Seph while Merle is away meanwhile spends his time helping around the Silver Rose and Copper Cauldron.Bess is more than happy to have Seph help her peel vegetables for the following day. Bess' kitchen is a large busy place, with children, dogs, cats and even an old raven in attendance. Ramona, Bess' oldest daughter, runs back and forth with orders from the patrons. Darroth, one of her sons, fills clay mugs of ale from a huge cask embedded in the kitchen wall. It is a chaotic yet homey scene
Seph enjoying himself happy to be helping around the place.
"Hey Isaac!" Karrin calls when she spots him, "I was looking for Ekuur but I didn't think I'd see you down here!"
Isaac had slouched over, hoping to escape notice but it was too late. He abruptly turns on his heel, continuing his brisk stride toward Karrin and the cornered Namer.
"Hey, cutter. Just rattlin' my bonebox with my Factor. Ekuur's ain't in his temple with his barm.... uh, followers?"
Seph enjoying himself happy to be helping around the place.
The remainder of the evening is spent helping Bess and the children serve the dinner crowd. Bess gives Seph a heaping plate for dinner, and he and Mercutio, Renkar's faerie dragon, get to split an apple pie at the end.
As the night wears on, the dinner crowd thins, and the only folks left are a few drinkers and a couple of Antipeak shift workers taking a break. After cleaning the dishes and prepping the breads for tomorrow, Bess yawns and turns to Seph.
"Yeh've been a big help my fine man, but I think it's time for bed! My brother will be in shortly to look after the place overnight, so it's time to catch some sleep."
"I hate rodents."
Justin's gestures and a ghostly blue hand grabs the worn metal rod and brings it to him. The is an angry chittering and the golden-hued sparkly mutant rats all turn towards Justin, whiskers twitching madly. Justin feels an alien presence skitter through his head. It was similar to what he felt communing with the Seed, but this effect is greasier. It's like having a big rat run across his brain, sniffing the convolutions of his cortex and dropping an occasional pellet in his occipital lobe.
::you cannot fight the usss::
A wave of crushing fear and depression washes over Justin
At this point Skyy awakens and sits up. Her eyes widen and she screams
Justin can feel the tremors as she clutches him
"Bleedin' Cranium Rats!"
Seph enjoying himself happy to be helping around the place.The remainder of the evening is spent helping Bess and the children serve the dinner crowd. Bess gives Seph a heaping plate for dinner, and he and Mercutio, Renkar's faerie dragon, get to split an apple pie at the end.
As the night wears on, the dinner crowd thins, and the only folks left are a few drinkers and a couple of Antipeak shift workers taking a break. After cleaning the dishes and prepping the breads for tomorrow, Bess yawns and turns to Seph.
"Yeh've been a big help my fine man, but I think it's time for bed! My brother will be in shortly to look after the place overnight, so it's time to catch some sleep."
Seph nods sleepily and heads to bed.
Justin shudders, but it is from anger, not fear. The greasy stink of the mental contact leaves a foul residue behind, and he flaps his tongue a few times, trying to get rid of the mental stank. He pats Skyy's hand to get her to relax the nails that are digging into his arm. (He doesn't think about complaining. After all, he was enjoying those fingernails just a couple of hours ago.)
"Let's make a list of my LEAST favorite things, shall we?" Justin says pleasantly to Skyy. "They include, but are not limited to, home invasion, theft, mental assault, and F#@king rats!"
"You guys just moved to the top of my sh!t list." He smiles. Unpleasantly.
The mental wave fades, leaving naught but a smouldering anger in the mage's heart
Isaac had slouched over, hoping to escape notice but it was too late. He abruptly turns on his heel, continuing his brisk stride toward Karrin and the cornered Namer.
"Hey, cutter. Just rattlin' my bonebox with my Factor. Ekuur's ain't in his temple with his barm.... uh, followers?"
"First place I looked," Karrin says matter of factually, "But someone said he'd be down here at the foundry. I didn't know you were a godsman."
::you cannot fight the usss::
Justin smirked. Since he was pretty sure that the group was still mostly blinded from what he called his 'pixie-dust-bomb' spell, he added some heavy sarcasm into his voice as well.
"Oh you're probably right. I mean if just talking to you makes me feel like I need a shower, I'm afraid to find out what happens if I actually touched you!"
