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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 2338433" data-attributes="member: 2323">[PLAIN][Realms #313] Southward, Ho![/PLAIN]Sunday, the 29th of Reaping - Moonsday, the 1st of GoodmonthThey headed back along the Eginnion Road toward Flavonshire and the mountain passes beyond. The centaurs did not like entering the civilized lands of men and their leader, Brynzin Bri, balked at the idea of heading into Pellham through the heavily garrisoned and fortified toll gate in Bandit Pass. They would lead the VQS into Olven Vale and along the old trade road through the Altan Tepes depositing them on the other side well within Pellham. That way, they would only need to pass through a single human settlement high in the mountains: Relfren.Ledare smiled sadly at that. Ruze would have really enjoyed this trip given his love for Emerald Moon Cheese, Relfren's chief export. If only he'd lived long enough to make the journey...They were camped for the night inside the ruins of an open-air caravanserai when one of the centaurs who had been on patrol duty thundered into the compound Karak looked up from his barbecued coney as she regarded the dwarf and the half-elf, settling to a walk as she entered the radius of the firelight."What is it, Zerry?" Ledare asked from her spot near the fire where she and Karak were divvying up what gear Vade and Morier had left behind; Feln was at the rear of the compound practicing his martial techniques. Behind the centaur, the Janissary spotted eyes reflecting light near the gate - probably a wolf - and her hand crept easily toward Ravager's hilt."Visitors," the centaur answered and two figures dismounted from her equine back. One was tall with skin as black as coal. Light glittered off the numerous rings that pierced both ears. He wore some impractical armor and carried a shortspear in one hand. The other figure was shorter - most likely an elf - and carried no weapons. He removed his wide-brimmed traveler's hat, allowing firelight to paint his papery-white features in orange and red."Morier!" Ledare exclaimed jumping to her feet. She rushed forward and crushed the albino in an embrace."Oi!" Karak bellowed, wiping grease from his lips as he got to his feet."I thought you were dead!" Ledare yelled as she planted an uncharacteristic kiss on the albino's cheek. Seeing the affection being handed out, Huzair stepped up quickly and flashed Ledare his best smile."How are you, lovely lady?" he grinned smoothly. Before Ledare could respond, Karak stamped up and pointed his waraxe at Huzair."Oi! Who be you, black skin?" he demanded. The wizard gave ground and turned the axe away from his face, touching the weapon with two fingers as if it disgusted him to come in contact with it at all."My name is Huzair," he said. "And I am a wizard of no small skill. A Magus of the Fourth Circle." Karak looked at him blankly."He is a friend, Karak," Morier told the dwarf. "I've known him for years.""But what are you doing out here?" Ledare asked the dark-skinned wizard. "How did you find Morier?""Ah, it was my master, Garan-Zak, who scried upon your party in search of Morier," Huzair explained, throwing a companionable arm around the albino. "Our masters are close friends who adventured together long ago. Which reminds me..." The mage opened his traveler's purse and began removing parcels of various sizes."How did the two of you find us?" Ledare asked Morier. She placed a hand on his arm as if half-expecting him to be a phantom."That would be Lela's doing," the eldritch warrior told her, turning toward the gate where Wolf had been waiting. "She and Wolf were-" Gone.Feln lumbered out of the shadows with Wolf at his side. Lela was sitting on the half-ogre's over-broad shoulder with a smile on her face that Morier could see from twenty feet away. She'd found her giant."It is good to see you survived, Morier," Feln said simply. But there was something in his tone that indicated he might be harboring some other feelings toward the elf: resentment perhaps or jealousy. After all, Morier had succeeded where Feln had failed... Whatever the case, Huzair defused the moment with gifts."We looked at a few simple things you were lacking," the wizard said and handed a small hinged box to Ledare. She accepted it with bemused gratitude and found within a silver dove pin."This holy symbol is from a fallen comrade," Huzair explained."It meant something to Garan-Zak and he hoped it would mean something to you." He stepped up to Feln and handed him a bundle of cloth and furs."My big friend, here are some clothes to journey in," he said as he handed him the clothing. "No man likes to see an ogre naked. It's disheartening to the rest of us."Huzair looked next at Karak and wrankled at the dwarf's dubious stare. As he reached into his magical bag and retrieved a potion, he looked at Ledare and said, "Here is a potion of hair restoration. Careful how you use it, though. You don't want a messy beard growing, now do you?"Karak scowled and touched the recently shorn lengths of his own beard. It was two short by half.With a smile and a wink, Huzair added, "Give the dwarf what is left for his beard. Can't have a dwarf with half a beard now can we?" He paused and reached into his bag one last time, pulling out a handful of cigars and offering them to the party. Only after everyone declined did he put one in his mouth and light up using a flame that danced on his thumb. After puffing on the cigar a bit through clenched white teeth he grinned enthusiastically and said, "So mates, where are we off to?"</blockquote>

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