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22:51, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

Posted by Dungeon MasterFor group 0
Dungeon Master
GM, 8 posts
The Purple Man
In the Sky
Tue 27 Apr 2021
at 09:06
  • msg #3

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

The brawny men walk past you as if you weren't there and you can hear them hum a merry somewhat popular local tune that you have heard performed numerous times usually using the bone flute in many of the sewerside taverns in the Market District by the harbor.

As the bags are filled to the brim, you can easily make out some of its contents judging from some bits poking out and the shape of some of the bulges. Apparently there is a lot of silverware and metal crockery being jammed into the bags and judging by the design of some of the forks and plates poking out you can see that they are quite expensive looking and you have a hunch that you might have actually used them before. Alas you can't quite be certain from this distance but the overall shape is quite familiar.

Another thing you notice is that the men each wear on their backs a wooden club in poor condition painted with the heavily worn red symbol of a lobster club-shaped claws. Some nails are studded through its length to hold the thing together.

After a few more moments, the distance between you and the men widen, and the clinking coming from their bags start to become harder to hear...
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:55, Wed 28 Apr 2021.
Bimply Thistledown
player, 2 posts
Wed 28 Apr 2021
at 05:19
  • msg #4

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

Bimply watched intently as the men passed by, examining the bags and their contents as best they could, and then focusing on the red symbol painted on the clubs so he could remember it later.

The fact that the things poking out of the bags looked familiar seemed like too much of a coincidence to ignore. So after the men had passed by, he quietly followed behind them, hoping to learn where they were going with their likely ill-gotten loot.
Dungeon Master
GM, 10 posts
The Purple Man
In the Sky
Wed 28 Apr 2021
at 10:30
  • msg #5

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

In reply to Bimply Thistledown (msg # 4):

You stalk the men and regrettably but expectly find that they're heading back into the horrid smelling market district you just came out off not long ago. It is rather easy to follow them as one can always hear the clinking of metal in their bags, and even easier to remain discreet considering your height and the crowd in the market at this time of day.

You make twists and turns until the sounds of the crowd grow softer as the liveliness of the street gradually drops along with the condition of the buildings that beset the street. Soon the environment is much more quiet save the cry of an occasional seagull and the rhythmic clinking of stuff in the mens' bags. But piercing this silence suddenly is the cry of a young boy who runs out from one of the alleyways towards the men.

The man leading the way stops and puts down his bag of stuff and kneels on one leg to the boy who sobs and sputters incomprehensibly in sadness. The man and the boy exchange a few words before the man pats the boy's head and they all continue ahead together.

Soon you find them heading down the steps to a medium sized canal that is completely dried up. One of the men light a torch and they head into the dark canal from which a pungent wind blows, greeting its visitors with a vile stink of rotting fish.

You manage to continue to follow them making twists and turns through the canal-ways until you reach an area which is reinforced by numerous rusty metal bars. There are small circular openings probably used to ventilate the area on the east and west walls of this room from which small but fat cockroaches crawl out of.

A half naked guard wearing a saber sits by this caged wall next to a rusty metal gate lit brightly by blue-flamed candles in lanterns hung on the masonry walls. He sits upright and exclaims, "Wow! Well if it isn't a fine catch today. Did you massacre an entire family for this stuff?" as he sees the contents of the bags and opens the doors for the men and lets him and the boy through.

The man leading the way replies, "Hey don't make it sound so bad, I got it through the legal way this time..."

To which the sabre wearing man replies, "Yeah... right! Just like you got that agate necklace, and that silver bracelet, and that electrum plate! Bah...!"

While the other men laugh heartily at the reply, the sabre wearing man shuts the gate and locks it and continues lazily seating and drinking from a metal jug. "I'll believe it when the sun rises from the west!" he exclaims again, followed by another distant chorus of laughing now deep ahead beyond the caged gate.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:38, Wed 28 Apr 2021.
Bimply Thistledown
player, 3 posts
Thu 29 Apr 2021
at 04:26
  • msg #6

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

Bimply had turned his nose up when the men led him back to the market district, so when the stench of rotting fish reached his nostrils, he had to raise his hand up to his mouth as he tried mightily to hold back the retch that was triggered by the pungent aroma.

A dichotomy of emotions washed over him as the men passed through the guarded gate; frustration that he wouldn't be able to follow them any farther, and relief that he could get away from that horrid smell.

