[PS] We interrupt this Adventure...

[simmo]

We Interrupt this Adventure...
Act1, Scene1

[Warning: this story contains PLANESCAPE spoilers]

Characters
Rianna Featherflight - Air Genasi, female, Cipher
Tallus Hammerstike – Dwarf, male, Doomguard
Leese Tal'Nattan- Tiefling, female, Godsman
Mole- Gnome, male, Fraternity of Order
Axiel Lendev- Aasimar, male, Harmonium
Petter Vatus – Fire Genasi, Male, Mercykillers

“I am Duke Avradiallus, Scourge of Hollyphants and Slayer of Maruts”, the steam mephit spoke in a high-pitched nasal tone that sounded like steam escaping from a valve. Droplets of boiling water fell from the creatures body and wings forming a small pool of near-boiling water on the tavern floor. “Which one of you mortal worms is called Axiel?”

The aasimar slowly stood up and towered over the steam mephit. Axiel wore shining red armour, a high quality broadsword and a silver shield. Like most aasimar he was handsome with long golden hair and had pale green eyes. He carried himself with a air of calm authority that left no one around him in any doubt that the aasimar Harmonium officer could handle himself.

“I'm Axiel.” The Harmonium officer glared down at the steam mephit which was beginning to squirm under the scrutiny of the rest of the group. “You will address me as Sir Axiel, mephit. Now tell me why you are disturbing my meal?”

“I have been sent to deliver a message by my master.” The mephit was beginning to regain some of its composure as it remembered its mission. “And you will address me as Duke Avradiallus.” More droplets of hot water fell from the creature, enlarging the pool of boiling water at its feet. It took a small step back from the Harmonium officer and glared back defiantly.

“Are you gonna let a mephit rattle its bone-box at a member of the Harmonium like that?” Tallus sat at the table with a large hunk of charred meat in hit right hand and a chipped jug of beer in his left hand. The dwarf looked over at the steam mephit with a manic stare and winked. He took a bite out of the meat and a swig from the jug and sat back to watch the confrontation.

“Let's hear what the mephit has to say.” Mole glanced over briefly at Tallus in annoyance and then back at the steam mephit. The gnome had a tome open in front of him that he had been studying for the past hour and was irritated by the dwarf's attempts to start a fight.

“Speak”, commanded Axiel.

Just as the steam mephits finally had the attention of everyone gathered around the table, it broke down and started sobbing. Tears of steam fell from its face and the creature fell to it knees. “Please don't hurt me. I'm just a poor messenger who has the ill luck to bring you bad news.” The mephit covered his head with both his hands and began rolling around in the pool of boiling water. It's voice rose a pitch and sounded even more grating than before. “Why couldn't the master send a mist mephit? They deserve to suffer.”

“Tell us the message.” Axiel spoke in a soft and commanding voice, with an undertone of threatened violence.

“My master wishes to send you the following message.” The steam mephit stopped grovelling and spoke in a quiet voice. “The pigeons have returned but the hawks were waiting. The last pigeon has not come to the fountain and is hiding in the rubbish by the chimney. Find the last pigeon, Eliath the Hatter.”

“Fire and ash. Why does he always send his messages in riddles? I don't trust someone who is afraid to face the truth, to face justice.” Petter had finished eating his charred meat and slammed down his tankard of ale. “I say we forget about this mephit and his stupid message.”

“What does the riddle mean?” asked Rianna suddenly. The air genasi and fire genasi sat next to each other at the table and made a striking contrast. Rianna had pale white skin, grey eyes and dark bluish hair that moved by itself as if in a breeze. Her fine clothes had a dishevelled look to them making the air genasi appear as if she had arrived in a hurry. In contrast the fire genasi had dark red skin like the heart of a flame. He wore close-fitting dark vest and trousers as well as charcoal coloured cloak. Hanging from his belt was a finely crafted rapier and sturdy looking manacles.

“I think that I know what the riddle means.” Mole had finished scribbling the mephit's message in the margin of the tome and was peering at it with his nose almost pressed against the page. “The pigeon refers to spies.” He paused to read the over the message again. “It's likely that the hawks mean assassins and the fountain is one of the faction headquarters. Fountain is a source of water, so the faction in question is most likely to be the Godsmen.”

Everyone around the table looked over at Leese who had been pushing her food around the plate without eating very much of it. The pretty young tiefling girl stared down at the plate with her white hair hanging over the two small horns that protruded from her forehead. She looked up at the others and shrugged her shoulders. “I'm afraid that I don't know anything about secret missions that my faction might have undertaken. I know as much as you do about these messages.” A brief pause followed during which everyone sat in silence.

