Tarram Shimmerman pleas with the party to let them go, "I know the way. This broom is large enough for us. I will save it for you back at Shimmerman's Fortune."
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"What? Sage oil, from processed sage of course. We would need a large supply of sage. Mountain Sage grows wild and abundantly nears Shimmerman's Fortune along the southeast ridge. It is a dry region along the plateau. Sage seems to like it there. The mountains around here maybe too high and too cold to grow Sage. But I will say that these fleas are far worse than the variety we deal with back home. I would not want to infest the village with these vermin. But then again, I really would like to get home. These fleas are better than giants," Tarram Shimmerman says with a bit of a country lilt.
The Villagers have been infested with these fleas. "Yes, these fleas leave large welts. Back home we use Sage Oil to repel the fleas," Tarram Shimmeran scratches as much as a need to scratch as just thinking about it.
Tarram will look at Leira, "Unfortunately, I don't recall much about the dragon, except it's big claws."
Looking at Ruby's Champions with a bit of bewilderment, "On our own?" Cerrina will say. "Yes. I suppose we can." She can't help but feel a twinge of fear racing through her mind and body. The other captives look at each other with a degree of uncertainty. "We understand," Guthrie says. "If I were with the others, I would want to be rescued too." He looks down at his now bare feet, then looks up, "Thank you for rescuing us." They all once again thank Ruby's Champions for their rescue.
Cerrina will respond, "I am not sure. Several hours at least. The Ogres split up back in town."
The third woman is named Cerrina, "There was another group of Ogres ahead of us. They had Alderman Shinnerman, and about six others. They did not look good. We were taken at different times. I was taken last near the village. Cara and the men are all prospectors. They were taken along the river at different times. Cara had been with them the longest, nearly two days. None of us knew the fellow in the fire. We think he was just passing through the area. Poor fella. "
The second Ogre succumbs to its injuries and dies. Both the first Greatsword wielding first Ogre, and the third Ogre stabilize.
As healing energies courses through both the party and the Villagers, sighs of relief can be heard. With her leg bone set, the hardy young woman, named Cara, asks "Who are you?" A middle-aged bearded man, a miner named Guthrie, looks intently at the party, "I believe they are Ruby's Champions." A woman with a tattered scarf barely hanging on her head, named Sarai, explaims, "Ruby's Champions! A more clean shaven old man, named Oscar, nods his head, " Did you see how quickly they took down those Ogres. Only veterans could do such. And there are not many veterans in these parts."
Though relieved by their rescue, the villagers are still in a state of shock. "We could not understand what they were saying," one of the men speaks up. Another one of the men, "We don't know where we were being taken. There were other villagers taken before us. But we do not know what happened to them." "They are likely dead, one of the women calls out. "We would have all been dead ourselves within a day." She looks at the villager still roasting on the fire. She begins to shiver and cry. Darkness begins to dominate the light as night approaches.
The villagers let out cheers when the last Ogre falls. They are very grateful for their rescue. But they are in bad shape. One was walking on a broken leg. Two had broken ribs. Another a broken arm. The one with the broken leg is a scrawny lass with well cropped hair. She had other internal injuries as well. She is a hardy young woman, and willed herself to stay alive. "I may be pretty hurt," she says. "The pain is keeping me alive. I thought as long as I feel the pain, then death has not taken me."
The other older woman responds to Leira, "Her name is Abria. I can't thank you enough for rescuing her. We have seen so much lost this day." "Please take this," the woman shoves a silver cloak clasp in the shape of an arrow into Leira's hand.
Back at the Inn, the proprietor takes in what Flynn says. His eyes widens when he hears the Heroes of Sandpoint, "Heroes of Sandpoint. I have heard rumors of you. Something about killing a bunch of Hobgoblins raiding along the coast."
The proprietor perks up a bit, then gives the party another look, "You don't look like the Magnimar Guard. If what you say is true, then you should visit the Temple."
"The Black Arrows are Rangers. For decades they have been the defenders in these parts, protecting the area from the unsettled regions to the north. Their base is north of here at Fort Rannick. But we have not seen them in weeks," the proprietor pauses. "Our Mayor, he is also the Pastor at the Temple, sent word to Magnimar for help." He then sighs, "I don't know much about the sinking of the Paradise.
"I can only guess about the hunters and trappers. Wild creatures, cougars, bears and boars have been seen closer to town. It is said they have been driven from their hunting grounds by Ogres and Trolls. I suspect many of these hunters and trappers have succumbed to the wild or fallen prey to the Ogres and Trolls. As to the Paradise, it was a gambling barge, where drinks flowed freely as I have heard. I never went to it. I work too hard for my coin to give it away to some red headed vixen," the proprietor offers what he knows.
The proprietor will look at the two coins a bit confused. He shrugs, then picks the coins up, "Times are tough. What do you want to know?"
The man looks at the Cleric ,"As I said, business is slow. First the trappers and the hunters stop showing up, and now the Black Arrows have not been seen in weeks. Then there is this blasted rain. The only good thing that has happened around here of late is about a month ago that floating palace of sin burned and sank to the bottom of Claybottom Lake. Good riddance, I say."
"Its included. They too are around back," the man replies to Brandark.
The innkeeper sighs looking at the party of six, "Three rooms for twelve gold pieces."
"Times have been tough. We have had few customers of late. And now with all this rain, my Inn could become flooded. Do you want a room or not? It doesn't come with meals. You will need to go to the tavern for that. We do have a room off the back for you to bathe. It is fed by a warm spring," the man says rather matter-of-factly.
"Hmmmph, there is only one inn," he points to a building across the commons, not far from the piers.
The boatman looks at Stone, "Hmmph!" He ties the boat off at the pier.
The pilot of the boat is a middle-aged weathered human. He has a dour disposition, "Captain, hmmph! Is there anything interesting going on, hmmph? Not anymore, hmmph." |