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Topic: The Erstwhile Adventures of Vatta Silestia
Subject: The Job
Vatta sat back in her chair and enjoyed her ale as she waited for her next client; her hood was up as usual hiding most of her face especially from across the room. She looked around The Gentle Moon Inn where she had stayed her in the City of Westgate for the past month. Not many customers this time of day, only a few travelers who were having lunch before heading out into the Market Square nearby.
She hoped her client wasn’t going to let her down, she hated it when people didn’t show. She could always refuse the job but she at least wanted the choice to be hers so people had better show. She thought of her line of employment she had chosen here in Westgate, a services for hire type business which included a lot, except for assassination. She had paid her share to the Thieves Guild here in the City to have their blessing, but she didn’t want to cross the Assassin’s guild despite her aversion of killing for gold.
Since she was a regular patron at The Golden Moon and had keep a room here since arriving in the city, she had come to know the owner and all his family/workers. They seemed to like her, especially since she rented their highest price room and paid in advance, always the best way to make good friends with vendors.
She looked up from her ale as the door opened and a man entered and looked around as his eyes adjusted to the gloomier interior. The man was dressed in fine clothes and didn’t appear to carry any weapons, his manner of dress seemed to imply a man with gold; your typical merchant. As he stepped further into the room the owner left the bar and greeted him and asked how he could help, Vatta didn’t hear the Merchant’s reply but the owner nodded and gestured over to Vatta’s table. The merchant headed towards her without another word to the owner who only turned and went back to the bar.
The Merchant looked over the cloaked figure as he stepped up to the table, he cleared his throat before asking, “Are you Vatta?” She nodded her hood once and gestured with a gloved hand to the chair across from where she sat with her back to the corner so she could see the whole room.
“I am Tarnus Masterson,” he said as he sat down, “I have a problem I need help with immediately.” He appeared nervous to be here and constantly glanced around as if looking to see if he was being watched. “You are safe here,” she said revealing her female nature, “no one can over hear you.. Now tell me your problem and I will tell you if I can help you.”
Tarnus Masterson told her how another Merchant named Gant Van Grabel was blackmailing him by holding evidence of a shading dealing he had last year that avoided the trade taxes and if it were revealed to the city tax agents would result in him losing everything and possibly send him to jail.
“So what is this evidence?” Vatta asked. “It is a ledger, a book, which shows certain.. Ah.. Questionable shipments which were not reported as they should have been.” He smiled sheepishly, “This Gant Van Grabel had an inside man in my company and stole it and now he holds it over my head to blackmail me into selling him my business… I would rather die… well not quite.” He sighed.
Vatta proceeded to ask Tarnus questions about his competitor and his operations, warehouses, men, etc. When she was satisfied she had all he could tell her she nodded and told him, “I think I can help you.. It will cost you 1,000gold pieces up front for me to look into it and see if I can locate this evidence. This money is not refundable in any case.” She knew the price was high but this man looked like he could afford it. “It will cost you another 1,000 gold pieces when I return the ledger to you. It that acceptable?” She asked and waited for his answer.
Tarnus thought for a moment then nodded. “Your fee is steep but it will be worth it,” he consented as he rose from his chair. “Come to my warehouse on Southgate Market Street tomorrow afternoon and I will have your gold, until then.” Vatta nodded and the merchant turned and left the Inn and she ordered another ale; it helped her to think and she would need it on this job. She had charged a lot but somehow she had a feeling that she would earn every gold piece.
~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~
Posted on 2007-07-16 at 00:34:56.
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Topic: Peradyse Lost
Subject: Previous Post OK
(OOC: My previoius post above would still be good as is since Cerric didnt travel out of the area and my post didnt mention anything about the Knights. So please play previous post as written. I think DM mentioned somewhere that it was late afternoon, hence my mention of lengthening shadows.)
Posted on 2007-07-15 at 20:58:28.
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Topic: Peradyse Lost
Subject: Adjustments?
