Lord Felwind sat grimly on the Talon Throne.
So many matters weighed heavily on his mind. Would he have enough votes to secure the Title of Grand Champion during the next assembly? If he did, would he be able to muster the forces necessary to battle the giants? Could he trust his gnomish "allies"?
The aged Champion of the Griffon sighed and knew that he had to deal with one thing at a time. Too many immediate schemes were trivial in the grand plan. Like the great hunting beast that his order was named for, he had to carefully select his targets. The weakest first and then slowly whittle the herd.
Felwind considered the subject of the Title of Grand Champion. It was something that was always in reach but he always failed to obtain it. The Eastern orders of "milk drinkers" had always denied him his destiny and he was sure to make them pay. All this talk about unity and a northern nation was just diplomat's words. Felwind craved power.
The Assembly was still in favor of the the current Grand Champion. He even suspected his Western Allies approval of the man's diplomacy and strategy. The Snow Lion were too easily swayed by concepts of honor and bravery , while the Mammoth only respected brute strength. Both traits his rival had plenty of. The other Eastern Lackeys would vote like the sheep they were. The young Hero of the Boar would vote like her predecessor Zalthar did. Felwind secretly mocked the boar, such a powerful Order but with so little political aspirations. The Narwhal's Champion was a pariah amongst champions. A wizardess of some sort. Although there had been precedent for spell casters amongst the Great Orders, for one to name a wizard as champion was scandalous. Most of Champions rejected her nomination including Felwind. The griffon lord however conceded that Erland's acceptance of her was a crafty move since it also secured her votes in the Assembly.
There were other factors to consider though. The Silver Champion and the host of minor orders he represented could be easily brought into his favor. The interm Champion Oswald was stepping down at the next assembly, and Felwind knew one of his supporters could easily be put in place. There was also talk of the Ice elves returning. Although they had no presence for the past century or more in the assembly they were given votes to ensure peace by the ancient knights. Felwind at first cheered at news of their destruction by the hated Sir Hildraxel and now cheered again at their return. The griffon lord knew he could sway them through either the application of gifts or pressure. The current Warmaster would be the hardest to sway. It's said he was on good terms with Boar, but he also seemed to have strong ties with the accursed "milk drinking " country of Grom. Although the Grommers were traditionally the Knight's Allies they were not welcomed in the north. If the Warmaster supported Erland it would be an easy task to call his reputation and the reputation of the one that he supports into question.
Lord Felwind knew that the non committed votes could still fall either way. Nothing was certain yet. So he sat on his throne awaiting word from his agents. The Griffon Lord chuckled that Grand Champion Erland had recently suggested that the Orders institute a "soft" diplomatic approach when dealing with other countries. His system of Arbiters was a crude copy of his own secretive Windtalons that was in place before his father was killed by Zalthar the Slayer. His Talons had been secretly coercing, through bribes or force, the minor champions and Electors . Even some of the Elector knights of the Great Orders might come under his sway, but Felwind knew that he shouldn't move against them yet. To move too fast was to risk being discovered. Long have the other orders suspect his involvement in assassinations and disappearances of knights, but to have no proof would be heresy. A suitable enough slight for the Griffon lord to challenge to a duel.
"Great Hunting Bird! May your keen eyes spot all your enemies and the choicest prey. ", addressed a page to the scheming lord.
Felwind accepted the traditional greeting and waved the young knight to continue.
"The Arbiter of Ice has returned with news from the south.", continued the man.
Felwind nodded. Stormfeather ,the Arbiter of Ice and his son had finally returned. Although he did not expect much from Stormfeather , he was his most competent son. He would hear him out at least.
"Great Hunting Bird! May your keen eyes spot all your enemies and the choicest prey. ", addressed the handsome knight as he entered the Griffon Lord's chambers. He was a solidly built man with long braided black hair.
" Don't you get tired of that? Like I mean Great Hunting Bird, sounds kind of lame. You should be called something more mysterious or cryptic , like He who Slays from afar, or Dances with Griffons. ", the knight added.
"It is tradition. Tradition has served us well. You should well remember that. One day you or one your siblings shall be the Great Hunting Bird. ", the aged Champion sighed. Although Stormfeather's attitude had much to be desired, the champion relented that he was also the most useful of his children . His oldest son Iceclaw was too focused on combat, while middle daughter Lionsong seemed uninterested in the affairs of the Order.
"Anyways. Everything is going according to plan in the the country of the dreaded Milk Drinkers, Grom. The gnomes have pledged their support, but I still don't fully trust them. Once their agenda is accomplished I doubt our association will be beneficial. However for the time being they need us more then we need them, so we can act all nice like to Antoine and ...Gary..",explained Stormfeather with a shudder.
Felwind nodded, he detested the little creatures. Unlike the militant and tolerable halflings , gnomes were decietful creatures of magic. He loathed to deal with them, but for now it served his purpose.
