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[KittenMaster]

With a clearly annoyed look, he responds, "That doesn't tell me a slight detail about what's going on. A terrified kobold that can't even reach the door handle doesn't just up and leave."

<Mostly a filler post because I'm waiting for the results of Menek's checks.>

 

[ThLunarian]

The steward seems not to know much of anything; he is merely repeating orders that were passed down to him.

The steward shrugs noncommittally toward Satra. "If you like, I can have your pet delivered to you when he is found."

((I didn't notice you casting Detect Secret Doors - you definitely noticed a bunch of stuff, just in the party room alone. Although the spell would have worn off before the party ended so you don't know if there are any in your immediate vicinity))

 

[Azih]

Menek casts Charm Person at the steward. Very well. If we must leave then we must. Give our regards to Aldebaraan and, could you let us know of a way to contact you? We are dear friends after all, hrmph?

((DC Save Will 19 or best buddies))

 

[ThLunarian]

The steward's expression changes abruptly, and his irises emit a very slight, dull glow as he looks admiringly at Menek. "Yes, of course." He produces a slip of paper and a small writing implement and scribbles something on it. "This is my personal Network address, and you can also stop by here at a later time if you wish. Now, shall we be on our way out?"

He begins moving toward the exit, looking back every few steps to make sure that Menek is with him.

 

[Azih]

Well let us be on our way I am sure we will find our friends touring this grand metropolis Menek says and looks back to the others. Shall we be off? I am certain that we will meet our gracious host again soon enough

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

Ciel's boredom washes away as they begin to make their exit. "Indeed. And here I was starting to think we were never leaving."

 

[KittenMaster]

Looking between the others, Satra nods, "You lead the way, doc."

 

[ThLunarian]

Assuming no further interruptions, Satra, Menek, and Ciel are led out of the mansion, through the garden, and just outside the property line.

"Farewell, Master Menek," the Steward says. "I'll look forward to hearing from you. Perhaps when I'm off duty, we can grab a drink somewhere."

So saying, he wanders away.

 

[Azih]

Menek follows the steward and gives the steward a hearty hand gesture of friendliness that the Esperians favour (shake, high five, thumb on nose with wiggling pinkie, whatever). Once outside he walks with the others around the block to a nice little cafe that is a little distance away from and out of sight of Aldebaraan's house.

Sitting down he takes out the little stealth device that Aldeberaan had gifted them with and pantomimes to the others to give them to him.

Hopefully getting them he shoves them into his Handy Haversack. Let's see those things work through that he snorts and turns to the others. Fleshbane showed no interest in looking around the city. Sybil and Scraw would not have left without at least telling us where they were going and Viss seemed like she hated this place. And your little friend seemed very attached to you Satra.

No idea why, I personally can't wait to be rid of you Ratbreath interrupts

Shushing the bird Menek continues

I find myself being incredibly suspicious of our host

 

[KittenMaster]

Before Satra hands over his stealth device, he tries to see if he can remove any components from his own copy of the device to render it non-functioning without outright breaking it- just as an extra precaution. He makes sure he can do this before actually responding to Menek,

Disable Divice: 1D20+21 = [14]+21 = 35

 

[ThLunarian]

Satra successfully disables the device in such a way that he could easily reactivate it if he wanted to.

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

Once the party is outside, Ciel has to stifle maniacal laughter. Just like that, most of the party is gone and only one of the intolerables is left to badger her. She is confident that she could make a break for it right now and vanish into the city, but the time is not rife just yet. No, if she waits a little longer, she can flake during the inevitable investigation of Aldebaran's house and perhaps leave the last two high and dry, further bettering her odds of a smooth escape.

Looking to the others with a straight face, she hands Satra her device, and when he indicates he is finished, says "Well spoken. I think we can all agree there is sketchiness afoot in there. Now that we're out of his abode and the untold legions of security systems that were likely watching us, we can figure out how to approach this."

