Gold !

JessJazza scowls at Daggda. "Next time hire some street brat to follow you around when you don't have anything useful to say." She turns around and walks back to her temple.

Within a few blocks, she finds herself back at the Temple where there is much work to do cleaning up after the great feast.  "Bullshit!" she mutters again ... then she almost laughs as she makes a picture in her mind of Illuvitar, the God of Justice and Truth, watching these civil servants who are pretending to be priests.  HIS kind of truth and justice was to be found on the field of battle.  Not at the dining table.

This could be an interesting group, she muses as she walks back to her room at the Temple.  "But that Avon guy could be trouble.  Oh well, nothing I can't handle."

On gaining her small room, she notes it is late in the afternoon.  She strips down and goes thru her ritual exercises with her weapons.  Then she sits down to meditate and try and recall that connection with Illuvitar.  BACK !! ... He is back.  She is so excited she almost jumps out of her mediation.  There is nothing new or unusual... just a resuming of what had been before.  She knows more than to expect an explanation from Him.  She spends longer in her meditation than she usually would, luxuriating in the warmth and comfort that she has missed these last 36 hours.

The temple bell sounds.  It is 6 pm.  JessJazza rises from her contemplative posture; she is refreshed, alert and ready to.... to do what, exactly?  She asks herself.

[Sandros/Andrew/Veneron/Koprith/Moongloom/Avon]

[Sandros]
Thinking that it might be a good idea to take the time to finish training, since Tav has to do so as well, he begins to lean towards staying in town a few more days at least. And besides...he deserved a little fun before heading back onto the road. Been too long since he could relax for even a night or two.

Sandros did his best to listen as the strange little halfling fellow began to ramble as always, and caught enough to hear of the meeting. Well, at least that gave him one more day to be sure of his plans. And he may as well get some training done that day, if he could...but he wasn't sure who he'd have train him.

Ah well...he'd figure it out soon enough. In the meantime, get their money, go blow it on some booze and women, and then there would be time to worry about the rest.

Wondering to himself at the foolishness of men Andrew supposed that they deserved the break. Not interested in The Silver Slipper for any of the same reason Andrew is in a hurry none the less. Already he knows what he'll do when he gets there:  once inside he'll order a drink and look around for the "lady" he's supposed to meet for information.

Silently wishing Avon would hurry up and get this "bank business" over with.  The Druid was not particularly fond of being in a large, dusty, closed in building.... the city was bad enough to deal with.

Topaz Morthrin looks expectantly from one face to another.  Veneron gives Avon a gentle nudge in the ribs.  The half-elven thief was standing nearly open-mouthed.  "So this is where the money is.  I wonder if I could get into the REAL vaults.  I could carry an awful lot of gold out of here.  I wonder what they do for security?" 

He is jarred awake by the elbow in his ribs from Ven.  "Avon?  The paper .. give the nice dwarf the paper so we can get the money." 

Avon gives Ven a dirty look.  "OF COURSE.  That's what we are here for."  And he shows the paper signed by the TunnelMaster authorizing payment of 2000 gp.  He does not want to let go of the paper until the gold is actually HERE.  Finally, the dwarf points to a side table.

"Right there.  We were told to expect you ... although," he looks them over top to toe, one by one, "we had thought you might be a bit ...er... lest dusty ..."  He gives a shrug at their clothes, covered with road dust, orc and goblin blood.  "You fellows certainly look like you've had a bit of an adventure, eh?"  He chuckles and leads them to the table. 

Arrayed there are 4 small chests, keys are in the locks.  The dwarven banker, Morthrin, throws them open one after another with a small flourish.  "There you are!  You may count it if you wish, but be assured that there has never been an error in our count."  Gleaming out from the chests are coins.  Gold coins.  Each is a large coin, weighing exactly a Dwarven Ounce.  2000 gold coins.  At 10 to the pound, that's over 200 pounds of gold!  Everyone exchanged glances as they all shared the same thought.   "NOW WHAT?!  You just cant walk around with 4 chests with 200 pounds of gold it them!"

Each of them had seen gold pieces before, of course.  But not chests full of gold.  Even small chests of gold were pretty impressive to look at.

