A Storm is Coming (D&D5e)

[Kaisshau]

“Wake up.”
At the command, you find yourself sitting arrow-straight, dressed in strange clothes that feel vaguely familiar. You are seated at a table, with 3 others, a large robed figure at the head.


“No doubt you are confused. Soon you won’t be, although you may not enjoy the process.”
You see a glint of a smile with predatory teeth, and then your mind is flooded with horrific images. You see throats being slit, purses being emptied, poisons being administered, and memories being extracted. With a sinking feeling in your stomach, you realize the hands committing these despicable deeds are your own. You remember each life ended and the feel of power.

“We have called you here for a simple reason. The balance of power is shifting. Those highborn fools are cracking down, inscribing new skyrunes almost hourly. The savages are rioting more frequently, disrupting plans generations in the making. The mad fools have somehow become even less stable, and the biomancers are causing fresh new havoc with unimaginable creations. Something is coming, although exactly what is still a mystery. This is a delicate ecosystem we operate in, and something is disrupting the balance. What has been for centuries is becoming undone. House Dimir thrives in the shadows, yes. But what gives us real power is our ability to exploit the predictable. Azorious is noble, but rigid. Gruul is destructive, but disorganized. Orhzov is eternal, but greedy. Izzet is powerful, but undisciplined. Simic is creative, but reckless. Knowing our enemies, and knowing how to control them, has kept us strong. Knowledge is the true currency of power. We need you to find out what is coming, and find how we can use it to our advantage.”


The shadowed figure bows its head, and seems to melt into the floor. You’ve gained control of your limbs once more.

[Etherion]

Valric sighs heavily as he stands from his chair, and begins to search the room carefully, looking for clues as to what his latest task might be, muttering to himself as he goes.
Honestly, one of these days, can they just say what they want. Who even has time for this nonsense?

[Whiskeyjack]

Agosto

The man tried to form a word, but his tongue felt like nothing more than a warm slug in his mouth. "Mmm," he mumbled, blinking, then spat on the floor. "W-what the fuuuu---"

Even as he spoke, his hand, clumsily but with a mind of its own, slid into his large overcoat, reaching for...something. His mind couldn't remember what it was for a brief moment, as memories fired; all the hand--which almost felt separate from the rest of the body--knew, was that it needed to close around something. The forefinger sought a metal loop and trigger; the palm, a short wooden stock. My hand crossbow. The concept of the weapon flashed through his mind, along with memories of using it a dozen dozen times, in the instant that his index fingertip found metal and the haft slid into his hand.

Agosto pulled the weapon from his jacket, even as he rolled out of the chair and into a position on the floor - the maneuver's grace still dulled due to drugs or magic, but his body operating on the instincts that had kept him alive...sometime in the past? This long? When? "What is this?" he finally managed as the last remnants of the figure melted away. "Are you all..."

His grandfather's voice snapped into his mind, stern but warm, murmuring one of the rules that kept the Guild alive in this time of troubles, words that seemed both very old and very recent. Never name the Family if you're not totally sure you're among Family.

He looked to the weapon in his hand, half with familiarity, half not understanding what exactly it was doing there. It looked more like a wild animal grafted to the end of his arm than something actually his, even with the suppressed memories returned.

"How did you...how did we all get here?" Agosto managed instead, lowering his weapon a tiny amount, but ready to raise it back if needed. His left hand, for a moment pressed into one temple and pinched the bridge of his nose as those memories continued...but then felt around to find where the small quiver of extra bolts was hidden in this coat. "Anyone else feel like this has happened to them before?" he sighs.

Spoiler

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GM - If I don't have the equipment, let me know and I will edit.

[Nyan]

Viper when he wakes up in the room is horrified. But there was no way to express it being completley paralyzed... He quickly tries to move his eyes around to scan the room. When the robed figure stops talking and he is suddenly assaulted with his real memories being put back in to his mind again he would have screamed if he could. Then when the ordeal was done and the robed figure once more started talking about the state of their world he had time to compose and calm himself down.

When the figure finished his monolouge and dissapeared in to the floor he would put his hand over his eyes and rub them slightly finaly regaining the use of his limbs again. He looked down at his hands as he felt the muscle memory returning and all that fear and horror he felt before was completley gone, remembering what was actually going on. The remorse slowly fading to nothing for the acts he has done as his sense of loyalty to the Dimir returns to him.

Viper is a rather tall, middle aged human with a strong build. Brown, short hair with a few streaks of gray showing his signs of age, thick stubble with allitle bit of gray as well. He has a rugged apperance and a set of steely brown eyes that has seen far too much. He wears a body tight suit of dark leathery armor which seems to allow much more mobility with a hood added to be used to shield his apperance if nessesary. Finaly he has bandana tied around his forehead in the same hue as his clothing.

