On the Threshold - 16/05/2023 - Mendal Recounts
May 18, 2023 21:40:09 GMT
Velania Kalugina likes this
Post by Andy D on May 18, 2023 21:40:09 GMT
In which Clan Crafter Extraordinaire, Mendal Vultan, battles with horse thieving bandits in the Angelbark and reunites a brother and sister!
Bandit shit in the Northern Forest, Mate
“Big man still not back from Port Ffirst?”
“No. Remember his friend Ivan resides there. Kavel may have stayed to see him,” Archie said, reminding his dwarven friend, as they sat and ate a meal in the kitchen.
“I’ve been on two adventures since he’s been by the coast! When I get back into adventuring, I go hard! No half measures for Mendal Vultan!”
“Indeed. So, you went to see Kruger, and ended up on an adventure?”
“That’s right. Seems to happen to all of us when we go visit the other Iron Strong Goliath, doesn’t it?”
Archie paused and looked forward considering the point, “... oh yes. You’re right. How curious. Well, Fort Ettin is a hub for adventurers and as such a hub for requests. So, who was in your party?”
“Anna. You know, the other, other Goliath?”
“Oh yes. Very versatile skill set. Last time I saw her we were on a merchant vessel.”
“Levuka, Elf woman, nature magic - know her?” Mendal continued.
“I went to Sigil with her. She was marvellous, altering the terrain to help us avoid death by warring armies.”
“Oh yes. She did a bit of that against the bandit buggers too.”
“Okay. Two more members, I’m guessing?”
“Yes. Of course,” Mendal said agreeingly with the profoundly true statement about adventuring group numbers. “Ruthenia was there. I know you know her. The one who takes a more spooky approach to extended life magic than you.”
Archie raised an eyebrow, “that’s not how I put it, but go on - the last member?”
“Sparks! The fantastic feathered fuck! Kenku, obviously. He does that Eldritch Blast spell so well, and he bends magic, which is fucking brilliant!”
“Ah! Warlock with sorcerer skills, I see. I’ve not met him. Good fellow?”
“Legend. Top bloke to have around when you’re dealing with multiple buggers hiding in the bushes or up in a tree - they can’t escape his Eldritch blasts.”
“Ah, so you were in the Angelbark? Bandits, was it?”
“That’s right. Horse stealing bandits with a camp in the Angelbark. Yeah, bandit shit my man.”
Too Quick a Fucking Pace!
“So we were tracking this girl, Jacyne, with the help of the person who hired us, Qinan - Elf boy, ginger hair. He said he’s part of the Watch with the friend we were tracking. Now! Ruthenia is making an absolute bloody racket as we move. There I was in my adamantine splint - not making a peep! Looks like you can reincarnate from a Human into a Wood-Elf, but you can’t entirely remove the heavy footed Human. That said, it was me who triggered the alert trap the girl had set for intruders. And off she ran!”
The corners of Archie’s mouth lifted,” I see a problem for you in the party make-up, as the only, if you don’t mind… Smallfolk.”
“STOUTFOLK! I’m not a Gnome or Halfling. But YES! Yes of course there was a bloody problem!” Mendal responded, annoyed, but also a little amused at his friend's banter.
“Sparks himself hasn’t got a pair of long legs on him. But, the bugger has acquired an Eagle Whistle, and went zooming off ahead in the air! Of course both Levuka and Ruthenia are Wood-Elves, so they both had a pair of good legs on them. And Anna? Faster than Kavel! She then polymorphed into a horse and gave Quinan a ride and they both charged off ahead! Then Ruthenia teleported herself ahead of the girl and really left me at the back of the pack. Bunch of quick buggers set a right pace on!”
Bashed the Life Out of the Buggers!
“So, these bandit bastards stole the girl’s, Jacyne’s - actually sister of Qinan - they stole her bracers. There was some sentimental significance to them, or something. So you see Jacyne was helping the bandits steal the horses through blackmail. So we had to kill the buggers!”
Archie felt Mendal’s reasoning lacked a few steps, but since he didn’t disagree with his dwarven friend’s conclusion on how justice should be dealt out to people stealing horses through violence, and selling them on - he nodded in agreement.
“Lots of things to say here. Firstly, Sparks is a bloody legend! Solid fella. Gambling problem - sure. But great guy! He was shooting bandits dead from out of their hiding position in the bushes and in the trees. And he casted Greater Invisibility on both me and him at the same time!”
“Aha. Yes,” Archie’s head tilted back as he realised, “metamagic - that is fascinating stuff. I believe Kavel’s Watch Sergeant friend often ‘twins’ the Psychic Lance spell. Jolly good.”
