Tales of Faerun

[Flipout6]

"This place looks lively." Weyland commented. "In all the wrong ways. Just like home."

 

"That you've seen once in the past decade." Arland teased.

 

"Well, am I wrong?"

 

"Uh...no, guess not."

 

"Let's hit the tavern, fellas." Sybille thumped her two brothers on the shoulders as she walked by them.

 

"You two, sure. Not me just yet, though." Weyland turned around and beckoned to Dri. "Want to drop your gear off and take a trip around the markets with me?" He offered her a smile, hiding the nervousness he found himself suddenly stricken with.

 

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Elaril's eyes narrowed, but she otherwise made no movement to startle the Centauress. "I am Elaril Del'Ferrill, Druid and worshiper of Talos. Yes, I've been watching you for some amounts of time now. As I've said, they seek the destruction of an enemy of mine and I wish to aid them in bringing it about."

Edited June 6, 2014 by Flipout6

[josh900]

The night before the group left Tannin continued his chat with Nawen. "Just common sense really, you don't get attached to everyone you come in contact with, quick way to get yourself killed. And as far as the rest are concerned, they can think whatever they want to of me, I'd prefer if they liked me but, if they don't then they don't. I'm just glad that I won you over at least." He smiled at her.

 

Their walk continued, though what occurred for the rest of it would be kept a secret for a time.

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When they finally reached the town markets Hexol unsurprisingly got separated from the group, what was a surprise however is that Lucas was nowhere near Rhaine and was instead standing in front of a stall with hundreds of books stacked on and around it. His nose was rather deep into one when it was suddenly pulled away from him.

 

"So what do we got here?" Tannin asked, reading the back of it.

 

"Wait just.. I..." Lucas stuttered, his face burning bright with embarrassment. "I like books okay? Yes I know they're not the..manly kind but.. I.. like the stories... And don't start, please stop laughing." He begged Tannin, who had a fit of the giggles. "Men are allowed to like romantic stories! Alright they're classics, heroes slaying monsters, getting the girls. It's not garbage like some people think it is."

 

"No it's absolutely garbage." Tannin said, tossing the book back onto the pile despite Lucas's protest. "Catharis is a hack."

 

"What?" Lucas asked, surprised by Tannin's response.

 

"He's a hack, steals his stories from local mercenary groups and re-writes them to fit his painfully overly-poetic style. That and he's a bit of a misogynistic racist."

 

"How.. how do you know that?" Lucas asked with a confused look.

 

"All the heroes are elves, all the women are helpless damsels that never lift a finger to try and help themselves, they exist as a trophy for the male lead. All the humans act like ignorant children, and he had a drow proclaim the high elves superiority over all living beings, I mean come on! No want you want... isss.... this!" Tannin exclaimed, taking a book off a pile.

"Hython. His is good stuff, wider variety of characters and situations. He's way more skilled and he was actually an adventurer back in the day so he actually knows what he's talking about. Alsoooo he's a bit.. explicit with his content if you understand my meaning." He said with a wink before walking away.

 

"Find "The Red Saga" if you can." Came a gruff voice. "It's been banned in a lot of northern stores."

 

"Azuris?" Lucas asked, recognizing the thick bearded warrior who was scrounging around a pile.

 

"Shut up and help me look, first one that finds em reads it first." said Azuris.

[AurianaValoria1]

Rhaine, after pushing through a throng of drunken wastrels and tipsy barmaids, managed to purchase rooms for the company. Unfortunately, they were all double occupancy, as that was all that the innkeeper had left. Some traveling merchants had taken up all of the single rooms available, leaving everyone else crammed in doubles or the common room. The Doomguide was not certain that some of their members would be pleased with such accommodations, but it was the best she could do. She departed the inn with a sigh and glanced around, looking for the others. She was greeted by Conall, who had just finished putting the horses into the care of the stable boy and was walking up to meet her.

 

"Lively place, isn't it? he asked, squinting in the afternoon sun and scanning the townsfolk.