"Lucky for me, I'm a wizard. I cheat."
Justin holds up the rod that he reclaimed, and draws a circle in the air, three times. On the third circle he focuses his will, pauses, then hisses, "FRIGUS!"
A blue, glowing line appears and encircles the area the disturbing rodents are in. It bursts upwards to form a misty wall of shimmering, foggy air surrounding the rats from floor to ceiling. And then COLD begins pouring from the wall into the circle. The rats, the floor, and everything else inside the circle is immediately covered in a rime of frost.
He had been about to go with fire, his standard. But decided that he didn't really want to be responsible for burning down his own apartment building. Besides, Skyy would KILL him if he scorched her outfit.
"FREEZE varmints!" Justin drawls out in a heavy accent he heard on one of his planar travels.
The shimmering blue wall encircles the rat swarm. Their chittering scales up a notch as they feel the bite of the chill. A thought bursts on Justin's brain; a chorus of rodent fury
::DIE WIZARD!::
A blinding arc of pain travels through Justin's brain. He feels like someone is holding his eyes locked to a desert sun while he is experiencing the worst hangover ever. He swears he can feel his nerve endings sizzling
Justin represses the urge to scream. Being a non-burly human, he has collected his share of bumps, breaks and bruises. But this particular pain is one for the record books. He rates it right up with that last fireball he stopped by catching it with his face. He focuses on the fact that these slimy creatures just invaded his HOME. And then dared to assault him. In his HOME. The resulting flash of anger makes him hot enough to imagine that the burning feeling is from his fury, instead of his brain cells.
"Stop that you little rat-cicles. Before you REALLY p!ss me off!" He growls. The pain in his brain (what little he has left, he muses) forcing his voice into an unfamiliar octave.
"Listen up small fry." Justin hisses through clenched teeth.
"You or your boss got a problem with me? Fine. You want me to fight you and all your brothers and sisters? Fine. You want I should fight a conjured fire-ape or bad-@$$ demon? Fine. Been there. Done that." He steps a little closer to the circle.
"But you do it outside. You don't. Bring it. Into. My. House." He leans forward until his face is almost pressed against the wall of cold.
"Not unless you want me in yours!"
"First place I looked," Karrin says matter of factually, "But someone said he'd be down here at the foundry. I didn't know you were a godsman."Isaac had slouched over, hoping to escape notice but it was too late. He abruptly turns on his heel, continuing his brisk stride toward Karrin and the cornered Namer.
"Hey, cutter. Just rattlin' my bonebox with my Factor. Ekuur's ain't in his temple with his barm.... uh, followers?"
Isaac nods.
"Right. Reckon I mentioned it at one point or another, but I tumble teh keepin' the screed stowed a bit. All roads lead to the Source one way or another. Think he's got a cove from Athas here in the Ward. Ye don't tumble teh rattlin' yer bonebox with him tomorrow?"
"Not unless you want me in yours!"
The swarm of rats have clustered together for warmth. A few corpses that have succumbed to the icy magic Justin encircled them with litter the floor. They still glitter like tacky ornaments on a Saturnalia tree. Their narrow faces all turn in unison to Justin. Justin feels that greasy mind talk dance along his poor abused brain matter.
::Let the us go wizard. I/we will not return to your house.::
"Well word on the street is that his church is getting the shake down from some thugs and knowing Ekuur, he's going to want to take care of it sooner then later," Karrin says, "My church has given me a bit of a sacred mission to aid our comrades in alms, you know on account of all the sinning and lying I did to help cement you as party leader? Anyways, I help Ekuur and it's like a lot of that stuff gets written off, I mean I still have pennants and stuff, but not like ten years of accumulated debt or anything.
"So I was wondering . . . since you kind of know where Ekuur might be, and because I can't go inside unescorted apparently, and because you're a member . . . maybe you could escort me? I promise to behave myself."
::Let the us go wizard. I/we will not return to your house.::
Justin swallows the gag reflex the thought/smell/taste/feeling causes as it slithers through his brain. He opens his mouth to curse them again, and stops in surprise.
