[Lakelands] Six For Adventure

[Raven Crowking]

The food was tasty, but not supernaturally so.

A courier approached with a crystal decanter full of clear water. Etain snatched Selanil's goblet away and replaced it with a fresh one. "Lest there be some remnant of former drink upon it," she whispered.

One of the noblemen, drunken on mead, leaned over to Selanil and said, like a chant, "This is that Queen Maeve who gallops night by night through lover’s brains that they dream of love, and breathes her breath over ladies' lips who straight on kisses dream."

"Aye," said another, "and angry Maeve their lips with blisters plagues because their breath is tainted with sweet meats."

That set the table on a roar. Encouraged by his success, and not noting the anger in his Mistress's eyes, the first nobleman went on: "This is the very Maeve that pleats the manes of horses in the night and tangles foul sluttish hairs. This is the very One, that when maidens lie on their backs presses them, and learns them first to bear, making them women of good carriage...."

"Enough!" Maeve said. Although she did not raise her voice much, the room fell silent. She waved the noblemen's comments away with one slender hand. "Forgive them, My Champion," she said, "for they talk of dreams, which are the children of an idle brain, begot of nothing but vain fantasy -- as thin a substance as the air and more inconstant than the wind."

She smiled now at the host, as though they were all children, and she their mother. Many of them, it seemed, were intoxicated.

"A foul animal lairs within a barrow which once housed my folk," she said. "It is as large and rough as a lion, and has similar feet, but its ears and face are like those of a man with three rows of teeth in each jaw. Its eye is grey, and its body red; it has a tail like a land scorpion, in which there is a sting. It darts forth the spines with which it is covered, instead of hair, and it utters a noise resembling the united sound of a pipe and a trumpet. It is not less swift of foot than a stag, and is wild, and devours men."

She lay one slender, warm hand upon Selanil's, where it touched the stem of his goblet.

"That is why I require a Champion. As for why I believe it to be you...have you never dreamt of cutting evil throats, of breaches, ambushes, and flashing blades? And then, anon, wake hearing the blood drumming in your ear, at which you swear a prayer or two, and sleeps again? Am I wrong in believing that you are a warrior?"

She smiled.

"Do you not wish to be My Champion?"

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Horsom and Fellan stepped through the ancient archway and into the cool dawn air of Selby-by-the-Water's harbourfront. "After your success, I judged 'The Lay of the Goblin's Spear' to be a more palatable choice for the Guardian.", Horsom said in reply to Glom's quizzical glance. "I guess he liked it."

Horsom scratched his chin and looked around. "I never thought to be back here so soon.", he murmured to himself. He readjusted the waraxe at his belt. "There is a tavern in town where the caravan guards like to quench their thirst. Fellan and I have business there, Glom. You are welcome to join us if you like."

 

[Raven Crowking]

Some of the flying reptiles -- leatherwings, the locals called them -- flew over the trio and their horses, presumably looking to see if they had any snatchable food. Walking their horses over the cobblestones, the trio set off toward the Dreaming Lion, near the South Gate. From the warehouses near there, merchants sometimes took their stores overland to Rookhaven and beyond. It was still too early for the tavern to unlock its doors, but perhaps also early enough that whatever restless spirits might walk Selby's water-washed streets would also be abed.

...

Several hours later, their horses were stabled and they had broken their fast. Glom got many hard glances, but folk were used to the unusual in the port town. As his behavior remained civil enough, he was served with a cold eye and a grunt.

Later yet, walking along the street, they chanced to see a huge brute of a half-orc speaking to a dwarf and a slight, though handsome-looking man.

"Perhaps," said Fellan, "these folk are what we seek."

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Edit: I posted this before you edited your last post.

Edit 2:

"Maybe.." Horsom appraised the trio. "I don't know these folks from the caravan routes, but that dwarf and orc look capable enough. Let's see what they have to say for themselves." Horsom left his horse with Fellan and approached the three.

"Hail. The town of Long Archer is looking for folk of stout heart and swift blade to track and kill a large predator who's been preying on its people. Are you what we're looking for?"

 

[Krug]

The goblin looked around, reflexively pulling the cowl over his head. "Horsom? Horsom? Where are you?" The creature gulped and waited, hiding away. He waited for his companion to follow through and join him. In the meantime his eyes darted left and right, eyeing the new environment suspiciously. He looked at the flying lizards, and realised he had never quite smelt the sea before. It made him want to retch.

