"This place is wrong. So many things are wrong. They have gone so far as to wrong the land. It is so deep." Wolf said in a sort of groggy way, his mind being scattered by the sensory input. The journey to the Smoking Lamp was filled with the mass of fur and muscle not being able to go in a straight line, disoriented with every step that he took.

The Smoking Lamp Inn matched its name very well. The walls were covered in lamps that were burning a unique fuel that gave off more smoke than they were meant to, while the smell of food shot out from the kitchen. It was mainly meats with the faint smells of alcohol and fruit, and the occasion yell was not foriegn to the kitchen.

"A room is 10 gold a night." Said the innkeep as he saw R'Nieth nearing the counter. Soron stood outside the door, knowing that he didn't deal with the drunks very well. Nor did he take his alcohol peacefully, as it brought on rage for him and he didn't know why.

"This place is wrong. So many things are wrong. They have gone so far as to wrong the land. It is so deep." Wolf said in a sort of groggy way, his mind being scattered by the sensory input. The journey to the Smoking Lamp was filled with the mass of fur and muscle not being able to go in a straight line, disoriented with every step that he took.

The Smoking Lamp Inn matched its name very well. The walls were covered in lamps that were burning a unique fuel that gave off more smoke than they were meant to, while the smell of food shot out from the kitchen. It was mainly meats with the faint smells of alcohol and fruit, and the occasion yell was not foriegn to the kitchen.

"A room is 10 gold a night." Said the innkeep as he saw R'Nieth nearing the counter. Soron stood outside the door, knowing that he didn't deal with the drunks very well. Nor did he take his alcohol peacefully, as it brought on rage for him and he didn't know why.

R'Nieth was happy to pay the gold, he handed over 30 gold, intending to stay for a couple of days. He was about to complain about the sudden lack of Soron's presence, but was not put off, for he had his own worries. R'Nieth understood what it meant to have to worry about someone else's problems, so he would not pester him on the subject.

"Thank you very much. Where do I head to?" R'Nieth saw the clerk point to the corner of the room, where there seemed to be a winding hall that had a stack of staircases. R'Nieth was handed a key and an envelope, the envelope seemed wrapped in a peculiar way. Which R'Nieth did not have time to examine.

"Hold on Wolf, your going to be ok." R'Nieth half dragged, half carried Wolf into the hall. He had looked at the key then, that was in his supporting hand. It read 312. Wolf would have to be carried up three flights. R'Nieth decided to call upon his inherent animal strength. He took a moment to breath, at the bottom of the stair case. He drew upon his strength, able to now pick up 10 times his weight, temporarily. He used it all, picking wolf and the heavy pack up, onto his shoulder. He climbed the stairs three at a time. The further up going, the farther away from sound they seemed to get. The smells were still strong. But they may be do to the random filth, sex and grossness happening in the halls and on the stairs, drugs being administered to patrons.

R'Nieth reach the 3rd floor and walked down the hall. He noticed the pack that Wolf had on was touching the ceiling, he could do nothing about it. But he reached the room 312. After a winding walk and confusing roaming of 2 minutes time. He put Wolf back into the original position on his side so they could fit through the door. R'Nieth opened the door, expecting filth to the ceiling. But he was surprised to see a neatly cleaned room, with enough room to fit a troll in. The place was rather big. R'Nieth would wonder about this later, realizing that their was two beds. He placed Wolf onto it, after removing his pack.

R'Nieth looked at the sweating Wolf, he used his small affinity for the elemental magic he had towards water and gathered the sweat into a ball above his fist. R'Nieth went in to the next room where there was a bathroom. He dropped it into the contraption that seemed to have water filled already into it....that was weird. R'Nieth hurried back. He saw Wolf still as rock, R'Nieth performed a healing spell, and coated the room with a shield. Much like the one he used for thier camp. The smells stopped being so strong, and the sound even dampened. This should help. R'Nieth went to work on getting to food prepared, some soup would do well.

R'Nieth started preparing soup, using his pack utensils and wear to assemble it.

R'Nieth looked at the envelope that was handed to him, he had dropped it where he threw the keys on the counter next to him near the bed. He would observe that later.

Now able to think without complete and utter pain, Wolf began to slowly awaken off the bed, grabbing for his bow immediately. The patting from his hand was followed by a thump from when he fell, still slightly disoriented, barely standing up. Wolf placed his hand upon the wall as the haze continued to lessen, freeing him from its grasp.

"I think coming here might have been a bad idea. Unless you would happen to have a viperrose leaf." Wolf stated, staring off into the wherever.

Now able to think without complete and utter pain, Wolf began to slowly awaken off the bed, grabbing for his bow immediately. The patting from his hand was followed by a thump from when he fell, still slightly disoriented, barely standing up. Wolf placed his hand upon the wall as the haze continued to lessen, freeing him from its grasp.

"I think coming here might have been a bad idea. Unless you would happen to have a viperrose leaf." Wolf stated, staring off into the wherever.

