Darkness on the Edge of Town - 05/01/2022 - A Kavel Perspect
Jan 16, 2022 1:16:28 GMT
Velania Kalugina, stephena, and 2 more like this
Post by Andy D on Jan 16, 2022 1:16:28 GMT
*Many thanks to Riah for her help with Marto*
Comrades on Castle Road
It was a cold, damp morning. Good!
The body gets soft if you don’t expose it to discomforting temperatures. If you experience nothing but comfortable weather, then when you are exposed to extreme temperatures, your body will be weak to acclimatise. Discomfort leads to strength. Strength first!
Looking around at the other people on Castle Road with their warm coats, it is clear that only I, wearing a vest on my upper body, understand that cold weather builds strength.
Among the cold-averse civilians, I do however spot people I consider strong in their own specialties; comrades Derthaad and Gerhard.
Derthaad is a blue-scaled, dragonborn investigator in the City Watch. In combat, he uses magic. I’ve seen him breathe lightning bolts. I’ve also seen him direct the same spell in two different directions at the same time. I’ve never seen other mage-users do this.
Gerhard is a human ranger with an academic interest in… I’m not sure. But, I often see him with scrolls and bits of parchments. In combat, he switches parchment for a longbow, and then he sometimes reminds me of Sorrel. Right now though, on the road to Fort Daring while Derthaad keeps me updated on his investigation into the hags we fought, Gerhard isn’t paying any attention. Why? Scrolls.
I updated comrade Derthaad on my last adventures. I told him how; I’ve been to Sigil since the last time we met, I infiltrated the Breakers and am now a servant to the goddess Umberlee - technically. Also there was that business with the murdering moon-elf in the city. I told Derthaad his position as City Watch Investigator was missed that night. I mentioned the new adventurer Martin Terrence Meretoric, who helped me with the legal fallout from that affair. But, comrade Derthaad thought there was something fishy about me having to pay any costs and legal fees. I don’t know why. After all, M.T did reduce the 60gp legal cost I incurred down to 30gp.
Derthaad was explaining to me what was suspicious about my legal matter, but then I saw a goblin on the road that distracted me. The goblin wore a flat cap and some simple trousers with a piece of string holding them up. No upper body clothing. No footwear. Most peculiar of all, he was eating a raw onion like it was an apple. He was scrawny looking, but to me he also seemed wiry. There was definitely a toughness to him. And then I realised what it was! The goblin is wearing less clothing than me in cold weather - he understands cold makes the body strong!
I turned to see if comrade Gerhard had seen this fascinating goblin. But, when I turned to face him I could see a scrap of parchment was taking up all of his attention. I then turned to share my goblin observation with comrade Derthaad. As I did, I realised that he hadn’t stopped explaining the legal matter to me.
Before I could make my apologies to Derthaad for my inattentiveness, comrade Marto joined us on the way to Fort Daring.
Marto is a young, blond haired, halfling warrior. We met whilst running through portals in Sigil chasing down our foe. Marto carries many axes on his person, but I haven’t seen him use one yet. This is because when we did catch up to our foe in Sigil; Glint was with us. When Glint is in your adventuring party - there’s a chance fighting will be bypassed through diplomacy. Glint used his diplomacy to make our foe join our side. So, I did not get to see Marto’s axe handling skills. But, I did see Marto make a terrific roof to roof jump alongside me. Very impressive given his stature compared to my own. Everyone else that day had a magical solution to get from one roof to the other - or they flew with their wings, like Tayz did. But Marto showed athleticism. He clearly values strength! He has impressed me. He might be the ‘slashy slash’ to my ‘smashy smash.’
Standing in line together as we walked, Marto made an observation, “Would you look at that... That guy must really like onions by the way he’s munching on that one. And he doesn’t look bothered by the cold neither!”
I think Marto will be my favourite comrade today.
Fort Daring
We arrived at Fort Daring by 8 a.m. Just on time, but also late for my customary warm-up - chatting with my comrades came with a price.
I felt a little sad when I Saw City Watch guards doing drills. It was good to see them taking practice seriously, but I wanted to go join them, but couldn’t.
Instead, my comrades and I - and the goblin too - walked adjacent to where the guards were drilling, to where I was introduced to Commander Cordellia Jadefist, a dwarf. Commander Jadefist was successfully ensuring the guards did their drills properly, merely by having an intimidating presence. I was impressed.
Other adventurers were ahead of us having just been given assignments. Commander Jadefist gave Marto a scrap of paper with our assignment, as we all stood in line for inspection - which we did without Commander Jadefist actually asking us to. Again, she was very impressive!
Commander Jadefist explained our missing farmer assignment to us. One of the farmers had started acting strange for unknown reasons and then disappeared in the night. Commander Jadefist was unwilling to send regular Watch members out without first sending adventurers to investigate whether the situation involved the arcane. If we ended up solving the case as well - bonus.. 40gp each would be our reward.
Commander Jadefirst then went down the line to inspect us. I learnt that Marto has a sister, and she is known by the commander, who also knows Derthaad’s boss, Sergeant Grimes. I was new to her, as was Goop - the goblin. So too was Gerhard, who’s fascination with his sheets of parchment seemed to be a match for Commander Jadefist’s commanding presence - Gerhard had not noticed she was speaking to him. Marto had to draw his attention to the person addressing him, at which point he dropped some of the parchments he was holding. Commander Jadefist did not look impressed. Marto helped Gerhard amass his parchments together. How is comrade Gerhard so talented with a longbow, when he can barely hold sheets of parchment?
The Farmer’s Residence in the Northwestern Sprawl
We walked to the Ashkeeper farm situated northwest of Daring Heights. The journey took us halfway to the Angelbark forest and it’s vast coniferous expanse.
When we arrived, we came across a small, self-sustaining farm. There were three buildings; a residence, a barn and something else, a smithy perhaps? There were some small fields of tilled earth, some pastures, and a few animals; a large pig, a few cows, a cat, and also a rather magnificent looking horse. The horse looked out of place. It looked far too pristine to be a workhorse, which is what I would have expected on a farm. I think Marto noticed this too. Good lad.
We knocked on the front door of the residential building. A halfling with dark brown hair, older than young Marto, opened the door. He looked disappointed as if he was hopeful to see someone else. I was disappointed to see the door open, because I then noticed it was a halfling door. Of course I have nothing against halflings, it’s just that their ceilings are too low.
