Legends of Belariath

Stepping Out in Belariath

How to Pick a Fight and Survive Mostly Intact Afterwards

A Quick IRC Guide to the World of The Lonely Inn

[Caveat Newbie: Bear in mind this document is a constant work-in-progress and those with more experience are free to add their experiences or tips if they so wish at any time. Keep in mind that I have not claimed to have mastered the TLI experience nor do I ever plan to, despite my time here. I am offering insight that will help the newer players get a quicker start and not be too prone to common errors. And I sure as hell ain't a master in cybering or IRC roleplay in general either, but experience is the best teacher in this situation. Read and be enlightened. You were warned.]

The forests outside Nanthalion rustled in the soft wind. The trees stood as they have for centuries before, watching over the vast expanse of the land that made up the town and its environs as the fowl of the air chirped along their branches, the evergreen scent wafting as far as the main road. It seemed so silent...tranquil...

At least until a large ball of white energy roared up, blasting through the canopy, sending burning branches and leaves asunder as the missile dissipated along the deep purple of the dawn sky. The birds took flight immediately, valuing their lives more than their security at this moment.

"Your aim is off, mage," the female drow called out as she rolled to the side, black envemoned blade outstretched in her dark hands, her one eye sparkling with unseen glee. "Would you prefer I stand still and give you a better shot?"

The mage stood firm, his red cloaks shifting as his hands move to charge his spell again. "Don't do me any favors, Cleothina...you said you wished for a fight and I assured you will get one..." His eyes looked up, a hand extending as arcane forces crackled, the wind starting to pick up.

"Ah...so the mighty Zarias wishes me to catch my death of cold?" Cleothina laughed, her feet digging into the ground as she charged, the Great Sword in both hands. "Well...I have some cold drow STEEL for your gull..."

Before the drow could bring her sword to bear, Zarias concentrated his energy around him, pushing the gusts of winds directly into his attacker. The wall of air slammed sharply into Cleothina, blowing her off her feet, cartwheeling her comically into a bush on the other side of the clearing, hand still tight on the pommel of her blade.

"Please, Cleothina...this witty banter of yours is quite stale." The mage gestures, his telekinesis bringing his quarterstaff to his free hand, holding it along his chest. "Perhaps you might want to think up new threats the next time you fight someone..."

Cleothina poked her head from the bush, grinding her teeth as she shook the broken branches from her hair. "Don't you be talking to me about BANTER, you robe-wearing blowhard!" The drow stood, sword pointed at Zarias. "I've sworn I'll have your head by sunrise, even if we have to destroy this whole damn forest in doing so!"

"Oh dear..." The mage replied, index finger running along the quarterstaff in reflection. "I don't fancy Quilian would like that at all...not at all..."

This only brought a mocking whine from the drow. "Oooooh DEAR...you don't fancy Quilian..." Her voice lost the mocking pitch, hand swinging the sword into both hands. "That tree-hugging, deer-loving elf can kiss my ASS, for all I care! He'll probably thank me for cutting down ONE weed here!" Cleothina steadied her stance, giving a wicked smile to Zarias.

Zarias just sighed, reluctantly bringing his staff up across both hands. "Very well, Cleothina," he said. "I'm sure Unigo can fit one more arrogant drow on a slab for ressurection." "When I'm done with you, there'll be nothing LEFT to ressurect! YAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Cleothina and Zarias charged at each other again, while the trees watched, silent...and full of foreboding.

Stepping Out in Belariath

A Quick IRC Guide to the World of The Lonely Inn

Compiled By Morgannus Drakewing, Diplomatic Envoy of the Saraphan Empire

Ah...fighting. Ever since time began, man has challenged man to show theur skill in order to win rewards, be they tangible or intangible. As this is a fantasy environment filled with dragons, trolls, and other unsavory folk, you could expect to get into a scrap or two during your stay, traveler. Of course, you may lose more fights than you win, but the thrill of combat is too much to abstain from. Syune knows I have participated in a few scraps, and I've gotten the shorter end lots of times. I don't choose to fight, of course. I've seen my share as a common soldier, but sometimes conflicts are unavoidable. That's when you fight tooth and nail. Wondering how the folks here settle a score? I'll be glad to help you with that.

**************

How A Fight Starts

"Dammit, WHY do you people keep aiming for my balls?"

-Necromatic Knight Sha-Ka, Servant and Champion of Elghinalee, during one of his many encounters.

