The thread which needs a title...

[OOC]Okay, enough talk! Time for action! Hence, I am starting a thread. It may crash and burn, but I hope it won't.[/OOC]

I crouched quietly in the shadows. I knew no one could see me, but I still felt like my entire position was exposed. It would be soon enough, at any rate, I thought.

The carriage came into view, pulled by several horses. A half-ogre bodyguard/chaffeur drove it. I knew two others were inside, on either side of the gnome. Somone really wanted this gnome dead. I had no idea who he was, but I'd been paid damn well, and given damn good information too. I'd checked the target's protection out for myself, and it matched my employer's information. In my business, you can't be too trusting.

I brought my looking glass rifle to my shoulder. I carefully adjusted the sights, and cocked the gun. I waited for the carriage to move into my sights. I pulled the trigger, and saw the bullet pass through the front of the carriage. Hopefully the flash from the barrel hadn't carried too far and been seen by too many people. From the roars emanating from the carriage, I knew I had struck my target. The blood that came out when the half-breeds jumped out confirmed that I'd at least scored a hit. Whether it was fatal, I didn't know. I'd have to wait for the papers to report it.

I dropped the rifle, turned, and ran back up the slanted rooftop. I slid down the roof, and landed in a pile of garbage I had seen there earlier. Brushing myself off, I pulled on a shabby overcoat, pulled out a bottle, took a couple of swigs, and staggered away, feigning drunkenness. The ogres would take their time getting here, and hopefully my disguise would put them off until I reached the relative safety of the nearby tavern...

 

Street Rat. Gutter Punk. Bum. Homeless. Whatever you want to call those without a home. My name is Alex, but with as much dumpster diving as I do, those that know me just call me Diggs. Yeah, life is rough when you are living on the streets, never knowing where your next meal is coming from.

Life is even tougher when you are scrounging around for some food, and then you hear a gunshot from somewhere overhead, only to see a guy sliding down the roof and trying to get away. He didn't seem to notice me yet, so I remained silent.

 

I stumbled into the tavern, and fell over just in front of the bar, taking the opportunity to wipe my hands and face strategically with the muck on the floor.

Ye Gods that stank! Still, it had to be done...Rising, I spoke to the barkeep.

"Gimme a tankar'o' yer bes' ale!" I slurred in his general direction.

"Money first," he demanded.

Grumbling, I fished around in my pockets and pulled out several small coins.

"Here yer are. Much ale as tha'll git me!"

The coins disappeared so fast I thought I'd dropped them, but the bartender put several tankards of ale in front of me, and I drank heavily - or at least tried to. I ended up tipping almost half of it down my front as I drank as quickly and drunkenly as I could. I repeated the process with another tankard, then picked up the remaining one, and went to sit at a table in the corner, with a good view of the door...

 

I watched as he went off into the tavern, just lucky he didn't notice me. My first inclination was to simply ignore what just went on, and to go about my business.

But there was this small little voice in the back of my head. The more I thought about it, whoever that guy shot, he must have been paid to. If he was doing it for his own reasons against the guy, then chances are the guards could trace it back. Not a real smart move. So of course, whoever had the real beef with whoever was in that carriage had to have hired someone out.

Now, if he was hired to kill someone, he would be getting paid. Probably a hefty sum, too. More money that I could count, for sure. The more I thought about it, the louder that voice in the back of my head became. Repeating the same word over and over.

Blackmail. Blackmail. Blackmail...

 

Sitting in the corner, I kept my eye on the door. Sooner, rather than later, either ogres or guards would be coming in here and asking questions...

Suddenly the door burst open, and a very large, very upset and very angry half-ogre burst into the room and went to the bartender.

"You see man with bang-bang?"

"What?"

"YOU SEE MAN WITH BANG-BANG???" The ogre was very pissed off now, and made shooting gestures with his hands.

"No, no one in here could afford a gun."

The ogre looked disappointed. "Alright, I go now. I find out you lying to me, I hurt you bad!"

The ogre left. I breathed a sigh of relief. While they weren't the smartest of detectives, they could definitely wring a confession out of an unlucky person. I just hoped the guards wouldn't be along until the next day.

 

I was pacing back and forth through the streets like I was supposed to do, when I heard a gun shot down the road. I ran over there and saw a cart. I went to the cart and saw a dead body. I was just recently hired as a guard. I decided to go into the bar close by to ask some people some questions. I then ran into the bar.
"Hey does anyone know what just happened out there!?"

