What the Stranger Knows.

[agignac]

The Golden Vault.

A secretive organization committed to righting moral wrongs. Membership and activities are almost impossible for outsiders to track. They are known to support virtuous underdogs and handle delicate situations that local authorities won't touch. Their mottos is "Do good, no matter the cost." Missions are often illegal, but they always support a just, moral cause.

You have all taken missions from the Golden Vault at least twice, some of you working together at different times. This is the first time you've all come together in the same place....your new headquarters.

The cabin is a gift from somebody whom you helped a few months ago. Tucked into the woods on the edge of the botanical gardens, it is easily missed by those not looking for it. Outside, it looks like a simple groundskeeper's lodging. Inside, it is richly appointed and comfortable. There's even a loo with proper plumbing, and two bedrooms with three bunks in each. The pantry is stocked, as is the bar, and there are maps and books galore.

Over the mantle, in place of pride, is a golden music box. It is cunningly etched and carved, and has a seemingly broken lock on the front. The lid is currently shut, but when you open it, it plays a charming melody. When the Golden Vault sends you a golden key, and you use that to open the the lid, you receive your instructions from the mysterious organization that uses your services from time to time.

Each of you has a key to the cabin. You don't know your patron's name, only that you earned their gratitude.

For tonight, you all find yourselves together. Each of you knows at least one other person. Other than that, who you've met/worked with before is up to you.

Please copy over your intro text from the other thread, and then continue your evening here. I'd like to see introductions from everybody, and as much RP as you'd like.

Each of you choose a unique colour to use for your dialogue. Bold or not is optional. Any text in this colour is ooc from the DM. Usually I'll put ooc stuff in the discord server, but sometimes it makes sense to have it in the post.

Please join the discord server for ooc discussions.

Welcome! I'm looking forward to playing with you all.

[Archemist]

(From the Recruitment thread)
In front of the guild hearth, Siobhan Sullivan leans back against her massive dog, who's stretched out on the floor to enjoy the warmth. Siobhan sits with her knees up, gripping a normal-sized mug of tea as though it were comically large. The others all have spots on the nicely-upholstered furniture, but she seems to prefer the stone floor.

She's a quiet gnome, very religious, and a bit naive. She's much better with animals than people. Which is odd, perhaps, since she's hardly young - she'd be an old woman if she were human. But she always has a smile, even when times are tough, and her skill as a healer has made her welcome in many places. Siobhan's appearance is certainly very ordinary: dark hair, a reddish sandstone skin, and grey eyes. She often goes around with a beret instead of a helmet with her shiny plate armor, in an effort to seem less threatening. Not that anyone is going to be intimidated by a 3'4" gnome, but she likes to show her face and finds helmets stuffy.

Spoiler: Image - Siobhan and Clancy mini

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She sips her tea and continues her story: "So I could tell Clancy was afraid. He had his ears back and a soft growl going. I made sure he knew he was a good dog for alerting me. I took my shield, crept forwards, parted the brush with my sickle, and lo! A skunk!

"They're surprisingly un-smelly... until they're not, you know. Anyhow, I beat a quick retreat and we had a good laugh, me and Clancy."

Siobhan pauses for a moment and almost drifts off into her own thoughts, but then gives her head a little shake. She looks over at Tedras, and jokingly asks the tall, rakishly-charming half-elf, "How would you have handled that, I wonder! A skunk must be the worst enemy of someone who smells as nice as you always do."

---

After the conversation has gone on for a little while past her, Siobhan gets lost in her own thoughts again. Staring absentmindedly at the fireplace and the mantle, suddenly out of the blue she asks the question which must be on everyone's mind: "Wait, is the 'Golden Vault' the name of the music box? I thought it was just... a name for us. Don't laugh at me. Did somebody spike the tea again?"

Siobhan looks embarrassed and tries to shrug it off. "Sorry, the pause before we get instructions always makes me nervous. And it's annoying that I need others' help just to reach the music box even when I'm the one with a key."

