| Logs |
2001 April 21
| Inizii |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
| Realms: Inizii Logs |
A Most Peculiar Patron
Kyrel is seated in a corner of the Fierce Kobold, sipping an ale and occasionally feeding tidbits of meat to Kiri, who is amusing himself swooping around the rafters.
Blonde and green-eyed, this man has the pointed ears of an elf, but the rest of his features are more rugged than usual for that race. His nose appears to have been through a few too many brawls, and he sports a rakish goatee and mustache. He stands about 5 foot 7, and is dressed in brown trousers and green tunic, with a black leather belt and matching boots. A knife is sheathed at his right side and a pouch on his left.
The Fierce Kobold is having a normal night, the farmers are about, eating their dinners while listening to the bard whom keeps the patrons entertained. Currently, the elderly man has many youngsters and others gathered about, while he recites a tale.
Kyrel notes the town's young sorceror and at least one of his friends in the crowd near the bard, and when the next lull in the entertainment comes, he stands to walk over in the kid's direction.
Tomals glances up, and smiles, giving a wave as he notes Kyrel's coming. The bard, taking a draught of wine, has taken a pause in his tale. "Come, Master Kyrel! Have a seat, sit and listen!"
Derleth is, naturally, at a card game, but the priest seems to be behaving himself, only playing for small stakes.
Kyrel grins and sits with the enthusiastic youngster. "Thank you. Heading out tomorrow, are you?"
Tomals nods his head. "Yes master Kyrel, just after noonfest. I'm just listening to Old Wydrin speaking of Troll Rock." The boy besides him shushes Tomals, as the old bard continues his tale.
Kyrel settles in to listen to the story as well.
"And Deshedin, the village's elder and head of the milita drove the Ice Troll from the frozen pond stretching between mountain and Troll rock. He knew that these beasts could only regrow if in contact with the frozen feel of snow and ice. He fought hard and fierce, pushing the troll higher, and higher untill it climbed up upon the craggy surface of the rock formation, and here Deshedin tossed his flask of liquid fire, engulfing the creature in it's purifing flames, destroying it. The rocks still bear the burnt scars of his flame, and thus, the name Troll Rock was given."
Derleth smiles urbanely as he wins the pot with a full house, shuffling the cards for the next hand. He shoots a glance in the direction of his comrade, but seems unperturbed.
One of the men Derleth is playing cards with snorts and slams his fist on the table top. "Damn it, yer cheatin'!" He snaps, glaring at the little cleric.
Kyrel looks up at that. Now what...that idiot doesn't know that he can't cheat without offending his patron goddess?
Derleth rolls his eyes. "Good sir, I don't cheat. No right and good follower of Lliara would, don't y' know. We rely only on our own innate skills, and trust to Her to see us through. Besides, I'd point out I lost a great deal of gold a week ago, during a game you were playing at. If I cheat, would I have been so foolish as to let go so much gold?"
He waves his hand. "Bah! You always be winnin' yer money back, one way o' the other, ye're cheatin', I say! You be saying you follow luck, eh? Well then iffin so, where all this luck be coming from?" He waves his hand in an angry dismissil. "And you be wanting all yer gold back! Thus yer cheatin' to insure it!" Several of the patrons are turning their heads to look at the fellow who's voice is steadily rising.
Kyrel stands up now, walking over toward the card table. "I assure you, he never wins back as much as he loses."
Derleth's eyes glint with a rare anger. "Sir, ye be impuning me honor by slandering me so, especially considering we be playing for copper and a rare bit o silver, nae gold. I do nae use magic, nor the Lady's divine luck, tis so written in her scriptures, if ye can read. Now, I not be a paladin, so I be willing to let go your words this second time, sirrah. Speak ill of me again, how'e'er, and ye better be willing to back up your words with steel."
Derleth's hand goes meaningfully to his glimmering steel flail.
His eyes widen and teeth grit. "Now you be insultin' me a'cause I can't read? Look here, you little dice licker, you be threatening me now?" He stands out of his chair sending it falling. The other men at the table stand up slowly, and edge back, taking the smart way out. The bartender, shaking his head, looks to the start of a little uproar, and goes into the back, ignoring it.
The farmer who's causing the uproar raises his knuckles. "You be bringing steel to a fight betixt two men, eh? Not very fair; I say that's cheatin'! Bring up yer fists, you son o' a dwarf." His gaze shifts to Kyrel. "And don't you be gawking at me, half-breed!" The room has grown deathly silent, other then the shouting loud-mouth.
Kyrel's voice goes very cold. "So far, everything that doesn't go the way you want it, you claim is cheating. Normally, that sort of reasoning is associated with five-year-olds. Why don't you go home and sleep before you get hurt?"
Derleth snarls. "That be it. Ye may say what ye like of me, but ye'll nae speak ill of my friends. But ye wanting to be fists! Then aye, twill be fists!" He grabs his flail and pulls it free of his belt, tossing it to Tomals, who had just come up to see what was about. With that, Derleth starts forward...
To Kyrel, the man turns and simply spits in his direction. "Go and talk to a tree, you and yer winged rodent!" His attention turns to Derleth, watching with wary eyes as the flail comes in, and is tossed aside. Tomals nearly drops the thing on his foot, but at least collects it, holding it at arm's length. The farmer takes a step back, falling into a defensive crouch.
The farmer crouches back...and springs forward, bringing his fist to bare, and connecting viciously with Derleth's cheek. Derleth grunts as blood flies from his mouth, due to biting on the inside of his cheek from the blow. He says nothing, only snarling and letting loose with a haymaker...
The man was coming in for another strike, only to get a fist in the eye. He draws back, holding his eye and swearing an oath surly enough to turn a sailor's head. His eye is already swelling shut. Derleth grins with blood in his teeth. "Aye, how did that feel?"
He snarls and comes in. "It feels like yer 'bout to," spits the enraged farmer, his fist coming in for a jab. It goes over the cleric's shoulder, far off its mark.
Derleth slides an uppercut under the farmer's guard and belts him in the chin. "Less talk, more fighting, fieldplower." he grunts.
The farmer attempts to smack him as he comes in, but misses, and ends up stumbling backward. The man comes on again, throwing his fist, but smashing it against a hard plate. "Damnit!" He cries, moving back to cradle his fist a moment.
Derleth smiles at the silly farmer who didn't think to tell him to take off his armor, and then goes into a crouch, lashing out with a leg and sweepnig the farmer off his feet, watching him land on the ground with a crash. The farmer lets out a yell and then gives a satisfingly sickly *thud* as his head bounces off the floor. A tooth tumbles out of his mouth as he slumps on the wooden planks. The tavern is deathly silent for several moments, before the men that were gaming with Derleth move to drag the man out. One of them look up. "He's been havin' some troubles at home," comes an explanation. Another chimes in grimly, "Lost 's son to dim ogres y'all cut down."
Derleth blinks, then looks slightly chagrined. "Hold off a minute, ye men." he says, bending over and picknig up the tooth. "Open his mouth." he directs to one of them, and he inserts the tooth back into the stunned man's mouth. Murmuring a simple prayer to LLiara, he heals the tooth back into place. "Now take him home to sleep it off. I'll be gone in the morning, so should be no further problems." He wipes the blood from his mouth as he moves back towards Tomals. "Me flail, if ye would." Kyrel, glad he didn't have to intervene, moves back to his seat.
The other farmers nod, murmuring their thanks, before dragging him off. The tavern suddenly finds itself moving again, murmurs of the fist fight and earlier conversations, meals, and games reopened. Tomals looks a little stunned, but smiles at Derleth. "Good show, Sir Derleth, very proper of you, putting the lout's tooth in...Oh, yes!" He lifts up the heavy flail. "Here you are, sir."
