A small Tavern named The Eyrie, in the Port Quarters of Rephidim. A common berthing place for crews of the sky ships of Sinai, the tavern sports many items or Aeronautical lore. The conversation is loud and raucous as various sky sailors unwind after long trips to various points of call. The view outside is of the Rephidim Wharf, various airships and warships anchored to long spindly towers, crawling with dockworkers. A barmaid passes before blocking your view outside and you return to the business in e mug before you.

Zoltan wanders in quietly. He nods to some of his comrades and meanders up to the bar… taking stock in the shiny bottles.

A barmaid approaches you and smiles, "Hello there!" The buxom Mink asks with a smiles, "What ken I get ya t drink?"

Zoltan glances at the assortment of bottles behind the bar, he gestures to one with smoky blue glass. "Is that any goods?" He squawks.

The Barmaid looks over, the silver sheen of her coat flashing in the light that spills in the window, "Oh Yes. Turquoise Ale from Elamoore. Very smooth. Willa be a wantin' one?"

Zoltan hrrs, "Sound good. How much?" He blinkblinks at the barmaid.

"5 shekels. Came a long way it did."

Zoltan thinks to himself, . o O ( Maybe they'll let me keep the bottle. )

The hippogryph winces! "Is too much." He hands a shekel to the mink. "Just give me ale, bottle not worth five."

The barmaid Nods, As ya wish sir." and exits to the bar soon returning with the bottle and taking your shekel. The Bar is its usual rowdy self. Several Kavi laugh in the corner, boasting about various exploits in their travels, a couple of Wolverine Nobles chatting with an airship captain while their Savanite servants keep a watch on their valuables.

A commotion starts up as two stags start to arm wrestle in the corner of the bar, cheering and encouragement coming from the onlookers. "A sudden voice comes from behind you, "Excuse me Sir. Are you Zoltanos Cambio of the Mountain Shadow Tribe?

Zoltan scoops up his bottle and takes a large swig, sighing contentedly as he feels the liquid warm his stomach.

Zoltan makes a sudden gurgling noise and jumps a bit at the voice. He turns to face the voice behind him… one hand rubbing his nose. "Just call me Zoltan. Tribe not mean anything to me, nor family name."

Facing you is a rather rotund Badger, wearing a fine set of travel clothes. "Ah forgive me, I had to make sure I had the right man though. May I take a seat with you?"

Zoltan waves a hand at the stool next to him. Like all Vartans he's quiet, but his expression is one of interest.

Zoltan takes another quick swig of his ale.

The badger smiles and settles his heavy frame into the seat, "Thank you." He sets his own pint of mead before him and looks ya over speculatively. "I'm not much a person for small talk, and my ship leaves back for the Himar in an hour, so I will cut to heart of my business. My name is Turroo Felsenwine, of Hallalliee. I understand you once were the bodyguard of a friend of mine. Ural Hilger.

Zoltan scratches his cheek absently. "Name sound familiar. He wears shiny necklace with red stones, yes?"

The badger smiles, "Yes thats the man. A fine gentleman although a bit risky in his caravanning if you ask me." He takes another pull on his mug, "But my time is short. I am a man of wide travels you see, and I was commissioned by an associate to find a trustworthy Vartan to do a job for him. I had assumed I'd only be heading t' Kiree. Imagine my surprise to find I had to travel up to the Rock."

Zoltan thinks, . o O ( Kiree… that's where father said the homeland was. Quite far tho… )

Zoltan's eyes narrow a bit, "What kinds of job you look need Zoltan for?" he scrawks.

"But the river runs. I do not know the precise nature of the job. I was only hired to ' seek the Vartan.'" He says gesticulating over his head to signify the quote. "Nonetheless," He says reaching into his pocket. "My associate is quite interested in seeing you." He opens his palm just enough for a glimmer of red to shine from a small sparkly gemstone inside it. "Interested enough that I am authorized to give you this small stone as a token payment if you agree to accompany me for a meeting with him."

Zoltan's eyes go wide!

Zoltan says, "Um… um… um… " he has a hard time peeling his violet eyes from the stone and looking at the badger again, but somehow manages the feat. "When we leave?"