[Lioslaith]

(From the recruitment thread)
Fenris started a bit when Rafe started talking to him, he was unused to casual conversation and always taken aback a little when it ensued. He continued into the room quietly, hoping to draw little attention and found a spot in a corner so he could see the room. He tried to nod and affirm at the appropriate points in the story but noticed about halfway through that Rafe was staring just a tad off to the left of where he actually was. A habit he had picked up over the years he spent under his old masters thumb, the need to not be noticed.

When Rafe was done telling his story, Fenris made a throat clearing noise and shifted himself upon his chair to draw Rafe's attention back to him. The simple sleeveless leather vest and breeches he wore creaked a bit as he moved, helping to break the habitual stealth. He answered quietly, his oddly deep for his stature voice pitched so hopefully only Rafe could hear it. "That was indeed fortunate. I rarely seem to have any type of good luck like that."

"In fact, the best I can muster was when I was able to escape captivity and strike out on my own. Finding a place with the local guild, they have given me ... tasks for which I seem to be uniquely suited. Much like yourself, a hunter of men."

All the time he talked, which was odd in itself, Fenris was taking in the positions of everyone in the room, from the gnome with her dog sitting on the floor by the fire, to the human playing with the dog, to the half dead Rafe engaging in unwanted conversation, to the half elves, etc. Watching them move about the room, people always fascinated him, then, abruptly, he remembered Rafe had asked him a question. "The ... ears? They just are, I don't actually think much about them."

Spoiler: Pic

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Fenris watched the room and the others quietly, as he usually did. The lustrous silver tattoo marking him. It was visible on pretty much any exposed skin. His rough cut white hair mostly unkept matched somehow his leather vest and pants. After a bit he got up and went to the bar area to pour himself a drink.

[JNAProductions]

Leaf settled into the chair, her tunic with embroidered flowers wrinkling a little as she did. She took the mug of cider she had just filled, and downed it in one fell swoop. "Man, this stuff is good,"
she said, eyeing the barrel of cider next to the other, more alcoholic beverage barrels. "Rafe, you want... Oh, right," she caught herself before she asked if the man who had the tastebuds of a rock wanted some cider. "Er, Rafe," she continued, standing up and heading towards him across the carpeted floor. "Did I ever tell you about the time with the Enclave that I almost burned down a forest?"

Rafe shook his head, turning from the weapons rack adorned with well-maintained, but simply made swords and hammers and axes, to face Leaf.

"Yeah... It was one heck of an embarrassing time. It's kinda why I stopped practicing pyromancy for a bit! So, I was working on my orisons, and I had made a little fire in a stone circle," she narrated, "and, once I had the fire, I was practicing shapes with it. You know, squares, circles, then more advanced things! Like little birds of fire, flitting around the fuel. And, me being me, I tried to push it further and further, until I made this HUGE dragon! Okay, maybe not huge huge," the five foot tall half-elf said with a chuckle, "but I wasn't even a teenager at that point. It looked big to me! And I was making it fly around the fire, fun and such, and then I tried to move it further away. The whole dragon and the fire it was based on exploded when I tried to push it that far, and the little circle of stones I had prepared was NOT enough."

Rafe leaned forward a little, accidentally looming over the short Leaf. She didn't care much, though-she knew Rafe was a friend, even with his menacing aura. "So I'm freaking out-desperately trying to put out the fires, and doing... Well, not the best, but it was progress. Just not enough. I'm tossing dirt and trying to stop it, but it just keeps going, and eventually, I realize the best way is to smother it with my own body. I leap onto the fire, and! Vines shoot out and catch me, before a small flood of water extinguishes the flame. I didn't notice, but Velguardr-I've told you about them before, right?-so Velguardr had followed me to make sure I didn't cause trouble. Thank the gods they did, because, well, fire. They change out of their animal shape, and I'm expecting a huge admonishing about responsibility and being careful and all that. But... All they said was 'You messed up. But you were trying your best to fix it. Just remember, you're never alone,' and left."

