A Wellspring of Regret

[Nina]

 

 

“And Marida bustled through the bones…no dammit.” Tandal leaned over his twelve string double necked lute (he never used the top neck it was just for show) and scratched out the line and stuck the pencil in his teeth.

 

“Why don’t you just say Marida charged across the room,” asked Ren, taking a sip of her tea.

 

“Better yet just tell the damn story and strum here and there, quit trying to ‘make’ it sound epic.” Says Kathra, making quote marks in the air when she said Make.

 

“Kathra is right, Tandal,” barked Brarga, “it has been a month and you still havnt shared the song, story or whatever it is. Everyone will have forgotten by the time you get it the way you want it. And that does not help our bottom line a’talll.”

 

Our heroic gang of adventurers were gathered at their usual table at the Three Leaves inn, mugs of beer, a large plate of cheeses, loafs of bread, and a dish of honey infused butter.

 

A little more than three weeks had passed since the adventure with the dragons and the necromancer.

 

The party after clearing the caves and dividing their loot had heard a great crash as the caves collapsed burying everything. They had returned to South Leave (the town, not the pass) and told their story. Some believed them but with little evidence most scoffed.

 

Somewhat dejected the party made the trek back to the Three Leaves inn and there they found a small chest awaiting them. The Inn Keeper had said that just that morning a sour faced man had come in and left said it was four the two dragonborn, the elf, the dwarf, the faerie, and the sword priest. No mention was made of a singer.

 

In the box was a small fortune in gold and gems (about 3500gp worth) and a note in a fluid hand. The note read---

 

Dearest friends. I congratulate you on your victory over that slimy miscreant Dosfringe. I understand that the venture was costly and not very lucrative please except this small payment on behalf of a grateful citizenry.

 

Make yourselves comfortable at the Three Leaves Inn arrangements have been made for your extended lodging. (don’t forget to tip). Soon another opportunity will arrive.

 

Rest assured you are on the way of proving yourselves to myself and all others.

 

The Wizard

 

P.S. Don’t visit the tower.

 

True to the note the Inn had set aside rooms for the whole party (except the singer) with rents paid for a full year.

 

The group moved into their new quarters, a suite of rooms on the top floor, that none of them could remember having been there the previous times they had stayed at the Inn. The rooms were not lavish but were comfortable and they were also interconnected with doors that could be bolted from both sides.

 

Over the next three weeks the party trained and waited for the promised opportunity which so far had been elusive.

 

Tandal looks at his friends (for that is how he thought of them, whether true or not) and sighed, “I just wanted it to be perfect, but, seems I don’t have the words. I’m a failure. Maybe I should become a goat herder.”

 

[Veral]

"Perhaps, at this time it would be wise to consider the saying, 'perfection is the enemy of the finished.'" Yimtac pipes up from a desk where he is working on some schematics.

[Asarasa]

"I can summon Anvil if you'd like to practice some herding, Tandal," Kathra said with a teasing chuckle, referring to her War Ram. "But I'd be careful, he's an ornery sod."

Tandal gave the beautiful and brawny dwarf a doubtful look. Kathra beamed and raised her mug of breakfast beer. "That's... thank you, Kathra, but no. Maybe if I give it bit more, the words will come..."

 

"That's the spirit, singer. From failure comes growth. You only truly fail when you stop trying." The she-dwarf's jade green eyes glittered with cheerfully fierce determination as she tossed her head, burnished red braid of hair flipping over a broad shoulder as she downed her beer.

"I believe I'm gonna go out on a ride for a day or two, if any of you wish to accompany me. If the opportunity the Wizard promised doesn't show itself soon, I'll go find one myself."

Three weeks was near as long as she had lingered in any one place since the fall of Land's End. And while she was enjoying the time with her new companions, and dallying with a serving girl or a stable boy to pass the time, she was growing restless.

[Nina]

Tandal looked even more crestfallen and putting his lute in it’s case informed the party that he was going to go take a nap.

 

Ren watched him go upstairs then turned back to her companions. “It is sad, it seems to me that he was better at this when he was just an acquaintance.”

