The thread which needs a title...

I quivered like a bow-string and waited to die. His breath was hot on my face, and I suddenly wished I had a god... any god. I didn't want to go the Void, but what choice did I have? But after several very eternal seconds, nothing happened. I cracked open one eye to see just how unlucky I was. I shut it just as quickly. Apparently, I'm very unlucky. I slowly wet my lips and said the first thing that came to mind. "You're not the Bane of Kree, are you?" Silence. But I had felt something very like laughter, quickly supressed. I tried again, my eyes still screwed shut.

"See, we weren't gonna tell no one, well, we were at first, we were gonna tell anyone who would pay us to know, but then Lu thought that maybe we could make more money if we didn't tell, and Lu is so much smarter than I am, so I thought I should listen, but then you came, and you scare me so much I kind of wish I could die on command, but I don't have that power, I don't have any power, or I wouldn't be here right now, I would be anywhere else but here, preferably someplace with food, cuz I'm hungry, and isn't there some kind of rule where you have to feed people before you kill them? but maybe you don't follow any rules cuz you're big and scary, and please don't gut me..." I breathed deep, and I felt that shudder again.

"Who's Lu?" he asked his voice dark and dreary and everything I had ever heard bump in the night but told myself wasn't really there.

"Lu?" I squeaked, "Lu who? I don't know a Lu, there's just me, a slip of the tongue, I *urk!*" His hand tightened on my throat, then just as quickly released. It was only a warning, but a fairly graphic one. But before I could say anything, Lu slipped out from under the table and put his own small hand on the Dark Man's arm. He had always been a bit of a mystery to me, but I suddenly realized just how strange my brother really was. He locked eyes with the Dark Man, and whispered in twin-speak. I cleared my throat. "Lu says we can help you, but you have to trust us. He says..." I licked my lips in fear and looked to Lu for confirmation. His eyes didn't move, and his breath sighed out in a whispered hiss. "He says he knows what you're looking for."

I held my breath and waited for the world to crumble.

 

[to jar]"Steady your hand my friend, let us hear them out. At the very least they will be sport to kill, if they are lying."

 

As I sat in my study there was a knock on the door. I turned around with a irritated look on my face. It was Gardok, my second in command.

"Yes Gardok what is it?! I'm rather busy at the moment!"
I said with a rather gruff tone, I wanted my work to be done as soon as possible.

The half-orc went in to the room, making sure to close the door behind him without making too much noise.

"I'm sorry master, But I bring information from my contacts in the underground."

He now had my undevided attention.

"Indeed? What have you found?"

"The TEA agent and the fellows that attacked you're warehouse in Tarant are here in Caladon!"

I almost fell out of my chair.

"Are you quite sure?!!"

The half-orc nodded. Gardoks sources in the underground had always been right before.

"Do you have any idea where they are?"

"No master, I do not. But I will track them down myself."

"Splendid. Take all the weapons and equipment you need."

"Thank you Sir. I will, I will also need at least 10 of your best henchmen."

"Of course. They are yours."

Gardok smiled to himself. If there was one thing he enjoyed in this world, it was a man-hunt. Prefreably one that ended with battle.

"I will return with their skulls within 24 hours, Good night Mr. Boothby."

Gardok turned around and disapeared in to the shadows of the darkened hallway.

[OOC]
Alright, Expect a hard battle comming you're way :smile:
[/OOC]

 

[OOC]
Good going Flink. Things were starting to go real slow.
[OOC]

 

[OOC]ohh ohh ohh this is what I have been waiting for. If nobody has anyproblems with it I want the big one. It fits in PEREFECT with my charecters background, this ought to be fun[/OOC]

 

[OOC]Just curious Flink, how exactly were we spotted? We got to Caladon as quickly as possible, and word from the Underground couldn't travel that fast if it wanted to. That, and no one knew we attacked the warehouse. I know I'm nitpicking here...Ah, well, it furthers the story, so let's keep going![/OOC]

"I've got an idea," I said very quietly to the two children in front of me. "How about if I give you some food, you do something for me?"

They nodded. I took my hand off the child, but left the knife where it was. "Don't move," I whispered. Turning, I grabbed two bread rolls, and sliced them open with a knife on the table. I wasn't about to use mine. I stuffed the rolls with meat from a meal a serving wench brought us, which I paid for.

I turned to find two children with wide eyes staring at the food in my hand. I snapped my fingers, and they turned to look at me.

