The canon hesitates, then his voice floats through the screen."From your confession, I judge that you are an adventurer. Perhaps there is something you can do for Rao's church. There is an evil man who makes his living terrifying the devout of many faiths. He disturbs the serenity of our flock, and he causes havok amongst our allies in the district, especially those with smaller temples. Would you perhaps be interested in showing him the error of his ways?"
"That is practically my job description," Karrin says, "professional error shower, give me his name and I'll make him understand that just because a temple preaches inner peace there's a lot of pain and trial to achieve that, I think maybe I'll see that he has a lot of time to contemplate his decisions, and I'm sure I'll make him beg for forgiveness."
Assuming that the priest gives her the name Karrin heads out to find Ekuur, the fire priest probably runs one of the small temples her priest spoke of.
Justin can feel the temperature at the table drop a few degrees. Marconi doesn't say anything, but his smile dims a bit"That is a shame. Still, I am not too surprised."
He pockets the small parchment scroll
"Don't bother yourself with finding me help. I am quite able to do it on my own. I will no longer delay you from your amusements. Good evening."
Hendricks moves behind Justin and pulls his chair out from the table.
Justin blinked. Dangit. He had no problem with tweaking Marconi's nose out of joint. He considered it one of the few perks of his chosen career path. But he had blown it this time. He had forgotten to take the little lizard's pride into account. Especially in front of his hirelings. But dangit, Justin had his pride too. And there was no way he was going to take dirty money from the little homicidal lizard. But Marconi had tweaked his interest, knowing darn well that Justin liked two things above most everything else. He loved a good mystery, and he had a downright suicidal tendency to go out of his way to help people in trouble.
Dangit. NOW he was going to mull over it for a while, and most likely end up checking it out anyway. It was a curse. Only now he wouldn't have Marconi's list of contacts to start with. Talk about a needle in a haystack without even knowing what the needle looked like.
Justin flailed for balance as the gargoyle abruptly 'helped' Justin away from the table by pulling out his seat for him. Justin gave the stone menace a glare that did not penetrate his rocky hide in the slightest.
"Thanks." Justin said dryly as he rose from the seat. He gave the Kobold one last look, trying to figure him out.
"Well, if you change your mind. You know how to find me." Justin said with a wave. He paused for a beat.
"Good luck finding out what happened." He added sincerely, in a voice that barely carried across the table.
Justin turned around, and straightened the flower drooping in Horace's lapel. "Nice talkin' to you big guy. Let's do this again real soon." He grinned, and then left the table as swiftly as he could without looking like he was running.
Justin went and found a table, and ordered a double. He slammed it.
'Dangitdangitdangit! WHAT kind of street trouble could actually make Marconi come asking ME for help of all people?!?'
"Sure." Merle smilingAfter the meal Merle walks Skrint home. "It was a nice meal thanks for taking me."Skrint smailes
'Always a pleasure Merle. Would you like to go out for some drinks?"
Skrint smiles and points to a nearby tavern
"That looks interesting. The Laughing Cheetah. Shall we try it?"
hatahuatl laughs when Ekuur asks for help
"OF course! Anything for such a noble warrior priest like yourself!"
Hatahuatl guides the group inside, his large fur robe brushing the cindery ground of his forge's floor
"Forgive my odd attire, but I find this city accursedly cold after the heat of our homeworld, don't you? "
He shows them a rack of breastplates wrought in a simulation of the bone-and-hide pieces common on Athas. Trikals line one side of the forge, cold steel surfaces gleaming in the faint glow of Hatahuatl's banked forge.
"I enjoy reimagining our native weapons in iron. As long as I live I will never get used to the sheer quantity you see here!"
He begins working a foot-powered bellows by his banked forge. A sooty-looking child emerges yawning from a pile of furs and begins bringing over charcoal for the flames.
"Severg! This is Master Ekuur, a priest from my homeland! Severg is my apprentice. I fear we have awakened him from his slumber!"
He tousels the boy's hair in a friendly manner.
"After the next load resume your slumber. I will handle things. You will have a lot of work ahead on the morrow!"
Assuming that the priest gives her the name Karrin heads out to find Ekuur, the fire priest probably runs one of the small temples her priest spoke of.
The name given is Pulgh. The temple of Rao is in a better area of the district than the relatively new temple of the Eternal Flame, but the walk isn't far. Karrin sees Ekuur's temple, but the doors are shut and barred. She sees lots of folks on the street, but none seem to be congregating at the temple.
"Sure." Merle smilingAfter the meal Merle walks Skrint home. "It was a nice meal thanks for taking me."Skrint smailes
'Always a pleasure Merle. Would you like to go out for some drinks?"
