Another former pbp character.
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“Lazerus, will you help me pen a letter to the Marquis, explaining what has happened?” asks Talfen. “Your flair for the telling is no doubt better than mine.” He then turns to Waynir. “When can we set sail Captain?” he asks.
Talfen feels a little embarrassed by this insight into Waynir’s domestic life. Like he is an intruder, or a voyeur. How could anyone think that dwarves are monsters and child-stealers? he thinks. But then humans – and elves – are often unreasonably prejudiced. Well, perhaps may dwarves are too for all I know…
“Thankyou Lazerus,” says Talfen, taking a sip of his drink, then quickly putting the cup down as the potent spirit goes straight to his head. “I’ve never been in a situation quite like that before … something just took over. Adrenaline I suppose.” He joins the general agreement about the attack. “If it were just men,” he says, “I would suppose that it was simply a political enemy of the Marquis … or someone who has reason not to want us to succeed,” he does not mention any names, though his thoughts go to the Marquis’ son, “who ordered it. But the presence of that thing – the vampire – very much unnerves me … and leads me to believe that it is not as simple as someone with a grudge against the Marquis or us. There is something sinister afoot.” It’s a long speech for the normally reserved half-elf … perhaps the drink is doing him some good.
“It seems a most unusual ship Waynir,” Talfen observes, noticing the dragon-boat at last. “Is it magical?”
Talfen nods in thanks, and returns the scroll to his pack, making sure that it is tucked securely into a scroll case, and that its position is marked. FW: Spoiler:
Is the spell level 2 as Blindness? He keeps to himself for the rest of the journey, brooding, barely noticing as the ship comes into view.
Talfen looks in surprise at Waynir, the dveurge appearing somewhat mysterious, perhaps even a little sinister in the mist. He hesitates for a moment, then takes the scroll back over and passes it to the short man. “If you can read it now, that might be to our advantage. But beware, for I believe that the contents describe magic of a necromantic bent.”
“The scroll describes a spell,” says Talfen after a few moments, looking up from the vellum. “Written on goblin skin or somesuch,” he adds, wrinkling his nose slightly. “To determine exactly what spell is contained herein, I will need to use some magic of my own, but it is not something I am prepared for right at this moment. I will attempt it tomorrow.” He rolls up the scroll and stows it safely away.
“I have no such magic I am afraid,” Talfen replies to Armand; but he rolls up his sleeves and pitches in to help drag the bodies into a pile to be burnt, avoiding looking into the faces of the dead men as much as possible. It is not pleasant work, but less pleasant to consider the possibility of some of these corpses rising again as that thing that was Tolorn. That corpse will also be burnt, of course. He is drawn from this work by Lazerus, who passes him the vellum scroll. He takes it and reads it carefully (assuming he can).
Talfen too looks around, shivers. Vampyres… “Yes, let’s get moving.”
“I don’t know,” Talfen answers in the Common tongue, absently, his gaze still on the creature, his tone a curious mix of scholarly interest and horrified revulsion. “It’s form is fiend-like, but beyond that I cannot say. Nor can I tell with certainty that it is dead … or if it’s just putting on a fine act …”
“Lazerus? What is it?” Talfen hurries over to where his traveling companion stands, then recoils in horror as he sees what the bard does. “By all that is holy…” he breathes, staring in morbid fascination at the creature .
“I wouldn’t think such a thing,” answers Talfen. “Such ideas are grown from ignorance and prejudice. I have faced those enough not to succumb to them myself.”
Talfen glances at solid, dependable seeming Waynir. He can’t imagine the man stealing children at all.
