Metropolis (Slaves to the City) - Chapter Two

[Phoenix]

Ru considers the benefit vs. broken bone ratio of the counter-offer. Then settles in to see if he can't do better.

"Sufficiently safe?," Ru says, raising an eyebrow. "Sounds to me like perhaps you already have some safety concerns. I'm sure Ari would prefer to meet your concerns proactively. You tell me who's been giving you problems, and we'll see if we can't settle accounts to your satisfaction and set us up on a fully paid-forward system. Backpay is always so messy to figure into the books, anyway, isn't it?"

The troll thinks for a moment, his eyes wandering across Ru's form as if measuring the man. "Do not take me for a fool young man, I have been dealing with people like you for a long time. The money will be ready for him when the time comes, but if you wish to fall into my favour, and the favour of the other businessmen in the area, then you would probably need a show of strength."

"There is a group of dwarves roaming the district, the Killi-kelli-hek, savages the lot of them. They have been preying on people in the area and scaring away business, I would suggest that you deal with them in whatever manner your people do business. If you are successful in this enterprise then I will be more than happy to meet your...request. If you are not however, I think that your people will struggle to find any...clients...willing and able to deal with."

 

[Phoenix]

Nikolai cocks his head sideways as the spell fades from him. His nose twitches slightly with excitement. At last a real challenge. This should be fun.

"Hmmm. . . very well. I am at your service. I shall get started on my research immediately. I shall need to know how to contact you when I have answers for you."

Thialon grins happily and stands, offering his hand to seal the deal. "If you find anything just leave a message for me at the Kintiro Boarding Houses on Etthen Street, they will be able to pass the message on."

 

[Phoenix]

"Excellent work my lads. But Wasp, that was lazy of you, lazy and careless. So you give your share to Kuni and Mouse, go on, no blubbering about it. Next time keep your hands on the mark and your eyes on the crowd. Now everybody saw the bloke witht he yellow robes that made the street stop. He is bad new my lads. If you see him again, stay away from him. Drop any marks you have and beat it to an alley. Watch him and let's see what he's about. And let me know he's snooping around." He picks up the hefty purse that Wasp lifted and opens it, peering inside. " Well Wasp you pciekd out a good one today I guess. I will let you have a small amout of your own cut since this was such a rich purse" And he tosses the boys a handful of silver coins each. "Off with you now." And Jovik pleased with the days haul heads off to his favorite tavern for a well earned meal and a bottle of wine. But the days events bothered him. It wasn't just the magic, that you can see everyday. It was the interest an urchin pickpocket attracted. Why in the nine hells, would this yellowrobed devil care about some ninny's purse. It was very curious, and a bottle of wine couldn't drown it.

[sblock]Should it matter, your cut for the day was 28 silver nobles.[/sblock]

The streets darken quickly as Jovik leaves the children to head to the local tavern, the Heaving Horde. His mind wandering it isn't for several minutes that he realizes that he has taken a wrong turn, or walked too far. He wasn't lost, far from it, the streets around here were his home, it was just a pain to walk back several blocks in the muggy heat.

Turning back the way he came there is a flicker down an alleyway nearby, enough to catch Jovik's attention and warn him should there be a lurking thug within. From the crowd of people heading home, Jovik safetly watches as three small figures barely come into the light.


Wasp, Mouse and Kuni sit in the shadows opening their purses, probably to count the spoils of the day it is easy to assume. But the three children simply pour their silver coins out onto the street, leaving near a group of shanty houses for the beggars to collect, then look at each other with a knowing look on their faces, as if they are talking without moving their lips.

 

[Fenris]

The hairs on the back of Jovik's neck bristle. These children and their families were in amlost as desperate need of that money as the beggars who quickly scrambled to collect it from the filth of the alley-floor. "Damn" he thinks, "double damn". "Kids like this don't grow ethics in a matter of minutes." thinks Jovik " That damn enchanter in the street. If I get my hands on him...... He may cost me 3 good apprentices. He may cost me more yet." and he rubs his neck that has long escaped the noose.

And Jovik slides down the alley, quiet as a mouse, silent as a cat to observe his young proteges, intently listening for any spoken conversation, prepared to follow them should they leave for else but their alley-way homes.

 

[Phoenix]

The hairs on the back of Jovik's neck bristle. These children and their families were in amlost as desperate need of that money as the beggars who quickly scrambled to collect it from the filth of the alley-floor. "Damn" he thinks, "double damn". "Kids like this don't grow ethics in a matter of minutes." thinks Jovik " That damn enchanter in the street. If I get my hands on him...... He may cost me 3 good apprentices. He may cost me more yet." and he rubs his neck that has long escaped the noose.

