Czlaplon Quest

[Kasbak]

I'll grant Shaliko the point, though from Isaac's description it sounded to me like the actual person was significantly taller than their disguise. Regardless, Astral Sighting people as we mingle would be a good idea. There's even the potential to do some checking in the open, though whether or not that's a good idea will depend on exactly how the situation there unfolds. If these two stick to their angle of being dark and mysterious while brooding in the corner, they should be able to scan and keep it all in character. As long as they can conceal their searching well enough and there's enough activity going on to keep the attention off of them, it might work.

Right to the business at hand, no arguments from me. Heading straight up to the lounge deck where Mekhitar indicated he'd be. I'm betting with these two menacing looking figures, we won't be held up much by any passengers. Again, that suits me fine, it just means we'll get there quicker. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious about what our Troubadour has planned, though I'm sure I'm less apprehensive about it.

[TarlimanJoppos]

The three of you reach the lounge deck, and are beckoned into a service passageway by Mekhitar. The passageway would be small for the four of you, but Gudrun takes up a considerable portion of it. With the addition of Kolbeinn and Garsevan, you very nearly have to take turns breathing.

“Fine!” says Mekhitar, giving each of you a quick looking over and fussing a bit over your garb. “Let's do this. I'll lead in. When I call your Name, step in, stop just inside, give the audience a flourish, then move off to the right. We'll all gather by the bar. Once I'm done with the introductions, and the last flash, then we'll disperse to work the crowd. Gudrun, Isaac, both of you stay toward the bulkheads, out of the middle of the lounge, and apart from each other. People are going to be nervous enough about you, if we put the two of you together we'll scare the horses.” He takes a deep breath, lets it out, closes his eyes. Suddenly, he's On Stage, a larger presence, and when he opens his eyes they're almost literally sparkling. “It's Showtime!” (Everybody gets a +1 step Charisma bonus for your First Impression or raw CHA test due to the Troubadour's inspiration.)

Mekhitar steps out of the passage, tosses a handful of something from a belt pouch through the entry to the lounge, and steps through the resulting cloud of smoke and sparks. “Ladies! Gentlemen!” he calls out, his voice carrying throughout the riverboat. “Namegivers of all ages! Welcome to this adventurous cruise aboard Athenar's Fancy! I am Mekhitar the Magnificent, Troubadour of the Tenth Circle, and your host and master of ceremonies! Without further ado, let me introduce to you the fearless adepts who stalk the dreaded Horrors! Garsevan Pakhalov, Swordmaster of the Ninth Circle!”

Garsevan floats off through the hatchway. There's a bang and a spray of sparks as he does so, and the crowd gasps, then applauds. You can't see from the passageway what's going on in there.

“Kolbeinn Escalanas, Elementalist of the Fourth Circle!” Kolbeinn flinches a little, then steps through the entryway. Another bang and shower of sparks, and applause.

“Isaac the Dark, Horror Stalker of the Fourth Circle!”

[arcomniflash]

I don't really know much about conducting myself for this sort of thing, or about flourishes...I can, however, be polite. I'll step through the hatchway and regard the audience for a moment before giving them a slight smile and removing my hat to place it on my chest. This is followed by a small bow, after which I'll replace the hat before moving away and letting the next person entry, hopefully they weren't expecting anything more than that.

(Charisma Check - 10 *roll up* + 6 = 16)

[TarlimanJoppos]

There's a bang, right around you, when you step through, and a spray of multicolored sparks, but you'd been hearing bangs when the other members of your party stepped through, so you were prepared for it. The audience applause is perhaps a bit tentative and nervous. You step away and join the rest by the bar.

"Shaliko of the Vorst, Astral Warrior of the Eighth Circle!" announces Mekhitar. As Shaliko steps in, Mekhitar tosses a small handful of something in his direction, and there's a bang and a shower of sparks. Shaliko snaps off a couple of unarmed combat moves, then drops to one knee and punches into the air - and through it, his hand vanishing through a ripple to emerge halfway across the lounge, where he plucks a gentleman's boutonniere. Pulling his hand back, he stands, sniffs the flower, and tucks it into his collar before bowing to astonished applause and moving over to the bar.

"Now to see if he'll accept its return," he murmurs to Isaac.

"Alston Yahi, Archer of the Fifth Circle!" Mekhitar announces.

[Kasbak]

(First Impression Roll. Step 8 +1 bonus from Mekhitar = Step 9, d8+d6. I rolled respectively, 8+8+4+5=25. The d8 liked me this time, don't know what it is about this character and First Impression.)

Having seen the pattern for everyone else, I'll be prepared for this. As soon as my name is announced, I'm going to fly straight out at full speed, using Sprint to help boost, and do a lap around the deck before going straight up above the entry way, high enough to make sure everyone can see. I'll take up three arrows to shoot out at once, Flame Arrows of course, pointing them over the deck and out into the river. Once they've been shot off, I'll fold my wings back and let myself free fall until I'm just a short distance above the deck, then let them spread back out and use the momentum to swoop up onto a nearby table or railing, something tall enough for most to see me, so that I can take a bow before I join the others.

[TarlimanJoppos]

Alston: There's gasps, and oohs and aahs, and thunderous applause when you take your bow. Mekhitar tips you a wink. Then he drops his voice to a somber pitch, and strums a minor chord on his lute.

"Of course, when one hunts Horrors, one requires a magician of especial ability. Ladies and gentlemen, our Nethermancer, Gudrun Shadowdreamer Rockhorn, of the Tenth Circle."

Darkness billows through the hatchway. A shape moves within it. There's no bang, no sparks. From within the shadows, Gudrun emerges, pacing slowly, hands clasped before her, eyes narrowed. The darkness falls away, and there's a long silence. Finally, one person claps, weakly, a couple of times before stopping.

"We are the Relentless Hunters," Mekhitar intones, pacing his words slowly. "The Horrors are afraid of us." He tosses a handful of the special-effect powder out over the crowd, and there's a bang, and sparks go everywhere. A few shrieks, a couple of startled oaths, and then Mekhitar hits a major chord and strums hard, and the crowd breaks into applause again. The crew does a brisk service for a few minutes providing drinks, as quite a few of the passengers seem to want something stronger. Mekhitar swaggers over to the bar and appropriates a glass of wine.

Well, for better or worse, you've been Named.

[arcomniflash]

I won't exactly mingle with people, keeping my distance and perhaps going to the bar to get a drink myself. In situations like these it's best not to speak unless spoken to. Regardless, I have another job to do. I'll activate Astral Sight and try to look as innocuous as possible while sipping my drink. I'm really looking for any abnormalities like what I saw before. Hopefully, people shouldn't bother me that much. If they do then I'll deal with it on a case by case basis.

[Kasbak]

Since I don't have Astral Sight as a Talent, my range is much more limited, and I won't be as likely to pierce the veil with all the excitement going on. I think I'll do much better in the crowd, meeting with some people and scanning with my normal sight. Also, I've just got a feeling that people will find me more approachable than some of the darker members of the party.

As discussed, I'll stick by Kolbeinn for the most part to help translate for him. However, if I do manage to spot something interesting, I'm much more mobile than the others, and I can flitt in for a closer look if/when the opportunty arises.

[TarlimanJoppos]

Isaac: Make three Astral Sight tests.
Alston: Make three Charisma tests and three Perception tests.

[arcomniflash]

I'll spend a point of karma on each one -

1st roll - 4+3+4 (11)
2nd roll - 4+6+4(+4) (18)
3rd roll - 6+4+8(+7) (25)