FLUFF: Jammers: Turn 26 Chapter 1

The Past Adventures of my Jammers PBEM game.

For me, one of the joys of PBEM gaming is the ability to revisit the
old adventures by reading the turn summaries. I think they make great
fan fiction.

This game has been going on since September, 1997. I thought folks
might enjoy reading the old turns in order, as fluff fiction. I know
I post the current turns as fluff as well, but the past turns were,
well, six years ago and new list members, as well as some old, may
still enjoy getting the old reads in their mailbox once per week. If
not, let me know and I'll stop sending them.

To give folks an idea of how much is still to come, the game is now
in Turn 36 of Chapter 7. Chapter 1 has 30 turns...

I thought the brawls with gantius and his gang were some of my favorites!

----------- = Meanwhile, elsewhere...
*********** = Later...

IC:
<Radick and Deigatt>

Radick smiles over his shoulder to Deigatt. "You know, sometimes you
surprise me.  For a guy who doesn't know much about the Rock, you certainly
can be very observant."

As Radick approaches the door to Gaspar's. "Now Deigatt, while I am inside
speaking with the fine gentleman, I want you to keep an eye out for
anything unusual, especially over at the 'Thumb.  If our friends show up
just interrupt and tell me that we need to take care of a few other errands
still."

Deigatt's eyebrows furrow with misgiving, but he eventually nods in agreement.

Radick then pauses to be certain that Deigatt understands and then he
enters Gaspar's.

Deigatt stands a yard away from the entranceway, surveying the street
between intermittent glances at the building into which Radick has
disappeared.

Radick looks over his shoulder at Deigatt, in a forced whisper, "From
inside... watch from inside... the windows!"  He turns back around shaking
his head in disbelief.

With an indignant grunt, Deigatt follows Radick inside.

Gaspar's Reclamations (#45) was well lit by softly glowing mystical globes
of blue-wite light,  drifting slowly around the ceiling.  Weapons and
shields hang from the walls,  and behind the counter are large racks filled
with potion vials and herbal jars while other shelves hold dusty tomes of
lore.  A large giff sits on a thick legged stool neck to the door, a loaded
arquebus across his lap as he appraises the two new commers.  Two men in
white robes browse through the books.

Behind the counter stands a huge bug,  it is vaguely centaur or dracon
shaped,  with its lower thorax supported by eight legs and its head atop a
connecting torso with two "arms".  It has two large, multifaceted eyes and
mandible mouth parts.  It leans one "elfbow" on the counter as it turns the
pages of the tome it's reading with the other clawed appendage.

Radick walks to the bug at the counter. "They call me 'The Axe' and I am
looking for work, freelance stuff,  have you got anything?"

"Know you I do and work for you have we not,  Axe." the bug replies.
"Purchase something wish you?"

"Well, Rixil, it has been a long time. What are you doing here? Gaspar give
you time off from the books due to good behavior?"  Radick jokingly says
out loud and receives glares from the other patrons who are there.

"Ooops! Sorry!" he exlcaims out loud, then in a hushed voice he returns to
Rixil, "Forgot you like to keep things quiet around here." Radick then
looks quickly about at the various items on display, "Hey D-, see anything
of interest?"

Deigatt eyes the weaponry on the wall; "No haxes?" he says to the insect.

"Sorry very, no." Rixil replies.

Radick leans forward to the "friendly" salesbug. "Actually, I have heard
some things about a chalice, perhaps you might be able to provide some
information about the job. Don't tell me Gaspar isn't interested in having
one of his boys retrieve it. I hear it is worth a few coppers."

"Chalice have we already contracted for.  No job here you for, Axe." The
centaur-like insect replies.

"Well, enough of the chit-chat, I was wondering what you would give me for
these bracers here. Any interest?" Radick holds forth his arms displaying
the bracers proudly.

The insect studies the bracers for a few moments,  "Favor special, you for
Axe.  200 gold for these."

Radick frowns, considers, then says "I may return then, Rixil, give me time
to consider this."

Radick and Deigatt leave Gaspar's,  Radick turns sharply leads Deigatt into
a restaurant called "Reynard's Run"(F).  Weaving through the diners they
find a small table for two by a window with a view of the Thumb's front
door for Deigatt, radick sits on the opposite side where he can't be seen
from the street.

The purchase a meal and begin eating as they exchange innocent conversation
concerning their homelands,  after a short while Radick sees Deigatt
suddenly look out the window intently.

"See something?" Radick asks.

"Yes," Deigatt replies in a failed whisper. "Some hof hour comrades have
come to the Twisted Thumb." Noticing Radick's abrupt frown, the minotaur
becomes quiet.

