Look To The Skies, The Beast Comes - Varga - 14/10/2021

Thanks to Ghesh and WillJ for their characters' cameos

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The Fort Ettin Dining Hall was as crowded as usual, but in a slightly more localized fashion. The majority of adventurers delighted in today's portion of dilled taters and sausages in the western part of the hall. The sea of people had a noticeable dent around one table in the eastern part. And while at other tables people would squeeze tight enough to barely be able to move their hands without elbowing their neighbors, the inhabitants of that particular table, - a half-orc, a dragonborn, and a tiefling, - enjoyed all the space they needed, as nobody would even move to sit closer. The reason for such strange behavior was splayed out on the table for everyone to see and dampen their appetite.

There was a large corrugated girder, twisted and charred, dripping with oil. It looked like a giant spider leg that a sadistic kid torn off a dead animal. Next to it stood a bottle that at one point contained fine wine, but currently was filled with foul-smelling dark ichor. If you looked really hard, you could even discern individual pieces of viscera in it. The centerpiece of the table was a severed head of a huge manticore, caked in dark blood. All in all, the most edible thing on that table was a fluffy plump chinchilla wearing a chainmail, who was jumping around the items, sniffing them curiously and sneezing in the most adorable fashion anyone can sneeze while looking at demon guts.

'We've investigated the farm, but the manticore wasn't there.' Varga took a large swig of her beer, eyeing her trophies with pride and content. 'But then Celina found one of its spines, and Kelne did that beeping thing magic users do…' she stumbled, struggling for a description.

'Locate Object spell, was it?' Faust suggested politely, between sips of tea. He wasn't very focused on the conversation, observing Cleaver the chinchilla's movements. But an experienced magic user doesn't really have to focus hard to follow a conversation between two barbarians.

'Yeah, probably,' Varga shrugged and turned back to Ghesh. 'So I put her on my shoulders to use as a manticore locator, and we went searching for it. Found the cave, eventually. Me and Kelne went through one entrance, and Celina, Derthaad and Sabeline from another, to block it off. Sabeline's plan. Very good strategy skills for a fisherwoman.'

'Seems like it worked!' Ghesh said, poking the manticore's head with amusement. Although the pre-payment for the axe he gave Varga seemed more practical – he was still wearing the Dreamer Scarf, - the last installment of trophies, or, rather, the stories behind them, still attracted his interest.

Varga inclined her head to get a better look at the dead manticore's facial expression.

'Yeah, I think it still looks a bit surprised. And I was wearing my helm, you know, the one that makes my eyes glow red? And we were just scowling at each other! And then we wailed on this thing. Head was probably the last intact part of it after we were done. I personally tenderized its whole side. It tried to run away, and I ran after it. Then it tried to fly away, but I outsmarted it,' Varga said proudly. 'I stood right under it and threw a javelin upwards. Bet it didn't expect it. Cause it died, and fell down on me like a sack of rocks!'

At that, both barbarians burst into guttural laughter, making some people in the hall jump. The chinchilla also jumped, but seemingly from glee more than from fright.

'Not that I complain,' Faust started carefully. 'In fact, I'm very glad that you're alive, but… how did this thing not flatten you?'

Another explosion of laughter was his only reply for a full minute.

'Ah, don't worry, friend,' Ghesh finally managed. 'Barbarians sure can take a hit. I recently fell almost half a mile from the sky.'

'Is the ground alright?' Varga asked in mock concern, and another bout of laughter followed.

Faust took a long sip of tea and smiled to whatever thoughts went through his wizened head. As the other two calmed down, they returned to observing trophies with discerning looks of connoisseurs.

'Last time I fought manticores, I don't remember them having any metallic parts,' Ghesh pointed at the metal spider leg with a slightly puzzled expression.

'Oh, no, this is from the Collector's retriever,' Varga shook her head. 'I did give it a couple of good hacks, but the axe didn't work on it that well. Sorry. Must be too big for the axe…' she stopped herself, and blushed slightly. She wasn't about to complain about the axe that was basically gifted to her by the Hero of Kundar! That went against any etiquette rule she'd been taught. 'Out of its ideal range, I mean,' she quickly corrected herself. 'You know, not the most interesting target to show its full potential. Worked wonders on the imps though!' She pointed towards the bottle of ichor. 'I sliced through at least five of them!'

Ghesh nodded with enthusiasm.

'Sounds like it was a fun whack-an-imp adventure!'

'It was!' Varga agreed heartily, relieved that the slip in her manners went unnoticed. 'We murdered the whole bunch of them. And petted a holyphant. Have you ever touched one?'

'Don't think so.'

'Soft as a cloud. Also good at blowing up demons. Bloodthirsty little chap. A bit like Cleaver,' she chuckled and nodded to her pet. Ghesh smiled and sipped his own drink.

Faust made use of the pause.

'I've been meaning to ask,' he said, putting his mug aside, and still looking at the chinchilla. 'He seems like a rather… random little fellow. How do you understand him?'

'I wish I did!' Varga huffed. 'I mean, Carnan helped a couple of times. And Taffeta. But yeah, your guess is as good as mine, man. Dunno what's in the little guy's head most of the time. You can ask him if you can talk to animals.'

'What about yourself? You don't want to ask him anything?'

'Ah, well, wish we could chat, he seems alright. And good at calling his cousins to order. But hey, I'm no spellcaster,' Varga shrugged wistfully. 'So, I guess, no Cleaver-talk for me.'

Faust's brow furrowed as he looked into the distance.