Heroica: Glory Amongst The Stars - Mission #10: Pins & Needles

[Waterbrick Down]

The four agents set out from Heroica Hall winding their way through the Ebria Station's main level. The station is bustling with vendors hawking wares in the bazaar, shipping containers being unloaded, and laborers working on the endless construction and maintenance of the super structure. The group eventually make their way down Starbright Street turning off opposite the Blackguard Security Substation. The architecture takes on a more naturalistic tone, archways and windows mimicking winding plants and stone structures. Foliage creeps and crawls over most of the buildings and the air feels fresh and crisp. Little Aluriel seems aptly named as most of the surrounding apartments and business are populated with dozens of Dwarves and Elves. Traditional Dwarven weapon smiths hammer away at their star forges, elven herbalists perfect new tinctures and biologics, and the smell of fresh mead, pastries, and delicacies permeate the air. It doesn't take winding down one of the alleyways before they spot Ozzorli's Pizzaria, a small hole in the wall restaurant, a xenon sign of an axe carving into a pizza illuminates the crowded quarters.

The cozy eatery exudes warmth and a distinct feel of the old world, ivy growing on the walls, wooden beams decorated in gold plate and intricate carvings supporting the low ceiling, a Dwarven blunderaxe hanging over the door. Crates, barrels, and sacks of ingredients are crammed into every corner of the shop, but a half dozen seats along the bar and around the room allow for a modest gathering of patrons. A giant forge turned pizza oven dominates the interior of the shop, glowing with tremendous heat as a Dwarven chef plies his peel. A Celestial and an Elf, already seated, enjoy goblets of ale and wine, welcome pairings to their piping hot pizzas. A Dwarven woman hails the agents as they enter.

"Oye, welcome to Ozzorli's! I'm Margot. Feel free to have a seat. Let me know if I can get ya anything."

The Party

 Ensonvilterayquis (Enson) (Duvors)
60 cycles old male Quo'ri
Character Points: 0/22
Vitality: 5
Velocity: 2
Strength: 1
Skill: 3
Smarts: 2
Spirit: 3/3
Proficiencies: Insight 1, Medicine 3, Melee Weapons 2, Performance 1, Religion 2
Spells: Healing Light, Purging Font, Warding Bond
Credits: 2
Equipment: Void Star Hammer (+1 Melee Elemental), Utility Belt (Tool, grants +1 Engineering or Medicine Check Successes)
Inventory: Plasma Falchion (+2 Melee Energy), Plasma Splicer (Tool, as an action, transfer Vitality with an adjacent ally), Æther Brew, Essence of Glibness, Essence of Precaution, Nanite Elixir 2x, Plasma Potion 4x, Spider Bomb (Hampering, Minor, Contained, Chemical, Adhesive).

 Aysu Kundakçı (Peppermint_M)
22 Rotations Old, Female? Adopted Human.
Character Points: 4/18
Vitality: 6/6
Velocity: 2
Strength: 3
Skill: 3
Smarts: 1
Spirit: 1
Proficiencies: Long Range Weapons 3, Nature 1, Survival 1
Spell: Enhanced Vision
Credits: 137
Equipment:  Environment Safe Ammunition "ESA" Rifle (Calibrated Long Range, Energy) with Gravimetric Bipod - Weapon Attachment (The first Offensive Combat check with this weapon is Lucky) attached, Farsight Goggles
Inventory: Plasma Potion 2x, Essence of Glibness, Field Rations (Consumable, Restores 1 Vitality), Gator Hide (Can be converted into either Kinetic or Elemental Standard Armor by a craftsman) Zinc (Calibrated Kinetic Long Range Weapon)

 

 Billeck Wallard (Wolfpackfan99)
26 Cycle old Male Human 
Character points: 10/10
Vitality: 5/5
Velocity: 2
Strength: 1
Skill: 2
Smarts: 2
Proficiencies: Coding 1, Explosives 2, Technology 2, Short Range Weapons 2
Credits: 10
Equipment: Standard Elemental Short Range Weapon, Standard Energy Armor, Energy Cell
Inventory:

