Chapter #405

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                                +   +
                              +       +
                            +           +
                          +               +
                        +                   +
                      +                       +
                    +      THE ADVENTURERS      +
                      +                       +
                        +      Epic II      +
                          +               +
                            +           +
                              +       +
                                +   +

+  stories should not be considered representative of TSR in any    +
+  way, shape, or form.                                             +
+    The player characters contained in these writings are copy-    +
+  or characters either real or fictional is utterly coincidental.  +
+                                                                   +
+                                  Thomas Miller                    +
+                           +
+  Alindyar     17th level drow mage                            (N) +
+  Lyra         13th level female drow mage                     (N) +
+  Mongo        18th level dwarven fighter                     (CG) +
+    Gorin      9th level dwarven fighter                      (NG) +
+  Peldor       20th level human thief                          (N) +
+    Bosco      11th level halfling thief                      (CN) +
+  Time:        dinnertime                                          +
+  Climate:     mild                                                +
+  "A man in love is incomplete until he is married.  Then he       +
+   is finished."                                                   +
+                                                 - Zsa Zsa Gabor   +

                 CDV.  Tying Up Loose Ends - In Knots

  It has been a busy month thus far, a month that has seen both
happiness and tragedy.  Shortly after the wedding of Deryck and
Nenya, Peldor had been assigned the fateful task in the sewers,
which led to the uncovering of a sinister foe and plot.  Now, a
single day after the funeral of Org Nenshen, various friends of
Peldor have gathered in his inn to hear momentous news.

Bosco:  You're WHAT?!?
Peldor:  Getting married.  The wedding will be a week from now, on
  the fifteenth.
Ged:  But...why?  Why so soon?
Tanya:  (smiles)  Let's just say that the recent debacle involving
  the shapeshifters showed us that time is precious.
Peldor:  Right.  No more waiting around for this and that.  No more
  risking death while we put off the really important things.  (he
  pauses)  I hope that makes sense.
Ged:  (just nods)
Mongo:  Sure it makes sense.  (he frowns)  I think.
Bosco:  (gulps some ale and wipes his mouth)  Well, it sure doesn't
  make sense to _me_!
Tanya:  (raises an eyebrow)
Lyra:  Luckily for them, it doesn't have to.
Mongo: a week.  Damn, but it's turning out to be a
  helluva month.
Alindyar:  (nods)  Aye.  A wedding, a funeral, another wedding...
  what will be next?
Bosco:  (muttering to himself)  Weddings I'll have to
  dress up _again_!  Honestly, I don't know how much more of this I
  can take.
Ged:  I'm sure you'll be fine.
Bosco:  I sure hope so.  (to Peldor)  Hey, can I be the ring-bearer?
Peldor:  Uh...(he glances to Tanya)
Tanya:  Certainly, Bosco.  We'd have no other.
Bosco:  (newly cheerful)  Oh, boy!
Ged:  (pokes at his food, then addresses Peldor again)  About this
  shapeshifter business - you know you could have called on me for
Gorin:  Yeah, and me too.
Peldor:  Yes, I know.  Believe me, we could have used the help.
Alindyar:  (thinking about how they did just fine without Ged)
Peldor:  ...but things moved kinda quickly, and there wasn't time
  to gather all the possible allies.  We went with the flow, so to
Ged:  I understand.
Peldor:  Cool.
Gorin:  (frowns)  Battle, without me there to help...
Mongo:  Kid, we barely had time to do anything at all.  Anyway, you
  didn't miss much.
Gorin:  Still-
Bosco:  Don't worry, Gorin, we'll go have a new adventure sometime!
Ged:  Now _that_ promises to be interesting.
Gorin:  Yeah, I remember the last time.  Damned city guards.
Bosco:  Amateurs, no more.
Peldor:  (smirks)
Mongo:  (wolfing down his third helping of roasted lamb)  Mmm.  (to
  Peldor)  Hey, I've been meaning to tell you - you know that sword
  I gave you, to chase and kill that shapechanger thing?
Peldor:  Yes, I have it upstairs.  I finally got it all cleaned
  for you-
Mongo:  You needn't have bothered.  I was gonna tell you you could keep
Peldor:  (truly surprised)  What?!?
Mongo:  Keep it, I said.  (he crams another bite of food into his
  mouth, the grease running into his beard)  Didn't need it anyway,
  and you did.  Still do.  (he ponders for a moment)  I never was
  that good with swords anyhow...
Peldor:  But...are you sure?
Mongo:  Positive.
Peldor:  Well...thanks!  Someday I'll return the favor.
Tanya:  That is a fine blade.  I've never seen its like.
Mongo:  There was this blacksmith I talked to, once, in Thunderdelve.
  He looked that sword over - said that it was equal to the finest
  blade ever forged by dwarves.
Peldor:  No wonder it shattered Nightfang...
Mongo:  (nods)  Damn good sword.
Alindyar:  It surely must be.  (he wonders what that blade is made of)
Bosco:  (looking around wistfully)  Hmm.
Lyra:  Where is Belphanior?
Peldor:  Gone back to...wherever he lives these days.
Tanya:  And not a moment too soon.
Bosco:  No kidding.  I heard him and Otto talking about Greyhawk's
  government and officials - something about how they deserved a
  fireball up the-
Peldor:  That's enough, Bosco.  Whatever differences they had, I'm
  sure they...settled them like civilized people.
Ged:  Belphanior?  Hah.
Mongo:  Really.  That damned elf's gonna get himself in over his head
Lyra:  He already has, on more than one occasion.
Peldor:  Well, he's gone now, and no one he talked with is dead, so
  let's leave his business to him.
Tanya:  (nods, quietly supporting her lover's opinion)
Alindyar:  (perceiving everything, he changes the subject)  So, this
  wedding...what of the planning?  The pomp?  The circ-
Lyra:  (kicks him, under the table)
Peldor:  We don't need a complicated ceremony.
Tanya:  (shakes her head in agreement)  All that extraneous crap is
  for the birds.  It's what's in our hearts that counts.
Ged:  Interesting outlook.
Alindyar:  I would say "efficient"...
Peldor:  Well, like Tanya said, we've got our own idea of what's
  important and what's superfluous.  What's important - aside from
  the act itself - (he dodges a kick from Tanya) - is that our
  friends are there, and they have a good time.
Mongo:  (listening disinterestedly as he cleans his plate)
Bosco:  Have a good time?  Never a problem.
Gorin:  What if someone attacks during the wedding?  An old enemy,
Peldor:  (furrows his brow in thought)  Hmm.  (he twirls his moustache)
  Well...we won't invite them!

