Kintobor

Zaria nodded in approval. "Staying calm and collected will get us through this." "... no. No, we absolutely cannot have him tag along with us. That is unacceptable." Zaria replied. "I do not want to consistently fear the threat of being clobbered with a bottle or shanked with a shiv during this trip." She turned to the attendant. "Is there any rope or cord on the train? Otherwise, perhaps there is a spare room on board that he can be kept in?"

Zaria responds as her companion turns to speak to her and Yelana, allowing Soren to finish speaking with the attendant out of respect. "I am not opposed to splitting up, although I do believe it might be wiser to instead make our way back to our car and see if the dwarf is still present, and then make our move. If the two are split up, it might mean one is a decoy while the other isn't . We were informed that it would be one quaarm and a dwarf with the case, so we should be careful not to tail the wrong person."

To be completely honest? Not as much as I originally anticipated, if only because I was reminded of a valuable lesson halfway through the mission: be flexible. Hugo was not originally in the initial concept I had for the mission, and came about roughly halfway through the quest as I realized my initial, larger scope for the quest was going to be dashed due to my currently small collection on hand, so it was around the time you got into the basement I added in Hugo. The cranium rats were always there, the concept of someone living in the garbage chute was a very late addition. I kind of figured the group would be heading towards a diplomatic angle once Duvors had Enson reach out while in the chute and from there allowed for the potential of a fight should Hugo's poor communication skills and inability to face his troubles head on get the better of him. You would've merely had to deal with the rats while Hugo panicked, but the rats would've had more spells at their disposal since they get stronger the closer they are together, and the more of them are in one area. I went out with this quest with two goals in mind: introduce some of the staff working in the Hall, and figure out how the game is run while running a fun quest, and on both accounts I think I did a reasonable job. Part of me feels like it was a little quick, but part of me also feels like trying to lengthen it would've dragged on something that was naturally coming to a conclusion. I do enjoy the story of the quest, as it has some parallels to the Hey, Arnold! episode "Bird Man", with Hugo being this misunderstood, socially awkward loner who just really likes rats. It's a parallel I didn't realize until after the mission wrapped up, but considering he's still around I imagine we haven't seen the last of him. Mr. Grumble was very loosely inspired by Mr. Moseby from the Suite Life of Zach and Cody, more so the concept of a concierge obsessed with professionalism and his record than anything else about the character. Rachel, on the other hand, wasn't really inspired by any one thing in particular, and not in a negative way. She's a character whose concept I took time to think on, over some other characters who are inspired by either another character I enjoy or a number of different character concepts that just come together. She's definitely got more to her that didn't come up here, including her previous time in college and her hobby, but I imagine we'll get to those eventually. I specifically wrote these characters to fit into this hall of misfits. There's a reason why Rachel and Grumble are working for an upstart despite their apparent talents, and I hope to explore those concepts eventually now that they're introduced. I hope you guys enjoyed the characters. Anyways, I imagine I'll have more thoughts down the line, and I want to talk a bit about each of you individually, but for a brief overview: you three were fantastic. Enson, Valeria, and Aysu are wonderful characters, and I'd love to host either of you again in the future. Feel free to ask more questions or give me some critique, I'm a fairly laid back individual and I do enjoy talking about game design, but thank you to WBD, Duvors, and Peppermint_M for joining me on my first adventure in the new system.

Zaria ponders on the question longer than she'd like to admit before giving the only reasonable response. "I feel like that would be for the best. As the individual responsible for killing the man, if need be, I will answer any questions they might have upon arriving. If you could get me the bag, I will place the severed head into it. I do not wish to cause you anymore undue stress than I already have. From there, I recommend placing the remains away from the stowaway if you could direct me in the location of someplace that could hold them. I believe the other stowaway should face justice, but I also believe it cruel to just leave a severed head next him for the remainder of the trip."

