The Freerunner Shelter at the edge of Pasiap's Resolve, South Sector 5, is the sort of building one might expect crackhead beastmen to squat in: a large abandoned factory. Wide empty spaces, rotting old machinery, crumbling walls, leaky plumbing and dim lighting, dust that seems to never recede despite all efforts to be tidy. There are smaller rooms as well, mostly offices and storage, converted into temporary meeting rooms, bedrooms, armories. The factory owner even had a loft built into the place, with a kitchen that still largely functions, though the old transperfect domestic tools seem to rebel now and then against its new owners (as seen when the group passes by a Freerunner cook running around trying to catch an errant spatula.)

Despite the rather morose surroundings, though, the Freerunners themselves are not slouches. They have made as much of a home as they could in this location without drawing too much attention from the outside. Irjin, directing those carrying the wounded Freerunners, now and then pauses to quickly shout out a few words at a passerby. Jambiya, Rampuri, Vilstrad, Cheira, Mad Berry, Black-Eye, Kaiken Pyra... there are at least 20 here, a typical size for a Freerunner pack working 'on the inside', though many come and go, explains the Freerunner leader as he moves. Not all of them are wolfmen, either, though the majority are; the original Edgestrider claimed direct lineage from Free himself.

But no one minds the non-beastmen walking among them. The Freerunners take anyone who shares their philosophies, and is willing to pull his or her own weight. So there are many sorts. Kaiken Pyra, who assists in clearing out a space with some beds to lie the wounded on, is full human and apparently fairly high-born, yet does not complain folding away old, fur-matted sheets while the half-canine Black-Eye puts on the new ones.

"Ah, right," Irjin says belatedly, turning to Xurizu now as he recalls something he'd forgotten. "The Scorpion Strikers? They're typical Fire guardians, but that doesn't mean they've never been deployed below, by some 'order from above'. The ones that just attacked, though, that hadn't happened before. We're going to have to move on from this place real soon, but Talia Zerith, if you can help them... please do." He gestures to Wrack and Nelly, now settled in the beds.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:55, Fri 17 July 2009.

"I'll do what I can, but it might take some time,"  Talia says, beginning to examine the injured Freerunners.  "I can't instantly heal wounds.  Do you have any medical supplies?"  She looks back at Irjin.  "And how soon is 'soon'?"


[Private to GM: Okay, so: I'm not sure how long we have, but I went ahead and rolled for Wound-Mending Care Technique, which takes an hour.  If we don't have that long, I guess I'll just have to make sure they're bandaged as much as I can and recommend bedrest.

23:08, Today: Talia Zerith rolled 1 success using 7d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 6,5,1,8,2,3,3. Int+Medicine Wound-Mending Care Tech.  Well, that kinda sucked.
23:05, Today: Talia Zerith rolled 4 successes using 7d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 6,7,5,4,10,7,4. Int+Medicine.  Diagnosis.

And I just remembered that Mei Xing saw Irjin casting a spell, which would get her all feisty, so I rolled that, too: 23:12, Today: Talia Zerith rolled 4 successes using 7d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 5,2,2,9,7,4,10. Willpower.  Throwback. ]

"That is faintly disturbing," Xurizu says.  "That they would be sent down here with shoot-on-sight orders.  It suggests both a knowledge of the route you'd be taking, and who you were," he continues.  "Or a complete lack of care for innocent citizens they found, at least."  A dark scowl accompanied that thought.  It was perhaps as likely as any knowledge of the Freerunners.

"What would a 'deterrence team' from the Peace Force involve, though?"

As he walks along, Higura watches his surroundings with admiration despite the destitute nature of the decor. For him, it is not as much the decay of the environment around them that is striking, but rather the microcosm that the Freerunners seem to represent. A small, close-knit society living within another, despite the strong pressures the representatives of the Five Coils make to have citizens live in conformity.

When Xurizu speak, Higura thinks, nodding his head to his companion in acknowledgment of the statement.

