Week Twenty-Two, Day Two to Week Twenty-Two, Day three

 

            Travel back home to Esspis.

 

Week Twenty-Two, Day Four

 

            After returning home the team has to come up with a story.  They have been away for almost two weeks without word to the Harrow.  It is decided they will talk it over while at a mall so they might avoid any surveillance in their home.  They come up with a story that they were out on a mission to secure funding for their work in the Harrows by helping a sponsor.  The sponsor is to be O’Laura and they will need her collaboration to make it more authentic.

            A gun enthusiast from New Lyshy has joined the team and takes his enforcer test along with Jeffery who hopes for better ranking.  Markus, the new guy, gets rank 6 while Jeffery gets rank 2.  Lilly buys a thick cushioned lining for her crypt with Murray (17 wafers) and a sparkling colorful outfit for Dlar’s pleasure (20 wafers).

            To set up a meeting with O’Laura the group dresses up in their enforcer uniforms and tries the front desk of her officer building.  As they do not have an appointment they just set one up leaving contact information via radio and their precinct.  Wanting to reaffirm their position as Harrow’s they opt to change back into street clothing and continue patrols of the area they were allotted.

            During their patrol they spot a young doe that upon noticing them looks startled and runs the other way.  They pursue her into a backyard and into the street beyond.  Grey Eyes manages to catch up and question her.  The doe stammers out the beginnings of an explanation just as a sewer cover pops fully free of the ground.  A figure in a yellow robe emerges and states flatly “You certainly kept me waiting”.  Grey Eyes quickly recognizes the figure as Anosa who has become very interested in the absence of the group from Esspis.  She offers them to sit down to a pick-nick that she has brought along and talk things over.  Anosa explains that they have done quite well in vanishing and she has had to outsource to keep tabs on them.  From the basket she produces a severed hand that she nibbles for a moment.  The hand is furless and looks to be from something that has been dead quite a while.  It is a hand from one of the invading creatures from Lyshy.  She waves it a little asking them if they know anything about it, and if they would like a piece.

            Hastily Grey Eyes explains that the group was only looking for a sponsor to assist them in keeping well equipped and to this end they had accepted a side job.  This “job” had taken them far out of Esspis but is more or less over.  Anosa is interested in knowing who would sponsor Harrows.  Grey Eyes tries to weave the notion that they have a meeting with O’Laura to finalize matters.  Anosa just smirks and suggests that she come along for the meeting and vouch for their talents and skills.  With little choice but to accept Grey Eyes is already trying to come up with some way to control the situation.

            Apparently happy for now, Anosa lets everyone return to their patrol.  They continue their patrol route for three days with no message from O’Laura so they decide to check up at the precinct.

 

Week Twenty-Two, Day Five

 

            It turns out that O’Laura had left notification of acceptance and a meeting, that was two days ago.  Shocked that they missed the message they hurry to O’Laura’s office and try to get in contact.  The secretary helps set them up in a conference room where they can have a meeting immediately.  They get there to find O’Laura waiting for them and looking less than pleased.  She chews them out for being late and not keeping up with their contacts.  They apologize as best they can and explain the situation.  O’Laura is still stiff with them but seems to let the matter drop for now.

            O’Laura offers to compensate the team for their work in New Lyshy immediately if they so wish or they may accept another job from her.  If the new job is accepted and completed the payment will be all the greater depending on success.  Liking the sound of this the team agrees.  It turns out O’Laura wants them to do a little spying for Esspis on a rival settlement that is run against the policies Esspis is comfortable with.  The name of the settlement is Syril and they are given a small brochure that covers the major points for visitors.  Syril is about to celebrate its anniversary and the hatching day of Zeen, their zamonudi overseer.  The celebration is week long and portals are opened to many other cities to allow visitors safe passage to join in.  While the Esspis portal is blockaded by the enforcers the team is asked to make their way past it and into Syril as “visitors”.  Once there they are to determine the strengths and weaknesses of Sryil as well as any other impertinent intelligence before returning as the celebration ends.  Their notes will be compared to those already in possession to judge the quality of their work.

            They accept the job and set their minds to prepare for yet another trip away from home.  They decide that in the off time waiting for the portal to show they should just go back to patrolling.  Returning home at the end of the day they check the place out to see if any of Anosa’s agents are watching.  What is found is that there are strange trails on the Ethereal Plane they cannot explain.  While they run through most of the main floor they are found to be most heavy in the basement, under the floor there also appears to be an undulating cocoon of sorts from which it all emanates.

            Wanting a little help Grey Eyes asks Dlar to help guide them to Lybrida who is out shopping.  They meet her at the store and tell her their situation.  She feels she can help them but not “here”, and asks that they come by her house a bit later on.  Once there she states that in return for her help she will need something called “mage dust” which is used as a layman’s means of detecting the mystical.

            From the importer that got them habinashi some time ago they get enough mage dust for their deal plus a little on the side for one hundred-twenty wafers.  In return for this they get a bottle of slimy stuff and a metal loop.  When dipped in the film on the loop allows viewing of both the Astral and Ethereal at the same time.  While a bit confusing to the eye it will let them know if something is there that is not normally seen.

 

Week Twenty-Two, Day Six

 

            Expecting to be gone for a while both Grey Eyes and Lilly plan to secure prey for Dlar before leaving.  They split up in this endeavor with Lilly going on foot and Grey Eyes renting a vehicle.  Lilly manages to hire the services of a prostitute and coax her into the downs with the promise of extra payment for the bad neighborhood.  Once in the basement of Dlar’s lair she cuffs her victim and presents her to Dlar.  Lavishing her attentions upon Dlar as it takes it prey Lilly opts to follow and take her days rest in her master.  While there she finds four rings (3, 8, 5, 4 wafers value).  Elsewhere Grey Eyes tries her luck at clubs.  Today is not her day and she comes away empty handed.

            Happy enough to have another of his blood and mindset around Jeffery takes Markus home to show him his collection of battle trinkets.  Markus is impressed enough that he resolves to start up a collection of his own.  Having the rest of the day to themselves Jeffery, Markus and Kikah check out a club themselves and take up a bit of dancing.  Jeffery manages to just make a fool of him self trying to dance as usual (rolls a 5) so he and Kikah just have a seat and order drinks to pass time.

 

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