" I think both Terion and our Kardin could probably handle whatever we face, but the wizard may be helpful to support Jairdan. Unless someone has issue with arcane, it should not cause the Goddess any offense, so really it just matters how thin we wish to spread our earnings. With Freya that makes.. six of us correct, for how much coin again?" Herala focuses some as they walk, but she clearly was of the opinion to go and wait. What was the good of gold if they had to split it so much they did not have enough to live on? When was their next adventure anyways after this? There was no guarantee they would live.
" Terion, why didn't you tell me she had a crush on me for all these years?!" Herala whispers, a bit panicked as ideas swirl through her head. What else has she missed reading books?!
"Well, I am as surprised as you are Herala - had no idea Freya harbored such feelings for you" - he smiled.
As they went along, he listened to the group's conversation about the members they have been trying to recruit - "I agree a Wizard would be a great addition to your group, but don't think we have discussed any payment so far, have we?" - he commented - "Shall we discuss it now? For me, if they are supposed to pull their own weight, I think they should get equal shares"
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As you make your way back through town.you pass Symth the smith hammering out a set of horseshoes. The mixture of forge smell.and food hit you all stirring the fact you havent yet eaten.
Standing at the sign of the Welcome.Wench is a well armed and armored Elmo. A shiney Battle Axe, Chain mail under an old tabard and a well made shield with its own heraldic symbol to match the tabard.
Freya has yet to arrive but its only been about half an hour. Elmo waves a big goofy grin on his face.
" Welcome back!"
"Elmo, good to have you with us" - Terion says with a warm nod - "Those colors - Lord Winters' crest, isn't it?" - he looks at Elmo, a slight tilt of curiosity in his brow, wondering about the connection between the man and the noble house.
"As for us, we're wrapping up our recruitment and about to grab some food. Why don't you come along?" - Terion gestures invitingly - "And on the topic of company, do you know anyone versed in the healing arts here in Hommlet? A healer's touch could make all the difference for us out there"
The growing fatigue did not stop Jaridan from bumping shoulders with Herala and giving her a slightly amused, slightly intrigued look, giving a gesture back over their shoulders at what likely had been quite the exchange. They did not pry, but that slight smirk did not vanish from their face, even as they got back to town.
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"You might be right Boram" - Terion nodded, as they walked into the tavern - "Five or ten gold sounds fair, and covering spell components for the wizard is a good call too. I mean, we need them to be at their best, right? I am just not very experienced at this whole thing of hiring others. Elmo, what do you think would be a fair reward for accompanying us?"
He glanced around the bustling tavern, eyes scanning for the wizard they had spotted earlier - "And please, if you know a young healer who can help keep us patched up, that'd be great" - he added to Elmo also.
After a few moments of shared gossip with Jairdan about the past and how she was probably blind to how Freya had always looked at her, she had missed some of the talks the rest had on the splitting of the gold. This caused her to ask when it came up " A healer? I can somewhat heal, that is something most all priestess can do, so do we need to risk exposure of someone young to this? At least with Freya and Elmo both have experience. I mean I don't have much, but I did get some on the trek here. How old is she Elmo? Can she arm herself?" Herala questions upon hearing this news.
Herala would then take a seat at the table with Elmo, ordering a tea, given they still had none of the coffee yet she preferred. Life in the small town was certainly less exciting, or had been growing up, but maybe she can get some of the small luxuries moved here. She was after all going to maybe be married. A strange thought, given she had always thought Freya disliked her. After a few moments, and awaiting a lull in the conversation, she would quietly ask Elmo, given he may have overheard something her friends had not, " Elmo, has anyone said anything of my parents? I know I've been gone a long time, but you may remember something of them, maybe? Who they were? Maybe one of the older soldiers you fought with?"
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The large rotund man comes over. He smiles and tells you the various dishes. Most local fish, a variety of cheeses, some duck, goose, and chicken, with pork, goat ans sheep dishes.
The current staple is a thick barley and pork stew with carrots, potatoes, and a thick cheese. The bread is a rye that is strangely marbled. Other dishes include a Duck dish smothered in a wildberry suave ouver steamed greens. A Fowl Platter with Duck, Goose and Chicken over rice and peas smothered in a rich gravy. Pork bowls of rice, vegatables with a couple eggs ceacked over them. A Gish Stew, Fresh Fish with Vegatables as qell as roast pork. A pork belly or goat with roasted potatoes.
