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<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 7099910" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Chapter 28</p><p></p><p>It was a dreary, blustery day in Crosspath. A steady drizzle had kept up for most of the morning, leaving the streets muddy but not quite sodden. Sharp gusts of wind occasionally swept through the town, rattling shutters and whistling through gaps in old boards. The few folk who were out and about hurried on their business, their heads down and their coats or cloaks tugged tight around their bodies.</p><p></p><p>Despite the unpleasantness of the day, the four adventurers lingered as they came to the intersection that would take Quellan and Kosk back to the monastery and Glori and Bredan into town. While each of them had known that their quest would end at this moment, the shared bond of their recent experience added a few extra moments of delay before their final farewell.</p><p></p><p>The meeting with the wizard had gone smoothly and was almost an anticlimax. Starfinder had not asked them for any details of their adventure, and if anything had seemed eager to send them on their way once they had indicated that they had been successful in their mission to recover the stone.</p><p></p><p>Bredan was still a little bit stunned from that brief encounter and reached down to touch his pouch for about the twentieth time since leaving the wizard’s abode. Inside was a linen purse that contained precisely eighty-seven gold and five silver pieces. He hadn’t counted it yet, but he had no doubt that the number of coins would be exact. It weighed just a few pounds but somehow it felt heavier. He couldn’t help but think of all the things he could buy with that money, but his resolution to hand it all over to his uncle to rebuild the Karras Forge hadn’t wavered.</p><p></p><p>That thought did remind him of something else, however.</p><p></p><p>Quellan and Glori were looking at each other, each of them obviously unwilling to put the words to their parting of ways. Not surprisingly it was Kosk who stepped forward first. “Reckon we’d all better be on our way,” the dwarf said in a gruff voice.</p><p></p><p>“Quellan I almost forgot, I still owe you for the crossbow,” Bredan said. He started to reach for his pouch again, but the half-orc forestalled him with a raised hand.</p><p></p><p>“Keep it. It may come in handy someday.”</p><p></p><p>“Yeah, it’s not like you needed it on this trip,” Kosk noted.</p><p></p><p>“I suppose this is good-bye, then,” Quellan said.</p><p></p><p>“Come on, it’s not like you’re heading to a different town,” Glori said. “I’ll stand you a drink at the Tusk sometime. Assuming that’s not forbidden in your order.”</p><p></p><p>“It would be amusing to see them try to enforce such a ban,” Kosk said.</p><p></p><p>“It’s been a pleasure working with you,” Glori said, thrusting out a hand. After a moment, Kosk shook it.</p><p></p><p>She turned to Quellan, but before either could say anything they all became aware of a commotion coming from the direction of the center of town. They could hear voices, some of them quite agitated, accompanied by a stream of people who emerged from the town square heading to the outer ring of homes and businesses. They didn’t look like they were fleeing some immediate emergency, but the looks on their faces were universally fraught with worry.</p><p></p><p>“What’s all this now?” Kosk asked.</p><p></p><p>Bredan saw someone he knew and ran forward to intercept him. “Kev, what’s going on?”</p><p></p><p>The young man was dressed in his working clothes—he was one of the hostlers at Cody’s Yards—but was clearly flustered. “You haven’t heard?”</p><p></p><p>“We only just got back into town,” Glori explained.</p><p></p><p>Kev gave Quellan and Kosk—but especially Quellan—a long look before his eyes yanked back to Bredan. “A whole army of goblin-folk has invaded the north,” the hostler said. “Hundreds of them, maybe thousands! Several villages were burned and a whole bunch of people were killed! The King… they just read his proclamation in front of the town hall.”</p><p></p><p>“What did King Dangren have to say?” Kosk asked.</p><p></p><p>Kev blinked a moment, as if surprised to be asked that question. Glori snapped her fingers to get his attention. “Kev… what was the proclamation?”</p><p></p><p>“It’s an order of conscription… the King’s raising an army!”