The Nameless Legion: Templar Lance- Mission #1

After a few minutes of chatter amongst yourselves, you all look up to witness a very large mechanical man. He is made from what appears to be a combination of metal and wood, finely crafted and etched with mystical markings. His outer framework is made from shining adamantine, and his right arm has been replaced with a large blade. On his chest, apparently etched into his framework, is the emblem of the Shield Breakers, and across his face is the tell-tale Tattoo of Amity that marks him as a fellow Legionnaire.

His feet clunk against the floor of the room as he takes his place at the lecturn. “Good morning, legionnaires.” He says with a terse, mechanical rasp. “My name is Blade. Welcome to Templar Lance. You four will be serving together as an elite quick-response team. You are my first command, and I know you’ll do me proud.”

For Gyre:
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You have heard of Blade’s exploits on the field of battle amongst other Shield Breakers. They say his blade is permanently attached to his arm, and he wields it as expertly as one would his own hand.
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For Sylv:
[SBLOCK]
You recognize Blade to be a warforged; a mechanical race from Eberron that, unlike golems, are sentient.
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For Shadow:
[SBLOCK]
Rumor has it that Blade is not the smartest of fighters, though he can stand his ground with the best melee warriors that the Legion has to offer.
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For Shackler:
[SBLOCK]
You recognize his race as a warforged, and know his race tend not to be psionically active.
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He looks at each of you in turn, as if reciting names that he’s practiced before. “Slyv. Race: Gloura. Gender: Female. Cadre: Rune Breakers. Expertise: Knowledge, Song, Weapons Disarmament. Gyre. Race: Human. Gender: Female. Cadre: Shield Breakers. Expertise: Fast Strike, Multiple Attacks, Maneuverability. Shackler. Race: Elan. Gender: Male. Cadre: Thoughts of War. Expertise: Psionics, Support, Transportation. Shadow. Race: Human. Gender: Female. Cadre: Thoughts of War. Expertise: Stealth, Ambush, Infiltration.”

“Time for your first mission.” Blade calls out into the hall. “Come in.” You all look towards the door, and watch another humanoid enter. In fact, the first thing you all notice, is that the newcomer resembles your teammate Shackler. The newcomer is covered in tattoos, much like shackler, and instead of the Legion’s Tattoo of Amity on his face, you notice a small crystal on his forehead.

“Ah, yes” he says to Blade. He turns to the rest of you. “My name is D’thal. I am a member of the Council of Seers. We are an organization of psions…” he looks straight at Shackler “perhaps you heard of us? We have come to request the Legion help us solve a… problem of ours.” He places a small stone into the center of the table. Speaking the word “Show”, the stone emits an image above the tabletop. It is the image of a male human, with a bald head and a torc around his neck. He is garbed in a green robe, and carries a large staff with a crystal atop it. “This is Lashimire Al’Dtenore. He was once a member of our Council. However, he was banished from our organization when we discovered some… shall we say “unethical” experimentation practices. This was a few years ago.”

“Recently, we have found that, when Lashimire left, he had taken a tome from our library. We need this book retrieved. This book, Sunken Utopias, is a unique collection of knowledge. We have found Lashimire’s abode simply enough, using scrying magics, but we have run into a complication. The council’s code of conduct prevents an attack on Lashimire directly, and so we had hoped to retrieve the book surreptitiously. However, some ward prevents us from teleporting directly into his base of operations. Teleport, Dimension Door, and even Gate all failed.”

D’thal looks to Blade. Blade picks up the mission briefing. “Your job will be to retrieve not only this tome, but any other book found in Lashimire’s library. Old Kento, headmaster of the Legion library, wants more psionic information. D’thal has agreed the Legion’s payment will be Lashimire’s library. We have scryed on Lashimire, and he is currently not at home. He is in the company of sahuagin in their castle leagues away. However, if Lashimire returns, you are authorized for deadly force. Standard looting applies: any equipment found there is yours to keep.”

“The Worldgate will drop you off on a coast facing Lashimire’s island. The island is 3 miles off shore. Lashimire lives on this island with his assistant Arclian, which we know little of. The island is approximately 200’ x 175’.”

