Dot!
To be continued....
dot
.
Otd
dotting in gameplay...
Gilly stumbled out from the Red Flaggon after a rousing game of Klask with Grubber. He saw a pale blue dot. Then another floated in front of his face. He grabbed at it and it passed through his hand. Finally he saw a woman with blue eyes and golden hair drop a dot right in front of him. Gilly felt the bile coming and he retched right on the dot she dropped. Gilly’s face turned bright red as he looked around sheepishly. He took out a basket he had just woven and scooped up his sick, and the strange woman’s dot along with it.
Sigil... The City of Doors, Where every doorway, Arch, and even crevice can be a portal to an entirely different realm. It is here that you all have found yourselves- be it by chance, Fate, Or godly whims.
Whatever be your reasons, You've found yourself somewhere quite new. Taken from whatever tasks you where doing before. You now wait in a large room. The building on the outside looked like it was made to be a Auditorium, But none of the rooms inside are quite large enough to house a stage, and there where no signs. The room itself is well furnished, A large table in the center fills most of the room. It's clear this is a meeting room yet no one here seems to know what's going on.
Each of you where brought here by outsiders, Told that your presence was requested by the lady of pain herself. And who would ever deny the will of a being so power they could keep a god from getting their way?
As you come in you see a statue like figure standing some 7' tall in the centre of the space. A female from, with a kind of metallic skin tight cat suit. Seemingly linked by some unknown means to this forms hits, are two large and deadly looking weapons of unknown type. Their handles sleek and black pocking up. In one boot a knife. Over her skin there is fine metallic like tracery. She stands statue till, her unblinking eyes locked onto the space where a speaker would stand.
This space had been empty when she had come, she had been the 1st here, and now she waited as it filled. Others came, and milled around, come looked at her but did not try to engage her. She did not mind. What she wanted to know was why her name her full name and officer code had been on the note a Mechina box had given her. It had just walked up to her, on its stubby legs, its one eyes darting about, A pincer arms came up and the note was held out.
"FOR YOU ON ORDERS OF THE LADY OF P.. A.. I.. N.."
Its voice box said. Spelling out the last word, as a lot of cutters did in the city. It was never a good idea to speak the bladed ones name out on the street.
She took the note and before she could ask the little box on legs anything more it had sped off on unseen wheels down the street.
The note had been a map and a time. With the words.
To 11-Z-Alpha 683654-o8u.
Interesting, and the lady no less, was she to be mazed or cut to bits.
For a moment she thought about no going, finding any gate she could and jumping. But for one fact, the note was laser etched on sheet plastic. She had not seen anyone able to do that, anywhere in the city. So someone know her and came from at least some world like her own.
Her interest was peeked, this could be a means home, So she set off at a run.
Now here she stood, waiting to see what all this was about. She took her eyes off the stand and looked about. Others where here, so what ever this was about, it meant more the her hands would be needed. She locked her mind into what this could be. Playing back information she had collected.
Remembered information played over her lower mind, she let her intuition lock onto points that could explain this.
An over heard conversation .
"I'm Tellin-ya they are disappearing, closing up, I was told by a dedication who can't get back now. Bunch of pilgrims with more than a duzon-keys and none work. Not a one. A Ladies ward blood as-em held up in her compound. Then last night they has this big meeting..."
It went in, but it linked with something she had read.
...The only time the lady of pain, the soul ruler of Sigil city manifests herself is when the city itself is under threat....
and another to a rag article talk about the guild war aftermath..
... after the guilds where broken up, the fear is that there are no groups who can aid the city should it need it...
She had others ideas of what this could be about, but given what little she had a feeling a speculation that all three where linked, but how?
Eleven felt there was a few here now, so looking around she sort to see if she strike up a conversation.
The door opens there's a bit of laughter and a gruff voice See ya later Greg. and in walks What you can only assume is a Kobold?
