First Mission at Arx Fire Plaza

Act 3 began under the shielded sky of Arx Fire Plaza. The Ex Force assembled in the open rotunda above New VQU, surrounded by floating glyphs, magical lanterns, old headmaster busts, and the teleportation circle that would send them out on their first field mission. Professors gathered to witness the departure. The school was no longer only a place the party had survived. It was becoming a launching point. Eveline Pringle joined the team for the trip. She was nervous about going home to Point Pringle, though she insisted she had already planned to return. Her warning was simple: no matter how strange things looked, do not jump to conclusions. That was not exactly reassuring. Dr. Greta Wunsch stood nearby in void-silver robes, representing the academic side of the mission and the questions still circling Jonah and Maine. Allison Whiteheart, the university nurse, gave everyone restorative tea biscuits for the road. Oskar Duskshade stood with the group as Baron's assigned representative, quiet and watchful under Lady Dusk's authority. Then the mission scroll was read. Nine construct killings had been reported in Stormcall. Each victim was marked with tally scores and the Abyssal word echo. The likely suspect was Tallulah Murn, also known as the Tallyman: a precise, methodical flesh operative now targeting warforged near the Luxigian School of Alchemical Studies. The orders were covert. Enter Stormcall without announcing New VQU's hand. Avoid flesh inquisitors, guild meddlers, and unnecessary exposure. Investigate the murders. Confirm Tallulah's methods. Protect or extract Witchborn warforged. Learn who was helping, who was hiding, and who was next. The route would begin through Point Pringle. If Percival Pringle III could be persuaded to help, the party could travel under a Point Pringle cover wagon instead of arriving openly from the Queefdom. It was a practical plan, and like most practical plans in Jericha, it depended on family history, unstable infrastructure, and everyone pretending the next room would not be worse than the last. The teleportation circle began to glow.