Storyboards: Harltek
Mal Zeth | Naraj, Erepitus
and Harltek carousing | Important mission
| Mission to Rak Urga | Harltek's
Summer | End of summer | Harltek's
training | Next class | Further
training | Journey | First
night | Arrival in Darine | Darine
| Darine to Riva
Mal Zeth
I'm a little ashamed, but this story needs telling...
I had received word that the Courtiers and Upper-Class Citizens
of Mal Zeth had gotten lax, and were carrying large sums of money
around...
SOOOO, I decided to travel over there, and see if I could *make*
some money, real quick like. Who knows, I told myself, maybe I'll
come across someone with a real heavy coin purse. And, I heard that
the cleaning ladies in the Imperial Palace were quite attractive...
So, I'm sneaking around the palace, and succeeding in liberating
some Malloreans of their wealth (they don't need it anyways!). All
of a sudden, I find myself at the Imperial Throne! I couldn't pass
up this opportunity. I snuck up behind the Emperor, and whacked
him on the head with my sap! He crumpled to the ground, and I couldn't
believe my luck. I proceeded to steal him blind, but decided to
leave him with 1 gold coin.... I figured that would rub it in more.
However, there was one thing more I wanted.... his CROWN! Just as
I was getting ready to lift it off his head, wouldn't you know it,
some guards walked in! I needed to get out of there, QUICKLY! So
I dashed out of the room, and ran back to the Guardians Clan Hall
as quickly as my little feet could carry me.
Upon my arrival, I was putting my gear back in my locker, and I
realized I had lost my key ring. I must have dropped it in my dash
from the throne room! I put in some discreet inquiries through Drasnian
Intelligence, and it would seem as if the Emperor had found my key
ring, and is looking for me... I'd go and get the key ring myself,
but I can't trust my luck a second time around. So, if anyone can
recover my key ring, I will reward them with 5000 gold. While the
key ring itself isn't that valuable, it means a lot to me, as I
never go umm... *to work* without it...
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Naraj, Erepitus, and Harltek carousing
It was a normal day in the Gow PARTY ROOM. Tek, Erepitus, and Naraj
were enjoying some dark Cherek Ale. Erepitus and Naraj were trying
to outdo on another with stories, much to the
fascination of the young Tek. It seems as the two more experienced
fighters had many conquests, both in battle and in *EHEM* other
arenas. The busty Cherek Maiden could only roll her eyes and laugh
at their unbelievable tales.
Naraj says, “Hey Erepitus, remember the time when we went
on that carousing spree in Camaar?”
Harltek sits up a little straighter... He's heard that there are
a lot of interesting things going on in Camaar...
Erepitus replies, “I sure do. We'll need to go back there
and see if we can't win some of our money back.”
To which Naraj adds, “And maybe find those redheaded twins
while we're at it!”
REDHEADED TWINS Harltek couldn't believe his ears!
Naraj continued, “Yeah, its too bad those Angarak idiots had
to come in and spoil all our fun.”
Erepitus laughed, “Heh, we showed them a thing or two!”
The two friends noticed the look of awe on Harltek's face, and a
thought dawned on Naraj.
“Hey Tek, the next time we go to Camaar, care to join us?”
Naraj asked.
Harltek couldn't believe his luck. He was actually going to see
these two fabled warriors in action!
Harltek looked inquiringly at Naraj... “Is it really going
to come to pass that he will join these two intrepid ‘Adventurers’
on a mission?”
Naraj looks at Erepitus, winks and says "Don't you need to
go back to Camaar anyway? I think that's where you were attacked,
and Harltek's key ring got destroyed."
Erepitus blushes furiously "Destroyed might not be the right
word. If I ever find that little sneak thief, I'll show him where
he can put that key ring!"
Harltek is awfully confused. "You mean to tell me you LOST
my key ring?"
That key ring, though valueless monetarily, held great sentimental
value for our hero. Little is known as to the origins of the key
ring, but that, my friends, is the topic of another story.
