Conversations
Once they had all cleaned off the mud, Tilon showed up to escort Ariana to dinner in the tavern. Landin sulked, but Ariana told him he'd have his chance another time and sailed off on Tilon's arm. Aric was also sulking because he was the only one who hadn't won anything in the games, and he couldn't even drown his sorrows because the ale was so awful. Only Atex was cheery as the three guys sat down at a table for supper.
One of Landin's classmates recognized him and stopped by to ask why he hadn't completed his final trials to be formally installed as a paladin of the Order of the Gauntlet. "Did you just run into some bad luck?" Uncomfortably, Landin tried to dodge the questions until Atex helped out by jostling the other guy's mug with mage hand and spilling ale all down his front. He excused himself to go clean up; Landin finally cracked a smile and bought Atex another drink in thanks.
Tilon did his best to make a good impression on Ariana. She listened politely, but secretly was rather bored and kept glancing surreptitiously at Landin. Since she was looking in that direction, she was the first to see Leosin Erlanthar enter the tavern. He exchanged a few words with Ontharr Frume, and the two motioned the PCs to meet them upstairs.
In a meeting room on the second floor, away from the noisy festivities in the taproom, the group reported to Ontharr and Leosin on the recent happenings in Greenest and their findings at the cultists' camp. (Aric also showed them the dragon poetry, which he had kept because he kind of liked it.) Looking at the map, Leosin surmised that the treasure would be transported through Baldur's Gate, because the cultists would find it easy to lose themselves there; who would notice a few more merchants carrying crates? They could even disguise the treasure as another sort of cargo when it left the city.
Leosin now extended an invitation to any of the group who might wish to join the Harpers. Ontharr slapped his hand on the table and told them not to answer until he'd had a chance to make a case for the Order of the Gauntlet. They each described the ideals of their organization. Aric immediately pledged himself to the Order of the Gauntlet, despite thinking they were a little soft on chromatic dragons. Atex and Ariana both liked the sound of the Harpers but wanted to think it over. As a paladin trainee, Landin already was a provisional member of the Order of the Gauntlet, but he wriggled uncomfortably when Ontharr (who had heard by this time that he had not completed the final trial) offered to make sure his membership continued.
As the meeting broke up, Ontharr invited both Aric and Landin to stay the night at a guesthouse belonging to the Order of the Gauntlet. Aric accepted immediately, but Landin just mumbled something. The others went off to rent rooms at the tavern--or, in Ariana's case, to arrange to dance in exchange for room and board.
Landin asked if he could speak with Ontharr privately. He told Ontharr that he was not going to become a paladin and that he was not sure he was worthy to be in the Order of the Gauntlet. When Ontharr asked why, Landin said he was a coward. Ontharr refused to believe it, but Landin insisted it was true. Neither seemed to be able to convince the other, so finally, Ontharr said they should speak more the next day. Landin decided to stay at the tavern with the others that night.
Ontharr walked to the Order of the Gauntlet guesthouse with Aric. Noticing that Ontharr seemed down about something, Aric asked what was troubling him. Ontharr said he feared that Landin was losing his way and asked Aric if he'd ever seen Landin behave in a cowardly fashion. Aric admitted that there had been times when Landin had allowed others to step up in his place. "But he is just a child," Aric continued, "so you can't necessarily blame him." Ontharr sighed that sometimes he forgot what it was like to be so young. But then, he added, when he was Landin's age, he was always ready for a fight.
Meanwhile, Landin was back at the tavern watching Ariana's performance. Later, she came to his room and danced for him privately there. Just a regular dance. But he had pleasant dreams that night.
The Golden Stag
Next morning, Aric awoke just before dawn with a feeling that someone or something was calling to him. The call seemed familiar, reassuring, but he couldn't quite place it. He stepped out of the Order of the Gauntlet's guesthouse into the bright light of Elturel's glowing orb and saw, at the edge of some woods, a flash of gold. He was excited for a moment, but then realized it was an animal of some sort. "Real gold would have been better," he muttered as he walked through the dewy grass toward it.
Just then, the sun peeked over the horizon. A ray struck the animal, making it glitter as if it were actually made of gold metal. Aric could now see that it was a stag, standing still and waiting for him. As he drew nearer, it changed into a humanoid shape with gold hair, skin, and clothing. It greeted him by his full name, Aricanthalykrythicos.
"How did you know my name?" Aric asked. "Who are you?"
"My name is not important," answered the figure, "but I come with a message for you. Bahamut is pleased with your efforts on his behalf, and I have been sent to bring you his favor and a message--if you will hear it."
"I will," said Aric.
"I am bidden to tell you, 'Follow the river of gold until you reach the castle in the sky.'"
"I like the sound of that."
"'Yet the way will be filled with hardship, and not all will survive.'"
"I don't like the sound of that!"
The figure faded from view, but where it had stood, a little box rested in the grass. When Aric opened it, he found that it contained a periapt of wound closure. Thoughtfully, he returned to the guesthouse.
DM Notes: This sequence, beginning with the harvest festival, was our first chance for extended roleplay. Listening to the recordings, I feel that this is where the characters and their relationships really started to take on new depth.
By the way, in case anyone's wondering, Landin and Ariana are played by a married couple.
