From alt.pub.dragons-inn Mon Apr 3 18:31:11 1995 Xref: netcom.com alt.pub.dragons-inn:8237 Path: netcom.com!csus.edu!news.starnet.net!wupost!howland.reston.ans.net!swrinde!sgiblab!rpal.rockwell.com!news.Stanford.EDU!not-for-mail From: tolsen@leland.Stanford.EDU (Tanya Ann Olsen) Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: [Cernborn] {At the Inn} Plans... Date: 30 Mar 1995 13:21:21 -0800 Organization: Stanford University, CA 94305, USA Lines: 188 Message-ID: <3lf7ch$re2@elaine6.Stanford.EDU> NNTP-Posting-Host: elaine6.stanford.edu (#10) Plans.... Carrying Athorbalo between them, Gyles and Cernborn returned her to her bed. As they were forcefully making her lie still, Cernborn said, "Now, if thou really wouldst want to be able to participate in this venture, thou must regain your strength and bedrest is the quickest way to make this happen." Stubbornly, Athorbalo started to get out of bed, "I feel fine now." Cernborn held her down. "I will tie thee down if I must!" he threatened. Athorbalo started to protest and looked to Gyles and Mi'cha for help. However, they appeared to agree with Cernborn and offered no support. Athorbalo finally desisted and lay back in the bed, obviously tired from her efforts. "Make yourselves comfortable," Cernborn said when it appeared Athorbalo would obey his instructions. "I must first do what I can to protect us from being overheard." He strode about the room, speaking in a strange tongue and gripping the silver tree with his bad hand while gesturing with the left. He paused frequently and traced patterns in the air. The others watching thought they could see fiery symbols glowing faintly where he had paused. After several minutes, he seemed satisfied and sat at the foot of Athorbalo's bed. "Since you are bent on aiding me and will not be disuaded, I must prepare you as best I can. As you who have seen Marque can attest, he appears quite young, certainly barely full-grown, but do not let that deceive you; he is any but young, naive, and inexperienced though he is somewhat hot-tempered. "He is quite an accomplished swordsman. I am not sure that I could best him in a fair duel. However, he never plays fair and uses whatever tricks he can to his advantage. I do not know if the rapier itself is magical, but he has the ability to make the rapier appear as whatever weapon he choses. I believe he also poisons the blade. "He can speed himself so that he has two strikes for every one of mine. This is a simple magic which I can counter if I notice he has done this. He wears a magical mask which makes him appear to be whomever he wishes in all respects. The mask also masks his mind from any magical detection. He is extremely difficult to injure; whether this is a property of the mask or the robes he wears, I do not know; he does not wear armor, and he does not fatigue easily. "I believe he has a powerful mage working for him, but I have never seen him if this is true. He does employ a formidable archer: this man can put an arrow through a small metal grille at 50 paces! Do not get within bow shot of this man. "I believe Marque is a warrior priest; he can heal himself and has used powerful magic in combat which I recognize, though I do not know for sure which dark god he worships. He may use a nightmare as a war horse, though the foul creature could have simply been summoned for the battle at which I saw it." Cernborn had been facing the group, talking equally to them all. Suddenly, he turned his attention to Athorbalo and seemed to be speaking solely to her, keeping her gaze fixed with his own. His tone became somewhat challenging. "Marque has put a price on my head. I do not know if this extends to this world or if the assassins will follow me here. The same group of assassins has tried three times. I was extremely lucky to have survived the last encounter. I hear they rarely miss the first time." Athorbalo could tell that in spite of what had already happened, because of her declared profession, Cernborn was not sure if could completely trust her; he almost seemed to be looking for an indication that she was already aware of this contract and was waiting for an opening to take his head herself. "Ninja, " she said, suddenly, almost to herself, "must be ninja." "What?" Cernborn asked, obviously not recognizing the word. "The ones who captured me; they were ninja." Athorbalo paused, "There aren't many people who are capable of sneaking up on me like that or who have the reputation for not failing that you mentioned." She stared at Cernborn pointedly, "They used a paralysis dart, too; I don't think that they could be anything but ninja." "Anyway, we can discuss that later," Cernborn continued, averting his gaze from Athorbalo. "That is all I know of this man. I have not