Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 2344901" data-attributes="member: 2323">[PLAIN][Realms #313] Southward, Ho! part 2[/PLAIN]Godsday, the 2nd - Starday, the 13th of GoodmonthThe journey through Olven Vale and up the disused trade road into the lowest peaks of the great Altan Tepes was largely uneventful. They passed the time as they always did, by going over and over their accumulated clues. In particular, Morier's experiences within the Grove of Renewal were scrutinized with great care. Ledare wanted to be sure that she understood completely the information he had gleaned."We should all take interest in this," she told the others. "Who knows when one might find oneself the sole keeper of such knowledge.""Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that regardless of what we learned in the Grove, without our little elven compass here, we're in no position to act on that knowledge," Huzair said, patting Morier roughly on the head. The Eldritch Warrior swatted his hand away."Yes. It goes without saying, the one we have to safeguard now is Morier," Ledare agreed. "Without his head, we are as directionless as we were before we entered the Grove.""I say we really only need 'is head!" Karak announced before bursting into laughter. Huzair joined in, but he was the only one. Lela left Feln's shoulder long enough to fly down and pull Karak's mustache."That's mean!" she scolded as she dodged with fist."I hope you all realize the serious nature of this quest," Ledare admonished once the group had settled down. "It is not to be taken lightly.""It was but a joke, lass," Karak grumbled, sinking into a foul mood that lasted the rest of the day.At camp one night, Feln drew Morier aside during one of the rare moments that the half-ogre was free of Lela. "I am sorry for my reaction to your victory over the Purging," Feln apologized, not able to look Morier in the eye as he spoke. "I am sickened to say it, but when I thought you had failed, part of me felt glad for it meant I made the wise decision in turning back. When you returned, it just confirmed that I was not strong enough for the challenge." For a moment, Morier said nothing, and the uncomfortable silence pressed in on them."We are alike, you and I," the Eldritch Warrior said at last. "We see life as a series of tests to be met head on and overcome. If our roles were reversed and it was I who had turned back and you who had succeeded, I cannot say that I would not feel the same resentment at your victorious return.""It warms me knowing that you are back, though, Morier," Feln said quickly. "Truly.""I know, Feln," Morier said patting the half-ogre's arm reassuringly. "There is no ill-blood between us." Feln nodded in acceptance and moved to the edge of their camp where he threw himself into re-mastering his martial forms.On Waterday, the 10th they arrived near the alpine town of Relfren and several members of the VQS went in to secure supplies for the remaining journey into Pellham. They left Feln and Wolf and the centaurs at camp in the pine forest beyond the town to avoid undue scrutiny.That turned out to be largely unnecessary as the townsfolk were preparing for their annual Founders' Day festival in three days' time and were far too busy erecting temporary seating in front of the Emerald Moon Cheese Factory to pay the well-armed travelers much mind. Founders' Day always involved a grand feast sponsored by  the wealthy merchant, Heinz Schiller, owner of both the Emerald Moon Cheese Factory and Heinz Schiller’s Most Excellent Sausagerie - the two largest businesses in town. Unsurprisingly, the feast involved the consumption of prodigious amounts of cheese, sausage, wine and beer but this year was especially exciting; both the cheese and sausage works had closed their doors until the day of the festival. Signs proclaimed a "special surprise" was to be unveiled.This, of course, was interpreted as a sinister plot. Given their experiences with the meat pies in Barnacus this was perhaps to be expected. So they did a bit of snooping once they'd visited the few shops they needed and discovered that there was no one in the small village that could enchant Karak's waraxe. Their investigation involved Huzair Charming Brother Theo, the local priest of Waukeen; a meeting with Constable Taunen-baum during which he begged their assistance investigating some local ruins; and Lela's nighttime reconnaissance of the cheese factory.Brother Theo, who found himself suddenly to be Huzair's best friend, allowed them entry into the town's ossuary to view the bodies of two dead elves that they thought might hold some clue to the mysterious "special surprise". The group declined the Constable's request for their aid with the bandit-infested ruins. And Lela's investigation of the cheese factory uncovered a well-guarded building with an inordinate number of rodents of unusual size.There was no obvious enemy to run through with their swords, and the pull in Morier's head was very insistent. On Earthday morning, they met one last time with Constable Taunen-baum to explain their fears to him."Please understand, we do not have the luxury of time to help you now with the neighboring ruins. But there  is one matter which demands your immediate attention," Ledare explained in her most diplomatic manner. "Not long ago, the northern city of Barnacus was the target of a deadly taint. Hundreds of people were afflicted and the city shut down under quarantine as a result of poisoned meat pies from the Festival of Ibrahil. At the same time, the city was struggling with an overflux of rats. Not just any rats, but rats of unusual size. The parallels between your two situations are too close to ignore. We beseech you to take a closer look at the dealings of the Emerald Moon Cheese Factory."They left with the feeling that the Constable wasn't going to do anything to jeopardize Relfren's festival. They had done all they could without further delaying their arrival in Pellham.On the journey down the mountains into Pellham itself, they encountered merchants on their way to the Founders' Day and Karak warned them off eating the cheese. The merchants journeyed onward thinking that the dwarf had developed diarrhea as a result of consuming too much of the green cheese and also that he was far too willing to burden strangers with the knowledgeSunday, the 14th - Waterday, the 17th of GoodmonthThe VQS passed though the tiny outpost of Cutter Jack's at the base of the mountain and received directions to the next nearest settlement, the Village of Bereford which lay to the southeast. Fortunately, this was also the direction in which Morier's head was pulling them, so they bid farewell to Brynzin Bri and the other centaurs and pointed themselves toward Bereford.</blockquote>

Verification