Kintobor

"I agree with you, Merei. I am quite interested in meeting the new visitors." Zaria grinned with intrigue. A part of her was curious to know who was present, but she felt a knot twist and tie in her stomach. She would not be the one to start a potential fight, but she would be the one to end it. She turned to the captain. "Where is the safest place for you to hunker down in until we have a better idea what is going on, Ilbery?"

Vielight's nostrils flare up as she crosses her arms, her arm bands and gilded pieces of jewellery clanging about as she does. "The teachings of Buloros are... antithetical to, and do not align with the teaching of Irvator. In fact, the two deities have long held a grudge against each other. Bularos is a deity of nature and of destruction. The church of Irvator has long seen him as a force of chaotic energy, even if Bularos is not a god of chaos himself. The teaching of Bularos lead the citizenry down paths of violent upheaval, time and time again: his belief is of cyclical change, of rebirth. As a goddess of order and civilization, you can see why Irvator has long held disdain for Bularos. Even when watered down, Bularos' teachings trample the garden of civilization and of order that Irvator plants and structures for us. In regards to your second question, well, I tend to spend a lot of my time meditating in order to send out a message using the Tongues spell. It is the most advanced casting of that spell, allowing me to communicate with anyone in the known galaxy. Aluriel has long used this method of communication between ships and it's spaceports, as it is safe and unable to be interred with. You three will likely be on your own on your mission."

Zaria ponders on the situation, thinking through the events that have transpired. "Ilbery, what did McSorley leave in to destroy the ship? Would it have been a standard Hart shuttle?" Zaria looked to the others in the Bridge, grimacing. This could be any number of groups, and not knowing who it was made Zaria uncomfortable. "If they have docked with the starboard airlock, they will likely be making their way to the bridge sooner than later; this is not that big of a ship."

"I understand that perhaps my response was not the one you were hoping for, Polaris, and I am sorry for that. Irvator considers these sorts of subjects be approached with caution, as the natural world, while needed and necessary, is dangerous and wild. It is a realm beyond her borders of civilization and structure. There is a "natural order" to nature, but it is chaotic and violent. The church of Irvator has... less than a stellar opinion on Bulorosi priests," Vielight states, obviously trying to sound as polite as she can about something she has little regard about, "but in this matter I feel like you would find more answers to what you seek speaking to one of them. Just- just promise me you will be careful around whomever you speak to, okay? Buloros is a chaotic god, whose teachings sow dissent. His priests can be dangerous. Is there anything else I can give my guidance on? I understand it will be a few hours before Aluriel still, but I have time for a question or two."

Zaria steps over to the terminal and peers over Kirwin as they work, curious about their coding prowess. "So, I think everyone here likely knows my stance on this Hydra creature." She says to no one in particular. "This thing is dangerous. It should be destroyed, but not before we get everyone off the ship."

Priestess Vielight takes in Polaris' statement, her eyes drifting off to the side as she thinks on the subject, frowning. "Polaris, I have heard of spirits before, but there are a number of different things that could be called spirits. Ghosts are the memories of the dead given form, and they are usually hostile in nature. There are also nature spirits, but they tend to lean more towards what we would refer to as fae. Irvator is the goddess of life and of the sun, of civilization and order. Her presence is least felt during the cold of winter months, as the rotation of the planets means she must tend to all gardens in due time. However, it is during these times where she cannot be as present as she wishes that we mortals must be vigilant and ensure that our families and friends are provided for. We build homes, roads, and farms for such times, and we anoint rulers to see that such things are built before the winter winds and storms arrive. If you are seeing a nature spirit in a winter storm in your dreams, than it is likely something of a chaotic nature, something that I fear will lead you down a path of destruction." Vielight ponders on her response before following up. "Against my better judgment, I feel you would be better off speaking to a priest of Buloros on the subject matter, although I must warn you: the priesthood of Buloros tend to be... anarchic."

Zaria placed a pair of fingers on her temple as she leaned on a computer terminal, careful not to hit any buttons. As the rest of her comrades interrogated the captain, she took a moment to investigate the wound where the Hydra-creature attacked her, looking for any irregularities.

