Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Curse of Darkness IV - When in Rome...
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Greenfield" data-source="post: 5910087" data-attributes="member: 6669384"><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">*** </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The shop of the Green Fletcher wasn't hard to find. Just outside the south quarter, it was on a side street with little traffic. The door was closed, but the shop didn't appear to be. Yet as the Ranger watched, not only did no one enter, passers by would cross the street rather than pass in front of it.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">He approached the door carefully, waving his companion back to the side. Carefully he lifted the latch and eased the door open.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">There was a sharp "Twang", and an arrow zipped by his head, to lodge itself in the wall of the shop across the way. He turned his instinctive duck into a forward roll, coming upright in a low crouch near the counter, long knife in hand.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The room was narrow and covered in the dust of disuse. Nothing moved, and all was silent. Except for... snoring?</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Carefully he raised his head above the counter, blade at the ready. Peering over the top he spied the source of the sound. A Half-Orc sat at the craftsman's table, slumped forward and apparently fast asleep.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Hey, you!", Sylus called, prodding the man with the tip of his bow. "Hey, wake up!"</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Hmph, wha?", the man semi-articulated as his rest was disturbed. "What are you doing in my shop? How did you get in here?"</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"I'm here on business.", Sylus responded. "The door was unlocked, so we walked in."</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The foul-faced man looked up towards the door to where Penn stood, holding an arrow in his hand. "Good workmanship.", he commented. "But I've seen better. Besides, it missed."</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Oh, that. Don't worry about that, It's just something I set up to keep people out when I'm, um, working."</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Yeah, you were working pretty hard.", Sylus commented dryly. "I'm looking for some arrows.", he said, getting back to the point. </span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Ah, well, I have those. Lots of em.", the craftsman mumbled, stumbling to his feet. He crossed to a bin and began pulling out bundles of matched arrows. Long, short, heavy light, crossbow bolts, even a ballista bolt.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"I'm looking for these.", Sylus said, holding up one of the black shafted quarrels from the previous night.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Oh, those?", responded the Half-Orc. "Yeah, I made those. Special commission, supposed to make a few hundred of em. Whole lot got stolen, ruined me."</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Ruined you? How?', asked Penn.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Caesar commissioned the set, huge set, for the Praetorian Guard. I was one of the Imperial Craftsmen, you know.", he said, pointing to a plaque on the wall, shattered pieces hung in a semblance of their original form. "But someone stole the lot. I couldn't fill the order in time. Thought I'd have time, but then the Vandals came. Caesar died, I didn't get paid, it all went to Tartarus."</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"I'm curious about the metal of the arrowheads.", Penn asked in particular. </span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Oh, that? Bought a dozen pigs of that stuff from some Dwarves down from the Rhineland. Pretty stuff. Holds an edge too. Got some blades of the stuff. Most people don't like em, too light they say."</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">And now the craftsman began to draw out blades of the bright metal. Penn picked one up carefully and tested its weight. It was indeed light, thin and quick, a blade you'd dance with instead of wrestling.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"How much?", he asked, almost in a trance.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"That one? 320. Unless you're a friend of Caesars. Then it's more.", the man replied jokingly, now fully awake.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Well, I may be able to put in a word, get your status restored.", Penn said suggestively. Then reality washed over him like cold water. His purse rattled near empty and he knew it.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Any idea who took your arrows?", Sylus asked, again dragging the conversation back on topic.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Oh, those posers down south. Stupid kids trying to convince everyone they're bad and tough."</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"You mean the ones who hang out at the 'Here be Assassins' hall?", laughed the Ranger.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"That's them. They won't admit it, but I seen some of em with my arrows. They took em, and if I get my hands on them..."</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Penn laid down the fine blade and backed away. They'd learned what they could, and he resolved that he would indeed try to put in a good word for the "Green Fletcher", if the occasion arose.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">*** </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"So now what?", Seeburn demanded.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"This isn't really our problem, you know.", Penn said, feeling uncomfortable even as he said the words. "None of your sponsors called you to this, and as far as I know Denius might still be behind it. We could just leave town and be done with it."</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"I'd like to be alive again.", added Marcus, scratching at the thick beard he wore as a disguise. For the moment he was "Sebernius", cousin of Seeburn, his holy symbol and other identifying items hidden beneath the oddly checked half-robe Seeburn had loaned him.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"We can't leave town without Nedel.", Apellenea added. "If the assassins don't kill him, Denius will. Failure will be all the excuse he needs."</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"All right, let's find Nedel.", Penn resolved. "In the mean time, Mar..., er Sibernius, you'll need to write a message to the triumvirate."</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"What should it say?", asked the disguised Cleric.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Start with, 'The reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated'.", Penn laughed. "Then tell them what we know."