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18:47, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

0000 - Yellow City: Balamar Market District (Day 1)

Posted by Dungeon MasterFor group 0
Dungeon Master
GM, 5 posts
The Purple Man
In the Sky
Sat 24 Apr 2021
at 13:28
  • msg #1

0000 - Yellow City: Balamar Market District

The Balamar Market District is teeming with life and activity, its streets filled with a lively fusion of the scents of roasted squid, fragrant tea, and occassional intoxicating whiff of opium.

You gather a few rumors by ear after a quick circuit of the district to carry out the various family business chores such as escorting the delivery of shipments of metalcraft goods to the docks and caravans. After your chores, it is noon and the many teahouses seem to be taking in streams of salesmen and their fancily dressed clients, processions of intense looking Slugmen scholars driving their crabmen slaves to haul their carts of papers to Venney Koppai Teahouse, for their upcoming debate luncheon. They cease their chastising and soon instead begin to scowl at the renowned, most extravagantly dressed half-slugman magician Papali walking alongside the rich merchant Soportevy to which all the teahouse servants bow, followed by her procession of five finely dressed slugman and human scholars.

As observe this happening, a flat-faced, swarthy man gets in your face and speaks: "Care to buy a few betting tickets for tonight's underdog at the Clubclawed Lobster?"

He lowers his voice to a whisper: "I guarantee you he'll win, he be strongman - from north land, and you get double your money per ticket - only 1 silver, good deal, no?"


OOC You can make a short OOC sentence like this in orange for any quick question or clarification
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:29, Sat 24 Apr 2021.
Bashir
player, 1 post
Sat 24 Apr 2021
at 16:45
  • msg #2

0000 - Yellow City: Balamar Market District

Bashir enjoyed his little corner of the city. The little island of neighbors and associates that he had taken at least partial responsibility for over the last few years.

He was a frequent sight in his maroon turban, his full beard and his clean white teeth. His eggshell colored dress under his short sleeved coat of mail, with a broad matching maroon sash, his unornamented dagger tucked into the folds.

He carried a spear, taller than he was with a narrow, keen head and a shaft of iron. He leaned upon this often, or used it as a sort of walking stick as he navigated the streets of his neighborhood.

Now he stood with one hand upon it as he considered the offer, and stroked his beard with the other hand.

"I'll take five" he eventually agreed, and reached for his purse. Betting was a vice, he knew, but he did not smoke opium and he did not chew betel-nut or grass. A man needed something to look forward to at the end of the day, after all.

As he handed over the coins, he glanced up. "I don't suppose you've heard anything about this group shaking down the tea stalls?" He asked in a lower tone. "Not the sort of thing we need around here..."
Dungeon Master
GM, 6 posts
The Purple Man
In the Sky
Sat 24 Apr 2021
at 17:31
  • msg #3

0000 - Yellow City: Balamar Market District

In reply to Bashir (msg # 2):

"Thousand thanks good sir," the flatfaced man gleefully takes the collects 5 silvers, and hands over 5 flimsy looking tickets made from yellowish paper.

"Shakedown? Uh, now you mention it, I saw seven thugs splashing roach ichor all over the teahouse near Musu Canal. Owner tried to make them stop but they punch him in face and walk away. I heard them say to better pay up to Big Gonpo or else."

The man gestures rapidly while he speaks.

"I never heard of this Big Gonpo. May be a new gang in town. They didn't do same to Clubclawed Lobster so maybe they're not that big deal."

The man shrugs and tells Bashir that he might have more luck asking around near the Musu Canal about which he tells you the directions (generally in the Market District southeast).

"If nothing else, I goes sell more ticket good sir!"

The flatfaced man makes a toothy grin revealing his yellowish teeth.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:35, Sat 24 Apr 2021.
Bashir
player, 2 posts
Wed 28 Apr 2021
at 00:05
  • msg #4

0000 - Yellow City: Balamar Market District

"Big Gonpo..." Bashir repeated, and nodded slowly. "That's all for now, good luck with your tickets." and raised his hand as the two parted ways.

Seven on one were terrible odds, but he wanted to know more. These sorts of things could grow even worse if left to fester in his limited experience, and while they might start with tea stalls...if left to their own, they could easily grow more bold.

