The goblin priest gathers his kobolds into a group embrace,
"Go and hunt, feed your families, keep eyes and edges sharp, until we drum again."
  Once the kobolds leave, Zeelzeel looks over the motley crew before him.
"What we do next may require what my friend Hitomi calls subtlety. It would be well to
have Oly, but he can be gathered once I am sure of Pallido's wants. Let us find him. I know
the ways beneath.

In reply to Zeelzeel Shadowspear (msg # 1):

"I have some subtlety, both in skill and magic.  And if I'm not in danger of becoming lost, I can travel quickly when needed.

"That said, I'm not too proud to seek Oly if we need him.  Let us away to Pallido."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 2):

Zeel leads you out of his sacred space and over toward a
porticullis manned by several yeomen of the guild.
"Open the gates in the name of the guild, and for the business   of the Erl King!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:50, Sun 24 Jan 2016.

Ardenas follows closely, watching all around and behind, in hopes that, if the way isn't too complex, he might be able to find his way back from the meeting place at need.

OOC: having heard no objection to their presence, are Claire, Renolan, and Kasimir still with Ardenas?

In reply to Zeelzeel Shadowspear (msg # 3):

The Yeoman in charge looks over your motley group of five.

"I will open for a guildmember of rank such as yourself
Zeelzeel, but I am not opening for the Wild Hunt, thank you."

In reply to Yeoman Charra (msg # 5):

"I am a Guild member as well."  Ardenas shows his membership tag, then gestures to Kasimir, Claire, and Renolan.  "These are Guild members hired by Mythos Songau, who has left them in my charge."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 6):

"I saw your tin. It is only for the brass of ranking
Members that I open the gates."

"Must we, then, find another route to see Pallido?"

Then, stepping close enough to whisper to Zeelzeel with the barest breath "I haven't the resources to offer a suitable bribe, and would rather not borrow."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 8):

Charra rolled her eyes"As long as you are with
Zeelzeel, or any other ranking guildmember, I will open the
gate. If you come back without them, the gate stays closed."

In reply to Yeoman Charra (msg # 9):

"Ah!  Thank you for clarifying; I had misunderstood.  If we become separated from Zeelzeel, we'll find another way back to the Guild."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 10):

The gate swings open. Renolan lights a torch with a snap of
his fingers, and Kasmir sets up his portable desk.

"Lead the way, Zeelzeel."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 12):

Zeel leads your group down the same kund of tile walled
arched corridor that you saw on your earlier expedition, and carries down it for quite a distance, passing a few bronze  gates, and one that looks to be orichalcum.

Ardenas points at the more precious gate.

"Something back there that can corrode bronze?  Or just the ritzy neighborhood?"

OOC: Are we waiting on something here?

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 15):

"Private area that. I have seen mages come to spell
that gate shut. We are not not too far, I   think."

"Okay.  I was just curious.  That might explain the extra security back at the Guild gate."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 17):

"Strange things dwell within the tunnels. Rats, slorn
and worse. Thieves creep, as do hooded men with black hands.
The shiny mage gate keeps them out as does the guild
porticullis. Not far now to the home of the hobgoblins, beneath the artisanal district."

In reply to Zeelzeel Shadowspear (msg # 18):

"Slorn I've met -- Huey, Oly, Mythos and I killed one not three days ago.  Didn't any more than get it to quit kicking than something came at us that looked like a shine in the air, completely filling the tunnel.  Any idea what that might have been?"

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 19):

The priest of the hunt pauses. "That sounds to me that
 might be a jelly. Where did you see these things"
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 00:27, Mon 01 Feb 2016.

In reply to Zeelzeel Shadowspear (msg # 20):

"We ran into them one level down a stair, a short way through a cave from where Mythos Songau built the gate at the end of the recently repaired (or still under construction) bridge.  I gather it was just under the edge of Little Shevnia; I couldn't make out a word of what the people behind the bronze-covered doors were saying."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 21):

"Have a care, that area is known for slorn... we are here."

Ardenas looks around.

"Where is here?  Is this where we meet Pallido?"

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 23):

"Take a look!"
Renolan gestures with his torch. Before you,are a pair of
 gates to either side. The tile work around them is in a bold
Orange and black zigzag pattern, and a pair of hobgoblins
stands just within each gate.

Ardenas takes in the tile, the gates, and the hobgoblins and waits for Zeelzeel to indicate which gate we need to pass.

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 25):

"I am Zeelzeel, called Shadowspear, servant of the Erl King,
master of the Wild Hunt. We come peacefully, and seek
Pallido. Will you open that he and we share words, yes?"