Quickly he made his way back to the market area and then headed for the cockroach-spawn pens, looking for his friend Dha Dhij.
Dungeon Master
GM, 12 posts
The Purple Man
In the Sky
Thu 29 Apr 2021
at 05:21
  • msg #7

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

In reply to Bimply Thistledown (msg # 6):

To find your friend, you spend around an hour navigating along the Market District waterfront and eventually reach the dried Dipti Canal - the main entrance to the territory of the Dipti Cockroach Clan. Thankfully the scent of this canal though still mildly pungent is largely masked by the chestnut smelling scent of giant cockroaches that the clansmen herd. Young herds of giant roaches graze at the refuse and waste thrown into drains connected to the canal. The clansmen, recognizing you as a friend wave at you as you go deeper into the canal-way to find Dha Dhij.

Eventually, you reach a larger open place with massive cages built up to the ceiling of the sewer made from a mix of driftwood and rusty iron bars. Young herders shovel mounds of trash which serves as feed to the numerous giant cocroaches which flock around the feed boxes to eat. Prodding with a poorly made bident at the smaller roaches trying to escape from the cages to keep them inside is Dha Dhij, who you see bears a countenance of ennui as light from a nearby lantern shines on her face as walks towards another part of the cage where some roach is trying to escape.

As she does this, she sees you her expression brightens and she greets you while prodding the roaches - now with greater vigor.

"Hullo Bimply! You looking for something? Or maybe you want to... y'know... explore some place in the sewer? I'm going to be free by the evening."

At the mention of possible adventure, some of the young roach herders look up and steal glances at Bimply with a faintly expectant expression.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:22, Thu 29 Apr 2021.
Bimply Thistledown
player, 4 posts
Thu 29 Apr 2021
at 18:54
  • msg #8

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

"No, sorry, nothing so exciting, at least not tonight," he said loud enough for all of the onlookers hearing. When they appeared to go back to their work, he lowered his voice a bit and leaned into Dha Dhij ever so slightly. "I do have a question though; do you know the significance of a red symbol of a lobster with club-shaped claws? I saw it painted on the clubs of some guys earlier that looked like they might be up to no good. Just wondering who they are, and if I should steer clear of 'em."
Dungeon Master
GM, 13 posts
The Purple Man
In the Sky
Fri 30 Apr 2021
at 00:44
  • msg #9

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

In reply to Bimply Thistledown (msg # 8):

A bit of an air of disappointment wafts from the clansmen as they hear your reply, but Dha Dhij's voice nonetheless remains somewhat bright, though the vigor of her roach prodding seems to lessen slightly.

"Ah - that's definitely the sign of the Club-clawed Lobster Fighting Troupe. They're pretty popular club-fighting ring in Balamar and all their fighters. What you saw was probably one of their clubs they use while fighting in the rings every night.

"And I'm not sure about the goings-on of club-fighters apart from their fights  every night, but I saw some shrug off blows to the head like nothing, so I wouldn't even think of crossing their path. Still I don't often see them club-fighters out in the day though, and much less them Club-clawed Lobsters - apparently the troupe leader trains them real hard was what I heard.

"No doubt they're being drilled hard even right now, the Squid Crushers from Uctlil Pleasure District is coming to challenge the champion of Club-clawed Lobster of Balamar. I heard the champion of the Squid Crushers has been undefeated to this day, so its gonna be quite a fight!

"So maybe the fellows you saw were new ones? That'd be my guess!"

This message was last edited by the GM at 00:46, Fri 30 Apr 2021.
Bimply Thistledown
player, 5 posts
Sat 1 May 2021
at 05:36
  • msg #10

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

"Huh, yeah, that's interesting," Bimply said as he tried to assimilate the information. Why in the world would members of a fighting troupe be carrying around likely ill-gotten supplies from the House of UI? Were they somehow involved in the poisoning? It seemed unlikely that men of this ilk would stoop to such underhanded means to kill someone.

Something definitely didn't add up, but he knew he had to go back to the mansion and see what else he could learn. He nodded to Dha Dhij, "Thanks. You know, things are still so new to me here, I'm still learning. I've got to get back, but I promise we'll do some exploring soon," he said as he headed back to the mansion.
Dungeon Master
GM, 14 posts
The Purple Man
In the Sky
Sat 1 May 2021
at 12:49
  • msg #11

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

In reply to Bimply Thistledown (msg # 10):

"It's a promise then!" Dha Dhij beams as she waves while you bid her farewell.

You take the same thoroughfare you took back in the morning to get back to the Noble District, as you walk, the sun edges ever closer to the horizon, and the drifting orange clouds above begin to paint the evening sky purple while a cool sea breeze caresses your back.

