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Message: <blockquote data-quote="el-remmen" data-source="post: 778" data-attributes="member: 11">Session #12 “This is our friend Martin the Green,” said Peter. “He traveled with us from Westron. He’s a Watch-Mage.” “Well, not technically a Watch-Mage,” Martin said to the gathered companions. “But I am an alumnus of the Academy.” He was about six feet tall with shoulder length sandy brown hair that was shaggy and uneven in the back, and wore the familiar robes of an Academy of Wizardry graduate in shades of green. “Wow, they doobled the rewahrd,” said Chance. “Yes, however, I am not that interested in marrying a human princess in a land that was stolen from my people,” said Kazrack, as servants poured a spicy tomato soup into their bowls and sprinkled cheese on top that grew soft as it touched the steaming broth. Ratchis smirked, “I don’t think you are going to have to worry about that..” He lifted the bowl to his lips blew on the hot soup and began to slurp it down. Chance pulled the big man’s arms down. “Ya cahnt do that,” the Wallbrookian said. “Ya gotta use a spoon.” He handed Ratchis a soup spoon. Maria smiled as she sipped her own soup. Martin looked at Ratchis with a nervous smile, and the woodsman felt his face grow hot. “You all traveled here from Westron?” Jana asked. “Yes, we were recruited by a gentleman named Briad Ketchum,” said Martin. Several more courses were served, along with more wine and more pitchers of ale. The companions ate and chatted with their new acquaintances, and the meal was interrupted several times for toasts initiated by a tipsy nobleman in honor of the king. Finn, Frank, Gwar and others could be seen eating and talking happily at the far end of the same table that Jeremy and the others were at. “So, do you plan to travel with the twins and Maria to hunt for the dragon?” Beorth asked Martin. “Well, perhaps, but my mission here is slightly different, as I was sent by the Academy, and the king may have a different role for me to fulfill. However, if I do go, most likely it will be with them,” Martin replied. “Well, perhaps our groups can work together? There has been no stipulation that the groups are required to set off alone,” said Kazrack, being practical as always. “If there really is a dragon out there, ten would stand a better chance than five.” “Well, that seems very reasonable. Even if I do not end up traveling with Simon and Maria and the others, I will try to mention your idea to them. It would seem to be safest,” Martin said. Everyone ate the succulent pheasant in near silence, with Chance only occasionally chastising Ratchis for his table manners. The servants began to clear the table again, even more quickly than before. “The king must be done eating,” said Martin. There was a fanfare of horns and then the band struck up and people began to move back into the Great Hall. “Dessert shall be served after some dancing and the briefing is given,” someone announced to the crowd. The many young men made a border about the dance floor, and others went to fight over the few free chairs in the chamber. Chance and Jana stood on the western edge of the dance floor and watched as a few noble couple walked out to dance. Princess Deirdre, who was only about five feet two inches tall and had reddish hair and a green dress walked across the dance floor and the crowd parted for her without a word, many of the lads staring at her boyish beauty. The princess took a seat with the musicians before a larp harp which she took and began to play beautifully accompanied by the band. Nobles applauded softly and politely, joined by the would-be heroes. “Ah neva been inna cahsel buhfuh,” Chance said to Jana. “Ahve you?” “No, Chance, I haven’t,” Jana said. “Ya know ya luke very pretty in thut dress,” Chance said, looking down at his feet bashfully. “Thank you, Chance,” Jana said with a sly smile. “May I have this dance?” said a soothing tenor. Jana and Chance turned to see Markle standing there, in a black shirt and jacket, and black pants and shining boots. He was holding his hand out to Jana. “Sure,” said Jana, taking his hand and letting herself be led out to the dance floor. Chance’s sneer followed them. Markle danced beautifully, and Jana felt a little out of her depth, but the handsome Verdunian glided around with her in tow, making her feel as if she were almost floating. Jeremy stood by Maria who was watching the women in their dresses dancing with finely dressed men with a sneer. “Would you like to dance,” Jeremy said gesturing to the dance floor. “Oh, you think I can’t?” Maria said confrontationally. She grabbed his hand pulled him on the dance floor. Kazrack and Ratchis stood by Simon and Peter who talked excitedly about dragons. The dwarf crooked his head looking to see if he spotted the Royal