Alloys and Allies (Closed to Logan)

[redford]

The farmhouse in Radasanth that John had adapted into his home was finally starting to look like an actual house. John had been a noble once, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t drive a nail or rehang a door. John had taken the house and repaired it well, with the help of Jamie, and on occasion, Logan. All the doorways had real doors now, and the large living room that the front door opened into connected to the rest of the rooms in the house. New countertops, new roof slats, and a new table and chairs were among the repairs in the last few days. It was shaping up nicely, and all he’d need to do now was replace a few beams across the roof, and it would be fully repaired.

John sat in a large chair, staring at the lump of bronze in front of him. He stared, and his mind waded slowly through the issue at hand. It was quite odd, he’d always known the gauntlets had strange properties, but he hadn’t seen this particular phenomenon since he’d acquired them.

A small bronze nugget sat on his table, specially built to accommodate his height. John’s shoulders leaned over it and his armored forearms rested on either side of it, supporting his frame over the table. Slowly, he extended his right index finger, barely touching the other piece of metal.

Almost instantly, both of his own gauntlets changed color, looking exactly the same color as the bronze he’d touched. If he was being honest, John would have to admit that it was fascinating. He’d tested the strength and hardness of his gauntlets both when he was touching the bronze and not, and it seemed as if the gauntlets actually became bronze when he touched it, or at least bronze-like. He absently wondered what other metals he would be able to change his gauntlets into. If he could get some mithril from Salvar, then it would aid his abilities greatly. He wondered also what other materials could be mimicked by them. He withdrew the finger from touching the nugget, and his gauntlets changed to that silvery-looking metal again.

The gauntlets defied explanation, and every time John felt like he knew the extent of their powers, there was something new and odd about them to discover.

Well, if they won’t come off, at least they’re interesting.

The front door opened, thankfully without creaking, and John looked up to see Logan walk through the door, as if he owned the place. Considering his help in obtaining the house in the first place, He probably did own at least a little of it. He gave a look at John and smiled. He spoke, pulling up a chair and falling into it.

“Man, are you ever gonna get good clothes?”

“As soon as you buy them.”

“Oh ho, always the one with the quick wit response!”

John tossed him the piece of bronze he’d been toying with. “You know where I can get some stronger metals?”

Logan caught the metal and examined in for a moment. He turned it over, obviously recognizing that it was unremarkable in itself. “Stronger? Eh, plenty of places..”

“Because…” John interrupted, snatching the lump of metal from Logan’s hand. His gauntlets immediately adopted that classic dull golden color of bronze. “...of this,” He held his other palm up, and a rectangle grew upwards out of it. “Just as easy to manipulate. I think if I got my hands on some titanium it would help.”

“Hmm,” Logan began, “I’d imagine there could be a few decent hauls to be had in Alerar, or if you’re feeling really adventurous, there’s always the Dwarven mines in Salvar.”


John spoke quickly, clearing his throat. “Alerar it is, then,” He dropped the nugget, which fell to the table with a clacking sound as his gauntlets faded back to silver.

Logan’s eyebrows raised. “Awful quick to avoid Salvar there, John. Something I should know about?”

“It’s cold up there,” John said, standing. He absently wondered if Salvar was still as he left it, all that time ago. “I went once, didn’t like it too well,” He grabbed a bag that was hanging on the wall.

“Well, they have clothes to help with that, you know. There are a lot of hoops to jump through for an Alerar trip. Significantly more than going to Salvar would entail. I think we should hit up the Dwarven mines, and who knows maybe we might walk away with more than just some metal for you to work with,” Logan said the last few words as he pulled a gold coin from his pocket and flipped it up into the air.

John grabbed a pick and hammer leaning against a wall, as well as a jeweler’s loupe from a drawer in the kitchen. He tried occupying his mind with the task at hand, but Logan was persistent. He sighed. “Alerar is a good prospect. It’s closer, too,” Some leather string was next to go in his pack, as well as a few forming tools for metal. He’d be able to pick up the rest of the supplies from town.

“I’ve never seen you so ready and raring to go. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was just a little bit concerned. What’s the story here, John?”

“Damn it, Logan, I’m just not going back to Salvar, alright?” John said, exasperated. He realized that Logan might not have known where he was from, but at this point he’d ceased to care. He couldn’t go back to Salvar, for more reasons than simply his banishment.

