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Narzen
Website
eMail 23:34 May.14 - Conversation (Narzen/Nata'al)
"I have seen you before, have I not, Malla Nata'al?" Narzen mutters in a low voice, then turns his head slightly to see if Nata'al shows any sign of recognition (being smaller than the woman, he also has to look up a bit, yet Narzen seems to care more about meeting eye-to-eye than the slightly awkward position). "Though I fail to remember where, and under what circumstances that was", he continues with a sly smile.
Zanan
Website
eMail 12:31 May.15 - Re: Conversation (Narzen/Nata\'al)
"Two years ago," the female replies, after raisning one eyebrow. "I wondered how long it would take till ye finally get yer brain to work!" She adds with a faint smile. "Good tae see yer scalp again Nar'zen anyways. That," she stops collecting stuff from the table and looks straight into the males face, "was the mission down in Karsoluthiyl, where we slew the kuo-toan whip sort of thing, didn't we? T'was great fun if I remember it correctly?!" The Drow takes her time to look up and down on Narzen, just as if she tries to weigh up his abilities now. "How have ye been faring then?"
Ust, usstan elgg dos ...
Cease this tirade, take a breath, and think, then you will realize, enemy of the Dark Elves, that my concern for your well being has always been, at best, limited.
Narzen
Website
eMail 13:35 May.15 - Re: Conversation (Narzen/Nata\'al)
"I live", Narzen says coldly, but quickly changes his tone. "And considering some of the nearby residents, such a statement is far from obvious, even if I'm standing here." he continues with a mischievous grin.
"As you might expect from seeing me here, the coins in my purse are not yet too heavy to refuse an offer to go against unknown odds." he says. "The rivven see such mentality as a sign of youthful enthusiasism... Then again, even the eldest of their race are dead by this age, so I have to wonder if it is in fact my mind that is too light." Narzen chuckles, watching the blade of the dagger he's holding in his hand.
The man then pauses for a while, and turns to Nata'al again. "Two years... and I was already forgetting your face, m'lady. I should be thankful to our generous hostess for this opportunity to avoid such a fatal mistake." Narzen raises an eyebrow in his customary manner and gives an exaggaratingly slow nod.
[modifiziert]
Zanan
Website
eMail 15:54 May.18 - Re: Conversation (Narzen/Nata\'al)
"Yer tongue is as smooth as ever, Narzen!" She pauses for a moment, "And it is good to hear it again. Wouldn't want to walk around Har'oloth with too many, if not to say, only strangers."
Ust, usstan elgg dos ...
Cease this tirade, take a breath, and think, then you will realize, enemy of the Dark Elves, that my concern for your well being has always been, at best, limited.
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+++
After her time of the watch is up the drow moves over to Narzen and pushes him gently with the tip of her boot. Once he opens his eyes, she signals: "Come on, time for your wary eyes to pierce the darkness of that tunnel!"
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Narzen has a dagger in hand even before his eyes open. Just as quickly, though, he recognizes the woman and extends his other hand, his palm facing Nata'al apologetically as he puts away the dagger.
Forgive me, Malla Jabbress, the last woman to touch me as gently as that ended picking up her entrails from the floor, the man signs a reply, but the joke is lost to the sour expression mixed with confusion on his face. Letting his thoughts wander briefly, he continues aloud, if only barely audible, "She was half human, half something else - grey elf by the looks of her. Beautiful as they come, admittably. Such a waste it was to slaughter her."
Suddenly snapping back to the present situation, the man realizes he was thinking aloud. But, my associating with half-breeds of lesser races is likely not what you wished to learn of the times since our last meeting, Narzen quickly signs with a slight bow, then picks up his rapier and heads to the tunnel entrance to keep watch.
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Instinctivly, the female puts her leg out of the dagger's reach. A smile parts her lips ever so slightly. As alert as ever! she whispers. The smile does not dissappear while she listens to Narzen's revelations about that "half-something". She follows him to the guard post and adds: Do you know what she was up to? I mean, I'll take a pole-arm next time I try to wake you if you tell me that she was your "cohort" or "comrade" at the time.
With a wry smile at her face she settles down next to him.
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It was in Skullport, she was a simple pickpocket. From what I have learned of the surface-dwellers of the city above, she was a spoiled child looking for excitement in a place far beyond her ability. Pausing for a while, Narzen raises an eyebrow in an exaggarated motion, Are you indeed curious to know of this?
Well, he contines without waiting for an answer, I was relaxing in one of the establishments there, she too was there, yet I paid no special attention to her. By coincidence, I believe, she left at the same time, and a drunken old dwarf left then as well.
The tu’rilthiir tried to cut the purse of the dwarf, but he was not yet drunk enough to miss that. The old fool saw me standing nearby and thought I was in league with the girl. He attacked me first. After that, the girl in turn mistook me for one of those of the Promenade, and she was more than obvious in how she wanted to thank me for saving her life.