Avon starts to walk toward the table, but Topaz Morthrin places a gentle hand on his chest.  "Ahem.. The draft signed by the TunnelMaster, please?"  Avon pushes the paper at the dwarf and steps toward the table.  He walks forward until his thighs are touching the oak of the table and stands, just looking down at the brilliant gleam of gold in the chests.

[Daggda/Tavarak]

Daggda passes some pleasant time talking with the distant relative of her montor Tiwaz.  Soon enough, however, she gets down to business, explaining to Stren Goldseeker what she seeks:  Basalt Rex had indicated months ago, when he accepted her service temporarily and offered his protection for a like time, that there she might be able to find some information about the forging hizagkuur.  This is the quest she left Underhome to persue.

Stren Goldseeker thinks, then suggests that the best source for that information would be in Rex's library.  The dwarven library, however, was many dozen leagues away, back in Dwarvenholm.  Maybe she would have more luck searching in Princess Talis' library here in Squarento.  He gave her a note to show to the Royal Librarian.  Daggda thanked him effusively and left, heading back toward the barracks.  Tomorrow would have to do for starting research, she mused as she looked at the sun sitting low in the sky.

By the time she got back to the barracks, she found Tavarak just coming out, looking rather spiffy in his clean clothes.  They exchanged a few words, and Tav agreed to wait until she could change, before they would go out to find something to eat.

Although would never be able to solve any mathematical problem he has little trouble figuring out how the treasure should be split. For a moment he stands silently before the table mumbling moving his fingers.

"Seems easy enough" he breaks his own silence. "Since only 4 of us started this adventure and 2 joined half way they should get less. But since the dwarf didn't want any treasure we can take him, uhm, her out of the calculation." He coughs and looks like he is calculating everything again. "I say we get 450 each, and Andrew here gets 200 for his efforts. That is more than reasonable I would say." He is silent again, "Yup, that would about do it. Just a shame that Tav is going to spend his fortune on charity. Well, I would have suggested to cut him out of the deal, but since all of you would be moaning the moment I say something rational I won't. But it is a shame, and a waste." And seems that the closeness to so much richness has made Avon a bit exited and he talks and talks. "Now all we need are some old cotton bags to put all this gold in, the last thing we want is to be mugged by some thieves and we should buy us some gear as soon as possible. Owning this much money makes me a bit nervous, there are a lot of people out there that would gladly take it from us, and I am not talking about Tav's charity."

Koprith's jaw hung open. She had definitely pick up the right people to hang out with. She approached the man standing over the gold and looked from it to him. Her mouth slowly closed. "Hey...uh...I could...er...help with that..."

Sandros shrugs at Avon's suggestion on how to split up the gold, as if he doesn't really care much one way or another. "Well, that's fine with me...but I DO think that Andrew and Daggda are due an equal share. They weren't along when we left the city, but they were as much involved in saving the Prince as most of the rest of us were." He grins.

"If Daggda is that determined not to have her share, then why not just split it evenly five ways? That still gives us each 400 gold, more
then enough to enjoy for quite a while. Or better yet, split it six ways, and keep Daggda's share in a party funds collection, for emergencies. Or in case she decides she DOES want the money for some reason. Then, once we've split it all up, I'll bet we could go purchase some gemstones, so they'll be easier to carry."

Andrew decides that the best way for him to deal with this situation is to let the others decide. Waiting patiently while they discuss his share the druid looks around at the massive structure and feels all the more uncomfortable. Missing the woods even more Andrew hopes that everyone can come to a solution that makes everyone happy although he suspects that Avon would be happier with ALL the gold.

Strange the things people argued about. It was more gold that he'd ever seen if you added up all the gold he'd seen in his whole life. The gold seemed such a simple thing when it was only a thought and now turned much more complicated now that it was real.

Veneron adds: "Tav told me that he's in favor of a completely equal distribution .. that would be a six way split. Then everybody could do whatever they wanted with their own share, he said."