Zaria spoke to Yelana in a hushed voice. "You had several opportunities to diffuse the situation. You did not have it under control." Zaria points to the place in her armour where Abam's dagger pierced her, near her armpit. The piercing wound may have been healed by a potion, but the blood stained hole in her clothing remained. "They were not making moves to defend themselves, they attacked me, one time nearly severely enough to potentially drop me." She took in a deep breath, frustrated. "We can talk about my faith later." "I thought you managed to obtain the data from the key card?" Zaria whispered. "There is too much luggage in here to search while the attendant watches. Your stress is pushing you to rashness. Relax. We have time until we reach our destination." Zaria turns to the attendant. "What my friend says is correct. I must ask you to fetch a bag, one big enough to fit a watermelon. I do not wish to distress you or anyone else, but I would hate for you to stumble across his severed head." Zaria motions to her healed wound. "He managed to nick me fairly well. I hate to imagine what he would do to you or any other passenger should you have found him instead of us."

Zaria turns to face Yelana, looking at her directly, her pensiveness giving way to an edge in her voice. "Varuth has much to say about wayward travellers, Yelana. He speaks about how it is the duty of those more capable and able to protect those who cannot protect themselves. I considered Maba a threat as he moved in to attack you and Soren, so I acted. I considered him a threat should he be found by a member of the crew, or someone not as capable in combat as the three of us. I ended his life not to inflict cruelty on him, but to spare the passengers and crew of this train from a violent end. Do not mistake me for some traveller, as you referred to me as, and do not claim to understand my faith in Varuth when I doubt you have even opened the cover of His holy texts and scriptures!" Zaria ran her hand through her autumn red hair, frustrated. She took a moment to collect herself before crossing her arms and shaking her head. "Varuth is a god of wisdom, not pacifism. You must sometimes remove rowdy, violent guests for the safety of others."

"Aysu, Valesia, and Enson... Ah, I think I have seen you around before, Enson. Apologies for not introducing myself prior, I've been very busy around here." Wranqen finishes tapping his datapad and grins. "And that should be 60 credits to each of you. Thank you for your help. I know if Laserie were here she'd appreciate your work done in this organization." "I know I appreciate the help. I don't know if I could've handled that situation the way you guys did. You three have been a great help. Here's the plasma potions, as promised. Thanks for your help!" As Rachel hands out the potions, Hugo steps forward. "Well, I guess this is goodbye, but hopefully not forever. Perhaps we'll run into each other again some day, Enson, Valesia, and Aysu. I'd like that a lot, and I'm