Skyside 4

[ThirdEmperor]

[Lucretia's Mansion]

"Fair. Some prefer their accountable deniability, but.." The dwarf shrugs, stone hand clunking against the table as he leans forward to take his glass of fancy wine. Not that Lucretia's been more than sparingly fancy. "There's a series of tunnels, Riverside to Inside, with the Merc offices standing on either end. If you take those away, the Inside Union's already banned them from the one city, and even if they can rebuild in Riverside, they'll be operating out of the one office, here, where all of us are ready to watch 'em starve."

"From there it costs me next to nothing to see their office firebombed, harassed, to bleed them dry on repairs and defense. I can push my own company to take a loss and steal what business we can. Starve 'em." God knows where his own money comes from. Nobody's even seen the supposed Mister Keel. "The tunnels, I can handle myself. Nobody better than a dwarf for that. But I'd need a patron to finance bringing in local muscle, firepower to take the outer offices, pin them down long enough for my men to do the deed."

[WarKitty]

Party Place

The sprite behind the child dodges back, although not fast enough to avoid getting gored by a hook. Meanwhile the salamander prepares another blast.

The remaining sprites are working to take a big chunk out of the roof. Whirring sounds can be heard overhead.

[Murkus]

Goblin Market

Jim sighs, long and tired. And it's not even one in the afternoon yet.
"This seems terribly impractical." he says, trying to pick Sticks up from the ground and carry him a few steps for him to get his own balance. He's a strong fellow, and Sticks is a thin old man.
"I don't suppose there aren't any guards here to keep me from just kicking this guy in the crotch, taking the box of eggs and dumping them wherever Hex wants, are there?" he says, joking and serious at the same time.

Sticks is moved with relative ease! He seems to be getting his jittering legs under control... for the moment. The curse lingers. It will take him longer to purge it. "I-I couldn't rightly say. Certainly nothing official, I should think, aside from Skyside's own authorities. I - Blast these legs! - I should say, if we're resigned to this, that the man may have his own protection. Could we not simply buy his eggs, Jim? I wouldn't want to hurt the creature, especially if he doesn't know what he's selling."

[Morty]

[Party Place]

The crossbow-goblin and the gun-goblin keep shooting the salamander. Need to make it go down, finally.

Meanwhile, the glaive-goblin and knife-goblin were patched up by the alchemist and ready themselves to meet the rest of the sprites. The beetle-riding goblin does the same, while also waving a net around.

[Recaiden]

A soft if clearly artificial voice addresses the child.
Stay behind me. We are here to help.

It takes aim at the gored sprite; another bolt of lightning should finish it off. zzz-CRACK! It's done. Hopefully.
It filters out most sounds that aren't the whirring to a lower level of importance, trying to identify it. Is that the sound of an engine? A rotary-wing craft? A particularly whirr-y monster of some sort?

[ThirdEmperor]

[Goblin Market]

She hardly ever touches his hand, moving like a young sprite a hundredth his age as he snatches it back. "Temper. Not ten seconds ago I made that." And she's already gone and gotten attached. He leans back in his chair and fumbles through his pockets for a cigarillo, the last of the matches for the candles, contently ignoring her behavior. "Mhm. Something I earned from work with another mortal, who themselves only half-knew they ever had it. Need someone to take it and forget it. Giving me nightmares."


Meanwhile, and elsewhere,

Times are sure tough for Jim and Sticks.

[Deathkeeper]

Goblin Market

"We could but I've no idea how many he has! what if it's like, a whole crate! I'm not paying that much; what if he wants my liver or something. He was right over there, right? We'll just talk to him and see if we can't figure something out. If there's just a handful maybe I can tell him that I'd like 'em for the wedding or something. People like magical stuff for weddings." Jim says with a roll of his eyes. If he's lucky the satyr will want a song or some other esoteric nonsense that faeries sometimes like in stories.

