On the Verge - Meeting the First Nations

Barrens, here Was not the place where you can just ignore your surrounding, here you can't turn the other cheek, here it's everyday a fight for the survival. showing weakness is not a thing you can survive here, either you are one of the strong no one dare to touch or you are one of the weak no one cared to touch, but if you are in the middle better have some influential friends. Silver has them, both in The First Nation and in the Crimson Crushers, maybe friends is a strong word, but still both of them keep him safe in their territories and that's enough.

A cough took Silver out of his though, instinctively he had his hand in the grip of his Taser, but it was just an old begger. he wanted money, but Silver knew better then to give him some, so he just pointed back to the way he came
"you know, the church down this street gives out free meals right about now, if you are fast you can sill get some, but i will not pay for your booze." Silver turned and walked further. He knew that Father James was a kind soul and his feed the hungry actions where known all around this part of the barrens, still there where those who think they do not need help.

And there are those who are no help, just like the dealer around the corner, free sample heh? they are mind drug's. a lot of the people here are addicted already. they where good, if you need to escape the reality of your being
, but, even thou he had tried them once, Silver did not like the idea to play games just in his mind, he rather liked to play with the people around him. And so he did. He took the Dealer upon his preposition and took the free samples without saying a word, but before he could walk on a Cab stopped just a few meters from them. Silver was luck to be standing where he did as the Dealer and his Chiphead friend where drenched wet. After silently refusing the ride home he walked on, in a safe distance he looked back, waited a bit, and when he saw the dealer looking in his direction he throw the free samples in the bin, that much for the mind games, he turned and with a grin on his face he left for his home.

Just a few minutes of walk, a change of wear and Silver was ready to go to the HQ of the First Nation, there might be a job for him, no there is a job for him.
he went downstairs got on his Bike and left, right now he looked, like a clown in a funeral, so much for the designer clothes and expensive vehicle he was using, without the protection he would have to be careful as the street could try to take it away from him.

Upon arriving at the FN HQ Silver leaves his Bike just next to the entrance, that should impress someone here at least, he was called here to talk businesses, and so he has to make a respectable impression. Today he has put on his Synergistic Suit, it should make the right impression on his next employers.
On the other hand, He was sticking out in the Barren's like a brightly lit 10 foot tall Christmas tree, at least today when he had his best clothes on.
seeing the guards speaking with the spirit was nothing unusual, the shaman here did it all the time, but still it was a sight to see, at least until one of the guards started to ask questions.

PresentPresence wrote:

They chat jovially with a materialized Spirit of Man sitting on the steps; upon your approach, they silence themselves and stare at you apprehensively. One of them calls out to you, "What are you looking at?" Their stares harden while they await your response.

"Two hard working Gentlemen." he simply answered, after seeing their reaction he added " I am here to speak with the ones in charge, so you could show me the way or at least inform them that I have arrived, Silver the name, by the way." Sivler tried to be as polite and friendly as possible(4)
"You know, I will be leaving my Bike here while I am inside, I would like to ask of you to keep the punks away from it, and in exchange I will compliment you r boss on the capabilities of his guard especially you two." Negation to get the guard interested to keep an eye out to Silvers Bike where not something that had to be done, but it seemed right, and it never hurts to be on the safe side.

Despite growing up in the barrens and having go-gangers as her only companions Liandra, or Nailz as he prefered to be called outside of Pops garage, still managed a kind of ignorance innocents about the world around here. And though she was no longer a child she still maintained a childlike playfullness when there weren't more pressing matters to attend to. As she is going down the street still loves jumping into the puddles and seeing how far she could make the splash go. Pops is going to be upset with her again for soaking her boots but thats later now its SPLASH SPLASH SPLASH.

As Liandra continues to play in the lovely acid rain she hears the cough of the homeless guy asking for a handout. Lee squats down infront of the pile of rags trying to get a good look at the guy What's your name? She asks him as pulls some (now socking wet) bills out of her (now dripping wet) grease stained cargo pants.

Later when the pusher offers her the freebie she takes it without so much as a second thought.

As for the cabbie: 30 nuyen and I getta drive(bargaining + cha: 10d6: 2 hits), after taking the cabbie for a high speed tour of the barrens she drops herself off at home, leaving the drugs in the cab.

That evening Nailz gets ready to head out to the first nations HQ, you would think she was getting ready for a date: she managed to scub *most* of the grease stains out from under her fingernails, pulled the tanktop and cargo pants with the least amount of grease stains out of the trunk, she let her hair out of its ever present ponytail, and she polished her boots.

