The woods were a bit thicker around the small village, but not overly so. They passed a large farm to the north of the road and a blacksmith‘s forge. Not far beyond, they could see the crossroads at the center of the village, with an open-air market, an inn, and a tavern. All four were looking forward to a good night’s sleep and a meal. The sun had begun to set behind them, and as night fell, their energy went with it. They made their way to the Aerie Inn.
Stepping inside, they saw the sign on the wall greeting them:
For more than a century, The Aerie Inn has welcomed travelers from far and wide. Step inside and rest your weary bones.
Rooms are available by the day, week, or month. Please check in with our front desk keeper to inquire about availability.
– Bellasiel Perxidor, Proprietor.
Surprisingly, Ninette stopped the others at the door. Puzzled, they did as asked while Ninette walked up to the counter. At the registration desk, the clerk looked bored and almost annoyed by the appearance of new patrons. As Ninette reached the counter, they pulled back the hood of their robe slightly, and instantly, the clerk’s face and demeanor changed. The clerk perked up, smiling, and suddenly moving quickly. With some quick gesturing and nods from Ninette, the conversation was quickly over, and Ninette pulled the hood of their robe back to its customary position. Returning to the party, Ninette said, “Our rooms have been taken care of.”
Agnese had watched the exchange between Ninette and the clerk and was puzzled. It had taken less than a minute. “What do you mean, ‘taken care of’? How do you know what we can afford?”
“That is of no concern. The rooms are ours to use for as long as we desire,” Ninette replied.
“I don’t get it. You walked up, talked to the guy for a minute, and our rooms are ‘taken care of’? Why? What do we owe them?” Courtenay was pressing for answers, but by Ninette’s demeanor, none were coming.
“Let us go next door to the tavern and have a meal,” Ninette responded. Confused, the party agreed, and they gathered their packs and headed to the tavern next door, the Dragon's Stein Tavern. As they entered, they could see that despite the fading light outside, the tavern’s interior afforded a substantial amount of light due to its many windows. Lanterns and candles on each table and the bar top kept the darkness at bay. And at one end of the tavern was a large fireplace with four comfortable chairs surrounding it. Men occupied two of the chairs. The rest of the tavern was mildly busy, but it was early for the crowd to come in.
From behind the bar, a half-elf called out to them. “Come on in! ‘Ave a seat! We’ll be with ye in a jif!” The four of them found an empty table and pulled up chairs. Agnese sat and began to scan the room, a habit he picked up while in the Academy. A couple of half-orcs at one table. A man drinking alone at the bar. A couple flirting at a darker corner table. And the two men near the fireplace. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Courtenay was observing as well, but for a different reason. “Ok, so who do I get to buy me a drink?”
The corners of Ninette’s mouth curled up into a subtle smile, “No need.”
“Hang on!” Courtenay blurted out. “I didn’t sign up for a drink-free excursion!”
As she spoke, the Inn’s clerk walked into the tavern through the kitchen door and went straight to the barkeeper, whispering in his ear. The barkeeper nodded, looking directly at the party, then glancing over at the men by the fireplace. He nodded toward the party, and the larger of the two men smiled and nodded back. The clerk from the Aerie Inn walked over to the party’s table.
“Your rooms are being prepared as we speak. If you will, please enjoy some beverages and a meal, and by the time you are satisfied, we will have your rooms ready.”
Ninette nodded. “Thank you. We shall take your advice to heart. Anything you suggest here?”
“Why yes! I am very partial to the braised oxtails. But be careful with the Khellanic Ale. It goes down smoothly but sneaks up on you,” replied the clerk.
“The Khellanic Ale it is!” laughed Courtenay.
“I must go attend to your rooms. Enjoy!” The clerk quickly exited through the same door he entered, and Beivalur noticed that the smaller of the two men by the fireplace was now speaking to the barkeeper. “It seems we have drawn some attention. Ninette, what did you say to the clerk?”
“I simply let him know we needed four rooms. He indicated he had some people checking out and that he would gladly accommodate us.”
“And how much are these rooms going to cost us?” asked Agnese.
“Nothing. They were apparently already taken care of, as are our meals and drinks. I believe this may have been Elindine’s doing, although how they knew before we got here is beyond my reasoning. I saw nothing pass us on the road in this direction.”
“Strange,” added Beivalur. “Elindine might have known we were coming, but there was no way she could have told the people here.”
The small man had returned to his seat and apparently said something funny to the bigger man. The latter let go a belly laugh that seemingly shook the room. The big man looked toward the party and smiled, then waved over to the barkeeper and gave him a gesture that looked like he was drawing a circle in the air.
