Turn 151

Day 2? - Emmett and Inez

    "Dancing is tiring. I don't care what anyone says, it's not at all like fighting. It's longer." Blistering midmorning sun is being mercifully cut by shade over the street cafe, and the half man is repeatedly breaking off from breakfast to rub his one calf.
    "You obviously need to do it more often. Build up some stamina," she teases.
    "And why is it that the only way to get rid of these cramps is to walk more? Is it for the same reason that drinking cures a hangover?" A few coins on the table puts paid to breakfast, and Emmett snags the last jellied roll with his hook as they leave the table. "I was hoping to at least find the temple of Gond sometime today. According to someone I asked there's a cluster of Temple compounds in the lowlands, so that's likely a place to head for on the walk, if you're OK with that?"
    "Sure. I like this city. It's got a bit of everything, and it feels old without being stodgy. And all these walls and little buildings and courtyards -- you feel that you might stumble over anything, just around a corner."
    Emmett busies himself with eating and then cleaning jelly flecks from his face as soon as he finishes, in case she turns. He doesn't know how transparent that half truth is, but with the rash promise of yesterday afternoon to leave the Hextorians alone he can't tell her the other reason he has for that destination.
    She appears oblivious to any hint of deception on his part.
    As their short strides take them back through the bazaar, now in a slightly different configuration than the day before, Emmett keeps one eye open for any signs of either faith, or for any strangeness in the community. Any questions come when Inez is looking at other stalls, but the rest is just listening carefully. The talk is the same as they heard on their previous visit. If he's looking for Gondians, he is directed to the shore on the outskirts of the city.
    Their way to the Slump takes them up a slight slope, passing by the city center with its official buildings and the palace of the ruling family with its profligately watered stretches of green lawn and paths of crushed shells. There are fountains everywhere, and dusty stone walls enlivened by mosaics both abstract and lifelike, some of them involving spelljammers. From behind the walls come snatches of music, smells of cooking food, and the trailing fronds of the herbs and vegetables that everyone seems to grow in their courtyard.
    Eventually their walk takes them to the aptly named "Slump", where the walls are beginning to cut their shadows eastward through the streets. "No matter how much I gripe about foot-ache, it's nice to not be confined to such a small deck for a while. Not that this neighborhood is great. Lots of privacy, I guess, but it doesn't feel like Gond. Unless Gnomes have been blowing things up and set up the walls as protection to others..."
    "They can't have blown up enough to have them all over the city. I think they just like them. And I guess they don't care too much for gods, if this is where all their temples are." She looks around curiously. "Most of these places look like they don't get many visitors."
    Emmett marks the Hextorian temple as they pass but says nothing, just giving it a single appraising glance.
    Two or three compounds later he opens conversation again "I wonder what these are like inside. Private gardens? Pleasure palaces? Seraglios?" He stops at the entry of the closest one on the same side as the Hextorians and glances around inside.
    The gate is closed but unlocked. In contrast to the dull exterior, the area within the walls is a blaze of white, blue, and green. A sea of carefully raked white gravel is broken by slate like stepping stones, with massive boulders scattered here and there, apparently at random. In the center is a small pavilion. There is no sign of anyone.
    Later still, splitting a fruit for which he has paid dearly, "That's the end of my coin. I hope Val has some payment at the meeting tonight. Speaking of which, we'd better hurry to meet up with Barrend before the allotted hour. Can you cover a ride in that carriage for us? We seem to have gone a little far afield."

     Day 2 - Job Interview Gets Interesting
    The captain will take a few more minutes to explain the nature of their charter and mission to Barrend. Their conversation is briefly interrupted by the plaintive screech of a hungry griffon hatchling and the impatient throat-clearing of the now gathered crew. Val will offer to make arrangements for another meeting later, to give the dwarf some time to think things over.
    After everyone gets back to their business, Barrend approaches Val again, instantly reminding him that they have unfinished business. "Ah yes, mister Barrend, let's continue our discussion."
    "It may be briefer than expected captain," Barrend interrupts, "That little crew meeting you just had answered many questions for me but created just as many." Val sighs knowingly, the crew and happenings of the _Distraction_ do need a little explanation.
    "First the business part. If the crew's wage is equal shares of your ventures, then I won't have to barter for a fair share."
    "Second thing, the crew... Just how drunk was Three Trees when they contracted you? They all look like they were strangers from all farthest spheres known that just happened to be at the same place at the same time. And a word of caution, your shipmate /brother/ Pham", he says with a sarcastic tone to it, "shouldn't wander around town so openly with those hextorian symbols. Impersonating a priest is already insulting enough to any religion, but the hextorians are not the forgiving kind. Even if there are less of them in town recently."
    [I know he's a real priest, but he doesn't look it.]
    The conversation stops as the griffon cub squawks loudly as Emmett briefly tends to it.
    "And there's that thing!" Barrend angrily points at the cub. "What is that beast doing aboard a ship? It's not even in a bloody cage. Don't you know how dangerous it can be? Even those maddest of wizards would take the eggs rather. Just what kind of racket are you doing here with 3 Trees?!"
    He stares gravely at Val. "I have half a mind thinking you're nothing more than mere corsairs, pirates under contract. But... that doesn't sound like any 3 Trees business I ever heard of. They never were keen to poachers or <>. So I suppose you have some explanations"
    [GM: Dig those relationships.... Jeff, response? :-) ]

