The thread which needs a title...

[OOC}If you dont want some inside info on flik, i left it open so that I could track him through the hex orb and the link from it to my hand. Just a thought. Its sorta part of my hole character. thats why i said to go outside and begin tracking him again. If you dont want to go that way, no prob I'll just follow along.[/OOC]

 

"Alright. I need to go to the gentlemen's room." I go to the near bar. Of course it's empty. The bartender quickly pulls out a shotgun from behind the counter.
"Indentify yourself!"
"TEA"
"Yeah right!"
"Wait I'll slowly pull out my badge" I do that and show it to him.
"Alright. What you need."
"I just want to use the restroom."
"Right. Here" he throws a key at me I swiftly catch it.
"Finally..." I go to the toilet and pull out the letter. In it it's written.

'Dear Mr. Boothby

We know of your criminal actions with patent stealing but your business is very important to Tarant's economical situation. Should your company go bankrupt a lot of workers would lose their jobs and the city would lose a huge amount of money. So we will take care that the charges against you would be dropped in the event of your capture.

Tarantian Industrial Council'


"Holy shit!!!!!! Scum!!!" I go out of the toilet. The bartender looks at me if I was a madman.
"What happened there?"
"Awwww. Nothing. I was just reading a newspaper. Thanks" I throw the key at the bartender but he's confused and doesn't catch the key. I run outside to my companions.
"Look what I find in Boothby's office!" I show them the letter and read it aloud making sure nobody else hears us.

During that time TEA and Tarantian guards rush in the bulb factory. They start gathering evidence.

 

[OOC]Damn. Can't find time at mo. Vlad/Retard, feel free to drag my character around as you need and make him do tricks. I'll catch up later in the week.[/OOC]

 

"I am Captain of the Tarantian Guard," replied the stranger next to Blaggs.

"Great," I thought to myself as I came abreast of Blaggs.

"He caught me coming out of Dugant's office," said Blaggs.

"I guess I should fill you in," I said to the good captain. "My name is Jobriath, I am part of an elite task force put together by the CIA."

I related as much as I could of the story to the captain, omitting the part about Lendark being the shooter. I believed that he still might be of use to us. If nothing else, he could testify against Boothby in return for a reduced sentence.

After I caught them up I took a look at the documents that Blaggs had acquired. The documents along with the evidence that Richard had already gotten were enough to put Boothby away.

"Come on," I said to both of them. "We still have some work to do."

They followed me back to the warehouse. By the time we got there, there were people everywhere. The warehouse was only partially standing and there were TEA agents and Tarantian guards swarming all over the wreckage. I spotted Lendark, Orin, and a new face standing near the shadows across the street. We went over to them.

"Where's Boothby?" I asked.

"He ran like a cur dog!" spat Orin.

"Do you have any idea where he might have gone?" asked Lendark.

"Well, I have been studying him for years," I started, "and when he feels most threatened, like he probably does now, he heads to his mansion in Caladon. The last train to Caladon left about 5 minutes ago. We have probably missed him. Have no fear though. I have been to that mansion before. I know where it is and I know how we can get in." While I was talking Richard came back. "This is what needs to happen," I continued. "You guys need to get to Caladon. I will meet you at the Sobbing Onion in three days. I have some things I need to take care of. I will have a plan ready when I arrive."

After some brief introductions between Blaggs, Lendark, Orin, and the new fellow, I left them to sort out the details of how and when they should get to Caladon. As they were talking I slowly backed out of the conversation and melted into the shadows. As I said, I had things to take care of.

[OOC] I am going away on business for a couple of days and will not be able to post. If you get to Caladon and get sick of waiting for me just go on without me. [OOC]
_________________
You know what? I'm glad I'm not a laboratory animal. Do you have any idea how many of those little bastards get cancer?

-Self-Appointed Unoffical Forum Welcomer

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Vlad the Imposter on 2002-03-18 03:47 ]</font>

 

[OOC]Just curious, how are we supposed to get to Caladon in 3 days? You said the train just left, and I think it's safe to assume there's only one train at this point in time. Boats would take far longer, and we can't fly...Oh well. Maybe the train is really quick...[/OOC]

Damn! Caladon! I'd never been there before, so I'd be very unfamiliar with everything...on the other hand, it meant I could start over again. Yes, I liked that. Tarant was getting boring anyway. I needed to test my skills in new territory. Besides, I'd find out whether I could mix it with the best down in Caladon...you know, just to find out how good I really am. I've always felt that it's bad to let your ego get away from you, and mine had begun to slip recently. The events of the past day or so had acutely alerted me to this fact.

"Excellent," I said crisply. "Caladon. Anyone here know how to get there in 3 days?"

