You've just arrived in the small town of Belhaim, nestled in the midst of the Verduran Forest. It's been a quiet journey for your trade caravan...so far.
Tettia hops down from the wagon sideboard she'd been riding on, rubbing her bottom as she does so.
"That's one thing none of the stories mention," she offers in a pained voice. "How many bumps there are in the road and how each one goes right from your ... right to the base of your skull."
She reaches into one of the pouches tied to her belt and produces what appears to be a fairly large frog which she sets on her shoulder. She continues her conversation with her caecilian companion as if it's the most normal thing in the world.
"I wonder if they offer cheese and garlic biscuits like Cook makes? What do you think, Wallace? Shall we look around?"
Burrruppp.
"Oh, be nice. I don't think it looks that bad. The town is just ... small. That's all."
At the sudden halting of constant bouncing, bumping, cursing, and constipation, the bronze-scaled Kobold quickly scrambles out of the newly acquired scented sack!
Scrapping and skittering across the wagons deck, the sliding Kobold is seen careening off its edge and bounces onto the trampled dirt roadway! Patting himself as he stands, the Kobold takes an expectant look about his surroundings.
No f~#@ing Tsunami, I see!
The disappointed Kobold walks away from the wagon, pointing at the offensive sack.
You can keep it.
Rising Dawn leans against the wagon, smoking a cigar as she gives the small town an appraising look. The stout dwarven woman is well proportioned, gaps in her armor showing off a muscular body. She hops down and stamps out the cigar, then checks the straps on her sheathed axe and shield.
”Small? Compared to Highhelm, it’s positively tiny!” she says to Tettia. ”But honest work is hard to come by. I’ll collect my pay from Silas and see what this quaint place has to offer before no doubt moving on again before too long.”
Absently patting his pockets, the Kobold eyes the tossed cigar. He halts speaking to the previous owner.
Perhaps, a simple offering of my services, if you can renew my acquisition of such fine tobacco?
Calmly walking back to the prize, Jaidu picks up the smothering (slightly smashed) cigar, flicks his finger to produce a tiny flame, pulls gratefully and slowly exhales a ship sailing through a circle.
A proper wizard show me that.
The bronze-scaled Kobold bows.
Jaidu, Cleric of Gozreh, at your service.
The kobold's blue eyes wander a bit at the smell coming from a discarded sack in the wagon...
”Small? Compared to Highhelm, it’s positively tiny!” she says to Tettia. ”But honest work is hard to come by. I’ll collect my pay from Silas and see what this quaint place has to offer before no doubt moving on again before too long.”
Tettia's nose wrinkles in distaste at the fumes from the dwarf's stifled stogie, but a forced smile takes its place.
"Well, compared to Oppara it's not even a spot on the map," she says with a shrug. "But I don't believe that you should judge a place by its size. Artificer Antoin Arsen said, 'A place's character is determined by its people - not its proportion'." She looks around. "Although this place doesn't look like it has a lot of people to judge it by."
She turns to the kobold.
"And what is that smell?" she questions.
Lucius, standing a fair distance from the unfolding interactions, leans against the sturdy wooden wheel of the wagon. A blade of grass dangling from his mouth, he gives the town of Belhaim an appraising glance. With one hand resting on the wagon, he's alert but not anxious. From his years as a warden in the Verduran Forest, he's learned to recognize the moods of the land, and this town seems mostly peaceful—still, appearances can be deceptive.
He smirks at Tettia's and Rising Dawn's exchange about the town's size, thinking how he'd traded the sprawling architecture of Cassomir for the uncharted expanses of the Verduran Forest long ago. In his view, the city had too many people and not enough soul; the forest, however, was a sprawling expanse teeming with life and elemental magic. That trade was one he'd never regret.
Rising Dawn's comments catch his ear; the idea of "moving on again before too long" resonates with him. As rewarding as being a Warden had been, it was a humble existence, leaving him with just enough coin to get by. That's partly why he'd joined up with Silas's caravan for a quick job; it was time to make some extra money. Besides, the forest would always be there, waiting for his return.
He shakes his head as Jaidu the Kobold makes his dramatic entrance, slightly amused but also wary. He's seen many types on his journeys but never grows complacent. Pushing off from the wheel, Lucius decides it's about time to join the conversation and perhaps learn more about what Belhaim might offer. Taking a deep breath to center himself—something he does when the air grows thick with diverse energies—he steps closer to the group.
