Rest and Relaxation?|Haven, Ilyamen

[adris]

Adris came to the first house he could find and opened the door, nearly collapsing into it. He looked around and thought it was a quaint little rest cottage, enough room for him and if the village was as abandoned as he remembered hearing then he can roll out his sleeping mat. He saw a nice little shrine in the center of the room, his mind was too blurred to remember what it was for... he felt as if he might as well been drinking his 'special brew' for the last day and a half. He decided it was a dedication to those that once lived there and took great pains not to desturb it any. He just wanted rest, he unrolled his mat and immediately fell onto it.

[Kender Bard]

After a few hours of rest, the disturbances began.

Unfortunately for Adris, they had more power in these special days than normal. First, the door slammed shut loudly, and there was a hard thud against it as something fell against it. Next came the keening wind, seeming to blow just at the right angle to knock small pieces of debris against his window.

[adris]

Adris snapped awake at the first noise, but would have almost fallen asleep again if not for the second thud against the door. Still groggy he rose to his feet and looked about him. He might have been able to pass off the first two sounds as another traveller seeing whether or not this shelter was occupied.

The strange turn of the wind though... he could not account for that. He still couldn't put anything together and just looked around in a daze. Maybe a storm had blown in... it wouldn't be strange with nearby Ilyamen and the vally like geography that things could get hectic around here.

He still wanted to be cautious, he was in no position to struggle if someone were after him. He called out clearly.

"Is someone outside the door? I apologize but this one is occupied, the village is deserted though and you can probably find some better quarters further in town."

[Kender Bard]

A soft, chilling voice whispers in the air, "It is indeed occupied, but not by its rightful owners." Slowly, the image of a ghost materialized in the air, floating just above Adris's bed as it continues, "And you didn't even pay rent." The ghost looked quite humanlike, save for its ethereal body, but as it spoke some features seemed to.. melt away, until the face that stared down was half skeleton.

[adris]

Adris watched the ghost as it spoke, he even initially didn't wince when he heard the disembodied voice and saw the ghost appear. It took him a while to gather his thoughts before fear truly struck his face, causing him to shudder further as the spirit changed forms.

"Perhaps you are mistaken... there was nobody to take rent, I have heard of many who passed through here untouched... what have I done wrong? I made sure that nothing was disturbed, not even the shrine to the past owners... please, I even made sure to lay on the floor!"

Fear was still in his voice, mixed with his mindset he still didn't piece together exactally how things should go. There is a nagging feeling he did miss something... and he tried to catch a thought whenever he was able to stop his mind from wanting to make him wet his mat. What to do... what to do...

[Kender Bard]

The spirit pointed an accusatory finger towards the pedestal laden with 'gifts'. "We give you shelter and you scorn our memory by not even paying tribute. Forshame!"

[adris]

Adris looks over to the pedastal and it all begins to click, the stories, this village, he was supposed to place something on the pedastal. He would laugh if he wasn't scared out of his mind. He thought to himself... He didn't have much left, as he traded his last job's payment in order to get a special gift for Raina. The ghost might as well kill him before he gave that away. He thought of other offerings, he had some rations in his pack and the robe he was wearing.

"I don't have very much good villager, and I promise I meant not to spite you. I would spare either the food of my pack or the robe on my back but that is all I have. If either of those would please you I would place them on the pedistal now though."

He gripped the thin chain that contained the gift as tightly as he could... it was just then that and idea came to him. He picked up his trident and leaned it against the pedistal.

"There good ghost, my trident made of jade. I have had it ever since before I went into voluntary exile. Besides my hands it is my only means to defend myself. Not to mention that to the right vendor the true jade it is inlaid with would fetch a nice price. Will that satisfy the spirits of this shelter?"

He watched in nervous anticipation, hoping that the spirit would be satisfied with this gift. He was still scared, now of two things. One, is the fear that the ghost would decide his life is forfeit at this point. The other is that it would want a little more... Thinking of this he had to mindfully hold back on putting a death grip on the chain for fear he would break what is on it's end.

[Kender Bard]

The spirit looked at the jade trident with contempt, "Nay, the time has passed for material things. To ease our tempers, you must perform a service of our choosing. We all still hunger for revenge after what happened to us, eons ago. Our entire town was destroyed by a betrayer in our midsts. Since then, we long for the blood of all betrayers! Find us someone who had comitted an act of treason, and bring them to us, dead or alive. Do so and we will spare you the haunting you have doomed yourself to!"

[adris]

Adris nods slightly and thinks to himself. An act of treason... well while they do happen all the time it is not well known to him exactally who it is that commited it. Maybe the fires or storm, where holding leadership is a constant battle.

Maybe that Darkstorm character is still around...

In any case he looks upon the spirit and gives him a nod that shows compliance.

"I will accept this of course, for I have no other choice. And I know some of the places I shall look to find such a man or woman that you describe. I do have two questions if you will indulge me though great spirit. For one, as far as betrayal, would individual work... such as being backstabbed by a friend or something? And two, since you don't want my trident, may I take it back?"

He points to the weapon he leaned against the pedestal, he is in no position to think. Even putting together what he did know caused a migrane. Ilyamen might be a good first step, that way he could also get personal buisiness done.

[Kender Bard]

The spirit simply says, "Yes, to both your questions." At that, it disappears. The wind dies down, and the door creaks slightly, as if a heavy weight had been moved from against it. For now, Adris was free to go as he pleased.

[adris]

Adris was still tired yes but he knew better then to press his luck in this situation. He held the chain against his heart and whispered almost in prayer.

"Thank you for the gift of life you have given me, thine will be done."

He waked to the door and opened it enough to fit his wide frame through. He needed to gather his strength and press on, his next stop is Ilyamen, and hopefully the arms of Raina.