[ We find Our Heroes planning! Yes, they're still at it. ] [ Kenji has been practicing shooting, perhaps to clear his head. He's not terribly good at it, compared to other methods of combat he knows. ] [ Tia's been practicing fragging bitches in Unreal Tournament. This is less immediately useful, but she's probably having more fun. ] * Kenji is still a bad mother*shut yo mouth*. [ You need to figure out a course of action now that you're here. Session Start! ] * Kenji comes out of the firing range with several somewhat abused guns and a pair of ear mufflers. * Kenji hangs the ear mufflers on a nearby peg and racks the guns carefully. Extraordinarily loud weapons. Will, Patrick, Seylin? What have you learned? Well, Pat found that Vecna has his own city, and that he had set up information broker offices in it. Broker? I do not know this word. * WillS shrugs. "It's the word pat used. It basically means he likes to sell information." I see. Where is this city? It's in another country, pretty far away. Everyone in it is undead or is a consulate from another country. Very well. How do we get there? * WillS makes a wry face. "A city full of undeads..." I am not averse to destroying a city full of undead. I am, however, averse to dying in a city full of undead. We have more important things to be worrying about. * Tia looks up from her game. Yeah, we're talking about millions of walking corpses. * Kenji rubs the skull-ring on his left hand. * Seylin shudders. Millions of undead? Is that where we're going? If we want knowledge, yes. Fighting our way in is likely to be less than fruitful. Find us another way. If necessary, find a way to make us Consuls. If money is required, I can provide it. Didn't our other selves scuffle with them a couple times before we got here? There's bound to be more of those Vecna people here that we can deal with. * Tia researches that. We did. Yeah, it's probably easier for us to find some vecnanites and either beat a way out of them or console them over this matter. * WillS nods. "And closer too. Won't need to travel all the way to another country." * Tia continues typing furiously. * Kenji eyes Tia. I'm still not sure how she makes sense of all that. Especially at that speed. Don't worry 'bout her, she apparently remembers more of what's going on with the machines than we do. * Tia mumbles, "Hacked into some online shell sites operated by the Cult of Vecna in our city. They've got a bulletin to be on the lookout for us." She smirks. "Found three locations, including the one with the server this site is on--ooh! That raspberry cake recipe looks soooo yummy!" Score. Oh, and get me that recepie, I bet I can make it. :D * Tia downloads the recipe. * WillS blinks. "Undead likes raspberry cakes?" Apparently. Who doesn't? ... Besides people allergic to raspberries. Patrick, when I fire one of those guns, I can very nearly see the bullet in flight. I cannot make sense of that screen. I find this disconcerting. ...and what exactly is a raspberry? A small red fruit. I uh... in books the undeads never eat... Well, I should hope they don't eat books. Look Will. Just because they don't eat doesn't mean they don't like it. * WillS is nonplussed. "Huh?" * Patrick grins. They don't eat, but like to eat, but can't... raspberry cake and books?? * Tia giggles. "The raspberry cake recipe was on a different site, not the Vecna cult's." * WillS whews. "Thought that all those holy books at the temple was wrong. Good thing you cleared it up Tia." WHich of these gatherings of Vecna cultists is the largest? Well...let's see. * Tia 's fingers blur across the keyboard. "There's an Internet technology company downtown on the 83rd floor of the Arbora Insurance building. It's got 67 members who show up daily at regular business hours, and it's run by one Thomas A. Anderson." Also, if we buy from them, they'll happily forgive, forget, and raise rates on us. They take cash, gems, magic items, and all major credit cards. * Patrick snerks. Very well. Patrick, have you done all the gun modifications you find necessary and reasonable? Hey Pat, do you have a sword in your armory by any chance? I still feel more comfortable using a sword than a gun. I most likely have one in the Seige Crab. Well, I'd like to mod them to do some more versatile things. Holy 'munitions, fire, that sort of thing, but I don't have any arcane users around to help out with that. But other than that, the normal mods are done. * WillS nods at Kenji. "That'll be great. Thanks, Kenji." Tia, notify them that we will be arriving tomorrow morning, shortly after their business hours begin. Okay! Let me take a look at the armory, I coulda sworn I had an awesome sword somewhere around here... * Patrick walks into the weapons closet(s). Seylin, did you check the armory for your personal weapons? Hm, actually, it's probably better to just walk in and talk to them in person. They'll probably get paranoid if we contact them online as nonmembers, since the sites aren't public. Very well. I found what I think is mine, yes. Find floor plans of this company, if you can, and identify where I can find this Thomas A. Anderson. * Tia digs around for floor plans. Good, Seylin. Are your weapons satisfactory? * Seylin walks over to one of the cabinets and emerges with a halberd of some really neat-looking metal and a handgun. "I think so." Very good. * Patrick comes out of the weapons closet with a very plain looking sword with a new leather handgrip on it. "Here's the best sword I've got. The thing won't take a polish or shine, hell I can't even see myself in the blade's reflection. But it's got some mean ehancements cast on it." He hands it to Will. * WillS takes the sword from Pat and takes a couple practice swings with it. "Thanks Pat. This should do nicely." Found it. * Tia brings up a floorplan showing a basic office with about 40 cubicles and several larger offices of various sizes. Tia, you're brilliant. * Tia beams and blushes. Can you find me a picture of this Thomas A. Anderson? Lemme look. * Tia murmurs as she searches, "Why do I get the feeling that the staff listed as janitorial are the warrior-defenders of the cult?" Because they clean up unwanted people. Anderson's office is probably the big one near the back with the nice