It's In My Belt




[We begin in the main room of Allanak's popular tavern, the Gaj.  The
room is fairly full, even though the hour is roughly high sun.  Our
hero has decided to take a moment from his busy schedule to gawk at
the women, when a member of the militia approaches him about a pair
of knives.  This account is taken from the point of view of
'the figure in a black sandcloth hood.']

The Gladiator and the Gaj Tavern -- Main Room [NES]
   This common room composes the bulk of the Gladiator and the Gaj
Tavern, a bustling establishment founded in the Year of Suk-Krath's
Defiance of the 19th age.  A cacophony of sounds fills the inn, from the
busy murmur of the many merchants that frequent the location to the 
howling of the crowd, greeting the arriving news of the latest arena 
fight, to the drunken while of the hundreds of commonfolk that have made
the place famous.  Stout wooden beams support the panelled roof of the 
room, each bearing many drawings carved by the patrons of the tavern.  A
baobab-wood bar dominates the western side of the room, the shelves 
behind it supporting the weight of many alcoholic beverages.  Wood and
stone tables with matching chairs are strewn all over the chamber in 
clusters as to allow waiters and waitresses to circulate with ease.  A
raised platform has been erected in the northeastern corner for the
messengers and hawkers hired by the establishment that relay the latest
news from the arena.  
   To the north, a scarred tarp of carru hide leads out onto the busy
Caravan Way.  Flickering yellow and orange light spills out from the
southern room of the tavern, where the meals are prepared and where
travellers may roast their raw meat for free.  Eastwards lies the public
sleeping area, while a door lies behind the bar, most likely a back 
room.
A wall here is designated as a message board.
The sleek, ebon-skinned elven woman rests on the ledge, seeming quite
   lazy.
The short, red-eyed dwarf is sitting at a bare agafari table.
The very short figure in a long, hooded aba of black sandcloth is sitting
   at a bare agafari table.
The silky-haired, blue-eyed girl is sitting at a narrow cylini table.
The muscular, auburn-haired man is standing here.
The towering, golden-haired half-giant is here, crouched beside a table.
The muscular, blue-skinned elf smiles silently as he looks around here.
The hairy, dark-skinned woman watches the room from beside the bar here.
The lean, sun-reddened woman laughs as she talks at a large table here.
A dark-skinned human barkeep stands behind the bar.
The brutally-scarred orange dwarf sits here at a table, drinking heavily.
The angular, silver-eyed man is here, leaning casually against a wall.

You say to the muscular, auburn-haired man, in sirihish:
     "I sold 'em."

At a narrow cylini table, you overhear the muscular, auburn-haired man
   say in sirihish:
     "A moment."

The muscular, auburn-haired man pushes off of an agafari chair and rises
   to his feet.

The figure in a black sandcloth hood unfolds his arms and lifts them in
   calm defense.

The muscular, auburn-haired man smirks, gesturing to you as he moves
   closer.

His voice a vocal amble, you say to the muscular, auburn-haired man, in
   sirihish:
     "Hey, I just sold 'em when you said to keep 'em."

The sleek, ebon-skinned elven woman watches, a slight smirk forming.

The very short figure in a long, hooded aba of black sandcloth looks up at
you as he is distracted by the commotion..

The muscular, auburn-haired man whispers to you in sirihish:
     "Well, I told you to keep them after you took them without telling me
I'd have to pay, elf.  Not wise.  You are not immune, as you suppose."

The muscular, auburn-haired man subdues you, despite your attempts to
   struggle away.

The short, red-eyed dwarf looks up at you.

The silky-haired, blue-eyed girl turns to watch the very short figure in a
   long, hooded aba of black sandcloth, as she chews on her ocotillo bulb.

The muscular, auburn-haired man walks north, dragging you behind him.

[Our hero acts passively as he is brought onto the streets, keeping his
feet in motion to avoid any injury and the participation of other
soldiers on the busy road outside.]

