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Walter, dressed as a common man heads down to Fortune's Palace. The change in the base is remarkable once you leave the spire. It's like stepping into a third world county. Instead of marble and art, there is steel and sand. The corridors are narrow and filthy, and he passes several people dressed in beige coveralls. Dwarves, humans, and orcs mostly. They have the look of poor hard folk. None wear smiles, and they look at the ground as they walk. He is able to follow periodic maps on the wall that lead him out to Main Street, the main (and only) drag in the base. Main Street sits inside a giant circular chamber about a mile in diameter. The upper dome is obscured by illusion spells that mimic the appearance of the sky outside. It gives the feeling of being in a strange walled desert town rather than inside a base. The street is nearly empty as it's just after lunch time. There are a couple dogs running after each other in the street, a few old homeless looking men sitting in a gutter drinking. Occasionally another person strides past going about their business. The street is lined by large "buildings" with glowing neon signs. Strolling down the street he sees several modest buildings with featureless steel fronts, the Bank, General Store, Security, Post, and Claims Office. In the middle of Main Street, across from each other are Fortune's Temple and Thog's Place. Fortune's Palace is a three story building with one of those long, arrow shaped signs running down the corner of the building. With the flashing lights that run from top to bottom, beckoning you inward. The door is shaped like a giant slot machine, and is flashing with multicolored lights even at this hour of the morning. There is a beautiful young red headed half-elf in a mid thigh length spangled gold dress. She smiles and her white teeth show past her red painted lips, "Hello sir! Are you looking to test your Fortune? I reckon it's your lucky day." Her accent is a slow drawl.
"I could use some luck today, what do you recomend?" says Walter to the half-elf trying to be friendly
Horus is going to go see the guild representative.
"Will do" Walter carries on inside and then looks for a bunch of chatty locals to mingle with
Perception
"Reckon I will just head straight over to that Thog's Place. I won't be much use with the guild meeting." He will leave to get changed but makes sure to keep his Communication Badge close. Once ready he will leave for Thog's Place.
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Fortune's Temple:
Walter once inside sees a typical casino, there are slot machines and other electronic games as well as tables for playing cards, each attended by a dealer. There are three or four bars he can see as well. Because it's the middle of the day the place looks fairly empty aside from the employees. There are a few drunk looking men sitting at the bars and some old women sitting mechanically in front of their slot machines inserting their credit chits and pulling the levers like Pavlov's dogs. As well as the dealers, bartenders and waitresses in their red sequined dresses.
Thog's Place:
Grunk sees the same things as Walter as he heads down to Main Street. He makes his way down the street, and comes to Thog's Place. The exterior of the building is painted black and the glowing neon red sign above the door reads "Thog's Place" in simple block lettering. The building appears to be only one story tall. No one is outside, but the tinted glass door opens at his tug. This lets him into a small entryway where a fat old orcish woman sits behind a counter. The theme of uniform black paint continues here. "Yes?" the woman says in orcish, "We're closed. Come back after 18:00." without looking up from her crossword puzzle. The smoke from her cigarette fills the small room unpleasantly.
Guild Liason Auriel's Chambers:
Leo, Kimefe, Syarha and Horus make their way to Auriel's chambers at the direction of the servant. He is ready and waiting for them. He ushers them inside his room, which is strangely different from the rest of the base. Complex illusions make it appear like you have walked into a jungle treehouse, complete with never ending canopy and sounds of birds and chattering monkies. The circular room itself appears simple and organic, everything grown from a single piece of wood. There is a bed, and circular table with six chairs around it, as well as working space along the rim of the 'room'. The ceiling is supported on poles, leaving the walls open to the 'jungle'. Auriel looks up from his autoscroll as you enter and smiles. "Please sit, I've been expecting you."
Should've come here later... Walter thinks to himself as he makes his way to change some credit into chips to start to gamble
Guild Liason Auriel's Chambers:
"We appreciate you seeing us so soon after touch down." Leo says as he shakes the guild liason's hand and continues: "We would like to hear your take on this situation with the pirates?"
