"Well bless my soul, I didn't think one of those actually existed," says a merry voice, low in tone and quite cultured. There's a short, slender male standing near watching Lysande's actions.

It's evident by his features that he has some elven heritage though he isn't a pureblood by any means. His tip tilted dark blue eyes squint a bit as he examines the map. His skin is deeply browned and contrasts sharply with his dark brown hair, which is bleached on top by the sun revealing a wheat colored streak on his crown that's braided back from a smooth forehead, unmarked by battle or disease.

The half elf is dressed in traveling leathers and has a harp case strapped to his back. He wears no jewellry and no adornments, his ears free of bangles and his slender, dexterous fingers free of rings.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:51, Fri 25 Apr 2008.

Alister was a little disappointedly that Vikko wasn't with them anymore, still they should find someone else to do it if no one in the group can't.  To his surprise someone out of the blue suddenly drop out of nowhere, a blessing from above?  Perhaps.  Better make sure his telling the truth, the paladin made a mental note.

"Here have a sit."  Alister welcomingly offered his chair, and quickly procured another one.

---
Detect Evil on Rix'?

Rix grins delightedly, "Don't mind if I do. Thankee."


"I just got in from crossing the high desert and thought I'd stop by my favorite place for a drinkee and a song. 'Course, I run into the usual rabble and whatnot so it's hard for a body to get a bit of peace when one's popular."

"Glad to meetcha. 'M name's Rix'nah'vee, jes' a minstrel with a long stride, itchy feet, and sound pipes. Most folks hereabouts call me Rix. Feel free. And who now has the pleasure of offering me this fine seat?"

Rix' startling blue eyes go once around the table, assessing the party. He curls a strand of dark hair back behind one ear and raises his other hand, signalling a server for a drink, which is brought promptly by a bubbling server, who's shoed away with the promise of a good song later. It's obvious he's a regular and very well liked, at least by the serving wenches. His drink of choice appears to be a smooth apple honey mead, which he savors in slow sips while slouching back in his chair.

The hand with the mead in it rests easily alongst the table and his other hand drums the table as he waits for your response. It's not an impatient drumming, more like someone who's part and parcel of music and can't let the beat go. Even though it's a simple beat of knuckles on wood, you find yourself slightly invigorated after the days travel and the beat almost makes you want to tap your toes along in harmony.

Rix occassionally purses his sensually shaped mouth into a pucker and whistles softly a tune to match his drumming as he sits with your party.

"Alister Flaga, baker of breads and slayer of beast.  Good to meet you Rix.  My companions are Lynsande..."  He gestures with an open hand to Lynsande.  Alister tried his best to introduce each one of his companion properly.  Then proceeds with Joseph and Aelynia.  "...then Joseph and Aelynia."

"Must be rough to travel along the black road, we had trouble dealing with a particular bandit group.  But before anything else do you mind satisfying my curiosity?"  Alister was smiling warmly, he was planning to ask something important.

"Well and good, that would depend," Rix says, not committing to anything. "What are you curious about? A tale? A song? A rumor? Got plenty of all."

"There should be a swamp just south of this city right?  Have you heard anything about that place, any tale that would fancy our ears?"  Alister seems curious.  He didn't like it when that particular power fails him, hopefully he still have his wits to depend on.

Rix's eyes gleam with satisfaction at capturing the interest of an audience. He signals for another mead and straightens his posture. A brief flash of his sharp white teeth show an almost predatory anticipation like a wolf going in for a successful kill. Here is a man who treats storytelling like the most serious of hunts evidently.

"Once when the world was younger yet, a great evil dragon queen was slain on a particular site and the site was buried to seal the taint of so vile a darkness. Time passed as it will and only the greatest of scholars and bards, such as myself, remembered the histories therein.'

'It came to pass that an altar was constructed to seal the evil into the earth and priests set to guard this altar from evil only they were not prepared when several thousands of years ago, Abylos (a warlike civilization) raided the great ziggurat of Ul-Khaz'kul within the ancient nation of Uru'Nuk, the very site I profess to tell you of, friend. It is said that the Abylos entered the temple, slaughtered the priests and priestesses, and desecrated the altar with their actions.'

