The Lower City Slums
Stonebend
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Stonebend is the largest street and the most densely popular area in the world after the winter. Rather than a street, it is a sprawling maze of houses, built atop of each other, huddled together and haphazardly stacked to fit as many people as possible. Within the maze one can recognize what little is left of a massive cobblestone street that was supposed to surround the entire lower city, though it is obvious now that is has been severely outgrown. From Stonebend one can get to any of the Haths, or Districts, which make up the lower city and it is here that the thousands of Majai mongrels with no direct affiliation to any of the four main peoples of the Majai live. They make ends meet however they can in the massive slum, scrounging what they can, working on the mines, selling what they can and growing what they can. Life is vibrant, short and crude, with little time for subtleties. Majai find their fun where and when they can.
Upon reaching the cobblestone road,
Ferah let out a quiet sigh. It had been quite some years since she'd felt them beneath her boots. Again, though, this place had changed. More homes and people crowded the area, and would make finding her way to her family a harder journey.
Rill followed Ferah and took his time looking around. "Where are we heading?" he asked while looking at a bar he think he visited a year or so ago.
Ferah began her walk into the maze of Stonebend, searching for anyone who might be able to give her some information. Any Amiri would do, her hope being that they would know her family (Spot).
Amiri had grown rare in the past couple of decades. They were ever a nomadic people, they had roamed great plains with flocks of sheep or teams of horses with their extended families, setting up camps of barely 100 strong. Or set up small towns made up by a couple of clans together, with low buildings of wood and adobe, open courtyards and plazas. They were people who lived and died under the sky. Now they were a river thrown into the ocean and their customs and loyalties were dissolving in the tide. From the mass of people Ferah saw crossing between the Mudgate and Stonebend, there was an old couple, wearing traditional clothing with painstaking embroidered clothes, sitting on the porch of an Amiri style house that had been built right on the road. Much to Ferah's chagrin, there were also a pair of young men, loitering around, standing by an alley right by the arch that separated the two major avenues. They seemed to be eyeing the merchants and yelling inappropriate things at some of the women that went past.
While
Ferah's instincts told her the old couple would be more likely to know the Azzal, the sight of the two loiterers and their actions brought the blood to her face. She marched up to them and stepped up to the biggest of the pair. "Is this how Amiri boys act nowadays? Has your connection to the old ways really led to this behaviour? I should tan both your hides here in the street! Now leave before I make my words true!" (Intimidate).
When Ferah started walking,
Rill followed, not knowing their destination. As she stopped before some men, Rill hung back, not wanting to meddle with her diplomacy. When Ferah spoke to them, he frowned, not having expected her to say something quite like that.
Since Brant was so enthralled with the sights of the Mudgate,
Paki paused before continuing for the Red Ribbon road. Might as well give newcomers the chance to absorb everything, right?
Brant came to a stop beside Paki and looked out onto Stonebend. He'd been to bustling locations before, but this area of the slums was unlike anything he'd experienced before. The sheer mass of people and homes stacked together was astounding, and all of different colours and dress. He laughed with delight and tapped his staff on the cobbles in applause. "This is why I love you Majai! Always making something from nothing! Your determination as a people is a kind of magic in its own way."
Ferah moved over to the two young amiri by the alley just as Paki and Brant were walking through the Mudgate and into Stonebend. The elder Amiri tried to scare off the kids and one of them seemed shaken, taking a step back as the armed, grizzled woman tell them off. The older looking Amiri youth, a boy of 15 or 16 years of age, did not seem shaken at all, though. "Back off, cadi" he said simply, throwing the amiri for hag in there for good measure. He pumped his chest towards her and moved his hand behind his back, as if to indicate he too was armed. "You're no boss or mother to us."
"I'm glad I'm not your mother. To have a child like you would be shameful."
Ferah raised her gauntleted hand to show off the weapon. "Don't even think of trying anything. I've dealt with nastier pieces of work than a street rat." She jerked her metal covered thumb away towards the inner area of Stonebend. "Get out of here. And tell any other rats that Ferah of the Azzal Amiri has returned to bring honour to these streets."
