Shadow in the Sky, Chapt 1 of TRM's Second Darkness [IC]

[ghostcat]

"Well if you don't need extra staff, I'm sorry to have troubled you. Although not giving me a job just because I'm skinny is just nonsense. There's more to brawling than brawn. Speed and skill are at least as important as brute force. I know that for a fact as I have spent most of my life learning from masters." Ti turns away and starts to leave.

[Dr Simon]

OOC: Mind if cut in?

"He's right, you know," says a voice. It comes from a tall human youth who looks like he'd know about being skinny - he's all arms and legs, topped with a shock of red hair that looks unruly and well-coiffed at the same time. The youth gives a beaming grin at both men.

"You've got to know when to duck and dive, isn't it? It's all about speed, posture, technique." He gives a couple of little shadow-boxing jabs, accompanied by "wish woosh" sound effects. You don't think he'd be up to much in a real fight. He throws up his hands in mock surrender.

"Just sayin'!". He shrugs. Just in case, he flashes another smile.

[Mark Chance]

Kronk nods to Voadam as if listening, but the dwarf's eyes shift constantly, as if looking for something.

"Headed into the city? Golden Goblin? I think I know where that is. Sure, I'll accompany you."

Kronk quickly packs up his gear and shoulders his pack.

"Shall we?"

[ghostcat]

Ti turns to the stranger. "Thank's for the support. However, you really need to brush up on your technique. Ti then proceeds to pummel an imaginary enemy for several seconds with a flurry of hands, elbows, feet and knees. Everyone seeing it will be in no doubt that if it has been a real person they would be in a world of pain. Ti bows to the stranger, grins and says "That's how you do it."

[The Rolling Man]

Hans takes a good look at the newcomer and the half-elf. As he watches Ti making his display, the sneer that was on his face slowly becomes something closer to a grin. "Ha ! Impressive. You're quick, I'll give you that. But it's one thing to do this by ourself and quite another to do it against a raging enemy who's after your blood." Hans pauses for a moment, thinking. "Say, can you do somersault and other flips, too ? Maybe Larur needs more entertainment for tonight. Are you interested in doing a little show for our clients ?"

[Dr Simon]

Tolly's eyes widen at the half-elf's display of martial prowess.

"Thats...pretty impressive," he says. To 'Hans' he can't resist replying "No, but I can stand on my head and whistle the Chelaxian national anthem.... Oh, sorry, didn't you mean me?"

[ghostcat]

Ti appears to consider Hans' offer for a minute or so. "Yes as it happens I have some small skills in acrobatics. Unfortunately I am not really a performer and don't think that i would be able to put an act together. But if you think that your friend Larur can help me with that, I'll give it a go."

[Voadam]

Originally Posted by Mark Chance

Kronk nods to Voadam as if listening, but the dwarf's eyes shift constantly, as if looking for something.

"Headed into the city? Golden Goblin? I think I know where that is. Sure, I'll accompany you."

Kronk quickly packs up his gear and shoulders his pack.

"Shall we?"

"The Golden Goblin sounds like a tavern. That'll do fine by me to start. As I said, I'm new to town. Always good to begin with some mead and a place to check the pulse of the city." The large man glances up at the Blot again. "Last time I saw anything like that it was the work of a drau pirate. She had a cloud of darkness surrounding her recently claimed ship. She had taken over a ship I had sailed and whaled on in the past and was playing her soulwarping and torture games with the former crew in between raids. I was glad I had magic granting me svirfneblin sight to pierce the darkness when I led the raid against her. Fighting demonwarped dark elves is tough enough without doing it blind."

He turns back to the dwarf. "So what else is going on in town?"

[Mark Chance]

Kronk shrugs at Voadam's question. "Not sure. There was some trouble in town, I think where I was staying. I left." The dwarf absent-mindedly scratches one of the dessicated squirrels decorating his garb. "Golden Goblin. I don't like the sound of that. Mixing two things that don't fit. Could be part of the problem. Gold. Goblin." He points to the Blot and then the sun. "Darkness. Daylight. They'd like us to believe it's just a coincidence, I'm sure."