 

"Indeed," Rhaine replied, "Though it looks like the others mind it little; have they gone to the market?"

 

He nodded, "Aye. The last I saw of them was Dagny, and she was headed straight for the smith."

 

The two then walked together into the center of the market plaza to find themselves in the midst of a cacophony of calls and imploring gestures...all of them from merchants or merchant assistants pleading for anyone and everyone to buy - to buy everything.

 

Zorica found herself entranced by it all, but particularly the stall of a little gnomish woman, who seemed to be selling all sorts of handcrafted trinkets. She had a dazzling assortment of things to sell, from clockwork lockets to crawling rings to music boxes and mechanical perfume bottles. The gnome grinned widely at her approach, adjusting her broad-rimmed wizard's hat and matching violet robes, "Can I interest you in something, goodlady?"

 

"Oh, I'm just browsing, is all," the half-drow replied as she picked up a charm bracelet that appeared to be made entirely of tiny gears. The gnome's fair freckled cheeks reddened, "That's one of my best; took me three tendays to craft. It all moves, even the charms. See?" She poked one charm in the shape of a horse, and it began to gallop with its miniscule mechanical legs.

 

Zorica's eyes glittered with awe, "That's brilliant!"

 

At that moment, the gnome seemed to notice the men gathered around the bookseller's stall. She leaned close to Zorica and whispered, "Hey, are they with your bunch? The one that just came through the gates earlier?"

 

The half-drow turned to see Tannin, Lucas, and Azuris, and she nodded, "Yes. We're all together."

 

The gnome grinned again and tucked a stray lock of ginger hair behind her ear. She then stepped a bit away from her stall and called, "Yoohoo! Oh booooys...yes, you! Why don't you come on over here and look a while? I'm sure I've got something somewhere that'll interest you."

 

Zorica snorted and jammed her eyes shut, fighting to keep from falling over laughing and nearly backing right into Dagny. The dwarf pushed the half-drow away and put her hands on her hips, "Oy! Watch it, sister. Wait...is that gnome flirting with the lads?"

 

The gnome turned around and winked one big, baby blue eye, "You betcha."

 

==========

 

Theia was still a few moments before offering a slight bow, "I am called Theia. And yes, the people of which you speak do seek to fight Valthanarax the dracolich. I know not much of him, but I know he is causing a blight on the land and must be stopped. Their leader fights the undead, and the rest do what they can to help. This quest is part of her endeavor. You wish to join us to fight him as well?"

[Deleted6317247User]

For the rest of their journey to Innarlith, Nawen's been quiet, more than unusual. She has been lost in her thoughts and paid little attention the conversations happening around her. She didn't pay much attention to the disrespectful guards when they stopped them from entering the city.

 

"I say, leave those who the guards don't wanna let in, grab the supplies and go back," Shalena said, "you wouldn't mind staying in the wilds for a bit, would you?" She asked Nawen as she nudged her.

 

"Sorry, what?" Nawen looked at the piratess.

 

"I was telling everyone that we should leave you outside while we rest in the tavern."

 

"That's so nice of you," Nawen said frowning, "though not unexpected."

 

Shalena was about to say something but then the guards let them inside after all. Grinning widely the piratess went straight for the market. She mingled in the crowd, and some people, customers and merchants alike noticed that their money in their pockets and merchandise were slightly decreased.

 

Nawen, as soon as she entered the city put the hood over her head so no one could see her skin color and went to sell some of the herbs she had picked while they were resting.

Edited June 7, 2014 by Guest

[GrueMaster]

Dri gave a smile at Weyland's offer. "Sure! I wonder what they have at the markets here..." She took Weyland's arm and rushed to the inn, eager to be off and to see what the merchants of Innarlith had to offer.

 

Tenebris, having used a fair amount of his money on bribes, decided to set up a small soothsayer's booth in the shadowed entrance of one of the market's many alleys rather than joining everyone in their shopping spree. Better to make money than spend it, he thought with a wry grin, using his gifts of of foresight to tell fortunes to those willing for a few silvers.

