Stonehammer & Blake

[Eldan]

The house on Duskgate road had clearly seen better days: like all of Sigil's houses that were not continually scrubbed or polished, it was covered in soot, rust and the traces of the brackish rain that perpetually fell from the grey sky, devoid of sun or moon or stars, only showing the arc of Sigil's other side, the Lower Ward, constantly covered in black clouds from it's countless furnaces. The long, curved metal blade that stood on it's roof, the one thing all of Sigil's architecture had in common were rusty and in at least one place, one had broken off. A window in the third floor was covered with a sheet of thin brass, for wood was more precious than metal or stone in a city were resources had to be brought by gate or created by magic.
Still, it wasn't a bad adress, connecting the Great Bazaar and the Great Gymnasium, a place where small traders and businessmen have opened their shops, those that do not sell their wares on the Bazaar itself, but in a building. The streets are as busy as they can only be in Sigil, full of a thousand strange folks and three dozen languages, creatures in all sizes, colours and shapes. Celestials and Fiends glare at each other over carts pushed by dwarves or pixies, ogres serve as the bodyguards of rich merchant lords, carried in palanquins by Sigil's special breed of ponies, recognizable by the tentacles growing from their chests, in which they hold burning torches to light the way. And between them, the Clueless, those that have not heard of the planes before ending up in Sigil, or had imagined them differently. Some of them travelling on Silver Cords from the material plane, cordbabies, as they are called by the folks of Sigil, for they are seen as cowards for not risking their material bodies, others in their own flesh and blood, gaping at the creatures and sights around them.

On the building itself, only a brass sign, carefully polished informs the visitor that this is the office of Stonehammer&Blake, Detectives of the planes. From time to time, someone would push open the door, hoping to find employment (or in one case, since this was Sigil, hoping to find something worth the one or other copper and not nailed down), and find himself in a small office, dimly lit by two oil-lamps hanging from a vaulted stone ceiling. A large cast iron desk stood opposite the door, behind it two other doors, both cast iron as well lead away.

A half-elf, who had politely introduced himself to all new visitors as Jonathan Blake before asking them to wait for a few more moments stood behind the desk. Blake was clad in an expensive looking blue and silver suit, with a black cloak that was only slightly threadbare and a silvered rapier around his slim waist. He had a short-cut red beard framing his mouth, which he was stroking from time to time as he watched the prospective detectives enter. Some of them he sent away, others, after mustering them carefully, he told to sit down on one of the six iron chairs, outfitted with red cushions, that were standing along the wall, with a small table bearing a stack of old newspapers, "The Lady's Sharper Eye" or "The Free Opinion", large single-pages covered in small print, spelling out old gossip and news from around the outer planes.
When five people were gathered, he spoke once more:
"Well, then, that seems to be enough for now. I am, as I have already said, Jonathan Blake. You might have heard about me, some bard published a series of pretty bad novels about me and my associate, Khaira Stonehammer.
Anyways, as you have surely heard, we are looking for new detectives and from the three dozen people I've seen wandering in here so far, you seem the most promising, or at least interesting. Now, to make this short, how about you all introduce yourselves first, before we continue."

[Dreamshifter]

Edramin

Bowing deeply, the human in worn leather armor begins to speak with a hint of unexpected majesty "I am Pr..." He stops, and seeming to shrink, he begins once more, without any strength behind his voice "I am Edramin Descante."

[crazedloon]

Savrelis Naïlo

Sav sat on the chair provided looking at the assembled group a broad grin on his face. He never thought he would get this far, he was actually in a real detectives office, heck he even had read part of those stories at least he parts he could steal from the library. When the human stumbles on his words he snickers to himself. He had heard that sort of attitude before on the streets. If you didn't get killed in an ally on your first day because of that attitude you learned to drop it as this boy did.

Pr..pr...pr Sav mocked the boys voice. Ha ha I presume you are some grand prince from some far off land? Well that should be an interesting story to tell.

He stands up with a flourish and bows deeply to the assembled group. He than draws his blade in a great flourish and holds it before in a ceremonious fashion.

Savrelis Naïlo the best blade on the streets of Sigil at your service.

[Cespenar]

Mara

Clad in an old brown robe and a long, wide scarf of the same color, the gray-haired middle-aged woman silently throws a couple of weird looks at the other applicants beside her.

"Mara I'aev," she declares with a rich voice. "Oracle."

