The pale woman astride her steady-gaited paint mare simply sighs, shaking her head at her friend's antics. "Gwyn, I'm not sure how you can be five times my age, and yet so immature," she chides playfully, brushing a loose strand of grey hair from her face, only to have it fall back a second later. "I don't have anything for the bruises, unless you happen to have any chamomile. Though I'd suggest simply ceasing your concentration on the effect would have a more immediate result."
----
As the sun sets, she peers at both taverns, eventually shrugging her narrow shoulders. "We don't have a slide-whistle, so I think that routine is out. Shall we take the nicer of the two? I think I'd prefer a more comfortable bed." She stays close to her travelling companion, watching the shapes at he edges of her vision warily.
"Party-pooper," Gwyn mutters before sticking out her tongue at her friend and snapping her fingers. The bruise on the bruise disappears, though the bruise on her arm remains. She rolls her sleeve back down and grins at the pale woman riding with her.
"As for my maturity, no one ever told me I had to act my age. Besides, would you rather I be my usual self, or more like one of those haughty, holier-than-thou wizards who act as if having fun is a mortal sin punishable by torture, beheading, drawing and quartering, and being slapped with limp noodles," she says as she counts off the punishments on her fingers, a ghostly image of each playing out on her fingertips. Tiny evil laughter can be heard as well as a tiny "Nonononononoooooooo!" as the abstract figures perform the macabre, yet bloodless, acts out.
---
"Nor the miniature dwarf pink elephant nor the dancing rubber dragon," Gwyn adds thoughtfully, "okay, I guess the fancier of the two it is! Hopefully they don't mind me singing for our supper," she leads Imperious Rex over to a hitching post, along with Helena and her horse, and ties the horses to the hitching post. Imperious Rex continues to pose imperiously for passers-by.
As they make their way into the Flaming Tankard, Gwyn takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly.
"Thanks for coming with me," she tells Helena for the two-hundred thirty-seventh time since leaving Magnimar.
"That's the two-hundred thirty-seventh time you've told her that. I think she get's it Gwyn," Fluff chirps from her shoulder.
"Thanks Fluff," the elven woman says flatly as she gives the thrush a sidelong glare.
"Anyway, let's see how much it'll be for a nice room and a couple of hot meals, shall we," she says as she turns her attention back to Helena.
"I wouldn't have you any other way, Gwyn," Helena chuckles, shooting her friend a warm smile before looking back down at her horse. She finds it more comforting than staring at the horizon - after all, her mare isn't a mere blur of colours against an equally blurry sky. "There's never a dull moment with you around, as much as I sometimes wish there was - I sometimes miss the peace and quiet of Whistledown," she adds, before looking back up at her friend.
"You know, you never did teach me how to do that..."
---
"Oh, knock it off," Helena chides Imperious Rex gently, stroking the horse's nose before turning back to her own mare. "Just a fanacht anseo le haghaidh dom, ceart go leor? Cailín maith." Quickly kissing her forehead, she follows Gwyn into the Flaming Tankard, reaching out to ruffle Fluff's feathers briefly.
"Well, what are friends for?" she asks with her usual small smile. "Someone has to keep you out of trouble. And you know I can't go anywhere on my own with..." Her voice trails off; she fixes her eyes on the space ahead of her. "How about you ask? You'll make a more definite impression."
"I could try tonight after we eat and I see about getting some coin to replace what we spend," Gwyn says, before quickly adding, "I'm singing and dancing, Helena! I promise not to offend anyone's sensibilities," when she sees the beginnings of a glare.
"And who knows," she adds a moment later, "Perhaps we can visit Whistledown after we're done in Sandpoint."
---
Imperious Rex nuzzles Helena's hand, acting more like a horse and less like a man consumed by vanity for once. He stands there, less imperiously than normal. Fluff twitters in delight and rubs her head on Helena's fingertips
"I guess luck was on my side when I met you," Gwyn says as they walk to the door, "Calming down a vain horse and keeping me company while travelling to Sandpoint. Not to mention trusting me to get us room and board. Let's just hope I make the right impression."
Gwyn opens the doors and leads Helena through it. She approaches bar and points to the barkeep. Fluff flits from her shoulder to the keeper of Cayden's Water and lights on their shoulder.
"Excuse me, but my Wizard would like to inquire about procuring two beds and four meals for her and her companion. She may also provide some entertainment if you wish," the thrush chirps pleasantly.
1. Fear (attitude=hostile)
2. Annoyance (attitude = unfriendly)
3. Confusion (attitude = neutral)
4. Unfazed (attitude = neutral)
5. Amused (attitude = friendly)
6. Fascinated (attitude = helpful)
The barkeep looks up as the two women enter his inn, and at first seems annoyed as their pet bird flies over to him and alights on his shoulder. Yet when the bird speaks to him, he shouts, "GAAH!!!", and jumps back in surprise and fear. He drops the bottle of wine he'd been holding, which smashes to the the floor sending shards of glass flying.
