All set with the "investigation" here.
Isaac is up bright and early (having not drank nearly as much as in the previous evening). He washes up, eats a quick breakfast with strong tea and grabs his laundry from around the corner. After he gets his bedroom all set up, he'll sit in the common room and pass the time.
The table of thieves nod politely as the group departs.
"Pleasure meeting you Karrin" Marconius calls out.
Hergik and Jak decide to stay on a bit longer
"We have a half-day tomorrow," Jak explains in a slur. "An' this is as good a place to bub as any."
Drazek hauls the drunken harpy out the door. The large dual-headed bouncer snickers as they go past.
"Good luck with her cutter!" He calls out in a mirthful tone
The bouncer's snake head hisses
The group heads back down Gear Street towards the Great Foundry. The hour grows late, and Sigil has settled firmly into Antipeak. In fact it is close to Antipeak now . The Gear District is quiet, with only the occasional metallic squeal or flash of sparks coming from behind lock courtyard gates.
The Foundry District is never quiet, even at this late hour. The smokestacks belch flame and workers scurry back and forth. Issac sees several cutters he knows. They wave, but don't stop, their minds on their tasks.
Swordhold is in full swing, the jinkswords handing their hard-won loot over to the jinkskirts and bubmeisters. As the group walks on there's a shout at them.
"Oi! Stand fast!"
A group of red-armored cutters, five in number come striding up to the party.
Drazek tightens his hold on the semi-conscious Bethany and moves over to the wall of the nearest building.
"Oh, goodie. JUST when I thought I might actually make it to bed without someone, or thing, trying to cause me bodily harm today." Justin mutters upon seeing where the shout came from.
He casually makes sure that his coat is opened enough to reveal the sword under it, (and provide access to it), but makes no motion or gesture towards the blade. He flexes his fingers as the red-armored group closes in, habitually stepping behind Issaac and Karrin where he is safe from a frontal assault, but his height allows him a clear line of sight to the newcomers,...
"I think you berts have the wrong people," Karrin says to the strangers, her foot slides forward into a ready combat stance, and her spiked gauntlet slides down the axe haft so it's ready for a quick swing, "we don't know you and I'm sure you don't know us."
Isaac stands stock-still, his hands in plain view.
"Uh, Karrin?", he whispers,"I would suggest a little more civil tone to a Harmonium patrol. These bashers tend not to sodding care whether you're practicing the cross-trade or not when they catch up with you. Especially when you've got an axe out."
"They'll care when they're laid out."
"Pike it, berk. Let's hear the screed 'fore you make any barmy decisions."
"These aren't hardheads," Karrin whispers back to Isaac, "they don't dress in red . . ."
The head of the Hardhead patrol takes in the scene and Drazek carrying the insensate Bethany. He frowns when he sees Karrin gripping her axe shaft
"Oi bint, I'd take me pie snatchers off your kindler if I wuz you. I'll have you up in front of a Guvner on threatening an officer of the Harmonium."
He looks about at the group
"Wot's wif the dead bird? You folks taking the Collectors coppers? We don't cotton to no unlicenced Ressurection Men in this district."
"Oh wait, I guess these guys are the har . . . Harmoniums," Karrin relaxes her stance but keeps the axe on her shoulder, "sorry officer but I've had a few too many people threatening me today and I didn't realize who you guys were when I responded. I'm Karrin Kind of the Silver Rose company and these are my associates. What seems to be the problem?"
"She ain't any deader than you. Just a little too much o' the good stuff."
Drazek completes his statement with a slap on Bethany's posterior.
Her head lolls to the side and what can only be described as a chirp escapes her lips, before she becomes still once more.
The Harhead sargeant frowns, his jutting brow furled
"Yeah ain't brain snatchers? She just bubbed?"
He advances and smells the Gehenna Stingers on Bethany's breath
"Eh, I guess not. Best be getting it off the streets."
He glances at Karrin and scowls
"Yer lucky I gots a long Antipeak ahead .."
He stomps back to his squad and thay tromp off.
Isaac reluctantly calls after the departing Harmonium.
"Uh, beg pardon, Sergeant, but what was it you said about 'brainsnatchers'? Anything a pack of berks like us needs to be peery of this antipeak?"
He glances at Karrin and scowls
"Yer lucky I gots a long Antipeak ahead .."
"What'd I do?" Karrin asks, scratching her head.
"Just posturin', pay 'em no mind. Let get this l'il lady home without needin' to kill somebody on the way."
