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Message: <blockquote data-quote="megamania" data-source="post: 958455" data-attributes="member: 9255">UNDER A DARKSUNSEGMENT 084“New Allies”“Oh well that was expected.  Mr. –too old for me to hit- says no to me but allows the two of you in.”Mania and Cosa look to the doorway and see the song writer before them.  Though completely annoyed, she has a big smile on her face.  “I thought you had left already” comments Cosa.  “No, I’m still looking for song, adventure and legendary characters.  Two out of three isn’t bad.  Still looking for adventure however.  How about you Mania?” she says looking directly him.“You are mistaken.  Thankyou for the compliment.  It is not everyday one is compared to the all-mighty, handsome hero of the free world.” A quiet gasp of air escapes him as Cosa elbows him again.  “If you please, we have work to do.”The bard steps aside and gives a bow.  A knowing smile on her face the entire time.  She leaves after watching the couple go down the street into the growing crowd.  The old man steps inside.  He looks at the pyreen with concern.  “Yes, she will be troublesome but not in the way you expect.” Says Kara.  She then smiles and turns back to her retreat.Mania and Cosa see some activity ahead.  They move into the crowd and see a ½ Giant lying on the ground.  He is asleep and several elves are circling him.  Mania is not amused.  The elves see him as both amusement and a means of money.  While three of them are mocking the sleeping giant, a fourth elf is working the crowd.  Worse yet, Mania recognizes the of tribe of one elf.  He belongs to the elven tribe that “rescued” him a short month or so ago.  He turns to tell Cosa this but can not find her.  “uh-oh!”Suddenly one elf yells and begins to scratch and claw at his clothes.  The other two stare in bewilderment.  They then see that the ½ giant has awoken.  “uh-oh!”“Ahhhh!   Dirty Elves!” He yells and sits up quickly.  His 10ft frame allows him to stare into the eyes of many of the watchers in the circle.  The first elf is now running away tearing off clothes still yelping in pain.  The two by the ½ giant give him more room but maintain their distractionary tactics.  The fourth has stopped picking pockets and now is searching for the cause of the new disruption.Cosa.Both can see her wriggling her fingers in hair as if to scratch at an itch.  In truth, she is tickling the first elf and effectivly driving him crazy.  She has not seen the rogue.  Nor his Widow’s Bite.  Mania sees the short poisoned blade favored by several elven tribes in his hand.  Mania trys to do something he never has before.  He trys to mentally engage another person, another mind.  In works in that the rogue is no longer targeting her.  He now targets Mania.With his eyes closed trying to concentrate, Mania appears to be an easy target.  The rogue positions himself then strikes!  “Ahhh!”  Mania grasps his hand holding the knife before it hits him.  “Boo!”  The rogue runs dropping his knife.  Mania steps onto it covering it up.  As people move their attention from the elf to him he simply shrugs and acts as if he is watching the ½ Giant.“Ahhh!  Goes away! Yells the ½ Giant.  Seeing their leader, the rogue, has fled, they do likewise. A satisfided smile crosses the large humaniod’s face.Cosa returns to Mania’s side.  “Him?”“Yes.  I know the elves that he was contending with.  We need to help him and in return he can help us.”Cosa notices the change in Mania.  Is he accepting his destiny finally?  The crowd disperses leaving the ½ Giant alone.  He looks at his bags and finds several things missing.  “Darn theiving elves” he grumbles.  Then he sees a tall long shadow before.  “Back for more…?”  He looks and sees Mania.  “Hello.  My name to Scot.  What is your name?”“Ugh…” The ½ Giant looks hard at Mania trying to decide if he is a new threat.  Then a big toothy grin grows on his face. "Named Stonecrusher.  Some call me Stone.  Others Crusher.   Hmmm.  Some even Stonecrusher." “Hungry?”  “Yeah!”After thirty minutes of  food consumption  and Mania reliezing how expensive feeding him would be they agree to help each other.  During this time Cosa is searching for a cleric.  They were going to need one…may two or three.  She traveled far and wide hitting every camp and tavern but finds none.  Discouraged, she goes back to the agreed meeting place.  Unknown to her, the ½ elf bard is following her.Stonecrusher and his new bestest friend- Scot, are waiting just inside the cavern where Salt View is hidden.  “Oh pretty lady.  You go with us to find goodies?”  Cosa shots a look at Mania.  He was not susposed to tell him where they were going!  Not until outside of the tent city anyway.Stonecrusher growls suddenly and menencily.  Mania and Cosa follow his eyes to a spot hidden in shadows.  “I mean no harm.” Comes a soft elven voice.  Out steps a dirty and dusty elf dressed in robes of a drab dull color.  “I am Dessantee.  I could not help but hear you speak of your journey.  I too wish to go there.”Cosa looks him over and sees he has an emblem depicting either sand or silt.  Could he be…a cleric?  Mania looks at him and is uncertain about him.  However, he knows his encounters with elves may be making him distrustful of them.  He decides to listen to him.  Stonecrusher stares hard at the elf whom ignores him.“I would offer my abilities and talents in return of a fair share of anything…found while we look for your desired goods.  I am quite aquainted with the area as it is covered by inland silt seas.”Still uncertain whether to trust him, Mania decides to continue the conversation in a more well lit area where he can see if he has any friends with him.The unlikely foursome make camp just outside of the area.  They can watch the tent-city without being within it or pay to be within it.  Each person takes a turn watching over the others.  Whether the elf knows or not is uncertain, but Mania never sleeps during his watch.  Cosa seems to be trusting him but Stonecrusher obviously dosen’t and he is uncertain to or not.During Mania’s watch he sees a figure walk up the camp boldly.  It is the bard.  “Hello”“Hello songwriter.  Nice night for a walk.  Keep walking.”“You know ‘Scot’, that is your name right?  You know, I figure you to be either Mania or his fun lovin’ twin.  I’m figuring Mania personally.  So much so, that if you don’t allow me to travel with you, I’ll go back to Salt View and tell everyone that Mania is here and going into Bodach to find an artifact.”</blockquote>

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