Open Dunnstads That Young Rebellious Soul

[Madison Mortiere]

Ever since dropping back into the game (perhaps unwisely), Madison Freebird settled back into her routine of traveling up and down Dunnstads looking for work. The bustle of Stokbon was a little too much for her; and the area of Eastern Brisshal was a little too crowded with newbies--all out there, waving their tin foil swords and tree branch wands around, massacring anything that had a pelt for two coins to rub together for gear that wasn't going to immediately fall apart once they saw some real action.

With all that was happening to the west of the cape, turns out that quests were piling up into neat little stacks along the coast!

"You're one of them Travelers, aren't you?"

Madison eyed the secretary, wondering if she was being held in suspicion or awe. The guns dangling on her hips probably hinted towards the former. "That's right."

"Excellent." The catwoman with the curly hair began rooting through her desk for some papers. So it wasn't suspicion or awe; it was relief--relief that someone with so many expendable lives could be sent into the thieves' den.

While the secretary was gathering the information the town guard had written down, Madison slipped open her palm UI, loaded up zone chat, and put out the word.

Anyone near Carrington able to help beat up some kidnappers? Pay's pretty good. Should only be an afternoon's work.

@Jin

 

[The Guy]

"What's that? A poor damsel is KIDNAPPED and needs ASSISTANCE?" An unexpected result came to be from her normal broadcast message. A man in shiny chrome plating responded not on the appropriate channel, but instead by yelling really loudly, "Look no further, Madison Freebird! THE GUY is here to save them!"

Apparently, his plan was to yell loud enough and walk towards someone who looked at him in response. Many people looked at THE GUY because he yelled with great force, and it seemed that his plan was a bust-not so, for he began walking straight towards Madison anyway. A gut feeling told her that he probably had Hyper Sense of some kind to be able to see her nameplate from so far. That was surely how he'd found her... Right?

His impressively quick gait brought him to stand before her in a lickety-split. THE GUY stood at attention as military personnel would, giving the woman a respectful salute to show that she was clearly now his new superior.

 

[Darko Ljubicic]

It was a fine day for some adventuring for Darko, as he had closed his shop for his regular rounds in this world. He only manned the restaurant 5 days a week, as he knew that doing such a job in this game for all 7 days should be monotonous work. He went in this game for adventure, not to do the same jobs that he did in the world he came from when he was just a kid, although he also longed for those times. After stocking up on bullets that he had bought from yet another Traveler who was so obsessed with guns he had made replicas of old models but using new ammunition, he then set out to find some missions that he can do to sate his adventuring thirst.

As he had stopped over to a town named Carrington in Dunnstads to gather some rumors, he was greeted by a message from yet another player, seeking help in taking down some kidnappers. This was not the kind of adventure he was expecting, but anyway this was an adventure all the same, just a crime drama type, he thought. Darko then set off to find the location that was cited.

A person who looked like a really young child was seen entering the town building, dressed to the nines with a typical Victorian travelling outfit in black and white. A single weapon, a fine looking and decorated revolver, with 16 chambers loaded with the finest .327 caliber ammunition, was found in a holster connected to his belt. But as he was entering, a voice then shouted beside him so loud that he might check his ears later. As he looked at the person shouting, he then realized that it was one of the people he accompanied in the dungeon. In sheer irritation, he made a small kick with his right foot at the noisy guy's shin to get his attention, and then said, visibly annoyed. "You are too loud you might endanger us all. Just keep your mouth shut until it is clearly needed."

He then turned to the area where the person who sent the message was located, which also was the direction to the secretary of the town hall. "Darko Ljubicic on the case here. I need more details."

 

[Jin]

The world chat lit up like Christmas.

For Jin, it felt exactly like that. Anyone near Carrington able to help beat up some kidnappers? At the prospect of not only ordained, but paid violence, he could scarce help but to smirk. Without a moment's hesitation, he toggled the chat window and drafted up a hasty reply. En route to Carrington now.

Dunnstads was a popular location because of its proximity to the sea, but it was hardly as safe as it seemed. Bandit activity ran rampant on the seaboard, especially as one strayed farther from Stockbon. This was almost as far flung as one could go. Carrington was a smaller town compared to the capital and some of the larger regional cities, but it served as a significant stop along the trade route that veered inland.