"Well," Naraj says, "Lets ask permission from our
superiors for some time off in Camaar, and see what they say."
"Naraj," Eripitus giggles, "We ARE our superiors!
Lets just go have some fun!"
Harltek, while momentarily crushed by the news of the loss of his
key ring, feels his spirits lifted at being included in the adventure.
He stands, and prepares to make ready to leave.
The road from Kotu to Camaar is long, so the three adventurers prepare
their provisions, and set off towards the south...
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Important mission
Harltek was getting ready to follow Naraj and Erepitus out the door,
when a messenger came running up to him.
"Tek," said the messenger, "this message just came
for you from Drasnian Intelligence".
Harltek stops and opens the message, a scowl forming upon his brow.
Naraj and Erepitus continued on without him, but as he reads the
message, he realizes he won't be able to go off and goof off with
them.
The message reads:
Dear Harltek,
Drasnian Intelligence would like you to spy on General Kradak in
the Drojim Palace. YOU ARE NOT TO BE CAUGHT! It has come to our
attention that he is planning some spying missions of his own, and
we would like to know more about them. If you are caught, you will
be on your own. If Kradak happens to perish during this mission,
we would not be displeased.
Good luck,
Javelin
"Hmm," Harltek thinks to himself, "why do I always
have to go and work while the others are having fun. I guess I'll
have to do more fishing another time."
Our hero then begins to make ready for a voyage to Rak Urga, making
sure that his dagger is sharp, and his gear is FIRMLY attached!
He'd lose his head if it wasn't attached to his neck!
Harltek looked in his clan locker, and started getting his equipment
together for the voyage from Kotu to Sendar.
Hmmm... Harltek said to himself, I'll need to find a boat to go
to Sendar and hopefully, a group of people to come along. I could
use the company, and it would help make the trip a little less expensive!
Harltek grabs his gear, and makes his way out of the Guardians clan
hall. As he makes his way down to the harbor, he realizes, of course,
that he has forgotten his dagger.
He trots back to the clan hall, grabs it, and sets off yet again.
Will he have any luck finding a ship and adventurers to share it
with?
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Mission to Rak Urga
I set out from my clan hall in Kotu. The first thing I needed to
do was to not forget anything! Of course, as I got to the wharves,
I realized I had forgotten my dagger! So I had to run back to the
clan hall to retrieve it. Then, I made my way down to the wharves
of Kotu, hoping to find a ship that could carry me to Sendar. My
plan was to travel by land from Sendar towards the south, maybe
even as far as Nyissa, hoping to find passage to Rak Urga. I certainly
didn't want to walk that far!
I got to the wharves, and began looking for a ship. I didn't have
much success initially, however one kind captain pointed me towards
a ship that might be going to Sendar. So I made my way in the direction
he indicated. I boarded the ship, as no one seemed to be on deck.
As I got on to the deck, I noticed a lot of laughter and shouting
coming from below decks. I wasn't too sure that the crew would be
too sober. But then again, that isn't too surprising in Chereks.
A sailor noticed me, and made his way out of the hold. As we began
discussing, my friend Zhuntah came running up to us. He was willing
to make the voyage with me! At least I'd have some company, and
Zhuntah always seems to have plenty of ale with him....
While Zhuntah tried his best to let it be known that we had more
than enough gold for the voyage, I still managed to settle on a
decent price. Only 6 gold pieces per person for the trip. That should
leave me enough to get on to Rak Urga.
Zhuntah and I went below, and made ready for our passage through
the Cherek Bore. Zhuntah doesn't like ships, and was beside himself.
There was another passenger, a Nyissan, in the hold.
He seemed awfully calm. He came up to us, just as we were about
to pass through the bore, and offered us some drug with "calming"
effects.
Just then, the ship started lurching and rocking, and I think the
Nyissan slipped something into our ale. Before we knew it, we were
asleep on the deck. The Nyissan slapped us in chains.