(OOC: I also will adjust my post if the location is not near by. If it turns out that Cerric has to travel a greater distance then My C will get her mount and track him from out of sight. Will wait for DM imput before adusting my post.)
Posted on 2007-07-14 at 23:37:47.
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Topic: Peradyse Lost
Subject: Pursuit
Vatta frowned when the Priest rose to leave as she hadnt heard anything from the drunken farmer than she hadn't already heard around town. She absently watched the Priest leave as she finished the last bit of her bread with honey on it and washed it down with the ale. A minute later she rose and picked up her bow, which was leaning against the table, and slipped it over her shoulders and followed the Priest out the door. She spared a glance at the rafters but didnt raise her head and saw the Raven still there, probably watching to see if anyone followed. Leaving a minute after the Priest then maybe the bird wouldnt think she was following him but then again it did look suspicious. A short dark cloaked figure obviously armed with a bow walking out the door right after the Priest left, but she had to take the chance.
Once outside she just spotted the Priest as he was leaving the area. She glanced around and then slipped into the lengthening afternoon shadows and followed the Priest by paralleling his course on his right using any natural cover or shadows. She kept back enough so if she did make any noise, highly unlikely, then he shouldnt be able to hear it and announce her presence.
She stayed just far enough back that she could keep track on him and watch him from a distance, she knew she couldnt overhear him at this distance but it didnt matter as he didnt have anyone to talk to out here alone. She followed him until he stopped for a few moments and then she smirked as a Raven landed on his shoulder; obviously the one from the Inn. She considered the wager won and slipped behind a tree letting her natural abilities hide her from sight. At this distance she doubted even the Raven could see her hiding here, though she knew that it would no doubt report that a cloaked figure with a bow on it's back had slipped out of the Inn a minute after he left. She would wait and see what happened here.
(OOC: If the Priests spots her and calls out, heads in her direction, or makes any other sign that he detects her presence, then add the following paragrah but only then)
Seing that he knows of her presence, she comes out in the open and draws back her hood to reveal her Beautiful Female Elfin face. With her hands in the air showing that she hold no weapons, she would speak to him and tell him in a soft elvish accented voice; "I mean you no harm, I am sorry to follow you from the Inn but I think we seek the same path." She would seem at ease but she was ready to react to any violent action if he was so inclined; she hoped not.
(OOC: I didnt realize the Knights were camped close to this town, I thought they were where the other town disappeared, maybe I misunderstood. Hard to visualize sometimes without a map  )
Posted on 2007-07-14 at 17:54:10.
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Topic: The Erstwhile Adventures of Vatta Silestia
Subject: Recovery.
Vatta’s horse limped into the next town several hours after dark and stopped in front of what appeared to be an Inn; a faded wooden sign showed a picture of a dwarf sitting by the fire smoking a pipe with his feet propped up on a stool. She slid off the animal to the ground and only by leaning on the horse did she manage to keep her feet. She threw the reins over the hitching post and staggered up to the door of the Inn.
Of course the door was barred at this late hour, so she leaned against the door post and banged weakly at the door. After banging repeatedly someone came to the door and opened a sliding panel so they could look out and see what was causing all the commotion. “Who is it? What do you want?” A man’s voice asked.
“I’m injured.. let me in.” She answered weakly. There was just enough moonlight that the man peering out could see her and the blood covering her left arm from shoulder to hand. He paused a moment as if he were going to tell her no, but the blood and the fact that he saw a small woman, even an elf woman, covered in blood. He shut the sliding panel and unbarred the door. She almost fell forward into the room but the man caught her and held her up. “Thank you!” She said weakly before she passed out.
When Vatta awoke she wasn’t quite sure where she was at first, then she remembered pounding on the door of some Inn someplace. Looking around she was in a bed in what looked like a modest room of an Inn so she figured someone must have let her in though she doesn’t recall anything after being at the door.
