The day was cool, cooler than usual for this area. The southern breeze that should be warm is instead cold, leaving you chilled, wishing you had packed an extra shirt for your travels. Grumping to yourself, you instead push on, walking a little faster to get a little warmer.
Your first sign of civilization is detected not by your eyes, but by your nose. The smell of wood burning, of meat cooking, pies baking, wafts upon the breeze, giving you renewed strength in your march.
perhaps i will sleep in a warm bed, and enjoy some warm food. Sit beside a fire this evening chatting with my fellow travelers.
With a smile upon your face, you walk forward, thoughts of good cheer upon your head.
As you walk, other figures seem to congregate around you. No one speaks, as if speaking would dispell this enchanted evening. All are walking the same path, into town, into Solace.
You round a bend, and there you see them; the vallenwood trees. Standing taller than any other trees around, their mights boughs shade vast acres of land. Several homes, some new, some old, lay underneath the mighty branches of these behemoths. Yet majority of the homes are sprinkled within the trees themselves, with wooden bridges providing the thoroughfares between trees. Your eyes seek out one mighty structure, its mass seeming to grow from the tree itself. The Inn of the Last Home.
The famous home. Where the heroes of the lance started their journey. Oh to sit where the mighty once sat you think, as you move towards town. The others around you seem to have the same thought, and join you on your journey towards the great Inn.
The staircase is long, the stairs many, and by the end, you have gone around the tree 5 times before reaching the top. Your legs burn from the ache of walking all day, and then climbing. Taking a lungful of air, you seek to calm your racing heart.
I pray that i do not need to do that again. you chuckle to yourself.
Opening the door, the roar of dozens of patrons all talking at once assaults your ears. Shrugging on your pack, you walk in, and approach the bar.
Securing your drink, and a room for the night, you cast about, looking for a place to sit. There! by the fire! perfect! I hope i am fast enough You think to yourself as you press through the crowd to the seats.
Breaking through, you are startled to see yourself joined by your fellow road companions. Nodding to them, you find a chair and sit, the warmth of the fire warming your bones and helping you to relax.
Looking about, you see strangers all around, majority of everyone talking to another. Turning to your chair mates, you introduce yourself, just to make conversation and help the night pass.
The young man approaches the table. He is dressed all in white with the platinum medallion of faith showing the symbol of the platinum dragon, which softly glows. He signs the triangle in a blessing, "Paladine's blessings be with you all," as he sits down.
I am Talinthal Uth Mondor, beloved of Paladine.
[b] is for speech
[ooc] is for out of character responses
[i] is for thought or self thought
Trap walks in and looking around sees a cleric.....
"Hey who are you? Where have you been? My name is Barefoot, Trapdoor Barefoot. My family wears shoes, but we are all born bare of feet."
"Hey are you listening or are you praying, but it is too loud for praying here, I think."
Finally i will be able to rest a bit, at least for a night or two. These vallenwood trees are indeed a sight to see, its a shame we had to abandon that part of our realm. Argl my stomach is rumbling, these spiced potatoes, what a novel concept i've never had any before. and they smell soo good.
It takes a good minute for the rather young elf to hear the greeting, absorbed as she is in the reverie of her dish.
As she turn her head, the human is probably stunned breathless by her beauty. .
I don't think that he has blessed me at all but these spiced potatoes are indeed a blessing of the heavens, she says with a warm and radiant smile but i am sure that was supposed to be a rather formal and polite introduction. Actually what does one mean by beloved of a God? does he love you more than others, more than any of his followers?
she pause for a second, her crystal clear and warm voice still singing in your ears
Actually don't answer that i was teasing and being playful
Looking at her, she is wearing a pair of long green pants, a loos fitting white shirt with a vest to complement. A scimitar in its scabbard sitting against her chair is a bit a odd with her. Looking more closely you can immediately deduce that her choice of attire is there to diminish her well formed feminine body.
If you don't mind i am famished and these potatoes are getting cold.
Not really waiting for a reply she starts digging in her plate. But you can see that she is also paying attention to her surroundings.
I really do hope it was wise to dine with this many men, i hope the beer is light and that i will be able to retired to my room early. I should be ok i still have a few coins to feed me for a few days. I need to calm down and relax
A kender, how cute, i had never seen one. From what i remember of the legends, i really out to pay close attention to by belongings.
and with that tough she raps her ankle in the scimitar weapon chord, and invert inside her belt her small coins purse
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b]Greetings kender-kin. Truly the favor of Fizban has been with your race,[ooc] As he hands the kender a marble.