His eyes wide, he swats at the talking bird with the towel in his left hand. "Get away, demon! By Old Deadeye, what kind of sorcery is this?!" He glares at the strangers with a look of fear in his eyes. Fluff flutters away unharmed, landing on a rafter before returning to her master's shoulder.
At the commotion, several patrons of the Flaming Tankard stand and face the newcomers. Several have their hands on the hilts of weapons.
* * * *
Back in Sandpoint...
The meeting with the Sheriff takes about an hour. Krissina remains mostly silent, only speaking to explain how she'd managed to drown a demon. After the meeting is over, the four adventurers return to the Rusty Dragon for one more round before retiring for the night. Lynnda is not present in the barroom when the party returns from the Garrison.
Fluff trembles in fear as Gwyn protectively wraps her hands around the little thrush.
"S-s-sorry! I-I d-d-didn't mean any harm," she stutters in her child-like voice.
"Sorry, Fluff. I didn't know he was going to swat at you," Gwyn says softly to her familiar.
She looks up at the bartender and walks over to the bar slowly.
"Such a shame to see Cayden's Nectar wasted," she says sadly as she spies the broken bottle and the spilt liquor, "Forgive me sir, I didn't mean to cause any harm. Fluff here is no demon, but my familiar. She's as harmless as any other thrush," Gwyn tells the man as she holds up her hands so he may see the small trembling bundle of feathers in her hands.
"We really don't mean any harm," she says turning to the other patrons, "my friend and I are traveling to Sandpoint, and we were stopping here for the night. I hope that I may make up for the disturbance I caused by providing some entertainment. We aren't demons or possessed or anything else. Besides, I don't summon fiends. Just being near them makes me queasy, and that's why I ran from the Acadamae in Korvosa. My friend here is just a simple herbalist. The only thing you have to worry about me doing is turning my hair green for an hour."
She turns back to the barkeep, "so, may we have two beds, four meals, and the honor of performing for your patrons, kind sir?"
"And if it helps, I'll clean up the mess I caused now and fix the bottle before we leave tomorrow. I'm afraid that I can't cast the right spell at the moment," she says with a nervous laugh, then her eyes pop open as she remembers something,"Oh! And we need two bags of your finest oats and some fresh apples for our horses at the hitching post. And would you happen to have a stable or something? Imperious Rex gets fussy if I don't brush him down," she adds quickly in a single breath.
As they return to the Rusty Dragon and Lynnda does not seem to be in attendance, Halvor frowns deeply. Jubrayl might be a smooth-talking, nice-looking man, but Halvor had heard of the despicable things the man had done and ordered others to do. Surely Lynnda wasn't in league with him!
In his worry about the one woman, he completely misses the signs in the other. Turning down even a drink, the warrior yawns. "It's been a long day, everybody. I'm turning in. Maybe Lynnda will be back in the morning."
Sitting there at the table having a sip from his ale while eating, Kyrian nods towards Halvor. "Yea, it's been a long day for sure. Sleep wouldn't be a bad idea. I get the feeling that this isn't over with by a long shot and we're somehow going to find ourselves neck deep in problems." Sitting there for a moment, he ponders over a few things himself. Glancing over at Krissina, he pipes up again. "Come on Red. If something's eatin at you, may as well put it out there. We're not out here by ourselves in this mess."
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"I certainly hope so! If not, we shall have to make an effort to find her before our meeting with the Justice. Do you have any idea where this Jubryal might be found normally?" Cerin asks Halvor.
"We did a good job today! It will be good to have a bit of a rest on the morrow, but I hope this Ironbriar will not take up too much of our time." Cerin is on the verge of heading up to his room when Kyrian brings up Krissina's unease. He sits back down, looking ashamed that he was so oblivious to her feelings.
Halvor shrugs. "I think he hangs out at the Feedbag, but he will inevitably be causing problems elsewhere. Don't let his smile fool you. The man is a cretin of low character."
At the speculation on what's going on with their sorceress friend, Krissina remarks, "Lynnda had just quit her job at the Feedbag when I first met her. I think there's something going on there she's not telling us. I hope she's OK, and that she'll fill us in tomorrow morning."
When Kyrian calls her out on what's bothering her, she looks sheepish, and somewhat concerned. After a deep sigh, she says, "I'm not sure I'm cut out for this. Fighting off goblins is one thing, but getting mixed up with demon-worshipers is something else. I mean, for a moment, I felt like a hero down there... when I grabbed that demon out of the air. But then, once I had it, I realized that could have gone very, very badly. If that pool hadn't been there to drown it... I don't know what would have happened. I'm thinking that I might hang up my morningstar. Of course, I think I'm beyond working here as a barmaid, too. I wonder if Hannah the Healer is looking for a partner..."
* * * *
Garret's Landing
At Gwyn's words, the barkeep visibly relaxes slightly, as do the other patrons. Most of the latter sit down, but all keep a wary gaze on the two strangers.
The barkeep's face is stern. "You want rooms? Fine. Two ducats a night, each. And, you owe me ten for that bottle of Chelish wine you made me drop. it was a '99, a very good year. Meals?" He points to a bill of fare posted above the bar.
