Changing Seasons, In Character

[Veshannatax]

[When we left our party they were just returned to town, and discussing amongst each other about choice of weapons.]

Pex:
Elliadra’s silence prolongs, but Durran’s interruption allows the bard to continue his chatter.

“Oh, I’m not giving up on a rapier,” he says patting the hilt of the mentioned weapon with his hand. “I’m quite satisfied with my ways with it. I wouldn’t call myself a master yet, but I’m going in that direction steadily, if a bit slower than I would like. You probably noticed how I had that imp exactly where I wanted it, allowing you a clean strike from behind.” Before Durran could reply he continues. “And I’ll keep the daggers. They are good when the space is restricted for a proper swing or thrust with a longer blade and obviously, quite good to hide. It’s just a long range weapon that I consider to change. Imagine how many goblins I could’ve fallen before the battle had joined if I had something better than a dagger to use.”

Turning to Eldon he adds, “And I did consider a sling, too, but those rocks you use seem crude and a bit sharp, don’t they? I can’t risk cutting a finger, not in my profession.”
________________________

Billy:
Elliadra looked on with a straight face as the others talked. The straight face hid her amazement. How is it they can just talk to one another like that?, she wondered. She was, however, glad that Durran had butted in on the bard. He just talked too much, that one. She almost laughed when he began to tell Durran how he had got the imp 'right where [he] wanted it'. If nothing else, his confidence was formidable.
___________________

Pred:
Hearing the bard's reply Durran remembers why he chose to keep quiet in the first place. All he does is roll his eyes and continue forward without so much as whispering another word.
Really, what did I do to deserve this?

[Veshannatax]

The group's discussion was interrupted by someone approaching from the southeast.

"Whatever your choice of arms has been, bard, it appears to have been succesful. You all appear to have been succesful!"

Coming from the road leading into Old town, the man speaking is one you recognise from your audience with the duke as Benedict Thorne, one of the duke's advisors.

"From what Master Beaststalker tells me, you have all done admirable work, more than we could have hoped for! The Duke has asked to see all of you at the keep at once. Congratulations are in order, I say! Myself, I must borrow Master Beaststalker from you for a moment, I have some affairs of the state to discuss with him. Congratulations once again!"

Sir Thorne gestures for Logan to follow him and the both walk off towards the guards' barracks.

[Pex]

Looking at all of his comrades, but no one in particular, Ricon announces: “So much of our next destination being our choice. To the keep!” he adds a bit theatrically and moves to obey his own words. More than a bit of a ‘rebel’ by nature, he wouldn’t be the one to ignore orders of the Town’s ruler. His shopping for a crossbow will have to wait.

As he walks, a thought crosses his mind – is the other party back as well? Image of Lyen flashes before his eyes, reminding him of the dinner together she promised him (not that he really forgot about it in the first place) and he smiles.

[PredatorX]

Seemingly distracted by an unknown thought, Durran doesn't even appear to notice Sir Thorne. He did, however, follow the bard's lead. As he walked along, it looked as if he was mumbling something and occasionally he pressed the fingers on his right hand with the left index like someone listing his points in a speech or counting something.

Finally, a broad grin set across his face, almost uncharacteristic for the fighter. He began to enjoy the idea of being a "wild rover", as fame, fortune and adventure gleamed to him from a not-so distant future. He'd have whistled a tune, but didn't know any so he pressed forward without a sound... but still smiling.

[Billy]

As Elliadra followed her companions, she noticed both Durran and Ricon smiling. She wondered what thoughts would make them smile at nothing.

[worrypig]

Not one to be left behind, Eldon quickly takes off after the group.

[Veshannatax]

Upon entering the Old Town district, Morgan turns to the party.

"I'm afraid our roads split up here... My first brush with fate here has left me rather rattled, and I doubt I'll go on such an adventure again with more motivation than they can give me... Good luck!"

The young rogue sets off in a different direction from the party, towards some of the mansions belonging to the nobility.

Before long, the party reaches the Ducal keep and is ushered in to the audience hall to meet with the duke. When they enter, the duke is pacing back and forth beside the high back chair in which he usually sits when receiving. When he notices them entering, he stops his pacing and turns toward the party.

"Welcome home! I am relieved to see you are all well. No limbs missing, no grievous scars, I hope? Tell me, what happened? I have only heard of your return, but the guardsman who informed me was unable to report on the details of your mission."

__________________________________

As Maddog enters the Laborer's Reprieve he quickly spots his mentor, Willie Timbletooth-Marrie, sitting at one of the tables looking his nervous self. When Maddog approaches, the other gnome motions for him to take a seat.

"Good of you to be on time, Tunu, good of you. Sorry to call on such short notice. I'll waste no time, no time. The Duke has asked Thorpe, who has asked me, who's asking you, for a representative from The Tower to a group of adventurers currently operating under the Duke's orders to solve things and problems and... and... that's just about it."

