Abandoned Workhouse/GSA HQ

[Renrik]

In the slums stands an old building, partially renovated, apparently an old workhouse that has been turned to a new purpose.

This building has indeed seen many uses. Before the Riot Day Rebellion, it was a workhouse. It was gutted by fire during the riots and abandoned, later to be adopted by the GSA as a covert headquarters. It has since become an overt headquarters, and the Town's embassy for the Free Federation of Goblin States.

The place is nondescript and functional. It stands among the hovels of one of the worst blocks of the slums.

Inside, there are meeting rooms and planning rooms, stores of wapons and supplies, a hospital, guard posts, and training facilities for all types of activities, from tactical command to assassination.

The place, in addition to the false beggars across the street and the guards at the door is guarded by a great amount of other GSA soldiers, all loyal goblinoids.

This building also serves as a headquarters for the Goblin Labor Party.
-------------------------------------------
Anyone wishing to join the Goblin Statehood Army must apply here.

[Renrik]

Note: Membership to the GSA is open to anyone devoted to the Cause.

The Cause includes protecting not just Goblinoids, but all monstrous creatures.

[Rainspattered]

"It's too long we've been kept down by other races because we are regarded as barbaric or evil. They are not judged by the lowest common denomenator of their species, so we should not be judged by such," Grothak says, his bulky frame crosses the doorframe into the warehouse. "My name is Grothak Verkahsn, I've heard of your case, and I think I could be some help," he explains as he enters. To illustrate his point, he draws forth the head of an adamantine golem from his cloak, and, holding it in his right hand, and sequeezes. The metal of the head bends, contorts, and finally collapses, crushed adamantine and gears flying everwhere. Holding up his metallic left hand, opposed to the flesh one that just crushed the head, he adds, "The metal one is stronger, too."

[Renrik]

The goblins nod. A lower-level guard gets one of the corporals, who holds a quick meeting with several other officers.

Corporal Grualbekk, a hobgoblin, comes forward with a grey sash and a dagger, which he holds out in front of him. He cuts his han with the dagger and presents it to Grothak.

He recites, in goblin:
We of the Goblin Statehood Army swear to uphold the defense of the people and of the cause. Our sword is the sword of the people, and for the people we shall fight. By the blood of our people and by the oath of our blood, we shall accept death before surrender.

The other goblins present call out, also in their native tongue:
Up the Revolution!

[Fenric]

Yashatama and a score of werefox clerics enter the building and come to the desk

The time for action is coming, and we would add to your numbers.

I am Yashatama, former head of clerics of the Temple of Inari, and columnist for the Word Page. The Temple must remain neutral, and can take no official position... and therefore it is most convenient that I no longer hold any official position with the Temple.

I have gathered those who feel like I do.

[AmberVael]

((So... tempting... must resist... ah, to hell with it))
The Dancing Man appears in a puff of assorted bird feathers and tires to go inside.

[Renrik]

The foxes are allowed inside, with much thanks from the soldiers. Some, who were injured in the infighting earlier, recognize the clerics and bow low. The oath is repeated for them, and the sashes and daggers offered.
----------

The dancing man is blocked immediately by four "beggars", their daggers drawn. Several crossbows from the windows are levels his way, and an apprentice shaman in the upper story is ready to cast a spell of blighting upon him.

[AmberVael]

The Dancing Man raises an eyebrow and tips his hat and bows. He gives a gesture that unmistakably means that he would like to pass through and go into the building.

[Fenric]

The foxes take the oath and don the sashes and stow the daggers in their belts. Yashatama and the other priests see to any soldiers who have lingering injuries, and otherwise familiarize themselves with the army.

[Malekith]

Malekith shows up, bangs on the door and comes inside, "i have heard of your cause... the persecution of monstrous humanoids has gone on far too long... i know both sides of this story, i used to be a paladin... now i am hunted like a monster" he notes solemnly "i would gladly offer my dark power to your operation"

[Rainspattered]

Grothak moves up behind the dancing man, ready to stop him from behind if need be.