Bread (2 pence / loaf)
Soup (3 pence)
Stew (5 shillings)
Roast fowl (1 ducat)
Roast joint (2 ducats)
Meat Pie (5 shillings)
Cheese (1 shilling / wedge)
Fruit (seasonal 1 shilling)
Pudding (1 shilling)
Like a kick to the gut, both of his beautiful companions were leaving him within a span of a few hours. Halvor looks like he is about to be sick, but nods nevertheless. "You did a great job in there, Krissina. You ARE a hero...but if your heart isn't in it, you're doing the right thing."
The warrior looks to Cerin and Kyrian...going to Thistletop had seemed an adventure yesterday. Now it seemed near insurmountable. He wondered what Fate had in store for them.
Kyrian listens as Krissina explains her thoughts and feelings. "Really? Goblins may seem scary, but they're really just a pain in the ass. Nothing to really get scared of, well, unless they're in a group, but still." Lowering his head and letting out a long sigh, he clears his throat as he picks it back up. "I'll be honest and on the table since that's what we're doing now apparently. After this case, I'm out of here. I honestly didn't expect to find work here, but I did, and after we figure out what's going on... Well, I've got other things to do. No offense to any of you of course, but I've got a living to make." Picking up his ale and taking a larger swig, he puts it down and shifts his gaze to Krissina. "That being said, should I ever return to Sandpoint, I really hope that I can count on you Krissina to continue scolding me for my manly conquests should I receive an 'unfortunate' injury that would require your aid. Sound fair?"
[ooc]By the way, this is the first time that Kyrian has actually called Krissina by her name and not Red. Just sayin lol.[/b]
Sandpoint...
Krissina smiles a wan smile and pats Kyrian on the hand. "Well, there is treasure to be found as an adventurer. That's how 'Meiko bought this place, after all. But that's her tale to tell."
One by one, you all decide to call it a night, and head up to your rooms.
She sits at the stool by the writing-desk. "Cerin, I have to leave, and I didn't want to go without saying 'good-bye.'" She sighs deeply, and seems almost on the verge of tears. "I'm not the person I pretended to be... I'm Sczarni. I've done some bad things in the past. I didn't lie when I said that I grew up on the Lost Coast Road, but my family wasn't a bunch of tinkers. We were highwaymen. Common bandits. After my parents and brother were arrested, I escaped, and joined a Sczarni gang called the Bilgers. I'd probably still be living that life had our leader, Redshiv, not disappeared and the gang broke up. I then worked the Magnimar docks posing as a harlot, scamming sailors out of coin. I crossed another gang, and then came up here to seek the aid of Jubryal, who was a friend of Redshiv. After the goblin attack, I was hoping that helping to defend this town would atone for what I'd done... but... if Ironbriar finds me here, I'll be going to Magnimar in irons along with Tsuto. Uncle Jubryal has booked me passage to Riddleport on a fast sloop that's sailing from the waterfront in an hour. Until I can establish myself in Riddleport, I'm going to be working for a man named Saul Vancaskerkin, who runs a gambling hall called the Golden Goblin. If you're ever in Riddleport, please look me up!"
She gives Cerin a big hug. Shadow hops off Lynnda's shoulder and rubs her head against his ankles. "I wish this could have been different. But sometimes, you can't escape your past. Farewell, my friend! Give my regards to the others, but please don't tell them where I've gone... or why. I don't want them to think of me as a brigand. I have a good feeling that you won't."
Gwyn winces as she hears the price for the rooms and takes a calming breath when she realizes he's trying to squeeze as much as he can from her and her friend. The wizard snaps her fingers, before laying out a thick, stained cloth that smells clean. A tiny, ghostly broom and dustpan clean up the glass while a matching mop cleans the spilled wine.
"I can't blame you for the wine and I'll gladly pay the price for it, but I think charging us that much for a couple of beds is a bit much, don't you think? I am truly sorry for disturbing you and your patrons, good sir, but, sweet barleybrew, man! Ten times the usual rate is just plain mean! Even Cayden isn't going to be that upset for wasting a fine wine in such a manner," she says quietly, keeping her gesturing to a minimum, which Helena recognizes as a sign that Gwyn is trying very, very hard to keep a handle on her emotions and her volume.
The mop winks out of existence, taking the ruined wine with it, and leaving the floor much cleaner than before the spill. The broom and dustpan deposit the broken glass on the cloth, also winking out when their task is done.
"Besides, you haven't answered my question about feed for our horses or the one about having somewhere to stable them," Gwyn adds, her voice even and calm, but lacking the fluid grace and impressive expressiveness that it normally had.
Gwyn is normally an animated and vibrant person. It's rare for her to not talk with her hands or gesture wildly as she speaks. It's even rarer for her to speak calmly or evenly. Doing so is a sign that she's trying to keep a handle on her emotions, especially her temper, and if the person persists in antagonizing her, she may give them a tongue lashing that is likely to get her thrown out.
|
|
Cerin hops down, walks over to Krissina and takes her hand. "I think you are more of a hero than you realize, but I understand. You have to walk your own road. I am sorry you will not be travelling with us and I think Hannah could not find anyone better! We will come by to visit when we can.