She winced when she tried to move and found her left arm was bandaged and strapped to her side so that she couldn’t move it. She was shocked to find that her clothing had been removed and she was wearing some sort of frilly gown. She sat up quicker than she should have and her head reeled in protest. When her head stopped spinning she looked around and saw her clothes were draped over a chair, and her weapons, bags and equipment from her horse were setting in the corner.
Someone had obviously taken good care of her, she sat back and relaxed and thought she needn’t worry because if anyone here had wanted to harm her she would never have woken up. She drifted back off to sleep, for how long she didn’t know, but she was awakened again by the opening of the door into her room. She opened her eyes and watched as a man entered carrying a tray. Seeing her awake he smiled, “Ah good, you are awake finally.” He said, “This is good news.. good news indeed.” He sat the tray on a small table against one wall and came over to her.
He was a thin man, gaunt even, with thinning gray hair but a pleasant smile. “My name is Tooman. I am the proprietor here at “The Happy Drawf.” Vatta assumed this was the name of the Inn. “We were worried at first but when we got all the blood cleaned off we saw that you had tended your wound and the damage wasn’t as life threatening as it first appeared.” He paused in his rambling and looked closely at her face and then he spoke slowly, “Can..you..under..stand.. me?”
Vatta smirked and answered him softly, “Yes, I speak your tongue.” She looked around the room and then back to Tooman. “My name is Vatta Silestia and I offer my thanks and will repay you any amount for caring for me.” She paused at a thought and then asked, “How long have I been here?”
Tooman smiled at her, “Nice to meet you Vatta, and you have been in our charge for 2 whole days now.” He walked over to the table and picked up a mug and brought it over to her and offered it to her. “Here this will help.” Vatta took the mug and smelling the rich aroma of ale she downed half the mug in one draught. “Whoa, easy now, don’t over do it.” Tooman chuckled.
She handed him back the mug, “I want to thank you for bringing all my stuff in here and taking good care of me, but have one question…” She looked directly at him and asked, “Who undressed me and tended my wounds.” Tooman blushed a bit and chuckled, “That would be my wife and daughter who took on that chore,” He grinned slightly, “I would have done it meself but my wife wouldn’t stand for it..let me tell you.” He laughed and Vatta chuckled at him relieved at his answer.
Tooman took the mug back to the table and left it on the tray, “Iffin you feel like eating I brought some broth and bread and alittle cheese and I can get you some more ale iffin you like.” Vatta nodded, “Thank you, I will eat in a bit. Don’t worry about me.” Tooman nodded and turned and opened the door to leave, “You need anything just holler down” and turned and shut the door behind him.
Vatta sat there a minute and then throwing the covers back she slowly got out of bed. Her arm hurt but she thank the stars that it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. Going to the table she sat in one of the chairs and slowly began to eat and even though she hadn’t thought herself hungry she soon devoured everything Tooman had brought and the rest of the ale as well. She went to the corner and grabbed her dagger, sheath and all, before returning to the bed where she covered up and soon drifted back off into a healing sleep.
Vatta stayed a week at the “The Happy Dwarf Inn” and recuperated from her injury. She helped out where she could in the kitchen helping Marie, Tooman’s plump but agreeable wife, and Tina, his daughter who appeared to be a younger, but no less plump, version of Marie. Tooman’s young son, Thomas kept the stables and Vatta had the most trouble out of him. Being on 15 years of age, the boy had an infatuation with Vatta that she found amusing but irritating at times; she would be glad to be on her way.
Now finally she had fully recovered and had for days been practicing with her weapons and bow to get her arm strength back to normal again and she was ready to travel. With no other reason to stay here, she paid Tooman and his family 200 gps, a fortune to them, for caring for her and letting her stay with them. Bidding them goodbye and giving the young Thomas a peck on the cheek causing him to blush profusely, she got on her horse and waving to them all she rode out of the small town.
~~~~~~~~To be continued~~~~~~~~~~
Posted on 2007-07-13 at 22:21:24.
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Topic: The Erstwhile Adventures of Vatta Silestia
Subject: Just another bad day....
