Three Bastards Quest

>>251073
>>Join Avi
Welcome back at last!

>train station
It's a fucking worm's station, goddamnit.
---
>>251605
You acknowledge Avi with a glance, then join him at the table. Similar to your conversation yesterday, he waves a waiter over, says a few quick words in the elven language, then sends him away.

"Zdravte, Varish," he says, then takes a spoonful of porridge. "What a coincidence, to meet you here."

"I'm sure it is," you say, rolling your eyes. "How'd you know where I stayed the night?"

"Jay, I am a humble servant of the King of all Ai'Madah. It would be very poor for me, if I was not aware of such things."

You decide to set aside the fact that he didn't answer your question.

"I thought we were supposed to meet at the worm station?"

"The situation has changed," Avi says, then pauses as the waiter returns carrying a bowl of porridge and a drink for you. "I come to bring you a warning - be mindful on your way."

You take a look around the inn, then scoot over so your back is turned to the majority of the customers. You pull down your scarf just enough to be able to take a bit of the porridge. It's warm, and slightly sweet. The drink, on the other hand, is some kind of tea, though it has a twinge of ale in it as well.

"Why's that?" You ask.

"The details aren't important. You are a perceptive fellow, yes?"

"Not particularly."

"Oh," Avi says, seeming confused. "Well then, do your best. If you notice anything odd, Pyzoha, tell me."

Avi lifts his bowl up to his lips and finishes his breakfast.

"Also," he says, setting the bowl down. "You do not need to worry so much, with all... this." He gestures towards your cloak and scarf.

"Avi," you say. "As a humble servant of the king of etcetera, you know your kingdom and Eovna are at war."

"Ah ah ah!" He says, waving a finger. "Not Eovna. Only a part of it, yes? The invaders come not from the Empire whole, but just a part."

"So?" You ask, "Do you think the average elf here will care enough to know the difference between a trader from Sevina and a Crusader from Mostyn?"

"Jay, apologies for rudeness, but you do not have the look of a Crusader. And though you Chielo may be foolish enough to apply such sweeping thoughts, you, Varish, may have surprise of the views of the elves."

Avi gets up and brushes himself off.

"See you soon," he says, and walks out of the inn.

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>>251911
You scootch over once more, sitting closer to Avi's side of the table, which is yet still further away from the rest of the patrons. You ponder Avi's words as you eat the rest of your breakfast: You're going to have to be more careful than usual on your way to the worm station. That being said, you know of at least three paths you can take to the station:

>The standard route. Walk along the most direct main streets to the station. It's a bit more crowded as people are exiting their homes to start their days.
>Take a shortcut. By using side alleys, you can avoid the crowds and get to the station a bit faster.
>Take the long way around. By backtracking a bit and taking a less-efficient route, you avoid the crowds, but you might ultimately arrive a bit later.

You also give some thought as to Avi's parting words: perhaps it might be wise to drop your "disguise?"

>Keep your scarf on
>Take it off

What should you do?

>>251914
>The standard route. Walk along the most direct main streets to the station. It's a bit more crowded as people are exiting their homes to start their days.

>Keep your scarf on

>>251914
>Standard route

>Keep Scarf on

Following with interest.

And yeah, what these guys said.

>>252802
>>252873
>>252926
You decide to keep it cool. If anyone were following you (other than Avi and perhaps, his "friends"), they might take notice if you suddenly deviated from your scheduled route.

You finish your breakfast, acknowledge the inkeep, and step outside. With the sun just rising, the streets are filling up with workers, merchants setting up stalls, beggars, and patrolling guards. A good portion of these elves are heading to the sandworm's station, travelling either to a neighbouring town or perhaps even to the capital.

With your scarf, cloak, and bag, you stand out quite a bit amongst the crowds, who jostle you every which way as they grow thicker towards the station entrance. A worker nearly knocks your head off with a wooden beam as he rounds the corner, and you almost fall flat on your face after nearly tripping over a pair of young elven boys. However, you keep your head down and go with the flow, giving nobody any particular reason to harass you.

You arrive to the Sandworm station soon after; the crowds are thinner here because of the large plaza outside of the station proper. Elves hustle and bustle, funneling into the station's entrances. Workers carry heavy-looking crates on their back towards the station's rear. Though you made it to the station unmolested, you unfortunately have nothing in particular to report to Avi - you might be a lucky man, but you're not particularly keen. At least you told him as much.

