Another day begins as morning dawns in the Dread Sea Dominions. The sun’s brilliant rays brings promise to the citizens of Teyerana, jewel of the west. The city sees a constant stream of travellers coming by ship or land bringing commerce and goods. Soon the streets will be bustling with life. For some the new day is a chance to begin a new, for some it’s an opportunity to rectify last night’s mistakes. But oblivious to all this is five strangers, just coming to in a cell somewhere in the city.
As you wake the first thing that consumes your mind is a dizzying feeling followed by a harsh headache. As the fog of your mind slowly disperses you realise that you’re lying on a cold stone floor. It takes a while for your eyes to adjust to the dark but as they do quick glance around finds three stone paved walls and a set of rusty yet sturdy iron bars between you and the chamber beyond. You’re locked in a cell! And you’re not alone. Waking up around you are four strangers whom you’ve never met before.
Not again...how many cells is this? Thresh thinks as he returns to wakefulness. He has no memory of how he ended up in a cell. Probably killed some ugly, soft southlander. He looks around at the others in the cell. Weaklings, I could snap any of them in half.
Wake up you lazy slugs! I am Thresh of the Northland!! I am twice the man of any of you!! Why are you slugs in my room?
"Twice as loud, maybe..." Dubaku grumbles, rubbing his bald, black head. The former tribesman has no recollection of how he came to share a cell with this boisterous northlander. As his eyes grow accustomed to the gloom of their prison, he notices other unconscious forms littering the chamber. Another spike of pain lances through his skull and Dubaku grimaces with discomfort.
'Did I have this headache before that bearded oaf started bellowing?' he wonders.
Suddenly, Dubaku realises that his closest friend, Mojoji the Ape is nowhere to be seen!
Tenzin winces and presses hands to his temples as the Northmans voice thunders into his awareness.."There is no need to shout Honoured Sir..we are all quite close enough to hear you"
He pushes himself up and into a sitting lotus position closing his eyes and letting the path fill him with it's power as he remembers what had occurred.
Night had been falling fast as he reached the city gates and joined the last stragglers hurrying into the city before the tocsin sounded and the gates were closed for the night.He had made his way towards an Inn he knew was close by not wanting to be caught out on the streets after curfew and it had been in sight when an unexpected blow had caught him on the back of the head plunging him into unconsciousness
As your eyes adjust even more you can start to make out more of your surroundings. The room you share with the four strangers is about 10 feet wide and 15 feet deep. The walls are featureless except two sets of shackles attached to the innermost wall . From here you stand you can tell that your cell is at the end of a corridor. Somewhere down that hall comes a light, probably from a torch casting shadows on the stone walls, floors and ceiling.
As stillness sets in you can hear soft breaths coming deeper down the corridor, like someone was sleeping in one of the neighbouring cells.
Jailer! Where's my breakfast? I may have to eat one of these southlanders soon! Ha ha ha, Thresh bellows at the top of his lungs through the iron bars.
'How can he be thinking about food at a time like this...' Dubaku wonders, forcing down another wave of nausea. 'Imprisoned in some dungeon by an unknown captor - and this bearded brute's most immediate concern is missing his breakfast?!'
The Ivory Tribesman thinks back to his time as a slave beneath the gladiatorial arena in the Imperial capital, how the old and the weak would be fed to the beasts to keep them strong for when their time came to fight and die before the crowds.
'At least Mojoji evaded capture,' he thinks thankfully, 'Hopefully that wise old ape is far away from here. I am sure our paths will cross again - if I am able to leave this place.'
Dubaku settles back down on the floor and waits for the jailer to respond to the Northlander's noise. He takes a moment to look at the strange, uncomfortable manner in which the other man sharing the cell has positioned himself, before stretching out his wounded leg and rubbing some life back into the aching limb.
Tenzin relaxes into a meditative state one that allows him to ignore the bellowings of the bearlike Northman whilst remaining aware of his surroundings.
Thresh's call echoes through the chamber and down the hall. What follows is silence. A silence made deeper by its contrast against the northlander's booming voice. Standing at the iron bars Thresh can now make out more of the hall beyond the cell. It runs down about 30 to 40 feet with two more cells, neightbor's to yours. At the end of the hall you can make out a sturdy wooden door illuminated by a torch stuck in a slit beside it. Next to the door are three hooks, each with a pair of heavy manacles hanging from them. There is no report from the door, nobody coming to answer Thresh summons.
Instead a reply comes from somewhere in the neightboring cell. "You should save your energy. They will come when they want you. And you're going to need it when they do." The voice is deep, yet tired and with a vague hint of dejection.