Vatta’s horse crested a rise in the road and she reined in the horse and looked down upon a small valley dotted with farms here and there. She rode down into the valley with her normally ever present hood thrown back revealing her straight silver hair which glistened in the midday sun. Her rapier hung from her left hip and her compound short bow was close at hand tied to the left side of the saddle with a leather thong.
She thought about her bad luck back in the city and how she narrowly escaped a trap. She wished she could have found out why she was attacked. Was it because of the man she was seeking, or were those men simple city thieves who thought she was operating in the city without the writ from the Guild. In any case, she had to leave and wouldn’t be able to set foot in that city for a while.
Vatta rode slowly up the road passing several farmers in the field, most of which would stop and stare at the sight of an beautiful elf maiden riding by. Maybe it was her stunning beauty or maybe it was her race but it seemed that everyone stopped to gaze at her. She only smirked slightly, one of her favorite expressions, and rode on without a word or glance at any of them.
About an hour before sunset and she was contemplating on a place to spend the night when she heard the sound of horses running hard. She paused and pulled her horse to the side of the road and quickly scanned the area for the location of the noise. The source soon crested a hill just off the road to her right; a group of 6 men on horseback reined in and looked in her direction. Normally she wouldn’t think much of seeing strangers along the road, but the shabbily dressed men about a 100 yards away watching her raised her alarm a bit. Bandits probably out here this time of day and this far from any town or city proper. As they watched her she kicked her horse gently in the side and started it back up the road but kept an eye on them.
To her surprise they didn’t give chase but they did ride down to the road to where she had stop to watch them and then slowly they road in her direction but not overtaking her. Her brow furrowed in wonder, why would they follow but not attack while she was alone, she thought. Something didn’t make sense but she wasn’t going to ‘look a gift horse in the mouth’ as the saying goes.
She rode on casting a glance back behind here every minute or so and saw that they stayed back there until just before sunset and then one time she looked back they were gone. Immediately she was alert and snatched her bow from it’s holder and notched an arrow as she spun her horse around in a circle looking for trouble. She waited for a minute but no attack came. She didn’t know what to make of this and after a couple more nerve-wracking minutes she quivered her arrow and set her heels to her horse sending it racing up the road.
Suddenly the world was spinning and the ground rushed up at her and only her training and agility saved her from a nasty fall as her horse went down shot out from under her by a crossbow bolt. She rolled along the ground and came up on her feet, her bow still in hand, and continued to run in the direction of a nearby cluster of trees near the road. Hearing the heavy beat of horses behind her she drew an arrow and notched it on the run and as the sound of hooves drew near she whirled and drew down on the lead rider bearing down on her.
Her first arrow slammed into his chest and the strength of the composite bow at such short range propelled the rider backwards sending him flipping over the rump of this mount. Lightning fast she drew another arrow and loosed it and another arrow before the first had even struck it’s target. As soon as the third arrow was away she turned and sprinted towards those trees leaving three men down on the ground either dead or dying.
She reached the trees and looked back as she notched another arrow, but she saw that the other three riders had pulled up around the wounded men on the ground. They seemed to be discussing the deadly marksmanship of their intended prey. As she caught her breath she weighted her options; if she left the trees it would be on foot and she knew she couldn’t outrun the horse so staying here was a much better plan. Here in the trees she could use them as cover and she was sure should could bring down at least two of the riders before they reached the trees if they continued their assault; so she waited and rested.
One of the bandits got off of his horse and checked the men on the ground as the others watched Vatta among the trees. In less than a minute the man remounted and spoke to the others; the ones on the ground were not moving so they must be dead or beyond hope.
Vatta watched and silently hoped the others lost heart and left having counted themselves lucky that they were still alive, but only seconds after she finished that thought the others drew their weapons again and with cries of rage they charged her position. Quickly she loosed and arrow at one of the men but he kept low over the withers of his animal and avoided her shot. The next shot she fired at the same man took his horse in it’s broad chest and set it to the ground along with it’s rider.