  Jonk (Scubacarrot)
30-something cycles Male Celestial
Character Points: 0/10
Vitality: 5/5
Velocity: 3
Strength: 1
Skill: 2
Smarts: 3
Proficiencies: Persuasion 1, Sleight of Hand 2, Long Range Weapons 1, Perception 1
Credits: 10
Equipment:  Sighted Corpo Blazer (Calibrated Elemental Long Range weapon), Exo-Suit
Inventory:

MM Note: Welcome to Mission 10 folks! Feel free to check your stats, as soon as everyone confirms we'll get rolling, otherwise feel free to interact with the environment, NPC's, etc. @Wolfpackfan99 Please consider completing your Character Creation by assigning points to the remainder of your stats, once the mission starts in earnest you'll be locked into those stats for the remainder of the mission.

[Scubacarrot]

Thanks for having me!

2 hours ago, Waterbrick Down said:

"Oye, welcome to Orzoli's! I'm Margot. Feel free to have a seat. Let me know if I can get ya anything."

"Hi there Margot, I'm Jonk. Nice place you have here. I'll have some plant juice, please." Jonk wondered about the locale to start this mission, an office or creepy alley was expected, not an eatery. Anyway, it sure smelled good in here. Maybe after the mission he'd come back and try one of these steamy disk-things.

[Peppermint_M]

Aysu took in the place and smiled at the warmth of the atmosphere, "Hiya! I'm Aysu! Do we have time for a slice? Home cooked pizza is pretty great."

[Scubacarrot]

40 minutes ago, Peppermint_M said:

Aysu took in the place and smiled at the warmth of the atmosphere, "Hiya! I'm Aysu! Do we have time for a slice? Home cooked pizza is pretty great."

"Hi I dont think we have met, I'm Jonk. Happy to be working with you."

[Waterbrick Down]

7 hours ago, Scubacarrot said:

Thanks for having me!

"Hi there Margot, I'm Jonk. Nice place you have here. I'll have some plant juice, please." Jonk wondered about the locale to start this mission, an office or creepy alley was expected, not an eatery. Anyway, it sure smelled good in here. Maybe after the mission he'd come back and try one of these steamy disk-things.

"Plant juice, ya mean wine? Tapped a fresh cask this morning, here let me pour you a goblet." Margot hands a glass of Alurien Cabernet.

The elf seated near by raises her glass to the group with a smile.

"Careful my friend, too many glasses and Margot will have you ordering pies until you're as stuffed as a Phejharian boar."

7 hours ago, Peppermint_M said:

Aysu took in the place and smiled at the warmth of the atmosphere, "Hiya! I'm Aysu! Do we have time for a slice? Home cooked pizza is pretty great."

"Hello there lass. We've certainly got some warm slices, otherwise my brother Guustin here can make you a custom order. Have an appointment yer rushin' off to?"

[Wolfpackfan99]

Billeck walked into the eatery. He stopped, savouring the smell of the pizza. He spied Jonk and a pink haired woman talking to a dwarfish woman. He approached them in a friendly manner. 
 

“Hello there, Jonk. And also hello to you, mam. I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Billeck Wallard, I’m also on this mission.”

[Scubacarrot]

1 hour ago, Waterbrick Down said:

"Plant juice, ya mean wine? Tapped a fresh cask this morning, here let me pour you a goblet." Margot hands a glass of Alurien Cabernet.

Jonk takes a sip. "Wow, plant juice sure comes in many varieties. Pretty tasty though!"

1 hour ago, Waterbrick Down said:

"Careful my friend, too many glasses and Margot will have you ordering pies until you're as stuffed as a Phejharian boar."

"Ohh hello, I think i have heard of your kind, no offense!" Jonk leans in closer and asks the elf: "Are you a... regular?"

Jonks face then twists in a way that can only mean confusion by the tone of voice: "Wait, pies? I thought this place served Peet Tsars?"

[Waterbrick Down]

18 minutes ago, Scubacarrot said:

Jonk takes a sip. "Wow, plant juice sure comes in many varieties. Pretty tasty though!"

"Oh sweetie, ya telling me ya haven't had wine before? What about ale?"

