From alt.pub.dragons-inn Sat May 13 11:59:31 1995 Xref: netcom.com alt.pub.dragons-inn:8417 Path: netcom.com!ix.netcom.com!noc.netcom.net!news.sprintlink.net!news.bluesky.net!solaris.cc.vt.edu!server.cs.vt.edu!reaux From: reaux@csgrad.cs.vt.edu (Ray A. Reaux) Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: [Article 39] A recap and another mortar Date: 10 May 1995 15:17:23 -0400 Organization: CS Dept, VA Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 Lines: 262 Distribution: world Message-ID: <3or3g3$il4@csgrad.cs.vt.edu> Reply-To: reaux@cs.vt.edu (Ray A. Reaux) NNTP-Posting-Host: csgrad.cs.vt.edu X-Newsreader: mxrn 6.18-20 >Dougl accepted Anders' offer, settling himself on the wet bench with >an indelicate "squish". Blushing at his own embarassment, and at the >disapproving glance of the woman at a nearby table who obviously did >_not_ like getting wet, Dougl meekly called for an order of warm porridge. >As he turned to face his companion, wet ashes dripped off the remains of >his charred tunic, leaving brown holes and gritty stains on his garment. >Dougl tucked his apothecaries' cup away in a discreet pouch. "Well," he >explained to Anders, "It looks like there's no need to flash this around >anymore." Finally remembering his manners, Dougl extended his hand. >"I'm Dougl. Officer Aloysius contacted me about this mission right after >I gradu... after I finished a training program." Dougl caught himself >almost revealing too much about himself. After all, in a war against >crime and corruption such as was planned, it would do well to keep >details about one's personal life quiet. It was only because Dougl was wiping his wet face off with an equally damp handkerchief that Dougl did not see the flicker of panic on Anders face. Anders clamped his terror back inside himself and mastered his facial expression before Dougl again looked up, although he was apprehensive about his skill at maintaining a gambler's face. He had always lost to Master Tyrel, and in fact most of the other monks, when they played the tiles. Master Tyrel had once remarked that he despaired of Anders ever becoming a priest because he was too transparent. However, Anders could never get Master Tyrel to clarify that remark. "I'm Anders, eh Anders Galligen, lately of the Legion." This time Anders remembered to use the patrinomial name of the wounded warrior he was impersonating, at least he thought Galligen was the name since he had seen it branded on the inside of his saddle bag. Anders wanted to kick himself; although he had used the warrior's patrinomial name, he had already given dougl his own given name. What was that name Dougl had mentioned, officer Alyosius? "Alyosius sent me to help you out. He thought you might need some backup, it being potentially dangerous and all that." Anders didn't know what activities Dougl was involved in, but judging by the reception that the real Galligen had received, whatever it was, it involved some not so nice people. Dougl on the other hand was definitely a gentleman in manner and grooming. Although he was dressed in commoners clothing, the clothing was clean and new, and his hair was neatly styled, reflecting meticulous detail. "Uh, since I am just in from the border and new in the city, Alyosius suggested that I take the lead from you in this. That's fine by me since my experience doesn't quite lend itself to events in Generica." Dougl did not ask, although he wondered what possible experience Anders could have. He certainly didn't look like a seasoned Legionnaire, especially with that ridiculous excuse for a mustache. If Anders needed some quick money, he could probably sell his facial hair to a lapidary for making brushes suitable for painting gold onto delicate jewel filigree. It was that fine and almost invisible. The man was definitely odd. Dougl wondered if he should ask about the whispy thundercloud he thought he had seen over Ander's head. The one he couldn't really see now. But Dougl decided not to, reasoning that it might be an apparitional side effect of the Dragon's Inn's fire extinguishing spell. Perhaps the Inn's fire supression spell had elemental precognition built into it? Dougl considered himself a good judge of character, and his people meter was screaming that this man was very young and very naive. But look who's talking, he thought to himself. He isn't that much younger than you are. But if Alyosius had sent him, he must have some experience or asset. Well shouldn't he have. "How much did Alyosius tell you?" Dougl asked. "Not much, just the basics." Anders decided to see if he could bolster his credibility and also get more information. "You know how cautious he is. He