"A place's character is determined by its people - not its proportion"
"Character is something that reveals itself in time, and I've found it has little to do with a town's size or its scents," he comments, his voice carrying the hint of a smile. "I'm guessing it's not the local cuisine? Or at least, I'm hoping."
Speaking of pay, and the grub that comes with having some few coppers in your pocket, Silas Gribb rounds the corner of the wagon and comes across the group.
A taciturn man whose appearance and accent might place his origin anywhere in Taldor, Silas has been a stern, but fair, employer. You've learned little about him so far on the trip, but both the pay and the pace of the caravan have been steady.
Pay for the week is 2 gold, a high wage for guarding a sleepy convey.
"I'd recommend the Wise Piper," Silas opines. "Best stew around these parts, and always fresh bread with a side of cheese and honey."
He leaves you to your devices and goes to speak with the cartmaster about lodging the animals and storing the wagons.
The Wise Piper turns out to be a cozy inn with beautiful stained glass windows, one depicting the goddess Shelyn and the other a bard playing a jaunty tune on a pipe. The innkeeeper, a middle-aged woman who introduces herself as Talia Orem, greets you warmly as you enter, "Ah, you have the look of the hungry on your face and the dust of the road on your feet. Come in for supper."
You find yourselves at a quiet booth away from drafts, and when food appears, it is of solid quality, as Gribb suggested.
Lucius steps into the Wise Piper, momentarily captivated by the warm atmosphere and intricate stained glass windows. It's a stark contrast to the open sky and elemental rawness of the forest, yet the colors of the glass evoke a sense of elemental fire and water—familiar and comforting.
"Greetings," he says, his voice tinged with a rugged charm as he locks eyes with Talia Orem. "I've heard good things about this place. I'll take your finest stew, if you please."
Lucius slides into the cozy booth, his back against the seat, as Talia brings over the steaming bowls of stew for him and his companions. The scent wafting from the bowl is tantalizing—a hearty blend of meats, vegetables, and spices that makes his mouth water in anticipation.
"Ah, this smells incredible," he says, taking a moment to savor the aroma before lifting a spoonful to his lips. The taste does not disappoint; it's a complex medley of flavors that brings a contented smile to his face.
"So," he begins, his voice tinged with a casual tone that belies his usually contemplative nature, "what's everyone's plan once you're done with trade caravan? Another job with Silas? Settle down somewhere?"
Pleasantly puffing and politely pulling onthe barely used cigar, Jaidu nonchalantly whispers to Tettia, as the bronze-scaled Kobold passes her by.
Probably a dead possum.
Lifting his scaled snout toward the sky, exhaling a pure white plume of smoke, the ruggedly dressed Kobold expresses his opinion of Belhaim when Silas appears passing out coin and dismissing them from duty(s).
Nothing quite like the scent of the sea...but this pays better!
The small Kobold does smirk at bit when proportion to people comparative provided by his fellow caravanners.
Thanks, Silas!
Jaidu eats everything brought to the table!
Got any Frank's? I put that s#$~ on everything!
Got any Frank's? I put that s!*+ on everything!
"Old Frank Medus' sauce? I'm afraid Frank isn't cooking up much of anything any more. Lovely funeral though, two years ago. Frank a friend of yours?" Talia doesn't wait for a response before continuing her friendly patter. "His daughter Axelia turned the old lab into a soap shop, if you can believe it. Certainly improved the smell of the place, ha!"
She hands around a watery ale as she chats with the table.
Dawn happily gobbles up a hearty portion of the stew. She lets out a satisfied belch and leans back in her chair. "I don't have much of a plan," the dwarf says to Lucius, "but I'm not certainly not looking to settle down anytime soon! I'm on a journey of self-discovery, you see? So I'll for now, I'll go where the whims of fate take me."
Lucius chuckles at Jaidu's enthusiasm for Frank's sauce and Talia's amusing tale of the soap shop transformation. "Sounds like Frank left quite the legacy," he comments, raising his ale in a toast to absent friends and the unpredictable paths life takes. "To journeys, discoveries, and the characters we meet along the way."
He then takes the spoonful of stew, savoring its rich flavors once more, then asks Dawn, "Ever think about what it is you're hoping to discover on this journey of yours?"
”A huge pile of treasure would be nice!” Dawn says with a hearty laugh. ”To be honest, though, I’ve only recently started living for myself and my own wants and needs. My family may have had good intentions, but the way they tried to tell me who I was supposed to be, how I was supposed to live my life... It was overbearing! But now, I’ve tasted freedom, and I want more.”
