1. Diari

12. Perfect Timing

21 dicembre 2025

16th Barrakas, 998 YK

  • Scott (Ruckus) recaps, and gets an advancement on their least developed theme
  • Out of character, they discuss getting Ruckus to invent an air fryer for Ban.
  • They've entered the cargo car, which has one of its side doors open (against regulations). They see five "guards", as well as the green scarved khoravar they've been looking for. He chuckles at them unsettlingly, and says "well lads, looks like Amaldi's cohorts have found us. Let's give em a warm welcome!"
  • One of the "guards" tries to "arrest" Damien, via their flail. Damien steps into it, teleporting himself and the "guard" further into the train, so thatt he guard's swing hits another "guard".
  • Yashira rushes forward and attempts to grab at the handcuffs on the nearest guards belt, experiencing a moment of panic when her hand phases through them. She adjusts, grabbing their cloak and trying to grapple them to the ground. Ban's player comments that this is incredibly hot.
  • Unfortunately, it may be hot, but it's unsuccessful, which does make it less sexy. The "guard" grabs her hair and then punches her in the face, bruising her face and her ego
  • Yashira locks eyes with Ban, who rushes to the kneecapping rescue. He smashes the "guard"'s knee and then caves in their head with his frying pan.
  • The train arrives at the Point of Order, and one of the "guards" calls out as such. The "guards" jump from the train, leaving the one that's tangled with Yashira.
  • They only have one crystal between them! They need to make a decision!
  • They decide the power of friendship will save them, they lock hands, grab hold of the corpse of the "guard" with the crystal, and leap from the train!
  • They go through the portal, finding themselves in Daanvi. They're a bit disoriented from the transition, but the "guards" are getting away! They give chase!
  • They enter a wide open room, with what seems to be a 13-armed clock in the middle, and a small transparent orb in the center containing 13 metal balls.
  • One of the Emerald Claw agents tries to remove the Quintessence Engine, damaging one of the arms of the clock in the process. Quadrones swarm the dias to repair the damage, and the agent attacks one with his flail. A spotlight lights him up, and he instantly dies.
  • A quadrone approaches the party and explains that violence will not be tolerated.
  • Then the quadrone asks how it can help?
  • Damien says they're just...visiting. Not here to cause trouble. They were hoping they could trade?
  • The quadrone explains that the Quintessence Engine is serving its purpose, it is not for sale. It will remain forever unless it cannot perform its function due to imperfection. They are free to admire it, please do not contaminate it.
  • If it is damaged, they will be asked to leave the dias to prevent further damage.
  • The group briefly huddle to discuss. They're worried that removal from the dias means instant death, but perhaps they can bait the emerald claw into scuffing it up?
  • They look over at the emerald claw group, who are similarly huddled and discussing, occasionally shooting looks at the party
  • Yashira asks the modron if they would intervene if the emerald claw attacked them? The modron confirms that violence will not be tolerated, rogue elements will be removed.
  • New plan: ragebait the emerald claw into throwing the first punch.
  • How to do that?
  • Ban suggests "yo mama" jokes? It's the meanest thing he can think of
  • The "guards" do seem pretty disposable though, they die really easily?
  • Damien reckons scarfman is in charge
  • The modron asks if there is anything else it can help them with?
  • Charlie asks questions. Damien is uncomfortable with the modron licking and smacking its lips every time it speaks
  • Charlie asks if they could get blueprints or something for the Quintessence Engine. The modron says they will need to make a request at the requisitions department, thirty-five floors down, third door on the left.
  • Yashira asks if they could do the same for a damaged Quintessence Engine? The modron says they will need to make a request at the requisitions department
  • Ruckus comments that this is some fey bullshit
  • Damien says no, it's not. He's dated the fey before, it's nothing like this
  • The modron continues explaining that a damaged object is reloctated to the Deconstruction Zone for decommissioning. If they wish to recycle it themselves, they will need to make a request at the Requisitions Department.
  • It seems that paperwork is unavoidable. 
  • Damien gets out his paperwork quill, and Ban comments that "of course you have one"
  • They look over at the other group, and see one of the EC agents smudge an orange on the Quintessence Engine. It is removed by modrons, as the EC sprint for the staircase.
  • Oh fuck!
  • They also rush for the stairs
  • They get into what seems to be an infinite stairwell. They have a long hike down 35 flights of stairs.
  • Most of them are winded, except for Damien. He's used to this! He tries to lift up the others spirits on their way down, but it just makes them want to kill him
  • They arrive at the room labelled Requisitions Department, and see 13 queues all lined up to be dealt with. Bland, peaceful music plays from an unseen source. The emerald claw are already in a queue, with dozens of creatures already behind them
  • The party decide to split up to analyse the queues, and go with Yashira's choice of queue.