Ezra shrug his shoulders. "I mean, it is a hypothetical possibility, Yelana. That is something you'll have to learn when you arrive in the village. You should be used to going in without all the answers; you are a field agent, aren't you, Yelana?" Ezra raises a curious eyebrow, holding back an inquiring frown. "Now then, if you three will excuse me," Ezra stands up from his chair, brushing his uniform down, "I have places to be on the ship. I will have you three escorted to your quarters for the duration of your stay and have Officer Vielight speak to you. Heroes of Heroica, thank you for indulging me and my curiosity." The captain steps outside of the cabin as the band finishes and begins to pack up. A few members of the ship's galley arrive to clean up the banquet feast as a junior officer guides the heroes to their quarters. Opening the door, he motions for them to enter. Freshly pressed sheets drape over a trio of beds. The glow of the overhead lights gives the room a comforting atmosphere, aided by the sound and smell of a brewing pot of coffee nestled on a counter top, complete with sink, utensils, and plates. A small group of couches surround a coffee table. Portholes give off a glimpse of the outside: the vast expanse of space. A knock echoes from the door to the guest room, opening up shortly afterwards. "Excuse me, I hope I am not interrupting anything?" Dayna enters the space, her jangling jewellery heralding her arrival. She smiles at the heroes as she closes the door behind her. "I heard from the captain you three wished to speak to me? Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Dayna Vielight, priestess of Irvator. How can I be of assistance? Polaris?" She turns to look at the chimeran, perkily straightening herself despite her posture already accentuating her shapely figure.

"Well... I imagine like many forests on Aluriel there are a fair number of predators on the planet, but to my knowledge nothing more dangerous than wild carnalizards or dire wolves lair in the forest. As for how close it is to the crash site, reports state it was somewhat close to the town, but not enough to damage it in any means. Ah, it was on the Northern hills near Lake Aluriel, which Knothole Forest finds itself wrapping around from the south. Knothole village is to the south of Knothole forest." "I doubt you will have to drag anyone. Aluriel may not have the expansive public transit system Cosmopoli does, but it has its fair share of travel means. I imagine a shuttle bus or even riding carnalizards might get you to your destination. If you wish, I can have Vielight talk to you before we land. I am certain she would be more than happy to discuss matters of faith with: it's the one thing she can't get many people on my ship to listen to her about." Ezra shakes his as he smiles.

Zaria begins to walk off the bite wound, holding a hand out to Varen. "No, no, I do not need any of your alcohol. Thank you, though." Zaria reaches for her metal bottle of water attached to her belt. Unfastening the clip, she drinks from it heartily, wiping her mouth with her arm. "I do not know how I feel about such a move, Kirwin. We do not know if the captain has been cured of... whatever those things were. I think the last scenario I wish to be in is one where we are stuck on this ship." She reaches for an aetherbrew in one of her pouches and holds it out for Merei.

"If you wish to speak to Communications Officer Vielight, I can arrange a meeting with her in your quarters while we await arrival on Aluriel." "Knothole is a co-op town. in recent years it has been a centre of farming in the prefecture it resides in, Kaerowain. The town lies on the edge of Knothole Forest, an old an gnarled expanse of trees that managed to prevail the destruction of the planet. Many different visitors from outlying communities and farms will be congregating on Knothole in order to celebrate." Ezra's eyes narrow at Yelana's remark. "That has already been accounted for. I am not dropping you off in Knothole, rather in Zatharhal, a spaceport in the Fharwundi prefecture. You will be travelling to Knothole on your own. Knothole is closer to Fharwundi's administrative hub of Zatharhal than Kaerowain's, so you won't be travelling too far."

"You can call it whatever you please, Yelana. Curiousity, pragmatism, paranoia- my answer is sufficient for your mission." Ezra crosses his arms and leans back in his chair. "Oh, I'm doing quite well, ma'am. I am sorry, but I need to be off. Things tend to get quite hectic around here for me at times." Yelana Stealth Check vs. Ezra Perception Check: (2,2,3,5+1 Success) Two Successes vs. (1,3,4,5,6) Three Successes Yelana Insight Check (DC: 1): (3,4,5,5) Three Successes Yelana gets the feeling that Vielight and Ezra have a friendly relationship, but nothing romantically involved. As she attempts to glance at the note handed to him, Ezra crumples it in his hand. "I would prefer it if I did not have prying eyes in my private communications, Miss Yelana." As he says this, Yelana can see that the note Ezra was writing has been moved into his pocket. "I am certain you sympathize?" He raises an eyebrow inquisitively.

