The Scribbles of a Mage

       Its been well over a week since our celebrations and I could not for the life of me remember a thing that had went on that night. All anyone would tell me was that I had a grand time of singing songs and heavily drinking ourselves under. I kept seeing that dragon born woman out of the corner of my eye as I went about my day buried in my studies and practices. She was distracting I'll say that much for the beast. I met Caerulean, Gordon the VI, Rolan, and even on occasion Jörg at the Gregarious Goblin on a regular basis through out the week. I have not seen much of the poor halfling girl who was said to have been scared off sometime during the jubilation of our victory. After much meditation so that my emotions were under control as my comrades have seen fit to unravel after a few days of merriment, I have finally immersed myself in my practices learning more spells and perfecting them slowly.
     The Keep gave plenty of space for magic users like myself to practice without being interrupted. Concentration was imperative for magic of course, but I did not like it so quiet. It was not so quiet at the orphanage among the spiders forcing me to concentrate on my magic in time to save the lovely she-barbarian haunting my thoughts so pervasively that I had to make a dream tea concoction to help lilt me into my trance in the evenings.
       Anyway, this famous fog of the city's wafting in every morning was so opaque that in just moments of being out in its smoggy clutches, my robes were soaked through and all my hard work in making my hair stand perfectly in place was ruined. I must look like a drowned knoll rat, and that bard prances around like damned frittering cherubim and with the voice of one too. I wondered silently if the dragon born female had took notice of him. Ha! Of course she didn't. She was a woman who knew true fearlessness when she saw it. Spiders and thieves could not scare one with the power of Lo ready at his fingertips. She too was a woman of strength, maybe not as fearless but bravery to overcome fear most certainly. How her scales gleamed like emeralds from the Vales of Kesterly.
       No! I won't think on her. I must conceal my thoughts and learn to suppress these weaker desires of mine so that I do not falter in my studies. Nothing could be put above my scholarly duties and so soon when I just began my journey to be the most cosmic powerful sorcerer in all the realm. I glanced quickly around to make sure no one heard my manic and high-pitched laughter. It wasn't my fault I acquired my mother's laughing genes, her voice, and perfect long lashes.
        Today was the first in a long while that we have been summoned to meet with Thea. Distracted from my studies once again, I found my way to the court yard that was still eerily filled with this incessant fog and yet it is mid-day. Usually by late morning it dissipates but lately it has shrouded the city both day and night.
      "I need for you to go down to the waterfront where the most grueling rumors have risen about a ship haunting the bay by our docks. I am sure it is just the paranoia felt with being trapped under the city's fog, but I'm afraid that a panic may start if we don't get to the bottom of these rumors. I will be here on the morrow to hear your reports. In the mean time, may Lethander be with you." She waved us on and the fog erased her form from our sight quickly.
        Every one seemed to glide in this fog and hardly anything within ten feet from me could be seen through its white plumes. On the pier blocking our paths to the wharf, was that dashing ruthless man from the trial, Dickory Dock and a few of his....lesser companions who clearly did not have a care for personal hygiene. They were ruffians unkempt and were missing teeth. They had deep guttural voices with the eloquence of an orc, and the muscles of oxen. The fact that a wealthy, cunning man of prestige so nonchalantly kept such unkempt company struck me as highly conspicuous nature. His threat given to me directly the day of the trial was not forgotten and I made it a habit of mine to show those with loose lips how to keep them shut.
       "Well, well the heroes of the hour." Hollow clapping from Dickory sounded in the silence of the pier in which there was no one around but us and Dickory's crew in the late afternoon when the activity should be at its highest with people swarming about. The rumors of the phantom ship must be strong enough to drive every one away from the water front. Dickory's dazzling smile reached his eyes meaning what ever he was up to he was please with himself for.
       "Why I think they've come to rescue us from ghosts. How gallant of you." His smile faded into a sneer.        "Come on boys we have work to do." A small smile twitched back into place for a fleeting second before he waltzed off with his thugs braying behind him as if his every word of his was something farcical to them. We let them walk off having more pressing matters to be concerned with ourselves at the Ambiguous Unicorn.
      That same smell of a most alkaline odor mingling with the sweat and grim of humans and dwarves, sailors to be sure, plus something I supposed was beef stew, intrusively flooded my elvish nostrils. It was obvious to me that these fellows needed lessons in bathing.
           "Aye there ya are. 'bout time the keep sent somebody ter find out whats going on 'round here." A big man with the waist of a barrel came forward and clapped Jörg and the Gordon on the back with his hammer-like fists. "Bloody ghost ship is scarrin' off me customers and not just that but I got delays on account nobody is brave enough ta ship out.The men here keep whisperin' bout a plague ship and I don' like ta think so meself but we haven seen a soul out on that darn ship's deck."
          "You know where the ship is then?" Maleficent inquired. He gestured with his hand for us to follow him out the door and back out into the eerie foggy night.
         "I got some dinghy's you can use to get ta her I'll show you the dock right over this way. Everyone scared shitless of her thinks its the old Octorain from decades ago. The Octorain was this city's greatest naval ship. She was known to claim many pirates and sunk over ten of them ships. Well the Octorain met its match against a pirate ship called the Sea Witch, named for her captain Ulani Witchmar. They say she was a sorceress who sent plague down on her enemies. Some say she was in service of the merqueen Valora and so she drowned all her victims as a sacrifice ta her queen below the water. Anyway people are saying that that there ghost ship is the Octorain finally came home to port. Eh' I don't care either way I just want to know the truth of the matter. that where you come in. Find out if its a phantom ship or a plague ship. if its the plague burn it and if any of ya get on I expect ya to do proper and burn with it so I don't have ta." He gave a small but hearty laugh at that though I didn't see any humor in being burnt alive. We glanced at each other then, less sure of what we were dealing with. My hairs tingled on the back of my neck which was always a sign that something was wrong here. Half of my companions were already in the dinghy and so I supposed I'd go along to find out just how wrong things were.
     I barely could make out the frame of the ship through all the fog and it was easy to see how anyone could mistake it for some ghastly apparition of a ship. All this fog could make this whole damned city look like a ghost city to some far off in the distance. Once we neared, the ship became real, more solid and we circled around it looking for any sign of life up on the deck. It was still early in the night for a crew to be sleeping below deck and even so Caerulean said that there had to be at least a few on deck for watch. It was so still and silent even the water could barely be heard lapping against the ship's hull. With only one thing left to do we started up the rope ladder and boarded the ship.
     Not a soul in sight. We scattered and I knew to head to the bow where I might peer down into the lower compartment to see if anyone could be found and hoped to the gods that if I did find anyone they were well and alive. Just as I was about to follow a ramp down under the deck I heard a small raucous and a high-pitched and clearly unstable laugh coming from the crates over by Gordon. Just then the little halfling girl, Daisy went hurdling over crates and boxes screaming, "The ship's going to blow! Get off the ship! Its going to blow!!!!" Then she did it. Daisy dove straight off the ship like a mad woman. There was more manic laughter coming from somewhere I couldn't see then I heard several more splashes. I thought to hurry and take a small peek below deck and found the entire space was filled with barrels of Wun Powder. Then twenty paces towards the middle was a sizzling noise where I saw a wick sparkling with fire that came from a hole above in the deck and was about to blast me sky high into oblivion.
