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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 7173857" data-attributes="member: 143">You guys know I love my metaplot. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />* * * Chapter 60The skies were clear as the adventurers made their third excursion into the wild country that surrounded Northpine.  The landscape was familiar by now, low hills covered by fringes of boulders and dry growth, copses of trees that occasionally thickened into more substantial patches of forest, and the omnipresent prickleburrs and thorny weeds that lashed at their leggings as they walked.This time they had no road or path to follow, and while they rarely encountered obstacles substantial enough to force them to retrace their steps, their progress was slow through the uneven terrain.  But Nordrum’s research had apparently led to a fairly precise identification of the location of their destination, and they had little difficulty following the simple map—accompanied by a complex list of instructions on the back of the parchment sheet—that he’d provided them.It was a warm day, and fairly quiet save for the occasional rustle of a small creature in the brush and the constant buzzing of insects.  A single raptor hung in the bare blue skies above, seeming to monitor their progress through its territory.Their surroundings were quiet, but the adventurers kept up a busy chatter as they made their way further from the village.“So we don’t know exactly what we’re looking for, or even if it exists at all,” Glori said.“That’s about the sum of it,” Kosk growled, swatting at a bug that persistently buzzed around his face.  He caught the insect and crushed it, but within two steps another had replaced it, and he scowled.“He seemed legitimately concerned,” Bredan said.“If there is a dangerous magic here, this close to the village, it is our duty to deal with it,” Quellan said.  “Left untended, minor threats can become major problems.”“What do you think is there?” Glori asked.  “Another artifact like the stone?”“Stone?” Xeeta asked.“Just another job,” Kosk said.“A paying job,” Glori pointed out.  “You think the sage is good for it, Bredan?”“I don’t know,” he said.  “I mean, it seemed like it.  Kosk said that it’s common for folk to use notes of credit in the south.”“That is true,” Quellan said.  “I have even seen such notes at the monastery in Crosspath, from time to time.”“Even if this sage is being honest about his finances, it does not explain his motivations,” Xeeta pointed out.  The tiefling had let her magical disguise lapse shortly after they’d left Northpine that morning, but she kept the cowl of her cloak up despite the building warmth of the day, keeping her distinctive features hidden under the concealing fabric.“We can reserve judgment until we see what, if anything, is to be found at this ruin,” Quellan said.“I notice you didn’t say anything about the boy,” Glori said.“The sage admitted that it’s unlikely we’d find him at this place,” Bredan said.“It may be unlikely,” Quellan admitted.  “But at least we will know that we investigated all of the options before we resumed our journey north.”“At this rate the war will be over by the time we get there,” Kosk muttered.Around noon the terrain became rockier, the trees thinning out and the tangles of dry brush becoming stringier and smaller except in deeper gullies where water tended to collect.  That allowed them to improve their pace somewhat, though they remained alert to the landmarks that Nordrum had indicated on his map.  According to the sage they should be able to reach the ruin before nightfall, although unless they found what they were looking for immediately it was likely they’d have to spend the night there.  They’d brought enough extra supplies for several days of camping, just in case.After a brief pause for rest and a quick lunch they continued on their way.  With the sun beating down on them and few opportunities for shade the day quickly became oppressive even for those not wearing armor, and eventually even Xeeta took off her cloak.  The tiefling looked self-conscious as she carefully folded it and tucked it through the straps of her pack, though they hadn’t seen so much as a single traveler since they’d left Northpine hours before.  They knew they were only a few miles from the road that had brought them to the village, but it felt like they were in a true wilderness, untouched by the busy arts of civilized hands.They were climbing a low rise cluttered with an assortment of large boulders when Quellan cursed and stopped.“You okay?” Glori asked.“Yeah.  It’s my armor.”Bredan came over and took a look.  All of their gear was starting to look rather ragged.  The dwarven smith in Northpine, Sindrix Strongarm, had done what he could to make quick repairs to Bredan’s mail and Quellan’s scale armor, but both suits needed several days of attention in a well-stocked armorer’s forge.  Bredan said as much as he examined the half-orc’s armor and unpacked his tools.“We can get our gear tended to more thoroughly in Adelar,” Quellan said.  “They’ll have armorers there.”“You might want to consider investing in something more substantial,” Bredan said.  “A suit of half-plate would provide much better protection, and won’t be that much heavier or cumbersome if it’s crafted well.”“That’s all we need, more metal clanking about whenever we move,” Kosk said.Bredan looked over at him.  “If it stops a spearhead or deflects an arrow, it’s worth it,” he said.  “And we can afford it, what with what we found at the estate, plus what the sage promised.”“Don’t count your riches just yet,” Kosk said.  “I know that pile of coins seems like a fortune to you, but it won’t go nearly as far in a place like Adelar, especially with a war going on to drive up prices.”“For someone who claims not to be interested in money, you sure seem to know a lot about it,” Glori said.Bredan twisted a wire with a set of pliers and gave Quellan’s armor a quick tug.  “All right, I think you’re good for now, but I should take another look at it tonight in camp,” he told the cleric.“Thank you, Bredan.”“Can we get moving now?” Kosk asked.  “I’d prefer we find this place before nightfall.”They resumed their winding course through the field of boulders, with Kosk in the lead and Xeeta bringing up the rear.  “Speaking of riches, do you still have that odd key we found in the shrine?” Bredan asked Glori.“The jade dagger?” she asked.  “It’s wrapped up in the bottom of my pack.  I haven’t found a place where I could sell it yet.  I was thinking there would be jewel merchants in Adelar who would offer a good price for it.”“Could be it’s worth a few hundred more golds, maybe?”“Maybe.  It’s difficult to tell with odd items like that,” Glori said.“That is true,” Xeeta chimed in from behind them.  “Sometimes there’s a collector who will pay many times an item’s raw value in precious metal or rare gemstone, just because it’s unusual or historically significant.”“Hmm.  I wonder if the sage would be willing to pay for it,” Bredan said.  “Especially if this ruin and the… the other one are connected.”  He glanced back at Xeeta as he changed what he’d been about to say, but the tiefling didn’t seem concerned at the edit.“Maybe we should have Kosk appraise it,” Glori said.  “Since he seems so knowledgeable about economic issues.”Bredan barked a laugh, and Glori joined in.  Even Quellan’s lips twisted into a smile, though he quickly hid it as Kosk turned around.  “In case you lot have forgotten, we’re in the bloody wilderness, not a bloody tavern—”He trailed off as a deep, guttural sound arose from behind a boulder the size of a cottage directly behind him.  The companions shared a quick look then reached for their weapons.  The noise wasn’t repeated, but it had sounded close, as if whatever it was had been directly on the other side of the massive stone.Silent now, the companions crept forward to see what was ahead of them.As they edged around the boulder they could see what looked like a small, temporary camp.  A few nasty-looking furs had been tossed haphazardly among the surrounding rocks, along with a slab of wood that looked oddly out of place until a huge hand reached and grabbed hold of it.The hand belonged to a massive figure that stepped into view as it rose up out of the shelter of the boulder.  The companions’ jaws dropped as they stared up—and up, for the creature was almost twenty feet tall, with a bulk that caused the ground to shudder underneath them as it shifted its feet.  It was clad in a clout of fur fastened around its hips, with fur leggings protecting its feet and shins.  But its most arresting feature was its face, or more precisely the single eye set in the middle of it that blinked as the giant regarded the adventurers.“Cyclops!” Quellan hissed.“Um…” Bredan said.The cyclops didn’t give him a chance to say more, as it lifted its club menacingly and roared, “Smash you!” before taking a ground-shaking step toward them.</blockquote>

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