  • They reach the front of the queue faster than the EC. A quadrone asks them to state their purpose.
  • They say they want to requisition a decommissioned quintessence engine! The modron hands them a stack of paper forms and tells them the application process is straightforward. When complete, they need to head through some doors to the Requisition Submission Room.
  • They decide to split filling it up between them, to do it faster.
  • As they discuss it, the modron informs them there is another queue to wait in, if they wish to fill it in while in the queue
  • They quickly ask if there is any issue with them splitting up who fills it in. The modron tells them as long as it meets compliance standards, it doesn't matter
  • They proceed into the next room, and get in a queue with 3 perfect, angelic beings and a many-horned devil.
  • Yashira compares this place to The Backrooms, whatever that means.
  • So weird to see angels and devils in the same place, being cordial?
  • "I guess if anyone kicks up a fuss they get deleted"
  • They gather the form back together as they queue, and then present it to the clerk. Ban did not fill his bit in correctly, and the clerk rejects it for not filling in Cosmic Essential Attunement or Project Time of Death.
  • They quickly correct it and hand it back, and are told it now meets "minimum compliance standards". Once they confirm the group's identity, they can proceed with their application. Authorisation crystal please?
  • Uh oh
  • They have the one they got from the corpse?
  • "Denied. You are not Pak’cha, a formian from Sector 203D. This crystal will be returned to the designated citizen. If you do not have identification, you may apply for temporary authorization from the Identification Bureau.” The mdoron does not return the crystal.
  • They are informed that the Identification Bureau is down 20 flights of stairs, fourth door on the right
  • They look over and see the Emerald Claw in the same situation
  • Oh gods
  • Hours later, after presenting their Khorvairian ID papers and explaining their situation to 4 different modrons, they are presented with temporary ID cards. Their authorisation crystals will be ready for pick up in 2-3 weeks, but these cards will suffice for the moment.
  • They return to the Requisition Submission room and wait again for their application to be processed. Whilst doing so, they look around for the EC but don't see them. They do see a towering warforged covered in blades waiting impatiently.
  • Damien identifies that individual as the Lord of Blades, but he's heard so many rumours. Charlie thinks he's a wrestler.
  • "No Charlie, that's the Lord of Blades"
  • "No it's definitely Big Chazza, the warforged wrestler. I saw it in the Voice of Breland"
  • Damien explains roughly who the Lord of Blades is. "He's a...violent advocate for warforged rights"
  • "Oh, so are we!"
  • "No no no, we want equal rights. The Lord of Blades wants warforged superiority"
  • "Ah"
  • The modron then gets their attention, and informs them that they have been given authorisation to recycle the Engine. They are given an Ownership Authorization Certificate, along with elaborately detailed turn-by-turn instructions to reach the Deconstruction Zone.
  • They go into the Deconstruction Zone Central Office, wait in another queue, and have their paperwork reviewed again. They are then escorted through the "junkyard", to the Quintessence Engine.
  • Ban picks it up, and feels their self align with the law of averages, as a slow, mocking clap fills the air.
  • Rostan Losho thanks them for dealing with the paperwork, and tells them that he'll be taking the engine. One of the "guards" is missing, they must've lost one along the way
  • Skeletal hands rip out from the ground to try and restrain Ban, and he tries to avoid, but the Quintessence Engine forces an average result and he still gets his foot grabbed
  • The "guards" then rush the group, and Damien steps into action. As he runs, he summons Clarence beneath him and tries to run down one of the guards. He fucks up the acrobatics though and ends up with his foot stuck in the sirrup, getting dragged around by Clarence. He looks to Charlie for assistance.
  • Even though Damien can teleport to free himself, it's better for the shipping community that Charlie helps him.
  • This leads to jokes about needing to fill in forms to have sex here, including getting consent from the record keeping modron and the one who plays the mood music
  • Ruckus is up next, vibrating with potential violence. "Do some magic with your machines!"
  • Ruckus attempts to use his janky wand of magic missile to snipe Rostan's wand out of his hand. Unfortunately, his own wand explodes in his hand and ruins his day.
  • Yashira analyzes the situation and decides to help Ban, the others can handle themselves. She runs to him and starts smashing the bone hands, but more emerge and she gets restrained too
  • Ban passes the Quintessence Engine to Yashira, to free up his hands for frying panning, and then he tries to smash the hand that's holding his ankle. He succeeds in doing so, but injures his own ankle in the process
  • Ruckus deploys his exo-suit, locking in. He runs to engage one of the agents, revealing that his suit now has a bear trap attachment to one of its arms. He attempts to switch the hand to the bear trap, but the mechanism gets stuck and he ends up getting a flail to the face.