Drazek chuckles, shifting Bethany effortlessly in his arms.
Isaac reluctantly calls after the departing Harmonium.
"Uh, beg pardon, Sergeant, but what was it you said about 'brainsnatchers'? Anything a pack of berks like us needs to be peery of this antipeak?"
Justin gives a little sigh as the red-armored group turns and leaves. Then smirks and raises one hand up to his shoulder, waggling his fingers in farewell.
"I know that every civilization has some form of police force, but those guys give me the creeps!" He mutters as they continue on their way.
Justin gives a little sigh as the red-armored group turns and leaves. Then smirks and raises one hand up to his shoulder, waggling his fingers in farewell.
"I know that every civilization has some form of police force, but those guys give me the creeps!" He mutters as they continue on their way.
"Aye, and well they should. If those leatherheads just kept the heat to the cony catchers, brainsnatchers and chivvers they'd be top-shelf bloods. But they twigged to the notion of gettin' everyone under the Hardhead's vision of "Harmony" and now a berk can barely breathe without gettin' scragged. Just a part of life in the Cage, unless you live in the Hive."
He adds,"And then, of course, a berk's got bigger problems than a fat lot of bullies in red armor."
The party resumes their homeward trek. Exiting Swordhold and the Lower Ward, they skirt across the Temple District as Antipeak strikes. Antipeak is a busy time among the temples, expecially those catering to the Lower Realms. A mob of demons howl and caper by the infamous Temple of the Abyss, but the party manages to stay well clear of them.
Walking through the quiet Court District and into the Nobles' District, the group encounters swarms of late-night partygoers exiting various parties in the many mansions. The local taverns, inns and restaurants swarm with well-dressed drunken social climbers. Squads of Harmonium troopers look on, determined to keep the district quiet. Bethany elicits less attention here, as she isn't the only passed-out drunk being hauled home.
Copperman Way greets the group at the end of the Nobles' District and the beginning of the Market Ward. The Night Markets are in full swing, and the group is pelted with offers from merchants, barkers, pimps and jinkskirts alike. Pressing on, they make it to the Copper Cauldon.
Herbert, Bess' brother is handling the late night door. He opens the door yawning slightly. He ushers the folks in.
"Everyone is gone ta bed cutters. He says "We gots stew or some leftover mutton pie if yeh're hungry."
The common room is empty but for a couple of workmen nursing ales by the banked hearth
"Forty winks sounds like a fine plan, thanks. Let's just get Beth to bed first. Is there a bucket we can put by her bedside?"
Herbert looks at Issac quizzicaly.
"Why not put her chamberpot by her bedside?"
"Oh, sure. That won't trigger any reactions from an already upset stomach." Justin mutters sotto voice.
"C'mon, it'll work after I'm done with it." The wizard gives Hebert a friendly wave and half-smile to show he didn't mean anything, and follows Drazek and Isaac up the stairs towards Bethany's 'roost'. While the other, stronger, guys carefully lay the Harpy on the bed, Justin approaches the rooms chamberpot with the resigned look of a man who looks like he has to hang out his wife's laundry to dry. He mutters a short phrase, removes the lid and quickly waves his hand above the foul pot in a circle. he makes another motion, as if crushing something up and dropping it in, and the fragrance of lavender soon fills the room.
"That'll do it." Justin says as he picks up the now clean and pleasant smelling urn and carries it over to the bedside.
"The scent won't last but an hour, but at least it's clean." He explains to the others. He takes a final look at the harpy, gives a small smirk,... or maybe a smile, and quietly leaves the room.
Justin stumbles back down the stairs, and following Herbert's directions, goes into the kitchen and snags a couple of mutton pies and a mug of beer. Returning to a table with his loot, he uses his active spell to warm the pies and chill the beer, and eats with undisguised bliss on his face. HE leans back after finishing of the last drop from his flagon and closes his eyes in contentment. "Yep, all I need now is sleep." He mutters with a happy look on his face.
Then his brows furrow. "Ah,... Shards and shells!" HE grumbles wearily, his eyes still closed.
"I was just getting used to the idea that I can stay here, but I haven't brought over any of my stuff from my place!" He moans without real vehemence, stretching his full length out in the chair and laying his head back. He sighs. And then again, a little more dramatically.