"We have been removing any Electors we can find in the south as well. The Silver Arbiter is pretty swamped and honeyed words have convinced him that we mean to help him with his task. So far we've slain Elector Knights of the Bat, Caribou , and Fox. We even slew the Champion of the Husky but unfortunately Ivanovic chose a replacement already.", continued Stormfeather.
"Ah our old foe Vasa removed. Excellent! But a replacement already ? By what right ! Only the assembly can do that.", demanded Felwind.
"Calm down pops. Calm down. I meant to say Interim Champion. I sent someone to test him, but he has proven...resouceful. He shouldn't be a problem though. He's a tiefling.", smiled the Griffon Prince.
Felwind nodded , " Ah a miserable abomination . Yes I see. He would never meet the Champions approval even if he had support from Ivanovic . Well done my son."
Stormfeather shrugged, "I would have preferred to eliminate him to tie loose ends, but we will refrain from direct conflict with him for now. I don't think the Husky should be too much of a problem though. There's less then a dozen left I think."
"A lesson to you my son. Bravery is a good thing, but too much of it can be deadly.", said the Griffon Lord solemnly recalling the Husky's heroics in the Great Battle with the horde.
Stormfeather rolled his eyes. He found it amusing when his father rationalized cowardice in battle .
"ERr right..Anyways, before I chug a few drinks with Iceclaw or go tease Lionsong, you should see this.", said the Griffon prince while handing to his father a light portfolio.
Felwind was curious and began scanning the pictures and documents inside. "This creature...its hideous. ", said the Griffon Champion as he stared at the crude caricature on a poster.
"Well its not that bad, the artist took some liberties. It is however as dangerous as it looks, it bears the blood of the Great Enemy in it. However more importantly if we had this creature in our possession we can pretty much wrap up that Assembly vote for you pops. It has ties with the Crab, the Snow elves, and most importantly the Warmaster. I know you don't think much of the Warmaster, but securing his votes is a guaranteed 3 or 4 more from some of the other non affiliated Electors and Minor Orders. If you back off your smear campaign you can easily double that. ", smiled Stormfeather.
"One more thing. It's well guarded. It has surrounded itself with ...adventurers possessing mild to dangerous power. Also it associates itself with the fore mentioned Champion of the Husky , and more importantly the Emerald Arbiter, the lovely and elusive Lady Nymakakku. ", continued the Griffon Prince. The young knight seemed lost in a pleasant thought when he mentioned Nymk's name.
Felwind considered this. Adventurer's were always a wild card. They could flee like lemmings or fight like cornered wolves. The Husky Champion was also an unknown but he was chosen by Ivanovic, one of the few knights outside his order that Felwind respected. The Emerald Arbiter would be a problem though. Even before she was appointed to her post by Erland, she was a Knight of Winter , and had a semi legendary status amongst the orders. If not for her Ethengar heritage she might have become Silver Champion or been appointed a Knight Commander of one of the Orders. Her skill with the bow rivaled that of his best knights. The Griffon lord pondered his options carefully.
"We need to secure this...creature immediately. Send word to our men hidden in the Order of the Purple Griffon immediately for this ...things capture. We will need to send a company at least . Activate our mercenary contracts in that area as well. We will initiate operation Smoke during the retrieval. Also tell your brother Iceclaw that he will join in the raid. He needs the practice. ", ordered the Griffon Lord.
"An entire company of knights? Our secret mercenary contracts? Operation Smoke? Won't that tip our hand? If we do this, there wil be no turning back you know.", inquired the Arbiter of Ice.
Felwind nodded, "Now is not the time to be timid. We will strike quickly in one bold stroke. "
" This action seems like over kill, but you're the Great Hunting Bird afterall. I'll make it so "future Grand Champion" . ", chuckled Stormfeather.
"Oh and I'll tell Clawey right away. He is getting kind of flabby.", added the knight.
Felwind smiled, not at his son's jest but at the opportunity that had presented itself. This was better then he had hoped. He could seized the Assembly in one grand "swoop" so to speak. As the griffon lord thought it out, he wondered if Stormfeather's information seemed too good to be true.
" This...abomination has so much pull with the Crab, the Elves , and the Warmaster ? It's hard to believe. ", asked a doubting Felwind.
"Yeah ...you know ...these "Milk Drinkers" are kind of soft. They value family and friends and other crap like that. Not like us. I'd leave you in a second on the battlefield if my life depended on it. ", smiled Icefeather in a joking tone.
The Griffon lord saw none of his humor though. He only knew that he would do the same to him as well . "That's my boy!", smiled Felwind with respect for his son.
Even with the fastest griffon it would take Stormfeather almost a few days to reach Grom City. Felwind wondered what foul machinations this creature would have in store for his son during that time. Regardless , this half breed abomination creature would be in his dungeons , serving as hostage to further his political aims soon.
