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Be it so known that the bearer of this charter has been charged by the Swordlords of Restov, acting upon the greater good and authority vested within them by the office of the Regent of the Dragonscale Throne, has granted the right of exploration and travel within the wilderness region known as the Greenbelt. Exploration should be limited to an area no further than thirty-six miles east and west and sixty miles south of Oleg’s Trading Post. The carrier of this charter should also strive against banditry and other unlawful behavior to be encountered. So witnessed on this 24th day of Calistril, under watchful eye of the Lordship of Restov and authority granted by Lord Noleski Surtova, current Regent of the Dragonscale Throne.
So reads the charter you have been granted upon departing for your adventure with your new allies. Along with the charter, you have each been granted a magical tome to aid in your exploration, called a Pokénomicon. Many similar groups were formed and sent to other locations with charters of their own, each full of volunteers like yourself looking for a new life away from civilization. The sorting of each team's members was quick and chaotic, leaving little time for pleasantries among the confusion.
Now that you are away from the bustle and headed down the southern path to Oleg's Trading Post, you have some time to catch your breath and get to know each other. The early morning air is still crisp with the slipping grasp of winter, but already the life of oncoming spring can be seen among the sparse vegetation.
Faraday takes a curious look through the gifted tome curiously, Tesla on his shoulder glancing down at the pages as well. "Is this thing supposed to be mostly blank?" He stops on a page displaying information on pichu and gives a scoff, "Unskilled... This thing thinks you can't hold a charge." As the tiny yellow pokemon tilts its head in curiosity, its pointy ear taps Faraday's, earning a jolt to the both of them. "Oi! Careful, bruv." The eccentric mage reaches up to give his partner a pat on the head as he stores the book in his slashed open robes.
He turns to examine the rest of the group curiously, grinning, "So I don't think we had a good chance to properly introduce ourselves, what with the racket. I'm Faraday Heartsong, and this is Tesla." The electric mouse gives a tiny wave from its perch before the fire haired man continues, "We'll be providing the 'energy' from now on, whether that be a motivating jolt or an uplifting song." At the mention of music, he shifts the sleek black guitar into his hand and 'strings' it with lightning and a distorted note.
"Maybe it's about printing costs?" Agathis replies, not quite sure. "In the Academy, we only covered a few hundred creatures; I've got quite a few more in some of my research tomes, but a lot of them are cryptic, sentences and sketches."
Idly, he tosses a stick high up into the air; the large dragonfly buzzing overhead dives, grabs the stick, and returns it. "I'm Doctor Agathis. Pokemon researcher, of the Leipstadt tradition—a bit too modern for the research deans at the Academy, so now I'm onto freelance fieldwork. Feel free to ask me about battle abilities and type weakness, though I should be able to craft most of the basic reagents this expedition will need for catches and evolution."
"Music? Research? Do you think this is some court?"
The boisterous blonde woman forces her way to the front of the pack, waving a sword around for emphasis. Unlike the typical thin blades found in the Brevoy region, hers seems to be little more than a solid chunk of iron, fashioned into the vague shape of a sword.
"Very well, then! When we find ourselves accosted by wild Pokemon and villainous brigands, it will fall to me, the unyielding Sonia Steinhardt, to defend you all!"
She raises her sword to the sky to punctuate the notion, and the drilbur at her feet strikes a pose to match.
The big burly man in the group looks at the others, then lets out his Mareep from the first of five pokéballs on his belt.
"I think you and that Pichu over there should get along Ohmvi. Making some new friends might be in order until I can set up a new herd."
Yarek picks up a bottle of water and takes a long sip from it.
"No sir, I don't think we're in a court. We're in the open world going to new and free lands we aim to settle. To do that, we'll need agriculture and resources. That's where I come in."
"Can you fly?" Agathis asks. "Or see in the dark, phase through walls, catch pokemon with your bare hands and no apricorns, grow your own food, read minds, control the weather, turn invisible, or really, do any task that a charging Rhydon couldn't accomplish? There's a lot I can't teach you—possibly including common courtesy—but I might be able to teach your pokemon, if someone's kind enough to tell you which ones are worth raising. So maybe don't be so quick to judge, because all of us are here for a reason."