Zaria winces at the sound of the shrieking as she considers covering her ears. Out of the corner of her eye, she witnesses the tendrils slither towards the decapitated creature, catching her off guard with the grisly image long enough for the previously defeated creature to bite her leg, just behind her ankle. She writhes in the sharp pain as she turns, scowling. "You little-!" Zaria takes one more wide slashing motion towards Creature C, looking to sever the thing in half.

"Indeed. Priestess Vielight is a talented wielder of divine energies. In order to communicate with many of Aluriel's communication towers, we require an individual with enough knowledge and skill to cast a powerful version of the Tongues spell from our vessel. She has spent much of her life at the Broadbeacon Temple on Gharlaran, and joined my crew three years ago. She's not much of a fighter, but she does know quite a bit about religion and cultures. If you would like I can have her speak to you three if you wish. As for being stuck in this room, no. I am going to place you three in the guest chambers. If you need anything, I will have someone attend to your needs. You must understand, Polaris, that as much as I would like to allow you to wander around the Satyr's Song, two things prevent me. First, this is a war vessel. It is designed for combat, and I do not want you snooping around her. Secondly, and do not take offence to this, I do not entirely trust you, or any of you. You are third party agents acting on behalf of Ark Victoire. Should you three prove yourselves trustworthy, I will reconsider my stance on the matter, but for now I cannot have you looking around the Satyr's Song. You will have access to washroom facilities should you need them. Anything else?" Ezra pulls some parchment from his uniform and begins to scribble something down.

Zaria turns on her heel and charges the last remaining creature, moving to E1 and taking a wide swipe at Creature C. "Merei, Kirwin, move in and help Varen! I will handle this."

OoC: Sorry, fixed my statement.

"I do not have any time frame in mind, but I imagine your investigation may take more than a day. I have heard the village of Knothole has an inn, so feel free to stay the night. As for contacting the ship, unless any of you have the ability to contact my communications officer through the use of magic, no, you will not. I will not be able to advise you in this mission, as much as I would like to. It is currently Harvest Week, and celebrations are happening across the planet. It's not too out of the realm of possibility that you three might be in the village to celebrate the holiday. If there's anyone you wish to speak to, I can see about having them speak to you. As for exploring the ship, I am afraid not. Some areas of the Satyr's Song are off limits to anyone other than the crew for safety purposes. I hope you understand, Polaris."

Zaria moves to D1 and strikes Creature B. "Once this one's been slain, I will focus on the last one likely standing. We will get Varen up!"

Zaria lets out a short, curt laugh. "Ha! Merei, allow me to prove my worth with a blade when I have the backing of my allies!" Zaria strikes the creature with renewed vigour.

