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<blockquote data-quote="airwalkrr" data-source="post: 3793179" data-attributes="member: 12460"><p>"Ok, half-elf," Padree crossed her arms and sat back, "we're listening. But tell me one thing. Who are you to come by such information?"</p><p></p><p>"Me?" Cymbelline held his hand to his chest in surprise, a rather effeminate maneuver the two young ones thought, "Why, I am nothing more than a footloose poet, a wayfarer, and part-time scoundrel. I have come to know the ways of this city, its ins and outs, and it just so happened I was lucky enough to stumble across such a lark. And I would be happy to share it with you, that is of course, assuming you are on the lookout for a bit of loot, and the possibility of being known as saviors of the city."</p><p></p><p>"Well that explains that," Gedric said quite sarcastically, "what is it ya know anyway? I'm dying to hear it."</p><p></p><p>"Now we're getting somewhere," the half-elf said with a flourish of his hand and a sip of his wine, "There is a man in this town... or rather there WAS a man in this town named Ereaden, a great wizard..."</p><p></p><p>"The Sage," Padree blurted out, "I heard of 'im."</p><p></p><p>"It's impolite to interrupt, my dear," the half-elf chastised the young girl, "if you don't learn to watch your tongue, it is going to bite you back one day. You're lucky that I'm a patient one. Now where was I? Oh, yes, the Sage of Rookroost. Known to the whole city as a great wizard. It is my understanding that recently he was in the employ of the General himself."</p><p></p><p>The children balked and stared at each other. General Pernevi was the self-proclaimed ruler of Rookroost. He had, like most of his predecessors before him, come to the position by assassinating the former despot. It was whispered that Pernevi consorted with fiends, and worse, used them to staff his personal guard. Many suspected that a number of his guards were actually denizens of the lower planes who had taken human form. Working with Pernevi was a dangerous proposition, as those who did usually wound up dead by the time their task had been completed. If Cymbelline's task involved someone who was working for the General, then it was serious business, and the two guttersnipes couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed by getting involved. But they loved a bit of danger, and besides that, the more the strange half-elf talked, the more they were fascinated by his proposition.</p><p></p><p>"Yes, General Pernevi," Cymbelline continued, "Ereaden was conducting arcane experiments on the nature of the plague, possibly seeking a way to use it as an implement of terror against Pernevi's enemies, possibly something even more insidious. I would go so far as to speculate that Ereaden's absence is an indication of his success. Perhaps, he met with a bit too much success."</p><p></p><p>"You see, a week or so before the plague began spreading throughout Rookroost, Ereaden received a package from far away. A muddied ranger delivered a cage that contained a mysterious creature to his tower. The Sage has not been seen ever since he took the cage into his tower."</p><p></p><p>"How do you know this," Padree looked quizzical, "I mean, you just knew you should stalk the Sage or something?"</p><p></p><p>"Of course not," Cymbelline replied, "Being a part-time scoundrel I have many means of coming into information, not least of which is the simple task of asking his neighbors about recent happenings. I decided to look into the matter when I realized that the Sage's weekly supplies were piling up outside his door. You see, he made an agreement with his neighbors many years ago to supply him with food and other necessities so that he would have more time to carry out his studies. He hasn't touched his supplies in well over a month, and his tower is completely sealed off to the outside."</p><p></p><p>"Oh," Padree responded with a rather sheepish look. She slumped down in her chair as the half-elf continued.</p><p></p><p>"Anyway, it would seem to me that the Sage is dead, "Cymbelline stated, "The creature he received was likely the carrier for the plague. I imagine the creature is still inside the place, and if I know Ereaden's reputation as well as I think I do, I imagine a cure is inside as well. He likely was too far affected by the plague for the cure to work for him, or perhaps the beast turned on him. Either way, his tower seems to hold the best hope for this city."</p><p></p><p>"So if you think there is a cure in there, why not just go get it yerself?" Gedric asked, laying his elbow down on the table and leaning on it with a critical look on his face.</p><p></p><p>"I said I was a part-time scoundrel, not a congenital idiot," the half-elf responded, "If I'm right, there's plague in that tower."</p><p></p><p>"Oh so it's alright for us to catch it then?" Padree sat up, a look of indignation on her place.</p><p></p><p>"Well, I imagine your encounter with the fellow in the alley might have already taken care of that. I wouldn't be surprised if you were infected with the pestilence already. Some say it travels through the breath."</p><p></p><p>The two young ones collectively gulped. The half-elf was right. The beggar in the alley was fairly close to them and they hadn't even noticed. With the way the plague had been spreading throughout the city like wildfire, they might indeed be only a day away from showing the first signs of infection.