A Caravan to Ein Arris

[fenixdown]

Curious about the cause of the outburst, Kibek tries to see through the press of the crowd to the source, hindered as much by those trying to do the same as by his size.

 

[Kafkonia]

Craning his neck, Kibek can see that the drunkard is shouting at a very slender elf. The elf seems unfazed by the explosion, and if he speaks, he speaks so quietly that his lips don't seem to move.

"What!?" the giant explodes. He makes as if to reach for the weapon at his side, but before his hand can reach it he collapses to the ground, snoring. A few people laugh nervously, and others suddenly find their surroundings much more interesting as three city guards arrive on the scene. Two of the guards escort the unconscious figure roughly from the market, while the third converses briefly with the elf before departing.

The elf glances over the line, and his eyes seem to linger on Kibek longer than on anybody else. Then, without a word, he turns sharply on his heal and walks past the booths, disappearing into the caravan proper.

[SBLOCK=Kibek]
You're pretty certain that the elf cast sleep, although without the usual gestures and incantations that requires. (Spellcraft roll 13+3 = 16)
[/SBLOCK]

 

[stonegod]

As Damien waits in line, a remarkably unattractive man strikes up a conversation with him. One eye seems slightly larger than the other, and when he speaks Damien can see that the few teeth he has don't fit neatly together.

"Quite a line-up, eh?" he says. "They coulda picked a cooler day to do it on too. Haw haw." His laugh resembles the noise a horse might make if it wanted to annoy its brethren.

Damien arches his eyebrow at the ugly man, but breaks out in a disarming smile. "This is but the edge of the heat, my friend. The fiends themselves heat the outer desert, or so they say! Fire storms hundreds of feet high! But we will find shade, that we will." He keeps an eye on the motion of the line, ignoring the---to him---inconsequential heat.

 

[Kafkonia]

Damien arches his eyebrow at the ugly man, but breaks out in a disarming smile. "This is but the edge of the heat, my friend. The fiends themselves heat the outer desert, or so they say! Fire storms hundreds of feet high! But we will find shade, that we will." He keeps an eye on the motion of the line, ignoring the---to him---inconsequential heat.

The ugly man's eyes widen. "A hundred feet high you say!" Then he laughs heartily, maybe a bit too heartily, slapping Damien on the shoulder. "I like your way with words, sir, that I do! Fiends indeed. Haw haw."

The line slowly moves forward, and Damien becomes aware of a commotion over by the healer's booth, as a large man seems on the verge of striking a much smaller elf before he suddenly collapses.

 

[fenixdown]

Kibek watches two of the guards disappear with the drunkard. When he turns back, the third guard and the elf are gone, as if nothing ever happened. Indeed, he couldn't say he would be very surprised if he actually did imagine the whole thing; this heat and the excitement of the caravan certainly could make a man delirious. But then, he wouldn't be much of a healer if he couldn't even keep his own wits, would he? Shaking his head to clear it, he turns back to the line.

 

[nonamazing]

"Thank you, Pasha," the interviewer says. "I value your opinion, as always."

Pasha blushes and looks down. "Ah, I am but a humble servant of Halmaro, friend. All I say, I say in his service, yes?"

Spinning around she turns to Pasha, “What do you think, does it suit me?” She arches her chin out and seems to be indicating the red ribbon.

Pasha looks up, squints, and grins. "Ah, ah...yes!" He cocks his head to the side and a strand of his turban dangles across his eyes. He brushes it away with a casual gesture, still grinning. "Bright and red against pale, like, ah, rose in the desert, yes? This reminds me of something..."

Pasha fumbles in his pack for a moment, producing a small glass vial with an exclamation of triumph. "Ah!" The liquid in the slender vial is the same bright red as the silk ribbon. Pasha steps forward, pressing the vial into Malinda's hands. "For you, friend! I have much hope in my heart that you will, ah, never need use it! Ha, yes?"

Pasha looks up as two guards pass by dragging an unconcious man between them. "Ah! It seems the desire to be part of Halmaro's caravan is overwhelming to some, yes?"

[SBLOCK]Pasha has given Malinda one of his cure light wounds potions. I've marked it off his character sheet.[/SBLOCK]

 

[PhoenixAsh]

Malinda hesitates as the vial is pressed into her hand, disarmed by Pasha’s casual kindness. Finally she clasps the vial in her fingers and bends slightly, her blue eyes glistening. It would seem they threaten to shed tears. “Pray, dear friend, gift me also with your name, that when I speak of generosity, of magnanimous spirit, I may give you your proper due. For such kindness is rarer than any desert rose, and more precious. I, Malinda Osten, shall never forget it.” She bows her head, hiding away her eyes for a moment.

She lifts it to see the two guardsmen Pasha indicates, and the man between them. “Oh… so it would seem, how unfortunate for him.” Her fingers reflexively rub the brown ribbon laced between them, and she seems to notice her possession of it suddenly once again. “Tell me, are you a lover of music? It would please me if you heard me play, but only if it would be something you would enjoy and your time is not occupied by more pressing matters.”

