Ok, let’s see what this new assignment is all about. Probably just another guy who couldn’t pay the interest. Yup there it is: payment overdue. Ah, he was probably paying for his son’s smithy apprenticeship. Well, if he was gonna scam somebody out of their money he should have picked a different syndicate. He should know that The Late Rock has a strict “all-loans-returned” policy. After all, we have a reputation to keep.
Some time later…
This may be more difficult than I initially thought. To start with I hit up my contact in the smiths guild for where I could find that expensive son.
Luckily he was actually right around the corner and I called on him to inquire about his father.
I decided to switch to ascii
From what I got out of the boy the father isn’t as much of a fool as I thought and he has skipped town to the famed tourist resort and tax evader’s paradise Warmbeaches the Lush Green Land-Fortress of Swimming. Oh, and did I mention IT’S AT THE OTHER FUCKING END OF THE WORLD?
Here, let me illustrate:
Oh well. There goes my reputation. May as well try going in that direction
oH GOD OH GOD OH GOD WHATISTHISBALLOFFIREINMYEYES!
Yes that’s a roc.
Uhh just passing through…
I sure hope this blue stuff is just gross.
Ugh. I finally made it to a human hamlet. Maybe I can get myself get checked out by a doctor. I mean I’ve heard cave adaption can be hard on you, but though the vomiting has stopped, I’m still stuck in a permanent dizzy spell. I almost drowned on the way here since my swimming isn’t great at the best of times. Eyes are kinda fuzzy, too. Hm. These villagers don’t seem to be all too healthy either. All green and stuff.
Oh shit.
Ruuun!
I was sure I was going to end up a very dead loan shark, but as I was running and hoping the goon I had taken with me would distract the gobbos for a while, space around me seemed to warp and somehow I was out of sight of the horrible green menace. I don’t understand entirely what happened, but I’m not questioning it. Maybe the muck gave me superpowers. [ooc: I was somehow able to enter fast travel and get away]
Looking for a safer place to rest I went to the lord’s mansion, figuring if the gang was in the middle of town the place was either already looted or safe. Behind the doors I was greeted by yet another greenskin, this one in much fancier clothes than the others. Since she also seemed quite distraught, I figured it’d be better to not rely on my newly gained powers kicking in when bolting, and try to talk to her. She was indeed quite forthcoming, letting me look for some gear in their storage despite turning down her plea for help with the bandits. Didn’t have anything that fit me though.
The empty hamlet was actually right next to the regional capital which was immediately worrying to me: If the goblins were already this close…
And indeed, the city was practically abandoned. From what the lady told me the city of Seslebedo – “Elbowdistance” – was taken over just four years go as part of The Conflict of Wars. Even the humans hiding in the mansion did not seem be particularly sad about that; it seems the governors tried their very best to live up to the city’s name.
As I make my way through the empty city, I start to understand the contempt of the villagers. The city is crumbling to dust, and, cuddled in their little fortress in the middle, dozens of officials and holy men pretending to rule their country as if nothing had happened, fantasizing about glory to be gained in killing monsters.
See that noise outside?
I mean seriously
This town is messed up.
Suddenly Fighting! From somewhere an Olm Man Master bursts into the room and all the insane Highs and Exalteds and Holys and Sacreds start whacking him. The fighting is over before I even realise they’re not attacking me. I wipe the befuddled look of my face just in time to realize that they actually attacked the guy instead of running away and have apparently subsisted within this castle for four years without food. In my typical brilliance with words I immediately shout: ”Vampire”.
I literally just accused him on a whim
Nobody attacks me though.
Deciding not to take any chances I step out of the building and pretend nothing happened.