Small wonder that the ne'er do wells had set their sights on the place. He was farther north when the message went out, but not so far that he couldn't get to the town quickly. Upon arrival he was met with the distinct and poignant stench of death.

Their bodies hung limp in a line along the outer walls of the town, necks broken and flesh dried out by the sun. The rot set in and he swallowed to stifle his gag reflex. Some were missing fingers, others their entire hands. One was laden with gems and finery.

"Thieves' punishment," he mulled aloud, not worried that anyone might be listening. "At least now we know why they're targeting the town."

He continued his trek toward the town hall with his eyes only barely open. It was several days now that he'd locked himself in his room back home and dived into the game, and he had no intention of backing out yet. Not when he was having so much fun. And now, he was practically being handed a license to commit acts of violence by a sanctioned entity?

Oh, this world was too good.

Two of the other three must have gotten the word before he did, or they just happened to be closer. He arrived fashionably late, as usual, and leaned his weight on the tsuka of his katana. The ennui that clouded his world was thinner than normal, but only just. Dealing with other players threatened to thicken it once more.

He overheard the slapstick routine between @The Guy and @Darko Ljubicic , and Jin sighed slightly. His gaze moved over them like the breeze across the surface of a pond. Chilly, fleeting, disinterested. When his gaze found @Madison Freebird , he recognized her name.

"I came looking for work," he greeted unceremoniously. "Word is that you've got some."

 

[Madison Mortiere]

It's only a few minutes before Revengence, Shorty, and Hot Topic all arrive at the mayor's office. Sizing each of them up, Madison realized she probably wasn't in any position to be judging them. Not with her face paint.

And, of course, it looks like two of them probably won't be getting along. Pleasant bunch already, it seems.

Ah. Is this what I get for relying on randos?

"Let's get one thing straight right now," the gunslinger said, turning to Donnie Darko but also making sure the other two understood her perfectly well. "Everyone gets along. If you're going to go rogue, or try to solo this and be a damn hero, I'm not dragging your corpse back to town. Are we clear?"

She waited for some sullen nods or muttered assents before continuing. "Besides. Call of Duty over here could make the perfect distraction if things end up going to shit."

The mayor's secretary finished rummaging around, and presented Madison with a couple of folded pieces of paper. "So, ah, here are all the notes the town guard gathered on these kidnappers. They tracked their hideout to an old outpost about five miles southeast of Carrington--not too far from the shore? It's an old lighthouse that was expanded into a small fortress long ago, to protect the southern shore of Dunnstads."

Madison thumbed through the papers, looking for anything important. How many were there, any watch patterns, and the like. "What does she look like?"

"Brown hair, in braids halfway down her back. Green eyes, lots of freckles..." The secretary held her hands out, then let them fall to her side. "Maybe as tall as you? A couple inches shorter? I don't know, I don't see her around town often..."

@The Guy @Darko Ljubicic @Jin

 

[The Guy]

"Aye, chica. It's exactly what I plan on doing," THE GUY continued in a lower voice, one that was actually only heard by the four. He happened to be looking over a market stall for the moment as if he weren't actually talking to the other three to an outside viewer. That was because he was actually using a party chat this time. He elaborates, "I'm here to be your big, shiny target. Some of 'em outgha get the idea that I'm out to do something now by nightfall.

I've been watching this group of thieves for a little while, you see-they've been expecting an attack. Would've been even if I hadn't done anything. I thought I'd give them a face to picture in their heads. Two of you weren't here when I started mouthing, and that's who's going to get the girl out when they think they know who they're fighting. As for Madison... you have my apology, at least. Had to talk when I saw the opportunity, you see?"

He buys a nice, shiny pear and takes a bite out of it, lifting his face-mask to do so for the moment. His face was fair of skin and full of confidence, a sharp grin with faultless teeth displaying it. The real question was how he'd had a conversation enough with the shopkeep to have bought a pear while he was laying out his suggestion to the party...