Through all of the pain and anger this invasion caused, Justin hadn't been expecting that. True, just a second ago they had been trying to kill him. But he was a special breed. 'Magikus Willfulnus' He was just to d@mn stubborn to lie down and die. The rat swarm's psychic attacks were powerful, but hadn't been able to penetrate the walls Justin had put up from his own guilt. And now they were begging for mercy.
A couple of thoughts flitted through his head at,... well, the speed of thought. 'Would they do the same for me?' 'Will they keep their word?' 'Am I angry enough to kill them in cold blood?' 'Do they deserve a second chance?'
It was the last one that got him. As far as Justin was concerned, he was the last one to deny anybody a second chance. Even if they were,... ewww.
Justin processed all of this in the blink of an eye. A second eyeblink later, he said. "Fine."
"Tell me who sent you, and I'll let you leave. And you never step foot in this room, this building, again. One time offer. If you return, I WON'T be so nice."
It was the last one that got him. As far as Justin was concerned, he was the last one to deny anybody a second chance. Even if they were,... ewww.
Justin processed all of this in the blink of an eye. A second eyeblink later, he said. "Fine."
"Tell me who sent you, and I'll let you leave. And you never step foot in this room, this building, again. One time offer. If you return, I WON'T be so nice."
The mutant rat swarm replies in its nauseous psychic speech
::Let the us go wizard. You have but a part of I/we trapped. I/we will not tell you my/our client. I/we will promise not to continue this mission. I/we are not a good enemy to make. The city has many places for me/us to hide and strike from::
"That would be great." Merle happily"Well long as my Silver rose work and this dont interfear with each other then sure.""Hmm to be honest I've not given it much thought...Stay with the Silver Rose do some odd jobs for them I guess."Skrint purrs
"Would you consider taking a job with me? I could use a seasoned adventurer to help me on my hunting tours."
Skrint smiles
"Well, we'd be gone for a tenth-cycle or so at a time. I don't know what your obligations would be. I'd enjoy a chance to get to know you a bit better."
After a couple of drinks Merle happily makes her way home.
The mutant rat swarm replies in its nauseous psychic speech::Let the us go wizard. You have but a part of I/we trapped. I/we will not tell you my/our client. I/we will promise not to continue this mission. I/we are not a good enemy to make. The city has many places for me/us to hide and strike from::
"Wait a minute,..." Justin winces as the slimy thought-speech tracks across his mind. The blue field of cold flickers momentarily as his concentration wavers. His eyes widen in surprise. Again.
"You won't tell me your client? Are you telling me your a,... Pack Rat with Convictions?!?"
"Yeah. I believe your not a good enemy to have. You gave me the headache to prove it. But I'M not a good enemy to have either." He adds, indicating the column of cold surrounding the rats.
Justin snorts in either amusement, or disgust. He considers the strange speech they use, the oversized brains, and jumps to a conclusion.
He makes a slicing motion with the rod, breaking the circle. The wall of icy cold shimmers and fades out with a sigh. He transfers the rod to his left hand, and makes a motion with his right. The tribal tattoo running up the length of his arm shimmers (vaguely resembling a dragon as it does) and half a dozen small candle lights appear floating around them. Without the candles.
The sudden appearance of brighter lights reminds Justin that he is 'Sky-clad', (As opposed to Skyy, who is at least wearing the bedspread at the moment.) And he instinctively turns to cover his 'jewelry' from the sharp cutting teeth of the now-unrestrained rats.
Justin sits on the edge of the bed as the rats begin to uncurl from their frozen group. "Alright boys. Here's what we're gonna do." He states firmly.
"Killing this little group here may not have stopped you, but it would have reduced you. Made you less than what you are. Don't pretend otherwise. Now you have captured my curiosity. You obviously have intelligence, and an instinct for self-preservation. And a work ethic. You broke into my home, and tried to steal from me, AND tried to kill me. I got my property back, and I didn't kill you, all. But you won't tell me who hired you. I can respect that. But the way I see it, you still owe me one."
"So, I accept your pledge to not enter this place again. I'm going to let you leave. And I won't ask you to tell me who hired you. But you owe me a favor. Deal?"
The rats sluggishly begin to uncurl and head for the corners of Justin's appartment. He notes in the flickering magical candlelights of his spell that there are several new small holes in the walls. The greasy scuttling mind speech rustles through his throbbing cranium again.
