IC : The Cleansing White Hand, Now with less players! Options

[FrostyNSO]

Koe

[ Spoiler ]

After having a good round of goodbyes with the crew, you grab your considerable load of gear and lug it through the base to the entrance of the hotel-resort. The cool tunnels of the base are claustrophobic and weathered, but kept very clean. As you make your way through, you see what looks to be an elf with blueish-black skin and stunning long white hair approaching from the other direction. As she gets closer, you notice her to be rather attractive and fit, and as you pass eachother, you realize that it isn't her skin that is blueish-black, she actually has a very fine layer of fur. She gives you a smile from under her platinum locks as you pass her by.

After a short jaunt, you arrive at the entrance to the hotel-resort, The Regency Antarctica. As you enter the lobby, you are hit with a warm sensation of artificialy maintained atmosphere. Most astonishing is the huge glass dome that tops the lobby, a sharp contrast from the steel-framed and polymer tunnels of the rest of the base you've seen thus far. Between the support beams, you can see the flying ice and snow being whipped above the dome by the ferocious winds. Curiously, you don't hear them at all, only the calm sound of the fountain that marks the centerpiece of the lobby and soft classical music mixed with pleasant conversation. Near the fountain, you see a man and woman in nice dress conversing over cups of warm drink. To the far end of the room leading down a beautiful hall complete with shandeliers and velvet carpet, you see a well-dressed concierge manning his desk. Finding the front desk, you are met by very clean cut, sharply dressed woman, her dark hair straightened and pulled back into a ponytail, fully exposing her dark brown eyes as you approach her.

You set your gear by the fountain and speak with the front desk clerk, explaining what you would like. After punching a few keys on the cyberterm at her desk, she tells you what's available.

"We have one of our suite rooms available for :nuyen: 250 a night, or we can upgrade you to a getaway room for an additional :nuyen: 125 per night." She explains. "Guests are free to go to the restaurant at any time, we have strange hours around here with the days being as long as they are. Between 8 and 11am they have a brunch and in two hours the buffet will be opening. The buffet hours are between 8 and 10pm. Is there anything else we can do for you?"

Justin and Giles

[ Spoiler ]

As you attack the scarred man, your lightsaber dancing gracefully through the air, he turns aside your blade with one end of his weapon and simultaniously launches an attack directed at Giles with the other end. Easily deflecting it, Giles stumbles backwards nonetheless. Seeing him off-balance, the scarred man moves in, launching another assault with both blades that Giles only barely staves off. Seeing your opprotunity, you strike with lightning speed. Catching the scarred man off-guard, he tries with futility to deflect your attack. With a clean slice, the tip of your blade cuts accross the scarred man's left forarm. The power of your blade sends a faint blue ripple accross the scarred man's body as he grimaces in pain. He must have some sort of armor spell.

Not giving you time to debate with yourself, you see the man make a quick gesture towards Giles, who reels as if he was lassoed by an invisible rope. Stumbling, Giles seems to free himself with little difficulty aside from his initial reaction. You glance back to see if the girl is ok, but she is nowhere to be seen.

[FrostyNSO]

Justin and Giles

[ Spoiler ]

Through the darkness of the alley, you drop back nto a defensive stance and feel the mana running through the place. Concentrating on shaping those forces, you shape and unleash a powerful bolt of lightning towards the scarred man. As the bolt leaves your hands, you feel the control you had of it slightly slip as it streaks towards it's intended target. You feel the pain of the spell's backlash in your forehead as it drains the energy from your being, but it passes.
To your dismay, you see the scarred man reflexively catch the bolt, as if to throw it back, but it dissipates within his hands. Seeing an opprotunity, you see Giles leap forward to strike again with his lightsaber, it's bright glow illuminating his dark longcoat around him. Giles attacks with allhis ferocity, but the scarred man effortlessly deflects all his furious blows.

[Qillin]

Koe says" I'll take the suite and just for a night. I'll be heading out on adventure in the morning. You wouldn't know where I could find a geological map of the ice plain of this area that has been recently updated would you?"
Koe will take the room key and bring his stuff to his room. Then go to the restaurant for some food.

[FrostyNSO]

Justin and Giles

[ Spoiler ]

You leap forward, charging the scarred man with all you have, striking furiously at his flawless defense. Unfortunately, he deftly deflects your blows, nearly removing your head in a counter-attack that you barely manage to evade. As he slide-steps back under your assault, he unleashes a lightning-fast bolt of ice at Giles, who struggles to keep up with your assault. In a desperate move, Giles swings his saber at the fast-moving bolt, striking it and deflecting it into the stained brick wall of the alley.