R'Nieth decidedly pulled out the requested leaf. R'Nieth had every herb from every beastland region. The price of the way he used to deal with the world around him was that he got into very many methods of unsavory combat. Many leading to him severely injured or him doing the same to someone else. Now outside of the very fact that he kept it in an insulated pocket dimension, it was safe to say that all of his herbs were readily available and fresh. \

"Yes." He handed over the leaf and started explaining why Wolf was wrong.

"This was not a mistake, we are here to learn and we will do just that." R'Nieth was determined to find answers about his father, and this should be a good place to start.

"I am sure that I said this was a bad idea unless you had a vierrose leaf. You do, so its not. Still, sometimes one must dull their senses to truly be able to sense everything." Wolf said as he took the leaf and began to suck on it. It was obvious that he didn't much like the flavor, as he tried to avoid it from touching his tongue.

"Did anyone say anything about this 'Shadow?' It is the last thing that I can remember being mentioned." Wolf asked, his head at a gradual tilt, still sucking on the leaf in his mouth. He wondered what would make humans so nervous, as it seemed they were not afraid of what happens when you ruin nature. Or maybe they were just blind to such things.

R'Nieth thought about it it was incorrect to assume that the shadow was something to be feared simply because it inhabited the same territory. No, the reason was in the small clues. obviously this was not the first occurrence with the lamp. The fact that they would even mistake the thing for lamp fluid meant the it was of the same color and density. However, the thing screamed, so that meant it felt pain. So it was a leaving creature.

"Obviously, the common occurrence of mistaking those 'shadows' for lamp fluid is common. What must also be common, is the creature itself being seen throughout the city in other forms. I don't know for sure, but as soon as the screaming started, everyone panicked. This must be a sign that the occurrence is not limited to lamps. It's common enough in other ways as well."

R'Nieth knew that the most effective manner of learning more about the creature, if it truly was a creature, would be to find a library book, or someone who knew about it. This would prove to be difficult without recon. We would need to find someone with the info. Maybe Soron would know.

"I concede that we recon to fins more information about the place, and it's inhabitants, foreign or otherwise."

"Finding someone with more knowledge than us might help a little." Wolf said, finally spitting the leaf into a trash bin, noticeably less sensitive to the worlds extremes. "Right now my head feels like a jumbled mess. Can't quite get all the memories after we entered the city, or their order for that matter."

Soron

"I can't give you that much for it. What you are asking for is outright outrageous. If you don't lower your price, you might never sell your wares." Soron spoke, with an aura of sense to him. The man he was speaking to, a small human with an extremely high opinion of his own work, would simply not listen to reason. Soron couldn't tell exactly why he was trying to help this man, but he was none the same.

To the other humans passing by, the action Soron was taking looked like a group of businessmen trying to rig the game somehow. That was part of living in a transportation and trading hub, there was always at least one person trying to tip the scales. In this case, Soron was far from trying to trip them in his favor. Of course, he could also find someone who would pay more than what the little man was asking for the idol. Then again, Soron could find someone who would give their spare summer home for a piece of quality dirt.

"It is well worth a quon and three ravi." Spoke the little man in his own defense. "I would have to say that it might be worth, on the high end, a tou and 53 ravi."

"I would not be opposed to telling you the events up till now. If that is what you wish. Because it would help if we had a plan. I have a plan, but I have no idea if it will work. However, I would need leave you for some time, and come back with hopeful information. Would you be opposed to this?" R'Nieth had planned to do some recon, and a bit of interrogation in order to find out what he needed. Whom to trust, whom not to trust. These things seemed essential, next to the inhabitants of the city and the ways humans operate, thier currency system. All of this seemed important. If was well known knowledge about what was used for currency, but not the worth. He intended to find these things out, and quickly.

"You seem like the kind who would find what they would seek. If you believe that you might find some useful things, then go out and find them." Wolf stated, sitting down on one of the beds in the room. "I believe that I should not stress myself for a while, however."

"I shall go find some information. I don't have informant here, but I have reputation everywhere. Even here. All the traveling I did before I met you, and the bounties and assassination I executed was whispered to all parts of the nations. I just am known and described as something different. A bit more sinister. Maybe I tell you someday?" R'Nieth pick apart his bigger luggage and came away with a small pack that slung over with one strap. It was his traveling pack that had all basic mission items.

"I shall be back in the morning maybe. If I have enough information, I'll be back tonight. Attack anyone that comes through that door that isn't me. Or, if they don't come through the door, then try not to be surprised. It may be a friend of mine, we often enter through other means."

