Silver Insanity

Precious, Valuable Madness
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PostPosted: Sun May 06, 2007 11:38 am 
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Prismatic Pangolin

Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:50 pm
Posts: 2283
Ah, home. The smell of the sea, the bustle of the docks district, the cries of traders in their stalls as you take the long way around towards your house. It feels like an eternity since you were last in Targrove.

And it feels just the same as when you left. Well, ok, there are a few changes... The red dragon, Alizarin, is actually larger than you are now, and the nearby merchants have either moved a bit further away or invested in fireproof stalls. Some new permanent shops, and an actual guard post at the northern edge of the marketplace...

Still, the general district hasn't changed. The same tightly shuttered windows, the narrow alleyways, the way everyone moves quickly and slightly furtively, the... armed guards at the edge of the chromatikin district? The... smashed and graffiti covered statues outside your house? Something isn't right here...


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PostPosted: Sun May 06, 2007 6:34 pm 
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Mostly Sane

Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 12:52 am
Posts: 20
Kiaskurro wrinkles his snout as he comes up to the smashed statues. The brazen disrespect for the statues perturbs him, but not so much to stifle his interest at the expression and style of the graffiti. He takes a moment to look over it, trying to discern a message or emotion.

As he does so, he remarks in Draconic to Komitus, "It's been a while since I've been home. I may have some uninvited guests, given the state of the exterior. Do have a look inside and ensure no one unfriendly is waiting."

While Komitus is engaged and after Kiaskurro reviews the graffiti, he'll call upon an Unseen Servant to start cleaning up the vandalism.


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PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2007 2:08 pm 
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Prismatic Pangolin

Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:50 pm
Posts: 2283
The construct nods, and slips inside as you start to examine the graffiti.

Once you filter out all the invective, there isn't enough left to make a coherent message. Whoever put this stuff up (and it probably wasn't just one person, judging by the variety of styles), was angry - perhaps at you in particular, perhaps at the world in general; there's no easy way to tell. Also, you find signs that this is but the most recent layer - someone went to the trouble of clearing the graffiti off, possibly several times, before the statues reached their current state.

Cleaning off the statues is a simple, if tedious, task - easily accomplished by your magic, though it will still take some time. Repairs will be trickier, as much of the broken stone has been removed from the area entirely.

After a time, Komitus returns.
"The interior seems untouched. Whoever did this either did not care to challenge the protections of a sorcerer's home - or was unable to do so."


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PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2007 6:46 pm 
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Mostly Sane

Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 12:52 am
Posts: 20
Kiaskurro nods wearily at Komitus' report, "Almost a pity. Ordinary vandals are far too a mundane an experience to be interesting."

He takes the time to clean off the external layer of graffiti, then reaches up for his shoulder, scratching the porcelain chin of his psuedodragon, "Wait here, unseen, perhaps on the rooftop. Observe."

Then turning to Komitus, "There's something amiss in this little city of ours. It's time to employ a little artistry. Before we go to Orren and his city watch, let's see what the man of the street has to say."

Kiaskurro adjusts his Beret of Disguise, changing the color of his scales and making minor changes to his height and build. His clothing turns into simple, but not shoddy, traveling clothes; he wears the garments common to a typical high kobold caravaner and merchant.

Adjusting his gait accordingly, Kiaskurro heads off to the Merchant District, where he plans to pose as a window-shopping traveler and inquire about the statues 'he saw vandalized in passing,' the armed guards at the edge of certain districts, and other current events.

"I trust you will follow inconspicuously, Komitus."


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PostPosted: Tue May 08, 2007 9:53 am 
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Prismatic Pangolin

Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:50 pm
Posts: 2283
Komitus trots upwards in a tight spiral. At the second loop off the ground, it simply vanishes. For a few more moments you can hear footfalls in the air above you, but distance and some natural skill at stealth, combined with the background noise of a city, soon render Komitus' presence undetectable.

Several hours of investigation later, and you've found at least some of the information you were looking for.

The chain of events starts off with an unusually large number of kingdoms and city states being thrown into chaos. In a few of these, chromatikin managed to stage successful (and often brutal) revolts - that usually lasted all of a few weeks before neighboring countries sent troops to "calm" the situation. And then heading home to "calm" their own population of chromatikin before a revolt could happen there. This, of course, led to more revolts - and a steady stream of refugees pouring into (comparatively) safe havens such as Targrove.