 

[Darko Ljubicic]

As another person entered the town hall, Darko then assessed everyone quietly. Three of them seemed to be long distance fighters - and all of them using guns - and only one of them is effective at close range. He needed to know everyone's strengths and weaknesses, and then amplify the former and diminish the latter as much as possible. Of course, as @Madison Freebird said, coordination is important to make sure that they do not get picked off one by one, and as she finished speaking, he then responded with a short "Of course." He would of course try his best to coordinate, but his actual concern was if the other two would not stick to the plan. If ever, he could only offer a Plan B as needed, although they would definitely hear from him when this ordeal was all but completed.

To his surprise however, was the guy, or should he say, THE GUY in all caps, actually always had a Plan B in hand, as he seemed to communicate with them from somewhere else - and Darko did not bother peeling his head from where he was staring at so as not to break the mysticism - about what they might be going to do. He seemed to be all shouty and full of bravado, but it seemed that there was actually a method behind the madness when he was to be concerned. And so Darko then tried his patented method of trying to interact with the people in the room, while sending a message in secret to the group of four using in-game private chat.

Darko then said to Madison, "So, how will we go ahead in rescuing the victim from the kidnappers? Do you have a plan in mind?", while typing out a message using his interface but using imperceptible gravity magic to punch the buttons. His eyes did not even lose focus on Madison as he typed so as not to alarm everybody else. In time, a private message would be received by the other three as he finished speaking.

Mail

Should we also entertain the possibility of an inside job currently happening here?

 

[Jin]

They started to mingle immediately, the way parties were wont to do. It was admittedly comical the way that the guy carried himself, but he proved to be as mundane as the lot of them when he lowered his voice. It was an interesting gimmick, using his personality to attract attention to himself. Effective.

Also problematic, if we're trying to be discreet.

Jin looked between the three musketeers in turn as they discussed the mayor's daughter. What caught his attention was when the aid mention that the target they were supposed to retrieve was not frequently seen around the town. He lifted a hand to cup his chin thoughtfully and let out a low, throaty hmm. It was highly irregular for someone to be related to the single most important person in the town, go missing, but not frequent the area.

The mail that appeared flickered open as Jin toggled it open with a microexpression, and he promptly closed it in the same manner. No use in discussing it if someone else was already wary of the situation. They were far flung from Stockbon, more than a day's ride by horse drawn cart. And that was being pragmatic. Word would never reach the capital before they were face to face with the bandits.

The Bloodsworn let out a snort of indignation and glanced toward Freebird. "You're absolutely sure we're going to be paid for this?" he asked finally, his expression one of intense ennui. It appeared a far more important topic at this point, because everyone seemed to be on the same page. Go in, grab the girl, get out, fight anyone who tries to stop them. Except something about the entire ordeal already smelled foul.

The others would continue to talk, and hopefully by drawing attention to his apparent greed and relative apathy, they could make a bid for more information, or lull the secretary and anyone else who might be listening into a false sense of security. In reality, he was less worried about the money and more worried that the job was a sham. Let the others think what they would, though- especially the locals.

Trust no one.

"I'm not interested in charity work, after all."

 

[Madison Mortiere]

Madison opened her mouth to remind Hot Topic that he was, in fact, playing a video game; and that any sense of actual accomplishment and the rewards that went with it would be erased the next time the government managed to shut the servers down--but the mayor's secretary beat her to it. "Yes, of course; we're not... the richest village on the cape; but we do have enough in the coffers to pay you all for your services."

"How much," Madison asked.

The woman shuffled through some papers on her desk before finding the right one. "Five thousand gold, paid upon her safe return to Carrington." A not insignificant amount.

The gunslinger did some calculations in her head. She had no idea whatsoever whether that was actually good, or if the taller of the sulking ones was right and they were being had. What's the inflation rate been like these last four years, anyway?

"Did they ask for a ransom?"

"Yes. An astronomical sum that we'd have no hope of ever paying off."

A couple gears clicked into place inside Madison's head. Very well could be a reason for that, she didn't say out loud. One of the others in her group probably had the same thought, given the mail ping that just went off in her ear. She pulled up her palm UI, read it real quick, and then typed out a quick reply--all the while, the secretary glancing back and forth, probably thinking oh, this is one of those weird Traveler things they do, right?

