Eiyuu Kishi Den

Z wrote:To save all our history for posterity, and boost members' post counts, I'm reposting old threads from the yahoo group and old forum. It may be a long and tedious task, but hopefully it'll be done and we can find all our history in one place!

The mercenaries rode into the small city just after sunset. Walking, it usually took about a day and a half, but on horseback it was just a day's journey. On the ride there, once the air had began to chill, Zira donned her cloak again to hide her race. Once they entered Hilt, the dark elf kept her head down, hiding under her hood.

As a traveler's hub, Hilt had plenty of inns, taverns, stables, and shops to choose from. However, they wouldn't look for one until they met up with Jeren. He had to find a place to land his wyvern. Zira would watch, but looking up would only reveal her.

Ryna examined the city stoically. Hilt held a lot of bad memories for Ryna, though it was also where she met Leaf, Garrack, and the others that she became so famous with. Five years ago, Randy died here. She brought him to Hilt after dark elves implanted an evil crystal in his chest, but when Grievas tried to heal him, the crystal turned Randy's body into a hydra that destroyed the fortress. The only way to stop it was for Randy to die. Now, the city didn't show a sign of the battle that happened that night and here she was, working with a dark elf.

Edwin gazed around the building of Hilt taking a moment to relax, since it was good to be out of the desert for now. Turning his head he looked over to Zira understanding why she was hiding herself through he wish she didn't have it. Turning his head slighty to gaze around "I wonder where Jeren will meet us"

"I think I'll meet you about here!" Jeren called, jogging towards them. Nightfire was in the hands of a local herder. Jeren had paid the man well simply to let the wyvern hang around and to feed her his oldest or lamest lamb. That was how they traveled for the most part, when Jeren was to go into town. She wouldn't tolerate being on her own for too long, so he would have to visit her tomorrow, if they intended to stay any longer. She would stay outside the gates of Hilt unless called. She was supposed to stay grounded as well, but he could never garentee that she would.

"Just had to find a suitable location for my love to take a rest and get a suitable meal. Sorry about that..."

Leaf looked back at Jeren and grinned. "Great!" she exclaimed. "Now, let's just find an inn. You know, some times they just let us stay on reputation alone," the half elf told the group. "Hopefully they'll do the same for you guys, I don't think you should have to waste your money if you don't have to," Leaf added with a wink back to her more obscure companions.

"Yes, it is a nice benefit of being a hero, but I don't want to cut in on some poor innkeeper's profits," Ryna added. "Even when they do favors, I like to leave them a hearty tip."

Leaf looked back over her shoulder again with a smile and thumbed toward Ryna. "And she says she was a thief!"

"I did what I had to survive," Ryna replied cooly. "Now I can afford to give back what I took from society, I will."

Leaf sighed, since Ryna was right, but Leaf didn't like to pass up a free meal and bed. "Hey, how about seeing if Ghaw'll cut us a deal at his inn?"

"All right," Ryna said, sounding a little like a reluctant mother.

Leaf smiled and urged her horse to a slightly faster pace so she could lead the way. It was only a few blocks longer until Leaf stopped them at a well kept sandstone building. A brilliantly painted sign featuring a Phoenix hung over the door, signifying that this was the "Phoenix Inn". Ghaw, a retired warrior of the Wind Tribe, had fought with Kashue in the last battle against the Flame tribe and witnessed the tribe leader, Nadia, become the Phoenix. The image on the sign was repainted from his memory of that sight.

Leaf hopped out of the saddle and tied her horse to the railing outside. It was a temporary place to leave your horse, but there was a stable in the neighborhood that most inn patrons in the area left their horses at. The half elf nearly skipped inside, eager as always.

At one of the tables within the inn sat a young man, twenty one years of age, with reddish-brown hair done up in a loose ponytail. As the young man ate, he casually glanced around the inn, stealing a glance at everyone and everything with his piercing blue eyes. The young man was Dorian Ma'zaan, and the last thing that he wanted was trouble. He had recently arrived in Hilt, after a few expeditions in the area. Dorian picked up a few artifacts, which he had planned to give back to the area when he found the proper people to actually return the artifacts to. Until then, they were taking up space in his travelling pack.

As the door to the inn opened, Dorian glanced over to see a half elf literally skip in through the door. The young man cracked a smile at her antics, before returning to his meal.

Jeren walked behind in his strange-looking riding leathers. He had armor underneath and he could take them off, but it took a bit of effort, since they were so well secured. As much as he was a free spirit, riding atop a Wyvern mount was not like riding a horse. The wind, especially higher up, was thin and icy to the skin. If one flew in that all day, there was danger of bad medical conditions. So, normally, he rode with his riding leathers on, which were highly tanned leather that was very smooth to the touch. It shielded his skin from the buffeting wind. Most of his face would be covered, but he took the headpeice off. He didn't like the headpeice at all, so he only wore it when necessary.

