The Last Breaths of Ashenport [IC Thread]

[Harley]

The sky has been slowly darkening all day as the has made its slow progress up the north road, and the smell of rain has been omnipresent for a while. The sun has become hidden behind massive storm clouds rolling in from the sea a few miles away, and a cold, biting wind has sprung up, chilling many members of the caravan to the bone. Before long, the rains come, and travel slows down to a crawl as the once dusty and hard-packed road becomes a clutching mire, sucking at the wheels of the caravan’s mounts and carts.

Conditions begin steadily worsening as you draw nearer to the ocean, with thunder rumbling in the clouds above your heads and irregular flashes of lightning in the distance, and between the heavy clouds and the seemingly endless rain, you might as well be blind. In the occasional flash of lightning, however, as the rain is forced aside by a howling gust of wind, you can barely make out the road ahead. Enough, at least, to keep moving steadily forward, if not at a fast pace. As the caravan goes over the top of a rise in the road, a veritable river of mud twists and winds through a copse of gnarled trees and along a rocky coastline battered by white-capped swells.

And beyond, shrouded by the driving rains and the woods, and barely illuminated by only the brightest lightning strikes, stands a town. From what you can spy from this far off, the buildings are old and patched, and the roofs are shingled peaks. Just another village, it seems, but something about it sets your teeth on edge and your skin to crawling. But then, perhaps it is just the cold and rain...

((OOC in double parentheses, please, and rolls in Spoiler tags. Spoiler tags are made with . Rolling is done as such: XdY+Z, where X is how many dice, Y is the size of the dice, and Z is any bonus you may have to the roll.

Remember, when you Preview a post, any roll tags that are correct are changed to [roll0] or something similar, which means that it worked; If you preview, make sure to copy your roll line before doing so so you can copy/past it back in.

Currently, the party is traveling slowly but steadily along with the caravan towards a town that is actually farther north than Ashenport for an annual trade fair; however, the inclement weather has made the leaders of the caravan decide to make a small detour to the little town until the weather clears up. At the current pace the caravan is setting, it will arrive in the town in 8-10 minutes...))

[SuperMuldoon]

Krulos sat astride his horse, or rather, one of the caravans horses that they allowed him to use. His breath came out as mist in the chilly weather, but then again it always did that regardless of the temperature. Raindrops hit his armor and froze for an instant, bouncing off as tiny hailstones before returning to their liquid state. The weather was steadily worsening, and visibility quickly diminishing. He had caught a glimpse of Ashenport in the distance when a bolt of lightening lit up the sky for a moment, but now he could hardly make out the rest of the caravan, let alone their destination. However, something about that fleeting image of the town stuck with him, and gave him an uneasy feeling in his gut. Trying to shake it off, he quickened his pace for a moment and rode up to near the front of the caravan to check up on the lead wagon.

((OOC: I'm taking one of the horses to ride on, I'm a big guy who doesn't really mind the cold so I'll hang out outside, plus if theres fighting I want to get right in the middle of it right away! :smallbiggrin:))

[Feliks878]

Trudging through mud and rain near the front of the caravan, Thomas lets out an unfortunate sigh and looks enviously at the covered caravan wagons. Unable to properly ride a horse in such terrible weather, and too embarrassed to squeeze into the carts with the others hiding from the storm, he continues forward, his boots making soft squishing noises drowned out by the rain. The water mats his short red hair down on the top of his scalp and his robes are soaked through, having long since given up any attempt at staying dry or clean. The bottom hem of his robes are caked with mud and dirt and gods know what else.

Seeing the town of Ashenport in the distance, Thom looks at the patched roofs and hopes that they'll provide some degree of comfort from the pour. Anything to get this chilled feeling which the rain seems to have left him with...

Seeing the large Dragonborn ride up, Thom nods a brief greeting to him, teeth chattering too hard to make speaking easy.

((OOC: Thom can't ride horseback well enough to stay saddled during a storm, and he is too embarassed, even shy, to ride in a cart with a number of other people. As uncomfortable as it is, he'd rather stay on foot and dry himself off once he finds shelter.))

[Tommathy]

It was raining, and Ecri detested the rain. It wasn't the gloom or the cold or the wetness that bothered her, but cheap symbolism and sentimentality it offered. Every hack writer started off their book "it was a dark and stormy night"; why didn't terrible things ever happen on cool, clear autumn mornings? In the contrast of the idyllic and the horrible was where real terror resided...

Abruptly she tried to shut down that train of thought, but the visions came upon her anyways. A savory smelling cauldron over a murder of ashes, or was it ravens? A warm brick hearth, which could have been built of red clay or caked blood. The expectant smiles of children seated around the dinner table, filled with gluttony, inncocence, and malice.

Shaken, she tried to clear her mind by staring out at the detestable rain, and caught her first glimpse of Ashenport.

((OOC: Ecri is currently sitting in the last of the covered carts.))

