Desire and the Dead IC

[Jilocasin]

Bakir turns and faces the man in the demon mask, somewhat annoyed at being spoken to before he has had the opportunity to converse with Ulanth in private.

"I suppose I fit that description. Though I do not consider myself to be an enforcer...

At the moment though my friend and I have some things to discuss. Grab a seat, have a drink, that is ah, if you drink, and I shall return shortly."

---

Bakir leads Ulanth to his room and closes the door behind him. He pulls out two pipes, offering one to Ulanth before he lights and begins to smoke the second.

"Now, Ulanth, what can you tell me about the troubles plaguing this oh so fair district? I have heard a number of troubling rumors. Gang activity, increased violence, a beast that stalks Rattling Alley, even some individual who has such an over the top title as 'The Lord of Fear'.

Being such an observant fellow, I'm sure you've seen something of note."

[God_of_Awesome]

Baldraxe bowed and did as bidden. He took a seat at the bar and ordered anything fruity.

[Avoraciopoctules]

Bakir leads Ulanth to his room and closes the door behind him. He pulls out two pipes, offering one to Ulanth before he lights and begins to smoke the second.

"Now, Ulanth, what can you tell me about the troubles plaguing this oh so fair district? I have heard a number of troubling rumors. Gang activity, increased violence, a beast that stalks Rattling Alley, even some individual who has such an over the top title as 'The Lord of Fear'.

Being such an observant fellow, I'm sure you've seen something of note."

Ulanth accepts the pipe, and he pauses a bit to think. He absently scratches at a few faintly yellow-tinted scars on his left hand. After what seems a little under a minute, he begins to speak.

"I've seen a few things. The Grey District certainly has seen a few more odd eggs than might be... average, lately. I don't actually live here, but I pass through this district quite a lot. Things... feel different. And I really mean feel. I went to Elysium for a day once. It's a story pretty tangential to this, so I won't tell it if you aren't interested, but you know how everything feels more colorful, vibrant, intense? When I close my eyes and just, um, just soak up the ambiance of the place, it feels a lot like that.

And it's not just the place, I think it might be the people too. One body isn't usually a knifing matter. But those sodheads just went for it the moment they saw it. Anger feeding anger, and so fast. I don't get it. Maybe it's one of those newcomers. I certainly was about as scared as I've ever been around half an hour ago. And I've been knifed before, it isn't as bad as all that. This terror lord might have been doing something about that. But it feels... more than just fear, you know.

Something smells. I'd be more inclined to look at these Chaosmen. They run around, pulling all this stuff, and they've been at it for days at least. Somethings keeping them here, or surely they'd have run off by now. Are they trying to accomplish something? Or just amuse themselves?

He exhales slowly. "This is nice stuff, by the way. The Beast of Rattling Alley. From what I hear, it's something vaguely man-shaped. Talked to a Collector who saw it. Standing over a body and muttering to itself. It was wearing a robe of some kind. He called out, and it started shrieking "No, no!" and ran off. Might be a barmy, but might not. Hissed in a really disturbing way. But it left this really odd reek all over the place. I'm not sure what to make of it.

Anything in particular you want to know about?"

{I've got some midterm exams/assignments coming/due in around a week, so I might not be posting too frequently in the near future.}

[Jilocasin]

"Glad you like it. Hmm, tell me what else you know about the Chaosmen."

[Avoraciopoctules]

"I'm pretty sure they're mostly here to pull pranks on everyone. They keep talking about how they are here on "Happiness Patrol" and how they are "Happy Dustmen". They dress sort of like them, and they seem to focus on the Dustmen more than others. Sort of similar to the boss fear guy, now that I think of it."

[Jilocasin]

Bakir looks up briefly, then focuses intently on Ulanth.

Hm, similar. In what way would that be?

[Avoraciopoctules]

"This "Lord of Fear" wants them to be scared. The Xaositects want them to be happy. Both of them want the Dusties to... well, feel more. Like, maybe they both take offense at the way the emotions dim as one approaches True Death?"

[Jilocasin]

Do you know if the Xaositects congregate anywhere in particular in their downtime, or if they have something like a spokesman? I don't like it when people let their emotions control their actions, this might be a place to start investigating the charged feeling everyone's been having lately.