::You are correct wizard. Killing my/our swarm/appendage would have been detrimental. I/we am not infinite, and our client did not specify as to your puissance. I/we pledge not to bother your nest again. I/we will also remember your mercy, and will repay kind in kind. Do not presume too much::
The last words fade and the mutant rats are gone. Skyy shivers uncontrollably next to Justin, locked in fear and making small whining noises deep in her throat.
Justin makes gagging noises and flaps his tongue a few more times as the rodents leave, trying to get rid of both the mental and physical stench.
He watches them leave, and frowns at the holes in the walls.
"I Presume it would have been too much to ask for you too repair the damage you did?" He grumbles after they have scurried out of sight. He turns to Skyy and puts an arm around her shoulders.
"It's alright, they're gone." he says with a small smile. She looks at him, still physically shivering, and not from the cold.
"I heard you talking,... but who were you talkin' to?" she asks wide eyed, staring at the holes as well. Justin noted idly that she looked good wearing only the blanket. She should wear that more often.
"The brain-rats. Apparently you get enough of the little mutants together and they gain intelligence. And a kick like Demogorgon." He winces, rubbing the spot between his eyes gingerly. Skyy looks at him, her eyes focusing as Justin's calm banter helps her regain her own calm. She frowns and tentatively points at Justin's face.
"Your, bleedin'."
Justin checks, and sure enough, there is blood coming from one side of his nose. And both ears.
"You should see the other guy." He mutters, wincing at the pain still in his head. "Blecch. I feel like I need to scrub my brain with Lye soap."
He looks at the spot where he circled the rats with the magic circle. The frost is already melted into a puddle, and mixing with the remnants of the glitter-bomb spell. The few bodies left behind glitter like some twisted homeless person's idea of a Saturnalia ornament.
"I'm alright, let me clean this up." Justin murmurs. He gets out of bed, pats Skyy comfortingly, and pulls on a robe. Moving slowly, he tucks one frozen, glittering rat into a tiny magical bag. (It's one of Justin's almost successful experiments. It was his first attempt at creating his own Bag of Holding. It's not bigger on the inside than outside, but he got the mystic dimensional field right, and he wants to preserve one of the little nasties as-is to figure out who sent them.) The effort almost causes him to fall over from the pain lingering in his skull.
"Heck with this." He grumbles, looking at Skyy. "Magic may not be able to solve ALL your problems, but if it can't help with something like this, what good is it?"
He pulls out his traveling spell books, (leaving his master Spellbook in it's hidey hole) and peruses one of the first pages. The headache causes him to take several more minutes than normal, but he finally snaps the book shut with a grunt, and casts a couple of spells. Invisible servants appear, (figuratively) and begin floating around the tiny apartment, picking up dead rodents, cleaning up meltwater, and then beginning to tidy the rest.
Skyy meanwhile, still wearing nothing but the bedsheet tucked artfully around herself, held up by little more than her curves and wishful thinking, begins fussing with Justin's face and trying to help him clean the blood. Each attempt brings a wince and yelp of pain from the brain-fried wizard. Skyy finally throws up her hands in frustration. The motion almost causes her to lose the sheet.
"I'm tryin' teh help!"
"Thank you. But it HURTS."
"Well, Where doesn't it hurt?" She snaps.
"There!" Justin snaps back, holding up an elbow.
Skyy looks at Justin petulantly, hand on hip. Then bends over and kisses the elbow. "Better?" she asks archly.
Justin returns the petulant look. He points to his shoulder. "There."
Sky arches an eyebrow, and bends over once more, kissing the shoulder.
"That's not too bad,...' Justin mutters, pointing at his cheek.
Skyy gazes at Justin through heavy eyelashes. "Pansy. Get back in bed. Ah'm cold."
Justin examined the parts of Skyy pressed artfully against the sheet and confirmed this for himself. They started towards the bed, Skyy stopping to glance at the holes in the walls, and looking a question at the mage.
"I'll fix those tomorrow. Promise."
"Not that. What if they, you know, come back?"
"They won't. They now know that I'm capable of summoning a pack of divine cats and hell-spawned ferrets to hunt them down if they try.' he smirks. And with a wave of his hands, dismisses the magical floating lights. ,...
