[ORP] Firestorm Manor

[Quixote]

If the Xanthreel that you kill has a horde of goods and money he has stolen throughout his life

"Stolen? So they are thieves! and hence a menace! I'm sure they are only strengthening themselves for the next strike on mines and towns. Do they have a leader? some dark wizard perhaps?"

Quixote went back to eating and thinking about these new possible foes.


Have you truly never met one? Athena is on the coast and that is about 3 days from here.

"I have not had the honor. I've fought mostly yvryms, dragons and giants. As soon as my armor is readied I shall sally forth!"

He sat back feeling better than he had in a long time, years perhaps. The candles lit the hall and it was full of life. His belly was full, the smell of Iskir Berry pie was in the air. He had a new and dangerous quest. Nikola smiled at him. The world was alive again.

[Nikola]

Nikola watched the change come over Quixote as the Knight Errant emerged once more. She wished she could be free to hunt Yvrms and Xanthreels along with him, but alas, she was confined to town, a prisoner of her office. She supposed it could be worse, but at least Quixote was happy again and for that she would be grateful.

“I don’t believe there is any leader, at least not such as we would recognize. Certainly no dark wizard that I am aware of. They are creatures of the sea and it is simply their nature to steal and destroy. They do have a terrible weapon, though, and one you should be very careful about. They are like very large eels and have a naturally occurring electrical current that will shock you when you attack them. It’s almost like being struck by lightning, although not quite so violent as that.” She mused over that for a time as they ate before making a suggestion. “Perhaps we can find a good wizard who can place a spell of protection on your armor so that it repels the electric shock instead of acting like a conductor for the electricity. Or else, have the armor conduct the electricity away from your body somehow.”

[Quixote]

"Sea monsters that throw lightning bolts," mused Quixote out loud, "and me in gold armor that conducts electricity." His eyes light up as he was served iskir berry pie and he took a forkful while he thought. "I've seen worse!" he announced confidently though actually the only time he had was his duel with Balerion the dragon and that really had not gone especially well. "Perhaps a cleric or wizard could enchant the armor, though i've never needed enchantments before, I have to wonder if its cheating." His mind was a hundred miles away now, he was fighting huge and fantastic creatures on the shore, waves crashed around and the creatures threw lightning at him which he was ducking before thrusting his blade again. An alert observer might have noticed quixote's head bob and weave or his fork striking an imaginary opponent.

[Nikola]

Nikola hid a grin behind the glass of wine that she held to her lips, taking a deep drink before setting the glass back onto the table. It warmed her heart to see her old friend excited about a new adventure, his current absent minded antics indicating to her, at least, that he was already planning the battle. She worried about him, though. He loved to attack whatever was in his path and often got pummeled for his trouble, yet still he seemed to have a knack for escaping with most of his faculties intact. His armor bore testament to the pummeling, but the fact that he was here at her table, very much alive and hale, was testament to his ability to escape, if rarely unscathed. Perhaps a request to a certain orc might be in order. She wondered whether TK might be available and willing to work a spell on the armor that was currently down at the smithy being repaired. The spell just needed to lend protection. Well, that would be a matter for later.

As they finished the last of the meal and dessert, she smiled at Quixote. “How about we retire to the sitting room and sit by the fire. We can go over the trade agreement between Fenia and Bravia and settle the trade so that we can move on to more enjoyable matters.”

As she rose from the table, she spoke to one of the serving girls to send word to Ben to bring his accounting of the wagon’s contents to the sitting room. Once Quixote appeared ready to join her, she prepared to lead the way into the sitting room. “Let me just grab my ledger from the desk in my study. That way we can make sure everything is squared away.”

[Quixote]

Quixote rose from the table a little surprised there had been no toasting, but decided that it was a less formal occasion. He rose and followed Nikola then waited in the hall while she got her ledger. He would not sit until she was first seated, it was chivalry protocol, or at least he thought it was. He was suddenly nervous. He didn't read very well and he hoped that he wouldn't be called upon to do that now. It was a source of embarrassment to him that he had daydreamed in school and missed a lot of important things, but it was really their fault for making school so boring. It was no place for a man of action like Quixote, he needed to be out tilting at lists and other knightly things. Well, no matter, Nikola would make everything work out, she always had before. His eagle eye spotted that one of the paintings in the sitting room was a tad off center, he went to adjust it... oops!!

[Nikola]

In her study, she pulled out the ledger she used for her work as Finance Minister. She was reaching for her writing kit when she heard a crash coming from the sitting room. Quickly gathering the kit and the ledger, she rushed into the sitting room to see what had happened.

She found Quixote looking rather red in the face as he peered down at a painting that was on the floor leaning awkwardly against the wall. She was fairly certain that painting had been hanging on the wall the last time she had been in here. From the sheepish expression on his face, she guessed he must have had something to do with the fallen painting.