“What are the chimney and rubbish heap about?” Rianna asked her question so suddenly that it startled everyone around the table.

“Ah yes, my best guess is that it refers to the Lower ward and the Hive ward respectively.” Mole began scribbling a few more notes as he spoke. “The hatter reference comes from an old expression. 'Mad as a Hatter', this has to do with the process of how hatters used to make hats. You see, one of the ingredients had an unusual property which....”

“Thanks you, Mole.” Axiel sat down at the table and smiled at the gnome in apology for interrupting his lecture. “So basically the message says is that we are to find a Godsman spy who is hiding in the Hive.”

“A mad spy.” Mole corrected.

“What?”, Petter's patience was at an end and he looked at the gnome bookworm in disgust.

“Mad. As in barmy. A rebus short of a Dabus. A modron short of a March.” Mole smiled expectantly at the group for his little joke, but the glare from Petter soon wiped the grin from his face.

As the group began discussing amongst themselves where to being looking for a barmy called Eliath and whether or not they would get paid – Leese reached over to the steam mephit who sat huddled and forgotten in the corner. “Hey, Avradiallus.” She slipped a few copper coins in to his hand and smiled. “Thanks for delivering the message. Take these greens and buy yourself a drink.... or perhaps a hot bath.” The steam mephit stared at the copper coins for a brief moment and a huge grin spread across his face. He jumped up and darted out of the tavern with a high pitched shout of joy.

The companions looked up briefly to see the mephit race out of the tavern and turned back to their meal and discussions.

 

[Paka]

Nice, well done.

The Planescape jargon isn't beating us over the head but it is present.

Sounds like a fun read.

 

[Morte]

I am very pleased to see a Planescape story and look forward to more of it, chief.

 

[simmo]

We Interrupt This Adventure
Act 1. scene 2.

We Interrupt This Adventure...

[WARNING: This story hour contains PLANESCAPE spoilers]

Petter woke up in an unfamiliar bed feeling cold and not very well rested. He made the mistake of opening his eyes too quickly and immediately got a headache from the bright light in the room. Slowly the events from the previous night began to fall in to place and the fire genasi turned over in the bed with a groan.

After the steam mephit delivered its message and fled, the companions had spent several hours discussing how to go about looking for a barmy in the Hive and what valuable information this barmy might posses. Petter lost interest in the conversation early on as it did not appear that this barmy called Eliath was wanted for any crimes. Instead the fire genasi had turned his attention to the barmaids working in the tavern and he was somewhat surprised to find that one of them was interested in him. Events from that point in the evening onwards got a little blurred in his memory, but he could clearly remember the aasimar leaving the table and the air genasi leaving shortly afterwards. The gnome also retired early leaving the dwarf and the tiefling chatting in the corner. After that happened Petter couldn't remember anything else except for the fact that the barmaid wanted to sleep with the window open and it had been quite a cold night.

When Petter made his way slowly downstairs he found the rest of his companions sitting around a table quietly eating breakfast. A brief smile flickered across his face when he realised that some of the others had also drunk too much the night before.

“Good party last night.” The fire genasi eased himself on to an empty stool by the table and broke off a hunk of black bread. “Can someone remind me of what the plan is today?”

Axiel stared at Petter in disgust and continued to sip from a steaming mug which gave off a pleasant aroma. “We're going to go past the Gatehouse to see if they have heard of Eliath the Hatter.” He took another sip from his mug and spent a few moments savouring the sweet aroma. “If they have not come across him, then there are another couple of leads which we can follow up on.”

The companions continued to eat in silence for awhile longer. Mole tried to make some conversation by explaining to all who might be interested that the type of mephit bearing a message was as important as the message itself. But alas no one else was interested and Mole's lecture on mephits went on for another ten minutes before the gnome realised that none of his companions were paying him any attention. At the end of the meal the companions agreed to meet up in front of the tavern in order to head in the direction of the Hive.

Tallus came out first wearing his usual riot of colours that he liked to call the 'destruction of fashion'. His clothes could best be described as an explosion going off in a tailor shop and where ever the dwarf went he was guaranteed to make a grand entrance. Strapped to his back was a dwarven axe and he also carried a brace of daggers around his belt. Under his colourful patchwork cloak he wore slightly rusting coat of scale mail and carried a wooden shield with the symbol of the Doomguard in his left hand.

Next to arrive was the aasimar in his gleaming red armour. Axiel's armour had been custom built for his frame and it fit almost as well as a tailored suit. From his hip hung a scabbard with a finely crafted long sword and in his left hand he carried a silver shield. “Do you always have to go out looking like a circus tent?” Axiel looked Tallus up and down and shook his head in mock dismay at the dwarf's poor choice of clothing.