“And just why not? Got something to do with your hands?”

“They are Salvarian markings, yes. I was banished, and I cannot return,” He said, dropping the bag he’d been packing on the table in front of them. “Grab some of your clothes, and we’ll stop in town for the other supplies,” Logan kept a couple changes of clothes at the farmhouse in case he needed to stay for a while.

“Hold up! Banished,” Logan asked incredulously.

“Yes,” John said, intent on supplying no more information.

Logan had other plans.

“Okay then, so you’ve known me a few weeks now and you really think I’m the type to just drop something of this magnitude just because you don’t want to talk about it. Come on, John. You’re better than that!”

John sat down. It appeared that he wouldn’t be getting anywhere with Logan unless he knew everything about him. “You want to know why? Okay. The men who killed my wife and daughter, the man who ordered it, his guards, the men who condoned his actions, I killed all of them. Ninety five people I killed for the murder of my wife. That’s why I’m banished, and why I cannot go back.”

“Ninety-five people,” Logan said sounding out each syllable intentionally, “That seems...high. Then again, I’ve killed hundreds. You can’t let something like a hundred murders-”

“Not,” John began suddenly, “murders. I killed men, but I did not murder anyone.”

Logan lifted up his hand, “Of all people, suddenly you’ve become king of semantics? John, my friend, it doesn’t matter. You shouldn’t let those idiots stop you from going some place. Haida knows if I didn’t go places I’d sought vengeance for deaths of loved ones...I’d never leave the House of Cards.”

John clenched his fist. “This is different. They would kill me. I am an enemy of every house in Salvar because of these scars.”

Logan laughed obnoxiously, “So you’re going to tell me, the guy who took care of twelve guys or so just the other day is suddenly overly concerned about the fractured houses of Salvar trying to kill him? John, buddy, we can handle this, you and I. And I don’t mean killing.”

John knew Logan spoke folly, but he had to listen to what he had to say, if they were to get anywhere at all. He sighed. “You’re telling me that I’m going to walk through Salvar and people aren’t going to try to kill me? How are you going to manage that?”

“I have a plan.”

[Logan]

“No, Logan, I am not wearing that.” John seemed agitated, but Logan wasn’t worried.

“Oh come on, John, it matches your eyes so well!”

“That is a dress, not a disguise.”

“It’s both, now TRY IT ON,” the psion said nearly screaming.

“I will not put that thing on, Logan. How did you even get a dress that big?”

It was at that precise moment Jamie returned from gathering a couple more dresses for her friendly giant.

“Aww, come on John! You make a beautiful lady, you know,” she said with a hint of satisfaction from John’s embarrassment at the entire situation.

“If you must know, there happen to be quite a few women of significant prestige who just so happen to be overly well...built,” the last words came out amid Logan’s laughter.

John glared at Jamie, betrayed. “We would be better off bribing one of the lesser houses to shelter us. Besides, I’m not properly....equipped….to pass as a woman.”

Being the lady of their trio, Jamie had some tricks up her sleeve for helping John pass as a woman instead of a dress-wearing brawler. She grabbed a few sheets of parchment and crumpled them up, then tossed them to John.

“Makeshift equipment for a makeshift woman,” she said stifling a giggle.

“See, John? We have this all figured out,” Logan piped up, “Just trust us, will you?”

Jamie looked over at John one more time and then a lightbulb went off for her.

“I think I have some makeup around here somewhere to complete the look!”

She disappeared into another room and Logan approached John -- cautiously.

“We wouldn’t have to go through this if you weren’t banished from Salvar, you know. We could just go right in and --,” but he was cut off mid-sentence by the none-too-pleased John.

“If you weren’t so insistent about going to Salvar, we wouldn’t be going through any of this anyways.”

“Salvar has the best mines. Everybody knows that. Besides, you can’t avoid it forever. You eventually have to man...or should I say, ‘woman’ up?”

John glared strongly at Logan, and the psion knew when he was beat. Luckily, he knew he wasn’t beat yet.

“Okay okay, enough with the jokes. Seriously, just try the dress on. If it doesn’t look right, we’ll drop the plan and move on to another idea.”

John crossed his arms “No.”

Jamie returned with the makeup and saw John had not even tried on the dress.

“Come on, John. Would you feel better if Logan also tried on a dress?”

