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Tall Stone was the capital of the Dwarven Kingdom of Loqwood, many dwarves, humans, and halflings lived here with the additional dragonborn, teifling, and half elf every once in a while. Lately the city has been over flowing with people since the war of the west brought refugees running for their lives from the undead. But the west did not concern most dwarves, the people of the mountain had more pressing issues of their own should one wish to see them out.

We now look into the Rusty Pickaxe, a Tavern on the Second Level of the city. 1st Level is the Mines, 2nd Level is ground level, having a lot of shops and such, 3rd level and fourth are residential, 5th level is for the wealthiest people and the royal family! This tavern is an old one but a good one, stories of Heros saving refugees from the undead litter the air, along with stories of an elvish assassin named Valeran who may or may not have entered town four moons ago. A halfling bard sings a song of Father Gaston, a corrupt Cleric said to be trying to summon demons in the cathedral on the fourth level of the city and a human fighter is challenging people to bar fights. At the counter sits a dwarf with no mustache but a thick brown beard looking to be around a hundred and twenty (middle aged, early forties) he finishes his flagon of Apple Ale and lays down a gold piece. "This town may be filled with beautiful faces such as me self, but Tall Stone is got so much mer corruption then thr last time I was here..."

Bathe had been living here with his human girl friend for close to a year now and this was his favorite tavern after a long day of running Monty's Magic Item Emporium all day a level above this one. 'How ya doin Spellhorn?' The Dwarven bar keep asked, a few pints in himself. "It's SpellBORN Orisk... And I'm doing fine, Evelyn's doing well, Monty is just a bit of a bastard sometimes but you know how Wizards are."

Bathe was a Sorcerer, someone with magic within their bodies opposed to research and using arcane items as Wizards do, or Warlocks who use their worship of demons and fiends to supply their abilities. But how Bathe got magic, so hardily imbedded into his body was a mystery involving his large tattoo on his back and wrapping onto a bit of his chest and stomach.

"The usual Blood Stone Red Wine, bottle and a single glass, thanks Orisk," Bathe put four gold pieces on the table and looked over the the Dwarf next to him, "your not a usual, new in Tall Stone or are you returning home??"

Adrik finished his drink and leaned over the bar, spitting into the spittoon on the other side. Flagging to the tender for another drink he didn't even look at the half elf as he responded, "the latter, I was born here and left about a hundred and five years ago..." He had traveled around for a bit after his single mother fell ill and died when he was fifteen, but eventually landed in the city of Rhaynos where he stayed for about 75 years before returning to the world to do a bit more sight seeing, "...and now I'm finally back..." Orisk handed the unfamiliar dwarf a tankard, Adrik nodded to the man and began drinking again.

Bathe looked at the man, "so your from Rhaynos... I've lived there for a year or so... before the Warlock came that is." Sesco Shadorian was a dreaded Warlock by the name of Death Touch who took over the entire Western Lingdom of Far Horne along with it's capital Rhaynos. He had been conjuring Undead for a while, the High Elves of Sapphire Reach couldn't breach the kingdom, the Dwarves of the Loqwood couldn't break though the southern cliffs, the Dragonborn of the Ember Isles couldn't even find a good entrance from the northern seas. Rhaynos was impenetrable and there was nothing to do but help the escaping Refugees, "I was out of the kingdom only four months before the Warlock rose his undead army and..."

Bathe stopped, he could tell that by recanting the events out west was drawing too much attention to him and causing a few of the taverns guests to tear up. A few million lives had been lost and more fell by every passing day. "I'm sorry, I should watch my tongue on such sensitive topics." And with that people began going back to their drinks, "tell me about yourself mister...? Um, well you seem very interesting!" As Orisk brought back Bathes bottle of Blood Stone Wine he poured himself a glass and the cast a small spell. Bathe's sorcerer tattoos began to glow faintly from underneath his shirt and his hand began to freeze slightly, chilling his drink as he raised it to his lips. A few looked over, but using "Chill Touch" was a classic Bathe quirk.