[AmberVael]

((What, a human can't join the Cause? :biggrin:))

[Rainspattered]

((No. Our objection is to the "dancing" not the "man.")

[AmberVael]

((Lol, nice one))

[Renrik]

Malekith shows up, bangs on the door and comes inside, "i have heard of your cause... the persecution of monstrous humanoids has gone on far too long... i know both sides of this story, i used to be a paladin... now i am hunted like a monster" he notes solemnly "i would gladly offer my dark power to your operation"

The goblins look him over (what exactly is he?)

[AmberVael]

The Dancing Man taps his foot and waits for the goblins to let him pass.

[Kyrian]

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h107/sjunderw/Roixis.gif

A man, standing 6'9'' walks up and takes a look at the warehouse.

[Renrik]

The goblins let the dancing man go inside with a guard, but remained armed as they see the newcomer.

One of the beggars steps forward, his knife drawn.
What do you want?

[AmberVael]

The Dancing Man walks formally, until he reaches the doors. He runs up the doorframe, across the top, down the other side, and then goes inside, shaking tulips out of his sleeve.

[Renrik]

One of the goblins giggles at the Dancing Man's antics, and is slapped in the head by the hobgoblin standing next to him.

[AmberVael]

The Dancing Man looks around for where to sign up, pulling a cucumber, a parrot, and finally a pencil out of his ear.

[Kyrian]

I want in.

[Renrik]

Who are you?, the beggar replies.

The Dancing Man is lead to the room where the foxes were recently sworn in to the army.

[Kyrian]

The name's Roixis.

[AmberVael]

The Dancing Man looks around, his eyes shooting harmless, dancing sparks across anything he looks at.

[Renrik]

The goblin looks about, and nods. He leads the man into the building, where two hobgolbin guards join him. Some more beggars go outside to reinforce the depleted forward guard.

The corporal in the room repeats the oath, then offers the dagger and the sash to the Dancing Man.

[Kyrian]

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h107/sjunderw/Roixis.gif


What the hell is this place?

[AmberVael]

The Dancing Man takes the dagger and the sash and sniffs them for a bit. He wraps the sash around his head and with some odd flick of the wrist puts the dagger inside his cane.

[Renrik]

An officer, a battle-scarred hobgoblin with a slight limp, replies:

This is the Home Base. The center of operations. Follow me.

The hobgoblin walks, his bad leg dragging wierdly behind him, down the hallway.
----------------------------------

The Dancing Man has been accepted as an operative. Should the need arise for operations, he shall be called up. He may rely on the GSA to offer him protection when he needs it. Welcome aboard.

[AmberVael]

The Dancing Man decides that for the next few minutes, balancing on top of bouncing balls might be interesting. His shoes seem to grow bouncing balls on the bottom, and he alternately rolls and springs back out the door, then decides to follow Roixis, still bouncing.

[Kyrian]

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h107/sjunderw/Roixis.gif

Roixis follows, looking around, and making mental notes about everything.

[Renrik]

The hobgoblin guards take note of his movements, and keep their guard up. He is brought into a small, windowless room in the back of the workhouse.

The hobgoblins remain by his side, and a half-orc enters, along with two goblins.

What is your goal here? Who do you serve?

[AmberVael]

The Dancing Man decides that Roixis needs to lighten up. Specifically that he needs to wear non-black clothing. A large bucket of paint appears over him. Mauve paint. It tips over and spills its contents at him, while the Dancing Man begins juggling his shoes and the bouncing balls.

[Kyrian]

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h107/sjunderw/Roixis.gif

Roixis steps through the paint untouched. My goal? Kill the one called Kyrian. I serve myself.

[AmberVael]

The Dancing Man squints one eye and widens the other, then throws his shoes and the bouncing balls up into the air. His shoes come back up through the earth onto his feet, and the bouncing balls keep going until they hit the atmosphere and melt.

[Rainspattered]

"What do you want with us. I've never heard of any Kyrian and I've talked to most of the lot in here," Grothak assures the newcomer.