Maybe a mutant of some kind because he has arms and muscles far bigger that of other Kobolds. He has Azure sleek Scales and ivory white horns, sizable Wings folded along his back covering a great Ax. He has a belt with a cracked pinkish crystal set in it clearly magic.
What in the nine hells does the Lady want with me? Must be serious...what's with the girl..? Hmm, looks dangerous.
He's not so tall and still has to pull himself up into a chair, Really need to invest into smaller chairs, honestly He grumbles a small complaint
He put up little fight when brought and sits down in the room, he has a calm and cool demeanor, neither kind nor cruel. claws folded into eachother. Hello, you get told to come here too?
Gilly followed the pale blue dots for reasons he couldn't fathom. Someone was leading him somewhere for what he didn't really care, it was sure to be fun.
Gilly busts open the door loudly proclaiming, "Arrived get I've started berks, let's!"
Gilly's lower torso is that of a large goat, four legs and all. His upper half is a humanoid, however a set of large curling ram horns juts from his head. His skin is olive in coloration and his fur a slightly darker shade but is peppered with gray. He has shaved his fur into many swirling patterns that don't seem to depict anything in particular. Where is skin is visible dark bruises can be seen as if he recently got into a fist fight.
After his introduction he gently pulls out a chair behind him and then kicks the chair into a nearby wall. He then sits uncomfortably close to Tak and pulls out some basket reeds and quietly starts weaving a basket.
The door to the room crashes open (Again) as yet another new creature walks in, this one more aggressive-looking. At least it would be without a finger cleaning out its ear, two smaller arms folded in front, as the creature presses it's fourth arm against it's back in a stretch. Her posture makes two facets of her physiology clear; that she's over 8 feet in height, and the larger upper arms are more appropriate to her proportions, terminating in wicked claws. She carries an appropriately large spearhead on her back, with a haft that seems much too small. It isn't particularly well-made, but something seems uncanny, a trait the spearhead shares with the tattered breastplate fitted onto the creatures body. No gloves or boots to match, violet skin on display. As well as a bag filled to the brim.
She's followed by a nervously fluttering quasit who doesn't bother entering the room, so much as seeming to make a headcount before slowly pulling the now-crooked door shut. The newcomer makes a point to slouch against a table separately from the currently gathered group. Making use of her smaller arms to prop herself up.
When this creature speaks, she looks about the room with brightly glowing yellow eyes. This voice is pleasing to the ears, and stands in strange contrast to the sight of the beast. By far the most clear indicator of the gender of this creature.
"Hey. I've been here for two hours, an' a 'Lady of Pain' sounds like something I used to want to be when I grew up."
Telin was in the sitting room eating a fine breakfast when the propriater of the inn that had been the elf's home for nearly three years now greeted him, "Morning Master Kingfisher, a letter came for you."
"Ah, thank you please have it sent to my room" Telin replied thinking little of it. Perhaps someone has seen my advertisment on the notice boards and I'll have a job this week. Either way it's no reason to spoil a good breakfast.
"Um, I think you should look at this now sir. It bears the Lady's seal"
"What Lady's seal?"
"THE Lady sir"
Telin paused, his forkfull of food hovering in his open mouth for a long moment as he took in the innkeeper meaning.
"Well, damn it man give me the letter!" Telin burst out once he understood. The Lady was the last person Telin wanted to work for, but he could think on no other reason she would dain to write to him. He hadn't done anything that should have aroused her notice, had he...?
Breaking the seal he read.
"Fawthurian Eirandelli, your presence is requested at..." the letter went on denoting a place and time. The purpose of the meeting was not mentioned. However no one refused the Lady. Most disturbing to Telin was the use of his real name. He hadn't gone by that name since he'd left his father's estate. There could be no question, Telin would attend the meeting, trying to run would only ensure a painful demise. The Lady of Pain was not named such without reason.
Rising, his meal only half finished Telin turned to leave, thought for a moment then downed the chilled juice in a single draught. It didn't due to walk to possible death on an empty stomach...
