Cleaning House

[Lefty]

Leaving the troubles of Last Stop behind you, you face west again and set out for more civilized parts. Yet try as you might, the events of the midnight raid still haunt your waking moments, and your dreams leave you more tired than the travels.

But like all things the memories fade. By the time you reach the river front town of Dariyul thoughts of rewards from the Adventurers Guild are nearly all you can think about. In fact, your daydreams of treasure ended as you bumped into the guard shack outside the city walls.

As you look up to get your bearings you see three arrows aimed at you through slits in the palisade wall. A slightly wavering voice squeaks, is quickly followed by a throat clearing, and then demands, "Who are you and what business do you have here? We don't want none of that trouble they having up there in the hills."

[Unkykong]

"I'm not part of the problem they are having, but part of the solution."

[Lefty]

A different voice comes form behind one of the other arrows. "Ow does we know that? We gots twenty miners in 'ere too scared to do more than drink all our grog. Hows we know you aint what they skeerd of?"

[Unkykong]

I take the trophy I've been carrying and present the troglodyte head for them too see, "because I said so, that's how!"

[Lefty]

roll intimidate

[Unkykong]

(31....17+14 )

[Lefty]

A fowl smell wafts through the palisade followed by curses and snide laughter. The arrows are withdrawn and replaced in their respective quivers and the doors open slightly.

"Well come on then, we dont want to let any more trouble in than we have to."

The enclosure you pass through looks like it had been hastily erected some time ago, but years of patchwork and crude additions made the palisade wall a fearsome structure. The embarassed guards lead you to the side towards a small guard house.

As you approach, a half-elf steps out of the shack and walks towards you. "So you've bested my guards have you? They're all worried about the troubles up in the hills and insist on checking anyone coming from up that way." He shoots a stern look at the 3 gnome guards and they scamper back to the wall.

"So what brings you down here? Not much good coming out of the east these days."

[Unkykong]

"Hello, thanks for the hospitality" I reply as I return my trophy too it's storage place. "It is true I am coming from last stop, where troubles have been increasing. Dariyul is a stop on my way back too Abitha. While I am here I am hoping to find some information on what might be happening out east. Things are strange out east, I believe I have even witnessed some sort of possession, which seems too be beyond the abilities of troglodytes and kobolds."

[Lefty]

Eyeing the bloody sack the guard captain purses his lips in thought. "Well I'm no expert on such things. Give me a stout weapon or a stout ale and I'll be good. But magic stuff escapes me. There's a small chapter of the Magic Guild down by the docks, but I'd be careful if you go down there after dark. We kindof have a problem with the night life down there. Half of my job is keeping things from coming into town and the other is keeping the idiots down at the docks from getting into the rest of the city."

[Unkykong]

"I'm Seaeak for future reference. I will have too check out that magic guild. I also have a thing or two against thieves and others who abuse chance to make their way in the world, so while I'm around feel free to utilize me. Where could I get a bite too eat and post up while I'm in town?"

[Lefty]

The captain turns and looks at you with an appraising eye. "Someone who actually wants to help? What's your angle? Are you up to something?" Realizing what he was saying, the guard captain shakes his head and smiles.

"Look at me, as suspicions as the damn thieves. Well, you know what they say about hippogriffs..." He sticks out his hand grinning. "I'm Jasom. I take care of this section of the city. there's a few inns up the street, but if you're serious about lending a hand you can grab a pallet at the garrison and a bowl of soup. I can show you the chapter house tomorrow."

[Unkykong]

"I'll tell you what if you take me by the guild and help me find a few answers ill give you a week of thief hunting before I move on. I have a bounty to collect in Abitha and I would like to get back to last stop too help with the problems they are having over there. As far as alterior motives, thieves are a blaspomy on this world."

[Lefty]

The captain agrees and you both head towards the garrison. on the way Jasom fills you in on whats been going down.

"We've always had a bit of a problem down by the docks, but mostly kept it contained. The rest of the town folk dont like the dock workers and the workers dont like the rest of the town, so it's been an uneasy truce of sorts. They work hard, I'll give them that. But when they're off they spend every bit of their pay on booze and women and what's left they gamble away or lose to pick pockets."

He shakes his head as the both of you pass a side street leading down to the docks and you catch the smell of tar and alcohol. A man stumbles out of a rough structure and belches. He begins unbuttoning his pants, catches sight of the guard captain, and shuffles off down the alley.

"Its a shame really. They make some decent coin and if they could hold on to some of it they'd make out all right." The two of you make it to the garrison and the rest of the night passes rather uneventfully. In the morning, after making his rounds, Jasom returns and you head down towards the docks.