[Renrik]

One of the senior officers emebers something:

Wasn't Kyrian that Gufi that attacked the Den right before the Riots?

another joins in:

Yea, that was 'im. 'E kille a good lot of fine young sons durin' the event itself, to boot. 'E's no friend of the goblins.

[Kyrian]

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h107/sjunderw/Roixis.gif

So...you'd kill him as well?

[Renrik]

Kill him? We've been watching him for some time. Unfortunately, no killers have ever managed to truly harm him. Even the old Rat King of assassins was unable to end his life, though Maglubiet knows he tried.

But ay, we'd help to kill him. It would be a great blow against our foes, and would remove a difficult obsticle in the party's plans.

[Kyrian]

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h107/sjunderw/Roixis.gif

I'm sorry...that was the wrong answer.

[Renrik]

The goblins look puzzled, and several, alarmed by his reply, draw their weapons.

What do you mean?

[AmberVael]

The Dancing Man hops around boredly. He begins pulling toothpicks out of his fingers.

[Kyrian]

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h107/sjunderw/Roixis.gif

Kyrian is my kill....I can't allow you all to screw that up...

He launches lightning bolts at all who've drawn weapons and vanishes.

[Renrik]

Several goblins fall, clutching their burnt flesh. A call is issued for medical aid, and some nearby medics come rushing in. A search party is made immediately. Several trackers and warriors are gathered.

Hehas seen the layout of the headquarters. He knows too much. Find him and kill him. Now.

[AmberVael]

The Dancing Man holds up a fistful of toothpicks and shakes it.

[Fenric]

The priests immediately get to work healing those who need it.

[AmberVael]

The Dancing Man turns two dimensional, one dimensional, and then explodes in a small puff of smoke.

[Rainspattered]

"Huhn. Lookit that," Grothak says, looking at the blue-glowing metal of his left arm. "Absorbed all of the lightning. I wouldn't touch me anytime soon if I wasn't grounded, just fair warning," he said, then pointed his finger at a spot on the ground and willed the lightning away. It shot out of his hand at the exact spot he was pointing to. "Well, that's nice to have. Now, I believe we have a man to catch. I'll be waiting in the shadows if the spies pick anything up for a fight."

[Renrik]

The hunting teams have returned, fruitless. One of the assassin sent has received bad burn wounds, but has been healed.

The GSA goblins sittight, and double the guard.

[Rainspattered]

"I'll go looking myself, then," Grothak claims. "I've set a recall here. Alert me if defensive action is needed. I'll return instantly."

[Fenric]

The fox priests go around making sure the troops are up to date with Protection from Lightning, Protection from Fire, and Protection from Negative Energy

[Renrik]

:redcloak:

The shamans and apprentice wizards work to strengthen the seals and wards on the entrances.

[Xerillum]

A strike force of dwarves sneak in through the sewers. they kill any goblin in sight silently.

[Renrik]

Two shamans watch through a scrying pool. They nod to a nearby captain, who leads his men to cut off the dwarven retreat. As he gets into position, the two adepts raise the alarm, and the workhouse goes up in arms.

[Fenric]

The fox priests equally quietly resurrect the fallen goblins.

[Xerillum]

How?...

Never mind... these gobbo scum are no threat to us... Men! to arms! the soldiers pick up their shields and axes. For Moradin!!!

[Flabbicus]

A strike force of dwarves sneak in through the sewers. they kill any goblin in sight silently.

(( Not to be a wet blanket but that's a little bit god-modly like. ))

[Xerillum]

((Hey... they had a reaction chance... it's not my fault I've been playing splinter cell.))

[Fenric]

The fox clerics cast Heat Metal on the dwarves.

[Xerillum]

they drop their shields and charge the clerics. ((obviously you didn't know that strike forces don't use metal armor, and the warhammers are made of wood! well, the handle...))

[Fenric]

(( hmm... inconvenient. Also inconvenient is that the goblin brigades that the clerics are part of are run by Renrik, who is offline. ))

[Xerillum]

((yeah... that is inconvenient.))