“Fashion is part of the decay of society.” Tallus replied with a wide grin. “This cutter's just trying to do his share in helping it along.” The dwarf played with the frayed edge of his cloak. “Besides, if Multiverse is gonna get written in the dead book - then there's no harm in a cutter going out with a bit of style and panache.”

Next to arrive was the air genasi who burst through the front door as she had just been hurled out by a strong gust of wind. Rianna wore dishevelled looking clothes and a leather jerking as well as number of pouches that hung from her belt. A short sword and collapsed crossbow were slung across her shoulder attached to a small backpack. She also wore a wide brimmed yellow hat that seemed very much out of place with the rest of her fine looking clothes.

The fire genasi made his usual appearance by simply not being there one minute and then becoming noticeable the next. He had a way of getting around without others paying attention to him and he knew the Harmonium Officer was frequently annoyed by this. His black clothes enabled him to blend in to dark places and even his rapier had a black scabbard.

“Sneaking out to avoid paying the harlot?” Axiel did little to disguise the disdain in his voice.

Petter's smile disappeared in an instant and he gave the aasimar a cold hard stare. “She wasn't a harlot.”

As Axiel and Petter stood staring at each other the gnome and tiefling walked through the front entrance in to the street with the others. Mole was dressed in a dark green robe that covered him from his neck to his feet and wore a finely crafted leather belt. Attached to the belt were a variety of small pouches as well as a stout wooden cudgel. Around his neck he wore the symbol of the Fraternity of Order on a silver chain.

The tiefling wore a practical dress over which she had attempted to pull a scale mail shirt. However since the shirt was slightly too big it gave her a comical appearance and the small mace that she carried did not look very threatening. She had a number of beads woven in to her white hair and wore a well crafted phylactery around her neck, as well as a holy symbol in the shape of a heart.

Leese looked briefly at Axiel and Petter and decided to break the silence. “Are we ready then? Good, then let's go.” She took Rianna by the arm and began walking down the cobbled road in the direction of the Hive. Mole was quick to follow and Tallus sighed heavily before hefting his axe over his shoulder in order to follow the others. Whilst the prospect of a fight seemed appealing Tallus was pleased that it had not taken place between the aasimar and the fire genasi.

Axiel turned his back on Petter and marched off after the dwarf and the others. Petter stared moodily at his companions as they made their way down the street and only began sprinting to catch up with them when the turned the corner by the baker shop at the end of the row.


The companions made their way from the Lower ward to the Hive without any incidents. They passed a number of beggars and cross-traders trying to separate the compassionate and gullible from their money. One beggar jumped out in front of the group and began dancing to a manic jig that only he could hear. Rianna drew her sword in an instant before realising that the drunken man did not pose a threat.

“See that girl....” The beggar hopped from foot to foot and danced a quick circle around the group. His long ginger hair was tied back by a small piece of old rope. His beard and clothing reeked of cheap alcohol which had stained his clothes many times in the past. “Watch that scene....”

“Stand aside man,” Axiel used his most commanding tone on the drunken man with little effect.

The drunken man stared in to Mole's face and for a brief moment his voice sounded sober and calm. “I am the dancing queen.” Just as suddenly as the man had stopped dancing, he leapt in to the air and attempted to do a twirl. He spun around in the air and his feet got tangled when he landed - causing him to collapse in a heap.

“Perhaps we should take him to the Gatehouse?” Rianna looked down at the man in pity.

“Better yet, why not take him to the Prison?” Petter began fingering the manacles that he had attached to his belt.

“Because he is neither mad nor has he committed any crimes,” replied Leese.

The ginger haired man slowly picked himself off the ground and rose unsteadily to his feet. “They stole my song, can you believe it? Bunch of good for nothing knights of the post thought I was some kind of rube. Well, I ain't going to get peeled twice. Gonna find my twin so that next time we'll win and suren. Me? Sign off-key? Hah that's be the day.” The drunk continued muttering under his breath as he walked down the street and once again began singing in his off-key voice.

“His singing ability is a criminal offence,” commented Mole. “But let's not bother about him. We have to find Eliath before the assassins reach him.”