Emmon Ashkeeper, the halfling, welcomed us into his home. He invited us to sit in his living room, but then as he saw the immense space I took up in his living room, and how I had to bend over so as not to bang my head against the ceiling, he asked me to wait while he fetched a sturdy stool - I appreciated this. When Emmon offered us tea and scones, he passed the scones round, and he gave me two. Halflings; low ceilings but great hospitality to their taller guests!
Marto explained to Emmon that Fort Daring received his letter about his missing husband and sent us to investigate. Whilst Emmon was answering our questions about how his husband, Ubric - a dwarf - had disappeared, he kept pacing around the room adjusting things that did not need adjusting, cleaning things that were already clean. I could see vats of the jam Emmon offered us with our scones - a rhubarb and nectarine jam - and enough scones to feed a small army sitting on a side table - was Emmon expecting more than five adventurers?
Marto asked about the friesian horse out front. Emmon almost clumsily spilt the tea he was pouring for Gerhard. The horse, Emmon explained, was a gift from his husband Ubric, which was bought a month ago. Emmon needed a horse to help plough the fields, so his loving husband obliged. The horse though, as Marto and I observed, was clearly no workhorse but more of a show horse. Emmon said he couldn’t get a saddle on it, and if anything he was scared of the horse. Emmon did not like the horse his husband brought back, but also resented the way he felt.
Ubric, it turned out, disappeared five nights ago, and began acting strange many days before his disappearance. Ubric would stay up late. When he did join Emmon to rest, he would talk in his sleep. Ubric would mutter strange things when awake, and write things down, only to burn them in the hearth whenever Emmon questioned him about them. The strangest thing perhaps, is that what Ubric muttered sounded like a language Emmon had never heard his husband utter in over twenty years of marriage.
Derthaad began to cast a ritual spell for comprehending all languages. My investigator friend was hoping that if Emmon uttered the sounds his husband was saying in the foreign language, the spell would help Derthaad understand the muttering.
With nothing to apply my strength towards, I found myself strangely investigative. I asked Emmon if he could remind us when his husband bought the horse and when he started acting peculiarly. When Emmon answered, he seemed baffled, as if looking at facts he already knew, but now saw in a new light.
I leaned towards my comrades, “... did he answer my question, just now?”
“He didn’t,” Marto said, between bites of his jam lathered scone. “But this jam is amazing!”
He was not wrong. The jam was delicious.
Emmon, prompted by my question, could now draw a line between the arrival of the horse and his husband’s odd behaviour. At that moment, I discovered that I am a keen investigator, as well as a strength-enthusiast.
I suggested I could talk to the horse - a statement that between adventurers, at least, does not sound too odd. Now I come to think of it though; strength enthusiast, investigator, and animal-whisperer!
Let’s Have a Word with this Horse
We agreed that Derthaad, finishing his language spell, would stay in the house with Emmon, while me and Marto would go see the horse, and Goop and Gerhard would look at Ubric’s smithy, which was, indeed, the other building on the estate.
Emmon showed us out the back of his house. Me and Marto went left towards the barn and pastures. Goop and Gerhard went right towards the Smithy.
The horse could not be found. It had vanished. Gerhard and Goop walked over from the Smithy and said they never saw the horse over there. But, Gerhard spotted horse tracks leading away from the barn and towards the Angelbark.
Marto casted the Message spell to talk to Derthaad back in the house. Derthaad updated us that his spell had worked and Emmon had successfully repeated Ubric’s words - the language Ubric was uttering was infernal. It seemed now that the horse was a fiend. Emmon’s worries increased, but at the same time, Derthaad mentioned Emmon seemed relieved that his resentment of the horse proved valid.
We had decided we needed to follow the tracks into the Angelbark to find the horse, and hopefully Ubric. Marto said Derthaad was about to join us outside. I then looked down at Marto, and tapped him on the shoulder, “could you message him to bring some scones out for the journey?”
“Oh. We’re good Kavel, “ Marto began, “Derthaad’s on the same page; he’s bringing a basket of them.”
Sure enough, out of the front door to this halfling farmhouse, out popped a six foot and eleven inch tall, blue-skinned dragonborn holding a hamper of scones in one hand.
Into the Angelbark in Pursuit of a Horse
We left the farm in the early afternoon. It took a couple hours of walking to reach the edge of the Angelbark. Jam spread scones were consumed from time to time.
Two hours after this we were inside the forest and found it harder to follow the fiend’s horse tracks. Open plain field was replaced with coniferous trees and an underbrush that sprung back when stepped on. Despite the less trackable hoof prints, Gerhard led us well, and surprisingly the hamper of scones still had some within it.
As another hour went by, the sun began to set. Marto lit a torch for those of us who do not see well in the dark - all of us except Goop actually - and Derthaad cast the Light cantrip on his horns. In front of us, about 500ft away, Goop could smell a smouldering smoke. As we came within a 100ft of the smoke, Marto and Derthaad casted protective spells on themselves.
Ahead of us, ash drifted in the weak wind. We came upon a clearing, roughly circular, maybe sixty feet in diameter, it seemed ashenly derived. The trees at the perimeter were stripped of their bark and had symbols carved into them, facing the centre of the clearing. And in the centre stood a male dwarf with ginger hair, wearing a nightshirt that was ragged and dirty.
The male dwarf fit the description of Ubric that Emmon gave us. There was no sign of the horse.
We stepped into the clearing. With each step, our feet would submerge into the floor of ash below them. It seemed the clearing was made by controlled flames. Where Ubric stood, at the centre, was the most burned part of the clearing. We were still thirty feet away from the centre, but Goop’s good eyes saw the state of Ubric’s feet; they were burnt and bleeding. He was breathing, but he was not in a good state. The pain from his feet and the exhaustive look of his body should have seen him collapse on the ground. Somehow he stood, facing away from us with his head pointed at the ground.
There was muttering amongst the party how to proceed. I took the initiative.
“Excuse me! Are you Ubric Ashkeeper?” I yelled towards the solitary dwarf ahead of us.
The dwarf slowly raised his head and turned around to face us. His eyes were completely black. There were no pupils. The face was pale and the bags under his eyes indicated that he had not slept since he had gone missing five days ago. He wore no expression on his face. No sign of pain from his bloodied and burnt feet, nor from his physical exhaustion. And when he spoke it sounded like multiple people talking at once. He did not respond to my question, instead he said,
“I saw in heaven another great and marvellous sign: five angels with the five last plagues—last because with them Goddess's wrath is completed.They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Worthy are you, our Lord and Goddess, to receive glory and honour and power”
I am not well versed in magic, but it was clear to me that Ubric was not under his own control. I also understood little of what he said. But, I understood that this was a dwarf in need of our help, some rest, and some of his husband’s baked scones wouldn’t hurt.
