Planescape 3.5e - Cold Black Mask

[Dire Lemming]

Anthony frowns thoughtfully as he listens to the story. "Sounds like you met Bertram... That knight o' the post is no tout. Just a spiv and a bubber. I'll give ya a real tour, well worth the jink. I s'pose since it's just you it'll only cost ya three silver."

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

Istvan closes his eyes and shakes his head in imperceptible dismay upon hearing that his companion had just been bilked out of a working-man's two week salary mere moments after arriving in the otherworldly metropolis. Apparently greed and fast-talking were universal constants to be weary of. So the wayfarer isn't surprised when the oddly armored woman attempts to continue the game with himself. He'd have to put a stop to this foolishness quickly lest he and his companions be left destitute by nightfall. "I'm sorry, but aren't you already gainfully employed by another m'lady?"

She raises a spiked eyebrow at the gnome's question, but answers him politely. Size was no indication of skill; one of her first bad losses had come to a kobold sorcerer and it still smarted to think of it. One of the spikes on her knee was always going to be broken because of that encounter.

"If you're all traveling together, which it seems you are, then I assume you would like equal protection. If not, then I only guard whom I am paid to. Sirran Cinder," she says, turning to the tiefling. "My name is Pierce Spinecrusher, and my services are yours to command this day."

Listening to the others talk, she thinks to herself, Well, at least this group may prove to have a bit of interesting things about them, if they seek this mage on unfamiliar ground.

"This tour... Sirran Cinder, if you have crossed to Sigil to find the man you spoke of, perhaps it would be best to tour in that direction first?" she suggests deferentially.

 

[Cage-Rattler]

"Oi!”
The call rose faintly over the general din of the bazaar, and seemed to be directed toward the small group.
“Oi, Anthony!” A young male with a lean, almost-elfish build weaved his way through the crowd and drew up close, clasping the shoulder of the self-proclaimed “tout” in a friendly greeting.
“You had me worried when I heard you got yourself hipped out-of-town,” he began cheerfully, “until I find out you ended up in Amoria! You lucky basher; remember to bring your friends along the next time something like that happens, right?”

Suddenly remembering his manners, the newcomer turned to the others in the group and nodded politely. His features were distinctively fey, yet he didn’t seem to belong to any elfin race that Heinrich, Istavan, or Sindr were familiar with.

“I can see you’re busy with a brace of primes,” he continued, turning back to Anthony, “so I won’t keep you.” He leaned in to murmur a few words in private.

Anthony Orchidaceae:[sblock]“You should go see Dinah as soon as you set these lemons up with a kip tonight; she’s been worried about you. I’m sure Lilly wouldn’t mind a visit from you, either. I think she usually bangs around the Festhall these days. Oh, and watch your step in the Hive; I hear that a gang of cross-traders called the Black Dogs have been bobbing and scribing primes and touts.”[/sblock]

Straightening with a nod and a wink, Anthony’s friend turned back to the general group once more. “Spire’s Ward, primes; you’re in good hands here. If you bashers find yourselves back in the Grand Bazaar needing anything from the Outlands – fhorge tusk, abrian eggs, bloodvine seedlings, anything – ask for Lorne! I’ll set you up right!”

OOC to Pierce Spinecrusher: [sblock]If the group agreed to follow the barbazu who took Hagen earlier, you would be headed in the direction of the Lady's Ward. It's impossible to tell at this point if the barbazu's destination lay in the Lady's Ward itself, or beyond.[/sblock]

OOC to all:[sblock]Sorry you all haven't heard from me in the past couple of days; Halloween festivities and new responsibilities work had been keeping me busy. Things have calmed down on my end, and you all look like you've been doing swimmingly in-game, so it's on with the show. [/sblock]

 

[Zurai]

"This tour... Sirran Cinder, if you have crossed to Sigil to find the man you spoke of, perhaps it would be best to tour in that direction first?" she suggests deferentially.

Sindr smiles at the overly spiky woman. "Yes, Hagen comes first. I'm sure we'll have the time for a complete tour soon, once we've rescued him from that ... barbazu?" He shifts to look at the tout, his alligator-like tail slithering from side to side almost like a dog wagging in slow motion. "Lead the way please, Mister Tony."

