FLUFF: Jammers: Turn 29 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 38 of Chapter 7. Chapter 1 has 30 turns...

I thought the brawls with Gantius and his gang were some of my
favorite combats!

Jammers is host by Beyond the Moons at
<http://www.spelljammer.org/www/jammers/>http://www.spelljammer.org/www/jammers/

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

IC:
Holland occassionally grimices as he walks when he places too much weight
on his right side, but keeps pace with Nilaroo and keeps an eye on Billy
ahead of them.

Bringing up the rear of the procession with Italapate, Kain keeps Nilaroo
and Holland in sight as the company makes its way to the Burrows.
"Did..ah..you notice anything while the fight was going on Italapate?" he
asks quietly.

Italapate raises his eyebrows slightly at the question.  "Nah, nobody
noticed anything... or if they did, they chose not to acknowledge it.   No
Watchmen took notice, and that is what was important..."

Holding his bundled cloak tucked comfortably under his right arm, Kain
continues to follow his companions.  Occasionally, but trying not to
establish a predictable pattern, Kain glances behind him to see if anything
looks out of place.

Billy leads the company down Grand Street, heading in the general
directions of the Burrows. The company keeps a wary eye but the streets are
very crowded this time of day and its anyones guess if they are being
tailed.

Reaching Sailmaker Street Billy turns abruptly right, heading towards the
palace. He goes about 6 blocks then ducks down a busy side street.  There
he leads the company into a small, family style restaurant.

"I'll be right back." Billy mutters then heads back into the street.

The company waits, uncomfortably aware of Grigree's living, squirming (but
silent) burden.  After about ten minutes Billy returns, a chastened look on
his face.

"We're to wait at the inn, someone will contact us there within and hour or
two concerning the swap." he says.

Holland nods and says, "Lets get moving then."

With a look of tiredness on her face Jamila rises from where  she was
resting.  Hefting the weapons package she grimaces, "When we  get there,
could someone have a look at my shoulder. Aywa, yes?  I'd  rather not find
out later that there was substance on that axe."

Raken nods.  "I'll take a look at all of our wounds.  Though Celestrian's
blessings are exhausted, I still have knowledge in such matters." As the
group heads back, Raken keeps his cloak closed about him, concealing his
own injuries and tries to look inconspicous.

About a half block or so from the Tankard Holland suddenly groans, then
collapses senselessly on the cobblestone street.  The many nearby
pedestrians stare but don't walk over or otherwise become involved.

Italapate stares at the collapsed mage.  "Hmmmph... not the most dignified
place for a nap, all things considered."

"Augh.." Kain exclaims as he taps his forehead.  Once some of the crowd
begins turning away from Holland he says, "Damnation..ah.. wasn't the one
that cut Holland also the thug that..ah..poisoned Radick?" Crouching beside
Holland, Kain checks the fallen mage's pulse.  "Raken," he asks, "can you
help me get him inside? At least we're almost there," he says
encouragingly.  His face suddenly goes white, "His pulse is weak and
fading, he needs aid quickly!"

Noting Holland's state Billy suddenly goes pale. "Oh dear."  He quickly
kneels down next to the wizard and lightly touches him on the  forehead.
Billy seems to concentrate as he does so.

Nilaroo turns his back to the proceedings, instead watching anyone that may
be taking too close of an interest.

A moment after Billy touches him Holland's color improves.  Kain feels
Holland's pulse strengthen as well.  Though not strong, it is now steady
and stable.  Holland remains unconcious.  "His pulse is now stronger." Kain
says with relief.

Billy looks up, almost apologetically. In a low voice he says, "It's all I
can do for now... Let's move on quickly to the 'Tankard."

Raken helps Kain get Holland inside the Tankard, carrying him past the
common room and up the stairs as the bar patrons stare.  They rush into
Jamila and Leera's room(L), the closest, setting him gently in the nearest
bed.  "Bring me the blade," Raken says, asking for the weapon that the thug
used on Holland.

Grigree unceromoniously dumps the invisible thug in the corner, feeling
carefully to make sure his bonds are still tight.

Placing the bundle of weapons on the floor beside Raken, Jamila  quickly
searches through the odd lot and carefully picks out the  blade and hands
it to Raken.

He then examines it, "Did any of you find anything unusual on any of the
bodies?  Usually idiots that play with poison carry the antidote, in case
of accidents."

Italapate steps next to Raken, asking to see the blade.  "Maybe I can
help," he offers.  He runs his finger along the blade, then raises the
finger to his nose.  He carefully snifs the yellowish residue, "This isn't
anything I'm familiar with."

"Who's got the pouches?" Jamila asks with a quick turn of her head  towards
the others, from her position on the floor, where she's hastily rewrapping
the weapons to get them out of the way.

"Here, I've some of them," Kain says as he sets his cloak on the ground and
unties the knots in the bundle.  "But what should we look for?" Kain asks
as he looks at the number of different pouches on the floor.

Leera starts looking through the pile of pouches that the group acquired
during the brawl.  As she does so, she says to the others searching with
her, "Look carefully, the antidote could be either a powder or a liquid."
Under her breath she mutters, "If the fiend was even carrying an antidote!"

Deigatt, having heard the disturbence from his quarters, enters the room.

Raken stands up from his examination,  "I think Holland is out of immediate
danger though he needs rest or magical healing before he returns to full
health.  Th worst effects of the poison seem to have passed."

Meanwhile, Radick enters the Broken Tankard and heads up to the top floors,
he finds the others in Leera and Jamila's room.  They have just finished
inventory the items filched from the dead thugs.

77 cp, 38 sp, 30 gp, 13 daggers, 3 broadswords, 3 shortswords, 1 longsword,
1 battleaxe, and a small crystal vial of thick, brownish goop.

Date/time:  2:40 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