Gergory scoffed at the title give nt othe bandit. "Well, Lass, it seems like you've been through quite a bit of trouble. Master Black there wil be enjoying the fine accomodations of the CAstle dungeons for a spell, while he thinks over his poor career choices."

Standing, Gregory placed a small cloth bag on the desktop before Kas. "50 Gold, as per his freelance bounty price indicated by the Bounty hunter's guild. If you'll just sign here, and here, and initial here, you my dear can be on your merry way.

As Kas turned to leave, she inquired where the local Church of Tyr was, and Gregory couldn't help but smile. "Just look for one of the largest buildings in town, all prettied up with statues and moulding, if it ain't the castle, it's the Church I'd wager Ha ha"

(The Church can be seen rising above almost all other buildings in town other than the Castle in the core of the city.)

"HEEY! Let me try!" Linnix calls over the crowd that had gathered at the little game.

Mainly pushing her way through to the front of the crowd to where Xaris and Aelistae is, Linnix watches Xaris's most recent try, then steps up. Rummaging in the pouch at her belt, she pulls out 2 shiny platinum pieces. Swiftly, she tosses them into the box, then gives an over-eager spin, sending the cage twirling about its axis like it was set in a mage's wind wall.

"Ooops," Linnix says sheepishly, "Was that a bit too hard?"

Kas goes outside, normally she would jump into the saddle, but today, with her side still throbbing and the stitches already partly pulled out she signals Sunfire to kneel and steps carefully into the saddle.

She is glad for the money, for all she had was a few coins, and they were from another world.

Kas follows the directions and when she gets close and can no longer see over the tops of the building she just asks one of the town’s people.

The Constable was not kidding about the size of the place. In some ways it rivaled the castle, until this moment when she rode into the open square before the great edifice, she had no idea just what position Tyr held in the hierarchy of the deities of this world. From what she saw Tyr held a high position here in the city. Over the tall massive double doors was a statue of Tyr, in form it was much like the god that had visited her. An aged bearded blind warrior of great stature and strength. In his left hand was a long sword, point down, the right wrist of his handless arm rested on the cross hilt of the sword. Hanging at his hip was a hammer. At his feet was a set of balance scales.

Kas dismounted, by having Sunfire kneel again and after she was off she signaled him to rise, then she let Sunfire's reins drop to the ground, he would stay there unless attacked, or if Kas never returned he would find food and water. She had brought him up from birth. At times he was more than a war trained mount; he had become her silent confidant.

Kas slowly mounted the steps to the wide landing before the door the, as she drew near she brace to open them, but found as she began to push, that they moved easily. The thought came to her that Dwarves might have had a hand in building this temple.

It was not austere and plain, it was not ornate and gaudy. The Temple had about it a powerful elegance with sense of purpose, a place of warriors and place for justice.

Kas moved forward over the magnificent marble floors taking it all in. As far as the temple itself she was in awe, but it could not compare with her visitation from Tyr himself.

Toward the front to the temple she stopped and took it all in almost mesmerized by the ambiance of the hallowed halls.

She had no idea how long she stood in silence.

Aelistae’s and Loriel

Loriel watches Aelistae’s movement away from her after she addressed the issue of her state of dress which really had nothing to do with that state at all. Loriel had just veiled her comment in those terms but knew Aelistae would also know what she was talking about,

“I just had to mention this to you. Please do not take it amiss. My hand I tendered as a promise of faith in each other’s sense of what is right and good. I continue to believe that even though I asked what I did. Forgive me if I have offended our new accord. Take it as words said in friendship and not criticism. I do not know if I could walk the path you have chosen with so many who would judge you not by your actions but by the color of your skin and the reputation of your race.”

Loriel then finally got some solid sleep more at peace with herself and her offer of her friendship to Aelistae. The woman would have enough problems outside the group with others who would judge her skin and not her heart.

Day of Travel

In the morning as she arose and got started there was an contretemps between Kas and Linnix. Neither one could see the others point of view in this matter. Fortunately Kas did not take it to far and the matter thankfully was dropped for now, however it was not settled and that hung in Loriel’s mind as she rode. Kas was right in one thing they were not a united group, that when they did join together in a common goal they did better than when they all did there own thing. Loriel knew this was true of any group who sought to work together not just theirs. So what to do to help them meld together, Loriel thought to herself that her own actions and deeds and speaking truthfully and treating all fairly, those would help and being open to differences. She thought on it as she rode and act on it when she could. For now on the trail she acted and scout and lookout. Moonshadow could and did cover more ground even than Loriel, not so much curious but hopeful of a snack or two on the way. Moonshadow was a great huntress she had fed the two of them many times; hares, squirrels, and other small mammals, snakes and lizards too had made up some of their dinners. .

