Cayzle's Wemic Site
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Eso'ay's IntroductionsThe Beginning
Your pride is from the plains far to the northeast of Jhonetel. You've travelled quite a ways to get here, but no crossing of oceans or anything was required.
Since you've mainly travelled only through the lands of Jhonetel, you've received primarily a curious reception. Although most people aren't quick to recognize you as a civilized being, it doesn't take them too long to figure it out. Fortunately, the people of Jhonetel love curiosities, music, and bards. (Such is not the case with Chalicia.)
You are currently in the town of Aldaeron, on the border between the nations of Jhonetel and the Chalicine Empire. With a port town nearby, the two great nations, and monster activity of this area, this little town often sees adventurers on their way from one quest to the next, and has built a small trade around housing and resupplying them.
To the north of the town, Darin's Road leads through Greywood to the small Jhonetel city of Tiefelsburg. To the south lies Briar Keep, a border output of the Chalicine Empire that rests on the edge of Briarwood. A few days' journey to the west takes one to the Plains of Summer, and then to the coast. To the east, through the thick forests, lies the Grimrock Foothills.
In the evening, after dinner, you are each approproached by a young boy. "I've been asked to tell you, good sir [or ma'am], that you've been requested by Tyrus Weber. He asks to meet you tomorrow at noon in the Tavern of the Broken Sword. You're to ask the innkeeper, Breg, for him. He says it's very important."
Eso'ay smiled at the boy, and sat cat-style to bring herself closer to the boy's level.
"What's yourr name, young human?" she asked, her accented Common an extended purr in his ear. "And wherre is this Taverrn of the Brroken Sworrd?"
The boy seems a bit frightened, but remains. "I'm Caleb -- like the lake down south. My mama says she used to live down by there."
As he answered, she deftly slipped her lyre from its bag, plucking a few gentle notes.
"The Broken Sword's in the center of town, next to the bakery." He points in the general direction. "It has a big sign with a mug and a broken sword on it. It's very popular. Breg's a nice guy."
"You'rre a cleverr one," she said to the boy's response. "And tell me, my new frriend, who Tyrrus Weberr might be."
"Tyrus is the biggest merchant in town, mabye even in all of Jhonetel. He sells weapons and armor to those nasty Chalicians, and takes cloth and food up north to the cities. He's not very friendly, but he told me once I could be his apprentice and visit the big cities! I heard they have magicians on every street corner. You must be pretty important if he wants to meet with you."
"Well, I have to go deliver more messages. It was nice to meet you!"
The boy runs off, back to work, much less suspicious than before.
Eso'ay found her way to the inn the boy mentioned, hoping to secure lodging there in preparation for the meeting tomorrow.
At the Tavern of the Broken Sword, the bartender, Breg, informs you that this is actually a tavern, not an inn. "However," he says, "I've got a room or two upstairs, and I'd be glad to exchange meals and a few nights' rent for entertainment." He gestures to the largely bored crowd in the tavern. "It's tough to get a good minstrel these days, and most people haven't seen the likes of you, anyhow." He seems quite warm and friendly.
Eso'ay gladly accepts Breg's offer. She performs for a short while, then pauses for some food and drink.
The performance goes quite well, although some people seem confused by you. There is little chance to talk to Breg, however, as he is very busy serving his customers.
You found that the meal is actually quite good, and the patrons seem pleased with the song.
After dinner Eso'ay adds a couple playful improvised short funny tunes to her mix of songs and lyre, like:
"In Briarrwood came I to pine
"Forr haunch of swine and flask of wine.
"In Aldaerron came I to long
"Forr tasty food and chance of song.
"In Brreg's fine house came I and found
"The finest meat and drrink around!"
Yes, I know I'm singing a commercial, but Eso'ay sees no problem complimenting a patron so long as she isn't actually lying! Eso'ay senses that the crowd doesn't quite know what to make of her. "Well," she thinks, "I know my accent is hard to understand sometimes, and they probably haven't seen too many minstrels who keep time with their tails! But they seem happy."
Note Eso'ay doesn't have an accent in her thoughts! The Wemic plays for a long time, but not so long as to be exhausting. She has an important day tomorrow.
Introductions
The following day, you all arrive at the Tavern of the Broken Sword at noon to meet Tyrus Weber. The tavern is for the most part empty; a few foreigners are at lunch, and a group of old men are huddled around a table in the corner, talking and playing cards. The tavern has a similar appearance, old and worn, but friendly.
As each of you enter, Breg, bartender and owner of the tavern, greets you warmly and motions for you to sit at a large square table in the center of the tavern. About three sides of the table are five chairs and some sort of large, dark green cushion.