She sat down to a sparce dinner of lowgrade nutra-soy with Pops and had to try to explain to him again that she will be fine and that he shouldn't worry about her (you try convinging an old dwarf of something once he's made up his mind) Besides, I might be able to score some connections and find Lance... she tried once again to tell.

"just be safe ok.." is the last thing he told her as she went out to her old Comet, (more bondo than steel, every panel a different color, it looks like a total piece, no one would even think about stealing it, not even in the barrens. but the engine has been tweaked to Nailz's personal preferences and the rigger black box helps too) Applying a few more pieces of duct tape to the spots that were leaking last time she took it out, she drove off to the meet.

She left early and took the long way so she could spend some time in hot sim becoming one with her car, feeling the road and the engine as she pushed it harder and harder, to Nailz there is nothing quite like that rush as she drifts around corners on the wet roads.

Finally see heads to the HQ, skidding to a stop right behind the motorcyle thats already parked in front. She unjacks from the black box and sits there for a couple of minutes to readjust to being in a body again and to let her breathing settle back to a normal pace.

She gets out and starts to walk in like she belongs there Hey guys, I'm here to see Steve Dancingbear. Oh yea, and watch the car for a girl it aint much but its all I got and she slides past the guards before the can say anything.

As she left her run-down apartment,'Roslyn' looked up as the rain comes down. Oh, drek, I hate this place. She lifted the collar on her duster and adjusted the ball cap she wore. Roslyn was the identity Asha had taken to get this apartment. Roslyn was a middle aged, black woman who had a job in downtown seattle. This was one of many transformations she would make on any given day to elude any shadowers. Life in the Barrens was hard and cold, and this was something she was sure to never forget. Asha had dealt with the much of the usual riff-raf that populated the Barrens. Either through bribe or persuasion, she had many people who knew of her, in one form or another.

Asha moved quickly along the streets, not wanting to be late. She resigned herself to looking like a drowned rat by the time she made it to the meeting. It was only a few blocks away, but she was used to travelling by foot. She turned into a back alley that was well known to her to cut through. She heard hte cough and turned as teh Bum asked for help. She knew that often times this discarded members of humanity were the source of leads that would help get things done. Sure, here you go. Stay safe She smiled and gave him a few bills. She rarely carried anything that resembled credsticks, too easy to trace. Asha continued on her way.

She made for the most direct route to the First Nations HQ she had to pass the part she hated most. The small area where drug and sim dealers seemed to propogate their trade. She moved her scarf up about her face as she walked, but even that didn't help. The troll asked if she wanted a free sample. Asha only looked up as him. She didn't have time to dea lwith this drekhead, if she even could. Asha looked at the trol la moment, then turned to continue on. Live by the drug, die by the drug. was all she said as she moved on. As she rounded the corner, she took a moment to transform to her final time of the day. This time it was to a near thrity Native American woman with blue eyes. Her hair was long and draped about her shoulders in two long braids as she took them out from under her hat. Disguise 3 sux

Her thoughts moved to what the job could possibly be that summoned her. She needed the work that was for sure. Asha saw herself as an unsung hero of the Barrens. Though she always got paid for her work. She continued on as a cabby pulled up and soaked the elf. The cabby asked her if she needed a ride, but she didn't like the look in his eye. he was lookign her up and down and his grin was a bit off. Asha wasn't the trusting type. yeah? no thanks, I'm good. , she snapped a bit as she moved off the curb and started for her destination.

She walked a few more blocks and she could see the front door. Asha noted the men there, their armament and their general attitude. As she appraoched she nodded to the men.
Hey there boys, I was called here for job. Seeing as this rain really sucks, I'm looking to get inside. That ok? She looks between them and awaits an answer.To make a good impression 3sux

Silver gets an odd look from the beggar. He cocks his head to the side, and his eyes have a strange glint in them for a mere moment.He struggles to his feet and walks the opposite way of the church.
After he witnesses you tossing the drugs, the troll's eyebrows furrow in anger, but he does not leave his post. You hear him mumble "fraggin' dandelion-eater" before you walk away.
The cabby snorts at the well-dressed man refusing a chauffeur, and drives off impatiently.
When he gets to the HQ, he impresses the guards, and they promise to keep his bike safe. They use a metal detecting wand on him, and pat him down briefly. One of them turns away and speaks into a commlink on his wrist. After a moment, he turns around and tells Silver that he may enter the building. "The boss is busy today, so you'll be meeting with Dawn Wolf. Third room on your left. The spirit will lead you."