Turroo smiles and closes his paw. "Of course as I stated time is short. I had hoped to give you more advance warning but my airship leaves at the noon time bell." He replaces the stone in his pouch. "Gather the belongings you will need for a weeks trip. I will be waiting on tower 21 on the "Monarch Butterfly". Once you are onboard the token is yours."

Zoltan blinks as the stone goes out of sight, shaking his head as if he's just come out of a trance. "I no gots much. You need me bring camping gear? If not Zoltan can leave with you now."

Zoltan patpats his pouch, where his sling and throwing stones rest.

The badger stands and drains the rest of his mug before tossing a shekel to the barkeep. "I do not believe so. The Butterfly has adequate berthing facilities. With this stone I suppose you could even buy yourself a suite although you would have to return on a less comfortable vessel." He heads towards the door. "Ah splendid indeed. I could use the accompaniment of a fellow such as yourself in the wharf. Not that many are brazen enough to be at mischief in the daylight but It always helps to be safe."

The badger pulls on his cape and adjusts his rapier, "Shall we be off good gentleman?"

Zoltan stands as well, his own bottle barely touched and forgotten. "We go!"

Zoltan straightens himself up to his fullest, and follows behind Turroo. Looking as imposing as he can.

The strange duo, one short and stocky, the other tall and imposing, make their way into the busy streets of the Wharf, maneuvering down the sidewalks as they avoid the passers by and the occasional spindly group of Urchins pointing to the lofty airships docked above. Finally they approach tower 21, a long mooring tower and gangplank that rises to meet a fine lined passenger clipper, its gasbag a long cigar shape over the tandem Y masted gondola.

Zoltan whistles to himself as he sees the airship. Obviously impressed.

"Ahoy!" The badger calls as he waves to the crewman on the gangplank. "I found him after all. I told you not to give up on the in estagatory powers of Turroo Felsenwine" He smiles and looks at Zoltan, "Don't fret about your fare. There's a Berth reserved for you amongst the servants quarters, "I'd have done better but space was in demand and the captain wasn't about o have a suite fare go uncollected." He bounds expertly up the gangplank, looking in his element in the shifting breezes of Rephedim's edge.

Zoltan nervously follows the badger up the plank. His steps are much slower and wobbly, but he doesn't want to risk getting snarled up in the riggings should he simply fly to the deck.

Zoltan mumbles to himself in his own language, < My own berth… and such a fine ship. Surely this is much too good to be true. >

The crewman looks disdainfully at the badger and shakes his head before handing him several shekels. "Aye Is true." The sailor looks Zoltan over. "Ahoy. Welcome to the Monarch Butterfly We'll be taking off for Hallalliee shortly. I'd request you stay onboard so we wont be delayed or you left behind."

Zoltan nods to the crewman, "I stay on ship." He glances over at Turroo.

Zoltan pokes the badger in the shoulder, "Hrr… when I find out why you need me here?"

The badger smiles and offers out his paw to you, the tiny garnet gem sparkling between his fingers. "Welcome aboard." He says handing his riding cloak and rapier to a steward. "We should make Hallalliee the days after tomorrow. Sooner if the tailwind holds." The crewmen busy themselves on the deck stowing passengers luggage. "Now I must off to tend some business with the captain. Please make yourself at Home. I'll speak with you again come dinnertime."

The badger smiles, "I need you here to fulfill my promise to bring to Hallalliee. Exactly what my associate wants with you will have to wait until you see him yourself."

Zoltan gingerly takes up the stone, seeming satisfied.

Several burly Savanites hoist up boxes of supplies from the platform below… apparently the Monarch carries cargo as well as passengers.

Zoltan wanders about the deck, watching the goings on and trying to keep out of trouble.

The loading procedures continue for an hour or so, cargo and many well-to-do passengers coming onboard until the ringing of the noontime bell in the Wharf docktowers and the ships own bells. "Prepare to cast off moorings!" Shouts the captain, a tall stag with a handsome set of antlers. "Take in 3 and 4" He shouts as the crew busy themselves and the passengers come to deck to watch the mechanics of the ship and wave to relatives and friends onshore. The back end of the ship twists away from the deck as the lines are taken in. "Take in Number 2" comes the order and soon, only the number one rigging at the bow holds the airship to the dock. "Unfurl sails!"

