----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aidan de luna "And what business, is that, I wonder, I conjecture? What need have you of an apprentice's fire?" came Aidan's reply. "We have a harpy that has been more than a nuisance to our supplies and we mean to end it. I imagine we could use one of your talent; seeing how the dwarf here," Catalin shook his head towards Kiln "is rather less than daunting." "Very well, but I will let you know, that I shall only use what I know of fire and blasts on creatures of avarice such as you ask," Aidan explained "any other creatures of this great mother earth I ask that you spare, at least in my presence."... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aidan Moonspell bade farewell as he rode off towards Trinsic. Catalin was sure he would see the traveler again. He turned back to the corpse and rolled it on its side. Lifting the massive wing he began carving off the feathers. He stopped and glanced at a strange marking. It appeared to be an ancient word carved into the harpy's leathery chicken-stalk legs. It had been easy enough to over look at first, but as he continued carving away the feathers and meat it be came clear "AVIDUS." Kiln immediately protested that they pay the words no heed "We have no business in these matters, the wench is slain, let us be back about our business!" "All that is necessary for evil to triumph, Master dwarf, is for good men to look on and do nothing," came the reply. Kiln could tell by the resolution of Catalin's response that his mind was set. They would no doubt pursue this clue to the ends of the earth if requisite. With nothing more than forgotten word, the pair set off for Britain. Perhaps there in the libraries they would learn about the source of this word. If Catalin had been as skilled a tracker as Dinin of OoO, he might have noticed the extremely odd fact that this particular harpy had traveled great distance - a most unnatural behavior of a creature that is by its very nature territorially bound. Harpies, after all, were all once virtuous maidens transformed into demons by coveting treasures of others more so than their own purity. Once transformed, a harpy never migrated from the source of her coveting; so why then would this one bird have traveled so far from the Mountains of Avarice? This question that eluded Catalin for lack of his tracking skills would soon be answered. Upon arriving in Britain, they found the royal library to be wholly lacking in anything of use. It did not help that Catalin was no scholar; his experience with works of literature primarily rested with "The Adventures of Japeth the Paladin," a rather fictional and embellished narrative of the deeds of the Paladin who was credited for the reformation of the Corp of Paladins after the burning of Trinsic. Knowing not where to turn, Catalin spoke a silent prayer to the Great Spirit of Virtues. A sign, anything, he begged. As is often the case with such pleadings, the answer he received is not what he had bargained for... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catalin looked to his now fallen comrade; Kiln lay face down, his body lay near the treacherous flame geysers. Their plan had been working thus far: lure the winged creature into the cavern vestibule where the flames geysers would burn the devil. It was an admirable plan, but they had not accounted for the fiend's ability to knock a man unconscious with a single glance. Catalin quickly raised his bow and drew his last arrow; he would not perish here without at least scarring this damnable wretch. Before he could let fly his shaft, Gamayun sent a piercing gaze at him. By some sheer matter of luck, the creature's fatal stare was obstructed by his bow, which rent in twain as it bore the shock. As his bow snapped in two, it sent the arrow off course; Catalin cursed as he heard it ricochet somewhere off to his left. Catalin cried out, "I do not fear you evil thing! For my heart is as pure as the fresh water spring!" In a desperate attempt to save his friend, he drew his kryss and charged. Then, in a sudden burst of fortune, before Catalin could collide with the creature known as The Gamayun, the geyser spat forth a sheer wall of flame. Gamayun screeched as the fire engulfed her. She began spinning wildly, as if chasing the flames to put them out, but her frantic dance seemed only to spread the blaze faster. Using this fortuitous moment of distraction, Catalin ran to Kiln. He reached under the dwarf's arms and hefted his limp body; although short in stature, the dwarf was by no means light. Kilns heels traced lines in the dirt as Catalin drug him backwards towards the cave entrance. Stumbling backwards into the light, Catalin fell onto the grass, and Kiln's head made a small metallic, "thud" as his plate helmet hit the ground. Just inside the cave, Gamayun's shrieks could still be heard as she succumbed to the inferno. Leaning over to the dwarf, Catalin heard Kiln's raspy breath and low grumbling "Dirty, ruddy, ol bird. She'll think twice before she sends anymore her crones to South Paws." Catalin let out a short cough, which carried into a laugh of relief. Kiln joined in, but stopped short and groaned as he reached for his ribs. It would be a long walk to Cove; hopefully there would be an inn - Catalin felt like he could sleep for a full month.