[TheThan]

Jetta Helleborn

In a thick sigil accent, Jetta remarks to Savrelis,
“Stop rattling yer bone-box, talk like that’s a good way to Bite the iron. This Sod’s just Cagestuck that’s all. I bet ‘eh’s got a good head on his shoulders.”

Leaning uncomfortably close to Edramin, Jetta whispers,
“Stick with me kid, I’ll make a canny blood outta yah yet.”


Description

Spoiler

Show

If the small upward curving horns protruding out of her forehead weren’t enough to mark Jetta Helleborn as a Tiefling, then the dark skin, naturally blue hair and glowing red eyes certainly would.

Despite the exotic nature of her features, Jetta is a very skinny woman. She wears a black leather bodysuit that’s studded with steel rivets and large leather shoulder pieces that are also riveted. Clearly the outfit is armored. A black cape with hood is slug around her shoulders and fastened with a steel clasp. She also wears kneed high leather boots with fishnet stockings covering her otherwise bare thighs, leather bracers and fingerless gloves. A sword belt and baldric support a short sword dangling from her narrow waist. Currently her hood is pulled back exposing her exotic heritage to everyone in the room.

[DeafnotDumb]

Scavenger

A Lizardfolk stands with greenish-colored skin and milky amber eyes, his clothes tattered and probably almost useless for protection from the elements.

Scavenger is holding something, turning it very slowly over in his hands as he speaks. As it is likely he probably picked it up of the streets, this is pretty risky. "Scavenger, Sensate." The Lizardfolk is moving his head around, his eyes unfocused. "Strange smells here indeed. From all over Sigil and elsewhere too. Princeling smells like he was rich once. It's the smell of the dyes in his clothes. Many mixtures of different colors. Costly." The Lizardfolk seems to be speaking more to himself, unaware of any discomfort he might be causing to Edramin.

[Eldan]

Blake nods, with a thoughtful expression on his face, then sits down in the chair behind the metal desk, resting his heavy leather boots on a stack of papers.
"I think you lot will do. Now for the details of this arrangement: currently, my associate and I are experiencing certain difficulties: as I sad a bard published these dreadful novels about me."
He draws a cheaply bound stack of parchment from his pocket and puts it on the desk. A woodcut on the front depicts a figure in a cloak, pointing a rapier at a huge and menacing demonic figure, defending a half-naked elvish or Aasimar woman behind him. The figure has a beard, so it might be Blake. The title above it reads "Exitement and Adventure! Edward Blake, Swashbuckling Hero!"
"Since then, everyone in Sigil seems to think I'm here to solve their problems. We get one or two new cases a day, more than we can ever hope to handle. Some of them minor stuff, cheating spouses, someone is affraid that the marilith next to them might eat their children, pet Lim-Lims gone missing. We usually send these people over to the Harmonium or tell them not to worry. Then there's other minor cases, and these are the ones we will give to you: stolen goods, minor crimes, interesting circumstances. Khaïra and I mostly solve large, interplanar cases, but it will be good for our reputation if we solve some of the little stuff as well.
Understood? Any questions so far?"

[crazedloon]

Savrelis Naïlo

This is perfect just what I thought than we get the big cases when we prove ourselves. Sav had sat back in his chair once more his red eyes gleaming with palpable excitement.

So whats the pay and when do we get to start.

[Eldan]

Blake smiles mischievously.
"Why, is the honour of working for us not reward enough? In any way, Khaïra Stonehammer will provide you with basic equipment you might need for the task, which you may keep. The further details of your employment will depend on your contract.
For now, I have found a hopefully not too difficult case for you to work on, in which you may prove your worth: a few representatives of the inhabitants of the so called "Grey District" an area of the hive around the Great Mortuary have contacted us. It seems they have a small problem with a group of Xaositects and want someone to persuade these to leave. To make things worse, there have also been attacks by a unspecified "monster".
Your job would be to contact these representatives and find out what you can about this "monster" and what exactly the problem with these Chaosmen is.
I have prepared some files for you regarding the district and it's inhabitants, I'll hand them over later."

[Dreamshifter]

Edramin

Ignoring Savrelis' taunting, and not terribly bothered by Scavenger's comments, Edramin turns to face the Teifling. "Ah, such exotic beauty. At one time.... He shakes away the memories once more, turning his attention back to Blake. "Chaosmen and an unspecified monster sounds like a good place to cut our teeth in this industry. I look forward to seeing those files."

