Zi'ha'na takes the device in his hands and turns it over several times and considers the device.  "We have mush to learn about the artifacts.  You speak true."

[Private to The Creator: I am not sure what type of roll would be needed to determine the abilities of the artifacts.  Zi will examine the piece and see if he can determine it's properties.]

" My father was a hobbyist at best, he loved the look, and feel of artifacts and was fascinated by the history they represented" Rosch offered Zi'na'ha a small kit of tools, brushes, and lenses. Unfortunately neither he nor I have the specialized skills we needed to do an in depth study, and more formally trained scholars disregarded my fathers theories as foolish conjecture."
[Private to Zi'ha'na: okay
using you sensors you can make a

Investigate: DC 25
Ancient cultures DC 15: for +2 to investigate

By the way you have the most orginized char sheet I have ever seen...]

---

  " That is Zydii she's decided our family needs her special brand of entertainment." Ella laughed and wagged a finger at the sylph playfully. She seemed to notice something in Stark's voice and expression and offered him a soft slightly sad smile." Zydii first showed up when Dora here was in diapers.. they nearly tore the house down to the foundations on occasion."

   Dora smiled mischievously and then tried to look offended by the comment but seemed more proud of herself than anything. she gestured and a puff of blue sparkles streaked to Zydii forming an arrow that chased the flittering sylph around Alisdair as Dora made small guestures with her finger tip the arrow never quite over taking the dancing, darting fey.

  When Dora caught an odd question from Alisdair about her choice in guns she happily launched into a discusssion of machine guns, listing her prefference for them in order of capacity, power, and "fun" to shoot. she seemd to be rather entusiastic in her gunnery skils but a few moments of listening showed the girl had some knowledge of them.
   " Ella flies the vanship but I make sure those Black Diamond blackshirts don't knock us out of the sky... Of course she thinks I should be in school learning doilies, and ettiquette and how to be all girly... "

  " You keep us in the air...I seem to remember someone shooting out my starboard coil last time out." Ella teased" Father could never say no to her, and he never had a son so we sort of filled in. Mother was an adventerous sort in her youth, and she didn't object either. She actaully flew a Hammerwing for the Avariel Scouts back in The Kingdom..well before she met dad and then she was the Lady Of the House.

Though Alistair never particularly approved of choosing weapons by their 'fun' factor, he appreciated Dora's knowledge of rapid fire weaponry, especially since it was not his area of expertise. He continues to discuss the weaponry with her, taking in anything he can, and paying attention to anything she mentioned of which he was not previously aware.

"But what use are doilies in the real world? Better that you know how to defend yourself than how to stich."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:15, Tue 20 Mar 2012.

Frowning, Zi turns the artifact over in his hands and blinks several times.  Finally turning back to Rosch "Though this peice is familiar, I have not been able to determine it's exact properties.  Tell me, what were your fathers theories regarding these artifacts?"

[Private to The Creator: 14:52, Today: Zi'ha'na rolled 18 using 1d20+17. Investigate. (I can't f****ing beleive I rolled a 1!)
14:51, Today: Zi'ha'na rolled 29 using 1d20+11. ancient cultures.  (Do I learn anything worthwhile with this roll?)]

Stark smiled and said, "Well, I think I'm in your camp, Ella, I'd rather be flying than shooting. I'm pleased that the barge will be piloted by someone competent. So, when do you think your father is going to get to the details of this venture?"

  " Oh I like to sew. Dora grinned." I just like things that go buddabuddabudda BOOM better." Dora grinned. miming firing a machine gun." I just don't like dresses that I could use for a prachute, setting in a room with old bitties trying to marry me off before I eaven meet some boring money counter. and Getting lectured about being a Proper young lady."
  And mom always made sure we both could take care of ourselfs...I can shot a pistol, fence, and if I have to run very very fast."

  " Jus dont ask her to cook."" Ella laughed. Motioning one of the servers to bring over a picture of some beverage and a tray of snadwhiches, and cheese." Flying is my favorite part of playing messenger for my father and his freinds. I don't think someone here quite understands how dangerous it is when we run into trouble yet...or that those bullets she fires off do more than make a loud noise."

---

" He believed that most ashantii artifacts were not a single item." Rosch explained as he took several items and began to piece them together removing a light harness from desk and fitting them to clips mounted on it." They did not assemble all the enchantments or empowerments into one item, so if seperated they appear non-fnctional and harmless but when placed in close proximity or assembled. Then the enchantment activates.
  He touched the piece he had offered Zi'na'ha. The harness flickered and a shimmer of light covered Roch's body then vanished the humm of ashantii energy signitures sound in the air.

