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[ZEITGEIST] The Continuing Adventures of Korrigan & Co.
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<blockquote data-quote="gideonpepys" data-source="post: 7119354" data-attributes="member: 79141"><p><strong>Session 13 (136) Part Three - Grappa's Second Letter</strong></p><p></p><p>EVEN EARLIER THAN THAT</p><p></p><p>To establish precisely when Korrigan was dispatched to Drakr, we need to wind the clock back even further, to the 1st Autumn. Xambria made an early morning call on Gupta at her apartment on Bosum Strand, rousing her with a sharp knock. “Door’s open,” called Gupta and Xambria stepped inside to be flustered by the sight of her casually naked, dressing partner, and the bare arse of her current beau – the achingly eligible Jasco Danforth, eldest son of a timber magnate who, rumour had it, was threatening to throw over his fiancé for love of Gupta. Xambria withdrew behind the door, not at all comfortable with so much bare flesh, and explained that they had been summoned to HQ. Not a lead on the Ragman case, apparently. Something else.</p><p></p><p>The ‘something else’ in question was a sealed letter, bearing the hallmarks of a second missive from Alexander Grappa. Korrigan had already opened it and now he read it to Uru, Gupta, Xambria and Delft:</p><p></p><p><em>“To the constables who pieced me together the first time I died.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>“I hope this finds you well, and you recall your association with me: Alexander Grappa, also known as “the mindmaker.” To my own surprise, I remain alive, and in a position to help you, if you can help me first. This is my second letter to you. I hope that this one makes better speed than my first, which I sent some time last Winter, to no avail. Now the circumstances are even more urgent, as an opportunity to make the most of my peculiar circumstances has recently arisen.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>“Please allow me to explain: When my golem host was destroyed I was able to detach my consciousness, a trick I learned when my original body died. I implanted it in my killer, who you should know survived and escaped. I discovered after many weeks that I could take over his body in a clumsy and limited fashion, but only while he sleeps. Thus am I able to read his correspondence, and occasionally risk adding my own. The occasion of my first attempt to communicate with you was his audacious return to Flint, an opportunity to apprehend him which has passed us by. But fortune has smiled on us, for had we captured him then, the ripe circumstance I alluded to previously would never have presented itself:</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>“It would appear that towards the middle of Autumn he will be coordinating the transportation of ten seemingly unrelated individuals, ensuring that their travel is difficult to track. There is some grand convocation coming soon, one he is invited to as well, and there is a window wherein a group of motivated investigators could, with perhaps some inside assistance, locate the man within whose body I am an interloper. If you are able to take him alive, my nocturnal researches have revealed a method by which I may take permanent control of my host. I will then be able to guide you to the secret convocation so that you may strike a blow against those who have worked against your nation.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>“Please do not attempt to contact me by sending or similar magic. I do not know if my host would receive it instead. But act soon. My unwitting host’s schedule shows him leaving on the 75th of Autumn, and the convocation begins on the 79th, on the night of the full moon.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>“I have read about your recent activities in Ber, as my host has an abiding interest in and loathing for each and every one of you, and has foreign newspapers that contain your mention dispatched to him. Beware of him. He is a very dangerous and highly vindictive man. Indeed, it was their recruitment of him, and my own intense dislike and loathing for him, which began my disillusion with my former associates.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>“Once again, I will slip this letter into his outgoing mail and pray that it reaches you in time.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>“Perhaps you can track the postmark to narrow in on his location?</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>“—Alexander Grappa</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>“P.S. Don’t forget to bring mage cuffs fashioned from something non-metallic.”</em></p><p></p><p>The possibility of pursuing Leone had already been discussed, but the risk was decided to outweigh the potential benefits. Until now. Delft had not been idle, however: He presented the unit with a dossier on Leone’s movements when he returned to Flint six months ago, including his departure aboard the Danoran ship Cold Vessel, bound for Alais Primos. Delft also said he had Joe Hobner, an ex-RHC man (and one of Delft’s old unit members) who happened to be based in Alais Primos keeping an eye out for Leone for the last few weeks. Delft vouched for his old comrade, but couldn’t guarantee he hadn’t been replaced by a mimic, doppelganger, duplicant or other shapeshifter! They should check in with him and see what he had found, if anything.