[Nai_Calus]

Ephram huddles back under the covering on the cart, wrapping his cloak tighter around him as he stares out at the rain gloomily.

"Such charming weather," he says to the person nearest him. "And that town ahead... There are places in the Feywild you don't want to go, and it reminds me of them." He sighs wearily.

((OOC: Ephram is in one of the carts. Which is up to whoever wants to be the guy nearest to him.))

[SuperMuldoon]

Krulos returns Thomas' nod and brings his horse up next to him, matching his pace. "You have been walking alongside the caravan the whole way, and while I admire your dedication, you must be exhausted. We will still have a ways to go after this storm passes, and I would hate for you to be sick when we resume the journey north. I saw some room in the last wagon if you want to warm up and try and dry your soaked clothes before we stop for the night." Krulos says, having to yell over the howling wind and torrential downpour to be heard.

[Feliks878]

Thom looks up at Krulos and back down at his soaked clothing, letting out a soft sigh. "You're probably right!" he replies, calling over the wind and rain. "We're almost there, I may as well ride out the rest of this in style." Thomas slows down and lets the caravan pass him until the last cart is even with him. Giving an abbreviated wave to Ecri and the rest of the passengers of the last cart, he prepares to try and board it.

[boxboy582]

Joshua Merrit

A lanky young man sat nestled into the corner. His shaggy wet brown hair still clung to his head from the mad dash into the cart to escape the rain. He wore a deep purple armor that could easily be mistaken for a black. It was easy to see that the armor never really fit him correctly. He wore his traveling clothes and a weathered cloak over the ill fitting armor. Deep set green eyes peered around the interior of the cart before they went back down to the piece of wood he was whittling. The dagger flicked from side to side, wood shavings falling carelessly to the floor of the cart.

Joshua had remained silent for most of the trip, content to keep to himself and rely on whittling as his only source of amusement.

Joshua's head snapped up as Ephram started speaking, apparently to him. Joshua swallowed to try and wet his exceedingly dry mouth and nodded at Ephram. He knew he should speak to the man, but he didn't know what to say. Joshua opened his mouth, hoping that something would come out. Raindrops can fall with speeds up to 22 miles an hour.

How incredibly awkward. No conversation at all, just sputtering some random fact. Embarrassed at his lack of social prowess, Joshua hastily returned to his whittling.

((OOC: Joshua is in the same cart as Ephram. :smallwink:))

[Nai_Calus]

"Really? I hadn't been aware of that. I'll have to remember it." Ephram says, not the slightest bit perturbed by the odd response. He peers at the man's whittling, attempting to make out what he's making.

"Ahh, carving. A worthy pursuit. May Corellon bless your work and guide your hands towards the creation of beauty. What is it that you're making?"

[Silver Coin]

Elanor rode on one of the caravan's horses without a word. Weather. As long as there isn't tornado force winds, she isn't about to get fazed, an experience campaigner as she was. Still, might as well get under shelter if there was any. Drawing her cloak more tightly around her, she narrowed her eyes and observed the distant town, wondering vaguely if they would be able to make it there tonight.

[boxboy582]

Joshua Merrit

Joshua looks up at the man once again, then nervously back down to his carving. He was always shy about his work. He switched the carving from hand to hand before holding it in an outstretched hand for Ephram to take. It was an immaculately carved dog. From the proportions, it would have been a large dog. The carving is made with excruciating detail, down to the eyes which seem to have a personality of their own. An extremely well made piece.

A little ashamed of his silly pursuits, Joshua attempts to compensate: It's just a stupid little thing. I do them in my spare time. Lies. He did it when he didn't want to talk to other people. Joshua had many little statues.

[Nai_Calus]

Ephram takes the carving and examines it, smiling as he does so. He raises an eyebrow and chuckles when the man insists that it is stupid.

"Nay, nothing that brings more beauty into this world is stupid. The world is all too frequently a cold and ugly place, and it is little things like this that make life a bit more bearable. Corellon surely has blessed you, with talent such as yours." He smiles and passes the carving back.

"Ahh, forgive me for not introducing myself better. My name is Ephram."

[Feliks878]

Grabbing onto the last cart and pulling himself up, Thomas looks apologetically at the patrons inside and tries to stop his navy blue robes from throwing water in every direction. Finding a dry corner, he begins to use his Prestidigitation cantrip to dry and clean himself.

Looking at the other occupants of the last cart, he smiles. "If anyone else can benefit from this, I'd be glad to help."

[Nai_Calus]

Ephram looks at the newcomer and smiles warmly.

"Thank you for the kind offer, but I'm fine. Quite a good idea to get out of the rain, I must say. This seems to be shaping up to be quite the storm."

((OOC: Might as well all be in the same cart))

[Feliks878]

Thom nods, sending water whipping off his head into the floor as he finds a corner to huddle in.


"I used to like the rain, but now I'm not so sure. At least we'll have some shelter and safety soon..."

Thom smiles back and continues to use his magic to dry himself. After he's sure his hand is dry he reaches across to Ephram and offers an open hand to shake.

