[ZONE 1]
In many ways the town looked like something created on an alcoholic binge; rude dwarven shacks smashed up against delicate elven shops while weird Tsurani taverns grew from a press of Kingdom-style dwellings. A sign outside the city gate had summed it up well: All who visit LaMut are equal for in LaMut all is equally queer.
| ENTER | EXIT (invalid?) |
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The path turned. Locklear studied the road before them, saw it slithered into the distance like a giant snake before descending, eventually, into a large town. "LaMut," Owyn said. "Do
you think we
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They bid LaMut farewell. After half an hour's journey, they’re turned once more to the main road.
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| BRIDGE | BRIDGE (invalid?) |
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Fish scattered. Dipping his hand in to the cold river, Locklear explored the spaces beneath the mossy pebbles of the river bed, explaining over his shoulder, "I've heard a rhyme that its good luck to throw coins into the LaMutian river. I don't think we'll be cursed for sharing in that fortune..."
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Locklear stared at the water. All in all the flood of the LaMutian river looked ordinary, though he entertained the thought that something might be buried under the stream's bed.
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| BLUE WHEEL INN |
| Undoubtedly the newest tavern in town, the Blue Wheel was sedate, almost sleepy in comparison with other LaMutian shops. Inside, dark skinned patrons slapped down hard earned sovereigns in exchange for the Blue Wheel's exclusive imports from the far distant Empire of Tsuranuanni. |
| FLETCHER'S POST |
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The Fletcher's Post had been constructed with elven sensibilities. Within and
without, little if anything had been used in a manner that could be called
scurrilous and certainly nothing was merely decorative. Along the walls, the
shop's array of arrows and other archery goods were finely displayed and each
thing seemed precisely in its place. REPAIR: A sign hung on the wall. Don't Be Cross --- Get Your Crossbows Fixed Here! The shopkeeper whistled. Cringing at the sound, Locklear glanced up to see what bargain the keeper wished to call their attention to, but instead it seemed the man was calling to someone else. "Didn't mean to startle you," the man said. "Just trying to find if my mender is still about today." "You have a tinker in your employ?" Locklear asked. "Sometimes, when he chooses to show up," the shopkeeper said amiably. "He repairs crossbows. You'd think his work was brand new. Would you like to speak to him?
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| LAMUTIAN GARRISON | |
| DAY | NIGHT |
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The Garrison was impressive. Sitting high on a hill overlooking LaMut, the military outpost had been constructed years earlier to head off a possible moredhel assault on the western border of the kingdom. They followed a road that snaked through town and up the rocky hill upon which the garrison sat. After speaking with the sentries at the gate, they were lead under the fortress’s massive iron portcullis.
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A guard met them at the gate. By the color of his skin and the musical way he spoke, the man seemed to have a Tsurani background, though it was also possible he was originally Keshian by nationality. Staring at them dispassionately, he barred their way. "No entry," the guard said, shaking his head. "You may come back at daybreak." "We were just looking to..." "No entry," the guard replied. "No exceptions."
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| GARRISON: FIRST VISIT |
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Captain Belford stood as they entered the room. "It's good to see you once again, Locklear," he said, extending his hand. "I share that sentiment. What news have you? How is Earl Kasumi?" Locklear asked as the men shook hands. They sat in hard wooden chairs as Belford replied. "He's well, but he's off taking care of some business with a few new guards come through the rift from Kelewan. As for the rest of us, were looking for a group of grey warriors from Kelewan who slipped through the rift just before it closed." Locklear looked a little puzzled. "King Lyam and Emperor Ichindar granted the grey warriors freedom and new status in the Kingdom." "Yes, but the agreement doesn't allow for the nationalization of stolen goods. Seems they may have absconded with a valuable ruby from Makala's entourage," said Belford. "Makala? The Tsurani Great One?" Owyn asked. Belford smiled. "Yes. He has been talking to Prince Arutha about establishing a permanent rift to encourage trade between the Kingdom and Kelewan. He's really throwing his weight around trying to get his ruby back. If you should happen to come across it, bring it back here - he's offering a reward!" They thanked him for his information and left.
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| GARRISON: SECOND VISIT (no Ruby) |
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Locklear smiled. "It's good to see you again, Captain Belford," he said, nodding in the direction of the uniformed man approaching them. "What news have you?" Belford extended a hand and replied, "We continue to hear reports of trouble brewing in the Northlands, and we've spotted a number of the bloody moredhel bastards around here -- what news have you for me?" They talked for nearly an hour, exchanging stories and information. Finally, all new news exhausted, they shook hands and said good-bye.
