From: Michael Sander <344LWKC@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
Subject: STORY: The Dragon Quest (Chapter 1)
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc
Organization: Central Michigan University
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 23:06:20 GMT

[ADMIN: Hmm -- doesn't look like my introduction note got on. Well, I'll
 probably (try to) repost it, but until then, feel free to ask questions.
 All characters copyrighted (1992, all rights reserved). In this post:
    Lancos Erredan (C) Mike Sander
    Kadrys (C) Andrea Evans
    Zia (C) Jeremy Nelson                                               ]

                               The Dragon Quest

                    Chapter 1 -- Friends Both Old And New
                              or "...we came in?"

The sun pierced the sky, shining its luminescence onto the world as a pair
of eyes glimpsed the city of Generica for the first time. The man possessing
the eyes had heard about the town -- word had somehow spread to his home, as
if there was someone here who had lived there and wanted the information to
go back. The man had always like to roam and explore places he'd never been,
and so Generica held particular interest for him. As the day shifted from
morning towards afternoon, he approached the South Gate.

The guard posted at the gate is initially only momentarily distracted by the
sight of a figure walking towards him -- just another visitor to this
quickly-growing city. But then as the newcomer comes closer, he feels a sense
of familiarity upon viewing the man. The read hair, the forest green tunic,
the dual weapons; it wasn't any one of these things, it was the combination
of them. And the face confirmed his suspicion. "Lancos! -- Lancos Erredan"
the guard says, "I haven't seen you in a long time, friend!"

Lancos pauses for a moment, staring at the young half-elf that claimed to know
him before the light of recognition clicks on. "Brent! It's been five summers,
but I never forget a troublemaker! Considering your past exploits, seeing you
as a guard is almost as surprising as seeing a mage in plate armor!" he says
through a smile. The last time he saw Brent, thievery was his main profession.
Thus it was good to see him in a more "honest" living -- it made Lancos feel
that his advice to stay largely away from the activity hadn't fallen upon
deaf ears.

Brent returns the smile. "It's not hard to remember you either. Especially
after the way you helped my hometown out."

Lancos shrugged off the compliment, beliving himself to be a minor part of
the ordeal that Brent had referred to.

"And I became a guard for some money and some rest from... more 'strenous'
activity, thought it hasn't provided me with much of either. I'm just ending
my training, which is why I'm here -- in a place with little relative
activity -- instead of out partrolling the city or something."

Lancos doubted that the reasons Brent had listed were the only benefits the
resourceful half-elf seeked, but dropped the subject. The two old chums
talked for a while, each catching the other up on their more recent
escapades. Lancos left with a basic knowledge of the outlay of the city,
and headed towards an inn that Brent had recommended.

He made his way without incident down the road, past a temple -- named the
Temple of Ilmater, and apparantly a place of healing -- and to the Dragon's
Inn. As he rounded the building -- noticing a back door that was no doubt a
service entrance along the way --, he saw a patch of earh that was covered
by metal. The Plaza of Glittering Steel, Brent had said it was called, and
with the sun sparkling upon it, it was an impressive sight. Lancos refocused
his attention to the inn itself, viewing the sign which featured a
well-drawn dragon and announcing the proprietors as Rowan Littlefair and
family.

The door opens suddenly, as it tends to do for newcomers. The warrior steps
in and sees the sight of the famous -- or infamous, depending on your point
of view -- eighteen corners of the inn. This plus the feeling of many an
eye upon him causes some disorientation, but he quickly shrugs it off.
Lancos finds his feet and steps meaningfully towards the bar. There he
walks up to the barmaid and orders a meal.

He watches the activity of the inn as he completes his study of it. It
certainly contained an array of patrons -- everything from the more common
races to giants and minotaurs were represented. And the amount of interaction
ranged from those mysteriously sitting alone in corners to a group near the
center who appear to like taking an interest in other people's business. The
latter seem like rabble, and Lancos mentally decides that that collective
name -- The Rabble -- for them will serve well, at least for now.

Having no one approach him, the warrior takes his cue from the disapperances
of two men from a third patron's talbe, and heads towards that location.
The seated man is covered from head to toe in black, though Lancos puts no
meaning into this.

Kadrys' eyes are drawn away from the door as it closes behind his friends,
watching warily as a young man approaches his table.