Derleth smiles and takes up his blessed flail, stuffing it back in his belt. "I can understand the loss of a son...does nae make up for his words, but tis tough not to be sympathetic. Go back to ye tale, lad. I go to whet my whistle at the bar."
Tomals nods his head quickly. "Aye, sir." Then moves toward the bard once more, who shoots Derleth a pleased smile, before turning to another story.
Derleth doesn't quite vault into a stool, as he's a little sore from the fight, but he gets the bartender's attention and orders some of that fine mulled cider.
Kyrel settles back down to his interrupted drink. "So, Tomals.. did anyone else that you know of get an assignment from Basel?"
The bartender, having unearthed himself from the kitchen, comes up behind the bar. "Cider, eh?" He asks, and fills the required order, slamming the clean mug down. "Here y'are. Might want to whip yer lip, lad, y'got a little gore on it."
The young sorceror looks up. "Hm? Oh, well, no one I know for sure...I did hear that the blacksmith's sons are out looking for a mountain cat, but other then that, I havn't heard a word, sir."
Derleth nods, taking a handkerchief from a belt pouch, dabbing it in the cider and wiping his lips and teeth, after which he stuffs it back in his belt and takes a pull on the cider. His cheek seems to be sporting a purpling bruise from the one good hit the farmer got in, but he ignores it for the nonce.
The innkeeper shakes his head, cleaning a glass with a rag. "Stupid men getting their fill of wine and letting their fists do the talkin'..." He whistles. "Mm, nasty welt y'got there, Fortune Follower. Got a good lick in, eh?"
Kyrel nods to Tomals. "As long as all the militia aren't heading out at once." The sorceror shakes his head. "Ah, nah, we're heading out tomorrow. The Quetim boys allready went out lookin' once, came back already. They've got work at their father's forge before going out again." Kyrel nods. "Sounds like you've got things arranged, then. Good luck!" He stands up and walks over to join Derleth at the bar.
Derleth smiles wryly to the Innkeeper. "Some times fortune favors the foolish, and sometimes she does nae. I let me anger bubble over, and got a good blow fer me own foolishness. But tis all ending well, I suppose. No furniture broke, and all." He pauses. "I gave him what he wanted. Maybe he'll belike thinking twice about asking fer it 'gain."
The innkeeper grins faintly. "Indeed. Else I'd be chargin' him; he lost." He nods again. "Aye." With a shake of his head, "I swear, first there's ruttin' beasts loose upstairs, now a fist fight. What's next? A dragon comin' in for a bit of stew?"
Derleth shook his head. "I be praying night and day to Lliara that that kind o' luck not find it's way to this place, sirrah. We be on our way in the morn, and I not care to be leaving this town undefended in our wake. Mayhaps Lady Luck will find favor with her humble servant, and with TarlBren, by extension."
Nodding his head, the innkeeper gives him a grateful smile. "Thank ye, for the thought and words to yer goddess. I'll b'sure to give a coin to her collection pot next time I sees it." A faint sigh whistles through his teeth. "Tho, I tells ye, I was worried for some damage earlier t'night. Thought they might blow out a wall!"
Derleth blinks. "And who might this mysterious 'they' be, man?"
"Oh, 'They' be the mage who stayed the night, m'friend. Him 'n' his...well, wha' ever the big lass is he gots were ah...enjoyin' themselves earlier this eve." He shakes his head, giving a lecherous smile. "And I thought newlyweds gave a ruckus!"
Kyrel blinks. Now there's a mental picture I didn't need.
Derleth blinks, a slightly lewd smile coming to his lips. "Ye speak sooth? And wi' each other? I have new respect for the man...she seemed to outmuscle him by more than a little."
He shrugs his shoulders. "Eh, it be true enough. Or she could be the one who be callin' the shots, ne?" He matches Derleth's expression. "Tho, I have t'give him some credit...sounded like someone be whippin' a werewolf upstairs."
Kyrel grins at the innkeeper. "You have seen them since then?"
Kevward shakes his head. "Ne. I assume they turned in for the eve. Musta exhausted both o' 'em." He shakes his head. "Y'know, now that y'ask about it, I've not even seen what his lass is, let alone seen 'em."
Kyrel says, "Hmmm... might be that someone should check on them."
Derleth says, "But ye knew 'twas a she? That was more than e'en we could tell from when we met with the man."
He nods. Kevward lifts a hand, scratching the back of his head. "Aye. I could tell it twas a she when she came up t' the bar an' ordered a raw chicken, some fried goose eggs, and wine. Her voice be soundin' rather deep and husky, a lil' odd, but she could o' been sick, or some huge barbarian lass..." He shrugs.
Derleth scratches the stubble on his chin. "Strange.." he murmurs to himself. Then he grins again. "Ah well, at least someone enjoyed themselves tonight."
Kyrel says, "A raw chicken? Very odd..."
Chuckling, the Innkeeper just shakes his head. "Indeed... Tho, the mage, I will give him credit, is a clean 'en. He ordered a bath before hand."
Kyrel glances at Derleth and makes no comment.
Derleth looks wounded. "What? I bathe, an' regularly, too!"
Kyrel rolls his eyes. "That's not what I meant."
Kevward raises his hands. "Ah ah, no more fist fights!" He calls in mock warning.
Derleth grins. "Nae, man, nothing but a bit o' verbal jousting."
Derleth looks at Kyrel. "Look, man, whatever this lass o' Basel's is, if he chooses t' frolic with her, that's his business, aye?"
"True," The innkeeper chimes in, "But, fer some odd reason, t'upstairs was rather chilly. I had a traveler come down complainin' 'bout coldness. I went up and checked fer cracks 'n' open windows, but everything was shipshape."
Derleth blinks, and then glances at Kyrel with one of *those* looks. "I see. Strange."
Kyrel nods. "Not surprising, actually. That bodyguard of his... something chilly about her. Literally, that is."
Kevward shrugs his shoulders once. "Really? She did seem a bit cool, breathin' fog like on a cold day when she came down, but 'tis none o' me business."
Derleth snaps his fingers. "Aye, I'd forgotten that about her...one wonders what blood be running through her veins that she can be giving the cold shoulder to someone on t' other side o' her door."
Derleth says, "Ah..just out o curiosity, what room is theirs, sirrah?"
"Hrm? Ah, that be th' one on the end o' the hall." He guestures to the left side of the Inn, toward the back.
Derleth nods his thanks, tossing a couple silver on the bar as he finishes his cider, and then motions to Kyrel to follow. The half-elf nods and does so.
Tomals waves farewell to his masters, before going to sit down with his friend.
Derleth murmurs to Kyrel. "Ye don't happen t' have any spells memorized that'd let us see through the fellow's door, would ye? Or something like?"
Kyrel says, "Invisibility, but nothing in the clairvoyance department."
Derleth nods as he and the mage make their way towards the hall. "I'm not one to pry on our prospective employer...but I must admit some curiosity as to whom we've sold our services to, aye?"
Kyrel says, "A bit, yes. Think he's a shapeshifter, maybe?"
Derleth says, "Not as such. I dinna have anythnig t' base me curiosity on, really...just a hunch, belike."
Derleth stops in front of the door to Basel's room. "Let's see now..." he says, murmuring an orison to Lliara to detect magic....
The door is plain wood, yielding no magical enchantments, or effects.
Derleth says, "Okay, so at leas' I wont get me ear burnt off..."
Derleth puts his ear to the door and listens.
Derleth ees as he steps back from the door. "Damn cold door..."
Kyrel says, "So."