 

“Maybe,” said Kathra as she stood and stretched. “I’m going now, if anyone is coming with me lets get a move on." She looked around the table as one by one her friends begged off with one reason or another. "Alright then I shall return in a day or two."

 

Brarga stood as well, "Don't go to far I feel that the wizard will be sending us our next task soon and you need to be ready." This was directed at Katra, then to the rest he said, "Right now I'm going into town to check the boards see if anything has turned up.

 

Kathra grabbed up her gear and headed out to the stable where she found Anvil in the yard, already saddled and ready for her. None of the stable hands were around and the Ram just looked at her. with narrowed eyes she mounted up and choosing a direction not toward town, rode away from the Inn.

 

Spoiler

if anyone else is going to do anything please make a post otherwise i will continue.

 

[Shameless]

For his part, Brarga went to check the boards.  At this point, he didn't expect to see anything new, just the same sort of caravan escort missions that had been posted, nothing that stood out.   He remained in the city, checking various shops, but finding little that sparked his interest.  His armor had been repaired where it was needed, and he himself had tended to his axes.   Still, he wasn't out for just any job.    The party had grown, and while having a place to stay certainly helped their finances, he knew they'd need good paying work again before too long.   He remained in the town, mostly because he wanted to be able to respond as needed, he'd only return to the in when it was close to nightfall.

Edited April 13, 2023 by Shameless

[Asarasa]

The sun was bright and warm and the brisk breeze had a pleasant bite to it, though it lacked the scent of salt or the sound of crashing waves that Kathra recalled from her Hold. She rode West from the outskirts of Verslun, with no real destination in mind, the sun at her back, still yet shy of its peak, sunlight glinting off the Lake to the South, morning mist fading.

Shield on her back, warhammer hanging from the saddlehorn, Kathra rapped on her drum in counterpoint to Anvil's cloven hooves on the hardpacked dirt of the road as she sang one of the many Dwarven work songs she knew. She wasn't a trained singer, but she had a good voice with a rich timbre and what she lacked in finesse she made up with exuberance.

While the fire of her Vow always burned in her soul, Kathra wasn't dour and of serious mien like what most thought of Dwarves and Paladins. Most didn't see it, but dwarves weren't just smiths and masons, champions of mere toil. They had a zest for life, but for most, it was a private affair. Kathra had been considered somewhat odd among the Dwarves of Land's End, lest focused on a single drive, traveling different paths, still looking for the one that best suited her, and she had been the same in dalliance and romance.

Restless she was. Her Vow had tempered that restlessness, but not diminished it. Anvil's stolid presence beneath complemented her fiery and cheerful nature. Kathra flicked one of the War Ram's carved, curled horns with a finger. "Come on, Anvil, you've been too complacent in town and stable for too long. Let's give you a good run to work off some fat."

Anvil understood every word, but only deigned to reply with a low, laconic bleat. Still, he shifted pace, to a canter, than a gallop, long and loping, almost continuous hops, unlike a horse's stride. Kathra swung the drum around her waist, then grabbed the saddlehorn with both hands. Her deep laughter floated up into the air as her thick braids streamed out behind her.

Edited April 13, 2023 by Asarasa

[Exile_Jeane]

Marida watched the bard head off in silence, shaking her head in sympathy at his sympathy. Trouble with words at the right moment was the reason she was here now, so she could see why he was hesitant to put ballad to parchment. The past few weeks had been an eye opener for her. 

 

At home in the forest with the Grugach? She'd been no wallflower, bonding with her fellow warriors and those who saw a connection with a warrior as useful or pleasurable, but home was just the Grugach, perfect in among themselves in their, retrospectively, simple way.

 

In the camps of the Goliaths, her second home after her exile? The half-giants were more worldly than the Grugach, but isolated by distance, and always always always judging her sidelong to see if she could keep up in the neverending cycle of competition in and amongst themselves. As fascinating as it was, there had been no little relief cutting away from them after hearing about the dragon sighting.

