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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 9787656" data-attributes="member: 143">My wife made a similar comment when I complained that I’d “only” written two novels in 2025; it’s a lot in an absolute sense, but my output is way down from what it was a decade ago.Chapter 18“So,” Folgar asked, as they left the woods behind and rejoined the trail heading back to the keep, “what should we call you?”The warrior shrugged. “My name is Greghan. Greghan Cossa.”Ravani made an exaggerated face. “You mean your parents didn’t actually name you ‘Grimdark?’ Color me shocked!”“Why the alternative name?” Folgar asked.“Maybe he was one of those notorious farmer-brigands,” Ravani said. “His crimes finally caught up with him, so he had to go on the lam out here on the frontier. He changed his name to protect his identity from the King’s men who are no doubt chasing him for his perfidy.”“Don’t be an ass,” Leana chided. She had noticed the way that the warrior had gone slightly pale at Ravani’s initial comment. “You don’t have to tell us if you don’t want to. It’s really none of our business,” she added with a bit of emphasis for the elf.“No, it’s fine,” Greghan said. “I was a farmer, before, that much is true. I just… I guess I just thought that… the other name sounded more like a warrior’s name. I don’t think anybody’s ever been intimidated by someone named ‘Greg’.”“I would say that spider was probably intimidated, in its last moments,” Ravani said. “That was a hell of a swing.”The warrior flushed slightly. “Thanks,” he said.“An interesting life path, to go from tilling the soil to swinging a greatsword,” Folgar said.“It’s a story Greghan can tell us later, if he wants to,” Leana insisted. “Right now we need to keep our eyes on the road.”“A wise philosophy,” a man said as he stepped out of the bushes and onto the trail in front of them.The companions stopped, startled by the man’s sudden appearance. He was human and looked to be in his thirties; handsome, clad in a green-and-gold tunic and fancy boots. “Hello,” he said, his rakish grin belied by the rapier he wore and the light crossbow slung across his back. “I’m Pral. Perhaps you’ve heard of me. Who am I kidding? Of course you have!”“Doesn’t ring a bell,” Folgar said.“He’s not alone,” Ravani warned, his eyes darting back and forth to the dense bushes that flanked both sides of the road.“Of course not,” Pral said. “I wouldn’t be a very successful bandit if I was alone.” He gestured, and three more humans emerged from the cover of the thickets, a man and two women, all clad in travel-worn leathers. Each had a loaded crossbow, which they trained on the four companions. The women stood to either side of Pral, while the man stood behind the adventurers, cutting off any escape.Pral’s smile widened and he drew his sword. “Your money and your equipment, please. This is a robbery.”The companions shared a quick look. Leana opened her mouth to say something, but before she could respond to the bandit’s challenge, Folgar stepped forward to confront him. “You do not want to challenge us,” he said. He lifted a hand, which flickered with arcane sparks.Pral nodded seriously. “A wizard,” he said. “Shoot him first.”His companions complied, lifting their crossbows to their shoulders as one and firing them at the dwarf.Game Notes: Folgar: Charisma (Intimidation): 10 (-1): 9 vs. DC 13 (Failure)</blockquote>

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