As soon as the voices from Ubric’s mouth finished what they said, our missing horse materialised on the other side of us from Ubric, and changed shape into a humanoid man, but not one that I had seen before. The man had the face and torso of an athletic and very handsome human, but he had black horns and red eyes, and I never thought he was genasi. His lower half, arms, shoulders and hands; were all blackened as if scorched. He had horn-like protrusions from his upper back and behind his arms. Black talons sat at the end of his fingers. He spoke to us:
“I am Adyhel. I am one of the five. You - you will all spread our word and pay tribute to the goddess”
I did not like the tone of Adyhel’s voice. He would not be offered one of the remaining scones in the hamper. He will instead be offered something else to eat - my chakan poleaxe.
Confrontation with a Sexy Demon Man
“The only lady I follow is the one that protects us!” Marto said as he reached out with his right hand and a mighty-looking battle-axe appeared in his grasp. I was not expecting any magic from my fellow warrior, but then I remembered his use of the Message spell with Derthaad - it was him, not Derthaad who initiated the spell. Marto walked forward towards the fiend.
Derthaad and Goop both circled the perimeter of the clearing. Derthaad went right and stayed in my peripheral vision. Goop went left, but I lost track of him at that moment.
As Marto approached Adyhel, the sexy demon man looked at Ubric, and with the wave of his taloned finger, Ubric walked towards my halfling friend. Ubric should be in agony walking on his ruined feet, but he marched on. He produced a dagger in his right hand as if summoned by the demon.
Before Ubric could intercept Marto on his path to Adyhel, my ranger comrade also contributed unexpectedly to the use of magic, as I saw him move his arms whilst uttering a spell. Gerhard tried to magically charm Ubric with the aid of Emmon’s scones. It was a good effort, but Adyhel’s own charm on Ubric was too powerful. Adyhel spoke to Gerhard, “No. He’s mine! You can’t have him.”
Ubric got to within melee range of Marto, intercepting his confrontation with Adhyel, and he thrust his dagger at Marto, missing once, but hitting on the second strike. The wound looked a little deep, but Marto hooked the dagger arm with the beard of his axe and turned the offensive arm away. Bringing the battle-axe back around, Marto hit Ubric on the head with the flat of the axe. “Please just stop and have a scone?” Marto pleaded to Ubric. But Adyhel’s command on Ubric would not break for a smack with the back of an axe.
It was Adyhel who broached the distance between Marto and himself. Adyhel advanced rapidly over the gap between them, without touching the ground with his feet or using wings. He hovered to reach Marto, and up close it was as if his mere presence dispelled Marto’s protection spell, as I saw strands of magic surrounding Marto break and disappear. This was not good, and it got worse. With a wry smile at Gerhard, Adyhel looked back at Marto and Marto lowered his battle-axe from the attack position he held it in. What was going on? Marto then turned around, and I could see his eyes, much like Ubric’s, were now black and without pupils.
I hate possession. I flew into a rage, ready to introduce Adyhel to the pain my chakan would bring to him. Before I moved, Derthaad from my right hand side pointed at both Marto and Ubric and released a translucent bolt of energy at both of them, at the same time.
I did not understand what Derthaad was doing. It looked like a magical attack, but both of his targets remained unharmed, which was good, but confusing to me. It was when I saw Adyhel’s frustration that I understood. Adyhel looked at Ubric, and Ubric’s eyes had regained colour and pupils. Most unpleased, Adyhel doubled efforts to control Marto. But so did Derthaad.
As I watched Marto, he closed his eyes tight. When he opened them again; he too had regained colour and pupils. He had also regained a rage against Adyhel.
Despite my raging fury, I was mindful of the good Derthaad had accomplished with his twinned spell.
“Someone get Ubric!” my sorcerous comrade shouted.
“Rahhh!” I roared pumped to smash Adyhel. But, Derthaad was right. Someone should get Ubric. I ran forward toward where Ubric stood with a confused look on his face next to Marto.
“Yes Derthaad! Someone should get Ubric,” I roared as I ran around Ubric and Marto and charged at Adyhel.
As I reached Adyhel who looked belligerent at my approach, I swung my poleaxe around and loaded a smashing blow at his face. He dodged. But he did not dodge the second swing as I brought the poleaxe back around my head and switched target to his shoulder. The hammer of my poleaxe smashed solidly into his right shoulder causing him pain.
While Adyhel was dealing with the indignity of being struck, Gerhard had helped Ubric to his feet. Ubric’s regained control of himself had made him register some of his body’s pain, as he stumbled in Gerhard’s support.
Adyhel’s focus was split between me, and Ubric being carried away from the battle by Gerhard. You should never lose focus of your surroundings in battle. You never know where you could be struck from, if you aren’t paying attention. Adyhel refocused on me, but was now not focussing on the imminent threat to him.
Adyhel screamed in pain, as a magical battle-axe sliced into his left leg. Marto had come to show the fiend he needed to respect someone else’s goddess.
Despite his pain, Adyhel still threatened us. He lashed out at me and Marto with his sharp talons. The first strike was at my lead hand that held my poleaxe, but Marto stepped on my lead leg and jumped up to intercept the attack with his shield. I would have enjoyed watching Adyhel as he realised he could only scratch me with his slashing talons, but this interception from Marto was appreciated - this is what comrades do. Adyhel tried to slash Marto too, but again, Marto’s shield work was on point, as Adyhel’s claws struck nothing but shield.
Adyhel’s right hand claws that missed Marto now left him open to attack on his right hand side. I aimed to take advantage of this. But so too did Goop.
Out of nowhere, an onion bounced off of Adyhel’s face, and then a flurry of bare knuckled strikes from Goop’s fists rhythmically landed on Adyhel’s body, punctuated with a step-up kick to his jaw. I was very impressed with my smaller comrades. I am often supported from afar by magic-wielders. What warriors to be flanked by, shoulder to shoulder..
Adyhel was pissed that we even dared strike him like this. The embers of ash by his feet started to glow, as did Adyhel’s eyes, as he unleashed a fireball enveloping; himself, but also Marto, Goop and me. We were caught in the epicentre of his demonic flames.