"Not bad for a half breed abomination , aren't I? It does match my new hair I think.", smiled Sharliss as she brushed her dark hair while she twirled before the mirror in her newly fitted full body bodice. Initially she resented her new black hair but she had grown accustomed to it. She decided to change color to help blend in with the other students of the Academy of Magic. Also her recent growth spurt left her wardrobe too short and tight, and she was happy to finally get a chance to replace her clothing from the multitude of tailors in Grom city.
"You look lovely my lady. ", stammered Lilithy unsure of the exact etiquette in her new role.
Sharliss paused and frowned, "No need to be so formal Lily. We're both tieflings here. Sharliss or Hush is fine when you are addressing me. ", the girl smiled.
Lilithy nodded, but still felt in awe of the Greater Tiefling or "Half fiend" that had "hired" her. The bird faced tiefling didn't believe in luck or good fortune, a lifetime of hardships and oppression had instilled that in her, however, a chance encounter with Zahax and her new patron Lady Sharliss had made her re think those concepts. Ever since they met at the Freedom Anarchy Rebellion Tiefling rally , the two had become fast friends , in spite of their economic and social differences . The formerly blue haired halffiend was fascinated by Lilithy's knowledge of their race and was even more surprised that she could perform arcane magic. She was so impressed that she snuck Lilithy into the academy under the guise of a maid so she could study the tomes there. She was even allowed to attend classes in the role of taking notes for her mistress. She could tell the other students resented a tiefling in their midst but the social stigma was a small price to pay for the opportunity that had presented itself . It was more then the bird faced young girl could hope for. Long had she wished to study the tomes of the University but due to her economic and social bondage she was unable to. Lilithy didn't know why Sharliss had showed her such kindness but felt indebted to her because of it.
"What do you think Hal? About the hair and the dress. ", asked Sharliss seeking more compliments and attention.
"Its looks lovely. ", the knight said with an easy smile.
"Sar ? Isula? ... ", she continued to ask but recieved no reply. "Where did those two run off to?", she wondered.
"They're outside...its the ...gnome again...", stammered Lilithy.
"It's in the bushes. Unless its using magic we can corner it this time. ", Isula spoke calmly .
Sarin was still shocked at how fast the miniature giant could master the common tongue. The half elf nodded and started stalking to the other side of the bush. The paladin had spied this gnome for the last week , and knew it was up to no good. Why was it spying on them? Who was it working for? These and other questions grated on the half elf.
"RAAAWRRR",cried Isula when Sarin got into position and threw the bladed staff she called a spear into the bush. It was a diversionary tactic meant to flush out her prey towards Sarin, but only silence greeted them.
"It must have used magic...that will make him hard to catch. ", noted a disappointed Sarin as he examined the bush.
"That or he heard you sneak around him, Walrus man. ", chuckled the giantess at their failed attempt to capture the creature.
Sarin ignored the comment, and continue to examine the bush. "Well he was here at least. There's tracks. At least we weren't imagining things. ", sighed the paladin.
The giant nodded seemingly bored of the game they played. Sarin agreed. It was just a diversion for the endless clothing stores they were visiting this morning. For the past week Sarin, Isula and sometimes Freiki would wander and explore the city. The Academy did not allow those that didn't have some skill with arcane magic to attend it. That suited Sarin fine as it gave him time away from his duties, he was confident that the academy's protective spells would keep Sharliss safe. The paladin suspected Isula was able to enter but the giant did not seem keen to enter the boring university. The only thing that seemed unusual was that both Sarin and Isula spotted a gnome spying on them on a couple of occasions. The creature was most likely curious at the odd troupe he observed but Sarin didn't like to take chances. Although they had been unable to trap it that did not stop them from enjoying the city. Today however was different , it was the weekend and his charge wanted to do a million things it seems. Buy new clothes, hang out with her ...suitor... , make party arrangements, restock the wagon. It wasn't unusual for Sharliss to behave like this , but It was days like this that really wore on the paladin.
"Sarin! Isula! Come...the next store awaits! ", said the now dark haired tiefling with Lilithy and Halvor in tow. The paladin chuckled as the big knight struggled with a dozen brightly colored parcels and bags in tow.
Sarin could tell despite Halvor's obvious attraction and devotion to Sharliss ,the knight was enjoying the day less then he was. The paladin was at least able to hunt phantom gnomes while Halvor had to endure the endless clothing stores first hand.
As the paladin waved to the giant that their mind numbing "quest" was about to continue, he spied a welcome sight from the monotony. Strutting his way towards them was Zax, the most delusional and overconfident boy that the paladin had ever met. Next to him, was his elven "apprentice" who seemed to be holding his arm a bit more closer then he remembered. Sarin also noted she was sporting blond hair and was wearing a fancy breastplate adorned with ridiculous black leather and lace. Despite his distaste for braggarts , Sarin liked the boy, at least there was always excitement when he was around.
"Zax! Darwen! We heard of the duel you won yesterday! Everyone did! Its the talk of the city! ", exclaimed Sharliss as she spied the pair.