Zoltan grips a thick wooden pole nearby, he always hates the way airships lurch off.

( Perhaps it was a good for me to not have finished my ale in the Aerie. Oooogh. ) O o . Zoltan thinks to himself.

With a flapping of canvas the ships sidesails unfurl, a golden orange and blacken the pattern of a Monarch butterflies wings. The blue and green eyespots flash in the sunlight as the canvas snaps and billows, the wood of the ship creaking as the wind takes hold and starts to move the ship forward. "Take in One! Fire the mainloft!" The captain yells and the crew obey, Number one line coming onboard as a hatch opens up to send hot air into the trimbags of the balloon slowly lifting the airship away from the dock. A botsun blows a loud hunting horn on the bow, announcing the departure of the "Monarch" to all of Rephidim as the wharves begin to retreat into the distance below. "To temple point then unfurl for Himar!"

Zoltan stares at the sail, hmmph. A bug.

Turroo comes alongside Zoltan with a smile, "Aye what a beauty she is." He says as he looks over the lines of the ship and then to the city on the island below. "Its great to be aloft again." He smiles. "Well I'm off below. See you at Dinnertime."

The black Vartan mumbles in his own tongue as he heads below decks, > I hope this ship isn't as fragile as a butterfly. <

The Monarch lives up to its name in luxury, no simple tramp freighter this is but a luxury Yacht. Well-to-do couples stroll about the deck pointing to the ground far below, playing Chava ondeck and chatting with their friends. As you wander about the ship you find that she isn't as defenseless as she seems, mangonels and arms lockers secreted away in innocuous shrouds. Her main defense is soon quite apparent her speed shown to be as refined as her atmosphere as the luxury clipper overtakes and puts behind many a competitor or landmark as she slices through the skies.

Finally the crew set up tables on the maindeck, the galley hatch soon opening like a cornucopia to disgorge a feast of scents and smells to set ones nose and tummy seem alive. Ding, ding Ding, "goes the ships bells as The stewards all converge for dinner. "Seated at a table near the bow of the ship is Turroo, and he waves as he see Zoltan approach. "Ah there you are m'boy, come let me offer you my table this time for your enjoyment."

Zoltan's stomach forgets everything about the bumpy ride. It's a rare treat to eat in such luxury and he plans to enjoy it. He eagerly takes a seat with the badger.

Turroo smiles and sips at a glass of ale. The steward soon approaches with a blue bottle of the Turquoise Ale that caught Zoltan's attention. "I ordered this for you. I saw your interest at the Eyrie." He sips his own mead. "So tell me Have you ever been to the Himar before?"

Zoltan grins as he sees the bottle, "Is get royal treatment here!" He blinks at Turroo's question, and his expression droops just a bit. "Was born there… but left soon after hatched from egg. I live in Rephidim mostly, not remember Himar. Just remember stories abouts it."

Zoltan absently strokes the smoky blue glass of the bottle with a taloned finger.

Turroo nods as a steward arrives and presents a menu. He nods as Turroo orders Graker and then looks to Zoltan, "We have the items listed her for your convenience or if you wish something with more sustenance we have a leg of valley Mutton on hand for you finely stewed with vegetables and gravy.

Zoltan glances at the menu with a skeptic eye, "Is dinner also part of work package? Or is I pay for meals?" He does seem quite interested in that mutton leg though.

The badger grins, "Aye it is. On my account to be exact." He smiles and sips at his drink looking below as the land starts to ice over. "I told them I'd get you here in one piece as quickly as possible and the Monarch is as fast a craft as I know about."

"Of course I owe my associate a favor. And anyone recommended by Ural is a friend of mine."

Zoltan exhales as he thinks his dinner over, "I… think I take you up on that mutton leg then. Should have lots of meat if you going to have me working anyhow, especially in wilderness like Himar."

The badger lights up a pipe and puffs on expensive smelling tobacco as the steward nods and scurries below with the order. "So Is there anything you wish to know about the Himar during your trip. I've traveled up and down, over and under it in my time."

Turroo chuckles, "And Yes, we are a bit of a wilderness there. But where we are going it's not that bad."

Zoltan glances at the snow on the ground below. "What weather like in Himar right now? Seasons so strange in Rephidim that it hard to tell what rest of world is like."

