Dungeon Monkey |
Tug grins at the Badger
"I warrant ye'll get yer bellyfill of killing in Plaguemort. That burg is all about kill or be killed. "
He reaches into his tunic and pulls out a chainmail bag. He loosens it and tosses several mithral coins on the desk.
"There's the initial payment. 10 Hammers* and I'll pay ye on a scale according to what dark's yeh lann."
Slang:
Dungeon Monkey |
Tug smirks
"Right. There's a portal that'll lead you just outside Plaguemort. It's at this address. Here's the activation key."
He hands over a scrap of parchment and a rusty horsehoe nail.
"Take care and I'll be waiting."
He returns to his cheroot and stacks of papers, dismissing the party.
Dungeon Monkey |
Tug looks up
"The client wants intel. What groups are in play in Plaguemort. Who's making a grab for control. Are any demons involved? What is the current state of the town? Is it ready to slip into the Abyss again?*"
He squints
"That gate is fairly stable, and it's not the main one traders use. That nail will work either side."
Dungeon Monkey |
The Masque sweeps up the paper and the nail, does a sweeping bow with his feathered hat and marches out the door. As soon as he is in the hallway, he read the parchment.
The scrap of parchment has an address in the Marble District, a part of the Hive Ward. It also has these instructions:
Take nail, hammer it into wooden tribal idol in back corner. Take nail out. Climb into mouth.
The Mad Badger |
"Understood. So depending on what sort of dark we get how much more can we make? We will head out late tomorrow we have business in the morning "
Once he gets his answer he heads out after Masque making their way to a place to spedn the evening. Making certain he gets some of the coin his friend has absconded away with. Also knowing they are going to need some of the coin for tomorrow.
"Hey remember Masque we cant spend too much of that tonight Frunmious needs someone of that plau we are going to need supplies for the trip.
The next day he gathers up the team and they make their way back to see the sorceress Alluvuis about the portal for Frumoius. Before they go he makes a short shopping trip to pick up a few items. Cold iron fillings in oil to line the weapons with or something like holy water to kake the weapons good aligned. Plus some rations and water and the like.
Dungeon Monkey |
"Understood. So depending on what sort of dark we get how much more can we make? We will head out late tomorrow we have business in the morning "
Once he gets his answer he heads out after Masque making their way to a place to spedn the evening. Making certain he gets some of the coin his friend has absconded away with. Also knowing they are going to need some of the coin for tomorrow.
"Hey remember Masque we cant spend too much of that tonight Frunmious needs someone of that plau we are going to need supplies for the trip.
The next day he gathers up the team and they make their way back to see the sorceress Alluvuis about the portal for Frumoius. Before they go he makes a short shopping trip to pick up a few items. Cold iron fillings in oil to line the weapons with or something like holy water to kake the weapons good aligned. Plus some rations and water and the like.
The trio travel again to the Great Bazaar. Everything (and more) that the Badger could need to buy is at his fingertips.
They enter Alluvius' massive shop at the appointed time. The elderly tiefling woman is talking to a beautiful golden-haired female with a trendy blue starburst tatooed around her right eye. The woman has a large book open on the table between the two.
Alluvius looks up
"Ah, you lot are punctual, if nought else! Welcome!"
The Crimson Masque |
Yes never leave a man behind or something like that. You were pretty happy about that sentimentalism when I pulled you out half-dead in Polramis remember? Lets just say it is a good habit I have.
Erm, yes, have I thanked you for that recently? I would hasten to add, however, that there is a great distance between half-dead and dead-dead. Although, I suppose, with your Orc Ferocity (TM), maybe that distance isn't as far with your people. One for the philosophers, I fear.
Oh, hello, Alluvius, how are you? And who is this charming creature?
The Crimson Masque smiles.
Perform: Seduction 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (9) + 17 = 26
The Mad Badger |
"In the heat of battle hard to tell half-dead from dead dead and neither of us is a medic remember? Plus if we have the jink you can bring people back from the dead."
Krovak rolls his eyes as Masque begins his seduction. "Lets not distract the ladies from the task at hand Masque okay. Remember we have a job to get going to after this."
Dungeon Monkey |
Alluvius introduces the beautiful blonde
"This here is Lissandra, the cutter wot I rattled on about last time. I was talking with her about yer lad's problem, and she has a business proposition for yeh."
Lissandra smiles, her smile widening a bit for the charismatic bard
"A pleasure to make your acquaitnence. So, Lu tells me you need a portal location? "
Dungeon Monkey |
Charmed, my dear. [Bows]
Well, we are here to inquire into the possibility of renting a portal to send our friend here, Frumious, back to the land of Lemuria. Is that something you can handle, sugartits?
Diplomacy 1d20+14
Lissandra smiles
"Cheeky one, aint yeh? Sure, given some time and effort I can find it. We can do it for some jink, or I could offer a swap."
The Crimson Masque |
[Resists the urge to roll a Perform: Seduction skill check]
Well, yes, we could always use some work, but I fear we might be taking on too many obligations. We are already supposed to go slay an army of demonspawn or something like that tonight...how about this? We come back tomorrow, maybe around noon, and, if we're still alive, we'll see about this job. How does that sound? Badger? Frumious? Lissandra, my dear?
The Mad Badger |
"Our current job may take a little longer than tomorrow, Masque. We should send word when we return."
Kravok says with without blinking arms still crossed uncomfortable with the whole situation of diplomancy too much talking not enough doing. But he keeps quiet. Waits for them to finish their flirting.
Dungeon Monkey |
OK, back on track..
The three bid farewell to Lissandra and Alluvius and head out to their portal location.
