"Oh Erald!" Lyria gushes, trying not to speak too loudly as she hurries forward to embrace the boy, "Oh thank Camendur you are all right!"

"Sister!" Erald replies, his voice breaking as he clutches her with all his might.

Caled glances awkwardly at Larend, clearly uncomfortable with such a display of raw emotion.

"My lady, we should get moving," he suggests tentatively after what he feels is an appropriate moment.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:56, Tue 26 Mar 2019.

"Yes," Falnis agrees, swinging himself up onto his horse. "Much though I hate to agree with Caled on anything, he does have a point. We have an uncle to terminate, preferably before sunrise. Did you find anything interesting, by the way Caled, on the body of the dead man upstairs? Anything that might tell us what direction said uncle is riding in, or why they decided to ambush two representatives of the king, aside from the obvious?"

Falnis looks like he, too, has no idea about what to do with tearful females or human children. He definitely doesn't look like someone who is mostly interested in finding out whether Reln was still carrying two thousand carens' worth of amethysts on his body when he died.

OOC: Dalmar Argant rolled 44 using 1d20+27.  Bluff.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:27, Thu 30 Dec 2021.

Caled shakes his head.

"Nothing to suggest where Galnor Veldorn might be. He did have a pouch of amethysts on him though. Assuming these were payment from Veldorn he must have access to greater wealth than I would have thought," he shakes his head grimly before glancing around, "Where is that mercenary who went with you? You didn't kill him did you?"

OOC: Caled Aravor rolled 21 using 1d20+5. Sense Motive.

"Sir Knight, you grossly underestimate the going price for mercenaries these days if you think he could afford to hire an army of thugs to do things like burn estates down, commit treason, and kidnap small children without such funding... Though given your Prince's ideas about what qualifies as fair payment for myself, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. And as for the mercenary, would it matter if I had? You did give me permission to, after all."

Caled frowns at Falnis' inference of his prince's stinginess. However he shrugs with regard to the mercenary's fate.

"True. At least that solves the issue of what to do with him. Now, we need to get you out of town immediately," he adds to Lyria, "I will not have you or your brother kidnapped a second time. Larend, take Ralen and Vandal and escort Lady Veldorn and her brother out of town. Find a safe place somewhere off the road and keep watch for us. Falnis and I shall locate Galnor. After he has been dealt with we shall rejoin you."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:06, Wed 27 Mar 2019.

Larend nods, wincing as he heaves himself onto his mount. He grits his teeth with a look of grim determination as he signals for the others to do the same.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:09, Wed 27 Mar 2019.

Lyria rises, nodding.

"Thank you Falnis," she says with a sincere nod of thanks as she hoists her brother onto her horse before swinging herself up behind him.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:10, Wed 27 Mar 2019.

"You are most welcome, Lady Veldorn," Falnis says easily, as Lyria and the others depart.

After the their clattering hooves has faded into the dark streets beyond he turns to Caled.

"I am curious: At what age do your lords and knights get the training that transforms them from that into the sort of human I am used to meeting when someone introduces themselves as "sir" or "lord" so-and-so in Thane? Do you have academies your males are sent to for things like pride and racial intolerance?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:12, Wed 27 Mar 2019.

Caled gives Falnis an unimpressed glance.

"We need to locate Galnor," he says pointedly, "Larend and I had little success with our questioning of the tavern patrons. However the barman clearly knew something, and I suspect a number of those men are in Galnor's employ. How are your skills when it comes to gleaning information?"

"That depends. What is your supply of carens like, and how prepared are you to part with those jewels you found on the body of our dead friend upstairs?"

"Are we seriously having this conversation?" Caled asks reprovingly.

"Are you seriously asking me to spend my money to help you finish your mission, when you have just admitted you now have a pouch of extremely valuable jewels of your own?" Falnis counters, extending an expectant hand for the pouch.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:23, Wed 27 Mar 2019.

Caled sighs, shaking his head as he withdraws the pouch of amethysts and passes it over, looking as though his expectations for the ethical standards of both varim and swords-for-hire in general have been thoroughly satisfied this evening.

"You had better get me Galnor Veldorn's whereabouts," he says sourly.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:29, Wed 27 Mar 2019.

If he notices this, Falnis doesn't seem to mind.

"I thought you'd see things my way eventually," he smiles. "I will be back soon. Try not to get yourself killed or too badly injured while I'm gone, won't you?"

With this not very flattering farewell, the varim departs, pulling his hood down to cover his face and making his way around to the front of the tavern where he proceeds to approach the bar and set down three carens and order both, 'your finest wine,' and, 'information about where a mercenary can find good work these days, because rumor has it that there's a lord in these parts who is paying very well.'

