But with everyone caught up to speed, Angeal gets on with setting the scene for them: a massive city, built on the bones of that which it has supplanted, thriving still and with the expansive underground barred off from most people save for those already living in the 'underground' in their own way. Thieves, the poor, sex workers, investigators and adventurers who take on the more unsavory jobs... The kind of thing 'banned' in only the most technical of ways that never lives up to reality.
"That's where Sieversii and Melanion find themselves," he says, directing this to Genesis and Lazard. "Both of you were actually reached out to by a mutual acquaintance of yours, with the moniker 'Twelve'. Melanion, you just know him as a fellow thief. It's nothing too indepth between the two of you, but you have gone on a couple of jobs together that have required two pairs of hands, and he's slid you a couple of leads here and there. Far as you know, he's as decent as a thief can be, and he seems to have his own qualifications on what places or people are good enough to rob. Some people might call him picky." Angeal's voice goes dry. "One of those people being right besides you."
Genesis flutters his eyelashes at him, like a prick who shares the apartment with him. Angeal makes a note to buy another forlorn plant from the grocery store, next time he goes.
"Where are we meeting?" Lazard asks, managing to stay focused on the game for once. "Is it somewhere that I would be familiar with before, through past meetings?"
"It's a little familiar, yeah. There are a ton of old and empty buildings down under the main city, but Twelve usually has a few that he prefers. Of course he changes them up, so that he's not caught out, but you're familiar with them. Actually..." Angeal taps his finger against the table. "Lazard, Melanion might notice that this is actually a little out of character for Twelve. You met up with him not that long ago for another job, when he first asked you to meet him at this place at this time, and it's the same place."
Lazard nods along. "I see... So he's reusing a space he wouldn't normally."
"Yup." Angeal lets Lazard chew on that for a moment, and turns his attention to Genesis. "Meanwhile, you know Twelve because-"
"Intimate working relationships," Genesis purrs, which Angeal knows he does purely to antagonize him. "And, of course, Sieversii has occasionally hired Twelve to get some books on magic for him, as he's been pursuing that art."
Sometimes, Angeal almost wonders why he's the one GMing instead of Genesis, with how prone Genesis is to interrupting him. Almost. He knows it's because it'd end up a more dramatic play than anything else, and Genesis has his own ideas on storytelling. "Glad to see you've got that covered already," he says simply. "Anyway, Sieversii, you actually got a note tucked away in a particularly rare volume you've been searching for, telling you to come here at the same time as Melanion. It was basically begging you to do a favor for him, because he knew no one else who could do what you could."
"Do the two of you know each other already?" Aerith asks, interrupting it all as she sits forward, chin in both of her hands. Right, she wasn't there for the backstory building sessions.
If they let him, Genesis could probably go on forever about that... So it's fortunate that Lazard is the one who answers first. "It's really the same connection that Sieversii has with Twelve," Lazard explains, adjusting his glasses. "Occasional partners, when our purposes have both suited one another. Melanion has stolen things for him at times, and in turn, Sieversii has provided distractions, or places to hide. It's rather amiable, all things considered."
"And both of you can imagine that's why Twelve asked for the two of you, because neither of you can spot anyone else on the way to Twelve's meeting places, and there's no one that you can see in the building besides Twelve's-" They ask for a perception check in almost complete unison. Angeal supposes he should be pleased?
But it's really too early in the campaign when they haven't even gotten the main party all together yet. There's no one else in the building, but Angeal indulges them in a roll (both successes) and lets Lazard note the escape exits.
Only then can the two meet each other in the building with the NPC, and Angeal shifts his voice, just slightly, as he gets into character. "Twelve is relieved when he sees the two of you, and there are barely any time for pleasantries before he gets right into it. For a thief, he's a pretty broad shouldered guy, but he generally keeps his cool. Neither of you have ever seen him in the state that he's in right now. He says -
* I'm glad that both of you accepted my invitation to meet me here. I won't waste your or my time - I need to hire the two of you for something. A friend of mine is down in the deepest parts of this place that are actual crypt, and he hasn't come back. I need you two to go down there, and get him back.*"
Angeal pauses, before he inclines his head towards - "And Zack, that's when I assume your paladin crashes the door down."
"Hey!" Genesis squawks, all outrage, while Zack punches his fist up into the air with a whoop and Aerith just cackles in delight, clapping her hands together.
At least a couple people are having a grand time. Angeal tries not to smirk too much at ruining Genesis's start to some grand adventure. "Right, my bad. I was rude. I shouldn't assume. But Zack, Cloud - the scene on your end. Febail, as a paladin, you were actually approached by someone wanting your assistance in apprehending a dangerous criminal. They made claims that the thief Twelve is a dangerous robber on the run, and he finally targeted them, robbing them of a precious family heirloom. They told you that they don't expect to get it back, but they wanted assistance in getting the criminal caught and surrendered to them."
All the exposition is mainly for Aerith and Sephiroth's sake, honestly... Although he hardly needs to get going before Zack is also interrupting him, grinning as he smacks his hand against Cloud's back. "And my good buddy Allan Tide used to be a merc, but he wants to know about becoming a paladin himself! So I got his help for this!"
