The land of claw and fang
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Light =&gt; Light: Human Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: Galactic Druid on 29-05-2012, 07:47:21</h2>
		<dl id="posts">
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Galactic Druid</strong> on <strong>29-05-2012, 07:47:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Agion was even busier than usual during the summer months. Everything major that happened in the city all seemed to happen at once. Grace's Blessing was in the middle of harvest season, which meant trade between Agion and the town, as well as Port Alora to the south was in full swing. Not only that, but it was also time for the annual rotation of the troops at "Fort" Helm. It was no wonder that the kingdom picked this as a good time to hold the summons, there was no better time to catch interested adventurers. <br><br>The inner "ring" of the city that surrounded the palace was the focal point of the summons; any adventurer good enough to have coin to spend in the city's nicer taverns were exactly who they wanted, though guards were posted in the outer rings and merchant districts as well. Posters, cryers, and guards all advertised the chance for adventurers to earn coin and fame, if they were interested in a job, though the inner circle did so more quietly, not wanting to disturb the civilians. <br><br>Our story begins here, where our young heroes-to-be all found their was to Agion, each for their own reasons...
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Translucent Bard</strong> on <strong>29-05-2012, 08:39:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Sae heard about the summons through his various lurking that he did when those around him weren't paying much attention. He decided with so many people going to one place, he might be able to earn a little coin off of it. He hitched a ride on a trade shipment to Agion earlier that week, and had been lurking in a tavern playing songs and talking to various travelers, slowly swindling money via pickpocketing or scams he would run on the more inebriated of the crowd. <br><br>He always would be rather invisible until he decided it was time to make a move on his mark, travelling between taverns often to avoid getting caught or noticed beyond what he felt was acceptable. Today he was dressed in nicer clothes, rather than his leather armor. Normally avoiding eye contact, today was different, he would scam everyone, he figured. Guards, other performers, soldiers and overconfident "adventurers" were all the same today. <br><br>Eventually he figured he made out with enough coin for the night and decided to take a seat at an empty table, ordering a mug of ale for himself, and smoking his pipe slowly, watching travelers flock in from every corner of the continent. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>metamorphize</strong> on <strong>29-05-2012, 08:53:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Even though it was night time, Gwendolynn Silvertongue was still up to her usual business. No, not <em>that</em> business. With this many people around, it was far too easy to get herself caught. No, Gwenny was up to her usual tricks of scamming random passer-byes. She was dressed in little, showing far too much to attract attention. But what got the attention even more so was the waving of her hands and the random chanting coming out of her mouth. "Harw-haran halla har! Elvish fortunes I tell! Five gold and your future will be told!"<br><br>Anyone who spoke elvish could easily tell that this half-elf did not speak a word of it. She was really just trying to seem impressive to the narrow minded. It seemed to work as her coin purse was already pretty full. Whether it was her phony fortunes or people wanting to see her cleavage bounce up and down was another matter, one she'd rather not focus on.<br><br>"Firimar! Come closer!" She beckoned towards a random person who seemed to be eying her hungrily. "Your fortune I will tell!"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sarah Morgan</strong> on <strong>29-05-2012, 09:59:31</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Mira's attention was drawn by the crowd around the elven woman, and she paused to watch the show, not because of the elf, but simply out of curiosity, to see how many people fell for the ruse, which turned out to be quite a lot.&nbsp; Having lived her life on a farm, her knowledge of elvish was rudimentary, but even she could tell that the words were gibberish.&nbsp; These city people didn't have a clue, it seemed.&nbsp; Rather than feel sorry for them, she was amused by their blatant show of ignorance.&nbsp; It wasn't like these people had no knowledge of elves, after all, and so it was their own fault if they didn't bother to take time to learn the language.&nbsp; Mira simply hadn't had the time to learn it herself, being busy either with farm work, or off hunting to bring some extra coin to the family.&nbsp; She hoped that she might eventually learn at least the basics, though, in case she ever needed it.<br><br>It had taken some doing to convince her parents to let her come to town for the summons, but eventually she'd managed it.&nbsp; After all, they still had two younger girls and her older brother to help work the place, so it wasn't like she was needed all the time.&nbsp; She continued to watch the goings-on unobtrusively, trying to decide where she should go, and enjoying the entertainment in the process.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Galactic Druid</strong> on <strong>29-05-2012, 10:47:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>The Tavern</strong><br><br>"40 gold pieces? You're ridiculous!" A man in the tavern shouted loudly as he stood up, knocking his stool back behind himself. He was wearing a thick suit of armor, though not thick enough, it would seem. The side of it was split open, revealing a deep, fresh wound underneath, wrapped in bandages, but still in very poor shape. The man across the table from him merely shifted slightly in his seat, slicked back his dirty blonde hair, and shrugged. "30 then, and that's your best offer." The man hardly looked pleased. <br>"You can't charge people for healing, that's-"<br>"You're not paying me to heal you. You're paying me to bleed for you. I'm a whore, not a priest. If you don't like my price, you can go to a temple for free."