A Collection of Tales (IC)

[The Blue Guard]

A Collection of Tales: The Secret War
Episode 1: A Fine Day For Murder

Somewhere Long Ago (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OquXG0bt6gM)

Looking out from his balcony and watching as the people of his capital went about their lives there came a justified sense of pride in his accomplishment. Twenty years ago he had found this place just when he needed it, and twenty years ago he saw the potential waiting to be tapped. Twenty years ago this land was ruled by a petty tyrant who though his army made him fit to rule, but today that man was a corpse, his army destroyed, and a more worthy man ruled. He had learned the lesson that dead man had to teach: never make yourself a target. The dead man’s army had been large and gaudy, his capital bright and pampered, and so this army, and this capital, would be neither as long as he lived. This would be the capital of a shadow warrior, a hidden capital to match a hidden army, and for his hidden army only the best soldiers selected from the best bloodlines. The people would never know the face of their ruler, or see the people who protected them from outsiders, or even those who moved among them to protect the peace. They would be safe, and all that was asked of them was obedience...

Somewhere on the Yellow River (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaUVYgwovp4)

It has been four years since the disappearance of the Scarlet Empress - though it will be a few more years until the consequences of that event become clear to everyone. As the Realm records time it is RY 768, and today is the third day of the fourth month, the 3rd of Ascending Water - a Mercuryday. The weather is as it had been yesterday, and the day before that: cold, but pleasantly cloudless and free of the freezing rain of just a week ago. The sun on this Mercuryday rose no slower than it had ever done, but today it seemed as though it took its time dawning over the horizon. In fact, everything seemed to happen slower today as the perilous pair that Oleaginous Frost and Haji Tamas had made of themselves drifted down the Yellow River on a deep-hulled cargo ship called called the Rockrose. The two had negotiated passage separately with its captain, a man called Ahmary of mixed northern and eastern blood, but they shared a cabin - though thankfully the cabin they’d been put in together has two beds.

The Rockrose, though, is only one of a fleet of cargo ships operated by the merchant prince Samaris Thrasis, though the Rockrose sailed at the head of the fleet. Behind her sail two dozen heavily-laden cargo ships of which the most impressive, the Bounty, was Samaris’ own ship. The craft varied in many ways, some small and some large, but they were all of the same type of ship: paddlewheels in the back, living space in the front, and a cotton canvas covered trench in the middle with walkways either side. The fleet made the bulk of its profit through the buying and selling of staple goods that were always needed in large quantities. The fleet had began its journey in Greyfalls full of goods to trade in the Hundred Kingdoms where it exchanged their holds of goods for other holds of goods until they arrived in Marita roughly three months after they set off. After emptying the pockets of the politicians and their entourages, and the native citizens of the city, the fleet would head for Nexus and arrive after a further two months or so.

A month had passed since they had left Greyfalls with Frost, and it was shortly after that in a port town on the western fringe of the Hundred Kingdoms had Haji joined the fleet and met Frost. It was together they enjoyed the slowly changing landscape of the Hundred Kingdoms after they had broken their fast. The Hundred Kingdoms was a vast place that stretched from Farhold in the south to Greyfalls in the north, and from Marita in the west to Mist Island in the east. Even so, the only fresh food there was to eat, or had been there to eat, was the food fished from the river. A month straight of fish this and fish that had driven some of the crew to see anchoring at the next port as a chance to eat something other than fish. The hundred miles of river stretching ahead and behind of the Rockrose was controlled by six nations at the moment, of which two were currently at war. The remaining four eyed the two, worried that the conflict might engulf them, and worried they might miss an opportunity too.

It was a situation that several of the sailors had concerns over too as the two nations lay on either side of the Yellow River, and so any engagements between the two would begin with a naval battle. The two nations, kingdoms, were ruled by brothers whose father had ruled both kingdoms before his death. The brothers now believed they were entitled to the kingdom given to the other by their father’s decree. So far the war hadn’t amounted to much except posturing, but they were both massing troops and ships while other men scrambled to find a diplomatic solution. Most of the sailors agreed that with everything that was going on one side or the other would do something to provoke somebody, and then the whole thing would erupt. The whole affair would last a year, they said, unless their neighbors threw in on one side or the other. That would, in their words, be a “right pig’s arse” of a situation.

The next port was one of these six nations - luckily not one of the belligerents in what was likely to be this area’s next war - but some sailors weren’t very happy about that either. The day before yesterday a sailor had cornered Captain Ahmary after he had broken his fast with his men. He’d ranted about how it’d be better to stop at one of the warmongers’ ports than where they were headed. The man had shut up quite quickly once the captain threatened to bring Samaris into the argument, but the way some men had nodded at the sailor’s argument had clearly worried the captain. Unfortunately this morning proved to be much like that morning as yet another sailor corners the captain after he has broken his fast. It was turning out to be such a nice day too...

