Adventure: Lord Byron’s Economic Woes (DM: Tenchuu, Judge: H.M.Gimlord)

[Tenchuu]

[sblock=EB]This is the right camp. I was just giving the guys some time to catchup. Good backup plan, though.[/sblock]James and Michael tended the camp, as perhaps they had done many night by force. They got the fire burning hot, and cooked some of their last rations, a bland potato soup. The continued to answer any questions that the adventurers had. As night fell, the bitter wind seemed to pick up. The trees surrounding the camp broke most of the wind, but it still howled around them. [sblock=OOC]Continue to ask any questions of the camptives that you would like. We'll move on only once your ready.

This is an extended rest. Whether you sleep and wait until morning, or venture out now (roughly 11pm) is up to you. I think you would have slept on your boat ride, so your sleep requirement is met in my eyes.[/sblock]The adventures hear a shout from the edge of camp. "Helloooooooo! Couple of old guys here! We're looking for some woman named Theresa or Tiffany or something. Hell-ooooooooooo!"

Tessa stood up immediately, moving towards the sound. "Master Vrynn, is that you?" Tessa proceeded cautiously at first, and then after making him out, she rushed toward her teacher, embracing him with a hug that threatened to topple the pair. "I... I feared you lost to the void!" she said, showing uncharacteristic emotion.

"I feared it as well, but I am now back. However, my return is not without trials of its own. Come. We have grave work to do," Vyrnn stated. Turning to the group of adventurers, he continued, "I am afraid you must release my apprentice from your contract of services. And you, my good Mervin, your help was invaluable. But, I am afraid we are not returning to Daunton. Fear not, for these adventurers have a boat to take you back. And if those dead kobolds were any indication, they are more than able to protect you. Again, my many thanks. Here, take this potion, as payment for your services. It is a very old potion, so I would drink it soon. I fear it may be losing its efficacy."

The old wizard hands Mervin a potion of healing, and turns to start the ritual of portal again. He waves a weak hand to shoo-away any protests from Mervin. After a few minutes of preporation, the portal is opened, revealing a gloomy forest not unlike the one they just walked through. Vrynn and Tessa walked through, giving a final wave from the other side, before the portal closed.
[sblock=EB]Potion of Healing is good for this adventure only. If it goes unused, it will no longer be effective. So don't let it do to waste, but at the same time, be sure to put it to good use.[/sblock]

 

[Tenchuu]

[sblock=John]Whoops. Looks like I posted right on top of you. It would be an extended rest waiting for you EB to arrive from the port (4H hike), so everyone will be back to full health, HS, powers, and 1 AP[/sblock]

 

[johnmeier1]

It must have been nothing says Wil as he comes back in. He spends the afternoon in meditation and studying a large book from his pack. When Tessa's mentor arrives he looks on in amusement and then awe at the ritual before walking over to Mervin. Welcome good mage, my name is Wil and I am a noble huntsman. These are my companions he says gesturing about the room to the motley crew.

[sblock=OOC] Just submitting Wil for 2nd level approval, yay!
L4WC:Wil Rando (johnmeier1 - ENWiki)
[/sblock]

 

[evilbob]

"But the- what in- but-!" Mervin stammers as he watches the old man disappear, to no avail.

Mervin sighs. "Typical." Mervin tosses the potion to himself, nearly drops it, and then quickly casts mage hand to place it in his pack.

"So. Uh, hello? Goodness this is awkward. Good evening! Look, I don't mean to be rude, but I can't help but notice there's a giant well-armed bugbear in the middle of your camp. I mean, I'm cool with that if you are, but uh, if not, you may want to um, run."

 

[evilbob]

[sblock=ooc]Whoops! I started my post before I saw yours - sorry![/sblock]
"Oh so these are all your companions, then? Excellent! Well, you all look trustworthy! My name is Mervin and I study the arcane arts. It's a pleasure to meet you, but you must forgive me as I'm terrible with names - what was it, Will? William? No? Just Wil. Ok. So, um, I see the old man has left us on an island in the middle of nowhere? Actually, we're in the middle of the forest on an island in the middle of nowhere. Actually, we're in the middle of a camp surrounded by dead kobolds in a forest on an island in the middle of nowhere. I presume there's compensation involved or is this a pleasure trip for you all? Oh look, potato soup!"

Mervin is an older human, probably late 40's, with scraggly gray hair that exhibits signs of male pattern baldness. He is wearing poorly-fitted but functional gray robes, although you do notice serviceable leather armor underneath. He carries a staff that is currently lit-up, and a overly-large backpack.

 

[Tenchuu]

[sblock=OOC]Sorry, I keep forgetting to say this. Yes, update to level 2 now. As soon as you submit it for approval (and before approval), we can use your level 2 stats for the encounter ahead. [/sblock]

 

[renau1g]

[sblock=DM]
If you're ok with level 3 Kane, I'd like to go with him. It'll be nice to use his encounter power before he hits 4th. I'll still keep him with the bastard sword for this adventure, but once completed he'll go off camera and 'trade it' for an equivalent waraxe.[/sblock]

Kane stacks the enemies bodies in the smaller building to the south, placing the bed lengthwise in front of the door. "Sometimes the dead come back, need a warning if they do" the bugbear says after placing it.