Logan jumped up from his seat, “Wait, no. I never agreed to --”

“No, nobody’s trying on any dresses, except you,” He pointed to Jamie. “Aren’t you supposed to be at The Rose anyways?”

“Hannah gave me the day off when I told her I needed to help you get prettied up.”

“I will go to Salvar in a coffin before I go in a dress.”

An idea popped into Logan’s head, and he snapped his fingers.

“That’s it! A coffin!”

Jamie looked dejected.

“But, the dress!”

Logan looked over at John.

“We fake your death. We could return your body to your family’s land to bury you or whatever.”

“It could work. We’d still need to get me around inside Salvar, though.”

Jamie piped in, “See? You still need a dress!”

Logan shook his head. “Nah, once John is inside Salvar, we won’t have much trouble getting around. I’m sure it has been a few years, and most people won’t even remember John.”

She shook her head and replied sarcastically, “Of course they won’t, because he blends in with crowds so easily.”

“I’m a nearly eight foot tall man that massacred a hundred people in Salvar. People don’t forget something like that. We could keep me off the road,” He looked at a spot on the floor, concentrating, “I may have a few friends left.”

[redford]

John tried to keep his mind far from the claustrophobic situation he was in. He saw nothing, but his other senses had made up for it. The smell of wood filled his nostrils and he heard the creaking of the wagon he’d been placed upon. John did not like subversion of any kind, but Logan seemed to know what he was doing. The wagon slowed, and there was a knock on the coffin, signaling him to be as quiet as possible.

“Name and business, as well as contents of the box.”

“Mr. and Mrs. Banglesmith, and we’ve come to collect on a prospective bounty. You remember that guy who killed all those people from house Laren a few years ago?”

John heard the guard gasp. “You telling me John Cromwell is in that box? By my Thayne, I didn’t know he was that big. You sure he’s dead?” John heard the voice grow closer, and felt a soft knock on the coffin, “Heard he refused to die, even when he was storming Laren Castle,”

He heard the fuckery in Logan’s voice. “Well, if your masters are as grateful as you are, then it all might be worth it, am I clear to enter,”

“Well, absolutely, I-I wouldn’t wanna get in your way, sir,” The guard stammered, he sounded both nervous and relieved.

“Excellent!”

John heard the slapping of reins against horse, and the cart began to move again. John pictured the street they were going down in his mind. Tirel was known well to John, and the smells and sounds of the city filled his available senses. After a few turns and twists in the road, the cart stopped. The cart shifted as Jamie and Logan dismounted, and he heard their footsteps come around the back.

“You need any help there?” a young voice called. “Here, let me take that,”

Someone pulled John’s coffin out of the cart, and someone else took the end by his head.


“Heavy, innit?” the voice said, coming from his head. “What ya got?”

Logan didn’t miss a beat. “This here’s none other than John Cromwell, and I hear that a certain house Laren will give me good coin for this body.”

“Gods, man! Is it really him? They said he was big, but this,” He felt an incline, as if they were going up stairs. “I mean, this is crazy. He’s gotta be at least eight feet!”

“Just under, in fact.” A coin sang. “You mind sending up some food, me and the wife are famished.”

“Yeah, absolutely,” came the excited reply. Footsteps retreated from his coffin, and John breathed a little easier. The creaking of wood and nails followed closely, and the top of the coffin was lifted free by Jamie and Logan.

John sat up quickly and breathed deep. Several candles were set about the room, and a single window showed rooftops dusted with snow. He looked at the two of them, who both grinned.

“The next time I get in a coffin, I’d better be dead, Logan.”

“You’d rather be in the dress next time?”

Jamie laughed. John glared at Logan.

“I’d rather be dead and in the coffin than alive in that dress,” He said, standing.

A knock came at the door.

John looked around frantically, trying to find something to hide behind. Logan motioned quickly at the coffin, and John sighed mightily, but obeyed. He looked up at Logan, who smirked for a split second before opening the door. John shut his eyes quickly and breathed shallow, silently cursing Logan’s impulsiveness.

[Logan]

“Mr. and Mrs. Banglesmith? You requested some food be brought up.” The room attendant was fairly short, balding and attempted to cover it up with a rather outlandish toupee. Jamie disappeared into the other room, but Logan could still hear her giggles from there.

“Ahh yes, we did. Just set the food over there on the desk. We won’t be needing any further service for the night. The Mrs. and I have travelled quite a ways, and she tends to get frisky when there’s a corpse about,” the psion said with a wink to the attendant who appeared rather mortified and overly green at the thought.