 

Here, in the wake of driving off a menace to the town's safety and livelihood, as the sole Grugach they'd seen in the flesh in living memory? This was very different then home, a bustling chaos where she had no defined role outside of her new 'adventuring party', an adhoc imitation of the roving patrols Radha Wood employed to detect invaders. The mysterious boon of wealth and lodging from their patron scratched at Marida's curiosity, keeping her satisfied dealing with the stares and roving to edges of the city honing new gifts of her giant studies, making a show for the local youths bursting rocks asunder. Grugach and even Goliath children were very different from these urchins, and she had not begrudged them their entertainment. A curiosity repaid.

 

She looked over to the remaining members of the party after Kathra, Braga, and Tandal's departure, "Any of Ye have plans fae da day? 'M ganting fae some fun."

 

[Nina]

Ren looked at Yimtac and then back at Marida, "What kind of fun did you have in mind,' she asked with a mischievous glint in her eye?

 

 

Brarga had gone to his third work board but he wasn't paying attention to the notices this time. Since entering the town, even through the bustle he had felt that he was being followed and not by some miscreant thief waiting for a chance to pick his pocket, but by Professionals. 

 

At the third board he was sure he had identified at least three two men and one woman. Most likely humans though the woman had a sort of elfin look. They were skilled. Only one at a time kept him in sight while the other two positioned to switch off. All three wore cloaks and they either traded them out or they were magical for the cloaks each wore was different each time he spied them.

 

He didn't know who they might be or what they might want.

 

 

Kathra rode for nearly an hour and had past well to the west of the city wall, she had gone off the road to allow Anvil to run and jump freely and was now paused at a shallow runoff stream to allow Anvil to quench his thirst with the icy cold water. As the great Ram drank Kathra climbed the low bank and caught a whiff of smoke and the smell of cooking meat. Curious that there would be someone off the beaten path cooking. She cautiously made her way toward the smoke.

 

The trees were sparse but between the few there were and the bushes which were much more numerous she traveled on foot,  in the direction the smoke was coming from. Kathra came to a small clearing about a hundred yards from where the stream ran. The clearing was shielded by a row or wild hedges and brambles with one large tree growing in the center its branch making a canopy over the whole thing. There by the tree, Kathra spied three young humans cooking over a meager open fire. each held a stick with what she thought were probably squirrels impaled on them. All tree were girls the oldest maybe eleven or twelve the youngest looked no older than five or six. They were dirty and dressed in rags.

 

Spoiler

scenes are set what do you do

 

 

[Exile_Jeane]

Marida held up one grey-skinned hand, counting off points on her fingers, "Fun that can end 'n us gettan blootered 'nd a friendly tussle but nae start 'ith et. Fun that won't get us 'n tae hot a spot 'e trouble with tha guards. Fun tha can kill time like we killed tha twisted scooner of a wizard 'nd earn or lose us a spot of coin fae taenight's blootering. Something and but, ye ken?"

 

She grinned, trusting the collective imagination of her party members to fill in the broad void of possibilities left by that very vague plan. No one would ever accuse her of being the sort to make plans though. 

[Shameless]

Brarga wasn't in the best of moods.   Three boards with no prospects, and now someone was watching and following him.   They definitely weren't just common thieves, but they'd also made sure that he noticed them.  Outnumbered Four to One wasn't the sort of odds he liked, and drawing arms would cause even more problems than it was likely worth.  He was largely a creature of habit, at least away from the battlefield, and if they were professionals, they'd probably know that.
  

He walked another block and came to one of the various taverns and headed inside.    There weren't many patrons, which was fine, and he went to sit at a table in a corner, where he faced the door.   Conveniently, there were also four other chairs at the table.   A Barmaid came to him and smiled.  "What can I get you?"  
 

Brarga gave what passed for a smile, and answered  "Whatever the daily special is, so long as it isn't a soup.   Water to drink, please."   She looked curiously at him, and he nodded.   "I am expecting some others."

