Opening the Door to Nexopolis

The sign on the door said “Open for Business.”  Jane put her hand to he door and confirmed that it went to Nexopolis and opened on a small office containing a woman with Asian features and flowing blond hair.  Sturm opened he door and entered.  He made some harmless banter with the receptionist.

Jane noted with her Wrighting ability that the woman was wearing a circle around her head that recorded everything that happened in the room.  It was a protective device for the receptionist.

The receptionist asked if the visitors knew anything of Nexopolis.  She compared it to the Agora as Nexopolis was a wholesaler.  She said that it had perfect weather, except when there are hurricanes.  She urged the visitors to stay inside if a hurricane comes up.  Those who do not are referred to as he Departed.  She also said to tell someone if they saw any of the mutated beasts approaching the island.  The uniformed peace officers wore bright red t-shirt with an eye on it that says Vigilence Committee.

She mentioned hat the most dangerous part of Nexopolis was known as the Shacks.  The island was controlled from the Hub located in the center of the city.  She mentioned that most trade was prearranged off world.  That that point, the receptionist asked for their names.  They saw no reason not to give their real names.  They took the elevator to the lobby and discovered that it was near 80 degrees and sunny.  The team transformed their attire into more suitable coverings.

At the Bank

Mena used Wayfinding to search for the artifact.  It led back into the hub.  They debated entering in force or sending in a small team.  The Way led to the bank.  At the desk, and older woman with a frown on her face, a mechanical monkey on her shoulder, and a strong psychic sense.  The Wrighters sensed that her lab coat was some form of armor, and the monkey was some sort of artifact.

Mena approached the woman and asked if she had an account. The woman replied that she had a corporate account with the team members as signatories.  The account was biometric and password protected.  She led them to the scanner and deposit box inspection area.

Sturm went first through the scanner, and it did not recognize him.  He shape changed back to his pre-Umbra master form, but was still not recognized.  Sturm complained to the woman.  The woman said that Sturm was no longer recognized.  Sturm asked what she would do about it. She said to talk to Baudemagus, who she had not seen since he set up the account three days ago.  The left the bank.

They considered finding Baudemagus, but Wayfinding would not work on the world of Indus.  Another alternative was to break into the bank.  It seemed that finding Baudemagus was the better option.  They considered that they were underground fugitives from Drake and robbing the bank would make them public fugitives.  However, Nexopolis was fairly secure, so the risk of discovery by Drake was remote.

Mena’s Wayfinding pointed to the vault.  Sturm considered the weaknesses of the bank.  He noted that there were two doors to the vault.  There was one between the safe deposit box room and the vault, as well to the vault itself.  The vault had its own sealed ventilation system.  There were wards against teleportation.  

Cyra suggested opening their own safe deposit box to get into the vault, and creating a Door in the vault.  They would miniaturize Sturm and Mena and put them in the box.  They would then break out of their box, break into the box with the artifact, take the artifact, restore that box, return to their box with the artifact, and restore that box.  The next day, the others would return to the bank and empty out their box.  To cover all this, they would create a hurricane.

Alternatively, they determined that there was a Door inside the vault that probably went to the Vigilence Committee offices.  Sturm suggested taking out the Vigilence Committee and entering the vault through that door.  To distract the Vigilence Committee, they could, start a riot, or they could have the city attacked by a kaiju.

In the mean time, Mena consided how to enable the scanner to recognize Sturm.  The issue was that the super-Psyche bank woman knew who they were from their arrival interview.  It seemed easier to update the bank records than to break in.  Cyra looked into the security systems.  She determined that they used quantum keys that required a physical key on site and a code in order to make changes to the data.

One weakness of that security system was a single point of failure.  Sturm proposed disabling the keeper of the key, using it to take the artifact, and then restoring it to the keeper, and reenabling the keeper.

Another was that attempting to duplicate the key will break the key.  Cyra suggested breaking the key and causing them to use their backup plan.  

The key was held by Trik, head of the Office of Business Development, who was said to be the smartest and the luckiest man in Nexopolis.  Mena learns that Trick would make a deal in exchange for something.  Their research indicated that he was a business shark, but in secret wants to explore the Grand Stair in search of new business opportunities.  Sturm suggested offering Fierce as an opportunity for rebuilding.  Cyra note that it would then be in Trick’s interest to get them the artifact.  

At Trik’s Office

Jane and Sturm went to see Trik on the 10th floor the Office of Business Development.  He greeted them personally.  He had heard of their difficulties at the bank.  Trik said that the bank’s reputation required that the the benefit to the bank be significant.  Sturm attempted to cut through the subterfuge, but Trik demanded negotiation and would only speak with Jane after that.

Jane mentioned that she knew of Trik’s interest in business opportunities.  She mentioned that they were on a rescue mission that might result in rebuilding opportunities.  Trik asked what was the rescue mission.  Sturm replied that the mission was classified.  He asked where.  Sturm replied that the location was classified.   Jane suggested they could negotiate with other information.