"Thomas Aklee. It's a pleasure to meet you."

[Tommathy]

"What is there to like, or dislike about rain?", asked Ecri, not bothering to turn from her view of Ashenport.

Realizing how curt that sounded, she pulled herself away from the scenery and introduced herself.

"My name is Ecri," she intoned, nodding her head slightly, "How do you do?"

[Feliks878]

"Doing quite well now that I'm out of the rain, thank you. And there is so much to love about the rain. Without it, our crops could not grow, our forests would wither and burn. Rain is life, as much as air is. But you're probably not here to speak of the poetry of rainfall, I'm sure."

Thom looks up away from Ecri and at the rest of the residents of the cart. "Any word about this town that we're stopping in? I do hope we can find a nice meal and a roof for the night."

[Nai_Calus]

"Rain can be a thing of life and beauty, but not this rain, if you ask me," Ephram says, shifting to look at the others.

"Ahh, forgive me. I am Ephram Theryn." He nods to those he hasn't introduced himself to yet and glances out at the town through the rain.

"Well, I can't claim to have ever heard of this town before, but I can tell you one thing about it. I don't like it already."

[Silver Coin]

Elanor rode quietly along, listening to the conversation. It was not exactly interesting but at least she should get to know her companions a little. Still, she agreed that the rain felt unwholesome and she had come to trust her instinct over the years.

[Feliks878]

"I agree, about both the rain and the town, Ephram." Turning to Joshua, Thomas notices the small figures he's carved.

"Fascinating. I've never seen this level of craftsmanship. Are you a tradesman, or is this merely a hobby? I must say I'm impressed either way."

[boxboy582]

Joshua Merrit

Joshua's head snaps up, horrified to be the center of attention once again. He peers at the man, not knowing what exactly to do. It's only a silly little hobby. I do just do them. Joshua's eyes glance from person to person. It was a strange group and it was clear that the boy felt uncomfortable.

The man who had just spoken to him had used magic to dry himself off. Joshua wondered if this man was like himself. Though he didn't seem ashamed of it. How couldn't he? People that used magic were abominations, or so his parents had taught him. Joshua eyed the man suspiciously. In a way, he sort of looked up to him. He used magic and didn't seem ashamed at all. In fact, he seemed to have quite a bit of control over it. Deep down, Joshua yearned for a mentor. Someone to help him and teach him how to control his malformation.

Joshua realized that he had been silently staring at Thom for some time. He shook his head to return him to the present world. In a clumsy attempt to cover, he mumbled to the group. I'm Joshua. Joshua Merrit. This rain sure is strange. Hopefully it was enough to save some of his pride.

[Feliks878]

Smiling at Joshua again, Thom nods amicably.

"A hobby most impressive, I must say, then. Tell me, what is it that you do, Joshua? Are you a member of the caravan company?"

[boxboy582]

Joshua Merrit

Things were proceeding exactly how Joshua did not want them to go. He had planned to speak as little as possible the entire trip, and now he found himself forcing small talk with other members of the caravan. Joshua was apprehensive about diving into his past, as unsettling as he felt it was.

I'm just traveling along. I'm looking to get work as an apprentice in a good shop.

A good story, and one Joshua had told himself many times. It was also the excuse he gave his parents. The harsh truth of things was that he was afraid he would no longer be able to hide his abnormality from his parents.

Once again, Joshua's eyes returned to his work; wood shavings falling slowly to the floor.

[Harley]

As you pass through the copse of trees, the branches overhead seem to close in and interweave themselves, though this seems to have no effect on the rain; rather, it seems as if the forest is closing in on you. Before the feeling can run its full course and cause you much distress, however, the caravan reaches the edge of the copse and emerges on the outskirts of Ashenport.

Although still rendered gray and miserable by the constant downpour, the town of Ashenport looks better up close than it did from a distance. You can now see that many of the buildings are sturdier than they appeared; a few are even made of quarried stone, rather than wood.

Even in the inclement weather, several shops bustle with activity, and the light that gleams through many a window is bright and cheerful. Sporadic people trudge their way along the muddy roads, shoulders hunched against the rain, going about this business or that.

The salty tang of the sea, and the lingering odor of a hundred years of fishing, insinuate themselves around your mouth and nose. Even the torrential rains and winds cannot completely strip the powerful stench from the air.

As the caravan slows up, a tired-looking guard trudges through the mud to tell each wagon and it's occupants that they will have to find their own accomodations for the night, though the leaders of the caravan will be staying at the local inn.

The guard looks up at the clouds above, squinting his eyes, and gives a resigned sigh before he starts trudging back to the front of the caravan. From where you are, you can see a huddle of people moving towards a large building with streaming light coming from a single window, with a sign that says "The Smooth Sailing Inn and Tavern" hanging above the door.