When you have all been seated, Breg approaches and greets you again. "You'd be the ones to meet Tyrus, I reckon. He's asked for me to arrange a place for ye, but he won't be for a little while, I believe. Somethin' about some business he had to take care of. Can I get ye anything to eat or drink while ye pass the time? Finest ale in the region, I say. I've even got some elven wines in from the northlands."
Eso'ay (Cayzle)
A large centaur-like creature steps up to the big green cushion. But rather than half-horse, half-human, she is half-lion, half-human.
The creature is tall -- her head tops 6 feet, and you might guess her length at about 10 feet. Her long hair is auburn and braided with beads entwined. Her fur is a reddish brown, and her skin is deeply tan. She is wearing a heavy embroidered white shirt, a belt, and not much else. She sets her shield and a huge sword on the floor beside her. She has an oddly shaped backpack that she slips off and cradles as she sits.
"Well, this must be forr me," she says, sinking onto the cushion. "How thoughtful of you, Brreg! Yes, I would love a small drrink of wine."
She turns her cat-slit eyes on the other people in the room. "But how rrude of me," she says, and her thick accent purrs through the air. "I am Eso'ay, a barrd, and I am at yourr serrvice!" She rises fluidly, bows at the hips, and sits again.
Cyrus (Cyrus)
Cyrus looks at Eso'ay
says, "a wemic are you. I have always heard that they are evil creatures. Is this so?" With that he lays his battleaxe on the table in plain view
within easy reach.Eso’ay
Eso'ay's tail lashes as she listens to this. She looks at Cyrus directly and openly, and says in clear tones, "You have only hearrd the worrst of fables about my people, I deem. No, wemics arre not evil folk, though some are betterr and some arre worrse, as with humans."
She pauses a moment and sips her wine. "I do not delight in causing pain. I do not place my own desirres above those of my frriends and associates. I wish no strrangerr harrm. I do not call myself evil."
Cyrus (Cyrus)
Ah, well, we shall see, won't we. I hope for your sake that you are not. And please don't call me a human as I take offense to that. I am a dwarf
very proud of it.Eso’ay
Eso'ay looks more closely at Cyrus. "Please forrgive my ignorrance -- you arre the firrst dwarrf I have seen. I would neverr want to offend anotherr perrson based on theirr rrace alone, especially if I did not know what I was talking about." She smiles.
"But come, if we arre to be comrrades, let us also be frriends. Will you shake my hand?"
The wemic reaches out over the table.
Cyrus
Cyrus cautiously extends his hand to Eso'ay
shakes hers.Tasha (Agnes)
Tasha seats herself (as is her custom) with her back to the wall facing the door. She seems to be a little wary in the city around strangers. Ordering fruit cheese bread and a glass of wine, she settles back to observe the goings on around her. Very curious about their host, she is quiet and listens to see if the others know any more than she does about him and what he might have to propose.
Mageron (Jacob)
I enter wearing a black hooded cape, a pair of black pants, black boots, and black shirt and sit at on one of the chairs the bartender motioned too I sat on one where I can keep a watch at the door with the conor of my eye and the bar. "I will have a glass of water for now."
Eso'ay smiles at the man in black as he sits down.
"Hello, I'm Mageron," he says. "May I ask you, Eso'ay, what type of demi-human you are? Not to make you feel uncomfortable -- I just curious. We do not see many demi-humans around here that much."
Eso’ay
"Not at all, frriend Magerron," Eso'ay says. "Please do not fearr offending me! My skin is as thick as a lion's!" She laughs.
"Folk like me are as scarrce herreabouts as whales are in the savannah of my homeland. I am a Wemic."
Lakyah (Bobbie)
I walk in wearing a pair of worn out breeches and tunic and soft leather knee high boots. My hair is left down so that no one could see my ears. I smile at the others at the table.
"Thanks Sir Breg. I would like cheese, bread and a small amount of that wine you have."
I look around the table at the others sitting here. "My name is Lakyah. I have never been here but it is a nice place to visit."
I sit very still because I am nervous around other people. The secrets that I hide could make these people nervous.
Tasha
Tasha sets quietly thinking. She was the first to set down at the table now she wonders if she should introduce herself. Perhaps it would be best to wait until there host arrived she muses to herself. Also she wonders how many other strangers will join them? Then the introductions would have to be repeated for the new arrivals. No, she will wait awhile and see what the next little while will bring. She sits twirling one of the locks of hair that hangs over her shoulder. She sees the latest to join the group is an elf or at least part elf like herself she too lets her hair cover her ears.