Tracking through the Great Bazaar, the three go through many different winding paths, avoiding the calls from the many different merchants.
They head out on Duskgate Road, the main exit road leading from the Great Bazaar over to the Gymnasium District.
The Gymnasium District is the stomping grounds of the Trancendant Order, a faction dedicated to the principle that action is better than thought. They are very interested in all sorts of physical activities, and their distrcit shows it. The surrounding area is full of spas, bathhouses and dojos. Over all of the lesser buildings the Great Gymnasium towers, an amalgamation of clean white marble columns.
After passing onto Tickson's Trail, the trio pass into the Worker's District. Much as its name, it is a place where the myriad butchers, bakers and candlestick makers that run the Cage call kip*. The area is fairly pedestrian, with stolid grocers and tailor shops predominating the storefronts.
Beyond the Worker's District is the Festhall District. The Sensates, a faction devoted to the stimulation of the senses, holds the area from their immense thousand-foot high Civic Festhall faction headquarters. The streets around this immense building are thronged with shops dedicated to sensation. Carnal pleasures like exotic bordellos are represented, as well as more wholesome fare like mountain climbing or flying shops.
Turning onto Crystal Dew Lane, the group passes into the Administrator's District. The Hall of Records is here, the faction headquarters of the Fated, the infamous tax gatherers of Sigil. The neighborhood here is thronged with merchant houses and trading consortiums. Dark-tuniced functionaries scuttle hither and yon toting large stacks of paper or immense books.
Passing along Sandstone Row, the group passes into Darkwell Court, the outlier of the Hive Ward, the ghetto of Sigil. Darkwell Court is the merchant section of that benighted ward, and the streets are thronged with pawn shops, secondhand stores, and bulk purchase grocers. The crowd gets more ragged in dress, except for the occasional weaselly-looking berk in fancy flashy getup.
Taking Gouge Row to Shatterbone Street, the group passes a large multi-story brick building with a faded sign reading "The weary Spirit Infirmary" along its razorvine-coated side. A small group of sickly-looking folks cluster around the entrance.
The marble district looms before them. If Darkwell Court was the Hive's version of a financial district, the Marble district is its 'wealthy' section. Shops advertising clothes, weapons and massages line the streets. Every other business seems to be involved with theater, much of it burlesque in nature.
The group finally arrives at their destination, a bit footsore from the several hours of walking the uneven streets. The address is a tobacconists shop, it's windows set with thick iron bars and showing several of the distinctive Sigilian spikes that folks like to build into the rooflines.
Inside a seated scarred gnomish-looking merchant reads a copy of the Lady's Sharper Eye. His wild blue-green hair is drawn back into a ponytail, and he wears an odd hat that is just a brim with a band to hold it in place.
Along the back wall is a fierce-looking wooden tribal idol, seven-feet tall. It boasts a large mouth with sharp shark teeth.
The Mad Badger |
"Yup, got that right berk." Again showing his teeth this time trying to be intimdating as opposed to the previous time where he was trying to be nice. But after his insult Kravok is getting a little upset.
"We know what the dark is on this and best keep our comings and goings quiet if you know what is good for you. You don't want to get me all narky unless you want to get yourself nicked, eh?" He tosses him one of the "hammers" Tug gave them.
"For your trouble."
(OOC: I am right that berk is a derogiatory term? For someone naive and foolish?)
The Mad Badger |
Kravok shakes his head and says "Not likely man. We gots work to do and it will take at least a few days from the look of things."
ooking back towards the gnome. "What's your name?" He waits to hear it.
"Remember I never forget a face and now I have your name. " he reaches over and quickly flashes one of his twins snagging a bit of hair from the gnome. "Now I can find you real easy. So make sure our comings and goings are quiet like and I will get you a few more hammers for your trouble. If not I come and find you and bleed you real slow like with the "Twins" here."
The Mad Badger |
He looks over at Masque sighs and lets his shoulders slump.
"Lets go loud mouth. Through the portal."
He walks over touches the nail to the mask and then moves to step through looking over his shoulder at the gnome he smiles a knowing smile to keep their secret.
He has his hand on DOOM ready for any trouble as they go through the portal.
Dungeon Monkey |
The gnome looks fairly intimidated, but doesn't reveal his name.
"If yeh're with Tug, yeh'd best treat me with a bit of respect. I've got friends in this burg."
Assuming you slice his hair
The gnome looks furious, but he ducks out a door leading to the back of his shop, slamming it closed.
Assuming you just move on
The nail hammers into the idol easy enough. The large shark-toothed jaw expands, making a large portal entrance. A watery blue-colored energy field reveals a cave on the other side
The Mad Badger |
"I treat those how I get treated myself. I am sure you have both friends and enemies in this burg. This " He holds up the slice of hair.
"Is a little insurance to make sure you treat us with resepct eh? Maybe next time you might be a little nicer. An object lesson my friend. Have a nice day."
He moves on when he flees knowing he has the lock of hair to track the gnome if need be.
The Mad Badger walks through the portal into the cave and then has a look around.
The Mad Badger |
Kravok takes a listen to see what he can hear and looks at the ground to see what sort of tracks maybe there. Grabs the dirt takes a smell and in general makes certain there is not some sort of ambush.
Survival: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
The Mad Badger |
"Big fauna in the area I would stay alert and not go trapsing around they might try and eat you if we enter their territory at least there is not any human bipedal traffic. "
He unlimbers his Pain bringer and quick death ready for what ever this place might throw at them.
"Okay so keep a weapon drawn and best to keep communication to hand signals for now. I saw large retiple and feline dung so keep your heads up."