I will be going with walter, to mingle and find nore out about the area enless anyone needs my skills.
Grunk puts his face close to the Womans and smiles. speaking in Orcish "Are you telling me an Orc can't get a drink when he wants a drink. No I want in now." He breathes the smoke deep making sure to flare his nostrils and reveal his tusks.
Intimidate:
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Fortune's Temple:
Syarha wanders in just behind Walter, curious about what's to be found here. Walter wanders over to a card table. The dealer is middle aged dwarf with a very short trimmed beard, though his handlebar mustache is long and thick. "Welcome. Wanna be dealt in?" he asks
Thog's Place:
The woman looks up from her crossword puzzle with an exasperated look on her face, she pushes up her glasses and says, "Look tough guy, I've never seen you before so I'm gonna assume you're new. You can demand all you like, but there's no one inside to serve you a drink and I sure as hell aint gonna do it. Our hours are 18:00-08:00, you can come back then or I can call security. Your choice. If you're that desperate for some liquor head across the street to Fortune's Palace with all the other drunks. They're open 24 hours a day." After she finishes talking she goes right back to her crossword.
Auriel's Chambers:
Addressing Leo, Auriel says "Yes, of course. There's no need to thank me, I was hoping you would come. My sources tell me you have identified the pirates as the mercenary group 'the Blood Claws'. I've taken the liberty of doing some research, and according to Guild archives they are the fanatical followers of a machine priest named Grimmald Bloodclaw. They worship the technology of death and chaos. They operate out of a carrier ship, and specialize in boarding vessels and ground assaults. Their services do not come cheaply. What I am about to tell you must not be repeated outside this room." he pauses and looks each of you in the eye. "I suspect that someone within Cygnuss Base hired them, someone powerful. Perhaps even the Headman himself. Now that the Guild has developed this little rock into an arcanicite producer it is extremely valuable. That arcanicite would sell for more on the black market that was agreed in the treaty with the guild. So you can see where this is going...The problem is I need proof before I could ever level such an accusation. I'm also not even sure who the culprit really is, just that they have access to the highest levels of information here in Cygnuss Base." With that revelation he waits for a response.
"Sure, I'll start at a 10" Walter says casually
The dwarf deals you one card and then himself one card. He is required to hit if under 40.
Your card:
Dealer's card:
"You want another?" he asks.
"Sure I'll take another"
Your Card:
Dealer's Card:
"Another?" he asks
Auriel's Chambers:
"Is there any evidence you have at all besides what you just told us? Or any other specific suspects besides the headman?"
Auriel's Chambers:
"Whoever it is would need a lot of money, and access to the records of when the shipments leave planet. I sent one transport out empty to see if it would be attacked, I told no one except the Headman, Botarr, the constable James Blackburn. The workers who unloaded the vessel and the crew of the transport would have also known. The transport was ignored by the pirates. I checked the computer and comm records afterward but whoever did it knew what they were doing. There was nothing there. Of them, the headman would benefit most from an arrangement with the mercenaries, however he also stands to lose the most should it fail." Auriel replies.
Thogs Place:
Grunk growls his face darkening in rage, he steps back and takes a moment to calm himself. "FINE. But I don't like mixing with those pink skins. I will be back at 18:00 and I expect a free drink." He leaves after she replies and heads into Fortunes Palace.
Fortunes Palace:
He wanders straight over to the closest bar and perches himself on a seat. "I'll have the strongest drink you got."
Auriel's Chamber
"So we have carrier ship in operation in the sector and 3 potential conspirators planet side. Looks like we have some work to do."
"Yes anoter card"
Fortune's Palace:
The dwarf slaps another card down in front of Walter.
Seeing that, he draws another card for himself
"Well, I guess it's your lucky day son. Another round?" he says sliding two ten credit chips across the table to Walter. "Fancy a game miss?" he asks Syarha.
