[i]Creek[/i] Pause [i]Creek Creek Creek[/i] Pause

The sound of steps trying to be silent down an old and noisy staircase. The footfalls echoing down into the basement would have normally alerted Gorur of danger, but the sturdy dwarf knew the pattern all too well.  The dwarf continued to use his chisel beneath the stationary lens that he was looking through and cut precisely into what he was working on.  Now that he was paying attention, he could hear the steps go room to room, the source looking for it's victim.

He put another cut into the coin he was working on.  It was slow and tedious work, but the end result would be fairly nice.  He was carving runes into gold, one of the best conductors of enchantments.  The gold was shaped into a coin, with one side having an emblem of fire and the other with lots of small marks.  If observed closely, one would see that these small marks were in fact about ten tiny runes.

As a general rule of enchanting, the efficiency of the enchantment would be greater with cleaner runes, purer metal, and larger runes.  Since the runes had to be minuscule on this coin, the runes needed to be perfect or else the result would be disappointingly weak.  Gorur had been working on this for a week.

Patience was the primary reason Gorur was near legend at enchanting.  Most enchanters would hurry through their work, seeking another contract.  They would work off their blind eye, and ignore the improvements in effiecency from using a lens to make one's work more accurate.

The end result of this coin would be rather interesting.  The coin, Lustro, would store up energy from the sun when not in use.  However, upon speaking it's name and a command, the coin would release a certain amount of that energy as heat.  It could be used for several things, such as starting a fire or providing the heat of one if there can't be any smoke.  Gorur placed the final stroke into it and smiled at the result.

[color=gold]"Checking my progress on this?  I just finished."[/color]  He rotated in his stool to a figure about 18 inches away from him.  The figure was a female halfling, sporting brown hair with streaks of gray and innocent blue eyes.  She let out a sigh, and sat in his lap.

[color=brown]"That's unfair.  How do you always know?"[/color]  She spoke quietly, feigning exhaustion in her tone.  They both knew this was a game they had played for the last fifteen years of their marriage.  It had inadvertently made Gorur be able to detect almost any halfling with ease.  This had surprised several pickpockets who thought they were unable to be heard when they were confronted with the angry gray beard of Gorur.

He ignored her fifteen year old question.  [color=gold]"The news Maruna?  And where is Nolak and the three hellions?"[/color]  Nolak was Gorur's squire of ten years.  The squire was close to graduation and if circumstances were normal he would have already.  The three hellions were his children, Risba a twelve year old dwarvern lady, Biric a ten year old boy, and Lakan a six year old halfling boy.

[color=brown]"Oh?  They are out getting things ready for your cart."[/color]
[color=gold]"My cart?  What's going on?[/color]
[color=brown]"You have an hour until you need to be on the docks.  Yes, I've known about this for three days.  Yes, I thought it'd be more fun to see you panic as you try to gather your gear in time."[/color]  Maruna smiled deviously at him, a wide grin on her face. [color=brown]"And yes, I made you apple pies"[/color] She kissed Gorun on the cheek.

[center][h1]Fifty Minutes Later[/h1][/center]

Gorun showed up at the Loyalist ten minutes early.  He was wearing a simple dwarvern cloak with his house emblem shown on his left arm, a gold double sided axe with grey beards extending from beneath the blades. He also wore his mythril shortsword at his hip along with a few miscellaneous pouches.  Maruna was with him, carrying a small stack of apple pies.  Looking at the Loyalist he smiled.

[color=gold][i]A rather ironic ship to lead me on my next journey.  I'm a Knight who betrayed his kingdom.[/i][/color]

A moment later the cart showed up, lead by a pair of donkeys.  Three kids and an armored figure were guiding it.  Nolak guided the cart onto the ship, and the three kids surrounded Gorur.  He picked each of them up in turn.

[color=gold][i]I have five minutes...[/i][/color]

By the end of the five minutes he had promised to bring home a magical tiara, a mythril rapier, and a bag of holding.  He scooped up his three children and passed them off to Maruna, kissing her on the cheek.  [color=gold]"Have to go."[/color] [color=brown]"Be safe!  And be sure to share the pies with your friends!"[/color]

Gorun boarded the ship, helping settle down the donkeys with Nolak, double checking to make sure everything was in the cart that they would need.  Gorun apologized for making Nolak stay home, but Nolak understood.  After extracting promises that Gorun would return home in one piece and that Nolak would hold down the fort the party split.  Nolak rejoined his family and Gorun waved them goodbye.

[color=gold][i]I may never seem them again...[/i][/color]

The knight approached the halfling that appeared to be in charge, who had a robed man, a liar, and a golem standing next to her.  [color=gold]"I'm assuming you are Lady Vett, I am Sir Gorun of House Gravelbeard, and I am glad to be of service.  Sorry for the delay.  My cart should be able to fit a bit more on it if another needs aid in carrying their possessions."[/color]  Gorun extended a hand to shake with his new captain.

Looking over, he spotted a tattooed man standing alone with a cutlass.  Former pirate perhaps?  He appeared to be staring at the golem like he'd never seen on before.