Broccli_Head
Explorer
Early Summer, 1378, Year of the Cauldron
"Barkeep, bring me another round!"
Ivan Vorshev smiled at the Zhentilar captain, as he cleaned out one of the many wooden mugs behind the bar, filled it and some others with some of his Sunset Vale Homebrew (with little Rashemani kick!), and took it to his guest's bench. The Zhents were getting sauced early today. Good thing he had already sent the women home. Glad he could protect his employees from the soldiers' baser indulgences, Ivan still remained wary. Although retired he still wore his prized scimitars and sometimes even itched for the occasional brawl to get out of hand so he could knock in some heads.
In actuality, however, the rank-and-file of the Zhentilar weren't all that bad. Generally, they were respectable and over the last few years, he had established the Twin Swords, Inn and Tavern as neutral ground. That was real good for a backwater like Twilight Hollow. It helped the village remain safe in shadow of Darkhold to the North, Irieabor to the South, and Asbravan to the west. Early on, when he had taken over the empty and unclaimed Double Bolt Inn, bloody fights had erupted between Red Cloaks and Zhents. Now they were just fist fights. Shaunnara was gone more and more for longer periods of time. This also suited Ivan well, since it caused less confrontation with the Zhents. There were even a few converts to the faith of Ilmater now and then. And anyway, as self-styled protector of the Hollow, he knew there were worse things in the nearby mountains and hills that the good people were best kept in the dark about. He looked at the wolf's head above the fireplace. He hoped it was a subtle reminder to any of Thaeglos's pack that Ivan, though approaching 40 winters was not to be trifled with. So far that had kept the good people and his wife and children safe from their depridations.
To him it was amazing that he felt that he could trust the Shades more than other humans... Then again Thaeglos was no longer really human....
**
Fortunately, it was an easy night and many of the Zhentilar passed out in the common room. A few of the old vets were still up playing cards so he left Boris in charge to head back to the temple of Ilmater to get Gwyneth and the kids. He doubted that Katya and Brianna were still awake at this hour, but he knew that his little priestess would be. She always stayed up and worried when a Zhent patrol came in.
"Ilmater protect me and bless me," he muttered as he passed the statue of the god of suffering.
Ivan had been among those converts over the last few years.
The wind picked up and Ivan whirled around, drawing his twin blades. They crackled with energy--one of ice, one of acid--as he turned to face the intruder who drifted from above into the square. Lightning flashed nearby and Ivan saw clearly who was flying at him. He kept his scimitars out and ready.
"Nosr! Tell him NO! I am not coming back, no matter how much he pays me. I am finished and I have settled down!"
The mage landed, his eyes aglow and his palms crackling with energy.
"I am not in the mood, Ivan. How many skymages patrol the vale?"
Ivan cursed under his breath.
"Well there is one less," Nosr added with a wry grin.
He still seemed to be itching to blast something.
Then Nosr added naively, "Do you know about this?"
Ivan shook his head.
"Look Nosr, I do not want any trouble. I have worked hard to keep the peace. I have children...," he pleaded.
A few Zhentilar spilled from the inn, hearing the commotion in the still air before the storm.
"Is everything alright, Ivan?"
Ivan waved a them and nodded his head, "Nothing that I can't take care of, boys. Open tap for you though!"
Then Zhents ducked back inside to see who could get to the keg first.
"Zhentarim? You're friends with Zhentarim?"
"It's not what you think," Ivan defended himself pointing his frosty scimitar at the mage. "We don't have the advantage of a castle and mountains to protect us. The priests and I agree that we must keep the peace and protect our people. While you hide back in Cormyr, I deal with real life and real survival! Tell that to your Lord, Aris Cloud-dancer!"
"Now you're playing mean. Aris is not my lord!"
Nosr balled his fists. Spellfire crackled. However, the mage was no longer a teenager and Ivan was an old friend and ally. He breathed deeply and the eldritch might that he wielded waned. His eyes still glowed.
"I did not come here to argue. I came to deliver this."
An envelope appeared in mid-air and floated towards Ivan. He could see the purple glow of his and his wife's name stylishly written on its surface.
"Thank you, Nosr," he said curtly. "Now go quickly, before that mage you probably blew from the sky is missed and they blame someone from here."
Nosr bowed, but narrowed his eyes. "Don't think that I won't tell Aris what's going on here."
Ivan spit on the ground and did not meet the sorcerer's gaze. Nosr flew away. The grizzled ex-lionar grabbed the envelope and ran to the temple. The confrontation ruined his mood and he did not talk to Gwyneth as they rode home.
He showed her the letter and explained to her who it was from.
"Are not they your friends, my husband?"
Ivan shrugged his shoulders. Gwyneth rolled her eyes and opened the envelope. A pair of swords rolled out and began cutting a message on an illusionary piece of parchment. Gwyneth gasped and laughed, and Ivan felt sick and ashamed as he read. She looked at him with her deep hazel eyes.