"That... You know, that left an impact. I stopped working on fire magic just to be safe, but they had a good point. My whole life up till then, I'd tried doing things on my own, and I usually succeeded! But... I had support. I had friends, I had family, I had support from the Enclave... I needed to work with them, not just on my own," Leaf said. "So... I guess the end of the story message is-thanks Rafe. You've been there for me too."

Spoiler: OOC

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Copied from recruitment.

[Auranghzeb]

Spoiler: Stinking Troglodytes

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As the dice spins, Tedras knows how to make a dice spin, Tedras concentrates on a number.
Five, five, five Before spinning the dice, Tedras had called a six, and whatever called on the magic dice, always came true. But Tedras was now working on the ultimate hustle: changing the call mid-roll to avoid people getting too suspicious and to nag the pot now and then with an accomplice.
Six, came the dice... that was the last attepmt, Tedras thought.

Besides it was getting damp this side of the hall, where Tedras kept a little desk with all the document forgery kit across the foyer, Siobhan and Clancy enjoying the fireplace drew Tedras' attention. Closing and locking the desk -as if locking anything in this den of thieves helped at all- Tedras crossed the hall and sat pleasantly next to the gnome and the big dog.

No, not the face, Clancy, not the face!

Tedras tried to prevent Clancy from landing a wet warm licking in Tedras' face. The fireplace cracked gently and was a great soundtrack to Siobhan's story. The little gnome always had good stories and the skunk one was one of her best -even if she loved re-telling it now an then. Tedras listened with the same attention as ever and then the question came.

How would I handle it? Well, you'd be surprised! Skunks are not half as stinky as Troglodytes! Do you remember that place near Cauldron? Oh, maybe you don't, it was right after the Vanderborren Heist, I think you and Clancy left town soon. I just wanted to hang around and spend some money right. Tedras says squatting in front of the fire, both hands extended. The ember lights making shadows with the almost too perfect facial features. A human Tedras was, but too many thought Tedras was an elf, or half-elf. But if Tedras was soft looking, that was all a faccade! Part of the charm.
So after asking around I find this place a few miles into the woods, a lodge where people made weird bets and good amounts of money was exchanged. There I'm rolling high on the 4 Dragon game and ready to call it a night, when a patron, a Troglodyte fellow by the name of Irk, tells me I can double my platinum coins if I bet with him. Confident, I say yeah, let's do it. Without even asking the bet! Well, the guy says, If you can stay concious with me in a closed room while this candle burns out, you'll double your gains.
Sure, say I, easy money!

Tedras turns around to look at Siobahn and makes a horrible grimace!

Once inside, this Irk just starts seeping a horrible liquid! I'm telling you, it was the most offensive smell you can imagine! It pierced my nosetrils and poked holes in my clothes, so sharp it was! The candle is burning, not even half of it, and I'm about to explode, but I'm not losing all that platinum! Not this way! But now my eyes are burning like a Cornugon demon had pulled them out with fiery fingers! I'm actually crying tears of pain and the candle is not burning so painfully slow, I'm about to collapse a lung from the effort! And now the candle is two thirds out! And I'm just thinking about how well Lady Silverspoke smelled last time I saw her, and Lousy Roger pies in Applethorn Inn... you know all sort of things! Finally the candle goes Puff!
I had to scrub so hard I peeled my shoulders!

Tedras rises, now warm, and takes confident strides towards the other side of the room.

Say, Siobhan, want to take Clyde for a stroll? There's a nice moon today, and we may be able to roll some bones at Old Art's Lodge

Tedras grabs an overcoat and heads out.

When Siobhan and Clyde don't move towards the door. Tedras has a change of heart and hangs the overcoat again and instead goes to the bar, warms up a glass and grabbing the best whisky there pours half a measure of it and walks back to the crackling fireplace throwing a glance or two at the magic box.