Turning to the elf, [b] Daughter of the Qualinesti, perhaps your tutors were remiss in telling you the story of creation and how the elves are the race created by the gods of good.
E'Li is the father of our race. I was implying with my earlier comment that the Platium Dragon as you so call him represents the godly force of majesty and sponsors the soul's aspirations to rise to greater heights and to improve itself by following the example of others. To imply that he loves a select few amongst many, isn't that a little bit Err i can't seem to recall the exact word in the common tongue. she says with a smile
hum interesting, he appears to seem a little bit full of himself now. like "Beloved of Paladin" was a special title created for a cast of holy zealot
she takes her breath , and turns her full attention to her spoon in order to eat the hot dish sitting in front of her.
[b E'li as he is known among your people loves all of his children especially those who try to be like him and bring his goodness to the world ]
[I have the elves fallen in their duty, love and respect and propriety for Paladine that they question one who serves him. Perhaps this is what the Silvanesti clerics I have spoken with at the Temple meant about the purity of their worship compared to their Western cousins.]
[/ooc] okay, let me see if this works./
Kender grabs the marble and hold it between his fingers as he leans in close to the fire trying to see how this particular marble is unlike any other...
"So just the one, is it part of a set?....Did you lose the rest? Where did you last see them?
He hopes atop a table.....
"Nobody move this man has lost his marbles!"
He points at the cleric while making his decree......
Trapdoger, please my friend, do not make a scene and disturb the sanctity of the Inn of the Last Home, where First Prophet Goldmoon began her quest to bring back knowledge of the True Gods of Light. I have a story about the other marbles or why I only have one if you would like to hear it?
that was funny ! was thinking Solinas while suppressing a small laught
If Paladine can have patience with the kender-kin, I must as well. No wonder they have problems following his dictates
Trap dodger sits down right in the middle of the table.....
"Yes yes tell me the tale, how many marbles? Is it the tale of two marbles?....are there and kender in it?"
He lays his hoopac across his lap along with two sickles which he begins to sharpen them and wait for the story to start......
Rumal is handing over his first two empty mugs to one of the barmaids, ordering two more. Do yew haf anythin a lil stronger? I jus got a nassy headache comin up tha ramp." He turns to the group, as he climbs into the chair at the table. "Thiseat taken? No? Good, my legs are smarding from tha climb. You all dring here offen? If so, wha's the bess they got?" He adds proudly, "I fassy maself a biduffa conno.. *hic* connoisseur." He looks at the Kender and explains, "It means espert." He looks around, eagerly waiting for his drinks to come, and in the meantime takes a small swig off a hip flask.
A minotaur arrives at the table, taking the chair from a man who hastily vacated it upon his approach. The first thing noticeable about him is his horns, or rather the lack of them. Minotaurs are well-known for their horns and seeing one without them is almost unheard of. There are deep scars where they would have been, visible through the brown fur. He wears a cloak hiding most of his torso.
If one has seen minotaurs before then they know that he seems to be small compared to his kin, but compared to most races he is still quite large.
He says nothing, seeming to ignore his surroundings, doing nothing but sit there. He has no food nor drink, only his gear.
My my, this is almost getting worse by the minute, a kender, a gnome and..... oh by the Gods .... a Minotaur
Hum was was it that i read in a book about minotaurs?.... ha yes now i remember. the minotaurs, which are also known as "Kothians", are a reasonably civilized and cultured race. They are most commonly found on the islands of Mithas and Kothas, named for the sons of the first Kothian emperor, and are renowned for their tactical brilliance, military strength and superb seamanship. Could he be a travelling Master swordsman, a Blademaster? Maybe i am in luck.
her face brightens at her last tough
What a strange minotaur. No horns? I wonder if he has found disfavor with Sargonnas? And a drunkard gnome? Maybe at least this way his inventions will work?
Trapdodger, indeed it has a kender in the story? What good story does not? Why did you know that this Inn Tasslehoff Burrfoot was known to frequent? And he was close personal friends with Fizban the Fabolous?
I digress just a bit.
Before I set out for this area of Ansalon from Palanthus I was in the Temple attending morning prayers with the clergy and many laity. As the services ended I noticed an old man in grey robes talking to kender in bright yellow leggings with a topknot. They were a bit disrputive arguing over the hat that the man had on his head. As I got closer both looked at me and got big smiles on their faces. The old man beckoned me over and the kender was very excited. He asked me if I would like to see what was in his pouch. I responded in the positive. The kender dumped his pouches all over the floor and the old man laughed at him. As the kender looked through his items, I noticed that my signet ring was in his collection. As I bent down to pick it up he told me that I must have dropped it but it was a nice ring. He then held up a marble in his hand and gave it to me. He said, "you never know when a good marble will come in hand. He gave it to me and said, if you find a kender that has no shoes, give this to him from his uncle.