The remainder of the journey was an unpleasant walk through the streets of the Hive. Puddles of foul smelling ooze lay stagnant in several streets and hordes of starving children ran amok trying to catch a rat so that they would have something to eat that day. At one point they came across a sedan chair carried by four strong men who were accompanied by half a dozen well-armed mercenaries. The sedan chair and its occupant passed swiftly and was quickly lost from sight amongst the dilapidated tenement blocks that lined the streets. Hungry, angry and hopeless faces stared out of windows as the companions passed by. After the first wave of beggars tried to get a few coppers from the passer-by without success, they managed to reach the long queues outside the Gatehouse.

Hundreds of wretched people stood in line outside the Gatehouse which towered over the other buildings nearby in the Hive. Lines of people stretched outwards from the tall, semicircular roofless tower which had a number of sprawling wings attached. In one of the lines stood parents who wanted to send their children to the orphanage as they couldn't afford to feed them any longer. In another line stood younger people who wanted to commit their elder relatives who had either gone insane or could not be cared for any longer. Along these lines of weary souls a number of bleaker artists plied their trade singing dirges about hopelessness and reciting poems that painted the futility of life in vivid detail. Also moving in and amongst the lines of people were others offering to buy or sell a variety of different things. None of the merchants looked reputable and few could afford their wares.

Humans, tieflings, gnomes, aasimar, elves, bariaur, genasi, dwarves, halflings, orcs and other races all stood in line waiting to reach the huge portcullis inside the roofless tower where the bleakers processed a small number of applicants each day.

When the companions first stepped on to Bedlam Run and caught sight of the Gatehouse with all the people outside, they almost turned around to head back towards the Lower ward. However, they were soon approached by one of the merchants who sidled up to the dwarf and clapped him on the back.

“Well now, well now. I can see that a bunch of bloods such as yerselves are looking to get in the barmy kip right quick without having to wait around like Blood War volunteers. Am I right or am I right?” The half-elf wore a long dark coat that was too large for his thin frame and continuously patted one pocket after another.

“Yes,” Tallus stated flatly and pushed away one of the half-elf's hands which had begun patting down the cloak.

“How much will it cost?” Rianna asked.

“Too much, too much.” The half-elf looked past the group with a far-away stare. But Axiel clapping his hands loudly in front of the merchant brought his attention back. “A couple of stingers should get you to the middle. Double that and you might even get to the front.”

Mole turned his nose up in disgust, but Leese quickly pulled out her purse and began counting out the silver coins. The half-elf snatched the coins out of the tiefling's hands and dashed off to one of the lines of waiting people. He went up to an ogre close to the front of the line and gave him a painful kick in the shins to wake up the large creature. It's eyes flashed open in anger, but a few quiet whispered words from the half-elf calmed the ogre. Axiel made out a couple of words that included 'live like kings' and 'food for a year'. The half-elf bowed deeply as if to invite the group in to his imaginary mansion and indicated that they should step in to the queue. Rianna looked somewhat upset about pushing in front of a hundred people, but the other argued that they would be waiting all week if they did not take the ogre's place.


Several hours of waiting passed during which the companions took turns standing in line whilst the others went for a drink or to get some food. However, after visiting several seedy taverns they all decided that it was safer to stand in the queue.

Finally they were seen to by one of the bleakers who insisted on repeating the question about who it was that they wanted to have committed to the Gatehouse. Mole kept answering the man's questions and was reaching the end of his tether when Tallus hoisted the bleaker off his feet and shouted in his face that they wanted to see someone in a position of authority.

The startled bleaker glanced nervously at Tallus and Petter who both looked as if they were ready to kill him on the spot and set off at a fast pace further in to the Gatehouse. Rianna began following him immediately and the others came behind shortly afterwards. The bleaker knocked on one of the office doors, stuck his head around the door to speak briefly to the person inside and then hurried off down the corridor without a backwards glance.

Axiel and Rianna were the first to open the gloomy office and saw a weary old woman sitting behind a desk covered in parchments. Her shoulders were slumped as if carrying a great weight and her face was marked from years of working in place surrounded by madness and despair.

“Greetings, my name is Derioch.” The elderly woman spoke in a hoarse voice. She glanced up at the newcomers and beckoned them over with a withered hand. “So you berks are looking for a barmy. Well, you've come to the right place.”

“We're looking for a man called Eliath.” Rianna strode further in to the room and stood in front of the desk. The others filed in to the small dark office behind her. “We need to find him before the others get to him.”

Mole almost leapt forward when he heard Rianna's answer and pushed his way past Axiel and Tallus.

“What others?” The old woman sat up in her chair with a scowl on her face. “What do you lot know about the barmies who have gone missing? Better tell me quick, 'cause we don't approve of berks going around killing barmies.”

“Eliath is important to us. He has some knowledge that we seek.” Mole gave Rianna an angry glance and turned back to Derioch. “We do not mean to harm him or any of the other unfortunates.”