"Ha! Well, if you happen upon a charging Rhydon, I might just get that answer for you. But in all seriousness, I can't object to having a scholar with us. Or any of you, for that matter. After all, what good's a knight if she can't protect the common folk? That's why Ser Drilbur and I will happily take all comers who'd think to stop us!"
The little mole-thing flexes a bit to punctuate his trainer's boast.
The little Mareep makes his way towards Faraday, trotting along and bleating softly.
When near the musician and his Pichu, he looks up and calls out. "Maa. Maa. Maa-reep?"
Indicating to most, like it wants to make an acquaintance with the other electric pokémon.
As the curious Mareep approaches, the pichu grabs at Faraday's hair. The musician gives a laugh, "Oh, don't be so worried, it wants to be friends." He carefully deposits the shy electric mouse to a pocket on the slashed robes, closer to Ohmvi. Tesla peeks his head out, ears springing up as it gives its reply, "Chu... Pichu..."
Yarek looks pleased and smiles a faint smile as Ohmvi and Tesla communicate with each other.
"At least they know how to start a conversation."
Yarek says as he lays a rough hand on a shoulder of Sonia and Dr. Agathis.
"We've got this charter together and we will have to make the best of it. Arguing isn't something that helps us out on the road. We will have enough of that to do when we reach Oleg's and set up."
Yarek walks back to Faraday and gently attempts to touch Tesla under his chin. Then pets Ohmvi behind his ears.
"I'm Yarek Ovitz by the way, former rancher and hoping to be that again in the Greenbelt. Ohmvi is my family's last Mareep, something I hope also to right. Come to think of it, are there not five names on that charter? I see only four of us."
The four of you and your Pokemon continue on for a few hours down the lightly worn path towards Oleg's Trading Post as you converse. You get the notion that not many people make the trip down this way, and begin to wonder why someone would build a trading post so far out of the way to begin with. It is not much longer until you can see the wooden walls of the post, which looks more like a fort than a place of commerce. As you approach the closed gate, you can hear the faint sound of hammering from within the walls.
As the group approaches the closed gate, Faraday steps to the front, pausing his idle strumming to slide his fingers along the electric 'strings' of his guitar, producing a noticeable almost otherworldly whine from the instrument to announce their arrival. "Oi, There! This is Oleg's, yeah? We're representatives of the Swordlords! We've been told we're expected!"
At the raucous call of Faraday, the hammering stops abruptly. There are a few minutes of silence before the gate swings outward to allow your ingress. Standing to greet you is a stout, middle-aged man with a stern expression and a kindly-looking woman who seems excited for your arrival; quite obviously Oleg and Svetlana Leveton, as they have been described to you before.
"Hmph. So this is all Restov could spare for our protection? I suppose you'll have to do," Oleg says with an indignant huff.
Svetlana is quick to curtail her husband's rudeness with a welcoming gesture. "Please, come in! I've prepared a hearty stew for you all. I'm sure you're tired after such a long trek!"
Following Svetlana, you pass between what appears to be a large stable to your left and another smaller building on your right. Around the corner of this smaller building, between it and a much larger building that appears to be the Levetons' home, is a crackling fire pit with a large pot brewing above it, as well as a massive outdoor dining table. Svetlana encourages you to sit as she doles out bowls of soup from the pot. Oleg sits impatiently, rapping his knuckles against the sturdy surface of the table.
Once the group settles in, Sonia turns to the man of the house. "You're Oleg, then? I suppose you'd know best what sort of dangers we've got to face. Go on, let's hear it."
Oleg's face turns even more sour at Sonia's questioning. "Oh, they didn't tell you, did they? Great, just great! I ask for guards, and what do they send me? A bunch of misfits without a clue!" Oleg's neck is straining with pent up stress as he continues. "Bandits, of course! They've been coming up here every month for the past three months, causing a ruckus at my post and taking whatever they want. Nothing I can do to stop them, and Restov's been dragging their heels on sending help." He glares at you all with contempt.
