(Casual D&D V) The Tourne

[Sparky]

Oliver looks askance at Xiao as the young man slips effortlessly into place beside him. "Yes, strange. You know, I was there when Exantrius gathered his chosen at Caval's Horde." He smiles wanly, "He didn't choose me."

He listens as Xiao continues. Oliver squints, "As many mugs as we've hoisted and as many games of Kingsmen we've played... you've never mentioned anything of a... a quest of your own." They arrive at the quarters and Oliver pauses at the door, "What was stolen? And why does it fall to you to retrieve it?"

Alone.

 

[Festy_Dog]

"And Koehl, you asked about children?" Nurthk tugs at his goatee, "I have a son and a daughter, but it's been a while since I've seen them what with all the travel of late. They should be safe despite the chaos going on at home, but it's a long story for another time."

 

[doghead]

ic - Casual

"Yes, strange. You know, I was there when Exantrius gathered his chosen at Caval's Horde." He smiles wanly, "He didn't choose me."

Xiao grins broadly. "He did not choose Xiao either. It took me long time for Xiao to sort out all the knights in my head. Very difficult names for Xiao to remember. Slippery. Still I think maybe there is some confusion."

"As many mugs as we've hoisted and as many games of Kingsmen we've played... you've never mentioned anything of a... a quest of your own." They arrive at the quarters and Oliver pauses at the door, "What was stolen? And why does it fall to you to retrieve it?"

Xiao pauses for a moment, brow furrowed in thought. Finally he shrugs.

"Yes, I suppose that is truth. Xiao has talked many ties about this land, and my land. But perhaps not so much about why I move from one to other.

"My father was a merchant from this land. he came to my land in a big boat. When he left, he leave behind my mother, but take very old items from temple. The monks at this temple bring me up after my mother leave. A few years ago I learn of my father's crime. So I come here to find the items. Perhaps I find my father also.

"But items are more important. The magic of them is very old, and dangerous. There are unsettling ..." Xiao hunts around for the word. He forms claws with each hand, and brings them together, interlacing the fingers. "Connection. Yes, ... connection between item magic and events in this land.

"Maybe it is not relation. But ..." He shrugs again.

 

[Guilt Puppy]

"And Koehl, you asked about children?" Nurthk tugs at his goatee, "I have a son and a daughter, but it's been a while since I've seen them what with all the travel of late. They should be safe despite the chaos going on at home, but it's a long story for another time."

Koehl nods. "Yes, it's perhaps too late for a long story. After this song, I think I'll retire." He smiles. "I've mentioned that I left word with the Crest that you'd be coming, right? I can't remember. In any case, they'll be expecting you in the morning. I wish I could arrange for better, but my name means little outside the Crown."

Before the song begins, Sturt produces his brodstren, and makes some careful tuning adjustments before joining in. His technique is curious, and far different than his playing on the road had been; where before he'd played low, droning melodies, here he uses his instrument as an accent piece to the tune, playing brief flurries of sound beneath Oliver's melody.

[sblock="Oliver:"]It takes a moment, but you recognize the sound, and the technique. He is playing elven scales, in a manner reflecting a normal practice in elven music - they have large charts listing which scales can be played against which chords for which effect, and it takes nothing more than agile hands and a great memory to achieve. But you've never seen these played below the melody like this, and never heard of a chart adapted to the common temperament, either. But, somehow, it works.[/sblock]

 

[dpdx]

Meanwhile among the Pelorites...

Fendric sits silent through the night, relaxed, soaking up as many details as he could gather, and enjoying both the company and the content of the evening to its fullest. It had certainly been a while since he felt capable of this kind of soothing rest, and the young half-elf beamed, for once not feeling the weight of his devotion.

Hiritus is only slightly more talkative, speaking up only to bid Nurthk to continue speaking of his experiences. Not wishing to interrupt any more than necessary to keep the conversation from standing still, it is evident from the bright smile on the paladin's face that this is as much fun as he's had since he met Fendric at the Temple in Bethel.

It is only when the brodstren begins to play that any change is evident in Fendric's demeanor. Where before he had been relaxed and carefree, the instrument stirs deep emotion with each note. Combined with Oliver's more conventional tune, it seems at once to be Fendric's own song, elven and human at the same time. When the tune is finished, Fendric wipes away a small tear, applauds Sturt and Oliver vigorously and thanks them both profusely.

 

[Sparky]

At the rooms:

"I'm sure I don't know. Maybe Fendric will have something to say about it." Oliver's bushy brows furrow over his gray eyes. He claps the young man on his shoulder, "Come now, there'll be time aplenty for seriousness tomorrow. Let's get back to the song and spirits."


In the common area:

"Now that was some fine playing. Where did you pick that up?" Oliver grins appreciatively at Sturt as he shakes his right hand, stretching the stiffness from muscle, tendon and bone.

The aged man snaps open the clasps of his lute case, "Next time, Xiao, you should teach us some tunes from your neck of the woods."

 

[doghead]

"Next time, Xiao, you should teach us some tunes from your neck of the woods."

A look of panic crosses the stranger's strange features before being swallowed up in a awkward grin.

"Sure. Xiao can do this," he responds in less than convincing tones.

The next morning

The next morning Xiao is up early. He is a bundle of nervous energy. His meagre possessions are wrapped in his blanket before the sun has appeared. He spends the rest of the time trying to help and, more than likely, getting in people's way.

 

[Guilt Puppy]

"Now that was some fine playing. Where did you pick that up?"

"Out west," Sturt replies, with a pleased grin. "Among the peasantry, a lot of it." He seems nervously prideful about this.

Koehl bids his good evenings, and the others follow suit shortly. The hour is late, but Koehl promises to wake early to meet you, as he understands the urgency of your task.

...

Come morning, there is a firm but restrained knocking at the doors as the servants deliver your waking-call. The Crownsmen meet you shortly thereafter, to commence your escort.

Leaving the estate, Brich points out your destination: Tower Riege, a protruding structure a short distance south of the town proper, surrounded densely by other, smaller fortifications. It is the size of these that hints at the true size of the thing, even at this distance: The Tower appears to be between three and four hundred feet at its highest point, and nearly half that in diameter. The design is somewhat irregular, with a wide and flat slope facing toward the main city, seeming to lean into its curved back, which itself is supported by a row of smaller connected tower-structures. Two spires emerge prominently at either side of the flat face of the building, long lines of smoke trailing from the heavy firepits at their tips. Even from this distance, the stone seems very old indeed.

 

[doghead]

ic - Casual

Xiao can hardly restrain himself from rocketing off in the direction of the tower as soon as it is pointed out to them as their destination. He does however. Instead he floats around the party like a blowfly made stupid by the heat of summer.

Eventually he settles down somewhere out on one of the flanks. Occasionally he drifts back into the centre or shoots forwards to join the front riders.

[sblock=ooc]Spot +7, Listen +9 in case you need it.[/sblock]

 

[hellrazor111]

What a big place says Cray rather loudly, Puck is in awe at the size of it, the ferret is sitting on Crays soldier. Puck and I wonder if we will have to walks to the very top?