Vesna, feeling slightly better now that she has gathered her gear and done her shopping and after all the reassurance so generously offered by Nesyax, looks around as they walk towards the office of this Mr. Darkmagic. What a marvellous building, she thinks. How rich is this Acquisition Inc exactly? She can't help but wonder if their future home will look anywhere as great as this place.
She takes a seat as directed by the wizard, cautiously glancing between the minotaur and the verdant man. "Is this going to hurt?" She suddenly remembers she doesn't know what travelling by portal entails and looks up at Mr. Darkmagic, a slight frown on her face.
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Aeran Dormaris - L2 Paladin on his way to Phandelver
Stasyn returns from some shopping and gathering his pack. He admires the size and complexity of the AI building. Someday he will run such a place as this. Upon entering Jim Darkmagic's room he is not startled by the chairs and takes a seat. Though the thought of holding someone's possibly unhygienic hands makes him pause a bit but in the end he does so. "I am ready to depart" says Stasyn.
So after each of you enter and take a seat as you return from your shopping trips and from Omin's office, Jim Darkmagic moves towards the group and extends his hands towards the nearest party members once you have all arrived. When the minotaur asks about standing up, the purple robed wizard looks up for a moment before giving a small smile. "Yeah, I suppose you're right...You better all stand up for this." He says as he looks around the room. "After I cast the spell we should arrive in Etharis instantly. It shouldn't hurt at all but it may leave you feeling a bit nauseous if it's your first time. I've cast this spell so often it doesn't bother me anymore." The wizard says with a sly wink towards Vesna. Once you are all standing and holding hands, Jim lowers his head and pulls an ornate forked metal rod with an ivory and silver inlayed Acquisitions Inc logo embedded on the side. The logo looks identical to the pins you were each given by Omin Dran earlier that day. After reciting a few magical words, the forked rod begins to glow. Once glowing he flicks the end of the fork, prompting it to emit a high pitched scream. "Yep! That's Etharis allright" He says before putting the fork in his pocket and quickly grabbing the hands of the party members and competing the circle. The instant he completes the circle, The room goes black as the world disappears around you. Your stomachs are tossed up into your throats as you feel as though you are falling at an unnatural speed. In the blink of an eye, the unending darkness is replaced with blinding light. In a flash, you find yourselves staggering and holding hands on a filthy cobblestone street. Your eyes struggle to adjust, the sudden transition from dark to light blinding you. Although your eyes fail to work immediately, your nose works fine. The smell of sea air and rotting corpses fills your nostrils. The strong smell combined with effects from the teleportation spell threaten cause you to throw up. (con 10 save or get sick) Your ears are working properly as well, and the first sounds you hear are the angry shouts from a robed figure nearby. "Hey! Hey you Jim! Get over here you bastard! This isn't what you promised!" He shouts as the figure races towards the group. "Whoops! Looks like Ren is here, He'll take care of you all. Good luck!" Jim quicky explains to the group before backing away from the group and disappearing in a flash as he pulled a different forked metal rod from his pocket.
The figure races over to the group as your eyes finish adjusting to the new environment. In front of you stands a green-scaled lizardfolk wearing a hooded black robe with a holy symbol you don't recognize around his neck. Looking past the lizardfolk stands a rundown old temple featuring the same holy symbols as the one around the lizardfolks neck. "Well Damn... You all must be the ones Headoffice told me about. Well come on... we need to get inside. It isn't safe out here and it will be nightfall before long." Ren says in a deadly-serious tone. As he motions for you to follow him into the old temple, you begin to look around and take in your surroundings.
You stand in a walled off section of what appears to be a city somewhat similar to waterdeep. You see seagulls flying over head in the gray cloudy sky. Looking down the cobblestone streets you can see a churning ocean slapping against some abandoned docks. As your eyes move to some of the closer sights however... the more dire the situation become. The seagulls flying over head descend upon corpses laying in the streets while large rats scurry between abandoned buildings to feast upon other corpses inside. The few people you do see walking the streets have faces wrapped in cloth and wearing leather gloves... as though either they were sick or trying to prevent themselves from becoming sick. Looking down a different street you get a good look at one of the makeshift gatehouses that seem to allow access into the rest of the city. City guards wielding crossbows stand upon the ramparts overhead watching a few citizens wearing blood-soaked rags attempt to pound on the gate in vain before collapsing to the ground.
As you get closer to the temple, you see a simple sign nailed to the heavy wooden door of the temple. The sign simply says "Aquisitions Incorporated", with the letters painted in red paint. On both sides of the door stand two black robed individuals. The hoods on the robes obscure their faces but you can see that they are also wearing burlap sacks over their faces as well. Both are wielding iron maces and appear to be standing guard. "Don't mind Hank and Dean... Those two interns were sent to help get things settled before you all arrived. They don't talk so don't try talking to them." The lizardfolk says in a tone that is more of a warning than a statement. When Ren opens the door, a low fog of incense spills out into the street. The incenst smells sweet and manages to completely eradicate the smell of death and decay that fills the streets. Once inside the temple, The lizardfolk closes the door beind the group and pulls a large wooden board from nearby and bars it shut. Turning around, The lizardfolk pulls down his hood, prompting the blood-orange frill on the top of his head to rise upwards. "My name is Render Slaughterscale... I am your Majordomo. Welcome to the city of Liesech... well the quarantine zone of Liesech that is.... and home to the first and only Acquisitions Incorporated franchise in Etharis." As he says those words, he holds his hands out wide and gestures towards the interior of the temple. A few wooden doors line the walls of the center isle that goes farther into the temple. The doors lead to small rooms that Ren has setup as an office and bedroom. The isle ends at an alter at the far end of the temple. Church pews have been pushed around towards the walls and a few wooden crates full of supplies fill the emtpy space.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
In spite of the quite unusual experience of teleporting for the first time in his life, the young white-haired noble keeps his composure and quickly checks on his teammates to make sure they are all okay. He would then follow the Lizardfolk through the quarantine zone and to the old church who also apparently was the team's base of operations. "Good to have you here Mr. Slaughterscale. I am Daryous Dezlentyr, the decisionist, and we are indeed the team sent here to take care of business. Perhaps we could start with a tour of this place, showing us our quarters while you tell us about Liesech, and particularly why we are located in the quarantine zone and what kind of disease it is set up because off." Daryos says with a calm polite smile but with a hint of annyonace there now too.