"Right." Angeal shrugs, and spreads his fingers out in gesture towards Zack. "And now here you are, in the depth of the under, having found exactly the guy you're looking for. So." He quirks up an eyebrow, and smiles just a bit. "Kicking down that door?"
Zack grins right back at him, much wider. "You bet."
The whole thing is ruining things for Genesis, moaning and clearly having wanted an epic romantic fantasy, so of course that's when Cloud leans forward with only the slightest of smirks. "Allan is right behind him, uh, weapon already drawn."
Around that time, Genesis points an accusing finger at the two of them while Sephiroth watches in abject fascination, and Angeal glances at his laptop as his GM-specific messenger pings. Lazard, asking about having his character start to stealthily make his way to one of the exits that he'd made sure to ask about before. Angeal just gives him a simple command: Roll for stealth.
While Lazard starts discretely fiddling with his dice, Angeal speaks aloud, too. "In response to a paladin and a mercenary kicking their way into the building, Twelve just groans about how he doesn't have time for this. He explicitly calls out paladins as always arriving at the worst time..." Another ping on his laptop. "Right, Zack, roll for perception."
The roll's a dud. Angeal keeps carrying on. "Anyway, Zack, the wanted criminal you've been after just tosses his hands to the side and demands to know what nonsense you're after him for now."
Zack squints at him. "What was the perception roll for?"
"Don't worry about it. Are you going to actually respond to the criminal or not?"
Being told not to worry about it does not seem to make Zack stop squinting any less, but, nonetheless, he clears his throat. "I tell him - you are wanted for the crime of theft! Your reign of terror has come to an end, and I will not allow you to target innocents ever again!" A pause. "How's that?"
"He doesn't seem impressed."
Not content to have the spotlight off of him for an extended period of time, Genesis finally leaps in. "I certainly am not impressed. Sieversii crosses his arms from where he's standing, and says-" An appraising look at Angeal. "If you were any sort of infamous criminal, then I feel I would certainly have heard of songs of you, or anything else, my Twelve. Since when were you allowed to have a name more known than mine?"
Cloud leans forward. "Actually, good question - who are you guys?" He raises an eyebrow. "I thought we were only apprehending one criminal, not three."
"Two," Angeal corrects casually, and grins lazily at the trio of stares. "While you may have noticed a third presence when you initially kicked down the door, Zack, there's only the bard there now with Twelve."
Hiding his quiet laughter behind one hand, Lazard can't escape the stares being turned to him. "The perception roll was for me, Zack. Melanion is outside a window while everyone else speaks. He wants to see how things turn out, but... He didn't want to be caught in any crossfire."
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"That's where Sieversii and Melanion find themselves," he says, directing this to Genesis and Lazard. "Both of you were actually reached out to by a mutual acquaintance of yours, with the moniker 'Twelve'. Melanion, you just know him as a fellow thief. It's nothing too indepth between the two of you, but you have gone on a couple of jobs together that have required two pairs of hands, and he's slid you a couple of leads here and there. Far as you know, he's as decent as a thief can be, and he seems to have his own qualifications on what places or people are good enough to rob. Some people might call him picky." Angeal's voice goes dry. "One of those people being right besides you."
Genesis flutters his eyelashes at him, like a prick who shares the apartment with him. Angeal makes a note to buy another forlorn plant from the grocery store, next time he goes.
"Where are we meeting?" Lazard asks, managing to stay focused on the game for once. "Is it somewhere that I would be familiar with before, through past meetings?"
"It's a little familiar, yeah. There are a ton of old and empty buildings down under the main city, but Twelve usually has a few that he prefers. Of course he changes them up, so that he's not caught out, but you're familiar with them. Actually..." Angeal taps his finger against the table. "Lazard, Melanion might notice that this is actually a little out of character for Twelve. You met up with him not that long ago for another job, when he first asked you to meet him at this place at this time, and it's the same place."
Lazard nods along. "I see... So he's reusing a space he wouldn't normally."
"Yup." Angeal lets Lazard chew on that for a moment, and turns his attention to Genesis. "Meanwhile, you know Twelve because-"
"Intimate working relationships," Genesis purrs, which Angeal knows he does purely to antagonize him. "And, of course, Sieversii has occasionally hired Twelve to get some books on magic for him, as he's been pursuing that art."
Sometimes, Angeal almost wonders why he's the one GMing instead of Genesis, with how prone Genesis is to interrupting him. Almost. He knows it's because it'd end up a more dramatic play than anything else, and Genesis has his own ideas on storytelling. "Glad to see you've got that covered already," he says simply. "Anyway, Sieversii, you actually got a note tucked away in a particularly rare volume you've been searching for, telling you to come here at the same time as Melanion. It was basically begging you to do a favor for him, because he knew no one else who could do what you could."
"Do the two of you know each other already?" Aerith asks, interrupting it all as she sits forward, chin in both of her hands. Right, she wasn't there for the backstory building sessions.