Shuffling along willingly, you ask, in sirihish:
     "Not anymore, eh?"

The muscular, auburn-haired man says, in sirihish:
     "You never were, elf."

[Contrary to our hero's assumptions, the soldier turns off the busy Caravan
Way and into the Allanaki magicker's quarter.  Brought up the stairs, our
hero is directed through a hallway to a small room.]

The muscular, auburn-haired man walks south, dragging you behind him.
Small Room in the Barracks [N]
This appears to be a small room within the barracks of Vivadu's temple.
Stout stone walls protect this room from the crime of the outside city,
as does the stout wooden door that seals the chamber off.  The walls
have been painted a deep, calming blue, the principal color of Vivadu,
and a small mural covers the southern wall.
	An old, weather-beaten chest has been set firmly against the wall.
The muscular, auburn-haired man stands here, holding you.

The figure in a black sandcloth hood glances over his shoulder.

The muscular, auburn-haired man closes the door.

The muscular, auburn-haired man draws a jade-emblazoned, obsidian longsword.

The muscular, auburn-haired man lifts the tip of his jade-emblazoned,
   obsidian longsword to your neck.

The muscular, auburn-haired man asks you, in sirihish:
     "Now...are you prepared to reimburse me, elf?"

The figure in a black sandcloth hood half-shies away, lips quirking to the
   side.

Absently, you say, in sirihish:
     "Yeah, shit.  I got some sids in my belt."

The muscular, auburn-haired man nods, lowering the tip of his
   jade-emblazoned, obsidian longsword slightly.

The muscular, auburn-haired man releases you, and you immediately move away.

The figure in a black sandcloth hood backs away, slowly reaching into
   his belt.

In a leather knife belt (used) :
a thin-bladed bone knife
a pile of coins
a couple of black-dyed bone throwing knifes

You get a thin-bladed bone knife from a leather knife belt.
It is very light.

You brandish the knife.

You unsling a dujat-tooth longknife from your back.

You're now wanted!
The muscular, auburn-haired man parries your attack.
The muscular, auburn-haired man parries your attack.

You deftly parry the muscular, auburn-haired man's attack.
Ow - the muscular, auburn-haired man caught you with a new pair of
   anakore-claw gloves.

The muscular, auburn-haired man draws a jade-emblazoned, obsidian
   shortsword.

[Our hero uses this spare moment to turn a knife from his belt on the
soldier!  A messy fight breaks out, resulting in very little relative
success for our hero, but another chance to escape.  He pushes open
the door.]

Ok.

Hallway [NSWD]
This is a wide hallway, built to accomodate many people passing
through in comfort.  A brilliant blue rug runs down the center of
the hallway, embroidered with gold symbols of vivadu.  The walls
are also filled with golden script and pictures that pay homage to
the element of water.
  To the north and south lie small rooms, where the priests and
priestess's of vivadu live.
You flee head over heels.

[Rounding the corner, the elf ducks into the nearby room to the
west, readying his dagger to strike at the soldier's vitals.]

You search for a good place to hide.

You attempt to hide yourself.
The muscular, auburn-haired man has arrived from the south.

The muscular, auburn-haired man walks down.

You don't see that person here.

[As if expecting it, the soldier leaves down the stairs, and our hero
takes a deep breath.]

You look at a thin-bladed bone knife and sigh.

You hold the longknife.
You brandish the knife.

Down below is Lobby of the Vivaduan Barracks.
[Near]
A short, plump man stands in the chamber, watching passersby.

You stop using a thin-bladed bone knife.

A thin-bladed bone knife would work well for skinning.
A thin-bladed bone knife seems to be a stabbing weapon.
A faint, shiny sheen overlies a thin-bladed bone knife.

[Our hero's keen eye picks up an ample supply of poison on his knife;
contrary to his hopes, none of his attempts struck home.]

You brandish the knife.

[Patience.]