Hlarn realises that his armour should be ready right around now.
On December 6th, word arrives in Sandas that Mestom is pouring troops and materiel into the southern lands, in preparation for a massive invasion.
Late in the afternoon of December 7th, Furgh wanders into the Inn of the Drunken Dwarf in Sandas, with the robot in tow.
There, he sees Hlarn, a strange female, Kailar, Agulhas, Equinox, Rage and a strange male elf.
"Hey kids!" Furgh says, with the usual cheerfullness, obviously no worse for wear... even his hair appears to have done a decent job of growing back in, though he apparently didn't spend too much time keeping it even, so it still looks a mess. "Boy, does B-9 get some funny looks," he adds with a grin. "But sure does keep the riff-raff off.... yours truly excluded, of course. We elves are notorious for hangin' around with odd lookin' personages. Hope this place's got some good vittles. One thing 'bout living out in the middle a nowheresville for a month and a bit. Ya quickly realize ya can't cook. Findas offered ta share at times, but ya know how dragons are... everythin' tends ta still be squirmin' around, donchaknow."
He wiggles his fingers and makes a face to emphasize the effect. "He offered, but alas, we elves also tend ta be a touch squeamish... comes from our ancesters eatin' all that ruffage, I reckon. Done mucked up our carniverousness." He chuckles. "AND, would ya believe in all those millenia B-9's been kickin' about, no one's ever bothered ta teach him how ta whip up a tasty rabbit stew. I even offered ta spot him the bunny. Remind me ta find ya a cook book, B," he says to the robot as he flops down in a nearby chair with a contented sigh.
He looks at the rest with a grin. "So, what's up in this part a the world?"
Hlarn shrugs. "Nothing much... Still waiting for everyone to return."
Hlarn looks at Furgh and Rage. "Speaking of which, Zanax asks if someone could inquire at the mages guild if he could hire a mage to teleport him to Hork. And teleport him back also I assume."
"It will cost a lot, and I am not sure about the return trip. What is so important that he go to Hork?" Rage asks. "If we can find someone to teleport him to Hork, it seems logical to teleport me there so I can go in the future." Rage says, "However, I am not sure when I can get there."
"What happened to your hair?" Equinox asks curiously with a half-smile on his face.
Furgh chuckles, and runs one hand absently through the copper coloured locks in question.
"Well, my regular dwarvish barber's been absent..."
Hlarn pulls out his axe. "I can do the job..."
"But would appear my regular dwarvish barber is back," he adds forlornly.
The 'strange' female half-elf stares at Furgh, not knowing whether to take him seriously or not, her eyes going from the robot to him and back again.
She turns to Logan, her eyes asking the obvious question, 'what are these things ..?'
"I have no clue," he says with a shrug and then leans in to her and asks, "by the way, you never told me your name or does Beauty suffice ?"
The robot extends a claw.
"ROBOT B-9 HERE, AND I COMPUTE!"
The half-elf jumps back in alarm, "Hey! Watch it ... don't you compute anywhere near me!"
The robot rolls forward.
"I AM VERY CLEAN AT COMPUTING," he replies.
Logan steps in to stand between Beauty and the 'bot and says, "keep your computing to yerself."
"Hey! Get this rolling bucket of iron away from me!" she shrieks, jumping behind Hlarn to escape the robot. "I don't want to be computed or whatever. Put a damned leash on that thing!" she adds, looking at Furgh with more than a hint of anger in her eyes.
"Wha?" Furgh, who was not paying attention, looks up, and a mixture of concern and humour crosses his features. "Woah, hold up there, B!" he says, leaping up to head the robot off. "Now, what did I tell ya 'bout social nicities? Extending the hand was proper, but ya got yer algorithms mixed after that. No pursuit, 'member?"
He grins, then turns to the young woman and gives her his most charming smile. "Sorry, ma'am. He's knew to the interaction thing. Mostly harmless, honest. Warm and cuddly, that's B-9..."
Beauty smiles, looking somewhat mollified at Furgh's apology, though a bit skeptical of B-9's description. "Warm and cudly eh? I'll pass on that I guess. Is he part of the bargain than? I didn't realize what I was getting when I hired you guys," she concludes, looking rather doubtful now.
"Hired, what have we been hired to do Logan?"
"To escort Beauty here somewhere south. She will pay cash to you and information and maybe more," he says with a grin, "to me."
"And the plot thickens," Rage says cryptically as she stares hard at Logan and Beauty. "By my fingers by my thumbs..."
Beauty grins, finsihing the phrase, "something wicked this way comes!" she laughs.
"Well, warm and cuddly in a cold and hard sortta way," Furgh concedes, with a grin.
"His B-ness here is the self-sworn guardian and protector of all things Robinson," he adds, giving the robot a companionable pat on the back, with a loud clank.