OOC: Dalmar Argant rolled 24 using 1d20+10.  Gather Information Check.
Dalmar Argant rolled 29 using 1d20+27.  Bluff Check (to not look suspicious).
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:29, Thu 30 Dec 2021.

Any doubts the barman might have harboured regarding Falnis' motives and character are dismissed the moment his eyes alight on the three carens, which are eagerly scooped up and into the pouch at his belt.

"Glass o' Hyrond, make it snappy!" he bellows over his shoulder, before turning back to Falnis and leaning closer, "Ye be correct 'bout his lordship," he grins with a knowing nod, "He be payin' very well for men willin' te trade their skill for coin. Unfortunately his lordship be out o' town just now. Left earlier this afternoon. But young Deln over yonder can most likely tell ye when he'll be back," he jerks his head towards where the man who locked Caled and Larend in the upstairs room lurks in the shadows at the foot of the staircase, "He's always runnin' errands for his lordship."

OOC: Barman rolled 11 using 1d20. Sense Motive.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:19, Wed 27 Mar 2019.

"Deln, you say?" Falnis says, following the direction of his gaze. "I will be happy to make his acquaintance. But just to be safe, in what direction did His Lordship ride?" A fourth caren makes its way onto the bar. "Just in case the good Deln has different ideas than I do about what sort of percentage of my payment is fair for introduction rates these days?"

The barman eyes the caren before secreting it into the same pouch as the others.

"He was headin' west, from what I 'eard," he replies, "Got a friend in those parts. Important lord from what I 'ear, though he don't talk much to a 'umble barman like me 'bout such matters. Visits 'im from time to time. Usually not gone more than a few days. Ah, ye wine," he snatches the glass roughly from the grubby youth who has scurried out of the kitchen, before carefully placing it before Falnis.

"If ye be needin' anythin' else m'lord just say the word. Got a nice soup goin' this eve, and a couple o' our finest rooms if ye be lookin' to stay for a bit."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:53, Wed 27 Mar 2019.

"I will indeed say the word," Falnis assures him, accepting the glass of Hyrond. "Though that will depend on my success with our young friend."

Leaving the barman, Falnis approaches the greasy figure in the corner. The sharp-sighted would notice the hand beneath his cloak move slightly and his eyes flicker a slightly deeper blue for a moment, but beneath the shadows of his hood, it is impossible to be sure.

OOC: Dalmar Argant rolled 29 using 1d20+23.  Spot Check.
Dalmar Argant rolled 10 using 1d20+4.  Spellcraft check (Empathy).
Dalmar Argant rolled 43 using 1d20+30.  Hide Check to conceal hand.

(Dalmar has cast Empathy. (5 MP). DC 21 will save).

Deln glances at Falnis as he approaches, and the varim senses a combination of fear and suspicion from the man. He also notes the man surreptitiously reaching into the folds of his tunic, where he suspects a dagger may be hidden.

"Can I help you?" Deln asks as Falnis reaches him, trying to sound light.

OOC: Deln Walen rolled 25 using 1d20+9. Spot.
Deln Walen rolled 18 using 1d20+8. Sleight of Hand.

"Possibly. Due to... personal reasons, I am in need of funds, and looking for work. Our friend the barman tells me that you are the one I need to go to if I want information on where well-paid work can be found in these parts?"

The varim's air is one of professional interest only; if he notices the suspicion radiating from Deln, he seems to accept it as the natural response of any shadowy figure in a corner at being approached by an unknown and possibly well-armed stranger.

OOC: Dalmar Argant rolled 40 using 1d20+32.  Bluff Check.

Falnis doesn't need his magically enhanced senses to perceive Deln visibly relax at his words. The man removes his hand from the folds of his tunic as he regards the cloaked varim appraisingly.

"Oh? What are your skills?"

OOC: Deln Walen rolled 19 using 1d20+5. Sense Motive.

"Lying, sneaking, and killing," Falnis says, who also does not need to lie to sound convincing about this. "Preferably via a knife in the back, as I do not favor fair fights. However, as mentioned, I am in need of funds, so I will not be working for future favors or the handful of carens that qualifies as lawful payment in the Southern Provinces. Therefore, before I waste your time or you mine, may I confirm that your Lord is willing to pay standard mercenary rates?"
This message was last edited by the player at 04:41, Wed 27 Mar 2019.

Falnis senses a slight uneasiness from Deln regarding just how casually the varim divulges his skills in murder and intrigue, and has no trouble deducing that Deln is not one such killer himself. Still, he does not let any of this uneasiness show on his features, merely rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Oh, your pay won't be a problem," he says confidently, without actually confirming what these 'mercenary rates' might be, "However Veldorn won't be back for a couple of days, so you'd best make yourself comfortable."