For More Than Glory

[crystorix]

After asking the others to keep an ear out for anybody with the last name of Zaynard, Rolf leads Valdir and Gadreman into the wild. He's pleasantly surprised to find that Gadreman is eager to learn the ways of the woodsman. He also listens patiently to Valdir and Gadreman's pointless debate about archery versus melee, since he uses both equally. Valdir and Gadreman may be surprised that Rolf leaves Westwind without saddle or bridle, and never mounts him, just having the horse follow along and forage at its leisure. He leads them away from settlements, as the idea is to hide the giant. Those few times he needs some supplements to his supplies, he or Valdir take pelts and meat to some outlying settlements to trade. Only one or the other goes, leaving Gadreman out of sight, so nobody has any recollection of a man, elf and giant, but merely of a man or of an elf.

After four months, however, Gadreman gets restless in just the company of the two rangers and departs, while Valdir goes off with the Rangers. Rolf goes south to find Nerina. Rolf had not been looking forward to this reunion, for he had no idea how Nerina would react to news of the death of her daughter. To his surprise, she was very calm about it, and was suprised he had taken so long to visit her about it. She had been told by other sources already. They had a pleasant conversation, but there was a distance between them that hadn't been there before. Their relationship had been between a child and a faerie, then briefly betwen a teen and a woman, and he was no longer that child or even that teen. Rolf knew that if he ever talked to her again, it would be as a druid, not a close friend.

Rolf then went to his childhood community, where Rolf asked if anybody knew where the rest of his family had moved to. The Zaynards had been hunters and rangers that had lived on the outskirts of the community, never really being part of it, but even so, Rolf was surprised to find that almost nobody knew what had become of his clan. They hadn't even known they were leaving until they found the empty house. The community's folk, in turn, were surprised Rolf didn't know, since he was the only one who remained, even if his dwelling in the area was sporadic.

[[Of course, maybe I did learn something that would give me a lead to investigate.]]

Rolf thanked those who helped keep squatters from his old family home, spent a little time repairing it to wintering conditions, but of course, couldn't winter there this year because he had to meet up with the others in the capital.

[[Anybody remember that 1st edition rule that no more than 3 rangers could travel together? Boy we're getting close.]]

 

[firehorse]

((If you add it up we make 1 1/3 rangers))

 

[evandariel]

Gadreman recognizes the time fast approaching for him to meet his companions, and enlists as a ship guard on a voyage closer to Dumeldien. From there he rides his horse at a fast gallop, making good time but also making sure that the animal does not overextend itself. Leaving his horse behind in the stables, Gadreman cautiously checks out the town, careful to keep his cloak low about him and sticking to alleys and crowds. He eventually finds Valdir working, and says his hellos. After a friendly conversation about how his sword was most definitely not all brute fighting, Gadreman inquires as to whether Valdir had heard anything about the Ulruzians in pursuit of him.

After the meeting with Valdir, Gadreman moves back out onto the plains, staying out of sight while keeping a watchful eye and ear out for the other companions. He locates some and overlooks just as many as they slowly trickle into the village, and he occasionally escorts them into the city before leaving again, mindful of his recent training and the fact that a large man in a small city is not hard to miss.

 

[Rish]

((OOC: Gah. I'm really sorry it took me forever to get my act together on this one. All I can say is, REU applications and the NSF are punks, and the week got away from me while my back was turned. It should get better from here on out.))


Kirran again seems to be spending a long while lost in thought, ignoring the exchange between Gadreman, Rolf, and Valdir - disappearing into the wilds doesn't appeal to him in the least. He watches Argus toss fitfully in his sleep with a strange expression on his face. "Dropped your druid totems, won't wake to a touch, restless sleep... Strange things going on with you, aren't they?" His words are quiet and rambling, spoken as much to himself as to the sleeping figure. "Well, don't be too hard on yourself, eh? Gods are fickle, I s'pose, but not that fickle. Still, best to have someone looking out for you for sure, even 'f you don't believe yours is. Here... Hm."

He pulls a wooden coin on a leather thong from around his neck, and takes the usual one out of his pocket, weighing them in his hands. Finally he wraps the thong around the first coin and tucks it into Argus' belt, sash, or similar. "There. Everyone can use a little extra luck now'n then."

Finally he twists around to respond to Fleck. "Dumeldein? Er... sure, fine. Not like I had any real plans anyway. Though I'd rather not wear out a welcome like we have here, or I'd be running out of good-size towns to stay in, in Mittendein anyway."


Kirran accompanies Fleck back to Dumeldein, but once there sees very little of him. He's clearly in his element here in the city with no pressing commitments, and though he could conceivably see Fleck quite frequently if he chose, he doesn't. He sets himself up in a smallish room in an attic somewhere on the border of a shadier part of the city, immune to heights and the neighborhood because of the simple fact of his upbringing.