<br>"By the time they heal me, the summons will be- fine."<br><br>The man grabbed at his pouch and counted out a hefty sum of gold, giving it to the healer, who calmly put it away in a pouch in his belt, his hand returning with a jagged knife. He stood up, black robes flowing behind him as he walked over to the armored man, gripped the knife's blade with one hand, and pulled with the other. He nearly didn't even wine as the blade bit deeply into his hand, instantly drawing a good deal of blood. With his uninjured hand, the man ripped away his customer's bandage, slapping his bloodied hand against the open wound. His customer's face contorted in pain, as he went though months of healing in a few seconds, his wounds closing, skin knitting over, muscle reshaping. After a few moments, the only evidence he was ever injured at all was the healer's bloody hand print and the slashed armor. As the healer went to sit back down, he ran a few fingers over his own wound, which sealed it off. His customer didn't bother to thank him, or even say anything, he just left. Most of the bar was silent after the spectacle, but thje healer didn't even seem to notice, or care. He was probably used to the attention. At the very least, he was suddenly much wealthier.<br><br><strong>City Streets</strong><br>Of all the men clamoring to see Gwen, one in particular stood out from the rest. He was a little taller, with lighter skin than the average human. Not necessarily pale, but certainly not the peach or tan hue most people were. He was dressed in very fine clothing that didn't appear to be from any of the local regions. Giving an annoyed look at all the people he had to get through, he looked over Gwen. "Are you genuine? I don't have much money to waste on a scam." he told her, somewhat bluntly. He spoke with a strange accent, his words just seemed faster, more impatient than the local dialect. "I need to know if I'm going to find what I'm looking for by putting up with these summons jobs."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Translucent Bard</strong> on <strong>29-05-2012, 10:56:55</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Sae notices the commotion with the healer and makes his way over. He watches the blood trick and nods silently. "Impressive" he mouths to the healer.&nbsp; He waves the man over to his table and slides him a drink. "So, that was an impressive little.. show you put on there." He chose his words carefully. "You seem like a handy guy." Sae was being careful, he tried to make it clear he wasn't looking for trouble, as a man who can make someone bleed to heal, could most likely also make you bleed to death.<br><br>He takes the conversation outside of the tavern, and points at the large crowd. "See that over there? That's a scam gone perfectly right." he grins, turning to look at the healer. "The girl doesn't spick a lick of elvish, but everyone in this city will do whatever they can to get their hands on a "fortune". By the way, the name is Sae." he continues to talk, trying to make conversation until he deems the scam artist in the crowd is ready to meet a true scam artist. "How much of that sack of gold do you want to put on me getting in there, taking half her coin, and coming back to buy you another pint of ale?" Sae says, coyly smiling. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>metamorphize</strong> on <strong>29-05-2012, 11:07:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The woman's eyes seemed to unfocus for a second and she takes a tentative step backwards. A confused look crossed her face before turning her gaze back to the man. "You... your hand..." She trailed off, chewing on her lower lip thoughtfully. More than a few seconds were spent in silence, studying the look of the man. Suddenly she turned to the crowd, her "professional" demeanor returning. "Sorry boys, the show's over. This gentleman here gets a private fortune session." She sent him a wink before turning and heading towards the tavern nearby. <br><br>Standing at the door of the tavern, Gwenny turned to study the crowd. She stood there, waiting for some inclination from the man that he was coming.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sarah Morgan</strong> on <strong>29-05-2012, 11:21:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Mira continued to watch the spectacle, not about to let the man in on what the elf was doing, not sure whether the man himself could be trusted.&nbsp; It was true, she was usually more trusting of people, but she also wasn't a fool.&nbsp; A frown crossed her lips as she continued to watch, deepening into concern when the woman singled the man out, and told the rest of the crowd she was in effect unavailable for more fortune-telling.&nbsp; She wasn't sure what the woman was planning, but she didn't like what she'd felt from her.&nbsp; Staying at what she hoped would be a safe distance, she followed the pair toward the tavern, curious and worried enough to ignore what had been drilled into her about a lady not entering a tavern alone.&nbsp; Technically she wasn't alone, there were crowds of people everywhere, and besides, she'd come here for adventure, not to be proper and cautious.