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In The Pass


Kyle Aarons

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Elan'fal nods at the half-elf and pats his shoulder, "And no dying on me in battle you hear me? We'll leave no one behind." He tells Zem and goes to make his selection of things to take.

 

Elan'fal takes:

 

Bedroll (5 lb)

Bottle of Brandywine (4 lb)

Flask of Oil (1 lb)

13 x Small Cask of Wax (5 lb)

Potion x2

Bottle of Honey (4 lb)

oil (magic item)

quiver with 16 arrows

Ear Ring (snowflake obsidian) (magic item)

High Boots (4 lb)

pouch x2

He also takes the elf woman's magic items for storage.

 

"Perhaps someone should get the grappling hook...never know when we may need it..." He says looking at Innil. "Eghas should we leave what we can not carry or take it in the wagon and sale it in the village?" He asks.

 

Then he hears Zem ask about the captives and he grins widely.

 

"Why Zem, I think we can have some fun before we kill them and leave." He tells Zem, then looks at Quelten, "Want to help me interrogate them? I can be the diplomatic guy who is on their side, and you can be the bad guy who wants to kill them if they don't talk? But I take dibs on killing the spellcaster, bitch actually hurt me." He asks Quelten as he walks to the spellcaster.

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Zemzelett blanches upon seeing the maniacal glee that illuminated the Sorcerer's features as he casually talks about hurting and killing the gnoll.  True, it is a monster, and it attacked them, perhaps hurting Eghas and Elan'fal the most.  But the creature is now subdued and helpless without its spellbook and spellcasting focus.  As a wizard capable of casting a second level spell as well as communicate in a unique language, the gnoll was clearly a sentient creature.  No, participating in its torture and execution is something the young bard cannot stomach, and in his belief system would be no better than outright murder.  He would not be interrogating the gnoll, not if the gnoll was to be killed.

 

Mustering all the grace and charm he could summon, the half-elf grins at Elan'fal.  "I am afraid I can't.  I am not intimidating enough, and I cannot speak its language.  If it understands Goblin, Reld, Quelten and Melirel can do the honors.  If it understands Gnoll, Innil and Melirel can help you.  Let me finish up preparations for our departure, brother."

 

Zemzelett then scoots away, out of sight and more importantly far enough to mute out any cries of pain he would soon be hearing.  In the mean time, he distributes to the others their fair share of the coin, offers Melirel one of the shoes he took from the goblings, gives the superior flail to Luth, and politely requests Reld to resize the good studded leather armor for himself.

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"They however do not know that, and I don't plan on hurting them. I plan on making sure the enemy with information on us doesn't live after he has told us what he knows. I am not a torturer." Elan'fal replies calmly.

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Eghas nods.  "As the young one said, the owner of these goods would probably pay handsomely to have them returned, and even not, that is the way we are going, so why leave it here for anyone to get.  It is late, as Zem so rightly said, so let us gather the equipment, load it into the wagon, have something to eat and rest.  We will want to set up a watch tonight.  Reld, would you be willing to keep guard on the others as they load the wagon?

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Abram walks over to the Eghas and hands him 10 silver, Damn his coin purse is getting light. In Elvin and then again in common he says. "This is were we part ways. I thank you for your help in the fight and as repayment I release Battle rights of those I killed to you except a small amount of coin and some replacement bolts for my crossbow. I wish you good health in your journey, may the gods watch over you t. Should you find your way to Warmon look for me in the Rusty Axe inn, I will see if I can help you find your way home" In common only "Lord Dragonborn, I request permission to travel through your lands"

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Zemzelett's ears perk up. "Sir, do you really think there is a way to send us back home to the past?" he asks in Elvin.

Acting on impulse, the half elf presses Abram's fair share of the coin (34 asps, 46 vipers, 67 adders) at the man's hand, and hugs him tightly before he departs. "Until we meet again," he whispers.

Yes, the half elf has definitely missed those hugs.

