The Four Treasures

~Sira Ha'dra~

The night air was warm, which was not bad at all. The extra water seemed to make the temperature variation less. I looked lazily out to the east. The forest was quiet.
"You're late!" A voice rang out below me.
"We ran into a couple of pilgrims heading towards the city. 30 silver coins." I was completely awake now.
"Randolph says there will be some rich folks heading through real soon, a gryphon, a human, and a couple of elves. Magic types."
"That doesn't look too good."
"They're loaded. One of them gave a guy three silver plates just for provisions. We can't lose this opportunity. The other thieves will get there first if we don't hurry!"
"Let's go already!" Two humans rushed into the forest. I got up and silently followed them into the forest.

I went up to our room where Diz already was. "We need to talk privetly. For one how do you feel about me? You are not acting the same as you used to."

coming down from the roof into the room i answered "i still love you, i am just in shock because you were alive all of this time when i thought you dead. The world has changed and left me behind, im not sure what to think now."

I was about to respond when i heard a roar ofanguish outside. "maybe we shuold investigate, and talk later?" a suggested.

"probably a good idea", i said running out to look over the balconie, i saw a hairy blur running away, and on the ground was alex's armor. "oh no.... it has begun, i should have told you, but i forgot; alex is cursed" i said jumping over the balcony quickly running after the brown and black blur of hair and claws.

It lost all it's intelligents it was no longer the young thing it had been, and it had a feeling who caused this it smelled the weapon and smelled drow
"GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR" It would get revenge on the any drow it then looked at the armour and remembered his name it was Alex with that he gave a roar of anguish.

I vaulted over the balcony after Diz anoyed that he had not waited for me to respond. I quikly caught up with him. I had always been the faster one because my legs were longer. I kept pace with him a while before veering ahead. My adrenile was spiked and even though we were probibly about to face danger i was extreemly happy.

Croak sauntered into the inn cheerily, swinging around a silver medallion of fine workmanship on a leather cord with jewel beads. His clothes were torn up and dirty, with what appeared to be bloodstains on them, but his belt pouch jangled delightfully. Thieve's ain't so tough when ya know how ta deal with 'em, he thought, chuckling out loud. Seeing the remains of the wreckage in the bar, Croak knew that his thieves had given him the correct information about where his friends were staying. He walked up to the innkeeper.

"Name's Croak," he smiled at the man, who seemed alarmed at his visage, but worn out enough to no longer care who came to his inn anymore, "You may have a room booked for me, but I'd like to take one of your suites instead." The man stared at the frog-man, seemingly no more than a child, and then stared even harder at the gold Croak produced to pay for the room. "I believe this will cover it?" The innkeeper nodded greedily, hefted the coins to make sure they were real, and called one of the attendants to direct Croak to his room. Croak chatted politely with the girl, setting her at ease with his witty friendliness, despite his alarming appearance. When they got to his room, he bowed low and thanked the girl, who smiled warmly at him. He the shut the door, turned to see a gigantic tub--nearly a swimming pool for a creature as small as he. He smiled from ear to ear, stripped off and tossed away his mangy clothes, and hopped in.

An hour later, Croak was feeling cleaner than ever and completely content. Lounging in the tub, now full of soap bubbles, he glanced over at his belongings. He had been able to not only gather some useful information from the thieves, but he had also gained their respect, a reputation among the thieves of the area, and a mound of cash. He knew that the thieves probably wouldn't bother him much while he was in the forest. They all knew now about his morphing abilities, and they could be rather frightening at times. He just hoped they never found out how draining changing shape was on him. He had learned over the years to hide his fatigue, realizing that it was a weakness that any enemy would try to exploit if they knew about it. So far, no one but his traveling companions knew, and he felt that they were trustworthy enough not to leak.

He glanced at the medallion he had received. It wasn't a spoil like the rest of his gold was, but a sign of respect for his skills in the fighting ring and against the craftiness of the thieves themselves. It wasn't really worth as much as it looked--the silver was only plating, and the gems were really colored glass cleverly cut to look like rubies and sapphires. What was really valuable about it was what it meant, not how much it could be sold for.

Croak stepped out of the tub, opening the hatch that would drain the dirty water out into the alley behind the inn, where it would drip into the sewers and wash away into who knew where. Croak imagined the journey of the water, and wondered where it would end up. He wondered where he would end up--would he ever be able to become a man, or would he forever be stuck in his hideous half-frog form? It wasn't so bad to be a frog-man; it gave him many valuable abilites. But the loneliness of being treated as a freak and a monster was too much for the poor creature.

So, too, was his unknown heritage painful. He glanced over at the black pouch he had been given at the Stag's Antlers. It was empty--he had dropped the note inside somewhere along the way--but he knew it's message by heart. "I know who you are. I can do what you've only dreamed of, if you but seek me out." Who sent the message? Was he someone to be trusted? Was it the same person that had killed or captured all of his friend's loved ones? It seemed so, but Croak had found that many times what seems obvious isn't actually true.

Croak walked over to his pack, his body still damp, but only from its natural salve. He felt refreshed, and smiled as he put on the change of clothes that he had remembered to pack before he left home. It was little more than a simple tunic tied around the waist and some breeched cut off at the knees, but Croak was never one to care about fashion. He looked over at his cloak. It was a mess; he would have to buy a new one tomorrow. For now, though, he just wanted to see what had happened to his friends, and to tell them about his small adventure. He secured the majority of his money in a hidden part of his pouch and nudged his old clothes into a pile. Then, tucking his medallion into his tunic and attaching a small bag of coins to his belt, Croak slipped out to find his companions.

feeling the refreshing wind rushing through my hair i exlpained alex's situation while we were running "alex was hit by a cursed drow blade when we were ambushed by a large party of drow coming to take me. the curse turned alex into a werebear. and that is what we are chasing." I saw alex had stopped, so i quickly began to slow down.

Alex saw two drow he didn't regonize them, but knew they were something was itching at the back of them mind saying these were friend, but no drow can be friends. He went in for the attack.

Croak heard the cries from outside and sighed. Right after I took a bath, too! Sighing again, Croak rushed out to see a huge bear charging Lireal and Diz. He immediately transformed into the bog creature again, ready to beat the bear into a bloddy mess if necessary.

a smile formed on my face as the animal charged, then was abruptly stopped aparrently being thrown backwards by a completely transparent wall of ice i summond.

I had not relized the extent of the damage until i dogded him a second time. I Had no thought the transfomation wuold happen thatquik. "We don't want to hurt him!" i called to diz who nodded. "Alex its us!" i yelled. After i had my armor in place i took out my crossbow and with a arow drugged to bring victum to sleep shot alex in the leg.

Croak stopped, mid-rush at the bear. Did she jus' say Alex? Croak quickly changed his plans, squirting thck, sticky muck on the creature to slow him down. He's gonna need a bath after this, but tha's better than needin' a cleric, if you ask me.

The hit to the head made more memories return, he remembered two drow ambushing at the Stag Antler, he remembered almost bleeding to death. He slowly remembered them all, then he suddenly felt tired he calmed down, and he trasformed back into human form.Then he saw a blanket of mud heading for him, then he fell asleep.