this forum's W&W own storyline

[Sazerac]

. . . but a rumor has it that a lady mage south of Valeia has these tears bottled up in an elixir. She may be willing to part with it, for a favor. From what I understand, her best friend was killed by the Snake cultists, and she would do anything to seek revenge." Her eyes glittered strangely.

Sazerac cleared his throat. "Hold everything," he said. "I for one am overwhelmed. Ditka here is to meet the Boogres in the cavern with a bit of Nagahide," at which point the entire party groaned, "which can only be obtained at the Serpent Temple, but to protect us we need an elixir from a lady south of here who needs a favor? All on TOP of finding out the recipe for Ukabu-brew and finding out who poisoned the ale? In THREE DAYS?"

Everyone nodded. The disciple shrugged. "Who sleeps around here anyway?" she asked.

"Then," Sazerac said, "I suggest we get started. Immediately!"

[Raistlin]

As Raislin pulled himself from the rotten corpse of the dead mantrap, he wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and thought to himself, I gotta get to Valeia before that deciple sends some poor innocents off on her suicidal quest to the boogre caverns. Maybe someone there is smart enough to work out that she really is a deciple of Lord Cet........

Ditka is, alone at his table, brooding over his ale.

Adam joined him. "Hey what's the matter? didn't you hear Sazerac? We'll be going soon but I don't know what day..." he shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, we have a problem..." Ditka paused in midsentence.
"What is it?" demanded Adam.
"We are low in gold!" Ditka scowled, "And we need them to buy armor, headgear, weapons, potions, and to get in the guilds! Plus, we need more for the training at the guilds! Damn it to Haleabus!" feeling depressed, He downed his ale and belched.

Adam said, "Calm yourself, I have an idea..." and he grinned, "We'll create the try-outs at the inn and post about it in the news at the townhouse."
Ditka was confused, "That's the plan?"
Adam shook his head, "no, no, no, there's more to it," with a wry smile, "We'll inform each person that there will be 200 gold charge to try out, you turn them down, and we'll keep their gold!"

Ditka pondered, "hmmmmm.... will they fall for it and come for the try-outs?"
"Of course, they will!" Adam winked, "Almost everyone wants a taste of adventure and what they don't know can't hurt them."
Ditka warmed up to the idea, slammed down his cup, and said, "Then let's go for it!"

Adam whispered to Ditka: "you go try to convince Sazerac to find a way to extend the days while I go post the news"
Ditka whispered back, "All right but hurry!"
Ditka walked up to Sazerac and said, "Didn't I mention that I was poisoned? Am I finally cured? Oh and why only 3 days? because I .....

...know and YOU know," he emphasized his words by poking Sazerac lightly in his chest, "that we can't possibly get this all done in three days!"

"Just a sec." he told his friend and Sazerac pushed past Ditka to approach the disiple.

"My friend is right you know, we can't possibly accomplish all this in three days time. Why the limit?"

"No reason." Monyka answered, "other than that I like to pressure people to live up to their expectations of themselves as heroes. You can't accomplish the task? Perhaps I misjudged you and should seek elsewhere for the true Heroes of The Gael Serran."

"No!" Sazerc told her confidently, "We can do it! Three days from now, we will have slain the Naga and be in the Boogre Caves!"

While she looked down to admire herself and make sure all her leather was just so before donning her hooded cloak, Sazerac looked over her shoulder at Ditka and shrugged. He knew this was their only chance to prove themselves and obtain the fame they had so long deserved.
Besides he thought she is so pretty...and so dangerous with the protection of The Wise and Dreaded Sage Wyvern!

She looked up at him and stated without emotion, "So be it, then." She threw on her cloak in one swift graceful move and stepped toward the door of the Inn. "My business here is finished then, I must take my leave."

As she stepped out into the warm sunshine of yet another beautiful day in Valeia, she shuddered at the goodness in the air and then again when she felt a great personal danger toward herself coming from as far away as Ishad N'ha.

She focused. She closed her eyes and saw him...a Ratling. She felt the danger he imposed on her and on her mission to fool the so called champions.
She laughed to herself. They had more than three days and she knew it. Hell, they had all the time in the world! As long as they didn't realize that she could get on to the real dirty work she hand in mind but she had to take care of the Ratling before he reached Valeia to warn them. They may try to stop her from completing her evil mission to...

. . ."How indeed. . ." Serath spoke and broke the silence. "Perhaps if you could find the great and powerful Wyvern herself and give us the opportunity to enlist her aid in our quest for this best-of-the-best brew. No more voices coming from the shadows! We want to see her in the flesh (or whatever she is made of) and have the chance to convince her we are worthy of her help." Laurel said "This may be a possiblity. It is my understanding that she is a good friend of Lily the Ranger and keeps in touch with her. Maybe Lily can help me to find Wyvern and relay your request to meet with her. I will try." In the meantime, we will continue with the tryouts. . .

[Wyvern]

gather their souls to strengthen Lord Cet. She turned, wrapping her cloak closer against the wholesome Valiea air and headed towards the west gate of town unobserved by most save the figure standing in the shadows by the armory.
The figure watched quietly as the elf slipped out of town and took a deep breath. Shifting her gaze from the west gate to the tavern she stepped into the light, her silver locks sparkled in the sunlight as she move quickly to the tavern. Save for the purity of her silver hair or the sparkle in her brown eyes she might not be one that would draw any attention, of average height and build and with a good face but not a beauty that would sway others on that merit alone. She entered the tavern and surveyed those gathered and wondered to herself exactly what the viper might have said to them.

"Greetings travelers, I am Laurel and I come to help if you will have my aid. Gareth was my brother and in his passing his sworn oath to protect Gael Sarren has fallen to me."

She observed the faces and their reactions one by one.

"Easy enough a claim to make so I do not expect nor even want you to give me your trust easily. Trust in these dangerous time should be well armored with suspicions. Beauty can deceive even as simplicity can deceive. In what manner may I earn your trust?"

Ditka struggled to keep his leer off his face and almost blurted: "I have a few suggestions in mind..." but he looked away.

Adam comes back in the inn, over to Ditka's side, and whispered, "It's all set! I gave the word out and the try-outs will start tonight!" then he spotted Laurel, "Hey! who's that?"
"Her name's Laurel and she claims she's the sister of Gareth" Ditka whispered back.
Adam was stunned, "Gareth's got a sister? No way! That fool is...I mean WAS too old to have a baby sister! Why there's a 40-year difference between them! Besides he never mentioned a sister so why should we trust her?" he shook his head in disbelief.
Ditka shrugged, "She said something about how to earn our trust."
Adam grinned, "Well..."
Ditka interrupted, "Sazerac still convinced that we can get it done in 3 days"
Adam was surprised, "How come 3 days? Gael Serran is a big land! I swear Sazerac is out to kill us with exhaustion!" he was immediately shushed by Ditka.
"Silence! Laurel's coming this way!"

....

Balgin the dwarf is the first in the line of a long line of adventures waiting for the tryouts to begin. There are adventures of all sorts and of all races, some are familiar, others are definately unknown and appear to be of mixed racial backgrounds. All look extremely strong and all too powerful to fool around with. Adam and Ditka begin to have doubts about their money-making scheme and start to wonder about repercussions from some of the most overpowering of this rather large group of adventurers. . .

Sareth and Saz are having a conversation about what they will say if Laurel does produce the great and powerful Wyvern to convince her to help them. . .