Late One Night... (adventure starts here)

[Jernau35]

Jrec

Jrec nods. "Fine by me". As the group walks towards Ringar's place, he'll keep a good eye out behind them, in case the cops return. Or just in case anybody from the bar has decided to follow them.

[ffilz]

Giotto is startled but not surprised by the Chirper's return. Talking quietly: Come on, let's go get those drinks. I've got some cards too.

[SpinwardMarch]

The sun is setting as the group reaches Ringar's hotel. It is a classic shabby, slightly run-down, "has seen better days" sort of place. As you go up the stairs to the room, the evening desk attendant gives the chirper a sour look.

The management doesn't like people bringing in random... pets.

Once more, you get the impression that the locals really dislike the chirpers.

You gather in the hotel room, and break out the booze.

Chiree looks slightly more relaxed, now that he is away from the locals.Thank you for being nice. The humans that have come here hate us, and have taken our lands. My family and others live far to the north. He indicates the direction by pointing.

The chirpers are described as "semi-intelligent," so I will play them as at about the level of human 5-7 year olds.

Actions?

[Pulpatoon]

The sun is setting as the group reaches Ringar's hotel. It is a classic shabby, slightly run-down, "has seen better days" sort of place. As you go up the stairs to the room, the evening desk attendant gives the chirper a sour look.

Given all the trouble that proceeded getting here, can we take it as given that we threw the jacket over the chirper and tried to be discreet about getting it into the room?

[ffilz]

The sun is setting as the group reaches Ringar's hotel. It is a classic shabby, slightly run-down, "has seen better days" sort of place. As you go up the stairs to the room, the evening desk attendant gives the chirper a sour look.

Given all the trouble that proceeded getting here, can we take it as given that we threw the jacket over the chirper and tried to be discreet about getting it into the room?

Yea, that or let it in through a window...

[SpinwardMarch]

Retcon...Ignore the following:

The sun is setting as the group reaches Ringar's hotel. It is a classic shabby, slightly run-down, "has seen better days" sort of place. As you go up the stairs to the room, the evening desk attendant gives the chirper a sour look.

The management doesn't like people bringing in random... pets.

Once more, you get the impression that the locals really dislike the chirpers.

You do sneak the chirper up to the room under December's coat with no problems. In fact, no one notices anything odd.

The hotel, however, is still shabby.

[Pulpatoon]

December sits down and takes his coat off the creature. "Alright, we should be a little safer, here. Do you want something to eat or drink? Would you like to tell us more of your story?"

[SpinwardMarch]

Sorry, got involved in gardening projects.

After everyone gets their drinks and relaxes, Chiree starts elaborating on his story: Our village is in the land nearer the top of the world, across the ocean. He points to the north. See the world map in the "Where am I" thread.

We were younger and could not yet hide like the grown people of our village,* so when the soldiers came, they grabbed me and my nest-mates. We traveled far, in cages in a ship, and then were locked in that terrible place. It was run by moving metal monsters. I think this place is near the bottom of the world. He points south. The water was very cold when I left there, there was ice floating on it.

Many kinds of beings are locked in there. I do not know why, but they are part of experiments. I need to save my nest-mates before they are killed. His big eyes look like he wants to cry.

*hint... how?

Actions?

[Jernau35]

Jrec

The big ex-marine thinks for a few moments. "I'm not against helping this little fella. I don't think anyone else in this city is going to. But listen to him - long way south - ice in the water. How do we get there from here? And it could be anywhere in thousands of square klicks".

Jrec crouches next to Chirree and tries to appear as non-scary as possible, not an easy task. "Can you tell us any more? Did you walk all the way here? Do you know how to get back there?"

[Pulpatoon]

December: "Chiree, thank you for telling us. You must have been very brave to escape and make it this far. Have you learned to hide since you were caught? Is that what happened when the police officers stopped us? Can you show us how you do this?"

[SpinwardMarch]

Chiree looks at all of you with his large, sad eyes and nods.

I learned to hide while I was in the bad place. That is how I could leave it. I left my cage, and found a way to get out of the round thing. I swam for a long time in the cold water, until I was very tired. Then I just floated, until I was washed onto this land. Then I walked, and ate berries and other plants. I tried to get help, but the humans are mean and throw rocks at me.

He pauses, If you have some food, may I have a little?

He continues, Hiding is easy, once I got a little older. He stops talking, and is simply not there! A few moments later, he reappears, in the same spot. Yes, that is how I hid from those men. I don't know how I do it, but all my people can, after they get to the right age.

Humans travel by ships on top of the sea or ones that go under the water. To go south, they use the underwater ships.

Since you have been here for several weeks, you know that there are both normal surface vessels and submersibles for travel between continents. Also, there is the Vanejen starport, which may have air/rafts which could be "liberated." But first you realize you need more information about the place with the "round thing" - the supposedly decommissioned Research Station Gamma!


What do you do, after he tells his story?

[Pulpatoon]

December is astonished and fascinated by the Chirpee's disappearing act. Invisibility! What a adaptation! He ask the little creature to repeat the performance several times while he tries to make some sense of it—is it visual camouflage? Psychic interference with the viewer? Dimensional shifting? He reaches out a tentative hand to see if the creature is tangible while invisible. He holds up a stylus behind the invisible creature and squints at it intensely, looking for distortions that might signal light refraction, and preforms any other shoestring experiments he can think to gather more information. While scrounging up some food for the hungry refugee, he asks, "Can you hide other things as well as yourself?"

[ybn1197]

Modax chuckles to himself watching December conduct his experiments with the Chirpee's disappearing act. Chiree, is that what the men who were experimenting on you and your nest-mates wanted? To learn how you turn invisible?

[spanningtree]

Ringar takes a long swing of "Popov" vodka then looks at the chirper: We've all got problems... shoot, I have not the funds to even get off this rock. This palace is a bit of a prison. He gestures to the "shabby" room. If we render help whats in it for us?

[SpinwardMarch]

Chiree looks at December, What? I don't understand. We simply wish not to be seen and then wish to be seen again.

If December tries to get Chiree to "hide" again, the little chirper will refuse and tell them he is tired. It is likely he and his siblings were captured to be examined and experimented on because of this ability.

To Ringar: We do not understand what you humans call "money." The land and sea provides us with what we need. He pulls a single coin out of a pouch on his stomach. It is thick, 3 cm across, and is engraved with the sign of a burning flame. Our people have many of these. Maybe you can use this. The coin is made of solid, soft gold.

Actions?

[Pulpatoon]

December picks up the coin, feels its heft and looks around with wide eyes to the rest of the crew. With studied casualness, he asks the native, "Where exactly do your people find such things? This... many more of these would greatly aid us in helping you and your people."

[Jernau35]

Jrec

"You know, a minute ago a voice in my head was telling me: 'Harvan, you're gonna regret agreeing to help out some random guy you met in a bar'.

He stares at the gold coin. "Now he's telling me: 'Hey, don't listen to me! What the hell do I know?'"

[spanningtree]

Ringar's eyes bulge: Yes, if you have more of those you can sign me up.

[ffilz]

Giotto is definitely interested "If you've got more of those, I'm sure I can be of help."

[ybn1197]

You can most certainly count me in, Madox says.