[Renrik]

The dwarves are outnumbered by overwhelming odds, and the GSA are not as weak as one might think. The dwarves have no chance. Their escape is cut off and the archers peppering hem with bolts are protected by the sheilds of the elite hobgoblin warriors.

Is it safe to assume that the dwarves are all killed or captured?

[Fenric]

(( The goblins are also backed by one cleric per... well... however many Renrik wants to divide them into... who will be casting Cure {slight, moderate, serious, critical} Wounds, Mass repeatedly, so actually killing a goblin will be difficult.

There are 20 unnamed NPC werefox clerics of levels 6 - 10 at his disposal. Yashatama is level 12, but is not going to be in a minor skirmish like this. ))

[Renrik]

There is one cleric for five goblins in this skirmish. Most of the goblins are just waiting in reserve as the elite guards sheild the archers.

[Renrik]

Hmmm......

I'm going to assume that the dwarves are killed rather than be taken alive.

So, we took a good amount of casualties, some two times the number the dwarves took.

Of course, from now on, there shall be heavy grates on the sewer and the chimneys.

[Fenric]

(( After some days, the goblins will have been raised - mostly Raise Dead as the clerics aren't powerful enough for the better versions, except for anyone who was important enough to be paid for at the main temple.

I'd imagine the dwarves were eaten... ))

[Renrik]

((eaten? Normally, they would be, but the goblins need to have some amount of civility, so the dwarves were buried in unmarked and unsanctified graves instead.))

((Besides, dwarves taste like foot.))

[Rainspattered]

"Pleased to meet you," a voice crackles outside the door, "My master, and most of my kin and comrades, feel your plight." Those who can see the speaker see a mummy more emaciated, even, than the norm for his kind, and watch, as from the eyeholes in his wrappings, a snake emerges and curves into the other eye and back into his body. "I serve Aercath, Grudging King of the Undead. He wishes equal rights for us as you wish for your own people. To be seen as more than fonts of evil universally deserving of death. My name is K'shakh. I am known as the Serpent that Walks, and was mummified purely for purposes of tradition, if you wandered why an immortal creature would require such a treatment. Either way, as a mummy, I trust you all know that I have died once. I will, someday, die again. Forever, that time. It is inevitable, and I have but one request for that day. . ."
Raising his thin right arm above his head and extending it to strike a classic revolutionary pose, he finishes his sentence.
"That I do not die in chains."

[Renrik]

The goblins lead K'shakh to a comfortable waiting room while the goblin council argues.

Redfang, brother of the martyred Deadeye and member of the council of generals, emerges holding a grey sash stitched in red.


We sympathize with your plight and that of your people. Though you are different from us, we share a common foe, and thus, on behalf of the Goblin Statehood Army, I accept the offer of alliance.

This is for your king.

He hands K'shakh the embroidered sash, and bows lowly. K'shakh is lead out with a small honor guard.

[Xerillum]

Tor stands in front of the GSA building, wearing no armor, and wielding only a dagger.

[Rainspattered]

K'shakh considers an appropriate return gift on his way bac; they already have daggers, so one of the fine curved blades of his desert people wouldn't do. He didn't know if their tongues were suited to spices, and a gift that ran out sent the wrong image. Shaking his head, he smiled again and reminded why the Undead called Aercath king. The lich was less powerful than his serpentine, mummified friend, but K'shakh had no mind for politics. He was a scholar and a thinker, debates were not his thing, gifts were not his thing, and leading wasn't his thing. Aercath hated it, but he was good at all of those. So, it was time to go ask the reluctant king to fulfill his duties once again. Shaking his head, he notices an unarmoured man with a dagger outside, and decides not to go back to the deathkeep just yet, instead hanging out the shadows close to the building.

[Renrik]

A goblin sniper keeps his sights aimed on Tor, and the beggars are watching him carefully, ready to knife him.

[Xerillum]

Tor walks in front of the GSA with his knife drawn.

