Zyrel is stiffly formal with the half-elf, but his manners all but fail him when face to face with a suited orc. Stunned he lets the others talk, and simply does his best not to stare. 'Orc? In a suit? The world has changed since last I left home.'
The party heads into the side room, and much to their surprise they see Sedik sitting on a comfortable looking chair, smiling slightly. He stands and nods to the party before saying, "I am so glad you could make it. You've done quite well. Now, I hope you will excuse this, some find it a bit unnerving." He snaps his fingers and his human guise seems disintegrate, revealing a tall, four armed humanoid clad in red robes and a pointed hood obscuring most of it's face. It gestures with a three fingered hand towards the other chairs and couches before saying in high and very oddly accented voice, "Please, take a seat while I explain a few things."
Kristleifur's jaw drops open at the sight.
"Sed! Holy hellfire! What are you? Why the heck couldn't I see past that illusion?"
Kristleifur stands, racking his brain for insight.
Zyrel starts - who wouldn't - but then calms a little. 'In the wake of so much madness, what is one more change?'
Calmly he sits in the offered chair. "What name do you prefer?" he asks casually.
eek!
Elsa nearly falls out of her chair
by asmodeus's pointy beard, what in the hells are you!
Lightning flickers on her hands, momentarily.
Armanus realizes that the effect is that of a greater hat of disguise, which physically alters the wearer to create a nearly unnoticeable disguise.
Sedik, or at least the creature formerly disguised as Sedik chuckles and says, "Ah, my favorite part of the job. I am not, as you can ascertain, human or even named Sedik Vasra Hahmayad al-Katapesh. Rather, I am Seyadiyek Vasur-hyad of the Tetrad of Cyrune. The Tetrad has assets all over Golarion, the most notable of which are the Pactmasters of Katapesh, some of our most senior agents on this world. In any case, let me get to the heart of the matter. Your shipping mission has been a test to gauge your potential as agents of the Tetrad on Golarion."
He produces a piece of paper from a pocket before continuing, "Hmm, let me see. Negotiations with Hostile Parties, check. Discretion and Initiative, check. Combat Aptitude, check. Finally, Crisis Preparedness, check."
He folds the paper before continuing, "It seems you've passed that test with flying colors. And so, I will offer you the opportunity of a lifetime. I would request that you join the Tetrad as freelance agents to further our interests on Golarion. In compensation, you will be handsomely rewarded with monetary value and increased rank in the organization. Will you join the greatest interplanetary trade league since the days of Old Aghyskir as its newest and brightest recruits?"
Glancing at Zyrel, Kristleifur composes himself. Somewhat.
"Sey it is then! I'll sign up, not boring anyway!"
Zyrel pauses "INTER-planetary?" he confirms "As in trade between worlds?" 'The elf gates? Something else? Have the meanings of 'inter' and 'intra' reversed since I have been out in the world, as 'metaphorically' and 'literally' seem to?'
"I will admit", sniffed Armanus, "I am intrigued by such an offer."
Upon hearing Armanus and Kristleifur, Seyadiyek briefly clasps his hands together and gestures toward the two of them, "Most excellent. I really would like to know if your other companions would be amenable as well."
Seyadiyek nods at Zyrel, "Indeed, it is interplanetary, interplanar, and even occasionally interdimensional. However, the scope of that is not likely to concern you for quite a while. We have...significant interests on Golarion that I am sure you will come to be instrumental in."
Armanus is fairly sure that Seyadiyek is telling the truth, and quite sure that there is no malicious intent.
Elsa regains her composure
Before I say yes or no, what exactly are your interests? I mean, if you want to conquer the world, I may have some issues
note to self, cast mage armor before all meetings in future. Further note, be a bit careful here
"Oh yeah. I suppose it makes sense to have an idea what you would like us to do."
"The full scope of our operations on Golarion are known only to the Pactmasters, but Tetrad has no ambitions of conquest. Rather, there are vital economic prospects on this world that we wish to secure. I cannot say the exact specifics to those that are not a part of the organization, but I can promise we have generally benign intentions."
that's...rather vague. You can't give us a bit more detail? After all, you are asking for a commitment here.
"I am not uninterested. Interplanetary travel is something I have heard stories about as a child - but did not expect to have a chance to do myself." he nods "I am on a leave of absence from my unit. Anything more than five years will require me to request an extension."
"Additionally I would like to know exactly what the commitment entails. Given your reticence I assume there is some degree of secrecy required?" He pauses "Secrecy is not necessarily a problem. Confidentiality is expected in our lines of work. Is it possible to leave the organisation later, or is this affiliation permanent?"
"What kind of economic prospects? And who's eyeing them up?"
"Indeed, a high level of confidentiality is required. While some of our operations are public, most are done under the guise of independent businesses, though conveniently run by Tetrad agents." Sedik pauses, thinking of what to say next, "I suppose, if it would secure your cooperation, I could tell you what one of our coming operations will be, that you will likely be involved in."
"Yup! Don't keep us in suspense Sed!
Erick had been silent the entire time. "I'd need to know less about the mission per se, and more about the Tetrad. A mission is a mission is a mission. You get your orders, you do your mission. The trick is making sure you don't work for people who give you missions you can't sleep after doing. I don't work for drug runners, and I don't work for slave traders. Nor do I work for necromancers. What sort of mercantile trading does this Tetrad do."
"Fortunately for you, the Tetrad never deals in slaves, too small of a return of investment. Furthermore, with the exception of some involvement with Pesh manufacturing, fully legal where it is done of course, the Tetrad does not concern themselves with drugs. In a general sense, we prefer to keep our operations above board at least morally if not legally. It leaves us open to the widest range of clientele after all." Seyadiyek clears his throat before saying, "The job you would conduct would be helping me here in Alkenstar. We have contacts in the Gunworks that have been highly unwilling to deliver a shipment to us. You would need to secure their cooperation and find out why."