Good Luck and may Gozreh and all the other gods give you the blessings you deserve!" he says fondly as he stretches up to give her a hug.
Lynnda:
"We all do what we have to to survive, my dear. A person shows their true value when things are at their darkest. And when Sandpoint was going up in flames, you stood up and helped people. You fought off the goblins and you stayed with us afterwards even through great danger. I don't think you did it just for atonement, at least not at first. You saw what was happening and reacted the way you did because that is what is in your heart.
I wish you all the best, and this is not good-bye, only until we meet again!" he says with a smile as he rubs Shadow underneath her chin.
Helena places a steadying hand on Gwyn's shoulder for reassurance and warning. "As my friend says, we have questions yet unanswered. Perhaps you would be so kind as to name all prices first, then we can talk about the wine and board?" She keeps her voice level and her cloudy eyes fixed on the barkeep, hoping to keep Gwyn calm as much as anything else.
Garret's Landing...
You continue to negotiate with the innkeeper, and he seems to warm up to you a little, although he still seems to hold you in some level of suspicion. "Fine. If you're so insistent on staying here, I'll drop your rate to five ducats a night. And if you don't like that rate, I'm sure Helga will have rooms for you at the Drunken Goblin. Tell her Karl sent you. And I do have a stable and feed-- in fact, I own the only stable for hire in town. One gold per horse per night."
Your meals arrive, and they are much better than you had expected: apparently the chef prides herself on her cooking, regardless of her employer's attitude to the customers. Toward the beginning of your meal, a trio of travelers sit at the next table for a round of ale. They seem to be speaking to each other in hushed tones.
Woman: "Well, I tells ya, Bols, I don't take kindly to highfalutin' city-folk orderin' me to stand aside like they's better'n me!"
Man #2: "I'm with you, Val. And elves give me the willies most of the time, andyway... I can't never tell what an elf's lookin' at with them weird eyes o'theirs."
Man #1: "And you should't-a told him off! He could-a had you arrested!"
Woman: "How was I t'know that fop was a judge? And why would a city judge be ridin' north on the Lost Coast Road?"
Man #2: "Hope he knows the Licktoads are gettin' restless... Oh, Desna's wings... we forgot to tell him!
The three chuckle at that.
Gwyn gives Helena a crooked smile before turning her attention back to the innkeeper.
"Well, then, that sounds reasonable," the elf says with a smile, "So that five ducats for the room, another ten for the wine, two for both of our horses," she mutters to herself as she fetches coins from her purse.
She counts the coins and shrugs, placing them on the bar.
"I think this should cover everything, Our stay here for the night, the wine, which I really am sorry about, stabling for our horses, and four meals. There are two further questions I would like to ask. The first is if you have any mead, and the second is would you mind me singing and dancing for your patrons' entertainment. No magic, I promise."
After receiving an answer, she orders supper for herself and Helena, two bowls of stew and a loaf of bread, and thanks Karl for his hospitality.
---
Gwyn had just put her first delicious spoonful of stew in her mouth when the trio sets down at the table next to her and Helena's. Fluff was happily pecking at some crumbs from the loaf of bread she was sharing with Helena.
She swallows and grins before leaning back to look one of the newcomers in the face.
"I agree the eyes are definitely creepy. What really gets me is that none of them can take a joke," She says quietly enough to not draw attention to herself, but loudly enough that all of them hear her clearly, "Mind sharing a table with us? Ale and wine always taste better when meeting new friends."
"Most agreeable." With a white smile, Helena turns away from the bar, making her way over to a seat to wait for Gwyn, trying to keep her friend within sight. She consoles herself with the fact that the inn is relatively small, hard to lose people in, and that she herself is hard to lose, with her grey hair and pale skin.
She counts her own coin as she waits, sliding a few across the table to Gwyn when she sits down. "Here. I didn't bring much with me, but this should cover my half. As it was my idea to have you do the talking - don't let me suggest that again, by the way! - I can at least cover half for the wine."
---
The stew is hot and filling, and Helena eats hungrily, glad for heartier fare than the dried biscuits and hard cheese eaten on the road. Though her eyes are focused on the table, as she occasionally picks a piece of celery out of her stew for Fluff, her ears tune in on the conversation going on nearby.
She gives Gwyn a warning look, but when the elf leas back to look at the newcomers, she sighs, shaking her head and looking at Fluff imploringly. "What are we going to do with her?" she sighs.
"No, Helena, it's fine. I should have known better," Gwyn says as she pushes the coins back towards the young woman, "I've learned a lesson, and you shouldn't have to pay for it along side me."
---
"I dunno," Fluff answers, "at least this time she didn't set something on fire first."
Gwyn shoots both Helena and Fluff a glare.
Garret's Landing...
The travelers at the next table are taken slightly aback at an elven woman calling them out over racial stereotypes, but Gwyn's demeanor quickly puts them at ease.
The man who found elven eyes disturbing quickly backpedals, "Oh! Um... sorry, ma'am. I meant no offense..."