Sorry, I got carried away! :)
Justin picks up a soggy rat corpse and shoves it in his Bag of Something. The little face is frozen in a ratty snarl, and the exposed brain folds have deflated somewhat, making a gross pancake on top of the grey-furred head
After a couple of drinks Merle happily makes her way home.
Skrint walks Merle back to the Copper Cauldron
"I had a wonderful evening. Perhaps we can do it again soon? Keep my offer in mind."
Skrint leans in and rubs noses with Merle. He and Swiftfang head off into the fog.
The Inn's door is barred, but Bess' brother appears at Merle's knock and lets her in. The common room is fairly empty, the large fireplace banked to a pile of embers. The smell of baking bread permeated the smoky interior.
After a couple of drinks Merle happily makes her way home.
Skrint walks Merle back to the Copper Cauldron
"I had a wonderful evening. Perhaps we can do it again soon? Keep my offer in mind."
Skrint leans in and rubs noses with Merle. He and Swiftfang head off into the fog.
The Inn's door is barred, but Bess' brother appears at Merle's knock and lets her in. The common room is fairly empty, the large fireplace banked to a pile of embers. The smell of baking bread permeated the smoky interior.
"I will." Merle waves goodbye to Skrint as he walks away. Once in she decides to have a small drink before she heads to bed.
Bess' brother, a quiet man named Drengist, makes whatever Merle desires to drink. The common room seems odd and shadowy without the dozens of folks that usually throng it. Most of those still awake are clustered about the large banked hearth, sipping ales and mumuring conversations among themselves. A buzzing snoring comes from a large mutt of indeterminate breed close to the coals of the fire. Several cats lounge in the smoke-stained rafters as does Renkar's companion, the faerie dragon Mercutio.
Bess' brother, a quiet man named Drengist, makes whatever Merle desires to drink. The common room seems odd and shadowy without the dozens of folks that usually throng it. Most of those still awake are clustered about the large banked hearth, sipping ales and mumuring conversations among themselves. A buzzing snoring comes from a large mutt of indeterminate breed close to the coals of the fire. Several cats lounge in the smoke-stained rafters as does Renkar's companion, the faerie dragon Mercutio.
Merle has a quick glance about to see if Renkar is still about.
Renkar, or any other Silver Rose member, are not in evidence
Renkar, or any other Silver Rose member, are not in evidence
Merle shrugs before deciding to head to bed for the evening
"Well word on the street is that his church is getting the shake down from some thugs and knowing Ekuur, he's going to want to take care of it sooner then later," Karrin says, "My church has given me a bit of a sacred mission to aid our comrades in alms, you know on account of all the sinning and lying I did to help cement you as party leader? Anyways, I help Ekuur and it's like a lot of that stuff gets written off, I mean I still have pennants and stuff, but not like ten years of accumulated debt or anything.
"So I was wondering . . . since you kind of know where Ekuur might be, and because I can't go inside unescorted apparently, and because you're a member . . . maybe you could escort me? I promise to behave myself."
"Reckon I won't have to bring ye inside, cutter- Ekuur ain't a Godsman, but I recall he's got a friend in the area... what's 'is name, big Athas cutter... Hatahuatl, that's it. Big basher, wants teh work in green steel. Think I know where he calls kip."
Isaac sets off toward where he remembers the shop may be.
"Cool!" Karrin says quickly falling into step beside Isaac.
"I said brothers in alms back there," Karrin says after a moment, "Do you see what I did there? Like brothers in arms but I said alms because most churches have alms for the poor. Pretty neat right?"
Isaac nods.
"Aye, I got it... pretty trig. You and Justin should have a competition. Don't know if I've ever seen Ekuur handing out alms, though... seems more o' the 'faith through beatings' type."
"For sure," Karrin nods, "But there's a saying about jokes Isaac. They say explaining a joke is like dissecting a frog: you don't really learn anything and the frog dies.
"Soooooo," Karrin says after a pause, "What sort of things do you get up to in the foundry? Armed guards on the outside does make me curious. Is it like some sort of cult in there? Like maybe a sex cult? I read about one of those once. Orgies all day and night. I mean that sounds kind of interesting but that's not really my thing. I mean I like . . . you know, but I'm not really into sex orgies or anything. I kind of like one person at a time you know? But to each their own I guess . . ."