After you order a familiar face enters the establishment. Freya has her long hair back in a set of braids. Her body is covered in a brigandine of brown and green plates. On her right hip is a cleaver like Axe that gleams a strange bluish hew. After that is a skirt of forest green. Under her right arm is a shiney helmet and on her back is clearly a bow and a round wooden shield. The gear though used is well cared for.
As she scans the room she lights up seeinf Herala and comes over. She pulls a chair out and aits next to the priestess. She sets her helmet and pack under the table in front of her feet. She places her hand on Heralas knee patting it gingerly before she slips her gauntlets off and puts them in her money pouch.
" Hello, gorgeous, did you get order already? If not how about we get a couple meads and get us some pork bowls." She says to Herala and then when done greeting her looks up and scoffs.
" Elmo"
Elmo just looks at Freya and then at the others. His face is generally shocked as are other locals who seem shocked at the appearance of the tall blonde.
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After the shock of Freya Elmo coughs and shakes his head." No not that I herd Sister um er Herala. I can ask around.. " he lets it fall off as he blinks and takes a drink.
" Question How...why...I mean Freya, How?" He says as he looks.at every one then looks away at Freya.
" That is between me and thrm Elmo" Freya says with a slight glare then laughs.
" Lets try to do our best for the group. I know we can we are professionals after all. And well as a hopefully soon to be wife of Herala, I apologize for sobering you up buy throwing you in the river" she says earnestly.
Terion found a seat at the table with the others. "So Elmo, any idea what the going rate for adventurers is around here?"
Listening to the conversation about the potential young healer, Terion nodded at Herala's concerns - "Herala makes a good point. If she's too young or inexperienced, it might not be the best idea to bring her along. But if she's got the skills and can handle herself, we could really use the extra healing."
He then turned his attention to Simeon with a smile - "I'll go with the barley and pork stew, and some of that marbled rye bread, please."
As Freya entered and joined them, Terion grinned, giving a slight nod of approval at her well-maintained gear - "Freya, glad you could join us. Sounds like you've got quite the story. And don't worry about Elmo; I'm sure he'll survive the dunking." - he chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.
"Let's focus on the task ahead. We've got a good team here, and with Freya and maybe this young healer, we'll be even better prepared."
Herala blushes as Freya comes in, the cleric much less sure of herself than the warrior woman. But it was clear she didn't object to it, given her own options had somewhat been limited to start with. She does liven up a bit at the mention of the mead, saying " That does sound like a good combination. I often wondered about mead, but it seems popular around here. I remember one time that Terion got hold of some when he was... I think 10. He got sick everywhere, and was talking quiet strangely about how the sister was not that bad looking. I do not have that fond of a memory of her."
She does seem to enjoy the time spent with her new friends and girlfriend, fiancee, fiance, whatever Freya was to her now. She certainly was not a childhood bully though, that was clear. But when the topic of the younger woman comes up, she says clearly, " I have no issue with her coming, but again, we are experienced at least to some degree. I may not have killed many things, but I have had to heal and stabilize a few dying or almost dead people back during training. What is the worst she had to deal with? A broken arm? We must be careful with what she sees."
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Elmo nods. " Its Dawn she is 14 and seems to be a membee od the Green Faith. She can use Druidic magics"
" Her Da is old but we can convience him to take her with us. I think" he says as he reaches up and scratches his beard.
As he does food begins to come out. Food is a gold, drink a gold. Save bread, and cheese its only three silvers.
"14..." - Terion hesitated - "Isn't that too young Boram? I am not sure I am comfortable with taking a 14 year old girl with us"
"I will not stop you if you want to go ahead and try to convince her father" - Terion reiterates - "But my vote is not to take her"
"I was sent away to study at 14 as well remember Terion. I can not say it is our place to restrict her, her father better can. Freya, when did you start doing trapping and other things? Perhaps it is time for her. I will be against her rushing into danger and opening doors first, but as far as her joining... I suppose I must vote she come if she can help. Her magic is different from mine, but I also vote she stays in the back." Herala seems to not be completely convinced of the druid going, but she also was not given a choice at 14, which Terion and Jaer might recall. Given all three had known she would go to study at a larger church after she showed a talent for magic, the being dragged away from friends and frankly family had left a scar not easily forgotten.