Nailz is almost blinded by the whiteness of the beggar's teeth as he flashes her a huge smile. "My name is difficult to pronounce in this level of gravity. My name was given to me on Neptune. Did I ever tell you the story about how I became a prince there? Oh, that's right, you wish to know my nomenclature! It's..." The beggar looks around in confusion for a second. He pulls a marble out of a fold in his many jackets and passes it to Nailz. Then he walks away without saying another word.
The drug slinger nods and then his face goes blank for a second. In a strangely paternal gesture, he pats her on the shoulder, before turning to talk to his next customer.
The cabby is shocked at first by her request, but after a brief pause he takes the bills and scoots over to the passenger seat. After the tour, he says, "That was a wild ride, sister! I know some guys that run a race, and they would definitely want to see you in action. Hey, call me sometime if you need a ride." He gives you his commcode. You have earned a C1/L1 contact. Make a Pilot Ground Craft (3) test to see if you earned L2.
As Nailz tries to slide into the building, one of the guards grabs her arm and with his other hand puts a nasty looking knife up to her neck, blade first. He applies enough pressure for a slight prick of blood to appear. "I don't care if you're Dancingbear's slitch, you don't just walk into our HQ like you're some kind of hot drek idoru." The other guard slides a metal detecting wand over her and roughly frisks her. Make an Etiquette (2) test if you wish to apologize, or an Intimidation (3) test to stare the guard down.

Asha is greeted with a kindly smile from the beggar. With a flash of movement, he wraps the bills into an intricate origami crane. With a raspy voice he says, "Open this when you have some free time." He jumps to his feet with surprising spryness, and runs off into an alley.
The drug dealer shakes his head at Asha. "See you around, sweetheart."
The cabby spits some tar out the window as Asha walks away and mumbles something incomprehensible as he peels off.
When she gets to the HQ, she witnesses the guard menacing Nailz. The other guard tells her not to worry about it, and after a brief visual once over, he waves her in. "Sure thing, blood-sister. Third room on your left. Ancestor will show you the way." He points to the spirit of man, who winks at you and turns to enter the building.

Nailz seazes up at the treat of the knife to her throat... Her mouth keeps opening and closing closing but nothing comes out as she stares wide eyed at the guard holding the knife to her throat... She looks like she is about to cry...this isn't what she thought would happen...

But she is Nailz, she isn't going to cry... She tries to regain her composure

....But ummmm....but but but but but but..... I I I I I'm Sorry... I just want to go see Steve...

She tries to give them the look that she uses on Pops whenever she wants to do something.

Can I go see Steve now...Please....?

[OOC: only two hits on the pilot test, and 1 on the etiquette]

PresentPresence wrote:

Silver gets an odd look from the beggar. He cocks his head to the side, and his eyes have a strange glint in them for a mere moment.He struggles to his feet and walks the opposite way of the church.
After he witnesses you tossing the drugs, the troll's eyebrows furrow in anger, but he does not leave his post. You hear him mumble "fraggin' dandelion-eater" before you walk away.
The cabby snorts at the well-dressed man refusing a chauffeur, and drives off impatiently.
When he gets to the HQ, he impresses the guards, and they promise to keep his bike safe. They use a metal detecting wand on him, and pat him down briefly. One of them turns away and speaks into a commlink on his wrist. After a moment, he turns around and tells Silver that he may enter the building. "The boss is busy today, so you'll be meeting with Dawn Wolf. Third room on your left. The spirit will lead you."

"Dawn Wolf? Doubt i have met him before, is he new to the FN?" Silver was thinking more to himself, but spoke every word out loud, he noticed that the guards have heard it.
"Dawn Wolf it is then, thank you and now i will be on my way, would not like to leave a bad first impresion of me to him." And Silver went in, it took him almost no time to find the room pointed out by the guards.
Silver thanks the spirit for showing the way, then take's a deep breath and goes in.

Silver has earned a +1 social modifier during the interview.
Asha has earned a +1 social modifier during the interview.
The other guard taps the knife-wielder on the shoulder. "Let her go man, it ain't worth it. 'Sides, she's clean, and you don't want to start something with Dancingbear." He pulls the knife back and slides it into its holster. "Yeah whatever. Just don't let it happen again." Nailz now has a -1 social modifier during the interview.

Nailz grumbles another apology to the guards as they let her by. As soon as she is inside she asks the first person she sees where the 'little girls room' is. if and when she is is alone she is going to take some time to try to recompose herself, wash her face and check her neck where the knife was pressed against it.

When she finially arrives at the meeting room she is sitting as close to the door as possible and has a bit of a scowl on her face. she keep looking down at the floor and glancing at the door.

