Barley's Trials

You push open the heavy double doors to reveal a rough cavern beyond with nine passageways. In front of each hovers a dimly glowing object. Stepping further into get a better look the doors behind you close, sealing you in.

In front of you the items glow brighter revealing themselves to be sword, shield, ax, robe, belt, cloak, boots, dagger, wand, pipes, ring, gauntlets, pendant, and rod. Silence settles over the cave as you look around, examining the area. With nothing else to act upon you choose one of the paths and set off down the tunnels passage.

Walking along you see faint light up ahead and soon come to a closed door blocking the passage. On the door are 36 crystals that glow with the colors of the rainbow, each a different color. As you look at the door you note that the crystals twinkle, with a single crystal lighting up slightly brighter than the other.

Free of the sewers and using a bit of his mental abilities to wash the stench from him Barley looks around the small city wondering what he should do next to "find a story worth telling and 'helping' it to a satisfactory ending". Obviously there are some tensions in the city that are not felt only by the poor and oppressed in the young noble or merchants son is an indicator.

The men, including the youth who wears simpe cloths though of an obvious better quality, give Barley an odd look.
One of the older men sneers at your comment. Work for the dark priest at your risk. Many people who go looking for trouble find it elf.

Another growls at you Honest men don't tollerate your kind for long and vagrancy is aginst the law. Off with you before we call the watch.

The simplehonest radesmen don't seem to appreciate this brash elven ruffian swagering into their midsts. The youth gives you an odd look but keeps his head. Those who need to know my name do. You do not. I suggest you find work or lodgings before dark lest you be mistaken for trouble and taken to the mines. You sence caution and vigilance as he looks you over then casually lookig around. You gain a vague sence of the youths mind, discipline and reason with a dash of passion burining under it all but under contrl, but no comunication is forthcoming.

The street is simple and clean and if not for the overheard conversation you would think this a happy and prosperous town. The patio the men sit at ajoins a tavern that serves a simple stew and ale lunch. Cups and bowls are scattered around the men but none is near the youth. Across the way are smal merchant shops and down the street you can see a wharehouse with wide doors and a brisk trafic of men goind in and out laden with various goods.

You succeed in your tough guy rutine but none of these men seem to appreciate it or want to talk with a stranger seeking after dark priests.

The rough and burly men chuckle at the litle elf dressed in armor and bearing a sword at his hip. You hear a snide comment somewhere from the back about the "pretty boy down on his luck" followed by a chuckle. One of the larger men just grunts and shifting his load, a large crate, to one arm and points back and in. Foremens in back. The men get back to work joking about the"grand life of adventure" with heavy sarcasm and begin making small wagers about how long you will list and what you can carry.
Making your way into the dim interior and find the foreman shouting, not that anyone seems to be listening, at the wor crews moving freigh on and off wagons that sit out in the street. The foreman is a broad framed man, one of the largest in the warehouse you guess, but with an eaually expansive gut. Totally ignoring you he continues ordering the aparent chaos while ocasionaly lookig as a stack of papers in his hand that he make marks on from time to time.

The man eyes you a moment New hands start out back and spits. Go se Tom, he'll give you something to do. and chuckles with malicious mirth

Heading out back you find a large open are with several wagons and more men. These look more ragged and based on the smell of the yard andcontents they are handling you may want to set aside yor cloths of burn them when you are done. Several men are working animal pens to one side next to what you assume to be a slaughter house as animals go in and men haul carcases out. Another section has buld materials, lumber, clay, straw, thatch, jars of tar, etc. and the last section has several wagons that are full of rough rock and coal. A large smelting shop takes up that side of the yard.

You easily locate Tom from the mutters of passing men and he turns out to be the nastiest looking man not working. Not the largest but definitely the one with the most scars. Walking up while dodging trafic you tell him you were sent to get work from him. The man grunt Slaughterhouse.
New guy get to muck it out without even looking at you. Having helped dress animals hunted for food in the woods by the elves you look around and suspect the job to be the lowest nastiest one around. At the rate they are slaughering, skinning, and quatering the beast you assume they ammas quite a bit of materials and not all of it can be pocessed to sausage.