Topaz Morthrin, ever willing to be helpful to a group of newly rich adventurers, says, "Well, of course there IS a very reliable dwarven gem merchant just across the street. But even the most honest of merchants makes a profit when he sells a gem... and then he makes another small profit when he buys it back at a later time. So that 100 gp you use to purchase a gem might give you only 90 when you go to sell it... to be honest, it COULD be more, of course... You could open deposit accounts here, at the most reliable bank in all the known world. You could issue drafts around the town for major purchases, which we would honor up to the limit of your account. There would be a nominal fee... only 25 cp per gp on deposit taken annually. [OOC: that's 1/4 % for you modern types] Here you go." And he hands everyone a small pamphlet detailing all the features available to non-merchant customers of the Bank of Dwarvenholm. There are overseas letters of credit, deposit accounts, and managed accounts. "OR... if you want to REALLY make some money, you could let us manage your funds.. turn them into profit-making ventures for you. The fee is, naturally, somewhat higher, as that involves considerable time and energy....that is the managed account feature. Fees for that are a full tithe of the profits, figured each 3 months. Please feel free to call on me at any time." He steps back a discrete distance.

The adventurers take a few gold coins for spending money and leave the bulk with the bank, having discussed arrangements for how to issue a draft for other things they want to buy in town.  Ven, in particular, is going to be shopping for a gem, and the banker assures him that he and Gorlak have done this many times.

Ven is unsure about dealing with Gorlak, and he asks Avon, because of his skill in appraising, and Sandros, for his glib tongue, to help him negotiate.  He enters the store and asks for Gorlak the Thief.  Gorlak is a fairly young dwarf with a rust colored beard.  He begins to be offended at the "Thief" part, until Sandros quickly explains that this is "for the palace" and that the Princess herself told Ven to address the dwarf by that name.

He smiles at that point, and leads the group to a side table.  Going into the back room, he returns with a good sized chest.  It contains hundreds and hundreds of gems of all types, just laying in a jumble.  Avon's fingers begin to itch.  Maybe this place would be easier than the bank to break into!

Gorlak suggests that Veneron just reach in and touch as many gems as he can, until he finds the one that will be right for the spell.  Ven does so, and after fumbling around in the depths of the chest for a few minutes, he finds a stone that feels "warmer" than the others to him.  Not knowing if that is significant or not, he pulls that one out. At least it's "different" than the others... maybe it will be the "right" gem.  It's a fairly large aquamarine, filling almost half of the young mage's hand. 

"Oh dear!" sighs Gorlak "You've selected the Aquamarine of Remnak.  That's a very special stone.  I'm afraid I'll have to ask 1200 gold for it."

Avon looks at the stone, and then has a hurried private chat with Ven and Sandros.  "I'm not a real expert on appraising --YET.  But I dont think it's worth 1/3 of that price."

Sandros speaks to Gorlak,  "You *ARE* a thief.  Did you not hear my friend say this was for the Palace?  What would the Princess say if she heard you were asking 1200 for a stone that's worth only one-tenth that?  You'd lose all your business with her!"

"Well..." says Gorlak, "considering it's for the palace... I could come down to 1000 gold.  How's that?"

"If that's the Aquamarine of Remnak, I'll eat my hat," says Sandy, getting into the mood.  "Not a penny over 200.  There *ARE* others in town who deal in gems, you know."

Well.. it goes on for some time, but eventually Gorlak agrees to let the stone go for 325 which he says is his final offer, and Ven says YES.  The excited mage makes arrangements to pick it up tomorrow, after Gorlak has had a chance to check his credit with the bank.  And besides, Ven doesnt want to walk around town with his gem.

Outside on the street once again, the talk turns to dinner.  Someone remembers that The Silver Slipper is in the same neighborhood as The Flying Fish Inn, and the food there was pretty cheap and good, if nothing else pans out.

Six of the rowdiest, most excieted adventurers you'd ever want to see are walking along, talking about spending the gold, casting spells, finding Paula and her "employees", going on new quests.

From the northwest gate of the Palace grounds, comes Tav and Daggda, both wearing clean clothes, and looking freshly washed.  Daggda spots the group and gives a shout.  There is a good bunch of "hello"ing and exchange of information, as six becomes eight.

JessJazza decides to head back to the bar where she met Koprith and Moongloom. The funny elf had no real intrest for JessJazza, anyone who would be foolish enough to turn their own skin blue couldn't have that much to say, but the warrior Koprith had intrigued
her. That and the fact that she had prayed to Illuvitar the same way JessJazza did. Maybe the woman had some insight to offer. The short elf wondered if Koprith could feel Illuvitar the way she could.

