Roman shrugs armoured shoulders.  "It seemed best.  There was no great risk."  How could he know that Qiezx would carelessly lose important papers ?  With that he moves to oen side, arranging his position so eh can see both Baerin and whoever might be coming.

The newcomer approaches quickly, mounted, and with a second horse as a spare.  He reins in a good thirty feet away, studying Roman and Baerin, Qiexz, and the primitive tribesmen, and then back to Qiexz.

Finally he speaks, his words directed at the Chaosite ambassador, "Stand aside, Qiexz, you and your dogs, and you'll all live to see another day.  Or don't, if you prefer.  It makes no real difference to me."

Qiexz, for his part, merely nods, "You're welcome to pass, Vered, after you return my property."

roman does not expect the sorcerer to give up his ill-gotten gains without a fight.  Hoping that the Shadow-dweller has not reckoned on facing two Chaos Lords he silently begins to call up the Logrus.

Vered nods and sighs theatrically, "I can wait, Qiexz, I am in no real hurry, and you can't guard this road every minute of every day.  Or maybe I'll simply find another way."

He tugs at the reins and turns his horse back the way he came, and it continues to turn, until the man is once more facing towards those who block the path.  He raises one hand, and calls out, "Heyezrick nartha chirubo kzael'lem t'cha!"

The air around him starts to ripple, like heat haze on a midsummer day...

Sorcery! Roman spins the tendrils of the Logrus into a shield.  This is Qiezx' show - his papers and his enemy.  Without knowing Vered's capabilities it is hard to say which is the bluff - his threat or his apparent retreat, or if the Sorcery is an attack or a defence.  Turning his head but slightly towards Qiexz he asks "Do we take him ?"

Qiexz opens his mouth to answer Roman, and collapses before he can utter so much as a syllable.  Around him, the primitive-seeming tribesman he had brought with him as a show of strength also fall. 

Alongside Roman, Baerin leaps clear as his horse topples.  On his right hand, blue light flares from a ring worn on the littlest finger.  He reaches for the curved sword on his left hip, and moves to stand close to Roman, and glares at Vered with his one good eye, "That horse cost me a pretty penny.  If ye've slain it, I'll have one of yer own horses.  If ye want to argue, I'll have both yer horses, and ye'll lose whatever else ye have twixt yer legs, into the bargain."

Vered chuckles, "Not dead, merely sleeping.  Now, I'll be on my way, with my horses, and everything else that belongs to me.  If either of you think you can stop me, you are welcome to attempt it."

He urges his mount forward, past Roman and Baerin and the sleeping Qiexz.

Once the pressure on his Logrus-shield eases, Roman spins out tendrils of force, seeking the sorcerer's throat.  To silence, him, hold him, spill him from his steed.  No words, simply a chittering from the tendrils inside the armouring exoskeleton.  This requires concentration, a readiness to parry the next blow..

Vered suddenly lands on his rump on the ground, his eyes bulging and his face growing dark as he seems to struggle breathing.  His hands rise to his throat, pulling at his collar.

Baerin steps forward and crouches in front of the sorcerer, staring into his eyes, "Ye're looking a lot less sure of yerself."  He draws his sword, holding the tip against the man's throat, and turns his head to look at Roman, "If ye're thinking of asking him any questions, now might be a good time to let him breathe.  If he tries aught, I can have his throat slit 'fore he succeeds."

Qiexz should have prepared himself better Roman thinks.  He lets the sorceror choke a little longer while he tries to think of a better plan.  He doesn't.  "Do not let him speak" he advises, as he moves slowly to the fallen ambassador, trying to hold on to the Logrus.  If Qiexz can be awakened perhaps he will have better questions.  Starting with a simple shake, if necessary moving to Logrus-probes Roman seeks to return Qiexz to consciousnesss.

Baerin nods his assent, and the action causes the tip of his blade to waver, producing a trickle of blood and a gasp of pain.  "Hush now." Baerin growls, "I'm sure ye've nicked yerself worse than that shavin'.  If'n ye don't stay quiet, I'll make sure ye've got a scar ye can brag to the ladies about, but ye'll likely have ter do it in writin'."

