Walking through the past

[Tyav'ondo Gil'dae]

Timestamp: Early Imperos, Era of the Church Schism, starting around midday

Tyav and Duncan had finally arrived in Acumin, but now what? Tyav'ondo's only thought was power and revenge, but he was rational enough to save it for the proper time and place. The elf loosened his pack, containing his clothes, book of spells and theory, and a jeweled dagger of dwarven steel. On his left hip hung a gray wolf-pelt covered steel sheath, with a pommel protruding from it, shaped masterfully into the guise of a wolf. Below the pommel and sweat resistant hilt was a crossbar also in the canine form, two wolves joined at the tail. The hidden blade was straight, one side covered with small curved serrations for tearing. The other side was normal, but also quite sharp. In all honesty, it had never been used. The mithril dagger in his right boot, however, was well used, but still sharp as well. Lost in thought and desperately searching for a familiar or apparent structure of importance, Tyav brushed strands of platinum hair behind his pointed ear. Green gloves covered his hands to the elbow, made of fine leather and on the back of each was a stag and unicorn reared with a mighty tree between them on a shield of silver and purple, the crest of house Gil'dae. The rest of his clothes were simple, loose-fitting black trousers tucked into soft leather boots and a white tunic, blue sash covered by his sword belt, and charcoal grey light cloak. Tyav's face was slim and pointed, in elvish fashion, with sharp peaks of white hair plunging from his head, and emerald green eyes. Contemplative, he glanced to his companion, the man who would be his new teacher, and spoke.

"I think the first thing to do would be to find out what the town needs. If we can find anything for them that lines up with that, I think we can transport anything. Motito would be more than willing to help with that, I think. That's if I can't manage it."

Tyav still had much learning to do, but he felt confident he could re-set his gate spell's anchor to a place in Acumin. That particular method of transit would come with no cost, other than his own time and energy. If the pair could cut a small profit for their efforts, it would by far be worth it. Tyav outlined his thoughts to Duncan.

"That barrier must affect the trade routes, somewhat, right? If we can negotiate good prices for whatever they need from wherever they need them, and instantly bring it to them...I have access to New Coldmoon and Syl'rosya, there might be some potential for some coin, as well as making sure this place has access to the outside world. I wonder if that barrier hinders the villagers as well? What do you think?"

[Duncan Sythe]

“Problem is if we can get spells across that barrier, something I somehow think is unlikely.”

Duncan offered dryly, waving a hand back at it as they walked.

“Whilst I have no doubt in Motito’s abilities to set up enchanted portals to and from Silrosia in general, whether Carmelya will let him here is questionable; it’d defy the entire point of the shield.” He shrugged. “However your right, we need to gauge the requirements and moods of the city, not to mention find out what we can about your family.”

At this Duncan put a hand on Tyav’s shoulder and stepped ahead of him, spinning so he was facing the man and blocking his path to Acumin…studying him intently. There were some ground rules to be laid down, common sense because he wouldn’t have Tyav wandering off blind and more over wouldn’t find himself apologising to Motito for letting Tyav kill himself.

Before he opened his mouth though he studied the Elf’s face and ground his teeth, hand still on the Elvish shoulder as he glanced over at the shield and close his eyes. It was clear to the Elf there was no small reservoir of feeling in the Mystic, instead a large one. As to whether the unveiling of feelings was intentional or not Duncan himself couldn’t say, or didn’t want to. Perhaps letting Tyav see the Archmage was mortal had a reason; perhaps it didn’t have any at all?

Still he returned his blue eyed gaze to the Elf and, this time, held it there.

“Before we go any further, remember, you aren’t going near the city of the Dark Elves without me. I won’t be so crass to say you cant walk around Acumin without me but…it’d be easier if we at least knew where the other was going.”

Granted, that Duncan might voyage out to find the Vysstichi city entrance ahead of Tyav was debatable but he hadn’t made his mind up regarding that yet, it depended on what they found in Acumin. For now though he merely reminisced about how much of his younger self he saw in the Elf as his head tilted to one side, he then removed his hand, letting it slip to his side and turned back to Acumin, the two now the village outskirts.