“We can’t stop!” Came the loud rebuke from the deck of the Rockrose, heated breath warming the cold morning air. “It’s a cursed land, and we’ll be cursed too if we stop.” The rebuke continued and yet more heated breath warmed the chilly air. The voice was one of the sailors and on the dawn-coated deck he was making his displeasure about something very well known to Captain Ahmary. “You can’t let him curse us all!” The man implored his captain as several sailors nearby slowed or stopped their work to watch the spectacle, and some even nodded their heads and murmured their agreement. With dawn’s rosy rays lighting the scene it almost looked like a living tableau of men, ship, river, land, and sky. “Not this again!” Moaned Ahmary, trying to play off the man’s concerns while making them seem silly and maintain control over the situation.

Okay! Let's get this started the way we mean to continue!

Now, it's up to you what Haji and Frost are up to, or where they are, but it's likely they've just finished eating, or are eating, their breakfast and are close when this little argument breaks out. Even if you decide they're not the captain and the sailor are both on the top of the deck and the sailor isn't being very quiet, so it's highly likely you can hear this going on! Feel free to set yourself up, and then engage the scene, or each other!

[Jade_Tarem]

Shrike

Haji had been the very last one to get tired of the fish, but it had finally happened. There were very few fish meals in the deep South, despite how common they were in places like Chiaroscuro, and the difference was that Chiaroscuro, unlike the Crossroads, had access to the Ancients' freezing technology. Absent that, fish tended to go bad long before they could make it as far south as Haji's home. Still, he had now found the point at which one could have too much of a good thing, though he felt some of the complaints that the fish all tasted the same were exaggerated - there was a similarity, but they didn't taste more similar to each other than different kinds of beef, or vegetables.

Speaking of vegetation, he still couldn't get used to the trees. The Barren Crossroads were hilly, yes, but they were also a nearly uniform red-brown, dry, and dusty. Keeping a plant growing required constant effort. Here, some switch had been thrown - rain came down all the time, and the plants grew whenever people didn't put effort into holding them back! It was truly the direction of Wood rather than Fire, and that came with a million other changes, each of them making Haji feel as much the fish out of water as his current meal.

The animals were not among them, though. One of the merchant-travelers, upon hearing of his place of origin, asked him if all the animals bothered him, and of course they didn't. To begin with, the desert was hardly as devoid of wildlife as everyone here seemed to think it was. The creatures were different, of course, hardened and adapted to the heat, but a massive ecosystem thrived in the South. On top of that, the Crossroads was a massive trade stop with some limited farming, and a supply point for caravans and the Delzahn. You couldn't swing a dead firecat without hitting a selection of other animals, from camels to horses to more esoteric creatures. Once, a particularly opulent caravan came through with a domesticated Tyrant Lizard, even, so the animals didn't bother him.

The noisy, superstitious sailor, however, did. It was another change - having a choice as to where and when the group would stop. The Gem-bound caravan Haji had accompanied stopped where it could - it was few enough places that there was really no room for argument, as the alternative was to be blasted by the direct sunlight and dying of heat stroke or simply running out of water. Picky. He mused. Infinite Bounty surrounds us, but it isn't enough, it seems. Haji finished his meal, cleaned his mess kit, and packed it away. Then he took up his favorite position at the edge of the Rockrose, the one that let him look off the starboard side to the shore, and into the depths of the Yellow River. Water. That was the biggest change. Water without end. Water in such quantities that they built boats to float on it, having so much of it that they could find no other use for it. So much water that they thought nothing of fouling it, as more would come and wipe the taint away. They were kings, and didn't know it!

On the other hand, none of them had seen a Tyrant Lizard. Fair was fair, he supposed.

[Astro_sol]

Frost

Frost opened his steel-gray eyes from below deck at the sound of a "curse". He wondered, idly, just how bad it actually was. These people didn't have to worry about the silence that preceded something like Adorjan's Winds, or when Malfeas decided that the street you lived on needed to be relocated in ten seconds. Green Sun Princes didn't have to worry as much as other demons, of course, but Malfeas was nothing if not equal opportunist with his particular brand of hatred. Even the barest memories of Frost's new beginning instilled more emotion than his own ever had.

He ambled his way out of his hammock, grabbing his cane. His body seemed to have achieved something of a perfection, although he only stood at 167 cm, and his muscle tone was completely for show; he was weak, and he knew it. But he made up for it in other ways. One thing he had never lost, even as he'd swam in a psychedelic haze, surrounded by clouds and...a lot of other things, was his ability to think. And he certainly did a lot of that, although he found it much easier in the dark. Sunlight that wasn't green tended to put a slight damper on that. He made his way up the stairs of the deck, holding his hand over his eyes as he emerged into the way-too-bright sun, which revealed to everyone else that he was in his standard black-and-maroon silken clothes, laced with silver filament. His hair glistened, and refused to fray even in these moist waters. He found himself instinctively treating it like the vitriolic rivers, still, but then, he hadn't been outside of Malfeas for very long. He was still getting used to the fact that a Second Circle demon might be around the corner, and the lack of buildings was almost disconcerting. He'd gotten used to that both in the Blessed Isle, and Malfeas.

He saw Shrike, the strong-man, standing at the front of the boat. He certainly appeared to be enjoying himself. Maybe he liked having the same thing to eat every day, and not being surrounded by succulent flesh. No matter. Frost made his way to the protesting sailor and the Captain, twisting his features into the "happy" look that had only truly come into its own since he had Exalted. Not that Hell gave one much to smile about, but he prided himself in finding the best out of any situation.