 

"I believe I can help. There is and old farmstead about a half a days march from here. We can get fresh horse and tack there. The 'guy' owes me a favor. We should replinesh our supplies and start out as soon as possible. I think that this palce has become a little to excited for my tastes. I know the road better than most, so I will leave now. If we are to run into any trouble along the way, I will surley meet it first. I will meet you there(marks jars map). I promise we will make caladon by nightfall 3 days hence. If you are not there by morning, I will leave instructions and go on ahead to Caladon."

With that I turn around and disapear into the remaining smoke.

[inner monolog]I wonder, is THIS were I will find my answers. Has my long journy finally come to an end. What will I do then. I can only wait now.[/inner monolog]

 

"A horse is faster than a train?! I'll tag along with you because I am ordered to catch Boothby in any means. But I think we need some supplies first. At least I am almost out of ammo and I am not rich so I won't buy them in Caladon. Lets meet up at the main city entrance alright?" I went away to my supplier to get the ammunition and after forty minutes I was waiting at the main entrance.

 

[OOC]ok maybe I am confused but I thought the train would take about a day and that we would get there in 3. I never implied that we would beat the train. That wouldn't make for a very good story if we were waitning at the train station when he pulled up. Maybe I got the mechanics wrong. We can just change the time to about a week so that the train can beat us there. Or just fly delta. :grin:[/OOC]

 

I stand there listening to all this talk. After a moment I clear my throat, "Ahem, gentelmen todays night train just left there is a red eye for Caladan at five in the morning. Perhaps I will see you there." I wanted to get to Caladan anyway I just needed to pick up the rest of my gear and be ready by the morning.

 

Our little group was splitting up. This I was not sad to see, even though I knew I would be meeting with them all again in 3 days or so. I may be an assassin, but I also am a man of (limited) honour - I keep my word.

Well, I was a little sad to say Orin go. The dwarf had begun to grow on me - he was a quick thinker in combat, and pretty handy at it too. I sighed. May as well go collect the stuff I left at my old tavern room. I'm sure the tavern keeper would 'remember' where he'd put it after a sizeable amount of gold changed hands. There was some valuable stuff in there...

 

[OOC]ok im lost. How many trains are there in arcanum. I only saw one set of tracks and such. I thought there was only one. I can't use a train anyway. Also what the hell is a red eye. Im not trying to be a pain just want to be sure I keep up. Thanks[/OOC]

After only a few hours travel, for I know the lands well enough to not have to use roads, I arrived at meglanomi's farmstead. He is a old troll that I saved many years ago from a prison. He was imprisoned for being a troll, nothing else, just being a troll. As far as trolls go, he's an ugly one. I've known him for a while now and he would never hurt a fly. For that he has been banished from living with any of the other trolls. And of course he can't dwell in the cities among the "fair" folk as he calls us. He just runs a little farm out here in the middle of the wild land and keeps to himself.

(knocks on door twice)
"Who goes a nokin on my door, go away" a nasty voice screaches at me.
"Open this door meg or I'll send you back to the pits were I found you!"
"Oh, master orlon, I knew not it was you. why you be comin to the wild lands?"
"I need a spot for the night and at least 4 fine horse"
"What you be needin more than one horse fer, there be only one of you. Well at least I cun only sees one of ya"
"I have some companions that will be traveling with me in the morn, and we have to make Caladon by nightfall three days hence."
"Oh you'll not be gettin there in no three days unless you do some of that magik and chnage into a bird"
"You need not fret over that, now get to work on those horse and make them ready for our trip, I am going to gather some items for the trip. I'll be out no more than an hour, expect my return. Then we'll have a pipe and you can tell me what comes and goes in the wild lands."
"ok master orlon, I'll get them horse ready right away."

I turn away thinking to myself, it will take me most of the night to prep the horse for a trip to caladon at such a speed. I'll need to find the right items and have a little luck. Let us hope we are not too late to find (dramatic pause)him.

[OOC]being a nature mage(sorta a range type) I'm gonna whip up some endurance and speed postions for the horse so we can get to caladon in 3 days. I have no Idea who is going with me.[/OOC]


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Orlon KA-Lor on 2002-03-18 19:32 ]</font>

 

[ooc]red eye is a flight (or train) that is so late, everyone on board is asleep[/ooc]

 

I return from gathering the items I needed and sit down with meg for a bit of pipe.