Setting your hands on your hips, you search the plaza for Avi, but can't seem to pick him out - with their white robes and dark eyes, all these elves kinda look the same to you. Maybe he's inside the station?

Hold on a second.

You might not have been as unmolested as you thought.

You feel around the right side of your waist, and find the money pouch that is always weighing it down it noticeably absent. You've been pickpocketed! Your losses amount to 148 Lyre and 105 Imperial Faces. Naturally, this means you won't be able to afford a ticket for the

Now you've got a conundrum - you could go back and try to find your stolen pouch, or you could look for Avi instead, and try to explain the situation to him.

>Look for the pouch
>Look for Avi
>Write In

>>253088
>Look for the pouch

Those elven boys! Kid's these days...

>>253116
You spin around, heading back the way you came. The worm hadn't even arrived to the station yet, and Avi could stand to wait a little bit longer. Damned if you were gonna let some punk get away with your money.

You push against the crowds, trying to remember when you last felt your money. You vaguely recall your hand brushing the bag as you attempted to squeeze between two stalls in a market, so, at the very least, it must have been after that. Blazing your trail, you make it to the market in question. The street widened a bit here, giving you enough space to stand your ground. You scan the brown faces around you, trying to see if any jog your memory. Alas, times like this were happy hour for thieves, especially thieves in a city where fashion was as monotonous as it was here. One white robe looked much like another, and the enterprising pickpocket could snake back into the crowd, disappear for a while, then return, seeking another mark. In fact, you'd assume the thief would have an easier time spotting you than you him, on account of your garish dress.

This statement is truer than you realize - as you can the crowd from your vantage point, you notice two young elven boys, around eight or nine years old, lounging around the edge of a stall near an alleyway. They must also have been scanning the market, because their eyes meet yours at about the same time. You quickly glance away, but continue to watch out of the corner of your eye. One of the boys leans over to the other, and, after a brief moment, both slink away into the alley.

Come to think of it, it was soon after the market that you nearly tripped over a pair of boys...

You set off running across the plaza and into the alley, just in time to see the boys round a corner. At a sprint, you follow after them, twisting and turning through the back alleys of Paessrin as you chase the boys. First damn it, those little pricks are fast. After a few more loops, you chase the boys down into a straightaway. Your pack slams against your back, your pistols clatter against your chest. You're starting to get a little tired... but is karma on your side, or on the thieves'?

Roll 1d100 for Luck.

Rolled 95 (1d100)

>>253316
In addition to getting our money back I suggest a solid cuff of the head and tug of the ear.

>>253328
Seconding.

>>253328
>>253372
>Target: 80/90 and up. Lucky!

The scene unfolds in slow motion, as if you were witnessing a murder.

The boys sprint down the straightaway, with you getting farther and farther away. A sudden motion from one of the houses above, however, catches your eye. It appears an elf living in one of the apartments lining the alley has chosen this morning to empty their chamberpot, in the customary matter - by dumping it out their window.

The mix of solid and liquid excrement arcs beautifully through the air, like an acrobat diving from a board into a pond below. Luckily, the stars have aligned, and so too have the trajectories of the chamberpot's contents and the path of the elven boys.

The effect is immediate - they shout in disgust and stumble, falling face first onto the sand. One of the boys drops a purse, which lands a short distance towards you. As they roll around, crying and shouting, you walk over, grabbing your purse from the dirt and standing over the two boys.

What should you do?

>Give them a piece of your mind
>Let the - OH FUCK!

A barrage of slightly wet sands hits you in the eyes and mouth, coming from one of the boys rolling on the ground. You're temporarily blinded and you don't even want to know what it is you're tasting right now. Goddamn fucking elves!

What do you do?
>Flail wildly! (Roll 1d100 for luck)
>Take out one of your pistols
>Take out your knife
>Take that shit out of your eyes. The boys will probably escape.
>Write in

---
Next scene will probably be tomorrow morning.

>>253406
>Take that shit out of your eyes. The boys will probably escape.
Say several nasty things about their parents (or lack thereof).

>tasting
I knew we were wearing that scarf for a reason. Remember to keep it up over our face next time.

