(Prologue) It was a dark and stormy night......

[Balgin Stondraeg]

It was a dark and stormy night in the docks of Medhera. Travellers huddled moodily in the inn of the wynsome wench (in reality little more than a glorified tavern, but it had a room for sailors and travellers to pass out drunk in at the back so they could barely justify calling it an inn). Rain beat at the window panes and in a corner a few unsavoury sorts hunched over a game of cards, puffing their foul smelling pipes and sipping at watered down ale to pass the time as they glowered at each other and waited for the next move.

A few strangers to the town had also been driven into this rather dingey drinking hole, a somewhat unusual looking gnome and his taller human companion, visiting the docks to retrieve rare ingredients from a warehouse trader, a couple of heavily armoured dwarfs sitting in the corner nursing pints of something stong (but drinking them slowly to avoid having to pay the exobitant prices again anytime soon), and a number of other unusual individuals all of whom had generaly sought shelter from the storm (although one seemed to almost revell in the drumming of the rain on the rooftops and the occassional rumble of thunder overhead).

Seated halfway along one of the side walls was an old man dressed in rather shabby robes that might once have been blue and seems to be decorated with faded stars, moons and suns. His tall pointed hat rested upon it's wide brim on the table ebside him and he was in deep (and somewhat agitated) conversation with a middle aged Theydori priest. The priest was, in turn, accompanied by a pair of rather young looking acolytes who's desparate eyes cast nervous glances around the room at the various shabby looking seafolk who crowded the bar on this gloomy night.

[Fabian]

Alarian sits, seemingly alone with his thoughts... although he realises now that he is never truly alone. He turns to the man revelling in the storm to see who or what he might be Knowledge: religion check? I'm assuming this is Kiaphas. If I'm right and get that he's a priest, then I say: "It seems that Gurthor isn't too happy tonight, sir priest." with a friendly smile.

[Balgin Stondraeg]

I'm assuming this is Kiaphas.

It is.

[Alex]

Sitting in a corner booth, Ivor is busy. There's a problem with his latest project- a clockwork mouse he's been working on for the last few days, but for the life of him, he can't figure out where he went wrong. He's already forgotten about the rudeness of the merchant they'd just been to visit; after all, the important thing was that he had finally gotten his hands on the stuff. OOC: we can figure out what it was later on- some sort of unusual alchemical stuff, maybe, unless Raoul is looking for something himself

Flipping his magnifiers down, he spots the problem- metal fatigue in a spring- and roots around in his bag for a replacement. Snapping the cover shut, he begins winding the device to test it out.

[Custom_Hobby]

Aurum sits with his waraxe in hand accross his lap and the mug in his other hand. He is looking around to see what is going on.

[Keeper]

"So, tell me again, Ivor.  What is the point of this magical mouse?" Raul asks, showing interest but complete bewilderment at Ivor's latest project.

"Why don't you just get a real mouse and train it?"

Raul would love to understand what Ivor is trying to do, but really just doesn't get it at all.

[Alex]

''Well, you see, it's not that complicated at all, really. Remember that time in Scorta when the nasty pussy cat got her paws on poor Verrochio?(my rat familiar) I realised that I needed to protect him from that sort of thing, so from now on, if I see a kitty, I can let this loose for it to chase so Verrochio won't be bothered again. I call it my emergency-veloci-winding-semi-automated-feline-distr...oops, I probably shouldn't have done that," he says, as the mouse slips from his hands and goes scooting off across the floor, in the direction of the serving wench.

Ivor sinks lower in the chair and hopes no-one notices.

[Balgin Stondraeg]

The strange man pays Alarian no heed, he's clearly wrapped up in his own thoughts for now. From his garb Alarian would suspect he may be a devotee of Gurthor (good knowedge check) and he's a bit absent right now, absoirebd in the atmospherics and enjoying the evening. In fact, he might prefer to be outdoors, standing in the lashing rain, but currently he stands within the tavern (as most sensible servants of the searlord would).

[Keeper]

Raul keeps his eye on the serving wench, to see what will happen.

Can you tell us what the serving wench looks like, please, GM?

[Fabian]

Alarian doesn't press home his question, knowing full well of the reverie that can grip those in touch with the gods. He can almost smell the forest and the scent of a hunting beast as a now-familiar woman's voice glides into his thoughts: He is strange in his mind, young wolf... like the old man... Yes. He is like him in some ways. Ha! And am I not stranger? A flirtatious laugh sounds in his head No... you are stronger... my wolf. Alarian turns back to the bitter ale he holds. It is a strength I would gladly not have, he thinks. What was that? Something scurrying across the floor... too shiny and quick to be a mouse...

[Balgin Stondraeg]

Can you tell us what the serving wench looks like, please, GM?

The weary barmaid crosses the floor bearing a tray of foaming tankards. She looks to be in her mid to late twenties, although the docks have a way of aging people before their time, with a good figure poorly dressed in ill fitting garments (almost falling off her slender frame). Her light brown hair is chopped short, hanging somewhat just below the jawline, and worn loose. Her face is long and slender with a bit of a pointy beak of a nose poking out of it. A black eye peers out from beneath a pathetic layer of makeup (attempting to hide the bruise) and she drags the sleeve of her boddice back up one arm. One of the gambling sailors calls out and she turns their way, treading carefuly between the various unattended bottles and sprawling limbs that litter her path.

The barman takes a break from cleaning a mug with a rag to rub at his eyepatch with the knuckles of one hand, before bawling out some barely decipherable order to her. She seems to understand and her head dips slightly in some sort of half nod as she takes the sailors their drinks.

[Keeper]

Raul figures he'd better try and make this good before Ivor gets them booted out of this tavern as well.  He gets up (hopefully nonchalantly) and heads off after Ivor's strange mouse.

His intention is to try to capture the weird little device before it scares the bejesus (beEsmia?) out of the ladies in the bar.  If necessary he hopes to try and distract (bluff?) the barmaid, should she happen to start looking towards the frightening little contraption and explain it as not being harmful before people see it and freak out.  He intends to tell people it is just a toy.  Unless, of course, he can catch up with the nifty little thing, first!

[Fabian]

Where is the mouse at this point? Alarian, intrigued, tries to discern where the thing has gone. Spot check?

[Custom_Hobby]

Aurum is amused and starts to laugh as someone starts chasing the mouse

[Balgin Stondraeg]

His intention is to try to capture the weird little device before it scares the bejesus (beEsmia?) out of the ladies in the bar.

It's a seedy docklands pub. There aren't many ladies in here (there's a few loose women but they seem to spend an awful lot of time in the alley outside when compared to the hard drinking sailors).

The mouse skitters across the floor before colliding with an abandoned bottle sticking out from undera  table. It rolls onto it's side and lies there all helpless, it's little wheels spinning away. Already you can see greedy eyes evaluating it from various corners. Alarian places his leg in front of it, blocking off Raoul's advance briefly (mostly to rpevent the other patrons from grabbing it). Leaning to pick it up, he offers it to the stranger saying something polite, inquiring as to the object's ownership (like "pardon me sir but is this yours?").

Great way to meet each other guys :).