Persuasion to make a first good impression: 9 Insight: 18
Mr. Darkmagic's reassurance seems to bring some comfort to Vesna, and the cleric offers him a small smile in return before nodding, bracing herself for the impending spell.
Nothing could prepare her for the experience, though. Before she knows it, it's as if she's plummeting through an abyss, her stomach churning and heart pounding erratically. Darkness envelops her vision, swiftly followed by blinding light, creating a disorienting whirlwind of colours behind her tightly shut eyelids.
When her body finally meets solid ground, Vesna finds herself on all fours, the world spinning around her in a dizzying frenzy. Cold beads of sweat trickle down her forehead, her face taking an unnaturally pale color, even for her. Clinging to the ground, she waits, hoping to stave off the nausea. After a few torturous moments, the queasiness settles. (con save 13 in game log)
'Thank the gods... at least I won't embarrass myself further by tossing my breakfast in front of everyone,' she thinks, silently grateful to her goddess for sparing her from further humiliation. Slowly regaining her composure, Vesna straightens up cautiously, wary of the potential return of the nausea.
Finally, she has a chance to look around, and the scenery makes her freeze in terror. Death, so much death, and rot, and decay surround them. The air, heavy with the smell of corpses mixed with that of seawater, sends a fresh wave of nausea through her, and Vesna presses her hand to her stomach. Flocks of seagulls scream above her head, the roar of waves clash somewhere in the near distance... It's as if she's fallen into a corrupt version of Waterdeep.
"We are in Etharis," she whispers, her voice barely audible as she takes in their surroundings.
The scene around her has shocked her so much that she didn't even notice when the lizardfolk approached them and he seems to now be leading them into a nearby building.
'A temple,' Vesna realizes as they cross the threshold. Still feeling too shocked and weak after the teleportation spell, the cleric just follows Daryos and their host in a daze, her hand still pressed against her stomach. The pews arranged against the walls, the crates filled with supplies, and the air filled with the sweet scent of incense provide some semblance of order and reprieve from the overwhelming horror outside. Still, the mental images of the streets filled with seagulls and rats feasting on corpses and the people wearing bloodied rags linger in her mind, not quite allowing her to embrace the ordered tranquillity of the temple.
"What is this place?" Vesna attempts to gather herself, straightening slightly, despite feeling quite drained and vulnerable. Her amber eyes shift toward the lizardfolk, and she tries to mask her discomfort and anxiety with a faint smile. "I am sorry. I am Vesna," she introduces herself quietly, her voice wavering a bit. "What is this temple? I am not sure I recognize the symbols"she asks, as she tries to recall whether she has seen anything similar in the books and scrolls back at her church. (Religion: 3)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Aeran Dormaris - L2 Paladin on his way to Phandelver
Still reeling from the teleportation, the rotten smell of the place finally is too much for Nesyax. In a rather uninspiring display, she throws up a portion of her lunch and just barely keeps herself from falling over. She reaches out for anything that might keep her stable. Given a moment or two she recovers, but only to realize Mr. Darkmagic has vanished. 'Or did he turn into this lizardfolk?' she wonders. The group is headed off somewhere and she follows, hoping to get away from the stench.
She passes the two men as they head inside. 'Did he say they can't speak?' she wonders as they make their way inside to the blissful incense filled place. Finally the stench was gone and she was able to think a bit. She listens as Render - who clearly is not Mr. Darkmagic - introduces himself. Daryos asks the obvious questions, so she waits for Ren to fill them in. Although he asked about it last, it seemed this whole quarantine thing would be most important.
Kitaer, despite being covered in a rough brown pelt, is looking a little green. Once of twice his cheeks bulge and there is a disturbing "Unnngyeahlecht" sounds which seems to originate around his belly and try to force itself up and out of his maw... But Kitaer buckles down and maintains control of his workings well enough. Barely. At the mention of breakfast by Vesna he has another rush of doubt... But minotaur is a bit too pig-headed to allow himself to blow chunks when the little girl manages to control her own self! Not that he would outright ever say such a thing. He is a progressive kind of bull.
A mere moment later Kitaer has to sidestep the offering made by Nesyax. He frowns mightily at the smell that seems to immediately waft up to him and threaten his own constitution but he shakily holds out a hand to her, grasping her shoulder gently to try to steady her. "No shame in that... That was... discombobulating..." he notes.
"Hank..." Kitaer says with a jerk of his head a few minutes later as they are being led to their new workplace. "Dean... 'sup?" Because how does one not at least acknowledge someone after having been told not to?
Once inside Kitaer looks around skeptically but mostly keeps his comments to himself. He's stayed in worse. "Much trouble from the locals?" he does ask. "Considering the guards out front?"
Stasyn grimaces as he begins to feel nauseous from the transportation magic. He was able to keep from embarrassing himself and slowly looked around at the dead and almost dead with gulls swooping overhead. Damn, peasant nightmare it is then. I had a feeling. It will be hard to exploit these people if they don't even have 2 coins to rub against each other. He nods at Hank and Dean. This is how guards should be tough and imposing. They should do a good job at keeping any troublemakers at bay.
Stepping into the temple Stasyn "We are truly starting from almost nothing. Ren can you tell me more about the city of Liesech and why are we located in the Quarantined Zone?"
When Kitaer acknowledges Hank and Dean, the two figures continue to stand perfectly still... looking outward from beneath the burlap and hooded robes. Vesna takes a long hard look at the holy symbols on the side of the church and on the robes worn by Ren and the interns but does not recognize them at all...