Mail

Inside job, or maybe an escape and a message to never come find her. Especially if this ransom is in the millions. For a small farming village mayor's daughter???

She squeezed shut her palm UI, tucked the reports underneath her armpit, and looked at the others in turn. "We should hit the road, while we have a bit of light to travel by. We can strategize while we move. Let's go."

@The Guy @Darko Ljubicic @Jin

 

[The Guy]

Mail

Maybe they want something besides money. Something that nobody is talking about.

THE GUY had gotten so used to the use of closed communications that he hadn't even thought about how an online game would have a text messaging system. Naturally, he took to it as much as he could. Just being able to put words into silent text alone was a huge advantage to him, and it didn't help that he had missed the use of instant messengers for quite a long time now.

He decided with his newfound power that it was time to go and be of use. As he began to leave the town, he wrote a message informing the others of what he intended to do.

Mail

I'm going on ahead while you prepare. I'll be keeping an eye on our location and our targets' positions. I'll update you if anything changes over there. We'll be ready for this as soon as you wish to be, boss.

 

[Darko Ljubicic]

Hearing of their compensation if they completed this task at hand, Darko could estimate that this should be enough for food and lodging for some weeks. This was a small town anyway, and the compensation for this task could never be much higher, even if the kidnapped person in question was the daughter of a mayor. But if the conversations of the de facto squad leader (@Madison Freebird) and the town secretary was to be taken at face value, his idea of the actual scenario might actually be true. Whether it was an inside job, a murder by cop, or a Romeo and Juliet situation, or any other scenario he had not thought about, Darko thought that there were suspicious motives in this mission. Maybe their squad leader over there had the same idea. And, as she then typed something, presumably in response to what he had typed earlier, he thought he had actually hit the nail on the head. But still, typing out your response? Right in full view of everyone? Darko was about to shake his head in dismay, but he resisted the urge and just stood there just staring at the squad leader, before she had addressed the rest of them to leave so that they could move to the area before dusk. Darko then responded with a nod and "All right." before setting out together with her.

When they were quite a ways away from the town hall, he again typed a message, still using his patented method of incognito mail communication:

Mail

Anyway, everything seemed fishy in that town hall, so it's for our own good that we do not discuss our plans there, although I half expected someone to throw out a fake plan in there if ever. So anyway, what is our next move?

@The Guy @Jin

 

[Jin]

There was a moment of prolonged silence as the most vocal of their group labored at fat fingering his keyboard before Jin realized what was actually going on. He bit back the overwhelming urge to roll his eyes. Their whole entourage had apparently succumbed to the urge to draw attention to themselves. Freebird's initial decision may not have raised too many eyebrows, but the snailmail texting had the entire crowd turning heads. Fortunately, the last of them at least waited until they left the building to indulge in their little DM chain.

The Guy was the first of them to break from the group, per his message (which Jin noted was inordinately short when compared with how long it took him to type it out), and the subsequent response from Darko cast further doubt on the motivations of the townsfolk. The Bloodsworn let out a small sigh.

"They already found us suspicious, we had no need to exacerbate the sentiment," he said with regard to the constant private messaging. He was already watching over his shoulder periodically to discern whether or not they were followed. It was more disconcerting to him that they seemed to have left with no enhanced interest from their would-be clientele. "And I doubt seriously that anything we say now will spur greater interest. Whatever plans they may or may not have presumably already include provisions for interlopers."

Jin passionately hated overuse of the messaging system. It detracted from his immersion considerably, and so he advocated to deviate from it whenever possible. He also knew when it was pertinent to not open his mouth- a skill he put on full display just moments before.

He had reached the foregone conclusion that this was an inside job, though the breadth and degree to which that was true remained in flux. "Whatever the case may be, they have no real designs on bringing the girl back," he postulated, "the posted request seems too much like a formality, like they went through the motions to placate someone. Their reaction when we came asking was proof enough of that. The secretary didn't have the lack of composure you'd see in someone who was rattled by a kidnapping, or who was directly subordinate to someone who's daughter had been taken."

The darkly dressed swordsman turned to address the other two more directly without looking at either of them. "My guess is that they made it out to be a different type of work than it actually is so that they could hustle us for a more dangerous job at a garbage rate." He gave a shrug. "I have no doubt there's Bandits involved. They're sending us straight into the hideout."