Strolling casually once again on the few blocks from the Temple of Illuvitar to The Iron Fist tavern, JessJazza spies the unmistakable Moongloom standing in a knot of people just down the road.  She joins the group as well.

There is not much traffic on the streets at dinner hour, and it takes only a half hour or so to find the discreet entrance with a small sign above the bell.  "The Silver Slipper -- a Private Club".  Tav tugs on the bell rope -- nothing is heard, but the door opens soon enough.  The man opening the door is a tall and well built elf, his head complete shaven and carrying a wicked looking long dagger in his belt.  He looks at the group silently before ushering them into a richly appointed foyer.  "Please wait a moment." says he.

Paula, a human woman of perhaps 40 years, comes to the foyer pushing aside a heavy tapestry.  She is of medium height and very voluptuous proportions.  Her eyes are violet-blue and her raven-black hair makes her smile seem to be artificially bright.  The Silver Slipper is more of a private club than a tavern, she explains as she ushers them in.  The main room is furnished with over-stuffed and comfortable-looking couches and chairs, but the primary adornments are about a dozen beautiful women and half that number of men:  they are young and not-so-young -- elves, half-elves and humans -- blonde, dark, and auburn-haired  slender and Rubenesque.  All are elegantly and sensuously attired in fine clothes.  Moving around behind the bar are two extremely tall, muscular and well turned-out young men.

Sandros looks around and breaks out into a wide grin.  Veneron thinks back to the girls at the swimming pond back home as he looks around at the women, and blushes from hairline to toe.  Moongloom says, under his breath, “The atmosphere in here is so pleasant, isn’t it?”  Even Avon brakes into a smile.

Paula  is apparently willing to overlook the travel-dirt on the clothes of Andrew, Sandros, Avon and Veneron, for she knows that travelling adventurers often have excess gold to spend, and a willingness to spend it.  “Welcome, gentlemen,” she says, including them all in the greeting.  “And you must be the well-known Moongloom, he of the misfired spell.  I hope it does not embarrass you that a person of your distinctive hue has been widely discussed in casual conversation, but word travels very quickly in a city like Squarento.  I’ve not seen any of you here before, so allow me to explain.  The Silver Slipper can offer the finest of food and personal entertainment with a host or hostess for just a few hours or overnight.  Overnight would include your choice of companion and activites, a fine dinner with the best of our extensive wine cellar, breakfast and …” she smiles at the dusty members of the group “… we’d gladly clean your garments while you’re not using them.  You will not have a more satisfactory experience in Squarento, or indeed anywhere else but the elven baths on the Isle.  All this personal indulgence for merely 2 gp each.  Half that if you're not going to spend the night, and if your desires include only food tonight, it's a mere 25 sp each for the finest mutton, vegetables and all the wine or ale you might like."

"Oh, " she concludes with a smile, "I know that sometimes travellers like to stay longer.  That can be arranged too."

Ven leans over to Sandros and whispers, "Like to stay longer?! Try forever. Who'd want to leave a place like this? Just think, Sandy, with your 300 gp, you could afford to, uh, relax here for half a year. 'Course, you would turn into a blood-sucking killer vampire by then, but, if you're paying in gold .."

Sandros, who was still eyeing the women appreciatively, and debating on which one he'd prefer, nods his head. "Oh yeah...I could handle that... And I'd make sure I didn't over do it on feeding. Some women
are into biting, I hear..." He looks at Ven with a serious look, but then can't help but break out into a grin.

"I'll be staying the night!" Sandy calls out. "But I'll need to start my stay with a bath, I think." Sandros quickly decides his training can be put off until the following morning...and then there was that meeting at four. Plenty of time to enjoy the sights in the meantime, certainly.

Smiling at Ven and Sandros' dark comedy act Andrew looks down at his own state and shakes his head. "A bath would be an excellent place to start, and dinner for certain, the rest will have to wait." The sights truly are amazing and with such lovely women around Andrew almost forgets why he's here.

Sandros hands over the required gold, and waits to be directed toward his night's quarters...


[Veneron]
Had it been only 16 days since he had tried to spy on  Marissa and her sister Mayveryn as they splashed playfully in the nude at the swimming hole on Tapir Creek?  The young mage shook his head in disbelief.  So much had happened since then: fighting for his life, and the life of people he didn’t even know back then; rescuing a Prince and meeting a Princess; defeating a band of orc-criminals and an evil priestess/assassin.  The tale he would tell when he got back to his home -- make that IF he got back home.