“Right then. Good luck with that,” he said as he covered his mouth, then turned and left the room to Logan, Jamie and John once more. The psion waited a few moments until he was absolutely certain the coast was clear.

“You’re good, John.”

John exited the coffin with a stretch.

“That was close,” Jamie said as she returned from the side room.

“Too close,” Logan said in agreement.

“We stay here, and leave under cover of night,” John said. “We can make it to the next town over by sunrise I think.”

“I still think a dress would have been a better idea. At least we could have made our way around during the day,” the psion said with a smirk.

“I’m not here to socialize, I’m here for mithril.”

John was clearly irritated, and Jamie was of no help.

“Fine, but I still think the dress would’ve been easier to handle. This coffin is really heavy...especially when you add in four hundred pounds of big old grumpypuss.”

“Still not wearing the dress. How much mithril do you think we could get?”

“Well, if my last trip out to the mines is any indication, plenty enough for ten, maybe twenty, ingots? Not to mention the potential other ores we might find down there.”

Jamie’s eyes grew wide.

“Twenty? Wow. I’ve never seen that much metal in one place. Well, except in John’s barn,” she said still quite surprised.

“All I really need is a little. Enough to test these gloves. I wonder if it works with stone and wood?”

Logan shrugged. John’s ability to manipulate metal in such a way as to apply it to his own armor was unique to say the least. The psion, in all his years of fighting, never encountered another who possessed such control over metal.

“Let’s hope we don’t have to find out,” Jamie said as she tucked a few items under her arm and moved back to the other room.

“I’m glad we brought Jamie along as it makes the charade a lot more convincing, but I hope she realizes what she is risking,” the psion said to John quietly.

“She knows what she’s doing, Logan. She can handle herself. You don’t get into a business like that without knowing how to defend yourself.“

“You’re right, but I never thought you’d be the one to say that. My my how things have changed in such a short time.”

Logan grabbed one end of the coffin and looked at John.

“We need some place to put this until morning. Unless you planned to sleep in it,” he said as he raised a curious eyebrow.

“Until nightfall. And it stays there, we just have to make sure no curious visitors come to see the great John Cromwell.”

Logan rubbed his chin.

“You know, if we just put the lid back on, it isn’t like anyone would realize a body was missing.”

“Except for the eight foot giant in the room.”

Logan laughed.

“You’ll be in the other room with Jamie. I’ll wake up if anyone comes in. I think it is foolproof.”

John rubbed his chin. “Do it. I don’t like it, but it might be our only good option. I’ll be back around nightfall.”

A subtle nod was all the psion could offer. He was busy desperately trying to cleanse the thoughts of Jamie and John 'sleeping' in the same room from his mind.

[redford]

The bed was the best place for John to sit, as it was the only spot large enough to accommodate his larger form. Jamie sat beside him. There were candles set at the window and door, as well as beside the bed. John silently noted that he could likely sleep on it, but it would be far too short for him.

“You want the bed?” He heard Jamie ask from behind a panel screen in the corner of the room. He’d seen her naked before during their first encounter, but still, they afforded each other a modicum of privacy.

“No, too small,” He answered plainly. John watched her emerge from behind the screen wearing a loose tunic and a pair of trousers, cut off at the knee. John had an absent thought that she looked quite beautiful in them, mostly because the clothes were far more according to her style than dresses and lace.

“What you thinking?” she asked, sitting down next to him. They both knew that while John’s lips rarely moved, the man’s mind was seldom idle.

He looked at her, and then held up a hand, holding the small nugget of bronze. His gauntlets changed color. “I wonder if this will be worth it. I probably shouldn’t be here at all, in fact.”

Jamie slapped his shoulder. “Nonsense!”

John’s gauntlets returned to their silvery sheen. “You don’t understand, those people are glad I’m dead. They don’t want me here, and I don’t want to be here.”

Jamie stood, just barely taller than John’s sitting frame. “Hey, hey,” she cooed, pulling John’s face up with a hand on his cheek. Her face was so very close to his, and John’s mouth was suddenly dry. He thought it an odd sensation. “You can’t run from your past because it’s glad you’re gone,”

The closeness of her lips to his was painfully apparent. John tried to look at something else, anything else, and failed to do so. John felt his metal hand come up, placing an index finger under her chin, which was closer now.

