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Artimus Al'Ulfgar (Comments Please)
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<blockquote data-quote="DerianCypher" data-source="post: 236287" data-attributes="member: 883"><p><strong>Part VI</strong></p><p></p><p>Part VI</p><p></p><p>I kept my eyes on the room beyond the man. I was examining him out of the corner of my eye and trying to bring that itch from the back of my mind forward. Quietly, I responded, “What kind of job?”</p><p></p><p>He leaned against the wall on my left and I was able to get a good view at his profile when everything clicked into place. The man was one of the armored clerics I had seen in the street earlier. He wet his lips before answering with, “I have made a new friend in the city here and we’d like to go… exploring. You know the ruins outside the city? He’d like to go and visit them and we need some protection. I’m sure you’ve heard the stories about people who go there.”</p><p></p><p>I nodded my head, “Yeah I’ve heard the stories. It’ll cost you a pretty tidy sum to get any man to go there. I’ll do it for…” I looked the man up and down. If he was from the church then he’d have almost limitless amounts of money to dole out on this project. If not, then he probably didn’t have very much money at all. Time to take a gamble. “… 50 gold pieces. Half up front, half when we get back.”</p><p></p><p>The man nodded and said, “Done.” He pulled a small pouch off his belt and shoved it into my hand. “Meet us outside the city gates by noon.” He left my little corner and walked to a table near the stairs. Sitting at the table was the odd little halfling I had seen earlier. I had a very bad feeling about everything that was happening. You know the kind of feeling? The kind that wells up deep in your soul and just get worse and worse until your feeling is confirmed by some catastrophic event?</p><p></p><p>The rest of the evening was blessedly uneventful and I was able to slip up to my room a little while after midnight. As I walked across the room to get to the stairs I laid a hand on a red eyed Catrina’s shoulder. I patted her shoulder as I passed and she looked up at me and almost burst into tears. I continued on and into my room, locking the door behind me. I removed my gauntlets and stripped down to my underclothes and went to sleep. That night I was finally able to get some rest without seeing the horror of my mentor’s death.</p><p></p><p>The next morning I awoke around nine to prepare for my job. I went downstairs with my pack slung over a shoulder and my chain armor in place. I sat at the bar with Butterburr. I pulled the small pouch the man had given me and plopped it onto the bar. I counted out ten coins and gave it to Butterburr. We the proceeded with a ritual we sort of fell into.</p><p></p><p>“Oh Artimus,” he said, “You don’t need to pay me. Your bouncing is enough pay.”</p><p></p><p>“Don’t be silly. I don’t want this place closed up because people taking up your rooms don’t pay for ‘em. Take the money. I’ll also need some traveling food. Better make it enough for a week.”</p><p></p><p>He nodded and took the coins and swept them into a pouch at his waist. He went to the kitchen in the back and returned with a plate of breakfast that he placed before me. Then he went back again. I went to the business of eating the food, making sure not a bite was left, so not to be lectured by Catrina on how I didn’t eat enough. A few minutes after I had finished Butterburr reemerged with a small bag stuffed to the seems with food and waterskins. I nodded my thanks and placed the smaller bag into my pack and slung it over my shoulder.</p><p></p><p>“I’ll be back in less than a week Butterburr. I’ll see you then.”</p><p></p><p>“Travel safe and fight well Artimus.”</p><p></p><p>And so the ritual was finished. I turned and walked out the door. As I emerged into the morning sun I unconsciously began a ritual that I myself had fallen into. I pulled my gauntlets on tight and checked my daggers and bow, touching each weapon in turn to reassure myself of its presence. When I had finished, I stepped off the doorstep and began walking towards the gate. I would of course be there early but I figured I might as well get my Mercenary papers updated at the gate. It had been quite awhile since I had done that.</p><p></p><p>On my way to the gate I stopped for a brief moment at a street corner to listen to a man in clerical robes. He was standing atop a small crate and was retelling the history of the Great War. He told about how the users of the arcane (he of course spat at the mere mention of arcane) began a war with the channelers of the Gods. He went on to how the arcane were forced to another land and then of how the great channelers erected the barrier that still protects us all. With a great smile on his face, he told of the brave men and women who then purged the land of the beasts that the arcane had created. The entire speech reached it’s crescendo when he declared, “And to this day our great barrier has kept the evil creations of the arcane out! Never since the purge has there been seen an orc or goblin! Arcane magic was the creation of our suffering! And since it’s exile we all have been free of misery!” A great cheer went up from the rapt listeners of the man and he bowed once and stepped down.</p><p></p><p>Of course I knew the story, everyone did. Mostly it was true too. The churches of the land kept everyone out of misery for the most part. Diseases were stamped out. Hunger was obliterated. Almost all were content with their lives. Of course there were those who were never happy or who did not want to work for their own good, but what place did not have these? Also the church wasn’t always able to prevent wars or crimes committed by evil people, but they always investigated crimes and brought justice where possible. Well, since the world was generally pretty good, what they said about the arcane must also be true. And that’s what I believed until then. </p><p></p><p>I shook my head to clear my mind of my pondering for I had arrived at the gate. I walked over to the guard captain whom I knew well and asked him to sign my papers and update them. He smiled and complied with my request. That took only a few minutes I was then able to go and lean outside the gate and wait. It wouldn’t be long for my wards to arrive.