The adventure begins as the caravan travels south by southeast from Elidir, the capital of Isger, to Almas, the capital of Andoran, on a road between the Apsodell Mountains and the Five Kings range. There are faster and easier routes south, but for those seeking to avoid Cheliax, this is the safest. Bort Bargith is a dwarf trader from the Five Kings Mountains, welcome in many settlements for his fair prices and gregarious spirit, and he has been using this route for years. The caravan consists of six covered wagons, four of which are laden with supplies, trade goods, and trinkets. Bort makes his home in the lead wagon and the cabin built onto its back, while the final wagon is for passengers and the cook.
A green little creature with an over sized head sits on on a little bench built along the edge of the cart. He smiles with sharp little teeth and he idly hums and kicks his dangling feet back and forth. He was not quite sure what to do with himself during this ride. His only other time riding about was with the cleric that taught him and he knew that was merely allowed due to his company.
Oosa looked about the cart nervously. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a fat rat. He held it up to face, made some attempts at squeaking and then drew little numb of bread from his other pocket and held it out for it to eat.
Another day, another caravan.
Tezadwax walks along next to the passenger wagon, fiddle in hand. He looks around as though he has lost something, or someone. He gives a shrug and walks over to the goblin sitting on the bench.
"What kind of music does your friend like? I know a song or two about rats. Even one where it doesn't get eaten by a cat! I bet that's the one he'd like...She'd like?"
Oosa jumps a little at Tezadwax speaking before settling down. "Me rat no like kitty cats. He like food, and hidey holes, and other rats. He like me too." He then leans closer and whispers. "He like me until I eats him. He's megency food." Oosa then sits back and giggles to himself in the xcited yet creepy way that goblins do.
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Esha finishes double-checking her pack and agilely hops down out of the wagon. She takes a moment to survey her surroundings. As her gaze falls upon the goblin and another gnome, she starts, then freezes for a moment, studying the gnome intently.
Is that...?
"WAX!" Esha takes off at a run, straight for the gnome, intending to give him an enthusiastic hug. Her greataxe bobs along above her head as she races toward him, arms outstretched.
She looks fairly different from how he would be used to seeing her. She certainly never carried a weapon or wore armor in the past and her hair was shorter and better groomed. She also now carries a noticeable scar just above her left temple that disappears into her hairline.
A pleasant-looking young man with brown skin and dark brown hair. He wears a violet shawl around his shoulders and and orange sash around his waist.
"A journey without music is a wagon without a wheel,"
Oosa looks at the man in the shawl. "A board? You talk bout board right? Horse pull board too. Slow or not slow and bouncy... oooww... Fun!" Oosa responds. "You want me to go take wheels off for fun bouncy ride?"
Wax had thought he had seen a gnome he recognized signing up to go along with his caravan, but now that this warrior was rushing him he was sure he had been mistaken.
"I swear it's not mine! he shouts just before she reaches him.
When she wraps him up in a hug he reconsiders once more. He looks down, pushing his purple hair out of his eyes. "Esha is that you? I didn't recognize you with all this stuff. Well, I did at first but then you looked like you were going to kill me. But then you didn't. Anyway, it's great to see you! Did you leave the circus? How's everybody doing? You know I was about to come visit but here you are so tell me all the gossip." He bombards her with a flurry of words, as only a gnome can.
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Esha lets go of Wax suddenly and takes a step back. "Oh. You don't know. Of course you don't know. You wouldn't." She looks down at her feet briefly, then back at Wax. She opens her mouth as if to speak, but then just stares at him for a second or two before composing herself enough to answer his questions.
"They were - we were...giants. We were attacked by giants. On the way to Elidir. They...nobody...everyone....I was the only one that made it." Her little face scrunches up as if she's trying not to cry and she looks away. "I didn't mean to...I mean...I was knocked unconscious..." Her voice trails off as she is unsure what else to say.
"Oh no..."
Then he quickly looks back at Esha, "Oh no, dear. You can't blame yourself." Wax wraps her back up in a hug and says no more.
