--- Adventure 1 ---

"Thanks". Drogo tried a timid smile and hoped it came out ok. He sighed. Everyone seemed to know their spells... or whatever their speciality was, he thought, as he looked big-eyed at the wind shield the Barbarian had made. Thorn was still absentmindedly playing with his dagger, as carelessly as if it was a harmless teddy. And he... he had cut himself skinning a rabbit. 'Ah well... no point in dwelling on self pity' he though. Just his luck that a gnome couldn't stay upset for long.

"Well, let's see. I have some herbs here that I might use... But do you happen to have some garlic? I know it's not anyone's cup of tea, but it goes great with rabbit roast... It's just that... I didn't expect to have rabbits on the way... I don't know what I expected though... and no vampires either" He gave a short laugh. Ah well, as soon as the hot tea would warm his insides, the world would be in order again.

"Crackers, you said?" He chuckled. "They wouldn't be animal shaped, by any chance now, would they?"

"Garlic? But of course... I have plenty of it"

She searched her pockets and took out a garlic.

"Here you go , use it as you consider ."

"Animal shaped?" Duro'than thought for a second then he took one cracker and using a small knife from his belt carved something resembling a four legged beast. "Here, a dog shaped cracker" he said with a smile handing the cracker to Drogo. "Enjoy"

Angy smiled . (She is smiling very often now , isn't she?)

She liked very much Duro'than's attitude. She had a different view of barbarians until then .

She passed by the barbarian and whispered :

"That was very nice from you...the poor little fellow deserves some amusement."

"Aw... thanks", said Drogo, blushing. He took the cracker from the Barbarian and was amazed at how little his own hand seemed.

"Even dogs seem brawny where you come from." He laughed and then turned serious and insecure again. "I... I was wondering about something... I-if you don't want to t-talk, 's ok... just don't cleave my head" He laughed nervously. "But I wonder if... if... I don't mean to offense you in any way... But... don't you ever feel fear?"

He'd rather not look Duro'than in the eye when asking. Instead, he focused on the carved cracker. Now, he had another dilemma... he had readied himself for crackers with the tea, but... he couldn't eat that one. He quietly slipped it in a small pocket of his belt.

The barbarian smiled.

"Well, believe it or not, there are bigger things than me out there. Fear is something normal. Rational fear i mean. It warns you of danger so you can prepare to meet it headlong. Only insane folk are fearles. Bravery isn't the lack of fear, but using that fear to give you strength. I have felt fear but sometimes i was reasured by the fear i saw in my enemies eyes. Hope that answers your question"

He placed the bag of crackers next to the teapot so anyone could take from it.

"Fear's the best friend you can have out there, little fellow." Thorn's eyes were suddleny very much alive again. He smirked his mocking grin again "Well, that and a babysitter in your case. Seriously now, just for once open your ears and listen what the big people say. It might save your clumsy bum if you learn to see things that way." He winked and turned his full attention to his half of the rabbit.

Drogo's jaw dropped. That must've been the longest speech Thorn ever gave him. And it only had a couple of jibes in it too and just one of those grins that drove him mad. He slowly closed his open mouth again and started chewing on his meat... and on what he had just heard.

Rissa finished first her piece of meat and then came nearer Ias to continue their talk. She didn't kow - either to hate or like him.

"I know very well that this fire is sustained by weapons - the sticks - even though it started from a spell. The source beeing a non-silver weapon, I'm unaffected. That much, I know... if you make a fire spell purely, withouth weapon stuff, I would be harmed. Pff..." she was proud that this was a good answer.

Than she prepared to sleep, reasured herself that the package of clothes was near, the slightly fiery sword, also, and she sat on her four paws.

"Not to enjoyable, are you know?" Ias replied. "Fire magic is like any other... can you say there is only one type of water? No. Think of the cold water, the warm one, the dirty, the clean, the dark waters, the bright, the live, the dead... it's the same for fire - it can be warm or cold, coloured or dark, living or dead... hm... undead. He has it's specialities, as any element from any plane, that converge in this world".

Ias also borrowed some spices and garlic and hurried to finished the rabbit, as he would not want it to mingle with the sweet tea.

"Ah... magic theories. You know, Duro'Than, Fear has it's own place in the confluence of magics. You'd be surprised to know just how many types of fear there are... fear in this, fear in that. Fear-based and aligned beeings, fear reprezents, fear avatars... it's like you can see *the fear* and don't know what to call it but... fear. And fear is such an element... a quasi-one, that few can actually oppose it... and neither undead can always do it right. Ah, yes, there was a time I loved all those things, just to read and never do anything practcical. But those time are gone. Are there any spellcasters or some other spell types amongst you, fellas?" he asked especially towards the others.

Drogo mumbled and blushed heavily. This reminded him strongly of the days of his training. First came the questions, which were alright. Then... then he had to do something. And that was never alright.

"Well... errrrmmmm... I'm supposed to be a spellcaster. Where I come from, it runs in our blood. We... we live in snow and ice and... and their magic courses through us. Through most of us, anyway" he added quietly. "And many of my people are skilled illusionists. I... I am not skilled at anything" he sighed. "But... since you asked... that's what I should know how to do." He bit thoughtfully into a cracker and slowly, slowly as ice taking over water, an idea crept into his mind.

Angy took a piece of meat , pretty small one, though . But she wasn't that hungry after all. She settled down , by the fire , gazing with an empty look at the flames. She was silent , but in her silence , happy. She had been rarely happy before but now...

She started to pay attention to the conversation . She answered to Ias :

"Well , I can do healing spells...they are pretty powerful , but I still have to work on them, and I can do other minor spells , like moving medium objects , or make them levitate , but they aren't my speciality."

She waved softly her hand , and the teapot started to levitate in front of them , pouring hot tea in every mug.