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[Smiticles]

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Smiticles rode up to the village of Riverrun with the thoughts of his warm, comfortable bed replacing the hard leather of his saddle for the first time in 5 or 6 days. Dust from the road choked his throat and parched his lips as he dismounted and tethered Mr. Twain to the tree outside his home. Another sabbatical, this time to the rolling hills of Delucia, had cleared his mind and he once again felt at peace with his surroundings. Smiticles often took long journeys to reflect on life and more often than not, to seek out new Adventures for the guild.

Looking around the small clearing between his home and the home of Max vanPelt he noticed the gypsies, or in this case the lack of the gypsies, that normally make camp in the nearby forest. A short walk into the trees brought him to one camp and he instantaneously noticed the look of foreboding upon their faces.

”Something is amiss here in Riverrun”, he thought to himself.

Rather than approach the gypsies at this time, for he was extremely tired from his travels, Smiticles went back to his study and penned a simple note to his good friend Max.

Max;

I have returned once more from another sabbatical and have just now arrived at Riverrun. I will regale you later with the new adventures I feel the ALV may seek out but as of now I am concerned. From the faces and behavior of our gypsy friends I have a feeling something is amiss. Please seek me out when you return home and bring me up to date on the happenings of Vesper and our beloved village of Riverrun. I can't help but think there is something distressing taking place.

Your friend and colleague

Smiticles Cu` Chulainn

Walking across the small clearing he tacks the note to Max's door and then heads back home. Standing at his water trough as he cleans the dust from his face and quenches his thirst he can not help but wonder what is afoot.

[Max of Vesper]

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Last night's meeting with Arcana at the ALV Guild Hall was both happy and sad. Either way, it was truly good to see her again, and her gift of deeding the lands around River Run that the ALV has settled on to Max was much appreciated.

After an evening of Max filling Arcana in on news from Sosaria, and Arcana describing what she has been doing in far off lands, it was time for Max to inform some more of the ALV as to the plan hatched by Vaen for the liberation of Cove, Minoc and Jhelom.

Taking a look over towards Smiticles' house from his roof, Max noticed one or two of the windows lit up from the lanterns inside.

"Ahhh, Smiticles has finally returned from his travels", Max sighed as he spoke out loud. "Now I must tell him to prepare for combat."

Walking across the small courtyard between their two houses Max called out to Smiticles to come outside and join him. Sitting on a couple of logs in the clearing Smiticles was updated on all the goings on and happenings that will have an impact on the ALV's immediate future.

Expectedly solemn, Smit took the news in stride. "This is why we train, is it not Max?", he asked. "You make sure I know where and when to be there, and I will gladly stand side by side with my friends and family in the ALV and do what needs to be done."

"Thank you old friend, thank you." Max said as he placed a hand on Smiticles' shoulder.
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-Max of Vesper, Super Pally Perma NoOb.

[Smiticles]

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It was so good to see Max once more. Their friendship has extended many years and through many wondrous adventures. Smiticles always felt a bit more relaxed and settled when his friend was around.

This night's meeting, however, left Smiticles with a great unsettled feeling. The two sat for a long time in the clearing between their homes while Max detailed the corruption and darkness spreading across the lands. One to always take things in stride, the incursion of OES into Cove was bothersome, but to Smiticles it was not a major worry. Max's news of their subsequent move into Minoc signaled a much larger threat and put the Cove issue in a new perspective.

This is not a minor probing by OES into the little used and sparsely inhabited region of Cove. This is clearly a full scale invasion of the area. With Cove and Minoc under their bloodied and crooked finger, Riverrun and the City of Vesper would be surrounded by disease.

"The arms of this vile spider weaving its web across the land must be severed now" he thought as he left his friend Max and headed back to his home.

"My friends from the Legion have Minoc under their protection so its falls upon our lap to handle Cove"...We must be vigilant and just in our dealings but we must also be swift and true with our swords if we are to rid this festering plague from our homelands!"

Upon reaching his bedchamber Smiticles took stock of his equipment. Having been recently on the road once again his gear was in rough shape. Running a finger along the blade of his cutlass it paused several times on the notches and nicks in the cold steel. Cleaning the road dust from his armor has made the dents in the plate and the tears in the leather that much more evident.

"This is not how a warrior enters battle" he thought. With that he proceeded to make arrangements for MhicGuille Moire, his old friend and trusted tailor and smithy, to swing by Riverrun and tend to his armaments and accoutrements. A last thought entered his mind as he un-strapped his tunic..."We are on the brink of a war the likes of which the ALV has never fought before. For the first time we are entering a battle, not in support as an ally, but on our own as a vanguard of justice. We will need a banner and some colors for the field of honor". And with that reflection his tailor had another order to fill.