[Asarasa]

If you had to make a camp on the road, you could do much worse than this clearing, even if it was a ways off from anywhere convenient. But it was not so far from town that there should be anyone. Perhaps they were farmer folk from a homestead, but they didn't seem to have much. They looked more like refugees, and were awful young to be on their own. Perhaps their home had been attacked by a monster, if the human or non-human sort. Curious.

Not wanting to startle the girls, Kathra made her footsteps heavy and took no effort in easing through the brush, making her presence plain and obvious. She sent a mental command to her War Ram to make his way towards her. Fierce Anvil may be, he seemed to enthrall and bemuse the young. War Rams were not common among other than dwarves.

"Ho, there, lasses!" Kathra called out brightly in her low, rich voice, one hand raised and the other far from her warhammer. "I smelled your fire and as it nears midday, I seek to share it."

The girls froze at her voice, tense and wary, knuckles going white as their hands tightened around their sticks. The eldest, who had a head on the Dwarven warrior, but who might half massed only half as much, shuffled in front of the other two, blue eyes tight and narrow.

"I would share my own food and drink in trade of course," Kathra assured them, slinging her pack - and waterskin - from her back. There was a rustle from behind and the girls started at the sight of the behorned creature heavily haired in silver grey and glossy white. "Be at ease, girls. That's my mount, Anvil, as gentle as mountain top snow,"

The burly dwarf woman smiled and took a sip of water from the skin, then nodded towards the fitful fire. "What say we settle by the fire and eat, and perhaps trade tales on how we find ourselves out here." She pulled out some summer sausages wrapped in muslin and a bag of dried fried from her pack, making sure the girls saw. "I'm Kathra Caebrek, all the way from Land's End Hold, and I assure you, it's quite the tale."

She wouldn't tell them all of it, of course, but from her years of travel she had stories amusing and silly as well as horrific, something to put them as ease hopefully so they would be comfortable sharing their own.

[Nina]

Marida, Ren, and Yimtac raised their glasses and shouted out “For Fun!”, then drained said glasses and headed out of the Inn in search of their elusive quarry.

 

Brarga didn’t have to wait long. The four followers entered the tavern one at a time and maneuvered themselves into positions of advantage before one of the spoke.

“You are Brarga? You travel with a dark elf, a dwarf, another dragaran and a couple of humans?”

 

Brarga remained silent.

 

“Good enough. Our employer thinks it would be wise for you and your mercenary group to leave the bowl and visit either the south leave or the east. Do not go west. You have until sundown tomorrow. Or else.”

 

 

The girls crowded around each other, the eldest shielding the small ones. Kathra could see that aside from their young age and raggedy clothes they were thin to the point of starvation.

 

The oldest pointed at Kathra and spoke common with a heavy Drageran accent. “Come no closer! Do ye intend help or harm?”

[Asarasa]

"As you wish, girl," Kathra replied in a soothing tone as she halted her approach, sending a thought to Anvil to stay by the edge of the clearing. "You look to be having hard times and I only wanted to offer aid. The food and drink I offer freely, even if you decide you don't want my help."

Rewrapping the sausages, the big dwarf set the bundle down on the ground, along with the bag of dried fruit and the water skin. Then she backed to the edge of the clearing with Anvil and sat down on the ground with a rustle of mail and plate, legs crossed and hands on her knees. The girls anxious caution was obvious and she wanted them to feel as safe as possible in accepting her offering.

She hadn't traveled much through Dragarran Empire, barely skirting its furthest frontier in truth, but she recognized the accent, mostly from Brarga and Yimtac. The dragonborn held higher social status, but she hadn't really heard they unduly abused those of other races who also abided in the Empire.

"I can escort you to Vershun, if you like. Or, if you would share with me your tale, I can see how else I can help you."

Edited May 22, 2023 by Asarasa

[Shameless]

"That's it?  After all your games outside, I thought you might actually have something important to say.  Why exactly would your employer have my group leave?"

He almost sounded bored, even with the implied threat.    Because his back was in a corner, they could really only come at him from in front, and likewise, he couldn't really escape without going through them.   Still, he wasn't going to start a brawl if he could help it. "If you've nothing more to say than that, then you can leave. If you do wish to do more than threat me, and give me a real reason to leave then sit.  I'll discuss your employer's request with my group after while.  Does your employer have a name?  I generally like to know the name of whoever's trying to get me to do something.  That's just good business."

