Just as you are finishing breakfast this morning at the Border House Tavern, the door opens and J'Harast walks in.
He looks to be alive and well.
Following him is his brother Jaramir.
Raz stands, smiling. "J'Harast...you're back in the land of the living...how are you feeling?"
Bel gets up to greet J'Harast with a small smile on his face and says, "I told you that you would not get out of your tasks easily my friend. Welcome back."
Aldarin stands and extends his hand in a gesture of greeting, "Good morn. My name is Aldarin, most call me Hawk. I have never had the pleasure of meeting someone who has been to the other side and returned."
Bel stands up, extends his hand and says, "Wel, you have just met two, and the way this party goes you'll probably meet more."
Sasha looks up from her breakfast, her mouth dropping open. She turns pale and slips, unconscious to the floor.
J'Harast nods to all present. "Hello."
He then goes over to the unconscious Sasha, bends down, shakes her gently and plants a big, wet kiss on her cheek.
You hear violins...
Bel says, "Hey you two, don't make me break the hose out."
Even Jaramir rolls his eyes at that line.
Sasha opens her eyes, clearly confused. She shakes her head slightly. "W-what ... h-how ... " She finally stutters.
Just then Hlarn enters, having followed J'Harast. "We will be leaving shortly for the Black Keep. We will probably be back by lunch and then heading out again. I imagine you must have much to discuss. As for payment, we do not deal in souls. But the use of the rod is limited, so we will gladly accept what you feel its use is worth to you when you are able to do so."
With that Hlarn nods, and turns and heads back out.
J'Harast answers Sasha.
"It's magic. I guess that other party we know have some powerful magic. Hlarn, the dwarf, said that I was to pay them what I felt was correct. I will therefore split all treasure I earn, except for what little I may need, between the party and this other group, until my debts are paid off to both."
"But so easily? They would want great sums ... or magic or ... something. I thought we were to bargain for your life ... " Sasha pauses, then nods. "I think I see. He has laid the burden of your life at our door. I am glad."
More softly, "I was afraid that you might have to deliver those letters to my brother and father. That task, for now, is delayed."
Sasha nods, "I am glad for that. It is not a happy task to deliver such news to family."
Farad nods towards J'Harast. "I didn't expect to see you back so soon. I well expected to sweat long and hard to get the gold to bring back your worthless corpse to life. I hope we did not waste ours and Illyana's friend's time."
Sasha rolls her eyes in frustration but holds her tongue.
"But I do not like being in anyone's debt. We have twenty thousand gold worth in platinum from selling that wand. Why don't we offer that to the dwarf. I do not think we should just leave without even a copper being spent in repayment. Perhaps he would be interested in the magical armor as well. None of us can wear it. There are two dwarves in that group. I'm sure one of them could use it."
Sasha nods. "I also owe them for some training funds I borrowed for Bel. Hlarn gave us 1,000 gold, but Kadlian expects to be repaid - let us repay that first, and perhaps pay a portion of what is to come - a largish portion, to be sure. We will not need gold where we aer going."
Sasha pauses, "But ... for their kindness, I would like, in addition to gold and gems and such to choose a special item from whatever we might find there. The armor we have is good ... but should we discover some unique or special item, I would like to offer it to them first. It seems only fair ... for until this ... I had truly believed that elves could not be brought back ... what he used must have been very powerful indeed ... and not given lightly."
"From what I understand, they are not in any real need for money. It would be better to offer the armor or perhaps services given at a future date." comments Illyana.
Farad scoffs. "Better for us, but not for our reputation. J'Harast's life is a major debt we now have. We can not treat it lightly."
J'Harast tears his eyes away from Sasha.
"The debt is mine, and mine alone. I will pay for the debt myself, the rest of you do not have to lose your gold over ressurecting my sorry corpse."
Bel says, "The debt is as much mine as yours J'Harast. I took on the oath of seeing your mission through and I will share all dangers and costs of this task."
Farad again scoffs at J'Harast's remarks. "Easy for you to say, thief. You were not the one forced to begging to save your skin. The debt is all of ours, whether you like it or not."
"As for J'Harast paying half his earnings, I must say you are already in debt for what you stole from the group. You will be working for us long and hard as it is."
