Post by Natalia Brynmad on Dec 2, 2005 17:10:35 GMT -5
The Search for Bellator, Part I
--------------------------
The sun had set a few hours ago, and there was little light from the moons breaking through the thick clouds. But I didn’t need to see; I know these woods almost as well as the ones back on Ispar.
I crept my way through the trees past groups of sleeping banderlings and drudges. Even with their sensitive eyes and ears, they didn’t notice me. I could easily kill them if I wished to, but I had more pressing matters. I needed to reach the settlement, and soon.
The smell of smoke crept into my nostrils. Soon I could see the settlement, and one cottage had a smoking chimney. I walked up to the door, but it was locked. So I walked around the cottage – the Arcanum were kind to provide homes, but their workmanship was not the best in the land. These were mages and researchers, not carpenters. Nearly every cottage had a window that wouldn’t stay shut. A quick run around the corner and I had found my faulty window.
I crept in, careful not to make a sound. I wouldn’t want to wake the home owner. All the candles on the main floor were out. Looking towards the stairs, I could see there was a small fire going in the hearth downstairs. I slipped down the stairs. In front of the fire in the corner opposite me was a young Aluvian woman. She sat on the stone floor wrapped in a faran robe.
She didn’t turn around, she just calmly said, “who’s there? What do you want?”
“Good to see you Natalia.” She stood up slowly and turned to me. Smiling, she warmly said, “Far Shot, am I glad to you standing there! You had me pretty startled!” I motioned for her to sit, “I have news regarding Bellator. Please, sit.”
--------------------------
I wasn’t expecting Far Shot to return tonight. He had been out on a one month hunting trip up north, and he wasn’t supposed to be back for another week. But with information about Bellator, I can see why he cut his trip short.
“Well, what have you learned?” I asked. “I was hunting north of here. Mostly banderlings and those altered drudges. I was about to attack an unsuspecting group of monougas, when I realized I was down to my last ten arrows. And I had no more fletching supplies to create more. So, I headed to the nearest settlement, which happened to be Bandit Castle.”
“I was haggling with the bowyer trying to get a better price for some greater arrowheads when I felt a tap on my shoulder.” “Who was it?” I asked. Far Shot glanced behind, then leaned in and whispered, “That would be assassin. The shady figure, Mr. Grey.”
I had always suspected he was involved in Bellator’s disappearance. Shortly after we all moved to this new settlement at the headwaters of the River Prosper, I had seen Mr. Grey lurking around near Bellator’s cottage. They seemed to become good friends, or at least friendly acquaintances. That dirty bandit must have used Bellator’s misguided trust to his advantage.
“What did he say to you?” I asked Far Shot. “He told me that some of his associates on the Vesayen Isles had seen someone matching the description of Bellator wondering around the islands around MacNiall’s Freehold. Even saw him go into the settlement a few times for supplies. Said he tried to trade a sack full of moarsmen heads for some stamina potions so they threw him out of town. I asked him where his associates had gotten a description of Bellator, but he had already produced an orb from his belt pouch. By the time I finished asking my question he had cast portal recall.”
This was strange. I could not figure out why that filthy vagabond would want to help us find Bellator. But, this was the only sighting we have heard of, and it did seem to match with the note I found in Bellator’s cottage. “Well Far Shot,” I said, “I say we head out in the morning. There should be an extra bedroll under the stairs for you. Sleep well.”
--------------------------
The next morning, the two told K’ur about their plan. He was kind enough to cook them a nice warm breakfast, and then he got to work on all the supplies they would need: rations, health potions, and fletching supplies. He of course told them it was no trouble, it was the least he could do as their patron. As they stepped out the door, K’ur followed them. “Good luck,” he said, “make me proud.”
Natalia pulled a portal gem out of a sack and crushed it in her palms. A swirling gateway appeared, and soon Natalia and Far Shot were in Shoushi. Thanks to the newly established portal network, a moment later they were standing in Kryst. The two made good time running through the jungle islands, and arrived in MacNiall’s freehold in 15 minutes. They immediately began to question the merchants. Warster the Handy was first. “Aye that’s him alright. Sword of lost light, shimmering armor. He was a good customer for a while. Brought in many useful things, though most of it smelled rank, like dead fish. Still, I paid him well for the items. Its hard to get any good suppliers out here… But then one day, he came here with a big ole sack of moarsmen heads. Didn’t say a word, just put the sack on me table here then reached for some potions. He thought them worthless heads were of any value to me! I brought the man to MacNiall and he told him what’s what. Kicked him out of town.”
Natalia thanked Warster for his time and gave him a D note, then Far Shot and her stepped outside. “what’d you give him 50,000 for? He didn’t tell us anything useful.” Natalia smiled. “Far Shot, I thought you would have caught on. The fishy smell, and the moarsmen heads. Seems Bellator has been killing a lot of moarsmen. I haven’t got a clue why, but I know a few caverns that are home to nothing but moarsmen. With any luck, we’ll find Bellator inside one, or at least a clue to where he is.”
