From: vaughan8670@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
Subject: [SQ]Radan finds His crew, Angus, and maybe Delmara in his room...
Message-ID: <1993Apr2.033641.11996@iscsvax.uni.edu>
Date: 2 Apr 93 03:36:41 -0600

Radan was heading towads the Dragons inn, which was his old haunt anyway, but
he caught a glimpse of a pub that might be more of his style of need.  The snow
was still crunching under his boots, and the wind was picking up again.  He
passed a bar named the Net and Trident.  There seemed to be a few sailors
passing him into the bar and Radan figured that he might as well try. 

Shrugging, Radan walked into the Net and Trident, and was instantly greeted by
a radiating warmth and baudy singing that wasn't too out of control.   There
was a plain dressed woman with a barmaid's apron on and delivering drinks to a
group of sailors.  The bar was interesting, there was a pit in the middle of
the room, with sand and it looked like dried blood on the walls around the pit
and in the sand itself.  There was a barkeep that was a haggard looking man,
with a patch over one eye.  He was talking with a group of sailors at the bar,
they seemed to be down about something.  But The bartender tried his best to
liven their spirits by telling a less than reputable joke, and they all laughed
hartily.  Radan had the inclination to head to the bar and order something and
get some information.  As he approached the sailors looked wearily at him,
eyeing their drinks with a look of dull acceptance.  Radan smiled and sat down
at the bar and waved the Bartender over to him.

"Aye' laddie, what might ye be wantin'?"  He drawled out, in a thick sea lover
accent.

"Ah yes, I would very much like an ale please, and some information.  I am an
owner of a ship, and I need a crew to man her.  I am willing to negotiate a
price for a voyage to rescue a friend in need.  It is minimal work, no
fighting with any other vessels, and I am willing to pay well for it."

Balthar looked at the gentleman that just casually anounced to him that he
needs a crew.  "Oh you say so, well now, let me see I think there might be some
men here that can help ye.  These men here have just come off a ship that was
confiscated not too long ago, the owner was in debt up to his crew's ears!"  He
pointed to a group of 5 men mulling over their ale, and muttering to
themselves.

"Thank you my good man," Radan flipped a gold on the bar, "Keep the change for
good luck."  and shook Balthar's hand.  He picked his tankard up, and
walked over to the men at the end of the bar who were sullen when he first
approached.  "Good day gentlemen, I have a proposition for you..."

***

A couple hours of drinking, and there was a crew that would walk the plank for
Radan.  A man named Blythe was the one man that didn't drink too much, and
stayed pretty sober through the discussion.  

"Sire, what ship might it be that we're voyaging on?"  Blythe had requested.

"Ah, the ship's name is the Crimson Moon.  I just pur-"

"You're puttin' me on!  We came from that ship!  we know that ship like the
back of our hands, we do.  Any time we could oblige, we'll be on the ship first
thing in the morning."

"That's reassuring.  That is very reassuring.  I am going to be at the ship
tomorrow morning just after sun up.  I hope to see you there Blythe.  Your
position will be 2nd mate, for there is already a captain and 1st.  Bring the
men and you will have clearance to board ship when I get there.  Payment will
ocurr just before boarding.  Half now, and half after the voyage is done and we
are back in port.  I will see you later, I have an appointment to attend to
now, but thank you for accepting the job."

Radan emptied his mug, and then headed for the door.  Blythe in retrospective
said to his comrads, 'Strange one there, never seen so much devotion in a
friend; as well as an owner that is courteous to his crew.'  

Radan made his way back to the Dragons INN.  It was getting to be around dinner
time, and he hoped that Delmara would still be there.  Delmara.  Every time he
looked at a woman, he saw her.  Every time he heard a woman's voice, it was
hers.  He would close his eyes, and see her warm and supple body holding him.
He could still feel what they had shared, and could still smell the lavendar in
her hair.  He had to get back soon.  He started to head to the Inn as fast as
he could...
***
Angus was waiting in the common Room in the Dragons-Inn.  he was drinking his
spirits, and waiting for Radan to get back.  He knew that his new friend had
gone off to get a ship for hire, and he also knew that his new found friend
needed him.  It was strange why he was doing what he was doing, he wasn't sure
what the exact reason was.  It must be something about this Radan that had
drawn Angus to him.  Like a long lost friend or something.  

He sat at the Bar, looking around, enjoying the minstrel playing his music for
the crowd assembled.  Angus' stomache growled.  "Littlefair! I would be most
gracious if I could get a plate of beef stew and some potatoes.  Thank you
kindly."  Angus put the little money it cost him for his meal, and thanked
Littlefair for his service.  Just about the time he was done with his meal,
Radan practically burst in the door.  He seemed a little wild eyed, but he
caught a glimpse of Angus at the Bar and decided to head there.
***
As Radan got to the door, he was worried that Delmara had left.  He wasn't sure
where to find her if she had.  That bothered him greatly.   He burst into the
Dragons-Inn, it was hot with the fire hearth going, and the light from the
lanterns caught him by surprise for a moment.  He was about to go upstairs when
he saw Angus at the Bar.  'Oh sh- well, I have to talk to him, damn I hope
she's there when I am finished. '  He headed directly for Angus, and once he
got there, he shook the man's hand. 

"Ho Angus! Well met, and glad to see you here.  I have a ship that will take us
where we want to go.  I understand that you have certain abilities with
Navigating a ship?"

"Aye Radan, I do..."  Angus replied, understanding what Radan would probably
need.  

"Good, I need you to navigate my ship-"

"What?  Your ship?"  Angus was a little astonished.

"Yes, I bought one today.  I also searched for hours in and around the dock
area and no one would accept the mission.  Said it was daft goin' out in
weather like this.  I finally saw a post going by the First Bank of Generica
and it read that there was an Auction of foreclosed ships, so I went and found
my ship.   It's called the Scarlet Moon.  I have most of the crew already, they
were from the ship originally, and they trust me, I think.  I do know that I
need you, Merol, Bronwen, Mistletoe and the others in the group.  They are the
ones that can help recover Shade, I don't know how, but I do know that I can
find him when we get into the approximate area of the battle.  Where are the
others by the way?"  Radan finally stopped with his barrage of information and
waited for his friend to answer.

"Well, I have been here most of the day, waiting for you, I haven't seen anyone
from the group you just mentioned.  Then again, I might have been too involved
with my drinking and headaches to have noticed.  I only hope that the group
would have come to see me if they saw me.  If you understand what I just
said." Angus replied.

"I did.  Oh, hey, you didn't see a woman leave with a red dress on did you? 
Wait, you just finished telling me that you weren't really watching too
closely.  So, a stranger wouldn't probably catch your eye, since, most of these
people are strangers.  I do have something to tell you though Angus.  I think
that I have found the woman that I will marry, if she will have me.  I know
that it's really too soon to say something like that, but I do know that this
woman in Red, is the woman that I would live, and die for, if I had to.  I am
in a hurry, so, I will leave you to yourself, I will be back down in a short
while, or so."  Radan didn't really wait for an answer.  He just sped off to
his room.  He only hoped he wasn't too late.  He thought he remembered her say
that she had a temple, the temple of Aditi.  Down the way.  If she wasn't here,
he would try there.  If not there, he didn't know what he would do...