Once they had all cleaned off the mud, Tilon showed up to escort Ariana to dinner in the tavern. Landin sulked, but Ariana told him he'd have his chance another time and sailed off on Tilon's arm. Aric was also sulking because he was the only one who hadn't won anything in the games, and he couldn't even drown his sorrows because the ale was so awful. Only Atex was cheery as the three guys sat down at a table for supper.
One of Landin's classmates recognized him and stopped by to ask why he hadn't completed his final trials to be formally installed as a paladin of the Order of the Gauntlet. "Did you just run into some bad luck?" Uncomfortably, Landin tried to dodge the questions until Atex helped out by jostling the other guy's mug with mage hand and spilling ale all down his front. He excused himself to go clean up; Landin finally cracked a smile and bought Atex another drink in thanks.
Tilon did his best to make a good impression on Ariana. She listened politely, but secretly was rather bored and kept glancing surreptitiously at Landin. Since she was looking in that direction, she was the first to see Leosin Erlanthar enter the tavern. He exchanged a few words with Ontharr Frume, and the two motioned the PCs to meet them upstairs.
In a meeting room on the second floor, away from the noisy festivities in the taproom, the group reported to Ontharr and Leosin on the recent happenings in Greenest and their findings at the cultists' camp. (Aric also showed them the dragon poetry, which he had kept because he kind of liked it.) Looking at the map, Leosin surmised that the treasure would be transported through Baldur's Gate, because the cultists would find it easy to lose themselves there; who would notice a few more merchants carrying crates? They could even disguise the treasure as another sort of cargo when it left the city.
Leosin now extended an invitation to any of the group who might wish to join the Harpers. Ontharr slapped his hand on the table and told them not to answer until he'd had a chance to make a case for the Order of the Gauntlet. They each described the ideals of their organization. Aric immediately pledged himself to the Order of the Gauntlet, despite thinking they were a little soft on chromatic dragons. Atex and Ariana both liked the sound of the Harpers but wanted to think it over. As a paladin trainee, Landin already was a provisional member of the Order of the Gauntlet, but he wriggled uncomfortably when Ontharr (who had heard by this time that he had not completed the final trial) offered to make sure his membership continued.
As the meeting broke up, Ontharr invited both Aric and Landin to stay the night at a guesthouse belonging to the Order of the Gauntlet. Aric accepted immediately, but Landin just mumbled something. The others went off to rent rooms at the tavern--or, in Ariana's case, to arrange to dance in exchange for room and board.
Landin asked if he could speak with Ontharr privately. He told Ontharr that he was not going to become a paladin and that he was not sure he was worthy to be in the Order of the Gauntlet. When Ontharr asked why, Landin said he was a coward. Ontharr refused to believe it, but Landin insisted it was true. Neither seemed to be able to convince the other, so finally, Ontharr said they should speak more the next day. Landin decided to stay at the tavern with the others that night.
Ontharr walked to the Order of the Gauntlet guesthouse with Aric. Noticing that Ontharr seemed down about something, Aric asked what was troubling him. Ontharr said he feared that Landin was losing his way and asked Aric if he'd ever seen Landin behave in a cowardly fashion. Aric admitted that there had been times when Landin had allowed others to step up in his place. "But he is just a child," Aric continued, "so you can't necessarily blame him." Ontharr sighed that sometimes he forgot what it was like to be so young. But then, he added, when he was Landin's age, he was always ready for a fight.
Meanwhile, Landin was back at the tavern watching Ariana's performance. Later, she came to his room and danced for him privately there. Just a regular dance. But he had pleasant dreams that night.
The Golden Stag
Next morning, Aric awoke just before dawn with a feeling that someone or something was calling to him. The call seemed familiar, reassuring, but he couldn't quite place it. He stepped out of the Order of the Gauntlet's guesthouse into the bright light of Elturel's glowing orb and saw, at the edge of some woods, a flash of gold. He was excited for a moment, but then realized it was an animal of some sort. "Real gold would have been better," he muttered as he walked through the dewy grass toward it.
Just then, the sun peeked over the horizon. A ray struck the animal, making it glitter as if it were actually made of gold metal. Aric could now see that it was a stag, standing still and waiting for him. As he drew nearer, it changed into a humanoid shape with gold hair, skin, and clothing. It greeted him by his full name, Aricanthalykrythicos.
"How did you know my name?" Aric asked. "Who are you?"
"My name is not important," answered the figure, "but I come with a message for you. Bahamut is pleased with your efforts on his behalf, and I have been sent to bring you his favor and a message--if you will hear it."
"I will," said Aric.
"I am bidden to tell you, 'Follow the river of gold until you reach the castle in the sky.'"
"I like the sound of that."
"'Yet the way will be filled with hardship, and not all will survive.'"
"I don't like the sound of that!"
The figure faded from view, but where it had stood, a little box rested in the grass. When Aric opened it, he found that it contained a periapt of wound closure. Thoughtfully, he returned to the guesthouse.
DM Notes: This sequence, beginning with the harvest festival, was our first chance for extended roleplay. Listening to the recordings, I feel that this is where the characters and their relationships really started to take on new depth.
By the way, in case anyone's wondering, Landin and Ariana are played by a married couple.