Siffo cyphers 5/10/02

[Saga Librarian]

Siffo

In the ill lit corner of the bar a shadow within the shadow moves, most noticeable about it is the faint scratching sounds of quill on parchment and a quite voice faintly grumbling.

"Application to join a guild! Who ever heard of such foolishness. Must be on of those silly finger wiggling, book sleeping caster types! Only they could come up with some thing so useless."

Any Rogue or Warrior would just say "Your All right by me. How would you like to join my guild?" and ifs ya say no you better be prepared to back your slanders words.

"Why back in the good Old days you challenged one of the leaders to a fight and if ya killed him ya was in or if ya fought well and survived they'd consider ya."

A slight shuffling and the shadows shift. A stein of ail sitting next to two chatting patrons disappears unnoticed by the two, leaving a coin worth ten times the value of the drink sitting in the center of the wet ring.

Slurp! Gack! "What in all the brewers gods is that fool drinking?"

The drink reappears slightly less full and sitting on an angle from the coin underneath it.

The scratching continues, the voice grumbles on "who are ya? Where does ya come from? What do ya do? Curse it, if I wanted to sit and wield a pen I'd a staid a book keeper for the Bleedin Deeppockets!"

"The things I do for that silly druid! I hope she appreciates this...mind ya if she finds out I probably wont get to bask in the glory of her gratitude until she kills me a few times."

Scritch..scritch...SCRATCH, RIP!

"ACK!"

Heads turn trying to find where the noise had come from. "I think ya got rats barkeep" a patrons voice calls out "Aye, big ones to from the sounds of um." calls out another.

Soon the sounds of quill on parchment and the grumbling quietly start again.

"Stupid way to run a guild if ya ask me. But what does Siffo know? Got this old by being dumb as a box a rocks he did, right!"

The sounds continue into the night with drinks disappearing with coins taking they're place and the occasional curse coming out of a dark corner.


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Siffo

A quiet tavern with a dark corner.

Shadows move taking the shape of short bald Halfing. Aged and worn but still light on his feet moves silently out of the corner to a small round table.

He rummages in one of his hand made sacks and finds a wrapped bundle of parchment. Pulling a sheet out he lays the rest to the side and rummages further in his pockets. Soon he finds a small stoppered bottle of ink which he places to the right of the sheet of parchment. Patting his pockets again a frown forms on his face but it is soon chased away by a smile as he plucks a new quill from behind his ear that he had recently....er....found.

Feeling very satisfied with himself he looks at the pristine sheets of writing material in front of him. The smile fades from his face as does the sparkle from his eyes. He gives a small shudder as if he grabbed him self from the inside and gave a good shake. He then began to write.

It has been an odd day and not one I'm sure I totally enjoyed.

I awoke fine still a little tired from the ordeal the night before with Quea and "THE HOLE" but still rested and ready. The rest of the party had moved on or where still hidden away sleeping so I decided to head towards the Upper Guk to see if I could find the Runed Bone Fork that Bippin had requested.

As I was traveling towards the Wizard Portal I planned to use for the trip Queas voice came to my ear "Hiya hansom rogue.". I replied "Hail to you to my Druish Princess.".

We discussed the Hole incident and whether the Guild of Saga would still consider us worthy Of consideration. In the end we agreed we are the way we are and we have a great joy of life living it this way and if our hoped for family did not feel it was best for them then it shouldn't be, but if they found it the same rollicking adventure that we had then they would be perfect.

That done we set our travel plans and where to meet. It was decided because I was coming by Wizard Portal and Quea could use her druid powers to travel she would meet me at the southern bridge in the North karanas.

After greeting each other She did a little dance and wiggled her.....fingers and we were both blessed with the Spirit Of the Wolf and we raced south as fast as the wind. We made very good time as Quea only got lost twice and I was only knocked unconscious by a few trees she ran to close to (You would think by now I would know better than to just "FOLLOW' her blindly.).

