** Part I: Fire and Ash **

[Chris1234]

~Idrys? I have _no_ idea what's going on here. Or, more accurately, the why of it. It seems that most of the world is about to turn on us. Note, us! I will be here for you, brother, until I breath no more,~ Karlene replies melodramatically but heartfelt.

[TristenC]

I will never abandon you sister, nor betray you. I have wanted only one thing in my short life; answers. I wante answers about my family, answers about being a dhampir. The only ones we can trust are our own blood... So far we have only each other. If we find our mother and father someday I will rejoice, but know this; you will never be alone.

[Chris1234]

~We'll get them together, Idrys~

[spike]

IDRYS is woken up by Ash who tells him 'Your turn for active watch'

Delilah: you and Trunks spoke at length and he tells you he'll meet up with you in the morning, has some secret business he needs to attend to. He tells you to have breakfast in the Treetop Inn after you've had some sufficient food and rest. You return to the hut and do just that.

As the night winds down in relative peace and quiet, morning came and you all get out of bed refreshed. John handed Idrys the new armor, which fitted perfectly now. 'The wrist bracers have hidden dagger sheathes in them. Have a look at the wrists, there's a grapple headed bolt that will shoot out, up to 25 ft. If you bang the bracer in the center the chord will retract and lift you upwards if its securely attached to a strong surface.'

Narn came and brought a basket full of food: bread, cheese, a glass container full of nectar juice, fresh coffee, strips of 'boar' bacon, and 'swamp stew' which smelled quite delicious.

Ash said 'You know, I've been thinking about it and you wouldn't actually have to break into the Watcher's base. I might have said they are a organization of adventurer's, you can simply walk in and ask them for access to the files. They're not adverse to such requests, yet you can wager they will request a price of some sort. This can be anything such as a small insignificant errand to a more grandeur task. THis would be the more expedient route, less you have a month to orchestrate an elaborate mission of breaking into a fortified fortress nestled deep in the mountains'

[TristenC]

Idrys keeps a diligent watch, pondering the meaning of the things he has dreamed. In the morn he dons his new armor and asks about any scraps left from tailoring for future repairs. What do you all think about asking?

[Chris1234]

IC: Need to be awake and aware first.
OOC: Sure.

[TristenC]

...and you all get out of bed refreshed.

[spike]

John: 'the scraps are mine' he looks at you with a hard stare, arms folded across his chest.

Kessa: "I've heard of these Watchers before, though what little scraps I've heard were merely cryptic fragments. I know they've done some good here and there, so they might receive us with open arms. I believe if some of us go in, some others among us should plan to put a separate plan into works if they seem...hesitant to provide us what we require. John, you were saying you hail from the Gate Mountains, you would be an excellent guide on our trip there'

John: "Ironic that we're returning whence I just came a mere day and a half ago. Aye, I can guide us, but as to the Watcher's citadel, I heard many a tale that it lies somewhere in an abandoned drow spy outpost deep near Hellfire mountain. Easily a two day journey by land once we make it to the Gates which is a day from here up the Snake River, the trails are treacherous and high up, narrow too. And then, once we come close to their location we still have to find it, it must be very secret. A ranger could find it, but that would take more time. Point is, we'd do best getting a proper guide, no offense intended to our lovely ranger. But a thief who broke out from the Watcher's base would be exceptionally lucky for us to have. No telling what secrets he discovered during his break out "

black direwolf pup begins yelping toward Karlene, licking at her toes. The white one is licking Idrys's hand, standing up against his shin to reach his hand. He's licking the blood off of your pinky.

[Chris1234]

{OOC: I'd missed that - as the heading read Delilah I just didn't read it.}

"Thanks for the hospitality Narn. I slept like a log last night. And I honestly did intend to enter the Beauty Competition and the knife throwing thing just for you. But those arses interrupted and spoilt it all," Jerry comments as she pouts. "But a good sleep and good coffee help. Thanks." She gives Narn a beaming smile, the sort that animates your eyes. She fusses with the vlack pup almost by reflex and then feeds him some milk followed by testing to see if he likes what she has for breakfast.

