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-----"Nylan Lotley?" a murmurs goes through the surrounding guards, priests and paladins. One of the young heroic looking guards steps forward who must be a paladin himself. "My dear Sirs," he asks with excitement in his bright baritone voice, "you personally know the famed Nylan Lotley? He who helped save the markets of the Town of Hearthorn by putting an end to a counterfeiting ring? He who destroyed the evil followers of the dark goddess by wading through a horde of wererats to defeat the evil priest? He who now scours the countrysides in search of the noblest of all his companions, the Honorable and Noble Sir Slappie of Derknod? I hear that Sir Slappie was a most noble and fierce knight, who once faced down an arch devil from the Nine Hells. Before the evil one could be vanquished to his dark domain, I hear that Sir Slappie was transformed to assume the shape of a vile orc. The curse slowly took over his mind. So it is that the loyal Paladin Lotley searches and will not rest until that day when he can bring Sir Slappie back and put an end to his curse."
-----The Curate quickly rolls his eyes at the excitement of the young warrior and turns to stare quietly at the tower.
-----The Dread Pirate looks increasingly astonished as the young templar speaks. He then whispers to Seth, "I don't recall very much of any of that happening. Derknod? Where did that come from? I never imagined that Slappy would gain such fame. Apparently, the both of them have become folk heroes."
-----The Dread Pirate visibly considers this for a moment, then a broad smile creases his face. He then shrugs and goes back to looking at the temple.
-----Seth's eyes also widen at Dread's comments. He turns and looks at the Curate then shrugs his shoulders and in a firm voice announces, "Yes, we were companions of the Noble Slappie and have on occasion aided Nylan with our meager talents."
-----He looks directly at the temple guard who spoke before. "I do not recall any wererats, more like common sewer rats!"
-----Seth whispers, "I bet Slappy would get a surprise if he got promoted to private! Never know, we might gain some free bodyguards on our quest to rid us of the Mad Three from Hearthorn led by the girl masquerading as the daughter of Zepharon, the one who caused the problem in their very temple!"
-----"No, I beg your forgiveness," the paladin says to Seth, "but I am sure it was evil wererats. I have a cousin in Hearthorn who heard from a friend that a neighbor of his spoke with one of the jailors in the Town of Hearthorn. He had taken down every word from the young Guardian Acolyte Pelator who was assisting Nylan Lotley that very night."
-----Just then Kazel returns riding with the two templar guards. She sees Seth and the Dread Pirate standing amid the assembly of priests, paladins, templar guards and, of course, the Curate Zharta. The four bodyguards of Seth’s stand alertly by with Marast showing interest in Kazel’s arrival.
-----The Dread Pirate looks over as Kazel approaches and queries, "Shiver me timbers, can ye turn yerself invisible now? If ye can, then we'd best get inside and get this over with. I think it'd be best if ye and Seth sneak up to the second floor with me. You two wait in the ladder room for the scream. It'll either be her or me screamin, dependin on if the pepper juice works or not. In any case, everybody else can wait down on the first floor and rush up at the same time, but try not to run each other over. Anyway, when we get to the second floor, I'll borrow yer invisibility ring and go up there and paste her with a pig bladder."
-----Seth winks at Dread during the Paladin's correction and nods at the plan. "Do you want any muscle to aid us up there?"
-----The Dread Pirate responds to Seth's query, "Aye, it'd be nice. But they'll have to wait down on the first floor. I don't want to give that witch any more notice then we have to that I'm goin up there. Once I paste her with a pig bladder, then you and Kazel rush up the ladder and assist me. Then the others can rush up from the first floor and help the three of us. O' course this is assumin that whatever is up there is human and will be affected by the pepper juice. If it’s some kinda giant, snarlin demon from hell, with half a dozen arms and razors for fingers, spittin flames and acid, then I'm comin back down that ladder and headin out the door. Anyway, once we gets inside the temple, nobody talks or makes any noise, til we start hackin at the critter. At that point, subtlety will pretty much be pointless."
-----The Dread Pirate pats himself down to make sure that he won't make any additional noise while trying to sneak into the temple.
-----"Yes, yes I can turn invisible, and no it's not the cloak but you seem to figure that already." Kazel looks at Gimplefwick rather strangely. "Let's get on with this, shall we?"
-----Seth looks around to see if someone else might take his place, he had been enjoying the role of protected merchant and feels something flutter in his stomach at the idea of entering the temple. He prepares to run but instead bows and says to Dread and Kazel, "After you!"
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