<On to the Thumb...>
Minus Talus the rest of the company threads their way through the teaming
streets of midday Bral.

On the way to the Thumb, Jamila admires her new looks in one of the shop
windows. "I've always wondered what I'd look like as a blonde"   Turning to
the men of the group, "So what do you think?" Jamila asks  with a cheesy
grin.  "And is it permanent," she asks Holland, "or  will it wash out when
I take a bath?"

"It will change back rather suddenly in about four hours or so. The same
with the other cantrips I worked.  To make one last longer requires more
time then we had..." Holland glances at Italapate with a grin as he
answers.

Kain comes out of his reverie when Jamilia speaks, glancing up from
watching the road pass beneath his feet, only to do a double-take and
actually look up at Jamilia's new hair. A slight smiles crosses Kain's lips
before he says, "Sorry, Jamilia. Ah..Holland casts spells for free,
but..ah..charges a fee to take them
off."  Going back to watching the road, he pauses momentarily before
adding, "It does look nice though."

As the group walks toward the 'Twisted Thumb', Leera comments "The last
time we were here we weren't very organized. I hope we do better this
time!"  Glancing left and right at her companions she asks "So... how are
we doing this? If we all enter at once we may spook them. How 'bout if I go
in with one or two of you for backup. If we can, we'll try to lead the
thugs out the door where the rest of you can take them. Otherwise, we'll
have to do it the messy way. I'll come out and identify the thugs to the
rest of you and we can enter in force and clean the place out." She pauses
and then asks "So whadya think? Who's doing what?"

"I think that we should take less offensive action for starters... Why
don't you go in with, say me and Jamilla. The others wait maybe 10 minutes
and then come in and sit close to the door. We can observe what's happening
and then decide on our actions... Maybe over an ale or something..." Billy
stops and thinks. "Maybe a couple of us should go around the back, too...
What do you think? Oh, does anyone have those *special* darts? They could
come in handy..."

"Well...hmmm...I don't have the darts, and don't even really know how to
throw one.  Probably be a lot different from throwing my..ah..daggers,"
Kain mumbles.
After taking a quick head count, Kain begins to speak, diligently watching
the road in front of his feet all the while.  "Here's..ah..what I'll
suggest.  Billy... you, Leera, and Jamilia go in first as you wish.  Raken
and Italapate..ah.. perhaps could be the second group.  Or maybe Holland,"
Kain says slowly.

Leera replies "That sounds reasonable. It might be best if both Holland and
I are inside the tavern. My spells are limited at the moment, and I won't
be much help apart from my ability to identify the thugs we fought. I'll
make a point of either speaking to them or indicating them with a gesture.
If I'm able to get them out the door, the two waiting outside can jump them
while the rest of you take them from behind."

She turns toward Holland "Holland, I believe you said that you had
memorized 'ColorSpray'?"

When he nods "yes", Leera continues "If trouble starts, wait a moment
before rushing in... otherwise you might get caught in one of our spells."
She smiles at Grigree.

Grigree replies with a small smile.

"Anyway," Kain continues with a shrug, "a second group, but of only two
follows the first..ah..group into the Twisted Thumb.  That leaves four to
watch the front door."

Leera ponders aloud "Hmm, that's the real problem. The innocent bystanders
will surely flee when trouble starts. How will those outside know whom to
attack? There's no sense in wasting effort on folk we have no interest in!"

Kain shrugs again, running his fingertips over his headband. "How about
this," he sighs.  "Try to..ah..find a seat by one of the windows, or in
clear sight of a window.  If I..ah..conceal myself outside the glass, I can
see to whom you point.  Then I relay the descriptions to those outside.
Give us a count of one hundred after you..eh..identify them before you
start it up."

"I know what they look like," Grigree adds, his face turning serious again.
"I'll point 'em out."

"Good, good," Kain nods.  "That'll..ah..save me the trouble of trying to
describe 'em."

Raken, after several minutes of contemplation, chuckles.  "Actually, I
would assume that if he's got a weapon in hand and swinging it at us, they
would be the ones.  Anyways, if they returned to this tavern, knowing their
nest is discovered, marks them as bigger fools than I thought possible."

Holland becomes a bit more animated and says, "Am I to join the group
heading inside or remain outside the front?"

"Inside as the second group." Leera says.

"Are we going to have a word," Jamila asks "that we can shout out in case
we need immediate help?  I don't really want to look like Radick, now that
Kain here," Jamila grins and steps closer to him  "likes my new look."

