Isaac shakes his head.
"... good way to draw the Lady's attention, cutter. Whole Factions been mazed for that, I heard. Others fall in her shadow, penned in the deadbook with a thousand little cuts. Much as each Faction wants the whole sodding Cage, they gotta stay in line one way or 'nother. Better for business, right? So even if it's Jed'Hammet's property, the Athar can step in an' claim that it's not only on their turf, but it falls within their jurisdiction since those poor sods up 'n ghosted in a temple. The resident Defiers make a case with the Guvners, the Signers make a counter claim... our client's left holding a corner in a tug-o-war. 'specially since he only got the property through a default. That's my take, leastaways. I ain't a Guvner, like I said.
Renkar nods approvingly
"You may not be a Guvner, Issac, but there are Guvners with less grasp on the situation of the Cage. Add in the Ser Jad'Hammet is a factor in the Takers, and if he makes too much of a stink the other two contesting factions can cry foul about that as well. "
Renkar looks about
"The legalities of the situation will eventually be settled in the Guvner courts. By that time, whatever is in that ruined temple will be long gone. I suspect Ser. Jad'Hammet has come to us to try and lann the chant of what exactly he's got ahold of here."
Renkar looks back at Issac
"If you know this Hulester cutter, I would suggest you start with him first. Having him just outed as an Anarchist plant will most likely make him relatively bitter. A few coins might make him talk."
Renkar tosses the two Hammers Issac gave him back on the table.
"See where 100 Ladies gets you."
"That was all very interesting, my friends, but while we sit here talking, the two factions are busy looking through the church. Perhaps we can continue this on the way to visit this Hulester, and then on the way to the church itself."
Ekuur hoists his trikal on his shoulder, and looks like he is ready to head out. "Lead on, and I will follow."
Happy to have some attention, the psicrystal leaps off Nari's shoulder and jumps onto Jutin's hand, skittering around quickly on its ectoplasmic feet.
Justin smiles brightly, toying with the psicrystal with a forefinger, tilting his hand and arm in different directions to give the tiny crystal places to run.
"Pretty active for an 'inanimate object', aren't you?" He asks the hyperactive stone as he pets it with a finger, looking closely with both curiosity and admiration."That was all very interesting, my friends, but while we sit here talking, the two factions are busy looking through the church. Perhaps we can continue this on the way to visit this Hulester, and then on the way to the church itself."
Ekuur hoists his trikal on his shoulder, and looks like he is ready to head out. "Lead on, and I will follow."
Justin looks at Ekuur, then to the psicrystal with a 'What ya' gonna do?' look. With only a small sigh he stands, reluctantly extending his arm towards Nari.
"Our resident priest does have a point. You can only talk and research things for so long. At some point, you have to get out of the library and get into the field!" He says brightly.
"Lead on Isaac! I can't think of a better way to start an investigation than having a drink with an acquaintance!" He grins, bowing low with a sweeping gesture that indicates Isaac should precede him.
"Oh, by the way! Gifts for the ladies,..." Justin adds with a mischievous grin as he reaches into his coat. "Finally got them all done!" He says as he produces a small bundle of scrolls, and tosses them carefully to Merle, Bethany and Karrin.
"And there's more where those came from!" He says with a grin, pulling back one side of his heavy leather coat to reveal several tightly rolled scrolls tucked neatly into tiny pockets in the liner.
"Next infernal monkey that jumps us is in for a world of hurt!" He says with a self-satisfied smirk as he carefully pats his coat back into place and follows Isaac out the door,...
Nari takes her psicrystal back.
"She's not really a thing, let alone inanimate. It's where I store my extra personality. Only so much room in one body," she said as she tucked the psicrystal back onto its perch on her shoulder where it sedately pretended to be a brooch...for now.
She stepped out of the way so that Justin could hand out scrolls to the others, trying to keep to the middle of the group as they walked so that she would not be noticed.
Karrin pulls out her newly acquired disguise kit.
