CHOCOLATE DESTINY

When the woman and her guards are out of earshot another woman approaches Ali and his group from behind. "Excuse me, I couldn't help but overhear, but is it true that you and your men are for hire?

When they turn around to answer they see a well-endowed black haired, green eyed young woman standing, wearing a rather unusual dressthat somewhat stands out against her lightly tanned skin.

Before anyone can react, YET ANOTHER well-endowed woman sashays up to Ali, her even darker skin wrapped in a floral pattern Swaggafid style sarong. "OH MY GOD IT'S LIL' PRINCE ALI!!!" she screams in manic ecstasy. "BE MY BABY'S DADDY!"
With his pimp walk, the Lil' Prince had achieved a 3x Crunk Recruiting Combo, and his Spectacular Coterie strikes up the customary song and dance performance to celebrate the new additions to his personal harem.

Try as he might, Amos is unable to find Skuld. Instead he wanders to the front gate to check up on the status of guards.

She sloooowly stepls away from the group as they sing and dance. "Umm...whats going on?"

Ali is no slave to logic, but he is a slave to the beat. The Lil' Prince stomps his feet and hip thrusts in tempo, while pointing his finger to the sky.
"I'VE PASSED 100 BITCHES, BITCHES!" screams Ali, as he moves towards his future baby-mama.



When their bodies collide, Ali dry humps the second well-endowed woman (in the sarong), while attempting to bring the first well-endowed woman (in the unusual dress) into his undulating pelvis.

She shakes her head a clear look of discomfort on her face. "Sorry, I'll pass." Instead of doing something drastic, she chooses to wait until this is out of his system.

Gray stands close to the convulsing Ali, and makes sure that his voice is loud enough to be heard over Ali's internal "beat", whatever it might be.

"I think Estelle is right, though. This place does not seem to offer much in terms of opportunity, other than that of getting killed. Unless Sir Van Luft can glean anything into the nature of these beings, I think we best make our way to some place that has a better chance of giving us useful enterprise, like the capital."

After checking up on the status of the gate Amos ventures out towards the nearby slum.

Getting tired of waiting she speaks up. "Listen, I saw how you guys handled those monsters, and I want to hire you as my bodyguards." She pulls out a purse and opens it, pulling out several platinum and gold coins. "I can of course compensate you for services rendered."

@mos: Divergence Initiated https://churchofproz.forumotion.net/t1353-chocolate-destiny-famous-amos

The dance party is over. Ali tells the woman in the sarong to fall in with his Coterie for near-future baby-making.

He then turns to the second well-endowed woman, whose name is also unknown. "Well dat depends on where you tryna go. Me and mah crew were just talkin' to dis Estelle lady, and she's also hired us to accompany her to da city o' Domiente."

"What a coincidence, I'm heading to the capital as well. There is going to be a...gathering of sorts there, and I was invited to it."

"Sounds good, 'big-titties,' or do you go by anotha' name?"

She gives him a dry look, and replying in an equally dry tone. "Noire Greenheart, and you are?"

"Lil' Prince Ali, of da Swaggafid Kingdom, at yo' service Noiretorious BIG," says Ali, extending his foot in the respectful manner of Swaggafid royal address. "Looks like you and Estelle gon' be da boss ladies fo' the next couple days. But be warned, I gots ta travel fast to make mah deadline, so the goin's gon' be rough, nawmsayin?"

Ali looks up at the sun to determine the time that has passed after his sudden dance routine. "Now, we spose' ta meet Estelle at da North gate in an hour, but A.D. is still nowhere to be seen. Anyone know where dat man is?"

"Call me that again and you'll never be lucky again." She grumbles. "Anyway, who is this AD person?

(Swaggafid Kingdom...where have I heard that before.) Knowledge: world history check

The Swaggafid Sultanate is the supreme power of the western desert, one small country removed from where Noire grew up. It was founded of course by the legendary hero Fittypence who became the first of a long unbroken line of warrior kings. The Swaggafids are moderately involved in the slave trade, and yet are also quite an artistic people. They have crafted many works of calligraphy, wall murals, and vase paintings. Sailors the world over can be heard singing their sultry chants. It is all dedicated to the Swagger, the sinusoid rhythms of life, and to their rulers, who are the living embodiment of these ideals.