"Captain," he slurred, almost cursing himself as he portrayed a general feeling of kindness and concern. His Malfean accent slipped in everywhere, it had seemed. "Captain, I mean no disrespect. I'm sure this is, shall we say, a misunderstanding, but I would very much like to know what makes this man here so...very upset. I was aware these lands are, I believe, in some state of disrepair, but surely this is due to feelings of, mm, general malcontent, and perhaps something less supernatural?"

To be honest, he didn't truly care, but it paid to be in the know with these sorts of things.

[The Blue Guard]

Aboard the Rockrose

“This idiot,” the captain replies, more for the benefit of the crowd than the man himself or even for Frost. “Thinks that because he’s heard some stories he knows better than me.” Then he turned on the crowd which, now that the eye is drawn to them and from the captain and the sailor, is obviously comprised mostly of young sailors. Most would have trouble growing something to shave with, and it’s these young sailors that had been the ones nodding and muttering their assent to the shouting sailor’s words. The others in the crowd were all older men, some with white hair, some with no hair, and some with receding hair - and some gods-blessed bastards still with all their hair - but all them showed a lifetime of hard work through their skin. It was the same skin the captain had. “This is the Hundred Kingdoms, lad. Kingdoms rise and fall here so often I’ve seen fifteen different ones on this stretch of river alone - and that’s not counting the six here now. The one we’re headed to has survived though. Plagues, invasion, and monsters have tried to destroy it, but it’s still here. It’s a reliable place, and Samaris is a smart man to stop here.”

Unfortunately while the older sailors nodded, the younger ones were not as convinced. Some seemed to be considering that the captain might know what he’s talking about, but the majority didn’t. Even with some of the younger sailors convinced the unconvinced outnumbered the rest. Empowered by that the sailor stepped up to the captain. “We aren’t stopping there.” He announced. The threat was never spoken, but it was implicit. ‘Do as we demand, or we’ll do it anyway and beat you down while we’re at it.’ The captain knew it, Frost knew it, and even Haji knew it. The captain though was as stubborn as an old goat, and with his white northern hair and leathery skin he did look quite like one too. Without intervention this looked like it was likely to end up a brawl. If the captain was lucky it’d only be between him and the man who’d cornered him - he looked tough enough to beat down one man too young to grow a proper beard. More likely it seemed that the captain would be fighting all his detractors, and even as tough as he looked it didn’t seem likely he’d survive the beating. If worst came to worst the whole crew could come to blows, and that would likely bring other ships alongside to deal with the situation - and they, without any knowledge of what was going on when they boarded, would probably have to beat down everyone still fighting before sorting it all out.

[Jade_Tarem]

Shrike

Haji was not, by nature, a negotiator. He liked his conversation like he liked his old carrier routes - direct, easily negotiable, and free of pointless entanglements. Even so, the situation was going downhill so rapidly that even he could notice it. It was time to do something. He could try to let his boyish charm with them over, along with his silver tongue and his diplomatic wiles - or at least, he could if he had more than one of those. Instead, he decided to try something different.

"What does this curse do?" He queried, speaking up and bluntly, plowing through the tension as though unaware of it. "It sounds fascinating."

[Astro_sol]

Frost

Frost read the situation and decided that perhaps some defusing was needed...although the man, annoyingly, had not really answered his question. Fortunately, Shrike had beaten him to the punch. Maybe a crew of simple-minded men needed a blunt edge for the question. "I am quite curious, myself," he added, unconsciously fingering the amulet beneath his coat.

If it came down to it, he'd probably retreat under the boat if things got dicey. If things got more so, he would see if perhaps Shrike would be willing to depart with him. No need to make a mess of things in these parts.

[The Blue Guard]

Aboard the Rockrose

The sailor first glared at Haji, and then Frost. While it escaped Haji it was clear to Frost from a few subtle facial expressions and some body language that he didn’t know. As the silence dragged on it became clear even to Haji and the rest of the assembled sailors. Seeing his support diminish the man changed his tact. “Shut up.” He spat derisively. “What do you know, anyway?” If he couldn’t provide the answers they had asked for, it seems, he would simply discredit them. “You’re just passengers. Idiot passengers who’ll hide and whimper when we’re dying because this dog leads us into cursed lands.” That won him back a few others who seemed to share the sentiment that because they were passengers they didn’t count - and a few even seemed angry at them now.

The number of detractors had shrunk to the point where they were even with the captain’s supporters though. That made these moments a bit more perilous though as an open conflict was more likely now, but the captain took this moment to again reassert his authority. “You’re a fool who doesn’t know when he should shut up and listen to his superiors. You’ve got nothing to squawk but ‘cursed lands’ this and ‘cursed lands’ that because that’s all you’ve heard of this place. You’ve probably never seen the Yellow River before, let alone the Yanaze. I’ll even bet the farthest you travelled before I hired you was Greyfalls.” The sheepish look on many faces among the younger told Frost that this was plainly true of almost all of them, including the young man standing before the captain. “So why don’t you shut up, you empty-headed, spineless little ****?” The young man, angry, looked like he was about to swing at the captain, but enough common sense existed in his head that he walked away to sulk elsewhere.

