These hands' got blood on them.

We lay on the floor; hot, hotter, hottest: kissing Merloc was definitely like playing with fire. I felt my skin burning with his touch, even though his hands were over the fabric of my robe. I just wanted to kiss him, stay like that forever. Kissing him was like a big...

BANG!

Startled, I raised my head quickly. “What the heck was that?!â€￾ I moved aside and let Merloc stand up. I saw a cloud of light grey smoke, an enormous debris surge coming from one of the alleyways near the docks. I shot a glance at Noggf, but he was already rushing towards the scene of the conflict.

“Demmet!â€￾ I cried as I stood up. “Noggf! Come back, please!â€￾ I said, as I raced behind him, but he wouldn’t stop.

When I caught up with him I was breathless. He was hovering over a figure lying on the floor, “Be yoo okay mister?â€￾ but he didn’t get an immediate answer. I moved closer and I saw a man who looked badly bruised; and as far I could see, there was no blood. The man’s hood covered one side of his face, the other showed a red tattoo encircling his eye and down his cheek. I squatted next to him and looked for his pulse. Weak, but still there. I moved my hand to uncover the other side of his face...

 

He watched her send the creature flying to the ground, and then produce a harm spell against it. With a snap of his fingers, the creature went back to their kennel... The Mother's kennel.
He narrowed his eyes and followed the woman's figure.

"Odd," he thought. "I will have to watch this one."

[OOC=A bit of interaction with another character never harms...]

 

The first thing I was aware of was my own heartbeat. I was quite puzzled why someone was beating a drum that loudly in Tarant until reason began filtering into my mind. A grenade...I had set off a grenade and leaped for the street.

Damfool thing to have done I told myself. You're lucky to be alive.

Am I alive? I responded

I must be my heart's still working.

Why can't I see?

My eyes are closed.

I HURT.

Pain came at me in a rush. I let it rattle my brain, listened to what it was telling me. I didn't seem to be bleeding. I could feel my hands and feet in uncomfortable positions on the rough cobbles. None of my bones felt broken. Amazing.

I decided to open my eyes. Light flooded in and reminded me of the time I'd accidently set off a Flash Grenade in my face. I blinked and slowly thing came into blurry focus. I was lying on my back, looking into the sky. Something was cutting off my vision though. I has a moment of panick,thinking I had lost and eye, when a hand brushed my hood back and I could see with both eyes. Bending over me were two blurry figures, one very large. I blinked several more times but my vision refused to clear.

"Um...greetings," I said.

 

The man stirred and winced. I moved aside, in case he wanted to sit up. Noggf was still standing next to us. The man opened his eyes tentatively and stared at the sky. I moved his hood back gently and he blinked, his eyes getting used to the light again; fortunately for him, it was evening already, and the electric lights were not that strong. He blinked once again but he still seemed unable to focus.

"Um...greetings," he said.
“Hello,â€￾ I replied, kneeling by his side. “You are lucky to be alive.â€￾ I checked his pulse, it was strong and steady. “Do you mind if I check whether you have any broken parts before we move you?â€￾ I said, moving my hands softly over him.

Once I had verified he was fine, I told him, “Well, can you move? I certainly hope you can, because if I’m not wrong---â€￾ I heard footsteps to my right and saw a figure in leather armour rushing towards us. My hand moved instinctively over a piece of debris; I grabbed it, aimed and threw it. The guard fell on his back, unconscious.

“As I was saying, if I’m not wrong, they’ll be coming for you soon.â€￾

 

Me saw a man i levir armir comming up behind us an befor me culd draw me klub Eien frowing him wif a stone an den she stopd and began tolking to da man again an sez
"As I was saying, if I’m not wrong, they’ll be coming for you soon.â€￾
He not anser yet wen me say. "We go to Kadalon too eskape Einin?"

 

Noggf moved behind me. Suddenly he asked, "We go to Kadalon too eskape Einin?"