At this point,
Rill just waited for Ferah to be done. It certainly wasn't his business to interfere.
Paki's confusion showed on his features for a moment. The various Majai cultures have existed and thrived for centuries while the Daguerrians have only recently--or relatively recently, anyways--built grand cities and powerful machines, effectively becoming the strongest and most influential culture. Talk about "making something from nothing"! All in all, he could not quite understand Brant's enthusiasm, but grinned at him nonetheless. "Determination is the magic granted to all people and cultures, yes?"
"Well said, my good man,"
Brant said to Paki without looking at the other man - there were simply far too many distractions in this bustling slum! Still, he had a place to be, and Stonebend would still be there after. "Come, show me the way to the Mage Market. I am itching to be there."
While Brant and Paki discussed the merits of Majai culture, a few dozen feet away the two amiri youths did not seem taken aback by Ferah's display. The clear leader, who had talked back to Ferah earlier, looked at his friend at the mention of the Azzal clan, the younger kid simply shrugged and shook his head. "v'never heard of the Azzal, must not be very important." he said simply in a mocking tone as he pulled a dagger from behind his back and began playing with it, the point always aimed at Ferah. "Got some gall tho, cadi, comin' here spoutin' nonsense 'bout them old ways while usin' an 'ngineer weapon. Get out of our turf now and we won't have to cut you." he said simply, puffing his chest out at Ferah while Rill simply stood awkwardly a few feet away.
Ferah eyed the dagger before nodding solemnly. "Very well," she said quietly, turning away. Immediately after, she spun round, arming the gauntlet and aiming a blow at the knife wielder's chest (Strike).
Rill had almost turned as well when Ferah suddenly turned back at the youths. Even if he had had the time, he didn't try to stop Ferah. Who knew how bad things could get from him if he got any more involved? He took a few steps back so that no one would accidentally or "accidentally" hit him.
Not quite far enough to remain oblivious to the conflict,
Paki overheard the bratty youth's mocking and--mildly alarmed by the boy's threat to cut someone--turne
d to see what was going on. Wait, isn't that the old lady from the train? "Ah! Old lady!" Paki headed over to the group, suddenly more aware of the falx that she had given him. Would he have to use it? He opened his mouth to ask if Ferah needed any help just as she struck at the boy.
Brant turned at Paki's exclamation and saw him approaching a woman who'd just thrown a punch at a young Amiri. With a frown, he pulled his prayer beads from beneath his robes, grasping them in his right hand, and ran to catch up.
The kid had obviously not been expecting to be hit by the electrified gauntlet, specially with the way he was puffing his chest at her. Ferah's punch didn't do a lot of damage, simply pushing the young man back a few steps, but immediately afterwards, the young man's muscles seemed to lock up from the electric shock. He tensed up and fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes, letting out a pained scream and twitching slightly as his friend knelt next to him to try to help him up. "O-Ok! We'll leave, cut it out!" said simply the younger kid as he began to drag the older one away, towards the alley.
Rill eyed the two kids as they finally moved on after Ferah punched the other one. He also looked around to see whether Ferah had caught any negative attention. (Spot)
The Lower city must have seemed a strange place for Rill, as unstructured and wild as it was. It was a type of wild completely unlike the white wastes he was used to. There was no authority to speak of, some people were looking at him and Ferah, muttering and talking, but soon dispersed. For the most part it seemed everyone was too busy to really care terribly, and the few that did were not apprehensive at all about Ferah kicking some kid's ass. The ranger figured the two were well known knaves, the way they'd been behaving.
"And stay away!" Ferah crowed after the youths. She couldn't help but smile after she'd succeeded in her plan - get rid of the hoodlums without killing them. She did hope the boy she'd hit recovered without any complications. Still, all seemed to have gone well. She turned to where the Amiri elderly couple had been sat and approached them. "Apologies you had to witness such vulgarity, elders," she began with them.
Paki blinked as the youths ran off. It occurred to him that he probably could not have been much help to the situation anyways. As far as the Kkala could recall, Ferah handled herself the best out of anyone against the beasts that attacked the train. Of course she could handle a couple of trouble-makers with ease! Still, he grinned at Ferah and walked over to where she moved. "I'm glad that ended well!"