"Alright, nothing for it then." He says, laboriously leveraging himself to his feet. "I'll see you gents tomorrow morning then. But not TOO early!" He says emphatically. He gives Drazek a raised eyebrow, Isaac a two-fingered salute, and tosses a casual wave to the others in the room as he heads out the door with a resigned sigh. "And this time I'm packing my bag!" he is heard to mutter as he closes the door behind him.
Justin strides towards his apartment, his long legs eating up the distance as he contemplates all that he has seen this day. 'I wonder what Marconi's up to now? I wonder if I should tell Murphy? Naw, what am I gonna tell her? I saw Marconi talking to another kobold? Oooo! Scary!' The mage scoffs at himself as he uses the spell of minor tricks he cast to create a ball of candlelight to float above his shoulder to light his way. He makes sure to take the 'safest', or at least 'most-likely-to-be-patrolled' route back to his home. Apartment. Crib. Berth. 'WhatEVER' He grumbles to himself as he clomps down the street, giving a close look at any who seem likely to 'stumble' too near.
His pondering of the meanings of crazy wizards, deaths that leave no marks, disappearing bodies, and gangsters' backroom deals cause the time to go by swiftly. And he blinks as he realizes that he taking the turn into the alley mouth that holds the entrance to his basement apartment. He takes a final look around, and takes the three steps down to his doorway, uses his key, and lets himself in.
A quick look proves that the tiny apartment is empty, and the spare key is gone from its resting place among the rest of his assorted junk. Satisfied that Skyy can let herself back in, 'If she hasn't already found another place to crash.' Justin peels off his leather coat and drapes it across the back of his one comfortable chair, kicks off his boots, and topples backwards into his bed. Pleasantly weary, and even more pleasantly full, the wizard's brain is nevertheless buzzing as he contemplates the day's events. He is convinced that he won't get to sleep anytime soon. But just as he thinks he might see the glimmer of a connection,... he begins snoring,...
I'm operating under the presumption that we don't want to slow down the main plot, so I'm not expecting any 'surprises', either on the way back, or in the apt. If you DID have something planned, please go ahead!
Sorry if I write too much. I like writing! And I try to have fun with it and make it entertaining (I have a desire to try and write a book someday.) but if I drag on too much, just say so!
Thx!
After Justin leaves Drazek gets himself some food and retires to his room to get some shuteye.
Karrin naturally takes Herbert up on his offer of food, gladly polishing off a couple plates of pie before bed. Karrin dutifully does her exercises before saying her prayers and turning into bed.
I'm going to have to talk to Veria, Karrin thinks to herself, There's no too ways about it. She knows something . . . but what? And who am I going to take with me? I can't go alone. Eir seems real distant and Zigel is gone, Greep's left as well, and I don't know anyone else well enough to impose on them.
There is O.L.L.I., She suddenly remembers, but he's a librarian and I don't want to drag him into a potentially dangerous situation. Still he'd likely know more about Veria then I would. She might say something that O.L.L.I. might catch that I wouldn't.
No point worrying about this now though, Karrin concludes, I got a job to do, and there's no sense worrying about this until I can do something about it.
Karrin closes her eyes and drifts off to sleep.
"We get chamberpots?! Blinkered Ascension, such wealth and luxury! At the Foundry we just used buckets and this one time when I was more bub than man I, well... water buckets should be clearly labeled, don't you think?"
With the Lady put to bed, Isaac joins the others in ransacking the kitchen. Noting the presence of animal flesh in both pie and stew, he palms some left-over bread from this morning and a small wedge of cheese. Nodding to Justin as he leaves, he wishes Drazek and Karrin a good evening and hits the sack, pulling off his ugly iron ring with only half-felt melancholy.
Bethany is tucked into bed with little fuss. Justin's freshening helps a bit. Everyone beds down for a good night's rest.
Justin:
Justin returns to his kip. He dives in bed and is woken briefly by Skyy entering deep in the small hours of the night. She snuggles in close to him. Justin realizes she is rather underderssed ..
Fade to black
If we're still trying to find info on who's targeting people in the Hive, Nari will reluctantly suggest that we maybe try asking around in places like the soup kitchen.
Isaac is naturally going to pick up his laundry before the ragman gets it. He'll likely go along with Naridre's suggestion of asking around at the soup kitchen, since there don't seem to be a heck of a lot of other leads to follow up.
With Karrin's low wisdom score she's not the best investigator but she makes an excellent body guard. She'll accompany one of the groups around.
