Metropolis (The World in Waiting) - Chapter One

jkason said:
Ru turns to the halfling with a shake of the head. "Not that I'm aware of. Any special reason you're asking?"
"No, not realy. Just a name that came up a while ago that no one seems to know." Replies Taran
 

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The motley group trudged through the sewers for about an hour, most of them completely lost now in the twists and turns of this underground kingdom. But true to his word, Taran took one final turn in a narrow pipe and led the group to his home. A large chamber riddled with rope walkways, ladders, platforms, vats, pipes, nests, all in general disarray stretched forth before him. Populated with nearly a hundred people, all working on various sewer farms that provided the world above with the food that they needed to survive.

Down the ladder before the group was the Phanlak Pits*, where an old white haired and withered elf seemed to be having problems with directing people to bend the sticky substance that was being pulled.

At the sight of the chamber many of the men in the group sigh with relief, for the warriors had survived their incurrsion into enemy territory, and they were home safe...

[sblock]*Phanlak is a children's treat often served during Azrantide**. Made from an interesting collection of syrup and mosses, as well as other odds and ends, many children laugh at the fact that the jar clearly states that they are produced in the sewers. Apparently they think it's a joke.

**Azrantide is the celebration dedicated to the sun god Azran where all of his followers celebrate their birthdays on the same day. Children eat Phanlak while adults get drunk and give children Phanlak so they will leave them alone.[/sblock]
 

Ghost Hound Elf Bard

jkason said:
Ru shakes his head a bit, opens his mouth to speak, stops, then starts again.

"I believe I'm confused. I thought your editor's name was Burke McGregor? Half-orc? Reading glasses? That's who I talked to, in any case. Is there a second 'McGregor' you have problems with?"
Ghost laughs "That damn Burke, it's his idea of a joke." the elf says with a grin "he knows that I've been wanting to get a job with a real newspaper now for a couple of years and Devyn McGregor runs the Herald. Burke looks to lead me along sometimes. Don't worry, I'll get my own back, I have every other time he's run this ploy. Maybe after this story McGregor really will want to hire me, that'd get up that damn half-orcs nose" the elf finishes as they proceed along the tunnel.
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Bront said:
"No, not realy. Just a name that came up a while ago that no one seems to know." Replies Taran

"Bremmen duGaur? Yeah I know him, he was the one that told me about he sewers and the Yellow Robes, albeit it indirectly, he works in the Ivory Market dealing in body parts" Ghost finishes with a grimace and a look of distaste.
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D20Dazza said:
"Bremmen duGaur? Yeah I know him, he was the one that told me about he sewers and the Yellow Robes, albeit it indirectly, he works in the Ivory Market dealing in body parts" Ghost finishes with a grimace and a look of distaste.
"Really? Interesting. He must compete with Giante then." Taran says, wondering why Ghost didn't know that the last time he asked the man. He shrugs, feeling that bit is a bit less important now.

Taran waves to Vulgarth as he leads the large band towards the city, a somewhat triumphant smile on his face.
 

Ba'aktar plodded along beside the others, disappointed at not finding the undead Ru spoke of and not bothering to seek an answer to his request. Two trophy heads would have to suffice for today. The talk of people and names bored him, he had little care for such things.

Having arrived back at the town Ba'aktar looked back at the column of children and warriors, seeking one in particular among them. Hentre had a score to settle, so it would be disappointing if he had fallen in the Robes' den. That aside it was a win-win situation for Ba'aktar. Either Hentre was alive and he'd get to fight, or Hentre was dead and he could relax. He reached into his pocket for a small bundle of herbs, his chest ached but it was tolerable, he would only eat the herb if fighting Hentre seemed a possibility.
 
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"This is home, is it?" Ru says absently, taking in the sights. He knew Metropolis had underground activity, but it was something else to bear witness to it first hand.
 

The column slowly but surely made it down into the village, gathering in the fields below as the elderly elf, Vulgrath*, approached. At his feet tagged a small girl dressed in over-sized farmer's garb, shyly peering past his legs at the gathering children in front of her.

"Taran! You're back! My god son, you did it!" Vulgrath smile almost split his face in half as his arms reached out before him in a gesture of greeting. The rescued children, though weary, seem to stare at the elderly elf, his wizened frame, long white hair, his wrinked skin, then at the small child at his feet.

The children begin cheering and run for the elf in an explosion of happiness, the small girl behind Vulgrath also running out to meet the kids. For once a sign of joy and peace is permitted in this city of decay.

Ba'aktar:
[sblock]Ba'aktar Spot check (DC hidden) +22 - Success

Ba'aktar, unmoved by the events around him, looked. Hentre might have been around here somewhere, the halfling had been very quiet in the assault on the robes' lair. He had seen him in the battle, but did not know whether he lived or died. Not letting his guard down, the half-orc scanned the area, if he was hiding, where?

The children burst out across the farmland to Vulgrath. Ba'aktar stared, there was something...of course!!!! Ba'aktar saw the child, he was a little fatter than the others, and more determined to keep within the pack as he ran. Hentre had hidden with the children for some reason, but why?

...Vulgrath...
[/sblock]

Everyone:
[sblock]*the name of the elf is easily picked up within the group due to the chatter happening. Should you have not met the elf yet, you still have easily picked up his name.[/sblock]
 


Ba'aktar wasn't sure what was happening. Suddenly the big half-orc's eyes narrowed and he seemed to start sprinting towards one of the children. It was more an automatic reaction than a concious one.

"Protect Vulgrath!" he yelled, as he bore down on the specific little figure.

His khora appeared in his hand as he ran, and he moved to place himself in between Hentre and where the little fiend was headed. Ba'aktar made no demand for the halfling to stop what he was doing, or explain his actions. He had no desire to know whether it was simply a misunderstanding as he looked down coldly on Hentre. If Hentre had a weapon drawn Ba'aktar would attack without hesitation, but if Hentre didn't Ba'aktar would simply interpose himself between Hentre and Vulgrath, and wait for a reason to spill the halfling's blood. Anything would suffice.
 

'OK' thought the Jackal, 'Bruno's gone crazy, Best to not get in the way, I don't need my head added to the ettins' And he continues searching for his boys.
 

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