certain the mischief would too." As Hugo says his goodbyes, the cranium rat mischief emits a psychic emotion of safety and comfort. "If any of you three would like to stay behind and help me find a place for Hugo, you're more than welcome to. It shouldn't be to hard to find someplace for him. Oh, and Rachel? Don't worry about the elevator, I'll look into fixing that." Rachel nods her head, giving a thumbs up, looking impatient. "Otherwise, you can feel free to follow me. I'm heading back to the bar to grab a drink and then taking up my post at the front desk. I should've been the first person to greet you into this guild hall, and instead I've been trapped under a bookshelf. This must be rectified!" Mr. Grumble dusts off his suit in preparation to off. Rachel speaks up looking excited and ready to move. "I don't really care what you guys do, but I gotta ask can you please leave my office? Now that we've got the garbage chute cleared I, uh... gotta start using it." Rachel begins to shuffle up loose garbage around her office. Although it wasn't the most exciting job in the world, the staff and heroes of Heroica Hall could rest easy knowing that three of it's own were responsible for taking out the trash. - THE MISSION IS SUCCESSFUL! - The Party Ensonvilterayquis (Enson) 60 cycles old male Quo'ri Character Points: 3/13 Vitality: 5/5 Velocity: 2 Strength: 1 Skill: 2 Smarts: 2 Spirit: 0/2 Credits: 5 Proficiencies: Insight 1, Medicine 1, Melee Weapons 1, Religion 2 Spells: Healing Light, Purging Font Credits: 70 Equipment: Void Star Hammer (+1 Melee Elemental) Inventory: Nanite Elixir 2x, Plasma Potion 3x, Broom (Standard Kinetic Melee Weapon) Valesia (Waterbrick Down)110 Year Old Female CladrasithCharacter Points: 3/13 Vitality: 3/5Velocity: 2Strength: 1Skill: 2Smarts: 1Spirit: 0/3Proficiencies: Insight 1, Medicine 1, Nature 2Known Spells: Elemental Evocation, Healing Light, Mystic Binding, Photonic ManipulationCredits: 65Equipment: Holo-scroll, Chef's Kit (Standard Kinetic Melee Weapon) Inventory: Ætherbrew, Essence of Precaution, Plasma Potion Aysu Kundakçı (Peppermint_M) 22 Rotations Old, Female? Adopted Human Character Points: 3/13 Vitality: 6/6 Velocity: 2 Strength: 2 Skill: 3 Smarts: 1 Spirit: 1 Proficiencies: Long Range Weapons 2, Nature 1, Survival 1 Spell: Enhanced Vision Credits: 75 Equipment: Environment Safe Ammunition "ESA" Rifle (Calibrated Long Range, Energy), Farsight Goggles Inventory: Plasma Potion 2x, Essence of Glibness MM Notes: Quick note, I forgot to note that you guys gained a point of character build when you defused the situation with Hugo, and you gained a point for solving the bomb puzzle. Other than that, if you want to linger around and RP with any of the NPCs present, feel free to do so. I hope you guys had fun! This mission was fairly short, but I hope you had a good time, nonetheless. I'd love to hear what you thought about the mission in the Mission Master Lounge. Thanks for participating, and I hope to adventure with you all again soon! -Kintobor