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Abram looks at the coin and thanks him and then laughs. "All of you need to think carefully and pay very close to your surroundings. Little one how old was this Young elf when she left your troupe? and How long ago was that? and How old is she now? I fear D'narneth's people keep time differently than you do." In common only he translates. "My Apologizes D'Narenth,  but i think our fears about this group are unfounded. They are just a group of bumbling lost kids." In Elvin "I must follow the trail of the criminal I seek I am charged by the Court or Worman in bring him back dead or alive, he is a vile Kidnapper, Rapist, and Thief and must be brought to Justice. I bid you farewell." He gathers his gear and and retrieves his horse to get ready to go.

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The half elf is locked in contemplative thought as he helped Abram to carry his gear to his horse. It is true, the corpse didn't look like it was 400 years old, although it was equally true elves don't noticeably age in appearance, a fact that had always rankled his father. The passage of time was very kind to his wife, but not to him.

"What year is it then, sir? When we embarked on our quest, it was wintertime, 845 years after the establishment of the first independent human kingdom."

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D'Narenth, holding the chest of the Kolbald, looks to Abram, as he speaks in draconic. "Abram, fare thee well. Mayhap we will meet again. 'Till then, should you need, between here and the river crossing between Kand and Xan, tell them D'Narenth, Second Son of Yenib, grants you safe passage."

D'Narenth then turns his attention to the little elf, "Yo! Little Elf! I also relinquish my right and grant you all what there is." He places the chest on the wagon, for the elf to inspect.

To the rest, he says, "The time for subterfuge is past. I now think you are no threat to any of my peoples. Somehow, you have been hurled a great distance, but not in time, as I suggested earlier. By your actions and reactions, you all appear to be honorable, especially when you have learned the customs of this land.

"I would be honored to guide you to Karhndum, the dwarvin vilage. From there, you can trade your goods for provisions to the seaport at Tellentorg. Perhaps there will be those that know of this 'Old Port' you speak of.

 

I suspect that we will have to follow Abram southward, though. If the lands here, this close to Yenib, harbor such as those we have just fought, getting to Tellentorg through the South Pass may be the safer route. Much longer, but safer."

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"I guess you had your reasons for lying to us... and that we will all have to start trusting each other. Personally, except for the reward of returning the kids to their families alive and safe I have no interest in Old Port, I will stay with the group and our leader if they chose otherwise, but I would like to help your people if I can defeat the orcs and black dragons if I...or we can." Elan'fal tells D'Nareth and translates to the rest of the group.

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Reld rolls his eyes as he heads down to collet the remaining mounts and move them up to the group for their safety. When he returns he sounds more than a little frustrated, "I don't know about any of the rest of you from Old Port, but until we can learn more about this land and figure out a way to get back to Old Port, we're screwed. Hell I don't even know if there is an arena or two I can earn some coins at and none of us have a clue where to grab a ship. Oh, and a ship, how much will we need in passage? I bet we don't have enough even if we can speak to the captain.

How about we see if these two," he points oout D'Narenth and Abram, "will let us travel with them while we learn the land and at least some of the language? We can help, we can kick some bandit ass and get coin, we can see places we never even knew existed and the brats we have with us will come home much more learned and ready to play in the underground of Old Port!"

He then looks over Melirel ,"Unless you all are wanting us to leave you in some village and we can come back and pick your sissy butts back up to take home to your mommies and daddies."

(note: I never said Reld had a diplomatic bone in his body :P ),

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Game note: normally it takes 180 days to learn a new language in the new system, however, you all could lean basics in a few weeks and passible in two months if you travel with someone who knows the language and say you are actively working on learning it. I would allow you to speak to each other normally since I can issue you would all be honest with translations if that is acceptable with everyone.

End note

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(OOC Note I will directly say so when I am speaking in only to D'narenth in common.)

Abram nods "with the group of us I might be able pick up more work along the way. I will give any that help a share of my earnings sounds like we could all use the coin. When we are around others from around here I would suggest you all let myself or D'narneth do the talking. Strangers speaking a funny language might make people suspicions. Lets catch up to the kids you were escorting and then we can get back on the trail of Dalest, I am suspecting he is making a round about run to Gonder its about the only place he can dissapear into a sea of scum." He stopped and looked around. "Well this should be fun we can sing campfire songs."

