[Game Thread] Chapter 1: A Sorcerer's Request

[nyttyn]

OOC Hurray! The vampire's kinks fail to distress either of you.

Mittens paws at the sorceress' hair, evidently amused by the sorceress' flowing locks. Decarde ceases his misunderstood verbal assualt and notices Amalia staring into his face. Coughing, he said "[b]Oh, are you afraid of...err...I'm a good vampire. I think. I'm a paladin, you don't have to worry about things like horrib-" He nearly bites his tounge, choking over his words. "....You get my intent."

Mittens go to town on one of the beers as Decarde gives a awkward smile to the barmaid, glad for the distracton "No, that'll be quite alright." He lightly sips at his as Mittens gulps down hers.

[OodSigma]

"I doubt that would be necessary. Thank you." Letus speaks loudly but does not take his eyes off the paladin. "Thanks for the drink. I can't speak for her but for me the vampire matter isn't so much out of fear as confusion. How does a vampire become a paladin of Pelor? Or I guess, much more likely, how does a paladin turned vampire remain a paladin? I do not mean to pry, but it is very interesting to me."

[nyttyn]

Decarde shrugs, taking a swing from his tankard as he answers Letus' question. Standing up and clearing his throat, he places his tankard upon the table and stares at the gnome, proclaiming in a loud voice "It is less a question of how I am a paladin, and more a question of how feeble you think the light must be, to so easily turn away its champions. The light does not forsake, it does not hate, it does not prejudge. It loves all equally." Satisfied that he has sufficiently given the stereotypical paladin response, he sits back down, and, with a deep swing, he says "But personally, I think it's just because Pelor knows how badass I am."

[Ryuken]

"So you really are a vampire?", she asked amazed. "How exciting. You're the first I've ever met. And come to think about it, you're the first paladin I know, too", she laughed. Apparently the young girl didn't care at all about the turning heads of the harbormen and sailors within earshot.
"I'm Amalia, by the way, and I'm pleased to meet you, Sir Decarde, Paladin of Pelor. And you, too, Mittens", she added nodding to the cat.
"I have so many questions for you. For example, is it true, you paladins devote your whole life fighting the evils of this world? Are your really repulsed by garlic? Well, I wouldn't blame you. It stinks terribly. And why shouldn't a vampire be a paladin?", she asked with a look to Letus. Amalia never liked prejudices and the thought, someone couldn't be something because of his race .. or his 'state of vitae', didn't occur to her. But she didn't stop to give either of them time for an answer.
"And I heard paladins ride on great steeds. Do you have one, too, or just the cat? Do you take the good Sir Mittens with you into battle?"

[nyttyn]

Decarde bows to Amalia, saying "A pleasure to meet you. Well, to answer your questions..." He strokes a finger over his chin "Paladins do dedicate their lives gainst evil, but it's not the only thing we do. Afterall, it'd be obnoxious if we had to be in 24/7 evil hunting mode. I personally just live my life as it is, and trust Pelor to cast those who need cleansing towards me. Occasionally the church grants me a quest, but for the most part, I just wander"

Taking a pull from his tankard, he resumes "Garlic...well, us vampires aren't weak to it, we just cannot stand the stuff. And, in terms of steeds..." He pats Mittens on her beer-soaked head, saying "Well, she's not exactly ridable, is she? Pelor shall grant me a steed in due time. Paladins have to prove their worth, first. In fights, she's mostly just a vigilantee on my shoulder. Or neck, as it usually goes." The cat meows, and one would swear she had winked.

[OodSigma]

Letus turns from Decarde sharply, seeming almost in pain from looking at him. "A vampire shouldn't become a paladin because a vampire shouldn't exist." Letus answers Amalia's rhetorical question. He continues but actively does not look at the vampire, "I do not mean to offend but you must understand, I am an oracle of time, you undead are the most unnatural thing. You see Amalia, when I look at you I see infinite possibility, thus is the beauty of the air spirits. But when I look at him I see a static figure. He wont change, he wont grow, he will be the same for all...ha...I can't even call it time because without change there is no time. Everything should die, even us gnomes are eventually lost to the Bleaching. But him. Again, I'm sorry and I'm trying not to offend seeing as we too shall be working together, but this is hard for me. Imagine, Decarde, how you would feel working with a paladin of Nerull?"

[Ryuken]

Amalia listened intently, her chin restin on her hand, the finger tip of her index finger softly tapping on her lips.

"Hmmmm", she replied pensively. "But even if he's never changing, always static, he could still change the world and people around him, no? I find it hard to believe that something .. sorry, some one" - she gave Decarde a apologetic glance - ".. that is actually existing, isn't supposed to exist. But I'm not sure anything should be anything - or not. I never liked hearing what I should be like or do or what I'm supposed to become. And I most certainly wouldn't want anyone to tell me I'm not supposed to be at all. If Pelor is okay with him being his paladin, I think we can at least be okay with him being."