 

[Toric_Arthendain]

"That is why I require a Champion. As for why I believe it to be you...have you never dreamt of cutting evil throats, of breaches, ambushes, and flashing blades? And then, anon, wake hearing the blood drumming in your ear, at which you swear a prayer or two, and sleeps again? Am I wrong in believing that you are a warrior?"

She smiled.

"Do you not wish to be My Champion?"

"I am a hunter and a warrior," Selanil simply replies. "The beast you describe sounds foul indeed. With the face of a man, does it have the intelligence to go along with it or is it no smarter than any other animal? What has this beast done to you and your folk?"

No matter what Maeve's answer is to his questions, Selanil continues, "This beast sounds un-natural and if it is carrying out evil deeds, I will indeed help you. Where can I find this barrow that it lairs in?"

 

[Samuel Leming]

Maldordo turns to face the Lakashi man addressing him and says in friendly greeting, "Welcome to Selby-by-the-Water my new friend. We too will set out after this feline predator after learning what we can from a witness currently under the care of the Archdeacon of the Church of the Seven Good Gods. Everywhere I turn, I encounter fellows searching for this beast, so I don't consider meeting you a meer coincidence. Oh, please excuse my lack of introductions. I am Maldordo the Cat, of silent foot and swift tongue. These fine warriors are Kregor, of swift temper," as he motions towards the half-orc, "and Dain, of stout... stoutness," as he waves towards the dwarf.

 

[maddmic]

OOC: THis post was supposed to be made before Maldordo's response to the newcomers.

Dain looked about as though to make sure no one was listening, then said in a low voice. "this beastie that we seek is no mere panther, our best guess is that it is a manticore. If this news gives you pause to continue I will speak no ill of it. But, if you wish to take your leave, I would ask you not to repeat what I have told you. We do not need to overly panic the general populace, if you catch my meaning."

Kregor thought to himself breifly. 'Manticore? What matter of beast is this? I have never heard of such a thing.' Looking at Dain and the little one, he cleared his throat. "Very well. I do not fear any beast Dain. Gragnor will protect me in my attempts to protect others. I will join your group and try to end the tyranny that this beast has set upon these good people. What say you Maldordo?"

After he answers, Kregor speaks again. "Perhaps we should discuss our areas of expertise. I can tell that Dain is a priest as I am sure that by my speaking, I have shown that I am one as well. Which leaves you Maldordo. What skills do you posess? I gather you don't much care for playing with yarn."

Kregor cracks a bit of a smile at his last comment, confident that he has smoothed any bad feelings over with the two companions.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Horsom's eyebrows rose in surprise: this was some sort of luck, running into another band of panther hunters, and at this distance from Long Archer. The predations of this beast were apparently very far ranging... assuming it was the same animal of course.

"I'm Horsom of Long Archer", Horsom recovered after a brief pause. "And this is Fellan and Glom", he indicated his companions, who were approaching the group. "I'm curious...", Fellan inquired. "You're also on the trail of this killer panther?" Horsom interjected: "And you're commissioned by the Church of the Seven? This beast must have left quite a trail of destruction to have attracted the attention of the Archdeacon himself." Horsom and Fellan exchanged worried glances. They both realised that they were tracking something more than a winter-starved forest cat. "These warrior-priests might be handy fellows to have around if this panther turns out to be some fey creature.", Horsom thought to himself. "My offering to Celene and Herne at the Alder Stream bridge has paid off, praise be." He cleared his throat: "Maldordo, Dain, and Kregor... if we joined with you, our chances of success would be that much greater. Will you have us?"

 

[maddmic]

Kregor turned to the newcomers. "Well met Horsom, Fellan and Glom. Contrary to what Maldordo says, I am not quick to anger. I do have a tendancy to be a little touchy when somebody is less than couth when referring to my heritage. We are on the trail of something that has been described as a panther, yes. Although, I have not personally been comissioned by the Church of the Seven. That would be Dain. I am merely trying to follow my ancestors creed and protect those who are innocent."

He finally notices the small cloaked one and looks at him quizically. "Tell me, why do you cover up?"