The Heroes Set Forth
The feeling of anticipation grew until it was palpable. The restless part could taste the words before they could hear them, and yet the old man in his wizened way, spoke much to slow. “You four will do this for me, yes?” he asked while he seated himself behind his big oak desk, a place he would never see any real combat himself.
“So, you don’t expect us to actually do anything other than gather some information?” the young wizard wondered aloud.
“Just go and take a look at this big black thing?” the Dwarf asked.
“Is it a rich town?” asked the Halfling.
“I will pray for guidance in this matter,” the Paladin said matter-of-factly.
“We will give you 500 gold in advance for your troubles and another 500 when you return- each,” the old man said as he stretched his arms from him brown robes and placed them on the table in front of him like brittle sticks.
“We’ll do it,” the four chimed in as one.
“Can we get that in pearls?” the Dwarf asked, always the one to make more sense, to barter.
“You can,” the old man smiled. The rest we can exchange for diamonds if you like.
“We like,” the Dwarf agreed for the whole party. “We’ll be needing a place for sleep, food, mean, and women before we go.”
“Of course, the food and lodging will be taken care of by the Sept. What spirits or women you choose to indulge in will be your own coin. The Inn down the road will be quite hospitiable to you and you will find horses for you saddled and ready waiting out front. I look forward to hearing of your findings. We would go ourselves but we have to focus on our temples here, of course.”
“Of course,” the Paladin offered with a sly smile that let the man know her exact thoughts on their ideals. Their god was not her god but religion of others was something she took very seriously, almost as seriously as a free meal.
The old man handed each of the weary travelers a small blue pouch with their first installment tucked neatly inside. “I trust you will be back for the other half. You’ve all come very highly recommended by our charter across the seas. Enjoy your night, it is a long road to Bellspot with no villages inbetween.”
The party shuffled out of the old man’s office and into a bustling dust filled street. “Just down to the left,” the Dwarf huffed. “I can smell the beer from here.”
“Of course you can,” the Wizard laughed. “And I can smell a bath and a good night’s sleep. I hate ships.”
“We know,” the others chimed in. “You’ve been complaining the entire way here,” the Dwarf grumbled almost as loudly as his stomach. “Let’s eat!”
Despite the odd paring of the small company, the town barely glanced their way as they headed toward the inn. Stormport, being a fairly large port town, was accustomed to strangers along their roads races of every color and shape and the citizens who called the dusty place home made it their business to stay out of other’s business. They’d sell you their wares, smile and offer you a better price than their neighbor, but they didn’t want to know what you’d be doing with that potion, sword, or map. It was just the kind of town R liked.
She walked behind the others, using their size to conceal herself even when she didn’t have to. Being a mere 3 ½ feet tall, it wasn’t hard for her to disappear in a crowd of people or to make their money pouches disappear either. Though, she’d promised her friends she wouldn’t loot the people of the town unless she though it invaluable to the group. Traveling groups always need money, she told herself as she swore on her daggers that she wouldn’t get them into trouble again.
The day was warm and she pushed the cowl of her light cloak from her face and let the warm dust settle into her short pixie cut dark hair. Her skin was white, much paler than a Halfling usually has. Her eyes were dark, like a sea at night, so that the pupil was nearly invisible, and her face was all angles, pointed nose, pointed brows, high cheeks, and thin jaw with a nearly pointed chin. In her land she wasn’t considered beautiful but there were those that found her that way.
“There it is,” the Dwarf bellowed happily. “I’m ready for a…”
“Beer, we know,” the Paladin finished for him as she shook out her shoulder length red hair. “You’re always ready for beer.” Nyx loved teasing the Dwarf and he never seemed to mind. He just smiled and stomped his feet on the stoop to the inn. She dusted her hands on her leathers, her skin only a shade lighter than the supple pants.
“What you all waiting for, an invitation?” R laughed as she pushed between them and opened to door to the Inn. “Come on freckles, let’s get a table,” she said to Nyx. “Let the men-folk get us something to eat.”
The Inn was bustling with people in every corner and extra warm for all the bodies drinking, dicing, and playing cards but they managed to find a table along the far wall while the other two haggled with the barkeep over in no uncertain terms.
