The vesk looks annoyed at the message. Business, here to pick up a cargo… Kaz says rhetorically to himself.
"With all of this time on ship, we should be getting some of them construction nanite thingies, and makin' stuff. New guns, armor, and the like. Better than just sittin' around playing the old 8-bit video games this crate can run."
He then thinks a moment. "We oughta name this crate as well. BD514 just don't quite roll off the tongue. Ships wit' names always perform better."
'Or, at least, they are remembered.'
"Flyin' on the straight and narrow, Control! Please give us a landing beacon, and this EJ hauler will touch down in a coupla minutes."
The AI responds, "Straight and narrow isn't a business. State your business or face annihilation."
"Didn't I just say we're an EJ hauler? We're pickin' up a cargo, and then leaving right away."
'Freaking AIs.'
It's uncomfortably long before they reply. "You are cleared for landing in Nightarch Bay 23 Alpha."
As you descend, the nightshade towers of Nightarch jut into view, surrounded by great halls, smaller domes, and other enclosed buildings. Soon after you land, you are met by a group of four drow enforcers "Submit to inspection. If you are smugglers and admit to smuggling cargo it will be taken into consideration after any potential trial. Do you consent?"
Alfonse waits for the captain to speak up, but thinks, 'Well, we ain't smugglin' nuthin now!'
It's uncomfortably long before they reply. "You are cleared for landing in Nightarch Bay 23 Alpha."
As you descend, the nightshade towers of Nightarch jut into view, surrounded by great halls, smaller domes, and other enclosed buildings. Soon after you land, you are met by a group of four drow enforcers "Submit to inspection. If you are smugglers and admit to smuggling cargo it will be taken into consideration after any potential trial. Do you consent?"
Kaz studies the drow enforcers as they do their inspection. What kind of arms/armor are they outfitted with?
How much of an advantage do they have?
”Well met. Well met. Captain Cygnaurius at your service. I understand that you want to inspect our EJ Hauler, BD514. Naturally, you are more than welcome to search. But I should let you know that we are here as representatives of EJ, and we are here to conduct business with Lord Sinjin. I encourage you to bypass the inspection and save yourself a great deal of time. However, that being said, my crew and I remain at your service if we can cooperate in any way.”
Aldo uses his diplomacy to improve the drow’s attitude.
Kaz eyes the drow they all have
Aldo's words not only fail to impress the drow, it makes them more thorough. They easily find the smuggler's hold, but since there's nothing in it, they don't care.
As soon as you emerge from BD514, you each receive an automated transmission from Nightarch Air and Water.
This message is to alert you that you are now become of NAW, and are accumulating a balance for all air, water, and other materials necessary for life support. (This bill is displayed in the lower corner of each of your personal comms and/or helmet display, slowly ticking up in fractions of a credit.) If left to accumulate, the life-
support bill for living in Nightarch amounts to approximately 1 credit per day, per individual.
Being cheap, Alfonse opts to live off his environmental suit. Can’t take them that long, anyway?
"Well, if we are ever going to get ahead, I suppose we need to cut costs. Let's use our environmental protections as long as we can. By my reckoning, that is one day. Let's see what we can get done."
Aldo activates his environmental protections.
When the authorities have left them in peace, Also confides with the crew. "I'm not sure that we are going to be good at smuggling with these drow searching every little corner of this tub. Let's hope that we don't have to deal with these authorities when we really have something to hide."
Once we have gone through the inspection, Aldo tries to find anything he can about the Lamashtu’s Lair including its location.
When the authorities have left them in peace, Also confides with the crew. "I'm not sure that we are going to be good at smuggling with these drow searching every little corner of this tub. Let's hope that we don't have to deal with these authorities when we really have something to hide."
Once we have gone through the inspection, Aldo tries to find anything he can about the Lamashtu’s Lair including its location.
[dice=Diplomacy to Gather Information] 1d20+11+1d6
I didnt think we were “smuggling”. We are buying a cargo of weapons and transporting it.
You look up Lamashtu’s Lair in the city infosphere; it’s a cheap bar in one of the commercial domes nestled between the city’s purple towers. It’s 10 miles from the landing bay, and you can hire a robo taxi to take you there for 1 credit. There’s no listing for Tause Jarzeed, however.
-----------------------
NAW Balance:
Aldo: 0 Creds
Alf: 0 Creds
Angel: 0.005 Creds
Chip: 0.005 Creds
Kaz: 0.005 Creds
"Of course this won't be easy. I assume Tariki had a real job for us, so maybe we just need to scour the infosphere a litle more intensely."
Alfonse attempts to search more intensely while we get driven to Lamashtu's Lair.
Alf does a seriously thorough job, but finds nothing else. Before long, you're at the bar.
