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westwhere2022-08-01 07:33 pm
groundrules) wrote in westwhere2022-08-01 07:33 pm
the mouse house
Welcome to Serthica’s Mouse House — a mini plot roll for recent newcomers, lasting until 11 August. Characters who opted in are in a different physical location but can contact the group at sea through their communicators. You can use the log post below to top level and mingle, or you can make your own logs and posts.
Characters awaken in the dessert, unburied from high sands, recovering in medical tents or drifting towards a caravan. After a day to mend, they are presented to the caravan leader — the Merchant, who provides them translation and communication devices.
He explains they are outsiders who have reached the world of Akhuras, where undead factions wage war with each other and the living. The undead summon otherworldly conscripts, to enslave or weaponise them in the conflict. The Merchant finds and transports such newcomers east, where beacons might return the visitors back to their home worlds. Other otherworldly guests are currently travelling the haunted Crossing Seas — the Merchant offers their names.
The group at sea will reach the beacon-bearing clockwork citadel of Serthica within days. Caravan newcomers are supplied 10,000 coins each, blade weapons and ship passage to the impoverished Mouse House — the underground outskirts of Serthica and home to beggars, smugglers, contrived thief networks and mercenaries. Here, they must complete a set of tasks to wrangle, muscle, thieve or bribe coveted Serthica passport papers for themselves and their incoming comrades. Good luck!
CHEESE FOR THE WHINE
- ■ The Mouse House is the literal industrialised underworld that surrounds Serthica. Coarse and labyrinthine, it has the gargantuan width of a very large vessel (50m). Here and there, crumbled makeshift stone roads show defunct rail tracks underneath. One train still runs in the outmost pathway of the Mouse House, taking daily imported coal shipments from the port to Serthica.
■ Often filthy, dangerous and entirely cavernous, the Mouse House comprises several crammed community homes — ‘rat mounds’ — some small illicit trade and forgery shops, and hideouts for opiate suppliers, slavers and thieves. Sleep lightly and watch your backs.
■ A pathway leads out to the ports. There are no windows, and the stuffy air is unhelped by limited ventilation. A strong scent of sedative incense blooms in the air to keep the criminal population tame(r).
■ Characters are taken in by Ma’am Mariol, the benevolent matronly leader of a ring of orphans who provide courier and espionage services for the various overlords of the Mouse House. Enjoy her hospitality: dried bread, questionable soup and a resting place in her breezy enclosures.
■ Ma’am Mariol looks after 12 valiant urchins. You can enlist their services but expect they’ll want pay.
■ Twice a day, at 6:00 and 18:00, the Mouse House suffers a dull shudder for a few minutes, as if suffering the echoes of a distant, rippling earthquake. Ma’am Mariol shares this is because the two city halves of Serthica are starting to swap places: Eidris comes up in the morning, while Minaras is overground at night. They only meet for one hour during the swap.
✘ PRIME OPPORTUNITY
Win passage into Serthica by completing quests from the list below. Multiple people can tackle the same assignment. Report in by 23:59 GMT on 10 August for your gains.
PLOY & PLUNDER
Highly superstitious gang leader Artemius Bale is holding a festivity to celebrate conquering the territory of former rival Edward Three-Hands . The crème de la crème of the Mouse House’s underworl attends in a bustling, tight space. Despite his recent victory, Artemius remains heavily paranoid and keeps his cronies on guard.
- ■ Steal decent garments and function invitations from attendees to join the party.
■ Ease the pockets of the many criminal merrymakers, while they’re enjoying their fine wine. The more coin you can collect for later bribes, the better.
■ Pass for one of the many séance holders and ‘necromancers’ Artemius Bale has commissioned to entertain his guests. Coax attendees that the dead want them to patron incoming travellers — You may need to pair up and simulate a few ‘haunting’ tricks to persuade them of your great necromantic talent.
■ Why not pull a fast one on old fox Artemius? You could even persuade him he has been cursed by Edward Three-Hands and will fall deathly ill or unable to enjoy his gains if he does not make amends for his wrongdoings… to your benefit.
ALL ABOARD
A time-honoured fixture of Serthica, the single coal train typically enters the Mouse House each day at 11:00 without threat or trouble. Loaded to brim, it brings in fuel and smuggled goods.
Come early morning, Ma’am Mariol’s orphan scouts mention the latest 6:00 shake has toppled large pieces of stone and metallic debris over a segment of the railway. As the train approaches, Serthica officials send word that anyone who
- ■ Grab a shovel. Use it wisely.
■ Careful with the various oversized rats that haunt the filthier depths of the Mouse House — they typically avoid groups of humans, but will jump you if you’re alone.