Skrint smiles and points to a nearby tavern
"That looks interesting. The Laughing Cheetah. Shall we try it?"
"Worth a look." Merle follow's skrint into the place.
'Dangitdangitdangit! WHAT kind of street trouble could actually make Marconi come asking ME for help of all people?!?'
The answer to that particular question eludes him as he tumbles the thought around in his mind. He finishes his drink and a server brings another.
"Compliments of Skyy" The girl says, whisking the empty glass off
After a few more acts, Skyy takes the stage. She is a good dancer, and has a lot of talent, though it is lost on the crowd. A melange of human-humanoid-other gawk at her gyrations. many toss coins onto the stage, other lose interest and begin talking amongst themselves.
Justin notices a small knot of Dustmen huddled in one corner. Two servitor zombies stand guard, their milky eyes and sewn-shut mouths staring straight ahead. These zombies are dressed in the thick leather clothing Justin is familiar with from their little escapade in the Mortuary, but these are also equipped with longswords, stout half-helms and bucklers. He can't see them from here, but he is sure their ID tattoo number is emblazoned across their foreheads.
Glancing over, he sees that Marconi is holding court with a number of different beings, including a beholder who seems to have dipped his hide in a plethora of bright paints
"Worth a look." Merle follow's skrint into the place.
The tavern seems to be themed to nature, and the crowd is as well. Rangers, druids, and several other adventuring classes unknown to merle congregate around an interior poor full of large fish. Small races like phanaton, grippli and grigs drink and socialize on terraces built onto the side of large poles scattered amongst the floor plan, carved to resemble trees.
Skrint sits and orders a Fisrt Blood and gets Merle whatever she desires. A large glass of a frothy blood-colored drink is swiftly delivered to him and Merle's drink appears as well.
"So what are your plans now Merle?" Skrint asks
"Worth a look." Merle follow's skrint into the place.The tavern seems to be themed to nature, and the crowd is as well. Rangers, druids, and several other adventuring classes unknown to merle congregate around an interior poor full of large fish. Small races like phanaton, grippli and grigs drink and socialize on terraces built onto the side of large poles scattered amongst the floor plan, carved to resemble trees.
Skrint sits and orders a Fisrt Blood and gets Merle whatever she desires. A large glass of a frothy blood-colored drink is swiftly delivered to him and Merle's drink appears as well.
"So what are your plans now Merle?" Skrint asks
"Hmm to be honest I've not given it much thought...Stay with the Silver Rose do some odd jobs for them I guess."
Assuming that the priest gives her the name Karrin heads out to find Ekuur, the fire priest probably runs one of the small temples her priest spoke of.The name given is Pulgh. The temple of Rao is in a better area of the district than the relatively new temple of the Eternal Flame, but the walk isn't far. Karrin sees Ekuur's temple, but the doors are shut and barred. She sees lots of folks on the street, but none seem to be congregating at the temple.
hatahuatl laughs when Ekuur asks for help
"OF course! Anything for such a noble warrior priest like yourself!"
Hatahuatl guides the group inside, his large fur robe brushing the cindery ground of his forge's floor
"Forgive my odd attire, but I find this city accursedly cold after the heat of our homeworld, don't you? "
He shows them a rack of breastplates wrought in a simulation of the bone-and-hide pieces common on Athas. Trikals line one side of the forge, cold steel surfaces gleaming in the faint glow of Hatahuatl's banked forge.
"I enjoy reimagining our native weapons in iron. As long as I live I will never get used to the sheer quantity you see here!"
He begins working a foot-powered bellows by his banked forge. A sooty-looking child emerges yawning from a pile of furs and begins bringing over charcoal for the flames.
"Severg! This is Master Ekuur, a priest from my homeland! Severg is my apprentice. I fear we have awakened him from his slumber!"
He tousels the boy's hair in a friendly manner.
"After the next load resume your slumber. I will handle things. You will have a lot of work ahead on the morrow!"
Ekuur grins again. "I know what you mean. I recently ... visited the actual Plane of Fire. I find it much more to my taste than what the locals here view as 'room temperature'. I also just recently returned from a world that had been trapped by the winter and cold for most of it. Thankfully, that will start to come to an end, but I found it distinctly uncomfortable."
At his friend's comments regarding the quantity of iron and metal, Ekuur can only nod. "I agree. I will never get used to it. If you were to take the arms in this shop back with you to our homeland, I believe you could probably trade them to a sorcerer-king for his throne!" He laughs to show that's an exaggeration, but not by much.
Ekuur also welcomes young Severg, and says, "It is good to meet you, Severg. I apologize for disturbing your rest."
Ekuur helps his acolytes with their breastplates and trikals, giving last minute pointers on holding the weapons and putting on the armor. "I know you've all used my trikal before, but everyone of them is a little different. The craftsmanship is excellant, though, so you should not really notice."
