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<blockquote data-quote="airwalkrr" data-source="post: 3765358" data-attributes="member: 12460"><p>It was the second time today they had fled, but this time they feared more than just being turned over to the city watch. This time, they feared death itself. Everyone avoided those showing the telltale signs; the red edemas, the partial paralysis, even dementia were all signs that one's death warrant had been signed. Some managed to live with it for weeks, while others were dead in a matter of days, but no one had ever recovered, at least no one the two scamps had ever heard about. No one knew where the disease had come from or how to get rid of it. Even the gods seemed to ignore the pleas of Rookroost's citizenry for help. Priests of every power from Gruumsh to Atroa had offered up prayers and performed rituals, but even the most powerful of divine magic offered no solace for those infected with the terrible malady. The plague was a death sentence, irrevocable and without appeal. Padree and Gedric were all too familiar with it. So they ran as fast as their legs would carry them.</p><p></p><p>As they rounded the corner of an adjacent side street, they saw an unpleasantly familiar sight. The man from the bread cart was looking behind barrels and crates and asking passersby if they had seen the miscreants who had swiped his merchandise. They tried to double back and look for another route, but it was too late. They had lept out of the frying pan and into the baker's oven.</p><p></p><p>"That ole' provendor's after us again!" Gedric called in warning to his accomplice.</p><p></p><p>"I can see that you ninny!" she replied in aggravation.</p><p></p><p>The pair headed the opposite way from the livid man, trying their hardest to find a hidden nook or alley to dive into, but there was not much traffic on the road that would provide them with cover needed to elude their pursuer. Unfortunately, it was just busy enough to provide numerous potential hazards that threatened to injure them if they were not careful, hence, they were slowed. Added to that was the increased distraction of the chase and their tendency to look over their shoulder to see just how far close he had gotten and it is quite understandable that the two bowled into a tall half-elf adorned with a silver circlet and shimmering white mantle.</p><p></p><p>The half-elf immediately grabbed both of them by the collar and lifted them off their feat. His looks did not betray his surprising strength. The young thieves struggled their best but were unable to release themselves from the fellow of mixed descent. A lump filled their throats as they came to the realization that they had been caught. Once the angry grocer caught up they would likely be turned into the watch, and then Pelor knows what would become of them in the horrid city dungeons. They had heard rumors that sufferers of the plague had been thrown down there to rot away out of sight of the general public. It simultaneously served the dual purpose of potentially infecting the other prisoners, making expenses easier on General Pernevi, the city's corrupt and loathsome ruler.</p><p></p><p>The irate victim of their petty crime stomped up to the half-elf and the doomed youngsters. His face was a strange mix of relief and hatred, respectively felt toward the half-elf and the thieves.</p><p></p><p>"Much thanks to you sir," he said to the immaculately dressed half-blood, "Istus knows how much longer my old bones could have pursued them."</p><p></p><p>"Quite alright, sir," the half-elf replied, "now if you will be so kind as to be on your way, I shall ensure my children are disciplined properly."</p><p></p><p>"Your <em>children</em>?" the man uttered in disbelief. Clearly he was a bit perplexed by the lack of family resemblence. The two young snipes were fairly surprised themselves and stopped struggling long enough to share confused glances with each other.</p><p></p><p>"Yes, they are quite a handful sometimes, but bygones shall be bygones, yes?" the half-elf stated plainly with a quick wink.</p><p></p><p>"Um, well," the old vendor stuttered, "yes, I suppose, but what about the matter of my lost profits?"</p><p></p><p>"Of course," the half-elf replied. He then shifted one of the little larcenists to his other hand, effectively gripping both of them with a single arm. After that he reached into his purse with a free hand and produced a shiny silver noble which he placed gently in the grizzled shopkeeper's palm.</p><p></p><p>The man was as stunned as Padree and Gedric. The noble was worth far more than what they had stolen. This half-elf was apparently quite rich to be capable of affording such an indulgence. He was also quite stupid for displaying such wealth in a city so rife with thievery as Rookroost. The man cuped the silver in his hands, bit it to ensure its authenticity, then grinned at the half-elf before letting out a short guffah and headed cheerily back to his bread stand.</p><p></p><p>The half-elf then turned his attention to Ged and Pad, no longer struggling due to shock and amazement. "Now then," he said, "let's get you two a hot meal so you'll stop stealing one from others."