THE SCRIBE
Serthica’s most skilled forger, Rayssa is returning to the Mouse House after months of imprisonment in the citadel. She brings along decades of experience crafting passport papers — and a wealth of debt collectors who want the coin she owed before her disappearance.
It is widely known she will visit One-Eye Calliope’s tavern as her first point of call, to enjoy a first drink in freedom. Her pursuers will be waiting for her, armed, prickly and ready.
- ■ Win Rayssa’s good will and services by rescuing her from the inevitable bar brawl.
■ Head into her heavily watched quarters in the Mouse House to collect her tools of trade — inks, parchments, pens and stencils.
■ Hold her watch or her hair while a heavily inebriated Rayssa writes up your forged passport papers.
LADY LUCK LOVES YOU
If you’re no fan of honest looting, leave your fate to chance: the Mouse House’s various taverns and gathering places host nightly gambling games, from cards to bone dice, arm wrestling and a local favourite, mouse races.
Pair up to rig the games in your favour, and win coin, passport forgeries, clandestine passage or a crime lord’s patronage. You never know what favour the right name can earn you later!
NPC CONTACT
GAINS
GRAB A FRIEND
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All the same, even though he'd prefer to stand at this point, sitting on the blankets has made his knees almost level with his chest. He feels like Ma'am Mariol could be a stern woman when she wants to, though, and he already never wants to be on her bad side. Her motherly nature, her clear strength, it all reminds him of Leia. And Leia Organa was scary.
But his face turns that much darker when she starts complimenting him, though. ]
Th- Thank you. I- Um- [ Right, clearing his throat, he came in here for a reason. But tall? Handsome?? Anyway- ] I was just wondering - I mean, since we're staying here and everything - was there any way I could... y'know, pull my weight? Bring in more money? Handle some chores?
[ Slightly flustered as he is, he's pretty proud for getting through that without stumbling too much. ]
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Like so: with scraps of fat grease in the pan, to start a low sizzle and draft some potato cakes in for his break-of-fast. )
Now, what're you on about, you, little goose? You're plenty occupied, yerself, you're barely a bo...
( All right, she does stop for a heartbeat to cast her eye over the shape of him, long and lean and... perhaps overgrown. ) Why don't you lend one o'them hands and pick up all the things from a great tall distance? We got some dust no one's eased off the ol' cupboard, how's that? That'll do me, sorted.
( It's important in life to make children feel rewarded and valuable. ) You've barely just got'ere, what's there to do? You've already got yourself yer own troubles, your worries.
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Anyway, once he deciphers her request, Finn hops up from the blankets like they're on fire, heading for the cupboard. ] Sure, no problem. [ Helping around the kitchen's a good start, he figures.
And he's already taking a few things down to clean when he answers. ] Yes, ma'am, I know. You've been nice enough to let us stay here, though. I feel like I should help out somehow.
[ Earn his keep or something. Though, he kind of figures the Merchant has paid her or she's getting something some other way from this, maybe, but it still feels way too free for Finn's tastes. Especially when she already has so many mouths to feed. ]
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Tutting, huffing and the smallest bit distracted from the sizzle of her pan and stove, madam Mariol coos at the treasures rescued from the vicious, villainous tall cupboard — and rewards Finn's fine efforts with a pat on his head.
Attaboy. )
Well, what about them little ones? Why don't you take'em for a stroll down the tracks? Just careful with their laces, like to trot about with them undone like little fairy kings, they do that.
( Very sound, trusting the eldest son with the other children. Teaches him responsibility. )
But you don't owe us nothing. Gent who sent you, he's been kind, awful kind. And you're only one more mouth to feed! We got us plenty. Just.. ( Excuse her, thick potato pancake dollops to slip into her pan. ) You be taking your care, eh? Oh, you will, aren't you clever? Clever boy, and he so handsome... but there's people'ere, less than gentle, at times. Some of them learned all sorts from the city that fell, and now they brought their vice here! For young ones to see. Imagine that, you.
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The city that fell? You mean when Serthica moves? [ He sort of spins his finger around, like he imagines that the city rotates itself on an axis like hands on a clock. Not that he's actually seen it in action, clearly. ]
But, um, I don't mind taking them for a walk. It sounds fun. We'll be careful of strangers.
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( Might be grown, him, but there's no reason not to spoil a boy with something soft and precious, melting on the tongue. )
Slip it a bit o'ham? ( That she'll do, a nice thick cut, generously sorted. There, that'll do. And now, she's ready for chatter again, properly armed, turning to look over her shoulder: )
Was one city, til it fell into two. Bit like a master and the missus, eh? Sharing a house, them, and then they've got a row. And them's no speaking after. Living their own lives, talk of the neighbourhood, but what can you do?