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Galactic Druid</strong> on <strong>29-05-2012, 11:38:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I'm not really interested in playing games." the healer said, before sitting up, focused on the crowd outside. "Hold up....." he said, watching the scam in the street. Something about that bit seemed.... genuine. You don't turn away a crowd you're about to rip off, after all. "You see that?" he asked Sae, not really looking to make friends. More than anything, he wanted to make sure what he had just seen was real. He grabbed a glass of water he had on the table from earlier with his customer, rinsing some of the blood off his hand, so that he'd be ready to leave the tavern if need be as these people approached. <br><br>The well-dressed man hadn't seen that coming. Sending away the crowd like that, what could have been at least a hundred easy gold pieces wouldn't make much sense unless she had actually seen something, something big at that. As the crowd dispersed, he could practically <em>feel</em> the dirty looks he was receiving from most of them. The wink was just the icing on the cake. At this point, it hardly mattered if she actually had a fortune for him. May as well make the trip out here worth something. He was all too quick and willing to follow her inside.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Translucent Bard</strong> on <strong>29-05-2012, 11:44:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Sae gave the healer an odd look, shrugging and turning back. "Yeah, look, they're coming this way. You may not be interested in playing games, but I'm still interested in a pay day." He waits by the entrance to the tavern with the healer, talking to him idly, waiting for the two to pass him. He smiles to the healer as the scam artist walks by, holding a concealed blade out to cut the coin-purse off her belt as she walks by. This is a trained act by now, as an observer could tell it'snot his first time using this move. To exaggerate the follow-through, he also purposely trips into her, feigning a miss-step to cover for his thievery. <br><br>He smiles to her as he stands up. "Sorry miss, didn't mean to trip into you! Maybe later you could give me a fortune too?" He grins, speaking in a playful tone as he returns to the healers side. "We should follow those two in. Things could get interesting pretty quick." He starts to follow the two into the tavern, keeping his distance from them.&nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>metamorphize</strong> on <strong>30-05-2012, 05:15:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				A smile crossed Gwenny's face as the man turned to follow her. They walked a short distance before she was tripped to the ground by another man. She swung up to her feet nimbly and placed a hand on her chest, exaggerating her breathing. "Oh no, sir it's quite alright. Though I'm not sure about that fortune. It may be too expensive for the likes of you." With a smirk she was back on her way, hips sashaying as she headed into the tavern. Should Sae open the coin purse he would find two copper, the rest being filled with worthless metal pieces. It seemed that the woman kept her coin purse elsewhere.<br><br>Gwenny headed to a secluded corner of the bar, pulling her real coin purse from her bosom. She plopped down a few coins, waving over the nearest bartender. "A drink for myself and my new friend here. And make it strong this time, please." She narrowed her eyes at the man, who hurried off. It seemed that the woman was well known in these parts. "Now. You may find this a bit odd." she spoke after two mugs of the tavern's best ale were placed in front of them. "But it seems you and I have an opportunity for a little bit of a business deal, if you're interested." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sarah Morgan</strong> on <strong>31-05-2012, 00:34:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Mira watched the woman and her customer head for the tavern, doing her best to seem as if she wasn't watching the scene, lest the woman turn and see her, and be angry over Mira's curiosity.&nbsp; She saw a man bump into her, but to Mira the move seemed off, somehow.&nbsp; No one was moving particularly fast, and so the accident made her suspicious.&nbsp; She watched the woman as she headed for a table, trying to pinpoint what seemed different, and then remembering how heavy the woman's purse had seemed.&nbsp; It had been in an obvious place, and Mira didn't see it now, which made her wary of the man.&nbsp; She was torn between confronting him, and finding a way to tell the woman her purse had been stolen, when the woman took her real purse out from its hiding place.&nbsp; A bemused smirk crossed Mira's lips, and she moved closer to the man and his companion, curious to see the man's reaction when he found that his attempted thievery had been double-crossed.&nbsp; The woman wasn't going anywhere, at least not for a while, and so she felt she could indulge her curiosity for the time being.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Galactic Druid</strong> on <strong>31-05-2012, 08:30:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				For the healer, all of this was just unwanted attention. He had spent plenty of time in the tavern running his 'business' already, and the addition of the flashy fortune teller and Sae's mischief&nbsp; were enough for him to start to think about moving on. He hadn't minded the thief's comments, 'handy' was a lot nicer a term than 'monster' or 'demon', but his reputation was poor enough as it was, without working with a thief, if that's what he had been hoping to get at. He was about to leave the tavern when he noticed Mira. Compared to the other characters in the tavern, himself included, she seemed largely out of place, more... innocent? That wasn't quite the right word, but it would have to do. He thought briefly about warning her to avoid this crowd, but then decided just as quickly that it wasn't his business.<br><br>Gwen's customer took one of the mugs of ale and sloshed it back. He had a feeling he wasn't getting another fortune, but if she had called off all those other customers, all those potential coins, it meant she must have seen a chance for even more, at the least. He wasn't getting anywhere with his current resources, and with any luck, sticking around with her long enough may entitle him to another vision, hopefully one that would lead him to his target. "All right, I'm listening." he told her, putting his mug down. He made a bit of a face. The local booze was a bit bitter and unrefined for his palette. "Though I should warn you, whatever opportunity you have lined up would come second, I still have my own mission." A moment later, he added. "And I'd still like to know where I can find my target." The way he said his target made him sound like some form of assassin, though he really didn't look the part of one. Then again, that may be the entire point.