 

[KittenMaster]

With his brows raised, he motions over Menek to hand over his device, and Ciel's as well, so he can work on making sure the stealth devices are no longer possible tracking devices.

<Can I take 10 on this? Especially now he's figured out how to do it the first time?>

 

[ThLunarian]

((Yep, you're good. I'll just count the 35 as being for all three devices.

Though for the record, they don't really seem like they have any tracking capabilities))

 

[Azih]

((as long as Satra can 'enable' them again.))

 

[KittenMaster]

Once satisfied that the stealth devices are disabled, he states, "That was easy. If these really do have tracking capabilities, it's powered down now. I still want to look into if they do, though, because that would give us some decoys to work with."

"Anyway.." he begins, "I could already tell that Aldebaran was going to ask us some huge favor in exchange for his help. I wouldn't doubt it was going to get us on the committee's bad side, whatever he wanted, but I never imagined that he would actually lay out a mustache twirling plan like that."

"They didn't want us exploring the home other than where we were allowed to go- ..and they are terrible liars. The others are being kept in there, I just know it; how they managed to collect them, I have no idea."

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

"Fortunately, the three of us all seem to have a knack for infiltration and subterfuge. It's actually to our advantage that we left without making a scene. Well, without making too much of a scene," she says, casting an amused look Menek's way. "Getting back in shouldn't be too terribly difficult if we plan on trying to find our missing members."

 

[KittenMaster]

"Getting in is one thing, getting everyone else out is another. I have a few things that can help with that, but we're in the dark on that place's layout or... well... its structural integrity." His last words hint at a possible method, but he is clearly unsure of whether it would work.

<If only we could fulton extract everyone in there.>

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

"Structural integrity?..." After a moment of thought, Ciel cracks a malicious grin. "Ah, I think I understand. I like the way you think! We would have to figure out where they are inside, but as you said, getting in is much different from getting out with them. Getting out without them, on the hand, should be closer to the former. Or perhaps you're feeling like a gambler today? Taking down the whole place and then finding them afterwards? You're making this into quite the exciting venture!"

 

[KittenMaster]

"Slow down there!" he pleads lowering his voice to a hushed tone, "I might be able to blow out a wall at best, but with the superior metals and compounds Esperia holds I don't think it would be possible."

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

"Awww, don't get my hopes up like that!" Ciel says with a pout. "In that case, it would only serve to bring a bunch of attention towards us. Now it just sounds incredibly ill advised unless we're escaping while already facing a full alert and find demolition to be quicker than whatever way we used to get in. Fun, yes, but ill advised."

 

[KittenMaster]

"This is very risky but... The most silent option would be to let them jump into the handy haversacks and bail out as soon as possible before they lose air. That leaves the matter of where they're being held."

 

[Azih]

We have leverage Menek muses These devices are not legal

 

[KittenMaster]

He takes a look at the dismantled stealth device again, "Is that so...?" He begins to slide the parts into his own haversack, "Is there even any proof that he developed these? 'Might have been trying to pine them onto us so we would get caught with them- no, that doesn't seem right.. there has to be some other reason that he allowed us to go free and not the others.."

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

"Yes, the leverage may be less be less than you would hope. We are quite persuasive, but the smoking gun that connects them to him is lacking. And then there's the question of how tightly government officials will close to protect their own."

Putting a hand to her chin, she muses. "You may be on to something Satra. Let's try and think about what's common between us, or what's common between the missing. Aldebaran has expressed an interest in genetic experimentation, and ooh'd and ahh'd over many of our appearances. Viss is a cat lady, Sybil has freaky angel wings, and Fleshbane... that one's trickier. He is a machine, but perhaps the programming differences made him a target for Aldebaran's curiosity. Or, perhaps he is collaborating with him in the name of harassing fleshlings. No, I doubt it's that last one, otherwise we wouldn't be free. That just leaves what we have in common. And that's not much. You two are human with no fascinating external differences vis a vis the terran populace here. I am something close to human with nothing exciting but grey skin and sharp teeth you'd have to look for... that's it! I'm thinking the missing people were abducted as part of his experimentations. Experiments that may well include Fleshbane."