Stark snorted and raised an eyebrow, "I hear you there. Are you registered with the Courier guild? Folks really don't have any idea what we go through out there. The skies are a dangerous place... but I love 'em. I wouldn't be doing anything else if you gave me a choice."

  " I registered two years ago. She produced a small copper disk engraved with her registry number and the guild seal." Ella shook her head slightly."" I run enough to keep my token, Most of them don't take me seriously as a pilot, "rich girl playing sky runner." I think was the last comment anyone had the nerve to say to my face." She gave a slight shrug again." Now i avoid the guild hall and just run for the University, fly ferry flights and spend a lot of time down in the Jurgen Shards spotting for the fishing fleet."

[Private to Stark Sanderson:
The Jurgen shards are legendary for the quality of the catch there. however the local wildlife is agressive and it's a haven for a faction of the Black Diamond.
   Think a floating Bering Sea...windy, lots of fog, large random shards and debris fields...gravel storms, Large aerial predators about the size and attitude of a great white Shark with a ranged electricl zap ability. the Fishing fleet has "Spotters" to track shoals of game fish, scout out debris fielsds and reefs, and protect the fleet from attack and keep the Local Black Diamonds from collecting extra fishing fees from the boats..

You've flown it a lot running parts to ships and carrying out injured sailors from the fleet...  It's a two star flight in good weather   In the Storm season when the Shards get disturbed and the local wildlife is spawning it's a four star without the Black Diamonds getting involved. The job is a strictly professional one, rookies and part timers avoid it like the plauge. However,If your Vanship is in good shape, and you have the fuel and ammo Vanship pilots can make a good living off the runs and spotter duty.
]

Stark's estimation of her piloting skills increased as she spoke. "That can be tricky flying on a good day... I'm impressed," he said, "And the place is a nightmare in Storm season."

He'd never met a woman like Ella before. She was cultured but a pilot, even a guild courier, and there was an adventurous streak that clearly came from their mother. He found himself liking her quite a bit even though they'd just met.

  to tell you the truth it scares the hell out of me most days." Ella laughed self conciously. Looking a bit sheepish as she ignored the dubious look from her younger sister." I just try to hold onto the ship, and not fly into anything. If it's shooting at I pour on the fuel and find somethere less crowded. Lucky for me Dora is back there and she puts enough lead in the air to get out and walk on."

"Your demonstration does much to promote your father's theories, why would others criticize the theory?" Zi'ha'na speaks as he examines the field that was erected by the artifact.

  " He can only demonstrate it with a handful of devices," Rosch replied his hesitation hinted that there was something else but he seemed to be holding back." I believe the masks he found may have been part of something more significant."
   He was not a formally trained archeologist. It was his personal passion and his education was spotty at best. So his findings are treated as conjecture and do not recieve serious consideration." He admitted bitterly after a slight pause. His tone indicating he seemed to find that fact distatasteful to discuss.

In reply to Ella Rosch (msg #27):

Stark smiled and said, "You do yourself an injustice, Ella. Bravery is overcoming your instincts to soil yourself and run screaming in the other direction. There's a reason they call those without any fear at all foolhardy. I think you're giving yourself too little credit. It takes a brave pilot to sail the skies of the Jurgen Shards. It takes a good one to keep going back."

In reply to The Creator (msg #23):

Al winced slightly at the girls impression of a machine gun. It seemed she had never really been on the receiving end of one; the noise was quite different when you were cowering behind cover hoping desperately that you would have time for a shot before they reloaded. Despite this, her enthusiasm for weaponry intrigued him; he had chosen the long rifle for it's accuracy and efficiency, a single shot was a single kill, no messing about with suppression fire; she had clearly chosen heavy weaponry because it fitted her temperament. It was a point of view he hadn't encountered much; he normally shot at machine gunners, rather than converse with them.

"I must confess I have never understood fencing. The endless repetition and protocol seems so far removed from real fighting as to render it a useless practice. Running, however, is always a useful skill, your mother, it would seem, has brought you up well."

There was a slight tremor in his voice as he spoke the last words, a tiny, momentary break in his calm façade, he attempted to turn it into a small cough, with a degree of success.

Zi’ha’na considers the words of Rosch before speaking.  “The relevance of your father’s profession shouldn’t matter to the nature of the artifacts.  The concept bears certain similarities to other studies and seems to be worth further investigation.  You say the masks may be part of something more significant.  What insight did your father pass on regarding those theories and what made him believe that their importance was greater than other artifacts?  This may also go towards motives in their theft and your fathers killers.  I am sure there are many groups, both known and secretive, that harbor designs for such artifacts.  If your father came across artifacts of even moderate import then there would be concern for his safety.”

