Lobo's AU: Sunless Citadal Game

The Sunless Citadel:

Introduction (from Alfonso's perspective for no particular reason):
Its been 3 years since you fell through that portal in pursuit of the assassin that killed your father. A very large humanoid (that identified itself as a giant, oddly enough) named Ma-Barak found you wandering the wilderness and took you on a year-long journey to the Giant city of De-Shamoud in the hopes that someone might know how to get you back home. You were amazed at the craftmanship and organization of the Giantish city, though you quickly caught on that not everyone was happy with them in control... not that anyone you talked to seemed inclined to do anything about it. In the end, they decided that they couldn't help you. One of them, a blind seereess named Eo-Lowwen recommended that you stay with Ma-Barak, as your fates seemed similar in her estimation. You had nothing else to do, so you followed Ma-Barak on his journey to defend & discover new and old magics alike.

About 7 months ago, you hooked up with a dog man (Sibeccai, Ma-Barak is constantly reminding you) named Yossariad... you're not quite sure he's sane, but Ma-Barak vouched for him and that seems good enough for the moment. You've seen him do things with Ice that defy description. He claims that icewater flows through his veins, but you touched him while he was sleeping off too much wine one night, and he's definately warm blooded.

Roughly 4 months ago the three of you came upon a devestated Lithoran village. From the looks of things, everything that hadn't been bolted down or too heavy to carry was taken. Nearly all the Lithorans had been maimed in some way, though none had been killed. One of the survivors joined up with you, a youngster named Yina. She seems rather fervernt in her championing of freedom, but is otherwise quite likeable.

The greenbond Strahm was the most recent addition to your group. Another lion-man (Lithoran), he claims to be a servent of The GREEN (and the way he says it, you know it's capitalized). He's displayed the ability to heal with a touch, and seems to know a fair bit about magic. You'd be tempted to call him a cleric or druid, but he seems to follow no god*, and acts like a wizard a great deal of the time.
*Now that you think about it, you haven't seen ANY real clerics around, though gods are clearly worshipped by the locals.

About a month ago Hurak, one of Yossariad's littermates, hunted your group down and requested that you visit the enclave of Oakhurst in the land of Fallanor. Ma-Barak seemed uncomfortable at this news, but in the end you all traveled to Fallanor (you were happy to finally see a place where Humans were in control, though you feel sorry for all the dark looks and prejudice that Ma-Barak and Yossariad seem to be recieving).

You journeyed by boat along a great river that all aboard identified as the Ghost Wash and then later by ocean. Your companion's questioning glances at the coastline of the nation of Zalavat left you intrigued. "That's the Verrik homeland" the sailors said... but you haven't been able to turn up any further information from them. A team of massive horses were waiting for you when you disembarked, along with some humans that Hurak seemed to know.

You arrived by horseback in Oakhurst late last night after spending 4 weary days in the saddle (even so, those horses were FAST). Strahm noted that there were lots of freshly planted trees in front of the inn and stables as you were dismounting. He was intrigued as he'd never seen thier like before. You promised him that you'd help him check them out IN THE MORNING as you were bone tired. He agreed.

As it was so late, you all stayed in the local inn and plan to meet up with Hurak's family later today. Upon waking in the morning, there is an evelope, embossed with a noble crest on the floor just inside your room. Someone must have slipped it there last night, while you slept.

The note is simple (and written on high quality paper with metallic-red ink):

Welcome to Oakhurst brave adventurers.
Please see Lady Kerowyn Hucrele at
your earliest convenience. She has a task
that you may be uniquely suited to handle.

Signed,

Unther Saveel IX
Guild of Scribes

There are 5 platinum coins inside the envelope (one for each of you) bearing a woman's head, some strange words in a language you don't understand, and the name Fallanor inscribed on the back.

You hear the light sound of indistict conversation and laughing from the common-room. The smells of cooking bacon, coffee, & fresh bread call to you from below.

What do you do?

Yina Fireforged, female litorian champion of freedom

*Yina looks at the letter curiously, and wonders why scribes would want her or her companions for a duty.*

Have the Keepers of the Pen found something only a Blade can handle? I hope so, the journey was exhilerating, but I need something to stir my blood again...