been able to determine the true nature of his plans, but I have nonetheless become dangerous to him. I do know that he was responsible for claiming that the king's daughter had been kidnapped and claiming the ransom money, yet I have no tangible proof to lay before the king. I wish to find this proof, if nothing else, and capture Marque to return him for trial. If we manage to thwart a greater evil while doing this, all the better. Are there any questions?" Cernborn only looked at Mi'cha and Gyles. He almost seemed ashamed to have doubts about Athorbalo, especially after her near fatal injuries gotten because of him. He still avoided her gaze. No one responded to Cernborn's query. "Very well," he continued, "when did you see Marque?" Mi'cha replied, "As I said earlier, it was two days ago, near the central marketplace, just after sunrise." "And I saw him yesterday morning, around sunrise also near the marketplace," Gyles added. Mi'cha pulled out the scrap of parchment she had talked of earlier. "This appears to be an invitation to attend some sort of ball for visiting nobility. Although the date and time are missing, I believe this refers to a party to be held tonight at the home of Melwis the Wise. He commonly throws parties for visiting dignitaries of various sorts." "Really?" replied Cernborn, deep in thought. "How does one get invited to such functions?" "I believe it is rather easy; you simply must be known to be in the city and hold rank. Sometimes they check up on the claims, but not always," she replied. "Hmmm....I believe Marque will not pass up this event. This may be the best chance we have to locate him. We need to get invited to this affair." "From what I understand, invitations aren't really necessary, but if you don't have one, you must be able to prove that you do indeed belong there. They keep an extensive list of houses and personages from all over, so chances are that you are listed in their books," she added. Cernborn gave a strange little smile, "If their lists go back many years, maybe... Anyway, I openly claim a title and will probably be able to prove it, but what of the rest of you?" "I don't believe Gyles will have a problem getting in either as he appears to be a knight, though I don't know if he's a landed knight which would help. As for myself and Athorbalo, we can simply be your guests and not bother with claims," Mi'cha stated. "Very well, let us plan on attending this ball this evening. If he does not show up there, or we can not get in, perhaps the fact that the two of you each saw Marque near the same area at about the same time means that he will be there again tomorrow morning. The morning was all but gone by the time they had finished their discussion. The rain had picked up again; the black clouds dashing any hope that the storm would soon be gone. "Excuse me a moment," Cernborn said as he dug another of his shiny, green leaves from his pouch. He repeated his actions of the early morning with apparently no better results. With a dark scowl, he said, "This heavy rain will not abate for many hours; it will continue at least until sunset." He sighed, "This will make finding Marque today before the ball most difficult." Gyles responded, quite surprised that someone who knew the outdoors as well as Cernborn obviously did would let a little rain hamper him. "It is only rain, the bestower of life. We should immediately go to this place that Athorbalo was taken and learn what we can there. And, then, this ball tonight that Mi'cha found out about." Cernborn still seemed unwilling to brave the weather for some reason. "I am still quite fatigued from the events of the past days; this morning has not helped. I must rest and pray several hours before I feel able to confront Marque." Still somewhat confused by Cernborn's reluctance, Gyles replied, "Very well, but I feel that we must act soon, especially if this Marque is already aware that we are searching for him. I will go investigate this place where the Lady Athorbalo was held and see what I can find out about these jackals." Cernborn started to object when Mi'cha interrupted, "I'll go with you." Everyone looked at her with surprise. "Obviously, Gyles should not go alone in case something happens; you two need to recuperate, so the task falls upon me." With much relief evident, Cernborn replied, "That would be good. If you are not back by the time the sun sets, send word. Otherwise I will come to find you." Gyles nodded. Athorbalo explained as best she could the place where she had been held. Then, Gyles and Mi'cha left the room. ---------------------------- Lord Captain Cernborn tolsen@leland.stanford.edu Athorbalo hilanse@wkuvx1.wku.edu Gyles Dormani virtuesr@gps1.laafb.af.mil Mi'cha Ning'ra jmc@ataxia.confusion.net