RE: The Search for Santinal
06-21-2012, 07:59 PM
Elliot had been to Khagash twice before, and neither visit had been pleasant. There was a Sangsaxian saying that Khagash was only known for one thing: its taverns and its crime.
Elliot's first visit had entailed his usual search for a guild, and there were three in Khagash: the Brewer's Guild, the Thug's Guild, and the Drunkard's Guild. He still remembered each rejection perfectly.
"What the hell's in this drink? Mud?"
"You're supposed to rough up the old woman and take her coin, boy. It's not supposed to go the other way around."
"Ya pashed out already? But thash just water!"
Unpleasant as it had been, it was a fairly standard experience for Elliot in a new city. He hadn't been too concerned when Slort had asked him to return there. He doubted any of the guilds would remember him, and even if they did, it wasn't as if he'd done anything to make them put a price on his head. It surely couldn't be as bad as his dealings with the Poet's Guild in Lyrios.
It had taken them a month to leave. Carriages only stopped by once a week due to the city's reputation, and it was difficult to hold onto enough gold to pay the fee for that long.
Slort, of course, hadn't understood the problems at all. From her point of view, it was simply an extended research opportunity, and she was particularly pleased to see the wide variety of intelligent lifeforms. No wonder they were staying so long - Elliot must have wanted to show her how these host species communicated with each other!
She had caused at least a third of Elliot's problems by insisting he approach a creature she hadn't seen before and ask it to give her a ride.
Now they were here again, much to Slort's delight and Elliot's displeasure.
"We're in Khagash again!" Slort squealed. "Oh, this was my favorite city! It's just so exciting, so alive!"
"I wish I could say the same for me by the time we're out of here," Elliot muttered to himself.
"Do you think we can stay here for another month? There are a few pages of notes I'd like to go into more detail on."
"NO!" Elliot shouted. He then noticed that several bystanders were staring at him, and this was definitely not a city where he wanted to attract attention. He continued walking and lowered his voice. "Er, I mean, we really need to show you Santinal. We should stay focused on that."
"Oh, yes!" Slort squealed. "I can hardly wait to see it! I wonder what it's like. Why don't you ask that host over there for directions?"
Slort's right tentacle pointed towards a hulking lizardman. He was at least three times Elliot's size.
Elliot's survival instincts weren't particularly strong, but his last visit to Khagash had sharpened them significantly. He had already adopted a personal rule of "Don't talk to a Khagashian whose fist is larger than your face".
Unfortunately, Slort tended to start all their conversations. Usually with a well-meaning tentacle grab at the other party's wrist.
"Hello, sir!" Slort bubbled, snatching the lizardman's right arm. "Could you tell us the way to Santinal?"
The lizardman snarled, staring down at Elliot and the tentacle wrapped around his wrist.
"What do you want, weakling?" he growled.
"Oh, honestly!" Slort sighed. "I just told him I want directions to Santinal, wasn't he listening?"
"I, uh, think he couldn't understand you," Elliot said. "Like everyone else you talk to."
The lizardman lifted Elliot up to eye level. It was an unnerving experience.
"What's with your babbling, boy? And just what manner of race are you? If not for that eye and those strange arms, you'd look human."
"Ah, I am," Elliot explained nervously. "The eye and the tentacles aren't mine, exactly. I'm, ah, just giving them a ride?"
The lizardman's eyes narrowed as he held Elliot's face closer.
"A ride, eh? To Santinal, perhaps? Seems everyone's looking for that place these days."
Elliot nodded nervously.
"Well, boy, all I can tell you is, give it up. Santinal's but a story. I know the lands here better than anyone, and I've never seen such a city. I'd wager it's just a fairy tale to draw adventurers here and take their purses."
The lizardman laughed.
"At least, that's how it's worked out for me. I've made quite the tidy profit today. Let's see what you can add to it."
Elliot had just enough time to sigh before the lizardman's fist hit his face. At least he didn't have that much money to lose this time.
When he regained consciousness, he found Slort's tentacle waving a leaflet in front of his face.
"Look, Elliot!" she said excitedly. "Look what I found!"
Elliot glanced at the leaflet.
"Well? What are you waiting for?" Slort asked. "We should go and see him! He can probably take us to Santinal!"
"Great," Elliot said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his personal map of Khagash. "Now where exactly is the Troll's Head again?"