Narzen sighs. She got greedy when she believed I was asleep - little did she know of drow slumber. The man draws his dagger, turning the blade around as if watching the reflection that doesn't even exist in the surrounding darkness. And I killed her.
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No great loss then, the drow motions. She leans back against the smooth and cold stone, keeping her eyes on both Narzen and the dark tunnel opening. I avoided Skullport - or any other large settlement - since last we met. Too many people out tae get my scalp just for the fun of it. Absently, her fingers stroke a lock of her flowing white hair. So I settled scouting the outskirts of Undermountain for some long lost temple ... to no avail though. Nata'al lips curve to a wry smile again, But since I got paid, it didn't matter really ...
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* * *
Narzen waits for Nata'al to join him a few yards away from the rest of the group and turns his cloaked back to the rescued woman so she can't see his sign language conversation with Nata'al.
What do you think? While it is obvious that woman is not as forthcoming as she tries to make herself appear to be, I am certain that she is telling the truth about the orc attack at least. Now the real question is what are we to do with her next.
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The female looks over Narzen's shoulder towards the drow and curls her lips a wee bit.
I think D'xauv'rinn is doing his best to endear him to her straight away. Perhaps we should let him keep watch over her for a while, but I would definitely say that she comes back with us. Another sword will be fine in Har'oloth and I assume Naedrylaen will pay nicely if we bring a survivor along. We should make 'sure' about her history, intentions and allegiances though," she signals and points to a small platinum disc enmeshed in her armor, depicting a sword, a mace and a spider behind them.
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Narzen raises an eyebrow, smiling.
I should suspect you have just read my thoughts, malla abbil, for that is about what I had in mind as well. And, I assume her presence will also keep Dx'zau'vrinn too busy to question my choices for a while.
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Nata'al eyes the mentioned drow for a moment. "I think he assumes that he's one of the natural leader - sort, though as far as I am concerned, he's more of the soon-make-one-mistake too-many category. But that's up to him. As long as he doesn't endanger mys... us, I am happy to have him around."
She points towards one of the fallen drow. "This guy was a Selvetargtlin, a Spidersword. Must be hailing from the order in Eryndlyn and I need to give him a decent burial. Dunno about the rest of the dead as yet. Maybe you can go on and take care of our new "friend"?
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+++ Major Cut and a change of scene: Blindle's Blade, Skullport +++
After a shopping trip, Nata'al gets back to the inn and settle's down in a half-cosy chair near the large pit-fire in the middle of the room. A halfling cook is preparing some sort of animal there.
Only a few guests are there right now, one female drow with a shaven head sits in the corner of the room, a few empty bottles in front of her, looking half-drunk.
Nata'al looks around and waits for Narzen to appear ...
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After a while Narzen walks in. He's wearing common clothes instead of his usual battle attire, save for a pair of daggers sheathed prominently on his sides - a reminder for muggers and pickpockets to keep their distance.
Taking a glance at the common room upon entering, he notices Nata'al and greets her with a slight nod.
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The female notices the newcomer and a wave of her hand invites him to join her. She's still wearing her blackened chain shirt, this and a small silver amulett dangling over her breast obviously a mark of respect to her martial deity. The amulett shows the image of a jet-black spider in front of a crossed mace and sword. With a whisper towards the halfling she orders another glass ...
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Narzen nods again in response and sits opposite to the female.
"Need someone to test what poison they are serving here today?" he asks, smiling.
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Laughing mildly, Nata'al, shakes her head.
"Well, these halflings are a decent folk and as take it, they rather take the gold from us now and hope for many future visits than to kill us for a quick coin and risk a bad standing with, say House Tanor'Thal." (She slightly nods vaguely towards the named House's residence in Skullport.)
"I take yer businesses were successful? Haven't seen much of Vezellek today, she might be off. Zai'Dizzen is up in his quarters with a ... well, lady of easy leasure, methinks."
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"Halflings..." Narzen starts, but stops right there and shakes his head. "Ah, nevermind that. As for my business, it went well indeed. I will soon run out of past favors to collect, but getting past the line to have a busy wizard weave magic to my items was worth it, I am sure."
A shadow crosses the man's face for a brief moment. "It is a harsh line of work we are in, after all."
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"Was that the hint of a whish of a more settled life I was hearing there?", the female inquires with a raised eyebrow. "You, one or two comely females, half a dozen underlings and a well guarded home with laboratories and all?"
She sips on her drink and looks at the halfling cook in front of her. "One day, maybe, and certainly not in this smelly hole of Har'oloth."
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Narzen grins. "I have my reasons for learning about the ways of the surface. Less competition from my brothers out there might be one of them."