[Nina]

The fun they found was what is known as the pub crawl. While inns with rooms to let were forbidden within the city not so eating and drinking establishments, thus Vershun had an abundance of places to quench and gorge. From the loftiest 5 star eatery of Deldonoe's the the lowest back ally bar of KiIllicks.

 

Marida, Ren and Yimtac began by entering the first pub they came too the bought a round and each had a pint before departing fo rthe next. By the time they have finished at ther sixth pub they had attrated quite a few followers who were also partaking. Yimtac was not drunk but was feeling rather good, Ren on the other hand was silly drunk and constantly spouting off in that eastern tongue of hers which no one understood and giggling. Marida who had drunk more than the other two was showing zero signs of the Alcohols effects.

 

As they approached the seventh pub Marida spied somehting odd which cause her and thus the entourage behind to stuble to a halt.

 

Near the entrance to the pub Marida saw two Minotaurs, which in and of itself was unusal since the bullish giants were not exactly fond of cities human or otherwise. But what made this even curiouser was that they seemed to be in the company of a Centaur. Now while not mortal enimies they two species did not get along well but these three were together and seemed to be waiting for something and more to the point hey were concentrating hard upon the entrance to the pub Marida and her friends had chosen as thye next stop.

 

In the pub with Brarga

 

The one that spoke shook his head, “Mmm, tisn't business tis expedience. Take your troop south or east, go add to your reputation, have an adventure and get rich. My mployer doesn't want you dead just removed. But to that end we have a lot of leeway.”

 

He holds up his hand forstall an immediate entry into violence. “Before you make a choice that is irreversible. Let me warn you, your reputation has preceeded you and we are under no illusions that we can defeat you and yours. However we can hurt you, and while you will likely leave us all broken or dead on whatever floor we fight on. But those who comeafter us, well they may not fare better bu tthey will hurt you more, and so on the next until, well, you have nothing left for us to hurt.”

 

He shrgs and gives you a little smile.

 

 

In the circle of woods...

 

“We have no time for tales Kathra of Lands End Hold.” the oldest said,” You offer to help, but add this and that, we need you to speak clear your purpose as it pertains to us.

 

Do you intend us harm and hindrence? Or will you Help us?”

 

The wind rustles in the trees, on the far side Anvel paws the ground.

[Exile_Jeane]

While physically fine, the warm rosy glow of oncoming drunkenness was definitely coloring the Grugach warrior's hostility filter. Clearing these three giantkin, well, two giantkin and a horsekin, were just feeling intimidated by the unspoken social code of the rarer races mingling with the more normal. Well, forest and mountains take her, she wasn't going to let their lack of courage stand between a good time for all. Why, if all went well, this trio could have someone worthy of starting tonight's scuffle with. Both their kin were supposed to be hardy of gut and sinew, were they not? 

 

Marida grinned the grin of those who could not possibly fail at their current task.

 

"Oye! Tha pubs open ta 'l na matta ye ken Ef ye have tha coin. Go on now. In. We have a Ceilidh ta continue, ya big goofs," she called as she regained her forward momentum towards the door and gestured for the rest of their retinue to do the same.  

[Asarasa]

Kathra glanced over to Anvil with a long suffering sigh, loose strands of molten iron orange hair lifting in the wind. She'd forgotten about the temerity of human children. Dwarven children were far more orderly and mindful of their elders. Usually, she amended with a rueful curve to her lips.

Kathra leveled her jade green eyes back on the girls, a hand resting on the end of the haft of her warhammer. "Aye, nameless ones. I, my hammer, and my goat will help you with your plight."

Anvil snorted at being called a mere goat, but trotted up to join his mistress.

[Nina]

Outside the Pub…

Marida’s pontification drew the attention of the three wilders outside the establishment. The two Minotaur looked at Marid and each other quizzically, they weren’t there for their bright intellect. The centaur however, well different story.

