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<blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 827893" data-attributes="member: 2323">[PLAIN][Realms #215a] Conspiracy Theories[/PLAIN]&quot;If I want to leave, I will leave,&quot; Finian said after the door had closed on the Constable. Ledare regarded the Archer quizzically.&quot;What was that all about?&quot; she asked.&quot;I think he was talking to all of you, Janissary,&quot; Rherram explained without looking up from his patient. He was working on the crossbow wound to Draelond's chest, and the warrior looked very pale as the healer slathered the puncture with salve. Ledare considered the man's words for a moment and then nodded.&quot;That could be,&quot; she admitted before turning her penetrating, if a little bleary, gaze on Ixin. &quot;Why was that man, Tobrannon, surprised to see a Janissary, Ixin? Is there more to this than you are telling us?&quot;&quot;No!&quot; the mage asserted. &quot;At least I don't think so... I only met the man for the first time earlier today.&quot;&quot;Not to butt in,&quot; Rherram interrupted, &quot;but we don't see many Janissaries in Strenchburg Junction. Passing through, certainly, but not wandering around in the rain in the middle of the night. I could be wrong, but that may have contributed to Goodman Tobrannon's surprise.&quot;Ledare thought on this possibility, all the while studying Ixin for any sign that the woman was lying. Ixin, for her part, seemed to honestly be going over the details that she knew for anything pertinent that she hadn't shared with the others. After a moment of this uncomfortable silence, Finian spoke up. &quot;Perhaps the girl's father and the guard will want to go back to the caves with us tomorrow.&quot; he suggested then added, &quot;I am concerned he will not wait.&quot;&quot;A valid fear given his apparent state of mind,&quot; Ruze said as he stripped off the last of his scale mail and let it fall heavily to the floor. &quot;Why not go and try talking some sense into him?&quot; The Archer nodded and turned to the Janissary.&quot;Ledare, come and help me,&quot; he said bounding to his feet and moving toward the door. &quot;You can explain that we will help them tomorrow much better than I can.&quot;&quot;I am in no shape to do anything other than to find a soft bed, and rest,&quot; the half-elf told him with a wince of pain. She clutched her stomach. &quot;Well, maybe a warm meal first... I feel like Ruze!&quot;The Battleguard chuckled wearily. &quot;I don't think I'd make a very good meal just now, kitten,&quot; he jested. &quot;Although I daresay that I've been tenderized quite thoroughly this night.&quot;Finian hesitated at the door, ignoring the cleric's attempt at levity. &quot;I want to stop Lent and tell him that we'll go back with him once we're healed,&quot; he said, his face conflicted. &quot;I understand if he does not want to wait, but we should at least offer.&quot;&quot;Oh sh*t!&quot; Ixin cursed suddenly and moved toward the door in a flurry. As she passed Finian she added, &quot;Come on! We've got to try to stop him!&quot; They disappeared out into the rain and as the door slammed shut behind them, Ledare turned and glowered at the Battleguard.&quot;There's something that Ixin's not telling us,&quot; the Janissary muttered and Ruze merely shrugged. She turned to Rherram and asked, &quot;Why would anyone want this girl, Nilia? What else do we know about her?&quot;&quot;Very little, I'm afraid,&quot; the healer told her as he finished up with Draelond. &quot;Nilia travels with Goodman Tobrannon's caravan. Her father, Den Lent, is second in command. She's also very ugly - or so I'm told. I've never met her personally and I've heard nothing else of note about her. Perhaps Jisselleen has heard more.&quot;At mention of the wetnurse, Ledare's expression grew darkly serious. &quot;What news of the baby and Jisselleen?&quot; she asked and Rherram waved away her concern.&quot;They've been asleep since before the caravaneers brought Den Lent in,&quot; the healer told her with a smile. &quot;I checked in on them shortly before you all arrived and they were sleeping yet.&quot;&quot;I'm worried the creatures that dropped out of the sky are looking for me and are not related to your current problems at all,&quot; Ixin explained to Finian as the two hurried across the muddy yard toward the cart path. In the rainy distance, they could see the knot of townspeople moving down the hill that led toward Merchant's Way and eventualy southward into Strenchburg Junction.&quot;What?&quot; the Archer asked. &quot;Why would someone be looking for you?&quot;&quot;Do you remember me saying that I was trying to get out of my old life?&quot; she asked and the Archer nodded. &quot;Well, I'm afraid that my old life wants to pull be back in. And with the possibility that the men and women that dropped from the sky with their swords may have been from the gang family I was in, I feel more responsible than ever for getting Nilia.&quot;&quot;Gang family?&quot; Finian asked skeptically, having no idea what Ixin was talking about.&quot;They likely figured they could lure me out with an attack on an innocent,&quot; she said, her face growing angry at the thought. She bared her teeth in a dangerous grin as she added, &quot;Well, they were right.&quot;The two caught up to the group of peasants and stopped talking as they pushed their way onward through the throng. Before too long they spotted Tobrannon and Fat Gurnie and between them was Den Lent. Finian called out to him and the three men turned to regard them darkly.&quot;Ah... my champion.&quot; Tobrannon said the word as if it tasted bad to him.&quot;What do you want?!&quot; Lent growled. His gray hair hung over his eyes in wet ropes.&quot;Sir, I would like to accompany you on your quest,&quot; Ixin said and Lent shook his quarterstaff at her.&quot;You had your chance, demoness!&quot; the man sneered. &quot;I don't need your help.&quot;Ixin smiled, undaunted by Lent's gruff attitude. &quot;It is possible I know these creatures that attacked the caravanserai and I may have some ideas about how they might proceed. I only want to help.