It was unbearable. Either the distance between their lips would have to close, or else he needed to back off. His mind swam with thoughts that he paid no mind to. His eyes closed, almost of their own accord and John came to a realization. He muttered, more to himself than anyone.

“Oh, damn it all,” he said softly, fisting his hand firmly in her hair as she brought her lips crashing down on his. She purred softly and pressed herself into him, sitting on his lap. John felt the curves of her body along his, and ran his other hand down her side, tracing the waistband of her pants.

A knock came at the door, followed closely by a voice. "You two having fun?"

John, still hazy from the kiss, tried to flip over the bed and hide, but nearly took Jamie with him. She managed to disengage as he rolled over, stumbling toward the door. They both made a great deal of racket doing this, and a concerned voice penetrated the door.

Jamie spoke quickly. "Yeah, yes, we're fine, John just had a bit of a fall."

John finally recognized the voice as belonging to Logan as his mind de-fogged. He also swore vengeance upon Logan in that moment.

He heard a laugh. "Well don't get too loud, don't want people coming by to see what all the fuss is about," Logan continued to laugh as his footsteps faded from the door.

Jamie turned to look back at John, who was doing his best to hide his huge form behind the bed. the tug of a smile at the edge of her lips blossomed into a grin as she laid down on the bed, poking her head over the side.

“You, hiding? never seen you do that before. Wanna finish what you started?” she said.

John forced his breathing to a slow and even pace. He stood, grabbing one of the pillows off the bed. “We should get some sleep, we have to leave before sunrise,” he said flatly. He didn’t meet her gaze as he found a spot on the floor.

Jamie sighed, flopping on the bed for a second before pinching the candle to put it out.

[Logan]

John felt a tapping on his cheek and opened his eyes to see Logan, one side of his face lit by candle.

“We’ve got to get out of here,” John shook the cobwebs from his head.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean we’ve got to get out of here. One of the minor lords, I forget his name it doesn’t matter now, he heard that you were dead and he wants to see the body!”

John blinked his eyes a couple of times as he began to wake fully, and then the realization of their ensuing plight reached his brain.

“How long do we have?”

Logan shrugged, “A couple of hours at the most. We need to get moving, now. Get Jamie up, get in the coffin, and let’s get going. If the lord arrives and looks in your coffin, he will be mighty displeased, and I am not aiming to get flayed alive.”

“This was your idea to begin with, Logan.”

The psion was in no mood to dally. He prodded John repeatedly until the giant finally shot up from his seat.

“Fine, I’ll get Jamie up. Go get the wooden box ready.”

Logan returned to the other room, managing to pull down the large coffin on his own. He bounced around the room tossing all of his various belongings into his pack, and set it down next to the box. A glance out the window told him their time was waning far quicker than he cared for, but he couldn’t rush John too much.

Soon enough, John appeared with Jamie in tow. She was still half-asleep, but slowly coming out of her slumbering stupor. The huge man uncomfortably slid himself into the coffin.

“Just let me know when we’re clear of town so I can get out of this thing again.”

The psion and the lady pulled the top of the coffin on, and then after a few deep preparatory calistenics, lifted the box and carried it down to their carriage. The girth of such a giant man made it a bit tough to navigate corners within smaller buildings, but the inn thankfully had ample space to maneuver.

After a few long minutes, the pair managed to slide the well over five hundred pound box onto the cart, and then settle in for their ride, which was relatively without much hub-bub.

[redford]

Logan and I have discussed this and since the next post will be mostly dialogue between John and an NPC of my making, I'll be posting twice in a row.


John couldn’t see anything, every once in a while he caught a glimpse of a star in between the vertical slats of the coffin. The road was bumpy, though not overly so, John wondered if the local lords had been improving the roads. Two soft knocks at the lid of the coffin signaled the approach of someone else, though John had yet to hear any hoofbeats.

“Greetings friends!” a voice called out.

Logan responded quickly. “Ah, good man, how are you this evening?”

“Awful late for travel, isn’t it, Mr. Banglesmith?” The voice was familiar to John, and he had to resist the urge to respond to it.

“Indeed, I’m just anxious to get to House Band and obtain my bounty, is all.”

He heard a carriage door open, then footsteps. A soft rubbing came to the lid of the coffin above John’s feet, as if someone laid his hand on it.

