Asher's Story S1E1

 

 "The Kidnapping" Part One "Proof of Life"

 

It is a cold and rainy day in Æther City.  A thunderstorm hangs above. Our Hero, Asher Alboryn receives an invite to the family home of the Blaesprockets, a prominent gnome family. It seems that their youngest daughter, Prewitt, has been kidnapped by a local criminal leader, Zalazar, a mindflayer. Zalazar want to leverage Prewitt's return for the release of one of his lieutenants, of which the Blaesprocket family might hold some sway. And being that the gnome family and Asher's family go back, Lineus Blaesprocket implores the hero to use his skills to find and free their daughter.

Knowing that Zalazar's soliders don't really hide their presence in Old Town, Asher make quick work of locating some talking on a street corner. Approaching them and asking for their assistance, the bounty hunter's words find a footing and the four walk to a nearby bar, Down the Hole, and knock to enter a private area in the back.

Asher's, with the minions staying in the alley, is brought by a orc bruiser, who is strangely a reddish skin tone, to a back room where Blaze, a dark skinned (and burn scarred) faerie, is waiting. 

The two talk for a bit, with the orc standing near and cracking his neck and knuckles to obviously intimidate Asher, but soon come to an impasse. Asher, though, get some proof of life in the shape of a video of Prewitt pleading, but is unconvinced of her safety.

Soon, the bounty hunter leaves, no closer to securing the gnome. But comes up with a plan to use a Alter Self gadget he has to impersonate the lead minion that he first spoke to on the corner.

It works, the other two don't give the disguise a second look and Asher makes his way back to Blaze. Pausing for only but a moment, Blaze doesn't give much information to our hero accept that the gnome is being held at a lair called The Citedal. Asher, sensing he has actionable intel, leaves Blaze. But upon his return to the alley, the thug Asher is disguising himself as rounds the corner. 

So before losing his advantage, the bounty hunter conjurers a fog cloud and dashes down the street, leaving the thugs in his wake (though the impersonated thug does wound Asher with a few throwing knives) and dives into a off-duty taxi.

After a quick stand-off in the taxi, the cabby, spurred into action by the flash of Asher's money, drives the half-elf to his apartment to lick his wounds. And while resting, the hero does a deep dive on the dark web to find any info on The Citadel. Finding no leads, Asher reaches out to his mentor, Rina, who puts him into touch with a hacker named Nix.

Promising a favor in return, Asher has Nix dig for info on the Citadel and soon has an address.

Now, with his rest complete, Asher rides to the South Side address, deep amongst other warehouses, and sees enough foot traffic for Avensday to feel hopeful that the location is in fact the address for black market masquerading as the entrance to Zalazar's lair.

The market is bustling with activity and full of hard-to-find goods. But Asher's is focused, and soon spots a secure door that leads to a back area.

"Persuading?" a security guard, the bounty hunter is lead to a warehouse and proceeds to argue with the guard and soon finds himself in a fight that ends in Blaze, who is surprisingly at this location now, and the security guard subduing Asher...

 TO BE CONTINUED