The three travelers accept Gwyn's invitation to join herself and Helena. Bols, Val, and Kendrik are all in their teens, and have been friends for years. They say that they lived all their lives on farms in a village about a day's walk north of here, and they had decided to go to Magnimar to seek their fortunes. They confirm that they had some words with a haughty elf in an official-looking carriage earlier that afternoon. In addition to the carriage, a larger wagon that seemed more of a cage on wheels was part of the same group. That wagon was moving slowly, and the whole party wasn't moving much faster than walking speed.
After dinner, Gwyn provides some level of entertainment for the people in the tavern, and even the barkeep seems to warm up to her. She gets a rousing round of applause at the end of her performance. Following one last round of drinks, she and Helena head up for the night.
Moonday, 10 Rova 4707
Sandpoint...
Halvor, Kyrian, and Cerin all wake up fairly early and head down to the Rusty Dragon's barroom for breakfast. Neither Lynnda nor Krissina have joined you yet when the elven ranger Shalelu walks into the bar.
"Good morning! I'm glad you're here. I was hoping you would be able to join me on some goblin-hunting this morning. The attack on Sandpoint has emboldened the little buggers. My contacts tell me that they might be setting up an ambush on the Lost Coast Road near the Brinestump Marsh. I don't want to rush you, but I'd like to go sooner rather than later." She asks you to meet her by the Sandpoint Bridge in half an hour, then excuses herself to talk to Belor.
* * * *
Garret's Landing...
Helena and Gwyn wake up feeling refreshed and ready to face the new day. After a short breakfast at the Flaming Tankard, the two women saddle up their horses and head out north on the Lost Coast Road toward Sandpoint.
Gwyn waves at the man trying to apologize. "None taken. I may be an elf, but I grew up around humans," she tells him.
She enjoys the company and swaps news about what's going on before singing to the other patrons in the inn. She bows at the applause, happy that they enjoyed her singing even after scaring them with Fluff.
"So," Gwyn says as she gets ready for bed, "you wanted to learn how I keep doing thinks like this?"
A snap of her fingers causes a flurry of tiny butterflies to appear and swirl around just above her fingers for moment before bursting in a cloud of sparkles.
"The truth is, I'm not sure how well I can teach you it. It's an arcane spell, and as far as I can tell, you're magic draws from a divine source, but I'll try," she says as she finishes pulling on a too large nightgown.
"It's a cantrip that can be used in many ways. It can be used to change the color of something, or even someone for a short time, or to clean up a mess, or to perform various minor illusions and conjurations. I could show you all of the arcane formula involved in my spellbook, but that might make things too confusing. Most of it is for channeling the arcane power into the spell, anyway. It's the will of the caster that molds it for whatever use they have in mind, and that is the part I think I can teach you," she says as she sits cross-legged on the bed. Fluff fluttering onto the elf's should now that she was settling down.
"Are you sure that will work," the thrush asks.
"No, but I said I would try so I will," Gwyn admits nervously, "besides, it's not like when I was at the Acadamae," she adds with a shudder.
The elf shakes herself back to the present, "so with the proviso that I might not be able to actually teach you the spell, do you still want to learn?"
Gwyn smiles at Helena, waiting for her friend's answer.
Gwyn spends an hour preparing her spells before getting ready and heading down for breakfast. She just has an apple and some juice made from various fruits. After finishing her meal, and fixing the broken bottle, she goes to get her and Helena's horses. Imperious Rex poses in the early morning breeze so that his mane and hair flow in the win with just the right amount of majesty.
Once they are off, Gwyn tries to keep close to Helena.
"So, do you think we can make Sandpoint before nightfall," she asks.
Kyrian sits at the table with Halvor and Cerin as Shalelu leaves just as fast as she arrived. "Well, hello and good morning to you as well I suppose... Well boys, I believe that would give us a good half hour to kill. I wouldn't mind spending some time with her, hopefully we can try and figure out a little bit more out of this mess here. Since the demon loving man boy ain't gonna be here much longer, considering he never even said a sensible word to begin with, it'll be a good change of pace if we can find out anything more useful. Any word from Lynnda? It'd be nice to have her around since Red ain't gonna be with us moving on."
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Cerin offers Shalelu a cheery smile when she walks in and gestures to the empty chair next to him.
"Good Morning! Care to join us for breakfast?" he seems a bit crestfallen as she brusquely shakes her head no, but he perks up again at her request for aid. "We would be delighted to help! See you there!"
He tears into his sausage and gravy, eager to finish, but stops as Kyrian mentions Lynnda. With a serious expression he sighs. "I'm sorry to be the bearer of sad tidings, but she will no longer be travelling with us as well. She had other, urgent business to attend to, but wanted me to give both of you her best. She said if any of us are ever in Riddleport to look her up."
Helena carefully folds her clothes, placing each layer meticulously on a chair before pulling on her own nightdress, a deep green garment that stands out starkly against her pale skin and looks more matronly than it should on one so yoithful. "In all honesty, I'm not sure where my magic comes from," she says, leaning her elbows on her knees as she sits on her own bed. "As far as I can tell, it's always been there. But I was never particularly religious, so it can't be a gift from the gods." She shrugs, sending a few locks of grey hair tumbling from her bun; she brushes them back irritatedly.