"If I give you these rolls, you will go outside. If you see a group of armed men, possibly led by a half-orc, that aren't wearing the uniform of the guard, you come in here and tell me." They nodded so quickly, it looked like their heads might fall off.

I handed the rolls to them. Just as they took them, I grabbed the nearest child. "If you fail, I will hunt you down, got that?"

I let them go, and watched them scurry out the door...

 

I nodded at Lenadrk when he came in and called me Greybeard. Trains are good and bad. The good is they get you places quick with out raw inner thighs the bad thing is they get you there so quick you have plenty of time to get drunk waiting for the boys. I was about to adminster a smack to get the urchen talking when the outer wall of the Onion exploded in flames and wood splinters. The smoke began to clear but not the ringing in my ears. I dived for cover as bullets began to shatter every bottel on the far wall. I peak around a thick tabel built to withstand many a bar room brawl and see a team of orcs and men firing from cover on the other side of the street. Being rather drunk I take a step that I would later come to regret. Out of my bag come the grenade launcher. "Damn dirty orcs," I bellow and unleash a quick two rounds. May Albrect curse my soul because of the drink both shots went wide, one into the harbor and the other put a difinative end to the menace of a trash can lurking twenty feet from the orcs.

 

[OOC]
Hehe, Maybe you're right Jar... But one never knows where the agents of the underground are lurking.. It could be you're barber, The man tending you're horse, the local monkey salesman or maybe even someone in your own party? :smile:

I'll asume the role of Gardok for a while, Boothby is locked up in his mansion and it doesn't look like he's gonna come out very soon... Kinda boring for me. So I'll play this guy, at least for a few posts...
[/OOC]

As we came up to the Sobbing Onion 2 similar looking children comming out of the tavern quickly jumped back throu the open door.
I'd heard from a trust worthy contact that the newcommers had just entred the tavern.
We surrounded the tavern and opened fire!

"We have them! Keep your guns firing men! We'll taste their blood tonight!"

Two members of Caladons police force came walking around the corner. They hesitated, but after a split second of thinking things out, they ran way. Glad to still be alive.

Thanks to my contacts in the underground, and my exellent tracking skills, It had been easier to find the out-of-towners then I thought.
Now we had them pinned down. My men, Most of them orcs and half-orcs I'd recruted personally from the tribes on the Morrbihan plains, all had battle expeince. This wasn't a group of worthless city-orc factory workers, No. These where true orcish warriors!

A grenade had breached the wall of the Onion. Victory was near!
Then two grenades came flying out the hole made in the wall, But both missed their targets.

"Ha! Pathetic! All right, enough of this! Men! ready your axes! We'll kill them the old fashioned way!"

The guns silenced and the group all drew their melee weapons. I threw my gun to the ground and grabbed my two custom made twin machined axes.

We let out a join battle cry as all 12 made ourselves ready to charge throu the large crack in the wall of the Sobbing Onion...

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Flink on 2002-04-02 14:58 ]</font>

 

[OOC]I want Gradok so i'm gonaa do a little transition here and I'll be back for the ned fight. Just dont kill him untill I get there. i will be good I promise.[/OOC]

From the cover of the large table, I turn to my friends. "Seems we aren't as welcome here as we thought."
I take a quick survey of the situation. It doesn't look good.
"Ok heres what we do, I'll disapear in the smoke and go around to hit them from the back. you guys hold up here and kill as many of them as you can. i'll get the ugly one."
"Oh and don't look at me that way, I'm not crazy[speaking to Jar]

I pull my cape cloak over me and hope that they can't see me in the smoke or that they are to hell bent on killing the other guys so that I might get around them and flank them.

[Inner monolouge]this is going to be tough. The biggest one is...well hes big. I hope he goes down easy. I dont think he will. I really dont want to do it that way but I must, I'm so close and then i can be rid of this thing forever.[/inner monolouge]

[OOC] Ok Im gonna slip around back and you guys fighgt kill whatever all of the henchmen but leave Gadok for me. I'll come back when most of the killing has ended. Time to get creative guys.[/OOC]



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Orlon KA-Lor on 2002-04-02 14:45 ]</font>

 

Well, it looked like the children hadn't needed to do their job. Boothby's damn half orc guard was back, and he didn't sound too happy. I started knocking over other nearby tables and chairs. The tables I dragged near to us, the tables I threw in their general direction. Thank goodness the Sobbing Onion was a decent inn, with oak tables, effectively providing bullet-proof cover.

"This is not a good way to start anew," I muttered to myself. No one heard me because of all the gunfire. Orin seemed to be fiddling with his grenade launcher. I thanked the gods that I hadn't had any ale for years.

