I dubbed my best attempt as a spellslinger - except for the crossbow, and headed over to his armory. It was quite a fright and was lookin' like a place for brain-eatin' undead yet I strutted inside and over to a young dwarf. He quickly got Cha-kan and I properly introduced myself...well, as Gavin that is. I had a last minute change of plans and felt a bit of reservation was in order. He done and dragged me back to the Black Sails without more than a half a dozen words. Once there, we snagged a small secluded booth. The grim looking knobhead then questioned me a bit about where I was from and what I was doing. He reminded me a bit of Captain Lasur - coming off hard on the outside. I could see, however, underneath it all, he had a few nice bones left in that scrawny body of his and wanted to help, at least at the time I think he did. Hard to say now, all things considered.

Cha-kan started off explaining a bit of the local coinage. He claims there are 4 basic types - a copper "bit", a small rusted warm circle called an "inferno", a silver wagon looking disk dubbed a "cage", and a marble glowing coin referred to as a "divine". He also said that there was a fifth type but it is rare and valuable, made of solid gold and called the "Lady." He said I'd never have any. Pessimist. I'll bet I snag a pair before I leave his company.

Right about then, this barmaid comes over and starts up a conversation. Cha-kan refers to her as Atina and the little tramp gets all cozy like to him. He tosses her a "cage" for some info and she spooges like a popped barnacle with all kinds of gossip. She does mention though, that one of the rooms upstairs that is typically reserved for years has a new client in it. She describes the room and its where I'm staying. She didn't recognize me so I threw her a cage and pumped her for all the info she can snag - especially who the originally renter is and how long the reservation is for. Its risky but I wanted to know if I had to get a new room and when.

Atina leaves and Cha-kan starts up a storm of chatter centered around my crossbow ability. Now I find myself quite a fair shot and say so and he agrees to drag me along to some friend he has to meet. Seemed innocent enough even if he does keep referring to me as "Clueless".

Wandering though the crowd, hot on Cha-kan's tail, we slam though reefs of people until we exit the smoggy sulphur layer dubbed "The Hive". This new one has a light haze, filled with fresh smelling steam, yet no ocean, lake or even a pond. Soon, we wander up to another bar- type place with a big sword and a buckler on the front. Its called "The Sword and Buckler" - who woulda guessed? Cha-kan boldly pounds through the door and keelhauls me over to a table. I scan the crowd and feel much more confident in my meager disguise.

Unnatural hair color is "in". There are bright greens, florescent pinks and glowing oranges. Styles are spiked, shaved and even waved into what looks like a great sea urchin. Even facial hair is formed and bent into the will of the wearer. Clothes are colorful and gaudy and I bet even the tables stand out more than my own drab garb. It does, however, give me some great ideas for future disguises.

Cha-kan sits next to this strange human named Tarsticks. He even is polite enough to introduce me as Gavin though refers to me yet again as Clueless. I know he's taken a shine to me though, as a captain would his cabinboy. I'll keep my fingers crossed that Cha-kan is also like Captain Lasur and doesn't want to bugger his 'workers' like some captains I've heard about. Back to Tarsticks; he is a strange enough fellow, dressed in leathers. He has an unusual Swooping Orange Dragon sewn into his armor and a bow at his side.

I hunkered down like the dead into my cloak and listened with all my ears. Knowledge is power. Tarsticks talks about some war in the streets. He say its the Indepths against the Hard-heads. He refers to Cha-kan as being an independent and in the Doomguard. Apparently, these are three factions of sharks-knows how many different gangs. Well, Tarsticks then talks about the balance of power shifting. Some fatal plague is striking down Indepths faster than a enraged sea serpent. Its not hitting any others though. He thinks is magical. I smell a rat. Either way, let 'em go down, a new group will take their place just as bad. Power struggles have that natural habit of evening 'emselves out. I've seen it first hand just a few too many times.

