Quests & Challenges

Day 2:

Silence, all was silent and still. Until...
'Ahh-pfff'.

The sound came from a shadow in the dark, a cloud of smoke forming as they exhaled, then adjusted their hat and glanced once more down the dimly lit alleyway. It was a cold day today, the dragon thought as they shivered and drew their coat closer around him, leaning further into the gap in the wall to block some of the cold. The informant was late.

Footsteps approached, gradually filling the silence until the footsteps were all that the dragon heard. But still they didn't move. 'Stomp, stomp, stomp'. He was an imposing figure, taller than them, but as he spoke, he spoke with a warmth quite in contrast to his look. "So, i heard you've been looking for me".

Pushing off of the wall, the dragon walked into light of the lamp and nodded. "I heard that you have information, information a certain... project. I'd like very much to hear about this project.". The Snapper fiddled with his own clothing, and shuffled his feet, raising one eyebrow as he stared at the dragon cautiously. "What do you want to know?".

The dragon grinned.
"Everything... i want to know everything."

Czyn was considering her possibilities.
So many interviews, so little time...

She first thought about asking the pearlcatcher Gertrude.
After all, she used to live where the Sanctorum now stands, so she must have something to say about it... but, as Czyn resaerched deeper, she quickly realized the pearlcatcher may not be as knowledgeable about the whole issue as she thought.
She wanted to know more about the building, so she may as well asked to the ones who started to build it.

Problem: they were all separated.

Flick, Chasem and Dib. She had to chose one.

After some more digging, Czyn learned something interesting; Chasem and Gertrude used to be on rather friendly terms for a while.
The choice was obvious.
She got to Chasem, she could get to Gertrude. Plus, they were both snappers.

She booked a meeting with him, saying something about wanting to write a book about an engineer and needing more informations to make it perfect.
Time to meet him.

"Hello!" Czyn said, using her perky persona. "I'm Ariel, it's a pleasure to meet you!"
"Pleasure shared," Chasem answered, a bit taken aback but still amused.
"So... I have some questions for you..."

She proceeded on asking him 3-4 questions about his job and the technical term.
Then came the fun part...

"Alright, uh, this one may sound weird, but..."
"Yes?"
"I have this idea of a friendship, maybe romance, between the main character and the dragon who's living at the place he's working at... and I wondered if you didn't have stories about something like that happening? Not forcefully to you, but to a coworker, or a friend... you know?"
The snapper stayed quiet for a moment.
"Sorry if it's too weird..." she made an awkward laugh, her eyes piercing in Chasem's direction.
"Well..."

status: unknown

I've knew something was off with the Grand Reactor since day one, well, day fortyfive to be exact. I'm no engineer but I'm pretty sure that there shouldn't be metallic cables flying like living tendrils zapping everywhere. The complaint of my clan, low-tier copper miners, have been disregarded by Chief Engineer Cracklinne but we are as the rocks we break for the Glory of the Stormcatcher: hard and stubborn.

The locals were chattery, even too much, imagine a bunch of Spirals in off-work time and you will get the idea of how mumuch chattery they are. However they gave me some interesting informations, expecially the name of the squad that built the main structure of the Grand Reactor but, something is off, I mean, according to my sources this Flick, Chasem and Dibs are menial workers, not the high-end engineers you would expect for a construction of such importance. The greatest mystery however is that looks like they have disappeared like a dead brush beaten by the wind of the desert that I call home.

Going in some suspicious local full of dragons blackened by the work in the lowest machines of the Shifting Expanse was not in my plans but I can't put an advertisement on some newspaper, no living soul must know that I'm looking for the dragons that know what the construction really is and, most importantly, that are not fully loyal to that little pesky fae with oversized googles. An enormous Ridgeback block my way "ehy, sandwing, whatcha doin' here?" "it's none of your business" I snarl "listen up, we want no Engineers spy, gottit?" "yes, now let me go" I say giving him a couple of copper nuggets. I finally enter in the almost dark place and sit near a dragon sadly looking into her cup, I tap on the table to get her attention
"Can I offer you some cactus tea?"