[TheThan]

Oi, I hate those blasted dustmen and their shamblers. Creepy berks all o’ them, don’t trust ‘em.
But if the job pays in jink you can count on me and my new “apprentice”.

She throws one arm over Edramin’s shoulder, indicating him as her apprentice.

Only questions I got are these: Who do we see about the trouble down there, and how are we to deal with these chaosmen? By that I mean are we head huntin’ or finding a more peaceful solution?

[DeafnotDumb]

"Indeed." Scavenger agrees. "Musties smell dead, but still they walk. Unpleasant."

Without his eyes ever focusing on him, the Lizardfolk asks Blake a question. "What freedoms do we have in our investigations? Do we have to obey the same laws every other cutter has to and face a scrubbing from the Harmoniom if we do otherwise?" Scavenger pauses, thinking on the problem of the case. "Whatever this monster is, sounds interesting. Should look for quippers, too. They always know what's happening in the Hive."

[Cespenar]

Mara

Being rather new to Sigil, Mara solemnly listens the others talk and throw around words like "Dustmen" and "Harmonium". Though she knows she is very poor informed about the city she is in, she also knows that it is just a city after all, and decides just to leave it to the flow.

"Monsters are never good news," she mutters under her breath, glancing warily at the others who think this is interesting.

[Eldan]

"Ah, the Law. Sigil is quite special in that regard, if you must now. Ask a dozen berks on the street, and they'll all tell you different things about the law or who is and should be upholding it. Of course, you do not get any more or less rights than anyone else, and the Harmonium probably won't like you too much. Now, I only had a short talk with a fellow named "Bald Grum", a barkeeper and such down there in that district, and your contact, by the way, and I was told that they would all be quite content, if the Hardheads, that's the Harmonium for you, didn't get involved, for they don't want the factions wandering around in their quarter too much. They want their peace and quiet, and are therefore not quite hapy wit the Chaosmen suddenly taking too much interest, so they just want them out, not scribed into the deadbook. Just, well, doing their amusing little pranks elsewhere."
He takes his feet from the desk.
"Now then, I think this is a good time as any to introduce you to my dear colleague."
He opens one of the doors at the back of the room and leads you up a narrow flight of metal stairs, to another door, this one quite massive, a single piece of steel with hinges as thick as a man's arm and a knob slightly larger than a fist.
Blake knocks, a deep and metallic sound and, after a few seconds, the door opens.
Behind the door stands a female dwarf, only reaching up to Blake's chest, but twice his width, clad in a thick leather apron and matching heavy gloves, over a heavy linnen coat, stained with what are either small burns or acid stains, and thick bronze and glass goggles, pushed up over her forehead. She has hair in the kind of colour that is neither quite brown nor blond, tied together with a strap of leather behind her head.
"May I introduce, Khaïra Stonehammer, my esteemed colleague. She is in charge of our equipment, forensics, alchemy and, if necessary, sending people to prison with the hammer she takes her family name from."
He then turns in the other direction.
"And Khaïra, my dear, these are our new associates, if everything goes all right. May I hand them over to you now, so you might hand them some of the most necessary equipment?"
Stonehammer doesn't seem all that pleased to see you, or at the prospect to leave you in, but she stands aside anyway, gesturing her to follow her in the large room behind the door, which seems, at once, to be an alchemists labratory, a forge and an engineers workshop, filled with complicated-looking tools, flasks of sometimes coloured, but mostly colourless liquids, jars labeled in dwarfen and draconic runes, complicated arrangements of tubes and bottles filled with more strange chemicals, tiny cogs and screws arranged on a velvet cloth by a barred window, a large and colourful stuffed bird hanging from the ceiling, what seems to be a collection of near-identical rocks on a shelf, a sheet of parchment covering an entire wall filled with complicated schematics, a really impressive, at least four feet long warhammer with a head of black stone and several large cupboards and shelves along the walls, all made from various metals, most of them closed, but the others containing various other curiosities.
"Well, you heard my name, so let's skip the pleasantries. You need equipment, so let's start with the obvious. All of you got weapons?"

[crazedloon]

Savrelis Naïlo

Sav pushes past the others when the dwarf moves to allow them in and he quickly starts searching around and fiddling with all the different kinds of equipment, being careful not to disturb anything that may be a fragile. He looks like a kid in a candy shop as he slowly mumbles under his breath to himself. When she mentions weapons he flicks his robe away from his waist reveling his scabbard and weapon and continues to explore the room of equipment.

