Our adventure begins in Edyra, the main continent of Concordia. Those of us who find ourselves in Sanctuary should be old enough to know better or too young to care. That is because this regional capital is in the Wild Plains; an untamed land where the rules don’t apply, and where scores are settled with gun or spell slinging and armed combat.
Anyone worth their salt in a fight and looking to score some extra gold would find the local job board. For me, I found I needed some extra encouragement on my quest to self discovery. And that is where I found the following posting that read: Adventurer’s Wanted.
Gunther Rockseller hired me and a few others to be an escort service. We are to head to Phalandin and all we know is it’s a small-ass town with an orchard. This orchard is supposedly one of the town’s pride and glory. Gunther also tells us his friend will be joining us along the way.
The ragtag party I find myself with is rather interesting. Here’s a few observations of mine:
Zinadeera is a three foot tall monk sporting brown hair with silver streaks. She smells Earthy. Has intricate Tattoos and is how I know she is a monk. If I am to guess, she’s one from the Order of the Redeemers sect, or the Deemers as common folk like to refer them.
Ahvin is three foot eleven and he insists that last part is important for everyone to know if they ask. He’s a halfling with trouble in his eyes. He smells Salty. His eyes dart around and he seems a bit sneaky. I bet he’s hilarious, but even so, I’ll keep an eye on him just to be safe.
Mystan stands at a height of six feet and eight inches. She is a rare dragon born that is glorious in every way. She is gold iridescent and red. Godless. Her royal horns sweep down and back, studded with gold and onyx. Even her scale mail is embossed with huge garnets. Just being in her presence makes one feel honored. I get no smell from her at all. Curious.
Naghan stands at six feet, ten inches, and is ever so self-conscious of it. He is short for a goliath and sings his dismay of this with his constant companion, the ukulele. Earthy smelling like the monk. Talented singer. Shorter than the dragon born.
Cloud is a curiosity. She resembles a feline – if felines stand on two legs and walk like a human. She is four feet and three inches tall with black fur covering her from head to toe. She wears piercings in her nose and cat-like ears. Smells like she’s from the jungle. Has claws. Jumpy. Do not touch.
And then there is me, the last of those that responded to the job posting. I am Neela, a half-orc and life cleric of Pelor. I stand at five feet and three inches. Stocky with olive skin, brown hair and eyes. I always thought of myself as unassuming. I wear old and worn chain mail and I carry a shield and mace. The only thing shiny on me is my amulet; always polished and bright, it carries the glow of the sun within.
Once brief introductions are made, we depart with Gunthar and are joined by a bald older human male not too long after. Mystan enjoys touching beards and Silvar Hallwin is not spared. The two wagons we escort are filled with mining supplies. Silvar bears a ring which Mystan and Neela identify as a symbol of the Seekers – a marshal service that keeps the law in the outskirts of the Alliance. Their motto is “One Riot, One Seeker.”
The next morning we are left to man the wagons. Gunther’s only explanation was he received a whisper in the air of danger and he and Sylvar rushed ahead. We’re to continue on our way and rendezvous with them at Phalandin.
Ahead of us is a wagon – it’s on its side and there are two horses lying on their sides with multiple arrows piercing them. Dropping off his horse, Ahvin peers around in full alert.
Mystan moves forward with amazing skill. Inspired on by Naghan’s annoying singing she becomes super stealthy.
Neela reaches out to Zinadeera and grants her Pelor’s sight.
Zin clomps over to Mystan and spots a much hidden green and hair humanoid.
Ahvin pretty much disappears and repositions across the road from our wagon. He searches and finds two other figures with the one Zin spotted – three in total.
Zinadeera loses patience and yells at the goblin in her sights. It curses back at the monk and his two goblin cohorts scramble to shush it with no effect – other than revealing themselves to everyone.
Naghan sings, “Hold fast you scumbags” as he charges, flinging a psychic attack with his vicious words and one reels back in pain, clutching his skull.
Zinadeera bolts across the road, a dust could forming in her wake, and whiffs with her quarterstaff; off-balance from her approach and tries for an elbow strike but the goblin manages to duck in the nick of time.
Ahvin sneaks forward and shoots crossbow bolt at the same goblin but he yet again manages to duck the attack. It would seem our gnome and halfling are not used to fighting quarry the same size as they.
Next, Cloud moves around and flings her clawed paws out. Between her outstretched paws a shimmering cloud of white begins to form and take shape. Suddenly, a spike of solid ice bursts out and explodes into the middle goblin. Upon impact, it burst into shards that explode into the two goblins beside him. The one that kept dodging takes a shard to the ear while the other to the chest, and all three fall in unison to their glorious deaths.
Mystan is incensed and commands more than tells Cloud, “Do not take all my toys.”
Zinadeera mumbles, “There’s got to be more…” just as two arrows fire out and bury themselves deep into Mylan’s bedecked armor.
Neela commands one of the two new goblins to sleep – it drops to the ground and complies post haste, leaving its companion momentarily dumbfounded.
This gives Naghan the chance to sing a healing jingle to patch up Mystan who ripped out the arrows in distaste. The goliath changes his tune and turns his song to the remaining goblin who goes completely stiff and paralyzed.
Zinadeera zooms to the one fast asleep on the ground. With quick succession, she plants her feet, swings her quarter staff up and over and slams it back down killing the sleeping goblin instantly. Not stopping there, she kicks the staff up and back down with such precision, the head detaches cleanly off the neck and the tip of her staff now sports a new decoration.
Mystan charges the paralyzed goblin, orders Naghan to remove his spell, and begins verbally attacking the doomed soul for ruining her armor.
His name is Plop and he hurriedly apologizes for every past and future misdeeds he’s ever committed. He said he was told by Krog to ambush the wagon. He tells us Krog is a stupid bugbear. He also tells us he was told by Black Spider to take care of human and dwarf.
Once Neela assures his life with a Paylor oath, Plop points the way of their hideout and admits the dwarf wasn’t there when he left but the human was. Cloud and Zinadeera are hard at work inspecting the toppled wagon and find it’s been raided. Plop answers to that and said it was his job to collect all the valuables.
We have him take us to his hideout and we find ourselves at a creek that runs into a cave. He points out two obvious traps well in advance. We decide to take a short rest before moving ahead.
Skein of Thought 