Catarnos the Displaced

Catarnos takes another swig of whiskey at the Garnet inn. He is pale and his face is covered in sweat. The bartender calls over to the waitress.
    "Sally what's wrong with that elf over there? Hope it isn't some kind of sickness or plague. May have to get him out of town if so?"
    "He mumbled something about undead along the western road, boss?"
    "Ah, the old place up on the hill. Best be getting the old potion woman she would know how to fix him right up."
    "Boss! you know the old gal is sleeping this late. Maybe just let him fix himself with drink. Besiden, way he be drinking we can make a nice tidy profit off the old boy. Hell, maybe even more ifin he goes and passes out of us."
    The bartender shakes his head, "No that wouldn't be right."
    She looks around the bar room and spies out a smallish figure in a grey jacket with a hood on, "Ok Boss, what about Aiauta? She's in town pass'in supplies and letters to the old lady. Mayhap she can take a look at him?"
     "I don't know Sally. Mages always scare the hells out of me. Besides far as I know she's only an apprentice."
    "She's the best we can do for now, Boss. Sides I hear shes a might good with healing plants. I'll talk to her."
    The bartender nods. Sally goes over to the woman in the corner of the bar and speaks with her.



     Catarnos or Cat as he is called back home is sipping his whiskey and trying to forget the two horrors that chased him into Garnet when a strange elf comes over to his table, sits down and pulls back her hood. Its a smallish blonde Qualinesti with dark skin. She's not particularly pretty looking for an elf but still better than he is use to where he grew up. He blinks and says, "Don't know you do I? If you're lookin for someone in particular its not me. I just want to drink my whiskey and calm my nerves."
    "I think I can do better than that whiskey you have in your hands if you explain the situation to me."
    Cat looks her over a second time. The clothing looks odd but its not leather. She's wearing two rings on her hands with archaic symbols, "You don't look like no priestess. Your a mage ain't you? Not sure I want to be a mages Guinee pig."
    The woman shakes her head, "Magic should not be needed. My village is known for its herbal remedies. I'm willing to do it once I know what's wrong."
    Cat gets a wry smile, "What's the price? There's always a price you know."
    The woman's eyes droop. She looks lost for a moment as if she had not even considered a payment, Then they light up, "The price will be your story. Who you are. Where you came from what you do. Is that satisfactory?"
    Cat considers the proposition then looks her straight in the eye, "You ain't no spy or something are ya?"
    She simply responds, "No." He believes her. He hesitates in thought then asks another, "Long as you don't use magic guess its ok. Not feeling none too well after running from those things all night."
    The woman nods to him, "Please explain the situation then."
    "I was exploring a couple miles west of the village here and came upon an old burned out house just north the road. I saw me some trunks and stuff round the house. Think I'd found me an easy treasure I start exploring the ruin. Everything was going good till I off and opened on of them trunks.
    These creatures with glowing red eyes start chasing me. They were sort of like ghosts but they also had flesh so not all ghost like a half-ghost. I knew I was in over my head so I ran. They chased and let off an aura or something cause every so often I would get real weak. Used all my healing potions and restorative potions just getting to this here village for some help.
    Thank the gods the bounty hunter was there at the gate. He helped me take the things out.
    That's the story. You think you can get me up an running again?"
    "You don't know the specific creatures that attacked you?"
    "Hells lady! Wasn't like I was gonna stop, measure their toe-nails and ask them what they are?"
    The woman rubs her face trying to recall some form of lore, "Sounds like some form of undead guardian but exactly what kind? You said something like ghosts not completely married to the ethereal plane. That's curious but I think I can cook something up that can help."
    The woman brings out a bowl and stone crushing thing and puts a bunch of herbs and liquids in it. When she is finished she bids him drink it.
    Cat looks at the concoction, "You sure this isn't gonna kill me and it doesn't have any of that magic hocus-pocus in it?"
    "I'm sure."
    Cat looks at the potion again, "What the hells." He drinks it.
    His head feels dulled but other than that he does immediately feel better. His color returns and he stops sweating, "What was in that?"
    "Just some herbs and a light sedative plant. It wont make you sleep but will calm your nerves. Now Your story if you please?"
    Cat leans back in his chair drawing back his hair, "Right, My story."

Catarnos stretches his arms and puts them behind his head, "Well my names Catarnos, Most just call me Cat. My family sometimes calls me Catarnos the Displaced. Why? Cause I really was displaced.
    You see I was raised by a human family. In fact 3 generations of them. When I was a wee child I was left at a doorstep. I guess my real parents left me there or at least one of them. No one knows why. Mayhap they were in a heap of trouble or something.
    The Wickets took me in. I don't remember much about the old man and woman. When they died I passed to their son. Guess I was about 5 human years of so when he took over caring for me.
    Now the old man's son went by the name of Tomkin Wicket married a nice caring girl too. Tomkin was a forester and took me with him on his forays with the nobility. I learned to walk quiet, shoot a bow and lots of forester things at least until they had children on their own. Tomkin started taking out his sons when they grew up and I fell by the wayside so to speak. Janice his wife took me up and I helped her at the homestead most the time after that. She was real good at snaring rabbits and small game. She was good at making traps too for the mice seeing we didn't have any cats or anything there. Tomkin hated cats. Ole Janice took a real liking to me and taught me how to make all kinds of stuff to catching critters. Sadly Tomkin and Janice grew old. I was sorry to see both at the end and me still being so young. They both died when I was bout 11 or 12 by human standards.
    Their daughter glory took me up from there. She was educated at the local city. She was a locksmith. She started getting so much business that she needed help. She knew I was a smart one so she trained me for that and I helped her in her business. We did good but she never married or had any children. She was kinda funny bout that too cause she beat me pretty badly every once in a while when I figured out the birds and the bees stuff and started looking around at all the pretty girls.
    I buried her just last year. I coulda stuck around I guess, There were other family members that would take me in. I just wanted to leave cause I got this thirst to see what else there is you know. So I packed up my things and went off to see my other kin to the east. The Silvernesti. I spent some weeks there. They're in some sorry shape let me tell you. Didn't like them one bit either. Too haughty and high classed. They may where rags at least the poor ones do but they got that look to them. You know like they got their noses up their arses cause other folk are too barbarian for em.
    I did get me some supplies there and there it started. I become a bounty hunter and sometimes scout for the local nobles. I live like I want. Made some coin here and there. Live out in forest and on the road free to do as I please with no one to tell me I got to do this or that. That's the way I like it. I get me enough coin maybe I'll take up a place far enough from the locals that they won't be bothering me cause neighbors are bad for your hairline always snooping in your business like you are lady. But you got me settled that's the only reason I'm talking to you."
    The Woman nods to him, "Thank you, Cat. I'll leave you in peace now."
    She gets up and turns for the door, "Hey now! I gave you my name what's yours?"
    The woman turns back his way for just a moment, "The barmaid will give you my name at any rate so I will tell you. It's Aiauta."
    She throws her hood over her head and leaves the inn.
    Cat sits back wondering if perhaps the woman is a kindred spirit. He shrugs his shoulders and gets a room for the night for tomorrow there is more coin to make and more sights to see."