Sexy Fiend Refreshed the Crisp Clearing
Marto tried to get his shield back into position, but he took a big hit from the scorching fire. Goop, despite having no shield or even a shirt, managed to avoid taking as much damage by hitting the ground just as Adyhel unleashed his attack. I neither raised a shield that I did not have, nor hit the ground quickly. I just stood there raging as my body was enveloped in flame.
It was a tactically good decision from Adyhel to launch the fireball with himself included in it’s blast radius. He seemed unharmed by the spell, whilst we were all damaged. However, Adyhel’s focus on us, left him blind to a certain blue dragonborn, standing far away to his left. Derthaad opened his mouth and unleashed his lightning breath at Adyhel. A bolt of lightning flashed towards Adyhel from thirty feet away. This was a scorching damage that Adyhel could not shrug off easily. His right shoulder was battered by my poleaxe, his left arm was scorched from where he raised it to shield his face from the lightning.
Unfortunately for Adyhel he wasn’t the only person in range of his fireball spell that took little damage from it. Despite being enveloped in flames, my body’s Iron Strong conditioning barely feels fire when I am enraged. After the flames vanished, some embers remained flickering on my chest. Adyhel looked at me, flabbergasted at the lack of fire damage on my body. I flexed my pec muscles and the flickering embers jumped off of my chest. I brought my poleaxe around my left hand side one last time and loaded an immense swing at Adyhel’s head, and as the hammer of my poleaxe crashed into the right side of his face; I smashed his head clean off of his neck.
Adyhel’s head, caved in on the right side, landed ten feet away from his body. Both body and head dissolved into a molten substance then turned to ash.
I stood victorious. I looked down at either side of me, and lowered myself a little to give high fives to my flanking warrior comrades.
Both Gerhard and Derthaad soured the victory by informing the rest of us that the sexy demon probably wasn’t truly dead - apparently killing them on the material plane doesn’t really kill them. You need to kill them in hell too. Well, we still did some good here.
Get Dwarf Back to Halfling
Ubric was truly in a bad way, very much being held up by Gerhard. Derthaad casted his Aid spell, which I’ve felt the benefit of before. Marto gave him his winter cloak, and volunteered to carry him. As did I - volunteer to carry Ubric. I had no winter cloak to give; I’m not wearing one, the weather’s fine as far as I’m concerned.
It was a four hour trek back to the Ashkeeper farm. Marto did his fair share of carrying Ubric. When we switched, and it was clear Ubric weighed no more than the hamper of scones to me, I carried him for the rest of the journey.
Emmon was sobbing with relief when we saw his husband at the door. Ubric was similarly overwhelmed and relieved to be back home.
It was very late at night now. Emmon offered us a place to stay. There were no beds for me or Derthaad, but Emmon made the barn very comfortable for us.
The next afternoon, Ubric was recovering well. Colour had come back to his cheeks, and although he would have to stay off of his feet for a while, he was safe now. We gathered round his bed and he explained that when he went to the market a month ago to find a horse for Emmon, he found he couldn't afford any. Until a stranger approached him, and offered him a grand, yet inexpensive horse. The stranger was looking for a favour rather than gold. Ubric was too caught up in his good fortune to question anything.
Ubric was able to re-draw the symbols he was drawing when under Adyhel’s charm. I didn’t recognise it. To me this was one of those matters I’d just leave with comrade Derthaad and let him inform me of any updates.
Ubric, it turned out, was a blacksmith. He insisted we go to his smithy and if there was any armour that fit us, we were welcome to it.
Inside Ubric’s smithy, I found this great breastplate, but it was sized for a child.
“Kavel.”
Gerhard got my attention, and when I looked at him I noticed he was holding a similar breastplate that was far too large for him. Ah! I was holding a human-sized breastplate. We swapped and were both happy with our plates. Marto wanted a piece of armour that Ubric didn’t have. Marto actually appeared a little glum today. Possession from a devilish fiend had robbed him of his cheer. I wondered, if he could have slashed Adyhel up some more, before I smashed the life out of him; would it have been cathartically good for him? Emmon asked Marto if he had a community of halflings where he stayed, and told him he was always welcome here.
Ubric told Marto to visit the Dwarven quarter of the city, go to Hammerfall Smithy, mention Ubric by name and he’ll receive a discount on the splint armour he sought.
Emmon thanked us for all our help, and sent us on our way with hampers of scones and rhubarb and nectarine jam. These were empty calories, but they were delicious. Goop’s hamper had an additional onion in it.
Fort Daring Bound
On the way back to Fort Daring, I talked a great deal with Marto. It turned out that we had more in common than fighting up close. We were both learning how to carve wood.
Marto was a skilled carpenter from a family who owned a logging business. But he had his reasons to pursue woodcarving, too. The goddess he mentioned in battle against Adyhell, he explained, was Yondalla. He told me the multi-faith chapel in Fort Ettin can create shrines when needed. “Heckin’ cool!”, were the words he used to describe the chapel’s magic. But despite the chapel’s magical abilities, he felt the mother and protector of all halflings deserved a more permanent structure, so he used his carpentry skills to erect something he felt more fitting to Yondalla. However, the cornucopia shrine he made, though well constructed, was missing something to truly capture the importance that Yondalla meant to him and his family.
“What did you think your shrine was missing?” I asked.
"That's when I thought, what if I could make it better? What if I carved the structure I've already made, making it look more like the cornucopia it's supposed to be?" Marto continued:
"Despite the hurt my family has been through, it was Her tree that allowed my sister to remember us. Yondalla brought her back to us. It... feels like the right thing to do."
I had no understanding what Marto meant about this tree. But I understood that his sister was very important to him and he had Yondalla to thank for something. As he told me all of this, it was the first time he had smiled since leaving the farm. The business of being possessed by Adyhel hung over him like a dark cloud. Now that cloud had lifted after telling me about his sister, family and Yondalla.
"Keep my eyes to serve, my hands to learn," Marto adds. It sounded like a prayer.
“Strength comes first,” I said in response. Marto looked up at me, “That’s what we say in the Iron Strong Company.”
“Why are you learning how to carve, Kavel? Is it important where you come from?”
I told my halfling comrade how I needed particularly, very heavy wooden clubs to do the type of strength training I needed to do, and put strength first above all else. Marto did not seem caught off guard that I had no intention of applying the skill I was attaining to something more artistic. Others seem a little caught off guard how much I mean it, when I say - strength comes first.
