Post by carrington on Feb 3, 2006 0:36:12 GMT -5
The city of Luskan. It was a clear, star-ridden night in the rough-and-tumble city of north, teasing the edge of the Spine of the World. The starscape goes unnoticed from the oppressive, tough walkways and streets, as the ever-present smell of sweat, fish and burning fireplaces lingers, clouded by a light, population-induced fog that has become a staple of the city. A typical street was an adventure in it's own...swearing pirates, loud merchantmen peddling their wears, or fishermen pushing their haul of sealife for the day.
It is a dream for many, a nightmare for more, but Luskan was home, and Gerad De'Angelo was comfortable. He was a successful informant for the Black Horse Mercenary company...of which he was very content with, as it certainly was a comfort to 'know' one was going to eat every night, and have a bed to sleep in. It was a far cry from prowling the shadows and alleys, lifting a few coin purses here, mugging a merchant there. Yet it provided enough action to suit anyone's more adventuresome spirit, and when you can find steady work in a place where chaos can be the order of the day, you're sitting pretty.
Gerad pulled his rather large, feathered black cap off of his head exposing damp, auburn hair which was lightly matted due to a long day of wear, as he stepped into the familiar surroundings of the Mountains of Promise Inn, where he kept a room. The lodgings were certainly nothing to be proud of, but it was a bed and the food was good.
He nodded to the barkeep and grinned, 'Allo there Sam...hope it's busy enough fer ya.'
'Blow it out yer bloody arse Gerad,' Sam, the barkeep replied, his very thin, balding head gleaming with sweat,'Ye' must be blind cuz' there aren't hardly a soul in here.' he gestured to the tavern, which was almost completely deserted with the exception of a few outlanders, and a barmaid or two.
That was one advantage of lodging at Mountains of Promise...good food, few crowds. The place was nearly empty most hours of the day and served few travelers...mostly merchants or adventurers from out of country, passing through on their way to the Dales, or wherever their wandering feet took them.
'Well what else is bloody new? You're lucky I bed 'ere because I don't think ye'd stay afloat if I didn't hand you my bloody gold every day.
'Yeah yeah, ye' just wait,' Sam smirked, pouring Gerad an ale, 'It'll turn around. Bloody elf. Did I ever mention you are the single, oddest elf I have ever met in me life? Somethin' musta crawled up in yer head, taken a giant shat an' died.'
'Har!' Gerad chuckled, taking a drink of the stiff ale quickly, 'Ye knew, I think yer' right. But tha's how it goes when ye've got a different raisin'. 'sides, if I ever start actin' like the majority of my bleeding race, ye' can run me straight on through.'
Sam reached under the bar, searching for something and chukled,'Well, I might jus' do it anyway, take all yer' gold at once an' save me a lot of trouble servin' ye all the time.'
Gerad drank, 'Aye aye!'
Sam grinned, searching under the bar for a moment, then pulled a small envelope from behind a bottle and laid in on the bar in front of Gerad, 'Oh, by the way, some hood left this for ye.'
Gerad raised an eyebrow and ran a finger over the letter as Sam made his way to the other end of the bar to serve a rather large man with a broken nose.
'Hmm...' he thought, tearing the seal and unfolding it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Gerad,
Don't farking kill me when you open the door to your room. I'm here.
D.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
'Well thanks for the bloody warning.' Gerad thought, folding up the letter and tucking it into a pocket, 'Thanks Sam.' he said loudly and dropped a few coins on the bar, leaving the ale.
'Yer welcome mate,' Sam replied, and lowered his breath, 'Ye' bloody sod.'
Gerad hopped off of his stool grinning and headed upstairs to his room. Number nine, at the end of the hall, of course, far from the noise of the other occupied rooms, which Sam filled from 1 up. Gerad cracked his neck as he approached the door and fished in his cloak pocket for the key. Finding it quickly, he paused briefly before shoving the key into the lock and opening the door.