"Bers, with all due respect, I am part of a spy ring, not a group of mind readers." Ezra chuckles. "I am aware of some of your... prior exploits: the job you did in Cosmopoli, and your designation as a warbot. A few other things came up, but nothing too exciting. Needless to say, I do understand loneliness being a driving factor in finding work. A few of the crew members aboard the Satyr's Song were looking for friendship and camaraderie." Yelana Nature Check (DC: 1): (1,3,3) Three Failures Yelana isn't quite sure if the starbolt phoenix could be used for anything related to her occupation, other than being kind of a neat pet. "Harrigan has status as a League citizen. He was born in League territory, and is therefore granted citizenship. The reason the ITA has not gotten involved is because we do not want them involved in this matter." Ezra takes a long sip from his wine glass before continuing, looking to Yelana. "Ark Victoire's security council and the ITA do not always see eye to eye on matters. As much as I do appreciate their assistance when necessary, what this operation requires is a more delicate touch. I do not need the ITA rolling up into Knothole and banging on doors during the midst of a cultural observance." He places his goblet down and looks each of the heroes in the eyes as he speaks. "So do not go around and performing actions that would get them involved." Yelana Insight Check (DC:1): (3,3,4,5) Two Successes "As am I. If this individual does happen to not be Harrigan, and this all happens to be a series of happy coincidences, you will still receive the money promised for completing the job put forward to you. Of course, I'd prefer him in custody, Miss Fennix." Yelana seems confident Ezra is being truthful and open to the party. If he was being deceitful, he wasn't doing a good job of hiding it. She also gets an inkling that although Ezra might have past experiences with Harrigan, he would prefer to see justice run its course and Harrigan be arrested for his crimes to stand trial. His interest seemed more in the heroes safety should they find themselves in trouble over following a legal procedure. Yelana Insight Check (DC: 5): (2,2,4,6) Two Successes Ezra smiles back at Yelana with a smug grin. "The reason we hired Heroica, Yelana, is that the security council considers your organization a potential third party in our affairs. We are providing your guild with a job of this calibre to see if it is as qualified and "elite", like your associate, Bers, said it is." Ezra returns to cutting a piece of fish from his plate, eating it, and chewing it while grinning at Yelana. She wasn't sure if he was lying, telling the truth, or leaving out any information. "I am familiar with your background, although I will admit getting information on you Polaris was the toughest. Ne'xo Chi is not a place League diplomats and spies tend to find themselves, so I did have to go out of my way to finding the information. Nevertheless, you are in capable hands, Polaris: the crew of the Satyr's Song will ensure you and MILES are taken care of as representative of the Commonwealth." Ezra finishes his fish, wiping his mouth with his napkin and looking satisfied with his meal. "Delicious, as always. I do hope you enjoyed the meal prepared. We should be taking off shortly-" As Ezra comments, the sound of the gravity locks keeping the ship in place disengage, emanating with a loud "THUNK". The soft hum of the frigate's engine purr through the vents as the ship leaves Ebria Spaceport in the direction of Aluriel. Just as the ship leaves the dock, the doors to the cabin open as a woman in a white dress enters, her attire accentuated with numerous golden pieces of jewellery. Her staff, embroidered in golden runes, also has hoops and bells attached to it. As she entered, her clothing jangled and jingled, announcing her presence. Her long, brown hair sways as she approaches the table. "Captain Nezzar, I- Oh, my apologies, sir, I did not mean to intrude!" "No, no, that is fine. Heroes, this is Dayna Vielight, priestess of Irvator and our communications officer." "How do you do, heroes?" She bows towards the heroes before turning to Ezra. "I just received our confirmation from Aluriel. We are good to land at these coordinates at the spaceport you requested." She hands Ezra a handwritten note which he examines thoroughly. "Very good, officer, see to it this directive is given to the helmsman, and ensure that the bridge crew have the aethergate prepared for us." "Aye, captain!" She salutes to the captain and waves to the heroes, giggling to herself as she leaves the room at a hurried pace, the sound of her jingling jewellery following her. "We will be arriving at Aluriel sooner than later. Is there anything else you wish to discuss with me before then?"

Zaria, brushing off the initial attack with little energy, grins, adrenaline rushing through her. "Is that all the strength you could muster?" Zaria swings her khopesh into the creature in C1 (which I believe is creature B). "Let us focus our attacks on the same creature, Merei! The less combatants we need to contend with, the better!"