Breg
Breg answers, "I'm sure Merchant Weber will be naught but a few minutes, if ye don't mind waiting. He's a quite busy man, but not one to be late, that's for sure. Though he may not be the friendliest or most honest of folk, he's one to keep his word, he is, and sure enough you'll receive recompense for time lost. That is, if he hasn't already bought yer time."
He leaves and soon returns with the ordered food and drink.
Larrs (Ted)
The time comes and Larrs arrives at noon sharp, toolbox in hand.
He's a might confused, and when he sits at the table he does so with a grin. The carpenter nodds knowingly to the others at his table. "This has gotta be a big job if he's called all of us in on it. More than fixing a bunch of chairs, I'm sure. Well at least it looks like he's buying us lun..." Larrs gets midway through his ramble when he notices Eso'ay. "My God!" he exclaims, jumping backward in his seat, spilling tools everywhere. "What the hell are you??"
Eso’ay
Eso'ay stays seated, smiling. She sings:
"What has fourr legs, tail, and paws?
"What has two hands, voice, and hearrt?
"What would offerr frriendly cause
"Dodging rain of nails and saws
"Hoping for a grracious starrt?"She stops singing and declares, "Me!"
Eso'ay slips a lyre from her bag as she speaks and begins to casually finger a soft, soothing melody.
"Please, frriend carrpenterr, sit down and join us! I am but a wanderring minstrrel from a distant land. Please overrlook my unfamiliarr forrm and judge me by my worrds and deeds."
She motions to herself, bowing slightly (from her sitting position), and says, "My name is Eso'ay. I am a Wemic. What is your name?"
Mageron
"So if your done attacking us with your tools my good sir does anyone know what Tyrus Weber wants us to do or what type of goods he sells which might give us a clue?"
Eso’ay
Eso'ay replies, "I underrstand that he sells weapons and arrmorr to the Chalicians, and trrades cloth and food to the norrtherrn cities."
Larrs
"My name is Larrs, good ca.....lady. I'm sorry for my outburst but I've never seen your likes before. I'm realy naught but just a simple man - a simple man who probably fell asleep on the job!" the large man laughs nervously.
Larrs proceeds to bend over and pick up his chair and gather his spilt tools. The task is made unneccessarily difficult because the carpenter refuses to take his eyes from Eso'ay. Thus his massive form is groping about blindly mouth agape and possibly gathering flies. He really does look quite comical bent over as such.
Our Employer
Tyrus
A short, somewhat stern-looking man with cold, grey eyes seats himself at the unoccupied edge of the table, pulling up a chair from a neighboring one. He looks as if he's no stranger to trouble, and none too friendly either. "Good afternoon. I'm Tyrus Weber, as you may have well guessed, and if you haven't gotten the chance to meet one another yet, this is Cyrus, Larrs, Eso'ay, Lakyah, Tasha, and Mageron." He points to each of you in turn.
"You can take those tools back home, Larrs, for it's not carpentry work I need now. As some of you may know, I run a number of merchant caravans to the cities of Jhonetel and the outskirts of the Chalicine Empire. Recently, my caravans have been attacked and the goods stolen; by whom, I know not, as I do not regularly travel with them. I suspect it may be a plot by my employees, although it may be bandits... or otherwise. Thus, I would like to hire you six to accompany me, as well as a driver and my two most trusted guards, on a caravan to the city of Tiefelsburg, a few days' journey north of here. I would like for you to appear as
somewhat normal caravan guards; this shouldn't be too much of a problem, as I often hire all manner of people as guards. It's difficult to find truly skilled help in these parts; but, I digress. I urge you to consider it. I am already aware that none of you are currently on other business, with the exception of our good carpenter here, so you certainly should have the time for it. If you wish, my small caravan will most likely continue further north to larger cities, if you wish to continue on. Finally, I can pay you well for your trouble. I offer fifty gold in advance and fifty upon your return, with a hundred gold bonus if you discover and eliminate the source of the trouble. I will provide food, shelter, and other considerations along the trail and in the city." "Ah, yes. Findings. As I am not funding an adventuring expedition, but rather hiring guards and investigators, I will allow you to divide any findings amongst yourselves as you see fit. However, any stolen goods that are recovered will have to be returned to the Merchant's Guild in Jhonetel. I believe they award a finder's fee of 10% of the current market value. As I am funding the caravan and will be transporting any found goods, I'll take half of the fee, and you may divide the remainder amonst yourselves. However, it may be a moot point, as we dont' know who the attackers are or what has become of the goods; it's quite probable that they're unrecoverable."
"As for dangers, Greywood is known to be a haven to a number of humanoid tribes, including orcs, goblins, and ogres, as well as a number of other beasts. These are not often encountered on the trail, though, and are often readily dealt with. As for the attackers we seek, I do not know. Recently, however, every one of my caravans headed northwards has not reached its destination, even though messengers can usually make it back and forth. No reports of unusual activity have reached me, so I do not know what to expect."
