[Game #2] Common Game Thread

[Pulpatoon]

Isolde thanks Master Willim for the information and inspects the map. "Are you aware of anyone else showing interest in the shrines?"

[Landifarne]

"No, Isolde, I don't think that anyone in the region is interested in any shrines," Master Willim responds. "Of course, other than the one my patient came across no others have come to light in more than twenty years."

"However," the master continues. "You need to aware that various thrawn have been reported in the Djorsalng of late. That will probably be your greatest concern as you search the region. In fact, one of our men was killed up near the pass just a few days ago."

Thrawn is a general term for humanoid. They are inherently evil and eat humans.

[Pulpatoon]

Isolde nodes. "We had heard rumors of such. That is partly why I asked about the interest of others."

[Sulara]

Finn

Sir, would it be possible to speak with your patient. I wonder if he is able to share more about his journey and attack?

[NJWilliam]

Alex

Alex takes a closer look at the trappings in the room while the others continue to talk, to see if there are any of particular interest, or value, or that seem out of place.

[Landifarne]

Explaining that his patient lost a great deal of blood and has been crippled by the attack of a mountain lion, Willim shakes his head and indicates that the group may interview Aldivan on the morrow- all this while mumbling something about brash youth. At this time Aldivan is sleeping and Willim is fain to wake him for no good reason.

Alex, ever the opportunist, scans WIllim's parlour with a practiced eye. Unfortunately, the thief doesn't see much of interest- at least in this room. Bundles of dried wood, crates of bark, coarse-woven sacks with leaves and fungi are spread throughout the room. In one corner is a small table with what looks initially to be gemcutter's tools (and Alex's eyes nearly pop put of their sockets at first inspection), but a second glance show that the table is the apothecary's mineral-grinding station. Perhaps a few semi-precious stones lay upon its surface, but it is not likely. A few small, silver cutting tools lie on a table near the back. Those would be worth a handsome sum, if melted down.

All in all, the place looks to be a simple apothecary's shop- albeit one where the apothecary collects his own ingredients and makes his own tinctures, tonics and unguents.

[Sulara]

Finn

Returning to the shop the next day Finn waits quietly for the Master as well as her companions. The gear that was given her is now stowed carefully on her person. The Druid watches from the doorway, she daydreams of the adventure ahead the joy of returning to the forests and seeking out the knowledge of old....

[Pulpatoon]

Isolde thanks Master Willim, and departs on her quest for some leather armor.

[Landifarne]

The party thanks Master Willim and appreciates it when he informs them that he is in no rush, and that it would be best if the group took measured strides in its searching. It would likely be more profitable to come up with a plan than simply walk out into the forest at random.

Concerned about outfitting her self, Isolde walks over to the brewery, to see if she can strike a conversation with Master Fulbrick. Thinking that the former soldier may be more amenable to the overtures of some fellow warriors, the witch enlists Ryker's and Savane's aid in the matter of obtaining some simple armor. Unfortunately, the brewer was not present when they reached his place, and the man's assistant pointed them to the Tankard, where much of the community seemed to gather in the evenings.

Hurrying back, the three found Finn and Alex partaking of the Tankard's fare and enjoying the warm evening fire. Ordering some food for themselves, the group bounced around a few ideas regarding what to explore in the region...

Sarvane indicates that they can probably make ends meet by trapping and hunting in the region, as pelts, skins and furs are going for decent prices. If the party engages in hunting and trapping while doing other things, the adventurers can make do- at least for the time being.

Gaining an introduction to Master Fulbrick from Gorlan, the Tankard's owner, Isolde uses her wiles on the old warhorse and eventually finds that he has a few sets of leather and padded armor that he will sell,,,but they will require a bit of tooling to fit a woman. Promising to let Isolde peruse the three sets that he has in the morning, Fulbrick takes notice of Ryker and Sarvane and inquires whether they would be interesed in participating in a few bouts of fisticuffs or wrestling with some of the local toughs the next night:

"Ye could find worse ways to gain a reputation in Highwol', young friends." the master says. "A good natured fight will inter-duce ye to the whole community."