I awoke to find myself on a Marble Quay. I looked around, and recognized
where I was from my previous adventures in this *interesting* city.
I certainly never came looking for women....
Anyway, I was a bit groggy, and realized that I was in chains. The
Nyissan on the ship must have drugged us, and sold us to the Murgos
for the war. Us. Right! Where's Zhuntah?!? We must have gotten separated
while we were out.
Well, I'd have time to find him later. For now, I had to get myself
free, and complete my mission. I quickly picked the locks on my
chains, and made my way to the Drojim Palace. A few odd people kept
running around me, but I kept to my task.
I was able to locate the General Kradak. He was in conference with
some of his general staff, planning their intelligence activities
in the west. I slipped around the room, knocking the staff members
out with my sap before they could realize what was going on. That
is one thing I'm fairly good at! Obviously I wasn't cut out for
spying! I said as muck to Kradak, just before I hid again, then
jumped out of the shadows to stab him in the back. Several times.
Once he finally expired, I kept his sword as a trophy, and began
making my way back to my clan hall in Kotu.
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Harltek's Summer
This is my journal of this summer... Maybe it'll get interesting,
maybe not. You'll have to read on to find out!
So the summer is here, and things have slowed down in the Guardians
clan hall. My friend Zhuntah has left the clan, why, I don't know.
Maybe he hopes to find fortune and glory elsewhere, although I find
that unlikely. I can't imagine a better place than here. Erepitus
has also left the clan. I imagine he was tired of leadership. I've
heard that can happen, but I'll probably never know.
Lord Naraj has gone home for some well deserved rest and relaxation.
I haven't seen my other drinking partner, Frelda for a while. Maybe
she went with Naraj? I'm not sure, but I think she likes him...
Well, I guess I'll use the quiet time in the clan hall to give my
body a rest, and beat up on my brain a bit. I'm not looking forward
to it, but I may just lock myself in the training rooms for a while,
and hone my skills. I've heard they need honing...
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End of summer
Well, the summer is drawing to a close. The clan hall is starting
to fill up with both new and returning members. Reminds me a bit
of the Academy! I'm looking forward to learning a lot from my colleagues.
Hopefully, we'll manage to have a little fun while we're at it.
In any event, this will lead to new adventures as I try to make
a name for myself, and bring hone to the Guardians of the West
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Harltek's Training
Now that my summer vacation is over, its now time to get back to
work. So I've decided to pick up my studies again. I'll be keeping
a log of the skills I master as I go along, and hopefully some interesting
things will happen along the way!
So I presented myself to the trainers in my clan hall, and the first
thing they set me to do was to work on my concentration. Apparently,
the instructors think my bungling as a thief while at the academy
was because I wasn't able to fully concentrate. So, they gave me
some tasks, to help me learn how to concentrate. One such task was
to stare at a dot on the wall for as long as possible, without letting
my eyes wander from that dot. Another excercise, and I know this
sounds dumb, but they made me count as high as I could without using
any aids, and without losing my place. You'd be amazed at how hard
it is to count past twenty without taking off your shoes! (or any
other clothes for that matter...)
Anyway, after a few days, I was able to perform the tasks they set
before me, even in the midst of battle and other distractions. Ask
Frelda, she knows what some of those distractions might be....
And now I am mastered at Concentration
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Next class
I have completed my next set of lessons!
This time, the instructors had me walk through rooms, where objects
and people were hiding. My task was to detect everything that was
hidden. This called for me to hone my instincts, as well as try
to use logic to figure out where things might be hidden. This is
a useful skill to have for a thief, since people tend to hide their
valuables.
This will also come in handy in my role as a Guardian of the West,
as my enemies tend to hide as well. I'd like to think that this
is because they are afraid of me, but I'm sure that it has more
to do with springing traps on me! I've got a long ways to go before
anyone will be remotely afraid of me. However I'm trying to learn
from anyone I can, and am proud to say that I am mastered at detect
hidden!