Rill again followed Ferah, though now he also paid attention to Paki, who had appeared from somewhere. Was he following them? Rill shook his head and looked at the young man, wondering what his business was.
"I was afraid I might have to intervene," Brant added as he joined the group. He pocketed his prayer beads and then noticed the Amiri couple that Ferah had addressed. He gave them a bow of his head in greeting.
"Worry not, lady." Said the older man with a nod as his wife sat and embroidered near the door of their small shanty house. "We've become used to this. Times have changed. Many of the Amiri clans of old are gone and-" he started to say before being promptly interrupted by his wife. "Don't bother the lady with your issues, Sule. We thank you, lady, but we don't want trouble with the Amrit, it was a reckless thing you did, running those boys away." she sighed, barely looking up towards Ferah and her companions.
Dakai emerged onto his home turf with a sigh. He scanned the area to make sure nothing had changed since he left, and it hadn't still a broke nest of broken spirits. Well at least the people were still trying to survive. He looked down at his accomplice. "Well, almost home I guess."
Daiyu had never been in the city and she glanced around curiously. She didn't want to far ahead of Dakai though and she paused to wait for him.
Still clinging to his hand, Tetra moved into the area, walking right next to the man, her gaze, for the most part, never leaving Daiyu. The Shah was the biggest worry to the street urchin at that moment, and she had nothing to really look out for on the streets with her "guardian" accompanying her. Glaring daggers at the slant-eyed woman, Tetra involuntarily squeezed Dakai's hand, tension already building up as she noticed the woman seemingly waiting for them. She had not even heard Dakai's claims that they were nearing his home.
Dakai was ready to head to his abode but turned to Daiyu before he set off toward his door. He kept his grip on Tetra tight, surprised she hadn't run off yet. "Miss Daiyu will you need anymore assistance?"
A frown wrinkled Ferah's weathered brow at the elder woman's words. "No Amiri should have to be afraid of another of their people, the exception being me." She looked back round to see Rill, Paki, and another fellow had joined her at this couple's threshold. "My apologies, Ranger, but I cannot allow for this gang of youths to continue with their hold on this district. But first, I think we should find my family so that you can have a place to stay while I deal with the trouble." She turned back to the old Amiri man. "You mentioned the old Amiri families. Do you remember the Azzal and where I could find them?"
"The Azzal?" said simply the older man, looking at his wife. "I don't know any Azzal, unfortunately. Our clan came from down the black sands and they are still travelling, we stayed here when we got too old for the long Lonetrain trips..." he mused before his wife interrupted him again. "We do know an Azzal! Or did. Nuri Azzal." she said, which Ferah recognized as her father's name. "He used to live with his kids a few blocks west in Stonebend, near the Clay Stairs, but that was ages ago... heard one of his kids moved to the Waterway street, past Malak's Hand in the Mage market though... maybe you can still find him there?" continued the old woman, looking up at Ferah with a kind expression on her face. "The Waterway is nice... but be careful, lady." added the older man, "The lower city polices itself, many places are as dangerous as the wilderness."
Brant tapped Paki on an arm and then motioned down the road. "I think this woman can handle herself. We should continue on our way to the Mage Market." The facts of the matter were that he was eager to reach his destination, but also to avoid injury on the way, and the Amiri warrior woman seemed to be a magnet to danger. Her words and her manner said it all.
Paki felt something touch his arm and turned to Brant with a curious expression. "Ah! Yes, indeed she can," he nodded in agreement. He then racked his brain in an attempt to remember what Ferah's name was before addressing her briefly. Calling her "old lady" in front of an elderly couple seemed...confusing. "Well...erm...Lady...I wish you well." Paki almost wanted to tell her to contact him if she needed any assistance, but he was not entirely sure at the moment where he would be or how she would find him. So, instead, he just continued leading Brant to WoW - Red Ribbon Road.
"No, I thank you but I will continue on from here." Daiyu answered Dakai with a stern look. "However, will you point me towards the Shah District?" She asked unwillingly as she glanced around her surroundings (notice) in search of a sign of where she should be going.