Zaria relaxes, straightening her posture and exhaling. She closes her eyes and levels her left hand to her face and raises her index finger, middle finger, and thumb, leaving the remaining two fingers squeezed into her palm. It almost looked like she was pointing finger guns towards the ceiling. She lowers her sword and begins to utter a prayer. "Varuth, Father of Wisdom, Companion in Travels, Shower of the Ways, deliver this wayward soul from this life and unto the next. Guide his spirit away from damnation and suffering, and to the place where all journey's end. Ro uk fouso. Be at peace." Zaria lowers her left hand pulls out a cloth which she uses to wipe the blood off of her khopesh. She sheaths her sword and begins to distribute the dropped items. Loot Distribution: Yelana: Cloaking Generator Zaria: Plasma Potion, Repeating Slug Thrower Soren: Vibro Dagger

Rachel takes a moment to take in the entirety of the heroes statements. She nods in approval. "Well then... that's quite the story." Rachel looks inquisitively towards Mr. Grumble. "That story line up?" "I do remember all of that happening, so not only am I not intoxicated, it also means the story lines up with what I remember happening." "Nice. Thanks for your help, Aysu, Enson, Valesia; you three are literal life savers, I guess. I'll have the sixty credits owed to you sent as soon as possible: I'll have to file a mission completion report with the higher ups. Now, where did I leave those potions..." As Rachel begins to look around a knock raps on the door to Rachel's office as the door opens. "Rachel, I'm getting reports that one of the elevators broke down- oh. I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was interrupting something." The elf looks over the group crowded into Rachel's office. His left arm had been replaced by a prosthetic enhancement with a glowing blue gem on the end of it where his hand should be. His smile was downright infectious, although the lines in his cheeks showed that he scowled as often as he laughed. The cranium rat mischief all turn in alertness towards the new figure, emitting a psychic emotion of increased awareness and heightened guard. "Oh, no no no, Mr. Rainlight, this is actually really opportune of you! These three here managed to solve the garbage chute problem, so they're owed the sixty credits I asked for the reward." Rachel's attention diverts from the newcomer to here search for the promised plasma potion reward, shuffling stacks of papers around and moving objects around her cluttered office. "Oh, that's wonderful news! I was a little worried that we might not have gotten any applicants for this particular job, seeing how it was a little out of the ordinary. I'm glad we did though, seeing as how you've managed to solve something plaguing this hotel turned guildhall since the building was bought. Oh, where are my manners? I'm Wranqen Rainlight, I am the tech specialist around here. I see you also managed to find our missing concierge, as well as... I don't believe we've met before, young man?" Wranqen motions towards Hugo with a smile. Hugo sheepishly smiles back, giving a half hearted wave. "Well, sir, my name is Hugo. I, uh... well, I was living in your garbage chute with this mischief since... well, it must've been a couple of years, now. They're uh... kind of like family to me." Wranqen slowly nods in response. "I see. Well, I don't think having cranium rats in the hall is a wise choice, but I don't think it would be fitting to just toss you out. I'll see to it that you find some place to stay with your mischief, Hugo." "T-that would be greatly appreciated sir, thank you!" "Not a problem son." As Hugo begins to look hopefully down at the mischief, Wranqen leans into the heroes, smiling. He proceeds to talk to them in a hushed tone. "Well, you three have coloured me impressed. You three went out of your way to keep this stranger alive and safe, along with his found family of cranium rats. I've heard murmurs of a rodent problem, but I didn't expect you to find a person living in our garbage." Wranqen pulls out a datapad and begins to scroll through it, looking for something, returning to his regular tone of voice. "Now then, can I get your names? I need to get you your credits."

Enson can't simply hurl it down the shaft, seeing how it's crammed with garbage. Pushing the explosive into the garbage heap, Enson takes a few steps back as Mr. Grumble steps forward and lowers the shutters of the chute, stepping back, covering his ears and lowers his head. ... ... <KAKOOM> The shutters bend outwards, yet the anticipated shock wave doesn't come, the hotel walls remaining intact. Dust descends from the ceiling as the overhead lamp lightly rocks lightly. Mr Grumble looks around, readjusting his fez. "Well... it is good to now know that explosives sent down the chute won't destroy the hall. Although, I do not think that we should continue experimenting that hypothesis, for a number of reasons." "...c-c-can we please move along? I think this bomb incident managed to shave a decade off my lifespan." Struggling to get the busted shutters open, eventually Valesia manages to see down the chute as the shutters fall from their hinges, clanging to the floor. A billow of smoke hits the party, but as Valesia swats it away with her hand, she can peer down into the chute without being confronted by a wall of garbage. No more clogged chute. "Right. I think that's just about settled things. Let's get out of the basement. Follow me, if you please." The heroes and Hugo follow Mr Grumble out of the basement, ascending a staircase and into a foyer. The concierge's pace quicken, he continues to lead the group back to Rachel's office, opening the door and allowing them in before he does. Rachel, noticing the heroes enter, stands up from her bench and moves closer to greet them. "Ah! You're back! And you smell like garbage. And you have a person covered in rats with you. As well as the missing concierge! Hey, Mr. Grumble!" Rachel waves towards the concierge. "Ms. Sprocketson." Mr. Grumble nods, replying gruffly. "So, I guess I kind of need an explanation. How'd things go? You guys did finish the job, right? Please tell me you finished the job. And why a man is covered in rats." Rachel looks curiously over to Hugo, who is petting one of the rat's closer to his chest under the chin.