The Varisian sees the two friends' unlikely reunion and nods sagely as if the scene confirmed something he already known all along.
"It matters not where the path begins nor where it ends. It is at the crossing of paths where the wonders of life reveal themselves...,"
You notice that he has a shield propped beside him. On the shield is painted a butterfly with stars on its wings.
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Esha hugs Wax back, then steps back one more time. "I couldn't save them. But I am stronger now." She sticks her thumb up over her shoulder, using it to point at the greataxe. She rolls her shoulders, visibility trying to recompose herself.
For the first time, Esha becomes aware of the others around her. Now everyone knows my story. Great.
She eyes the goblin and the young man warily. Her eyes rest briefly on the butterfly on the shield before she gives a cautious greeting. "Hello."
Oosa smiles a big toothy grin and say proffers a hand. He says, "Oosa Toadlicker," with a slight upward inflection. He looks down at his hand and realizes there is still a rat in it. He pulls it back, stuffs it into his pocket and offers his hand again.
Tezadwax looks at Esha sadly but senses that now is not the time.
"Yes, right. So, I was waiting for a request," Wax says while putting his instrument under his chin.
Oosa frowns sligbtly when no one takes his hand. He pulls it back but then looks at Wax realizing she wants to play music. "No know song but want something happy and bouncy. Happy music good for animals, good for traveling."
"Traveling music it is!"
Wax lays his bow acros his fiddle and starts playing an upbeat tune.
"My father was a gambler down in Andoran,
He wound up on the wrong end of a sword,
I was born in the backseat of a sczarni caravan,
Rollin down the road to Taldor,
"Desna I was born a ramblin' man,
Tryin' to make a livin' the best I can,
So when it's time for leavin', I hope you'll understand,
That I was born a ramblin' man."
♪♪ Clap! Clap! Clap-Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap-Clap! ♪♪
"Oh a ramblin-man, a rambin-man, Desna born dem ramblin-man!"
"Yes I hope yu'll Undre-Staaand... Desa born dem RAMBLIN-MAN!!"
The voice comes from a young man (with good ears) approaching the wagon as it moves.
With a twirling landing, the strange lad "sticks it", ending the jig, and opens his mouth:
"Ahoy, we here're jus catchin' the end of the road ya know half price and whatnot - say if any of ya has any vittles and we ran outta water bit ago wouldn't trouble you fer some spare at that - furtherwits any idee exactly where this cabin is off ta yet?"
"I myself be Laurel and this here is me ma, pardon fer interduckshins!" And bows deeply to convey as much graciousness.
It has been three days since you left Elidir, climbing into the back of one of Bort Bargith’s wagons bound for the faraway Andoran capital of Almas. The smiling caravan master cut your travel cost to only a handful of coppers, so long as you promised to protect the wagons should any trouble arise. Fortunately, your journey through the hinterlands of Isger has been quiet, even if the ride itself has been far from comfortable.
As you broke camp this morning, Bort announced you should arrive at the town of Etran’s Folly by nightfall, and he promised a comfortable bed for the night as a reward for a long day’s travel. The caravan’s teamsters shared a chuckle between them, trading knowing glances and subtle nods, but soon enough you are on the road again, the wagon bouncing and creaking along the uneven trail.
"Up ahead is Plaguestone," Keldaran shouts from the front of the wagon. No sooner does the call fade from his lips than it is overshadowed by a series of long, mournful howls emanating from the woods to either side of the caravan. Moments later, you hear cries of panic as a pack of mangy wolves descends from the forest with teeth bared!
Oosa goes stone still at the howl. Howling meant large angry doggy and he didnt like doggies at all. He twitched as a pack broke through the edge of the forest.
Oosa will still be in the back of the wagon I think. F10
Calvus picks up his shield and hops out of the wagon. In his hand flash the blades of a starknife.
Laurel Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
MW1: 8{8}
MW2: 8{8}
MW3: 2{8}
Esha is quick to her axe, and manages to get a solid blow into the the wolf coming at her on her second attempt. It yowls in pain, a gash across it's muzzle.