[Murkus]

[Goblin Market]

"They do? Why, I can't hardly say that's the case. The last thing one wants at a wedding is magical chicanery. They are hectic enough to start," Sticks half-argues, half babbles, hopping a little jig between steps as he walks besides Jim. "That is to say, if we're to use that as our cover, it may not be entirely a plausible purpose. I mean, you don't want magical chicanery as a wedding gift, do you? Oh, gods, you're not considering getting married, praytell..."

The tall man's talking continues even as they grow close to the egg-seller. Jim should turn his key the other way, unwind him a little. Or just swat him.

[Murkus]

[Raindrop District Apartments]

Following the shifty messenger's directions will lead Cessie and Adir to a tenement building in one of the more run-down parts of the Raindrop district. It's in pretty poor condition - it would be abandoned in any other city, with its smashed in windows (some of them shoddily repaired with electrical tape) and collapsed fire-escape that only reaches halfway up the building. In Skyside, sure enough, there's room for the desperate and downtrodden in even the crumbliest of buildings - lights inside some of the rooms show clear signs of habitation, and even at this time of day, there's some filth-covered addict having a trip slumped against the side of the front stairs.

((Sorry I missed this ad!))

Cessie isn't alone in her skepticism. Adir begins to make his way up the steps, face set in a grimace, not bothering to shy away from the junkie as he passes. "If they're just your average muggers then you won't have to. Come on."

And into the den of filth they go.

[Deathkeeper]

Goblin Market

Jim snaps his fingers in front of Stick's face.
"No Sticks, my girlfriend's mentor's wedding. Sheesh. Task at hand, boss. Task at hand."

[Shadowcaller]

[Goblin Market]

Dena knew painful memories alright, the question was if she wanted more of them. Of course, what might be painful for a fey might not be for... whatever the heck she was now. But assuming they would be the same, they wouldn't her memories yet they would be painful to lose sleep over regardless. She knew that it could take a lifetime to forget the really painful ones. "What sort of memory is it exactly? I'm consider just letting you take some of mine." Forgetting was easier than remembering in more ways than one sometimes.

[Raindrop District Apartments]

"You lead, I follow." The sorceress remarks calmly, time to go into the den of filth! Cessie is careful not to touch anything, or anyone.

[ThirdEmperor]

[Goblin Market]

"Hmph." Questions. A nose like a knot of wood wrinkles up, and he frowns around the stubby torch of stinking tobacco. "Witching nonsense. Some silly girl in the woods, seeing what ought not to be. Don't know what it means save that it bothers me."

And, outside.

The truck is empty and sitting idle, one of the ratty little creatures perched upon the hood. It gives a wave, idly, staring up from a scattered hand of cards slowly being shuffled into piles. A dull day, for ratty creatures.

[Zefir]

[Shuttle bay]

Be his first time here, Fade takes his look around. A flying city is an impressive building, but for him it leaks connection. The people coming to and living on the sky city depend on this shuttle service. Not only for the fact to leave and come, also for food and other goods they need. What kind of person has to go up? What does he hide with this whole city.
For now fade can only ask himself where the other MERC member is and how long he needs to wait.

[Shadowcaller]

[Goblin Market]

Seeing things that not ought to be? She recalled that phrase being used a lot back... in the past. Warlock-stuff. As far as she had understood it, the category involved bizarre impossible creatures. She knew Kirk's clan like that sort of stuff but that was a pretty sure sign it only meant trouble.

But perhaps there was something to be done with that information? Maybe the warlock chick could do something with it? If it had been removed once, it could be again. She knew that warlocks do do that, those sick bastards.
"I'll take the memory then. That in exchange for the glamour." She finally says.

[Murkus]

Goblin Market

Jim snaps his fingers in front of Stick's face.
"No Sticks, my girlfriend's mentor's wedding. Sheesh. Task at hand, boss. Task at hand."

[Goblin Market]

"Oh, my! Jim, I'm very sorry. You think it will stop there? Women at weddings are so often inspired," Sticks says, tittering, but in too short an order they arrive back at the stall selling stone eggs.