 

Tak'we followed his clutchmates, rather in awe at the sheer mass of softskins milling about in the village center. Several people gave him a wide berth, but several softskins selling weapons were shouting above the din of the crowds offering gold for the double-scythe strapped to his back. He denied them all, constantly until finally the traders around him seemed to understand the point he wasn't going to sell his only weapon. Not seeing anything that particularly interested him, the thri-kreen began to leave when one stall happened to catch his eye. Is that...

 

"..a gythka?" he finished thinking aloud, striding over to the booth where several exotic weapons were being sold. "Where did you get thiss?" Tak'we asked, finding it odd that a weapon of his people being sold in softskin lands; thri-kreen didn't part with their weapons so easily. The man behind the booth subconsciously took a step back at seeing such a huge figure appear, then straightened up, putting on a smile. "Ah, yes, I see you have a good, erm, eye for weapons!" Tak'we, not wanting to put up with such small talk, restated his question firmly. "Where?"

 

"A m-merchant I know sold me the weapon after returning from the Shaar," the softskin stammered, detecting the impatient tone in the pink thri-kreen's voice. "I can't tell you anything else, save that I have some of those strange throwing wedges you bu- eh, your people make." The man caught himself and quickly corrected his wording.

 

Keeping his temper from rising, Tak'we pretended he didn't hear the insult. "How much do you want for it?"

 

"S-sorry?" the merchant asked, surprised by the sudden request. "What do you want for the gythka and chatkcha?" he said, slowly and calmly. "Oh, well, you see, these are rather rare weapons. I thinking -" "Thiss one will trade thiss scythe for them. They belong to thri-kreen, not softskinss." The merchant did a double-take at the thri-kreen, remembering how the creature had denied everyone who had offered small fortunes for that weapon. And if the bug doesn't know its value... "Well, who am I to keep such a magnificent tool from its rightful people? I humbly accept your offer."

 

Tak'we nodded, slung the massive scythe from his shoulders and put it down with a heavy thud on the softskin's table, who then handed over the gythka and three chatkchas. Feeling satisfied with the trade, Tak'we gave a last polite tilt of the head and went back to the inn, though a single question still plagued him: Who did these belong to, and where are they now?

 

=================================

 

Zuir relaxed in the small room, waiting for the merchant he sent a message offering a rare trade to to show up. Finally, the door to the hovel finally opened, a nervous man who looked to be in his thirties and out of shape entering slowly. "So, what's this about? I had to leave my stal- What in the hells is going on here?!" The merchant exclaimed, finally seeing Zuir in the poorly-lit room; the man was tied up to one of the building's support posts. "A trade of course," Zuir smiled maniacally, before a flash from the power stone hidden in his hands flared up, and suddenly was looking down at his own body, confusion flashing over his face. "Wha- what?"

 

"Don't worry. I'll make good use of your body." Zuir said, grabbing a dagger with a viscous substance coating it." Just be a good boy and take care of mine, would you?" Before the merchant who now possessed his body could say another word, Zuir brought the pommel of the dagger down hard and knocked out the merchant, then gagged him and made sure the ropes were secure. Confidant they would hold, the assassin left the hovel, dagger hidden in his sleeve, and began looking for his prey.

 

It was bustling heavily still in the market place, but an ulitharid stood out among the crowd, and soon the assassin had casually gotten closer. Finally, deciding he was close enough, he pulled out the dagger and drove it deep into Xallistine's back, twisting the blade as he pulled it out so the black lotus poison would spread faster.

 

He then charged at the winged Doomguide who stood nearby, the poisoned blade being driven at the spot between her wings...