&quot;Lent's face softened at her words, but his eyes remained skeptical. &quot;Really?&quot; he asked cautiously.&quot;Really,&quot; Ixin said.More to come...</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Jon Potter, post: 827893, member: 2323"] [b][PLAIN][Realms #215a] Conspiracy Theories[/PLAIN][/b] "If I want to leave, I will leave," Finian said after the door had closed on the Constable. Ledare regarded the Archer quizzically. "What was that all about?" she asked. "I think he was talking to all of you, Janissary," Rherram explained without looking up from his patient. He was working on the crossbow wound to Draelond's chest, and the warrior looked very pale as the healer slathered the puncture with salve. Ledare considered the man's words for a moment and then nodded. "That could be," she admitted before turning her penetrating, if a little bleary, gaze on Ixin. "Why was that man, Tobrannon, surprised to see a Janissary, Ixin? Is there more to this than you are telling us?" "No!" the mage asserted. "At least I don't think so... I only met the man for the first time earlier today." "Not to butt in," Rherram interrupted, "but we don't see many Janissaries in Strenchburg Junction. Passing through, certainly, but not wandering around in the rain in the middle of the night. I could be wrong, but that may have contributed to Goodman Tobrannon's surprise." Ledare thought on this possibility, all the while studying Ixin for any sign that the woman was lying. Ixin, for her part, seemed to honestly be going over the details that she knew for anything pertinent that she hadn't shared with the others. After a moment of this uncomfortable silence, Finian spoke up. "Perhaps the girl's father and the guard will want to go back to the caves with us tomorrow." he suggested then added, "I am concerned he will not wait." "A valid fear given his apparent state of mind," Ruze said as he stripped off the last of his scale mail and let it fall heavily to the floor. "Why not go and try talking some sense into him?" The Archer nodded and turned to the Janissary. "Ledare, come and help me," he said bounding to his feet and moving toward the door. "You can explain that we will help them tomorrow much better than I can." "I am in no shape to do anything other than to find a soft bed, and rest," the half-elf told him with a wince of pain. She clutched her stomach. "Well, maybe a warm meal first... I feel like Ruze!" The Battleguard chuckled wearily. "I don't think I'd make a very good meal just now, kitten," he jested. "Although I daresay that I've been tenderized quite thoroughly this night." Finian hesitated at the door, ignoring the cleric's attempt at levity. "I want to stop Lent and tell him that we'll go back with him once we're healed," he said, his face conflicted. "I understand if he does not want to wait, but we should at least offer." "Oh sh*t!" Ixin cursed suddenly and moved toward the door in a flurry. As she passed Finian she added, "Come on! We've got to try to stop him!" They disappeared out into the rain and as the door slammed shut behind them, Ledare turned and glowered at the Battleguard. "There's something that Ixin's not telling us," the Janissary muttered and Ruze merely shrugged. She turned to Rherram and asked, "Why would anyone want this girl, Nilia? What else do we know about her?" "Very little, I'm afraid," the healer told her as he finished up with Draelond. "Nilia travels with Goodman Tobrannon's caravan. Her father, Den Lent, is second in command. She's also very ugly - or so I'm told. I've never met her personally and I've heard nothing else of note about her. Perhaps Jisselleen has heard more." At mention of the wetnurse, Ledare's expression grew darkly serious. "What news of the baby and Jisselleen?" she asked and Rherram waved away her concern. "They've been asleep since before the caravaneers brought Den Lent in," the healer told her with a smile. "I checked in on them shortly before you all arrived and they were sleeping yet." "I'm worried the creatures that dropped out of the sky are looking for me and are not related to your current problems at all," Ixin explained to Finian as the two hurried across the muddy yard toward the cart path. In the rainy distance, they could see the knot of townspeople moving down the hill that led toward Merchant's Way and eventualy southward into Strenchburg Junction. "What?" the Archer asked. "Why would someone be looking for you?" "Do you remember me saying that I was trying to get out of my old life?" she asked and the Archer nodded. "Well, I'm afraid that my old life wants to pull be back in. And with the possibility that the men and women that dropped from the sky with their swords may have been from the gang family I was in, I feel more responsible than ever for getting Nilia." "Gang family?" Finian asked skeptically, having no idea what Ixin was talking about. "They likely figured they could lure me out with an attack on an innocent," she said, her face growing angry at the thought. She bared her teeth in a dangerous grin as she added, "Well, they were right." The two caught up to the group of peasants and stopped talking as they pushed their way onward through the throng. Before too long they spotted Tobrannon and Fat Gurnie and between them was Den Lent. Finian called out to him and the three men turned to regard them darkly. "Ah... my champion." Tobrannon said the word as if it tasted bad to him. "What do you want?!" Lent growled. His gray hair hung over his eyes in wet ropes. "Sir, I would like to accompany you on your quest," Ixin said and Lent shook his quarterstaff at her. "You had your chance, demoness!" the man sneered. "I don't need your help." Ixin smiled, undaunted by Lent's gruff attitude. "It is possible I know these creatures that attacked the caravanserai and I may have some ideas about how they might proceed. I only want to help." Lent's face softened at her words, but his eyes remained skeptical. "Really?" he asked cautiously. "Really," Ixin said. [SIZE=3][B][I]More to come...[/I][/B][I][/I][/SIZE] [/QUOTE]

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