The Storm <Team One>

[Kyeudo]

It's been two days since you decided to take the mercenary job in Reach, most of it spent on a somewhat cramped aethership freighter bound for a small rock in the nearby Mesotar clustar. The promised pay wasn't much, a mere two hundred gold pieces each, but it was the best paying job you could find at the time.

The job seems simple enough. A village in the clustar has been having some problems with a nearby cave system infested with goblins and have been hiring mercenaries to exterminate them. More information was promised once you arrived in the Broken Edge, the village offering the job.

On the open deck of the ship, you can watch the stars and nebuli of the Storm swirl overhead in their endless dance of elemental energies. Ahead, you can see that the ship has just slowed to crusing speed and the Mesotar cluster can be seen ahead. Nothing too interesting about the system, just a half dozen small and average sized planets orbiting a fire star, mainly an agricultural system. You estimate that another day of travel at the most should get you to where your going.

So far you haven't spoken much so far with the others mercenaries hired for the job, what with your cabins being scattered all over the ship between the crew cabins, but now they all seem to have come up on deck, probably having felt the shudder as the ship trimmed its sails and slowed from traversal speed.

[Mavian]

Spoiler

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Melds shaped for on the boat. Soulspark Familiar, and Sailor's Bracers.
No essentia invested.

Leaning against the railing of the ship is a youngish looking dwarf, his brown hair streaming in the wind as he talks to a small glowing mote of blue that hovers in front of his face. He's wearing a simple shirt and breeches, although upon further inspection, there is another bluish glow surrounding his wrists and arms. At his feet rests a backpack filled to bursting, with random pieces of equipment sticking out of the top, and resting next to the pack, a breastplate. As the rest of the party comes up to the deck, he greets them with a curt nod before turning back to his one-sided conversation.

[Hyozo]

Liam

Liam approaches the other mercenaries, sits down, and begins to speak. "Two days of nothing but poor food, cramped rooms, and expectations. Anybody know more about what we're dealing with than that it involves killing goblins in a cave?" Liam is clearly showing that he is both bored and annoyed. He looks around the room, both trying to find something to do and to determine what his allies might be capable of.

[playswithfire]

Kleitos
Returning the dwarf's nod, Kleitos shrugs and answers Liam "How much more do we need to know? I'll just be happy for the exercise after this long trip. He does some basic stretching, having been awoken from a nap by the change in speed and then gazes out at the sky, not feeling the need to say anything else, but mentally going over his list of supplies to make sure he's ready.

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Human male, fairly non-descript; brown hair, blue eyes, for anyone who hasn't read the character sheet and cares

[Hyozo]

Liam

Liam nods. "So will I. I'm just wondering if we have to kill them all, or just enough that they know to stop whatever they've been doing to make our services needed. It would also be beneficial to know what that problem is, and if we can keep any possessions of the ones who die." Not seeing anything to be done, he continues contemplating the team's abilities, and concludes that it would probably not be the best idea to annoy the tall one.

[Mavian]

From his position at the rail, Felonius is going to pipe up.

"They're goblins, we'll wade through them like a dreadnought through a cutter. As for what they've been doing, most likely looting, raiding, or just generally making life miserable for civilized folk."

[Rogue 7]

"I've seen far worse on my days aboard the Starry Ice. You should consider yourself lucky."

This statement comes from a tall, fairly pale man with dark hair and black eyes. He has two axes sheathed in his belt as he looks up at the starry void.

"I've dealt with my fair share of goblin pirates. These shouldn't prove to be too difficult."

[Hyozo]

Liam

"True." Liam acknowledges, "But my question is simply are we there to make sure that the crime stops, or to make it impossible to continue? The former requires a few harsh words, and probably a few corpses so they know we can follow up on them. The later requires quite a few more corpses, and seems far more likely to place ours among them."

[Rogue 7]

"Indeed. We don't have enough information to tell one way or the other. Hopefully, we'll get more information once we arrive."

[Human Paragon 3]

Zerkz

Their kind doesn't always respond to words. Often it's best just to clear them out. Unless we're talking in the thousands, I don't think we'll see much trouble one way or the other. The hulking sword-for-hire seems strangely at peace on the ship, splitting his attention between the other mercenaries and the swirling energies of the storm. There is strength in numbers... he reflects.

[playswithfire]

Zerkz
There is strength in numbers... he reflects.

Kleitos

Both for them and for us, but unless their numbers are ludicrously large, I'll put my money on us. Because I want the money that we're getting paid for this job. It's not much, but it's the best offer I've had in a while. Kleitos stands back to size up the other members of the group, trying to form preliminary strategy for how they could handle different situations. He won't share his thoughts yet, preferring to have a good idea before bringing others into the process.

[Kyeudo]

The ship's captain, a portly middle-aged human, barks some final orders to the crew to set the course before aproaching you. "We'll be docking in Broken Edge in about three hours, so if you have anything that needs doing before then, I suggest you get to it." He says, before heading back to the wheelhouse.

[Rogue 7]

"Seeing as we'll be fighting together here, I suggest that we discuss some basic strategies before we dock. I am a straight-up fighter, with experience fighting a variety of enemies. What specializations do you have?"

[Mavian]

"At the moment? I can sail a boat, and talk to this thing here" He jabs a thumb towards the glowing blue mote beside him. "Tommorrow, I'll do something else, I never really know until the morning, and I see what needs to be done. Or, if we find a forge, I can always bang out some weapons and armor."

[Hyozo]

Liam

"While I am generally a spearman, you will likely find that being near me usually causes various desireable effects. I won't bore you with the details, but I suggest you stay near me should any conflict begin." While speaking, Liam's eyes occasionally dart toward the wheelhouse, and he wonders how best to pass the three hours of waiting.

