MERC XVI: Morality is Relative; Professional Standards Aren't!

[Ashen Lilies]

[Merc Main Room]

"I have no equipment that needs fetching." Says Grace. "I am ready as soon as your man is."

[Deathkeeper]

MERC Base- Main Room

Krayger nods.
"Excellent. If you could get a map ready for me Sir, along with anything else you'd suggest I'll be back momentarily."
he says, returning in full gear exactly 5 minutes 32 seconds later.

[Murkus]

[Dena's Room => Out]

Kirk gives their ride a once over. "What sort of vehicle is this supposed to be?" Ah the strange things you find in the Nexus. Maybe not to his style, but interesting none the less.

[Out - To what thread?]

"Ya' gonna offer my snakes alcohol?" Dena asks in a amused tone, not even asking about the vehicle in front of them. "But really, what's this place? If I know you, it's gonna' be dangerous. That's why you're so fascinated with gorgons all of sudden."

"Just my car," Tina explains to Kirk, orange suddenly bleeding across her skin to match the car's lighting. A hatch on each side flaps open, like a pair off wings, and Tina slips inside. She slides across the plush, spongy couch of the car's seating to the controls.

"One of you two is gonna have to sit in the back. Unless you wanna cram in here," says Tina. She forks a thumb at the rear portion of the little compartment. They could certainly sit three abreast in the front, but it may or may not be a little crowded... "Y'know, I'm curious how it is you two get around. You gotta have something that gets you from place to place. Kirk still got that airship you two used to talk about? Orrr..."

[Gullara]

[Out and About]

"Not for regular transportation. You ever tried to park an airship?" Kirk slips into the back seat. Dena can have the front. Why not. "I have a car when I need one."

[Shadowcaller]

[Out and About]

Dena has nothing against sitting in the back. "I got an snowcat parked nearby. Moves as well in wilderness as in snow. Not as fancy as this but it's reliable enough." Not really a snowcat in the traditional sense as Kirk should know. Like most things Dena owns it seems to be from a different era and have several enhancements to make up for it. Apparently she considers it the cheaper option.

[Murkus]

[Out and About --> Outside?]

((Probly just a brief car conversation before club, folks. Feel free to post Outside for your next posts))

"Ooo, 'a car when I need one', ooo," Tina teases Kirk in a frumpy, overly masculine version of his voice. She sticks her tongue out at him. "Always the intoxicating air of mystery, ey sug'?"

Her eyes drift to Dena. "A snowcat?" Tina switches on her vehicle, but it makes no more noise than it did before. Her eyes are on the console and the windshield now. "Like a... like a big cat? You ride on that? Damn, girl. You're like an amazon."

As they start to drive, a very particular broadcast drifts out've the Radio, straight from the Hunting Grounds. Moving at a steady pace down the mountain, Tina furrows her brow and reaches out to guide the volume up. What she starts to hear turns her face a startling blue, the color even creeping along her neck. A red... wrapper... Tina hisses, "Hey! Sh-she took my..." Her eyes flicker to Dena, and her rearview, a glance at Kirk. "Uhh... so what is up with this station, huh? M-man, I don't listen to this much!"

((The whole broadcast will come in. Just wanted to give a chance for reactions to it midway through))

[Shadowcaller]

MERC Base- Main Room

A armored glove knocks on the door of the MERC base. Anyone who opens will find themselves looking at a man clad in a black full plate with a helmet covering his face. Concealing his facial features. "Greetings. This is MERC correct? I am here to hire you." The man says in a smooth voice.

[Morty]

[Main Base]

The door will slide open, as always, and whoever is outside will find Dipsnig seated in an armchair.

"How may MERC help you?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Main Base]

"Well, simple." The armored man replies as he steps inside. "I need you to acquire knowledge of the arcane for me." He looks around the main room. "I don't care how you do it but I have marked out a few locations that are within my sphere of interest. Just tell me if any of these locations are gonna be difficult will you?" The man looks down on the goblin and then opens up a scroll he must have held in his armored hand. "Suncrest manor, Zafflebrod college, The Third Circle, The Toy Tinker, Mithar Keep and Tempest Row." He looks at Dipsnig again, "These are of course just suggestions, I'm simply interested in hoarding any kind of magical knowledge or artifact that you can acquire. Plus that you keep this a secret which is why I have to refrain from telling you my name."

