The Fey Sisters Fate

[Leotholdus]

Our story begins with the arrival of a small group of adventurers arriving in the town of Briar Hollow if only to rest for a moment and gather the latest gossip. As is common with most town Briar Hollow has it's share of problems, but what these brave souls do no know is that lately these problems seem to be getting worse.

As you begin to drop your things and take a moments rest near the center of town, a middle aged man with salt and pepper thinning hair hails your band. He is followed by a trio of others constantly whispering and sizing up your group. His fine outfit, gilded with silver thread embroidery, and well-groomed appearance leads you to believe he is a person of importance. “Well met, my capable looking friends! I would say it is a fine day indeed, if not for the dark times that have befallen our simple community. By now, I’m sure you have heard the tales of despicable goblins boldly attacking our town but a week ago,” he blandly states, searching your faces for approval to continue.

[drayen]

The short half-elf sat idly plucking the strings of his lute as he and his companions took their rest in the sleepy village. He continued to pick out a simple tune as the natives approached. At the local man's exclamation, he finally looked up.

"Goblin attacks in this area? Do say. We already know of this? Nay. You want rid of them? Pay. Tell us your story? I pray." He said with a cheshire cat grin.

[Kynwric]

Joia was weary from travelling, and what was this lunatic in the fancy robes talking about Goblins first thing when they arrived in town. Can't he tell all I really want is some wine and food? However, this was the life of an adventurer, it seemed, one village to the next solving their petty little problems, which coincidentally put her no closer to solving her own problems. But there was a facade to maintain, one that kept them getting paid.

[Leotholdus]

Looking at the half-elf grinning, the gentleman halts for a moment before continuing "Er...yes, well do forgive me for not introducing myself, I am Patric Cullen the mayor of this town, and I'm afraid we are a bit desperate for help these days. If you are willing to hear me out, please meet me at the large building over there.he says and points out the only opulent looking building likely for miles around. "I promise you my fine hospitality, a warm meal and perhaps a drink if you would at the very least listen, and greater compensation for your assistance should you choose to. If you would follow me, I look forward to speaking with you all." With a solemn look and a short nod of his head the mayor departs to his home followed by his entourage, leaving you to decide whether to follow or not.

[Bromate]

Kieran looks around the small town. Still listening intently to what the man has to say. From his pocket comes a large coin, printed in a strange text probably completely worthless. He flips it between his fingers while taking in what the town has to offer. Sloped roofs and distant buildings no real crowds at this hour. Not exactly the bustle of Wiltshire but it'd do for a few days. His blue eyes darting up at the man when he mentions goblin attacks. "Never tangled around with goblins before. They're probably just as simple to take down as big folk. Still...not sure I want to deal with more ruffians after what I been through." He goes back to fiddling with his coin. That is until the topic of money is mentioned. "Money, money is good." "Dear sir, I wouldn't mind tackling goblins if you're the paying sort. What would our rate be?" Kieran says with a raised eyebrow. Tagging along with the rest of the group as they follow the man.

[ianricks58]

"I am not one to turn down a free or two or three, let's at least hear him out!" Balasar said. Any type of imbibement would do wonders to calm his nerve. Balasar wasn't used to being in crowded places. His discomfort was magnified by a few of the locals staring at him as soon as he entered the gates. The sooner he could get away from the watching eyes the better.

[drayen]

Calyn nods to the mayor and follows along, the same simple grin plastered on his face.

[Lowmoan]

Hine stumbled along at the back of the group, his arms full of scrolls and a pair of large, leather-bound volumes. His pack had torn a few miles back, and he had been too embarrassed to ask the group to halt so close to town. The added awkwardness of the load was nearly too much for his scrawny legs. Panting and wheezing at the tail of this party of adventurers, Hine wondered, not for the first time, what he had gotten himself into.