He looks at the other three members sitting by the table with him. At this point one of them had got up from their chair and searched around the room, mumbling to himself. And another seemed very shocked about his arrival, tossing himself off his chair and pulling his weapon.

But Viper did not react much to none of this but would instead respond in a calm but gruff voice. First to the man investigating their room.

"Seat yourself Operative...I'm sure we will be further breifed shortly..."

He then turned his head towards the other with his weapon drawn.

"You too...We all arrived here because we were summoned. As for how that is not for us to know. Lower your weapon and calm yourself. You will feel better soon." He gestured towards the chair he had tumbled out off.

"And yes...This has happened many times. For all of us I'm sure." He pauses and looks around again at the other three.

[redjinx]

The man in the corner nods, his pale face expressionless. He wears a dark blue uniform, part armor, part robes - simple and utilitarian, with an arachnid sigil discreetly clasping a corner. His features are unremarkable save for his eyes, lacking pupil or iris, glowing indigo in broken shafts like dark-faceted prisms. He turns slowly around, appraising the area, trying to single out a leader. "Who is my master today?" he asks the room at large. "What are my orders?"

[Whiskeyjack]

Agosto

Noting the responses of the others, the man passes his left hand over his face again and stands. He's of an average height and build, with his head essentially shaved, though it's growing a bit of stubble now, about as much as is gracing the rest of his face. His face holds a few pale scars, for those who know what to look for, obvious from knife-fighting.

His right hand makes a practiced motion with the thumb, and he casually tosses the hand crossbow onto the table with a light clatter. "The coming-back is always like this for me," he states simply, looking around the room. "And every time, for a half-second I think I'm waking up in some Orzhov bolthole and things finally caught up with me. Well, glad to see that's not the case."

He flops into his chair, tilting it back with one boot propped up on the table. "Well, chaps, good day to you. Name's Agosto. I assume you've heard of me, hmm? Looking forward to continuing the work. 'Retirement' never quite sits right, does it? Ugh, the last time I was at one of these things they at least gave us a little watered wine..."

[Nyan]

Viper

Viper observed the man with the weapon as he tossed it on to the table and sat back down. A slight smirk at the Orzov comment was all he gave but then leaned back in his chair slightly before he responded. "Viper..." He stated simply.

"I have not heard of you Agosto. If I had...You haven't done your job right." The tone of his voice was flat with no indications of attempting to insult. Merely stating fact.

[redjinx]

The man in the corner nods again. “Ten,” he says simply. “That is my number. Tenth of the Hollow Blades and weapon of House Dimir. I have been assigned to your group. You are to use me as you see fit.”

[Etherion]

Valric

Without pausing in his search, or even looking up, Valric (a fairly non-descript man, maybe a little scrawny, a little on the shorter side, seems to be in his 20s with black hair, brown eyes and, at the moment at least, a rather agitated expression on what would otherwise be a mildly handsome face) responds to the fellow addressing him.

Humph, either you’ve not done much of this before, or your handler isn’t as much of an ***. I don’t know if you’ve realized it yet, but the House aren’t particularly fond of just, handing out information. I’m surprised we were told as much as we were by an actual person, and not dead drops. Not to say we were told anything useful, as we weren’t, but the point remains.

[Nyan]

Viper

He turns his head and looks to the man introducing himself as Ten, acknowledging his introduction with a nod. Then looking towards the man investigating the room once more when he responded Viper crossed his arms and said. "Let me know if you find anything..." with a flat tone. Seemingly not bothered by his comment. But it made him think...How many missions has he gone on?...He remembers a few. But there is no telling how many he has done only to have them been removed from his memory for security... He scratched his chin allitle thinking about it for a bit, only to let it go just as quickly. Probably a good idea not to dwell too much on the past.

[redjinx]

The man named Ten remains expressionless, but a hint of agitation enters his voice. “Protocol eight of the Hollow Text states that all groups assigned a Blade are to be headed by one individual. I have an assignment here. Who is it?” The light from his eyes scans the room, settling on each of its inhabitants in turn. “Which one of you is my master?”

[Nyan]

Viper

When Ten asked his question and turned towards Viper he would meet his gaze before he shruged. "Not me. As I've stated earlier... I belive we are yet to be breifed about our actual mission and in turn choosing who to lead it. So lets just wait for now." He then set his gaze on the man investigating the room. Just incase he would find something.