Map of the HQ
Standing in the Entrance of your new headquarters (A), Ren looks you all up and down before clearing his throat and rubbing the bridge of his throat. "A tour... Right.." He says with a sigh. Well these two doors on my left are currently setup as bedrooms (C and B). Hank and Dean were originally going to use them, but I told them that once you all showed up, they were getting moved elsewhere... so they are free for whoever wants them. I already cleared out their stuff for you a couple days ago once I got word from Omin that he had some quality candidates coming in for an interview.." The lizardfolk gives a small grin when mentioning the word interview before opening the doors to the bedrooms. When he opens the doors, you see a simple bed, nightstand, and a trunk to store clothes or loose items in both rooms. "On the right is my office (E) and a storage room that has access to the basement (D). The basement was pretty well cleared out when we moved in. I found these old robes and some cleric gear which is what we've been wearing to try to fit in around here. Apparently I found out that lizardfolk arn't too popular around here but dragonborn are OK. Since I got a tail and all just like the dragonborn... that's what I am if anyone asks..."He says with a big wink before continuing. Anyway... if we continue farther inside (F), we tried to move most the busted church pews out of the way. We kept them inside however in case we need to use the wood to barricade the windows. It... gets a little rough at night around here."He says with a somber frown before shaking his scaley head and looking back towards the group. "We didn't touch the alter. We left Censer burning on the alter since it seems to help get rid of the damned stench. it's been burning ever since we arrived... seems pretty strange but I'm not one to turn away a free gift like that. He says as he points towards the alter that stands against the far way... The Censor on the alter stands about two feet tall and appears to be made of solid silver. It has brass inlays of the same holy symbol that adorns the rest of the building. A gentle waterfall of light smoke cascades from the censor and descends to the floor where it spreads out like a creeping ocean tide. When he moves closer to the alter he takes a moment to point at the symbols on the front and on his robe. So apparently this building used to be a place of warship for Miklas, the Arch Seraph of Mercy. Apparently from what I heard... The clerics that worked here were not powerful enough to heal the sick that live inside the quarantine zone.. One day they got upset with their inability to help them and killed the clerics inside. Not sure why they didn't completely loot the place but it was free to use when we showed up."Ren then turns to look at the group. "We got a few crates of supplies... mostly food and business materials like fliers, ink, parchment, and that kind of thing. I've got ways to communicate with cooperate office back home but the amount of aid they can provide us is fairly limited... at least for now. What you see is what you get and we got to make the best out of it until we can upgrade this place or move somewhere else. You all are free to make yourselves at home anywhere you want except for my office."
After Ren mentions moving to a new location, he looks down to the smoke coated floor and scratches the base of his frill running along the top of his head. "So... You all asked about the quarantine... well... Thats a tricky one." He pauses for a second and then looks to Daryos and Stasyn. "You see... not everyone here in the quarantine zone are sick.. some of the folks just got trapped here. The ones that are sick normally die in a few days but anytime a new person is found sick outside of these walls... they ship them here to die. Now from what I understand, The sickness causing the problem is called the Weeping Pox. You start out feeling fine, then you get a burning fever, and lastly you start to develop weltering lesions all over their body, starting around the eyes. The longest anyone around here has ever lived has been close to two weeks after catching weeping pox."Ren then looks you each in the eye and points a gloved finger at each of you. "DO NOT... I repeat... DO NOT catch weeping pox. You will die. It isn't just some normal disease... it is... magical... evil.. more like a curse than a disease. I heard of a couple ways it can be cured and trust me... you may be better off dead so just stay away from anyone that has it. Don't touch them and don't go near them. Just standing too close to someone that is infected can be enough to get it yourself." The lizardfolk finishes with a sigh before moving towards the wall and taking a seat on one of the pews.
The lizardfolk pulls a flask from his pocket and takes a deep sip before closing it up and sitting it next to him on the wooden pew. "As for the city of Liesech, it used to be much like Waterdeep... a beautiful city with a busy port. From what I understand you used to be able to buy anything you could imagine within the walls of Liesech. From what I understand in my few days I've been here... The Weeping Pox arrived shortly after the family that ran the city were murdered. The city officials tried their best to prevent the spread of the sickness but... they didn't succeed. Now Liesech is dying... If someone could find a cure for the Weeping pox, they would be the richest person in Etharis. Perhaps once we get established we could see if Omin could help us to develop a cure that could be mass produced, but something like that would take time and would not be easy. Ren says as he shakes his head.
The lizardfolk then takes his flask and draws another long sip before clearing his throat and continuing. "So once you all get settled, we have a lot of work that can be done. For one... one of my contacts here in the zone has told me of the Bone Collector... a somewhat powerful fey that has been praying upon the citizens of the quarantine zone and of city of Liesech alike. If we play our cards right... we MAY be able to take advantage of that job to get our way out of the zone and move into Liesech proper.... That being said, there are benefits to operating a business in this essentially lawless area of town... rent is cheap and there are MANY abandoned building that could offer useful items and coin left behind by those that have died or managed to escape the zone...."He adds with a shrug.
The young white-haired noble had been prepared for some hardships at their destination but operating out of an quarantine zone with a deadly curse spreading was not quite what he had imagined. He takes on a calm smile in hopes of inspire reassurance and resolve with his team and as there is mention of a first potential mission and the possibility to relocate to a less unhealthy venue for their headquarters he has a genuine confident smile again as he starts to speak. "Then I think we should do something about this Bone Collector as our first mission and then have a discussion about relocating to where there is less chance for us to die a horrible death." Daryos says with a slight sarcastic tone. "Perhaps we should all settle in, have a meal and get to know each other first though. Sharing something about our respective skillset could be quite helpful to optimize our tactics when dealing with the Bone Collector."
"Grim news indeed. Moving is a must as these folks can barely take care of themselves. Looks like this mission to thwart the Bone collector is our highest priority. Though getting to know each other better is useful to know." says Stasyn. He makes his way to any intact pew and takes a seat after using prestidigitation to clean it. "As for my skill I am wizard and know a few spells".
As Ren gives them the tour, Vesna looks around warily. None of the religious symbols ring any bells for her, and it isn't until the lizardfolk mentions the deity that she glances up at him. "Miklas? Is that a local goddess?" a small wrinkle forms between her eyebrows as she tries to recall the name. It positively doesn't sound like anything she has heard before. But then, before she asks any clarifying questions, she hears about the unfortunate fate of the priests, and she grows paler.
"D-did you say the people killed the clerics... inside h-h-here?" Vesna stammers as her eyes frantically begin searching for any sign of the homicides around her. A puddle of dried blood? Nail marks on the wall? Signs of dragging on the floor? You name it, she is looking for it, despite not wanting to see it. "W-what happened to the bodies?"
Then things get even worse once she hears about the deadly disease/curse affecting the city. "Ohgodswhydidicomehere," she whispers breathlessly, suddenly feeling weak again, and takes a seat in one of the pews, one hand pressed against her cheek and the other clutching at her amulet.
As Kitaer reaches out to stabilze her, Nesyax quietly says, "Thank you. I appreciate that."
Now that Ren has explained more about their situation, she is a bit concerned about the potential difficulties in operating here in Etharis. Especially the plague-curse thing. "Excuse me, but I saw people with face coverings. Does that help? And just out of curiosity, are reptilian folk like yourself susceptible to it? Or just the mammalians?"
"Also, what is in the storage room?" she asks. "If cleaned out that might give us more space to use."