 

[Dire Lemming]

Anothony smiles and nods at his friend. "Thanks, I'll keep peery, you do the same Lorne... Oh right, don't suppose you marked a barbazu hauling a barmy lookin prime on yer way here did ya? He mighta been hollarin some screed 'bout Darkspine."

Whether or not he does, he bids Lorne farewell and gets moving.

 

[Ambrus]

Glad to have the group finally start moving again, Istvan takes a half step before remembering the kindly Shou-expatriate. Turning back for a moment, Istvan motions the man forward. "You coming?" Assuming he does, the gnome starts walking with a surprisingly swift gait. In fact, the wayfarer threatens to leave his larger armored companions behind except that he pauses at every cross-street, giving time for the group to catch up. He wasn't used to traveling with others, and it takes some significant restraint for the gnome to keep himself from running off into the tangle of streets of the otherwordly cityscape. "I wouldn't be fair to the dervishes if I tried performing a Sema myself. I might be able to show you what I learnt by studying with them sometime though. Twelve years isn't such a long time. I never made it to Shou, though I did travel through the Endless Wastes for a time. My name's Istvan by the way." The diminutive gnome stops at a street corner to briefly bow to the man, as is his people's custom. "So where've you been since then?"

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Heinrich gives a dry smile to the spiked warrior. "I imagine I can protect myself if need be, but I suppose if my compatriots wish it there is no reason for you not to accompany us. If nothing else, you seem to know something of this strange city too." Heinrich follows along after the gnome, staring with equal parts wonder and suspicion at the city around him.

 

[Cage-Rattler]

"Oh right, don't suppose you marked a barbazu hauling a barmy lookin prime on yer way here did ya? He mighta been hollarin some screed 'bout Darkspine."

Lorne paused, thinking. "I managed to catch a skeg at a barbazu headed down Copperman Way, toward The Lady's Ward. Could't see if anyone was with him, but I thought it was a bit odd, him being all on his lonesome like that. Usually those baatezu bang around in big, conspicuous groups." With a shrug, he turned and disappeared into the throng of market-goers.


Planars:[sblock]It might be the prime's perogative to chase after their missing friend, both those of you even remotely familiar with the City of Doors know that scouring the streets for a solitary fiend would be akin to finding the proverbial needle-in-a-haystack. There are certain places where'd you'd have better luck finding a baatezu; the Temple to the Lords of the Nine, in The Lady's Ward, for one, or pretty much anywhere in the Lower or Hive Wards.[/sblock]

Primes:[sblock]While finding a single man in a city of who-knows-how-many might seem like an impossible task, you know of certain magics used in Faerun which help pinpoint the location of missing persons. Sure you'd be able to find such a service in a city of this size -- of course, every minute spent looking for such a service would mean another minute that the trail grows colder.[/sblock]

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

"The fey-kin speaks truth, Sirran Cinder. Lady's Ward is perhaps the most likely place to find this baatezu right now," Pierce opins to her employer.

 

[Dire Lemming]

Anthony nods, and starts walking downward and towards the Lady's Ward, making sure the primes follow. "Right then, welcome to Sigil, The City of Doors. This lovely burg is sichawated atop an infinitely tall mountain we call the Spire, somewhere in the center of an nigh infinite plane known as the Outlands. Go figure. In any case, we've got doors here leadin to anywhere and everywhere in the multiverse, assumin' you can find 'em, an you know the key. Now ya might think, 'How's a place like this not get taken over by every sodding faction an' power an whatever else' Well that would be due to The Lady. The Lady o' Pain, exactly what or who she is, not a berk nor blood nor graybeard knows for sure. She never speaks, and her shadow is death to any it falls on. I mean it, they get nicked up, cut to pieces! Course she seems to be able to control that comehow, her shadow I mean. Also, she don't twig to bein' worshiped, so don't try it 'less you twig to the idea o' getting penned inta the dead book." Anthony see a Dabus floating allong and leads the group in it's dierection. "See that basher o'er there? The floaty one? That's a Dabus, they're the Lady's servants far as any can tell." Anthony approaches the Dabus and calls out, " 'Scuse me, Dabus, I'm sorry if I'm interruptin' something but if yer not too busy could you spare the time to show these primes somethin o' the Lady?"

(OOC: Diplomacy +16 (7 ranks, Cha +4, Misc +5) I can't remember whether you said you wanted us to do our rolls on invisible castle or whether you would roll them yourself, but here's my Diplomacy mod.)