“You say this is John Cromwell?” The voice asked.

“The very same, my friend, the very same.”

A pause. “If I may ask, how did you do it? A man like that isn’t easy to kill.”

“Well, not to be sharin’ my secrets or anything, but a man’s gotta sleep sometime.” Logan chuckled, but no one else did.

“I see.” John knew that voice from somewhere, but couldn’t place it. It was somber. “Well,” it spoke, regaining a noble tone, “I’m afraid I must verify that your bounty has been completed before I allow you to pass further.

Logan paused for a second. “Very well, sir. But I must warn you, should the legends prove true, then he can’t die at all, friend.” The psion chuckled.

John received the message loud and clear.

“Wouldn’t that be something,” the voice replied before barking an order to another few sets of footsteps that approached. John saw the darkening of stars between the slats and threw off the lid of the coffin, aiming a closed fist at what appeared to be a guard. He leaped out of the box just as a sword came crashing down on it, and Logan sprang into action. He dodged a sword’s strike, and drew his own, cleaving a head off a body with one smooth motion. Jon formed a dagger at his back hand and stabbed downward on the nearest soldier, and he fell. The noble that Logan had been conversing with fell to his knees in terror, and just as Logan began to bring his sword down upon him, John recognized him.

He dove forward, barely catching Logan’s sword in a meaty gauntlet in time to stop the assault. Logan eyed him quizzically, but John was staring at the lord he’d just saved.

“James Loriol?” John asked.

The lord, too stunned by John’s faux immortality which he most certainly believed in, merely spoke his name.

“John Cromwell? Is it possible?” he stood on shaky legs and grabbed the larger man with both arms. “Boy it’s so good to see you!”

“John?” Logan asked, “Is there something you want to tell me?”

[redford]

Now two wagons rode in the night of Salvar, led by the light of the moon and stars alone. Logan and Jamie rode ahead, the large coffin now stuffed with the bodies of two guards.

“I am sorry for them, James,” John said again.

“It was my doing that delivered their fate, not you, John. Their deaths weigh on my soul,” the older man said simply. He didn’t appear it, but he was well on his way to being seventy. There were wrinkles, but he still had a full head of hair, a twinkle in his eye, and a spark of wisdom and mental acuity seldom found in other men. He continued.

“I heard that someone had killed you to bring you for the bounty, and I had to know. I also couldn’t let House Band have your body. It would be evil, the things they would do to you.”

John smirked a little. “Thank you, friend.”

James smiled as well. “But, that raises another question. What are you doing back in Salvar, with all of this espionage going on?”

“Because of these,” John said, holding up his gauntlets for the old lord to see. They reflected the stars and moon with near perfect acuity. “Some kind of magic binds them to me, I cannot take them off. But,” John said, forming claws at his fingers, then spikes at his knuckles, then a pair of daggers while Lord Loriol jumped back a bit. “They come in handy.”

“By my thayne…” the lord whispered, touching the gauntlets gently. “And they really are metal?”

“As real as any metal forged on an anvil, but as to the reason why I’m here in Salvar; that bears some explanation. It appears that if I touch something of a different metal, the gauntlets become as that metal is.”

“So you must be here for the-”

“The titanium, yes. Can you help me?”

The old man didn’t even blink “To the very end of my ability, my son,”

He barked an order to his remaining guards and they changed their route, the old man and John now leading the way.

[Logan]

While John was preoccupied with James, Logan used the opportunity to discuss some things with Jamie, primarily the truth to what happened the night before.

“Jamie, look, I know something happened last night between you and John. I’m no fool.”

Jamie blushed and then shrugged.

“I made a pass, and he started, but then he stopped. I kinda blame you, you big ol’ jerk face,” she said punching him lightly on the shoulder.

Logan shook his head in disbelief.

“I know John’s not stupid, so I would be curious to know what the heck is holding him back so much. You two make a cute couple, Jamie, and I know you have some attraction for the guy. I see how you two are when you’re together.”

Jamie blushed a deeper red at the thought.

“Maybe a little, yeah. He’s just a really genuine guy. You don’t meet many of those in my line of work, especially ones who don’t judge you for it. And he has so much love to give, if he would just give it, you know?”

The psion nodded as he popped the reins. The horses galloped a little faster over the road as it began to smooth out the closer the group got to the mines.