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Translucent Bard</strong> on <strong>31-05-2012, 08:44:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Sae grinned as he felt the contents of the purse. "Smart girl..." he muttered to himself. He wasn't disheartened by his seeming failure, as it wasn't his repertoire to do so. He just dropped the purse on the ground and followed them inside. Taking his seat a fair distance away, he motioned for the bartender to come over. As he arrived he leaned in, slipped him a few coins discretely, and then leaned back. He did his best to listen to the two talk, but didn't want to make himself obvious.<br><br>During this time, he reached down to his boot and confirmed that all his hidden weaponry was still in it's proper place, and watched the patrons of the bar. He felt that things might get interesting, and wanted to be prepared for the worst. A deal with a woman who was obviously a fraud to him seemed like bad news, and he wouldn't hesitate to make a quick and quiet exit, or jump in if the fight seemed like he could get something out of it. For now he just drank out of a small canteen on his tunic, and waited.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>metamorphize</strong> on <strong>02-06-2012, 23:55:42</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Gwen sipped lightly at the ale, spending a few moments considering how to handle things. Slowly she stuck out her right hand, smiling amiably. "First things first, let's introduce ourselves. I'm Gwendolynn Silvertongue. I provide... services to those in need. As well as the fortune telling on the side. While telling your fortune, I think I may have seen something of help to both of us." The half-elf nodded her head, as if that made perfect sense. She pulled her hand away quickly, not noticing whether or not her customer shook it or not. There was something that seemed to excite her, and she continued on.<br><br>"First off, I imagine you're going to be wondering if I'm real or not. I imagine a gentleman as smart as yourself knows what was happening out there was all a sham." The eyes of the half-elf trailed down to the man's hands. "I can tell you one thing. Things get rather... bright when you're around, do they not?" She raised a delicate eyebrow, holding out her hand as if she was aiming something towards him.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sarah Morgan</strong> on <strong>03-06-2012, 19:02:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Doing her best to stay unnoticed, Mira followed at what she hoped was a discreet distance, yet still close enough to catch their conversation.&nbsp; She kept her eyes down, doing her best not to look at anyone, not knowing what any of the customers might do when enough ale was involved.&nbsp; She still wasn't sure whose side she should take up if one was called for, the woman whom she'd gotten the strange sense from, or the man who'd tried to steal her money.&nbsp; Until she knew more of what was transpiring, she hoped to stay out of the limelight, if she could manage it.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Galactic Druid</strong> on <strong>03-06-2012, 21:26:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				((Okay, I know none of the PPMs have introduced themselves yet, but you guys know they're characters and I'm tired of using phrases like "The well dressed man" and "the healer", so I'm just going to go ahead and start using their names even though no one's learned them yet.))<br><br>Kent raised an eyebrow. There was really only one thing she could be referring to, but he had no idea how she'd know about it. In her vision, had she seen him fighting? He couldn't imagine he was using what she might be referring to were he not dealing with his actual target. He leaned in over the table. "Alright, you've got my attention. So where's this deal of yours come in, and where do we go from here?" He'd stick with her for the time being, she may end up proving very useful in the future.<br><br>Travis paused just as he reached the exit of the tavern. Something about everything that had been happening just didn't sit right with him. For one thing, he wasn't at all used to people being friendly with him, let alone open as Sae had. Secondly, there were times when he truly hated what he had become. There was the tiniest part of him that was still a healer, and still wanted to help people, though it had largely been crushed by what life was for a healer in the land of Alora, where magic was blasphemy and healing was the art of a demon. Still, it wouldn't kill him to show a hint of kindness. Walking back into the tavern, he paused to put one hand on Mira's shoulder. "Get out while you can." he told her, positive by then that she was just some kid. "This isn't the kind of crowd you want to get mixed up in. Find someone trustworthy at the summons if you really want to spread those wings. Just not here." With that, he returned to Sae. "Alright, so you said you had an idea. What is it? Mind you, I'm not a thief."