After a few more acts, Skyy takes the stage. She is a good dancer, and has a lot of talent, though it is lost on the crowd. A melange of human-humanoid-other gawk at her gyrations. Many toss coins onto the stage, other lose interest and begin talking amongst themselves.
"Pearls before swine." Justin murmurs. He pounds the table enthusiastically enough for at least a few of the uncultured heathens that are missing out on the show. He adds his own handful of coins to the glittering collection on the stage. When Skyy meets his eyes after the dance, breathing heavily but smiling, he gives her a grin and a big wink. He claps enthusiastically once more as she bobs a bow or two, and flounces off stage. (He has no idea how to actually flounce, but he appreciates it when he sees it!)
Justin notices a small knot of Dustmen huddled in one corner. Two servitor zombies stand guard, their milky eyes and sewn-shut mouths staring straight ahead. These zombies are dressed in the thick leather clothing Justin is familiar with from their little escapade in the Mortuary, but these are also equipped with longswords, stout half-helms and bucklers. He can't see them from here, but he is sure their ID tattoo number is emblazoned across their foreheads.Glancing over, he sees that Marconi is holding court with a number of different beings, including a beholder who seems to have dipped his hide in a plethora of bright paints
Justin sips the remainder of his drink thoughtfully. Granted he was probably being unusually paranoid after his recent long trip, and he was STILL con-fuzzled about his brief meeting with the kobold.
It wasn't uncommon at all for Dustmen to be accompanied by undead servitors, even 'out on the town' as it were. (A little less common than a moneybags being accompanied by a bodyguard. But this wasn't the rich folk hangout. Not even for rich kids 'slumming') And the zombies weren't usually armed and armored. I mean, a zombie WAS a weapon as far as Justin was concerned. And while they could certainly use any weapons they could hold, most mindless undead tended to use whatever they were holding as clubs. Probably mostly for show. The Dustmen obviously didn't want to be disturbed. And the club seemed to be a popular place for clandestine/public meetings. Marconi was certainly busy.
Justin shuddered at the sight of the Beholder, despite the desire to laugh at it's colorful paint job. He had NO desire to 'face off' against a beholder's Anti-magic eye, much less the rest of the eyestalk arsenal. Justin made a mental note that of he ever had to go up against a beholder he would do it with an empowered, maximized fireball. From a mile away.
Justin briefly regretted the fact that he did not have a familiar like a lot of wizards. His natural curiosity was working overtime, and he would have LOVED to be able to overhear what they were talking about at Marconi's table. He made a note to do some research on basic spying and recon spells. He was maybe getting a tad too focused on his fire-slinging. Versatility and foreknowledge were as powerful and dangerous than the most devastating spell he could cast.
Justin smirked. He was tired of Marconi and others having knowledge and info they shouldn't have. It would be nice to be able to turn the tables on them for a change. He smirked happily to himself, his mind already considering the basics of a simple listening spell as he turned back to the stage. A few more dancers, all good, and pretty (in their own ways) but not in Skyy's actual talent class, and then it would be Skyy's turn again.
He raised his fingers for another drink. The potential problem the kobold had alerted him to was still gnawing at his curiosity. But by golly he could enjoy the show while he pondered!
"Hmm to be honest I've not given it much thought...Stay with the Silver Rose do some odd jobs for them I guess."
Skrint purrs
"Would you consider taking a job with me? I could use a seasoned adventurer to help me on my hunting tours."
1d20-1
Karrin waits about for a while, looking for Ekuur. Eventually, an older human totters up to her.
'Excuse me miss, are you waiting for the temple to reopen?"
...
Hatahuatl finishes his reworkings just before Antipeak. Ekuur's three acolytes don their new accoutrements, looking much tougher with steel in their hands and on their torsos. Hatahuatl smiles and claps Ekuur on the back.
"They look the very image of temple warriors, friend Ekuur!"
Hatahuatl yawns.
"I'd have you stay later, but a smith must begin his craft at the stroke of Before Peak! I need what little sleep is left to me! Fair travels and come back to see me during the Peak hours, friend Ekuur and we can share a bottle of Javo nectar I've been saving for a while!"
Hatahuatl bids them goodnight and escorts them out to the street.
The group heads back along the cold foggy streets of Sigil. The Lower Ward still hums with activity despite the late hour. The Great Foundry is never shut: The immense crucibles at its base have been constantly lit for centuries, if not millenia. The clank and sizzle of hot metal fills the air, as does the sulphurous reek of charcoal.
