The Ancient Paths - Path I

[hippocrachus]

~ Dowkan ~

"Aye! Ye agreed t'help her then? Good on ye!" he slaps Dowkan on the shoulder, but coughs politely when some of the ale is spilled from the sudden jolt. "There're them that went fer t'searchin' out tha wizard o' yers in the caves tha said there was a fine vein of mithril ore to be had by an aspirin' enty-pruner like meself in there. If'n ye go back there, ye hava looksie aroun' fer me? Maybe I can get a bit o' it fer free like, instead o' havin' t'deal with them durned merchants. I'll cut ye a break on any o' me wares fer it, and maybe throw in a bit o' the profits!" Sunder gives Dowkan a hopeful look. It really isn't asking a lot from the younger mercenary, but Sunder probably still thinks Dowkan has a reason to be mad at him...

~ Nae'talis & Sabriel ~

"That's it then," she states more than asks. "Well, you can run back to Silverymoon and tell Lady Enellienen I'm busy with important matters." She purposefully leaves out the title of "High Harper." Nobody with nosy ears should be rewarded with information about the Harpers if it can be helped. Syrriel doesn't look pleased that Sabriel is so forthcoming; among other things. "I will return when my duties here in Silverdown are complete..."
Nae'talis enters the Surreal Harpist just in time to interrupt the two womens' exchange. Syrriel gives him a look that borders between a glare and a welcoming smile. It's obvious to the wizard that he interrupted Syrriel in a tight spot.
"Of course you're welcome to stay here in Silverdown! Whoever heard of a traveler asking permission..." she trails off with a laugh for both of them.

 

[Legildur]

Dowkan looks seriously at the old dwarf. "I dunno 'bou that....." starts Dowkan, shaking his head slightly from side to side. "Of course I will ya ol' goat!" he adds with a gruff grin and a hearty slap to the shoulder of Sunder. "But you'd best get me a decent pick like to dig som' out should I find som'."

"To old mates finding riches," he adds, spitting into his palm and holding it out for Sunder to shake to seal the deal.

 

[kirinke]

~ Dowkan ~
"That's it then," she states more than asks. "Well, you can run back to Silverymoon and tell Lady Enellienen I'm busy with important matters." She purposefully leaves out the title of "High Harper." Nobody with nosy ears should be rewarded with information about the Harpers if it can be helped. Syrriel doesn't look pleased that Sabriel is so forthcoming; among other things. "I will return when my duties here in Silverdown are complete..."
Nae'talis enters the Surreal Harpist just in time to interrupt the two womens' exchange. Syrriel gives him a look that borders between a glare and a welcoming smile. It's obvious to the wizard that he interrupted Syrriel in a tight spot.
"Of course you're welcome to stay here Silverdown! Whoever heard of a traveler asking permission..." she trails off with a laugh for both of them.

"Aye," she said smoothly. "But permission to go is sometimes harder to get once the road is blocked," she said, her tone clear that she wasn't going to give up so easily and for the elf in front of her, easy to read the conversation under the lines. "Perhaps we can catch up on the past ten years my old friend, it has been awhile," she said, knowing the elf would catch the hint that she was willing to listen to what the rogue harper had to say before she made any decisions. After all, she may be brushed aside, but others won't and it would be easier to go along with the young human, than what may come after her.

Sabriel grinned at the harper, easily hiding the tension beneath a mask of youth and cheerfulness. "Anyway, I'm hungry and parched. Anyplace to take care of both those problems?"

 

[Majin]

Nae'talis looks back and forth between the two women before deciding he did not care what they were on about as he proceeded further into the room. "I have come for the items I left in your charge. I trust they've been properly divined?"

Pausing a moment he begrudgedly adds, "The pardon you've issued me... was appreciated... but puzzling. Why did you do it?" he asks plainly, looking the elven bard in the eyes.

 

[hippocrachus]

~ Dowkan ~

"Aye, let me get ye a pick!" Sunder says, shaking Dowkan's hand vigorously. Sunder instead gets a chisel and hammer for Dowkan. A pick may prove cumbersome in the long run, and Sunder really only needs a small sample for proof of its quality.
Sunder will drink and chat with Dowkan as long as the young mercenary likes; discussing plans for the future of Sunder's Smithy and hiring some miners if the ore works out.

~ Nae'talis & Sabriel ~

Syrriel looks from Sabriel to Nae'talis with the beginnings of a plan showing on her features.
"You'll be glad to know Dowkan arrived here safely while your trial was taking place," she says to the wizard, not thinking he'd care either way. "Sabriel, this is Nae'talis. A Thayan wizard." She manages to make Thayan sound like murder. "Nae'talis, this is Sabriel. She is a student of lore from Silverymoon; she's dropped by to say hello. No doubt she is very happy for me and my new responsibilities." She manages to make that sound like a command. "Let me go retrieve your things, Nae'talis..."
Syrriel leaves the two considering how easily she just ignored their questions. One way to gain the upper-hand in a conversation is to simply pretend the other person doesn't exist.

 

[Legildur]

Dowkan slips the hammer and chisel into his belt and turns his mind back to the real business - Sunder's ale! Knowing that the others will find him once they are done - assuming they are not in jail - Dowkan sets about chatting with ol' Sunder and drinking his ale until he is quietly sloshed (unless he is interrupted, of course).

 

[kirinke]

"Elves. Never met one that wasn't full of themselves," Sabriel muttered, low enough that only the wizard could hear her. "I have a feeling this stop by is going to take longer than I thought," she looked at the wizard.

"Well met Sirrah Nae'talis," she said politely, "I am Sabriel Imaide as Syrriel has already said." she grinned ruefully. "I'm afraid, I may need to find a place to stay the night. Does this town have something resembling an inn?" she asked, hoping that there would be. If not, it wouldn't be the first time she camped out under the stars.

A Thayan wizard in the SilverMarches? Hmmm. I suspect I should keep an eye on him, see if he's up to anything, but on the otherhand, it does no good to make an enemy where there really isn't one to begin with. Sabriel thought herself.

 

[ae1vart0n]

Taking the opportunity afforded by the conversations going on, Hildor decided he had had enough. He walked quietly, toward the door only stopping to be mindlessly kicked in the shin by Wizzop. Apparently his luck was failing once again.

His next stop would be to return to Silverymoon and check on his old friend Radcliff, and to tell him what had become of his errand.

Spoiler

The end.

 

[hippocrachus]

~ Hildor ~

Hildor walks off into the sunset, never to be heard from again.

 

[Majin]

"Yes, there is one," Nae'talis replies, offhandedly. "If you could call it that," he adds, recalling his short stay in the makeshift inn that had been assembled rather hastily.