*Yina takes a brush and runs it over her fur, the shrugs into her worn leather clothes. Her tough studded leather jack goes on over it, and her encased axe goes in its harness on her back. Putting the rest of her things her backpack, and placing the letter and money in a pocket, she heads downstairs. If she can catch an employee, she asks a question.*

"Was there someone last night who asked which rooms my companions and I were staying in?"

Strahm looks admiringly at Yina's fur. He coughs up a furball, muttering "Excuse me." He scratches his side. The smell of bacon put him off. How could humans cook their meat?

Strahm descends the stairs as well, ready to check out the trees.

Yossariad flicks his ears back and forth as he reads the note (you can't help but notice that his lips move as he reads). He gives a half-growl, half-whine as he stretches, then scratches himself behind an ear. "An interesting proposal." You can hear him mouth an odd rhyme under his breath as he leaves the room and heads down to breakfast. Once there, he orders some bacon, bread, and cheese, which he eats neatly in alternating mouthfuls of almost exactly equal amounts.

I wake up because of the others comotion feeling like someone has put sap in my eyes and stuffed cotton in my mouth "Watsgoinon" I say, in a tired voice. "What ever it is I'm goin back ta bed, wake me in four hours" before lying back down. The smell of cooking bacon though reminds me of home, and I head down stairs to get some food.

Ma-Barak

The giant, as is his wont, waited to see what the others would make of the letter before saying anything. Pleased that they seemed to have come to the same conclusion he would have as to what to do about it, he stays silent about the matter.

Much better for them to choose the right path without my input. Other races can be so -touchy- about such things.

Taking the time to put on his armor and grabbing his sheated sword, he makes his way down the stairs slowly, purposefully. At the bottom of the stairs, he pauses to allow a serving wench, encumbered with a platter of food, to pass before him, and then makes his way to the table.

The common-room is filled with humans (about 35 of them). It appears that while the in is not large, it happens to be a central gathering place for the people of Oakhurst.

Most of the people look just like you'd expect hard working farmers, millers, butchers, and villiage people to look. In one of the darker corners of the room though, a couple heavily cloaked Terrig* are tearning into a leg of lamb (uncooked). A serving wench approaches them but as she closes in on the table both stop eating, touch thier spears, and bear thier fangs. The wench gets the hint and goes somewhere else until they finish.
* Terrig are like primitive, savage lithorans (instead of being lion-men, they're more like panther/jaguar or tiger-men).

Yina pulls aside the innkeeper, who identifies himself as Bartus, and asks her question. He shrugs and says, "Half the town heard you all coming into town last night. But Lady Kerowyn Hucrele sent a messenger with a sealed letter for you. I put it under your door this morning, did you get it?"

Everyone seems to be congratulating Bartus on his new exterior renovations and landscaping. "The inn was ready fall inward on itself." comments one elderly spinster.

Breakfast is served and paid for without commentary. Ma-Barak is served last and a few minutes later than everyone else. No one says or does anything to him, but you can see that most folks are pointedly not looking at him.

Ma-Barak

The giant waits patiently and wordlessly to be served, and offers thanks to the serving wench when his food finally arrives.

How quickly they forget. It was not that long ago that they welcomed us as saviors, and now, through no fault of our own, they see us as little better than the dra-mohjs. By my beard, some of those fools seek to -become- like them.

Ma-Barak eats slowly, refusing to be pressed by the feeling of unease that his presence apparently brought into the room. Once he is done, he leaves 3 coppers on the table, and stands.

"Shall we go meet Lady Hucrele, then?"

After quickly devouring my order of Ham, eggs, and toast. I move to sit behind someone who looks to be a merchent. "Do you know what the freshly planted trees in the village are, and what thier perpose is? And where could a loney single go to have a little fun?" I ask quietly, slipping him a silver piece. "Also, why would Lady Hucrele summon us?"

OOC: Edit is not working so I'm re-posting a note. I also ask the guy "Where can a single guy with some money to blow pick up a cute bedmate"