Margarian Daramai slowly awakes with an uncomfortable feeling in his ribs. He rolls over on the wet grass and opens his eyes. It takes him a moment to remember where he is. Ah yes, in that city, still they've got some nice big gardens here. Now, that pain in his ribs, what was...ah, the city guards stood around staring at him, that must have been the cause.
"Come on, get yourself up and move along. We don't take kindly to vagrants in this city. Find somewhere proper to sleep next time!"
Margarian heaves himself off the ground, staggers slightly, and then straightens. "I guess that ale was stronger than I thought. Must remember to get some more of it", he mutters to himself. He spends a couple of moments stretching himself, an activity that is accompanied by little popping sounds from various parts of his body. Then he heads off to find an inn and some breakfast.
Before long he finds himself outside an inn within the Noble District. The sign outside is rather confusing to him. He can't read the writing under it, but it looks like it is accompanied by a picture of an armoured cake? Shaking his head in confusion he walks inside.
"Good morning Sir and welcome to the Studly Muffin. What can I get you?" asks a barmaid. Margarian decides he must still be drunk from the previous night. He could have sworn she said that the inn was called 'The Studly Muffin'.
"Erm....I'll have four chickens please." replied Margarian.
"Four chickens? Okay, anything else with that? Some potatoes, bread?"
"Ale." Margarian replies before taking a seat. Glancing around he sees that only one other table is taken, and that is by four rough looking mercenary types.
"Somethin' round here stinks. And I reckon its you." one of the mercenaries announces in Margarians general direction. No stranger to combat, Margarian assesses his chances. Four on one, lightly armoured foes, carrying daggers each, noble area of town, plenty of guards around. He decides it might be best to let this one pass.
"Yeah, it's me." Margarian announces whilst sniffing his armpits. He turns his back on them and picks at his nails with a dagger while he waits for his food to arrive.
***
"Have you found my brother yet?" Rowan Helmsblade ventures as a guard is passing his cell. He holds his breath and hopes to not be beaten for asking.
"No." is the guards terse reply.
"Am I allowed to see a druid?"
"No."
"How long have I got until the High Justice next visits?"
"This afternoon."
Rowan decides not to push the guard for any more information and falls silent again.
***
Jaider Lightbringer and Eben Hakkan meet up in the palace grounds that morning. They discuss possible avenues of investigation to follow and eventually decide to look into the finely crafted throwing dagger that was found within the kings quarters.
"There is a good smith within the palace grounds," points out Jaider, "I suggest we ask him if he has seen similar work before." They agree and head to see Harbromm Goodman at the Royal Arms Smithy.
"What do you want?" the seven-foot tall smith asks as Eben arrives.
"I'd like to know what you can tell me about this knife." Eben asks as he hands the knife over to the smith.
"What about it?" Harbromm asks, casually looking it over. Eben senses some hostility emanating from the smith, and decides to keep things as polite and brief as possible.
"I'd like to know if you recognise its style or likely region of origin. Also, a suggestion of what type of person it was crafted for and why." The smith spends a couple more moments looking it over before casually tossing it back at Eben, whom catches it deftly.
"It looks to be of Khadish origin, a bit like you." The smith says with a look of distaste. "It looks to me like a weapon intended to kill. So I suggest it belongs to a professional killer of some description." He folds his broad arms in a defensive stance implying he has no more to say on the subject.
"Thank you, most helpful." Eben replies as he and Jaider leave the smithy.
***
Back in the Studly Muffin Inn, Margarian Daramai has just finished his fourth whole chicken. He has endured snide comments from the four mercenaries in the corner throughout his meal, ignoring them as best he can. The barmaid didn't help his mood when she came over to tell him that if he was going to start a fight then he better leave.
He stands and stretches again. Pop, crack, pop, crack. He pays for his meal and ale, and heads for the door. "See you outside lads." he suggests as he passes by the four mercenaries. The four rise and follow him out.
"Right, you got a problem?" He asks.
"No, you got a problem." One replies. They square off for a few moments and trade insults, neither side seeming eager to be the one that makes the first move. After a minute Margarian smirks at them and backs away. The four mercenaries head back in the inn, looking disappointed but a little relieved too.
Margarian heads towards the temple of Girion, to see if his companion Jaider Lightbringer is within. On the way there he muses over why he seems to be getting such a bed reception from the people in this town. Sure, he isn't the freshest smelling person in the city, but he's smelt a lot worse. It can't be things he's said, as he's had bad attitude before he's even spoken to people. He finally comes to the conclusion that it must be his armour that upsets people. There must be something about splint mail armour, with large metal spikes that have bloodstains on them, that upsets people.
He arrives at the temple and asks the first person he sees if they have seen Jaider the paladin around. The reply is a scream and the person runs away as fast as they can. He gets the same reaction from the next two people he asks, but the fourth person manages to stammer that Jaider was last seen going towards the royal palace. Margarian sighs, thanks them and sets off toward the palace.
