The Grassy Gnoll
Explorer
The ox on the left farted nonchalantly, causing an eruption of another sort from the driver's seat as Simeon the Druid reluctantly paid yet another copper piece to his Gnomish companion.
"Godsdamnit! Again!", the human cried. "Are you sure you're not using Gnome magic, Wren?"
The Gnome flicked the reins and laughed. The two oxen pulling the cart had been slow and steady on the road from Neverwinter, but their gaseous emissions had been providing Wren and Simeon with gambling opportunities since they had set off. Betting on whether left ox or right ox would let rip next was the most exciting thing to happen this whole trip.
"Maybe if it was squirrels, master Druid!", said Wren, with a wink. Simeon was not convinced, and after a long stare declared, "Both together" and put another copper on the bench seat between them.
Suddenly, the gnome pulled on the reins. Up ahead, the green hulking shape of their taciturn Dragonborn companion had stopped, one massive arm raised in the air.
"Something's up", said Wren. Simeon nodded and jumped down from the cart, alert now. Wren steered the cart to meet with the Dragonborn, Pandjead, who pointed at the road ahead.
Following his emerald scaled finger, Wren and Simeon could see two horses lying on the trail ahead, their sides pocked with black, greasy-feathered arrows. The gnome, a ranger by trade, and the Druid both noticed how quiet it had become. Simeon scanned the woods on either side of the trail.
"Looks like Gundren's horse", rumbled the Dragonborn, and it was true. The palomino had been a handsome beast and easy to recognise. The other must have been his bodyguard's, the grizzled human they had met only when they took possession of the Dwarf, Gundren's, cart of supplies with the job of getting it to the frontier town of Phandelver.
Simeon couldn't see anything in the trees as Wren quietly notched an arrow to his bow. Pandjead unslung his heavy warhammer and stepped closer to the horses. It seemed even the air was holding its breath.
As he reached the palomino, the companions heard the unmistakable sound of both oxen farting in unison. Simeon and Wren exchanged a glance and a smile, relaxing, as at that moment they heard the thrum of arrows and saw Pandjead stuck with three black, greasy-feathered arrows.
"Ambush!", he roared, span round by the force of the deadly missiles. Another arrow thudded into his back as another gashed Simeon's leg. Two more buried themselves in the wood of the drivers seat next to the gnome.
Wren caught a glimpse of shapes in the trees to his right: goblins! And more to the left. They were surrounded!
To be continued...
"Godsdamnit! Again!", the human cried. "Are you sure you're not using Gnome magic, Wren?"
The Gnome flicked the reins and laughed. The two oxen pulling the cart had been slow and steady on the road from Neverwinter, but their gaseous emissions had been providing Wren and Simeon with gambling opportunities since they had set off. Betting on whether left ox or right ox would let rip next was the most exciting thing to happen this whole trip.
"Maybe if it was squirrels, master Druid!", said Wren, with a wink. Simeon was not convinced, and after a long stare declared, "Both together" and put another copper on the bench seat between them.
Suddenly, the gnome pulled on the reins. Up ahead, the green hulking shape of their taciturn Dragonborn companion had stopped, one massive arm raised in the air.
"Something's up", said Wren. Simeon nodded and jumped down from the cart, alert now. Wren steered the cart to meet with the Dragonborn, Pandjead, who pointed at the road ahead.
Following his emerald scaled finger, Wren and Simeon could see two horses lying on the trail ahead, their sides pocked with black, greasy-feathered arrows. The gnome, a ranger by trade, and the Druid both noticed how quiet it had become. Simeon scanned the woods on either side of the trail.
"Looks like Gundren's horse", rumbled the Dragonborn, and it was true. The palomino had been a handsome beast and easy to recognise. The other must have been his bodyguard's, the grizzled human they had met only when they took possession of the Dwarf, Gundren's, cart of supplies with the job of getting it to the frontier town of Phandelver.
Simeon couldn't see anything in the trees as Wren quietly notched an arrow to his bow. Pandjead unslung his heavy warhammer and stepped closer to the horses. It seemed even the air was holding its breath.
As he reached the palomino, the companions heard the unmistakable sound of both oxen farting in unison. Simeon and Wren exchanged a glance and a smile, relaxing, as at that moment they heard the thrum of arrows and saw Pandjead stuck with three black, greasy-feathered arrows.
"Ambush!", he roared, span round by the force of the deadly missiles. Another arrow thudded into his back as another gashed Simeon's leg. Two more buried themselves in the wood of the drivers seat next to the gnome.
Wren caught a glimpse of shapes in the trees to his right: goblins! And more to the left. They were surrounded!
To be continued...
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