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Message: <blockquote data-quote="peteyfrogboy" data-source="post: 1171434" data-attributes="member: 5677">Stalking In The NightThe Black Gull was its normal rowdy self that night. Nevroth, Rachel, and Parika sat around a table laden with food and drink. For the first time in quite a while they were relaxed and happy."So let me get this straight," said Rachel. "While Lucius was off being possessed, he ran into Thuron, who wasn't Thuron then. He was Kaballah.""K'Stallo," corrected Nevroth."Right, that guy." Rachel took a long sip of wine before continuing. "Except he wasn't a guy, he was one of those snake people, but not the bad Unspeakable cultist ones.""He's a priest of Yig, whoever that is," said Parika."Okay, so he came back with Lucius to the temple so he could poke around in the library, and he happened to run across the real Thuron keeled over at his desk. And then he turns himself into Thuron and takes over the temple?"Nevroth nodded. "That's the story.""That's nuts." Rachel patted her belt pouch and smiled. "But Edwin paid us like he said he would, so I am happy. And I may be a little drunk."***Nevroth leaned back in his chair as Parika and Rachel descended further and further into their cups. He was simply glad to be alive and well. As he sipped his ale, something caught his eye. A pair of sailors were walking by the window, wearing familiar red bandannas. He excused himself from the party and went out to the street. He watched as the pirates staggered down the street and around a corner. Despite the battles he had already fought that day, he still found himself with a taste for blood.He tailed the two pirates westward, eventually coming to a tavern on the north edge of the Docks called the Rusty Hook. Unsurprisingly, the clientele seemed to be largely pirates and other sailors. His two marks were at the bar continuing their drinking. He found a seat at the other end of the bar, getting himself an ale which he sipped slowly as he watched them.After a while, the two pirates headed for the back door, presumably to relieve themselves. Nevroth stayed where he was. He waited for them to return, but by the time he finished his drink they were still gone. He stood up, paid, and went out through the back. As he reached the narrow hallway leading out into the courtyard, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that a few large men had gotten up as well and were walking behind him. Coincidence?, he thought. Perhaps I'm not the only one hunting tonight.In the courtyard, a low brazier was providing light for a circle of men rolling dice on the cobbles. The rain had let up as the sun went down, reduced to nothing more than a mist. The two red bandannas were crouched among the gamblers. Nevroth considered breaking off his pursuit, but he found his way back blocked by the men who had followed him. He began to feel very uncomfortable about the entire situation.Nevroth's discomfort only grew as the circle of men all turned his way and stood. One man who he had thought was standing before rose even higher. He reached for his weapons, but before they could even clear their scabbards the mob was upon him. The giant among them grabbed him and put a meaty arm around his neck. The others crowded around, holding him in place. He struggled, but it was clearly futile.A familiar face appeared before Nevroth then, flipping a familiar knife end over end. The man wore a scowl that was made no less menacing by the dim firelight. "Did you really think you could pick us all off one by one?" The man shook his head. "If I had my way, you'd be dead already, but it seems your mother has a soft spot for you." He stepped closer and laid his knife on the tip of Nevroth's nose. "Honestly, I don't give a rat's hindquarters about your father, and neither did those two men you butchered. Their wives are widows now, their children orphans." The knife disappeared, and the man stepped back again. "Like I said, though, I'm not going to kill you." He stepped over to the brazier and stirred the coals, causing sparks to float up through the mist. "But your mother wanted us to teach you a lesson." He stopped moving the coals and pulled out a heavy hatchet, its blade glowing red hot. "Hold him down, boys."</blockquote>

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