Eleven took in the three new comers. The 4 armed one was taller then her, the others where odd but she had got use to that here in the cage..
She cracked her neck left then right, rubbing the back of it,
Best start
She walked with inhumanly grace over to the table. The prosiness screamed 'deadly' as she moved to the table. Pulling a seat out she sat, The seat made a creaking sound as it took her wait. She reached into the body suit and pulled a small rectangular case made mythral. She opened it and inside where small rectangles of white card. She took three out and one by one skid them over to the others.
"My name is Eleven, please except my business card"
and to each she made a head bow.
On the card are printed words, in a large number base languages.
ELEVEN ZEE ALPHA - PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR
*REASONABLE RATES + EXPENSES *
Address: Office 3 'The other Place'
Gilly eyes brighten when Eleven hands him a business card. He turns the card over then holds it in one hand tapping the edge against his chin. He folds it many times over until it's new form becomes apparent, a paper slaad. Satisfied Gilly pushes down on the slaad's back end and it leaps up doing a tiny paper back flip. He hands it back to Eleven triumphantly.
As Telin enters, the air in the room shifts slightly disturbing the flames of the lamps and causing them to flicker briefly. Apparently unarmed and wearing fine clothing of a practical cut, the only possesions he seems to have are a bag made of cured calfhide slung at his side and interestingly a single dull grey gauntlet on his right hand. Close the 6 feet in height, the elf surveys the room with bright blue eyes in which a keen inteligence shines. Those watching closely notice the tightness in his posture diminish somewhat and his jaw unclunch. well, Sigil never ceases to surprise, this is certainly an odd group. Still, it doesn't look like an execution at least. That much I can be grateful for.
Still nervous he looks for something familiar. To him, the least strange of those assembled already is a toss up beween the enormous woman covered in tracery, and a creature that looks somewhat like a kobold, though far burlier of build and with larger wings than he is used to. The eight armed beheameth in the corner does not seem inviting and the... centar? is weaving a basket? Only one either very dangerous or very stupid would do such a thing at a meeting the Lady called... Being most at home with creatures of the air, Telin determines that he will take a seat next to the kobold.
As he strides across the room he barely seems to touch the floor, each stride carrying him a little further than it should. Despite the nervous tension that he displays, he moves with an unaffected grace that few could claim. Taking his seat he waits, listening closely the those around him.
She takes the paper slaad and looks at it.
"It was for you to keep"
She says in her metallic tainted voice. Her hands move with a mechanical preciseness as she unfolds it and places it back in the mytral tin. She takes a new card and getting up. She walks over to Telin and hands him a card she then stops and is till a moment, looking closely at him. Then in a move she places the tin away and brings out a note book. Faster then humanly possible she flicks throw pages and pages of tiny scrolled notes. Then stops at a page, she placed the not book down on the table, and turns it slowly to face face him. There on the page was a copy of his advertisement including his likeness in fine ink pen.
Her hand moves and she points at it the image.
"I believe this is you, Telin Kingfisher."
She says, in her mechanical harmonic voice.
"I like to know who the current reputable competition is"
Seemingly to preempt any questions about how she would have this item.
"Observation: We are both listed in advertisements as investigator and finders of lost things, Question: To the others here, who of you is also listed as such by one type or another?"
She looks at the others with her synthetic unblinking eyes.
Taken aback by the woman's ubruptness and odd mannerisms it takes Telin a moment to find his voice. "Ah, yes, that is a fair likeness of my person. I am an aventurer of sorts. A friend for hire to those who in need. I would do such out of the goodness of my heart of course, but there are always bills to pay, you understand I'm sure."
After taking a moment to look at the card Eleven's given him (the idea of a business card if foreign to him) he goes on, "Eleven is it? You're fairly new to Sigil are you not? While I don't make it a practice of checking up on everyone who places an advetisment, I do read the boards. When work is slow it can be of benefit to seek out those in need. I have seen your fliers before."
