"Oh yes, Coteries. We know all about those. Friends with plenty of them, too. People love us!"
Bluff and another
Zhartle seems momentarily bemused by the effusive response of the friends, "Okay... I get it... you and the coteries, you're buddies... well, that's fine and good - ain't many folks in Zel-Argose who aren't mixed with one gang or the other - just make sure you ain't up to anything shady here", his voice drops to a hiss, "Or you'll be out on your ear... Understood?"
Whilst they are talking, a huge cheer erupts from somewhere near the huge arena that the friends walked past on the way to find accommodation - Zhartle, already returned to counting coins, drily comments, "There's a big re-enactment on today... some ancient tribal battle between the founding clans of Zel-Argose and Dae-Argose... Course... 'Spect you already knew that".
Locke sighs and shakes his head, cocking an eyebrow at Drancis and Rikkan, "Come on then, let's go check out this re-enactment that we most definitely knew about."
Rikkan pulls his hooded cloak over his head, "Might as well see the sights while we are here, huh? I doubt we will ever have a chance like this again. There might be some interesting creatures for me to watch.."
"Works for me."
Ensuring that their rooms are locked, and their more valuable possessions are securely hidden away, the friends make their way towards the sounds of cheering in the immense arena ahead of them. The crowds that previously dogged their progress have, for the most part, subsided and it is not a long walk to the ‘Fighting Pits’… even before they see the first of the pits, they encounter the first evidence of the fighting - an unconscious man, blood seeping from a hastily bandaged stump where his leg used to be, being hauled away in a wagon.
Rounding a corner, the friends discover a rectangular clearing housing nine huge cages positioned as three rows of three - the sign above each heralds them as ‘training containments’ whilst heaps of blood-soaked sand scattered within them suggest that they have been recently used. Right now though, there are few folk mingling in the area… surely the crowds have gathered within the huge stadium structure that, towering some hundred feet into the air, blots out the sun the closer that the friends get to it. Posters line the avenue leading to the huge gated entrance of the arena… all of them advertising the recreation of ‘The Historic Victory of Zel-Argose over its colonial subjects’ - the poster promises ‘thrills’, ‘daring exploits’, ‘valiant death’ and ‘excitement’ with a small disclaimer about historical accuracy being dispensed with in the pursuit of dramatic excellence.
Arriving at the gate, the friends are confronted with a small queue… waiting for no more than five minutes, they arrive at a booth containing a bored looking woman wearing a, clearly fake, ceremonial helmet, ”Audience, Owners or Participants?”
"I like that helmet. Very sporty. We are audience members only. Can we be shown to a booth, please?"
"Yes audience it is, prefer to keep the danger at arms length, you know?" Locke smiles at the woman winningly.
Audience, please!" Drancis mutters, trying to keep his voice calm despite the horror in his eyes at the spectacle unfolding before his eyes.
"Audience... very well. Six tickets... Hmmmm... it's a pretty popular event, you may struggle to find somewhere sat together. Anyway, it's a gold coin each... whatever denomination, you've got - doesn't matter too much", the woman doesn't respond to Rikkan's compliment... nor to Locke's charms. And so, with barely a smile, she takes the friends' money and issues six small circular tokens, "You'll need these for the turnstiles"...
There is a small queue building behind the friends and they are quickly ushered along a small tunnel, through the full height turnstiles that require the tokens to pass through and out into sunlight once more. Spread out before them, a huge arena - some three hundred feet in diameter - is currently empty... other than three barrows being slowly moved around the huge space. A low hum of chatter comes from the thousands of spectators sat in rows around the entire circumference of the stadium. A quick mental calculation of the number of rows (some lined up twenty-five deep) and the approximate number of seats per row suggests that there are tens of thousands of spectators awaiting this event. High above the top rows of the arena,predominantly red flags flutter in the evening breeze.
Finding a series of empty seats near the entrance, the friends sit down and await the start...