"That is indeed an observation that brings concern, mister Xurizu.". Higura says, tapping a finger to his left cheek as he considers the implications. "From my time in the upper floors, blurry as those memories are, I still remember that the Coils is built in such a way that the lower floors become can and will be sacrificed if something threatens the sanctity of the whole. The Water District's purge is proof of that mindset, after all."

The Doctor's brow creases then, and he turns towards the others. "Do you think the upper levels are suspecting that things occur here that would require that level of firepower? I certainly hope our comrades are allright..."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:54, Sun 05 July 2009.

Xurizu considers the question Higura asks.

"Yes, they may well be," he says, after that consideration.  It isn't a particularly pleasing conclusion to come to.  "Even if we ignore the possibility of observers in the Water District, reporting what occurred there, then we have to consider what they have seen of us."

"They know that Celestials have been freed from all lower floors, including the Forbidden Maze.  They know that at least half a dozen of those Celestials made it up to the top of the Water District--we had a big fight outside the lift that both sides withdrew from.  They had a sorceress with them, who I'm sure will report.  Then more recently, the Temple in the conclave.  Four celestials, one of them a sorceror," he indicates himself, "And one well skilled in combat, with artifact weaponry, Pale Gaze.  All acting together to free a fifth.  Zerabia teleported away from that, and I'm sure she will have reported too."  His voice colours slightly as he speaks Zerabia's name, bringing as it does his few memories of her, and what she was, along with Misa and Sienna.

"That was over a week ago, and that is all on top of the general tides of discontent that are beginning to swell."

"Soon is..." Irjin, attempting to answer Talia, draws out the syllable, then shakes his head. "I cannot say for sure. We may have an hour. Maybe. The lift we just took is more or less a security liability now. It depends on the Scorpions' programming... whether they will pursue us up. I wouldn't doubt that they could eventually break through if they have been directed to, even through adamant."

Talia sets to work with the patients meanwhile, using the best of the time she has. [Private to Talia Zerith: The two Freerunners have fortunately taken only bashing damage. Nelly has taken 6 Bashing. You think that he will heal all right with enough rest, though it's imperative he does not strain himself or he may have chronic pains for the rest of his life.

Wrack is worse off. He took 8 Bashing in one shot. His chest and abdominal region are painfully bruised. There is internal damage as well as cracked ribs, and the damage was a great shock to his system. If not for receiving quick medical care, he might be in a coma by now. You can concentrate the effects of your Charm on Wrack; he will heal to Incapacitated by the end of the day, and recover from the worst of the internal injury. Again like Nelly you are certain that if he can have a more or less uninterrupted rest until he is fully healed, it will the best for his future health.]Klaxon, Cynical, Black-Eye and Kaiken remain in the room, reclining against walls or fixtures, one of them taking a stool whose cushion looks like it'd been ripped up by a vicious animal. All of them are still lightly armored and armed with at least one ranged and one melee weapon, their casual stance belying a constant battle-readiness trained into them from years serving the rebel cause.

"I do not know how much the Scorpions relate to the current situation," continues the Freerunner Leader, wiping his spectacles on a corner of his gentleman's coat. "They could easily have been planted there much earlier, and I'd just been fortunate not to trigger their awakening until now. But given these recent events, it would not be surprising if the Districts above Water are increasing security around pretty much any form of transportation between floors -- and especially between districts."

"I assume you refer to Cynis Zerabia, Xurizu. One of the three Witches of Wood District, proponents of blood purity and Celestial experimentation... and, it seems, they have shown a vested interest in the affairs below. You know, they are particularly loathing of the Boss. It tickles them the wrong way that a Lunar sorcerer has eluded them for so long, and taught his skills to his progeny." He quirks his eyebrows, and replaces his glasses on his snout, adjusting them just so. [Private to Ledaal Xurizu: in case you remembered this, I had actually mistakenly labeled Zerabia a Ledaal earlier on.. she's actually Cynis, Misa is the Ledaal]