"Judy Robinson, at your service," he says with a dramatic bow. Then adds, "But you can call me Furgh."
"Pleased to meet you Furgh. What is your role in this little group?" she asks.
"Ahh... you've hit upon one of the greater mysteries," he replies with a chuckle. "Currently, I'm teaching B-9 to play poker."
He grins, then adds, "As you can see, we elves have many uses, donchaknow."
He looks at the woman for a moment, then turns to Hlarn.
"Thought you guys were off ta find some kinda religious doo-dad." He grins and nods towards the girl. "Or is she it? S'pose there are worse things ta worship," he adds jokingly, then halts suddenly, lookingly momentarily stricken, as he realizes what he said, and its almost as if the red in his hair washes down to cover his pale skin.
She laughs merrily, her violet eyes twinkling. She quickly takes her long dark hair and twists it into a severe looking knot and strikes a pose.
"There, do I look more like a religious doo-dad now?" she asks, still laughing. "You are free to begin your worship now, but it will cost 500gp for the evening," she explains, letting her hair down again and loosening her bodice a bit to expose a very generous cleavage.
The dwarf in the group rolls his eyes. "We are already on a mission, Logan and simply waiting (and waiting, and waiting...) for our companions to finish their training first. If you wish to accompany this lady you are free to do so. However we may be going the same direction for a short while."
"That sounds good to me. I mean, your mission shouldn't interfere with escorting me to safety. I'll be very quiet. You will hardly know I am here. And I have lots of skills. I can cook, sew, mend, sing, dance. Make your time in the wilderness that much more comfortable," Beauty says quickly.
Rage laughs. "Indeed, a woman of many talents. Do you take orders as well, Beauty?"
Beauty nods, "As long as they don't conflict with what I believe is correct ... "
"I see," the mage says, tossing the girl a coin. "Get me a drink, milk, and something to eat," the mage says. "And then we need to take you shopping for appropiate clothing for the trip, or do you have equipment already?"
Beauty nods, pocketing the coin and returns shortly with the requested items.
"Here ya go. A nice Monte Christo sandwich and some milk," she says, setting the items down in front of Rage, her nose wrinkling in distaste over the milk.
Rage smiles. "Excellent Beauty. Excellent," the mage says as she drinks her milk.
"I don't actually have much stuff for traveling in the wildnerness, being something of a more civilized, city type person. But shopping sure does sound fun, though, as you know, I can't really be seen openly here. Perhaps your magics can improve my disguises?" Beauty asks.
"What disguises do you wear?"
"That can be arranged. I think that we will do that soon, and make sure we get appropiate gear," the mage turns to Hlarn, "What do you suggest oh dwarf of the hour?"
Hlarn, who rarely takes part in such banter, looks up unexpectedly.
"What is that? Disguise? Oh, why bother? Just turn her invisible."
"No Hlarn... equipment? I will deal with the disguise fine," the mage says.
Beauty frowns at Hlarn. "Uh, that would be rather silly. How will I know which outfits look good on me if I am invisible?"
"Because we won't turn your clothes invisible."
"He is being a typical dwarf, grumpy to the end."
The dwarf shrugs. "By what she's said I'd guess Kailar could probably get her outfitted with some 'treasure finding' gear. She sounds like she might have some potential in that craft. We have some weapons she can use, and armor if she wants. But I've got a feeling Kadlian's lot will probably want some magical swords also."
He turns toward Beauty, "Do you have any other skills to speak of? Priestly or magical?"
"How long would it take us to go south?" Logan asks, and then a twinkle in his eyes, "Rage, my dear, could I beseech you to teleport the lady and I to where she wants to go, so we can finish this up quickly. Despite my desire to spend quality time with Beauty, the information is of first importance, and I am indebted to you all for taking me in, so where you go, I go."
Rage explodes. "Let me explain, using small words for you all. I cannot teleport to anywhere I have not been or seen. I cannot go by her description of where to go, for I cannot visualize it. Stop asking me to teleport you hither and yon, or I will."
"My, someone woke up under the bed this morning. Sorry, Rage, I have not studied such a spell so would not know of that limitation. Thank you for expanding my knowledge," Logan says with a bow to the mage.
"Next time you bow to me, make sure your forehead hits the floor and I hear it. Otherwise, do not waste the effort," the mage snarls.
"Are you always this sweet or did you take an extra dose of happy pills today?" Logan inquires.
Beauty shakes her head at the suggestion. "Uh, I can't really do that. It is a matter of timing, really. I can't get there too soon. What I really need to do is hide out in the wilderness for a bit until this blows over," she says. "I can tell you what you want to know once we hit the trail. I can think better away from others. It is hard when there are a lot of people around, like at the inn, and in cities."
"Deal then, beauty?" Logan asks, extending his arm. If she takes it, he pulls her in for a quick kiss.
Beauty nods, extending her hand as well ...
