Post by Kelleren on Jul 27, 2008 13:34:54 GMT -5
The Previous Winter
Kelleren had been wandering for the last three months, living the high life on the gold from selling off everything he'd found in the cache. Strong drink, fine women, and the occasional drunken brawl, who could ask for more in life? Well, Kelleren could, of course, but for now, he was content. Something kept bothering him, though. The gauntlet... it had refused to come off. He'd discovered that there were... things... it could do... and he could flatten it out, hide it, sometimes. But even then, he could feel it, always feel it like a glove that fit perfectly, and somehow at the same time always felt just a little tight.
Even so, Kelleren didn't really want to be rid of it. A few times in the last months, he'd found use for being able to "pull a knife from nowhere" or "find a discarded blade". The fact that the knife and sword he "drew" on his enemies was perfectly balanced and suited for him, and gleamed like liquid silver, was typically lost on his opponents as he typically called them forth at night. And as well, so far, none of the footpads he'd knifed or the brigands he'd fought had survived to tell anyone anyway. That seemed important, somehow... but Kelleren wasn't the sort to question his instincts, so he just went with it. And so far, it hadn't done him wrong... except for this last time.
He'd gotten into another bar fight, and this time it was almost as if the gauntlet had responded to him of its own accord. There was a flash of steel, a spray of blood, and suddenly the lively brawl had a body on the floor. When it was over, there was no weapon, but Kelleren was covered in blood... the local constable couldn't prove anything, but it was made clear that it was time for Kelleren to move on, and even though nobody said it, Kelleren was well aware that the constable wasn't going to prosecute anyone who made an example of him out of his sight.
Kelleren didn't even pack. He just went to his room, gathered up his kit, shield, and armor, and left town. He hadn't meant for that to happen... he hadn't actually tried to call forth a knife. But apparently, the gauntlet had responded to the fight and given him what it thought he needed anyway, and he'd used it without thinking about it.
Kelleren had killed men before. He was, well, really, pretty good at it. It was how he made his trade, as a sellsword, after all. But he'd never killed one by accident, nor in a simple friendly brawl. He wasn't bloodthirsty, and he wasn't insane, after all... he just had a bloody line of work. His father'd died and the farm had been taken from his family just before Kelleren stood to inherit, and ever since, the blade was all he'd been able to do. But now... well, now, it looked like Kelleren, intentionally or not, was a murderer.
He managed to make it out of town before being found, and didn't even pick a direction, just started walking. Wherever he turned up, that's where he'd stay.
There was something Kelleren didn't remember, though, something that, had he, would've bothered him even more. Even with all the blood on him, the gauntlet was spotlessly clean and gleaming.
Now
New home, new chances, eh?
Kelleren almost expected to be stopped at the city gates, but no, no he was safe. Nobody here knew what'd happened, after all. He was fairly sure that he'd gotten far enough that the locals couldn't send anyone after him, either.
So, first order of business... a place to stay, and then work. He didn't have much of his gold left. He'd blown most of it getting here, and covering his tracks. The thieves' guild he'd hired had nearly charged him an arm and a leg. He'd considered, briefly, taking one of each back. Wisely, he thought better of it. Kelleren made a query at the gates about what inns he might find in town, and chose one based on the descriptions. Not the worst inn in town, but definitely the one he could "afford". And then, he set about doing what he did best. Looking for work.
The first stop, naturally, was the city's government halls, where Kelleren needed to ask about licensing or whatever it was they did here. He hoped he wouldn't have to join any guilds or the like... He didn't like dues, and he didn't like their rules... Then again... it might be nice, having people watching his back that way... Even so. Kelleren was, for the moment, alone, and he didn't intend to sign up with any guild just for the hell of it. If there was work, there'd be work for one man as much as anything else. Bodyguard work, bounty hunting, monster clearing, whatever was available, he'd take it.
And then? Well, we'll see, won't we?
Kelleren had been wandering for the last three months, living the high life on the gold from selling off everything he'd found in the cache. Strong drink, fine women, and the occasional drunken brawl, who could ask for more in life? Well, Kelleren could, of course, but for now, he was content. Something kept bothering him, though. The gauntlet... it had refused to come off. He'd discovered that there were... things... it could do... and he could flatten it out, hide it, sometimes. But even then, he could feel it, always feel it like a glove that fit perfectly, and somehow at the same time always felt just a little tight.
Even so, Kelleren didn't really want to be rid of it. A few times in the last months, he'd found use for being able to "pull a knife from nowhere" or "find a discarded blade". The fact that the knife and sword he "drew" on his enemies was perfectly balanced and suited for him, and gleamed like liquid silver, was typically lost on his opponents as he typically called them forth at night. And as well, so far, none of the footpads he'd knifed or the brigands he'd fought had survived to tell anyone anyway. That seemed important, somehow... but Kelleren wasn't the sort to question his instincts, so he just went with it. And so far, it hadn't done him wrong... except for this last time.
He'd gotten into another bar fight, and this time it was almost as if the gauntlet had responded to him of its own accord. There was a flash of steel, a spray of blood, and suddenly the lively brawl had a body on the floor. When it was over, there was no weapon, but Kelleren was covered in blood... the local constable couldn't prove anything, but it was made clear that it was time for Kelleren to move on, and even though nobody said it, Kelleren was well aware that the constable wasn't going to prosecute anyone who made an example of him out of his sight.
Kelleren didn't even pack. He just went to his room, gathered up his kit, shield, and armor, and left town. He hadn't meant for that to happen... he hadn't actually tried to call forth a knife. But apparently, the gauntlet had responded to the fight and given him what it thought he needed anyway, and he'd used it without thinking about it.
Kelleren had killed men before. He was, well, really, pretty good at it. It was how he made his trade, as a sellsword, after all. But he'd never killed one by accident, nor in a simple friendly brawl. He wasn't bloodthirsty, and he wasn't insane, after all... he just had a bloody line of work. His father'd died and the farm had been taken from his family just before Kelleren stood to inherit, and ever since, the blade was all he'd been able to do. But now... well, now, it looked like Kelleren, intentionally or not, was a murderer.
He managed to make it out of town before being found, and didn't even pick a direction, just started walking. Wherever he turned up, that's where he'd stay.
There was something Kelleren didn't remember, though, something that, had he, would've bothered him even more. Even with all the blood on him, the gauntlet was spotlessly clean and gleaming.
Now
New home, new chances, eh?
Kelleren almost expected to be stopped at the city gates, but no, no he was safe. Nobody here knew what'd happened, after all. He was fairly sure that he'd gotten far enough that the locals couldn't send anyone after him, either.
So, first order of business... a place to stay, and then work. He didn't have much of his gold left. He'd blown most of it getting here, and covering his tracks. The thieves' guild he'd hired had nearly charged him an arm and a leg. He'd considered, briefly, taking one of each back. Wisely, he thought better of it. Kelleren made a query at the gates about what inns he might find in town, and chose one based on the descriptions. Not the worst inn in town, but definitely the one he could "afford". And then, he set about doing what he did best. Looking for work.
The first stop, naturally, was the city's government halls, where Kelleren needed to ask about licensing or whatever it was they did here. He hoped he wouldn't have to join any guilds or the like... He didn't like dues, and he didn't like their rules... Then again... it might be nice, having people watching his back that way... Even so. Kelleren was, for the moment, alone, and he didn't intend to sign up with any guild just for the hell of it. If there was work, there'd be work for one man as much as anything else. Bodyguard work, bounty hunting, monster clearing, whatever was available, he'd take it.
And then? Well, we'll see, won't we?