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-----Seth turns and looks at Lotley and then at the downed wizard. Seth would really like to stay and plunder the wizards spell book – oh and some spare cash would help as well. He dutifully follows the Dread Pirate before he can make his escape.
-----Kazel turns from the window and ignores Picks' call to scramble. Instead, she pulls the unconscious wizard halfway up from the floor and swiftly wraps her leather cord several times around his neck. "Hey!" she yells as she presses the tip of her dagger into the bottom of the wizard's chin. "Both of you surrender now or your precious old man gets it!"
-----The big-nosed assassin responds by swinging his sword toward Lotley’s mid-section. It slams into the chain armor there under his rib cage, drawing a grunt from the paladin. The bruising blow causes Nylan to miss his attacker.
-----Pelator deftly draws blood from the arm of the blacksmith causing him to yell in pain. The blacksmith throws his hammer, which bounces off the priest’s shield.
-----Gimplefwick tries to dart around Kazel and repeatedly attempts to stick the old wizard. "I think they be having reinforcements already here. They can take care of it. Let's just get out of here."
-----As the thieves scramble for the back window, Gimplefwick gestures at Kazel to leave the black sword, "I don't know fer sure, but that blade might be fairly evil itself. I'd leave it fer the churchly types to deal with. But don't let me stop you, ifn ye want it badly, then take it. I suppose we can always melt it down later. That disk might be an evil holy symbol as well." The Dread Pirate shrugs and races for the window.
-----"If we kill him now, no one will find out all his plans," Kazel waves her arm trying to bat Gimplefwick away for a few more moments. "These knights will surely burn or behead him when they're done questioning him. Let's just leave him." Kazel then releases the unconscious body and dumps him aside. She leaves the disc in the wizard's hand as evidence, but takes the black sword. "Books can deal with this," she says as they make their way out.
-----Outside the trio sees the rest of the thieves running across the back lots of the houses in the block. They seem to run toward the back of the West Gate Inn. Picks motions to them, "This a’ way! Da wagon’s over here!"
-----The Fly suddenly lands beside Seth and a perturbed look is on the strange elf’s face. "Shoot! I didn’ git ta grease da place!"
-----He takes off running crazily behind the others through the rain. Back in the blacksmith’s shop behind them, the sounds of fighting have ended, for better or worse.
-----The ride back to the Guildhall is quiet with the exception of the rain still pouring down. In the wagon, the trio rides with Picks, the Fly, Wain and of course, Jim.
-----Gimplefwick continues to grumble as the wagon heads through Hearthorn, "I still think we shoulda offed that old geezer. I just don't like the idea of leavin a live enemy layin about. Who knows but he might recover and have some means of escaping. I have a pretty good idea who he'd be angry with and want revenge on too. Ah well, our part is over fer now anyway. I think Wain should open up a bottle of his best swill and we should all celebrate until we grow hair where hair isn't supposed to grow." The Dread Pirate then waves his furry little feet in the air and says, "Look. I've already started."
-----Kazel seems relatively unconcerned. "If we can kill him once, we can kill him again," she says as she looks curiously at the old man's shortsword and trying get a glint off the black blade. "And that's if he gets away from those knights and his bosses won't kill him themselves, then raise him back from the dead." She then tests the black blade by cutting her wet and cumbersome peasant disguise to shreds and throwing the rags out the back of the wagon.
-----Seth sits quietly for most of the ride back gazing with admiration at his nice silver ring.. After a while he says, "Slip 'n Slide, where did that Fly get to!"
-----"Ah’m right chere!" comes the Fly’s voice from the back of the wagon. The thieves look towards the elf who points out the back of the moving carriage. Following his line of sight, as the wagon crosses the bridge outside of town, they see the guards at the gate having an awful time of keeping their footing and standing up. The Fly coos and chuckles at the sight murmuring "pig fat" over and over again.
-----Once back in the guildhall, Kazel asks Books on the research on the long sword as well as giving her new homework with the black blade.
-----"My expertise is not in weapons. If the sword is enchanted, I do not know of any lore on this particular one." Upon seeing the black blade, the short thin woman exclaims, "Ah, now this looks interesting!" She turns it over in her hands, looking at the flat darkness of the ebony blade. "I will check my research. That reminds me, I must collect and catalog information on weapons."
-----Seth waits till Kazel has finished and asks Books, "Is it too late for dinner?"
-----Books giggles and smiles sweetly at Seth. She points to a candle she has burning in a stand. "Let’s put it this way. In five hours, we can go for breakfast!"
-----"My dear pirate," comes Wain’s voice from the shadows, "your suggestion in the wagon was well-made. To you, I offer this." From the shadows the Guildmaster’s arm extends, holding out a finely imported bottle of Zanyrian rum.
-----Picks immediately approaches the Dread Pirate. "Say," the ragged dwarf begins, "ya heared it said, it ain’t best ta be a’ drinkin’ alone."
-----"To you, my dear, this was rumored to be taken from under the noses of the Amazon guards of the Vestian Isles," the Guildmaster hands Kazel a beautiful pearl necklace.
-----Kazel receives the necklace with thanks, and punches Wain playfully on the shoulder. "I guess you're okay, after all," she says with a smirk as she pockets the necklace without wearing it. She also returns the mirror and lockpicks set to the guild.
-----Finally turning toward Seth, Wain says, "And you, my fine musician, something to compliment your wardrobe." He hands Seth a silver-tipped walking cane.
-----Seth graciously accepts the silver tipped crown from Wain and gives it a small flourish.
-----As he watches his thieves settle down, bind wounds, and celebrate, Wain seats himself in one dark corner and muses, "Well, tomorrow, we find out what Grin and Dora May have learned."
-----Kazel sits quietly in the corner by herself for most of the night, strangely detached from the recent fights and the celebrations around her. She idly looks at the various items she acquired during the adventures, drinks nothing but water, and only looks up to listen if Wain has something important to say, or if Books has information on the long sword and the black blade. Long after midnight, she suddenly stands up and leaves the guildhouse, taking the two swords with her. She does not return until just before dawn.
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