Roleplayer Guild - Forum Roleplaying Games

Shandon didn't say a word, merely held up a hand and his little group came to an instant halt. The three people ahead had popped up from nowhere, and his first thought was, how many more were there! The array of tents, and crude dwellings of the village created a maze of cover, there could be hundreds awaiting an ambush.

A tiny spark flickered at Shandon's fingertips, as he licked his lips nervously and stared at the man who had stepped out. Trufus saw and stepped forward with alarm.

"Shandon... your fingers."

Shandon winced, but his voice was deceptively calm. "Be quiet my friend, back in place. And don't react to anything that happens here unless I say. No matter what, you understand."

Trufus understood only to well, and it was with great reluctance he finally whispered his compliance. Nodding in satisfaction, Shandon stared more carefully at the man. The other two were stood either side of him, and slightly behind in a flanking position a clear mirror to Shandon's own. Obviously this man was some kind of leader for these people.

Catching a glimpse of the man's eyes, the measured stare, Shandon instantly knew that this man could have crawled out on his knees alone, and he would still have been recognisable as a leader. It was right there for anyone to see. The way he held himself, the way he moved, the way he appeared to weigh and measure Shandon. The caravan master had never felt so scrutinised.

Without comment or signal the Leader stopped and his twin flanks stopped just as instantly. Nothing was said, but Shandon immediately knew he was expected to go to him. The businessman inside him was already connecting with this man, working to read and communicate on every level. He understood this game. This was his lands, so Shandon was expected to go to him.

Without warning, Shandon strode out to meet the man that held the fate of the day. Trufus and the other guard followed with only a moments delay, the prisoner walking with them. As he walked Shandon stared more carefully at his surroundings. The obvious marks of a recent battle were everywhere, and it suddenly became of no surprise that any fighters this leader had would be in hiding awaiting an ambush if the fates had brought them further attack.

Ten paces away Shandon stopped, eyes locked on the Leader's. With a slight dip of his head, Shandon bowed to him and held his arms out wide in the gesture of openness.

"Good fortune upon you this fine morning! My name is Shandon, a caravan master and trader. We have travelled far, heading to distant cities, yet something clouds our way and we end up here, lost."

Shandon made a snap decision, to play his trump card straight away and hope the early trade would work in his favour.

"Not far from here, my scouts happened upon this man, injured from a fall. We have cared for him as best we can and return him to you now."

Shandon gestured, and Trufus nudged the prisoner forward toward the leader.

"I see you have had recent problems yourself," Shandon sweeped a hand across the array of smoking columns, areas of scorched earth and damaged buildings. "Perhaps we might be able to be of some assistance, trade some materials or tools in exchange for directions."

There, he'd done it. It was down to this man now. How terrible had the recent battle been? Was it enough to sow distrust in such an unusual coincidence as his caravan appearing so soon after. Whatever the man thought, he kept it well hidden behind those eyes.

Shandon stood, attempting to keep his own face as passive.

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"The path of my life is strewn with cowpats from the Devil's own satanic herd."

Arlix watched the merchant critically while the man spoke, realizing he would have to make the ordeal in common. However, the man's words made sense, and Arlix did detect a certain sincerety in the caravan master's manner. However, with all that had befallen lately, he doubted his people would really take to enjoying strangers within their lands so quickly. However, when Shandon revealed his trumph card, which was Isej, Arlix could not help but show small slip of anticipation in his gaze, which he was absolutely certain the caravan master picked up on.

When Isej was brought closer to them, the men standing at Arlix's side moved up quickly to retrieve the boy at a small motion from their high chief. They moved to stand on either side of him before leading him back to stand with them slightly behind Arlix as they had approached.

With Isej back safely into their hands, Arlix stepped forward to greet the caravan master at least on a more sociable note. He figured he could trust the man's words, and if needed, he could simply gesture for his archers to handle the situation. Once he was face to face with Shandon, he spread his arms out wide to show he had no weapon hidden, though did not make any other movement of gesture of deference.

"You have come upon my lands offering trade," he pointed out calmly, deciding to neglect the fact that they had recently faced what could be considered distaster and were sorely in need of resources. They could probably manage such on their own time, but a quick fix might be better to tie them over for now until better solutions could be made of methods they themselves were aware of. "We will trade with you," he began again after musing over the statement a moment. "Though I warn, we do not have the income with which you may expect the trade of traditional fares." Arlix pointed out, letting the other weigh over the proposition. "However, directions we may be able to help you with."

