Secrets revealed...

The father of the sibling herders also acted as the small village’s headman, he sat towards the rear of the group listening to the old ashik and as he listened a frown of concentration creased his sun worn features. Something about the old man's story had triggered a memory, but it would not come to the fore and every time the headman reached for the thought it would disappear like a drop of water on sand. The headman shrugged, it would come back to him, for now he focused once again on the old ashik’s tale.

Scar leaned lithely against the wall and attempted to subtly chat up the half giant doorman. But subtly was not in the half giants vocabulary, nor were many other words, and the conversation boiled down to the half giant asking if Scar liked his spiked maul. Realising that he lacked looks and brains, Scar gave up the chase and returned back inside. She found the rest of the group tucking into inix steaks and fermented kank nectar, she took a seat and helped herself and then noticed that everyone’s shoulders were shaking as they suppressed laughter.

As the owner passed by their table Scar asked her if she knew where they could get Kank a new peg leg made. The leg that Scar and Kank had made from the chitine equipment had started to deteriorate rapidly as soon as it had been exposed to sunlight. Mila suggested that they could visit the artisan quarter, but she also said;

If it is an injury just bribe a Templar to heal it. They’re all bent! Just be careful.

She then rushes off to deal with another customer. Scar looks around at Kank, but Kank shakes his head saying that it is to risky to draw attention to themselves by answering difficult questions about his injury. Scar shrugs and turns to Balboa who is mumbling under his breath;

...Borman’s Fine Clothing. Order green velvet headpiece with silver trim. Ask for silver inix style hat pin. Go to Borman’s Fine Clothing. Order green velvet headpiece…

Scar interrupts him and asks if he is ready to go? Balboa nods. Kank says that he will stay in the room and guard their belongings while Miloch suggests that he try and find them a map. Arthur begrudgingly hands him ten silver pieces and Miloch heads off with a broad smile on his face. Arthur, Balboa and Scar set out into the busy streets of Tyr, heading for the merchant district.

As Scar steps off of the busy streets and into the calm of Borman’s Find Clothing she notices that one wall is covered in bolts of cloth, a rainbow of colour, opposite and running along the facing wall is a long counter. Standing behind the counter is a well dressed young man with a tape measure draped around his neck. Balboa steps towards the counter and the young man greets him with enthusiasm;

Good afternoon sir! How may I be of assistance on this singular of days?

Balboa replies;

I am looking to order a headpiece.

The assistant asks if he has anything in particular in mind? Balboa responds;

Something in green velvet. With, yes! With silver trimmings.

The assistant runs through a number of questions and shows Balboa a variety of styles of headpiece. Balboa throws himself into the role and makes decisions in a considered fashion, and eventually the assistant asks if there are any accessories that sir might like. Balboa smiles;

A hat pin. Perhaps in the style of a silver inix!

Thirty minutes after they entered the shop assistant asks for four silver pieces, Balboa looks to Arthur, who steps forward and pays the assistant. The assistant says that it will be two days and asks Balboa where he is staying, Balboa replies that they are staying in room seven of the Golden Inix. The assistant nods and scribbles something on a small piece of paper which he hands to Balboa, Balboa glances at it and then dismissively hands it to Arthur who slides it into his satchel.

As they return to the Golden Inix Scar keeps a sharp eye out to see if they are being followed, but she does not spot anyone in the sea of people. Arthur also has a sharp eye out, but his has been caught by a rather beautiful dwarven female stood on the balcony of a brothel. Arthur makes his excuses and tells the others that he will see them back at the inn, he then dashes through the doors of the brothel. Once back at the Golden Inix Balboa takes over guard duty and Scar joins Kank as they head for the artisan quarter. Balboa settles down in room seven and kicks his shoes off. The room has a slight breeze blowing through it and it is a pleasant relief from the afternoon heat outside, Balboa’s eyes slowly close.

He wakes with a start to a knock on the door. Balboa gets off the bed and rushes to the door which he opens. Stood outside is a small child, a wild and feral thing dressed in nice clothes. As Balboa stares he realises that it is not a child, but a halfling!

The name’s Fleck. I’m from Kurzid.

With that simple explanation the halfling nimbly ducks inside Balboa’s room and tells him to shut the door. Balboa, still somewhat in shock, does so and then resumes his seat on the bed. Fleck hands him a sheath of paperwork wrapped in leather and tied with a leather thong;

You’ll need to get all of that to Bartras, it’s important. But there is something more important first, and you and your friends are perfect for it. There are rumours in the city that a caravan has gone missing, nothing in that, but the rumours say that the caravan has found the Face in the Stone. An artefact that the Templars of Tyr would love to get their hands on, in fact they are putting a team together to go and get it. People have been looking for the Face in the Stone for years but have never found it, and now this, you have to get it before the Templars. Getting out of the city will be much easier than getting in, I can get you the papers that will pass a brief inspection.

Fleck stops and looks at Balboa;

I hope that you are following this!

Balboa nods dumbly, shock still obvious on his face, his gaze drifts between the small halfling and the door, partly hoping that one of his friends will walk in and partly wondering if he should run for it before this feral beast of a halfling kills him. Fleck continues;

You need to get the artefact to Bartras and keep it out of the hands of the magic using scum. Leave via the Caravan Gate and head away from Urik into the mountains, it is about a weeks travel to the northeast. Be careful how far you go, if you stray to far you will end up in the forests and that’s where my people live, and they would eat you!

Balboa’s gulp was audible. Fleck headed towards the door;

I’ll be back at the same time tomorrow with the papers. I guess that you are not interested in the hat?