Daiyu know a little bit about the Royal City, though. She knew there were two ways into the Shah district. One could take the long stairs up the Supplicant's Road, which were north and to the east. Or you could go into the Mage Market and cross north through the Gann Lao, the street of steel. However, the second option meant going straight through the middle of Shadowsword turf. Not an issue for her, but it could prove fatal for Dakai.
Rill didn't really react to Ferah's words, though he showed that he had heard them. Instead he stared at Paki and whoever was with him, watching them leave. He then looked at the old Amiri couple as well, though he kept a distance and wasn't about to talk to them.
Dakai pondered for a moment thinking back to his previous jobs. He readjusted his goggles before answering. "I think its down past WoW - Supplicant's Road." He pointed off to the Northeast. "And if you need anything i live here to the East and down the alley." He gave Daiyu a reassuring smile.
With another small bow to the elderly Amiri, more in apology for bothering them, Brant turned and followed Paki along the way to WoW - Red Ribbon Road.
"I, thank you." Daiyu answered and even managed a genuine smile at the man, "Perhaps our paths will cross again." She said with a dip of her head before she adjusted the crutches once more. She was purposely ignoring the little rat at Dakai's side, her cool gaze skimming over her as if the child did not exist. The Supplicant's Road had stairs, she was starting to remember, and so she turned towards WoW - Red Ribbon Road.
"Well lets get going Tetra, i cant wait to see whats in the tube." Dakai turned to head off to his little hovel. He was looking forward to relaxing a bit, maybe brainstorm some ideas for the engineering show coming up he remembered. He lead the girl down the alleyway to WoW - Dakai's Appartment.
Tetra couldn't care less about Daiyu's lack of attention towards her; in fact, the urchin preferred not having to deal with communicating with the Shah bitch. And now the cunt was finally leaving, and Tetra nearly breathed a sigh of relief. As soon as Daiyu was out of sight, Tetra thoughtlessly pulled her hand away from Dakai's, apparently no longer quite as stressed as before, when she had been squeezing the young man's hand with her own. Walking behind him, she silently followed Dakai to WoW - Dakai's Appartment.
A few moments later, Tetra reemerged from Dakai's home, stepping out into the street and immediately walking away. As quickly as she could, the girl darted around a corner and into a busy alley, hoping to get out of sight of the wanna-be engineer who seemed intent on following her around all day. Feeling secure, at least for the moment, the girl backed against a wall, reaching into her pocket while Ulysses side-stepped his way onto her shoulder. Pulling out the notebook and letter, the urchin began flipping through the pages, looking for any more material that might help her in... doing whatever it was that Lena Rose lady had asked her to do. She still wasn't sure she could do it on her own, however, and was more interested in seeking out Thad again to help her once more. The problem, now, was finding him after they had all split at the entrance to the city. Tetra tried to recall where she had seen or heard of engineers gathering, thinking perhaps the mute man might have made his way to someplace like that (Memory).
Tetra didn't have to wrack her head to figure out where Thaddeus could've been. There was only one place Engineers went, both certified and mongrels like Dakai; Magister Street in the Upper City.
Ferah was shocked at first to hear of her father and family moving away, but then the realization of how long she'd been away hit her. The years leading up to her return to the old city had wholly been fixated on her finding her family, of reuniting with them after her exile. It had never occurred to her that they would have moved on, as the Amiri did. Still, there was a glimmer of hope - her relative on the Waterway. "I thank you," she croaked at the elderly couple, bowing to them. Her throat suddenly felt dry and her words struggled to pass her lips. "Blessings upon you." She turned away and motioned for Rill to step away with her. "I am too late, Ranger," she said quietly. "My family have moved on. There may be a chance that one of them still remains in the lower city, but I do not know if I can still promise you the hero's welcome I did originally."
Rill shrugged as he moved away with Ferah. "I don't mind," he replied to Ferah. People moving away was a thing that happened. "You know where to go find that one?"
"I do," Ferah said, nodding. She led the way towards WoW - Red Ribbon Road, turning her head so she could speak to Rill. "Keep your eyes open. The youths from earlier. I don't think they were alone."