@Alfamangle @MessengerDragon @Juri01 @Hikaye @Lhumyaki @Okapi
@moissi @gaymiens @Espoir @mintea00 @LordMaroo @Runi @dividedAnimus
@SilverQuark @RockyLemons

You have until Wednesday, July 31st 11:18:13 FR time to submit your entry

Day Three

Your interviews with Gertrude and the Electrical Engineering team have confirmed the existence of a new and improved Sanctum, but now there are many more questions to answer. It's time to infiltrate the Sanctum. How will you accomplish this task? Pose as a volunteer Intern, an electrical technician, an inspector, or perhaps some other occupation?

The choice is yours.

@SkyDagger

I just have a little question about the time limit for day three... shouldn't it be July 31st or do we have two days for this one?

Day 3

The stiff lab coat felt heavy on the small fae, and she couldn't help adjusting it for the 20th time. Minor adjustments cycled through her mind, tempting her to pause in her flight to try them all. But she was on a schedule, and Greta knew she would not be forgiven for failure. Hugging the coat as tight as possible to her body, she flew on.

Without warning, the Sanctum appeared. Greta wondered if she had simply not been paying attention. Or maybe it was a safeguard. No matter. Whatever secrets were hiding within would be exposed soon enough. This was not Greta's first infiltration mission, nor would it be her last. Her small size and quick wit made her a natural for the job, and she loved every second of it.

It was just this darn lab coat!! As it chafed against her wing again, Greta winced. She was convinced these things were not made for dragons. But she had arrived, and adjusting it now would be unprofessional. Still unseen, she surveyed the surroundings. Nothing seemed suspicious, which is exactly what Greta had hoped for. Secrets were much more fun to uncover when she had to work for them.

As expected, a couple of dragons stood guarding the entrance. She watched them for a moment, ears alert for any sort of conversation. Nothing. They just appeared to be bored. Greta rolled her eyes. Guess it was time to improvise. She flew towards the entrance and hovered around eye level of the guards, her courtesy habit to deal with her size discrepancy. The guards didn't move. They... They were actually asleep. In mild disbelief, she flew past them into the Sanctum. Now it was time for the real adventure!

Stiffening a bit her position, Czyn takes a huge breath.

There she is. The belly of the beast.

She approaches carefully a small fae with a notepad, who seems to be taking notes as a guardian tells her something.

"Uhm... hello..?" she says, a bit shy.
She was using one of her favorite persona, the one of the shy girl full of energy but extremely awkward, genuine and kind, a bit gullible. Perfect to appear less suspicious.

"Hello!" the fae greets back, looking relieved as she doesn't have to listen the guardian's rambling anymore. "May I help you?"
"Uhm, uh, yes, actually! I- I was looking for the dragon in charge of the volunteer Interns... because, you see, erhm, well, I am one of them."
"Oh! Well, you're lucky, because that's me!" the fae answers with a smile. "Don't worry, I don't bite! Give me just your name, please?"

Czyn takes a more assured appearance, as if the fae's validation actually gave her more confidence.
"Valentine, sir! Or, uh, mam's... I... I'm sorry I'm not sure, I don't know..."
A little laugh comes out of the fae. "Mam's, my name is Sybill. Valentine, uh? I see, follow me, I'll lead you to your affectation."
"Yes! Coming right now!"

As they leave the place, Czyn looks around a bit. All kind of materials, in all sizes, being manipulated by dragons and machines alike.
Something big is going on.

@Juri01

My brain is on vacation. You are correct, the deadline should be Wednesday, July 31st. I've corrected the post.

Thank you! :)

@SkyDagger

The project is grand, and it seems to be going well. It's a wonder that it was assigned to so few people in the first place...
...Or is it?
Something feels... not quite not right, more like missing. Sure, the three are absolutely ingenious folk, but the bigs wouldn't just send off three greenhorns to work on a project of this size. Either it grew to be much bigger and better than ever expected, surpassing all expectations, or...

Something else must be going on, and neither Gertrude nor these good-willed fellows have the answer, for sure. But what and how to find out, that's another story.
Two very stout Ridgebacks are guarding the entrance to the core of the Sanctum. It's clear from a mile away that they won't let anyone in if they smell fishy. (No, not from eating fish. Everyone knows Ridgebacks love fish. The other kind of fishy.)