[Kaisshau]

This is what you had when you awakened:
Agosto: You are wearing Studded Leather Armor and found a Hand crossbow which was in your pocket, but no bolts.
Nicos: You are wearing Studded Leather Armor, an Orzhov Symbol in a pocket and a feather pen with no inkwell in another.
Azsaj: You are wearing Studded Leather Armor, with a trinket in the shape of Vitu Ghazi on a chain around your neck.
Viper: You are wearing a Chain Shirt, muffled with layers of cloth underneath, with an empty scabbard strapped to your waist.

The table in the centre of the room is black stone and shaped like a hexagon, speckled but otherwise unremarkable. A solitary gold chalice sits in front of where the robed figure had been. The chairs are likewise black stone and featureless. A fifth chair sits empty to the right of the figure. Light filters in from windows set high in the walls, this appears to be a two-storey building with no second floor. Along the walls behind your chairs are wardrobes made of the same black stone. The one behind the fifth chair is flung open.

[Nyan]

Viper

Looking around the room himself eventually he stood up and turned to look at the closet that was placed behind his chair. "Equipment perhaps?..." he said but not to anyone specific as he went to the closet itself and attempted to open it.

[Etherion]

Valric goes over to the chalice and inspects it. If there’s nothing out of the ordinary, he then goes and takes a look at the wardrobe behind his chair, as well as the one that is flung open.

[redjinx]

Ten strides to the open wardrobe, muttering to himself. "Open door, empty chair. We're late, aren't we? Someone's already been here. What's in the wardrobe?" He returns to the wardrobe closest to his own chair and tries to open it.

[Whiskeyjack]

Agosto

"Late? It's hard for us to be late when we weren't the ones to set up the meeting. Ugh, this level of manufactured drama is just par for the course." Agosto pats himself down, frowning. "Looks like I just have the one bolt for now," he mutters, before standing.

"I can't remember the last time they didn't at least give me a dagger, I mean I love a good challenge but this is just absurd." He turns to inspect the nearby wardrobes, starting with his own. "So. I don't remember working with any of you before. Assuming this isn't all a big Orzhov ploy, we should get to learning about each others' capabilities."

[Nyan]

Viper

As viper inspected his closet to find a way to open it Agostos question made him glance over his shoulder for a moment as he replied. "Untill our mission has been made clear...I am going to assume that none of us are nessesarily allies at the time...So all you need to know of my capabilities now... is that anything is a weapon in my hands..." He looked to each individual in the room as he stated this fact, as a warning incase one would happen to assault him. He did not trust any one of them enough to reveal anything else yet...Intel is power after all.

[Kaisshau]

Valric: Looking closely at the goblet, the heft reveals it is solid gold. The rim is crusted with a dried red substance and bears a slight sweet smell covering a pungent odour. Set into the base of the goblet is a symbol you believe you have seen before, but can't quite place.

Ten: The empty wardrobe contains hooks inside, as if items had been stored within. The doors are open on their hinges, but no handle or mechanism of how it opened is visible. There are no clues as to what had been stored inside. Examining the wardrobe behind your chair reveals no handle or method of opening it. Carved into the face of the doors are three runes representing tenets of House Dimir; Secrecy, Stealth, and Knowledge.

Viper & Agosto: Examining the wardrobe behind your chair reveals no handle or method of opening it. It is made of the same black stone as the table. Carved into the face of the doors are three runes representing tenets of House Dimir; Secrecy, Stealth, and Knowledge.

[Nyan]

Viper

Seeing the symbols on the closet made of stone he scratched his chin slightly before he reached out his hand and pressed the runes in the order Secrecy, Stealth and finaly knowledge hoping it would give some sort of response. paused... He was not magicaly inclined what so ever but sometimes the simplest anwser is the right one. He thought for a moment and remembered something like this he had gone throuhg before...What does he value highest among the tennets...He finaly made his choice for the symbol of STEALTH

Spoiler: For the GM

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Ill do some rolls in the dice thread that can be relevant. You choose which one of the skills to use of the results.

NOTE: Did I get to switch out my armor? You might have missed my question in the OOC.

[Etherion]

Valric

Looking at the goblet, and feeling that it is solid gold, Valric checks to see if there are any indentations that an Orzhov symbol might fit in.

[Whiskeyjack]

Agosto

Looking at the symbols on the front of the wardrobe, Agosto then raps his knuckles on the Secret sigil in a distinctive pattern, one used at many dead drops. He gives it a second to note any response.

