Fellowship of the Outcasts

Chapter Two

"Halfling Rogues are so stereotypical..."

I do not own the name Tommy Undergallows,

nor the character.

The fire cast shadows across the room and over the faces of the four sitting at a table in the small tavern room. Aerendyl studied the faces of the three sitting around him. From the introductions, he knew their name and profession. The dwarf man, Jorander Rockhall, was a wizard. The human woman, Alexis Heartborn, was a cleric.

He didn't trust them, or this plan. He snapped out of his reverie of thoughts and payed more attention to the conversation. "-we have! We've got nothing else to think of." The woman was arguing with Burz about something. "I know, Alex, but I think we should still keep looking, at least for just one more week. The lead points us to Crag Hollow..." A flash of...something, echoed across his face and Alex put a hand to his shoulder. "I know, Burz, believe me. We all do, but if it is there, think of what this would mean? The one place we absolutely refused to look...it makes sense, doesn't it?"

Burz sighed and nodded. "I suppose. But still...will it be worth it, facing what...who, we know lies there in wait?" They became silent, the dwarf shifting in his quiet corner, the cleric and monk sat thinking. Aerendyl spoke for the first time since the introduction. "Whos going to be leading this little expedition?" Burz and Alex looked at each other, then the dwarf spoke. "Well, laddy, what do you think we brought you here for? A cup o' tea?"

Aeren looked at the three of them. "You want me to lead you? You don't even know me? This is ridiculous."

Alex frowned. "What does that matt-" Burz quieted her with a hand on her shoulder, and looked straight at him. "What she means is, you are a Ranger, Aeren...We could use your tracking abilities...it only makes sense that you would lead it."

Aeren frowned and watched the three of them in turn. It did make sense for him to take point, though he couldn't shake this feeling he had that that wasn't the only reason they were making him leader...He closed his eyes and thought. Yes, he could do this. Though he had no idea what they were talking of about someone waiting there for them, he knew of Crag Hollow. A dreaded place, filled with the undead and corrupted. A non-stop sea of monsters and bandits, spirits and convicts...a difficult terrain.

"What are we looking for exactly, in Crag Hollow?" he opened his eyes. "What lays at the end of this adventure?" The dwarf remained quiet, and Alex shifted uncomfortably. Burz looked at them, then at Aeren. "A book." Aeren opened his mouth to say something, then closed it, just staring at them incredulously. After a moment, he said what he had been about to, but in nicer words. "We are going to brave undead monsters and swarms of bandits for...a book?" He finished quietly.

"Yes, but the book, it is-" Alex glared at Burz.

"No more! He will find out only after we have found it Burz." He nodded, then turned back to Aeren. "It is a book of unbelievable knowledge and power, I will leave it at that." Aeren sighed inwardly. If what they said was true, it could well be worth the effort. "I'm in." he said simply, folding his arms. "When do we leave?" Burz grinned approval, and the dwarf spoke again. "Well, in the morning o'course. Just afore the sun rises."

Aerendyl looked around at the three once more. All wore a smile on their face, and he couldn't help but wear one also. It had been a long time since he had gone on an adventure quite like this. He still didn't trust them, but he felt slightly giddy about what he was getting himself into. A brand new day would start, and he would be leading the group...his group, into danger and, who knows what else!

They all awoke refreshed and ready in the morning. They all began their morning work to pack up, the dwarf memorizing his spells, muttering incoherantly in the corner with his spellbook. Aeren made sure his stock of arrows was full, along with his rations and drink, water. Alexis chatted amiably with Burz while he filled his flask with wine from their group's pack. As soon as they were ready to head out, they headed out the city gate, into the forest. They all looked to Aeren, and he frowned. "Crag Hollow is almost a week away...what brought you all the way here for answers?"

None of them gave an answer, but he figured they would soon enough. "We start to the south then. After we..." He stopped suddenly, and everyone looked to him, confused. He put a finger to his lips, then stealthily slipped into the shadows. The party wondered where he went, then heard a small cry, almost that of a child, then the sound of something falling to the forest floor. Aeren appeared after a moment, dragging what seemed to be a young boy tied in ropes behind him. "We had an eavesdropper." Burz smiled. Apparently his choice of the elf was a good one.

The small figure mumbled curses from behind the gag that had been shoved into his mouth, and Alexis bent and pulled it out. The small figure glared, then spit at the elf. "I'm wasn't easedropping, guv! Honest!"

Alexis kneeled down gracefully. "Whats your name, halfling?" The halfling grinned, then made a feeble attempt at a bow while tied up. "Tom to my friends, Grin to the ladies, and "That damned halfing!" to anyone of respectable authority. But you can call me Tommy Undergallows, miss."

Aeren smirked. "A halfing rogue. How stereotypical." Tommy growled and struggled, trying to escape his bondages. "Oy! You take that back, you!" The dwarf put a hand to the elf's back, then motioned for him to bend down. The elf obliged, and the dwarf began whispering in his ear. The elf looked confused, but then grinned widely. "Tell you what, Tommy Undergallows. We may have a use for you. If you were to join us, we won't report you to the guards." Tommy's eyes widened, then he grinned sneakily. "For what? I haven't done nothin, honest!" Aeren rolled his eyes and stood the halfling up. "Then what are these..." He fished out of the halflings bags at his belt, a; pendent with the sign of Moradin, the dwarf's god on it, a necklace with a holy symbol at the head, and a small bag of gold with the family sign of Gro-Khash embedded upon the leather.

The party stared incredulously, then searched their packs. "The little filcher! Let me at him!" Alexis raged, starting toward the halfling. Aeren put a hand to her shoulder, then handed them each their item back. The halfling watched them all, sweat forming under his brow. "So, if I join you blokes, I don't go to jail?" The elf smiled and nodded, and the halfling calculated his chances of escaping the jail twice in two days. Not much. "Fine, you win. You've got yourself a contract." Everyone in the party except the elf frowned, but trusted their newly founded leader's judgement. "Welcome to the team, Rogue." Burz helped him up and the dwarf untied him. Tommy rubbed his wrists where he had been tied, then looked at them all. "So, where we headed?"

Thanks to all the people who read.

DJ- You rock dude. Thanks! XP

Tiger- Thanks for the kind words.