Just then a 'rat' struts over to our table. She's about 5'3" with flaming red hair, amber eyes and ivory skin. I'd imagine if I was into that thing she woulda been a turnon. Instead, she comes off as gaudy. Typical gang floozy. She's got a gold brooch, though its probably fake and a half a dozen red gold hoop earrings in her left ear. Her right has a chain ring in it. She says her name is Lilah and that she just "trea-gated" here from "Burg". Cha-kan snorted and said its not even a city. The real problem with the floozy is she has a forked tail like a devil. I knew I shoulda made more out of it but there was no way to get up and scram without getting mulched by Tarstick's longbow and offending Cha-kan. Right then I needed a few allies. I'd hesitate to call Cha-kan a friend and if I had my head on right I woulda left. He brought me nothing but trouble since then. Anyway, Tarsticks says she is an Indepth. She does have that symbol of the orange dragon imbedded on her side. Come to think of it, Cha-kan has those funny skulls on his head, same as the armory skull's design - and it does sound like it fits the description of a "Doomguard". Sounds like the Factions are a bit obvious in their displays of turf and allegiance. Mental Reminder: Start studying various symbols, draw a few pictures and sew a few brooches. Might make finding allies and cutting turf easier in the long run.

Lilah takes one look at me and gets real nervous. Apparently, in the firelight my skin gives off just too much of a sheen and with the rumors of the plague flying around, I could find myself burned to a crisp. Mental note: Put less cream on and more powder. I distract her by giving her the drink I was staring at but afraid to sip - it bubbled and hissed and even ate a small hole in the table. She accepts it and that seems to satisfy her.

Tarsticks talks about her being an Indepth messenger and Cha-kan being able to help, along with my sniping ability. Granted, I am a bit lost, but it sounds like a hit. I'm about ready to ask the payment when Tarsticks gets all bent over a pair of mercs in the corner. I do a quick lipread for him and it mollifies him some and Cha-kan even refers to me as Gavin for once. I think I caught him off guard and impressed him. They think I've got good ears. Good. Let 'em. Might keep 'em honest when they chatter about me. Tarsticks then tells me to keep watching the backdoor and shoot anyone that comes in. While I keep one eye on the door and one on our table, Tarsticks again gets all upset. I gaze back at the front door and see six Red Guards coming in. Its trouble for sure. They're headed for us and demand to arrest Tarsticks and his companions. I'm not happy.

Tarsticks leaps up, snatches his bow and tosses an amulet to Lilah. He burbles something about a doorway. He also tells us to get out. As we start to bolt I recognize the leader guard as the one that keeps hounding me. We exchange bolts though his is a heavy and mine is a light. Mine hits solid in his chest though I know he'll live as the armor absorbed the most of it.

Well, the three of us high-tail it out the back with Tarsticks pulling cover for us. Six of the red guards are hot on our heels as I unleash a bag of marbles on the floor between us. Shoulda slowed 'em down some. I don't know as at that point we shoulda gone through the door but we never did.

The floozy's tail wrapped around me and I was hit by a bright light. I suspect we 'gated' somewhere. Somewhere bad. Real bad. The sky is dark crimson and starless. The air is dense with the scent of sulfur. We are standin' in the center of a blasted rocky plane. Loud booms and waves of flame fly around the sky. We are perched in the center of a black pentagram with three other bein's. The first of which is a human, richly dressed with golden boots and a white hat - he looks like the opposite of Cha-kan. He truly looks clueless. The second is another human though he is wearin' black-weaved coveralls with a funny lookin' gray coat. He's got white hair and dark skin and though I have never seen one, fits the image of a drow elf to the 't'. The third is a small 3' tall spiny imp with a pitch fork. I woulda shot him right off the bat, just on principle but I hear Cha-kan mumble in a heartless way we are in Be-a-or. I ask what the shark's spooge that is and Lilah tells me its one of the layers of hell. The actual place. To make matters worse, I nearly go hysterical as I see Lilah pull back her hair and spot a pair of small horns on her. I've been dragged to hell by a devil - Cha-kan's readin' couldn't have been more accurate and if I had to bet, I'd say he set me up. Though if he did, he's doin' a hell of an actin' job at bein' upset and pissed off.