A World of Danger: Part One

[Mathron]

OOC: I will have a few posts like this, detailing actions of the villains. These are not add ons to my characters - just posts to keep the story rolling, and develop plot.

As the wolves were watching, the camp was certainly not mobilizing. Most rested asleep within their bunks, or sat up late playing with dice and cards. A few kept silent watch around the site, weapons drawn and eyes hard as they watched for trouble.

But in the center of the camp, in the captain's tent, more was going on. The tent was lit by a single candle, its flame flickering hesitantly in the breeze that blew throughout the night. One figure stood near the back of the tent, arming weapons about his person, while a much larger figure loomed near the front.

"You know what to do?" The man asked. (Though over 6 feet, the other figure still topped him by a head.) The man's voice was rough and gravelly, as harsh as stone, and he didn't pause in his preperations as he spoke.

The massive figure nodded. "Yea, boss. You head off ta th' fortress tonight, and we started movin' out tommorow. Ya take care of ya own bus'ness, and we meet ya when we get ta Angband."

"Good. You are in charge of the camp, Kur. See to it the prisoners are escorted back without trouble."

The half-ogre leered and said, "I make sure they huv a nice trip on th' way, hur hur."

Slowly, the other figure turned about, meeting Kur's gave and quieting his laughter. "You will make sure they arrive, untouched. Move them as quickly as possible, but don't entertain any private fun that could delay things. Do you understand?"

Stuttering in fear, Kur could only nod as the Wolf swept by him, and soon vanished into the night - unseen even by his own sentries. Yet though his namesakes, watching, did notice his departure, they knew not who he was, nor what it meant...

[Erewe]

In the shadows beyond the camp, Erewë lurked in the shadows. He kept his eye on Grim Wolf. The one who murdered his surrogate father. It was dark, but the lack of light was no burden to Erewë. No. But he knew he must wait. Killing Grim Wolf with other servants of Morgoth around was foolish. Erewë would wait until he had Grim Wolf alone. Yes. Then... Revenge.

[Irid al'Menie]

Apperently, noone was about to say something, so Irid went back to the wolves to give her more images. She saw how the slaves were fed. They all had a nap, and in it was something that may could have been called food in a far distance. Then she saw someone coming out of the big tent. It was a person, though she couldn't see anything more. It was like he had shadow around him. The next image was that of a man hiding in the bushes. He had a grim look on his face, and looked at the shadow that had come out of the tent. Probably someone else that had been hurt by the Grim Wolf.

[Mathron]

Tal nods, somewhat pleased, and his manner loosens a bit. "If the mercenaries are still encamped, we have a bit more time than I thought. We should head onwards as soon as daylight breaks, however. The rest of the day you may spend dealing with any preparations you need to make. I shall be in my room preparing."

He paces across the room fitfully, and then glances over at Dain. "Seek out Steward, and see what progress he has made. Fill him in on what we have learned, and that we are meeting outside of town come morning."

The dwarf nods, and heads out the door, glancing at the others as he goes.

"Now then," says Tal, "Unless any of you have more questions, I think our plans are settled until tommorow comes."

OOC: Lief, can you handle the Dain/Steward interaction? I don't know how far Steward has gotten in dealing with the others.

[Irid al'Menie]

"Wait a second. I don't have a question, but I need to say something. I'm not sure, but maybe there's someone else who wants to be part of the quest. He's not here, but I saw him nevertheless. I'll tell you later how. For now, do with the information what you want, I need to get some sleep. Goodnight."

Irid walks out of the door, and goes straight to her room. There, she lies her bow and sword to the wall, and lies down on the bed. For safety reasons she keeps her daggers hidden. Then she falls in a light sleep, keeping her eyes open but letting her mind move through dreamways.

[Lief Erikson]

*Sure, I'll handle the interaction. It'd be a bit easier though if I knew which of the players I was thinking of contacting are still interested in playing.*

Steward glanced sideways as he saw Dain approaching, and smiled as he approached the dwarf.

"How has it gone?"

"Well enough so far," the old man answered. "But I've only contacted An'tiar and the halfling. Other than them, I'm still uncertain."

[Lief Erikson]

*The character I'm using now is only a blip in and out character, so don't hyper react over him please, anybody.*

Arcon remained seated at the table long after most had left, sitting back in his chair and quietly smoking his pipe. The old man who had wandered the area speaking with various people had not approached him. Few had. Few ever did.