"Interesting idea Ash. But it might be that Idrys and I will need to go incognito due to some people after our skins. Or not. Thoughts on that, brother? How do you think the Watchers are disposed to any of the people that don't like us?"

[spike]

John says 'Well, we're going to need to book passage, and we'll need a hundred gold for the lot of us. There's a river pilot named Jespias who will get us there quicker than any, and he's the more reliable of them all. Unfortunately we will not be making any stop into Ironholme, my city of birth. The Dwarven Empire is contending with some dark evil that's disrupting our operations in the deeper mines. I'll need all of you to pool in for the barge, and we'll need to purchase at least one worthy pony to carry all of our equipment. We should get one here, the bog men seem to like us'

[TristenC]

Idrys shrugs at John's defensive remark about the scraps as if it were of no consequence. I appreciate your work. Thank you.
Regarding his sister's question, I am loath to trust another stranger, particularly with assassins on our trail.

He crouches to let the wolf pup lick the blood from his hands, then cleans himself up a bit and plays with him, freding him meat from breakfast and trying to teach him to sit and wait.

[Chris1234]

Karlene notes her brother pause to grimace at the blood stains, she smiles at him and holds up a finger for him to wait.
She stealth-casts two cleaning cantrips, one on Idrys and one on her.

"So, John, that's five of us? You me, Tessa, Delilah and Idrys? Or who else?" she paused before adding, "Well if five, that's 20G each. I've got 10PP here which will cover Idrys & me. But I wouldn't mind some back, if possible."

[TristenC]

I can cover mine, but I appreciate the gesture.

[spike]

John handed Idrys the scraps, smirking 'I was only jesting lad, take these. You'll need em when your armor needs further maintenance, and it will. I'll try to talk him down in price since I used him to arrive at the Boarshead recently. Hmmm, come to thinks about it, Idrys you might wish to consider stopping by Ironholme after all. My thane would give you a considerable reward for your aid, something you would be pleased with. That wouldn't deviate us too much from our destination'

Ash said 'I'll be going along too, now that you've come here you might have compromised my location here. Which is precisely what I had come here to avoid. I'm bringing my cousin with, if he helped you in any way he'll be captured and tortured by the black cloaks you can wager your collective arses on that. The broader question is what to do once you actually acquire these secret files? Have you thought that far along yet? Venturing further south might be a viable option, to the town of Southern Cross. The underworld river snakes through the Dark Elf Lands from the Gates, it is a long journey by river but more expedient than by land. Some food for thought"

NEW: while eating, a young man in gray robes clutching a staff knocked and entered, removing his hood he strode over toward the table all are eating at. He introduced himself as Trunks, greeted the party as a whole. He turned his attention to Delilah and said 'I'm summoned to your lady's court for counsel, I wish you good fortune on your present mission, whatever it may entail. If you have an opportunity you can visit me at Twighlight Glen in the North of the Black Forest, there's where you will find me. My friends there will take you to me, you'll know them, look for the signs. You can tell your overly protective cousin he can cease his uncharacteristic watchfulness over you now he said with a sardonic laugh.

[Chris1234]

"You're welcome, Idrys. John, here's 5PP to cover for me. If there's any back, tell me. Or, if you need more, tell me," Karlene delivers with a broad smile, not overly concerned with money per se, but it is useful for thinks like hot baths and food.

She turns to the 'newcomer', "Hello, Trunks. Don't think we actually met before. I'm Karlene. How're you today? And, before I forget, not that I do that so very odften, as you seem to know the lands around here, could you give me, or us, same thing really, as simple sketch of the lands you mention?"

{OOC1: Yep, that's a hint to the GM for some kind of map, please. My spacial awareness is rather poor otherwise.}

{Edit - OOC2: Just spotted the world map in the Inner Kingdoms folder. Don't think I saw that before. Roughtly where are we on it now?}