"Jackpot." She mumbles. (If anyone has the information I'm looking for it will be a royal family member.) A mischievous glint appears in her eyes as she starts getting ideas.

Ali glances quizzically at the "mischievous glint" in her eyes, while hoping that this one's hot/crazy ratio does not fall below 1.

"A.D. mah nigguh," says Ali, hoping that this will answer her question. He nods once to affirm the validity of this statement.

"Still doesn't answer my question. Who exactly is he, is his name AD, or is that what you call him."

"Shit, nigguh. If he had a full name, I ain't never used it. Don't know much about him 'cept that he ain't from Enarou either. He's got a longsword though."

"Well so much for me finding him that way then. Got anything of his?"

"OH DAT'S RIGHT! HE WENT LOOKING FOR SKULD," exclaims Ali, suddenly remembering.

"Is that their full name? Whatever, I'll try and find her." She seems to zone out for a few moments then regains her senses. "Sorry, I couldnt find anything for her, either she has no readable  fate I can find or..." She trails off not wanting to depress her employees.

"Anyway, my advice is to go where you last saw everyone, when parties have no plan they usually meet up where they first split up."

Lucas is tapping his foot, impatient.

"This is all well and good, Ali, but when will we get back to monster slaying and prince beheading? My trigger finger itches."

"Anyway..." She hands six platinum coins Prince Ali & Lucas (four to Ali and two to Lucas). "It's not much but get yourselves and your missing friend some gear for traveling, I wont have my bodyguards ill-equipped for the road, whatever is not spent keep. I'll be at the north gate in one hour." Saying her piece that she heads to her inn near the shanty town.

"Say, I don't reckon there is an arms dealer around here? Sir Prince, it may seem that your coterie had acquired some powder earlier, so it may be that there are firearms or at least heavy weaponry around here that we may acquire."

Gray looks inquisitively at the nearby locations that might house such weaponry.

"Good idea, Graybeard," says Ali, giving Lee Gray 2 platinum coins. "You, Daliu Ayime, and da Cook can go search for some heat. Me, Van Diesel, and mah Crew will look for A.D. If we don't find him in 15 minutes then we'll go to the north gate to meet both our employers."

Gray goes off and asks where the nearest weapons merchant, or blacksmith is, and then heads towards that location to negotiate.

Ali does not find his homeboy within the town walls. 10 minutes have elapsed.

Gray first goes to Blubash's Fine Arms and Armor. "Do I look like that kind a' dealer to you?" the smith growls, and shuts the door in his face. He must have had some beef with Gray in a previous life.
Gray is then directed to a warehouse close to the docks, where he meets a thin mustache man wearing a bandanna. "Ah, looking for explosive goods? You came to the right place." He leads Gray, Daliu and the cook into the warehouse past rows upon rows of crates to several tables in the back. Upon these tables rest several pistols, a pair of long barreled blunderbuss guns, and a small cannon. "Take your pick," he offers.

Gray rubs his chin thoughtfully.

"I suppose the only recourse would be to take them all, of course. Whats your offer?"

His eyebrows go up. "You want everything on the tables here? That will set you back about 50,000 gold rooks."

Gray performs a price appraisal to see if the stuff is actually work the 50k.

Gray has not dealt much in firearms, but he estimates the lot to have an actual fair market value of around 25,000 to 30,000 gold rooks. Which is still beyond the means he currently possesses.

"Alright, my good man, it seems that I must assure the quality of these goods before I make such a good investment, starting with, perhaps the pistol."

Gray takes enough money to purchase one pistol and gives it to the merchant.

"Don't worry, here's my down payment, and now I only need to test it out, with perhaps one or two powdered cartridges."

The dealer takes your money. "I hope you weren't planning to test it on me, because that's not going to happen. I'll show you it works myself." He loads a pistol and sets up a straw dummy. He takes aim, warning everyone to cover their ears, and pulls the trigger. A flash, and the dummy is knocked to the ground with a broken frame, bits of straw sent into the air from the impact.
The dealer hands the smoking gun to you. "Does that work for you?"

Gray smiles.
"I see, I see, and how bout that blunderbuss? After all you could be fooling me with your best pistol."