Also, I don't want to keep you too long, I'm sure you have places to be. But if you ever think of anything else, or need to get in contact with me just leave a message with Bald Grum.

[Avoraciopoctules]

"I've spoken to several who think they come from someplace in the Pyres. That's a nasty enough place that few here would have cause to wander anywhere near it. Close enough that they won't get bored on the way here either. If you wanted to hide, that's a very good place if you don't mind shack-nasty living conditions, neighbors that nobody here would bunk next to, and regular fights for your life. No leader for the Chaosmen I know of. Someone said he noticed a thin fellow creeping after them a number of times, but I didn't ask about it any further. I'll let him know you might be interested."

Ulanth thinks a bit, tapping the pipe against each of the 4 fingers on his left hand. It looks like he lost his ring finger a while ago. Different kind of scar than the yellow ones.

"I come here every couple days to drink. If I hear anything else worth repeating, I'll certainly try and mention it. Perhaps I'll see you around."

Ulanth stands up, carefully setting the pipe down on a nearby coffin. Barring further questions, he ambles down the stairs.

{EDIT: colored some dialogue text in my recent posts}

[Mask_De_H]

"Well that was a waste of time." Bloody Thorn sighs, scratching at his chin.

"Wish one of those sodding carrion-crawlers had started something, since apparently it's only okay to fight people with 'due cause' or some rubbish." He pulls out his pipe and lights it, taking a long drag.

"What in the Nine Hells are we even doing here anyway?"

[Jilocasin]

Actually Ulanth, one last thing if you don't mind my curiosity. I notice you're missing a finger, and the scar is different from your others. How did you lose it?

[God_of_Awesome]

"I'm a little aborted god fetus, short and abominable," Baldraxe sang, "This is my handle, this is my divine rotting umbilical cord. When I get all stilborn, hear my blood chilling cries. Just run away and scream, 'Oh shit! It's an atropal! Run!"

[Quantumboost]

"Well that was a waste of time." Bloody Thorn sighs, scratching at his chin.

"Wish one of those sodding carrion-crawlers had started something, since apparently it's only okay to fight people with 'due cause' or some rubbish." He pulls out his pipe and lights it, taking a long drag.

"What in the Nine Hells are we even doing here anyway?"

There will be enough bloodshed later. We are employed to ENFORCE the WILL of the Voices, and it seems that bloodshed would not further that. Not yet.

I do not know your reason to choose this work; for me, it is to hone my DISCIPLINE. It has faltered enough already.

[Prak]

Akarchin comes down the steps, dressed rather provocatively as a street worker, as Baldraxe belted out his strange tune. She turned and stared at him in disbelief. "Is... is that a common occurrence around here? Warriors decked out in demon looking armour crooning strange and horrible parodies of children's songs?" she asked aloud, "And can I torture it to make it stop?"

[God_of_Awesome]

"Torture me and I promise my screams will be ladden with my renditions of 'Little Miss Tuffet,' 'The ABC's' and 'If You Like Pina Coladas'," Baldraxe warned, "And I will propably like it."

[Mask_De_H]

Well listen here you bag of bones berkinstock tentacle rape victim, the VOICES in MY head ENFORCE that I start wasting people or I break out in hives. I'm here to acquire MONEY. So either point me in the direction of acceptable targets or get out of my face unless you want to be one.

[Quantumboost]

Zevras stares blankly at Bloody Thorn for a few seconds, then responds There may be further conflicts along our way. If it is your WILL to resolve them in your fashion, I will not stop you. He walks a few meters in the direction their patrol route continues on, and waits for the others before continuing on.

[Avoraciopoctules]

Actually Ulanth, one last thing if you don't mind my curiosity. I notice you're missing a finger, and the scar is different from your others. How did you lose it?

Ulanth mumbles something about a rat eating his finger while he was passed out in a gutter a couple years ago as he ambles out and downstairs. Perhaps he doesn't like the memory.

====================

Baldraxe bowed and did as bidden. He took a seat at the bar and ordered anything fruity.