19 minutes ago, Scubacarrot said:

"Ohh hello, I think i have heard of your kind, no offense!" Jonk leans in closer and asks the elf: "Are you a... regular?"

Jonks face then twists in a way that can only mean confusion by the tone of voice: "Wait, pies? I thought this place served Peet Tsars?"

"Pizza pies, indeed. I am Nylian Yllaric, a shipwright. I'm surprised, we elves are one of the eldest races amongst the stars. Have you seen much of the Arm?"

[Scubacarrot]

5 minutes ago, Waterbrick Down said:

"Oh sweetie, ya telling me ya haven't had wine before? What about ale?"

"I think I've had ale, that's the type of juice the drinkslinger back at the bar gave me, it was tasty as well! But no, I've only had standard issue corpo-rations for the last... four years now? Certified plant-free... Now that I'm here I figured I'd see what I missed!"

8 minutes ago, Waterbrick Down said:

"Pizza pies, indeed. I am Nylian Yllaric, a shipwright. I'm surprised, we elves are one of the eldest races amongst the stars. Have you seen much of the Arm?"

"Oh my bad, I did not mean elves. I meant a regular, at an establishment. Nice to meet you Nylian Yllaric, I'm Jonk, although you probably heard me say that. Can't say that I explored much, but at least that lets me try new things wherever I go! A shipwright huh, that seems like a good gig. What kind of ships do you make?"

[Peppermint_M]

Aysu could smell something good had to have been cooking.

2 hours ago, Waterbrick Down said:

"Hello there lass. We've certainly got some warm slices, otherwise my brother Guustin here can make you a custom order. Have an appointment yer rushin' off to?"

"I'll have a slice of whatever is the house special." The gunner smiled wide. "Not so much an appointment, but a job, we still have people to arrive though. I might order a custom pie if we're waiting a while."  Looking to who she guessed were her fellow adventurer's, Aysu waved.

"Hi guys, Aysu's the name, first job for the hall right?"

[Waterbrick Down]

47 minutes ago, Scubacarrot said:

"I think I've had ale, that's the type of juice the drinkslinger back at the bar gave me, it was tasty as well! But no, I've only had standard issue corpo-rations for the last... four years now? Certified plant-free... Now that I'm here I figured I'd see what I missed!"

"Ah part of the endless machine, aye? Well just let my brother get you a slice of pizza and turn your world upside down."

48 minutes ago, Scubacarrot said:

"Oh my bad, I did not mean elves. I meant a regular, at an establishment. Nice to meet you Nylian Yllaric, I'm Jonk, although you probably heard me say that. Can't say that I explored much, but at least that lets me try new things wherever I go! A shipwright huh, that seems like a good gig. What kind of ships do you make?"

"I'm employed with Haast Aerospace, currently focused upon their line of light frigates. And yes, when I'm on Ebria, I make it a point to swing by here to remind myself of home."

33 minutes ago, Peppermint_M said:

"I'll have a slice of whatever is the house special." The gunner smiled wide. "Not so much an appointment, but a job, we still have people to arrive though. I might order a custom pie if we're waiting a while."  Looking to who she guessed were her fellow adventurer's, Aysu waved.

"Today's special would be the Aquin Artichoke; Garlic sauce, house blend cheese, roasted Aquin megafowl, spinach, and artichoke." Margot passes a plate nearly dwarfed by a giant slice of pizza over to Aysu. "Hopefully the rest of your group shows up quickly, we'll be closing up in a little bit."

[Scubacarrot]

43 minutes ago, Peppermint_M said:

"Hi guys, Aysu's the name, first job for the hall right?"

"Hi! Yes, first time for me!

6 minutes ago, Waterbrick Down said:

"Hopefully the rest of your group shows up quickly, we'll be closing up in a little bit."

"Well... He did say he was stopping by somewhere first... Oh no, maybe he got lost! Wait... Is this a rescue mission within a rescue mission? It's just like the holo's!"

[Duvors]

36 minutes ago, Scubacarrot said:

"Well... He did say he was stopping by somewhere first... Oh no, maybe he got lost! Wait... Is this a rescue mission within a rescue mission? It's just like the holo's!"

