skin is oddly miscolored, and he wears glasses with dark red lenses on his face. "Forgive me for intruding, I was informed your group performed well during the recent incursion, and that you were soon to be leaving the service. I'm sure you already have your lives mapped out, but just in case you don't, I'd like to deliver this invitation. I'm afraid I can't answer any questions bout it, I'm only supposed to drop it off." His voice is sibilant, as if he couldn't quite get his throat to work normally. He places a small wooden chest about the size of a half-loaf of bread on the squad common area table. "If you'll excuse me now..." And with that, he slips back out of the room without a further word.
The drow was an albino, although it's hard to tell. His grey skin is very sensitive to sunlight, as are his nearly colorless eyes. He must wear specially made glasses to protect his eyes during daylight hours.
The drow was Geltherian Graybane.
Geltherian is a hero of the War of the Black Horde. Geltherien, a rare breed even for a Drow, is an albino, although it's hard to tell. His grey skin is very sensitive to sunlight, as are his nearly colorless eyes. He must wear specially made glasses to protect his eyes during daylight hours.
During the war, Geltherian led a force of infiltrators that sowed vast amounts of discontent amongst the allies in the Horde. Additionally, his efforts were instrumental in destroying the seige works used by the Horde on the three surrounding mountaintops.
Unfortunately, the war left it's mark on him, costing him his left arm, and leaving him with a permanent limp and a damaged voice, both results of the final battle to destroy the last siege encampment.
Geltherien has recently taken over the Sententia Tabula, the Board of Thought, which handles Kotelian Intelligence Services. The previous Primus of the Tabula was found to be corrupt and incompetent. He was exiled, along with a dozen of his cronies.
Kincaid watches the strange looking Drow depart with a sense of curiosity. When he's gone, Kincaid looks at the others and remarks, "Well that was unexpected, I wonder what kind of work he had in mind. There's something about him, I feel like I ought to know who he was but I can't place him."
Curiosity gets the better of him and he moves to examine the small chest.
The reason his skin looked weird was that he's an albino, Terexaltherin 'says' as he hops up onto the table to get a look at the chest for himself. You're right, it feels like I've heard of an albino drow before, but I can't remember it! But let's open the chest. It's kind of a funny way to deliver an invitation, isn't it?
When Kincaid touches the chest, the metal holding it close splits open, and the lid pops up. Inside he finds a platinum chit with his name on it, similar to the copper chit he currently wears around his neck. The date on the chit indicates it is valid for another 45 days, before it expires. He also finds a small scroll with a red ribbon tied around it.
As soon as he removes these from the chest, it snaps back closed hard enough to take off a finger if he'd left one in it, and the metal reseals. It will no longer open for him.
To whomever it may concern, the bearer of this scroll is invited to the Tabula Sententia, in the First District, upon the Fourteenth of Evensward.
Terex doesn't get much of a look at the inside before it snaps shut again. He does notice that the metal that had opened previously seals back shut, as if made of liquid when it flowed to close the chest.
Rokas looks up when the newcomer enter the room. Hearing what Terexaltherin said about him, Rokas look at the drow more closely.
Albino Drow, clockwork arm... this city never ceases to amaze me.
Rokas moves closer to the chest and put his hand on it. Let's see if we can duplicate the previous reaction.
Terex notes the chest's behavior. That's definitely some significant magic to spend delivering an invitation, he comments to his squad.
He debates for just a moment. This all feels kind of funny... like this must be something dangerous and secretive to be delivered in such an unusual manner. But danger and secrets just pique his curiosity even more.
Terex waits until Rokas is done, then places one of his tiny claws on the chest.
Rokas and Terex receive similar chits, with their names on them. Terex's with a much smaller necklace chain obviously. The box behaves the same for each of them, snapping closed and resealing after chit and scroll are removed.
Kincaid rubs his chin as he considers the implications. He nods at Terex and notes, "Indeed, a simple card would have been sufficient. Whoever arranged this has a sense of style not to mention drama and apparently money to burn. I wonder if anything else will turn up?" Kincaid wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of wealthy organisations falling over themselves to woo freshly minted citizens. There was no such thing as a free lunch, they wanted something. Still it would be churlish to dismiss the offers out of hand, he resolved to judge them on their merit to society.