Zoltan has not opened the bottle yet, noticeably. He seems content just to hold it. Like the Garnet he's safely tucked away.

Turroo puffs on the pipe as he looks over the edge of the ship at the ground that slowly rising higher and higher to be covered in perpetual ice. "It's thecold season. There was 3 foot of snow on the ground in Hallalliee when I was last there two weeks ago, and this has been a warm winter so far. Of course the Jupanni lands have been hit heavy as usual but they thrive on it."

Zoltan nods to the badger, and looks over the edge as well, he seems just a bit distracted. ( The bunk, the good food, the gemstone, the bottle, the aristocratic ship. I've never been treated this well in my life… I hope this isn't just bait on a hook. Although if I was going to be asked to do something illegal you'd think they'd smuggle me out in a less conspicuous manner. Perhaps I'm just a cynic… but my cynicism's kept me alive this long. I'll just keep my eyes open. )

The Steward soon returns with an ornate covered plate. He lifts it to expose a prime steamed Graker surrounded by a wreath of sugar workers and greens. He rolls up a side tray and carves off a large slab of Mutton from the leg there and sets it on a plate before the Vartan and then retreats quickly after refilling the Badgers drink.

Zoltan stares at Turroo's plate.

Zoltan imagines the little grakar things squirming around, ick. He decides to pay a bit more attention to his own plate instead.

Turroo smiles as he cracks open the shell expertly and starts to dip the rich meat in the butter and greens before him. "I own many a Torach back home in Hallalliee. Matter of fact the Pit and Ale is my establishment there.

The badger grins, "I cant bear to have any of my own for dinner. So I may as well live off the competition eh?"

The Hippogryph glances at Turroo's plate again for a moment, "Is never felt comfortable abouts eating one of those. I remember merchants in Rephidim bazaar that sold grakar in streets. Kavi once tried to steal, lost two fingers instead."

Turroo nods, "You have to be careful. Proper handling requires as graker stick and heavy gloves. But if you aren't careful they will get you. We've had many a helper at the Pit and Ale that haven't paid attention to what they are doing and been nipped."

Zoltan wolfs down his meal, swallowing it in large gulps.

The rest of the evening is spent as the badger tells the Hippogryph of some of his exploits as a wanderer of the land. Bed for Zoltan is amongst the servants in a large common berth, privacy allowed by a curtain over the small bed. The next day is uneventful as the ship passed over the ice cap of the Ice sea, featureless and covered in clouds as the airship rises so high Zoltan become light headed whenever he goes above deck.

Finally, the next day dawns and the ice begins to be split by mountains. The monarch begins to steadily drop in altitude as it approaches these peaks, one sticking out of the ice sea and surrounded by hoards of smaller aircraft. "Ferjen" States Turroo as he looks at the mountain. "The mountain of found and lost dreams." Finally the airship descends into a deep, u-shaped valley, skirting a steaming volcanic cone and passing into the steep walls of Mannalil, as a small city begins to show itself a single airdock jutting up from its city core.

Turroo smiles and points to a mass of buildings in the center of the city. "Welcome to Hallalliee. The Pit and Ale is located there" He says as he points, 'That's our destination, and where my associate is awaiting me. And you as well."

Zoltan glances down at the city, ( I wonder if they all eat bugs here ), he muses to himself.

The guests wave and point as they look about at the steep cliffwalls and the high snow shrouded mountains surrounding the air boat. Scores of children run around the ground, pointing up and waving to the airship, surely a rare occurrence in the town. The captain barks out orders and maneuvers the ship to the dock, the ships mage concentrating to provide a counterburst to slow the ships movement down until its nearly at a stand still. "Ropes free!" The captain cries as he finally hooks the dock with the landing boom and begins to haul in! "Make fast for debarkation!"

The crew scurries and soon the boat is secure to the dock and the gangplank is lowered. "That's our cue M'Lad!" Turroo says as he picks up his satchel and wraps up in his cloak. "Time to put your mind to rest on what this business is about."

> About bloody time too, < Zoltan squawks to himself. He falls back into Rephidim standard as he follows Turroo, "Is far walk from here?"

Zoltan glances out the townspeople to see if any Vartans are around.