The ominous proposition by the mayor perked up Hine's interest immediately. "Bold" and "goblin" weren't two words one often found in the same sentence. Perhaps they were cursed, or magically diseased? Anything capable of upsetting the natural order like this must be worth studying. Hine immediately perked up, his body-wide ache dulled by the excitement of new and interesting opportunities to explore. And of course, it would be a fine bonus to rid a peaceful village of a deadly threat.

Lost in the possibilities of this new mission, Hine nearly ran into the back of the imposing Dragonborn, Balasar. Stopping short, he dropped several of his scrolls into the dirt, one unravelling to reveal arcane glyphs showing the magical similarities between divine and arcane spells. Hine quickly knelt to reorder his load, wishing the small dust cloud were large enough to hide him from view entirely.*

[Leotholdus]

"We shall discuss the monetary matters in just a moment, but first please follow me." the mayor states as he leads you in doors.
As you enter, you begin to get the feeling that for all the outside wealth Patric Cullen seems to have, his true worth is less so. You notice certain patterns in the dust near your feet where carpet once laid and the walls were not nearly as adorned as one might expect for someone in Patrics standing. As you follow the entourage inside, one thing does particularly stand out however, the smells of a well-cooked meal. As you settle in to your creaking chairs, one of the entourage quickly goes about the room filling goblets with wine and another appears from the kitchen carrying various meats, bread and fruit for the table. With what seems like a genuine smile the mayor looks you over "Please friends, enjoy!" After a time, when everyone seems to be settling in well, Patric stands and looks you over.
"Now my friends, I must speak of the matter at hand. Just after the goblin attack I was telling you about our brave captain of the guard quickly rallied her best men, and sent those vile humanoids scurrying back to their dark holes in the ground. The ones that never escaped will give back to the land, buried at the edge of Briarwood,” he pauses for a moment before continuing “But against my better judgment, the captain of the guard gathered a troop of 12 of her finest warriors and departed town to follow the goblins that fled. She hoped to find their camp or lair, and put them all to the sword. But that was almost a week ago, and we have not heard word from her or any of her troops. That is, until last night,” with a dramatic pause, he gauges your interest in his tale.
“Late last night, one of the guards returned. Although not wounded, he was disheveled, exhausted and starving. He has been tended to and rests comfortably following his ordeal. He rambled on and on about the goblins, and their hidden camp, located just north of the road across Fodor’s Ford a few hours outside of town,” he explains. “We are but simple folk, and have few trained warriors to spare. I beg you, please find this camp of goblins, and ascertain the fate of our beloved captain of the guard and her dedicated troops. We have limited resources, but I’m willing to empty the town’s coffers for an end to this situation and news regarding our missing folk." With that, he sits back waiting to hear what you have to say.

[drayen]

The half-elf sits quietly and attentively throughout the mayor's story. He continues to wait a full minute after the human stops speaking before finally replying. "You should finish speaking before you sit back awaiting a reply."

[Bromate]

Dusklord munches along on his bread while listening to the Mayors plight. He side eyes when the Mayor mentions the bit about the captain of the guard. "Hold on. She had twelve people and we have...6 counting the quiet dwarf. Are we just better equipped?" he thinks, tucking into some meat that he hopes is cow. He waits for the Mayor and the bard to finish before adding anything. What I think our Half-Elf friend is trying to say here is that you haven't told us the very important details. Such as: How many Goblins are we talking about, how well equipped are they. Do they have magic at their disposal? These are the things I'd like to know before I head in there and start cracking skulls.

[drayen]

The half-elf turns to look at the halfling with a look of disgust plainly writ upon his face. Slowly shaking his head in disbelief, he turns back to the mayor. "The simpleton has no idea what I mean. You only offered the contents of your treasury. You did not offer an itemized list of the contents of your treasury. How much money? In what denominations? How many gemstones? What type? What quality? Does it include objet d'art? If so, are they paintings or sculptures? What magics? As I said, finish your offer before expecting a reply."