She takes in the spiel, nodding slowly as Gwyn finishes. "Alright. I'm willing to try." She smiles faintly, jabbing a finger playfully at Fluff. "And try to have some faith, would you!" she adds with a smile.
While Gwyn prepares her spells, Helena busies herself tidying the room, making the beds, and getting dressed in layer after layer of thin robes, wrapping each one for comfort and warmth to keep the chilly morning air off. She chats with Fluff in a low tone, trying not to disturb her friend, before heading downstairs for her breakfast of fruit and cheese.
She scolds Imperious Rex as they head out, trying to calm the fussy creature, before saddling Airithe and following Gwyn. She rides mostly in silence, occasionally squinting into the distance at a curious blur of colour, starting at the sudden question.
"I don't know," she says finally. "I'm not entirely sure how far it is, or even where we are right now."
"Riddleport eh? It's been a long time since I've been there..." Kyrian says before shoving some more food in his mouth. "It reminded me of Magnimar though. A lot of places where you can do some business, but a lot more where business is made."
Halvor smiles sheepishly at the near legendary ranger. "And get a chance to clear out some more of that vermin? Gladly!"
After the ranger leaves, Halvor leans in towards Cerin and Kyrian. "Hey, aren't we supposed to meet with Justice Ironbottom today? Do you think we'll have time to do this?"
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Cerin chuckles. "If we are going to be guarding the Lost Coast road, we will probably meet him before he enters Sandpoint!" he states before popping the last of his biscuit in his mouth.
"And you should probably refer to him by his real name, Justice Ironbriar. Most Judges I have met have had little or no sense of humor. Anyone have anything they need to do before we head out?"
"Isn't that what I said?" Halvor shakes his head in the negative, proceeding to eat the last of his food before heading out with the others to the rendezvous point.
Fluff gives a twittering laugh at Helena's playful scolding.
"It's not you I'm worried about, it's my wizard," she tweets.
The wizard in question merely sticks her tongue out at the bird before turning back to Helena.
"Okay then. I think we'll start with changing the color of things,"Gwyn says brightly. Fluff immediately flies up to the rafters out of reach.
"Nuh-uh! I still haven't forgiven you for turning my lovely feathers purple," the bird titters.
"Relax, you over-wound pom-pom. I was going to have her practice on my gown, not you," the elf says as she laughs. Fluff fluffs out her already fluffy feathers and looks like a ball of fluff with a beak and two bright, round eyes.
"So," the elven woman holds out an arm covered by a too-long sleeve of the creamy-colored, too-big nightshirt, "focus on the sleeve. Imagine it as another color," Gwyn says calmly, "once you have that image in your head, focus your will towards turning it that color. Weave the energy into the fabric, imagine it is a dye that you can use over and over again."
Gwyn chuckles, "Sorry, I guess that was silly of me," she says apologetically, "Still, it's a nice day. If we get there, we get there. I just hope we're in time for the Swallowtail Festival. I've heard stories about it, and I've always wanted to see the release of the butterflies."
Sandpoint...
Half an hour after meeting with Shalelu, Cerin, Halvor, and Kyrian walk over to the Sandpoint Bridge. The elven ranger is already waiting for you. She looks around slightly confused, and asks, "Where are Krissina and Lynnda? Aren't they joining us?" When Cerin explains that they will indeed not be joining you, Shalelu seems slightly troubled, but doesn't ask more questions. You then all head out south on the Lost Coast Road, on foot.
The day is sunny, and warmer than usual for early autumn. After about two hours of travel, Shalelu warns you that you're near the Brinestump Marsh-- home of the Licktoad Goblins. "Be on the lookout for unusual activity along here. I don't know exactly where this ambush is supposed to be." Still, you see no signs of goblins along the road for the next hour. The landscape changes to become more wooded, and the shade is a welcome relief from the sun. "Welcome to Whisperwood," remarks Shalelu.
The road through Whisperwood twists and turns, as the land here is both hillier and cut with many creeks. You pass over several old stone bridges. You come to a point in the road with a fairly sharp bend, and the heavy vegetation makes it hard to see the road ahead.
"Tree be down and you can't pass!
Licktoads bite the longshanks' ass!
Bonk the longshanks on the head!
We be goblins! You be dead!"
Shalelu motions for silence, and you all stop. "I think we found them," she whispers. She takes out her bow and nocks an arrow. "Come on!"
You round the bend, weapons drawn, and see that a tree has fallen across the road. Several goblins have their backs to you and seem to be hiding on this side of the log. Ahead, a two-horse coach is stopped in the road, with a very worried-looking coachman in the driver's seat.
Garret's Landing...
After a fast breakfast, Gywn and Helena saddle up Imperious Rex and Helena's horse and ride north along the Lost Coast Road. The traffic in the road is rather light, and the road itself becomes little more than muddy ruts cutting across the moors. After about three hours of riding, the moors to either side of the road give way to more lush vegetation: scrub, then woods. The road through the woods twists and turns, as the land here is hillier and cut with many creeks. You pass over a few old stone bridges. You come to a point in the road with a fairly sharp bend, and the heavy vegetation makes it hard to see the road ahead.
