Tales of Faerun

[AurianaValoria1]

Rhaine inclined her head, "Anyone who does not wish us trouble is welcome to accompany us."

 

"Aye," Conall agreed, "Though, I think it would be beneficial for someone to show us around a bit. I don't think any of us here have been in this part of the country before."

 

"Shops, landmarks, places of interest," the Doomguide nodded, "Even residences of prominent figures. We're here for the gala, as Rameses has said, and any information regarding it or the people involved would be appreciated."

[josh900]

With the party growing in exotic raced members, Azuris couldn't help but feel that they might as well take up a giant bullseye as their emblem. These numbers would only attract more attention, however he had no say in the matter and simply shrugged off the thought before nodding a greeting towards the foreign fire-genasi.

 

While more than happy to let the two Fire-kin speak to one another, Leif was rather surprised when he was pulled into the conversation. "Well I mean... I don't exactly focus on evocation magics or anything... buuuut I've been known to throw a fireball or twenty in my time." He said with a grin.

[GrueMaster]

"Ooooo... Fireballs can be so much fun!" Kaji exclaimed. "Mm-hmm, indeed!" Hi-chan put in her two bits as well. "Although I doubt he's thrown a few into an inn and almost burn it down like a certain someone..."

 

"Hey, that guy was just asking for it!" The wu jen countered. "Insulting our skills like that... Besides that, I didn't burn the whole place down, anyway..." He gave another pout. "Jerk had a counterspell prepared..."

 

"Yet we're still banned from nearly every bar and tavern here." Kaji scratched his head sheepishly at the elemental's retort. "Yeah... about finding a place for a meal together..." He looked at Rameses. "I may or may not have gotten us sent away from a fair number of establishments. First, a few places refused to let Hi-chan stay, said she was dangerous, of all things. I mean, look at her!" He gestured towards his familiar. "She's perfectly harmless!" Completely missing the flaw in his logic (and Hi-chan's burning glare), he continued to ramble. "After the third time, I got a little... upset, and got into a fight shortly before being tossed out."

 

"Then that incident, " he said, pointing back at the inn he'd just been thrown out of, "has probably ruffled a few more feathers." His stomach growled just then, and Kaji blushed. "Plus we really don't have any money... and most of the mages here have already taken any jobs worth taking. Although," He looked at the group. "I don't think either of those places have thrown us out yet, so maybe we'd be able to find a place to stay there! I'd be more than willing to help out!"

 

We'tak nodded excitedly at the suggestion. *Chee!* "Oh, yess! That would be very interesting to do! We can talk about how you and Sin make fire, we can eat food while sharing ssagas-- By the way, do 'mages,' I think you called them, eat anything special? Oh, and Winged Pointy-ears can make you a part of our clutch, too!" The thri-kreen was threatening to overwhelm the duo with his own enthusiasm, though Kaji clearly matched this as well, who was already throwing out short stories.

 

During this lively exchange, Hi-chan moved closer to Rameses, whispering while glancing at the two child-like people: "Is yours as bad as mine?"

[FreemasonGamer]

"Mine is simply too curious for his own good; this is the first time We'tak's ever seen the world outside his people's village in the Shaar." Rameses explained to Hi-chan plainly, as if he wasn't talking to a fire elemental, no matter the size or temperament. He witnessed the exchange for a little while longer before straightening his posture upon Jarl's saddle, casting his gaze from Kaji and We'tak to Conall and Rhaine. It was time to get moving. "So, I think we should be just fine navigating Furthinghome between the wisdom of Sin's associates and Kaji's lighthearted notoriety." Said the fire genasi with humor dripping from his words.

 

Then, he took a moment to dig a copper bit from the depths of his coin curse, curiously holding it up in the waning sunlight. "Heads for the Cheerful Sage, tails for the seven Knights." He mused, flipping the coin into the air. The flash of ruddy red metal arced over his head before he deftly caught it, concealing the result in the palm of his hand.

 

"And... It looks like we'll be heading to the Cheerful Sage first." Rameses remarked with a satisfied grin once he revealed the copper coin, its head facing skyward. With a motioning gesture to rally his companions of all varying degrees of seniority, the fire genasi spurred his great white camel forward, eager to return to the machinations of urban living as soon as possible.

