The Anti-Saturday Squad has discovered the vexing qualities of the Dwarves: bureaucracy.
Having successfully bluffed the harbor master into allowing a stolen ship and pirated manifest docking along the Semi-Circular Quay, our adventures had to figure out how to get into the city itself.
At the center of the harbor, the Dwarves erected a statute of a Dwarf standing some thirty meters tall, holding a pick in one hand and a fish in the other. The statue bears the inscription, “Give me a fish, I’ll eat for a day. Teach me to fish, I’ll charge you double for the catch.”
At the gates to the city, there are city offices more formidable than the Black Dragon they faced down in Antimony’s Still. To the left, they have the harbor offices. To the right, city offices.
Gnomes, Halflings, Humans, and — of course — Dwarves have leave to enter the city’s main and upper levels. Other races need visas and sponsorship.
The party discovered that common goods can be found on the main level; the upper level catering to The Taller Races.
But what they really are seeking are found on the lower level, which is restricted to citizens and friends of the city.
One of the main features of the city is the Piscaduct, which carries the foul smelling fish caught in the nearby waters to the cannery. The whole place reeks of the fermented fish. Ffludafishk (the fermented, canned herring-like fish) is one of the two main stables for the Dwarves of the city. The other being “Rat-on-a-Stick,” which might be roasted or al fresco.
Kahseer, having taken wild shape as a cat, explored the Piscaduct, finding that in cat form, the city didn’t smell all that bad after all.
Investigating the Cannery, Kahseer discovers the Piscaducts leading out of the city, tunneled by the dwarves deep into the heart of the mountains of Ithulvania.
These tunnels are heavily guarded by Dwarves stationed at the tunnel entrances with barricades and heavy weapons.
The city is on a high defensive posture, distrustful of outsiders (and by that, we mean the Anti-Saturday Squad.
Everywhere they want to get is located on the lower level. To get access to the lower level, they must have diplomatic papers, status as Friends of the City, or special visas.
The party goes for door number three: special visas. By agreeing to investigate the destruction of fishing ships that seems to be originating from a roc aerie in the peaks of the Ithulvanian mountains, they talk Dwarves into allowing them access to the shops on the lower level in order to mount their campaign.
Two other things of note.
First, Maeglin has stolen a map case from one of the Captains of the Guard. Note, there seem to be two distinctly different kinds of guards, one wearing polished armor in very good condition and another set with armor that is dented, tarnished, patched, re-patched, and usually protecting the body of a scarred and gnarled Dwarf.
Second, Celeana has seen moving in the crowd a tall, graceful figure moving, without any concern for the Dwarves or the controls they have set up to prevent anyone unauthorized from making their way down to the lower level, doing just that… making her way down to the lower level.
Shopping
Each of the party is presented with a medallion and parchment bearing the wax seal of the Captain of the Dain’s Guard. The party is instructed to keep the items on them at all times. They are to restrict their activity to those goods necessary to complete their contracted objective. Last, they are to be out of the lower level by nightfall.
Two guards escort the party to the ramps leading to the lower level of the city. These guards are the kind in the dented, tarnished, and re-paired armor. They are scarred and wind-weathered. One is named Magiktheighs, and the other is Broomfondl.
At the barricade between levels, papers are closely checked, rechecked, and triple checked. Reluctantly, you and your escorts are allowed entry to the lower level. And additional attachment of guards accompany you, now. They wear bright, shining armor and elaborately adorned weapons. You don’t get their names.
The ramp curves downward in a loose spiral opening into a vast chamber.
Wide stone column support vaulted ceilings hewn from the rock. The domed vaults feature bejeweled mosaics that tell the story of the greatness of the dwarves: battles with dragons where lost hoards were won back; more battles with the same dragons were lost hoards were won back, again; vast battles with the damned dragons to once and for all settle the matter of whose hoard it really is, thank you very much indeed.
Armed Dwarves crowd the place.
Among the features of the upper class district of the lower levels (the deeper you go in Dwarf society, the higher you get), there embassies, shops and merchants of finer quality, luxury lodging, and the Queen’s Quarter.
Celeana notices, also, a familiar hooded figure standing next to the entrance of an archway leading to The Queen’s Library.
You are first escorted to a store named “Ill-Advised Goods.” Entering the shop, a large mouth made of stone on the wall just inside the archway announces in Dwarvish:
“Enter Ill-Advised Goods at your own peril. What you might find here will likely range from between someone dangerous to balls-out reckless to keep in your possession. Items may be cursed. There are no guarantees. You break it, you deal with the consequences. All sales final.”
The message repeats in Gnomish, Halfling, and Human.
Inside the shop, there are three sections: ordinary dangers, more moderate dangers, and “Don’t Say I didn’t Warn You.”
One a high stool toward the rear of the emporium, an elderly Dwarf scowls into a crystal ball. Flitting about the shop is an Imp, who spends much the time find ways to insult you. From time to time goods seem to move themselves around the shop.
The Dwarf won’t talk to you — you’ll be doing business with the Imp, who says “Are you being served? As in, on a platter or a skewer?”
And, as you go in, Broomfondl grumbles, “Don’t spend all what ye got here. It’s cold and high where ye be off to. I rede you true, an outfitter is what ye be needing if ye nae want to freeze or fall.”
(Let the shopping begin)