Natural Armor is the only thing that layers with a Ring of Protection or pluses on Magic Armor.

Cerric chuckles softly at Vatta's accusation, in regards to whether the straw they were drawing from had been previously plucked out of his hair. He even mocks a more detailed look at it, as if to see whether he could determine the straw to be familiar to him. He enjoyed clowning around a bit. The abbey had always been such a serious institution. The head librarian would slam his heavy bound book, also known as his weapon of choice, down onto your knuckles if you were so much as whispering in his halls. He demanded silence... the only sound he enjoyed hearing was the turning of pages.

Rather excited at the prospect of watching a dwarf clumsily mutter around a stone horse, he followed Lorae out the tavern doors and into the morning rays. His head was not up to dealing with the light of the sun at the moment, and he shielded his eyes with his hand, awaiting the spectacle to come and pass.

Vatta smiled at Cerric little chuckle, the man was starting to loosen up and she thought maybe his spine hadn’t been replaced by book bindings. The more he saw of the real world outside the library the better he would come to understand it. Some things you couldn’t learn in books.

She followed the others outside to watch the spectacle with the stone horse: she thought it might be funny to see a dwarf riding atop it. It might brighten the day a bit.

She only nodded to Brianna’s mention of asking the others if they thought it ok for her to partake in spoils of the previous battles. Either way it didn’t matter a lot of Vatta, she wasn’t in this for the spoils. Oh she liked the occasional trinket or so, but he previous endeavors had left her with no shortage of funds stashed here or there. Having grew up poor she found herself frugal most of the time with her money. When one was use to nothing, a little something went a long way.

Highnar is given the stone horse and they troop outside so the he could set in on the ground and give the command word to activate it, no doubt the innkeeper would not like it if the beast materailized into his commonroom.

As Highnar set the small stone horse on the ground and says the command wood, instantly there is a great deestrier, (biggest of all war horses, something a fully armored knight would ride.

The great gray war stallion, fully barded in plate has such a broad back that Highnar would litterally be doing the splits on the seat of the saddle.

The horse turns to Highnar recognizing the one who gave the command word and snorted.

Lorae does her best to conceal the laughter that was to escape her lips at the sight of the stone horse.

"I truly magnificent animal," she gets out and looks about to the others to see their reactions, hoping to hide the quivering of her lips.

Vatta’s eyes grew large at the sight of the largest horse she had ever seen. When the mount looked to the dwarf and snorted, Vatta chuckled and then tried to contain her laughter by biting her lips.

"I truly magnificent animal," she gets out and looks about to the others to see their reactions, hoping to hide the quivering of her lips.
“Yes,” Vatta manages to get out while holding in her mirth, “Truly magnificent.”

Looking from Highnar to the mount, then back again she can contain herself no longer.

“Now.. if someone.. can fetch.. a ladder,” she blurts out then bursts out laughing aloud, bending over holding her sides she laughs so hard that it physically hurts her.

Brianna does not see anything that really catches her eye or anything she has a use for right now. She would like to up the magic on her armor and perhaps some other enchantment increases. so all this stuff ment to her was funds., but she knew a small town like this did not have the shops or people to purchase such magical items for what they were truly worth. When the stone horse was discuss and the rest went out while it was activated Brianna picked up her mug and went to stand in the doorway leaning against the wall as Highnar spoke the magic words.

When the huge War horse appeared she was impressed. Highnar was truly "dwarfed" in comparison. It was as tall as Shadowbane and even more heavily built. "Oh yes, Highnar, he is just perfect for you" However you don't need a ladder, but a fly ring to get on him. Unless you would like me to lift you up on him."

Brianna puts down her mug and saunters over perpared to do just that. "Let me give you a lift up there, friend Highnar. At least with this steed you will be as tall as nearly anyone." THey ere a merry twinkle in Brianna's eyes though no sign of laughter on her face.

As Hignar watched, the stone horse grew to its living size and with a seemingly snort of amusement at its possible new owner, the dwarf knew that the horse and he were not destined to be partners.

“Ahhh may hap I be speak’in too soon in this, be giv'in yon beastie to someone else I be pick’n something else fur sure.”

His face red and embarrassed he turned leaving the laughter of the others behind him he moved back into the interior of the Inn. The comments, though of a friendly nature the dwarf knew well, he yet felt humiliated by not having known the true size of the beast. With the horse’s seemingly disbelieving attitude of ’ you want him to RIDE me’ Highnar could not at that moment join in their laughter and so did not by passing the group’s table and heading alone for his room.........