"I suppose that is a succinct way of putting it, Bers." Ezra nods as he eats another piece of fish, looking back to his plate to cut his fillet into more manageable bites. "Skreaaooo!! Swab the deck! Batten down the hatches! Port to starboard!" Ezra chuckles as Rorrick begins barking commands. "Starbolt phoenixes are known for their speed and grace, but also their ability to mimic speech. He's been in my family for a long time, and when I took up my commission I brought him with me." Ezra picks a piece of fish off his plate with his fingers and lifts it to Rorrick, who inspects it curiously before gently grabbing it with his beak and devouring it. "I would prefer it if you do not damage anyone unless they are being a hostile threat to you. Should Fix-It turn out to be Harrigan in disguise and he attacks you, I would expect nothing less than for each of you to defend yourselves, as is your right." Ezra's eyebrows raise in interest as he wipes his mouth with his napkin, setting his cutlery down and looking to Yelana. "My job involves dealing with a number of people, Miss Fennix. You and I are cut from a similar cloth. Information is our occupation and gathering it is our specialty. It is only natural I would go digging through what I could find on you three as a means to ascertain your ability. Despite some issues, I believe the three of you are more than capable of handling the situation if you work as a team." "We have quite a bit of information on Harrigan, actually. Before he became a pirate, he was a mechanic working contract jobs. The war broke out and the need for ship hands and mechanics increased exponentially, and Harrigan, like many others, joined up with the League navy. After the war ended, the need for these mechanics decreased, and Harrigan was one of the last to be discharged from the navy. A few years later, he hooked up with some of his former shipmates, retrofitted a ship, and flew off into the stars, beginning their crime spree. The tip-off came from a turn-coat. Said turn-coat is currently experiencing a reduced sentence in a League prison." At the mention of magic, Ezra shrugs his shoulders calmly. "It is entirely possible that Harrigan used some kind of magic to teleport himself out of the area. We have no reports of him using magic personally, but he might have had someone else cast it for him. As for Knothole, it was fairly close to the crash site of the Red Hand. In the end, though, these are questions your report should answer." "It is a possibility Harrigan is responsible for Teclion's disappearance. I am not ruling that out, but I also do not know the ground situation. My only believe about Harrigan being in danger is the disappearance of our contact. If the contact hasn't responded, it means something has gone awry. Harrigan has made a number of enemies, but most individuals in Ark Victoire's intelligence council understand the penalty for acting out of order before Harrigan makes it to trial. Former associates on the other hand... hmm, I wouldn't rule out the possibility of other pirates, either loyal to Harrigan or otherwise, being involved somehow. Harrigan had few friends, and not all of his fleet was destroyed in the battle above Aluriel. Again, without knowing the situation in Knothole, I cannot give you a clear answer." "I can provide you a picture of Harrigan once we make it to Aluriel. His wanted poster shouldn't be too hard to pull up. I assure you, this is an instance of you will know him when you see him, you won't need to worry about getting- oh what are they referring to it as nowadays? Cancelled? You won't get cancelled for confronting Fix-It, Miss Fennix." Ezra groans at the use of modern parlance. "I would prefer in that case you try and apprehend him, but if push comes to shove, kill him. I can handle the political minefield that you three are not equipped to handle. This operation was put under my purview, and if a trio of mercenaries put a blaster round into Harrigan's head, it'll look less bad than if one of my men did so." Ezra gently lifts his wine glass to his lips and drinks from it silently. He swishes the dark purple liquid around before placing it back on the table. "I have answered quite a few of your questions, and yet I have not had a chance to ask some of mine. Heroica is a new organization: not nearly as entrenched as many others in the galaxy. I am curious. If you don't mind me asking the three of you, what made you join Heroica?" Ezra clasps his hands, elbows on the table as he intently waits for the heroes responses.

"You should try your best to ensure Fix-It stays in one piece." Ezra responds. "I think by responding Polaris' question you will have a better understanding of why I want him alive, Bers." "Anything you do not eat will either be stored in the galley for whoever wants it, or I suppose you three could take some with you if you care for some takeaway. Although, Knothole, and most of Aluriel, are in the midst of celebrating Harvest Week, which leads up to the Day of Solitude, so I can imagine you won't be at a loss for food on your mission. I can understand enjoying owls more, but I find Rorrick to be an affectionate and helpful ally when I need him." The bird coos as his name is mentioned. Ezra scratches his chin in contemplation at the mention at the missing informant. "Perhaps I should elaborate what I want from you. I imagine the missing informant did not merely go missing. Teclion was a trusted informant for Ark Victoire, and his disappearance is deeply suspicious. Aluriel is a fairly safe planet. There are criminal elements, and beasts do stalk forests and valleys, but it is nothing akin to, say, a planet further from the sphere of influence of the League, or even the Empire for that matter. As much as part of me wishes to believe he went missing, I suspect foul play. I have reason to believe that Fix-It is danger, and the League council of Ark Fraternite wants Fix-It alive for trial. Your job is to ensure that nothing threatens Fix-It's safety before my crew and I grab him for travel back to Ark Fraternite. I also would like you three to snoop around and figure out if Mr. Fix-It is actually Harrigan or not. Harrigan was described as having a large black beard and a scrap metal cap protecting part of his head. He is also an O'Kor'Uk. Shouldn't be too hard to find, as the description left by Teclion matched Harrigan's description. If there is something that threatens Fix-It and our attempt to bring him in front of a judge, I want them removed from the equation. I also would like you three to see if you can come to a decisive conclusion as to whether or not Fix-It is Harrigan or not. You are not here to pick up Harrigan and arrest him." Ezra rubs the bridge of his nose with his hand. "So please do not attempt to do so."