Sticks wiggles his hips. He puts his hands on them to stop the rhythm, but only ends up looking more ladylike. "Err, hello," he begins, looking up at the shopkeep smoothly. "We would like some eggs, please."

[WarKitty]

[Party Place]

The crossbow-goblin and the gun-goblin keep shooting the salamander. Need to make it go down, finally.

Meanwhile, the glaive-goblin and knife-goblin were patched up by the alchemist and ready themselves to meet the rest of the sprites. The beetle-riding goblin does the same, while also waving a net around.

A soft if clearly artificial voice addresses the child.
Stay behind me. We are here to help.

It takes aim at the gored sprite; another bolt of lightning should finish it off. zzz-CRACK! It's done. Hopefully.
It filters out most sounds that aren't the whirring to a lower level of importance, trying to identify it. Is that the sound of an engine? A rotary-wing craft? A particularly whirr-y monster of some sort?

The salamander ducks back, avoiding the blows - but also well out of range of any fire blasts. Kulpa obediently ducks behind the robot as it hits the sprite, obliterating it.

Meanwhile, the whirring sounds come closer as a chunk of the roof comes off. What appears to be a giant earwig descends on the building.

[ThirdEmperor]

[Goblin Market]

Pulling the seashell compact back from her hands, the facemaker dumps out the tobacco into a handkerchief, scraping out the compartment for every last strand. Waste not. "If it's a bother to you like it was for me, I suggest lilac and mountain ash on the pillow. Old folk cures." A finger digs back into his mouth, turns, and comes back spitty with a long strand of pale glowing mist spooled around, like spaghetti on the fork. A clack of his teeth cuts the thread.

The compact's mirror yields like the surface of a still pool as he pushes the memory inside, drawing back with a little droplet of liquid reflection caught beneath the fingernail. "Wouldn't go selling it back to anyone here. They've all wised up after me trying them. S'not for fey." With a last glance down at the scene flitting across the mirror's face, images traced out in that same eerily pale light, he snaps the thing shut and pushes it towards Dena. "S'a damn good face though."

----

The ratty thing pauses, a nine of diamonds turning in its weird little digits. "Little late ain'tcha? Boss took off with the lot. But I've got some nice gemstones." It adds, hopeful, two big yellow teeth bared in an eager rodent smile. From the tatty clothes it wears - shoes made out of rags and a yellow plastic raincoat, worn bare of its gloss and nearly all its colors - the kobold pulls a little pouch, and from that a fistful of shining stones. Square cut turquoise and big round opals run with tiger stripes of red. "Me brothers got some nice agates too, we found a big juicy vein hunting for the durn eggs."

[Deathkeeper]

Goblin Market

Jim resists getting annoyed. The satyr was probably alerted by Hex throwing a fit in front of the whole Market.
"Your boss? The guy with the horns who we saw here before? Those were what we were looking for. I don't think we were interested in agates, even if they are really nice."

[Solidarity]

[Shuttle bay]

Be his first time here, Fade takes his look around. A flying city is an impressive building, but for him it leaks connection. The people coming to and living on the sky city depend on this shuttle service. Not only for the fact to leave and come, also for food and other goods they need. What kind of person has to go up? What does he hide with this whole city.
For now fade can only ask himself where the other MERC member is and how long he needs to wait.

[Shuttle bay -> Tempest Spaceport]

Around the same time the shuttle lands, Fade ought to see Marcus waving him over. He's got a bit more equipment than normal. A strange looking, fist-sized cube with weird markings can be seen attached to his belt.

"Hey, what's up?" The mage says as he greets his colleague. As soon as he's in range the Wizard's voice will drop low enough to be lost in the chatter of the other attendees of the spaceport for anyone but Fade. "I figured it might be easier if we didn't speak out loud once we get going. Take this, as long as you hold onto it, we can speak telepathically."