[boxboy582]

Joshua Merrit

Joshua's brow furrows as the weary guard informs them that they'll have to secure their own lodgings for the night. He reaches into a pocket within his robe and pulls out a raggedy looking purse. He pulls the drawstring open and slides a finger in to determine how much coin he still had. Escaping your past was becoming quite expensive.

He glances at the mass of people moving toward the only inn that Joshua can see. With a sigh, Joshua turns to the people sitting in his caravan. He loathed the idea, but it needed to be done. After clearing his throat, he speaks up: Uhm. Would anybody consider sharing a room. Joshua tried his best not to seem as desperate as he actually was. Acting was never his strongest suit.

[Feliks878]

Hopping out of the caravan, Thom surveys the town around him, deciding that perhaps he hadn't given this town enough credit, as it was far less menacing up close. Hearing Joshua's comment, Thom turns to him and nods.

"That would probably be an excellent idea, Joshua. It would be an honor for me to do so. The number of people rushing this inn will probably dwiindle the availability of rooms rather swiftly anyway - it will be easier to find one room then two."

Thom pulls top top of his blue cloak over his head to offer a little more protection.

"I'll be happy enough to get a roof over my head and take the chance to dry off."

[boxboy582]

Joshua Merrit

A smile spreads onto Joshua's face. If there was anybody in the caravan he wanted to know better, it was Thom. He wondered just how he would breach the conversation of Thom's life as a blemish on society. How did he deal with his magic?

Joshua nods in response to Thom and pulls his hood over his head. We'd best get in there then before all of the rooms are booked. Grabbing his pack, Joshua hops out of the cart and moves near Thom so the two can walk into the inn together.

[Nai_Calus]

Ephram speaks up as Joshua and Thomas plan.

"If money or number of rooms is an issue, I can share a room with the two of you as well. You needn't worry about the sleeping arrangements, my people do not sleep as most races do. A bit of floor or perhaps a chair if there is one will suit me just fine. Might as well keep those who practice the arcane together, and those with an appreciation of the arts." He nods to Thomas and then to Joshua as he singles them out. "Up to you both, of course." He looks around.

"Well, this place looks a bit better up close, but I still can't say I'm that fond of it." He notices Elanor and finds something familiar about her build beneath the cloak, and gives her a probing look, trying to discern her race from her body type and what little he can see of her face below the cloak in the dark.

[Feliks878]

"A room with three is cheaper and easier to find then a room for two! And I do enjoy a lively discussion of the arts, especially with those who have the blood of the fey. I've never come dissapointed from such a chat. There's no problem with Ephram joining us, is there, Joshua?"

Thom sniffs the air and shakes his head as if to clear it. The smells here were as potent as any seaside town, it seemed. Hopefully the rooms wouldn't be quite so overpowering. At least the fish would be fresh.

[SuperMuldoon]

Krulos let out a sigh of relief and exhaustion upon finally reaching the town. The rain was still coming down as if there was a whole ocean's worth of water in the clouds. He rode over to the other person on horseback, who he believed was named Elanor. Clearing his throat, which sounds almost like a growl due to his dragonborn vocal cords, he calls out to her over the rain. "Elanor was it? It seems a few of our fellow caravan passengers are heading over to that tavern for shelter. It looks like the only place to stay and its getting pretty crowded. How about we stable these horses and see if we can't join them?"

[boxboy582]

Joshua Merrit

Joshua's smile disappears and his eyes widen in shock when Ephram speaks up about the three of them being members of the arcane arts. Joshua had been so careful! How did he know?

Shaking his head and backing up quickly, Joshua sputters when he speaks. He had wanted to talk privately with Thom about the matter, but now he was being outed. Arcane? I don't know what you're talking about. You should be careful about what you say when you don't know things! Would have perhaps been a good argument had it not been delivered in the blink of an eye. Horrified at the turn of events, Joshua spins on his heel and heads straight for the inn.

Stupid. He didn't think he could pay for his entire room, but he couldn't go back with Ephram. Scared about what might happen, Joshua decided that he would just have to see what he could work out with the innkeeper.

[Nai_Calus]

Ephram blinks in shock.

"I... Corellon's sacred blood, what did I say? I was referring to you as a practicioner of the arcane, not him... Pardon me, clearly I need to speak to him." Ephram sprints after Joshua and catches him by the arm.

"Forgive me, child, if I have offended you. I did not intend to imply that you were a practicioner of magic, I reffered to Thomas by those words." His face clouds, and a far away look comes into his eyes.

"Corellon forgive me, here I am making a complete mess of things again..." He looks to Joshua nervously. "I'm sorry, I'm not trying to assume anything at all about you, my judgement is horrible anyway, forgive me and let us not speak of this mistake again, please?" The words come out in a jumble and he is visibly agitated and horrified.

[boxboy582]

Joshua Merrit

As Ephrim speaks, the tension and worry that Joshua holds in his body visibly fades away. He gives a sigh of relief. Thank the Gods that he wasn't talking about me. Now he had to deal with the mess of overreacting to nothing. Joshua's mind began to race. How to cover this?