[Renrik]

Four snipers fire at him, and the beggars draw their knives and charge him at the flanks and the front alike.

[Rainspattered]

K'shakh casts a quick disintegrate spell at him absent-mindedly before teleporting off to more important things.

[Xerillum]

The four arrows catch him by surprise, hitting him four times in his left lung. he is knocked down, and the disintegration and the knifings miss him. His lung rapidly deflates and fills with blood. He coughs and wheezes, spewing out more blood. EST: 00.30.00

Two medics get him on a gurney and take him to the temple of thor.

[Fenric]

The priestess in the shadows continues to relay information both to Yashatama, and to her contact in the Temple.

[Xerillum]

The two field medics return and begin casting turn undead on the encroaching undead army.

EST of Tor: 00:04:59

[Rainspattered]

((Undead army spoke of in other thread. A whole bunch of the giants die, but then K'shakh bolsters))

[Renrik]

The GSA HQ is on double guard for the duration, and unnanounced entries on the grounds is now considered to be a death sentance (again, for the duration.)

[Rainspattered]

I hear from a little bird, who happens to be a critically wounded mummy that, that you lot had some trouble in the Slums with the dwarves attacking you out of nowhere. K'shakh, who was luckily there so that we could come to your aid in time, intends to press charges against the Dwarven assault in a court of law. If they're let off, it would give further credence to our claims of discrimination, if they were found guilty, it'd be a massive social victory for Monsterkind everywhere. K'shakh believes we should wait until we find out if that leader of theirs survives, Aercath sends telepathically, to avoid the trouble of arranging entry without being accidentally attacked for teleporting in unannounced.
He also thinks that if you, us, and the Mafia are together, we have the power to make a lot bigger moves than a few scuffles with little bearded men who feel the need for violence to compensate for deficiencies in other "manly" areas, and I can't argue. If we really wanted to make a big move, the three pronged alliance would be a difficult force to route. I believe it's too early to move, but I wanted to spread the idea, so you think about it.

[Renrik]

The GSA council receives the message, considers the attack idea, and argue back, telepathically, that any court of law in the town is so fundementally biased that, at best, the goblins would be found guilty of genocide instead of the dwavres. Nonetheless, they have witnesses and lawyers lined up from the Goblin Labor Party.

[Rainspattered]

True, in a case I'm trying to preside over, the judge was reluctant to define the law to my clients in all but the vaguest terms. The justice system, is, perhaps unreliable. My apologies for not sending an envoy; the Deathkeep is on heavy alert and general isolationism since Xerillium's assault. We can welcome 2,000 goblins, comfortably, in our castle, 4,000 if they're willing to be friendly. If the war escalates, we'll beging to craft more of the air-tight chambres for you to live in, if you need to evacuate.

[Renrik]

Telepathic reply:
We can spare about that many, but not from the city. There will, however be reinforcements from the mountains arriving before long. We will redirect 2,000 of them to guard your castle, while the other 1,000 come here. They will like it more than the city anyway. The mountain goblins are not fond of human towns.

[Rainspattered]

"If you need the goblins, use them in your own defense. We're unused to risking sentient lives and living creatures in general in our command. The goblins should be warned we're a bit of a liabiility as generals go."

[Renrik]

**Nonsense. We shall spare the troops. It is the least we can do in thanks for your involvement in the battle**

In the rest of the GSA stronghold, stockpiles of explosives are being gathered (not yet fully assembled and thus as of yet unable to explode.), as well as weapons and scrolls. Plans are being drawn up in the generals' room.

Guard level remains high, and maximum security is being enforced.

[Kalbereth]

Markan appears, dressed in full battle regalia, outside the HQ, somewhat out of place in the slums dressed in his gleaming armor. He glances around before stepping inside. "Who is in charge here?" he asks a nearby goblin with a voice born and bred to command.

[Renrik]

"Wha', are ye crazy, man? Get inside before yer soptted here! We're tryin' ta remain incognito!"

((the goblin is unaware of the authority weilded by Kalbereth))

The goblin leads Kalbereth inside, and is joined by a group of guards. He is lead to a waiting room outside the council of generals.

