Happily Ever After (IC-S)

[Jade_Tarem]

http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l511/jadetarem/Ancient-Book_zps8a0fb64c.jpg

Happily Ever After: Act 1
The Rival

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Chapter 1
The Dragon's Disciple
"Good heroes need great villains."
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Midnight, 28th day of Distover, Sunrule 73
Thios Cnoc, Accorded Neutral Ground

Boshi Kirkpatrick stopped at the old meeting ground, holding up a hand to bring his kinsmen to a halt. None of them said anything, choosing to wait in silence. The area was Thios Cnoc, literally 'underneath the mountain;' a poetic way of saying that it was right at the foot of the Shadow Mountain range. The spot was memorialized with a massive fountain, beautiful and terrible, starkly depicting a single skeleton of indeterminate race sitting upon a regal looking throne atop an impressionist pile of coins, surrounded by the slain forms of dwarves and orcs. Though the fountain had no words etched upon it, the meaning was clear - there were no true winners in violence and warfare, and even the Pyrrhic victor could not elude the grave forever.

He disliked the area on principle. The place positively reeked of greed, desperation, and pointless sacrifice. Legend had it that an army of dwarves had descended upon this site to do battle with an army of orcs after a thousand years of warfare, only to be confronted with this anonymously carved fountain, running red with the blood of countless generations of deceased soldiers. While Boshi didn't know whether or not the legends were true, he knew that negotiating his way through whatever complaint the dwarves had to tell him about in person was not going to be fun with that fountain looming over them.

It didn't help that nothing had grown here for centuries or more. Petrified trees, mud, and stone were all that remained Beneath the Mountain in this particular spot. The fact that far more verdant areas were within a few minutes' easy walk just made the precision desolation that much more stark. It was unhallowed ground, *wrong* ground, and he wanted to leave before that wrongness could get to his people.

Fortunately, the dwarves were punctual - he could hear their armor rattling long before he saw them, and when they appeared from the Pass, they looked as grim as he felt. It was night - a concession to the Orcs, though it was hardly a burden on the average dwarf - and the moonlight gleamed from their armor and weapons. They had arrived with the traditional honor guard, much as Boshi had, and his opposite number looked equally thrilled to be doing business at the fountain.

They exchanged the usual formalities without incident, and then, as is so often the case, something went very wrong. He saw the dwarves snap their crossbows to a ready state and knew, beyond a doubt, that this was a setup. He didn't know why, or when, but the dwarves were restarting the Shadow Mountain Wars, and as Hegrick Coldlance - he could recognize the stocky commander - gave the order to fire, a lightning fast tactical calculation completed itself in his mind. The dwarves, up on the bluff descending into the area Beneath the Mountain, had both strategic cover and the better shooting position; worse yet, there was little cover to be had near the fountain. But his men and women were swifter, he knew, and he gave the only order he could as they reflexively unsheathed weapons under the overcast sky. It wasn't a bellow nor a war cry. Boshi would sooner have said anything else. But it was loud enough, clear enough, and certainly destructive enough.

"Charge."

Sundown, 1st day of Bargenholt, Sunrule 73
Port Maverick, Hefrizian Principalities

SAAOS Local Office

It wasn't her first time in one of the local SAAOS offices, so Alis knew, more or less, what to expect inside, and she wasn't disappointed.

The "exit" teleportation circle was painted to one side in an eye-hurting and obviously cautionary yellow and black pattern, and a similar figure could be seen on the other side of the room, the entry circle of silver dust and numerous other reagents painted with exquisite caution and carefully kept shielded from the elements and the ignorant. Neither was glowing at that moment - the circles were a marvel of arcane development, requiring both an ever-changing password and a mage of some power to activate. In this manner, SAAOS prevented unauthorized people from using the circle - at least, it prevented them from using it without first paying the toll.

