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The Oread's move to position themselves nicely to surround Vagantem. However one of the attacks Savron anyhow, to gain the most coverage among the pathfinders. Unfortunate for them, they prove themselves more incompetent with each strike. The captain shouts more vulgarities from across the training ground.
Rolvark
Recruits B (unconscious) O R (unconcious) G
Bailey, Vagantem, Viorec, Savron, Haldoc -6 NL
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Haldoc swings hard but the Oread with the green garb dodges it with perfect timing. However, he sees not Vagantem's quick strikes and gets two clean sweeps across his chest.
Viorec gets a bit better this round landing a nice stab to the stomach on the orange garbed Oread, while Rolvark carelessly swings his weapon blindly at nothing at all. Bailey's aim is consistent, consistently off target.
Rolvark
Recruits B (unconscious) O -10 R (unconcious) G -9
Bailey, Vagantem, Viorec, Savron, Haldoc -6 NL
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No words describe the spectacle that happens in the last couple seconds. Everybody dances around each other without landing a blow. "You're not soldiers! You're all fools!" The captain shouts from where she stands.
Rolvark
Recruits B (unconscious) O -10 R (unconcious) G -9
Bailey, Vagantem, Viorec, Savron, Haldoc -6 NL
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Rolvark's swing brings down the last standing oread, the captain, in a somewhat sarcastic manner, claps sarcastically at your victor. Her eyes clearly shows some sort of disappointment overall. She approaches you and takes a good look at the unconscious Oread's, and then congratulates you (although she really does not mean it well). "Congratulations, tomorrow you are promoted to practical training." She turns, ready to make a leave immediately after.
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Viorec frowns. "It sounds like we don't have much of a good way in...unless there are any times when the office is unlocked? or if we could somehow draw her away...or steal the key from her...but I'm guessing that if none of us are good at picking locks, we're probably not the best at thievery either."
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Vagantem lounges on her bed, exhausted.
"The captain is just a b#%+%. Officers are. It's their job."
She gets up, straightens her blanket and then goes in search of one of the other barracks rooms to ask what 'practical training' may entail. If she finds the Oreds she'll do what she can to indicate no hard feelings.
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The Oread's bear no hard feelings towards the pathfinders. They understand the consequences of training, and congratulate you on your promotion. Asking around, you understand that practical training consist of simple field work.
The fight took so much energy out of you, and after a long day you retire to your bunks. The night is quiet, much like any other nights. Save for Rolvark, who sleeps unsoundly persisting on trying to get some way into the captains office.
Dell Darkblade interrupts your breakfast time to bring them to the captain’s office for an assignment. "She's got something planned for you."
The captain greets you, with a silent cold stare, and begins her briefing "Team, given your sorry state of preparation and knowledge, you probably don't know that while the Ungrounded's primary source of income is the contract with the Peerless Empire, we also often provide hired security for a variety of businesses and guilds of the Opaline Vault.
"In fact, your first mission is to provide extra security for the Glitterfang Halls, an upscale establishment owned and operated by the adult crystal dragon Cestranell. It is their grand opening tonight."
"You are to be on the lookout for a notorious cheater known as Inysha, a master of disguise who has been kicked out of other casinos in the past." She gives you a crude sketch and a written physical description of the con artist.
"You are to report to the casino a few hours before their opening at 19:00 hours. Any questions? Didn't think so..."
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As evening falls, you travel to Glitterfang Halls by foot. An impressive structure even among the many wondrous sights in the Opaline Vault, the Glitterfang Halls is built into an excavated series of stalactites suspended 400 feet above the city’s sprawling Inner District. Deposits of multi-colored crystals peek out from the stalactite’s black-and-cream marble exterior. Most of the city’s native inhabitants can easily access the casino using earth glide, but a towering stone shaft houses a glass elevator to assist extraplanar visitors. The elevator ascends lazily to a marble platform connected to the group of stalactites, its glacial pace allowing for a breathtaking view of the city below.
All the rooms in the casino are circular and showcase the natural marble and crystal that composes the stalactites. Tunnels carved into the rock allow nonelementals passage between these rooms. Magically suspended, iridescent crystals provide dim, ambient light throughout the casino.
The place is eerily quiet, you are greeted by a employee, a memphit wearing a button that says 'security', who takes you straight into the office. You are passed a few buttons that say the same, so you could be identified as part of the team tonight. A hassled-looking oread man, referred to simply as Boss by his employees, discusses final preparations for the grand opening with a group of mephitis as you enter to the office. "Ah, you have arrived. I expect the Ungrounded know your job tonight. Ensure Inysha does not step foot in this establishment! You have less than an hour to familiarize yourself with this place."
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"Wow. This place is amazing!" says Vagantem, looking down into the chasm below the hanging casino.
"Who would have thought something like this could exist?"
-=-=-=-=-=-
"We have been briefed, briefly." says the Sylph.
"Do you have any extra information about Inysha? A better description than..." here she holds out the picture. "This?"