      "God of Io give me Frost." I caste my spell all but too late and in my panic I faltered missing the wick and with horror I watch it fall into a barrel. One barrel of over sixty surrounding me and I knew then that this whole ship was in fact only meant for one thing, putting that smirk on that bastard's face, Dickory. All I could think to say was, "Bastard." Then a burning wave hit my chest as the thunder-clapping blast exploded the ship and I felt myself falling back as the splintering wood rung in my ears and then it black.
     

Confessions of a Wayward Priestess

         I placed my feet into the blessed water poured out of a small fountain, and into a wide bowl that emptied out into a trough leading down to the temple garden's. I dipped my hands into a smaller bowl beneath the mouth of the lion where the water poured out from. It had been a few days time since the trial of the thieves that turned out to be a mix of feelings for me. Was there really justice? It felt incomplete, but we did return the items and the sick were finally being healed once more. Sister Sarah and Sister Rose-Mary were able to be healed and were walking these halls as I stand here approaching the confessional curtains.
        I put on the black veil and it swallowed my body in its sheer swathing cloth. The curtain was crimson red and inside was pitch black. It took a long moment before my eyes adjusted but still it was hard to see anything through the thin cloth. There was a chair and next to it was another curtain separating myself from the higher priest or priestess that I would give my confession to. Being in this dark allowed me to feel the shame of stepping out of Pelor's light and I would not feel his light again until I gave professed my sins.
       "Brother or Sister of the Light, I have come today to confess my wrong doings and witness there of. Do you walk with me in my darkness and will you guide me to the light, for I am blind?" I waited in the darkness for a response.
     "I will guide thee from the dark and into light, state your sins Sister." A monotonous male voice came from behind the curtain and I tried not to place his voice with the round face I knew it came from.
     "I- I well I'm not quite sure where to start its all so terrible."
     "At the beginning Sister start at the very beginning." He urged me on and I took a deep breath and was ready to pour it all out.
     "It started when my companions thought to celebrate our victory a few days ago upon bringing justice to the people and for returning the stolen items from this temple. We were given quite the reward probably more than we really deserved, I donated ten percent to the orphanage as it badly is in need of repairs."
        "That was kind of you sister." He interrupted to reassure that I had a good heart, but he was about to discover another side of me.
         "Yes, um thank you." I continued. "Any way they decided we should all head down to the Gregarious Goblin to have a few rounds in celebration."
         "Pelor does not care if one has a few mugs of ale Sister I have a few myself here and there." My brother must think I am extremely pious, however, this was not my sin.
         "Yes, well you see, it started with the bard. We went in and were greeted by cheers for returning the Tear of Pelor and there was a dwarf with a great bushy flaming red beard that wanted to know how big the spiders were that we had slain in the orphanage. Such gossip spreads fast I suppose, and somehow the spiders were as big as the trees themselves. Mind you they were still large enough to be ponies but they weren't elephants, how ridiculous really. So the bard broke out in song telling our tale of the spiders. Well the dwarf laughed and challenged my bard friend to a drinking match. Instead the bard put up the large dragon born friend of ours to the task, saying he could out drink anyone in this room. Jörg seemed quite shocked to find this out but the dwarf already ordered the rounds.
        Then before they started, Caerulean, our former pirate, decided to put down a wager and make it all a game. Throwing daggers at a mounted bull's head that was on the wall. If you could pierce the eyes or the snout, the other would have to drink and the one who lost would be passed out drunk. This was when I knew I should leave, but then the bloody bard saw my attempt to escape and scooped me up rudely making me the score keeper. Well as you can imagine this went one for some time, and all the while the crowd would make a mighty roar whenever a dagger sunk into an eye socket or nostril of the beast. After some time the dwarf rose his glass and toasted to our victory for the sixth time that evening and every one drank with him just as he sunk to the ground and began snoring and hiccuping. The dragon born named Jörg had won and became A fierce fan of playing games with drink.
        "Now that they had moved on to another game; the pirate was very good at coming up with these games, this one was called liars dice. I thought that since I should never lie that I should slip out of the tavern unnoticed right away. After all, the bard had broke out into song and some other bloke with a fiddle had joined him making the people in the tavern start to do a jig. Admittedly, I wanted to join them because it reminded me so much of home back in Buckle Berry Hill. Halfling folk are known for dancin' you know. They are very jolly, we halfling folk are, and we down right know how to jig. I had to hold my knees still so they would stop bouncing to the rhythm you see. Well, I was just about to head for the door when they lifted my chair, high in the air, with me still sitting on top horrified. They did so upon getting to the part in the song where a 'burned the spider to the ground' or so the song went. They chanted this dancing and prancing about, almost dropping me thrice times, as they were not very steady on their feet by then. Now, being high up, I noticed that there were some women scantily clothed and were involved in most atrocious behavior. It didn't dawn on me that these ladies weren't ladies at all but rather night wenches, until I saw the pirate, our dear captain Caerulean, passing one of the fairer gals that sat on his lap, a silver coin using only his tongue!" I shuddered slightly and signed Pelor and forced myself to continue after hearing a distinct gulp from my brother on the other side.
      "As I was saying I was trying to leave this den of darkness when the ranger, Rolan produced the most potent Teak Leaf I've smelt since leaving my village. I must confess that the Teak Leaf was a comfort of mine back home and  though I knew it was wrong, the sweet odor of the leaf brought me home in an instant, and well.... I profess that it is without a doubt a folly of mine. He must have seen my desire in my eyes because he offered his pipe like he was the tempest of Assai with her witch's song to lure me into sin. I thought one huff and puff would not be so harmful and thus my confession begins. For it was not like the younger years when I had a robust taste for the Leaf and it took a whole pipe for me to feel its effects. No, I had laid my pipe down  for Pelor years ago, and so when I took but a single huff out of that bloody ranger's pipe I floated towards Pelor himself. The tavern swirled before me almost as if the room were receding like waves upon the shoreline."
        "Sister you are confessing to me that you partook in this um jubilation?" He seemed lost for words and slightly out of breath and I knew I had overwhelmed him.
        "Yes, there is more-."
         "More! I mean, please continue, I am here to walk you out of darkness." He sounded as if hanging onto my every word. He was blessed with much patients, I thought.
       "Yes, this is when I started seeing all manner of things. First the mage swirled something around, over his head that I could only imagine to be a ladies garner strap, but what was appalling about it is that I found it belonged to the barbarian woman known as Maleficent, the other dragon born among our party. He stood up on the table and hushed every down to make what appeared to be an important toast. I thought it must be another toast of our victory or some mock of a touching moment about our new friendship. It was neither as he simply placed the garner on his head like you would a bandanna and blustered out funny sounding words saying, "I fancy Lizard legs are the toothsome in all the Realm!" Everyone hollered and cheered at this even though I was sure I was the only other person in the room that knew what the word 'toothsome' meant and its inappropriateness made me dizzy. The mage jumped into the bulky and scaly arms of the barbarian and drank up. Sometime later, as the male dragon born was relieving himself in the smoldering fire place, I finally could feel my legs again and started to saunter towards the door. Having to step over the bard holding a broken mug half full of ale and his harmonica was clutched in his other hand, I made my escape. It was near dawn and I knew that Pelor's light would soon come out to only reveal the shame of my sins on my face so I hurried here for my confession." I drew a deep breath having finished my confession and braced myself for the punishment. I just knew I would have to give myself at least twenty back lashing with the chain whip.
