The Ancient Paths - Path I

[kirinke]

Sabriel thanked the halfling and Syrriel herself before taking some crackers and the proffered cheese and eating them with real pleasure.

"Syrriel, you yourself have said that it is most quiet before a big storm and from what I remember from my studies, aren't kobolds cowards for the most part? It would take a strong will to get them to attack a town like this, they're more likely to pick off a few wanderers than storm anything," she shook her head and swallowed another bit of cheese and washed it down with some tea Wizzop helpfully provided.

"I dunno, I guess staying here and making sure that the town is safe leaving is alot more important than haring off to SilveryMoon." she sighed.

 

[hippocrachus]

~ Sabriel ~

Sabriel notices Syrriel glance at her quickly out of the corner of her eye.
"Yes, exactly."
Wizzop sits down on an ottoman, chomping loudly on a green apple.
"I've never been to Silverymoon before. I've spent most of my life in the Dalelands, out west. I hear Silverymoon is a splendid city though; that's where I was headed before I found a need for my services here in Silverdown! This place is practically a safe haven after crossing through Anauroch. I don't suppose many merchants travel all the way from Dagger Falls to Silverymoon though; what with all the bandits along the roads. You don't suppose the bandits helped the kobolds, do you? That would explain why the kobolds ventured so far from their hiding place. Do you think Nae'talis and the others will go back to the caves now that Hildor's gone...?" Syrriel turns her head sharply to look at Wizzop.
"Gone where?"
"I saw him walking down the road towards Silverymoon. He's a quiet fellow, isn't he? Seems nice enough. He helped me polish the display cases..." Syrriel chews her lip while Wizzop goes on about random things. The difference between a talkative gnome and a talkative halfling is that a gnome knows what he's talking about.

 

[Dhes]

Hrolf noods his thanks to masters Harad, before leaving to join Dowkan and Nae’talis. ”What is this work we’ve been tasked with?”

 

[Legildur]

"I dunno what's really goin' on 'bouts here, but somethin' be afoot," starts Dowkan, taking a nearby seat and making himself comfortable across from the cleric and wizard. "No Hildor? We can get him up to speed later if you two see things ta same way as me."

"Anyways, backs to whats I was sayin'. Braggi got me guardin' you Hrolf, right? So he must be expectin' ya to be goin' off and doin' stuff. With me so far?"

"And things been pretty weird 'round here. From what's I've heard, Braggi gots you lot to clear out that ogre and make a start on the kobolds in the cave."

"Then there's me 'experience' with the not-Hrolf thing and landin' in the caves again."

"Now that I think back on that, that not-Hrolf thing had me dead by rights, yet here's I be. I 'twas following not-Hrolf towards the caves. 'Twas only when I turned backs to Silverdown that he jumped me. It's got me to thinking that there's more to that cave and that I was meant to be there for somethin'. And the Tyrran guards were all slain when I cames out of 'em. Ya see where I'm goin' with this?"

"This place, Silverdown and nearbies, has a long histry 'bout magics and stuff. I be reckoning that the caves are somethin' special."

"I also reckon that whatever it is, it probably ain't real good for Silverdown, and I'm expectin' that Hrolf here be a lookin' out for Silverdown."

"So what I reckons, is that we gear up, we heads back to them caves, and we check the whole thing out good and proper."

"What say yaas?"

 

[kirinke]

Sabriel looks thoughtful. "Well. About the only reason why you're here is to make sure that Silverdown is safe and you won't leave until it is right? And it's not like I can 'make' you do anything. I mean, you could wipe the floor with me no problem." she grinned impishly.

"Well, in order to bring you in like I'm supposed to do, I guess the right thing to do is help you." she leaned back. "The sooner Silverdown is safe, the sooner you'll be willing to go with me back to SilveryMoon." she bit into a small wedge of cheese and chewed thoughtfully. "Question is, how am I supposed to help you?"

 

[hippocrachus]

~ Sabriel ~

Syrriel ignores the aasimar's obsequiousness, but brightens at her conveniently placed, insightful question.
"I do not know. Truly a dilemma," she says in a monotone. Somewhere in the distance, the sound of a third wall being broken is heard. "Maybe you could join the party going to investigate the caves..."

 

[Dhes]

Hrolf quietly listens to Dowkan’s torrent of information. He is more than puzzled to hear that Dowkan was following what appears to be a clone of himself that almost lead to the dwarves demise. ”If we really are going back into the caves, we should check with lady Syrriel first, I’m sure she has the supplies we need.” Wanting to find out more about this “not-Hrolf” as fast as possible, the cleric turns on his heels and walk to Syrriel’s quarters.

 

[Majin]

Nae'talis' eyes stare, downcast at the floor, as he scratches his chin thoughtfully, a less than cheerful look on his face as he considered the implications of staying nearby any longer. "I can't say I'm thrilled at the prospect of sticking around here too much longer, but the situation that you've experienced intrigues me. I am willing to remain for a short while yet..."

 

[hippocrachus]

~ Hrolf & Sabriel ~

Syrriel stares at Sabriel expectantly - if she were less refined, she might be on the edge of her seat - until Hrolf barges into the room causing her ward against eavesdropping to dissipate. She turns to the cleric with her mouth agape, but quickly closes it when she realizes. Syrriel obviously didn't think the cleric would be joining her again this day.
"Hrolf! What a pleasant surprise!" she says a bit too enthusiastically. She had hoped by explaining the situation to Dowkan, the one least likely to ask any more than the most pragmatic questions, that the dwarf would be able to convince the others without them coming to ask her more questions. She worked very hard to collect the information she has and still doesn't know all there is, something she isn't happy about admitting to - even to herself, and everyone seems to want to pick her brain.
I need to get out of here, she thinks to herself, before someone thinks to ask how I know so much...

 

[kirinke]

The silver-haired bard turned to the stranger. "Hello," she said politely, for lack of anything better to say.