As of 2/20/98
Ale With Lucky Thome
A month had past since they left Freeman's End and the Executioner's Pit, when Kale, Byric, and Yaran found themselves in The Hearty Halfling, a bright and lively tavern located in the Merchant's Quarter of Watersmeet. Every table was taken and every bar stool was topped off with jovial patrons enjoying some of Miaford's finest ale. The Havanathe sitting across from the three young adventurers, known as Lucky Thome, was no exception.
"'Tis true, I tell ya," Thome said as he wiped foam from a fresh ale off his mustache with the back of his hand. "The island be deserted, an' the take be plentiful." The three adventurers had met Lucky Thome just one day past when he had been introduced to them by Jerrie Two-Toes, the owner of The Hearty Halfling and a long-time friend. Jerrie had vouched for Lucky Thome, claiming the Havanathe to be a good source of information for the lands within the Miaford Commonwealth, specifically the mountain range known as The Twins and the pair of islands found within the Sea of Sorrow.
"But what of the rumors we've heard claiming there's a crazed Dervatear cleric living somewhere in The Twins?" Kale asked Thome, tossing back a mouthful of ale. "Supposedly he's been hording gold and gems for hundreds of years, and he's all alone."
"An' me mum's the queen of Zambari!" Thome laughed, with Yaran's comical giggle close behind. "Don't ya be worryin' 'bout those Twins, me friends. True enough, I've been 'earin' those same rumors, but I can't vouch fer 'em. An' ya know what ole Thome always says . . . "
Byric glanced over at Kale and Yaran and winked. "A rumor not vouched for by Lucky Thome is a pile o'poop!" the cleric-ranger exclaimed, catching Thome with a mouthful of ale. The stout Havanathe's eyes bulged as foaming ale came spraying out of his pugy nose, causing the patrons around the table to join in the laughter. "Begs and pardons, Lucky Thome," Byric said to the coughing Havanathe, giggling slightly as he took another pull on his tankard.
"Yeow, that burnt me nose," Thome laughed as he wiped his face with the back of his hand. "But ya be right - 'tis a pile o'poop if it ain't been vouched fer by Lucky Thome. An' I can't vouch fer no crazed Dervatear cleric. I can, 'owever, stake the life o'me mum on what I've been tellin' ya three 'bout Sunak Island."
"But why was the manor house abandoned?" Yaran asked Thome.
"And why did they leave their wealth behind?" Kale added.
"Ya ask me two questions that I can give one answer fer," Thome replied, leaning in toward the three adventurers. "Lord Ortemier an' 'is family disappeared," - Thome snaped two stubby fingers - "just like that. They left their family loot behind 'cause they didn't abandon the manor. Ye get me?"
"I think so," Yaran said, looking slightly confused.
"What do you mean they disappeared?" Byric asked.
"Ya three 'ave 'eard 'bout the dragon that come from Jivana Island 'bout 'leven years back, 'aven't ya?" Thome asked. Kale replied with a shake of his head. "Don't get out much, do ya," the Havanathe said as he finished off his tankard and motioned for the waitress to bring him another. "Jivana and Sunak 'ave always been under the rule o'the Ortemier family fer as long as I can 'member, an' Lucky Thome 'as been 'round fer nearly a 'undred years. 'Bout 'leven years back, somethin' 'appened that changed all that. Seems this red dragon--name's Ketzikcon, if I 'member right--appeared in a cave somewhere up the Cap of Jivana. Could 'ave been sleepin' the dragon's sleep, or mayhap some crazed Dervatear cleric conjured it up," Thome said with a wink as he took a swig on his fresh tankard of ale. "It matters not, me friends. The point was this meanie of a red dragon came swoopin' down from the Cap an' 'it the people in Jivana 'ard, an' then 'it Sunak twice as 'ard. Some say the entire manor on Sunak Island was burnt by the flames o'that dragon, others say the scaley beast just scared everyone away, makin' room fer itself. If ye were to ask Lucky Thome, I'd be tellin' ya that the dragon scared everyone out, but not fer itself. Someone, or somethin' else, is behind this." All fell silent at your table as Thome downed his tankard.
"Well, what happened to the people on Jivana and Sunak?" Kale asked the Havanathe.
"Sunak was deserted, like I told ya," Thome replied. "Lord Ortemier VII an' 'is family was at 'is manor when the dragon 'it, an' no one 'as seen them since. 'Is son, Lord Ortemier VIII, was at one o'the towns on Jivana an' was able to come to a compromise with the dragon - ten-thousand gold crons and ten babes every year. The red dragon 'as been quiet ever since."
"I'd like to go after that red dragon instead of the riches within the manor," Byric grumbled.
Lucky Thome smiled, winking as he said, "You ain't strong 'nuff fer that. Not yet, anyhow."
"So the riches at Ortemier Manor are grand?" Yaran asked, sipping down the last of his ale.
"Grand 'nuff to 'ave at least a 'undred such as yarselves go after it already," Thome said. "At least, a 'undred I know of."
"Any of them come back?"
"Nope."
"Swell."
"But don't ya worry!" Thome said as he grabbed a wad of Yaran's cheek, squeezing it. "Ya three is better than those dopes was!"
Pushing the Havanathe's hand away, Yaran asked, "Okay, what do we do now?"
Thome glanced from Kale to Byric to Yaran, and then back. "Righty then. Be down at dock eight at first light on the morrow. I'll 'ave a ship waitin' fer ya three that'll take ya to Sunak. Ya'll dock at the ole boat house. Follow the road up from there to Ortemier Manor."
"And then what?" Kale asked.
Lucky Thome smiled and winked again. "That, me friends, is up to ya."
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