Svetlana, ever the sweet counterpart to her husband's gruffness, hums a soft tune as she sets out steaming bowls of deliciously-smelling stew for everyone. Despite her joyous demeanor, a crack of concern is visible on her face as Oleg recounts the unwanted monthly visitors.
"Just bandits? That's all you know? There has to be something. What sort of Pokemon do they bring?"
"Hey, now," Agathis chimes in. "There's more than four of us, and one's tough enough to stop a charging Rhydon. But I believe we were asking about specifics—bandit numbers, anything you know about their patrol patterns, where they camp, how they fight. And of course whatever trade supplies you could spare."
Faraday idly plays along with Svetlana's hummed tune as he waits for the more personable of their hosts to serve the offered stew, listening idly to the stern man's complaints. "Didn't the charter say something about bandits on it?" He asks of no one in particular. Tesla gives a soft, "Chu," of agreement.
As a bowl is set beside him, Faraday lets the guitar hang by its strap and helps himself to the first spoonful, offering the second to his pichu. "I'm sure we can convince 'em to let well enough alone. One way or another."
Yarek fishes a small bowl from his pack, then puts some of the stew in it, skimming any meat that's in there. When he's done he puts it in front of Ohmvi and says.
"Dig in lad, I reckon our hostess is a great cook."
Yarek himself listens to the questions flying around the table whilst he takes a few spoonfuls of the stew.
"Hmmm... This is really tasty Svetlana, reminds me of home. You're a great cook, no doubt about it."
I guess Oleg expected guards or soldiers to be posted here. Well he certainly didn't expect this kind of inquisition.
"The first time they came, there was a whole lot of them. At least ten, I'd say, including that wicked lass with the hatchets and that bastard with the bow. They took off with my wife's wedding ring and most of our goods! They've been sending less and less each month since, though; probably getting cocky. Haven't seen the lass with the hatchets since the first time, but that bastard's been here every time. He's a real piece of work, I'd stay wary of him, even if I was you. He's got a mutt, and the rest some kind of shaggy rodents. They're all a bunch of thugs without much formal training it seems, except for maybe him. Not sure where they're camped though, can't be more than a day or two walk I'd imagine. They're actually likey to show up again early tomorrow morning, if history serves as schedule."
Oleg pauses to slurp down an entire bowl of stew in seemingly a single gulp, which Svetlana is quick to refill. She blushes slightly at Yarek's praise, and responds playfully, "I'd have to be to keep this beast tamed. Thank you!"
Oleg cuts her a dirty-but-loving look, and carries on. "As far as supplies, well, I haven't got much. The bandits keep running me dry of my best stock. A couple potions left in the storehouse maybe, and some scattered camping supplies, but that's about all I can offer until I have some time to recover my stock."
"Hmm. This land's a lot bigger than I pictured. Tents would be welcome, if we could borrow them—to return, of course."
And, to the others, "We should train tonight, before we retire. Get into the habit. It's gonna be rough out there—if 'shaggy rodents' are what I think they are, we're not up against a huge threat, but our pets could use quite a bit more practice fighting."
"Tents would be good, but I don't think we should tire ourselves out tonight," Faraday debates, "If we're expecting those bandits first thing in the morning, we'll want our pokemon well rested. We don't exactly have a Center on hand, and we don't want to squander what potions we have."
He pushes aside his bowl, a few spoonfuls of stew still left over for Tesla to enjoy. "It might be worth spending some time setting the outpost up to give us an edge, though. Any ideas?"
Sonia just nods, halfheartedly listening to her new teammates discuss strategy as she eats her stew. It seems for all her bluster, she doesn't have much to say when it comes to actual battle plans.
Oleg is quick to offer his own suggestions, as he has been mulling over what to do about the bandits ever since their arrival. "I say you jump'em! They won't be expecting anyone here besides us. You can hide out in the stables and then leap out once they come in to collect what's left of my goods." He seems rather pleased with himself for concocting such a plan.
Svetlana is also quick to offer her aid. "I'm no nurse, and this is no Center, but my poultices are rather potent. They expire too quickly to be of any trade value, but once I mix them up and apply them, you'll be feeling right as rain. If you really can fend off those bandits, I will be glad to repay you with my services."