  • Damien, now back on Clarnece, romantically (with his hair blowing in the wind), pulls Charlie up onto the horse's back to do a "drive by icing" with one hand whilst holding the relevant form in his other
  • Charlie falls off the horse when it matters most. This will haunt his dreams going forward. Damien moves to intercept the guards and gets his legs battered.
  • Charlie recovers, getting back to his feet, and throws ice at scarfguy. He shoots spikes of ice from his fingertips, embedding repeatedly into his chain shirt.
  • The camera pans back to Yashira, holding the quintessence engine and being restrained by skeletal hands
  • She takes stock of the situation, the shituation if you will, and holds the engine above her head. She locks eyes with Rostan, and yells out "look, if you want this thing, come and get it! But promise not to hurt my friends and I will hand it to you, the engine isn't worth it. We'll take the loss."
  • Rostan tells them to drop their weapons, and she's got a deal!
  • The skeletal hands let go of Yashira, and the guards back off a bit.
  • Yashira tells the others this isn't worth them dying, one failed job isn't going to break them.
  • Ban agrees
  • Yashira locks eyes with Damien though, and gives him a bit of a nod, as she holds the box out to Rostan
  • Rostan walks up to her, the guards following behind him, so now they're all mixed together.
  • Rostan takes the engine off of Yashira, as she asks Damien if "Clarence is going to be okay with nobody looking after him?"
  • Out of character, they debate whether to just surrender and fail this one, or whether they try to do some kind of gambit now that they're all clustered together. Yashira suggests throwing the engine to Damien and having him run, leaving them all behind, prioritising the mission over the people.
  • That is not a decision that Damien would make, Yashira's gambit fails. He shakes his head at her
  • Rostan tells them that they gave him the run around, but he supposes it was a pleasure doing business with them, and then he begins to walk away with his guards
  • Yashira is so confused. "Damien, what the hell? You were supposed to run with the engine!"
  • "I'm not going to leave you all behind"
  • Yashira starts to panic, trying to come up with another plan before it's too late.
  • Damien calls out to the Modron that's supplying the background music, and asks if they need to fill out a form to transfer the engine to Rostan
  • The modrons confirms that they do. Damien says they're still the owners then?
  • Yes, they are the registered owners of the Quintessence Engine
  • So, they've stolen it? We can't have that
  • The modron asks how they would like to proceed. Do they wish for a replacement, or for the original to be recovered?
  • Damien would like the original back, please
  • A rotating red light emerges from the roof of the Deconstruction Zone Central Office as a bomb siren starts going off, and modrons emerge to swarm Rostan and his boys. They recover the engine, and the group skedaddles whilst the EC are being bogged down by beaurocracy.
  • They return to the cube, and notice that there's actually a lift. "Are you kidding me!?"
  • They return to where they started, and make the jump back to the material. They experience a flicker of doubt as the ground rushes towards them, but then find themselves floating back up towards the rail bridge.
  • They see that an elemental land cart is waiting for them, with Amaldi Kolkarun sat on top.
  • Charlie doesn't want to speak to anyone for a while
  • They approach and Amaldi expresses how glad he is that they're alive, he wasn't sure if their jump had worked, maybe they were dead. They've been gone for a few days
  • They're victorious though!
  • "I hope Nigel appreciates this work"
  • Oh, and they've made enemies of the Emerald Claw
  • That's...fine
  • They get into the cart, and they all slump into the chairs, exhausted. Damien looks to Yashira with concern, would she have abandoned them for the mission?
  • "Hey, has anyone seen Nerys?"
  • Nerys is still waiting in a queue in Daanvi
  • Amaldi drives them back to Krona Peak, and then they get the lightning rail back to Sharn.
  • Damien finagles them onto first class on the journey. 
  • They hand the Quintessence Engine to Lhara, and she pays them. She asks for the authorisation crystals back, but they don't have them
  • "Ah, there would've been a bonus"
  • 3 weeks later, they all receive letters informing them that their identification crystals are ready for pick up.
  • Damien throws his in the bin.
  • Yashira says it's not worth it, they aren't going back, no matter how much they're paid.
  • It is likely that the Emerald Claw eventually got their hands on a Quintessence Engine, as they could've just done the same thing again
  • The group also feels humiliated and downtrodden, they might've clawed victory back, but they feel like they lost
  • Charlie's crush on Damien intensifies though. He was so smart in how he brought it back home!