Eventually you reach the grand manor of House Ui surrounded by tall jasmine hedges offering their refreshing scents. Past the metal gate of the compound, which a neatly dressed manservant opens for you, you see in the courtyard before the main door the the manor interior you see Ui Piao and 3 man servants bending over on the ground, apparently searching above and under every fixture of the courtyard for something.

Nearby, seated at a large parasol-table drinking tea and looking at the four searching people seems to be Ui Piao's mother, Ui Hua who looks very upset.

"Where is it... where could it have gone...?" you can barely hear these words escape in Slug-manese from Ui Piao's rasping slug-lips.
Bimply Thistledown
player, 6 posts
Wed 5 May 2021
at 22:34
  • msg #12

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

Bimply watached UI Piao and the servants for moment, trying to discern what they were doing. When he heard the slugmans words, he wondered if this could have something to do with the bags he'd seen earlier.

While he wasn't quite ready to share what he'd learned, he figured he could at least learn a bit more about the current situation. He walked over to the Ui Pao and the servants, glancing down at the ground, "Ui Pao, what are you searching for? Is there something I can do to help?"
Dungeon Master
GM, 23 posts
The Purple Man
In the Sky
Thu 6 May 2021
at 00:32
  • msg #13

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

In reply to Bimply Thistledown (msg # 12):

"My plate... my red silver plate... my favourite plate... I can't find it..."

Ui Piao mutters softly without looking at you as she touches literally every inch of ground before her to search for this plate of hers.

"It was here this morning... and I ate with it, but now... its gone... How frustrating..."
Bimply Thistledown
player, 7 posts
Thu 6 May 2021
at 22:33
  • msg #14

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

"It was here this morning?" Bimply asked as he glanced around the room. "Is there anything else missing?"

He turned to one of the manservants, "Was anyone unusual here today that might have taken the plate?"
Dungeon Master
GM, 26 posts
The Purple Man
In the Sky
Fri 7 May 2021
at 00:17
  • msg #15

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

In reply to Bimply Thistledown (msg # 14):

"Only my plate... its locked in the kitchen storage... should have been watched over by the new cooks. I asked them but they don't know either..." Ui Piao replies.

As you direct your voice to a nearby manservant, he makes a tiny jerk before replying, "don't know sir... Me don't know..." The manservant you look at has his back hunched over and is too searching the ground without looking at you.
Bimply Thistledown
player, 8 posts
Fri 14 May 2021
at 21:05
  • msg #16

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

Bimply nodded to Ui Piao in understanding, "I will do what I can to help you find it. How new are the cooks? How long have they been working here?"

He glanced around with a frown on his face. Are their guards to the compound that he could question?
Dungeon Master
GM, 49 posts
The Purple Man
In the Sky
Sat 15 May 2021
at 01:24
  • msg #17

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

In reply to Bimply Thistledown (msg # 16):

Indeed, there are a few number of guards in the compounds, mostly brawny Eunuchs from Lamarakh wearing the Yellow and Gray colors of House Ui. They are armed with wooden staves and regularly patrol the garden perimeter of the mansion grounds.

One of such Guards is just marching by towards the eastern edge of the compound walls near where the gates are.

"They just came in a week ago... I guess the food they make is good enough. I questioned them too, but they said they don't know anything about my plate..."

Ui Piao speaks as she continues searching yet again.
Bimply Thistledown
player, 9 posts
Mon 17 May 2021
at 22:45
  • msg #18

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

Bimply nodded sagely, "Ah, were these chefs hired after the others were imprisoned after the...incident? If so, how did you decide to hire them? Were they referred to you from someone else?"

After waiting to hear the answer, he heads over to talk to the nearby guard, "Have there been any unexpected visitors to the compound today? Perhaps a shipment of food for the cooks? Or maybe the cooks had to leave for a while to pick something up?"
Dungeon Master
GM, 57 posts
The Purple Man
In the Sky
Tue 18 May 2021
at 01:33
  • msg #19

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

In reply to Bimply Thistledown (msg # 18):

Ui Piao turns to head to one side, "I don't know about who hired the new chefs. Maybe mother knows.... Mother!"

Ui Piao runs towards her mother seated under the parasoled table. And asks her about the chefs.

"I believe Ui Xie was in charge of hiring the new Chefs. As she and her family owns MANY restaurants across Balamar and Yeong, the House saw it fit to employ her resources to find Chefs free from the knavery that the previous few attempted."

