5punk

Well that's mighty fine o' you hon.

Ooh, it's startin again. I just love what Zelia has done with her hair, but she'll still get found out by Agha!

The strains of some soap opera can just be heard over the clink of glasses as she puts your drinks on a tray whilst never taking her eyes from the screen, you may have a nice voice but you can't compete with the epic saga unfolding on the trid.

I'll take the drinks back over then and light up.

Jasper wrote:Hey y'all, lissun h'yar. Three bras go t' a ski lodge, and dere ain't enough rooms, so dey ha' to share a bed. In da middle o' da night, da bra on the ri-ite wake up an say, "I ha' dis wild dream of gettin' a hand job!" Da bra onna lef' wake up, an say he ha' da same dream too. Den da bra inna middle wake up an' say, "Nah way cap, I dream'd I wus skiin'!"

Firenza raises a wry eyebrow.

Firenza wrote:How colourful

I wonder if Mr. Anytime will be joinging us anytime soon?

A few minutes pass and Anytime hands the troll something with a pat on the arm. He turns to watch him head out and wanders over toward you with a drink in hand when the troll is gone.

Anytime wrote:Hey, where's the kid? He's allowed in before six pee em. Someone give him a shout, I gotta get more ice on these eyes.

As he sits down with you his face passes through some light cast from the fire, he's sporting a broken nose and two black eyes. He waves to the ork woman who throws a big bag of ice over without taking her eyes from the soap.

Anytime wrote:Sheeit, I really should know better than fighting a troll in the pit, not enough room to spit about in there, let alone dodge a ten foot wrecking ball made of steel hard meat and bone. Still, I gotta rep to keep up.

Alvrin to Lex wrote:Hey Lex, Anytime wants you in here.

to Anytime wrote:Facing off against a troll is not something most people would attempt. I certainly would think twice before doing so, especially in an enclosed space such as this pit. I trust you fared well against your opponent?

Anytime wrote:The junk Blake put in me is good stuff so I eventually kicked the big mother fuckers ass. Busted face and cracked ribs for my trouble. Gotta be done if you want respect from Torgo and his boys though. I was in there to win talk geld.

He leans back slowly and takes a slug of his drink.

Anytime wrote:You may well be thinking what sort of information requires such effort, I'll tell you when Lex gets in. Trust me, you'll want to know more.

He places the ice on his face and goes silent, his only movement laboured breathing and an occasional wince.

Jooooooose!

Or, I can just stop waiting.

An embarrassing episode attempting to order a drink from an ork who thought she was being talked to by thin air aside, Lex is now seated and smoking a cigar.

Anytime sits up with a groan.

Anytime wrote:Glad you could join us.

Right, as I explained before, I fought a troll for some information. Turns out an elf in blue robes was bracketed by the spikers for a bit of 'kill him and I'll let you in the gang' type fun. A handful of dead trolls later and the stink of bad mojo scaring up the place he escapes and it seems people in blue robes dropping bad magic are more common than anyone thought.

Now, he's been seen in the area again. And as much as Torgo et al want nothing more than to tear him up, they've been forced to spend on some hoodoo of their own. I found this out by chance and decided it was a lead worth following up, best thing is The Spikers will steer clear if we deliver, because their wage mages are on a kill the dude or get paid pretty much nothing type of contract.

Works out well for everyone but the mage.

A quick sip of his drink and Anytime continues;

Anytime wrote:Took some persuading that a team with elves in was a good thing, but it's sorted. The Spikers will leave you alone. The rest of the scum round here you'll have to watch yourselves.

You should all now be receiving the information on his habits that I've gleaned from locals. The whole mafia triad shit is making a lot of mouths keep well clear, so details are a bit thin.

How this works. You track him down, follow him if possible, work out what, where, why, when. The file has everything I know, a bit of conjecture on my part and a list of things you might want to try, people to hook up, lean on or beat on, the usual.

It's six kay for the job plus a six kay slush. Usual fifty fifty split. Alvrin gets the slush. Fuck it up and what's left of you gets paid, do well you'll likely get more, Blake's itching on this one.

Oh, one final thing before I go back to sleep, Jasper you appear to have not given Jon the letter from Lucille. I'd do that if I were you before she finds you and tears your throat out.

Anytime then leans back again, putting the ice over his eyes.

The file you've received is a map with highlighted areas and routes around the Tacoma area, a few places the robed elf might have stopped and a few suggestions on who might be willing to talk given the right incentives.

Fucking hell, that was weeks ago. I'd completely forgotten about it.

Jasper fishes in his pocket and hands the note to Jon.