Ren looks to Vesna and scans her up and down. "You're a cleric right... I'd say you best keep your diety to yourself for right now. From what I understand, no one here has ever heard of the deities you and I grew up with. Actually.. rumor has it... and this is just a rumor... a rumor that could get you in a lot of trouble if you get heard spreading it around..." The lizardfolk then leans in closer to cleric... "I heard that the gods of this place are dead. They were then replaced by the closest thing to them... which turned out to be some of the the arch serephs and devils that served the now dead gods. Their power isn't nearly that of a god however... and that is why this whole place has gone to the hells..." The lizardfolk then leans back and looks the cleric up and down. "I imagine though... if YOU manage to grow in power... you might be able to spread the word of your deity Maybe even get people around here to start worshipping them..... Then you might be able to start a new church with the power to drive off some of the darkness around here... with enough time that is." The lizardfolk pauses for a moment and taps his chin. "You could also draw A LOT of attention to yourself doing that however... while many have suffered since the gods disappeared, there are plenty of folks that have gained quite a bit."
When asked about the clerics that were killed, Ren just shrugs. "The bodies were gone when we got here. There was no one inside... only that smoking incense thing and some left over spare cleric equipment. I assume maybe the clerics got dragged out of here and killed in the streets or something.."
The lizardfolk would then move to start pushing some of the crates together towards the middle of the room to create something of a table. When Kitaer asks about the storage room, the lizardfolk just points towards the first door on the right. "It's over there, you can feel free to check it out yourself. Some of it is rotten grain and items that just need thrown out. Other items included old robes and tapestries that could have been used during different seasons I assume. The entrance to the basement is in there as well. There is a lot of space down there and a few other boxes that can be gone through or thrown out... And as for the face coverings... well i'm not a doctor or anything and folks here are willing to do anything they can to prevent themselves from getting sick. I was told the weeping pox can travel through the air if you get to close to the infected, so even though it may more work 100% of the time, covering your face is probably still a good idea. The few people I have spoken with that have managed to avoid getting sick are all wearing them... well most of them anyway."He then moves to continue pushing crates together and pushes over a couple pews to make a table with places to sit.
"it's probably about 2 or 3 in the afternoon right now. I suppose there is a little bit of daylight yet if you all wanted to poke around the zone for a bit. I can give you some quick directions to a few points of interest that I have found over the past few days... but otherwise you are free to do what you want. If you do go out, I would recommend you try your best to collect more information about the Bone Collector. I haven't heard much... but what I have heard isn't good." he then gets a serious look across his face once more.."But be on your gaurd... The sick out there have nothing to lose. If you see someone that is sick approach you, you run away or you put them down from a distance. Do not get to close to them you understand? No mater who it is or how desperate they are... you keep more than 5ft away from them at all times. Kill them if you have to... in some cases you might be doing them a favor that way." He adds as he begins to rummage around one of the crates and begins to pull out some spare rations and sets them on the table for later.
"One more question, Ren," Nesyax says, a little disappointed he didn't answer anything about the curse-disease affecting reptilian folk. "I agree that our franchise should have an office. But why that room? I think we should clean out the storage room and put the office in there. That space could then be used as another bedroom." She hadn't been going to say anything, but as he had answered her question addressing the minotaur and ignored other parts, she wasn't exactly in a mood to look past his audacity in claiming 'his' office.
She then looks over at Daryos. "Well Decisioner, it seems that it's time to decision us a decision! Time for an early meal to chit chat? Or should we poke our heads about. Maybe find us a bed or three? And who knows what else!" She tilts her head at him, awaiting his answer.
OOC: SORRY! forgot that part. I was trying to make sure I responded to everything.
"As far as I know, the disease can infect anyone walking on two legs... four legs if your a centaur I suppose. I don't think beasts can be infected, but I wouldn't want to get bitten by a rat that had just finished chewing on an infected corpse if I were you." Ren would add as he continued to set his makeshift table.
When Nesyax mentions moving his office, he lizardfolk would let out a small annoyed hiss. "I mean... I guess. I had just hoped to be able to work in peace without people stomping through my office on their way to the basement. I suppose we could move the basement entrance at a later date I suppose.... That is if you all don't decide to relocate before then that is." The lizardfolk finishes.
With the question of the dead clerics now out of the way, and somewhat comforted by the fact, that perhaps there might not have been any bodies in here at all, (maybe Ren is just confused or wrong about where all the religious killings happened), Vesna appears to be a bit better, with some colour gradually returning to her face. Although she is a bit concerned if her goddess will be able to hear her prayers in such a forsaken place with the same clarity as before...
"How long has this quarantine been around? Is there any curfew currently?" the cleric looks up at Ren again. She has read about things like this in the old books, never having to experience it herself so far, but that's how things were usually done, right?
Vesna listens to Nesyax and nods in agreement with the blue-haired woman. "Maybe we can try to get a bit familiar with the nearby area while it is still light outside?" The cleric turns to look at the decisioner.
"Well, being the decisioner I have been trying to decide the next decision to be decided upon, and your decisioner has decided to decide we will prudently prepare for any ventures outside by having that meal now and share some more about ourselves so that we can make the best possible tactical decisions in the field while facing the cursed and other deadly threats." He says with a small smile, taking a seat where he can and motioning for the others who have not to do so too.
"Stasyn has already started a bit about himself. While I was hoping for a bit more I will go next, and then we can all share a bit about ourselves while we eat and then we can make a first tour of the neighborhood and see if we can gather some information about this Bone Cllector." He continues as he starts to unpack some rations and his waterskin. "Apart from some experience with business negotiations I also have some connection to the weave, allowing me to use magic primarily to support the rest of you, like during the test, but I also possess some healing magic. You don't want me in the front rank though I'm afraid, I will be better off supporting you with my crossbow from the back. By leaving my family and coming here I hope to build this franchise together with you to make it the finest of them all. I hope we will work as a team on this. I have no intention of impose my will on others but rather make decisions after hearing your thoughts as you are all competent in your respective fields and all have much to contribute with to our success. There will of course be situations when decisions will be needed without being discussed first but hopefully those situations will be rare." He goes on, drinking some water as he pauses. "Now, who would want to continue?"
Vesna, feeling slightly better now that she has gathered her gear and done her shopping and after all the reassurance so generously offered by Nesyax, looks around as they walk towards the office of this Mr. Darkmagic. What a marvellous building, she thinks. How rich is this Acquisition Inc exactly? She can't help but wonder if their future home will look anywhere as great as this place.
