RP (non-canon): D&D Post Mission 1: Changing of the Guard

Once the duo reached the market are the business of the city became apparent. The market was crammed with people trying to buy discounted goods. The sound of vendors yelling out advertisements could be heard above the bustle of the crowd.

Talarin looked around in interest. He walked from stall to stall observing and appraising various items. He would place them back after a moment or two, moving on to the next item that caught his eye.

As the pair walked they came to a rather large stand where a man was selling general items. Most traveler's gear could be found there from rations to lanterns to some basic types of armor and weapons.

Talarin quickly found some easy supplies to replenish his own travel supplies. He also found a well worked leather collar that fit around Joanna's neck. He quickly paid for the items and turned back to his companion. "I found everything I need. Let's head back to the Inn." he said fixing the leather collar around Joanna's neck. She seemed to be intrigued by this strange sensation.

"Alright," the dwarf grunted over at the mage. "It's just back that way." He motioned back to the other side of the square and started walking that way. "And don't dally too long, I'd like some rest!"

Talarin nodded as he followed the dwarf backto the Inn. As he got back, he went up to his room after ordering some dinner. He promptly ate and went to sleep.

Ghira had spent the entire day attending to his studies and as such was in bed at a reasonably early time.

When morning came, the duo of mages had the opportunity to wake themselves up as they pleased. Once they left their room they would find that the dwarf had been downstairs for quite a while.

"Good morrow. . ." Greeted a yawning Ghira as he emerged from the upstairs. Walking over to the dwarf, he asked, "I trust you slept as well as I did?"

"Well enough. So we be heading out? Or is there something ye fellas wanted to take care of before we leave?" The dwarf didn't even look up from his newspaper as he said this. He took a quick sip from a very steamy mug and set it back down, continuing to read.

"Ready to leave when you are." a bright and happy voice said followed by Talarin's form. He smiled widely as he reached the pair.

"The sooner we leave, the sooner we arrive at the Capital," Ghira informed them in his usual calm manner, gripping his staff and proceeding out the door. Outside, he waited for his companions before going any further.

The dwarf grunted and walked out of inn, returning the now empty mug and the newspaper to the innkeeper. Once outside he motioned to the pair to follow and then led them towards the outskirts of town. Once the group had arrive the dwarf pointed down one of the paths. "It be a few days journey from here, the roads will get a little nicer as we get closer, but expect more traffic."

"The more traffic, the less likely bandits will attack. Let us move as swiftly as possible," Ghira instructed the others, taking long strides down the indicated path.

Talarin kept up the the pace with Ghira. "Sounds good to me." he said walking next to Ghira.

They group reached the capitol city in the late morning of the fourth day. The lights from the city could be seen from their campsite the night before, giving some explanation as to the size of the city. When they arrived a guard stopped them at the gate, as the guards were with everyone else. After a quick conversation with Eberk he waved them through and they continued into the city.

Drakeshire City was a massive metropolis, built in a very mathematical and square fashion. All the roads ran straight north-south or east-west. The roads heading north-south were labeled my number, first street through 26th streets, while the east-west roads were labeled by the alphabet, Amnon through Zula. The buildings stretch stories into the sky with three layers of walkway connecting the higher levels of the buildings.

The walkways were wide enough to allow two people to pass each other without a problem, and the walkways ran parallel to the roads, creating an entirely new layer of roads above the already existing ones. From where the adventurers were they could tell that the higher up the layers were, the cleaner and more luxurious looking they were. Each layers was three stories above the last and the buildings stood anywhere between one and three stories above the top layer, and thus each building was anywhere between 10 and 12 stories tall.

At each street corner a two-foot thick pole ran vertically, ending two stories above the top layer. Each one of these poles was glowing, and it was clear that their intent was to light city at night, which would explain the light that the adventurers saw the night before.


"Welcome to Drakeshire City!" The dwarf grunted. "This place gives meaning to the term of underground crime. The wealthiest of people live in the top layer of the city, the middle class and merchants live in Layer 3, the laborers and lower class usually lives in Layer 2, and the lowest layer is considered public land, or at least that's what they called it in the old days. Now it's run by crime syndicates that the guard usually ignore because the only buildings down here are old and deserted residences, some very small shops, and public facilities since the laws require and public buildings to encompass all layers. As long as they don't do anything to disturb the above life, nobody really cares. In the city center is the most massive merchant arena you could ever find. If there is something to be purchased, it would be here. Our friend that we search for lives in the slums somewhere on the rear of town, near the base of the palace."

Talarin was looking around in amazement. "The buildings, they're all so big...." he said not knowing what else to say as he gaped. "People actually live up that high?" he asked the dwarf.

"Yeh, if ye can afford it." The dwarf looked up at the buildings, clearly familiar to the site. "Basically, if you family has any kind of extremely vast wealth and wants to live by other rich people, this is where ye be coming. It's not as impressive as you may think. Most of the buildings be residential types, the only real shops are in the market district, and you may find a few corporations stationed around here. This city has been centuries in the making, starting with just the first layer. Not having much room to expand since it's backed up to lake, they built up. There's some decent magic holding these things up, along with some really good metallic work."

"Then let us find shelter for the evening. I need rest and time to make myself presentable to the ruling class." Ghira told them, looking for the nearest way up. "Now if I recall correctly, there was a fine inn somewhere up a floor. Or perhaps two floors. I will recognize it when I see it."

The pale humanoid finally found his way to a public stairwell and began his ascent, mumbling something in Roushoum as he made it onto the second layer.

The dwarf glanced at the sun when Ghira mentioned a spot to sleep, but shrugged his shoulders, figuring it was a cave-dweller thing. Eberk followed him around, having a pretty good idea where he was going. Once the group reached the third layer they crossed about halfway across the city, finding their destination at roughly 4th and Liliam (1st Street is in the south towards the lake, Amnon is to the West). Once inside, someone sitting behind a fairly nice-looking desk smiled and greeted them.

"Welcome! Oh, Eberk, it's you. I see you've found a new group, much to my pleasure. It's been quite some time." The clerk walked over and gave Eberk a quick arm-clasped hand shake before returning to his seat. "The usual for you and your companions I presume?"

"Yeh, one for each." Came the response from the dwarf. Without paying, he took one of the keys that the receptionist had pulled out and went off down the left hallway to his room. The receptionist pulled out two more keys which he left on the desk before heading into a backroom.