Lex blows a smoke ring, and grins at the group.

lex wrote:Ok kids, so I'm not normally a team player, so what's the game plan here? I think some intro's are probably in order. Names Lex, as you know, and the more observant of you have probably twigged that im not as young as I look. We'll get into that when I know you better. Im a wetwork guy, stealthy infiltration and shooting guys a speciality. There's not a lot of physical security can stop me slotting someone, but im not so much with the magic. I get the impression with what happened in the house of horrors that some of you got that side covered. Next?

Lex sits back and carries on smoking. His top seems to have turned into a Bauhaus logo.

We have similar talents then Lex. I prefer to infiltrate unseen as well. I like to find unconventional ways in. Going vertical can make the toughest obstacle nothing but a stepping stone.

I think I should try a fairly direct approach and see what I can glean from asking around. I can pass off as a friend or relative probably and poke around discreetly. I can use a disguise and other things to conceal my identity so I shouldn't be attracting any heat.

Jon takes the letter

Jon wrote:Cheers. I'll give a couple of my contacts a call, see if they've heard anything interesting about this geezer

Jasper wrote:Sahr 'baot dat cap, all dese new folk 'nall. Sho' just said t'give et d'Ee-nglish bra.
Uhh, well ef y'all sayin' stuff 'baot y'all's selves s'pose y'might wanna know bit 'baot mahself. Uhh, name's Jasper 'n ahm a ahl-coholic. Hahaha, sahr folks, jus' felt like dat sorta moment. I do da gris-gris 'n hear da Loa. Voudoun magic. Fucking voudoun magic man. Dey watch over me, 'n I like t' watch over mah bras.

Jon looks uneasy

Jon wrote:Fuck, keep forgetting I need glasses to see small shit. Would one of you guys help me out and read the letter to me later on, I wanna know what it says sooner rather than later

Fab - Furious has heard of the attack on the spikers, but nothing more than that. You draw a blank from everyone else.

The addresses Anytime sent you are-

A small magic shop a few miles from the club, it doesn't appear to have a name or opening times listed anywhere.

A warehouse on the docks - registered to one of the minor corps, listed as producing specialist machine parts for ruggedised building machinery. Anytime's notes simply state 'no idea about this one, source who spotted 'blue elf in robe' (his words) unreliable.'

The Crying Wall. Anytime's note 'doubtful a blue robed elf would want or get access to the underground, maybe he was just catching up on some bad vibes. Try asking for an ork named Ghallo.'

The Charles Royer Station. Anytime's note - 'not sue if he caught the train or used the helipad, regular first and last point of contact.'

The file has a short plan of action suggestion from Anytime attached.

Code: Select all


Here's how I'd try it.

The warehouse, always good for an ambush is a warehouse. Has the robe even been there though? Informant is a drunk with a bit of a thing for deepweed, so he may have just been on a bit of a trip when he saw the 'blue elf'. Still, no stoner unturned right?

Likely the mage sells drek to fools in daylight hours. I'd go there after dark myself, but you guys are strong in mojo so you could go whenever, far more likely to learn something from gentle pressure, push too hard he'll likely drop the shop defences, whatever they are.

The Crying Wall. Possibly just taking some time off, but an acquaintance suggested blood magic may have a way of draining negative energies to buff powers, this place is obviously rammed with massively potent bad juju. Pay the ork what he asks and he'll leave you alone so you can test  theories and try a few spells if you think you need to.

The station is the targets definite area entry point, this is where you'll pick him up, suggest leaving this until you've learned what he's been up to everywhere else. If he surfaces here you'll find out a few seconds after I do, I've got eyes on.

Keep me informed.

Good hunting.

Firenza wrote:As some of you may have guessed from my attire, I am from an old branch of the Wiccan family. Alas, times change as do people - I have not been part of the sisterhood for many years now.

My skills are based in restorative magic - healing and the like. But that isn't to say I am without defences.

Lex may have the advantage in years, but I am only human, and age is a great humbler. I hope you will understand if I don't get involved with the more physical aspects of this work.

Oh yes, don't expect any help with computers from me either.

I'm off for a week now - catch you bummers later.

Maybe Lex and I should scope out the warehouse. We could probably get in unseen and figure out if the elf has been there or not.

Anytime pulls the ice from over his eyes and looks round at you all.

Anytime wrote:You guys still here?

Jon stands up

Jon wrote:Right, as much as I would like to stay sat here gawping at you all, I have a invite from a hot sounding bird to go racing, anyone who wants to join me is welcome to. You never know, we might find something about this blue robed chap

The time and date for the race isn't 'right now' fab, it's a downtime thing. Apologies if that wasn't clear in the pm.

5punk

Pete's second shadowrun adventure: The Well of Wyrd