Episode Ia - "It" begins
"Can someone tell me what in the Nine Hells is going on?" Gadrian the dwarf grumbled to a strange looking human woman and the suspicious looking halfing. [Aren't they all? - Ed]
"I don't know, but the headache I had led me to this house," Alex replied in perfect Latin. Funny how they called it "Planar Trade" here. At least her schooling came to some use.
Calis noted the astonished look on the dwarf's face. So, he thought, we all were summoned here for some purpose. At that moment he saw something move in the back of the small, dusty clerk's office. "Something is moving back there."
The three Clueless went to the back of the shop. "Why, hello!" they heard as a black and white cat jumped from a fling cabinet onto a desk.
"Who's there?" Alex asked.
The cat turned and looked at her. "It wasn't me--" The cat was interruped by a large thud as the back of Alex's head hit the floor. Gadrian rushed over to her as Calis looked upon the scene in silent amusement.
After a few moments, Gadrian awakened Alex by slapping her and yelling, "C'mon missy, wake up. There's more crazy things than talking cats around here." Alex got to her feet a little dizzy, bracing against the edge of the desk.
"I'm sorry, it wasn't me talking earlier, but it was some---thing you need to hear."
On top of the desk an old, large book opened, and a human like face seemed to form between the pages. It spoke in a meek voice, "I needed to call for help, so I tried to curb some ----" This time it was the book which was interrupted by the back of Alex's head hitting the floor.
Now slightly annoyed, Calis watched Gadrian wake Alex again. Calis just wanted to know why he was here.
"Sorry," Alex said when she had semi-recovered her wits.
The book began again, "In any case, we need a few kind pivers such as yourselves to take myself and Jyssom here to Automata, gate-town to Mechanus. You have heard of Automata, right? It's still there."
Jysson analyzed the blank faces. "I think you've just pulled in some clueless."
"Hmm," the book said. "Oh well. They can still do the job. Jyssom here is willing to offer a good sum of jink and this kip to you if you help us. In his past life Jysson bought me off a basher named Heiron who lived in Automata but Jysson was put in the dead-book - that means he died - before he could make his last payment. Jysson as a cat, here, is a petitioner - oh, umm, what you are after you die - from the Beastlands."
Jysson cut the book off, "I was here on errands for the cat lord and I found out about my old life; I guess that's rare. So I want to make amends and return the book to the blood. You willing to help?"
Alex, with nothing better to do, nodded.
Calis asked, "Jink...?"
The cat answered, "gold."
Calis nodded as Gadrian yelled, "of course!"
"Good," the book said. "Now it looks from the shadows that it's quite a few hours past peak. Is this your first day here in Sigil? Hmm, well I know where the gate is to Automata - it's in the Clerk's ward - but why don't you three find a place to call kip tonight and we'll go tomorrow."
----
The three Clueless, with Jysson and the book in tow wandered around the Market Ward and the Great Bazaar. Alex bought a rapier and studded leather (just in case) she thought. All three asked questions about where to go and stay; several bloods directed them to Chirper's, since it catered to Clueless. After spending some "jink" on food, drink, and a room, they called it a night. Calis eyed the room, looking for a score, but was discouraged by the sight of several guards with weird spikes in their armor. One person at the bar said they belonged to a faction, "Mercykillers". Calis shrugged and went up to bed.
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The next day, the three Clueless made their way through the strange city to the Clerk's ward by following the book's directions. It wasn't too hard, as traffic in the streets got much better outside the Market Ward. They walk up to a small clerk's shop all holding a paper with a backwards "E".
"Can I help you?" the bariar clerk asked as the door opened, but as Alex stepped through, she fell like she was being sucked into a void ---- and stepped out into a different town, one with a sky.
Gadrian came right behind her, followed by Calis.
"Did you hear that goat-thing? It seemed a little mad," Gadrian stated.
"Yes," Calis replied, still fuming over the bariar calling him a runt. "I will remember his.... mistake. Well, book, where is this man you seek?"
Next time: "Episode Ib - 3 Clueless in Automata"