Asha nodded to the guard and smiled at the Spirit of Man. Spirits keep you safe my blood brothers. She heads on and starts toward the room she was told to go to following the sprit. She looked about as she walked, taking in the sites. By reflex, she looked at possible defenses and for weaknesses. She nodded as she arrived at the room and looked about, ready to have a seat and expecting to find out exactly what this was all going to be about.

Carrion was walking slowly in the rain, coming from Kokoro, thus with a half-smile on his lips. He was happy but not careless, his eyes and ears - aided by modern technology - registered everything that was happening nearby. The harsh weather was just a small nuisance for him, but, combined with darkness, it further reduced the senses of the average metahumans, thus increasing their chances to mistake him with a helpless bystander and try to mug him for his money or his organs. He had little to fear regarding his life, but an attack could potentially reveal what he was and that was a threat to his mission - so he watched and listened to be able to prevent any confrontation.
When the human asked him "Cred for an old man? Cred for an old beggar?" he winced a little for show, then replied with a faint smile "Oh, excuse me, just a minute, I think I heard something familiar from that alley." With that, he went towards the alley, and the huge troll almost bumped into him before he noticed he was there "What the...? Watch it, pal, before I stomp you." "Hi Mister! How you doin'?" "Huh? What you doin' 'ere little man? You want to get yourself killed or wasted? I mean in a good way?" - he laughed on his own brilliance, and Karasu laughed with him. "Just visiting some friends. But if you would be so kind to provide a highlight for our evening, I would be endlessly grateful to you and wouldn't forget to tell them whom I got it from." Roll "Haha, I like your speech! It's funny! Here's some, chummer. Enjoy!"

Back with the half-sleeping beggar, Carrion knelt beside him, gently getting his attention. "Hello old man! I have something for you. It brings good dreams." "What's it, my matey! You don't want to hurt an old beggar, do you? " Then he saw the little plastic in his hands, and his eyes widened. "That's for me? Oh, pal, you're so kind to me!" "But before you get on the dreamboat, captain, could you tell me about the Nations? You're on their territory. Have you heard anything? What are they up to nowdays?"Roll2 "Ooh! I think a storm is coming. Better shorten the sails! You see..." A thunder and some harsh winds carried away they voice as they conversed.
Shortly after, Karasu watched the old man sail away, then he blanketed him with the raincoat he got from Kokoro. He liked the rain and wind on his skin, plus that flappy coat just made him a bigger, slower, louder target. "Carry on" he said to himself, pulling into the deeper shadows as a cab with a hungry-eyed driver rolled by on the street.

Later, a small figure approached one of the Nation's buildings. "What are you looking at?" - the guards asked, their stare hardened, as the little man came out of the shadows with something in his both hands. "Two thirsty men who's working hard and for that, deserves a little something...I know you're on guard duty, but I "found" a six pack of these and I have some time until my meet with Judy, so if you don't mind I'd like to share this with you. Oh, and I also happen to have a pack of smokes. 'You smoking? (He offers them the beer and the sticks) My name is Karasu, by the way, but everyone seems to call me Carrion. Nice to meet you." Carrion spent a few minutes sitting a little further away from the door, observing the traffic of people and conversing with the guards. [Roll to win their sympathy] They were new or he haven't met them yet, but that's why he bought the beers, just in case, and he saw the interest and a little fear in their eyes when he left them. They must have heard the rumors by now - the Nations had enough (even if not enough to call them a wizgang) spellslingers to discover what Carrion is, and he watched the news go around, as peoples attitude towards him slowly changed, but he didn't mind. They have seen his magic, they knew he was a shapeshifter, but they did not know that he was also a shaman and they strayed too far away from their ancestor's path to grasp his true nature.

For them, he was the avatar of Raven, the Creator who made all lands by dropping a stone in the endless waters, who freed the first men and women and paired them together and he also was the Trickster, who tried to steal the Sun. Raven did those things out of boredom, so nowdays if he visited the gang, they were always trying to find something for him to do or someone he could talk to, they carried him around and he got trinkets form time to time from the more devoted members. They held onto the legends of their ancestors, as a way to escape the cruel reality around them and because they represented a bond that held together this rag-tag "tribe". But Carrion resented and pitied them - they were born in the city, they will die in the city and they will never know what the endless forest feels like. A single oak tree? A few fairy tales and fragments of rituals? Most of them didn't even speak their ancestor's language. That's why they were confused about Carrion.