>>253406
Btw, this quest shows a lot of promise. The timing might explain the lack of traffic, where are you running this from and why at this time in the week? (Either on a Monday or very late Sunday for most of the world)

>>253416
This, again

>>253433
I'll answer that in /qst/ (don't want to fill this thread with meta-talk)
>>253416
>>253463
"You dung-eating, rod-licking, First-damned fatherless bastards!"

Your kind words long after the pitter patter of the boys feet round the next corner and you're left alone, wiping the sand from your face, scarf, and unfortunately, parts of your mouth. Once clean, you look up and around the alleyway and are relieved to notice you're still alone. Either nobody heard your foreign-tounged tirade, or they thought it was the slurred nonsense of a drunkard. Well, anyway. It'd probably be smart to get back to the worm station. You turn around and run right into the chest of a large elf.

Stumbling back, you look up at him. He sniffs a little, then grimaces. You notice he's got a sun embroidered into his left shoulder.

"Avi. Waiting," he says. "We go."

You nod weakly, and the two of you set off for the station.

Back at the plaza, you pick out Avi's robes standing near the entrance to the station proper. He waves a greeting at you. You turn to look at your escort, but, just as suddenly as he came, he is nowhere to be found. While you stand in a bit of bewilderment, Avi approaches.

"What ke-" he begins, before getting a whiff of you. "Varish, what has happened? You have run in with the trouble?"

"Kids stole my money pouch," you say.

"And that is why you smell like refuse?"

"It's a long story."

"I'm certain it is..." Avi raises an eyebrow, then reaches into his robes.

"Here," he says, removing a small vial and handing it to you. "Drop some this on you. It mask the scent. Come, let us go. Worm has already arrived, and will soon depart."

Avi leads you through the stone-and-wood station, less filled with bodies now that most passengers have boarded. You dab some of the fluid in the vial around you as you walk. Elven guards are posted throughout, ensuring nobody causes trouble. Given your strange dress, they eye you closely. You've done this with your guide on the way here, so you're familiar with the procedure. You and Avi move to a booth, where a bored-looking elf sells tickets. Avi motions for you to go first, and so you do.

The elf croaks a question, which you know from experience regards your destination.

"Ai'Madah."

Another question.

"Vtorie Klas."
>Second Class

"Schemdeschet Lyre."

You take the money from your pouch, leaving you with 78 Lyre. The elf takes a slip of parchment from a pile, quickly scrawls something on it with a brush, then presses a seal into the paper. You're free to pass.

Avi goes after you, and starts a rapid-fire conversation with the other elf, gesticulating wildly. The elf responds, though not as enthusiastically. After a moment, Avi reaches into his robes, and comes out with a fistful of coins. He joins you with his ticket once he passes.

"Most excellent," he says. "Our cargo has been safely loaded. Departure is soon, but I go check on it. You go, take seat."

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You nod in affirmation, then hand Avi back his vial. It appears to have done its work - the smell of elven waste is gone.

"Alright," you say. "I'm in second class. Thanks for this."

"Pyzoha, Varish," he says, taking it back. "Though only one thing - it mask all scent it touch. So now, you smell like nothing."

Somehow, you find yourself wishing he had told you that before.

Tickets in hand, the two of your cross another pair of guards out an opening and onto the station proper. The worm awaits.

The Sandworms are giant creatures - almost 150m long and 4 meters wide. Their off white, segmented bodies are slightly flat on the top, and so a few enterprising elves, with the help of some of their mages, have adapted these faceless creatures as a form of transport. These creatures lived in the desert's central sands, eating whatever they couuld pass through their mouths. With a mage communing and calming it, they could be directed to follow a certain route.

And so, by attaching platforms of wood to its back, the worms were used to carry hundreds of Elves between the cities of their kingdom.

You have a seat in the middle class section by the back of the worm. These seats had a canvas tarp over their head - not the greatest comfort, but better than third class, who were essentially sitting in saddles.

Avi runs off to the back of the worm, where cargo is tied up in huge bundles. You also walk to the rear, but stop at a ladder. You climb up onto the worm's back, and then onto the wood platform.

Most of the benches are filled with tired Elves, but there are a few empty spots. There's a spot next to a sleeping elf near the ladder, a spot next to a young elf sitting upright, but there's also an empty bench by the front of the platform, away from the cargo area.

Where do you sit?