She fired one more arrow at one of the others and took him with a shot in his throat. Seeing that she had little time to fire any more she tossed her bow aside and drew her rapier and dagger before the last man she hit had landed on the ground dead.
Two men remained, one bearing down on her position on his horse and the other slowly getting up further away. She chose to take on the mounted one and leaped out in the open to entice him in closer. When he tried to run her down she ran to her right and let him pass on his off hand side so he had to swipe at her over the neck of his horse and missed her cleanly. She booted feet hit the tree right next to her and she ran up it two strides from her momentum before she leaped back towards the horseman. She flipped in the air behind him as he reined his horse in quickly turning it towards where she had been on his left. Now behind him on foot she quickly stepped up and lunged forward, her thin yet strong rapier blade piecing his lower left side under his ribcage and extending up straight into his heart., he was dead before he hit the ground.
She withdrew her sword as he fell from his mount and she turned towards the last remaining bandit and just in time to duck a sword blow that would have removed her pretty head from her shoulders. Rolling on the ground away from the man she came up her dagger and rapier at the ready. She saw immediately that this man was an experience opponent and he was not going to rush in fall to one of her simple tricks.
He circled Vatta a moment, sizing her up as she calmly watched him turning to face him thinking of her next move. The man lunged at her and she barely deflected the blow with her rapier and backpedaled as he continued his attack. She knew right away he was a superior swordsman and she had to think of something cause she couldn’t keep dodging all night.
On his next lunge, she ducked and rolled to his right and came up on his flank and quickly she cast her dagger in her left hand taking the man in the thigh as he turned. He cried out in pain and then again as the dagger quickly withdrew from the man’s leg and flew back to Vatta’s hand. She had slowed him down and maybe she had a chance. The man appeared wounded and limped towards her, here was her chance she fainted high and then when his sword came up she reversed and struck low but suddenly she found her blade turned aside by the heaver long sword the man carried. Pain burned down her left arm as his razor sharp blade sliced into her upper arm cutting it almost to the bone. She dropped her dagger and staggered back crying out and kept moving back so he could quickly pursue her.
‘Stupid’ she thought, ‘he is obviously better at the swords than she so she had to think rather than just fight’. Reaching into her belt pouch with her left hand she drew out a small folded paper and held it tightly. Taking a firm grip on her rapier she waited till he had limped almost into range and then she feinted at him and as he went to parry she crushed the paper in her hand and cast it towards his face as she ducked under his sword. The blinding powder took him square in the face and his left hand came to his eyes. He never saw the blow coming as it took him through the chest piercing his heart.
Vatta withdrew her blade and sat on the ground with a thump. Dropping her sword she clasped her wound tightly to staunch the bleeding. She quickly retrieved her dagger and used it to cut a piece of the dead man’s tunic and used that to tightly bind the wound . She retained her sword and then stumbled over to where her horse fell and digging into the backpack she pulled out a small flask and drank from it eagerly.
She sat there for a couple of minutes to give the healing potion time to react somewhat, and then she looked about the area. One horse stood not far away feeding on a clump of grass, rising she slowly approached it and managed to get it’s reins before it bolted. Talking calmly to the animal it soon accepted it’s new master. As the potion began to work she felt some strength return but knew she needed to get out of this area. Gathering her things from her dead mount and what little the dead bandits carried, she managed to climb into the saddle and slowly ride off back up the road in the direction she had been headed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Posted on 2007-07-13 at 00:57:12.
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Topic: The Erstwhile Adventures of Vatta Silestia
Subject: The Erstwhile Adventures of Vatta Silestia
~~~~~~~~~~~This is a story telling thread so please do not post any replies here. Thank you! ~~~~~~
~~All of the events in this thread occured in the past for this Character. Any resemblance to any other Cs living or dead is only a coincidence. ~~
A dark cloaked shape slipped quietly along the sewer tunnels ignoring the rats and filth that surrounded it. In near darkness it glided easily, seeing clearly from the slight moonlight and city light that filtered through the street drains above.