She takes a seat as directed by the wizard, cautiously glancing between the minotaur and the verdant man. "Is this going to hurt?" She suddenly remembers she doesn't know what travelling by portal entails and looks up at Mr. Darkmagic, a slight frown on her face.
Aeran Dormaris - L2 Paladin on his way to Phandelver
Vesna March - L1 Cleric in Etharis
DM The Missing Farmer
Stasyn returns from some shopping and gathering his pack. He admires the size and complexity of the AI building. Someday he will run such a place as this. Upon entering Jim Darkmagic's room he is not startled by the chairs and takes a seat. Though the thought of holding someone's possibly unhygienic hands makes him pause a bit but in the end he does so. "I am ready to depart" says Stasyn.
So after each of you enter and take a seat as you return from your shopping trips and from Omin's office, Jim Darkmagic moves towards the group and extends his hands towards the nearest party members once you have all arrived. When the minotaur asks about standing up, the purple robed wizard looks up for a moment before giving a small smile. "Yeah, I suppose you're right...You better all stand up for this." He says as he looks around the room. "After I cast the spell we should arrive in Etharis instantly. It shouldn't hurt at all but it may leave you feeling a bit nauseous if it's your first time. I've cast this spell so often it doesn't bother me anymore." The wizard says with a sly wink towards Vesna. Once you are all standing and holding hands, Jim lowers his head and pulls an ornate forked metal rod with an ivory and silver inlayed Acquisitions Inc logo embedded on the side. The logo looks identical to the pins you were each given by Omin Dran earlier that day. After reciting a few magical words, the forked rod begins to glow. Once glowing he flicks the end of the fork, prompting it to emit a high pitched scream. "Yep! That's Etharis allright" He says before putting the fork in his pocket and quickly grabbing the hands of the party members and competing the circle. The instant he completes the circle, The room goes black as the world disappears around you. Your stomachs are tossed up into your throats as you feel as though you are falling at an unnatural speed. In the blink of an eye, the unending darkness is replaced with blinding light. In a flash, you find yourselves staggering and holding hands on a filthy cobblestone street. Your eyes struggle to adjust, the sudden transition from dark to light blinding you. Although your eyes fail to work immediately, your nose works fine. The smell of sea air and rotting corpses fills your nostrils. The strong smell combined with effects from the teleportation spell threaten cause you to throw up. (con 10 save or get sick) Your ears are working properly as well, and the first sounds you hear are the angry shouts from a robed figure nearby. "Hey! Hey you Jim! Get over here you bastard! This isn't what you promised!" He shouts as the figure races towards the group. "Whoops! Looks like Ren is here, He'll take care of you all. Good luck!" Jim quicky explains to the group before backing away from the group and disappearing in a flash as he pulled a different forked metal rod from his pocket.
The figure races over to the group as your eyes finish adjusting to the new environment. In front of you stands a green-scaled lizardfolk wearing a hooded black robe with a holy symbol you don't recognize around his neck. Looking past the lizardfolk stands a rundown old temple featuring the same holy symbols as the one around the lizardfolks neck. "Well Damn... You all must be the ones Headoffice told me about. Well come on... we need to get inside. It isn't safe out here and it will be nightfall before long." Ren says in a deadly-serious tone. As he motions for you to follow him into the old temple, you begin to look around and take in your surroundings.
You stand in a walled off section of what appears to be a city somewhat similar to waterdeep. You see seagulls flying over head in the gray cloudy sky. Looking down the cobblestone streets you can see a churning ocean slapping against some abandoned docks. As your eyes move to some of the closer sights however... the more dire the situation become. The seagulls flying over head descend upon corpses laying in the streets while large rats scurry between abandoned buildings to feast upon other corpses inside. The few people you do see walking the streets have faces wrapped in cloth and wearing leather gloves... as though either they were sick or trying to prevent themselves from becoming sick. Looking down a different street you get a good look at one of the makeshift gatehouses that seem to allow access into the rest of the city. City guards wielding crossbows stand upon the ramparts overhead watching a few citizens wearing blood-soaked rags attempt to pound on the gate in vain before collapsing to the ground.
As you get closer to the temple, you see a simple sign nailed to the heavy wooden door of the temple. The sign simply says "Aquisitions Incorporated", with the letters painted in red paint. On both sides of the door stand two black robed individuals. The hoods on the robes obscure their faces but you can see that they are also wearing burlap sacks over their faces as well. Both are wielding iron maces and appear to be standing guard. "Don't mind Hank and Dean... Those two interns were sent to help get things settled before you all arrived. They don't talk so don't try talking to them." The lizardfolk says in a tone that is more of a warning than a statement. When Ren opens the door, a low fog of incense spills out into the street. The incenst smells sweet and manages to completely eradicate the smell of death and decay that fills the streets. Once inside the temple, The lizardfolk closes the door beind the group and pulls a large wooden board from nearby and bars it shut. Turning around, The lizardfolk pulls down his hood, prompting the blood-orange frill on the top of his head to rise upwards. "My name is Render Slaughterscale... I am your Majordomo. Welcome to the city of Liesech... well the quarantine zone of Liesech that is.... and home to the first and only Acquisitions Incorporated franchise in Etharis." As he says those words, he holds his hands out wide and gestures towards the interior of the temple. A few wooden doors line the walls of the center isle that goes farther into the temple. The doors lead to small rooms that Ren has setup as an office and bedroom. The isle ends at an alter at the far end of the temple. Church pews have been pushed around towards the walls and a few wooden crates full of supplies fill the emtpy space.
Daryos Con save: 21
In spite of the quite unusual experience of teleporting for the first time in his life, the young white-haired noble keeps his composure and quickly checks on his teammates to make sure they are all okay. He would then follow the Lizardfolk through the quarantine zone and to the old church who also apparently was the team's base of operations. "Good to have you here Mr. Slaughterscale. I am Daryous Dezlentyr, the decisionist, and we are indeed the team sent here to take care of business. Perhaps we could start with a tour of this place, showing us our quarters while you tell us about Liesech, and particularly why we are located in the quarantine zone and what kind of disease it is set up because off." Daryos says with a calm polite smile but with a hint of annyonace there now too.
Persuasion to make a first good impression: 9
Insight: 18
(Nesyax CON Save: 4)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Mr. Darkmagic's reassurance seems to bring some comfort to Vesna, and the cleric offers him a small smile in return before nodding, bracing herself for the impending spell.
