Evervigilant 16

<Vigilant_GM> IT IS THE 41ST MILLENNIUM...
<Vigilant_GM> The day-cycle comes to an end, and starts all over again - the cries of merchants renewed as activity outisde your accomodations. The sickly air around you from the rising sump fumes sticks to your nostrils still.
* Baird curses reflexively, as the smell pervades his nostrils as he wakes, scrambling for his respirator and clasping it on. Sighing heavily Baird starts rousing his companions after strapping on all his gear.
<Velam> The savant complains about how dirty it is down here. How he hasn't had to be in such filthy place since he was assigned to a cold and dank vault filled with enough dust to start a desert. Ahhh you the younger years of a scribe.
<Velam> "So, gentlemen, where should we explore first?"
* Shiv shrugs.
<Vigilant_GM> Downstairs, a brawl has already broken out between patrons of Sanctionary Gallows.
* Karpath check over his shock maul to make sure it is in fine working condition.
<Shiv> "Whoever's the big boss of this... this hanging 'rock', I guess?
<Baird> "Well that kid who robbed Shiv of his Lho sticks suggested tourists check out the "Manor"."
<Baird> "Could be a good place to start."
* Shiv checks his chainsword and says "I lost three sticks..."
<Velam> "Well, guess we should head there first then, keep our eyes and ears open for any pertinent information." He smooths his clothes, noting how...'clean' the bed is. Well, not the worst place he's slept, and it's dry at least.
<Shiv> "That brat. *revs his chainsword to check it* gonna get it, I swears it."
* Baird starts heading out of the room. "Well lets get to it gents."
<Karpath> "Now calm down Shiv, we will get you some more Lho sticks soon." he stands up ready to head out.
<Shiv> "Cigs ain't cheap, you know."
<Vigilant_GM> The brawl comes to a stop, and things seem to return to their usual level of noise.
* Velam makes sure he has everything on him, not trust that anything he leaves here will stay. The savant then follows after the gunslinger.
* Nitrous follows the group
* Shiv gets his stuff and joins Velam and Baird.
<Vigilant_GM> The walkways tangleward are as busy with traffic as when you arrived the day prior. On a particular out-winding, you are able to get a look up to the side of Endish Manor. The structure passes for luxury down here: it is sturdy, well-build, and has the flavor of architecture about it. It overlooks Rust Raceway, an imposing structure above the only thoroughfare in and out of Gantry.
<Vigilant_GM> Members of the Red Walk are on every corner. The odd reality of Gantry turns the image of these gangers into a perversion of sanctionaries, or even tithemasters, as they go about keeping what passes for "peace" or collecting debts.
<Velam> Velam has to control himself from all the new information barraging his natural senses. Keeping to noting stuff down in a storm of rune presses on his dataslate every time they stop or are in a darker corener of Gantry.
<Vigilant_GM> Upon making a turn on a narrow street, you come face-to-face with a man who has been stripped naked, partially skinned, and horribly cut in a hundred places. He breathes heavily, his lungs fighting the blood entering through the cuts on his face. It is a horrifying sight.
<Nitrous> "Hrm."
<Vigilant_GM> As you pass the man, you see a plank nailed to his back. Through the dripping blood, you can see the now-familiar "NO GUNS" signage.
<Velam> "They certainly take their policy quite seriously."
<Karpath> "Yep"
<Baird> "Lets hope a crossbow isn't a gun by their standards or Nitrous may be looking into his future."
<Shiv> "*Sigh* Gimme the thing."
* Nitrous hands over the crossbow "Hide."
<Shiv> "Fine."
<Vigilant_GM> A number of caravans line up the upper walkway, Endish Manor ahead.
<Vigilant_GM> What must be the bulk of trade that enters Gantry, you realize, goes directly to the Manor.
<Karpath> "Man you two must be long lost brothers or something."
<Vigilant_GM> A concentration of wealth that you wouldn't expect.
<Shiv> "Shut it."
<Velam> "It seems this leader taxes directly, doesn't trust his own people perhaps? Where would he or she find the time? Hmm, rather inefficient if you ask me. Does this leader not have a cadre of trusted officers? The one in charge of the bridge was immunte to bribes." He continues talking to himself, theorizing and the like.
<Shiv> "If they don't trust anyone, they must be extremely paranoid."
<Vigilant_GM> The manor has its own security in the form of two aged, but functional and intimidating servitors on either gatehouse, overlooking the procession of merchants entering the courtyard for sorting.
<Velam> "Most intimidating, eh Baird?"