It soon becomes apparent that the barrows are setting out weapons at seemingly random locations - clubs, spears and savage-looking swords are all placed on the sandy floor of the arena... and, soon enough, the barrows are empty. Moved to the side of the arena, the folk who have been placing the weapons park the barrows and vault over the edge of the arena. There is a pregnant pause of a few minutes before a huge fanfare, reverberating around the stadium, heralds the arrival of a ceremonially dressed man. He strides into the very centre of the arena and, pressing something at his waist, speaks... his voice is louder even than the fanfare...
"LADIES... GENTLEMEN... OTHERS... WELCOME... WELCOME ALL", his voice drops to a pseudo-theatrical whisper, "We have all learnt of the barbaric times before the coteries brought peace to Argosa... today... today, courtesy of the Casticar Coterie, we will travel back in time and witness those dark days"
...his voice rises in volume and pitch, "I give you... THE FOUNDING BATTLE... THE FIRST CONFLICT... OF DAE-ARGOSE" - boos and jeers ring out - "...ANNNNNDDDD ZEL-ARGOSE". The stadium erupts with cheers as, from opposite sides of the arena, two large groups of semi-armoured humanoids stride in. As the 'armies' move to what must be pre-determined positions, a hush settles over the stadium...
After finding seats, Zoreck sits between Illonna and Rikkan. "Y'know, I was a ceremonial arena fighter for a few years when I was younger. The Five Clans had an annual moot, and part of it was an athletic competetion. We never intentionally fought to the death. You forefeited you victory if your opponent died in the ring, and you were shunned from competetion for five years."
"Let's see what kind of show these guys put on." Zoreck seems to be getting excited along with the crowd and joins in their chant of He pumps his fist in the air along with the rest of the crowd.
As the crowd quiets down, he whispers, "Hey—We gotta fit in!"
Holding his hand aloft, the man in the central arena waits until the armies are in place. The armour that they are wearing is a mixture of metal, leather and bone - reasonable protection within a melee... but amongst them, there is no sign of any weapon. The gates at either end of the arena are opened once more - and, preceded by a thumping that reverberates through their seats, a huge beast comes through each of the entrances... quadripedal, muscle-bound and slathering from its massive jaws, the monsters stand about three times as high as the 'soldiers' within the army.
Suddenly, the man lowers his arm and all hell breaks loose... the chains holding the beasts in place are released and, with throaty roars, they charge into the armies. Barrelling into the 'soldiers', they scatter broken bodies like rag dolls... and the massed survivors of the charge, panicked, run in search of the hidden weapons. Surrounded by a shimmering energy field in the centre of the arena, the man who initiated the fight comments to the gathered crowds that, "The first conflict was fought at the shore of the great river... and nearly half of the casualties were caused by rampaging Dhraegyr"
...the battle has been raging for less than a minute - and already a full score of the combatants lie dead or dying where they fell. And the crowd, baying for blood, cheer each death...
Drancis spends the majority of the battles taking place with a horrified look in his eyes. This...this culture is so barbaric
Still he does try to offer some half-hearted cheers for the slaughter, but it doesn't take a genius to realize his heart is not in it.
Zoreck's excitement at the gladiatorial fight quicky ebbs away to be replaced by horror and anger. "That's not sporting! Those guys had no chance at all! What the hell is this?"
Illonna sits quietly, seething. She had known going into this that it was a blood sport, but she had held out some hope at least that it would be an honorable one at least.
Rikkan was captivated by the two large beasts. "They have no chance against those monsters. This willl be over in 30 seconds. I wonder what purpose this display serves, anyway."
To continued cheers, the bloodbath in the arena continues... the rampaging beasts have despatched a sizeable fraction of the combatants before the 'soldiers' manage to adequately arm themselves. But now, with spear and sword in hand, the humanoids - for the fighters are not exclusively human - start to retaliate. One enterprising group, having discovered a cache of long-reach spears, start to harass the 'dhraegyr'... and, enrage it to the point where it charges the groups' opponents...
Eventually, as more of the 'soldiers' find the weapons, they are able to defend themselves from the rampaging animals... and, soon discouraged by the wounds inflicted upon them by their prey, the large beasts lose interest. In the aftermath of the attacks by the beasts, there is little more than half of the original force present in the arena... and, to rising cheers, the armies raise their weapons aloft and charge each other...