Jeren had not really connected the names with the stories of heroism when he had originally met them. It didn't make him feel uncomfortable, but he knew he was
playing with people with a bit more experience than he, which was unusual. He was no hero, so it felt strange following them like an estranged puppy.

"Let me. Trade." Ashe had caught up to Leaf and motioned to her to let him speak first. He then jerked his thumb at his chest. "Also. Wind tribe."


-ashe

Leaf paused, hands on her hips. "Well...alright, I guess we both can get a word in," she said.

As they walked toward the counter, the innkeeper looked up and grinned as he recognized Leaf. "Ah! If it ain't the most famous half-elf in all o' Lodoss! Leaf, it's good te see ya again. Tell me ye brought Garrack and Ryna with ye?"

"And a few new friends," Leaf said with a smile as she walked up the to the counter, leaning on it with her elbow. She looked to Ashe, expecting him to introduce himself.

Zira followed her companions into the inn, but did not remove her hood. None of her skin was visible except her chin and neck, and her rich complexion could be easily mistake for a dark skinned human. As long as they didn't see her red eyes or ears, there was nothing to be concerned about. How she hated hiding. At least the chill of evening was enough to keep people from thinking to hard on why she wore a cloak.

"Need. Rooms."

Thus negotiation began. And in a moment rooms were prepared at a very reasonable price for the entire party.

"Not. Bad." He turned his attention Zira. "How early. Do we. Leave. In the. Morning?"


-ashe
(no reason to waste time on haggling)

Edwin had been quiet thinking to himself since Jeren joined up with the crew again, making his way into the inn around one of the last of the party he took the time to gaze around since Ashe was taking charge of getting rooms, which was fine with him as it gave him more time to think at the moment.

At the rate and flow of Ashe's speech, he wondered if he, Ryna, or Leaf should have taken that job. Jeren was tended to be poetic with his choice of words; Ryna obviously knew how to deal with others; Leaf was... Well, Leaf was Leaf. One of them should have done it, but Jeren did not wish to interrupt. It would be an insult to take over a job...

Instead of helping out, Jeren studied some of the others in the room. He almost did not recognize Zira, since she was so covered up. It made him feel uncomfortable (perhaps as much as she was) that he could not see her face and, more specifically, look into her eyes. Jeren had never met a dark elf before. So far, they didn't seem too bad. Perhaps Zira could not be considered the textbook dark elf that stories speak of as evil assassins, but he was sure she was deadly. He wasn't sure quite how, since he wasn't exactly paying attention to her when those scorpions appeared.

Then there was Edwin... One of the first to introduce himself after the battle. Now he was quiet and, one might say, even a bit shy. He wondered why Edwin wasn't interested in a bit of light conversation... Perhaps he simply needed someone to speak with?

Jeren stood next to Edwin and leaned his head over. "One could go as far as to say we are companions in arms now, good sir, yet I know nothing of you but your name..." He remarked. "Much sits the same with the rest of the group. Perhaps, if you wish, we could find a seat somewhere and have a bit of interesting conversation over a full mug... My treat..."

"I could have got them for free," Leaf protested, then recieved a reprimanding glance from Ryna who had been one of the last to enter.

Zira gave a nod beneath her hood to Ashe. "In the morning," she said softly. "Someone should take the horses to the local stable," she added, speaking only loud enough for those nearby to hear.

"Garrack and I can do it," Ryna said. "We'll be right back, just get comfortable," she said with a smile, then turned to go back outside with Garrack.

"Well, let's find ourselves a table and get some dinner," Leaf grinned and took the job upon herself. She found a table near a wall, figuring that Zira wouldn't want to be sitting out in the open. Leaf was start to sympathize with the dark elf, something she never considered she'd ever do. Leaf as well as plopped into a chair and sighed as she leaned against the back of it and drapped her limbs over it. "Ahh....back support."

Zira sat down next to Leaf, using the half-elf as a shield from view. She wanted more than anything to just toss off her cloak and get as comfortable as Leaf, but Raiden was really the only place she had a good chance of being comfortable in public. Once the others gathered around her, she would take off her hood and hope the group surrounding her wouldn't allow much attention to be drawn to her.

OOC: No need to write out taking the horses, they'll just come back in a few posts.

Seeing the other start to sit down at a table Edwin was snapped out of his thoughts by Jeren nodding his head smiling slightly "True, I hate to say I don't know much about the others as well or yourself. "

"Interesting conversation is always good especially if someone else is providing the mug to talk over" He laughed slightly nodding his head "I might not look like it I always enjoy a good conversation I just get lost in thought at times."

Jeren smiled. His smile was almost like a trademark. To impressionable young women, his handsome face crossed with smooth smile would catch eyes. Jeren took a seat at the table and waved to the barmaid. She hurried over, eyeing the knight.

"What can I be gettin for you all?" she asked.

"Well, my fine lady, I would like a mug of whatever you think is best, and something for my companions here, if they want it..."

"Of course... What would you all be takin for tonight?"