 

[KittenMaster]

"He found Dewie interesting too..." he muses softly, "Wasn't there a half-orc among you as well? Sounds like he wants to collect anyone that isn't strictly human. Strangely, he didn't keep me around to make his Polymorph extract for him even though it allows me to turn into any creature of desire, and he just made sure I am never going to give him a sample."

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

"Yes, that is kind of odd. Perhaps we're dealing with a mad scientist type here? The kind of 'person' whose urge to experiment causes him to make pretty glaringly irrational decision, perhaps?"

 

[Azih]

It is obvious he has no regard for legality. We could procure recording devices of our own and gather evidence. If our allies are not in immediate danger then we let the Overmind handle Aldebaraan, if they are then we can act and use them for our defense.

 

[KittenMaster]

"As much as I like the idea, I'm not sure now is the time to try and frame him when our pals are in trouble. I'd much sooner report him for kidnapping, if anything."

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

"Now that," Ciel says with a point to Menek, "is on the completely opposite side of the spectrum. You've somehow managed to make this undertaking sound boring, but I have to admit your approach would probably work. Well, it'll work if we're willing to sit around and twiddle our thumbs for days, weeks, or months while we wait for the legal system here to work. And as for the immediate danger scenario, let me just say that if things progress to the point where we have to present legal defenses, we've fucked up. There is no reason for us to get caught during this, no reason to not just kill him at this point if we find he abducted some of us, and no reason to stick around long enough for authorities to invistigate his manor at that. He's crossed us, a swift end to his operation seems the most prudent approach. Though it at least sounds like we're in agreement about infiltrating the place and figuring out what's going on."

 

[ThLunarian]

When Fleshbane regains consciousness, he finds himself unable to access the subroutines that allow him to draw upon psionic energy. The Network is also inaccessible.

His body is not exactly paralyzed, but it is heavily restrained by inches-thick restraints, crafted of carbonized steel; he can swivel his head around, but not much else.

His abdomen is open and his resonance crystal is exposed; strong implements are holding him open, such that he could not close his body without severely damaging it.

He is in the same room as before, and he notes that now, there are holding cells along the edge of the room, with transparent walls. Each holds a prisoner of varying vitality; some are unfamiliar, but he recognizes the feline woman, the half-orc, and the shape-changing woman.

On a nearby operating table he sees Sybil - or more accurately, Sybil's corpse. She has been thoroughly dissected, especially her back and wings. Even now there are bots inspecting her and gathering data.

Aldebaran is standing nearby, watching a monitor whose display can't be discerned at this angle.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," says the Android. "For now, at least. I don't think you'll be long for this world once I take your resonance crystal. Until then, we may converse, if you wish."


------------

Viss woke up in what appeared to be the same room she had gone to sleep in, except that the wall that used to have a door on it was now clear and made of some kind of really strong glass.

A thorough inspection of the room has already revealed that the room is nearly airtight; there isn't even a hole large enough for a mouse to fit through.

The room is also too small for Tessa to fit comfortably, and the walls and ceiling look incredibly sturdy, so it seems risky to unleash her at the moment.

Shirox and Pillari are with her, at least, but they aren't exactly in the best spirits. From the cell, they have a clear view of Sybil and Fleshbane, though mercifully, they didn't have to watch the Valkyrie die; she was already gone when they had awoken.

Viss notices Fleshbane's head light up, ssignifying consciousness. She can hear the conversation clearly.

((Menek, Satra, and Ciel: Someone needs to lay out a game plan for infiltrating the mansion. Fleshbane and Viss: I'm looking for reactions and conversation from you more than anything right now. You can present that along with a possible escape plan, but for the most part this is character-building. One, two, three, break!))

