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| | =='''Miscellanea'''== | | =='''Miscellanea'''== |
| − | *Vek meets a Desert Elf; sunkissed skin that looks like tanned leather, equipment and clothing appropriate, and appropriately colored, for the desert, several knives line his belt as well as a curved long blade good for use on foot or mounted. He is carrying a spear with a long bladed point and a shorter, thicker staff, but still 6 feet in length; again, good on foot or mounted. His armor looks like the scaled hide of some reptile, also, desert colors of browns and tans with some bits of black; it is worn under his loose fitting desert garb but not being hidden.
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| − | The Desert Elf is walking out of Ole Danny’s Tavern, someone within calling after him loudly, “Keep telling that story long enough and people might just believe you.” There follows laughter from those within. The Elf chuckles and waves his hand dismissively and playfully towards the open doors behind him. As he turns his head back around and spots Vek, he heads towards him, looking around cautiously, but not looking aggressive.
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| − | As he approaches Vek, he smiles in a friendly manner and says, “Well Met, Honored Traveler. Ole Danny said I should take the time to speak with you, if I should cross your path before I leave in the morning with the caravan. Do you wish to get a drink, or walk while we talk?”
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| − | *"Lets take a walk but keep a drink handy, Good Sir. I have few topics in common with Ole Danny. The ones i do are not the ones for a crowded hall." Gathering his pack, and dulcimer, letting Paka perch on them protectively. Taking a tobacco pouch, and iron pip along.
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| − | *The Desert Elf nods his head and moves in the direction of the south road leading towards the docks and the river.
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| − | “My name is Diego, Honored Traveler. I am from the Desert of Sono, far to the south and east of here. Ole Danny mentioned that you asked about getting hired on as a Caravan Guard.”
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| − | He walks at an easy pace, using his spear like a walking staff, its wooden butt striking the paving stone and making a solid thumping noise with every other step. He talks about the two caravans, east and west, Elven and Dwarven; he seems to be filling the air with talk as you walk, not pausing but not talking fast, just continuous.
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| − | As you reach the South Gate, the double metal door/gates are closed, but a normal sized door is standing open within the left gate door; there is a guard standing to the left side of it, he is wearing the green uniform of Sandor. To the right, leaning against the wall near the gate is a guard in the blue uniform of Gregor; both are human, there are oil lanterns hung to both sides of the gate. There are also guards atop the wall to either side of the gate, but they are within the shadows and it’s more difficult to see them, but Vek is pretty sure there are two on either side and all are Elven.
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| − | The guard in green nods to Diego as he passes through the open door then as Vek passes through the guard nods a little more respectfully and says quietly, “Honored Traveler.”
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| − | There are two guards outside the wall as well, one to either side and each in the respective color’s of their respective city; the one on the left in green, a Desert Elf holding a spear very similar to Diego’s, nods to Diego quietly and tips his spear towards Diego; Diego returns the nod. Otherwise, neither of the outside guards says or does anything as Vek and Diego walk along the paving stone road in the dark of night. There are many stars in dark sky but Vek does not recognize any ‘constellations’ and as of yet does not see a moon or moons.
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| − | “I think I know why Ole Danny said we should speak” Diego begins. He speaks softly but not in a whisper, he looks around with his eyes and subtle movements of his head, his pace slows to an easy crawl, the night is quiet.
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| − | “I don’t think he likes me much, he rarely speaks to me, though he takes my coin and tolerates my story; the only thing he would really know about me. I only started going to his tavern after my caravan trip with Moon brought us here, perhaps two months ago.”
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| − | Diego goes quiet for a moment as he sighs softly. “So, if you will indulge me, Honored Traveler” he says as he lifts a small drinking skin hung around his neck on a leather strap. He pauses as he uses his teeth to pull out the cork attached with a leather cord to the skin. “Let me tell you what my eyes have seen and my ears have heard during my short travels with the Scaled Elf known as Moon.” Then he takes a long pull and swallows, then lets the skin hang, resting on his chest, but he does not re-cork it.
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| − | *“About twenty years ago I first hired on as a Caravan Guard and traveled to the Vale of the Elves along the Sono Desert Trade Route, most of the trip was through lands I knew and I spent many years traveling the Sono Route. On occasion I would hire on for the Stark Range Trade Route and guard cargo bound for the River Run” he points down the road ahead of him “back before the Jeweled Path appeared and the towns of Sandor and Gregor were built. There had always been a gathering of caravans, usually about midday, at the place the Jeweled Path now ends… starts… where the town square currently is. Once the more permanent tents and pavilions were set up and the stone buildings began being built, I decided to switch to the Stark Route.”
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| − | He pauses again and takes another swig off his skin; it smells quite strong, something distilled, perhaps tequila or its like. “About two months ago, while in the Vale of the Elves, I met my first Scaled Elf; I had heard of them, everyone has, but they are rarely seen ‘on the surface world’ for it is said they come from the Underground World, just like the Drow. He was dressed in fine leathers and wore gloves and a matching wide brimmed hat, he kept his head down and the brim kept his face in shadow. He carried matching basket hilted blades on either hip, one long and one short, he also carried many knives and daggers about his body; he dressed like a dandy and I thought him to be a traveler, but he joined us as one of the Caravan Guard on the East Leg of the Stark Range Trade Route. We didn’t know who he was until we had been traveling for about half a day, that’s when we made our first stop to rest and water the beasts and when he decided to show his face and start talking.”