 

Rolling her eyes, Eirene suppressed an amused smirk and directed her steed to canter forward as well, and she noted to any who cared to listen, "I haven't witnessed such excitement from Rameses since, well..." At that point, the Mulhorandi's comment collapsed; for the duration of her travels with the Doomguide's company, she's never seen the fire genasi so avid, almost literally blazing with anticipation.

Edited February 16, 2016 by FreemasonGamer

[AurianaValoria1]

The Cheerful Sage was a respectable establishment, with a warm, cheery interior and lofty ceilings, a common room full of sturdy tables, a crackling hearth, and - with the advent of the gala - banners of rich colors. As the group entered, they noticed it was also already well-populated, waitresses hustling from one party to the next with orders of food and drink.

 

"Well," Conall remarked, glancing over the crowd, "Looks like a lot of the other guests are already here, too."

 

"Guests of all sorts," Rhaine noted as her eyes took in a variety of clothing styles from the middling and upper classes. There were so many people around that the majority of the guests did not seem to even notice when the front door was opened and the Doomguide's companions stepped in. All the better to Maydiira, who pulled her hood down lower for all their sakes.

[josh900]

Entering the Inn wit the others, Azuris looked around the crowded building with a grimace. "Means rooms will be more costly, if there are any left."

 

"And it's alll only gonna get worse from here." Leif said behind Azuris. "Now's a good time to be a business owner and a baad time to be a out-of-towner."

 

"Is it really going to be an issue?" Lucas asked, there was still room for the group, so he didn't think lodgings would be hard to come by.

 

"Probably not." Leif shrugged. "If it is there are ways around it all."

[FreemasonGamer]

The Sage's atmosphere was buzzing with life, cheer, and a certain homeliness Rameses had almost forgotten during his extensive journeys on the road. With a purposeful stride, the fire genasi entered the well lit and nicely furbished establishment as if he owned it, parting the crowds just enough to make his way to one of the less occupied cluster of tables near the bar's rightmost side and the doorway to the kitchens beyond. He grinned marvelously from one ear to the other as he look his seat at one such table where the merriment of the tavern's patrons was still well within view without being right on top of him. Rameses savored the sights, sounds, smells, and sensation of being in such a place at such a time, and he contemplated how long it had been since their group last visited such a gleeful establishment. Was Rauthil truly the last time they had visited a sophisticated tavern of this caliber?

 

His pondering was soon interrupted when none other than the Mulhorandi, Eirene, took a seat beside him. An apprehensive yet appreciative and optimistic smile rested upon the ranger's countenance, and she surveyed the gathered tavern-goers momentarily before turning her attention to the silent genasi. "You seem most at home in a place like this. May I ask why that is?"

 

Rameses was in the midst of considering a rather cutting remark of dry humor in response to Eirene's observation, but he decided to give the girl a chance by answering her question, "Aye. When I was younger and lived where I was born, I would always spend whatever I could spare at places like this. There would always be music, dancing, familiar faces of friends and family." As he spoke, nostalgia sweetened his voice and subdued the fiery energy of his szuldar.

 

"That does sound lovely. Although, where were you born?" Her inquisitiveness only intensified when she discovered Rameses's unexpected willingness to regard her attempt at conversation with anything more than sly remarks and charismatic jabs.

 

"Tehyr. In the city of Myratma, to be exact." Explained the fire genasi, but he easily read the confusion on Eirene's face that betrayed her ignorance regarding his homeland. With a sigh, he turned in his seat to face her directly as he continued to elaborate, "My stomping grounds are to the far west—probably father west than you've ever traveled—past the Shaar, the Chondalwood, the Lake of Steam. It took me months to cross what the essentially the whole of Faerûn, I might add. Anyway, beyond all that is where I come from: Tethyr. It is situated between Calimshan, its southern neighbor, and the legendary Sword Coast to the north."

 

He took a moment to let his explanation settle while he thought fondly of home. Home. the very concept brought a bittersweet smile to his face. He had not thought of home so fondly in quite some time. "Tethyr's a cozy little place."

