Hello, everyone. Sorry about the lack of a “Traveler’s Rest” article last issue. Thomkin canceled on me at the last minute, saying he was having problems with the inn and couldn’t make it. I was just about to go and check up on him. Care to come with? Yes? Well, then, cling tenaciously to my buttocks (both of them?). It’s going to be a bumpy ride.
Okay, we’re here. You can let go now. Leggo, I say! Now then, where’s that Thomkin?! Ah, there he is. Cheat on a deal, will you, you little misbegotten son of a ...Good God, man, what happened to the inn?!?
What are ye, blind? Whaddaya think happened to it! It got burnt! Crisp! Went up in smoke! What the hell ya doing here anyway! I’m busy, dammit!
Just came to see if you were okay, Thom. You know how I worry.
Nuh huh. Oh sure, you just LOVE me, I can tell.
So what happened, if you don’t mind me asking.
It...got...burnt! What part of that don’t you understand.
I can see that, but how?
A guy named Ravnar Melarkin did it. He came after the monks who like to hang around here during movie night. Ravnar’s band of unmerry men stole from their temple, you see, but the monks managed to catch one of the little weasels. They tortured the guy ‘til he told them where the group was hiding out. Went a bit too far and killed him, apparently. Ravnar didn’t like that much, seeing as it was his best friend or something. Didn’t know that sort of scum had friends.
Didn’t you used to be that sort of scum, Thom.
Shaddup. You wanna hear what happened or not? Anyway, it was payback time, and my poor inn just happened to get in the way. They torched me! I can’t believe it!
Sorry to here that, Thom. It was a nice little inn. Tell you what, I just got back from the Apostle Islands. There was a guy up there named Tom, coincidentally enough. His tavern burned down too. He just changed the name to “Tom’s Burned Down Tavern,” put up sort of a makeshift patio, a tent, a bunch of funny sayings on boards everywhere. Any part of the building that was left standing he painted with a bunch of bright, gaudy colors. Next thing you know it, he’s back in business. The whole thing is ugly as sin, but you should see the amount of business he does. Wouldn’t be too much good in the winter, as exposed as it would be, but at least you could keep the money coming in ‘til you rebuild.
Hmmm, that might work. Thanks, Erica. I take back...some of the things I said about you.
Gee, thanks Thom. I take back...some of what I said about you too.
Ravnar Melarkin
Chaotic Neutral, 5th level thief
Human Male, 22 years old
6’ 2”, 175 lbs.
Str 11 Con 10 THAC0 18 Wis 14 Dex 17 Hp 23 Int 13 Cha 18 AC 3
Weapon Proficiencies:
Long Sword, Short Bow, Dagger
Non-Weapon Proficiencies:
Read/Write Common, Appraising, Gaming, Reading Lips, Riding (Land-based), Tumbling
Languages:
Common
Thieving Skills:
Pick Pockets .... 70% Open Locks ...... 30% Find/Remove Traps 25% Move Silently ... 60% Hide in Shadows . 50% Detect noise .... 40% Climb Walls ..... 80% Read Languages .. 0%
Equipment:
Bracers of Defense AC6, Long Sword, Short Bow and quiver with 12 +1 arrows, 2 daggers (one in the belt and one in the boot), backpack, black tunic, black suede vest, black breeches, high soft black boots, black and red woven bracelet (official symbol of the Black Fury, bandits extraordinare), black belt, 3 belt pouches (one with caltrops, one with pepper, and one with 26 gold), one pouch by the family jewels with 2 emeralds, 6 rubies, and 3 amethysts, water skin, iron rations, flint and steel, bullseye lantern, 3 flasks of oil, 50’ silk rope, grappling hook, riding horse, saddle, small saddle bags, a saddle blanket.
Background:
Ravnar Melarkin was born in the palace of the king. Unfortunately, he was not related to said king. Well, at least not in the way in which one would hope, anyway. He was the bastard son of one of the kitchen wenches, a lovely girl named Molly, and the king’s son, Raphael. Molly was too young to realize the prince was seducing her, and had no intention of “rescuing” her from her life of poverty as he had promised. In fact, he was betrothed to someone else. After Ravnar was born, Molly confronted Raphael and threatened to reveal Ravnar’s parentage to the prince’s fiance. In a fit of rage, he killed Molly and had Ravnar sent to a foundling home.
Ravnar knows nothing of his past. All he knows is that he has always had a way with people. He has always been able to get his way using his good looks, charm and guile. He is never without friends around, and he can usually manipulate or con them into doing whatever strikes his fancy. And what has struck his fancy for the last 5 years is banditry. With the skills he picked up from the other scruffs in the seedy foundling home of his youth and his natural charisma, he has had little trouble breaking into “the business.” Actually, his little group has garnered quite the reputation in the last few months as their crimes have become more and more brazen. And Ravnar had been having a great ‘ol time heading his very own little band of desperados. That good time ended when his best friend in the group was killed by the monks from the temple they had just robbed. Now things have turned a bit more...serious.
(c) 1999 by Erica Woollums