|
The oread continues poking his stony skin with his wand as the rocky surface repairs itself.
He then tucks his wand away in his belt, looks up and smiles.
"Job's done. Break time?"
He digs around, pulling some earthy-scented herbs from a pouch. Scissors returns to a log nearby and begins to bob in anticipation.
"That was scary stuff. Jagged Stone's nerves are ratted nerves now. He'll need to calm himself down."
He smiles and slowly begins preparing the herb before offering some to everyone, including young Lander.
After a few minutes, he seems to take the implications of the swordsmith with extreme ease.
"That's... bet'uh... Guess we can take Lan'duh back now, right?"
|
With the key Taliesin is able to unlock the trunk. Inside the trunk you see a young, good looking man. He wears a adventurer's outfit made of expensive materials, but it's stained with mud and blood and is disheveled and frayed. One of his eyes is swollen shut, and his unruly hair is mussed.
He gets out of the trunk and asks "Do you have a mirror? How do I look. How bad is it? Do I have scars?"
|
|
Lander does not have wounds from werewolf bites. He takes Vrald's hand and climbs out of the trunk.
"Does that mean your mother sent you to find me? If you are working for my mother, you are working for me! I don't need your help so I dismiss you. I have to hunt the bandits to restore my pride! I will stop the preying of my family's caravans! Where is my gear!" Lander shouts and starts to look for his stuff.
Behind the young noble’s rambunctiousness is a strong desire to prove himself in the eyes of tested warriors.
|
"Actually, we work for your mother, not for you, so you can't dismiss us. But as for hunting down the bandits... We have already handled two groups of them. How many did you see in the area while you were scouting? There may be plenty of opportunity to hunt down some more on the way back." asks the knight-to-be. Firmly, but politely.
|
|
Jagged watches as the young noble quickly "transforms" from prisoner to lordling.
"Us Peshfinders have already stopped a lotta band'uts. Maybe enough to save the carry-vans?"
Jagged perches his scythe on a rock. An ordinary rock, not a rock-person or a roc-companion.
"Also, this were-woman seems to have been their lead'uh. So maybe these bandits are all done?"
|
|
Claire understands what Lander is getting at, and attempts to soothe his concerns. She nods at Maximillian and reinforces his approach.
"Lander, I think any one of us would easily have been outnumbered and overpowered by those werewolves. Looking at that box, any one of us could have been stuffed in there. Except Jagged Stone. They would need a bigger box for him." Claire tips her head toward the rectangular companion currently rock-squatting.
"There's a reason we travel in groups, you know. We all compliment each other, and complement each other's skills. Have you considered becoming a Pathfinder?" Claire looks empathetically at the young noble, and begins here tale.
"You know, I was destined for a life of local politics. The Lee-O'Blivyus family has a long, proud line of magistrates and constables. My great-great-grandpappy, Overt, was one of the best gumshoes ever seen. It's in our family." Claire sighs, and continues, "But that changed for me, when I accidentally killed our current constable, Patty O'Furniture, and had to set off on another path. My auntie, Portia Lee-O'Blivyus recommended I join the Pathfinders, and here I am looking at you."
Claire attempts to aid Maximillian with his diplomacy check
|
|
If the boy wishes to uphold his family's honor and help us track down the remaining bandits, I have no quarrel with that. But he looks to be in the mindset of giving orders instead of following them--if he can't work with us, we will all be at greater risk, Zuriel says to his companions before turning to look at the nobleman.
You need our help--your recent accomodations in the trunk prove this. So, can you work with us and follow orders? Or do we need to take you home before we hunt down the remaining brigands?
|
|
"I found a group of three, I followed them to a pond. They fought unfair and captured me." the young man answers to Vrald's question.
"I'll accept the challenge. A duel between the Paladin and me, a fair fight! The first who lands three hits wins. After that I will follow you back to town, but please don't tell anybody you found me in a box!" he says but glances angrily at Zuriel when hearing his remark about needing help.
He would never accepts orders from anybody without royal blood, but he does not answer.
|
|
You move outside the tent and after cleaning up a small area for the duel Maximillian and Lander shake hands and start the fight. It is a fast fight, you see that Maximillian is the more experienced fighter. Lander and Maximillian hit each other alternately, but finally Maximillian lands the winning hit.
"Ok, you win. Thank you for the fair fight." he says and shakes Maximillian's hand again. "I will follow you back to Silverhall."
|
|
Jagged arches an eyebrow at Claire.
He smiles, innocently.
Seeming to be stirred from the haze he's subjected himself to, he blinks at Lander and Max.
"Good job!"
He looks at Scissors.
"Who won, Siz'ahs?"
The oversized bird squawks at its master, clearly surprised.
"Oh, yes. Let's go to Silv'uh-hall. It's nice there."
Jagged Stone stands up, slowly, using the long pole of his scythe for support.
"I think I even know the way."
He shambles ahead to the tree line.
"North?"
|
|
Vrald watches the fight with interest.
"Well done both of you." he says, but can't help pointing out a couple of small corrections to their techniques.
As the group gets ready to go he adds
"And let us not forget to take these bandits with us, and the evidence of the master smiths collusion with them. I only hope we are wrong about it, as he seemed a nice enough man. Perhaps they have some hold over him that we may discover."
|
|
With a headstrong young lord in tow and wilderness for miles around you begin your trip back to town. Lander does not talk much, until something hits him on the head from behind. "Ouch! What's that!" he says and picks up a few acorns from the floor. "What's happening here? There are no oaks around." a minute later something hits Stone. Rotten berries drop from Stone's side.
|
|
Jagged uses his hand to swipe some of the rotten berry before he tastes it.
