Metropolis (Slaves to the City) - Chapter Two

[Phoenix]

Ru couldn't resist a grin at his handiwork. Master Gis would admonish him for pride in violence, but Master Gis wasn't here, so hooray for efficient violence.

The enforcer made his way back down to the street. Would that he had time to enjoy the day. He pulled out the map for quick reference, and headed off in the direction it indicated. Much as he'd hoped to avoid it, looked like Ru would be visiting the sewers after all. The faster he started, hopefully the faster he could be back on the surface again.

[sblock]Survival check (DC 13) +11 - Failure[/sblock]

The entrance to the sewer was located not far from the Spyre, allowing Ru to get into the thick of things immediately. It was dark down there, really dark, but it seemed that others traversed the tunnels underneath the city and prepared some entrances for their explorations. On a shelf nearby rested crude torches and flint, allowing Ru to eventually have a torch burning (and several spare) so he could see where he was going.

It didn't really help in the end.

After an hour of wandering through dirty, smelly, cramped tunnels, sometimes wading waist-deep in other people's filth, Ru stood in a small chamber that was no larger than an outhouse.

He'd taken a wrong turn somewhere...he was lost.

 

[jkason]

"Crap."

Amazing insight there, Ru, his inner Gis said, and he could hear the knowing smirk. It is, indeed, crap. Stupid imagination. Ru's good mood had died several (wrong?) turns ago. Probably around the time he stepped in something he suspected used to be someone's family pet. Being covered in Killi-kelli-hek gore was preferable to whatever had soaked into his clothing now. Oh, gods, was that a canary floating in the ... Ru went to put his face in his hands and have a nice sigh, but then he caught a whiff of his hands and thought better of it.

It is not a weakness to ask for aid, but a strength to recognize the nee--

"I get it already!" Ru yelled to the voice in his head. Thankfully, imaginary-Gis didn't feel the need to scold him for raising his voice.

Fine. He couldn't negotiate the sewers on his own. He'd need a guide. Bracing himself to step in more substances he couldn't and didn't want to identify, Ru started looking for a way back to the surface. Hopefully, he could snag one of the street rats quickly enough; they were always using the sewers to circumvent whatever trouble might be following them. A couple silver ought to be enough to convince one to take him where he needed to go.

 

[Phoenix]

Ru turned back down the corridor and tried to retrace his steps, at least to the point where he could get out of this mess. He had to wade some more, pushing against the syrup-like resistance that was intent on keeping him down here. The day just got be"tter.

"Hhelllo thair little wuan..."

The voice was rugged and hoarse, coming from somewhere just out of the torchlight.

"Whhhart does these little man whant down hhair?"

 

[jkason]

"Hhelllo thair little wuan..."

The voice was rugged and hoarse, coming from somewhere just out of the torchlight.

"Whhhart does these little man whant down hhair?"

Ru cringed. He couldn't see it and it was calling him little. Neither of these caused the man to feel anything resembling comfort.

"The little man's not here to cause any trouble," Ru said, stalling for time. He backed away slowly, reaching into his haversack and (handy, indeed) finding a sunrod waiting for him. "I just got a little turned around looking for my associate. I'll be out of your way momentarily."

He banged the sunrod on the near wall, lighting it, and slid it into his belt. If he needed to fight, he wanted both hands available. Either way, the wider glow cast by the enchanted metal meant he might be able to keep his distance but still see his new ... friend.

 

[Phoenix]

Ru cringed. He couldn't see it and it was calling him little. Neither of these caused the man to feel anything resembling comfort.

"The little man's not here to cause any trouble," Ru said, stalling for time. He backed away slowly, reaching into his haversack and (handy, indeed) finding a sunrod waiting for him. "I just got a little turned around looking for my associate. I'll be out of your way momentarily."

He banged the sunrod on the near wall, lighting it, and slid it into his belt. If he needed to fight, he wanted both hands available. Either way, the wider glow cast by the enchanted metal meant he might be able to keep his distance but still see his new ... friend.