<Shiv> "Oh, it's pretty big."
<Karpath> "Oh boy, servitors."
<Baird> "Servitors? I suppose so. Those can be possibly be reprogrammed or shut down. Adds the possibility of disabling them without having to fight them.
<Baird> Takes some of the intimidation out of it for me."
* Nitrous nods towards the nobleman "Fancypants."
<Vigilant_GM> An aged man with a head of stringy grey hair and a scraggly beard. His attire is a sort of parody of that used by Desoleum nobility. You see him hold a dataslate, and direct one of the caravan masters away.
<Velam> "So...plan?"
<Shiv> "I'm not the planning sort more like the running way."
<Baird> "Try and head inside I suppose. Have a look around. We were told that this is where the "tourists" go."
<Baird> "So we shouldn't be to out of the ordinary."
<Velam> "Let's hope so, I'm not sure I can run with the off-planety hunter story again."
<Baird> "Well I still have a Bounty Hunter License and there is a wanted assassins who could be down here. So if anyone asks that's what we are about. The wanted mans name is "Loratian".
* Baird starts heading towards the manor with the intention of heading inside confident in the new cover story
* Shiv follows behind Baird.
* Nitrous follows suit
* Karpath follows
* Velam follows at the tail end of the group
<Vigilant_GM> You walk alongside the caravan line with a confidence that goes unquestioned by both the caravan masters and the servitors providing security. By your pacing and bodylanguage, they are convinced you belong here.
<Vigilant_GM> Feigning as you are, you make it to the far end of the courtyard, closing the distance to overhear the man in noble dress dispute numbers with someone to his side.
<Vigilant_GM> "...not to mention that you were late. Take my price, or start crossing the raceway!"
<Vigilant_GM> The spat is settled quietly as the man signs off and steps down back to his caravan.
<Velam> "A shrewd negotiator, hmmm yes."
<Vigilant_GM> The grey-haired man, from this distance looks somewhat less noble-like. His attire is stained, and actually mismatched. Nonetheless he retains the air of a man of influence as he stares you down in expectation.
<Vigilant_GM> "And you are?"
<Velam> "Honored sir!" The older man of the group approaches the 'Noble.' "I have the pleasure and honor of introducing the dashing Raolin Daroshevik, agent of the people's justice, bounty hunter extraordinare, a rake of the finest qualities." Velam then starts to dip into his vocabulary of High Gothic, listing off several more descriptive titles that mean the same bloody thing. "I only ask you please accept an audience with him,
<Velam> sir." He then bows much like he did as a lowly scribe to his more important peers, allowing Baird to come forward and take it from here.
<Vigilant_GM> He raises an eyebrow, and diverts his gaze to Baird.
<Vigilant_GM> "Well, bountyhunter, what is this about?"
* Baird swaggers forward steering into the descriptions Velam provided. "Figured I'd come pay my respects the people in charge before I started my work in their fine town, such as it is, and if possible acquire some information that mioght point me in the right direction."
<Vigilant_GM> "Hmmm... I see," he looks at Baird from head to toe. He waves over a servant, and hands him the dataslate. "Very well, I can spare a few moments. Follow me."
<Vigilant_GM> He walks into the manor house, stopping a few meters past the door to see you enter.
* Baird follows the man beckoning his companions to do the same.
* Nitrous follows baird
<Vigilant_GM> The Antechamber is almost pleasant. There is comfort to be found in the decor, even if there are different and overlapping themes, and the furniture is well kept. He waves you to a small table and invites you to take a seat while he rings a bell.
* Karpath follows Baird.
* Velam follows inside, not being able to stop himself from examining and comparing the styles used to those above. "Fascinating, the styles present here haven't been seen in the upper-echelons of the high nobility of this hive in over four-hundred years." He goes on and on, murmuring to himself, as his servo-skulls zip around his knees.
* Baird sits down at the table waiting to see what the bell brings.
<Vigilant_GM> Your hosts takes a seat, while a young servant girl enters bearing a tray with refreshments.
<Vigilant_GM> "Your herald is a learned man," he comments, taking a small pastry from the tray.
<Vigilant_GM> "Your herald is a learned man," he comments, taking a small pastry from the tray.
<Vigilant_GM> "Tell me, bounty-hunter. Why have you come to Gantry? To Endish Manor?"
<Baird> "That is his area of expertise. Well as I explained to your man outside directing traffic I just figure it's common courtesy to talk with the person who owns the place before I start running through your backyard. At least that's why I come to the Manor itself. As for Gantry I just have a feeling I'll find who I'm looking for here."
