The Road to Salaband

[Jack Rothwell]

Jade had drifted away from the bar after Udo's departure, listening to the murmurs as she made her way to the table her goods had rested on, then dropped into a chair without an iota of grace.

She'd exchanged a brief word with Baldwin before leaving, asking frankly if the Tsuirakuan was full of shit. The bartender had confirmed him being in the company of a kobold the last time they'd seen him in Ester. After that it was wasn't hard to match the barkeep's description of the humanoid to the one she'd seen grappling with Myra in the Port.

'Myra...' She pictured the woman's scarred and painted face and repressed a shudder. She was glad to see the back of that one. The last they'd spoken, she was storming back into town, declaring obscene violence would be done to the half-elf who 'had her under his spell'. Elves, half-elves and other mystic crap were things the blacksmith wanted no part of. Yet here she was, worrying about a man who was on friendly terms with all of it. She resolved to keep a close eye on him, and to prop a chair under the door handle tonight. Luckily she still had her tools and a few other essentials buried in the deep pockets of her duster; there were things she could do to protect herself from a knife in the dark.

'...and I'd better check the damn place for glyphs, listening bugs, traps... monsters, or whatever the hell these lunatics use to blow people up these days.'

She sighed, sipped her bottle, and wished for a mana-rifle.

[Alberich]

Udo returned soon enough, a little lighter and feeling happy. Baldwin gave him an up-and-down and said, "No more work for you tonight." In his current state, the Tsuirakuan might break more than he could ever pay off. "Come by in the morning to finish your shift. Then you'll get paid."

"'kay," said Udo, "Jus' take m'staff, then, and off for camp." The bartender tilted his head, made a quick calculation, then returned the weapon. The loudmouth boob was leaving anyway, and he didn't seem to be in the mood to start trouble with it. Besides, just right now, he could use it to help him walk -- novel use for a staff. As Udo started out, Jade got a good look at it. To the untutored eye it might appear to be just for walking, though with extra bulges along the shaft and a knob on top, but with her knowledge of magical weaponry she could tell this was one of the less reputable competitors to the Yuuki. Which fit Udo's description of his Southern Continent adventures, as he claimed to have used such a weapon throughout the story.

Jade knew that this weapon, unlike her mana rifles, required some magical aptitude to use; it was not for non-magi. Whether she wanted to have anything more to do with him, or it, tonight was up to her. If she didn't stop him, he'd make his wobbly way to Sensei, and propose making camp for the night to save money on inns.

The other patrons were tied up in other stories and songs now. But knowing ears would have word of this tale by morning.

[OOC: I'm good to continue with the evening or to skip 'til morning.]

[Jack Rothwell]

OOC I'm good to skip ahead bud./OOC

[Alberich]

Udo was easy for Angrist to find that evening -- he was leaving the Sign of the Flatiron. It was easy to see (and smell) that he was in no condition for training tonight (though there were certain styles that might suit him...). Udo recommended camping for the night instead of taking a room to save money. He was delighted at the written news that there might be traders to escort. "I'll talk to 'em, Sensei" -- he thought that was his proper role as disciple and Designated Talker.

The night passed without incident. Jade's precautions turned up nothing of assassinatory interest. The next morning, any inquiries about her goods met with polite stonewalling. The statutory sequestration period hadn't passed yet, inquiries still had to be made, but never fear, the goods were safe and in good hands. There were no disasters such as would indicate anyone had been playing with the switches...

A little after noon, Angrist met Udo at the Flatiron. The Udo Fujomori Diswashing Dance had worked its special magic, and the adventurer had earned enough money to pay for the food he'd eaten during the time he'd washed those dishes. There was even enough left over for two suppers. But there was also news. He spread a hand-drawn map on the table.

"Well, Sensei, I couldn't afford a map, but those traders let me copy off part of theirs. To make the most direct route, you can see we'll be going through the interior, not so many cities this way - but they tell me it's not too hard walking. Now them, they're staying another day here in town to unload some stuff at Scorz's, and then they're takin' this southern route through Thranel, Kayted, and Tyronal. Apparently the local guardians, the Verteidigensbund, they have this thing for southern Veracian chick peas, and they swap out apricots for 'em. But then they turn south and head for the coast, and out of our way. They're sayin' they're not desperate for more guards. But they'll give us our meals if we come along and fight threats on the way, and then we could jump off at Tyronal and find our way east some other way. They're heading out tomorrow if weather permits.

"So, anyway, I headed back here, and I'd just got the apron on when I got called into Tom Odd's own office. Last night I was telling some of the guys about our adventures down south, and I guess maybe word got around." In fact, word had gotten around about Angrist's landscaping methods, but Tom hadn't favored Udo with that information. "And -- they've got a job for us too. Seems they've got a prisoner here, escaped from the Eichenyttel Militia over here in Egmil. Route takes us through Lipther and Havloc. All we have to do is take him there, and they'll give us enough food for the trip, and the Militia will pay us a bonus when we hit the other end. If we take that job, we can head out tonight or tomorrow."

On paper, at least, the route through Egmil looked more direct, but in fact both choices would take the travelers about the same distance east, with a great deal more land to cross before they reached Salaband. It was entirely up to Angrist which route he preferred. Just as it was entirely up to Jade whether to eavesdrop on this conversation, and make anything of it, or not.