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Anyway, he freezes in his item recovery, immediately distracted by this bit of news. Is it important? Probably not. But hell-! ]
It- Serthica fell? From the sky? [ Cities in the sky aren't unheard of where he's from but... they don't usually fall... while remaining habitable... ] How long ago did that happen?
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( Don't mind her, there's a greater toss to plan, and dear, oh dear, the cake are just ready, she's pinched one and there's no trouble of stuffing bursting from the seams.
Gently, the cakes tumble down on a plate, and she delivers it with a fork that's been amputated of a tine. No knife to be handed out freely, no sir — once she's set breakfast down on a creaking wood table, she cuts the ham down in parts herself. )
You come eat, now, eat while it's hot. Food's only good steaming. Now, what's this about... no, pet, poor poppet, oh, I've given you a fright, have I? No, no, dear, not a proper fall, more in one o'them, you know, you, oh, you're clever... a metaphysic? Metafuse? A one o' those.
( ...a metaphor by any other name. ) Had itself a spot of trouble, did Serthica, a few years back. Only a bit o'sickness. Made a fuss over it, but they squabbled how it's to be handled. Was. You ask me, poppet, folks who have it good, they find any reason for quarrel.
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Part of Finn feels like he maybe should feel a little indignant or something, annoyed that she's treating him like a child. Instead, he's only becoming more devoted to this woman by the second. It's a weird situation here.
But he sits down before she can tell him twice. ]
Yes, ma'am. They... seem to be like that everywhere. [ Which is extremely unfortunate... Instead of thinking about the distinct lack of greener pastures, he picks up his fork. ] How did they end up handling it? Splitting the city into two?
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Good boy, sat to eat his fare. Another pat on his shoulder, and this should be the invitation, Eat up. )
Don't be getting all the news, us, all from up there'n'we down here... and I'd gone already, you see, would've been years before that, I sauntered down. ( One is not born to the Mouse House, after all. ) Wasn't pretty, now was it? Weapons, and... fires and... bit of a skirmish, everywhere.
( An awkward cough, long. ) But they've sorted themselves out since, they're nice and quiet, except for the not bearing so much as to spit on each other's faces. If they didn't need to mine the same holes, them, they'd have left, no doubt in me for that. But none's giving up riches below. So they just... live with each other. Told you, didn't I? Like them's in a married arrangement.
( Daily quakes are broad inconvenience, but what can you do. ) But, well. It's no... no talk for your breakfast, you'll take sick with it, poppy, my poppet. And you need your strength, now don't you?
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Yes, ma'am.
[ And he digs in, not knowing what to expect, but finding it amazing. Granted, he hasn't much good food in his life, but don't let that put anyone's spirits down. ] Mm! It's really good! [ But after that, he's going to be a good poppet and eat his meal properly.
His mind, though, is going over the conversation when it finally latches on something and suggests that, hey, maybe that's important. ]
The coal mines? They make that much off of them?
[ Could it be possible that they come out somewhere, though? Like near the ocean? Surely not. It can't be that easy. ]
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Clicking her tongue, she circles the stove a heartbeat longer, starting more fat to its sizzle and a fresh round of cakes for the other children. They'll wake soon, all loud and hungry, and isn't that so? It's how they always are. )
No, no, biscuit, got it wrong there. Don't you worry, you'll be finding it all out on the road, it's their little tins and hobs and their metal trinkets, for all them clocks. That's what they're all so... ( My, but it's there, on the tip of'er tongue, the curse. Not today, temptation. ) Fussed about. Oh, but we don't care, none of it for us, not down'ere. And what good do fancy things do the heart? Is about family, life.
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Yeah. I'm... trying to get back to mine. They're... pretty far away.
[ This place doesn't looks like they dabble in space travel, far as he can tell. Best to keep a lid on that. ]
These mines- Where they are? I haven't seen anything like that since we've gotten here.
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( This, spoken with the same carefree disinterest typically reserved for matters of great commerce, legislation or taxation. There's a limit to how much a woman should spare of her attentions for those things she can't alter, and she's learned hers long ago.
The day's passably bright, petrol lamps' burn deepening. The children will be wanting their breakfast, soon enough. )
Is all of it the trouble of people upstairs. We should all be minding our business, I think. Makes us kinder.
( And generous and polite and fond. All the virtues hail from discretion. ) Now, what be your doings here, poppet? Afraid our common friend wouldn't be loosening his lips long, when he spoke. Always so busy, him. Can't be helped, can it? Man must make his wages. 'Merchantry' is all so complicated...