And now, here he was, in The Silver Slipper, a place that he had not even imagined could exist.  Blushing furiously, the young and inexperienced Veneron approached the brunette with the liquid-blue eyes.  "I'm er… ummm.. I'm Veneron and … well … if you're not busy … I mean.   Paula said… ummm."

She smiles at him, understanding perfectly.  "I'm Oerwyn."  Perfect, thought Ven.  Oerwyn is a beautiful name.  "Why don’t we start with some dinner and a nice long bath."  Even her voice is beautiful, Ven thought.  She took his hand and led him up the stairs.  "Paula, " she says, "I think we'll use the Sultan suite."  She turns to Ven, "If that's all right with you, Sultan."  Ven nearly trips on his own feet at her sultry comment, but manages to nod vigorously.

[Sandros]

The former slave, former carnival worker, former… Well, Sandros thinks, this could go on forever, listing things I'm not anymore.. should I include "former normal human"??   He shakes his head and smiles at a tawny-haired, tawny-skinned, tawny-eyed half-elven woman across the room.  He walks over and introduces himself.   She smiles in return and says her name is Tigress.  Sandros says, "I guess the Sultan room is taken, but if there's another…."

"Don’t you worry 'bout that at all.  Why don’t you just come back to my private lair."  As she stands, Sandy can see how muscular she is, and tall.  She is at least 6 inches taller than his 5'11".   He looks down at her legs, bare below the tawny toga that ends at mid thigh.  Her finger nails and toe nails are each painted in a different color.  "You jes' relax, now.  Tigress knows where she's goin'."

"I'll bet you do,"  Sandros smiles as he walks with her toward a wall hanging.  He turns to his comrades, "Have fun, but don’t wait up for me."  He laughs as he disappears into the hallway behind the tapestry.

And here, gentle reader, we draw the shade of modesty over the further activities of the Testosterone Two for the night.

[Ensemble]
The others agree to limit their appetites to food and drink tonight.  Paula shows them to a large dining room.  Some of her employees are working here bringing food and drink to the table, and others are eating -- some with clients and some alone.

Daggda likes the look of the food and drink, and allows as how she's feeling like celebrating… even if it's with elves who don’t know how to drink properly.  Avon, of course, is offended, and says he's willing to show her how to drink like a MAN any time she's ready for the humiliation.  With a smile, Daggda asks for 6 tankards of ale to be brought, and she and Avon retire to a side table to settle the drinking championship of the group.

Tavarak had not met JessJazza nor Koprith and bows low over the hand of each as he introduces himself.  Those three join Moongloom at a comfortable table near the fire.  They share some companionable conversation and soon enough two employees come to join them.  She is Dee, a fairly tall human with strong, dark features, and a tattoo on her cheek similar to Sandros' marking her as a former (or perhaps present?) slave.  He is Jax, a slender, lithe elf with light hair and eyes.  Jax explains that Paula wanted to make sure they would feel comfortable about asking for what they might want.  With a smile, Dee sits between Tav and Moongloom and explains that dinner will be coming soon.  Andrew, fresh from the bath, wears a simple robe of dark brown.  He joins them for dinner.

Daggda and Avon start singing some drinking songs, and order another table-full of tankards.

As the evening wears on, Andrew excuses himself and finds Paula for a private conversation, while Dee and Jax show the charming good nature that apparently is the trademark of The Silver Slipper.  Tav, being the Gallant that he is, is particularly taken with Dee, imagining some terrible history that led her to enslavementy.  He probes delicately, hoping to uncover some slight that he could avenge, or put right, romantic that he is.  But she adroitly deflects his questions, and flirts outrageously with both Moongloom and Tavarak.

The pile of empty tankards grows in front of Daggda and Avon, and by 11 pm Avon is snoring quietly, his head on the table.  "Hmmmfff!" sniffs the dwarf.  "Haven't even stot quite garded yet."  But her gait is somewhat unsteady as she returns to the table. 