And Jovik slides down the alley, quiet as a mouse, silent as a cat to observe his young proteges, intently listening for any spoken conversation, prepared to follow them should they leave for else but their alley-way homes.

[sblock]Hide check (DC 5) +26 - Success
Move Silently check (DC 14) +27 - Success
Listen check (DC 22) +12 - Failure
OOC: Pick your languages please cobber.[/sblock]

Following the three children was, well, child's play. Through the back alleys and side streets that Jovik knew so well, it was even easier to figure out where they were going. Back to their 'guild house', Jovik's. Not one said a word the whole walk home, and they moved like they had a purpose.

Once the children were inside the old building that Jovik had been squatting in for the last few months, it was a simple matter to pick a window that he could peer through. Inside all of the children were there, seven all up, and all of them were talking in low voices to each other. The way they stood and spoke though, it was...wrong. They were not displaying their usual childish demeanors, something was definately up.

 

[jkason]

The troll thinks for a moment, his eyes wandering across Ru's form as if measuring the man. "Do not take me for a fool young man, I have been dealing with people like you for a long time. The money will be ready for him when the time comes, but if you wish to fall into my favour, and the favour of the other businessmen in the area, then you would probably need a show of strength."

"There is a group of dwarves roaming the district, the Killi-kelli-hek, savages the lot of them. They have been preying on people in the area and scaring away business, I would suggest that you deal with them in whatever manner your people do business. If you are successful in this enterprise then I will be more than happy to meet your...request. If you are not however, I think that your people will struggle to find any...clients...willing and able to deal with."

Ru can feel the blood draining from his face. "The Killi-kelli-hek?" Ru sighs, and despite himself, has to laugh at the mess he's managed to get himself into.

"I think, given how well and often you've subverted my expectations in the last few minutes, I'd be quite the moron to take you for a fool."

Ru plants his quarterstaff on the ground, resting his hands atop it, a gesture of ease and lowered guard.

"But I'd also be foolish to promise results I can't guarantee. Ari does love him a show of force, but anyone who can keep floors in The Apartments for over half a century isn't your average punching bag.

"I can promise this: I'll take this all back to Ari, and make sure we do everything we can to take care of the problem. I'll keep you apprised of the progress."

Bowing his head, Ru turns to leave, then stops at the door, calling back, "If you need to get ahold of me in the meantime, send someone down to the Kanji district* and ask them where Ru is. If they can't find me right off, they can get me a message."

With that, Ru heads back to the street, off to report to Ari. He wonders briefly if it's a step up or down to move from dealing with Dwarven flesh peddlers to Dwarven flesh eaters. Then he decides it's best not to dwell on the particulars of either.

*[OOC: I don't think I ever named Ari's area of influence. I figure this is one of his primary neighborhoods, and coincidentally also the area where Master Gis has his shop. I'm thinking it's something like a funky Chinatown/Little Italy hybrid. Which is inexplicably named after the Japanese alphabet. ]

 

[hafrogman]

Thialon grins happily and stands, offering his hand to seal the deal. "If you find anything just leave a message for me at the Kintiro Boarding Houses on Etthen Street, they will be able to pass the message on."

Nikolai reaches out his tiny hand to shake with the human. He then loses no time in bustling the man out of his shop. Once his visitor is gone he quickly looks up and down the street outside before flipping around a small wooden sign he keeps chained to the door.

"GO AWAY! This means YOU!"

Then he quickly shuts and locks the door before scurrying back to the counter. He hurriedly scoops up the coin purse and it's contents, dropping them into the store's till. Finally, when everything is safe and secure, he carefully picks up the vial and toys with it for a little, recreating the trick performed by Thialon.

He climbs the stairs up to his apartment and laboratory with an unusual spring in his step. With an amount of energy seemingly at odds with his age he goes about setting up his lab equipment and sorting through his endless library for any books that might have relevant information. He breathes deeply, feeling young again, and smiles to himself. Nothing beats a good mystery. . . and there was something very strange about this yellow liquid.

For the rest of the day, and long into the night, he putters around the laboratory. Referencing his old notes and several musty old tomes, he performs and endless variety of tests on the liquid, searching for clues to it's nature and origin.

[sblock] Alchemy +16, Knowledge(Arcana) +9 to try and figure out anything about the strange fluid. He's interested in its properties as much as answering the society's question. Failing all else he'd at least to get any leads as to where he might look next. [/sblock]

 

[Fenris]

OOC: Languages chosen, check Rogue's gallery for details.

