Originally posted by wolven86
"Just leave me a little money for some ale and i'll be up after i've had a few drinks after the action we just sure i am in need of a little relaxation and loosening up befor ei slepe merely to work out the kinks."
Connavar places some money on the table and leaves
"Just leave me some money, too, Conn!", Matti smirked.
The big paladin snorted and continued on his way to the stairs.
"Some nerve," Matti muttered under his breath, though it was all in jest. The barmaid chuckled in amusement and seemed far more at ease without the volatile Conn around. She placed the tray of food Matti had ordered on the table and with a wink returned to her duties. Matti smiled over his mug of ale as he watched her go.
Saien returned from upstairs where he had Tamerlane carried. With a sigh, he plopped down in one of the chairs around the table. The journey had been hard on all of them, even one used to weeks on the road. Matti nodded and slid the tray over to Saien. There was enough for several of them. Saien nodded in thanks and began to sift through the food, picking out the pieces that seemed to best fit his mood.
Bell yawned and made his exit, leaving Matti and Saien the last remaining of the group in the common room.
"How's the bard," Matti asked, still drinking from the same mug of ale.
"Fine, I guess. Those priests took care of the main damage, but he's still got a bit to sleep off."
"Any idea why they attacked like they did? Seems like they were looking for him in particular." Matti frowned at the thought. He hardly knew the rest in the group, though he was quickly developing a bond with them, all searching for history of the mysterious Blades of the Banshee.
Saien scowled, and he dropped the leg of goose he'd been munching on to his plate as if he'd just lost his appetiet. "Who knows why the Hand does things?"
"Matti brightened. "So, you noticed too? I thought that must be them, though I didn't think they operated this far to the north."
"They don't," Saien frowned, pushing the plate back slightly and resting his elbows on the table. "At least, they shouldn't be here. I've had a few dealings with them before, and let's just say I don't care much for them."
Matti nodded grimly, and motioned the barmaid to bring another glass of ale.
Saien changed the subject. "I noticed you motioned to Connavar that there was more to the story of your rescue. What all happened out there?"
Matti waited until the ale was brought, and was surprised as the barmaid gave a playful look, not at him, but at the cleric, who responded in kind. Smiling to himself, the paladin nodded a thanks to the woman and muttered something about that there was not supposed to be any competition from witin his own group. When she was out of earshot, he became more serious. "We found a passage hidden in an alley. It led down below the buildings and ran for quite some distance. There was a door at the end which the assassin was trying to escape. He was calling for help, but we stopped him before he could get away. We killed the one with Tamerlane," he said darkly, "and I thought I recognized the signs of the Hand from stories my father had told me as a kid. I sensed two others beyond the doorway the whole fight, but they didn't emerge for some reason. Perhaps it was my manly physique," Matti said with a grin, flexing muscles that weren't there. "Regardless, I was surprised to see such a thieve's network in a small town such as this."
Saien shook his head and returned to his eating. "They'll go anywhere they can get to, as long as they can make money and inspire fear."
The two talked for some time longer about their new companions and about the Banshee (and of course the barmaid), though the journey was catching up fast to them. After a good hour of conversation and food, they retired for the evening to try and salvage some sleep out of the night.
Matti Il-Amin, Paladin, comedian, and expert adventurer. Proudly bearing the colors of the [url="http://www.svelmoe.dk/blade/index.htm"]Blades of the Banshee[/url]