Issac remembers that Ekuur's friend had a smithy down on Quenchiron Row, a few blocks from the Great Foundry. The place was called some barmy name like the 'fiery Mellikot' whatever that may mean.
The two walk down the sulfur-fogged streets and come to the smithy relatively quickly. They see a large man working on a breastplate, and Ekuur and several others standing nearby
"For sure," Karrin nods, "But there's a saying about jokes Isaac. They say explaining a joke is like dissecting a frog: you don't really learn anything and the frog dies.
"Soooooo," Karrin says after a pause, "What sort of things do you get up to in the foundry? Armed guards on the outside does make me curious. Is it like some sort of cult in there? Like maybe a sex cult? I read about one of those once. Orgies all day and night. I mean that sounds kind of interesting but that's not really my thing. I mean I like . . . you know, but I'm not really into sex orgies or anything. I kind of like one person at a time you know? But to each their own I guess . . ."
"Yeah, that's the Dark of it. All the ore, fire and smoke is just a cover for a hardcore sex party. Yup. Mommy and daddy dance, all antipeak.", Isaac says dryly before adding,"Jokes aside, what we're really up to is meditations on the transitive nature of Being- the shaping of iron being a metaphor for the shaping of souls through the process of reincarnation and ascension, tapping into the divine potential which every sod in the multiverse possesses. We work the forge as the planes work us and we push ourselves upon our own paths to the Source."
"Sex cults tend to start from the Society of Sensation if ye wanted teh get a gander. But only really with the Namers. Devoted Sensates look for more varied sensations. Well, look at that- it's Ekuur and his followers. We've reached our destination, eh?"
"Well how about that," Karrin says, "Thanks for the directions Isaac. You and me need to talk business one of these days though . . .
"When you're not too busy with your sex cult," Karrin adds as they meet Ekuur.
"Hey Ekuur," Karrin says, "Word is on the street some Bert is giving you and your temple grief or something and I'm here to offer my services on behalf of the temple of Rao . . . you know seeing how we're all brother is alms and all."
Karrin nudges Isaac as she reuses the joke.
Ekuur is a bit shocked to see the tiefling and the half-elf. So much so, that the two actually see the surprise on his face for a brief second. However, his expression returns just as quickly to his typical stoicism. "Isaac, Karrin. Good to see you, but I would be lying if I said I was not surprised."
"The man working his incredible skill is my friend Hatahuatl, and these three are my erstwhile acolytes - Charred Disciple Thelnarin and Disciples Qurresia and Gurdough." He turns to the others, "and these are my comrades-in-arms Isaac and Karrin Kind."
Hatahuatl grunts briefly in greeting, busy as he is adjusting Gurdough's breastplate.
"I do not know, nor have I heard of any 'Burt', Karrin. But you are correct in that a local man named Pulgh has apparently paid my acolytes a visit while were off helping the World Ash. We are here now preparing for tomorrow, when we had planned to pay him a 'visit'. How, may I ask, did you two happen to hear of this?"
When Ekuur introduces him, Charred Disciple Thelnarin nods to both of his master's friends. "Nice to meet you. Master Ekuur has told us much of your adventures. I count any friend an compatriot of his one of mine as well." The large half-orc (about the sane size and build as Ekuur, actually) offers his gray-green hand to both.
Disciple Gurdough seems open and friendly, and offers his hand in greetig as well. "Like Thelnarin said, any friend of Master Ekuur is a friend of ours. Well met!" When grasping his hand, the natural heat of the ifrit's body can be felt.
Disciple Qurresia remains a little quiet at the appearance of the strangers, but the half-elf's eyes light up a bit when she gets a good look at the handsome Isaac. She comes forward, and briefly acknowledges Karrin with a "hello", then approaches Isaac. It seems obvious that she keeps the burn-scarred right side of her face turned away from him.
"So you're the famous Isaac! Master Ekuur's told us all about your efforts in defeating the spread of the deathly cold. Very impressive!"
"I do not know, nor have I heard of any 'Burt', Karrin. But you are correct in that a local man named Pulgh has apparently paid my acolytes a visit while were off helping the World Ash. We are here now preparing for tomorrow, when we had planned to pay him a 'visit'. How, may I ask, did you two happen to hear of this?"