Ezra squints his eyes judgingly at Bers as he begins to listen to music. He side eyes the confused musicians and shakes his head. They continue playing. "Yes, I am certain Rorrick very much enjoys your music, Bers, don't you?" Ezra turns to Rorrick, still nodding. "Skreaaooo! *click click*" "Well then, Miss Yelana, wanting to get straight to the chase? I can appreciate that. Why don't we begin to dine before our banquet goes cold, and I can go over the details?" Ezra takes his seat at the head of the table and places a piece of fish and a few scoops of salad next to it before finishing by topping up his goblet with wine from a corked bottle. "I understand the three of you have all been involved with at least one job prior to this one, no? I did a fairly thorough background check on each of you before I made my final decision on who I would be hiring for this job. Quite the curious things I found..." Ezra muses on the subject as he begins to cut into his fish with a fork and knife. The sound of metal cutlery lightly clanging on plates hovers over the sound of the band. "No matter, I am certain, as Miss Yelana stated, you want to know more about this mission. Please listen as I fill you each in on what your job is. I have hired the three of you to investigate an individual on behalf of the intelligence council on Ark Victoire. For the past few months we have been searching for a notorious criminal known as Gorthizar Harrigan: a skilled warrior, an even more skilled craftsman of ships and weaponry, and last and most importantly, former captain of the Red Hand of Doom: the flagship for a pirate fleet Harrigan oversaw. He has been plundering League territory for quite some time: zipping his fleet in and out of shipping lanes and hauling off with credits, goods, and guns for the underground markets. For the past two years, from Drandora to Aluriel, he plundered and stole his way to infamy, but eventually the League had enough, particularly Aluriel. Ark Victoire has spent a vast amount of resources to cast a net wide enough to catch Gorthizar, and six months ago we almost had him. The security council on Ark Victoire had been notified of a raid Harrigan was planning in Aluriel's atmosphere by a tip off, and above Aluriel's skies was was where my comrades ambushed the pirate fleet. The Red Hand of Doom went down, regrettably crashing onto the surface, with all hands aboard accounted for and either found dead or arrested at the scene... all except for Harrigan. The manhunt has continued in this matter since then, searching for a ghost and investigating numerous dead ends... until very recently. One of our contacts on Aluriel reported that Harrigan had been spotted yet again on Aluriel's surface, this time in a small village called Knothole. However, he was not the cruel, reviled pirate captain he was known for, but rather went by the name Mr. Fix-It, and was kindly and generous to the people of the town. Heck, people seem to actually idolize him. Before we could receive anymore information on the matter, our communication with the informant worryingly went dark. We have not heard from him since. Your job, heroes, is two fold: figure out who Mr. Fix-It is, and ensure no harm comes to Mr. Fix-It. You are not being hired to be judge, jury or executioner: that will be the job of League courts. I am certain you three have questions regarding the situation, and I will answer them to the best of my ability." Ezra continues to dine on his meal as he awaits the heroes responses.

Yelana Insight Check (DC: 2): (4,4,4,5) Four Successes Yelana gets the feeling that beneath the charm and diplomacy, something is bothering Ezra. Although her initial thoughts on the job made her believe this was a low-level operation, it's clear something is lingering on the captain's mind.