The Acquisitions Department (IC)

[Admiral Squish]

Morgrave university. A beacon of knowledge shining from the tallest towers of the city, illuminating the forgotten secrets of the past. Or, that's what they have carved on the door in draconic runes, runes that curve along the high arched frame of the 20-foot-tall oaken double doors. This main entrance on the ground level is rarely used, considering the kind of neighborhood found on the ground level of sharn. But today, the huge gates are thrown open and a small crowd is gathering on the small landscape around the base of this massive structure. A motley gathering, all types are represented. Here, there's a half-elf with a longbow on his back examining a shrub, there, a lizardfolk with a massive iron-studded maul on his back chats idly with a grizzled halfling who wears the bony headgear traditional of the talenta plains. A pixie apparently is fascinated by the round metal plate that guards the entrance to the sewer.

Outside, the chatter fades into the sounds of the city, but inside the cavernous great hall, it only seems to amplify and reverberate. On the wall across from the door, there hangs a massive silver-and-purple banner portraying the coat of arms of Morgrave, a shield bearing the countenance of a massive silver dragon. It's apparently enchanted, as the dragon periodically shifts and surveys the crowd from it's two-dimensional perch. High above it, a huge mural on the ceiling portrays the founder of Morgrave's great adventures. And below the dragon is a small stage complete with a podium and a crystal held in a wire cage atop it. A number of humans, elves and dwarves in scholarly-looking robes sit in chairs along the back of the stage, some clearly quite old.

A nearby clock tower gongs it's bell, signaling fifteen minutes to noon. The posters and advertisements said to be in the great hall at noon if you desired to apply for the position. Reluctantly, a number of the strange ones outside the building shift themselves from their various states of relaxation and begin to migrate into the great hall, the huge room slowly filling as the hopeful employees gather.

[The Antigamer]

A small, thin humanoid in a colorfully gaudy costume tilts his head slightly when he hears the gong tolling, and quickly moves to the finish of the story he's telling to a group on the lawn, an assorted mix of beings including a one-eyed, bald half-elf, a black warforged in a rec cloak, and a pudgy halfling with gleaming rings on his fingers.

"...so he came back from the watch again, saying they hadn't heard of any letter. Two days later my gnome friend delivered the final forged letter that said there was an official warrant out for his arrest due to his refusal to appear at the court. My friend said before he even finished the letter sweat was pouring off of him. He packed up his room and was gone on the next lightning rail! And that, sirs and madams, is how to not only get rid of malicious clerks, but how to gain the friendship of all his underlings in the bargain."

The being slaps a gloved hand to his thigh to emphasize the point, as the group chuckles jovially at his joke.

"And now, I'm afraid to say, I must be off! Have to be in the halls in ten minutes, don'cha know? Fair day to all, may none of you ever run out of breath, extended pleasantries, et cetera, et cetera."
The being gives a mockingly huge bow, stands straight, winks an eye in his make-uped face, and tumbles backwards towards the door, twisting and righting himself during the somersault so that he comes up facing the right direction, walking briskly, a mirthful smile on his face as he nods to people on his way to the hall.

The Puck was ready.

[King Tius]

A woman in bright, glistening full plate stands talking quietly outside the door with a man in robes. Embroidered on his chest and the hems of his sleeves is the symbol of the Silver Flame. While the woman looks quite calm and collected (why, she is even smiling!) the man seems to be working himself into an increasingly angered state. The tail end of his tirade rises above the din of the gathered crowd...

"...they're ABOMINATIONS! You may whore yourself out to some flickering candle, but you do NOT serve the FLAME!"

The older man turns in a flurry of robes and marches into the building, away from the woman, turning his head indignantly in disgust as he passes a Shifter dressed in boiled leather with two axes strapped across his back.

Never losing her smile, the armored woman turns and strolls into the University, whistling quietly to herself and giving a polite nod to the same lycan-descended ranger.

[Salbazier]

A beautiful young woman walk with firm steps into the hall. Her mannerism and clothing, which was looked both alluring and expensive, give clear signs of nobility. Many eyes turned to her as she passed.