"Lady Zahax? ", asked Lilithy in confusion. Sharliss pulled the bird faced tiefling and whispered into her ear . The paired exchanged a brief laugh as the truth was revealed to her.
Zax ignored the giggling girls and tried to pose heroically before them. Even though he felt he had overcome his fear of Sharliss, the tiefling still felt a bit uneasy in her presence. "Yes...I won't bore you with the boring details then. It's good to see you all. Sharliss, Halvor , err..Birdgirl..., Sarin, ...giant girl... However its Halvor that I specifically wish to see. He and I have business to attend to.", the tiefling said without missing a beat while keeping a close eye on the priestess.
Halvor nodded then sighed glumly. "Sorry Zax, I waited for you this morning, even went to your villa, but you weren't up or weren't around. So Sharliss here has snagged me for the day. I don't understand why you need me anyways. You're the most feared man in this city right now."
"What's this about ? ", inquired a suddenly curious Sharliss.
"Sorry for missing our appointed time, but as you can see . I had quite the handful this morning. ", Zax smiled as he motioned his head to a very appreciative and attentive Darwen.
"I have several errands to run today, one of them being collecting a refund from a merchant who isn't up to snuff on his current affairs. I don't mean to attack the man, but proper persuasion of a more physical kind should suffice to wear down his resolve. As you can see , despite our skill neither Darwen or I are that intimidating in appearance . I was hoping to get our big friend Halvor here to "lean" on this unscrupulous shop keeper. Sadly I see he is busy, I guess I can ask Kirgi or something for assistance.", responded Zax.
Sharliss thought for a moment, then a thought donned on her. "You can take Sarin and Isula with you! I can tell they're bored out of their minds.", suggested the priestess.
Zax found the half elf pleasant company but he didn't find the man intimidating at all. He only saw him fight once, and the big half elf was unceremoniously kicked against a wagon by a troll. Having Sarin back him up was like having ...the maid back him up or something.
"Well...I don't know...", spoke Zax.
"Please..take him! ", the priestess begged while motioning to Halvor.
Zax knew right away what her attentions were and relented .
"Wait a second. My job is to guard you missy. Not strong arm merchants. No way I'm going with Zax on this stupid errand. ", objected the half elf despite his desire to go.
"Sar...you will be perfect for this. You can use that circlet that father gave you. ", Sharliss continued to plead.
"Absolutely not! No way I'm using that.", Sarin said angrily, shocked that Sharliss would even mention it.
"Circlet?", asked Zax suddenly intrigued.
The priestess nodded with a smile, "Oh..Its a Circlet of Alluring Charisma. Its more of a headband thing, but sweet Henrietta crafted it to look more like a circlet. She made quite a few for a quest my father was on once she even made one for me when I was a little girl. Its really is an amazing magical item, if you wear it you either look very attractive or you gain great self confidence. For some reason both accomplishes the same effect, namely increased diplomacy and speech skills, and for some people a greater link to magics that require will power . ", explained the girl.
Zax considered her statements and stared at the pretty girl intently, "ERr...are you wearing one right now ?", the tiefling asked tentatively. Zax knew she was a tiefling but considered it odd she was so...attractive. Zax knew he was on the upper end of the good looking scale when it came to his race, and that wasn't saying much. Most tiefling women looked more like Birdgirl . Zax wondered what hideous form Sharliss took if she was without her circlet.
"Nah...my father forbids me to use it . Unless of course its a life or death situation. ", she frowned.
"He ...said it makes me look ...slutty...", she continued with a whisper to Zax, out of everyone's hearing.
"But Sarin here...you should see him with the circlet. Like a heroic knight out of some fairy tale . He'll sure to get you that refund with it on.", Sharliss proudly stated.
"No..No..No...first off...the thing is unnatural. Secondly its like cheating. I don't like your old man, but if he won't wear it, there's probably a reason for it. I don't need some magic item made by some gnome to get me chicks. ", declared the half elf.
"Short elf. ", corrected the priestess.
The two stared at each other tensely. One obviously mad, the other in her eternal playful smile.
Sharliss smiled and thought she would need to change the direction of her attack.
"Aww c'mon Sar. Halvor is more then capable at protecting me from tailors. Also if you go with Zax, Nymk has a reason to come down and accompany you. She's probably bored and lonely. ", she said while waving at a seemingly empty rooftop.
Sarin quickly knocked the smiling priestess's hand down .
"Will you cut that out! She's gonna shoot you one of these days. ", hissed the paladin as he relented .
"I guess its just you me and ...Lily.", smiled Sharliss seductively as she stared into Halvor's eyes.
"How ever will we cope? ", smiled the big knight in return, his gaze locked in return.
"Mistress...I'm going to take some notes in the library. Don't get in too much trouble.", smiled Lilithy as she slipped away from the young couple.