Nothing could prepare her for the experience, though. Before she knows it, it's as if she's plummeting through an abyss, her stomach churning and heart pounding erratically. Darkness envelops her vision, swiftly followed by blinding light, creating a disorienting whirlwind of colours behind her tightly shut eyelids.
When her body finally meets solid ground, Vesna finds herself on all fours, the world spinning around her in a dizzying frenzy. Cold beads of sweat trickle down her forehead, her face taking an unnaturally pale color, even for her. Clinging to the ground, she waits, hoping to stave off the nausea. After a few torturous moments, the queasiness settles. (con save 13 in game log)
'Thank the gods... at least I won't embarrass myself further by tossing my breakfast in front of everyone,' she thinks, silently grateful to her goddess for sparing her from further humiliation. Slowly regaining her composure, Vesna straightens up cautiously, wary of the potential return of the nausea.
Finally, she has a chance to look around, and the scenery makes her freeze in terror. Death, so much death, and rot, and decay surround them. The air, heavy with the smell of corpses mixed with that of seawater, sends a fresh wave of nausea through her, and Vesna presses her hand to her stomach. Flocks of seagulls scream above her head, the roar of waves clash somewhere in the near distance... It's as if she's fallen into a corrupt version of Waterdeep.
"We are in Etharis," she whispers, her voice barely audible as she takes in their surroundings.
The scene around her has shocked her so much that she didn't even notice when the lizardfolk approached them and he seems to now be leading them into a nearby building.
'A temple,' Vesna realizes as they cross the threshold. Still feeling too shocked and weak after the teleportation spell, the cleric just follows Daryos and their host in a daze, her hand still pressed against her stomach. The pews arranged against the walls, the crates filled with supplies, and the air filled with the sweet scent of incense provide some semblance of order and reprieve from the overwhelming horror outside. Still, the mental images of the streets filled with seagulls and rats feasting on corpses and the people wearing bloodied rags linger in her mind, not quite allowing her to embrace the ordered tranquillity of the temple.
"What is this place?" Vesna attempts to gather herself, straightening slightly, despite feeling quite drained and vulnerable. Her amber eyes shift toward the lizardfolk, and she tries to mask her discomfort and anxiety with a faint smile. "I am sorry. I am Vesna," she introduces herself quietly, her voice wavering a bit. "What is this temple? I am not sure I recognize the symbols" she asks, as she tries to recall whether she has seen anything similar in the books and scrolls back at her church. (Religion: 3)
Aeran Dormaris - L2 Paladin on his way to Phandelver
Vesna March - L1 Cleric in Etharis
DM The Missing Farmer
Still reeling from the teleportation, the rotten smell of the place finally is too much for Nesyax. In a rather uninspiring display, she throws up a portion of her lunch and just barely keeps herself from falling over. She reaches out for anything that might keep her stable. Given a moment or two she recovers, but only to realize Mr. Darkmagic has vanished. 'Or did he turn into this lizardfolk?' she wonders. The group is headed off somewhere and she follows, hoping to get away from the stench.
She passes the two men as they head inside. 'Did he say they can't speak?' she wonders as they make their way inside to the blissful incense filled place. Finally the stench was gone and she was able to think a bit. She listens as Render - who clearly is not Mr. Darkmagic - introduces himself. Daryos asks the obvious questions, so she waits for Ren to fill them in. Although he asked about it last, it seemed this whole quarantine thing would be most important.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Kitaer Con Save: 10
Kitaer, despite being covered in a rough brown pelt, is looking a little green. Once of twice his cheeks bulge and there is a disturbing "Unnngyeahlecht" sounds which seems to originate around his belly and try to force itself up and out of his maw... But Kitaer buckles down and maintains control of his workings well enough. Barely. At the mention of breakfast by Vesna he has another rush of doubt... But minotaur is a bit too pig-headed to allow himself to blow chunks when the little girl manages to control her own self! Not that he would outright ever say such a thing. He is a progressive kind of bull.
A mere moment later Kitaer has to sidestep the offering made by Nesyax. He frowns mightily at the smell that seems to immediately waft up to him and threaten his own constitution but he shakily holds out a hand to her, grasping her shoulder gently to try to steady her. "No shame in that... That was... discombobulating..." he notes.
"Hank..." Kitaer says with a jerk of his head a few minutes later as they are being led to their new workplace. "Dean... 'sup?" Because how does one not at least acknowledge someone after having been told not to?
Once inside Kitaer looks around skeptically but mostly keeps his comments to himself. He's stayed in worse. "Much trouble from the locals?" he does ask. "Considering the guards out front?"
Stasyn Con Save
20 rolled in game log
Stasyn grimaces as he begins to feel nauseous from the transportation magic. He was able to keep from embarrassing himself and slowly looked around at the dead and almost dead with gulls swooping overhead. Damn, peasant nightmare it is then. I had a feeling. It will be hard to exploit these people if they don't even have 2 coins to rub against each other. He nods at Hank and Dean. This is how guards should be tough and imposing. They should do a good job at keeping any troublemakers at bay.
Stepping into the temple Stasyn "We are truly starting from almost nothing. Ren can you tell me more about the city of Liesech and why are we located in the Quarantined Zone?"
When Kitaer acknowledges Hank and Dean, the two figures continue to stand perfectly still... looking outward from beneath the burlap and hooded robes.
Vesna takes a long hard look at the holy symbols on the side of the church and on the robes worn by Ren and the interns but does not recognize them at all...