"The council's in there. I can't be here long. I'm still on duty. The guards'l take care o' you."

[Kalbereth]

Markan swings the door open and moves through, intimidating presence pouring off of him like water from a sieve. "I've come to the conclusion that your side of this "war," if you can call it that, is in the right, and that these genocidal murderous dwarves must be stopped. I have a very large supply of veritable super-soldiers, who don't need to eat, drink, sleep, or even breathe. They are tireless, relentless, and fiercely trained - I think they will do the job. Do you want my help?"

[Rainspattered]

Your soldiers wouldn't have any great aversion to working alongside undead, would they? Aercath's telepathic voice asks. Because we don't need to breathe, eat, sleep, or drink. Most of us also neither feel pain nor fear. It'd be a hard force for even such a great amount of dwarves as this to push back. There is also the matter that I can just keep bringing my soldiers back. Between the two of us, an assault would be an assured success. I, for one, way in as an Aye on this alliance.

[Kalbereth]

Markan's image, in a sudden burst of what can only be described as static and a grunt of pain, vanishes.

[Renrik]

The council of generals has decided to agree to the alliance after careful deliberation, and sends telekenetic approval through their medium.

[Renrik]

one of the goblins BUMPS into one of the other goblins.

[Fenric]

The fox priests bow their apologies for not speaking up more... but clerics tend to fade into the background of millitary matters...

[Renrik]

A cart loaded with crates marked "Feed" pulls up behind the workhouse, and is unloaded. The crates, actually contaiing explosive compounds found only in the mountains, are stored in a secured area under heavy guard.

[Renrik]

Several patrols slip in through the back door of the workhouse, a few goblins at a time, and report their findings.

The GSA leaers are currently in conference.

Most of the wounded goblins brought in from the earlier battles are now healed. The actual casualties from the earlier battles are being given funerals in the graveyard elsewhere in the slums.

[Renrik]

A cart pulls up behind the workhouse and is loaded up with provisons. The driver i given a list, and the cart drives off.

The clerics serving in he workhouse are working away, creating curative items to be shipped to the guerillas in the mountains. Others are currently on duty at a makeshift community hospital nearby.

The number of sentries and guards has dropped due to the peace.

[Renrik]

A council is being held in the General's Room.

Security is currently at pre-treaty levels.

The clerics are now mostly devoting their time to hospital work, training new medics, and creating curative items for the resistance cels in the mountains.

A few delegates from Durrathal have arrived.

A few delegates have been sent to Durrathal.

[McBish]

Finn comes by and looks around.

[Renrik]

He is allowed in by the guards, who usher him into a secret room.

There stands one of the lieutenants of the GSA, a scarred hobgoblin with a hook for his left hand.

He brings out the ceremonial sash and dagger.

[McBish]

Finn looks over the sash and dagger and stores it in a bag. Hope you don't mind if I don't wear it. It clashes with my kilt. He smiles and leaves.

[Renrik]

They don't mind a all. ((If anything, it's usually not a good idea to wear the sash ever unless you're at an official event or in very friendly territory.))

The GSA kee up ther guard, and tighten security measures for the duration.

[Fenric]

The priests point out to the off-duty goblins that tonight is the full moon, and there is a party at the Temple.

[Renrik]

((I wish I had read that earlier... Oh well. We shall assume that some goblins and the clerics in the GSA went, but that they melted into the background.))

[Renrik]

There is veritable extasy of activity at the GSA HQ, as news arrives from Darrathal through the scryers of the intelligence corps.

Words spreads quickly throughout the place:

The goblins are nation once more, and the workhouse is to converted to an embassy!

Immediately, renovations are underway. The false beggars outisde move across the street to make way for uniformed guards. The grounds of the new embassy are considered to be territory of the new nation, and are patrolled by GSA guards. Rackfang, the new ambassador, is caught up in the preparations.

[Renrik]

Word of the attack on Mounthaven has reached the Embassy, and a council is being held.