“Unfortunates, eh?” Derioch laughed out loud and it sounded as if she was being chocked to death. “Heard them called many names, but never that.” She paused to size up the strangers who had come in to her office and took note of their weapons and bearing. “Word of advice. Be careful who you ask about the barmies who have been killed in the Hive. We bleakers don't like it because there's no reason to kill the barmies. Fact is there's no reason for anything in this life and killing barmies makes berks believe that there might be some purpose, some grand scheme.” She paused to look at the red armour which the aasimar wore, the dwarf's shield and the gnome's faction symbol which he wore around his neck. “'Course you cutters all think that you may know the dark of it, but let me tell you that you are very much mistaken.”

“Look, can you tell us if you know where Eliath is?” Tallus sounded bored and annoyed. He had wasted most of the day getting to this office and he was in no mood to be lectured on the meaning of existence (or lack thereof).

Derioch shifted aside a large pile of parchment and scanned through a list of names written in short messy handwriting. “We know all the barmies in the Hive. If he's around somewhere then he's gonna be on one of these lists.” Tallus rolled his eyes in exasperation and turned to leave the room. “Give me a day or so and I might find his name. What's this Eliath know that is so important anyway?” The old woman asked the question in a casual manner, but Rianna immediately detected the hints of suspicion in her voice.

“He's wanted by our employer, that's all we can tell you.” The air genasi stood with her hands on her hips and her stance indicated that she would not budge or divulge any further information. Mole almost clapped his hands in relief that Rianna had not given away too much and instead tried to peer at one of the parchments to see what was written down. The gnome took one look at the writing and realised that it was written in a language that he could not comprehend.

“Suit yerself.” Derioch's tone had returned to normal and her hoarse voice sounded even more weary than before. “Come back tomorrow or the day after and I'll know if we have come across Eliath.”

As the companions filed out of the room, the Leese paused in the doorway. “If we find anything out about who is attacking the barmies, we'll let you know.” Derioch looked up in surprise and a smile almost crept across her lips. She nodded once at the tiefling girl and started scribbling some notes.

As the companions made their way out of the Gatehouse and past the lines of desperate and unbalanced people, they began to head in the general direction of the Gatehouse Night Market. Petter and Tallus were leading followed by Axiel, Leese, Mole and Rianna.

“Why did you tell her that when we left?” Axiel sounded annoyed and suspicious.

“Because it might help us to be nice to her.” Leese looked up at the tall aasimar and smiled. “The Bleakers know all the barmies and it will speed up our search if we work closely with them.”

“I'm not going back there,” said Petter. “That woman was less than useless.”

“Amen to that,” agreed Tallus.

“It makes sense that we should work with the bleakers to help speed up our search.” Mole was working hard to keep up with the others as the bottom of his robes had gotten wet and had tripped over them once already.

“That woman won't help us,” Axiel stated. “We should ask the local Harmonium outpost if they have arrested anyone recently called Eliath.”

“Yes, we should do that as well.” Leese looked at the tenements that were on the verge of collapse on either side of the road and decided against pointing out that no Harmonium patrols pass through these streets. “Where are we headed now?”

“Night Market,” answered Tallus. “Everything lost and found is sold by the knights up there. Perhaps we'll find our lost barmy friend there.”

“You mean stolen.” Petter scowled at the dwarf.

Tallus shrugged his shoulders and decided that it was not worth answering. Mole tripped over the hem of his robes and narrowly avoided falling in to a pool of dark brown ooze. A small spindly arm reached out of the pool and with an amazing amount of strength grabbed hold of the gnome and began pulling him toward the brown coloured pool. Rianna reacted first by drawing her weapon and stabbing at the arm. Axiel followed swiftly and almost sliced through the entire arm. Mole scrabbled backwards from the pool ad rose unsteadily to his feet. Just as the companions were about to sheath their weapons, Mole cried out: “Ambush!”

From the alleyway on either side a group of men, tieflings and bariaur poured in to the street to quickly surround the group. One of the men took a step forward and hefted a spiked mace over his shoulder.

“About us what you barmies know tell the missing you . The Market boys will that sure you reach never and I alive make have the or to.”

The companions closed ranks around Mole as the ambushers drew their weapons and advanced on the group.

 

[simmo]

We Interrupt This Adventure
Act 1. scene 3.

We Interrupt This Adventure...

[WARNING: This story hour contains PLANESCAPE spoilers]


“What's the plan of attack?” whispered Mole. “Shall we go for the leader first?”