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Translucent Bard</strong> on <strong>04-06-2012, 00:51:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Sae watched as the healer made his way back to him, and he nodded. Just a he thought, he'd come around back to somebody who showed appreciation. Sae didn't care to use magic, but he certainly wasn't against having somebody use it to help him out. He was, at this point, just trying to get a fair use of everyone he had met in this city. He turned and shifted, looking now at the man. "No need, I've got that part of everything under control." he smiled, and took another sip of his ale. <br><br>"Everyone's heading for the summons, and whether you like it or not, they'll do almost anything to get their fair shot." he spoke, pointing discretely at the man paying the woman who was scamming others outside. "Falling for petty scams... obvious scams... or fighting with their own brothers and friends to get a better chance at getting selected." he pointed again, to a fighting group of people behind him. "I say we go there together, as it's safer that way, and see what we get out of it. I've got quick hands, and you've got good sense. At the very least you pick out targets and I hit em hard and fast." It was a basic plan, but Sae at this point had no interest in getting selected at the summons, but he just saw it as an opportunity for money, or to meet new sources within the capital. He finally asked the healer his last question before taking another long drink of ale. "Yeah, didn't catch your name earlier. That'd be a good step one."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sarah Morgan</strong> on <strong>04-06-2012, 04:01:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Mira started at the unexpected touch, glancing up warily when she saw it was a man who'd touched her, but relaxing when he only seemed to be watching out for her.&nbsp; "I don't make a habit of visiting random taverns, and I'm not about to start now," she tried to reassure him, squaring her shoulders and straightening her spine in an attempt to seem taller.&nbsp; "Only something caught my attention, and so I wanted to follow up," she added, peeking toward the woman and her customer, and then at Sae.<br><br>She hesitated before asking her next question, debating whether she should, and then decided it wouldn't harm anything if she did.&nbsp; "Are you planning on going to the summons?&nbsp; Maybe... maybe I could go with you, if you are.&nbsp; Not just anyone would bother themselves with trying to look out for someone other than themselves, so that says to me you at least appear to be trustworthy," she added.&nbsp; "I don't mean to seem forward, I just thought that if we're both going to the same place anyway, we could go together just as easily as alone," she finished, following him as he made his way back to Sae, but wisely staying out of distance from the other man, not sure she could trust him yet, seeing as how he'd try to steal not five minutes ago.<br><br>((Good idea.&nbsp; I think we still have to meet Victoria too, don't we?&nbsp; And I hope this isn't considered as posting over Gwen, but I didn't think it would hurt for Mira to at least answer him, and ask her question.))
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>metamorphize</strong> on <strong>04-06-2012, 04:31:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				As Gwendolynn opened her mouth to reply, she suddenly seemed to doze out, her eyes unfocusing. Suddenly she seemed to come to, giving the tavern a look over. Her eyes landed on the form of Travis. Slowly she stood up with a dramatic sigh. "Damn it, knights are bad for business. follow me." She made her way across the bar to Sae, Mira, and Travis, grabbing Travis by the arm.<br><br>"There you are, Winston! I've been looking all over for you! No good husband. Always running off when there are chores to be done. Drinking with your friends! Well there's work to be done and I won't have it! Get yourself out of the tavern and lets get home. Now." There was something about the tone of her voice that implied that behind Gwendolynn's rant, there was something serious going on. She attempted to tug Travis towards the back door, eyes darting around the bar and landing often on the front door.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Galactic Druid</strong> on <strong>04-06-2012, 12:15:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				This was a weird day for Travis. Who were all these people, suddenly wanting to work with him? Didn't they realize what a monster he was? That merely traveling with him would only bring them misfortune? "I hadn't really considered it an option. I'm not really front lines material, I just heal." he told her, expecting that would be enough for her to lose interest. Even outside Alora, blood healers weren't popular. Using one's own blood to fuel magic carried a certain stigma, unfortunately.<br><br>As the two of them approached Sae, Travis heard out his idea, then shook his head. "I believe your good, but there's enough people trying to kill me without my helping a thief. I told you, I'm not interested in stealing." No one may believe it, but money wasn't where Travis's interested lied in the slightest. He was about to dismiss the whole thing, but he was curious about something. "If you're looking for lots of coin fast, why not attend the summons?" he asked with a shrug. All those purses Sae could cut, all the money Travis made healing, it was all spare change. The coins the real adventurers were willing to spend on healing so that they could make their REAL coin. He never considered going to the summons before, content to heal others who were attending, but all of a sudfden there were people why wanted to work with him, one of whom was already determined to go to the summons. Before he could speak his mind, however, he was interrupted by his 'wife'.<br><br>"I'm not your husband!" he protested at first, trying to shake her off, wishing she'd stop making a scene, but when she said her final "Now.", he had to pause and listen. This was the same woman that had turned away dozens of easy scams for a single client moments ago, what had she seen now? if it was concerning him, however... "All of us need to leave." he told Mira and Sae alowing Gwen to pull him towards the back doors of the tavern.<br><br>Kent didn't know what to make of this strange woman. First, she turned down hundreds of coins to talk to him. Next, she's dragging three people out the bar with no explanation. What was going on? Did they still have a deal? Either way, he still needed information from her if he was ever going to find what he was looking for. "Wait!" He called out to Gwen, getting up from his seat, closing the gap between them. "Did we still have a deal?