"So, we're going to go see the sage first. Then if we have time grab lunch. Then of course we'll go to...", babbled the tiefling to no one in particular as he walked down the busy road.
Sarin yawned at his new taskmaster. This seemed as boring as following Sharliss to the paladin. He had hoped that Nymk would see this as an opportunity to come off the roof top, but so far she still remained high above. The half elf scanned for any sign of her presence but saw none. He wondered if Sharliss actually saw the swords woman or if it was one of the many games she played.
As the paladin continued to follow Zax, he slowed his pace to match that of Darwen's.
"So. I see you've decided to take my advice and stay in Grom. A wise move.", Sarin said with an approving nod to the elf.
"I think I would have been better off catching the last boat. I thought I could try my hand at something I thought I had some skill at. Sadly , that was a complete flop. ", the elf said with a disappointed shrug.
"Hey, you can't win them all. At least you tried . Don't give up quite yet. Anyways, considering everyone is calling your former opponent Sir Cheatface, I suspect the odds were stacked against you.", inflected the half elf.
Darwen smiled at the last comment. "Perhaps you're right. I thank you for your counsel. I hope to improve my equipment for the next time . Dueling or not, better armor and weapons are always good to have. This armor and outfit Zax got me is pretty, but sadly not very utilitarian. ", smiled a suddenly more cheerful elf.
"Hey ... don't take this as a pass at you or anything, but I have some extra gear from my grandmother you might want. umm...It's not my size.", admitted the paladin.
Darwen stared at Sarin and tried to determine his true intentions. Was the paladin flirting with her? He looked earnest and honest enough so she relented at his suggestion. "Thank you. Do you always give strange women gifts?", she said with a smile and a wink.
"Well its not like you're a complete stranger. We're both from the same tribe of elves it seems. Since they've all gone north, we have to look out for each other. Believe me, this if for the best . I can just imagine the lame rituals my aunt is running those suckers that went north, through right now. ", chuckled Sarin.
Somewhere up north.
The wheel of fate spun slowly.
"Right hand red. ", Surry the treekeeper commanded at a squirming mass of elves attempting to reach the appropriate circle with the required appendage on a large runic mat.
"Excuse me Mistress .", asked a scantily clad elven priest.
"Speak! ", commanded Surry as her eyes devoured the man.
"I do not understand the point of this...ritual... it seems like a very unelf like thing to be doing. ", the man stammered.
"It's just harmless fun. Our race is notorious for our low birth rates, I'm just helping them out. ", smiled the Treekeeper.
"I understand, but this is something that should be private. Only the goddess Hanali Celanil should bear witness to it. ", explained the priest.
Surry considered the priests statement, then shouted, "Ok. Time out!"
The mass of elves relaxed from their strained positions, and giggled at each other's close proximity.
"Anyone here that has rescued the Avatar of Hanali Celanil ? Please raise your hand! ", she commanded. No one did , except the priestess herself.
"Ok...anyone here that has talked directly to the Aspect of said goddess? Please raise your hand! ", the priestess continued. Again no one raised their hands except the high priestess.
"One more question. Anyone here bathed in the sacred crystal grove of once again said goddess? Please raise your hand !", the priestess shouted while grinning at the handsome priest. Once again no one but the priestess raised their hand. The mass of elves collectively shrugged then resumed their former positions back on the large mat.
"I understand your exploits are quite renown , but this is...", the priest protested before Surry place a finger on his lips.
"Get into the pile. ", she commanded sternly to the elf. The priest nodded meekly and approached the giggling mass of elves.
The priestess spun the wheel again and waited for it to settle.
"Left foot blue!", Surry shouted with a smile.
Zax was surprised when Nymph made a sudden appearance . She told them she was to attend to master Sarin since Lilithy was attending to Sharliss. Zax was kind of jealous that the priestess had not one but two maids, and considered getting a few himself .
As they made their way to their first destination , Zax noted his entourage was an unusual sight, but he welcomed the attention. The heroic hero in the lead, his fat man at arms behind him, two beautiful girls, and the strange midget giant behind them. Zax wasn't sure what to make of Isula, he still didn't know if she was a small giant girl or a girl that changed into a giant. He had heard of certain dark dwarves with similar powers but Isula definitely didn't look like a dwarf, the tiefling wondered maybe she was somehow related to them.
Darwen lead the group as they made their way to their first destination. Zax was tired of trying to guess what his sword did, and recalled the elf mentioning she consulted a sage in Grom City. The tiefling thought it couldn't hurt to ask her about the blade. She seemed knowledgeable before with just a sketch to go on, who knows what insight she could provide with the actual blade before her.
As they followed Zax motioned to Sarin to fall behind and trail the group with him. He had some words for the big half elf.
"So...I want you to know you were sooo wrong about the 480 date thing. ", boasted the tiefling with a smirk . To make his point he waved to Darwen up ahead who somehow caught his motion and waved back , grinning ear to ear.
"Second date...Wham bam thank you ma'am. ", boasted the tiefling.