Terex proudly puts on the platinum chit. At least they'd arranged the magic invitation to size things correctly! Then he unrolls his tiny scroll.
He replies to Kincaid at the same time as he reads. It must be to make sure we're impressed... or maybe there's more magic to it than just making the chits and scrolls?
He frowns a bit as he finishes reading. Well that didn't say much. Just an invitation to the Ta...
Then it hits him, and he broadcasts the telepathic equivalent of his mouth hanging open in shock. It takes him only a moment to recover, at which point his surprise is replaced with a combination of excitement and pride.
Okay, the rest of you had better get your invitations, and then we can talk! Terexaltherin proclaims, impatience and an edge of humor tinting his mental 'voice'.
After reading the scroll, Rokas looks at the rest of the group. "Anyone knows what the Tabula Sententia is? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with what is in the First District."
Rokas, you ruined the surprise, Terex pouts, though the thread of humor in his thought makes it clear he's not really upset.
His next thought, however, is more serious. We shouldn't talk about it too loud, though. The Tabula Sententia are in charge of our spies and things, so we *probably* shouldn't let everyone know about this invitation.
He hops off the table and grins at the rest of the squad. In other words, they're just the kind of people I want to work for! I'll bet I'm half of why they chose us! It's not like the rest of you are *half* as good at sneaking around and getting into places as I am. His mental tone suggests this is just good-natured teasing.
Kincaid's antique fluted armor clanks as he laughs, "Who knows what the criteria are? They certainly didn't choose me for sneaking about! I can only assume they need somebody to rescue you once the inevitable happens..." There was a twinkle in his eye as he said the last.
"Sneaking? I make things go boom! I'm also not really the type to be sneaking." Rokas store the scroll and the chits in a safe place. "We'll see what they want soon enough.
Kincaid's antique fluted armor clanks as he laughs, "Who knows what the criteria are? They certainly didn't choose me for sneaking about! I can only assume they need somebody to rescue you once the inevitable happens..." There was a twinkle in his eye as he said the last.
You wouldn't be rescuing me, I would be cleverly leading them into your ambush, Terex replies, grinning back at Kincaid. One that would clearly involve some of Rokas's explosives, he adds.
Hylar takes his chit as well, and sees whether Kasha's paw similarly gets a response from the chest. Just because she's an animal companion doesn't mean they shouldn't think of these things, after all. He wondered though, what would happen to her at the end of his time of service? There was literally nothing saying that they had to release her with him, but she was almost an appendage of his as much as his rear right leg (which she often nipped at). Upon receiving his chit, he considers both the items he could purchase (requisition, whatever) and also just the prestige of gold. He would not be a third class citizen, he might even move above second class to becoming an actual person!
"Despite my hoof-falls, I am also adept at sneaking, though generally in a less urban environment. And where I lack, Kasha excels. Do you..." He drops the sentence, a bit sadder than he generally got, and asks again, "do you think they'll let me keep Kasha with me?"
Hylar's opening of the box contains two ID chits, one for him, and a second steel chit for his companion, with matching ID #'s to his Platinum, indicating the companion can accompany him to the First District.
Noting the pair of chits, Kincaid muses, "Well Hylar I think that's your answer. Kasha goes with you."
A sigh of relief exits Hylar at seeing the second chit. "It is well. I would not send her away, but sooner would I also not stay in the military." There is so much to be considered with regard to the future, but the talk of the Tabula Sententia certainly isn't taken lightly by the Alseid. "I worry if it is a publicity stunt. I have many worries. If you are all intent on going, however, I will accompany if only to hear the offer."
I share your concerns, Hylar. - Abbo's voice is heavy and deep, carrying more weight than usual - Certainly my large fur would be a great stunt to be exposed in a central square. However, I fear we must walk this path.
Terex broadcasts a mental eyeroll. You do know what spies are, right? Publicity is the exact *opposite* of what they want. It's a lot easier to do your job if people forget you exist.
Hylar is unmoved by the pseudodragon's sarcasm. "Because as noted warriors, we are the ideal spies? You perhaps, but most of the rest of us are not typical, and tend to be very noticeable. Even when sneaky."