Taking Alehouse Row out of the district, the group is subjected to the frantic crowds of revelers coming to the end of another noght's parties. Drunks litter the gutter by the raised sidewalk, many already rolled and stripped of clothing. A few would not be waking up come Before Peak.
Swordhold is less busy. The mercenaries have either retreated into their taverns proper or are sleeping. The group quickly passes through the few knots of jinkskirts looking for clients and makes it into the fringes of the Temple District.
The soapbox prophets are for the most part asleep as well, clutching their flaccid donation bags firmly as they seek shelter in whatever outcropping affords them a dry spot to sleep. Ekuur heads towards his temple ..
He raised his fingers for another drink. The potential problem the kobold had alerted him to was still gnawing at his curiosity. But by golly he could enjoy the show while he pondered!
Justin ponders and drinks, then recalls that he does know one person who had a good working knowledge of Ragpickers Square: Eliath, the researcher they had 'saved' from being a dupe of the Illuminated. He had mentioned he did a lot of researching in the area. It was a slender lead, but Jutin didn't have all that much at the moment.
The show is a good one. Skyy's burlesque troop is fairly graphic, but there are interesting dance routines and a leavening of comic acts and even a dancing bear. The night begins to wind down around Antipeak as the groups thin, many headed out to whatever darker dens hold sway in the Antipeak hours.
Skyy makes her way out, now dressed in a miniskirt and a cropped teal shirt. A pair of high-heeled boots give her diminutive frame a boost. Her light-blue skin is dusted in golden sparkles. She gives Justin a quick buss and plunks herself down on his lap
"How did you like the show lover?" She purrs, a lock of blue-streaked blonde hair curling under Justin's nose
"Hmm to be honest I've not given it much thought...Stay with the Silver Rose do some odd jobs for them I guess."Skrint purrs
"Would you consider taking a job with me? I could use a seasoned adventurer to help me on my hunting tours."
"Well long as my Silver rose work and this dont interfear with each other then sure."
1d20-1
Karrin waits about for a while, looking for Ekuur. Eventually, an older human totters up to her.
'Excuse me miss, are you waiting for the temple to reopen?"
"Nope, but I'm looking for Ekuur," Karrin says, "We're part of the same mercenary company, I heard that he might be having some problem with some jerks here and I'm hear to help him mash some chumps."
Justin smiles to himself, now he had a lead, however slim, in Elias in Ragpicker Square, as well as an appointment with a lich for research. AND a meeting with Murphy, apparently. 'No rest for the wicked' he thinks to himself wryly.
Skyy makes her way out, now dressed in a miniskirt and a cropped teal shirt. A pair of high-heeled boots give her diminutive frame a boost. Her light-blue skin is dusted in golden sparkles. She gives Justin a quick kiss and plunks herself down on his lap[/i]
"How did you like the show lover?" She purrs, a lock of blue-streaked blonde hair curling under Justin's nose
Justin wrinkled his nose, pretending to hold back a sneeze. Then he grinned in a way that left no doubt whether or not he enjoyed the show.
"It was alright. I thought that bear had real talent." he teases Skyy.
"There was this ONE dancer I thought had potential. I'd ask her out for a drink, but I hear she's seeing someone." He grins.
Skyy punches him on the arm, and Justin winces, not entirely faking it. He laughs and holds up his hands in surrender.
"You were fan-tastic. As usual. The highlight of the entire show! Although, I WAS still hoping to catch the late night, PRIVATE show,..." He waggles his eyebrows.
Skyy pulls Justin out of his seat and they head out into the stinking air of the Marble District. Like a jinkskirt with artfully-applied facepaint, the distrcit looked better than it actually was. Gaudy storefronts and rococo facades hid dark and brooding alleys choked with that special kind of misery only the Hive could deal out.
As Skyy whistled up a palanquin, Justin saw a Collector cart pulling to the gutter nearby to pick up a crumpled corpse. The rag-wrapped Collectors tossed the body into the pile at the back of their wain without a bit of ceremony and clattered on down the street.
A stout if peeling conveyance hauled by several beefy men stops and the two get on. Skyy distracts Justin enough so the hour-long ride seems a moment's time.
They disembark at Justin's appartment, and enter after fumbling at the lock in a fit of drunken giggles. Skyy tumbles into Justin's creaky bed and the two enjoy each other's company for the rest of the Antipeak ....
LATER ...
Justin pops up from a sound sleep. Skyy murmurs drowsily, a small lump under the many layers of sheets in his bed. As split second after he awakes, a spike of pain lances through his skull. The cheap rotgut the barkeep had been serving him at the Fallen Angel is extracting its due.
Justin isn't sure of the time, but it has to be close to Before Peak . He can hear the murmur of workers and vendors outside from the small windows fronting the street level. What worries him is the sound he thought he heard INSIDE. He was sure he had heard a thump, and one close by at that...