The woman, Rozalia ir'Matreish, gazes at the people around her. She is not worrying about competition with other applicant and neither she is wondering on the nature of the test. Rather, what in her miind is how worthy other applicants are and whether or not she can works with them. She notices at least several promising personae, but first impression from a far simply offer too little for analysis.

She enters the great hall and choose a place near the door to wait (and observe).

[Tacitus]

Relic

With a sigh the jackal-headed man leaned into the sun for the sixth time after speaking with as many people. He ran bony fingers over black fur and pulled on the flesh below as he glared at the warforged with whom he was speaking, "I may also be called Relic, but I'm flesh and blood, you blasted thing. Relic, in the ancient language of the Marru, not in the common tongue of the Five Kingdoms and beyond. Have you never heard of an ice breaker, Relic? For he love of the slumbering Marru, just call me Tejat. It will be as close as your limited mind can comprehend to the true language of the dreaming gods of life and sand. Bah!"

He tossed his hands up and though his robes had long since been free of the desert and washed many times over it still seemed to cling to bits of sand for just those few moments when it could release a few dozen grains to emphasize a point. As the lean figure angrily muttered and made his way as far from the dimwitted warforged as was possible his robe billowed and revealed lithe muscle twined around long legs and near human hands with short claws from within his long sleeves. As he passed back into shadow his eyes glimmered with light for a half moment, each orb a pure pool of endless white. He'd had enough of this nonsense trying to get the plebeian masses to understand the simplest intricacies of his culture's nomenclature and was ready for this bloody test to begin.

And suddenly he was struck with the hope that his mind came up with the term bloody as one of frustration and not a true adjective to describe the test itself. He hadn't concocted a zyme for that.

[Admiral Squish]

When the 12 o'clock bell sounded, the great hall was filled with hopefuls. It wasn't packed quite shoulder-to-shoulder, but it was quite a surprising turnout. The doors creaked closed on their own, shutting with a surprisingly loud bang. The chatter of the assembled only seemed to grow louder as it echoed and reverberated.

Then, from the side of the stage emerged two figures. One was an older man, with salt-and-pepper hair combed back into a ponytail. His face had a rugged appearance, with a small goatee and a number of small scars on his cheeks and jaw. He looked like a man who was, until recently, quite fit and able. Now, it was clear that his age no longer permitted that sort of thing. His posture was strong, though, and he had an aura of confidence to him as he strode along the stage to the podium, clad in the long, flowing purple-and-silver robes of the faculty.

Behind him strode a tall, slender dark elf. Her white hair was tied up in a long, flowing ponytail that started high on her head and descended, bound several times with leather straps, down to the small of her back. Her ears were long and pointed, and her cheeks bore white, geometric tattoos, traditional of the Xen'drik drow. She too was clad in the scholarly robes of the faculty if Morgrave, though she looked significantly less comfortable in them than the human.

The human stopped behind the podium and turned. The chatter died down as he cleared his throat into the amplification crystal. He took a moment to look over the assembled adventurers, his gray eyes clearly measuring each of those they contacted. Then he began to speak.

"Good afternoon. First of all, I would like to thank all of you for coming today. I see some of you I recognize, and I've probably heard some of your names before. But I would like to make it clear, firstly, that no matter what brings you here or who you are, you will be judged for the positions available solely on the ability you demonstrate today. That being said, I can assume that all of you know why you are gathered and since most of you seem to have come prepared, I will get right to the explanation of how you are to be tested."

With that, he paused and pulled a golden disk on a fine chain out of his pocket. It was about three inches across and the front of it bore the emblem of morgrave on it's front, finely etched into the metal. He held it up before the crowd like one would hold the trophy head of an enemy.

"These disks are your passing marks. About an hour ago, these disks were given to a number of students who were then sent into the sewers and instructed to avoid all contact. Two hours from now, they will come back to the surface and make their way to the school. Your task is to find them and take these from them before then. How you do that is up to you, but, seeing as these are our students, we would prefer if you didn't hurt them too badly. Then, simply bring back the disk and claim your position."