Karrin wakes at first light (actually she wakes slightly before because of her years spent looking after animals but as a mercenary she happily sleeps in) and gets up to do her morning exercises in lieu of morning chores. She then washes up, get's dressed, and then happily bounds downstairs for breakfast.
Merle gets up in a particularly good mood this morning as if a huge weght had been lifted off her shoulders. Deciding to create some conversation whilst the others are downstairs and all tucking into breakfast
"So how did the investigation go last night then?"
It is noticeable that Seph is acting differently as well since he no longer has to hide what he actually is.
Drazek wakes up a bit later in the morning and takes advantage of the opper Cauldron's excellent facilities availing himself of a bath, then heads downstairs to see what's available for breakfast.
Merle gets up in a particularly good mood this morning as if a huge weght had been lifted off her shoulders. Deciding to create some conversation whilst the others are downstairs and all tucking into breakfast
"So how did the investigation go last night then?"
It is noticeable that Seph is acting differently as well since he no longer has to hide what he actually is.
Isaac takes a sip of strong tea, swallows it and thinks for a second.
"Nothing new, really. This Toranna doesn't seem thick with many bloods, even with the Dusties. Still sodding Clueless on who she runs with. I guess it helps the theory, though: keeps to herself so there's fewer members of the Faction poking a nose into whatever she's up to. I'm hoping our patron will have a better idea of where to look when we talk to 'im. Karrin and Naridre had a good notion to hit the soup kitchens, though, so there's a place for rattling the bone box further."
The half-elf smiles to himself and rubs his goatee.
"We also found out that it takes about three Gehenna Stingers to floor a harpy."
"You seem to be in a good mood, Merle. What's the chant? Anything we should celebrate?"
Nari eats her breakfast quietly and efficiently, not appearing to pay attention to anything else while actually listening quite intently to the conversation flowing around her. She gives a slight "eep" when her psicrystal goes skittering down the table, nearly knocking over a jug of milk. She lunges for the jug, grabbing it just in time to keep it from spilling all over and then sits back down, blushing furiously.
Nari eats her breakfast quietly and efficiently, not appearing to pay attention to anything else while actually listening quite intently to the conversation flowing around her. She gives a slight "eep" when her psicrystal goes skittering down the table, nearly knocking over a jug of milk. She lunges for the jug, grabbing it just in time to keep it from spilling all over and then sits back down, blushing furiously.
Isaac chuckles a little.
Elven:
Isaac chuckles a little.Elven:
** spoiler omitted **
Elven:
She is still blushing and looks as if she wishes the floor would open up and swallow her.
Isaac chuckles a little.Elven:
** spoiler omitted **Elven:
** spoiler omitted **She is still blushing and looks as if she wishes the floor would open up and swallow her.
Isaac nods and smiles.
Elven:
Isaac nods and smiles.
Elven:
** spoiler omitted **
Nari giggles in spite of herself. She looks up briefly.
Elven:
She goes back to staring at her breakfast as if her life depended on it.
"You seem to be in a good mood, Merle. What's the chant? Anything we should celebrate?"
Merle briefly looks up from her breakfast and quite casually as if it is the most normal thing in the world says "Oh nothing much I just don't have to hide the fact that seph is my brother who I accidently turned into a cat any more."
Merle briefly looks up from her breakfast and quite casually as if it is the most normal thing in the world says "Oh nothing much I just don't have to hide the fact that seph is my brother who I accidently turned into a cat any more."
"You seem to be in a good mood, Merle. What's the chant? Anything we should celebrate?"
Isaac looks surprised, glancing between Merle and Seph and back again.
"Well. Send me to the Mazes. Congratulations! The first step to not being a cat anymore is admitting that you aren't... really a cat."
The half-elf smiles in a consoling fashion as he speaks to Seph.
"Could be worse, old son. In a previous life, I was a sodding kangaroo rat. Gobbled up by an owl and that was it. Think of this as just one painful step on your road to Ascension."
"Kangaroo rat? Ascension?" Nari asks, confused, startled enough by this talk of previous lives to actually ask the questions out loud. She looks over at Seph and shrugs, an expression of bemused confusion on her face.
Isaac nods solemnly. As he explains, his Cager cant disappears and is replaced with just a faint accent hinting of somewhere both familiar and distant.
"Aye. When I was a only a lad I would have two kinds of dreams: the usual jumbled-up ones full of nonsense like everyone else and something more like memory. I hopped through the cold, dry desert air in the night looking for food or a mate or just to avoid snakes and scorpions. I even remember it right up to being eaten: the cry that paralyzed me in the open, the sudden painful squeeze of the owl's talons. After the first time I recalled that, I couldn't stomach meat anymore. It just felt... wrong."