The big difference between 'local' and HQ, of course, was scale. The teleportarium at SAAOS HQ was a massive, sprawling affair, numerous circles and gateways monitored at all times by powerful and efficient arcane constructs and even more powerful and efficient wizards. It was only on the other side that one gained perspective - despite a relatively small size, Port Maverick was part of the sprawling Hefrizian Principalities and happened to be the only 'free port' in this part of the world, making it an absurdly lucrative town for the merchant lords that governed it. But even as important as it was, it still rated only this tiny outpost for a SAAOS presence - the permanent dimensional fixtures were extremely difficult to set up, and were expensive and delicate to boot. As such, and with such limited space, certain accommodations had to be made. For instance, the travel chamber was an open affair, an alcove in a bigger interior room that served as the local SAAOS supply store, the communications service, and the local SAAOS representative's office all at once, and it was there that Alis found her point of contact.

The gnome was short, even by gnomish standards, but his thick mane of bright red hair that suggested that his stature was more hereditary than due to the ravages of age. His black and blue robes with the gold-etched hems marked him as being of full Wizard rank and not part of any specialized service, though he lacked the decorative gold arm band that would name him a Senior Wizard. He peered up at from his desk, running a hand through his red beard and goatee. "Welcome, welcome. You've reached Port Maverick, traveler. I am Garmillo deVashe, Mage Rank, and you said you had a question about the local dracofauna...?"

[The Blue Guard]

Alishyon

"Yes!" Alis pulled the reply up from her lungs so fast she seemed to hop for a small second. Her hands were busy worrying the fluted sleeves of her dress - she was wearing the best of the two dresses she owns, a thing made of purple velvet trimmed in subtle gold braid that laced up in the back. Despite this not being her first visit to a SAAOS office, but they always made her a little nervous. As a sorcerer she knew that, despite being a spellcaster too, she didn't quite belong here. It was made better when people didn't know, or just didn't care, but the idea that somebody would walk up to her and explain very nicely that there's been a terrible mistake and that she should leave now was persistent. It's probably Boroto's fault, she thought guiltily. He didn't like SAAOS much. No matter how nervous she was though it didn't stop her talking - and, more than likely, it probably just made her even more talkative. "I'm conducting research on dragons." She began, explaining things, at first, very simply. Oh, happy days.

"True dragons, particularly. Well, male true dragons. Erm, well, male true dragons with male half-dragon offspring. Within the last century. Born within the last century, that is. Not that I can imagine you'd take that another way. Though I suppose I could have meant the male half-dragon offspring of male true dragons who have been active within the last century." Her face flushes. "Not that I did. Or do. I don't. Did?" And now she just looked confused. "Oh, I'm sorry. I've confused myself now. Dragons can be pretty confusing too. Like their eyes. Or their brains. Not in the psychological sense but in the neurological sense. I mean, what do they do with all that extra space, and why is it so important they get larger? I've always thought it's due to the larger lifespan, but then elves don't get larger brains as they grow older, so, then, maybe elves get more forgetful as they grow older. What do you think?" Alis' previous nervousness was now forgotten and her hands were placed quite firmly on the desk as she leaned toward the gnome and unwitting conversation partner. Of course, like her nervousness before this was another kind of state of being that meant Alis wasn't paying much attention to certain things - like the fact that her best dress, while chaste, did much to make its wearer appear attractive, and even in a plainer dress Alis was adorable.

[Jade_Tarem]

"Having met Professor Valimas, I'm not sure I'd say that the elves get more forgetful, though they do get surprisingly impatient!" deVache snorts as he drums his fingers on his desk. "As I understand it, the dragons get larger because they are primarily a physical manifestation of a magical phenomena. Their frame should not, and indeed cannot, support their large size, yet it does! I suppose the space might well be symbolic of the power and dynamism - or lack thereof? - that they impose on the world. Hrmm...." the mage ponders as he clearly changes the subject pack to the topic at hand.

"Half-Dragon offspring... I'm afraid we don't have a record of that sort of thing, but we do know of a true dragon in the area known for keeping tabs on such things." The gnome gets up from his desk and moves to the rolling ladder, on its tracks at one end of the circular 'library.' "Dragons, dragons, dragons..." he mutters as he wheels it along, looking for his quarry. He finally removes something - not a dusty old tome, but a preserved missive. "Ah yes. Carothrax, up in the Shadow Mountains. Unfortunately, he only leaves his true location with the local dwarf and orc clans, and you probably don't want to head that way now, unless you're really determined..."