I stopped to think and after a little while, I told him, "Not exactly, Noggf, but there is some truth in that, yes. We... At least you and I, are outcasts, and I think that even after many years, Tarant is not the place for us. They could make us disappear soon. And Caladon is a merciful place, and as good as any other to get some explanations about what has been happening, something that will be explained to you during our voyage, so that you can be a helping hand too."

I turned around and looked at the man, I didn't know if he'd been listening to what I'd been telling Noggf.

 

Relieved to find myself relativly uninjured, I gingerly stretched and tested my muscles. Finding myself fit I blinked until my vision cleared and listened to the woman talking. She suddenly picked up a peice of debris and threw it past me. I turned around and saw the form of a guard fall behind me. I looked back to her as she said:

"-if I’m not wrong, they’ll be coming for you soon."

I paused to think about where I could go-tarant had been my hope for employment, but finding old rivials in town limited my options. Further, it appeared that Tagga was in a position of power, which was certain to make my life miserable. I was mentally reviewing the safehouses I had, when the ogre spoke to the woman.

"We go to Kadalon too eskape Einin?"

"Not exactly, Noggf," She replied. "But there is some truth in that, yes. We... At least you and I, are outcasts, and I think that even after many years, Tarant is not the place for us. They could make us disappear soon. And Caladon is a merciful place, and as good as any other to get some explanations about what has been happening, something that will be explained to you during our voyage, so that you can be a helping hand too."

The woman turned to look at me with the question in her face.

I only had to consider for a moment. I had some gold and weapons in a warehouse in Caledon and it was unlikely that Tagga could reach me there. Even if he did, I would be ready this time, and better prepared. Going over to the ally and retriving my belongings, I returned to my rescuers.

"Caledon would be fine with me," I said. "I've got some useful stuff there." I glanced back at the bodies in the ally. "I shouldn't hang around here, certainly. If you don't mind, I'll go. My name's Dennin Rault, but you can call me Den."

 

I saw the man get up and go over to the alley. Puzzled, I looked at Noggf as he helped me stand up. I felt cold, and I realised that my clothes were dripping. I'd barely had time to consider what I had told Noggf when the man returned, having retrieved what appeared to be his belongings.

"Caledon would be fine with me," he said. "I've got some useful stuff there." He looked furtively at the bodies scattered in the alley. "I shouldn't hang around here, certainly. If you don't mind, I'll go. My name's Dennin Rault, but you can call me Den."

"You mean you will be coming with us?" I was perplexed. "This will be no children's game, though." I considered what he had said and what I had seen; this man knew his work, and I wonder how he earned his living. But who was I to judge him? Surely none of us was free of blood on our hands.

"I'm pleased to meet you, Den; my name is Eien," I said, as I offered him my hand.

 

I shook Eien's hand and smiled.

"Likewise," I said. I turned to the ogre and proffered my hand. "And you are?"

"Noggf," He said gripping firmly with his. Surprisingly, he didn't crush my bones, and my estimation of him rose significantly.

I looked between the two of them. "I take it by your words, you have reason to leave too? Have you made plans for departure? and is anyone else with you?"

I noticed that Eien was shivering in the breeze, and offered her my cloak.

 

As Eien and I embraced kissing on the ground I heard an Explosion in the back ground. Her head quickly shot up looking to where the sound came from, I turned my head to see what had happened.

There was a cloud of smoke and debris filling the out let of an ally, Eien got up and I soon followed. Noggf was running towards the smoke filled ally, I could just see a man lying on the ground in the mouth of the ally. Eien started to run towards him.

Just as I began to head towards the man I saw that the two guards at the bridge started running towards the explosion. The guards knew what I looked like and that I had burned down an inn, I couldn’t let them see me. I started walking towards the boats. One of the guards spotted me and ran after me “stop right thereâ€￾. I didn’t want to draw attention to my friends so sprinted towards the near by ware house. As I dodged around a the corner at the far side, the guard hot on my trail. I pressed my self against the wall, when the guard turned the corner Sword Drawn I pulled the oldest trick in the book. I drew my dagger stuck out my leg and tripped him, the guard fell to the ground. As the guard hit the ground I stepped on his sword and plunged the dagger into his back flames surrounded the blade burning the area around it.

