CH. 12: Testing Grounds

[Haahque]

Haahqae has no idea why, but he feels somehow as if he had lost something. He certainly hasn’t lost any of his hard earned money, and he won the argument handily, as her proposition was unfounded and unreasonable. Yet somehow, Haahqae feels like there was more than just one woman that he barely knows walking out of the building with the end of that conversation.

Turning back to the hallway up to his room, Haahqae mumbles beneath his breath. “Not out to cheat you? Yeah right, that would be a first. Betray maybe but not cheat; right?”

And he storms off to his room, locking the door behind him.

There was something in that cold tone of voice, something in the desperation in her eyes that stopped him from being able to let this conversation go. Maybe sleep would cure it.

[BishGada]

"Can you push the wardrobe across the gap?" Tulbas asks the young mage. "Selowen, have you memorized any spells that might help the situation? Such as feather fall?"

[JadedDM]

Haahqae (Steel Tankard Inn)
Haahqae returns to his room alone.

Kendra Greylock (2527 Market Street, Greylock's Gorgeous Gems)
"Even if they did make it to Ergoth...I'm not sure what will happen next," Sadron remarks. "We don't have the means to take our homeland back. But we can't wait in Ergoth forever, either. Sooner or later the war will reach them again. Then where will they go?" He shakes his head. "As a soldier, I never worried about such things. I just did what I was told. But being laid up here with nothing else to do, I can't help but think about it."

Tulbas Erogund (Tower of Wayreth)
Selowen shakes her head. "Most of the spells I memorized today were defensive in nature. I have a few charm spells, too, but I'm not sure how they would help."

Reluctantly, the human pushes the wardrobe over. It manages to cover the gap, making a bridge of sorts. There's no telling it will hold, though. "Are you sure about this?" he asks, looking down the hole nervously.

Arulia Seroth (323 Three Forks, Seroth residence)
Arulia has to make a mad dash to get home in time. Since she must stop at every checkpoint along the way and wait patiently for them to check her papers, it takes much longer than it would have otherwise. In fact, she doesn't quite make it in time. The final bell rings when she's still fifteen feet from her front door. She sprints to the door and practically throws herself inside before a patrol spots her outside. By the time she arrives, not only is she exhausted and covered in sweat, but her family has already sat down to dinner.

"Where have you been? We were worried you were arrested or worse," Vera states when she sees Arulia, distress plain upon her face.

Ne-Chanz and Shima (High Hand Inn)
Ne-Chanz places Felran's body by the sewer entrance along with the illegal weapons they were given, and the two climb out. They have to run, full sprint, to reach the inn in time. Since they have to stop at every checkpoint along the way and wait patiently for them to check their papers, it takes much longer than it would have otherwise. By the time they reach the High Hand, they are both exhausted and very sweaty from all of the running. In the future, it would probably be wise not to keep cutting it so close each time.

[HorizonsDream]

"I guess the most that you can do is hope that the war doesn't reach them?" Kendra says. She lets out a small sigh, and shakes her head. "I'm sorry. I'm not really all that great at the comforting thing when it comes to this. I...I don't really know what it is like."

[Chris1234]

Shima looks around the room, "Not bad. A bed will be a pleasant thing. How much do they charge here?"

[spyguy1503]

Ne-Chanz tells him. "I'm going to grab some food. At least we finally have some money." He sits down to order a decent meal. He is polite to the waitress.

[Chris1234]

Shima joins Ne-Chanz, "I'll have what he's having. And this one's on me." He eyes his large companion. "And don't take advantage, either," he adds with a wry smile."Do any of the rest of our companions stay here?"

[djhyland]

Arulia slumps against the inside of the door as soon as she slams it behind her. "I'm sorry to worry you, Mother," she wheezes, out of breath. "I'm fine, and I didn't mean to be so late, but I got held up at the checkpoints. I was out looking for, uh, employment when the curfew bell rang, and I wasn't close to the house. I'll pay better attention to the time next time."

[JadedDM]

Kendra Greylock (2527 Market Street, Greylock's Gorgeous Gems)
"No, it's fine," Sadron says, patting her on the shoulder. "You have enough to worry about, I shouldn't be dumping my problems on you like this. In any case, there's nothing either of us can do about the war or my peoples' fate, so there's no sense in worrying over it."

Arulia Seroth (323 Three Forks, Seroth residence)
"Well, I'm glad you're alright, at least," Vera says. "Come, sit down, there's still some left over." The women are nearly done eating, but as Vera said, there's enough left over that Arulia can make herself a plate. "Did you make any coin today?" Vera follows up. "You said you weren't opening the smithy today, so I hope it was worth it."

Ne-Chanz and Shima (High Hand Inn)
Ne-Chanz and Shima sit at a table and ask for dinner. They are brought back a plate of fried fish, steamed vegetables and mugs of ale which comes to a total of 4 silver pieces. Shima uses his own money to pay, since they have divided up the coin they found in the sewers just yet.

[HorizonsDream]

"I'm going to guess you are probably hungry, so I'll go make dinner. Is there anything you want specifically?" Kendra asks.

[TristenC]

Curious... something at the fort and no details... do you think it was an attack? he asks as he digs in. If there is someone else... or perhaps it was Delharn! But he wouldn't move on sometging like that without mentioning it to me, would he? Besides... he's keeping a low profile... wish I could find him...

[Chris1234]

"My, it's nice to have some money. And proper food," comments Shima. "So do any of the others stay here too? I think someone told me already, but I'm got the memory of a.. a trout, sometimes."

[spyguy1503]

"Even trout remember where to go to spawn."

[djhyland]

Arulia sits down to eat and shakes her head at her mother's question. "I looked into a couple of leads, but I didn't have much luck, and the one I thought would work failed. But I did find another lead...I just hope that I can make that one work."

[Chris1234]

Shima pauses with a forkful of fish halfway to his mouth. "Hmmm, Minotaurian philosophy, perhaps? But do any of the others in your adventuring band stay here?" he adds quietly.