In reply to Zeelzeel Shadowspear (msg # 26):

"You have an orc with you, hunt-priest. Why should
 we open for you?"

In reply to Hobgoblin (msg # 27):

"Clair is a hired servant in my supervision.  I cannot send her back the way we have come, for she cannot pass the gate alone, and her purpose here is the same as mine -- to mend a conflict between her people and Zeelzeel's."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 28):

"As you can see, she carries a pack but bears no weapon."

"We come as a peaceful group -- human, urhaqui, goblin, and half-elf.  We come to speak with Pallido, in hopes he can aid us in mending a conflict, though it is not his conflict."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 30):

"That's  what they all say. What do you think,
Gallardo?"
The other guard shrugs.
"I don't  think  much about it."

In reply to Hobgoblin (msg # 31):

"How might we convince you to let us pass together?"

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 32):

"It is not for us hat he gate shall be opened, it is
for the return of peace, and the removal of the threat of
Violence at the hands  of orcs to our womanfolk and children!
If you love yo6r children, I beg of you, open the gate!"



OOC: public speaking success

Ardenas nods quietly in agreement with Zeelzeel.

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 34):

One of the guards gets a sour face and makes a fist when
Violence against women is mentioned.
The other nods and pushes him aside and unbars the gate.
"When ya put it that way... move over ya ijit."

"Thank you."  Ardenas makes a low bow to each of the guards before passing.

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 36):

the zigzag motif continues within, and the corridor beyond
the gate leads to a broad balcony that connects to a matching
one wwith narrow bridges that cross a three yard gap.
Through the gap, you can see several stories dimly lit with
lanterns decending below you. Hobgoblins in numbers you never
 see in the streets above are bustling about, although many
look up and accross at your group.

Ardenas looks at the narrow bridges across the gap, then at Zeelzeel, Renolan, Clair, and Kasmir.

"Anyone uncomfortable crossing this?"

OOC: Do the bridges have railings?

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 38):

The slat bridges have rope railings anchored to questionably
secure banisters on the far side.

Looking around at Clair, Renolan, Kasmir, and Zeelzeel, sizing up their weights:

"Would anyone prefer to magically float across?  I can levitate two of you, but no more, and if I do so, I'll need to rest for quite a while afterward."

Hearing no requests, Ardenas steps lightly and carefully onto the nearest bridge, sparing just a finger's touch for the rope railing as he crosses at a normal walking pace.

[Private to GM: 19:39, Today: Ardenas Barehand rolled 11 using 3d6.  Light Walk.]

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 41):

Your group crosses over with only a modest swaying of the bridge.

"Where to now, Zeelzeel?  Or must we inquire of the locals?"

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 43):

"Lead us they must to the place of Pallido. He was a great Quick, so I think he must be in the arena of the jug."

"That would be where the juggers practice?"

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 45):

"It is called so because practice is played with a jug,
not a skull. Let us ask."

"Yes, let us ask."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 47):

"Where is the arena of the jug. The Shadowspear seeks
Pallido."

In reply to Zeelzeel Shadowspear (msg # 48):

"Down all the way" says a nearby hobgoblin, pointing down several levels. There is an archway   leading to stairs nearby.

"Let us descend, then."  Pausing to count levels visible down the gap between bridges -- "Is that five levels, or six?  It's hard to tell at this angle."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 50):

The hobgoblin  flashes five fingers and heads off. A heavy
odor rises up from the gap, of tanning leather and caustic lye.

Gathering up the group with a gesture, Ardenas starts down the stairs.

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 52):

"What order do you want us to take the stairs? Zeelzeel   in front in case the hobgoblins  need a familiar   face?"
This message was lightly edited by the player at 12:26, Tue 23 Feb 2016.

In reply to Renolan (msg # 53):

"That makes good sense, Renolan.  Thanks.  I'll take the rear, so they don't mistake Clair for wandering around on her own.  You and Kasmir can sort out between you which goes ahead of whom."

Once the rest of the group is on the stairs, Ardenas will follow downward.

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 55):

The odors you pass as you descend gives you an idea about what
part of the city does the base preparation formuch of the
artisanal  district.

You also smell roasting fish and meat.

The stairs are not lit, and you are able to mark your progress down by the openings you pass.

As you approach the fifth level, you can hear cheering and
drums
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:46, Tue 23 Feb 2016.