Then, the brilliant idea. Marva's Invisibility Cloak.

@SkyDagger Here she is. Hope you enjoy. :)

The day was an incredibly hot, arid one, even for the summer season. Rays of midday sun scorched the cracked wasteland and threatened all who dared make the journey out to the Sanctum. The enormous reactor stood alone against the bleak landscape, radiating a curious energy of its own. A door opened and two dragons in lab coats embroidered with the emblem of the Tempest Spire stepped out into the blistering heat, blinking at the sudden brightness. The skydancer took a flask of water out of his lab coat pocket and gulped down its contents. His eyes were drawn to a brown speck on the horizon. “Laoise,” he said to the nocturne, who was holding the door open—letting in the heat again, he noted. “What is that? Were we expecting a delivery today?” The nocturne snapped to attention, focusing on the spot, which had grown larger. As they watched, it continued to grow, until they distinguished two dragons wheeling a cart in front of them containing . . . cold beverages. “Teron, do you know these people?” Laoise asked as the pair, a pearlcatcher and a ridgeback, wheeled the cart closer. The two Sanctum employees exchanged a confused look. “Hello,” the pearlcatcher with the flowing hair addressed them. “Would you like some iced cactus tea?”

Eternal tempests, please let this work, Hertza thought to herself as she peeked around the corner of the reactor and watched Flick and Magister Gertrude talk to the employees. The ridgeback smoothed the wrinkles out of her lab coat—one of the ones that Flick had dug out of the Tempest Spire’s dumpster. Dull-witted as he might seem, the ridgeback had his uses. Hertza also had the impression that he wasn’t as dumb as he let on. Of course, they’d had the lab coats sent to the dry cleaners, a bill which the agent had begrudgingly footed. Now, standing to the side of the building that she would infiltrate any minute now, the ridgeback had her doubts about Magister Gertrude’s plan. It seemed too simple. “Dib, calm your tail,” she heard Chasem murmur to the energetic spiral behind her. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one who was nervous.

“Oh, thank Stormcatcher! You got the door for us!” Magister Gertrude exclaimed, bumping the cart closer to the door. She was stopped by Teron, who held up his arm. “Hold on. I never received word of a tea delivery.” “Oh, yes, it was a surprise to me too. I didn’t think Cranky Craklinn would care about her employees either.” The pearlcatcher tapped her claws against a paper cup, seemingly deep in thought. “Would you like some tea? We have wasteland pear, raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, seaberry, sunbeam fig, watermelon, sugarmelon—” “Superberry,” Flick chimed in. The magister paused, her eyes darting between the ridgeback and Teron. “Flick,” the pearlcatcher hissed. “Superberries have been considered unsafe for years now. We do not offer that kind of tea anymore.” “Excuse me,” Teron said, bringing Gertrude’s attention back to him. “You do not seriously expect me to believe that Craklinn sent you, do you? She hasn’t let us have so much as a work party for ten years!” “Dust clouds and thunderstorms, you’re still hung up on that?” She turned to Flick, who was drinking tea straight from a thermos. “Show them the letter.” The Ridgeback stopped drinking tea and looked confused. Then, understanding dawned on him and he set down the thermos, pawing through the tea supplies and producing a letter with the wax seal of the Tempest Spire.

In the meantime, a crowd of workers had gathered behind Teron. The magister had succeeded in drawing the skydancer and other workers—besides the nocturne, who still held the door open--toward her cart, which left plenty of room for Hertza’s group to sneak past them. “Let’s go,” she said to Dib and Chasem. The snapper was watching Gertrude adoringly, but at the ridgeback’s words he turned to her. “Right. Dib, keep your tail in control.” The three walked to and through the door without so much as a dismissive glance from the nocturne. As soon as they were out of earshot, Hertza turned to the others. “Well, we’re here. Where to first?” Dib and Chasem shared a look, then both cracked a wicked grin. “Right where we left off,” the snapper said. “We go to the center.”