Saring shrugged."Well you didn't provide me with all the details. Of course my estimate was wrong."
"Eh ? How so? ", inquired Zax still gloating over his conquest.
"Well. She's blond. Everyone knows blonds are much easier to get into bed then grey haired women. That's a 33% instead of a 200% multiplier. " , yawned Sarin.
"That's a wig! She's not really a blond. ", stammered Zax.
"Oh c'mon. There's almost no real blonds. A wig counts. ", snorted the paladin.
"Also...from the rumors around the city. She's a duelist. You know how they are. Risking life and limb every fight. That's a 20% multiplier right there. ", continued the half elf.
"20%? You're just making this up.", accused Zax.
"You've met Lord Quick right?", retorted Sarin. Zax thought about it then reluctantly agreed.
"Lastly, I didn't realize she was an Ice elf. Those guys were almost wiped out a few generations ago, so they have a ...desire ...to propagate. That's an easy 50% deduction. Trust me on this one. My Grandmother is an ice elf, she'd sleep with anyone. ", explained Sarin while shaking his head.
"So let's see base of 5, times 5 since she's an elf, times 4 due to her ordeal in Fort Grom, 20% discount since she's in the military , 50% discount since she's an ice elf. 1/3 because she's blond and a 20% multiplier since she's a duelist...what is that?", asked Sarin with smile.
The numbers came too fast for even Zax's accountant mind. Twenty five, one hundred, eighty, forty, thirteen something , two point six something.
"3 ! Hah ..your still off...we only went on two dates. ", said Zax with pride disregarding the fact how easy Sarin had manipulated the numbers.
"Did you count the first time you met her? That still counts.", questioned the paladin.
Zax grumbled at the smoke and mirrors presented to him by the half elf and marched back to the more appreciative Darwin.
Sarin chuckled at how easily he had fooled the tiefling but was suddenly surprised when he felt an elbow to his side.
"I couldn't help but hear you and Zax talking. I'm not exactly sure what you were talking about but I got the gist of it. So...are you telling me blonds and duelists are easier to get in bed with? and aren't you an ice elf, does this mean you have a desire to propagate? ", asked the blond duelist with mock surprise.
"Only if someone buys me dinner.", smiled the paladin in return.
"Ok...I don't need your services for now. This is just the sage Darwen told me about. You guys can get something to eat or something. I'll buy ..just don't go crazy. ", said Zax who knew that setting a food budget was futile with a half elf in the group. He scrounged out 1 gold and gave it to the maid, before entering the quaint unmarked sage's residence.
Sarin shrugged but his rumbling belly told another story. The half elf, maid and miniature giant scanned the middle class neighborhood and followed their noses to the pleasant aroma of a street vendor . The sight of Grommish sausage and fresh bread wiped out the monotony of the morning , as Nymk paid for their meals with Zax's gold and some of her own. The group began to eat, when suddenly a high pitched girlish scream echoed from the Sage's residence.
"Zax! ", said all three at once. The girlish cry for help was recognized instantly by all three.
Isula was the first to reach the house . Despite her size she easily kicked down the sturdy wooden door barring her path.
Zax was nowhere to be seen , but the screaming girlish cry seemed to emanate from a door on the opposite side of the room. In front of her was Darwen with a worried expression sitting in a plush velvet chair. Sitting next to the elf was an aristocratic woman wearing a form hugging red silk robe . She had long black hair and pale skin. She was spectacularly beautiful save for one flaw. She only had one hand.
"Succubus !" , cried Isula as her eyes focused on the woman. She readied her spear to attack. Darwen and the woman both seemed surprise at the intrusion . The elf jumped to her feet with her weapon ready, unsure of who to attack while the woman next to her remained calmly in her seat.
"Wait...hold up! ", said Sarin as he pushed the giants spear downward.
Isula gave the half elf a puzzled look but relented at the paladin's command.
"Hold on. Hold on. I know her. Its OK. ", sighed Sarin under the screams of Zax.
"Sarin and Lady Nymkakku . How good to see you both . Such a pleasant surprise. ", smiled the woman at the paladin and swords woman.
"Can you wait outside for a second Darwen. ", commanded Nymk forcefully with a smile. Darwen was hesitant , but relented to her order. The elf suspected the maid was more then she appeared but knew now was not the time to inquire. She gave one final worried look at the barred door and left.
"She's a succubus ! My vision can see past her disguise. ", hissed Isula , her spear lowered but still ready.
"I know ...I know...Don't worry ...Zax is safe. I know her...we have history.", said Sarin rolling his eyes at the questions that were sure to follow.
"Ladies, may I present Lady Jhallia. I'll explain our exact relationship later, but I want to know what's going on with Zax in there.", demanded the paladin before his companions could question him.