It is late, but not so late that the adventurers are worried about finding their way back to the barracks.  Daggda weaves a confusing story for Tavarak about the three new people who have all volunteered to help Sandros on his adventure into the swamp.  In her confused state, she invites Moonbeam, JazzyJessy, CopperyMiss to join them in the barracks until they are all ready to leave.   Somehow she has it fixed in her mind that they will be leaving tomorrow morning, with the dawn.   Tav, seeing that he might have some little trouble getting Daggda back to the barracks by himself, welcomes the three, although he does manage to get their names right when he explains where they are staying, and explains that it might be several more days until they are ready to leave town.

So, leaving Avon asleep in his beer --dreaming dreams of swimming in storehouses filled with gold-- and Andrew to his private conversation,  the five head back to the Palace grounds, and eventually they arrive without anything more than a few wobbles by the "I-am-not-as-think-as-you-drunk-I-am" dwarf.  When they get to the barracks room that has been assigned to the group, they find that all the beds have been turned over, the bedding all messed up and there are signs everywhere that the place has been thoroughly --and messily-- searched. 

"I don’t like the look of this at all," Tav says.  He looks at the three new comrades.  "You might be getting yourself into more than you bargained for.  We made some enemies among the Mark's Arm.  If those assassins are on our trail, it will be trouble at some point, for sure.  It's not too late if you want to back out.  No one would associate you with our previous activities."   The group sets about getting the room back into useful shape.  "I wish I knew what they were looking for… so we could hide it better."  Then he sets some obvious noise-making devices on the inside of the doors and bars the shutters on the windows.  "I guess this is as safe as we can make it tonight."

Rast

[Andrew]

After an exquisite bath and a wonderful meal with all the right company(for both),Andrewcatches Paula by herself and speaks to her privately.

Andrew explains that he was asked by Rast to meet him here… or at least that she would know how to put him in contact with Rast.  "Why of course, Rast is almost always here.  Or at least, when he's in town.  I'll have him meet you in the back room."  She points with a manicured finger to a heavy door.  Andrew goes in and finds himself in a room filled with books, comfortable chairs and the smell of pipeweed.

In a few moments, the tall, well-muscled man who had met them at the door comes in.    "Ah yes, the druid who carries the Bracelet of the Mark's Arm…"  he says.  Then he notices the surprised look in Andrew's eyes.  "Oh.. I AM sorry.  "  The air shimmers for a moment, and then the 6-fingered old wizard that Andrew had seen earlier replaces the image of the young, muscular door-keeper.  "I sometimes forget that not everyone expects to see me looking like that in here.  It's a simple trick really, to let everyone see what they expect to see."

"But now.. tell me, " he continues as he settles in to a chair.  "How did you come by that thing and what are you planning to do with it?  It's not an evil thing, you know.  It is just a THING, and a useful thing at that.  But you must conceal it when you wear it, for otherwise it will identify you to those of the Mark's Arm who would do you harm."

Having thoroughly enjoyed the bath and the supper the druid heads off in search of Paula and through her Rast.

Andrew's surprise at the sudden transformation doesn't last long once he realizes what's going on. Smiling at the old wizard Andrew takes the bracelet out of hiding and holds it up to the light. Replying to Rast Andrew says, "I didn't sense any evil in it but it's good to know for certain. The assassin who was holding the Prince was wearing it at the time of her death. I figured she didn't need it anymore and wanted to make sure at the very least it didn't fall into the wrong hands. It truly is remarkable although the cold IS a little disconcerting at first." Andrew continues to tell the tale of their adventure if Rast is interested, and he simply enjoys the rest that the location offers.

"No," says the old wizard, "the danger is to you and your comrades.  When the Mark's Arm finds out that you've stolen their prize -- the Crown Prince -- then they will come after you.  They may not know who you are, however, but they will know that bracelet.  The only ones made like that are given exclusively to Assassins and Priests of the Arm."

 A thought comes to Andrew and he voices it, "My room at the barracks was ransacked yesterday while I was sleeping. You don't suppose that THIS is waht they were looking for do you. Could they be tracking us with it somehow? If so since disguises seem to be a strong point of yours could you make it untraceable and maybe even change the look of it outwardly so I can wear it without fear of alerting the wrong people," Andrew asks hopefully.