The captain then turned on the crowd, his authority intact. “Well?” He half-shouted. “Get back to what you were doing!” The crowd dissolved, some moving quite quickly, afraid of getting humiliated in front of a crowd too.

Once the crew were again back to their duties the captain quickly turned to Haji and Frost an apologetic look on his face. “I’m very sorry about that, and very grateful for your help.” He speedily began in what was, to Frost at least, an obvious attempt to not lose the coin they brought with them. “They’re new, and all they’ve known of the world before coming to Greyfalls to find work was what travelling storytellers would’ve told ‘em.” He shrugs. “Mostly, anyway. There’s sure to be a few who know better, but the rest’ll have to learn. Wouldn’t even be a problem if I hadn’t had to bring on so many new crew. More’n half my crew got it in their heads to pool their money to start a new settlement somewhere safe for their families to live in. My fault in part, I admit it, but I wasn’t expecting them to leave until after this trip.” He smiled. “And don’t you worry about his talk of curses.” He added, not giving either Frost or Haji time to talk. “The people there are ruled strangely, but they’re not worse than the god-botherers across the river who think themselves divinely inspired. I swear, anywhere evenly slightly odd gets called cursed, but, er,” he paused, not sure if he’d sold his story. “If there’s anything I can do to make up for this little bit of trouble, and for your help, don’t be afraid to ask.”

[Astro_sol]

Frost

Ah. So the man knew even less than he did. That ended any usefulness he'd expected out of him, which admittedly wasn't much in the first place. Frost gave him a salute with his cane. "Think nothing of it, my friend." He wondered if the man knew that just about anyone who called you "friend" was nothing of the sort. "Your continued leadership is all I ask."

He turned and half-limped towards Shrike, while idly considering how he'd flay the sailor who had spoken to him so rudely. Not that he would do it, not here. But the mind was a wonderful place for the truly imaginative. He wondered exactly how much he should tell the man, especially since Shrike hadn't said a word about exactly how skillful he was, and he doubted the very large wrapped weapon was simply for show. Still, a little smidgeon would perhaps be of use. It wouldn't do to have his hopeful meat shield completely unawares.

"I'm glad the tension is gone, but I would keep an eye on some of the ringleaders, just to be safe," he spoke at a volume just loud enough for Shrike to hear. "The Captain is right, I feel. There is no curse, anyway, or so I hear. Just an astonishingly efficient government. Dissidents disappearing, gratuitously guerrilla warfare, aha. Men can become ghosts, with enough talk."

[Jade_Tarem]

Shrike

For those able to understand Flametongue, Shrike had already begun softly singing to himself; a small song about the many peoples the Crossroads had seen.

"The tribes of Harborhead can be trouble...
they've got a couple of flaws.
Like their violent prattle, and their thing with the cattle,
that's a little outside of nature's laws!"

At Frost's comment, Haji raised an eyebrow. "Is there a tasteful way to perform warfare?"

[Astro_sol]

Frost

Frost raised an eyebrow in turn. "It depends on who you are fighting, and how good your cook is." He shook his head, still smiling, but refusing to laugh at his own joke. "I meant that they are good at what they do, and that is keeping the nation together. A curiosity, to be sure, but nothing more." He quirked his ear. "A song of the South? Perhaps from your home? I am truly sorry we haven't spoken more since you came aboard." He waved his arms. "I find it hard to stay outside for too long. I was not blessed with good health. I may have worried that I would have required your assistance, had things gotten any worse with those men!" A bit truthful, but not quite. Frost always found it was better to mix the in little truths with his growing collection of lies.

[Jade_Tarem]

Shrike

"Perhaps. The East seems to complicate things. This dissension would never have arisen in a Southern convoy, simply because there are so few places to stop that there can be no argument over what they are." Haji stepped back from the edge of the ship. "As you say, I am indeed from far to the South and West. If you don't mind a more direct question, what is it that you do, Frost? I don't think I got a good answer before we were interrupted last time?"

[Astro_sol]

Frost

I am a Fiend with a job dedicated to ruining the military alliance here, with a demon in my head who never says anything.

Saying that probably wouldn't go that well. "When I was at home in the North, I was, shall we say, a scholar, dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. Now I wish to see the world, and to expand my skills, for the benefit of my work and my own pleasure." He stretched out his arms. "It is a beautiful world, if a bit bright. I'm still learning, but it is kin to a vacation!" Gods, but he hated doing this. Optimism was so easy to fake, but hard to feel. "I was something of an information broker, as I have no true specialty. I felt that simply reading, however, was not enough." He avoided any mention of specific goals, as he honestly didn't have any yet. And that would leave the topic open in the future. "And what of yourself?"

[Jade_Tarem]

Shrike

"Gainfully unemployed!" Haji quipped, but it was more or less the truth. He'd burned down most of his supply of money before getting acquired by the slavers, then looted them for his current rapidly dwindling cash reserves. "Still, I've got business in Nexus." He paused awkwardly. "Read any good books lately?"