[Desmodus]

Acumin did not look dramatically different from when Duncan had last left it. It remained a tiny, lonely ruin of a village for the most part, and had apparently not grown at all since after the fateful night of the Cleansing -not grown, at least, in the sense of having expanded its humanoid population. It *had* grown in another sense: strange green domes, some of them quite large, had sprung up about the town; these structures of living plants were what now made up the bulk of Acumin's usable architecture. Additionally, weeds and wildflowers sprang up in the under-used streets of the erstwhile town, and thrust their verdant tendrils through the tumbled, blackened stones that remained of the old town's buildings. There were now perhaps twoscore souls that called the near-abandoned town home, and if they were out and about doing bustling town stuff, neither Duncan nor Tyav'ondo could see them.


The first sentient inhabitant they encountered was the Ranger on guard duty at the barrier, who had not failed to notice the two mages, human and elf, as they slogged their way through the Goddess' protective wall of air and arcana. Duncan in particular, with his attitude towards Carmelya, was not going to get through the shimmering obstacle quickly or easily. As he pushed his way through, a dwarf, his black hair and beard shot with grey, came to stand in front of the Mystic; in his hands was a loaded crossbow, which he held pointed towards the ground just in front of Duncan's feet. His expression as he gazed at the newcomers had the dour, mistrustful cast typical of his race, in this case aggravated by the fact that these strangers were obviously not favored by Carmelya. If he saw anything comical about watching the two men fighting as if wrestling with their childhood invisible friends, his scowl gave no sign of it.

"Before ye try to get any further through the Barrier," he called out in a voice every bit as cheery and friendly as his face, "I suggest you halt a moment to tell me who ye are, and what brings you to Acumin." The dwarf sentry appeared to be alone, but that fact did not appear to concern him. He seemed confident that he could deal with any mischeif two men stuck in the barrier could attempt, powerful mages or no. "So, I'll have yer names, and yer business here. If you have anybody you are here to meet, any names to drop, I suggest you drop them now."

[Duncan Sythe]

Well Duncan disliked Carmelya…the irony that the barrier simply operated off that principal and never asked ‘why’ was not lost on the Mystic as the Dwarf faced him. Calm, and willing to answer Duncan merely inclined his head to the sentry as best he could. For there wasn’t really much of a way the Dwarf could know he was a mage and…at this point it was doubtful the barrier would let him cast; given what it was made of. The point was he wasn’t thinking of being violent in the city to begin with.

Then there was the other point that the Dwarf had to be new, when he’d left everyone except a few old and young and the occasional injured healthy individual had been dead; thus yes, the Dwarf was new and deserved a modicum of respect…albeit cynical in Duncan’s reply.

“My name is Duncan Sythe, I myself journey to Acumin on official business of the Empire and a matter of personal commemoration, my college can speak for himself I’m sure.”

The official business was laughable but if there was a mage in the city or some kind of scholar he needed to talk to them, the rest of his business was with the Vysstichi but he hardly thought that would gain welcome reception by mention, ditto his high ranking imperial positions, so he left the explanation at that.

[Tyav'ondo Gil'dae]

Tyav'ondo was feeling quite awash with emotion and memory, but snapped out of it just as Duncan had finished speaking. The elf simply nodded, hoping it was enough to assure the Archmage that he had no intention of going off to his death. Tyav had been so preoccupied that he never saw the man approach and hail him. Duncan returned the hail as he thought of something to say. He decided on the least offensive of the options.

"Serale, I am Tyav'ondo Gil'dae. I used to live in a village near here, but hadn't ever really come into town. I hoped to make myself useful somehow, I heard about the hard times that fell upon your village."

It was at least half the reason, and he did want to help out, but there was something withheld. It was a silent matter, though, a matter of life and death: Tyav's life and the death of a vysticchi. In any case, the elf and his companion weren't enemies of the village, and he understood the need for caution, especially in light of recent events.