Jovik had to fight the urge, the panic that accompanies a job gone very bad. His first instinct was to bar the doors and burn the place to the ground, cut his loses and protect his hide. But, he fought down that desire born of fear and the unknown. He liked these kids, he wanted them to do as well as he had, but with their familes in tow.

Unable to hear their covert conversation Jovik, finds another listening post. He knew this building better than the kids ever could. They knew some of the secret ways in and out, but you never tell'em all. As he crept along to a new spot, he thought of his options. "Well,", he thought "a jackal is only as strong as his pack, but on the other hand, I can get a new pack..., But they're already trained and it''s a pain to find good ones..... Alright, I will try to snap them out of it, once I find out what's going on, and if that doesn't work I may have to cut my losses" and he rubs the pommel of his blade almost subconciously. His internal debate resolved he crept closer to his new vanatge point.

 

[Phoenix]

Bowing his head, Ru turns to leave, then stops at the door, calling back, "If you need to get ahold of me in the meantime, send someone down to the Kanji district* and ask them where Ru is. If they can't find me right off, they can get me a message."

With that, Ru heads back to the street, off to report to Ari. He wonders briefly if it's a step up or down to move from dealing with Dwarven flesh peddlers to Dwarven flesh eaters. Then he decides it's best not to dwell on the particulars of either.

Leaving the Throbbing Vein, Ru's walk to the Kanji district is a quiet one, so to speak, leaving him to his thoughts. The sounds of dozens of people haggling, narrow streets filled with trader's carts, the smells of hundreds of various foodstuffs cooking, and animals making various barking or wailing noises, faded away as background noise that Ru was more than used to hearing.

Ari Turbal's home was very prominent in the neighborhood, located at the base of the Xylin-po spire of the Apartments, it itself stretched up to join with the spire via bridge at the fifth level. Ru was known well there, and the bruisers that loitered in the area to stave off trouble did little more than nod to him as he made his was through the vast front doors and into the main hall were Ari conducted most of his 'business'.

The group of men that were talking to Ari looked like merchants of one sort or another, they usually were. Sane men left Ari be, only desperate men would seek him out, usually to lend money.

For a little less than an hour Ru watched until the merchants walked away smiling, somewhat richer, but in debt for amounts that could not be measured in coin alone. Ari had spotted Ru for some time, and once the merchants had left he gestured forward to allow Ru to speak.

 

[Phoenix]

He climbs the stairs up to his apartment and laboratory with an unusual spring in his step. With an amount of energy seemingly at odds with his age he goes about setting up his lab equipment and sorting through his endless library for any books that might have relevant information. He breathes deeply, feeling young again, and smiles to himself. Nothing beats a good mystery. . . and there was something very strange about this yellow liquid.

For the rest of the day, and long into the night, he putters around the laboratory. Referencing his old notes and several musty old tomes, he performs and endless variety of tests on the liquid, searching for clues to it's nature and origin.

[sblock] Alchemy +16, Knowledge(Arcana) +9 to try and figure out anything about the strange fluid. He's interested in its properties as much as answering the society's question. Failing all else he'd at least to get any leads as to where he might look next. [/sblock]

[sblock]Appraise check (DC 18/48) +20 - Partial Success
Heal check (DC 15) +2 - Failure
Knowledge - Arcana check (DC 18/28) +25 - Partial Success
[/sblock]

For hours and hours on end Nikolai pours over his books, looking for any reference to the liquid resting in the vial before him. During other hours the devices scattered across his table boil and whistle as drops of the liquid are carefully studied using the best equipment that money could buy.

Was it a day, or was it two? By the rumbling in his stomach, the way his eyes droop to the point where Nikolai tried to stare at the vial through closed eyelids, and the parched throat that screams for water, it was more than a day.

But the time was not wasted.

The liquid was once alive, sort of. It seemed to be blood of some kinds, though of what creature Nikolai had no idea. As for the gravitational dilemma, that was something else completely.

The liquid seemed to have a inertial 'memory' of sorts, it remembered swift action, moving accrodingly in time to the force applied. But once somebody slowly moved it, the liquid could not adjust to the alternate speed and instead would 'lock' itself against gravity once it determined what was happening to it, falling down as normal liquid would after anywhere between eight and seventeen minutes later.

There were still so many unanswered questions, Nikolai could not do anything more than what he had done. He knew what it did, just not why or how. It seemed that whatever creature this liquid came from was an extremely rare prize to find.