"If you wouldn't mind my potentially using some of the events that occur, with names change or what have you of course..I wouldn't mind helping myself." I say as I hold tightly on to a pen tucked away in my pocket, not even sure where to begin taking notes.
I look around for any other clues while waiting for the next development.
No new developments seem to be forthcoming at the grave and after a little more speculation and handwringing, Father Zantus departs back into the Cathedral. His exit seems to be the end of the party.
Sheriff Hemlock seems deep in thought, but just before going his way, he says, "I need to gather some information and find out what is going on with the goblins, but each of you, rest assured," he grins wryly, "I will call on you if I think you can help."
some minutes later, in the square next to the Cathedral...
Aldern Foxglove, walking resolutely towards the White Deer catches sight of Eugen, Kenzo, Rilo, Gyorgy and Magazin as the five are leaving the cemetery.
"Just the fellows I wanted to see," he exclaims, "I'm staying down at the Rusty Dragon but I understood some of you had rooms at the White Deer. We made quite a team last night didn't we?"
"I know Shayliss was quite taken with some of you. Felt that she owed you her life, she did. I imagine her old man might have a few words of thanks on her behalf himself..."
"Anyway, the point is...I wanted to show you that I appreciated your efforts on behalf of the town. Being a man of some small means," he says with false humility, "I thought that perhaps I could be one of the first to reward you in a tangible fashion. ...Gave it a lot of thought last night... Have any of you ever been hunting?"
after a moment of stunned silence...
"Erm, hi - Aldern, is it?"
"My name's Gyorgy, and um, I can honestly say that I spent more time running about going; "Aargh, Goblins!" than anything else; but, erm, thankyou."
"I've never really been hunting though." Gyorgy turns to the rest of the group; "Any of you guys like hunting?"
"Hi, my name's Eugen," I say, trying to remember if I introduced myself the previous night, " I'm no great huntsman, but I'd be happy for the experience. What do you propose?"
Aldern replies, "I have another day to spend in this lovely community before I have to run back to Magnimar, I have a townhouse there, and take care of some of my many business interests. But I thought I might finance a little expedition to Tickwood. It was something i was planning anyway but rather than invite a bunch of stuffy conceited nobles by birth I would rather spend the time with some men of noble hearts and worthy deeds."
" 'spose that wouldn't be a bad idea, I'm sure we would enjoy it..that is if the town here doesn't need more help from us."
" 'spose that wouldn't be a bad idea, I'm sure we would enjoy it..that is if the town here doesn't need more help from us."
"Oh now, we just did what we needed to. Remember we were in the town too.. whatever was happening was bound to happen to us as well!" rilo looks at the group around him wondering of their responses to being called heroes.
"Well," says Aldern pleased, "that's two willing to go. What say you other three? I promise you the best time that money can buy!"
"A hunting trip sounds like something I could do" I smile, "That makes three of us"
I look to the last two.
Kenzo is quiet for a few moments before responding, "Although I'm not a hunter, my monastic training currently dictates that I experience what the world has to offer. It would also be a welcome chance to learn more about my new friends, so please, count me in."
Gyorgy gives a shrug, but there's a smile on his face; "Well, if everyone's going..."
Kenzo
Aldern smiles broadly upon hearing Gyorgy's answer. "Excellent. Excellent. Tomorrow morning then, at the stables next to the Rusty Dragon. If you have your own arms, bring them, especially spears. We'll make a day of it. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go see about beaters for the occassion."
With a jaunty wave, Aldern turns and heads briskly down the hill, whistling a cheerful tune.
"spears? maybe we should get some equipment eh?"
"spears? maybe we should get some equipment eh?"
Kenzo turns to Rilo and says, "Spears? Spears? . . . Oh. I thought he said beers. huh. By the way, whatsa beater?"
I spend the day purchasing a spear and try to see if I can convince a cleric to heal me up the rest of the ways with the *coff*ahem* hint that I'll be a more effective protector of the town if I no longer start bleeding again when I stretch a little too much. Also I just generally try to socialize and keep a medium profile around town with my ears open to rumors and allegations of who or what is behind the goblin infestation.
Once Aldern has gone, but before everyone drifts off I pipe up; "It seems silly to have shaken swords with men, but not broken bread with them... How would you all feel about eating together this evening? I can heartily recommend the cooking at the Rusty Dragon."
The rest of the day may be spent however the characters want.
Kenzo
Eugen
Gyorgy
"Hi," she says quite cheerily, "You were with that Eugen last night, weren't you? Do you know him? Would you tell him that my father wanted to give him a reward and he should stop by the general store sometime? Thanks!" Then with a bounce and a flounce of her hair, she is gone.
Once Aldern has gone, but before everyone drifts off I pipe up; "It seems silly to have shaken swords with men, but not broken bread with them... How would you all feel about eating together this evening? I can heartily recommend the cooking at the Rusty Dragon."
Kenzo agrees to meet up with his new friends for dinner, and then quickly rushes off to the House of Blue Stones to see Sabyl.
Sabyl seems happy to see Kenzo, smiling broadly when he walks into her house. She soon brings her smile under control and is back to her normal somber self, yet still she seems eager to hear what Kenzo has to say about his adventures.
Kenzo is happy to see Sabyl, and spends a good part of the day talking with her about what has transpired. They discuss both the larger context of the goblin attack and the impact it has had on the town, as well as Kenzo's own actions. They also spend some time in meditation, and they review the techniques he used and their application.
Finally, exhausted both physically and mentally, and happy to turn his attention to other matters, he joins his friends at the Rusty Dragon for dinner.
I make a 1gp donation to cathedral anyway and thank Father Zantus for the kind assistance. I agree heartily to dinner, and spend my free time during the day finding someplace to practice and practicing with the short spear to refresh myself on its use.