" To answer your question , I am experimenting. Oh, I'm sure you are aware of the blade he has. Quite incredible actually. He wishes to know what triggers it. I have my suspicions but I couldn't be sure unless I test it.", smiled the woman . As she spoke her image shimmered and she changed into a gorgeous bronze skinned creature with blood red hair and bat wings. Besides her still drop dead good looks, the only thing similar to her previous appearance was the lack of a left hand. Instead of a silk robe she now wore scant wisps of silks and chain.
"I missed you Sarin. You left so quickly last time. I missed you as well Nymk. ", purred the transformed sage.
Isula stared at the demon tensely . She could sense that no violence was needed then relaxed and shrugged. "It seems you three have some catching up to do. I'll be outside with the elf if you need me. ", she said before leaving the room. The giant had no time for these silly games.
"Errr ...yeah...What's this test you have Zax performing! and what blade are you talking about. ", stammered the suddenly sweating paladin trying to evade the fact he had the sage's undivided attention.
"The last time? ", asked a curious Nymk more focused on the sage's last statement.
"Oh..do I sense a hint of jealousy? I wonder if its towards Sar or myself. ", smiled the one handed Succubus while ignoring the initial query about Zax.
"hmmm...", smiled Sarin. Thoughts of the barbarian and demon making out dancing in his head.
"To answer your initial questions Sar. You may or may not know but your friend has in his possession a blade of great power. It has the ability to hide itself in plain sight it seems so you may not be aware of it. Often I think the tiefling himself is unaware of it. I am currently testing to see if Zax can utilize the blade named Dragon's Flame. I've sent a Dretch demon or Forge halfling I believe some of you refer to them as , to battle him. Do not worry, as you know I can not harm anyone while under...my curse. The demon was instructed not to slay the boy. It's even wearing boxing gloves. ", purred the demon. While explaining the situation the screams they heard had suddenly stopped.
"Err...he passed out. I think I punched him out or scared him unconscious . ", grunted a gutteral voice from behind the door.
"You're under a curse? I thought you were just ...a benevolent demon, seeking redemption or something. ", inquired Nymk when she realized Zax was safe.
The demon looked at Sarin who nodded reluctantly. The sage then raised her stump to Nymk. "Yes I am under a curse most foul. Years ago , before our own pleasant little encounter, I had the infinite displeasure of crossing paths with Sarin's great Grandfather, Sir Hildraxel, the aptly named terror of the north. Unlike Yeenoghu my life was spared, but I did not escape unscathed. The villain took my hand, and bound me to oaths . I was compelled not to do harm, unless my life was in danger. As well, because he took my precious hand from me, I was unable to leave this dimension till either my appendage is returned or Sir Hildraxel is slain. Therefore I wander this realm , eeking a living doing odd "jobs". Mostly as a sage, sometimes as a courtesan, if I'm really desperate an adventurer. ", sighed Jhallia.
"Wait...isn't Hildraxel dead? Shouldn't your curse be broken?", asked Nymk.
The demon looked at the paladin, and he sighed. "I wish it were that simple. Believe me I take no joy in knowing that great grandfather is still alive. Well alive isn't the proper word. He's in some sort of stasis , transformed to adamant rock . He's the eternal guardian of Yeehnogu or something. I'm not sure. It's just lore my grandfather and grandmother told me once.", shrugged the paladin.
A chill ran down Nymk's spine. The thought that the greatest villain ever to stalk the tundra was still alive was a bitter thought indeed. She wondered if her Lord, Erland of the Emerald Squirrel knew about this.
Jhallia smiled at the barbarian's distress as she fumbled with the barred door. When the door was opened they were greeted by the sight of 3 short fat creatures with spindly arms and legs surrounding an unconscious battered tiefling. The paladin and barbarian both noted that the creatures had curious padded gloves on. The trio took turns prodding and pushing the boy to see if he was faking his unconsciousness. The one handed sage waved her hand at them , and they disappeared in a puff of smoke leaving just their gloves behind.
"As you can see. These demons were unable to activate Dragon's Flame. ", frowned the disappointed Succubus.
"Summon another one, a big one. Order it to kill Zax this time. No holding back. ", suggested Nymk calmly.
Jhallia and Sarin looked at the barbarian with surprise. "Unfortunately, I am unable to do that. My curse you see...unless of course, Sarin could temporarily lift it. As a descendant of the Terror of the North he has limited power over me. You can say I'm his little puppet or toy.", she said seductively while running a finger along one of the paladin's chins.
Nymk looked at Sarin and ignored Jhallia's affections. She nodded knowingly seeking the half elf's trust in her suggestion.
Sarin pushed the amorous sage away. "Ok, do it. Just this once. ", he said gruffly.
Jhallia smiled at his distress. She transformed back to the black haired sage and then went to Zax and poured a potion down his throat. The tiefling coughed as his superficial bruises vanished . He sat up confused and dazed at his surroundings. Before he could fully recover the succubus conjured forth a hideous vulture headed demon. The creature was as large as a bear and bristled at Sarin when it realized he was a paladin. Despite its anger, it remained still as the sage began to bar the door once again.