"So meg, what come and goes in the wild lands these days"
"Well yuons knows I dont like them fair folk, but I been seein some queeruns for a few days now."
"What do you mean by queer"
"They lurk around like snakes on twouns legs"
"Like snakes, what do you mean"
"They slank in the shadows and is always lookin around like theys bein follered or sumptin. But one of em bought it real good like. The small feller was nappin under a tree and a bar came along to smell him. He jumped up pulled out one of the shiny bang things, a g-gu-g-..."
"A gun meg, its a gun"
"yea one of them, the bar just swated him in the head and et his arm clean off. When the bar left you know old meg had go see what was a goin on. I got these here shiny things offen him, see"

Meg shows me the items that he looted off of the halfling. Mainly your standard afair, wool jacket, boots, gun, ammo, ect. There was one thing that struck me as funny though. A finley crafted silver tube with a fancy "B" engraved on the side of it. I opened it and discovered a note. It read.


Go to Tarant. I will meet you there. Make sure that weasle I hired to kill Dugant follows through. If he fails, kill him and do it yourself. If YOU fail, I'll feed you to Leo.
W.C.B.


What did this mean, Who was Dugant, and W.C.B. I dont and really don't care. Maybe my new companions, being of the city and all, will be able to decipher this note. I'll leave it for them.

"Meg, give these things to the gentlemen in the morning."
"But here mine, i stole them fair and...."
"SILENCE or you will take the secret of why I wear this glove to the grave with you."
"Sorry, I's givem the stuff"

I scratched out a few words on the back of the note.


I am sorry i am unable to meet you here as I promised. I will meet you on the road to Caladon. I must retrive some items before we maek for Caladon. I implore you not to kill Meg. Your pity on him today may save your life tommorow.

Orlon KA-Lar


I stuffed the note back into the tube and placed it with the rest of the items.
"Meg, be sure to give these items and anything else they might need, to the men in the morning. Be very careful how you speak to them. The one who is leading them will shoot you if you look at him funny. Just give them what they need and be quiet. I am going to prepare the horse and i'll be off soon. When I finish my buisness in Caladon I will return to repay you for the horses."

With that I retired to the stables and set about my work. It would be a long night, but these things had to be done. I would have to hurry if I were to make it to the caves and back before my companions made it far down the road.

[OOC]who ever makes contact with meg, feel free to write his dialog, just keep it simple and dumb. dont kill him ,I might need him again.Hope you like the twist Jar[/OOC]

 

I went to the tavern I was previously staying at and found the tavern keeper.

"My good man, what have you done with the items in the room at the end of the hall that were there last night?"

I hadn't bothered to check the room. No doubt he'd seen the bed unslept in and pilfered everything.

"I don't know what you are talking about."

I opened a small bag of gold, showed it to him, closed it and put it in his hand.

"Are you sure?"

"You know, now that you mention it, I do remember. Come this way." He turned and went into a back room. I followed, with one hand on my knife in case he tried to jump me. He did.

He came at me, swinging a pipe at my head. I dodged the blow, mostly at least, and it struck my left arm. I spun with the blow, pulling a knife with my right arm. Continuing to spin, I slammed it backhanded into his chest. He had a surprised look in his eye - evidently he thought to get all my gold and then dump me on the street. He let out a final gurgle. Damn. Even though no one had seen or heard the exchange, I still didn't like random killings. They attracted unwanted attention.

Oh well, at least I wasn't planning on staying in Tarant. I would let my contracter know what had happened. I regathered my gold off the tavern keeper, found my items and some other goodies.

After making sure the tavern keepers body wouldn't be discovered for several hours, I travelled to the outskirts of Tarant, where I hoped I would meet again with the other fellows.

 

[OOC] rosenshyne a red eye is early so peoples eyes are red from waking up. Orlon Tarant and Caladan are the two biggest cities in Arcanum there will be a lot of traffic between the two.[OOC]

 

I spent most of the voyage in the dining- car. The warehouse insident had left me hungry and tired. It's not every day you dodge death like that.

The food onboard was wondeful. Nothing beats a first class train ride.
I had just finished desert and I was ready to pay my check and head for bed.
I made eye-contact with one of the waitors.
He rushed to my table, completely ignoring the other patrons. After all, I had eaten for more then 4 times the gold then any one else in the car.
"Anything else Sir, Mr. Boothby Sir?"

"No, thank you boy. This was indeed an exellent meal. But I'm afriad I've got to retire, I have a lot of work to do in the morning... Here you are."

I gave the waitor 3 solid gold coins, probably enough tip to feed him and his familiy for a month.
He tried to contain his exitement.

"V-v-very good Sir, Have a good night!"

I grabbed my hat and cane and made my way towards my private car, Where my two companions where waiting.
Leopold was sleeping, But Gradok was still awake. He'd been using the telegrath at the last train station we stopped at a few hours ago.

"Mr. Boothby. I trust you had a good meal? The telegram has been sent. Security at your mansion has been increased, and many of Caladons asassins have been hired. Anyone claiming to be a TEA agent will be killed without mercy."