It's alright. Just a misunderstanding then. Lets just pretend it never happened. He's hoping for the easy way out on this. Just pretend like it didn't happen. Sweep it under the rug and forget about it.

Joshua motions to the inn. Lets not waste any more time out here. There could be a fire inside.

[Silver Coin]

Elanor felt a tug at her heart strings to join them, but decided not to. It made no sense did it? For one thing, she hardly knew these people. For another, she was of the wrong gender, and therefore would have been decidedly unseemly. Looks like she would have to bunk on her own. With that, she strode towards the inn. Perhaps she would be able to get a warm meal for the night.

[SuperMuldoon]

Krulos watches Elanor head towards the inn. Maybe she didn't hear me? Or maybe she just wants nothing to do with me... Krulos sighed again, and went to stable the horse. After that was taken care of, he headed towards the inn, hoping to catch up with the others from the caravan.

[Feliks878]

Catching up to Ephram and Joshua just as they finish talking, Thom glances between the two of them, bewildered. It seems that everything had blown over with no issue. The young human seemed quite jumpy, and Thom wondered if something had happened to offend him. He didn't seem to approve of magic. Noting that, Thom decided that he would restrain his use of the arts in order to keep Joshua at ease, at least until he understood what was going on.

"All's well that ends well, it seems. A fire seems like a great idea, and it would be wonderful to find a bite as well. I'm sure the fish here will be fresh."

Thom passes as sidelong glance at Ephram, with a slight nod at Joshua when he finds a moment where Joshua is distracted, seeming to ask "What was that all about?"

[Tommathy]

After her unsettling visions earlier , Ecri did not envy the idea of sleeping alone, but the possibility of her having night terrors and the others thinking her mad irked her even more. Therefore, she decided to find her own accommodation for the night.

Great gusts of wind carried a spray of sea water directly to her face, and her senses reeled from the salty, bitter tang. Sputtering helplessly, she pushed her way forward to the inn.

After reserving her room and putting up her bags, she returned to the common room and ordered a fish stew with hearty brown bread. With her left hand she proceeded to break bread, and with her right she began to inscribe her vision from earlier in the day. Soon her food was forgotten, and she seemed to be writing as though possessed. What started as a simple vision journal turned, into a horrifyingly joyful and sickeningly bright tale of loathsome allegory and mythos.

This is how her previous novels and short stories came to be, but something was different this time. At the end of her tale she did not stop writing, but instead splayed her remaining blank pages across the table and began *drawing* as well as writing. None of the symbols meant anything to her at first, but a creeping ominousness slowly seeped into her consciousness. Her heart was racing, and her blood felt like it was going to boil over. Finally, just before she could flourish the last line, she flung her pen across the room with a harsh cry, and slumped back down into her seat, panting for breath and suddenly realizing what she almost had done.

What horrified her more was: how could she have known to do what she had almost done?

((OOC: Thomas should be able to tell that she almost cast Scorching Burst on herself since he also has that spell)

[Nai_Calus]

"He seems to have thought that I called him a mage and taken offense. I have apologized for my poor wording." He whispers back.

Walking into the inn, Ephram takes off his wet cloak, revealing him to be a very tall, slim, attractive Eladrin male in well-kept violet and white clothing trimmed with gold worn over leather armor. His long golden hair is worn loose, and his brilliant green eyes, while lacking a pupil and white like all those of his race, darken towards the center in a manner not common amongst Eladrin. The effect is more comforting than unsettling, as it at least permits the direction of his gaze to be observed. He smiles to Joshua and Thomas.

"Well, let's see about that room, and then see if we can't get some of that fish. I tire of trail food."

[Feliks878]

Joining Ephram (and perhaps Joshua if he consents) in the common room after locating accommodations, Thomas orders a blackened fish and the local drink of choice and begins to eat while speaking to his fellow travelers.

"So, you mentioned yourself a practitioner of the arcane, Ephram, yet you do not have the look of a wizard about you, clad as you are in armor. What type of magics do you practice? I am always interes-"

Thomas cuts himself off and turns his head to look at Ecri, sitting nearby who had just shouted out and flung her pen across the room. He stares at her in shock for a moment before slowly turning back to his companions.

"Did you...did you see that? Not just the violent reaction she had, but the magic which swelled around her? It appeared as if she was conjuring a spell I am familiar with...one which has quite a destructive potential."

[boxboy582]

Joshua Merrit

Joshua nods his head at the mention of food. It'd been quite a while since he'd had something decent. When the barmaid took their order, he'd made sure to order the least expensive food. He'd been a little more than disappointed when the barmaid returned and plopped a bowl of watered down stew with stale bread in front of him. With a sigh, Joshua chiseled off a hunk of bread and began dunking it in the stew in a futile attempt to soften the bread.

Joshua sipped his rather murky looking drink--he didn't know what it actually was-- whilst nervously looking between his two companions while they talked about magic. How can they talk so easily about such a horrifying thing? So openly? So proudly?