 

[OOC]Quethim, PLEASE read the posts more carefully, and you'll note several things:

1. I shot at a carriage, not a cart. Completely different thing.

2. If you are a guard, you should have gone to get a superior officer. If not that, a true guard would have stayed to guard the body and stopped it being robbed.

3. A guard wouldn't have run into the bar and just started asking questions of everyone. It's very likely they didn't hear the shot.

4. While this post is an improvement over your last ones (which is good), could you please edit it so say something else, because you aren't really thinking your character through here. Besides, how were you going to arrest me in the bar? You've got nothing on my character yet.

 

[OOC]Well if you read mine through you would have seen that I specificaly said I was NEW.So I have no clue exactly what I was doing. Ok lets just say my character is a dumbass or something. And plus I have something in mind so lets just continue.

 

Sitting hunched in the carriage next to the boss, at first I didn't even realise what had happened when I saw the red spray hit the opposite wall of the plush interior. The city is so loud with all the bangs and booms from factories, that I didn't even hear a shot with my bad ears.

For a moment, I watched the crimson ooze slide down the smooth veneer. Then I made the connection. My heart jumped, and then I felt ... relief. The boss was dead. He'd been a twisted old goat, and never had a kind word for me. He kept me around because I was big and not as slow as others with my blood.

He never seemed to realise that my extra brains might give a different view of his activities than the normal mindless acceptance that my kinfolk showed. Maybe he never credited me with being that clever. He'd always treated more like a dog that could a few unusual tricks more than anything else. Like a dog, he thought my loyalty was blind and complete. He didn't hear my soft growls or realise how many times I'd wanted to bite his hand. If it wasn't for the threat to my mum, I'd have killed him myself long ago.

Now he was dead, and I didn't know what to do. My mum was still held at his estates back on the island. I didn't know what her fate would be now that her keeper was dead. Probably nothing good for a used-up human brood mare, as the gnomes saw her, but there was nothing I could do about it, and it wouldn't be any worse if I just jumped out of the carriage and walked away now. As a rule, the gnomes didn't even notice which humans had bred which of us.

By now, the other guards were running around shouting. Erdesh, who'd been on the old man's right on the bench seat, had already jumped out of his side and disappeared from view. None of them took any notice of me. Half-ogres don't often share the curiosity of their mothers' people, and in this group I'd always been viewed with a strange mix of revulsion and reverence. They didn't understand me, or the things that I did, but they new the boss trusted me, so didn't ask questions.

With a sigh, I opened the door, and squirmed from the confines of the small vehicle. Finally able to stand for the first time in hours, I stretched mightily once I was out.

Looking around, I saw our men everywhere, running down alleys, kicking in nearby doors. They hadn't a clue. Niether did I, I supposed, but I knew it probably wouldn't help to kick in the nearest doors and alienate potential informants!

I stood, indecisive. For my mum's sake, I couldn't burn my bridges with Half-Ogre Island. But I wanted my freedom, by damn! This life of servitude was grinding me down, and I needed people to talk to who could do more than just grunt!

Still, I didn't have to decide immediately, I realised. I could carry on for a while and see what developed, and melt away before a new overlord came to take us in hand. With this in mind, I scanned the roof-tops for possible siping positions. Noting the most obvious ones, I started my investigation.


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sheriff Fatman on 2002-02-22 12:53 ]</font>

 

The office door burst open. "Captain!! There's just bu-bu-been a sh-sh-shoo---MURDER!!" The new kid stuttered excitedly. He hadn't been under my command long, just a week or so.

"Sit down, son. Take it easy," I replied. After taking a drag on my cigar and blowing a puff of smoke so he wouldn?t see me roll my eyes, I reclined in my leather, time-worn chair. The new kid definitely was just a bit over-dramatic. But he was dedicated and enthusiastic. Had to give him that... "What are you going on about?"

"CaptainIwasjustdoingmyroundsonthestreetandIheard.."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, son. I said take it EASY! Talk sl-ooww-errrrrr."

"Ok, I just was out near the square, and I heard a gunshot. I rushed towards the sound and saw a carriage in the road. Two ogres climbed out, bloodstains on both. I rushed to the carriage and saw a..."

"Saw what, son?"

"..A dead body! I then ran to the nearby taverntoseeifIcouldfindanywitnessesand..."

At this, I let his voice trail off. After putting on my hat, and walking out the door, I motioned for my rookie to follow. Show him some tricks of the trade, I thought. He followed close on my heels. Reminded me of a cute and fuzzy toon.