</p><p></p><p>The plan was to keep Korrigan, the most visible unit member, in Flint, and send Xambria, Gupta and Uru to Crisillyir aboard the Impossible. They would travel under assumed names, with Uru masquerading as Xambria’s son. (On the way they would be joined by their ‘elderly father’, though Delft had to step out of the briefing room when Leon’s involvement was mentioned.) As soon as they got close, they would send for Korrigan, Rumdoom and Matunaaga. Rumdoom was already in Trekhom in any case, seeing to Rumschatological affairs. </p><p></p><p>Despite real caution – Leon checked his credentials and discovered Joe Hobner had been distracted and ignoring his affairs lately; while Uru discovered that his house was occupied by a man other than the one who answered the door – the manhunt team nonetheless fell victim to another Obscurati trick: Joe Hobner had been replaced by an Ob assassin shortly after he began nosing after Leone Quital. This assassin poisoned their drinks. Uru noticed after he took a few sips, and Xambria – needless to say – hadn’t touched hers. The assassin darted for a bathroom and locked the door. While the others struggled to recover from the poison, Xambria overclocked her intricate new body and accelerated towards the locked door. A sudden hole was blown in it, right next to her head, through which she could see the assassin defenestrate himself. She smashed down the door, hurled herself through the window, and was up on her feet before he was, drawing her gun. But the assassin a fired strange arcanoscientific device that paralysed Xambria, and then dashed into the bushes. A shot from Uru (who had made it outside) felled him as he went. The bushes began to rustle alarmingly and the (dead) assassin was then dragged from the bushes four kobolds, whose snare he had fallen into.</p><p></p><p>The kobolds had a cart standing by, and they loaded the poison victims into it. At a clergy church they paid for priests to cure them. Then they invited them to meet their boss, who was to be found in the vestry, sat atop a pile of books even bigger than he was: a black-robed kobold, with carefully cultivated fleshy whiskers, reading a small tome. This was El Extrano, spymaster of Ber:</p><p></p><p>“I know all of your names. Do not be impressed yet. It is not impressive because I did not need my many loyal eyes for that. I work for the Bruse, and he told me your names while we ate dinosaur eggs in his castle. Still, it is not time to be impressed.</p><p></p><p>“I became interested in this conspiracy that has caused so much trouble, and I knew if I were them, I would kill your spies. Also, I knew where your spies were. Do not be impressed. It is not hard to guess that a former constable would still spy for his country. When he became interested in Leone Quital, my eyes watched his home. Sadly they could not save him from this assassin. But then they watched the assassin, and now we have saved you.</p><p></p><p>“Leone Quital was spotted on the 28th of Spring in the Cathedral of Triegenes at Enzyo Mons. Do not be impressed that I know you are looking for him. His former associate, the gnome named Oddcog, cursed the man’s name repeatedly while he fitted me for my own mechanical battle suit. It was natural you would seek the Steelshaper at some point.</p><p></p><p>“We will work together. My eyes will follow you, look for threats and targets around you, and share what they see. If you disagree, my eyes will send couriers to share what they see, so that you don’t get upset and kill any of them. You should read this book, so you respect the value of little people.”</p><p></p><p>He closed the tome in his lap, then tossed it to Uru. Uru caught it, and the kobold vanished in a puff of smoke. When it cleared, he was gone, along with the stack of books he was using as a stool. The tome was a Codex of the Little People, and Uru at once took it to heart.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="gideonpepys, post: 7119354, member: 79141"] [b]Session 13 (136) Part Three - Grappa's Second Letter[/b] EVEN EARLIER THAN THAT To establish precisely when Korrigan was dispatched to Drakr, we need to wind the clock back even further, to the 1st Autumn. Xambria made an early morning call on Gupta at her apartment on Bosum Strand, rousing her with a sharp knock. “Door’s open,” called Gupta and Xambria stepped inside to be flustered by the sight of her casually naked, dressing partner, and the bare arse of her current beau – the achingly eligible Jasco Danforth, eldest son of a timber magnate who, rumour had it, was threatening to throw over his fiancé for love of Gupta. Xambria withdrew behind the door, not at all comfortable with so much bare flesh, and explained that they had been summoned to HQ. Not a lead on the Ragman case, apparently. Something else. The ‘something else’ in question was a sealed letter, bearing the hallmarks of a second missive from Alexander Grappa. Korrigan had already opened it and now he read it to Uru, Gupta, Xambria and Delft: [I]“To the constables who pieced me together the first time I died. “I hope this finds you well, and you recall your association with me: Alexander Grappa, also known as “the mindmaker.” To my own surprise, I remain alive, and in a position to help you, if you can help me first. This is my second letter to you. I hope that this one makes better speed than my first, which I sent some time last Winter, to no avail. Now the circumstances are even more urgent, as an opportunity to make the most of my peculiar circumstances has recently arisen. “Please allow me to explain: When my golem host was destroyed I was able to detach my consciousness, a trick I learned when my original body died. I implanted it in my killer, who you should know survived and escaped. I discovered after many weeks that I could take over his body in a clumsy and limited fashion, but only while he sleeps. Thus am I able to read his correspondence, and occasionally risk adding my own. The occasion of my first attempt to communicate with you was his audacious return to Flint, an opportunity to apprehend him which has passed us by. But fortune has smiled on us, for had we captured him then, the ripe circumstance I alluded to previously would never have presented itself: “It would appear that towards the middle of Autumn he will be coordinating the transportation of ten seemingly unrelated individuals, ensuring that their travel is difficult to track. There is some grand convocation coming soon, one he is invited