If they let him, Genesis could probably go on forever about that... So it's fortunate that Lazard is the one who answers first. "It's really the same connection that Sieversii has with Twelve," Lazard explains, adjusting his glasses. "Occasional partners, when our purposes have both suited one another. Melanion has stolen things for him at times, and in turn, Sieversii has provided distractions, or places to hide. It's rather amiable, all things considered."
"And both of you can imagine that's why Twelve asked for the two of you, because neither of you can spot anyone else on the way to Twelve's meeting places, and there's no one that you can see in the building besides Twelve's-" They ask for a perception check in almost complete unison. Angeal supposes he should be pleased?
But it's really too early in the campaign when they haven't even gotten the main party all together yet. There's no one else in the building, but Angeal indulges them in a roll (both successes) and lets Lazard note the escape exits.
Only then can the two meet each other in the building with the NPC, and Angeal shifts his voice, just slightly, as he gets into character. "Twelve is relieved when he sees the two of you, and there are barely any time for pleasantries before he gets right into it. For a thief, he's a pretty broad shouldered guy, but he generally keeps his cool. Neither of you have ever seen him in the state that he's in right now. He says -
* I'm glad that both of you accepted my invitation to meet me here. I won't waste your or my time - I need to hire the two of you for something. A friend of mine is down in the deepest parts of this place that are actual crypt, and he hasn't come back. I need you two to go down there, and get him back.*"
Angeal pauses, before he inclines his head towards - "And Zack, that's when I assume your paladin crashes the door down."
"Hey!" Genesis squawks, all outrage, while Zack punches his fist up into the air with a whoop and Aerith just cackles in delight, clapping her hands together.
At least a couple people are having a grand time. Angeal tries not to smirk too much at ruining Genesis's start to some grand adventure. "Right, my bad. I was rude. I shouldn't assume. But Zack, Cloud - the scene on your end. Febail, as a paladin, you were actually approached by someone wanting your assistance in apprehending a dangerous criminal. They made claims that the thief Twelve is a dangerous robber on the run, and he finally targeted them, robbing them of a precious family heirloom. They told you that they don't expect to get it back, but they wanted assistance in getting the criminal caught and surrendered to them."
All the exposition is mainly for Aerith and Sephiroth's sake, honestly... Although he hardly needs to get going before Zack is also interrupting him, grinning as he smacks his hand against Cloud's back. "And my good buddy Allan Tide used to be a merc, but he wants to know about becoming a paladin himself! So I got his help for this!"
"Right." Angeal shrugs, and spreads his fingers out in gesture towards Zack. "And now here you are, in the depth of the under, having found exactly the guy you're looking for. So." He quirks up an eyebrow, and smiles just a bit. "Kicking down that door?"
Zack grins right back at him, much wider. "You bet."
The whole thing is ruining things for Genesis, moaning and clearly having wanted an epic romantic fantasy, so of course that's when Cloud leans forward with only the slightest of smirks. "Allan is right behind him, uh, weapon already drawn."
Around that time, Genesis points an accusing finger at the two of them while Sephiroth watches in abject fascination, and Angeal glances at his laptop as his GM-specific messenger pings. Lazard, asking about having his character start to stealthily make his way to one of the exits that he'd made sure to ask about before. Angeal just gives him a simple command: Roll for stealth.
While Lazard starts discretely fiddling with his dice, Angeal speaks aloud, too. "In response to a paladin and a mercenary kicking their way into the building, Twelve just groans about how he doesn't have time for this. He explicitly calls out paladins as always arriving at the worst time..." Another ping on his laptop. "Right, Zack, roll for perception."
The roll's a dud. Angeal keeps carrying on. "Anyway, Zack, the wanted criminal you've been after just tosses his hands to the side and demands to know what nonsense you're after him for now."
Zack squints at him. "What was the perception roll for?"
"Don't worry about it. Are you going to actually respond to the criminal or not?"
Being told not to worry about it does not seem to make Zack stop squinting any less, but, nonetheless, he clears his throat. "I tell him - you are wanted for the crime of theft! Your reign of terror has come to an end, and I will not allow you to target innocents ever again!" A pause. "How's that?"
"He doesn't seem impressed."
Not content to have the spotlight off of him for an extended period of time, Genesis finally leaps in. "I certainly am not impressed. Sieversii crosses his arms from where he's standing, and says-" An appraising look at Angeal. "If you were any sort of infamous criminal, then I feel I would certainly have heard of songs of you, or anything else, my Twelve. Since when were you allowed to have a name more known than mine?"
Cloud leans forward. "Actually, good question - who are you guys?" He raises an eyebrow. "I thought we were only apprehending one criminal, not three."
"Two," Angeal corrects casually, and grins lazily at the trio of stares. "While you may have noticed a third presence when you initially kicked down the door, Zack, there's only the bard there now with Twelve."
Hiding his quiet laughter behind one hand, Lazard can't escape the stares being turned to him. "The perception roll was for me, Zack. Melanion is outside a window while everyone else speaks. He wants to see how things turn out, but... He didn't want to be caught in any crossfire."