[Morty]

[Main Base]

Dipsnig looks closely at the list.

"We'll see if we can acquire something from those places, or others." Given their new activities in Skyside and Grace's contract, perhaps they could kill a few birds with one stone. "Do you want this job to be restricted to MERC members, or open to license holders?"

[Magic Carpet]

And so, a carpet bearing one tiefling and one drow-turned-gorgon flies towards MERC.

"Impressive," Fayyaad remarks.

[Shadowcaller]

[Main Base]

"While I'd prefer as many people working on this as possible, can you really guarantee secrecy if these 'license holders' get a hold of this?" The man asks.

[Magic Carpet]

"Ya' think? I'd say it isn't that impressive compared to the other org's but since both GloG and VIGIL lost their bases I guess we got them beat in that respect." A giant house and a bunch of cabins. Not really that visually impressive.

[Morty]

[Main Base]

"If secrecy is a priority, it's best to keep it among members," Dipsnig says, nodding. "I can't guarantee there would be no risk of its being spread more than you're comfortable with, otherwise. Now, in what form could we expect our payment?"

[Magic Carpet]

"I've just never seen this kind of construction. Of course, I used to live in a port city. Not many mountains to be seen," Fayyaad says, as the carpet touches down. "And now, I believe, I await your introduction to the place and the people."

For the purposes of self-RP avoidance, Dipsnig isn't in the HQ in this timeline. He left Dena and Kirk a note that he's dealing with a dispute between a group of license-holders and their client, which got bad enough to warrant his involvement. A building was filled with lethal radiation (that wasn't supposed to be) and accusations of double-crossing happened.

[Shadowcaller]

[Main Base]

"I will pay you gold, precious jewels, or pact bounds depending on how much the items you bring are worth to me." The man replies casually. "In addition, you employ two drow second-in-command, is that right?"

[Magic Carpet]

"I envy you, living by the sea sounds pretty sweet. This cold is probably making me sick." Dena shudders, the mere talk of cold did that these days. "But yeah, I can give you a tour as soon as we're inside. Let's just touch down there by the door."

[Morty]

[Main Base]

Dipsnig's ears twitch.

"I do have two drow as my lieutenants, yes. Why do you ask? And what are 'pact bounds'?"

[Magic Carpet]

"Moran-Ir is a beautiful land, certainly," Fayyaad says, as they both get off the carpet and he rolls it again. "Leaving it wasn't strictly my choice, but I intend to make the most of it."

[Shadowcaller]

[Main Base]

"They're basically tokens of debt which can be exchanged for favors with whatever otherworldly entity that made the pact in the first place. I'd explain more once we actually can start exchanging them." The man puts his gloved fingers together. "But the reason I asked about your lieutenants is that I'd like to talk to them. Preferably one at the time if that's okay? I believe we might be from the same homeworld, see?"

[Magic Carpet]

"Yeah, I basically ended up here by chance. Not even sure how but here I am." Dena replies as she opens up the main door to enter the main room. "But here we are. MERC. Could look a bit more professional instead of someones home but the boss isn't too keen on changes." Perhaps someone even is in the main room?

[Deathkeeper]

Foyer

Krayger is here, shuffling papers and other such things that someone behind a desk does. He looks up and raises an eyebrow as Dena enters.
"Evening, Dena. Found someone new?" he asks, keeping it ambiguous in terms of in what sense he means.

[Morty]

[Main Base]

"That sounds useful. Now, let's see if my lieutenants are available," Dipsnig says, tapping his bracer. A message is sent to Kirk and Dena about someone, possibly from their homeworld, wishing to speak to them.

[Shadowcaller]

Foyer

Dena waves at Krayger. "Someone new? What's that supposed to mean? Krayger, this is Fayy-aad, he's interested in getting a license. Fayy-aad, this is Krayger, our resident architect. She introduces them at one another.