[Dreamshifter]

Edramin Descante

As the topic of weapons comes up, Edramin checks to see if both his are still there (which they are, thankfully). "I am armed, though both crossbow and rapier are plain weapons. Decently made, but hardly anything special, I mean. Certainly nothing of the quality even an average dwarf might make, much less a master."

[Cespenar]

Mara

Crossing her arms, the woman looks at all the weapons around her with contempt.

"I don't need one," she declares with a sour tone.

[DeafnotDumb]

Scavenger pauses as soon as he enters the room, closing his eyes, and within a few seconds he is next to a desk and savoring the smells of one of Stonehammer's particular concoctions. He is so absorbed with this action that he doesn't notice that he's been asked a question until several seconds after the act. "No edges needed. My weapons with me."

[Eldan]

Stonehammer shrugs.
"Well, your death. Anyway, only see one ranged weapon, take these."
She opens a narrow chest along a wall, and takes out two light, sleek crossbows, nicely crafted from ebony and blackened metal.
"Don't have more than two. They can be dismantled easily by pulling out these bolts here, here and here. Don't forget to unstring them when you don't use them for a time, otherwise they'll be worthless soon. Bolts... ah, here."
She pulls two small quivers from the chest.
"These are Cold Iron. Works against Tanar'ri and most Fey. The others are silver, for use against Lawful types and were-things.
Next, she pulls out a pair of heavy leather boots, with steel tips and heels.
These have hollow heels. I've put a razor in the left one and a lockpick in the right. Will come in handy sometime.
Now, let's go on with Alchemy."
Walking over to a shelf, then a cupboard, then more shelves, she takes an armful of various small flasks, vials and various items, all with small parchment labels stuck on, describing the items in precise handwriting.
"Alchemist's Fire: explosive, watch out. Acid, really strong, eats through skin just fine. Just throw in the general direction of an enemy. Healing potions never wrong. This stick here with the golden end? Sunrod. Glows damn bright for near six hours. The Black stick smokes when ignited. Good for diversions or getaways. This helps against most poisons. This oil helps with opening locks. Hmm... anything else..."
She drags a large package, at least two foot long, probably several pounds in weight from beneath a work bench.
"Disguises. Blake made them, they are useful. Also some different clothes in it. Best leave them somewhere safe, too heavy to drag around. And while we're talking heavy stuff... crowbar. Use is quite obvious. Rope, never wrong, and grappling hook, never know when you find a deep shaft or cave in Sigil. Should be all now, right? Load up."
Taking the last items from a cupboard, she has now created an impressive heap of equipment.

[Dreamshifter]

Edramin

Looking over the items, Edramin glances at the others before grabbing one of the crossbows, the crowbar, and the rope and hook. "I hope no one minds if I upgrade my crossbow. I'll be happy to give up my old dependable, so we will still have as many ranged attackers. The other things, well, I might not be hulking brute, but I can carry them. If someone needs them, let me know."

[TheThan]

Stepping over to the table with the pile of gear, The Tiefling takes in order,

• A healing potion
• The smokestick
• The lock picking oil
• The spare lock picks
• The second crossbow and a quiver of bolts.

After she collects the equipment, she shrugs and says,
Never had a problem seein’ in the dark. Never had a problem talking my way INTO trouble either.


[ooc]
How many of those healing potions do we have anyway?
[/ooc]

[crazedloon]

Savrelis Naïlo

Sav now done with his distraction looks over the gear as it is put in the pile. He walks over and squats low to scoop the boots and a few of the vial from the pile. He sits back and takes off his boots which look like they haven't been new in a few decades. He slips the new boots on and smiles at the feel. He hops up and walks back and forth as he juggles the vials between his hands.

Well this should help.

He slides the vials into his pack under his cloak.

[DeafnotDumb]

Scavenger simply takes the grappling hook from the pile, rejecting all the other items, and stands silently in the room feeling the hook in his hands.

[Cespenar]

Mara

Still standing with her arms crossed, Mara waits for the others to finish what they're doing.

"Are you done?"

[Eldan]

"Well, Blake should be done with your files now. Go."
Stonehammer more or less shoves you out through here door, down the stairs into the small office, were Blake is already waiting for you.
"Well, then, the charming Lady Stonehammer. I've gathered your files. Well, let's see. Here we have a map of the district. I had it made, I hope it helps, I haven't confirmed all the buildings on it, and some of the streets have probably changed since last week."
He hands you a large scroll of parchment, then a small bundle of sheets, bound together with a piece of string.
"I hope these really help: a short list of important and not so important people you might meet in the district, and a little on the "geography", so to speak. There aren't any really important buildings in the district, but most shops and businesses are on it."

