Fairhaven: D&D Based SRP

[Lethe]

(OOC: minor correction; Lethe's hair is black, not blonde)


Lethe nodded.

'I crossed a river swollen by the floods coming here. As I was half way across, gaunt creatures in ragged robes ambushed me. I tore this one from one of their necks'

Lethe produced an amulet, engraven with the broken wheel, swinging from a chain of dull lead, notched with verdigris.

'In the shallows before the river-shore I fought one off, a lank-haired thing that ripped at my horse with its teeth. I passed my sword through its ribs three times, but it would not let go. I had to leave it there, and flee on foot'

Lethe bowed.

'I am called Lethe'

 

[Snork Maiden]

Fern

'It's nice to meet you, Lethe', I reply as the half elf rises from his courteous bow,

'And well versed in manners', I add to my mental list of his attributes.

'My name is Fern, Fern Falconhand. I'm from Shadowdale originally but I have been wandering these past few years earning a living as a caravan guide and tracker.' I dip my head in acknowledgement without breaking eye contact as I introduce myself.

'It sounds like you had a lucky escape, it is a pity about your steed, such things are a rare and expensive commodity in these parts', I continued,

'And obviously well off if he can afford to leave his horse at the mercy of zombies', I add to my mental profiling.

'So what brings you here to Fairhaven?'

 

[Lethe]

'I come from Calimport. I was hoping to find my sister in these parts... the last who saw her said she was travelling in this direction. When we parted things were... not right between us'

Flickers of Mya's pale face in the shadows, the burning flame and cold dark water

'I wanted to find her, see if I could amend matters. But none know her here'

Lethe shrugged.

'I am driven by a strange fate. I doubt I will ever see Mya again, but I have the money for a pointless search for a few weeks in any case...'

Flickers of the place he had earned that money. Lethe drank deeply, trying to wash the taste of betrayal away.

 

[Snork Maiden]

Fern

OOC - I don't exactly know where Fairhaven is. I figure its in the dalelands.

IC
'You have journeyed far then, Lethe. I have never been to Calimshan, but I have heard tales of its desert and the coast of the Shining Sea. It is a sad tale you tell of your sister. What make you think she is here?'

 

[Lethe]

'We parted ways in the north, in Icewind Dale. I do not know where she went and at the time I did not care.
'I only recently sought news of her, and heard she was in the Dalelands three years ago'

Lethe shrugged

'I leave these ruins of friendships behind me everywhere'

He was suddenly angered by himself. Babbling away of his sorrows to the first girl he met. Lethe moved away from Fern a little, and his voice had a colder, more formal edge as he asked:

'And you? What brings you to Fairhaven?'

 

[Snork Maiden]

Fern

Sensing a tonal change in his voice as he moved away, I smile friendly at him.

'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry, but you did start the conversation.', I say apologetically

'Actually I am part of a group of travelling hire hands who were working for Abdullah Ben Yousef. I believe he's a Calishite, like yourself. We were hired to protect his caravan, he is an honorable merchant and paid us well for our troubles. Now we're here however I guess we'll have to find suitable employment or join a caravan heading west'

 

[Lethe]

Lethe nodded.

'You are right. I'm sorry. I am not from Calimshan, as it happens, I merely stayed there recently'

He looked around the bar, eyes flicking restlessly.

'Would you allow me to join your group when you leave town? I thought I could travel alone, but a... darkness seems to be gathering. There is safety in numbers'

Lethe's smile touched his lips, but somehow his eyes stayed locked behind sorrow and hardness.

Darkness always gathers around me. I would not be alone, to face the coming storm

 

[Snork Maiden]

Fern

'I'm sure you would be welcome to join our party, wherever they are, to be honest I haven't seen them since I came in here with Abraxas, but he's had to leave on one of his wonderlusts', I reply

'Ofcourse you'd have to meet the rest of them, I'm not the spokesperson, we kindda act as a collective in party decisions, when they're about.'

Just then a maid comes up to me, 'Your bath is ready M'me if 'you'd like to follow me I'll show to the bath chamber.'

I look at Lethe, ' I do hope you'll excuse me, I've been longing for this bath for weeks', I smile at him. 'Maybe later we could have a look around the town together?'

 

[ARaynes]

Ishkama

Ishkama noticed the tall blonde move over to Fern. Until now she had stayed silently back, watching not wanting to look for trouble. She watches as Abraxas kissed Fern's hand and then seemed to leave on his way.

Now, she was interested in what the conversation between the two was about.

She walked up to Fern. "Who is your new friend? Should we worry about him?" She whispered into Fern's ear.

 

[Snork Maiden]

Fern

'Oh. Hi Ish', I say as the elf creeps up from the shadows and whispers in my ear. 'I didn't realise you were lurking here.

'This is Lethe, he's a traveller from the South, we were discussing those amulet things the zombies were wearing amongst some other things', I continue, not wishing to be untactful by discussing Lethe's other more personal conversation.

'Lethe, this is Ishkama, she's one of my travelling companions', I say introducing the Elf to the Half Elf.