Come friend minotaur, enjoy the companionship. Friend gnome, offen frequently or offen as in a person who has lost his parents?
"Yah don't say this explains so much!"
The kender opens his pouch producing the marbles within another smaller pouch that was within the first pouch.
From the smaller pouch he dumps the marbles 11 marbles roll out, he adds the new marble making it an even dozen.
He claps his hands in delight over having 12 marbles....
"I need a dozen pastries!"
Indeed, cow, enjoy the companionship around the table. The first round of food and drink is on me. A voice erupts from just beyond the table.
Turning at the voice, you see a tall man,, fiery red hair atop his head. His face appears chiseled from granite, his chin so hard that you could shave with it. A cloak, a dull red in color sits upon his wide shoulders, covering most of his armor. Looking at his armor, you see him wearing chainmail, and a breastplate. Etched upon this breastplate are the symbols of the Solamnic knights, a crown, a rose, and a sword. Yet, looking at the symbol of the rose, you see that this man has it set with rubies, small, yet sharp enough to catch the light, casting back the image of a rose in bloom.
Seeing the sharp look upon the minotaurs face, the man raises his hand. My apologies, minotaur. I had spent too much time with the pirates on the blood sea, and i apparently have picked up some of their bad habits. The man tosses a bag of coin at Asterius. Please, for the insult, allow me to pay for your lodging.
Sliding up a chair, and forcing talinthal to slide over, he sets his own food down.
Got to love those spicy potatoes. Yummy he says, and begins to eat his food.
Names Bruhma. Just Bruhma, for now. I can make my introduction at a later time, but for now Bruhma will do. I saw you on the road earlier, and i had assumed you to be a group that was travelling together, but upon hearing your introductions, i take it you all are strangers?
Looking about, and seeing your nods, he continues, taking a moment to remove the fork he held from the Kender, and swapping it with a sweetmeat.
I know that this is abrupt, but time is of the essence. I have several men who are seeking to catch me alone. If i am caught alone, they will pressure me into revealing myself and my quest. This I cannot allow. I need your help, not only in fending off these men, but also as added protection on the road. I am willing to cover any and all costs that would be occured on the road, and give each of you 3 Steel for each week of service.
Solinas looks up from her plate and while trying to appear like she isn't listening to the words of the solamnic knight is visually searching trough the drops objects of the kender's pouch for any of her belonging.
Bluff
Perception
If your cause be just and right, the Bison of Heaven and his father will surely make sure it be completed for their glory and that of the Solanmnics.
Indeed friend. May Paladine bless your boots, to ensure that they are comfortable for the long journey ahead. Yes, it is an odd blessing, but when you travel by foot, you want your comfy boots to last.
Chuckling, he drinks his ale.
"Journey! Where to? I am ready to go, but it's dark outside. Fizban could make light, we could go right away! Where are my pastries?"
The kender is up and ready for action even re-sheathing both his left and right hand sickles....
Why, to Kendermore!
Hum too bad i have no knowledge of the solamic nibility, their crest and sigil, because i bet there aren't that many of them running around with a ruby rose engraved armor. If that mission of his was of utmost secrecy why even wear the dam thing at all. Donning an other armor would have made more senses.
the young elven woman continues to be absorbed by her food, eating slowly as to savior each spoonful of it
Kendermore, did I really hear that? does he really want to go home with just a shirt on his back? Hum... i wonder how fare of a journey it is.
He screws up his face at the holy man's question, unsure what frequency of occurance and parentless children have to do with one another, but he just keeps drinking. On the first mention of their round of food and drink being funded by the newcomer, he instructs the barmaid, "Go ahead an skip the food and bring me two drings instead."
At the request to accompany him, and even moreso to Kendermore, Rumal is intrigued "A shanse to discuss the alcohols of the Minotaurs an the Kenner people woube a grade opportuninny. Ima brewer by trade." He looks to Asterius and Trapdodger with a glazed over smile.
The minotaur turns from where he was staring at the fireplace. His eyes narrow at the apparent insult from Bruhma but seems to be appeased at the coin, catching it with a hand.
He listens to the offer, looking interested and finally nods. "Fine." He gives off the impression that he's done such work before. "My name is Asterius."
He waves a server over to order a plate of the potatoes and water, his words direct. When the gnome mentions the alcohol he shakes his head.
Asterius, I note your temperance when dealing with the fruit of the vine, is this something that is common among the minotaurs?