said that you would fill me in with the details" "I guess we play it by the Dragon's ear." Dougl smiled, "Maybe we should explain a little more about ourselves. "I am a newly installed member of the Militant Order of St. Cuthbert. I was looking for an assignment when Alyosius approached me to serve as a special protectorate of the city, one who has not been corrupted by politics or greed. It seems that much of the city officials, including the ruling council are corrupt and consider themselves above the law, and the normal policing officials are ill equipped to enforce the laws. So Alyosius invoked Article 39 of the Generica City COde, which briefly states that the Senior Guard can appoint special offices who have discretionary powers to use any necessary and appropriate measures to enforce the city's Laws. And we answer directly to Alyosius." "Uh, yes, so Alyosius told me," Anders nodded in agreement. When Dougl stopped talking, obviously waiting for Anders to begin his explanation of his involvement, Anders started sweating. "Uh, well, I was working on the Border with the Eagle Legion when I got a message from Alyosius. Uh, he and I saw service together, well years ago." Anders wracked his brains for some border skirmish which he could relate. All he could think of the Battle of Skeln Pass, which Master Tyrel had often mentioned. "Well, we served together at the Battle of Skeln Pass." "That was 12 years ago, wasn't it? Dougl asked. Anders winced inside and his stomach tied itself into knots, although he kept his face reasonably calm. "No, not that one." Anders improvised. "The one I am talking about was much later. We on the border call it the Second Battle of Skeln Pass. It wasn't really such a big thing, so I guess it didn't get much play among the town criers and the raggedy men." Dougl seemed to be satisfied with the explanation, which relaxed Anders stomach a little. "Anyways," Anders continued before Dougl could really analyze what he had said, " Alyosius knew I was reliable and had no stake in the city's affairs, so he contacted me." A boy strutted up to the table, interrupting their conversation. Barely 13, he swaggered with the cockiness that only youth and years of street living could bestow. "Yah guys Dougl?" he asked in a street tough voice which reflected long hours of practice to wring every drop of toughness out of a pubescent voice. "I'm Dougl. And who are you." "I's don't matter. Man outside tol me to give you this." He tossed a slip of parchment onto the table. "He also tol me you'll gift me a silver eagle." Dougl sighed, he couldn't afford much more of this grand living, reached into his purse, and flipped a silver eagle to the child. The boy caught the coin and slipped it into his tattered and grungy clothing. As Dougl unfolded the parchment to read, the boy turned and disappeared back into the anonymity of the tavern room. "What's it say," asked Anders, leaning forward to get a better look at the parchment. "Hmm, it says we need to go to the Ilmariane House of Spice and talk to the one-eyed dog." Dougl leaned back against the wall. "A one-eyed dog, do you know what that means? How can you talk to a dog, one-eyed or otherwise" "Could it be code, you know, like spy talk." "Spy talk, nothing I am aware of, but the that's more along your line of work then mine, since you are the military man here." "It's not any code I recognize," Anders responded hastily, although as a scribe, he did have some familiarity with codes, decoding the message would require time and analysis. "Maybe it's a nickname. Why don't we just go down there and check it out." Just then, they heard a high pitched scream and a loud thump. They looked up from their conversation to see a hushed room. Although most people were still at their tables, several people, including some gnomes, standing around a body lying on the floor. "Well she's dead, Jim" they heard a man who was kneeling next to the body say to his companion, a balding warrior. The kneeling man was wearing a cloak embroidered with the sigil of the healers guild. "Not much we can do for her but call the coroner." His companion muttered something to him which only the healer could hear. "My God, Jim, I'm a doctor, not a magician." the healer replied heatedly. "Think we should help?" Anders asked Dougl. "I'm not sure we can do much here." Dougl tossed a couple of copper coins on the table to pay for his unfinished porridge. "Let's go to the Ilmariane's Spice House." As the two made their way towards the door, they found their way blocked by nine men surrounding a fat merchant. Obviously intimated, the fat man bolted towards the door. But in his haste, he barreled into