1st Aventure: The Fey One (Archive)

"Hey, you and your companions are mercenaries?"

Even though her slim figure and her light voice makes it clear that she's a woman, it wouldn't be surprising if people mistook her for a man at first, considering how her clothes are just a little too big for her and the way her sharp green eyes are gauging you.

Mihai can't help but resonate with the directness, and is slightly drawn out of his mannerism. He still puts up an innocent air, but the friendly smile is replaced with an inquisitive look.

"Why yes, strictly speaking. Yourself?"

She responds with a resolute tone, "I'm the hunter assigned to the Waterglass region. I've been looking for mercenaries for a while now; I have a contract for you three, if you're interested."

Her eyes sweep the room.

"I would prefer to discuss the details in private. Just outside is okay."

One of the remaining patrons recognizes the woman and raises a hand to wave at her.

"Hey Fedler! Wanna join us? We're gonna have a contest to find out who among us is the best drinker!" he says with a smile. His two friends raise their mug, hoping to motivate her into accepting the challenge. The hunter smiles a little, then says with a mocking tone:

"You can't drink for shit Barsilus. Did you ever clean your friends' boots?"

The three men laugh plenty, while the woman walks towards the door, opens it and beckons you to come outside.

The fact that she seems to be known around here is a point in her favor, but Mihai isn't crazy about a cloaked figure coming out of nowhere and moving to isolate him, especially considering it's night out and the streets are bound to be deserted, so he'll keep his guard up as he follows her out.

He'll keep an innocent demeanor, but soon as he's outside he'll immediately scan the surroundings, starting with his flanks just outside the door, then the street, then the rooftops. He'll avoid a position where he'll have a light in his face (so his eyes can adjust to the dark), and will keep his back facing the wall as much as possible.

Let's see what the lady has to say.

Once he steps outside, Mihai notices that there is no light except what's coming from the inn, the brazier in front of the entrance and the moon far up in the sky. This inn is the only building for miles around. The hunter is leaning against the wall beside the door, and she makes sure to close it behind you. She whispers in a grim tone:

"Nobody but me and your companions can know about this, at least not until the problem is resolved."

She takes a moment to observe your surroundings, and then finally adds:

"There's a cursed wolf near Waterglass. I want you three to help us kill it."

OOC:

She sort of implied there are more people with her, which makes me curious. What does Mihai know about Hunters?

Anyway, he'll ask: ""Us". You have a party?"

Whatever her answer (unless she suddenly proposes), Mihai will say - "My associates have turned in for the night. I'll have to talk to them before i can give you an answer.".

OOC:

"Me and the chief of Waterglass' militia. We would do it alone if we could, but a cursed wolf is just too dangerous for the two of us."

She ponders a bit, but is then snapped out of her thoughts by Mihai's voice. Strength seems to leave her face, but she suddenly hardens herself and concludes with:

"Fair enough. I'll see you at first hour in the morning."

She then walks away towards the forest and lets the shadows swallow her whole.

"Hmm, why do you want to know that?" asks Steve, paying close attention to the innkeeper's response.

Looking embarrassed, the innkeeper hesitates for a second before responding. "I'm Lomner Freeron. She's my daughter." He seems to be telling the truth.

Steve takes a sip of his ale. He lets the seconds tick by as he decides whether to tell Lomner about his daughter. With a mental nod he decides he will. But why not have a little fun first? Suppressing a smile, the mage looks around to make sure no one is looking or listening and then leans forward conspiratorially and ominously intones, "So Zelk is your daughter?"

The innkeeper answers with a grunt, and follows with: "Look, I didn't want her to become a mage, but her uncle agreed to pay for her scholarship. I figured I would just ask a mage from the Citadel how she's doing, since she's in no hurry to tell me."

He starts cleaning a mug a little harder than he needs to.

"Eh, your loss. She's the finest woman I've ever known and if you think she isn't suited for the life then you really don't know your daughter." Steve shrugs and takes another sip of ale, pretending to be offended, and annoyed with the man for making him work for his joke.

Deception

Lomner seems a little troubled by Steve's reaction, and he tries to explain himself, almost sounding apologetic.

"Look, I know my daughter very well. When she lived here, the rudest of my customers, hardened mercenaries, couldn't make her flinch; and she always found a way to talk them down. But it's my job to make sure she's safe, and becoming a mage to join the army is the opposite of that. I won't apologize for it."

"No one is asking you to, but there's a big difference between protecting someone and smothering them. Frankly, you give her a lot of grief over this and she really doesn't need it right now." Steve looks around again to make sure no one is listening and then motions the guy in close.