It's been a while now. I Don't get me wrong, I like the accommodations and the company. But it's been a while. One grows restless thinking that without a gig, all these luxuries have an expiration date.

Tedras pulls one of the sturdy chairs and sits backwards, elbows leaning on the back of the chair, and sips the whisky.

This is damn good! The Vault surely knows their malt. So Leaf, I don't get it, that means you can't or that you won't warm th fire a little bit more?

[The Hellbug]

Spoiler: From recruitment

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Ennius, who has so far been reading comfortably in a high-backed chair not far from the fire, lowers his book and speaks up. "Old Art's a cheat, you know," the half elf warns over the rims of his reading glasses. He sets the spectacles and book aside. Neither is strictly necessary, the book being only a collection of entertaining tales and the glasses merely to reduce the stress on his eyes in the dim light--they had been a tip from an elderly scholar and Ennius fancies them, imagining that they make him look academic and dignified, which he further imagines he needs to impress the present company.

"An enchantment on the dice, I believe," he continues, "harmless most of the time but able to be invoked to force them to land the house's way at the critical moment. Or--" Ennius pauses and smirks "--his patrons are just extremely unlucky. Funny that all that winning can be undone in one moment--or done again, in your case." The warlock tips his head respectfully towards Tedras. "I don't know how you managed that. I've never personally met a troglodyte, but every account I've heard is that the stench is absolutely unbearable."

"I'm afraid my luck's always been towards the former." Ennius shifts in his seat, clears his throat, and takes a sip from the goblet of wine on his side table. It's obvious from anyone who's spent any amount of time with him that there's a story coming. "I was involved in a scheme once, not strictly a gamble but not so far off, to swindle of man out of a large amount of money. I had a plan for the money at the time, but it clearly wasn't important since I can't recall it. Regardless, the target was a lord as miserly as a dragon--he loved his coin so much that he had each of his servants wear a pair of them on a necklace so that he could hear them cling cling as they went about their work--so that was reason enough. And friend of mine had found her way into his service, not by choice, mind, and had covertly sent a letter asking for help escaping. We had worked together before and there were some bad feelings about how it had ended but we were still acquaintances. That's another story."

Seeing that his long-winded table-setting is beginning to lose the room's attention, Ennius forges ahead. "Anyway, there were good reasons for me to be there. So, the stealing. First, I called in a favor from a wizard who owed me to cast a spell over the lord's manor, a subtle one that wouldn't do anything. Yet. Then, I snuck in and started a fire in the stables, which spread to the the manor. The lord panics. His servants are fleeing--remember that each of them has the two coins around their neck so they'll be well enough off for a while--and there's no one to fight the fire and his riches are at risk. Enter Ennius." The half elf spreads his arms and bows his head magnanimously. "I suggest that the house is already ruined, but that, if he were to smash the wall of the levy, the water could save his wealth. Coins are waterproof, after all. He gets to paying some onlooking peasants--you should have seen the looks on their faces when he handed them the bags of gold--to do just that. The water races in, the fire goes out, and, just like that, when it touches the coins my owed spell is activated!"

He pauses for dramatic effect and enjoys the anticipation of each listener for just a moment but, inevitably, continues. "Every one of them turns into a fish! So there are gold and silver and copper fish swimming around in the pond around the burned house. All that's left is to meet up with my friend, wait for the magic fade at dusk and collect the coins in the shallows!"

The triumphant conclusion is undercut, though, by how the telling had begun. "Oh, my friend drugged me, took the money, and ran off," he explains matter-of-factly when it's mentioned that that sounds like a lucky ending, "or should I say wife? Later. Another story. It was days before I got the lord's goons off my tail." As usual, at the tale's end it's impossible to tell from the warlock's face if it's true, a fabrication, a delusion, or all three.

______

"No, it's an important question," Ennius solemnly assuages the gnome about her concern at being drugged, "although if you find yourself asking it too often, it may be a sign that you should seek better company. The answer tonight, I believe, is 'no'."