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Innil glares at Reld, "Reld, do not taunt the young ones. They fought with us and were injured as well. Since they agreed to apprentice with us they will do as told and Luth at least will go where I go. How much longer will it be dark? We've had a short rest and need to find the others as soon as possible. Melirel, come with Elan'fal and I to interrogate this gnoll. Luth, help get everything ready to go and keep watch."

 

Innil turns to Abram and D'nareth, "I thank you both for your help and if the others agree you can take whatever you need of the loot."

 

Innil joins Elan'fal and Quelten beckoning for Melirel to follow.

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Some of the color drained from Zemzelett's face when he learns that the dragonborn lied to them.  He was not trapped in time after all!  He looks with gratitude at the human cleric and the elves.  They stopped him from doing a very stupid thing.  If he succeeded in killing himself, then he would really ensure he won't see his mother ever again.

 

"Quelten, may we have a cha-- oh, sorry.  Interrogation right?  Never mind, it'll hold."

 

The half-elf drags the elf's corpse into the wagon (she deserves a better resting place than here!), and helps Luth and Reld load up the remaining goods.  He takes a loaf of bread, and cuts it into slices.  Then he sandwiches in between the slices a chunk of cheese he cut out from a large wedge.  He makes another cheese sandwich, and offers it to the apprentice fighter.

 

"Luth, I am sorry for the theatrics earlier.  I have just lost all hope after the dragonborn told us we were stranded 385 years in the future.  I hope I didn't scare you too much.  Does the flail I gave you handle as well as your old one?"

 

After he's eaten his fill and while engaged in conversation with the boy, Zemzelett takes some oil from the wagon as well as his own whetstone, and begins to perform maintenance on his crossbow, rapier, and remaining 1 dagger.

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"Actually Elan'Fal, I had a very good reason for lying to all of you. One can learn an awlful lot about a prospective enemy, or potential friend, when they are confused. Confusion often causes certain pretensions to be dropped, in favor of more honest reactions. What I did not count upon, was the Harper's extreme reaction."

 

D'Narenth has been cleaning his weapons as he began this conversation. He looks to Zemzelett. "I went too far it seems. My utmost apologies to you, little one. I should not have let my ruse get as far as it did. Can you find it within you to forgive me?" After saying this, D'Narenth, though seated, bows deeply to Zem.

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Zemzelett looks at the dragon thing, the creature who can eat him whole if he wants to.  The creature whose lies led him to almost do an unspeakable act of cowardice because of sheer despair.  The creature who was now apologizing to him with a deep bow in front of him.
 
He's not getting off that easy, the half-elf thinks to himself.  There can be only one retribution for his crime - one that the half elf has often enacted on his father when he was younger.
 
The bard winks at Melirel, yells out "SNEAK ATTACK!!!", and lets out a war whoop that shocks the dragonborn off his seat.  He jumps D'Naranth, lands on his back, and starts tickling the helpless dragonborn mercilessly in all of its exposed spots.
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For a few moments, both D'Narenth and Zem scrabble around on the ground. Both laughing almost hysterically. Finally D'Narenth gets the upper hand and begins to tickle the little scamp mercilessly. D'Narenth roars his laughter and is barely able to talk, "You are too much like my little brother!" He stops and pulls Zem into a hug, being careful not to hurt the little elf.

 

"Zemzelett? Will you be my little brother?"

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Amid the scrabble, Zemzelett feels any last vestige of anger melt away as he is overwhelmed by the tickle torture.  This hug was different from Abram's and his father - D'Naranth's scaly hide, which was surprisingly tickle-able, had a hard but smooth texture, quite unlike the rough yet fleshy skin of a human.  Still, the half-elf liked warm hugs, in emotion if not in fact, for D'Naranth's hug was physiologically anything but warm.
 
As Elan'fal translates the creature's question to him, the half-elf responds cheekily, "But Innil and Elan'fal are already my big brothers, so you'll have to ask them first!"  All the same, he nods while rubbing D'Narenth's scales.  He had a heart of gold - the half-elf could scarcely believe why he was so afraid of him now.
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Abram chuckles and then gets serious. "We really need to get out of here before it get too dark, we still don't know what is in that cave,  we should either get going or go explore the cave. I am of the feeling we need get the hell out of here as quickly as possible"

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