Susan (plmnko)

[BlueSlime]

Re: Susan (plmnko)

"Eh? Puppies?" Huego rasped, then seeing with his old eyes the two patched warg pups padding up to sit by their sister Moonlight next to the mother, he barked out a sharp laugh. "Har! You'd call them wargs puppies? They may look cute now, but they'll grow up big and mean... thought I'll give you this though, these three seem more tame than any I've seen before - and that silver fur is odd."

His eyes trailed upwards to glace over Susan and her own silver hair for a moment, before passing his gaze over to Tess quickly. "Just these three?"

"No, not the pure silver, I think that one's coming with us. But these two are Sneaky and Rollie..." At this the two patched warglings growled pleasantly and licked their chops. "And then there are three more, the black ones... but to tell the truth now... I don't see them."

Balgia and Susan joined Tess in looking around. The three black wargs were nowhere to be seen.

"To be honest," said Tess turning back to Huego, "Something tells me the three black warg pups will be taking care of themselves... but these two, they're tamer. A little wild, but with enough love and attention..."

Huego eyed Rollie and Sneaky. Slowly a grim smile came across his weathered face. "Okay Tess, I'll take 'em on for you. And for your friend Susan as well, seeing how she helped you out. We'll stay here and we'll keep going on. Don't you worry now, young Susan, we'll keep ourselves safe if you do."

 

[plmnko]

Re: Susan (plmnko)

The gaze of Huego make her feel a little of shame, but then she feel glad to had found a fine trainer for her childrens even when she was expecting that the others dont cause problems in the town, maybe she should be a better mother and had maked a better job even when they were evil at the start, she just smile to the man and said Thanks, please take care of Rollie and Sneaky, Mr. Huego. We will go of the town when we had get all the things for our trip and founded information of the mother of Tess

Then look to Tess and said in low tone Do we need something more for our trip? or only we need to find a way to get to our destination?

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Susan (plmnko)

Tess thanked Huego one last time before turning back to Susan.

"I suppose that depends on where exactly we are going, have you consulted Aurumel about that?"

"No, she hasn't," Aurumel's voice said, but in a pleasant, joking tone meant to convey she wasn't really chiding Susan. "As I said before, you have a choice in pursuing my boots, my helm, or my sword. The boots lie to the East of this place. There is a large sea to be crossed if that is the quest you seek, and they dwell below the earth, in a stone room beneath a city. I can sense the humanity that walks above my trapped spirit there.

"My helm lies to the North, across the great plains, high into the mountains, to the greatest peak. The helm is guarded by the elements of the wind and their fickle mistress - as well as other dangers in form of ice and muscle and claw.

"My sword lies to the West. After several days travel, you will come to a land of rivers and hills. Crossing them, you will journey past many human lands, filled with peoples both civil and savage. Then following the main river to the ocean, you will need to make passage to the tropic shores of the Opal Isles. Near the firey mouth of the world, my spirit lies bound in a place normally inaccessible by humans. It may be best to pursue this place last."

 

[plmnko]

Re: Susan (plmnko)

The swordswoman wave her hand toward Huego, as they walked Tass ask her about where they must go now and if she asked Aurumel about this. Then her voice reach the surprised Susan and then she heard about where were the parts. Hm, the boots sound like best choice then she look to her red hair friend Tess we will go to the east, we need to pass a sea to reach the city where is the next piece of the armor, do you know where we could rent a boat?

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Susan (plmnko)

Tess' eyes widened. "Across the East Sea? Well, no one in this town has a boat - we're landlocked by miles and miles of plains. We might even need to get horses just to get to the edge of the sea. If I recall the old maps my dad once showed me, there should be a small port city called Uldok to the east, we could rent a boat there... but horses and boats cost money. Where are we going to come up with that kind of cash?"

Balgia nodded her head as she leaned upon her staff nearby. "We could always steal some horses or stow away on a boat."

Moonlight sat on her haunches and tilted her head up at her mother. Tess meanwhile shook her head. "And who are we going to steal horses from? Some of these farmers need those horses to work their fields... but maybe there are better targets to steal from..." She eyed a cloaked and hooded figure wearing the trappings of the cultists wandering through the crowd, hand on a morning star hanging from his rope belt.

"Maybe the cultists have some gold in that shrine of theirs?" Balgia suggested.

