Diargo the Dead Man

The people of Doriana were pretty dumb (the people everywhere are dumb honestly, but Doriana being a farm town had exceptionally dumb people). My attempts to get information from them were not very successful (I even tried to leverage what little Serrah knew of them against them, unfortunately do to me being an outsider this lead to more people shutting me down), eventually after hobbling around town I was about to give up and retreat to Morley and beg for forgiveness (see again I was dumb back then, Morley would have killed me and been done with it, I know that now, but did not know it then) when I was stopped by a dirty looking man who looked like he hadn't bathed in well ever.

"You're looking for Diargo." I was standing a good five feet from his black maw of rotting teeth and I could still smell his breath.

"You should be looking for a bath, or like something to chew on that could reduce the stench." Always be an ass, its the Lorentino way.

"People seeking people should be thankful of anyone willing to help." He had a point, but he also had a stench.

"Where is he?" We had moved to an alley between some buildings (this is the usual negotiation area for someone who smells like they sleep in animal shit).

"What will you pay me for telling you?" Ahh now we come to the thrust of the matter, dirty people always want money for their information.  Sometimes you feel generous and cough some up, other times...

"How about..." I made it look like I was going to open a pouch but instead drew my sword and held it close to his throat, "I let you live your miserable existence secure in the knowledge that you helped someone who had no qualms with killing you."

"People will hear."

"And no one care if another greedy beggar died, might even get an award for doing my civic duty." Have I mentioned how bad things are in this world? Yeah this was only partly a bluff, hell its still true to an extent, the law really doesn't care if you have no money.

"He's hiding out at an abandoned farm house outside of town, the old Lamerly place, he's afraid of someone!" It was blurted, that kind of "please don't kill me" flow of information you get from the truely afraid.

"He should be," I sheathed my sword and waved him off, "Go and don't even think of warning Diargo or you'll wish I cut your throat." The dirty guy skittered off like they always do, not before stepping on my wounded foot, I was really tempted to just burn him down on principal. I made my way out of town (slower now, damn foot, two days of it healing and now some jerk ruined my progress), and found my way to the Old Lamerly place (well it wasn't like it was difficult to find Serrah had been there before, relying on her memories kind of made me feel off).  I hobbled my way up the road, frankly I'm surprised Diargo didn't have someone waiting with a bow and killed me dead right there, but that would have given Diargo more intelligence than he actually possessed. In fact Diargo was quite dumb for being a criminal (imagine that someone who turned to a life of crime not exactly super smart, I know I know hard to believe).  I was quite stealthy for a man with a limp I do have to say, so stealthy in fact that I managed to get Diargo completely by surprise and end his life. Yeah no grand tale of protracted battle between me and him, I just snuck up on him from behind and ran my sword through (fire magic in a dusty old farmhouse bad bad idea).  I could make out from his camp that he had been living in squalid conditions. Diargo died with a shocked expression on his old face, I know because I cut his head off for Morley (everyone always wants proof).

Walking back to Morley my biggest worry was someone coming across me.  I'd taken Diargo's head and stuffed it in a burlap sack, but its not like you can easily explain why your sack has a blood stain at the bottom of it.  "Oh that, thats just my bloody head have a good day!" Frankly I was relieved when I got back to Morley and presented my effort. Valrya wasn't back, which was kind of worrying honestly.

"Where's the object?" Morley had a sour look on his face as he stared at Diargo.

"What object? You said kill Diargo, and bam killed him." It was what he wanted.

"Yeah but Diargo stole something for me, I was hoping you'd have some kind of curiosity and bring it back with him!"

"So you didn't ask me to find the stupid thing and now you're mad when I don't?"

"Well go back to where you found him and search for an object! Do you have any idea whats at stake?"

"No I have no idea Morley, you've told me nothing, not even what you're looking for!" He hit me then, a savage beating ensued (you ever fought someone you don't want to fight back against, and they are better at hurting people then you? Yeah that was my first fight with Morley).  When it was all over he threw me out of the cave and told me not to return without the object.  So there I was foot hobbled, bruised up, and tasked with discovering something that I had no idea about.  Let me tell you early on being a necromancer? It really sucked.