Koe

[ Spoiler ]

"I'm sorry sir, I don't know very much about that." The attractive girl replies when you ask her about the maps. "There's an outdoor shop near here that has equipment and guides. Our concierge can direct you there if you're looking for an adventure."

You thank the girl for the information and grab your stuff after she issues you a keycard. The bellhop comes up to help you with your gear, but you wave him off, preferring to carry it yourself.
Upon arriving to your room, you are pleasantly suprised. It is well-heated with great furnishings, but no windows, and is much larger than you expected. On the trid-stand, you see a bowl of fresh-cut fruit and chocolate covered strawberries. The minibar is fully stocked and there is a comfortable, large couch in addition to the thick, queen sized bed. In the corner, there is a cyberterminal available.

After getting your gear stowed, you head to the hotel's restaurant, simply named The Dining Room. Though the buffet is being set up, it isn't yet available so you order the house special, which tonight is a perfectly prepared rack of lamb topped with cinamon apple-sauce and served with rice and sauteed vegetables. You enjoy the amazing meal, and return to your room, where you enjoy a warm bath knowing you may not get another for a while. You easily fall asleep and rest well before waking in the morning, ready to go.

[FrostyNSO]

Justin and Giles

[ Spoiler ]

Breathing heavily from the exertion, you drop into a defensive stance and shape another lightning bolt. Blasting through the scarred man's shielding, he tries ineffectively to stop the blast, which strikes him directly in the chest. He flies back from the sudden shock, landing on his back, slightly dazed. You try to fight back the backlash of mana you feel from the powerful spell you just unleashed, your eyes squinting at the pain in your head.

As the scarred man thuds painfully into the ground, his saber deactivates and skitters accross the pavement as he loses his grip. The scarred man's clothes steaming from the blast of lightning, Giles closes the distance between the two and places his gleaming lightsaber blade at the man's neck.

"You're a skilled mage. But you should try to be less impulsive." Giles remarks to the scarred man. Directing his next question to you, he asks. "What should we do with him?"

Before giving you a chance to answer, the scarred man intercedes: "My apprentice and others will be here in moments. You do not know who you're dealing with."

[Qillin]

Koe on his way out in the morning will stop to talk to the concierge. "Good morning sir. I heard you would be the man to talk to track down some equipment and maybe a good guide. Do you know where maybe I could pick up a recently updated geological map of the area? Or just direct me to the outdoor shop the front desk lady said was near here unless there is a better place to go ofcourse."

After talking with the concierge for a while Koe will head over to the residential area and try and find the Silap Innua bar.

[FrostyNSO]

Koe

[ Spoiler ]

After getting ready and leaving your room, you head to the concierge desk and speak to the concierge, a different one than you saw before. This concierge is a well-endowed ork female impeccibly dressed. You put forth your inquiries and she answers. "Well sir, the best place to find a guide is at the equipment shop called Icetek. We can arrange for a guide through them right now if you wish. Are you looking for a day-hike or an overnight excursion? We also offer southern lights tours. Also included in the charges is any gear you might need, for which if you return it in working order, the fee can be waived, minus a usage fee." The ork thinks for a moment after you ask about the geological maps. "I know there are some geological survey maps that they sell at Icetek, but I always throught the shifting ice made most of those useless within a few months. You may want to ask your guide. So, shall we schedule you a tour?"

You ploitely decline, telling her you will have to think about it. You get directions to get to Icetek (only a short walk through the base from here), but head for the residential area instead.

You make your way through the steel and plasticrete tunnels, noticing that it is slightly chilling throughout. The air however is clean and crisp, and rather refreshing. Every once in a while, you pass by a skylight, pausing to look at the blowing ice above. After only a short while, you enter the residential area, almost indistinguishable from the rest of the base aside from the jury-rigged hatches that appear from time to time on either side of the tunnels as you walk. On one, hangs an old plank of wood with the word "Challenge" embossed upon it. The piece looks very old and weathered. Outside of another, you see a small pot with some hardy-looking crabgrass-like plant growing out of it. Beside it, another pot with a small tomato plant, it's buds picked clean. You continue down the numerous tunnels, marvelling at what it must be like to live here. One door has a sign that reads "Home, chilly home." Occasionally, you pass a resident, many of whom give you a hardy "Good day to you!".

After wandering through the tunnels for quite some time, you meander into a section where the skylights are blacked out and the lighting units are burned out save for a few. You notice the air grow noticably cooler, and the wind outside becomes easily heard. Faintly, the walls of the tunnels rattle during a big gust. Down one of the tunnels, you notice a faint red glow. As you approach, you spot a transient-looking fellow lying on the floor, bundled in rags and a heavy, dingy coat. He holds out his gnarled arms and begs you: "Nuyen? Nuyen?" A little ways further down, you see a sickly young woman and a small child, huddling together close for heat and draped by a large, torn blanket. They don't appear to notice you. At the end of the tunnel, you see an open hatch, and a red neon sign with a neon palm tree that reads: Silap Innua

[Climhazzard]

Looking to his left, than to his right, up and down. Justin can't find the girl anywhere. Justin pauses for a second to think, did she go back in the club? Did my lightsaber scare her away? What have I done? In a panic Justin runs to the street to see if she ran away.