Derleth says, "So, they're asleep. No enchantment on the door, but...I'm leery about sneaking in there with no good reason."
Kyrel says, "So am I. Maybe Kiri could take a look in the window... or I could do a flight spell and look myself."
Derleth scratches his chin...and then hesitantly pulls out his holy medallion and holds his as he casts a second spell, this time to detect evil. After a moment, he hmmms and releases his medallion, his expression notcommittal, as if he were playing poker. "Ah, lets be off. We'll gain no information standing out here like the busybodies we are. Let's just go home and leave them to their sleep of the sodden."
Kyrel says, "I suppose. Maybe we should check in with them in the morning." Then he pauses, frowning at the floor and then bending down. "Hmm. Blood."
Derleth frowns. "That is...hmmm."
Derleth looks at Basel's dorr reluctantly.
Kyrel looks up at Basel's door as well. "Someone went in there with a bloody foot."
Derleth grimaces. I have to know... He looks at Kyrel. "Okay, watch the door. I'm going in, just to make sure all's well."
Derleth checks the door and discovers that it's locked. "Can ye do an imitation of a locksmith?"
Kyrel shakes his head. "Not me. My brother can do it, though. Shall we go get the others?"
Derleth sighs. "I didn't want to...all right, go get them. Try not to be obvious about it, though. I don't want the bartender to start getting suspicious. I'll wait here."
Kyrel nods and heads downstairs again. He sits down beside Vane and whispers sotto voce "We could use a Knock upstairs. We found a bloody footprint leading into Basel's room."
Vane doesn't raise his head, and responds in quiet Elven, on the off chance that there are prying ears. Where is our thief? Knock is useful, but... graceless in situations like this.
(Meanwhile, upstairs...) A whisper is heard from behind Derleth, "Hey, whatcha doin?"
Kyrel replies in the same language, "No idea. Off chasing the barmaids again, would be my guess."
Derleth gahs! and almost leaps in the air as he's taken by surprise, whirling around to see who's there.
Kaz grins, peering at the startled cleric, "Need these?" he holds a few picks between the fingers on his left hand.
Vane sighs quietly. Go on back. I will be up in a few moments. Best if we aren't seen leaving together.
Kyrel nods and slips out of the room, heading back upstairs.
Derleth clutches his chest. "Kaz, don't ye scare me like that! I be dying of a heart attack if'n ye keep doing that!" he says in a rueful undertone.
Vane begins putting his pens away, and blows softly on his half-complete drawing. He begins flipping back to the arcane section of his book. Always something, he thinks to himself. We were better off with our relatives.
Kaz shakes his head slowly, "You gotta learn to relax a little." he says with a wry smirk, "So ahh.. whatcha doin'?"
Derleth sighs. "We got damn bloody footprints going int' our employers bedroom, and I and Kyrel aim to know why..."
Kaz, who is in a crouching position directly across the hall from the door, creeps forward to look down at the footprint, "Well well..." he says, touching it with his finger. He moves closer to the door, putting his ear against it.
Kyrel slips back down the corridor. Ah, there he is.
Derleth whispers, "Careful, the door's cold."
Vane says quietly, "Perhaps I might be of some help?" When he got up the stairs isn't perfectly clear, except perhaps to Kaz.
Derleth gahs! and leaps back. "Twice in one night." he mutters.
Kaz moves back from the door, a bit startled by the cold. Still, he manages to stay close enough to get a good listen, and speaks very softly, "Hmm. Two people inside. You were planning to just take a walk inside?"
Derleth says, "Nae, lad. I do have some silence magick at me fingertips. Although a professional such as yerself might be better eqipped fer the task."
Another door opens, and a drowsy eyed patron pokes his head out. "Hey, what's all the talkin out here? And why's it so -damned- cool and drafty in this place? Does it leak?" The hallway -is- surprisingly cool.
Kaz manages not to chuckle at Derleth, his eyes flicking between those gathered.
Kyrel mutters, "If they're awake, why not just knock?"
Kaz shakes his head to Kyrel, "They're not awake." he then glances down the hall towards the newcomer.
Vane raises a finger to his lips, facing the resident, and says softly, "Maintenance crew."
Derleth says, "We're trying t' fix taht right now, sirrah. Go back t yer warm bed."
Kaz adds with a serious look to the others, all business, "Looks like the leak is coming from this room, men."
The patron eyes Derleth oddly, then looks from him, to Vane, and everyone else. "Havn't a clue why you're needing armor for a patching job but, do what you have to do! My sling-bullets are -freezing- in here." With that he shuts the door not too gently.
Kaz glances down as the intruder goes back into his room, selecting a couple picks from the ones he's got in his hand, then sliding the others under his belt.
Vane sighs, growing more irritated by the moment, moreso now that he's a nominal janitor. Hissing a whisper to his brother, he says, "If there are people in there, why is he picking the lock? A simple, 'Excuse me, sir, we saw blood and were concerned' wouldn't suffice?"
Kyrel shrugs. "Let him have his fun."
Vane hrmns. He gives his brother a quick hand signal; a bit of wizardly hand-jive for spells at the ready.
Kaz puts the business ends of his picks into the lock, slowly moving them to work at the tumblers. As he does so, he occasionally puts his ear to the door, making sure he's not roused anyone or anything inside.
In the silence of the hall, the lockpicks seem to screech like banshee. Though, even inside, the steady, slow rhythm of breathing never stops. Finally, the lock gives a faint 'click' as it's released.
Kaz withdraws his picks at last, then reaches into his backpack, pulling out a small case without having to dig for it at all. Into this case he puts all his picks, before replacing the case into his backpack.
Derleth seems to sigh with relief as Kaz manages to pick the lock. "Okay. You want a bit o magical aid? Or will ye be alright on yer own?"
Kaz murmurs, "A bit of magical silence never hurt anyone." he glances up at the mage brothers, grinning, "Well, almost anyone."
Kyrel says, "How about invisibility?"
Vane takes a step forward, "I think I have this covered."
Derleth nods. "All rightee then. Weave yer spell first, Vane."
Vane reaches into his overcoat a moment, fishing something out of the pouch at his hip. He murmurs something softly repetitive, and knots his fingers in an unusual and uncomfortable-looking manner. He takes another step toward Kaz, mutters one last syllable, and gestures as if blowing something out of his palm at him.
The thief disappears from sight.
Derleth nods, and then holds up a hand to signal before casting his own spell. Holding his symbol, he chants a prayer to Llaira, waving his hand in Kaz's direction...as the final word is spoken, it is suddenly cut off as sound escapes from the immediate area as if fleeing an attack. Not even the sound of breathing is heard.
Derleth shrugs and gestures towards the door.
Vane takes several long backward steps down the hallway until he can hear his own pulse again.
The handle on the door slowly turns, making no sound at all. The door then opens, again very slowly and just barely enough to permit the passing of a half-elven form, before closing again.
A blast of chilly air meets the invisible, cloaked rogue. The room is unnaturally cold. The only light that streams inside is from the window, the moonlight falling over the desk pushed up against it. Several papers are scattered about. The table to the left is shrouded in deep darkness. The bed is off to the left side of the room.
Kaz creeps, despite probably not needing to, over towards the desk, intent on looking over the papers.
The papers offer little obvious information. However, they're a list of towns and schedules that Basel is traveling to. There's also a list of animals, monsters, and various other creatures, several being already marked off, the latest two winter wolves, and a shocker lizard. There are checks beside the first two creatures on the list, being a hydra egg, and a giant raven chick.