Castle Tethtry

Wilds gave way to cultivated lands as they neared the Castle. Bart mentioned that it was the last place they could get supplies at before moving onto their final goal the castle overrun by Goblins. Loriel didn;t go far she went with Bart until he procured lodgings and first off ordered a hot bath.

Before everyone takes off in different directions Loriel rides over to Artanis, "Artanis if you would like to share the bath with me then as soon as we are done and can find out iwhat we might get for the sale of the loot I will join you to help you reupply. I do have some extra coin if that will help you.

Loriel was not fastidipus but she kept herself as clean as possible and had not been able to bathe recently. She would not go out until she had thoroughly washed herself and freshened up. Her clothes still smells of smoke and char and too many days without being waasked. Whichi is the second things she did. When the Bath was brought into her room she had her clothes taken to be washed.

Basically she watch for Bart and Elesia to return with how much the various items would fetch.



more to come later

Aelistae laughed a soft, musical laugh as the diminutive Xaris gleefully accepted his winnings, and Linnix ran over comically and almost destroyed the small game in her eagerness to play.

‘It is good to laugh again,’ she mused, as she tried and failed to remember the last time she had done so so openly.

“You do know, that all winners have to buy a round of drinks for everyone?” she added with a wink at Xaris and Linnix.

Linnix's overzealous spin had the barmaids giggling, and Angus watching hoping the small cage wouldn't rattle right out of the curved support which held it. Over and over it went the balls clattering about against themselves and their steel prison, until finally out popped a solid gold nugget, roughly the size and shape of the other bingo balls. Linnix's eyes lit up at the golden treasure, but Angus only chuckled as he explained that the 'ball' in and of itself was not the prize.

Collecting it from Linnix who didn't seem to like the idea of letting such a prize go to waste, her brows furrowed as Angus retrived from his inner vest pocket a small figurine of alabaster. It was a small replica of a Gryphon, and Angus held it out to Linnix, very carefully.

"This 'ere be your prize, and a prize of mine for many of my old adventuring days. This be the last one of its kind that I be knowing of, so treat her well, and she'll return the favour. Just don't call upon Tessa indoors, she's a bit skiddish at not being able to spread her wings." As Linnix looked at him quizzically, Angus explained how the item worked.

(It's an original Figurine of Wondrous Power :Gryphon. Once per week, the Figurine can be commanded to transform into a full normal Gryphon as per the MM for up to 10 rounds. It obeys it's owner implicitly, serving as either guardian or mount. Should the Gryphon be killed, it returns to figurine form and cannot be summoned forth for another 1+1d4 weeks. If the Figurine is destroyed, so to is the Gryphon bound to it. The Command word is ~Fly Tessa Fly)

Angus pockets the Gold Nugget, and places a piece of wood over where the gold ball was once advertised, mumbling (though not negatively) about leprauchauns and horseshoes and Tymoras' blessings being with this party.

Aelistae circled the edge of the marketplace, but it was not because she was afraid of others recoiling in fear or horror at the fact that she was drow. The sun had past its zenith and with leather gloves covering her hands and a cloak hiding her features, she was confident the colour of her skin would not be seen. It was because the market square was so full it would have been impossible for her to push her way through the crowd even had she wished to.

Hawkers, beggars, merchants, the rick, the poor – all of humanity it seemed had gathered in one small location. Some were dark-skinned, others as fair as snow. Some wore elaborate headdresses and others barely wore anything at all.

“Goddess,” Aelistae murmured, at the sight of all those people.

“Rat skins!” one enterprising peddlar near her yelled. “Get yer rat skins ‘ere! Buy one and I’ll throw in the rest of the rat for free!”

“‘Ere you. You wants a rat?” the peddlar continued as he spied Aelistae. “They makes good eating too if you cook ‘em enough. And failing that you can just throws ‘em at people.”

“Umm, I was looking for some armour or weapons actually.”

“Oh, then you probably wants a shop down there. It’s called Duncan’s Smithy. But you know why do you needs all this snooty sword stuff when you can get a rat for a fraction of the price!”

“Uhuh…” Aelistae mumbled, deciding it best that she move on.

---

Despite the peddlar’s unsettling mannerisms, he proved to be right both about the location of the shop and that it was the place to go to. The weapons and armour of display were beautifully made, and some of the items there would not have been out of place in the armoury of the Promenade.

