The Tome of Agrimar

Chapter Six

“Yeah, I heard tell of that night-elf,” the man speaking had to work his jaw around a large black mass of tobacco and Kendra found it distracting. She had spent the last few hours trying to chase people down in the marketplace, asking them questions and trying to strike up conversations with no success. Talon had been trying to talk to the shop keepers, but each turned him away for one reason or another. No one seemed to know much of anything about Thradris, or simply did not care to know. Then, Kendra had stumbled on this man who sat outside a doorway apparently watching their market antics with amused interest. His clothes were dirty and smelly, his hair unkempt and greasy, and the town folk gave him a wide berth as though his presence disturbed them. Talon even had not seemed too pleased with Kendra for approaching the man, but as soon as those words left the man’s mouth, Talon’s shoulders sagged with relief.

“Do you know where we can find him?” Talon asked. His question was followed by a bout of coughing and Kendra gazed up at him in concern. That cough had developed slowly throughout the day, getting worse as time progressed. Kendra was certain her companion had become ill, but he insisted on pressing on in their search.

The man turned his head up in thought, not seeming to notice the sickly nature of his questioner. Kendra could hear the smacking of saliva and tobacco juices as he continued to chew. He then turned his head to the side and spit some black liquid onto the cobbles, causing a passing merchant to skitter out of his way with a glare. His ensuing grin exposed stained teeth, and Kendra found that he thought the discomfort he caused others amusing.

“He lives out there in the woods somewhere,” he said, waving his hand vaguely to direct them outside the town.

“Do you know where?” Kendra asked.

He shook his head, and Kendra could not hide the disappointment that brought her shoulders down in a sag not that different from the one of relief that had lowered Talon’s shoulders mere moments before.

“Though, I’ll tell ye,” his words pulled her in like a fisherman’s reel restoring hope as she found herself wondering if what he was about to say would be of any help. Talon’s involuntary forward lean mimicked hers, and she knew his hope was as precarious as her own. “If yer seeking information ‘bout dark deeds and doings, best place to look would be Farkom’s Inn and Tavern.”

“Farkom’s?” Kendra repeated questioningly.

The man nodded, and Talon’s expression turned into a thoughtful scowl. Kendra was looking around, trying to see if there was a sign she had missed. Inn’s were typically placed strategically in the main areas and near the main streets, but Kendra could not remember seeing anything labeled “Farkom”.

“And someone there might know where we can find Thradris?” Talon asked, drawing Kendra’s attention back to the surly man in front of them as he smiled at her with widespread amusement.
Once again vague and hardly helpful, the man just shrugged. “I’m not much a one to stick my nose in business that ain’t mine, but people here don’t pay much attention to me. I hear things. See things. Know things people likely don’t realize I know. Figure it’s better to keep it to meself than to go getting involved in town politics.”

“We don’t care to either,” Talon countered, his voice cracking with growing hoarseness. “We just want to find Thradris.”

The man chuckled. “Ye’ll be getting more’n ye asked for with that one.”

Talon’s eyes narrowed further, his brow furrowed considerably. “What do you mean?”

The man spat once again, the black mass in his mouth rolling around visibly as he defensively raised his hands. “Like I said, I keep my nose outta business that ain’t mine. Whatever answers ye can find, ye’ll probly be finding at Farkom’s. Take that alley on the other end ‘a the main square, yer second left. Can’t miss it.”

“Funny place to put an inn,” Kendra huffed as she peered the direction he’d pointed. “Who’s going to go looking down an alley for a place to sleep when they’re visiting the town? I mean, really. Why haven’t they gone out of business? No traveler’s are going to stay there when there are other inns right here along the main street, plain and visible. You have to think about where you put things, you know? My Uncle Vick had a friend once, terrible ferrier, but you know what? Everybody came to him, because he set up shop right by the stables. Didn’t matter that he wasn’t very good at making horseshoes. He still put the other ferrier out of business, just because he picked a good place. That guy got so mad, he-“

Her next words were suddenly muffled as a gloved hand covered her mouth. “Thank you,” Talon muttered with exasperation, and Kendra wondered why he was glaring at her when he was the one who’d been so rude as to cover her mouth mid-sentence. “We’ll be on our way now.”

