The Fields of Ash - Game Topic

[Alonewolf87]

@Cellamusteen

Spoiler

 

The remainder of the trip is boring and dull and long and dull and boring but finally the ship gets in sight of Calimor, your destination. The city sprawls on the hills surrounding a narrow strait, which leads to the Sea of Pearls, the inner sea of Ash. Lots of boats come and go from the many piers and the seaside is bursting with people, vendors and shop. Your vessel stops at a dock where all the other ships fly the Third Moon banner and you disembark quickly with the other passengers.

The captain talks to you all when you are on the dock There is a Third Moon run inn down there he says pointing to a building which seems quite new where you can stay in the next few days. If you need any supplies or equipments go to the Green Market, if you want to rent some guides go to the Market of Flesh. We will be in port for a week if you need a passage back home before then. Good luck with your hunt.

 

@Peter Östergren

Spoiler

 

The town you are living in right now is called Calimor, one of the largest port cities of the Kingdoms of Ash, on the straits leading from the Arel Sea to the Sea of Pearls, the inner sea of Ash. You came here after escaping from the Monastery of the Standind Rocks, in the inside of Ash, near the Scorching Desert. This is the town where, in your young age, you had been taken in and raised by the largest shadowy organization of Ash, the Eight Fingers, a giant criminal syndicate with different branches and interests. After you left the Monastery you decided to try to use your contacts here in town, in particular with your old friend Al-Jabril, to find shelter and some work. Jabril, nowadays the second in comand of the Three Swords, the military branch of the Eight Fingers, has decided to help you, for old times sake, giving you a small room to stay in one of the building he owns. Sometimes you go out drinking, he asks you stories about the training in the Monastery and tells you of his rise in the ranks and the unsavory things he had to do.

For the last months Jabril put you working as a guard for some of the taverns and brothels under his protection, nothing fancy but still enough to live a simple life. Still you are always on the lookout for some odd jobs and that's how you catch the rumour that some guys from the Third Moon Company, a very big merchant enterprise from the Kingdoms of Awn, is looking for guides and information about the Scorching Desert and the Monastery of the Standing Rocks. It seems they are looking to mount an expedition there, but the details are lacking. It seems thought that a few people are going to the Third Moon private dock and building to offer their services.

 

.

[Cellamusteen]

Selis

Spoiler

I decide to explore the town of Calimor, breaking away from the rest of the passengers to walk down what looks like the main street. Mention of ‘The Market of Flesh’ has interested me (surely theres no such thing as a slaveo market here) so I walk in that general direction. Having associated with street urchins before, Selis has the confidence to find his way to the Third Moon in  should he get lost.

 I should try and get to know the town and its people if we’re to stay here for a few days. I should try and find a local guide like Ian suggested, but where to find one?

I choose to follow the crowds until I find a large gathering of people (such as in a market) to ask for a guide. I keep my eyes and ears peeled, soaking in the sights and sounds of the town.

 

[Peter Östergren]

Eryn

Spoiler

I seek out the group of people who are going to the Third Moon private dock in order to go with them and offer my services as well.

 

Modificato 25 Febbraio 2020 da Peter Östergren

[Alonewolf87]

@Cellamusteen

Spoiler

You wander around the town, with strange and new sights everywhere. A man is making a group of small monkeys dance to the sound of his pipes, with a small crowd around him. Vendors are selling strange foods and you decide to try something that should be pig snout, boiled and cut thinly, served with salt and lemon juice. After a while you get to a big wooden arch, which marks the entrance to the Market of Flesh, which cover a huge round square with hundreds of stalls and ambulant vendors. Inside you find people offering any kind of services and manual work, both from themselves or from their slaves.

@Peter Östergren

Spoiler

You follow the trail of people, beggars and skillful labor alike, going down to the Third Moon dock. The area is bustling with activitiy and the center of it all seems to be a new inn, recenly built near the Third Moon Company warehouses. Inside you find that a few people have set up some sort of interview corners, where they talk to the locals offering them services. You see a couple of halfling possibly brothers, a dwarf in heavy armor carrying more weapons than you thought possibile, a human dressed in strange colorful robes with what seems to be a talking crow on his shoulder, a tall imposing woman with lots of scars on her bare, well muscled shoulders and arms.