Rokas was following the conversation from where he was studying his formula book. "And sometimes spies want to use blunt and direct weapons to stir some trouble. Mainly to distract the enemy into looking one way while they infiltrate the other side." He looks up at the group. " While this conversation could into untold amounts of speculations, all of this is moot until we know why we were summoned. So right now I'd say let's focus on finishing our service and then spend that one week with our loved ones. Cause I get the feeling that we might not see them for a while if we accept what ever they are offering."
The topic of conversation does little for Hylar, his loved ones were unknown to him, having been so long separated from them. He did not have a local family, nor could he even recall the fellows of his birth. In fact this group was more family than he would ever have, loathe though he was to admit it. That was the thing about military service, you developed bonds with your compatriots fast, as you must be able to depend on them through thick and thin.
"I should think that in a spying service, having a regular home life would be rather the best cover. Elsewise, people will wonder what you are doing with your time. You should need to have a family, a job, a life, or people will begin to consider your absence and arrivals carefully. At least the wise ones. I wonder if they shall issue us cover wives?" The last thought causes a chuckle. Military or not, they were a very testosterone laden cadre, the pronounced lack of females only emphasized by the fact that Hylar's companion was the only lady about.
Rokas is right--we don't know why they want us. Not *everyone* they work with are spies. Terex seems disappointed by this thought. They're in charge of scouts and stuff, too, I think.
He pauses a moment, then adds, I wonder if this is something to do with the dragon attack? Maybe they're commissioning extra scouts to go out and try to find out where they came from? After all, that wasn't like dragons. They don't work together like that usually outside of Kotelia. So there's *something* big going on out there, and if the Tabula Sententia doesn't know what yet, they probably really really really *want* to know what it is.
Kincaid interjects, "You know Hylar has a point actually, if we are to work for the Tabula Sententia while based in the city, a mundane cover story would make a lot of sense. Still lets not get ahead of ourselves Rokas is right, we've not yet finished our tour of duty, anything could happen."
As the group finds their way out of the central districts, they receive grins from guards, who obviously expected to see them sent back without their platinum chits, no doubt the way gossip works in the city, many people will hear about their failure to secure a job.
By the time they make it to the 4th district and find their assigned Hunter House, it's nearly dark. They have enough time to get some food and work out sleeping arrangements in the house, but not much else before dark descends. Winter is coming, and the days are shorter and shorter with each day that passes.
Their house is in an old tower that was once part of the 3rd Barrier Wall. The 3rd Barrier Wall at one time had 8 spurs shooting out 100 ft from the main wall, each with a 200ft tall tower built up to give more advanced warning. However, with the 4th and now 5th barrier walls, the tower is of limited use nowdays, and the spur was torn down for building material. The tower itself is still there, and was not being used due to it's shape and how exhausting it is to move up and down regularly to get from room to room. The entire tower is empty and full of cobwebs and dust. The first 20 ft are nothing but stairs to even reach the first floor of the tower itself, as the first 20 ft were once just walls, with an entrance from the wall. That wall is now gone, so a set of stairs spirals up 15 ft to reach the main door, which then goes up another 5 ft to the first floor.
After dark, the temperatures plunge, especially on the Look Out floor, where there's little keep the cold air out of the tower. Indeed, the group may want to stay at an inn until they can fix the tower up.
The next day, an armored naga woman slithers up to the door, and bangs on the great iron door loud enough to make it echo through the tower. When someone finally opens the door, she ducks her head under the crenellation, large slitted pupils fixing on the one to open the door. "Greetingssss. I am Salthissssssa. Please let me in ssssooo we can talk." She brushes at her armor with one hand, on that hand gleams a signet ring with 3 interwoven triangles.
After having spent a rather uncomfortable night, Kincaid is awoken by a loud banging. He goes down to find out what the matter is. A Naga was something of a surprise but he noted her ring and let her in with an ironic bow, "Welcome to the cozy tower... I'm afraid the name doesn't match, but I'd like to think one day it will."
He leads her within and introduces her to the rest of the squad and asks, "What can we do for you Salthissssssa?"