A server appeared from the kitchen, approached the bar, grabbed four steins, and headed to the party’s table. Approaching, she said, “Our brown ale, Dragon’s Belly, for the table, courtesy of the gentleman over there.” She nodded toward the fireplace, and the big man raised his stein to them. The party nodded in thanks. Courtenay smiled his way and said to her table-mates, “Well, maybe I will get my drinks paid for…”
“Can I get you something to eat?” asked the server. Courtenay ordered the trout fillets while Beivalur and Agnese took the clerk’s advice and ordered the oxtails. Ninette ordered honey glazed carrots and parsnips. The server thanked them for their order and headed back to the kitchen. The ale was earthy and nutty, and a bit heavy, but all four found it quite tasty.
“Something’s off,” Agnese said. “Free food, free lodging, free drink. I feel like we’re being set-up for something.”
“While I agree that something seems a bit strange, Oatspell, I don’t feel we are being trapped. But I do believe we were brought here for a reason. I feel like this was arranged.” Beivalur spoke in his usual, calm tones. “Someone wanted us to here, right where we are.”
“Very perceptive, Mosae.” The larger man had somehow approached them without being noticed. “I had you all sent this way. I am Hargus Hurryhouse“
All four were taken by surprise. Hargus Hurryhouse was both a hero and a villain, depending on who you asked. He was friendly with nobles and thieves, the destitute, and the wealthy beyond belief. And his exploits as an adventurer were legendary, if true. What would this man need of four disparate travelers, recently graduated from school?
Hargus looked Courtenay directly in the eyes and laughed. “If you keep that mouth open any longer, you might catch a fly!” It wasn’t often that Courtenay blushed. This was one of those times.
“What do you mean, you had us sent here? What do you want with us?” Agnese knew something was wrong. He knew it!
“Be at ease, Oatspell. I want nothing from you that you don’t want for yourself. You are looking for a way to increase your standing with the Royal Guard, and you need the experience to do that. Based on your reactions, you all have heard of me. And if so, then you know I am very well-connected. I want to offer all of you the opportunity to get what you want.”
“So then, what? We owe you, and you hold that over us?” Agnese had moved his hand to the hilt of his sword.
The smaller man had moved to the table. “I suggest you take your hand off that sword. Drawing that would be a supremely bad idea.”
“Easy Faz, he won’t draw it. He’s in a weak position sitting down. He couldn’t draw it fast enough. It is meant as intimidation.” Hargus let out another hardy laugh. “No, Oatspell, I have been in business far too long to give anything for free first. How do I know that I can trust you?”
“Trust us?? According to you, you’re the one that got us here! Why should we trust you?” Courtenay had gotten over her embarrassment. She did not like being tricked.
“Trust me? Hah! You shouldn’t!” Hargus laughed again. It was hard to stay mad at someone who seemed so jovial, but still, he had tricked them. “What I propose is a mutual arrangement. I have a few matters that need attending to that I cannot be directly involved in, for reasons that may become apparent later. Miss NIghtglade, you are looking for adventure and meaning beyond your family. Oatspell, you want to climb the ranks of the Guard. Mosae, you wish to hone your healing skills to bring health and honor to your tribe, And, Ninette, is it? You seek answers. Ones I can likely provide, should I trust the person with which I share them. I can deliver all these things to the four of you. But I must know that you can be trusted.”
It took very little imagination to realize that this information came straight from Elindine in Orsholon City. But how did HE get the information? Ninette was used to being a watcher, not the watched.
Faz glanced at Agnese then said to Hargus, “Our guardsman seems unconvinced.” Hargus let loose chuckle.”I would expect no less!” Hargus directed himself to Agnese. “Oatspell, you are wise to be skeptical. It will serve you well. I propose the following: I have tasks that need to be accomplished. I would prefer the four of you accomplish them together, as they require a variety of skills. Each accomplished will raise my trust in you, and as you complete them, I hope it will also raise your trust in my motives. Also, I will pay handsomely for even the most mundane task. Your rooms, your food, and your drink have all been paid for. And will continue to be as long as you are working with me. I suggest you talk amongst yourselves and sleep on it. I’ll be here in the morning, and you can let me know then. If you decide not to accept my offer, then you can be on your way to Lawcrane. However, if you do, I can tell you that you will not regret it.” Hargus raised his stein to the party. “Enjoy your meal, and rest well!” And with that, he and Faz went back to their chairs and resumed their conversation.
The party sat in stunned silence. In terms of money, Hargus was good to his word. It would be difficult to find anyone who had amassed as large a personal wealth as he was reported to have done. And he certainly did have connections. Ninette knew that he likely did have the answers they sought.
Not surprisingly, Courtenay was the first to speak up. “Well, that was unexpected. I’ve heard plenty of ‘Hargus’ stories, but I suspected most were just made up. Now I’m sitting here, and the guy has made us an offer to work for him.”
Beivalur sat quietly. His reaction was muted, subtle. Ninette had picked up on Beivalur’s body language. “Beivalur,” she asked, “what are your thoughts on this?”