The Dwarven rogue looked into his cup and then over at Bathe, "thanks for the history lesson lad but it wasn't anything I didn't know." As the half elf used his arcane ice hand to drink his beverage Adrik got a bit more curious, "your a wizard are ya?" Chuckling a bit he added, "well isn't that neat." Another gulp of his drink took the rest of the ale from his flagon and the drink was gone. He slammed it on the bar gesturing for a third and final pour, Orish Did so but held his hand out for another coin. A silver fell into Orisks hand and the bartender grunted hoping it would be more.

Calling a Sorcerer a Wizard was just as offensive as calling a Ranger a Rogue or a Wizard a Warlock, "I'm a sorcerer you dimwit." This was one of a select few things that made Bathe mad, he also hated Dragons, wasn't to fond of the Dragonborn Race, and refused to learn or use fire based magic. "Wizard use books to use magic that they don't deserve, they didn't earn the magic, and Warlocks just use their evil gods to get dark magic...!" He opened his shirt and turned from Adrik, "my name is Bathe Spellborne," his tattoos began to glow, "and I am a Sorcerer!"

Adrik laughed at Bathe's enthusiastic bark at him, "you got a fire to ya self Bathe, names Sharp," Adrik spat on his hand and offered Bathe a gentalmen's shake, "Adrik Sharp, Rogue, Marksman, bounty hunter, and collector of previously possessed goods." Reaching for Bathe's non-ice hand he shook the skinny hand and then retracted his own hand. "Good to meet an Elf who is only half a prick."

Bathe wiped his saliva covered hand off on his pant leg, he wasn't effected by elf jokes as he was by quacks against being a sorcerer. "Yeah and it's good to meet yet another dwarf who spits on his hand before he shakes. Bathe finished his glass of wine and poured himself another with him Chill Touch hand. "What brought you back to Tall Stone then Mister Sharp? You don't look like a refugee."

Adrik shook his head, "nah I left the Far Horne almost thirty years ago... Just traveling around the Six kingdoms obtaining rare items and selling them to the appropriate buyers, I also dabble in bounty hunting..." He pulled out a wanted poster and placed it on the table, "five thousand gold pieces for a Goliath by the name of Relic, apparently he is the last one seen with Lord and Lady Twinleaf before they were found murdered along with their..." Adrik stopped himself, his voice was getting a bit to exited, "their daughter... They don't know if Relic killed them so that's why the poster says Wanted Alive, but still... Good money."

Bathe gave Adrik an odd look, "so your a thief who is a part time bounty hunter?" He looked around, "helping people who pay you then robbing them blind, that's a bit awkward isn't it?? Doesn't give much room for repeat business." Bathe couldn't say he wasn't interested by the wanted poster though, Goliaths were normally seven to eight feet tall and this one was over nine! It would be interesting to use his spells to fight instead of chill wine and actually read his customers thoughts.

Adrik chuckled, "it's all something like that." Pulling the wanted poster back he looked at the half elf, "ya know I could really use a partner for this one..." Adrik could use Bathe's expertise in magic as a was to bring the Goliath back alive then collect the reward and rob the sorcerer blind! All around good plan, "come Bathe, first thing tomorrow morning what do you say you and I head out and catch ourselves a suspected murderer?!?"

Bathe's mind began racing, this was exiting. He would have to sleep on it of course but this sounded exiting, "I'll have to call off work, and tell Eve about our little trip..." The thing was things were a bit awkward right now between him and Eve, he had accidentally opened a letter addressed to her, thinking nothing of it he skimmed it. Evelyn Manchester had been summoned to the Tall Stone branch of Bahamut, she had been accepted to the Holy order of the Paladin and would eventually have to go to the city of St. Dour two kingdoms and a sea away... Making a friend out of Adrik was probably really good for Bathe, "can I get this bottle recorded and to go?"