"I'll go too," Karrin says, "been looking for an excuse to use this."
Karrin pulls out a false mustache and tries it on.
Justin looks at Karrin's new facial hair, then down to her curvy armored torso, and back again.
"It's a little crooked." He says straight-faced, pointing to the mustache, then turns and follows the others to the door.
Isaac rubs his fuzzy sideburns.
"Muttonchops are the way to go, cutter. Suave, debonair, dynamic: these are the terms for a cutter with a fine pair o' chops. Like a planeswalker. Or someone's dad."
"We oughtta be a bit discreet with Hulester; you don't turn stag on two factions without bein' marked. And if yeh ain't hoisted a pint at the Ubiquitous Wayfarer, here's the chant: place is full o' portals and cutters makin' use o' portals. So don't put the spook on 'im; lots o' ways for a cutter to give us the laugh."
Isaac rubs his fuzzy sideburns.
"Muttonchops are the way to go, cutter. Suave, debonair, dynamic: these are the terms for a cutter with a fine pair o' chops. Like a planeswalker. Or someone's dad.""We oughtta be a bit discreet with Hulester; you don't turn stag on two factions without bein' marked. And if yeh ain't hoisted a pint at the Ubiquitous Wayfarer, here's the chant: place is full o' portals and cutters makin' use o' portals. So don't put the spook on 'im; lots o' ways for a cutter to give us the laugh."
"I've never understood the human fascination with facial hair. No offense, Isaac, but it isn't exactly an elven trait," she added with a small smile.
"If I can be of any assisstance with this Hulester please let me know. I won't spook him at least. No one is afraid of me. Well, unless I want them to be."
"Heh. Well, I always did favor my mum's side. If yeh want to try gettin' Hulester to rattle his bonebox, feel free Nari. We was never exactly mates to begin with and it's likely he knows I'm a Godsman. Don't want him thinkin this is a Faction matter. I can five you the garnish Renkar gave me."
"Want is a pretty strong word, but I think that I can be of use here, and I want to help in whatever small way I can."
"I've never understood the human fascination with facial hair. No offense, Isaac, but it isn't exactly an elven trait," she added with a small smile.
"Torreen couldn't grow a mustache on account of his elven blood," Karrin says twirling her new soup strainer, "and the brothers were always clean shaven, but I like 'em, if I were a man I'd totally have a mustache. There's rumors about dwarven women who can grow facial hair but men don't like too much hair on women for some reason."
Karrin looks at herself in the disguise kit's mirror, "very dashing," she says with a smile, "but probably might draw attention."
Karrin pulls out a black wig and an eye patch before reluctantly removing and replacing the handlebar mustache. Karrin tucks her red locks up under the black wig and slides on the eye patch.
"Right," Karrin says, "let's go have a look at this church. By the way my name Sophia La Noir and I'm a former pirate but I grew tired of danger involved in that profession, so now I've gone legitimate and I'm working in the security consultation business. And although I generally work in the shipping industry I've taken on a few residential jobs. That's where I'm headed now! But don't ask me where, because that's classified!"
Karrin smiles, clearly pleased with the fruits of her over active imagination.
The afterpeak is dimming as the group come out onto the street. The fog is thickening and occasional spurts of whipping rain hit the group. Those that have them pull their cloaks tight, throwing up hoods against the wetness.
Both places were fairly near each other. The Wayfarer was on the outskirts of the Dwarven neighborhood of Gurincraag, hard by the tenements of Little Bytopia. On the other side was the Shattered Temple District and the mysterious ruined church.
Copperman Way is filled with the Beforepeak workers and merchants trudging home after a long day. Wagons splash grey water in sheets as the black-cloaked pedestrians walk along the broad boulevard. It carries the party out of the Market Ward into the Lady's and the beginning of the Nobles' District. The rain has dampened the party atmosphere of the mansions, or at least driven it indoors. The party moves along and joins the crowds around the Court District.