"Nope, but I'm looking for Ekuur," Karrin says, "We're part of the same mercenary company, I heard that he might be having some problem with some jerks here and I'm hear to help him mash some chumps."
1d20-1
Karrin waits about for a while, looking for Ekuur. Eventually, an older human totters up to her.
'Excuse me miss, are you waiting for the temple to reopen?"
The old lady chews on Karrin's pronouncement,
"I heard he was off to see a friend in the Lower Ward. He locked up after evening services."
The old lady sighs
"I do love the services at this temple. So stirring!"
"Well long as my Silver rose work and this dont interfear with each other then sure.""Hmm to be honest I've not given it much thought...Stay with the Silver Rose do some odd jobs for them I guess."Skrint purrs
"Would you consider taking a job with me? I could use a seasoned adventurer to help me on my hunting tours."
Skrint smiles
"Well, we'd be gone for a tenth-cycle or so at a time. I don't know what your obligations would be. I'd enjoy a chance to get to know you a bit better."
time passes ...
Quint is a marvelous host, and Nari feels very comfortable around him, despite his odd arrangement of five bodies to one soul. The time passes so quickly she doesn't realize the Great Bazaar clocktower is chiming the Antipeak hour. Quint halts in speech and his five mouths yawn in unison
"Nari ... it ... has ... been ... wonderful ... talking ... to ... you. ... Would ... you ... like ... to ... stay ... here ... for ... the ... evening? ... I ... hesitate ... to ... send ... you ... out ... onto ... the ... Antipeak ... streets ... alone."
After the meeting with Rhiannon's new boss, Renkar, he gives her a silver rose brooch and points her in the directipon of the Copper Cauldron. Bess sets her up with an ary enf room in her higher levels of inn rooms.
"This used to belong to that harpy lass" The matronly woman says with a smile. "It smells quite like a birdcage now, but I expect with a little air that will fade."
There is a lovely glass double window that opens out to a narrow balcony overlooking the back lot of the Copper Caudron. Bess leaves her her key
"Any food yah need come to the common room. Renkar has an open tab for you lot."
The others seem to have scattered for the night
time passes ...
Quint is a marvelous host, and Nari feels very comfortable around him, despite his odd arrangement of five bodies to one soul. The time passes so quickly she doesn't realize the Great Bazaar clocktower is chiming the Antipeak hour. Quint halts in speech and his five mouths yawn in unison
"Nari ... it ... has ... been ... wonderful ... talking ... to ... you. ... Would ... you ... like ... to ... stay ... here ... for ... the ... evening? ... I ... hesitate ... to ... send ... you ... out ... onto ... the ... Antipeak ... streets ... alone."
"Well...I'd probably be all right," she said, biting her lip as she looks nervously out the window. "But...well, if you're sure it wouldn't be any trouble.....there are a lot of scary things out during Antipeak," she said, looking a little embarrassed about how easily scared she was.
"Well...I'd probably be all right," she said, biting her lip as she looks nervously out the window. "But...well, if you're sure it wouldn't be any trouble.....there are a lot of scary things out during Antipeak," she said, looking a little embarrassed about how easily scared she was.
Quint smiles five toothy smiles at her
"Not ... at ... all! I ... have ... a ... spare ... bed ... for ... my ... occasional ... visiting ... friend. I ... usually ... just ... pile ... together ... over ... there."
One of Quint's bodies point to a corner with a large asymetrical nest of furs.
"Here ... I ... can ... set ... you ... up."
Quint's five bodies busy themselves making a small cot in the corner of the room up. Afterwards Quint brews some fragrant herbal tea for anightcap, and bids Nari good night after the two partake in a cup.
Come Morning ...
Nari awakes to the smell of eggs and bacon cooking. Quint seems to have the morning in hand. A bowl and a pitcher of fresh water sits on a vanity table with a few toiletry items.
"Good ... morning!" Quint chimes out in five voices
The old lady chews on Karrin's pronouncement,
"I heard he was off to see a friend in the Lower Ward. He locked up after evening services."
The old lady sighs
"I do love the services at this temple. So stirring!"
"Well to each their own and all that," Karrin says, "Ekuur seems like a good guy but I've never heard him preach, or if I had I wasn't paying attention, I got a short attention span you see. But I got word from my temple that some folks were being threatened and stuff so I thought I'd find Ekuur. He's a good teammate and if his temple is one of the ones getting threatened I'm more then willing to help."
Karrin pauses to think over the information she's been given.
"Sooooo, this lower ward is kind of big," says Karrin (aka captain obvious), "You wouldn't happen to have anything more for me to go on would you? Like a name or description? I mean I know what Ekuur looks like: big, bronze and bald but he lives at the same inn I'm staying at so the locals might not know him on sight so if I want to track him down over there I'd have a better chance asking about a local."