He paused and glanced at an illusion clock on the wall that read ten after noon, then back at the crowd.

"I believe that covers all the basics you need. The doors of the great hall will open in five minutes. Until then, any questions? He asked, looking over the assembled.

[The Antigamer]

The Puck jumps on a table, and in a loud voice asks,
"Good sir, how many of these talismans were passed out?"

[Admiral Squish]

The Puck jumps on a table, and in a loud voice asks,
"Good sir, how many of these talismans were passed out?"

"Eight were passed out, though I would honestly be surprised if all eight were brought in. I expect at least some of my students to prove too elusive to be caught so easily, and there's always the chance that some of the disks would be lost in the waterways." he replied.

[The Antigamer]

Puck nods his head from his position on the table.
"Very good sir, and all we need is one disk to gain the position?"

[Admiral Squish]

Puck nods his head from his position on the table.
"Very good sir, and all we need is one disk to gain the position?"

"Yes, one disk is all you need to make it in."

[The Antigamer]

Sweeping an arm back, Puck bows from his table.
"Thank you monsieur, The Puck is off as soon as you open the door."
He hops down, and makes his way to the still closed doors, sliding smoothly around elbows and bodies.

[Admiral Squish]

"A word of caution to you all, however. Don't underestimate the sewers. They are not a friendly or forgiving place." He adds. "I would think twice about wandering off alone."

[King Tius]

The woman in the shining plate draws her sword and holds it aloft. She casts light upon its blade and it begins to give off a silvery light. She calls out in a loud, clear voice:

"LFG Have Tank/Heal need DPS!"

.....just kidding.....

"Now accepting applications for the Sewer Stewards!"

[The Antigamer]

Puck slides right, ducks under the wings of a half-dragon, squeezes between to warforged with murmured apologies, and comes face to face with the armor-clad woman. He offers here a mocking grin, and asks,
"And just who might you be madam?"

[King Tius]

"Lania d'Orien, at your service" She keeps her sword held high, hoping to attract others. "Care to join me on a little sight-seeing down below? Mr.....?"

[The Antigamer]

"Call me Puck. And I coincidentally need to go to the sewers today as well! Such wonderful timing, I do so hate wading through smelly waters on my own."
He leans forward conspiratorially,
"Tell me you're not one of those Flame Fanatics who can't stop saying the word abomination though," he says in a stage whisper. "The froth they produce from their mouth tends to smudge my makeup."

[Salbazier]

Rozalia thought a moment about going with others to the sewer. I guess it will be a chance to check compability She scans the crowd, trying to decide with whom she should join. Before she have even a chance to dismiss anybody she saw the unique way the armored woman calling attention. She grins at that. Hmm, not a bad idea. She did notice when she gave a greeting to a lycan earlier. At least this will be interesting

She approaches the armored woman. "You have a interesting way to recruit people" she says to the woman.

[King Tius]

Lania smiles coyly at Puck. "I follow the Flame in my heart, not the church. I like to think it is a part of me."

When Rozalia approaches, Lania gives her a polite nod. "It certainly got your attention, didn't it?"

[The Antigamer]

Puck leans back and claps his hands.
"Splendid my dear, splendid!"
He turns as the newcomer approaches, and after Lania responds, he adds,
"Would you like to join us on a leisurely stroll through the scented gardens beneath the city?"

[Tacitus]

Relic

The jackal-headed scholar's ears twitch as he approaches the woman in shining plate, his gaze suddenly drawn to Puck. His eyes flash a gleaming white that lingers as he slides up behind the puppet with far less sound than should be made in his billowing robes, "I would be surprised to learn you can smell. You were built, were you not? But you are lively and animated, not dull and passive." A wheezing laugh oddly reminiscent of a hyena rather than the jackal his face and fur bring to mind, "No, I pry to much. Apologies, Puck was it? If you would all permit me I would follow your lead. I'm no good in dark spaces on my own, the energy of the arcane taxing my dusty old body. But my ears, ah, my ears, I'll hear anything and everything there is to hear."