I pulled my dagger out of the guards back and took his sword. After a minute I headed back towards where the explosion was. I could see that the man was standing now and talking to Eien and Noggf.

[OCC= Sorry they where keeping my late at work again this week]

 

The man shook my hand, smiling, and then did the same with Noggf, who was just as civilised as any of us. He then turned to me and said "I take it by your words, you have reason to leave too?"

I smirked, "That, Den, is something you can bet your arse on, if you will pardon my French. Things have been... Ah, how shall I put it? Well, things have been a little hectic in Tarant. I must say I supposed the city would be this way, but there have been---" I stopped; how was I to explain what had happened, when I didn't know it myself? "Let us say strange occurrences have been taking place."

"Have you made plans for departure? and is anyone else with you?"

Before I could answer, a gently breeze blew and I could not help but shiver. Den looked at me and without saying a word he took off his cloak and offered it to me. I stared at him for a moment, bewildered, as he fastened it.

"Thank you... As regards our departure, I could not say; you see, before we found you..." I told him about Noggf's aquatic adventure. "Noggf, what happened with that boat you---?" I saw Merloc out of the corner of my eye. He had a sword in his hand; newly-acquired, by the look of him, under circumstances unknown to me. "Noggf, why don't you tell our friend about the boat? If you'll excuse me..." I said, and I went to Merloc.

Taking him aside, I asked him, "Where did you get that sword from?" I examined him intensely. "Are you all right? We have to get out of Tarant as soon as possible, my... friend," I said, as Den and Noggf approached us.

 

Einen and da udder gi tokked for a wile and den she asksed me:

"Noggf, what happened with that boat you---?"
At first me not kno wi she stopd but den mee seed Merkil in da corner of me i.

Den Eien sed: "Noggf, why don't you tell our friend about the boat? If you'll excuse me..." an went over to Mikril. They wir tolkin soft so me no heared wat dey sed. And den.

Den me wanderd wat Eieen ment by bote. And den remembird. And den me sed to da new guy: "Yeah, me saw a boat with a kapptin in it. And da boat was made of wood and very very big. And also big."

 

"Where did you get that sword from?"

“…â€￾ I glanced at the sword then back at Eien

"Are you all right? We have to get out of Tarant as soon as possible, my... friend,"

“I’m all right. Lets get to the boat.â€￾

I started walking towards the boat, looking a Noggf “ Noggf… Where heading out! Let’s go!â€￾

 

I listened to Noggf tell me that there was a boat. A big boat apparently. That suited me. A big boat meant you could hide on it if you had to.
A man I didn't know called Noggf, telling him to get going.

"Thanks Noggf", I said. "Let's go."

First time I'd seen so many people in trouble, I thought. I checked my gun to be sure it was loaded, and strode after my new companions.

 

Having asked Noggf which boat we were supposed to take, Merloc led the way, and the four of us walked furtively towards the ship that was to take us to Caladon. I saw that people had started to appear where we had just been. People liked watching catastrophes; they were drawn to the place of the accident like moths to the light.

My eyes went from the streets of Tarant to Noggf’s back and beyond, they seemed to be inevitably fixed on Merloc’s elven back. “You’re so silly, Eien,â€￾ I said to myself, smiling sadly. I shook my head and looked back. Den was behind me, and there was a certain air of tension around him. I felt sorry for him too. “What is happening to me?â€￾ I wondered. “Since when do I care about someone else?â€￾ I knew the answer, of course. Knowing that I was probably going to die before we got to the bottom of that affair had made me more compassionate. I smiled encouragingly at Den over my shoulder.

BUMP!

I hit Noggf’s back and bounced straight into Den’s arms. I quickly recovered my balance and looked over Noggf’s shoulder. Merloc was already talking to the captain of the ship.

[OOC=Right now I'm not feeling very creative, and it shows ]

 

We wuz bizzy walkin aftir me had told da evrywun wer be da sip wen sudinlee.

