Life in the keep
The hooded man whipped his horse into a frenzy, his mount sweating as they raced through the north/south passage.
As he approached the keep he noticed several briginds gathering around the entrance to the Keep. The brigands approached the iron doors of the keep, as the hooded man moved into position, sliently drawing his dagger, dripping with poison.
An agrument broke out among the brigrands over which one was going to touch the door of the keep first. The elected one streached forth his hand toward the doorknob of the keep.
The hooded man choose this moment to attact.
As if from nowhere, three shurikins hit the hand of the unlucky brigand with the outstreached hand, and the two others behind him. They all fell into heavy spasms, as the poisons entered their bodies. The hooded man shimmered into view as the last brigand died at his feet.
Sensing no further threat, the hooded man steped over the twiching bodies as if they were not even there, and entered the keep and into the main hall. Concubine was sitting on the bone couch, in the middle of the hall, enjoying a moment of rest from her labors.
"I left you a mess outside, Concubine. I AM sorry." the man said, passing her in a rush. Concubine looked towards the doors. "Not again. That's the third time this week." she said, as he passed her and headed to the stairs.
The hooded man hurried up the stairs and the sound of Concubine's voice faded from his ears as he entered the dining hall. Wench was working the soulforge. She looked up as he entered the hall.
"To be time?" she asked, as she put down a longsword she had been working on.
"Yes. They are making the announcement within the hour. I must inform the master immediatly." He said, grimly.
"To know he is down in his chambers sleeping. To know these months have been hard on him.", the gargoyle said, and turned back to her work.
The hooded man turned into the western hallway and turned south to another set of stairs leading down into the darkened chambers. He lit a candle and the light filled the room. From the back of the room a loud snoring filled his ears. He could make out the form of a large sleeping bear curled up in the large bed at the back of the room. The hooded man lit the candleabra on the table in the center of the room and sat at one of the elven chairs around the table.
Disturbed by the movements in the room, the bear stirred with a growl. It lifted it's head and stared at him. With a growl, it lowered it's head and sat up in the bed. A light shimmered around the bear, as it slowly began to change into the form of the Ancient.
Fig rose slowly, glancing at the clock on the wall. "Bears sure know how to sleep well. You should try it. Its the closest thing to death as you can go, without actually doing it. Not to mention its good for the spine.", Fig said, stretching his back. He moved to the vanity and washed his face and head.
"What is with the carrion outside the keep, m'lord?", the hooded man asked.
"They have been trying to get in the castle for the last week. They think they can disrupt me at my own keep. Foolish.The should know they cannot touch me.", Fig said, as he sat down accross the table from the hooded man, still drying his bald head.
"Have there been other attacks?" Fig asked.
"M'lord, it is said that Elladan was attacked while trying to get to Britian for the announcement. It is also rumored that Valek and the Lady Lynne have been abducted by some men in grey robes and dragged through the moongate in Maginica. One of the Pack has further details. Lady Claudia's man, I beleive. I was on my way to question him, when the announcement was made. I immediately came home. Your pressence is required at Castle British. The announcement will be given within the hour.", he said.
"Very well.", Fig said, standing up. He gathered his shield and spellbooks and loaded his pack. "Your orders are as follows. Continue to track Valek and Lady Lynne. Do not set food on Maginica soil tho. I cannot explain why at this time. You must trust me on this. Pieces are moving faster than I thought. Rest up at the keep, of course, and gather what you need for your journeys from Concubine and Wench. The barkeep will make sure you are fed.", He said as he grabed one of the books from his backpack. "I will be back soon. Remember, find Lady Lynne and Valek."
Fig waved his hand over the book and muttered something inaudible and vanished with a bright flash leaving the hooded man alone in the candlelight. He left the room blowing out the candles. he went to the dining hall and sat down on one the side chairs. Inez, the barkeep, brought him a plate of food, which he ate as if he hadn't been fed in weeks.
Concubine came up the stairs and sat next to the hooded man. He pretended not to notice her, continuing to eat his meal. She tossed a bloody bag onto the table and sat back.
"I cleaned up the mess you left outside. You left yer throwing stars on the bodys, again You gotta remember to pick up after yourself. They will probably need to be poisoned again. Just made up a fresh batch last night.", she said, putting her hands behind her head.