“Mithril,” Aelistae commented, entranced by one suit of tightly pressed armour that was as light as a feather.

“How much is this?” she inquired, hoping there was a vendor hiding nearby.

As Kasennarion stood in awe at the splendor of the largest temple in Castle Tethyr, A man donned in the silver and blue robes of the order stepped forth from a side chamber. Noticing the woman standing there in bewilderment he approached. “Blessings upon you child, and welcome, have you come for confession, or another matter of Faith?”

As Aelistae perused the store, she ran her fingers across a shirt of elegant mithril that hung across a wire dummy. The weave was so fine, and the weight so light, Aelistae could hardly believe it held any real protective value at all were it not for her knowledge of the dwarven use of the fabled chain during her people’s failed attempt at Claiming Mithril Hall some years prior.

Turning to the Shopkeeper, a young woman, who introduced herself as Duncan’s daughter Miriam, Aelistae asked the price of the piece.

Miriam moved closer to Aelistae, whose features were still covered by her dark cloak.
“You have an eye for quality. This shirt is woven of the finest mithril, imported from far away lands. Men have fought and died over this material. With that in mind, we’re asking a sum of 1,400 crowns for it, tailored to your measurements of course.”
Shall I bring you a mirror and stool to see how it looks?

Linnix pats the little figurine gently, then carefully places it in her belt pouch.

"Thank you. I'll take good care of her." Linnix promises Angus.

* * *

She had fallen behind. How could she have fallen behind?! Linnix nearly pushes over a few peddlers in her haste to catch up to Aelistae. She quickly spots her through the window of a store, and enters too. Linnix looks around at the things there, but with the interest of a window shopper looking at dust collectors. Aelistae, interested in the mithril shirts, stood over to one side of the shop while Linnix glances over various weapons that she'd never actually buy, but likes how they look anyway.

In the corner, slightly out of view, a glint of metal distracts Linnix. She curiously wanders over and carefully withdraws the item from its perch in the corner. The weight of the scythe in her hands nearly catches her off guard, but she is able to steady herself in time; she had thought it was just a metal quarterstaff. The handle is a beautiful sheen of silver, and looks almost like a temple pillar in its decor. Its shaft is fluted perfectly evenly, with not too many or too few grooves which actually, as Linnix felt, improves her grip on the weapon. Along the shaft is several shelves, not unlike the seams that mark between the segments of bamboo. These are spaced out evenly, and Linnix can feel that they are a perfect distance apart to hold the scythe. The bottom end of the shaft bears a capital that first extends out from the sides of the shaft to form a rifted pommel of sorts that extends beyond the end of the shaft, to a near point at the end. The top of the shaft holds an ornate spear tip, impractical for actual use, made out of the interweaving of metal wire to form what appears to be a flower bulb, not yet in bloom. The blade extends from near the top, seemingly a mere extension of one of the flutes in the shaft. The blade reaches out from the shaft, tapering to a deadly point at the end, however that's not the least of its form. The blade itself has an edge in the shape of the bottom of a bat's wing, and just from looking at it, Linnix can tell that it its serrated edge is perfectly sharp. Carved along the blade itself is an intricate design. In the beginning of the pattern, parallel to the blade's edge is two crescent moon shapes, one curving towards the bottom edge, the other curving towards the top edge. In between the points of the moons, a sideways eye stares blankly ahead, reflecting the gaze of Linnix's own eyes. This pattern continues three times along the blade, until the two crescent moons converge to a point just before the blade's tip. Under and above each eye is a simple triangle, completing the pattern.

Linnix's eyes widen as she examines the scythe. She didn't know how to wield one, but she thought it might be something she'd try, at some point.

Loriel gets up as Aelisae asks for someone to go with her.

"I will. It would be a pleasure to accompany you." Loriel gathers her things leaving nothing behind for pilfering hands to go through and makes her way with Aelistae through the town. There are many who just stare at the unlikely duo and others that call out insulting remarks.

As Kasennarion stood in awe at the splendor of the largest temple in Castle Tethyr, A man donned in the silver and blue robes of the order stepped forth from a side chamber. Noticing the woman standing there in bewilderment he approached.

“Blessings upon you child, and welcome, have you come for confession, or another matter of Faith?”

It took a moment for the words to register and Kas to look upd. "Faith, good sir." replied Kas nodding in deference to the man. "Could you show me to the High Alter."