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="DerianCypher, post: 236287, member: 883"] [b]Part VI[/b] Part VI I kept my eyes on the room beyond the man. I was examining him out of the corner of my eye and trying to bring that itch from the back of my mind forward. Quietly, I responded, “What kind of job?” He leaned against the wall on my left and I was able to get a good view at his profile when everything clicked into place. The man was one of the armored clerics I had seen in the street earlier. He wet his lips before answering with, “I have made a new friend in the city here and we’d like to go… exploring. You know the ruins outside the city? He’d like to go and visit them and we need some protection. I’m sure you’ve heard the stories about people who go there.” I nodded my head, “Yeah I’ve heard the stories. It’ll cost you a pretty tidy sum to get any man to go there. I’ll do it for…” I looked the man up and down. If he was from the church then he’d have almost limitless amounts of money to dole out on this project. If not, then he probably didn’t have very much money at all. Time to take a gamble. “… 50 gold pieces. Half up front, half when we get back.” The man nodded and said, “Done.” He pulled a small pouch off his belt and shoved it into my hand. “Meet us outside the city gates by noon.” He left my little corner and walked to a table near the stairs. Sitting at the table was the odd little halfling I had seen earlier. I had a very bad feeling about everything that was happening. You know the kind of feeling? The kind that wells up deep in your soul and just get worse and worse until your feeling is confirmed by some catastrophic event? The rest of the evening was blessedly uneventful and I was able to slip up to my room a little while after midnight. As I walked across the room to get to the stairs I laid a hand on a red eyed Catrina’s shoulder. I patted her shoulder as I passed and she looked up at me and almost burst into tears. I continued on and into my room, locking the door behind me. I removed my gauntlets and stripped down to my underclothes and went to sleep. That night I was finally able to get some rest without seeing the horror of my mentor’s death. The next morning I awoke around nine to prepare for my job. I went downstairs with my pack slung over a shoulder and my chain armor in place. I sat at the bar with Butterburr. I pulled the small pouch the man had given me and plopped it onto the bar. I counted out ten coins and gave it to Butterburr. We the proceeded with a ritual we sort of fell into. “Oh Artimus,” he said, “You don’t need to pay me. Your bouncing is enough pay.” “Don’t be silly. I don’t want this place closed up because people taking up your rooms don’t pay for ‘em. Take the money. I’ll also need some traveling food. Better make it enough for a week.” He nodded and took the coins and swept them into a pouch at his waist. He went to the kitchen in the back and returned with a plate of breakfast that he placed before me. Then he went back again. I went to the business of eating the food, making sure not a bite was left, so not to be lectured by Catrina on how I didn’t eat enough. A few minutes after I had finished Butterburr reemerged with a small bag stuffed to the seems with food and waterskins. I nodded my thanks and placed the smaller bag into my pack and slung it over my shoulder. “I’ll be back in less than a week Butterburr. I’ll see you then.” “Travel safe and fight well Artimus.” And so the ritual was finished. I turned and walked out the door. As I emerged into the morning sun I unconsciously began a ritual that I myself had fallen into. I pulled my gauntlets on tight and checked my daggers and bow, touching each weapon in turn to reassure myself of its presence. When I had finished, I stepped off the doorstep and began walking towards the gate. I would of course be there early but I figured I might as well get my Mercenary papers updated at the gate. It had been quite awhile since I had done that. On my way to the gate I stopped for a brief moment at a street corner to listen to a man in clerical robes. He was standing atop a small crate and was retelling the history of the Great War. He told about how the users of the arcane (he of course spat at the mere mention of arcane) began a war with the channelers of the Gods. He went on to how the arcane were forced to another land and then of how the great channelers erected the barrier that still protects us all. With a great smile on his face, he told of the brave men and women who then purged the land of the beasts that the arcane had created. The entire speech reached it’s crescendo when he declared, “And to this day our great barrier has kept the evil creations of the arcane out! Never since the purge has there been seen an orc or goblin! Arcane magic was the creation of our suffering! And since it’s exile we all have been free of misery!” A great cheer went up from the rapt listeners of the man and he bowed once and stepped down. Of course I knew the story, everyone did. Mostly it was true too. The churches of the land kept everyone out of misery for the most part. Diseases were stamped out. Hunger was obliterated. Almost all were content with their lives. Of course there were those who were never happy or who did not want to work for their own good, but what place did not have these? Also the church wasn’t always able to prevent wars or crimes committed by evil people, but they always investigated crimes and brought justice where possible. Well, since the world was generally pretty good, what they said about the arcane must also be true. And that’s what I believed until then. I shook my head to clear my mind of my pondering for I had arrived at the gate. I walked over to the guard captain whom I knew well and asked him to sign my papers and update them. He smiled and complied with my request. That took only a few minutes I was then able to go and lean outside the gate and wait. It wouldn’t be long for my wards to arrive. [/QUOTE]
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