“Good luck,” the surly man chuckled, and Talon rolled his eyes in response. Kendra looked between them with confusion. Was there some joke she’d missed? When her companion started walking away, she just shrugged and hurried after him.

“Thanks!” she shouted, waving to the man behind her as she weaved between a couple passing people to catch up with Talon. Though the young man had a longer stride, he could not maneuver as well through the crowds, and Kendra was quickly by his side once more. When she caught up with him, he had paused to lean against a building, bringing a rag to his mouth to hold back a rather retched bout of coughing.

Kendra looked up at him with concern. “Maybe you should see a healer?” she suggested, but Talon just shoved her aside and shoved himself up to keep walking.

“I’ll be fine,” he croaked, his voice now sounding not all that dissimilar from the raven’s. Kendra’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t say anything, as she followed him to the alley the tobacco-chewing man had indicated. At a glance it appeared rather destitute, and most people steered away. Anyone stepping even near the alley heightened their pace and clung to their purses. Kendra thought she saw someone hovering over a body down one of the side streets, but when she looked back there was only a drunkard resting prostrate against the wall. She ventured that he would have a roaring headache when he awoke.

Taking the second left brought them to a rather dark and narrow street. The inn certainly appeared to be a seedy place. There was light emanating from within, though it flickered and twisted creating a series of tricky shadows.  A sign hung over the doorway or rather spun slowly back and forth on its only stable hinge. Tilting her head to the side, Kendra was able to make out the word “Farkom” just above the image of a mug.

“Looks like we’ve found the right place,” she glanced up and over her shoulder at her companion who raised an uncertain eyebrow. Even Luscious seemed to disagree with the place as he made a strange sound that could have been a mixture of a hiccup and burp. How a bird managed to make such a noise baffled Kendra, but it mattered little. Their adventure had brought them an interesting turn, and she could not wait to see what their stay at the inn would bring. Besides, Talon’s cough was continuing to grow worse and Kendra thought seeking information at the inn would give her an opportunity to coerce him into resting.

Kendra slipped her thumbs under the straps of her pack and strode forward with confidence. As she reached the door, there was a crash inside and Talon placed a cautioning hand on her shoulder. “Wait…” he muttered. Kendra looked up at him, tilting her head curiously.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Are you sure we should-“ suddenly his voice grew whispery and he turned away, his entire body wracked with the effort of his hacking. Luscious could not maintain his purchase on his shoulder and took to the air, hovering above his companion with apparent concern.

Kendra’s eyes narrowed. “Look, I don’t care how important finding this Thradris guy is to you, you need to rest. You are getting a room, and you are going to have some soup and tea, and then you are going to sleep. I’ll ask around here and see if I can turn anything up. Besides, what would you do if you found Thradris in this condition? Cough him to death? That might work if you’re contagious, but he’d kill you before whatever illness you have could be passed on to him.”

Talon waved a hand as if to dismiss her. “I’ll be fine,” he said.

Kendra reached up to snag the edge of his cloak and pulled him down to face her. Her glare was somehow menacing and amusing at the same time. “No, you won’t,” she said. “I’ll handle the questioning. You handle getting better.”

Talon frowned, placing his hand on hers and giving it a gentle but solid jerk backward to release her grip on his cloak. Luscious landed back on his shoulder as he straightened, and Kendra assumed his lack of argument was agreement. With a curt nod, she pushed open the door and stepped inside.

The earlier crash was apparently the result of a minor brawl that was now occupying three patrons. A mug had shattered on the floor near their feet and a table had been overturned, most probably due to the inertia of the man lying on the ground next to it. A red faced dwarf with beer spilled in his beard stood with his back to the fallen man, blocking the advance of one giant of an opponent. Kendra’s attention was immediately riveted as a fist twice the size of his face was thrust toward the dwarf, but the small and sturdy rival was like a wall. He did not move from his spot except to tilt his head to the side, the fist driving right past his ear. He reached up, snagging the man’s wrist in an iron grip and pulled it forward, the man flying over the dwarven body and the table, falling on top of the other man who had been attempting to rise to his feet.