      "Is that all Sister?"
      "Yes, I'm finished what must I do to return to Pelor's light?" He cleared his throat and said in a soft weak voice,
      "Well uh- since it seems that you did not actually take part in your "friends" vulgarity, save the huffing of the teak leaf, I think ten Prayer's of the sun and a weeks worth service in the temple should remind you what company to keep and to free yourself of your past habit of the teak leaf, ten more prayers of the sun and purging yourself once should mend your ways so that once more you will walk in Pelor's holy favor. Thank you for your uh um confession Sister." Relieved to know I did not have to whip my back, I thanked my brother and left. Taking off the veil and pulling back the curtain allowed Pelor's light to sting my eyes, letting me know that judgement has been passed and I can go forth no longer blinded and see once more. I hurried, already saying my first 'Prayer of the Sun,' as I went to purge myself. For the rest of the week I avoided my companions and dove myself into service in the temple helping where ever I could.

Trails of a Ranger

     "I saw the blue diamond in that boy's pocket, and in one of the chests in the back I saw the rest of the stolen valuables. We better get the group and move in fast." I knew that if we did not act fast that they would melt everything down by dawn. I hadn't any doubts that my spry friend, Caerulean could steal it all back like he suggested but I had a feeling they wouldn't leave the shop until their work was done, until it was all melted and unrecognizable.
    Back at the Ambiguous Unicorn, we met up with our friends that were put in the very back of the tavern by Maverick as to draw the least attention to them. They stuck out like blood on snow in this crowd. I pulled on my collar feeling a bit choked with all these eyes on my person. I was used to the wild with nothing at my back but the wind running through the brush. In my opinion, cities were cesspools of people with all their blustering noises as they go about their hackneyed and humdrum lives. It was restrictive in the city with so many eyes watching and not seeing as you pass by. I found cities rather suffocating. People were suffocating.
       "You are telling me you saw the stolen items and did nothing? Why didn't you arrest them?" The little cleric child seemed rather hot about those stolen goods that were taken from her god's temple. I was a bit territorial of my things too but she needed to cool down before she made a scene here.
       "Alright miss holy-two-shoes what do you propose we should have done back there. We were out numbered and came back to get you guys. Don't you want to arrest them for yourself?" Caerulean raised his eyebrows to challenge Daisy who simply folded her arms stubbornly across her chest.
      "I'll tell you what I like to do-"
      "We should kill them" Gordon cut in abruptly, "I think its only fair."
      "I think you've had plenty of these." Jörg took his mug of ale away from him and downed the rest of its continents. Gordon opened his mouth to protest but he hiccuped instead proving Jörg's theory all to clearly. All this bantering was going to give me head ache.
    "Lets just go now. All of us will outnumber them and hopefully they won't run or put up a fight. You four go in front since they don't know you guys. Caerulean, Daisy, and myself will hide in the side alley just in case anyone tries to run out the back." I also thought that it was better if we kept the cleric outside just in case she still felt in the smiting mood. No one disagreed, and we left immediately going towards the smithy shop once more.
       I crouched near the back door and pressed my ear to the splintering wooden wall of the shop. Daisy and Caerulean were hidden between the crates and boxes that congested the side alley. I could hear the Bard's uproarious slurred words.
       "WE ARE HERE FERYOAR ARRIS. PU' YOAR WEAPEN DOEN SLOWEY!"
      "What's the meaning of this? Under what grounds are we being arrested?" Hickory was displeased grumbling something I couldn't exactly hear.
       "You have stolen goods from the Temple of Pelor and we are taking all of you to the keep for questioning." It was Jörg's gravelly voice followed by a shuffling of feet.
        "My friends will be verra put out to learn of my arrest I'll tell ya that for sure! Hey Cotter where you goin!" Then the door to left burst open. Cotter, the boy who had sharpened my sword flew passed me so quick, I snatched the air failing to grab hold of him. He leaped up into the air from a crate and Caerulean jumped with him, clutching on to the boy's foot, and then pulled him down with a force that knocked the wind out of him as the boy slammed onto the wooden floor. The boy thrashed beneath Caerulean trying to keep him pinned down. As I came to help steady the slippery cussing kid, his movements stilled. His dark eyes rounded as he looked into the point of an arrow from a crossbow held by a voracious looking halfling. Daisy stood by the kids head glaring down at him with hatred that screwed up her face that no longer had its childlike glow to it.
       "Who hired you to rob thy lord and god Pelor?"
       "I-i dont know what your talk-" Daisy kicked the kid in the side hard and I put my hand on her shoulder to stop her from continuing. This was not a pretty side for the little cleric I thought.
        "I said give me his name?" Daisy gritted her teeth. The boy chuckled and coughed at once as Caerulean put on shackles around his wrists.
          "You will never beat him. He's going to kill all of you." I lowered the crossbow for Daisy and gave her a stern shake of my head to tell her to let it go. She looked away. Caerulean stood the kid up and pushed him forward into me and held him by the scruff as we joined the others.
         "He isn't going to be happy-"
         "Shut it!" I copped him upside the head and pushed him forward once more. Whoever his boss was would be dealt with in time. My feelings about it were let the man come out and get us like the boy said he would. Less work for me if all I have to do was sharpen my blade as I wait.
      It was dawn when I arose to the sound of a bells ringing from far away. It was the bell tower in the town square, calling the people's attention for the sentencing of Hickory, Cotter, and that other poor bloke we snatched up yesterday on the wharf. I moseyed my way towards the court in the center of town. We were supposed to be there as witnesses since we were the ones who accused them. When I got there though the crowd was thick as bear's fur and I yanked on my collar out of habit. I saw the mage's ebony quaffed hair poking out among the unkempt and unwashed commoners that shouted for a hanging. These people were bitter that the gods had given them a worse fate than those who ruled over them. Bloodthirsty wasn't an appropriate word for it though, they were just grasping at anything that pulled them out of their ordinary lives. Seeing death of one to enliven themselves, it was just another social failure within a city, the mob mentality.
        A man with a pontifical air about him stood up, his shoulders squared, on the stage with the three accused of theft of divine property. He must be of some wealth and prestige because when he spoke he commanded the crowd's attention instantly.
         "I am Dickory Dock here to speak on behalf of these men, my men, under my employment, have been wrongly accused of thievery.We regret the unfortunate misplacement of the temple's valuables, but my men do business with all kinds of men without questions asked. All kinds of cargo go through my brother's shop and onto barges or ships coming and going of all different matters. We can not just go pointing finger's simply because these items were found in some boxes by their smithy. Everyone knows my brothers good word, Hickory is a good company is he not?" His orotund voice carried over the crowd who nodded and murmured agreeing words to one another like sheep. Next to me Charming, the mage, held the piece of cloth he had found among the ransacked temple with the symbol of the man holding the whip and dagger. His gaze was calculating and studying something I must be missing. Charming walked off towards the stairs to get to the stage holding up the piece of cloth to one of the judges.