“I want a K E G,” the Dwarf grumbled. “My name is Seargent Donovan Stonerain of the 13th Batallion…”
“Just get him a keg please, we’ll gladly pay a bit extra for the service,” the Wizard injected.
The barkeep looked perplexed for a moment, whispered something to his help, and nodded to the men. I’ll sell you the keg, a hot plate of food for each of you, some summer wine, and one glass for fruit juice for the kid over there.
Donovan looked started. “That’s no kid, that’s…”
“Will be fine,” the wizard injected again. “My name is (alan) and we will also be needing two rooms for the night, baths, and it will be on the Sept’s tab please.”
“All but the beer,” the barkeep smiled. “They sent word ahead of you. Everything is ready and should be to your liking. You’ll find that your horses are already waiting for you out front.” The dirty fat man sucked his teeth and wiped sweat from his brow with the tail of his shirt. “Won’t no one bother them. People don’t want to anger the god’s ponies.”
“Good way to get your fingers burnt off with acid,” the boy behind the bar added as he held up his mangled hand.
The barkeep smacked the boy in the back of the head and gave them a fake smile. “I’ll have it sent right over. When you’re ready for your room one of our girls can show you the way.”
Donovan harrumphed but squeezed past the full room of patrons to the table beside the far wall. “Well if I ever,” he started but was interrupted yet again.
“Hey you guys see that man in the corner over there. He hasn’t had a thing to eat, drink, or smoke since we been here. He’s just sitting there, staring at the place like he’s looking for something or someone.”
“What of it,” (Alan) asked as he picked at the old splintered table with soft long fingered hands.
“I wonder what he’s hiding?”
Before the others could get the word no from their mouths, R was up and moving effortlessly across the crowded room and the serving wench was sitting their foot and drink on the table, being sure to lean forward a bit too far so they could see down her top to her ample bosoms. “Will there be anythin’ else, mylords?” she asked with a toothless grin. “Anything at all.”
“No thank you,” Nyx blurted before the others could inject. “We won’t be needing anything else,” she said, making sure to put an emphasis on the word anything.
The chubby, unkempt woman’s smiled faded away and she all but pouted as she left the table. “Some people,” Nyx groaned.
“Nothing wrong with a big girl in your bed to keep you warm,” Donovan laughed.
“This town’s too hot as it is,” (Alan) chuckled.

“Why excuse me sir,” R smiled brightly. “Would you mind a bit of company? Seems there aren’t many table in here and the one I was sitting at was getting a bit cramped. I’d gladly buy you an ale for trouble.”
The man’s brown eyes glistened under his heavy brows and he clenched his fingers together on the table. “I’m not looking for no visitors.” His voice was deep and gravely and his mouth never moved from the straight line it made on his face.
R smiled again. “Well surely you can spare a chair. I’ll even buy you a bite to eat.”
“Get lost kid,” the man growled as he leaned back in his chair.
R noticed the belt pouch right way. It looked heavy with coin and the man had been rude to her. “My apologies,” she said as she tried to bow, tripped over the leg of a nearby chair, fell bodily into the man’s crotch face first, relieved him of his purse, and stumbled back to her feet. “Oh my, I’m so sorry,” she said embarrassed.
The man’s face was still a mask of quit anger at being bothered and he shooed her away with a wave of one hand. “I said leave me be.”
R turned, pretended to stumble forward once more, caught herself, and headed back to her chair. “Jerk,” she said as she sat down and pulled the purse from her shirt sleeve. “ Let’s see what we’ve got.”
“R,” (Alan) hissed. “I thought you promised,” but the words caught in his throat as she dumped the contents of the bag on the table and the glass fell out. “Oh my,” he said as he lifted it in his hands being careful to hide from any onlookers. “This is some sort of magic glass. You should put it away before someone see it.”
“Someone stole my purse!” came a yell from across the bar. “Which one of you thieving little worms stole my purse?” The dark man yelled and flipped his table over into the backs of some other patron.
“Now you’ve done it,” Nyx hissed. “We need to get out of here don’t we.”
“Aww, but my beer,” Donovan complained. “Screw it, bar fight?”
“No,” Nyx whispered as she shifted quietly in her seat. I’ll take care of this.”