Architect, but could not seem him. Ratchis pretended to listen to what they said, but he really watched Jeremy and Maria dance. Chance made his way across the dance floor to where the youngest princess Marion was twitching to the music and looking around wide-eyed for someone to dance with. “Ya like ta dance?” Chance said to the girl, trying to figure out if she had even reached her thirteenth summer yet. “Uh-huh,” she replied, nodding her head vigorously. “Well come on then,” he said, and in a moment they were acting like two childish fools in the middle of the dance floor. Chance swung around Marion and she screamed in joy, making the castle guards that lined the ways peer at them nervously. Jana looked over from where she danced with Markle and smiled knowingly. Beorth stood not far from the musicians and noticed that one of the princesses had pushed her chair back behind the crowd watching the dance, and pulled a book out from under her dress and began to surreptitiously read it. He was standing by her trying to see what it was she read when she looked up at him. It was Princess Veldicca, her bright blue eyes shining from behind a border of luminous black hair that fell over her shoulders. “I’m sorry,” the paladin said meekly. “I was just curious about what you were reading.” “Oh, you like books?” the princess asked with the slightest bit of a smile. “Yes, I like to read when I can find some books to read. Religious books, mostly,” Beorth answered. “Oh, I’d love a religious book. I have read all the books in our library about ten times each, and I’m getting kind of tired of them,” Veldicca said. She gestured to the book she held on her lap. “This is a the second of a three volume set on kobolds.” “Oh, sound… um, interesting,” said Beorth politely. “Oh, it is. Did you know that even though both kobolds and gnolls are dog-like there is no evidence that they are in any way a related species despite what many sages say?” “Really?” Meanwhile, Jana and Markle continued to dance, even though the song ended and another slower song began. “So tonight is the night,” Markle said, softly into her ear. “Are you sure you won’t be joining us?” Jana smiled, as she was whirled around, hardly needing to pay attention to her feet, “I already told you I will do the part you asked, but I will not go beyond that.” “Well, I will come to you tonight and let you know when it is starting. After that all you have to do is keep your friends out of it. It should not be too hard,” Markle said, and then dipped her. “And while I will consider our debt fulfilled. I want you to know that there can be further reward just for your little part. When it is all said and done, or if you need a place to go, look for us in Ogre’s Bluff in seven days,” Markle said. “Ogre’s Bluff?” Jana asked, as they glided past Princess Tracell who was now dancing with Jeremy, when Maria had abandoned him to talk strategy with Simon and Peter. “One of the small villages far to the west. If you make it there, I’ll find you,” Markle said. “Okay,” said Jana. “You know you dance excellently. Have you ever had any lessons?” Markle asked the young witch. “No,” she replied with her sly pretty smile. “One would never have known.” -- “So, how do you feel about your father promising your hand in marriage and that of your sisters to whomsoever slays the dragon?” Jeremy asked Princess Tracell. “Well, I hope it is someone handsome,” Tracell said, blushing innocently while blinking her big round eyes on her cherubic face. “Normally, I’d only want someone of noble blood, but someone who is a hero that my father deems a noble will be one, so that will do fine.” “Oh, heh, Um… What about your sisters? How do they feel about it?” Jeremy asked. “Well, Marion is kind of too young to really understand what this all means, and Veldicca and Deirdre are always busy with books or music, so who knows, and Selma, all she cares about is acting like a man, learning how to use a sword and talking back. It is very unbecoming for a proper lady.” “But you want to get married?” Jeremy asked. Tracell looked at the Neergaardian slyly and then smiled, “Yes, I do. I was so envious of our eldest sister when she got to marry that Prince from Rhondria.” “Oh, I thought Selma was the eldest,” said Jeremy. “Oh, no. The eldest, Mariah, had to be married to create a bond between our kingdom and Rhondria,” Tracel explained. They continued to dance through to another song. “Listen, I was hoping that we could meet another time and talk. I wanted to …um, ask you a favor,” Jeremy asked. Tracell cocked her head and a knowing smile came across her face. “Oh, a rendezvous!” she squealed, and then whispered. “How about tomorrow after mid-day meal in the garden?” “That would be fine,” Jeremy replied. The song finished and the blare of horns announced that the briefing would now start. A huge