"Right," replied Rill as he followed Ferah to WoW - Red Ribbon Road.
After a few long moments of walking standing idly while she waited, Tetra glanced behind her, then around the corner to see that, thankfully, Dakai hadn't followed her. With Magister Street on her mind, the girl rolled her shoulder, where Ulysses was sitting, then trekked onward, moving through Stonebend to WoW - Mudgate.
Rill came back from the Red Ribbon Road and after making sure that Ferah was still with him, he started looking for the place the prostitute had described to him. (Orientation)
"I wonder if the youths we encountered earlier could be involved," Ferah thought aloud as she stopped next to Rill. She clenched her gauntleted fist at the memory of their insults. She almost hoped they would be where they were headed.
It wasn't hard for Rill to find the place the woman was speaking about, it was a dark, long alley which started barely a block from the brightly decorated entrance to the Red Ribbon Road. The entrance to the so called Dead End Street could not be more different. The alley was barely wide enough for four people to walk arm in arm and the stream of people which constantly moved around the Stonebend seemed to twist and turn to avoid the place. The only people who seemed to walk in were knaves and other dangerous looking folk, and it would be unwise to go in without being prepared for a fight.
"I wouldn't hope for that. It'd make my inquiries harder..." Rill stared at the alley with a disapproving eye and didn't particularly want to move any further. Still, it was there in front of him, he knew what he wanted and with Ferah, they might have even looked intimidating enough to fend off random harassers. "Yeah, that's seedy," he said to Ferah. "I'll just ask about that man." Rill wished they wouldn't get into a fight but didn't have his hopes up too high. He then headed into WoW - Dead End Street.
As Rill started making his way down the alley, Ferah readied herself for trouble. She followed the ranger by a couple of paces into WoW - Dead End Street.
Dakai had locked his apartment up tight before he set out. First things first he made sure there wasn't any suspicious behavior about before he tightened his belt. "Well time to work." He made his way down the road to WoW - The Clay Stairs.
Shah palanquins didn't often make their way all the way into Stonebend, but still, one came barreling down the central road, carrying Han Daiyu and the shadowsword Hiroshi from the WoW - Supplicant's Road. Under the young woman's instructions, the vehicle turned around a corner and was quickly at the door of Dakai Steelheart's appartment.
That was a surprisingly fast trip. Even though the bumps had jarred her leg it wasn;t anything Daiyu couldn't handle though she was a bit disappointed to see that the lights seemed to be off in the house. She made herself stand and climb out of the palanquin and approached the door where she rapped sharply on the dull wood. She could only hope that she had the right house... and that Dakai was home.
Hiroshi got off the palanquin after Daiyu, trying to help her whenever possible. As the young woman approached the door, the shadowsword kept one hand on the handle of his Dao, looking in all directions as if expecting an ambush. Stonebend belonged to no one, and that meant Shadowswords were not untouchable there as they were in the Majai Hath. After a few knocks, however, there was no answer from Dakai's home.
Well... that was disappointing. Daiyu nodded her thanks to Hiroshi for his assistance as she turned away from the empty apartment. She stayed silent for several moments as she tried to think of what to do. She couldn't let such an opportunity to escape her. Her face had smoothed into an emotionless mask to hide her disappointment but then it brightened as her dark eyes fell upon the man pulling the palanquin. She approached the older man and opened her mouth, "You have worked this city, correct?" She asked and smiled hopefully. "Do you know of any skilled doctors?"
Hiroshi crossed his arms in consternation and looked around for a bit. <"Aye, Gaosheng, I know surgeons and doctors, I've gotten cut more than once, or beaten within an inch of my life and needed their help... but no one that can heal a broken leg in one night..."> he answered with a sigh as he shook his head side to side. For a second, Hiroshi was quiet, as if doubting what he was about to say, but finally let it out, <"There... there may be someone. A pervasive rumor in the Bend... a shadow doctor, they call him. But it's dangerous, gaosheng.">
Daiyu felt her disappointment growing with each word Hiroshi uttered, at least until his final statement. "Can you take me there?" She asked assuredly. "I don't care for the risk." She finished as she waited for his answer expectantly. She fully expected him to take her, unused to her wishes being denied in most things.