Drawing my pistols, I poked them over the top and fired until they were empty. I heard 2 screams, so I'd hit at least 2 orcs, hopefully taking them out of the fight. I reholstered the pistols, and drew the other two. I crouched, and popped my head over the top of the table. As I'd thought, 2 orcs were down, but only one was out, with a bullet hole in his chest. The other was picking himself up off the floor, with a bullet in his left leg. He couldn't run, but he could still fight. I did not fail to notice that 10 orcs were still charging.

I fired as fast and accurately as I could, bringing down four more orcs. They would not be getting up. I ducked down again. The chairs were slowing the orcs, but would give us only a few more seconds. Again, holstered the pistols, and drew knives. I hoped that Blaggs (who at this moment was doing his best to look invisible and trying to keep his massive bulk behind the table) would prove able to fight. I didn't fancy the odds of the TEA agent, Orin and I against 8 orcs and half-orcs without the assistance of the half ogre.

I saw Orin fiddling with something, and it wasn't his grenade launcher. He seemed nearly to be done, so I turned to Blaggs.

"You have to fight! Otherwise, we die," I shouted at him.

He looked unhappy, but he nodded and got into a crouch...

 

The inn had erupted in chaos. The Dark Man had wanted us to watch for trouble, but unfortunately we hadn't really seen it coming. We hadn't been outside for half a second when we saw the biggest, ugliest, meanest looking orc gang in history slamming down the street towards us. Lu grabbed my hand and pulled me back inside, but before I could open my big mouth, the front wall exploded in fire and broken glass. We hit the floor together, arms flung over the back of our heads. This was bad. V-A-D-D, bad. Lu was slinking behind the remains of what might have been a door, but I was pinned beneath something large and heavy. Lu pulled as I pushed, and the large something slid off my back. It was... oh. Nevermind. I hoped I would remember to pick it's corpse later. We crawled for what used to be the back room, hoping for a way out. But as we pulled abreast of the still intact doorway, I glanced back. The Dark Man was crouched behind a tilted table, talking to large hulking mass that called itself an ogre. He gave me the willies, but he had still bought us food... And we had failed at our job. Say what you will about worthless street urchins, but there's honor among thieves. I grabbed Lu's heel, and started back across the room, scurrying from obstacle to obstacle.

We were maybe ten feet from Him when I heard a sharp whistle, and the sound of shattered glass. Suddenly the world went red. I tried to put both hands to my eyes, and realized I was still holding the roll clenched in my right fist. I rubbed my left palm against my cheek, and it came away bloody. I looked at Lu, and he looked back in wordless horror. He reached out and pulled a sliver of glass from my hair. I wondered if I was dead.

Even as I wondered, I watched the world slide away in slow-motion. The Dark Man was concentrating on the behemoth, and couldn't see what I could. Two orcs were barreling towards his unprotected side. I saw the foam in their mouths through a rose-red haze, heard their footsteps like gunshots pounding on the wooden floor. They sounded hollow, like knocking on a table. There's a room beneath this one, I realized. The thought swirled through my head even as I screamed. The Dark Man's head swung around, but he was still looking in the wrong direction. It didn't matter, though. I was flying across the floor, wishing I hadn't died hungry. I flung myself to the floor in front of the orcs, felt a knee collide with my rib-cage and felt something snap. I watched the Dark Man's face as he turned again, but then both orcs were falling on me, I couldn't breathe... As I fell into darkness, I hoped there was food in the Void...

[ooc]just so everyone knows, my kid isn't dead, he's just unconcious with a nasty gash in his forehead, a concussion, and a couple of broken ribs. he's just dropped two orcs in front of you, jar, in the hopes of becoming indispensable. when the fight's over, somebody please wake him up... :smile: [/ooc]

 

The papertrailhead

"Telegraph Office weekly report" came the voice as a small sheaf of papers hurtled into the wire basket sitting at the corner of my desk.

Without looking up I pulled the report into my field of vision. Hmm, Boothby must be back in town. Still this spike in usage is pretty high, even for him.

I propelled my chair over to one of the filing cabinets on the side wall of my office. Selecting a drawer I produced two folders.