          "I believe this belongs to that lanky man there besides Hickory's right." Charming pointed to the boy Cotter who had sharpened my sword. He was clearly in an anxious state as the one of the judges held up the torn cloth to his shoulder where his tunic had clearly been patched up. The end of the whip and the man's foot that was still on his green tunic fit to the torn piece of cloth like a puzzle. In a second he bolted, but before he took a third step a dagger plunged into his gut by Dickory who suddenly lost his agreeable disposition. As the boy dropped to the ground and the crowd's gasps dissipated the man wiped his hands together as if to wipe off something dusty from his palms.
        "My apologies, I had never trusted that fool, and perhaps I was a fool to take him under my wing but I will not condone thievery and lies." I saw something then in that man's hawk like eyes as he stared at us in  the crowd, it was malice. I hurried to Charming's side as Dickory came down from the stage shaking the judges hands, formally thanking them like gentlemen should, and smiling facetiously at each of them. When he set his gaze on Charming it was like talons sinking into his skin and even more hair-raising he kept the facetious smile and held out his hand to Charming who was forced to shake it.
         "This isn't over. I'll be be seeing you soon." He said with honeyed words that would make a death threat sound like pleasant business. Obviously, Dickory had been the one to hire the thieves and it was even more blatant was the fact that this man did not like loose ends from the pool of blood Cotter laid in.

The Log of a Misplaced Pirate

       I leaned on the far wall in the back of the temple listening to anything helpful the Priest might say. Other than the two women that were attacked, nothing else he said is remotely useful. I thought the work done here by the thieves interesting. Everything was tossed around; things like the pews and golden tapestries that someone went out of their way to desecrate aside from their primary purpose. They might be sending a message of their hate for this god Pelor, in which case they could be extremists whose god is most like a darker rival of this one, and wanted to instill fear and sow seeds of doubt in these people. Either way, they knew what they were doing.
           "Rolan." If we were to get anywhere I needed Rolan to search the grounds with me, specifically by the pool the old man told us the two priestesses had been attacked by. Rolan caught my gesture towards the door and was more than willing to get out of here. Outside we saw that some of the mob of people have pushed through the gates demanding to see the healing pool for themselves. After several had dipped themselves into the water their anger dissipated and quickly turned to despair when they saw that the priestesses were not lying to them. I saw a few dying and their loved ones cursed aloud, professing Pelor a false god to have abandoned his people and had left them to suffer. Belief in the gods was a fickle sort of subject for me.
       I have traveled to many foreign lands and cities hearing much about the gods and customs of different peoples. Everywhere I went there was a new god that supposedly brought peace, healing, and food. All of them had there codes and laws that needed to be followed and so I found that the gods were about a way of life. Every culture and race had there own way of doing things such as; warriors who worshiped different gods of war, following the way of the hammer, where other gods did not condone killing of any creature no matter how evil or insignificant the life may seem. For myself, I had my own code and way of life that I stood by. The way of life that I assumed no god stood for, until I found him one day upon the crystal blue waters of the sea. Procan, god of the unruly sea and all its unfathomable wealth lain hidden beneath its azure sheets. Procan was the god of uncertain fate and I led a very uncertain life and therefore I gave him my allegiance.
         Rolan ambled by me already looking for footprints or anything that could help us. With too many people milling around the pool it wasn't likely for him to find anything out of place, so he wandered off further away towards the back of the temple. If I were trying to sneak in, it would be by window. I peered up into the second story window where I see Jörg standing with some other priestesses. No doubt they were with the halfling; too small to be seen through the window save some of her curly golden wheat hair peeking out from above the window sill as she spoke to someone on the bed besides her. There on vines was my first clue. An easy climb with the vines crawling up the white walls of the temple. The twigs were clearly broken and bent where they gripped with their hands and feet. Then there were the window's hinges that have been broken recently and put back on too quickly, but the fact that the thieves took off the hinges at all caught my attention. Who ever we were dealing with were professional, hired even.
      "Hey, I think I know where they are headed." The ranger came back from his search scratching the scruff he was collecting on his face. I followed him out to the small field that ended abruptly at a small stream that meandered through the city and out to sea.
      "Small boat landed here on the bank, a dingy most like." The ranger nodded in agreement with me and showed me where he found the foot prints leading to the shore line were.
     "Doesn't seem like any of the people from the temple come out this far. I'm sure these marks are from our thieves. Lets get the others." Just as Rolan finished, we were being called from behind by the rest of our party. Once again the witnesses our priestess talked to were useless, but the mage showed me something I recognized. A symbol of a man with a whip in one hand and a dagger in the other that was sown onto a piece of filthy cloth torn from one of our thief's tunic. I've seen this symbol plenty of times usually on men working the docks down on the city's water front. My lips made a hard line because I knew it meant trouble. The halfling's dour mood only seemed to worsen by this news and I hoped she wouldn't lose her holy head in a place like the docks since these were not men to taken lightly. In fact, we weren't going to find out anything once the men down there saw that a cleric of Pelor was poking around. Actually, my whole group besides maybe the ranger and dragon born wouldn't be much welcome at all. Most people were wary of magic users and the dragon born could be seen as too intimidating as if I were threatening whoever I may question with their mere presence by my side. This might have to be a solo act.
          "You aren't going alone?" I nodded in response to Maleficent's protests.
          "It's too dangerous and you need muscle." Jörg and Maleficent were firm in this and I thought I lost before Rolan spoke up.
          "He won't go alone but he needs subtlety not scary brutes like you two. I'll go with him and we'll find out information. We can meet at the Ambiguous Unicorn in a couple hours." Rolan seemed to resolve the matter quickly and we left the rest of them to fend for themselves as we took the back alleys to get to the water front ahead of them.
          As soon as we hit the wharf on the waterfront the salty sea air fills my nostrils with its scent, and I feel the ache of longing to be surrounded by the freedom that the sea offered out on its crystal waters. Its openness and mysteries from beneath engulfing you like a wave in a storm and leaving you with rife opportunity to sail any where you wish to turn. An uneasy feeling of being trapped here on land forever started in the pit of my stomach when I thought of the admiral's words spoken to me before sending me here.
          I will personally make sure you never so much as step foot on a ship if only to unload its cargo or walk the plank to your grave boy if you don't come back with a citizenship. As for you ruining the reputation of my daughter you've besmirched! I won't have her marry some scum who, hasn't a citizenship or a future.
         I thought he was going to kill me dead on the spot when he found me under his daughter's skirts but when I professed by undying love for her he let me have a chance to prove myself by coming here to Porticullis. Now that I'm here I know that it is good for me to achieve such a title for myself, but the admiral may be cross with me if I ever actually return back home since I wasn't exactly in love with his daughter anymore. It wasn't like I lied to him. Hell! I thought I was in love with her for true when I was but between the lovely girl's legs, but here in this big city my eyes had been opened. There were so many people, women to be exact, and I was so very far away I just didn't see the point. Living in the moment is part of my code.
