[D&D 5E] Securing the Alliance: An Adventure in Tethyr (IC)

[This Effin’ GM]

Gnorth made his way to the stables, considering the current mission. An espionage story, for sure, though whether tales of this would be told in taverns in the coming years, Gnorth did not know. He chuckled to himself, remembering that what he and the others did, they did for the good of the realm and Queenie, not for the glory. Glory may or may not come, his father had told him, but the work must always be done.

His flask was seeming a little dry. One sip or so left in it, he had forgotten after the confrontation (misunderstanding, really) with the dwarves to top it off. Nice fellows, really, once some sense had been knocked into them. Gnorth pulled out the flask and was about to take a swig, when he heard Castilo from near the stables. Good kid, that Costilo.

"For you, Dead eyes," Gnorth headed towards him, using a strange term he had learned for expert marksmen, "a thousand sips." He offered his flask out, while turning to the others. "No horse, no problem? Me used to walking."

 

[Egon]

Boddynock had always had a problem keeping up with the long-shanks of the world. His little legs would only carry him so fast, and it seemed he was outpaced everywhere he went. Even now, when Rowena had indicated that they would all travel together, it seemed that everyone had left without him. And to most normal people, this would be seen as an insult. An outrage. You shouldn't just leave people behind. But Boddynock...

Now where did I put that screwdriver...

He didn't even notice that he was the last one in the room until well after everyone else left. So enamored in his own thoughts that he rarely recognized when nobody else was around. There were even times when he was carrying on a conversation with people who hadn't even bothered to tell him that they were done listening! The life of someone buried in their work can oftentimes be most lonely.

When he did finally realize that he was alone, he just kind of shrugged his shoulders and searched his memory for where everyone might have gone. He remembered someone mentioning mounts...or horses...or mounted plaques...or something along those lines. So he headed for the stables to see if that was where everyone went. He arrived there just as Brue was asking where he had gone off to.

"I'm here...I'm here. Sorry, I got lost in my own thoughts. Again. See, I've got this idea for how to keep things from rolling around when you place them on shelves. It starts with anchoring a few planks into place on the underside of the shelf..."

He was babbling. And talking on about his profession. Again. He had a habit of doing that; he knew it was annoying, but he just kept on. Eventually he stopped talking and started listening to the conversation around him.

 

[hafrogman]

Lorenzo nods his greetings to the gnome.

"Boddynock."

Then he continues, pointing around the group, as if counting off.

"Corilo, Gnorth, Brue ... and me!" he ends with a smile, "That's all of us it seems. No worries about the horse, Gnorth, if Corilo rides Andal, then Joté can probably take the rest of us in the cart. Just don't eat too much for lunch, eh? He's not as young as he used to be. Nor am I, come to think of it. Oh yeah, what was it you wanted to say, Brue?"

 

[Egon]

When Lorenzo uses his given name, Boddynock just holds his hands up for a moment.

"No need to be so formal. You can just call me Schepp."

 

[Olrox17]

"Thanks Gnorth, nothing beats a stiff drink, am I right?" Corilo opened Gnorth's flask and took a quick sip, taking care not to empty the flask completely. He cringed for a moment "Uh, wow. This stuff is pretty strong. Is it dwarven?"

 

[This Effin’ GM]

"Dwarf god's blood in your belly!"Gnorth responds, taking the flask and finishing the rest. A firm believer in you never sip alone, Gnorth was happier to find a kinship with the marksman than he was to hoard booze. "Picked up along the trade route, looking to get me more when I can." The half orc then pocketed the empty flask and turned to the rest who had gathered.

"Alright, no brew Brue," he teased the seemingly tempermental woman, "Whachoo got for us?"

 

[CanadienneBacon]

"Boddynock."

Brue flinched.

Moments later, when the gnome said he'd prefer to be called Schepp, Brue let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. At least she wouldn't be expected to call him Boddynock. A relief, that. Brue looked at Gnorth, Corilo, and Lorenzo, Corilo, gesturing for them to come a bit closer. She didn't look at or address Schepp, but she pointedly moved to the side to make room for him. "Rowena left out bits and bobs. I'm the 'diplomat.'" Someone snorted in disdain, prompting Brue to look up and frown before continuing, "...as I was saying, I'm the 'diplomat' Rowena sent with the treaty to the Wealdath. I delivered it as promised the Elves, picked up their ceremonial staff, and was enroute back to Kirgard when I was set upon."

She scrubbed at her ear. "Can't for the life of me think why Her Majesty chose a sword and board fighter for that job, except I'm of a heritage outside the norm; perhaps she thought there'd be less exception taken to the likes me, purely for the shade of my skin. Well, anyway. It turned out to be a bad job all around. I must've taken a hard knock to the head; I woke up at the Temple of Waukeen in Mosstone, and don't recall my assailants. Or where I was accosted, even."

Brue frowned again. "I'm no diplomat. I kill things, that's my trade. Look, I don't know why in the Realms Rowena thought she needed to leave off that tidbit, but if it were me being asked to take a jaunt to Port Kir to fetch and carry, I'd want to know the company I was asked to keep." The earth genasi paused. "One more thing. My memory's no good since the bump on the head." She snorted at Lorenzo in a friendly way, shooting the cleric a grin. "Not that it was much to begin with. But it's worse now."

 

[This Effin’ GM]

"Well I also be doubting shes the Secretary of Aggravated Culture," Gnorth paused to see if anyone caught the joke but then thought better of it, as his language skills probably would mess it up anyway, "but it would seem to me that they expected aomething of the like to happen and figured you may be better suited to fending off the thieves, eh?"

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Brue quirked an eyebrow at Gnorth, uncertain whether he was in earnest or joshing. "Agriculture," she corrected in a monotone. She shrugged. The half orc was an oddity. Given a day or two on the trade route, she'd make it a point to engage him in conversation.

OOC: Yup. She's a brick.

 

[hafrogman]

Lorenzo listen idly as Brue fills them in on the details Rowena 'neglected' to provide. The head blow could certainly explain a lot of Brue's more ... eccentric recent behavior. Good thing he's here to keep an eye on her. He gives her a mock glower.

"Waking up in strange temples is a bad habit of yours, girl. But I think Gnorth here has the right of it. They sent a warrior because they expected trouble. Problem is, you found more than your share of it. Someone wanted to cause trouble enough to commit themselves to a full out assault on you. Only problem is, they didn't succeed, so now we have an opening, and you have us."