 

I was just starting my ale as the wall exploded and we were attacked by a dozen of orcs and halforcs. I quickly leaped behind the bar counter while cursing in my thoughts. Damnit! We traveled without sleep for three days and the powder's effect was wearing off. I was really sleepy.
"Get out of here" I shouted to the bartender who was also crouching behind the counter. He was shocked but I didn't have time to take care of some stupid. I grabbed my two revolvers, stood up and filled the chests of two orcs full with metal. I crouched back and reloaded. I stood up again but was met by an angry orc holding a huge axe. He swinged at me but I crouched and he hit the counter. I holstered my revolvers. As he was trying to pull out his axe I jumped and hit him in the jaw sending him flying. The huge orc fell on a large shard of glass. Then I saw that child being smacked by a halforc. Lendark didn't see them. I grabbed my revolver and shot one of them in the head. Lendark heard the shot, turned around and shot the other bastard. Someone grabbed me and threw me at the bottle stand. I fell to the ground dazed. Some bottle shards were stuck in my flesh. That was quite painful. My revolver flew away then he hit me. I grabbed my other gun and stood up. I saw the same orc I sent flying on the glass. He was still alive and strong! Damn those orcs are hard to kill. He was holding a table leg and sent it flying into my hand hitting out my revolver. He started running towards me intending to tear my flesh apart with his bear hands. I grabbed the axe stuck in the counter. I concentrated my powers and pulled it out. But it took too long. He grabbed my throat and I started losing my breath. I pulled my last strength and swinged at his arm with which he was holding me. I fell on the floor with his hand still on my neck. The orc was moaning in pain. He pulled the glass shard from his gut and threw it at me cutting my arm a bit. He jumped on me but I met him with the axe and sent his head flying away. The headless body fell on me I fell on the ground. Some more glass shards found their way through my clothes. I pushed away the corpse and grabbed my revolver but I couldn't see the other one. I was so sleepy and weak. The battle was still going strong...

_________________
"If you think you met the devil wait 'till you meet me."

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Maniac on 2002-04-03 05:19 ]</font>

 

The damn launcher seems to be stuck. I grab a round and twist setting the fuse off. I stand up and hurl the round with all my strength at the lead orc. With casual contempt he swats the round out of the air with his axe. Unfortunately for his wingman the round lodges in the armpit of his leather armor. In desperation the orc douses the grenade with the nearest unbroken bottle. Much to the ors relief he round is a dud and only sparks a little. Too bad for him the liquid used to extinguish the round was 180 proof grain alcohol. with a satisfying woosh he is engulfed in blue flames. Shreeking he tries to drop and roll but the same bottle was underfoot and his feet are flung out from underneath him. The force of his fall propels the axe out of his hand and into the forehead of the orc beating the street urchins.

[OOC] By my counts only Gardoc is left. So Orlon go to it buddy [OOC]
_________________
"What a waste it is to lose one's mind. Or not to have a mind is being very wasteful. How true that is."

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: ThreeDogs on 2002-04-03 12:04 ]</font>

 

Things were going good, but not good enough. The orc I had wounded was still coming, and the lead orc was almost upon us. Thank the gods for guns and projectiles in general.

I crouched, ready to take the first orc who came over the top of the table. Instead, the injured one came from Blaggs side. Blaggs jumped up quicker than I thought possible and siezed the orc by his head, lifting him up from the ground. He shook him violently, before throwing him underarm at the wall. He did not get up.

Damn, was I glad I hadn't tried to take out Boothby's enormours half-orc yet.

My thoughts were interrupted by a roar as the lead orc loomed over me. He did not look happy. After all, we'd decimated his forces pretty quickly. Now though, I didn't have any loaded guns, Orin was fiddling with something again, the TEA guy was out for the count and Blaggs was checking the body of the orc he'd thrown. Where was that damn mysterious guy with the black glove?

 

[OOC]sweet, I'll see if I can make this good. Flink, sorry but you never replied to me and the story is moving on. If you dont like the way I do this, let me know and we'll edit change it. Cool?[/OOC]

Fortunanty I had made it around to the back of the orc group but not in time to draw all of their fire away from my friends. I saw one of the men covered in dead orc and glass, he was either dead or wished he was. My dwarf friend seemed intent on fixing what ever he had in his hands. A small child had been buried in an avalanche of dead half-orcs and the other guy was about to become a sweet cake for the biggest orc. I had to do something quick or things would get worse.

I did what was mear instinct to me, I drew my bow and launched an arrow directly at the orc's head. As quickly as the arrow had left the bow string, I had another to take its place. It to found its mark in the back of the orcs head. One took the helmet clean off and the other embeded itself into the orcs head like it was a tree stump.

<i>Clank, Thudd</i>

I never miss, not with a target that big. I looked, expecting to see the orc's head split open like a ripe melon. Instead I see the giant orc standing there, now holding the second arrow in his hand and smiling at me.