  " During his examinations he discovered one of the masks was at best a poor imitation of a burial mask, a very old but non the less forgery. It had a smaller segemnt concealed within it." Rosch admitted hesitantly. "He didn't dare destroy the mask but he hoped a freind of his would be able to remove the segment without damaging the mask. How the assasians discovered this and knew where he was heading when he was murdered Is unknow, he told me only as he was leaving to meet Simon Rhando...who has vanished from the face of the realms..."
 

---

 " to tell you the truth the only reason I fly the Shards is for the view, there is a place off of The easering Fringe that is breathtaking, the gossim shoal below it and in the twilight of an eclips they glow all shades of blues, and greens, I could soar there and watch all day..." Ella grinned sheepishly admitting her somewhat "girly" secret.

---

  " I like to fence, but it's sort of dull. They get sort of upset if you jump on tables, or try to trick the other guy into letting you behind him...old fuddies, no snese of fun. I did manage to teach a cutpurse a few moves though... he though a girl with a walking stick was just going to hand over the Necklace her mom bought her for "Winters Deeping" Hmmmphhh" She looked rather comical as she jumped up into an en garde postion and did her best to look fierce. Sword Mistress Leanisa taught me a few tricks a girl should know.  ( OOC: Winters Deeping = roughly Christmass)

Stark could only smile and agree. There was nothing like the skies. Their breathtaking beauty and sudden dangers were the stuff of life itself. He felt more alive flying than ever he did on the ground. When he was up in the skies, he could forget what he'd buried in the ground below, even if only for a while.

"There are days when happiness can only be found in the skies," he said wistfully half to himself, "I've often thought there's more beauty above than can be found down here. It sometimes seems as if I'm just pacing time on ground waiting until I can reach once more for the skies... any skies."

" I don't think anyone who hasn't flown can imagine what it's like to be so far abovve it all." Ella smiled a little as she spoke." I wish I was flying the fighter on this one, but I guess I'll enjoy the ferry run, and less chance of having to hose Gadfly internals off the front of my Vanship."

Stark smiled and nodded. He turned to Valentine, "So, you seem pretty conversant with weaponry. Can you manage second seat on a fighter and gun down the bugs?"

In reply to Stark Sanderson (msg #36):

"I should be capable, yes, although I suspect that I shall be far outclassed by out new acquaintance here." He nodded towards Dora. "I'm assuming the fighter has it's own weapon platform, are you aware of what gun it uses?"

  Twin heavies Up front, and a single light on the back seat." Dora piped up. Talking excitedly about the Vanships weapons. The Heavies are Maxims, and the light is a MG-15, not much of a punch but it's pretty accurate and fires a lot faster than the Heavies."

   " The trick is to try and keep them from getting above you . they like to dive on you from above where the guns can't get to them. Gadflies aren't that tough but they are quick as a blink. Just hope you don't have to dance with a Broodfly, They are bigger, meaner and smarter. And, they shoot thoose icky barbs at you. If you don't get all the barb out they'll hatch into little gadfly squirmies...ewww and ewww." She paused lookig shepish as she seemed to realize she was talking way to fast and way too loud. She looked thoughtful for a second and then spoke a little less energeticly.

  "It's not all shooting though in the Back seat, you realy have to keep our eyes open. Pilots have thier hands full flying and trying not to fly into something big and hard. So you have to tell them where things are and spot targets for them... Or they might let something get behind you, or above you, or forget to dodge the jerk coming at you form the side.

"That explanation, if your father did not speak to anyone else, does cast considerable suspicion upon this Simon Rhando."  Zi stops to consider the pieces that are still displayed and then turns to Rosch again.  "Your collection, though small, is appreciable and I think you for the time to inspect them.  Perhaps we should discuss what you would need of me on this venture.  You have a unique collection of individuals on your lawn who seem to be about the business of shooting, flying, and what is to be assumed many scholars."

  " Well each serves a purpose." Rosch replied bluntly he did not seem embrarassed to admit he had motives to have each group around." The armsmen will secure our base and deal with any unforeseen threats. The Scholars are simply an excuse for me to leave the city without suspicion. we will go out to the nighboring islands and while they are investigating some odd behavior in the local flora we..You and I will go to a small house that Professor Rhando expressed some interest in purchasing recently."

  "I can't take any action openly while I am being bserved, it might lead to preemptive action by who ever killed my father...so I must practice patience and deception."

In reply to The Creator (msg #35):

Replying to both the Rosch sisters, he said, "When do you think that your father is going to make his presentation about the venture?"

"He's in his office with that archeologist he met yesterday" Ella replied with a slight frown." He might be a while if they start discussing, "The Theory" But I can introduce you and let you in on any details. Father has spent a week explaining the exipidition and why he needed a more experienced pilot and some solid reliable gun bearers."