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Translucent Bard</strong> on <strong>04-06-2012, 21:30:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Sae didn't like all the attention. He was beginning to think it was best for him to cut his losses and return home to take his profit with him. "I'm.. not sure." He said warily, trying to see what was happening. The scam artist seemed to have drop her ruse and picked up a new one, which was terrible for consistency and really, a rookie mistake. It was odd to see such urgency though, and he decided it might be good to keep an eye on this group of individuals.<br><br>"I'll stay close behind.. maybe." he said, talking to the healer specifically. "I'm good with people, so maybe I could be of use to you in a way beyond my quick fingers." He always had a way with crowds, being able to convince even the most stubborn of individuals to do things that would play out favorably to Sae. He also had a knack for finding traps, as he'd been dealing with them consistently for about 10 years. He could maybe help these guys out, if there was some money involved.<br><br>"Alright, fine, let's go. And by the look on her face, now." he said, pointing to Gwen. As everyone started to shift and move out of the tavern, Sae was the lat to leave. He didn't want anyone behind him or having any of his newly acquainted friends pulling anything rash without him getting the jump on the situation.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sarah Morgan</strong> on <strong>05-06-2012, 12:58:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Mira's eyes widened at Travis's announcement, and she wondered if he meant the type of healing she thought.&nbsp; Her suspicion was confirmed when he mentioned to Sae that people had tried to kill him, but rather than looking frightened or put off, she only looked curious.&nbsp; She'd never understood why everyone disliked blood healers so much; after all, they couldn't help the way their healing worked, and they shouldn't be penalized for it, at least to her mind.<br><br>Before she could say anything, the woman was suddenly trying to herd them all outside, and Mira wondered what her reason was.&nbsp; Rather than argue, figuring that the sooner they were all out of earshot of the other patrons, the sooner the mystery would be explained, she simply nodded to Travis, and fell in with the group, trying to keep as much distance between herself and Sae as possible, still not trusting him much, after she'd seen his earlier actions with Gwen.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>metamorphize</strong> on <strong>10-06-2012, 06:52:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				It was clear that Gwendolynn did not expect everyone to follow. She looked from one to the other for a very long time, eventually turning her attention to Kent. "Ah... yes. We still have a deal. Unfortunately it seems that things are going to have to be put on hold. What with this blood healer attracting too much attention for my liking." She glared at Travis, clearly very peeved. "You owe me one, sir. Knights are bad for business for a woman like me, don't you know."<br><br>Turning from the group she made her way to the door, peeking inside to check the tavern. Content that for the moment things seemed quiet she turned back to the group. "And what do we have here?" she questioned, eyeing one person to the next. "When did I attract such a group when I was merely having myself a nice drink with an... acquaintance?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Galactic Druid</strong> on <strong>10-06-2012, 10:13:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				No sooner were they all clear of the tavern than Aloran Templars marched in through the front door. "We've heard a demon walks among the patrons here. A wanted criminal in Alora." One demanded. The entire tavern stayed silent. No one wanted to be involved in the mess. Besides, these 'Holy' crusaders were not known for being gentle. In their minds, better to have a wound re-opened than sealed by the devil's hand. That meant anyone with a scar was at risk if the Templars decided everyone inside needed 'saving'. The warrior what Travis had healed earlier lumbered in after them. "Did you find him?" he asked. "Can i collect my reward now?" Both Templars turned to look at him. "Gone." one said, annoyed. The other was tapping at the warrior's split armor, still stained from earlier. "Tell me, how did you know for sure this man was a healer?" The warrior's face flushed.<br><br>Travis didn't know what to make of Gwen, for the moment. Sure, he was grateful for her saving him from yet another Templar encounter. While they had no real authority in Palia, few people dared oppose the Templars. They were brutal in their tactics, and anyone in their way was labeled a heretic. On the other hand, like so many other people, she was annoyed by his mere presence, thanks to what he was. He took a few coins from his purse and handed them to Gwen. "For your fortune." he told her, as he turned to leave, intending to head through the alleys behind the tavern. It was the same acknowledgement of usefulness he always expected when he healed. "I believe it's time I headed to the palace."<br><br>With Templars added to the mix, Travis didn't really like his chances in Agion. He craved the feeling of safety after all these years. Was there nowhere he could go they would not hunt him? The guards of the city would do nothing to protect him. Why would they? He was a blood healer, after all. He hated to admit it, but really, his best chance for any kind of safety was to answer the summons. Agion may tolerate the Templars far less if he was aligned with them. of course, this raised even more problems. Would anyone actually accept the stigma of him in their group? He glanced at Mira for a moment. She might, though he really didn't want to drag someone that innocent down with him. Now Sae... He liked Sae, despite everything. Something about the man... he was very charismatic. Even though he was an obvious thief, he seemed like the type he could work with, assuming the job was an honest one. Sae, however, seemed to have little interest in the summons, so he was on his own, it would seem.