Adventure Tales The Ring...off to a rough start.

A fox, a wildcat, and two otters set out to retrieve a lost heirloom from a group of bandits.

Players involved are:

Vannon :Meet Kydo Vannon. This particular rascal of a fox looks at you with a playfull and mischevious look. As a grey fox Vannon stands a little shorter than most other wood land vulpines. A combination of grey and specks of black run down his back. A strip of brown fur runs across his sides and his underbelly is coated in tan fur. A patch of white fur decorates his chin and throat.

In the prime of his youth Vannon has a healthy appearence. He has some flesh under his fur but also some muscle to his limbs as well.

The grey furred vulpine wears a bright red short sleeved vest. The clothing is made from cloth, the buttons are brass. His hips are covered by red trousers that stretch down to his bare foot paws. His head is adorned with a pointed cap that fits between his ears. A feather sticks out of the back.

A skilled archer Vannon carries a recurve bow and a leather quiver of arrows on his back. He is sometimes seen with a small bow gun and almost never without the rapier at his side, a double edged weapon made from steel with an ornate silver handle.

Raziel: A young adult male wildcat, of above average height, but an unremarkable build. He has very pale, slit-pupiled eyes, the irises almost silver in coloration. His fur is thick, rather long, and covered in a vast array of black stripes, stretching from the top of his head to the tip of his tail. The majority of his coat has a slate grey tone, that fades to white towards his chest and belly.

His clothing is simple, but sturdy; consisting of little more than a pair of roughspun trousers, a faded purple vest, and a hooded black cloak that is often worn as a mantle. No shoes adorn his digitigrade paws, although a set of decent armor plates cover his shins, calves, and forearms, implying at least some familiarity with combat.

This is further reinforced by the sturdy baldric slung across his chest, and the steel bastard sword sheathed on his back. His main weapon, however, is most likely the sharp bladed spear the feline carries with him; the straight-edged steel head glaming atop the stained ash shaft.

Safana: Her fur is a deep coal black from head top to tail tip, like her brothers fur is. She keeps it clean and brushed and her long tail has slightly more fur than other cats. Her eyes are a piercing green color. She keeps a gold earring in her right ear and her left ear is half gone. A scar is seen above her left eye and one on her chin. She wears a deep black bark leather vest over a white tunic. Her pants are a dark grey color and made so she can easily move and run, and the tall white leather boots are very well made and go up to her knees. On her paws are thick leather black gloves with two sharp curved blades on top and used when needed. She carried a long fancy sword on her back and also for winter has a dark black, hooded and sleeveless cloak.

Rorgan: Rorgan is an otter that stands at around 6 feet tall with piercing ice blue eyes. His black fur is mostly covered save his arms, head, and tail by a suit of black leather armor. A brown leather sheath can be seen on his back containing his bow. In his belt are three different scabbards that contain his three daggers.Two of them are identical in design; their hilts a dull silver from use. have a red gem set in the centers and their scabbards appear to be replicas of each other. The third, however, has a different look about it. Its hilt is wrapped in a leather grip and seems to be rather new, though still gently used. Its sheath looks almost brand new, like it had just been made yesterday. The most noteable feature about him, however, is the bright red tattoo that marks his right arm. It is an intricate circular design that resembles a very large arm band that somebeast had cut complex designs into.

Lee: a normal otter

Far from the cold winds and snow that beset the Fang and Claw to the north the Black Gull Tavern is having somewhat better but still chilled weather. The Gull has always been a place for vermin to get away from the sometimes overbearing peacefulness of the abbey dwellers down the road, today though the tavern is rather empty. A grizzled old rat is at the bar tending to the few customers he has, some of them include a skinny brown furred weasel at the bar, a pair of grey furred squirrels in brown farmer tunics, sitting at a table at the far corner, and a bat in a red and purple dress signing slightly off key near the fire place.

Raziel is sitting off in a corner, his paws propped up on a table. For the most part, the wildcat is lounging about, watching the rather slow procession of beasts through the tavern, and trying desperately to ignore the bat's singing. "I need to find a better place to stay..." Nonetheless, if he is to find someone to /actually/ employ him, a tavern seems a more suitable place than most to look.

Safana steps into the tavern, its been a while since she has been here and so she sits down at a table by the doorway.

A black furred otter also steps into the tavern just a little bit after Safana. He looks around the tavern before walking to the bar. He sits and orders an ale before scanning the tavern.