      We went to the first tavern on the wharf where I knew a few contacts from when I first arrived could be found. The inn keeper was standing behind the bar cleaning a mug with a rag. He looked a bit scraggly with his greasy black bangs hanging in his face and his beard was coming in unruly with some parts thicker than other spots on his round face. He knew my face and acknowledged me with a grin.
         "What can I do fer ya and yer friend there captain?" Maverick bellowed. I smelled beef stew and pervasive fish odors mixing together invidiously. ignoring in I leaned on the bar counter across from Maverick.
        "Me and ah my buddy just happen to be lookin' for some work." I put down a couple copper meant for getting a bit of information but Maverick took the copper and started to fill two mugs up with ale thinking nothing of it
       "Well ya know I'd like ta help ya two fellers out with tha' and all but its a bit tight here but there is plenty of work around here at the waterfront a bet old Lenny could use a strong arm or another fisherman-" I interrupted his train of thought with a gold piece I slid over to him using my mug.
      "I was thinking if you knew where I could find work that wasn't much talked about if you get me." This time he leaned forward with a frown. His eyebrows furrowed giving him a dour sort of expression as he lowered his voice.
       "Well that kind of work isn't for me ya hear me." I thought that was it but after a pause he sighed and quickly covered the gold piece with one of his meaty fists.
         "You might want to go find Hickory further down the wharf at Callahgan's smithy. Ya didn' hear nothin' from me ya two understand?" We nodded and drained our mugs leaving the inn like we never came. As we sauntered down the wharf, I couldn't help but feel at home here with frigate's and barges all tied to the docks with thick ropes and anchors were being tossed over there sides. Huge burly men coming and going, toting large crates filled with spices from the Aldorian Ilses, fine colorful cloth from Thressha, and many other merchandise. I caught sight of one ship from far off the dock that had huge pluming white sails like my own ship once had. Rolan nudged me and pointed towards a small shack at the far end of the wharf that read: Callahgan's Smithy. The windows were dusty and too grimy to see through.
      "What do you think we should do I saw that symbol of the man with a whip a few times, tattooed on some of the men walking around here?" I considered Rolan's observations and if that thief gang were all around us I didn't think it would do us much could to go in asking the wrong questions. Perhaps we would find something if we worked for them. I told Rolan to follow my lead and we went into the smithy. A distinct odorous smell of sweat and iron mingled together, tickling my nostrils, and I thought it might be the closest smell to blood you could get being in a smithy shop. A red headed man with one arm bigger than the other was flipping over a sword banging its flat sides over and over with his hammer. He saw us and stuck the half finished sword into the fire making the metal aglow with orange.
       "Oy! What can I do for ya boys? Needing repairs, perhaps a better blade?" He clapped his hands together as if ready for some business.
      "I could use a good sharpening." Rolan suggested pulling out his blade.
      "Oy! boyo what do ya think your doing! Get over here, we got customers you no good maggot!" A scrawny looking lad jumped at his employer's bellowing and trotted up to grab Rolan's rapier. Right away he took out a whet stone and started scrapping it along the rapier's edge. He had sweat on his brow and I thought he seemed a bit nervous eyeing both of us as if we were a couple of ghosts. The other boy was slightly uneasy as well but carried on his business not wanting to get barked at by his husky boss.
       "Actually we were looking for some work and someone said we should find a man named Hickory." The man cracked his knuckles and scratched his beard.
       "I'm Hickory and Im guessing your not looking to shine my shoes like these here boys, so I ah might have something for ya." He eyed us more carefully measuring both Rolan and myself. I saw Rolan give me a subtle signal to look over in the corner where the second boy was carrying some valuables to a chest. One them was a golden bowl, the pensive from the temple. This was where the items from the temple were. I gave one slow shake of my head telling Rolan not to act now. We needed to get back to the rest of crew and discuss whether we should come back and arrest them all or if they wanted me to steal it back sometime in the night. I preferred the later but I knew the master trainer's at the Keep wanted justice. I might be the only one that knew if we did arrest these men whoever hired them would not hesitate to want to get rid of us.
     "How about you let me talk to some of my people and tomorrow afternoon you two blokes come back here and I migh' have something for ya." He folded his beefy arms over his chest and I nodded my response. Rolan appeared at my side and slid his sword back in his scabbard.
        "Til' tomorrow then sir."
        "sir" Rolan saluted him good bye and we left the shop to go find our comrades.

Memoirs of a Priestess

        I squinted into the spider hole after Jörg rid of the giant spider carcass that was now roasting to ashes in the fire behind me. The tunnel went straight into blackness and once again I was the only one able to fit in its space. Obviously unconcerned that there might be more spiders down there, or for my general safety, my party waved me on. The ranger was kind enough to give me a torch that I thought I could use to blind any beast that might be still down there. Before I went down, Caerulean produced a rope and helped tie it around my waist.
        "Tug once for more slack and twice for us to pull you out in case you run into anything down there." He explained and I gave the sign Pelor. I knew it had to be done because those kids needed to be found. If they were still alive at all they would be down in the center of their nest. I grimaced feeling the sticky substance of the creature's silk beneath my feet. I kept thinking I would soon see their beady eyes flicker in the darkness ahead of me but I didn't. After thirty feet or so the tiny hole opened up into a huge circular space. The bottom was filled with water that dripped down from above through the damp dirt ceiling.
     I almost slipped into the pit of water where the spiders crawled out from. I could see a smaller tunnel beneath the surface and was sure it came out on the other side of the city wall and into the river that flowed right along side of it. I didn't know spiders could swim but they must have if they were able to make these tunnels. If there were more of them we needed to close off this tunnel so the dark creatures could no longer gain access to the orphanage. As for the kids they already took, it seemed to me they were gone. I signed to Pelor. Their little bodies wouldn't be able to fight all that poison, not to mention the tiny scrape marks from a child's hand that went down along the edge of tunnel into the water. I made a small prayer to Pelor to take pity on them and traveled back through the tunnel a came down.
        Outside, my party waited for me. When I told them what I had found everyone discussed what we should do. "Spiders can hold their breath for hours. That tunnel could go on for more than any of us can hold our breath." Rolan explained. Some suggested we should go in after them, others wanted to cross the river, and I just wanted to collapse the tunnel all together. As this was being hashed out I saw a wagon with a funny feller on top holding the reigns. He rolled up right next to us and his little droll mouth was hidden under the fiery bushy beard. I was sure he was a dwarf. He was only slightly taller than myself and still half the size of the humans among us. He tumbled down and waddled to the back of the wagon. Grabbing one of his many barrels he rolled it towards the spider hole.
         "Excuse me sir who are you?" Maleficent queried. He turned with a smile that showed his rotting teeth, some were missing making his S's howl.
       "See here my name is Wun Bomblast. Thea sent me to take care of this here spider hole. My special Wun powder will do the trick. Thea would like to see you all about a crises in the far north part of the city by the way." He told us and went back to his wagon to get more barrels. "No, need to stand around for the show folks, I can take it from here." He snapped the straps on his overalls and shied us away with his hands to leave. Rolan shrugged, and Jörg raised a quizzical brow, but we left him to his job knowing we had other pressing matters to attend to.