"I've been here as long as you have," said someone directly behind Jonk, "I just haven't said anything."
Sliding into view, Enson took a seat at the bar, nodding at Margot. "Hello miss, you wouldn't happen to have Tehanui pizza on the menu here? I really could go for a slice."
Turning to address his companions, Enson smiled and said "Wallard, Jonk, glad to see you've made it. Aysu, I am glad you see you again." Addressing the to new heroes he said "I have had the honor of seeing miss Aysu in action before. I assure you, she is an excellent addition to our party."

[Waterbrick Down]

21 minutes ago, Duvors said:

Sliding into view, Enson took a seat at the bar, nodding at Margot. "Hello miss, you wouldn't happen to have Tehanui pizza on the menu here? I really could go for a slice."

"Sure thing it'll be a few minutes. Guustin, one Tehanui pizza."

"Sure thing, they want the bromeliad chopped or in rings?" The Dwarven chef, Guustin, heads toward the prep table in the corner calling back over his shoulder. "Hey, when Bertram gets back from his last delivery, make sure he records his tips. That boy of yours is gonna get in trouble with the ITA one of these days if he can't file his forms correctly."

[Wolfpackfan99]

Bertram. The name disturbed Billeck more than it should’ve. Just when I thought I was safe, those mobsters always come back, but this time I won’t lose what I hold dear, I won’t make that mistake again, I swear it on her grave. 

 Looking around, Billeck could feel his adrenaline running, he was ready.
 

[Peppermint_M]

"Enson! I saw your name on the list when I put mine down." Aysu was a little distracted by the fine slice of pizza put before her. "Gonna eat me some pizza..." The cheese, the meat, the garlic... The gunner took a bite so large her Mother would have scolded her. 

"i-f sfo goob" 

It was a good job mama was a long way from here, or she would be very cross with her daughter's manners.

[Duvors]

2 hours ago, Waterbrick Down said:

"Sure thing, they want the bromeliad chopped or in rings?" The Dwarven chef, Guustin, heads toward the prep table in the corner calling back over his shoulder. "Hey, when Bertram gets back from his last delivery, make sure he records his tips. That boy of yours is gonna get in trouble with the ITA one of these days if he can't file his forms correctly."

"Either is fine." Enson said, smirking grimly to himself as he overheard the chef's complaints. If only he knew.

42 minutes ago, Peppermint_M said:

"Enson! I saw your name on the list when I put mine down." Aysu was a little distracted by the fine slice of pizza put before her. "Gonna eat me some pizza..." The cheese, the meat, the garlic... The gunner took a bite so large her Mother would have scolded her. 

"i-f sfo goob" 

It was a good job mama was a long way from here, or she would be very cross with her daughter's manners.

"Hey, hey, hey, careful there!  You wouldn't want to choke on that."

[Waterbrick Down]

6 hours ago, Peppermint_M said:

"Enson! I saw your name on the list when I put mine down." Aysu was a little distracted by the fine slice of pizza put before her. "Gonna eat me some pizza..." The cheese, the meat, the garlic... The gunner took a bite so large her Mother would have scolded her. 

"i-f sfo goob" 

It was a good job mama was a long way from here, or she would be very cross with her daughter's manners.

As Aysu, bites into the pizza savoring it's aroma, her palette detects something salty and fishy, anchovies. She also notices the crust is quite burnt.

5 hours ago, Duvors said:

"Either is fine." Enson said, smirking grimly to himself as he overheard the chef's complaints. If only he knew.

The heroes wait a good thirty minutes. Enson's pizza seems to be taking an exorbitant amount of time. A bell rings from the front door as another Dwarf walks in carrying a few insulated delivery bags.

"Oye! Packed full I see, Uncle. I leave the shop for deliveries all day and yer lettin' customers stack up like dirty dishes."

"Careful boy, otherwise I'll take my peel to yer backside like when ya were a wee lad."

"What ya goin' on about ya old man, yer were a big ol' softie as I seem to remember." The young Dwarf turns to the heroes, "Have ya been served yet? Anything I can get ya? Sorry if Uncle's been keepin' ya waitin' long, seems to be off his game. Might I suggest today's special, the Aquin Giant."

