Dragon Age: Prelude to Chaos

[SteffiSyndrom]

Ruth's eyes widened for a second or two. - The Blooming Rose ... why haven't I thought of that before?! Probably because whenever I did visit I was occupied with other things. - she grinned lightly at the thought.

"The Blooming Rose ... obvious as that Templar over there and yet I haven't even considered it. Thank you!" Ruth smiled and finished her cheap rum as well and then turned to Lianna again. "You do, ah? Well ... it's not like there's anything better to do, so count me in. The crew and stuff will take a while anyways, so might as well have some treasure hunting fun before that," she answered the elf and ordered herself, Lianna and Wind another round of drinks.

"How did you end up here anyways, if you don't mind my asking," she went on with the conversation, leaning back in her seat.

"With you, it might be obvious," she said turning her head to Wind with a smile. "But I'm sure it's quite the story, too. In fact ... you remind me of someone. A lot," she paused to remember Zevran for a second and the smile went a little wider. "Correct me if I am wrong, but you like the ... assassin type? Maybe a ... crow?" she whispered the last word, making it sound mysterious. She didn't want to give away her thoughts about his origin and occupation in front of Lianna. Not that she didn't trust the red haired elf but she figured it was his desicion to give away information concerning himself.

[Deleted6317247User]

The guard let the poor man go and for a moment stared at him dumbly. "I am the Kirkwall guard," He finally said "and I was dragging you to a healer." The guard added. "Or would you rather I leave you in your cozy corner?"

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Lianna looked at Ruth and smiled. "Just sight-seeing. Nothing too interesting." She said unsure whether the question was directed at her or not. Even if it wasn't, she won't need to ask the same question later.

 

She then looked at Wind. "Assassin type, eh?" The red-haired elf smiled. "How very interesting."

[Macman253]

Wind smiles and drinks his rum down, he sets the empty mug down and looks into her eyes. "I am not a member of the Crows." He said with a slight smirk and a trusting wink. He was partially telling the truth. His eyes moved back to the Templar but after a short moment he returned them to Lianna. He couldn't shake the feeling that she was familiar to him. He shrugged it off and returned his eyes to Ruth.

 

"The Blooming Rose is nearly always a good place to recruit... if you can get them out of the arms of the workers there." Wind quipped as the waitress delivered the drinks Ruth had ordered. He scooped up his and took a long drink of it.

[Alaylyne]

Seeing how quick the woman was to recruit people she didn't know anything about, Alaila suspected there would be no troubles joining her crew. She wasn't without her skills and a healer - an herbalist, that is; she won't give away her magical abilities - is a practical person to have around, especially on a ship. She just needed to approach her when she was alone, there were far too many people around. Not to mention that templar. For now, she was just an elf quietly enjoying her tea.

Eventually the older bartender she was waiting for appeared and the ginger gave him the conconctions along with a few herbs and payed for her drink from the money he gave her, finishing it in one sip. She had a plan and work to do. How to get out of this city without attraction anybody's attention. It will require some risk, but being away from the templars on a ship is not a high price to pay.

 

Neatly setting the mug down on the counter, the elf picked up her now empty basket and exited the tavern, heading back to her house.

 

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Few hours later, as arranged, the man was sitting in a small tavern in the very corner of the room, hood over most of his face and smoking a pipe. The hawk was sternly placed next to his master on a chair, not minding the smoke as his sharp eye watched everyone who dared pass too close by. A few minutes after sitting down, a young waitress soon made her way to the man's table, bringing him his drink.

 

"Your ale, sir. And a message."

 

The ranger paid no attention to the woman which simply left after gathering the coin he'd prepared on the table, reaching for the message first, unwrapping the little paper:

 

"I was not disappointed by your little show, Wolf. It's what they called you back in the Anderfels, right? You needn't persume hostility towards me just because poked around first. But I see you are as ruthless as the rumors say, and I can say I'm glad. The money will be waiting for you at the regular checkpoint, and I have a new job, if you're interested. I am willing to pay whichever sum you deem satisfying should you be able to accomplish this little job for me. It doesn't involve assassination, but retrieving a precious little something. Should anyone stand in your way, you're the best in disposing unwanted company. Should you be interested, I will find you at the same spot when I first contracted you within five days."

 

The Anders crumpled the message and put it in his pipe, burning the paper. Whichever sum, hmm? Now that must be something really big the contracter wants. No doubt there will be people after it, as well. But the hunt only made it much more interesting. He eventually decided to stay at the tavern for a few days, paying the whole sum in advance before taking the key and making his way upstairs.

