The Strange Case of Quinn Sharp (Worlds Beyond)

GM
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*The Strange Case of Quinn Sharp* is the first episode of the first season of Worlds Beyond.

## Summary

### Recruitment

The Estate recruits new agents to explore the mysteries of The Strange. Oswald Dukes and Dale Fink are from Earth and already acquainted to The Strange in their own ways. Inan Nissi has been travelling between her own world of Atom Nocturne and Earth from some time, while Pine Night was arrested after landing on this completely new and strange world by accident.

### On Quinn Sharp's trail in Ardeyn

The Estate soon sends them on their first mission in another dimension with Estate veteran Jade Atwood. All Riley, the agent who briefs them, wants is them to return with information about former agent Quinn Sharp's whereabouts in the recursion called Ardeyn. They get access to the Estate's armory and are given powerful items, known as cyphers, from The Strange.

Access to Ardeyn is through a Gate, which means an almost instantaneous process requiring little adjustment.

The group step through this gate, one by one, and emerge in a windowless room. As they had been told to expect, their clothing and equipment match the world: the fictional origin of this world means *it's an anachronistic costume*, *it looks like what someone believed people would wear if they were characters in a video game based in a roughly fictional ancient-ish sort of world**.* Claire, the clerk who meets them, far from being surprised, actually expected their arrival. Claire wears a simple tunic and has her hair pulled back into a braid.

The group start their quest near the Guilds' Market, which is the usual meeting point with Sharp. In the vertical city, or citadel, of Hazzurium, going from their current location on a lower level (between 20 and 25) to the Guilds' Market on level 12 West requires taking the central staircase up. They head toward the tavern Claire recommended, the Stumbling Merchant. The bartender last saw Quinn Sharp two days prior. Jade, who pays his outstanding tab, and Inan, who is good at questioning, learn that he was with merchants from out of town. Oz can vouch for the bartender's honesty, and discerns hidden concern.

After Dale fails to get anything useful from a group of day drinkers, Jade approaches a man who has been playing darts. He has to tell her what he knows because Jade knows when people lie to her: Sharp was excited about something lately, and he met weird people. This man also gives Jade Sharp's address on level 32 East. Before the group goes all the way down to level 32, Jade gets Dart Man a drink. The farther down they go, the less light there is; by the time they reach the bottom, Dale's flashlight proves useful.

### Grasping at shadows

Entering Sharp's home proves easy, because the door was forced open. There is soon no doubt that Sharp didn't leave willingly, that an altercation took place, and that the assailants were looking for something. Dale finds a small secret room not protected by a trap.

There are, however, shadows that lunge at him and hurt him. A fight—the group's first test in battle—ensues, Inan envelops the creature—or creatures—with glitter coming from her hand and holds them up. Oz undoes the wraps on his hands and uses fire-based attacks. Dale uses *Premonition*, and finds that the creature is an invader from The Strange. This means that, when Dale uses *Exception* later, it not only deals damage but also stunts its victim. Jade whips out her wicked long knife; it's unclear where she's pulling it from. Pine enters the fray and stabs with his glaive. The shadows put up a fight but, one by one, blast into nothingness. As victory seems close, Jade tucks her knife and tries to *Whack* the remaining shadow. She rolls a 1, which gives Lauren an opportunity to take out Jade for the duration of the next episode: the shadow dissipates for a moment, and shocks up Jade's arm; Jade is rocked backwards, unconscious. The shadow is dead, writhing up Jade's arm. Inan goes ever to Jade. Dale, who has entered the secret room during the fight, is in it by himself.

## Notes

1. ↑ That's why there are holes in Pine's armor for no reason.
2. ↑ *NftE*: This character was named, I didn't catch his name.
3. ↑ *NftE*: Exception seems to freeze the whole mass of shadows, not just one individual shadow.
4. ↑ It was already known that Jeannine would not be there for ep. 2.