"See young Harl, over there?" the master indicates, nodding to a husky young man that the group has observed doing much of the Tankard's heavy work over the last day. "He's a good man, but needs to earn hisself a couple a coin to afford a gambeson- like what Isolde is in search of. He'll soon be headin' out to the south, lookin' to make a name fer hisself in the war. I could set one o' ye up in a bout with Harl, if ye wish...?"

[Pulpatoon]

Isolde casts an appraising eye over young Harl, debating whether or not to place some of her meager funds on a bout. If she thinks one of her compatriots would do well, she will encourage them to take Master Fulbrick up on the offer.

[Ythgar]

Sarvane Ithrold

To Master Fulbrick, Sarvane says, "Thank you for the offer, but I think I'd rather conserve my energy. It wouldn't do anyone well to head out into the wilderness not at full strength."

[Landifarne]

Spending some coin, the companions buy some drinks and listen to the tenor of the discussions held by the farmers and traders making up the Tankard's crowd. Overall, the group perceives that the inhabitants of the region are a fairly happy lot, but concerned about the banditry and humanoid raids that seem to be more frequent of late.

Retiring to their rooms, the adventurers secure their belongings and get a decent night's sleep- something that may prove elusive in the coming weeks and months.

Rising, the group heads over to the apothecary's shop early in the morning. Meeting Willim well before noon, the five adventurers are escorted to the back of the apothecary's abode and into the presence of Aldivan Helic, Willim's patient.

Young and handsome, with sharp, angular features, Aldivan is propped on his right side, with his left leg exposed to the air. Heavily bandaged, it is evident by the amount of wrappings covering that leg (from buttock to calf) that the leg had been severely damaged. Grimacing in a combination of pain and chagrin, Aldivan greets each of the companions as they take Willim's cue and introduce themselves. After their introductions it becomes evident that Master Willim has informed Aldivan of the party's interest in his recent discovery.

"I hail from the western reaches of Gallia, where the aeling forests border that kingdom," Aldivan explains. "Within the elfrealm my father has some standing, but my human heritage has kept his people from recognizing my legitimacy. Not to bore you overly much, but with the passing of my mother, my sire petitioned his peers to acknowledge my heritage."

"His petition was met with skepticism, and I was instructed to venture to the Norwold and bring back some token of my heritage...as a symbol of my understanding of my aeling ancestors. If I couldn't accomplish that task, then my father's petition was to be rejected..."

Aldivan then goes on to describe his journey from Gallia to Ostgall, thence from Norlund's capitol up the River Lorkyng. Beset by river pirates only days from Rifford, the half-elf escaped into the Norwold (which was his destination anyway) and made his way north, eventually coming across the elven shrine that Master Willim had discussed the night before.

But, being brash and young, Aldivan was hasty in his attempt to investigate the shrine. Approaching the shrine incautiously, a mountain lion pounced upon the half-elf, and caught the man's left leg as he tried to escape. Shredding the muscles on the back of his thigh, and gouging the flesh of his back with its front claws, the mountain lion was attempting to gain a better purchase on Aldivan...bite the man in the back of the neck...when the animal triggered a sinkhole collapse in the rock where the shrine was set.

Letting Aldivan go, with Aldivan being incredibly fortunate to not fall in the sinkhole, the mountain lion scrambled for purchase on the sinkhole's lip, but fell in when the half-elf managed to kick it directly in the head. With his attacker having fallen, Aldivan just managed to bind his wounds and set off towards what he knew to be the closest human settlement- Highwold.

Unfortunately, Aldivan's wounds became gangrenous over the four days that it took for him to reach Highwold, and Master Willim had to literally excise a significant amount of the muscle on the half-elf's left leg. Aldivan would never again walk normally.

[NJWilliam]

Alex

While listening to the half-elf's tale, Alex our of force of habit takes a close look around at the furnishings in the room.

When there is an opportunity, he asks, "Did you notice anything distinctive about this site before the sinkhole appeared?"

[Landifarne]

"Significant? Aye, I would say significant," the half-elf says somewhat sarcastically...his regrets evident. "Glancing at the panels set into the shrine's wall, it was evident that they gave thanks to the Blessed Lord and to the Saviour of Souls...but that is expected at any elven temple or shrine."