'I'm not being rude but I must dash before my bath gets cold',

Turning to the maid I follow her out to the bath chambers leaving the two fighters to talk Elvy stuff etc etc...

'Catch you later', call back at them

 

[ARaynes]

Ishkama

"Hello, Lethe. Do you know something of the amulets?" Ishkama asked. She looked at the half-elf gauging his appearance and wondering if he would be a good fighter.

 

[Lethe]

Lethe shrugged.

'I know nothing beyond what you yourselves have encountered. Small groups of the undead wearing the amulets'

The lights of the tavern glinted in the deep red of the elven girl's hair.

'Do you want a drink?'

 

[ARaynes]

Ishkama

"Sure, I could use an elven wine. If you can afford it." She smiled. She knew she a knack for the finer things, but not everyone could get the.

"It is a mystery," She said, "the zombies just attacking like that. Where were you attacked?"

 

[SpectreT]

Narrator and GM

First, quick geography update. Fairhaven is in Cormyr, near the Sembian border, on the Dragonmere. I made up the town, so it's not on the official map. (Huge thing - Ed Greenwood must've lost his mind making that one.) It is definitely hell and gone from Calimshan. Traveling East would take you into Sembia, West is Cormyr. Second, a quick time update. It is early afternoon.

At any rate, a man in a green tabard with a silver eagle enters the inn, carrying a sealed scroll.

"I seek the Heroes of the Gate, who stopped an attack of Zombies on our city Gates." Spotting Ishkama, he hurries over to her and hands her the scroll. "Please, gather your friends at the mansion gates this evening. The Lord D'Arcie would like to personally thank you for your efforts on behalf of Fairhaven."

The Scroll is sealed with green wax, and bears an eagle much like the one on this man's tabard.

 

[ARaynes]

Ishkama

"Yes, We will be there. Thank you."

"I must go gather my companions, but first I will have that drink." She says to Lethe. "Where are you from?"

 

[Lethe]

Lethe signalled the bartender, who thrust two glasses full of elven wine across the counter.

Lethe lifted his and studied it. The golden wine, squeezed from ripe yellow grapes that had ripened in the sun of Evereska for months, seemed to shine.

'I am from a small city-state that is no more. It was called Aeruin'

He stood, staring bleakly at nothing, while Ishkama sipped the wine, then moved with abrupt speed, laying his untasted wine-glass down on the bar.

'I have a request to make. Could I travel with you and your companions?'

 

[ARaynes]

Ishkama

Ishkama wanted to say yes, but the decision was not hers to make. "We would have to speak to the rest of the group about that, but I am sure there would be an opening for another. Do you have any talents? A good fighter perhaps? Healing?"

She looked at him and noticed a worried look to his eyes. He must have seen many hardships she thought.

 

[Lethe]

'I am a bard. I know some tricks, the half-formed, grotesque spells of students and I can use a blade'

 

[ARaynes]

Ishkama

"OH, Ok. That could come in handy and the entertainment of such a handsome bard could definately cheer up the troops." She smiles obviously flirting.

 

[Lethe]

Lethe smiled back, a touch hesitantly. He shook off his grim thoughts, feeling uncharacteristically light-hearted talking to Ishkama

'It has certainly been a long time since I've had such congenial companions. Are there any in your group but beautiful women?'

 

[ARaynes]

Ishkama

"mmm, Yes, There is also Arlen, who is female, and then there is Matt and Ralak, who are male. Then you have met Fern." Ishkama told her new friend. She had done something that was uncharacteristic of her. She blushed. She did not do that very often.

"I noticed that you are halfelf ....Were you raised with the elves or with humans."

 

[Lethe]

Lethe watched Ishkama colour with a wry half-smile. She didn't strike him as easily flustered.

'I was raised by human nobles, though I never saw much of either parent'

He remembered with a twinge, like that of an old wound, the closed garden where he and his siblings had spent most of their time.

'Should I help you gather your companions?', he added, hurriedly changing the subject before he became maudlin once again

 

[ARaynes]

Ishkama

"mmm, yes, let's go gather them." Ishkama finished her drink and went towards the rooms and bath area.

 

[Lethe]

The bathing rooms were in an older part of the inn, lined with heavy oak wood. Steam and the noise of splashing water drifted from under a dozen doors; slightly shrunk in their frames under the effect of the heat over the years.

Lethe padded along the corridor, following Ishkama's lead and studying the redhead from behind as though trying to work out a complex puzzle.

They arrived at the door the innkeeper had indicated as Fern's. Lethe arched an eyebrow

'Perhaps we should knock'

While they waited for a response, Lethe asked suddenly:

'What part of Faerun are you from, Ish?'

He did not notice his use of the nickname, overheard from Fern, until the words left his mouth

 

[ARaynes]

Ishkama

Ishkama noticed the use of her nickname. Did that mean he liked her? She turned to face him. "I am from Neverwinter. Do you know of it?"

She didn't want Fern to answer, but knew that until she did, she had this raven haired man all to herself.