Trainers and Traders

Rather reassured by their new jobs (Mehmet's paid twenty silver marks a week and Percinious' fifteen), they pair pondered whether to take Najan up on his offer. While they thought about this, they decided to go and seek some training, as their recent encounters had shown that certain of their fighting skills weren't as advanced as they'd thought they were!

Their first stop was the outfitter's shop kept by Rivis Rightby, located in the Merchant quarter, and one of the few placed they'd visited on their only other, brief, trip to the capital. Rightby made his money flogging swords, backpacks, iron rations, mules, and 10' poles to earnest youngsters who seldom came back, but he knew the town pretty well.

He seemed a bit puzzled at Khylar, or even half-Khylar, who were seeking a caster of magic for hire... weren't they masters of magic? However, he recommened one Columban, a reputable worker of spells who had made a Strength matrix for his cousin, a bricklayer, who'd doubled his income with it. For martial training, he recommended the Sharp Edges Academy, in Downtown (not far from their workplace as it happened). He warned them not to cross the Royal Intelligence Service if Najan was indeed an agent of it; they had a tough reputation. They thanked him, and set off to investigate.

They watched Columban's house for a few hours, and saw two seperate customers enter, and leave. These appeared quite contented, so they considered it worth investigating. An aged retainer bowed them in and into a reception room, where they awaited the master of the house.

While they waited, Percinous idly eyed the room for spyholes. He found none, but a small decorative blue crystal in the wall struck him as probably magical, and likely an observation device of some sort.

The wizard himself entered at this point, greeting his visitors courteously. He wore none of the usual trappings of a man in his trade; no swirly robes, pointy hat, stars and moons. He did, however, have an unusual silver pectoral, filligreed and bejwelled, far more mysterious and arcane-looking than any robes could be.

Swiftly, the half-Khyle got down to details. They described what they'd like to achieve, and Columban told them his prices.

Percinious was quite taken aback at the cost of permanent enchantments! The other items seemed more reasonable, and the pair arranged to take the training.

Mehmet passed his newly acquired gloves over, and Columban cast his Identify spell. Handing them back, he reported them to be Gloves of Ambidexterity. The penny dropped; Mehmet remembered then that the silent Ippacir had fought surprisingly well with a short javelin in each hand; this was why!

On a whim, he pulled out the ring Portalis and handed that to the wizard, describing in brief terms what it had done so far. Columban eyed it for a moment, then looked across at its' owner. "I don't do sorcery, you know," he said reprovingly. "Only white magic of good repute. I will try, but if it fails, I will charge nothing." Mehmet nodded and Columban cast the spell.

His eyes widened; he hadn't expected it to work at all. "It has powerful magic, concerned with gateways, portals, ways, access... there are three seperate enchantments. One is entirely navigational, directional, as I think you have found. The other I gather is connected with opening, but your discoveries tell us that. The third is more complex and I do not understand it."

Percinious considered passing over the Magure Claw for similar examination, but decided against it.

As they were leaving, they asked him if he knew of any sorcerers - practioners of the forbidden Khylar magic - operating in the city. Columban denied that he did, although it was very possible he was just being careful. As an afterthought they asked him about Najan. Columban admitted to a faint memory of the name connected with customs and smuggling, though on which side of the law he couldn't remember.

On their way to the Sharp Edges, they were accosted by a patrol of town watchmen, one of whom was absolutely convinced that Nutbolter was someone called Futhara Greyhelm, wanted for the murder of a noble called Kalan Bloodmoon. The pair protested their real identities, and avoided being hauled off for questioning, though the watch demanded an address to visit as a follow-up. Their faces on being presented with it were a picture...

Arriving at the Sharp Edges, Mehmet found the proprioter, one Elalanar, who felt his biceps and made him catch a thrown object before thoroughly embarrasing him with the rapier on the practice floor. He seemed quite sure he could do something for the half-Khyle, and booked him into the basic class with ten other students for three days, charging him thirty marks for it.

Mehmet also wanted to ask him about training with the Main Gauche, preferably with an eye to learning a combined style to enhance the benefits of both weapons. Elalanar replied that such

skills could be learned, but one must run before one could walk, and Mehmet would have to master the slim sword properly before progressing to the two-handed style he desired. For complete mastery of the two blades, he would have to seek a specialist instructor.

DM's Note: At this point, without any warning, the happy power company inflicted a lack of lights, music and coffee on the Timperley War Rooms, and the session came to an unexpected end...!