Worse, the human refugees coming in generally blame all their problems on the chromatikin, and vice versa. It did not take long for the human population of Targrove to start clamoring for stricter controls; an actual watch station in the chromatikin district, and so on. (Nevermind that the human refugees were at least as much at fault for the increased violence...)

So queen Malika held a meeting with the most vocal (and richest) human protestors. It went something like this:
"So, you want the full force of the law to be applied to the chromatikin?"
"Yes!"
"And are you willing to pay for the city watch to be expanded enough to resolve this issue?"
"Um, well, that is... maybe a little..."
"Excellent! Here's the bill. Sign, please."
And then she turned around and declared that Chromatikin were henceforth to be considered full citizens of Targrove, with all the rights, priveleges, and responsibilities thereto appertaining. When challenged, she merely observed that perhaps, if they hadn't wanted the full force of the law to apply, they should have asked for something else.

While this has not been a perfect solution, it has limited the conflict to smaller scale events - such as the vandalism you encountered.


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PostPosted: Sat May 12, 2007 11:56 am 
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Mostly Sane

Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 12:52 am
Posts: 20
Kiaskurro appears satisfied with the explanation. As he's dealt with aspiring artists in the past, aimless angst is no new phenomenon to him. What interests him is the tales of chromatikin revolting in kingdoms around the world. This, he believes, is a cultural trend worth noting.

Taking leave of the merchants with, perhaps, a few interesting market trinkets in his pocket, he heads towards the Chromatikin district. It's been a long time since he's wandered through Theodin's territory, and decides to do away with his disguise and make his entrance known as a token of respect for the street lord.


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PostPosted: Sun May 13, 2007 12:57 pm 
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Prismatic Pangolin

Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:50 pm
Posts: 2283
Now that you actually have some idea of what you're looking for, the changes are obvious. The chromatikin district looks more prosperous. There are actual guard patrols - not many, true, but the ones that are in here include chromatikin in watch uniforms.

Graffitti is rather more common than it was the last time you were in Targrove; with the combination of more anger and less opportunity to vent anger through violence, it seems some individuals have turned to vandalism instead. You also note a few houses (clearly marked by larger quantities of angry graffitti from all and sundry) where one of the watch's special forces team has taken up residence, so as to be able to respond more quickly to any serious problems.

There's also a new tavern with an angrily lettered sign declaring "Chromatikin Only!", but a surreptitious glance through the open doorway reveals that it isn't as prosperous as the old broken tower tavern you're more familiar with.

Before you can check in on that fine old establishment, however, your progress is interrupted by a slightly nervous mental message from your familiar.
"Um, Boss? There's something... odd... going on a couple houses down. I can't see any details - all the windows are boarded over - but there's an awful lot of magical energy now, where there wasn't any before. It's like somebody cast a disjunction in reverse or something."


Last edited by Wyvern on Mon May 14, 2007 4:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Mon May 14, 2007 3:52 pm 
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Mostly Sane

Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 12:52 am
Posts: 20
Kiaskurro's eyes light up with curiousity as he sends a message back in response, "Continue to observe. I am coming." He glances up briefly to where Komitus is following him invisibly before turning around, making his way back home.

As he nears, he makes use of the anonymous traveling kobold disguise.


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PostPosted: Mon May 14, 2007 5:20 pm 
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Prismatic Pangolin

Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:50 pm
Posts: 2283
When you finally round the last corner to your home street, you can see that it's deserted. And you can feel why; there's an almost tangible pressure of magical energy that even someone completely mundane could sense. And without some practice at dealing with such energies, they'd quickly get a headache and find themselves heading elsewhere.

Above you, Komitus flickers and drops a startled few feet, even as your own illusion spell wavers under the magical pressure. Komitus quickly rejoins you on the ground, its invisibility and even its normal illusion dissolving in the next wave of power.

"Maintaining even a single active spell in this environment will significantly impede my available reaction time. As such, following inconspicously is no longer a viable option," Komitus says, with obvious annoyance.


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PostPosted: Mon May 14, 2007 6:22 pm 
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Mostly Sane

Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 12:52 am
Posts: 20
Kiaskurro nods distractedly at Komitus' comment, the intense magical energy and its effect on his illusory disguise taking up most of his attention. He carefully approaches the boarded up house, observing it from the outside and attempting to discern more about the magical pressure based on his knowledge of spellcraft and arcana.

As Kiaskurro gets closer, he sends a message to his familiar, "Fly up and scout the building from all angles. Search for alternative entrances and exits."


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