"Where I grew up, there was an old fellow named Fernbeard (he literally had a beard made of ferns; used to bang about with a Wild Mage and that's what happened) and he was a Believer of the Source. He explained that I was recalling a former life on my road to Ascension. We Godsmen believe that existence on the Planes are a proving ground like a forge, that we're all trying to reach our greatest potential to eventually become Powers and then whatever is beyond the Powers. Most of us take a few lifetimes to get there, taking steps forward and steps back: hence, I went from kangaroo rat to half-elf, likely with a few steps in between. And the thing is: we think everyone is going through that process, even if they don't know it. That's why Godsmen are known for their tolerance in Sigil: everything has the potential to be divine, so how can you say one berk is better than another?"
The half-elf gulps down his tea and mimics a professorial air.
"For further lectures, I suggest a visit to the Great Foundry, where various metaphors about ore, slag and forging will be used to illustrate my philosophy. And bring a change of pants. You'll know why when it happens."
Nari shook her head, a skeptical expression on her face, but refrained from criticizing someone else's beliefs no matter how insane they sounded to her. It just seemed to her that if the gods had once been mortal that they ought to care more about what happened to people. She turned her attention back to her breakfast.
Isaac shrugs.
"Hey, you asked."
"Once a Prime, always a Prime.", he thinks to himself.
Nari was going to just go back to eating, but at that point her psicrystal jumped on her food. She sighed and set down her fork.
"I-I-I'm s-s-sorry if I w-w-was rude. I d-d-don't understand about the f-f-factions. W-w-w-what about the B-b-bleakers? W-w-w-what is it they b-b-believe? And the D-d-d-dustmen? It's hard t-t-to investigate something w-w-when you d-d-don't know who any of the g-g-groups are and why they d-d-do or d-d-d-don't g-g-get along."
Nari was going to just go back to eating, but at that point her psicrystal jumped on her food. She sighed and set down her fork.
"I-I-I'm s-s-sorry if I w-w-was rude. I d-d-don't understand about the f-f-factions. W-w-w-what about the B-b-bleakers? W-w-w-what is it they b-b-believe? And the D-d-d-dustmen? It's hard t-t-to investigate something w-w-when you d-d-don't know who any of the g-g-groups are and why they d-d-do or d-d-d-don't g-g-get along."
The tall half-elf's expression softens. He puts up both hands in a peace gesture.
"Hey, hey. You weren't rude, it's my fault for not getting it out right. My teacher Ombidias could tell you better than me what we believe in: I'm just a Namer, after all. That means I haven't worked my way very far up the ranks, like a new recruit. Now, the Bleak Cabal and the Dustmen don't get along with my faction most of the time. Bleakers believe that existence is pointless: that the planes hold no meaning or goal for anyone. Since most folk go about their lives believing it has to be about something, it comes as a shock for most when they accept the idea that nothing really matters. So most Bleakers are a little addle-coved to various degrees. They take on the barmies at the Gatehouse and run their soup kitchens because they say they want to find meaning in others if they can't find it in the Planes. It's admirable, but I'm sure they get something out of it. We oppose each other for philosophical reasons, which trickle into the political scene."
"The Dusties believe that every berk out there's already dead. That somehow the dead are more alive than us and that if the living become more like the dead by ridding themselves of passions, they'll go on to True Death... which is, I guess, Life? I don't really get them too well; it seems like they're my faction's philosophy inverted. I know they're probably the oldest faction, though. Them, the Bleakers and another faction, the Doomguard tend to align into a trifecta of Entropy in the Hall of Speakers. The Xaositects are another chaos faction: they hold the Hive and just act barmy because they think Chaos is the foundation of existence. The Revolutionary League are the last chaotic faction: they want to overthrow power structures and dissolve systems of belief. They mostly operate in secret because most factions hate 'em. I wouldn't doubt that they have spies in most of the other thought guilds."
"I could probably go on all day about who knows what and who believes which, but it's a lot to absorb. The thing to remember, though: factions aren't about "good guys" and "bad guys". The factions are organized groups with a common belief or philosophy, but that doesn't mean a common morality. It's just about how you see the Planes and how a sod fits into them. Belief out here is power, which is what sets Sigil and the Outer Planes apart from the Prime. And sometimes believing something is so will lead to it actually being so."