“Are you alright?” she asked him as she set the ledger and writing kit on the side table next to her favorite chair and went over to survey the damage. Two of the servants rushed in right behind her. “I think everything is fine,” she assured them as they gave her a dismayed look. A closer examination showed the painting itself to be in perfect condition so far as she could tell, but one corner of the frame had a small chip from where it had hit the floor. She straightened the painting and left it on the floor leaning up against the wall. “We’ll worry about hanging it back up later, I think.”

Hoping to assure Quixote, she grinned, “The chip will just give the frame more character, don’t you think?”

She asked the servants to bring a carafe of klahua for her and Quixote to share then offered the chair nearest her to Quixote. He seemed to be waiting for something and belatedly she realized he was waiting for her to sit first, so she arranged her skirts and took her seat in her favorite chair. “Please do sit down, Quixote. No real harm was done and besides, it will be a reminder of your visit,” she told him with a wink.

While he settled himself into the chair, she pulled a sheet of parchment out of the writing kit and prepared to pen a note.

	Dear TK, I have a friend who is in need of your special skills if you would be willing to help us out. My friend, Quixote, is visiting from Bravia and has just learned about Xanthreels. I fear he will soon go off to hunt them and I worry for his safety. He loves to attack almost anything that moves, but…well, he tends to get pummeled quite a bit. He wears a suit of armor practically all of the time, rarely taking it off even to sleep. I fear that the metal would serve as a conductor of the Xanthreel’s electrical shocks and cause irreparable harm. I have managed to get him out of his armor to have it repaired and it is now at the smithy in Fenia city. Would you be able to bespell the armor or add something that might protect Quixote from the worst of the Xanthreel’s shocks? As I have mentioned, I fear for his safety as he does tend to be an accident waiting to happen most days. I am willing to pay you for your work if you are able to help out. I hope to get the armor back no later than tomorrow, so if you would like to come by and see what you might be able to do, I would be most grateful. Your friend, Nikola

She was just signing the letter when Ben entered the room and walked over to hand her a sheet of parchment. “Ah, thank you, Ben. Don’t go just yet, though.” After making sure the ink was dry, she folded the letter and handed it to Ben. “Please deliver that to Texas_knight, will you? It’s important that he get it today if possible.” She frowned slightly, “I do hope he is at home. If he is not, you might try looking for him down at the Mysts tavern.”

Ben nodded and accepted the letter. As he was about to leave, she added, “You may ride Starr if you’d like.” The boy’s face lit up at the prospect of riding her mare and he hurried from the room, clutching the letter in his hand. Nikola grinned after him before winking across at Quixote. “That boy loves horses. I think I might have to get him one of his own some day.”

Only after Ben left did she peruse the list of items that Ben had written down as she had instructed. Most appeared to be in order but there was one item that appeared to be missing. She opened her ledger, turning to the page that contained the trade agreement between Fenia and Bravia, then compared that to the list. She glanced up at Quixote, noting that he appeared nervous. She knew he did not read or write very well, so there was little point in showing him the ledger. His earlier comment about broccoli omelets began to make more sense.

“Quixote…” she began, “…what happened to the broccoli that was supposed to be part of the shipment?”

[Faranni]

Faranni entered the manor after another late night in the tavern, and spending sometime walking with her beloved half dragon in the moonlight until the path divided and sent them off on their own, closing the door gently behind her.
She was well aware she'd missed dinner but she had already treated herself to one of Idunno's concoctions at the tavern, hearty pig stew and buttered biscuits, so she was already pleasantly full. Taking of her cloak and shaking some snow of from it.

The manor smelled fragrant of food and candle wax. "Was Lady Nikola still tending to her guest, perhaps?" she hadn't been at the manor all that much during the day, filling her day with chores and plannings at the Catheral and tending to the graves on the temple grounds. She had come to love her work and took great pride in her daily tasks.

Wandering the way towards her room she heard mumbling coming from one of the sitting rooms, she didn't want to disturb any important matters but she could at least pop her head in and wish her lodger a pleasant evening.
Gently and almost without sound she opened the door to the room and took a few silent steps inside.

“…what happened to the broccoli that was supposed to be part of the shipment?”

"Oh, I didn't mean to disturb..." a streak of scarlet shot across Faranni's face "I just wanted to let you know I'm back...I will start on those potions I promised you for the staff." making apologetic nods and glances towards Nikola, lingering a moment over the strange man keeping her company.

[Nikola]

Nikola did not heard Faranni come in until the young elf woman spoke. Nikola turned her attention immediately away from Quixote and gave her housemate a warm smile.

“Oh, hello, Faranni! You are not interrupting. I daresay Quixote would be grateful for a distraction anyway,” she smiled and winked at the knight, currently in a bath robe and slippers. “You haven’t met our guest yet. Faranni, this is Quixote, a dear friend from Bravia and my knight errant in all things. He will be with us for a couple of days, I hope.” She gave Quixote a sweet smile that she hoped told him just how dear a friend he was. “Quixote, please meet my new house mate, Faranni. She has only recently moved in to spend the winter here. I hope she will stay longer as we do enjoy her company, but at the very least we have her for the winter and for that I am most grateful.”