Walking over your fears are confirmed.

Barleys background in scholarly activities mixed wiht his bardic asperations seem to have underprepared him for life as a dumb grunt. Within minutes you have slipped, stepped into a deep pot hole hiden under a pool of blood and generally gotten yourself filthy, smelly, and (quietly) longing for a bath. However your efforts dont go onrewarded. Not in coin, you get half pay for your pathetic attempts to work, but is a slight relaxation of the mens attitudes towards you.
Earning yourself the knickname "Tumblegut" for the amussing episode with some bovine intestine entangling you with the result being you looking more like a marionete that you would ever want to recall.

Amid the foul working conditions and loss of apatite, vegitarianism is sounding good now, you learn a few thing as "the new guy" ask about his new/future home.
Baron Toridel rules this city and as far as the eye can see. After the shatering the dark temples rose in prominance as they added the Barons father fight of the mosters left by the war. They also seem to have stronger spells and magic than the few priest of the light. Though the dark priest never do anything outright against the people or the Barony their preaching makes many nervous.
Escaping from the mines does not seem that hard. The trouble is staying free. With the Baron in control of the entire county ther is no place to hide. Or shouldn't be Tales have circulated with a few to many details about the mines for any to not believe a few have found friends and refuge. Not that any of the workers know anything about how that might be.
Any time the dark priests are brought up everyone denys knowing any but they all know some one who knows some one.

After a long days work, for 5 copperr, you have a cold dunk under a spout from a rain barrel. Weary you make your way back to the tavern you were at before but are turned away and sent to a reputable bath house. As you enter the steam and faint smells of lavender instanly parts you with all 5 of your new coin for a bath, your cloths washed, and a meal. The mens bath is full of steam and you rince again, at an attendants instanace and he hands you some harsh soap, before slipping into the large tiled bath. As you setle back and glance around you spot the noble youth slide into the bath several yards away. Though acting casual you can tell he is a bit nervous and his one guarded glance at you informs you he is curious but warry.

The bath room is not too large, though heavily obscured by the steam, and several voices cry out their appreciation as an attendant brings you your belonging so you can show the coin to cover the tab. Afterwards the room seems a bit merrier. During this time you not that the youth has a companion. An older tough looking man with a few scars that indicate he knows which side to hold the sword and usually makes sure his hits the other guy first. As things die back down the youth replies, in between comments to the older man. I am ready to listen. Your ability is a bit odd and many might assume it is from the dark temples. If you really with to talk, leave a few minutes after us and follow my man. Try to mug him and he will arrange your "safe" removal from the streets for our talk.

After that the the lad get to work cleaning himself for a bit before availing himself of a masseuse in a side stall. About 20 minutes after your little drink shenanigans the youth leaves and his "guard" leaves the baths to dress. You move to follow the instructions, though unsure about these arrangements. Following the man proves easy and after several minutes he takes a turn down a smaller more dimly lit street. Taking the cue you move in for the "attack" only to find the man is just as adept at barehanded fighting as your are. A silent exchange of pointer passes before the man suddenly suges with a power unknown to you. A pale nimbus suffuses his skin and his movements double, as does his strength, and you are left gasping for air as he removes his hand from your abdomen. Breath slow, well faught he murmurs to your bent over form before a blow to the back of your head turns the world black.

A dim light and relaxing waves of energy wake you to the touch of the old man. There, good as new. he says taking his hand away. The young lord will see you in a minute. But before that . .

Out of the shadows behind the old warrior steps a truly ancient woman. Raising a staff with a large crystal set into its top she murmurs a few words and you feel a pressure in your head. You feel fingers in inquiry slide into your mind searching for truth and memory.

Do you resist? Set up your reaction up to this point and attitude going forward when you meet the young lord