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Part 1: Lucky Breaks It’s a cold morning in Corvis. A lazy breeze moves along the Dragon’s Tounge, half heartedly driving merchant ferries and smoke through the City of Ghosts. The day is still young enough to find you and your would be company, assholes to elbows, in the cheap room you’ve rented in the rented in The King’s Quill, one of the more affordable inns alongs the docks. The last few weeks have been rough. You’re able to stay fed and living indoors by way of the occasional body guard gig, or a bit of private security work, but winter’s going to end and the campaigning season’s gonna start. If you want to be Irregulars in someone else’s war you need to get you charter approved soon. From the sounds of clinking “silver”ware, and the smell of overly burnt bacon, it seems that Rolgo, the innkeep, is seeing to the morning crowd of locals. The combination of the Quill’s location and prices mean that it’s become a bit of landmark for the locals. Morning in particular as the third shifters dinner and nightcap collide with the dockworker’s breakfast. What are everyone’s plan for the morning?
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Jan 11, 2013 06:48
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| # ¿ Apr 25, 2024 18:38 |
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 The King Quill’s Common Room The Quill’s doing good business today. The breakfast crowd is wolfing down burnt eggs, burnt toast, and really burnt bacon. The “dinner” crowd is doing the same but with more beer, tobacco, and yelling. There’s about a dozen long tables with benches on either side. A few of Corvis' finest are sitting at one, with someone dressed a bit too nice for The Quill.
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Jan 12, 2013 20:26
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 Slag and Annalise: You notice one of the guards, a corporal by the insignia on his shoulder, lean towards the well dressed man beside him an flick his head at your table.
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Jan 13, 2013 21:42
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 The girl serving Slagg lingers for a moment, “Mister Rolgo said that ‘e was askin’ about you lot. The watchman that is.”
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Jan 15, 2013 04:18
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"Ah don' think you're in trouble per se" she says, relishing the sound of a phrase she rarely gets to use, "but that gentleman started a tab for those boys this morning and they've been here a bit longer 'n breakfast." Across the room the guards patron notices Slagg standing and gives a nervous smile, he offers a halfhearted toast with a mug he is doing his best to avoid touching.
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Jan 16, 2013 03:50
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 "H-Hullo," the well to do man say to you with a brittle smile. "I seem to have had something stolen from me and I would like to charter your services in getting it back."
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Jan 17, 2013 05:13
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"Oh, I know where it is. T-That's the issue. It just happens to be held by people Corporal Montis," he nods towards guardsman besides him, "and his men can't get to." "As for puh-payment... I can see to it that you will become a legitimate mercenary ch-charter," he beams.
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Jan 17, 2013 16:17
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"The object is an iron trunk, small enough for two," he pauses a bit to look at Slagg, "or maybe one person to carry. As to where -" "Tigh Stonks," the Corporal cuts in, "he has it held in a warehouse he oversees. The problem is he's part of the Golden Crucible and uses their warehouses as fronts to move contraband. The Governor doesn't want to get into a pissing match with the Crucible so we haven't been move on Stonks. Now, if say, there was a big enough disturbance that we could justify going in there to make sure everything was okay..."
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Jan 18, 2013 06:55
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Okay, looks like everyone is ready. I need to know who is going and who isn't. If you're not going with the group post your plans for the morning-mid-afternoon.
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Jan 24, 2013 20:54
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 The Dragon's Tongue is lazy today, moving only a frog's hair faster than walking. Too bad, since that means the docks, which ain't exactly rosy on a good day, smell like a latrine. Stonks' warehouse is right where you were told it would be. A horseshoe shaped jetty sticks out from the back end, giving a small patch of calm water to load and unload the more explosive wares. The only only thing setting Stonks' warehouse aside from the others around it is the big Golden Crucible emblem above the door... and the armed guards out front.
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Jan 25, 2013 20:03
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Inside Group "Mornin'" rumbles an Ogrun guard. "What can I do for you gents?" The other two guards, both human, give you a quick once over before going back to eyeballin' the rest of the docks. Outside Group Annalise: 16 for PER. There is plenty of room to get a cart to or from Stonks'. While none of buildings nearby are abandoned, you do notice something about a neighboring building that could come in handy. What is it? Colin: 15 for PER. Walking the area around the warehouse you notice something that could be an issue if you tried to make a fast getaway... but might also help you out if you play your cards right. What is it? Gr3y fucked around with this message at 08:07 on Jan 29, 2013 |
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Jan 29, 2013 07:27
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Inside Group The Ogrun slams a fist bigger than a man's head into the door behind him without turning around, "'ey Mare! There a DeLancie supposed to talk to the boss today?" "I don't think so Mr. Thrakas," comes a nasal voice from behind the door. "Gimme a minute to see what's going on." A brief and lively conversation ensues on both sides of the door. "Khador, the Protectorate, pissed of Kriels, it's a wonder anything gets anywhere now a days," Thrakas grumbles as he waves you through. A middle aged man waves at you from across warehouse floor. "Good morning sirs! What brings you to my establishment today?" he asks from behind a tight smile.