Karasu Ouda looked like a human, talked like one and acted like he was one of them, but first and foremost Carrion was an animal. No human rule, no moral code could fit him, he lived by the rules of the land, much older, simple, cruel rules that demanded the survival of the strongest. He had no obligation to these humans, they were not related to him, they were not even the same species as him, so he was truly neutral towards them, but if it comes to the question of his own survival, he will kill or save any of them without a second thought. Of course, Karasu was also part human, he had a conscience, he knew friendship and emotional bonds. Just, beyond a certain point, he had higher priorities...

Carrion was met with a mixture of fear and respect. The bodyguards had indeed heard of shapeshifters, and had seen with their own eyes what they could do. Carrion's generous offer did well to soothe their nerves. "Uh, yeah. Thanks. Um, Dawn Wolf will be meeting with you today. Follow the others in. You can't miss it." Carrion has earned a +1 social modifier during the interview.

As you shuffle in to the First Nations base, you will find it to be even greener and more vivacious than the front. Some of the plants seem to rustle while you walk by, even though there is no breeze. The spirit of man answers, without the question being verbalized. "They are the k̕ʷənit; Those who watch. You, too, should watch." You feel, rather than hear, a chuckle from the spirit. He leads you to a steel door towards the end of a hallway. "This is Dawn Wolf's den. What? Were you expecting a wickiup?" Another chuckle ripples through your being.
Then the steel door swings open of its own accord. A growl emerges from the darkened room, and it slowly turns into coherent speech. "What have I told you about toying our guests' emotions, Kicking Bear?" You feel the rippling chuckle dissolve. "Only lightening the mood around here, Dawn Wolf. The skies have been so gray, of late." The spirit steps away from the group. "Good luck, brothers." You watch as its feet move as if walking, but fail to touch the floor.
The growl reemerges from the room, and it turns into a single command. "Enter."
The steel door hides the true nature of the room. As you step in, you find yourself to be in a rocky cave. A cool wind blows through and flickers the flames of candles sat atop stalagmites. The ceiling is level in an area of about four meters square, after which it tapers down to form a dome. Tanned animal skins decorate the walls, covered in black and purple pictographs. In the center of the room, the stony floor has been sanded down in a circle to form a flat surface, upon which a low round wooden table sits. On the far side of the table, a man sits cross-legged on the floor.

If one thing could define the physical appearance of the man, it was this; Ferocity. Pure, streamlined, unabashed ferocity. But the man kept it contained, like a chained beast. His muscles twitched visibly with the strain of it. "Sit, brothers and sisters." His voice seems to come through on two wavelengths, his words accompanied by a subtle growl. "My name, as you must already know, is Dawn Wolf. Our people do not have hierarchies; it is an alien notion to us. But if you were to force one upon me, you might say that I am the lieutenant of Blood-of-the-Buffalo. I have been put in charge of the operations here in the Verge." He shifts his balance forward and touches a hidden button on the table. A holo projector rises from an opening in the center of the table, and presents a three-dimensional representation of the Verge. Red, yellow, and green areas are highlighted throughout. "This war has stretched our resources...that is why we have summoned you. You each have individual talents that will help in our newest mission. Introduce yourselves, and your talents, and I will enlighten each of you of the task required of you."

A short (for and elf), skinny (even by elven standards), yound elf girl in grease stained clothes stands up from the back of the room.

She runs a hand through her short hair and looks at everyone else in the room. She appears very nervous and a bit afraid....

"Hi....ummmmmm.... I'm Nailz.
....
....
....
....
....
....
I'm a driver.....
I'm the best driver in the area.....err at least I will be...
..
..
..
..
Got a couple of drones if that will help too...

She Quickly sits back down and tries to hide how red her face turned while she was talking.

She goes back to fidgiting with a loose string on her pants....

Carrion looks like a child in his first carnival. He constantly moves his head, sometimes his whole body in the purpose to see everything the same time, if possible. When D-Wolf (as he labels the lieutenant) speaks he pays attention, but his eyes wonder around from time to time and sometimes he moves his hands like he wants to touch one of Wolf's hair-thingies. He tilts his head to look up to the others' faces and he recognizes most of them - he saw them enter while he talked with the guards outside. When D-Wolf finishes, everyone starts to speak and Carrion is so fascinated by this bunch of extraordinary people (especially by the tall-tall elves!) he doesn't notice the silence that falls onto the room. Seeing everyone staring at him, his eyes widen a little, then after he clears his throat, he starts to speak:

"You know, I've never been in this place before, it's so great, so nice to meet y'all, I must say it's an honor to be invited, but I'm only here to see Judy and I'm really late now... (he sees how the others look at him) ... of course she can wait, she's so young after all, and I gladly talk about myself a little, but there is nothing much to say, really, I'm Karasu Ouda, Carrion if you may, really nice to meat you, and I'm good at finding things, not stealing or something, but finding things others threw away, trinkets, useful little things, I know the best places to look for, may even know a place to sell them if you have something you don't want anymore. (he gasps for air a little, then surprisingly his speech gets even faster, and the others can't tell if he just called their host D-Wolf or not) D(awn)WolfCanITalkWthYouForASecondPleaseInPrivate?"