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Further Training
My training continued. This time, the task set before me was even
harder. I can't believe that my trainers were asking me to detect
INVISIBLE objects! If some sorcerer thought that something was important
enough to make it invisible, how was I supposed to be able to see
it?
The instructors explained to me that nothing is ever really invisible...
The sorcerers use different techniques to make things SEEM invisible.
They enchant objects such that they go unnoticed, or they use the
surrounding to conceal the object or people they are trying to make
go unnoticed. The key was to pick up on the subtle mistakes they
make. The instructors spent a great deal of time making objects
and people in my path invisible, and asking me to detect them, and
tell them how I was able to notice. I must admit that at the beginning,
I was just guessing. Eventually, however, I was able to see the
little wrinkles in their enchantments, and finally, I became mastered
at detect evil!
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Journey
This story continues from this RP
channel log.
Last night, while having an ale (or three) at the pub, a strange
messenger gave me a note, which has all the hallmarks of being from
Drasnian Intelligence. They want me to go to Riva. Since the season
is getting late, I think I'll have better chance of finding a boat
out of Sendar, plus I don't want to go through the Bore...
Today, I'm setting out from Kotu on foot, and I'll pass through
Darine on my way to Sendar. Hopefully, I'll find some people to
share the road with on my journey. I feel I must leave immediately,
so I don't have time to find travelling companions here in Kotu.
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First night
This story refers to this RP
channel log.
The first day of my journey went off without a hitch. While the
first hints of winter's chill were in the air, the air remained
clear and temperate. About sun down, I came upon a Tolnedran hostel,
and figured it was as good a place as any to stop. Since I had gold
enough, I decided I could always use a mug of ale or six.
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Arrival in Darine
My journey on the road from Kotu to Darine was uneventful. Say what
you will about Tolnedrans, but they do know how to run a hostel.
Along the way, I thought deeply on what my mission could be. The
note from Intelligence was vague at best. I'm sure I'll find out
more once I get to Riva. I hope they don't want me to steal anything
or assassinate any one. I don't know if my ego can handle messing
up an important assignment again. Ack, they'll probably want me
to do both! Anyway, once I get into Darine, I'll find myself a nice
quiet inn, and try to get some sleep. Maybe I'll stay in Darine
for a day or two to recuperate and pick up some supplies and gossip.
top
Darine
I've decided to spend a few days in Darine. While my purse is not
light, it can always be a bit heavier, and I've found there to be
good pickings here. Plus, I get the sense that there is information
to be had. Maybe I'll be able to find out some information as to
what my mission might be.
On the first morning, I spent some time in the dockside taverns.
My Cherek brothers are usually a good place to start when, well,
stealing. Particularly in the morning. They seem to be less aware...
Anyway, I was able to double the amount of gold in my purse, and
found some interesting documents. There were a surprising number
of heavily bearded Chereks in a few taverns with very little money,
but fairly decent weapons. That always makes me a bit leery. I'm
going to spend the next few days going over these documents, I've
got gold enough to keep me in ale for a while.....
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Darine to Riva
Well, it seems that I won't be able to get much information out
of these documents I, uh, *found*. I think the best thing for me
to do at the moment would be to get to Riva, to see if I can figure
out what my mission is to be. The signs look like I’ll be
staying in the north for a while, probably into the winter. So,
today I’ll think I’ll try and find some warmer clothes,
and then try to get onto a ship bound for Riva. Its getting late
in the season, so it should make the journey... interesting.
I went down into the marketplace, and found a tailor willing to
to make me some warm clothes. He said business was slow, as most
of the work being done was going to the tanner for some reason.
It seems a lot of bear skins are flooding the towns around the Gulf
of Cherek.....
I bet my mission will be to investigate the activities of the Bear
Cult. Its been a while since their last surge, so maybe the cycle
has come around again....
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