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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Capellan" data-source="post: 1127047" data-attributes="member: 6294">"Something's Cooking" and "The Ettin's Riddle" (WotC Free Adventures) - Part 9If the four adventurers had hoped for a warm reception in Duvik's Pass, they are disappointed.  The other Company members are fully occupied, whether it be that they are recovering from the disease that recently swept the area, assisting in the treatment of those still sick, or simply honing newly-acquired skills and enjoying the good life.Only Twinkle, never one to be content with sitting still for a while, evidences any interest in assisting them.  For a time, it seems like the addition of the gnome to their ranks will engender a false sense of bravado in the group.  There is reckless talk of ambushing the bounty hunters, and facing them in combat, but in the end the plan is abandoned as too risky, particularly in light of the lack of healing magic available to them, with the Padre fully occupied tending the sick and Sirdros still back in Amberdale.Returning to their original plan in coming to the town, Macwood heads out to the various inns and taverns of Duvik's Pass, seeking word of Kyrnyn and his adventuring company.  The arrogant Priest of Heironeous proves easy to track: his boastful and bullying nature makes him widely remembered, though little liked."Aye," a grizzled taven-goer hawks and spits, making his opinion clear, "That loud-mouthed fool were here a week before the plague hit us.  Figures that by the time we would have been willing to put up with his boastin', he was long gone.""Do you know where they were headed?" Macwood signals for another ale."Whole damn town knew, he brayed about it so much." The old-timer shakes his head, then unleashes a malt-and-barley-laden belch, "They were on their way t'Newkeep, so he said.""Newkeep?  Is that anywhere near Oldkeep?" the Halfling quips, feeling very proud of his wit."Aye, it is." The joke passes completely unnoticed, "Know it, do ye?""Actually, no." Macwood back-tracks, "So where is this Newkeep?""It's about a day's travel from here.  Take the road east out of town, and ask the folks you meet on the road.  They'll tell ye when yer getting' close, though you'd have to be as short-sighted as ye are statured to miss the place: it's right by the road.""Short jokes.  How marvellously funny.""Thank'ee."Seeing that his sarcasm was as wasted as his earlier attempt at humour, the bard returns to discuss his findings with the others.  It is quickly agreed that the best option is to follow the other adventurers, though quite what they will do when they find them is still being debated."We certainly can't afford to buy the jewel." Elspeth grouses, the contents of her money pouch as always a matter of import."And we can't just fight them for it." Macwood shrugs, "As obnoxious as he may be, Kyrnyn's not actually evil.  He can't be, for Heironeous to put up with him.""We can work it out when we actually find them." Briar suggests, pointedly checking the conditions of her thieving tools as she does so, "There are other options than fighting.""Yeah, we're really sneaky." Twinkle announces, in an inordinately loud voice.  Several locals look over at the adventurers, and the gnome blushes, "When we want to be.""We should wait to make the decision." Ming Li says, firmly, "Other options may come to hand, and we are yet to find the adventurers, in any case."Reaching an agreement to defer their decision until it actually needs to be made, the five adventurers and their increasingly nervous client set off for Newkeep immediately, rather than wait for the morning.  They make the journey at a brisk pace, wanting to retain any lead they might have built over the bounty hunters, and stop for only a few hours overnight.  Fortunately, the village proves as easy to find as Macwood had been told, and by noon of the next day they have reached their destination: a cosy collection of thatched cottages, clustered around a small stone bridge."So where's the keep?" Macwood grouses, still sore over the failure of his attempted joke with the village's name. "They should've called it Newkeepless."Marble screams in horror."Come on, it wasn't that bad -" the Halfling breaks off, realising that no-one is listening to him.  This in itself isn't that unusual, but the reason for their distraction most definitely is: a hulking, two-headed giant has emerged from behind one of the cottages, a massive tree-trunk held in one hand as a crude club.</blockquote>

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