Kaz quickly takes note of the town names and creatures collected. He next heads back to the door, trying to make out the trail of blood which got everyone interested in the first place. He finds it, a little dripping trail illuminated by the moonlight, leading toward the table off to the side.
Kaz, of course, follows the trail to find its source.
On the table, beside two cups, an empty wine bottle, and a slighlty dirty but empty plate, rests a small platter. It's caked in dried blood, and chicken bones litter it's surface. They look gnawed and suckled, as if a pack of hounds took to them.
Kaz looks to the bed, and slowly creeps that way to see who, or what, occupies it.
The first thing that's noticed is Basel's sleeping form, resting on his side, a wide, pleased grin plastered on his face. Though, there's a fog lifting off his white hair... And then it's seen. Spooning against Basel, cuddled against him, is what could be described as a snow-covered werewolf. Face still that of a wolf, though ivory 'hair' spills down to it's shoulders, streaked with silver like the rest of it's fur. The faint indentation of the sheets over it's, the curves beneath suggesting that of a female, despite power and muscle. The reason for the cold room is made plain, as fogged breath flows from the wolf's mouth, frosting the pillow. Despite this, Basel seems quite comfortable. The last thing of note about the creature, despite it's large frame and humanoid statue, is the dark red collar wrapped about its, her, neck.
Kaz steps back, suddenly even less eager than he could have possibly been before to wake up Basel and his.. err.. companion. He surveys the room though, not losing his cool, checking for anything else of interest.
The room looks as unpersonal as any other Inn room. Infact, there's nothing else in the room. Except, of course, the shed clothing of the wizard and his personal guard.
Kaz does quickly go through the clothing, checking for anything of interest.
A large belt, obviously the wolfess's, holds a heavy and nasty looking battle axe, and a saw-toothed short-sword. The wizard's robes yield nothing but spell components, and a bit of parchment in one of the interrior pockets.
Kaz takes the parchment from the pocket, unfolding it to take a peek.
It's a note, signed by a man of apparent station, by the noble title he signs with, the airy flow of his hand-writing. It's a request, for two things called a 'Moat Cat'. It goes on to refer how the last one was killed unfortunately in a hunting accident with a druid who precieved it as some horrible thing. He was punished, it goes on. A considerable sum of 5,000 gold is offered. As he reads the parchment, the sound of steady breathing reaches his ears once more.
Kaz winces silently and, taking the paper with him, slips to the door, and gets himself out quickly. As when Kaz went into the room, a blast of cold air escapes. But when the door opens, it is heard but not seen.
Vane remains at the end of the hallway, standing perfectly still in anticipation. His greatcoat floats around his legs when the draft makes its way down.
Kaz's chuckle is heard, "Let's get outta here guys. Meetcha at the house."
Derleth mutters, "Ye don' have t' tell me twice."
Vane doesn't make reply, he simply turns and goes.
Kyrel says, "Suggest we don't all troop through the common room at once..."
Derleth nods. "Depart in two's, five minutes apart."
Later that night, when all reach their home...Derleth says, "So....fess up now boyo. What did ya see?"
Kaz produces a piece of paper from his backpack, and drops it on the table, "Well, it seems that our patron, for the most part, is legit. He's /really/ into animals."
Derleth sighs and sits back with a smile. "Sure, and that's a relief now isn't it..."
Vane says, "Why do I detect a peculiar intonation when you say that?"
Derleth says, "Eh? What mean ye?"
Kaz leans back in the chair he's sitting in, tipping the front two legs off the floor as he folds his arms across his chest, "He's a collector, and has contracted people to gather them in the past. That paper there is a contract to obtain something called a Moat Cat." he smirks, eyes falling on Vane, "And his bodyguard? Well, she's more than just his bodyguard... and just a bit more than disturbing, too."
Vane says, "I thought as much. You discerned her origin?"
Kyrel says, "So what is she, then?"
Derleth says, "Well? Don't be holding back now, what is she?"
Kaz smirks, pausing as he glances at each of their eager faces, "Well, our dear Basel sleeps with a Were-FrostWolf."
Derleth boggles.
Vane's lips twist. "How... risque."
Kyrel mutters, "And they call me a halfbreed?"
Derleth says, "Well...that explains the howling...."
Vane makes a face. "Ach."
Derleth says, "I'm abruptly reminded now why curiosity is not always our friend."
Kaz can't help but laugh, "Yes, he's a bit of a freak..but I don't think he's sinister, at least."
Kyrel looks at the paper. "Kaz... I can't help thinking he's going to miss this. What possessed you to take it?"
Derleth says, "You know, one wonder now what the want the frost pups *for*. Could Basel's bodyguard want...uhm....kids?"
Kaz shrugs, "I don't think he'll miss it for a couple days, and then not very much.. it was crumpled up in his pocket... not filed away or anything. I'm sure he'll shrug it off as being lost in the.. ahh, heat of the moment."
Kyrel says, "Hmm. Drop it in the tavern somewhere, then. As long as it's here, let's see it."
Kaz ohs, "The blood? Just a late night snack, apparently. Ms. Wolfie rustled herself a chicken."
Kyrel says, "She probably ordered it from the kitchen. I remember the innkeeper mentioning that."
Kyrel reads through the document carefully.
Vane says, "Anything?"
Kyrel says, "A nobleman.. I wish I knew what a 'moat cat' was. The fellow likes them, whatever they are." He reads a bit more and adds, "Ah-hah. He's a transmuter. I think, if I'm reading between the lines right, he built the moat cat from other things. No wonder the druid got bent out of shape."
Vane says, "That seems a job for a necromancer. Perhaps he had help."
Kaz nods, listening, "Those druids and their silly 'mother nature knows best' notions."
Kyrel says, "Nah, necromancers build things out of dead stuff. He combined a couple creatures. Druids.... overdo that attitude, you ask me."
Vane says, "Not so, brother. A necromancer works equally well with living flesh. They manipulate life, don't forget... which is why they find it so easy to snuff it."
Kyrel says, "Either way. Do we have any problems with it?"
Derleth says, "Mayhaps we should jsut travel direct-like to our destination then, if this fellow has nothin' sinister planned."
Vane says, "It may not be a bad idea simply to check on the young ones. It still may be too difficult for them."
Kyrel nods. "We probably can. He does seem to be on the up-and-up. Unless you want to keep an eye on young Tomals..."
Kyrel snaps his fingers. "Owlbears. I knew I'd heard something like this before. They were bred by a transmuter."
Kaz shrugs, then doesn't try to fight back a huge yawn, "Whatever we do... let's do it tomorrow. I need some shut-eye."
Kyrel says, "As do we all. Till morning, gentlemen?"
Vane says, "Yes. We will see you in the morning."
The mid-morning sun shines high as the four ride horseback toward the east. Having stopped by the Inn, it turns out Basel had already left...or at least, his room was completely empty. Someone had mentioned seeing horses walk into a shining portal, before it closed, but no one knew anything. Kevward is pleased, having been paid in advance. The forty foot formation, Troll Rock, rises in the distance, and not but fifty yards off, another hill stands, the beginning of craggy mountains, leading further into the northern terrain.
Vane hms softly. "No sign of the students yet."
Kyrel says, "They weren't planning to leave too early."
Kaz scans the area, then peers towards Troll Rock. He shrugs, urging his mount up besides the others, "Well, what are we gonna do, wait for 'em?"
Kyrel says, "We could. There don't seem to be any nasty ambushes, at any rate, which was my major worry."
Vane says, "Let's once around the perimeter, and if they don't show, we can be on our way."
The mountains off the north end of Troll Rock are split in a wide gap leading between. A large pond stretches from between them, out. The water hides beneath the frozen surface, for the night had plunged into chilling temperatures, and hadn't risen enough, even with the sun out, to thaw.