"I'm going to ask Ui Xie about my plate now," Ui Piao says as she now runs towards the main entrance of the manor.

Ui Hua remains seated massaging her temples as she sips her tea. After doing so she speaks to you.

"Small human. If I were you I'd keep my distance from my daughter. Let it be known that many suspect that you are involved, and if not for the whims of that useless Ui Yi... How frustrating... begone..."

Ui Hua forcefully puts her teacup back on the saucer making a very intentional and audible clink.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:34, Tue 18 May 2021.
Bimply Thistledown
player, 10 posts
Tue 18 May 2021
at 22:03
  • msg #20

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

Bimply simply nods to Ui Hua, not wanting to risk any more of her ire, heads over to talk to the nearby guard, "Have there been any unexpected visitors to the compound today? Perhaps a shipment of food for the cooks? Or maybe the cooks had to leave for a while to pick something up?"
Dungeon Master
GM, 60 posts
The Purple Man
In the Sky
Wed 19 May 2021
at 01:47
  • msg #21

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

In reply to Bimply Thistledown (msg # 20):

"Well, not exactly," the guard says as he scratches his nose. "There was sort of an extra visitor at the back entrance where the trash collectors collect the refuse of the manor. The trash collectors we recognized but not him, and helped take some of the extra trash that was being thrown out early this morning. Maybe a new guy? I suppose you'd be able to see them again early tomorrow morning."
Bimply Thistledown
player, 11 posts
Thu 20 May 2021
at 20:51
  • msg #22

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

"Hmm," Bimply mused as he considered what he heard. "Did the trash collectors seem to recognize him? Do the trash collectors come into the compound to collect the trash, or does someone take it to them?"
Dungeon Master
GM, 68 posts
The Purple Man
In the Sky
Thu 20 May 2021
at 22:56
  • msg #23

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

In reply to Bimply Thistledown (msg # 22):

"I don't know for sure. Well the certainly weren't fighting over the trash like competing trash collectors do sometimes,"
the guard shrugs. "And to your other question, the servants in the manor collect all the trash and refuse from inside of the manor and bring it out to the back."
Bimply Thistledown
player, 12 posts
Wed 26 May 2021
at 23:13
  • msg #24

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

Bimply nodded in understanding, "Hmm, I see. Do you know if the new cooks also collected trash and brought it out to the collectors?"
Dungeon Master
GM, 88 posts
The Purple Man
In the Sky
Thu 27 May 2021
at 01:45
  • msg #25

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

In reply to Bimply Thistledown (msg # 24):

"I'm not so sure about that myself. But If I were to make a guess, its probably not the cooks taking out the trash - since they don't want those preparing food handling trash. Especially with what happened a while ago..." the Guard shrugs.
Bimply Thistledown
player, 13 posts
Thu 27 May 2021
at 23:00
  • msg #26

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

Bimply shrugged, "Yeah, that makes sense. Thanks for humoring me, I'll let you get back to work."

He'll then head into the compound and look for Ui Yi.
Dungeon Master
GM, 97 posts
The Purple Man
In the Sky
Fri 28 May 2021
at 01:40
  • msg #27

0001 - Yellow City: Balamar Noble District (Day 1)

In reply to Bimply Thistledown (msg # 26):

The interior of the Ui Manor is colossal, with extremely tall corridors hung every few steps with fancy glass lamps, intricately engraved finishings that are all finely painted, and tasteful placement of various potted flowers that give off pleasant, refreshing aromas.

The firm wooden floor is also neatly covered with ornate rugs depicting varieties of exotic plants, flowers and fruits, and it is that indigo hued rug you follow that stretches through a single corridor that leads you to Ui Yi's workshop.

You can hear the sounds of cranking, moving gears and various clinking sounds from beyond a strangely tall and large double door of varnished mahogany fitted with a shiny brass handle, which you use to pull it open to reveal a larger room with an even taller ceiling.

The room is cluttered with numerous tall shelves containing books, scrolls, tools, bottles of strangely colored liquid, and stacks of brass gears, springs are other mechanical paraphernalia.

And winding a large crank fitted on a giant (about 2 humans tall and wide) but very rusty clockwork golem is Ui Yi, dressed in a plain grease covered robe of orange. The robe itself is also covered with old splashes of paint, strange oils, and even some tears and it seems that it is some sort of work dress.

Noticing the door openning, Ui Yi turns towards you and greets you, clearly happy to see you.

"Welcome back Bimply, how was your day?"
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