 

[plmnko]

Re: Susan (plmnko)

The problem of the money was saw for Susan from the time she found Arumel, steal the horse of the farmers was not an option and even when she dont had a problem stealing to the cultist, this could cause problems to the town. If we would that, many persons could suffer, maybe we could make jobs instead, there is not in the pub or any other place of wanted posts or works? Susan look her daughter ans smile a little before continue We must dont let a proof if we make your choice Balgia then she look to her armor what do you said Aurumel? Susan then wait the others to decide her next move.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Susan (plmnko)

Aurumel's voice comes back firm and proud, "Certainly I will not work for a thief, as you have already found out. But I do not mind taking from the hands of evil, and from what I have observed, the creatures that worship the presence in the mountainous lair where you found me would qualify as evil. But to attack them here might well stir up trouble for the humans you desire to protect. You are in a marketplace in a trading town, perhaps there are merchants heading in the same direction as yourself? Merchants will always be looking for mercenaries to protect them from highway men and other beasts."

 

[plmnko]

Re: Susan (plmnko)

Susan nod, it was certainly the best and fast way to reach their goal, it even could make them earn money at the same time. Mercenaries? that sound like the best sugestion she whisper tto the armor and then she look to the other two Aurumel said that we could work as mercenaries as bodyguards for a merchant that want to go to the port and then to the city, Tess do you know someone who could help us to find a information about this?

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Susan (plmnko)

Tess nodded slowly. "That *is* a good suggestion. We should head to the inns in town and ask around. That's where the traveling merchants would stay."

Following Tess' suggestion the group headed back out of the marketplace and towards the main street. There were three large inns along the main road, all of varying levels of repute. The Four Towers Inn was the most cleanly of the establishments, followed by the Long Plain's End Inn, which sat on the corner closest to the cultist shrine. The last inn was the dingiest, and was called the Red Hand Saloon. Tess mentioned that it had the reputation of a rough and tumble place, but suggested that if there were a place for mercenaries to hang out in town, it would be there.

"The Four Towers would house the wealthiest merchants," Tess said, "But those sorts tend to have bodyguards already. The Long Plain's End is a decent establishment, and we might have a decent chance of getting good pay from there, but it's awfully close to those cultists, and I just saw one of them enter through the front door." Tess said with a frown. "The Red Hand, like I said, would be the place for swords-for-hire, but it has its own dangers too. Mercenaries aren't normally a nice lot and my dad always warned me to stay away from there whenever I went to town with him."

 

[plmnko]

Re: Susan (plmnko)

After take a moment to think about the three places Susan said i completely discard "The Long Plain´s End, it must be filled with cultist and allies of them. The other 2 places could work, but any rich merchant who will give us job will do it for being three women or for the gold armor, so they will try to do something to us in the journey, so The Four Towers is not very recomended. The Red Hand sound like the correct place, i dont fear the mercenary and maybe the merchant could realy need of our help, lets go To The Red Hand and if is really bad we will go to the Four Towers, please everybody take care.

The team then when to the red hand and Susan try to give a peek before get inside, if all luck safe she will get inside normaly trying to not call to much the attention, even when the armor will do it.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Susan (plmnko)

The Red Hand Saloon was at the poorer end of town. Just before they got the swinging doors, there was a monstrous crack of fist hitting jaw, and out of the main entrance tumbled a dirty looking scoundrel of a man, his shirt half ripped off and his nose broken and bleeding. He fell at their feet and groaned, rolling slowly away in the muddy street nursing his wounded face. A roar of laughter followed from inside along with a smattering of applause. The three girls looked at one another and then pressed on.

Inside, the first floor was divided into three parts - the immediate vicinity which was the middle part had two stair cases ascending to the second level where the rooms for rent were located. It also had a fire place and a few benches for lounging on, with enough open space in front of the fire for what Susan assumed might be a storytelling or musician's stage. In this lounge area were seated several men, three to be exact - two larger fellows with thick necks seated on one bench, and a small, spectacled man with a long face and small beard and moustache in a chair towards the corner of the space, reading a large book.

To their left, beyond an archway, was the bar, along with a few small tables, and one long bench for dining. A company of red-wearing men, along with a few similarly garbed women sat at the table, eating a meal and talking amongst each other. A fat barkeep tended to his glasses and mugs at the bar, with a few more patrons sitting and nursing drinks along it. Of these patrons there was a thin fellow in a purple hood with a long knife at his belt sitting at the far left end of the bar. To his right a few stools down was a very broad shouldered fellow with a skullcap and makeshift armor, showing a crude cudgel at his belt. Next to him and seeming to be trying to avoid his attentions was a tall blond woman with a green bandanna tied about her head. She was dressed in a flowing white shirt, black breeches and boots, with a saber at her belt.