"Well the answer to that is 'It depends' .  If you think they already know who you are, they might be searching for that bracelet.  But..." he pauses to relight his pipe "... if they have marked you as someone who interfered with their plot, they would just kill you."  (puff puff puff) "No.. I think it more likely they are looking for whatever it is that the Son of Autumnleaf is guarding.... And that they searched your kit tells me they do not know who the Son of Autumnleaf is."  He gives the elven druid a sharp look.  "ARE you the  Evan Autumnleaf, the Witch Slayer?"

"No.. I can see from your expression that you are not.  Evan was not married, and you are of elven stock on both sides.  I suspect one of your half-elven friends is the one who holds the key. ... What is it, by the way?  Some magical jewel? or perhaps a sword of great power?  Or even a wand ?"

(puff puff puff) "Well.. whatever it is, he must guard it well.   Although I am not sure, I believe it is the key to preventing a great evil to be unleashed upon the surface of this land.  You know," he continues, "the only lock I am aware of that has no key was the magical spell that was cast by Kuzzar the Golden, the last of the Dwarven Wizards.  It was he who imprisoned the Black Dragon that Silindur rode, unfortunately he did it by imprisoning himself in the process with a final amazing feat of ZeiGruzstruk -- which is, or rather was, the Dwarven magic of Stone Smithing.  It was the Gruzstruk spells, you know, that formed that tunnel that leads under the Westron Mountains to Dwarvenholm, and the only way that the mythical dwarven metal of Hizagkuur could be forged.  He took that knowledge to his grave, and none has known it since."

"It could be THAT key that he has.  Or perhaps not."  He smiles at the druid.

[OOC from DM: for a little more info on this legend, see the legend that Tav recounted back in Turn 12 .  http://www.oocities.org/melfis_rpg/Turn12.html  It's approx. in the middle of the page just after the first gold seperator bar.]

"Oh yes, oh yes.. about the bracelet.  No, I can't charm it to look differently.  But you can wear it anywhere.  It is magic, is it not?  So it will expand to fit your wrist, or ankle or bicep  or finger or private parts -- though I wouldn't recommend THAT --... just about anything that would accept a round band of metal.  So I'd say, just wear it somewhere out of sight." (puff puff puff)

Deliahs

[SANDROS]

Sandros wakes up with a large smile on his face.  Now THAT was the way to spend an evening; none of this sleeping on rocks and twigs and waiting for some monster to sneak up an nibble on your toes.  He chuckles slightly to himself, thinking if anyone was doing the nibbling, it should be him.

As Sandros emerges from his room, Ven, an absolutely silly look still on his face, turns to greet his friend. He is holding a steaming cup of java in one hand. "Do you want some kafe? I don't know about you, but right about now I'm in need of a little pick-me-up." For some strange reason Ven begins to blush bright red again. "Anyway. I didn't order any breakfast, yet. Figured we could eat it together here or catch something as we set about our various tasks for the day." Ven waits while Sandros finds directions. "I'm heading back to the library. The gem I purchased should arrive there sometime today and I'm anxious to cast that spell. So, I'll walk with you and we'll see if between us we can devise a way to make enough money so that we can buy that place. Of course, with as little restraint as we have, we'd probably eat all of the profits . . ." Ven bursts into laughter at his own cleverness and the two stroll into the street fighting back giggles all the whle.

Ven disregards Sandy's attempt to move on to another subject, although Ven's mind involuntarily flashes images from the night before. "Sandros, look, we're all grown people. If it would make you feel better, you could gather the group together before we set off and register your feelings and let everybody make their own decisions. I'm going. I know Daggda wouldn't let you down after she promised. And really, other than Avon, all of us who were with you the first time consider you our friend. And deep down, Avon might even like us all a little bit, I don't know. As for the new ones, it sounded to me like they were volunteering of their own free will. So, I wouldn't worry yourself about all of that. And who knows, maybe we will be able to get a few more gold in our pockets and be able to have a grand, Sandros Isn't A Vampire Anymore party at the Slipper!"

The duo leave the Silver Slipper without meeting anyone except the kitchen crew... but they have not gone 20 yards, when a young girl comes running after them.  She is about 12 years old.  She stops in front of them, out of breath, and pants out:  "Mr. Sandros, Sir, beggin' yer pardon.  But Mistress Paula asks if ye could come back to the Slipper for somethin' important.  Yer friend would be welcome to come too, I'm sure."

