From: justinf@cco.caltech.edu (Justin Fang) Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: INTRO: Meran Quicksilver Date: 19 Jan 1993 11:31:17 GMT Message-ID: Quietly, and without fuss, a figure appeared on a hill outside the city. It looked around, and began walking down the hill. A new world, a new city, a new day, it thought. Had anyone been around to see, he would have noted that the figure was that of a totally nondescript human male, the sort of person who would completely escape notice almost anywhere. This was intentional. The man paused, as he noticed that the cold. He paused, and the light clothing he wore... changed, into cold weather gear. Then he continued walking. The guard on duty at the gate noted the approaching figure. No weapons, no gaudy clothing, nothing unusual. Finally! Someone who wasn't an adventurer. He called out. "Halt! State you name and purpose!" "Huh?" The man concentrated slightly, and understood when the guard repeated his request. He paused for a moment. Hmm... he considered for a moment, then picked one. "Meran Quicksilver, a traveller." The guard opened the gate. "Quicksilver" seemed a particularily inappropriate name for the very ordinary man in front, but he could call himself "Lizarddung" as far as the guard cared. Meran walked through, paused, and asked, "Could you direct me to the most... interesting inn around?" The guard sighed inwardly as he gave out the directions to the Dragon's Inn. Another adventurer, after all. Meran strolled down the streets of Generica looking around. This city seemed fairly large (though still smaller than home), he should probably learn the layout. The best way to do that was from the air. A small, equally nondescript hawk appeared on his shoulder and took off. He continued walking toward the inn while examining the city through the hawk's eyes. This seemed to be the place. Meram opened the door, walked in, and looked around. The place had rather more than the usual number of dark corners, and all of them seemed to be occupied by mysterious-looking cloaked figures. He randomly picked a table and sat down, noting that it's other occupants were a sprite and a man about whom everything screamed "Wizard!". Typical adventurers' hangout. Nice to know, no matter how far you traveled, some things remained the same. Meram continued his observation of the Inn's varied cliente. I'll stay here for a while, pick up the local customs and culture, find out what's going on, he thought. > A small black circle, expanding quickly, could be seen forming there. People > at the bar moved back so they would not be directly under this "hole" while > others crowded forward for a better look. > > Then, a wail started to be heard. Some type of scream seemed to emerge > from the black hole, the sound getting louder as the hole expanded. Some > people drew weapons, not knowing what to expect while others prepped spells > just in case. > > Just as the scream got a little too loud, out fell a screaming man wearing a > flimsy white coat. He slammed hard into the bar, as if he had fallen a couple > of stories, and laid there groaning. With the appearance of the man, the feeling > and the black hole disappeared. Then again, maybe something will happen sooner. Meran got up and went over to the new arrival. Hmm... let's see. No gaping wounds or obvious fractured bones, but probably very painful. > SCA! It's got to be a bunch from the SCA. Why were they just gawking. Again > he tried to ask for for help. All he managed to croak was "Pleasssseeeee...." > and passed out again. The man gasped out what Meran guessed was a plea for help. Although his talent translated it fine, it wasn't in any language Meran knew, or in any language he'd heard used here. Curiouser and curiouser... But first, his wounds needed treatment. Meran reached out and touched the stranger. WIth his mind, he out the broken nose and cracked ribs and willed the bone to knit, the flesh to heal. That would have to do for now. Justin Fang (justinf@cco.caltech.edu) This space intentionally left blank.