During the walk back, Rokas, was ignoring the grins of the guards at each gate. He got used to being looked down upon from his brothers, so from strangers, it's even easier to ignore.
When they got to the tower, he looked at it and his optimism went out the window. That's what they expect us to live in? It's not even inhabitable right now! Every flight of stairs, he walks up, he got even more discourage. Cobwebs and dust everywhere, no furnitures, this was a disaster. The only good thing about it, is that they will be spending more time outside of the city than in this thing.
In the morning, Rokas feel even more miserable. He was surveying the floor and judging how to separate the living quarters when he hear the banging. What now? He had forgotten about the agent that was supposed to visit them. He slowly climbed down the floors to get to the entrance.
Seeing the Nagoya, Rokas remembered about the early meeting with their liaison. He looks at the Naga. "I hope the storage unit this tower leads to being better equipped than this thing." He then leans against the wall, staring at the Naga.
Terex wasn't particularly bothered by the tower's state--all he needed was a secluded spot to nest in, and that was quick enough to get cleaned up.
When their contact arrived, he didn't feel any particular need to speak up (for once). Kincaid had spoken, and she'd speak her part in return, he was sure.
The naga hisses in amusement. "The tower isss in bad shape, yesss. Which isss why it isss a good cover. Adverssity makess usss sstronger." She says and moves over to the wall on the first floor and begins to pull on torch brackets. She moves slowly, so the group can see the order. This one, that one, the third one, undo the first, pull a fourth, undo the third one, pull a fifth one, and then there's a groaning sound and a ten foot section of stone in the center of the room shifts and drops slowly, revealing a circular staircase going down. "Thisss will only sstay open for a minute before it ssself clossess." She leads the group down the staircase, and down, and down, nearly a hundred feet before it hits a tunnel. Along the way, she points to a small alcove on the wall, a mirror shows the room above, no doubt a series of mirrors provides the view from an upper corner. "Don't open if ssomeone iss there obviousssly." There's a lever in the small alcove.
Once in the tunnel, she leads the group along through a veritable maze. Fortunately, the maze is much easier to navigate with all the tunnels you don't go down roped off. "Resst of tunnellss are trapped, and unsstable. If being chassed through, take ropess off, let followerss sset off trapsss."
Eventually the tunnel leads to a heavy iron door. She raps on the door with her fist, and waits. A few minutes later, the door retracts up into the ceiling, the bottom of the door has 2 foot spikes that go into the ground. Once it's raised, she leads them forward into a brightly lit area, glowing stones are fitted into the wall all around, providing plenty of light to see by.
A female green-skinned hobgoblin lowers a crossbow as the group enters, and the dozen sets of armor around the chamber also lower their own crossbows as well. "Salthissa, these the bloomin' specials?"
Salthissa nods, and waves an arm. "Thiss iss Melvenarra, she iss in charge of thiss sstorage depot."
The hobgoblin shakes her head. "Scrapin' the bottom o' the barrel with this lot. Alright maggots, weapons through that door..." She points to a door with crossed swords carved into it. "Regular stuff to the bleedin' front, then masterwork, then magical toward the back. Keep your bloody mits off anything in section 4 on back, you can look but no touch. Armor is behind door nummer two. Same rules, nothin' past row 4." The door with a helmet and breast plate carved into it no doubt. "Magic items you wear in door three and four, nothin past row 2 in any section." The two doors have images carved into them, rings, robes, headbands, boots, etc. "Every day equipment is in door five, whatever you want from there." Door five has a pair of spades crossed on the door. "Magic items you don't wear are in door six, nothin' past row 2." That door has staves and small stones carved into the door. "Foods in doors six through 12." She points farther back off the long hallway, those doors have various types of food carved on the door. "Iffn' you want riding gear, that's in door thirteen. Iffn' you want ridin' animals or wagons or whatever, put in a request wit' me and I'll arrange 'em topside."
Rokas moves around the store. going for the basic first. Armors and weapons are first. He gets the best he is allowed to take. He then goes through the next doors. Looking to grab a climber's kit with extra rope, some thieves's Trap/lock remover tools and a week of rations. He also goes into the magical gear section to see what he is allowed in there.