"Did'nt you herd? They are no more Weetch Hun' ters anymore." Cedric Claivor was no longer offended when he was spoken to in this way. Once, people would trip over there overlarge feet to bring him information, but now he is just given odd looks in his boiled leather, dyed a dark green. He even had to remove the cape that he had once so proudly wore, because it had been stained by so many rotten fruits thrown at him. The bartender was looking at Cedric as quizzically as his simple face could manage, as if he expected Cedric to suddenly turn into a poetry writing dragon at any moment. "Are ye gonna buy somethin? If not then git!" Cedric turned on the spot doing his best to hide his fury behind the usual stony expression. On his way out the people who were sitting at the tables in the Golden Boar's Inn sneered or averted their stares to their worn boots. Cedric practically kicked down the door on his way out, leaving an impression of his muddy boot on the door.
"Grunt?" Grunt the orc was waiting for Cedric, since orcs were not allowed inside the inn. Cedric wistfully thought back to when he was considered to be one of the top hunters. He had multiple leashed mages at his disposal, but now he just had Grunt. Cedric wasn't exactly sure what the orc's name really was, but since the only words Grunt said was "Grunt" Cedric had decided that was to be his name.
Cedric stormed past Grunt, agitatedly muttering under his breath about his lost glory. Grunt faithfully followed the upset Cedric down the street. Cedric began talking out loud, "What do these Ithanian commoners know about Witch Hunting? Why do they conceal a mage, even if it one of them?" Grunt gave a loud grunt. Cedric paused in his brisk walk to consider what Grunt had said. "You are right, we aren't even sure if the mage is still here, but we would be able to find him much faster if the locals would comply." By now Cedric and Grunt had reached a different inn, where they would be spending the night. Cedric had booked a room, while Grunt had booked the stables, to the displeasure of the horses.
It had grown late, and the inn was now serving its supper to all the guests. Cedric was more fond of the gossip that the people spread than the food itself. Tonight was no different than the last three nights that he had spent hear. The so called food was a week old fish in watery broth, a stale roll, and ale that might have actually been water with a hint of flavoring. The meal was eaten, and the plates cleared. Here was where the gossip began to flow, especially since there were serving wenches constantly refilling everyone's watery brew. Cedric dramatically yawned and announced so everyone in the room could hear him, "I think I will retire for the evening." Cedric began to walk up the steps that lead to the rooms, but had no intention of sleeping. The inn had been cheaply built, so the walls and floors were quite thin, and if you left your door open, you could hear the conversation of everyone at the inn's dining area. Once the commoners thought he had left the room, they began to talk about him. "Do ya think he'll catch Jonny?" There was a sudden burst of laughter from one of the women seated at the table, "I would like to see that man try, and he don't even know where to look!" After that the conversation moved away to the Deathlings, as most conversations seem to steer to in these days.
Cedric decided that the peasants were not going to continue talking about their mage friend Jonny. He unbuckled his sabre belt, and then removed the boiled leather armoring. He then removed his lapis restraints, and flopped onto his bed stuffed with hay. It did not take long for him to drift off into a slight but sound sleep.
His sleep was suddenly interrupted by the sounds of footsteps outside his door. It was very late into the night, and Cedric had already heard the rest of the peasants retire. He heard a murmur of voices from outside his door, and then he heard them move down the steps. Quietly, Cedric stood from his bed, and pulled the sabre out from its sheath laying it on the bed. Cedric grabbed the lapis restraints from where they laid on his bedside table, and clipped them onto his side. Cedric looked towards his one remaining lapis grenade and decided to grab it just in case things started getting out of hand. He proceeded to pick up the sabre from the bed and proceeded to open his door and walk into the hall. Cedric could hear the murmur of voices coming from the dining area, though he could not distinguish any of the voices from the one another. Cedric walked down the first two steps and then peered through the railing. From here he was able to see the entire room, and the people. There were three of them, the innkeeper, his wife, and another man whom Cedric had previously seen at supper. The innkeeper's wife was opening the storage closet where all the food as kept, which included the disgustingly salty fish that Cedric had eaten that evening. Cedric was hoping beyond hope that he would see the mage walk out from the closet, but alas the innkeeper's wife started to bring out fish and ale.
Cedric was about to return to his room dismayed, when he saw the innkeeper and the man begin to move the bar counter. Cedric watched as the two men moved aside the very bar table that he had eaten at that evening. They only moved it a few feet, but it revealed a trapdoor hidden underneath. The innkeeper's wife walked over to the trap door and knocked three times at it. After moments pause the trapdoor opened to reveal a thin looking man pushing the trap door open. The innkeeper helped the man out and brought him to a table near the hearth. The innkeeper's wife brought out the fish and ale and set it before him. The innkeeper said to his wife, "Go grab some kindling, we will start a fire for him." The man from the trapdoor said, "No allow me." He raised his hand and mumbled a few words under his breath. The wood seemed to start sparking embers and then a fire crackled into existence.