[FrostyNSO]

Justin and Giles

[ Spoiler ]

In a panic, you rush out to the street. "Damnit!" Giles curses, stepping back from the wounded scarred man, and following you (moving backwards), but keeping an eye on the scarred man until you round the corner. Suddenly, you jump in suprise to find the girl immediately around the corner, waiting at a cab with the door to the back seat open.
"Get inside!" She yells at both you and Giles. You notice Giles has left the scarred man unattended to follow you. Around the corner, if he was smart, he'd used this opportunity to escape. Sensing your dismay by the look on your face, Giles explains himself quickly.
"I don't kill a helpless opponent."

[Climhazzard]

"I agree" responds Justin, "And this is this perfect get away for us, common lets get out of here!!!"

[Qillin]

Koe will walk up and goes through the open hatch trying not to pull much attention to himself. He will take a quick look around the place and then if there are tables he will try and sit in a corner thats alittle dark.

edited for door issues

[FrostyNSO]

Justin and Giles

[ Spoiler ]

The three of you frantically pile into the cab, the girl getting in first. With a stunned look on her face, the girl turns her head around and gives you a dirty look. "Excuse me!?" Not knowing what she's talking about initially, you are embarrassed to find that as you were trying to push your way in so quickly, one of your hands had found it's way to her buttocks. You quickly remove the hand as Giles pipes in.
"This is no time for modesty, let's go!" To which everybody gets in. The driver looks back and asks where to. "Drive." Giles replies. You turn your head to look at the alley as the taxi begins to pull away. From the alley, you see the scarred man's apprentice rush out to the sidewalk. Seeing the cab puling away, he makes a waving motion, and an instant later, the back window shatters into a thousand pieces, dumping glass on the three of you. The apprentice gnashes his teeth in anger, pacing, as you all leave him behind.
The girl, using the back of her hand to clear the glass from your hair asks you: "So where are we going?"

Koe

[ Spoiler ]

You pass by the poor beggar and as you approach the young woman and her child, you hear the music within the bar ahead become audible to you. The girl lowers her head and refuses to look at you as you pass.
Trying to remain unnoticed, you enter the hatch and see the dark bar from the inside, the only visable light coming from the numerous neon alcohol signs that decorate the place. It looks to have two rooms. The main room with the bar where you are now, and a second room with numerous tables and door leading to either bathroom. The main room is large and lined with a well-stocked bar with stools along it. The majority of the room is empty, in what almost looks like a dance floor configuration. The second room is dotted with tables and two billiard tables. Almost as dim as the main room, additional lighting is provided by the lamps above the billiards tables.
At the bar, you see a hairy ork bartender having some sort of discussion with two dwarf females in dingy cold-weather clothing. At one end of the bar, you notice the same dark skinned, er- furred elf you passed the day before in the tunnels. On the other end, you see a rough-looking human in "street clothes" wearing a set of arctic goggles pulled atop his head amongst a scruffy, short slock of black hair. Glancing over to the second room, you see a lone ork, idly playing a game of billiards with himself. At his side, you see a sawed-off shotgun with a pistol grip. At the end of the grip is a steel ring that suspends it from an old tuna hook sewn into his belt. He wears short sleeves, a tank top in fact, that reads "The King of Beers". While he shoots billiards, a human female in her middle ages watches him play, all the while playing with a shiney butterfly knife.
As you are stepping into the bar, you feel an enormous weight on your shoulder that almost drops you to the floor. Turning around, you see the biggest troll you've ever seen standing beside the door in the shadow. Or at least you think he's a troll. Standing around 10 feet tall, but lacking any horns or dermal deposits, and with pale skin and a shaved head, he lets go as you turn around and speaks.
"You new here. Watch yourself, new ones not liked much 'ere." He says. "I'm Thirteen. No, not my age, that's my name. If you need something, I can help you."

[Qillin]

Koe thanks Thirteen for the advice and makes his way to the bar. He will sit a stool or 2 down from the Furry lady. And flag down the bartender. “I’ll take a Beer please.” Koe thinks to himself (It’s still early). After getting his beer he will turn around and lean against the bar and see if there is a jukebox.