[Kynwric]

"You know Calyn, calling our host a simpleton is not just rude but a poor way to gain employment. If he's offered us the entire contents of his cities treasury then i say we simply ask to see the treasury. It shouldn't be that hard, should it Mr. Mayor?" Joia then turned to Dusklord, "When was the last time 12 city guardsmen were a match for hardened adventurers? Are you craven? Over some goblins? Even the Wizard is ready to go and salivating at the thought of wiping more goblin-scum from the face of the earth."

[ianricks58]

Balasar sat back, amused at the exchange of his colleagues. He grabs a goblet of wine and savors it and continues to listen.

[Lowmoan]

Hine's face flushed at the mention of his "salivation". He didn't want to correct his companion on the nature of his eagerness. In fact, he had to admit that sending the six of them to defeat what twice their number in trained fighters could not was either an act of desperation or... what? Capitulation? Could the mayor be "feeding" unwary adventurers to the goblins, or the force behind them? Seeing the coffers and the promised payment would go a long way towards verifying the mayor's desperation, so for the time Hine said nothing.

[Bromate]

Dusklord chuckles a bit. "So that's how it is eh? I'll remember that for later." He turns up to the other half elf in the room. "As it a happens Silverstar, our bard friend was speaking to me. Any self respecting Bard knows to not disrespect a man who's feeding him. At least not to his face." Dusklord then turns back to look the mayor in the eye. "Anyhow, to business. Though I am indeed concerned about how large our compensation is going to be. I'm more concerned with the logistics of this. What do we know about fighting goblins?"

[Leotholdus]

The mayor consults his adviser for a moment "Is that all?" he stammers to his aide who nods grimly and steps away with a wave of the mayors hand. With a slight grimace he turns back to the others "It seems our coffers are limited to 120 gold pieces, 20 for each of you. I am willing to give each of you 5 gold pieces for taking the work and the rest upon completion, and you will be welcome to take any treasures you can find along your journey. As for the goblin threat, we know that they were not terribly well armed, they mostly caught us by surprise. If I could I would hire a whole garrison of men to comb the forest to find them, but alas we are a small town and times have been tough." The adviser who had spoken to the mayor before, returns with a small chest which he places on the ground near the mayor. Producing the key from his pocket, the mayor opens the chest to reveal the mostly empty contents, he counts out the 30 gold pieces onto the table and sets it in front of himself. "Please, will you help find our people?"

[drayen]

Calyn's eyes boggle at the pronouncement of the contents of the treasury. When the mayor offers to chip in another five gold each, he becomes nearly apoplectic. "What?! You- you want us to go out into the forest and track down goblins for twenty-five gold pieces? They're goblins, man! Over seven feet tall, furry, with jutting fangs and those bear-like snouts. You sent thirteen capable warriors and only one returned. And that one is addlepated! You're addlepated! How do you expect anyone to take on large numbers of such monstrous hulks? Fool! Gather up your belongings and head for better climes. Hells! Use this occasion as the excuse for killing off nagging wives, lackadaisical children or bottom feeding relatives. You can tell folks in your new home that the goblins did it!"

Calyn adamantly shakes his head in negation. "Can you believe he wants us to hunt packs of goblins?! Let's be off now before they come back." He advises his traveling companions in a near panic.

[Kynwric]

"Umm Calyn, Goblins are 4 feet tall and look kinda like wrinkled children, they are green, though... you're thinking about Orcs...."

Joia turned back to the Mayor and nodded, "25 gold a piece, 10 up front. We keep anything and everything we desire from the moment we leave a circle 30 paces from this building until you pay us in full. Agreed?"

[Bromate]

Dusklord wrinkles his nose at the amount. "25? Really that's all. I guess it will do for now. No where close to getting the boss out. Going to be a long set of jobs to pay this one off." "I'm in agreement with Silverstar here. "Hopefully they have things of value on them"

[ianricks58]

"Is there any reason that you are being so dramatic, Calyn? Orcs, goblins, gold, treasure, who cares, let's take the job and leave this settlement." Balasar says after gulping down another goblet of wine. The wine was slightly inferior, something one could expect in a backwater settlement like this. The sooner he could get away from here and to a real civilization and a decent mug of ale the better.