Before going to see the prisoners, Kane will begin cleaning himself off with his waterskin and a rag that he tore off one of their victims. He cleans his weapons first, restoring them to a gleaming shine before wiping himself off. The bugbear's fur isn't easy to clean, especially the dried blood so after a few minutes he gives up. He returns to the prisoners, saying "So they take them to far side of mountain? You know anything that is there? Maybe next time we shouldn't kill all enemies... so hard to not though." Kane asks the former captives.

As they rest, Kane huddles his massive frame in the corner, after waking up he says "Ahh, I don't know about you, but I feel stronger today." to the rest of their group.

When the newcomer arrives, Kane had just finished cooking the soup and was stretching his muscles. He hears the wizard's words and laughs, a deep, throaty chuckle. Kane walks over to him and extends a large hand, one that would easily envelop the humans. "This is the best kind of work, it is fun and we gets paid for it. Our boss lost this island and then found it but the mines here stopped mining. He was scared bad things got his peoples, it looks like he was right. We here to, ummm, clean up the mess." Kane declares, then hears Mervin mention the soup, he adds "Yes, it not my best work, but nobody else wanted to eat kobold.".

 

[ryryguy]

At the conclusion of the battle, Hergunna shifts back to her human shape, and rubs the pack wolf's neck roughly. "Kane, come here a moment if you don't mind." When the bugbear approaches, the wolf growls briefly, then sniffs at him and the wolf skins he wears. The beast looks up into the wild barbarian's eyes. Then it sits back on its haunches, tongue lolling out.

"Hmmm," Hergunna says. "He judges you worthy of those skins. A worthy hunter, and mighty fighter. From watching you, I suspected this... but he has confirmed it." The wolf stands and trots away from the buildings, disappearing into the woods.

She helps Kane move the bodies to the unoccupied building. "Don't know about them coming back, but I do know they'll eventually start to stink to high heaven, even in this weather."

In the morning, after tasting the soup, she grimaces. "I'll be right back," she says, and disappears into the woods. A few minutes later she's back with some herbs and a small root. She crumbles them into the soup pot, then looks up. "Who's that?" she says, indicating Mervin. "And where's the girl wizard?"

 

[evilbob]

"My, you're a tall one. And what a sssstrooo-eckkk-ng handshake you have, indeed... Good thing that was my off-hand. Yikes. So what was your name again? K-something? Kevin? No matter, I'll get it eventually." Mervin continues to eat the soup one-handed. "Oh it's not bad, really. I must confess I rather like potato soup, although to be fair I've never tried kobold."

"Ok, so now I see another well-armed woman walking into camp... No one is panicking or attacking, so I'm guessing another friendly? Yes? We'll just go with that. Yes, hello, my name is Mervin and really that girl wizard who was here before was a changeling and now I'm her. Just kidding! My nose is much longer than hers. Actually I have no idea who she was but she sort of abruptly left." Mervin points off into the distance as if this might help explain where she went. "Something about an old fellow named Vrrrn or something, great peril, etc. etc. And now through a series of unfortunate circumstances it seems I'm quite stuck here with you folk so I've been, basically, well, enjoying your soup. Ah, I see you've added a few plants and things... I didn't notice what you put in there but I must admit I'm allergic to hemlock, just to let you know."


After chatting with a minute with Kane about the reason they are on the island, Mervin says, "Well, that was oddly delicious. Ok, my good bugbear - my, that's rather fun to say, isn't it? Bugbear bugbear bugbear! Ha! So, you're here to rescue some humans that are friends with these other humans and you're killing anything else that gets in your way? Got it. Well, just point me toward the things you want dead and I will be happy to help you make them explode." Mervin casually tosses the soup bowl over his shoulder where it is caught by a mage hand and brought to the other dishes. He casts prestidigitation and within a few minutes they're all clean and tidy.

 

[Tenchuu]

"So they take them to far side of mountain? You know anything that is there? Maybe next time we shouldn't kill all enemies... so hard to not though." Kane asks the former captives.

"That's right. When they take someone over to the far-side, they don't come back," Michael said. "We never explored the island past the mine here thoroughly, so I can't rightly say what's over there. I assume the lizards setup some kind of camp there when they invaded."

"One of his friends was taken there," James said, pointing to Stanng, "But one of them is still in the mine, from last we saw."

"Which was so weird that they did that," Michael added. "They hadn't had us in there to mine in over a week, since some kind of accident, or something. They just abandoned mining all together. It's hard to tell what's been going on. They keep us holed up in this building, huddled in a corner when we're not working. And they spoke in some weird language. When they took him in to mine, that other adventurer... it's an odd pick. We surely had better skills working the ore out."

[sblock=Ren]You're fine to go to level 3.[/sblock]