Gerad burst into the room yelling, 'ALRIGHT! I dun' know who ye' are but yer' about two bloody seconds from gettin' ye' old Gerad throat-cut special so I suggest ye' get movin!'
Not one second after he had finished the outburst, Gerad reeled back hard from an open-handed slap to the face that spun him around and a hard kick in the arse.
'OYE! Bloody Hell Dian, I was just bloody clowin' ye!' Gerad howled, clutching his cheek and his arse all at once.
Dian stood before him, almost a head taller than Gerad and firey red hair that tumbled in mass down her shoulders like a waterfall of tangle. She was thick and muscular, but still attractive, carrying a couple of tell-tale scars on her face which added to her imposing look. He was dressed in simple leathers, with an open-collared duelist's shirt that gave a slight view of what lie underneath, but the moment she caught Gerad looking, she met him hard with another open-handed slap directly across the other cheek.
Gerad, stunned for a moment, grabbed the other side of his face with both hands and howled in pain, 'Mystra's ASS woman are ye' tryin' ta kill me?!'
'Yes.' she replied tartly and turned him to face her dead on, her hands on his shoulders, 'How are you, you dirty, dirty elf?'
'Now don't go bloody hittin' on me after ye' jus' slapped me twice an' kicked me in the arse. That might work fer some lads but it din't work fer me!'
'Shut up. Listen, I've got news.'
'Well, out wit' it...and it better be important. An' it better be worth gettin' arse-kicked for. Now that was just bloody uncalled for!'
'Yeah, yeah. Gerad, my dad's sending you to Cormyr.'
Gerad lowered his eyebrows a moment, as if not believing what he was hearing, then shook his head in disbelief, 'Cormyr?! Why? I mean, whut bloody reason does he have sendin' me to the arse-crack of Faerun? I can't do any good there...an' he don't even have any interest or coin there at all. Why? Ye've got ta' be kidding.'
'I'm not kidding, Gerad. Dad wants to expand his income, and he thinks Cormyr holds some promise for some 'big time' coin, and he wants 'you' to go root it out.'
'Tha's gotta be the most stupid bloody thing I've heard in all me years! Cormyr? Don't he think tha's kinda far away? I hope he plans on movin' some muscle in....ye' know, while I 'am' the best bloody blade he has, I can't make coin 'all on me own' and then 'run' it back tae Luskan fer 'im. Why!'
'Shut up, Gerad. You know you're going to do it. Just go down there, case some of the cities and get us some information. If you find a suitable coin cow, let us know and we'll send you some men. Set up, and get comfortable. It'll be yours, Gerad.'
'Bloody fool...'
'Gerad. Yours.'
.......
'....Are ye' serious? He wants me tae run a branch? Are you bloody kidding me? I'll be...'
'Rolling in coin?'
Gerad smiled slightly for the first time, the frowned, as if the possibility and all of it's problems finally sunk in, 'I dunno about this...tha's an awful lot of heat fer me.'
'Not if you're good.'
'Well...I 'am' good...'
'Not if you're smart.'
'...and I 'AM' smart...'
'So do it. Leave in the morning and go. Here's your expenses.' Dian dropped a rather large pouch of coins on the floor which clanked and jingled loudly as it met the wood.
'....uh, I still don't know about this. I mean...whut about the Purple Dragons? They're like a bleedin' rabid watchdog!'
'Corrupt...like all organizations. You just have to find the weak link.'
Gerad sighed, weighing out his options.
'Come on, Gerad. I hear there's trouble in Redmist...and the rest of the region, while in peace, can be easily manipulated with the right plan of attack. Stay there as long as you need, and just find an in. Once you do it, we'll go from there.'
'...'
'I'll help you pack.'
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Gerad lugged a rather large travel sack over his shoulder the next morning and stuffed his finest feathered cap onto his head. He strode down there stairs and nodded at Sam, who was just opening.
'Take care o'yerself Sam. I'm leavin' an' I might not be back fer awhile. I left ye' a coupla' month's board...ye' know, jus' in case I'm gonna be back. I wouldn't want ye' ta' give away my room.' Gerad nodded slowly.