The woman's outburst roughly dragged Joshua out of his contemplation. He could still sense the magic lingering on the air. Apparently this woman too had such powers. What had Joshua gotten himself in to?

[Nai_Calus]

Ephram looks at the outburst, his hand reflexively going to his longsword.

"What in Corellon's name...?" He listens to Thomas' reaction and turns to him, nodding.

"Yes, I saw it. Strange. I suggest we keep an eye on her so we can stop her if she seems to do it again. Odd, though. She didn't strike me any more an arcanist than I struck you. It seems not to be your night, I'm afraid, Joshua." He smiles warmly at the man, and looks back to Thomas.

"As for me, no, I am not a wizard. I follow an ancient Eladrin tradition blending arcane magic with swordplay. It's primarily a defensive style, used to protect the practicioner and others. I believe the common term is 'swordmage', though we're seldom found in human lands." He looks to Joshua again. "So you needn't fear my abilities, child, indeed, even were you caught in them they would not harm you." He looks to Ecri again in concern.

"You know, we really should make sure she's alright." He stands and walks over to her. "Are you alright?"

[Feliks878]

"A swordmage? A most interesting vocation I'm sure - it's always see new uses for the arts."

Turning to Joshua and giving his most benign smile, Thom says

"Truly, Joshua, we mean you know harm. I'm not sure what happened to make you so uncomfortable with our powers but remember, it's not the ability you should be afraid of - only those who wield it to harm others."

Hearing Ephram's comment about Ecri, Thomas nods.

"I agree." Thom stands next to Ephram with concern as the Eladrin speaks to the woman, waiting for her response.

[Tommathy]

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you." she gasped out, in an over-controlled manner

Realizing that everyone was staring at her now, she pulled together the last remaining tatters of her dignity and began to carefully gather up the pages of the spell she almost cast. "I don't know what came over me, I must be tired from the journey. Sometimes I get over worked up in my... erhm, art..." she finished lamely.

[SuperMuldoon]

After stableing the horse, Krulos quickens his pace over to the inn, holding his shield over his head trying to keep the rain off. Trying to shake away any loose water so as not to make a total mess of the place, Krulos steps into the inn. Taking a look around, he sees some familar faces among the crowd - other members of the caravan. He holds up a scaled hand in an awkward wave as he heads over to where they are.

"Hello everyone! Glad to see everyone warming up in here out of the rain. Mind if I join you, considering we are all from the same caravan?" Krulos starts, but when he gets closer to the group he notices some of the concerned looks and scattered papers.

"I'm sorry...am I interrupting something? Everything ok?"

[Silver Coin]

Elanor watched the conversations from the corner of her eye. But she didn't join in. The only times, she had loved and trusted, had opened her heart fully, she had been betrayed. Once, by the person she had trusted so completely, and once by providence.

The reason I choose not to join in is because I am afraid. Afraid of getting hurt again. Yes, I, Elanor Aldarion, who has seen death reaching for me so many times, and who has gazed defiantly back just as many times, is afraid.

With that realisation, she laughed bitterly to herself, then pushed into the inn, feeling as alone as ever.

Settling herself down a the bar, she ordered a single mug of mead.

[Feliks878]

"No, ah...Krulos, was it? Not interrupting anything, it just appears that our traveling companion here isn't feeling too well. A side effect of the rain, I'm sure. I for one would be glad to have another dinner companion to speak with. But first..."


Thom holds his hand out to Ecri, to help her up if she needs it. He looks for any singed pages or any other indications the spell had been successfully cast.

"Let's get you to your room so you can rest. Wouldn't want anyone getting sick who can help it, would we?"

[SuperMuldoon]

"Yes, Krulos Frostscale. Nice to officially meet you all outside of working on the caravan." Krulos makes an awkward toothy grin and glances around at the group. He looks at Erci and extends a hand to help her up as well. "If you aren't feeling well, perhaps some of my skills may be of use? I have been blessed by the Raven Queen with some powers of healing. It's not much, but I would like to help in any way I can."

[Nai_Calus]

Ephram notices the Dragonborn enter and quickly supresses a sneer. Dragonborn bothered him. He hisses softly and recoils at the name of the Raven Queen, but holds his tongue. He looks over at Elanor and decides to see if he can't confirm his theory.

"You are an elf, are you not?" He asks, walking over to her.

[Silver Coin]

Elanor answered without turning.

"I think you know the answer to that. Now, I know you've come to talk to me regarding something other than my race, which should be quite apparent. what is it?"

[Nai_Calus]

Ephram looks embarrassed.

"Er, actually, that was what I wanted to ask about. I, um... I've actually never really seen an elf before. I spent most of my life in the Feywild, you see, and your kind seldom come there. Forgive me for my rudeness, cousin elf. I'm Ephram. How are you doing this evening?"

[Silver Coin]

Elanor turned to look at Ephram directly for the first time. Glancing over him for a quick evaluation, she decided to humour him for the moment.