'However, it was not a true coup, no, for the High Priest cast powerful magics which sunk the altar, this famed ziggurat, deep into the earth so that the evil wind which howled from the bowels of the slain queen's grave could not release its evil into the lands above. The poor priest in the doing doomed himself, the surviving holy ones, and the men of Abylos to imprisonment within the ziggurat. The warriors were eventually slain by the dragon queen's servants.'

'Tis said their souls cannot escape the altar, either. And the poor priestly personages are corrupted by the vile evil as well. It's said in olden times, that one could hear perversions of the old holy chants once said near the structure..."

Rix pauses to sip some mead, his voice which had fallen hushed with the telling, returned to normal. "It's a wicked tale of an old evil. Some would call it silly as no one finds its credible that Tiamat was slain there but gods have been known to die and come back, so I suppose it's possible, eh? So what do you think?"

Before you have a chance to speak, he adds with a nod to the map, "One of the legends associated with the sunken altar abound about an Inscribed Tablet etched with curious glyphs and a map with a legend written in a language that appears to resemble Infernal. I've never seen the Tablet, only professed rubbings of the etchings...which is what you appear to have in your possession. It's curious that you have it. I'm interested in the historical value but there are adventurers seeking the map for its rumored treasure within the altar."

"The treasure is not such that I would call it but weapons that were instrumental in slaying the dragon queen are said to be within the Ziggurat: a spear, a bow, a knife, and a mace. However, I find it more interesting that there are stirrings amongst the guise of those who worship a black scorpion interested in seeking out that altar and raising the essence of the great evil back to a semblance of controlled power."

Rix settles back in his chair. "But that is all I know, and the last speculation, though activities on the trade route seem support this great Bard's theories. So again, I ask, what do you think, Holy One?"

(OOC: The last question he has directed at Alistair.)

Alistair, in the telling of the tale, also experiences a subtle shift of thought in the back of his mind.

"I..."  Alister paused briefly as he hatch something on his mind.  Tyr was pretty quick on dropping a hint on his lap.  "Wanna go with us?"

"I?" Rix looks astounded at the offer, pausing in the sip of his mead. He glances consideringly at the party around the table. "Hmm. What do your companions say, is what I think. I haven't heard from them as of yet. Also, you don't know much about me."

"Granted, I'm a par excellent bard, so I understand the appeal," Rix says modestly, shooting Alistair a sly glance from beneath his lowered lashes.

Aelynia sat quietly on Joseph's lap.  She was so small that she was easily able to sit back within the circle of his arm without causing him any trouble.  The monk listened to the tale, rumors, and conjectures without a word.  Such a thing could be possible, she realized.  And she was, of course, just the kind of person that should try to stop any kind of evil from returning to scour the land she cared about, the people she so loved.  So when Alistair pretty much said that they were going, Aelynia gave him a soft smile.  It was quite simply the right thing to do.

Lysande had been quietly trying to figure out the meaning of the map by herself but unsuccessfully. Her attention returned to the present and Rix'nah'vee's presence as it was. "Sorry I was a bit distracted. Lysande Nenuial, of the Evermeet Nenuial." she introduced herself with a curteous nod for there wasn't enough room to take a bow. The sun elf looked at the bard, assessing what she saw. While he didn't look like he was an asset to fighting monsters, his knowledge might prove useful in a ruin where past knowledge could become a life-saver. For a brief second she regretted not having paid more attention to ancient history lessons, but she also remembered the fun she had when out hunting or practicing the art.

"Black Scorpio... Tiamat? - Now that seems more than a coincidence."

"Perhaps they did not slay Tiamat but one of her avatars or another form of incarnation. That would seem more believable.

I think having your talents with us could be sensible. There may be times we would appreciate an uplifting song while surrounded by dark shadows. Joseph, Aelynia? What do you think?"

Aelynia looked up at Joseph.  She saw no reason to deny Alister's suggestion, but perhaps Joseph knew something she didn't.

