This is the in-character thread for the play-by-post game Wanderers of Ka-Ereth.

Original recruitment and character generation thread here.

Out of character thread here.

THE BEGINNING

Javid and Bedlam both awaken rather late in their respective rooms in old Gustable's house on Crooked Lane. Nursing headaches, you recall the night before as something of a blur. Another night of too much bitter arrack, and something introduced by a pumpkin-faced outlander as “mushroom juice”. Bah! Splashing water on your face, you pull on clothes and boots and head down the stairs, both thinking similar thoughts as you meet at the doorway, mentally and physically in synchronicity. Enough of this way of living! Something has to give. But at this stage, you're not sure what will come next.

For Javid, arriving in Mangmang a month ago from the backlands brought back memories of childhood, as a teeming metropolis of mystery and strange sights and smells. And for Bedlam, here at last was the civilisation he had heard so much about. His ancestors had driven down from the northlands, splitting Xan like a ripe melon and adding Mangmang to their possessions. He himself has seen old gold coins of the city, stamped with the mustachio'd visage of Oli the Conqueror.

But those days are long gone, the northerners falling victim to infighting and soft living. Now Mangmang is left to its own devices, and is itself succumbing to torpor again.

This early spring is sodden, and the streets are muddy as Javid and Bedlam make their way to Horse  Square. The rickety wooden buildings tilt precariously close to each other from opposite sides of the alleys, admitting little sunlight but seemingly, plenty of rain. A young woman sits on some steps, peeling vegetables, and Bedlam recognises her, makes eye contact. Realising that she is a whore he has some acquaintance with, he looks away. She is not being provocative this morning, merely trying to make her way for another day, and as you pass you hear the demanding cry of an infant.

Leaving Crooked Street, you soon come to the main plaza of the city, where the Temple of the Two and the Hall of Potentates sit opposite, and bell-ringers survey the cobbled square haughtily seeking folk to ring their bells at. A carriage has pulled up outside the Hall of Potentates, and a middle-aged nobleman with brown robes, a brown hat and brown mutton-chops alights, and is met by a bent old man with a wispy white beard. The former would seem to be Lord Rudario, an ambitious member of the council whose star has recently been rising in mysterious fashion. They make their way into the Hall.

Skirting the Great Square, the two companions make their way to their haunt, the humbler Horse Square, where honest laborers can take an ale, wives can purchase cabbage, and information of all kinds circulates. On one side, some performers have attracted a small audience. Their clothes are strange, and hint at exotic places. Going a little closer, you see why they have attracted attention: rather than soliciting coins, they seem to be distributing them! Small silver objects flash in the air and are caught by eager urchins.

But you are not distracted in your goal, and that is the booth of Filius Parchin, where soup and dumplings make an excellent breakfast and can be supplemented at any time of day by malt liquor. However, when you reach it, anticipating the ready greeting of Filius and the warm bowl of food, you find only a forlorn, shuttered booth. A black cloth is tied around a pole, indicating death, whether of Filius or a family member.

Hungover, bored and cheated of breakfast. A portent of death. This is no way to live! Things have reached the bottom. At least you thought they had, until you examine your boots and recall that Horse Square is named thus for a reason.

Javid takes a few tentative steps toward the small crowd gathered around the performers, curious at their outlandish appearance, and even more so by their antics.

"What do you say?" he asks the others.  "Try and grab a coin or two for ourselves?"

He tries to appeal to their avarice to get them to come along, though he himself is more interested in who they are and what they are about.

Javid takes a look at the performers. There are two, a man and a woman. Both have the patina of experienced street entertainers: the man has gleaming teeth, a broad chest and a gold earring. The woman is pretty, but seems to be straining to smile today.

The grinning man tosses Javid a coin: examining it, you find that actually it is made of tin, and seems to be a token rather than currency. One side portrays a dancing nymph arm in arm with a portly man, the other a crown and the legend "WELCOME".

"Prince Erlig extends his welcome to all!" beams the man. "You need only present this token at the Jubilee, and you will be treated like his own family. Visit Vorloon for the Jubilee! The Grand Prize is there for the taking - whoever gains it will forever be a grandee of Vorloon. All that is necessary is to astonish the Prince."

You have vaguely heard of Vorloon - a western city of Xan, it is certainly a great distance from Mangmang. On asking, it seems that the Jubilee is some three months away, adequate for the journey.