“Yes well. You are a moon elf right? So I do believe that you probably have seen a few in your time. Besides, I’m hardly representative of my race. I have some issues with the rest of them.”

[boxboy582]

Joshua Merrit

Joshua sloshes his soup around with his spoon. He was more than happy to fade into the background. The conversation had been taking an incredibly uncomfortable turn for him. The last thing he wanted to discuss was magic. He eyed the group as they conversed, quite content to be sitting alone at the table. He thought about going to ask for their roomm, but he worried that would be too rude and he didn't wish to attract more attention to himself than he already had. So, for now, he would sit back and play with his soup.

[Nai_Calus]

Elanor turned to look at Ephram directly for the first time. Glancing over him for a quick evaluation, she decided to humour him for the moment.

“Yes well. You are a moon elf right? So I do believe that you probably have seen a few in your time. Besides, I’m hardly representative of my race. I have some issues with the rest of them.”

"A... Moon elf? I have never heard of such a thing. No, I am an Eladrin. I was born and raised in the Feywild, and I've only recently come from there to the world." He grimaces. "I... Am probably not the best representation of my race, myself. I too have had... Issues. Not with them so much, more th- Ahh, never mind. Forgive my intrusion. I did not mean to offend you." He pales even further and steps back awkwardly, running a hand through his golden hair nervously and looking about for Thomas and Joshua in hopes of escaping a conversation that was quickly leading to something he hoped not to have to talk about.

[Silver Coin]

Elanor could clearly see his discomfort, and the fact that apparently he was the one who had back himself into a corner. Instead of pressing him further, she simple laughed.

"No offence taken. I find it curious though. You of all people should know that 'moon elf' is just another name for the Eladrin. Seems like my brand of humour doesn't really work."

She took a moment to turn and face Ephram more directly.

"Still, I can see that your past is murky and troubled, and that you do not wish to talk about it. Perhaps we could talk about something different then. For starters how about your name?"

OOC: Moon Elf = Eladrin. Different name, same thing. Did you really not know or was that IC only?

[Nai_Calus]

Ephram relaxes slightly, though still looks a little uncomfortable.

"Ah. Must be a material world term, I suppose, no Eladrin I've known would refer to themselves as an elf... No offense, of course, simply that the split between our races is very old, and we're the originals. It's said that in ancient times that the elf and drow races split off from the eladrin race, so we of course do not refer to ourselves as members of a branch race. I have been called an elf in general by a few ignorant material worlders, of course, mostly humans, but not that particular term." He pulls a pair of glasses from a pocket and puts them on as he speaks. "Moon elf, eh? How curious. I shall have to document that..."

"Forgive me, I do tend to ramble sometimes. I'll spare you from having to listen to the entire history of our races." He smiles. "Ahh, yes. As I said before, my name is Ephram. And your name is?"

((OOC: I know that Moon Elf == Eladrin, but that's in Forgotten Realms exclusively. I'm just going with the general 4e lore on elves/eladrin/drow, since we're in more of a general setting and not FR. Ephram's colouring doesn't match any of the FR subraces anyway. Nor do I like the FR subraces. :smallamused: ))

[Silver Coin]

"My name is Elanor. Of course, I'll let the previous comments slide. I choose to think that we are equally distant from our common ancestor. Nonetheless, it has been long since I have seen one of Fey origin.

"Still, as I have said, my home forest is as much in the fey wild as it is in the material plane. I rather suspect that I have a little Eladrin blood really."

OOC: Hmm. True. The PHB only says High Elf and Grey Elf. Those would have worked better.

[Nai_Calus]

"Ahh, the elves tell a different story from the Eladrin, then? You must tell me all about it sometime so I can document it." He grins excitedly, history is one of his favourite things.

"Perhaps you may have Eladrin blood, we do breed outside the race sometimes, and I imagine the races are still compatible, whatever our true origins." He chuckles. "Well, I can't claim to be pureblooded myself, I had a human grandfather. Grandmother was always fond of her 'pet' until he died... A little disturbing, I suppose, that she thought of him that way, now that I've wound up living among humans. It seemed normal at the time, but I guess I've become nearly as distant from the fey as the elves have..." A trace of sadness creeps into his voice and he looks pensive.

[Silver Coin]

Elanor laughed a little. She was in a good enough mood. It has been a long time since she has talked to anyone and she wanted Ephram to cheer up. Yet, she guarded her tongue, choosing her words with care and keeping to things that are of no immediate importance.

"Perhaps, but that isn't such a great loss is it? There is always a reward for every loss. Just remember what you get in return. A life in this world. One in which people can choose their own fates to a greater degree. Many people here can actually be happy despite the little that they have. They possess much wisdom we can learn from despite their short lives."