She looks back at Telin, and nods once.
"Understood, I have placed flyers as you have, I noted 93 days ago, this was the main means to acquire work. Yes, you are correct, I'm new to this city, I have been here precisely 149 days, 15 hours and 18 seconds which I am told is not long by local inhabitants."
She says while picking up the note book and carefully folding it up before putting it away. She then stands back and smiles. It's an odd effect. Its perfect and smile as anyone could make yet it seems uncanny. As if it was just hanging there, the smile was on her face but her eyes showed no emotion at all. For all this woman's looks, for all her sculpted symmetry of form her statuesque beauty, there was as much life in her as there was in the table in from of them.
She went back to her seat and taking it, looked down the table.
"You have mine and Telin names, please provide your so we may better converse"
what can best be described as a tall and incredibly well muscled dwarf enters the waiting room. He wears a steel breastplate and has a large hammer across his back. He may be the most in shape person some of you have ever seen. And he would be handsome in his physical perfection except for two things: The parts of his body that are not covered by armor a a mass of scars from both weapons and whips. And he squints. Its obvious that his eye sight is not good. As he enters he asks This the right place? I am Haile. Some lady wanted to hire me for a job.
Telin would have seen Haile at the inn that they both stay at and would know that Haile gets his room for free for acting as a bouncer when he is not working. He might also know that Haile has a big problem with slavers and has tossed a few out of the inn recently.
Question: To the others here, who of you is also listed as such by one type or another?"[/b]
She looks at the others with her synthetic unblinking eyes.
"It's 'Sheila'. When I said 'two hours' I meant this uhh, sky donut we're in. I've been in this sky donut for two hours. I have no idea what even happened." She watches the folks gravitate to the same table, including a seemingly nervous elf. Nerves don't do any good in traps, so if this is a trap, she'd have to do something about that.
So this is what they look like alive. Interesting.
She lumbers over and gives Telin a strong single pat on the back. "Heyyy, some of us can smell fear you know. Don't be nervous cupcake. This would be a terrible kill-hole, so even if they're rounding us up for that we can just kill a guard and get out. Does make me wonder though." Sheila as she called herself seems to have a very straightforward if shortsighted plan if things go poorly.
"Hey, lot more tall people walkin' in now huh?" Sheila remarks over her shoulder as Haile enters.
A small human child, perhaps 7 or 8, in grubby clothes skulks unsuccessfully through the door and into a corner. The urchin has dirty blond hair and pale blue eyes that avoid making contact with any of the inhabitants of the room. She seems jumpy and nervous.
I don't see any of Fiskar's goons. Maybe this isn't a trap. Seems unlikely that that he could have convinced that Choral to deliver a fake message, and even he wouldn't be stupid enough to forge something from the Lady.
Sparrow in her disguise, tries to back further into a corner to bide her time until some indication of why she has been summoned comes to light.
She says on hearing this about a trap.
"I estimate the current probability of us being bright here to be killed as 4.4 to 1 against. The entity known as the lady of pain has a set of modus operandi for execution. I suspect we fall well out side the typical selection criteria for subje..."
But then she stops there, not going into more detail. Having seen Sparrow come in and hide to one side. She brakes off the conversation abruptly. Eleven gets up again and walks slowly over to Sparrow, She moves so as not to scare the child and bending down to be at Sparrow hight, Eleven asks.
"Child are you meant to be here?"
What is odd is her voice for the 1st time seems to have softened, was that feeling in it? Concern for this child.
Telin swallows hard at Sheila's gesture. "Uh, Sheila? I take it that you do not know who who the Lady is do you? As ...comforting... your words might be to one ignorant of our patroness let me assure you I do not fear without cause. I can handle myself quite well, I would not have a job otherwise, but who can stand before a god?"
As Haile enters Telin is quick to call out, "Master Horvan, it is good to see a familiar face. Please come take a seat here by me."