"What, I couldn't have missed, I never miss. What in the bloody hell just happened"

The orc speaks to me as if he is taunting me, "Nice shot puny human. Did you really thing one of your silly little twigs would stop the mighty Gadok.?" He licks the arrow and then his lips. "I love the taste of blood, now lets have a drink of yours."

He chages at me with two[OOC]it was two, right?[/OOC] ginat axes, ready to cut me down like a reaper in a wheat field. As soon as he bolts towards me, the other man(Jar) grabs the dwarf and goes to were the glass/blood covered man is(the TEA man). The orc let out a battle cry that chilled my blood.

I threw the bow across the room towards the group and drew my sword. I had won many a battle with this elven blade and was not about to start loosing now. I rocked back on my heels, expecting him to overshoot me and was ready to drive my sword hilt deep into his kidneys. He didn't.....

I had never seen and orc fight with such talent. He met me blow for blow. Each time I parried a swing of the giant axe, another was there to nearly remove my head. Slash after slash after slash, this was going nowere.

He swung one axe at my feet. I attempted to jump over them and lost my footing. Then in one fell swoop he brought both axes down on me. I brought up my sword to block them and with the might of his blow he shattered my elven blade like it was made of glass.

I lay on the floor now, tired, cut, beaten, and staring down the wrong end of a really pissed off orc. He says to me, "You have been worthy prey, stranger, but now to kill you and finish my buisness"

In that moment all time stoped. I could see everyhting perfectly clear. I dont know if it was my loss of blood or what, but I felt like I had all of eternaty to make a move. I knew what had to be done but I feared what the outcome would be. Should I use this terrible power to end this fight. Will I be able to control what it does to me or will I loose it this time. I had no choice. If I die now, my curse will go on till the end of time. I must, I..........must.......

"Nooooooooooooooooo, I'LL NOT DIE NOW, NOT BY YOUR HANDS", I scream as I pull the glove off of my hand. In place of what would have been a normal human hand was something else. It was dark and evil and whithered. It had a blue stone in the center of it that glowed like a lycanthrops moon. As soon as I "unsheathed" the hand, a fire came into my eyes. With all that was left of my strength and the curse of the hand driving me I turned to strike the final blow.

As the two axes came down on me I spun and stoop up between the great orcs arms. Being so much smaller than him there ws just enough room for me to stand right there. As the orc looked into my eyes I could see the fear take him over. With my back turned to the orc and my dark hand upon his throat I began to squeeze. As I held onto him you could see the life begin to leave his body as if he wear aging hundreds of years. His actual body did not change, by that I mean he did not get phiscally older, but he began to turn grey and lifeless. The stone in my hand grew bright blue and then the light faded away, as did the life of the orc.

I released my grip. I don't know if it was because I was to tired to hold it any longer or what, but I did. We both dropped to the floor and the battle was over. I had done the one thing I wished I never had to do again. I had used the awful power that cursed me, that which I have spent my entire life trying to be rid off.

We lie there on the floor, a jumble mass of lifeless bodies. Somewere in my deep suconscience mind I wondered, what will become of me now.............

[OOC]Ok, I'll give you the story of the hand and such when I come to. I will be out for about a day or so. Just grab me and my things and drag me with you. This will be the only time I use this cause of the way the curse works. Hope I did ok with the story. I hope your happey Flink, you broke my elven blade :grin: P.S. we need to do introductions, its a bitch trying to tell a story and not knowing any of the charecters names. [/OOC]

 

The fight was over. Unbelievable. I wasn't injured, Orin wasn't injured and the TEA man was, and my actions had already generated a reputation. I permitted myself a slight smile. Caladon isn't so bad after all, I thought. I slowly reloaded my guns, replacing them and preparing another load of rounds for quick reloading.

I heard a groan, and it wasn't from an orc. It was one of the children, still alive, after throwing itself under the legs of a charging orc. Well, that kid was brave, no doubt about it. Maybe something could be made of those kids.

I asked Blaggs to move the bodies, and he did. I'd have done it, but I hated working up a sweat when a half-ogre can do it as easily as I can draw a gun. I stopped him lifting the child up. As nice as Blaggs was, or seemed to be, he'd probably accidentally crush the kids hand.

I pulled the child up from the floor, and found a bottle of alcohol that hadn't been broken. I poured it over the kids face. It might not wake the kid up as well as water, but it would help the cuts on it's body. The child was staggering around now, looking for it's twin. They found each other, and stood huddled, talking in some strange language.