You can hear more wolves in the distance, the whole pack must be descending on the caravan. But your immediate concern is the three running at you from the trees.
The first pounces on Calvus ripping a gouge in his armour, and tearing flesh too. Leaving behind a trail of flees from it's muzzle. It's second bite isn't as successful, teeth hitting metal.
The second charges and jumps up at Larel, but it misses it's footing and doesn't score a blow.
The final wolf, deterred by Esha's swinging axe, doesn't manage to make contact.
Round: 1
Init: 15
HP: 19/19
Hero Points: 1/1
Oosa screeches, "Bad doggy, get, shoo." while scrambling to his feet. When the beast continues forward still, Oosa grasps his holy symbol of Sarenrae and shouts forcefully, "Be smitted evil doggy!"
Action 1: Grab holy symbol
Action 2&3: cast Holy Lance at northern most MW on the map.
Calvus equips his shield and sings a prayer to Desna:
"May the Northern Star light the way!" his left hand glows with a soft nimbus of white light. The energy absorbs in this body repairing the bite of the Mangy Wolf.
Wax readies his fiddle and begins playing a battle march.
Laurel had been showing Oosa how cool his knives were. Upon spotting the wolves, he crouches low, lying in wait for the northernmost wolf closest to him to attack!
◆) Hunt Prey
◆◆) Ready a Twin Takedown
"C'mon ya wooves - ye ain't muss no Laurel yet. Hey Oosa watch this!" Even while ducking, you can see Laurel tracking the beat of Tezadwax's song with a stamping of his bare foot. If the wolf comes close, he strikes at a natural musical cue, smiling with mad glee and dancing with natural agility as he plunges his knives into the wolf!
Round: 1
Sarenrae surely is shining down on Oosa today, the Lance of light she endows him with is blindingly fierce. As the afterglow fades from your eyes you see the wolf is on it's side, unmoving and scorched.
Calvus feels the healing energy of his spell, but still cannot get the Sickened feeling from his gut.
Tezadwax begins playing and everyone feels an uplift in their mood.
Laurel slashes out at the wolf severing a major artery as he does so. The wolf falls to the ground twitching, blood seeping out of it in pulses.
Round: 2
Another wolf appears from the trees, this one is dropping green slime from it's Jaws. As it moves into the frey, it howls a bone chilling cry of mourning.
Calvus doubles over and retches trying to get the fleas out of his mouth. He fears he might have swallowed a few...
Then he heard the howl. He had no idea such a sound could come from anything living.
Round: 2
Suddenly filled with Fear, Esha attacks. Her first swing goes narrowly wide. Her second almost takes out the cart, but her third, just about strikes home. It crunches into the wolf's spine, slamming it to the floor, dead.
Wax tries to drown out the wolf's howl with a screeching note.
Round: 2
Init: 14
HP: 18/18
Focus:0/1
Hero Points: 1/1
Effects: Inspire courage, +1 attack/dmg &save vs fear
Wax moves closer to the sound of the howl and goes back to his battle march.
Round 2
Init 15
Hp 19/19
Hero point 1/1
Oosa squeeled in delight as the mean doggy went down. Then when the bigger ickyer doggy showed up he let out a squawk of fright. Frowning and still a little embolden by his last spell. He brings up his holy symbol and shouts, "Burn evil doggy." Then from it shoots a piercing hot ray of flame.
Action 1&2: Fire Ray
Still retching,
Calvus moves over to the Caustic wolf. (square 6 F)
Blood spattered across his face, Laurel shoots a look back to his mother - checking she is safe - before turning his attention now to the westernmost wolf. He quickly strides towards it - flanking with Esha - and attacks!
◆) Hunt
◆) Stride
◆) Takedown!
CW: 24{30}
Oosa releases another shot of flame, which hits the new, bigger wolf in the side. This one though, doesn't seem slowed by the damage.
Calvus gets his stomach under control and moves up to the wolf.