Like a slowly boiling kettle, Margarian can feel his temper slowly rising as he heads towards the palace. Several more days in this city and he might just boil over. Perhaps he should head back and find those mercenaries later; that should relieve some frustrations. The palace guards better not hassle him too much, as he knows it would be a mistake to lose his temper with those guys.
He arrives at the palace gates and approaches the gate guards, trying to look as open, friendly and alert as he can. The guards give him a shifty glance but refrain from passing comment.
"I understand that Jaider Lightbringer, holy knight of Girion is within the palace. I'd like to see him. Here," he pauses and reaches into his backpack, "that's a letter from him asking me to meet him. That's proof for yer."
The guards looks surprised but after checking that Margarians greatsword is peace knotted, one of them agrees to take him to see Jaider.
Margarian is led around the side of the palace and towards a low building with a large chimney. There he sees Jaider and a Khadish man emerge from the building and head towards them.
Margarian and Eben are introduced to each other. Eben seems to accept Margarian after asking Jaider if he was willing to vouch for the newcomer. To which Jaider agreed that he would. The three of them head back to up the kings quarters to check for any clues they might have missed the first time around.
***
After a most stimulating and educational bath, Zander Helmsblade dries herself off and looks around for something to wear. She checks the bedroom where she awoke. There is no sign of the elderly man around, but he has left a tunic and under garments on the bed for her to wear. Zander pulls on the tunic and examines herself in the full-length mirror nearby.
"You know it's strange," she ponders looking at her new form, "but I'm sure this outfit is designed to make my rear look bigger than it really is. Perhaps all womens outfits are like this and I've never notice before?". She dismisses the thought and turns back to the bed. She notices a dagger also laid on the bed, and a sheathe fastened to the tunic that seems a perfect fit for it.
She ponders a moment. Uncertainty fills her thoughts. She isn't sure how to act in this new female form, how people will react to her, what is normal, is she more vulnerable like this? She certainly feels it. So she picks up the dagger and puts it in the sheathe before heading down the stairs.
It's soon pretty clear that the elderly man who rescued her has gone out somewhere, so Zander spends nearly an hour looking around the house. All the time growing more and more restless and fearful for the safety of her brother.
"Well, if I don't look anything like Zander Helmsblade," she reasons, "then I can walk freely around the city without fear of being arrested. I'll head to the palace and checkout the dungeon from the outside, perhaps I'll be able to see a way to rescue my brother."
***
Jalderin manages to excuse himself from the Princesses company and heads up to the kings quarters. He finds Jaider, Eben and a scruffy looking man in there searching the room. Jaider offers introductions.
"Jalderin Cormaeril this is Margarian Daramai, a plainsman from the south, old friend of mine and someone I trust. Margarian Daramai this is Jalderin Cormaeril, Ranger from Freehaven, and protector of the royal princess at the request of the king." The two exchange nods and continue searching the room.
After the four of them turn up no new clues in the kings quarters, they discuss and decide to follow up investigations with Farouk Aziz at 'Refined Clothing'. They head down the tower, out the palace and across the city to the shop.
***
"Gentlemen, good day to you!" Farouk Aziz cries across his shop as the four enter 'Refined Clothing'. "You sir!" He exclaims pointing at Eben, "that is a most fine set of clothing you are wearing. Please pass my compliments on to the tailor next time you see him." The Khadish shopkeeper obviously remembered selling the outfit to a more 'streetwise' looking Eben a day earlier. He didn't want to cause any embarrassment by saying so, but acknowledged Eben by complimenting his own workmanship.
"Thank you, Mr Aziz." Eben replies nodding his head and spreading his hands palm upwards. Jaider steps forward and addresses Farouk.
"Sir, I'm afraid that I need to ask you more questions regarding the people whom bought the material we discussed. Can you tell me more of the Arilanan man whom bought some, what can you tell me about him?"
"Well let me see, hmmm, yes, he was between five and six feet tall, had dark hair, a beard of the same colour, he was well dressed, had jewellery and some rings. I think I would recognise him if I saw him again, but I haven't seen him since that day." Eben steps forward, and displays the throwing dagger they found in the kings quarters.
"Did you by any chance see if he was carrying a dagger like this?" The four wait with baited breath while the Khadish merchant examines the dagger.
"This dagger is of Khadish design is it not?" Eben nods. "No, he was not carrying a dagger like this. However, the noble lady whom also bought some of the camel hair material, she had two or three of knives like these tucked into her belt."
"Are you absolutely sure of that?" Jalderin asks.
"Yes, totally sure. I'm no weapon smith, but they were the same size, same shape and same design."
"And what can you remember of this noble woman that bought the material?" Jaider asks.
"I can remember that it was the daughter of the High Justice, Lord Caervelyn. She has bought a couple of outfits from me in the past, most of them usually of finer quality than the camel hair one." The four exchange surprised and then worried looks.
"Thank you again Mr Aziz," Jaider said, "you have done the kingdom of Sarivale a great service today."
"It was an honour." He replied, as the four filed out the shop.
.