"Um, temple of Rao," Karrin says, "I thought I said that.
"Nice ta meet ya," Karrin says to Ekuur's disciples, then turning back to Ekuur she says: "I've been given a bit of a holy quest ya see, the priests at my temple see that if one religion is threatened by thugs we all could, and while my fellow Raoans are usually about peace and serenity and forgiveness and all that jazz I intend to get get to the forgiving after the butt kicking. I figure we team up. You know if these goons see a united front they might be more willing to move onto easier marks . . . or better yet onto honest work."
"I was rattling my bonebox, gettin' lanned to the Chant with my Factor and ran into Karrin at the Foundry, since she was lookin' for ye and I remember Hatahuatl's shop from when we last met."
Isaac shakes hands with each of the disciples.
Disciple Qurresia remains a little quiet at the appearance of the strangers, but the half-elf's eyes light up a bit when she gets a good look at the handsome Isaac. She comes forward, and briefly acknowledges Karrin with a "hello", then approaches Isaac. It seems obvious that she keeps the burn-scarred right side of her face turned away from him.
"So you're the famous Isaac! Master Ekuur's told us all about your efforts in defeating the spread of the deathly cold. Very impressive!"
The half-elf rubs the back of his neck, chuckling awkwardly.
"Eh, famous. A group effort, if ye kennit. Ekuur and Karrin are more the crusading types, eh? I just find the route and keep us all facin' the same direction. Once or twice I browbeat a fiend, track down a knight o' the post, trig to an ambush. Nothin' teh write home teh mum about."
Karrin raises an eyebrow at Isaac's reaction to the flattery.
"Ya," Karrin echoes, "Nothing to write home about. It's kind of the sort of thing we do all the time, we're always glad when folks are appreciative of our efforts, but it wasn't anything special. Who knows, maybe in a few years you might know what we mean, but you'll really need to perfect your craft because this kind of work doesn't suffer amateurs."
A brief, hurt look crosses Qurresia's face at Karrin's words, and her hand brushes the burn scars on her face as she seems to remember some past incident. However, as quickly as the look appears, it's gone and she seems to have recovered.
"Of course. I know first hand it's dangerous, and wouldn't think to suggest otherwise." She smiles very broadly and warmly, although something tells Karrin it may not be very genuine.
Ekuur raises an eyebrow at the exchange, but remains quiet until after Qurresia's response. Trying to defuse things a bit, he actually smiles a little, and comments, "Actually, Karrin, my acolytes have been progressing very quickly. They are a skilled lot, and I trust them completely. I would not be surprised if it was much sooner than a few years."
Changing the subject, he goes back to the issue at hand. "My plan was to visit this 'Pulgh' in he morning, immediately after our early prayers. Does that sound like an acceptable plan, or do either of you have other ideas?"
"Whenever you want," Karrin says with a shrug, "I was thinking of meeting him tonight but I'm fine with the morning . . . after breakfast of course.
"Also I'm not trying to be disparaging or anything there Qurresia," Karrin says turning back to the half-elf, "If Ekuur says you got talent or whatever I'll take him at his word, it's just that we do get folks looking to get into the business for all the wrong reasons, and out of respect I got to try to discourage them. I mean mecenary work isn't like joining the circus or anything. We can't just drop you off at the next town when you get all homesick or whatever. Worse yet people get killed or maimed and as much as I wouldn't want to see that I am kind of scared for my fellow mercs as well. Weak links could cost a vet his or her life. I mean falling in love or looking for revenge are all sweet motivators for some life lessons and adventure and stuff but we're mercenaries and there's only one reason we should be in the business: Cold hard cash. I mean I always like it when we can do some good in this world but the moment it stops being a business is the moment things are going to go sour fast. You can't take this sort of thing personally. You really can't hate anyone. Thing is you might be fighting on one side one week, fighting on the other next week.
"So ya," Karrin finally says, "if you can't take someone being condescending or dismissive of you maybe look for some other line of work? I hear being a temple priest is a pretty sweet gig, you don't need too much smarts and you get to boss folks around. You need to deal with an occasional street thug but usually their's all sorts of rough types willing to deal with them for a bit of jink."
