It's the first of May. The spring morning air is crisp and clear, with hints of the recent snow. Everard and Felix's breath comes in small puffs as the exertion from climbing the last rise of Spielberg Pass takes it toll.
But my, the view is worth it!! You can see out over the whole valley from here, although as you take it all in, you realize that it's more of a box canyon than valley. The majority of it is filled with thick growth of oaks, maples, birch, fur, and pine trees. Near the centre of the canyon you see a modest town, walled in stone, and to the north of that, an equally-modest castle surrounded by farmland and orchards. A small lake hugs the mountains to the south. Spielburg Valley looks wild, untamed, and full of adventure.
"We should rest here a moment or ten. Take in the view and all that." Felix finds a suitable rock and sits down. "Look at that my friend. A whole new world for us to conquer. And they don't know us. They won't look upon us with judging eyes. In that town, we can be anything we want to be." Felix didn't realize it, but there was both a sadness and earnestness in his voice. A tone that told much about his past and his hope for the future.
Everard does not sit down, but he does pause to take in the view. The big man seems torn between enjoying the gorgeous vista and the urge to charge into it; unconsciously, he is tapping the nose of one boot against the ground.
"Anything we want to be," he agrees, breathing out and chuckling at the plume of vapor as it fades into the crisp air.
"Ahh, Felix!" he exclaims, a big, dopy grin on his face. "I can't wait! Should have done this years ago -- no, strike that. Wish I'd passed the written exam sooner, so's I could've done this sooner. No sense haring off without the right skills, am I right?"
One of Everard's hands strays to his pocket, where he's put his certificate of passing the Famous Adventurer's Correspondence School basic training. It's like a talisman to him; he tends to take it out in the evenings, reading it by the fire.
"Ahh, bless me!" the warrior shouts, his joyous voice echoing off the mountains. "I can't wait! Come on, my friend, let's go! I want to see it all!"
"Yes, yes. Onward to adventure." Felix gets up and resets his pack and is quickly ready to go. "Just try not to go off saving any damsels in distress until after we've had something to eat, ok?"
"So shortsighted," Everard teases Felix. "Save a damsel, and you get treated to a banquet. Doesn't everyone know that?"
As Everard's voice booms through the pass, you hear a faint rumble from above. Recent snows have caused some of the drifts higher up to hang precariously from the rocks. The rumble quickly fades.
You proceed onwards and enter into the forest (though you are still high up in the pass). The snow at the ground level is no longer present in big drifts, sheltered by the pine branches, though the path is still winding and narrow. Nailed to the trunk of an oak tree up ahead is a large piece of paper. Writing on the paper reads, "Wanted: Heroes for the town of Spielburg. Inquire within."
Fifty feet beyond the oak tree, Felix spots what he thinks are the remains of a wagon, pulled off the path among some scrub bushes, which the early spring buds have failed to properly screen. Several of the boards show evidence of burn.
"Maybe I should've kept my mouth shut," Everard mutters, glancing back and up towards the source of the rumbling.
The warrior's spirits rise again when he sees the poster.
"Now look at that!" he booms jovially. "Fortune is smiling at us, my friend. Heroes wanted! So long as there isn't a price being offered for their heads, this looks like a golden opportunity."
"Golden." Felix repeats. "But for whom?" He points to the not quite hidden wagon. Felix readies his sword, wary for a reason he couldn't explain.
Upon closer inspection of the wagon, Everard estimates that it hasn't been here long, and that the burns are about a week old.
As you examine the wagon, Felix hears a rustling and sees two men step out from behind a large pine tree thirty feet down the path. Both men have scraggly beards and hair musses from sleeping rough. They each wear a leather jerkin, and carry a shortspear and heavy wooden shield.
"Good morning, gentlemen. Welcome to Spielburg. We are his Lordship's the Baron's loyal excisemen, here what's to claim the toll for using his Lordship's road."
Judging by the way he said the word "toll" and the nasty snickering it elicited from the man's companion, you have serious doubts about the legitimacy of this taxation.
Everard unslings his shield and draws his sword.
"In that case," he says in an even tone, "I'm sure you can show us a badge or a piece of paper to prove you are what you say. 'Gentlemen'. No rush, take your time. You can even go home to look for it if you like."