He looked at the rest of his group and took a deep breath. “I am torn, to be honest. As Hurryhouse said, I want to bring honor to my people and heal their ills. But I do not do this for money. Where is the honor if you are simply for hire? And yet, I do believe this could be a way to test and hone my skills.” Beivalur shook his head. “I am unsure of what is best. I must consider it.”
Agnese shook his head. “I didn’t go to the Academy to become a merc. But the stories I heard about this guy from the Academy brass were pretty impressive. They like the guy. They aren’t sold on all his methods, but they like him. I don’t know.”
Courtenay jumped in. “Hey, I’m just looking for something new, and if this guy’s willing to pay me for it, bring it on. You guys have a problem with the money? Give it to me! I don’t have any moral objections to it.” They all laughed at Courtenay’s honesty. “No, Nightglade, I suppose you don’t,” chuckled the Mosae.
“We should sleep on it. Let us finish our meals and get some rest. Those who wish to continue to Lawcrane can simply gather outside the Inn at daybreak. If you choose to change your path, meet at this table instead.” The rest of the party agreed with Ninette’s suggestion. They ate their meals in near silence, each seemingly in deep thought about what hey would do. When they got up to leave, they looked back over toward the fireplace. Hargus raised his stein to them once again, and they left the tavern to return to the inn.
The clerk was waiting for them inside and showed them upstairs to their rooms. Each room was comfortable, albeit conservatively appointed. And each found a small pouch sitting on the bed. Attached to the pouch was a note, written in a beautiful hand.
“Please accept this gift as gratitude for listening to me. If you choose to meet with me in the morning, you will not regret it. But if not, and you choose to travel on to Lawcrane, then keep this gift as reparation for delaying your plans. – H.H.”
Beivalur was indeed torn. He did not start this trip with the idea of “healing for hire.” He simply wanted to improve his skills and become an asset to his tribe. But this offer would allow him to do just that. He had, like the others, heard the stories of Hurryhouse. They included tales of magnanimity and legends of fierce battles. He had been seen with the Royal Family and with the heads of criminal organizations. No one seems to know his motivations, but Hurryhouse was revered and feared through Orsholon, if not all of Arnathia.
Assisting Hurryhouse could be beneficial. But why four green travelers. Why not someone with more experience? Beivalur was unsure of what hos path should be. He would sleep on it.
He opened the pouch, and inside was a small flask. The pale green liquid inside looked familiar. Beivalur carefully removed the cork from the flask, and the scent immediately identified the liquid. He smiled as he recognized the aroma of pine, mountain sage, and mint. It immediately brought him to memories of home.
The flask was filled with what the Mosae called Iceshock. Mixing this syrupy liquid with water or tea would act as a healing agent, and was especially good for burns of all kinds. It also gave a temporary boost to the strength and agility of its consumer. The boost was short-lasting, but usually enough to allow a warrior to finish their battle or escape. This was a specifically Mosae concoction and was exceedingly rare. In fact, Beivalur’s instructors had only seen it once or twice in their careers, as it was usually retained by the tribal leaders and only given to warriors going to battle. Such battles hadn’t happened in decades.
How did Hurryhouse come to obtain such a rare item, and give it so freely? No matter what path Beivalur chose, this flask would serve him well. The flask did nothing to help Beivalur make his decision. Indeed, it made it more difficult for him to discern the right path.
The Mosae lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling. Sleep would not come easily this night.
Agnese rose just before daybreak. He cleaned up, made sure his clothing was up for muster, and then realized he had, without thinking, unpacked and placed all his belongings into the small dresser in his room. Subconsciously, he had already made up his mind. This would be his base camp, at least for no. He knew enough of Hurryhoue to know he did not shirk his word. He would see what Hurryhouse had in mind.
He left his weaponry behind and headed down to the lobby of the inn. The ever-present clerk looked up from his ledger and smiled, a smile that gave the impression he expected to see Agnese. “Good morning, Mr. Oatspell!”
“Good morning. Have you seen the rest of my party?”
“No, sir. You are the first,” replied the clerk.
Agnese nodded. “Thank you.” he had expected to be first but had hoped he wouldn’t be the only one. He made his way outside and began the short walk to the tavern. Looking around, he saw no one. If they weren’t coming to the tavern, they might have already left. The sun was beginning shine it’s rays through the trees. He pulled open the door and let his eyes adjust to the candlelight inside. As he walked in, he heard a voice from the corner.
“Good day, Agnese.” Ninette was sitting at a table, drinking what appeared to be a tea. “I see you’ve decided as I have.”
“I don’t have an assignment yet. It wouldn’t hurt to get some more experience or a letter of recommendation,” Agnese responded. “what about you? And how long have you been here? The clerk at the inn said that I was the only one they had seen.”