 

[Cellamusteen]

Selis

Spoiler

Interesting that these slaves are not treated poorly... there's not even a bad smell from this market. Well, not too bad anyway.

I walk around the market, trying to look uninterested as I scope out the slaves, their masters, and the kind of people who are here for their services. Without making eye contact I look at the slaves, who range from rugged kids, disgruntled oldies to some very beautiful women.

Not that I'm interested in that... what was I here for? Ah, a guide.

I keep an ear out to those shouting out their services, as I'm unfamiliar with how this process works. After hearing something about "town tours" off to a corner, I head in that direction with my hands in my pocket, my right hand fiddling with a stone die...

 

 

[Peter Östergren]

Eryn

Spoiler

I walk over to one of the interview corners.

- I heard that you are looking for guides to the Monastery of the Standing Rocks. I am familiar with the area.

 

[Alonewolf87]

@Cellamusteen

Spoiler

A skittish young man looks at you when you approach him, having heard him shout about "showing the delights of the city" Aren't you too young for this kind of stuff? he asks you, while looking no more than five years your senior.

@Peter Östergren

Spoiler

To which of the people I mentioned above do you talk to? (perhaps I was not clear about that, but they are all managing their "interviews" separately)

 

[Cellamusteen]

Selis

Spoiler

Oh really? Picky about your customers are you? I snap back at him, disinterested in engaging in annoying conversation when there are so many other vendors about. 

Are they all like this? I might as well go and explore the town myself instead of dealing with this rabble. Maybe I can find a map somewhere...

What 'stuff' are you talking about anyway?

 

[Alonewolf87]

@Cellamusteen

Spoiler

The young man makes an hand gesture clearly intended to evoke having sex

 

[Peter Östergren]

Eryn

Spoiler

(The human dressed in strange colorful robes with what seems to be a talking crow on his shoulder.)

 

[Alonewolf87]

@Peter Östergren
 

Spoiler

 

That's a good start, my good fellow says the colourful dressed man I am Iorello, magician extraordinarie and this is Tenna, my companion. The crows cawkes as if in response, shuffles its feathers and then talks with a clear voice And believe me I am the smarter of the two.

Come now, Tenna, don't you start replies Iorello in a bemused tone. Tell me, what do you know exactly about the monastery and the surrounding lands? Would you be able to escort some travellers there?

 

 

[Cellamusteen]

Selis

Spoiler

I blush and look away quickly, clearly embarrassed at myself for even asking the question.

No that's not what I'm looking for... look do you have someone who could show me around town? I don't need a companion, I just need a guide.

 

[Alonewolf87]

@Cellamusteen

Spoiler

The young man shrugs Yeah I guess, how much are you willing to pay?

 

[Cellamusteen]

Selis

Spoiler

Dubious about his offering, I reach into my pocket for a few coins, not knowing if what I was about to offer him would be too little or too much.

Will this do? I just need someone for a couple of hours to show me around, preferably someone who knows a lot about the area and its people.

 

[Alonewolf87]

@Cellamusteen

Spoiler

A light sparkles briefly in the eyes of the young man when you take out a few silver coins I can most definitely show you around, my friend. No one knows this city better than yours truly. From the dark corners to the sunny plazas I can take you everywhere. Perhaps we should start by eating some local food from one of the many stands I proud myself of knowing

?

[Cellamusteen]

Selis

Spoiler

After hearing the subject of food, I realise that I haven't had a proper meal (other than the slop they served on the boat) for a long while.

Fine, then show me what culinary delights this town has to offer... although nothing too strange, I have just hopped off a boat...

 

[Alonewolf87]

@Cellamusteen

Spoiler

Well then my friend...what was your name again? follow your old pal Armin says the young man snatching the coins from your palm so fast that you almost don't realize it and I will have you forget all about fish and hard biscuit. How about some hot shish meat, with hot pepper and onions?