  Laughter broke out, a sound none of them had heard enough lately.
Later, after the meal was done and their friends had departed, the
couple talked in their bedchamber as they prepared to go to sleep.

Tanya:  What about the honeymoon?  Where will we go?
Peldor:  (shrugs)  Wherever we want, I'd say.
Tanya:  What about the inn?  And the River Quarter?
Peldor:  The Green Dragon we'll leave in Bosco's care.
Tanya:  Bosco?!?
Peldor:  Sure.  Who else knows as much about operating the place -
  and is trustworthy enough?
Tanya:  Good point.  Uh, have you told him yet?
Peldor:  Not yet.  He may suspect, though one never knows.
Tanya:  Bosco in charge...whew.  Let the world beware.  (she changes
  into a nightgown)
Peldor:  (watches with more than a little interest)  As for the other
  thing...well, the River Quarter's practically locked down right now
  anyway.  This is as good a time as any to take a vacation.
Tanya:  When will they pick a new Guildmaster?
Peldor:  It'll happen in the next few days.  It's just a matter of
  Mayor Gasgal's suggestions, debated among the Oligarchs.
Tanya:  But ultimately, the decision is his, right?
Peldor:  (nods)  Though I wouldn't be surprised if Turin and a few
  of the others have direct input.  There's a power clique within
  the group, you know.
Tanya: are you in the running?
Peldor:  For Guildmaster?  Yeah.
Tanya:  What are your chances?
Peldor:  I'm not sure, but I think I've got a pretty good shot.  Only
  a couple of the other Quartermasters are even qualified, and I don't
  think all of them want the job.  Gasgal's sure to promote from
  within the Guild.
Tanya:  Bringing in an outsider would never work...
Peldor:  Right.  Anyway, I've got a better-than-average chance.  Time
  will tell.
Tanya:  That would be a nice wedding bonus for you.
Peldor:  Ah, who needs a bonus when I've already got you?  (he leaps
  and tackles her to the bed)
Tanya:  (wrestling with him)  Hey, I think you just cracked the bed-
Peldor:  So we'll buy another one...(he reaches over and snuffs out
  the lamp)

next:      back to Helgate for awhile
  in /pub/users/zac/rpg/adventurers/
mail:       (preferred)
notes:     I got back from Hilton Head today.  No hurricane, lots of
  sun.  I've got tan under my peeling.  Heh.

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