Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn From: BGHO000 Subject: [Jiri]:The Wolfmage has come. Message-ID: <25MAR93.05941903.0061@VM1.MCGILL.CA> Date: Thu, 25 Mar 1993 10:30:06 GMT Once more the hooded figure emerges from the shadows in the back corner of the Inn. Lowering his hood and removing his cloak, the elven mage walks to the bar and orders an ale. As he waits for his drink, he surve ys the inn, his mind lightly probing. When he is satisfied that all is as it should be, Jiriku takes his mug and seats himself in a corner tabl to wait. The elf waits quite a long time, ordering more ale and cursing colorfully every few minutes. Before his wait is over, he has managed to get quite drunk. In the middle of his fifteenth pint, Jiriku looks up sharply and settles his gaze on the door. "It's about time, by Kurath's bloody head," he mutters as he struggles to rise. Somehow, he manages to stand up without knocking anything over, and without spilling too much of his ale. Pushing his silver locks back out of his face, the Wolfmage stumbles towards the door. When he is halfway ther a huge form fills the doorway. After a short pause, a hulking jungle cat pads lightly into the Inn to stand before the golden eyed elf. "By the gods, I've been waiting a good while. You're two weeks late!" the elf admonishes his friend, who even then begins to shift, his body changing into a more human shape, and a rich red cloak and swordbelt appearing upon the massive frame. The man-cat looks down upon the elf before him and grins, showing off his cruelly pointed fangs. "Jiriku, my friend, it has been a long journey. I am near dead from thirst, and you don't even have an ale or three waiting for me!" The gruff yet noble voice is full of mirth as the cat begins to laugh and grabs the Wolfmage in a crushing bearhug (cathug?). "Ah, Jiri, 'tis been a long time." Stuggling for air, Jiriku manages to loosen the grip around him ere he replies. "Yes, friend Kyhra, it has. Too long. About two weeks too long..." Releasing the elf from the hug, Kyhra cuffs him lightly on the shoulde with a furry paw. "Oh, by the three tails of Granog! You're beginning to sound like Dargon. What wrong, are you getting old too, Wolfmage? Come, let us sit and raise glasses together. We have much to catch up on old friend." The elf muttered something barely audible about great age and the right to complain before breaking out in a large grin and turing back to his table. Swaying slightly as he sat, Jiriku slammed his mug down a little to hard, sloshing ale up all over his face, and uttering another curse worthy of a dwarf. "I see you've started without me, sylvan. I guess I'll have to do something about that!" Turning to the barmaid who walked cautiously towards the pairs bearing two more mug of ale, Kyhra let out a great laugh and motioned to her with a great paw. "Come girl, I'll not bite thee! Well, as long as you keep the ale coming I won't! Now that I think on it, why don't you just bring us a keg of your finest. Just bring it out and set it here beside me." Forgetting her fear for a moment, the girl gave Kyhra a shocked look. "The whole keg, sir? Have you the coin? And the thirst?" Kyhra laughed once more as he reached into his pouch and pulled forth a small leather bag full to bursting with gold coin which he slammed down on the table. "I have the coin, and don't ever doubt my thirst girl. Now fetch that ale, so I can get started!" Turning to his elven friend, Kyhra raised the mug the girl had brought. "To good times, good adventure, and good wenching!" "Aye, my friend. And to good ale too!" The elf raised his mug as well and the two slammmed them together ere pounding the mugs back in one go, a feat that takes little time or effort for the huge feline. Long into the night the two companions drink, sharing tales as well as recounting past adventures. The talk soon turns, as it must always with adventurers, to future exploits. Jiriku lowers his voice slightly as he fixes Kyhra with a suddenly sober and serious eye. "I have not learned all that much about Generica yet, my friend, but I have seen several opertunities. There is a thriving Thieves Guild in this city, known as the Fellowship, and a strong Mages Guild as well. The Guild tries to control all magical business in the city, but there are several independents. I must think more on it, and the Mages Guild is not one to willingly cross, but I sense an opportunity there for us. The port of this city is bustling, and trade is good. I heard a rumor that a certain friend of ours has passed through the port recently. A certain thief..." "Cain?" Kyhra cut in excitedly. "Yes, Kyhra, it was him, if the information I got was accurate. It seems he has taken up with a certain ship that he conducts his 'business' from. If we can get in touch with Cain, I know that he will have something up his sleeve. And he will surely join us, even if his smuggling operation is as lucrative as I suspect it would be. I know that the authorities in Generica do not take kindly to pirates and smugglers, but I also know that the Fellowship is a powerful force here. Perhaps there is something there..." Kyhra chuckled and refilled his mug. It would be good to be adventurin with his old comrades again, especially if they could turn a good profit in this city. "Jiri, I do look forward to the days ahead. I think tommorrow I'll head down to the Low City and seek out information. I could also use a little merc work right now. My blade is thirsty. I believe I have enough to establish ourselves up in a house somewhere, but we'll need to do some more research first. You look into the Mages Guild, and try to find out more about Cain's whereabouts. I have a felling that things will happen fairly quickly once we get them rolling. "Yes, Kyhra, they will. Oh, by the way, there is a certain perfumer in town that will pay for blood eaters and drinkers of souls." Kyhra bared his teeth in a wicked grin. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" At Jiriku's nod, Kyhra chuckled. "Ah, but we could not do tha to him... but perhaps, perhaps there is something in that..." Jiriku finished his ale and yawned. "Ah, but it nears rest time for me. I have not slept in ages, and this ale tires me. I'm staying upstairs, in the corner room. And you?" The man-cat nodded."I have not a room yet, but I'll not require one just yet. The night is young, and I would hunt still. Or mayhap I'll head down to the Spitting Cobra or one of the Harbour bars. I here that an old pirate with one eye runs one that has a pit for knife fights. My claws are begging to dull, from this long journey, and I could use a good fight or two. Perhaps I'll take a guide to show me the city." Kyhra stood, and surveyed the inn, searching for one who looked to be a suitable person to ask to be hired as a guide. As he looked, the Wolfmage silently donned his cloak and dissappeared into the shodows to find the sleep of the sylvan. ************************************************************************ If anyone is interested in showing us a little more of the city, or starting a new thread, send me email and I'll gladly respond. -Jiriku Goldeies and Lord Kyhra na Kalnar.