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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 548292" data-attributes="member: 1210">“We should stake out that restaurant in advance,” opines Sybele in the morning, after Lester and Horbin tell her and Angel what they’ve learned about Cluma’s next move.  They all agree, and decide to do some shopping first.  After all, in a cosmopolitan place like Pesh City they can probably get the sort of provisions that they wouldn’t be able to find just anywhere.  Indeed, they buy up a selection of potions and inquire about a few other magical items as well as looking for someone who could do some work enchanting their items- or further enchanting them.By late afternoon they start heading for the Gorel Tree.  They give themselves enough time to get there early despite their general lack of familiarity with the city, but how could they possibly have anticipated the parade?__________________________The Gorel Tree is a fantastic restaurant.  Gorel is an elven island somewhere over a thousand miles distant, well-known for its fantastic selection of fruits and fowl.  This place works hard to get the cuisine right.  The Mayor (as Zeebo is often known) is having a fine dish consisting of lerpa (a small type of bird, just the right size to make a meal) marinated in lime and honey and cooked with cashew, onions and peppers.  It’s delicious and comes with a side of soft, flaky elven bread smothered in a butter flavored with honey and cloves.  Souliass, his date (and attorney), is eating a Gorellian salad that consists of greens, peppers, nuts, a strange whitish root-thing Zeebo’s never seen before (according to the waiter, it’s called ‘jicama’) and shredded fish with some sort of tart vinegar and lime dressing.  The date’s going well and the two of them are having a fine time.Until, that is, an armored human bursts out of the wash room in armor and strides swiftly towards Zeebo, a sword in hand.  He looks hostile.Although he’s completely unprepared for this, Zeebo’s quick reactions save him.  He screams out the magic words for an invisibility spell and fades from view even as the stranger’s blade slashes down into his chair.  But he’s already thrown himself away from his seat, diving under the table.  The restaurant’s other patrons are yelling in surprise and fear.  Souliass’ eyes have gone as wide as saucers.  “Zeebo, what’s happening?” she shrieks, pushing back from the table and to her feet, scuttling away.The stranger is dressed in full plate armor, but he pulls out a wand and points it- and a fireball bursts in the crowded dining room.  Zeebo, under the table, is burnt, but not too badly; but he sees Souliass drop with a faltering scream.  Smoke billows up as many of the tables catch fire, and bits of exotic food splatter through the room.  The Mayor crawls from his table to the next one, trying to make his way to his fallen date’s side, and he glances up to see the enemy looking around, apparently unable to see him.  But then the human moves towards Souliass as well, purpose in his stride.  Zeebo curses silently, then hastes himself and unleashes a bolt of lightning, becoming visible.  It sizzles and pops as it arcs into the warrior’s side, but the Mayor’s assailant turns and springs for him, his bastard sword whizzing through the air.  Zeebo cries out as a single telling blow lands, slicing deep into his left arm, and he staggers back.  Desperately wounded between the sword blow and the fireball, he tries to think of what he can do...</blockquote>

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