banner was unfurled of the front balcony and upon it was a map of Gothanius. Upon the map they could see Twelve Trolls, all the alder-villages, the area leading into Greenreed Valley and many icons of a dragon’s head obviously displaying the place the wyrm had been spotted. A man with curly dark hair, dressed in an off-white tunic and with a clean boyish face that made he appear to young to have the air of authority that surrounded him stepped before the gathered crowd of would-be dragon-slayers. “Hello,” the young man said. “As many of you may know, my name is Daniel and I the steward of Castle Gothanius, and aid the king in every way I can. As you can see the map above is one of the grand Kingdom of Gothanius. You will be receiving a copy of a similar map as you register and leave the castle to begin your hunt.” Kazrack raised his hand. “Please save your questions for after I am done,” Daniel said. “As His Royal Highness has said, you will be breaking up into groups of five for this mission. Starting at noon tomorrow you may register your group and leave for the valley beyond and go where you will to find the dragon and deal with it. Starting tomorrow after breakfast weapons, armor and some other general equipment will be made available to in the trophy room. You have three days staring at noon tomorrow before you must leave the castle and begin the castle, though obviously the sooner you leave the more likely you are to avoid bad weather on the road and have a chance to find the dragon before anyone else does.” Daniel pulled a long pointer from behind his back and gestured to the banner/map. “As you can tell the most dragon sightings have been within Greenreed Valley, but also in the vicinity of Summit and Ogre’s Bluff,” the steward said. “We recommend you make your way to one or the other and begin your hunts there.” He paused and scanned the crowd, “Now, any questions?” Kazrack’s hand was already in the air. Daniel looked the crowd over to see if there was someone else he could call on. “Is there a person available; a witness to the dragon that we will be able to question?” Kazrack asked. ”No,” replied Daniel. “Any other questions?” “How big is it?” asked Kazrack. “It is said to be at from 60 to 80 feet long,” said Daniel. “Does that include the neck and tail?” asked Kazrack. Daniel sighed, “The information I have does not rightly say.” Simon raised his hand and the castle steward happily called on the pudgy kid.“I heard that the dragon is green in color. Is that true?” “Yes, eyewitness accounts say that the dragon is green,” Daniel answered. Kazrack raised his hand again. “Yes,” Daniel said to the dwarf resignedly. “Any particular trends in how and where it attacks?” the dwarf asked. “Many of the accounts say that the dragon enjoys attacking merchant caravans, particularly those with many wagons and beasts of burden,” Daniel explained. “Any more questions anyone?” Kazrack raised his hand again. “No?” The steward ignored the dwarf. “Okay, thank you. A dessert of strawberry-flavored ice is now being served in the dining room. Enjoy!” The crowd began to disperse, and long lines formed to get their dish of the dessert. As Jana walked into the dining room to get on line, she noticed Devon walking with his bowl and eating the sweet treat, getting back on the back of the line. But as he walked, he slammed into a tall lithe hawk-featured man dressed in a long black cloak. “Why don’t you watch where you’re going, dimwit!” Devon said loudly. “Sir, I would inform you that it was you that was not looking where you were going, but obviously your lack of intelligence is such that you would not understand me if I deemed a lowly cretin like you as worthy of an explanation,” the man replied. “Who you calling names, you pansy-talker!” Devon cried. “I will smash your face flat as a board!” “Oh, what a witty comeback!” the man said. “I would find your ignorance quite entertaining if you did not have the breath of ox.” “Why I oughta!” Devon pulled back his meaty fist, but suddenly Markle was right there, pulling the tall man way. “Sorry about that,” Markle said to the man in the black coat. “Why look, the ape has a keeper. It is good that they let the peasants take such jobs to pass their time. Do you clean up after his manure as well?” the man said to Markle. Markle sneered, and Devon moved to get at the man again, but Markle held him back. They walked to the dessert line. The hawk-faced man, walked towards the back hall that led to the room all the “dragon-slayers” were staying in. Jana smiled while observing the exchange, and then saw Chance swinging a spoon full of the dessert n wide-loops saying “Here come the butterfly!” as he fed it to the young princess Marion. She’d slurp it off the spoon with a big smile and moony eyes directed toward the poofy red-haired Wallbrookian. ---- Kazrack