He occupies part of his waking time working as a skilled brewer at a preexisting brewery, disinterested in the bother of finding his own equipment, but he spends much more of his time just walking the city, refamiliarizing himself with the workings and bustle of a place where many types of people come together.

Time passes for him largely without consequence, until in mid-autumn he catches a glimpse of a youngish human man, Jan, whom he knew from his time in Marzen, crossing the square a short way from him. Through some kind of bizarre luck (though strings of odd coincidences do tend to trail after clerics of Felicitas), Jan also catches sight of Kirran despite his being only waist-height amid the other passersby. He waves to the halfling, and the two work their way through the surrounding hubbub towards each other.

There proceeds the requisite few years of catching up, Kirran largely glossing over the previous spring's events; but he soon finds that his old friend has a strange tale to tell. Kirran's old "mentor", Callahan, has been killed - and though this in itself is not odd, because the streets are rough, it seems the man responsible has had a bizarrely good string of luck lately - better than anyone has any right to. Jan can't quite relate the details, as the information has come to him already second- or third-hand.

While Callahan's death means Marzen is probably open to Kirran again, he finds himself strangely disinclined to return after a few years adjusting to being away. Still... he also finds himself disturbed at the account of unnatural good luck, because he knows that Felicitas makes even the lucky take some bad fortune along with their good fortune, and this man seems to be immune to misfortune (if Jan's account is accurate). As a cleric of luck he feels some obligation to investigate further, but the winter and the meeting date are drawing too near for him to leave Dumeldein, and so he remains in the city, somewhat frustrated, until the time comes to rejoin the group.

 

[Arkhandus]

Argus quietly listens to the others making their plans in the morning, and understands they will gather again in Dumeldein come winter. As he collects his meager belongings, he again discards the druidic fetish Rolf had returned to him, and notices a strange wooden coin in one fold of his waist-sash... Argus fingers the coin for a moment, and stashes it again, deciding it couldn't hurt. He heads out quickly, placing a hand on Kirran's shoulder briefly as he passes. The Hibridean quickly enters the city and purchases some jerky and hardtack for the road, then heads out into the woods. Jade, the snake, is left behind at the camp, confused at her companion's long absence, as he leaves her behind.

After several days, he reaches the river and hikes alongside it to the southeast. Argus hunts and forages for food once his rations are gone, and fills his waterskins at the river when needed. He hustles once he reaches the end of the river and sees the ocean once more. Argus pauses for a moment at the sea, then grunts and turns southwest, running angrily for a time. After some time of hiking, running, and jogging, Argus finds a small settlement out in the wild. He is surprised to find anyone living out here, knowing that he must have left behind Mittendeinish territory many days ago. Argus creeps up to the camp and sees a tent village of human barbarians, apparently nomads. Argus ponders what to do, and realizes that his many days in the wild have left him rather odorous and unkempt, and with a laugh he realizes he'll probably fit right in!

Some of the barbarians hear his sudden laugh, and dash out into the woods to find the source of the noise. They find and surround him, and Argus goes sober again. He cautiously tries some diplomacy, but the barbarians don't understand him. They lead him into the village where he meets their shaman, a middle-aged man with a wizened look to his face. The shaman understands Mittendeinish, and Argus convinces the man that he only wishes to stay with the tribe for a time, learn their ways and maybe share some of his own skills. The shaman scoffs at this, but Argus insists that he's also a fair hunter and warrior. The shaman translates for the chieftain of this small tribe, apparently called the K'ultan. The chieftain looks Argus over, scoffing at the man's only slightly-muscular build and pale complexion. He barks out a command to one of his warriors, who steps up. The shaman tells Argus that he must prove his ability to the tribe by subduing this warrior, and the monk nods his assent. Argus steps over to the tribal warrior, bowing briefly, and the man laughs harshly at the strange custom. He strikes first and catches Argus in the chin, still coming out of the bow, and Argus staggers back, rubbing his jaw. However, once the man steps up again to take another shot, Argus snaps out a fast punch and stuns the warrior, then pummels him into submission with a rapid succession of blows. The chieftain appraises Argus' skill, and apparently decides the foreigner deserves a chance. The shaman tells Argus the chieftain's consent, and the young monk spends a few months with the tribe, proving his skills as best he can.

