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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 2718187" data-attributes="member: 1210">The limbless elf is almost completely unresponsive.  Kyle christens him “Shakexill”, which is Elven for “box”.  Sir Cedric simply starts calling him “Mr. Box”.  The party, after some debate, elects to take the boxed-up elf with them to Kamenda City after resting the rest of the night to confer with the baron about what to do with him.  Along with their three human captives the group marches back to the city, and within it, to the citadel.  They secure an audience with the baron and his two primary advisors, Sir Galadon and Sir Harth.  Turning over the prisoners, they reveal the elf. “It’s terrible, what they’ve done to him,” Kyle says.  His voice drips sorrow.  He strokes the elf’s brow gently.  The elf only trembles, his eyes glazed.“They were using him as a weapon,” declares Jorgen.  “It also looks like they were going to trade him for... something.”  He shows the baron and his advisors the note that was on the captured knight.  They read it grimly.“On the appointed date, we thall attempt to trap the mithcreantth in the themetery,” Sir Cedric states.“You have just enough time,” states the baron.  “Your father has summoned you back to Whitewater for your marriage.”“Our marriage!” squeals Cara, delighted that it is happening at last.  Her pregnancy is showing; she wants things to be dignified.  She wants it to be perfect. “But the themetery meeting-“ Sir Cedric protests.“You will have just enough time to go and return,” the baron intones in his stately voice.  “I have made a boat ready to take you upriver to Whitewater this afternoon.  They shall wait on your return, which must be most quick if you are to be back in time for the cemetery meeting.”“Do you know of anyone who could heal him?” asks Dahlia, returning to the subject of the elf.“Your best hope would be to seek out the cathedral,” Sir Galadon answers.  “But even the high priestess may not be able to do what you seek.”Indeed, upon taking the elf to the cathedral, Sir Galadon’s prediction proves accurate.  None of the priests can restore the elf’s limbs.  “What about his mind?” asks Kyle.  “The abuse he has suffered has broken his mind.  Can you help with that?”“What about us?” Dahlia asks.  “Kyle and I were both touched by some sort of ghost, and I haven’t felt as, uh, sharp since then.”*“I could,” affirms the priestess, “but you would have to provide the material components.  They are fairly expensive- I would need fifty crowns’ worth of diamond to effect the spell.”**  The group agrees that this is at least a worthwhile investment for Dahlia, who seems to gain power from her insight into nature.  Kyle demurs for the moment, unable to afford it.  Our heroes return to the Spinning Dice, the inn they are staying at.  There is still no sign of Cur Sed Seed, their missing companion.  “Maybe he ran into trouble at the pissblood bar,” Goer speculates, and the party- less Otis, who instead sticks around the Spinning Dice to gamble, and Dahlia, who remains guarding the elf- goes to the Broken Talon to check for clues.***  There, after spreading a few drinks around, Goer- who has gained considerable credibility after his bar fights within the place- ascertains that Cur was last seen leaving with a local seedy character named Zerg.  Soon, after greasing a palm or two, he has gained directions to Zerg’s farm on the outskirts of town.  The party heads out towards it.Soon they reach a farm with fallow, untended fields.  A large brown-painted barn and an ugly sod hut stand a few dozen feet apart.  A half-orc fellow who looks like a farmer is just emerging from the hut.  Upon spying our heroes, he stops and stares at them, mouth agape.“Are you Zerg?” demands Goer.“Uh- yeah,” admits the half-orc.“We’re looking for our friend Cur,” Jorgen says.“Never heard of him,” Zerg lies.  “That’s interesting, since he was last seen in your company.”  Jorgen stares hard at the half-orc.Zerg’s face crumples abruptly.  “He’s in the barn,” he groans.  “He’s hurt.”The party turns and strides to the barn.  Sir Cedric fixes Zerg with a stern glare.  Jorgen opens the door and the group starts inside.  The sheriff scans the ground, looking for tracks, and sees the heavy marks of their missing friend- and something else. A scrabbling sound comes from up above.“Look out!” shouts Jorgen.Suddenly the dragon emerges from the loft, launching itself into flight and breathing a blast of frost at him.  The sheriff cries out in pain as the chill washes over him and whips out his sword, thrusting at the thing!  The blade bites only empty air.  Sir Cedric turns and swings a gauntleted fist at Zerg, and in a flash the half-orc is unconscious on the ground, blood welling from his broken nose.  Then he shouts, “Thubdue it!”  The dragon wheels around and retreats up into the loft, and Jorgen immediately rushes to the ladder and begins to climb.  As he reaches the top, a flurry of draconian attacks assail him, but he fends off the small dragon and manages to gain the loft.  The dragon flies away from him with a hiss, circling near the ceiling, and Jorgen curses.  He pulls out a rope and begins to make a lasso.  The dragon swoops in towards Sir Cedric and he swings, smacking at it with the flat of his bastard sword, but the dragon’s momentum throws him off and he twists his ankle, giving a cry of pain.  Then it tears into him with its razor-like claws and teeth.  The lasso falls around the dragon’s neck.It gives a loud squeal as Jorgen whoops in delight.  Then Cedric’s flat swings into its head with a loud thump, and he knocks it cold in a single blow.  Everyone cheers!  They have subdued a dragon!****“But what about Cur?” wonders Goer.“I think I found him,” Jorgen says sadly from the loft.  “Or at least what’s left of him.”“Is there any chance-“ starts Cara, but he cuts her off.“He’s half-eaten.”“Clearly, then, we mutht take thith thcoundrel Therg to juthtithe,” Sir Cedric cries.One of their friends has died.  Our heroes have a moment of silence before heading back to meet the others. ***Otis, meanwhile, cannot believe his luck.  He has not just won, he has won big.  To the tune of 900 gold pieces!  He’s rich enough to seriously consider retiring, but he chuckles to himself as he thinks of the idea.  Instead, he will fuel his researches with his gambling.  When the others return with their sad news, he’s so high on a cloud of euphoria that he doesn’t even really care. Then a messenger named Colder arrives from Sir Galadon.  “Your boat is ready,” he tells them.  Soon they’re off for the wedding.Next Time: It’s a nice day for a Whitewater wedding!*In the haunted house, both Kyle and Dahlia suffered some wisdom drain.**Remember, this campaign is very low-wealth.  50 gp for a material component is very nearly out of reach for most of our heroes- in fact, it is out of reach for some of them.  It’s certainly a major investment for any of them.***‘Pissblood’ is a slur for half-orcs in the Y272 setting.****In my ‘main’ Cydra campaign, dragons are exceptionally powerful.  They are basically gods.  This encounter highlighted yet another thing that is radically different in Y272 from my ‘normal’ campaign’s time.</blockquote>

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