 

His daggers can't ever be too sharp, after all.

[SteffiSyndrom]

She chuckled over Lianna's answer. "Sight seeing, ah? Not much to see here ... unless you are into dirt and filth I guess ... There is High-Town but even that is nothing compared to other, bigger cities. But Kirkwall is a nice place to get a new start, so here I am, asking for crew members like a novice," she chuckled again, feeling the rum warm her blood and body.

She winked back at Wind about his answer whether he was a Crow or not and emptied her drink as well.

"Well then, you two ... seems like hanging around you both would be rather interesting and it seems we are all seeking some adventure and treasure and a fresh breeze. What's the plan? We meeting up again? Know any place to go to?"

Ruth leaned back again and let her eyes wander through the room ever so often to see what was going on. She saw yet another elf, also red haired like Lianna, looking at her. Ruth smiled friendly before turning her attention back to the two folks in front of her.

[nethgros]

The mention of treasure drew Ash's attention from the general rabble of the tavern to a few elves and humans situated near the bar. He noted the templar as he moved his way trough to the bar, not worried about getting caught as the only physical feature to give away his nature were scars around his lips, not that the templar could know the connection between the scars and his life as a mage.

 

He approached rather slowly, hoping these people would not turn on him due to his race; he also spoke rather slowly, still quite lethargic from his food deprivation,

 

"I couldn't help but overhear your mention of treasure. If it was in fact an open invitation, I would like to come. I hear treasure is worth money, and I need money if I am going to feed myself; I haven't eaten in many days."

[SteffiSyndrom]

While still waiting for Lianna and Wind to answer a Qunari approached. The one she had noticed before.

Now standing so close to them Ruth had to really lean her head back to see his face. She blinked and looked at Lianna and Wind for a moment, waiting to see what they thought, what their faces said and their reactions.

"Ehm, sure," she smiled slowly. "You seem like you could be of help when it comes to fights."

Ruth was about to order the poor guy some food but then realized she had never dealt with his kind before and had therefor no idea what they would eat ...

"Would you like just a soup with some bread? Or some eggs with bacon, perhaps? Don't be shy. If you wanna join we will need you strong and fed," she said smiling and gestured for him to sit down with them, of course, if Lianna and Wind didn't mind.

[Deleted6317247User]

Lianna noticed the way Wind looked at her and she didn't like it one bit. She couldn't say what exactly it was that made her feel uncomfortable but there it was. She turned her attention to the Qunari that approached them.

 

"Imagine that. A Qunari pirate." She chuckled and gestured as well for him to join them at the table. "I say that the sooner we leave, the better." She said.

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Tristan sighed in relief as the last patient left the clinic. It was a busy day with a lot of sick or injured people. He picked up a bowl of soup and handed it to the homeless man standing by the door. He took it gratefully and immediately started eating. The homeless man who called himself Grit, lived close to the clinic. At first Tristan was worried that he might chase away the patients but later, Grit had proven himself as a real helper and a good friend.

 

"So, how's business?" Grit asked as he ate his soup.

 

"My imaginary one or the clinic?" Tristan asked with a chuckle.

 

"This ain't the time for your jokes." The homeless man replied. Tristan was disappointed that Grit never joked nor appreciated his jokes.

 

"Not well." The mage replied. "Templars are getting really nosy again. Not to mention that I'm always in the need of supplies and no one's exactly being generous to a good cause in this city."

 

Grit only nodded. He was the only one aware of the true state of the clinic.

 

"I don't think I'll be able to keep the clinic running for long," the mage said sadly, "unless I'll find a gold mine hidden somewhere in Darktown."

[Macman253]

Wind looked over to the Qunari and shrugged, he took another deep drink of his rum and set it down. "I have a Qunari on my crew... good man with a cutlass and a rope." He says with a slight smile, He looked to Lianna again and her disdainful attitude towards him became apparent. He turned his attention to Ruth and smiled. "We should leave now... if we are to find this treasure." Wind said as he removed a few coins from his pocket and set them on the table for the Waitress.

[josh900]

Embarrassed by his outburst Ranek looked down at his shoe-less feet, something that he had been dreading having to go through again. The sharp pain in his chest reminding him of his wounds his energy lowered considerably. "Thank you." He told the guard. "But I don't have the coins to pay for any healing, they would probably just kick me out as soon as you dropped me off." He said in a pitiful voice.