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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Capellan" data-source="post: 1110928" data-attributes="member: 6294">"Something's Cooking" and "The Ettin's Riddle" (WotC Free Adventures) - Part 6Macwood administers the healing potion to Gendrew, dribbling the fluid slowly into the cook's mouth.  Within moments, the man's bruises fade, and his breathing becomes slow and steady.  A short while later, he slowly opens his eyes."What ..." he asks, sitting up.  His face goes green for a moment, and he grabs at the bed post, breathing deeply as a wave of nausea subsides, "What happened?""We were going to ask the same thing." Elspeth notes sourly."We came to speak with your wife." Ming Li intercedes, taking a more tactful approach, "When we saw the state of your home, we became concerned.  There was some sort of metal man in your pantry, and a flying creature in here with you.  We drove it off.""What happened to the golem?" Gendrew asks, wincing as he rubs one of his injuries."We were forced to destroy it." The monk's words cause the cook to wince again."A pity ... well, perhaps not." He shrugs to himself, "It was obviously not safe to use.""This 'golem' belonged to you?" Ming Li's surprise is evident - as is the note of suspicion in her tone."Yes.  After those poor boys were killed by the robbers - you remember, when the caravan was bringing the food for the festival? - my wife decided to build a guardian for the road.  That golem was supposed to protect any future trade caravans.""It seemed more interested in killing people than protecting them." Macwood notes.  Gendrew nods glumly,"You have the imp to thank for that." Seeing the blank looks of the adventurers, he elaborates, "The flying creature you mentioned.  It was an imp.  Andalyn and I had nearly finished the golem - in fact she'd just left to get the last magical reagents we would need - when that evil little beast turned up and attacked it.  The golem was close to fully operational by then, but not all of the magical controls were in place.  The attack drove it berserk - no doubt as the imp intended - and it attacked me.""Then who locked the golem in the pantry?" Ming Li wants to know."Probably the imp." Gendrew shrugs, "Once the golem knocked me out, it would have wanted to get the construct out of the way, so it could get up to its mischief in peace." He glances around the room, "It looks like you arrived before it could do too much harm.""Why was it here?" Briar wonders, "Do imps randomly drop by and attack you on a regular basis?""Not all wizards share my wife's sense of ethics.  One of her enemies probably dispatched it to cause trouble, and it just happened to arrive at a particularly opportune time for that.  If you folks hadn't come along, there's no telling what it would have done.  Thank you.""You know what says thank you best of all?" Macwood asks brightly, "Cake!""Or gold." Elspeth mutters under her breath.Gendrew laughs, then winces - apparently the laugh was not a wise idea,"My wife will return in a few hours, at most." He says, "And I am sure she will be better equipped than I to offer you a reward.  For now, however, I have a fine carrot cake downstairs - assuming it survived the imp's mischief, of course - and I am sure I can find a kettle for tea.  Why don't you join me for a meal?"The Company of the Random Encounter refuses no reward, no matter how meagre, and the group duly enjoys a pleasant breakfast of tea and cake, while waiting for Andalyn.On her return, Andalyn repeats her husband's thanks, and also gifts the group with the remaining potions from the wooden chest, as reward for their assistance.  She also returns the earrings she had been asked to have identified,"Their function is to allow people to communicate." She explains, "If two people each wear one earring, and one of them whispers a message, the other will hear it, even at distances of several hundred feet."Pocketing the earrings, the adventurers bid their farewells from the wizard and her husband, and discuss their plan of action.  After a short conference, it is decided to hide Marble in Sirdros' room at the chapel of Pelor.  The Sanctuary is the most secure building in town, and also the most private.  This, coupled with the fact that it gets the petulant Marble out of their hair, recommends the chapel most highly as a hiding place in the eyes of the Company.Adjourning to the inn, the four settle down at a table,"A good start to the day." Macwood remarks, "Good food, a good fight, and some treasure.  Plus, we've got that girl buttoned up nicely."There are murmurs of agreement: it seems all four adventurers are more than content with their efforts for the morning.Less than an hour later, they are far less content.</blockquote>

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