[Desmodus]

The dwarf snorted when Duncan claimed his official business of the Empire. "'Course you are!" he said sarcastically. "And since you're on 'official business', I suppose you know the name of somebody here you are to see, right? The list of people here you could see is pretty short, you know, so if you make up a name, I'll be able to tell. Or is that some sort of state secret? 'cause I hate state secrets."

At this point, Duncan and Tyav would have started to notice a couple curious villagers surfacing from nearby green domes, gawking at the dwarf talking to the two visitors. The dwarf looked at them and growled: "What are you gawking at? Why don't one of you do somethin' useful and tell Jo-" he stopped himself here and shot Duncan a sharp, canny look, "and tell you-know-who that we've got visitors." He turned his full attention back to the two still waddling through the Barrier. "Visitors on 'official business of the Empire.'"

His grizzled black moustache and beard shifted up slightly in a humorless grin. "Well, at least you gave me names, though I couldn't tell if they actually belong to you. I don't suppose you could produce visas, once you get through the barrier? In the meantime I'll tell you my name. I'm Bork Valding, Trades Master of the Acumin Ranger Hall."

Bork wouldn't venture any further conversation, although he would entertain basic questions, should the visitors choose to pose them. It took an additional quarter candlemark for Duncan and Tyav to get all the way through the barrier, and they were quite sore and fatigued once they did. The dwarf pointed his crossbow a little closer to Tyav's feet. "Take out your visas and place them on the ground in front of you, if you please. Then step aside."

The number of spectators had grown to about five now. As Duncan and Tyav responded however they would to the dwarf's commands, they could see a sixth villager approaching them rapidly. He was a burly, middle-aged human wearing a woodman's clothes and carrying both a bow and a sword. In spite of his appearance, the man was obviously quite active, as he was not at all out-of-breath or flush as he jogged up to where Bork was standing. "Serale and welcome to Acumin, gentlemen. I am Jon Litate, Master Ranger of Acumin. I hear you are here on some sort of official business? Since any official business in Acumin is my business, I would appreciate it if you would tell me more."

[Duncan Sythe]

Duncan shrugged and gave the Dwarf a dry smile.

“My name is Duncan Sythe as I said Mister Valding and, once we’re free of this, I’ll be happy to give you all the proof your after as far as I’m able. Whether you choose to believe official documents is of course your own concern.”

Arriving on the other side, slightly more irritated and worse for wear Duncan removed not only his Visa but also his Imperial Army identification, thinking it would at least double-establish his credentials, if anything would. Placing both on the floor he stepped away and was about to speak when the Master Ranger turned up. There was nothing lacking in suspicion in the gaze he gave the man for, again, his face was unfamiliar from the ‘remnants’ of Acumin and he theorized the place had become a haven for Carmelya fanatics.

“As I told your college Mister Litate my name is Duncan Sythe.” He gestured to the documents, sliding tiredly into Meditation as he did so. “I am, as those documents say, a member of the Imperial army and, by extension.” He shrugged.

“If you’ve been reading the Herald recently, the Imperial Mage of the Allerian Empire Mister Litate, I am here on the official business I mentioned earlier to investigate Arcane teachers throughout the Empire and the practice of Necromancy. Also, for the sake of not looking like I’m holding things back, I was present at the last Vyssitichi attack, I’m sure the title ‘Captain’ along with my name might ring a few bells with the survivors.”

The Mystic continued as he studied each individual through Meditation for the signs of magical skill, rank wise rather than sphere wise whilst his hands remained conspicuously far away from his sword.

“I led an expedition towards the tower of Dar Havek after asking the Katta who led the rest of the village to the slaughter to stay behind; she did not, the remaining villagers died. I left without contacting the village again and have now returned.”

What the villagers and the rangers would make of it was there business and he hadn’t mentioned this to Tyav’ondo. It hadn’t been the Elf’s business though, his own business was exactly that but he had no doubt figured Duncan had…reasons for things. As for the Ranger? There was no mistaking the way Duncan had phrased things; that he thought the Ranger's authority was odd having been established so fast...but then he wasn't here to make friends either and alleged Carmelya worshippers were, again allegedly, not meant to be an aggressive lot.