Mark will attempt to very subtly slip a runemarked ring to Fade. Should he choose to wear it, it will allow the two of them to speak directly to each others' minds within a certain distance.

[Shadowcaller]

[Goblin Market]

Pulling the seashell compact back from her hands, the facemaker dumps out the tobacco into a handkerchief, scraping out the compartment for every last strand. Waste not. "If it's a bother to you like it was for me, I suggest lilac and mountain ash on the pillow. Old folk cures." A finger digs back into his mouth, turns, and comes back spitty with a long strand of pale glowing mist spooled around, like spaghetti on the fork. A clack of his teeth cuts the thread.

The compact's mirror yields like the surface of a still pool as he pushes the memory inside, drawing back with a little droplet of liquid reflection caught beneath the fingernail. "Wouldn't go selling it back to anyone here. They've all wised up after me trying them. S'not for fey." With a last glance down at the scene flitting across the mirror's face, images traced out in that same eerily pale light, he snaps the thing shut and pushes it towards Dena. "S'a damn good face though."

[Goblin Market]

She eyes the glowing mist, nasty. If it looked half as bad as it was... well, at least he had just given her a plan B in case she couldn't get rid of it.
"Kind figured." Her reply is casual however, unconcerned. "So am I supposed to just drink this or drop it in my eye...?" She accepts it, maybe all it needed was a touch?

[Arkhosia]

Skyside Docks

It was yet another busy day at Skyside’s “port”. Workmen and automatons moved cargo of all shapes and sizes to and from the countless aircraft that came and went, from arcane vessels and steam-powered zeppelins to camo-painted helicopters and futuristic spaceships. Among the bustling freight-movers, a trench coat-clad woman slipped through the crowd as she looked for her destination. The wind ruffled her unkempt crimson hair as she pulled out a crumpled slip of paper and checked the address scrawled on it.

[Morty]

[Party Place]

The big beetle screeches when another enormous bug enters the place. Its rider hisses, baring his teeth, and throws a javelin at the earwig. The javelin is specially designed to pierce the chitin of large insects, and inflict a great deal of pain - used by goblin beetle tamers when a beetle gets out of control (which is often).

The crossbow-goblin and gun-goblin keep their weapons trained on the door, ready to shoot the salamander the second it comes back. Meanwhile, the others prepare themselves to meet the enormous earwig. The alchemist tosses a bottle filled with stinking gas to try and confound the creature.

[Recaiden]

One question immediately comes to mind as Kestrel observes the giant dermapteran.

Why?

I mean, there are lesser questions such as 'how did this come to exist' and 'what's its name' but really the question to ask yourself is why anyone would want a giant earwig. They're not fearsome. They're not poisonous. And if you need to fight giant aphids there are much better ways.
Well. It's here. It's their problem now. They're paid to solve this problem, at least indirectly.

Kestrel aims its heat ray at the base of the monster's antenna and fires.

[Zefir]

[Shuttle bay -> Tempest Spaceport]

Around the same time the shuttle lands, Fade ought to see Marcus waving him over. He's got a bit more equipment than normal. A strange looking, fist-sized cube with weird markings can be seen attached to his belt.

"Hey, what's up?" The mage says as he greets his colleague. As soon as he's in range the Wizard's voice will drop low enough to be lost in the chatter of the other attendees of the spaceport for anyone but Fade. "I figured it might be easier if we didn't speak out loud once we get going. Take this, as long as you hold onto it, we can speak telepathically."

Mark will attempt to very subtly slip a runemarked ring to Fade. Should he choose to wear it, it will allow the two of them to speak directly to each others' minds within a certain distance.

[Tempest Spaceport]

Fade is more equiped then ever, too. Well it's not really much. A small iron chain, connecting something under his layers of rags with the outmost layer. And that's all.
"Hello." he says in his soundless voice as he ehads over to the mage.
As he is offered the ring, Fade takes it without any big attemp to hide it. he will pull on the small chain, getting a glass out of his pocket and looks over the item. Since this thelepatical talking is not naturally, Fade should be able to see that the ring is enchanted.
"I prefere to speak normal." Fade replies. "But this tool will proofe it'self worth when a situation comes up where we can't talk freely."