Argus is uncertain how much time has passed, but as autumn sweeps over the land, he is presented with a strange demand by the shaman, Pah'rel. The chieftain grimaces down at Argus from atop his wooden throne, and Argus squirms under the large man's gaze. Chieftain Hrel'tar demanded, via the shaman, that Argus must marry into the tribe or be cast out. Apparently it was expected of him some time ago, but he never realized it. He is still a foreigner to them, and has overstayed his welcome as such. Yet Argus has absolutely no idea where the tribe is now, as he lost track of which direction he came from, and the tribe has traveled many times since then. Now, the chieftain demands he either marry into the tribe or flee, into the unknown wilderness beyond. The only female in the tribe currently unmarried and of the proper age is the chieftain's daughter, however, and there are other warriors who desire her, for the chieftain's only son is still young, and thus whomever his daughter marries might eventually become chieftain..... Argus nervously accepts the marriage, realizing several warriors will not be happy with him afterward.

Just as Argus' luck seemed to abandon him before, it does so again a month after his forced marriage to the chieftain's daughter. Surprisingly, the time isn't all that bad, aside from a daily roughing up by jealous warriors. The chieftain was recently slain in his sleep, and all eyes are drawn suspiciously to Argus.... The Hibridean bids a hasty farewell to his new wife, fleeing the tribe as several warriors accuse him of the heinous crime and come for his head. The monk moves swiftly away from the camp, managing to find which way is north and heading that way. After a few months of fleeing, Argus finds his way back into Mittendein and hustles towards Dumeldein, certain that at least some of the barbarians are still after him.

Once he finally reaches the city, Argus hides out in the park, still not used to the bustle of an urban sprawl....

 

[Memnus]

Fleck travels to Dumeldein and takes up residence with his third cousin, of of the city's most respected alchemists. Although the house is crowded, as any permanent gnomish dwelling tends to be, Fleck tunes out the familiar hubbub and sets down to his studies. He soon realizes, though, that the magic of this weapon is still beyond his skill to tease out. He'll need the proper tools; what more, some of those tools haven't even been invented yet. Through studying his host's library, he learned the secrets of binding simple enchantments to mundane objects.

His first experiment was not exactly a stunning success. By tying a string to a wooden sphere, and enchanting the sphere to levitate, as he described it, "You can always tell which way gravity is pulling." He fails to explain, however, why there might ever be any need to use it. The levitation spell was imbalanced, however, and before Fleck could stop it the little contraption had floated out a window into the street. Those in the immediate vicinity of the house payed it little mind - after all, with that many gnomes in one place, odd things are bound to happen - but it drifted farther and farther toward the center of the city, over the heads of the crowds, slowly gaining altitude. Fleck never saw it again, and set the design aside as needing work, along with the plans to enchant his cart to fly.

After nearly a month of study, he began to go back to alchemy, taking his wares to the Traders' Plaza every morning and doing a brisk business. While there, he managed to acquire some of the more potent components for his further designs - his first successful enchantment was warding his vest against water, protecting his precious spell components even from submersion. He also bound a detect magic spell to a glass lens, allowing him deeper study of magical emanations when not under the time constraints of the spell. With this new tool, he went back to studying the dagger, and was so engrossed that he forgot the date the group had planned to meet again in the winter.

(Like I said before, I'm not here tonight. If you really want me around, Rish has my character sheet.)

 

[Emiricol]

The party gathered in Dumeldein, save for Fleck who was absorbed in his work. While the party gathered in the renown park of Dumeldein, capital of Mittendein, a pageboy approached them.

The page confirmed that at least some of them were present for the final hours of Tillich, before it was sacked by goblins, and informed them that his master, Lord Strom, had heard that the gnome of that group was in town and meeting companions come winter - and thus knew where to locate the party.

The group agreed to meet with Lord Strom, and has negotiated a vast payment of gold coins, to be delivered at the same time the party takes advantage of a certain package.

The package is some person who has become an embarrassment to the Kaiser, and the party's agreed mission will be to escort the package 20 miles north of Dumeldein, where a group from Solinburg will take charge of the person and escort him or her to their own city, where presumably the person will be less of an embarrassment.

This won't happen for two weeks (16 days), however, and so the group contemplates what to do to fill the time between.

 

[evandariel]

Gadreman absorbs all that is said and grunts, "Well, we should inform our little gnomish companion first.. So we are to escort a man in custody to a troop of Solinsburg guards? That's all? Sounds fishy to me."

He waits a moment before speaking further, "Perhaps, I could lead the man south myself, with the rest of you following behind. I have a horse, a strong one, so if anything were to happen I could retreat to your side. However, we would be more than able to suprise any would-be ambushers if not all of us were visible at first glance. What say you?"

He listens to the response, and the rest of the conversation, before turning to Rolf with a grin, "Two weeks is plenty of time to locate and dissuade any spawn of Beher from further pursuing, don't you agree?"

 

[crystorix]

"If they're close enough. Where did Almedh say he saw them again?"

 

[Rish]

Kirran nods at Gadreman. "I'll go hijack Fleck. Even if I have to clock him over the head and drag him here unconscious to get him away from his work." He tugs his jacket closer around himself. "Be back sometime."