“Bar that. There's too many of these dogs,” Tallus replied angrily. “I say we break through the line and keep high-tailing it until they catch us or we find a kip that we can hide in.”

Rianna charged the ambushers with Axiel and Tallus following closely behind. The air genasi breezed forward and lunged for one of the men with short blade, cutting him deeply in the leg. As the man buckled another took his place and swung a heavy mace at her that she was not fast enough to dodge. It struck her in the arm with a bone crunching thump and Rianna cried out in pain as she dropped the sword from her useless arm.

Axiel arrived just in time to save Rianna from having her skull caved in by another of the attackers and was rewarded with a large dent on his shield. He fought furiously against a bariaur with his long sword, cutting it the side and using its large bulk to shield him from attacks by others. The Harmonium officer was soon joined by Tallus who leapt in to the melee managing to skewer a female tiefling in the stomach. However his efforts were rewarded by several blows from the other tieflings and the dwarf colourful clothing was soon soaked with his blood.

The small gnome, tiefling girl and fire genasi were slower in their attempts to get through and were almost cut off from the others. Mole chanted a few arcane phrases and pointed at several of the men and women attacking them. Two abruptly ran away, but the others stood firm and fired crossbows in to the melee. Leese was hit in her stomach just as she finished her spell and doubled over in pain. Her prayer was answered and none of the other attackers moved to strike her granting her a few brief moments of respite.

Petter cursed as he felt a searing pain in his shoulder and faked falling down so that he could catch the other bariaur off guard. As he saw the hooves of the creature drawing near he rolled over and pushed his rapier upwards with all his might. He was rewarded with a look of pain and disbelief as the bariaur crashed to the ground next to him, it's life blood spilling out outwards creating another pool in the muddy street.

Tallus swung his axe at the leaders shield as he fought to buy enough time for the others to get away. Splinters flew in all directions and some got stuck in the dwarf's beard as the shield shattered. Axiel showed the bariaur in to the path of one of the tieflings that was about to stack Tallus in the back and then began pulling Rianna down the street away from the fight.

Mole sprinted after the retreating Harmonium officer. The guvner decided against using any further spells in favour of getting away as fast as he could. Petter got bogged down in the fight and was almost surrounded when he felt Leese behind him. The small tiefling girl prayed again asking her goddess for healing and hoped that they could get to safety soon as she felt her strength draining fast.

Droplets of dirty rain began to fall in the street and several of the attackers threw their heads back to howl with rabid joy. Petter saw the madness in their eyes and knew that they had little interest in taking them prisoner. He fought on with a renewed fury and cursed silently as he saw Axiel, Rianna, Mole and Tallus retreating to safety. Finally he saw an opening and took it. Shoulder barging one of his opponents aside, he sprinted as fast as his wounded legs would carry. The fire genasi heard the sounds of pursuit close behind and dared not look back to see how close they were.

Leese tried her best to keep up with Petter. She was still protected by the grace of her goddess from attacks but her heavy scale shirt was slowing her down. Just as the fire genasi and tiefling rounded a corner they found themselves in a dead end alley. As Petter was turning around to run a different way he saw that the Xaosmen had him boxed in and he glimpsed Leese slumping to the ground in exhaustion.

Shouting his defiance the fire genasi raised his rapier in salute and was promptly shot by several crossbow bolts. Leese struggled to crawl over to her friend's body so that she might be able to save his life but she did not make it. She felt a sharp pain at the back of her head and after a brief moment of intense pain the world went black.

 

[cmnash]

another great story simmo and the choice of the dancing man's song was inspired! I shall use that when I run this for my players soon

Is there anymore to this great story?

cmnash
(simmo fan)

 

[simmo]

Thanks! There is more to this story but unfortunately the updates will be a lot less frequent. I'm glad that you enjoyed it and I'm experimenting with several differences to my other story hour.

Simson

 

[simmo]

We Interrupt This Adventure

Act2 Scene 1 The Cell

Leese slowly woke up in the cold cell on a hard metal table. She felt the chill surface beneath her skin leeching the warmth from her body and shivered uncontrollably. At first the tiefling tried to rise, but after several failed attempts she sighed in resignation.

Never one to give up easily Leese gritted her teeth in determination and gave one final and forceful push. With a hoarse cry born out of sheer frustration and fear the young woman was able to sit up straight. Blood came rushing to her head and Leese groaned as she felt the blackness of unconsciousness closing in on her again.

“Awake, I see,” a gentle and soothing voice came from nearby. Leese looked over her shoulder and saw an attractive elven woman with a crooked smile studying her intently.

“What do you want with me? Where am I?”