He taps his finger on his chin, thinking about the box and the name, soon arriving at the conclusion that he doesn't have the clues to puzzle it out. "As for the name, I haven't the foggiest," he admits, "every time I've worked with them, it's been with people like you all: seemingly pro bono, independent folk. Whoever, whatever is the mastermind behind all this and whatever's going through their head is a mystery to me. For all each of us knows, they could be standing in this room right at this very moment!" He stands up and raises his wine goblet. "I can, however, attest to the quality of their results that I know of, as can Tedras, here, on at least one count. And yes, to the quality of their lodgings as well. Speaking of which..."

Ennius tests the weight of the chair he had been sitting in before, as delicately as possible, moving it over towards the mantle to serve as a stepping point for Siobhan. "That's one problem solved," he announces with a satisfied grin.

[JNAProductions]

This is damn good! The Vault surely knows their malt. So Leaf, I don't get it, that means you can't or that you won't warm th fire a little bit more?

"I'm fine with fire," she responds, "just... Not my own magical fire. Those skills have actually atrophied pretty hard-I don't think I could do what I did all those years ago any more, not without spending some time practicing again."

[Lioslaith]

Fenris's deep voice speaks quietly from his place at the bar area. "Anyone have any ideas as to what might show up in the box this time?"

[Archemist]

"Thanks for the assist," Siobhan says to Ennius, for moving the chair. Including Fenris, she adds, "Now all we need is a key - I've got no clue what the mission might be this time, or why they'd need a group as big as five."

"Six, sorry," she adds to Clancy.


She listens with interest as Leaf details her reasons for not playing with fire. "The fire I get from the Moonmaiden is not quite the same as regular fire," Siobhan says, with a nod in the direction of the fireplace. "But if you are humble and reverent, it is a powerful aid for good, instead of a mindless destructive force."

[JNAProductions]

Leaf nods back to Siobhan. "No, I get that-I'm perfectly content to build a fire by hand, or warm myself at a fireplace, or, you know, cook. I know it's not fully rational to avoid fiery orisons-I'm years more experienced and practiced than I was then, and a lot more level headed to boot-but some things are just viscerally emotional."

She stretches a bit, and adds "I too am rather curious as to what we'll be doing for this outing."

[agignac]

The bell over the door tinkles suddenly, letting you know that somebody has pulled the bell-rope outside. One of you answers the door, to reveal a pretty, dark-skinned human, that some of you recognize as Meera Raheer. She often acts as messenger for the Golden Vault, and though you know little about her, she always brings a smile and a friendly word.

Spoiler: Meera

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She peers into the room and smiles at you. "Wow! Big gathering! I guess they must have something important planned." She hands over a small bundle, which appears to be some red velvet cloth wrapped around something. You know from experience that inside the cloth you'll find the key.

[JNAProductions]

"I got it!" Leaf says, bouncing to the door. "Oh hey Meera! Thank you," she adds as she takes the package. "Got any time to stay for a drink? Or business as usual?"

[Lioslaith]

Fenris moves subtlety to the side so he isn't lined up with the door as Leaf opens it. As soon as he recognizes her his attention focuses beyond her to make sure she is alone.

[Auranghzeb]

Tedras was about to get up when Leaf got to the door.

[color=“#008080”]Nice! What is it this time?[/color]

The swashbuckling fighter said, rising from the chair and gulping down the whisky.

[color=“#008080”]Leaf, let’s check this out![/color]

[agignac]

Fenris doesn't see anybody outside behind Meera. The messenger grins at Leaf and says, "I wish! But I have another time-sensitive delivery. And you'll want to listen to the message, I'm sure, and I can't hear it. Anyhow, good luck!" She shuts the door behind her.

[JNAProductions]

"She's so nice. Kind woman, that one," Leaf comments. "Now, let's see what we've got!"

She sets the delivery somewhere everyone can see it, and starts to open.