"Tree be down and you can't pass!
Licktoads bite the longshanks' ass!
Bonk the longshanks on the head!
We be goblins! You be dead!"
Your horses also hear the chanting, and take an instant dislike to it. They balk when you attempt to coax them forward, so you dismount and tie them to trees. Moving forward, you see that a two-horse coach is stopped behind a fallen tree that blocks the road. Gwyn spots goblin archers in the trees and several goblins taking cover behind the log.
Whisperwood...
Round 1
...crit threat
...yes!
...miss
...hit
...miss
...miss
...hit
...hit
...hit
horse #1: hp 3/15
One of the goblins stands on a boulder, continuing to lead the goblin song as the rest join in:
"Tree be down and you can't pass!
Licktoads bite the longshanks' ass!
Bonk the longshanks on the head!
We be goblins! You be dead!"
Two goblins mounted on disgusting rat-like creatures charge at the coach, attacking the coachmen as they fumble for weapons. The one attacking the driver slashes him savagely in the side. More goblins appear in the trees around the coach, and pepper the coach with arrows. Two strike the driver, and he slumps over in his seat, his sword clattering to the ground. Three goblins pop up from behind the fallen log, and start firing arrows at the coach's horses. Three find their mark in one of the horses, which whinnies in pain and rears, tearing at its tack and harness. With no driver to guide it, the coach starts teetering as the second horse begins to panic.
Gwyn eases down the road, motioning for Helena to stay as close as she can.
"Goblins," she whispers as quietly as she can, "I see two, but it sounds like there's more. Care to help me toast them?"
Fluff, takes off and goes on ahead, trying to see what's going on.
After tying of Airithe, Helena glances fearfully at Gwyn. "Goblins? I've never fought goblins!"" she exclaims in shock. Seeing Gwyn sneak off, she hurries after her, not wanting to be left behind.
Kyrian runs up the road in so that he can find himself a better range to fire upon the goblins. "Aight then guys, it's play time. Let's bring these bastards down. Keep one alive if you can though, I'd like to ask it a few questions..."
Halvor runs forward recklessly, banging his sword on his shield in an attempt to grab the goblins' focus. He remains silent, offering Kyrian a bouncing nod as he storms past.
|
|
Cerin rushes forward, a grim look on his face as he sees the goblins' vicious attacks on the driver and the horses. He calls out in a clear strong voice to the frightened mare to try to keep her from injuring herself more by collapsing the coach she is tethered to.
"Easy there! Calm down, girl, I know you're scared! Don't worry, we're coming!" he says in a soothing voice, hoping to keep her under control long enough for them to reach the coach.
After tying of Airithe, Helena glances fearfully at Gwyn. "Goblins? I've never fought goblins!"" she exclaims in shock. Seeing Gwyn sneak off, she hurries after her, not wanting to be left behind.
"Softly, softly! I don't want them to hear us until we're on top of them," Gwyn whispers, for once being the quiet one. She flashes a bright, mischievous grin at Helena, "Besides, I've never fought goblins either, but they can't be worse than an imp."
You know that shortly before she ran from the Acadamae in Korvosa, she witnessed one of the older students summoning an imp. Because she was not a normal student (one utterly uninterested in power and one that was little more than a neophyte in magic) and because of the typical hazing that does happen in such places, the summoning student sicced the imp on her. What happened afterwards is something that Gwyn still won't talk about, but she's let slip enough for Helena to know it was humiliating and the reason she refuses to wear anything loose and flowing, like wizard's robes.
...miss
At the sight of goblins attacking a coach, everyone closes. Gwyn approaches more slowly, keeping to the shadows. Shalelu lets fly an arrow at one of the goblins with its back to you, and hits it in the neck. "Gurrrk!" it cries as the arrow pierces its throat. It falls over. The other goblins don't seem to notice!
Cerin approaches the battle, speaking calming words to soothe the injured horse that's bucking at its tack. The druid's words calm the wounded beast enough that it no longer threatens to tip the coach.
Visibly terrified, the coachman at the rear of the coach fumbles for his shortsword and barely hangs onto it. He pokes feebly at the attacking goblin rider, who easily parries the blow.
Round 2
...hit
...hit
...hit
...miss
...hit
...hit
...miss
..miss
...miss
The goblin standing on the boulder continues to sing a goblin song, and the goblins continue to chant along with him...
"Goblins hide behind the log,
Stick the horse and gut the dog!
Cut the longshanks at the knees!
Goblins sting like angry bees!"
Without an obvious target, the first rider and his dog both attack the injured horse. The goblin slashes his sword at the mare's haunches, cutting deeply into her flank, then its beast rips into the horse's leg with powerful jaws. The horse tries to wheel at its attackers, but its injured leg collapses and it falls over dead. A cheer goes up from all the goblins at the sight of a dead horse, and several of the archers shoot at the other horse. One of the arrows hits its mark, and that horse now begins to panic.