As Bathe had the bar tender wrap up his wine, Adrik saluted the Sorcerer. "I'll meet you at the cities edge around ten, if your not there by eleven I'm heading out alone. Standing up Adrik made his way outside sending a half wave to Bathe as he left. Outside the mountain air was cold and the Owlbear Inn was a few blocks away, it was good to be back though. Tall Stone had definitely changed but not all of it was for the bad, "tomorrow my real adventure begins..."

Bathe went home that night and curled up next to Evelyn, she must have gone to bed early. She had been going to sleep at sunset ever since she got this cold, nothing bad but it explain why she wasn't up like she usually was at this time. "Damn, I even left Rusty's early..." He turned over and fell asleep only to wake up early the next morning too, "you really must be tired." Bathe looked out the window at the rising sun and smiled as he pulled out a piece of parchment and began to write:

Dearest Evelyn,

I am going away for the weekend, il will be back Sunday evening, Monday morning at the very latest. I am going on a quest with a Dwarven friend I made at Rusty's Pickaxe. Should be exiting, see you soon!

Love You , Bathe

Placing a healing potion on the corner of the parchment for her to hopefully take he smile and wrote one last thing on the letter.

P.S. I know you hate the taste of healing potions but please take it, it'll make you feel better sugar!

He smiled as he packed one change of cloths, two healing potions for himself, and a tooth brush. He kissed the sleeping Eve's forehead and heading out of the small house he locked the door behind him. "Time for a great day, and with the crisp Friday air flowing through his hair he slipped a second letter, under the door of Monty's Magical Item Emporium. This was the last thing he needed to do before he finally made his way to the edge of the city to meet up with Adrik.

"Exactly at ten, nice to see ya Spellborne," Adrik said looking at the sky. "I see ya packed a good amount, but are you ready to take down a half giant killer??" His words were meant to spook but he could tell by the gleam in Bathe's eye that he was exited for this quest, and so as they headed west into the forest outside the mountainous city Adrik began rolling a coin between his knuckles. This was going to be a grand hunt indeed!

About two weeks ago Relic had rescued the daughter of a noble family. Attacked by a Wyvern that then kidnapped their daughter, Relic had ventured into the high sitting nest of the beast and not only slayed the fire-less dragon creature, but returned the daughter nearly unharmed. When he had returned he found a pack of Goblins had murdered the parents, this is where he decided to hunt down the goblin horde and not only killed them and their Bugbear leader Bigsby, but he continued to keep the little girl safe.

Relic now was on his way to Tall Stone with the girl on his back to hopefully get in contact with her family. But as the Sorcerer and the Rogue approached Relic lifted the girl and put her into a near by tree, pulling out his axe, "who goes thar??"

Adrik reacts instantly pulling a dagger out and turning, taking cover behind a tree. "Your wanted alive Goliath, so come on and lay yer weapon down!"

Bathe mimicked Adrik's movement, planting his back to a tree, he then began to focus and his tattoos glowed faintly, "Detect Thoughts," he whispered. Focusing on the Goliath he read the creatures mind, confusion and a lack of understanding swelled with something else, a sense of father like protection of someone of another blood. Widening his radius he heard her, a scared little girl having nothing but trust for this half giant. Relic didn't kill the nobles, but he himself did avenge their death. "Adrik, he is innocent!" He came out from behind the tree, "the girl is in a tree a few feet back, he saved her and avenged her parents, Mister Relic, lay down your axe and we will work this out!"

Relic looks at the sorcerer then back to the area that Adrik is hiding behind. "Your friends gonna stab me..." He looked back at Bathe then dropped his axe as he looked over his shoulder, he could take a dwarf with daggers, but he was useless against mages and magic and he knew it. "If you try sumpin' I will rip your arms off Dwarf!"

Adrik looked out at Bathe stepping out and believed this to only be a distraction, stealthing through the brush he appeared near the Goliath, but before he went in for the kill he heard the voice of a young girl Big man, watch out! The Dwarven rogue stopped, looking up he stood, "wait what?" He said to himself could this all be true? Standing up Adrik put his knife back in the holster, "Kord damnit... I was really looking forward to that paycheck too..."