     Inside the orphanage I assured Sister Beatrice that everything was well. She was appreciative and praised our bravery in fighting the beasts. Apparently the raucous of our little battle had awoken the whole orphanage who pressed their faces to the windows to watch us. Some of the kids must have overheard because they came out shouting in celebration and would not be still until Gordon the VI sung them the tale of how we slew the giant spiders. They cheered us out and down the street as we made our way back to the Keep.
     Out in the courtyard Thea greeted us with an austere gaze telling me something was wrong.
       "You have to hurry to Pelor's temple in the northern quarter. I'm afraid its been robbed. The stuff the thieves stole well its of grave importance to the people of Portcullis and will need to be returned to the temple as soon as possible." My heart accelerated at her words. Absent-minded, I signed Pelor with my hands moving in a circular motion in front of my face. How could anyone steal from a temple of the light?
   I don't remember leaving the courtyard, only that I had and was rushing down the streets to where I knew the Temple of Pelor was located. My companions seemed less worried as if it were just another job. I tried to feel compassion or sympathy for them all, knowing that their ignorance of the light and truth allowed for some mercy and patients to be shown. This was one of those moments when I felt like an outsider to the rest of my group. Even so how could they not realize that hundreds of people in this city relied on the healing waters that the Temple possessed. I hastened my footsteps until we reached its gates.
      There were sick people milling around the front of the temple pleading to the guards and priestesses among them to let them in.
     "Please, I'm sorry we can not allow you in this day. The pool is dry, no healing can be done I'm afraid." I recognized Priest Theron's low timid voice struggling to rise above the now panicked peoples. Some fell to their knees asking forgiveness as if it were Pelor who had turned his shining face away from them. I could stand it no longer and pushed my way through the throng until Theron could see me.
    "Brother Theron. Please my comrades and I are now citizen patrol. Let us in so we can all figure this out." Thankfully he recognized me and ushered the seven us through the gates and away from the ails of the people. Inside almost broke my heart, and I could feel my chest tighten against the sight of my lord's temple ransacked. The pews and tables were over turned and sideways. The golden pensive and some other valuables were missing but nothing stopped my heart more than when I noticed the golden sun missing from up on the front wall. In that golden sun was a crystal blue diamond known as Pelor's tear; holy water dripped from its stone into the golden pensive below where his priestesses and priests would then bless its water and carry it out to fill the pool of healing. That is why the sick could not be healed.
      "As you can see Sister Daisy, the situation is dire. We need to find the tear before more people die before Sister Rose-Mary dies. As we speak she lays with Sister Sarah, another victim, unconscious and with life draining from her." Brother Theron signed Pelor, his intimate voice slightly echoed in the acoustic sanctuary that wrapped around in a U-shape forcing the attention up towards the pulpit. The sermons given here were given with fervor that boomed around the room like thunder giving a sense that Pelor himself were speaking.
       "What happened to them?" I asked.
       "They were attacked by the thieves last night. Sister Sarah might recover but Sister Rose-Mary may never wake again. We have tried to heal her and used up all our efforts trying but she simply will not wake. Its truly tragic." Brother Theron held up his hands as if handing his burdens over to Pelor's light. He was the only one that could heal her now.
        "Take me to Sister Sarah if she is awake I need to speak with her immediately." I implored Brother Theron to take me to Sister Sarah's side. Jörg's hulking shadow engulfed my own as he followed me through the Temple's halls. The Temple was built to let in the natural light of Pelor through the ceiling's curved glass. The soft light would filter in and reflect off small fountains of water that poured out from statues of lions or suns that were placed in small alcoves along the wall. The white marble floors were regularly scrubbed so that its smooth shine caught our reflection if you looked down into its glossy surface.
     In the right wing of the temple and up on the second floor was where the sick was generally kept. I saw the other Priests and priestesses crowding around the two sisters who were attacked last night. Sister Rose- Mary was a pasty, sweating, mess lying unconscious under the sheets. One of the priestesses I knew as Sister Milly was putting a damp cloth over her forehead. On the bed to Rose-Mary's left lay Sister Sarah, her eyes were sunken in dark circles of a sleepless night and she was a sallow sight herself, but at least she was awake.
I went to her side and dipped a clean rag into a bowl a water and started to dab her forehead and chest.
      "Sister Sarah, I heard all about what happened last night. I'm so glad to see you alive." She smiled weakly at me and took my small hand in her clammy big one.
       "I hope I can stay alive, but im afraid with out the tear Sister Rose-Mary and myself have a short fate ahead of us."
      "Did you see who it was who attacked you? Perhaps we could find him and return the items lost." I pleaded with her hoping she could tell me anything. All she said was that they were cloaked and one had a dagger. She thought she remembered a green tunic but it was such a common color for clothing it wasn't much help at all. She was weary and started drifting off to sleep, so I patted her hand and left her to rest. There were no words to utter, just rising righteous anger that threatened to boil over. I would find whoever was responsible for this. Once I do, I vow to Pelor that he will have his vengeance or I will never walk in the light again.

Bard

       I, Gordon the VI son of Gordon from the town of Gordenton from the far lands of Gordonia, have told many stories in my time; ones of heroes slaying dragons, and of the great battles of my ancestors. I have taken the lore of my land and made it my trade; stories of tragic endings and happy beginnings, bringing laughter and tears to my audience as I sing my songs. Never, have I shared a story of my own, a tale I should think not quite like any other. What's that? Oh, you say you want to hear my tale. Well...now listen up, because I'm going to tell it once.
              Are you listening?
              Just making sure because its an important story, probably the best that was ever told.
         It begins with me, in the city of Porticullis, where I have been sent to achieve my citizenship by my guild of jongleurs from my home town, Gordenton. "No one will hear you sing stories if you aren't a citizen of the realm, and I won't have you singin' to bugger penniless thugs. If you are your father's son you will be singin' for kings and queens. Don't you come back til' ya do!" He no less than kicked me out of my town with a boot to my rear than I was off with my harmonica to find the beautiful city of Porticullis, what a sight it is.
     The sheer enormity of it overwhelmed me right away. Took me a half a days trek just to find the keep through the maze of streets that were filled to the brim with trade and all kinds of people; short ones with beards, long ones with pointy ears, and colorful ones with green or red scales on their skins. I knew at once that this was a place where tales of adventure began and I decided to make this city my muse.
    Everyone from all reaches of the realm have come to this tremendous city to give their services up in hopes for a citizenship like myself. We all stayed in the great keep where we could train while we waited to get picked by the magistrates to become citizen patrol and start our service. By training I mean getting real drunk and finding the FINE establishments of "service". Or as my old man would say, whore houses.
     There was supposed to be a ceremony where a few of us get picked to start the path to citizenship and become a part of the city watch or something to that effect anyway. I have gone to six of these ceremonies already, watching as that menacing wolf of Thea's, one of the master trainers, choose those of whom I thought were people of much lesser value than myself. I became unsure of how to prove that I was the greatest most spectacular bard in the realm or would be someday soon. Back in my hometown of Gordenton, I was held with a bit of prestige by the people's knowledge of my father, Gordon the Remarkable, and my grand father before that, Gordon the Wonder, and on it went down my family line that was full of famous performers. I was currently toying with name Gordon the Stupendous or Magnanimous. Perhaps a combination of those; Gordon the Stupendously Magnanimous.