Within minutes, the bloody business is over and, to the cheers of the partisan crowd, 'Zel-Argose' are declared as the winners. The announcer, who has remained in the centre of the arena for the entire duration of the twenty minutes combat, calls out once more, "To the victors... FREEDOM!!!" Slumped around the arena, the exhausted fighters raise their hands in muted victory. "...and to the slain and the honourably defeated, a posthumous pardon".
The crowd, with the announced end of entertainment for the day, start to file towards the exit... the friends, amongst those closest to the gates are back near the 'training containments' outside the stadium within ten minutes or so. A small group of bloodied humans stand near the closest cage... instantly recognisable as the walking wounded from the battle that the friends have just witnessed, they stand with their helmets upturned...
Sense Motive
Rikkan elbows his friends. "They are collecting coins from the crowd. Should we throw them a few bits for their trouble?". The ratfolk heads over and throws a few silvers in a helmet. He closely looks at the wounded, looking for any spare hairs that might have come off either of the beasts. He plucks one and tosses it into a vial for later study.
"I can't say I want to reward such a showing, but I can't imagine these men chose to be down there either. I'd like to hear what they have to say about all that." Locke walks up to the bloodied men and greets them as he drops a few coins in an upturned helmet, "I'll be honest with you, I'm new in town and... I didn't expect what I just saw in there. What could possibly have led to you all being thrown into such a bloodbath?"
Zoreck also drops some coins into the survivors' hats.
Drancis joins in by dropping another few silver coins in another warrior's helmet. "That...that was amazing! Good job in representing the good citizens of Zel Argosa!" He then awaits to see how the warriors respond to Locke's question.
The fellow with the upturned helmet into which Locke throws a few coins looks at Locke with a slightly puzzled expression, as if it to suggest that the question being asked is almost ridiculous... and then relents, "If it pleases you sir... all of the fighters today, we were sentenced to trial by combat... those of us who survived the games, we get our freedom - and those who die gallantly, they receive pardons... them what runs or dies dishonourably, they are judged guilty and their families belongings are seized".
"Sir? I was wondering maybe you have got some work for me? I need to keep honest now sir... the Auditor's agents always keeps an eye on those who fought..."
...as the crowds pour from the stadium, the sun has sunk near the horizon - it will soon be night.
After the explanation from one of the gladiators, the nature of this blood-sport becomes clear to Zoreck. He nods in sudden realization of what they all just witnessed.
At gladiator's request for some homest work, Zoreck pauses, and then says, "Huh. Maybe. How well do you know this city?"
Zoreck then gathers his friends around him and whispers (hopefully out of earshot to the gladiators), "If this guy knows his way around town, maybe we could hire him as a guide! Whaddaya all think?"
Drancis nods in agreement. "I think that is a great idea Zoreck! If he does well, and is trustworthy enough, we could enlist his aid in finding Lomrick."
"A guide is something we sorely need, and a grateful one is less likely to betray us."
Rikkan agrees. "How about you meet us right here in the morning? Uh, about how long will that be again? We are new to the city and could use your expertise."
Seeing his friends are in agreement, Zoreck turns back to the gladiator who asked for a job.
"So, if you really do know your way around here, we are looking to hire a guide... and being able to take care of yourself if things get rough is a plus in my book. What do you say?"
The fighter, looks down at his upturned helmet - which is far from brimming with coin - and instantly accepts the friends' proposition. With a broad smile, he thrusts his hand out in the universal sign of friendship and introduces himself as 'Drill Braumgreff', "A guide? I can certainly be that - born and raised in Zel-Argose I was. I know these streets as if they were the veins of my body... meeting here tomorrow? That's great... I'll see you then". Bowing slightly, as if he was unsure as to the etiquette of the situation, Drill makes his apologies and leaves...
Returning to Zhartle's, the friends finally collapse into their beds... the end of their first day in the strange city bringing fitful sleep.