She gestures back to Lucius. ”What about you, darling? What’re you looking for out here?”
Lucius chuckles at Dawn's candid response, appreciating her straightforwardness. "A pile of treasure, you say? Well, who wouldn't be enticed by that? I am, of course. While being a warden is rewarding, it doesn't pay as handsomely as Silas does."
He takes a moment to ponder her question, swirling the last bit of his ale in its mug as if the answer might be found at the bottom. Finally, he speaks, "For me, it's a bit more complicated. I've been labeled as unstable, a potential danger even, and was sent away from my own city. It wasn't entirely unwarranted; there are times when my abilities... well, they overflow, and the results can be catastrophic."
He gives her a rueful smile. "So, I guess I'm out here searching for control—over my powers, my life, and my destiny. And," he adds with a mischievous glint in his heterochromatic eyes, "if I can find some treasure along the way to add to my collection, I certainly won't complain. Especially if there are some gemstones in there, I have a particular fondness for the sparkling ones."
Dawn chuckles. ”I hear that! Gems are truly outrageous. Truly, truly, truly outrageous!”
Bronze-scaled snout buried inside a bowl, the Kobold gives a clawed thumbs-up to " Talia.
The Kobold grabs another full bowl prior to releasing his current empty bowl.
Still good! Soap? Huh.
Jaidu smiles at the talk of treasure.
I happen to also enjoy hoards. I have been know to work a lock or three in my day. Perhaps, we can find us a hoard!
The excited Kobold looks under the table....
Tettia is about to speak up when Dawn brings up the subject of familial expectations, but Lucius beats her to it. And feeling intimidated by the man's expounding of his elemental abilities, she sinks lower into her seat and contents herself with engaging with her bowl of stew.
Silas has arranged payment for the night's lodging, and you find the accommodations comfortable, though austere.
In the morning, the smell of strong tea wafts up the staircase. A surprisingly chipper Talia greets you in the common room, and the front door swings open as you sit.
A dapper young man with a well-oiled mustache pokes his head in. "D'ya hear?! The sheriff collared that trader who just came into town. Smuggling dangerous good from the Darklands!" The young man takes a second to catch his breath. "The sheriff and his deputies confiscated his wagons and cuffed them. They road for Cassomir at first light!"
Talia says, "Oh, my!" and turns toward you with a raised eyebrow, waiting for your reaction.
Lucius looks up from his cup of tea, his eyes widening slightly at the news. The tale brings a sense of unease; he'd seen traders come and go, some more reputable than others, but smuggling dangerous goods from the Darklands was a grave offense.
He waits for the boy to move on before speaking. Turning to Talia, Lucius finally speaks, "Well, that's certainly troubling news. It's good that the authorities are vigilant. The Darklands are not to be trifled with."
He exchanges a glance with Dawn and then Jaidu, as if seeking their thoughts on the matter. After all, it wasn't just a simple tidbit of town gossip; it was news that would affect their livelihoods and safety. And as someone who had been considered 'dangerous' himself, Lucius couldn't help but feel a certain gravity to the situation.
"Perhaps we should consider how this might impact our work," he suggests cautiously. "If they've taken that trader's wagons, who knows what scrutiny the rest of us might come under. Especially those of us who, let's say, have abilities that the average citizen might not fully understand."
He takes a sip of his tea, pondering the ripple effects this event could cause.
Dawn grunts. "Aye, good point, Lucius," she says. "Perhaps we ought to find out more about exactly what sort of goods this trader was carrying to ensure there's no danger to the town! Shall we speak to the sheriff or the deputies?"
Lucius nods. "I think it's a good plan. It also sets us on a path to be doing something positive rather than appear to be deceitful or hiding."
"Yes, we should speak to the sheriff," Tettia says, speaking up. "We should let him know that we had nothing to do with anything illegal."
Humming a song as he sips his morning ale, Jaidu seems to be not that affected by such news. Tapping his foot and humming away, the Kobold just listens.
As you are discussing your course of action, the walls of the inn rattle, as though shaken by thunder.
”The hell? Sounds like a landslide!” Dawn shouts. The dwarf hops to her feet and rushes outside to investigate.
"Landslide?!" Tettia questions in surprise before grabbing Wallace and dashing for the door.