[drayen]

Calyn looks to Joia. "Goblins are the little ones? Oh. Well that's different then. Sure, let's do it." He sits back down and begins to sheepishly pick at his food.

[Leotholdus]

The Mayor smiles, delighted that you have chosen to take on the challenge. "Thank you my friends! Please feel free to stay at my home and rest if you need to, as soon as you are ready I will have one of my attendants show you the way to Fodors Pass." He places a worn map on the table and points out the easterly route to Fodors Pass " My attendants are cowardly and will likely only take you the first mile, but I assure you the traveled road is easy for a time. Our men were following the goblins in that direction before we lost any sort of contact with them, and it would be the best route to take for the search." He smiles again, clearly elated someone has taken up the offer.

[Kynwric]

Joia gave Calyn a smile when she met his eyes , but quickly returned her attention to the Mayor. "Brilliant. You'll be paying us the 60 gold now, too. Yes?" Joia replies with a much less sincere smile, having not yet touched her plate or glass. She did not like to eat while discussing work, or terms, or pretty much anything to do with money. However now that terms were done, she settle din and began to eat, in the same precise manner she did much else, while awating the Mayor's answer.

[Saulk]

The dwarf finally stirs from his focus on the mayor's words and smiles broadly. "Aye, it will be good to face these creatures in battle, especially with such stakes as the safety of this town. Everyone requires aid now and again, to be sure. I'm glad we were able to come upon this community when we did." He took a long draught from his ale, though carefully, which sometimes surprised those familiar with his people. He was squat, as many of his kind, and he bore a scar across his forehead, but other than that metal and leather obscured most of the rest. He wore a red cloth as a tabard of sorts, emblazoned with runic characters bearing symbols of his devotion to the God of Battle, as well as to his own clan. If they were known, they would be recognized as noble, and of high bearing.

[Bromate]

Dusklord flashes a wry smile as he finishes his meal. "So that settles it then? I say we leave tomorrow. Assuming everyone else is ready that is."

[Leotholdus]

The Mayor turns his attention to Joia " Well for the six of you at five gold a piece, that would be thirty gold, but yes I am willing to offer that now." he slides five gold pieces in six piles, one to each of you with ever so slightly noticed hesitation. "Please my friends, when you are finished here simply have one of my attendants take you to our guest quarters. I must bid you goodnight and will see you off in the morning." With that, he stands and heads upstairs for the evening.

[Lowmoan]

Hine watched the mayor slink away, the poor man's mind scurrying in every direction. Hine could sympathize. When he'd gone, Hine hesitantly adressed the group.

"I thought at first he was acting suspicious, but now I believe he's just a beleaguered public servant. He even forgot the recompense we had just agreed on."

Hine looked sidelong at Joia, silently hoping that she wouldn't take affront to the mayor's absent-mindedness. Out of his recent companions, Joia struck him as the most intense, the most certain. Certainty was an unknown quantity in his life, one that equated to arrogance in his mind, perhaps unfairly. Intensity was not unknown, and his previous experience left him skittish in the face of it, even on behalf of another.

"I'm sure the mayor would be amenable to being, ah, gently reminded in the morning. Regardless, there's something very strange about these goblin attacks. I wouldn't be surprised if a malevolent something, altogether different, was behind their activity."

As silence dropped, Hine took a sip from his goblet, wondering, as he often did, how his speech had the opposite effect from most, ending, rather than continuing, a conversation. Almost to himself, he added,

"I certainly wouldn't mind getting my hands on one of those goblin corpses. There's bound to be some fascinating abnormalities there...."