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Anyway, he chews on his food for a moment to buy time, wondering what he should and shouldn't tell her. He doesn't want to lie. He likes Ma'am Mariol quite a lot. So... ]
We've all gotten... kind of lost. He told us that we can find our ways home out east somewhere, that he was going to lead us there.
Honestly, we only just met him a little while before we arrived.
[ And he trusts her a hell of a lot more, so far. ]
But there are others that we're meeting with soon. They're coming in by ships. We're supposed to regroup and be on our way.
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...you're... you're what? Oh, bless, homeless, are you? Roaming for a new home? And you're going east?
( Nonsense, hard and plain. When she tosses the next cake in, the ladle bangs hard on the pot's belly. ) Ain't you heard? The more east you head, the more the dead. Everyone knows, everyone says, even I'm knowing. Now, what's all this?
( Madness, it is, and ignorance, and wrong. She tuts, won't stand for it. )
No, no. You sit right here, poppet. We'll find you a nice little nook in the House, and you'll pick yerself up a trade, there's all sorts. You'll stay here where it's safe.
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No- I- I mean- We can't- We- [ OH NO ] Going east might be our best chance of going back home. We heard that there was... dead out there, but we're strong. I even know how to defend myself! I'm a soldier in my own war back home.
[ Yeah, Finn, that'll make her feel WAY better. ]
I mean-! The war's over, so-! It's not- It's fine. I just- You know-
[ Dammit. ]
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...must be. Mariol's never known the like, but she's heard things, says Mr. Grove two doors down, and he knows plenty of the world, says him sometimes soldiers get ideas, all sorts. It's how generals get them to do the citadel's bidding, teach them strange notions.
Well, nothing a bit of home loving won't cure, and here's another potato cake gently joining Finn's stack, to help along the cause. )
Well, course you're a soldier, look at you, so dashing and so strong. I bet you could do all manners and sorts with your... your great... big... gun? Was it a gun, dear? Well, don't tell the other children, it'll give'em frights.
( Shouldn't be thinking of it much herself, not if she wants her sleep. Back to the burner, then, to start oats and old bread for fresh pan toasting. )
And I hear you, I do, aren't you sweet? All I'm saying is, we take you to Mr. Haliburton a little down the road, and he's got himself a jolly trade with paint and grouting, and why shouldn't he show you? It's good work, and what's to say you don't like it? Plenty of men grow up honest and decent, laying down tiles.
( ...and none of this war business. )
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But the really bad part, the absolutely terrible part, is that he really loves this idea. Just staying in one place, learning a common trade, making an honest salary, having a normal life. Maybe even some form of a family, considering how he's pretty sure he's been adopted. It's all he's ever wanted. Ever.
And he's telling her no. ]
But I can't. [ And he's even standing up and following her to the stove, half expecting a huge scolding. ] My friends are still there. They need my help.
And what about the others coming in? They need help to get back to their homes, too.
[ There's a few brain cells bumping around in his skull and wondering... why is he bothering? He could just agree, eat, and leave whenever he wants. She can't actually stop him (he's pretty sure). But it's-... That's just wrong.
Wow, he hates this. ]
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( Excuse her, poppet, kindly, for the sourer tenor — she's not one for a cutting voice, or making others feel inadequate, but, honestly, now. The potato cakes are rather starting to resemble coal. )
To the war. And the dead.
( Well, ain't helping, when he's telling her nonsense, now is there? No, no. She's got to gather her wits back to her, coax them to her pocket. )
'course, my dear, you do what you do, you know best. I'm just saying. When Mr. Haliburton stops for tea tomorrow, you just use them pretty words, like you do with me, and you stand quite tall, so he sees you for who you are, and maybe you take a shine to each other. Who's to say?
( Apparently, Mariol. ) You're not agreeing to no work, he's not offering it, we're all just having tea. Away from the dead, please and be thanking you.
( And that has been decided. )
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Okay... Yeah, okay. We can do that... Thanks.
[ For, y'know-... Caring. ]
I... do wish I could stay. But I can't just abandon everyone like that.
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So too this shall pass to all those who oppose her. )
Now, don't you be worrying, we'll see to all this tomorrow. ( And they will certainly not waste time and their scant energy chasing answers or a sign of more here and now. )
Off you go, then. See to the children today. And be sure'n'early to dinner. Will be bone stew tonight, and only yesterday's bread. You're in for a treat, now.
no subject
Yes, ma'am.
[ And off he goes, backing away from the stove and taking that last potato cake on his plate with him on the way out. He's absolutely caused enough trouble in this kitchen today.
... And then he comes back to pick up his plate and put it in the wash basin- OKAY NOW HE'S LEAVING OKAY BYE ]