[The Blue Guard]

Alishyon

Alis listens intently to deVashe's reply as she nods thoughtfully, a reply of her own already cooking. The thought percolated as the subject changed, the young scholar splitting her attention between the thought and the mage. Thoughts of magic, symbolism, dragons, and the things that meant danced about inside her head - and, at times, seeming to dance right out of her head and then back into it - until she realized deVashe had found what he was looking for. Quickly she put the thought away and concentrated on what he had to say.

"Oh, I am!" She popped, again seeming to hop as she pulled the words up from her lungs with quite a turn of speed. "I really am." But then she paused, suddenly unsure of herself and quite aware of where she was again. "Why would I need to be really determined?" She asked, her hands off the desk and worrying her sleeves again.

[Jade_Tarem]

"Well, word on the street - and the aether - is that the Kirkpatricks and the Coldlances are at it again. It's a bad, bad clan feud that kicked up a week or two ago and it's been downhill ever since. Worse yet, the pair on on the north side of the Shadow Mountains, and that means the land route in is going to be incredibly dangerous, even assuming that you take the safe route through the Blood Pass. Between the bandits in the Amerysian Badlands and the Mithkin Forest... it's a bad way for a lone traveler to go." deVashe wagged his bushy eyebrows. "And at that, nothing says that either group has to give you the map to Carothrax, eh?"

[The Blue Guard]

Alisyshon

"Well, I'm sure if I asked nicely they wouldn't mind." Alis knew that was a foolish idea. I'm sure if things weren't so dire they might not have minded, but with things as they are I'm sure they'll try to draw me into the war in exchange for what I want. It was a glum thought, but it wasn't the worst one she could be having. Hanging her head slightly she spoke: "Even if I make it there whoever I ask for a map, or even just directions, is going to want to drag me into it." The admission disturbed her enough when it was securely locked in her head, but hearing it out loud brought her to the edge. Even so, she was resolute in her plan of action. "You wouldn't happen to have a map of the Blood Pass?" She asked, raising her head again and cracking a small, pleading smile. "And the, er, relevant land ahead? The Shadow Mountains?" This Blood Pass sounded awful, but deVashe made it sound the best of a number of bad options, so it was with trepidation that Alis decided on it as her road to the Shadow Mountains - which she also didn't like the sound of. "Or of anyone heading that direction?" She added hopefully. With all of this having only started a few weeks ago there might still be people here planning to throw themselves into it, she reasoned. Of course, those people probably won't be the sort I'd normally travel with, she continued. In fact, they'll probably end up being the sort of people I'd try to avoid. As the thought finished she let out a light sigh as she imagined how exhausting that will be. Still, it will be safer. Probably.

[Jade_Tarem]

deVashe toys with his magnificent beard. "Well, there's maps of those areas, alright, but it's not like the local dangers will be marked on them. Hrm hrm hrm. I'd honestly recommend looking for a guide or an alternative form of transport here, first. You could try Treasure Canal, or talk to Calis en'Celinshon... that man knows everyone. Barring that, you might be able to get attached to the outbound Lionheart delegation."

[The Blue Guard]

Alishyon

Alis had heard of the Treasure Canal bazaar before, but she hadn't heard of Calis en'Celinshon before. "Calis... en'Celinshon." She ran the name over her tongue thinking that if she said it out loud it might trigger some memory. It didn't. "I've never heard of him." She admitted a little guiltily despite having nothing to be guilty of. "Is he famous around here?" Famous or not she was leaning toward just approaching the Lionheart delegation straight away. Her youngest years, nor the intermediate years, hadn't been particularly filled with stories of righteous warriors, but her practical experience with the order had been good. Not that Boroto liked them anymore than he did SAAOS, she thought. Perhaps it was because the order wasn't quite as pervasive as SAAOS that Alis didn't feel the same way about them both. More likely, she quietly admitted to herself, it was because SAAOS was such a large part of her life whether she wanted it to be or not.