Back at Fort Daring
At Fort Daring, Commander Jadefist was surprised at how quickly we had come back. Happy to hear of our success, she paid us 40gp each for a job well done. She was additionally surprised at the gift we had for her - Emmon had packed an additional hamper of scones.
Comrades on Castle Road
It was a cold, damp morning. Good!
The body gets soft if you don’t expose it to discomforting temperatures. If you experience nothing but comfortable weather, then when you are exposed to extreme temperatures, your body will be weak to acclimatise. Discomfort leads to strength. Strength first!
Looking around at the other people on Castle Road with their warm coats, it is clear that only I, wearing a vest on my upper body, understand that cold weather builds strength.
Among the cold-averse civilians, I do however spot people I consider strong in their own specialties; comrades Derthaad and Gerhard.
Derthaad is a blue-scaled, dragonborn investigator in the City Watch. In combat, he uses magic. I’ve seen him breathe lightning bolts. I’ve also seen him direct the same spell in two different directions at the same time. I’ve never seen other mage-users do this.
Gerhard is a human ranger with an academic interest in… I’m not sure. But, I often see him with scrolls and bits of parchments. In combat, he switches parchment for a longbow, and then he sometimes reminds me of Sorrel. Right now though, on the road to Fort Daring while Derthaad keeps me updated on his investigation into the hags we fought, Gerhard isn’t paying any attention. Why? Scrolls.
I updated comrade Derthaad on my last adventures. I told him how; I’ve been to Sigil since the last time we met, I infiltrated the Breakers and am now a servant to the goddess Umberlee - technically. Also there was that business with the murdering moon-elf in the city. I told Derthaad his position as City Watch Investigator was missed that night. I mentioned the new adventurer Martin Terrence Meretoric, who helped me with the legal fallout from that affair. But, comrade Derthaad thought there was something fishy about me having to pay any costs and legal fees. I don’t know why. After all, M.T did reduce the 60gp legal cost I incurred down to 30gp.
Derthaad was explaining to me what was suspicious about my legal matter, but then I saw a goblin on the road that distracted me. The goblin wore a flat cap and some simple trousers with a piece of string holding them up. No upper body clothing. No footwear. Most peculiar of all, he was eating a raw onion like it was an apple. He was scrawny looking, but to me he also seemed wiry. There was definitely a toughness to him. And then I realised what it was! The goblin is wearing less clothing than me in cold weather - he understands cold makes the body strong!
I turned to see if comrade Gerhard had seen this fascinating goblin. But, when I turned to face him I could see a scrap of parchment was taking up all of his attention. I then turned to share my goblin observation with comrade Derthaad. As I did, I realised that he hadn’t stopped explaining the legal matter to me.
Before I could make my apologies to Derthaad for my inattentiveness, comrade Marto joined us on the way to Fort Daring.
Marto is a young, blond haired, halfling warrior. We met whilst running through portals in Sigil chasing down our foe. Marto carries many axes on his person, but I haven’t seen him use one yet. This is because when we did catch up to our foe in Sigil; Glint was with us. When Glint is in your adventuring party - there’s a chance fighting will be bypassed through diplomacy. Glint used his diplomacy to make our foe join our side. So, I did not get to see Marto’s axe handling skills. But, I did see Marto make a terrific roof to roof jump alongside me. Very impressive given his stature compared to my own. Everyone else that day had a magical solution to get from one roof to the other - or they flew with their wings, like Tayz did. But Marto showed athleticism. He clearly values strength! He has impressed me. He might be the ‘slashy slash’ to my ‘smashy smash.’
Standing in line together as we walked, Marto made an observation, “Would you look at that... That guy must really like onions by the way he’s munching on that one. And he doesn’t look bothered by the cold neither!”
I think Marto will be my favourite comrade today.
Fort Daring
We arrived at Fort Daring by 8 a.m. Just on time, but also late for my customary warm-up - chatting with my comrades came with a price.
I felt a little sad when I Saw City Watch guards doing drills. It was good to see them taking practice seriously, but I wanted to go join them, but couldn’t.
Instead, my comrades and I - and the goblin too - walked adjacent to where the guards were drilling, to where I was introduced to Commander Cordellia Jadefist, a dwarf. Commander Jadefist was successfully ensuring the guards did their drills properly, merely by having an intimidating presence. I was impressed.
Other adventurers were ahead of us having just been given assignments. Commander Jadefist gave Marto a scrap of paper with our assignment, as we all stood in line for inspection - which we did without Commander Jadefist actually asking us to. Again, she was very impressive!
Commander Jadefist explained our missing farmer assignment to us. One of the farmers had started acting strange for unknown reasons and then disappeared in the night. Commander Jadefist was unwilling to send regular Watch members out without first sending adventurers to investigate whether the situation involved the arcane. If we ended up solving the case as well - bonus.. 40gp each would be our reward.
Commander Jadefirst then went down the line to inspect us. I learnt that Marto has a sister, and she is known by the commander, who also knows Derthaad’s boss, Sergeant Grimes. I was new to her, as was Goop - the goblin. So too was Gerhard, who’s fascination with his sheets of parchment seemed to be a match for Commander Jadefist’s commanding presence - Gerhard had not noticed she was speaking to him. Marto had to draw his attention to the person addressing him, at which point he dropped some of the parchments he was holding. Commander Jadefist did not look impressed. Marto helped Gerhard amass his parchments together. How is comrade Gerhard so talented with a longbow, when he can barely hold sheets of parchment?
The Farmer’s Residence in the Northwestern Sprawl
We walked to the Ashkeeper farm situated northwest of Daring Heights. The journey took us halfway to the Angelbark forest and it’s vast coniferous expanse.
When we arrived, we came across a small, self-sustaining farm. There were three buildings; a residence, a barn and something else, a smithy perhaps? There were some small fields of tilled earth, some pastures, and a few animals; a large pig, a few cows, a cat, and also a rather magnificent looking horse. The horse looked out of place. It looked far too pristine to be a workhorse, which is what I would have expected on a farm. I think Marto noticed this too. Good lad.
We knocked on the front door of the residential building. A halfling with dark brown hair, older than young Marto, opened the door. He looked disappointed as if he was hopeful to see someone else. I was disappointed to see the door open, because I then noticed it was a halfling door. Of course I have nothing against halflings, it’s just that their ceilings are too low.
Emmon Ashkeeper, the halfling, welcomed us into his home. He invited us to sit in his living room, but then as he saw the immense space I took up in his living room, and how I had to bend over so as not to bang my head against the ceiling, he asked me to wait while he fetched a sturdy stool - I appreciated this. When Emmon offered us tea and scones, he passed the scones round, and he gave me two. Halflings; low ceilings but great hospitality to their taller guests!