"Stopping at the shrine's fountainhead to give my own praise, I was attacked by the lion and couldn't explore it afterwards. What I can tell you is that you probably won't find much of interest at the shrine in terms of artifacts or goods. It was an open shrine- welcoming to all and lacking the trappings one would see in a human shrine, or in a temple of the dwarves. Larger, enclosed shrines would conatin artifacts, if they were still intact," Aldivan admits. "It is that type of temple that I, myself, am interested in...as I need to return to my homeland in possession of an artifact representative of my heritage."

"But we can all help each other," Aldivan advises the companions. "If you can return here with copies of all the inscriptions and engravings found on the shrine's stones, then Master Willim and I can possibly translate and interpret them- giving us an idea where my ancestors' central temple was located. We're sure to find artifacts there, and that will serve all of our purposes. Other than the few items I left behind, you're not likely to find much of immediate value at the site- but you are free to keep the shield and arrows that I dropped, if you can find them."

As Aldivan speaks Alex glances about the place. Seeing little of interest in what was obviously Katlyn's former room, the opportunist does note that the half-elf's few belongings are of significant worth- particulalrly the high quality longsword that is propped next to the bed. That weapon was certainly worth more than a peasant could accumulate in his entire lifetime, and would have to be hidden from the local lord, lest it be stolen from Aldivan.

[NJWilliam]

Alexander, opportunist

Alex coughs a bit to clear his throat before saying, "Master Half-elf, seeing as you plan to stay here to heal and speak with Master Willim while we search these ruins. Is there anything you could lend us that might be of aid in protecting our, uh, skins?" His eyes linger a bit on the longsword.

[Landifarne]

"Ah," Aldivan responds, seeing the avarice in Alex's eyes. "I cannot lend you my sword...Alex, is it? It is an heirloom of my father's family, and is considered more important than my own life- at least to my uncles and cousins."

Seeing the disappointment in the thief's expression at that Aldivan continues. "But if we can eventually find the main temple and obtain a few artifacts, I'll do whatever I may to reward each of you."

At this, Master Willim interjects that Aldivan needs to get some rest before he receives his next treatment. It turns out that the apothecary has healed the half-elf's wound, but that he is systematically cutting into the man's flesh and using some arcane means to regrow the fellow's muscle mass. The process is very painful and will take months until it proves efficacious. At that time, Willim says, Aldivan should be have at least some of his leg's functioning restored.

Ushering the group out, Willim asks the companions if they have further need of his services or advice before saying goodbye.

[Landifarne]

The party departs Master Willim's abode and heads over to the brewery, where Fulbrick the Brewer assured Isolde that she could obtain some simple leather armor.

Entering the brewery, the companions note that yeasty smellin the air, like that of a bakery before the morning's bread has been put into the oven. Buzzing around noisily are an abundance of bees, which Fulbrick keeps to supply the honey for his mead, and which seem overly interested in the small puddles of alcohol that seem to be scattered around the place. More interesting is that the central portion of the large building hs been cleared and a ring is being set up for tomorrow's bouts. Fulbrick laments that none of the companions are interested in testing their mettle against the local toughs, as he could draw a larger crowd if it were known that some foreigners were to participate.

As the group tours the brewery and is given a sample of the master's mead: "To make the morn that much better," Master Fulbrick insists, the adventurers can see signs of the brewer's martial past and current status as an unofficial trainer of the region's more wayward youth in the fighting arts- a longsword hung on the wall, near the office door, a few chests full of worn practice pads, weapon racks filled with mock weapons, sparring poles and cheap, blunted swords.

[NJWilliam]

Alexander

Disappointed that his more stalwart companions have not stepped up, and after a bit of the mead that he is not used to gets to his head, Alexander screws up his courage and says, "Master Fulbrick, I'll go a bout today, I may not be as strong as some, but I am quick."

[Pulpatoon]

Isolde will wait for an appropriate lag in the conversation, and then press the matter of the leather armor. Can she inspect the materials? Receive a description of the construction? Who will be making it, what measurements will they need, when will it be ready, and how much?

[Sulara]

Finn chuckles quietly to herself thinking that the, opportunist, is braver than he is bright, admirable!