Edited June 8, 2014 by GrueMaster

[mythicdawnmaster]

Xallistine would perhaps have shrieked had he the vocal capacity to do so, reacting violently to the blade as it penetrated his thin flesh, digging into the small of his back before the blade twisted, sending the Ulitharid into a pained rage; he spun in an attempt at knocking down his assailant with his largest tentacles, but the spread of poison was quick and vicious, sending agonizing waves of burning pain through Xallistine's veins, making him squirm and writhe as his claws attempted to find the wound, talons digging frantically at the point of entry. As he flailed, his tentacles and arms smashed into the market stalls before him, resulting in various products littering the floors violently, and a cacophony of screams to start from the crowd.

 

Shaking violently, Xallistine leant heavily upon his cane in an attempt to steady himself as his vision began to fail, the image of the merchant lunging for Rhaine spinning before him, yet he was powerless to warn her; The elderly sorcerer felt his knees buckle beneath him, and he fell to them with whatever dignity and grace he could sustain, one arm clutching unwaveringly to the black-wood cane that seemed his only lifeline- only one poison he knew of would have effected him so greatly, and he cursed the gods for putting the concoction upon the realms. Again his vision swam, and a gush of blood and spittle erupted from the Ulitharid's hidden maw as he slumped lower, bent in resemblance to a full genuflection with one hand upon the ground, his great-tentacled head bowed in soundless agony... he needed assistance (curse it all) yet was helpless to cry out...

Edited June 8, 2014 by mythicdawnmaster

[AurianaValoria1]

Conall heard a noise not unlike a blade sliding into flesh, and he whirled around just in time to see a man with a knife bearing down upon Rhaine from behind. Almost without thinking he moved in the man's way with a cry of "No!"

 

And the blade glanced off the bottom plate of his cuirass, only to slide upwards under the top plate and straight into his breast.

 

Excruciating pain exploded in his chest, accompanied by the inability to breathe. The werewolf paladin gasped with a rattling sound and felt blood begin fill one of his lungs as he collapsed to his knees, his strength fading quickly. His vision swam and tinted wild colors, but through it, he could see Xallistine in a similar state only paces away.

 

Assassin...

 

Rhaine, too, whirled at the sound, only to see - to her utter horror - Conall take a blade meant for her. Without hesitation, she drew her sword and plunged it into the assassin's heart, causing him to drop the knife to the ground with a clatter. She then jerked her weapon from the would-be murderer and knelt beside the poor paladin, noticing Xallistine in his death throes as well...

 

"Someone help!" the Doomguide yelled as the crowd began screaming and scattering in all directions.

 

"Conall!" she channeled a Heal spell into the werewolf, but it did not seem to do anything other than stop the blood loss and seal the flesh. He still trembled with weakness and crawled on his hands and knees as a dying man, gasping until he could hoarsely say one word.

 

"Poison."

 

The Doomguide's eyes widened and she countered the venom with a Cure Poison spell, supporting Conall as he rolled on to his back and went limp in her arms.

 

Nearby, in the markets, Zorica glanced up upon hearing the screams, and then she faintly heard Rhaine's voice calling for help over the cacophony. She immediately drew her swords and began running towards the Chosen, "We're being attacked!"

 

Dagny and Argyros wordlessly followed, drawing their own weapons with looks of grim determination. Unbeknownst to them, the gnomish merchant was just behind them, a mechanical dragonfly hovering near her.

Edited June 8, 2014 by AurianaValoria1

[Flipout6]

Connall's shout caught Amendale's attention. The way it was pitched, high and alarmed, was what alerted Amendale that something was very, very wrong. He jerked towards the source of the sound. He figured instantly who was in trouble when Xallistine, formerly the most dominating figure in the crowd, disappeared for a brief second, stumbling on his cane. Rhaine made quick work of the assailant as Amendale was rushing over, sprinting full tilt. His owl took flight and, empowered with magic, landed on Xallistine and conferred a healing spell to him to little effect. Puzzled and alarmed, it took Amendale a second to figure out that an assassin's blade was likely covered in poison, and he followed the same procedure as Rhaine did and cured Xallistine's artificial affliction with a spell. Kneeling over beside the Mindflayer, Amendale looked frantically around for any more wounded or attackers.

