Metropolis (Slaves to the City) - Chapter Two

[Phoenix]

Ru waits for Scrab and Wos to return, choosing not to play witness to them. He's just a touch cold remembering their glee at the task ahead. Ru's good at violence and killing, sure, but it's always been a tool, not an ... entertainment. Still, he supposed people who liked their jobs were easier to hire to do the work when you could afford to. Keep your own hands a little cleaner and your own neck a little safer.

Ru waits under a street lamp. When the half-ogres return, he'll pay them their share, as well, and give them the same offer for information-gathering on his newest target.

One step closer, though gods know how much crazier the path is going to get.

The half-ogres take their cut and nod happily at the thought of being paid for looking for people in yellow, easy money in a city with millions of people. Ru got the feeling that they didn't quite get the gist of things, but let it lie, thought they were dumb, they weren't that dumb.

The warehouse closes up and Constantine leaves in an old covered wagon drawn by draft horses, probably back to The Vein for business as usual. Ru was alone again, though he was really very little closer to his goal, there was so much to do, and maybe so little time...

 

[jkason]

The half-ogres take their cut and nod happily at the thought of being paid for looking for people in yellow, easy money in a city with millions of people. Ru got the feeling that they didn't quite get the gist of things, but let it lie, thought they were dumb, they weren't that dumb.

The warehouse closes up and Constantine leaves in an old covered wagon drawn by draft horses, probably back to The Vein for business as usual. Ru was alone again, though he was really very little closer to his goal, there was so much to do, and maybe so little time...

Time to put out more feelers, he supposed. He had the mercenary set on alert through the boys tonight. The other major avenues would be the street thieves and the merchants. Even though it was late, he ought to be able to catch one or another of the street kid cutpurses running around. He could hit the merchants in the morning during his rounds, then lay the new circumstances on Ari while he waited for (hopefully) quick returns on the information.

Ru loped off toward home, eyes out for a street kid or small pack he could press into service.

 

[Fenris]

Perrik looks across to the desheveled form of Jovik and sits on the vile sand by his feet. "Seems as though these yellow-robed cultists have been stealing children's souls to use in their rituals to their dark gods. We're down here to make sure that they don't get the chance to do it again, and also so their corrupt magic doesn't affect the city above."

"Oh" replies the Jackal wearily. "That's all. Well I suppose that they should be stopped. But you think you ought'n tell them leaders up there that the yellow robes can't be killed? Or should they wait and find out for their own selves? Probably let them figure it out on their own, not like they'd believe a vomit-ridden drunk anyway right? So Perrik, have they been stealing halfling children as well? And just how do you steal a soul anyway?"

 

[Phoenix]

"Oh" replies the Jackal wearily. "That's all. Well I suppose that they should be stopped. But you think you ought'n tell them leaders up there that the yellow robes can't be killed? Or should they wait and find out for their own selves? Probably let them figure it out on their own, not like they'd believe a vomit-ridden drunk anyway right? So Perrik, have they been stealing halfling children as well? And just how do you steal a soul anyway?"

The expression on Perrik's shows his obvioulsy growing disdain for the drunk that rambles at him, but he remains speaking, though not in a way that will extend the conversation in any way.

"They've been stealing children, that's all I know. So far only human children. As for how, I don't know, nonr do I care to know."

 

[Phoenix]

Time to put out more feelers, he supposed. He had the mercenary set on alert through the boys tonight. The other major avenues would be the street thieves and the merchants. Even though it was late, he ought to be able to catch one or another of the street kid cutpurses running around. He could hit the merchants in the morning during his rounds, then lay the new circumstances on Ari while he waited for (hopefully) quick returns on the information.

Ru loped off toward home, eyes out for a street kid or small pack he could press into service.

Through the darkness, Ru follwed that fastest route back into populated areas, just because he was a rogue, didn't mean others would leave him alone. Moving down the docks along the river, it was easy for Ru to find dozens of children would slept in the shadows of the warehouses, close to the water that was their lifesource.

Before Ru could make a decision, there was a wet thumping noise that distracted him. Along the docks behind him, a single dwarf draped in a torn heshan sack and dragging heavy weights around his legs, desperately tried to catch him, foam froathing at his mouth.

 

[jkason]

Through the darkness, Ru follwed that fastest route back into populated areas, just because he was a rogue, didn't mean others would leave him alone. Moving down the docks along the river, it was easy for Ru to find dozens of children would slept in the shadows of the warehouses, close to the water that was their lifesource.

Before Ru could make a decision, there was a wet thumping noise that distracted him. Along the docks behind him, a single dwarf draped in a torn heshan sack and dragging heavy weights around his legs, desperately tried to catch him, foam froathing at his mouth.

Ru spat out a string of filth at yet another dwarf refusing to die. He could outrun it easily, but the problem came if it turned its attentions to the street children. Ru certainly had a selfish streak, and he was cold when the situation called for it, but life as The Big Brother in his family left him unable to leave children in harm's way. He always found himself imagining his own siblings in those cases, and family loyalty kicked in.

"Kids, it's time to wake up!" Ru yelled even as he readied his quarterstaff. "Trouble's here, so you need to be absent."

He didn't expect he could kill this thing, but if he could at least break enough of its bones to effectively immobilize it like he had its fellows, that would be enough for him. Ru closed on the undead dwarf, looking to take the last few days' frustrations out by beating the thing to a bloody pulp.

 

[Fenris]

The expression on Perrik's shows his obvioulsy growing disdain for the drunk that rambles at him, but he remains speaking, though not in a way that will extend the conversation in any way.

"They've been stealing children, that's all I know. So far only human children. As for how, I don't know, nonr do I care to know."