The Magic Guild chapter house was rather plain looking. It was a good deal biggerr than the other buildings in the area, but it seemed as if different houses and shops had been combined into one larger structure. Little color or decoration adorned the exterior, but as you walked up to the front door you could tell serious craftsmanship had been used in the construction of the place. A bell hangs beside the door.

[Unkykong]

I thank Jasom, then reach up and ring the bell assuming that is its purpose.

[Lefty]

Nothing happens.

[Unkykong]

I walk further into the building saying "hello, anybody here?" While looking for signs of life.

[Lefty]

you are abruptly stopped by the closed door at the entrance.

[Unkykong]

(Hahaha, reading comprehension, thought I made it inside.). I knock othe door.

[Lefty]

A booming voice surrounds you seeming to come from every direction. "WHO GOES THERE? WHO DARES TO TEST THE PATIENCE OF THE ALMIGH--" The voice is cut off and you hear a very loud scuffle and sounds of struggle.

All goes quiet again and then the voice returns. "SORRY ABOUT THAT, MY... OH WAIT... Sorry about that, my apprentice is practicing his illusion magic. Door's open."

you hear a click at the door handle and silence returns. Jasom seems to have lost some of the color from his face.

[Unkykong]

I turn the door handle and make my entrance,

[Lefty]

As you step into the dim dusty interior a small figure scampers away from the door to run and hide behind the only other person in the room. He matches the building quite well. Dull muted colors fall about his thin tall frame and little remarkable can be seen about his person. Yet a discerning eye could see that his cloak and other clothes were of a fine cut and material, and appeared to have been recently pressed.

Likewise the room about the mage seemed boring at first glance. but each object and scroll seemed meticulously positioned in such a way as to avoid as much notice as possible. Everything around you seems to fade into disinterest and you find yourself unconsciously trying to study the room from the edges of your vision instead of looking directly.

"Well here you are. What do you want? you're obviously not a drunk dock worker, and you don't need spells for your crops, not with gear like that... Well, speak up."

[Unkykong]

"I just arrived from Last Stop and I have a few questions that I am hoping you might be able to help me answer. Like how a troglodyte can summon an imp and what kind of compulsion would cause a girl to cut her fathers head off and not bat an eye?"

[Lefty]

The tall figure stands there quietly, but something about the set of his shoulders or the distant look in his eyes gives you the feeling that you have aroused a very inquisitive mind. "Pondscum! Go make some suitable beverage for me and our gusts. And make it real, I would like something hot this time instead of air please." As the green and brown shadow runs out from behind the mage, you carth sight of curious but obviously timid gnome features staring back at you.

"And no, I'm not cruel. That's the name his parents gave him." As you return your gaze to the mage, who motions to a few chairs, you realize his attention has shifted completely onto you. without blinking or breaking his locked stare the mage sits and listens to your tale of what transpired up in the hills.

"An imp? No troglodyte should have the skill or presence of mind to conjure anything of that magnitude. Even the great troglodyte nations that existed before the age of men or elves had little magic." The tea pot sat empty and cold on the table between you and the hour had grown late, but all eyes were on you as you finished your tale.

"I think there is more at work here than a troglodyte infestation. And about that girl, I have something tickling the back of my mind, but I need more time to ponder it."

"What they gonna do then?" Pondscum broke the silence as he began gathering the cups and the teapot. "they cant just leave that girl out there with an alchemist. He'll turn her into a monster or poison her trying to help. You remember those two adventurers back in the day, Mindy and Marty. He'd get all muscly and crack heads on both sides of the field when he got a little juice in him. she took more time calming him down than the whole battles would last."

"True enough. Well since you seemed to have the bright idea, you can head up there and retrieve her." The mage earned a sour look as the gnome hurried off to the back, but seemed not to notice. He turned back to you and said nothing for a while. Finally he shook his head and stood up.

"You, however, are not needed. I'm sure Pondscum wouldn't mind the company, but unless you are an expert wizard of the first degree in hiding you'd be of little use. go back and do whatever it is you do."

[Unkykong]

"We'll ill be around for the next week, let me know what you figure out before I leave. And based on that information ill either head back to last stop or continue to Abitha to find more information. I intend to help those people with or without you. Thank you." With that I turn to Jasom. "Shall we return and begin our planning to clean up this sector of town?"

[Unkykong]

As I get to the door I suddenly remember the component pouch I picked up off the summoning lizard. "I almost forgot, I found this pouch on the troglodyte that summoned the imp. Maybe it holds some clues to how or maybe why?" I hand the pouch to the Mage. Then I wait a moment to see if he has anything else to say.

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