The man behind the counter takes Baldraxe's money (only a copper), hands him a chipped ceramic mug, and pours in about a half and half mixture of syrupy red and watery brown liquids. He doesn't seem inclined to say The resulting beverage tastes strongly of cherries, but there is a faint.. metallic tinge to it? Probably one of the cheap flavoring agents a few alchemists sell in bulk. It's probably rare that actual juice would be seen around here. There's a dusty blackboard on the wall behind the counter, and it doesn't look as though the drinks have been changed in years. The specialty beverage here appears to be "Mummerwine"

His singing seems to annoy the other patrons, many of whom shoot him quiet glares. No overt hostility beyond this, though. Most of the people here either are either drinking in silence or conversing in distinctly indoors voices. Many exhibit a shambling, distinctly zombielike gait when walking about, but almost none of the living patrons do so as they enter.

====================

{Back for at least today and tomorrow. I've got some hefty homework assignments I need to finish over the weekend and a meatspace shadowrun game to start, so my time is still limited. Less so than before, and I hope to make a minimum of 1 post a day.

It looks like one member of group 2 is interacting with GoA's PC, so I'm going to put off the group 2 timeskip until this is resolved. Also gives me an excuse to avoid writing a long post until tomorrow. When I do that, I'll probably throw a second encounter group 1's way. I may give time for Bakir to rejoin them first, though, depending on player desires.

EDIT: fixed a grammar error. There may be more, but I am going to sleep now.}

[Prak]

"Amusing as it would be to hear that, I'd probably gag you..." Akarchin replied, "And you liking it just gives me a challenge. I'm sure I could make you hurt in ways you could never like."

[God_of_Awesome]

"Ah, so nothing kinky then?" Baldraxe said, "Much too bad. It's been too long since I've been with a partner willing to put up with it. It's always, 'No Baldraxe, I will not put that there. I have to cook with that,' and 'I know what poking me in the thigh but what's that poking me in the back?' and yap yap yap."

Roll: 16+2=18 Bluff. He's just screwing with you. Rolling for giggles.

[Avoraciopoctules]

{back from the desert and ready to continue the game. Presently, I should be able to post once every few days at minimum, and may be able to post multiple times in any individual day.}

Group 1 (patrolling the district, recently resolved a fight over a dead body):

Bloody Thorn and Zevras keep it slow until Bakir rejoins them (possibly filling in those who remain at the tavern on what he learned before he leaves), and they continue forward on the patrol route they set for themselves. After a few minutes, Bloody Thorn hears an odd reverberating squelch sound coming from a T-intersection ahead, just to the left of where the group can see right now. The noise... feels odd. It sounds too quiet and indistinct for something he feels so keenly aware of the source of. Everyone hears the screams which follow and the dozen or so people running away from where Bloody Thorn just heard something. A few are headed your way.

Group 2 (off to see the wizard):

Some of those planning to investigate the possibility of purchasing telepathic magic go ahead with their plan of disguising themselves as prostitutes in an attempt to keep a low profile. You then follow the directions to Protector Nymon you were given. Your costumes are very well done, but Lord Peter is getting even more odd looks than he noted before. No one is stopping to address you yet, though.

Group 3 (anyone doing something else?):

{I seem to recall some people doing other things. Anyone care to elaborate if that is the case? Baldraxe could have gone to join either group, since nothing has been specified either way.}

[God_of_Awesome]

Quickly getting a gimp suit disquise which continues to mask his face and form as his armor did, Baldraxe heads with the group disquised as hookers and pimps. He apparently decided to continue carrying his axe despire how much that stands out on his costume, hoping everyone assumes it for something RRRRRRReally kinky.

[Prak]

"...You just happened to have that, did you? Leave the axe here, there aren't any trolls in the area, that I know of." Akarchin says as she looks on Baldraxe's new appearance. "That's the scariest damned thing I've ever seen..."

[God_of_Awesome]

Baldraxe failed to reply through the ball gag but went end fetched a barbed whip.

[Mask_De_H]

"I love it when they come to me." Bloody Thorn smirks devilishly, hands out in a welcoming gesture.

"Step right up folks, come one come all to the Galleria en Pourpre. It's one night only, but I'm sure you'll remember it to the end of your days."