She looks around. "Could you give us the run down of the locations here, and any areas that we should not enter?" she adds, as she pins on her badge.
After pausing for a moment she adds "As for Inysha herself.... Do we just bar her entry, or eject her if she is in? I assume bloodshed is to be avoided?"
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The Boss lets out a horrendous laugh as he takes a look at the picture. In between the laughter, he tries to speak "Surely the Ungrounded would recognise a picture of their own general? I have no idea how Inysha looks, but I am certain that is not her! I trust you to see your job out, bar her from entry, I don't care how, as long as she is removed before she makes her way to where the guest are."
Later he points to a Memphit, "Bob, give these folks a crash course run down."
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Viorec is tight-lipped during the briefing, but collects his gear and follows without complaint.
He does, however, seem suitably impressed by the Glitterfang Halls. "Magnificent," he murmurs. "I wonder how they carved it? With magic, clearly. And that elevator! An astounding feat."
Once the boss and security mephit are done explaining the situation, Viorec turns to the others. "Even I can't help but wonder, now, why the captain would give us such a misleading sketch. Do you think that she is trying to get us in trouble with the general of the Ungrounded? Or might Inysha disguise herself as the general? If so, why would Captain Othis not comment on that? Arrrrgh! This is quite a puzzle..."
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Vagantem scowls, not liking being taken for a fool.
"I think the captain doesn't like us very much and we are being set up. Who puts a bunch of raw recruits on a high profile job like this, and then asks them to arrest the general in charge of them. I suggest we salute the general if she turns up, but keep a close watch on her - in case it is not really her."
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Rolvark cannot hide his amazement at the Glitterfang Halls. Such wonders...and the multiverse is full of such sights... However, he quickly pulls himself back together to focus on the mission at hand.
Thinking back to all the Captain has mentioned so far, Rolvark broods over the possibility that the Captain is setting them up to fail before speaking "It is possible that Inysha who is drawn in the picture is impersonating being a general of the Ungrounded...maybe someone here might be able to help us out in identifying our target" He turns to the mephit "Bob, what can you tell us about this place? And about Inysha, the person whom your boss wants us to keep out?"
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Viorec nods. "I think Vagantem's plan is sound. We should keep close to the general, if she makes an appearance. One of us can designate ourselves her 'escort,' perhaps." He frowns. "And when the guests begin to arrive, I'll be quietly waiting here, by the entrance, to scan each for magic as they enter. In the meanwhile, I'm going to see the other rooms here." Once the conversation is done, he goes up the tunnel to the northeast to inspect the next room.
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Bob tells a little bit of the history of the place, how it was built, why, and who owns it. But it is nothing useful to aid you in capturing Inysha. Asking around, no one knows anything about this illusive Inysha, only that she exist, no one is even sure what race she is.
Elevator Room
Bob takes the time to show you around, starting from the Elevator room. This room houses the casino’s elevator, an elegantly designed marble-floored contraption whose glass walls are surrounded in a decorative silver cage. When the elevator leaves this room, a glass panel automatically emerges to cover the circular opening in its center, preventing patrons from tumbling to the city below.
Foyer
Next is the Foyer, where an oread attended bedecked in fleshgems greets the guest. A 20-foot-high archway flanked by platinum and gold pillars leads from the elevator room into the casino’s foyer. This room serves as the entrance for visitors who can glide through dirt and stone. A desk constructed from the same mixture of precious metals stands in front of the southern wall.
Lounge
Brilliantly colored formations of natural crystal grow from the floors, walls, and ceiling of this room. Teardrop-shaped lights hang from the ceiling 100 feet above, shimmering and reflecting from a majestic statue of a crystal dragon emerging from a pool of melted gemstones. Jewel-encrusted metal chairs and sofas strewn with velvet cushions surround the pool at a safe distance, providing cozy seating for the casino’s patrons.
Gaming Room
A pillar of amethyst crystals juts from floor to ceiling in this expansive room flanked by bars carved from the black-and-cream marble found throughout the casino. Enormous sheets of polished crystal cover the walls, dancing with refracted, moving images of creatures and scenery. Pleasant music played upon unfamiliar instruments fills the chamber. Rectangular slabs of marble rise from the floor to provide surfaces for gambling, each table supporting a small crystalline structure in its center.
Main Stage
The ceiling in this cavernous room varies in height, ranging from 50 to 300 feet. Stalactites and stalagmites flattened and ground to a smooth surface serve as dining tables. A stone platform built into the southeastern wall acts as a stage.
Member's Lounge
Marble stairs blocked off by red velvet ropes lead to a 20-foot-high stone booth containing tables and chairs for the casino’s preferred customers. Typically, those who wish to enter this area must present a token inlaid with an image of a crystal dragon.
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So tonight is the opening night for the whole casino... thus the staff won't know any "regular" customers yet? Do we know where the money is going to be kept... surely that will be her target.
I suggest we have a couple of us on welcoming duty, a couple in the gaming lounge, and the other two roaming. Sticking in pairs is probably a wise move.