“Yes. And the invisibility meant me and Sparks were practically unhittable… that may be partially why Anna got an absolute pummelling by the bandit leader - Goliath mind you - and his bloody great maul! She kind of brought it on herself too though - laughed right in his gob. He didn’t like that.”
“You were on healing duty then?”
“No. Not really. A little bit.”
“Oh yes, Anna is a Goliath, she’s made of sturdy stuff.”
“Oh yes! She would have fucking died twice over if her skin wasn’t as durable as stone. But, also the legend that’s Sparks would pop off some divine healing in between pop shots at the bandits with his Eldritch Blasts.”
“Oh well, that must have lightened the healing load that you often say you feel burdened with round your neck.”
“Too right! Freed me up to do other shit whilst invisible - hey there’s a good point.”
Archie inclined his head.
“Greater Invisibility is a brilliant spell. Why don’t you cast it?”
“I was going to learn it quite recently. But I decided on Polymorph and Teleportation Circle instead.”
“Alright. But, so you can turn into anything from a great ape to a rodent - you’re still visible. Why would you put Greater Invisibility on hold, you old fool?”
“Well with Polymorph I could turn into a bird and fly away from you.” Upon saying this, Archie laughed at his own joke, and then found more humour in the conversation, “But, wait a minute! If I was invisible you’d never find me, and I’d never have to listen to you - no you’re right, I should learn invisibility.”
Mendal smirked. “Alright. You got me. I’ll admit it. Anyway!”
“Right this instance in fact!”
“Listen! So Ruth summoned a putrid undead person - you do that spell.”
“I do.”
“The putrid undead was pretty good. Hurt a bunch of bandits. Didn’t do much to the bandit goliath mind you, and her couple of skeletons seemed ornamental rather than useful. But Ruth’s Ray of Sickness spell was pretty nasty.”
“Good to hear she doesn’t seem to be experiencing setbacks in casting her spells since becoming an elf.”
“She was pretty good. Anna - like I said - took a massive beating like a champ, and fought back with some rather gnarly looking blades. I would have offered to make her some metal replacements, but she strikes me as preferring what she’s got.”
Archie considered the point for a second, “I think you might be right. Yes.”
“Quite. Now, Levuka saw Ruth’s putrid undead and raised her a summoned draconic spirit, and also turned into a bloody elemental and stepped on the bandit goliath to kill him. Ha, ha!”
“Very good. What about you? What did you do? Especially as you were unburdened from healing duties.”
“I threw out some healing once, maybe twice,” Mendal said defensively. “But what I brought to the dance were the Winged Bird-Men!”
“Ah. Your version of the Spirit Guardians spell.”
“That’s right!” Mendal said with glee. “Though invisible, it was probably very easy to guess where I must have been standing when a bunch of gorgeous little winged buggers surrounded my space, and they all looked like mini, flying versions of me with their mini warhammers smashing radiant force down on the bandits! Ha, ha! And they all yelled, ‘Dive!’ before they attacked!”
“You know. I take back what I said last week. I think Moradin does favour you among his divinely blessed. Why else would he let you have your angelic spirits look like mini versions of you?”
“See. I told you I was favourite,” the immensely grinning Mendal replied. “I did some good ‘Ring a Ding Dings’ as well.”
“Toll the Dead cantrip? Very good.”
“Oh and I imitated Sparks’ Eldritch Blast kills with a Guiding Bolt kill.”
“Hmmm. Good.”
“And then - no blackmailers alive - brother and sister were happily reunited!”
“Very good!”
Bad Look?
“So, are you going to seek out any more adventures while you wait to hear back from the Council whether they will sponsor you for a trip to Vorsthold?”
“Probably, I reckon.” Mendal was back in the swing of things, and did intend to be more involved with adventuring.”
“Good to hear my friend.”
“Thank you old chum. Oh and by the way. Ruthie, your now sexy necromancer friend did some necromantic shit and turned one of the dead bandits into a new skeleton follower. She’s got three of them now! How many undead minions following her around Portal Plaza do you reckon it will take before someone puts a notice on the boards, ‘Adventurers wanted! Spooky lady with undead seen about town!’?”
Archie pondered the question. “Ruthenia is sensible, if a little eccentric.”
“Is that a trait common in rich old types? Humans that is - you’re eccentric dressed in all your fancy clothes.”
“Says the person who spent a lot of time adding decorative strips of metal to his adamantine armour, so it looked more like his previous quite fancy looking armour.”
“My gear’s practical! So what about Ruth?”
“Well. Maybe she could do with a good PR person to mind the image she puts out.”
“You should let her dress her skeletons in your clothes. Dandy skeletons will look much less threatening. Ha, ha, ha!
“Oh shut up, Mendal.”