[LANAI] The Rod of Seven Parts: Into the Crucible

[CanadienneBacon]

At a nod from Rancid, Vaja looks at Wyleck with surprise then mutely juts out her right hand to accept Wyleck's eight gold crowns. "Ye've bought yerself a friend, it seems, Rancid." The blonde barkeep pockets Wyleck's coins and, satisfied, nods first at Rancid then at Wyleck. "My thanks. Consider the debt paid, Rancid. But ye'll no run a tab in the 'Trice again." With that, Vaja curtly turns from Wyleck's place at the bar and returns to the bar's end, where she joins Frane in washing clay ale tankards. The pair whisper together and Frane grunts in Wyleck's direction with a nod of approval.

For his part, Rancid looks shiftily around the room then extracts what appears to be a wand crafted of smooth lusterless black metal. At fully fourteen inches in length, the wand causes Rancid a small degree of consternation as he fights, largely unsuccessfully, to discretely pull out the wand from the inside of his billowy shirt sleeve. Once out, Rancid places the black wand on the bar and, with one hand placed protectively across the middle of the black wand, offers, "I don't want to be long in anyone's debt you see. What's this favor you're wanting? Or kin I offer you healing johnny on the spot, like, good Sir?" Wyleck notes that the wand only seems to be over a foot long--really, it looks as if someone has affixed a ten inch piece of ebony to the tip of a very short piece of the lusterless black metal.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

At the corkboard, the elf woman examining the billets glances down at Arden. "Thank the Gods, someone here speaks my tongue." The elf nods at Arden then reaches to pull up a chair so that the little gnome can better view the billets. Continuing in elvish, the elf woman says, "I am Lynnya, Warder to the wilds. I'm looking for work, but these damnable billets are written only for humans, in their tongue. Do you see anything posted here that offers work tracking or in service as temporary protection for, say, a band of travelers or merchants? Such is my skill." Lynnya pats the wooden bow that curves and peeks from behind her shoulder.

Arden has a look at the billets but, it being off the peak travel season, finds nothing that would fit what Lynnya described. One advertisement seeks someone strong of arm to serve as nightwatchman down at the Pilot's Guild on the docks. Another is a general billet that is ubiqitous and seeks entrants for the city's Guard. Three billets offer employ to "comely maids who like to dance" at various entertainment establishments, most of them of ill repute.

 

[Rhun]

Rowan continues to silently watch the exchange between Rancid and Wyleck, his curiosity piqued by the black wand now laying upon the bar.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Lowel, responding to Baliss's question regarding whether Traven wears a wig, nods and cranes his neck to stare at the new bouncer. "Aye. An' once yesterday I brushed up 'gainst him as I were walkin' out. Skin don't feel right, either. Vaja won't hear o' his being let go, though. Insists he saved 'er an' Frane big money last night. Ten silver says she regrets lettin' 'im stay in the comin' days."

 

[Malvoisin]

Lowel, responding to Baliss's question regarding whether Traven wears a wig, nods and cranes his neck to stare at the new bouncer. "Aye. An' once yesterday I brushed up 'gainst him as I were walkin' out. Skin don't feel right, either. Vaja won't hear o' his being let go, though. Insists he saved 'er an' Frane big money last night. Ten silver says she regrets lettin' 'im stay in the comin' days."

"Think you're right...but if she won't listen t'you, she won't listen t'me."Baliss rises from his seat, and cranes his neck to get a better look at the odd wand Rancid has laid upon the table in his conversation with Wyleck. "What y'make o'that, Lowel? Don't look like a healing wand t'me. Where's my whiskey?" Baliss looks around for Luce with his order.

 

[pallandrome]

Wyleck peers up onto the counter-top at the cobbled togeather wand. "I need no healing now, and when I do need it, tis not likely you'll be round. But if you can see fit to point out to me where one might attain such a trinket as that, I might see fit to forget about a few coins between acquaintances. Barring that, well, we'll just have to consider alternatives."

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Lowel nudges a clay cup containing whiskey at Baliss's elbow. "The girl brought it when ye were cranin' yer neck ter get a look at the elf." Lowel grins at Baliss. Shooting a look at the bar, Lowel shrugs. "Don't think nothin' of it, other than Rancid's found 'isself a sucker. You see 'ow he got that bloke to pony up them crowns?" Lowel chuckles and shakes his head sorrowfully. "There's a sucker born a minute, they say. An' it seems what as most of 'em wind up in the Cockatrice."

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Traven's head whips around as soon as Rancid plunks the black metal wand on the bar. His post at the door forgotten, the skinny bouncer suddenly forgets his stubbed toe in favor of outright staring at first the wand and then Rancid. Licking his thin lips with uncertainty, Traven starts to walk into the common room but suddenly stops short and looks around.

Rancid, focusing on Wyleck, offers, "Why, I'll sell it to you! I neither want nor need it, and what with me being down on my luck of late and Freya Silverbraid not looking like she's forthcoming, I'd willingly part with it." Rancid leans in and whispers conspiratorially, "It's a magic wand, you see. It's got powers you can't even dream of." Leaning back away from Wyleck, Rancid proffers, "Asking price is 5000 gold crowns."

 

[pallandrome]

Wyleck barks a laugh, "For a bit o metal you neither want nor need, your asking price be a bit steep. The magic I want I make for myself. I'll give you 50, for the wand and the trouble that undoubtedly goes with it. I'll even call off your debt to sweeten the bargain. Have we a deal, or a debt, between us?"

 

[Rhun]

Rowan, sitting near to Wyleck, nearly gags on his ale when he hears rancid declare that he wants a sum of five thousand gold coins for his so-called "magic wand." The halfling coughs a few times to clear his throat and returns to his drink. Noticing Traven, the cautious halfling keeps an eye directed at him, as well as paying attention to the nearby conversation.