Thresh's call echoes through the chamber and down the hall. What follows is silence. A silence made deeper by its contrast against the northlander's booming voice. Standing at the iron bars Thresh can now make out more of the hall beyond the cell. It runs down about 30 to 40 feet with two more cells, neightbor's to yours. At the end of the hall you can make out a sturdy wooden door illuminated by a torch stuck in a slit beside it. Next to the door are three hooks, each with a pair of heavy manacles hanging from them. There is no report from the door, nobody coming to answer Thresh summons.
Instead a reply comes from somewhere in the neightboring cell. "You should save your energy. They will come when they want you. And you're going to need it when they do." The voice is deep, yet tired and with a vague hint of dejection.
Silly man in cell, Thresh has plenty of energy. You want me to get you out of cell when Thresh leaves this place?
A young man with weathered skin and the sharp features of a border-lander speaks without opening his eyes.
"Stone floor. Stale air. Smells...organic. A cell. Teyerana, jewel of the west. Not seen at her best from this angle perhaps but the day is young."
The man sits up hands brushing his waist searching for purse and knives.
"Ah yes, memory returns to her throne. Dice at the Thousandth Squid, a spirited discussion regarding a thread stretched across the dice cup. The arrival of the Gendarmes. A certain unwillingness to listen to reasoned explanations. Darkness. "
"And now noise. You greet the day in a lusty manner my friend. Let us hope your fire lasts til evening."
Tenzin pushes up out of his sitting position stretches out as much as he can and begins his Morning Chi exercises. He seems nonplussed by the situation he finds himself in.
The stranger in the neightbouring cell lets out a warm laugh a Thresh question. The laugh is accompanied by the sound of ratteling chains and followed by a grunt of pain. "It is a kind offer and I accept. But you must forgive me if I have my doubts. You are not the first who've promised to escape that cell." The ratteling of chains continues as it sounds like the man on the other side is slowly rising to his feet. "They cleaned out that cell not two nights ago. It would seem that they felt a restock of fresh blood was needed."
"Perhaps you could explain who 'they' are, friend?" Dubaku asks, adding his deep, sonorous voice to the conversation, "The memories of my capture have been stolen from my head. In whose dungeon do we currently languish?"
The stranger in the neightbouring cell lets out a warm laugh a Thresh question. The laugh is accompanied by the sound of ratteling chains and followed by a grunt of pain. "It is a kind offer and I accept. But you must forgive me if I have my doubts. You are not the first who've promised to escape that cell." The ratteling of chains continues as it sounds like the man on the other side is slowly rising to his feet. "They cleaned out that cell not two nights ago. It would seem that they felt a restock of fresh blood was needed."
Don't worry doubting man, the only fresh blood to be spilled here is the fool that holds me captive. Even the southern grubs in here with me seem like they may be able to spill blood.
There is a further rattling of chains and a few grunts of pain as your neightbouring captive rises to his feet on stale legs. "I shall tell you what I know, which I'm afraid is not much. We are kept captive by a group that calls themselves The Red Hand of Teyerana, a band of thieves and slavers. This is one of their holdings, a dungeon located beneath the Red Sun Tavern. They primary trade in slaves, either those that have escaped and are returned to their master or unfortunate souls that catch their attention at the wrong time. Most are sold but they keep some to participate in blood sport they arrange in the back of the tavern."
Every word that their fellow prisoner utters is a nail of despair driven deep into Dubaku's heart. Surely their captors must already have noted the tattoos inked into his flesh in bone white pigment, marking him as a slave of the Empire. What sort of bounty would be offered for his return into their clutches? Not much, but more than these slavers could hope to make flogging a crippled tribesman locally.
"I feel no urgency to return to the life of slavery that I once fled," Dubaku says slowly, hoping to gauge how the other prisoners respond to his suggestion, "Nor do I cherish the thought of dying beneath this tavern for the entertainment of slavers and thieves. I have seen more than enough blood spilled for the senseless pleasure of others. Perhaps if we work together, we might find some way of escaping this unenviable fate?
There is a further rattling of chains and a few grunts of pain as your neightbouring captive rises to his feet on stale legs. "I shall tell you what I know, which I'm afraid is not much. We are kept captive by a group that calls themselves The Red Hand of Teyerana, a band of thieves and slavers. This is one of their holdings, a dungeon located beneath the Red Sun Tavern. They primary trade in slaves, either those that have escaped and are returned to their master or unfortunate souls that catch their attention at the wrong time. Most are sold but they keep some to participate in blood sport they arrange in the back of the tavern."
"I don't fear these blood sports but I fight for myself not for some band of slavers. When do these Hand people come around, if I can get my hands on one of them I will twist his head off of his neck" Thresh says with relish.