to as well, and there is a window wherein a group of motivated investigators could, with perhaps some inside assistance, locate the man within whose body I am an interloper. If you are able to take him alive, my nocturnal researches have revealed a method by which I may take permanent control of my host. I will then be able to guide you to the secret convocation so that you may strike a blow against those who have worked against your nation. “Please do not attempt to contact me by sending or similar magic. I do not know if my host would receive it instead. But act soon. My unwitting host’s schedule shows him leaving on the 75th of Autumn, and the convocation begins on the 79th, on the night of the full moon. “I have read about your recent activities in Ber, as my host has an abiding interest in and loathing for each and every one of you, and has foreign newspapers that contain your mention dispatched to him. Beware of him. He is a very dangerous and highly vindictive man. Indeed, it was their recruitment of him, and my own intense dislike and loathing for him, which began my disillusion with my former associates. “Once again, I will slip this letter into his outgoing mail and pray that it reaches you in time. “Perhaps you can track the postmark to narrow in on his location? “—Alexander Grappa “P.S. Don’t forget to bring mage cuffs fashioned from something non-metallic.”[/I] The possibility of pursuing Leone had already been discussed, but the risk was decided to outweigh the potential benefits. Until now. Delft had not been idle, however: He presented the unit with a dossier on Leone’s movements when he returned to Flint six months ago, including his departure aboard the Danoran ship Cold Vessel, bound for Alais Primos. Delft also said he had Joe Hobner, an ex-RHC man (and one of Delft’s old unit members) who happened to be based in Alais Primos keeping an eye out for Leone for the last few weeks. Delft vouched for his old comrade, but couldn’t guarantee he hadn’t been replaced by a mimic, doppelganger, duplicant or other shapeshifter! They should check in with him and see what he had found, if anything. The plan was to keep Korrigan, the most visible unit member, in Flint, and send Xambria, Gupta and Uru to Crisillyir aboard the Impossible. They would travel under assumed names, with Uru masquerading as Xambria’s son. (On the way they would be joined by their ‘elderly father’, though Delft had to step out of the briefing room when Leon’s involvement was mentioned.) As soon as they got close, they would send for Korrigan, Rumdoom and Matunaaga. Rumdoom was already in Trekhom in any case, seeing to Rumschatological affairs. Despite real caution – Leon checked his credentials and discovered Joe Hobner had been distracted and ignoring his affairs lately; while Uru discovered that his house was occupied by a man other than the one who answered the door – the manhunt team nonetheless fell victim to another Obscurati trick: Joe Hobner had been replaced by an Ob assassin shortly after he began nosing after Leone Quital. This assassin poisoned their drinks. Uru noticed after he took a few sips, and Xambria – needless to say – hadn’t touched hers. The assassin darted for a bathroom and locked the door. While the others struggled to recover from the poison, Xambria overclocked her intricate new body and accelerated towards the locked door. A sudden hole was blown in it, right next to her head, through which she could see the assassin defenestrate himself. She smashed down the door, hurled herself through the window, and was up on her feet before he was, drawing her gun. But the assassin a fired strange arcanoscientific device that paralysed Xambria, and then dashed into the bushes. A shot from Uru (who had made it outside) felled him as he went. The bushes began to rustle alarmingly and the (dead) assassin was then dragged from the bushes four kobolds, whose snare he had fallen into. The kobolds had a cart standing by, and they loaded the poison victims into it. At a clergy church they paid for priests to cure them. Then they invited them to meet their boss, who was to be found in the vestry, sat atop a pile of books even bigger than he was: a black-robed kobold, with carefully cultivated fleshy whiskers, reading a small tome. This was El Extrano, spymaster of Ber: “I know all of your names. Do not be impressed yet. It is not impressive because I did not need my many loyal eyes for that. I work for the Bruse, and he told me your names while we ate dinosaur eggs in his castle. Still, it is not time to be impressed. “I became interested in this conspiracy that has caused so much trouble, and I knew if I were them, I would kill your spies. Also, I knew where your spies were. Do not be impressed. It is not hard to guess that a former constable would still spy for his country. When he became interested in Leone Quital, my eyes watched his home. Sadly they could not save him from this assassin. But then they watched the assassin, and now we have saved you. “Leone Quital was spotted on the 28th of Spring in the Cathedral of Triegenes at Enzyo Mons. Do not be impressed that I know you are looking for him. His former associate, the gnome named Oddcog, cursed the man’s name repeatedly while he fitted me for my own mechanical battle suit. It was natural you would seek the Steelshaper at some point. “We will work together. My eyes will follow you, look for threats and targets around you, and share what they see. If you disagree, my eyes will send couriers to share what they see, so that you don’t get upset and kill any of them. You should read this book, so you respect the value of little people.” He closed the tome in his lap, then tossed it to Uru. Uru caught it, and the kobold vanished in a puff of smoke. When it cleared, he was gone, along with the stack of books he was using as a stool. The tome was a Codex of the Little People, and Uru at once took it to heart. [/QUOTE]
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