“Of course he did. It’s hard to see someone leave when your head is on the counter, and you are dead asleep.”. Agnese thought he detected a hint of humor in Ninette’s voice. “I decided fairly quickly last night that the information I need is likely in Hurryhouse’s possession.”
As Ninette finished speaking, the door opened, and Beivalur walked in. The sun had started to peek over the trees and through the many windows of the tavern. It acted as a backlight to anyone coming through the door and made the large Mosae’s silhouette even more imposing.
“Greetings, fellow travelers.” He walked to the table and sat. “I see more are as curious about these adventures as I am. No Nightglade?”
“Apparently not,” said Agnese, with a hint of relief in his voice. “I guess she decided to head on to Lawcrane.”
A door near the fireplace opened, and Hargus emerged. He approached the table, “Only three? Disappointing. But it will have to do. I hope you all found the gifts I had delivered for you. Now, let’s get down to business.” Just then, the door burst open, and an out of breath Courtenay stumbled over the threshold. “You guys are here! Whew, thought maybe you had all made your way to Lawcrane!” Courtenay was out of breath, panting, and chest heaving to recover. “I overslept and ran over here. Oh, hey, good morning, Mr. Hurryhouse!”
Hargus laughed. “And good morning to you, Miss Nightglade. And please, call me Hargus. Now, as I was saying, on to business. You don’t know me. You may know of me but aren’t sure what is true and what is a fable. Am I correct?” The group around the table nodded in agreement. ” And I don’t really know you. So we need to build mutual trust. Fair?” Again, the group agreed.
“Here is what I propose. Ultimately, I have a task that requires people that I can trust. But there are a few other matters here in Tremer that I would like to see taken care of first. If you choose to take on these tasks, you can determine whether I can be trusted and am good to my word. And I can determine the same of you.”
“At any time, you can choose to end our relationship and move on. And I can do the same. This should be a mutually beneficial arrangement. Before I go on, if this arrangement is not of interest to any of you, I ask that you leave now. Part of the trust I need to feel is that you can keep our agreement and relationship confidential. No discussing it, or the tasks I give you, with anyone. If you cannot abide by these requirements, then I must ask you to depart now, with my thanks for your time.”
The party looked at each other, then at Courtenay. “WHAT??? I can keep a secret! Zabelar!”
Hargus let out a hearty laugh and continued. “Since I see no one rising to leave, then welcome. As I mentioned, no one can know you are working with me. In fact, you should not mention my name. I assure you, I will find out, and that will be a grave breach of my trust.” Hargus’s demeanor had become very serious. “I do not take a breach of trust lightly.”
“Now, to the first task. Fubdo is the owner of the farm you passed on the way into Tremer. He’s actually quite well known, as is his Koronni. If you’ve never had that cheese, you’re missing a wonderful experience. In any case, He requires specific strains of grain and seed to grow in his fields. Lately, these and other supplies of his have been stolen from his farm. Without these grains, his ability to earn for his family and keep the farm healthy is severely impacted. I want you to find out what is happening and put a stop to it.”
“Start at the outdoor market. There is a job board there, and Fubdo has placed a note there looking for help. Inquire as it says on the note, and help Fubdo. When you have determined the problem, do what you can to rectify it, and report it back to me. And remember, do not mention my name. Any questions?”
The ever-inquisitive Courtenay jumped at the chance. “Why can’t we use your name?” The others shook their heads.
“Well, Miss Nightglade, a few reasons. Some I won’t share.” He looked her straight in the eyes. “First, however, I need to trust you, and what better way to earn that trust than keeping something secret as I have asked.” He paused, maintaining the eye contact until she looked down to escape it. Addressing all of them, he said, “Second, my name is well known. I can’t evaluate how effective you will be if you drop my name. My name carries a weight with it. Some may act in fear, others in respect. But they would be acting because of me, not you. I need to know if you can accomplish the tasks on your own.”
“And thirdly, some might give you opposition specifically because you mention me. It would be wise not to find out if that is the case. Any other questions?”
Agnese asked, “Do we find you here? I don’t imagine you stay in Tremer all the time.”
Hargus smiled ” A good question. You won’t need to find me. I will find you when the time is right. But at all times, this will be where we meet. If we need to meet away from others, we will use the private meeting room here. And if I am not here, you can ask for Faz. He is a trusted companion and knows how to get hold of me quickly. If not Faz, then talk to Roy, the tavern owner. He’s usually behind the bar and lives here in the building. He knows how to reach both Faz and me.”
“Now, I suggest you have a hearty meal and make your way to the market. Let me know how you fare.” With that, Hargus knocked on the table twice and excused himself, leaving through the door he had originally come through.
The group was brought breakfast. The mood was quiet. What awaited them? Perhaps the answers were at the market.