[Tyav'ondo Gil'dae]

Tyav listened to Duncan's speech and halted a second, smirking. The elf had suspected there to be some reason the Archmage had chosen to venture here other than a personal favor to an elf he'd never met before. Of course, Tyav had no knowledge of the extent of Tito and Dunc's relationship either, but now there was proof of his motives. One thing stuck out boldly, though, the fact that the man had been there during the last raid, and survived. Echos of his own pain rang from the human's guarded tone. When he was finished, Tyav spoke as well, falling in as less important and notable than Dunc as he withdrew his visa and placed it on the ground in front of him.

"I am not really involved in the official business, I am simply an apprentice to Mister Scythe."

Tyav purposefully left out his new master's title, there was no need to frighten the people. His own modest stance as apprentice might be enough to let on that Duncan was powerful, but at least there was no label to inspire fear. Honestly, it was not their business what he was here for, because Acumin to Tyav'ondo was simply a place to stay while he completed his own unofficial business. Herozzal or the Dolwood were his real points of interest."

[Desmodus]

The dwarf's suspicious glare did not change while Duncan spoke and deposited his credentials on the ground. Jon Litate, for his part, concentrated on Duncan and what he was saying; once the white-haired human had laid his credentials on the ground, the Master Ranger put his hand gently on Bork's shoulder, then stepped forward to retrieve the documents himself while Bork covered their owner with his crossbow. Litate had controlled many a visa, and had seen many a military identification in his twenty-odd patterns as a Ranger, and it was with a knowledgeable eye that he appraised the identifications that Duncan had presented. He gave a satisfied nod, then placed the documents back on the ground between himself and their owner. "These appear to be in order, Mr. Sythe. I will check your colleague's documents presently." He glanced over at the elf, who had himself just made it through the barrier. The same drill was then repeated for Tyav'ondo.

While Duncan spoke, he slipped into clara and began scanning the minds of his interlocutors, trying to gauge both their arcanic skills and as well as get a general feel for their state of mind. The dwarf's mind was as bound as one of Matron Alaret Kitrye'veresi's lovers in her prayer chamber. The other Ranger was unbound, but probably no higher than Apprentice. Given his profession, his sphere would not be hard for Duncan to infer, if he cared to do so.

The suspicious looks on the two Rangers' faces were hardly transfigured into joy by Duncan's words. The dwarf, for his part, was clearly disappointed and annoyed that the intruders' credentials turned out to be legitimate. Jon Litate's reaction was a bit more complex as he listened to Duncan speak. On one hand, he was relieved to hear that these visitors were here on an errand of good. On the other, his feelings about the Empire and its officials were rather ambivalent right now. The Empire had not helped his village at all during its struggle with the Pox, had botched its attempts to send relief and reconstruction, and had failed to fulfill its promise of a garrison to help protect Acumin against further attacks. Nor did Duncan's condescending manner help the Master Ranger's mood much. What did this "Imperial Mage" and "Captain" expect for welcome and recognition, a parade?

"If you have been reading the Suns recently yourself," he responded stiffly, "then you know full well that our village is still struggling, after nearly two eras, to get even basic supplies from other parts of this Empire you're running such important errands for. I don't suppose you brought a current copy of the paper with you?"

Nor did his glare soften much when Duncan mentioned his Captaincy and military service in the assault on Acumin. "I happen to be a survivor myself," he said, his voice choked with bitterness. How dare this stranger suggest he ask the survivors, as if he, Jon Litate, were some sort of tourist? He sucked in a breath and willed himself to calm down and think. After reflecting for a moment there came a flash of recognition in his eyes, and when he spoke next, some of the edge came off of his voice. "Now that you mention it, yes, your name does ring a bell. I suppose you tried to serve our cause well enough, although I do not recall hearing that your scouting expedition was a rousing success." With a shrug, he handed Duncan's credentials back to him. "You are still alive, though. And I suppose that's as rousing a success as any of us could ask for.

"Since you've been here before, I assume that you remember your way to the Sooty Cavern. Mila Ventrude is still there. Perhaps she remembers you better than me."