The old lady sighs again
"No, I am not one of his acolytes. He set off with three of his best and shut the doors. I think he was off towards a friends place in the Great Foundry, at least that's what I overhear...um he said before he left."
"Great Foundry eh?" Karrin says, "Well I suppose that's better then nothing. Anyways thanks for the help. I'd better see if I can find him."
Karrin immediately dashes off towards the lower wards and the foundry.
It is a few hours before the Antipeak Hour , but Karrin makes her way quickly through the devotional throngs to the edge of the Temple District. The Lower Ward begins just past it in the Swordhold District. Karrin sees the last of the ramshackle temples fall behind and large tenements begin to rear up into the sky. Besides merecenary companies, Swordhold has a large sprinkling of Doomguard. Wherever Doomguard roost, entropy and a general scruffyness sets in.
Karrin steps onto Alehouse Row, the main artery into the center of the Lower Ward: The Great Foundry. The wide street is packed with revelers, many eyeing the armored tiefling girl with predatory eyes. One large ogrish-looking berk stumbles up to her, breath stinking of garlic and cheap ale
"Howzabout you an me go down the alley lass? I got a handful of Stingers I'm willing to pay for a shag."
"You want it up the back alley eh?" Karrin asks only partly pretending to misunderstand, "Well I'm not one to judge but maybe you'd want a one of those fancy lads I see what with their perfume and lace and painted eyes, they're probably better equipped for that sort of thing and all I got is this," Karrin says clenching her spiked gauntlet into a nasty looking fist, "And I promise it ain't going to be gentle."
"Well long as my Silver rose work and this dont interfear with each other then sure.""Hmm to be honest I've not given it much thought...Stay with the Silver Rose do some odd jobs for them I guess."Skrint purrs
"Would you consider taking a job with me? I could use a seasoned adventurer to help me on my hunting tours."
Skrint smiles
"Well, we'd be gone for a tenth-cycle or so at a time. I don't know what your obligations would be. I'd enjoy a chance to get to know you a bit better."
"That would be great." Merle happily
"You want it up the back alley eh?" Karrin asks only partly pretending to misunderstand, "Well I'm not one to judge but maybe you'd want a one of those fancy lads I see what with their perfume and lace and painted eyes, they're probably better equipped for that sort of thing and all I got is this," Karrin says clenching her spiked gauntlet into a nasty looking fist, "And I promise it ain't going to be gentle."
The seven-foot tall drunken lout scowls
"Oh, smart one, eh? I ought to teach you some .."
The drunk seems to focus and sees the large blue axe strapped to Karrin's back
"Uh, nevvemind."
He lurches off, stumbling
"These crazy kids," Karrin says with a shake of her head, "They get all liquored up and get into all sorts of problems. Now to find Ekuur."
Karrin wonders around looking for someone to ask.
Nari smiles. "Good morning." She stretched and yawned. She always felt a bit stiff after her meditative trance. "It smells wonderful. Is there anything I can do to help?"
With a polite bow of thanks Rhiannon accepts the key to her new lodgings.
She takes in the room as she drops her gear and lays her shield aside. Large, spacious with a beautiful window and view, this was definitely one of the better places she'd stayed while active. The city was fascinating in far more ways than she could even think to describe.
It would be interesting getting to know this place, but for now, the idea of a hot bath and rest sang a sweet siren song too powerful to resist.
With a sigh of the relief that came with winding down at the end of a long day, she began unbuckling the many straps and fastnings of her armor, already planning to have hot water sent up while she cleaned her armor and weapons, her nightly ritual soon to be topped off with a long soak before climbing into a clean bed.
. He can hear the murmur of workers and vendors outside from the small windows fronting the street level. What worries him is the sound he thought he heard INSIDE. He was sure he had heard a thump, and one close by at that...
Wincing, Justin strangles his usual curse before it becomes actual noise. Moving very, VERY slowly, he slips back the covers from his legs. Now to remember where he left his weapons baldric, or his coat, both with pockets of spell components. He had been,... distracted, when they finally got back to his tiny apartment, and didn't actually remember where he had left them. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed quietly, for once glad that his furniture was so cheap it didn't have any parts to squeak or groan under his movement. He sat there, toes barely touching the floor, listening again for that sound he thought he heard, and trying to ignore the headache trying to claw it's way out of his brain long enough to remember where he left his clothes.
"These crazy kids," Karrin says with a shake of her head, "They get all liquored up and get into all sorts of problems. Now to find Ekuur."
Karrin wonders around looking for someone to ask.
