Game. Auspar, City of Needles.

[tibbius]

Whatever your histories, you're presently in service to the Hand of Melch. Loyal? Unclear. Fearful? Certainly.

You stand uneasily in the office of Holiva, nominal Ruler of Thaemor. The single bright glowglobe on the ornate live-granite desk casts the Hand of Melch onto the wall to your left.

"Thank you for coming to ... visit ... this evening," Holiva says both wearily and fearfully. The man is in his late middle years, balding from the forehead, and his bulbous nose owes some of its color to the beaker of gin that sits by his elbow. His right hand hovers next to the glowglobe. Abruptly, it spasms.

"Yes!" the Hand of Melch says forcefully. Its voice is cheerful, almost manic. "Soon, the shadow herd will run again! Our lands will be saved from disgrace! The Convergence will aid us!" The Hand's voice seems to come from its fluttering shadow on the wall. You have of course heard of ventriloquy, but ... Holiva's lips do not move, his jaw is slackened, his eyes a trifle vacant. With his left hand he raises the beaker to his lips and sips. "You shall go to the Empty Sanctum, and inquire within about the message we received," the Hand continues. Holiva swallows. "They have offered to aid in the resurgence of the herd." Holiva grimaces and licks his lips. "They merely ask assistance with a project of their own, which they believe to be linked to the herd!"

"As you know, we are not a wealthy kingdom," Holiva says when the Hand stops squawking. "Much of our resources go to the erection of needles or to importation of hot spice." (He refers to a mildly addictive substance, much used in Thaemor.) "So ... you will need to make do with what equipment you possess. For now. But I expect that the Convergence may aid you in accomplishing whatever task it is they have to - "

"Indeed!" the Hand interrupts. "The Convergence offers resources beyond our own!" It then falls limp to the top of the desk. Holiva massages his right forearm as he continues to speak.

"I can provide you provisions for the trip to the Empty Sanctum," he says. "It is about a five day walk, or you could hire a crawler for a couple of shins to make the journey in a day. However, if you hire a crawler, it will be difficult to return as the Convergence most likely will not send you directly back here to Auspar."

Do you accept the mission?

[cybersavant]

Randar stands behind the others gathered and listens to Holiva, nominal Ruler of Thaemo, but studies the floor in front of his feet. At the question, he looks up, a little, and waits to hear the other responses.

[shaidar]

Hopkirk keeps a neutral but pleasant look on his face as he watches the shadow puppetry play out, while inside his mind races in concern at their rulers apparent lunacy.

"This has the chance to be spectacular, whether in success or failure, who knows" he thinks to himself.

Once Holiva finishes he smiles and bows towards the man.

"My lord, it is an honour to be given a chance to further the cause of our country, and your offer of provisions is most generous. It seems prudent to leave in the morning at first light. Is there a particular person to ask for at the Empty Sanctum."

[tibbius]

"I do not kn-" begins Holiva, and then the Hand jerks into speech: "The young one with a shaved head!" it squawks. "She is a trustworthy person!"

Holiva shrugs. "I guess," he says, "the Hand knows what he knows."

[shaidar]

Hopkirk

"Very well, milord, the young woman with the shaved head. I shall keep an eye out for her. Is there anything else you feel we need to know?"

[tibbius]

"The Convergence are friends of the shadows!" the Hand cheerfully informs you as Holiva shrugs and bobs his head evasively.

"Thank you again for attending this interview," Holiva dismally utters as he picks up the beaker of gin again. "As there are no further questions, I look forward to your report of contact with the Convergence."

[shaidar]

Hopkirk bows again.

"Thank you, my lord. We shall go and prepare for early start."

He bows again and heads towards the door.

[tibbius]

Outside the Precipice, damp darkness clots the broad streets of Auspar. Climbers returned from daily work in fields or otherwise ascend their needles toward safe perches. Only the desperate and/or dangerous will roam the ground in darkness.

Assuming you wait until daybreak to start your mission, you will need to rest. Please describe your perches. Then I will describe what happens as you proceed thence.

[shaidar]

Hopkirk

Still not particularly comfortable with the locals delight in sleeping on high perches, Hopkirk looks around for a building with three or four stories where there might find a place to hide on the roof, that or a cheap inn or guest house for outlander visitors.