Not knowing what it's all about, Sandros and Tav return with the anxious girl.  Inside Paula is waiting for them.

“Excuse me, sir.  I hope you do not mind my asking, but under what circumstances did you acquire your tatoo?  It is obvious that you are no longer a slave, else you’d not have the freedom of the city.  If you will favor me with the tale of a little of your history, I may have some information that would interest you.”

Sandros gives her a brief accounting of his tale.

She listens intently, occasionally making encouraging noises.  “Yes, I see.” Or “Hmmm”
At the tale’s conclusion, she says, “Sir, please come with me.  I will withdraw my promise of information for a more valuable one.”  She asks one of the ladies who is just coming into the room to spend some time with Veneron, while she leads Sandros into a comfortable private boudoir and bids him to sit.  He agrees, curiosity burning within him.  In a few moments she returns with a young woman in tow.

She is slender and tall, perhaps 19 years old, dark of hair and very attractive.  Her cheek is adorned with the same kind of slave tattoo that  Sandros wears.  Although Sandros does not know it, she was the woman "Dee" who shared dinner last night with Tav, Moongloom, JessJazza and Koprith.

Paula motions her to a seat and then says, “If I may make a brief introduction, then I will leave.  Sandros Bloodworth, this is Deliahs Bloodworth.” 

The brother and sister stare at each other in stunned silence.  Neither had seen the other in a dozen years, and both had changed quite a lot, of course, since they were children.  Paula turns quickly to Sandros as if to placate someone she expects to be angry.  “I purchased her when she was near death as one of Velluth’s cast offs  He was only the son of the Old Duke back then or just newly made Duke, I do not recall.  Yes, she has worked here since, but I assure you she has not been badly treated. … I hope this is welcome news. … I will be just outside the door should you want me to return.”  She steps out into the hallway, closing the door with a soft snick.


Deliahs looks at her brother and explains her history.  “After papa was thrown into debtor’s prison, and you’d been sold to that slaver, the lordling took mamma and me to his estate.  He had us marked…” she touches her cheek “… before we left the city.  He kept her in his bedroom chained to the bed, and he used her cruelly, often using a whip.  I worked as a scullery girl but was sometimes allowed to take food to her.  I was only 7 when we went there, and poor mamma’s torment went on for years.  All the servants and slaves in the house thought it was terrible, but what could we do?  When I was about 13, mamma told one of the girls that she was with child, and when next I went to her, she begged me to bring her herbs so that she would not bring the child into the world.

“With the help of one of the mid-wives, I did that, but after she lost the baby, the bleeding would not stop, and she died.  I cried and cried for days.  The lordling did not return to the estate house for many months, for that was the time when the old Duke died, and he became the new Duke.  When he did return, he was very angry that mamma had died, and even more angry when he learned that she had been with child.  He took me to his room one night.  I was about 14.  He put a collar around my neck and chained me to the wall of his bedroom.  For weeks he would beat me with his hands and fists.  I do not remember much of that time, except that I hurt everywhere, all the time.  Then after I had my monthly bleeding, he took me sexually.  He was rough and cruel in that as well.  For four weeks, he used my body twice each day, each time telling me that I would bear him the child that mamma had denied him.

“I was newly a woman, and fertile.  I was indeed with child, and when he learned of it, he had me bound hand, neck and foot at all times.  In my presence, he told the mid-wife that if I or the child I carried should die, then she would be tortured until death.  Nine months later I bore that child, and he threw me into his dungeon, and I never saw that baby again.  I got sicker and sicker, with little food, and I prayed for death.  One day, one of the guards came and told me that I would be sold so the Duke could get back some of the money he spent feeding me.

“Paula bought me at that auction.  She helped me get well and has been very kind to me.  Please, please, do not be angry at her, for if it had not been for her, I would have been owned by a pirate or worse.  I am well treated here, and she says that when my earnings have repaid the price she paid and her expenses in caring for me, I will be free.  Then I can leave or stay and continue to work here … or whatever I would like.  I am all right here, really.  I am OK now.

“But Sandros… brother who I thought never to see again … somewhere in the Castle Athring in the power of that person…” she spit the word out “… of unspeakable darkness and cruelty... somewhere in there is my son -- your nephew.  He is only 4 years old….”  She covered her face with her hands and began to sob.