>By the Sleeping Elf
>By the Awake Elf
>By yourself

>>253925
>>By yourself

>>253925
>By yourself

Of course.

>>253928
>>256426
You walk over to the empty bench, spreading yourself and your back over the two seats. A vibrating rumble passes through the worm, shaking you, as the mage at its head prepares it for motion. The rumbles get progressively heavier as the worm wakes up and stretches itself out.

"E-e-excu-cu-cusing mm-m-me," You hear someone say amidst the vibrations. You turn to see Avi, bouncing up and down and panting a bit. You set your pack down on the wood and let Avi take the seat next to you. The vibrations from the worm slow - you're about to depart.

"Thank you for saving a seat," Avi says, tapping his temple. "I shall remember it."

You give a grunt in affirmation. The sandworm roars, making a sound like that of a dying horse, a deep, undulating grumble that reflects off the dunes of the desert. Then, it starts to inch forward, slowly at first, but with increasing speed as the conducting mage directs it away from the station. You take a look back at Paessrin as you look away, a hobbled collection of sandstone structures set in the shadows of the massive trees of the southern jungles.

Soon, the worm is crawling along at a comfortable speed, toward Yazrek: The southernmost city in the known world. Unfortunately, one dune is much like another, giving you fairly little to do until your arrival, due in several hours.

You look over to Avi, who, likewise, seems to be staring blankly, watching the nodding head of another sleeping elf on the platform ahead of you. This might be a good time to ask him some questions.

What should you do?

>Ask Avi about himself
>Ask Avi about the cargo
>Ask Avi about his King
>Ask Avi about the Kingdom of Ai'Madah
>Leave Avi alone
>Write in

>>256438
>Ask Avi about his King

If we're working for the guy we might want to know a bit more. Other than that, I'm fine with not asking questions.

>>256446
"Avi," you say, slightly nudging the man.

"Eh?" He has, shaking his head and blinking. "Forgive me, I was in thought. What is it?"

"Nothing in particular, I'm just bored."

"Varish, we are of a like mind."

"I was hoping you could tell me about something?"

Avi shifts away from you slightly, so he can face you more easily as you talk.

"What is?"

"Dav'ed. What's he like?"

Avi's eyes light up at the question.

"Ah, you wish to know about the King? Well, what is there to say? He rules us for nearly 70 years now, wise and justly. He is a fair and just man, who fights for and protects the realm and its people, and is also a forward thinker, seeking to expand our influence into far off lands. Beyond all that, he is a man who deeply loves and cares for his family."

What now?

>Ask about Dav'ed, the Warrior King
>Ask about Dav'ed, the Diplomat
>Ask about Dav'ed, the Family Man
>Ask about another topic (see above or write in)

>>256568
>Ask about how he treats his servants

(The way I see it) We just want to know if he's the kind of boss that readily cuts his employees loose if things look rough. We don't particularly care much about his dreams, loves and the man himself right now.

Not like we'll ever meet him anyway...

>>256583

"Yeah, ok, he's a great person," You say, raising a hand before Avi can continue enoxerating the King. "But what I want to know is, how does he treat his servants?"

Avi seems confused for a moment, then he laughs, looking at you as if you had water on the brain.

"An interesting question, Varish, when you yourself already know the answer to it."

What do you do?

>Press for more details
>Stay silent

>>256668
>Press for more details
Our feeble human mind doesn't understand elven culture

>>256712
Agreed.

Does this mean the King doesn't acknowledge our existence? The details of our employment have been rather... hazy.

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>>256712
>>256739
"Come on, Avi," You say. "You've gotta give me something more than that! I need to know the facts about the man I'm working for!"

"Velkshe!" Avi says, waving a hand. "You Chielo are persistent. And you work not for a man, but for an elf of the desert. Ahh, forget about it; you will realize, in time, that Dav'ed is a fair man. Do not bother me with this any further."

Oops. You might have been a bit too forceful there. You might be lucky, but you're sure not the most charistmatic guy around. Perhaps, sometimes, it might be wiser to wait for your conversation partner to offer up some details on their own. Or, it could just be that your feeble human mind just doesn't understand the mind bogglingly complex culture of these First-Damned desert elves.

Avi turns away, looking at the passing dunes. You decide to do the same, wiling away the hours until your arrival to Yazrek.
---
Next scene in the morning, guys.

>>256762
Cheers mate.