[Astro_sol]

Frost

The man was as unintentionally blunt as he was when he meant it. Perhaps he was a bit dull, but it took more than a dull man to acquire a blade like that. Either that or he had enough strength to make up for his mental deficiencies. Still useful, either way.

"I'm afraid not lately. I don't have the, ah, strength to carry around the amount of literature I would like. I'm hoping the archives in Nexus will be able to soothe my more intellectual pursuits." He quirked his head, and thought to put the man at ease by speaking on his level. "And what of you? Chop any heads with that slab of metal you have strapped to your back?"

[The Blue Guard]

Aboard the Rockrose - Yellow River

As the conversation between the perilous pair continued the Rockrose, carried by the current of the Yellow River, floated down to their next destination. Some further trouble was had with disgruntled sailors not happy about where the fleet would be stopping, but there were no more confrontations, only idle talk.

The sun rose to its peak, high in the sky, and then fell down into the western sky as the fleet made its way across another quiet fifty miles. The moon then rose, showing a slightly more robust sickle tonight, and finally fell into the western sky as the fleet huddled close in the light of the stars.

Early on the fourth day of Ascending Water, just as the rosy fingers of dawn peeked over the eastern horizon, the weather began to turn. By the time the sun had fully dawned the world, at least for the perilous pair and the fleet. Onward the fleet floated for another dozen or so miles until, at last, the fleet came upon the port city of Fool’s March.

Aboard the Rockrose - Fool's March (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG53xs3Te0I&feature=BFa&)

Fool’s March, named after some bit of local history no doubt, was a successful city judging by how large it had grown. The port had two harbours, an outer harbour and an inner harbour separated by a rock jetty. The inner harbour was too small to accommodate the entire fleet, so it anchored in the outer harbour. It wasn’t long before officials arrived to extract a fee for use of the port and inspect the holds. They were all well-dressed and very polite with everyone, even to the point that some of the new sailors made jokes about them being strange and creepy. Once they had done their work though the longshoremen came, and in the long tradition of dockworkers they were all big men, but they too were very polite - though they were big enough to ward off jokes.

Some of the goods in the Rockrose’s hold, as well as the holds of the other ships, were bound for specific customers. This much of that for them, and that much of this for those others, and so on. All of it planned long before the fleet had ever left Greyfalls. The holds wouldn’t remain barren for long though as goods came from the city to fill the empty spaces left by the departing goods. The process would take a day or two, but the fleet would stay for three. The reason for that was that some more of the goods held in the hold of each ship - beside the goods destined for other ports along the Yellow River, and eventually the Mighty Yanaze - were bought for speculative trade; Samaris, or the captain of that ship, buys a certain thing for one price hoping to then sell it for a higher one.

In the Scavenger Lands crops were abundant, and so while a steady trade could be made selling them they weren’t a good pick for speculative trades. The best sort of goods were the sort you could only get a few places. Steel and glass were two mundane examples, being rare for the skill required to make them, while spider silk was a less mundane example, rare because dealing with the spiders who made the silk was dangerous. Paper, good quality paper, was an example of an uncommon item that could be used to make a profit from, if you knew where and who to sell it too. Ahmary was one such captain, and he was preparing the head into the city to meet some men he knew to sell his paper to - scholars and the like mostly, but also wealthy men who demanded finer paper for their many letters.

“I’d suggest keeping as clear of the Traveller District if you plan to head into the city proper.” Ahmary had advised the pair shortly before arriving. “Not the sort of place somebody who can pay to travel would like to spend their time. Grubby travellers and the people who want their money hang around there. The Trade District is nice, a good place to have a nice time without spending too much money, but it’s the Blue District that’s the best place to go if you have the coin for it. You won’t miss the Blue District,” he added with a laugh. “Just head to the eastern part of the Traveller District, and look for the arch held up by two naked statues.” He clasped Haji and Frost’s shoulders as he said it. “Just don’t have so much fun you forget we’re leaving in three days.”

[Astro_sol]

Frost

Frost nodded at the captain; usually he was willing to make a better appearance of a farewell, however temporary, but the man was so useless that he needn't bother. He turned to his companion. "So, what business do you have, my friend? I would think that the Trade District would be more, hem, amenable to my desires." He directed Shrike away from the Captain as he continued. "And I would like to know more about this place and it's so called curse. Unless you had other plans? My own are quite flexible, I assure you."

He wondered, idly, if he could get some new clothes. Perhaps he could even talk down the shopkeepers in price, although such men tended to charge exhorbitantly for people who looked like they could afford it. Still, a man never had enough silk. As for the Blue District...well, human women surely could not match the ways of the Neomah. That and he wanted to gain a bit more confidence in his Jade reserves before embarking on a spree of vices.

[Jade_Tarem]

Shrike

"I, ah, have no plans until we reach Nexus." Haji shot the captain an apologetic look. "The Trade district sounds nice, but I'd like to make sure we check out this 'curse' before leaving."