She waited for the two of them to greet each other however they might choose to do so. Not for the first time, she thought of how much homier the manor seemed with Faranni and now Quixote there to share the space. The household staff were wonderful, especially Iris, the steward who had been with her for years. But as friendly as they all were, it was nice to fill more of the rooms with living beings whose sole purpose was not to serve Nikola and the manor.

[Texas_Knight]

While he settled himself into the chair, she pulled a sheet of parchment out of the writing kit and prepared to pen a note.[/color][/i]

	Dear TK, I have a friend who is in need of your special skills if you would be willing to help us out. My friend, Quixote, is visiting from Bravia and has just learned about Xanthreels. I fear he will soon go off to hunt them and I worry for his safety. He loves to attack almost anything that moves, but…well, he tends to get pummeled quite a bit. He wears a suit of armor practically all of the time, rarely taking it off even to sleep. I fear that the metal would serve as a conductor of the Xanthreel’s electrical shocks and cause irreparable harm. I have managed to get him out of his armor to have it repaired and it is now at the smithy in Fenia city. Would you be able to bespell the armor or add something that might protect Quixote from the worst of the Xanthreel’s shocks? As I have mentioned, I fear for his safety as he does tend to be an accident waiting to happen most days. I am willing to pay you for your work if you are able to help out. I hope to get the armor back no later than tomorrow, so if you would like to come by and see what you might be able to do, I would be most grateful. Your friend, Nikola

She was just signing the letter when Ben entered the room and walked over to hand her a sheet of parchment. “Ah, thank you, Ben. Don’t go just yet, though.” After making sure the ink was dry, she folded the letter and handed it to Ben. “Please deliver that to Texas_knight, will you? It’s important that he get it today if possible.” She frowned slightly, “I do hope he is at home. If he is not, you might try looking for him down at the Mysts tavern.”

Ben nodded and accepted the letter. As he was about to leave, she added, “You may ride Starr if you’d like.” The boy’s face lit up at the prospect of riding her mare and he hurried from the room, clutching the letter in his hand. Nikola grinned after him before winking across at Quixote. “That boy loves horses. I think I might have to get him one of his own some day.”

TK was getting ready for the day and was going over his checklist of things that needed to get done, having his morning wake up juice, and a bite to eat when Ethan, his Steward came in with a letter. "My apologies Sir, I was given this yesterday, but you were in your butcher shop all day and I've been told to not disturb you in there. This is from Lady Nikola if I'm not mistaken on the seal." TK takes the letter and nods "Aye Ethan, thank you and you are correct, and in the future, when you can't disturb me, put things on my brandy case if you want me to find them."

TK reads the letter and scratches his chin. He'd planned on butchering his cattle today but this takes priority. Anyone, even an accident-prone Bravian, deserves to have some protection when going up against the Xanthareels. He rubs his left leg where one got him real good on one of his encounters with them in the wilds of the unmapped parts. Yes, this was more important indeed. "ETHAN!!" TK yelled for his steward because the man was always busy doing something around the land and no telling where he might be right now. No sooner than he was called did he appear from the next room. "Yes my Lord?" TK smiled an he looked at his steward and nodded towards the pasture. "I need you to do the slaughtering of the cattle today. Something's come up and I must attend to it personally. You know where the tools and the salts, and all the things needed to take care of preparing the meat and hides, and you've been helping me for as long as you've been with me. So I am entrusting this task to you this time." The look on Ethan's face was priceless. A mixture of excitement and apprehension but also of pride that he would be given the important task. "Yes my Lord! I know where all the necessary items are and will get to it as soon as I've eaten! Thank you Sir for the opportunity!"

"Before you run off on that, I'll need my imbuing satchel and ready Oblivion as well. Also, pack some cream from the milk so I can give Lady Nikola something of a gift. I'll be ready to leave within the hour." He didn't need to tell Ethan to have things done by the time he was ready to leave, the lad knew it already. His steward was the best at keeping him on time or early. This was a requirement and he made that clear to Ethan from the first interview. The boy had become irreplaceable and was very well compensated for his work in return.

TK gathered items for the work at Nikola's and grabbed 2 bottles of fire brandy on his way out. Those would be needed. The ride across town was pleasant and he stopped and visited the local merchants for a few minutes, poked his head in the Town Hall, picked up a few rocks and found a leaf under one, and stopped to throw the rocks at the Cathedral. Upon his arrival he walks up and knocks on the door.

[Quixote]

Quixote had just sat down and was in a bit of a dither about the accident and that big important looking book, and then there had been the question about the broccoli, which Quixote had assumed were his rations for the journey. "Ahhhhhhhhh," was all he managed to get out before Faranni came in. Quixote bounced to his feet with a lady in the room and bowed to her with a flourish after Nikola made the introduction. "Quixote the Knight is my name, errancy is my game... er, wait that didn't quite come out right."

Quixote was happy to shift the conversation from the whole broccoli question and so inquired, "You make potions? What kind? I'm afraid that isn't the sort of thing I know about, more the swashbuckling sort, y'know." He smiled