[drayen]

The bard looked to the fighter and scholar with a frown. "He told us five gold each for taking the work and twenty more upon completion." He goes back to his food shaking his head and muttering, "No one listens to the details. You think it would be more comfortable traveling in the company of the wealthy..."

[ianricks58]

"Wealth is of no use when fighting for your life in the wilderness. The ferocity of a wolf pack choose the wealthy as often as the poor in the dead of winter." Balasar chided. Basalar took his share of the gold pieces and stows them into his pouch. He eats his fill and drinks even more.

[Bromate]

"The rich are rarely alone when out in the wilderness though Balasar. Wealth tends to buy friends and hunting mates. Among other things." Dusklord says as he takes his forward payment. Placing most of them in a pouch on his bag. "But if you're trying to make a point about wealth being transient and treacherous I have plenty of stories for you about that." He continues while he pulls out a ledger from his bag making a note.

[Kynwric]

"Aye, he did offer that Calyn. And I did counter-offer at 10 per each of us up-front. And he did agree to it as well. It makes me wonder if we're dealing with a cheat or someone who simply is asked in the head." Joia still to her small pile of coins and skid them into a pouch before returning to her meal. "Does it strike anyone else as strange that normally cowardly goblins are attaching a town with armed guards directly?"

[drayen]

Calyn shakes his head once again. "No, he did not agree. In fact, he corrected your mis-assumption. Face facts. We're off to the slaughter for a pittance. We'll just have to go find the goblins to discover whose slaughter we're attending."

[Kynwric]

"This from the half-human who couldn't remember that Orcs are the big green guys and Goblins are the little green guys? I do not think you should be lecturing on whom can remember details and whom cannot." She tossed down her fork and looked back to where the Mayor had departed, "What he did was pay us what he wanted to pay and not a shaved coin more. I'm tempted to say he has reneged on our deal and leave him and what's left of his men to deal with their infestation. But... I'm bored."

[drayen]

Calyn ***** his head, giving Joia a quizzical look. "When did I say green? Since when do orcs have fur? I may have conflated bugbears for goblins but at least they're both goblinoids. You have a very skewed recollection of events."

EDIT: OOC: Really with the censoring?

[Saulk]

"We owe these people our aid, if not for coin then for honour. They did not ask to be beset by these troubles. I am sure they will make recompense however they are best able when we do a satisfactory job." Blalock smiled quite happily around at the others, mentally noting their variety of personalities and what he judged to be their driving forces. He may need to know that when the time came to get a job done.

[ianricks58]

"I agree with Blalock, if the amount of coin is disagreeable, do it for honour. Let's show everyone what we can do! It will be fun to show those goblins what a dragonborn from the Drachedandion clan can do!" Balasr said.

[Lowmoan]

Hine smiled hesitantly at the two volumetrically densest members of their band. He respected the concept of honor, even if he could not quite bring himself to follow it. Though it may seem honorable to defend this village, Hine knew that by doing so their efforts would not be directed in some other, perhaps worthier direction. It was impossible to determine the ultimate good, so it was impossible to act completely honorably. Still, Hine's goals most closely matched that of honorable men. Travel to places of danger, face magical threats, learn about them, and hopefully offer some protection to innocent people.

"A fine sentiment," Hine said, still smiling. "Our mission has worthy merits outside of finanial restitution. And beside that, troublemaking creatures always tend to amass surprising wealth in their places of mischief. I'll be surprised if the mayor's payment is half so valuable as what we can scavenge for ourselves."

[ianricks58]

"It settled! Mayor, have your man meet us by the gate in half an hour. We will do what we can to find the missing soldiers have no fear." Balasar jumps up from the table and gulps down one last glass of wine. He walks to the gate and secures his gear. He waits at the gate trying to avoid the eye contact of the villagers staring at him, hoping to be out in the wilds soon.

[drayen]

Placing his head in his hands, Calyn groans, "Balasar, the mayor's not here. He already excused himself and retired for the evening. Additionally, he told us he would see us off in the morning. You're drunk, go to bed."