[Harley]

((Warning: following alludes to sexual activity and may contain a faux cockney accent))

A tired-looking barmaid walks up and sets Elanor's mead on the counter of the bar, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her eyes before speaking. "Sorry abou' th' wait, lovey, we've been 'ard-pressed, wot with all ye traveller's comin' in all sudden-like out o' the storm. If ye have need o' anythin' else, jus' holler fer Relina, dat's me, or Sannuel, wherever that blasted bartender is."

Having said that, Relina moves down the length of the bar, taking more orders and fetching more drink. As she passes Ephram, he can faintly hear her muttering under her breath "...I'd bet a pile of gold against a bucket of nightsoil that bugger's dippin' his wick wi' Manelda in the stable again..."

As Relina continues manuevering around the inn, the door once again opens and lets in a blast of cold air, along with two people who are apparently bickering with each other.

One of them is a tall, dark-haired beauty, though her appearance is marred by the presence of a large cataract in her right eye, leaving the eye itself with a sickly white color. You can also make out an image of a faded leaf on the shoulder of her vest. The man next to her is shorter and decidedly portly, though he seems light enough on his feet. The man sports a black mark with three crossed spears in the center of his doublet.

As they walk into the tavern, their voices can be heard above the general hum of activity inside the bustling tavern.

"..nd I'm telling YOU, Terza, that Surrens, Creel, and Blackwell will NOT stand for infringement on our trade at the festival. Have you no idea what this year has already cost us?"

The woman, who is apparently named Terza, scoffs at the man and turns to face him, a sardonic smile on her face.

"The Gold Leaf will do what we need to in order to succeed, Matthias, as should Surrens, Creel, and Blackwell. Perhaps your company should get out of the business while we have yet to bankrupt you; The Gold Leaf Trading Company would be more than willing to accept worthy adversaries such as yourselves into our midst."

The man, whose name you have just heard is Matthias, turns a bright shade of red and sputters ineffectually at Terza, then turns around, fuming, and stalks towards the bar, plopping himself down in a stool a slight distance away from Ephram. Terza turns away from him, her smile still apparent, and walks toward a table near where Joshua is sitting, joining a group of others who also have the leaf insignia present on their shoulders.

((Check the OOC thread for additional info, didn't want to take up too much space here))

[Nai_Calus]

Ephram smiles sadly.

"Forgive me if I only agree that there is much that can be learned from the people of this world. I fear that I have lost too much to consider much of anything here a gain..." He looks away to hide the tear that spills down his cheek. "Forgive me. I... Need to pray. I'm going to ask the locals if there's a temple here. I'll be back." He says, addressing Elanor, Joshua and Thomas as he looks around.

He approaches the bar and slides onto a stool, looking around at the patrons and bartender to see if any of them look likely to answer his questions. He selects a likely looking person and turns to them.

"Pardon the intrusion, but I don't suppose you could tell me if there's a temple in this town, and how to find it if so? Come to think of it, in this weather, if there's a store, and where that is?"

Streetwise check in case I need to make one:

[roll0]


((OOC: I suppose remembering my speech colours helps. Also major derp at that roll.))

[Silver Coin]

Elanor watched Ephram go without expression, then simply turned to enjoy the mead as much as she could. It seemed to taste both sweet and bitter at the same time. Curious.

Half way through her mead, she began to feel distinctly irritated at the chattering. Gulping down the rest without really tasting it. With that, she asked the barkeep for a room, paid up the required amount and grabbing what little she had, exited the common room.

[Feliks878]

Thom nods at Krulos as they help Ecri up.

"Let's get her somewhere she can sleep. Maybe your healing powers can do her some good.

Thom helps carry Ecri upstairs and then decides to head for bed himself, wishing Krulos a good night. He let himself into the room he rented with Joshua and Ephram, having had enough excitement for one night.

[Nai_Calus]

Ephram, having no success with the locals, sighs and merely sits by a window, looking up at where the stars would be if he could see them past the clouds, and quietly prays to Corellon for guidance and peace for a while before climbing the stairs to the room he's sharing and quietly making himself comfortable in the corner, then slipping into an Eladrin's wakeful trance, his eyes still open.

[boxboy582]

Joshua Merrit

After sitting in seclusion for a while, listening to the room around him and eavsdropping into any conversations that grew too loud, Joshua approaches the bar to pay for his meal. After a few paniced moments, Joshua located the coins that had fallen into the lining of his robes via a rather well placed hole and went up to his room. He quietly crept in, hoping not to disturb the others, and crawled into bed.

[SuperMuldoon]

"Let's get her somewhere she can sleep. Maybe your healing powers can do her some good."


Krulos nods as they carry her upstairs. With a whispered prayer to the Raven Queen, Krulos uses Lay on Hands on Erci, in an attempt to make her feel better. Bidding her a goodnight, Krulos leaves the room. Looking to Thom he says:

"Best to settle in...if this weather keeps up the caravan will be going nowhere, and even if it lets up the roads may be too muddy for travel. We could be here a while." With that, he bids him goodnight and heads back to the common area to attempt to secure a room for himself. Doing so, he retires for the night.