The next morning, the friends – having eaten a fairly basic breakfast at Zhartle’s – head out to the Battle Pits once more… and are enthusiastically greeted by Drill, ”I hope you folks are ready for a long walk… If you are new to Zel-Argose then we’ve got a lot of ground to cover…”
This large coliseum features not only a central battle arena, but is ringed by several smaller amphitheaters. On “war day”, the main stadium attracts large crowds for the main event, however, for a mere handful of copper coins, an attendee can observe a smaller match between less known opponents. Wealthy attendees can also purchase an all-day pass and stroll to whatever fight piques their interest. The Battle Pits feature combat between freefolk. convicts and slaves. Freefolk and slaves may earn prize money, but the latter’s winnings go to their masters… and convicts, should they survive one of the mass melees, can earn their freedom.
Many Argosan factions place restrictions on unusual creatures and livestock imported through the gates, citing ecological concerns and potential bio-hazards. At the Bestiarium, however, any number of exotic animals, mounts, and livestock appear for sale with a posted sign from the Office of the Auditor plainly stating the city holds no liability for unmanageable purchases, and that the current owner of any animal must take responsibility for its care and actions.
This gleaming needle-like tower is an intact remnant from the ancient ruins of Zel-Argose rebuilt many times over the years. Like the gates themselves, the building is nearly impregnable. If not for its lack of a gate, the Coteries themselves would envy it. The spire’s central location, however, also makes it an ideal symbol of power for their chosen law-keeper and intermediary, Auditor Jahera Fire-Eyes. Drill whistles as he gazes towards the tower, ”There’s some that talk of large dungeons underneath the structure… that unimaginable wealth and power can be found down there. But only the city’s most powerful citizens would know for sure - I guess that’s how they stay powerful”.
This guild of jugglers, street magicians, and bards has their meeting hall here. The guild’s dues grant members a place to practice their skills, access a job board for possible performance opportunities, and share their concerns.
Despite its uncharitable name, this massive open-air market is where free farmers, fishermen, and tradesmen ply their goods in Zel-Argose. The “toilers” as the Coteries derisively refer to them are heavily watched here by the Auditor’s enforcers, as arguments and fights run counter-productive to fostering active trade in the city. Ironically, their presence encourages most vendors to police themselves, augmenting their stalls with mercenaries for added security.
This causeway in the Artisan’s Quarter caters to upscale iniquity and exotic services, including drug dens which offer a unique escape through transcendental experiences and magical tattoo artists whose ink animates in unusual and arcane ways. Most of the garishly decorated two-story buildings act as a residence and place of business, including a local brothel and boarding house whose prostitutes engage in tantric rituals that unlock past life recursions. Morpheum Street also hosts one of the city’s few reliable exorcist guilds, as well as a psychic detective agency.
This deep river originates from a spring atop nearby Mount Hyram. At its peak, the mountain remains above the snowline and captures moisture in the otherwise arid terrain. The natural spring combines with seasonal runoff, feeding the Zeph River which bisects the city.
This huge structure derives its name from its appearance as a massive animal talon jabbing at the sky. Over the centuries, the weaker half of the monument was pulled down when smiths learned to cut its strange black metal and repurpose it in smelting forges. The other half of the arch retains its structural integrity and contains a working elevator powered by an unknown energy source. It now serves as a landing pad and mooring point for zeppelins and smaller airships which venture further into the hinterlands, carrying passengers, delivering freight, and collecting goods for off-world trade.
It is near midday by the time the friends pause for light refreshment on the western bank of River Zeph, limping slightly from the exertion of the tour (and probably carrying an injury from the previous day), Drill asks, ”So… this Lomrick? Can’t say I have heard of the name… what is he to you? Why do you want to find him?”
Rikkan's attention was quickly diverted by the Beastarium. "Whoa, a whole area full of exotic creatures for sale? Are we allowed to interact with the beasts? I'd love to make a trip there at some point. I'm quite fascinated by unfamiliar species!"
Seeing the man favoring a bum ankle, Rikkan asks Illonea if she might be willing to spend a bit of her healing on him, so that he could guide them around the city easier.
Standing a little straighter as Illonna's healing takes hold, Drill thanks the paladin for her kindness...
Drancis pipes up, "But we still need to figure out where Andretta is from! It won't take long to check out the library Rikkan." As Drill mentions Lomrick his face takes on a guarded look. "Let's just say we have a score to settle with him...a BIG score."