"That sounds like the arena, Zeelzeel."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 57):

"Ahead then we must go."
Zeelzeel  pushes open the door, then Renolan with his torch, then Kasmir, Clair and Ardenas.
The arena is surprisingly torchli, perhaps to highlight the
Garishly colored uniforms of the juggers, purple and green zigzag vs red and yellow zigzag. Many of the crowd in the tiered seats around are wearing face paint or waving banners
to match.  From your vantage up in the nosebleed section, you
Can see the hobgoblins are playing, as Zeelzeel said, with a
 jug and not a skull.

"Zeeleel, why are so many people watching a practice?  And how will we spot Pallido in such a crowd?"

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 59):

"These are the home teams. They fight for each others trophies during championships, and when they fight Orc of Goblin teams. This is early in the season. Pallido, watch the crowd.
 when there is a break called, or a fight, he will stare at the jug, not the others. He is only, and has ever been only about mounting the trophy on a stake."

Perception checks

In reply to Zeelzeel Shadowspear (msg # 60):

"That should be fairly distinctive, but there are a lot of people here.  I'll keep watching."

[Private to GM: 07:43, Today: Ardenas Barehand rolled 11 using 3d6.  Perception. Missed by one.]

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 61):

Kasmir is about to say something, when Renolan cuts him off,
"There he is!"
He points over toward a large hobgoblin sitting hunched over
 by the sidelines, his hands twitching and sweat forming on
his forehead?

In reply to Renolan (msg # 62):

"Well spotted, Renolan.  Let's get closer, and keep an eye on him, but I doubt we'll be able to speak to him until the hundredth stone has been cast and there's been time for things to calm down."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 63):

You get some looks, but the presemnse of Zeelzeel and the distraction of the game keep most of the crowd away. In the end, the Puerple/green team is victorious, and Zeelzeel   is deep in conversation  with a spear carrying hobgoblin who
appears to be a coreligionist,

As soon as the hundredth stone falls, Ardenas tries to slip through the crowd to close the remaining distance to the hobgoblin Renolan had spotted.  "Pallido!"  He watches to see if the man responds to his name.

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 65):

The hobgoblin remains focused  on the jug as it is carried off the field.

Slipping through the dense crowd with a combination of Light Walk and Acrobatics, Ardenas continues to close with Pallido as the jug is carried off.

[Private to GM: 17:25, Today: Ardenas Barehand rolled 12 using 3d6.  Light Walk.
17:25, Today: Ardenas Barehand rolled 11 using 3d6.  Acrobatics.]

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 67):

Snapping out of his reverie, the hobgoblin appears to notice
 you and the others for the first time.
He looks blankly at you, and narrows his eyes at Claire, who
is still a distance away.

Raising his open hands:

"Pallido!  We come for the good of everyone.  Claire aids us in our attempt to forestall greater trouble between her people and Zeelzeel's."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 69):

"Who is Zeelzeel's people?"
This message was lightly edited by the player at 17:59, Thu 03 Mar 2016.

Gesturing at Zeelzeel, who might well be hard to see in a crowd of hobgoblins.

"Zeelzeel is a goblin -- I apologize, I had thought you knew him."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 71):

The hunt priest, who discovers that it is fairly easy to part
 a crowd with a spear shrugs his shoulders.
"I know of Pallido. It does not foll8w that he should
know me. I am Zeelzeel, called the Shadowspear. I serve the
 Erl King. Right now, I come to you to seek out Glosso and
Hramina, before Murfash and his people lay waste to our
 people. They might not be able to penetrate your fastness
here, but they are wreaking havok on any of our kind that
they meet."

"And I am Ardenas, called Barehand.  I sought out Zeelzeel for this same cause, after others who had meant to aid me fell to squabbling and lost sight of the goal.  Claire," pointing her out, and including the torchbearer and cartographer, "Renolan and Kasmir are in the hire of Mythos Songau, now under my supervision, but this is Claire's cause as much as mine and Zeelzeel's.  We seek to find a way to satisfy or pacify Murfash and his followers, who will otherwise destroy anything they must in order to find Glosso and Hramina -- and they wish those two no good."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 73):

Pallido does not meet anyone's gaze, and fidgits as he
speaks.
"How can I trust Clair, when her sister Francine
cheered for Orgash, hook player for the team of Dengrash?"

In reply to Pallido (msg # 74):

Clar is taken aback by this.
"How do you know this about me?"

