Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Seravin" data-source="post: 1767649" data-attributes="member: 6783">Stalking CorleanPanther met up with his friends in Thurmaster, though neither chance or luck had anything to do with the meeting.  News traveled fast throughout the county of Haranshire following the bandit attack on Kellron’s Inn.  Upon hearing of it, Panther had quickly dropped what he was doing and hurried to Thurmaster to lend what aid he could.From there the half-elf joined up with his friends when they arrived and the five went onto Corlean together, confident that Tauster would protect the inn for Kellron.  Ironically the five broke into their separate ways immediately upon arriving in the City of Silver.  All agreed to stay in contact but Ashimar, Jallarzi, Kellron, and Kestral felt the need for some time away from the others.  Panther only smiled, shrugged his shoulders philosophically, and set about the city on his own.It would be a conceit to say Panther stalked the streets of Corlean; albeit a conceit that Panther would ascribe to with a laugh and a knowing wink.  It would be more truthful to say that the half-elven bard played with a travern or two during the first seven-day within Corlean and wandered the streets in his free time.  Not that Panther allowed himself much free time.  The muse was upon him and during that brief period he gave some of his most memorable performances.*Those performances stopped when Panther found himself compared to the ‘late’ Imych Thassel.It was late on the sixth day at the tavern called the Black Mug.  Panther rather favored the boisterous crowd that gathered within the main room.  The men and women who frequented the tavern were generally plain-speaking laborers who loaded and unloaded the wagons going through the High Pass.  These people saw much but spoke little to outsiders, but Panther had quickly become a regular.  Even if he hadn’t though his keen hearing allowed him to pick up far more conversations than the local’s suspected.“Play it again!”  Called out Burok, who wasn’t shy about what he liked.  The elderly laborer was Panther’s measure of the room’s mood; if he could please Burok then he knew the room would pick up on the man’s cheer.  Panther nodded at Burok and picked up the tune again.Some minutes later Panther raised his hands at the rooms thunderous applause and left the little makeshift stage to find a drink and a bit of rest before he started all over again.  Seeing that Burok had an empty space next to him, Panther went to sit by his favorite audience member.“You play pretty.”  Noted the elderly human.  “I couldn’t carry a tune if I had a cart and a team to pull it with.”  He snorted.  “It must be that fey blood in you.”Panther had heard the comment before.  Maybe it was true, maybe not; either way the bard didn’t care.  “Could be.”  He admitted to Burok.  The laborer nodded and took a swig.  “I think you play better then that fancy Thassel fellow did.”That perked Panther’s ears up.  “Really?  Did he play here?”“Naw.  Not here.  I was down at The Gaming House and saw him there about a week afore he died.”  The graying man signaled a passing waitress for another drink and so he didn’t see the look on Panther’s face.“Imych Thassel?  Imych Thassel is dead?”  The shock in Panther’s voice was self-evident.“Oh.  Didn’t you know?”Panther shook his head mutely; for the moment he had no words.  Imych Thassel was the most recent winner of the Kerian Bardic contest.  He had won the prized harp and the bards had carried his name throughout all the lands.  And now the bard was dead.“He died about ten days ago, maybe fifteen.”  Burok’s wrinkled face twisted a bit in though then he shrugged.  “Anyway, he’s dead.  They found him in the middle of the street not far from here, not a mark on him.”  Burok paused then chuckled.“What?”  Asked Panther.“Oh.  That bard fellow played The House like he played his harp.”“How so?”“The night I saw him play?  Well I overheard him talking with the manager.  Not that everyone nearby couldn’t hear.  That Imych fellow owed The Gaming House a lot of money and apparently a few other places.  Now none of them can collect.  That can’t even sell that fancy harp of his ‘cause no one can find it.”  Burok chuckled again.  “He left the world happy and in debt.  Can’t say I’d trade places with him, but I know of worse ways to go.”Panther didn’t play again that night; instead he took his leave with an apology and spent the rest of the evening trying to find out what he could about the mysterious death of Imych Thassel and his missing harp.---*I had him roll daily perform checks – it was something like 19, 20, 16, 20, etc…</blockquote>

Verification