a man who had chosen that very moment to occupy the doorway. The fat man, who outweighed the other by a good 100 pounds, knocked the leaner man back. They both went down in a heap in the dust street in front of the Inn. The fat man, his fall mostly cushioned by the man he had knocked down, bounced up and ran with as much speed as he could muster down the street. For a waddling fat man, he made excellent speed. The other man groaned and slowly got up off the ground. He was dressed in the uniform of a constable. With a curse, he began dusting himself off. He made a few tentative steps towards pursuit, but his legs hurt, and the fat man was long out of sight. "Excuse me," Dougl said to one of the nine men who had terrified the merchant. "I don't mean to intrude in what might be a private affair, but did you just threaten that man?" "Just collecting a debt for my master." The leader of the nine men replied. He turned to his cohorts and flicked his hands toward a table, dismissing the two men from his thoughts. The nine headed towards the table. Anders placed a restraining hand on Dougl before he could acost the men. "Maybe we should let the constable handle it?" "I guess you are right," Dougl sighed. "We have more important work to do, and the constable can handle it." Anders and Dougl nodded politely to the 6'1" athletic blond constable who limped through the door. As they waited for him to pass, Anders saw another man sitting at a nearby table. Piled in front of him were a stack of books, but the tall, blocky man was not reading but twirling a mortar in his hand. The man would have been simply dismissed as another mercenary if it was not for the reading glasses perched on his equestrian nose. The bookish looking stranger caught Ander's gaze and nodded to him. "Uh, Dougl? Maybe the spice house can wait." He pointed towards the man with the mortar. "I think we have another contact." Pegasus looked up, startled out of his thoughts as Anders and Dougl approached his table and placed their mortars on the table. "Hello, I am Dougl, a recent graduate of the Academy of St. Cuthbert Militan. My friend is Anders," Dougl said by way of introduction. "It seems we have a mutual friend. One Alyosius by name," Pegasus blinked, pushed his glasses back up his nose, regarded their mortars and his, and said, "I believe so gentlemen. My name is Pegasus Beale and I understand we have a common aim--" ...It was at that point that Pegasus noticed a translucent, almost transperent, distortion above Anders head. Unable to make it out clearly in the smoke filled tavern, Pegasus was also unwilling to stare. It looked like a little whispy cloud, but damned if he knew. With an effort he returned his attention back to his new companions... "- My services are at your disposal." he continued with a small, stilted bow. "Can I offer you wine?" Anders shook his head. "Generous of you, but no thank you. We were just heading out door when we saw you." The two men made space for themselves at the table as Pegasus polished off his drink. Anders absently picked up one or two of the books lying about the place and looked at the covers. Books on Geography, books on religion, books on... "If you'll excuse me I'll pack up a bit so we have a little more room" Pegasus took the book Anders was about to look at and proceeded to put that and the others away into his travelling wallet. "Excuse me. I use to be a church scribe before I decided to become a free boater." Anders said as he looked wistfully at Pegasus' traveling wallet. "I still have an interest in books." Pegasus wondered what a free boater was, but he wasn't about to ask. He would make a note of the phrase in his journal and discreetly enquire later. In his line of work, learning as many idioms as possible was an absolute must. "We were just heading out to the Ilmariene Spice house to seek someone called the One-Eyed Dog. Would you happen to know anyone by that name?" "No, I can not say that I do. I presume that this is in relation to the business we have with Alyosius?" "Yes, we just got word from a message runner to go to the spice house. Hopefully, we will get more information about our assignment from this One-Eyed Dog, whoever he may be." "Then shall we go." Pegasus suggested. He tossed a few silvers on the table and slung his wallet over his shoulder. He strapped on his well used sword, and settled it comfortably on his waist. He noticed that Dougl was similarly armed, not surprising since he was a paladin. Anders, however, did not look like he had any weapons. He did however, carry a long slim leather case strapped to his back. Together, the three headed out into the busy streets of Generica.