Jane noticed that the office was decorated with numerous awards from places he had been.  She extrapolated that he liked to travel.  They sensed that there was a picture of a woman on his desk that they could tell was a dead fiancé with a picture of a boat in the background.  He had some sort of survivors guilt.  He questioned why a rescue mission would be classified.

Sturm asked if the room was secure.  Trik did something and their communications were blocked.  Jane explained the mission to save Fierce.  Trik suggested enjoying the beach for a few days and then trying again at the bank in three days.

For the Next Few Days

The team enjoyed some downtime for three days.    Mena explored the island. Sturm searched for weaknesses in Nexopolis.  He determined that there was a strong Umbra presence in th Shacks.  Also, there were a large number of migrant workers who were loyal only to their wages and their lifestyle, and the Umbra user was poised to manipulated them.

Jane researched the mutated creatures.  She noted an increasing number of strange creatures at the Rocks, but her researches showed a focus on economic interests.  What she did find was a combination of bio-weapons left to fight the war either by the Dwimmerlaik or other Gossomer Lords, and naturally evolved creatures.

William created icon decks of everyone for all the team members.

Uther researched he Dwimmerlaik incursion to Nexopolis. He found that the Dwimmerlaik were prevented from returning.   There were no Dwimmerlaik artifacts in Nexopolis.  The closest thing to kaiju were the bio-weapon mutants left by the Dwimmerlaik.  

Cyra spent her time locating the casinos and socially hacking them.  She found that the two casinos we primarily mechanical and set up to be fair.  They used significant measures to prevent cheating, but with her psychic abilities, she would not find gambling especially challenging.  She sought out other high rollers.

Sturm sought out the Umbra presence in the Shacks.  He eventually found a better up kept section of the Shacks.  He noted that the was a preponderance of people with a similar aspect.  The focus of the Umbra presence was a young woman.  She appeared to be waiting for him and was nearly as powerful as Cyra in Psyche.  

She introduced herself as Mother Girl and asked if he was there to challenge her for control of the island.  He responded that he and his colleagues were conducting some business.  She confirmed that they were his colleagues and then called off her assassins.  She asked what it was and he told her they were trying to get something from the bank and firing some red tape.  She offered to have one of the laborers steal it.  He declined.Mother Girl told him that Finian was the controller of Nexopolis, for now.  Some day she would usurp him.

Sturm informed her of his recent acquisition of Umbra Mastery and asked for some advice on its use.  Mother Girl took him on as a student, gave him an icon of her, and spent the remaining time training him.  His interaction with Mother a Girl ensure that the others were treated well and watched by her minions.

On the Beach

The team met up on the beach to confer each day.  They met a heavy set Black man with a cigar there.  He asked if their needs were being met.  They responded that it was.  He asked how long they would be on Nexopolis.  They said they would only be there until their business was concluded.  Sturm asked his name.  He replied that he was Finian.

Jane complemented Finian on his cleanup.  He was pleased by the praise, and offered the potential employment assisting in that.  He said that he was aware of their business and indirectly assisted them, stating that he preferred for people to be able to conduct their business discreetly.

While walkin along the beach, Mena was hit upon by an attractive man with Eidolon Masterey and a strong Psychic presence and a smartphone that was an artifact with numerous powers.  She made plans to meet again when he business was concluded.  He appeared to be the source of the image from which Mother Girl’s minions were cloned.  

Cyra noted that one of the big players was Mordechai, the Commander of the Black Raven Mercenary Company, a djinn called Lady Jahari, and Kalishnov, a woman who looked like a Soviet general.  There was also a very drunk beach bum who lost continually but seemed to havan inviting source of money, referred to as Marsan, Vala’s son.  They were all talking to a man with the image of a luggage cart his shirt.  She also saw some devil looking aliens called Dendaros, Callas, the youngest of the Gossomer Lords, and a woman she recognized playing poker with Finian.

Return to the Bank

On the third day, they returned to the bank.  Sturm went first and the scanner let him pass.  He was challenged for a password and succeeded after two tries.  William was challenged and had to search for the title of the iron bound book.  Mena was next and was challenged with Jason’s birthplace.  Uther was challenged with the name of the bomb disposal robot. Jane was challenged for the name of the person worshipped in the Temple of Silence.  Cyra was concerned that the security system was a false front, but could not detect anything.  She was challenged with the name of the kaiju.

The vault opened and the box was brought to them, but it required a card key.  William used Baudemagus’ icon and it opened.  The artifact was inside.

The Team:

  • Oberleutnant Sturm von Krieg the warrior (Joab)
  • William Edwalton the scientist (Greg)
  • Jane Edwalton the explorer (Jenna)
  • Mena the traveler (Stephanie)
  • Uther the gatherer (Dave)
  • Cyra the sorceress (Mike)