Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="arwink" data-source="post: 1246418" data-attributes="member: 2292">Geoffrey glances across the table, where Amarin is busy scribbling a sketch of Yip in a book.“This does seem like a full-time job, you understand,” he says blandly.“I don’t need that much taking care of,” Amarin says.The response comes from Halgo, Geoffrey and Kelpreth in unison.“Yes, you do.”“Especially if you keep poking Yip,” Yip snarls.“Well, it’s not necessarily full time,” Kelpreth explains.  “It’s hardly as though Amarin is without worth on his own.  As you’ve noticed, he does have a keen mind and a remarkable propensity for psionic powers.”“Great,” Geoffrey murmers.  “I feel like I’m being sold a wagon.”“Still, Kelpreth, you must see that the job requires some sort of sweetner,” Halgo says.  Recovering from the sudden shock of seeing the merchant, his tone becomes more confident.  “Indeed,” Geoffrey says.“They’re very mercenary, aren’t they?” Amarin asks.“Such things aren’t unknown to happen,” Kelpreth explains.  “but I assure you they’ll be very skilled at the job.”“Are you sure?” Amarin asks.  “Well, yes, I guess they well.  I mean, look, this fellow has a gnolls head on his belt.  That’s very impressive.”“I vote we let Yip take him,” Geoffrey mutters to Halgo.“Most impressive,” Kelpreth agrees.  Blarth suddenly latches onto the conversation, the mention of heads and combat prowess giving him his first real moment of understanding since the conversation started.  “Blarth has more head!” Blarth cries.   “Really?  I haven’t seen the rest of them.”“Look,” Blarth says, and he tips the sack of heads on the table.Amarin starts poking around, measuring the width of skulls.  Kelpreth simply picks up the head of the cleric Blarth slew in the temple beneath the Tusk forest.  Long fingers tip the skull back and forth as the merchant examines the horns and mishappen jaw.“Impressive,” he says simply, then places it back on the table.“What was that one?” Amarin asks.  “I don’t recognize it.”“Arrarch,” Kelpreth says.  The language he uses is strange and angular, but Amarin nods in understanding.“Did you understand that,” Geoffrey asks Halgo.“Nope.”“I don’t suppose you’d want to explain what that was in common?” He asks Kelpreth.  The merchant looks him over.“Not necessarily.”“Someone you knew?” Halgo ventures.“No,” Kelpreth says.  “More a breed we’re familiar with.  It is good that it’s slain, they are quite troublesome and difficult to deal with.”“We found hitting it worked,” Halgo explains.“Yes, that would,” Kelpreth says.  “It’s amazing the number of creatures that cease being a problem when steel is run through their stomach.”“Repeatedly,” Halgo adds.“Quite.”“Magical healing,” Halgo says suddenly, and everyone looks towards him.“Pardon?” Kelpreth asks. “Magical healing,” Halgo repeats.  “If you owe us a favor for taking in Amarin, we could use some.”“That seems adequate,” Kelpreth says.  “What would you like?”“What’s it worth to you?”Kelpreth pauses for a moment, considering the question.“The Yarrow family has been an excellent resource over the years,” he says finally.  “It would pain us greatly if something was to happen to cause them grief.  Let us say that it is worth quite a lot to keep Amarin safe.”Halgo considers this for as few moments, weighing up his previous encounter with the planar merchant against what Kelpreth’s notion of a lot may be.“Can you get us a scroll of True Ressurection?”“Certainly,” Kelpreth says simply.  “We could arrange for something around that caliber, yes.  It may take some time.”“We’ll be here for a few days yet.”“Of course you will,” Kelpreth agrees.  “You simply must stay for the festival.  Quite an event – the opera is simply breathtaking.”“Dwarves have opera?” Goeffrey mutters.  “I’m suddenly afraid.”“We’ll be staying until the festival,” Halgo agrees.  “Are we agreed on the scroll then?  Just in case it proves more difficult to keep young Amarin alive than we previously thought?”“I can take care of myself, you know,” Amarin protests.“Of course you can,” Geoffrey says.Kelpreth simply grins, his eyes flashing.“So we are agreed.”“Agreed,” Halgo assures him.“Excellent.  I shall send Dukk with your payment when it is prepared.Amarin blinks a few times, suddenly aware that his fate has been decided with very little input from him.  He stares at the Copperheads with renewed interest, his eyes suddenly shining as he notices Halgo and discovers a new line of inquirey.“So, Halgo,” he asks, readying his note-pad.  “What did you get from Kelpreth?”“What?”“Well, I traded with him and got this tape measure,” Amarin explains, holding up the coiled device.“Wow.  You did well,” Halgo says.“So what did you get?”“I got some useful information,” Halgo explains.  “Yes?” Amarin urges.  His quill is on the page, ready to write.“That I would prefer to keep secret.”“Oh,” Amarin says.  His tone is disappointed.  “I wonder why?”“Why do I have a feeling where going to regret this?” Geoffrey asks.“Because you always regret dealing with Kelpreth,” Halgo explains, eyeing the merchant carefully.“This is the first time I’ve dealt with him.”“Hopefully not the last,” Kelpreth adds.“Its rarely a great idea,” Halgo says.  “But the gains are always so tempting.”Geoffrey scowls, turning his attention to Amarin.“So,” he says, “If we’re stuck with you, perhaps you’d better tell us what you can do.  What is your claim to fame?”“Well,” Amarain says, “I think that call’s for a demonstration, doesn’t it?”</blockquote>

Verification