Muted conversation and the stench of spilled alcohol permeate this place, and the light is quite low. Travelers of all species—though mostly the local majority drow, orcs, and half-orcs—sit at tables of thoroughly stained aluminum, nursing their drinks and keeping to themselves. Across the room, a pitted bar counter and black aluminum stools beckon those eager to drink their sorrows away. Behind the bar is a brusque-looking half-orc who eyes you curiously.
Alfonse moves up to the bar, waving his team to come with.
”Yo, we will take a round of whatever is good here. We s’posed to meet some dude named Jarzeed for a job, but as always, our contacts managed to forget to give us the important details. Know him?”
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As they approach the bar, Chip tilts his head. I hope they serve...my kind here. If not, I can just wait outside, we don't want any trouble.
"I hope they serve...my kind here. If not, I can just wait outside, we don't want any trouble."
"Chip, don't be daft. You will be fine here. Besides, I need your eyes for this mission. Stay nearby."
Aldo approaches the half-orc at the bar and opens up to him.
"You have a really nice place here. I'm Cygnarius and my crew and I are looking for a contact of Lord Sinjin who goes by the name of Tause Jarzeed. Have you seen him?"
"Name's Kaden, and I know why you're here.... you're literally in uniform. Gimme a second."
He hits a button and speaks in the spidery tongue of the drow. "Okay, Jarzeed is waiting for you in the VIP Lounge just fol-"
The doors to the bar clatter open and a drow enters, dragging a protesting gnome along behind him. The drow wears the distinctive armor of House Zeizerer and bears a long sword of pure black energy—motes of crackling
power flow off it and pop in the dark air. The gnome, in contrast, has their wrists pinned together with binders. “I’m telling you,” wails the gnome, “this is all a big mistake! A huge mistake!"
Without sparing a glance to his prey, the drow heaves the gnome up and deposits them on top of the bar. “Here’s your bounty, Kaden, as promised,” he says. The half-orc behind the bar gives the gnome a glance and takes out her personal comm unit.
It takes Kaden a few moments to pull up the file for this bounty; in that time, Cicil turns to you for help. “I’m not... whoever he’s looking for,” Cicil says in a wheedling plea. “I just lost my comm unit! Please, you look like reasonable—not to mention well-armed—individuals. Give a gnome a hand?” They gesture towards you with their bound wrists. Horizon is, however, unconcerned.
Kaden looks up from her comm and shows the image displayed there—a gnome similar in appearance to Cicil—to Horizon. “This isn’t the mark,” she says.
"What's the trouble, gnome?"
”Yo, that ain’t him. We all can see that. With all their silliness, and dyed hair, who can tell, really. Honest mistake I am sure.”
Alf spots differences between the photo on the comm and Cicil; Kaden is right. Kaden and Horizon immediately fall into an argument, the bounty hunter insisting on being paid while Kaden stubbornly refuses. There's an opening here....
Kaden, if this bounty hunter is causing trouble, we could escort him out for you.
The bounty hunter, Horizon, whirls around, "What did you just say vesk?"
Aldo tries to reason with Horizon.
"What my associate is saying here is don't be so hasty. In your eagerness to bring in your bounty you are making a big mistake. Not only does that hurt your reputation, this poor gnome may end up in a prison due to some bad luck. We are just saying, double check your info. Make sure you have the right person."
As Horizon is distracted by Kaz and Aldo, Alfonse carefully sneaks around and release Cicil.
He winks at the gnome before returning the bar.
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Chip is currently torn...he can see Vizzini slyly releasing the innoceng gnome, and despite his poor social skills, he can aslo see the delightful mess of things both Kaz and Aldo are making with the bounty hunter.
Quick calculations produce the answer that "you can't make things better, but you can make them worse" so he simply keeps a vigilant eye--particularly for potential allies of the bounty hunter!
Alf easily gets the gnome free, earning a LOUD “Thank you, stranger yoski man, for that timely rescue!” Horizon whirls around, already in a mood for violence after Aldo's social slight.
Bar fights are common on all worlds, but here.... well, murder isn't illegal.
ROUND 1:
Alf: Go
Chip: Go
Horizon: TBD
Angel: TBD
Aldo: TBD
Kaz: TBD
******************************************
Location: Apostae
INITIATIVE:
Horizon:
"What? Why would you do that?" yells Alfonse.
The last thing he wants to do is the fight this bounty hunter. He cannot be very good, but killing a drow is just a way to get more drow after you.
Alfonse moves back and draws his pistol. "This doesn't have to come to killing!"
"I now see that no good deed is going to go unpunished!"
Turning to the gnome, Aldo scolds, "Cicil, if you are ever given a gift of kindness again, don't you ever feed that hand to the wolves! People are going to die because of your lack of awareness."