Tenzin ends his exercises "No doubt your own thirst for blood will be satisfied Man of the North..but exultation in death and destruction is upsetting your inner chi you know"
"Escaping is indeed a welcomed suggestion", the stranger in the other cell says. You can practically hear the smile on his lips and just as easily hear it turn into a somber expression as he continues. "I will do what I can to help, but I am afraid that my assistance may be limited. I am a capable fighter, but there is little I can do with my hands chained to the wall. Also, our captors slowly starve us, only giving us enough not to perish. It is part of their blood sport, to rig the game. They build a reputation by having us fight lesser men at first, and when we are drained of our strength they pit us against their champion. I have been here for two weeks and killed six men in the ring. I feel that my opportunity at the title is approaching fast. Do you have a plan of escape?" By the end you can hear that what must have been a warm smile has faded into a stern look. You can hear the captive trying his bonds only to find that they are beyond his strength to break.
Thresh grows tired off this yammering...Puny south landers, help Thresh bend these bars enough for skinny monk to squeeze through!
Thresh pits his sizable strength against the iron bars. The northlander makes a valiant effort and comes probably as close as anyone has come to bend the bars but the barricade stays shut.
"You are wasting your strength, friend. It would take an elephant to move those bars", the stranger in next cell says as he hears the groan of iron that refuse to break.
Arrrggggghhhhhh...even Thresh can't bend these bars...maybe I can flatten skinny monk man enough to slide him between the bars...Ha, ha, ha Thresh slaps Tenzin on the back.
Tenzin slips out to off the way off the 'friendly' slap without actually seeming to move..
Tenzin slips out to off the way off the 'friendly' slap without actually seeming to move..
You are a slippery one monk, ha, ha.
I wonder how slippery you are in blood is on the line. I have a feeling that we will find out soon. If the gods will it, I look forward to seeing if you can slip past the might Bane as easily.
Thresh walks back to the bars that defeated even his strength. Hey slavers, Thresh is bored and ready to fight for your entertainment. Come let me out of this cell and watch Thresh crush his puny foe.
Smiling, with apparent amusement, at the antics of the hairy monkey Gaius takes the time to make a careful survey of their communal cell. Not much hope of finding anything but there is little else to pass the time.
[ooc]Not that I expect much but .. , . Nice! Perfect roll for the mood.
Gaius returns to his corner, clearly dejected.
Gaius fails to find anything of use as he searches the cell in the dark. At one point he runs his hand through a moist and loose substance that the warrior probably wish that he hadn't.
Just as it seems as if Thresh's taunts will once again go unanswered the door at the end of the corridor opens. Its hinges sound in protest as the heavy door swings open and two men enter. One of them is dressed in a long robe with a cowl obscuring his facial features. In the dim light it is hard to make out any details but the man's form is that of one who has lived a comfortable life. The other man is a unshaven and unwashed with jittery looking eyes and a slight hunch. You can hear what sounds as a whispered conversation.
You can hear the two conversing but it is impossible to make out what they are saying. The cowled man's voice is calm and assuring and the other man sounds nervous and somewhat stressed.
You can hear the two conversing. The cowled man's voice is calm and assuring and the other man sounds nervous and somewhat stressed. You are unable to make out the whole conversation but it seems that the man in the robe has paid the other man, who is either named Korek or Harak, to see you. You can hear the sound of coins changing hands.
You can hear the two conversing. The cowled man's voice is calm and assuring and the other man sounds nervous and somewhat stressed.
"There they are, last cell. Be quick about it before Harak finds out about this.", the nervous man says.
"Thank you, Korek. It will take what time it will take. If you where that worried you wouldn't have risked this, would you? 200 moons. For your trouble", the cowled man replies and hands the other a leather pouch.
The jittery man leaves and closes the door behind him. The robed figure walks down the hall towards your cell. His steps are surprisingly light for a man of his build. As he stops before your cell you can see that the stranger is carring a sling bag slung over his shoulder. The light from his lantern casts shadows that leaves his face in darkness, but you can feel that there's two eyes inside that cowl studying you.
Total = 6+3-2 = 7
Ha Ha Southlander, you could have seen me for free anytime you wanted to face Bane. Why you hide your face in hooded robe...are you very ugly? Ha, ha
.
Shaking his hand dry Gaius speaks to the newcomer.
"Welcome to our cell, good sir. It is filthy and squalid and the catering is really substandard but we like to call it home."
"Perhaps that is why I paid to get in here", the man replies Thresh. His voice and tone are smooth and calm as someone who is used to use words instead of swords. "I wear these robes because anonymity serves me better at this time."
You can't tell why but you're pretty sure that Gaius comment draws a smile from the stranger. "No man should have to call this home", he says and the light from his lantern illuminates and shows the cell in all its filth filled glory. Refuse from past inhabitans litter the floor, and with that realization follows the smell as well. No one should live like this.