    * * *
    Day 3 early afternoon: Planning Bloody Mayhem
    "I don't see why they wouldn't be interested," ibn Hassan says. "From what I've heard, the authorities probably won't care about their fate, but all the same I think a quiet discussion would be better."
    "No, there's no love between the officials and the hextorians here." Barrend pauses to remember, "But there were enough bribes around to keep them friendly. Though with most of them gone now, the watchmen may not be too willing to promptly answer any calls of distress."
    "Right then," Val chimes in, relieved there is no objection so far, "We need to get a good look at the temple and it's surrounding area. I think ibn Hassan and I can check it out later tonight." He looks at the Zakharan for acknowledgment before continuing.
    "Actually I've already drifted by," he says apologetically. "The whole district's a series of walled compounds. Makes anyone hanging around very obvious, if there was anyone going by to see."
    "Good work, ibn Hassan," the captain says approvingly. "But we still need to know what we're getting into before we get stuck in a bad position," he continues. "Any chance we can scare up some information from someone who's visited the Hextorians already?"
    "If Brother Lynden and Emmett are going to pose as potential converts, they could do that openly. -- Of course, that would also make suspicion fall upon them if anything unfortunate happened to the Hextorians," ibn Hassan adds conscientiously. "For once, I'm inclined to just go ahead with the information we've got and avoid risking any word getting to the targets that we're interested in them. If it's right, there shouldn't be any trouble, if it's wrong, we're planning some backup." He shrugs, as if to say that anyone who plans this sort of thing has to accept some risk.
    "Good point," Val concedes. 
    Brother Pham speaks up, almost apologetically. "I think that I could be of some aid in distracting their attention, if that is to be the plan. They should be willing to let a fellow worshipper," he grimaces, "inside, with or without a pair of potential converts, and perhaps to divulge something useful. If there are so few of them, it should not be difficult to occupy them fully, and for considerable time."
    "Doesn't sound too complicated." Emmett glances around at the rest of the group. "Let's aim for this afternoon. Sooner the better, in case they have some advanced intelligence network - I don't want to get caught out like we were when Victor managed to beat us to Janik. Why don't you two go corner him and see if he can take care of that now, while the rest of us head for the temple. There's a tavern not to far away from the start of the Slump, the Marsh Mistress, I think, where we'll be waiting. Just whisper in our ears when you get there if you're invisible and we'll start the timing from there."
    Emmett catches Val's look. "I have a finely honed Tavern Sense?" Seeing that wasn't going to wash, he admits, "I did a little scouting myself, telling Inez we were looking for the temple of Gond. The walls will work to our advantage, as once we're in we'll have a lot of privacy for both sight and sound. It'll be a pain if we have to get out in a hurry, but I think we can rig enough tricks in our favor that this won't be a problem. We'll summon them to us, you two start at the top and work your way down. If we end up running into trouble, you'll be instant reinforcements."
    "Barrend, it looks like the side job just became full time. Are you in or not?"
    "If everything you told me is true, and from my own observations in the past months, it's not something I can ignore and let go. Who knows what'll happen next... I'm in!", Barrend emphasizes with a stomp of his cane." I don't like poking in to temples, but the Hextorians are up to something, and usually it's never good news to the average..." Barrend pauses in mid-speech, looking over Emmett's face with a slightly confused look and points at his eyes. "Weren't you half-blind a day ago?"

    Day 3 early evening: Initiating Bloody Mayhem
    [GM: This is Emmett, Pham, Lynden, and Barrend, I assume? With the rest of the crew (especially Inez) oblivious? Perhaps the "girls" are out while Yestin and Hiro mind the ship. What would you like to have ready for spells?]
    The crew of the TTS Distraction are doing their best to be inconspicuous in the Marsh Mistress, sipping watery beer against the heat and discussing nothing at all.
    "So there we were, me and two of my wingmen on a recon mission over Hegemony terrain, when this huge shadow fell across us. I mean, we're a mile up and there's something over *us*? That was the first time I saw a 'Jammer, and let me tell you, it was not fun. The whole thing looks like some sea creature yanked into the sky against all reason, bearing down on us...."
    He feels a light tap on his shoulder from nowhere, Alais having been amenable to a couple of spells for old time's sake. Val and ibn Hassan are prepared.
    [By the time you get to the temple you'll have about a half hour of invisible time. And one more time on the description so we don't have to go back and look it up:]
    The Hextorian temple is a high-walled, forbidding enclosure, black stone blocks dulled by the dust of the streets, although it is clear that few people venture down this particular side way. The wall itself is about two stories high and hung with scarlet banners. The front gate is a massive arch carved with skulls and scenes of strife. Next to the barred opening hangs an iron bell, presumably for the use of visitors who wish to announce themselves.
    Inside the gate, one can see from outside, is a paved central courtyard bordered by garden, about thirty feet worth, and then the main door into the temple itself. Most of the structure is two stories tall; to the rear looms a slightly higher dome, and beyond that an again slightly higher, single tower, appearing about four stories tall. There is no one at the gate, but there are lights inside the building and that bare suggestion of sound that suggests life.
    Around the back is another, far smaller and less decorated gate letting into the alleyway. Ibn Hassan determines, after some careful observation, that this entrance is not actually used for anything. This provides the impetus for a more thorough examination of the entire area, which reveals a second, secret door around the corner, in the side of the enclosure.
    An obviously nervous Pham looks at Emmett....

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