 

[Azih]

You misunderstand. Menek says I do not mean record outside the mansion. I mean record as we infiltrate which I agree must be done as soon as we are prepared

 

[Mike M]

"You have engaged in hostilities against a fellow construct," Fleshbane notes. "Why? I would have freely shared Consensus technology and schematics if you had but asked."

 

[ThLunarian]

A cold smile decorates Aldebaran's face. He pauses what he's doing and looks at Fleshbane. "A predictable response from a predictable creature," he remarks. "I suppose I could give you a pragmatic answer and tell you that I want your resonance crystal, something that no amount of schematics could help me to build, as it is a natural commodity so valuable that you yourself told me that world wars have been fought over it.

"But while there is some truth to that, it hardly paints the entire picture."

He steps away from his monitor and folds his hands behind his back, pacing slowly as he speaks. "Have you heard the fable of the scorpion and the frog? A scorpion asks a frog to carry him across the river. The frog is wary, afraid that the scorpion might sting him. The scorpion points out that if it did, then they would both drown. Satisfied, the frog agrees, and they embark upon the water."

He turns around for dramatic effect and paces the other way. "Halfway across the water, the scorpion stings the frog. As they begin to sink, the frog asks, 'Why? Why did you sting me when you knew we would both drown?' And the scorpion replies, 'Because it is my nature.'"

He whirls around again and looks at Fleshbane with those same cold eyes. "Why do I experiment on you against your will and for no particular reason? For the same reason I plucked the wings from that Angel. For the same reason your feline friend sits in that cage. For the same reason that the mute shapechanger will stand as a trophy in my study by the time I am through with it."

He moves right next to Fleshbane now, so that their heads are mere inches apart. "It is my nature. Just as it is your nature to rage impotently against those fleshlings you so comically despise, to the point that you are blinded to the true dangers right in front of you. The only difference between us is that I would never put myself in a position to hitch a ride on a frog's back. By virtue of where you now find yourself, it seems that you can't say the same."


He holds his gaze for a moment before returning to his work.

 

[Mike M]

"I am familiar with your tale," Fleshbane says. "I availed myself of your society's insipid written works, folklore, and history in my time on your Network.

"I presume you know the myth of the emperor and the dragon? An emperor was acquainted with an old and powerful dragon who dwelled within his domain. The emperor grew to fear that one day the dragon would turn against him, so he had his beast masters capture and imprison the dragon, subjecting it to various tortures to pry it's ancient secrets from its tongue.

"But the beast masters were not strong enough to contain the dragon forever, and it escaped its bonds. It made for the emperor forthwith and swallowed him whole. The emperor had engineered the conditions to bring about that which he feared.

"It's more a story about self-fulfilling prophecy than I direct analogy to our current situation, but I trust you understand my meaning."

 

[KittenMaster]

"I see.. if he's doing unethical research then more than likely he'll have documents laying around that damn him, or at the very least make it known that his experiments exist."

"Can you get in touch with your new bestie?" he begins to ask, "Maybe discuss his work day.. you know, how he gets around the house."

<Did Menek ever mention that he detected a crapton of secret doors?>

 

[ThLunarian]

"Fascinating!" Aldebaran chirps. "So you DO have the capacity for hatred toward your fellow constructs! I had postulated that you would offer no more than meager objection as I pried you open and dismantled you one piece at a time.

"Your tale is an interesting one, but I think perhaps you misunderstand my intentions. I do not fear you, Xenocide Unit. I am confident that even were you at full strength and unrestrained, I could crush you beneath my boot. The fact remains, however, that you hold secrets which will one day grant me unfathomable power, and I seek to take them from you. You will never have an opportunity to gobble me up, because the process will destroy you."