"I come here because I heard that the Red Hand had recieved new stock. Although I'm not first in line so I have to take other mesures. Tell me, what would you do if you were to get out of this dungeon?"
Notice Wild
Tenzin hears the whispered conversation but the majority of it escapes him. he studies the visitor impassively.
"I suspect Honoured Sir that that would depend on why you want to get us out off this Dungeon"
Miming, or at least I desperately hope it is miming, pulling an insect from his hair Gaius replies.
"What would I do? Oh ten thousand things but I suspect a bath to feature prominently. Along with freeing the man in the next cell and burning the Red Sun tavern to the ground of course."
"I come here because I heard that the Red Hand had recieved new stock. Although I'm not first in line so I have to take other mesures. Tell me, what would you do if you were to get out of this dungeon?"
"Do?...Thresh would do the same thing as Thresh always does...he would fight, he would maim and he would kill...what else is there to do?"
"I just want to find my monkey." Dubaku answers solemnly, "I shudder to imagine what he has been up to since we became separated."
The stranger pauses once more and says nothing for a moment.
You notice during the pause that the man seems to hesitate before coming to a deciscion.
"I suppose there is need for those things in this world as well", he says and reaches into his sling bag to produce some kind of cake in a iron pie plate. The dish seems to have a few days under its belt but it still looks quite appealing. "This cake is a special recepie. My brother owns a tavern called the Snake Inn in Quollaba, only he bakes them. I am sure that after eating one, you'll want more. But, you should make haste, as they are in short supply." He puts the dish down on the floor just in front of him.
Quollaba is a small Independent City in the heart of the Red Desert.
Quollaba is famous for the Desert Tears, precious gemstones found in the desert surrounding the city.
Ten years ago, Quollaba fell into the hands of a cruel Tyrant, a desert warlord who killed the old king and began a reign of terror in the city. He also forbade anyone to gather or trade Desert Tears, except his followers.
Some say that the Tyrant is actually a powerful Caldeian sorcerer and that he still holds Quollaba because the local population and the neighboring cities fear his terrible powers.
"If you require a transport I recommend Makish's Premium Beasts of Burden. Ask for a sturdy stallion to traverse the Red Desert." The stranger pushes the plat towards the cell bars with his sandaled foot and turns to walk down the corridor. "I heard tell of a monkey being sparred in the gladiator ring at the back", he says over his shoulder and then disappears out the door.
. total 9.
total 5-2=3
Gaius takes the cake and plate and carefully draws them back through the bars.
"So a stranger in a cloak came by to give us cake and advertisements. The Red Hand used to be so exclusive, now they just let anybody in. Standards falling everywhere I suppose."
Smarts check...
Common Knowledge Check
Total = 4+1-2 = 3
Total = 5-2 = 3
Give me that cake pretty boy, Thresh is hungry!
Smarts
Wild
Common Knowledge
Smarts
Wild
"Indeed though his stomach rules his head the Northman is correct let us partake of this cake..maybe there is more to it than just...cake"
The cell is once again enveloped in darkness as the stranger brings his lantern with him making detailed expection impossible. Gaius' ocular inspection tells him that the plate is of very good quality. Whomever the stranger is, he is of a high standing.
While there is still some light visual inspection could show something. Pity Gaius has no Lotusmastery or a small taste might reveal any 'special'
ingredients.
"Sure. better in our stomachs than on the floor" Lacking light or a knife Gaius does his best to divide the cake evenly between the four of them.
As you weigh the cake in your hand you suspect that it is abit heavier than it should be. Breaking the cake confirms your initial suspicions. Hidden inside the pastry is a key, a pair of lock picks and a large and red unpolished gem! It could probably sustain a month of wine and good food, perhaps more.
Use the key southlander, Thresh is ready to rampage. Thresh needs his axe.
"Now does the key open our cell or does it open wherever our equipment is kept?"
Once again there is a rattle of chains as your fellow prisoner in the adjacent cell stirs. "What key? What did you get?" he asks with a coating of hope on his voice.
Quiet noisy cell man. If you want Thresh to free you then you must be quiet like a dead man.
Tenzin takes the key and tries it in the lock..
The key is a rough fit, but a fit none the less. The lock grates as Tenzin turns the key. There is a click and the cell door swings open. Your path to freedom lies open.
Thresh immediately charges through the open cell door and sprints down the hallway moving with surprising speed for such a large man. Once he reaches the door at the end of the hall the logical thing would be to stop, listen, plan, etc...
Thresh tries the latch to the door...if unlocked he bursts through to the other side. If locked he throws his mighty strength against the door...