The other rider and its dog attack the terrified coachman. The goblin catches the man's blade with its own and tosses it aside as its mount leaps at the man's throat, tearing a gash. The coachman grabs at his neck in a feeble attempt to stop the bleeding, and then collapses in his seat. Another cheer erupts from the goblins.
A few of the archers start to notice the approaching party. Two arrows zip past Halvor's head as he charges at the goblins. One goblin in a tree hits Helena.
Halvor slows, nodding in grim satisfaction as the two missiles whiz by his head. He grits his teeth as he sees the coachman go under, but doesn't panic or let anger control him. He sets up shop beside two goblins, swinging powerfully at the one on his right. He narrows his eyes at the one on his left, daring it to do anything but flee.
Gwyn winces as she hears an arrow whiz by her head and Helena's yelp when it slices into her. Not that it was appearing that her luck was any better. The distinct whooshing sound of a blast furnace announces her arrival as a jet of flame springs from one hand while her other goes for the short sword at her belt. Unfortunately, her aim is a little off, and it appears that at best the goblin and it's mount were going to get caught in the fringe of the blast.
"Darn, and I had something witty to sing planned too," she says as she sees her aim is off before turning to Helena, "You okay? It looks like we got their attention."
Drawing an arrow, Kyrian pulls back and takes aim. "Let's hope that this hits the right target..." he says as he lets loose.
Helena gasps as the arrow slices through her shoulder; she whips her head around reflexively, looking for the offender; seeing it in a tree, she realizes she has little option against it. "You can still sing, if you want," she points out. "But if you don't mind, watch my back!" With that, she closes in on the mounted goblin by the coach, jabbing at his mount with her spear.
"Come on, you foul thing!" she calls, in an attempt to goad it. "You've had your fun!"
"I'll always have your back, you don't even have to ask," Gwyn says with a grin.
...success
...hit
As the goblins continue to cheer and sing their goblin song, they suddenly realize that they're under attack by big people they hadn't known were there! Kyrian's arrow thunks into one goblin's back, and it squeals like a stuck pig. It runs in circles trying to reach the arrow to pull it out. Ignoring that one for now, Halvor attacks the other goblin, breaking through its feeble defense. He slashes the goblin across the chest, and the goblin looks up at him with a look of surprise before falling over backwards, its feet stuck straight in the air. Shalelu fires at the same goblin Kyrian hit, shooting it right in the eye as it flails. Its head snaps backward and it slumps against the fallen log. Shalelu closes in after letting her arrow fly. Cerin begins calling to Gozreh, summoning the spirits of nature to rise to the forest's defense.
On the other side of the coach, Gwyn evokes a jet of flame, singeing the goblin rider and its mount. The rider turns to her and laughs at her. Gwyn notices that she managed to catch the rider's fur cape on fire, but that she doesn't seem to notice that... yet. Helena closes on the rider with her longpear and attempts to skewer her, but she defects the thrust with her shield.
Round 3
...miss
...hit
...hit
...miss
...hit
...miss
...miss
...fails
Momentarily surprised by the suden appearance of new combatants, the goblins scurry to attack their new threat. One of the riders charges at the fallen log, his mount easily leaping over it, landing between Shalelu and Halvor. He slashes at Halvor as he rides on, but the blade glances off Halvor's armor. Looking over his shoulder, the goblin rider continues charging forward until he almost collides with Kyrian, but he pulls the reins and wheels to a halt just before running into him.
The other rider wheels and charges at Gwyn. Helena takes advantage of the rider turning her back to her, and skewers the goblin as she rides past. Undeterred, the rider slashes her dogslicer at Gwyn, drawing blood, as she charges down the road.
At the rush of wind from the charge, the rider's smouldering cloak bursts into flames, engulfing her. Her mount does not react well to its master being on fire, and bucks, throwing the rider unceremoniously onto the ground as the dog bolts into the woods.
The archers hoot and laugh at their flaming comrade, but still manage to fire at their opponents. Arrows whiz past Shalelu and Halvor, but an archer hits Helena in the shoulder.
Warrior #1: hp -1/6
Warrior #2: hp -5/6
Warrior #3: hp -2/6
rider #1: hp 3/19; on fire
dog #1: hp 8/9; riding off
rider #2: hp 19/19
dog #2: hp 9/9
archer #1: hp 16/16
archer #2: hp 16/16
archer #3: hp hp 16/16
Trusting that Cerin and Kyrian can handle the mount, and seeing the two women's injuries mounting with the other party, Halvor rushes over the log, making his way to the closest archer, death in his eyes.
Gwyn barely manages to hold in a scream of pain as she's not quick enough to dodge to the side. The gash from the sword burns white hot, but not as hot as her anger when she sees Helena take another arrow.
"Enough of this," she growls before summoning a spark on the tips of her fingers. Three steps was all it took to bring the goblin into the range of her spell.
She punches her hand with the sparks on her fingertips forward, unleashing a blast of searing hot flame at the goblin archer. As the blast catches the tree alight, she begins to sing, quite beautifully in fact.
Goblins burn and goblins die,
By an elf with spells to make you fry!
Cry and weep you wretched things,
For now you will feel fire's sting!