The hooded man grabbed the bloody bag off the table, and returned to his meal. Inez the barkeep brought a bottle of wine to the table and returned to her cooking in the west wing. Concubine allowed the man to finish his meal. He then leaned back placed his feet up and began to relax. Wench continued to work her soulforge every once in a whie looking over at the two sitting in silence.
Suddenly, Concubine pounded her fist on the table. "OH COME ON! TELL US!", she yelled.
"Whatever to you mean M'Lady?" He replyed, still relaxing and pulling his hood further down.
Wench threw down the sword she was working on, making a loud clash which rang through the hall. Cursing in gargish, she moved to the table across from the other two.
"TO BE KNOWING!", the gargoyle yelled at the hooded man, stretching out her wings. as she leaned across towards him.
"Knowing is not required, only obedience.", The hooded man replied. "We are Children of Fig."
"Yeah, yeah" Concubine sat back, frustrated. "And 'He has always been here.'. We KNOW all that."
The hooded man leaned forward over the table, placing his elbows on it, and folding his hands together.
Concubine stood up angrily. "You are one of the best the assassins and spys in Sosoria. Are you telling us you have no idea?"
The hooded man waited for Concubine to calm down and whispered slowly. "He is in. At this moment they are announcing it in Castle British."
Concubine sat back down and poured herself some wine from the bottle. She took a long drink from the goblet and set it down. "So it is done. He is a counciler of Britian. Well we know what to do now. I will require iron. Lots of it. You might want to tell the necromancer. She hasn't come up from the north western tower since she arrived. But she is the only miner amoung us." she said, as she wiped her lips.
"I will leave that to you. I have my own orders. as soon as I get a nights sleep, I must be on my way again." the hooded man said. He stood up and left the dining room out towards the west wing of the keep, and dissapeared. Concubine and Wench looked at the table at each other.
"To not be myself going down there. To be you that requires the iron. To have my own work." Wench said,and returned to the soulforge, picking up the dropped sword she was working on.
Concubine sat at the table for a minute and her eyes drifted back to where Inez the barkeep was sitting. An evil grin spread across her face as an idea came to her head.
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The hooded man whipped his horse into a frenzy, his mount sweating as they raced through the north/south passage.
As he approached the keep he noticed several briginds gathering around the entrance to the Keep. The brigands approached the iron doors of the keep, as the hooded man moved into position, sliently drawing his dagger, dripping with poison.
An agrument broke out among the brigrands over which one was going to touch the door of the keep first. The elected one streached forth his hand toward the doorknob of the keep.
The hooded man choose this moment to attact.
As if from nowhere, three shurikins hit the hand of the unlucky brigand with the outstreached hand, and the two others behind him. They all fell into heavy spasms, as the poisons entered their bodies. The hooded man shimmered into view as the last brigand died at his feet.
Sensing no further threat, the hooded man steped over the twiching bodies as if they were not even there, and entered the keep and into the main hall. Concubine was sitting on the bone couch, in the middle of the hall, enjoying a moment of rest from her labors.
"I left you a mess outside, Concubine. I AM sorry." the man said, passing her in a rush. Concubine looked towards the doors. "Not again. That's the third time this week." she said, as he passed her and headed to the stairs.
The hooded man hurried up the stairs and the sound of Concubine's voice faded from his ears as he entered the dining hall. Wench was working the soulforge. She looked up as he entered the hall.
"To be time?" she asked, as she put down a longsword she had been working on.
"Yes. They are making the announcement within the hour. I must inform the master immediatly." He said, grimly.
"To know he is down in his chambers sleeping. To know these months have been hard on him.", the gargoyle said, and turned back to her work.
The hooded man turned into the western hallway and turned south to another set of stairs leading down into the darkened chambers. He lit a candle and the light filled the room. From the back of the room a loud snoring filled his ears. He could make out the form of a large sleeping bear curled up in the large bed at the back of the room. The hooded man lit the candleabra on the table in the center of the room and sat at one of the elven chairs around the table.
Disturbed by the movements in the room, the bear stirred with a growl. It lifted it's head and stared at him. With a growl, it lowered it's head and sat up in the bed. A light shimmered around the bear, as it slowly began to change into the form of the Ancient.
