Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Seravin" data-source="post: 888547" data-attributes="member: 6783">People TalkingThe Baron of Mutton is a small inn and tavern in the center of the village of Milbourne.  The building itself was about sixty years old, constructed by an accomplished war veteran named Dirakster as a place where he could spend his years in peace.  Old Dirakster still owned the building though he left the running of the business to his two grandsons Andren and Barthelew.  Dirakster himself was crotchety and the oldest living human in the region; predictably the old man used those two facts to his advantage.  Currently however the old man was sleeping off one of his famous large lunches while his grandson Barthelew was keeping watch over the main room.  Andren had been in the room, but once he discovered that their current guests still had no word of Jelenneth he had left to brood.In the corner of the room around a small table, the five companions picked at their food and discussed what to do next.  The magical ring they had labored so hard to get sat somewhat innocuously in the center of the table under their watchful gaze.  So far it had yet to manifest any magical powers though Jallarzi was left squinting for several minutes after attempting to ascertain its magical strength.“So, where do we go from here?”  Asked Panther.  “None of the histories or texts I’ve come across have ever mentioned anything like this.”  He said waving a hand at the ring.  “The wave symbol looks water related, but who knows?”“There’s a spell or two that might work.”  Suggested Jallarzi.  “One is suppose to be easy enough but it should reveal some of the minor magics of the ring.  The other is well beyond my ability to cast.  Neither one is cheap.”Ashimar looked at the white-haired sorceress.  “Can you do the first one then?”Jallarzi shook her head.  “No, it wasn’t in the book Tauster gave me but there are notes about it in the margins.  It’s not cheap to cast either.”Kellron looked at his friends.  “So, Tauster?  Or the Blasingdale Library?  They’re both about the same distance away.”Jallarzi considered for all of about a second.  “I’d prefer Tauster.  I’m all the way through the book he gave me and it’s given me some food for thought.”  The half-elf drifted off for a moment momentarily racing after a bit of magical theory.  She knew she was near a breakthrough.Panther and Kestral exchanged glances, but it was Panther who spoke first.  “I was checking around while Kellron and Kestral were checking back in with Lord Carman.  There’s a barge headed down river and they’re looking for a bit of protection.  Rumor has it that a tribe of orcs has settled just north of Blasingdale and these guys don’t want to take any chances.  They’re bringing equipment to Count Parlfray and are willing to pay upwards to two hundred gold pieces for an experienced group of guards who will journey all the way to keep.”Ashimar looked at the half-elf bard like he was deranged.  “For guard duty?  What do they have that needs that much protection?”Panther just shrugged.  “Heck if I know but the captain seemed awfully concerned about orcs.  Apparently there’s been some trouble in Blasingdale since we left though none of the stories make sense.  Best I can tell is that Baron Athon closed up the city right after we left and the gates weren’t opened for two days.  One of the guardsmen says that some sort of river-monster attacks boats that get too close to Blasingdale and everyone asserts that there are hundreds of orcs in the vicinity of Blasingdale.”  Panther cocked his head to one side.  “I don’t know if any of this is true but they seem awfully worried.”The five conferred for a few more minutes but eventually it was decided.  “On to Thurmaster it is.”  Declared Kestral.  “Jallarzi can talk to Tauster, he identifies the magics on the ring, we all earn lots of gold, and my courier business stays profitable.”So saying, Kestral and Panther went off to find the captain of the barge (staying at the Silver Crown, Milbourne’s other tavern and only dive) and offer their services.  They weren’t necessarily the best example of the group’s fighting prowess but by the time they were finished talking to the barge captain, he was convinced that he was hiring the Emporer’s guards himself.  Talk of facing an ogre and surviving (“I swear on my mother’s grace that Kellron took a blow from the beast and still stood.  In fact the beast wouldn’t even come out from its’ lair after seeing Kellron still standing”) and facing down the goblins who were now inhabiting New Mire (“Ashimar went in alone by himself and took out three in place guards before we could even get there.”) all piqued the man’s interest, but it was tales of Jallarzi that finally made him agree to hiring the five people, prowess unseen (“And we have a mage.  She’s fought demons with her spells and we can get the Library to back that up.”)Unfortunately neither of the pair noticed that they were being observed as they bargained with the captain.  The man was non-descript, dressed in well-worn clothes with hair and skin coloring that indicated that he was a native to the area.  After Kestral and Panther left the tavern to go inform their friends of their new employment the man quietly got up and left.  He made his way to the stables, collected his horse after paying the stablehand, and then took his horse and forded the river to the south side, and rode as hard as he could eastwards.  His boss was going to be interested in this news.  The white-haired witch was just what he was looking for.</blockquote>

Verification