"Oh Farad! Stop your silly whining! You were not even a part of the group then that happened, so don't pretend as if you were. I am so sick of your nasty holier than thou attitude!" Sasha snaps.
Farad pulls out the 666 platinums he was recently given. "Here Sasha. It is a start. I doubt we will have enough as it is, but we should find out what such a service costs so that we can make adequate repayment."
Sasha accepts the bag. "I was not even aware you had received a share. For what? We earned that wand long before we had to suffer your constant whining."
Farad then gives a look at J'Harast. "I am counting the coins you pay back, elf. I expect to see all that money back one way or the other from you. And for everyone else too."
Sasha turns cold eyes on Farad, and the muscle along her jaw twitches. In a low, almost hoarse voice, she replies. "I will not stand it. Your attitude will earn you nothing but my irratation. If you persist in your behaviour, I will ask you to leave the party, or I will leave myself. You are doing nothing to help us at this point - and only causing more bad feeling where we are trying to mend it."
Farad gives Sasha an evil looking scowl, but says nothing more.
"Farad, I'll tell you what. You keep track of all the treasure that the party get's. I'll petition the group for money that I need to survive or train. However, let me point out that the money stolen from this group is owed to those memers who were in the group. I do not believe that I _owe_ you anything." says J'Harast.
"No!" Sasha replies coldly. "Farad will not be the treasure keeper, and you will not beg alms from him whenever you need an ale or new underwear. This dictator is vile and petty - I will not trust him with our funds, nor will I allow him to demean one of our party members this way."
Sasha takes a deep breath and looks at everyone. "We have come to head here ... I will not continue if we allow someone to be treated the way Farad insists on treating J'Harast. It is wrong, and more importantly, it will be devisive. Already Farad has caused more friction and ill will than even Rane!"
"We were willing to save him, and go after his brother - but we are unwilling to treat him as we would treat a common stranger - with a bit of courtesy and respect? How is he to know the way of goodness if treated worse than an animale - no - actually, animals are treated better! This is wrong ... dead wrong and will not serve us where we are going."
She turns to Farad. "Will you desist in your behavior, leave our party, or ... " turning to the others, "Shall I leave? For I will not stay if Farad continues this way." Sasha waits ...
Illyana sighs. "I knew it would come down to this sooner or later. Will both of you stop bickering! I am tired of this. Sasha, you are not leaving. No one is, not yet." She turns to Farad. "Farad, you are pushing things just a little too far. It has to stop now, understand?" She looks around the group. "As long as this keeps up, we're never going to get anything done. We can either keep arguing or we can actually try and work together for once."
Farad nods. "To keep the faith, and pursue my own goals I will say nothing more about J'Harast. But you can not force me to like the man, and as of yet I have seen nothing indicating he is a changed man."
"I am not asking you to be as a brother to him. I am asking you to desist from the constant harassment - it merely creates more complications than we can deal with right now. You have seen nothing because you refuse to look. And it is really up to us to decide if he has changed or not - you did not even know him before - how can you even say whether or not he has changed?" Sasha asks, in calmer tones.
Farad refrains from saying what first came to mind, giving a noticable pause before answering. "I did not know him, but I can judge a man by his current actions. But I will say nothing more. I keep my word."
"And what has he done currently that gives you such pause?" Sasha asks, with a puzzled frown.
Farad replies only with, "Nothing to my knowlege..."
Sasha throws up her hands in frustration. "Then why are you doing this? You state you don't even have cause, yet you bring harassment to a new level. I do not understand you. Are you so insecure in yourself that the only way you can feel good is to attack someone else?" Sasha asks.
Farad looks at Sasha. "Did I not just give my word not to malign J'Harast further? I am pledged to fight evil in all its forms, it is for this reason I attack."
"Now, we have a problem here to decide. What shall we give our benefactors before we leave? Illyana, as party leader you should write a letter detailing our intentions, both now and in the future."
Speaking up Hawk says, "I agree with Sasha", nodding toward her, "I know I have not been with you but a short while now, but it seems that you were concerned enough to go through all of this trouble to have J'Harast, here, brought back from the realm of the dead. Why then, would you treat him less that you have treated one such as I who you have not known before?" A stern look upon his sharp features, "I say give him his chance to prove that he is grateful and accept his gratitude for what it is, you can not place a price on an individual's life". Lowering his head as if in deep thought, Aldarin takes another sip from his wine.