Map of the HQ
Standing in the Entrance of your new headquarters (A), Ren looks you all up and down before clearing his throat and rubbing the bridge of his throat. "A tour... Right.." He says with a sigh. Well these two doors on my left are currently setup as bedrooms (C and B). Hank and Dean were originally going to use them, but I told them that once you all showed up, they were getting moved elsewhere... so they are free for whoever wants them. I already cleared out their stuff for you a couple days ago once I got word from Omin that he had some quality candidates coming in for an interview.." The lizardfolk gives a small grin when mentioning the word interview before opening the doors to the bedrooms. When he opens the doors, you see a simple bed, nightstand, and a trunk to store clothes or loose items in both rooms. "On the right is my office (E) and a storage room that has access to the basement (D). The basement was pretty well cleared out when we moved in. I found these old robes and some cleric gear which is what we've been wearing to try to fit in around here. Apparently I found out that lizardfolk arn't too popular around here but dragonborn are OK. Since I got a tail and all just like the dragonborn... that's what I am if anyone asks..." He says with a big wink before continuing. Anyway... if we continue farther inside (F), we tried to move most the busted church pews out of the way. We kept them inside however in case we need to use the wood to barricade the windows. It... gets a little rough at night around here." He says with a somber frown before shaking his scaley head and looking back towards the group. "We didn't touch the alter. We left Censer burning on the alter since it seems to help get rid of the damned stench. it's been burning ever since we arrived... seems pretty strange but I'm not one to turn away a free gift like that. He says as he points towards the alter that stands against the far way... The Censor on the alter stands about two feet tall and appears to be made of solid silver. It has brass inlays of the same holy symbol that adorns the rest of the building. A gentle waterfall of light smoke cascades from the censor and descends to the floor where it spreads out like a creeping ocean tide. When he moves closer to the alter he takes a moment to point at the symbols on the front and on his robe. So apparently this building used to be a place of warship for Miklas, the Arch Seraph of Mercy. Apparently from what I heard... The clerics that worked here were not powerful enough to heal the sick that live inside the quarantine zone.. One day they got upset with their inability to help them and killed the clerics inside. Not sure why they didn't completely loot the place but it was free to use when we showed up." Ren then turns to look at the group. "We got a few crates of supplies... mostly food and business materials like fliers, ink, parchment, and that kind of thing. I've got ways to communicate with cooperate office back home but the amount of aid they can provide us is fairly limited... at least for now. What you see is what you get and we got to make the best out of it until we can upgrade this place or move somewhere else. You all are free to make yourselves at home anywhere you want except for my office."
After Ren mentions moving to a new location, he looks down to the smoke coated floor and scratches the base of his frill running along the top of his head. "So... You all asked about the quarantine... well... Thats a tricky one." He pauses for a second and then looks to Daryos and Stasyn. "You see... not everyone here in the quarantine zone are sick.. some of the folks just got trapped here. The ones that are sick normally die in a few days but anytime a new person is found sick outside of these walls... they ship them here to die. Now from what I understand, The sickness causing the problem is called the Weeping Pox. You start out feeling fine, then you get a burning fever, and lastly you start to develop weltering lesions all over their body, starting around the eyes. The longest anyone around here has ever lived has been close to two weeks after catching weeping pox." Ren then looks you each in the eye and points a gloved finger at each of you. "DO NOT... I repeat... DO NOT catch weeping pox. You will die. It isn't just some normal disease... it is... magical... evil.. more like a curse than a disease. I heard of a couple ways it can be cured and trust me... you may be better off dead so just stay away from anyone that has it. Don't touch them and don't go near them. Just standing too close to someone that is infected can be enough to get it yourself." The lizardfolk finishes with a sigh before moving towards the wall and taking a seat on one of the pews.
The lizardfolk pulls a flask from his pocket and takes a deep sip before closing it up and sitting it next to him on the wooden pew. "As for the city of Liesech, it used to be much like Waterdeep... a beautiful city with a busy port. From what I understand you used to be able to buy anything you could imagine within the walls of Liesech. From what I understand in my few days I've been here... The Weeping Pox arrived shortly after the family that ran the city were murdered. The city officials tried their best to prevent the spread of the sickness but... they didn't succeed. Now Liesech is dying... If someone could find a cure for the Weeping pox, they would be the richest person in Etharis. Perhaps once we get established we could see if Omin could help us to develop a cure that could be mass produced, but something like that would take time and would not be easy. Ren says as he shakes his head.
The lizardfolk then takes his flask and draws another long sip before clearing his throat and continuing. "So once you all get settled, we have a lot of work that can be done. For one... one of my contacts here in the zone has told me of the Bone Collector... a somewhat powerful fey that has been praying upon the citizens of the quarantine zone and of city of Liesech alike. If we play our cards right... we MAY be able to take advantage of that job to get our way out of the zone and move into Liesech proper.... That being said, there are benefits to operating a business in this essentially lawless area of town... rent is cheap and there are MANY abandoned building that could offer useful items and coin left behind by those that have died or managed to escape the zone...." He adds with a shrug.
The young white-haired noble had been prepared for some hardships at their destination but operating out of an quarantine zone with a deadly curse spreading was not quite what he had imagined. He takes on a calm smile in hopes of inspire reassurance and resolve with his team and as there is mention of a first potential mission and the possibility to relocate to a less unhealthy venue for their headquarters he has a genuine confident smile again as he starts to speak. "Then I think we should do something about this Bone Collector as our first mission and then have a discussion about relocating to where there is less chance for us to die a horrible death." Daryos says with a slight sarcastic tone. "Perhaps we should all settle in, have a meal and get to know each other first though. Sharing something about our respective skillset could be quite helpful to optimize our tactics when dealing with the Bone Collector."
"Grim news indeed. Moving is a must as these folks can barely take care of themselves. Looks like this mission to thwart the Bone collector is our highest priority. Though getting to know each other better is useful to know." says Stasyn. He makes his way to any intact pew and takes a seat after using prestidigitation to clean it. "As for my skill I am wizard and know a few spells".
As Ren gives them the tour, Vesna looks around warily. None of the religious symbols ring any bells for her, and it isn't until the lizardfolk mentions the deity that she glances up at him. "Miklas? Is that a local goddess?" a small wrinkle forms between her eyebrows as she tries to recall the name. It positively doesn't sound like anything she has heard before. But then, before she asks any clarifying questions, she hears about the unfortunate fate of the priests, and she grows paler.
"D-did you say the people killed the clerics... inside h-h-here?" Vesna stammers as her eyes frantically begin searching for any sign of the homicides around her. A puddle of dried blood? Nail marks on the wall? Signs of dragging on the floor? You name it, she is looking for it, despite not wanting to see it. "W-what happened to the bodies?"
Then things get even worse once she hears about the deadly disease/curse affecting the city. "Ohgodswhydidicomehere," she whispers breathlessly, suddenly feeling weak again, and takes a seat in one of the pews, one hand pressed against her cheek and the other clutching at her amulet.
Aeran Dormaris - L2 Paladin on his way to Phandelver
Vesna March - L1 Cleric in Etharis
DM The Missing Farmer
As Kitaer reaches out to stabilze her, Nesyax quietly says, "Thank you. I appreciate that."
Now that Ren has explained more about their situation, she is a bit concerned about the potential difficulties in operating here in Etharis. Especially the plague-curse thing. "Excuse me, but I saw people with face coverings. Does that help? And just out of curiosity, are reptilian folk like yourself susceptible to it? Or just the mammalians?"