The Guvners, Hardheads and Mercykillers swarm around the dour court buildings. As the light fades the district empties like a wineskin in a bubber's fist. Most head Downwards towards Greytowers and their evening pipe and tucker. By the time the Temple District swims out of the fog the streets are empty.
Crossing the Park of the Infernal and Divine, the group stays clear of the few orators and cranks fanatic enough to be out in the rain. Angling downward through the crowded temples they quickly pass the Temple of the Abyss. The fog-shrouded tower of the temple with its ever-silent belfry stabs the fog like a black skeleton finger.
The group crosses Bloodgem Park and passes by the Society of the Luminiferous Aether club. The triangular building sits at the junction of three main thouroughfares, looking like the building equivalent of a dotty old uncle. Hooking Downwards at the triple junction down Blood Boil Avenue, the neighborhood of Gurincraag comes into view.
Walking onto Ironmonger Street, the many smithies, jewelers and gem merchants of the dwarven community showcase their wares with a stolid majesty. At the end, the group turns downwards at the fabled demon tavern, the Styx Oarsman. The demonic vrock bouncer lounges outside, smoking a gigantic cigar that puts the Great Foundry to shame for mephitic smells.
Brandy Lane leads to the Ubiquitous Wayfarer. A fairly cheery taproom compared to its fiendish neighbor, the Wayfarer's a three-story inn known for its many portals, some of which are triggered by certain drinks. It makes for an interesting scene in the common room, especially with the many Clueless that touts bring here. Riaen Blackome, a no-nonsense matron, owns the bubhouse.
Farther down Ironmonger Road is Anvil Square. Pink Pearl Way leads off the small plaza, heading to the Shattered Temple District and the ruined church.
;)
Justin takes longer steps as they near the tavern, stepping ahead of the others, and ducks into the tavern past the demonic doorman, flipping his hood and the foul grey water off with obvious relief. He flaps his coat once, sniffs as he looks around the interior, and then heads to the bar. That drink is looking really good right now,...
,... with his ale in hand, Justin finds a nearly unoccupied corner where he can keep an eye on most of the room. He settles in, takes a grateful sip of the ale, and pulls out his pipe. This might take a while,...
The smaller segment of the party enters Brandy Lane and the Ubiquitous Wayfarer. The rest continue on deeper into the Lower Ward via Ironmonger Road.
They arrive at Anvil Square, a fairly large plaza with a big fountain in the center. Many dwarves live in the area, and the local tenements and shops reflect their prediliction for squat, solid buildings. Not only garden variety dwarves but Duergar, Derro, Gully Dwarves and several other even more exotic types can be glimpsed in the small-statured crowds swarming about the grey-cobbled square.
Pink Pearl Way angles off spinwards of Anvil Square. Following the oddly-named street, the party begins to enter the fringes of the Shattered Temple District.
The immense Temple of Aoskar looms over the neighborhood, its crumbling buttresses looking like the ribcage of some fantastical sea beast stranded on a beach. Many of the crumbling facades along the road have grimy nautical flourishes, perhaps pointing to some ocean connection long ago. The thickening rain drips off brown-stained seahorses and gushes from sea-serpent drainspouts.
The ruined church lies off Pink Pearl Way on the corner of two small side streets called Crayfish Walk and Nickle Street. The nearby buildings are very disreputable and half-crumbled. Athar namers move about the local tenements, doing their best to scrape a living from the stony streets.
The group approaches the ruined church. On its left is a dark warehouse-looking building. There is an empty lot to the right of it. The church itself is square, with what is left of a hemispherical dome on its roof. The dome has long since fallen. The walls look as if they are ready to collapse. There is a small debris-strewn yard about the church, with razorvine snaking from the rubble in a black tangle. There is no sign of tombstones or other monuments around this small open area.
