Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
From: nealk@maths.tcd.ie (Neal Kidson)
Subject: Garol arrives...
Message-ID: <1993Jan29.093939.11710@maths.tcd.ie>
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1993 09:39:39 GMT


                       Garol arrives in Generica
                       -------------------------
 
  The guard at the gates to the city shivered. It was a bitterly cold night
and the rain was pouring down onto him. Once again he regretted drawing the
short straw for this nights duty. His thoughts stopped for a second as he
tried to get some shelter from a particularly bad gust. He began cursing the
situation, not to mention his fellow-guardsen who were warmly ensconsed in
the guardroom behind the gates. He stopped a second later when he glimpsed
something moving in the night. The figure seemmed to dissapear in the rain.
A few seconds later he saw a man walking easily towards the gates. He was 
dressed completely in black. He was holding a staff in one hand. The guard
noticed the hilts of two swords, one on either side of his waist. 
  "Halt!" shouted the guard hoarsely into the storm, "Who approaches the gates
of Generica!"
  The man walked up to the guard. He was fairly tall and looked quite well built
from what the guard could see of him. His face was hidden by the black cloak he
wore. 
  "My name is Garol Karmentor." said the man in a low voice.
  Karmentor.....Karmentor....where have I heard that name before? wondered the
guard. He signalled for the gates to be opened and the wanderer walked through.
  As he walked through the streets of Generica Garols mind was full.
How long have I got before they get here? They'll definately find me but
how long will it take them? He considered this question as he walked, not
out of fear but rather to plan for it. About a day or so he decided eventually.
About a day. A day to prepare So now I want to get to the Dragons-Inn he thought
thought as he walked down The Arcade of Fountains. The sound of the fountains 
themselves was silenced by the deafening downpour of the rain yet Garol could
still admire the famed fountains of the City of Fountains. 
  The weather was as bad inside the city as outside. The walls and buildings 
seemed to offer no protection, but this didn't bother Garol. As he passed one
of the myriad alleyways he noticed an uneven struggle between two heavyset
muggers and a lightly built man. Without pausing for thought Garol headed
down the alley stealthily and silently.
  As he approached he noticed a body lying in the gutter. It bore a resemblance
to the two muggers. Garol closed in, still unnoticed by any of the combatants.
  "Looks like your luck's up Haenem." growled one of the thugs. 
  There was a bloodstain down the side of Haenems tunic.
  "At least I'll take you with me!" yelled the man defiantly, over the thunder.
  Garol smiled. Nice to help someone with a spirit for a change. His staff 
whirled twice, both would-be murderers went down with their skulls caved in.
The mans face registered shock and astonishment for a second, then gratitude.
  "Thanks." wheezed Haenem wincing as he spoke, "Didn't think it was that bad.."
he said as he probed his injured ribs.
  Garol lightly touched the side of the mans chest, feeling the broken ribs and
the bruises. He concentrated for a second and Haerem felt a heat build up in his
chest. As it built up the pain diminished. It was still there but it was much
less. He could breath without too much difficulty. He looked at the stranger.
  "We're still going to have to get you to a physician " Garol said in that
low voice of his, "Do you know of one around here?"
  "Yes, he's a few streets away"
  "Then lets go. Don't try to overexert yourself." warned Garol.
They moved through the streets fairly slowly, the rain pouring down around them
as they walked, until they reached the physicians. Garol knocked on the door 
and was mildly surprised when it opened. Obviously this physician was not just 
after money unlike a few others he knew of. Garol motioned Haerem ahead of him 
and after he entered Garol let the door close and headed back towards the 
Dragons-Inn.
  "He'll be OK" thought Garol as he moved away.
  Should be just along here...thought Garol as he walked down Dragons Lane. 
There it is, just where he said it'd be. Garol approached the door of the 
Dragons-Inn and grasped the handle.
  He opened the door and walked through the portal into the Inn. Pausing only
to briefly glance around the various nooks and crannies of the Dragons-Inn and
throw back his hood, revealing his hard grey eyes and his black hair held back
by a strip of black cloth tied round his head, Garol went up to the bar.
  "A flagon of mead and a meal for a hungry traveller." he said, dropping some 
coins to the counter. He didn't realy listen to whatever it was the barman
said as his mind had returned to the problem of his pursuit. He carried his 
meal to a table in one of the shady corners and began to eat after leaning his 
staff in the corner where he could keep his eye on it.
  After he finished his meal Garol made arrangements for a room at the Inn.
He then headed towards his room.
  Sometime the next morning Garol sat at his table in one of the many corners of
the Inn. The daylight didn't really add that much more light to the scene and
Garols corner was quite dark. This combined with his black clothing made him 
all but invisible as he sat. The only movement, that of his arm as he quietly
took a swallow of his ale or when he occasionaly cast his eyes around the room.
The murmur of conversation filled his ears. He also noticed the man in the
brown cloak taking a more than casual interest in him. The man rose and made his
way over to Garols table.
  "Hi," he said, uninvitedly sitting down to Garols left, "I'd like to be the
first to welcome..."
Here his voice trailed off as Garols gaze hit him straight in the face, Garols 
right hand clenched painfully around the hand lightly groping for Garols money
pouch and Garols left hand came up to the mans neck and smoothly, quietly 
rendered him unconscious with what appeared to be just a touch.
  Garol pulled a large heavy pouch out of one of the thiefs many pockets and
weighed it in his hand. He opened it, briefly examined its shimmering contents,
and walked up to the bar.
  "If anyone wants a drink,", he said to Littlefair in a voice just loud enough
to be heard in all corners of the Inn, "Its on the thief lying unconscious in
the corner, there." A slight bit of humour had inserted itself into his voice.
He handed the pouch to Littlefair and returned to his seat, noting the
occasional grin here and there in the Inn.
  The thief awoke, groaning, a few moments later. His groans increased when
he discovered the loss of his pouch. He turned to face Garol.
  "If you live by thieving,", said Garol, the hint of humour still in his voice,
"then you must be prepared to take the cons with the pros."
  His look bore into the thiefs eyes. The thief recoiled slightly and didn't 
press the matter. He rose slowly and staggered out of the Inn.
  Garol remained at the table, calmly drinking. He kept an eye out to see if
anyone took up the thiefs kind offer of drinks.....