"Hmmm... berry."
"Rotten."
Smacking his lips.
"Not bad, though. Siz'ahs want to try?"
Jagged's bird wastes no time devouring any of the offered berry before hacking a few times, but nonetheless swiftly consuming it.
Jagged squints and looks upward.
"Hello tiny fey? We are just pass'un through? Nice, nice... right?"
Jagged smiles awkwardly, knowing he's never been good at talking. To people, elves, dwarves, fey. Only animals... except that one angry horse.
|
|
Vrald looks around, but doesn't draw a weapon.
"If they are throwing berries and acorns they may be children, and little threat." he says to the group.
"Ho,ho. You got us good with the ambush! That will teach us not to keep a good watch. Come, show yourselves and we can surrender some food to you!"
He is obviously in good cheer after the success of the mission.
|
|
You hear a laughing and suddenly a tiny creature appears in front of you. "I challenge the mightiest worrior in your group to a duel!" the creature shouts with a high voice.
Lander immediately raises his hand. "I will accept your challenge! I'm one of the mightiest warriors around, sent to eliminate all threats in these woods!" he answers.
|
|
"No, not three touches. A fight until one of us is down! I'm bored and you passed alsong. It seems you already have a volunteer!" the fey answers and chuckles.
Taliesin knows that the creature is an Atomie. It's equiped with a tiny rapier and can resist little damage. This ability can be bypassed by a cold iron weapon.
"Oh, please. Let me fight this creature. Look how tiny it is! I can't loose the fight!" Lander says, eager to fight the fey.
|
|
Vrald shakes his head.
"I am sorry Lord Lander, but we are charged with your protection."
He then adds "Also, yourself and Maximilian have already had a fight this morning. I think it is time I got to have a try myself."
He draws his own cold iron longsword and takes a guard against the small creature.
<-crit threat
<-crit threat
|
|
"You treat me like a child. That's not fair." Lander answers.
Vrald and the Atomie get to their positions and the fey acts fastest. It rushes forward and tries to pierce Vrald with her rapier but the rapier almost breaks when it hits Vrald's armor.
Vrald swings his longsword at the atomie and hits the tiny creature dropping her to the ground.
"You see, an easy to defeat opponent." Lander says jealously.
|
|
"My goodness but that was quick" sighs Vrald, rushing forward to stabilize the creature.
"Sometimes a good defense beats a quick offense of course." he adds.
"I don't suppose one of you could heal him? I hope it has learned a lesson about not challenging everyone on the path."
He turns to Lander
"My lord. I am not treating you as a child, but with the respect a nobleman is due. I am sure your esteemed ancestors did not stoop to cross swords with every peasant and would-be-famous farmer who picked up a sword to challenge them. No. A nobleman saves himself for a true challenge. Was the creature able to best me, I am confident that you would have stepped in to protect my fallen form - in the full knowledge that the opponent you faced was a worthy advisory for you."
Then with a smile adds
"Think of me as a food taster. One who can ensure only those who are worthy will cross blades with you. If you wish I am happy to have you test my skill yourself as you did with Maximillian."
|
|
"My lord. I am not treating you as a child, but with the respect a nobleman is due. I am sure your esteemed ancestors did not stoop to cross swords with every peasant and would-be-famous farmer who picked up a sword to challenge them. No. A nobleman saves himself for a true challenge. Was the creature able to best me, I am confident that you would have stepped in to protect my fallen form - in the full knowledge that the opponent you faced was a worthy advisory for you."
Then with a smile adds
"Think of me as a food taster. One who can ensure only those who are worthy will cross blades with you. If you wish I am happy to have you test my skill yourself as you did with Maximillian."
Yes, any man may learn to fight. More important than skill at arms is knowing when to use violence after all other options have failed.
|
|
Lander listens to you and finally smiles. "Maybe you are right, but I hope none of the farmes thinks that noblemen are cowards because they don't accept a challenge."
You continue your journey back to Silverhall and on the way you encounter giant ants and kobolds. You are able to fight them off and Lander begins to complain about the weighty burdens of being an adventurer — which is to say, he wants a hot meal and a bath.
About halfway between the bandit's camp and Silverhall you approach a bridge. The road narrows here, leading over a well-worn stone bridge that crosses a stream. Trees dot the landscape to both sides of the bridge, and the rushing of water and the croaking of frogs give the scene an air of tranquility.
This bridge arches 5 feet over the stream, which is about 5 feet deep. The water flows fairly slowly, but small eddies making swimming somewhat difficult.
Once you reach the bridge two terror birds sprint towards you.
The birds built a nest atop a rise above the bridge and layed their eggs.
Taliesin
Zuriel
Stone
Claire
------------
Bird blue
------------
Lander
Maximillian
------------
Bird red
------------
Vrald
|
|
Zuriel casts a spell and his arms stretch. He moves closer to the bridge and waits.
The faster bird moves toward Claire while Lander moves closer and throws a dagger at the bird but the dagger hits only feathers.
Zuriel acts immediately and injures the bird.
Taliesin
Zuriel (20 ft. reach)
Stone
Claire
------------
Bird blue -25HP
------------
Lander
Maximillian
------------
Bird red
------------
Vrald