[playswithfire]

Kleitos

For myself, many of my talents are most potent outside of combat; I can be quite persuasive, for instance. In combat, my main skill is to find a weak spot and quickly incapacitate an opponent who's otherwise engaged with one of you. Maybe I should coordinate with you, ((Rogue_7s character)). You walk up to them while I sneak around behind. Could be very effective.

[Rogue 7]

"That seems to be fairly basic tactics, but the simplest tactics are always the best, I have found. I am called Kardrak. Your name is...?"

[playswithfire]

Kleitos

Kleitos, though I'll answer to K if we're short on time.

[Human Paragon 3]

Zerkz

I am called Zerkz. Glad to meet you all. I also fight. I find that there is no substitute for greater strength of arm. The huge warrior hefts his mighty sword and flexes powerful muscles. But there are many kinds of strength. Strength of spirit, strength of mind. I sense strength in all of you; some of you may be almost as strong as me.

[Mavian]

"Felonius Soulforged, of the Ironheart Clan"

Reaching down to grasp his backpack and slide into it, holding his breastplate in one hand, the dwarf is going to leave his position at the rail and head towards the rest of the group.

"Looks like the captain about ready to start getting the ship ready for docking, so I'd be prepared to disembark if I were you"

[Human Paragon 3]

Zerkz

I was created ready.

[Rogue 7]

"I am ready whenever you all are."

[playswithfire]

Kleitos

As am I

[Kyeudo]

You all make gather up your gear from your cabins and meet back on deck as the bulky freighter begins its aproach of Broken Edge. Ahead you can see the planet the village is built on, a giant, upside down pyramid of jagged rock the size of a large mountain. The ship rotates slowly, orienting itself to the gravity well of the aproaching planet.

Sailors scurry through the rigging, furling the mainsails and setting the backsail and downsail, slowing the vessal and bringing it down to the level of the planet. As the ship pulls alongside the wooden pier jutting from the edge of the planet, sailors expertly throw lines to men waiting on the pier who tie off the lines and haul the ship in against the padded beams. Once secured, the sailors carefuly fix the topsail to prevent the ship from falling to the bottom of the planet's gravity well, then lower the gang plank and start to off load some of the cargo.

At the end of the pier a small group of men stand, probably waiting for you. They are all human and most seem to be middle-aged, with a few older men in the group.

[Rogue 7]

Kardrak
Kardrak disembarks and walks up to the men, his weapons sheathed, offering his hand.
"Greetings. I am Kardrak. I believe that you are the men who hired us to deal with these goblins?

Spoiler

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If they are,
"I should like to know a bit more information about them- how many are there, and do you want them all eliminated, or will merely staving off their attacks suffice?" If we do have to hunt them down, where do they live, and what is the terrain like?"

[Hyozo]

Liam

Glad to finally be on the planet, Liam leaps off the ship toward the men. "Greetings people of Broken Edge. I've heard you need a problem solved."

[Kyeudo]

One of the half-dozen men steps forward as you aproach. He is of above average height, with short brown hair and sharp roman features.

"Greetings and welcome to our humble town. I am Arius Mathon, Mayor of Broken Edge, and these esteemed gentlemen are the rest of our town council." Arius turns slightly to indicate his companions. "May I present Dorian Argant, our Treasurer," The short, portly man with large black sideburns and a reserved expression nods in your direction, "Vernon Trebador, our Head Magistrate," the rail thin man in loose brown robes gives a small bow, "Jay Rookstone, Captain of the Town Guard," the heavy-set man with grey hair also bows, "Marik Alphinian, our Representitive of Trade" the youngest-looking of the group, a well-dressed blond-haired man in his early-thirties, gives you a formal bow, "and Faram Al'Theris, our Representive of Agriculture," The last man, a burly red-haired man with a rather sour look in his eyes, crosses his well-muscled arms as he is introduced.

"Please, let us go to somewhere a little more comfortable before we discuss the particulars of the job. The room we use for a council chamber is not far from here, and we can at least sit down while we talk."

[Human Paragon 3]

Zerkz

Zerkz looks at the councilmen appraisingly, useless old men, bureaucrats incapable of solving a single thing without the help of other more capable men. Of course they would take all the credit when the work was done, but he was accustomed to that. He would do the job he was hired to perform without complaint.

Lead the way.

[Hyozo]

Liam

Liam is generally unimpressed by the council. A fat treasurer and a rude agricultural representative? It's no wonder these people need help. Not wanting to lose the oppritunity to help however, he keeps this oppinion private, and instead inquires "Which way to this council chamber then?"

[Kyeudo]

The Mayor and the Town Council lead you into town. The town seems relatively prosperous, with a fair amount of people going about their buisness. You can hear people haggling over prices here and there, and the sounds of a blacksmith's hammer ringing against steel can be heard from not too far away.

Signs of fear and unrest can be seen everywhere, however. Down several of the town's dirt roads you can see the beginings of a wooden pallisade being errected around the town and members of what must be the town guard stand watch on many street corners wearing leather armor and armed with spears. People look at you with a mixture of nervousness and hope, some not even daring to look at you directly.

The Mayor leads you to a large home located in the center of town, well-built and spacious, but not overly ostentatious. Inside, there is a large, comfortable-looking living room furnished with several couches and padded chairs. As you enter, a pretty human woman comes into the room.

"Mary, could you leave us alone for now? This is council buisness and I'd rather not be disturbed."

"Very well. Tell me if you need anything."

She departs, smiling slightly at Arius before leaving. Arius motions for you all to be seated, taking a chair in the corner for himself. The council members take a seat on various couches and chairs, most near the Mayor's seat.

"I'm sure you have plenty of questions. Please, feel free to ask, and I'll fill you in on all the specifics."