"Kill the tiefling. Swiftly and with no mercy.", she commanded gleefully as she shut the door shut.
The screams began once again, but was soon followed by a horrid bird like shriek.
Isula and Darwen both ran into the room, weapons drawn and at the ready.
Jhallia smiled at the pair, and unbarred the door . Zax stood before them frozen in shock , Dragon's Flame in hand over the quickly rotting corpse of a withered vulture demon.
"I think my experiment is complete. There is no need to pay me though, I dare not charge the associates of my master. ", the sage said as she knelt submissively next to the red faced paladin, rubbing her head cat like against the thoroughly embarrassed half elf's hand.
"So all I have to do to activate this sword, is place myself in real danger. Not what I believe to be dangerous, but a life or death situation.", asked Zax as they walked away from the weird sages house. The tiefling wasn't sure what happened in there, but assumed that someone with a body like that was a part time stripper or whore or something. The entire episode might have been the result of some sort of hallucinogenic smoke she employed so he was uneasy of accepting Jhallia's explanations.
"Correct. I assume the sword did not activate previously because it knew your companions would save you.", replied Darwen unsure of what just happened as well.
"How about the time in the bar with that knight. Did he really want to kill me in a bar?", puzzled the tiefling.
"Well...you were being disrespectful to the Warmaster. Sir Ivan was drinking and he does get into a killing mood when you bad mouth those he has the utmost respect for. ", answered the maid.
"Wait a minute...you were badmouthing Fetch...why you little...", glowered Sarin angrily at Zax, as his large hands balled into fists.
Nymk was shocked at the half elf's reaction. She saw the paladin "bad mouth" the warmaster numerous times in the past, and was surprised at his reaction when he found out Zax had done the same thing. She thought it similar to his reaction of her observation on Half elves. The swords woman calmly touched the half elf's arm, and the paladins anger seemed to subside before actual violence was inflicted.
"What about the alley ...and the time I fought the bandit lord? ..or when the three bandits jumped me when we were escaping .", asked Zax calmly, not realizing how close he came to being knocked out . The tiefling tried to concentrate on the facts at hand , chasing the image of the stripper sage from his head and replacing them with thoughts of the artifact he carried.
"I assume the blade sensed the mystery sniper in the alley and when the bandits jumped you. The bandit lord was boasting how he would torture you so the blade assumed he wasn't going to kill you. ", replied Nymk.
"How about...when Isula was chasing me?", continued Zax.
"She was obviously toying with you that time. ", laughed Maid. Isula agreed by nodding with a smile.
"How about with Sir Cheatface...err Sir Albin? Why did it not help out till after the duel?", continued Zax.
"Albin was just playing with you during the duel Zax. He had opportunity to kill you many times but chose to prolong the fight. He got careless and you were able to knock him out with a lucky blow. The sword sensed no real danger, just a lot of pain and humiliation for you. After the duel when Albin was enraged, the sword sensed no one could save you in time, so it jumped into action. I assume since you are still here alive, the sword has made the right decisions in the past . ", guessed Nymk.
Zax nodded unsure of how come the maid knew so much. The fight with Albin felt real to him despite her claims it was a sham.
"Careful how you handle it though, do not be over confident. Recall the battle with the ogre mage. Even with the blade firmly in your hand, it can not perform miracles. It will greatly enhance your power, but it is still limited by who ever wields it. ", cautioned Nymk.
Zax painfully recalled the Ogre's icy blast. He didn't recall Nymph at the battle though, and wondered how she knew of its attack. The thought was quickly dispelled though, as Zax pondered this new information, and his devious mind began working on how to use it to his advantage.
"Wait...how come I was able to draw it once?", asked Darwen who was now positive the maid was more then she appeared.
"Despite its lack of communication, I am positive the sword is intelligent. I assume it just wanted to show off.", shrugged the maid.
Darwen knew Zax's companions were unique, but she suddenly realized how little she knew about them. She drew closer to Zax and felt some comfort in that she knew exactly who and what the tiefling was capable of.
As they made their way to the next errand , Sarin once again fell back from the pack but this time with Nymk at his side.
"So...two weeks with Jhallia with you as the master and her as your obedient servant? That must have been a fun filled time.", teased the swords woman.
"Its not what it seems. I didn't know who she was at the time. We were adventuring...we didn't...wait you're teasing me again. This isn't funny you know. I'm a paladin. I have a reputation to uphold.", grumbled Sarin.
Nymk smiled at the half elf's distress.
"So what's your connection with her?", countered the paladin.
"Let's just say it involved a lot of wine and a lot of lotion. ", smiled the barbarian wistfully.
The barbarian noted the half elf's mixed reaction. She wasn't sure if he was jealous or distressed . " I'll buy you dinner later , and we'll talk about it. Who knows...I might even be willing to give you a demonstration. ", she said with a wink.