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Jan 30, 2013 06:53
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Inside Group "A, uh, observation?" he asks, licking his lips. "Well, I would be more than happy to have my assistant show you about. Is your shop looking to specialize in anything in particular? And are you looking for distribution, storage, or just bulk purchases?" Julian: 10 PER: He seems nervous, his left hand almost looks like it's glued into his pocket. Jed: 8 PER: He seems excited, very eager to deal with you.
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Jan 31, 2013 04:05
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Inside Group Apparently Stonks is a bit of an alchemist himself. Him and "Jim" get into a bit of a technical back and forth. There's a bit that "Mr. DeLancie" gets, like 'humidity' and 'temperature' and a lot that he doesn't, like 'off-gas reclamation' and 'pressure regulated decomposition products'. Jed:Stonks seems to be the real deal. He has more than a passing knowledge of the art and seems like he doesn't often get the chance to talk shop. More, this warehouse is used for more than just simple storage. It is set up as a giant alchemical laboratory specializing in synthesizing common reagents in bulk. Julian:You can't really follow the conversation but you can follow body language. Stonks is visibly more relaxed during this conversation. After a few minutes of technical jargon Stonks waves over a young woman, "Mary, these two gentleman are interested in, possibly, making use of our facilities. Please show them about and answer any questions they may have." He leans in and reels off a brief list of what sounds like various rooms and, from what is sounds like, selling points. "Gentlemen, I have something I simply must get back to, however my assistant would be more than happy to show you about and answer any questions you may have." Julian:He's fidgeting again. Outside Group What are you doing while they're touring the warehouse?
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Feb 1, 2013 21:57
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Inside Group Mary, the assistant, is a pretty young thing about half of Stonks' age, shame about the voice. She walks you past rack after rack of crates, tubs, satchels of... stuff. All ear marked for who they belong to, how long they're being held for, and how much it's costing the owner. She also guides you through areas for cold storage, humidity controlled storage, monitored storage, and even more specialized vaults set up just the way the customer asks. You spot what looks to be your trunk in a cage with a few dozen other crates caged away from everything else in a quiet corner. Outside Group "'ey! What are you doin'?" an old dockhand yells at Slagg. "I ain't payin' you to lie around with your paws in yer' pants!" He's confused you for one of his employees. What does he want you to get back to? "Suspicious? The other night, I was checkin' my lines and saw a pallet get unloaded to that place by a couple o'jacks," the man leans in towards Jeff and whispers conspiratorially, "Warjacks. A couple a Lancers did the heavy lifting."
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Feb 3, 2013 05:51
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Inside Group While Mary is more than happy to answer any questions you may have, she doesn't seem like she's about to leave two strange men, potential customers they may be, unsupervised. Outside Group Slagg: You're handed a face mask and some googles and herded into a nearby warehouse. Make's sense as this place is filled near to bursting with coal. All the shovels inside are in the hands of Trollkin. Looks like they load up wheelbarrows, push 'em to the back near the big double doors, and then they get hauled around the docks for local delivery. Jeff: Corvis is a few hundred miles inland, on a huge river called the Dragon's Tongue. Asking around you get a tip about a couple of guys who charter their boat for the odd... "fishing trip" at all sorts of hours. For a price of course. Annalise: You find a few likely candidates dicing in the corner of a grog house called The Fixed Scale. "We only got seats for friends girl," says a weathered looking gent as two dice tumble over a crude pass line carved into the table. "Are you a friend of ours?" If you're willing to place a bet they'll talk to you as long as the dice are rolling. The point is currently 9.
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Feb 5, 2013 04:19
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Inside Group Anything else you want to do here before finishing your scene? Outside Group Slagg: "Deli'ry to the Crucible place!" shouts the coalhouse's floor boss, slapping a clipboard against a heavily overloaded cart. "Any a you ladies feel like a bit of fresh air?And some heavy lifting." Annalise: They are, every time the roller craps out (rolls a seven before rolling the point value again) you lose two crowns. However, you can ask a question each roll and may even walk off with more than you started. What questions do you have an how much are you willing to gamble?