Alis waited for deVashe to give her the answer to her question before further imposing on him: "Thank you." She made a polite gesture that she hoped was appropriate and not culturally unwise - the incident with the three dwarves was an unpleasant one she'd rather avoid. "Do you also happen to know where the Lionheart delegation is, and when they might be planning to leave?" As much as she'd prefer to just go with the Lionheart delegation she was no straw-stuffed dummy. After she left she planned to go to the Treasure Canal bazaar and see if she couldn't find herself a capable and moral - and understanding - guide for herself there first, just to keep her options open. "Oh, and... might I buy copies of those maps anyway?" She added as she thought about it. Can't have too many options open, she thought to herself.

[Jade_Tarem]

"Absolutely!" deVashe wastes no time in digging up the required materials, and while he does so, he tells Alis of the local semi-celebrity Calis en'Celinshon, a semi-retired adventurer who owns the prosperous Bad Day's End, an Inn on the docks. Apparently this Calis had done quite a bit to make Port Maverick possible, from keeping the bandits away through means he refuses to discuss to appeasing the local druidic circle that hates how much ambient magical runoff makes it into the water. Calis, deVashe mentions, seems to know a great many people and has a great many contacts, though his known adventures can't account for all of them.

The gnome is less forthcoming on the Lionhearts, admitting that he hadn't seen them in several days and that it's possible they've already departed, meaning that Alis would have some catching up to do if she sought to join them. Finally, the papers are out. "Let's see... Blood Pass and Shadow Mountains are common and uncommon-type maps respectively, so... fifteen gold should do it? They are very fine maps, after all."

[The Blue Guard]

Alishyon

Alis nodded pleasantly through deVashe's description of the semi-famous, semi-retired adventurer, mimicking his body language as she did. If Treasure Canal proves to be a bust, she thought, he does sound a good alternative. Option's open, girl. She stopped nodding though when deVashe was less chatty about the Lionhearts, and she even frowned slightly at him, annoyed that he'd suggest them when they might be several days away. She would've said something unkind about that, but he seemed nice - and Alis probably has a soft spot for gnomes made by Boroto - so she kept it to herself.

When the matter of payment came up she smiled and nodded. "Alright." Gently rolling her shoulder and swinging it forward slightly she swung her one-strap backpack, looking worn and well-used, into a waiting hand. Clutching it she slipped the other into the left pocket and pulled out fifteen gold pieces clutched in her fingers - the magic of her bag working to make her life easier by having exactly what she wanted from it being the first thing to hand. "Here." Gently she handed over the coins and took the maps in exchange. "And thank you for all your help." With the papers in hand she pulls her bag all the way around and puts them into the central portion. "Thank you again." With everything she had... well, not come for, but had come to require when what she had come for proved not so easily gained, and having made sure she wasn't being rude, she left. First, Treasure Canal, and if that proves a bust, this Calis person, she thought to herself as she planned her immediate next move.

[Jade_Tarem]

To be sure, the port town was quite a sight, the sunset had not yet painted the town in shades of red and orange, and the early evening light showed a consistent architecture, but a schizophrenic building plan - chaos and order forcibly blended together to make a single city. No doubt the denizens of a self-proclaimed free port would have it no other way. Buildings stood piled right next to each other, save where room had been made for walkways or the larger canals, the boxy structures of sun-bleached wood with various sub-tropical trees poking through here and there looking like discarded children's blocks left outside to the elements.

The docks extended out over the bay, but even a good portion of the port city itself was built up on what appeared to be stilts - if you could call them that. Thick plinths of treated hardwood and stone held up walkways of yet more hardwood, planks nailed and bound to other planks to create approximately smooth paths through the city. Canals took the place of streets and roads, at least on this side of the town, though a winding path leading off into the distance suggested that such watery transport ended a little under halfway into the settlement. Wood formed the primary construction material for most of the buildings, too. Rumor had it that an enterprising gnome from Burrelsberg had found a way to turn a local resin into a fireproof coating, and had retired in style after selling the recipe to the merchant lords - certainly, not every building could afford total fireproofing, but at least it kept the town from going up like a torch every time someone dropped a lit tindertwig or a mage had too much to drink.