[Astro_sol]

Frost

Frost clapped his hands together. "Excellent! That's the idea, Shrike." If the man hadn't already caught that from his words. Gods, did he have to explain everything in the simplest terms for people? "It will be good to have you around," he continued, motioning for them to move on. "Perhaps if someone reacts poorly, they will not be so inclined if they see your table slab of a weapon." He patted his cane. "I'm not the best runner, after all!"

[The Blue Guard]

Fool’s March

A dozen feet stomped on the wooden pier, the wood creaking beneath the weight of a dozen or so sailors heading for the city and the cheap delights of the Travellers District. Every city in Creation had these places that served a transitory population of sailors, caravanners, and other sorts of travellers that took temporary residence in lodging houses. Knocking shops were common, though there were establishments that sold food and drink the knocking shops also tended to offer that, and more. A few dedicated places would continue on without also becoming a knocking shop, catering to more temperate sailors. With the weather now fully turned these sailors rushed, almost running, for the city with its warm beds that didn’t rock.

Trailing behind them, going at a slower pace for the sake of Frost’s legs, and earning a few nasty looks from sailors who had to pass them. Onward they walked, down the wooden piers of the outer harbour, past the earth and rubble jetty, down the stone piers of the inner harbour, and into the Travellers District. Their destination was the Trade District, so instead of east, to the gate the captain had directed them to, they headed west. The foot traffic at first was as dry and the streets were wet, but as the world around them become dominated by warehouses the traffic increased. Longshoremen coming and going almost formed a line from the warehouses to the ships, but before long they reached, and passed, the Trade District’s gate - a simple thing made of the same stone as the wall that surrounded the entire city, except for the Travellers District.

The Trade District is about what you’d expect of a place with that sort of name. Trade happens here; people sell, people buy, and people make and trade the things the people sell and buy. It wasn’t Nexus, you couldn’t find just about anything with a little patience, but with some luck you might be able to find it, or at least someone who knows someone who has it - or with a lot less luck, someone who’ll say they can get it for you, if you given them time, and a little money. As with the Travellers District there were places a man could find a bed for a few nights, and places to find some good food and drink, and even some places where somebody could find comfort. It all would cost more than the Travellers District, but the service would be better, if you avoided the more rundown establishments. There were even some cultured entertainment to be found, from a small theatre (which advertised it’s upcoming play on wooden signs posted about the district), and from the sound of it there was a musical performance going on somewhere.

[Jade_Tarem]

Haji took the slower pace in stride. After all, there was much to see, even in a town such as this, and he'd blown through Harborhead's settlements and those of the Jungles fast enough that he hadn't had a chance to enjoy them. He was still tickled by the idea of a city connected to a river. "Any suggestions?"

[Astro_sol]

Frost

Frost felt a lot more at home among the fineries of the Trade District than he did with the constant movement of the ship (mostly because it reminded him just a bit of Malfeas' habit of churning his stomach, which meant he woke up to a new street pretty much every week). At his (hopeful) meat shield's question, he turned.

"I was thinking about finding an inn." He made a small gesture, waving his hand in a circle as he scanned for a suitable location. "We stop, get some food, and listen. I shall find us someone to talk to, maybe learn a bit about the city. The bartender always has an ear open, but there may be someone else more, mm, suitable."

He found his ailing legs ambling towards the music, though. "Or we could find those musicians. You would be surprised what people say in earshot of a man with a harp. And I could do with some music," that wasn't coming from a demon with spiderweb fingers, at least. "The sailor songs have been playing in my head for the past week. I could use some variety."

[The Blue Guard]

Fool’s March - Trade District

Following the lead of the Hellishly capable member of the perilous pair the two of them stepped deeper into the Trade District. The buildings here, in contrast to the mostly wooden buildings of the Traveller District, were made of blocks of grey stone. Sometimes, here or there, the second or third floor was made out of wood - and every now and then a balcony jutted out into the street that was also made of wood - but mostly it was grey semi-uniform blocks of stone. As the two walked along the main street that led from the Traveller District gate the duo got an eyeful of the local businesses that could afford to do business on a main street. The freezing rain that had begun earlier chose this point to abate slightly, and the trickling traffic from before grew from a tickle to a more normal flow for a city this size - though unlike a city this size, there was none of the usual jostling on the streets.

There, just passing them, was a bakery with an open storefront and interior that let everyone on the street see and smell the food cooking inside. Just ahead of that was a small bookshop squeezed between a comfortable-looking inn with a starry sign and a very intimate seeming bordello. Further ahead of them was an alchemist’s shop that decorated its storefront gaudily in a riot of colours, most of which had to have been made within the shop itself. There were other shops, less successful, or less prestigious, or more interested in their privacy, that the two spotted down the dozens of ‘naturally formed’ side streets and alleys that snaked off into the rest of the district, criss-crossing the neighborhoods. The music, though, came from further ahead, over the brow of a hill that they had, without quite noticing, just started to climb.