<br><br>"I'll just stick with you for now." Kent told Gwen. He hated to admit it, especially to someone like Gwen, who really only seemed interested in the bottom line, but he was desperate. She was the first clue he had found to his destination. He desperately wanted to finish his mission. To go home. To eat some real food. To take a week long bath. "I still need to actually know some of the details, you know." he reminded her, though it was clearly not the best time for that. He had yet to meet either Sae or Mira, so he had little opinions of either, except for Sae's earlier attempt at theft. He didn't seem like&nbsp; a bad guy, really, maybe he just liked a challenge? Either way, he'd be sure to mind his belongings.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Translucent Bard</strong> on <strong>11-06-2012, 08:54:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Upon the Templar's arrival, Sae tried his best to slink into the shadows, avoiding direct contact with anyone with focus and determination to vet out criminals and demons. He was at least one of those, and didn't want to take the rsiks associated with the whole group. Observing their pockets he shook his head and stepped outside, following the healer and the rest of the crowd. He laughed and walked next to Travis. <br><br>"You really know how to ruin a party." shaking his head, he looked over his shoulder quickly, before turning back to him. "You need to get out of here, I love rewards and money, and am trying to fund something that's been on the rocks as of late." he was trying to be discrete, and wouldn't come clean at why he needed rewards and money. "Let's go to the summons, eh? Looks like you need an excuse to not be around here, and I'm getting bored."<br><br>Sae liked the healer. People on the run worked well with him, and this was exactly what the healer seemed to be. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sarah Morgan</strong> on <strong>12-06-2012, 13:48:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Mira's unsure opinion of Gwen moved more firmly toward dislike as the woman glared at Travis, seeming angry that he'd followed her, when she'd been the one to come after him in the first place.&nbsp; She wasn't sure what this woman was about, but she wasn't sure she liked her tactics much.<br><br>She was spared from contemplating the matter any further at the appearance of the templars, and she wondered what she should do.&nbsp; She wanted to do what she could to help, but she didn't want to attract the templars' notice, either.&nbsp; She knew she wouldn't fare well against any one of them, let alone the whole group, but it seemed Travis had his own plan, assuming the templars would let them leave, a prospect that didn't seem very likely at the moment.&nbsp; She offered him a reassuring smile as he glanced at her, wishing others could be more tolerant, rather than judge him for something he didn't have any control over.&nbsp; "I think that's our best plan, assuming our company will let us leave," she said, glad for Travis's company, in spite of the attention he was drawing, if not very enthusiastic for Gwen's tagging along.&nbsp; Still, Mira could tolerate her, as long as the woman refrained from the criticism, and she resolved to keep a close eye on her things as long as Sae was with them.&nbsp; Kent she didn't know, so she didn't have much of an opinion either way as far as he was concerned, but overall she liked the idea of traveling in a group better than she'd liked the prospect of showing up at the summons by herself.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>metamorphize</strong> on <strong>13-06-2012, 05:20:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				As Gwendolyn opened her mouth to speak to Kent, she seemed to hear Mira speak. She raised a delicate eyebrow in her direction, scowling. "Oh, you're welcome to leave anytime you want. I was just saving your friend's life here." As she spoke she pulled her coin purse from her bosom, dropping the coins Travis had given her into it. "A simple thanks would have down,&nbsp; you know. I dislike the Templars as much as the next prostitute. They can be... bad for business."<br><br>A frown played upon her lips as she considered this, tucking her coinpurse away. "And now if you don't mind I have business to return to." She nodded in Kent's direction. Let the other three go where they wanted to, they were of no concern of hers. She was a business woman, not some babysitter. "Keep yourself out of trouble, healer."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Galactic Druid</strong> on <strong>14-06-2012, 09:34:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I plan on it." Travis told her with a nod. The entire group could hear the screams of the man that had sold out Travis as they slipped into an alleyway, along with the sickening cracking of bone. The Templars had reopened the wound, and then some, for good measure. Better to die naturally than live by the devil's hands. Travis walked just a little faster. He'd be safe once they got to the palace, even Templars couldn't get in there. He didn't mind letting Mira and Sae tag along. If he was really going through with this, he'd need some form of team, and at least they wouldn't automatically hate him for being the monster he was.<br><br>"A prostitute?" Kent asked, raising a brow, handing back a bit to stay with Gwen. She still was his best lead. "I may renegotiate that contract. I don't need the money..." really, Palian money had very little use to him, especially when the mission was over. He could at least enjoy his time there a bit. She was going to be traveling with him a while anyway...