Elliot's first visit had entailed his usual search for a guild, and there were three in Khagash: the Brewer's Guild, the Thug's Guild, and the Drunkard's Guild. He still remembered each rejection perfectly.
"What the hell's in this drink? Mud?"
"You're supposed to rough up the old woman and take her coin, boy. It's not supposed to go the other way around."
"Ya pashed out already? But thash just water!"
Unpleasant as it had been, it was a fairly standard experience for Elliot in a new city. He hadn't been too concerned when Slort had asked him to return there. He doubted any of the guilds would remember him, and even if they did, it wasn't as if he'd done anything to make them put a price on his head. It surely couldn't be as bad as his dealings with the Poet's Guild in Lyrios.
It had taken them a month to leave. Carriages only stopped by once a week due to the city's reputation, and it was difficult to hold onto enough gold to pay the fee for that long.
Slort, of course, hadn't understood the problems at all. From her point of view, it was simply an extended research opportunity, and she was particularly pleased to see the wide variety of intelligent lifeforms. No wonder they were staying so long - Elliot must have wanted to show her how these host species communicated with each other!
She had caused at least a third of Elliot's problems by insisting he approach a creature she hadn't seen before and ask it to give her a ride.
Now they were here again, much to Slort's delight and Elliot's displeasure.
"We're in Khagash again!" Slort squealed. "Oh, this was my favorite city! It's just so exciting, so alive!"
"I wish I could say the same for me by the time we're out of here," Elliot muttered to himself.
"Do you think we can stay here for another month? There are a few pages of notes I'd like to go into more detail on."
"NO!" Elliot shouted. He then noticed that several bystanders were staring at him, and this was definitely not a city where he wanted to attract attention. He continued walking and lowered his voice. "Er, I mean, we really need to show you Santinal. We should stay focused on that."
"Oh, yes!" Slort squealed. "I can hardly wait to see it! I wonder what it's like. Why don't you ask that host over there for directions?"
Slort's right tentacle pointed towards a hulking lizardman. He was at least three times Elliot's size.
Elliot's survival instincts weren't particularly strong, but his last visit to Khagash had sharpened them significantly. He had already adopted a personal rule of "Don't talk to a Khagashian whose fist is larger than your face".
Unfortunately, Slort tended to start all their conversations. Usually with a well-meaning tentacle grab at the other party's wrist.
"Hello, sir!" Slort bubbled, snatching the lizardman's right arm. "Could you tell us the way to Santinal?"
The lizardman snarled, staring down at Elliot and the tentacle wrapped around his wrist.
"What do you want, weakling?" he growled.
"Oh, honestly!" Slort sighed. "I just told him I want directions to Santinal, wasn't he listening?"
"I, uh, think he couldn't understand you," Elliot said. "Like everyone else you talk to."
The lizardman lifted Elliot up to eye level. It was an unnerving experience.
"What's with your babbling, boy? And just what manner of race are you? If not for that eye and those strange arms, you'd look human."
"Ah, I am," Elliot explained nervously. "The eye and the tentacles aren't mine, exactly. I'm, ah, just giving them a ride?"
The lizardman's eyes narrowed as he held Elliot's face closer.
"A ride, eh? To Santinal, perhaps? Seems everyone's looking for that place these days."
Elliot nodded nervously.
"Well, boy, all I can tell you is, give it up. Santinal's but a story. I know the lands here better than anyone, and I've never seen such a city. I'd wager it's just a fairy tale to draw adventurers here and take their purses."
The lizardman laughed.
"At least, that's how it's worked out for me. I've made quite the tidy profit today. Let's see what you can add to it."
Elliot had just enough time to sigh before the lizardman's fist hit his face. At least he didn't have that much money to lose this time.
When he regained consciousness, he found Slort's tentacle waving a leaflet in front of his face.
"Look, Elliot!" she said excitedly. "Look what I found!"
Elliot glanced at the leaflet.
LOOKING FOR SANTINAL?
SO AM I.
If you want a good wizard on your side - and who doesn't? - come and see me, Quick Cloudmoon. I'll be waiting at the Troll's Head tavern.SO AM I.
"Well? What are you waiting for?" Slort asked. "We should go and see him! He can probably take us to Santinal!"
"Great," Elliot said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his personal map of Khagash. "Now where exactly is the Troll's Head again?"