With at least 3 weeks in town to train and take care of whatever smaller personal goals the group wanted, we awoke the next day and discussed with the various College Masters what we wanted to do. Furd took a walk to the heart of Nulb with Boris Silversword to meet with Fione, one of the main blacksmiths in town. Fione was a big woman, 6’, 180 lbs, who had taken over the smithy after her father had suffered a stroke maybe 5 years earlier. She was loathe to just have Furd work at any of her stations so she placed him on bellows duty to start.
Furd aced it. He kept the coal bed hot and even worked some of the smaller stations the journeyman smiths were working on. The other apprentices in the place began to watch Furd and eventually emulated the half-ogre. Fione was impressed and welcomed Furd back. Boris gave the fighter 2 hours each day to come and dow some work at the forge, eventually hopefully enough time would pass that he could do some personal work at an anvil station.
Ophelia wanted to work on her non magical healing and Saleyn O’Hare, the Master of Cups, was more than willing to help the cleric in studying various types of healing and what would be required to make a kit. The Cleric of Athena was quickly overwhelmed with exactly how much study was involved so in addition to her other duties and training, Saleyn wanted Ophelia to devote at least 2 hours daily to her healing lessons.
Rowan was concerned for Hamburger’s vision and eventually was directed to go and visit Mother Screng’s Herb Shop. Screng was a very old woman, 80’s plus, and she had a wicked tongue and no time for fools or questions. Her daughter, Hruda, was in her 60’s and had a wrinkled and scowling expression. When Screng didn’t want to do anything, she often passed it off to Hruda to resolve it, which only made her daughter even more foul tempered.
As for an ointment for the Bull’s eyes, they could contact the Order of the Gnarley Wood, a major druidic consortium that operates in the area. She would sent a pigeon to them and invited Rowan to return on the 22nd.
Aredhel had spent a day and a half with Percy Threecoppers and in her time, discussed with the Master of Wands her desire to get a permanent marking, a tattoo, of Hades somewhere on her person. He did have some exotic inks of a magical nature that he would help make available and directed her to talk to Tricia Ferris, the Master of Coins. Tricia did try to cant with Aredhel but the sorceress did not recognize the hand signals so let it go. She had some skill in tattoos but there is a person in town that would be better – the proprietor of the Boatsman Tavern – a woman named Lodrriss.
Lodriss was a woman in her late 20’s who had a number of tattoos and old scars on her. She looked like she had a hard life but was making her best now. There was some talk back and forth and they settled on 3 sessions of 25 nobles each to do and finish the job. They’d start after the Festival of Pies.
Albert had no interest in Nulb. With books at his fingertips and a like minded friend in Percy Threecoppers, Albert was content to stay at the college and just read and read and read. Percy did share some pies he had purchased earlier with the reclusive wizard and they talked at length about the planes and the cosmology of them. The dice were brought up and Percy let Albert know that they were bound somewhere else, most likely one of the 9 hells. There is a river, the River Styx, that meanders through the planes and most likely whatever demonic entity is on the other side, get a charge when the dice are used, slowly powering them up. The more they are used, the more power the demonic entity gets.
But what about the sometimes good things that happen? That is the lure to get you to keep using them here. Albert then spent some time writing down the various planes and their position back and forth with neighboring locales.
Pestle was enjoying the Festival, wandering around and tasting the many pies the locals of Nulb had baked and were giving and selling. The actual piemaker was pretty put out since his profits were nonexistent this day so tried to offset it by doubling his pie costs. No one was partaking. Pestle then went and spent some time Percy Threecoppers adjusting her available spells and making some changes and purchases as well.
Furd was wandering the fair and doing some shopping when he came upon an armor salesman named Latisto. Latisto was a fast talker and even though he had no armor that would fit the Half-ogre, he know a place where he might be able to get some. Why don’t you come back tomorrow and the two of them and Latisto’s associated, Estarda and Artto would go and make a raid on a place to get something for the half-ogre. “Sounds good! I like you!”
Ophelia was wandering the fair and eventually purchased a pipe and some weed to go along with it. She then went back and spent time at the college and hobnobbed with Saleyn and Boris.
Rowan went off to Mother Screng’s and was able to meet with Argalaine, a half-elf druid leader from the Order of Gnarley Wood. They discussed the bull, the vision, and eventually Rowan’s joining with the Order. He told them about Jaroo and they seemed pleased that their member was doing well (even missing a leg). Rowan was also interested in a better armor and learned that Argalaine would happily arrange a hunt with Rowan in a week for a bullstag where they would help him acquire his own set of Hide Armor. We would meet with Argalaine again and do it soon.
Aredhel had a real friendship brewing with Lodriss and Tricia, the sorceress getting out from under Albert’s shadow after such a long time. Her interests were moving off on her own and she was even enjoying her training and personal time with the Master of Swords, Boris Silversword; the two of them stopping for a long drink now and again.
Aredhel did manage to learn from Lodriss that she had been a slave for some time, owned by the Captain of the Longsword Merchant schooner, Tolub. He was not…a nice man and even though she was free of him, he would occasionally come back and reminder here that once upon a time – she was his property. Aredhel did not like this and promised Lodriss that if the situation ever came up, she’d help her new-found friend out.
It was the 24th and Furd went off early in the morning to meet with Latisto, Estarda, and Artto. Latisto went over the plan with Furd. There were a three count of ogres not too far from here, guarding an obelisk in the Gnarley Wood. They had been there for some time and the obelisk is sealed but can be opened with 4 people working the switches and saying in ogre, the code. Which was One, Two, Three, Four, and Five – in time with the buttons pressed. “Are we going to kill them?” Latisto made a face, “no! No! no, not unless we NEED to. We just need them to like, go, you know? Plus, one of them is wearing YOUR armor. Right? The armor you want? Right?”
Nodding absently, Furd tentatively agreed as the group wandered into the woods. Sure enough, an encampment was found with 3 ogres, 2 males, 1 female. The female seemed to be the leader and they were holding bits of deer meat over a fire, squinting when it got too hot, and then pulling back and eating it. There were 2 long tents here as well.
Furd called out in Ogre, “Hey! Come here!” as Latisto and the others went around to the other side of the camp to try and engage whoever would be left. The female went off to the woods and saw Furd. “Who you!?” “Furd! Who you?!” “Ixitch!” “Ok!” “Why you call me!?” “I did!” “But Why?!” “I don’t know! They told me to!” “Who did?!”
At that point Latisto and the others hit the camp and carving up with broadswords, battles axes, and rapiers – drove into the two ogre males here: Ugg and Krak. The two ogres each took scoring blows before hitting back and hitting hard! “You are with them!” Ix cried out as her friends were calling her. The sky was getting dark now with sudden storm clouds. “Weird,” she said, “That happens a lot when I am angry.” “I’m not with them!” Furd cried out. “I came with them, but I am here with you!” “I have to go help!” Furd hoisted his great sword and nodded, “Great idea! I help too!” and then Furd (double crossing Latisto and his companions) ran back to the camp with Ix to help save Ix’s friends.
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