Rikkan agreed. "You are right, Drancis. I get a little excitable sometimes. Especially where wild new creatures are concerned. But let's see to Andretta first, of course."
Illonna nods "Her condition is worrying. It would go a great deal I'm sure if we could find more information on her background."
"Lomrick... is not a friend. He has things to answer for. One way, or another."
Locke agrees with Drancis's worries, "Andretta should be our first priority." He explains something of Andretta's condition to Drill, and then offers his advice to the group as a whole, "We don't all need to spend our days in the library. I appreciate any help, but I am confident that left to my own devices in a repository of knowledge I can find what we need."
Drill, apparently intrigued by this talk of Lomrick, promises to help the friends find this person who is '...not a friend', "You say you want to head to a library? There's a book store upriver along the Zeph... way I hear it, it's a good a place as any to be reading about where folks come from".
...and following Drill's advice, the group wind up at 'Zel Literature and Antiquities'...
Rikkan tries to remember all the words the woman had told them about her homeland. Entering the library, he looked as closely as he could for those particular world traits.
Intelligence checks
Drancis sighs heavily as he looks over the amount of books stacked one upon another in what seems to be an endless pile. I need to stop feeling sorry for myself here...she NEEDS me here! He sets his jaw in determination and proceeded to tackle the task in front of him.
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"Books. Well, I guess my grandmother taught me to read for a reason..." Zoreck picks out a book about the known planets and starts flipping through it, looking for a world that matches Andretta's descriptions.
As he's reading, a thought strikes him... Wait a minute... This book isn't written in either Taldane or Halit... How come I know how to read this writing?
Settling down in the store, under the watchful gaze of the tengu proprietor, the group find various texts of interest….
Built on the ruins of an ancient Patron city, Zel-Argose has grown in population many times over by adding a continuous stream of immigrants through its many gates connecting to other worlds. Lost records can no longer identify the direct descendants of Argosa’s original inhabitants, but Patron ruins clearly point to that ancient civilization’s influence in crafting so many gates to the multiverse and fostering the development and evolution of many different species. One popular theory even suggests these powerful benefactors established their capital here, attracting, uplifting, or otherwise transporting other species to join them on Argosa.
In its more recent history, however, the contemporary city of Zel-Argose struggled to sustain a healthy, self-determined culture. Gangs, which rapidly transformed into criminal merchant cartels called Coteries, have seized the various planetary gates as the chief cornerstones in their rise to power. Their fractured rule and petty rivalries eventually gained an unsteady equilibrium which has remained the status quo since the city’s reoccupation.
While Argosa’s citizens rigorously pursue current events, no institution exists which makes chronicling ancient history a majorpriority. Indeed, Zel-Argose has many different cultures comprising its societal norms, and nearly all of them favor the almighty coin of commerce over the legacies of the past. Over the years, a constant influx of aliens and outside influences has further shaped Argosa’s society, investing in an effort to rediscover the mathematics, science, magic, and technology the Patrons used to build the planetary gates. As a multicultural melting pot, all manner of goods, services, and advancements have found their way into its markets. Further trade works and crafts have evolved out of the planet’s mineral resources, as well as scavenged components from Patron ruins.
The many gates created by the Patrons and the Principalities present a complex network referred to on most worlds as “The Weave”. The gates often connect to the next closest gate, but countless factors come into play when the entire network is examined. Planetary rotation, gravity wells, and other cosmological and even magical forces govern where, when, and how far the gates can open. For example, some may only function under specific conditions, such as an eclipse or certain planetary alignments. And others may require certain keys, knowledge, or intrinsic qualities in those attempting to access them.
Gates vary in functionality and external appearance, but adhere to some common elements. They universally accommodate a creature of around 10 feet in height or smaller, though some are known to be considerably larger giving rise to rumours of titans striding between worlds. They’re almost always found where humanoid creatures dwell, or have dwelt the ancient past. Gates may have singular or multiple connection points, although many are also fixed and unchanging. The actual entrance to a gate is always circular, whether perfectly round or oval or partially buried as an arc. All apparently operate in sync with the orbit of their homeworld around its given star, tapping into the gravity wells of this relationship to power and extend its reach to other solar systems and galaxies.