We made it all the way to the Rathe Mountains without mishap. We stepped through the Spirit Zone and I started to "FOLLOW" Quea when a very irritated cyclopes started beating on me. We escaped back through the Spirit Zone and met a traveler. She apologized for bringing the giant cyclops to the zone but she was escaping certain death herself (You really can't blame her for that and since the gods changed the way a voice travels no one listens to shouts any more). So we traveled on.

We arrived at the Troll city of Grobb where we both crept past the guards and Quea was able to bind our souls right at the entrance.

She was still weary from the ordeal the night before and said she needed more rest so she said some kind words of parting and hid her self away to sleep.

I being the robust and virile rogue or is that stupid and clueless boob? Decided to scout the Location so we could move with purpose when the time came.

As the Frogloks had no idea what I had in mind for them they ignored me only giving dubious looks when I passed by. I soon found where the Froglok Squire was said to show on a regular basis. It was easy to get to and they did not appear to be much of a challenge so I preceded to ambush and slay a few to get the measure of their mettle. They were not to difficult if there was no more than three at a time and I had time between battles to bind my wounds, so things were going fine Until!!!

Some silly twit came running through with every caster and warrior froglok in the cave chasing him. Well when they saw me still finishing off one of there own they decided I was a much better candidate than the kitten they were chasing.

I battled fiercely but I knew it was for not. Even with all my rogue skills trained to their fullest I would not be able to overcome these odds. Knowing the end was near I found a spot where I knew I would be able to find again and made my stand. I relieved many of them of their miserable existence but they pulled me down in the end.

I came back to my self in Grobb and set out to regain my belongings. After gathering my stuff I felt it would be better to wait until Quea cam back and we could control them better. So I headed out to explore. Traveling north I did not find any thing that was a worthy challenge so I headed west at the tunnel to the East Commons. I met an Ogre there and learned more of his language and became even more convinced that Ogres are some of the worst mannered creatures on Norath.

I then traveled south finding My self at the entrance to the Befallen. Having only been in once for a quick death I decided to look again. After battling some easy foes I ended up in a battle with a Necro caster I felt I could handle but I was sorely mistaken. On awakening I realized I was still bound in Grobb. It made for a long walk back. It would have been shorter but on the first trip I ran into some very angry Orks so I had to make the trip again.

I made it back got my stuff and was headed through Kithicor Forest when I heard Queas voice again. We decided to meet in East Karanas and resume our quest.

This may sound odd but this is when things started to go bad.

Since deciding I would like to be a part of the Saga family I listen to their special spirit talking path. And while I am listening the most horrible discussion is going on between Mixxi and Tuppen. I hear them discuss the the failing efforts of the guards of the Vale. I call to Quea and ask her to head towards Misty Thicket as she can transfer herself much faster with magic than I can run.

I hear Mixxi and Tuppen come to blows. Tuppen is slain and falls dead to the ground. I am frantic I have no Idea what to do or if I should do any thing. So I call out to those I know are about and ask if and what Quea and I should do but every one is in confusion themselves and I get no guidance to help me choose a path.

We arrive to find Tuppen dead, Mixxi discarding her weapons and armor and a philosophical discussion on right and wrong and different gods wills.

At this point I should have listened to Quea who believed we should step back and be silent it was not our place to try to influence things. Unfortunately I let my heart give the orders and ignored my head so we rushed about in frantic haste and accomplished not.

In the end Tuppen returned in a new body Mixxi turned her self in to the sheriff in Rivervale, Quea was to tired to carry on that day and I was confused upset and disappointed with my self and the rest of the world.

I'm afraid I was not good company when Jebbar spoke to me later. I do so hope tomorrow goes better I'd much rather get me and Quea both out of "THE HOLE" than have to experience this again.

Siffo looks down at what he has written his face tired his eyes dull. He carefully puts the written sheets in a packet with others and gathers his things. A mug of wine that he purchased from a roving bar maid still sits on the table barely touched now stale with a film across the top.

He gives a sigh "May tomorrow be better as I am not ready for another today" .