Thoughtful, there were several blinks as their expression said that they were considering the amount of people and the undertaking that this might be. The mug of what they had ordered had paused at their chin, and it got set down slowly as the expressions that got made practically gave away the debate. Finally, after a short sigh and a somewhat stoic look, a gesture was made towards Herala, nodding twice and giving a thumbs-up with that hand. This was something that was not going to be easy, but the more there were, the better the odds, at least.
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"I hear you, Herala, but this feels different" - Terion said - "We’re the ones seeking her out, not restricting her. Dawn's father might need her at home, and at 14, she’s still just a kid"
He looked around at the group, frowning slightly - "I can't believe we’re even considering this. We're talking about risking a young girl's life here. Her magic might be useful, but is it worth the potential cost? Her father’s approval doesn’t change the fact that she’s too young"
Terion sighed and shook his head. "I know you think she can handle it, but I stand by my vote. We shouldn’t take her. We're putting her in harm's way, and that’s something I can’t agree with" - then he took a long drink from his ale.
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" Oh I was raised by my da and uncles to track, trap, hunt and fish." She says eating. It was a refined style od eatinf but not conpletely with out manners.
" Not that it did much for me as a mercenary. Though My cooking skills improved. As did my fighting skills!" She gigfles as she then offers some food from her spoon to Herala.
Elmo nods. " Yeah I can take you too her and her da. He is a bit curmudginly as he is in his 70th fall" the man says as he continues to eat
Herala indulges Freya in the food offered, being polite but also because why not? Freya was not a bad looking woman, and she could do worse, she had seen some people on her path here that made her question the demons people fought. Not everyone was blessed to be good looking, even as many others gathered here where.
" Traps may be something we have to do however. We may be outnumbered, but on the same hand we are going to be careful. Though you have to show me some of those fighting moves. Many different fighting styles existed within the church, though I prefer my mace and crossbow. They are the best thing I have, though I know some of the clergy use shields and maces."
Herala would then follow Elmo out the door when he goes, brushing her hand across Freya's shoulder as she leaves.
Terion finishes his drink, then moves to follow the others.
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Elmo gets up and begins to head towards the door. " He will be more amniable if you get him a bottle of apple Brandy" Elmo states as he continues tk head towards rhe door.
Freya smiles and then Blushes. She though tries ro ait up straight. " Yes, I mean I can do that. Ill even make sure we get you a proper shield!" She then looks down she breaths then laughs.
" If you want I can even upgrade your armor, and I will definitely take measurements" she then laughed again.
”If we had the coin for such.” The dwarf thought to himself. Even with such an offer he was not one to open his mouth, for he’d rather be stabbed than to debase himself by asking for something he hadn’t earned. Still, the tall ones seemed happy, as was their wont. And it seemed as if though their band had grown in size enough. Any more and they might have to register as a small army.
Terion finishes his drink, then moves to follow the others.
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Next to her is Elmos parents and actoss the street is a small wooden house with slate shingles.is Old Herrods home. The second oldest man in the town after your grand father, he is know to be hard working and gruff. He raises chickens and various wheat, potatoes, carrots, onions, beets and turnips. He has had three wives but only two ever bore children. His second wife granted him an older daughter who married some merchant ans left. The thrid wife bote him six kids before she died. His oldest is a daugther named Dawn.
Herrod is also aided by his farm hand Codi. Codi is not well liked, but if he does anything wrong it is know Herrod will cake care of it.
As you gerbon to the property many girls rush in, one usherinf a three year old boy into the house. A tall broad shoulsered man in his thirties appears. He holds a pitchfork and has a very mean faxe that sports a scar. This is Codi. Then a smaller man whonis dark as a prune with well groomed hair and beard of bright white. His head bares a wocen hat and his hand held a hoe. Oddly enough his hip held a long dagger, not long enough to be a short sword but almost one.
The old man places the Hoe on his porch, it leans comforrably in a seemless notch, while he geabs a well.sculpted cane of oak, baring alot of iconography of the goddesses nature aspects." Elmo, Terion, Master Halfling, pray tell what brings ye to me home this work day?"
