Metropolis (Slaves to the City) - Chapter Two

[hafrogman]

Despite, the warning, Nikolai is already thinking about it. He's been a bit on edge ever since the first method of contact was a crossbow bolt at his head. Threats and bribery are all very well and good, but you're supposed to start with them, not use them as a last resort. This man in his room had tried to kill him once already. . . and there we no guarentees that he wouldn't try again after he got what he came for. Before he had even finished thinking this far, Nikolai's hand was raised, pointing the wand at the hunched figure and the command word sprung to his lips. . .

[sblock] Probably a bad idea, but, Magic Missle, 1d4+1 damage[/sblock]

 

[jkason]

Within the lobby curtain has been opened up to reveal the brothel floor, though it is now empty of any customers or workers except for a large troll, two elves and a gnome. The dwarf looks at Ru and grunts, "You kin go in."

Ru straightens up and moves into the room, moving purposefully to the troll. He bows his head in respect when he gets to the grouping of humanoids, and says to the troll, "A good morning to you. I hope last night proved quite profitable for you. If you have a moment--preferably alone--I have news, and a mutually-beneficial business offer."

 

[Phoenix]

Jackal takes out a small purse and throws it out onto the middle of the floor. "One gold crown for each of your men" he says and shoves a larger pouch into Rashul's chest "And fifty silver nobles for you. Half now, half tomorrow. As I said I have lost my boys, I'll leave it with the bartenter, Baeval at the Vomiting Jester pub"

One of the men picks up the smaller purse as Rashul instinctively catches the larger one. He seems no happier to take the money and his mouth seems opens to say as much. Rashul's expression grows strange though, confused as he watches Jovik's feet for some reason. The group begins to talk amongst themselves, but for Jovik it sounds like being underwater.

Today was making no sense at all. Unfortunately for the Jackal, things would come clear all too soon.

"Jovik the Jackal, it is your time to die."​

Mist flowed through the windows of the room, turning the inside of the building into a winter's morning. The chill was almost intolerable, and before Jovik's eyes icicals formes on the load bearing pillars above him. Snow settled on the boxes out of nowhere and the floor covered with ice that Jovik strangely could easily keep his feet on.

Turning his head, Jovik looked at the man who had spoken to him. Where he had come from and how he was so easily surprised was somewhat unsettling. The man stood easily six and a half feet tall and wore a snow white fur-lined robe that swayed as he approached. On his head an elegant golden crown set with obsidean pieces kept his long jet black hair out of his face.

"I am Zsath, the Spiritbanker. I have come for you Jovik."​

 

[Phoenix]

Despite, the warning, Nikolai is already thinking about it. He's been a bit on edge ever since the first method of contact was a crossbow bolt at his head. Threats and bribery are all very well and good, but you're supposed to start with them, not use them as a last resort. This man in his room had tried to kill him once already. . . and there we no guarentees that he wouldn't try again after he got what he came for. Before he had even finished thinking this far, Nikolai's hand was raised, pointing the wand at the hunched figure and the command word sprung to his lips. . .

[sblock] Probably a bad idea, but, Magic Missle, 1d4+1 damage[/sblock]

[sblock]Magic Missile damage - 4pts
Nikoli's Initiative roll - 12
Assassin's Initiative roll - 8
[/sblock]

The tip of Nikolai's wand glowed briefly before spitting forth a yellow ball of energy that shot across the room and slammed unerringly into the assassin's shoulder, jarring him momentarily. For a second Nikolai's hopes were raised as the assassin dropped his knife to the floor, only to draw a small sword from a sheath at his side and vault the table in the gnome's direction.

 

[Phoenix]

Ru straightens up and moves into the room, moving purposefully to the troll. He bows his head in respect when he gets to the grouping of humanoids, and says to the troll, "A good morning to you. I hope last night proved quite profitable for you. If you have a moment--preferably alone--I have news, and a mutually-beneficial business offer."

The troll looks at Ru suspiciously for a moment before gesturing at the others sitting nearby. "These are my business partners, anything you have to say to me, you may say to them."

 

[jkason]

The troll looks at Ru suspiciously for a moment before gesturing at the others sitting nearby. "These are my business partners, anything you have to say to me, you may say to them."

Ru takes in the other gentlemen, wondering at the fact that not a single one of them shares a race in common with their employees. Deciding it's not his business to worry racial exploitation ethics--especially given what he was about to attempt--Ru bows to the group at large.

"Masters. Ru Brike on behalf of Ari Turbul. I expect your partner's filled you in on the fact that Master Turbul has tasked me with your Killi-kelli-hek problem. We believe we have a viable first step in finding a solution.

"Short of bringing in an army, and possibly not even then, it would be insane to attempt the mass genocide of the hek. Better would be to find what outside force seems to have goaded them into this inexplicable expansion, then attend to that source. Treat the disease and not the symptom, as it were.

"To that end, a small, experienced group of Turbul's best will be undertaking to capture a stray member of the clan this evening. During the questioning that will follow, we'll likely have need of a translator who speaks Dwarf. And it occurred to me, good sir," here Ru addressed the troll directly, "that you might wish to play a part. We'll do the heavy lifting, of course, but I thought you might enjoy having some protected-but-direct interaction with the source of your current difficulties. Might prove ... cathartic."