Current Sign Ups for Mission #4: Dude, Where's My Space Speeder? -Kirwin (karmajay) -Bers (Dutch Thriceman) -Yissam (CMP) -Merei Teo (Zepher) -GHOSTER (Lind Whisper) -Ronin (Yzalirk) -Sign Ups Extended to August 9th-

"Get along is perhaps not the best choice of words. As the hall's concierge, I am duty bound to take care of this man's well being, especially at the behest of other heroes. However..." Mr. Grumble leans towards Hugo and glares at the rats. The mischief responds in kind, a soft emotional output of raised alertness being felt by the heroes. "I have not forgotten what these rodents did to me." "I-I... I'm sorry, Grumble, the mischief was worried you were encroaching on their space. As much as they are docile around me, they are still wild animals." Mr. Grumbles straightens his posture and crosses his arms sternly in an obvious flex of authority. "First and foremost, that is Mr. Grumble to you. Second of all, just know that while your mischief, an apt word for the rats, is present in the facility, I will be keeping an eye on you. Thirdly.... so long as you take responsibility for the rats and no one else on the premises is harmed by them... I will accept your apology, Hugo." Aysu inputs another colour combo, hitting the detonator button. "FOUR CORRECT COLOURS IN THE CORRECT SPOT. THANK YOU FOR PURCHASING ANOTHER HAAST PRODUCT. DETONATION IN SIXTY, FIFTY-NINE, FIFTY-EIGHT..." "Did that device just say..." "Uh..."

Aysu twists the dials of the detonator before pressing the charge button. "ONE CORRECT COLOUR IN THE CORRECT SPOT. THREE CORRECT COLOURS IN THE WRONG SPOT." "Well... I cannot say I've heard of such an incident before, but if Mr. Hugo is to be a guest, then he shall be treated like one." Mr. Grumble suspiciously eyes the amount of cranium rats on Hugo's person, not saying anything. Hugo in response gives the concierge an attempt at a smile, although the young man's nervousness is apparent.

Zaria hustles to move into C3, and then to B2 to put herself between Maba and her allies. She then strikes Maba with her khopesh, looking to bring the fight to a close. "You will need get through me before you even consider harming them!"

Zaria takes another swipe at Maba. She pivots on her foot, following her attacker into the aisle.

Yelana will once again fire her rifle at Abam.

The group heads back up the shaft, able to see Hugo's legs above them as he dexterously clambers up the shaft, the cranium rat mischief clinging to him. After emerging from the garbage chute and back into the hotel basement, the heroes can tell they'll likely need a bath, their clothing stained in grime and their persons smelling like the sickly sweet, pungent smell of mixed garbage. Mr. Grumbles, now sitting on the floor, patiently waiting, stands at attention and eyes Hugo. "Last I counted there was three of you? Does this person need to be ejected from the facility, heroes? And... his is fur coat moving?" "Uh..."

I think we're all just waiting to see your character. Welcome back! It's cool seeing a bunch of returning players!

Zaria will consume her Plasma Potion. "Let's continue to focus on bringing down Abam."

"THREE CORRECT COLOURS IN THE CORRECT SPOT. ZERO CORRECT COLOURS IN THE WRONG SPOT."

"ONE CORRECT COLOUR IN THE CORRECT SPOT. ONE CORRECT COLOUR IN THE WRONG SPOT."

Zaria reaches for the plasma potion attached to her belt. "I might use this to ensure I remain in the fight, but we need Abam removed from combat to ensure Maba cannot be rallied or defended. I want the best chance at succeeding." OOC: Math time. Rallying Yelana gives her four dice to potentially hit and an additional two guaranteed hits with her calibrated rifle. Abam's defence roll is two dice. We already have the possibility of Abam rolling two successes on his defence roll covered by the calibrated rifle's auto successes, so we have a 50% chance of Yelana killing Abam in that scenario. This is obviously worst case scenario. Best case scenario is Abam fails both of his defence rolls and Yelana just smokes him with the rifle's auto hits.

"TWO CORRECT COLOURS IN THE CORRECT SPOT. ZERO CORRECT COLOURS IN THE WRONG SPOT."

"ONE CORRECT COLOUR IN THE CORRECT SPOT. ONE CORRECT COLOUR IN THE WRONG SPOT."

"ONE CORRECT COLOUR IN THE CORRECT SPOT. ZERO CORRECT COLOURS IN THE WRONG SPOT."