Oleg adds, "You're welcome to the camping gear as well, if you can really pull this off. I can't say I'm not worried, but you've convinced me there's at least a chance. I'm not too fond of whatever reason Restov's got you expoloring the Greenbelt, but if that means solving my troubles, then so be it."
"Do you think they'll be back soon? We could stay in the area for a while, if you've got the food; if it's only a small party that comes for tribute, yeah, we could take them on, send a message to their leader, then plan our next move after..."
Yarek looks at Agathis with a raised eyebrow.
"Do you mean the literal sense or figurative sense of sending that message? Figuratively, I'm all for that, literally not so much. After all, we want to keep an element of surprise even if we take out all of the party tomorrow."
"I'm not much of a fighter myself, neither is Ohmvi, but we're tough as nails we are. If you need someone blocked or cornered we're the guys for the job. That said, I ain't got much of a weapon besides my own kitchen knives if it comes to that."
Sonia quickly slurps down the last of her stew and slams the bowl onto the table. "Keep wise, professor, the man said they'd be here tomorrow morning. That means we've only got a few hours to prepare for a fight, assuming we all get a full night's rest. Let's hope that's enough."
"Ah, right. Well, we might as well run some drills, get the scope of this fort. I'd rather be productive than sit around doing nothing."
"No need to send a message. When they don't return to their camp, I'm sure the rest will investigate. No need to tip them off. Our resources are scarce, but we'll keep you fed and boarded while you're here if you continue to protect us." Oleg adds, his previous gruffness replaced with a hopeful confidence.
"I'd be happy knowing the fight is as unfair as possible," Faraday muses, "Find a way to divide and conquer. I know a song or two that might be able to put a few of them out of commission temporarily, but the more options, the better I'll feel." He runs a hand through his hair, Tesla mimicing the motion by folding back an ear. "Does the barn have a back door? Something we could sneak out of to get behind 'em rather than just charging out the front?"
"I say we get right to training. I want to see what those Pokemon of yours can do. You're obviously not fighters, but maybe they are."
Oleg shakes his head at Faraday's question. "Only the front door, though I reckon you could hide on top of the roof. Seems difficult and dangerous though."
"Sounds like a plan Sonia. Ohmvi here has much to learn and grow if he wants to become my new herd leader."
Faraday scratches his chin in contemplation. "I could probably try that, but what if we pulled a few boards from the back wall off and nailed 'em back on once everything's done?" He asks. Tesla finishes licking the spoon clean and sets it into the bowl, turning to listen to the talk of training and gripping at Faraday's robes.
The musician gives the yellow mouse a pat on the head, "It'd probably be a good idea to get some practice in, bruv, but I won't make you suffer through dueling a Drilbur. Don't worry."
Ser Drilbur grins and flexes his muscles. He likes the idea of being so strong that no one wants to fight him. "Driiil!"
Oleg shakes his head again. "Those boards are set laterally and cut from whole logs, not much taking those off without disassembling the whole stable. I tell you what though, the space between the stables and the inner wall of the fort is narrow enough you could probably hide back there with ease."
At the mention of training, Oleg urges you to be mindful of the property and suggests to train in an open field just outside the walls of the trading post. After finishing up his second bowl of stew, he gets back to work on repairing the roof of the smaller building across from their home. Svetlana begins clearing the table and washing the bowls.
Tesla gives a flinch of fright at the flexing drilbur and pulls its minicoat over its head to hide as Faraday glances at the stable with a nod, "That could work alright..." He stands up and starts to tour the outpost curiously, the desperate pichu hopping off the table and climbing up the guitar hanging from the musician's back to reach its perch on his shoulder.
After a quick once over, he pulls a cart into the makeshift alley west of the gate beside the barn, intent on using it to bar the bandit's from a quick get away by shoving it in the way of the doors. "Oi, Svetlana, do you guys usually do something specific with the supplies the bandits take? I was thinking getting one or two to enter that tiny building there to get the loot would help us keep some of 'em seperated from the fight."
Once the group disperses, Sonia takes her Pokemon outside, and begins running combat drills with him. As in her own training, she focuses mainly on endurance. Ser Drilbur doesn't seem especially happy about that, but he remains committed.
