Ch. 1: Rescue Penelope Primrose!

[Zhym]

Chapter One: Rescue Penelope Primrose!

Penelope Primrose is missing, and you've volunteered to go find her.

More accurately, you were chosen from scores of volunteers. Penelope is one of the most popular of the ladies at the Townville Social Club—Constance Mulligan's establishment on the edge of town. Two nights ago, Penelope was kidnapped by half a dozen rough men. Constance had refused Skeeter Holland—the leader of the men, the biggest and meanest of them—the services of her Social Club unless he'd take a bath first. He didn't take to that idea, and things went downhill from there. Skeeter grabbed Penelope and rode east with his men toward the Stone Mountains. On the way out of town, they stopped to rob a bank.

The town council quickly offered 1,000 gp bounty on Skeeter Holland and 500 gp for each of his men, dead or alive. Constance has personally offered 5,000 gp and lifetime free membership and services at her club for Penelope's safe return.

It's that last part that prompted all the volunteers, you suspect.

You've got a pretty good notion where Skeeter's band went. There have been legends of an old dwarf kingdom under Big Stone Mountain (the creatively named largest of the Stone Mountains). Or maybe it was a wizard's lair? Or was it a dragon? You've heard all that and more. No one knows, because no one has ever gone there and returned to talk about it. But everyone is sure that it's stuffed full of strange creatures, devious traps, and enough glittering treasure to make old King Whassisname blush with envy.

It's 7:30 in the morning on May 1 of The Third Year of the Goldfinch. Big Stone Mountain is a half-day's ride away through foothills infested with goblins, highwaymen, cutthroats, and other ne'er-do-wells. You have each been lent a horse or pony to speed your journey, along with the services of a pair of nervous-looking boys to tend the animals while you are in the mountain (for game purposes, you each have the services of a mount to and from the mountain. Neither they nor their handlers will enter the mountain).

Half the town turns out to wave you goodbye. Constance blows you a kiss and winks. Then they shut the town gates behind you. It's time to ride. Riches await! Or death. You decide to think about the riches for now.

-----
Status: Alton (T1): 1/1; Finn (½1): 5/5; Molly (½1): 3/3; Geoff (T1): 4/4; Grond (F1): 7/7; Cy (C1): 5/5; Twiddle (½1): 4/4
Light Sources: None
Effects: None

[Rusty Tincanne]

Twiddle grins a tight grim as they leave town. He judges the next nearest party member. We must be the luckiest people in town, don't you think? Think of all that gold, and never needing to spend it on one of them ladies. Mmmmm. He rubs the neck of his mount and starts riding with the others.

[GreyWolfVT]

Alton "I never think I am lucky, a streak of bad luck landed me here after all." the rough thief says dressed in tattered and dirty clothing and unshaven for at least a week if anyone were to guess by looking at him. "If I survive this it will be a good day."

[Rex]

Finn

Finn bounces along on his pony, turns to Alton; "Any day you survive is a good day, got to look on the bright side. We do kind of look like a motley crew, don't we?"

[The_Wanderer]

Cy

Cy's attention snaps away from the full wineskin attached to his saddle bag. Bloodshot eyes scan the crowd. "Nice of 'em to come show us off. You lot must be popular."

Hearing Twiddle’s comment he says, "Don't go counting your gold yet, half-man. It's a long way there and back again." Cy pats at another of his saddle bags, making sure the backup wineskin is still there.

"Any of you ever done something like this before? Feels kind of like we are a part of some kind of a posse."

[GreyWolfVT]

Alton shakes his head no "I'd rather not admit what I usually do but this ain't it."

[Captain Kinkajou]

Molly

Molly Hodkin determinedly clings to the pony she's been given and tries not to fall off. She glances around at the crowd and then at the motley band of volunteers that are riding out of town alongside her. She wonders whether they have any real chance of pulling this off. But then, it doesn't really matter, she has to try. There aren't many people in the world who Molly gives a crap about but this one's important to her. She hasn't let on to the others but she's going to save Penelope or die trying.

[Modric]

Grond

Grond hulks over the small pony, which strains and nays. He stairs straight ahead, eyes fixed on the horizon under a protruding brow. He doesn't add much to the conversation, given his dislike of words...

[Starbeard]

Geoff Wolfbutcher

"I hope we find a vampire. I've always wanted to kill a vampire. Look into his eyes as he learns what mortal death feels like." Geoff spits and scans the horizon with a squint worthy of Eastwood. With a cool "Hyaw!" he kicks his horse toward Big Stone Mountain.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Twiddle furrows his brow.Nobody said nothing about Skeeter and his gang being vampires. And do we still get Constance's reward if Penelope comes back undead?He looks to the others for clarification.

[GreyWolfVT]

Alton shrugs having no idea what the answer would be for Twiddle's question "Won't know until it comes up."

[The_Wanderer]

Cy sort of half coughs and clears his throat. "I suspect if it comes down to vampires, the reward will be a moot point."

"Excuse me...uh...Mr. Wolfbutcher. That is a fascinating name. Do you come from a long line of...uh..Wolfbutchers?"

[Rex]

Finn

"All this talk of wolves and butchers is making me hungry. If I wasn't on this pony, and likely to get thrown I would like to see a wolf right now, I know just how to cook'em on a campfire so they are real yummy." Finn scans the area expectantly looking for something he can use his sling on.

[GreyWolfVT]

Alton sticks his tongue out in disgust at the talk of eating wolves. "Only ever heard of barbarian tribes eating wild dog and wolf. Ugh gross. Then again I've been stuck having to eat rat like a goblin does. Life on the streets can be rough. Beggars can't always be fussy about where they find a meal you know."

[Starbeard]

Geoff
"I don't butcher wolves to eat them," Geoff says while chewing on the stub of his cigar, "I butcher wolves because I hate them. My brother was killed by werewolves. They ripped his guts out and fed them to the pigs when I was twelve. Asked me if I wanted some." He lets that sink in. "The only good wolf is a dead wolf. Let the vultures have 'em."

"Hate vampires too, just as much as I hate wolves… What's that? What do you mean, 'Why do I hate vampires'?" He spits at the ground and rolls his stogie to the other side of his mouth. "I would've thought the answer to that was self-evident."

[GreyWolfVT]

Alton chuckles "Yes Geoff it would be to me. Vampires are evil undead creatures they deserve to go back to the grave."

[Rusty Tincanne]

Oh! That makes more sense. I was thinking it's because they don't breathe, so they can't smoke. Twiddle pauses. you don't have anything against non-smokers, do you?
He leaves the conversation and started chatting with Molly. He offers her and her pony an apple.

[Captain Kinkajou]

Molly

The apple does look quite tasty but Molly ignores the growling in her tummy and glares at Twiddle.

"This isn't a @&%*!ng picnic!" she snaps at him.

Hmmm... picnic, her tummy says. Shut up! she tells it and ineffectually urges her pony to pick up the pace.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Twiddle looks confusedly between the angry woman and the apple. No. Of course not. It's just an apple. A proper picnic would have several courses, starting with breads and cheese, and ending with a tart or a pudding. And be served under an oak tree. I haven't had a proper picnic in years, come to think of it. He puts the apple away.

Okay. Just wanted to mention that I made that post by looking at the suggested words, many of which were correct. Score for AI there. But when I got to the word apple it suggested "banjo."

[Zhym]

Maybe Molly would like a banjo!

I'll update Sunday, hopefully. I'm out of town this weekend. But I love the RP.