Brianna llok at HIghnar's face and he marched off back into the inn. She turned at once and followed him in "Highnar," Brianna called out. "Wait a moment." Brianna humor disappeared at HIghnar reactions to the other.

Brianna's long legs carried her seiftly across the floor. "A moment please." Hopeing he stops to talk but prepared if he did not to follow him upstairs even into his room if necessary. Her often direct apprached sometimes did not sit well with others but she knew not other way to be. He time on the Fprbidden Isles had left their mark on her it made her a stronger person but one sometimes difficult to deal with. She could not stand diplomatic exchanges. For her a spade was a spade and a shovel was a shovel and if you needed to say something you said it with no mincing of words. Only this time she felt she had to apologize at least for herself though she was quite sure that the others hadn't wanted HIgnar to be upset or hurt by their humor.

Just as he was about to climb the stair to his room from behind him came the voice of the Lady Brianna

“Highnar, A moment please."

Turning to her he waited for her to catch up.

“Aye Lass what be ya needing from this tired old dwarf.”

The old dearf and the young Amazon woman are an inncongrous sigth except for the commonality that they are both warriors She standing over 6"3" in her stocking feet and Highnar about half her height but as broad or broader in the beam that she is.

"I need to apologized at my himor at you r expense. Please forgive me and chalk it up to a momentary lapse on my part, and I think the others too. It does not excuse us but we have all been in a fight for our very liveds this day and a moment of humor rose without us wondering how it might affect you.: Brinna starts.

"I know you are not happy on a horse. I can teach you to ride better. I do not know much about this stone statue but being a thing of magic I daresay there is a possibility that it moves smother than a horse. Beside I can't imagine you backing down from even trying. Brianna concludes for a moment but beings again, "I hope I am not making a hash of this apology because that wha t it is first and formost." I tend to be blunt and direct and so if I am talking too much tell me to shut up."

“Nay Lass I not be blaming ya or in’n the rest for the humor of it all, it is what it is. If’n the Amulet of Natural Armor be still available when my turn to pick comes, please be getting it for me. For now I be think’in sleep is what I be need’in.”

With a pat to the tall Amazon’s hip to show her that no ill feeling was between them Highnar moved up the stairs and into his room......

As Logan comes down the stairs he sees Highnar and Brianna in the midist of discussion.

"Good afternoon you two, what have I missed, hope nothing exciting."

Logan, contiues past them both as he here Brianna appologize to highnar. He waves to the others at the table and continues out the front door of the inn. He figures he will go to the lockup and try and get any info out of the goblin they secured just the other day.

Logan steps into a gale of laughther as Vatta is almost doubled over and Lorae's face is alight with mirth. Standing in their midst is a giagantic stone gray war horse, a destrier fully barded in plate armor.

Lorae see Logan and tries sto catch her breath without laughing. "You missed it, Highar espressed an interest in the stone horse. But as you can see, it is a might big for him."

“Ahhh may hap I be speak’in too soon in this, be giv'in yon beastie to someone else I be pick’n something else fur sure.”

Vatta watched Highnar leave showing much embarrassment on his face and her laughter faded and she frowned. She hadn’t thought the hardened warrior would be so easily embarrassed by the spectacle. She thought on it for a moment or two after the dwarf went inside. She meant no offense really, just a good natured ribbing which she thought was ok but apparently she had been in error.

She went into the Inn, passing Logan on his way out and greeted him a good day, and looked around for Highnar and not seeing him she walked up to Brianna and looked up at her.

“Where did Highnar go?” she asks Brianna, “I think I should apologize to him for my laughing at his expense.” “I did not think such a seasoned dwarves warrior would take such gentle teasing to heart,” she said sheepishly looking embarrassed herself now.

Brianna turned to Vatta. "He went to bed. He said if the Natural armor ring is left when the choosing gets to him he would like that. I tried to aplogized bor myself and for the others at our levity at his expense he said he didn't really matter that much and just went upstairs. But I think it did a bit and then when he realized we saw that it had he could not deal with it. HE is not one to reveal his emotions much one way or the other--I think."

"I would say that the stone horse is still up for someone else to shoose ot keep in case of emergency." Will you come with me back to the others?" Brianna asks as she turns to go outside again.

SHe looks upstairs. Perhaps a good night's sleep will help him to put this behind him. Anyway I hope so."