Across the room, Grunk walks into the casino in his spikey torn up biker outfit and makes his way over to the bar closest to the door. There is a gnome behind the bar who smiles and says, "That'd be grubble juice. Comin' right up!" The gnome is dressed in a nice shiny suit, and has long spikey hair and eyes the color of molten gold. Around his neck is a necklace, with two gold six sided die strung on it. He returns to the bar and slaps down a tumbler full of yellow-green mucus colored ichor. "Aint seen you round the Temple before. You new in town? My name's Reggie, I'm the proprietor of this fine establishment."
Auriel's Chambers:
"Indeed master Hightower."
"Hmmm... Games of chance scare me a little, is there any games of BS, or Blackjack?"
Fortune's Temple:
"This is our version of blackjack mam. Sixty card deck, you bust at 75 points. Even then it's a game of chance. This is a casino after all." he smiles obligingly.
"Yes lets go another round, put in my last winnings in for this rounds bets. Yes we're new here, heard there was going to be a lot of work available, did we hear right?"
Fortune's Temple:
The dealer lays out a card for Walter and himself.
"Yes, if you've got the proper skills they always need more crew for the sand diggers. Pay's decent, but it's horrible work. Most people don't stick around for long unless they got no where else to go."
Proprietor. Luck might be turning around. "Grunk. Just got in not long ago." He looks at the drink and has a momentary hesitation before shrugging and taking a quick swig. He grimaces "Haha that's some good drink." He takes another drink "Just got sent over from Thogs Place. Was a bit hesitant at first but this is good." He motions back the way he came "What you make of the other Greenskins around here."
Reggie will place another glass of the slimy liquid on the table. It didn't taste like alcohol, so much as sweet, followed by a burny battery acid taste. He answers you by saying, "Greenskins are people just like any other. Some good, some bad. Long as they don't trouble me, I don't mind them..." He looks at Grunk for a moment, and then back down at the grubble juice. "I'm not one to tell a paying man his business, but if this is your first time on the grubble, you might want to slow down a bit."
Fortitude:
"Oh I think I can do with one more card. Whats so bad of driving sand diggers?"
Fortune's Temple:
Grunk first you feel a tightness in your abdomen and alternating waves of hot and cold begin washing up your spine. Then you can start to feel the blood oozing through your veins, and are acutely aware of your heartbeat and breathing. Each blink is preceptible. Reggie's face begins to melt and twirl into a glittery golden mess, and the bleeping music and flashing lights of the casino can suddenly be felt pushing and prodding you, vibrating your molecules.
Across the room, Walter is dealt another card.
"Hit or stay?" the dwarf asks, shuffling the cards expertly before putting them back down on the table. "It's so bad for lots of reasons. It's hotter'n hell, it's cramped, it's full of sand, there's no breaks, it's dangerous, the sandstorms. Need I continue?"
"Stay. Dangerous?" Walter says, "I'm fine with the others, work is work, but dangerous? How so?"
Grunk sways in his chair "What...what an earth is in that drink." His words come out in a slurred growl. He fights back to try and regain a small semblance of self "Do you get much trouble in here?" He sways once more and tries to concentrate on the golden swirls that was Reggie's face.
Fortune's Temple:
The dealer begins flipping cards over for himself while he answers Walter.
"Well, there's a hunnerd ways you coud die out there. Heat exhaustion, trapped in a sand storm, drill into a gas pocket, tunnel collapses etc etc. I'll take my cushy air conditioned seat, and cards over that any day. Want another card sir?" He asks, after flipping his third.
Over at the bar, Reggie answers Grunk "Grubble's are the larval form of an insect lives here on Cygnuss. They produce the juice as a self defense mechanism. Also just so happens to have a psychoactive effect on most humanoids." While he is taking his face continues to warp and shift, like you're looking at him through a funhouse mirror or swirling oil. Suddenly everything starts to feel new and exciting to Grunk. As if he were a little orc all over again, before he lost his innocence. "We don't get too much trouble. The occasional cheater or drunk. Maybe someone who roughs up the girls too much. Nothing me and the boys can't handle" he says pointing to a few large men spaced inconspicuously around the room, who appear to be watching everything closely. "Why do you ask? Hope you're not looking for trouble."
