Makaze, Envy, Axis, Tequila!

... Yes, of course. Of course!

We have a small Inn in our tiny village where you may rest up. It is currently located on the grounds claimed by the Sideshow Carnival.
Please, dear Andrew, let us personally escort these ... newcomers.

 

Why thank you old one, would you like to hear the tale of heretic henry on the way there?

It's a fantastic tale with an ending fitting for one such as himself.

 

Two have fallen victim to traps.

Make that three. I have succumbed to my own spell.

 

You feel yourself becoming disoriented. Something's wrong.

"Yes sir." You pause. "Please this way travelers."

 

Careful there Vivi, he's looking for a way to slip us up.​

 

I say we send the old guy to a not so early grave.

 

Don't be foolish friends!

This old one would clearly do no harm, I'm sure the blade in his boot is only protection as Mayor, he'd never, and I mean NEVER attempt to cross us now would he?

 

That would be very ignoble of us. We don't even know if he's out for our heads.

We should see what he does first.​

 

Unfortunately for your warnings, I hit the villager, the old man and myself with traps, so they may be incapacitated already.

Especially the weak old man.

 

I warned you about multi-casting that spell, you can never be sure when or where it will hit, now look, i'm not carrying you.

 

What is this ... what is this feeling?

Was I stung? I appear ... I feel, weaker.

Spoiler

Look what I told you, Andrew.
They've been using traps on us. These highwaymen are no good. We need to get them out of the village as soon as possible. I am not fond of revealing my form in the middle of town.​

My my, that would certainly be ... pleasant. Please, please, go ahead.

My dear, you youngsters are becoming ... aggressive.
Please, no need for violence ... no need. Calm yourselves. It would be unfortunate if any ... accidents, were had.
You may enjoy tea at the Inn.

 

But Elder Ashwin, maybe they can help us!
You haven't forgotten about the... incident that happened a few days ago, now have you?​

 

Yeah, yeah. I'll live.

Wait. He shouldn't be able to stand with that body...

 

Well, I wasnt always a traveller with this bunch oh no, my skills used to be used as a teacher! I ran a guild, very hush hush, training new assassins in a large town how to hone their skills, and there was this young lad, Henry as you might have guessed.

Now Henry was bright, and skilled, but in the wrong line of work from day one, y'see, you enter our guild with a blood oath, breakable only by death, so he was ours and we were his, but the thought of murder began to irk him more and more as lessons went on.

Eventually it all became too much for him to bear, he ratted us out, every one of us named to the town mayor and guards, that our "tavern" was really a ruse for training.

Now I am no king and that is for sure, but he was a heretic and that is even more sure. The young lad led them to us and a vicious fight ensued.

Dozens slaughtered, many by my blades, mostly by the pikes of the guards, terrible thing that long reach, never trained the pupils that far into combat on how to handle them, nasty mess.

WHO DO I FIND? Henry, Henry crying in a corner that he didn't wish for it to be like this, "neither did I" I shared, as I gave the boy an embrace of flesh and steel, a hand on the shoulder, a blade in the liver.

Endanger these mens lives and face terrible anguish in return Old Man.

 

Spoiler

No, no, of course not.
But you understand that if they stay here there would probably be a repeat of such an event. These are violent highwaymen bandits who will simply bring ruin to the village!​

...

An Elder must stay fit in these environments. The area around the village is dangerous, crawling with ... highwaymen and bandits.

 

An elder should know to listen to someone when he asked them for a story.

Bravo, Crimson. I'll remember that one.

 

Spoiler

We need to give them a chance, Elder Ashwin!
Besides, I think they'll be of use to us, no?

​

 

I would like some tea, kind elder.

You're very . . . strong for one of much age, I'd like to say. What is your secret ~ ?​

 

You aren't even whispering.

 

Dearest me, a very ... touching story.
Please, rest assured. There will be no harm to your friends. As long as you do not act ... out of hand.
But if it would please all of you ... I would prefer it if you would get your robed Shaman upstart to watch his lips, and listen little to him.
The dust around the village is laden with ... heavy metals of a particular type, that may induce mind numbing, and your friend may have been a victim to that.