Sam took the hint and nodded, 'Well, don't go git yerself killed, an' I'll see ye' when ye' get back. An' thank the bloody gods...that's one left drunkard-arse thug I have ta deal with.'
Gerad raises a hand, grinned, and headed out the door.
It is a dream for many, a nightmare for more, but Luskan was home, and Gerad De'Angelo was comfortable. He was a successful informant for the Black Horse Mercenary company...of which he was very content with, as it certainly was a comfort to 'know' one was going to eat every night, and have a bed to sleep in. It was a far cry from prowling the shadows and alleys, lifting a few coin purses here, mugging a merchant there. Yet it provided enough action to suit anyone's more adventuresome spirit, and when you can find steady work in a place where chaos can be the order of the day, you're sitting pretty.
Gerad pulled his rather large, feathered black cap off of his head exposing damp, auburn hair which was lightly matted due to a long day of wear, as he stepped into the familiar surroundings of the Mountains of Promise Inn, where he kept a room. The lodgings were certainly nothing to be proud of, but it was a bed and the food was good.
He nodded to the barkeep and grinned, 'Allo there Sam...hope it's busy enough fer ya.'
'Blow it out yer bloody arse Gerad,' Sam, the barkeep replied, his very thin, balding head gleaming with sweat,'Ye' must be blind cuz' there aren't hardly a soul in here.' he gestured to the tavern, which was almost completely deserted with the exception of a few outlanders, and a barmaid or two.
That was one advantage of lodging at Mountains of Promise...good food, few crowds. The place was nearly empty most hours of the day and served few travelers...mostly merchants or adventurers from out of country, passing through on their way to the Dales, or wherever their wandering feet took them.
'Well what else is bloody new? You're lucky I bed 'ere because I don't think ye'd stay afloat if I didn't hand you my bloody gold every day.
'Yeah yeah, ye' just wait,' Sam smirked, pouring Gerad an ale, 'It'll turn around. Bloody elf. Did I ever mention you are the single, oddest elf I have ever met in me life? Somethin' musta crawled up in yer head, taken a giant shat an' died.'
'Har!' Gerad chuckled, taking a drink of the stiff ale quickly, 'Ye knew, I think yer' right. But tha's how it goes when ye've got a different raisin'. 'sides, if I ever start actin' like the majority of my bleeding race, ye' can run me straight on through.'
Sam reached under the bar, searching for something and chukled,'Well, I might jus' do it anyway, take all yer' gold at once an' save me a lot of trouble servin' ye all the time.'
Gerad drank, 'Aye aye!'
Sam grinned, searching under the bar for a moment, then pulled a small envelope from behind a bottle and laid in on the bar in front of Gerad, 'Oh, by the way, some hood left this for ye.'
Gerad raised an eyebrow and ran a finger over the letter as Sam made his way to the other end of the bar to serve a rather large man with a broken nose.
'Hmm...' he thought, tearing the seal and unfolding it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Gerad,
Don't farking kill me when you open the door to your room. I'm here.
D.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
'Well thanks for the bloody warning.' Gerad thought, folding up the letter and tucking it into a pocket, 'Thanks Sam.' he said loudly and dropped a few coins on the bar, leaving the ale.
'Yer welcome mate,' Sam replied, and lowered his breath, 'Ye' bloody sod.'
Gerad hopped off of his stool grinning and headed upstairs to his room. Number nine, at the end of the hall, of course, far from the noise of the other occupied rooms, which Sam filled from 1 up. Gerad cracked his neck as he approached the door and fished in his cloak pocket for the key. Finding it quickly, he paused briefly before shoving the key into the lock and opening the door.
Gerad burst into the room yelling, 'ALRIGHT! I dun' know who ye' are but yer' about two bloody seconds from gettin' ye' old Gerad throat-cut special so I suggest ye' get movin!'
Not one second after he had finished the outburst, Gerad reeled back hard from an open-handed slap to the face that spun him around and a hard kick in the arse.