<Vigilant_GM> "You are a man prone to flattery, or are otherwise new to Gantry," he observes.
<Vigilant_GM> "Omar Endish," he introduces himself raising the freshly-poured amasec cup in the direction of yours.
<Baird> "Oh certainly new to your town Mr. Endish." Baird raises the glass in front of him in return.
<Vigilant_GM> "Though I am able to live in comfort, I am not the man in charge," he says with some regret before taking a sip of his cup. "That title is claimed by Vornas Crimson. The Red Walk now control Gantry."
<Vigilant_GM> "I am what you might call the head merchant of Gantry. Even men like myself must deal with the likes of Crimson in these times."
<Baird> "So I take it that's your way of saying I should meet with Mr. Crimson before I start my hunt Mr. Endish?
<Vigilant_GM> He shakes his head.
<Vigilant_GM> "Only if you wish to make the trip to that Sky Ship of his."
<Vigilant_GM> "In truth, he is unlikely to take notice of you."
<Baird> "Would that not be better than me running afoul of his men while I'm trying to find someone?"
<Vigilant_GM> "Do you intend to kill one his men?"
<Baird> "Oh trust me that isn't the plan. But for all I know he could have employed the man I'm after or offered him refuge. I find it better to find out these things to avoid crushing some toes in the process."
<Vigilant_GM> "Your name, sir?"
<Baird> "I take it your man outside didn't convey? No matter, the name is Raolin Daroshevik."
<Vigilant_GM> "Well, Mr. Daroshevik. I say this in trust from one man of culture to another. In truth, Vornas is an ravenous beast. He speaks only the language of violence. I am spared for my ability to run matters of administration in Gantry. To gain an audience with the man will require acts of violence. Acts which, in his mind, would make him notice you as a man of 'strength'. This is the
<Vigilant_GM> regrettable state of things."
* Baird pauses. "So you're saying..the best way to gain an audience..is by starting trouble. Such as killing his men? I would think that if his own men were killed he'd be far less likely to hear me out."
<Vigilant_GM> "A beast, Mr. Daroshevik," he repeats bringing his cup up to his lips.
<Baird> Taking another pull from the Amasec in front of him Baird sighs. "Well Mr. Endish I appreciate your time and apologize in advance if I cause you problems in the near future. It seems I have to upturn the town a bit."
<Vigilant_GM> "Things weren't always this way, bounty-hunter. Do not underestimate the savagery his men can inflict!" he calls as you leave.
<Vigilant_GM> The courtyard's business continues as it was when you came in. Goods are brought in and sorted before being carried away for storage in the Manor's warehousing.
* Baird sighs again and drains the cup standing to leave. Walking out of the room Baird calls back to Endish in response. "I have no intentions of underestimating him or his men. For their sake I hope they don't do the same."
* Nitrous looks at Baird "Hunting time?"
* Karpath exits with Baird
<Velam> "A shame, I had hoped I could challenge Mr. Endish to a game of Regicide for a room to sleep in."
<Shiv> "What a strange place this is."
<Baird> "It really is."
<Baird> "Well for now lets head back towards the lodgings and watch for patrols and small groups we can pick off."
<Karpath> "Agreed that would be the best option."
<Vigilant_GM> You observe the Red Walk for the better part of an hour, and identify a small group of the miscreants who harass dwellings along a narrow alleyway. Following their steps, you see them enter the dwellings and hear them attack a familiy within, for profit, for power, or -worse- for joy.
<Velam> "So do we have any ideas as to how we attract the beast's attention?"
<Nitrous> "Sniper nest?"
<Karpath> "But you don't have any sniper?"
<Shiv> "Does a crossbow count?"
<Baird> "Well we could try and assault one of their "patrols" or well..there is a riskier option." After some discussion Baird lines out the intended plan to assault the barricade and retrieve their firearms.
<Nitrous> "Understood."
<Shiv> "Ahh... ehhh...feck."
<Shiv> "This sounds... how do you say 'fecked' in fancy speak?"
<Karpath> "Pretty much, though there may not be any other options really."
<Velam> "It is a bold plan, but a skirmish comes to mind...let's see, Night's Pass? Yes that's it, SKirmish at Night's Pass. Well anyway, it's similiar to what we're doing here, except we don't have backup to call on. As I recall the Sanctionaries consider this place a warzone and won't come to our aid. If you ask me, we should cut out the attack from without. The moment Nitrous fires his lasgun, the entirety of Gantry will go on
<Velam> alert. If we instead keep the plan to attack from the inside of the bridge, as risky as that is, we might stand a better chance of overwhelming the defenders at the gate. We can then grab the weapons and head back into Gantry without the Red Walk rallying their forces."