</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"How are we going to find Nedel?", asked Euphemia. "He can look like anyone, and he won't be using his own name."</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"We found the assassins without knowing their names or what they look like.", the Half Satyr countered. "We just have to ask in the right places."</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">***</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The trail was an odd one. One shopkeeper recalled seeing a strange girl who didn't speak. Another noted a man who looked like he came from beyond Egypt, but spoke with the rich, flowing dialect of the north. Yet another recalled a stranger dressed in poor man's clothes, but displaying a rich man's tastes, and again with that northern accent.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Well, I recall someone odd. Not that there's anything odd about that these days.", a tavern keeper reported. "But you have to be careful. Me? I'm careful not to notice too many things. I likes me blood on the inside, if you know what I mean."</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"How odd was this person?", Penn asked, overpaying for yet another drink, while painfully aware that he couldn't afford such generosity.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Well, she didn't talk, but she took my spare room. Paid well, but I haven't seen her since. Not for a meal, not for a drink, not even for the necessary. Not that I'm noticing, mind you."</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Is it this way?", Euphemia asked, indicating the narrow stair.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Yep. On the left. Not that I'm telling, mind you."</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Not that we're asking.", Penn answered.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">***</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Nedel sat silent, his back braced against the door, facing the barred window. If there was a way anyone could enter this room without him seeing them, he didn't know what it was.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">He stiffened as he heard footsteps on the stairs, and his heart raced when the knock came at his door. Quickly he assumed his "tongueless girl" guise and peered through the crack in the door. When he saw that it was Penn he opened it, slightly.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"We're looking for a friend.", Penn said quietly. "If you could tell that friend that a messenger will be looking for him at the other inn tonight, around sundown, it would be appreciated."</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">The pair exchanged knowing looks, then the Bard retreated, Euphemia close behind.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Why did you tell her that?", the Halfling asked as they left.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"That was him.", Penn explained. "I know the spell well, and if you know what to look for you can see through it."</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Ah, so we're back to the others now?", she asked.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"No. You're probably still being watched, and if we stop now the watchers will know that we found what we're looking for."</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Ah, it's always in the last place you look.", Euphemia chuckled. "So now what?"</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"East, I think. If I have to spend my last few silver on this, I'd like to spend them in a better neighborhood."</span></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Greenfield, post: 5910087, member: 6669384"] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]*** The shop of the Green Fletcher wasn't hard to find. Just outside the south quarter, it was on a side street with little traffic. The door was closed, but the shop didn't appear to be. Yet as the Ranger watched, not only did no one enter, passers by would cross the street rather than pass in front of it. He approached the door carefully, waving his companion back to the side. Carefully he lifted the latch and eased the door open.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] There was a sharp "Twang", and an arrow zipped by his head, to lodge itself in the wall of the shop across the way. He turned his instinctive duck into a forward roll, coming upright in a low crouch near the counter, long knife in hand.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] The room was narrow and covered in the dust of disuse. Nothing moved, and all was silent. Except for... snoring?[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] Carefully he raised his head above the counter, blade at the ready. Peering over the top he spied the source of the sound. A Half-Orc sat at the craftsman's table, slumped forward and apparently fast asleep.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "Hey, you!", Sylus called, prodding the man with the tip of his bow. "Hey, wake up!"[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "Hmph, wha?", the man semi-articulated as his rest was disturbed. "What are you doing in my shop? How did you get in here?"[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "I'm here on business.", Sylus responded. "The door was unlocked, so we walked in."[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] The foul-faced man looked up towards the door to where Penn stood, holding an arrow in his hand. "Good workmanship.", he commented. "But I've seen better. Besides, it missed."[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "Oh, that. Don't worry about that, It's just something I set up to keep people out when I'm, um, working."[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "Yeah, you were working pretty hard.", Sylus commented dryly. "I'm looking for some arrows.", he said, getting back to the point. [/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "Ah, well, I have those. Lots of em.", the craftsman mumbled, stumbling to his feet. He crossed to a bin and began pulling out bundles of matched arrows. Long, short, heavy light, crossbow bolts, even a ballista bolt.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "I'm looking for these.", Sylus said, holding up one of the black shafted quarrels from the previous night.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "Oh, those?", responded the Half-Orc. "Yeah, I made those. Special commission, supposed to make a few hundred of em. Whole lot got stolen, ruined me."[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "Ruined you? How?', asked Penn.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "Caesar commissioned the set, huge set, for the Praetorian Guard. I was one of the Imperial Craftsmen, you know.", he said, pointing to a plaque on the wall, shattered pieces hung in a semblance of their original form. "But someone stole the lot. I couldn't fill the order in time. Thought I'd have time, but then the Vandals came. Caesar died, I didn't get paid, it all went to Tartarus."