Post by Sire Halfblack on Aug 4, 2014 19:50:17 GMT
Juon IM 1003
It was one of those rarest of days in Deci when the clouds fled from the summer sun and for a scant few hours bright warmth fell upon the dirty streets and drove the shadows from alleyways which lived in such uniform darkness the rest of the year that fungi clustered wetly upon the old walls. Many of the citizens were even seen to smile as they peeled off the outer layers of the thin garments that locally took the place of thicker garments, a dozen such thin garments taking the place of two thicker ones. Pale faces blinked at the summer whilst thieves, assassins and drow muttered in the taverns and houses that pulled thick and ancient curtains into place across dirty yellow windows in response to the assault.
The city was far older than the Empire but never had it been grand for like the attention of unwanted ancestors the settlement leaned upon itself in an conglomeration of styles of architecture that were only uniform in the dirt, soot and grime that was now only evident in the summer sun and to the eyes of those transients to whom the sight was anything other than normal.
Deci was a vibrant place though, as alive as a vagrant’s blanket and easily as infectious in both temperament and disease. Not that plague rent the city more than any other but the people could be easily identified as being local as much by their coughs and boils as by their layered clothing and gaunt, white faces.
And the people were gaunt for they were, as always, hungry. Food was always a problem for Deci for it was sighted in a rough, rocky part of the Empire were the climate was hardly well suited for agriculture. Indeed, there were far more citizens in the settlement than dwelt without under the auspice of the Council. Food was savaged from the soil and the stringy cattle but it was hardly sufficient for such a settlement. Many people, seeing the prices being asked, thought it likely that their Council would soon take advantage of such a thing.
Anath certainly. Although the citizens had a lot of respect for the trading Councillor it was wisely said that the skinny man could tell the value of a grull by the sound it made when being folded. This, of course, was considered a good thing by the citizens of the closely built city. After all, it had been his leadership that saw so many of them actively employed now. A year or so ago most of the people simply turned up and did what they could for a few grulls now there were businesses in the city and so long as they weren’t attacked by greedy mercenaries then the people were generally content that things could be worse.
And they trusted the Council. At least, they did at the moment. The people of Deci liked to see an active Council and so long as they saw lots of initiatives being performed and structures springing up like autumn weeds on every street then they would continue to mutter their respect for the hard men of the Council.
If not… then it was not unknown for the people to show their displeasure where it hurt the most. And taxation, or the lack of it, would certainly cause most of the council to sit up and notice. Build! It was the Deci way. It may fall down in a years time but was all part of the city's rich tapestry. And the people loved it. Stagnation, it seemed, was the worst of social crimes in Deci.
All this Scuttler saw as he walked about the city. He had not been here recently and he disliked what he saw, affirming the wisdom of his absence. He hated the councillors and their grovelling lackeys and under his arm, kept secure in a clay pot, were the glowing coals that would make his presence felt.
Beyond the city, within the village of Fryer’s Held, Jander watched Woegrimm and the warrior shouted to the night determination just as Selgard plunged his knives deep into his back. The warrior grunted and fell to one knee even as his attacker jumped quickly back. His mental trickery had been rebuffed by the power of the shout and he had no wish to engage in things further. Jander meanwhile had slapped the warriors shield to one side and began to hack at his shoulders and head until the warrior fell to the ground before him.
Neither of those present had wanted to do this but each had considered that the ends justified the means. Oh, they dressed in up in greater finery than that but…
“Is he dead?” Selgard called from the darkness.
“Yes.” Jander nodded.
Yes…” said another voice from the corpse and Woegrimm’s body twisted sharply, bones snapped in the limbs and it was steadily till it hung above the Governor of Deci. The jaw elongated till the jaw broke also and Jander, stunned, stood open mouthed at what he saw…
By Alan Morgan (CI5V7)