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 Sent: 6/14/99

Storm requests the goblets, since they haven't been paid much attention since their discovery. He suspects that once he requests them the rest of the party will also take an interest, but he particularly likes them and will do whatever he can to hold on to at least one of the four.

During the discussion, Edryd smiles and claps Storm on the back. "Well, I don't have much use for goblets, and it would seem a shame to break up a set. Friend Storm... At every battle your sword has kept the rest of us alive, and with you at my back I need only worry about my front! I would that all four be given to you in thanks and friendship!"

The others nod, and Edryd presents Storm with the full set of four golden goblets. Storm is speechless, the gleem in his eye bright enough to light up the moonless night. He carefully places them in his bag.

Upon hearing that the once-friendly mage was a traitor, Storm's eyes widen, he then goes into a somewhat loud rant on what a bastard Luthor is and how much he hates a traitor. He then realizes he's mumbling a little to loud this time, and goes off to the outskirts of the party/mining group to mumble and fume some more. As he hates knowing that he's been in contact with someone who was evil but pretending to be good (much like his old thieving group), he would much like to head back south to hunt down this wizard and personally rip his lungs out. At one point during one evening, Storm pulls Guilliam aside and tells the Bard of his craving to flush out and kill this traitor as soon as they can.

Canter takes a noticeable step back as Storm begins his rant. Then, after letting the livid (and probably very dangerous) dwarf vent his anger for a few minutes, Canter steps back in towards him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He addresses the whole group: "We don't know for sure that Dire Luthor's intentions were all bad. His newly discovered association with the Red Dragon School is certainly a blow to his ego, as is the accusation of murder charged against him. But remember, we met this man. He didn't seem to me the evil type. I wonder if there's not more going on here than we know..."

Always the excitable fellow, Guilliam gets drawn up into Storm's anger. Cursing alongside his dwarven friend, he to vows to get back at the scoundrel of a mage. But when Canter mentions that there might be more to the situation than they think, he finds himself open to that suggestion as well. "Perhaps Dire Luthor is being set up" he offers. "Although if he had evil intentions, it would definitely explain the mysterious deaths of the Knights of Rinder." Guilliam finds himself confused by too many possibilities. "We're going to have to investigate this more before coming to any conclusions" he says with a sigh.

Crayne nodds and taps Biln on the shoulder, trying to repair some of the damage done to there friendship, "Biln my lad if you don't mind I'd like to ask you how on earth you came to meet us where you did in the mountain? And why was it that you came alone to seek us out? If you don't mind me saying it was very brave of you to go alone into the mountain having heard of all the terrifying rumours. Maybe some would say acting on the verge of idoicy. Perhaps you can reassure me in someway that this is not the case!" Crayne grins broadly looking at Biln closely.

Biln smiles at Crayne, accepting the backhanded compliment. "Aye, there be rumors. But of me men, I was bein' the only one willin' to go! When I made it up thar, I was hearin' the shouts about that magic wall, and followed me ears! 'Twas pretty scary, though!" He takes a swig of his drink and moves on to socialize with his other men.

After Biln has given his answer Crayne turns to Guilliam, "Boy! You be careful with those potions now! For I don't want us going up in smoke in the night!"

"Perhaps," Cy suggests to Guilliam, "we might find a sage in Parton who can tell us more about those potions than you have learned. If those are useful in combat, methinks we ought to know about it!"

Guilliam nods, "A sage, yeah. Maybe I'll look for one of those!"

The group then breaks up to prepare for the journey the next day. Canter packs his things and spends some time sharpening his sword.

Remembering the surprise attacks on them earlier, Guilliam takes his leather armour out and inspects it. Seeing that it is wearing thin at a few spots, he gathers some of his leather strips and goes to Canter. "I watched you working with leather before. You do a fine job. Could you show me a little more so that I can fix some of these spots. I don't want to have a soft underbelly when the fighting gets rough. I'd be willing to pay for the lesson or for any work you can do on my armour."

Canter smiles and takes the leather armor from the bard, holding it up in the firelight and pressing on it in various spots. "Yes, I can tell it's thinning out a bit. Taken a few hits in the past couple of weeks! Well, let me see those leather strips you've got." He feels the strips, looking back and forth between them and the armor. "I hate to charge a friend, but seeing as you offered, I'll show you how to fix this armor and do it for you for, let's say, five silver pieces. What do you say?"

Guilliam answers, "A fair price! Let's get to work!" Canter then takes out his leatherworking tools and begins to patch up Guilliam's armor, narrating along the way and filling in the time with stories of his younger days in his father's leather shop. About an hour later, the armor is patched up, Canter is 5 sp richer, and the two part ways for the evening to get some sleep before the morning's trip.