The dealer does not pick up the blunderbuss. "You only paid for the pistol. Show me the money and I'll show you the blunderbuss works too."

"Alright, alright. I am a servant under Estelle of Hylosiklon, and I'll be going to my master to inform her of my success here, and secure her approval for the entire purchase. Let me bring back the pistol and some ammunition to show my master."

After Gray bids the dealer farewell, he takes a nice medium length stroll outside, and drafts what looks to be an official letter of credit, along with his own seal on it for authenticity at first glance and takes it to the dealer.

As the dealer is reading the letter of credit, Gray pulls out the pistol he acquired earlier and shoots the dealer point blank in the head, careful to leave a similar pistol in the dealer's hands after the deal is done.

Afterwards, he makes away with the dealer's goods hidden in an empty powder keg, along with some legit kegs of ammo, and takes back his false document too.

Rolling for shot

The member 'Corenat Rovarnus' has done the following action : Dice Roll\'d

'fudge' :

Gray's plan barely succeeds, the dealer's face frozen in outrage as he falls dead to the floor. Gray leaves the dock area with the cook and Daliu.
"Is that man dead?" Daliu asks.
"Yes my son," the cook affirms.
"Why did you have to kill him?" Daliu asks Gray.

"Because," Gray smiles, choking back fake tears, "sometimes for the good of the many, the lives of the few must be sacrificed. That is the way of a hero."

The cook clearly sees that its complete bullshit, but Daliu is too young to do so. Instead, through his eyes shine a questioning light, pondering the meaning of being a true hero.

After obtaining the goods, Gray makes his way back to the party, and distributes the weaponry and ammo, he himself taking two pistols.

"Extra extra, don't feel bad about taking more than what you need, its not like I paid a lot for these."

"Oh, very good nigga!" exclaims Ali. He takes a pistol and 2 blunderbusses (so the Coterie can chain reload), and the cannon, and gives Daliu a pistol for himself, each person getting a pouch of ammo and powder. "We packin' some serious heat now, homies."

Since Amos is nowhere to be found, Ali and crew head to the North gate to meet Estelle and Noire.

At the north gate, the group finds Estelle watching six uniformed men and women loading up two covered wagons, with horses nearby waiting to be hitched. A man in white robes wearing glasses also waits nearby. "Ah, you're right on time," Estelle exclaims, "And what fearsome armaments you carry! I don't think we will have anything to fear on the road with you around. Is everyone ready to leave?"

She runs up to tbe north gate, pantng heavily when she stops. She has changed out if her dress, now wearing a set of leather armour (and to the prince's possible horror, her low Cs have been binded under her armour) and her shoulder length hair pulled back into a pony tail. On her back is a backpack holding her supplies, and below that a repeating crossbow.

"Sorry I'm late," She pauses to take a breath. "I got caught up gambling." She holds out a sack to Ali. "This is your guys payment for the job, all up front." When they open the sack they see 4k in golden rooks.

The north gate is a grand mirror of its shattered twin, imposing wood and iron doors framed in a sturdy stone wall over 30 feet high. These doors are open, admitting passage to the many wagons and pedestrians leaving the town. The packing is finished, and the eight horses are hitched. Each wagon is manned by three of Estelle's house servants, one holding the reins and the other two sitting on the back.
"Let's be off, then!" Estelle and the man in white climb into the forward wagon.
The handlers pull the reins, and the caravan proceeds through the gate onto the northern road. The shanty to the left of the road seems oddly deserted, when suddenly a chorus of growls echoes from the west.

A minute or two later, Amos runs out of the shantytown to the left.

Amos rushes up to the Coterie and urgently calls out for their attention:

"ALI! SKULD! YO [blood curdling cough] WAIT THE FUCK UP!"

Even from a distance it's obvious that Amos' shoulder is bloodied and that he is deathly worried about something.

Noire turns around and looks at the approaching man. "I take it this is that AD friend of yours?" When he gets closer her eyes widen slightly when she sees his wounded shoulder. "Oh my, what happened?." She asks when he gets closer.

"Ha .... ha .... ha .... more monsters .... coming .... in droves."

Amos leans against his knees and points to menacing horde behind him.