To their right was the most rowdy of the three areas, for there was one one side a large table where no less than six people were playing cards for money, and then another crowd of perhaps eight were standing by, watching both them and several other men in an open space towards the back of the building. In that space two men were squaring off against one another, one a quick-footed veteran mercenary with a crooked jaw, and the other a bare chested, musclebound strongman that reminded Susan of something like a barbarian out of an old fantasy movie. They were brawling and throwing haymakers towards one another. The card players - five men and a woman - were placing bets on both their card game and on the fight.

 

[plmnko]

Re: Susan (plmnko)

As they walked toward the poor area Susan was thinking about how it could be, maybe expecting a place like the movies of the TV, maybe with one or three bad looking guys, then a man bleeding get out of the hotel giving a hard hit to the coinfidence of the swordswoman, she look to her friends and after calm herself she get inside, it was full of many kinds of mercenaries, she tried to maintain her calm and look for a safe place to start. There were three persons that could be not so hard to earn information or help to earn a job. the first was the bartender, but they dont had any money and maybe they get expulsed of the hotel by that cause; The second was the tall blond woman of the bandana girl, she look like could help them too; The third was the mustache man who was busy reading a book but they could sit close and with the time start a chat. The others were a little more dangerous or hard to earn any of information.

Susan walked toward the left place, then she look for chairs between the tall girl and the though noisy guy, then she take her daughter on her arms and get close the girl in a cheerful and friendly way said Hi can i sit in this chair? Susan was expecting to use the little cute puppy as bait and the help to free her of the harsh situation to start a conversation with the girl, anyway she was ready in case that the girl try something bad for her or her daughter.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Susan (plmnko)

"...ady like you might wanna-" the large man was interrupted by Susan's sudden appearance on the bandana wearing girl's right.

"Mm, oh hello..." the woman had a strong alto voice, but spoke with a bored tone. Her eyebrow did raise a bit upon seeing Moonlight in Susan's lap, surrounded by the glittering gold of her ringed coat of mail. "Eeyah... here I thought I was drawing all the unwanted attention. That's gonna change."

The blond eyed Susan up and down, and over the top of her head, the large man grunted annoyingly at the interruption to whatever it was he'd been saying. Then he saw Susan for the first time as well, and his eyes widened, then he licked his lips and chortled deeply in his throat.

"Er... you two is friends perhaps? Heh heh..." he chuckled. "Where'd ye get that shiny coat, girlie?"

With a bored sigh, the blond rested her chin on her hand. "So it begins..." she muttered, then turned to him. "Yes, we're old friends. And neither of us really is looking for a 'good time.' So why don't you have a drink and then wait until night, eh? The girls you want will probably be working their corners then."

The man harumphed and glared at the blond girl evilly for a second before muttering and shifting over a few seats, barking an order for an ale. The barkeep heard him, and then seeing Susan as well, came over to her.

"No animals," he said.

 

[plmnko]

Re: Susan (plmnko)

All was turning into an unexpected cycle of weird events, Susan just stay looking how the girl take care of the harassment guy, it was clear that this girl had been in many adventures or maybe was a experienced mercenary, she was close to ask her some information or advices when she heard the voice of the bartender. Susan sigh and decide to dont cause more troubles or call even more the attention. She look to the bartender and calmed said Sorry, i dont know that rule then she look to the girl and said with a smile Thanks, sorry to cause you problems, could we talk a moment after let her in a safe place ?

(Susan then if the girl acept to talk) She let her daughter with her "aunt" Tess and Dialga then she before return to the table will talk to the bartender to ask him about mercenary stuff Hi, excuse me for that little problem, im not from this town and im trying to find a merchant that want to go to the port of the East and do it as bodyguard in his trip. Could you please give me some imformation about how this work to dont screw it again ?

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Susan (plmnko)

The girl gave an obliging nod and went back to her own drink as Susan went to deposit Moonlight with her Aunt Tess and Aunt Balgia, who had been hanging near the doorway area looking for signs of trouble. Tess motioned for Balgia to wait outside with the pup so that she would still be able to watch Susan's back. Moonlight whined a little as she was goaded away from her mother, but at a cooing from Balgia, her intelligent little eyes shifted away and she padded out of the building.

The bartender shrugged as he wiped a dirty glass with a seemingly dirtier cloth. "Most merchants as coming through this town are passing through. Fur traders from the north come her for provisions before heading to either coast. There's such a fellow who's currently playing cards - he might have need of a few good men... er, women too I guess." The bartender coughed, and Susan noticed his eyes were on her armor. "There's also the troubadour act that's come through town - I've heard they're making for the port town at Luorg, which sounds to be where you're headed. Maybe they would pay for protection across the wild plains. That's all I really know... say... you buying something, this bar is for patrons y'know...