Vane says, "It has a certain stark beauty, doesn't it."
Kaz nods, as his eyes survey the landscape, "Aye."
Kyrel says, "It does, at that. Shall we wait for a few hours?"
Vane says, "Yes, let's. Unless one of you has pressing business..."
Kyrel chuckles. "Not particularly."
Kaz rides off, somewhat ahead of the others, scanning the area and listening for sounds that might alert him of something unusual.
Kyrel rides a bit behind, Kiri drowsing under his cloak, then suddenly stops and holds up a hand, looking back toward the lake. "Something just fell in." He looks back, but one of the hills blocks his view.
Vane hrms, and steps down off his mount. "Is that so..."
Kyrel says, "Well, the ice cracked and there was some splashing. You think the kids would have been dumb enough to ride across ice this early in the season?"
Vane says, "Surely not... they've lived here their whole lives, they must know better."
Kaz wheels his horse around, glancing back towards Kyrel, "What?" he looks off towards the lake, and after sorting out the words in his head, begins to head off in that direction, though at no great hurry, "We should definately have a look, just to be sure." The sound of more ice cracking is heard, and Kaz urges his horse to pick up speed, his previous leisurely pace forgotten, "Guys... something's going on."
Vane sets out quickly on foot, opening his greatcoat. "I suspected as much...."
Kaz reaches the water first, peering across the lake at a pair of figures, who in turn spot him. Sliding off his horse, he reaches to grab the light crossbow he has strung across his back, loosing it and pulling it around in front of him. He does this with his horse standing between himself and the figures, peering around the animal in that direction.
Kyrel turns his horse around and stays close behind Kaz most of the way back to the lake. He dismounts when the rogue does. "Can you see who it is?"
Kaz shakes his head, dropping to one knee. He is not, as of yet, loading his crossbow, but just has it ready, "white skin.. can't make them out."
It takes the others several moments to catch up to Kaz, and both Vane and Kyrel spot the creatures. Stooping from an eight foot tall hight, they're moving across the ice at a quick pace, talons on feet giving them traction. Skin a semi-translucent white, wicked claws bearing on their fingers, one spitting out the bones of a fish it was chewing on. There've been enough stories about them: Ice Trolls.
Kaz winces as he recognizes them. NOW he's loading the crossbow.
Kyrel says, "Hmm. This might have been just a bit much for our young friends, yes..."
Kaz says, "Screw them.. let's save our own asses here."
Vane doesn't reply; he's fishing in his spell pouch for something.
Kyrel nods to Kaz. "A good point." He strings his bow.
They're closing in fast, the one in the lead thirty feet away. They gallop, their arms poised, the limbs nearly past their knees. The gait is almost that of a gorilla, though there's very little resemblence between primates, and these obviously hungry, snarling trolls.
Kaz, as soon as he gets his crossbow loaded, steps from around his horse, brings the weapon up, and takes a shot at the charging Trolls. The quarrel jumps from the crossbow, pegging into the first troll. It shrugs it off like an insect bite, and charges in.
Kyrel strings his bow as Kaz takes the first shot, then takes one of his own. "Take them down as far as possible, then use fire spells on them." His arrow nails the second troll in the leg, but it doesn't even faze the thing; it's coming in right behind the first.
Vane throws his coat open and begins to gesticulate with frantic, yet precise movements, speaking deep, clear syllables in a tongue unknown to Kaz, but warningly familiar to his brother. After a moment, he extends his hand, murmuring forcefully. A pea-sized bead of red light forms just beyond his outstretched fingers. "That's far enough! Now... DISAPPEAR!" The little bead shoots away from his palm to ground itself just between the oncoming trolls; it blossoms explosively into a small pyroclastic burst, obscuring both trolls from view momentarily and stopping a few feet shy of scorching the erstwhile thief. Kyrel says, "Cutting it a little close, aren't we?"
The fireball explodes into a blossuming inferno between the trolls. A roll of heat blasts outward. The second troll is practically vaporized, reduced to a smoldering pile. The second is scorced and burned, but it shrieks, a voice filled with rage and utter hatred, one only heard in the voices of the Barbarians to the south. It comes in at Kaz, nearly on top of him in what seems a heartbeat.
Vane grins faintly, and slides his dark glasses up with a finger.
Kaz drops his crossbow to the ground immediately after firing, knowing he'll not get another shot. He reaches down to his side, whipping out his scimitar with a dramatic *shiiing!* but, seeing the Troll bearing down on him, elects to dodge to the side, rather than attempting an offensive.
The troll comes in, both claws coming to bear, fire ironically blazing in those frozen eyes. The first swipe of its claws rake the air close to Kaz's head, but the second attempt lands a vicious slash down his shoulder and over his chest.
Kyrel takes a step to the side, waiting for openings. He fires arrows as the opportunity arises. One strikes true, but the troll simply swats it aside.
Vane smiles faintly, and begins to murmur quietly again. Reaching into a pocket of his spell pouch, he casts a handful of orange and yellow dust into the air. The dust shapes itself into a sphere, and with a word from the wizard ignites into a coherent ball of flame. The wizard smiles maliciously and makes a heaving gesture, sending the ball bouncing toward the troll, leaving the tundra scorched as it goes.
The rolling inferno moves around Kaz, and rolls right under the troll's stomping path. Fire dances up the creature's leg, melting it as it steps down. The troll shrieks in utter fury and pain...and topples ontop of the sphere. The sphere, it's surface flaming yet spungy, doesn't pop but bounces the weight of the ice creature atop it, but the shrieks die down, as the troll envelopes it, and soon the glow of orange starts to peek through the creature's back as flesh blackens and shrivels.
Kaz grunts in pain, clutching his chest to make sure nothing important falls out. He spins around on the Troll, curved blade at the ready, just in time to see the thing get crispy. Panting, he takes several steps back, lowering his sword.
Vane snickers darkly, and bounces the sphere back and forth in a little circle around the fallen troll, before bouncing it back to him, letting it hover above his upturned palm. "Do you like my toy?"
Derleth grimly surveys the damage as he steps forward, getting Kaz's attention. "Hey. Let me look at that: that was a nasty blow you took."
Kyrel says, "He doesn't seem to want to respond, Vane. Shocking manners, nie?"
Kaz glances at Derleth, managing a rogue-ish smirk, "Oh, no, I'm fine. I think he only punctured two or three vital organs."
Vane says, "Feh. As if I care about the opinions of a troll. I was asking you!"
Derleth smirks and grasps his medallion briefly, reaching out and laying a glowing hand on Kaz's chest.
Kyrel chuckles. "I've seen it before. Good job, though. Most of my spells are geared toward things a little smarter."
Vane is a lot more animated when wielding beach-ball sized gouts of flame, it seems. He seems to be quite enjoying himself, and actually laughs a few times. At what, is anyone's guess.
Kaz peers down at his chest, which is now completely healed, "Well, thanks - a lot. Now all I need is a tailor."
Kyrel walks over to the trolls to see if his arrows survived - not likely - and to make sure they're not regenerating at all.
Derleth grins. "Sorry. These fingers are for dealing cards, not sewing armor. ;)
Vane tsks at his brother. "Kyrel, come now. When I destroy something, it stays destroyed. You should know that better than anyone."
Derleth says, "So...anyone be up for a bite of well done troll? ;)"
Kyrel says, "I'll pass, thanks." He retrieves a surviving arrow, frankly surprised that even one made it. "Looks fine. I wonder if we should leave the bodies where our proteges might find them?
Vane mms, studying the surface of his flaming 'toy'. "Not a bad idea... it would be a good idea to warn them off."