Starting a fight is easy. Deciding who to fight beforehand and fighting a reason beforehand, however, isn't. Sure, if you just want to find someone in the inn and smack them in the face a few times, you are free to do that. Then again, it'd make no sense whatsoever. Reason to the actions, remember? Use your head. If you want to plan a scrap, here's a few steps that can help in your decision.

1. Decide whether you really WANT pick a fight.

As some of our newer denizens have found out, the easiest way to get into a fight is to shout at the top of your lungs that you need to have someone fight you now or you'll start breaking something. However, that way is obviously not recommended, due to the fact that you may attract the wrong attention (like a few Level 20+ drow executioners) and that it looks really bad. After you have gained a few levels and made a reputation, MAYBE you can get away with it.

In other words, weigh your options carefully. Keep an eye on the room for malcontents and such. See if there's any tension brewing. Perhaps you can use it to your advantage when you find a reason to attack. Now, on the subject of reasons for attacking, there's another step you must consider.

2. Be careful around SOME people around the inn.

Some people...you just can't reach. A mild insult, a putdown, a rebuke is all they need to get out a sword and start chopping heads. You can probably sit around a while and see which characters are the hotheads and adjust your roleplay accordingly. Be cautious, though. Some of the more notorious hotheads have high levels to back themselves up if you manage to catch their ire.

Now, that doesn't mean that being nice and bubbly will help you avoid fighting situations either. Sometimes, a fight can start after only an innoculous bump or just in the wrong place at the worst time imaginable. Your character probably won't see combat coming, but you should be cautious before the situation becomes too far gone to salvage.

3. If your character's a loudmouth, make sure you make enough friends to back you up.

It's hard for a character with a big mouth to start out. ALone in a hostile world, they have to rely on their quick wit more than their weapon. This is where the forming alliances comes in handy. Befriending a few people early in the game gets you an added amount of defence if trouble seems to come your way. Your colleagues can help you fight, can straighten up your attitude if you get a bit too cocky, and can pick up the pieces of your corpse and cart you to the Healer's Guild or Unigo if things got too dicey for you.

Inn patrons can have a long-term or short-term memory if they choose. If your character goes around all cocksure of themselves one day, don't be surprised if your boasts are stuffed down your throat the next, probably by ambush. If you humiliate an opponent, you may end up facing against their friends in the future. Each fight brings about new friends and enemies. Use this to your advantage as you develop your character's legend.

4. Decide which system you will be using.

Got your opponent set up? Good. There's two ways which you can handle a fight. First, you got the dice system, which uses Desdaemona's dice ability and your stats to determine blows and parries. It a lot simpler to playing AD&D, except without the Cheetos or the whiny player asking the Dungeon Master to roll the dice to see if he's getting drunk. Don't deny it. I'm sure we've all gone through that. I was a a Battletech player for a while, and after going through five Mechs in as many months, I can tell you this space-aged warfare ain't as cracked up as it's supposed to be.

Where was I? Oh yes...fighting systems. The second form of combat is freeform. It's easier, it's quicker, and it resolves things quickly and effectivly without worrying about technical systems. It's double-teaming on a fight scene. You write an action, your opponent writes another. It's like cybering without the pillow talk...and the...er...sex. You get the idea. A little bit more on both of those things later on.

5. If an all-out inn brawl looks like its brewing, get everyone involved into the OOC channel IMMEDIATELY.

Shit happen. That's a way of life. And when this said shit becomes a cartload and it dumps out on the inn floor, everyone can start to feel it. (I wish to apologize on my metaphors. Vic tries to tell me I'm not much of a writer. I'm starting to see what she means by it.) All-out brawls can happen at any time at any place, be it in Town, in the Forest, or inside the Inn despite Ehlanna's expressed rule that all fighting must be done outside the inn or ELSE. If it does, you have to help clean up. If you don't do your share, she'll get real angry too, and trust me, a pissed off elf seductress is right up there with a crazed troll bezerker on my fear list.

As can be expected, an all-out brawl can get very confusing very fast. Therefore, I would encourage those actively involved in the warfare to enter the Lonely Inn OOC channel before the brawl starts in order to coordinate character actions and positions. Also, for the sake of the sanity of the Ops, the brawls are ALWAYS free form. No exception. No appeal.

***************

"Did someone hear a crash?"

Morgan Drakewing looked up from his tankard of water, a bit bleary-eyed as he and Victoria took a small breather from their "filing" in the casino. He blinks his bloodshot eyes to the person beside him, a dark gray wolven with his paw on a mug of bear and his ears peaked to the door. "What?"