BUMP!

Me felt sumfing nok into me bak. It not hirted but me kud feel it. Me tirned arownd and seed Enee half-standin, half-lying in new gize armz.

"SOREEEEE NEINEE, ME SORREE." me skreemd as soon as me relized wat happind.

Me saw startild lewk in her ize and uvver parts of her fase. Me not no wi doh. Me den aftir apoligized seed da kaptin up der een da beeeg beeeeeeeeeg bout. He was talking and he also had lips like my. So me could see he wuz talking. Uvverwize me mite not have nown he wuz talking but maybee me wud hav. Nown. Den me seed also talking at him wuz Milric. He wuz also talking wif hees lips too. He was talking too at da kaptin just like Mekril. Den me went up too da kaptin and sed:

"On boat we is? We also go den.", me saw puzzild lewk in heez fase so me desided me must talk like a stoopit persin so he kan understand meez.

"YOO TAKES US (me pointed at all my frends) TO KADALON!!! WE GEEVZ YOO MUNNEE AND WIRKS ON DA BOWT SO WE PAYZ LES!!".

 

I walked along, iIdly thinking about the last time I had gone to sea. I smiled as I recalled the storms, the sea spay, and boundless horizon. The excitement of the battle with a pirate ship in the afternoon. The thrills of youth, I thought, and regretted it instantly. Have I really gotten old? Or just cynical and lazy? It's been too long since I lived dangerously. I was startled out of my reverie when Eien turned and smiled at me. Her eyes looked sad and yet mischivious and encouraging at the same time. Abruptly, she collieded with Noggf, who had paused on the dock ahead, and fell back toward me. I managed to catch her long enough for her to regaine her balance and we walked towards the ship where someone was already talking to the captain.

OOC-somene needs to introduce me to Merloc. I don't like calling hime the "other guy"

 

After Noggf pointed out the boat I went to talk to the captain. [OOC= let’s see what my mind dose to this guy] he's about five foot seven and looked like a cheap pirate, he had what appeared to be a single long tail feather from a seagull sticking out of his hat, he looked as though he had seen plenty of action in his days though.

I heard a thud in the background I looked over my shoulder to see what it was only to see Eien stumble backwards and fall into the other guys arms, he quickly helped her regain her balance. I watched for a few moments then proceeded to talk to the captain.

“Where looking for a good boat to take us to Caladon.â€￾
The captain “we can take ya there, but it’s a long trip so it wont be cheapâ€￾

He cot me staring at his left hand “Ahhh... you noticed I’m missing a finger did ye, I lost it fighting off a group of pirates. They tried to take my ship but my finger was all they got, as my crew and I sent them scurrying back to there ship like the dogs they where. After that we sent them down to meat the fishes in a hail of cannon fire.â€￾ “Well then we seemed to have picked the right shipâ€￾ all I could think was (I hope, either that or well all die on this ship.)

Just then Noggf butted in "On boat we is? We also go den." The captain and I stared at Noggf.

"YOO TAKES US (He swung his finger around and seemed to be pointing to our group) TO KADALON!!! WE GEEVZ YOO MUNNEE AND WIRKS ON DA BOWT SO WE PAYZ LES!!"

I nudged Noggf in his stomach with my elbow, looked him in the eyes and said in a trying to be nice voice “I can take it from here Noggfâ€￾. He took a step back then I went back to talking to the captain.

“We can work on your ship to help with the costâ€￾

“There’s work to be done, and you look like a strong group. Especially that lady thereâ€￾ I glared at him.

“well as I was saying, it’ll cost ya about 2000 gold I’d wagerâ€￾ my eyes got wide at the price but seeing that more guards would be coming soon I didn’t have time look ells ware.