He then turns and looks around the room, looking for a door, or really anything else of note in the room. He considers trying to scale the wall to see out the windows. Letting out a loud sigh, he again scans the room, first looking then listening for anything of note that would be missed on a general or cursory examination. He looks under the table as well.

Spoiler

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Perception: (1d20+6)[10]

[Kaisshau]

Valric:
Further examination of the goblet reveals no further marks beyond the symbol on the base. The feeling of familiarity nags at you, a memory buried just beneath the surface.

Viper:
Upon pressing the first rune, it begins to glow blue. It sounds like something is moving inside of the wardrobe, before you hear a click and the door swings slightly open.

Agosto:
Upon pressing the rune, it begins to glow blue. As you complete your pattern, the glow deepens. It sounds like something is moving inside of the wardrobe, before you hear a click and the door swings slightly open. Looking around the room you spot a door, hidden in shadow near where the figure had been sitting.

Ten:
Looking at the wardrobe, the runes stand out to you. While examining the the wardrobe, you see the others pressing on a rune and the cabinet responding. You believe that it may be important which rune is pressed. Looking around the room you spot a door, hidden in shadow near where the figure had been sitting.

[Nyan]

Viper

After he had pressed the Stealth rune. He noticed the door to the closet opening. And then took a look inside to see what was within.

[Whiskeyjack]

Agosto

Turning back to the wardrobe as it responds, Agosto peers inside. "Oh by the way, there's a door over there," he points, not looking as he investigates the contents of the wardrobe.

[redjinx]

Ten presses the Secrecy rune on his wardrobe, probing the contents, then turns to face the others. "The door. We need to find out where we are, at the very least. And what we're doing here, for that matter."

[Etherion]

Valric

While the knowledge is somewhere in the back of his mind, Valric just can’t quite remember where he’s seen that symbol. Giving up on the chalice for now, he goes over to his wardrobe and presses the knowledge rune.

[Kaisshau]

Valric:
As the wardrobe in front of you opens, you see a Scholar's pack sitting on the bottom of the wardrobe. A dark blue cloak with ornate gold stitching hangs from a peg inside. On the back of the door is a small rack with three stoppered flasks. On a shelf on the left side is a midnight blue scroll tube inlaid with silver.

Ten:
As you press the Rune, you see it glow blue and the wardrobe opens at your touch. Inside you find a Diplomat's pack resting on top of a set of pontiff's robes in gold and black, with a legionnaire's smock folded underneath. A drawer in the bottom contains a Disguise kit and a Forgery kit, along with a pouch containing 75 gold. Buried to the hilt in the back of the wardrobe is an ornate dagger that seems to glow slightly blue.

Agosto:
As you pull open the wardrobe in front of you, you notice Ten opening one that appears laid out in a similar fashion. There is a Diplomat's pack, resting on robes with a legionnaire's smock folded underneath. A drawer in the bottom contains a Disguise kit and a Forgery kit, along with a pouch containing 75 gold. On the back of the door is a quiver containing 20 silvered bolts, and a silvered rapier. As you remove the items, you notice a piece of parchment wedged into the bottom left back corner.

Viper:
Looking inside the wardrobe, you see a Burglar's pack sitting on a low shelf. The shelf above it contains 3 small orbs and the third shelf contains a set of Thieves' tools. On the back of the door an oaken shortbow is hung, with a quiver of arrows. The bow hums slightly as you take it from the peg it was hanging on.

[Etherion]

Valric

Valric’s eyes are immediately drawn to the cloak, and after a moment of inspection he dons it with a flourish. He then goes through the pack, familiarizing himself with the contents and quickly flipping through the book inside to grasp what it’s about.
Moving on, Valric inspects the scroll tube, seeing if there’s anything special about it aside from the ornate decorations, then checks the contents of it before putting it away in the pack.
Finally, Valric goes to each of the three vials, puts a tiny dab on his finger and tastes it in an attempt to deduce what, if any, effect they may have.

[Whiskeyjack]

Agosto

Reaching in for the bolts and rapier, Agosto pauses. "These are...silvered," he frowns. "Fancy, but also doesn't bode well as to what we might face."

He secures the weapons and kits on his person, retrieving his crossbow from the table, and tucking the legionary smock into the pack. He reaches in for the note and, pausing, looks at his wardrobe as well as the others'. "Hmm, looks like you got similar things as I did, but the rest of you didn't. I wonder..." he murmurs to himself, closing the wardrobe door. Once it seems sealed, he touches the Stealth rune. Glancing at Valric, his eyes widen for a second as he sees the man tasting the contents of House Dimir vials, but he quickly looks away.

Waiting for any response from the wardrobe, he unfolds the crumpled parchment and examines it.