The sunrod burst to life, shedding light across the tunnel and illuminating the hidden creature. Admittedly the creature wasn't nearly as large as Ru had expected, in fact it was probably smaller than he, but it still had the upper hand.

The creature was already dead. Its flesh was decayed and hanging from its body, its teeth were yellow and rotten, its eyes sunken and lifeless. It rubbed its hands against each other, its eyes following Ru as he backed off.

"Don' you worree little man, I am not hear to hurt you. You are what I hev been loohkinf fhor. I think that you hand I can be friends..."

 

[jkason]

The creature was already dead. Its flesh was decayed and hanging from its body, its teeth were yellow and rotten, its eyes sunken and lifeless. It rubbed its hands against each other, its eyes following Ru as he backed off.

"Don' you worree little man, I am not hear to hurt you. You are what I hev been loohkinf fhor. I think that you hand I can be friends..."

Ru groaned inwardly. Of course. What good would his day be without yet another diminutive undead nasty to face down? Maybe mother was right, and he should have been a priest, if for no other reason than their built in undead repellant.

Trying his best to smile despite his unease, Ru kept his distance as he asked carefully, "You've been looking for me, have you? Any ... particular reason for that, or is it just my natural charm?'

 

[Phoenix]

Ru groaned inwardly. Of course. What good would his day be without yet another diminutive undead nasty to face down? Maybe mother was right, and he should have been a priest, if for no other reason than their built in undead repellant.

Trying his best to smile despite his unease, Ru kept his distance as he asked carefully, "You've been looking for me, have you? Any ... particular reason for that, or is it just my natural charm?'

"Ohhh, dwho nhot think that I ham here to eat you little man, there are many scraps for me to fheed off without risking your blade."

The creature's eyes shifted to another point in the tunnel, behind Ru. With a quick glance he could tell that there was something behind him now too, lurking just out of the radiance of his light.

"Nho my little friend, we nheed you for ahnother reason. We sheek a lost child, a lhittle boy we chall Hound. We know where he is, but there is a Deathbringer ahmongst his little phartae, one that we hare wise enough to steer clear hof."

 

[jkason]

"Nho my little friend, we nheed you for ahnother reason. We sheek a lost child, a lhittle boy we chall Hound. We know where he is, but there is a Deathbringer ahmongst his little phartae, one that we hare wise enough to steer clear hof."

We. Right. After all, what's an undead party with only one? Ru started looking for a way out. He was pretty sure he could outrun the buggers if he could get past one of them, but the 'getting past' was kind of the problem.

Then the one he could see mentioned Hound, and something clicked. His eyes narrowed as he assessed the creature speaking.

"You don't mean The Ghost Hound, do you? Some kind of prodigy, is he, writing for the Herald and all? And some sort of big nasty type's got hold of him that you need me to play bashemup with?"

OOC:[sblock]Sense motive to see how much of this Ru's buying?[/sblock]

 

[Phoenix]

We. Right. After all, what's an undead party with only one? Ru started looking for a way out. He was pretty sure he could outrun the buggers if he could get past one of them, but the 'getting past' was kind of the problem.

Then the one he could see mentioned Hound, and something clicked. His eyes narrowed as he assessed the creature speaking.

"You don't mean The Ghost Hound, do you? Some kind of prodigy, is he, writing for the Herald and all? And some sort of big nasty type's got hold of him that you need me to play bashemup with?"

OOC:[sblock]Sense motive to see how much of this Ru's buying?[/sblock]

The creature looks at Ru and says simply, "Yesss, The Ghost and nho, hees our son."

 

[jkason]

Ru raised an eyebrow. Since when did undead have offspring? Was this another side-effect of whatever was happening with Zsath? Whatever it was, it stunk more than the putrid muck he was standing in. Of course, the options were trying to fight past one or more of them, all the while not knowing how many more might be slogging around just out of sight. Ru squared his shoulders.

"No greater bond than parents to their children, is there? Provided we've agreed you won't be trying to kill or eat me now and in the future, why don't you lead the way to your boy and I'll see if I can't be helpful with whatever trouble he's gotten himself in?"