Carrion feels an intrusion in his mind. He feels a mindlink spell connect his brain to Dawn Wolf's. He feels a flash of rage from him, only for a second, before it is dimmed down to a simmer. "Peace, blood-friend. Let the others speak. I will converse with each of you individually in due time. I apologize for this...mental battering ram." You feel the link dwindle away, and feel the hairs on the back of your neck lie down.

PresentPresence wrote:

"This war has stretched our resources...that is why we have summoned you. You each have individual talents that will help in our newest mission. Introduce yourselves, and your talents, and I will enlighten each of you of the task required of you."

Silver thought to start talking, but then decided to hear the others first, and started to look at them to judge them for himself, then silver started to look around as to make sure he knew where he was.
Preception(1)
Perception(1)

Without really determining much Silver turned his attention back to the room. two had spoken and it seemed it was time for him to speak up.
Silver took a step forward and spoke up
"I am Silver, pleased to meat you. i will be your representation, negotiation or any other social need fulfilling role for now, but i have some other skills as well, Nailz I and my Bike would love to make a small race with you some day, and if needed i could be useful in electronics and other stuff, but i am no where as good as a Hacker, but i can do some damage if needed.
If i may say so i am good for nothing Jack of all trades, but my speciality is Social sphere." A smile widened in his face " I am at your service Dawn wolf." Silver made a bow and stepped back to his old place waiting for the last person to speak up.

As Silver surveys his surroundings, he manages to get a basic understanding of his fellow runners' and host's physical statures.

Spoiler:

Much of the room seems "out of place", but he does notice that the far right corner (from the door) of the room is darker than the other areas of the room, but, even with his remarkable low-light vision, in the dim light he can only manage to see an outline of what may be a potted plant.

When Carrion entered the room, he noticed that a Watcher Spirit stands next to their host, and notices several smaller auras surrounding Dawn Wolf. He thinks he sees a vague astral glow in an otherwise dark corner of the room, but in concert with his physical sight, it appears that it is just a potted plant. He takes the time to assense his comrades, each in turn.

Spoiler:

The American Indian women steps forward a bit and nods. Asha listens intently as Dawn Wolf speaks. His words seem to sink deep into her mind.She looks about the room in an eerie silence as a smirk crosses her face. Perhaps it is a habit, or a tell, but her eyes clearly look at each person in turn with a confidence and a dominance of someone who has seen their share of hard times. It's clear she considers her words carefully before speaking.

I have heard little of this war, and most of it from the outsiders. I really didn't care of these things. Things are hard all over out here. She leans back and folds her arms over her chest. Some of you may have heard of me, but I'd bet more of you haven't. I have many names, and such labels pass through me like water. My name here is Asha. I am an infiltrator, spy, sabotuer and assassin. I strike with monofilament precision and leave a small calling card for the sake of legends. She turns to look at Dawn Wolf with a bit of a smile on her face. Your position interests me, brother Your offer has brought me this far, but I will expect proper compensation for the services I provide. But then again, you knew this when you called.

Her attention is on Dawn Wolf, though her stance is such that she is considering everyone within the room. Her body language is that of a steel spring, ready to snap if needed.

When all of those seeking employment had finished, Dawn Wolf nodded his head and replied, "Very well. We have all become acquainted. You now all understand each other's various abilities, which should promote a...pack mentality. Which is a good thing. Trust me; I know something about it." With this statement, Dawn Wolf shifts himself into a kneeling position, and closes his eyes. You watch in amazement as he begins to change shape. His mouth becomes more pointed, his furrowed brow elongates, and he begins to grow golden brown and grey hairs on his arms. His chest swells and his arms contract. His legs also become closer to his body, and a shaggy tail erupts from the base of his spine. His hands and feet begin to morph into sharp-clawed paws, and he puts his hands on the ground, palms downward. With one final shake, his body has turned into that of a large wolf's. At this point, Carrion sees that Dawn Wolf has stopped falsifying his aura. It now burns brightly in the shape of a wolf. You may make another Assensing Test at this time. You notice that some of Dawn Wolf's traits remain with the animal; The wolf's left ear still has two hoops pierced in it, and the blue First Nations tattoo is still seen on its left arm. Dawn Wolf's pair of pants are still on the wolf, clumsily folded with the animal's legs.