"I said I heard a crash," the Wolven said again, a bit more patiently, intelligent eyes flickering around the room, as if looking for the source of this disturbance. "You know...crash as in wood creaking, breaking, then falling down in a crash..." "Wood crash?" The bartender came over. The human was cleaning a glass with a dark dishcloth that has obviously seen better days. "You mean 'tree falling down for no apparent reason' crash or 'some couple broke the bed up in their room again' crash?" The Wolven shook his head, giving the bartender a sour look. "Tree crash...it was definitely a tree crash."

"Mmmm..." Victoria stirred on Morgan's shoulder, eyes barely open to look at the direction of the conversation. "Sounded like a bed to me, Shadow...love, pour me another glass of wine, would you?"

"I'm telling you, it was a TREE!" Shadow protested as Morgan took the bottle of wine, pouring it into Victoria's glass. Then the second sound came, a large, echoing crack from the outside. "See? There it is again! You people hear that one?"

The bartender looked up from his work, then nodded. "Yep...that was a tree. A bit late for the woodsmen. Must be the ogres establishing their territory again."

"This late at night, Skye?" Morgan presses the glass of wine into Victoria's hand, kissing her lips again as his hand stroked her wings. He looks to the door. "Hrmph...it ain't Thrash and Detritus...they're asleep over there."

Shadow and Skye turned to where Morgan was looking. Sure enough, the two ogres were sound asleep in the same booth. They looked so peaceful, and the constant crashing of the forest didn't seem to rouse them. The group looked to each other again, shrugging.

There were footsteps from outside, and the door opened. A blue catboy walked into the entryway, looking spent. Seems he ran all the way from town. "Hey! HEY! Do any of you people know why the forest's on fire?" "FIRE?" Everyone at the bar except for Victoria yelped, almost in unison.

"Mmmmm...that tickles..." Victoria said lazily, then shook her hair out, looking to the catboy. "What, Neko?"

"Fire!" Tsueko said, pointing out of the door, wildly gesticulating. "That big red thing that burns! There's a patch of it in the forest! Can't you see the light from...no, guess you wouldn't...but it's BURNING!"

Shadow slammed his tankard on the bar, walking past Neko and looked out. Sure enough, there was a red glow above the forest, with small flames in the horizon licking along the dark evergreen top of the trees in the distance. The Wolven snarled, then looked back into the room.

"I TOLD you people there was going to be trouble when that one-eyed drow bitch left here, Morgan!" He stomped back over, grabbing his scythe from the side of his barstool. "You know how she is with a few belts in her!"

Morgan didn't respond immediately. He cricked his neck, standing as he supported Vic's back, ruffling out his cloak. "Come on, Shadow. The forest's Quilian's responsibility. I'm sure he can take care of her..."

"Funny you should ask that, Morgan," Neko said, walking over to a table, pointing at the dazed and sleeping occupant, a certain Elf Ranger with a bow and quiver on his back, a forest camoflauged cloak with hood barely hiding the shock of brown hair pooled on the table, along with the five glasses of strong ale.

"What the...QUILIAN?" Morgan became a bit wide-eyed, nearly dropping against Victoria, who snuggled against him. He looked to Skye. "How long has HE been here?"

Skye just shrugged, continuing to clean the glasses. "The guy's been like that after that big housewarming he had last week. Quite an event, wasn't it? Shame I was out of town..."

"Tsuneko," Shadow said calmly, looking to the blue catboy, "would you sober our Forest Protector up a little and tell him his forest is on fire? I'll take Morgan over and see what's going on." "I'd say telling him the forest was on fire WOULD sober him up, but..." Tsuneko shrugged. "...I'll join you when he's up."

"MORGAN! Come on!"

The dragoon sighed, kissing Victoria's lips. "I'll be back in a second, love." He looked to Skye. "Make sure she gets some sleep, okay?"

Skye looked down at the winged angel, who has already made herself comfortable, hands folded under her head, wings wrapping around her form. He then looks to Shadow and Morgan leave as Tsuneko was busy shaking Quilian out of his inebriated state. "Hmph...never a dull moment," he says, looking to some people sleeping on the couch. "HEY! Any one of you want a drink?"

**************

The Art of Combat

"VITH! I said STOP kicking me in the balls! I'm warning you! I got a deadly sword here! It really wants your blood! Come on! Try to kick me there again, you piece of shit! I DARE you!"