“Really, what it comes down to Jamie is you might have to be more...direct. I know he enjoys the whole being coy thing, but eventually, that boy needs you to smack him upside the head and take him to sheets-ville, if you know what I mean.”

Jamie laughed loudly, and then immediately covered her mouth as her eyes darted around.

“Sheets-ville? What are you, an adolescent?”

It was Logan’s turn to laugh in response, and he too covered his mouth as he peered around.

“Hah. You know what I mean. He’s a good guy. He deserves a good woman. The stuff with his wife is the past. The stuff with you is what I perceive to be the present, and who knows what else beyond that. But if you never make an actual move, he’s never going to budge.”

“They do call him the immovable object back at the Rose,” she added.

Logan had to stifle a sudden burst of far more than just laughter. He nearly urinated himself at the thought.

“Okay okay. Maybe this isn’t exactly the conversation I need to be having with you, but if somebody doesn’t that poor guy is going to explode in a fit of something. Better that something be other than rage, if you know what I mean.”

Jamie smirked and elbowed Logan in the side gently.

“I know you aren’t a prude, old man. So why act like one?”

Logan blushed himself.

“Truth be told, I’m not prude, but I was raised to keep it light when in the presence of a lady.”

Jamie smiled brightly.

“Aww, you called me a lady, you big goof.”

Logan grinned.

“Anybody who can put up with John and still find him lovable and bedable is certainly within the realm of ladylike.”

Jamie appreciated the psion’s gentleness about the subject, but he also held valid points. Maybe it was high time she did something a little less subtle, and little more to the point with John.

[redford]

The mines of Salvar were deep and old, some say the oldest buildings in Salvar were hewn from the stones of the mountain they were approaching. House Loriol built its fame on the mines, but of late that control was tested by some of the other houses, according to Lord James. They slowed down and the other cart pulled up beside them. Lord James knew many things, but his mind was not as tactical as John’s. John spoke over the rattling wheels.

“Alright, Lord James will stage a surprise inspection. When he goes down with the guards of the mine we’re going to go down and get the titanium.”

Logan, Jamie, Loriol, and the four guards that still accompanied them all nodded.

“Subdue, but do not kill. These are Loriol’s own men. When we’re finished, you two,” he pointed to two of the guards. “are going to discover that there has been a robbery of the mines. We’ll have to knock the rest of you out, including you, friend. This not only gets us the titanium we need, it also gives House Loriol a chance to condemn one of the other houses for conspiracy and theft. Everybody got it?”

A nod from everyone again, and the Lord’s carriage moved up again.

“Lights!” James shouted, and two torches were lit on each wagon. The entrance to the mountain was perhaps fifty yards away.

Silence shrouded them as they stopped, and James adopted the part excellently. The two guards at the entrance were slumped in chairs at either side of the fifteen foot wide entrance. The old man wasted no time in kicking the chair out from under the first. He collapsed, and the second startled awake as Lord James shone a torch at them. They looked quite nervous, John thought, from behind the carriage.

“Are you two layabouts ready for inspection?”

They both started. One managed to complete a sentence, even. “Si-Sir! We thought the inspection was scheduled f-”

James slapped the first upside his helmet.

“Do you think that raiders will ‘schedule’ their raids to suit your fancy?”

“Well, I-”

“Do you?!”

“No Sir!”

“Good, now sleep on this shift again and I’ll have you flogged, y’hear? You never know when someone might want what’s in these mines.” James paused before speaking again.

“Well?”

“Well what, sir?”

“I can’t well do a damn inspection unless you open the door and prove you’re competent!” He put his hand on his forehead as the guards fumbled with their respective keys. “And at this moment you’ve got a pretty slim chance of proving that!”

“Yes sir! Sorry sir!” Good, at least one of them’s regained his marbles, John thought as the door finally opened.

The two were so preoccupied with the door they scarcely noticed the two personal guards of the lord slip behind them, choking them into unconsciousness. James looked back at the three of them.

“Let’s get you some titanium, and then get out of here.” He pilfered the keys out of the lead guard’s hand and walked further into the mine. They descended several flights of wooden stairs built on a mineshaft. Soon, they came to a door built into the stone of the mountain itself, a matte gray color for both stone and door.

“Titanium to protect titanium. We thought ourselves terribly clever for this door.

the quick turning of a lock and the door swung open to reveal a chest. Another key opened that, revealing gray bars of pure titanium, lit in orange by torchlight.

