From: gusar@uniwa.uwa.edu.au (Sean A Reith)
Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
Subject: [G] Kordane ... at least the ale was free.
Date: 2 Oct 1992 03:32:09 +0800
Organization: The University of Westrn Australia
NNTP-Posting-Host: uniwa.uwa.edu.au

It took the rest of the flagon, and the exits of several of the tables
members before Kordane was willing to try and leave the table again,
during which time the table had been unnaturally silent.
Rising, he addressed the table,
"With the permission of these 'elders', I will prepare for this 'quest'.
I presume we will have the pleasure of each others company at dawn.
'Till then, I bid you all good night."

Warily, Kordane proceeded towards the door (ADMIN: gods knows where in
time this is, assume it is before or after Blade's precence, I don't
think Kordane's sanity would survive such a blow at this time :),
when no resistance is encountered, he leaves and heads in a circuitous
route to the Low Town coven.  Nodding to the derelict near the door, who
recognised him and thus didn't rattle the tin which would alert the
guards inside, Kordane entered.  Kordane ran up the stairs, and knocked
on the door of the nights 'career advisor'.  The door was opened by a
generously proportioned man, with small eyes buried under huge eyebrows,
known to Kordane as Flack,
Flack: "Took your time, get spooked?"
Kordane: "Before I got in."
F: "Brilliant.  At least you evaded.  Who?"
K: "Elders, and I didn't."
F: "WHO?  Flew then?"
K: "No, it's a long story, and I need some serious magic."
F: "Explain, I'll decide that."
K: "The job was clean, but I was 'summoned' before I managed to get in by
    these Elders, and before I knew it, I was in this inn, the Dragon's
    Inn no less, at a table full of people who are into black and white
    fashion, and serious armament.  This guy then goes onto explain
    that these Elders had forced him to go on this quest to retrieve
    some amulet, and that we had to help him.  Apparently we ride at
    dawn, so I don't have much time."
F: "So how much did the Joystix set you back?"
K: "Fuck off...  100 shekels."
F: "Huh?  You got ripped off, now stop wasting my time."
K: "The mage, if he says I'm floating, I'll gladly give you 100 shekels,
    otherwise, you give me 100 shekels."

Flack takes a long look at Kordane, and decides that he doesn't look
like he's floating on Joystix.

F: "Forget it, you don't have the cash anyway.  Rienler's here.
    In the Vault."
K: "Stay free."

Kordane left, and wwalked down the hall, to 'the Vault', like most coven
'vaults', it had no locks, locks would just be temptation.  These valuts
had open doors, you could walk out with anything you liked, provided you
could take out the four guards in the room, and didn't mind having the
thieves' guild trying to separate you and your bloodstream.  Rienler was
probably valuing someone's property, which meant if it wasn't for the
damn elders, Kordane would have been able to get his property processed
quickly.  Kordane called from the doorway,

Kordane: "Rienler, if I could be so fortunate to lend some of thy time,
          I am in dire need of the power you so deftly wield."
Rienler: "I'm busy, come back later."
K: "I would that I could, but of time I have little."
R: "So thinks everyone, you think yours is more valuable than mine?"
K: "No, just less."
R: (to someone else) "Bloody impatient fools, think the world is about
   to end, I'll finish this in a moment..."

Rienler walks over in the strange manner that he is want to, if the robe
he constantly wore wasn't designed to conceal his figure, one would see
a frame with ridiculously long legs, rather like a crane.

Rienler: "Well, what is so important I should leave my work?"
Kordane: "Some sort of curse or spell has been cast upon me, which
          forces me to follow a course against my will."
R: "Is this meant to be an elaborate excuse for performing some deed?"
K: "I would not be so foolish to think that your magic would not detect
    such.  It does exist.  I just wish you to remove it."
R: "As you say most foolish, as you will find out when this spell of
    revelation reveals the truth of the matter.  Come, this will take
    a little while."

Rienler led Kordane to a chair in a nearby empty room, and started to
withdraw several small brass bowls, one large one, and a large gourd,
from a pouch which could not possibly contain them.  He then proceeded
to fill each bowl from the gourd, and place a small bowl at each of the
compass points around Kordane, and the large one in front of himself.
After a few mumbled words, and a strange gesture, the bowls around
Kordane flared up around Kordane shooting flames high into the air,
Kordane barely managing not to jump out of his chair in surprise, and
Rienler sniggered,

Rienler: "Yes, the theartics _are_ necessary Kordane, now close your
          eyes, think of the ocean, lapping, gently.  Sleep!"

Kordane fell asleep, awakening approximately half an hour later, to see
the large bowl apparently flung against the wall, and the flames that
used to surround him gone, and Rienler glaring at him, his eyes
looking like they were trying to crawl out of their sockets.

Rienler: "What the hell?  It almost killed me...  I found it...
          small...  elegant...  If I hadn't managed to break contact
          by kicking the bowl, it would HAVE KILLED ME...  I was just
          looking, and IT WOULD HAVE KILLED ME."
Kordane: "Is there anyone else ..."
R: "YOU FOOL, it WOULD HAVE KILLED ME."
K: <sigh>  "Then I have no choice."

Kordane left the room, with Rienler still gibbering to himself.  He
knocked on Flack's door and entered without waiting for an answer.
Flack looked up from a large column of figures, ripping of his glasses,

Flack: "Haven't you heard of knocking?"
Kordane: "I did.  I need a horse."
F: "What?  Why?"
K: "'Twould appear that nothing can be done about my ... affliction.
    Rienler is still gibbering about whatever he 'saw'.  This group,
    we supposedly ride at dawn, thus, I need a horse."
F: "Well?  What do expect me to do about it?  I seem to remember 
    your being a little short, and if what you say is true, then
    you're not such a hot investment, if not, then you won't need a
    horse."
K: "Impeccable logic."
F: "Good luck, stay free."

Kordane left, left the coven and returned home.  It was a good place,
better than where he started life, he wasn't in Low Town, and he didn't
even have to share the room.  He didn't own much, that which he valued,
he kept on himself.  He lay down on the cot and wondered.  Wondered what
the hell was going on.  And where the hell he was going to get a horse.

-- 
Sean A Reith aka Lynscar             | gusar@uniwa.uwa.edu.au
C programmer and net.addict at large | sean@gu.uwa.edu.au
Obquote:                             | reith_s@kultarr.cs.uwa.edu.au
 "I have a cunning Plan" - Baldrick  | sean@his.own.really.fast.machine (RSN)
Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn