In Lankhmar, a barbarian and a rogue dice the night away in a poorly run inn under the watchful eyes of sanctioned thieves. Outside, in the dark, the Slayers guard the rich from predation, while acting as predators themselves.

In the northern wastes, the snow witches craft their petty schemes to keep their men in line, while in the east, middling sorcerers craft terrible spells of great magnitude.

Beast cults grow in power throughout Nehwon as the spirits of once live wolves roam the fringes of reality and recondite ghouls eat their prey, dead or alive.

Behemoths rage through swamps swallowing victims in one large gulp, cold women move unseen across the frozen wastes, only to strike in ambush the unwary.

And ever inscrutable, Ningauble of the Seven Eyes and his rival, Sheelba of the Eyeless Face proclaim dark and vague prophecy while seeking to out duel the other.

Into the famed city comes a new rogue, doughty companions in tow. What will become of these new wishful heros? Will they find riches and wealth beyond imagination? Will they obtain one (or more!) of the True Blood Rubies of Death, who will one day die himself? Or will they fall victim to the allure of the legend of Lankhmar, forgetting the many traps and skeins that have cost more than one young adventurer their life.

It starts now...

Kalmus sought out a tavern on the edge of town. He didn't want to head into a classy place where someone might take exception to his companion yet he didn't want to die of cheap beer either. Picking out the right sort of disreputable, he ambled in and asked for ale as he sought a corner table at which he and his companions could begin their planning.

Kalmus looked about the room, hoping to spot a thief or perhaps one of the Slayers with just enough ale in him to run his mouth. His plan was to find a reasonably safe crypt to loot or perhaps some forgotten keep with something of value he could bring to the fences for coin.

Being Lankhmar, it was possible that there was such beneath his feet. Caution was the watchword here, risking enough but not everything, that was the key. Excited at the prospect of finding adventure, he forced himself to become calm and simply listen to the conversations around him, hoping for a clue to his first adventure here.

Pious draws a round of laughter when he asks for a 'good' wine. A massively obese man with the hilt of a greatsword peering over his shoulder, wearing nothing but leather pants tucked into well-worn boots, said, "Good wine? More like pig swill, sweetheart. Why don' you come sit next to me and we'll discuss some finer pleasures."

He winks at the priest, then burps loudly.

For his part, Pious shakes his head and orders an ale, then makes his way back to the table with Kalmus and Agrax.

"Told yun, priest, this place no cater to finer things. Jus' shy of a dive," Agrax said. The quick dart of her tongue as she lapped at her beer was disconcerting to onlookers but Kalmus and even the prim Pious were used to it.

"Where we gon, boss?" Agrax asked through a burp.

Their discussion was cut short as the huge man stood from his table. He was a bit wobbly, but his eyes were keen as he made his way to the table. Looking the group over, he determined Kalmus the leader. In a much softer voice he said, "Yer unsanctioned. The guilders here don't like independents. Have a care, the master's no joke, will slit you throat to gullet as soon look at ya. Fair warnin."

So saying, he walked out of the tavern, into the night.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:21, Fri 25 Oct 2019.

Kalmus thought hard about what just happened. He said, "Agrax, I think we're going to go see about joining the Slayers guild. Could be a path to fun and adventure but it also might keep our heads off pikes if we don't join. What do you think?"

"I've heard stories," said Pious. "It has to be safer than the thieves guild,doesn't it?"

ooc - fyi: the Slayers are for-hire bodyguards. Their organization is run by high level assassins. If you join, you'll be fine as long as you pay your dues. Deep rumors whisper that the thieves guild secretly runs the Slayers organization. It could be true, the Slayers are less organized and have fewer members, despite pockets nearly as deep as the thieves.

The thieves guild, on the other hand, is ostensibly the most powerful organization in Lankhmar, possibly even the entirety of Nehwon, and often use slayers for 'work.' The guild master rules with an iron fist and has spies that work for him in every part of the city. You'd likely get more support at an earlier age, but you wouldn't live to enjoy your riches - the master of the thieves guild would see to that. There's irony in there somewhere...

"Indeed. Seems to me that signing up for some rough work is probably better than signing my death sentence if we're successful. What the hells? I think it will work out, we'll talk to them in the morning unless Agrax has other thoughts. Seems a safe bet until we find that fortune."

Agrax's tongue flashes as she licks foam and ale off her lips. With a shrug, she said, "Makes no difference to me long as there's some battle and some loot. Where you go, I follow."

ooc: you aren't really sure why the bitch has attached herself to you. Upon first meeting her, she mentioned being outcast from her pack for some reason. A small hint of intuition made you think that getting kicked out of a gnoll pack was a difficult thing, especially for a female, but upon asking, Agrax showed teeth and growled.

"You're my new pack," was all she said.

--------------------------------

Pious I (as in Pious one because I'm clever like that) is bit more transparent. A Lankhmarian, he did his initiate on the Street of the Gods, in service to the stern lord, Cuthbert. After a row in a bawdy house that he had no business frequenting, the High Priest sent him out into the streets to do missionary work. He's been doing so for the better part of six month, teaching the word of Cuthbert in every dive and whorehouse in the city. Surprisingly, the whores and barkeeps of the city have tithed fairly generously; seeing the amounts Pious brought in, his masters named him "Disciple of Cuthbert' and sent him back on the streets. Needless to say, they were happy, and he most certainly was happy. When he ran across Kalmus in once such establishment, he found a kindred spirit and decided to tag along with him for the time being.

ooc: Oh, thought you'd gone all Papal on me...

"Well then, it's settled. On the morrow, we look up the guild and see what we need to do to join up. We still gotta find that adventure. Pious, you know the underbelly of this place better'n even me. Where should we go to find our next adventure? Some forgotten keep? Cavern with weird noises? Ancient crypt crying out for relief of its booty?"

Kalmus has determined that the best thing is to join up with the Slayers but that still leaves them in need of adventure.

ooc: How are the NPC's equipped? Should I be buying them armor and the like?

Pious gives the question some thought.

"Well," he said. "There are a few opportunities to look at. The first is an old smuggler's cave that the Thieves guild made use of until a cave in made it inaccessible. 'Tis said the warrens down there are labyrinthine, however, and secret entrances and escape routes exist for the sharp explorer. It is a two day journey.

"Second is the old manor outside of the city. Its abandoned now for twenty years, and the upper layers have been picked clean, or so I'm told. But rumors persist that there's still treasure to be found in there somewhere. That's but a half day ride from Lankhmar.

"The third and potentially most profitable - and the most perilous - is the gravesite of Clovis, Lord Baroque. The Grandiose Rest sits but an hour away from the center of the city, but it is well guarded as it's the resting place of the wealthy. Old Clovis died but a month back - since then, there's been three attempts to plunder the tomb. All three have ended with thief's neck being stretched. It would be a daring raid, but most difficult."

ooc: Gotta say I'm leaning towards the old manor and if that doesn't pan, the cave. The grave appeals in a very real and reckless way but I need to get into Kalmus' head a bit, still some blanks in his personality I need to fill....

BIC: "Then maybe we should look at his manor house? I'm good at winkling out secrets, maybe we'll find something overlooked? If that's a dry well, we'll check the caves, maybe there's something there worth looking over.

"We'll need supplies, food, waterskins, bit o' wine. Pious, while we go to the guild tomorrow, would you get our supplies? Let me know how much gold you'll need."