"Well, thanks for leading me the rivers of filth and bodies and all that" Jovik says to Perrik. He laps his knees and stands up, looks over at the "leaders" still huddling over thier chicken scratchings, and says in a low voice, "Great I go into hell, the bowels of the city, being lead by Rufus and Crumpel*" And the Jackal, now getting his stomach and nerves under control, begins to wander about this charming lake side resort, looking for other egresses, spare coins and other souveniers.


*[sblock]Rufus and Crumpel are a pair of popular puppet charcaters whose shows make the rounds of the city. They are known for being stupid and silly, and their wacky mishaps never fail to entertain the children.[/sblock]

 

[Phoenix]

Ru spat out a string of filth at yet another dwarf refusing to die. He could outrun it easily, but the problem came if it turned its attentions to the street children. Ru certainly had a selfish streak, and he was cold when the situation called for it, but life as The Big Brother in his family left him unable to leave children in harm's way. He always found himself imagining his own siblings in those cases, and family loyalty kicked in.

"Kids, it's time to wake up!" Ru yelled even as he readied his quarterstaff. "Trouble's here, so you need to be absent."

He didn't expect he could kill this thing, but if he could at least break enough of its bones to effectively immobilize it like he had its fellows, that would be enough for him. Ru closed on the undead dwarf, looking to take the last few days' frustrations out by beating the thing to a bloody pulp.

[sblock]Initiative:
Dwarf - 6
Ru - 20

Ru attack roll (AC hidden) +24/+6 - Critical Hit/Miss
Ru critical confirmation (AC hidden) +22 - Success!
Ru damage roll - 16pts
Ru attack of opportunity (AC hidden) +17 - Hit
Ru damage roll - 6pts (22pts total)
Dwarf attack roll (AC 13) +7 - Critical Miss.
<Next Round>
Ru attack roll (AC hidden) +22/+13 - Hit/Miss
Ru damage roll - 8pts (30pts total)
Ru attack of opportunity (AC hidden) +20 - Hit
Ru damage roll - 4pts (34pts total)[/sblock]

The children wake from their slumber but move only enough into the shadows to watch the confrontation that is unfolding before their homes. The dwarf shambles up the road towards Ru, giving him plenty of time to prepare his attack. His staff whirls in his hand, cracking the dwarf soundly across the head and causing the shaft to jar in his hands.

Blood sprays across the street and their is a cracking sound in the dwarf's face, as the cannibal looks back Ru notices that his jaw is out of place. It doesn't slow him down though. The dwarf lunges at Ru, giving him time to try one last strike across the man's chest to slow him down, but all it succeeds in doing is throwing the dwarf's balance out and pushing him to the ground.

Rolling on the street, the dwarf desperately tries to grab Ru's feet to bite, but his staff comes down heavily several times and Ru hears the sounds of bones breaking in the man's legs and back.

The dwarf moans and wails, trying to scream through a shattered jaw. Barely able to pull himself across the street, it seems that the man will not die...

 

[Phoenix]

"Well, thanks for leading me the rivers of filth and bodies and all that" Jovik says to Perrik. He laps his knees and stands up, looks over at the "leaders" still huddling over thier chicken scratchings, and says in a low voice, "Great I go into hell, the bowels of the city, being lead by Rufus and Crumpel*" And the Jackal, now getting his stomach and nerves under control, begins to wander about this charming lake side resort, looking for other egresses, spare coins and other souveniers.

One door in the cave wall seems to be the only way on from here it seems, for Jovik notices that the 'beach' itself is not a large formation. As the Jackal begins to wander, one of the leaders, a large albino-looking elf character, breaks from the huddling group and begins to wander around enquiring into people's talents, splitting them into a 'stealthy' group and a 'battle' group as well as enquiring into the magical abilities of anyone.

The groups begin to make themselves obvious as people wander to one or the other, the 'steathy' group is noticably smaller than the 'battle' group though, with less than ten men confident to go forward and scout the facility.

 

[Fenris]

One door in the cave wall seems to be the only way on from here it seems, for Jovik notices that the 'beach' itself is not a large formation. As the Jackal begins to wander, one of the leaders, a large albino-looking elf character, breaks from the huddling group and begins to wander around enquiring into people's talents, splitting them into a 'stealthy' group and a 'battle' group as well as enquiring into the magical abilities of anyone.

The groups begin to make themselves obvious as people wander to one or the other, the 'steathy' group is noticably smaller than the 'battle' group though, with less than ten men confident to go forward and scout the facility.

As the albino approaches Jovik with his question of being capable of stealth, the Jackal grunts a "Yeah, I can do that stuff well enough" and wanders over to the stealthy party. His wandering on the "beach" were not entirely in vain however, his head has cleared and the drink has passed some clarity has returned. 'Ok' thought Jovik, 'so the yellow robe guy wasn't interested in Wasp, because he was picking a pocket, but merely becasue he spotted a child. But that weird thing he did that made the street stop, Idunno what that was about, but maybe that was how he made the kids forget me. Must have been, he coulda never founf those boys in the alleys. 'course they live HERE so who knows right? Well no pack of boys will be safe I suppose with these yellas around. And there goes a decent living, plus those kids was supporting families at that.' And as if he has finally decided whether to stay and extract revenge or run and survive as the Jackal knows best, Jovik squares his shoulders and steps into the stealthy line. 'Well' he thinks, 'If I want revenge better to have a good bunch of men to go in with than to go in alone. By the hells, I sure didn't bet on a whole group of them doing this.'

Phoenix:
[sblock] Should I stay in this thread or move to Chapter 1.
Love, the Naughty Monkey

ps: Really, I wasn't trying to jump chapters[/sblock]