With a final flourish the pair move on in the direction of the Great Square.

"Ah, now there's a sorry pair if I've ever seen one!" Alwyn says loudly, "I saw that there was no breakfast for you today, but luckily for you I know of a solution... a certain young lady a few streets over who sells pastries that will make you forget poor Filius and his soup." Alwyn glances warily at the departing performers before returning the smile to his face, hands spread wide as he walks up to the others, "Worry not, your faithful guide will take good care of you."

"Don't suppose she takes tin," he asks glumly, holding forth the token in his hand as he eyes the rapidly dwindling pouch of money on his belt.  "Ah, well, you know best, Alwyn."

Alwyn laughs and replies, "Don't know about tin, but she has been known to barter before... if she likes you." Alwyn grins and waves for the pair to follow. "What kind of coin is made of tin anyway? Is it a toy for children?"

"That depends on what this 'Jubilee' is," Javid replies, regarding the coin.  "Have either of you heard of it?"

Alwyn looks thoughtful for a moment, then replies, "Not that I remember right now. Are you thinking of going?"

Bedlam scratches his hungry place and then shakes his purse.

"Broke again, 'tis time we got ourselves a paying job. The loot from that temple job has all slipped between my fingers and those of the lovely ladies of the Fragrant Lily.. mind you they're not all that fragrant at 2 in the morning. Still as we say, when the sun shines you can expect no warmth or joy, keep fun for the night hours. So, who's paying?"

The three of you go to Madame Dell's cookery, as recommended by Alwyn. The pastries are indeed excellent and the price is low.

[Costs: no need to pay for each ale and pie. But I'll assume your expenses are 5 coins per day, for bare survival, and more like 8 if you wish to maintain some self-esteem and have an occasional pitcher of wine]

The mood is sombre at the eatery, as a number of people have gathered who know of Filius. His wife's body was found last night, apparently drained of blood. There are whispers that this is the third such death in recent times, and others speak of similar events a decade or more ago.

A meeting is scheduled at the Hall of Potentates for this afternoon, for the citizens to air their concerns about the deaths, and the noble council to decide on a course of action.

You meet a friend of Filius called Wen, who intends to re-open the booth as an act of charity for the grieving man. He is shorthanded and will employ one of you for 3 coins a day plus free food.

Further talk touches on the Vorloon Jubilee. Some say it celebrates the 800th anniversary of the hero Glark's slaying of a demon, while others say it is simply Prince Erlig's 40th birthday. At any rate, the Prince evidently intends a big festival, and there will be prizes and competitions of various kinds, including gladiatorial combats. The Prince is quite eccentric, and everything is weird in Vorloon, where the folk are evidently shifty as snakes and the women walk abroad bare-bosomed.

Quote from: Sigmund;522388Alwyn looks thoughtful for a moment, then replies, "Not that I remember right now. Are you thinking of going?"

"Well, it appears I have an invitation," Javid shrugs, pocketing the token.  "We'll see what the Fortunes have in store."

He listens to Wen's plans.  "I'll take the job," he blurts out, unfazed and slightly curious by the talk of the deaths.  He could prepare food well enough, and Mangmang is a good place to remain out of sight and beyond the reach of the superstitious villagers from whom he fled.

Then, looking at Alwyn and Bedlam, he shrugs.  "If we'll be staying here, that is.  A little money couldn't hurt."

Techno/Javid: roll a 3/IQ mental test

Quote from: The_Shadow;522547Techno/Javid: roll a 3/IQ mental test

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3422752/

5,5,6=16

less than or equal to passes, right?  My IQ is 16.

(don't remember if you wanted us to link to rolls or just post the results)

Bedlam likes the idea of a city of bare bosomed ladies, and doesn't like the idea of hunting a ghoul through the streets. However he has no money and if he gets the job for 3 coins a day he'll still not be able to live for 5 coins a day, so he decided he'll go to the meeting to investigate the blood draining murders and see if there's money to be made. All of this is distilled into the phrase: "Who's coming with?"

Quote from: Technomancer;522551http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3422752/

5,5,6=16

less than or equal to passes, right?  My IQ is 16.

(don't remember if you wanted us to link to rolls or just post the results)

Less than or equal passes with no modifiers, yes. This was a "harder than normal" mental test (-1) so you failed. But don't lose too much sleep over it.

Invisible Castle is pretty cool, let's keep using that.