The light in his eyes dies away quickly, however. "No, I do not dream of such things. It is not in our blood to seek peace and old age, not unless there was nothing else left in this world, and even then the search would be to destroy whatever remained."
Also turning his gaze on the halfling he continues, smiling sadly, "They have it different. Halflings and humans, when they have the time to stop and think about their lives, their time is already spent. Ignorant children who suddenly die upon becoming adults."
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Nata'al's eyebrow remains raised: "We are in a philosophical mode today, it seems?!" A smile crosses her face.
Behind you, the drow with the shaven head looks around, raises herself from the table and makes her way towards the stairs.
Changing the topic, Nata'al inquires: "What are you planning to do right now? For my part, I don't want to stay in this place for longer than I have to."
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Following the movement of the other drow from the corner of his eye, Narzen remains quiet for a while, one hand slowly moving toward the hilt of a dagger. Perceiving no threat, however, he turns his attention back to Nata'al.
"I had not made plans beyond the recent escapade; too much unfinished business only distracts the task at hand. Yet will you tell me now, malla abbil, does something trouble you? Or is it simply the atmosphere - or rather, the lack of a breathable one in this moldy pit - that you find irritating?"
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"Moldy pit," Nata'al lets this roll along her tongue, "yes, that's a suitable name for this hole in the ground. And you are correct, the whole place is cramped with scum of surface and Har'oloth alike ... and I'm not willing to share the place I live with such scum for longer than I have too."
She looks at the halfing and a glint of sadness appears ... and disappears in a split second. "These must be desperate beings, these halfling folk. Would you willingly live down here?"
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"Indeed," Narzen replies thoughtfully to nothing in particular, and leans back in his chair.
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After a while, the female takes on an unanswered question.
"What troubles me in this place, as much as many other, so-called civilized places of Har'oloth is the proximity of too many cut-throats and would-be-assassins. And I rather rest on stony floor of a cavern of my choice in Har'oloth than in a small room in a cave cramped with thugs and what have you." She nods towards the window and as they had heard what the drow said, a group of humans, all grim expressions on their faces and wicked cutlasses in their hands walk by the front door of the inn. "How about a trip to the South?", she suddenly inquires.
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The man snaps out of his thoughts, and gives Nata'al a curious look. "South? The stone is no warmer to rest on there, leastways not unless you plan to see the sun."
Setting his elbows on the table, Narzen leans forward and lowers his voice. "As I doubt the latter is what you are after... what then do you have in mind, malla abbil? It sounds as though this trip to the south is what you have been getting to with the somewhat unexpected openness about your resentment of the life here."
"If I may be so bold with my assumption," he quickly adds, bowing slightly.
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Nata'al sighs and looks into her glass, as if the wine could give her an answer. "It's just that I am not used to rumbling towns and lots of people all around me. ... A few maybe, but ..."
She looks up and smiles. "Of course, I have no intention to visit the surface realms. Have you been there?"
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Narzen shakes his head. "I have merely overheard stories from sailors hailing from the southern ports. Exotic tales even to other humans, let alone one such as myself."
"While I can claim to have witnessed more of the surface than most of our people ever will, I have barely even seen the gates of the city, let alone the surrounding land. And even that little is through alien eyes, not the way surface-dwellers do."
"Curse the day I first experienced the surface," he scoffs, as if driving away stray thoughts. Nodding subtly in the halfling's direction, he grins, "Sometimes ignorance is a bliss. Or perhaps the little one is no different from myself, and I in turn will end up running an inn to a community of halflings..."
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Nata'al sizes Narzen from head to toe and laughs mildly. "Forgive me, but I have trouble to envisage you in an apron, handing ale to the little folk."
"Well, I have heard from a few relatives of House Tanor'Thal that Karsoluthiyl is a decent enough place to visit ... and live in. It's more trade- and guild-driven than, say the City of Spiders or Eryndlyn. Maybe we should ... have you ever been to Karsoluthiyl?"
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Narzen raises an eyebrow at the question, then shakes his head. "I was born here, and have ever avoided the cities of our people. I have little interest in getting caught in religious or political power struggles of the cities."
"Proper compensation excepted, of course." The man crosses his arms over his chest and continues, "This Karsoluthiyl... how does one get there?"
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"Well, actually, it lies to the south of here," Nata'al answers with a smile. "And from what I have heard, there isn't that much religious strife and power struggle there ... well, compared to other places of our kin that is." She receives a plate with fresh bread and a loaf of meat and appetite burns in her eyes. "Then again, Karsoluthiyl can wait for a few hours, can't it?"
Chewing the meal, she looks like over-thinking the plan. "There should be caravans going there, but I am no friend of those. Attracts far too much attention from Har'oloth's inhabitants. But I can ask that Tanor'Thalian again."