"Unwilling, as in you paid them for it, and they didn't make it or won't deliver it, or unwilling as in you paid them to steal it, and they decided not to?" Erick asks for clarification, since the man had said they didn't always do legal things. He wasn't all that concerned bout them buying and selling weapons, that was a fairly straight forward business, and one he'd patronaged quite often.
At the talk of firearms, Kristleifur's eyes light up.
"So, would one of these repeating rifles we've heard about be on offer for the job?", he asks eagerly.
"We struck a deal that they have been unwilling to follow through with. It is far too early to discuss matters of payment, for I do not even know if I have secured your cooperation."
"You need to dangle a little material incentive to secure cooperation.", retorts Kristleifur.
"I also have some moral prohibitions." Zyrel announced. "Infernalism. Diabolism. Soul Eating. Corpse Desecration. I will kill, and steal, where justified - but I need to know I am in the right, even if not necessarily completely legal."
He considers "Perhaps we could trade; information on the job for confidentiality? Otherwise if you can give us examples of previous declassified jobs it may help to allay our concerns."
"Well, your payment will be fair, around 1500 gold pieces for each of you. That said, it can be exchanged for an equivalent amount of goods or services. The Tetrad's resources are considerable."
Seyadiyek clears his throat before saying, "It could include a repeating firearm, though they are rather exorbitantly expensive."
"Missions are designed for the capabilities and limitations of operative in mind. Your missions will be assigned as such."
"Well, that all sounds pretty good to me!"
"We'll play it by ear then, for now. See how things work out."
"Seems reasonable" Zyrel allows. "You'd be fools to send us on a mission we'd feel compelled to refuse. I'll assume your competence, and assent."
Elsa smiles.
Let's see where this leads
Seyadiyek nods and says, "Exceptional. With that, there is the matter of your Tetrad badges." He reaches into a pocket of his robe and produces five small badges. Each is comprised of a four sided blue gem, surrounded by reddish metal on a black cloth backing. Each side of the gem also has a bar of the same reddish metal. When the party takes them they are overtaken by a brief vision of a vast desert, four red stars sitting high in the sky. Gleaming towers of glass and metal rise from the sands, overflowing with greenery. Flying ships of strange designs sail between them, crewed mostly by Cyrunians like Seyadiyek along with many other races, some familiar and some not. Once the vision fades Seyadiyek says somewhat whistfully, "Ah, Cyrune. That was what you just saw. A vision, perhaps, of what might await you someday if you perform well enough. In any case, these badges are your means of communicating with me. Simply press the gem, and it will send me a message. That said, you had best keep them concealed, due to the secrecy of our work."
He clears his throat before continuing, "Now, you all have a job to do. Your contact to get you into the Gunworks is an alchemist named Ulissia. She's not hard to spot, likely the only three-armed halfling in Alkenstar. You would likely find her in the Ferrous Quarter, home to most of the heavy industry in Alkenstar. I could not say where she would be there, but you all are resourceful. Once you find her, tell her that Saydak sent you. It is the alias I use to deal with the Gunworks. When you have told her that, she will fill in the rest of the details, of which I am admittedly fuzzy."
"Straight to the Gunworks? Hot damn, yes!"
Taking one of the ornate pin, Armanus pinned it to the lapel of his jacket, admiring it for a moment, hoping to gleam some meaning from it's innate symbolism.
"Thank you for this opportunity, Seyadiyek", the tiefling spoke. "We shant let you down."
Erick nods. "A three armed halfling, shouldn't be more than two or three of those around." He nods, and takes the badge gingerly. He makes a mental note to get a lead box to put it in, one with some runes on it.
Turning to the others. "Well then, let's get going. Three armed halflings don't find themselves, usually. Although it wouldn't surprise me if one did on occassion."
Kristleifur snatches the badge with glee.
"They surely don't! Though there *has* to be a good story behind that third arm!"
The gnome flips the badge into the air, snatches it, and shoves it into a pocket.
Zyrel takes the gem, bows, and stashes it in one of his many pouches. "Straight to the mission then." he says - half statement, half question.
The party heads to the Ferrous Quarter, briefly passing through the high-class neighborhood of Ustradi Heights. Of note, when Kristleifur goes to admire an elaborate, wrought-iron gate a clockwork butler sweeping the driveway leading up to a grand mansion looks up at the party and says in a grating, mechanical voice, "Move...along. Masters...not...receiving."
As they reach the Ferrous Quarter, the party sees one of the grand extents of Alkenstari manufacturing. Factories belch smoke into the sky as great foundries churn out weapons and clockwork devices. The road the party finds themselves on seems to be one of the main roads in the Ferrous Quarter, lined with machine shops, artisan manufactories, and dive bars aimed at the workers.
Along the way to the Ferrous Quarter, Erick stops to get some lead from a store, and spends a few minutes forcing it into the cap of his powder horn (the round end where powder is put in, not the small cap on the end where it comes out). Having a small layer of lead lining the cap, he puts the device given to them by their new employer in, and mashes more lead over it, to completely conceal it in lead. Done, he raises an eyebrow at the others. "I suggest you do something similar, to avoid scrying or finding by others."[/b]
Once they arrive at the Ferrous Quarter proper, he looks around, and then nods at a tavern. "Drunks talk more than sober people."
Kristleifur listens to Erick intently, and then nods a lot.
"Lead! And not just for the bullets!", he whoops excitedly.
Elsa smiles. I make friends easily