“Anyone else care to cause any problems?” the dwarven voice boomed. A few of the patrons who’d been staring quickly looked away and attempted to appear preoccupied. Other than Kendra and Talon who’d just entered the establishment, there was only one other who held the gaze of the dwarf. He started rolling up his sleeves, his face red with anger and looking ready to fight, while the dwarf stood his ground and glared at the man.

Glancing around him and at the two bodies prostrate on the ground, the man appeared to second guess himself. With that pause, whatever resolve he’d had fell to pieces and something in the fiery gaze of the dwarf brought him to sit back heavily in his seat. The dwarf grunted.

“Smart man,” he said. “Why don’t ye have yerself another drink and help me clean up this mess?” And with that, the dwarf took a step and the air suddenly felt lighter, freer. It was as though everything had been stock still and was now moving about with ease. Kendra realized that she’d frozen in the doorway and now felt compelled to move forward. The dwarf turned to lift the table, while the man he’d stared down took a swig of his drink then went to pick up the two men on the ground and head out the door.

“I’ll help you with that!” Kendra shouted.

“Wait!” Talon hissed. His hand grasped for her pack to pull her back to his side, but she zipped under his fingers before they could close on anything solid. Kendra glanced over her shoulder to smile back at him, and Talon just shook his head. Instead of following Kendra, he headed toward the counter to find the innkeeper.

Kendra grabbed the other end of the table just as the dwarf yanked it off the ground and onto its feet. It moved with such force that he practically yanked Kendra along with it, and she stumbled to maintain her footing while meeting his eyes from across the wooden divide. She rarely met someone so close to her own height, and the sudden unexpected eye-contact was rather shocking. She was met with the same fire he’d projected onto that ox of a man now stumbling out the door supporting his two prostrate companions. For a brief moment, Kendra was rendered speechless. Very brief.

“Well, hi!” she smiled. The dwarf raised a brow in response and turned to walk away, but the ever persistent young woman was unfazed and skipped along beside him. “That was amazing! How you stopped that fight? It must be a dwarven technique, cuz I met a dwarf once- Alex- he did the same thing. I asked him to show me how to do it, but I just couldn’t seem to get it right. He said it’s because I move too much and I don’t know how to focus, but I’m a pretty good fighter anyway. Just this morning, I took down a couple highway men who were trying to steal from me.”

“Did ye talk em to death?” the dwarf asked. He passed the bar counter, grunting to the barkeep as he did so and leaving Kendra behind. She just clambered onto a stool so she could see over the counter, either ignoring or having not heard his question.

“I didn’t know you worked here,” she commented when her perch allowed her to maintain a visual of the short and stocky combatant. “Are you a bouncer? That’s an odd job for a dwarf. Not that you didn’t settle that fight wonderfully, but I always thought bouncers were supposed to be… well… big.”

There was an awkward silence as all the dwarf offered Kendra in response to that comment was an icy stare. The young woman was now mentally backpedaling, wondering if the dwarf had found her comment about his size offensive, but her thoughts were short lived as a gloved hand placed on her shoulder startled her out of contemplation. The sound of feathers being ruffled just past her ear was equally startling, and she subconsciously jerked her head to look over her shoulder, though in the split second it took her to do so, she knew it was only Talon and Luscious.

“Is my friend bothering you?” Talon asked.

The dwarf turned his icy stare to the young man and raised a curious eyebrow. There was a momentary silence as they exchanged glances, and Kendra could practically see the heat come smoking out of their ears as they seemed to engage in some silent communication. Before she could question what they were “saying”, the dwarf grunted.

“Talks too much,” he muttered.

“That she does,” Talon smiled in reply.

Kendra folded her arms across her chest in a huff and glared at the two of them. “I do not,” she pouted. “Everyone else talks too little. How are we supposed to find anything out about Thradris when everyone stays clammed up all the time?”

“What’d ye say?” the dwarf could not hide his sudden interest, and that immediately drew Talon’s riveted attention.

“You know Thradris?” he asked.

The dwarf scoffed. “Know him? Nobody knows Thradris. Nobody wants to know him. And he don’t want nobody knowing him neither. Works just fine for everybody.”

“What do you mean?” Talon asked.

