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<blockquote data-quote="Capellan" data-source="post: 1081804" data-attributes="member: 6294">&quot;Something's Cooking&quot; and &quot;The Ettin's Riddle&quot; (WotC Free Adventures) - Part 2Now that the all-important subject of money has been broached, the group take a moment to confer.&quot;Ten gold?&quot; Elspeth gripes, &quot;What does she think this is, killing a few kobolds in a ruin?&quot;Ming Li folds her arms.&quot;As far as I am concerned, her dishonesty has brought her this trouble, and it is no concern of ours.&nbsp; Especially as I believe she continues to be dishonest - this time with us.&quot;&quot;She said she wasn't aware the item was stolen until after the sale.&quot; Macwood points out.The monk snorts,&quot;I do not believe her.&nbsp; If you do, you are a bigger fool than you are a glutton.&quot;&quot;Oh, I'm not as big an anything as I am a glutton.&quot; The Halfling appears completely untroubled by Ming Li's less-than-veiled insult. &quot;There is a small chance it's the truth, though.&quot;&quot;Very small.&quot; The monk concedes, grudgingly.&quot;I think we should help her.&quot; Briar contributes, though he doesn't look convinced of his own words.&nbsp; A worried frown has replaced his usually cheerful expression, &quot;Some of these bounty hunters are vicious ... it wouldn’t be right to leave anyone unprotected from them.&nbsp; Even someone who was lying to us.&quot;Ming Li looks unconvinced, but Elspeth shrugs,&quot;Ten gold is something, at least.&quot; She reasons, &quot;Not much, but something.&nbsp; I say we ask for half up front, and tell her that for the price, we'll only guard her for two days.&nbsp; If she wants more than that, she'll need to find more money.&quot;The suggestion meets with a reluctant mutter of agreement from the others.&nbsp; It is clear that they don't really trust what they've been told - and that they resent being asked to risk their skins for so little reward - but ten gold is ten gold, and this is the Company of the Random Encounter.They four adventurers return to the table, where Marble waits nervously,&quot;For ten gold, we'll protect you for two days.&quot; Elspeth says bluntly, &quot;And we want half up front.&nbsp; Ming Li insisted.&quot;&nbsp; This false accusation brings a momentary look of irritation to the monk's face, but she smothers it quickly.&quot;Very well, I guess that's okay.&quot; Marble reaches for her belt pouch, then stops as Ming Li raises a hand to forestall her.&quot;Additionally,&quot; she stresses the word, &quot;We require information.&nbsp; We need to know what the item was that you sold, and what it was worth.&nbsp; Also, who are these bounty hunters?&nbsp; Have you seen them?&nbsp; A description would assist us in guarding you.&quot;&quot;There were three of them.&quot; Marble answers only the last question, &quot;A man and a woman; both human - and a half-orc.&nbsp; I think the woman was in charge.&nbsp; She had dark hair and wore black leather armour.&quot;&quot;You're sure about the half-orc?&quot; Briar looks pale, &quot;He wasn't just ugly?&quot;&quot;He had tusks.&quot; Marble sticks her thumbs at the corners of her mouth to demonstrate, then opens her belt pouch, &quot;Here's your gold: five each, and five more in two days.&quot;Ming Li opens her mouth - probably to repeat her unanswered questions - but Elspeth, grabbing the coins, speaks first.&quot;Great.&nbsp; Consider us hired.&nbsp; Now, I need to head over to the other side of town to pick up some things.&nbsp; The others are coming with me.&nbsp; If you want protection, you'll have to come with us.&quot;The elf's announcement earns her glares from both Marble and Ming Li, but she blithely ignores them all, heading out of the inn without so much as a backward glance.Briar shrugs,&quot;We'd better follow.&nbsp; The other questions can wait.&quot;Neither woman looks happy with that prospect, but Elspeth's departure doesn't leave them much choice.&nbsp; They trail after the ranger, Marble remaining on the opposite side of the group from Ming Li.Elspeth's business is with the wizard Andalyn, who had been hired by the Padre to arrange the identification of the magical earrings the Company had acquired in one of their earliest adventures.&nbsp; The Padre - never known for his trusting nature - had tasked Elspeth to retrieve the earring from the wizard before he left for Duvik's Pass.&nbsp; Best not to let the wizard keep them too long, he argued, lest she start to get ideas about their ownership.&quot;Have you met this wizard?&quot; Briar calls after Elspeth, who turns and pauses to wait for them.&nbsp; She shakes her head in answer,&quot;No.&nbsp; All I know is she is the wife of Gendrew.&quot;&quot;The chef?&quot; Macwood's face brightens, &quot;Excellent, I'm feeling a bit peckish.&nbsp; And look -&quot; he points at smoke emerging from the chimney of Gendrew and Andalyn's home, &quot;- he has something cooking.&quot;Ming Li frowns,&quot;From the smell, it would be more accurate to say he has something burning.&quot;&quot;Burning?!&quot; the Halfling gives a gasp of horror, and rushes frantically toward the building, a wail of despair on his lips.&quot;You know, it is rather strange that Gendrew would let food burn ...&quot; Briar remarks, &quot;Something may actually be wrong.