Agrigon

[Amaril Torrun]

((Solo. This quest takes place just before my thread with Banda Utako. This quest is from the Dheathain bounty board.))

Amaril slowly made his way off of Corone’s vessel, still uncertain as to the validity of the map showing Dheathain near Salvar. The trip to the country had taken much longer than the atlas suggested, and he now felt another wave of uncertainty and suspicion toward the foreign race called the Fae, especially the one called Demetri. With plans to travel to Salvar, where he would make a new life for himself, he had been stopped by a servant of the unknown Demetri. He was promised a prosperous job for doing a noble deed in a land neighboring his previous destination. With the idea that he wouldn't be traveling very far from Salvar, he told the servant that he would meet with Demetri and see what the fae had to say. Now he was in a port city called Talmhaidh, forcing him to continue the journey to Donnalaich on foot. Of course, he would need to obtain some directions in order to find the place.

Looking around at the numerous Fae, he mumbled to himself, “I’d really prefer not to deal with any more of those creatures than I have too.”

A few more steps into the city, away from the port, he realized that not all of the winged people were Fae. In fact, some looked dangerously like himself, with clawed hands, similar wings, and scales. They were unmistakably dragon-like in their mannerisms, and when the outsider touched one’s shoulder to ask the whereabouts of his destination, he was met with an aggressive snarl, very close to what he himself was capable of when under the control of his beastly half. The creature quickly recognized what he assumed to be one of his own race and gave the half-dragon a curt, upward nod.

“What can I do for you?” A forked tongue rolled over sharp canines, a trait absent in the slightly smaller counterpart.

“I’m sorry for just reaching out to get your attention. I’m new to this country and I am looking for a city called Donnalaich. Would you be so kind as to tell me how to get there?”

“Well, I don’t know exactly why you’d want to go to the Fae capital, stranger. That’s something very suspicious for our kind. It’s in that direction.” the creature pointed toward a seemingly endless land of grasslands and plains. “You would be more comfortable with Suthainn, our capital in the region Fiorair. It may not be as gallant as those fairies have rebuilt their city to be, but we are far more capable of defending our home. My name is Darith, by the way.” Darith reached forward with an outstretched hand, waiting for Amaril to return the gesture.

“My name is Amaril Torrun.” He accepted the handshake politely. “While your offer sounds tempting, I have business to attend to in Donnalaich that I feel compelled to deal with. Perhaps in the near future our lives will meet again, and you could show me Suthainn.” With a firm, final shake, Darith turned and continued on his path, leaving Amaril to start on his.

It only took a few more seconds for him to be drawn into another conversation however. Suddenly a tall, thin man appeared before him, with a grim, yet hopeful expression on his face. Amaril knew this expression well, and could easily foretell what this human would ask him. “I’m sorry, sir, but I have business to attend to, and I don’t exactly have time for a second mercenary job. Perhaps another day.”

With a side step and a long stride, he hoped that the man would leave him alone. Sadly, this was not the case, and the man darted in front of him yet again. “Please. I’ve asked so many people for help, and no one is willing. These blasted Fae aren’t willing to get into any 'unnecessary' fights, and the draconians seem to think that I’m a waste of time.”

And I’m to assume that you’re not? “Very well. I’ll listen to what you have to say, but be brief and to the point. I’m not in the mood to waste time.”

The man’s face nearly cracked with relief. “Thank you, thank you, mister…”

“Amaril Torrun.”

“Amaril. You look draconian too, by the way, but with that tail of yours, I thought you were something different. I guess I was right."

"Please get to the point," Amaril breathed through closed teeth.

"Ok, well I was traveling to Luthmor, with some merchandise to sell to a few Fae in Donnalaich, when a monster attacked my caravan. It must have laid a trap for me, because suddenly I fell through the ground and into some sort of tunnel, along with my wagon and horses. Climbing to the top of my wagon, I had just enough time to see a pair of glowing eyes staring in my direction before my two horses were butchered by the creature. Leaving everything behind, I fled back here, and I’ve been trying to hire help ever since. No one believes that this creature is real, but then again, it only attacks humans, so the Fae and Draconians wouldn’t be bothered by it, now would they?”

Amaril merely shook his head. “Sir, while your tale is saddening, I hardly believe that there are fiends out there that only target humans. It just doesn’t make sense for something like that to exist. I am traveling to the Fae capital though, so I’ll keep an eye out for this creature, whatever it is. Sound good?” Without waiting for a reply, he stepped away from the crazed merchant once again.

“I’ll give you three hundred gold pieces.” Amaril slowed, but then shook his head again and continued on his way. “And I’ll give you my two prevalida daggers. A lot of good they did me, running away like I did.” Amaril froze. The offer of prevalida was hard to reject, even with such an unrealistic objective. Though he wasn’t the greatest swordsman on Althanas, he still adored his prevalida long sword. Blue metal was a treasure he coveted ever since discovering its existence, and two new blades made of it would make nice additions to his collection. Not to mention that he was already a practiced knife thrower with his current steel daggers.

“Alright sir, I accept your offer. I’ll find this creature and kill it, so you can travel in safety.”

“Thank you Amaril, thank you! Just don’t forget to bring me proof. I’m not going to give a small fortune away for nothing.”