[The Antigamer]

The Puck starts at the jackal-man's words. Eyes shifting from side to side, he says,
"Hearing is a very useful skill I'm sure. As for the other things...let's just say I'm an animated individual."

[Salbazier]

When Rozalia approaches, Lania gives her a polite nod. "It certainly got your attention, didn't it?"

Smiling, Rozalia answers. "Yes, it certainly did"

He turns as the newcomer approaches, and after Lania responds, he adds,
"Would you like to join us on a leisurely stroll through the scented gardens beneath the city?"

"With pleasant companies such as yours? Certainly. My Name is Rozalia ir'Matreish" she introduces herself with rather formal gesture.

[MammonAzrael]

Dethir

In the corner of the great hall stood a giant of a man, listening to the announcement of the test from the rear, as he had no trouble watching over the heads of nearly every other applicant. Nodding solemnly to himself as the representatives of Morgrave finished their speech, his gleaming golden eyes swept over the crowd, judging their reactions, trying to gauge who he would be competing against. And if there were any that wouldn't betray a partner with a knife in the back if it came down to less medals than comrades.

He was about to turn towards the sewers in disappointment as a young woman called out in clear, clean voice. The way she stood, the confidence and honesty in her cry for allies, her hair shining from the light of her sword...No...Delanna has been gone now for 3 years now. My sister is at peace. Though perhaps she lights my way now.

His decision made, he strides swiftly through the dispersing crowds towards the group gathering around her.

"The world will tell you all its secrets provided you listen to it's guiding whispers," he says with a smile as he catches the last of the conversation. "My name Dethir, and I would join you all in this test laid before us."

[The Antigamer]

The Puck glances back and forth at the diverse beings who have gathered around the woman with the glowing sword.
"Quite a group we have here, yes indeed, we better head off to the sewers quickly before we get more members than medallions. We can further introductions while running to the nearest sewer opening."

[King Tius]

Lania lowers her sword, a look of satisfaction on her face. "I agree; let's be off. Most of this lot will likely rush towards the first open grate they can find. Perhaps we'd be better suited if we moved away from the pack." She begins to move towards the door as she speaks.

[Salbazier]

Rozalia glances at the jackal-person and the large man. Not a bad group for, I suppose. Looks like I can enjoy this. She moves along the group toward one of the doors. Inside, she can feel excitement building up, but she keep in check and maintain a calm demeanor.

[Admiral Squish]

The salt-and-pepper human nods and looks over the group once more as the bell begins to toll. "Well, then, if there are no more questions, let the games begin!" He exclaimed. With that, the doors swung open, and like a roaring surf, adventurers surged from the gap, whooping battle-cries and shouting directions to one another over the din. The vast majority did exactly as predicted, and swarmed around the small, circular sewer gate in the front walk, elbowing and shoving to get ahead of one-another, clogging the narrow gate with bodies.

A few of the crowd dispersed to the sides, seeking less competitive entrances to the city's underbelly. Nearby the surging throng stood an enterprising student with a portable table covered with a number of alchemical devices and other gear, probably making a killing by selling to the unprepared. Fresh-breath masks, alchemist's fire, frost, and spark, vials of acid, ropes, sunrods...

[The Antigamer]

Spoiler

Show

Knowledge(Local) to remember alternate sewer entrances (d20+6)[25]
Any animals about?

[King Tius]

Lania breaks into a run (albeit a slow one), turning her head as she trots down a side street.

"Let's get a move on! Perhaps we can get a jump on some unsuspecting students down a side passage."

She leads the group two blocks away from the "main" sewer entrance (or as far as she needs to in order to get a sewer grate all to themselves). If necessary, she'll use her sword as a makeshift crowbar to pry up the sewer cover.

Spoiler

Show

Strength Check: (1d20+3)[8]

Once the way is clear, she will take point, her shining sword guiding the way.
(my light spell lasts 50 minutes, so we should be good)

EDIT: Unless of course Puck knows a better way to go, in which case she follows him.

[The Antigamer]

Puck runs alongside Lania, and when they reach a grate, he lets her and the giant man move the grate, hopping in after Lania with a murmured "Ally-oop!"