In a low voice Steve will say, "While I can't go into it too much here, you really need to give her a break. This kind of thing could get her killed. Hell it could get us all killed. She's way too important to the Free Feathers, no the world, to be distracted with this right now."

Deception (AP)
Deception check for a masterful example of Player Shenanigans

Lomner hesitates for a second, but finally concedes and leans towards Steve. He ponders Steve's words, clearly unprepared to be given a new perspective on the situation. He scratches his own cheek for a second. "If she is going to join the army no matter what, I suppose it would be better if I pretended I was okay with it..."

Lomner is still giving the idea some thought.

OOC:

"That's all I ask, sir. Actually, I'm not supposed to tell you this but part of the reason my companions and I went this way was so I could check up on you and the family. She wanted to make sure you guys are okay. So how about it, how is everything?"

Lomner tilts his head, honestly confused. "She did...?"

He doesn't know what to say at first, but he quickly replies: "It's quite like her to be so underhanded," then shakes his head a little. "Well, I guess everything is fine. Not much has changed since she left for the Citadel, business as usual... maybe I should write a letter. To clear up the air." Satisfied with this idea, he nods to himself.

"I'll make sure to mention you. Tell her to send someone a little less honest next time."

He smiles.

Steve smiles back. "Heh, I'll do that. Actually, I'm supposed to put this all in a letter and send it off. If I wrote it would you mind mailing it with your other dispatches? No wait." Steve starts laughing, "Let's send it with your own mail! Can you imagine her face when she sees my letter in there with yours? She'll probably be in a huff for a week!"

Lomner blinks for a few seconds.

"In a huff?"

Continuing to laugh Steve says, "Oh yes. I learned a long time ago that there is no sense in lying to women. They always suss it out and that goes double for your daughter. By putting my letter in with yours, she'll realize what I did and be quite sore with me. But by the time I see her again she will have had time to calm down and see the sense in it."

"See the sense in it?" Lomner is bewildered.

"I don't get it. You're just here to see how me and my son are doing. I'm sure she planned for the eventuality that I would learn about it: she plans for everything."

"Don't I know it. But she didn't plan on me in the first place and I see no reason to change that record yet." Steve stands up and puts out his hand to shake, "Let me introduce myself sir. My name is Steve Oldturn and Zelky's my fiancee."

He places special emphasis on "Zelky," so that Lomnar knows its a nickname the two "lovers" share.

You cannot decipher the innkeeper's expression on his face.

"You and my daughter are... engaged?"

Steve responds with a relieved and happy tone: "It was as surprising to me as it was to you sir."

Lomner blinks a few more times. Then he lets out a huge "HA HA!" which makes everyone's head spin towards the two of you. The big man goes around the bar, force everyone out of his way with his mere presence and approaches the black mage with a lively gait. Then out of nowhere, he hugs Steve like no one ever did before. Once he lets him go, he places his arm around the young man's shoulders and declares to the whole audience:

"Everyone! Let me present you my soon-to-be son-in-law!"

The patrons lets out a few surprised shouts, and one regular suddenly asks: "Wait wait wait! He's the fiance of Zelk!?"

"The one and only!" clamors the innkeeper, a big smile scotched to his face.

"I can't believe it!" continues the regular. "Someone managed to melt the heart of the ice queen herself! That deserves a round of mugs!"

Everyone in the room (around 40 people) applause at this idea, and the noise becomes even louder when Lomner shouts: "And it's all on me! No one will go thirsty tonight!" He suddenly turns to Steve, and starts to reprimand him in a jesting manner: "And you were going to pay me to sleep here? That's nonsense! You're getting the best room I have, and I don't want to see even one piece of copper coming out of your purse!"

The mage is momentarily taken aback by Lomnar's generosity and a pang of guilt momentarily manifests in his heart. It passes quickly. "I don't even know what to say. Thank you so much Lomnar!" He claps the innkeeper on the back and revels in a happiness he's never known.

Steve will drink a few toasts but will beg off the impromptu party before he's drunk citing his work trip for the Coins but in reality wanting to write that letter to his "fiancee" before sleep.

He'll compose the following message in the equivalent of reverse-Stoikotita:

My dearest Zelky,

I hope this note finds you well. My time with your family was a great joy and I composed this poem in recompense for my little deception.
{Insert terrible lewd poem about Zelk here)

Poem Highlights:

Oh yeah, that was hot. I hope that was as good for you as it was for me.

Your Loving Fiance,
Steve Oldturn

(I'll take 20 on my Perform check to get that poem perfect.)