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Welcome to the Halmae (updated 2/27/07)


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Whoo hoo! New reader and I just got a project off my desk! Updates for everyone!

Part the Thirty-Third: Addendum
Briefly, an interlude…

Upon the party’s return to Dar Pykos from the Morrin family farm, Anvil and Essela repair to the Temple of Justice, where they have only a few hours to nap before rising again for midnight prayers. But while Essela is asleep within moments of her arrival at the monastery, Anvil finds a letter from Tenacious waiting for him in his cell.

He reads it with efficiency. Then once again. And, having committed its contents to memory, burns it.

For his part, upon returning to Mrs. Blackburn’s (amid much clucking disapproval by the proprietress) Thatch carefully inspects his bedroom for any sign of intrusion. Nothing. Undeterred, he sets a block behind the door, moves his bed to reinforce the block, and places a hair across the window ledge, so he will know if anyone attempts to use that method of entry.

There, thinks the young fighter. That ought to do it.

As Lira ascends to her room, Mrs. Blackburn calls after her. “Oh, I nearly forgot. There was a letter for you.” She hands Lira a small envelope, sealed with Devon’s signet. Lira takes it with a nod, and much to the disappointment of her landlady, continues up the stairs to read the message in the privacy of her own rooms.

**********

And with that, we return to our tale, and the more pressing matters which come to light the following day…
 

spyscribe said:
There, thinks the young fighter. That ought to do it.
Poor Thatch, all afraid of a little romance involving a beautiful young, innocent(?), and (dare I say it?) seductive girl who may or may not be some sort of extra-planar being able to phase through a door without a trace, thus stealing up to his bed and FEASTING UPON HIS SOUL!!!!...... :lol:
 

spyscribe said:
And with that, we return to our tale, and the more pressing matters which come to light the following day…

Is that pressing as in "Rubbing with a hot iron to make one's clothing neat and tidy", or pressing as in "A 16 ton weight has just made you in to humanoid pate"?
 

KidCthulhu said:
Is that pressing as in "Rubbing with a hot iron to make one's clothing neat and tidy", or pressing as in "A 16 ton weight has just made you in to humanoid pate"?
I suspect that it is actually both at the same time. Getting squished with a 32,000 lb. red-hot iron. Kind a like FLCL. Great Show. :)
 

curses

I curse the moment a few hours ago when I decided to take a peek at this thread and thereby put off the paper I have to turn for one of my grad seminars tomorrow!

Great story though and I look forward to more :)
 

Part the Thirty-Fourth
In which: Dennis philosophizes; Reyu’s opinion of humanity drops another notch, and Anvil keeps his diplomacy skills well-hidden.

Thatch and Anvil go to find Neville while the rest of the party waits outside, out of the way of the continuing reconstruction efforts.

Dennis shakes his head. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

“That someone would try to blow up the Mages’ Academy?” Lira asks.

“Well, that too. But I meant that the Temple of Justice would put six people to work investigating the death of a dockworker. People like that—people like me,” he quickly amends, “get killed every night. Just get left in the gutter, maybe someone comes and buries them, maybe not. If Immobile didn’t think this was somehow related to his cases, Randall Cheswick would just be one more disposable person.”

Reyu listens in undisguised shock. “But—” she stammers, her Common unequal to the task of articulating her revulsion of the concept.

“It’s nice that you don’t think so, Reyu,” Dennis assures her. “But, life just isn’t as valuable for everyone as it is for important people.”

Reyu was never predisposed to think particularly highly of humans. Watching the machinations of their justice system has not improved her opinion. Still, she had thought her opinion had reached the point where at least it could fall no further.

It’s probably just as well that Thatch and Anvil return about then.

“What did Neville say?” Essela asks.

“He knows nothing that will assist the workings of Kettenek’s Justice.” Anvil replies.

Taking no chances, the group locates Hadass and sits down with her en masse.

Hadass is, as it turns out, an Ebisite. (The Empire of Ebis is located North of the Darine Peninsula across the narrow straits of Dar Thane.) Although she has adopted Pykosian standards of dress, her dark skin and hair stand out amid the—by and large—fair adventurers—that, and the fact that she’s bundled from head to foot in a large shawl. Although it is only mid-autumn, the girl is clearly used to warmer climes.

Anvil takes point on the questioning. “We are here to speak about Amelia.”

“Why don’t you just leave her alone? Don’t you think she’s been through enough?”

“Ketteneck’s Justice—”

Lira steps forward, cutting Anvil off. “We’re worried about her,” she reassures the girl. “We don’t want anyone else to get hurt, least of all Amelia.” Lira tries to look as non-threatening as possible. Given her stature, it’s unlikely she could look threatening if she tried.

Hadass softens a little. “I don’t know anything that could help you.”

“Tell us anything,” Lira suggests. “Does she have a familiar?”

“Is it creepy and evil?” Thatch whispers to Dennis.

Hadass shakes her head.

“Does she ever talk about the people who hurt her?”

“Not really. She’s pretty quiet.”

“You are her friend, are you not? Surely she would confide in you.”

Lira shoots Anvil a withering look.

“If she did, why would I tell you?”

Reyu, standing quietly in the corner, speaks. “We know what happened in Dar Aego. She needs help.”

Hadass hesitates, and Lira tries again. “We don’t think it’s her fault, but we have to find out what’s going on before it gets worse than it is.”

A long pause.

“Sometimes, when she wants to be alone, she goes into the sewers. I don’t know what she does down there.”

(to be continued…)
 


“Sometimes, when she wants to be alone, she goes into the sewers. I don’t know what she does down there.”

Sneaking into the sewers? *phew* for a second there I thought she was going to do be up to something weird and disturbing ....


:D
 

Into the Woods

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