More telling than the visuals, though, were the smell and feel of Port Maverick. Humidity practically rolled in waves through the bay - and spring had barely begun. The sweat stains in the armpits and chests of the dock workers and sailors were a dire portent of things to come when summer arrived. The smell of the docks and the town beyond warned of the possible dangers of falling into the canals, which pulled double duty as the settlement's sanitation system and all around garbage disposal, and that included enough hastily dumped contraband and illicit magical reagents that entirely new potions were probably brewing themselves beneath the surface of the bay. It was said that the fishing ships went so far afield from Port Maverick during the day because anything caught in the harbor would glow in the dark, cooked or not.

And speaking of glowing in the dark...

Treasure Canal is instantly recognizable from the noise. Hawkers shouting, people laughing, street performers singing, and all sorts of noises both bestial and not fill the air, mixing with instrumentation and the unmistakable sound of commerce in all its forms. As the sun goes down, the din only rises, and the most infamous black market for hundreds of miles in any direction comes fully to life. There's no rhyme, no order, no reason to it, only a chaotic jumble of treasure and junk, victory and vice. Lit oddly, and probably magically, the place is Carnival and Dive all in one.

http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l511/jadetarem/Exalted/LinnowanStreet.jpg

http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l511/jadetarem/Exalted/NexusBlazingBazaar.jpg

Treasure Canal is a special modifier to the city that turns Port Maverick into a Metropolis for the purposes of buy/sell limitations... at night. However, finding what you're looking for requires a Knowledge Local check equal to 12+CL of the item or service, or a Diplomacy check of 20+CL of the item or service. Any number of these check can be made in one night, within reason, but retries can only be attempted on subsequent nights.

[The Blue Guard]

Alishyon

Stepping out into the humidity Alis pressed her lips together and frowned. She quite liked the warmth, but the humidity, and the awful smell, she could have done without. Sparing a moment to think about how Boroto would have had some sort of olfactory illusion at hand to handle the smell she loosened the strap of her bag with an annoyed sigh. Quickly, not minding how odd she might look, she detached the fluted sleeves of her dress and carefully put them away. With the sleeves gone part of the extensive designs that covered her body were revealed; evocative depictions of elemental forces flowing down her arms around and over a central line of arcane symbols, terminating naturally at her wrists. If I'm going to be wandering around here again I need to make sure I get something more comfortable to wear, she idly thought. She didn't expect she would be spending much time here and so the thought was quickly forgotten as she started walking, her head slightly bowed...

With the sun set she stepped through Treasure Canal, her right hand gripping the wrist of her left as she took in the sights of it with wide eyes. Once again she wished Boroto was here with his illusions. Releasing her wrist from the death grip of her hand she crossed her arms; this time she realized just how often she'd been wishing Boroto was here. Stupid, stupid, she thought at herself. What would he say if he knew? She let out a small laugh. He'd probably be really nice about it, she realized. The man had been born with almost infinite patience, or so it seemed to her, and if he knew he'd say something about being flattered. Of course, he'd also then tell me it's okay to miss him, but that it had been my choice to leave and if I really wanted I could work as his assistant again. She couldn't do that though. It would be a step back, she reminded herself. Letting her arms settle at her sides Alis strided forward with her head held up as she restarted her search for a guide.

Well, my Diplomacy check got a 25 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4461106/), so there's that.

[Jade_Tarem]

"The finest in the south meets greatest in the west! Look no further than..."

"...guaranteed to tide you over until your next..."

"...the latest in unnatural male enhancement, why use a wand when you can whip out a Rod of Wonder? Trials are..."

"Yes, this fine beast comes from the deepest labyrinths of the Blasted Lands, and only a true..."
"...eighteen gold pieces for the trade, yes indeed. Will that be in..."
"This little trinket will bring you ecstasy, or luck, or possibly both! Who will dare to..."

"...do realize that's Candi with an "i", right miss? Well then..."
"Potions! Get your Potions! Taken from the hidden lair of Rum the Mad, they were! Powers beyond modern alchemy! All yours, for..."