[crazedloon]

Savrelis Naïlo

As the Dwarf pushes the group out of her workshop he resists ever so slightly and whispers to her.

We are going to have to exchange notes.

When the group is handed the map he splays it open on the table and begins to examine it looking for errors.

Yep that alley isn't there anymore the building next to it caved in.

Sav says as he looks over the now all to familiar streets.

Spoiler

Show

knowledge local to actually see how different the map is.
(1d20+10)[12] (I am pretty sure that is my modifier but my sheet is currently offline so lets hope I can remember properly)

[Cespenar]

Mara

Gazing at the unfold map from a couple feet distance, the middle-aged woman mutters several words under her breath.

"I should have to pay a visit to that 'Granny Marduk' sometime..."

[DeafnotDumb]

Scavenger leans close to the map, his milky eyes squinting with the effort of making the picture clear. After cocking his head slightly to one side and concentrating, he blinks and speaks. "Should smell out the Jinxskirts and Quippers 'round that mortuary the musties occupy for information. They learn stuff. If we can work out where this monster cutter have been, then likely I could try and smell what it's like. Help recognizing it later." The Lizardfolk seems taken with the idea. "It should truly be something unusual. The joy of discovery, indeed."

[TheThan]

Jetta Helleborne,

Indicating herself, Jetta says,

The weird newt here is right, we should ask around down there, see what the chant is on this monster and the chaosmen. Fortunately I happen to know a very attractive and charismatic Tiefling who is up for the job.

She then loops her arm through one of Edramin’s, and lightly pulls him towards the door saying,

Come-on, Yah with me? I know a short cut



[ ooc]
Knowledge: local to find a portal or other shortcut to the Grey District
(1d20+6)[12]

[Eldan]

Blake shrugs and hands you the files, before wishing you good luck.
"I was invited to a ball tonight, and starting tomorrow, Khaïra and I will be gone to Ocanthus to investigate a case. Horrible place, if there ever was one, but well payed. So, we won't be around for a few days, perhaps even a week.
Piece of advice, though: don't do anything stupid. Don't get involved with the factions too much, don't try to cross Her Serenity, don't walk into the hive alone. Obvious stuff, really."
Jetta indeed knows a nearby portal, a narrow Market Ward window at street level, leading both to a dark cellar just below and, after humming a short tune, seamlessly to the only slightly ness narrow space between a ruin and a house in the Hive Ward, covered by a sheet of tin to ward of the perpetual rain falling from the featureless grey Sigil sky. It's not the Grey Ward itself, but still saves the group a walk that could have taken hours.
The differences between the two areas of Sigil are striking: where the Market Ward houses were well-maintained, if a little dirty from the thin air, soot and rain, here, half-ruined houses and hovels built from sheets of metal, stretches of fabric and pieces of debris dominate the landscape.
Only about a dozen people are visible, half of them peering at you distrustfully from the windows and cracks in buildings, the other half walking at a rapid pace along the muddy road, grabbing shivs and daggers at their belts or at least hiding their hands in their pockets. They all seem starved, emanciated, sickly and pale, with ragged and dirty clothes.
With the help of the map, you carefully and, since you are in a large group, safely make your way along the road in the direction of the Grey District.
Gradually, the buildings and apparently also the living conditions improve as you near the area around the Mortuary. The area deserves it's name: the buildinds are, almost uniformely, made from greyish stone, and while the streets and alleys are still muddy, even the dirt here appears grey. Instead of the special mix of hatred, fear and distrust dominating the faces of so many Hivers you have seen before, people here, many in the plain, grey robes of the dustman, seem unconcerned about you, as if they just didn't care, instead busy doing their jobs in orderly fashions.
Apart from the colour grey and the general apathy, death is another great theme: reliefs of skulls and bone-patters, old and worn out from the rain adorn some of the larger houses and, as you come closer to shuffle street, you see more and more groups of people, some of them obviously priests carrying funerary gear or coffins, and, frome time to time, glaring at those of different faiths.
Even a few obvious undead are stumbling through the crowd: mostly worker-zombies of the dustmen, corpses preserved with bandages and embalming fluids, their skin grey and dry, their eyes often sown shut, their movements slow and shambling, carrying heavy objects behind their dustmen masters.