More shops, and more side streets and alleys - and hill - later the two reached the crest of the hill that gave them both a good view of the rest of the district ahead of them. The music, they realized, was coming from a group of musicians playing in a largish marketplace under a large awning. Without the hill in the way the music came across much clearer now. The sound of wind instruments, percussion both large and small, and a number of string instruments, all playing in harmony, carried to them. Mostly. What also now carried to them was the sound of hammers and saws, and shouting workmen - and the much more sedated mumbling rumble of the marketplace as it filled with people braving the slightly better weather. The workmen were swarming a thick building on one side of the marketplace that, despite showing no sign of not growing higher, was already taller than the rest of the buildings in the Trade District.

Strolling down the hill the two saw yet more shops, yet more side streets and alleys, and as they got closer to the marketplace with its musicians, the sounds of all the activity there grew louder and louder. The stalls of the marketplace were filled with local businessmen, and a few transient traders well-off enough to rent space here, and they ran the gamut from fruit stalls, to jewelry stalls, to antique stalls. One stall sold pies that the vender swore to anyone who’d listen contained seven different meats and spices. The pair weren’t here for the pies, or the antiques though, they were here for the music, and incidentally the musicians. Closer to them now the song they played was loud enough, with over a dozen musicians playing together, that the marketplace, and even the construction, could be ignored if you focussed on the melody. There were five men and women playing two kinds of string instrument, all dressed in colourful, but conservative, garments. There were also three playing a kind of wind instrument, and wearing the same sort of clothes, and then there were the four percussionists playing two different kinds of instrument. There was also a conductor helping keep everyone’s individual part of the overall song working together, though there seemed to be a hole in the awning just above where he was supposed to be standing, so he was standing, with an irritated expression, just off to the side.

[Jade_Tarem]

Haji followed Frost through the commercial hub with baffled good humor. He'd known of large markets before, but permanent installations for buying and selling actual trade goods as opposed to necessities was new to him - all such trade in the Crossroads had been between one caravan and another, in a way that was at once more orderly and more chaotic than what he was seeing here. The music, though, that was familiar, and they'd had such a place for performers in his home. Indeed, it was a popular gathering spot, more so for the abundant shade than the entertainment, sometimes. With no clear sign of a spooky curse just yet, he was content to stand and absorb the music.

[Astro_sol]

Frost let his eyes drift over the musicians, eventually settling on the disgruntled conductor. Looked like a no-nonsense man. He'd be perfect. For the rest of the set, he let his thoughts drift idly, although he let himself appear to be enthralled for appearance's sake. Shrike appeared to be doing the same, and he had to admit that the music was pretty decent. Malfean tunes were technically more perfect, but more perfect in the sense that they more perfectly represented what sounded like a nasty cacophony for most of the time. He'd heard some music that was rather pleasing, but mostly, Hell-music was for Hell-things.

The set ended, and Frost began humming the last tune the group had played before making his way to the conductor.

"That was excellent, sir," he said with his beaming smile. "Most excellent. I'm curious, where did you learn to conduct these melodies? Are you from here?"

[The Blue Guard]

Fool’s March - Trade District

With the set finished many of the musicians clump together into their own little circles, some got up and scooted out into the market to nearby stalls selling food. With the sound of the music gone the noise of the construction, and the growing noise of the marketplace, became the dominant sounds. The rain continued to pour, but had now settled into a cold drizzle rather become a freezing downpour again after a moment of respite. The world smelled damp as a result, and none of the usual interesting smells of a market could be sniffed. The conductor was - well, would have been - one of the latter. After giving the food stalls a mournful look he turned to smile back at the cheerful face presented to him. On closer inspection you see that he is a man in his late forties with a bald pate ringed by neatly trimmed grey hair. His face has an overly large nose sitting between brown eyes that he has balanced with a kind of bushy goatee. “I own a small music school nearby,” he answered, responding to the second question first and the first question second. His manner and tone were polite, but a little too cool to be considered friendly. “I learned on the road though. Following caravans when I could, travelling alone when I dared.”

He pauses then, for a moment, quietly taking in his talking companion, and then mentally sorting him. “It’s no life for a musician though,” he adds in a warmer tone, having completed his assessment, and apparently having placed him as someone he likes. “It’s why I started the school, actually. I’m even teaching at the moment,” he says, gesturing to the musicians he’d been conducting and who were currently taking a break. “Practicing in the school and playing for an audience being two quite different things. Of course, I only bring my better students. I use it as an incentive to improve since they each get a share of what we make.” The man then sighs. “But, if this rain keeps going we won’t be making much today.”

[Astro_sol]

Frost clapped his hands together. "You chose well! Are they natives of this town, or do you find students from other municipalities? What attracted you to this city in particular? I'm curious about the musical history of such a diverse area...oh, my apologies." He pulled a slightly more than modest amount of jade from within his coat, holding it out for the man. "I forgot to contribute to such a lively performance."