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Feb 6, 2013 06:50
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Slagg: Slagg easily manhandles the cart down the narrow alleys of the docks. It takes a few minutes but it slowly dawns on him that he is meant to deliver this to the very warehouse he is planing on "visiting" that evening...
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Feb 6, 2013 22:49
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Annalise : The old timer gives you a... look for a second before his eyes drift back to the table. "Stonks 'eh? You don't really look the type, if you beg me pardon. Unless you're an alchy-mest, I don't think you'll be findin' much work there. He has the ocassional use for hired muscle but he pre'frs 'em big and scary lookin'. Prob'ly makes their job a bit easier... or more dangerous if ya ask me." 11 on the dice. "Well... I reckon a lot of the proprietors on this part o' the Tongue do a bit of, "discreet" business, was it? Though I haven't heard anything about Mr. Stonks in particular like," he takes a long sip from his mug before leaning in, "a'course... that's assumin' the Crucible doesn't have discreet business of their own." 6 on the dice. He shrugs, "If a body could know who the watch was lookin' at and who was safer'n houses... we'll how'd a gaoler make a living?" After a bout of chuckling he shakes his head, "But I ain't heard or seen anything round Stonks'." 4 followed by 7.
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Feb 7, 2013 06:46
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That is correct. Also, it's looking like everyone has wrapped up their scenes. Unless there is someone you still want to do I think we can assume people are back at the rendezvous.
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Feb 8, 2013 05:37
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Okay, by tomorrow night, everyone should post what they're doing for the break-in. We'll get rolling from there.
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Feb 12, 2013 06:40
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Can't guarantee I'll be able to update tonight but what are you goals on the coal delivery? Also, are you spiking it somehow?
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Feb 15, 2013 00:01
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It would take Jed about half an hour to find an alchemy shop and get back. Tossing a handful of shells in there may not work because rounds don't "cook off", the two components of blasting powder have to mix together. However if you toss in a handful of silk satchels of each component...
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Feb 15, 2013 16:29
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The Delivery "About time," Thrakas grumbles, "Coal delivery! Open 'er up!" he pounds the main door twice and steps back as they begin to move forward. The guards spread out a bit and ready their halberds and crossbows, while not real soldiers they could probably give most crooks and robbers a good run. As the door gets pushed open you get a good look at the doorman. It's a modified Bulldog, both of its arms end in hands, and it's gripping a massive iron pole ending in a nasty hook. With a practiced twist the 'jack frees the hook from a bar welded to the top of the door and steps aside, giving a rough imitation of a curtsy and holding still until it gets new orders. "Coal bin's right along the eastern wall," Thrakas says with a gesture. "Get it towed an' stowed and come right back here." He points at the 'jack and makes a hand gesture, "Cart Empty Outside Grips." The 'jack nods and vents steam through a whistle, with one hand it lifts an empty cart like the one Slagg is lugging around, and shoves it clear of the door. The door's rollers let out a metallic groan as Grips pulls it closed behind you. The Ogrun has waved you at a wall that will take you out of line of sight of the doorway, and while the bin is maybe 60 yards away, you have to hug the perimeter of the building or wind and weave through the storage racks.
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Feb 18, 2013 04:50
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The Delivery Annalise spots the corner where the chest is located, it's at the far end of the wall they're delivering the cart to. A massive hopper is set on floor, ready to be winched back up to clear the aisle.
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Feb 19, 2013 04:51
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The pulley system is designed to get the coal up and off the floor to clear the aisle. You see a few dozen people wandering through the warehouse checking inventory and tagging things for relocation or delivery. You don't see any Lancers patrolling the are but there are plenty of piles of crates that could be hiding one. You do, however see a Docker near the back, standing idle. Its eyes show the telltale flicker of heartflame but it seems to be in standby at the moment. For the moment it doesn't look like anyone is paying you two any attention at all.
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Feb 20, 2013 03:48
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Inside Group 3 on the dice for Slagg's lookout roll... You've checked a few likely piles of crates but didn't find any advanced warjacks hiding in them. You see one more likely spot near by when "Can I help you?"
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Feb 20, 2013 06:13
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The Delivery She squints at you for a moment. "I think Mr. Thrakas had that by the main door. Let me go check, I'll be right back."
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Feb 21, 2013 16:06
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The Delivery This last collection of crates is the largest yet. A few of them bear a painted Cygnus, but they're too big, and too tightly packed to shift. You can see Mary, as well as one of the guards, working their way back down the aisles...