Karrin resumes her route into the Great Foundry District. Alehouse Row falls behind her and the sounds change from bawdy balladry and drunken shouting to the clang of hammers on steel. The Great Foundry itself looms ahead: a huge edifice looking as if it had been ripped straight from the fiery planes of Hell itself
The complex is an angular amalgamation of smokestacks, cranes, and crucibles. A sullen glow issues at its base from the never-quenched smelting pits. A wall surrounds the complex proper, but there is a wide gate that stands open. Crowds of iron workers, smiths, apprentices and junk men swarm the gate area, intent on their labor even at this late if an hour. Karrin walks towards the gate but a guard stops her before she can cross
"Here now cutter, what's yer business? Naught but faction gets past the gate without authorization"
Isaac arches his eyebrows.
"What other Powers are in the deadbook?"Ombidias looks solemn
"A minor god named Camaxtli was unaccountably slain. His priesthood suddenly were not being granted spells. Inquiries into his realm revealed it was in the process of evaporating."
Ombidias sips his steaming tea, then continues
"A minor elemental power named Bwimb also was penned in the dead book. She was the lord of the Paraelemental Plane of Ooze. I say minor power, but she commanded a plane nonetheless, no matter how minor."
Ombidias pauses
"It is no easy thing to scrag an elemental lord, let alone a god. Both must be done in the home territory of the divine being for it to take, the very seat of their power. If you kill a god outside their realm, you kill only an avatar. The god will suffer a power loss, but will remain living."
Isaac sets his finished cup of tea aside.
"Some disturbing Darks there, cutter. Some hatched knave's workin' their way across the planes... but what would they have teh gain?"The half-elf stares into his empty cup for a moment, trying to grasp some angle on the big picture.
Isaac rises and stretches.
"Well, thanks for the Chant Ombidias- good teh rattle my bonebox with yeh. Reckon it's about time I call kip. Thanks again fer the tea."
Karrin resumes her route into the Great Foundry District. Alehouse Row falls behind her and the sounds change from bawdy balladry and drunken shouting to the clang of hammers on steel. The Great Foundry itself looms ahead: a huge edifice looking as if it had been ripped straight from the fiery planes of Hell itself
The complex is an angular amalgamation of smokestacks, cranes, and crucibles. A sullen glow issues at its base from the never-quenched smelting pits. A wall surrounds the complex proper, but there is a wide gate that stands open. Crowds of iron workers, smiths, apprentices and junk men swarm the gate area, intent on their labor even at this late if an hour. Karrin walks towards the gate but a guard stops her before she can cross
"Here now cutter, what's yer business? Naught but faction gets past the gate without authorization"
"Hello there!" Karrin says, "I'm looking for a fire priest by the name of Ekuur, someone said he was headed this way. He's a big guy, human I think, with bronze skin and like no hair at all. I can't say if he's smooth all over but no hair anywhere you can see. Also he comes from some desert world. I'm wondering if you might know where he is or where I might find him. If he's inside I could wait here. Names Karrin Kind. He'd want to see me."
Isaac rises and stretches.
"Well, thanks for the Chant Ombidias- good teh rattle my bonebox with yeh. Reckon it's about time I call kip. Thanks again fer the tea."
Issac:
. He sat there, toes barely touching the floor, listening again for that sound he thought he heard, and trying to ignore the headache trying to claw it's way out of his brain long enough to remember where he left his clothes.
1d20+9
Justin hears a distinct rustling over by the heap of clothing he and Skyy had shed. In his drunkeness last night he had left his gear on the chair of his small desk. His night adjusted eyes can see it hanging there. He hears what might be the scrabbling of vermin claws along the splintery boards of his appartment.
"Hello there!" Karrin says, "I'm looking for a fire priest by the name of Ekuur, someone said he was headed this way. He's a big guy, human I think, with bronze skin and like no hair at all. I can't say if he's smooth all over but no hair anywhere you can see. Also he comes from some desert world. I'm wondering if you might know where he is or where I might find him. If he's inside I could wait here. Names Karrin Kind. He'd want to see me."
The guard scratches his head
"He a Godsman? If so, yeh'll have to wait for him here. No one gets in unescorted."
With a polite bow of thanks Rhiannon accepts the key to her new lodgings.
She takes in the room as she drops her gear and lays her shield aside. Large, spacious with a beautiful window and view, this was definitely one of the better places she'd stayed while active. The city was fascinating in far more ways than she could even think to describe.
It would be interesting getting to know this place, but for now, the idea of a hot bath and rest sang a sweet siren song too powerful to resist.
With a sigh of the relief that came with winding down at the end of a long day, she began unbuckling the many straps and fastnings of her armor, already planning to have hot water sent up while she cleaned her armor and weapons, her nightly ritual soon to be topped off with a long soak before climbing into a clean bed.