The door to room 2 opens on the balcony above. A young grey fox steps out and stretches, leaning over the railing as he glances about the beasts below. The fox's clothing is torn, his belly and arms are bandaged, and his stomach growls loud enough for the beasts in Redwall to hear. Not the best way to start the morning, but hey, he's alive. The fox's ears perk up when a stoat dressed in a cloak and one arm in a sling comes marching in after the otter. He makes a bead line for the squirrels. They converse for a while in a heated argument, most of which is lost until the stoat says, "I'm telling you! It's too dangerous. Find someone else for your dirty work ye blasted rodent." The stoat storms off to the other side of the bar, sitting down in a huff at a table not too far away.

Watching as he is, Raziel sees all of this - and he has to admit, he's fairly curious. Rather than continue lazing, which has become rather tiresome by this point, the wildcat stands and makes his way to the stoat. "I hope you don't mind my asking, but...what was that all about." The cat remains standing, next to the table, rather than sitting down with the stranger.

Safana gets her ale and sips it as she watches a group of woodlanders curious and shrugs it off, she drinks the dark colored ale and keeps to her self for now.

Lee walks into the Tavern, his bow and a quiver of arrows slung across his back, and his sword close at hand. He doesn't like the looks of this crowd, in fact, he wouldn't even be here if he wasn't after information about someone. He approaches the bar, not yet noticing the other otters.

Rorgan turns and breaks into a smile as he spots Lee. He stands to walk over to meet the otter and claps him on the shoulder. "Lee! How are you doin' mate?!" He sure wasn't comfortable with the beasts he didn't know, but it relieved him to see somebeast he knew.

Vannon looks down on the wildcat and stoat, below, also interested in what he has to say. The stoat takes a look at Raziel and laughs, then cringes in pain from the action. His fur is full of cuts, bruises, and his left eye has black ring around it, visible even under the fur. "That...IDIOT..." he shouts loud enough to be heard by the squirrels, "Nearly got me killed. Blasted kid sent me off to go get some stolen family heirloom from some bandits. Two or three he said. Ha! More like five or six! I lost count after they jumped me and beat me to a pulp." The stoat rubs his arm, "I barely crawled my way back to Redwall...can you imagine the embarrassment, having to have those pacifist hippies patch me up...bleedin heck..." the stoat says in pain.

Raziel tilts his head curiously, looking the stoat over. Bandits, heirlooms, probable violence...sounds like a normal day to the wildcat. "What are they paying? I hate to be so forward, but I need the funds. And perhaps I will fare better than you did..." The cat gives the stoat another glance, and leans against the haft of his spear.

Safana ear flicks at the sound of gold but she did have plans today to go a little further up the road, maybe to Ferravale but for now she just listens and drinks her ale.

Lee looks over and smiles slightly. "Rorgan, me mate! Wot are ye doin' 'ere?" He sits at the bar, glancing around the room. "Course, ye could ask me the same thing..."

Rorgan shrugs, looking over at the cat conversing with the stoat. "Just stoppin' by. Uh...hold on just a moment." He turns to walk towards the conversing vermin and curiously inquires, "Uh sorry, but I couldn't help but overhear. Is this somethin' I could lend me services to?"

Dispite his injuries attained literally only two days ago Vannon somehow manages to simply appear next to Raziel's shoulder. "Did someone mention...'Gold'?" how the fox got down the stairs so fast, one may never know. The stoat looks surprised that so many beasts are interested in his failed job. He finely shrugs, "You lot want to go to an early grave? Fine. I can even show you where I tracked them too." The stoat takes out a small cloth and draws a crud makeshift map on it. "Off in the woods there is a little known road called Beggars Pass. They were camped up in that area, probibly not there anymore but...if you catch them the Squirrel over yonder is paying you in what ever loot you find on them." the stoat tosses the map towards the wildcat, "You want more information, ask the squirrel. I am officially wiping my paws clean of this mess."

Raziel catches the map, a look of confusion on his muzzle at the stoat's response - but the cat's certainly interested in /finally/ turning a profit. He glances over the map with his pale eyes, and looks to the squirrels on the other side of the tavern, making his way over. As he arrives, he simply states, "I'm interested in taking the job you sent the stoat on previously. I assume the reward shall be the same as you promised him?"

Safana shakes her head as she stands and heads to the door, she has some other business

Lee looks over at the mention of gold. His interest is no peaked. "Wot be all this talk o' treasure?"

