(Gamma World) Not a Test #119 - Lathar the Parlimentarian

Our heroes, the De Facto Explorers, have decided to embark on an epic quest to reach Lathar's long-lost father.  They have stopped in Fair-Town, for municipal meetings, bread-encrusted sausages, and random encounters with your first litter's breeding partner. 

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Lathar Bracken: A pure-strain human from River Bend.  He's got the muscle, the face, and a mount for most encounters.  Lathar's trusty beast of burden, No Name, travels wherever he does.   Looking for trouble in all the right places. The two-time champion of the Fair-Town Queen's Joust.  Recently married to the now-pregnant Thunnelda Haycock.   Just received a letter from his long-lost father, and has convinced the others to accompany him to the Wildlands.

Sneaky Pete: A mutated weasel scout.  Pete's telepathy and night vision take a backseat when he whips out his electrical powers.   Apparently addicted to his newly uncovered yellow powder found at "The Pool House"

Sonny Helianthus: an over 10' tall sentient sunflower artifact examiner with four arms, and trusted Restorationist ties. Knowledgeable,  but not a good one with device repairs or upgrades.   Sonny may have recently detonated an atomic device in the petrified woods... although no one else knows. 

Slitheran Wurmtail (aka Squiggles): a mutated earthworm scout, in impromptu power armor, looking for trouble in all the wrong places,  and finding it often.   He  has been subject to genetic testing and developed super-human strength, a more human body, and a thick coat of shaggy white hair.  Recently gave birth to another pile of baby worms. 

and two new additions....

Poppy and Speedy: Two of Squiggles' offspring from his first... litter(?) They're now teenagers in worm years, old enough to grab diminutive muskets and help their Manchi and his friends on this epic quest. 

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Still the same day they arrived....

Squiggles was fumbling his words.  Somehow, in an evening of bonding with two of his worm offspring, Speedy and Poppy, they had happened upon his breeding partner who created them, Ubenda.

Ubenda: "Why are you in town Squiggles?"

Squiggles: "Oh, you know, we're wandering around shooting things, to help them survive in the wild, but... we got caught up in the tourist traps and I had to get them pet dragons..."

"So Ubenda... have.... you... been here the whole time..."

"I've been around... I've seen some stuff.  Figured I'd come back for winter. "

"Having trouble with birds or fish?"

"Surprisingly no, I haven't seen those giant eagles for the summer....  I didn't expect you to be here outside of season."

"Season?"

"You know Squiggles..."  she winked. 

"Oh.... did you have any spawn of her own?"

"Nope, apparently I can't have any... just help making 'em.  Once you put the kids to bed you should look me up.  I have a burrow along the wall by the north gate you enter through.  You'll see the worm signature."

"Kids... bed... now!"

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Lathar spent the night perseverating the council meeting.  He had expected that word of his arrival would draw the other council members... and interested parties (with bribes) to seek him out, only to end up drinking and alone....

After a hearty breakfast, he walked early with Pete and Sonny to the town hall.  It was a closed meeting, so Pete used his telepathy to stay connected to Lathar inside, trying to play mental middle man between the policy inside and the giant sunflower who could interpret and advise.  

Mutant "Whisper Down the Alley," what could go wrong? 

They watched the VIPs allowed access coming to the door and being granted access, gasping when the final one walked past them....

Sonny: "Oh no...."

Lathar entered on his own.  He had only been in the building once, when he was sworn in after winning a position in the joust.  He was still twirling about, looking up, when a large hand stopped him.  The older, middle aged man wearing red armor, complemented with red Tupperware lids sewed atop it.

Brom Halloway

Brom Halloway, militia captain, council member.  

"Lathar, I'm so glad you're here... we need to solve this... Kirothian problem."

Brom had only minor issues with the blue-skinned Kirothians from a public safety standpoint since Lathar and the other Explorers brought them to town a little less than a year ago. He was more concerned with the strange powers some of them had.  He was pro-acceptance, pro-rights, IF they were each vetted and registered.  The old ladies with alleged soothsaying and enchantment powers were particularly worrisome. 

With a few pages running to and fro between them, the council was formally sworn in and introduced.

1. Lathar Bracken - Pure-Strain human resident of Riverbend, but won a position by winning the last Queen's Joust.
2. Captain Brom Halloway - Pure-Strain human Milita Captain
3. Maelis Thorpe - Pure-Strain human farmer
4. Korrin Fallow - Minor Altered human merchant
5. Diven Crow- Minor Altered human scholar/historian 
6. Elara Vint - Healer and Herbalist.  Pro-Plant
7. Iona Greathill - Pure Strain human representative of the Fair-Town Merchant Guild
8. Fenric Duskborne - Noticeable altered human - full mutant sympathizer, wants full integration
9. Sarella Windmere - Town Glazer, Civic Innovator.  