Derleth says, "Here be trolls?"
Kyrel says, "Crispy trolls."
Derleth chuckles.
Vane says, "Something to that effect."
Kaz sheathes his sword, then retrieves his crossbow, "Well, I say we leave 'em. We do have our own job to do, now that we're done helping the rookies with theirs."
Derleth says, "Ye have the right of it, Kaz. Let's be off."
Vane hms. "Yes, quite so." He closes his fingers, then opens them with a releasing gesture, and moves as if blowing out a candle. The sphere extinguishes silently, and the wizard turns to go find his horse.
Derleth says, "Now I've seen everything. A pet fireball."
Kyrel says, "This is our good deed for the day, I think. Let's head back to the North Road."
After six days of travel, the road to Nemford looks as it has: White, bleak, and boring. Snow had fallen the day after the four's venture from Tarlbren, and the weather had turned colder. Not much exciting had happened...well, a squirrel had gotten into the rations on the fourth day.
Kiri has been decidedly unhappy with this change in the weather, staying inside Kyrel's cloak during the day and not venturing far from him at night, either. He occasionally peeks out and chitters at his mage, apparently hoping he'll turn around and head south soon.
Derleth says, "Your familiar be worse than a wife, Kyrel. ;)"
Kyrel says, "Hardly that bad. He's just a bit opinionated."
Derleth says, "Too bad they don't make Ring's of Warmth in ferret size."
Vane smiles a little. "I can hardly blame him. This weather is wearisome. It disagrees with Kai... he sleeps most of the day. Upsets his metabolism, I fear."
Derleth says, "Maybe ye mages should study up some spells to warm yer animal friends."
Vane says, "Perhaps you men of the world should select a more agreeable clime to work in."
Kaz rides along, heavily bundled in furs, but the cold does little to dampen his spirits, "Oh, it's not so bad. And after fetching us a couple pups, we'll be off to warmer lands." The road has been cut right through a forest. Evergreen trees line both sides of the well-traveled way, and have for some time.
Derleth grins. "Sure, and Platinum be liking that. Rubdowns and warm mash aside. ;)"
Vane shoots Derleth an odd look, then decides that must be code for something. He adjusts his hat and rides on.
Vane sits upright in his saddle, and raises a hand. "Something coming, and making haste."
Vane says, "On the right...."
Kaz already has his sword in hand by the time Vane voices a warning, peering in the very same direction, eyes narrowed.
Derleth casually loads his sling with a bullet....
Kyrel reaches casually into his pouch, drawing out the necessary spell components for a color spray.
The sound grows louder untill it's plane, and then the sight of something in drab gray comes moving quickly through the brush, skitting to a stop at the edge of the forest. A boy, no more then fourteen is panting heavily, eyes wide at the sight of weapons drawn, before he flings himself toward you. "Hide me! Hide me! By any god that be listening, please hide me!"
Vane is still looking past the boy toward the trees. "Derleth, see to the boy, would you..."
Kaz points his sword towards the boy, "Hold! What chases you?"
Derleth vaults down from Platinum. "Don't be waving yer sword at the lad, Kaz..."
Vane hrmns, and reaches into his spell pouch. "Whatever it is, it's coming... I suggest we get out of the road, right now."
Derleth nods and motions to the boy. "Lad, get on me pony..."
The boy freezes, looking behind him, then to Kaz with his blade drawn. He starts running toward the edge of the other side, then looks back, swearing and oath, and dives behind one of the horses. In the distance, the sound of men's voices can be heard, as they tramble through the woods. One of them shouts, "Y'll not get away boy! Stop your runnin'!"
Kaz frowns, and urges his horse into the nearby brush, where he quickly dismounts to get out of sight.
Vane guides his horse into the opposite treeline, several feet away from Kaz, and makes himself scarce amid the brush. "Kyrel, hurry now. Derleth, if you're doing something... do it now."
Kyrel urges Maya alongside Derleth and the boy. "Hold still, lad." He casts the spell of invisibility on the youngster. "Now.. get up behind me."
Derleth smiles as Kyrel acts faster than he did, but doesn't get back on Platinum yet.
Derleth keeps his sling at the ready, though.
The boy squeaks a moment, then grows as quiet as death. After several minutes, and the voices and sounds grow louder, soon three men ammerge from the woods. One nearly past his middle years, beard graying, is huffing, as two younger men sidle up beside him.. They pause at the edge of the woods, then look at Kyrel and Derleth. "Did ye see a boy come through here?" The older man asks, once his breath is caught.
Kyrel says, "He came tearing out of the forest, then down that way..." He points down the road the way they'd come. "What's the commotion about?"
The older man looks at the two younger, who are a tad over eighteen, give or take for both. He guestures. "Go get 'em, the little rat'd probably cut into the wood again." The two nod, slapping their stout sticks in hand, and start off down the road.
Kyrel chuckles. "What'd he steal, then?"
Glancing up, "First, he tries to steal me daughter. I find the two sneakin' out her window. Then I go to get me sword, and it's been stolen too!"
Kyrel says, "Hmm. The boy we saw didn't have a sword or a girl with him."
Adding, with growing ire, "If I hadn't tried to throttle the brat, he would've stolen me horse, while he was at it!"
Derleth struggles to keep a straight face as he casually remounts.
"So, y'say he went that way?" The man asks, pointing in the indicated direction.
Derleth says, "oh, aye. Like the devil himsel' were behind 'im."
Kyrel says, "Well, that's the way he was headed after he popped out of the woods. Good luck catching him." He looks back toward the woods. "Vane! Kaz! Might as well come out, this isn't anything we need to be worried about." "
Nodding, "Aye. Thank ye for yer help!" The man starts in a jog down the road.
Vane leads his horse back onto the path. "Interesting, that."
Derleth says, "I say we but a bit o distance between us and the ornery fellow, aye?"
Kyrel says, "Indeed. Shall we be on our way, then?"
A voice on the side asks, "Mind if I be joinin' you?"
Vane says, "First, we might discuss this with the young boy, I think."
Kyrel says, "I'd practically insist on it, lad. What's your side of the story?"
Kyrel holds a hand out. "C'mon up, and we can ride away from them while you talk to us. The spell will last about an hour."
Kaz joins the group after a few moments, jogging back up the road. With a whistle, he calls his horse out of the brush, patting it on the side before mounting again.
Kyrel gets his hand taken, before the boy pulls himself up onto the back of the horse. "Ah. Thank you, sirrah. Now, can we put road between us and that horses' arse and his donkey brood?"
Kyrel grins. "I think so, yes. Stealing his daughter... what a concept. You don't look like a slaver to me."
"I don't look like anything right now."
Derleth laughs. "Ye've got a quick wit, lad."
Derleth gees up Platinum. "And we be off."
Kyrel says, "It'll wear off. Were you really trying to run off with his daughter and his sword?"
A chuckle rumbles from behind Kyrel. "I wasn't stealing her, she was agreeing to be coming! I can't help it if that thick headed orc-sire just can't except an...opportunist as his daughter's fellow." The smirk in his voice is as plain as day. "Well, if I hadn't stole his sword, I'd be having a higher voice, now wouldn't I?"
Kaz mms, as he rides up behind the others, "So where is she now?"
Kyrel chuckles again. "I thought as much. Self-defense, I suppose. Certainly not like he'd have much worth stealing for a real thief. How far away is his farm?"
"Well, he had somethin' worth it, but I hadn't the brass to steal that gold tooth in his head. Eh...she be at home, a broken heart!" The boy's voice grows dramatic. "Why, she may not live the night through, her world shattered!" Ahem. "Oh, about an eighth of a mile."