Kas then follows the man to a dias of 5 steps up to a massive stone block with a bas relief carving of a war hammer with scales balanced on it head.

Kas climbs the step in reverence and once there take out her weapons and places them on the alter. She did not as the priest for permission, or to do it for her. Tyr had come to her and now she came to him. Each weapon was placed with care and them Kas knelt, put her hands flat on the edge of the alter and dropped her forehead to the cool stone.

"I pledge my weapons and my life to your service, while I am within the realms of your world. You know that I served Pelor in my world, and should I return there I will again, but here and now I serve you."

"I will seek knowledge and guidance to better serve you. I have already fought minion of Bane, your enemy. I will continue to do so. For now I am promised to aid those would seek to route Orcs and Goblins for a human city. I believe this is something you would condone, as I would be serving justice and dealing retribution for that who have suffer for the Orcs and Goblins possesesions of the city and the area around it."

This was said aloud with reverence and sincerity, the rest of Kas's commune with Tyr was silent, between her and him. Center to it was her consternation that she could not remember a vast part of her early life, centered around her family and home.

When her words were said and worries conveyed Kas stood and gathered up her weapons.

Loriel gets up as Aelistae asks for someone to go with her.

"I will. It would be a pleasure to accompany you." Loriel gathers her things leaving nothing behind for pilfering hands to go through and makes her way with Aelistae through the town. There are many who just stare at the unlikely duo and others that call out insulting remarks.

Loriel walk quietly alongside of Aelistae. if human town was strange to her they were strange in a different way to Loriel. Oh she had been in some of the great elven cities but they were as natural as they could be, living things were incorporated into the buildings and all manner of growing things all around. Human cities were stone and wood, wattle and daub in so poorer sections very little of what was natural remained after they had built. The other thing that got her was the smell of over packed humanity. The poorer parts of the city offended her sense but politeness made her able to keep her reactions to herself.

Loriel was not sure what she wanted. The elven chain was certainly beautiful as it plays through Aelistae hands it sparkled brightly like the splashing of water hitting rocks in full sunlight. It almost looked liquid in her hands. Not the rough common steel mail. She could afford such a thing but what she really wanted was a bow of magic and magic arrows as well.

But she could appreciate the fine quality of the elven mithral chain mail shirt. IT was a bit more than would be asked in her own lands but such a thing is a rarity.

To Aelistae she says ax she moves up to touch the fine elven shirt. "It is a thing of beauty and weighs a fraction of what steel does. I think it would suit you style of fighting very well."

Looking to the man she asks as Aelistae thinks about the chain shirt. "Excuse me, do you sell bows here or just armor? I am looking for a special bow, a magical one if posible"

“I…” Aelistae stuttered and glanced at Miriam. Part of her wished she had used the scroll they had stumbled upon two days before and altered her appearance. And the other wondered if that would not run counter to her goal of proving that not all drow had blackened hearts.

“I would like that, but please do not be startled by my appearance. I mean you no ill will.”

Aelistae slowly pulled back her hood, and revealed to the woman her heritage. She was glad, all of a sudden, that Linnix and Loriel were with her in case things did not go as she would have wished it.

Miriam takes a step back a moment in shock at the revealing of Aelistae's true nature, but quickly collects herself in record time. Bowing slightly, the waif of a girl speaks. "Forgive me priestess, I know my reaction must not come as a surprise, but your coin and your presence are welcome here. You see, James Brown is a good friend of my fathers, and he has been in ony recently telling tale of your bravery and your exploits."

Miriam moves to take the mithral chain from the rack in preparation for Aelistae to try it on.
"Please, I know you must face such hardships what with your heritage and all, but I am a firm believer in a person's ability to overcome boundaries placed before them without their consent or control. Please, on behalf of Duncan's Smithy, allow me a credit to this fine piece, as a sign that not all of us are ignorant."

As Miriam tailors the suit to Aelistae, and prepares to box it, the final price of the piece comes out to 1260 crowns. "We'll just be keeping this between us lady's now eh?" She says with a thin smile, glancing to Loriel and Linnix as she speaks.

(Aelistae has received her CD point monetary bonus in the form of a discount)

As Loriel asks for enchantments on her bow, Miriam explains that her father is also a skilled mage, and can enchant almost any weapon to some degree. With some talk exchanged, Miriam produces a bow of almost identical likeness to the one Loriel possessed, except this one radiated a fine aura of magic. She also explained the chance for the ladies (And anyone else who might chance to stop by) to procure some magical ammunition for their journey. (See Q/a)