Asterion
Asterion was never on such a populated city as Alkathla. The ship docked about a week ago, and Captain Kumar had been coming and going to the city to speak with some Fermach, a high rank wizard apparently, that was Kumar’s safe passing in the Amnian capital. Kumar, as young adventurer, had made enough contacts to have safe ports in almost every city. Either they owned him favors or Kumar had forged a relationship as Asterion forged metal; to endure the passing of time and protect the owner. The smart devil sent Asterion to look for the finest metals he could find in the markets of the city, apparently the captain was planning something. As the minotaur come and go to the market, always acompained by that dwarf, that hideous dwarf… Salmar was his name, and Asterion felt such a distaste for that creature, almost as much as for Kumar. Salmar was Kumar’s right hand and advisor. The dwarf was evil in the most pure sense, and although he appeared stupid, and his accent was strange and made him appear even more dumb, he hided a keen intelligence under his bald head. Most of the targets of the crew were suggested by Salmar, and Kumar always heard the dwarf’s advise. Salmar always pointed at small villages or fishermen town, where resistance was null and profits were worth the try.
And now Salmar had Asterion tided with a rope, in order to keep the guards at ease. More to the forger’s frustration! Now he would have to pretend to be a mule, and the dwarf the forger, such a hideous joke of destiny. But Asterion was smart too, he would not act bloodily. He will wait until the moment of righteous revenge arises.
As the bull and the dwarf shopped some valuables, a small man, perhaps an elf, hooded , approached Salmar. Apparently he knew him. They exchanged some words in a strange language Asterion had never heard before, and the dwarf rushed back to the ship with the stranger.
The elf, as Asterion saw later, was an old partner of Salmar, and the dwarf convinced Kumar to have him in the crew, since he was being pursed for killing some peasants and a bounty hunter in Baldur’s Gate.
Two days passed from those events. At this morning, Kumar entered the forge, with a piece of paper in his hands and a smile in his face. “There ya go bully, thi’n order from the High wizard Fremach ‘imself to allow ya free passing into tha city. Thank yar captain fer this. Now go look fer more ‘f those exotic metals we need. Oh, and find some slaves, or one or two recruits if ya can, we ‘re short o’ men fer this enterprise I have planned.” With that Kumar walked out.
What to do with this new freedom? Could he escape from his slavery on the ship? But then, how could Asterion bring justice over the Captain and his crew?
The minotaur decided to go buy the metals, and see if he could find someone to help him. Of course the town was scared to see the giant bull walk around the market, and he was intercepted by guards. But the papers Kumar had gave him made their magic, and the guards read them and let Asterion be.
As he shopped, a silent man approached…
Lochlan Rayner
The killed moved with grace, leaving almost no trail to follow; in the forests of the area, the murderer moved with incredible speed; even the creatures of the woods helped him to erase his tracks. But that wouldn’t stop Lochlan Rayner from attaining vengeance. He followed the tracks of the dog to the gates of Amn’s capital; the pearl of the Lands of Intrigue. There the guards told him that only an elf had entered the city that day. Clue number one: The killer was an elf…
The dirty beggar played Lochlan some tricks. First he infiltrated in the shadow thieves, and forced Lochlan to try and force the authorities to break into the guild of thieves’ lair. However, a band of adventurers had entered into the headquarters of the guild as the bounty hunter talked to the authorities, and had killed most of the shadowthieves. Lochlan delaminated the corpses but none of them was elf. He knew the killed was an elf. He also knew such a man would have never given simple adventurers the chance to kill him so easily.
So Lochlan wondered the city night and day searching for clues. One morning, he saw something unusual from his hiding spot: A dwarf with sailor clothes holding a hulking minotaur with a rope, buying metals at the market. And in that moment he saw him. The elf, moving like a cat among the people. He reached the dwarf and exchanged some words. The minotaur looked at the exchange, somehow surprised. After that, the trio moved away, and so Lochlan followed them. But the streets of Althkatla played the man a nasty trick, as the city is famous for: A small band of thieves attempted to finish his life. Although the thieves ended dead, Lochlan lost his prey.
But two days after that, a new chance raised: Lochlan spotted the minotaur, alone, trading in the market. He approached the bull quietly, somehow he felt he could trust the beastman.
OOC: And a bump for the others!!!
