[Planescape] Squaring the Circle Redux - IC

[Old Fezziwig]

Vlad looks at Donner and Kiaros and shakes his head. "Only fools play games with death." He then grins morbidly, hoping the irony of his statement sinks in.

When they reach the bugbears...
"Ten jinx. Of course." Vlad pays the toll, shrugging.

 

[deadestdai]

You reach the gate to the walled section of the city, the great basalt walls carved with leering and snarling faces. A squad of scruffy bugbears stand guard, collecting tolls rather arbitrarily and keeping the 'riffraff' out none too gently. Behind them floats a leathery, bulbous orb with a large central eye and several eyestalks sprouting from its crown, watching their careless cruelty with detached interest. As you approach, the largest of the bugbears, a hulking and scarred basher with a sallow, jaundiced hide, appraises the group with a hungry eye.

"10 jinx. Each," he demands in rough Common, stained fangs flashing toothily as he grins nastily.

Immediately Flaust's eyebrow arches with intrigue. That was a lot of money to pay to enter the walled area of the city. Even bashers in the Cage didn't try to bob a cutter for that much and expect to get away with it. She turned to her companions and offered a quizzical expression, hopefully comveying her distinct want to NOT pay, but unsure whether the others were so inclined.

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

*Blade leans over to Flaust as she starts bouncing around.*

"I don't think we want to anger a beholder. He could turn you to stone, you know," Blast whispers to her, keeping an eye on the eye tyrant.

 

[Thanee]

Zoe Windwalker

“What is a jinx, anyways? A gold piece?” Zoe asks her companions in a whisper. She has yet to get used to some of the planar terminology. “While I would glady let the air burst out of this oversized baloon, I agree that we neither need nor want that kind of attraction. And I also heard they're kinda dangerous.”

 

[Serpenteye]

Kiaros grins back at Donner, deliberately turns his back on the halfling and makes a shrugging motion towards Vlad. He waits a short while for the killing blade, and if it doesn't come he moves on with the group, up towards the gate. I could just stop breathing, he reflects, but other means of death might serve us better. The time will come for my exit scene.

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

"Yes, jinx is gold," Blade says quickly to Zoe, hoping to pay and get in quickly.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

Vlad, having paid and passed through, turns back to look at the group patiently, his head cocked to one side.

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

*Blade digs into her belt pouch and pulls out ten jinx. Giving them to the bugbear tolltakers, she steps through and waits for the others.*

Surely they have money... right? she thinks, and then shakes her head.

 

[Thanee]

Zoe Windwalker

“Fine.” Zoe gets out 10 of her gold pieces, or jinx, and hands them to the bugbear who talked to them, then waits for a nod or other sign, that she can proceed, and heads on through the gate.

 

[deadestdai]

Eyes wide with disbelief that they would be so ready to pay so much, Flaust groans and fishes around about her person for the required toll - not once looking at the bugbear, nor the eye-bag and moodily slapping her hard-earned cash into the waiting palm whilst storming through the archway.