Every Ending is a New Beginning
*author's note* - At Diaglo's request due to the secretive nature of his character, I will be taking over the story hour until further notice. I hope you all enjoy my writing as much as his.
The weeks since the end of the trial flew by. Before Kem knew it Yazzar the circle’s main enchanter contacted him to tell him the items he has requested were had been crafted. Kem had taken his share of the loot to ‘in-vest’ in some further protection. His vest now made him more nimble at dodging danger than ever before. He also scraped up enough money to get a ring that would help protect him from blows. But the strangest thing of all was his staff.
It had started idly enough just shaving off a splinter here, polishing the wood there, but he could almost swear that there was something in it. Like a trapped form just asking to get out. Before he knew what he was doing he found himself whittling at the staff. By the time he was done there was a large grinning weasel clearly emblazoned on the side. There were some other things that looked like the start of runes in the side but he couldn’t quite get the picture of those clear in his mind yet. It was like Omar once said about his songs, the words and the tune are there around you all the time, you just need to use your skill and insight to set them give them form and shape. Kem wondered if the same was true of his staff, and he was merely giving form and shape to something already there.
They met on the prearranged date two weeks after the end of the trial. Kem, Omar, Sargazzo, Khalil, and Solafien…but where was Ruen. Sargazzo told the group through Omar that Ruen had been reassigned and might catch up if he could. The time off had obviously been good for everybody. Kem noticed lots of new toys and knick-knacks among the party members, Kem thought such swag was a bit silly, but then to each his own. Khalil had even gotten his old knapsack lined with the fur of some dead animal. ‘How…quaint?’ thought Kem to himself. “What is that dead alley cat?”
Omar’s master was the one giving them their new assignments this time. “Your contact’s name is ‘Digger’” he began without ceremony. “He is expecting you in at least two months time. This” he said bringing out a small crystal ball “will help you locate him. Once you have found him destroy it, it can find him anywhere he may be and such an item is best kept around only for as long as it is absolutely needed.” As the group gazed into the ball they saw an image of digger. A halfling of some sort, as they watched a large wolverine with slavering jaws came into view and began licking his face like a friendly puppy. “You will be headed to the Dalelands on the other side of the continent.” continued Omar’s master “The climate is far different from Calimsport so I suggest you dress appropriately when you get there. Some of you have other…duties…to perform along the way” he said looking meaningfully at Solafien ”So I suggest you take that into account when planning your route.”
“And now for you Omar my boy, a special present” said the master pulling out a rune covered box “It’s a very old tool of ours, so use it well, it means much that we entrust this to you.” Inside the box was a very finely crafted lute. The wood looked to be old, but the strings and frets and knobs all brand new. “It contains things many would find useful, and it contains many secrets even I do not know, but I will show you this for free.” With that the master touched one of the frets and a bayonet projected out the bottom of the lute. Then another touch the bayonet retracted. “The rest you must figure out on your own.”
Kem looked around, Kahlil still had his shortsword and Sargazzo his great one. Solafien had his intelligent rod that transformed itself into any weapon he could think of the now Omar this amazing now lute. “Gee” thought Kem jealously to himself “None of MY weapons are specially crafted hundreds of years ago or named or intelligent.” But then another smug thought occurred to him. “I guess that’s what the circle gives to those people who NEED those kind of crutches to do decent work.”
Omar’s master dismissed them and the party set out on its way. Their first stop was the cartographer to see the best route by which to get there. ‘WAIT A MINUTE!’ Thought Kem as they traveled ‘Omar uses a penny whistle, does he even know HOW to play a lute?’