OOC[sblock]Noted on my character sheet, one Cure Light Wounds potion.[/sblock]

 

[nonamazing]

Malinda hesitates as the vial is pressed into her hand, disarmed by Pasha’s casual kindness. Finally she clasps the vial in her fingers and bends slightly, her blue eyes glistening. It would seem they threaten to shed tears. “Pray, dear friend, gift me also with your name, that when I speak of generosity, of magnanimous spirit, I may give you your proper due. For such kindness is rarer than any desert rose, and more precious. I, Malinda Osten, shall never forget it.” She bows her head, hiding away her eyes for a moment.

The tiny goblin pauses for a moment, considering the bard's words. He then grins even wider than before, nodding in satisfaction. "Ah, such kindness is but the responsibility of friends, yes? And as I am D'n Pashabek, lonely merchant of the deep desert, the joy of friendship is like, ah, cool fresh water to me!" He throws out his tiny arms, indicating the vast crowd assembled around them. "How excited am I to be travelling with such a greatness! Yes? For in the desert, often my only friends are lizard, rock, and goblin, all of which have about the same brains, yes?" Pasha winks slyly.

It's true that most goblins tend to have glassy eyes and slack jaws; by no means a charismatic bunch, and certainly not exciting conversationalists. Even Pasha himself is only slightly above average in terms of having an engaging personality--but compared to most goblins, he seems an incredible genius.

She lifts it to see the two guardsmen Pasha indicates, and the man between them. “Oh… so it would seem, how unfortunate for him.” Her fingers reflexively rub the brown ribbon laced between them, and she seems to notice her possession of it suddenly once again. “Tell me, are you a lover of music? It would please me if you heard me play, but only if it would be something you would enjoy and your time is not occupied by more pressing matters.”

"Ah, such an excellent prospect! But let us walk together," Pasha points toward the entertainer's booth and then at the brown ribbon on Malinda's hand, "and there I will hear music from you, as you play for them. Audience of one is not fitting for such a fine performer, yes?"

Pasha waddles through the crowd, taking quick steps, nodding and waving at everyone he passes. He seems innocently unaware of the fact that almost everyone ignores him, considering a mere goblin, even one dressed like a clown, to be beneath their notice.

Passing by the line in front of the healer's booth, Pasha holds up a hand and looks up at Malinda. "Just a moment, if you please, friend. I would, ah, ask a question." He considers the long line for a moment before stepping up to a cloaked kobold near the back. "Many pardons, son of dragons, but I am curious as to the, ah, disturbance that just took place, yes? Did you perhaps see what happened to the large man they took away?"

 

[PhoenixAsh]

The tiny goblin pauses for a moment, considering the bard's words. He then grins even wider than before, nodding in satisfaction. "Ah, such kindness is but the responsibility of friends, yes? And as I am D'n Pashabek, lonely merchant of the deep desert, the joy of friendship is like, ah, cool fresh water to me!" He throws out his tiny arms, indicating the vast crowd assembled around them. "How excited am I to be travelling with such a greatness! Yes? For in the desert, often my only friends are lizard, rock, and goblin, all of which have about the same brains, yes?" Pasha winks slyly.

Malinda laughs softly, "D'n Pashabek. A goblin well above rocks and lizards, if I may say so." She carefully slides the red vial into a pouch at her belt before continuing.

"Ah, such an excellent prospect! But let us walk together," Pasha points toward the entertainer's booth and then at the brown ribbon on Malinda's hand, "and there I will hear music from you, as you play for them. Audience of one is not fitting for such a fine performer, yes?"

Pasha waddles through the crowd, taking quick steps, nodding and waving at everyone he passes. He seems innocently unaware of the fact that almost everyone ignores him, considering a mere goblin, even one dressed like a clown, to be beneath their notice.

"You know my mind, it would seem." She walks with Pasha, seeming to note the goblin's friendly mannerisms, though her expression remains fixed behind a small, perhaps secret, smile.

Passing by the line in front of the healer's booth, Pasha holds up a hand and looks up at Malinda. "Just a moment, if you please, friend. I would, ah, ask a question." He considers the long line for a moment before stepping up to a cloaked kobold near the back. "Many pardons, son of dragons, but I am curious as to the, ah, disturbance that just took place, yes? Did you perhaps see what happened to the large man they took away?"

Malinda tips her head gently, acquiescing to Pasha's request to hold. She observes his actions and unobtrusively steps a little closer to hear the response from the kobold.

 

[fenixdown]

"Many pardons, son of dragons, but I am curious as to the, ah, disturbance that just took place, yes? Did you perhaps see what happened to the large man they took away?"

Kibek turns toward the voice. Seeing a goblin standing there he smiles, glad to finally talk to someone at his own eye level and only noting the elf beside him in passing.

"It really wasn't much to see. Or at least I didn't see much; but you can sympathize with that," he says to the goblin, glancing up at his tall companion. "From what I did see and hear, I can tell you that he seems to like drinking, and dislike those who attack his faith. But then, I can sympathize with that," he gestures at the holy symbol around his neck with a grin. "Tell me, are you in a hurry? This line seems like it hasn't moved all day, and I'm so bored I could die. I'd enjoy it if you and your friend could stay a while and talk."