Kain blushes, saying, "Ah..er..well, that is, you *did* ask what we
thought."  Tucking his cloak behind the scabbard of his short sword as the
group approaches the Twisted Thumb, Kain adds, "A cry for help would.. ah..
be enough I think."

So talking the party continues to move through the crowded streets of
daytime Bral, the streets growing more and more crowded as they get closer
to the Great Market.

When the Company gets near the tavern, Leera pauses before entering. She
steps into an alley. Leera then looks down at herself, shrugs, and changes
in appearance. Before you stands a human female of rough appearance. She is
clad in worn sailor garb and has a dagger in her belt. Her hair is shoulder
length and slightly unkempt. It is colored a sandy blonde.

"Let's do this," she says and walks towards the tavern.

Billy checks his shortsword as he waits for Leera to step into the tavern.
"I would feel alot safer with my armor on," he mutters.

Italapate shrugs and leans against a building nearby.

Leera, Billy, and Jamila enter the tavern as the others blend into the
chaotic multitudes milling about or heading into and out of the Great
Market.

Inside the tavern is empty save for the barkeep and wench, talking at one
end of the bar, and eight men seated around the two tables nearest the
fireplace.

Sitting at the head of the two tables is a thick set human male(#1) past
middle age with short brown, straight hair and green-brown eyes.  He wears
a black jacket and blue trousers with several daggers and a broadsword
obvious about his person.

On the left side of the table, and starting away from him sits a younger
man(#2)in a brown cloak, yellow tunic and red trousers. A Shortsword sits
on the table before him.  Leera recognizes him as the brown haired thug who
escaped when her color spray wore off.

Next to him sits another man (#5) with long, blonde, curly hair and dressed
all in brown from boots to cloak.  His weapons, if any, are hidden by his
cloak.  Sitting between curly and the older man at the end of the table is
a battle scarred and wrinkled old giff (#7), one of his massive hands is
encased in a spiked guantlet.

On the rightside, again moving away from the party, sits first a younger
man(#4),  with long auburn hair and a grrencloak which he has shifted aside
to reveal studded leather armor and a broadsword.  Next to him sits a
another middle-aged man(#3), looking rough hewn and battlewise.  A
battleaxe leans against his chair.

Finally on the right side sits the old half-orc(#6) who took Radick down.
His hair is grey and sparse, showing the scar from a sword cut to his head.

Sitting at the near end of the table with his back to Leera and company is
the young, blond-haired youth(#8) whose dagger caused Radick such pain.

This group of ruffians are having a heated conversation when Leera, Jamila,
and Billy walk in,  the stop immediately, however, and watch the trio with
suspicious eyes, especially staring hard at Billy.  Several scoot their
chairs back an inch or two.

Upon entering the tavern and seeing the (apparent) meeting in progress,
Leera (who looks like a sailor just off a long voyage) turns and glares at
the halfling behind her. She tosses him a silver piece and says "This'll do
fine. Looks like a good place to get drunk. Now get out of here before I
stick my dagger between your ribs! And don't touch my coinpurse!" She gives
Billy a (light) cuff on the head while whispering "Get Holland!"

Billy winces and rubs his head. "Yes 'm," he replies, obviously eyeing the
coinpurse. He bites down on the silver coin and dashes out the door turning
left as he exits. Once outside and out of sight, Billy looks for Holland.
Looking
up and down the street and seeing no one suspicious beyond the hundred or
so passersby, he walks over to  Holland. "Looks like we hit the jackpot,"
Billy says, rubbing his hands together. "They are all seated at the same
table in a nice group. You might want to wait a  couple of minutes before
going in. I'm sure that your spells will be useful." Billy  gives Holland
the "thumbs up". "Good luck... I'll wait out here for stragglers or until
I'm called in... It looks like they were *too* interested in me..."

Holland nods his head and slowly counts to sixty before entering the tavern.

Inside...
While moving to the table directly in front of the door and taking a seat,
Leera calls out to the wench "Ale! And lots of it! I've never been on such
a dry voyage!"

The alewench gives her a sour look but picks up two mugs after the barkeep
pours them and brings them to the table.  Setting them down before Leera
and Jamila she says, "That'll be two silvers."

Holland walks in the bar behind them.

Date/time:  2:10 pm  17th day of the 4th Month, 5049 OC
--
"...How shall a man judge what to do in such times?!"
"As he has ever judged," said Aragorn "Good and evil have not changed
since yesteryear..."
J.R.R. Tolkien, _The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers_

Paul Westermeyer,  pwestermeyer@????????.??.com