[The Blue Guard]

Fool’s March - Trade District

The man smiles, obviously grateful, but just as obviously somewhat concerned by the generosity, maybe even a little intimidated at the apparent flipantry of it. “Thank you,” he mumbled. “I,” he began as he tried to find a quick and safe place for the for jade before realizing he had none. Holding up a finger to ask for a moment he quickly calls one his students over. The two exchange some quick words, but the gist of it was that she was to take the money to the school and get back before the break was over. A tall-ish girl with chestnut skin, amber eyes, and curly black hair she seems quite happy to do as she’s told and is soon running off in, presumably, the direction of the school. “I am sorry about that,” the conductor says, smiling apologetically. “You were asking whether my students were locals? Oh, and... the local history?” He smiles, happy to talk. “And why I settled here? Well, I was getting older, and travelling was getting harder and harder, so one day I made up my mind to settle down. This just happened to be where I was, and it seemed as nice a place as any.” As he says it though, there sounded something like regret, and there was an unnatural emphasis on the word ‘seemed’.

“My students all live in the city, or nearby enough to attend daily classes, though I don’t know if all of them are from here originally.” The man shrugs. “I don’t bother asking most of my students many questions about their life outside the school as long as they can pay for their education.” He then shifts his weight, rubbing the thigh of one of his legs. “This area?” He seems to ponder. “Do you mean just this local area, the whole Hundred Kingdoms, or the entire East? Either way, I can’t really tell you much, except for how people’s tastes have changed in this city over the last ten years.” The man’s smiles fades. “Or, rather, how they haven’t changed. People here like calming music, and as long as I’ve lived here, that’s all they’re ever been interested in. Loud is fine, anything is fine, but only as long as it’s nice and calm.”

OOC
I would very much like it if you both made a sight-based Perception plus Awareness roll! Frost, being as distracted by his conversation with the conductor as he is, takes a -1 internal penalty to his!

Fool’s March - Trade District
Haji (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xztbp37GNs)

The warm sounds of the marketplace, the harsh clamour of construction, and the gentle pitter of the rain filled the square. The smells were as overwhelming too, though muted by the rain. The sights were no less intrusive as brightly coloured stalls fought for the attention of customers. However, it was the strikingly bright red colour of fresh blood that hit Haji. Out of a alley on the nearest other side of the square a woman dressed as any other came stumbling, a mantle of bright red blood on her shoulders and head. The woman's eyes were wide, and her arms shaking.

[Jade_Tarem]

Shrike

"Kasah!" Haji dropped the curse while his gaze shot through the layers of distractions. Moments later, his body followed, slipping between flows of people like a fish slips through river currents, save for the one merchant he managed to clock with an ill-timed turn and the sword on his back. At the woman's side, he searched for perpetrators while splitting his attention with checking her for injuries. "Are you hurt, ma'm?"

[The Blue Guard]

Fool’s March - Trade District
Haji

The woman, just a girl, in truth, who couldn’t be older than seventeen, turned her head to stare at Haji but otherwise unresponsive. The blood that covered her head and shoulders, and dribbled and dripped unpleasantly down her, wasn’t hers. There was not even a small cut, let alone the sort of massive gash that would be required to produce this much blood, on her - and it was blood, fresh blood, judging by the feel and stink of it. As Haji looked for whoever had, apparently, drenched this girl he found where the blood had come from: down the alley, sitting about twenty feet into the alley, there was a bloody lump of something surrounded by four smaller bloody lumps.

ST
I would once again like a Perception plus Awareness roll! This time though it isn’t just sight, but also sound! The difficulty is five!

Frost

The flash of movement from Frost’s companion drew his attention much more easily than the sight of blood - innurred to mundane horrors by Hell and its monstrous inhabitants. The girl, he saw, was almost entirely unresponsive to Haji, though at this distance he couldn’t make out any further details. The people around him were much more active, though none of them were acting in the way that’d be expected in this sort of situation. There was no panic, and nobody immediately rushed to her, filled with the same altruism that had propelled Haji. Instead there was a wave of silence, and then an awkward return to normality.

ST
I would once again like a Perception plus Awareness roll! This time though it isn’t just sight, but also sound! The difficulty is five!

[Jade_Tarem]

Shrike

The girl didn't need his kind of help, and the bloody mess down the alley was too far gone for help of any kind. Haji felt a growing nausea and choked it down - he hadn't lost it when the cannibals attacked and he wouldn't now.

His scan for threats didn't come up empty, though. A masked figure, dressed for concealment, lurked on the rooftops, and upon seeing Haji's gaze swing his way, he vanished behind a number of obstructions. Oh no you don't.

A quick glance told him that he was still alone in here. "Frost! Come help this girl!" The dandy man would be of more assistance to her than he would, the Solar told himself. For now, he had a feat of athleticism to pull off before witnesses arrived. Summoning more of his internal essence, he bounced his way up, wall jumping back and forth until he reached the rooftops himself. There, he looked for his new quarry once again.

[The Blue Guard]

Fool’s March - Trade District
Shrike

Leaping onto the rooftops Shrike easily finds a vantage point from which to hunt his prey. He finds the masked figure quickly as he (or she) hasn’t moved very far from where Shrike lost sight of him. The figure seems not to have noticed Shrike’s pursuit, and is slowly heading toward the Blue District while hiding from the streets and alleys below.

It’s time for an extended, resisted roll! How you construct your pool with determine the difficulty you face! You get to make your first roll unopposed, however, since this masked man (or woman) wasn’t expecting anyone to follow him! After that, though, he (or she) will notice you and start trying to get away!