&quot;Within moments, the three adventurers are hot on the halfling's heels, leaving Marble standing alone in the street.&quot;Hey!&quot; she calls plaintively, &quot;Remember me?&nbsp; The person you're supposed to be protecting?&quot;</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Capellan, post: 1081804, member: 6294"] [b]"Something's Cooking" and "The Ettin's Riddle" (WotC Free Adventures) - Part 2[/b] Now that the all-important subject of money has been broached, the group take a moment to confer. "Ten gold?" Elspeth gripes, "What does she think this is, killing a few kobolds in a ruin?" Ming Li folds her arms. "As far as I am concerned, her dishonesty has brought her this trouble, and it is no concern of ours. Especially as I believe she continues to be dishonest - this time with us." "She said she wasn't aware the item was stolen until after the sale." Macwood points out. The monk snorts, "I do not believe her. If you do, you are a bigger fool than you are a glutton." "Oh, I'm not as big an anything as I am a glutton." The Halfling appears completely untroubled by Ming Li's less-than-veiled insult. "There is a small chance it's the truth, though." "Very small." The monk concedes, grudgingly. "I think we should help her." Briar contributes, though he doesn't look convinced of his own words. A worried frown has replaced his usually cheerful expression, "Some of these bounty hunters are vicious ... it wouldn’t be right to leave anyone unprotected from them. Even someone who was lying to us." Ming Li looks unconvinced, but Elspeth shrugs, "Ten gold is something, at least." She reasons, "Not much, but something. I say we ask for half up front, and tell her that for the price, we'll only guard her for two days. If she wants more than that, she'll need to find more money." The suggestion meets with a reluctant mutter of agreement from the others. It is clear that they don't really trust what they've been told - and that they resent being asked to risk their skins for so little reward - but ten gold is ten gold, and this [i]is[/i] the Company of the Random Encounter. They four adventurers return to the table, where Marble waits nervously, "For ten gold, we'll protect you for two days." Elspeth says bluntly, "And we want half up front. Ming Li insisted." This false accusation brings a momentary look of irritation to the monk's face, but she smothers it quickly. "Very well, I guess that's okay." Marble reaches for her belt pouch, then stops as Ming Li raises a hand to forestall her. "Additionally," she stresses the word, "We require information. We need to know what the item was that you sold, and what it was worth. Also, who are these bounty hunters? Have you seen them? A description would assist us in guarding you." "There were three of them." Marble answers only the last question, "A man and a woman; both human - and a half-orc. I think the woman was in charge. She had dark hair and wore black leather armour." "You're sure about the half-orc?" Briar looks pale, "He wasn't just ugly?" "He had tusks." Marble sticks her thumbs at the corners of her mouth to demonstrate, then opens her belt pouch, "Here's your gold: five each, and five more in two days." Ming Li opens her mouth - probably to repeat her unanswered questions - but Elspeth, grabbing the coins, speaks first. "Great. Consider us hired. Now, I need to head over to the other side of town to pick up some things. The others are coming with me. If you want protection, you'll have to come with us." The elf's announcement earns her glares from both Marble and Ming Li, but she blithely ignores them all, heading out of the inn without so much as a backward glance. Briar shrugs, "We'd better follow. The other questions can wait." Neither woman looks happy with that prospect, but Elspeth's departure doesn't leave them much choice. They trail after the ranger, Marble remaining on the opposite side of the group from Ming Li. Elspeth's business is with the wizard Andalyn, who had been hired by the Padre to arrange the identification of the magical earrings the Company had acquired in one of their earliest adventures. The Padre - never known for his trusting nature - had tasked Elspeth to retrieve the earring from the wizard before he left for Duvik's Pass. Best not to let the wizard keep them too long, he argued, lest she start to get ideas about their ownership. "Have you met this wizard?" Briar calls after Elspeth, who turns and pauses to wait for them. She shakes her head in answer, "No. All I know is she is the wife of Gendrew." "The chef?" Macwood's face brightens, "Excellent, I'm feeling a bit peckish. And look -" he points at smoke emerging from the chimney of Gendrew and Andalyn's home, "- he has something cooking." Ming Li frowns, "From the smell, it would be more accurate to say he has something burning." "[i]Burning[/i]?!" the Halfling gives a gasp of horror, and rushes frantically toward the building, a wail of despair on his lips. "You know, it is rather strange that Gendrew would let food burn ..." Briar remarks, "Something may actually be wrong." Within moments, the three adventurers are hot on the halfling's heels, leaving Marble standing alone in the street. "Hey!" she calls plaintively, "Remember me? The person you're supposed to be protecting?" [/QUOTE]

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