Isej looked apalled at the thought, though at a gesture from one of the two men at his side, he lowered his eyes and remained silent. The boy had a grave feeling that he would be dealt with in due time by Arlix.

Arlix then did a very foolhardy, yet confident thing for a man in his position. He took his attention off of Shandon which was for the most part, him shifting his body so he was no longer looking directly at the caravan master, which offered him openly for attack. "You may camp in the clearing to where the sun sets," he offered after a moment, holding out an arm to employ that he was suggesting they set up on the west side of the village. "There you will find space and water enough to supply for yourselves, though that is the only hospitality I remain willing to offer," Arlix pointed out.

Arlix watched then as the other leader suveyed the space he had gestured to, then speak a few words among his own companions, before uttering a quick acceptance of the terms with the promise of a later conference. It made sense to Arlix. Like he had to watch for his people, the caravan master likely had to care for the needs of his own.

"There is a pass, if you follow the ledge you came down. You will find somewhere safe to take your boxed houses down," Arlix implored after a moment before turning to the own men with him. "Gather the people. We will continue repairs."

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I will not kill you... in all technicality time will kill you. I'm just a contributing factor ~ Damarian Vasilis Zaccheo

I do not get moody. I get murderous ~ Saigyn

[A Guest?] ~ Advanced -Arlix-
[The Five Lights] ~ Advanced -Laeris Etheral Jostish- -Valcenz-
[Dove's Bane] ~ Advanced -Alloyscious Haryiel-
[Labyrinth] ~ Advanced -Triton Ochayne Demisou-

They came padding around a corner at the front of the caravan - she with a piece of bread sticking out of her mouth, and he with small traces of blood in the white fur around his jaws. She steered with her knees, the little her beast needed (or heeded) steering, as her hands and mouth were busy with breakfast. Her ears, though, were perfectly free, and she used their freedom to eavesdrop on the caravan leader's conversation. She'd learned on the open roads that eavesdropping on a party before ambushing them could do much good, and Lann had further encouraged her to listen in on anything that seemed interesting or profitable. Stalking lone travellers through woodlands had turned the duo into expert sneaks, as well, and it was in silence that the girl rode her dog into the concealing shadow of the front wagon. There was no way they could stay out of sight of the natives of course, facing the caravan as they were, but she trusted they wouldn't care anyway. Of course, no one had forbidden that she go to the front of the caravan - it was just that she was bored, and wanted to pretend there was a challenge somewhere in all this. As the beast sat on its haunches, she slid off and sat down, herself, leant on the now-unmoving first wagon.

As it turned out, there wasn't much of a conversation going on. Boring, adult talk of trade and directions. She didn't care where she was, as long as she could eat three-four meals a day and sleep during the night. Well, it helped if she could hear a song or two every now and then. That's what she thought to herself, but in truth there was much wanderlust in her, and she was always curious about new places. The people here were a new sort - she'd only seen one of them for a few seconds as she'd ridden into the shade beneath the wagon, but their clothes were definitely different to what she was used to. What she most would have wanted was to freely roam their settlement and observe their lifestyles, but she didn't dare visit them - they might not like that, and they could well decide to kill her. Instead, she was content to sit there in the shade and wait to see if she could overhear anything useful.

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If your signature is larger than your post, you're wasting space. If your signature is larger than your average post, you need brain surgery. Or a brain.

Al-kin saw the Being first. With a soft noise and a quick motion, the fae creature stood, putting a slim arm out to ward off the human. Hoping to keep Alarin’s guard and the chief’s friend safe from mistakes of misunderstanding, Alarin spoke quickly and pressing, the strange bird-like language of Alarin’s people filling the space of the tent.

"I did not realize anyone Searched, Mahta. The village is under my protection however, as I owe them a life debt." Alarin licked thin lips and glanced back at Kahler while at the door flap the enormous creature crouched and let out a low, threatening growl, body coiled in predatory position.

Alarin too tensed, despite the actions of the day before, the guest reached for a blade which was no longer there and at the seeming insult, the creature’s growl deepened. Fear danced taut over the slender alien form and Alarin spun sideways between so as to ensure Kahler’s safety while at the same time, attempting to appease the angry creature.

"While we are just met, we cannot be enemies," the normal quiet spoken creature called out in the speech of man, eyes wide, arms spread to either side like broken wings, though for the most part, Al-kin kept a fixed gaze on the newcomer. "Despite all sense of one being wronged, tales can be told and the truth out, please!"

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‘What will my death be like?’ he thought- and knew at once
with abrupt certainty, that it would be just like his life:
... the same balance of bearables.
~Amis