A Kobold named Vollin

The dwarf slowly followed me through the deserted streets of Kathar, as we walked I could tell that he had something heavy on his mind. We got closer to The Burning Barn Pub, it was one of the only places open plus the owner actually likes me. As a kobold I was disliked by most dwarves, it doesn't bother me as much now but I can still feel the eyes on the back of my neck whenever I'm walking around this town. I stopped outside and turned towards the dwarf with a grin, my longer sharp teeth gleaming in the setting sun's rays. "Now since you know my name why don't you tell me yours eh? I can't go around town with some guy I don't even know." I say cheekily thinking I'd get a snide or rude response as per the dwarven way but I only got a saddened look and a grunt.

"Fine… My names Fosten, Fosten Ashmaker, you?" he asks sullenly as he takes a lazy look around him. I noticed even before he did that his pet Moonwolf had run off into the alleyways once inside the city, seems like he didn't.

"Well you know my first name, I'm Vollin. Vollin Van Tauschung. It's an old name in the Templar Order…" I had never mentioned the Templar order to anyone before but for some reason it had slipped out, damn my silver tongue. He looked back at me with suspicion then a little smile spread across his lips.

"Tauschung… Well Vollin let's have a drink before the sun sets, before the long night eh?" he gestured to the door then took a smaller pouch of coins from his belt and tossed them to me, as I caught them and my eyes widened, it was surprisingly heavy. "I trust that you won't let me drink too much." He chuckles then walks in before me leaving me with the heavy sack of coins. I walk in after another moment and sigh as I smell the familiar smell of old wood, ale and roasting meat. Just before the door closes I catch a glimpse of the deep black fur of the Moonwolf as it sat in the shadows in an alleyway, its eyes gleamed as the door closed as if he was watching over us. A shiver ran up my spine as I turned towards the familiar sight of the tavern, wooden chairs and tables along with a bar with a very large muscular dwarf behind the counter. Fosten was already at the bar waiting for me, I attached the coin pouch to my belt then walked over. I tossed my smaller side bag beside his under our feet at the bar then sat beside him and grinned wolfishly as my bright red eyes looked at the barkeep.

"Two of the finest dwarven ale, Karllin, for me and my new friend Fosten," I give him a wink as he nods and starts filling two large bone mugs full of the light coloured ale. I looked around quickly then turned back to Fosten as I smile wide, "your wolf is outside by the way, he almost scared me… Creeping in the shadows like that. Bloody wolves and their magic." I growled lightly at the last part as I scratch at my dark fur.

He chuckled half-heartedly, still bearing some sort of burden, then did his own scan of the inn, kobolds and dwarves line the tables most separated by their race but there was a table with a group of elves sat at it. "That's Shade for you, always following, always watching… And almost never helping." He grins as the Barkeep places the mugs in front of us then nods at me. "He's a bit of a useless pet but a good companion, always got me back if I need it."

I nod slightly then take a sip of my drink as I think, "I wouldn't know, I've been traveling alone for…" I take another sip as I look down at my bag, the long neck of my Lute poking out makes me reach for it and pluck a tune as I think, "It's been quite a while since I had someone to walk with." I say softly while I pluck the tune to Bopens Balled.

The dwarf looks at my lute with a little sadness then smiles as he pats my back roughly making me almost tip in my chair, his large hands steady me as he laughs, "Well why don't we wonder together then? I could use someone to play for me…" He bites his lip slightly then looks away as he chews on it. "While I sing… I do love that song, my parents used to sing it to me." He smiles sadly but grins as he takes another large gulp from his mug emptying it completely. The bartender notices this happen then refills his mug.

"Ahh I knew you were a man of culture, the rest of these people would rather listen to The Six Dragons Dance or something more sombre like The Birth Magic…" I pluck the first three soft cords to Bopens Balled and look around as people watch me with curious looks. I slowly get up and pluck a few more cords.  I'm surprised when Fosten turns in his seat and starts singing along in his deep raspy voice.

"Hopen for the Bopen,

The pirates will sing,

Give us your treasure

Or death we will bring,

Hopen for the Bopen,

And plunder their shrine,

Their gold is now gone,

Their lives are now mine."

The Inn erupts in cheers and clapping once the song ends, I turn and give a bow as I grin wolfishly, my white sharp teeth gleaming in the magical lanterns light. I turn towards Fosten and reach my hand out to him. I pull him up as he takes it and he stands up from his chair smiling softly looking around. "I think I'll take you up on that deal Dwarf."

"I don't usually get much praise from people… being a bounty hunter and all, thank you Vollin I think we'll make a wonderful pair of minstrels." His light up as he speaks, this is the happiest I've seen him, it's nice. The loud scrapping of a wooden chair makes us turn, our eyes lock with a tall dark skinned elf. His unusually dark hair puts us off as he looks down at us from under his large grey and black sombrero. His long poncho hides his body but I can tell he's seen a few fights.