“So many questions,” the elf chuckled as she walked over to a small metal table mounted on wheels.

Leese's eyes widened in terror as she saw the blood-stained tools that were neatly laid out on the other table. Her hand covered her mouth to stifle a scream as she scrabbled away from the elven woman.

“Oh don't worry dear, these are not for you. They are for the my other guest.” The wheels on the small table squeaked loudly as the elven woman ponderously manoeuvred it out of the room.

“Where is Petter?” Leese was unable to tear her gaze away from the cruel implements and she hugged herself reflexively. “What have you done with him?”

“Done to Petter?” The elven woman spat after she mentioned the name. “Nothing as yet, but soon dear. Very soon.” The door closed and Leese heard the key turning in the lock. She walked up to the door to look through the grill and recoiled in shock when the elven woman's rage contorted face suddenly appeared staring in to the cell. “Petter will wish that he'd never met me. He'll wish that he'd never broken my heart and left me bleeding in the gutter.”

The woman's face disappeared from sight. Her voice changed to a whisper and for a moment she sounded like a lost child. “He loved me once. I can make him love me again.”

Leese cried and threw herself against the stout wooden door. Splinters bit in to her shoulder through the thin gown that she was wearing but the tiefling girl did not care. Her nails raked the door and she called out for her captor to come back to no avail.

Exhausted from her efforts Leese slumped to the ground and bitter tears stung her face. The memory of being shot in the stomach returned like a crashing wave. Each time that she sobbed a ripple of pain spread outwards from her middle section. She tentatively lifted up her gown and felt coarse stitches brush against her finger tips.

Leese gently rocked back and forwards as each of the memories of her capture and subsequent auction in the Gatehouse Night Market came flooding back. She whimpered briefly and let the black tide of unconsciousness blissfully wash over her.

Act 2 Scene 2 The Change

It was the screams that woke her up. At first Leese was unsure whether she was screaming or not, but she soon determined that it was someone else. Leese clamped her hands over her ears in a bid to block out the sounds of her friend Petter screaming in agony.

After several minutes of sitting on the cold hard floor with her hands over her ears and her eyes closed - the noise suddenly stopped. Leese sat up, pinched herself and winced in pain. Her mouth opened and her eyes stared blankly ahead but she found that there was no way that she could express herself adequately. Instead she sat in silence with her mouth open, spittle drooling out of one corner and stared blankly at one of the walls.

Time passed and the screams came and went. The next time that the screams came they were not as loud as before.

After some time Leese heard a key turning in the lock and the door swung open. She could hear the squeak of small metal wheels and room by her elven captor.

On the table lay a figure covered with a white blanket that was stained dark red in large ugly patches. Leese struggled to rise and scanned the chamber for a weapon but could not find one. The elven woman paid her no attention as she heaved the figure on to the metal table that the tiefling girl had woken up on.

“Please stop doing this to him,” Leese pleaded. She held her breath as the elven woman reached over to pull off the stained sheet and let it out in relief when she saw that Petter was still breathing.

“Such a waste,” the elf brushed a stray lock of hair behind her pointed ear. She unslung the leather bag that she had over her shoulder and began rummaging inside, singing a sweet melody as she searched.

“What have you done to him?” Leese's gaze darted up and down the length of Petter's body. She saw the same coarse stitches that she had in several places on the fire genasi, but no other signs of trauma or torture. She silently thanked the goddess that her friend was whole in body. “Please can't you just let us go? I promise that I will not tell anyone about what has happened here. Just please let us go.”

“Us,” the elven woman sneered. “He's in love with you, did you know that?”

Leese stared at the woman in disbelief. She had no words with which to respond.

“But don't worry dear, I'll not harm you.” The elven woman pulled out a belt, a pouch and a several rings from her leather bag. “It's him who must suffer for his sins. Him who will bear the guilt of causing me to be cast out from my family and from my people.”

The elf opened the pouch and placed several gem stones on different parts of Petters body. Next she carefully put the rings on his finger and finally tied the leather belt around his waist.

“I delved in to his mind and read the thoughts that he never wanted me to see. He was always holding something back, but I thought that love would overcome all in our path.”

“I understand your pain...”

“You understand nothing child!” Leese stepped back from the elven woman who shook with righteous fury. “He never loved me! Not even for a single day. All that I was to him was a conquest and then a source of unwanted attention. Well it's time that he learned his lesson.”

“Please don't.”

The elf paused during her preparations of the ritual and a single tear rolled down her beautiful cheek. “Those were the exact words that I used at the moment that he walked out of my life.” Leese stepped forward the comfort her, but the elf recoiled away and raised a dagger to ward her off.

