The Halflings' Penchant

By RedwallLemon

Disclaimer: I do not own Lidda the Halfling Rogue from the Dungeons and Dragons rulebooks, nor do I own Dungeons and Dragons, Rogues, Bards, Sorcerers, Clerics, Obad-Hai, Halflings, or Half-Elves. All other material is original.

Character stats (since I'm going all-out nerd here):

Lidda, halfling rogue
Str 10 Dex 20 Con 12 Int 17 Wis 14 Cha 11
Favored weapons: Dagger and Light Crossbow

Lothia, halfling rogue/bard
Str 11 Dex 19 Con 11 Int 17 Wis 10 Cha 18
Favored weapons: Morningstar and Light Crossbow

Garyk, half-elf rogue/sorcerer
Str 11 Dex 17 Con 10 Int 15 Wis 12 Cha 18
Favored weapons: Daggers and more daggers

Chapter 1 - Briefing

Lidda and Lothia had been traveling for three days nonstop, stopping only to rest at night and to give Lothia enough time to concentrate on her spells for the day, which for the past few weeks was the only thing keeping them alive aside from sheer luck. Now a few hours after the dawn of the fourth day they finally arrived at a familiar sight: Ovorin. It had been a month since the Cleric had sent them on an errand to retrieve a stolen relic, and they had wandered dark forests and winding labyrinths to get it. Now they were home.

"As soon as he pays us," muttered Lidda, "I'm taking a bath. A long, hot bath. Money is no object!"

"And you need it!" Lothia shot back, punching her shoulder. "You smell worse than those rotting zombies we had to deal with in the dungeon. Phew!" Lidda punched her back harder and laughed aloud. They had been the closest of friends since childhood; when they had both been orphaned in their tweens, they had set off together to start a new life in the city. Now they were as thick as thieves - in all senses of the word.

When they arrived in Ovorin they went straight to the church of Obad-hai, not far from the western gates of the city, and met with the Cleric. After handsomely rewarding them for their efforts, he informed them that their services would again be needed, as a temple to Obad-Hai in a northern city had been robbed.

"Word from the brethren reached my ears last night," he told them. "I sent my reply immediately: I will send to their aid the greatest thieves in all of Ovorin. Rest assured that my brethren compensate well," he added.

"Shucks! The greatest thieves in Ovorin! Did you hear that Lothia?" Lidda feigned a blush. Lothia shoved her chidingly.

"I hear you say the same about yourself everyday! Your holiness, you really shouldn't fill her head with such flattery!"

The Cleric laughed heartily at the banter to which he had grown accustomed. "This particular mission will be more perilous than those I usually send you on," he warned them. "You will likely be dealing with a very intricate network of rogues, thugs, and the like."

"Do they expect us to be scared?" Lidda laughed. "Ooh, I'm a big scary thug! I'm gonna steal old expensive relics from churches and get away with it! Well you know what I have to say to that? SNEAK ATTACK bitch!" Lothia shoved her so hard the rogue nearly bowled over onto the marble floor of the cathedral.

"Hush with your nonsense and listen to him a moment!" she chided, fighting to suppress a giggle.

This time the Cleric's face remained grave. "I am afraid that you will be up against more than you can stab your way out of… Which is why you will not be going alone."

A momentary pause passed after the Cleric's last sentence; in a faraway corner of the church a small breeze escaped through an opened window. Lothia took one look at her companion's face and knew they were in agreement.

"Your holiness-" she began.

"I understand your concern," the Cleric interrupted, "but I have deliberated on the matter for many long hours and have decided that your safety is of the utmost importance. I have sent for a very talented sorcerer from Ovorin whose reputation has reached me."

Lothia's face soured. "Another spellcaster? He'll just get in the way! With all due respect, your holiness, I think you should let the halflings do what they do best!"

"Ah, but he is no ordinary spellcaster;" the Cleric refuted, "this sorcerer is also reputed for his prowess in stealth. I think you will find he will be a fine asset to your group. In addition, he is a half-elf and therefore very versatile of skill."

"All the same," Lidda commented, "I would feel better if we didn't have to risk our lives with a complete stranger watching our backs." After an exchanged glance with Lothia, she shrugged with a resigned sigh. "But… if it is the will of the Church…"

"We should like to meet this - sorcerer - before our journey is underway," Lothia added. "If we have to work together, I at least want to know something about him."

"It has already been arranged," the Cleric reassured. "Meet here when the sun begins to touch the horizon and your new companion and I will be waiting for you. In the meantime, I think the both of you need to find a bathhouse!"

Author's Note: Those of you who have already been reading this story may notice that I changed some of the names. I was asked to change them by a friend who created the characters.