Talfen digs his heels into the horse’s flanks, and the animal canters forward. The half-elf jerks in the saddle and looks wildly about – only to realise that the fight seems to be over – all the riders are down (dead?) or surrendered. The adrenalin that had fueled him, let him act almost on instinct throughout the battle suddenly drains away, replaced by an ill feeling in the pit of his stomach – and a realisation that he doesn’t really know how to ride – and certainly not how to stop the horse without tumbling arse over head. Well, it’s not that bad as it turns out … the magically summoned horse is quite calm and co-operative, and once Talfen begins pulling timidly at the reins it soon slows and then stops, a little way along the trail, partially out of sight of the others beyond the copse of trees. Talfen clumsily dismounts, then dismisses the remnants of the mystical power that summoned the horse, sending it back to where-ever it was called on (a detail that the young wizard is actually not entirely clear on). Then he begins walking back to join the others. He reaches them as Lazerus is questioning the prisoner. He winces at the mention of witches and warlocks, his hand straying unconsciously to the amulet around his neck. He stands in the background, trying to look unassuming … and trying not to look too closely at any of the bodies lying here and there abouts, some of them clearly dead.
Talfen concentrates on guiding the horse, staying in the saddle, getting to the pony trap. He thinks he sees the rider that was chasing the trap go down, but he’s not clear on the entire picture.
Talfen concludes his spell, and, with no fanfare, a brown riding horse, complete with saddle, bit and bridle appears, standing calmly on the trail beside him. It waits patiently whilst the young wizard climbs awkwardly into the saddle, then canters forward towards Waynir and Lazerus.
Whoever these riders are, they clearly do not want the group to succeed in their mission for the Marquis. Talfen begins jogging down the path towards the pony trap, then stops. Reaching into his shirt and grasping the amulet that hangs about his neck, he calls on his arcane band, allowing him to cast a spell that he had not previously prepared. Hastily intoning the words and pulling a length of horse hair from his belt-pouch, the young wizard begins a summoning…
Backing away down the track towards the pony trap, Talfen already has the words of a second spell on his lips – almost by some reflex he did not know he possessed. This one a spell of defense.
Talfen crushes the square of butter he holds between his fingers, and hastily traces the shape of a square in the air with his now greasy fingers, while intoning words of minor power under his breath. In response, a squarish patch of greasy film appears on the ground beneath the hooves of the lead horse.
"This doesn't look good..." DM: Spoiler: Talfen readies an action to cast a Grease spell if the lead rider gets within 25 feet (and appears to be about to attack).
Talfen doesn’t know … but the back of his neck tingles, as if this might be trouble. Some sixth sense, or just his imagination? As he moves around towards the front of the cart (away from the riders), the words of a spell spring to his mind…
Talfen rides on the cart if there is room, or walks along beside if there is not, taking in the countryside and surrounds. As they approach the moorlands, his eyes turn to look for danger rather than scenery.
Talfen waits quietly to board the ship, his thoughts darting amongst his experiences of the morning, and all he has learnt. He’s not concerned by Brunt’s request, figuring that having an extra sword-arm along might be a good thing.
Once the Earl has left, Talfen looks about at the others. “What was that about?” he asks. “Do you think that we will have more obstacles on Louchade Island than just the clans?”
Talfen moves in beside Lazerus, wishing that he could assist the Marquis – but it is a priest’s magic that the man needs, not a mages. “I have a healing potion,” the young wizard whispers to Lazerus. “Do you think it would help him?”
Talfen takes the goblet with a nod, though he’s not sure what Armand means by it – does he mean to make a toast? Have Talfen use it as a spell component? The young man does not yet introduce himself, still seeming unsure of the situation and glad that Armand is taking charge – but then, that is a duty of his station.
Talfen stands back, waiting to see how this latest development plays out, or if any of his companions react to it. He unconsciously fingers the stone at his neck. Why would the father not wish to see the son? he wonders. Perhaps he does not want him to see how bad his condition is?
"There are magics and curses that can do that to a man," says Talfen, when told of the Earl's condition. He shakes his head. "But if it is that, I have not the power to undo such a curse..." He feels a little foolish for bringing up something that was probably obvious.
Talfen bows low as Dougal pushes the Marquis’ chair forward, but stays near the back, and silent, obscurely embarrassed to observe the man in such a state. He nods but flushes when Dougal introduces him. I am little more than an apprentice! Yet he compares my magic to that that slays dragons. Oh, these people are going to be so very disappointed in my cantrips… Talfen has a question of his own although he listens carefully for the answer to Lazarus’ first. His own question, when the time comes; “What of the clan? Are there any clear leaders amongst them, legitimate or otherwise, whom we will need to reckon with? Either as ally or enemy - Or is that for us to discover?”
