Ptolus: The Legend of Longcoat

[Erekose13]

"My apologies Priestess Bersha, I had taken a leave of absense to visit my parents. They live down in the docks and I was quite concerned with the rumors that had been coming from there. While we don't take much heed in this coming from all the way down there, it was fortunate that I did visit. Together with a group of concerned citizens we discovered that Longcoat really did exist and we put down the threat to the Docks for good. My companion here Vanden, is one of those with whom I worked. I had hoped today that I might speak with someone here about some ancient dwarven construction we discovered beneath the docks." replies Maugra.

 

[Voadam]

When questioned, the paperboy is barely able to squeak out a reply before Ada points out that Garn should probably release -- or at least loosen -- his grip on the young man's neck.

Shaken and wide-eyed, the boy explains he gets his copies of the Pelican at a vacant lot near the end of Bay Street, where a man named Wischard distributes the bundles to the paperboys before dawn on publication day.

"Please, sir, put me down now?"

* * *

"Bah," Garn tosses the kid away to the ground roughly and doesn't give him a second glance as he turns back to the towering Ada "So tell me sweetie, what do you want from this !@#$ing gnome? You angry at his story and want me to give him a reason not to do it again?"

 

[Trench]

"Bah," Garn tosses the kid away to the ground roughly and doesn't give him a second glance as he turns back to the towering Ada "So tell me sweetie, what do you want from this !@#$ing gnome? You angry at his story and want me to give him a reason not to do it again?"

"Partly," Ada says, watching the paperboy flee. "I've been careful about... certain parts of my life and the little bastard goes ahead and publishes it in the paper. Putting the fear of the gods into him sounds fine by me."

"But aside from that, I could use him. If we're heading into some ancient slut's wet caverns, he'd probably want the story. An in return, a journalist would be a very helpful source of information for the future."

Ada taps her head. "You have to think for the long term, Garn."

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

"My apologies Priestess Bersha, I had taken a leave of absense to visit my parents. They live down in the docks and I was quite concerned with the rumors that had been coming from there. While we don't take much heed in this coming from all the way down there, it was fortunate that I did visit. Together with a group of concerned citizens we discovered that Longcoat really did exist and we put down the threat to the Docks for good. My companion here Vanden, is one of those with whom I worked. I had hoped today that I might speak with someone here about some ancient dwarven construction we discovered beneath the docks." replies Maugra.

The dwarven acolyte, whom Maugra recognizes as Thurst Steamhammer, looks up, and his grease-streaked features wrinkle up as he thinks.

"Huh," he says, pondering. Bersha snaps her fingers at him rapidly, and he shrugs, going back to work on the doors. "No idea, Maugra Ironcrane, sorry."

The priestess waves airily at Maugra.

"Fine," she says, in a tone that suggests that she feels otherwise. "I'm sure there will remain work to be done when you finally do return to the temple."

 

[Trollbabe]

His nuts long since eaten, Garnet steps into the grounds of the Necropolis. Although the rest of the city is only feet away, it feels colder here, and quieter. The sun is up, and the broad paths between the tombs and graves are mostly kept clear and neat -- at least here, on the periphery -- but it's a terribly lonely place.

A woman in a black hooded coat shuffles along a path perpendicular to the one Garnet is walking on. She does not look up.

Garnet pulls his cloak tight around him and moves down the path. The monuments and crypts crowd him as he shuffles towards his mother's grave. It is a fair distance from the Necropolis gate. Although large mausoleums stand in the distance adorned with angels and gargoyles his mother's grave is a simple metal marker standing two feet high, with now dead flowers tied to it. Garnet stands quietly infront of the marker. Its already begun to rust and something has knocked it so that it leans crooked.

The wind blows and an iron gate creaks as it swings. Garnet remains silent not turning his head to see what made the sound. He stands this way a long while. Kiver mimics his master's expression, silently perched on his shoulder. In a whisper Garnet finally speaks: "Its done Momma. He can't hurt anyone anymore." After another moment of silence Garnet turns from the grave and begins his walk back to the city.

 

[Voadam]

"Partly," Ada says, watching the paperboy flee. "I've been careful about... certain parts of my life and the little bastard goes ahead and publishes it in the paper. Putting the fear of the gods into him sounds fine by me."

Garn curls a fist tight and the sounds of powerful tendons going taut is audible. "Its not the !@#$ing gods he'll fear."

"But aside from that, I could use him. If we're heading into some ancient slut's wet caverns, he'd probably want the story. An in return, a journalist would be a very helpful source of information for the future."

Ada taps her head. "You have to think for the long term, Garn."

Garn gives off a horrible chuckle. "Wet caverns, Har!"

 

[Erekose13]

Having been let off this hook by the Priestess, Maugra continues into the temple heading for the library(?) knowledge vault(?) wise elder(?) She virtually drags Vanden along with her not wanting to dally.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Gas lamps hiss quietly as Maugra and Vanden head deeper into the Temple of Teun. They turn away from the worship area frequented by the laity, and down steps into areas reserved for the temple staff.

Vanden notices the style of construction and even the materials changing as they descend -- the Teunites have made use of preexisting structures beneath the current city for their own purposes.

Finally, Maugra opens a door that seems to be made of slate. It was apparently once carved with runes or some sort of design, but time has worn it away to mere lumps. Vanden blinks in surprise when the door opens, as the room beyond is as brightly lit as one of the rare sunny days in Ptolus.

An ancient dwarf, his thin liver-spotted skin looking almost painted on the skull beneath, leans over a table, examining an ancient manuscript with an enormous magnifying lens. A young woman sits nearby, knitting, but close enough to help him if the manuscript or magnifying lens are too much for the white-bearded old dwarf.

The dwarf is Eror Wordhoarder, Grand Archivist of Teun, and possibly the oldest living dwarf in the world.

 

[Cthulhudrew]

Vanden kept suitably silent during Maugra's meeting with her superior, not wishing to interrupt or (possibly) get her into any more trouble- her forays certainly don't seem to have engendered goodwill with her temple, despite their end result.

He marvels at the construction around them as Maugra drags him through her temple. The dwarves of Ptolus certainly are wondrous builders. Hopefully someone here would have some information about the undercity, even if her fellow acolyte did not.

As the pair enter into Eror Wordhoarder's chamber, Vanden bows reverently, but stays behind Maugra, allowing her to initiate conversation. Unfamiliar with dwarven customs, Vanden tries to stay back and not offend.

 

[Erekose13]

"Greetings Grand Archivist Eror, I apologize for the intrusion, but I have a few questions that I hope I might bother you with." says Maugra.