 

[Phoenix]

Ru takes in the other gentlemen, wondering at the fact that not a single one of them shares a race in common with their employees. Deciding it's not his business to worry racial exploitation ethics--especially given what he was about to attempt--Ru bows to the group at large.

"Masters. Ru Brike on behalf of Ari Turbul. I expect your partner's filled you in on the fact that Master Turbul has tasked me with your Killi-kelli-hek problem. We believe we have a viable first step in finding a solution.

"Short of bringing in an army, and possibly not even then, it would be insane to attempt the mass genocide of the hek. Better would be to find what outside force seems to have goaded them into this inexplicable expansion, then attend to that source. Treat the disease and not the symptom, as it were.

"To that end, a small, experienced group of Turbul's best will be undertaking to capture a stray member of the clan this evening. During the questioning that will follow, we'll likely have need of a translator who speaks Dwarf. And it occurred to me, good sir," here Ru addressed the troll directly, "that you might wish to play a part. We'll do the heavy lifting, of course, but I thought you might enjoy having some protected-but-direct interaction with the source of your current difficulties. Might prove ... cathartic."

The troll thinks for a moment, delaying his decision obviously for reasons of his own. One of the elves leans forward and looks at the hulking creature sternly, "I think it would be in our best interest for you to attend this, Constantine."

The troll, Constantine, nods his head slowly. "Alright, but not here. Bring the creature to the Delphi district of the Apartments, the docklands. There is an old warehouse on Reddlin Street that has an old tower attached, I do...buisiness...there sometimes."

 

[jkason]

The troll thinks for a moment, delaying his decision obviously for reasons of his own. One of the elves leans forward and looks at the hulking creature sternly, "I think it would be in our best interest for you to attend this, Constantine."

The troll, Constantine, nods his head slowly. "Alright, but not here. Bring the creature to the Delphi district of the Apartments, the docklands. There is an old warehouse on Reddlin Street that has an old tower attached, I do...buisiness...there sometimes."

Ru bows low again, doing his best not to smile, though it's hard to ignore the relief he feels at something finally seeming to go his way. Well, not entirely his way; no doubt Constantine would have no love for Ru having managed to shame him into aiding in this endeavor. But it wasn't like he hadn't tried to make the request in private. The fact of the matter was there were plenty enough things to worry about in the hare-brained scheme Ru had devised. He'd deal with Constantine's embarrassment another time.

Having found his composure, Ru rises from the bow, saying "As you will, good Constantine. Until tonight, then, I'll leave you gentlefolk to your entrepreneurial pursuits."

With that, Ru excuses himself, heading home to get a brief bite and take a short nap before meeting the boys. Then onto the evening, wherein he'd either prove a brilliant risk-taker or a short-lived fool. He so very much hoped it would be the former, though his roiling stomach seemed more convinced it was the latter.

 

[Fenris]

One of the men picks up the smaller purse as Rashul instinctively catches the larger one. He seems no happier to take the money and his mouth seems opens to say as much. Rashul's expression grows strange though, confused as he watches Jovik's feet for some reason. The group begins to talk amongst themselves, but for Jovik it sounds like being underwater.

Today was making no sense at all. Unfortunately for the Jackal, things would come clear all too soon.

"Jovik the Jackal, it is your time to die."​

Mist flowed through the windows of the room, turning the inside of the building into a winter's morning. The chill was almost intolerable, and before Jovik's eyes icicals formes on the load bearing pillars above him. Snow settled on the boxes out of nowhere and the floor covered with ice that Jovik strangely could easily keep his feet on.

Turning his head, Jovik looked at the man who had spoken to him. Where he had come from and how he was so easily surprised was somewhat unsettling. The man stood easily six and a half feet tall and wore a snow white fur-lined robe that swayed as he approached. On his head an elegant golden crown set with obsidean pieces kept his long jet black hair out of his face.

"I am Zsath, the Spiritbanker. I have come for you Jovik."​

Jovik's head swam. What in the name of the nine hells was going on today he thought to himself. And when did his secrect hideout become the central terminal of the Krysh docks?

An assassin's dagger, a thug's blow, a murder's garrotte, any of these would be better than having to deal with all this mystical mumbo-jumbo. First some yellow-robe who steals his boys, and now this King Frosty, who pops up in his own house, who wants his life.

More out of bemusment and instict, Jovik found his voice "I have no truck with bankers of any kind, be it coin, flesh or spirits" And the Jackal attempts to make his exit through a secret door into his comforting alleys, knowing full well this room was somehow or another full of guildsmen and King Frosty at the same time, but at different times. There was no choice here, escape was his only hope. A plague from Mother Cauphriol* on this day. The Jackal had lost everything today, and the day wasn't over, nor were the losses. But the Jackal is sly, the Jackal can hide, if he can only survive..............



* Mother Cauphriol is a minor diety who is thought to bring disease and illness. She is called Mother since is is thoight that she gives birth to a new disease each year to inflict upon Metropolis.

 

[hafrogman]

Backpedaling quickly, Nikolai tries to evade the attack from his would-be assassin. Keeping the wand in between him and his foe, he attempts to duck around the figure and get closer to the workbench. His eyes scan the surface frantically, looking for the vial. He fires another bolt at the assassin in order to distract him, as little effect as that might have.

He thought briefly about attempting to bluff his way out of this, but his hands and voice were shaking enough to give him away. Besides, nobody ever seemed to believe his stories anyways. This one should be a good telling however. . . if he ever lived to describe it.