[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "I'm curious about the metal of the arrowheads.", Penn asked in particular. [/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "Oh, that? Bought a dozen pigs of that stuff from some Dwarves down from the Rhineland. Pretty stuff. Holds an edge too. Got some blades of the stuff. Most people don't like em, too light they say."[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] And now the craftsman began to draw out blades of the bright metal. Penn picked one up carefully and tested its weight. It was indeed light, thin and quick, a blade you'd dance with instead of wrestling.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "How much?", he asked, almost in a trance.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "That one? 320. Unless you're a friend of Caesars. Then it's more.", the man replied jokingly, now fully awake.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "Well, I may be able to put in a word, get your status restored.", Penn said suggestively. Then reality washed over him like cold water. His purse rattled near empty and he knew it.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "Any idea who took your arrows?", Sylus asked, again dragging the conversation back on topic.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "Oh, those posers down south. Stupid kids trying to convince everyone they're bad and tough."[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "You mean the ones who hang out at the 'Here be Assassins' hall?", laughed the Ranger.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "That's them. They won't admit it, but I seen some of em with my arrows. They took em, and if I get my hands on them..."[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] Penn laid down the fine blade and backed away. They'd learned what they could, and he resolved that he would indeed try to put in a good word for the "Green Fletcher", if the occasion arose.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] *** "So now what?", Seeburn demanded. "This isn't really our problem, you know.", Penn said, feeling uncomfortable even as he said the words. "None of your sponsors called you to this, and as far as I know Denius might still be behind it. We could just leave town and be done with it."[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "I'd like to be alive again.", added Marcus, scratching at the thick beard he wore as a disguise. For the moment he was "Sebernius", cousin of Seeburn, his holy symbol and other identifying items hidden beneath the oddly checked half-robe Seeburn had loaned him.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "We can't leave town without Nedel.", Apellenea added. "If the assassins don't kill him, Denius will. Failure will be all the excuse he needs."[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "All right, let's find Nedel.", Penn resolved. "In the mean time, Mar..., er Sibernius, you'll need to write a message to the triumvirate."[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "What should it say?", asked the disguised Cleric.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "Start with, 'The reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated'.", Penn laughed. "Then tell them what we know."[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "How are we going to find Nedel?", asked Euphemia. "He can look like anyone, and he won't be using his own name."[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "We found the assassins without knowing their names or what they look like.", the Half Satyr countered. "We just have to ask in the right places."[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] *** The trail was an odd one. One shopkeeper recalled seeing a strange girl who didn't speak. Another noted a man who looked like he came from beyond Egypt, but spoke with the rich, flowing dialect of the north. Yet another recalled a stranger dressed in poor man's clothes, but displaying a rich man's tastes, and again with that northern accent. "Well, I recall someone odd. Not that there's anything odd about that these days.", a tavern keeper reported. "But you have to be careful. Me? I'm careful not to notice too many things. I likes me blood on the inside, if you know what I mean."[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "How odd was this person?", Penn asked, overpaying for yet another drink, while painfully aware that he couldn't afford such generosity.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "Well, she didn't talk, but she took my spare room. Paid well, but I haven't seen her since. Not for a meal, not for a drink, not even for the necessary. Not that I'm noticing, mind you."[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "Is it this way?", Euphemia asked, indicating the narrow stair.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "Yep. On the left. Not that I'm telling, mind you."[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "Not that we're asking.", Penn answered.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] *** Nedel sat silent, his back braced against the door, facing the barred window. If there was a way anyone could enter this room without him seeing them, he didn't know what it was. He stiffened as he heard footsteps on the stairs, and his heart raced when the knock came at his door. Quickly he assumed his "tongueless girl" guise and peered through the crack in the door. When he saw that it was Penn he opened it, slightly.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "We're looking for a friend.", Penn said quietly. "If you could tell that friend that a messenger will be looking for him at the other inn tonight, around sundown, it would be appreciated."[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] The pair exchanged knowing looks, then the Bard retreated, Euphemia close behind.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "Why did you tell her that?", the Halfling asked as they left.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "That was him.", Penn explained. "I know the spell well, and if you know what to look for you can see through it."[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "Ah, so we're back to the others now?", she asked.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "No. You're probably still being watched, and if we stop now the watchers will know that we found what we're looking for."[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "Ah, it's always in the last place you look.", Euphemia chuckled. "So now what?"[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2] "East, I think. If I have to spend my last few silver on this, I'd like to spend them in a better neighborhood."[/SIZE][/FONT] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Curse of Darkness IV - When in Rome...
Top