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Message: <blockquote data-quote="arwink" data-source="post: 280135" data-attributes="member: 2292">Around a table at the Gargoyle, introductions are made and brith-marks compared.  There is a certain affinity between all present, not trust or friendship but a recognition that they were meant to find each other.  With the mystery of the elemental cults attacks, and the antithapy developing between the Temple of Tiamat and Solomon and Madeline, a general consensus is reached.  They will band together to find out what secrets there are behind their marks, defend each other from assults by the various organisations that search for them, and if time presents itself help Bjorn in his quest to find his brother and save Sveedom from the invading horde.It's agreed that their best method of defence against the cults is offence - they need information on where the lairs are and fast.  With the background information they've got, they figure they should be able to get some news on the streets.  Then Khynal remembers the information broker, Junge, and figures there's probably a faster way of getting what they need.A quick search of the district quickly reveals something is up.  Junge's normal hangouts are empty, and those they talk too suggest that he's in some kind of trouble.  Khynal hands a few gold coins into waiting hands and finds out the goblin went into hiding early in the morning, hiring a room in a run-down inn near Demon-mouth square.  Thanking the seedy gentleman providing the information for their time, Khynal leads the party to the inn.  They crowd in the hallway before the rotting door to Junge's room.  "Junge," Khynal yells, "We need to talk.  We've got gold.""Who is it?" A voice calls out in an obvious falsetto, "No Junge here.  Go away.""It's Khynal Yarrow, You've worked with us before.  Sold us the location of the Gauntlet, then sold us out to a few stray attackers after, remember?"There's a flurry of movement and the sound of breaking glass.  Khynal gestures at Meryn, who aims a few well placed blows and the door.  It snaps in half, revealing a small, groundfloor room with a broken window. Outside, a scabby goblin is sprinting down the alleyway as fast as he can.Bjorn gives Voolfy a curt command, "Fetch" and the wolf is instantly through the window and chasing down her prey.  When Junge turns to see if he's being persued, the great grey wolf is virtually on top of him.  He screams again as Voolfy lunges, her teeth closing around his leg and bringing him to the ground.  By the time the party catches up, Voolfy is calmly sitting on the goblins chest with a particularly pleased smile on her face.  Khnyal kneels by the goblins head, a gun in hand, but can't get a word out before the information broker starts screaming."RAck off, rack off RACK OFF!  I didn't see you, didn't hear you, never knew you existed.  Get this wolf off me and let me go.  I gots enough problems without a bunch of walking dead men like you chasing after me.  The fists are out for me, you get me?  The Fists!  I don't need anymore trouble.:Khynal points the pistol at the goblins head, and quietly points out that he's in trouble enough without the fists.  Junge goes cross-eyed trying to stare at the barrel of the gun, but it calms him down slightly.  Realising that things could get messy, and well beneath the Aasimar's standard, Madeline quickly suggests to Meryn that they should go stand guard at the alley's entrance.  If Junge is being hunted, it's probably best not to be taken unawares.  Meryn looks at the gnome, then glances back at the gun-weilding psion and his prisoner.  She isn't sure how much she trusts him, and she's certain he's not above hurting or killing the goblin to get what he wants.  Torn between the logic of Madeline's suggestion and the fear for the goblins life, it is logic that eventually wins out.  Madeline coaxes her back along the alleyway, pointing out that they'll hear any gunshots from that distance anyway.Junge isn't forthcoming with information, despite the presence of the gun in his face.  Figuring he's dead anyway, he tries to make the best of the situation.  He knows a few bits and pieces about the cults, could probably find out more, but points out he's got other problems.  A few days back, his brother broke into the temple of HExtor to steal something.  He failed, badly, but managed to escape.  Yesterday, a bunch of fists tracked him down and caught him, but they're still hunting for the rest of the family with the intent of making an example of them.  Junge's fairly sure he can keep clear of the Fists, he's knows a few boltholes and Brotherhood contacts in the undercity, but he's hesitant to make his way south until he's sure he's brothers dead.  An agreement is quickly reached - the party will rescue Junge's brother from the temporary headquarters the fists have set up in the Blood district, in return for the goblin spilling everything he knows about the cult temples in the city.  Khynal gives the word, and Bjorn gets Voolfy off the goblins chest.  Handing over a few gold coins, the Solomon tells Junge to find somewhere safer.  Junge quickly calculates the coins value, then tells them to meet him at Tork's shack after they rescue his brother.  He'll hire the mercenary as protection until he can head to the undercity.As the goblin scampers away, something else he screamed out in his panic occurs to Khynal."Junge, one more thing," he calls.  The goblin stops, turns reluctantly."What?""Why are we walking dead men?"Junge lets out a gruff giggle."Bounties, right?  Between you five, you're worth somethin' like ten thousand gold coins.  Any down on his luck merc or Depth-diver in the city'll be more than willing to take your heads in for that.  Good luck with the fists.  I don't expect you'll succeed, but given your dead anyway..."------</blockquote>

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