Kaz chuckles softly, shaking his head.
Vane sighs, exasperated.
Derleth smiles wryly. "Hmmm. I've yet to save a damsel in distress...she might be a good reference, belike. ;)"
Vane raises his head. "Derleth. Surely you're not suggesting we..." He trails off, already defeated, and sighs. "Let's be quick about this."
Kyrel says, "Anyone else there with her, belike?"
"Bah, leave her be. There be farmer stags calling out that doe. Her father be not wanting an opportunist part of his family. She'll be fine. Jus' get me to where you are going."
Kyrel chuckles. "She may have a broken heart, but you obviously don't. We're off hunting winter wolves, actually. We can drop you off at the next town, if you want."
Vane mutters in Elven. Or use you for bait.
Tone shocked. "You're hunting cold dogs? And I thought men were fools for spitting on dragon gold!" The sound of his shrug is in his voice. "But, Luck smiles on fools."
Kaz flashes a grin at Vane, chuckling.
Derleth says with a grin, "Not always lad. But when one o' the fools be her servant, it raises the odds some."
"Or the body count," the boy quips.
Kyrel says, "We're not such fools as that, youngling. We know what we're doing."
Vane sighs a little, and rides on in silence.
Kaz rides ahead some, taking a point position and scouting the road ahead.
"So, you know that winter wolves are usually pets of Frost Giants?"
Kyrel says, "Ayup. Not always, though. You have some wild ones in this area, nie?"
Derleth chuckles. "Must be hard to keep the water in their dishes warm enough not to freeze. ;)"
He snorts. "If I knew that, I wouldn't be here. I like my skin without ice on it, thank you. But, there -could- be rogue wolves up near the northern spurs, but they're usually under the heel of Frost Giants.
Derleth says, "Now there be an image for ye. 'Hey Franz, wait up! I be needing t' wipe this frost wolf off the bottom of me boot!'"
Vane hangs back a bit, keeping an ear cocked for other surprises.
The air chuckling, "Heh. So, where're we headed?"
Kyrel points ahead on the road. "Thataway."
"Thank you, Oh wise sage, your wisdom tis profound."
Derleth says, "Anyone ever told ye you've got a smart mouth, lad?"
Kyrel says, "I suspect they have...."
Snickering, "Well, tis better t' have a smart mouth, then to prove you have a dumb one every time it opens, eh?"
Derleth clutches at his chest. "Oh, the pain, the utter pain! Lad, ye've dealt me a blow I might ne'er recover from."
Vane considers pointing out to the boy what a self-incriminating statment THAT is, but keeps silent and listens to the forest instead.
Kyrel chuckles. "Not always true, lad, but I'll grant you the point. Sometimes you want to make them believe you're dumb. So what makes you an opportunist?"
"Well, what makes me not? I get a chance to travel, I take it. I see me a chance to take up a sword, I take it. A lovely lady winks at me..." He trails off. "You all travelling to Nemford?"
Kyrel says, "I believe that's the name of the place."
Derleth says, "Nae, we be travelling to th' land oh the faries where we plan t' buy a bunch o' their tiny swords t' be used as toothpicks."
"Ah, well, best you hurry; that piece of rabbit hanging between your teeth is in need of being skewered."
Derleth just chuckles, leaving it be.
The boy chuckles as well, showing that all was well in mirth. "Well, then there be a bit over a week left." He considers. "Best be wary of highwaymen."
Vane snickers viciously to himself.
Derleth says, "Highwaymen best be wary of us."
Kyrel says, "Indeed. We've not had any trouble with them yet, and I doubt they'll be much trouble in the future, either. They do seem to take it badly when they're set on fire."
Vane sniggers again.
"Really, eh? Well then, I must be riding in the presence of archmages and weapon masters... So, what be your names? I've yet to get a formal introduction from you masters.
Kaz continues to ride well ahead of the main group. He may be in earshot, but his main purpose, of course, is to be able to hear what may lie in wait ahead.
Kyrel says, "I'm Kyrel, that's my brother Vane over there, the little fellow is Derleth, and the gruff one up ahead is Kaz. What's your name?"
"Oh, well, then I thank you, Kyrel, for helpin' me back there. I like this spell; I can't see myself, but neither can anyone else. Though, it is somewhat bothersome seeing through your eyelids. Huh? Oh, well, Jamtiln."
Kyrel chuckles. "Yeah, that's always been a drawback. It should wear off soon, though. We're not archmages and master thieves and warrior heroes, but we have some skills."
"Well, I suggest you use those skills to watch your pouches and backs when you get into Nemford."
Derleth says, "Have personal experience with that, do ye?"
Kyrel grins. "I'm sure we'll manage. And don't think you can sneak off with our stuff, either. Kai and Kiri will be keeping an eye on you when we're asleep."
Vane smirks. "Watch your fingers."
He sniffs insultedly. "As if I'd sneak off into the wilderness unprotected! I'd likely get snatched up by some fierce predator or somesuch... And, I be warnin' you because Nemford isn't a happy little town. Men don't come up this far north lest they be having no place else to go, hidin' from the law, or looking to grab money from the lakes."
Kyrel nods. "Now that is a useful bit of information, Jamtiln. Gracias."
The trip had yielded no other excitement, except the remains of bear bones picked clean. The walled town comes into view from the road. Jamthlin tugs on Derleth's cloak. "Oh, Derleth, might you be sharing that spell of un-seeing?" He asks from behind the cleric, resting on platinum behind him.
Derleth says, "Why's that, lad? Don' want the city guards t'see ye?"
"Not paticularly, Derleth sir. That ol' son of an ogre may have sent word up here of me; they may hold me for him. You woulnd't mind?"
Vane muses, "Perhaps there's a reward posted."
Kyrel says, "I've got a better one, Jamtiln. And it won't tempt you quite so much..."
Derleth considers. "The spell would only be a temporary solution, lad..."
"They won't find me once I get into the city," He assures.
Kaz has joined the group again, now that they near the city.
Jamthlin perks up. "What's your suggestion, Kyrel?"
Kyrel says, "We'll just make you look like someone else." He chants the words of the Minor Image spell, laying the seeming of a much older man over the boy.
He looks at his hands, and chuckles. "I'll not talk; I sound like my young self." The two guards at the gates of the town come to attention.
The guards peer toward the approaching group. "Hey!" One calls.
Derleth says, "If ye're going t' d something, do it quick, belike."
Vane looks up at the city walls. The angle causes light to reflect off of his glasses, obscuring his eyes. He doesn't make reply, just watches the guard patrol.
One of the guards draw from the gates, waiting until the five are about twenty feet from the gates. He sholders his spear. "Hold."
The party reins in at the command to stop. Derleth looks up. "Aye?" Kyrel asks, "Yes?" almost simultaneously. Vane regards the guard impassively. Kaz also remains quiet, his hands away from the sword at his hip.
"What be your business here?" He asks in general, eyes sweeping over the group.
Kyrel says, "We're passing through, actually. We hope to hire a guide to the northern regions first."
The guard gives Kyrel a critical eye, as if considering the half-elf mad. He nods once, before passing a glance to Vane, then back to the half-elf. "What type of wizards are you two?"
Vane doesn't answer, regarding the guard stonily from behind his tinted lenses. Kyrel says, "I deal mainly in divination. Why?"
His eyes shift toward Vane as he answers Kyrel, "And him?"
Derleth seems to be content to leave the talking to Kyrel, for the moment, so as not to draw attention to the boy on his horse, illusion or no.
Vane shifts his hat down a bit. "I make things explode."
Kaz breaks into a grin, at that statement.