[nyttyn]

Decarde flags the bartender, saying "Give Amalia over here whatever she wants! All on my tab!" Smiling, he gives Amilia a grin and Letus a nod of the head, saying "You know, the lady's got a point. I might not change, but that certainly doesn't mean that I'm static. My booze-funds are very much changing and flowing." Stroking his hiccuping cat, he lazes back, saying "But to answer your question, i'm not sure how I would care for such a position. I'd certainly like working with a paladin of Cailean a lot more. Silly things like religion ultimately don't mean much to us paladins, though." Fingering a holy symbol draped over his neck with some reluctance, he says "The faith in justice and the light keeps us all connected above such petty boundries like race, religion, or if we should exist or not." Dropping it, he laughs, flashing Letus a fanged grin "But of course, you're probably just jealous that I'm immortal.

[Ryuken]

Amalia was all smiles and without further listening directed her attention to the barmaid, ordering the most exotic sounding drink of the menu.

[rngrbob]

The young barmaid smiles "Yes sir." Then she moves on to retrieve Amalia's expensive glass of wine she ordered. Once retrieved and handed to
Amalia. The barmaid goes on to help other patrons with in the tavern. The barkeep looks at Decarde once flagged down by him, nods his head acknowledging Decarde's request. The barkeep then goes back continuing on watching the crowd and fill patrons orders.

[OodSigma]

"Well, this kind of talk has no business in a bar. On a hopefully lighter topic, what brings you to this town Decarde?"

[holyblade]

Alec trudged down the stairs to the common room below, still feeling a bit drowsy after his nap. He knew he had to find his employer and the rest of the hirelings so he could get the gold necessary for his family's rent in his merciless uncle's apartment shack. Maybe I didn't miss too much from sleeping in, Alec pondered, still half asleep. Now, where oh where are the other members of the team?

After a brief scan of the room, Alec soon was drawn to a lovely lady who seemed to be constantly smiling and happy, a gnome or halfling hidden under a dark cloak and a very strange looking warrior with shining armor and a holy symbol around his neck. Great, more religious types. This is going to be a long job.

"Barmaid," Alec called out as he sat on a stool adjacent to the others. "The usual, if you please."

He waited for his drink to arrive, resting his hands on the twin blades tied to his belt, occasionally fiddling with the short bow string to be sure it was taunt and ready for action.

[nyttyn]

Decarde laughs at Letus "Hah, you're just mad because your blundering tongue cost you free drinks. Anyways, well.." He shrugs "Looking for work, I guess? Anything I can do to help people out. Perhaps get a few coins for kitty treats. Most paladins turn down rewards..." Taking a final pull from his drink, he shakes his head as he places the tankard back down "But most paladins don't realize that a richer paladin can do more good. Afterall, tools to slay evil are very expensive, and we've not yet reached the point where being a paladin earns you free stuff from every shopkeep." Shrugging, he leans back in his chair, laughing "I have to say, being a vampire doesn't help either. It takes ten minutes for the guy behind the counter to stop cowering for long enough to actually realize I mean him no harm, and that I'm not trying to racketeer him, and...it's obnoxious, really. You sorcerer and oracle types don't have to worry about the asanine conditions that come with being a champion of justice. Just ONCE i'd like to... " He raises his arms in mock defeat, saying "Bah. Pelor would have my head if I said anything out loud. He can be a bit of a uptight ass sometimes like that. "

[Ryuken]

Still distracted with her funny looking drink, trying to figure out, what that was, Amalia was only vaguely aware of the new person, who didn't look like the usual harbor man or sailor at all.

Slightly suprised she looked up to Decarde: "But he don't mind you talking about him like that?", she wondered.
"We're currently looking for some work to earn some coin, too. Could as well look together instead of being each others competition, no?"

[rngrbob]

The Barmaid nods acknowledging Alec's drink order smiling as she heads over back to the bar. "Coming right up." After finishing handing orders to the rest of the patrons with in the Dragons Eye. The tavern has gotten slightly more crowded do to the fact the harbor men and sailors have finished what they were doing down at the docks and came in to have a drink and a meal.

The barmaid quickly back over with Alec's drink he ordered. "Here's your drink." She smiles at him with her youthful child like smile. Once the drinks handed to him, the barmaid heads back around to the other patrons who entered to take care of their orders. As you guys are talking a non script local young man enters headed towards the bar as he talks to the Barkeep. As they talk he holds up about six sealed envelopes, as they finish speaking the man hands the barkeep them as the he nods in agreement with the young man. After the man hands the barkeeper the envelopes, shakes their hand then he talks to barkeep once more briefly then turns around heading for the door outside.