</p><p></p><p>"Either way, I have nothing to prove myself, "Cymbelline said casually before the mortified youngsters, "My needs are taken care of and the only thing I would gain from such an endeavor would be a stoked ego. You two on the other hand..."</p><p></p><p>The kids saw his point. If he was right, they also had nothing to lose. But they were also hopelessly ill-prepared for such a task. They were street rats, not professional thieves. They weren't properly skilled or equipped for a burglary.</p><p></p><p>Gedric was about to say something, but Padree quickly cut him off, anticipating his thoughts, "We don't know the first thing about burgling!"</p><p></p><p>"Obviously," Cymbelline replied, not at all moved by the protest, but his eyes lit up, as if it had given him an idea, "I know someone you should meet. She's a friend of mine; she'll arrange for you to get some training."</p><p></p><p>With that, Cymbelline pulled a scroll of paper out of his chest pocket and laid it down on the table. "Her business is discreet, but it's easy to find if you know what you're looking for. Follow these directions to Benedict's. Knock on the door and ask to speak to the mother of the person who answers. Mention my name. The woman will help you, but there is bound to be a cost. You'll be able to work it off though."</p><p></p><p>Gedric and Padree were very confused. This was all moving so fast. They had gone from scuttling in the streets to starting on the path to be heroes all in one afternoon. They were anxious, but also afraid. The half-elf offered them an opportunity they would probably never have again. Yet it was dangerous, and it promised nothing but a journey into the unknown. Before they had time to think seriously on it, Cymbelline was standing.</p><p></p><p>"I am afraid I have to take my leave now. You two are bright though. You'll figure it out."</p><p></p><p>"But..." Padree began, but Cymbelline stopped her.</p><p></p><p>"But nothing. I promise you I really don't know anything else that could help. You have all you need though. The choice to do something great is yours. All you have to do is make it."</p><p></p><p>The richly garbed half-elf pulled his cloak over and vaunted for the door, turning heads as he went. A pickpocket attempted to swipe a link from his cuffs on the way out, but the half-elf was quite perceptive and slapped the would-be thief on the hand with a knowing glare before making his way out the door. Gedric and Padree sat there dumbfounded. They couldn't believe what had just happened.</p><p></p><p>"What do you think, Padree?" Ged asked his companion, "You think we should go talk to this woman at Benedict's?"</p><p></p><p>Padree thought for a moment, then shrugged her shoulders and said, "Why not? The half-elf was right you know. We could have the plague already. No sense sitting here not doing anything about it."</p><p></p><p>With that, the young girl got up and her comrade quickly followed suit as the two headed outside and made for Cheap Street. Their journey had begun.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="airwalkrr, post: 3793179, member: 12460"] "Ok, half-elf," Padree crossed her arms and sat back, "we're listening. But tell me one thing. Who are you to come by such information?" "Me?" Cymbelline held his hand to his chest in surprise, a rather effeminate maneuver the two young ones thought, "Why, I am nothing more than a footloose poet, a wayfarer, and part-time scoundrel. I have come to know the ways of this city, its ins and outs, and it just so happened I was lucky enough to stumble across such a lark. And I would be happy to share it with you, that is of course, assuming you are on the lookout for a bit of loot, and the possibility of being known as saviors of the city." "Well that explains that," Gedric said quite sarcastically, "what is it ya know anyway? I'm dying to hear it." "Now we're getting somewhere," the half-elf said with a flourish of his hand and a sip of his wine, "There is a man in this town... or rather there WAS a man in this town named Ereaden, a great wizard..." "The Sage," Padree blurted out, "I heard of 'im." "It's impolite to interrupt, my dear," the half-elf chastised the young girl, "if you don't learn to watch your tongue, it is going to bite you back one day. You're lucky that I'm a patient one. Now where was I? Oh, yes, the Sage of Rookroost. Known to the whole city as a great wizard. It is my understanding that recently he was in the employ of the General himself." The children balked and stared at each other. General Pernevi was the self-proclaimed ruler of Rookroost. He had, like most of his predecessors before him, come to the position by assassinating the former despot. It was whispered that Pernevi consorted with fiends, and worse, used them to staff his personal guard. Many suspected that a number of his guards were actually denizens of the lower planes who had taken human form. Working with Pernevi was a dangerous proposition, as those who did usually wound up dead by the time their task had been completed. If Cymbelline's task involved someone who was working for the General, then it was serious business, and the two guttersnipes couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed by getting involved. But they loved a bit of danger, and besides that, the more the strange half-elf talked, the more they were fascinated by his proposition. "Yes, General Pernevi," Cymbelline continued, "Ereaden was conducting arcane experiments on the nature of the plague, possibly seeking a way to use it as an implement of terror against Pernevi's enemies, possibly