Quest 1

[Kiki]

The kingdom of Piren is in ruin. After hundreds of years at war, both civil and against invaders, it has fallen. The once opulent land has been cast into shadow. It is a place of living nightmares that few ever dare to step foot in. Only fools set foot there and those that do never come out again.

But the souls of the people from the land are crying out for redemption. They call out to adventurers to find the four pieces of the Ancestral Star Talisman. It is a piece that was passed down from generation of ruler to the next in Piren. But when the kingdom fell, the Talisman was broken into four pieces and scattered to the winds.

It has been several hundred years since Piren fell. None survive that know Piren beyond the legends of it. Except one. She is the sole survivor of the Piren people, the princess. She's grown up with the legends, but doesn't know of her heritage. In addition to finding the Star Talisman, the people of Piren cry out for any brave adventurers to find their princess.

[Zappy]

A large bartender held the much smaller Halfling over his bar's door step, by his neck. An angry look was apparent on his face. Cade, the Halfling, was grinning, holding his lute protectively to his chest. The bartender tossed Cade to the ground, "And stay out!"
"I would've paid for all that I had taken, good sir," Cade chirped, still grinning. His hands shot to his pockets, retrieving the bag that held his money, he took out a handful of gold pieces and held them out to the barkeep, who snatched them from Cade, then stormed back into his tavern, slamming the door behind him. Cade stood up and brushed himself off.

[Kiki]

Kasai sat on Mori's back and the black gelding snorted. What is it with people and needing to steal for their living? She reined Mori around and the gelding walked past the tavern. Her white cloak against the black of Mori's fur made her highly visible as well as her white hair.

[Zappy]

Cade looked at Kasai, blinking a bit at the contrast of white on black. He walked over to them, and smiled, his teeth a shiny white in the bright sun. "Hello."

[Kiki]

She looked at him, the disdain for him clear in her eyes. Her face was expressionless otherwise and Mori sidestepped, snorting and shaking his mane. 'I can't stand others,' he told Kasai through his body language and she nodded. Few others would be able to understand the horse, though, unless they had grown up around intelligent horses all their lives.
"Hello." Kasai's voice was cold as ice. Her gray eyes were as cold as the clouds in the winter sky.

[Zappy]

He continued to smile, though it was clear he disliked Kasai's tone of voice. "I haven't seen you around here before. Who are you?"

[Kiki]

"A traveler." Mori continued to dance under her and she put his hand on his mane. "Hush, Mori. I dislike others as much as you, but you must be respectful." The gelding snorted, his strange blue eyes flaring with contempt, but he stopped pawing at the ground. A white fox popped out of a saddlebag.

[Zappy]

Cade shook his head, sighing, his smiled fading. "My name is Cade Highhill, perhaps you've heard of me. Most travelers have." He smiled quickly again, though it disappeared within a few seconds of appearing.

[Kiki]

"Never heard of you," Kasai said curtly. Her eyes remained cold and distant. The silver on the elven bow on her back shone dangerously in the sunlight along with the silver-flectched arrows in the quiver.
"Mystic, don't be so mean," the fox said.
"Quiet, Samina," Kasai said coolly. The fox huffed and went back into the saddlebag, folding the flap down wit her paw

[Zappy]

Cade was clearly not threatened by the bow. He took his lute and slid it into the pack on his back. In doing so, he knocked his ruby pendant out of his jacket. It spun, catching the light of the sun in it's small facets.

[Kiki]

"Your pitiful little trinket cannot do anything to me." She snifted her weight slightly on Mori's back to get a more comfortable position. She had been riding for days straight with little rest. Both horse and rider were exhausted, but they refused to show it.

[Zappy]

He shrugged his shoulders, "I didn't expect it to; nor did I mean to take it out." He slid it back into his jacket.

[Kiki]

Mori snorted, shaking his mane and Kasai patted his neck. "I know, boy, I know... But we will be there soon. There we will find everything we need to know."

[Zappy]

Cade face took on a look of curiosity, "What are you talking about?" He asked, though it was clear he did not expect an answer.

[Kiki]

"Piren. I know all have heard the legends of the cursed lands." Her expression grew dark and Mori fell silent, his ears back. This was al a part of a routine they had practiced time and again to scare the people they met with. All that had recieved the answer had instantly turned away because of the legends of wandering souls, twisted creatures and dark skies.

[Zappy]

He blinked, raising an eyebrow, "Perin, eh? Aye, many seek it, though most will never find it." Cade spoke seriously, "I also search for Perin and the ancient artifact known as the Ancestral Star Talisman."

[Kiki]

She nodded slowly and Mori started to paw at the ground again. "Hush, Mori." She put her hand on his mane again and and he quieted down though his ears continued to flick. "Do you know of any good inns in this town?"

[Zappy]

He nodded, "But of course." He smiled thinly, "I could easily get you free lodging and food. People like me."

[Kiki]

"That would not be honorable. But could you lead me to one of the better inns? I've plenty of gold." She patted Mori's neck and the gelding nodded. She then looked at Cade coldly. "If you touch a thing I carry, you will be sorely sorry."

[Zappy]

"I always give back or pay for the things I've taken. I merely like the thrill of taking things, using my stealth to my advantage." He shrugged, then began to walk.

[Kiki]

Mori followed, his black tail swishing behind him. With the moment, Kasai's hair started to move, revealing her slightly pointed ears. She quickly put her hair over her ears again to hide them, knowing how people hated her mixed heritage.

[Zappy]

He continued to walk, his shoulder length hair bouncing with each step. He clearly had either not noticed Kasai's ears, or simply didn't care. Soon, they arrived in front of a shabby looking inn. "Here we are. Best inn in the town." Around them, other inns looked ten times better than the one Cade had led Kasai to.

[Kiki]

She blinked and shook her head, muttering in another language. "This is a wreck. I refuse to stay in such a shanty inn."

[Zappy]

"It is not what is on the outside that matters, but on the inside." He said, smiling. He opened the door, revealing a lavish lobby. The sofas were overstuffed, made of purple velvet with golden embroidery. The inn manager smiled, seeing Cade in the doorway.

[Kiki]

Kasai arched a brow, then dismounted, her white cloak fluttering. "Be there a stable in the back? Mori needs a place to stay as well. HOrses are always to be care for before oneself."

[Zappy]

Cade nodded, "Yes. It is nearly as nice as the lobby is." Cade walked inside and sat down on one of the overstuffed couches, his child's body sinking deep into the cushions.

[Kiki]

She walked to the back and tended to Mori, giving him a good scrub down from all the traveling they had done. She grabbed her tack and walked into the inn. As she walked in, the reason she was bringing it in became clear. The metal on the tack was pure silver, clearly of Elvish make.

[Zappy]

Cade made no gesture to show that he was impressed, though the inn keeper looked up, arching an eye brow. Cade yawned.

[Kiki]

"Have you a spare room with a key?" she asked the innkeeper. The white fox that had popped out of the saddle bag earlier followed Kasai in, looking around.

[Zappy]

"Aye," The innkeeper replied, reaching under the desk and grabbing a key. He held it out to her, "First room on your right at the top of the stairs."