"I didn't know the great Fosten Ashmaker is a singer, and a decent one at that." He says softly, his highborn accent thick as he stares us down, "that is who you are, isn't it? The Mountains Shadow, the Arcane Ghost? And here I thought the Sunswords would hold a title like that but…" his dark eyes shine with mischief and something darker.

I growl loudly as I step forward as I crack my fingers, "So what if it is? Is there some sort of bounty on his head? Or do the 'Great Sunswords' want him?" I ask sharply, I glance back at Fosten and see him reaching for his backpack slowly and discreetly as I have the Elves attention.

"Well yes and no." He turns and walks over to a wanted bored, he takes down one that has the name 'Arcane Ghost' on it, he turns and coughs softly as he starts reading it. "A tall dwarf with grey black hair and beard, he wields both a Ravens staff and powerful Arcane magics. Wanted for multiple accounts of Assault, kidnapping and grand theft Tarando (the elk companion) and the list goes on and on."

I stifle a chuckle as I look back at Fosten, the do gooder I thought he was stripped away from him and left was someone almost as bad as me. I see he was slowly sliding a sharp blade from his bag, I gave him a wink then looked back at the elf, "and I'm sure most of the patrons in this inn have done much worse." They laugh and mumble as most nod, "So it looks like you won't be taking anyone… at least not by yourself, so run along and get your other prissy elves." I chuckle softly as most of the people in the bar stand up along with me.

The dark elf grinned then whistled loudly. Four more elves, clad in dark leather armour, got up from his table. The sound of a heavy wooden door opening draws my attention, I look behind us and see a Groundbold pushed through the door as it lazily looks around, "Oh I think we'll be getting that bounty. BOYS!" he yells loudly, in the next instant the inn becomes an all-out brawl, some people run out but some stand with us fighting against the elves. Fosten and I square up with the dark haired leader, he raises his hands which I can see now are covered in bandages most likely from other fights. Fosten steps forward cutting at his side with a stark silver blade, it looked of noble origin.  The dark elf grips his side then grits his teeth as he growls out at him, "You think you can kill me with a noble born knife, dwarf?"

Almost in an instant he strikes Fostens wrist breaking it with aloud crunch. The dwarf yells out in pain and falls back cradling his wrist.  I guess he's a little weak without his staff to draw out his power. I thought to myself as I played horrendous tune on my lute, used some magic to amplify it making everyone in the room clamp their hands over their ears. With everyone distracted I ran towards my bag, once beside it I shoved my entire arm into it as I looked for my weapon. Just as I grabbed a hold of it I felt the warm breath of the Groundbold on my neck, "now now, we're related you know…" I said a little frightened as I bit my lip and whipped my custom Matchlock Rifle out of my bag hitting the large mount in the face, it backed away growling. I stood up quickly and aimed my gun at it as it growled and swiped at the air in front of me. Just as the stun I put on everyone dissipated I fired my gun and blew the beast's face off. The sight of its viscera made me sick to my stomach, I breathed deeply but the smell of blood made me retch onto the floor.

"You son of a whore! You killed Boulder!" the dark elf yelled out as he started to glow with red hot anger, in a fit of rage he conjured a spear made of sand and threw it at me. It felt as if time had slowed down as the spear hurdled towards me. Something dark in the corner of my eye caught my attention as time slowed then stopped completely. The dark figure slowly walked towards me and held out a hand, it looked elven. From under his cloak he spoke to me, his voice ethereal and dark. "You are going to die…. Young Kobold… but it is not your time yet," the spear was only an inch away from penetrating my heart as the figure reached out and pushed it to the side, "your journey will not end today Vollin but you will die…"

I blinked as I tried to comprehend what he just said but the words jumbled in my head. As I tried talking time started again and I cried out in great pain as the spear lodged itself into my arm, after impact the spear turns back to sand leaving a large pile at my feet. "What the hell was that…?" I mumbled as I looked from my blood soaked shoulder to the enraged elf. Just as I rose my Rifle In my own fit of anger the door slammed open and the sheriff walked in along with Fostens Moonwolf, Shade. The inn went silent and everyone stopped fighting as the dwarven sheriff slowly walked in, lasso in one hand along with a steel cow prod in the other.

"Now what seems to be the problem here, boy?" he looked down at the wolf then smirked wide. He talked in a cowpoke twang it matched his cowboy hat and shoes. "Seems like we were having a little too much fun eh Vollin?" he asks as he walks straight up to me. I stutter and nod as he pulls out a small canteen and pours the contents over my shoulder; I scream out and fall to my knees, into the sand pile, as I hold my shoulder with a white knuckle grip. "Oh hush up, you'll live." He rolls his eyes as he walks towards Fosten and frowns, "I don't think we've met, I'm Sweet, Sweet Tee." He grins wide as he dumps more of his canteen over Fostens wrist, he also screams out as the bones reform and cracks back into place. "Now then… let's talk this out…" His grin turns dark as the inns candles flicker, "Shall we?"