Edryd, meanwhile, gathers himself and spends a few minutes in the Ritual of Thanks, the Ritual of Journeys, the Ritual of Protection, and the Ritual of Wisdom. He is greatly disturbed by the news of Dire Luthor and his affiliation with the Red Dragon School. Could such a one be kept safely behind bars? His doubts about that weighing in, Edryd presses with some urgency to be back to Parton and warn the Knights.

Crayne spends some time memorizing some spells during the evening. He also takes a few moments to cast Detect Magic on Biln (from a safe and inconspicuous distance), checking to make sure the miner is all he says he is. To his relief, Biln shows no signs of magical aura. "He just must be one lucky man..." Crayne says with a grin before heading into a tent to retire for the night.

At first light the party is assembled. The day is gray, with heavy cloud cover overhead. The clouds are low enough such that one cannot see the tops of the mountains. The wagon full of adamantite ore is readied along with two animals to haul it. Biln invites the party to throw some of their backpacks and bags on the wagon for the journey, which he says will likely take all day.

Rested and refreshed, Rinder's Six and a small contingent of miners set out, heading north-west through the mountain chain and toward the city of Parton. The sky opens up to a slight drizzle around midmorning, as the mountains begin to fade into the horizon and the green, fertile fields of the Raimead Dukedom appear before the travelers. The trip is stopped around midday and rations are distributed for lunch, and then without delay the journey is resumed.

The group continues the journey, with some spots of light forest bordering the road a couple hundred yards to the south. Peering ahead at the treeline, Guilliam squints, a confused look covering his face. He steps toward Cy, who is silently marching as if part of an army column. Poking the warrior, Guilliam points to the woods ahead, hundreds of yards in the distance.

"Do you see that?" He asks quietly, "through the light rain? That funny movement by the trees? What is that?"

Cy is at first annoyed that the young bard broke the marching formation, but decides to humor him in the hopes that he'll return to his place. Turning his head to look through the drizzle in the direction he points, Cy, too, squints, for he sees the movement too. "I cannot say for certain," the warrior begins, "but those look like shields, and I think I see the glint of steel."

"And it looks like their coming this way!" Guilliam says, loud enough to catch the attention of Edryd and the others.

"Stand fast, men," Edryd says. "It is our mission to guard the ore."

Just as Edryd finishes saying this, yelling can be heard coming from the distance ahead. "Looks like they have other ideas..." Crayne says.

As the images of twenty or thirty men become clearer, crossing the wet open field (leaving the cover of the trees behind them), their cry becomes louder. Storm draws his swords, preparing for battle.

But before anyone can move, another, new sound is heard. The unmistakable gallop of war horses approaching from behind. "It's a trap! An ambush!" Guilliam calls out, terrified.

Cy and Edryd spin around, shields raised and weapons drawn, to face the new, faster threat from behind. Ten to fifteen men, moderately armored, on horseback, gallop toward the wagon. "Something here isn't right," Edryd says to his warrior friend. "Look at the colors on that shield..."

Cy looks carefully at the lead attacker's shield. Realizing what he sees, he slowly whispers, "Rinder." Then, the truth of the sitation hitting him, he calls out to the others. "Rinder! The knights are here!"

Crayne breathes a sigh of relief; Biln wipes sweat from his brow. The other miners are noticably more at ease.

As the knights close on the group, they slow, the lead man speaking. "You men guard the ore and make haste to Parton, we'll deal with them," he motions towards the closing attackers, still moments away. "Long live the Kingdom of Rinder."

"Long live Rinder." Edryd responds with a nod.

"And good luck!" Guilliam calls as the knights speed off into the field.

"Biln, you heard the man, let's get this wagon moving!" Cy yells to the front of the wagon.

"Like ya say!" Biln calls back, whipping the horses hard. The men break into a run, trying to put as much distance between themselves and the battle as possible. Looking over their shoulders, they can see the knights' first pass through the mysterious attackers, their swords swooping down off their horses and striking through them. The unmistakable sound of swords clashing filters across the field until the party is far enough away that they can neither see it nor hear it.

Storm is noticably frustrated that he didn't get to fight. "My friend," Canter says, attempting to comfort him, "we did what we must. There will be other battles, I'm sure of it!"

The rain begins to let up, with a few rays of sunlight passing through the clouds. The party slows to catch its breath and resume at a more comfortable pace. About an hour later, sounds of trotting horses can be heard, again, behind them. The party of knights approaches, their bloodies swords and shields wet from the combination of battle, mud and rain. Some of the knights are visibly wounded, others are just exhausted.

"I am Jornek, of the Knights of Rinder. I serve Duke Bryant of Raimead." He looks over the party from his horse, nodding at what he sees. "We suspected someone might want to get to this ore before it was returned safely to the Duke, and it looks like we were right." He clears his throat, looking back toward his men. "My men and I thank you for speeding the ore on its way away from the battle. Though from the looks of it you might have been able to survive those men, certainly some of you would have lost your lives. My men and I will escort you the rest of the way to Parton's gates. From there you can find your way to the castle. Onward, then, to Parton."

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