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| GARRISON: SECOND VISIT (Ruby) |
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Captain Belford greeted them with a smile.
"What brings you back here?" he asked cordially. Locklear drew out the ruby they had discovered. Holding it out for Bedford to see the gemstone caught a shaft of sunlight, splashing the walls with thousands of twinkling red spots. "Are you returning Makala's ruby?" asked Belford.
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| YES | NO |
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Locklear handed the ruby to Captain Belford. "I'm glad you found this," he said, placing the gemstone into a small velvet lined box. "It will be good to get Makala off my back. I've sent so many men out looking for this blasted thing there's hardly anyone left in the garrison!" He retrieved a pouch from a locked chest in the corner of the room. "Here you are, 100 gold sovereigns. Thank you, Gents." Locklear put the pouch in his pack and they left.
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Locklear shook his head.
"I still don't trust the Tsurani," he said. "We're going to hold onto it for a
while." Belford tried to get him to change his mind, even going so far as to threaten throwing him in jail, but Locklear held firm. At last the tired captain gave up. "Okay," he said with a faint trace of laughter in his voice, "You win. If Makala comes back I'll just tell him we couldn't find the blasted thing."
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| GARRISON: CHAPTER TWO |
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Guards hurried across the courtyard. A red-eyed soldier met them at the central keep's door, his wolf's head tabard stained red with streaks of blood and his arm wound in bandages. Scratching his stubbled chin, he asked them what they wanted. "What in Tith's hells happened to you?" James said, looking the soldier over. "Looks like you were caught in a terrible fight." "Moredhel," the man croaked. "Whole clutch of their moss troopers were operating near here and we found them out. We've had to impose martial law until we're sure weve routed them. LaMutian soldiers strung from here all the way to Hawk's Hollow in the south and east all the way to Tyr-Sog." "Have any idea what they were up to?" James asked. "None," the man replied. "Though they all seemed fairly upset about something going on to the south. I'm not exactly sure what." James nodded and turned to go, but the guard reached through the gate and snagged his sleeve. "Don't be out on the roads at night if you can at all help it. Our guards have orders to kill on sight anyone trying to pass through our checkpoints."
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CURFEW GUARDS (Chapter 2, after dark in Zone 1) Five groups (LaMut Area, Tyr-Sog Area, Loriel Area, Hawk's Hollow Area)
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Soldiers halted them. Arrayed across the road were a small group of men, all wearing knee-length tabards of white emblazoned with a grey wolf's head on a circle of blue, the well-known colors of the LaMutian Garrison. "You are breaking the curfew," one of the guards said coolly. "We have orders to put to death any that are found roaming these roads at night." Knowing that an explanation was expected, James licked his lips. "Ah, well, we have good reason to be out," he said, scrambling for an excuse that sounded reasonable...
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| SKILL ENOUGH | SKILL NOT ENOUGH |
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The guards nodded. "Very well," one of them said. "Be on your way, but don't let us find you walking after dark again until martial law is lifted."
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James had made a mistake.
Though he wasn't certain what he had said wrong, he had noticed the nearly
invisible flicker of a smirk which had appeared on the guards' faces.
Patiently, they waited until James had finished his bluff... "That's a very interesting story... Unfortunately it is also very false." The leader of the guard looked them in the eyes and said, "I hope you three are good with your weapons."
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| GARRISON: CHAPTER SIX |
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The heavy, metal gate greeted their arrival. When they were, at last, allowed entry to the garrison, they were lead back to a meeting with Captain Belford. Pleasantries were exchanged as the men shook hands. "You and your men have done a good job in this area, Captain," said Owyn. "It's no longer under martial law, I see." Belford sat a little straighter in his chair. "Thank you. I've had patrols out rounding up every pointy-eared bast--" he caught himself, remembering Gorath was in the room. "--well, we've captured a number of moredhel prisoners, the last group of which had some large dogs with them. We didn't have food to keep them and they seemed harmless, so we turned them out..." "Trained beasthounds, no doubt," sighed Owyn. "Probably out looking for us!" They thanked Captain Belford for his information, then left.
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Meet: SUMANI
Meet: DUBAL AN LOCH