Marto explained to Emmon that Fort Daring received his letter about his missing husband and sent us to investigate. Whilst Emmon was answering our questions about how his husband, Ubric - a dwarf - had disappeared, he kept pacing around the room adjusting things that did not need adjusting, cleaning things that were already clean. I could see vats of the jam Emmon offered us with our scones - a rhubarb and nectarine jam - and enough scones to feed a small army sitting on a side table - was Emmon expecting more than five adventurers?
Marto asked about the friesian horse out front. Emmon almost clumsily spilt the tea he was pouring for Gerhard. The horse, Emmon explained, was a gift from his husband Ubric, which was bought a month ago. Emmon needed a horse to help plough the fields, so his loving husband obliged. The horse though, as Marto and I observed, was clearly no workhorse but more of a show horse. Emmon said he couldn’t get a saddle on it, and if anything he was scared of the horse. Emmon did not like the horse his husband brought back, but also resented the way he felt.
Ubric, it turned out, disappeared five nights ago, and began acting strange many days before his disappearance. Ubric would stay up late. When he did join Emmon to rest, he would talk in his sleep. Ubric would mutter strange things when awake, and write things down, only to burn them in the hearth whenever Emmon questioned him about them. The strangest thing perhaps, is that what Ubric muttered sounded like a language Emmon had never heard his husband utter in over twenty years of marriage.
Derthaad began to cast a ritual spell for comprehending all languages. My investigator friend was hoping that if Emmon uttered the sounds his husband was saying in the foreign language, the spell would help Derthaad understand the muttering.
With nothing to apply my strength towards, I found myself strangely investigative. I asked Emmon if he could remind us when his husband bought the horse and when he started acting peculiarly. When Emmon answered, he seemed baffled, as if looking at facts he already knew, but now saw in a new light.
I leaned towards my comrades, “... did he answer my question, just now?”
“He didn’t,” Marto said, between bites of his jam lathered scone. “But this jam is amazing!”
He was not wrong. The jam was delicious.
Emmon, prompted by my question, could now draw a line between the arrival of the horse and his husband’s odd behaviour. At that moment, I discovered that I am a keen investigator, as well as a strength-enthusiast.
I suggested I could talk to the horse - a statement that between adventurers, at least, does not sound too odd. Now I come to think of it though; strength enthusiast, investigator, and animal-whisperer!
Let’s Have a Word with this Horse
We agreed that Derthaad, finishing his language spell, would stay in the house with Emmon, while me and Marto would go see the horse, and Goop and Gerhard would look at Ubric’s smithy, which was, indeed, the other building on the estate.
Emmon showed us out the back of his house. Me and Marto went left towards the barn and pastures. Goop and Gerhard went right towards the Smithy.
The horse could not be found. It had vanished. Gerhard and Goop walked over from the Smithy and said they never saw the horse over there. But, Gerhard spotted horse tracks leading away from the barn and towards the Angelbark.
Marto casted the Message spell to talk to Derthaad back in the house. Derthaad updated us that his spell had worked and Emmon had successfully repeated Ubric’s words - the language Ubric was uttering was infernal. It seemed now that the horse was a fiend. Emmon’s worries increased, but at the same time, Derthaad mentioned Emmon seemed relieved that his resentment of the horse proved valid.
We had decided we needed to follow the tracks into the Angelbark to find the horse, and hopefully Ubric. Marto said Derthaad was about to join us outside. I then looked down at Marto, and tapped him on the shoulder, “could you message him to bring some scones out for the journey?”
“Oh. We’re good Kavel, “ Marto began, “Derthaad’s on the same page; he’s bringing a basket of them.”
Sure enough, out of the front door to this halfling farmhouse, out popped a six foot and eleven inch tall, blue-skinned dragonborn holding a hamper of scones in one hand.
Into the Angelbark in Pursuit of a Horse
We left the farm in the early afternoon. It took a couple hours of walking to reach the edge of the Angelbark. Jam spread scones were consumed from time to time.
Two hours after this we were inside the forest and found it harder to follow the fiend’s horse tracks. Open plain field was replaced with coniferous trees and an underbrush that sprung back when stepped on. Despite the less trackable hoof prints, Gerhard led us well, and surprisingly the hamper of scones still had some within it.
As another hour went by, the sun began to set. Marto lit a torch for those of us who do not see well in the dark - all of us except Goop actually - and Derthaad cast the Light cantrip on his horns. In front of us, about 500ft away, Goop could smell a smouldering smoke. As we came within a 100ft of the smoke, Marto and Derthaad casted protective spells on themselves.
Ahead of us, ash drifted in the weak wind. We came upon a clearing, roughly circular, maybe sixty feet in diameter, it seemed ashenly derived. The trees at the perimeter were stripped of their bark and had symbols carved into them, facing the centre of the clearing. And in the centre stood a male dwarf with ginger hair, wearing a nightshirt that was ragged and dirty.
The male dwarf fit the description of Ubric that Emmon gave us. There was no sign of the horse.
We stepped into the clearing. With each step, our feet would submerge into the floor of ash below them. It seemed the clearing was made by controlled flames. Where Ubric stood, at the centre, was the most burned part of the clearing. We were still thirty feet away from the centre, but Goop’s good eyes saw the state of Ubric’s feet; they were burnt and bleeding. He was breathing, but he was not in a good state. The pain from his feet and the exhaustive look of his body should have seen him collapse on the ground. Somehow he stood, facing away from us with his head pointed at the ground.
There was muttering amongst the party how to proceed. I took the initiative.
“Excuse me! Are you Ubric Ashkeeper?” I yelled towards the solitary dwarf ahead of us.
The dwarf slowly raised his head and turned around to face us. His eyes were completely black. There were no pupils. The face was pale and the bags under his eyes indicated that he had not slept since he had gone missing five days ago. He wore no expression on his face. No sign of pain from his bloodied and burnt feet, nor from his physical exhaustion. And when he spoke it sounded like multiple people talking at once. He did not respond to my question, instead he said,
“I saw in heaven another great and marvellous sign: five angels with the five last plagues—last because with them Goddess's wrath is completed.They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Worthy are you, our Lord and Goddess, to receive glory and honour and power”
I am not well versed in magic, but it was clear to me that Ubric was not under his own control. I also understood little of what he said. But, I understood that this was a dwarf in need of our help, some rest, and some of his husband’s baked scones wouldn’t hurt.
