Heralds

[Acacea]

At some point well into the downward spiral Liwich was caught in, Tori returned to the Arms in a sour mood after another job-gone-wrong. Though she still reeked of some combination of sewage, blood, and undeath, she paused on her way past the entry to the common room at hearing something out of Liwich. She entered slowly, pausing at the bar to listen to the talk. Sickness. Prophecies. Her name on the lips of magical doomsayers. Heh! The Reluctant, indeed. 

Dragons. World shouldn't have things with so much power even when they're dead, but she could sure as strife say the same for the stonebound.

It'd faded to background for a bit, the initial revulsion and alarm retreating before the silence and long days of routine. Back in full force now, though. Didn't seem to be a formal bounty, but then. Anyone capable of bringing in Vrebel would be asking Ausir. Back in her room, after a much needed wash, she thumbed through some of her notes. No way any of the plans she'd made would survive this unless she owned it, but talking like she'd mattered would bring heat she couldn't handle. She'd been useful like a glass hammer. There was nothing in the whole rotten mess of it she could even pick out as belonging to her line of work - she shouldn't even have been there. They'd needed covering like dragons need crossbows.

If there'd been a bounty, evading other hunters and collecting on herself would've been the best she could hope for her name, pull together her fraying reputation. Her eyes flicked back to the other scroll, not needing to unroll it to see the marks scratched on it or bring old faces back to mind. Still work yet to do. No way she could get locked in a cell or fed to a dragon before it was done. The series of marks on the scroll formed a series of names, real and false, and many of the names had lines through them. One of those names was why she'd come to Leringard to begin with, and it was about time to cross it off.  

Finish the rest, and they could do what they want. Few months, say. She moved to pick up the crossbow once more and paused with her hand on it. Extend her leave indefinitely, put off Thoven and the halfer. She'd let herself get distracted, lulled into steady work and occasional mob charges without contract terms or clear boundaries and expectations. That was going to change.  

[cbnicholson]

Letters within Letters,

From Liwich Daniel dispatches two packets, one addressed to Jo Poetr and the other to Charlie Poetr.  Inside each are written instructions to his sons to deliver the enclosed letters and await a reply if any is forthcoming and return word to him in Liwich of any responses.  All three letters are the same.  They are addressed to Xora of Dregar, Xora's tower.  The delivery is charged to Charlie.  The other two letters are to Moraken of Hlint and the Witch of Silkwood.  Jo is asked to visit both of these.  The letters read as follows,

To: Moraken, Witch of Silkwood, Xora (appropriate titles included)

As you may or may not be aware, there is a plague upon the lands.  Those of Aeridin, Rofirein, and Toran and others have dispatched aid to Dregar  to combat this plague.  I am writing in the hopes that you may possess some lore to help in this fight.   I will be blunt, it was my own actions that brought about this curse and I ask humbly for any aid or wisdom you can bear on the matter. Enclosed are my present observations and a minor cure wrought by the Aeridinites that has had some limited success on the plague if the victim is treated early enough.  I believe this contagion to be in the very air we breath and wrought by the dark magic of one great black dragon, the Black Plague.  The young man who delivered this will return any information you wish to impart upon the Gold's servant with haste.  As a matter of history, I am made aware that a similiar plague struck many years ago and was battled successfully by Plenarius, the Bird Lord.  I would ask for his aid, but none have seen or heard from him in some time and none that I have asked know how to contact him.  I thank you for your consideration and time.

Sincerely,

Daniel Benjamin Poetr, High Protector of Rofirein's Law and Knight Captain of the Wyrm.

Liwich Kingom, further location undisclosed.