[Archemist]

Siobhan gets up from her spot on the floor and hops up to kneel on a chair by the table, with her elbows on the tabletop. She listens attentively as Leaf winds the music box and plays the message.

[agignac]

Leaf sets the cloth package down and carefully unwraps it. She reveals a now-familiar style of key, heavy gold, with an unreadable rune on scribed on it.

She inserts it into the music box and gives it a twist. A pleasant voice says:

"Greetings, operatives. The Golden Vault needs you to obtain the true names of three powerful denizens of the Lower Planes: the pit fiend Karnyrons, the balor Errtok, and the marilith Hexalanthe. Their true names are known to an outlaw called the Stranger, who is being transported to Mechanus on an interplanar train called the Concordant Express. This quest, should you choose to undertake it, requires you board the train, locate the Stranger, and acquire the true names from them. Expect to be contacted shortly by a quadrone named Glitch, a former train operative who now works for us. Good luck, operatives."

The golden key vanishes with a puff of silver smoke that smells of lilacs.

[Auranghzeb]

Tedras slams one hand on the table with visible excitement.

There! A nice mission! You gotta love train heists! And personally, I have never met a quadrone. I wonder how powerful are these fiends and what kind of challenges should we expect. Any of you book types knows anything? If you don't I think I'll try to go an do some legwork before the quadrone comes.

[Lioslaith]

Fenris shakes his head, "What I know about demons probably wouldn't cover a bookmark. I can help with research though to see if we have anything here on any of it."

After a brief check of the book shelves, "Here is a book on Fiends."

[Archemist]

Siobhan thinks hard. "Trains... that's where they get a bunch of mine-carts and link them together."

"Quadrones, though, I've never seen one of those. Is it mechanical, I guess?"

Clancy gives a short bark. "I know, I know, nobody's asking you to face down a pit fiend without knowing its truename."

[The Hellbug]

Ennius, spurred by the discussion about fire, had been quietly contemplating its nature during the knock at the door, and as soon as it was obvious that someone else was going to get it, he paid it not a whit. It would come to something in time, but that's just it. Back to the fire, he's not even sure 'mindless destructive force' is always a bad; for some things it's the only way, and, after all, it gives way way to rebirth. The mighty oak falls, its shadow fades, new growth springs in its wake, and the cycle continues.

The warlock is still chewing on these thoughts, absentmindedly tapping on the root-bound cover of the peculiar tome that never leaves his side, when the voice from the box breaks his reverie, and he finally joins the others. "Truenames of powerful fiends, devious," Ennius muses, "there are some that say that wielding a fiends true name allows one to master it absolutely. A potentially chilling thought. I'm not certain the power goes that far, but it's common knowledge that fiends and other powerful magical entities guard their own as though that's the case. This Stranger is no ordinary...passenger, you would say?"

"Hopefully there's no need," he answers Fenris and sits down at the table. The warlock places his tome on its spine, and runs a finger across the gathered pages before opening to one, seemingly at random. After scanning it for a moment, he shakes his head disappointedly. "Actually, don't mind me. I have no knowledge of these fiends in particular."

[JNAProductions]

"This sounds... Tough," Leaf comments. "But we knew it wouldn't be easy, given how many experienced folk they wanted."

She thinks a moment. "We do know where the Concordant Express is, right?"

[The Hellbug]

"Presumably that's what this Glitch is for," Ennius replies,"although Mechanus, hmmm...has anyone here traveled beyond this world? I confess I haven't been to any plane beyond Fairy."

[Auranghzeb]

Grabbing a coat, Tedras goes out.

I'll hit the usual places. There must be someone around who knows something about this "Stranger" folk. See you in a few hours.

Tedras walked out into the cold late evening planning to visit alleys and dark places starting with Old Art's. Then move to wherever the trail led.