He turned now to Tyav'ondo. "Well, I guess you're as welcome to Acumin as your Master is. Good luck hunting your necromancers, although I thought it would be pretty obvious obvious where you would find them." Jon Litate shrugged again, leaving that thought unfinished for now. At last he gave the two visitors a curt "Serale", and began to move on to something else. Over his shoulder, as he left, he told the dwarf to do the same. Reluctantly, as if he were having difficulty peeling his distrustful eyes off the two strangers, Bork Valding lowered his crossbow, and went off in the opposite direction along the Barrier's perimeter from his Master Ranger with an audible, disgruntled "Harumph".

[Duncan Sythe]

Duncan figured he’d have to do an awful lot to make things bad enough that the Ranger or the Dwarf might consider shooting him, after all this was – allegedly – a Village under the protection of Carmelya. Therefore, and because he figured the ranger could not be much of a fighter if he’d been an injured survivor of the attacks earlier that Duncan had earlier missed, he felt no particular worry about what he did in response to the tirade he was subjected to.

For he had spoken to pre-empt hostility rather than to foster more than he would already possible be subjected to. Thus he stepped after the unhappy Ranger and put a hand to the man’s shoulder. Anticipating a struggle Duncan sought simply to bring it to an impass with both parties facing each other before he spoke, probably having to hiss “Listen.” Several times before he got what he sought; the man’s attention.

“I did not come to break open old wounds Jon, nor to foster hatred among the Empire you apparently now need.” He said the last with no small amount of ire.

“When I left you seemed perfectly happy in the arms of Carmleya and her blasted treant, whilst I am sorry to hear she hasn’t given all she promised I can’t say I am surprised.”

By now he was either having to fight harder or simply had the man’s attention.

“But then you didn’t need me then Jon, you didn’t moan at me then when I sat outside the Sooty Cavern lamenting, you scooped up all hope of salvation with religion and what has it brought you?”

The Mystic asked with brittle bitterness of his own, he’d fought for the people and seen them die because of an incompetent who then survived and had left as if nothing had been wrong, his fault, his fault. How did he face up to the murder of an entire village? Unlike Malice it wasn’t rationalization, simply failure and to see someone like Jon blame the Empire rather than Carmelya, him or the Katta was…well, laughable.

Oh yes, the man was throwing pebbles at the back of the giant who’d never bother to turn around and didn’t even notice them, that was what he hated so much in the Ranger’s manner, he was afraid to face up to the proximity of danger, choosing instead to blame an organization that was unable to send aid because of the barrier the village had made it’s pact with.

Oh he didnt expect anything at all except perhaps anger and a scrap but then, perhaps, beneath his awareness, he wanted a fight, he wanted someone to condemn him for the entire incident...even though the actual death of the townspeople still lay at the now-departed Katta's feet, not his own.

[Tyav'ondo Gil'dae]

Tyav'ondo watched as the ranger searched his visa, and wasn't very worried with the precautions. He wasn't lying to stealing away, he was simply traveling in search of his past which they knew nothing about. If they knew he was here to kill a vysticchi would they really care? The elf doubted it. In any case, there was some conversing between Duncan and the ranger before he was even addressed. Tyav always preferred to be low profile, except that time when he stabbed himself in the chest on his first visit to the Gil'dae Cheb. The elf considered the words and chose to reply simply.

"Sir, one of the main reasons I came was to stimulate trade. If I could, for instance, create a direct pipeline to a place that had everything this village needs, and could instantly transport your necessities back here, who would I need to talk to?"

The hint wasn't too subtle, but it was meant to clarify one of his intentions. The fact was that he could do what he said, and he didn't want that much for it. The only problem Tyav could see was that they would be too proud to take his offer, but from the looks of the place, they needed what he could give. Tyav was planning on returning to Syl'rosya quite often to visit his wife and child, he might as well do a little shopping for the people of Acumin.