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Feb 22, 2013 05:23
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The Delivery The guard runs his eyes over Annalise, and subtly shifts his grip on the hilt of his short sword. The blade's staying sheathed but he looks like he's willing to change that if needed. "Yeah.. that was the cart that Grips tossed out for you," he drawls, as he steps just a bit closer to Mary. "You two 'bout done," this isn't posed as a question, "Thrakas has your fee when you leave." This guard isn't going to let you out of his sight, unless there's anything else you want to do you'll collect a bag of 60 gold crowns from Thrakas and get a long, wary look from him as you leave.
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Feb 23, 2013 21:14
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Okay, let's assume this scene is done. Come up with a plan on how to actually get in and get the crate in the evening. You know where it is in the warehouse, have the rendezvous spot from your client, and some intel from inside. Now you just need a plan.
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Feb 24, 2013 03:56
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No plans? Want to just smash cut to the interior?
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Feb 27, 2013 23:11
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Sorry, been working 14+ hours a day lately. Who is at the wall Slagg is breaching, which wall is it, and is anyone going through the windows up top?
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Mar 6, 2013 16:01
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Your boat bobs quietly few dozen yards upstream of the dock. The old hand at the prow snuffed out the lamp shortly after punting out onto the 'Tounge. The muffled oars drive the small craft forward until it beaches itself on a nearly hidden patch of sand. While many buildings in Corvis are still lit, the industrial district is nearly pitch black at night, with only the occasional lamp showing in a window. All you hear as you jog to your position is your own breath and the occasional clink of your equipment. Julian and Annalise take up position near the boat, offering a good field of fire over the mercifully empty dock. Slag and the rest of the inside team hustle to a wall that should be near where the chest is. With a one last nod Slagg places his hand on the side of the wall and beings the assault. Dozens of arcane runes, suddenly and painfully bright flash down the length of Slagg's arm. They spin in concentric circles for a moment before rushing forward and obliterating a few dozen square feet of brick and wood. Pouring into the building and spreading out, you ready your weapon as sudden roar of Slagg's spell quiets down to the occasional tinkle of falling rubble. What is everyone's first order of business.
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Mar 7, 2013 06:49
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Inside Group After such a loud entrance the warehouse is eerily quiet. The only sound is your group's footsteps as you work your way towards the last place you saw the trunk. Jeff spots the Bulldog standing against one wall, it's rent open boiler sitting beside it, a victim of your earlier subterfuge. You find the cage where you left it, locked and quiet in the corner. Outside Group The Warehouse is dead silent. No lights have come on, no motion outside either.
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Mar 8, 2013 04:22
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Inside Group Runes erupt around Jeff's arm as the air in front of him shimmers. The heavy iron bars spark as the sudden blast of near solid air gouges through them. The air pressure in the lock swells it comically, the body bursting at the seems like an iron balloon. Parts of the actual mechanism fall out of the bottom of it's ruined housing. The lock is done for, you can just pull it off at this point. Outside Group Minutes have passed since the warehouse was breached. Still nothing happening outside. The old hands mutter between themselves and take a swig from the bottle of courage kept in oarsman's coat. Finally one leans a forward a bit and whispers to Annalise "Gel, what exactly is supposed to happen here?"
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Mar 8, 2013 17:45
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Inside Group You don't see the trunk.
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Mar 8, 2013 21:20
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Inside Group 9 on Per. Jeff looks for trunk, in vain. However he spots a faint trail of silvery droplets that lead from the area of where the trunk was, directly through the side of the cage, and towards the front of the building. 11 on Per. Jed, notices a thin gray film on wall in the cage, ectoplasm... Looking down, on first guess, those silver droplets seem to be the fluid that protects the delicate mechanisms of a 'jack's cortex inside its housing. Outside Group 15 on Per. Over the regular fishy scent of the river Annalise picks out something else. It's faint, muted by the odors of the docks, but there is a definte hint of decay and rust that reminds her of an abandoned battlefield.
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Mar 10, 2013 18:13
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Inside Group Picking your way towards the offices near the front of the building you soon find the source of the Cortex fluid. What's left of a Docker is strewn across the floor. The struts of its left leg are sheared off, the central body's armor plates have been driven through by something with tremendous force, and it's head has been torn open to expose the cortex... which was then smashed to bits, preventing anyone from finding out the machine "saw" in it's final moments. A low moan comes from inside the darkened office...
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Mar 12, 2013 16:33
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Inside group The darkened office is in disarray. Stonks lies on his side, the hilt of a small dagger jutting from his back. Another moan escapes his lips, which seem to have a thin green foam around them. Mary is slumped against the wall, a trail of blood running down it to her head.
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Mar 13, 2013 02:38
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