[Duvors]

30 minutes ago, Waterbrick Down said:

"What ya goin' on about ya old man, yer were a big ol' softie as I seem to remember." The young Dwarf turns to the heroes, "Have ya been served yet? Anything I can get ya? Sorry if Uncle's been keepin' ya waitin' long, seems to be off his game. Might I suggest today's special, the Aquin Giant."

"I have already ordered, Mister Bertram Ozzorli. My name is Ensonvilterayquis, Enson if you prefer. We've been trying to reach you about your vehicle's extended warranty."

OoC: I forgot to say before, but those six CP I'm listed as having are a mistake.

[Scubacarrot]

12 hours ago, Duvors said:

"I've been here as long as you have," said someone directly behind Jonk, "I just haven't said anything."

"My bad. I guess i should try looking around more, eh."

3 hours ago, Duvors said:

"I have already ordered, Mister Bertram Ozzorli. My name is Ensonvilterayquis, Enson if you prefer. We've been trying to reach you about your vehicle's extended warranty."

"Is that a code or something?" Jonk winks. "Don't worry, we have come to rescue your warranty."

[Peppermint_M]

Pizza consumed, Aysu demurely dabbed garlic topping and cheese from her chin. It had been a while since she had eaten food even close to her family's home cooking. "Well that was good pizza. Many thanks to he chef!" 

She noticed that someone new had arrived, potentially it was the person who had hired them on.

[Wolfpackfan99]

Billeck noticed their employer had arrived. Enson and Jonk seemed to be talking to him in code. 
 

“Good evening mister Bertram sir. It is a pleasure to be doing business with you.”

[Waterbrick Down]

11 hours ago, Duvors said:

"I have already ordered, Mister Bertram Ozzorli. My name is Ensonvilterayquis, Enson if you prefer. We've been trying to reach you about your vehicle's extended warranty."

OoC: I forgot to say before, but those six CP I'm listed as having are a mistake.

7 hours ago, Scubacarrot said:

"My bad. I guess i should try looking around more, eh."

"Is that a code or something?" Jonk winks. "Don't worry, we have come to rescue your warranty."

"Oh, yes my scooter's warranty. Well then let's..."

Margot interrupts her son with a smile.

"Alright folks, that's about it for today we're goin' to be closin' up now."

Bertram seems agitated.

"Mom, you're like four hours early."

"Not to be helped. Stuff to do." Margot turns to the heroes and indicates the door, before handing them a box. "Your pizza, have a nice day!"

The Dwarf cordially grins giving Enson his pizza. The Quo'ri notices it is decidedly not the toppings he ordered. The Celestial patron promptly excuses himself and leaves the pizzeria, but Nylian gives Margot a look of annoyance. 

"What's the rush Margot? I've still got that cask to help you polish off, a necessity I might add as your brother's pizzas today have been rather lacking."

Guustin sets his pizza peel down, wiping his flour covered hands off on his apron.

"I think what my sister is tryin' to express, is that we've some private business matters to attend to. We'll be open tomorrow."

[Scubacarrot]

Jonk wondered what these private business matters could be...

"Bertram, we really should speak about your scooter. You did ask us to. Is there somewhere else we could go?"

Edited March 10, 2022 by Scubacarrot

[Duvors]

1 hour ago, Waterbrick Down said:

"Not to be helped. Stuff to do." Margot turns to the heroes and indicates the door, before handing them a box. "Your pizza, have a nice day!"

The Dwarf cordially grins giving Enson his pizza. The Quo'ri notices it is decidedly not the toppings he ordered. The Celestial patron promptly excuses himself and leaves the pizzeria, but Nylian gives Margot a look of annoyance. 

Enson was rather disappointed to see that his order had been so thoroughly botched, but decided to let it slide as it wasn't really important.
"Thank you," he said, taking the proffered pie and standing up, "we'll just conclude our business with your son elsewhere."
'I wonder if this is somehow related to the mission.' he thought. Casting his eye around, Enson attempted to gain some insight into exactly how flustered the proprietors were.