But as just as it seemed the incoming of people had stopped completely, a figure appeared in the doorway and walked straight to Arcon's table, seating himself opposite him. The figure eyed him in silence for a short time, but did not request a drink even when one was offered.

Instead, he leaned slightly closer to Arcon, staring at him through hazel eyes. "I have been sent to find out if your abilities are for hire. We have scanned the credentials of most of the people here, and you intrigue him as a possible ally. Will you be willing to speak with him, or are you already paid by someone else?"

[Selwythe]

Arcon stared back at the old man.

"Depends. He who you speak of, name Him. And what fruits shall I reap from the confines of my labour? For whom I work, that you need not know."

OOC, uh what time is it? It seems like night and thus I think it's pretty strange that he sat in the inn for one whole day when he's supposed to be one who shies from public

[Lief Erikson]

*Actually, I have no idea what time it is either. And the person your guy is talking to is not Steward. He's not that old, either.*

"The person I was speaking of is my master. His name is . . ." the man hesitated and looked around furtively before leaning closer. "I need to know more about you before I put my faith in this." A moment later, he sighed though and shook his head. "No, you wouldn't be interested in telling me your past history. Very well, my master's name is Vardor. A certain servant of his in this village has gone silent, and he needs a replacement. Also a mission has been dropped which needs to be picked up again. You appear the best person to take up that mission."

*I don't think Arcon knows who Vardor is, though. Vardor is pretty remote.*

[Lief Erikson]

*Actually, I have no idea what time it is either. And the person your guy is talking to is not Steward. He's not that old, either.*

"The person I was speaking of is my master. His name is . . ." the man hesitated and looked around furtively before leaning closer. "I need to know more about you before I put my faith in this." A moment later, he sighed though and shook his head. "No, you wouldn't be interested in telling me your past history. Very well, my master's name is Vardor. A certain servant of his in this village has gone silent, and he needs a replacement. Also a mission has been dropped which needs to be picked up again. You appear the best person to take up that mission."

*I don't think Arcon knows who Vardor is, though. Vardor is pretty remote.*

[Irid al'Menie]

*I think it's about morning...*

[Elbreth of Carhouth]

*Hey guys, I'm back. Anyone know where An' tiar is at the moment? I think you forgot her somewhere.*

[Selwythe]

Arcon showed no obvious response to the mention of Vardor. He stared back at him.

"Vardor... I have heard that name only from tales of lore and myth. Vardor... intriguing."

The air seemed to fall silent as Arcon pondered this proposition.

"Name me the task and reward, and I perhaps I resume the incompetent work of his servants. But servant I am not of he, I will only be an ally, and woe betide him the day he disposes of me in the fashion he does to others."

[Lief Erikson]

"Woe betide him?" the stranger asked, laughing softly. "He could crush you like a bug. Nevertheless, I am sure he'll be pleased to learn that we have a new voice from the village. He wants you to hunt down one who might be known as Orpholin. At least I think the name was Orpholin," he added with a frown. "You needn't kill him if you find him. Simply bring him to a certain meeting place we will arrange, and we will collect him from there. He is an enemy, but one who Vardor greatly desires to possess. Not to kill."

[Mathron]

OOC: Welcome back, Elbreth! Good timing, too, as there are some about to interact with your character. You are the one inside the room our characters are approaching, below.


Dain walked along the passage, eyeing Steward warily as they walked to the room he had seen the commotion in the night before. Steward ignored the dwarf's stares, and knocked on the door. A voice called out, "Who's there?"

Steward answered calmly. "A friend, who would like to talk."

[Selwythe]

Arcon again showed no visible reaction or balk at the mention of Vardor.

"Orpholin? My eyes are peeled and my ears are opened. Hurry along now stranger with your words, for I am a busy man and should not have tarried thus far in this inn. What know you of the uncouth name of Orpholin and this meeting place? If this meeting place is secure and the bars only lifted for me in due time, look for Arcon by the green wyvern."

[Lief Erikson]

The hazel eyed stranger nodded once. "That will be satisfactory. I'll meet you there tonight. Also there may be a young woman here named either Fore Dog or Shelina. If you can establish contact with her, bring her to the Green
Wyvern as well. Tell her it is on Vardor's orders."

[Selwythe]

Arcon's eyes searched wanderingly the stranger as he left the inn. For a while he wondered at this quest and its significance, for it hinted at a greater plot than what it seemed. But he got up. The Sun was rising and as little as its warmth mattered to him, it was a stark reminder of the time he had wasted on a simple trip.