"So..." she said still giggling, "when do we leave?"
"Barkeep, bring me another round!"
Ivan Vorshev smiled at the Zhentilar captain, as he cleaned out one of the many wooden mugs behind the bar, filled it and some others with some of his Sunset Vale Homebrew (with little Rashemani kick!), and took it to his guest's bench. The Zhents were getting sauced early today. Good thing he had already sent the women home. Glad he could protect his employees from the soldiers' baser indulgences, Ivan still remained wary. Although retired he still wore his prized scimitars and sometimes even itched for the occasional brawl to get out of hand so he could knock in some heads.
In actuality, however, the rank-and-file of the Zhentilar weren't all that bad. Generally, they were respectable and over the last few years, he had established the Twin Swords, Inn and Tavern as neutral ground. That was real good for a backwater like Twilight Hollow. It helped the village remain safe in shadow of Darkhold to the North, Irieabor to the South, and Asbravan to the west. Early on, when he had taken over the empty and unclaimed Double Bolt Inn, bloody fights had erupted between Red Cloaks and Zhents. Now they were just fist fights. Shaunnara was gone more and more for longer periods of time. This also suited Ivan well, since it caused less confrontation with the Zhents. There were even a few converts to the faith of Ilmater now and then. And anyway, as self-styled protector of the Hollow, he knew there were worse things in the nearby mountains and hills that the good people were best kept in the dark about. He looked at the wolf's head above the fireplace. He hoped it was a subtle reminder to any of Thaeglos's pack that Ivan, though approaching 40 winters was not to be trifled with. So far that had kept the good people and his wife and children safe from their depridations.
To him it was amazing that he felt that he could trust the Shades more than other humans... Then again Thaeglos was no longer really human....
**
Fortunately, it was an easy night and many of the Zhentilar passed out in the common room. A few of the old vets were still up playing cards so he left Boris in charge to head back to the temple of Ilmater to get Gwyneth and the kids. He doubted that Katya and Brianna were still awake at this hour, but he knew that his little priestess would be. She always stayed up and worried when a Zhent patrol came in.
"Ilmater protect me and bless me," he muttered as he passed the statue of the god of suffering.
Ivan had been among those converts over the last few years.
The wind picked up and Ivan whirled around, drawing his twin blades. They crackled with energy--one of ice, one of acid--as he turned to face the intruder who drifted from above into the square. Lightning flashed nearby and Ivan saw clearly who was flying at him. He kept his scimitars out and ready.
"Nosr! Tell him NO! I am not coming back, no matter how much he pays me. I am finished and I have settled down!"
The mage landed, his eyes aglow and his palms crackling with energy.
"I am not in the mood, Ivan. How many skymages patrol the vale?"
Ivan cursed under his breath.
"Well there is one less," Nosr added with a wry grin.
He still seemed to be itching to blast something.
Then Nosr added naively, "Do you know about this?"
Ivan shook his head.
"Look Nosr, I do not want any trouble. I have worked hard to keep the peace. I have children...," he pleaded.
A few Zhentilar spilled from the inn, hearing the commotion in the still air before the storm.
"Is everything alright, Ivan?"
Ivan waved a them and nodded his head, "Nothing that I can't take care of, boys. Open tap for you though!"
Then Zhents ducked back inside to see who could get to the keg first.
"Zhentarim? You're friends with Zhentarim?"
"It's not what you think," Ivan defended himself pointing his frosty scimitar at the mage. "We don't have the advantage of a castle and mountains to protect us. The priests and I agree that we must keep the peace and protect our people. While you hide back in Cormyr, I deal with real life and real survival! Tell that to your Lord, Aris Cloud-dancer!"
"Now you're playing mean. Aris is not my lord!"
Nosr balled his fists. Spellfire crackled. However, the mage was no longer a teenager and Ivan was an old friend and ally. He breathed deeply and the eldritch might that he wielded waned. His eyes still glowed.
"I did not come here to argue. I came to deliver this."
An envelope appeared in mid-air and floated towards Ivan. He could see the purple glow of his and his wife's name stylishly written on its surface.
"Thank you, Nosr," he said curtly. "Now go quickly, before that mage you probably blew from the sky is missed and they blame someone from here."
Nosr bowed, but narrowed his eyes. "Don't think that I won't tell Aris what's going on here."
Ivan spit on the ground and did not meet the sorcerer's gaze. Nosr flew away. The grizzled ex-lionar grabbed the envelope and ran to the temple. The confrontation ruined his mood and he did not talk to Gwyneth as they rode home.
He showed her the letter and explained to her who it was from.
"Are not they your friends, my husband?"
Ivan shrugged his shoulders. Gwyneth rolled her eyes and opened the envelope. A pair of swords rolled out and began cutting a message on an illusionary piece of parchment. Gwyneth gasped and laughed, and Ivan felt sick and ashamed as he read. She looked at him with her deep hazel eyes.
"So..." she said still giggling, "when do we leave?"
