Path: usenet.ee.pdx.edu!fastrac.llnl.gov!s1.gov!overload.lbl.gov!dog.ee.lbl.gov!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!pipex!uknet!EU.net!uunet!not-for-mail From: guido@rbg.informatik.th-darmstadt.de (Guido Roessling) Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.archives Subject: STORY: Qelrik part 29 Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc Date: 6 Jun 1994 08:44:28 -0400 Organization: UUNET Technologies Inc, Falls Church, VA, USA Lines: 120 Sender: smm@uunet.uu.net Approved: smm@uunet.uu.net Message-ID: <2sv5nc$7a6@rodan.UU.NET> NNTP-Posting-Host: rodan.uu.net *************************************************************************** This story is a collaboration of seven people: one German, two Canadians and four Americans. Comments about particular characters should be forwarded to their character's "owners": Finn Ambrose - Sheryl Ann Galchutt* - fi48@sol.acs.unt.edu Gernodt - Guido Roessling - guido@rbg.informatik.th-darmstadt.de Dahlarin - Brent Hughes - bhughes@student.business.uwo.ca Kyle - J.E. Mason - ** no current mail address Fox - Barbara French - bcfrench@mailbox.syr.edu Will appear in future chapters: Gladrial - Jennifer Immel - bhughes@julian.uwo.ca Sir Percy - Bret Rudnick - rudnick@cfatrw.harvard.edu For missing chapters etc., send a mail to guido@rbg.informatik.th-darmstadt.de (If you don't get an answer within 3 working days, try it again -- my mail server sometimes ignores mails) *************************************************************************** Yet another complication ======================== Gernodt interrupted the enthusiasm. "Now we just have one more matter to take care of." Dahlarin gave him a puzzled look, "We do?" Gernodt nodded slowly, "Kyle's parents." "Ahh yes." Dahlarin muttered as understanding dawned, "That could be a bit of a problem. Not many parents will let their children wander off in the middle of the night with a bunch of strangers. Especially without any notice. We need a good story..." Dahlarin sat and looked thoughtful, his mind sorting out possibilities. Gernodt looked equally thoughtful. Kyle anxiously watched them. 'I only hope they don't come to the con- clusion that my parents won't let me join. They'd have no argument if they hired me...', he thought. As if she had read his thoughts, Finn broke the silence. "Perhaps we could hire him?", she suggested. "Hire him?", Dahlarin asked. "Oh, I see what you're getting at! We could tell them we are on an urgent mission, something with a deadline of tomorrow afternoon. We could say we need someone to care for our horses, but we cannot afford to wait, and must leave tonight." Kyle breathed a nearly audible sigh of relief. They had managed to find a plausible reason for him to join them, a reason that even his parents could not help but feel impressed by ! Now he only had to soften their resistance a little... However, he quickly turned his attention back to the discussion. It just would not do if he told his parents another story than his comrades-to-be... They'd _never_ grant him leave to join if they thought they were being misled about the real reason for his adventure ! "But we need an urgent mission.", commented Gernodt, "Perhaps something life threatening. We also need a good reason why experienced adventurers need someone to do something as simple as caring for horses. Perhaps we need him as a guide as well, since he seems to know the area fairly well." Finn interjected, "Perhaps Dahlarin could claim to be a wizard, who must deliver a magical scroll to a fellow mage. That way, we can leave things a little vague. After all, most people wouldn't want to know what sort of magic would be needed so urgently. Out of control demons would spring to most common folk's minds. As for caring for horses, perhaps Dahlarin could use some magic to make us appear as nobles. Gernodt, with his great size, would look convincing as a guard, which might also set Kyle's parent a little more at ease. What trouble could there be with a powerful mage, and an intimidating warrior?" Dahlarin nodded, "It wouldn't take much to disguise us, though I'm afraid I would have to let someone else do most of the talking. It would take a fair bit of concentration to disguise us, and I presume I will be making some illusionary horses as well. I just hope spellcasting isn't in order, as I would certainly have to drop the disguises in order to do that." Gernodt looked suspiciously at Dahlarin. "But what if they see through your illusion?" Dahlarin replied, "Not likely. Unless I give them a reason not to believe it, they don't have a chance. Even if they do have reason, illusions are difficult not to believe. Wait until I create it, and see if _you_ can see through it. Although illusions aren't my strongest point, I can make them fairly convincing." "Fantastic!" Kyle was elated. "Why don't you leave right away to tell them the 'good news' and start preparing for the journey," Gernodt said. "We leave tonight." "I could also bring beef jerky from our smokehouse, and journey cakes that my mother always has on hand," Kyle said. "I'm sure we have readily available enough to last us two weeks." "Yes, that sounds like a good idea. We'll arrive at your house in an hour's time. And, Kyle", Gernodt added, "As we begin our journey, I'll go out in the woods with you for a while, to give you a chance to prove your skill. We can only allow you to joins us as a guide if you are not a hindrance to us. Agreed?" "Agreed!", Kyle said. Even though he was not too happy with having to prove himself, let alone before such a man of obvious skill, he had to admit to himself that he was, in fact, treated fairly. He gave them directions to his farm, stood up and left, his mind turning with the best approach to get the best response from his parents... **************************************************************************** Next time: Off to Kyle's farm... ****************************************************************************