[Desmodus]

Jon Litate was not happy when Duncan tapped him on the shoulder. If the Imperial Mage had hoped that his explanation would help matters, he was sorely mistaken. The last thing the villagers needed was smug value judgements from those who had left as soon as any obvious opportunity to be a hero went away, and then returned two eras later hoping to be received as some sort of benefactor.

The Ranger's face grew more and more stone-like as Duncan spoke. By the time the Mystic had finished speaking, Jon's face was slate-gray; his jaw clenched while he bit back the first three or four things he wanted to say to this man. "I'll tell you one thing Carmelya didn't bring us," he finally rasped out between his teeth: "she didn't send us insensitive bounders offering criticisms about things of which they know *nothing*."

Stepping a bit closer to Duncan, he began to jab in the direction of his chest with a trembling hand: "Now listen to me, you self-righteous little bastard, as you obviously did not when I spoke to you just a moment ago: We *did* ask the Empire for help, before, during *and* after the calamities in question. I can tell you exactly what *that* brought us. That you would have the sheer gall to try to compare the quality of Carmelya's aid to that the Empire has sent us so far is what's laughable here. "

The rage seemed to drain from Litate's face as he spoke, and by the time he finished his rant, anger had given way to disgust. "Look," he concluded, his tone now more miserable than angry, "just go. Go away, go to the Tavern, wherever. Just get away from me." He was about to turn and walk away again when Tyav'ondo spoke.

Giving a somewhat humorless chuckle, the Master Ranger nodded at the elf and then turned back towards Duncan. "There, you see? *That's* the sort of thing that is welcome here. Maybe you should let your elf friend do the talking as long as you're here." He then turned towards Tyav: "You should have said something before your friend here tried to put all four of his jackass' hooves in his mouth. The person you need to talk to is our Aedile, Latherin Veridos. I can actually go find him for you if you like. Shall I tell him you will meet him at the Sooty Tavern this darkening?"

At this point, Jon Litate was ignoring Duncan and speaking almost entirely to the far less tact-challenged elf.

[Duncan Sythe]

“This place is a village not a city Jon.”

Duncan said quietly, pitying the man at the last and not caring for the sarcasm of the man’s tone, yet being able to sympathize with it. The Empire was in chaos, there was no reason for them to send aid, Acumin offered nothing to them. Duncan had left because he had nothing to offer them either, apparently Jon couldn’t see that and instead simply directed his bitterness outward, unwilling to challenge his faith and unwilling to challenge his own resolve, too scared to venture out and so; inevitably, he rotted within the protective shield, using it as a blindfold for his eyes against the truth.

Again Duncan had wanted nothing and expected bitterness, but directed at him rather than at the Empire, directed at him for his failure with regard to the helping of the survivors, not at the Empire.

“And all this… barrier does, this alleged aid, is blind you to your own naivety; the Empire is in ruins Jon, I stand for nothing, my titles mean nothing anywhere; let alone here. They have no ability to send organized aid and no need except the goodness of their hearts and I cannot see any response, any evidence of your efforts to find that aid.”

The Mystic offered one last frustrated sentence before stalking away towards the village.

“You’re too blinded in your own self pity to get out there and find help for yourself, if you’d sent people then they would have come back with aid, since I know well enough the government is not the only force with such interests.”

Oh yes Acumin had been a crisis and Duncan felt he had suffered as much as any in his own way; but Jon stood there, as Duncan walked determinately past Tyav’ondo, and proclaimed the Empire’s aid inadequate when he understood nothing of the consequences involved in aid and, most likely, the consequences involved in getting through the darned barrier with it.

“I’ll see you at the tavern.”

Duncan offered in parting to the Elf as he left; What sickened him further as he walked was the inability of Jon to even contemplate blaming the Goddess, it was as if she was the divine saint, the entire village her temple and her word sacrosanct, the bitch had abused the people and left a group of, if Jon was any indication, one dimensional lapdog followers who, while incapable of blaming themselves and their new patron, could very well blame an Empire they could not see and interact with; living in isolation, clinging to the false hope of a community.