view. Not sure, though. Here's a pic of 'im. * Tia loads up http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Keanu6022.jpg That's the guy at a social event. He apparently likes doing charitable things to put people in his debt. He likes acting kinda goofy in public, but it's a front. So what's up with this Anderson guy again? He's the leader of this branch of the cult. I intend to make an impression. * Tia nods. ...with my fist, if necessary. * Seylin applauds. * Tia giggles. That makes total logical sense. * WillS nods. Anything else you want me to look up? Not right now. If anyone has any ideas, speak now or forever rest in peace. * Kenji leans over to Seylin and whispers, "That was the correct line, yes?" * Tia veritably glows with pride. "I feel smart!" * WillS pats Tia on the back. "Yes. You're awesome, Tia!" * Seylin whispers back. "If not, it's close enough." * Kenji nods, satisfied. * Tia grins. "Thanks! Okay. I can rest in peace now." We prepare our gear tonight. In the morning, we leave. [ On that bright and cheerful line, we go to the 83rd floor of the Arbora Insurance Building. It's the next day, and you're ready to kick gum and chew ass. ] [ And you're all out of bubbleass. ... wait. Uh. Well, whatever. ] [ Our Heroes come out of the elevator dressed to the elevens and looking fatal but not serious. To the right, past a security gate, is the cult's front; Anderson Tofu Coportation (an internet solutions company, LLC). ] [ The security is mostly for show, and soon they're through to the room with the front desk. Do they stop, or march right on in? ] [ Session Resume! ] * Kenji marches right past the front desk, as though he has business and knows exactly what he is about. * Tia follows right behind Kenji, grinning hugely. [ "Uhm, sir?" squeeks the lady at the front desk as Kenji walks past. ] * Patrick has shades and follows, taking Kenji's left flank. * Kenji keeps right on going. * WillS waves hi to the guards as he marches right on past. * Kenji has dressed in his best silk suit. Long black dress pants, white silk dress shirt, a solid red tie. Over it, his black overcoat is blaaaaaaaaaaaaaack, and he's already donned his sunglasses, even though he's indoors. * Tia is decked out in miniskirt outfit in shiny, black vinyl and a matching form-fitting coat that drapes to the floor. * Patrick is dressed in a long trenchcoat, black jeans, and navy-blue shirt with simble black shoes. He's got sun glasses over his eyes and an earpiece in his left ear. All he really needs is some rain to be from The Matrix. [ It is, in fact, depressingly sunny and cheerful outside. A lovely day with highs expected in the lower seventies. ] * Patrick actually has body armor on as well, but it's well concealed by said trenchcoat. * WillS is matching the rest of the gang in color, dressed in a black shirt and pants with a black trenchcoat on the outside. Nothing too fancy, but utilitarian. * Seylin is wearing a very formfitting black vinyl catsuit. And a trenchcoat. Let's hear it for fanservice! [ Woohoo! ] [ Kenji goes on into a room full of cubicles, which he hasn't seen before in Canyonworld. ] [ Lots of people are in there typing at their computers, or talking on telephones, or chatting at the water cooler, save for one who is looking at porn. ] * Kenji stops for a moment, taken aback, then finds an aisle and heads down it, still aiming for where he knows that office should be. [ Down past the cubicles is the bank of offices. ] * Kenji doesn't swivel his head, he just waits to come into range of the one that says "Thomas A. Anderson" so he can go there. * Patrick wears sunglasses at night. [ Down the hall is a large, emty office. To the right of it is a slightly smaller office, somewhat croweded with file cabinets and bookshelves, with the name Thomas A. Anderson on it. ] * Kenji heads straight for that office as soon as he has a line, and opens the door without knocking. [ A tall, lanky guy on the other side of a desk looks up. He seems to be Thomas A. Anderson, and he seems to be playing online poker. ] Miiiiiiiiiiiiiister Aaaaaaaaaanderson. So pleased to meet you. * Kenji doesn't sound particularly pleased. [ Mr. Anderson looks up. "Whu? D'you have an appointment here, guys?" ] We are here because you have information that we desire, Mister Anderson. * Patrick keeps watch and looks intimidating. [ "How much can you pay for--" and then he recognizes Kenji, who is famous and mindnumbingly rich, and brightens immediately. "Good to hear. What do you need, gentlemen?" ] We require information on how to leave the Demiplane of Dread. If you cannot provide it, we require a passport to the realm of your lord, so that we can obtain that information. [ Mr. Anderson arches an eyebrow and Rich Kenji. "Oh really?" ] Yes. Really. * Kenji does not look amused at the absurd facial expression. [ Mr. Anderson chuckles and mutters "No way," before typing something in on his computer. "One second while I look in on that." ] [ "Didn't think we'd have that info. I know the Lord Vecna does, tho. I'll arrange travel papers for Darkon and wardstones for the Necropolis at the usual rates." ] [ As he's typing, he continues speaking. "A few years ago, Vecna was saying he was on the verge of getting free. Then all of a sudden his tune changed and he started asking for someone of... dark, what was the phrase? Oh, yes; 'A heart pure and true'. Y'know, someone good an' noble, like a paladin or something." ] * Patrick snerks. [ "Apparently, he has to get one of those to make it work." A chuckle; "Good luck with it, too." He pulls some papers out of his desk. "Give these to the Darkon Consul in uptown near the capital building. They know who I am and who I work for, and they'll have valid traveling papers for any part of Darkon within a minute or two." ] [ "Now, as to payment. You messed up one of our offices a week or so ago, didn't you?" ] Quite thoroughly. * Kenji reaches into his pocket and withdraws two bundles of green paper, the visible ones marked "1000", and drops them on the desk. [ "That's a start." ] [ "But there was damage done, and I'm afraid we're going to have to take it out of you." Up from the ground behind you all sprout three shadowy figures. "Don't worry, it won't take long." ] [ Session End! ]