Beyond those basic qualities, gates vary greatly in function and outward appearance. A vertical upright metal ring is a common configuration, but numerous other gates have been found created from stone and set into ground. Some permit two-way traffic, while others are strictly one-way. Some gates are consistent and reliable, while others prove temperamental and fail from time to time. A few even require certain conditions to be met before they can open, such as a full moon, an eclipse, or a clear night to better read the heavens. A temperamental gate is often “ignited” with some form of intense energy to better stabilize it.
Select gates even alter those who pass through them to acclimatise them to their destination. Stories also circulate that certain “chosen” individuals manifest amazing abilities upon arrival on other worlds, a morphic manifestation which changes each and every time they pass through a gate.
The placement of gates often defy reason, but the time since their creation spans thousands of years and no extant species fully understands the secrets of their manufacture or the mystery behind their operation. Elder races realize there may once have been a context to their arrangement which no longer exists or became altered due to planetary upheaval, orbital changes, or the rise and fall of various civilizations tasked with maintaining them. As a result, the Gateway City of Zel-Argose is a mystery unto itself, and the many portals among its ruins may lead to more Patron enclaves where answers can be found and then applied to reaching even more worlds among the Weave of the multiverse.
*****
In the friend’s long perusal of the tomes that line the shelves of this store, they also find the following fragments of relevant information…
- Contrary to what Leticula said, the most recent census of Zel-Argose assessed that there were over 1,000 Jagladine here within the city… although the census does not go on to identify individuals and locations as to where they might be found,
- There is much discussion of the existence of the Coteries and some assertions as to how much power these gangs exert upon the way in which the city is run… but actual detail on the Coteries, size, locations of operation, spheres of influence or interest, etc appears to be heavily censored,
- In the discussion of Zel-Argose and of the Gates, there are multiple references to the ‘Patrons’ – yet there is nothing to suggest who or what this ancient civilisation may have been…
- …and, of Andretta’s homeworld, there is nothing here that gives you any further clues as to where she came from.
*****
By the time that the friends leave the bookstore behind, the sun has started to dip towards the horizon… Drill suggests that he will defer showing the group around the eastern side of the city until the next day – and so, after finding some relatively bland food within the market stalls of Toiler’s Square, the group make their way back to Leticula’s…
…where the news is not great.
Leticula sees the group almost immediately they arrive – and escorting them into the room where Andretta lies unconscious, she talks quietly, ”Your friend, she is stable for now but my worst fears have been realised… it is not that there is something in Argosa’s air that is poisoning your friend – it seems that there is something her body needs that is not present in our atmosphere. I daren’t try to introduce anything into her air in case it proves to be harmful to her – she is tremendously weak…” Smiling weakly, ”I have however been able to slow her metabolism down… that may buy you some time – how much though? I couldn’t say. There is only one hope for her now… you must discover where it is that she came from”.
...the implications of not finding this information hang unspoken in the air.
"The library was useless. We have to find Lomrick and grill him for that information."
Drancis takes Andretta's limp hand in his own, softly vowing "Don't worry Andretta. We will get you what your body needs to survive. This I promise." Wiping a tear from his eye he gives the others a grim look of determination. "I have no idea how to find him but I will find a way." Stroking his scraggly chin for a moment, an idea occurs to him. "What if we try to sell one of those spur rifles? THAT should draw his attention!"
"We could also try, y'know, asking around... and maybe bribing people."
"I've always found that inns and taverns are also great places to find someone. If we could try one, maybe we could find Lomrick that way, or at least make him want to come find us."
With little more to be done for Andretta beyond locating Lomrick and forcing an answer from him, the friends… by now quite exhausted with the exertions of the day… return to their accommodation at Zhartle’s. If the winged proprietor of the rooms has any interest in the friends, or their exploits during the day, he makes no show of it… simply handing them the key to their rooms and returning to reading a text. Sleep comes easily even though the day has highlighted the desperation of Andretta’s situation…
…and the next day, meeting up with Drill to finish their exploration of Zel-Argose, he takes them across the River Zeph and into the eastern side of the city.
