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<blockquote data-quote="simmo" data-source="post: 982669" data-attributes="member: 9744"><p>We Interrupt This Adventure</p><p>Act 1. scene 2.</p><p></p><p>We Interrupt This Adventure...</p><p></p><p>[WARNING: This story hour contains PLANESCAPE spoilers]</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>“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?”</p><p></p><p>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.”</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>“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.”</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>“Sneaking out to avoid paying the harlot?” Axiel did little to disguise the disdain in his voice.</p><p></p><p>Petter's smile disappeared in an instant and he gave the aasimar a cold hard stare. “She wasn't a harlot.”</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>“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....”</p><p></p><p>“Stand aside man,” Axiel used his most commanding tone on the drunken man with little effect.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>“Perhaps we should take him to the Gatehouse?” Rianna looked down at the man in pity.</p><p></p><p>“Better yet, why not take him to the Prison?” Petter began fingering the manacles that he had attached to his belt.</p><p></p><p>“Because he is neither mad nor has he committed any crimes,” replied Leese.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>“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.”</p><p></p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>“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.</p><p></p><p>“Yes,” Tallus stated flatly and pushed away one of the half-elf's hands which had begun patting down the cloak.</p><p></p><p>“How much will it cost?” Rianna asked.</p><p></p><p>“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.”</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>“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.”</p><p></p><p>“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.”</p><p></p><p>Mole almost leapt forward when he heard Rianna's answer and pushed his way past Axiel and Tallus.</p><p></p><p>“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.”</p><p></p><p>“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.”</p><p></p><p>“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.”</p><p></p><p>“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).</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>“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.</p><p></p><p>“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.”</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>“Why did you tell her that when we left?” Axiel sounded annoyed and suspicious.</p><p></p><p>“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.”</p><p></p><p>“I'm not going back there,” said Petter. “That woman was less than useless.”</p><p></p><p>“Amen to that,” agreed Tallus.</p><p></p><p>“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.</p><p></p><p>“That woman won't help us,” Axiel stated. “We should ask the local Harmonium outpost if they have arrested anyone recently called Eliath.”</p><p></p><p>“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?”</p><p></p><p>“Night Market,” answered Tallus. “Everything lost and found is sold by the knights up there. Perhaps we'll find our lost barmy friend there.”</p><p></p><p>“You mean stolen.” Petter scowled at the dwarf.</p><p></p><p>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!”</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>“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.”</p><p></p><p>The companions closed ranks around Mole as the ambushers drew their weapons and advanced on the group.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="simmo, post: 982669, member: 9744"] 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. [/QUOTE]
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