Talfen had noticed (and been intrigued by the fact) that the other young man is a half-elf too – or at least has strong elven heritage. But apart from a faint nod of greeting, he has not said anything to him yet, a little wary of his obviously noble attire, and his gruff looking protector. He speaks up in response now though. “I’ve not met the lord of this castle as yet,” he says, after clearing his throat, “but he and my mentor are old friends. My name is Talfen.”
Lazarus: Spoiler: In answer to the gnome’s whispered question, Talfen shrugs, then whispers back. "I’m not exactly sure – his letter was not specific, something about the possibility of rebellion, something to do with Lochaude – but I trust we will find out soon enough."
Lazarus (and DM): Spoiler: Talfen has been cautious after the incident at the Golden Ale, making sure to chose inns that seem quiet and businesslike, or keeping mainly to his room when (as usually happens) he is over-ruled in his choice of accommodation by Lazarus.
The gnome can see that the boy is happy enough to look at women (even while pretending not to) and even seems to have some grudging admiration for the antics of his companion, but he rarely talks to them. Oh, he’s polite, and he’ll look a bar wench in the eye as he orders his meal, but he doesn’t flirt, or even exchange pleasantries. He claims that he’s focused on his studies (and indeed spends much of the journey with his head buried in one book or another), but Lazarus might wonder if he’s simply shy, or inexperienced. “We have to focus on the task at hand,” Talfen says, when pressed to have more fun. “The Marquis Burnd needs our assistance for some grave matter, and it would not do to get ourselves killed by a group of straw-headed thugs over some sill girl. After all,” he rustles the letter that Lazarus delivered to his master, “you’re supposed to protect me on this journey.” He then sits back at his chair and goes back to reading, sipping at his ale … and occasionally snatching wistful glances of the fun being had in the rest of the common room … Oh, he’s not a total stick-in-the-mud. He’s easy enough to talk to (a good listener at any rate), courteous, and has a subtle sense of humour – when he’s not too busy taking everything so seriously.
One of the young men – Talfen you hear him called as he converses with the gnome (the pair appear to have some acquaintance, and it seems clear that they traveled together to Illenburgh) – is perhaps not quite so young as he appears at first glance. He has boyish good looks – tall and slim, with fair skin, windswept blonde hair and finely arched eyebrows … but faint lines on his brow and darkened patches under his eyes indicate that he has probably seen a few things – he s no fresh-faced teenager. The almond shape of his eyes and the slight point to his ears just visible beneath his hair give the answer – elven blood. While not reed-thin, neither is the young man of muscular build. He is dressed in not ostentatious but well made clothes – a high collared brown jacket of short cut, a belted off-white tunic above brown breeches tucked into traveling boots. Although he is apparently in conversation with the gnome, he does not appear to do much talking (and perhaps not that much listening), as he fidgets with some sort of necklace or amulet that he wears and glances about the room, quietly appraising the others gathered here, the décor and the chamber itself.
Talfen is all done!
FW: Spoiler: Thanks for the review. Common, Elven, Crown, Sylvan, Draconis, Gerrou and perhaps Gnomish for languages I think.
Odd, for some reason I always thought a specialist wizard got an extra 0 level spell per day. Perhaps so in 3.5 and not in PFRPG, or maybe its just an error I’ve been making for a while. I’m off to bed in a few minutes, but will update character sheet and add equipment etc probably tomorrow. I think he will take the necklace as the arcane bond item.
French Wolf: Spoiler: Check Talfen’s profile for an update; I am mainly done except for formatting, equipment (which is done on paper in my notebook, but not yet transferred to computer), choosing an arcane bond (familiar or item – it seems that an item bond may fit the campaign better? Any advice?), and choosing an additional four languages known …
Geez there's a lot of avatars to scroll through nowadays! I'll probably go with this one. |