Spoiler:

It opens its eyes and winks before reversing the transformation. The now human Dawn Wolf adjusts his leather pants before speaking. "Now you know of my true nature. Perhaps I have shown my trump card too soon, but I believe that trust is an important facet of teamwork. I'm not a Johnson - it's not my responsibility to conceal every motive and hide every goal. I will tell you my goal - to win the Verge in the name of the First Nations!" He emphasizes this point by howling a long singular note - almost mournful if it did not sound so victorious. You might be reminded of Walkürenritt, if you've heard it. He took a moment to visibly center himself, breathing in deeply through his nose and out through his mouth. "I believe I've gotten ahead of myself. Let's get back to the mission at hand. You shall be laying siege to a Crimson Crush stronghold. They have a few small ones, but you shall be taking the big one. They call it the Bloodhall. They may be a boastful bunch, but the name is well earned. They've essentially converted an old corp warehouse into a fortress. We haven't managed to get much intel on the place, so that will be up to you. I won't lie, this mission will be challenging. To that end, I have a gift for you." He slides a sliver of silver silicon to each of his guests. "These tutorsofts will help you develop a few additional talents that could prove useful for your mission. You have two weeks to learn, stakeout, and prepare."

Nailz has received an R5 Hardware Tutorsoft.
Carrion has received an R5 Infiltration Tutorsoft.
Silver has received an R5 Escape Artist Tutorsoft.
Asha has received an R5 Parachuting Tutorsoft.
You have all earned 4 Karma. Learning a new skill costs 4 karma. If you wish to use it to learn these skills, you will have to make an Intuition (2, 1 week) test, with an additional dice pool modifier of +10 thanks to the tutorsofts.

"You shall each receive 5,000 nuyen if you successfully perform this operation. If you manage to leave the compound relatively unscathed, you will each receive an additional 1,500 nuyen. Any questions?"

As the transformation begins, Carrion becomes completely motionless like...like a raven in a wolf's presence. This is the first shapeshifter he saw besides himself (as long as he could remember) so he carefully observes him. D-Wolf's fur and tail is steady and his ears doesn't indicate violence. And when he drops his masking, Carrion forgets everything else. He sees that Dawn Wolf was honest when he called him a blood-brother, he wasn't just using a new-amerindian slang, they were made from the same materials, they had the same essence inside them; magic mixed with the mystical light of the moon. They were akin, linked like every animal - prey and hunter alike - in the forest, now bonded with an even stronger force - survival. When Dawn Wolf invited him into his hunt, they became pack-mates, and the survival of the pack through a successful hunt is the highest priority. In this moment Carrion pledged his allegiances and accepted Dawn Wolf (who he will never call "D" again) as his pack leader, trusting in his strength and wisdom to bring the pack to victory in the upcoming battle. When he looks into Dawn Wolf's eyes and nods, they understand this better than any human word could describe it.

[Some rolls before I continue:

Assensing Dawn Wolf
Gang knowledge about CC (see below)
Barrens knowledge about the stronghold ]

But they aren't in the forest now, they cannot communicate purely on an instinct level, they also have to play their parts as humans in the human society.
"I have some questions. First, I assume we aren't the only ones going to attack. As far as I know, it's a heavily fortified position where the Crimson Crush stores their more expensive wares, guarded by cyber loving half-mans. Here, (a glance of his new pack members, especially to Nailz Second Assensing of Nailz) we have a face, a spy, a driver and me." Carrions posture and manner of speech drastically changed. He talks slowly and professionally, he barely moves his body, which is an unnerving contrast considering a few seconds ago he was like the duracell bunny. He dropped the harmless little japanese boy act when he decided he plays for this team now, and he doesn't want to deceive his future pack members (besides, Dawn Wolf showed that he already knows he's not what he seems to be, when he invited him into this room) "I think together we can get some serious intel, maybe we can get in and do some damage, make a little chaos, but anything else would be suicide. They have all the advantage, home ground, fortified positions, heavy weapons, and as I heard, they are preparing for the upcoming war, so we don't have the element of surprise either. So my questions: what is our role, how much resources and manpower can you commit to this attack beside us, and can you help us in any other way - I mean getting weapons and gear, mundane and magical resources or pointing us to people who have these kinds of things. We'll need everything if we hope to succeed, I myself am not equipped for an assault, and I'm not good with weapons, so I'd need some magical help to do this."