The brigand watches Everard ready himself.
"Have you even held that sword before, boy? We'll just relieve you of it before you hurt yourself!"
His companion laughs even louder, a rough, rude laugh.
And beneath the sound of laughter, you can hear a faint rumble from above.
"It could do with a few notches," Everard admits, unruffled.
He raises the blade and slowly waves it from one Brigand to the other.
"One. Two. That'll do for a start."
In addition to the rumbling of the loose snow higher up the mountains, Everard also hears the sound of rustling branches back up the trail.
"You don't think it's just the two of us, do you?" the brigand asks. About sixty feet back up the trail, you see four more similarly dressed brigands step out from behind trees. Standing behind them, is a massive humanoid creature, his huge muscles covered in black hair, and a pair of wicked horns atop his bovine head. His big hands cradle a massive greataxe.
"Six and a bull might be a bit much," Everard admits. He looks to Felix - and winks. "What do you say, my friend?"
"I say we are law abiding citizens and we should give them everything they're asking for." Felix brandishes his rapier as he rushes the two that are closer.
Rapier
It turns out that actual combat is harder than training with Everard.
Everard can have a surprise round charge as well.
Everard charges at almost the same moment Felix does. He only pauses one moment to make sure the path beyond the brigands is clear.... but then he runs, sword coming around in a gleaming arc!
Felix and Everard charge the rather startled brigands. Everard manages to connect with one, drawing a gash across his shoulder. The brigand cries out in pain and surprise.
"Baahhh! The whelp cut me! You'll pay for that now, pretty boy."
The snows continue to rumble in sympathy to the brigand's cries.
You guys, then the baddies. Remember they are still flat-footed. The path is 10-feet wide, blocked by the brigands. Moving off the path is difficult terrain. They're AC is currently 14.
Everard does not waste his time on banter; he just slashes again, hoping to take out one of the two men standing between him, Felix and a chance to escape.
With his first attack a miss, Felix quickly strikes again in desperation.
Rapier
Confirm Crit Rapier
So that's a total of 7 VP and 6WP inflicted on this guy.
The brigand Everard injured focuses on the pesky fight, while his friend tends to Felix. Behind you, other bandits start moving forwards as the Minotaur bellows orders. His loud booming voice causes more rumblings, and the creature's keen hearing alert him to the possible danger, so he doesn't advance as he spends this round peering upwards through the trees.
It appears they don't know how to use their spears much better than you know how to use your swords. They are no longer flat-footed, however, so their AC is 15.
Felix's rapier cut right through the brigand's leather jerkin and buried several inches of steel in his intestines.
Round 2: you guys are up. You have this round before you have brigands on both sides. The lead brigands behind you are still ten feet away.
BE: 7VP; 14 WP
BF: 3VP; 8WP; fatigued
Other brigands: 10VP; 14WP
Minotaur: you don't want to know
Just realized I didn't make a perception roll for that ominous noise.
Noise? What noise?
Felix is surprised that the bandit didn't fall down after he was hurt. But he was in the thick of it and there was nothing to be done but to stab again.
Rapier
Confirm Crit Rapier
"I think it's about time we got going, Felix," Everard says. "It's getting a mite crowded for my tastes."
The warrior slashes at his opponent - and then tries to shoulder past him and make a break for it!
The brigand Felix stabbed cries out in pain and backs away, dropping his spear to help hold his insides inside him. His friend snarls and stabs at Everard.
The spear was headed for his throat, but a desperate swing by Everard diverted the spear point into his arm. No matter what he read from the correspondence course or filled out on the multiple choice quizzes, getting stabbed hurts. A lot!
The other brigands move up, but only two can get at you at once. Still, they stab.
The Minotaur continues to look for the source of the rumbling, audible now to everybody.
You guys are up. You can make a break for it with only three AoOs, if you want.
Whoops. I see that Everard already did.
The spear clanks off his shield. That means the other brigands both attacked Felix, but only 1 hit anyway.
"Felix, c'mon!" Everard shouts, swinging his sword at the brigand between him and Felix.
"Aarrgh!" The enemy's strike motivates Felix. He takes off running as fast as he can.