     I, Gordon the VI, son of Gordon, sat quietly in the courtyard digging at the grass by my feet as the drums for the ceremony began. The three master trainers of the keep marched up on stage. Three braziers were placed in front of them, each lit with flame in remembrance of the three heroes that saved our realm from the dark days in the time of King Raxseus' reign. I dosed off somewhere after Uday, the warrior trainer, spoke in his thunderous voice, about the war three hundred years ago.....
         When a low growl stirred me, I opened my eyes staring straight into the glowing golden ones of Thea's wolf. A white flame burst around my head like a crown but the fire did not burn me. A little dazed, I saw the others that had the same flame round their heads were shuffling to the front of the stage to take up their emblems. I hurried to get away from the wolf that had finally chosen me after all this time. Quickly I stood in a line behind a very curious assortment of six others. The one next to me had pointy ears and a black and purple magus robe billowed about him. I noticed immediately something was different about him, the effeminate way he held himself, the way he must have spent hours keeping his hair looking the way it was, and most of all... those well kept nails as though he'd never touched even a spoon to feed himself. My hair is much more lustrous with its perfectly quaffed curls falling around my face like a halo and all I have to do is roll out of bed. I stand taller and square my shoulders with my chest slightly puffed out. First impressions is everything in my line of work and I knew its importance would come handy now as I stand before these six others I'll be joined with. A leader must make himself known straight away with his mere presence.
       Before we could take our emblem the band of people that had been chosen before us in the last few ceremonies stepped up to claim their citizenship. I noted that each of these groups had considerably fewer numbers than they first started with, and I began to wonder if my guild master had sent me to my death. When it was my turn to take my emblem it showed the head of a wolf on its smooth surface. Thea told me to put my hand into the fire of the first brazier. I looked at her for a moment until her austere expression gave me no hint of a jest and then placed my hand into the flame. At first it felt warm and then suddenly hot but not like how fire should have been hot, only so that my hand felt sweaty. Luckily I was the last one, as I knocked over the brazier with my Gordonian swagger. Thea lost that smirk, but I gained mine.
          Thea congratulated us, her olive skin stretching with a smile. I noted that she did not smile often so this custom of us earning a right to become a citizen of the realm must be of some importance to her. She wore vines and deer hide that traveled up her lithe body and her long dark hair had been pushed back into many braids with small trinkets and beads woven into them. We took our leave deciding that we should all have a tankard of ale to commemorate our companionship. I found I rather much enjoyed the company of the wizard once I saw he was more merry than I had first thought. I'm not implying that there wasn't still something not quite right about the man because there definitely was. I could hear it in his squeaky laugh of his. However,  The ranger and the pirate named, Caerulean, I found were good company as well, and gave me a run for my money whilst drinking themselves into a stupor. I tried to get the big scary male dragon born to join in but after a few mugs of ale he retired. I would break him into joining us soon enough and added it as one of my many missions for the near future. There was a cleric of Pelor in our group whose disposition seemed cheery when otherwise trying to talk to us about her god of light. I don't think she liked the jest I made about her odd beliefs, but it was hard to take her seriously having all the child like features of being a halfling. After another pint, I decided to retire to my room at the keep and jumbled a tune as I swayed and bumped my way back through the streets.
         The next morning the sun woke me rudely, shining through the little slit that was my window in my room. I threw some cold water over my face from the basin and gulped down the rest. I had to run down to the courtyard almost late to the meeting with my group and the frightening Thea that gave us a sour look as we approached. She must have gathered how our celebrations had went down last night by the way half of us squinted under the sting of the sun's rays. Also, I was sure her elvish nose could probably smell the ale on our breaths. I happened to think our celebrations went splendidly although she may disagree so I decided to distract her with the business at hand. As no one seemed to be speaking up right away, I took my companions silence as a consent in offering the leadership of this group to myself. Strutting forward I took a bow though still slightly unstable from my previous night of much merriment, I stumbled slightly in doing so.
          "We are at your service my lady, what can we do for you?"
          "I did not expect to have need for your services quite so soon. I fear that some of the children have gone missing over at the orphanage of Pelor on the far west side of the city. There you will find Priestess Beatrice who cares for the children there. Talk to her and find the missing children." Thea seemed withdrawn and left our presence without another word. The woman was obviously in need of my expertise merriment making. I shrugged and led my group to the orphanage whilst whistling a tune called The Hairy Maiden. I noticed a fair more people waving or nodding our way now that we bore the badges of citizen patrol. I wondered if I would get more coin for my songs now that people new that I was on my way to citizenship. Who knew that such a common task would be held with such high regard. I suppose my guild master knew or I wouldn't be here now, standing in front of the orphanage flashing my badge proudly for all to see.
     Children buzzed around the run down building like bees around their hive. One of them ran away from us calling out his priestess's name in a boisterous manner and was joined by some of the other kids near by. Another boy stood sheepishly at Caerulean's side pointing at his weapons and asking all the annoying questions that children like to ask. After a long moment a woman with long black hair wearing the white robes of a Pelor Priestess came through the door way to greet us.
       "By Pelor's light, I am so relieved to see you here. Its already been five days time since one of the children went missing. I thought the keep would never send anyone. After all its not exactly out of the ordinary for orphan children to just up and run away but one after another and so close together like this caught me as a bit strange. I've been beginning to noticed that the children's behavior has changed. Not during the day mind you, they are as rambunctious as ever! But at night they seem to all have terrible nightmares and some cry all night long." I followed her in peering around at all the kids that seemed to be gathering, the curiosity of our presence apparent by in their avid expressions. Inside was a little chapel with pews, the wood splintering in some places. Water stains on the ceiling made long orange and brown rings on the white stone. This place was practically in shambles for all the kids looking well fed and decently clothed. I guess they had the right priorities at least.
      "Sister Beatrice do not be afraid, Pelor will shine his light upon this mystery. Do you mind at all if we look around?" The halfling took her sister's hands in her own giving comforting words of their god to one another. I find it strange to feel solace in something that only exists in one's mind. The only solace I needed that I couldn't from ale was in my harmonica. I could see already that I had an audience, their tiny eyes peeking over the backs of the pews or poking around the corners of the room. I blew a small, high-pitched note, and then another, and another. I hopped once and then again, drawing out a tiny giggle from somewhere behind me. After a few more notes I drew the little tikes in closer for a performance. I glimpsed my companions dispersing to search for clues of the missing children, but I knew these kids needed their spirits lifted and after all that was my business.
      Sometime after I finished my ballad about Sir Shamaeus and the Bear, the little cleric appeared from having searched upstairs in the kids' sleeping quarters. She told Caerulean, who had stayed here by my side, that a girl had been babbling about the dark men that come in the night to kidnap them. A most vague and frankly unhelpful piece of evidence as "dark" could mean a variety of things such as; if the men were darkly clothed, or dark skinned. Perhaps the child described these men as "dark" simply because they chose to come in the dark of night, who could tell the minds of children. I shrugged and strutted out the door to find what my other comrades have found. The halfling and Caerulean, obviously following my lead as their leader, joined me in my doing so.