Fig rose slowly, glancing at the clock on the wall. "Bears sure know how to sleep well. You should try it. Its the closest thing to death as you can go, without actually doing it. Not to mention its good for the spine.", Fig said, stretching his back. He moved to the vanity and washed his face and head.
"What is with the carrion outside the keep, m'lord?", the hooded man asked.
"They have been trying to get in the castle for the last week. They think they can disrupt me at my own keep. Foolish.The should know they cannot touch me.", Fig said, as he sat down accross the table from the hooded man, still drying his bald head.
"Have there been other attacks?" Fig asked.
"M'lord, it is said that Elladan was attacked while trying to get to Britian for the announcement. It is also rumored that Valek and the Lady Lynne have been abducted by some men in grey robes and dragged through the moongate in Maginica. One of the Pack has further details. Lady Claudia's man, I beleive. I was on my way to question him, when the announcement was made. I immediately came home. Your pressence is required at Castle British. The announcement will be given within the hour.", he said.
"Very well.", Fig said, standing up. He gathered his shield and spellbooks and loaded his pack. "Your orders are as follows. Continue to track Valek and Lady Lynne. Do not set food on Maginica soil tho. I cannot explain why at this time. You must trust me on this. Pieces are moving faster than I thought. Rest up at the keep, of course, and gather what you need for your journeys from Concubine and Wench. The barkeep will make sure you are fed.", He said as he grabed one of the books from his backpack. "I will be back soon. Remember, find Lady Lynne and Valek."
Fig waved his hand over the book and muttered something inaudible and vanished with a bright flash leaving the hooded man alone in the candlelight. He left the room blowing out the candles. he went to the dining hall and sat down on one the side chairs. Inez, the barkeep, brought him a plate of food, which he ate as if he hadn't been fed in weeks.
Concubine came up the stairs and sat next to the hooded man. He pretended not to notice her, continuing to eat his meal. She tossed a bloody bag onto the table and sat back.
"I cleaned up the mess you left outside. You left yer throwing stars on the bodys, again You gotta remember to pick up after yourself. They will probably need to be poisoned again. Just made up a fresh batch last night.", she said, putting her hands behind her head.
The hooded man grabbed the bloody bag off the table, and returned to his meal. Inez the barkeep brought a bottle of wine to the table and returned to her cooking in the west wing. Concubine allowed the man to finish his meal. He then leaned back placed his feet up and began to relax. Wench continued to work her soulforge every once in a whie looking over at the two sitting in silence.
Suddenly, Concubine pounded her fist on the table. "OH COME ON! TELL US!", she yelled.
"Whatever to you mean M'Lady?" He replyed, still relaxing and pulling his hood further down.
Wench threw down the sword she was working on, making a loud clash which rang through the hall. Cursing in gargish, she moved to the table across from the other two.
"TO BE KNOWING!", the gargoyle yelled at the hooded man, stretching out her wings. as she leaned across towards him.
"Knowing is not required, only obedience.", The hooded man replied. "We are Children of Fig."
"Yeah, yeah" Concubine sat back, frustrated. "And 'He has always been here.'. We KNOW all that."
The hooded man leaned forward over the table, placing his elbows on it, and folding his hands together.
Concubine stood up angrily. "You are one of the best the assassins and spys in Sosoria. Are you telling us you have no idea?"
The hooded man waited for Concubine to calm down and whispered slowly. "He is in. At this moment they are announcing it in Castle British."
Concubine sat back down and poured herself some wine from the bottle. She took a long drink from the goblet and set it down. "So it is done. He is a counciler of Britian. Well we know what to do now. I will require iron. Lots of it. You might want to tell the necromancer. She hasn't come up from the north western tower since she arrived. But she is the only miner amoung us." she said, as she wiped her lips.
"I will leave that to you. I have my own orders. as soon as I get a nights sleep, I must be on my way again." the hooded man said. He stood up and left the dining room out towards the west wing of the keep, and dissapeared. Concubine and Wench looked at the table at each other.
"To not be myself going down there. To be you that requires the iron. To have my own work." Wench said,and returned to the soulforge, picking up the dropped sword she was working on.
Concubine sat at the table for a minute and her eyes drifted back to where Inez the barkeep was sitting. An evil grin spread across her face as an idea came to her head.
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