At a culvert of connecting tunnels it paused. The noise from water running into several of the tunnels made silent movement here almost unnecessary but the dark covered one still was wary. It slipped to the side of the tunnel entrance against the wall and waited. All it’s senses tuned, trying to determine if it had been detected.
It knew that somewhere nearby had to be a lookout, most likely down one of the other tunnels in the dark watching the brighter are of the culvert for any intruders. After waiting for about 15 mins it heard a sound so faint that human ears would not have detected it at all. The dark one moved slowly towards the tunnel to it’s left from whence the sound originated.
The shadowy figure paused just to the edge of the tunnel , a dagger appeared in one of the gloved hands. It waited and soon the faint sound was repeated; the scrape of leather on stone. Probably a boot heel of a sentry moving about slightly as the wearer paced in boredom.
Slowly the cloaked head moved to the lip of the tunnel and peering in the tunnel entrance. Eyes sharper than a hawks pierce the gloom and spotted the lookout as it waited 15 feet down the tunnel. The sentry appeared to be armed but no weapon was at hand and the person was obviously bored and often moved about and even took their eyes off the culvert area as he paced. A Novice mistake!
Watching the sentry the shadow cling tightly to the wall and when the watcher turned away even for a second, it slowly moved a tiny bit into the tunnel and seemed to blend into the wall. It took the dark one over half an hour to get to within 6 feet of the lookout and the next time the sentry turned to their left the shadow struck.
Darkness moved silently and the lookout died quickly as the hand clamped down tight over his mouth and a dagger pierced his spinal column killing him instantly. Lowering the lookout to the floor of the tunnel the shadow quickly looked up and down the tunnel for any sign of alarm. Nothing stirred.
Deft hands quickly stripped the body of anything useful and then moved on up the tunnel slowly and carefully always on the lookout for signs of trouble.
Half an hour later the shadowy figure came to another culvert, the one below the market square in the city above. A pile of rotting garbage blocked the center sluice of the drain and made the water here back up to a couple of feet around the pile. The stench here was even greater than elsewhere in the sewer if that were possible. The hawkers in the market above often cast their bad perishable goods down here; rotting heads of cabbage, maggoty meat, and all manner of spoiled food goods mixed with human excrement made a mixture that would gag even the strongest stomach.
‘Humans’ the figure thought, they were such filthy creatures. Living so close to their waste, discarding it wherever they could, with no thought to the consequences to the future. What could one expect, they breed at will and even though they lived only a short time compared to the other races they had grown and were taking over large areas of fertile land and destroying nature. It was a wonder they could manage to survive at all.
The dark one’s paused in it’s thoughts and gave out a soft whistle, two short blasts and then a long one. A answering signal in reverse came from one of the tunnels ahead. Shortly after the signal a figure stepped out of one of the tunnels and raising a lantern opened the shutter slightly to light the paused, waiting. The cloaked one stepped out and looked upon the one it was meeting. A human male dressed in filthy leather breeches ,a soiled tunic, with his shoulder length hair tied back with a scrap of cloth. A short sword hung from one hip and a dagger could be seen sticking out of the right boot. “Your late. You must be Vatta.”
The cloaked one stepped forward into the faint lantern light and reaching up a hand drew back the hood revealing it’s face to the man.
The lantern light revealed a figure dressed all in black with a cloaked that covered most of it’s short, slightly over 4 and a half feet, frame. Straight silver shoulder-length hair surrounding a beautiful female elfin face with a tiny smirk on her lips. The hilt of a rapier can be seen protruding from the cloak and the tip of a compound short bow peering over the top of one shoulder.
“That’s me. I was delayed, a lookout was guarding the way into this section.”, she said in a voice that was smooth and yet strong and hard. “Are you sure no one else knows of this meeting.” She slowly glanced about wondering if others might be hiding in the other tunnels.
The man chuckled slightly, “No one knows, probably you just ran into some scavenger looking for anything valuable someone might have lost into the sewers. It happens all the time.”