Qiexz groans as Roman shakes him, then opens his eyes as the shaking becomes more vigorous.  Then the eyes close again immediately, and both hands go to his head, "Damn!  My head feels like I drank four bottles of cheap brandy.  Did Vered escape?  You must give chase, Chanicut."

If there were a human mouth within the exoskeletal "helm" it would be smiling at that.  But there wasn't anything capable of such expression encased in that strange armour.

Speech, fortunately was another matter,  "I brought him down", Roman states.  "Baerin guards him.  His power needs words". Qiexz should at least be pleased at the outcome, even if his own performance might be considered embarrassing.

"Ahah!" Qiexz exclaims, his hangover seeming to fade rapidly in the face of Roman's good news, "Most excellent, Chanicut."  The ambassador clambers unsteadily to his feet, and stands, swaying, while he gets his bearings.

Finally he staggers towards Vered, who is still held at sword's point.  "You there!  Where is my property?  Tell me immediately, or I'll kill you and tear the information from your mind as you die."

"Damn you, Qiexz, I'll give you nothing."

"Kill him." Qiexz instructs Baerin, who gives Roman a questioning look.

Roman hesitates a moment.  Yes, Qiexz could do what he says - if the sorcerer is not protected, or possessed of an unusually strong will.  And the man is dangerous.  But there would be no honour in the killing, and if Qiexz failed, the notes might be lost.  and maybe there is more to it...

"Wait" he tells Baerin.  Looking down at Vered he asks the question.  "Why are his notes worth more than your life ?"

Vered squints at Roman, tilting his head as far as he dares with Baerin's sword at his throat.  Baerin, for his part, seems more inclined to listen to the words of Roman, his companion on the road, over those of the stranger, Qiexz.

"The pages themselves are worthless to me." Vered replies after brief thought, "It is what they mean to him that is important.  Qiexz is a murderer, and by taking his carefully compiled notes, I had hoped to get some measure of vengeance against him.  Now, it appears, I am to die."

He sighs, "The papers have been destroyed, at least, and Qiexz will get no benefit from them now."

Roman would sigh, if his form were human.  Why couldn't the man just challenge Qiexz to a duel or hire a decent assassin or two?  And it could take a long time to rightly judge the truth of his accusation, especially as it is a mitigating factor at most.

"Your revenge is  ill-timed and ill-chosen.  Many may die from what you have done.  Is there any reason we should let you live?"

Qiexz appears about to say something, but holds his tongue as Roman questions the prisoner.

Roman might not be able to sigh, but Vered can, and does, "If I am to die, then so be it.  At least I die knowing that Qiexz gains no benefit from the secrets he stole from my bride, before he murdered her."

"Where you surprised Qiexz?  Did you believe that I, too, had been killed by your demon?"  A sad smile, and the man shakes his head, "No Qiexz, I defeated it, but only after my gentle Saara was torn apart by the thing.  And she had already told me of your theft."

"I have burned your notes, and the documents themselves.  All that remains is whatever scraps you can remember.  I hope your masters are wont to forgive, Qiexz, or things might go badly for you."

The Chaosite ambassador blanches, and speaks at last, "As Chanicut says, you have doomed many with you petty vengeance... "

"No more than you have doomed with your own scheme!"

So.  Vered claims that the notes were based on documents stolen from his wife and that Qiexz sent a demon to kill her.  Qiexz denies none of it.  And the information, it seems, is lost.  What a mess.  Could Qiexz not have got the information by other means ?

Roman looks to Qiexz. "Have you aught to say in your defence ?  Any reason why I should not leave the both of you to your quarrel?"

"Bah!" Qiexz snaps, "If you do not defend me against this man, Chanicut, then you are a traitor to the Courts.  His wife had accumulated hundreds of lines of notes, and theories, and suggestions concerning how to deal with these... these damnable Archons!"

"Then she refused to let me have the documents.  Threatened to give them to the Amberites... "

Vered sighs, and speaks in a calm, quiet tone, "Saara believed that everybody had an equal right to her notes on a force which threatens all.  She would have given them to you, and happily, but you insisted that you, and you alone, should have them."

