So, level 3.
Time to hit the Grand Bazaar!
The party was already in the Market Ward, so it seemed silly to leave before shopping around a bit. But they wanted to go do some other stuff. No problem, I can meet them at the edge of the Hive!
During the wander around, Loge bought a hot sausage for himself and a talking dog. His name was Bounder, and he seemed to be reincarnated somehow. He’s living in the Happy Hunting Grounds but was back in the Cage on an errand. He was good for a conversation and suggested the Godsmen would be a good source of portal knowledge.
A particularly sullen looking dwarf was haggling with a Bariaur over horseshoes (goatshoes?), and when that ended Loge had a chat. It seems that Thurgi is all too happy to talk shop with someone who appreciates craftsmanship, and now Loge has an invitation to Thurgi’s workshop to check out his masterwork weapons and have a brew.
One gnomish craftsman was being hassled by pixies, and using a carefully placed blue flame spell Loge was able to distract them long enough for the man to tidy up his pitch.
Ruskin Fudge is an artisan of clockwork animals (they even make the sounds!) but he was set up in the middle of the Bazaar and not having much luck selling his wares. He was fresh through the gate from a town no one’s ever heard of called Erdlafoo… but Loge knows an Erdlafoovian halfling businessman from his trip to Arcadia, so that was a nice connection to make.
Fudge’s prices were pretty steep for novelty toys and he was very new to Sigil so had no idea what else to do. Loge pointed him towards City Hall and a permit to sell his wares in the Lady’s Ward, where any clientele might have the jink to spare for his toys.
He might be a useful contact later on, but for now, he’ll be found staying at the Yawning Rat in the Market Ward.
Lastly, whilst picking up various pieces of food for the street kids in the Hive to be bribed with, Loge made the acquaintance of Habib, a simple businessman who had similar tastes in wares – based on his pattern of following Loge around.
A quick conversation about the lack of a faction affiliation after years of living in Sigil suggests a bit more going on.
The last thing to do before leaving the Market is to track down Lissandra, the portal nerd who keeps all their details in the big book of hers. And she’s pretty happy to trade them too.
She’s down an alley in the Markets, staring at a wall. Because of course.
After a bit of barter and a bribe of an apple, Loge has the location of a portal to Automata and knows the portal key is a set of tiny scales.
Then the new portal opens. Seems it goes to Torch, a gate town in the Outlands. The purple-skinned merchant who came through seems greedy enough but accepts the suggestion of a good tout and directions to Boarding House #3. Now, off to the Hive!
Aaaand, they’ve already been and gone. The street kids tore into the fruit and bread and cheese and dried meats and mixed nuts and deep-fried crickets, and then spilt the beans.
The party had been on the way to the meeting point when they’d got lost in the Hive and been attacked by an ooze disguised as a puddle.
Once they got out of that situation, they ended up being carted off by a patrol of Bleakers – who were looking for them! Seems they had some information they were supposed to report back on but completely forgot? (This was all before Loge showed up, so who knows.)
It’s probably connected to what they were mixed up in though – people in the Dustmen’s Dead Book coming back to life somehow. Probably something to look into… Oh no, Bounder? Hmmm…
They managed to find their way back into the Hive, confront the Chainmasters in their little gang pub (didn’t wait for Loge, I wasn’t gone that long was I?) and now they’ve decided Boarding House #3 is too dangerous and they need to up sticks.
Well, Loge only knows they’ll be headed back to the boarding house, so that’s where he goes.
Throwing the last of his fire fruit to Reefy, Loge mentions the merchant from Torch and suggests maybe a jink or two as a garnish for pointing him in the right direction, which Reefy is only too happy to oblige.
The rest of the party has grabbed their things and is ready to move on to a new kip – the Yawning Rat! Could have told me, or waited, or something. Oh well, a night’s rest before heading to Magic Marvin’s store is in order.
Fudge failed to sell any of the party his toys even with Loge helping with the pitch. I suppose that’s what happens when there’s no money to pay for them!
Magic Marvin has come up with an antidote for the scary poison the Formian’s are stuck with – but he needs some pure chaotic essence to craft it. He needs someone to go to Limbo and get some… Oh no.
On the way to the Infinite Staircase (who needs portals apparently?), Loge picks up a couple of sets of tiny scales so he can drop the book off to its owner for some Jink next time he’s in Sigil.
Whenever that will be…
The party seem bothered by all the shopping I’m doing. But I got them some deals on spells and magic items and masterwork weapons, and a couple of other contacts… I tried!
The Lilendi of the Staircase are happy to help since the poison can potentially affect them also, and usher the party to Limbo, and find a guide for them too.
The guide is a strange man called the Count who mumbles numbers quietly between talking, but who are we to judge? He gives us two options for where to go – a Githzerai monastery or a temple with a solitary inhabitant. I voted temple but was outvoted.
Whilst we’re walking through the unformed chaos of Limbo, across a hastily imagined bridge, a squealing noise announces the arrival of a giant boar, covered in eyes and tentacles.
Yup, not sure what it is either, but hopefully we’ll survive?
The Count is almost killed in the first attack, gored by tusks and wailed by tentacles! He’s rapidly healed up.
Our Tempest cleric almost dies instantly to the second attack…
And then we cliffhanger for two weeks! Uh oh!
jot jot ïota 