I picked up the rifle which I'd used to kill Dugant with, and then later purchased, and slung it over my back. I also picked up the strange mans bow, and held it in my left hand. If it was magickal, it wouldn't affect me. I had enough technological gizmos on me to ensure that. I also slapped the TEA man awake. Damn, there was a lot of glass in his back. Still, for going hand to hand with an orc, he'd come out pretty well.

With Orin's help, we cleaned the blood off him, but left the glass in. I'm no doctor. I got Blaggs to carry him. Lastly, I found the strange man. I didn't want to touch him, not after his encounter with the orc. I picked up a piece of debris, and poked him with it until he woke.

"I'd like to help you get up, but that stone of yours doesn't seem to like other people. However, we do have to get out of here, now," I said. I handed him the piece of wood.

I led the strange motley to the door...

 

[OOC] so the being out for 24hrs didn't lend well to the story. i'll jsut play along like I'm about half drunk or stoned unitl we reach a safe spot and then I'll give the background on the hand thing if you want. Jar, you picked my glove up too. I kinda need that. give it back to me when you give me back my bow. [/OOC]

Having been roused out of my state of shock with a poke in the ribs, I opened the one eye that had not been swelled shut by a blow form thhe orc. How was I awake, was I dreaming, was I DEAD? I didn't know. All I knew was that a famliar face was leading me away form the trainwreck that used to be a bar. I stumble as best as I could and held on to the peice of wood he had. That was my only lifeline as far as I was concerned. I need some some sleep.

_________________
"what happened to my hand is none of your concern" Orlon to a stranger

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Orlon KA-Lor on 2002-04-03 20:36 ]</font>

 

[OOC]
Hehe, I actually planned on having Gardok killed. Controlling 3 charcaters was giving me a headache... I'm totally ok with it. Good work Orlin :smile:

Since Gardok is dead, I'll asume the role of everyone's favorite evil gnome ones again. William C. Boothby...
[/OOC]

"GARDOK??! DEAD??! How can this be?!"

I was stunned. Gardok had been my second in command and personal asassin for almost 20 years.
I'd personally seen him kill two half-ogres with his bare fists! I'd always seen him as a bastion of hope, That I could always count on his muscle to protect me no matter what.
I guess I was wrong.
The orc that gave me the message was equally surpirced. The orcs and half-orcs under my command had always seen Gardok as a cheiftan, a link to their exsistance as proud tribes of raiders, fearing nothing and no one. With Gardok dead their morale had reached a new low. Most unfortunate as I might need them to be strong now more then ever...

"What you gonna do master?"
The messanger orc grunted, He looked nervous, Something I never thought I would see in the eye's of my orcish henchmen.

I took a few moments to think... Both brute force and technoligiy had failed me in battling these enemies. Perhaps it was time to give the oldest force in this world a try... Perhaps it was time to call for help from the users of magick?
I looked at my Hex orb as it sat on my desk, I might actually have to use it soon...

I sighed... I didn't like to work with mages. They where always so arrogant. But I was running out of options.
Looking at the hex orb ones more I desided to write a message to its creator. I knew he didn't owe me any favors, but he might help me if I payed him a fortune. Anything to get out of this mess....

 

Office Rumours

Word flitting about the office is there was some bang up at the Weepy Leek, the colloquial among the bureaucrats for the Sobbing Onion. Some of Boothby's bodyguards had been identified in the rubble of what had previously been the streetside wall.

I dialed up a police sargent who I been to prep school with.

"Hammerson, what's this I hear about the Leeker and a big to-do?"

"Oh that? We're not really supposed to talk about it. You know, fresh crime scene and alla that."

"Sure I understand, say I heard some members of the Boothby estate were involved."

"Look, I'm not saying anything, right? But the reports I've seen look like an assasination, orc-style. The Commisioner, being elected and all, is steering this as a barroom brawl that got outta hand. Mosta my boys on the scene are grousing about that particular version of the story. This is nothing you won't hear through the vine anyways, so mumser, right?"

"Don't worry, Hamms, tell Corde we'
ll have to have you two over for a bit of sup some time."

The police commisioner? He'd been the middling owner of a middling company here in Caladon for a number of years. Three years ago both his plant and product line were in the way of one of Boothby's local expansions. In Tarant he would've been sunk, but Caladonian legal codes would've protected him from any hostile business manuevers, seeing as his business was three generations old and all. It was a great suprise in the city when he announced he was selling the company. His well funded and astonishingly successful bid for Police Commissioner was even more so.