 

All the while during the fire genasi's description of his home country, Eirene listened with such focus and intent that anything else barely registered in her conscious mind. She indulged in nothing more than such stories, especially those of her companions. "You speak very fondly of Tethyr, Rameses. Do you intend to return?"

 

Her question caught him off guard, and he took several moments to think upon it in search for an answer. Did he wish to return home? He supposed there would be no reason not to if his travels led him back across the majority of the continent. However, their discussion was interrupted when one of the Cheerful Sage's barmaids approached their table with a welcoming smile, "Is there anything I can get for either of you?"

 

Rameses merely shook his head and refused politely, "Not right now, thank you." The Mulhorandi, on the other hand, only shook her head in silence and offered an amiable smile. As the youthful barmaid departed, Eirene's attention lingered upon the sensuous maiden for a few moments as the faintest glimmer of salacious mischief sparked in the ranger's vaguely reptilian, hazel colored eyes. Suddenly snapping out of her curious daze, the Mulhorandi soon turned back towards the fire genasi, expecting an answer to her previous question.

 

"Eh, hopefully someday. I know the first thing my sister would do is beat me within a breath of the Nine Hells if I did return home." Rameses eventually chuckled quietly, recalling his sister and old friends with an almost homesick expression on his face. To avoid the growing pit in his stomach, he turned the questions toward Eirene herself, "What about you? I'm sure you have something interesting to say about yourself, ranger."

 

Oh, the ranger had many interesting details she could share about herself, but she was stubbornly reluctant to share any of them. Biting her lip, Eirene hesitated for a heartbeat or two before she replied honestly, "Would you mind if I didn't? My past is... troubling, to say the least."

 

"I was chased out of my hometown and across Faerûn by a madman, who you helped recently, if I remember right." Rameses countered tersely, beginning to regret he didn't purchase something alcoholic in nature. "People like us usually have "troubling" pasts, otherwise we'd still be sitting at home, tending to the fields or trading in the markets."

 

Once the conversation took a sour turn, the Mulhorandi watched her companion with an intent, unwavering, unreadable gaze not dissimilar to that of a predator until she dipped her head silently in curt respect, standing up from her seat and departing from the fire genasi's table to possibly converse with others.

[GrueMaster]

*Chee...* We'tak looked around the room, admiring the liveliness of it all. "So this is what an 'inn' is truly like..." Not noticing the strange looks a few softskins sent his way, the thri-kreen wandered for a bit, taking it all in. Do softskins always gather like this? He couldn't help but ponder to himself. Just then, he finally spotted where Fireskin and Dark Softskin had gone. He paused, though, seeing the two exchange words, then Eirene stood and walked away, her expression bothering the hatchling. "What iss wrong with clutchmate?" We'tak chittered softly, before following after her.

 

Catching up, he poked softly at her arm. "Is Eirene okay? You do not seem well..." We'tak asked worriedly. "I have not been feeling myself lately, either... There has been this itch slowly growing lately." He absentmindedly scratched at his chin, failing to see the patch of loose chitin flaking away. He hadn't noticed, the gradual change, but his chitin had been feeling rather tight lately, and its usually-vibrant sand color had faded and dulled. "Are you having the same problem? You smell slightly of reptile, so I wonder if Dark Softskin is having trouble with her shell, too..."

 

Meanwhile, Kaji and Hi-chan entered, one boldly, the other hesitantly. "Ah, Hi-chan, don't worry about it! We'll be fine!" The mage exclaimed, dragging the poor familiar alongside him. "There's Rameses! Come on!" He darted, not having any problem with the crowd as they quickly parted for the fiery pair, and finally sat down with a relaxed sigh. "It's so nice to sit down for a change, right, Hi-chan?"

 

The fire elemental, fretting over the worried looks she was garnering, meekly nodded as she 'sat,' being careful not to set the furniture around her aflame. Patting his familiar on the head, Kaji looked at Rameses, having missed the exchange just now with Eirene. "So, Rameses, could you tell me more about yourself? I mean, I've always wanted to meet a fire genasi. It sounds so exciting, to think that humans and fire elementals somehow met and, well, bred, and created such a marvelous race. Is it exciting, being born like that?"

 

"Kaji-kun, shouldn't you thank him for his hospitality, first?" Hi-chan pulled at the wu jen's arm. "He has very kindly invited us to join him, after all."