Amber eyes returned to gaze upon the man and narrowed slightly. Did she detect a waver in his voice, was he lying. Her instincts told her something was not right here. Her left hand was still hidden within her cloak as she shrugged to him, “Maybe, ok so tell me, where can I find this man you told me of in your message?”
The human smiled nervously as he continued and walked closer to here avoiding most, but not all, of the rotting muck. “Well, this information didn’t come cheap, so what do you offer for it?”
In response, she reached her right hand into her cloak and brought out a money pouch, hefting it slightly so the man could hear it and see it’s girth. “Enough gold?”
He grinned and nodded, “More than enough.”
“So then, quit wasting my time, tell me where he is and the gold is yours,“ She stated and then added with a wicked looking grin, “but you had better be right or I will come back her and take the price back out of your hide.”
The smile on the man’s face faded and he nodded his understanding, “Ok, don’t worry the information is good.”
Was that a noise, she thought. Her keen ears scanning the sounds of the sewer for anything out of the ordinary, and there it was again, the sound of steel scraping against leather. The sound of a sword slowly being drawn from a scabbard. It was a trap. She knew that surely several men waited in the other tunnels, and perhaps even the one from which she had come. She had to remain calm, she reminded herself that the best way out of a trap was to spring it before it was ready.
“Well then, if that is so,” she said slowly and evenly and hefting the pouch, “Then HERE!” As she said the last she tossed the sack at the guy’s face then her hands were a blur as her rapier suddenly appeared.
The man instinctively reached up with his free hand to catch the purse, that was his mistake as the tip of her rapier opened up his throat. He went down with a gurgling sound, dropping the lantern and purse as he tried to stop the flow of blood gushing from his neck. He made one more short blood filled gasp before he sank face first into the muck and water.
Suddenly the other tunnels erupted with men, one or more from each tunnel, short swords and daggers at the ready. The first one fell as a dagger flew from the elfin woman’s left hand taking him high in the chest propelling him backwards. The dagger yanked itself out of the man and raced back to Vatta to be caught deftly as she moved to avoid the awkward slash of the man who came up behind her.
Avoiding the blow that would have cleaved her back wide open she whirled and let his momentum carry him past her and into the path of the other attackers. The point of her rapier pierced the man’s lower back and spine before she raced up the tunnel from whence she came.
The wounded man staggered into the way of the others momentarily blocking their path to the tunnel, but he was soon pushed out of the way to die on the pile of rotting refuse as the others ran up the tunnel after her.
Vatta raced up the tunnel, the shouts of her pursuers echoing off the walls. She ran into another culvert and there she hesitated not a moment as she darted into a tunnel on the right, her left hand sheathing the dagger and pulling out a small flask from belt. Flashing into the tunnel she tosses the flask over her shoulder in a haphazard manner and runs even faster . The flask crashes on the side of the tunnel and with a mighty flash it lights the tunnel momentarily causing the pursuing men to pause as it blinds them in the gloom. After the flash the tunnel fills with an acidic smoke that the first couple of men who try to continue soon find themselves coughing and gasping for breath. The others manage to drag the effected men out of the smoke and soon curses are the only thing pursuing the fleeing elf up the tunnel.
A few minutes later, Vatta climbs out of a sewer opening in an alley a few blocks away. She straightens her cloak and replaces the hood and glances around as she heads out into main thoroughfare. She curses her luck. She knew it was a long shot and possibly a trap. The message had been too convenient and too good to be true, but she had to risk it in case it was the real thing. She was glad she only lost a hundred copper pieces that the pouch contained instead of the promised gold. It paid to prepare.
As she headed back towards here room she contemplated her next move. She had to get her things out of the room and move on, they surely knew where she was staying and might try for her there. She would leave the city tonight, no sense hanging around any longer it would only invite trouble.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~To be continued~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Posted on 2007-07-12 at 23:40:52.
Edited on 2007-07-14 at 01:54:00 by TannTalas
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Topic: Peradyse Lost
Subject: Obserant!