 

The Horseman clomped around at Marida’s musing and stared wide eyed at the three and their drunken followers. Momentary shock gave way to recognition as his eyes looked on Maridas’ and he let out a loud Bray “It’s a Trap!”

 

Inside the pub…

 

The toughs and Brarga all heard the cry from outside, muffled as it was by the closed door “It’s a Trap!”

 

The toughs all glanced from one to the other and at Brarga…

 

In the circle of Wood…

 

Almost as if some sort of spell or ritual had been completed a peacefulness descended on the wood and the Tension the young girl had been holding lessened.

 

“Then come join us Kathra of Lands End Hold, I must tell you of our plight.”

 

Kathra joined the girls, and they sat before a small fire. “My name is Yaymeesa, this is Allyam, “the eldest indicates the middle girl,”  and this Teirnial “she touches the youngest on top of her head.” “Our mother has been cursed by a witch and is held captive and tortured for she has a secret the witch wishes’ to possess. The witch is after us to use as bargaining tools against our mother, for as long we are free our mother will hold out.

 

We were told to come here and await one who would come and offer help and that hat person would protect us and free our mother from the clutches of the evil witch.”

[Asarasa]

In the circle of Wood…

 

Kathra didn't hold much to divination and the like. The past was written in stone, the future written in water. But curses, those she knew. In fleeing Land's Hold, she'd faced her kin, cursed to rise after death, cursed to turn against her... 

 

The she-dwarf's ruddy face darkened like a thunderhead. Knuckles whitened as her hand tightened about the haft of her warhammer. "If I can, your mother I will free, Yaymeesa, and this witch, I will end. I so Vow," Kathra promised, her voice low with conviction. "Tell me where I may find the witch and all you know of her, and I will begin right after."

Kathra paused for a moment, then cocked her head to the side in thought. "Perhaps with a stop before in Vershun to retrieve my companions, to make the witch's defeat a sure thing."

Edited May 24, 2023 by Asarasa

[Shameless]

Brarga sighed.  He really had been looking forward to the food, since this had started.   Now, it seemed that wasn't going to happen.  When the trio looked at him, and he sighed, his hands reaching back to the hafts of his twin axes.   "I don't suppose you'd believe me when I say I really don't know what this is about and that you're more than free to walk out of here intact so long as you don't pull a weapon."  His tone made it clear that he wasn't looking for a fight, but if they brought one to him, he would oblige them in kind.   The fact an experienced warrior was giving words a chance had to count for something, considering most like Brarga would have brought out their weapons at the implied threat.   While no genius, Brarga wasn't an idiot, and he had no desire to fight in town if he didn't have to.

When all four drew their weapons, he sighed again and then growled, drawing both axes with minimal flourish.   "Violence it is then.  Let's get started."

 

Spoiler

Initiative  Shameless Request: [1d20+3] Roll: [1] Result: 4

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by Shameless

[Nina]

Outside...

Round one

The might Minotaurs seemed confused and so they were. Choba, the Centaur believing them to be at his side charged forward hoofs striking sparks.

 

They weren’t.

 

Choba covered the distance in a breath and as he unlimbered his battle axe he reared up and struck with his fore hooves at the Giantess!

 

Spoiler

Dice Maiden
BOT
 — Today at 9:27 AM
nina_blain Request: [1d20+6] Roll: [6] Result: 12  one hooves attack at marida then it is her turn. If she is hit she takes 
Dice Maiden
BOT
 — Today at 9:30 AM
nina_blain Request: [2d6+4] Roll: [5, 4] Result: 13

 

The lead thugs points at two of his men, "You two get out there and see whats up with Choba, we'll take care of the dragonborn!"  with that he charges aiming a kick at the still sitting Brarga.

 

Spoiler

Dice Maiden
BOT
 — Today at 9:33 AM
nina_blain Request: [1d20+2] Roll: [16] Result: 18  if that hits it does 2 pts damage. the other two hang back it is brargas turn after Marida

 

[Exile_Jeane]

Thud! Thud! The centaur's hooves strike about chest height on Marida, forcing her back a few steps from sheer momentum. She looks up at the centaur warrior with an unimpressed expression, sheer toughness acting like the armor her garments were not, dancing back to steady herself. And then, she was back in his face.