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' Also was quiet." she added between bites. " Means you could do it without disturbing anyone!!"
After a bit lore food she looks to Kardin. " Arent you one of the Dwarves rhat came with the Stone Mason? But like an engineer instead od a laborer?" The blonde enquires curious about the others lives.
Kardin just grunted and gave a shrug. "Doesn't matter." He muttered. "We're leaving soon." He almost said more but stopped himself. The others were so gleeful in recruiting more and more people to join their expedition. And among them, how many had any actual combat experience? How many sons and daughters would die by the blades of bandits, who actually knew how to fight? It wasn't enough to make him back out, as he did need the gold. And a dark part of his head said that the more that came reduced the amount that he would die, and their deaths wouldn't count towards the split. But he pushed the unworthy thoughts away, only to have the guilt fall back upon him. Looking at the eager woman talking to him, he worried that if he said more then she too would want to come. At least if it was the others who recruited young fools, then the blood wouldn't directly be on his hands.
He pauses, glancing at Boram and Elmo before continuing - "It's not just about whether she can help us. I worry about the risks we are asking her to take. We cannot guarantee her safety in such a perilous undertaking, and as her father, your concern for her well-being must be paramount"
Terion looks directly at Herrod, his expression earnest - "We all value her talents, but I cannot in good conscience support this if it means putting her in harm's way. I urge you to consider what is best for Dawn, and whether this is truly the right path for her at this time"
There was genuine curiosity behind the question, wondering what someone like Freya would enjoy reading. With what she did, that was probably a luxury that was rarely afforded when things were active. Jairdan had a reasonably active imagination, though it was tempered by some of the accounts that had been copied, and passages that had been quoted. It could not have been easy, but it was admirable all the same that it was something that she could do.
Kardin was silent for a moment, as he considered Herala‘a question. At length, he turned to her. ”When I was a wee lad, me father and uncle went off to fight. Orcs were raiding, and a warband was put together as there was a bounty on tusks. I remember how happy they were when they left, talking about what they’d spend their gold on. Even convinced a beardling from the temple to come with them. To heal them, they said. Nah fighting, just patch them up.” The dwarf grimaced before continuing. ”They couldn’t bring back all of that young cleric. The orcs saw to that. I was young, but I remember how the lad’s mother went off on me father. Screaming that he murdered her son with his promises of gold and glory. And me pa? Never quite the same. Never talked about what happened out there and I never asked.” With a sour look on his face he said ”The gold is too good to pass up. But I can’t help but feel like I’m doing exactly what me father did, and that there will be angry parents who’ll be hollering because they will be burying their children when this is done. If we return. So me wisdom? That I don’t know how we will be dealing with this, because none of us has done this before. But the bandits we be hunting? They have. So the best I can say is that we take this seriously and don’t think of it as any kind of glorious adventure. And that for every young fool we rope into this, we do so without any promise of their safety.” He stopped, catching himself, his face flushed behind his beard. ”Me apologies.” He muttered. ”Its just on me mind. If anything I just want to head out right away and get this over with, even though I know preparation is key.” With a sigh he finished by saying ”I need a bloody drink.”
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** spoiler omitted **
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" Nonsense you saved us from a few govlins. You know you can protect people. Ye also know that yer too humble to know otherwise." he laughs as he looks then to the halfling.
" Tell me what are you will'n ta do ta secure me daughter."
" An before ye rebutt me Hero, I can tell ye Dawn is capable. Jus need some experience and guidance. Damned girl has skills needin nurtured that Jaroo and meself cant do" he says then exhales. When he does a cold wet cough happe.s and he then shakes his head.
" Pardon me, got weak lungs. Dawn sais i'd be like this til I get more powerful healing. Which brings me to me ask" he looms at the trio and then storkes his beard.
" I suspect ye got.more then ye three. So how bout ye geoup go get Aunt Agnes. She lays on the way ta the woods. She is a healer, but hasnt been able ta come ta town. I have room fer her, but she seems ta have monster trouble. If ye can take that and escort her back ta town, ye can help me.gurl get steonger. Is that fair?"
It was a proposal and one that is up to you to determine. Wether to secure Dawn via advwnture or not?