As you step outside, you immediately notice a huge plume of dust rising to the northeast. From that direction, you hear someone calling, "The Witch Tower has fallen!"
Behind you, Talia and the few morning patrons of the inn squeeze out onto the street to gawp.
The bronze-scaled Kobold seems to be musically inclined....
...and the landslide brought us down...
Lucius watches as the crowd's attention shifts towards the northeast, their faces a mix of shock and concern. He senses the gravity of the situation. A structure of that size collapsing could pose dangers beyond just a pile of rubble.
He turns to his companions, his eyes locking onto theirs as he speaks. "Look, we've got a choice to make. We could stand here and gawk like everyone else, or we could do something about it. Considering we're in the business of dealing with trouble, I say we investigate."
”Aye,” Dawn agrees. The dwarf draws her axe and loose her shield as she leads the way toward the Witch Tower.
The bronze-scaled Kobold grabs his pack and follows along...
"We're what?" Tettia questions in surprise, her eyes wide. "Shouldn't we ... you know ... let the sheriff or ... or whoever's in charge handle it?"
Even as she questions what their doing, the young woman is following along with the others.
Lucius looks over at Tettia as they move, noting her hesitance. "I get it, diving into the unknown is a risk. But think about it: the authorities will have their hands full. We have skills and experience that can make a difference. We're not here to replace them; we're here to support them. Let's see what we can find."
"Experience, yes ... yes, of course. We have ... experience," the girl says with a forced laugh.
"Exactly, experience is our ally," Lucius says, nodding in agreement, oblivious to the sarcasm in Tettia's voice. He gives her shoulder a reassuring pat, a confident smile on his face, as he turns to follow Dawn.
You make your way confidently toward the plume of dust. As you close in on the cloud, you can see that a small crowd has gathered around the rubble of the a collapsed tower. Only fragments of the first and second floors still stand. Black stone and broken wooden debris lie scattered down the hill’s southeastern slope, and a rocky ramp of sorts leads up to the tower’s second floor.
Two locals wander outside the crowd, one scratching her head, and the other with hands on his hips chewing on a stalk of grass.
"Well Letha, hell of a time for the Sheriff Benhovy to be outta town," the grass-chewer says to his partner. "Not even sure where to get started on investigating this."
"Could ask Hunclay," Letha answers as she throws a thumb over her shoulder, pointing at a squat manor house that sits very near the base of the collapsed tower.
"Sounds dangerous. 'Sides, not every building collapse is caused by a wizard." He spits out his stem of grass and shakes his head.
Dawn trots up to the locals. "Hello there! We couldn't help but notice your fancy tower seems to have fallen down. Mind if we take a look? We happen to be adventurers of some skill and experience!"
"Oh, nice to meet 'cha. I'm Deputy Letha and this is my cousin, Deputy Varyl." She squints at the groups. "As for helping...well I don't know."
"What harm could it do?" Varyl answers.
"Plenty! You know how the Baroness is about that old place." He pauses. "Well, I guess how she was about it."
Lucius doesn't have the ability to manipulate words or people to his bidding, so he simply nods along with deputies. "Deputy Letha, Deputy Varyl, we understand this is a delicate matter, especially with the Baroness' sentiments about the place. However, given the Sheriff is out of town and you're a bit short-handed, perhaps we can be of service. We have skills that may prove useful in investigating what happened here. Tettia over here has agreed to lend her expertise in analysis; she's a fellow magic specialist. Certainly, she'll tell us whether or not a wizard caused the collapse, won't you Tettia?"
To her fellow students great frustration, Tettia's instructors at the Academy seemed to take great pleasure in surprise quizzes. Tettia, on the other hand, always rose to the challenge - another reason her fellow students never seemed to warm to her.
It only takes a moment before she switches to analysis mode and the shift is palpable. Gone is the insecurity and shyness she'd displayed earlier and in its place was a hunger for information and a desire to prove herself a master of the given subject.
"It should be relatively easy to determine if the damage was caused by arcane energies," she replies, pulling a journal and stylus from her sealskin backpack. "Whether the energies were the result of an actual wizard as opposed to a sorcerer, a magus, or even divine energies will take a little more effort and study."
Without waiting for permission, she turns and begins approaching the ruined building, quickly casting a simple spell to enable her to examine the various energies fluttering about.
Jaidu approaches the gathered crowd with a grin on his bronze-scaled snout. The Kobold ducks under expressively swinging arms, through nervously awkwardly positioned legs and around suddenly displaced tower debris.
