Desdichado
Hero
A soft rain fell into the mud streets of Greenblade, obscuring the lights poking out of various buildings with a soft, muted curtain of dark gray. Flashes of lightning far off in the night sky showed the plaza in sharper relief for a moment, followed by the loud rumbling of thunder, but the storm's greatest fury had already past. Now, only the steady fall of rain was left, pounding a staccato rhythm on the slate roofs of the buildings. A chill autumn wind gusted momentarily through the sqaure, turning the rain momentarily--driving it sideways into the buildings, and driving away momentarily the rotted and polluted smell of the lake nearby. Then the gust passed.
As the thunder in the sky rescinded, the thunder in the square flared again--the thunder of a crowd. The entire muddy block was ringed with buildings, some with raised decks to keep their front doors away from the mud, and around each of the buildings people were out in force, raucous calls, shouts and insults--what could be heard over the rain--drowning any intelligible conversation. In the center of the square, two men stood with bared knives. On closer examination, only one is a man--a dark surly fellow, broad and blocky, with a face that looked like it had served as an anvil at some point in the past. The other fellow, hunched low and growling deep in his throat, is a shifter--with dark brown skin and hirsute almost to the point of being furry. As an indication of his anger, the hair that wasn't matted with rainwater and slicked mud seemed to stand nearly erect on his arms and head. Callers from inside some of the establishments were already calling out their odds, and coins--usually small coppers or silvers, very occasionally gold--changed hands in anticipation of the fight that was brewing.
Each of you is in the square with the crowd. Who you are with, and what you hoped to accomplish on this rain-soaked night are your own business, but you will be gradually pulled together inexorably. You can choose to stay and watch the fight, try and meet people in the crowd, or go on to whatever destination you desire. Several suggest themselves right here in the square itself, including such possibilities as:
As the thunder in the sky rescinded, the thunder in the square flared again--the thunder of a crowd. The entire muddy block was ringed with buildings, some with raised decks to keep their front doors away from the mud, and around each of the buildings people were out in force, raucous calls, shouts and insults--what could be heard over the rain--drowning any intelligible conversation. In the center of the square, two men stood with bared knives. On closer examination, only one is a man--a dark surly fellow, broad and blocky, with a face that looked like it had served as an anvil at some point in the past. The other fellow, hunched low and growling deep in his throat, is a shifter--with dark brown skin and hirsute almost to the point of being furry. As an indication of his anger, the hair that wasn't matted with rainwater and slicked mud seemed to stand nearly erect on his arms and head. Callers from inside some of the establishments were already calling out their odds, and coins--usually small coppers or silvers, very occasionally gold--changed hands in anticipation of the fight that was brewing.
Each of you is in the square with the crowd. Who you are with, and what you hoped to accomplish on this rain-soaked night are your own business, but you will be gradually pulled together inexorably. You can choose to stay and watch the fight, try and meet people in the crowd, or go on to whatever destination you desire. Several suggest themselves right here in the square itself, including such possibilities as:
- The Emporium: A large building covered in flaking paint, the Emporium is entertainment for every taste. Gambling, opium (and other drug) lounge, changeling prostitutes that can appear as whatever your heart desires, and a freak-show unlike any you've ever seen are just part of what the Emporium offers.
- Lazare's House: A more subdued and stylish locale, Lazare's House offers fine smoking rooms and classier games--especially dragonchess. It also offers a chance to potentially rub shoulders with the wealthy and powerful of Greenblade.
- The Wild Dog: A cheap tavern and dog race track and fight pit, the Wild Dog is perhaps the sleaziest place in Greenblade. It's also the cheapest, and hence, the most crowded. For the price of some extremely cheap whiskey or ale, you can get tongues wagging freely in the Wild Dog.
- The Church of the Silver Flame: Moans of ecstasy and pain ooze from the church, audible even over the near-riotous crowd in the square, which must mean that Jierian Wierus, local friar, is preaching again. Jierian is notorous as a firebrand, screaming from the pulpit while floggin his own bared back with a cat o' nine tails. Oddly enough in a town like this, he preaches to a full house.
- Tidwoad's: Local jeweler and banking agent of House Kundarak, technically Tidwoad's is probably closed. But, knowing the shrunken and crotchety old white-whiskered dwarf, he's probably there anyway.
- The Sherrif's Office: Sherrif Cubbin, or one of his deputies, is almost certainly in the office, if you dare to approach them. Without evidence of murder or worse, you're better off not bothering. Sherriff Cubbin is well-known to be on the private payroll (of the "other" books, of course) of the Governer-Mayor of Greenblade. Almost always drunk, his constabulary is mostly made up of former watchmen from other major cities, even Sharn, who were all drummed out dishonorably for corruption from their former jobs. But, if you come with ale, you might get some good information out of the Sherrif--if you're lucky.
- The General Store: Probably will be closing soon--but lights are still on for now. Merchant Taggin, the proprietor, is notoriously tight-lipped about anything he sees. But maybe there's something you want to buy?
- The Hungry Gar: A restaurant, if you're hungry.
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