Balboa just shakes his head and watches as Fleck leaves and shuts the door behind him. Balboa lets go of the breath that he hadn’t realised that he had been holding. Five minutes after Fleck had left, Arthur entered room seven with a large smile splitting his face. Balboa, who had not moved from the bed, spilled everything in a rush of information and just as Arthur had managed to slow him down Miloch entered the room holding a paper chit and a roll of parchment tied with a leather thong, he is also dressed in a new set of armour. He hands both to Arthur, Arthur hands the chit to Balboa and then unrolls the parchment. There are two maps, one of Tyr and one a map of Athas.

Scar and Kank make it to the artisan quarter and enter the first furniture makers that they find, the craftsmen inside asks if she can help and Kank describes what he needs and shows her his missing leg. The furniture maker takes it all in her stride and starts to take measurements, she also weighs Kank and talks him through a choice of woods, eventually she tells him that she can get it done in two days at a cost of five ceramic pieces. Kank reaches into his pouch and takes out ten ceramic pieces and tells her to have it done in a day. She nodded her agreement and then hands him a chit of paper, Kank stuffs it in his pouch and leaves.

Scar turns to Kank and says that she wishes to find a metal worker, so they head deeper into the artisan quarter looking for one. They wander for a long time not seeing one, but eventually they hear the sound of a hammer hitting something metallic and head in the direction of the noise. Eventually they come across a dwarf stood in front of a raging fire hammering a piece of metal on a stone block. The dwarf notices them and puts his hammer down and walks over to the pair.

I’m Valan the blacksmith. How can I help?

Scar bows a small bow and replies;

I am Scar White of the wastes and I wish to buy an iron short spear.

Valan’s eyes narrow as he looks both Scar and Kank up and down;

Do you have the coin to pay for it?

Scar smiles and tells Valan the Blacksmith that she does have the coin, but that she would be a fool to carry that much around openly in the city. Valan nods as if he sees the sense in that statement, and tells Scar that it will cost her seven gold pieces for an iron short spear. Scar thanks Valan and says that she will be back later, Kank and Scar then head back to the Golden Inix.

By late afternoon Kank and Scar rejoin the others in the Golden Inix, once again Balboa has to tell his tale of meeting Fleck and Kank hands him the piece of paper given to him by the furniture maker. Balboa looks at the chit, the third one that he has now seen, and it’s meaning finally dawns on him. They are receipts for work promised when payment is taken in advance, Balboa informs everyone of his breakthrough and as one they say;

What?

The following day they leave Kank to guard the room and Arthur, Balboa, Miloch and Scar head out to convert some of the groups resources into coin. They find a jewellers in the merchant district and Balboa is sent in to negotiate a price for their two gemstones, he finally manages to haggle for four gold pieces and when he hands them to Arthur the dwarfs eyes nearly pop out of his head. Arthur quickly grabs the coins and stuffs them deep into his loincloth where no one will look.

Scar then leads the group towards Valan the dwarf, it takes a couple of false turns before they find the blacksmith once again and when Valan sees them arrive he puts down his heavy hammer and greets Scar warmly. Scar defers to Balboa who greets Valan and says;

I think that we may have something of interest for you.

Balboa then nods to Arthur, who reaches into his pack and draws out one of the golden candlesticks found in the dwarven temple. Valan’s eyes widen for a moment before he eagerly reaches out his hands for the item. Arthur passes it over and Valan inspects it and weighs it, once done he looks at Balboa;

This looks dwarven. And it is pure gold.

Arthur responds;

It is dwarven. An heirloom of sorts.

Valan looks sceptical, but he does not seem to wish to part with the candlestick held firmly in his hands.

I can give you six gold pieces for it!

Arthur reaches for the candlestick and says that it is time to leave. Valan quickly says;

I know it’s worth more, but I’ve got to sell it. Not an easy thing to shift. I’ll give you seven gold if you are trading it for goods.

Arthur steps to one side with Balboa and Scar, while Miloch pulls out his iron dagger and asks Valan how much he would give him for it. Valan tells Miloch that he would give him a good piece for the dagger. Balboa steps forwards, or is rather shoved forwards by Arthur and Scar, and says that there is more available if it would gain a higher rate of exchange. Valan’s eyes narrow once more and he asks what it is that the group are after. Arthur says that they want an iron maul, an iron battle axe, and an iron short spear. With all of the pieces now on the table the negotiations enter their final stage.

Valan says that he will trade a maul and a battle axe for both candlesticks and the dagger. Balboa looks to the others and can see that Scar is desperate for the spear and so he suggests that Valan throw in the short spear and the group will add seventy silver pieces to the pot. Valan considers this for a moment and then spits in his hand and holds it out to Balboa;

Have we got a deal?

Balboa follows Valan’s lead and they shake on the agreement. Valan heads deeper into his shop and reappears a few minutes later carrying three long weapons, each with a leather peace cover tied over the business end. Not only does it meet the needs of the city laws, but it also hides the fact that they are iron weapons. Valan quickly hides away the gold candlesticks and the friends bid him farewell. As they walk away Balboa points out that they didn’t get a receipt.

Sat on guard in room seven of the Golden Inix, Kank removes his old peg leg and scratches at an itch on his stump. There is a knock on the door and Kank hops over to it;

Who’s there?

Kank hears through the door a small voice whispering loudly;

It’s Fleck! Open up.

Kank lets the feral halfling milliner into the room and closes the door. Fleck looks at Kank’s missing leg and asks;

What happened there? Why haven’t you had it regrown? I could hook you up with a crooked Templar who would do it for a fee. I’m surprised that you haven’t asked already.

As with Balboa the day before, a look of confusion and bewilderment forms on Kank’s face.