Derleth hides a smile.
Kyrel coughs. True, true...
He snorts. "Ah, well, then good. As long as you do no 'slosions within the walls." He waves to the other guard, who knocks on the wall. The doors begin to open.
Derleth hmmphs. Sure, and I wonder what would have been the *wrong* answer...
Derleth nudges Platinum with his heels as the gate opens enough for him to pass, wincing as he appears to be poked in the back.
Kyrel follows along in. "Oh, by the way..." He looks back at the guard. "Can you recommend a good inn?"
Kaz rides through the gates with the others, when they open widely enough.
Vane gives the guard a faint smirk as he passes. By his dress and demeanor, he's obviously an evil necromancer of some sort. Obviously.
As soon as Derleth rides through the gates, the 'old man' leans forward, putting his hand on Derleth's hip and tries to slide down, while acting slow and weak.
The guard gives a smirk to Kyrel. "I suggest the Snowed Inn."
Derleth murmurs in an undertone. "A word to the wise, lad. Stealing money from a priest of Lliara is a quick way to get yer hand chopped off."
"Eh, speak up sirrah?" The 'old man' replies, in a very good mimic of a voice. "Well, I thank ya for the ride, sirrah." With that, the boy disappears into the street.
Derleth chuckles. "Kids."
Kyrel grins and holds his concentration on the image spell until the boy disappears around a corner. "Couldn't wait to be rid of us. Just as well, I guess."
Derleth says, "Aye. The lad was about to 'borrow' some of my coin."
Vane says, "Good riddance."
The gates close behind the four. The mid-day crowd is bustling about. The majority of the populace don't look like cheery townsmen. Many look like ruffians, ne'erdowells, and common outcasts.
Derleth hmms. "on the other hand, twould make sense, considering his words, to put me money pouch on the inside o me armor for the nonce." Which he does.
Kyrel shrugs. "Ah, well. We gave him a chance, if he learns from it, fine... if not, things will catch up with him quickly enough." He looks at the townsmen. "I think Basel was right. Don't want to stay here long."
Travelling down the main road leads to a well kept building, compared to those around it, with a simple 'The Snowed Inn' written on a sign out front.
Derleth says, "I hope they have a good stable..."
Kyrel says, "This looks a bit more encouraging. I wonder why the guard grinned so much about it?"
Derleth says, "Maybe he was jsut amused by the name..."
Vane says, "Or perhaps he expected a tip."
Kyrel says, "If he'd put his hand out, I would've given him one."
Derleth says, "I'll wait with the horses while ye three find out the score, aye?"
Vane says, "You're too kindhearted, little brother."
Kaz slides off his horse, handing the reigns to Derleth, "Sure thing.. this might be interesting."
Kyrel swings down from his horse. "If you want. Shall we?"
Vane says, "Yes. Let's just be out of this weather."
Derleth climbs down and feeds Platinum an apple.
Kaz heads into the inn, ahead of the others.
Inside, the noise of noonday meal, along with roudy men, allready deep in their cups, are eating, playing cards, argueing, and arm wrestling. The bar maids don't look all too fantastic, having delt with the harsh weather and hard life of the north. Behind the bar, a tattooed and surly dwarf sits on a glass, rubbing it. Behind him, mounted on a plack, is a cross bow. Above which is painted, "The Last Warning".
Kaz sidles up to the bar, immediately in his element, despite being far away from home, "An ale my good dwarf."
Vane remains just behind and to one side of his brother, his hatbrim obscuring half of his face.
The dark bearded dwarf lifts a sable brow. "Eh? Ye want ale, 'er somethin' manly?"
Kaz leans forward on the bar, propped on his elbows, "And what, per chance, would you suggest?"
"Alchemist's Fire." He replies, thumbing toward a keg on the wall behind him.
Vane half-smirks. This I must see. He touches his brother's shoulder and whispers, "Five gold if he blows himself through that wall."
Kyrel chuckles at Vane's comment. "I doubt that it's really anything close to the claim."
Vane grins. "I know that. Who cares? The wager stands."
Kaz half-grins, then slaps an open palm down on the bar, "Alchemist's Fire it is, then."
Kyrel says, "You think I'm going to take the other side of it? I may be younger than you, brother dear, but our mother didn't raise either of us to be fools."
Vane smirks, watching the exchange on the other side of the bar. "You're no fun sometimes, Kyrel."
The dwarf grins through his scrubby beard, and takes up a mug, filling it. He slams down the glass of golden-amber liquid. "There, 'ave a drink, boy." The dwarf is already grabbing a pitcher of water.
Kaz lifts the mug, taking a quick sniff over the top of it. He grins at the dwarf as he grabs the water, then puts his lip to the mug and tilts it back, taking a healthy swig.
The dwarf leans forward, grabbing the half elf as he starts to collapse and go limp. Ignoring the glass clanging to the floor, spilling the rest of the liquor, the dwarf up-turns the pitcher of water over Kaz's head.
Kyrel chuckles as he steps forward to help the dwarf with Kaz. "Cute joke."
Vane tsks. "You should have bet me, brother." He takes the half-elf's other arm.
Kyrel says, "Well, it wouldn't have been as bad a miss as I thought. Wonder what that stuff is?"
The dwarf yells toward a barmaid to get a map. "Joke?" He gruffs at Kyrel, "Oh, well, I wouldn't call 'em cute," He replies, shaking the half-elf, in an attempt to wake him up. "What you boys be wantin'? Room, food, 'er somethin' to carry this 'en out?"
Kaz flings his head back as he's doused with water, wobbling in his chair unstab-ly, "Damn that's good." He lifts the mug again, holding it out for more, before noticing that it's not in his hand.
Vane says, "I think you've had quite enough, Kaz."
Kyrel says, "Rooms for tonight for four of us, stabling for four horses, and food for now."
He nods, and strokes his beard a moment. "Twelve gold for the lot, an' I can tell ye where te be goin' anywhere in this squaller."
Vane says, "Most equitable. Done."
He shakes his head, grumbling about elves and their 'fancy words'. His voice like a rumbling roar (Think...Scottish and Russian being blended in the most racketting combination). "Works well. Coin up front," His tone is one that has no room for disagreements.
The three each lay down their share. Vane sees that Kaz' contribution is duly accounted for.
He nods, and tosses Kyrel a key. "Third door on the right side o' the hall."
Kyrel catches the key. "Thanks. Umm... you have any problem with familiars in the common room?"
Giving Kyrel a critical eye, "Well, if I'm familiar with someone, why wouldnae I let 'em in, eh?" Kaz laughs, quite uproariously, at that joke.
Kyrel gives the dwarf a hard look, trying to determine whether he's kidding or not. "Magician's familiars."
The dwarf gazes at Kaz. "He's swallowed too much o' that fire, methink. Need to get him to sleep it off; he's already drunk." The dwarf turns back to Kyrel. "Eh? Oh! Y'mean pets! Ahh...well, as long as yer not bringing rats in; I'm tryin' te get rid of the lil' bastards in the cellar. Don't need no more."
Kyrel grins. "Kai's a ferret, he might help. Kiri's a bat, and well behaved."
Kyrel says, "At any rate. Let's get him upstairs, and then get unpacked. Some folks will do anything to get out of unpacking...."
Running fingers through his breast-bone length beard, the dwarf says, "Bat, ye say? Don't get many o' them this far north unless they be in a mine. Must be frostbitten, that." He shrugs. "Sure, bu' if another fella tries t' eat it, skin it, or play target practice, 'tis yer problem."
Kyrel nods. "Fair enough."
Vane begins dragging Kaz away, muttering darkly.
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