After all, for the last time he had to wonder, what did Acumin offer the Empire to make it worth saving? It was hardly distant from the Vysstichi underworld, which for one probably made it more trouble than it was worth. No the Empire would not have sent aid, but others would have; sympathetic citizens and businessmen would have leapt at the chance…so quite clearly unless there was some extraordinarily strange circumstance he knew nothing of; the townsmen had not tried particularly hard and had appeared far to beggared and pleading.

[Tyav'ondo Gil'dae]

Tyav'ondo knew he could get them what they wanted, for a price. He offered only to purchase goods and transport them to Acumin, but for the service he wanted only to be welcome and a few crowns. While some might have considered moving goods through arcane portals an impressive task, the elf was thinking of other things. He was growing in power, and hopefully would continue with his new teacher, then the true test would begin. Nearly three eras past, Tyav'ondo's world had changed when they heard word of a vysticchi raid.

The family of four were literally just sitting down to their evening meal when a messenger called from outside. Three of their number recognized the messenger and the message, and one did not. They belonged to a dedicated group from their village who defended the borders against the underlings and thought it best to drive them back to the darkness. Tyav'ondo had never been interested in violence, choosing to spend his time writing poems and poorly playing the lute. His father, mother and older brother had all protested when he wanted to come along, from the looks on their faces he recognized the mood, it was an all out raid. All three had left that day and never returned, along with most of the rest of the able-bodied elves. Most were dead or dying, others simply fled. Tyav had fled to New Coldmoon, where his family had an empty house. The hedgemage tried not to think of their names.

With Tyav off in his own little world, he barely caught a word of the conflict between Jon and Dunc, and paused a bit to nod at Duncan. The ranger was then ready to discuss what the elf had to offer. Tyav smiled absently and nodded, the human seemed anxious enough. Latherin Veridos, the elf made a note to remember the name before replying.

"Absolutely, Mister Litate. I am sure we'll be able to work something out as soon as possible. Oh, I was wondering if there was anyone around who wouldn't mind helping me learn to track?"

With that, after he listened to the reply, Tyav nodded deeply and waved his hand slightly. It was probably not a good idea to let Duncan wander too far ahead, in case there were those that remembered him in a similar light. Not that the Archmage couldn't handle his business, indeed the opposite, Tyav'ondo wanted Acumin to still exist, so he had a place to stay and work a day job while he planned the assassination of some vysticchi. The elf picked up the pace until he caught up with the human before glancing at their surroundings. It probably wouldn't take much to find the tavern, so Tyav just took a second or two to look around.

[Desmodus]

Litate pointedly ignored anything that Duncan said from this point on, and spoke only to the elf. That didn't mean that he didn't notice how the Mystic had contradicted himself, first by explaining that the Empire was not in any position to send Acumin aid, then turning right around and suggesting that it would have done so had they but asked for it. All of this after he had already explained to Duncan that they *had* asked the Empire for aid. If this was the caliber of people the Empress had among her high-ranking officials, it was no wonder Alleria was in a shambles.

He was gratified not only by Tyav'ondo's offer of help, but by his acceptance of help as well. This one, at least, understood how to be gracious. The burly human smiled: "Excellent," he beamed, "I'm sure the aedile will be up to meet you before you're finished with dinner. And tracking? Well, we have rangers here. The best tracking teacher around here is a saurid who sorta freelances as a Ranger for us when he decides to. Name of Ri'i Kess. Mind you, some people find him about as pleasant as your Imperial Mage here," he nodded at Duncan, seeming to enjoy the chance at taking a jab at him without having to argue with him directly: "but if you don't mind *his* company, then I suppose you shouldn't have too much trouble getting along with Ri'i. The only question is when that blasted overgrown anole will show up. But when he does, I'll be sure to introduce you two, assuming you're still here and haven't been run out on account of your unfortunate choice of travelling companions." He paused to watch with satisfaction as Duncan stomped off towards the Sooty Cavern.

"Well, it looks as if your friend is good for one thing at least. He knows his way around, so follow him and you'll end up where you're going. Not that the tavern is easy to miss; it's the only intact stone building in the entire village Good night, Mister Gil'dae." The Master Ranger then took off in his earlier directio