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By Jamey Martin
Old Scores
Summer 1373DR
And so it was at the height of summer that the band made their way as a group westward to Yokeluk and Rauthauvyr's Road, and then south toward Ordulin. While riding through Blackfeather Bridge it came to pass that Tyros spotted a man he had met while en route to Tantras with Lil and Barlow. Fisk was his name. And the place was some little inn in the outback of Sembia North. After a night of chumming it up with the man, Tyros awoke to find himself out several hundred gold pieces and Fisk was nowhere to be found. According to the Innkeeper he headed out bright and early that morning bound for Ordulin ... which was exactly where Tyros didn't want to be at the time, as Fisk well knew.
Of course, times change. And Blackfeather Bridge seemed as good as place as any to settle an old score. And so it was that the Calauntan accosted the startled thief, assaulting him with multiple slaps to the head and demanding his 450 gold coins ... now. This did not last long however, before Fisk's merc. friends saw what was going on and began to involve themselves. Before a general melee could erupt between the two parties the merchant Darvion of Ordulin interceded and ordered his guardsmen, Fisk included, to stand down. He questioned into the matter and Tyros explained that Fisk had lifted a pouch of gold from him a couple of years back. Fisk however claimed that he had never even seen Tyros before.
As matters quickly began to heat up once more a group of some dozen steely-eyed warriors all decked out in platemail pushed their way through the gathering crowd. Their leader was a great, imposing and bearded figure, introducing himself as the High Justice Earlandon of Grimjaws. As the servant of the Evenhanded God questioned into the matter a look of anxiety began to wash over Fisk's face, which only grew more pronounced when Tyros took the opportunity to request that the matter be settled by Grimjaws himself via the ritual duel.
Despite some initial protest by the thieving craven, his mood quickly turned when he learned that he could chose a champion to fight on his behalf. Or the the only other option would be to heat up the Rod of the Righteous, and thus determine who was lying and who telling the truth. So, with snickering assurance he asked his friend, a rather large and well-equipped half-orc by the name of Gorak, to step up for him. Tyros however was undaunted. He found the half-orc strong enough, but slow and ill-trained. In the end the overly proud half-orc lay dead. And while Fisk had little more than 50 gold coins to his name, Tyros was also awarded all of the fallen's war-gear by the High Justice, who frowned with contempt upon Fisk. As did Darvion, and most of his employees.
Moving on from Blackfeather Bridge, the band eventually arrived in bustling Ordulin, where they quickly found lodging and set about their business. Within a week they had sent news of their progress back to the Dawn Alliance, received the necessary scroll from Ordulin's great Gondian temple, and then set back out for Hap.
The content of And Dragons Shall Rule is the property and copyright of Jamey Martin, and is not to be published or redistributed without permission.