Turroo mounts the gangplank and walks down the circular staircase of the docktower, soon reaching the snow below which is well up to his knee. He trudges through, hardly noticing, "Not too far a walk!" he says as he starts to move down a main avenue in town, avoiding the deeper drifts and sticking to the trodden snowpaths. Only a few blocks away.

Zoltan races down the wobbly plank after Turroo and almost crashes into the snowbank. He steadies himself and is quickly on the heels of the badger.

As the noontime hour approaches, you finally approach your destination. The Pit and Ale Inn is a long 2 story structure, with a curved track off the main road for the acceptance of carriages and horses. A large stable sits to the right of the main entrance, rows of guest rooms in a structure to the left. The center of the Inn is dominated by a tavern and more importantly a Graker pit, as evidenced by the large Torach in the center of the entry way. Sounds of merriment can be heard from the inside as the locals of all classes bet and drink away the afternoon.

Zoltan looks around the inn. "Is nice place. You have to replace windows often?" He remembers Jakka telling him stories about having to replace the windows in the Three Thieves almost every week.

Turroo pushes the door open to the inside and is quickly greeted by the regulars inside, "Here we are Zoltan M'Lad. No we don't seem to have too much a problem. Oh yes occasionally we do but who wants to let the heat out of the finest tavern in Hallalliee in the middle of the winter months." he drops his bags and hangs his cloak on a nearby peg, "Let me go and find Forannar and I'll see what we can do to get you a meeting room." The old traveler and Innkeeper smiles and waves Zoltan to the tavern as he quickly heads behind the counter.

The inside of the Pit and Ale is a combination of the elegant and the common. The tavern is two levels, an oil smoked common area filled with the local artisans and merchants, and the upper gallery for the more well to do. The center of the room is dominated by a large Graker pit, piles of fine sand and brick with various obstacles and water troughs criss crossing it. Two large Torachs are set on either end, their contents fighting over a split bag of sugar in the arena center. Ale and liquor flows from the bar along the back wall as the rooms occupants cheer and bet on the battle below.

Zoltan watches the badger step out, and turns his attention to the tavern itself. Taking a special interest in the grakar pit, his stomach turns a bit as he remembers seeing Turroo eating these crawly things.

Zoltan fumbles with his own pack. Feeling the place where the smoky blue bottle still rests. > If I get through this in one piece, you'll be my celebration drink. <

The Graker battle going on is splendid indeed, two champion Torachs locked in a battle over the prized sugar bag. attentions is currently focuses on a moat crossing where a line of soldiers from the red dot Torach are decimating an outnumbered number of soldiers and hunters from the silver striped Torach, unaware of the silver stripe flanking attack maneuvering behind a low ridge to their rear…

"Ah there you are." Turroo exclaims his smile much wider now he's back home. "I've set aside a meeting room for you and Forannar down the hall. Third door on the left. "Good luck."

Zoltan glances down the hallway, then turns to Turroo before he leaves. His words come slow and deliberate this time, as though he's reciting words from a page very very slowly. "Thank you… for your… hospitality… during my… er… our… voyage here. Please feel free to… call on me… should you need my help… while in Rephidim again."

Zoltan spins on a hoof and walks down the hallway. One… two… three, ah!

Turroo smiles and waves, Think nothing of it. Was good to get away into the sun again for a while. He watches Zoltan head down the hall and turns to his assistant to see what has happened in his inn while he was gone

Zoltan tries to straighten his slightly bedraggled appearance out a bit. After making the proper adjustments he gently knocks on the door."

Sounds of movement are heard and finally the door is opened. Inside are a trio of Male Jupani, all dressed in the traditional clothing of their people and wearing iron clanswords on their backs. "Zoltan of the Mountain Tribe?" one asks in thickly accented Rephidim Common."

Zoltan nods to the three. "My family was Cambio of Mountain Shadow" He takes a note of the iron swords. Must be tribal bigwigs.

My name is Forannar, headman of the Boax Clan. Theses are my advisors, Martaan and Breyelp. "Please close the door and sit down. I have a proposition to make with you… "

Zoltan carefully steps into the room, the door closes behind him. The merriment of the bar continues on… paying little heed to the four in the room.