Telin swallows hard at Sheila's gesture. "Uh, Sheila? I take it that you do not know who who the Lady is do you? As ...comforting... your words might be to one ignorant of our patroness let me assure you I do not fear without cause. I can handle myself quite well, I would not have a job otherwise, but who can stand before a god?"
*Pfft* "That's easy. Two gods. I'll bite: who's the Lady of Pain? I've had an itch to explore and learn some new things. Kind of a good thing I ended up here really."
Seeing Telin seated in the room Haile makes his way over seeming to notice the diversity of the room for the first time. Sitting down by Telin he asks You get a letter as well? and then in a way too loud whisper he notes I am not sure everyone in this room is trustworthy. I do not want to hurt my reputation by associating with the “wrong” types.
"Right?! The kid in the corner gives me the creeps." Sheila loudly responds to Haile.
The more perceptive of the group notice a small bead of sweat roll down Gilly's brow as they bandy about the Lady's name. He says with a hint of nervousness, "A a, power-killer not power. Aoskar ask." Gilly gets up from his just started basket and walks about the room head down finally posing the question to Telin and Eleven, "Someone do in the ask you dead-book how?" Finally he points to himself with a smile and says "Gilly!"
"How do you ask someone in the dead-book?"
Quietly Telin speaks to the huge man,"Master Haile some things are best left unsaid. Regardless the Lady may call upon whomever she likes, we dare not refuse her."
As Sheila points out the child Telin speak up. "Child this is not a place to play, you should leave now."
Eleven looks back at the group.
"I have spend days in the great Library's here, learning all I can from the records. The Gilly is correct, the lady is a power killer not a power in the divine sense. She has killed many who have sort to make her so. She will not take kindly to you referring to her as a god I believe."
Then she looked back at the child.
"Telin, is right, this is no place to play, you best hurry home"
Again the switch in her voice from cold and hard so soft and caring.
From behind the door, many of you hear the sounds of flapping wings and a struggle. Slowly the door opens, to reveal a blood red imp pushing the door as he flies. As soon as the evil outsider gets clearance from the entryway, the imp zooms around the auditorium, taking in the view of his new surroundings and the people within. After a few circuits passes, the imp finally lands a short way away from the others in the large room, resting on the back of a nearby chair.
"So..you berks blackmailed to be here to, huh? F#<king great!"
"Power Killer? That's the coolest thing I've ever heard of in my life! Kind of vague though. Know anything else?" Sheila answers with enthusiasm.
"So..you berks blackmailed to be here to, huh? F#<king great!"
"Actually, a Quasit just asked me for his boss. And I didn't have anything else to do so-Wait, why do people keep saying berks? Am I missing out on slang? Cause I don't wanna miss out on slang."
"Echh!" The imp said in disgust. "Demons are apart of the caper too. No wonder that gelugon didn't want to show!"
The evil outsider mutters, "This day was going so well, too!"
With the noise picking up Tak sighs, and finally speaks, in a surpringly gruff and deep voice for one so small, Discussing the Lady is a sure fire way to get mazed, one of the few rules surrounding her actually. No one knows anything she doesn't want them to know, and the only things people know for certain is: Don't screw with her Dabus, Don't worship her, and stay outta her way... Nobody knows who or what she is except this city is her's. Berk is slang for Fool by the way.
He casually glances over to Sparrow and then the others and very bluntly puts, I see no issues with the child
He quiets for a bit longer before yawning and letting out a small stream of what looks like blue sparks of electricity, I'm Tak Starscale and i'm a mercenary working with the guards and law enforcement. And before anyone asks, i'm Half Kobold not a lizard. i don't do that tongue thing He flicks his tongue out oh so briefly
Telin stares at the "gilly" for a moment. "What? What do you mean dead-book?"
To Eleven's observation he replies, "You are right. It was a poor choice of words, my nerves cloud my sense. I meant only to illustrate the inestimal gulf that divides those such as us from the Lady."