An adolescent boy named darroth fills a tub at the other end of the hallway for Rhiannon. An assortment of cake soaps nad scented oils are arranged along the long metal tub. Rhiannon enjoys a leaisurely soak, and then a restful nights sleep in a soft freshly-linened bed.
Nari smiles. "Good morning." She stretched and yawned. She always felt a bit stiff after her meditative trance. "It smells wonderful. Is there anything I can do to help?"
Quint smiles
"No ...I ... have ... all ... the ...hands ... I ...need! Help... yourself!"
The guard scratches his head
"He a Godsman? If so, yeh'll have to wait for him here. No one gets in unescorted."
"I've never really ever figured out that whole faction thing," Karrin says with a shrug, "He's a priest if that makes a difference, but I don't think he has a god per se, more like a force or something,but we never got into a theological discussion. I worship Rao you see, and am quite happy with that choice . . . although I haven't reached the ideal level of inner peace or serenity that we strive for it's nice to have long reaching goals I say. I see a lot of folks picking religions based on what suits them the best, but me I'm in it for the long hall. Also my father, not my real father, but my adopted father, who was a monk devoted to Rao, well he always tried to explain that Rao was the god of forgiveness because he had infinite patience and I sort of need someone like that on my side because I can grate on people's nerves sometimes . . . and usually I don't even know when I'm doing it.
"So anyways long story short, if you don't have a god I'd highly recommend Rao, but if you already do that's cool, I'm not here to try to convert anyone . . . Hmmmmm, what were we talking about again? Oh yes! Ekuur! Have you seen him?"
Justin hears a distinct rustling over by the heap of clothing he and Skyy had shed. In his drunkeness last night he had left his gear on the chair of his small desk. His night adjusted eyes can see it hanging there. He hears what might be the scrabbling of vermin claws along the splintery boards of his apartment.. He sat there, toes barely touching the floor, listening again for that sound he thought he heard, and trying to ignore the headache trying to claw it's way out of his brain long enough to remember where he left his clothes.
1d20+9
'I knew I should have contracted an exterminator.'
The sudden flash of anger at the invasion of his home, such as it was, pushed the headache away. At least enough to focus his light-starved eyes. He reached slowly for his desk chair, or more specifically a pouch hanging on it. He very slowly slid in his fingers and grabbed a pinch of the coarse powder within. His other hand grabbed the one item he never removed, his amulet.
Breathing very slowly, and through a completely open mouth, Justin was almost silent enough to do a Knight of the Post proud. He focused his concentration, very silently mouthing the words, and focused his spell on where the pile of clothing should be. Although the spell itself should cover most of the tiny apartment anyway, he wanted to make sure that the visitor got the best view of the show. His hands came together, then shot forward,...
"Illuminatus Luxus Adhaereo!!!" Justin cried, and the force of the magic took the pinch of ground mica and turned it into a glittering, golden blast that hit roughly the spot where he intended, and then mushroomed into a cloud that covered the entire front of the apartment in golden, glowing dust.
"Hah! Take THAT! Never meddle in the affairs of wizards, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!" Justin crowed.
He blinked in the glare of the magical glow to see who his uninvited visitor was,...
Issac:
Karrin:
"Illuminatus Luxus Adhaereo!!!" Justin cried, and the force of the magic took the pinch of ground mica and turned it into a glittering, golden blast that hit roughly the spot where he intended, and then mushroomed into a cloud that covered the entire front of the apartment in golden, glowing dust.
Cast Glitterdust, Will save DC:16 or be blinded, glowing/counter to invisibility works anyway. :)
"Hah! Take THAT! Never meddle in the affairs of wizards, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!" Justin crowed.
He blinked in the glare of the magical glow to see who his uninvited visitor was,...
The spell ignites with a golden flash, sparkles spreading all over the clothing pile. There is a high-pitched squeal, and Justin suddenly sees a swarm of rats all over his and Skyy's clothing. The Glitterdust spell seems to have blinded them for the moment. The bright flash reveals a nauseating detail: The rats all have swollen pulsing brains visible at the crown of their heads. They seem to be clustered around something. It looks to be the Theif of Charms that was in one of Justin's inner pockets.
"Ewww! I should definitely call an exterminator! That's just wrong, even for Sigil!" Justin grimaces at the sight of the strange, mutated rodents. Then he sees what they were clustered around before he surprised them with the blinding dust spell. His face goes stony.
"Oh. No. You. Don't." He growls, and clutches his amulet. He reaches forward, a dim flash of light escapes from the amulet between his clenched fingers, and a ghostly copy of his own hand flies across the room and grabs the Rod.
"I hate rodents."