Turn 91 Making camp
Following the retreat of the bandits you wisely decide to retreat yourselves.
Scooping up a handful of coins as proof, Gareth orders the retreat. You ride out with Baldwin, and several miles away you leave the path
and enter a small forested area to make camp and take stock of your situation.
Wulfgar collects some sticks and returns to the campsite, he
proceeds to
make a safe fire that cannot spread. Then quickly builds a
cooking rack
and
pulls a few pieces of meat out of his saddlebags he quickly mounts
them
on
the rack and starts them cooking. "Has anyone got a small cooking
pot I
can
borrow?" He looks up at the others "Well don't just stand there
secure
the
campsite or do something!" He rises and walks to Arilyn and
taking her
hand
leads her to a soft patch of grass next to a tree, kneeling down
he
removes
any twigs that may be lying hidden in the grass. He pulls off his
cloak
and
spreads it out on the grass, "Sit here Arilyn and I will bring you
some
food
when it is ready, you need to rest and let your body help my
healing."
With
a smile that radiates warmth he rises to his feet he reaches
inside his
shirt and pulls off a small holy symbol. Leaning forward and
hands it
to
Arilyn "Please wear this and let Callus send her full healing
power to
help
you." He rises again and turns to walk back to the fire "Now I
will
continue to prepare the food before anyone thinks of eating it
all.!"
He
looks at the Gnome eyeing the food. "Don't even think about it my
friend
for it is seasoned with a strong herbal remedy!"
Gareth asks the newcomers to relate their stories as the group gathers
comfortably by the fire.
Vincas takes another swig from his flask and clears his throat.
"Ahh, let's see....our story. Where to begin? We originally set
out from
our
hometown of Durant to investigate the disappearance of a friend of
ours.
Well, not truly a close friend, he was a person entrusted to
transport
our
villages few remaining crops to market, but everyone in a small
town is
close you know. You see, our fields were becoming barren and this
transport
was crucial for us. He never made it."
We picked up traces of his wagon and mounts outside of town, with
signs
of a
fight obvious. We found some local...umm...citizenry, who were
able to
tell
us that they saw our friend in the company of some
armed...individuals."
You all notice his face redden a bit as he speaks. A quick glance
at
Wulfgar
and he continues.
"Apparently the people who captured him were elves of some sort.
Which
was
surprising to all of us, for we didn't even know they existed, you
know,
having never seen one before. We thought that they were somehow
different
since we later found out that we were actually in a fairy world of
some
sort
and through luck and magic we were able to find our way back home.
Anyway,
we freed him from these folks and returned home with some magic
grain
that
we had won. This grain was enchanted, it was just the boon our
village
needed to see us through."
"We expected a heroes welcome when we returned, but things didn't
turn
out
well. We decided to leave home again and see more of the wonders
that
waited
for us. We travelled for a short while, meeting new friends" nods
to
Reggie
"and losing some old ones too. We freed an enslaved centaur from
an evil
mage, and we even rescued a unicorn from a goblin horde."
"This unicorn was the avatar of Azimuth, and he rewarded us for
saving
it.
He told us of your struggles." He looks around smiling "Yes, you
are
being
watched. and apparently you're making a good impression. he asked
us to
join
you in your quests, and we agreed. Next thing we knew we were
sitting
with
you outside the bandit lair."
He sighs long and low. "I'll give a more detailed and dramatic
version
later
friends, but I'm exhausted and I've seen a lot of things since
last I
slept,
including seeing 2 of my closest friends die. I'm afraid my heart
isn't
into
storytelling."
Suddenly, a crazed looking, chainmail clad female bursts into camp.
Turn 92