-----Under the noontime sun, Nylan Lotley begins to pray aloud, "O Holy Redeemer, we stand this day together with friends long missed but not forgotten. Here we rejoice that our journeys have once again brought us to stand as brothers in arms in your most noblest of causes. Please grace us with thy infinite wisdom that we may remain just and righteous as we speak thy name, Joren!"
-----The paladin places his arm across his chest in reverence and turns to look at Slappy. The orc seeing the action quickly slaps his own arm across his chest and moans out, "jour-e!"
-----A broad smile flashes across Lotley's face as he tells the roguish trio, "Do you not hear? Even though the memories of his graceful and noble life flee him, he has found solace in his worship!"
-----The orc's hand comes up off his chest and strokes his forehead as if rubbing a tension headache.
-----Runik continues to stand in the wagon, now tapping his foot impatiently and scowling.
-----"What is this?" the paladin asks as he looks at the tied Amdracks. "An evil wizard! He dares to wear the color of the magic god. I am sure this does not bode well for those who revere the aforementioned deity."
-----With a respectful look that threatens to be overwhelmed with emotion, the paladin stands tall as he looks at each of the rogues and tells them, "My dear, dear friends, what have you sacrificed that you would seek to make our kingdom safe and glorious? You are hard working, honest citizens striving to make a living of your own and yet evil seeks to disrupt . . ."
-----Fighting to keep from choking on his words, the paladin hardens his stance. A new resolve comes over his face as he firmly states, "Fear not, my friends, for now, Sir Slappy and I stand with you!"
-----The orc quickly pulls his finger out of his nose as the paladin turns to acknowledge him. Lotley nods at the orc for confirmation. The humanoid looks blankly and then as if shocked into realization, Slappy slaps his arm across his chest and shouts out, "JOUR-E!"
-----The Dread Pirate stands mute throughout the paladin's speech, until he gets to the end, where Lotley expresses his desire to join the trio of thieves. The Dread Pirate's eyes bug slightly and he replies, "Glack! I mean, O glorious day! To be accompanied by one such as yourself and the noble Sir Slappy. Surely the powers of evil will flee in disarray at our very approach. And mayhaps in our travels we will find the mage or priest who will have the power to return Sir Slappy to his original form. For if Joren in his infinite wisdom, saw fit for our paths to cross, then it must be his intention for us to join together and thwart the powers of evil and lawlessness that so plague this benighted land. And it therefore logically follows that for us to better vanquish evil, we must return Sir Slappy to his former self. Yea, verily, forsooth. It all seems so clear to me now. Joren is truly mighty, not only in his strength, but in his wisdom as well."
-----The Dread Pirate then staunchly slaps his arm across his chest and cries out, "Joren!"
-----As Dread turns to look at the bound Amdracks, he says to Nylan, "Aye, a most foul and puissant wizard. Well trenched in the ways of nefarious doings and magics. We actually didn't find him in those robes. He was dancing about naked with a coven of vile witches at the side of the road, when we happened across their path and into their midst. As I said, it was most fortunate that we caught them unprepared for battle. We routed the witches and captured the wizard. Amongst their ill-gotten booty, they had these robes of a good and decent magic user. While we bemoaned the fate of such a noble soul at the hands of those miscreants, we felt we had no choice but to clothe the wizard's indecent nakedness. At least to guard the eyes of the innocent child who accompanies us. So that is why this perfidious warlock is thusly caparisoned."
-----Seth smiles at Dread's telling of the wizard's tale. He could not have done better. "Oh Sir Lotley, It would be a pleasure for you and Sir Slappy to join us. It would make the journey all the more pleasant as well as giving us time to construct a Heroic Epic in honour of your noble sacrifice towards The most Unfortunate Sir Slappy." He jumps down and moves towards the orc, and fingers its clothing and gives the orc a sly wink that Sir Lotley cannot see. "You know I know just the tailor that could outfit Sir Slappy here in the most Righteous cloth, for his return to Court!"
-----Suddenly Seth stops and almost feints - a terrible sigh escapes him as he begins to tell Sir Lotley of a rather unfortunate incident. "Umm, Sir Lotley, in the last town we were in, I did hear tell that there are people wandering around that are accusing us of horse thievery! I am sure that if you stay with us, that you would vouch for our honesty and upright nature, especially as you know us from our previous activities that delivered the Town of Hearthorne from fiscal peril!"
-----"By all the Saints!" Lotley says, "Yes, I shall vouch for thy noble characters." Remembering back, the paladin's face grows grim. "The evil that once dwelt in the Town of Hearthorn," he muses, "yes, I recall that night we bore down the righteous might against those evil-doers. The afflicted rats and vile magic they threw upon us. I feared for your lives, my friends, as I lost touch with you that night."