John stepped forward, and looked at it. He extended a hand slowly, and ran his finger along the bar, concentrating. His gauntlets turned the matte gray color of titanium, and John assumed that his magical gloves had adopted titanium’s properties as well. Logan quickly produced a bag, and the two began to load it up. John grabbed their fifth bar and looked to James.

“This is all I need.”

“Then take more, John. I don’t know if I’m going to see you again after this, but I want that chance as high as possible.” He smiled. “Besides, the more you take, the more I get to blame one of the other houses that’ve been breathing down my neck.”

John smirked a little, and nodded, loading another five bars.

“Now let’s get this over with, I’ve got a lunch date tomorrow, the old man said, turning his back to John. “Though, it was nice seeing my son-in-law after all these years.”

John wrapped his arm around James’ neck and guided him to unconsciousness.

[Philomel]

Judgement Name: Alloys and Allies
Judgement Type: Condensed Rubric
Name of Participants: redford and Logan

Plot: 18
Both -
The plot in itself is a simple adventuring tale that works to convey both a slice of life and building of a character's story. Though the main character is redford neither of you let this hinder you writing a good tale together. There has obviously been a lot of communication between you two in both the OOC posts and the way that it is neatly co-ordinated. This is ideal for a dually written quest, especially as your styles fit together neatly.
Redford -
In general for plot your strength lies in getting the point across and the story. Though small details can be nice, every part has a reason. Pacing is your ally here as you change only from a steady tone when times need it (such as when he is in the coffin and hears James' voice), with a picking up of it by use of shorter words and shorter sentences. In general you could make a much better use of setting, adding more details and more description also, though you do set a good scene at the start of post 1 with his specially made house.
Logan -
Similarly to redford you definitely have a good knack of telling a fair tale that is simple in its narration. Your weakness though, also, lies in not using setting to its greatest advantage. Pacing is well written, rising and falling, though a small amount of work nearing the middle to really push it to its faster limits could have helped.

Character: 17
redford -
In concern to character, you speak a great amount of John's curious height and how it effects him. As his identifying feature it is interesting to see how it also reflects in part his personality as a strong, mighty individual but also one who is sensitive and somewhat sweet (post 5), rather the epitome of a 'gentle giant' sterotype. His speaking also adds to this. With a sprinkling of persona added in you create something of an all round good picture. In general your weaknesses lie in the fact that you could have more personal thought, especially when dealing with Jamie - what is he exactly thinking at the end of post 5 when he decides to sleep on the floor?
Logan -
Logan is clearly a strong man, in spirit and mind, who has a great friendship and concern for John. This is shown through his shock at not knowing John's past in posts 2 and 4. His mindful powers are not really shown here, and perhaps could have been used when persuading the guards to let them past at various points. There are a few questions left, such as what is Logan thinking most of the time as you do not use persona to it's full advantage. Mostly you have a good base in character, but you have a lot to work on here; a lot of missed potential.

Writing: 17
redford -
Clarity, and to an extent mechanics, is a little off at times, for instance in post 1 you speak of the nugget of bronze in both the second and third paragraphs indirectly, introducing it to the scene twice when it needs only to be once. This hinders your reader at the beginning to get a really good hold of what the story is about - although saying that as the piece continues it gets clearer. Mechanically speaking you are without much fault, although perhaps a wider use of commas would help to ease the flow of reading. Description stands similarly strong at first with your great opening of the house, though further exploration of techniques such as simile could really give a advantageous hand to you.
Logan -
As with most of your writing this judge has seen, you are very precise and clear in your wording, and have so little mechanics faults that one could say it is perfect. There is perhaps a little bit too much dialogue, and a better balance of this with action could further your writing. You also could definitely bring in some more description to enrichen your posts, such as describing 'how' Logan spoke with beautiful words. They don't need to be flowery, but a few strong ideas could definitely help here.

Wildcard: 6
Wildcard goes to a really good description and telling of friendship here that is rarely seen in some of the best of novels.

Final score: 58

Rewards:
redford (http://www.althanas.com/world/member.php?18142-redford) receives:
1705 EXP
00 GP

Logan (http://www.althanas.com/world/member.php?51-Logan) receives:
1275 EXP
00 GP

Each of you receive one ingot of titatium metal.

Rewards include 3x Althanas Day rewards