The cacophony (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcHnqodZoJM) is nonstop, and it doesn't take Alis long to realize that 'looking odd' is not really a problem she should be concerned about - not here and now, anyway, for Treasure Canal more than lives up to its name. The scene is chaotic and unsettling, crowded with merchants, buyers, and their wares, all of them making noise and showing off. Even so, the sorceress finds her way through the insanity the same way she finds her way through magic - naturally, with a touch of talent. And before long a few remarkably helpful denizens of the bazaar, especially given that they were all poorly disguised elementals, have pointed her to a dark-skinned, green-haired elf. Spying Alis, he takes a low bow. "Greetings, miss! I am Calis en'Celinshon. How can I help ye this fine evening?" Half of his words were lost in the ruckus, but he made his meaning clear anyway.

[The Blue Guard]

Alishyon

Head still held upright she twisted her lips into a half-smile. "I'm looking for a guide through the Blood Pass to the Shadow Mountains." She answered bluntly. "And if I didn't find one here..." She paused to shake her head. "I was going to go looking for you. So, do you think you can help with that?"

[Jade_Tarem]

Calis taps his chin. "Sure, sure, but how were ye plannin' to get to the Shadow Mountains? It's a dangerous and long path, it is, and most o' the proper transportation is headin' the other way."

[The Blue Guard]

Alishyon

Alis looks slightly taken aback by that, but all the same she replies quickly. "Well, I can summon horses, so I was planning to summon one for myself and one for my guide during the day."

[Jade_Tarem]

"That's... one way to do it." Calis leans back against the wall. "You're still going t' go through bandit-infested terrain with little rest or respite. Not to mention the wildlife. Have ye considered a sea route?"

[The Blue Guard]

Alishyon

"I was told the Blood Pass was the safest, relatively speaking." Alis replied just as quickly as before, but now she was worried of appearing foolish and looked at Calis sideways.

[Jade_Tarem]

"The safest land route, aye." Calis drummed his fingers on his crossed arms. "But ye'd still 'ave to cross almost all of Amerys, an' then ye've got to cross the Mithkin Forest anyway. Now, we can go that way, but I'd recommend a real horse, preferably a magic horse, if ye can afford it."

[The Blue Guard]

Alisyhon

Alis smiled nervously. "No, no, that's just what I'd heard," she said, leaving out an almost implicit, "and I thought you might not know". "If you recommend a sea route, then I shouldn't really argue with that."

[Jade_Tarem]

"Wellllll, the sea route's got its own problems." Calis demurs. "Specifically, the only people headed in that direction are pirates an' privateers, an' it can be terrible hard to find the difference 'twixt the two. Fortunately, I know one fine captain here in town who should be trustworthy enough to get you where you need t' go. If you can find Captain Osang, mention that Calis sent ya and you'll have your ticket soon enough, an' yer guide, too."

[The Blue Guard]

Alishyon

"Oh, I..." Alis shrugs. "I thought you were going to be the guide." The admission comes with an awkward smile. "Which I suppose is an easy mistake to make as I was asking around for a guide and people directed me to you, so it's natural to think that I'm being directed to a guide." Alis stops babbling and slowly takes in a breath, her hands clutching at the front of her dress without easy to reach sleeves to worry. "Thank you." She adds quickly before all but running away.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. She chided herself. That was nothing to get embarrassed over and... urgh. Eventually she slowed down to a walk once she felt she was out of sight from Calis. He was very pretty though, she thought to herself with some distance between her and him. Rubbing her face she tried to banish those thoughts from her head and focus on the task at hand: find Captain Osang.

[Jade_Tarem]

Finding Osang proves to be trickier than anticipated. While everyone seems to know the captain in question, few can point out where "Ozzy" is, and they frequently make a note of how odd the captain's absence is, given that the Medias Res is in port. Before giving up, though...

Hidden Will Save Success!

Alis feels a strange surge, and a tug turns her down a dark alley... a dark alley with two men who might be best described as 'goons' beating a still form. A dwarf and a half orc, by the look of them, and neither seems to be showing signs of stopping...