something even more insidious. I would go so far as to speculate that Ereaden's absence is an indication of his success. Perhaps, he met with a bit too much success." "You see, a week or so before the plague began spreading throughout Rookroost, Ereaden received a package from far away. A muddied ranger delivered a cage that contained a mysterious creature to his tower. The Sage has not been seen ever since he took the cage into his tower." "How do you know this," Padree looked quizzical, "I mean, you just knew you should stalk the Sage or something?" "Of course not," Cymbelline replied, "Being a part-time scoundrel I have many means of coming into information, not least of which is the simple task of asking his neighbors about recent happenings. I decided to look into the matter when I realized that the Sage's weekly supplies were piling up outside his door. You see, he made an agreement with his neighbors many years ago to supply him with food and other necessities so that he would have more time to carry out his studies. He hasn't touched his supplies in well over a month, and his tower is completely sealed off to the outside." "Oh," Padree responded with a rather sheepish look. She slumped down in her chair as the half-elf continued. "Anyway, it would seem to me that the Sage is dead, "Cymbelline stated, "The creature he received was likely the carrier for the plague. I imagine the creature is still inside the place, and if I know Ereaden's reputation as well as I think I do, I imagine a cure is inside as well. He likely was too far affected by the plague for the cure to work for him, or perhaps the beast turned on him. Either way, his tower seems to hold the best hope for this city." "So if you think there is a cure in there, why not just go get it yerself?" Gedric asked, laying his elbow down on the table and leaning on it with a critical look on his face. "I said I was a part-time scoundrel, not a congenital idiot," the half-elf responded, "If I'm right, there's plague in that tower." "Oh so it's alright for us to catch it then?" Padree sat up, a look of indignation on her place. "Well, I imagine your encounter with the fellow in the alley might have already taken care of that. I wouldn't be surprised if you were infected with the pestilence already. Some say it travels through the breath." The two young ones collectively gulped. The half-elf was right. The beggar in the alley was fairly close to them and they hadn't even noticed. With the way the plague had been spreading throughout the city like wildfire, they might indeed be only a day away from showing the first signs of infection. "Either way, I have nothing to prove myself, "Cymbelline said casually before the mortified youngsters, "My needs are taken care of and the only thing I would gain from such an endeavor would be a stoked ego. You two on the other hand..." The kids saw his point. If he was right, they also had nothing to lose. But they were also hopelessly ill-prepared for such a task. They were street rats, not professional thieves. They weren't properly skilled or equipped for a burglary. Gedric was about to say something, but Padree quickly cut him off, anticipating his thoughts, "We don't know the first thing about burgling!" "Obviously," Cymbelline replied, not at all moved by the protest, but his eyes lit up, as if it had given him an idea, "I know someone you should meet. She's a friend of mine; she'll arrange for you to get some training." With that, Cymbelline pulled a scroll of paper out of his chest pocket and laid it down on the table. "Her business is discreet, but it's easy to find if you know what you're looking for. Follow these directions to Benedict's. Knock on the door and ask to speak to the mother of the person who answers. Mention my name. The woman will help you, but there is bound to be a cost. You'll be able to work it off though." Gedric and Padree were very confused. This was all moving so fast. They had gone from scuttling in the streets to starting on the path to be heroes all in one afternoon. They were anxious, but also afraid. The half-elf offered them an opportunity they would probably never have again. Yet it was dangerous, and it promised nothing but a journey into the unknown. Before they had time to think seriously on it, Cymbelline was standing. "I am afraid I have to take my leave now. You two are bright though. You'll figure it out." "But..." Padree began, but Cymbelline stopped her. "But nothing. I promise you I really don't know anything else that could help. You have all you need though. The choice to do something great is yours. All you have to do is make it." The richly garbed half-elf pulled his cloak over and vaunted for the door, turning heads as he went. A pickpocket attempted to swipe a link from his cuffs on the way out, but the half-elf was quite perceptive and slapped the would-be thief on the hand with a knowing glare before making his way out the door. Gedric and Padree sat there dumbfounded. They couldn't believe what had just happened. "What do you think, Padree?" Ged asked his companion, "You think we should go talk to this woman at Benedict's?" Padree thought for a moment, then shrugged her shoulders and said, "Why not? The half-elf was right you know. We could have the plague already. No sense sitting here not doing anything about it." With that, the young girl got up and her comrade quickly followed suit as the two headed outside and made for Cheap Street. Their journey had begun. [/QUOTE]
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