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Watching Narzen rise, she stops eating and listens to his words. She nods in agreement and says: "It's not that I will go out in search for work for the forseeable future either!"
Just as she settles down on her meal again, the door opens and a couple of drow enter. (See main thread, page 1.)
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(After Narzen and Nata'al go to have the look around)
Some distance between them and the rest of the party, Narzen signals, I presume it would be futile to ask what you and the honored yathrin have discussed about the details of this mission, malla abbil.
In contrast to his words, the man gives her a questioning look.
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The female raises one eyebrow, then ventures on into the next room. Scanning the area and casting a minor spell, Nata'al settles down, back to a wall and signals: She is looking for something in the temple. As I see it, she has no clue what this is, but if the Dark Mother has sent her there, so be it. She closes her eyes for a moment, then looks at the male again. Rest assured old friend, I am not here to die in this Lolth-forsaken pit. A grin splits her lips. Not that I disliked that fight. But the odds hereabouts are not that favourable.
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Narzen folds his arms momentarily, breathing deep, then returns his attention to Nata'al, We are in a warzone bereft of military leadership, hunting secrets not one of us knows. Indeed, the odds are not in our favor.
Regardless, you did not request my presence to have a conversation, he continues with a dry smile.
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Indeed, Nata'al replies. She gets up again, draws a few somethings out of her back and signals Wait here, I will be right back!
With that, the female leaves the room again for a few long moments. When she returns, Nata'al looks around for a moment, then takes off most of her equipment and ventures over to the male. Her mouth close to his ear, she whispers: "All this wandering and fighting is quite draining on the body, don't ye think?" (all the while making him wander backwards till he meets a wall, then placing her hands to the left and right of his head) "Who knows what will happen in the morra, so how aboot a few moments of ... " (a grin splits her lips as she softly bites into his ear.)
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There is almost a flash in the man's eyes as his pupils briefly dilate, then contract back to the barely visible black holes.
"A few moments for now," he rasps, "Yet, perhaps, you would allow me to compensate for such shortcomings later..."
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Nata'al only smiles ...
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"The hour grows late," Narzen whispers after some time, running his fingers through Nata'al's hair, "I yet have duties to fulfill for the honored yathrin, if perhaps not quite as pleasant as this has been."
The man then sits up and on his feet quietly, but quickly crouches down by the female's side again and smirks, "Lest I forget, malla abbil, did you trap the entrance... or the exit?"
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"I did indeed," Nata'al whispers while stretching her body. "Nice little trap which would have summoned a swarm of the Dark Mothers' chosen upon those who trespass." Her hand places itself on his neck and draws him close again. Almost inaudible she whispers a word into his ear. "Say that when you are five feet away from the corner to the stairs in the corridor outside this room. Now off with you, or I will call upon your talents again ..."
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(During the discussion about Sschindylryn)
Narzen waits for Nata'al to be alone, then approaches her quietly and signals, Perhaps your injuries were more severe than at first they appeared, malla abbil. Was there something you wished of me?
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After getting away from the rest, the Selvetarmite turns to the male, her glare a bit softer than before. No my friend, this is no injury which will start to bother me. I have seen it often enough with my sisters and my mother to know the signs. Our little adventure up there in that tower will have consequences. Little, obsidian-coloured, and white-haired consequences ... She sighs audibly, then shrugs her shoulders. I may go back to Ernydlyn when the timecomes, or seek out a temple of my deity, or we ... (she casts a questioning look at Narzen)
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In the temple-compound of Sschindylryn:
Nata'al withdraws from the rest and seeks a spot near a wall, to which she leans on. She puts down her bags and drinks a few gulps from her waterskin. Despite being in the relatively safe sanctum of this temple, she casts wary looks at the doors.
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Narzen approaches the woman, and with subtle motions he signals, While I do not know what dealings the honored yathrin has, malla abbil, I presume we have little reason to expect this welcoming become... permanent?
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Given the fact that all Dalharilen appear to be females, at least your presence will sooner or later cause some unrest among them. Nata'al replies with a smirk. Have you decided where to go from here? The place offers quite a number of choices? Is there some business left unattended back in the Port of Skulls?
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I shall return to Skullport lest my absence cause unrest, the man signals, a wry smile on his face, The rivvin there have provided a steady income with little risk involved, and it is in my best interests to keep it thus.
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Nata'al nods at these news. I will stay around this place for a time, having a look and all. Who knows whether it will serve me in the future to know the ins and outs. I assume you will stay in your usual quarters in Skullport ... if I want to call on your experience again?
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I have yet to back away from a task I have agreed to fulfill, the man bows his head, My services will be yours to command when next we meet, malla abbil, yet until such time I cannot be certain of anything else that is to come.