After arriving at the square, I could see a throng of men and women, a few gnomes, and one blood-stained half-ogre. Brutish fellow. I then assigned my rookie to dissassemble the crowd, and I turned my attention to the carriage. Looking inside, I gasped. There, on the veneer seat, soaked in blood oozing from his chest, was Albreck Dugant. The most hated gnome in these parts. Also one of the most enterprising, brutal, intelligent, and needless to say, bloody filthy rich.

"Boss dead. I tried to find man with bang-bang. It was man with bang-bang. I tried to do my job," the ogre beside was saying. He was obviously terrified. I didn't think about it then, but I am sure he was fearing for his life. Dugant had many friends who wouldn't look kindly on half-ogres failing to protect their boss.

Seeing my rookie wasn't having much luck, I grabbed him, and we headed off to nearby taverns, shops, anyplace that might be housing a witness. Little did I know what the future had in store for me.


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: retard on 2002-02-21 10:46 ]</font>

 

[OOC] Guys that was my first attempt at role-playing here, or anywhere for that matter. I would like to participate, but don't want to step on toes, or post something stupid, so let me know if I do either. I will edit if need be.[OOC]

 

My eyes rolled a bit as I saw the commotion increase in the streets from my little alley. Getting worked up over one person dying? Shit, I see people die every other day for some reason or another and they don't give two stones about them.

But with all that was going on, I had managed to slip in the Tavern via the rear entrance. Ploppinb my butt down on a stool, I ordered a simple mug of ale before I began to scan over the room. While I was looking for the man I saw back in the alley, I began to contemplate just how exactly I was going to go about this.

 

[OOC] This is my 1st post in this forum. Please let me know if I screw up.


I have to admit it was a nice shot. The only problem with rooftops was getting down from them...ahh a garbage pile now that is true dedication.
Good, he got away cleanly and I don't believe anybody saw him.
Look at those stupid beasts, covered in the blood of that miserable gnome, running around without a plan. Well that is what you get when you hire animals to keep you safe.
Finally they began to spread out and begin a search. As one beast starts up the street toward me I step from the doorway and head down walk toward the carrage.
As expected I am thrown up against a building and a large face fills my view.
"Dwarf..." having used the extent of his reasoning the beast pauses. "Dwarf! you like bang-bang, you kill boss!!"
"I-I-I'am sorry what are y-y-you talking about?"
"WHERE BANG-BANG!!!!"
"A gun? I don't have a gun on me sir." I do have an interestingly modified charged ring on my ringer through.
"I take you to building, then we see where you put bang-bang." The beast smiles and taking my arm begins to drag me down the street back toward the carrage. This will not do, I still have too much to do tonight. I stomp down hard pushing the wires in my boot together to complet the circuit. The beast jerks in a most satisfactory manner as enough voltage flows through him to light a city block. I look around and see to reaction. Quickly I drag him into a nearby doorway. This will do for the moment. I've got to get back and reprort on the sucessful completion of the contract for my boss. The things I have to do for money. I just repeat to myself "it's all for the clan, it's all for the clan."

 

Sitting in my corner, I realised that a lot of people were coming in the bar. Ogres, guards and at least one more drunk. The drunk may have seen me if he had been hidden. I'd have to kill him if he had seen me. My profession, like most others, relied on my being alive and in command of all my limbs and extremeties.

There was a window nearby. Filling my flask with the remaining ale from my mug, I walked over to it, and poked my head through.

"Wha' a lully nigh'!" I said loudly enough for a nearby table to hear. "Look at all 'em purty stars..."

Feigning drunkenness to the best of my ability, I leaned out even more, ostentatiously to see even more of the 'purty stars', all the while keeping up the commentary for others to hear.

I leant too far, and 'accidentally' fell out the window, to the raucous laughter of all those who'd been watching me. I landed on my back, and talked a bit to the fellow who came to the window to see if I was alright. Mainly the topic was stars. I pretended to pass out, and he went away.

I quickly rolled away into the shadows before picking myself up, and walking drunkenly towards one of the better taverns in town where I was staying. I checked to make sure no one was looking, and then I dumped the overcoat in a trashcan, and hurried on...

 

[ooc] what city are we in?[ooc}

 

[OOC]Tarant, but it's a far bigger city than you saw in the game. I mean, if they city was that big then, well, it's not much of an industrial complex is it? I mean, where are the residential areas for the regular guys? Surely they'd need more than two taverns as well...So just expand the city, and you should be alright.[/OOC]