And bites Logan as he atttempts his kiss.
She jerks away, her eyes flaring. "You owe me 2 gp for that. Don't ever make assumptions."
"I like that, just not in front of everyone. Beauty, if I am going to teach you anything, its how to have a proper relationship with a guy!" Logan says as he nurses his lip. "Don't you owe me, little girl? That pouch you took had quite abit in it !"
Beauty raises her brow. "Indeed? Well, if you check your pockets, you will find that you still have your pouch .. unless you spent it elsewhere."
Logan checks his pockets, if the sack he gave her is found in his pocket, he replies, "touche, my dear, next time though, if you are going to put your hands in my pockets, let me know, so I can enjoy it!" he says with a grin,."Is it ok if I kiss your hand?" he asks, extending his right hand, in order to hold hers.
Rage claps. "Bravo, Beauty. I love it," the mage says, smiling. "Quite a bit of spunk."
The poor elf makes a strangled panicy sound, his eyes going wide like some small animal momentarily frozen in a lantern light.
"Uh..." he stammers for a moment, then turns towards the bar. "So how does a poor elf get some chow?" He says quickly, "Save my seat."
He quickly wanders off to see about getting something to eat.
Furgh eventually returns with a bowl of stew and some bread.
"Well, at least its not movin'," he quips, cheerfully, though you note he dutifully avoids looking towards Logan and the woman sitting beside him.
"Disguises are my specialty, donchaknow," he adds, tuning in to the conversation around him.
Furgh laughs. "Won't they be dismayed when they learn Sian ran off and sold all the magic."
Hlarn nods. "Rage, please find out about that when you meet Sian if you will."
He pauses. "'Least that was the plan a month and a half ago."
"Who's the Boss's lot?" he adds.
Hlarn shrugs. "A few elves that decided they wanted to work for Kadlian. I haven't met them, but they are warrior-magicians I believe."
"Oh bloody hell," Furgh says suddenly, frowning.
He smiles, if somewhat thinly, and adds, "Never have too many elves, I s'pose.
"Though still ain't figured out how ta modulate those voice frequencies," he mumbles, peering at the robot thoughtfully.
"DOES NOT COMPUTE!"
Furgh looks puzzled, and raps on the robots chest with his knuckles, peering up at his head. "You alright, B?"
"AFFIRMATIVE."
The red-headed elf grins. "Just checkin'."
"People," Logan says, "This woman, Beauty, seems to need an escort somewhere south of here. She said she is willing to give me information for this escort, as I am new around here, can we escort her to where she is going, she will pay you for it and she will give me the information I need."
"Information," Rage says in a strange accent, "Information say Tonto no go to town."
"Rage, you have secrets in your past as well as myself. Beauty over here, somehow, has seen things that I need to know, hence I am willing to do whatever it takes to find out." He says in a serious tone.
Rage looks injured at the comment. "Secrets? What secrets?" the mage asks, "MY life is an open book. Where did you get the idea that I had secrets?"
"Whoa, Rage, its a phrase, all people I have ever encountered have secrets, whether they remember them or not. There is a period of my life that I have forgotten, whether by accident or on purpose. Regardless I must find out and I feel she is the key to helping me find it," Logan retorts, in a neutral tone.
"Plus a little companionship with an attractive woman never hurts," Furgh says with a chuckle while looking at Beauty.
"I agree with you on that," replies the mage, smiling.
"Amen to that, sister," Logan says with a nod of his head.
A short woman with blond hair with a red streak in it peers at the newcomer over steepled hands. "You may call me Rage. Beauty is it. Well, where do you wish to go and why?"
"Well, south, mostly. Meston...Aldacan...even Hork. Just away from here. And let's just say that I need to avoid any imperial entanglements, " Beauty replies, her eyes assessing the mage thoughtfully.
Rage raises an eyebrow at the statement. "Indeed." The mage strokes her chin. "Pray tell me more about your imperial contacts."
"Let's just say that there was a difference of opinion regarding the ownership of a certain item, which led them to believe that my intentions were less than honorable," Beauty replies, a bit evasively.
"I see. And are your intentions less than honorable?" the mage asks, "Or are we traveling with someone who is a liar, thief and upstart?"
"Hey I resent that, I'm no upstart."
"Oh boy," Logan mutters, "back to your corners, ladies. Rage, I will keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't get into trouble," Logan replies.
"Listen masked boy." Rage says, "Oh wait, put your mask back on, it will be an improvement. You are new here as well and I am not sure I trust you yet. So put a sock in it."
"What's not to trust ?" He says with a grin and open arms.
Beauty looks slightly hurt at the idea that she should be considered less than honorable. "My intentions, actions and deeds are and always have been most honorable. I deeply respect and honor the law!"
"That remains to be seen," the mage replies. "Your actions will speak for your intentions in the long term. You should fit in well with this group."