[Browncoat]

Angrist considered the options for a moment before writing on his slate.
"Leaving tonight would be better so we'll go with the Militia. But in the meantime, we should start some proper training. The three principles you will learn will be Balance, Focus, and Technique. We'll begin with the most literal interpretations."
It wasn't long before Udo was struggling. Angrist had begun simply enough with having Udo practice standing as if he were riding a horse. But then Sensei had revealed two makeshift see-saws created using rocks and logs. Angrist proceeded to demonstrate holding the stance while balancing the log perfectly level. Udo could barely manage for more than a second or two before the log would tip and he'd fall. Sensei helped him up yet again and tapped Udo's head, then his legs.
"Yeah, I'm thinking about my legs. They're what's holding me up"
Angrist shook his head. He tapped his own head, then a point just above the waistline.
"How's that s'posed to help?"
Angrist nodded toward the log. Udo tried again...and fell again.
{This will take a while...a lot of practice...but he's already starting to improve, even if he doesn't realize it.}

[Alberich]

As Sensei's training methods had involved throwing him into the air and thrashing him soundly, Udo thought it best not to complain about this one. If the route to mastery led through low-level circus arts, than that was the route he'd have to take. He'd almost joined one anyway during his earlier adventures. Adding to the atmosphere, several small children from the town were watching, pointing, laughing, and saying things like "oooooops" every time Udo failed, in that endearingly heartless way children have.

When the ordeal was over, Udo went back to the Flatiron to accept the job. Tom Odd was pleased with that, and instructed him to be with Angrist over at the Laughing Troll by suppertime, where they'd get their rations, their prisoner, and their instructions. This being summer, that would give them a few hours of daylight to get started.

To celebrate their upcoming employment, Udo blew a little of his excess wages on a beer. Resting his bones and slurping it slow was helping to restore his "balance" very nicely. He controlled his draughts very nicely, and as far as he was concerned, his technique couldn't be improved. Soon enough he'd report back to the Master.

* * *

Meantime, Tom Odd had received his first reports from his "ambassadors" in Port Lorrel. So far the news was clean. No one had pinched anything like the strange collapsing halberd from the Eisenfaust, and as far as the hints were going, no one had embezzled anything recently. In fact, the only big case of missing wealth from the last few days was from that fellow Logan and his badly shocked Black Guards, and the Eisenfäusters were hinting that they were far from unhappy about that. The big question now was whether this "Jasmine" was carrying anything of theirs more traceable than money, and whether it would have any sharp-and-pointy political significance. Although she didn't know it, the odds were trending in her favor, as long as her past didn't catch up with her, and as long as she didn't panic and skip town...

[OOC: I paused it here to see what Jack wants to do with Jade; I can move it forward to "meet the prisoner" anytime.]

[Jack Rothwell]

Jade had woken up late that day with a hangover and a black cloud of depression hanging over her head. The inquires she'd made had at least lifted the feeling a little at the discovery that nothing untoward had happened to the merchandise the militia arseholes had taken from her. She had no intention of leaving her belongings behind unless circumstances forced her to leave. The payment and the halberd, especially the weapon, were too important to let go. If that meant risking her neck for a while longer she'd just have to make do.

In the meantime, there was the small matter of getting enough coin in her pocket to eat that day. Fortunately, she knew just the place to do it. There was a smithy owned by a man named Flint a stone's throw from the centre of town. Jade had done work for him some years back. Assuming the beardy blacksmith was still there, she'd at least have a means to kill time and stay financially afloat before her business in the shithole of a town was resolved.

Jade entered the market square of the settlement at a stroll, idly wishing for time to jump forward to the moment she bid a not-so-fond farewell to this place.

OOC ...which isn't a request to fast-forward. I was just thinking that an encounter between Jade and Angrist might liven things up a little. She's out in the open in the busiest part of Ester right now. Let me know if the monk's around BC./OOC

[Alberich]

In the course of her inquiries, Jade had learned a little more as well. Apparently the owners of the Laughing Troll also owned a ruined, half-fallen stone watchtower. They'd roofed it and used it as a storehouse; but the Falkenrohr had commandeered it to store things and people that needed to be kept secure. Like many Farrelians (outside the large cities) they were not keen on proper jail construction; perhaps they lacked the stones of law. Jade's goods were there under guard. So was the captured fugitive whom, so she overheard, Udo and Angrist had agreed to escort back to face Eichenyttel Militia justice.

[Jack Rothwell]

The Market had turned up useful but problematic information for the blacksmith. The news that the dishwasher had a friend, who by his description sounded vaguely like someone who'd been involved in the warehouse fight a few nights before. It had been too chaotic a situation for her to draw detailed pictures in her head of everyone there, but the broad strokes were the same. Add to that the pair of them having an 'assignment' at the same place her goods were held? And after one of them just happened to have been working in the same building the goods were confiscated in? Way beyond coincidence. It had to be.

"Time for some bloody confirmation..."

Jade made a sharp right turn out of the network of stalls. She had a watchtower to find.

[Alberich]

It wasn't that hard - she already knew the way to the Laughing Troll itself, and the ruined watchtower wasn't so far away. Of the original structure only the lower walls were standing, a single story in height; the conical tin roof was a (relatively) recent addition. The lower windows were bricked up, the ancient, heavy door stood ajar, and, this being a pleasant afternoon, a couple of Falkenrohr Patrolmen sat outside the door. They had small table with a checkerboard set up, and one was playing a game with the fettered prisoner inside -- Jade couldn't get a good look at him from this distance -- while the other kibitzed.

If she drew closer, she was sure to be noticed.