'OYE! Bloody Hell Dian, I was just bloody clowin' ye!' Gerad howled, clutching his cheek and his arse all at once.
Dian stood before him, almost a head taller than Gerad and firey red hair that tumbled in mass down her shoulders like a waterfall of tangle. She was thick and muscular, but still attractive, carrying a couple of tell-tale scars on her face which added to her imposing look. He was dressed in simple leathers, with an open-collared duelist's shirt that gave a slight view of what lie underneath, but the moment she caught Gerad looking, she met him hard with another open-handed slap directly across the other cheek.
Gerad, stunned for a moment, grabbed the other side of his face with both hands and howled in pain, 'Mystra's ASS woman are ye' tryin' ta kill me?!'
'Yes.' she replied tartly and turned him to face her dead on, her hands on his shoulders, 'How are you, you dirty, dirty elf?'
'Now don't go bloody hittin' on me after ye' jus' slapped me twice an' kicked me in the arse. That might work fer some lads but it din't work fer me!'
'Shut up. Listen, I've got news.'
'Well, out wit' it...and it better be important. An' it better be worth gettin' arse-kicked for. Now that was just bloody uncalled for!'
'Yeah, yeah. Gerad, my dad's sending you to Cormyr.'
Gerad lowered his eyebrows a moment, as if not believing what he was hearing, then shook his head in disbelief, 'Cormyr?! Why? I mean, whut bloody reason does he have sendin' me to the arse-crack of Faerun? I can't do any good there...an' he don't even have any interest or coin there at all. Why? Ye've got ta' be kidding.'
'I'm not kidding, Gerad. Dad wants to expand his income, and he thinks Cormyr holds some promise for some 'big time' coin, and he wants 'you' to go root it out.'
'Tha's gotta be the most stupid bloody thing I've heard in all me years! Cormyr? Don't he think tha's kinda far away? I hope he plans on movin' some muscle in....ye' know, while I 'am' the best bloody blade he has, I can't make coin 'all on me own' and then 'run' it back tae Luskan fer 'im. Why!'
'Shut up, Gerad. You know you're going to do it. Just go down there, case some of the cities and get us some information. If you find a suitable coin cow, let us know and we'll send you some men. Set up, and get comfortable. It'll be yours, Gerad.'
'Bloody fool...'
'Gerad. Yours.'
.......
'....Are ye' serious? He wants me tae run a branch? Are you bloody kidding me? I'll be...'
'Rolling in coin?'
Gerad smiled slightly for the first time, the frowned, as if the possibility and all of it's problems finally sunk in, 'I dunno about this...tha's an awful lot of heat fer me.'
'Not if you're good.'
'Well...I 'am' good...'
'Not if you're smart.'
'...and I 'AM' smart...'
'So do it. Leave in the morning and go. Here's your expenses.' Dian dropped a rather large pouch of coins on the floor which clanked and jingled loudly as it met the wood.
'....uh, I still don't know about this. I mean...whut about the Purple Dragons? They're like a bleedin' rabid watchdog!'
'Corrupt...like all organizations. You just have to find the weak link.'
Gerad sighed, weighing out his options.
'Come on, Gerad. I hear there's trouble in Redmist...and the rest of the region, while in peace, can be easily manipulated with the right plan of attack. Stay there as long as you need, and just find an in. Once you do it, we'll go from there.'
'...'
'I'll help you pack.'
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Gerad lugged a rather large travel sack over his shoulder the next morning and stuffed his finest feathered cap onto his head. He strode down there stairs and nodded at Sam, who was just opening.
'Take care o'yerself Sam. I'm leavin' an' I might not be back fer awhile. I left ye' a coupla' month's board...ye' know, jus' in case I'm gonna be back. I wouldn't want ye' ta' give away my room.' Gerad nodded slowly.
Sam took the hint and nodded, 'Well, don't go git yerself killed, an' I'll see ye' when ye' get back. An' thank the bloody gods...that's one left drunkard-arse thug I have ta deal with.'
Gerad raises a hand, grinned, and headed out the door.