Rorgan follows the cat towards the squirrels, but remains silent and listens for the squirrels' reply. His interest was certainly peaked, but he wanted to hear the details first before he committed to something like this.

The grey furred vulpine walks behind Raziel and is shocked when there is an otter walking next to him, "Hey! Where do you think yer goin otter?" he growls. Mercenaries can be very territorial about job offers. The two squirrels exchange glances at each other before turning to the party of beasts at their table. They look to be possibly brother and sisters, "You...you want to take the job?" The squirrel closest to Raz says. He leaps up to shake his paw, "You are hired!" His sister only facepaws at the thought. She sighs, "There isn't too much left to pay you with sir. Our home was attacked by bandits a while back. They took all our possessions. Including a stupid trinket that my brother wants back..." The other grey squirrel looks angrily at his sister, "It's not stupid. It's our fathers signet ring. He wore it all the time before he died. And as my sister has clearly forgotten, it's the only way we can prove we own the land he left us in the homeland." his sister laughs, "If he had any possessions left out there to give us, he wouldn't have move out HERE."

Raziel nods thoughtfully, as the squirrels elaborate, but remains silent. When they conclude, the wildcat simply states, "The stoat gave us a map, and it's enough to get started with. Where should we find you when we've retrieved the ring?" He leans against his spear again, obviously not too concerned about the job - especially now that there are others coming with him. He glances over the fox - Vannon, he knows - and spends a moment longer looking the otters, whom he doesn't recognize...

Lee studies the two squirrels. "Interestin' proposition ye two 'ave 'ere."

Rorgan growls, drawing his dagger and turning to press the blade against the fox's neck. "Lissen here fox. Give me any lip here, and I'll gut you right here." His tone is hard, but deathly calm. He continues to stare at the fox straight in the eyes, but makes sure to listen to the details being recounted by the squirrels. He most certainly is not in the mood to detail with anybeast giving him difficulties.

Vannon narrows his eyes at the otter. As the knife comes up the fox reachs for the quiver of arrows on his back. Twirling the arrow in a paw he leaves it resting on the otters shoulder about the same time as Rorgan's dagger meets his own throat, "Huzzah, we can both kill each other." Vannon says flatly, "Now back off riverdoggie, the adults are talking." Sensing a terrible situation brewing even before the adventure begins the squirrel says, "Um...i can hire you both...all of you in fact. The bandits are pretty loaded with loot...and i can give you up to 50 gold coins for returning the ring..." The fox looks at his employer then turns to the otter. He growls for a long moment then removes the arrow from Rorgan's neck. Vannon supposes its easier to work with him than fight him here and now.

Raziel rolls his eyes at the fox and otter, and shakes the squirrel's paw. "Deal." The wildcat walks back towards his table to collect his few possessions, muttering, "And try not to damage the fox too badly, eh? I just had him patched up," as he passes the temperamental otter.

Lee watches the two foxes warily, then turns back to the squirrels. "Now, did I hear ye correctly? 50 pieces o' gold, just ta get one little ring? No beast bothered ta ask, yet, but wot does the said ring even look like?"

Rorgan snarls at the fox, hesitating for several seconds before removing the dagger and sheathing it again. "Let me hear one more thing from yer worthless mouth, and no beast will find yer useless corpse." He snaps at the fox. Turning away, he looks at the squirrels, equally curious as to what the ring looks like.

The fox rubs his neck and sticks his tongue out at the otter while his back is turned. The squirrel in the back only shakes here head, "Oh boy..." her brother though looks hopefull. "It's a regular shaped ring but it has our family creed on it. A tall tree with two swords crossed infront of it." he shrugs, "It's a ...squirrel thing." then continues, "We are planning to head down to Redwall just south of here. You can find us there. It...it is the only place we have left to go." He says sadly.

Raziel stands behind the two otters and the fox, looking over their shoulders as the squirrel describes the ring. He has his spear, his sword, his cloak, and his armor, and he needs little else. "Ready to leave whenever you three are," the wildcat tersely states.

Lee looks around at the others.

Rorgan nods. "Right, well I'm ready as well, but mayhaps we should wait fer a bit. I saw clouds gathering on the way here, so the weather likely won't be on our side."

Vannon chuckles, "A riverdoggie afraid of some rain? There is a new one." The fox cringes as he clutches at the wound to his side, "Then again...might not be a bad idea to take it slow." The fox looks about the room at this rag tag sort of adventurers. He sighs, how does he keep getting himself into these messes?