He knew of the Musu Canal, and he hefted his spear to balance on his right shoulder as he began to make his way in that direction.
Dungeon Master
GM, 9 posts
The Purple Man
In the Sky
Wed 28 Apr 2021
at 00:51
  • msg #5

0000 - Yellow City: Balamar Market District

In reply to Bashir (msg # 4):

During your walk towards Musu Canal, you cut through the slightly richer Learners' Quarter where the buildings seem more robust, tasteful, and clean. These buildings are gated by spiked brass gates and dark coloured hedges that surround each compound. Based on the signs near the gates they are buildings of the archivists and scholars. As it is still lunchtime the adjacent streets are empty though are curiously drawn over with decorated chalk-like patterns that resemble the soles of shoes.

As you are focused on heading to Musu Canal, you put this observation to the back of your mind and eventually reach your destination.

Transitioning drastically from the finer quarter you came from, the area around Musu Canal is truly destitute. There are makeshift tents made from ripped rags stitched together pegged against partially destroyed brick walls, a throng of beggars and lowlifes dying from withdrawal from opium, alongside the occasional salted fish rice-ball stall being the only sort of business in this area. The people here eye you suspiciously as you continue your walk.

The closer to the canal are more intact but dirty buildings, and shops selling cheap produce and crafts appear more frequent. But out all the buildings the one that seems to be filled with many is a strange building with a stone core and extended across much of the canal with glued driftwood planks. Many tables and chairs occupied by lunching folk surround this long building which bears a large sign - mainly made of nailed together junk - depicting a hunchbacked thin grubby long lank haired humanoid beside words that say "Hohool's Respite".

Beyond this restaurant or tavern you can see the partially dried up Musu canal from which where the stench of rotting fish likely comes from. You also begin to feel the gaze of many of the folk in this establishment as they notice your cleanliness relative to themselves.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:53, Wed 28 Apr 2021.
Bashir
player, 3 posts
Wed 28 Apr 2021
at 17:15
  • msg #6

0000 - Yellow City: Balamar Market District

The sour, sickly smell that wafted up from the shirking canal, and off the backs of some of the locals combined to form a general miasma that Bashir found unpleasant. He was not wealthy, not used to the comforts of incense or scented woods, but he was used to far better than this.

And it showed, it showed in his clean robes and the rich dye of his turban. In the polished steel of his keen spear head. In the bearing that he carried himself with. He found himself watching his back, and lingering against walls when he had to stop at all.

He found himself looking for victims, stalls that had been vandalized, Shop Keeps that might looked upon him with a glimmer of hope, until he arrived at Hohool's Respite. With one thumb hooked in his sash and the spear over his other shoulder, he lingered across from the open air establishment, just taking it all in with his back to a wall.
Dungeon Master
GM, 11 posts
The Purple Man
In the Sky
Wed 28 Apr 2021
at 23:31
  • msg #7

0000 - Yellow City: Balamar Market District

In reply to Bashir (msg # 6):

As you survey the open area you can't help but notice a number of peculiar groups dining at a tables outside, some distance from the canal:

There are four people at the table which carries a spread of skewers, salted fish, and mugs of foamy drink. But eating ravenously are only three men who wolf down skewer after skewer in quick succession, while the fourth man of the group - quite a large person - just looks at them with a grumpy expression while wiping sweat from his bald brow with a dirty rag

A half naked, muscular man covered in many bruises with a protruding belly lying on the table covered in emptied mugs and bottles of probably alcohol. He seems to take offense at your gaze and now sits upright and stares back at you aggressively.

While still looking for other people who might seem to be in need of help however, you notice a group of three dark-eyed half naked men covered in scars looking intently at you and approaching you.

But as you notice this, a door nearby opens and you are greeted with the pleasant fragrances of cooked food probably coming from the kitchens inside. A dwarf carrying a few platters walks forth towards the tables where some patrons wait. Seeing this, the scarred group of three spit into a nearby drain and change course towards the slums.

After serving a few tables, the dwarf walks back to the open door in your direction.

"If you ain't orderin... get... " his voice regards you loudly and sternly, but he pauses a while as he gazes at your beard before continuing in a more moderate tone. "... try not to get in the way..."
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:38, Wed 28 Apr 2021.
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