Although the Coteries themselves do not traffic wholesale in slavery, Zel-Argose has no law against it, and many of them benefit by taxing such transactions. The Stockyards provide the city’s slave market. Shaded pens of wrought iron are rented (or licensed for up to a full year) to slavers, situated around numerous public auction blocks. On a busy day, three to four auctions might take place—two in the morning, and one or two more in the evening. It’s a buyer’s market when they accidentally occur simultaneously, as canny buyers may haggle with auctioneers between two different offerings.
Zel-Argose has many chapels but few true temples. Despite its modest name, this mid-sized religious stronghold has sustained itself on tithes and offerings in both good times and bad. Although the priests promote a benevolent message and offer food and sanctuary to the city’s impoverished children and homeless refugees from other worlds, many distrust their mysterious motives and inscrutable deity, Kytheklo.
One of Zel-Argose’s most unusual venues, Commarch’s is essentially a coffee and tea shop once the rumours and hype are stripped away. While innumerable bars and disreputable dives exist to strike shady and nefarious deals in Zel-Argose, only Commarch’s reliably enforces neutrality within its walls. Here, die-hard enemies can actually meet and converse under the watchful eyes of its mercane proprietor, his discreet guards, and various technologies recovered from a nearby Patron ruin.
Returning to the cafe along the western bank of the Zeph, the friends consider their next steps… asking around, bribes, selling equipment that is clearly jagladine in origin or simply hanging around in taverns… all are valid options. Drill also suggests that he might be able to make a number of enquiries of some of his contacts within various coteries around the city…
…and so, the pattern for the next few days is established - Drancis and Illonna make great shows of selling a spur rifle within the markets of Toiler’s Square - the price that they are offered, and it is clear that not all of the traders here are interested in handling such goods, is never the issue - it’s all about building a reputation as folk who have, somehow, got hold of jagladine technology. Meanwhile Zoreck, Rikkan and Locke spend time within the various cafes, restaurants, bars and taverns - listening for rumours, information or evidence that Lomrick is somewhere within this city.
…and Astraea? Promising Drancis that she will take the greatest care of Andretta, she spends her days at Leticula’s.
Ten frustrating days have passed before any progress is made… meeting Drill, as they have done at lunchtime each day, he informs them that there is someone else in Zel-Argose looking for Lomrick, ”I don’t know who it is and I can’t put you in direct contact… but the Avaar Coterie will act as intermediaries for a meeting if you do want to meet this third party. There’s a catch though… they need some muscle to do a job for them. You folks willing?”
"Time is of the essence. If they don't want too much lawbreaking done, I'm sure all of us will be whatever they need. We have to save our friend.". Rikkan stood up, ready to head out for any meeting that might have been arranged.
"Ahhh, I'm afraid they won't meet with you... not yet, at least. As to whether laws need breaking - the coterie do want you to send a message... but they'll make sure that there are no repercussions. The coteries, after all, make the laws around here... and Avaar, they aren't the worst of the bunch"
Drill goes on to talk about the Avaar Coterie, "They're a strange bunch by all accounts... all of their buildings and holdings of Avaar are bathed in a glowing sourceless illumination, and the upper echelons of the Coterie’s membership always carry such light with them wherever they go - least that's what I heard... I only deal with middle-men not the Coterie direct. They're probably one of the most powerful gangs, Avaar controls two of Zel-Argose’s 12 gates as well as several high-end casinos and luxury retreats for their wealthiest clients. Way I see it, you'd do well to get on the right side of these folks... they can make things happen".
"I'll tell you what they want... then you can decide,", Drill talks quietly and checks that no one is listening in, "Recently, a powerful gang has given rise to the newly-formed Daytaar Coterie by raiding the storehouses of the more powerful Avaar Coterie with the aid of an inside informant. The Avaar leadership suffered a great loss of face over this incident, and after dealing with the traitor in their ranks, now privately seek to repay the upstart Daytaar for their affront. They have finally discovered the location of a Daytaar safehouse and they’re looking to hire an unaffiliated group to deal with the problem".
Drancis responds in a bleak tone here as worry for Andretta is etched on his face. "It looks like we have little choice here." He sighs. "Is there anything you can tell us of this...Daytaar Coterie? What sort of reputation they have, or who works for them?"