The warrior sits down, and addresses the other. "Greetings. My name is
Lancos Erredan. I hope that you don't mind my brief boldness, but I saw the
departures of your other companions, and figured you might want the company.
I have ordered myself a meal -- is there anything I can get for you?"

Kadrys permits himself a wider-than-usual smile at Lancos' mention of a
meal, showing him a brief glint of fangs. "It is a kind offer, but one
which I will not hold you to." Kadyrs murmurs wryly, waiting with quiet,
resigned amusement for the other's reaction.

Lancos tries to hide his brief surprise upon seeing that Kadyrs is a
vampire, but fails. Fortunately, he fairly quickly recomposes himself.

Kadrys watches Lancos' restrained reaction to him, and gives a faint grin
of relief. This Inn has been the first place in longer than he cares to
recall where he is accepted for what he is, and he has no desire for that
atmosphere to change.

Lancos finally replies, "Well, fortunately I said I would _get_ -- as in
buy -- you a meal, and not _give_ you one. In that vein, the offer could
still be valid."

Kadrys winces at this remark, grinning at Lancos. "Even if I _did_ still
eat, that pun would put me off my supper!"

Lancos relazxes at the vampire's grins. "I would also appreciate it if
you would give me your anme, as well as perhaps a bit of your history
-- however long it may be." He settles back in his chair and tries to
become comfortable. He is no stranger to friendly relationships with
what other people would consider monsters, but it always seems to take
a small period of adjustment on his part.

Kadyrs falls silent at Lancos' request to hear the tale of his past.
He muses wordlessly to himself "It's not his fault. He has no idea of
the pain those memories hold for me. He's trying to relaz and is showing
some interest in me.'

Lancos notices Kadrys' hesitation, and wonders if he's accidently struck
a nerve. 'No doubt he's had a few bad experiences lik I have, and being
undead can't exactly _help_ matters' he mentally concludes.

Kadrys nods, having mad up his mind to speak. "It was remiss of me not to
give you my name earlier, particularly since you are not a mage, and so
cannot use it against me."

Lancos smiles initially, adding "Yes, I suppose it's easy to discern that
I'm no mage", motioning to his armor and weapons. His tone shifts a bit as
a memory unwantedly resurfaces. "However, even if I were, I know I wouldn't
use it against you, considering a past experience."

The vampire continues, "My name is Kadrys, a word without any meaning or
significance in any language I have ever heard. I have no family name, for
the usual reason. As for my history, well of course it is a tale long enough
to fill a year of barside evenings... So I shall have to be brutally brief.

Kadrys breaks off as lances of red radiance fly towards him from the sunset
beyond the opening door. He blinks at the mellow rays, catching a momentary
silhoutette of a woman in a heavy green dress. Her hair carries the sunset
into the Inn with her, even as she shuts the door and the comfortable
darkness returns. Kadrys stares intently at the face framed by the vivid
hair, his face empty of all expression, lost in searching. An instant later,
the coiled, watchful tautness vanishes, and his eyes widen in pleased
surprise. He smiles widely, and uncharacteristically open, unguarded
expression, and stands, pulling out a chair as the woman moves towards his
table.

She sits down gracefully enough but then folds her arms on the table and
drops her head to rest on her arms and rolls her head to look at Kadrys
with one eye. She smiles at him from one side of her mouth, then lifts her
head long enough to give a welcoming nod of her head to Lancos.

Kadrys sinks into his seat, leaning over towards the woman. "Zia." he
smiles, "A pleasure to see you again." He touches a strand of the long
hair spilling over the table. "You've changed..." But his smile turns
to a look of quiet concern. The vampire had met Zia in the Inn before,
but she had been seemingly much younger then, and the elasped time had
been far from long enough since her last appearance to change her so.
"How tired you look." he murmurs, wondering what could have happened to
her, but forcing himself to let her rest a while.

He gestures to the young man sitting across the table, also red-haired
and dressed in dark green; quite the contrast to his own drab and
ordinary black-on-black. "Zia, this is Lancos. He kindly came over to
keep my company."

Zia sits up and bows her head politely towards Lancos -- who returns the
greeting --, and sweeps her hair back from her face at the same time.
She looks at Kadrys expectantly, a move the vampire takes as a motion for
him to continue with his story.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Sander 344lwkc@cmuvm.csv.cmich.edu
Semi-Appropriate Quote(SAQ): "Begin at the beginning..."-Lewis Carroll

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