-Necromatic Knight Sha-Ka, Servant and Champion of Elghinalee, later during said encounter. He eventually took the opponent's soul anyway, so it all turned out good.

I won't spend too much time filling your head with how to fight and roll and all of that. You might notice two seperate guides that deal specifically with each aspect of TLI battle. Craven's Guide gives you a bare bones description on the dice method, while the wily and eminently more attractive Kalciane has put out a guide detailing the art of free-form combat. I would advise you read over those if you intend to make a living through the sword or through magic combat. It's really thorough.

But while we're here, I'll just talk to you about how to type and formulate your actions.

1. Make preparations.

Start with the environment. If you wish to dual in an isolated area, such as the arena or the outside ground of the Inn, have both characters journey there. If you wish to stay inside the inn, then establish fighting banter and position, but don't be surprised if an Op starts to dispatch Imperial Guards to intervene when your battle becomes too intense inside the building or if it's inside town.

Next, prepare your weapon and any defensive magic spells. Some higher level characters can choose this time to activate any relics for stat bonuses, with accompanying effects used for intimidation value. USe this time to open a PM with the opponent, asking his preferences to either a dice battle or Free-form battle. You may decide on a combination if you wish, freeforming the first few rounds, then coming to a decisive ned with dice. It's really the decision between you and your opponent. If it is strictly free-form, discuss what outcomes might result beforehand.

Once settled, start fighting.

2. Autohits are BAD.

You know what I'm talking about here, I hope. This is when a person performs a succesful attack upon another person without the chance of responce. Let's use Bob and George as an example. George likes to autohit Bob a lot. It's just the way George is. Here are some of his actions during their latest fight:

George kicks Bob's sword out of his hand, then swings, cutting off his foot.

George slams an energy bolt point blank into Bob's stomach.

George swings around, hitting Bob in the solar plexus and throwing him across the bar.

George snaps his whip along Bob's eyes, blinding him.

George jump kicks Bob, smapping his head back.

George uses his AMAZING CHI POWERS to burn Bob into a pile of ashes

Poor Bob. He shouldn't put up with George's nonsence, should he? Now, let's take George and lock him in a room with our resident female barbarian Kaytoo for a few hours while she teaches him the error of his ways...

**************

Morgan Drakewing stopped writing, waiting a few seconds. After a while, the door unlocks, and the dragoon looks around.

Kaytoo, clad in that suspender-supported thong that covered less body area than a string of floss would, dragged the unconscious and naked George into the main room, tossing it unceremoniously facedown onto the floor. "NEXT time, jal'nuk...NEXT time I want one with MORE endurance!" She scowled as she tromped back to the room, shutting the door behind her.

The dragoon nods as George is dragged to the healer's guild, then continues writing...

**************

Okay...back to the writing. A kinder, wiser george fights Bob again. Here's his actions now.

George uses his dagger to slash along Bob's sword hand, while the other takes a lower arcing loop, aimed at his foot. George places his hand fractions of an inch from Bob's stomach and charges up an energy bolt.

George swings around, aiming a backhand into Bob's solar plexus

George snaps his whip in front of Bob's face, the tip missing his eyes by only a centimeter.

George aims a rather beautiful jumpkick at Bob's head that, if landed, would make Bruce Lee proud. (Bob, still not forgetting the autohits and in a traditionally sardonic mood, responded with "Bob dodges as George disgraces Bruce Lee's memory.")

George uses his AMAZING CHI POWERS to run like hell away from Bob.

Now, keep in mind there are some actions that can be considered as autohits if overused, like grabbing, pushing, or tackling as both of you roll on the ground. If in doubt, don't do it.

3. No-selling is BAD.

The polar opposite of auto-hitting is the lesser topic of no-selling. No-selling means the player is deflecting or blocking every single move the opponent makes while smiling evilly or something along the lines. If you have a little knowledge of professional wrestling (and if you did, wasn't Kamala great? I mean...I LOVED that guy!), you might know that wrestlers like Goldberg and the Undertaker used this tactic to simulate that they have a huge pain threshold.

**************

As Morgan wrote, the door opened again, the head of Kaytoo peeking out again.

"Hrmph...civilised male wrestlers...they have no stamina too..." she said, scoffing her head back, closing the door. Morgan just blinked, then shrugged. He started to write again.