[The Rolling Man]

The bouncer looks at Tolly with an annoyed face. "Very funny. You must be some sort of bard or clown. Maybe YOU can help your friend here put an act together. Look, you two, I don't have much more time to offer you. There's still plenty to do for tonight. If you want some work, come with me inside. I'll present you to our floor manager, Larur. He's the one doing the hiring in any case."

If Chan Ti and Tolly decide to follow the big man, he leads them inside the Gold Goblin. After passing throught on of the two main doors, they can both clearly see the main gambling hall of the Gold Goblin. It's a wide room (at least 60 ft. wide) carpeted in rich red that has been recently patched in many places. Spread throughout the chamber are tables for different games. Various staff members are still decoration the place with hellish scenery. Painted panels depicting grinning devils and hellish fires are nailed on some walls while 'heads' made of straw are planted on upright spears and pitchforks. Light is provided mostly by the sunlight coming throught the windows but you also see numerous chandeliers hanging below the horizontally hung, gauzy beige curtains as well as several large copper braziers spaced around the room and filled with coals. At the back of the chamber between a pair of closed doors is a small dais bearing a bust of Desna, goddess of luck. "Stay here." Hans says at the entrance. Leaving them, he goes to see the dwarf Ti saw earlier and the two have short conversation. The small and bald dwarf approaches the duo with an hint of a smile, almost totally hidden behind his great beard. "Larur Feldin, at your service. I manage the day to day operations of this fine establishment. Hans told me that one of you was willing to make an acrobatic display for our guests tonight. He says you're pretty quick."

Larur Feldin

[The Rolling Man]

Voadam, Kron and Rorgar leave Lubbertown behind them and start to head into the city proper. The next area they cross is the hilly Devil's Fork, home of most of the Gendarmes' barracks. They meet some guardmen that look at the trio with a suspicious eye but they let them pass without hindrance. After clearing a particular high ridge, they have a good view of Riddleport and its infamous Cyphergate. They also notice something strange happening in the sky above the City of Cyphers.



Flocks of sea gulls suddenly take to the air and begin flying in a growing cacophonous spiral. This continues for several minutes as large flocks wheel above the city in ever-gathering numbers. Eventually their erratic flight brings them into proximity to the Cyphergate, where they crash into it violently by the hundreds before the few survivors continue their ragged flight out to sea.

[Voadam]

Voadam watches the rising of the several flocks with interest, then when he sees them crash into the Cyphergate he frowns "At first I thought they were fleeing the city. The gate deaths hint at more though. It is possible the birds were unable to turn away from a force calling them out irresistably, even when such an obstacle meant their rapid course insured the death of most of them. Or there might be something about that rune gate that makes navigating flight near it inherently hazardous. I think the former more likely, the survivors still seem to be flocking together as if carried on a current." Voadam continues to watch the birds' progress for a time.

[Walking Dad]

"What ever it is, it is a very bad omen. We should hurry to this golden goblin!" Rorgar says. His face is darkening. These damned cities, they seem to have damaged a friends mind and bring danger for whole creation, like a spreading cancer...

[Dr Simon]

"Nice decor," mutters Tolly as they pass through the Goblin. He takes the opportunity to get an idea of the layout of the place and looks for other exits, more out of habit than a direct need.

He nods and smiles at Larur, but since the half elf was addressed, he waits for him to speak first.

[ghostcat]

"Lead on Hans. We'll give it a go.". Ti will follow Hans in to the Golden Goblin, talking to Tolly on the way. "Hi I am called Chan Ti, my friend call me Ti. As for this show, I have the moves but I am not a performer. Have you any ideas on how we can entertain the crowd."

Ti wait while Hans talks with Larur and when addressed replies "I'm really a fighter not a performer. However, I have some skill as an acrobat and with the help of my friend here I am sure that we can put on a good show. Have you any ideas on the type of thing you would like to see?"