R'Nieth hoped that he would be more recovered by the time he got back. The spacious room was of two parts, half of it gave way to the kitchenette and bathroom, and the rest seemed to be the bedroom and living quarters. He passed through the kitchenette, and down the hall. To the front door, he exited. Casting a couple of spells along the way for extra swiftness, and silence of step. He was to become one with the shadows once again. Darting down the hall, he used the window at the end of the hall that was open, and jumped onto the roof of the building next door. No one would have seen his dashing movements out the window, nor his landing, just shadows moving swiftly or nothing at all. R'Nieth always ran extremely low to the ground when he got this way. It was rather fascinating to watch if you were to even get a glimpse of this stealth mode.

.........................

Jag Green

Jag was waiting outside in the hallway, waiting to see movement from the two that entered into the inn. He had been shadowing the two for some time since they entered. But he was very, very careful about what he did and how he did it. He was hugging the shadows, pretending to be one of the many drugged out citizens that were using Smog to get the new fix they desired. Smog was unfortunately nasty due to it's toxic nature. Music like a hallucinogenic, but infused with the properties of something like methamphetamine. It kept you high for days, and the worst part was, it was toxic, so you would have random violent episodes of seizures and hallucinations of the vivid sort. Sometimes at the same time. There were many other distinct characteristics of the drug, for one, it was used by means of a gasmask connected to a Smog tank. It was also colorless, despite it's name, that came from the later adding of chemicals to the Smog Duex. The sad part is, the original formula was used for creating artificial fumes to run through and get rid of pesticides. Which later was used for fuel.

Jag's thoughts rambled on as he observed a figure emerge from the room. He could not recognize or see it. It was hooded and cloaked. It dissipated a second later like smoke in the wind. He switched on his infrared to make sure he was not seeing things. He did not see anything put others in the hallway, and what looked to be writhing shapes on the floor near the door the figure emerged from.

"Hmph, Interesting."

Jag gathered up himself, and stalked off. Relenting to set up surveillance using cameras and listening devices near and inside the room. He had his ways of getting into the room, even if he wanted to use the front door, without alerting the beastman that bunked inside.

"I shall go find some information. I don't have informant here, but I have reputation everywhere. Even here. All the traveling I did before I met you, and the bounties and assassination I executed was whispered to all parts of the nations. I just am known and described as something different. A bit more sinister. Maybe I tell you someday?" R'Nieth pick apart his bigger luggage and came away with a small pack that slung over with one strap. It was his traveling pack that had all basic mission items.

"I shall be back in the morning maybe. If I have enough information, I'll be back tonight. Attack anyone that comes through that door that isn't me. Or, if they don't come through the door, then try not to be surprised. It may be a friend of mine, we often enter through other means."

R'Nieth hoped that he would be more recovered by the time he got back. The spacious room was of two parts, half of it gave way to the kitchenette and bathroom, and the rest seemed to be the bedroom and living quarters. He passed through the kitchenette, and down the hall. To the front door, he exited. Casting a couple of spells along the way for extra swiftness, and silence of step. He was to become one with the shadows once again. Darting down the hall, he used the window at the end of the hall that was open, and jumped onto the roof of the building next door. No one would have seen his dashing movements out the window, nor his landing, just shadows moving swiftly or nothing at all. R'Nieth always ran extremely low to the ground when he got this way. It was rather fascinating to watch if you were to even get a glimpse of this stealth mode.

.........................

Jag Green

Jag was waiting outside in the hallway, waiting to see movement from the two that entered into the inn. He had been shadowing the two for some time since they entered. But he was very, very careful about what he did and how he did it. He was hugging the shadows, pretending to be one of the many drugged out citizens that were using Smog to get the new fix they desired. Smog was unfortunately nasty due to it's toxic nature. Much like a hallucinogenic, but infused with the properties of something like methamphetamine. It kept you high for days, and the worst part was, it was toxic, so you would have random violent episodes of seizures and hallucinations of the vivid sort. Sometimes at the same time. There were many other distinct characteristics of the drug, for one, it was used by means of a gasmask connected to a Smog tank. It was also colorless, despite it's name, that came from the later adding of chemicals to the Smog Duex. The sad part is, the original formula was used for creating artificial fumes to run through and get rid of pesticides. Which later was used for fuel.

Jag's thoughts rambled on as he observed a figure emerge from the room. He could not recognize or see it. It was hooded and cloaked. It dissipated a second later like smoke in the wind. He switched on his infrared to make sure he was not seeing things. He did not see anything put others in the hallway, and what looked to be writhing shapes on the floor near the door the figure emerged from.

"Hmph, Interesting."

Jag gathered up himself, and stalked off. Relenting to set up surveillance using cameras and listening devices near and inside the room. He had his ways of getting into the room, even if he wanted to use the front door, without alerting the beastman that bunked inside.

Soron was now walking down the street. His attempts to talk some sense into the other merchant were far from successful. So, now that the other could not see how buisness worked, Soron was walking through the dark alleyways. He didn't notice that he was stepping through something until it made a small hissing sound. Soron stopped, turned, then looked down. He was in a black, oil-like substance. The one reason that he never carried fire down these alleyways. Now, no longer feeling threatened, even though the goop was hissing, Soron continued walking towards his home.