**************

However, let me break your bubble and lay out the cold hard truth for you. You are not Goldberg. You are not the Undertaker. Therefore, it is not wise for you to go all DBZ and stand in the way of a large fireball as it blasts around you, then keep standing when the shadows clear while laughing unless:

a.) Your name is Stormbringer

b.) You are a complete idiot.

No-sell stunts look bad when role-played. You have to take blows if you wish to dish them out. Even in dice rolls, if your character is hit for one life point, wheel back in pain, rubbing your jaw. Don't expect to go into a large fight and not getting your knuckles bloody, if my sayings are correct.

4. Even in Free-form, use your stats to gauge your limitations.

If there is a large level gap between you and your opponent, there will obviously be an advantage for one side, either in speed or strength. Reflect these gaps while you fight. If you're fighting a higher leveled character, you can still dodge and parry but not as quick and as often as you'd like. The lesser classes will lose more often in free-form fights unless there is something you two planned OOC, so try to keep that balance. Above all, be realistic or the Ops might have to call for dice, and that is when the level advantage will really show through.

5. If an opponent needs to finish up quick, provide for wrap-up action.

There will be times when the opponent might have real life obligations to get to and it just wouldn't be right to just stop the scene and continue it later. In those rare instances, talk with each other in OOC or PM to figure out how to put a quick end to this skirmish. It can be done by simply breaking combat suddenly and exchanging parting jabs, knocking the opponent out suddenly, or by casting a dimension door and stepping out of combat dramatically. Be innovative. It adds to the role-play mystique if you accomplish it right, and you'll have more incentive when the two fighters meet again on the field of combat.

**************

Other Aspects of the Fight

"Ya can't just cumma in dis place whippin' it out an' sayin' ya be the bestist fighta' in da room. Well, ya CAN, but ya don't unlessin ya be sum crazy git or sume higha up Mork Blessa. Now stop talkin' ta Zug-Zug so 'e get da porricinni shroomers all flambied!" -Zug Zug, Goblin Eunuch and Cook

What else is there to talk about the art of combat? Well, three things might help you in planning and execution.

1. Never try to push another person into a fight or spar without OOC and/or IC permission.

I've seen this happen before, and it's never pretty. If someone tells you OOC that their character seriously doesn't want a fight, put your damn weapon down and let that them off with a stern warning. Simple as that. I've seen people leave and not come back because they were goaded into fights they didn't want parts in.

Inversely, don't have your character start pushing other people around, then refuse to fight when you catch the attention of a person stronger than you who is fed up with the IC actions. Your character must be held in account. When you punch someone, don't be surprised if they punch back. They're just protecting their interests as well, after all. Keep in mind, bullying people into fights without OOC permission or refusing to give OOC permission for another character to attack yours for obviously seen reasons will get you in deep trouble in the management or, if serious enough, will get you booted from Belariath permanently.

2. Don't interfere with a fight you have no business in being involved in unless you have a VERY valid IC reason.

It's like the rape interference I talked about earlier. Interfering with a fight for no reason is bad. Asking someone in PM for permission to interfere with a fight for no reason is also bad. Asking someone in PM for permission to interfere in a SCRIPTED free-form fight for the soul reason of "having better stats" and then ASKING MONEY from the character to do so...well, I pray to Syune that you have enough common sense to never attempt a stunt like that, because the last person who did ask me that earned himself a nice little "ignore" next to his name, which is the laymans cheap alternative to a kickban.

You CAN and WILL get kicked by any Op who sees you trying to ruin people's fights on a regular basis. Every battle isn't free for all in the same way every public sex act inside the inn isn't a free for all. As "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is the Golden Rule for some worlds, the Golden Rule in Belariath is "use your goddamn head". Of course, the Golden Rule here changes depending on who you talk to, and sometimes involves the phrase "up the ass". We have strange people here.

3. If a significant problem develops during combat, call a time out on the main board and resolve actions through PM or the OOC room.

This may seem like a needless distraction, but do not hesitate to call a pause in the action if you are unsure on where a character is, if another opponent misses a post where he is attacked, or too many people try to take an arrow meant for someone else.

After stopped play, resolve everything quickly through the OOC room, ask for rule clarifications, then restart after there is a general ruling.

When you wish for your your character to do something rather uncharacteristic or incredible, perhaps due to a developing storyline, it is vital that you talk over what you plan with an Op. Even if the scene involves NPCs or does not cause any dramatic widespread effects, a rather unexpected turn of events may set the wrong precident for other similar events to follow. Wackiness then ensues, people gets upset, and Stormbringer must then step out from seclusion and yell at everyone to "GET THE HELL OFF MY LAWN!" And no, it is not as funny as it sounds when it happens. The sooner you get approval for this action or event ahead of time, the better.