was waiting on the long line when he saw the dwarven Royal Architect walking by. So he left his place in line and stopped the dwarf. Baulch Stonefingers was likely a good 60 years older than Kazrack. His brown beard had streaks of steel gray in it, and the little hair on his balding head was gray as well. “Excuse me, sir,” said Kazrack. The dwarf turned, “Yes?” “Oh, I was just surprised to see one of my brethren here, and thought you might know of another dwarf in Gothanius, a rune-thrower, his name is Belear Grithckar,” Kazrack said. “I find it fairly dubious that there are any other dwarves in Gothanius, but just because I am a dwarf does not mean I would know if there was,” the Royal Architect said with grating attitude. “Oh,” said Kazrack taken aback. “I um, am sorry to have disturbed you.” The younger dwarf walked back to the dessert line. ---- Ratchis finished his dessert, enjoying the cold-sweet treat and walked over to where Maria stood talking with Simon and Peter. “I was thinking that our two groups should work together,” Ratchis said to the warrior-woman. “It would be much safer that way.” “Heh,” she replied. “Thanks for the offer, but I think we want to forge our own way and see what we can accomplish on our own.” “But against a dragon, if there really is one, and whatever other dangers there are, ten would do better than five. And we also have the problem that there are six among us, but there are four among you, so maybe one of us can travel officially with your group,” Ratchis explained. “Well, we are really looking at a variety of people to be the fifth in our group, like Tanweil for example who I think is an excellent fighter and can take direction,’ Maria smiled. “Maybe we can arrange for our groups to meet and have an exchange of information for our mutual benefit. We’ll discuss it and get back to you.” She turned back to her companions, and Ratchis’ shoulders slumped and he walked across the great hall as the music began again and through the dining room to the rear hall and up to his room. Chance returned to dancing with young Princess Marion, and Beorth continued to chat some with Princess Veldicca, and listened attentively to Princess Deirdre when at one point she played a harp solo. Jeremy continued to drink, and watched the line of young men ask Princess Selma to dance and have her angrily refuse. Upstairs, Ratchis found the hawk-faced man who had tussled with Devon sitting on a bunk, pouring glassfuls of wine and sipping them. “Ugh, I must share a room with such a large brute?” the man said, looking up at Ratchis. “This arrangement is getting worse all the time.” Ratchis just grunted, tore off the clothes he had been lent, and proceed to do his evening push-ups. “Must you breathe so loudly when you do such savage rituals?” the man asked. “I may have to ask for another room. In a second it will smell like pig’s sty, not that this whole kingdom doesn’t smell like one.” Ratchis grunted again and ignored the man, and soon went to bed falling straight to sleep. The rest of the evening continued without event. Eventually the music and dancing was called to an end when the King announced his retirement for the night. The nobles left the castle, and all the those young men inwardly making plans for the hardships to come, made their way to their beds and sleep. Jana, however, sat in her bed fully dressed, behind the screen they had set up for her, waiting for Markle’s word that she be prepared to stop the others. The minutes stretched into an hour or more perhaps, when suddenly she snapped awake realizing she had dozed. Someone was rapping on the screen. “Come in,” she whispered, expecting to see Markle standing there. Garcon walked behind the screen. “Oh, my Jana, I have something I must tell you now that we have arrived here in Gothanius,” Garcon said. “Garcon, I do not have time for you right now,” Jana replied. “Oh, through many days and nights, across many miles and up and down stony hill and along the rushing rivers of the this rough land I have marched only to be by your side,” Garcon continued. “Garcon, leave!” “I know you play coy, but how can someone reject one who loves another so deepy and that has come here for no other reason than to be by your side and cast aside all other loves, loves that did not appreciate the depth that one could feel for another. Jana, you must understand…” “Garcon, it’s the middle of the night, can we please talk about this another time?” “But Jana, I have to tell you…” Garcon pulled off his hat and the powdered wig beneath, revealing short brown hair. Now she could see in the dim light of the low lantern she had by the bed that sweat was wiping away the face powder Garcon used to lighten his complexion. “Oh my god,” Jana said, cover her mouth with her hand.</blockquote>

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