STF

Cargo Bay 4: A call to action (new arrivals welcome)

Posted Feb. 20, 2020, 10:17 p.m. by Commander D'Vash Odinson (First Officer) (Terry Sullivan)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Erikk Mendez (Chief Science Officer) in Cargo Bay 4: A call to action (new arrivals welcome)

Posted by Lieutenant Sural (Chief Engineer) in Cargo Bay 4: A call to action (new arrivals welcome)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Sathut (Counselor) in Cargo Bay 4: A call to action (new arrivals welcome)
Posted by… suppressed (12) by the Post Ghost! 👻

<snip>

Suravil considered the offer. The pay was generous for the work, for many would suggest silver rather than gold. That told him that their host was not precisely ‘on the level’ as one dockworker that he had been employed with had said. That had been a very short stint of work on the docks of Luskan. Suravil had been there only long enough to earn passage away on a caravan for the more southern regions of the Sword Coast. He thought Hood’s suggestion was equitable. Food and water was not expensive and they carried what else they required as a standard outfitting in the event of employment and adventure. Nodding his assent he replied, “I agree to this.” While the idea of accompanying a salt merchant was not precisely the most adventurous thing he had ever done, any possibility of ‘old places’ to explore was what ‘got him up in the morning’.
- Suravil

Sathut paused a second. “One moment, friends. I must depart.” The dark-skinned human froze in place as the counselor detached his consciousness from the program.

Outside, he gave a grin to the man who had just entered the Shuttle-craft within the cargo bay. “Erikk. Good to see you. Come on in and take a seat.”

What Erikk would see was a room the size of a shuttlecraft. This was no Holodeck experience. There were a total of seven chairs in the small chamber, each made quite comfortable. Six human-sized helmets sat in alcoves above six human-sized chairs, while the seventh chair was much smaller, fitted for Sathut’s biology, including a somewhat more complicated cranial device. As the one in charge of the simulation, he would need more complex control over the mental landscape the Mind-Room would allow him access to. Two of the human-sized chairs were occupied by what appeared to be a sleeping D’Vash and Sural, the XO and CE.

Sathut explained the situation to Mendez. What he saw before him was a piece of technology from Sathut’s homeworld called the Mind Chamber. Sathut explained that the chamber was a virtual reality simulation similar to the Holodeck, but which took over one’s senses to allow them a deeper immersion into the simulation. Once Mendez was plugged in, Sathut joined the simulation again and it resumed.

“Seems an awful big job for only a few men.” A quiet new voice piped up, “I shall go as well,” Dressed in an old, worn pair of pants and an equally worn tunic, the man who may or may not be recognized as the Lt (jg) Mendez, blended in perfectly, though the clothes were in fact just his off duty clothes. Not a costume. He had entered a few minutes prior, and had listened quietly in the shadows. Now he stepped forward revealing his presence to the others.

Mendez

Hood’s hand went to the hilt of his ebony blade as the newcomer approached. When he saw it was the ships new Chief science officer dressed in clothes not yet matching the setting they were in, he relaxed.

“Welcome, Lt. I think I can speak for everyone here, you’re welcome to come along, but remember in this little soiree there is no rank. I’m playing Hood, the team’s thi–acquisitions expert. Sathut is our new halfling employer, and Sural is playing Surival, an elven. . . wizard, or sorcerer? I’m not quite sure yet. He hasn’t had the chance to cast any spells, so far.”

Hood

Surival (spell check hates this name!!!) inclined his head. “Indeed. In our initiation to this simulation we were passed through a device that transformed us into our .. >>simulacrum that you see here. Sathut can assist from here to properly assimilate you into this. However, welcome.”
- Sural/Surival

A dark-skinned human lifted his hand. “I am Sathut. I am playing Samuel, a human monk.” This visage was quite different than his real body, being a six-foot tall human instead of the four-foot alien he actually was. He moved his fingers and the sound of the tavern stopped. “The benefit of the Mind Chamber is that one can become something different than what they are. Erikk, you can be anything you wish to be. Dwarf, Elf, Halfling, Orc… And decide on your fighting style.”

Sathut, CNS

Erikk’s eyebrows knit themselves together, half the creatures listed to him were unfamiliar, and wondered if Elf was another word for Vulcan. In the end he decided to keep it simple and chose to remain human. Something he knew and understood seemed a resonable choice considering he had a basic understanding of this mind game the other officers were playing. As he made his choices his appearence changed, his hair shortened until it sat just above his shoulders, his pants grew darker, and his tunic turned into a plain cotton shirt covered by a hide vest. Hide gauntlets appeared on his writs and his shoes turned into boots. A brown belt with a pouch and tiny scaboard hung around his waist. Finally, a quiver of arrows appeared on his back, and a long bow in his hand.

“I will play Faran, a human ranger.” He said eventually, finding that part the hardest out of all the other choices. Initially, to save trouble, he had thought to dub his character ‘Kieran’ like his brother had been called, but it seemed too personal, too easy a choice. He’d then thought of a nickname like ‘Shadow,’ but he knew a curr name Shadow. Eventually he’d settled on ‘Faran’ the name of a favourite character in a holonovel Erikk enjoyed.

Faran/Mendez

Sathut nodded, and with a wave of his arm the simulation continued, the sound of the tavern coming back to them.

D’vash nodded at the scientists choice of roles to play. “Welcome to the party, Faran. Call me Hood.”