 

"Oh, uh... right. Many thanks, Rameses-sama." Kaji spoke, formally thanking their new-found friend. "Now, about that food... Ah, a waitress! I'd like a a bowl of soup, a nice steak, maybe some rice..." He began to go on excitedly at the approach of a barmaid, and would have continued if he wasn't interrupted by the woman.

 

"Actually..." she began hesitantly, "The other customers are getting restless at your... companion..." The barmaid motioned towards Hi-chan. "The owner apologizes, but he would really like it if you left, if you would please. We don't wan't any trouble, but surely you understand..."

 

Kaji's energetic self slumped at this turn of events. "Won't anyone let us stay for once..." He said, sadly, looking at his familiar with a forlorn expression, before looking at Rameses and the genasi's friends, eyes pleading for help.

Edited February 25, 2016 by GrueMaster

[FreemasonGamer]

Eirene jumped somewhat in surprise when We'tak suddenly approached her amid the tavern's crowds following the brief dispute with Rameses. While the thri-kreen's presence was a little... startling when unexpected, the Mulhorandi greatly appreciated his caring heart and concern for the well-being of others, especially his companions. So, she listened to We'tak's troubled chirrups closely, soon becoming as worried for him as he must have felt for her after hearing about his worsening itch. When a bit of faded chitin flaked off the thri-kreen's chin, however, Eirene quickly knelt down and picked it up, examining it between her fingers.

 

"Perhaps you are shedding, young one? Like you said, many reptiles such as snakes shed their skins as they grow, and many insects of Mulhorand such as scorpions and cicadas shed their shells, too." The Mulhorandi considered thoughtfully, also suggesting to her friend, "We softskins also have flaky skin if it becomes too dry, so maybe a lotion or balm might help your itch, We'tak."

 

Once Eirene mentioned all she thought of that might help the young thri-kreen, she then turned her attention to resolving his concerns about her. "Please don't fret over me and Rameses. He is simply... stubbornly adamant about not letting go of a mistake I made regarding him and an adversary of his. Also..." She glanced around the preoccupied numbers patrons of the Sage before leading We'tak to a more secluded area alongside the bar. As soon as they were no longer surrounded by others, the Mulhorandi lowered her voice and whispered admittedly to the thri-kreen, "You see... I smell like a reptile because I carry a very... troublesome curse, but I beg that you do not tell the others about it, We'tak. I fear what they might do to me if they knew of this."

 

Meanwhile, Rameses was troubled by the barmaid's request that Kaji and Hi-chan leave the tavern simply due to their unusual presence troubling the tavern's customers and owner. Standing up from his seat, Rameses felt the tension rile his runic szuldar markings with fiery energy as he replied to the barmaid sweetly yet sternly, "I can assure you, my friend and his companion are completely aware of their peculiar presence, but I can vouch that they will not cause any trouble here."

 

In case either she or her superior was still unconvinced regarding the fire mage or the fire elemental, the fire genasi further pressed with a charismatic wit he rarely preferred to exploit, "Could you do us a kindness and tell your employer this? I may not own a tavern myself, but as a patron of such establishments, it seems in poor taste to ask customers to leave purely due to a "restless" misunderstanding."

Edited February 21, 2016 by FreemasonGamer

[Lisnpuppy]

Sin followed the others into the Cheerful Sage and stopped at the entrance of the Taverns general room. People of all kinds and shapes and sizes were sitting, talking and arguing in some cases. She edged by two rather large humans that smelled of herd beasts and just after passing one flew over the table to tackled the other yelling in some tongue Sin had not heard before.

 

Looking around at the others, deep in conversation, getting rooms or food, Sin dug down into her coin purse and pulled out some string and a half-eaten piece of trail jerky. Going up and down on tip-toe trying to spy a serving person or the bar keep, Sin resolved to ask if they needed some extra hands to clean, serve or better yet wash some dishes where she would hide in the back. Not everyone was happy with Drow and she didn't have impressive wings or strong magics or big swords like others to keep big mouths and wandering hands at bay. Sin's stomach growled so loud the patron at the table next to where she stood scowled at her before returning to their mug. Maybe she could get some food before she started washing...