Raz nods...."I also agree with Sasha. I still have my misgivings about J'Harast...strong misgivings...but J'Harast has repeatidly placed his life on the line for us....he died defending us...and so should be treated with respect and as a full member of our party." Raz looks at J'Harast..."I have not forgotten your crimes however J'Harast, and will continue to watch over your sholder for signs of evil doing...but until I see such signs I am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt."
"Everyone is finally calmed down - this has been an exausting trip so far. Now, assuming we wish to go to the dungeon I do request that if anyone needs anything they get it now. We've spent so much time in a city that we may not be equipped to go underground." says Illyana.
Farad points to the coin he just laid on the table. "You owe us all for the debt of raising you. Better you have to repay us than all of us remain in debt to those others. As for what you stole before, I know to whom it belongs and lay no claim to it. Even so, I will mark what you have paid back."
Farad turns to the others, "Well, what will it be? Our leader Illyana thinks to only toss a few bones to satisfy the dogs. I would rather we sacrifice the large amount of money we just obtained and pay the lion's share now. The twenty thousand gold plus the armor should greatly reduce the debt we owe, if not pay it entirely."
"Since the only other method of bringing back J'Harast was via a wish, we should use that as the standard by which we return payment. Does anyone know what Ray Jay would have charged us for that?"
J'Harast clenches and unclenches his hands, repeatedly. Through clenched teeth, he finally speaks. "Farad, you are little better than an ignorant bore. I owe this group a great deal, yes. I thank you all for the trouble that you went through to have me saved. I now have a new lease on life, and _will not_ waste it. I have committed wrongs against some people here, and to them I again apologize."
"Any debt of gold that I owe these people who saved me, I will pay I do not want to stand between your precious gold, Farad. As for the debt I owe to this party, I will also pay that.
"However, if you are going to persist in your attitute towards me, it would seem best for all concerned if I leave you alone to gloat about how good you are and how bad I am. I will leave you alone."
J'Harast turns to the others, "Hawk, I am glad to meet you. I wish you well. These people are a good group, and I wish you best success. Bel, Raz, look after Sasha for me. Illyana, I hope you find what you seek. I will miss you all."
J'Harast then turns back to Sasha. "I will miss you most of all. Of all the people here, I wronged you the most, and did you the most injustice. I hope that you can forgive me, someday. I am on the path to salvation, and will continue to walk in it's light. Be well, and if you ever find the time, think of me."
Again this day, Sasha's mouth drops open in surprise. "What do you mean? You are leaving us? Is that how you repay our friendship to you?" She asks in disbelief.
"I will send all the money I owe you to the Lady Verona in the temple of Tyr in Sandas. I should be able to get it there easily. Farewell.
"Come Jaramir."
With that, J'Harast leaves the inn.
Jaramir follows. The expression on his blank face almost looks to be one of amusement.
Raz chases after J'Harast....
Sasha follows.
Bel gets up and says, "A bigger pair of fools I have never seen." and follows J'Harast..
A short time later the four of them return. J'Harast has cooled down a little, Raz is grinning, Sasha looks a little relieved, while Bel and Jaramir both look like they've missed something.
It is a warm and sunny morning for early February. A perfect day for travelling...
"So does anyone need to buy anything or shall we set out?" Illyana looks at Jaramir. "Perhaps we can ask someone here to look after him for us, I don't want to drag him into the dungeon with us."
Farad has all he needs.
"As for the note, while your friend Hlarn trusts you, his companions might not. It is simple courtesy to at least let him know what our intentions are. Even if they have already left, you can slip a message under his door."
"Perhaps.. but they do at least listen to him otherwise he would have never been allowed to use the rod on J'Harast. Besides which, what can I say anyway? That we are heading south and might return later?"
"That we WILL return later to settle the account. Also leave the armor as a gift and promise of things to come. Amber or Gnarsh may still be around if they have left so that it can be placed inside their home."
If you choose to buy any supplies here, the prices are per the handbook.
After you decide what to do about the note, you set off southwards again. It is noontime.