As soon as the voices from Ubric’s mouth finished what they said, our missing horse materialised on the other side of us from Ubric, and changed shape into a humanoid man, but not one that I had seen before. The man had the face and torso of an athletic and very handsome human, but he had black horns and red eyes, and I never thought he was genasi. His lower half, arms, shoulders and hands; were all blackened as if scorched. He had horn-like protrusions from his upper back and behind his arms. Black talons sat at the end of his fingers. He spoke to us:
“I am Adyhel. I am one of the five. You - you will all spread our word and pay tribute to the goddess”
I did not like the tone of Adyhel’s voice. He would not be offered one of the remaining scones in the hamper. He will instead be offered something else to eat - my chakan poleaxe.
Confrontation with a Sexy Demon Man
“The only lady I follow is the one that protects us!” Marto said as he reached out with his right hand and a mighty-looking battle-axe appeared in his grasp. I was not expecting any magic from my fellow warrior, but then I remembered his use of the Message spell with Derthaad - it was him, not Derthaad who initiated the spell. Marto walked forward towards the fiend.
Derthaad and Goop both circled the perimeter of the clearing. Derthaad went right and stayed in my peripheral vision. Goop went left, but I lost track of him at that moment.
As Marto approached Adyhel, the sexy demon man looked at Ubric, and with the wave of his taloned finger, Ubric walked towards my halfling friend. Ubric should be in agony walking on his ruined feet, but he marched on. He produced a dagger in his right hand as if summoned by the demon.
Before Ubric could intercept Marto on his path to Adyhel, my ranger comrade also contributed unexpectedly to the use of magic, as I saw him move his arms whilst uttering a spell. Gerhard tried to magically charm Ubric with the aid of Emmon’s scones. It was a good effort, but Adyhel’s own charm on Ubric was too powerful. Adyhel spoke to Gerhard, “No. He’s mine! You can’t have him.”
Ubric got to within melee range of Marto, intercepting his confrontation with Adhyel, and he thrust his dagger at Marto, missing once, but hitting on the second strike. The wound looked a little deep, but Marto hooked the dagger arm with the beard of his axe and turned the offensive arm away. Bringing the battle-axe back around, Marto hit Ubric on the head with the flat of the axe. “Please just stop and have a scone?” Marto pleaded to Ubric. But Adyhel’s command on Ubric would not break for a smack with the back of an axe.
It was Adyhel who broached the distance between Marto and himself. Adyhel advanced rapidly over the gap between them, without touching the ground with his feet or using wings. He hovered to reach Marto, and up close it was as if his mere presence dispelled Marto’s protection spell, as I saw strands of magic surrounding Marto break and disappear. This was not good, and it got worse. With a wry smile at Gerhard, Adyhel looked back at Marto and Marto lowered his battle-axe from the attack position he held it in. What was going on? Marto then turned around, and I could see his eyes, much like Ubric’s, were now black and without pupils.
I hate possession. I flew into a rage, ready to introduce Adyhel to the pain my chakan would bring to him. Before I moved, Derthaad from my right hand side pointed at both Marto and Ubric and released a translucent bolt of energy at both of them, at the same time.
I did not understand what Derthaad was doing. It looked like a magical attack, but both of his targets remained unharmed, which was good, but confusing to me. It was when I saw Adyhel’s frustration that I understood. Adyhel looked at Ubric, and Ubric’s eyes had regained colour and pupils. Most unpleased, Adyhel doubled efforts to control Marto. But so did Derthaad.
As I watched Marto, he closed his eyes tight. When he opened them again; he too had regained colour and pupils. He had also regained a rage against Adyhel.
Despite my raging fury, I was mindful of the good Derthaad had accomplished with his twinned spell.
“Someone get Ubric!” my sorcerous comrade shouted.
“Rahhh!” I roared pumped to smash Adyhel. But, Derthaad was right. Someone should get Ubric. I ran forward toward where Ubric stood with a confused look on his face next to Marto.
“Yes Derthaad! Someone should get Ubric,” I roared as I ran around Ubric and Marto and charged at Adyhel.
As I reached Adyhel who looked belligerent at my approach, I swung my poleaxe around and loaded a smashing blow at his face. He dodged. But he did not dodge the second swing as I brought the poleaxe back around my head and switched target to his shoulder. The hammer of my poleaxe smashed solidly into his right shoulder causing him pain.
While Adyhel was dealing with the indignity of being struck, Gerhard had helped Ubric to his feet. Ubric’s regained control of himself had made him register some of his body’s pain, as he stumbled in Gerhard’s support.
Adyhel’s focus was split between me, and Ubric being carried away from the battle by Gerhard. You should never lose focus of your surroundings in battle. You never know where you could be struck from, if you aren’t paying attention. Adyhel refocused on me, but was now not focussing on the imminent threat to him.
Adyhel screamed in pain, as a magical battle-axe sliced into his left leg. Marto had come to show the fiend he needed to respect someone else’s goddess.
Despite his pain, Adyhel still threatened us. He lashed out at me and Marto with his sharp talons. The first strike was at my lead hand that held my poleaxe, but Marto stepped on my lead leg and jumped up to intercept the attack with his shield. I would have enjoyed watching Adyhel as he realised he could only scratch me with his slashing talons, but this interception from Marto was appreciated - this is what comrades do. Adyhel tried to slash Marto too, but again, Marto’s shield work was on point, as Adyhel’s claws struck nothing but shield.
Adyhel’s right hand claws that missed Marto now left him open to attack on his right hand side. I aimed to take advantage of this. But so too did Goop.
Out of nowhere, an onion bounced off of Adyhel’s face, and then a flurry of bare knuckled strikes from Goop’s fists rhythmically landed on Adyhel’s body, punctuated with a step-up kick to his jaw. I was very impressed with my smaller comrades. I am often supported from afar by magic-wielders. What warriors to be flanked by, shoulder to shoulder..
Adyhel was pissed that we even dared strike him like this. The embers of ash by his feet started to glow, as did Adyhel’s eyes, as he unleashed a fireball enveloping; himself, but also Marto, Goop and me. We were caught in the epicentre of his demonic flames.
Sexy Fiend Refreshed the Crisp Clearing
Marto tried to get his shield back into position, but he took a big hit from the scorching fire. Goop, despite having no shield or even a shirt, managed to avoid taking as much damage by hitting the ground just as Adyhel unleashed his attack. I neither raised a shield that I did not have, nor hit the ground quickly. I just stood there raging as my body was enveloped in flame.
