With just a small touch of inspiration, the wings of the imagination unfold. Each thought, a feather on these wings, carries the mind higher, soaring over landscapes of wonder and possibility.
- Attributed to the playwright Vlan di Panoli.
The guards at the gate were not quite as physically imposing as I thought they were when I had first looked upon them from a distance, at least not when compared to the giant man of the north. They were all, however, well-armed, with tall halberds being their main armaments, as well as long curved knives at their waists. Under the flowing robes of their clothes, the glint of metal could be seen. Riveted chain mail, if I was not mistaken.
One of their number, a slack-jawed and mean-eyed creature with a dirty black beard was the first to greet us. A superior smirk on his face, he looked at us as if we were common filth.
“May the eyes of the hallowed gods lay lightly upon you, traveler,” he greeted, his words impeccably polite, their manner anything but. “What brings… such a fine-looking group to the greatest of cities, Al-Lazar,” he inquired, giving the women of the group a thorough scan with his eyes. I noticed that his gaze lingered on Larynda more than was proper.
“Adventurers, come to lend our blades to the defense of the city, and to test their skill at the tournament of the drawn festival,” Elwin answered for us. Showing his badge for the gate guard’s inspection, his feigned manner was weaselly and servile.
“Festival of the Undrawn, foreigner. Do they teach nothing of the culture of Al-Lazar in the far lands? Pffft, you seem to be who you say you are… go through!” he corrected with a smirk, ordering us in even as he began the inspection of the next group of arrivals.
Well, that was easier than I thought. I gave Elwin a nod of appreciation as we made our way through the bustle of the gates. Passing underneath the stone arch, I could not help but to notice a strange feeling come over me, like a sucking pop, as if I was passing into a bubble. Odd, to say the least.
When I asked if my companions felt a similar sensation they all, with the exception of Cordelia, just looked at me strangely, as if I was touched in the head. Was this the sensation of area transition or something different? An odd detail for this game.
A few moments later I was gifted with a sweltering rush of new power. I felt gifted and fulfilled. Satisfied.
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Quest Complete: Escort Larynda to Al-Lazar
About time that damn quest finished. A part of me had been wondering just exactly what the world considered to be Al-Lazar. For instance, was it the local area, the political borders, or the sphere of influence? Turned out it was within the actual city limits itself. More importantly, however, completing the quest gave me a thousand points of experience that easily took me over to the next level.
Quickly, almost as if by automatic reflex, I assigned the attribute points into Constitution. With the timer ticking away I hurriedly assigned the bonus skill point into the Drain spell.
Then it happened. My sight dimmed, swiftly eclipsed by myriad pinpricks of light. A multi-hued current, akin to a vibrant stream, unfurled before my eyes. Along its fringes, minuscule entities nibbled away at its luminous sheen, a process that felt both random and inevitable. Was this the essence of magic, revealed in its purest form? Had my gaze pierced the veil into a realm beyond comprehension, a world shrouded in mystery and ineffable wonder?
You have learned Greater Drain (lvl.1)
“ ‘Ello, there, Gil. You alright? Or you having another one of your moments?” asked Elwin, his voice piercing through the shroud.
The mysteries of the universe were about to be laid bare, and this! This common Rogue had interrupted my epiphany. My hands were gripped in fists, heavy with the weight of my frustration. So easy would it be to smash his face in, but taking a deep breath, I mastered myself.
“Fine… fine. Just glad that we made it here,” I answered him with a forced half-smile. I could see that, for some reason or other, Cordelia was mumbling a prayer.
“So, like, the big man was wondering where we would be staying. I, for one, would suggest somewhere a little easier on the coffers, at least until we get our bearings,” he mused, before looking pointedly in Zariyah’s direction, but failing to draw a reaction.
Seeing the gist of his intent, I turned to Zariyah and prepared my magic. “You, where would you suggest we go?”
The proud woman looked down before she hesitantly signed her response.
I know of a place, not far from here. If by the grace of the one god, it is still there, I would suggest that we stay at the Begonia’s Shade.
It was as good a suggestion as any, and I looked to my companions for their response. Kidu and Elwin’s faces were blank masks of confusion. Larynda, childishly curious, tried to ape Zariyah's movements. Only Cordelia’s face showed understanding disagreement, a slight and barely perceptible elevation of her nose, the only sign that spoke of her disapproval.