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Enchanted Trinkets Complete--a hardcover book containing over 500 magic items for your D&D games!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Whizbang Dustyboots" data-source="post: 3530730" data-attributes="member: 11760">"Let's press on," Constable Ward Bridger says, bringing an end to the recounting of the incidents of the evening. "Those on foot, assist Hazel and then follow as best you can. I need to alert the constables in Foxton and Middleborough."He digs in his heels and Bufer squeals in fear and clutches the saddle pommel as they set out down the dark road, leaving the others standing on the Baron's Road in the midst of the Tulgey Wood."Either of y'all think to bring a light?" Hazel looks at Emus and Rags skeptically. "Otherwise, we might hafta rely on your eyes to find tracks, Emus. You find 'em, I'll follow 'em. Assuming there's any ta find, that is.""Shame we put out the fire in town; we'd be able t'see from here to Foxton like it was day," Ragglus chuckles with forced humor.Emus blinks in surprise, not having remembered how dark the woods must look to human eyes at this hour. He slips one of his two torches out of his ever-present backpack, ignoring Skeeter as the dog perks up, thinking a game of fetch is about to start. He lights the torch with his flint and tinder and passes it to Hazel."Thanks," Hazel says, accepting the torch with a smile. She begins scanning the road for signs of the fugitives. "Stay sharp, gents. We dunno where the Green Mountain wizard's gotten to, and no doubt he'd be able to do a lot more damage to us than Tock and Ren."Skeeter continues to look expectantly at Hazel and Emus for a few minutes before getting distracted by smells and sounds, and he wanders off to mark as many trees as he can before his bladder fails him.Hazel moves slowly forward, her eyes fixed on the road as she crosses from one side to the other more times than she can count. She finds little more than the expected hoofprints and wheel ruts the cart left behind, but continues her methodical search toward Foxton.Suddenly, there's a crashing noise in the brush, followed by the sound of someone swearing and cursing. After a moment, a figure stumbles out of the brush, his threadbare robe covered spiky seedpods, his skin scratched by thorns.He raises a pair of shackled wrists towards the surprised group."Hello. I've come to turn myself in for questioning," says Khenemet-Apep.Hazel takes two quick steps back and motions Tucker forward."I think that's more your area of expertise than mine, Tuck," she says, eyeing the wizard nervously."We've got a bit of a mystery that you could maybe shed some light on. These tracks here," she gestures with the torch toward the edge of the road, "Tell me somebody popped out of the woods and maybe hopped into a cart. See how they disappear here, by the cart track?"She crouches down for a closer look."Deep, too, but not too large: I'd guess a human carrying something heavy." Hazel stares at the wizard's chest, not willing to meet his eyes. "You see anybody join the fugitives?""No," the wizard says, as his cat detaches itself from the darkness and rubs against his ankle. "I was, perhaps, a little overly enthusiastic with my dimension door in my haste to escape the murderers who set upon the good deputy -- I am pleased to see you alive, sir, and only wish I could have been able to help you myself -- and ended up in what appeared to be a vacant bear's den. Such was my haste to escape it before the bears returned, I did not see or hear anyone else on the road."Tucker approaches the wizard, who offers his bound hands expectantly. Rather than taking the shackles, however, Tucker delivers a swift punch to the gut, driving the air from Khenemet-Apep's lungs."I may have fallen on my head when you kicked me off the cart, but I'm too dumb for it to have done any damage," he spits, patting the wizard down for any potentially dangerous items. Which, being a wizard, would pretty much be anything at all in his possession."You could have just as easily poofed yourself out of harm's way without that little feat," Tuck says, indicating to the footprint on his leather armor. "So the spell you cast on a citizen of the Empire? It pretty much pales before aiding and abetting a criminal and attempted murder of an agent of law, no matter who you went to school with.""Emmerson, you have your sword?" The paladin nods, drawing his steel. "Press it here, against his chest. Ragglus, you want in on this, too? He moves his hands or opens his lips even slightly -- at all -- skewer him."Ibliss hisses angrily as he melts in and out of the darkness."And Skeeter, eat that hell-spawned cat."The wizard raises his eyebrow quizically, clearly wanting to speak, but weighing the odds that he'd be run through if he spoke up.Emmerson keeps his sword-hand steady and his eyes meet the wizard's."What's the matter, cat got your tongue?" Ragglus asks, drawing his sword and chuckling.The wizard very deliberately clears his throat, his eyes moving between Tucker and Emmerson."No. If I intended to harm you, deputy, I would have done so from the cover of the forest instead of surrendering myself. And that kick was intended to get you off a cart full of fleeing fugitives. If you wish to execute me for attempting to save your life, I can only hope this young servant of Lothian will say a prayer over me as you bury me in some unmarked grave."Tucker shoves the wizard, harder than might be necessary."Don't care, don't care, don't care." He jerks his head down the road toward Foxton. "Less talk, more walk."Emus curls his bearded lip up in annoyed disbelief. He looks at Tucker, Emmerson, and Ragglus and then at their swords. Hoisting his greatclub to its usual resting place on his shoulder, he heads on down the path towards their destination, taking a lead position, even in front of the torch he gave Hazel."No wonder the others skipped town," he mumbles just loud enough to be heard.</blockquote>

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