Sarella Windmere - Talented Glazer, Civic Innovator

Lathar missed most of that, distracted my his official table the council sat around.  They had provided paper and writing implements to each member, but on his desk was a long manilla envelope wrapped.  The carefully tried to open it and found a grayish powder and a note inside.

A token of appreciation to help the town reach a reasoned decision.  

Someone was giving Lathar a large package of gunpowder...  

Sonny, hearing the telepathic link second hand, "What type of meeting is this?... Pete... tell him he's being bribed... if he hasn't figured it out."

Thankfully, Lathar properly sealed the envelope back up and placed it back in its spot before looking up and seeing a blue-skinned woman in the small audience section staring right at him.

Elona.   Kirothian scout, current leader of the blue-skinned people.  Lathar's ex-girlfriend.

Elona of the Kirothians.  Scout, Leader, Lathar's Ex-Girlfriend. Council Member

Of course, the first item on the agenda is the recognizing the Kirothians as full citizens of Fair-Town, with the according rights.  

The full discussion began, Lathar stumbling through proper meeting procedures,  not outright insulting anyone else on the council, but showing his naivety.  

Lathar felt out of sorts, until Iona Greathill made an outrageous claim, "The blue women gave the militia the clap!!!  Just the militia!   They're unhealthy!!!

The claim sent the meeting into chaos, with further questions and accusations.    Lathar was sure how Elona was allowed to speak, but as he referenced his giant binder to reference these particular militia members, he came to a realization.

They were all Keepers of the Royal Peacock.

"Excuse me, I don't know which one of you is Robert with all these rules, but as the recipient of one of those Royal Peacocks from my first Queen's Joust Tournament Championship, I have learned  that peacocks have a special type of mutant clap that can be transferred to humans."

Everyone is the hall gasped at what they thought Lathar was insinuating.  

"No... no like that.  The Keepers were obviously not wearing gloves when grooming, although I fear they could have given the Kirothian women the clap, not the other way around."

This massive distraction was enough to reset the proceedings, have a little more discussion.  

Recognizing the Kirothians, with a proper census and powers registration was passed with a 6-3 vote. 

With that result recognized, the Elara the Herbalist immediately moved to a contingency vote neither Lathar nor Sonny saw in the notes.  

"Due to the size of the recognized Kirothian population, it is agreed that one member of their group be offered a position within the town council.  I suggest Elona."

Elona appeared to stare into Lathar's soul as they recorded the vote, one at a time....  

Lathar: "I vote yes!,"  casting the fifth and deciding vote. 

 

She smiled and winked at him.  

Finishing the other deadlocked business, Lathar's vote approved using the Merchant's Guild to fulfill all order of vital stores for the winter, rather than individual farmers.  

Lathar also navigated the rules just enough to prevent a full-on military operation north, to handle the illegal toll takers near Riverbend.  

Brom seemed disappointed with Lathar's news of Riverbend handling the issue, but suggesting continuous small patrols of five to protect travel and encourage trade between the towns.  Brom had insinuated that the militia was too large for town defense within the walls... but no one on council... or listening telepathically realized that might be an issue in and of itself.  

After the meeting adjourned and everyone else congratulated Elona, she made her way to Lathar....

"Thank you MASTER Lathar...."

She puts her fingertips on his shoulder, "Remember, if I understand the rules, I'm now MISTRESS Elona."  before walking away...

Lathar finally started breathing again, and ensured the envelope was still on his desk before he met the weasel and sunflower outside.  

The trio grabbed more drinks at the Wrong Celery, picking up rumors from the other plant clientele, but finally wandered out to grab real food.

They ran into Speedy and Poppy wandering the streets, each nibbling on a sausage on a stick.  

"Hey guys, our Manchi never made it home last night..."

Lathar: "Where did he go?"

"We ran into our mom, I guess... he put us to bed and went back out..."

Pete:  "Here we go again..."

Sonny:  "Okay, how would you like siblings...."

GM Notes:  Welcome to my very special Tylenol/Autism in Gamma World special.  I had been searching for any transferable diseases between Peacocks and Humans.  I had a strange fungal infection or Chlamydia.  Given the group, the clap one.  

I also may set up a special game with Toucan Sam, Gonzo, Babaar the Elephant,  and Cyrano de Bergerac.

Next: #120 - A Theft of Worm Fluids