With Felix disengaged, Everard also runs.
One brigand stabs at Felix as he takes off (others don't get AoOs).
The spear deflects easily off his armour.
With the two of you on the move, the brigand Everard hit shouts, "Aargg! Get back here, you little runts!!" As the brigands start chasing you, the rumbling builds to deafening proportions.
From behind you, you hear the Minotaur shout, "Forget them! Avalanche!!" and the brigands are thrown into a panic.
The ground begins to shake as you run, making footing difficult at times. Trees behind you buck and sway, and occasional globs of snow fly past you, spurring you onwards. The cries of the brigands are cut off one by one, and you hear one long cry from the Minotaur.
It's a long way to the bottom of the pass, but you figure you make it in record time, head a few feet into the thick forest, and collapse in exhaustion. Snow, rocks, and sticks pile up in the pass behind you and strangely enough, a single brigand spear slides down over the snow to land near your feet. The pass is hopelessly blocked.
And as quickly as the avalanche began, all is silent, save for the morning chirps of the local chickadees.
From out of nowhere and surprising even himself, Felix starts to chuckle. It builds to a laugh and crescendo's in a full blown belly laugh complete with shaking shoulders and holding himself as he rolls about on the ground. He is filled with the joy of living. He survived his first real fight to the death and will have a scar to show for it and outran a mountain. He is so very happy to be alive and that joy comes out as laughter.
"I really should have kept my mouth shut," Everard says in a solemn tone.
Then he collapses to the ground, howling with laughter.
"Look," he says, pointing at the spear. "Souvenir or resell?"
Then he bursts into fresh laughter.
Felix is soon able to gain control of himself, though his sides hurt and he keeps a hand wrapped around himself. "Keep it, of course. Its a souvenir of our first battle. The first time we drew blood and were bloodied ourselves in actual battle. By the way, remind me tho thank that correspondence course of yours. Without it, we might not have fared as well."
After a few minutes, Felix feels up to moving, and you pick yourselves up, along with your souvenir, and head along the road towards the town.
With your backs to the blocked pass, and your eyes ahead on adventure, neither of you see the black-haired hand, still clutching its great axe, punch its way through the snow, or the rest of the shivering Minotaur who shakes himself free of the drift. He watches as you leave.
You approach the town gates shortly after midday. The town is protected by a twelve-foot-high wall, and the town appears big enough to hold two or three streets. To your left, an overgrown and intended apple orchard blends into the wild forest. To your right, the road continues north towards the tended farmland and castle. A small, tidy cottage rests along the road just past the northern edge of town.
Passing through the open gate, you find yourself at the intersection of two streets. This seems like a quiet little town. An unused stable lies on your right. On the porch ahead of you are two people. The standing one is large, rather ugly, and playing with a yo-yo. The seated person smoking a pipe looks like he might be the sheriff.
The man with the pipe greets you.
"Welcome to our town. You are lucky to have made it down from the mountains before the snows blocked the pass again. It's gotten pretty dangerous outside of town, I understand. Many monsters have been trapped around here with the late snow. Between them and the brigands, we sure could use some heroes around here. I am Sheriff Schultz Meistersson. This is Otto von Goon, my assistant. What do you boys call yourselves?"
Felix looks at Everard before turning back to the sheriff. "Heroes." He says simply. "I'm Felix, this is Everard, and this ..." He holds out the spear. "...this belonged to those bandits you mentioned. I think it was the noise of our fight with them that started the avalanche. We beat them then barely outran the avalanche and here we are." He did his level best to make their adventure sound impressive while speaking casually about it. Like today's activities were pretty much a normal day for the two of them. "We've been on the road a while and fighting bandits makes one hungry. Is there a place in town where we might find food and shelter? Maybe a bath?
casually impressive.
"If I ever meet the Famous Adventurer, I want to shake his hand and thank him," Everard says, in a warm tone. "You should give it a try. He has advice for all walks of life!"
"Luckier than you know, Sheriff Meistersson," Everard replies in a cheerful voice. "M'name's Everard Katzenjammer; pleased to meet you.