*******************

"You NEVER listen to me!" Shadow shouted above the din. "You never EVER listen to me, do you, Morgan?"

Morgan Drakewing wearily looked up as Tsuneko and Quilian did their best to quell the shrinking brushfire, coughing a little at the thick smoke that wafted upwards. His grime-stained hands were dragging at the legs of a battered and very stunned Cleothina, finally pulling the drow from her recent perch stuck in the crooks and branches of a banyan tree which has seen better days.

"Gods DAMMIT, Morgan! You're not even listening to ME now, are you?" Shadow barked, the large wolven stalking over, resting his hand on the banyan. There was a sharp creek as the tree tilted to the side a little, perhaps unused to the beating it and the rest of the forest clearing had taken in the past few hours.

"No," Morgan replied curtly as he kneeled down, patting Cleo's face lightly. The patch that covered her bad eye seemed singed, revealing the scar tissue beneath. The dragoon inhaled a bit, sitting Cleo up, pushing her against the trunk as Shadow just glared daggers into his back.

"There we go again," the wolven continued with his rant, cracking his knuckles abruptly. "You and your damned concern for the girl. I never trusted her from day one! I had you and her try to help Amelinda get over that bliss of hers and what do I come home to?" There was a snarl. "Come on...what did I come home to?"

Morgan put a heal spell into one of Cleo's badly burned arms, an eye looking up at Shadow. "We went over this, Shadow. Mel was fingering herself like mad and the only way to get her over the bliss was to counter it." He reached into his satchel for his healing kit, crushing some herbs.

"Oh...that's all it was..." Shadow grabbed the draggon's cloak, pulling him up a little from the drow. "...but did in entail for all three of you to be NAKED and FUCKING EACH OTHER like cats in mating season?" The wolven shook his head, letting go. "I swear, Morgan...you have way too much faith in people."

There was a moan, almost a small one as Morgan and Shadow turned in tandem to see Cleothina narrowing her one good eye at the two. The drow stretched out her hand, pointing a shaky finger at their direction.

"If...you two don't sh...shut up..." she croaked, finger lowering with each word, "I'l ki...kick your asses and m...make you...shut up...I'm t...tryin' to r...re..." The hand fell as the drow gave deep breathes, pretty tired.

Morgan and Shadow just looked at each other as Quilian approached. He seemed to be a bit better, not showing any hangover effects at all. He took his job that seriously. The elf looked down to Cleothina, then to the two next to her. "She the one who's responsible for this?" he said, voice disturbingly even.

Shadow put his hand to his mouth, giving a polite cough as Morgan put another heal spell into Cleothina. "She was one of them," the dragoon replied, not looking up. "I think she brought some firebombs to use against Zarias."

Quilian nodded. His eyebrow gave a rather comical twitch. "And Zarias?"

"Over there." Shadow pointed to the wizard, who was helping Tsuneko with making the fire die down. There was a bit of silence as Quilian looked to the dying fire, the red embers sparkling and sputtering on the dirt ground at his feet. He looks to Cleothina, the eyebrow twitching again.

"See that you and the Healer's Guild don't patch up her wounds too thoroughly, Morgan," the elf said finally, "until I give this drow a piece of my mind."

Morgan looked up, making a splint for Cleothina's leg. "What? Oh...sure, Quilian. Shadow and I will take her over." He slides to the other side of the drow before Shadow could protest, taking her into his arms as Quilian walked off, talking to Zarias and Tsuneko. The dragoon stood, offering the unconscious body to the wolven. "Here...all yours..."

Shadow seemed to sputter, eyes narrowing a bit in anger. "Me? ME? You're the one who trusted her, dammit! YOU take her."

"That's true," Morgan said, quite calmly, "but I'm sure you can trust her to stay unconscious until we get to the Guild. I'll take her sword...you take her body."

"But...but..." Shadow was about to protest again just as Morgan pushed Cleothina into his stomach. The wolven growled again, snatching the drow, putting her across one shoulder. "I'm not doing you any favors, now...you owe me." "Right...now get going. I'll follow you."

Morgan stepped up into the banyan, yanking hard at Cleo's sword still wedged within as Shadow began the long, arduous road to town with a homicidal drow limp across his shoulder.