Gilly gives Telin a thumbs up and says, "The clueless gully was peeled by a knight of the post to nick a top shelf blood. She was hung from the leafless tree after being scragged." Gilly then motions from left to right, "Dead-book."
Tak responds Clueless refers to those of the Prime material planes. Knight of the post refers to criminals, Leafless tree means Gallows and Scragged means arrested, and Dead book refers to death as in "Put in the dead book" It's Civilian slang around here.
He turns Gilly, Taking a chastising toneBe careful with your gestures and speech. It could very easily be taken as offensive or a threat
He quiets for a bit longer before yawning and letting out a small stream of what looks like blue sparks of electricity, I'm Tak Starscale and i'm a mercenary working with the guards and law enforcement. And before anyone asks, i'm Half Kobold not a lizard. i don't do that tongue thing He flicks his tongue out oh so briefly
Hey Tak, we are mercs as well. Join us here. the large dwarf calls out to the room. Then whispering too loud to Telin he says Right. Unsaid. But that thing that just flew in is a devil. I don't wanna work with a devil. Geez. Devils are always takin slaves.
Hey Tak, we are mercs as well. Join us here. the large dwarf calls out to the room. Then whispering too loud to Telin he says Right. Unsaid. But that thing that just flew in is a devil. I don't wanna work with a devil. Geez. Devils are always takin slaves.
"Souls. Not slaves" The imp corrected. "They both have the 's' sound in their name. Similar, but not really." Then in a loud whisper to match the big brute's, the evil outsider whispered, "By the way, you suck at whispering." The imp then gives the ogrekin a 'thumbs-up' gesture and a stuck-out tongue.
As the conversation moves forward Telin sighs to himself, "I don't know if I'll ever get used to this place. Three years almost, and still I'm lost half the time."
Suddenly the conversations get interrupted. The door springs open with a heafty clash.
A tall person, from the stature you'd assume it to be a man, walks through. He wears a long and heavy leather coat and a large hat. Strapped to his back you see parts of a heavy metallic weapon, might be a flail of sorts. His hat is so deep in his face that you can't make out any of it and it seems he has his head tilted forwads, too, and he might be purposefully hiding his face.
He walks in silently until about half way towards your table. He lifts his head towards the ceiling and shouts at it "CAN WE GET THIS OVER WITH? I DON'T HAVE ALL DAY!"
When he lifed his head, for a brief moment you saw his face. Or at least what used to be a man's face. All that remains is a skull with flames burning in the eye sockets.
When he tilts his back down and sees your shocked (or not shocked) faces he suddenly speaks in a soft tone. "Don't be afraid. Death is inevitable. It will happen to aaaalmost everyone. But not many will look as good as me when it does."
At the mention of Dabus, several seemingly appear and watch those gathered... They don't make any moves, The runes customary to them float gently around their heads as they "talk" among themselves... The strange creatures making no move to explain anything to those gathered.
As the undead thing comes in, Eleven on instinct moves to protect the child next to her, Standing between them. A hand moves to her side wile the other is held behind her to keep the child in place. Then as the Dabus come into being she is torn over who to protect the child from.
Haile continues, turning his face away from the imp I think the imp can read lips. Careful. Now that tall one there, with the writing, she protects the child. That is noble. I could work with her. He studies the child for a moment but then looks away.
Gilly gives an over exaggerated eye roll. He says to Telin, "Tout don't tip forget your to." Gilly winks at Sparrow and goes back to his basket, but not before briefly putting his arm around Yak, "Companionship a of gesture."
Sheila rolls her own eyes upon hearing all of the affection towards the unattended child.
"Oh come on people, thats clearly not a human kid. Humans keep their kids in herds in their own cities. I havent seen a single kid in this sky-donut since I got here, but somehow one gets in the building where poeple are beung gathered for mystery reasons? Please."
"Its clearly a succubus spying on me." She adds just to ruin her own sleuthing while throwing all four of her arms up in indignity.