Rove 25, Toilday
The sun rises brighter on the 25th, there are less clouds, it seems in the sky. All Moonday, each of you had many people stop and thank you on the streets for the help you gave to Sandpoint on Sunday. Its hard not to be optimistic when everyone seems so pleased with you.
Aldern Foxglove is waiting by the Goblin Crush stables (38) when you arrive with Daverin Hosk, the proprieter of the stables. A group of about a dozen men stand with him, each holding the reins of a small pony. Some of them have staves, a few have drums. Almost all of them have a club and shortspear. Tied to posts in front of the stables are about ten horses of varying shades and colors. They are all light horses but each one is young and in good health.
As you arrive Aldern smiles. “Pick a horse,” he says, “and then get some tack. Pick any horse you like. Most of them don’t have names yet and it wouldn’t hurt for you to give yours one.”
I pick out a fairly placid Chestnut Skewbald; "Hello Zampa"
I take a dappled gray mare and name it 'Bear'. Bear is vigorous and obedient.
Rilo also choose another chestnut horse, resting his hand on her for a few moments "Hello Ambellina."
Kenzo walks among the horses, petting them and looking in their eyes before he settles on a lightly colored palomino that he names Luna, after the moon.
"And what about you, good priest?" Aldern asks Magazin.
Daverin Hosk gives Magazin a white mare, a sturdy young horse of an easy disposition.
"The rest of these men will be our beater's," says Aldern, "I've employed them for the day."
Mounting his own horse, a heavy riding horse with a brown coat, Aldern smiles and waves the men to mount their own mules and ponies.
Kenzo mounts up, eager to get going and enjoy the day.
Just north of Sandpoint, the Lost Coast Road turns eastward, following the coast. North of the road, sometimes just over the next hill, sometimes in plain sight, the ocean surfs crash upon the mile or more of beach. To the south, rising up above the road are a series of rocky crags, identified by several of the mounted beaters as Ravenroost.
Tickwood, a dense copse of trees, about two miles long (east to west) and a quarter to a half a mile thick, is just east and south of Ravenroost about two miles from town. When the intrepid hunters arrive at the edge of the woods, the beaters continue down the road to the east. Their job is to march west through the woods, towards the hunters. Rather than march through the woods, they plan on starting at the far eastern edge of the woods.
Aldern, who has talked most of the journey, mostly about his wealth and his townhouse in Magnimar, smiles broadly. "It's a beautiful day for this, is it not?" Indeed, the sun shines bright but the heat of summer is already passing into memory.
"Yes, quite lovely."
"The beaters will drive the animals our way," says Aldern, "What we want to do is pick a good spot and wait for the hunt to come to us. We'll want to be spread out so they won't go around us. The trick is to pick a path you think the animals will follow."
"We probably want to be within earshot of each other. I'll take the northern point. Won't have to walk as far then, eh?" He chuckles.
Dismounting, Aldern tethers his horse to a tree.
"Off with each of you then..."
I tether my horse (whose first name I've decided is Brier) next to Aldern's and take the northeast corner.
I tether my horse as well and try to set myself in the middle of the line.
Kenzo tethers his horse and takes the third spot, with someone between him and Aldern.
As everyone tethers their horses and makes ready to take their places, Kenzo looks around and shyly says, "So, uh, please excuse my ignorance, but, ummm, what exactly is it we're hunting? I take it it's not more goblins, right?"
Aldern laughs.
"Ha. Did I not tell you? We're hunting boars. Nasty vicious brutes with very sharp tusks. But they make excellent roasts. That's the whole point of a spear. The boar sees you. You set your spear and recieve its charge. Make sure to get it on the first try or you're likely to get ripped open. Of course help shouldn't ever be too far off if we remain close enough to each other."
This is supposed to be fun? Kenzo thinks, I already got ripped open yesterday
Gyorgy blanches a little at Aldern's words about Boars. He will be looking for a spot that boars won't go to/cannot reach...
Gyorgy blanches a little at Aldern's words about Boars. He will be looking for a spot that boars won't go to/cannot reach...
Aldern is positioned furthest north. Eugen is just south of him and a little east. Next is Kenzo, on the crest of a hill where he can just see Eugen. Further south is Magazin and then Gyorgy with Rilo being left with the southernmost point.
A chill wind begins to blow from the north as the six men wait.
After about an hour of sitting, doing nothing, drums and horns can dimly be heard blowing from the east.
Gyorgy's familiar takes wing; "See any boars up there Lim?"
Eugen is busy trying to spin up new stories to tell his horse and trying to figure out what kind of food it is he's craving, but can't get the idea of gamey boar meat out of his head.
maybe it is just boar meat... no... some kind of mixture, covered with that sharp cheese from up north...
Although not really interested in hunting, Kenzo's not really interested in being gored either.
While things are quiet Kenzo tries some active meditation, trying to expand his senses and completely immerse himself in his surroundings.
Magazin is trying to stay aware of where everyone else is in case the boar wins the hunt.
Eugen
Kenzo
Magazin
Gyorgy
A moment later and movement to the north catches his eye. There are some rather large creatures moving just on the other side of some large leafed bushes, deer perhaps, about fifty yards from Magazin. Gyorgy strains to get a better view of the animals and then he catches a glimpse of something red, moving along the ground on the crest of a hill to the east of him.
Rilo
at the sound of the loud squeal i snap out of my revery. i ready my spear for the unknown and squint into the undergrowth. 'it's hard to see anything.' i think to myself. 'lots of pigs though, maybe we should just kill one of the pigs. i bet the boar's going to be all musky.'
I admire my new spear for a few seconds whilst wondering; "I hvae no idea what to do with this thing. I'm just standing ina meadow, waiting to be gored."
Then I decide to do something instead...