[The Blue Guard]

Alishyon

Alis' eyes went wide as she was quickly, noiselessly, and powerlessly transported in a blatant violation of the conservation of magical energy. Or, at least, that's what she thinks just happened. Her immediate thought, however, was: this is impossible! Evidence quite readily apparent to the contrary though she had to admit that, apparently, it wasn't as impossible as she'd thought it was. Merely undocumented then, she decided. Undocumented in almost three thousand years of recorded history, or just not documented anywhere I know of... None of this made Alis feel very comfortable, but with a fascinating magical mystery in front of her she couldn't exactly feel unhappy either.

And then there was the beating going on. That made her fearful... and angry. "H-hey!" She shouted at the two with a slight stutter as she pulled up her courage. "Stop that!" She advanced forward a little, stabbing her finger angrily at the two as she spoke.

[Jade_Tarem]

The dwarf looks up at the half-orc. The half-orc looks down at the dwarf. They both look at Alis. Finally, the dwarf speaks. "Or?"

[The Blue Guard]

Alishyon

Or? Alis hadn't expected that. Shouldn't that be obvious? She wondered. If they didn't stop I'd do something to stop them! "I-I'm a sorceress." She said, slightly stuttering again. "If you don't stop, I'll shoot fire from my hands." She paused. "Lots of fire."

[Jade_Tarem]

The dwarf blinks at her. "Burning the guy you're trying to save along with us? What's your deal, lady?"

[The Blue Guard]

Alishyon

"I don't really like confrontation so I don't feel very comfortable right now, so if you could leave whoever that is alone I won't have to," and it was now than Alis wiggled her fingers in a somewhat menacing way at them. "Y'know, do magic at you." She glared at them for a moment before adding: "Which I'm very comfortable with, by the way, so don't get any funny ideas about that. The magic, that is. Not that you'd think I was talking about something else but I don't feel like ambiguity would help anyone right now." She wasn't planning to use the spell burning hands for that very reason - and because she'd probably set fire to the buildings too - and instead was planning to use the spell colour spray, but it sounds more intimidating to say she could shoot fire. It'd take a special person to flee at the mention of having colours shot at them, she griped to herself.

[Jade_Tarem]

"Yeah, you need to sound a bit more convincing when you say that." The Dwarf pulls out a small club, the half-orc a two-handed sword, and the pair rush toward the sorceress.

The rainbow-hued flash of lights could be seen for several blocks in each direction, but Treasure Canal was more than used to such things. A few people peered down the alley to see what the fuss was about, and then returned to the commerce and/or revelry, disappointed. The alley only held one standing, tattooed lady, and now three figures were sprawled across the filthy wooden by-way.

Rope is never in short supply in a harbor, especially not one as busy as Port Maverick, and as such the two thugs are quickly bound, both to each other and to the least rotten-looking support Alis can find. The victim of the pair appears to be in bad shape, however, both unconscious and bleeding, but still breathing.

Alis gains 200xp!
Loot:
1 Greatsword
1 Club
16 gold and 23 silver pieces
1 Surprisingly high-quality map of the western Erelyn Sea

[The Blue Guard]

Alishyon

Rather unused to the situation Alis hesitated at taking their weapons and the coin they had in their pocket, but after deciding to think of it as an Jackass Tax she slipped both into her bag. It was while she was putting away the weapons that she pulled out one of her wands - not that she had more than one, but she always intended to buy more so she thought of it as just one of her wands. This should fix him up, she thought to herself as she lightly tapped the wand against the man and activated it. Of course, he'll still be out for a short while, but he'll be up soon.

Wand of Infernal Healing! Ho!

[Jade_Tarem]

With a poke and a surge of magic, the beautiful and gentle healing essence of fifty damned souls flowed into the beaten man, and his wounds began to mend themselves. He stopped bleeding, and within a minute he was awake again, if disoriented. "What... who are you? And why does everything smell like brimstone?"

[The Blue Guard]

Alishyon

Alis laughed desperately, very uncomfortable that the best healing she was capable of was, by the laws of the very universe, 'morally questionable'. "Ah-heh, what doesn't?" She said, trying to divert his attention, stuffing the wand back in her bag. "I'm Alishyon, and despite what these two thought I am, in fact, a sorceress." She smiled and offered him a hand to help him up. "I did magic at them."