</p><p></p><p>* * *</p><p></p><p><em>Author’s Note: when I first had the idea for this story I started with a module that I’d written some years back for 3e and actually ran for a live group. I’ve updated “The Shrine of the Eth’barat” to 5e and attached it for anyone who is interested.</em></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 7099910, member: 143"] Chapter 28 It was a dreary, blustery day in Crosspath. A steady drizzle had kept up for most of the morning, leaving the streets muddy but not quite sodden. Sharp gusts of wind occasionally swept through the town, rattling shutters and whistling through gaps in old boards. The few folk who were out and about hurried on their business, their heads down and their coats or cloaks tugged tight around their bodies. Despite the unpleasantness of the day, the four adventurers lingered as they came to the intersection that would take Quellan and Kosk back to the monastery and Glori and Bredan into town. While each of them had known that their quest would end at this moment, the shared bond of their recent experience added a few extra moments of delay before their final farewell. The meeting with the wizard had gone smoothly and was almost an anticlimax. Starfinder had not asked them for any details of their adventure, and if anything had seemed eager to send them on their way once they had indicated that they had been successful in their mission to recover the stone. Bredan was still a little bit stunned from that brief encounter and reached down to touch his pouch for about the twentieth time since leaving the wizard’s abode. Inside was a linen purse that contained precisely eighty-seven gold and five silver pieces. He hadn’t counted it yet, but he had no doubt that the number of coins would be exact. It weighed just a few pounds but somehow it felt heavier. He couldn’t help but think of all the things he could buy with that money, but his resolution to hand it all over to his uncle to rebuild the Karras Forge hadn’t wavered. That thought did remind him of something else, however. Quellan and Glori were looking at each other, each of them obviously unwilling to put the words to their parting of ways. Not surprisingly it was Kosk who stepped forward first. “Reckon we’d all better be on our way,” the dwarf said in a gruff voice. “Quellan I almost forgot, I still owe you for the crossbow,” Bredan said. He started to reach for his pouch again, but the half-orc forestalled him with a raised hand. “Keep it. It may come in handy someday.” “Yeah, it’s not like you needed it on this trip,” Kosk noted. “I suppose this is good-bye, then,” Quellan said. “Come on, it’s not like you’re heading to a different town,” Glori said. “I’ll stand you a drink at the Tusk sometime. Assuming that’s not forbidden in your order.” “It would be amusing to see them try to enforce such a ban,” Kosk said. “It’s been a pleasure working with you,” Glori said, thrusting out a hand. After a moment, Kosk shook it. She turned to Quellan, but before either could say anything they all became aware of a commotion coming from the direction of the center of town. They could hear voices, some of them quite agitated, accompanied by a stream of people who emerged from the town square heading to the outer ring of homes and businesses. They didn’t look like they were fleeing some immediate emergency, but the looks on their faces were universally fraught with worry. “What’s all this now?” Kosk asked. Bredan saw someone he knew and ran forward to intercept him. “Kev, what’s going on?” The young man was dressed in his working clothes—he was one of the hostlers at Cody’s Yards—but was clearly flustered. “You haven’t heard?” “We only just got back into town,” Glori explained. Kev gave Quellan and Kosk—but especially Quellan—a long look before his eyes yanked back to Bredan. “A whole army of goblin-folk has invaded the north,” the hostler said. “Hundreds of them, maybe thousands! Several villages were burned and a whole bunch of people were killed! The King… they just read his proclamation in front of the town hall.” “What did King Dangren have to say?” Kosk asked. Kev blinked a moment, as if surprised to be asked that question. Glori snapped her fingers to get his attention. “Kev… what was the proclamation?” “It’s an order of conscription… the King’s raising an army!” * * * [i]Author’s Note: when I first had the idea for this story I started with a module that I’d written some years back for 3e and actually ran for a live group. I’ve updated “The Shrine of the Eth’barat” to 5e and attached it for anyone who is interested.[/i] [/QUOTE]
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