Joseph hadn't really been paying attention, those kinds of tales weren't really his favorites, and he doubted it'd be important.  So, when people started to talk about it, and about this bard going with them, he really wasn't sure what they would be setting off to do.  Trusting Aelynia, however, he nodded slowly.  "We should rest before going anywhere - at least one night's sleep in a proper room would do good, I feel," he spoke quietly after a few moments.

"Very well then, I shall accompany you. I hope you don't mind being written into song and legend," Rix says with a sideways glance. "I'm afraid my adventures are oft used for song fodder."

"I can tell you on your map that the numerals 1-4 refer to the different routes available for accessing the ancient holy place. Take your pick of the following and let me know so I might prepare for the journey. I say we if you're agreeable, it would be better to journey after the hottest part of the day is over, perhaps late afternoon to evening to twilight and night in the interests of avoiding the perils of the desert."

Rix sips his mead and starts to decipher some of the map.

"The fast river, Laeon. Clear of creatures. cataracts and rapids.

The slow river, Urudu. Full of creatures.

Direct travel through the swamp itself.

Travel up from the ocean."

"Hmm, these are remarkably sparse instructions. Which route shall we take?"

Lysande pondered the options for a while.

Option one: The fast river, Laeon. She did like the idea of avoiding contact with creatures, apparently not having to fight anyone or anything, but the thought of cataracts and rapids made her shudder, she couldn't swim and drowning felt like such a waste of her life. Even if they tramped along the sides, they would have to climb the falls.

Option two: The slow river, Urudu. Slow was good, wasn't it? Could they travel along its banks? Again the thought of meeting a wet death didn't appeal to her at all, so travel by boat wasn't really on her mind.

Option three: Direct travel through the swamp itself. "And add insects, crocodiles and other nasties plus the risk of vanishing in a sinkhole." Definately a no go.

Option four: Travel up from the ocean. Well, that did seem to be acceptible, although the way would be much longer but what meant time to an elf?

"Unless anyone has a good reason to object, I would suggest we take the route from the sea. It seems to be the one with the least dangers involved and it makes no sense to chose a more dangerous path if we need our strengths for the real enemy." Lysande said, gently stroking Aluvendar's neck, his favorite spot.

"Wait, the temple is inside the swamp?"  Alister asked.

---
The ocean route meaning the moonsea?

"Perhaps the Moonsea. Truth to tell,there's no idea how old or accurate this map is nor whom wrote it. I have no idea the frame of reference. If it was the Moonsea, there's got to be a tributary or maybe an ocean underground?"

Rix considers the map. "I'm not entirely sure. It'd help to know the starting point of whoever wrote the map or tablet. Maybe it was so long ago the geography has changed?"

"In any event, I don't think the ocean's viable any longer. Or maybe there was an ocean prior to the start of the Anauroch Desert. I heard tell that it's a magical desert."

"So all that is left is going there directly?  Whether its watery or sandy we still have to go there regardless.  Yes, I like the desert more than a river filled  up to brim with unspeakable horrors."  Alister later asks the barkeep is there is room available.

Rix sits back from the table and stares at the map pensively, alternately pushing and pulling his spread fingertips together and back. He meets your gaze directly, "So, plan for a trip directly from the desert straight through the swamp, then? Shall I meet you back here within one day? I'd like to provision myself before we head out. Also, is there any information you need from me now? Otherwise, I'll likely start shopping tonight."

Joseph didn't say anything, but he looked forward to moving out.  Slowly, he stood up, placing Aelynia in the seat he'd used, and whispered that he'd be right back, going over to the bar to procure a room for Aelynia and himself.

Whatever shopping you are going to do and whatever provisions you are going to take, you may consider your character doing that prior to meeting Rix tomorrow to leave on the trip. Unless you have an encounter you want or need RP, please post in the adventure thread from now on.

ooc: posted yesterday from my mobile but it didn`t get through. I suggested looking for a map of the same age as the paper we found. If necessary go to Evereska to check the library there.

OOC:  I have a feeling Joseph and Alister would be forced to wait at the 'door' if we go there, though.  :p

You might also consider the bard has likely done some information gathering for your group as well, since you have effectively made him an ally for the time being.