Yeah, we were running just ahead of an avalanche on our way into the valley. Worst race I've ever been in. Ah, but my friend here may need some stitches. Have you a healer in town?"
"Well, if fighting brigands is why you came, you are most welcome and off to a great start. You should take that spear to the guards' barracks at Spielburg castle. The baron has put a 1 gold piece bounty on the head of every brigand. Bring them a brigand's spear to claim the reward."
"As for the healer, her cottage is just outside of town, along the road to the castle. You probably saw it as you came up. You don't look too badly off though, Felix. I'm sure an experienced adventurer like yourself has taken many a scrape in his day. As for a meal and hot baths, the Hero's Tale Inn is just next to the town jail. If you like exotic food, Shameen and Shema will fix you right up."
"Ah, a hot meal and a drink sounds like just the thing!" Everard says, grinning. "Just so's you know, Sheriff, those brigands we met tried to pass themselves off as the Baron's own excisemen. Sounds bloody Cheeky to me; he might want to take issue with them for that."
"Sadly, the baron hasn't taken issue with much of anything these past five years, since his son disappeared."
"Ah, that's a pity," Everard says, sympathetic. "How'd that happen, then? Has he no other relations to help him cope?"
The sheriff sighs, leans back, takes a long drag on his pipe, then says, "To tell the tale of the barony's woes would take quite awhile, though if you boys hope to claim the title "Heroes of Spielburg", you'll need to hear it sooner or later. I'd suggest you find your way down to the adventurer's guild hall at the end of the street", he pauses to wave his hands down along the southern street, "and talk to Wolfgang about it. He has precious little to do but talk these days, and you'll have to register there anyway if you plan on doing any adventuring around these parts."
He pauses, and after he sniff, he adds, "Though you might seriously want to consider those baths first."
"Thank you good, sir. That sounds like good advice. We'll leave you to your business." Felix says goodbye to Sheriff Masterson and von Goon and walks to the Hero's Tale for some food, a bath, and a room.
Everard and Felix make their way next door to the Hero's Tale Inn. Opening the door, you are greeted by the scents of exotic perfumes and spices. The decor is an eclectic mix of Bavarian and Shapeiran. A Katta nimbly stands from the plush cushion by the fire where he was reclining.
"Welcome, welcome, travelers to the Hero's Tale Inn. I am Shameen at your service. May you find what you seek here."
Felix can't help but smile. This is nothing like home. He thinks.
"Well, right now we seek good food, warm baths, and rooms for at least a few nights. Can we find those here?"
"Of course, young traveler. You have but to sit at any of these tables, and my Sheba will serve you foods to delight all your senses. A meal costs but three silvers. As for rooms, we gave the softest feather beds and snuggest rooms, where you can sleep in safety and comfort, all for five silvers a night."
(is that 3 silver each and 5 silver single occupancy?)
Felix pays for the meal and for 4 nights.
"As you can probably tell, innkeep, we're new to the area. We've come seeking our fortune. What news can you tell us of the region?"
Yep. Each.
"Ahh. I, too, am a poor unfortunate, forced to seek my fortune in this cold land, far from my homeland Shapeir, and my people. I have run this Inn now for three years with my wife, Shema. We had hoped to return home soon, but alas, Fate has decreed otherwise."
"Greetings, master Shameen," Everard booms jovially. "What hand has fickle Tyche dealt you, then, if I may be so bold as to ask?"
"Our good friend, Abdullah Doo, a merchant from our home of Shapeir, was to arrive early in the valley, carrying treasures of ours and his, the sale of which would allow us to return home to Shapeir. But just as he crossed the pass into Spielburg Valley, he was set upon by brigands who robbed us of our treasure. Now Abdullah is ruined, and we are unable to afford to return home. He is currently out speaking with residents, to fund an expedition out of the Valley, but few around here have much money to invest. He should return here around supper time, if you wish to speak with him."
"Such a sad tale. I wonder what those bandits did with it all. You were not their only victims I'm sure. So what did they do with it? Where is their lair? When the road opens up again, Everard, we should go looking for it. Return the wealth of the town to the good townsfolk like Shameen here and his friend."
After having a meal, Felix will go to the room and leave his heavy pack. He'll request a bath for the evening.