The dwarf raised a brow and assessed the two in front of him with a gaze that spoke all on its own. His surprise and condescension said far more than any words could say- these two were not from around here. He pulled up a stool on his end of the counter and motioned for the barkeep to slide down some glasses. “What you drinking?”

Talon waved his hand in dismissal, “Just water.”

That elicited a scowl. “Tain’t talking to a man I can’t drink with.”

“Fine,” Talon sighed. “Ale.”

A hint of moderate approval crossed the dwarf’s face as he turned to Kendra, “What about you, little lady?” he asked.

“Uh…” Kendra looked dumbfounded.

There was a twinkle in the dwarf’s eyes as he smiled back at her. “Don’t tell me you tain’t never had a drink before?”

“Well, um…”

“How old are you?”

Kendra wrinkled her nose. “Just because I’ve never touched alcohol doesn’t mean I’m a child you know,” she huffed. “I just don’t see the point. Liquids are supposed to keep you hydrated, but alcohol just dehydrates you, and besides. It messes with you chemically, slows your reflexes. A good adventurer always has their wits about them, and my Uncle Vick says that alcohol is for the witless. I don’t think-”

“Little lady,” the dwarf interrupted. His and Talon’s cups had already been placed on the counter while she was talking, and he downed his in one large gulp, then proceeded to refill it as he spoke. “Ye gonna talk with me, ye gotta drink with me. Consider it a test of yer adventuring spirit.” Once again, he downed his glass, then held the third empty cup out for the barkeep while looking Kendra dead in the eyes. “What’ll it be?”

Kendra just glared back at him with her arms folded across her chest. “I don’t drink.”

With that, the dwarf shrugged and turned away from her, silently excluding her from the conversation. He raised a questioning brow to Talon, who lifted his glass and took a long full drink of his ale. When he set the glass back down on the counter, half gone, the dwarf nodded his approval and held out his hand in greeting. “Name’s Bargal,” he said.

“Talon,” the young man replied, wincing as the dwarf grabbed his hand in a death grip.

Kendra’s mouth opened wide in shock. They were going to ignore her just because she wouldn’t drink with them? She glanced between the two of them in utter amazement as they did, indeed, ignore her. She lifted her chin in a huff. “Fine,” she muttered. “Grumpy old dwarf probably doesn’t know anything useful anyway. I’ll just go talk to somebody else.” She alighted from the stool, turned her nose up and meandered from the counter to attach herself to any patron that seemed to have the promising prospect of knowledge.

Bargal snuffed, an action that said far more about his disdain and consternation than any words could have, and turned to Talon conspiratorially. “That one’s got the wits of a Farvel if ever I’ve seen one,” he said.

“A Farvel?” Talon asked.

“Halfling clan,” Bargal reiterated. “Always causing trouble, those ones.”

Talon watched Kendra, as she very loudly and cordially engaged a half-orc in what she seemed to think was friendly conversation. He winced and subconsciously brought a hand up over his face, hoping the other patrons did not think he was associated with her. “So it’s not just her… personality?”

Bargal snorted, “Naw. Whole clan is like that. We get em here now and again. Most of em go off on their own within a few days, always with a lot of ruffled feathers in their wake. Guards put em in an’ out o the prison a few times, but can never keep em in there. Others tend to meet a swift end in a dark alley. You plan on keeping that one around for some reason, might wanna keep a close eye on her, she doesn’t go pushing the wrong buttons.”

Talon sighed and covered his face in exasperation, “Oh, have I got my work cut out for me.”

Bargal laughed, “You don’t get out much, do ye? Where ye from?”

Talon balked, the question clearly catching him off guard, but he quickly recovered with a wave of his hand and burying his face in his drink. “Elsewhere,” he muttered.

The dwarf just chuckled in response, “No need to get defensive. I know what ye are, druid. You’re attire makes it rather obvious, if the raven on yer shoulder weren’t enough. Most round here won’t recognize it, but I’ve done my share o travel. Met a few o yer kind.”

“That how you learned the earth magic?” Talon asked softly, and the question brought a smile to the dwarf.

“Ye felt that did ye?” he answered while refilling both of their cups. “Works wonders in maintaining an orderly bar, though it’s seen better uses.”