Not that the danger bothered Jin at all.

@Madison Freebird @The Guy @Darko Ljubicic

 

[Madison Mortiere]

The raven turned on her heels, walking backwards down the cobblestone streets of Carrington as she shot Jin a look. "What were you expecting? For her to throw herself at your feet, desperately clutching at your leg and saying 'thank you, oh thank you handsome stranger!' like you're some savior of the masses or something?" She rolled her eyes before opening up the folder with the guard's report to do some more browsing. "Gal's just trying to do her job and be a professional about it. It's not like they kidnapped her daughter or anything. Leave all the freaking out to the mayor."

Although, it did pluck Madison's curiosity that she hadn't met the mayor in order to discuss any details that the guard's report might be missing. But not everything needs to be a puzzle piece that you ham-fistedly hammer into the bigger picture. Mayor's a busy man with a job to do and all.

"Either way, the kidnapping was nine days ago." She continued to thumb through the report. "A ridiculous ransom and the fact that they haven't started shipping her back to town in parts tells us quite a few things, though. We should still be under the impression that this might be a kidnapping to keep; or maybe they're bluffing a high ransom to negotiate down to something more reasonable, but a pile big enough to make these assholes set for life. Maybe we are just being sent to slaughter them all for a comparable pittance."

She shrugged. "And even possibly that this wasn't a kidnapping, but a runaway case. We don't know."

But what were the odds of that?

It's another minute of gears turning in her noggin before Madison speaks up again. "I still think we should sneak up there, find a back way in, track down the gal, and then ask a fuckload of questions to know for sure how to proceed from there."

@The Guy @Jin @Darko Ljubicic

 

[Darko Ljubicic]

As @Madison Freebird detailed her plan to the other two, Darko then thought it was a good strategy. But one important aspect lingered on his mind for too long and he could not shake it. Unable to shake it off, he then said it to the two.

"If @The Guy was saying the truth, they might have also anticipated that to happen. We should remember that that area is their home turf, and an attack on them would be just like a siege, and that we should every entrance would be covered by them. But if they missed one area, we should go there, albeit carefully."

He then thought of the various possibilities that might be afoot in this whole situation. The people in that town hall might seem to be supplying them ample information, but they were actually withholding some important details. As @Jin had pointed out, there was definitely some sort of fuckery going within that town hall, and the plethora of possibilities of what was actually happening made him irritated. But this would be only solved if...

"We definitely need to make it out there living and not spawning again in a church, whether we succeed or fail in an assault. More importantly, we need this done within a single timeframe."

 

[Jin]

He glanced over his shoulder at Madison as she ridiculed his assessment, uncertain of what she was getting at. The idea that someone might beg him or throw themselves at him was not entirely beyond the realm of possibility, but in his mind, the lack of any kind of emotional distress was an anomaly. Normal people lost their minds under duress. Emotions ruled the general population. "I had no idea there was a market for calm and collected," he mused, lips twisting into a smirk. "Maybe there is hope for me after all."

Jin didn't stop to wait for laughter or a witty retort. Instead, when it was apparent that they were on the same page, he struck off in the general direction of the job and fully expected for them to follow along. "You do have the right of it, though. Speculation is getting us nowhere, and in order to make more informed decisions, we'll need more information. We can rendezvous with the loud fellow and see what he's learned before we clear the location where she's being held and start looking for answers."

The Bloodsworn tucked his thumb under his waistband and let his arm rest along the length of his katana's sheath as he walked.

"First things first, we should get a layout of the surrounding area and form a plan for infil and exfil," he suggested.

@Madison Freebird @The Guy @Darko Ljubicic

 

[Madison Mortiere]

"Agreed. Let's head out."

Madison stuck to the darkness, effortlessly blending in with the shadows cast by the trees overhead, appearing only as a blur as she slowly led the others through the forest. Weaving between the trees, the gunslinger kept a vigilant eye out for wayward patrols while checking her UI minimap every minute or so.

It wasn't long before they drew close to the derelict outpost.