[Main Base]

Dena will tell him that she can do it... later. She was preoccupied right not. Give him her phone number.

[Morty]

[Foyer]

The tiefling gives a bow.

"Indeed. My full name is Fayyaad ibn Haashid al-Zafar, but it's fine to to just call me Fayyaad. A pleasure to meet you. I encountered Dena here during the Thanksmas celebration, and she told me much about this place."

[Deathkeeper]

Foyer

Krayger shrugs.
"Alright then. Here's your paperwork." he says, taking a set of papers out of file and placing them before the tiefling with a pen.

[Morty]

[Foyer]

If Fayyaad is disappointed by Krayger's curtness, he doesn't show it. Instead, he signs himself up as Fayyaad ibn Haashid al-Zafar, currently to be found renting a room in Trog's Tavern.

[Deathkeeper]

Foyer

Krayger takes the pen, signs off on something, and flips over the form with the pen landing on top.
"Alright. So just give us your strengths, skills, and any other information you'll want us to have, and then I'll just take a photo for your card. Then you're done, and we can welcome you to the force." he says with a smile.

[Morty]

[Foyer]

"My preferred tool is pyromancy, that is to say, fire magic. But I'm also a decent fencer," Fayyaad explains. "I've also been taught the arts of politics, diplomacy and statesmanship, although that might not come up often."

[Deathkeeper]

Foyer

Krayger gestures to a panel that folds out of the ceiling.
"Well, just step right up and get your photo. Smile or look serious, it's your choice." he says, snapping the picture when Fayyaad is ready.

[Morty]

[Foyer]

Fayyaad takes a dignified and serious pose and expression for the photo. It vanishes rather quickly once the photo is done, though.

[Gullara]

[Main Base]

"That sounds useful. Now, let's see if my lieutenants are available," Dipsnig says, tapping his bracer. A message is sent to Kirk and Dena about someone, possibly from their homeworld, wishing to speak to them.

[Main Base]

Kirk messages simply that he'll be there momentarily. And so he is, coming up from wherever vehicles are kept. He first gives Dipsnig a questioning look before giving the stranger a very scrutinizing look. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure." He says, his voice carefully neutral. "Though I wouldn't be able to tell under all that armour."

[Shadowcaller]

Foyer

Dena eyes Krayger, the guy was not suited for door duty. He had the charisma of a rock. Fayyaad hadn't even asked for the paperwork and he wasn't following up anything the tiefling were saying. They really needed more people persons attending the door.
Dena stands with her arms crossed over her chest as they go on with the procedures. "Are you guys done now?" She asks with a faint smile once the photo has been taken.

[Deathkeeper]

Foyer

Krayger stamps the paperwork, feeds it into a machine, and hands Fayyaad the little card that it spits out.
"Your skills really aren't in my field, but I look forward to working with you Fayyaad. You might want to talk to Astrana sometime. She's the company warlock. She's a red-skinned tiefling: hard to miss. The rest of us aren't magic-inclined for the most part. Your other skills have gone on record. The boss'll notify you if he has something in mind, but license members aren't usually called on unless they are needed for a very specific reason. Though, if Dena's good at picking up new recruits I'm sure you'll be able to qualify for full membership quickly.
Oh, and a word of advice? You might want to invest in a sidearm. Magic can fail and swords can break. Always have a backup." says the minotaur amiably.

[Morty]

[Main Base]

"This gentleman here is a client," Dipsnig says. "Although I don't believe he's given us his name yet. He tells he might come from the same world you and Dena do."

[Foyer]

Fayyaad takes the card and bows again.

"Thank you for your help. I will consider your advice."

He then turns back to Dena.

"With that done, shall we continue the tour?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Main Base]

The man appears to scrutinze Kirk in turn as soon as he walks in. "We have not." He replies. "Your name isn't familiar to me." Whatever that's supposed to mean. He then turns away and nods at the goblin. "But yes, your boss is correct, so I would like to speak to you in privater if that's possible."

[Foyer]

Well, that's a decent tip at the very least. "Yeah, if you guys are done we should have a look around. So what do you say, you want to visit the zoo or the mad lab? I might make them sound more interesting than they actually are."