[The Hellbug]

"Wait!" Ennius warns Tedras as he's halfway out the door, "we don't know when we'll be contacted." The warlock deliberately flips through his tome, landing on a spread of two pages, blank except for a pair of illegible signatures, at which point he spins the book around and pushes it across the table with his fingertips. One trip into his bag later, a well of ink and a quill (which he carefully rearranges to lie parallel to the tome's edge) join it.

"Sign," Ennius then offers the duelist, waving a hand across the pages in a gesture of magnanimity. Only then does his explanation follow: "and I'll be able to contact you if they arrive before you finish, no matter where you go."

[Auranghzeb]

Tedras spun around and waited for the warlock to offer an incantation.

Sound idea! I'll let you know as soon as I learn something.


Tedras went out, patting the deck of cards inside the left pocket of the overcoat.

I guess there's time for a little card game... we are getting paid anyway

Tedras told to the dark air of night.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Persuasion to find out stuff (1d20+10)[18]
Insight to discern if anyone is lying (1d20+5)[15]

[agignac]

Spoiler: Tedras

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Tedras heads out into the night, to use his wits to find out about the Stranger.
You discover the following rumours:
1) The Stranger had humble origins; orphaned as an infant but with a knack for magic.
2) The Stranger is an angel with a mission to destroy all fiends
3) The Stranger is a fiend, and he guards his own name by holding the names of other fiends hostage
4) The Stranger scammed his way through mulitple magical institutions, and has many aliases.
5) The Stranger drank in this very bar! He's devilishly handsome, but prefers the company of men. (This one likely a lie, or at least exaggerated.)

Spoiler: Siobhan

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She has heard of the Concordant Express, a clockwork locomotive that travels the multiverse. She's heard that the engine car is sapient, and that it can create its own track and choose its own course. She's never heard about it coming to the Material Plane before, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything.

Spoiler: Ennius

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knows that Mechanus is one of the outer planes, a realm of absolute law and order. Apparently everything is made of interlocking gears. The clockwork people that live there, are sapient but not sentient, and have no use for emotions or anything non-logic-based.

A few hours after you receive the message, there's another knock at the door. It is now past midnight, and it's very quiet in the area of the botanical gardens near your cabin.

A three-foot high round mechanical creature stands at the door. It looks up at you and says, "Ah, hello! Yes, good , finally - friends looking to catch the Stranger - the Stranger who has already been caught. Here, take this map. It shows the train cars. Here are your tickets and a pen to write down names. Not ordinary names, secret names! I am Glitch, by the way."

Spoiler: the map

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Spoiler: Glitch

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[Archemist]

Siobhan welcomes Glitch and asks, "Do you know if the Express allows pets? I never thought to ask these things - I'd only ever heard of the Concordant Express as a myth, like how people say there are islands that move around on the ocean or whatever."

She takes her ticket and the map and looks at them closely. "What do you mean the Stranger has already been caught? ...Are they a prisoner in the jail cell car?" She seems slightly skeptical at this turning into a jailbreak mission.

"Hmm, I guess if all we need are the names we might not have to free the Stranger, though they'll probably want us to, in exchange. Goodness. What did the Stranger do, to get imprisoned?" The way Siobhan asks it, it's slightly unclear whether she means "what crime did they commit?" or "how could someone like that have been captured?"

[Auranghzeb]

Tedras comes back just in time to find Glitch at home base.

This Stranger fellow has quite a few things going on. And they say he is so handsome now I'm really interested in meeting him.
However, it is difficult to discern anything from what I learned: if we are to believe some folks, the Stranger is out for blood, fiend, blood. And holds power over them by keeping their truenames.
If, on the other hand, we are to believe some other folks -the kind of folks you meet at a card table- The Stranger is a fiend and not precisely good news.
Finally, there are other folks who frankly were fawning too much on the Stranger appeal to be believed, then we are chasing the multiverse's hottest person.

Tedras looks at Glitch.

Ha, do you mean that we are to infiltrate a prison train and rescue the stranger! I'm loving this assignment more by the minute! Genius!