It was a tactically good decision from Adyhel to launch the fireball with himself included in it’s blast radius. He seemed unharmed by the spell, whilst we were all damaged. However, Adyhel’s focus on us, left him blind to a certain blue dragonborn, standing far away to his left. Derthaad opened his mouth and unleashed his lightning breath at Adyhel. A bolt of lightning flashed towards Adyhel from thirty feet away. This was a scorching damage that Adyhel could not shrug off easily. His right shoulder was battered by my poleaxe, his left arm was scorched from where he raised it to shield his face from the lightning.
Unfortunately for Adyhel he wasn’t the only person in range of his fireball spell that took little damage from it. Despite being enveloped in flames, my body’s Iron Strong conditioning barely feels fire when I am enraged. After the flames vanished, some embers remained flickering on my chest. Adyhel looked at me, flabbergasted at the lack of fire damage on my body. I flexed my pec muscles and the flickering embers jumped off of my chest. I brought my poleaxe around my left hand side one last time and loaded an immense swing at Adyhel’s head, and as the hammer of my poleaxe crashed into the right side of his face; I smashed his head clean off of his neck.
Adyhel’s head, caved in on the right side, landed ten feet away from his body. Both body and head dissolved into a molten substance then turned to ash.
I stood victorious. I looked down at either side of me, and lowered myself a little to give high fives to my flanking warrior comrades.
Both Gerhard and Derthaad soured the victory by informing the rest of us that the sexy demon probably wasn’t truly dead - apparently killing them on the material plane doesn’t really kill them. You need to kill them in hell too. Well, we still did some good here.
Get Dwarf Back to Halfling
Ubric was truly in a bad way, very much being held up by Gerhard. Derthaad casted his Aid spell, which I’ve felt the benefit of before. Marto gave him his winter cloak, and volunteered to carry him. As did I - volunteer to carry Ubric. I had no winter cloak to give; I’m not wearing one, the weather’s fine as far as I’m concerned.
It was a four hour trek back to the Ashkeeper farm. Marto did his fair share of carrying Ubric. When we switched, and it was clear Ubric weighed no more than the hamper of scones to me, I carried him for the rest of the journey.
Emmon was sobbing with relief when we saw his husband at the door. Ubric was similarly overwhelmed and relieved to be back home.
It was very late at night now. Emmon offered us a place to stay. There were no beds for me or Derthaad, but Emmon made the barn very comfortable for us.
The next afternoon, Ubric was recovering well. Colour had come back to his cheeks, and although he would have to stay off of his feet for a while, he was safe now. We gathered round his bed and he explained that when he went to the market a month ago to find a horse for Emmon, he found he couldn't afford any. Until a stranger approached him, and offered him a grand, yet inexpensive horse. The stranger was looking for a favour rather than gold. Ubric was too caught up in his good fortune to question anything.
Ubric was able to re-draw the symbols he was drawing when under Adyhel’s charm. I didn’t recognise it. To me this was one of those matters I’d just leave with comrade Derthaad and let him inform me of any updates.
Ubric, it turned out, was a blacksmith. He insisted we go to his smithy and if there was any armour that fit us, we were welcome to it.
Inside Ubric’s smithy, I found this great breastplate, but it was sized for a child.
“Kavel.”
Gerhard got my attention, and when I looked at him I noticed he was holding a similar breastplate that was far too large for him. Ah! I was holding a human-sized breastplate. We swapped and were both happy with our plates. Marto wanted a piece of armour that Ubric didn’t have. Marto actually appeared a little glum today. Possession from a devilish fiend had robbed him of his cheer. I wondered, if he could have slashed Adyhel up some more, before I smashed the life out of him; would it have been cathartically good for him? Emmon asked Marto if he had a community of halflings where he stayed, and told him he was always welcome here.
Ubric told Marto to visit the Dwarven quarter of the city, go to Hammerfall Smithy, mention Ubric by name and he’ll receive a discount on the splint armour he sought.
Emmon thanked us for all our help, and sent us on our way with hampers of scones and rhubarb and nectarine jam. These were empty calories, but they were delicious. Goop’s hamper had an additional onion in it.
Fort Daring Bound
On the way back to Fort Daring, I talked a great deal with Marto. It turned out that we had more in common than fighting up close. We were both learning how to carve wood.
Marto was a skilled carpenter from a family who owned a logging business. But he had his reasons to pursue woodcarving, too. The goddess he mentioned in battle against Adyhell, he explained, was Yondalla. He told me the multi-faith chapel in Fort Ettin can create shrines when needed. “Heckin’ cool!”, were the words he used to describe the chapel’s magic. But despite the chapel’s magical abilities, he felt the mother and protector of all halflings deserved a more permanent structure, so he used his carpentry skills to erect something he felt more fitting to Yondalla. However, the cornucopia shrine he made, though well constructed, was missing something to truly capture the importance that Yondalla meant to him and his family.
“What did you think your shrine was missing?” I asked.
"That's when I thought, what if I could make it better? What if I carved the structure I've already made, making it look more like the cornucopia it's supposed to be?" Marto continued:
"Despite the hurt my family has been through, it was Her tree that allowed my sister to remember us. Yondalla brought her back to us. It... feels like the right thing to do."
I had no understanding what Marto meant about this tree. But I understood that his sister was very important to him and he had Yondalla to thank for something. As he told me all of this, it was the first time he had smiled since leaving the farm. The business of being possessed by Adyhel hung over him like a dark cloud. Now that cloud had lifted after telling me about his sister, family and Yondalla.
"Keep my eyes to serve, my hands to learn," Marto adds. It sounded like a prayer.
“Strength comes first,” I said in response. Marto looked up at me, “That’s what we say in the Iron Strong Company.”
“Why are you learning how to carve, Kavel? Is it important where you come from?”
I told my halfling comrade how I needed particularly, very heavy wooden clubs to do the type of strength training I needed to do, and put strength first above all else. Marto did not seem caught off guard that I had no intention of applying the skill I was attaining to something more artistic. Others seem a little caught off guard how much I mean it, when I say - strength comes first.
Back at Fort Daring
At Fort Daring, Commander Jadefist was surprised at how quickly we had come back. Happy to hear of our success, she paid us 40gp each for a job well done. She was additionally surprised at the gift we had for her - Emmon had packed an additional hamper of scones.