Leese wavered between attacking the elven woman with her bare hands, removing the objects from Petter's body or trying one more time to comfort her captor and thereby prevent the ritual from taking place. As she stepped towards Petter's body her captor spoke a single arcane word and suddenly her body went entirely rigid.

Unable to move a muscle or even draw breath the tiefling girl watched in horror as the elven woman chanted hate-filled words of power from an scroll. The parchment burnt up as the spell was cast and Leese was forced to watch the transmutation take effect. An aura of dark light surrounded both Petter and the elven woman and then faded away.

Leese gasped for breath when she felt the effects of her magical imprisonment suddenly disappear. Pain shot outwards from her stomach and she doubled over as it drove her to her knees.

A hand reached down to help Leese stand back up. When the tiefling girl had regained her feet she stepped back in surprise as she saw that her elven captor had changed. The same crooked smile was still there but this time it was on the face of a handsome elven man.

Leese looked at her friend lying on the metal table. There was no doubt in her mind. Petter had become a female fire genasi.

“Why?” she asked as she held on to the table. Leese's mind was reeling from shock as it was almost too much to take in.

“Now we are even,” the elven man said as he left the room and walked away.

Act2 Scene3 The Rescue

“I'm having a nightmare.” Those were the first words that Leese heard Petter say when she woke up on the table. It had been some time since their captor had left.

Leese draped the stained blanket over Petter's slim shoulders and gave her a hug. She looked at Petter's face and felt her heart ache in sympathy for what her friend was going through. The tiefling girl continued to support Petter and tried to think of something comforting to say.

“Hey, I've found their belongings,” a voice called out somewhere beyond the cell door. It took several heartbeats for Leese to realise that it belonged to Tallus.

“Search the other rooms,” Axiel commanded.

“This door is unlocked,” Rianna said as she pushed open the cell door. The air genasi, aasimar knight, gnome scholar and dwarven warrior burst in to the room.

Leese tried to climb off the metal table in order to intercept her friends, but Rianna got to her before she could say anything. As Axiel reached out to help Leese off the table, Rianna and Tallus began to help Petter stand up.

The stained blanket fell to the floor and everyone in the room stared at the fire genasi in shock and amazement.

“What happened to you?”

“Lady's Grace, but you've got some nice curves.”

“Shut up Tallus, this is serious.”

“I was being serious.”

“Well, you're not being helpful.”

“We're going to have to get some new clothes for her.”

“Mole, try to be a bit more considerate.”

“I was just pointing out the obvious.”

“Will you all just shut up!” Petter jelled in a high pitched voice. “I'm having a nightmare and you're all uninvited.”

Some of the others laughed nervously unsure whether it was a joke or not. Leese fought to hold back her tears.

“Petter, you can't deny what's going on.”

“Yes, I'm certainly not going to deny what my eyes are telling me.”

“For the last time Tallus, just pike it.”

“Not that I'm complaining about Leese either. She sure hides it well.”

“Shut up!” several voices all shouted together.

“It's a good job that Rianna has friends in low places, else we'd never have found this place.”

“Are you trying to start a fight? Or are you simply angry at the whole of the Multiverse?”

“At least I don't retreat from the Multiverse in to tomes and books. They can offer you no sanctuary.”

“Listen, let's just collect their things and get to a safe place.”

“The Harmonium guard station?”

“No, somewhere else.”

“Why not there? It's much better than a room at an inn.”

“Because I'm supposed to be on patrol at the moment and not partaking in a rescue mission.”

“You disobeyed an order to join the Harmonium patrol?”

“Yes and I don't want to discuss it further. Now can we please move on?”

“Sure thing Captain. Well, Petter my lovely - let's be going.”

Petter leapt forward and slapped Tallus hard in the face. Leese watched as the dwarf stood in stunned silence and the fire genasi cradled her bruised hand to her chest.

Rianna intervened quickly by covering Petter with the blanket and hustling her out of the room to get changed. Leese followed them to the another room and heard the men begin to argue in the cell. Despite her exhaustion she managed to get herself dressed and helped Rianna getting Petter dressed as well.

The dispirited group made their way out of the underground complex and back on to the streets of Sigil. Leese felt a twitch in the corner of her mouth and realised that she was actually happy at seeing the muddy streets of the Hive once again. She looked back at the dilapidated tower that they had emerged from and burned the image of it in to her memory.

By the time that they got to an inn several streets away they were all soaked from the constantly drizzling rain.

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

I finally found it, simmo! Nice work indeed.

I look forward to finding out where all of this is going...