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Translucent Bard</strong> on <strong>19-06-2012, 03:05:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Sae just observed everything, walking behind the group a bit, and trying to make sure nobody was following them. He figured the summons would be a good adventure, and he apparently had new friends to get acquainted with. New people, new tasks, new money. Nothing wrong with a little bit of work before the reward, anyway.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sarah Morgan</strong> on <strong>19-06-2012, 06:40:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Mira considered apologizing to Gwen for her temper, but the impulse faded when the other woman brought up business for the second time in half as many minutes.&nbsp; It seemed business was what she cared about most, rather than people, but some were just that way.&nbsp; She was grateful that Gwen had thought up a ruse to get them all out of harm's way, and she suddenly wondered how she'd known that trouble was coming.&nbsp; However she'd figured it out, Mira was glad she'd at least thought enough of them to try and help, however much her motive might only be for self-interest.<br><br>"I'm sure all of us are grateful you took the time to help us, at least I am," Mira said, making sure her tone was nonthreatening, trying to calm the situation.&nbsp; It seemed the woman's temper had a short fuse, apparently.&nbsp; That didn't mean she'd apologize for standing up for Travis though, especially when Gwen threw in the comment about staying out of trouble.&nbsp; Mira was tempted to say something about how he hadn't done anything, but thought better of it in a hurry.&nbsp; She had a feeling that she and Gwen weren't going to agree on the issue, and trying to convince her would only make her angry, something they didn't need just now.<br><br>She winced in sympathy and quickened her pace at the sounds coming from behind them, resisting the urge to run, but only barely.&nbsp; She was secretly glad Sae had seen fit to watch their backs, and she moved closer to him and Travis, letting Gwen and Ket have some privacy to talk, if they wanted.&nbsp; She sensed Gwen probably didn't much care for her company, and Mira didn't want to aggravate her more than she already was.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>metamorphize</strong> on <strong>19-06-2012, 07:11:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				A sigh escaped Gwendolynn's lips as she followed the group, leaning close to Kent. It was just like a man to go back on his word. No matter. She would have to do some convincing. "You have to do it, whether you wish to or not. I've seen it, you see." The psychic was drawing far more attention then she wished to with her earlier stunt of giving false fortunes. Feeling sub conscious she grabbed onto his hand, pulling her dress up slightly to conceal her cleavage the best she could. She felt much safer in a group and she could likely see anyone coming after them.. it was still risky.<br><br>"It's simple enough, really. You do what I tell you to, you get gold. Any fool can do it. Not that I think you're much of a fool, of course. I can just sense that you're someone who likes to get things done." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Galactic Druid</strong> on <strong>22-06-2012, 12:07:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I think you misunderstood me." Kent explained to Gwen. "I have absolutely no use for gold. My... country doesn't use Palian currency. You can have my share, as long as you continue to provide both your services." It was a bold statement, but if it worked, Kent's mission would certainly become much less miserable in his own mind. He continued to let her take the lead as to where they were headed. <br><br>Travis stuck close to the others as they made their way through the city streets. Any further Templar were nowhere in sight, as he preferred them to be. He had no interest in running into them again, though even they might think twice about an inquisition in the middle of the city streets. He was still wrapping his head around everything, even as they palace came into view. He was actually going there? To attend? And with a team? It seemed like the kind of thing for fairy tales at the moment. People didn't willing work with blood healers. That just wasn't how the world worked.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Translucent Bard</strong> on <strong>23-06-2012, 07:57:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Sae walked carefully, eyes darting back and forth, alert for Templar or other officials. He could handle himself properly, even like a noble some would say, but he preferred if his work was easy and all he had to do was slink around shadows or blend into crowds. As they got closer to the summons, he was even more alert, trying to keep his opportunities open in case he found a rich man trying to bribe his way through into the summons's throne. <br><br>Sticking close behind Travis and Mira, he whistled a tune, spinning a knife in it's sheath to the tune. Smiling as people looked at him, he continued the tune, just to pass the time or keep his mind off of the fact he was teaming up with strangers for the summons. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The land of claw and fang</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sarah Morgan</strong> on <strong>26-06-2012, 09:13:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Mira didn't add anything to the conversation, leaving Gwen and Kent to discuss their business amongst themselves, and sticking close to Sae and Travis.&nbsp; Normally she would have been nervous at seeing Sae's knife out so casually, but just now she was comforted by it, in spite of the looks they were getting as they approached the summons.&nbsp; She felt better being with a group, even if they might have their differences in opinion.&nbsp; A group would most likely make a better impression than several individuals striking out on their own, and good impressions were a good thing to capitalize on, especially after their near run-in with the templars.
			</dd>
		</dl>
		<div id="footer" class="smalltext">
			
			<span class="smalltext" style="display: inline; visibility: visible; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=credits" title="Simple Machines Forum" target="_blank" class="new_win">SMF 2.0.19</a> |
 <a href="https://www.simplemachines.org/about/smf/license.php" title="License" target="_blank" class="new_win">SMF © 2021</a>, <a href="https://www.simplemachines.org" title="Simple Machines" target="_blank" class="new_win">Simple Machines</a>
			</span>
		</div>