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| − | Diego pauses to take another swig from his skin then continues. “He raised his head and took off his gloves and that is when we were all sure he was indeed a Scaled Elf; some of us had got a glimpse of the gray skin, but now it was confirmed, we could even see the scaling on his neck and the backs of his hands. I’ll never forget what he said when he introduced himself, he said; ‘Where are my manners? Forgive me for not introducing myself sooner. I am Moon.’ Then he bowed to us in a fancy way and said ‘I’m sure you’ve heard of me.’ Most of the Caravan Guards looked nervous or wary, some looked like the wanted to flee, but then Moon said, ‘I know you have most likely heard some of the rumors about me, but do not worry, you are all safe; I am one of you, a Caravan Guard. No harm shall come to any of you while you travel with me.’ Then he bowed and again and smiled at us all. I must admit, he did sound very sincere and non-threatening and it somehow put us all at ease… somewhat at ease.”
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| − | “On the third night out, at one of the Safe Posts, we were attacked by brigands. Moon was on watch, the rest of us were in Reverie or asleep or near enough. I snapped out of Reverie at the sound of screaming men and loud crackling; for a moment my eyes beheld a figure, I am sure it was Moon, standing behind a group of brigands that had come up on our south side in the dark of night, he had arcs of purple lightning coming from his hands and striking all of the brigands, but then the lightning stopped and all was dark but the brigands still made noises of pain. Then suddenly, Moon was standing before me, facing away, towards the brigands; arcs of purple lightning leapt from his fingers again and struck each of the men, some screamed or cursed then dropped dead, others just dropped dead silently. The purple lightning was gone as quick as it came, and so was Moon; he leapt into the air, almost straight up but angled backwards towards me. As I watched him back flip over one of the wagons the guards on the other side cried out ‘Brigands!’; since I was still on the ground I scrambled under the wagon just in time to see Moon land and rush the nearest brigand, nearly 60 feet away still. He moved with incredible speed and grace, like a predatory beast hunting in its natural habitat; his movements were blinding, efficient and lethal, he moved from one brigand to the next, evading or parrying their blows with effortless ease and dispatching each in the quickest, most effective way, while barely slowing as he moved to the next until all were dead. Moon stopped and looked around, he flung both arms outwards in a blinding motion, flinging blood off of both blades, and then he sheathed them with a quick flourish of his wrists. As he walked back into the ‘walls’ of the Safe Post he smiled at everyone as we all stared back silently… he said casually, ‘I told you; no harm shall come to any of you while you travel with me.” He winked at me in passing; his eyes looked like purple crescent moons on a starless night. He didn’t have a mark on him… not even a single drop of blood; I have never seen anything like that before, the way he move and fought… I don’t want to call it ‘unnatural’ because I have seen beasts move like he did, but I can’t call it ‘natural’ either.”
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| − | Diego shakes his head and takes a swig off his skin, holds it in his mouth for several moments then swallows it slowly… he continues to hold the skin as he stares off into the darkness.
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| − | *“In my years before meeting Moon, during my travels and my time as a Caravan Guard, I had heard rumors about Moon, many had if they traveled much and listened to rumors. Some say he was an Overlord of the one of the Realms of the Underground World, but he was overthrown, disgraced and exiled to the surface world. Others tell he is of Supernatural Origin, that he is a Demon or Devil of some sort, sent to torment the world of Mortals. I even once heard he is a Fallen God; once the God of Mischief and Trickery, he himself was tricked by a Mortal and the King of the Gods banished him and now he is doomed to walk the World of Mortals.” Diego chuckles slightly but then ‘sobers’ and continues in a somber tone. “Most say that Moon is beyond Ancient; that he has walked the lands, above and below the surface for 100,000 years or more and that he is the greatest warrior that ever has lived or will live… and that he is ‘THE’ High Wizard himself, or was at one point… that he is some sort of malicious Preternatural Being that takes whatever Form it wishes and does at it pleases.”
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| − | He takes another swig from the skin then lets it hang from his neck as he reaches inside a pouch and says, “Ole Danny whispered to me that Moon cheated you with a brass coin. He cheated us all, on the last night before reaching the twin towns. The previous night he gambled with us at dice and cards and won all of our money, fair enough; or so we thought. The last night he gambled with us again, saying it was only ‘beginner’s luck’ and that we would surely win back our coin… and we did, or so we thought. The next day, after we arrived in the twin towns and Moon was no longer around, we each discovered that the coins we had won were now all blank brass discs.” He holds up a blank metal disc in the darkness and presents it to Vek, “I keep one as a reminder to never again trust Moon.”
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| − | The slow walk stopped as did Diego’s story; Vek finds himself standing at the edge of the plateau looking at the paving stone road winding its way down the steep slopes towards a wide river far below; a dark ribbon winding its way between plateaus, bluff, cliffs, buttes and mesas, occasionally reflecting the stars in the sky upon its black still surface.
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