Have we been given the provisions, or do we need to return in the morning to collect them?

[cybersavant]

Hopkirk bows again.
"Thank you, my lord. We shall go and prepare for early start."
He bows again and heads towards the door.

Randar follows suit, bows, and walks after Hopkirk. Outside, as the light dims he looks up for an available perch. He climbs a needle, ties himself off where a small bulge is he can sit on, and settles in for the night.

[tibbius]

Have we been given the provisions, or do we need to return in the morning to collect them?

You will need to pick them up in the morning. Eight days of provisions will make a hefty pack for each of you. There is the option of "renting" a crawler.



As Hopkirk wanders looking for a tavern that isn't up in the air, a scrawny man topples onto him from above. shaidar, please roll STR (1d6+1d6). You *expect* to be knocked down. *Better* would be that you keep your feet. *Worse* would be the wind knocked out. *Much worse*, an injury that could delay your mission.

[shaidar]

Hopkins

STR: [_2d6]=(1+6)=7 as expected

Knocked to the ground by the falling man he exclaims "Hey, look where you're falling!"

He quickly picks himself up and looks around, checking in case this is some kind of bizarre distraction technique by the local street gangs.

Assuming he sees nothing untoward he goes to help the man up: "Are you OK?"

[tibbius]

Janks

"Never better!" giggles the scrawny man who plummeted onto Hopkirk and tumbled to his feet. He reaches down and helps Hopkirk up, though he's about a foot shorter than his human landing pad. "Oh, I do love your fashion choices. Well ... I really should be going now! But you look a bit lost - do you need directions?"

[shaidar]

Hopkirk

"I'm looking for somewhere to kip for the night, preferably somewhere that doesn't involve heights."

[tibbius]

Janks

"Oh, come on. I'm staying at the Hovel - that's the name for the outlander inn. It's on ground level and it has a good fence around it to keep out ... you know. Riffy raffy types. Follow me!"

Faintly, up above, Hopkirk can hear somebody yelling something. It sounds like "top! Teeth!"

[shaidar]

Hopkirk

"Lead on! From the sound of whoever is up there we shouldn't dawdle."

Hopkirk is happy not to hang round.

[tibbius]

The Hovel is all that its name promises: a shabby, rundown, derelict-looking place that is surrounded by a fence of rusting iron spikes about eight feet high and closely spaced. A few glowglobes dangle forlornly from the spikes and above the doorway of the fairly large three story building. The building itself is concrete and stucco, grey in the darkness. A spire protrudes from its roof into the dark sky, out of sight.

"Hey, sweetie," Janks says brightly to the burly woman sitting behind a chipped stone counter just inside the door of the building. She frowns at him. "My friend Hopkirk needs a room. My room has two beds. Can he split the rate with me?" Without waiting for response he turns to Hopkirk: "It's a shin for a week, but if you chip in a few chips we can make it work." A chip is a portion of a shin. The local shins are steel, the chips are plastic. There are 12 chips to a shin, nobody knows why.

[shaidar]

Hopkirk gives the woman his best smile

"Hey there! I only really need a bed for one night, I'm out of the city from tommorow on a job." he flashes a shin "I mean I've got the coin, but since it's just one night maybe there is the odd job or two around here I could help with instead?"

Gonna make a CHR roll to see how well that suggestion goes down

CHA: [_2d8]=(7+5)=12

[tibbius]

Gonna make a CHR roll to see how well that suggestion goes down

CHA: [_2d8]=(7+5)=12

I'm going to go with "better than expected" means a free bed ...

"Sure," the woman responds with a surprising level of cheeriness. "But there's not much that needs done right now. How about you just take the spare bed in your friend's room and nobody will charge you anything for it" she looks at Janks sternly.

"Ah, sure, sure," Janks says casually.

Randar follows suit, bows, and walks after Hopkirk. Outside, as the light dims he looks up for an available perch. He climbs a needle, ties himself off where a small bulge is he can sit on, and settles in for the night.

OK - we've settled the lodgings and you've met the NPC. Shall we move to the next day, on the road?

[shaidar]

OK - we've settled the lodgings and you've met the NPC. Shall we move to the next day, on the road?

I'm happy with that.