[Etiquette or Negotiations roll to squeeze some focus or other shaman material (or teaching) out of him, using my +1 social modifier or maybe a teamwork Neg. test for more money(we have a face after all)?]

Nailz starts to get a bit more freaked out after watching the transformation of Dawn Wolf [OOC: not that it was much of a surprise to any of the players...] and keeps moving herself a little bit closer to the door. She is leaving the tutorsoft where it lies, not wanting to get any closer to the werewolf than she has to (ok so she spends to much time watching bad horror sims...).

Umm...I do wanna know a few things mister...umm... mister Wolf....umm Sir,
Nailz suddenly gets some color back to her face as she starts to try to appear to be a professional.

First: what exactly do you mean by 'seige'? If I remember right from the war games I played it means to simply cut them off from the rest of the world by force. Which would be extreamly difficult for 4 people to accomplish. Either they would come out guns blazing or their other members would come and break a four person seige. So either I misunderstand what you mean or you are asking the impossible.

Second: You say you haven't gathered much intel but please share with us what you have managed to gather... we can start with the location of the CC's stronghold?

Third:....umm nevermind....

Fourth: What additional resources, if any, will the First Nations be able to add into the equation?

Fifth: and this goes with the first, What are the specific goals?

Sixth: Who do we contact to report success to?

Seventh: Due to the fact that you are asking the impossible I feel that compensation greater than 5,000 Nuyen may be in order

Umm. Please... and thank you.... Mr Wolf... ehh Sir.

Negotiation 4 (Bargaining +2) + charisma 4 -1 social mod roll: 5 hits
Negotiation roll with Dawn Wolf (9d6.hits(5)=5)

After Nailz speech, she gets really pale again and sits down looking embarrassed. she pulls a marble out of her pocket and fidgits with it.

Asha looked at the shifting being with a hint of a smile. It was a very different thing to see someone else changing form. Changing form to that of a wolf was extremely impressive. Her chocolate borwn eyes glint as she watches him, hearing the gasps of others in the room. She moves her hair a bit out of her face as he starts to change back.

As Dawn Wolf explains the mission, Asha runs through what she knows.

OOC:

Knowledge of Gangs Crim Crush = 2 sux


For their base of Operations CC base = 1 sux glitch

IC:

She leans forward and takes the tutorsoft. She places it away.

I can probably make my way in, maybe even 'join them' for a week or so. It's usually better to impersonate someone. So this is strictly an intel mission? No damage or confiscation other than intel of their capability? You never know what we might find looking about in there. It might be better if you give us a little more clarification of exactly "what' you'd like us to accomplish.

She nods over toward Nailz.

Like the biddy said, we might be bale to accomplish much more than you want, but if hte money ain't in it, it won't get done.

She non-chalantly looks at her nails as she finishes speaking. Asha gives off the illusion of a consumate professional, and at least appears to be confident in her ability.

The transformations was nothing new, if you deal with FN you come across these things time to time, and Silver has had his fair share of dealings with them.
Silver kept quite for some time, mostly to judge the others, what and how they would see the situation and if they would try to negotiate the terms of the agreement. He was very pleased to see that almost everyone had already some idea about the mission at hand and tried to stress the point of a small adjustment in the agreement. So did he as well
Negatiations(6)
"As my Collages have already pointed out this task is not easy, even not for a full blown Shadowrunner team, but i think we can do it, the problem is, it will not be cheap as we will need a lot of equipment and special goods i for one have no access to.

So i will not stress the point of in insufficient pay for this task, as the need for a fixer we have access to and the goods we will need. And the pay, it is the thing you have to decide what is it worth for you to keep us happy and not changing sides ti CC with the information we have gained today, but i speak in truth, i like to work for my brethren, and the Looks at those cyber zombies makes my stomach go bad."

Silver takes a small look around the room if he has not said anything that might be hurtful for his comrades, then goes on.

"Secondly, we defiantly can clean the HQ, but i doubt the 4 of us can hold it for long.

Thirdly do we receive any bonuses in the way we take the HQ, as there will be high ranking CC officers and Lt, do we get some extra pay for taking then hostage?

What more, will FN provide us with a base of operations to prepare and plan this take over or are we on our own on this and what proportion of the pay have you planed to pay up front to ensure we have sufficient funds to prepare ourselves? I think we all agree for this task we have to pool recources to get it done, so i start with this small piece of equipment here, if some one thinks he needs to make use of it you are welcome to send me a message.
but coming back to the point, we will need your support on this, alone we will defiantly fail at taking the stronghold. and the gates of castle will be closed for you for some time more."