* Shiv has quit (Connection reset by peer)
<Baird> "Well then for now let's handle these gangers for now. Less risk of alerting the whole town."
<Karpath> "Agreed."
* Velam nods his head sagely. "I would otherwise like such an unorthodox plan, Baird, but alas we are on our own without proper weapons."
<Vigilant_GM> Crashing is followed by the breaking of glass, and the screams of two women.
<Vigilant_GM> Inside, the gangers laugh and mock.
<Baird> "Well I'm glad you liked the plan Velam. I wasn't particularly thrilled with it myself. We just aren't the greatest at close encounters."
<Velam> "We used to be, until that Interrogator took our savage warrior."
<Vigilant_GM> "Scrip or cunt, bitch!"
<Nitrous> "Ready."
<Baird> "Let's do this boys." Baird underhands a photon flash grenade through the open door and enters swiftly on it's heels, his photo contacts protecting him from the blinding light.
* Karpath readies his shock maul as he cover his eyes.
<Vigilant_GM> The flash of light is brighter than anything else in the chasm. Luckily, the alleyway prevents the light from escaping very far, most of it bouncing along the alley's walls.
<Vigilant_GM> Inside the dwelling, there is silence.
* Velam follows behind the rest of the group, bolas at the ready.
* Karpath makes his way in.
* Nitrous follows along
<Vigilant_GM> Silence broken by the cries of three men gripping their eyes, a fourth diving for cover, while two women stumble about on their knees, blinded, calling out to eachother.
* Shiv watches and hides behind velam.
* Baird levels his arm at one of the gangers firing off a bolt, striking him in the arm, and quickly reloads the crossbow.
* Nitrous aims for the same man as baird and strikes him in the chest
* Karpath charges in with his shock Maul to the same person hitting him in the chest, the shock and hit killing him.
<Velam> Motivated by fear and adrenaline, the old man let's rip a piercing shriek of a warcry, mimicing the war screams of the natives of Scantilax Prime that he saw in a war drama long ago. He somehow manages to slice deep into the combatant's left arm, slicing clean through the main artery. The man promptly bleeds out in seconds.
* Shiv runs ups cut off the left leg of one of the gangers.
* Shiv starts robbing the corpses.
* Baird levels his crossbow at the ganger behind cover aiming for his head and loosing a bolt, striking true the man drops dead from bolt embedded in his his forehead.
* Velam looks to the two women, despite his terrible social graces.
<Shiv> "Who wants a chain axe?"
<Baird> "Well that worked surprisingly well. I'll take the chain axe Shivv. Also you two pass me the other two photon grenades. I'm immune to the flash so it'll work best for me to use them."
<Vigilant_GM> The women have had their sight restored, and shuffle to a corner, covering themselves while looking at you -terrified.
<Vigilant_GM> "Please... we don't have any scrip!"
* Karpath takes one of the Chainswords and hands Baird his Photo Grenade.
* Shiv takes some knifes and the hive Leathers.
* Shiv cuts off the head of the biggest ganger.
* Shiv takes one of swords and takes the head outside.
* Shiv peeks inside "Anyone have a problem with this?"
<Nitrous> "Do it."
<Shiv> "Ok"
<Velam> "We don't want your scrip, we just wanted to end these nasty men's lives. Emperor's work, eh?"
* Shiv leaves the head in the middle of the street and stabs a sword thru it.
<Shiv> +We should leave.+
<Karpath> +I second this.+
<Nitrous> +Yup.+
<Vigilant_GM> The women sob, looking at you with suspicion, and fear.
<Velam> +Clean your weapons then, before we make haste.+
<Baird> +Should we continue hunting more of them down or return to our lodgings for a breather?+
<Velam> He gives them both the sign of the Aquila and leaves the humble abode.
* Karpath makes his way out.
* Nitrous moves along
<Shiv> +A breather for now. Clean ourselves and target another patrol?+
<Nitrous> +Breather.+
<Velam> +Well, I suppose then.+
<Baird> +The breather then.+ Baird nods and begins heading towards the lodgings
* Nitrous follows baird back
<Vigilant_GM> You make way for the Sanctionary Gallows once more at around mid day-cycle to lay low, and gather yourselves ahead of the hunt ahead. If violence is the language that will attract Vornas Crimson, then blood is the ink with which you will pen his invitation.