"When she disputed this idea, you had her killed."

" I think that my own plans will be of more benefit to the Courts, than defending you from your own mistakes" Roman informs Qiexz.  "And why should I choose to involve myself further in your failure?"

"I say again.  Have either of you any reason why I should not leave the both of you to your quarrel?"

Vered smiles, "I have no objection whatsoever to your going about your business.  I will bid you a good day, and good luck."

Qiexz seems somewhat less sanguine about the whole idea though, "I say again, Chanicut, as a citizen of the Courts, it is your duty to defend those on official business who are waylaid by ruffians such as Vered."

"Your own house benefits from such action, and... "

"How, Qiexz?  How do they benefit?" sneers Vered, "The papers are gone.  Destroyed.  Nobody will benefit from them.  All he will achieve by killing me is that he will protect a murderer from the rightful vengeance of the victim's spouse."

"You failed.  You did not send the notes to the Courts or preserve a copy.  I am not required to protect you from the consequences of you failure" Roman answers, strongly suspecting that Qiexz sought personal advantage by keeping the notes to himself.  The failure of that gambit will not go down well at home, and Qiexz should be expected to be capable of handling a mere Shadow sorcerer.  "My business at least has some chance of benefitting the Courts.  If you have nothing better to offer, prepare yourself or run.  I give you that much."

"Bah!  This matter will not improve your standing at the Courts, Chanicut.  I will ensure that the Great Houses are informed of your behaviour here today."

Qiexz looks around, noting that most of his force are still unconscious, and will likely be of little help to him.  He starts to move off at a sedate stroll.  It is, however, noticeable that he gains speed as he also accumulates distance.  By the time he is among the nearest trees he is almost running...

Baerin offers Vered his hand and helps the sorcerer to his feet.  Vered, for his part, bows to Roman, "My thanks to you, Sir.  If I have my way, Qiexz will not live to make his report."

"And one more thing... "

He walks to his horse and removes a package from his saddlebag.  "Saara's papers.  Take them, and give them to whoever you will.  They are of no use to me.  My only concern was that Qiexz would not profit from Saara's death."

"Qiexz is a fool and a coward - lucky for you.  If he is delayed in his report it will serve me well enough. "  Roman answers.  Qiexz did not even think to ask how Vered had been overcome, although he could easily have done the same.

Roman accepts the offered notes. "I thank you.  I will try to make good use of them."

And now for Baerin.  "I am for a place where time flows faster and these may be copied quickly and accurately.   You may journey with me a while, or perhaps more.  If you come all the way, you may have a copy of these notes, if you wish.  Although, I would like to know who you are since you are clearly more than you appear, and not one likely to be much bothered by common bandits."

"'tis true enough, I am more than I seem." Baerin admits, "Though the same could be said of many of the folk I have met on my travels."

"I've travelled far in my life, and farther still.  Faded memories I have of other lives.  Or that, at least, is how it feels.  Often I'll remember the name of a place, or of a person, but the recollection is slippery as a fish, and I find that I can't remember the why of knowing it."

"I don't remember how old I am, but I do remember fighting in wars that nobody I've spoken to has ever heard of.  My name is not my own, but it was given me by a woman, a century or more past.  I woke up one day, and found that I didn't remember my name, and the woman said I'd not given her it 'fore I slept, so she named me Baerin and sent me on my way."

The man shrugs, "It feels as fitting as any other."

He pulls a flask from his saddlebag and takes a long drink from it, "I'll come with you on your road.  'tis but a new journey, after all, and I've enough of them behind me.  If I come to a place I've never seen afore, then I'll have learned something new, and if I have seen it afore, then perhaps I'll have learned a new way to get there."

"A strange life" Roman comments, wondering as to the origins of the man.  Chaos ?  Amber ?  Somewhere unknown ?

"But let us not tarry."  Roman begins to visualise the world of his desire.  A place where time runs fast,  where the inhabtants compulsively copy symbols placed before them.   Those of Amber might consider the creatures strange, the octopoidal body mounted on the quadruped body like something out of a centaur's bad dream.  But to those of Chaos, bodyform is more a matter of convenience and personality...