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Message: <blockquote data-quote="megamania" data-source="post: 3679516" data-attributes="member: 9255">JOHN PLAY:  PLAY HARDSEGMENT 001“A Plot Discovered”The young man dressed in black and red made nearly no sounds as he walked slowly through the connecting catacomb.  He was from the surface world but was comfortable here in the dark catacombs of Under Sharn.  Sometimes he explored the many layers that were the sub basement of the civilizations that were built where Sharn towers now.  However, today he was here for a reason.  He was working.What is his job?  To most, he is a playboy son of a war hero and magical arms designer.  To a select few, he is a Breland government worker.  And from this short list, he is known to be a Dark Lantern.  A Dark Lantern is part Spy, Combatant and in some cases …. An assassin.  A necessary evil for a country at war.On this day, the 4th of Lharvion in the year of 993, a contact of his has tried to reach him.  As any time they can not meet at the Last Call Tavern they try again in a safer environment for his contact.  The young man doesn’t mind it at all.  Even with the sewers, the wandering creatures and the occasional homeless but far from harmless vagrant he smiles under his magical mask.  His father wore this mask when he worked for the government of Breland.  It gives him the ability to see in the darkness.  A good thing 100’s of feet below the cities lowest exposed level.He is near the meeting place so he becomes more cautious of followers.  He walks and hides and waits.  After several minutes he continues on only to repeat himself several times.  Finally he reaches the spot.  A spot known by some as E- 113 Valve Cluster but others as “Home”.  Jasper, his contact, showed him this place in good confidence (a few gold pieces) last year when John first ran into conflict with the group known as Venom.  There are several gently glowing symbols carved into the walls here.  The magic here negates any poison.  Several rogues as a neutral and “safe” place to meet enjoy it.  It is surrounded by a quiet stream of somewhat “pure” water which makes trailing someone unknown more difficult also though not impossible.Standing by the six valves that once brought waste product from the towers above to here to be consumed by creatures that have a taste for excrement and other waste products John Play nods his head as if agreeing to something being said to him.  Another ten minutes pass and he sighs deeply.“Not very stealthy when you let out air like that kid.”The disrupted shades of gray vision reveal a short goblin standing about 30ft away.  He is wrapped in ragged clothes and a cape.  He smiles at the rogue whom he may be pressured to agree is one of his few friends.  His one lone oversized tooth shines pure white in John’s darkvision lenses.“You need to take a bath someday Goblin.  Hopefully this time in clean water.  Scented and soapy would be best.”Jasper knows he is smiling under his mask.  Jasper knows the boy well.  Jasper knows a lot.  And knowledge is money…. Especially during wartime.Jasper, the goblin snitch, waits for his reward.  Play holds up the pouch with the gold Breland coins.  “ten now….. ten more if its good.”  The goblin seizes the pouch and carefully fumbles it between his scaly cracked fingers.  He feels the weight and shape of each coin through the thin cloth.  Satisfied, he pockets it within a hidden spot under his rags and hidden armor.  “Ever hear of a Gnoll plotting to kill a Breland Noble?  How about in public?“Every third day at the Roc’s Roost and Restaurant.  Details.  My people will want more than general knowledge of boasting dogmen.”Each play a cat and mouse game of bluff and calling one’s bluff as the nosey goblin tries to only give up as much information as he needs to while saving juicer pieces for more gold.  He would make the Trust envious.After fifteen minutes of this game Jasper leaves.  John Play knows he needs to reach a deeper section of Under Sharn to listen in on a meeting of Gnolls and Venom agents.  How he hates Venom and their assassins.   Killers, many are monstrous humanoids from the west in a territory being referred to as Droaam, are enlisted.  They have few morale concerns about uppity humans and love to test new poisons on them.   As if the war was not horrible enough.Taking a moment to think about the best-plotted course to reach the meeting place, John pauses then leaps into action.   He never makes a sound while walking quickly away.</blockquote>

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