"Hold up." Madison peeked around the trunk of a oak tree. She quickly scanned the battlements, crumbling and choked with ivy as they were. Her breath caught in her throat; every instinct told her to melt back into the abyss. The others could provide a distraction. She could slip in, find the mayor's daughter, and yank her into the shadows, and drag her ass back out as quick as you like.

The moment passed. And so did any desire to throw the others to the dogs. Emotional maturity! Character development for Madison Freebird!

She switched over to Deadeye for the briefest of moments. And--there! "Up on the battlements," she pointed out in hushed tones. "One guard over there; and a second on the opposite end. More have to be close--they look like they're expecting company. I can get closer to find a back way in through the shadows; but how do you two want to proceed?"

And then, she remembered their fourth.

Madison flicked open her palm UI and began typing away.

Mail

Hey @The Guy, where are you? Status update?

Expertise Check
1d100 (29) + 45 = 74
Awareness | Madison Freebird | 460
@Jin @The Guy @Darko Ljubicic

 

[The Guy]

A reply could be seen showing up on her screen almost just after she sent it.

Mail

I'm on the other side of the clearing. Besides what you've brought up, there's a guy in an underground pit that you can't see from over there-he's buried beneath the left side of the entrance. he has some kind of blowgun. Three people are in the cave out of your view-angle--consider them reinforcements.

The surprising notion to come with that would be that THE GUY had heard Madison's quiet voice from all the way across the clearing. It was all but sure now that the man had Hyper Sense of some kind.
He wasn't hiding it, either. Keeping an eye towards the inside of the cave, he made sure to watch as closely as he could. There were torches set up on the front entrance so as to make the further inside comparatively darker, but THE GUY could see more than well enough in the dark.

His fingers went up to the chat log again. His other hand gripped firmly the pistol at his side.

Mail

I'll be taking out those three to make sure they don't go further in to alert more. I'll be on them as soon as we begin the assault. Just keep frosty for that guy on the left. We don't know what kind of poison he has on hand.

@Jin @Darko Ljubicic @Madison Freebird

 

[Darko Ljubicic]

After some more minutes of walking out of the town and into the forest, they had finally reached their target destination: some sort of an abandoned fort just nearby the town; it might have been erected to serve as an advance position in a war that had long passed, and now almost crumbling due to under-use. According to @Jin's suggestion but not really guided by it as he was actually doing it all along, he then tried to set up a plan so that they would be guided to the most effective route possible. He would need to strain his mind into thinking up strategies, try to pick up their opponents' next moves, and then think up an effective counter-measure. And so he then started mumbling a spell that would enable him to get a glimpse of a future a minute from now, and then run one situation, take note of the results, run another simulation, take note of results, etc. until he would reach the ideal end. @Madison Freebird's and @The Guy's warnings about there being two people on the battlements and a person with a blowgun at 11 o'clock from where they would view the outpost were then taken as factors when he would simulate his movement, but it would seem that everything only ended in one direction. And that was always the bad end: they would have to face the whole bandit ring with only four of them. There seemed to be entities at 2 o'clock and 10 o'clock that would alarm the people inside, even when he would have killed the person hidden with the blowgun and the nightwatch simultaneously. And those was too far away for him to kill off quietly, and even when he did, some other people on 1 o'clock and 11 o'clock but really far off will alarm the bandits in their stead. It had seemed that once they had stepped in this area, they had been already trapped, and the only choices were to fight off all of them or just retreat. There were no other options.

He then would disseminate what he had divined towards Madison and Jin, while he was also typing a message that had the same gist towards The Guy. "Along with that blowdart guy that The Guy had mentioned, there are two more of them at our far right and far left. In fact, if you consider this battlement, there might be eight of them, projecting from all cardinal positions of the outpost. Killing one of them would just alarm the others and the whole camp, and we cannot possibly kill all eight at the same time along with the nightwatch at the battlements. Wherever we enter, the whole camp will be alerted and will not leave their stations except if we charge in. At that moment, we will be facing the whole brunt of the bandit group, and their knowledge of their camp will be on their advantage. However, we might win if we pick them off one-by-one until they are too weakened to risk a full counter-assault. To do that, we must take full control of the battlements as fast as possible, and use our ranged capabilities to their full advantage."