“Done, I’ll give you half now and half when we get there.â€￾

After giving him the gold I headed up the ramp to the deck. I started thinking to my self “cannons, gunpowder, a wooded ship, and a mage. I think I’ll be staying above deck for the tripâ€￾


[OOC= Hewww… that was a long one, Well I guess I had to make up for lost time]

“Inventoryâ€￾

Spoiler

6829 - Gold
1 - Black leather armor
1 - Pare of Methril toed boots
1 - Pare of Black Leather gauntlets
4 - Throwing Knifes
1 - Pocket sized spell book.
1 - Backpack
1 - Flaming Dagger.
1 - Box of bandages. (10)
2 - Heal Lesser Wounds
1 - Light Fatigue Restore
1 - Bread
1 - Wine
1 - Guards Sword

[OOC= Anybody want a sword, I don’t have any where to put this thing, Hay Bunny your not very well armed mayby you should say I gave it to you.]

 

Darkness.

A deafening silence, broken by the steps of the man. He bowed in front of a veiled figure and knelt. He waited.

“Well?â€￾ the voice sounded ancient.
“I think I---â€￾
“I think?â€￾ the voice said, mockingly.
He breathed in deeply and began again, “I found a subject.â€￾
“Really?â€￾
“A female. Necromantic black. I am still to determ---â€￾
“What do you mean, ‘still’? You dare come back to me without the proper knowledge? I, differently from you, have not grown indulgent, Baihl Gwrha’l,â€￾ the voice boomed. He raised his handsome head swiftly. “Ahhhh!â€￾ the voice cried. “You thought I would not know about her! How can I not know when you stink of her?â€￾
“She went back for the same reason as me, but she did not succeed.â€￾
“Neither did you,â€￾ the voice snapped. “Is she the reason why your current investigation is so slow and reckless?â€￾ He bit his lower lip and said nothing.
The voice cried, “Go back, and do not come to me unless you have something consistent in your hands.â€￾
“I will come back soon,â€￾ he cried. He got on his feet and went out of the room.

The veiled figure stood alone in the darkness.

[OOC=I have to stop adding more characters...]

 

"SOREEEEE NEINEE, ME SORREE," said Noggf loudly. I gaped at him, eyes wide open; I guess apologies always took me by surprise. I told him, “No worries, Noggf,â€￾ but he didn’t seem to be listening to me, his eyes were fixed on my mouth.

He turned around and approached Merloc and the captain; he said something to them which I couldn’t hear, but then he yelled, with a wave of his finger, "YOO TAKES US TO KADALON!!! WE GEEVZ YOO MUNNEE AND WIRKS ON DA BOWT SO WE PAYZ LES!!"

I thought it was funny. Merloc didn’t think so, for he nudged Noggf and muttered something through a forced smile. As Den and I were on our way there, the captain said something, but I could only hear, “especially that lady over there.â€￾ I didn’t know what he was talking about, but it couldn’t be a compliment, for Merloc glared at him. My heart skipped a beat.

The captain said, “well as I was saying, it’ll cost ya about 2000 gold I’d wager.â€￾ I was about to object to that astronomic amount of money, but Merloc said quickly, “Done, I’ll give you half now and half when we get there.â€￾ He gave the captain the gold and went to the deck, leaving us three to get our bearings within the boat.

“For 2,000 I don’t suppose we’ll have to work?â€￾ I thought. I must have spoken my mind, since Den let out a chuckle. I smiled, “I’m sorry, it’s just that I think Merloc’s paying through his nose.â€￾ As I was talking to him, I saw a middle-aged man, another passenger, strolling along the deck, near Merloc.

“Well, I think it’s going to be a long voyage,â€￾ I said to Noggf and Den, â€￾so we’ll have a wonderful opportunity to get to know each other. Oh, I’m sorry, would you like your cloak back?â€￾ I said to Den, and as I moved my hand to unfasten it, my injured wrist hurt a little. “Damned!â€￾ I cried, “Won’t this ever get better?â€￾ And I walked to where Merloc was, in search of bandages.

“All aboard!â€￾

[OOC=Well, since Cappy is going to be rEt's character, he should decide on the colour of his voice and his speech ^_^. Although I've found that there are not many colours left.]