He stood up and glanced over the inn, indeed hoping he would espy one who looked like Orpholin or Shelina by chance. Finding no clue to start from, he went towards the innkeeper, who had raised his hopes when he saw Arcon rising to leave but now broke into a cold sweat at his approach.

"I shall be gone," Arcon started.

The innkeeper's relief was short-lived.

"But first, let me say something."

Arcon toyed with something under his sleeves and continued.

"I may not arrive every day to sell you meat, for how long, even I do not know. Maybe a skip in a day here or there. It all depends. And second," Arcon bade the innkeeper quiet, and making sure no one was within earshot, leaned forward and spoke in a raspy whisper. "You heard of the name Orpholin? Or Shelina?"

The innkeeper, taken aback at the sudden hiss, stuttered, "Uh...uh... Orpholin? Shelina? I, uh."

"SPEAK!"

The clatter of the inn died down to a deathly quiet at the sudden impatient outburst as travellers looked at the counter. Arcon realised this wasn't the way. He continued in that same hissing voice.

"Speak, sire, before I lose my patience."

"No no, heard none of them. They are not registered in this guestbook. See, no Orpholin, no Shelina."

Arcon scanned the guestbook quickly with his roving eyes, and was satisfied but not entirely.

"What about the unregistered?"

The innkeeper found himself in a dire situation, with his guests' privacy and his safety balancing each other.

"Um... I'm sure my guests will prefer to have privacy up in their..." he paused suddenly for he felt the cold prick of steel upon his chest, for it was no other than the poisoned dagger of Arcon. This he held there as a threat, veiled from others by his cloak which he spread with his arms. Now he was really nervous.

"B..b...d....a....uh...uh okay okay! There was a woman found on the street yesterday with wounds! I know not her name or whence she came. She..she...'s upstairs in a room!"

The diners once again craned their necks toward the counter at the innkeeper's nervous outburst and Arcon reluctantly withdrew his dagger, shooting a cold look at the innkeeper.

Then Arcon's mouth went up in a smile, but his eyes did not. And he said two words in a much friendlier tone, but nonetheless did not warm the innkeeper.

"Thank you."

Arcon went out of the inn. The innkeeper quickly called for his servants.

"Quick! Tell the maiden who was found yesterday wounded on the streets that a man of questionable intentions seeks to find her. He is out of the inn now, and I have no idea when he'll come back. Tell her her safety is at risk!"

--------------------------

Arcon went astray of the path which led to the door of the inn and looked up. There in the second storey was a window, and a tree was near it. The tree would not look out of place in the forest he dwelt and easily he climbed those trees. Yes, that was a good tree, he thought, and the window could not have been at a better place.

[Lief Erikson]

The servants of the innkeeper found their way to Shelina's room quicker than Arcon, and hastily knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"We've been sent by the innkeeper to tell you information. You're in danger, please open the door."

She stood up and walked unsteadily to the door. She reached down to touch the dagger hidden within the folds of her dress as she opened it. "What information?" she asked them, relaxing slightly as she recognized a couple of the faces.

"There's someone asking questions about you and possibly hunting you. He forced the innkeeper to give your location, and your very life might now be in peril."

"Tell me," she asked, "Is this pursuer an elf?"

"An elf?" one of them asked, looking puzzled. "I'd say not. No elf would get concerned with business like that."

"Of course not," she murmured, but she looked slightly puzzled. "Then who?"

"He hunts deer for the innkeeper, miss. But he's a nasty chap, as we just found out today."

"What's his name?"

"I don't know," he said, glancing at the others. They shook their heads slightly. "You'd have to ask the innkeeper."

"I might just do that," she said. "He's not in the inn, is he?"

"No, miss. He left as soon as he'd received an answer to his question."

"Gone to report what he'd learned to a superior," she said with a nod. "In that case I have a little time. Thank-you for your help, you may leave me now."

They bowed their heads and walked back down the stairs. Shelina closed the door and walked back into the room to collect certain items she might need.

And the window at the far end of the hall slid open, Arcon stepping through. He moved quickly from door to door, moving in quickly on his target.

[Irid al'Menie]

Irid just looked out of her door to see a man moving silently. Not silent enough for her elvenears though. She shook her head. Humans were strange. She wondered when Tal would call them.