Well. Crap.
Chip's drone springs into the air off his head, ready to fire off a shot.
He looks at the bartender, head tilted slightly.
Excuse me, barkeep, it appears this has devolved into violence. Do we have your leave to meet this escalation in your establishment? Considering the genesis of the dispute, he might come after you next...
Chip will wait a couple seconds for a reply
"Yeah, no s&~$, Cicil!"
Alf moves and draws. The barkeep shakes her head and drops to the floor. She shouts, "WHATEVER!"
Aldo turns to the gnome right as she utters some words with a smile. A moment later she's now a drow dressed similarly to all the other patrons. She dives into the kerfuffle to lose everyone.
Aldo then turns to see Horizon drawing forth a soulfire solar sword and swinging it at his head!
MISS
Desna smiles because at the last second an errant wine glass shatters on Horizon's arm, foiling his attack.
ROUND 1:
Alf: Move and draw
Horizon: ATK
Chip: Go
Angel: Go
Aldo: Go
Kaz: Go
******************************************
Location: Apostae
INITIATIVE:
Horizon:
"Cecil, what in the solar hells have you done?! Did you set us up for a fight?! We're here to help some of you make profit and this is what you all want?! Very well. A fight is what you are going to get! "
Aldo pulls out his Azimuth Laser Rifle, takes a quick aim and fires a shot at Horizon.
Aldo shouts to the room, but Cicil is nowhere to be seen. Aldo pulls out his rifle and and takes a shot at a target nearly within reach. He wings Horizon with the shot!
ROUND 1:
Alf: Move and draw
Horizon: ATK
Chip: Go
Angel: Go
Aldo: Hit
Kaz: Go
******************************************
Location: Apostae
Horizon: 2
Round 1
Kaz didn't really want to start a fight to the death here in the very bar where they had business. However, it looks like they made a poor choice helping the damned gnome. The vesk closes distance and tries to tie the drow up in a grapple.
grapple
Chip is before Kaz so this is before the grapple
Chip pulls out his pistol to fire, and the drone also pops one off
Kaz reaches for the drow, but he's too fast, yanking his arm back and keeping his blade. Chip's aim is off, but his drone blasts a hole in his dark armor!
ROUND 1:
Alf: Move and draw
Horizon: ATK
Chip: Hit
Angel: Go
Aldo: Hit
Kaz: Miss
******************************************
Location: Apostae
Horizon: 6
Round 1
Angel moves and shoulders her rifle. Mentally activating Rhonda's tactical tracking on Horizon, she takes a shot.
Ranged
Plasma Bolter (E&F)
Angel's shot goes a bit wide!
Kaz reaches for the drow, but he's too fast, yanking his arm back and keeping his blade. Chip's aim is off, but his drone blasts a hole in his dark armor!
ROUND 1:
Alf: Go
Horizon: TBD
Chip: TBD
Angel: TBD
Aldo: TBD
Kaz: TBD
******************************************
Location: Apostae
Horizon: 6
Alfonse moves up, carefully, but pretends to trip on a barstool before shooting. However, his attempt to pretend to trip turns into something a little more like actually tripping.
Alf's feint is poorly executed, BUT he still connects with a light hit.
By now the place is cleared. Most of the patrons are behind flipped tables. Suddenly the vid screen changes to "Live coverage of a shoot out at...."
"Don't touch my blade you bloody reptile!" Horizon swipes at Kaz:
MISS!
ROUND 1:
Alf: Hit
Horizon: ATK
Chip: Go
Angel: Go
Aldo: Go
Kaz: Go
******************************************
Location: Apostae
Horizon: 7
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Round 2
The vesk gives a nasty growl and even nastier slash with his claws. He then takes a guarded step around his opponent.
Melee attack
Claws
"Don't touch my blade you bloody reptile!"
"You and your little henchgnome wanted this fight, so you can expect plenty of reptile!"
Aldo fires again.
Kaz's claws slash Horizon across the face, drawing blood. It's enough to get the bounty hunter to pull back his blade, "Fine! Enough!" He leans over the bar to look down at Kaden, "Fine. Wrong gnome."
The vid screen goes on the fritz for a second before the screen is replaced with a winking gnome for just a moment. It then returns to the races.
Horizon leaves in a huff and Kaden stands up from hiding behind the bar. “If you are all done wrecking my place,” she says, pointing to the door leading to the VIP Lounge, “the guy you’re looking for is in there.”
"If you are all done wrecking my place,”
Aldo replies to Kaden, "I can assure you, we don't like shooting up places either, but we seem to be attracting danger these days. Next time, we will try and set the weapons to stun and see if that helps."
Aldo puts away his rifle and leads the others into the VIP Lounge.