In reply to Strong Clair (msg # 75):

"Five seasons ago, Khrosh has thrown the
seventeenth stone. Rajadeel swings his chain, I feint left,
then right, then straight. Horgan follows the feint, I move
past him as Orgash swings his hook, grazing my shoulder.
Francine jumps, clapping her hands, shaking the bells at her
ankles, three on the left foot, four on the right foot,
Cheering as he cuts me, Orgash Orgash hack and slash!
Four seasons ago, walking with Rajadeel to pick up
his boots from the cobbler Mikhail, third stall from the
Kebab vendor on street of the tanners at just past the noon
bell, Rajadeel had a design of seven nails on the toe of his
 boots, marking each of our goals that season, passing Orgash
and Francine coming from the kebab stall. He is wearing his
yellow and black, as is she. He has two kebabs with green
 bell pepper, she has one with onion and red pepper, Orgash
says to match her hair. He glances to one side as another orc
 girl with red hair walks past carrying a basket of fish from
dockside. Hey! Orgo, that's my sister! You, Clair
are the sister carrying fish."

"Your memory is impressive, Pallido.  You'd have made a great sage, I think.

I recall Clair telling us she once cheered, as well -- it's common among urhaqui youth, I gather.

"The problem is that Hramina had cheered for Murfash -- but then ran off with Glosso.  I'm still not certain whether Murfash and his team object mainly because Glosso is a competing quick, or because he's a goblin, of just because Hramina threw him over -- but the fact is, they've been trashing the goblin quarter looking for those two, and seem poised to do worse.  Murfash claims his honor is at stake."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 77):

"I never cheered. That was only Francine, and Orgash
is dead, killed by bandits while on guard duty. I am not my
sister."

In reply to Strong Clair (msg # 78):

"If you are not for Murfash, and you want to see Glosso, the prove it. Bring me a trophy from Khrosh's
telovadnica. There is one, missing left upper canine, red stripe down muzzle. Bring me that, I show you Glosso."

After a moment's thought, Ardenas replies.

"A hazardous task you set.  Though I am against Murfash in this, when I visited Khrosh's telovadnica earlier to try to reason with the juggers, I was required to fight, and they have many who are more than a match for me.  Still, I might be able to take the trophy by stealth, though it will require some time."

"Where will I meet you when I come again, likely tomorrow or the next day?  And is there an alternate way into your quarter from the street, without passing through the Guild?  I will be unable to pass the gate from the Guild to your own gates again if Zeelzeel can't be with me; I haven't enough Guild rank."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 80):

"If you do this thing, I  might return with you, or you
could travel with Oly of Hitomi, each of them possessing Rank
 and the skills you might need. I fear you m7ght need healing after this hunt, so come and see me, yes? No?"

In reply to Zeelzeel Shadowspear (msg # 81):

"I will be here. Come if you are coming, but you
will not see Glosso unless you bring the trophy."

"I know Oly -- he was the most reluctant to part, of those with whom I started this, and the least prone to squabble.  Hopefully I can find him in the Guild, if we hurry back.  I will return as quickly as I can, but cannot say if it will be tomorrow, the next day, or even later."

Turning to Zeelzeel:

"Let us collect Clair, Renolan, and Kasmir, and return.  I must seek Oly at the Guild."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 83):

You gather the others, and make your way up and out or the
hobgoblin  town.

As we climb the five flights to return to the gate level, Ardenas turns to Kasmir.

"How much longer does Mythos have your service?  I've lost track of the days with all this running around."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 85):

""The hree of us are paid through tomorrow."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:15, Mon 07 Mar 2016.

"Thanks.  Once we find Oly or Hitomi I may need to leave the three of you for a bit to go retrieve an item Pallido requires.  I might still need your services tomorrow, but I'm not sure I can afford to extend your employment.  What was your agreement with Mythos on payment?"

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 87):

"Twenty copper each, and Kasmir wants $50 for the mqp."

"Kasmir, I'm afraid you'll have to find Mythos (or maybe Oly or Huey) to get paid for the map -- if you haven't started the final draft yet, you might wish to wait until you find him.  I'm afraid my own purse won't pay any of you beyond tomorrow.

"Hopefully, Oly will still be at the Guild when we get there.  I don't know Hitomi, but I'm pretty sure Oly will want to help further with this -- and I'm likely to need his help to get what Pallido wants."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 89):

Kasmir shrugs as you follow his directions back towa4d the guild.
"In the worst case, I may sell it to the guild."

"I'm glad to hear you won't wind up wasting your effort, then.  Meantime, let's hurry.  I'm sure Zeelzeel would like to rejoin his followers, and I need to try to find Oly."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 91):

About an hour later you make your way to the guild gate, and Charra opens the porticullis for Zeelzeel. You head up to Back Table in the guild.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 92):

Just a bump not readu to archive yet

In reply to Narrator (msg # 93):

Bump