For More Than Glory

[evandariel]

Gadreman nods in return to Kirran, letting him go after Fleck, "I'd be careful, word travels fast and the enemies of this 'package' may already know who we are and what we are doing. And if anyone has seen us together, the slavers may be after you too.

"I think," Gadreman says, turning to Rolf, "that Almedh had seen them seven days south, about a week ago. That means they could already be here, if they were any good."

 

[Rish]

Kirran pauses for a moment and looks back at Gadreman, his cheeks bright red with the cold and his eyes laughing. "Luck, man, I've been taking care of myself on the streets probably for longer than you've been alive. I'll handle myself."

He walks through the darkening streets toward Fleck's, eventually arriving at a rambling, distinctly gnomish dwelling (to judge by all manner of strange devices and additions to the place in odd directions). He knocks softly, stands back a step or two, and waits, wondering to himself with a quiet chuckle just what he will have to do to extricate Fleck from his studies.

 

[Memnus]

A small window slides open in the door. "Yes? Yes, what is it, is it the paper delivery?"

Kirran chuckles. "No, I'm looking for Fleck. Spangle Springleglitz."

There is a pause, then the gnome behind the door parses the mangled name. "Oh. Oh, just a second." The window snaps closed, and Kirran can hear merry laughter for a moment before it disappears deeper into the house.

After about a minute, the door opens and Fleck emerges, looking distraught and smelling vaguely of smoke. "It's today, isn't it? I completely forgot. Lead the way." After a few moments of silence, he looks at Kirran incredulously. "'Spangle Sprindleglitz'??"

 

[Rish]

Kirran shrugs innocently and his eyes crinkle at the corners as he gives Fleck a sidelong look. "You tell me your absurdly long name in the middle of a town that's about to be sacked by goblins, and you expect me to remember it a year later? Pfeh!" He grins, tilting his head to one side. "Here, I'll fill you in on the day while we walk. Not that you missed much..."

He launches into a rambling explanation of the day's events, peppered with snide remarks about Lord Strom and noble folk in general, until eventually the rest of the group can see two small figures stride into view, one gesticulating wildly.

 

[firehorse]

Valdir strokes his chin at Gadreman's suggestion. "Actually, it might be better the other way around. This party we are meeting is expecting those that met with Lord Strom to be in the party. Anyone else seeing us meet with him will be planning on the same. If you and possibly Fleck were to stay out of sight, if we were attacked, the attackers might not have planned on you. Otherwise, anyone seeing the obvious lack of the personnel assigned to this mission will be immediately alarmed."

Valdir shrugs, "But, that planning is a couple of weeks out. First, we need to find out where your pursuers are."

(Sorry, my posts are going to be more infrequent. MIS at work has a screening software set up so I can't access the sight from my office. I can't look for another place to work because....you guessed it....those types of sites are screened too. Bastards.)

 

[Arkhandus]

Argus, usually the quiet one, nods to Valdir's comments. "We should get to work then on finding Gadreman's pursuers, so we can slay them and get on with this. We need to somehow learn who this 'package' is, why we're to take it out of the city, and what exactly we should be expecting on the road with the 'package'. I take it Delwin has vanished, and we are again without any keen information-gatherers or spies?" Argus whispers this last sentence so nothing suspicious might be overheard.

 

[evandariel]

Gadreman nods to Valdir, and then Argus speaks. It seems that the giant has gone missing by the time the fallen monk finishes. The others look around to no avail, Gadreman, to some suprise, is just not there.

 

[crystorix]

Rolf snorts. If he could track a small man through city streets after two days, following a giant after a few minutes would be no problem, but he decides to let Gadreman play the mysterious one for the nonce.

"I think I shall go out and find Pup then see if we can find any traces of goblinoids around the city. If there were any hobgoblins with the hunting party, they certainly wouldn't be showing their faces around city streets."

 

[Memnus]

Fleck blinks, and looks up at Rolf. "It's not really that easy, Rolf. This is the capital and largest city in the kingdom. There are perfectly legitimate hobgoblins..." he coughs, sarcastically, but continues, "here, as diplomats and merchants. Here, we can't just assume any Beherilank is a hunter, and after us; even worse, if we do, we're in more trouble than we would be in the smaller towns. They take foreigners seriously, here."

 

[firehorse]

Valdir shrugs characteristically. "I'll give you a hand Rolf. Maybe we can catch up to Gadreman. If those hunting them see him, they will likely tip their hand that they are hunters. Hunting hunters should be fun."