--------------------------
--------------------------
The sun had set a few hours ago, and there was little light from the moons breaking through the thick clouds. But I didn’t need to see; I know these woods almost as well as the ones back on Ispar.
I crept my way through the trees past groups of sleeping banderlings and drudges. Even with their sensitive eyes and ears, they didn’t notice me. I could easily kill them if I wished to, but I had more pressing matters. I needed to reach the settlement, and soon.
The smell of smoke crept into my nostrils. Soon I could see the settlement, and one cottage had a smoking chimney. I walked up to the door, but it was locked. So I walked around the cottage – the Arcanum were kind to provide homes, but their workmanship was not the best in the land. These were mages and researchers, not carpenters. Nearly every cottage had a window that wouldn’t stay shut. A quick run around the corner and I had found my faulty window.
I crept in, careful not to make a sound. I wouldn’t want to wake the home owner. All the candles on the main floor were out. Looking towards the stairs, I could see there was a small fire going in the hearth downstairs. I slipped down the stairs. In front of the fire in the corner opposite me was a young Aluvian woman. She sat on the stone floor wrapped in a faran robe.
She didn’t turn around, she just calmly said, “who’s there? What do you want?”
“Good to see you Natalia.” She stood up slowly and turned to me. Smiling, she warmly said, “Far Shot, am I glad to you standing there! You had me pretty startled!” I motioned for her to sit, “I have news regarding Bellator. Please, sit.”
--------------------------
I wasn’t expecting Far Shot to return tonight. He had been out on a one month hunting trip up north, and he wasn’t supposed to be back for another week. But with information about Bellator, I can see why he cut his trip short.
“Well, what have you learned?” I asked. “I was hunting north of here. Mostly banderlings and those altered drudges. I was about to attack an unsuspecting group of monougas, when I realized I was down to my last ten arrows. And I had no more fletching supplies to create more. So, I headed to the nearest settlement, which happened to be Bandit Castle.”
“I was haggling with the bowyer trying to get a better price for some greater arrowheads when I felt a tap on my shoulder.” “Who was it?” I asked. Far Shot glanced behind, then leaned in and whispered, “That would be assassin. The shady figure, Mr. Grey.”
I had always suspected he was involved in Bellator’s disappearance. Shortly after we all moved to this new settlement at the headwaters of the River Prosper, I had seen Mr. Grey lurking around near Bellator’s cottage. They seemed to become good friends, or at least friendly acquaintances. That dirty bandit must have used Bellator’s misguided trust to his advantage.
“What did he say to you?” I asked Far Shot. “He told me that some of his associates on the Vesayen Isles had seen someone matching the description of Bellator wondering around the islands around MacNiall’s Freehold. Even saw him go into the settlement a few times for supplies. Said he tried to trade a sack full of moarsmen heads for some stamina potions so they threw him out of town. I asked him where his associates had gotten a description of Bellator, but he had already produced an orb from his belt pouch. By the time I finished asking my question he had cast portal recall.”
This was strange. I could not figure out why that filthy vagabond would want to help us find Bellator. But, this was the only sighting we have heard of, and it did seem to match with the note I found in Bellator’s cottage. “Well Far Shot,” I said, “I say we head out in the morning. There should be an extra bedroll under the stairs for you. Sleep well.”
--------------------------
The next morning, the two told K’ur about their plan. He was kind enough to cook them a nice warm breakfast, and then he got to work on all the supplies they would need: rations, health potions, and fletching supplies. He of course told them it was no trouble, it was the least he could do as their patron. As they stepped out the door, K’ur followed them. “Good luck,” he said, “make me proud.”
Natalia pulled a portal gem out of a sack and crushed it in her palms. A swirling gateway appeared, and soon Natalia and Far Shot were in Shoushi. Thanks to the newly established portal network, a moment later they were standing in Kryst. The two made good time running through the jungle islands, and arrived in MacNiall’s freehold in 15 minutes. They immediately began to question the merchants. Warster the Handy was first. “Aye that’s him alright. Sword of lost light, shimmering armor. He was a good customer for a while. Brought in many useful things, though most of it smelled rank, like dead fish. Still, I paid him well for the items. Its hard to get any good suppliers out here… But then one day, he came here with a big ole sack of moarsmen heads. Didn’t say a word, just put the sack on me table here then reached for some potions. He thought them worthless heads were of any value to me! I brought the man to MacNiall and he told him what’s what. Kicked him out of town.”
Natalia thanked Warster for his time and gave him a D note, then Far Shot and her stepped outside. “what’d you give him 50,000 for? He didn’t tell us anything useful.” Natalia smiled. “Far Shot, I thought you would have caught on. The fishy smell, and the moarsmen heads. Seems Bellator has been killing a lot of moarsmen. I haven’t got a clue why, but I know a few caverns that are home to nothing but moarsmen. With any luck, we’ll find Bellator inside one, or at least a clue to where he is.”
--------------------------