Greetings good townsfolk! Never fear for we have arrived to officially investigate this terrible occurrence!
Jaidu steps directly up to the two deputies, smiles and shakes their ands.
Pleasure to be working with you fine officially licensed deputies. Deputy Letha and this is my cousin, Deputy Varyl, I am Jaidu. And tower collapse happens to be our specialty. Quickthinking calling us in.
Not waiting for any response, he also approaches the outer rim of the collapse to search out any egress.
Tettie doesn't detect any lingering magical energies in the rubble, so far.
The crowd parts for Jaidu, and you can hear whispers about kobolds among the townsfolk. They don't sound exactly friendly, but no one is gathering torches and pitchforks.
As you approach the remains of the tower, you see that entering the ruined building may prove more difficult than it first appears. Though the tower’s ancient iron front door remains in place, a quick check shows that rubble blocking it from the other side prevents anyone from using it to enter the tower.
An enormous heap of cracked stone and splintered wood from the tower lies in a low mound tumbled partially down the hill on its southeast side. The mound of rubble forms a natural ramp that leads up to the now-exposed second floor of the tower above.
Rising Dawn realizes that the bulk of the tower seems to have crumbled into a sinkhole (although from this vantage point it’s impossible to tell how much of the basement survived). Second, the rubble is unstable, and could shift if not traversed carefully.
As he stands before the wreckage, Lucius takes a moment to close his eyes and attune himself to the land. He senses the instability in the ground beneath the rubble and the latent energy from the recent landslide. The very stones and soil speak to him, revealing their stories, their pain, and their current state.
With a determined look, Lucius approaches the rubble ramp. He places his hands on the ground, channeling his elemental power to stabilize the area momentarily, expanding some of the larger pieces of rubble to create more surface area to walk on.
Turning to his companions, Lucius says, "The earth here is wounded and unstable. We should proceed with caution. I can make our path safer, but only for short durations. We must be quick and vigilant."
”Nice!” Dawn remarks as Lucius creates an easier path. She clambers up, then raises her shield as she leads the way forward.
Tettia frowns as what Lucius is doing changes the conditions of the test before she's managed to gather all the information she can. She doesn't argue, though, assuming that he knows more about such things as structural stability.
Lucius expands some of the rocks in the rubble into flagstones, making it trivial to climb up the hill.
The top of the pile opens into the damaged second floor of the tower. Open to the sky above, this exposed upper floor contains only some smashed furniture and a sprinkling of rubble. A trap door is set in the floor against the northwest wall, but a stout timber has fallen across it.
The wooden beam is easily moved, allowing you to open a trapdoor into the ground floor of the tower. Those of you who can see in the dark and dim observe that the tower’s large ground floor has mostly collapsed under
the rubble, but along the western portion of the room a section remains clear of debris. An iron trap door set in the floor is directly below you.
Shattered wooden furniture lies scattered around the corpses of two small, green-scaled kobolds.
Jaidu smiles, clapping as he watches the excellent engineering endeavors by Lucius!
I could of used you for this delicate under bridge job last month.
Easily accessing the upper floors recent decor change, the bronze-scaled Kobold glances over to the blocked door.
Anyone got a crowbar?
Smiling at the athletic skill possessed by the others, the Kobold peers down into the egress.
Dead Kobolds. Trust them idiots to collapse a tower trying to get into it from under it. Idiots.
The roguish Cleric smiles.
I can get us down easy enough if we want to back track them?
"Aye, down we go! Make sure there aren't any more of them lurking about," Dawn agrees.
Jaidu: Search
Lucius: Scout
Rising Dawn: Defend
Tettie: Detect Magic
Jaidu jimmies open the trapdoor that leads into the dark basement of the tower. The walls of the chamber you find yourselves in have buckled precariously in several places, and masonry and dirt are scattered across the floor—the collapse above plainly caused this structural damage. The
dry-rotted frames of five simple beds lie against the north and south walls. To the southwest, the room broadens into a larger chamber. A rusted, grinning iron statue stands in an alcove in the north wall between the two wings of the room itself, and in the wall to the south is an old iron door.
As you enter the room, Lucius spots three centipedes of unusual size creeping out of the rubble. He manages to give the group a bit of a warning before the hungry creatures attack, hoping to augment their meager diet of rat with something more substantial.
~+~Combat Round 1~+~
Rising Dawn
Tettie
Jaidu
Lucius
Red
Blue
Green