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="airwalkrr, post: 3765358, member: 12460"] It was the second time today they had fled, but this time they feared more than just being turned over to the city watch. This time, they feared death itself. Everyone avoided those showing the telltale signs; the red edemas, the partial paralysis, even dementia were all signs that one's death warrant had been signed. Some managed to live with it for weeks, while others were dead in a matter of days, but no one had ever recovered, at least no one the two scamps had ever heard about. No one knew where the disease had come from or how to get rid of it. Even the gods seemed to ignore the pleas of Rookroost's citizenry for help. Priests of every power from Gruumsh to Atroa had offered up prayers and performed rituals, but even the most powerful of divine magic offered no solace for those infected with the terrible malady. The plague was a death sentence, irrevocable and without appeal. Padree and Gedric were all too familiar with it. So they ran as fast as their legs would carry them. As they rounded the corner of an adjacent side street, they saw an unpleasantly familiar sight. The man from the bread cart was looking behind barrels and crates and asking passersby if they had seen the miscreants who had swiped his merchandise. They tried to double back and look for another route, but it was too late. They had lept out of the frying pan and into the baker's oven. "That ole' provendor's after us again!" Gedric called in warning to his accomplice. "I can see that you ninny!" she replied in aggravation. The pair headed the opposite way from the livid man, trying their hardest to find a hidden nook or alley to dive into, but there was not much traffic on the road that would provide them with cover needed to elude their pursuer. Unfortunately, it was just busy enough to provide numerous potential hazards that threatened to injure them if they were not careful, hence, they were slowed. Added to that was the increased distraction of the chase and their tendency to look over their shoulder to see just how far close he had gotten and it is quite understandable that the two bowled into a tall half-elf adorned with a silver circlet and shimmering white mantle. The half-elf immediately grabbed both of them by the collar and lifted them off their feat. His looks did not betray his surprising strength. The young thieves struggled their best but were unable to release themselves from the fellow of mixed descent. A lump filled their throats as they came to the realization that they had been caught. Once the angry grocer caught up they would likely be turned into the watch, and then Pelor knows what would become of them in the horrid city dungeons. They had heard rumors that sufferers of the plague had been thrown down there to rot away out of sight of the general public. It simultaneously served the dual purpose of potentially infecting the other prisoners, making expenses easier on General Pernevi, the city's corrupt and loathsome ruler. The irate victim of their petty crime stomped up to the half-elf and the doomed youngsters. His face was a strange mix of relief and hatred, respectively felt toward the half-elf and the thieves. "Much thanks to you sir," he said to the immaculately dressed half-blood, "Istus knows how much longer my old bones could have pursued them." "Quite alright, sir," the half-elf replied, "now if you will be so kind as to be on your way, I shall ensure my children are disciplined properly." "Your [i]children[/i]?" the man uttered in disbelief. Clearly he was a bit perplexed by the lack of family resemblence. The two young snipes were fairly surprised themselves and stopped struggling long enough to share confused glances with each other. "Yes, they are quite a handful sometimes, but bygones shall be bygones, yes?" the half-elf stated plainly with a quick wink. "Um, well," the old vendor stuttered, "yes, I suppose, but what about the matter of my lost profits?" "Of course," the half-elf replied. He then shifted one of the little larcenists to his other hand, effectively gripping both of them with a single arm. After that he reached into his purse with a free hand and produced a shiny silver noble which he placed gently in the grizzled shopkeeper's palm. The man was as stunned as Padree and Gedric. The noble was worth far more than what they had stolen. This half-elf was apparently quite rich to be capable of affording such an indulgence. He was also quite stupid for displaying such wealth in a city so rife with thievery as Rookroost. The man cuped the silver in his hands, bit it to ensure its authenticity, then grinned at the half-elf before letting out a short guffah and headed cheerily back to his bread stand. The half-elf then turned his attention to Ged and Pad, no longer struggling due to shock and amazement. "Now then," he said, "let's get you two a hot meal so you'll stop stealing one from others." [/QUOTE]
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