(Casual D&D III) The Man in Black

Raven carefully opens one eye. Allright, that doesnt hurt too much, and the room isn't spînning. That wine must have been better then I thought. Or I didn't drink that much. Huh, I wonder how Shavah feels. Wouldn't like to be in her shoes. Ge gets up, scratches himself a bit, gets washed and prepares to go downstairs. As the events of last night play hide and seek with his brain, he decides against casual clothing. Thank the gods I prepared my leathers before I started drinking.
He carefully dresses up in his newly polished leather armor and boots, gives his two-hander a last lick of the sandstone and buckles on his shortsword and dagger.
The longbow would be overdoing it I guess. Too crowded, might accidentally hit a bystander if things get rough.
He then goes down to the tavern for a healthy, large breakfast and something hot to drink.
Wasn't there another elf down here last night? With an eagle or something?

(OOC Thread has updated XP -- Raven did not level, though Fendric, Niccolo, and Nurthk did... Oh, and WELCOME BACK! by the way.)

Shavah follows Raven out, her mood remaining on the positive side. She sits next to the hunter, cheeks exceptionally expressive, asks for a double-order of whatever he's having -- with nothing short of a sinister grin.

"So," she asks casually, while they awake their food. "Does the new fellow seem like a bad omen, or what?"

Bad Omen?

Aeriador nods to Fendric, keeping a mental record of who is who. He follows the half-blood out of the room and down the stairs, gliding down them quietly, unlike the heavy tromping booted men tend to make. Astrule is perched silently on Aerda's shoulder, his piercing hunter's eyes picking the place apart with a few deft glances.

The bird was intelligent, more so than many children, and under Aerda's guidance and constant mental connection he was only growing more so. the bird seemed to gain interest in a particular set of interactions, but Aerda paid it little heed.

Splitting away from Fendric, he moves toward the already gathering group, his silent footfalls carrying him behind the two seated just as the woman voiced her opinion of him. He smiles slightly, "Bad Omen? How so?" he asks.

Sliding into a seat apart from the others, leaving space between himself and the next person over on the table, he waves the waitress back over. "Water please- Silvered with raspberry," he purrs.

"You would be Shavah, then. And Raven?"

He was dressed in a practical and form fitting outfit(accented with impractical straps and buckles with antiqued brass metal pieces), draped over this is a long simple robe the colour of a blue midnight sky, open down the middle with a slit down the back. A rapier sits against one thigh, and tall, supple leather boots rise well past his knees. His backpack is sat next to the chair carefully.

"Bad omen?" Raven asks between two mouthfulls. "I dunno, Fendric seems to know him from before. He seems to trust him." He stops chewing for a moment. "Didn't he say something about destroying an evil ring? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this exantrius chappie supposed to have been a palladin? Makes you wonder why he was carrying an 'evil artifact', as our pious friend here so aptly names it. Coupled with the fact that he was supposed to have been dead for quite a bit, and then so peacefully passes away and turns into a dove, just after he has given you lot some mysterious letters that have to be spread around the countryside, " sarcastic snort "makes me wonder if we aren't played for suckers here. This whole thing smells worse then Nurthk's armpit on a hot summer night. But maybe that's just me being a bit paranoid."
"Say, if you're gonna eat all that you might as well come with me to that armorer today. Why? Well, because I'm gonna have to get these tears mended, and you're gonna need to have yours let out a bit." He says laughingly as he dodges her swing.
"No, no, seriously, I'm gonna go get my armor repaired and I'll have to get some new arrows, care to join me? You, Nurthk? Or anyone else?"

"Raven of clan Cwdmyr, pleased to meet you", Raven says, as he extends his hand. "We were just talking about you and Fendric. Say, you were there as well when you met this supposed Exantrius. Didn't it strike you as odd that he was carrying this evil ring? And this whole letter delivering thinghy, and all that has happened?" He holds up his hands "I don't wanna offend you, Fendric, you're a good man through and through, and I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt anyone, but, well, I'm not as good a person as you are. I'm a mean suspicious basterd, and I'm wondering , again, if all is as it seems."

Nurthk takes a mental note of who has come downstairs thus far. He places a forkful of bacon in his mouth and waits for Hiritus to show up.

Hmm, now that I think of it, I never did ask much about all of this did I? The elf knew the old man I think, I should keep an ear out for stuff of note... Heh, who am I kiddin', I woulda tagged along regardless of what they were doin'.

DrZombie said:

"No, no, seriously, I'm gonna go get my armor repaired and I'll have to get some new arrows, care to join me? You, Nurthk? Or anyone else?"

Click to expand...

"I need some things tended to, sure I'll come along," he replies, "And I use soap thank you, isn't my fault orcs naturaly sweat a lot."

He takes a swig from the tankard next to his plate.

DrZombie said:

"Raven of clan Cwdmyr, pleased to meet you", Raven says, as he extends his hand. "We were just talking about you and Fendric. Say, you were there as well when you met this supposed Exantrius. Didn't it strike you as odd that he was carrying this evil ring? And this whole letter delivering thinghy, and all that has happened?" He holds up his hands "I don't wanna offend you, Fendric, you're a good man through and through, and I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt anyone, but, well, I'm not as good a person as you are. I'm a mean suspicious basterd, and I'm wondering, again, if all is as it seems."

Click to expand...

Fendric arrives downstairs just as Raven introduces himself to Aerda. Sitting across from Shavah, Fendric picks up the conversation from there:

"Hmm? Oh, yes, the letters. And the ring. Pelor Preserve Us in the Light, but I have had the same doubts creeping to the forefront of my mind as you have, Raven. The very same, so I suppose it matters not where you believe yourself to stand between good and evil, to see things as they are.

Anyway, I can tell all of you two things that I believe with certainty as regards the letters and the ring: while the ring -was- tainted, the letters certainly are not. I verified them, with the guidance of my god, and I have no doubt that even if they did elude that detection, that a letter, even if magicked, would be no match for the Jury of Sages.

But many answers elude me still: Why, as you point out, did Exantrius wear that accursed ring? Was he who he says he was? What do these letters say? And why, oh why, does conflict and calamity follow us like a bad rash?"

Fendric looks up to see a barmaid set a plate of rabbit, bread and a mug before him, with a trepidation worthy of one whose job it is to feed the balrog each morning. Mumbling a sheepish apology, he reaches for coin, producing 5 silver for her before he returns to his conversation.

"So, yes, I was hoping to get at least one of those nagging questions answered today, May the Light Reveal It To Be So. Pelor may prefer to work mysteriously, but His Humble Servant likes his circumstances in the open, where he can see them."

Fendric takes a bite of rabbit and begins work on his meal, occasionally stealing a glance at Hiritus and Shavah, and listening to find out if either one of them could hate him any more than they already must.

[Sense Motive on H & S: 19 +4 = 23. They spent the night together, didn't they? Hiritus probably thinks he's fallen because of it.]

[Yes, THAT's good, Fendric: referring to yourself as a separate person will most definitely prevent them from believing you to be a doddering half-wit who cannot form cohesive sentences. The acolytes dying in Hedrogura would be so proud...]

Eyes downcast, Fendric continues his meal.