Grunk giggles sweetly "Me? Trouble? Noooo. I want to stay out of trouble, although I had heard about bandits and raiders plaguing the area. Had an effect on business." He flutters his eyelids at the swirly man.
WHAT AN EARTH AM I DOING!!!
"I'll take another if you do"
"Hah!" he laughs. "I don't need to take another card, I'm winning. So sh*t boy, here's your card. Give yourself a chance at least." He deals Walter another card.
"I'm afraid that's a bust. You win some you lose some. Another round?" He reaches and takes the twenty credits worth of chips back.
Over at the bar Reggie looks at Grunk long and hard, which to Grunk makes him appear like a golden sparkle bush baby in a little suit. "Yeah, there's been some trouble with pirates in the system I guess. Nothing on world yet though. You know somethin' I don't?" he asks, his simian eyes growing larger and larger until they seem to consume Grunk's field of vision.
I smile, I should keep with Walter, I think
"Deal me in, sir, I'll start off with 10" I say. I used to play games like this all the time, back when I lived with Auntie...
Perception
"No, I think I'll try my luck on the machines"
You both notice Grunk over at the bar talking to a Gnome. Grunk appears to be sweating profusely, and his eyes are as wide as saucers, the black of his pupils dialted well beyond what is normal, giving him almost elven looking black eyes. When he's not talking his mouth hangs just a little bit ajar, as if he were surprise or stumped.
"Certainly miss."
For Dealer
For Syarha
"Me? Know something, hehe, don't be silly. I just don't want to get, you know taken." He winks at the creepy bush baby creature, then does a double take "You know something I don't? Your eyes keep tellin me" He whispers the last part.
Ok, Walter will go to the slot machine nearest of Grunk and play a few rounds (10 credit) as he observes the events unfold
Auriel's Chambers:
"Well I guess we need handle both threats. Any thoughts on how we might determine which of the 3 is the true conspirator?"
Fortune's Temple:
Walter walks over and begins putting credit chips into a slot machine near Grunk.
At the bar Reggie replies to Grunk "All I know is it looks like you are all Grubbled up." he says laughing. "I'll help you out with your second drink here. It's on the house." He takes the second grubble juice that he poured for Grunk, and slams it down before mixing up another drink, this one icy cold and misting. "This one's got a mild stim in it. Called Ice. It'll even things out a bit for ya, but you might regret it in the morning." He pours the neon blue misting liquid into a tall thin glass, no wider that Grunk's little finger. "So what's your name? If we're gonna sit here drinking we might as well get to know each other."
Auriel's Chamber:
"Whoever it was probably needed to make the arrangements with the Blood Claws in person. Assuming they did it on world, shady characters like that usually spend their time down on Main Street. Fortune's Temple has private rooms for rent, and Thog's Place is a notorious den of criminal activity. If it was the constable, there's any number of ways he could have arranged such a meeting. Somebody has to know something, perhaps if you get too close to the perpetrator they will reveal themselves. You could also seek out the carrier ship itself, ignoring the on-world agent. If the Excelsior destroyed the Blood Claw's power it might put an end to the raiding. However that would leave the criminal in place...a most distasteful ending to the situation if you ask me. There would be nothing to stop them from contracting more mercenaries as soon as the Excelsior was called away."
Grunk stares at the misty liquid before shakily picking it up and downing it, he felt a little more Lucid after it. "Thankyou, my names Grunk. Come from off world, just arrived actually. How long you been here?" He sways slightly in his chair.
Auriel's Chamber:
Considering what has been said so far Leo adds: "It wouldn't solve the situation either, we would only have peace until the next mercenaries comes along. We need to take the problem at it's root. And I for one would like to gain the upper hand before taking on a carrier and not having to worry about a traitor among our allies."
He turns to Hightower: "Hightower, I need you to find out what sort of carrier we're dealing with capacity and such. Can you estimate the specs based on descriptions?"
Auriel says, "Oh, we have the specs. Like I said, the Blood Claws are in the Guild database. We've seen them in action before. Not directly against the guild, but enough for us to know what their mothership is. I can upload what we have to your autoscroll if you'd like Ensign Hightower."