 

"Are you alright? Is the poison gone?" He asked.

 

Arland had drawn his blades instantly when he realized they were being attacked and charged for the assassin, blades flaring dramatically with flames as their enchantments made themselves apparent. Rhaine, however dealt with him in short order, so when Arland beheaded him with a scissor-like blow, he was just mutilating someone who was already dead. Sybille was a few seconds behind him.

 

"Who's hurt? Are there any others?" He stood guard beside Rhaine and Amendale, ready to massacre any further challengers. Little did he know that Marie, crouched behind a merchant stall several feet back, had her bow and was ready to cover him. Sybille took a position behind Arland and negated Marie's need to do so, but she kept the bow ready.

 

"We can't stay in the open like this, let's get somewhere safe!" Sybille began relaying instructions to the party calmly and confidently. "Annie, grab Weyland and get him out here, we need to get Connall and Xal inside. Marie, shoot anyone that tries for a second strike while we get them into the inn!" Glancing around, she noted Zorica making her way to them, tailed closely by Dagny and Argyros. She beckoned to them and as they approached she quickly explained, "We were just attacked, Xallistine and Connall are wounded, I need you two-" She pointed to Argyros and Zorica. "-to keep an eye out while we get them inside. Dagny, you'll be a great help with the lifting. Could you do that for me?"

 

"What's happening?!?!" Weyland burst out of the tavern brandishing his blade and his shield with Annette right behind him.

 

"Come here, help lift these two in there."

 

Marie, meanwhile, came up beside Tannin with her bow at the ready. "I'd imagine you're good at spotting shifty characters. Can you give me a hand, maybe some helpful tips? This isn't my field of expertise."

 

"Azuris, I need you to help with lifting!" Sybille called. "Lucas, check on Rhaine, see if she's hurt!"

 

Weyland grabbed Connall underneath the arms and, teaming up with Dagny, lifted on the count of three and hauled him inside, with Weyland roughly shouldering the door open and gruffly shouting to clear a way in.

[Brutii]

Daud turned his head to the screaming from the market stall where he had been spending what little money he had in order to get something to eat. His first instinct was to slip into the crowd and disappear... then he remembered he was meant to be the good guy here. He quickly dashed off in the direction of the screaming, arriving just in time to see Weyland and Dagny dragging Connall. Daud rushed over, drawing his sword as he approached

"What's happening?" He inquired, bluntly, scanning the crowd as if expecting something to jump out at any moment. One appeared to be dead, but there could be more. He frowned, what if the group turned on him, he hadn't exactly made the best case and he was an assassin by trade. He pushed that thought from his head quickly and returned to the present

[Deleted6317247User]

Shalena was heading to the tavern, her pockets full of trinkets she had stolen, when suddenly people at the market began screaming and moments later she heard Rhaine's cry for help. "But of course," the piratess sighed as she spun on her heels and drew her cutlass, "always something happening with this bunch." She muttered under her breath and ran towards the others.

 

Nawen had just finished selling the herbs, and was looking around for anything useful to buy when the commotion farther away caught her attention. She would have ignored it because all kinds of things happen in the crowded markets but then people began screaming and running away. "What in the hells?" She thought as she began walking towards the center of the commotion but then she quickened her pace as she heard Conall's shout which was soon followed by Rhaine's voice. "Oh no..."

 

She turned in the direction from which their voices came and realized that she was at the opposite side of the market, and with all those people running away from whatever was happening there was no way she could reach them in time, so she climbed on top of the closest stall and began jumping from one stall to another knocking over the merchandise as she did so, but she didn't care. She had to get to her friends.

 

By the time Nawen reached her friends the assailant had already been killed. "What happened? Is everyone-" she stopped as she noticed injured Conall and Xallistine as they were being led to the tavern. She knew enough about injuries to realize that they were poisoned.

 

"I'll go with them. Maybe I can help." Nawen suggested as she ran after Weyland and Dagny.