As Simon became closer with the village boys, it didn't take them long to figure out his secret. Although they chose to ignore the signs of abuse while in Simon's company, Marcus decided it was time to give Simon's father a little payback. One winter morning Marcus recruited the two best pranksters he knew, Kane and Abel, to teach the blacksmith a lesson. The three boys snuck into the forge before the smith awoke, and poured his best moonshine into the slack bucket. Hidden, the boys watched as the blacksmith went about his work waiting patiently for their reward. When Hake plunged the red-hot metal into the bucket for the first time, the alcohol lit on fire. As the water boiled underneath it, the fire started to spread until the point he was able to kick sand on it, burning himself in the process.Pulpatoon wrote: When you were most in need, the gods aided you. When were you most desperate? Bürd Makelucky, Dwarven Rune Caster was there with you.
When one of the other children was bullying those smaller and weaker than himself, you commanded him to stop and the gods gave power to your voice.
+2 Wis
Spell: Commanding Word
Bürd helped you protect the other children, and gains +1 Wis.
The boys quietly exited, holding back their laughter until they were out in the street and blocks away. But their victory was short lived. To their horror, the enraged blacksmith appeared from around the corner holding his hammer with a sickening look in his eye. The boys scrambled and townspeople screamed for help, but it was the wanderer dwarf, Bürd Makelucky who was first to arrive, putting himself between the heavy man and the children. When it appeared that bloodshed was imminent, the blacksmith's quiet son appeared. Simon called upon the power of the old gods who had shown him favor, and ordered the blacksmith to "Stop" in a commanding tone. Hake Glennross stood dumb-founded for a minute, staring at his son while Bürd ushered the boys away. Afterwards he dropped his hammer, and went back inside as if he was recovering from yet another drunken evening. Simon never returned home after that day, and his father never spoke to him again. But from that day on he had no shortage of thankful families in the village, that were more than happy to show him all the hospitality he would ever need.
I took some creative license with the bully story, hope that's okay. My apologies if anybody does not want their characters mentioned in this story. I can adjust it if need be. Except for Bürd, you don't really get a choice.