[Jade_Tarem]

"Well, good, good, that's good." The man is quite a bit older than Alis had first suspected, grey having thoroughly dominated his hair and beard some time ago. "My name is Rowden, though the crew calls me Rowdy... I don't suppose you could help me get back to my ship? Captain Osang will be pissed that I've been gone this long..."

[The Blue Guard]

Alishyon

"Oh!" Alis squeeks. "Well, isn't that terrifyingly convenient." Alis puts on a brave face, and makes a go of joking about it, but the fact is she was teleported somehow to exactly where she needed to be. "I'm trying to find Captain Osang myself."

[Jade_Tarem]

"Well you're in luck." Rowdy slowly, stiffly gets back to his feet. "Cap'n's been in port for days now, and it'll be days yet before we go, barring an emergency. What are ye lookin' to talk to 'er for, anyway?"

[The Blue Guard]

Alishyon

Alis smiles, her hands resting comfortably at her sides. "Well, it's all got to do with my family." She begins, adding some hand motions as she talked. "See, my grandfather was, and probably is, a dragon, but I don't know much else about him but that. Or anything else about my family, actually, which is why my grandfather being a dragon is important. See, I want to find my family, and with my mother dead there's not really any better way than making a list of dragons who have had half-dragon children. Those dragons would then be the candidates for being my grandfather. Though I'm not mad enough to then just start annoying dragons who might be my relative. I'll try to narrow it down from there, but I'm not there yet. It's why I'm here. I came to see if the local SAAOS office had any information on dragons that I could use. They didn't. They did however direct me to a local dragon who does: Carothrax, up in the Shadow Mountains. Unfortunately, there's a small war going on up there, and the safest land route, the Blood Pass, is still quite dangerous. It's for that reason that I went and tried to find a guide to help me there, and it was as I was looking for a guide to lead me up the Blood Pass that I found a nice gentleman who suggested a different route. A sea route, as you might have guessed, and suggested I talk with Captain Osang and tell them that I was his friend." Realizing that she'd just been talking at the man Alis let out a desperate little laugh. "I'm sorry, that was a bit much for a simple... I'll shut up now."

[Jade_Tarem]

"I'm not sure I followed all that, but it sure passed the time!" Rowdy staggers out onto a busier, better-lit area and Alis realizes that they've made the docks. "Now, then..." he takes a deep breath. "CAPTAIN! GOT A CLIENT FOR YA!"

"What? Who? Wha-" A thump is heard from the deck, followed by muted grousing. A moment later, a figure vaults overboard... the woman is striking, red hair held in check by a headband, sword and pistol belted over an abbreviated naval coat, sturdy trousers stuffed into high boots, and loose blouse giving the occasional hint of something shiny underneath it. "Good gods, Rowdy, did you forget the way back? Kind of a poor show for a navigator, isn't it?"

"Yer a laugh a minute captain." Rowdy deadpans, gesturing to the sorceress. "This 'ere is the Sorceress 'Elishon, though don't ask me to spell it. I ran into trouble in the canal and she magicked it away. Seems to be a decent lass, though she says she's lookin' for family up in the Shadow Mountains."

The woman winces. "That's not a good place to be lookin' for anything right now."

"I know." Rowdy nods to Alis. "And this is the good captain Naomi Osang, probably the daughter of one of the legendary Osang brothers and a fine swashbuckler in her own right, and this fine hulk in front of you is the Medias Res."

"Which, sadly, isn't going anywhere for a bit." Naomi scratches her head for a moment. "There's been a little incident... ah, there's no need to get into it, but if things get resolved I'll be sure to let you know, so long as the money's good."

[The Blue Guard]

Alishyon

Alis opens her mouth to say something about the mispronunciation of her name, but she was a little too unsure of herself with the shouting and the snarking. She even kept quiet when he said she was looking for family in the Shadow Mountains, but that was because she felt it was mostly the truth. "Well, I do have some money, but I was also told to tell you I was a friend of Calis..."