Blade and D’thal look at each other. Blade turns to the group. He hands each of you a grouping of parchments. Written in common is a listing dossier of Greyhawk, and includes: 1) A listing of common races; 2) A listing of deities and portfolios; 3) A listing of nations, with large cities, government structures, and rulers. “ Any questions before proceeding?”

For Shackler:
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Knowledge (psionics) = 35. You've heard of Lashimire through past exploits and other members of the Thoughts of War. Rumor has it he allied himself with a sect of githyanki while performing horrible experiments on humans he would kindap and bring to the astral plane. Other members have made passing note that he has an immense library in the field of psionics.

Knowledge (psionics) = 22. You've vaguely heard of the Council of Seers... you only know that they're a collection of psionically gifted scholars based in Greyhawk.
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Shadow asks "What do we know about Lashimire and his known assosiates? Do we know anythin' 'bout any other 'habitants of the island?"

Shackler listens to the briefing in silence, unmoving except for curt nods indicating, that he has in fact heard of the Council of Seers before. It is interesting how many disciples of the way of the mind have similar customs. Maybe the power of pictures on one's own skin truly is something so archetypical as Kellandev claims in his work. The connection to the recreation of the self, to subjecting one's identity to the will ... snap out of it and listen!

As Shadow begins to inquire about intelligence results, Shackler adds, "Also how long will L. likely stay away and what villages are nearest to the island on the coast?"

After all these questions have been resolved he asks both his fellow legionnaires and Blade: "Lashimire's library is known to be massive. Do we have the capabilities to transport all those books? If not, we'd need appropriate magic issued for the duration of the mission."

Knowing the minutiae of possible opposition, lay of ground, etc is essential, but all that helps us nothing without a bag of holding or somesuch to actually transport the target once we arrive at it.

Sylv

“I have means of transporting some, but surely not all books of a library,” Sylv adds.

D’thal turns to answer Shadow's question. "Lashimire is a psion, and quite a learned one at that. He has an assistant, a human named Arclian. Arclian has no psionic abilites, and serves Lasimire as more of a manservant than anything else. As far as we know, the island has no other inhabitants, though we do not know for sure what other people or creatures lurk on the island."

He then turns to Shackler. "We have no idea what business Lashimire has with the sahuagin, so we have no idea when he will return. It might be minutes, or it might be days."

Blade chimes in "As for transportation, if you do not have capabilities amongst yourselves, you can requisition a Bag of Holding from the Legion stores. You just need to make sure it is returned after the mission is complete. In fact..." Blade drifts off, and hits something underneath the lectern. In a few seconds, a hobgoblin, similar to the one that delivered your orders that morning, enters the room. Blade turns to the 'goblin. "Go. Retrieve a Bag of Holding, Type IV, from the stores and hurry back."

Blade looks back to the group to see if they have any other questions before the hobgoblin returns with the bag.

Shadow asks "Blade, do you think we could get our hands on a Folding Boat as well? Might make landin' on the island a bit easier, lets us clean up the boat easier, and we won't bring any locals into this."

The hobgoblin returns, out of breath from running, and places a Bag of Holding on the table-top. Blade turns to him and says "Oh, and we'll also need a folding boat. Please hurry." The hobgoblin does nothing to hide the exasperated look on his face as he turns around and leaves again.

"Thanks hon" Shadow says "I wasn't lookin forward to a 3 mile swim. And I didn't even bring my bathin' suit"

She ponders mentioning to Blade that maybe we should just make a list and have him bring everything at once next time, but thinks it's not the time now. Besides, she can't think of anything else they'd need.

Gyre

Gyre prances from standing behind one chair to another and addresses D'thal.

"So, Lashimire has done some questionable things you said, right? And we have the authority to use lethal force against him as necessary. Perhaps it would be best to plan an intercept on Lashimire and take him unawares on his return trip. Do we know who or what escorts him currently? It would likely be far easier to snuff him out on neutral grounds than on his home territory."

A bag of holding and a folding boat. That should work.

"Taking Lashimire is not our objective, we should not seek out a confrontation. Also he may well travel through the Astral, where intercepting is not an option."