Saturday, January 13, 2007

You’ve Won a Trip to Madtown!


Mad Town. Haven to many refugees, CS rejects and wanderers tired of the oppression found in the CS controlled lands to the south and east. This is all Iggy knows of the place he was given a ticket to shortly after being discharged from the Coalition Military 31st Psi Batalion.
Sitting in the parking lot of the Chitown discharge department waiting for a tranport, Iggy honestly beleived it was luck when a tall man in black came up to him with a wolfish smile and declared “Congradulations, YOUR A WINNER!” and handed him the ticket he now held.
The man had seemed so confident, so sure that Iggy would enjoy a vaction to his dream home in the exclusive Mad Town Grove Lake District. He claimed he was with the Rivereen department of commerce and that Iggy had been selected to travel there for free to see the barony’s fineries and experience the “ultimate luxary”.
Looking down at the ticket somewhat glumly Iggy read the bright green pamphlets letters slowly once more. “They said I needed a vacation” Iggy muttered, running his eyes over the slick font of the flyer.
“CONGRATULATIONS!”
it says at the top boldy in a huge font.
And then not so big:
“YOUR A WINNER!”
Underneath in smaller type a paragraph reads:
“You’ve won a free trip to the luxurious Mad Town! Resort town and escape from the drudgery of the wastelands, Mad Town invites you to one week of free entertainment. Let us make make your stay the best it can be!”
And then below it reads “Courtsey of the Madtown Board of Commerce, Mizereen Barony.”
As the engines of the transport grind up the last hill of its long westward journey, he stares in wonder at the sign, bullet ridden but still legible in American, Dragonese and Gobbley “Welcome to Mad Town! A Mizerreen Barony Production. Enjoy your Stay! 30mph Speed Limit. Visitors Guide on 91.5fm
The transport which dropped him off was even grimier than the decaying building standing where it comes to a halt. After stepping down and gathering his gear Iggy watched the rusty vehicle lumber off with the wheeze only an alcohol powered relic like it could make.
Across the broken pavement of the street stood the unmistakable neon of a sign buzzing in the still air. In red letters a sturdy looking storefront blazed “Ye ole Pawn Shop”. Below the sign was a clear pictogram image of a the outline of a man handing a small sack through a window.
To the left of the sign is a placard which says “We Buy Gold”.
To the left of the shop is a vacant lot where vegitation is slowly overtaking what clearly are the ruins of some ancient building.
In the lot is a dead tree covered in grafiti surrounded by a number of human, and ape and pig like d-beees. They seem to be standing around the tree smoking and chatting to each other. All are wearing arm bands or some other piece of clothing depicting a monsterous skull with jagged teeth at the bottom.
Iggy turns away from the buzzing neon and looks at the decaying building for which he has been given two keys to open. Three stories high of nondescript brick, the building seems ancient, maybe even dating to the before times… The Front door is heavy wood and a strange carving in the stone above it reads “United States Post Office”. A long row of windows is boarded up and the front door seems scuffed and charred. Upon walking up and examining it Iggy noticed a decaying rat lying in a pile of discarded Jolt Cola containers. Attempting to use one of the keys on his coalition issue keychain, Iggy notices that something is broken off inside the lock. *DAMN them* he curses under hisbreath, looking around the building for other ways of entry.
There appears to be none on first glance. Actually, Iggy though come to think of it the building seems to have been fairly heavily barricaded in the front area. *hmm thats odd* iggy thought nervously.
Walking around the side of the building Iggy noticed a strange molten metal proturbance sticking out of the poored concrete corner. “I wonder what that was” Iggy thought iddly as he slowly walked around the left side of the building. In doing so he walked along a side alley which opened up into what looked like a parking lot. Upon the side of the building here was written in red paint “praise the Crimson King”. Also something else was written there but it has been scrubbed away and can no longer be read.
In the lot is one rusted heap of a vehicle. Approximately 30-40feet long and seemingly using 6 tires, the huge boxlike vehicle in the alley has no tires remaining and cobwebs can be seen through its many shattered windows.
Around back he saw another huge boxlike vehicle in worse shape than the one in front. There was also a loading dock of some kind which has since collapsed and now lilts halfway into the back driveway, a ruin of twisted metal and crushed concrete. Past the ruble however Iggy thinks he spots an opening in the wall…
Iggy scratches his head, slowly walking towards the rear of the building and warily steping around peice of rusted metal which jut up from their crumbling concreat mountings.
“With all this news of the pending war, mysterious skeleton raiders heard to be sweeping into tolkeen territory.. More terrorist attacks against the empire and the mages on the move every day… ah wonder if its a coincidence me being sent here on vacation at a time like this…” Iggy thought doubtfully.
Reading the back of the card he again read the address of where he’d told to transport operator to take him to “You’ll be spending 7 fabulous days and nights at 777 Fault Drive, Madtown. Rivereen. The commerce board is not responsible for death or dismemberment incured during your stay. Please use the attached keys to enter the flat and make yourself at home! A tourism board representative will be by the following morning to inform you of the many attractions you’ll have a chance to visit during the week.”
“Well if this is the place, ah suppose ah best find a way inside” Iggy though, checking his gear and starting towards the opening at the top of a crumbled pile of rock and rusted junk. Looking down at the sand he noticed small indentations from seemingly tiny feet and nothing more. “Lets just hope its rats” Iggy thought, stepping up to the opening. “hmm its a bit too small” he though, pulling away at some of the bricks and enlarging the hole.
Suddenly there was a screeetch and the sound of flapping wings. Pulling away from the opening Iggy grabbed for his weapon and readied himself for the worst.

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