"No," Asterius says. "Minotaurs are most often fond of wine and alcohol." He doesn't explain further, preferring to start eating his meal when it is brought to him.
Rumal claps his hands and rubs them together at the Minotaur's assertion, "Wunnerful, Minotaur alcohol. So whus it made of, primar... *hic* primarily? An at what temature does it combuss?"
perception
"I know hundreds of ways to get to Kendermore!"
Perception
"I wouldn't know." The minotaur looks thoughtful, putting down his fork, and eventually ventures in a different, lighter tone, "I assume some of the product from the farms are used to produce alcohol, so fruit and wheat. The combustion temperature depends on the kind of alcohol and its ethanol portion."
Asterius then shuts his mouth and resumes eating.
Setting down gracefully her spoon next to her emptied, not really looking at anyone: " Well this dish was really worth the trouble of climbing all these stairs." I wonder if I should retired early of stay in the common room for a while. i do feel tired but tomorrow morning i should be able to sleep late. she wondered.
Onother person joins the group around the table. It's an tall and wiry man with hazle hair bound to an ponytail and grey eyes, wearing an well cared Victor-Emanuel-Beard. He is weaing a narrow cut white cassock. On the left breast of the latter is a crest. Its an diagonal divided shield, whose lower part shows the crown, sword and rose of the soamnic knights on blue ground and the upper part shows an red griffon with golden claws and teeth on silver ground. Around his neck hangs an silver holy symbol of Pladine. His Head iis guarded by a bascinet.
Under the cassock you can clearly see the iprints of an banded mail. On the left side of his weapon belt hangs a warhammer, on his rigt side a steel buckler with the same crest.
It seems, that this is the only table that has some free chairs left. If the ladies and gentlemen don't object I would take a seat in your circle. My name is Torald Othric of Griffonstone, Squire in the ranks of the knights of Solamnia.
As he speaks, you notice that his voice is quite smoky, which seems to come from an old scar on his larynx.
I wonder if that new squire will recognize the ruby rose? what are the odds of sitting at the table with two solamnic and 2 believers of the Platimum Dragon.
Raising her head toward the young man, he is taken by the stunning beauty of the silvered colored eyes looking at him: " Speaking only for myself, no i don't mind at all. You should order the spiced potatoes its this inn's specialty."
And without waiting for a reply the breathtaking woman goes back to blowing the steam coming from her hot spiced wine.
As Torald sits with the group and introduces himself, Bruhma nods at the man.
Hail, Squire. Pleasure.
His gaze changes focus, looking past Torald to the door. Talinthal and Trapdodger both pick up on this and gaze at the door as well.
Standing at the door are 4 men, each of them with scars upon their faces, look about the room, an evil look in their eyes.
Would appear that I wont be able to pay for those drinks and food. Bruhma says, his hand going to his belt.
Looking at everyone, he asks Well? Are you with me? Or do i need to find a group that is brave enough to handle this journey with me?
Thanks Mylady.
Torad looks into the round to see if anyone says anything against his approach and sits down after a while.
Then he beckons the bar maiden.
My dear, would you bring me some your spiced potatoes and a warm dry pinehoney mead.
Still sipping her hot spiced tea, solinas' left hand slowly goes to her side in order to find the hilt of her weapon.
Hum interesting its 4 against one, i wonder how that will go, i am sure the squire will land hand. So that makes it 4 vs 2. Enraged by the smell of blood the Minotaur will join the fray on the side of the smallest band bringing it to 4 vs 3. The Kender will undoubtedly find the situation interesting and try to stab something. and the arrogant beloved will want to help his chosen of the Platinum Dragon bringing the fight to even numbers on both sides making victory determined by one's skill. I shall watch closely the fight.
It seems to me, that I can't refuse your request, since it seems, that you have more trouble waiting at the door than one sword can handle.
Torald reaches to the wall to grab the shaft of an fauchard, he leaned against it before he sat down.
"Hey you guys look like you been lots of places and seen lots of things? Where are the things? Can I look in your packs?"
@ Torald
"Hey what happened to your neck? My uncle Knifedodger had one like that but bigger he was nearly hanged by tinker gnomes."
Here goes the squire like i tough
Greetings Torald of Griffonstone, squire of the Crown. My own family has members of your illustrous order. Perhaps you have heard of Sir Sir Frederick Uth Mondor. What a pleasure to see that you worship the Platinum Dragon as well. I am Revered Son Talintal Uth Mondor of the Temple of Paladine., as Talin signs the triangle blessing of the Platinum Dragon.
Grasping his medallion of faithIf the cause be right the Platinum Dragons servant shall lend his holy aid to this cause, Bruhma. Sifat