Odinson/Hood

Surival studied the warrior before them. By the appearance he well fit the rustic ranger that Faran described himself as. Given their makeup at this time a fighter rounded them out better. “When do we depart for the Underdark” he inquired. It was not that he was in a rush, however his available funds were low and he had purchased supplies and needed materials for his trade. He would need to secure intermediate employment should this delay long.
Suravil

“We can start in the mornin’, if yer down for it,” their halfling employer replied with a grin. “Mornin’after tha’ if any of you still has some preparin’ to be done.”

‘Sam’ nodded, then looked to the others. “You all have a starting inventory, you can access it in the menu that just popped into your field of vision. Figure out if there’s anything you’d like to purchase before we go down, then I’ll transition the scene.”

Gamwich, the NPC, looked at the quartet quietly and expectantly.

“So far the AI has been performing quite well, I’d say,” ‘Sam’ commented, reminding his guests of the purpose for this experience. He had integrated the Holodeck Character AI into the Mind Chamber, which had formerly been unable to simulate realistic people, and was using this program as a test to see how good the integration was to people used to Holodeck AI.

Sathut, CNS

D’vash scanned the inventory and picked out some essentials: torches, rations, an extra dozen crossbow bolts. “Will there be extra room in your wagon for some provisions?”

Hood (the Prepared)

Following suit ‘Faran’ selected out a tinder box, some rope and a waterskin. He seemed to debate with himself about taking a blanket, but in the end came back with just those three items.

Faran

OOC: Not sure if y’all were waiting on me .. as an odd question, which edition are we playing per se?
IC:

Suravil tapped at the display. He had, in is incarnation, been outfitted as he had desired. That was only .. logical. He did, however, select a flint and steel as well along with food rations. The Underdark, while a formidable place, was one that had streams and lakes and water sources. Food, however, was not so plentiful. Given the cavernous nature of the region Suravil chose a climbers kit to go with Faran’s rope, a bedroll and lantern, a half dozen candles, and, as a last thought, a belt pouch for his immediate needs. He had a waterskin previously in his pack, though little else beyond his own professional needs.
- Suravil

(Ooc: 5e. It’s the only one I know. Lol)
OOC: Good Lord, I feel so old. I started with AD&D …

The scene seemed to shift, their perception changing to put them at the opening to a large cave. “Well, here she is.” Gamwich stated, looking at his four bodyguards. His equipment and theirs was stashed in his little cart, pulled by a donkey of calm temperament by the name of Ed.

‘Sam’ grinned at everyone. “Alright, we can head into the cavern now, if everyone is ready?”

Sathut, CNS

“We’re not gonna make this delivery standing around mates,” Hood replied, and stepped into the cavern. He sniffed the air and inspected their surroundings. He moved to the side of the cavern without a sound and did his best to blend in with the shadows.

Hood (the shadow)

The sudden change was curious and not at all unwelcome. He had not relished a great amount of walking and the quality of Inn in that town was more for the liking of the vermin than those who stayed there. As he gazed at the cavern entrance he could see the telltale marks of others who had passed that way. Mule droppings, a wheel mark in a muddy puddle, and the remains of a fire and camp not far from the entrance. He could feel the cool air wafting out, faintly moist. “Ready,” he replied himself, readying his lantern. Fixing it in his left hand he walked alongside the cart with his staff in his right hand.
- Suravil

Faran nodded that he too was ready. With Hood scouting ahead, he took the other side of the cart to Suravil. Not yet sensing any danger, his bow was slung on his back, but still within reach should he need it. He tread quietly, his eyes scanning above, and anywhere they might get flanked from, looking for the slightest sign of moment.

Faran

With that, the group began to traverse into the underdark. With the four guards surrounding him, Garret felt quite safe.

Sathut walked confidently, his monk robes fitting quite comfortably. “So, Faran, was it? What brings you to this job?” he asked, looking over at Mendez.

Sathut

Bump

Suravil took a position at the right side of the cart and moved along at the slow pace of the animals. His pace took him to be alongside the animals pulling the cart. The lights about the cart helped in the circle of the cart which meant that the party and the animals could get their footing on the stone floor and avoid any pitfalls or boulders in their path. Anything beyond that was anyone’s guess. That was what Suravil attempted to do with his lantern - let it peer into the darkness beyond, shifting the light to run along the ceiling here and there just in case. What lived in caves did not necessarily ‘have’ to walk along the ground but could traverse the walls or ceiling. Unfortunately the cart and animals made sufficient noise to create soft echoes and sound around them that hearing something approaching from where he stood .. difficult.

Suravil himself seethed inside - an emotion he was unfamiliar with - with the innocent question. His reasons were .. not pleasant ones. However they were this was the path he had taken and this is where it had led him to.
- Suravil

Faran strode next to the cart his head turning slightly to search out the monk his eyes catching the lanturn light so that they almost seemed as if they were glowing. “I’m afraid my reasons are not all that honourable. I am here because of the coin. What brings a monk such as yourself here?” he asked heedlessly, thinking tunabout is fair play, “Shouldn’t you… uh be in a monastry?”

Faran

Hood hung close to the wall, scouting slightly ahead of the rest of the party. He moved silently down the tunnel, his dark leathers blending well with the shadows.

He wasn’t really please to be traveling to the Underdark. He was at his best in the urban setting, but coin was coin, and he was low on it, so. . . besides there were cities in the Underdark, weren’t there? And, their employer supposedly knew his way around down here, so what could go wrong, he thought.

Hood


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