Vatta Silvestia sat quietly at a table eating a modest meal and sipping some ale that was passable at best and while the hood of her cloak was up hiding most of her face; the lower part was visible revealing her pale skin and feminine features to anyone who gazed upon her. While she seemed disinterested in everything around her, except her meal and beverage, nothing was further from the truth.
Her amber eyes gazed out from beneath the hood, missing little that went on in the common area. It had taken several minutes though to notice the dark raven in the rafters above. She smirked slightly thinking that no one else besides the pet’s owner would probably realize it was present, watching all those below.
The bird obviously belonged to someone here in the room for it didn’t move and only watched everything that went on, a very attentive pet it seemed. The bird was probably trained to sound an alarm if it spotted danger to its master. If Vatta were to bet she would have to put her money on the bird belonging to the Priest at the next table, the one listening to the drunken peasant farmer yammering about weather and crops. It was almost enough to put her to sleep, until their conversation turned to more interesting items; the missing town she had heard mentioned hereabouts.
The robed man was obviously a priest, his manner of dress, what could be holy symbols in his attire, and the calm and contemplative manner in which he spoke. Vatta had little use for Gods, she had never met one and found they in turn had done nothing for her as far as she could tell, but Priests were another matter. She often found them useful to have around especially on dangerous adventures where injuries were common. Their magic was often useful and had saved her life on more than one occasion, but whether it came from their gods or something more mundane similar to the magic users she didn’t know and hardly cared.
When the waitress left the Priest’s table and came by hers, she ordered another tankard of ale and having overheard the Priest order some broth thought that some soup would be nice and ordered some for herself. Looking at her plate and seeing she was almost out of bread she ordered more of the warm fresh bread and some honey as well. A hot fresh meal was something she didn’t get often and cherished the moment when it presented itself besides she could really put it away; more than her small 4’7” lithe muscular frame might suggest.
As she wiped her plate with the last of her bread, she thought of how she had considered asking around about the missing town and the other adventuring bands that had gone off in search of answers to this mystery. Now she figured she could learn what she needed to know by just listening to the conversation at the next table and not have to reveal her interest in the subject. While her ears were attuned to the words of the Farmer and the Priest, her eyes still roamed the room from beneath the hood watchful for any signs of trouble or anything of interest.
The part about the Dragon Knights and the War Wizards caused her some concern as she didn’t like it when officialdom was involved in any way. While she respected certain aspects of law and order, she understood that there would always be chaos. In her opinion; the best course seemed to be when the good and bad in the world balanced in harmony. One of her basic tenements was that ‘without evil how would anyone know the nature of goodness’. At this thought she absently fingered the silver pendant she wore on a leather thong around her neck. A basic Yin and Yang symbol, one side black and the other white but within the black was a small circle of white and the white side had a similar circle of black. To her it meant that one couldn’t exist without the other; that good contained some part of evil and evil some part of good. Of course most people didn’t see it her way but she shrugged and smirked at the thought.
Her philosophical musings were interrupted by the return of the waitress with her ale, a bowl of steaming broth, another plate of bread and some honey, her mouth watered as she laid two gps on the table in payment letting the waitress keep any remainder as a tip. She was always generous to those less fortunate than her; a common failing some had told her but she had been down on her luck many times and could appreciate a little help now and then. She dug into the broth, occasionally dipping the warm bread into the bowl. She set aside two pieces of bread to slather with the honey for the end of the meal. Every few minutes she would glance up and check on the whereabouts of the Raven above, just checking to see if it was still there and wondering privately if her wager with herself on its owner was a sure bet.
(OOC: I just noticed the plug of my Solo Story of Vatta's Previous adventures by our DM, Thank you Dragon Mistress. Just want to mention that my thread was moved to the Creativity Forum/ Personal Creations/ Hope you enjoy!  )
Posted on 2007-07-12 at 16:24:54.
Edited on 2007-07-13 at 16:14:57 by YeOlde
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Return to Charadun - Q&A
The Morphing Game
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