"Good, good. I trust Caladons government will look the other way about the evidence?"

"Yes Sir. Unless new evidence is uncovered, The city of Caladon will drop any charges made against you. Boothby Elecktrics is too importaint to close down unless they absolutly have too..."

"Exellent! Good night old friend, As always you've made a fine job."

Gardok hit himself over the chest with his right fist, a traditional form of Orcish salute used often among the tribes on the plains of Morrbehan.
I made myself ready for bed. Tomorrow was going to be a hard day. I would still need to do a lot of bribing to make sure that Caladons government kept its word...

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Flink on 2002-03-19 16:12 ]</font>

 

A level one halfling takes the stage

It is said that true power lies with the mid-level career bureaucrats. We certainly gain no glory, or even honour. Elected officers of the government come and go. We remain. Quietly shuffling our papers. Keeping our heads down. Knowing everything there is to know in our own particular realm.

Many dread the thought of sharing our existence. The routine, the sameness of duty and responsibility. Ah, there's the key. Many of my peers live lives of quiet desperation longing to go forth into the world and seek their fortunes. Alas they are too timid to ever step off the path they've found themselves on. But they are the riotous minority. We are a dutiful lot, fiercely so. It has fallen to us to maintain the government and the order of society. Moreso than even our fellow servants in law enforcement. If they did not get their regular stipends THEY would take to the streets. And who is it that tends to those channels that converts taxes, tolls, and fees into wages and stipends? Indeed!

I, like my fellows would likely shoot my foot off (what a disaster for a halfling) if taking up arms, but beware if you have papers coming across my desk. We know the system better than those officials and magnates who use it. And our loyalty is to it and the goodness of the society it maintains.

_________________
"History was written to say it wasn't our fault" - Sam Philips

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Oyarsa on 2002-03-20 12:22 ]</font>

 

The train ride passes without incident and once at Caladan I make arrangments for the several large crates to be stored in a wearhouse that I have a key to. Once everything is set I walk over to the sobbing onion for some dice and ale. I hope the others take their time getting there, its been a while since I had a few hours of drinking and gambling.

 

Finally, I have finished with the horses. I now must leave for it will be daylight soon. I must make the rock and be back so I don't miss the travelers.

I mount my steed and wisper into his ear. He looks up at as if to say, "I know what we must do, let us begin" I pat his head and spur him off into the dark. We ride for several hours before reaching the rock.
The rock is an old dwarven chest I picked up along my travels. I looks like a simple rock, and once placed in the ground by the owner, it is far to heavy for any mortal to move. I dismount and aproch the rock. Placing my hand into a small indention on the top, i speak a few words and here a "clank". I reach around the back and pull the lever that is extruded from the side. It opens.

Inside a items I have collected. Rings, amulets, parchments and what not. There are a few items here that I am sure my friends will appreciate.

I grab a peice of tatered parchment and small brass tube. It has glass in both ends. I once used it to spy on a group of maurauders but never fully understoud what it did. Next is the arm of a peice of armor. It is of obvious draven heritage. Symbols all around and sockets and wires. I hope my new dwarven friend will be able to at least tell me what it is. And last is this little thing. I have NO idea what it is but I have a feeling that I will need it.

I throw all of these things into the bag and mount up. The sun just begins to peek of the horizon. I'll need to hurry.

[OOC]I know I'm stretching this a little but I needed to, to be able to progress the story.

JAR, your item is an ancient looking glass that, when used on a rifle, allows you some(though very little) ability to see through walls for your shots. Kinda like a REAL primitive infrared. it works like the transparency in the game, except all you can make out is shapes and sizes. Doesn't matter dark or light, it looks the same. The schematic will tell you how to use and build it

3dog, the arm of aromor is part of a drawven power armor. If you attach it to you armor it will give you a longer thowing range and better accuracy due to the increased strength. I dont know that, but you will.

Vlad, the little thingy for you is sorta a lie detector. When you listen with it, it will tell you if they are lieing or not. If they are not, their voice will sound perfectly clear as if nothing were wrong. If they are lieing, then you can here a weird tone and ring in their voice. I dont know what it is, but you have heard of it and it is legendary in the feild of law enforcement.

You guys dont have to use the items, but I thought they were cool. I iwll give them to you as soon as we meet after you leave megs[/OOC]



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Orlon KA-Lor on 2002-03-20 12:07 ]</font>

 

[OOC]did this thing die or what. Were all dressed up with no were to go. [tap tap tap] Is this thing on? Sorry I'm a little anxious to keep going thats all. I know you all have a life too, at least I hope you do.[/OOC]