Hiroshi sighed looked up at the dimming lights of the Royal city. The man seemed conflicted between his promise to help the fledgling Shadowsword and his desire to keep his head firmly attached to his neck. "Let's go, Gaosheng, but at the first sign of trouble, we're getting out of there" he continued. "The palanquin won't go there, so we'll have to walk. We are going to the Aranire Rahal, in the Majai Hath." he said as he grabbed a pair of cloaks from the back of the palanquin, handing one to Daiyu. "We'll have to cover our faces somehow, just keep your head low, Gaosheng." After that, the Shadowsword put the cloak around himself, taking care of hiding his blade, and paid the Palanquin driver. "Ready?" he asked simply, standing before the street that led back to Stonebend proper.
"Yes." Daiyu nodded quietly as she swung the cloak over her shoulders and brought the hood up to cover her face. His words made her a bit nervous. A place where a Shadowsword had to be careful? It was hard to imagine but nonetheless she picked up her crutches and followed after him.
Hiroshi nodded and put the hood of the cloak on, hiding his face. It seemed the mere fact of being a Shah could be troublesome where they were going, specially at 'night'. With that, and walking slowly so Daiyu would not be left behind, Hiroshi led the woman into the WoW - Nosu Rahal
With long, determined strides, Accalia purposefully made her way through the crowds, not bothering to slow or keep pace for Nadira to follow. Each step that brought her closer to WoW - Dead End Street however, also increased her doubt in this being a good idea. It wasn't particularly wise to go looking for a fight, though Cali wasn't prone to making what others would call wise decisions to begin with, and at this point she really couldn't back out for refusal to lose face in front of the snooty mixed-blood.
Walking along with Accalia, Nadira didn't actually have any sort of clue what it was she was walking into with this testy stranger, but she, like the woman she was following, certainly couldn't back down at this point, either. Thus, the young woman stepped onward to the WoW - Dead End Street, as well.
Clear of Wow – Dead End Street, the young ranger stopped to wait for her companions to catch up. She took the moment to take stock of her surroundings and remember which way they’d need to go to reach the surgeon in question. Rusul von Hobbes…. She knew him from reputation alone, a royally trained doctor whose unsavory habits had lead him to reside in the lower city, rather than a position befitting someone of his skill. They’d have to venture through Nosu Rahal, a less than ideal place to be dragging a severely wounded ranger, and then Loir Rahal, to reach Dev Rahal. Accalia was not much looking forward to heading into the Majai epicenter of the lower city, but it was this or leave Rill to tend to himself, which she now assumed would result in him bleeding out into a gutter.
Rill followed Cali and stopped for a moment to look for the best way. He sighed a little as the way felt a lot longer now than it really was.
Back in more open streets, Ferah felt more at ease but only because she had more room to swing her newly acquired blade. She missed the great two-handed weapon she'd donated to the kkala from the train when she'd procured the agents' shock gauntlet - as fine as it was, it would most likely work better against well armoured foes, not leather-clad louts. For that, you needed a sharp point. "What was the job you wanted help with?" she inquired of Cali, more to pass the time than from true interest.
Nadira kept a wary eye on Rill, wondering why the man wouldn't take any assistance when it seemed like he was just knocking on death's door a few moments ago. Well, she wasn't a doctor, she mused, but at least they were going to get him to one. She tried to recall whether or not she knew anything about Dev Ral (Memory), the place that the injured man had mentioned earlier, but tried to also keep an ear open as Ferah talked to Cali.
Post here
Accessible areas:
Walk back towards the WoW - Mudgate
Walk into WoW - Dead End Street
Go east and take a right to get to WoW - Dakai's Appartment
Walk Northeast to the WoW - Supplicant's Road
Walk Southeast to the WoW - Red Ribbon Road
Walk Northwest to WoW - The Clay Stairs
Walk Southwest to the WoW - Nosu Rahal
Back to:
WoW - Lower City Slums
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