"Relax," said the woman with the bandanna. "I'm a paying customer and she's with me."

The barman grunted, gave Susan's armor another glance, then headed off to the end of the bar to attend to another customer.

"So. You're heading east?" said the woman, a sly look in her eye.

 

[plmnko]

Re: Susan (plmnko)

Susan give some caress to her daughter when she leave her in the hands of the sporen princess.

Then she heard the words of the bartender, the gaze of the man was certainly with greed after he look the gold armor and this was getting worse with the time, but it was a luck that the bandanna girl help her again. She then sit with her again and nod when she heard her question. Yes, we must go to Uldock to find something there to save a dear friend. Sorry to dont had present myself, im Susan an adventurer of other land.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Susan (plmnko)

"Nice to meet you Susan," she said, not giving her name just yet. "You seem like a nice girl, and I don't like to see nice people get hurt. Still. I have a rule about getting involved in other people's business too. Namely I don't, because it keeps me healthy. So Susan, I really can only offer you some advice: Get your redhead friend to find you a cloak, rent a room upstairs, then cloak that magic armor of yours and sneak out of here before that card game ends. Okay? Otherwise I'd hate to think what might happen to you."

The woman took a sip of her drink from the clay cup. It was a hot drink, by the way it steamed even in the midday heat. "My name's Vezna. If you get out of this place in one piece, maybe we'll get to know each other a bit better. If you're dead set on getting hired to go east... make certain you tell whomever you do work for to meet you outside of town. Trust me on that."

Vezna downed the last of her drink and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Hahh... Now, I've got to go take care of a certain problem of my own. Best of luck to you, Susan."

 

[plmnko]

Re: Susan (plmnko)

Susan heard the advise of Vezna, very concerned now of her actual situation, not only the bartender but also that tough guy and maybe others had look her, there was not time to lost, even if she dont had any coin with her. She just smile and said before go where her friend was. Thanks Vezna, i will pay you this favor a day She then walked normaly toward Tess trying to dont call more the attention Tess, could you please help me to find a cloak quick and rent me a room to hide the armor? it is calling undesire attention of everybody.

Then Susan expect that Tess had something of money or she then would use the shining crystals that she collect in the cave, they must be at least enough to rent a room for an hour.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Susan (plmnko)

Unfortunately, Tess had no money on her - she had found nothing left when she had looked around her abandoned home and any pocket change that she had from before she was taken was now gone. Still, the shining green glow crystals they had taken from the sporen hallways were an idea, and upon showing them to the bartender, made an impression.

"Just want to rent for an hour in the middle of the day, eh?" He looked quizzically at the two girls, a quirky grin suddenly coming to his lips. "You two ladies uh... hrmm... well, who am I to judge what two lovely ladies would want with a spare room for an hour. Okay then, I'll take your gems. Take room number 2, it's straight up the stairs, first door you come to on the left. Here's the key."

His strange gaze and quirky smile followed them as they walked away from the bar. Eager to get away from that gaze, the two of them rounded the corner towards the stairs when Susan bumped into one of the large men who had been seated on the bench next to the fireplace. This one had a very flat brow and shaven square-shaped head, with an ugly squashed up nose that had been broken one too many times. He grunted and handed her a piece of paper. Then, without a word, he went back to his bench.

On the paper, a note in flowing, incredibly neat script with fresh ink was written the following:

My good lady with the golden armor,

I could not help but notice when you entered this hovel called the Red Hand, that you and your companions have a host of irregularities about you. A practical magical menagerie, if you will. As a scholar and an antiquarian, I find myself incredibly intrigued and would very much like the opportunity to speak with you. My mute associate has handed you this note. I am the man currently engrossed in reading Azballen's History of the Nine Districts of Ublock: An Historian's Trek Through Time, over in the corner by the fire. Perhaps you may find time to speak with me, I am happy to make it worth your while.

Sincerely,

Pensor T. Ulliot, Academician Ordo Antiquarium, First Bench

 

[plmnko]

Re: Susan (plmnko)

It was interesting know that these gemstones could been used as money, maybe their value is more than Susan expect and it was a luck that she dont put all to rent the room, maybe in another chance she can know their real value in a exchange house or with a expert in gems. The gaze of the bartender only make her think to reach the room and escape using the window, but then one of the guys that she saw when she go in, give her a note and return to his seat. After read the note she show it to Tess and said We could use this to get out of here easily. Tess said to this Pensor that i need a borrowed coat and then we can talk here or in a more safe place. I will wait you in the room. Then Susan went to the room that she rent for an hour, trying to dont call the atention of anyone.