((After Fleshbane's next reply that will be the end of that dialogue exchange for now, so that everyone else doesn't get drowned out))

 

[Mike M]

"My self preservation is paramount," Fleshbane replies. "I do not harbor hatred for you, but your continued existence is a threat. I will kill you out of necessity."

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

Ciel laughs for a few moments before replying. "It seems we both misunderstood each other. I am well aware that you meant recording inside. I still question the effect that will have in making Aldebaran stand down, and I still don't think we have any business ending up in a hearing in the first place. But there is no harm in being extra cautious, so if we can reasonably procure recording equipment, I have no reason to object."

"In that case, let's get down to how we're doing this. Once you have the equipment you want and once Satra has determined the stealth devices can't be used against us and reassembles them. We should slip in immediately. With our invisibility, we have many options. I would say we pick the lock on a window and slip in from there. It's easiest to ensure no one witnesses our entry that way. From there, we look for anything pointing to the location of our associates. It is a sneaking mission and we should avoid detection, but if we're spotted, we focus fire on the person or machine that spotted us and ensure they are unable to raise an alarm; end them quietly if possible. Corpses and broken machines should be disintegrated or stowed in the Haversack for later disposal. Once we find where the party is kept, we should have to expect to kill everyone in the room that is guarding them. From there, we get to get out. That's probably the point where things will get noisy if they're going to. Any questions or objections?"

 

[ThLunarian]

As if to answer Ciel's question, a sudden rush of foul-smelling air whooshes upward from the sidewalk, assaulting the nostrils of the party as they sit at the sidewalk cafe.

Part of the sidewalk next to them melts and falls away in a neon-green puddle of goo, and a hole forms. Out of the hole rises a humanoid-shaped figure, though it is clearly far from human. It gazes at the party with dead eyes as it emerges.

Once it has fully cleared the hole, the hole closes, and the sidewalk looks none the worse for wear. Nearby, a few passersby turn pale. One turns tail and flees. Others back away slowly. Inside the cafe, the man behind the counter disappears into the back room and the few customers nearly fall over themselves to get out.

((Axel, you're up! Remember to describe what your character looks like please))

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

As the hole closes, the... thing... that has stands before the three escapees of Aldebaran's mansion. He stands about six feet tall, though is almost completely lacking skin. Small bits of jet black flesh cling to his figure, distorting parts of his otherwise skeletal visage and perhaps suggesting that he was a drow in life. The effect is particularly noticeable on his face, where the remnants look like they are tearing off, distending his jaw. In juxtaposition, the rest of his head looks skeletal, with his nose and ears missing. The eyes are also missing, but green flames burn within the sockets, seemingly functioning as eyes. His entire body crackles with negative energy, and a palpable aura of darkness hangs around him, practically inserting fear directly into to the minds of those around him.

Beyond his frightening appearance, he is dressed regally. He is wearing an elaborately crafted vest, bursting with magical reinforcement, that looks as if it belongs to some kind of high-ranking military officer. A clearly magical cloak billows behind him, seemingly a piece of the night sky overriding the small patch of daytime it floats in. Emblazoned on the bag of this cape is an emblem of a lich looking over a star as if a god, his hands about to close upon it. A sleek buckler is on his left arm, also emitting a strong magical air. To complete the ensemble is an ominous looking revolver hanging from his waist. The gun is made out of an odd alloy and pulses green, with magical runes and lines running throughout it.