[FrostyNSO]

Koe

[ Spoiler ]

The bartender reaches under the bar and grabs a stein, turning his back on you to fill it at the fountain, tipping it so as to drain the head. He turns back, setting it on the bar with a heavy thud, froth still creeping down the side of the clear glass. You give the bartender :nuyen: 8 and turn to look around for some tunes. Sure enough, pressed underneath Thirteen's massive bulk, you see a beat up digital jukebox. Though when one day it would've been lit up like a christmas tree, many of the lights seem to be non-functioning now. The digital display seems to be in tact though.

[Climhazzard]

"We should mabey talk this over a meal." Justin says to the girl. "Oh yeah what is your name? I am Justin, and this is Giles." Justin motions to the driver "Nacho Mama please, but none close to this location. Take us to one in another city please."

[Qillin]

Koe will take a drink then walk over to the jukebox and play some jazz/blues/and some slow dance songs. Then walk back over and sit right next to the Furry Lady.

[FrostyNSO]

Justin and Giles

[ Spoiler ]

The driver, visably shaken by the incident that just occured, groans a response. "Sure thing buddy, but you know you'll be paying for that window."
Giles responds as the cabbie turns the cab towards Tacoma. "This should cover the ride and the window." He says calmly, crediting the driver :nuyen: 600 from his credstick.

After a half-hour drive, the cab arrives at a Nacho Mama, where the three of you get out. The girl looks at you with a snide grin. "Nacho Mama?" She says, "You really know how to impress a girl don't you?" Shrugging off the obviously smug remark, the three of you head into the fast-food joint and order some food. Everyone has a seat at a corner table and the girl starts:

"So, who should start?"

Koe

[ Spoiler ]

You find a few good old blues songs and punch them up on the jukebox, Thirteen not bothering to get out of the way as you operate the machine. As the first song starts up, he off-handedly remarks to you "Good choice."

After putting together a selection of songs, you take a seat at the bar next to the elf with the fine dark fur. She turns her head slightly to look at you as you sit down and winks her right eye. She pauses as you get settled then addresses you. "So, you gonna buy a girl or drink, or just sit there?"

[Qillin]

"Koe looks over and says in a calm tone "Konechiwa (AKA hello) I'm Koe. I would be happy to get you a drink ..." pauses a sec. "If i could get your name first." then smiles ever so slightly.

[FrostyNSO]

Koe

[ Spoiler ]

The "fuzzy" elf answers wryly, a playful smile upon her face. "What a gentleman...I am Elle...and order me a screwdriver." She punctuates her sentence with a coy wink. "We don't get many outsiders in this part of the base. You must be looking for trouble...or have someone looking for you."

[Qillin]

"Well Elle, vary nice to meet you." raises a hand to get the bartenders attention. "Can i get a screwdriver for the lady please." looking back at Elle. " I was just looking for a less stuffy place to get a good drink at. (insert arctic star's captains name here) the captain of the arctic star said this would be the place to get a good drink at. I came over with them as there cook. But i'm here for some adventure in the icy wilderness. Enough about me, how long have you lived here?"

[FrostyNSO]

Koe

[ Spoiler ]

The bartender provides you your drinks, which the woman kindly motions to the bartender, making a writing motion with her hand to place the drinks on her tab. "Adventure isn't something people genaerally have to look for in these parts." She answers. "I sense you are on some important errand, no? As for me: Let's say I've been here long enough to have my own running tab at this bar." She smiles playfully with the final comment, looking for a reaction.

[Qillin]

"Important task... no. No more then a small job i picked up to help pay the bills for getting myself into adventures in places like this. Would you care to dance?" With that he stands and puts his hand out to her.

[FrostyNSO]

Koe

[ Spoiler ]

She looks at your hand in a coy fashion. "Dance?" She giggles to herself slightly. "No thank you. I think I'll sip my drink and enjoy the music from here." With that, she does exactly as she says. She again sets down her drink and continues. "So you are one of these wealthy gentlemen who finds adventure everywhere he goes? Own a seed company somewhere that runs itself while you hop about the globe and spend it's money? Like the other kinds we get here? Or are you one who rides the winds like a fallen leaf? Gathering just enough breeze here and there to get you just to your next destination..."

[Qillin]

Koe will sit back down with the ladies rejection." The latter more or less." he takes a drink himself. " This bar has quite an interesting name. What is it again?"

[FrostyNSO]

Koe

[ Spoiler ]

The woman looks at you quizzically. "The name of the bar? Silap Innua. It is...the spirit of the antarctic. Very dangerous." She brushes her hair back with her lithe fingers. "Uh-oh...maybe I shouldn't have said that. It is common knowledge that handsome, adventurous strangers cannot resist anything that is dangerous." She giggles again and takes a sip of her screwdriver.