"Oh, and if any of you are in need of armor before we set out, if you so choose, I have some equipment waiting to be sent to Chalicia, from which I can sell you whatever you may need."
"So, what do you say?"
Mageron (Jacob)
Closing his eye's as if contemplation on the proposal. then after a few minutues "Well I have been waiting for a chance to explore the world a little sure you can count me in"
Tasha (Agnes)
Ah, yes Sir, You have hit up on one thing That I have not yet learned to make for myself and I truly need if I am to do much successful fighting. I would be greatful for some elven chain mail if you have any in your stock to fit such as I..
With that Tasha rises from behind the table that was hiding all but her head and sholders. This is the first time any of them had gotten a good look at her. She looks to be about 19.
She stands 5ft.2in and weighs120 lbs. and very well endowed. She is fair skined, her hair is much longer than showed while she was sitting. It's very soft blond almost white and flows well past her hips she wears it loose to cover her ears, at presant.
Her eyes are blue-violet some times sad sometimes happy but always mysterious. She wears soft white leather pants that come to her knees, and boots to match that come almost to meet her pants at the knee. The blouse she has on is of a strange meterial that shimmers silver white in the light and has a light purple cast to the wieve. On the back of the chair she was setting in is a deep purple cloak.
On the floor beside the chair is sizable leather backpack with her other equipment in it. At her belt is tied a water skin and a pouch on the other side is a skaberd with knife. Though from this angle no one can see the hand axe at the small of her back tucked in her belt. At this time she leans over and picks up her short bow and quiver of arrows and slings them onto her shoulder.
"As Mr. Weber said my name is Tasha, Tasha Trock I am please to meet you all ." With that she bows gracefully.
"When do we leave? I'm not much for these Cities."
[Evidently gets an answer of NO on the armor]
Well it was worth a shot.
Thank you. Anyway.
Any armor is better than what I have, but I don't want anything to bulky.
I've camped in the woods just outside of town where do I go to try on this armor?
Where do you want me to be at dawn?
Eso'ay
Eso'ay speaks, looking at Tyrus Weber.
"I am inclined to agrree to yourr offerr, sirr. But if I may ask a few questions ..."
"You want to hirre us to play the rroles of carravan guarrds, although ourr actual rroles arre to prrotect you and to investigate the cause of yourr lost shipments? Is that right?"
I'll assume the answer is, basically, Yes. "But 'guarrd' and 'investigatorr' may conflict with each other. Which takes prriority? Will you expect all orr some of us brreak off frrom guarrding to follow clues?"
"And therre will be morre questions as the investigation continues. What goods exactly have been lost? Why do you suspect yourr employees? Which ones? Wherre did the attacks take place? Were the rraces of the attackerrs rreporrted to you?"
"I'm surre we will have morre to discuss as we prroceed," Eso'ay concludes. "When do we leave?"
[Eso'ay uses this conversation to read Tyrus' emotions. She learns ...]
Tyrus is confused, afraid, and upset. It seems as if his story and his concerns about his caravan and employees are genuine. He honestly doesn't understand what's happening, and wants to find out and put a stop to it.
Lakyah (Bobbie)
"Yes Good Sir I would be happy to help you when you are in need. I know that this is where I am to be and that I am to go what is needed of me.One thing I would like to see if you have any Elven Chainmail.It will have to be small because I am not very big.Hello to all of you my name is Lakyah and I am glad to meet new people like you."I sit back down and hope that this feeling will go for now that something is missing from this challenge.
Mageron (Jacob)
"Not to be rude but I see others here requesting elven chain mail. I would like to now if you have any magical clothing possibly in the realm of robe, clocks, coths, or rings that bring protection do you.
Tyrus
"For the last time, I carry nothing magical, nothing made of blackstone, and no rare armors such as elven chain. I only have goods that can be sold as is to the Chalicians; studded leather, brigandine, and primarily chain."
"As for your role, your primary role for now is to protect the caravan goods. My two guards should be able to secure my personal protection. If something happens later on, I may send you to investigate, but that will be decided when the time comes."
"Since it seems that all of you are going to be accompanying me, I thank you. We will set out shortly after daybreak at my warehouse. Any of you who need armor can purchase a suit directly at that time; you will also be given your advance pay then - there should be time for you to make any small purchases in town if need be." He gives you directions and a description of the warehouse.
"Well, I must be off to secure other matters and make sure all is ready. Remember -- tomorrow at daybreak!" He turns to the barkeep and orders him to put what you have ordered on his bill, and then leaves.