-----The Dread Pirate grunts and sneers. Moving his cutlass closer to the man's neck, he says, "Arrr, how about we hoist this one over the side and let the buzzards have at his liver."
-----Seth eyes the man and ponders for a while before asking his next question. "So Amdracks, where is your temple of High Magic? And if you come from the temple of magic, where are your spell books?"
-----Kazel shrugs and looks unsure for a bit at Dread. "Don't know. He may be of some use if he tells us something interesting. Otherwise why should we trust him?" She waits for the man to answer Seth.
-----"The Temple of the High Magic is in the Town of Oakwood," Amdracks says to Seth. "I am no simple mage. I am a priest of Ora. I do not carry spellbooks."
-----With a look of indifference, he adds, "You have obviously won the dragon's hide and I am powerless to act against you. You might as well let me go."
-----Seth begins stroking his harp case and then says, "Well, you know, we probably do not need all of the hide." He now looks at Dread to see if this is true, and then continues, "We could come to some arrangement where you can leave with some scales or small piece of hide..."
-----The Dread Pirate looks askance at Seth with a questioning expression.
-----"Some arrangement?" Amdracks simply asks.
-----Seth looking at the mage at his sudden interest changes his tune. "But then again, you are our prisoner and maybe a ransom from your good self would appease the mad and drooling pirate 'what holds his cutlass' above your head."
-----He settles himself up on the cart and sitting beside the priest of magic states, "We have nothing against you personally except you attacked our friend here, indeed we have had some dealings with your temple at Oakwood. But what you have done in your attack on a representative of the Lord Wizard of Hearthorne is a capital offence. Now I think we can keep the mad pirate from turning you in to a shish ke bob! Especially if he thinks Hearthorne will deal with you!" Seth reaches for his harp and begins to play a sad and soulful tune associated by all people in the region with the reading of someone's eulogy.
-----"I wonder if you have learnt the magic that allows one to cast without components?" he mumbles hoping to get something or an arrangement of worth out of the troublesome priest.
-----"You are representatives . . . of Zepharon?" Amdracks asks with astonishment in his voice. His gray eyebrows rise in alarm. "But I have committed no crime other than defending . . ."
-----The priest stops and narrows his eyes at Seth. "There is a spell to summon components," he says evenly.
-----Seth nods in affirmation. "That's right, we were sent out here by the Lord Zepharon and the Town of Hearthorne, so apart from teaching me this spell what can you offer our Lady of Hearthorne," he now points at Kazel, "who has been wrongfully slighted by your once companion and," he now indicates the maniacal pirate, "The Most Dread Scourge of the Seven Seas, Slayer of Innocents, eater of Babies and Defiler of all things Pure? As you are aware by now to be set off on your way back to Oakwood, with a scale or two you will need to appease all of us!"
-----Seth continues strumming his harp alternating between a joyful dance that maidens dance during sun showers on spring days in fields of beautiful yellow flowers and the mournful dirge played at funerals.
-----Amdracks looks oddly at Seth as he follows what is said. He glances quickly at Kazel and then at the Dread Pirate as they are indicated. He then looks back at Seth with a look of concentration.
-----Finally, the robed and tied priest nods his head thoughtfully and says to Seth, "Well, . . . there is a small magical item that I can offer to you. It would be as much a help to your friends as it would yourself." Amdracks raises his eyebrows as he awaits Seth's reaction.
-----"Majic?" Runik grumbles, "I ain't ne'er had any use fer majic 'less it be crafted right into a worthy weapon."
-----The little girl works herself around to Kazel where she peers out from behind her to watch the prisoner talk.
-----Kazel pats the girl on the shoulder, then leans forward and cups her chin in her hands. "So, what is this thing? And I'd like to know what kind of help we need right now."
-----Amdracks's expression turns glum as he says, "On second thought, I don't know how much of a useful item it would be to you." Turning to look more at Kazel, he continues, "Our priests have enchanted a coin, which looks ordinary but is a magical token that all of us carry. It will emit light on command. Its most useful effect is a one-time evocation to undead beings. After that the magic fully consumes the token."
-----The Dread Pirate scowls at the supposed priest of Ora, then says, "Arrr. Now let's not be touchin this magic item o' his until we are sure that he is a priest of Ora. Where be yer holy symbol? Ye might not have spell components, but ye must have the symbol of Ora. If ye have that, then I'll believe that ye might be fer real."