"Also, what is in the storage room?" she asks. "If cleaned out that might give us more space to use."
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Ren looks to Vesna and scans her up and down. "You're a cleric right... I'd say you best keep your diety to yourself for right now. From what I understand, no one here has ever heard of the deities you and I grew up with. Actually.. rumor has it... and this is just a rumor... a rumor that could get you in a lot of trouble if you get heard spreading it around..." The lizardfolk then leans in closer to cleric... "I heard that the gods of this place are dead. They were then replaced by the closest thing to them... which turned out to be some of the the arch serephs and devils that served the now dead gods. Their power isn't nearly that of a god however... and that is why this whole place has gone to the hells..." The lizardfolk then leans back and looks the cleric up and down. "I imagine though... if YOU manage to grow in power... you might be able to spread the word of your deity Maybe even get people around here to start worshipping them..... Then you might be able to start a new church with the power to drive off some of the darkness around here... with enough time that is." The lizardfolk pauses for a moment and taps his chin. "You could also draw A LOT of attention to yourself doing that however... while many have suffered since the gods disappeared, there are plenty of folks that have gained quite a bit."
When asked about the clerics that were killed, Ren just shrugs. "The bodies were gone when we got here. There was no one inside... only that smoking incense thing and some left over spare cleric equipment. I assume maybe the clerics got dragged out of here and killed in the streets or something.."
The lizardfolk would then move to start pushing some of the crates together towards the middle of the room to create something of a table. When Kitaer asks about the storage room, the lizardfolk just points towards the first door on the right. "It's over there, you can feel free to check it out yourself. Some of it is rotten grain and items that just need thrown out. Other items included old robes and tapestries that could have been used during different seasons I assume. The entrance to the basement is in there as well. There is a lot of space down there and a few other boxes that can be gone through or thrown out... And as for the face coverings... well i'm not a doctor or anything and folks here are willing to do anything they can to prevent themselves from getting sick. I was told the weeping pox can travel through the air if you get to close to the infected, so even though it may more work 100% of the time, covering your face is probably still a good idea. The few people I have spoken with that have managed to avoid getting sick are all wearing them... well most of them anyway." He then moves to continue pushing crates together and pushes over a couple pews to make a table with places to sit.
"it's probably about 2 or 3 in the afternoon right now. I suppose there is a little bit of daylight yet if you all wanted to poke around the zone for a bit. I can give you some quick directions to a few points of interest that I have found over the past few days... but otherwise you are free to do what you want. If you do go out, I would recommend you try your best to collect more information about the Bone Collector. I haven't heard much... but what I have heard isn't good." he then gets a serious look across his face once more.. "But be on your gaurd... The sick out there have nothing to lose. If you see someone that is sick approach you, you run away or you put them down from a distance. Do not get to close to them you understand? No mater who it is or how desperate they are... you keep more than 5ft away from them at all times. Kill them if you have to... in some cases you might be doing them a favor that way." He adds as he begins to rummage around one of the crates and begins to pull out some spare rations and sets them on the table for later.
"One more question, Ren," Nesyax says, a little disappointed he didn't answer anything about the curse-disease affecting reptilian folk. "I agree that our franchise should have an office. But why that room? I think we should clean out the storage room and put the office in there. That space could then be used as another bedroom." She hadn't been going to say anything, but as he had answered her question addressing the minotaur and ignored other parts, she wasn't exactly in a mood to look past his audacity in claiming 'his' office.
She then looks over at Daryos. "Well Decisioner, it seems that it's time to decision us a decision! Time for an early meal to chit chat? Or should we poke our heads about. Maybe find us a bed or three? And who knows what else!" She tilts her head at him, awaiting his answer.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
OOC: SORRY! forgot that part. I was trying to make sure I responded to everything.
"As far as I know, the disease can infect anyone walking on two legs... four legs if your a centaur I suppose. I don't think beasts can be infected, but I wouldn't want to get bitten by a rat that had just finished chewing on an infected corpse if I were you." Ren would add as he continued to set his makeshift table.
When Nesyax mentions moving his office, he lizardfolk would let out a small annoyed hiss. "I mean... I guess. I had just hoped to be able to work in peace without people stomping through my office on their way to the basement. I suppose we could move the basement entrance at a later date I suppose.... That is if you all don't decide to relocate before then that is." The lizardfolk finishes.
With the question of the dead clerics now out of the way, and somewhat comforted by the fact, that perhaps there might not have been any bodies in here at all, (maybe Ren is just confused or wrong about where all the religious killings happened), Vesna appears to be a bit better, with some colour gradually returning to her face. Although she is a bit concerned if her goddess will be able to hear her prayers in such a forsaken place with the same clarity as before...
"How long has this quarantine been around? Is there any curfew currently?" the cleric looks up at Ren again. She has read about things like this in the old books, never having to experience it herself so far, but that's how things were usually done, right?
Vesna listens to Nesyax and nods in agreement with the blue-haired woman. "Maybe we can try to get a bit familiar with the nearby area while it is still light outside?" The cleric turns to look at the decisioner.
Aeran Dormaris - L2 Paladin on his way to Phandelver
Vesna March - L1 Cleric in Etharis
DM The Missing Farmer
"Well, being the decisioner I have been trying to decide the next decision to be decided upon, and your decisioner has decided to decide we will prudently prepare for any ventures outside by having that meal now and share some more about ourselves so that we can make the best possible tactical decisions in the field while facing the cursed and other deadly threats." He says with a small smile, taking a seat where he can and motioning for the others who have not to do so too.
"Stasyn has already started a bit about himself. While I was hoping for a bit more I will go next, and then we can all share a bit about ourselves while we eat and then we can make a first tour of the neighborhood and see if we can gather some information about this Bone Cllector." He continues as he starts to unpack some rations and his waterskin. "Apart from some experience with business negotiations I also have some connection to the weave, allowing me to use magic primarily to support the rest of you, like during the test, but I also possess some healing magic. You don't want me in the front rank though I'm afraid, I will be better off supporting you with my crossbow from the back. By leaving my family and coming here I hope to build this franchise together with you to make it the finest of them all. I hope we will work as a team on this. I have no intention of impose my will on others but rather make decisions after hearing your thoughts as you are all competent in your respective fields and all have much to contribute with to our success. There will of course be situations when decisions will be needed without being discussed first but hopefully those situations will be rare." He goes on, drinking some water as he pauses. "Now, who would want to continue?"