Cedric grimly smiled and thought, Gotcha. He expertly flicked the lapis grenade against the wooden rail. The friction of it caused the grenade to light. Cedric drew back his arm and threw the grenade into the room.
Stay tuned for the next part!
"Grunt?" Grunt the orc was waiting for Cedric, since orcs were not allowed inside the inn. Cedric wistfully thought back to when he was considered to be one of the top hunters. He had multiple leashed mages at his disposal, but now he just had Grunt. Cedric wasn't exactly sure what the orc's name really was, but since the only words Grunt said was "Grunt" Cedric had decided that was to be his name.
Cedric stormed past Grunt, agitatedly muttering under his breath about his lost glory. Grunt faithfully followed the upset Cedric down the street. Cedric began talking out loud, "What do these Ithanian commoners know about Witch Hunting? Why do they conceal a mage, even if it one of them?" Grunt gave a loud grunt. Cedric paused in his brisk walk to consider what Grunt had said. "You are right, we aren't even sure if the mage is still here, but we would be able to find him much faster if the locals would comply." By now Cedric and Grunt had reached a different inn, where they would be spending the night. Cedric had booked a room, while Grunt had booked the stables, to the displeasure of the horses.
It had grown late, and the inn was now serving its supper to all the guests. Cedric was more fond of the gossip that the people spread than the food itself. Tonight was no different than the last three nights that he had spent hear. The so called food was a week old fish in watery broth, a stale roll, and ale that might have actually been water with a hint of flavoring. The meal was eaten, and the plates cleared. Here was where the gossip began to flow, especially since there were serving wenches constantly refilling everyone's watery brew. Cedric dramatically yawned and announced so everyone in the room could hear him, "I think I will retire for the evening." Cedric began to walk up the steps that lead to the rooms, but had no intention of sleeping. The inn had been cheaply built, so the walls and floors were quite thin, and if you left your door open, you could hear the conversation of everyone at the inn's dining area. Once the commoners thought he had left the room, they began to talk about him. "Do ya think he'll catch Jonny?" There was a sudden burst of laughter from one of the women seated at the table, "I would like to see that man try, and he don't even know where to look!" After that the conversation moved away to the Deathlings, as most conversations seem to steer to in these days.
Cedric decided that the peasants were not going to continue talking about their mage friend Jonny. He unbuckled his sabre belt, and then removed the boiled leather armoring. He then removed his lapis restraints, and flopped onto his bed stuffed with hay. It did not take long for him to drift off into a slight but sound sleep.
His sleep was suddenly interrupted by the sounds of footsteps outside his door. It was very late into the night, and Cedric had already heard the rest of the peasants retire. He heard a murmur of voices from outside his door, and then he heard them move down the steps. Quietly, Cedric stood from his bed, and pulled the sabre out from its sheath laying it on the bed. Cedric grabbed the lapis restraints from where they laid on his bedside table, and clipped them onto his side. Cedric looked towards his one remaining lapis grenade and decided to grab it just in case things started getting out of hand. He proceeded to pick up the sabre from the bed and proceeded to open his door and walk into the hall. Cedric could hear the murmur of voices coming from the dining area, though he could not distinguish any of the voices from the one another. Cedric walked down the first two steps and then peered through the railing. From here he was able to see the entire room, and the people. There were three of them, the innkeeper, his wife, and another man whom Cedric had previously seen at supper. The innkeeper's wife was opening the storage closet where all the food as kept, which included the disgustingly salty fish that Cedric had eaten that evening. Cedric was hoping beyond hope that he would see the mage walk out from the closet, but alas the innkeeper's wife started to bring out fish and ale.
Cedric was about to return to his room dismayed, when he saw the innkeeper and the man begin to move the bar counter. Cedric watched as the two men moved aside the very bar table that he had eaten at that evening. They only moved it a few feet, but it revealed a trapdoor hidden underneath. The innkeeper's wife walked over to the trap door and knocked three times at it. After moments pause the trapdoor opened to reveal a thin looking man pushing the trap door open. The innkeeper helped the man out and brought him to a table near the hearth. The innkeeper's wife brought out the fish and ale and set it before him. The innkeeper said to his wife, "Go grab some kindling, we will start a fire for him." The man from the trapdoor said, "No allow me." He raised his hand and mumbled a few words under his breath. The wood seemed to start sparking embers and then a fire crackled into existence.
Cedric grimly smiled and thought, Gotcha. He expertly flicked the lapis grenade against the wooden rail. The friction of it caused the grenade to light. Cedric drew back his arm and threw the grenade into the room.
Stay tuned for the next part!
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