A Rather Odd Shovel [Judge: Bront]

[covaithe]

Tommy frowns. "Keldar, for once I think I'm glad that I have no idea what you're talking about. But it sounds like maybe we should talk to the clerk quickly, before it's too late."

 

[Rae ArdGaoth]

May nods, and picks up Keldar's note. As you walk away, you can see her reading it carefully, a bewildered expression on her face.

Back at the Clerk's office, you are greeted loudly, "What?! Back so soon? Was she there?"

 

[Rae ArdGaoth]

OOG: I'll be on vacation (sort of) for a week, starting tomorrow night. My posting rate will be significantly reduced, though I may pop in for a few minor posts. I should be back up to full speed by Friday of next week.

 

[Trouvere]

"Yes, yes, she was," Keldar says. "Now... um... regarding little Fallonese hovels in the rock. I said we could do better than that, and we can: a wizard's tower in Grenton, to be precise. And I said maintaining the integrity of a building was important: well, if thieves try to break through its basement walls, that's a problem. Which brings us to your Fallonese expert. May, lovely May, said that a man left the guild in disgrace a few years ago. He is our project. We think he's up to his old tricks. And my name is Keldar. And my head hurts. I'll just sit down over here."

 

[Rae ArdGaoth]

The Clerk looks stunned. "What? I- you- Well, why didn't you say so in the first place that's why you wanted our Fallonese architects? James Urton, what a scoundrel he turned out to be. Excellent at design, too cunning for his own good, truth be told. We expelled him from the guild when he was convicted of engaging in illegal trade and funding a thieves' guild. Last I heard, he went to Fallon. Whether he's still there I couldn't tell you. The Orussian Guard may have more information, though I suspect that once he paid his fine and skipped town, they didn't keep tabs on him."

"I'm afraid that's all I can tell you. If you contact the Fallonese guild, you might have more luck. As I said, I can arrange some correspondence for you." Turning to Keldar, he adds, "I do hope you didn't bother Ms. Lehmensek too much, Mr. Whatever. She's a diligent woman."

 

[Trouvere]

"Keldar Warbray, definitely Keldar Warbray. You see, we came in here knowing only that somewhere there's a gang of thieves associated with architects. Meaning no disrespect, we didn't know who here might be one of them. So I was a little roundabout, I admit. If we spoke to the wrong person and alarmed him and he set assassins on our trail, then, you see, they'd go looking at the Red Dragon Inn, with a description of a devilishly handsome Lokin Barn-swill, and a mysterious beautiful woman, and a beer barrel-bellied dwarf, and an unkempt half-orc, and so on, but when they got there, they'd find the real Lokin, who is indeed a lascivious ne'er-do-well, but couldn't possibly be called handsome by any stretch of the imagination, and they'd be baffled and thrown off the path, and we'd be forewarned and forearmed."

Keldar coughs and looks embarrassed. "Look, the trouble with trying to keep ten steps ahead of everyone else is sometimes you end up walking in a circle."

 

[Boddynock]

"What our companion is trying to say is that sometimes his idiocy catches up with him," says the not at all beer-barrel-bellied dwarf acidly.

"We would appreciate that letter of introduction to the Fallonese guild. Thank you."

 

[Wik]

Galwynn does his best not to laugh. He looks away, and towards the sky. "Glad to see I'm not your only target."

Afterwards, he taps Tommy on the shoulder. "Looks like we'll be heading to Fallon. Want to help me pick up supplies? Do you think we'll need to buy horses?"

Galwynn adds the last with a barely suppressed shudder.

 

[Wik]

OOG: I'll be on vacation (sort of) for a week, starting tomorrow night. My posting rate will be significantly reduced, though I may pop in for a few minor posts. I should be back up to full speed by Friday of next week.

That's alright. We forgive you. Besides, this gives me a little bit more time to watch the playoffs!

(expect me to go, ahem, crazy in the next few weeks. You've all been warned)

 

[Trouvere]

"What our companion is trying to say is that sometimes his idiocy catches up with him," says the not at all beer-barrel-bellied dwarf acidly.

"Exactly! When I'm forced to slow down for everyone else," confirms Keldar. "Wait, what?"

"We would appreciate that letter of introduction to the Fallonese guild. Thank you."

"But - yes, all right. So, James Urton was too cunning for his own good? I wonder what that would be like. A strange name, too, James. Like Richard. It's not a normal name like Keldar, or Kelton, or Covis or Nodis or even Lokin."