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Message: <blockquote data-quote="monboesen" data-source="post: 917518" data-attributes="member: 4647">Without further ado i will go directly to the story. Bear with me if there are many spelling or grammatical errors as english is not my first language.Manolis looked at the scene in surprise. Half hidden from the robbers behind the wagon he could hear Jonas freely offering to help search his wagon for any goods they might want to take. It was about the last thing he would have expected from his large and imposing travel companion even though the other merchants in the caravan had done so. Yet contrary to the violent nature the young man suspected of him, Jonas presented his wares to the ragged bandits as were it the great market in Falston. He did not even complain as they told him that they were going to take it all and drove the goods away in his own wagon.He dismissed the notion that it could be some sort of regional custom in the Warring Kingdoms that he was unaware of, then sudden inspiration struck. Manolis muttered a simple spell and focused his concentration on Jonas and there it was. The telltale aura of mind magic flickered into his sights, the merchant was charmed and as docile as a old cow. Gazing at the other forty or so men and women in the caravan he quickly spotted several other such auras on the fiercest of them. Though Manolis knew that magic was not outlawed in these lands it was strange and exhilarating to see it used, almost flaunted, for such a simple task. But whom among the robbers was the magician and how had he cast the spell without notice. He had not been able to see all of the initial negotiating from his hiding place, but surely he would have recognized the words and gestures of a charm.Unsure of what to do Manolis opted to do nothing. It was not like it was his stuff anyway and what could he really do to deter more than twenty armed men including a skilled magician. So he hung back and waited for the simple charms to expire. Two hours later the merchants were still placing blame, this was done loudly and with plenty of gesturing. Seven of the original nineteen wagons were gone, taken by the robbers. So was all edible and drinkable wares together with anything easily turned to profit. Jonas stood a distance away from the screaming merchants, his forehead creased in thought. In his mind he went over the robbery again and again. No stranger to highway robbery, neither as robber or victim to be honest, he knew something was wrong. There should have been at least threats of fighting and merchants like Bronon and Enich did not just give goods away. At the very least they did not smile and praise the quality of the very same goods while doing so.“You were influenced by magic, I think it is spent by now” Jonas turned to regard the soft spoken youth sourly. Not only were he soft spoken he was also soft looking with a small potbelly and hands that had never seen a days work, honest or otherwise. “So you know magic Manolis, I took you for a forger” he replied and gained some satisfaction in the way the other mans eyes darted around to see if anyone was near enough to hear the words. “Take it easy, out here nobody cares”. Jonas smiled nastily down at the smaller man and hefted his flanged mace “Though it does mean that you have just volunteered to help get my things back”. Manolis looked alarmed up at the merchant “Ehhh”. Jonas registered that the other merchants had become uncharacteristically silent and turned, hoping they had reached some sort of agreement so that they could get to the business of killing robbers. His hopes were immediately shot down. It was not agreement that silenced the men, it was two omnious horsemen coming from further down the road. One a plate and mail clad knight carrying the Sons heart and shield emblem and mounted on a heavily barded horse, the other smaller one clad in dark leathers with a crossbow within easy reach. Red dust from the Broken lands still clung to them and the sweaty horses. Behind him Manolis gave a small simpering sound.</blockquote>

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