“Yes, well,” Talon cleared his throat, “Perhaps we can get back to the subject at hand?”

“Thradris?” Bargal asked.

Talon nodded and waited for the dwarf to down another drink. Bargal let out a hearty belch and a sigh before speaking, “Not much to tell. He’s a hermit. Lives out in the woods somewhere. Puts some of the city folk on edge knowing he’s out there, but they tolerate it on account a he makes it easier for traders to come and go.”

“What do you mean?”

“Won’t no highwaymen trouble the roads round here,” Bargal explained. “Least not fer long. That dark elf catches wind of em and they’re gonners. Some o’ the people here,” he nodded his head toward the tables to indicate Farkom’s patrons, “got personal problems with that nightmare of an elf, messing up their less than reputable businesses, but they’re too afeard of taking it up with ‘im.”

“You don’t know anyone who might be able to help me find him?” Talon asked in desperation.

“Well…” Bargal said thoughtfully, “There is his young one. Comes to town now and again.”

“Young one?”

Bargal nodded. “Surprised me, I’ll say, but he’s got a young one. Boy’s been making visits to the village of late. Causing a bit of a stir too, though he ain’t done more than any other traveler. People just talk.”

“Do you know-“

Kendra’s squeaky voice suddenly piped up over the general rumble of the tavern, cutting Talon off. “Hey! Getch yer paws off me!”

There was a crash and Talon groaned, putting his head down on the table. “Do I want to know?” he asked the dwarf. Bargal chuckled and made his way around the counter.

Kendra’s outburst had been prompted when the half-orc she’d engaged in conversation had lifted her by the scruff. He held her, one-handed, dangling over the table, but before he could say anything to her, she slipped out of his grip and sent everything clattering to the floor. The ensuing mess incited a growl from the orc, as he attempted a swing at Kendra’s lithe little form. “Get back here!” here rumbled.

Kendra just ducked under the table with an “eek”. She was dodging punches and trying to explain herself as she stumbled away from her surely companion. “I just… I didn’t… Why…” Suddenly, one of the wild swinging blows was met with a solid fist, and Kendra realized Bargal had come to her aid. His feet seemed to sink into the ground and the very air grew more heavy, Bargal’s hand holding the larger fist steady as if in a still handshake, causing the half-orc to slow.

“Is there a problem, Kojic?” Bargal asked.

Kojic paused, the snarl on his face slowly disappearing as he locked eyes with Bargal then shifted his gaze to assess the damage he’d caused in his anger. “No..” he muttered.

“Good,” Bargal replied, releasing his fist and turning to Kendra. “You’d best mind your own business around here, miss. Kojic isn’t the only one with a temper, and others might not be so kind as to give you an opportunity to defend yourself.”

Kendra huffed. “Well, I—“

“I think we’ve gathered all the information we’ll be able to find here, little one,” Talon interrupted. He had come up behind Kendra so quietly, she hadn’t realized he was even there until he spoke, and she looked up to see him feeding Luscious a few nuts. “We’d best eat and get some rest for tomorrow.”

“So you know where Thradris is?”

“No.”

“You mean Bargal wouldn’t talk to you either? See, you shouldn’t give in to peer pressure. That’s exactly what my father told me, and where did it get you? Nowhere. You drank with him, and he still didn’t tell you anything. I’m sure somebody else here might know something. You go ahead and get a room. You need to rest up so you don’t get sick. I’ll keep asking around.”

“Hold on there,” Talon snagged Kendra’s pack, pulling her back to face him. “We’re done here. We’ve got a lead.”

“A lead? What lead?”

“Shh…” Talon glanced at Bargal, whose arms were crossed in front of his chest and the corners of his mouth tilted upward in a little hint of a smile. Clearly, the dwarf was amused and not really inclined to help. Talon sighed. “I’ll discuss it with you later.” He gave that last word some forceful emphasis and motioned toward the room. “First let’s eat and rest.”

Kendra looked around the tavern conspiratorially, noting all the patrons whose eyes had been drawn to them. Her antics had attracted quite a bit of attention and her eyes widened knowingly. “Ohhh… okay.” And with a smile and a skip, Kendra made her way to the innkeeper, leaving Talon in her wake.