The being before them looks the party over, his unnatural mockery of an expression varying from disappointment to utter contempt as he looks them over. Eventually, he speaks, his voice deep and overflowing with authority. "SAED member Ciel, you are hereby relieved of your duties pursuant to § 662-50-6(C)(1)(b). Asmodeus no longer sits on the council; your term is over."
-----------------------------------------------------
Ciel shifts almost immediately from shakily keeping a hand near her bow to raucous laughter! "You're shitting me! Just like that? This plane really is magical! The assholes of the group started dropping like flies when we got here, and now I'm free!? Hahahahahahahahaha! BWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA~! Well then, this saves me the trouble of finding a good time to ditch you guys. You can have fun with your little rescue operation. Fuck you guys," she says with a point towards Menek and Satra, "I'm getting out of here." Before even bothering to check the veracity of the undead figure's words, she throws down a smoke bomb. The smoke clears in seconds, but by then, Ciel is long gone.
-----------------------------------------------------
After that spectacle, the undead figure redirects his gaze towards Menek and Satra. "The wretch appears to have earned her reputation as pond slime. She didn't even make sure my orders were valid. That is of no matter now. I have been lead to believe that you come from a myriad of planes, and may not recognize the splendor that is Shulmor. You may no longer claim this. Now, identify yourselves. I presume this rescue mission the wretch mentioned in passing is why there are only two of you present?"

((Exit Ciel, enter Shulmor. I am going to stress that this part is optional and opt-in, but Shulmor has a fear aura surrounding him. If you guys want to play along, make a DC 26 will save. If you fail, you'll be shaken for a little under a minute and a half and maybe have that color your initial response. Again, totally optional. I'm not trying to force PVP stuff even of a purely conversational kind, so feel free to ignore the making a save against it all together if you don't want to, I am totally fine with it either way.))

 

[KittenMaster]

That is of no matter now. I have been lead to believe that you come from a myriad of planes, and may not recognize the splendor that is Shulmor.

Knowledge: Local: 1D20+18 = [13]+18 = 31

Knowledge: Planes: 1D20+15 = [19]+15 = 34

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

((I'm going to wait on ThLunarian for that one, but he's not a denizen of the planet Golarion or Faerun, so I'm guessing the DC is going to be pretty high. I'll also go ahead and say you're better off rolling Knowledge Nobility than Knowledge Local here, though maybe either/or works.))

 

[KittenMaster]

<Satra's been dead for quite a long time, so he's hung out in the Astral Sea for long enough to know a thing or two.>

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

((Gotcha. I'm fine with giving you some stuff off those rolls, I figure the DC's a little lower than what it would be to know what planet Fleshbane came from, though I'm not really comfortable with just plowing forward and unilaterally deciding how much you should know without DM input))

 

[KittenMaster]

<Those rolls were aimed at the DM. If he agrees with your request that Satra shouldn't know about him, then he can make it so.. or heck, you can probably just say Satra shouldn't know outright if you want and I'll go with it.>

 

[ThLunarian]

None of you have ever heard of Shulmor specifically (including those off-screen). Satra may have heard of the plane from which he hails, and know that it should be avoided if possible, but doesn't know any details about it.

 

[KittenMaster]

Wide eyed, somehow just being near the horrific creature sends a chill up the younger man's spine, and hinders his judgement with speech, "I uh... Well.. yes. I think." Maybe it is his appearance, or his grand entry, but he can't help but think he's next.

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

Shulmor's head pivots unnaturally towards Satra, and the rest of his body follows suit a second or two later. His face twists into a terrible caricature of a smile. "You already know how to carry yourself before the Imperial Vessel. Excellent." He begins to slowly walk towards the young man. "That would normally be desirable, but you fit the description of a SAED operative, and that means we are to be treated as equals." He says the last word with a sneer, making no secret that he does not buy into the idea. He is now standing a few feet away from Satra, the green flames of his eyes staring into his soul.

"Take a minute and compose yourself, child. I'll say it again: identify yourself." Though his words ask for calm and composure, Shulmor seems to be making no efforts to present himself as less frightening.

 

[KittenMaster]

<Oh gosh this guy is basically Skullface, the XOF commander.>

Satra's face becomes very pained as the spectre draws near, he clearly lacks the strength to properly resist the fear aura. His voice gravels, his mind drawn more to explain himself and forgetting to mention his name, "I'm... I'm afraid I'm not SAED. But... I'm tagging along with SAED, and was delivering valuables to the Raven Queen."