The doors of the temple are shut, and two guards dressed in plate mail stand guard. Their shields carry the faction symbol of the Athar.
with his ale in hand, Justin finds a nearly unoccupied corner where he can keep an eye on most of the room. He settles in, takes a grateful sip of the ale, and pulls out his pipe. This might take a while,...
The tavern has a large common room, and it is quite busy. The occasional flash of blue energy signals the activation of a portal, usually along the back hallway or one of the grimy windows. The bubbers have a large percentage of Clueless, who stand out by their wide staring eyes and hands-on-weapons stance. Most of the others are a mix of local dwarves, Godsmen and Athar. Several of them are standing about a small statue of a man in the back. A mediocre bard plays the flute, a battered hat in front of him. The dart boards and pool tables to the rear are fully packed.
Justin snags a back table, Nari close behind. A waitress saunters up and asks them what they'd like.
Isaac surveys the taproom for Hulester or anyone he knows before approaching the bar.
Issac sees a few cutters he knows slightly as he cases the room. A few of the Godsmen namers give him a wave, as does a friendly dwarf he's played darts with before named Frosberg. The tavern's owner Riaen can be seen behind the bar area, pouring ale for the thirsty crowd, her grey-streaked brown hair in a top knot bobbing as she barks out orders to the waitstaff.
Issac spots a cutter deep in the shadows in a booth near the bar. He's pretty sure it's Hulester, the berk looks similar, except that instead of Defier gear, he now seems to be sporting a Sensate badge on his black wool cloak. He is drinking alone.
Justin pushes out a chair for Nari with his foot as he gives her a rakish grin. He tamps tobacco into his pipe and turns his best smile upon the busy waitress.
"Ale please m'lady, house special is fine." He says with a half-grin. Justin's eyes scan the room as the waitress turns to his friends, seemingly at random.
Isaac discreetly nods toward the booth.
"Looks like Hulester there, in the Sensate colors.", he says quietly,"Up to you if yeh want to have the wigwag with him, Nari. I can handle it if you'd rather try to read his mind or somethin'."
Justin nods, lighting his pipe with a flash from his fingertip. He takes a deep drag, then exhales in obvious pleasure.
"Up to you guys. I'd only recommend letting me talk to him if you WANT to tick him off. I seem to have a talent for that sort of thing." He admits wryly. "Otherwise, I'm just going to sit here, dry off, and enjoy the beer and my pipe. And try to make sure that nobody tries to brain you from behind." He adds with his trademark happy smirk.
She sighed and squared her shoulders. "I'll go try to talk to him, see if I can put him at his eases. I couldn't read his mind if I wanted to. I'm a kineticist not a telepath."
She closed her eyes briefly and her psicrystal went from skittering around on her shoulder to cowering underneath her hair. She stood straighter and walked confidently over to the man that Isaac had pointed out to her.
"This seat taken?" she asked with a sweet smile.
Bethany follows the others to the church, flying above them and landing on a nearby building so that she cane attempt to see anywhere she could gain entry from above.
Bethany:
"This seat taken?" she asked with a sweet smile.Nari:
** spoiler omitted **
The gentleman looks up, startled. A hand dives below the table, then relaxes. He nods.
"It's a free tavern, suit yerself. Yeh have need of summat?"
She sat down. "Well, I was hoping that you could help me with a little problem I've been having. I'd be glad to reward you appropriately if you can spare the time for a little talk."
She leaned back in her chair and glanced over at the barkeep. "She's very pretty. Sorry. I didn't mean to pry. I couldn't help but notice you noticing. And I can't help but wonder why you're over here instead of over there talking to her. Not that you need to tell me if you'd rather not," she added with a sympathetic glance. "I understand if you'd rather keep this conversation strictly business."
"Might be a way in at the back. I'll go take a look, so you all don't go wandering off." Swire gives a quick glare at Merle before he stalks off into the crowds.
"Oh but it's fine for you to do it?" Merle mutters mostly to herself as she watches Swire leave before looking for a suitable place to sit down that gives her a good view of the building without being obvious.
Perception