 

"Ye git one, ye sodding git, an' tha' was et," she responded flatly, eyes like thunderheads in the mountains as she held up one finger, "Nae harm, nae foul. Now. Put. Down. Tha. Axe. Ye Ken?"

 

The last sentence marked a distinct drop the pitch of Marida's voice as she went from looking up to looking down at the centaur, one of the axes on her belt crackling with lightning as she kept her hands empty and clearly visible, but arcane energies a clear promise if the trio decided to push the issue and ruin the group's fun.

 

Spoiler

Rage with all the perks there of.

And Now an Intimidate roll. Exile_Jeane Request: [1d20] Roll: [9] Result: 9 

Hmmm, Nine.

 

[Shameless]

The kick missed Brarga, barely,  and he looked at him. "That was your one freebie."   He kept his attention on the leader, though he was mindful of his flunkie, even as he lashed out with his axes, a quick flurry of slashes without overcommitting.  He moved so much faster than people would think he could, even clad in scale mail.   

 

Spoiler

brarga attacking with axes
Shameless Request: [1d20+8] Roll: [13] Result: 21
damage 6

Shameless Request: [1d20+8] Roll: [18] Result: 26
damage 9

 

Edited May 26, 2023 by Shameless

[Nina]

In the wood…

 

The three girls and Kathra sat. The girls had no supplies and eagerly devoured any food the Dwarf offered. Finally the eldest, Yaymeesa, went to spreak, “The with…she… *cough*”

 

“We can’t say her name,” said Tirnial, the youngest, “it is part of the curse.”

 

Yaymeesa, first shook her head then nodded, “It is true we are part of the curse and bound by it. But we were told that you and your friends were the only ones who could break the curse and free our mother. You must hurry. Your friends are in danger the witch has already sent agents to stop you and they will start there.”

 

Yaymeesa reached out and grasped Kathra’s arm. “There is destiny and magic at work here Kathra of Land’s End, we will be safe in this wood. Return with your friends and we will lead you as far as we can go.”

 

Outside the pub…

 

The two Minotaur’s finally seemed to catch their snap and both charged forward, one at Yimtac, and the other toward the Staggering and giggling Ren.

 

Choba’s hooves smashed to the ground sparks flying and yelled, “Die you dark elf scum!” His axe swung left to right as he attempted to cut Marida in two but she easily ducked under the wild swing!

 

Spoiler

the minotaurs miss both targets and Choba does too.  Marida is next the Ren and Yimtac.

 

Inside the pub..

Brarga’s axes flashed and blood sprayed. The lead thug stood for a second blood gushing from his throat then he fell, his head going one way and his body the other.

The remaing two both stepped back an pace, the man drawing two daggers, The female hand on the hilt of her dagger raised her hand palm out at Brarga, and she shouted three words in a twisted language the Dragonborn was unable to understand!

 

Spoiler

One down and two to go the girl casts a spell Brarga needs to make an Intelligence save DC 13. failure causes 5 points psychic damage and -4 to your next saving throw

 

[Shameless]

Brarga was hit by the spell, it causing his head to ache, but he shook it off, and instead lashed out, with a pair of savage swings towards each of his remaining foes.  Gone was the pretense of civility, they'd been given every chance to flee, and had ignored him.   Violence was what they came for, and it was what they'd have.   The first two slashes were for the mage, and he didn't even wait to see the aftermath before moving to the dagger-wielding thug, slashing at him with both axes.

 

Spoiler

roll to resist-9 fail

2 attacks at the mage
Shameless Request: [1d20+8] Roll: [17] Result: 25 damage 8

Shameless Request: [1d20+8] Roll: [12] Result: 20 damage 10

 

2 attacks at daggerboy 

Shameless Request: [1d20+8] Roll: [13] Result: 21 damage 10
Shameless Request: [1d20+8] Roll: [2] Result: 10