[Murkus]

[Goblin Market]

Sticks seems to notice the state of the creature, and after a perfunctory glance at the bag of stones, he reaches into his cloak. For a little purse of gold, it looks like. Gods he hopes the kobolds, at least, will take simple coin.

"I will buy your whole lot if you tell me where it is he went."

[Solidarity]

[Tempest Spaceport]

Fade is more equiped then ever, too. Well it's not really much. A small iron chain, connecting something under his layers of rags with the outmost layer. And that's all.
"Hello." he says in his soundless voice as he ehads over to the mage.
As he is offered the ring, Fade takes it without any big attemp to hide it. he will pull on the small chain, getting a glass out of his pocket and looks over the item. Since this thelepatical talking is not naturally, Fade should be able to see that the ring is enchanted.
"I prefere to speak normal." Fade replies. "But this tool will proofe it'self worth when a situation comes up where we can't talk freely."

[Tempest Spaceport]

As Fade looks over the ring, if the glass he's using is able to identify it more thoroughly, he'd be able to determine that the it's a ring of greater telepathy, and not limited to just hearing Mark's thoughts at all. It could easily be used to project thoughts into anybody's mind.

"Hope you don't mind me wearing one." Mark replies quietly, putting his own ring on. "Your voice is a lot more subtle then mine."

A few quick adjustments and the Wizard is all set to go.

Alright then, Fade ought to hear Marcus ask within his head. Where to?

[Zefir]

[Tempest Spaceport]

Fade looks back at Marcus. It's as allways impossible to sense what kind of emotion he might have now if he has any at all. His shadow slides of over to Marcus, attrmpting to crawl up his body, which will likly happen without him even notice. If that works he will hear a voice right at his ear.

"I prefere you don't do that. My mind is my space and we don't need this unless you want to shout out what we are here for." the voice says without any emphasis.

[WarKitty]

Party Place

The beetle screeches as both the javelin and the heat ray find their marks. It swings its giant pincers at the beetle-riding goblin, trying to grab it off the beetle. Meanwhile, the 2 remaining sprites try to sneak up on the child.

[ThirdEmperor]

[Goblin Market]

"Just look into the mirror. Not here, thank you." The door of the caravan swings open, the sudden push of the wind rattling the bottle-lanterns that hang overhead. The old creature settles back in his seat, producing the half-carved statue from his pocket, and starts again.

They're done here.

-----

"Done!" A weird little three-fingered hand is stuck out for the purse, the fingers that weird scaly pink of a rat's tail. "He went rightaways from here, with a troll fellow. If you see those tents down there-" He turns, scrambling up the hood of the truck, and stretches out a finger towards the far part of the market. "That big blue one! I'd, errum, I'd watch out if I was you."

"Weeeird sorts been asking about the boss, all of a sudden."


[Skyside Docks]

'The Open Arms Hostel.'

It's not all pretty out here, in the motion and shouting and the roar of the wind as airships drift and clumsily turn, fighting a crisp cold northeastern as they're pulled in to dock. Over all that, the yells of the auction houses can still be heard - counting up the prices on slaves, counting down the deal, praising the strength of this one and the looks of that one.

Maybe hurry a little as she passes the raised auction stages, and the chained lines of ragged slaves.

A little further on and the shameless commerce gives way to something more respectable, high and modest rows of houses built on clean white stone. Trellises of sweet-smelling flowers overhead of the streets. Restaurants and hotels for the traders. A weird rotten smell pushed along on the breeze.

[Deathkeeper]

Goblin Market

Jim's eyes widen. That was certainly overpaying. But then again, Sticks could probably find a use for almost anything.
"Thanks, we'll be careful." he says to the small creature and heads off in that direction once Sticks has concluded his transaction.