"The key is focus! Don't let pain distract you!"
While Agathis usually trains Odo by playing flying-fetch, he spends the afternoon running targeting drills, asking the flying dragonfly to knock tossed rocks and twigs out of the air with aimed gusts from its wings.
"Unfortunately, I don't think that will be an option," Svetlana explains. "They have us pile up the supplies out here in the yard for them to take. We could certainly use the storehouse to hide in once the fighting starts, though."
"Ah, damn, we'll have to do without," Faraday mutters, quickly wracking his brain for any more ideas to give them an easier time come morning. Unable to come up with anything else, he re-'strings' his guitar and leads Tesla out for a bit of training as well, though to an outside observer it would seem more like a busker routine with the tiny pichu tumbling and flipping to the freestyled guitar solo, complete with ducking and weaving through the musician's feet.
Yarek is the last one to make it outside the trading post to train.
"Well Ohmvi, I'm not much one for a particular training regime, but lets just exercise alot and focus on your tackles yeah? I'll train with you."
"Maa Maa. Maa-reep Maa"
Ohmvi seems like he's ready to go.
After training, Yarek walks along with Ohmvi just around the Trading Post looking for pokemon that strayed too close to Oleg's. "Additional friends may always come in handy Ohmvi. I'm sure we will have a rough time in this area if we don't. Remember the Electrike guarding you all?"
Dr Agathis goes to bed as early as he can, hoping to wake up early the next morning before sunrise; with his magical goggles that allow sight in the darkness, he'll spend some time looking over the courtyard again, trying to practice thinking tactically.
After a tough afternoon of training and a bit of rest, Svetlana has dinner prepared for you all. After dinner, each of you (may) eventually retire to the guesthouse across from the Levetons' abode (the roof of which Oleg had been working on earlier). The beds are simple, but comfortable, and you get as easy of a rest as you can knowing what you face in the morning. Dr. Agathis awakes before sunrise (and the rest of you may as well, if you wish).
Sonia can barely sleep for all the excitement. For the first time, she's going to have her mettle tested in real combat. Ser Drilbur, on the other hand, sleeps like a baby. Unfortunately for him, as soon as she's up, she grabs him and takes him outside for more training.
He'd have liked to sleep in.
Yarek is also up at the break of dawn, he's been a rancher after all and work never stops.
He pokes Ohmvi awake.
"Up and at them buddy. We've got a tough day ahead of us. Luckily we're both quite tough so we'll manage right?"
Ohmvi looks a bit sleepily out of its eyes and yawns, then shakes itself awake and follow Yarek towards his breakfast bowl.
Yarek fills the bowl with a berry and some pokemon food, having half a trail rations himself.
"By the sounds of it, I suspect two of our new companions are already out and about with training. You hear that Ohmvi? Not my kind of training regime, but it'll be useful I reckon."
Ohmvi just munches on the food and nods from time to time.
"We might get some training in ourselves if you're up for it.Let's go as soon as we finished breakfast."
Faraday seems to be the heavy sleeper of the group, sprawled out over his bed with the blanket bunched up at the foot of the mattress. Tesla lay curled up on his bare chest, snoozing soundly until it shocks not only itself but the musician awake as well at a hint of a nightmare. The two roll out of bed with a crash, the guitar propped against the frame falling on Faraday's head. "Oi, bruv..."
The two push themselves up to their feet and don their slashed robes in unison. As Faraday trudges his way out of the building with a yawn and his guitar dragging along behind him, Tesla scurries up the instrument and his arm to plop himself on the man's shoulder to catch a bit more rest.
With training settled, Sonia and Ser Drilbur take a seat behind the cart to quietly wait out however long it takes for those bandits to show up. She tries to pass the time by browsing through her Pokénomicon, but it seems the pages are nearly all blank. Instead, she just sits around, waiting.
It is only a couple hours past dawn that the bandits arrive. They call out over the walls to the Levetons to open up, which they hastily do without a fuss. Once inside the gate, they command the seemingly helpless traders to retrieve their goods. You hear the door of the storehouse open and shut as the Levetons seeming comply, and the bandits have a hearty laugh of triumph.