Olivia Blackmantle literally bounced into Gavin’s Well, the small cozy inn that served as the social center of the small village of Gavin’s Dale. She’d heard that there were strangers in town – someone new! Her green eyes lit up when she saw that there were new people in the sleepy village.
Her eyes first fell on the halfling. He was slight, even for one of his kind. His pack was up on his seat, and even with this boost his head was barely above the table. His face was a bit pale and he was hanging his head over a cup of hot tea. He sneezed, obviously suffering from some kind of ailment.
The other stranger was much more striking. He was a tall human, dressed most unusually. He wore a long dark coat over a shirt made of some kind of netting. His legs were covered with small buckles, and he had a great number of jewels decorating his ears. His hands had silver claws on the tips of his finger. Finally his dark hair was dyed red on the tips, and spiked not unlike the small mechanical hedgehog that sat on his shoulder. She HAD to know who this was.
“Excuse me, are you a stranger here.”
He didn’t look up at her. “Have you seen me before?”
“Umm, no.”
“Then I guess I’m new here.” He looked up to the barkeep. “I’ll have the stew.”
Olivia decided to leave the colorful stranger to his own devices and went over to the halfling. “Hello – I’m Olivia. Are you feeling okay?”
“Oh, just a bit of a cold.” He sniffled and took another drink from his tea.
“Well I’ll bet Old Man Preston can fix you right up! He’s got all kinds of herbs and stuff. Come on!” She got up and walked out the door, assuming the halfling was following her.
The burly warrior sitting at the bar looked at the halfling. Growing up in the village, he knew that the halfling had no choice in the matter. “You’d better go, or she’ll just come back for you. Come on, I’ll go with you.” Just as they were getting to the door, Olivia popped her head back in and said “Come on!”
The village was small and peaceful. Other than the inn, the small temple, and the lodge where Olivia’s adoptive father protected the town, only a few dozen houses stood on the edge of the forest. This was the last outpost of the Kingdom of Enoch. Though the King in name ruled the entire isle, everything past this point belonged to the goblins and barbarians.
They arrived at the small temple to Mighty Auros, and the elderly cleric Preston greeted them warmly. He invited them in and began working on an infusion for the halfling. Algernon, the burly warrior, waited outside.
He breathed in the clear night air and looked about. He heard an odd chattering on the edge of town, and took a couple steps, wondering what it could be. Then he saw a fire strike up. This was most unusual. Who could be out starting a fire out there?
His question was answered when he heard the catapult loose, and the flaming ball of pitch flew in a graceful arc, landing a mere fifteen feet away from him. Then he realized what the chittering voices were.
Goblins.
Her eyes first fell on the halfling. He was slight, even for one of his kind. His pack was up on his seat, and even with this boost his head was barely above the table. His face was a bit pale and he was hanging his head over a cup of hot tea. He sneezed, obviously suffering from some kind of ailment.
The other stranger was much more striking. He was a tall human, dressed most unusually. He wore a long dark coat over a shirt made of some kind of netting. His legs were covered with small buckles, and he had a great number of jewels decorating his ears. His hands had silver claws on the tips of his finger. Finally his dark hair was dyed red on the tips, and spiked not unlike the small mechanical hedgehog that sat on his shoulder. She HAD to know who this was.
“Excuse me, are you a stranger here.”
He didn’t look up at her. “Have you seen me before?”
“Umm, no.”
“Then I guess I’m new here.” He looked up to the barkeep. “I’ll have the stew.”
Olivia decided to leave the colorful stranger to his own devices and went over to the halfling. “Hello – I’m Olivia. Are you feeling okay?”
“Oh, just a bit of a cold.” He sniffled and took another drink from his tea.
“Well I’ll bet Old Man Preston can fix you right up! He’s got all kinds of herbs and stuff. Come on!” She got up and walked out the door, assuming the halfling was following her.
The burly warrior sitting at the bar looked at the halfling. Growing up in the village, he knew that the halfling had no choice in the matter. “You’d better go, or she’ll just come back for you. Come on, I’ll go with you.” Just as they were getting to the door, Olivia popped her head back in and said “Come on!”
The village was small and peaceful. Other than the inn, the small temple, and the lodge where Olivia’s adoptive father protected the town, only a few dozen houses stood on the edge of the forest. This was the last outpost of the Kingdom of Enoch. Though the King in name ruled the entire isle, everything past this point belonged to the goblins and barbarians.
They arrived at the small temple to Mighty Auros, and the elderly cleric Preston greeted them warmly. He invited them in and began working on an infusion for the halfling. Algernon, the burly warrior, waited outside.
He breathed in the clear night air and looked about. He heard an odd chattering on the edge of town, and took a couple steps, wondering what it could be. Then he saw a fire strike up. This was most unusual. Who could be out starting a fire out there?
His question was answered when he heard the catapult loose, and the flaming ball of pitch flew in a graceful arc, landing a mere fifteen feet away from him. Then he realized what the chittering voices were.
Goblins.
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