The Master Of Zooz

[Malchik]

The man glances at you calculatingly, then says:

 

"If by competition you mean the rabble who try to rob hapless travellers arriving at Kolokon's only gate, I certainly won't be joining them. Given the chance I'd send them all into oblivion. Unfortunately there's no such thing as a gate to oblivion or I'd tell them they'd earn more in a day there than they will in ten years here."

 

He seems reassured by your manner.

 

"You can't help me. I work in Kolokon and I have done this trip often. Let me advise you though. You'll never get into Kolokon without losing most of your belongings if you don't have some means of avoiding the attention of the beggars. I don't have a lot of time for scum like that. Poverty is one thing. I give 15 percent of my income to the poor as do all in Memtuz but here they want 100 percent. And if they stop short of murder it's only just."

 

He beckons you closer. "Whatever else these beggars are, they are not stupid. I am sure they realise how others disguise themselves and no doubt have spies here watching for it. But although I shall leave the lodging like this, within a few hundred paces we will change. My men will wear rich seeming garments while I shall still be a beggar but so unlike the way I appear now. My men will be mobbed but they are paid well enough. You will need to think out a similar strategy."

 

After a moment he adds. "Just act very differently in here from the way you are outside. I am all talk and arrogance so they will think me too self-important and grand to believe my plan cannot fail. Well, we must be off."

 

He stands and summons the serving girl in a rude peremptory manner while winking amusedly at you. "It was kind of you to offer help all the same. Here! I live in the High City and you need a pass to get in. This will get you and your friends to me for one visit."

 

He pushes the free pass across available to holder and up to six companions. Then he is creating a tremendous fuss over his bill. Finally he and his bodyguard have gone.

[tiaxanderson]

"Hmm interesting.. Who would have thought that the situation here would be like this? To behve like an arrogant here and then like another there. I really misjudged the man" Tiax says with a faint smile. "So where will our journey take us now? Will we proceed to Kolokon or will we change our course?"

In a whisper Tiax adds; "In other words, will we continue as we did before or will we disguise ourselfs in both clothing and behavior?"

 

[edit]

I will be leaving tonight, I will go to a friend for 3 days and after that I will most likely be with another friend for a week.

[/edit]

[phawk69]

ooc> Sorry for the long dry spell, but I have been enjoying a week at a remote lake with no phones. It has been bliss :)

 

ic> T'skar huddles with the rest of the group, and quietly whispers "I think we already have a face to present here - uninformed travellers; I have some experience playing a beggar, as that was part of my life from six and on - it is amazing how many pockets you can pick if you look hopeless enough. As for the rest, I think we can conceal all of you. We will need to leave the horses somewhere though, no beggar rides a horse. It would be benificial to see how our friend from Kolokon makes out, if he gets through or not, but it might be too risky."

[Arturius]

Sael, Pipes up:

"I've read a few books in which king disguises himself as a beggar and mingles among the people, to escape his role or to find out how they actually live."

 

"I for one shall look forward to experience"

*he hunches himself over*

"oh my poor back spare a copper sir?..er..ahh..imean guvnor"

[karkarinus]

Though coping surprisingly well with the unexpectedly steep learning curve of this adventure, Kalmer feels that dressing up and putting on a charade should be left for another day. Instead, he would feel much less self-conscious in a concealed state.

 

"I have no experience of such behaviour," he says calmly, "But plenty of going unnoticed when necessary, albeit in less multitudinous surroundings. I shall occlude myself from view, and skirt the streets, keeping a watchful eye on all of you. Gnaag, can you not change yourself into a bird or something, and warn us from above of any trouble?"

 

 

 

(ooc - can we perform simple actions (like this one for Gnaag) for our 'absent' team-mates? Baba has already said we can post for him in anything we deem necessary.)

[Malchik]

OOC> Indeed you can. Between you I believe you can by-pass the beggars. There are no magical wards at Kolokon's gate.

 

On topic>

 

Using whichever means of concealment suits you, you manage to get past the beggars who are as aggressive and violent as you had been warned. Your friend from the tavern must already have gone ahead. At the gate you see that you need an authorisation stamp to enter, freely given to all but beggars. You have to revert to looking your usual selves. Entry without the stamp could cause problems later.

 

While queuing for the stamp. A posse of guards on horses come galloping out of the city, scything into the mass of beggars. The beggars flee but not before several are mown down.

 

You overhear a girl stamping papers say to a colleague. "That's the fourth time today! Won't they ever learn?" It is impossible to be sure whom she is talking about.

 

Those stamping forms at the gate are too busy to help you, other than to point to a local lodging.

 

Once inside the gate you see what the blue guide meant about chaos. A large, incomplete walled palace without gates is being used as a farm and workshop for beating copper pots. Next to it is a very small temple on a square base raised to require 26 steps to reach it. The steps are lined with carved stone animals. Hairy, long-horned cows, walk everywhere and lie on all flat surfaces. Houses, of anything from one to four storeys and all looking half finished are interspersed with patches of farmed ground, workshops, pumps with washing vats, anything. And every second edifice is a temple or equally oddly shaped shrine. It is hard to see what is a road at all. Chickens roost everywhere. And apart from the sight and the smell you can't get over the noise. People yelling to talk, animals and birds calling, all kinds of metals being hammered and above all the sound of percussion. Huge gongs and bells from the massively sonorous to the irritatingly tinkly sound regularly from every temple and shrine. If you stay outside too long, you'll be deafened!

 

OOC> Kolokon has a variety of lodging houses in the lower city. The High City has none as you are either an inhabitant, authorised worker or guest with a valid pass. Guests are always housed with the invitee. It is early afternoon.

 

On topic> You head for the lodging pointed out, to escape the din. It is an okay place with a smiling girl at the counter and several clients drinking in the bar area.

 

The girl says: "Hello. Do you need lodging, refreshment or just information?"

[phawk69]

Glancing at Kalmer, T'skar smiles "How about refreshments and information? We can see about the lodging after that."

[Malchik]

The girl gives you ale and water. There appears to be no other choice.

 

"We don't serve food until the evening. What information do you want to know?"

 

The ale is very good.

[karkarinus]

"Hmm.... refreshment, yes." Says Kalmer, somewhat distractedly. All the noise and hustle-bustle of Kolokon has left him rather stunned. He has never seen such crowds, never heard such a racket, and it has all taken its toll. Seeing that there is nothing non-alcoholic other than water, he drinks down a glass in one.

 

"And then some information." He shows the girl the invitation. "Could you tell us how to find this lodging house, please?"

[Malchik]

The girl looks a bit startled. "Well you head for the gate and then walk north about 50 paces. I mean, you're here, aren't you?"