      Round the back I spied the two dragon born staring intently at the back wall as if it were the most interesting, and fascinating script in all the realm. I raised a quizzical brow. Thinking it best not to interrupt the beasts inspection of brick and mortar, I strode over to the ranger who seemed to have an inkling at what he was doing.
        "Have we found anything worth a pence?" I asked.
        "Some one has been dragged along here and here." Rolan, our ranger, obliged to show me the marks he found with his two forefingers.
         "No foot prints though, other than the small ones of the children running around of course." He finished in his low hoarse voice that made him seem so ominous to others.
           "Odd." I said simply.
           "Look up here." Captain Caerulean had managed to climb up one of the trees. His face screwed up at the sight of something I thought must be revolting. He came down and described to us the sticky sort of mess he found up there but it was no use as he forgot to bring some of the mysterious substance down with him. Up he climbed again this time remembering to bring with him a piece of the material that he had stuck to a twig he brought down. Rolan seemed to be the only useful brain in our group as he recalled that it was spider's silk. This caused some concern to me since the pirate described that the tree was indeed filled with it. How many spiders could it take to fill the top of a tree with so much web, and if it were spiders who had made this then why didn't Caerulean see any while he was up there? A most boggling piece of information, though, I am not at all sure what spiders had to do with kidnapped orphan children?
        "There is web trailing from the tree to this shed. Look here, there are gobs of it hanging down from its edge." The cleric observed and Maleficent the dragon born barbarian kicked open the shed door to have a closer look. I did not see any need to do so and stood over by another of the several trees my spry companion had chosen to climb to gain a better view of the area.
        "Anything good Captain?" I called up after him brushing some leaves and twigs that had fallen into my lustrous golden hair from his climb.
         "Not much just a big hole in their roof. I think their is more web trailing from this tree to the building though." He scurried back down and I told the group to check the attic of the building for any spiders. The halfling was the only one of us that could fit into the attic and with no spiders to be seen we went out to the back again among the trees.
         "We must be dealing with spiders and the size of their web tells me these aren't the cute ones."
         "There are cute ones?" The cleric remarked.
        "As I was saying I have heard of spiders of unusual sizes, some as big as we are. We may be dealing with those." Rolan sighed heavily. I gave the group a moment for them to fully grasp what was at hand and pulled out my harmonica.
           "Well the spiders have to come back sometime and since its obvious they come here through the trees...."
            "These are filthy creatures of the darkness they can't stand the light that Pelor gives to us everyday. They'll be back by tonight if what Sister Beatrice says is true. She said a child goes missing every night." The cleric chimed in rudely overstepping me as her leader. I let this pass as I was in a good mood and we had just started our journey together as comrades. I was sure the tiny thing would not last too long anyway. I saw plenty groups who had been chosen for this job and every time they returned it seemed like they were fewer and fewer. Certainly the halfling would be the first to go. I let my companions argue over what to do. Some suggested to wait up on the roof, or up in the trees. Night would be falling soon and I had promised some of the children that I would play my harmonica for them before then. I remembered the tales of old when the heroes would courageously step forward brandishing their weapon and sleighing the beast in a bold gesture of kill or be killed. I knew what had to be done.
             "Rolan if you would be kind enough to make a fire here in the clearing by tonight we should wait here for the foul creatures to come upon us. Since we hardly know exactly what we are dealing with, all of you should hide surrounding this area and I will lure them to this spot with my harmonica. Though they won't understand the words I will sing A Call to Battle. Until then I suggest you prepare yourselves." The cleric gave me a weary look as she passed me by and laid down for a rest. I must have overwhelmed my comrades by my selflessness as they had no words for my sacrificial plans to bait the spiders using myself and my instrument. They shook their heads in what I only could know to be sorrow or guilt for not having as much bravery as I.
           The rest of the day went by slowly and I followed the sun's path across the sky until it fell beyond the horizon. The sky, darkening from pale blue to a deep violet hue of an iris blooming in the spring. I changed my tune to the Call of Battle. The song would give my comrades twice the strength they have for when the spiders come. Came they did, and as big as four feet. I almost did not see them until one was upon me, hissing its nasty venomous breath my way.
      I ducked as it flew passed me right over the fire, its fangs like daggers wriggled trying to get at me. As I was somewhere between pissing myself and completely stunned still by its marvelous size and hideous gnashing fangs, Caerulean came at its back with his rapier. This made the eight legged monster whip around sinking its fang into his leg before he could blink. Something hot went passed me and I turned to see a stream of flame coming from that tiny halfling who stood on the branch of a tree with her hand held outwards where the flame was streaming from. The river of fire consumed another of the three creatures surrounding us. Its shrill shrieks stung my ears close to deafening them. Rearing backwards, its four front legs flailed in the air and then the beast took off with incredible speed towards the city wall. Then the third spider came up toward Caerulean who now became trapped between two of the giant eight-legged things.
      The fierce female barbarian ran up to the third beast that was ready to attack Caerulean and with a loud battle cry she brought her maul down just nearly missing the beast and getting flung aside by one of its giant spindly legs. Seeing his dragon born sister being flung, Jörg, with the silver scales, brought down his great sword upon the beast squashing it with a sickening crunch. The black ichor splattered through the air covering the maddened silver scaled Jörg. Seeing my companions vigor I stepped forward to pierce the spider that towered over me and ended up with its fang stuck in my leg. I cried out and felt something soft and warm form around my body. For a moment I thought I saw the sun and I knew somehow there was a glow emanating from my body protecting me from harm. I looked to the halfling who gave me a small salute. Perhaps she was of little use after all.
       A large boulder in front of Maleficent suddenly opened like a lid to the earth. I could see the flash of beady eyes and two fangs. One of Rolan's arrows went between the crack but it didn't seem to do much damage to it as it stayed alert. In a flash something white spewed out from beneath the rock and my eyes rounded at the sight of Maleficent wrapped in one big gob of it sticky white silk. Then it started to reel her in like a fish on a hook. Her struggle was futile against the strength of its web. Behind me I heard chanting from the mage and seconds later some sort of magical projectiles whooshed over my head, so close I crouched a little as they passed over my head and darted straight into the spider in the hole. The rock slammed back down allowing Maleficent to break free of the web that trapped her. I watched as rage took her. Her eyes seemed wild and her scales gleamed a deep green as her veins protruded on her muscular arms. The rock came back up but Maleficent didn't give the spider a chance to attack again before shoving her mace into the hole with a loud squish.
      Caerulean clutched at his bleeding leg still facing off with the third spider and took a swipe at it with his blade. He slashed off one of the legs and Rolan came from behind a tree and stung it in the abdomen with his blade. I peered around trying to find any signs of hidden eyes or skittering shapes in the shadows. Up high on the city wall thirty feet from the boulder was the spider attempting to get to the river that I knew was beyond the wall to put out the flames that ate at its flesh. It was too late as the flames from the halfling had burned its way though its living carcass and I watched as it fell backwards off the wall crumpling into a crispy ball of charred spider corpse and boiling ichor. I felt my innards roiling but refused to regurgitate in front of my fellow warriors knowing that it was essential for their leader to inspire them with bravery. We all looked at one another then as something strong passed between all of us at having won our first victory with blood being spilt on both sides...or ichor rather. My heart was thrumming with the rhythm of a new song.