Willie takes a long breath before continuing.

"Thorpe's a bit rattled. See, there was apparantly an imp involved and Thorpe is touchy when it comes to devils and the like. He asked me to pick a suitable apprentice to join this merry band and I thought of you right away. So, what say you?"

[Pex]

Ricon is a bit surprised at the Duke’s words. He expected someone already to report everything to the Lord of Thistlebrook and their visit to include only congratulations and perhaps another assignment. Only then he realizes that no one except five of them knows all the details of what happened. He also realizes that his comrades were silent, some of them even looking at him. Of course, he thinks. I’m the master of words in this party – it is my task. Clearing his throat, he gets the Duke focused on him and so he starts.

“I will skip the details of our task, my lord, since I believe you know everything about it. I’ll start from the moment when we all gathered in front of Master Logan’s cottage, following his orders.” The first two sentences reveals a bit of nervousness in the bard’s voice, for the mare fact that he was reporting to the Duke himself. Yet, as the story unfolds, Ricon becomes more confident, turning it from a report to a tale.

“So I was getting ready for the second thrust,” Ricon says some half an hour later, “when brave Durran came on the Imp. He swung his sword, the blade blessed by Helms grace through the words if the Lord’s humble servant Varax, bringing doom to the foul creature. Hissing mist of banishment erupted on the spot and the next moment the battle site was quiet.”

The bard pauses there facing the same silence as the one he has just described. Before anyone else could speak, he continues, telling about the later events, how they rescued Squire Morgan and everything else till the moment of Logan’s arrival with the reinforcements.

“And what followed the next, my lord, was our return to the Town, quite uneventful. As soon as we were informed of your summons, we obeyed them and so here we are.”

[Veshannatax]

The duke, who had made only minor comments and questions for clarification during Ricon's monologue, gave a hearty laugh as Ricon finished his tale.

"You are becoming quite the storyteller, young bard. I am pleased to hear you have all been as succesful. You must understand I am hesitant to put young people like yourselves in danger, but sometimes the skills of so varied a group as yours is needed to do what I cannot send the city guard to do."

The duke pauses and looks lost in thought for a moment. When he resumes, it is with a more serious tone.

"Which is why I am doubly glad that you managed to save squire Dain. I'm afraid sending him there was my doing, a mistake when I look back on it. I don't know what I would have told sir Dain had he not made it back.

But enough of such depressing matters. You are all back safely. I understand there was a cache of treasure in the goblin's camp. As it is no doubt robbed over a long time from travelers who may no longer be near Thistlebrook, may not even still live, I doubt there is any way for us to find the rightful owners. As such, I believe it should be yours, as a reward for your excellent service. I hope your experiences have motivated you to continue the path you have started on, for Thistlebrook and I may have more need of your skills soon. For now, rest up and celebrate your victories. If something comes up, I shall have word sent."

[PredatorX]

Though Ricon's extensive speech would have been a test for anyone's patience from Durran's point of view, the fighter did not seem to be in the least affected. This was not because of his remarkable patience or discipline, but simply because he could not hear a word of what the bard was saying... his mind, as they say, was elsewhere. It was only halfway through the Duke's intervention that he finally snapped out of this meditative state. All he heard was the mention of the treasure and that they should rest and celebrate. Celebrate... he thought with a self-sarcastic grin.
As soon as the Duke was finished, Durran stepped forward and gave a perfectly executed military salute, uttered a short "Sir!" then turned on his heels and headed for the exit.

[Billy]

Elliadra sighed when she noticed the bard launch full on into his tale of their ordeal. He went on and on, making a story that could have taken five minutes of concise conversation, instead take what seemed like forever. Finally he was finished and the Duke had his turn. She was glad that he had said they could split the money and other things they had found. When he gave them leave to go, she left the keep and waited outside for her brother.

[worrypig]

Looking around it looked like Eldon was the only one entranced in Ricon's tale of our adventures. When Ricon was done his tale and with the Duke's permission, Eldon leaves the keep and finds his sister waiting outside for him.

"Where would you like to go now Elly?"

[Billy]

"Home, I think," Elliadra replies. Together they head for home.

[Pex]

“Your words do me honour, my lord,” Ricon replies to the Duke, with a proper bow and finds himself speechless – something that seldom happened to him in the past. His imagination works fast, putting a picture of the Duke listening to him singing into his mind and the next moment he sees himself as the Court bard.

When he gets out of his reverie, he realises that the rest of his companions have already left. Quickly, he does another bow and moves to follow them. Once outside he looks around considering his options. He did plan to go and buy a crossbow not so long ago, so his head turns towards the direction of shops. Then he decides to postpone it – he’s anxious to see Valeas and tell him everything about this first adventure.

Following the quickest route to The Drunk Duck inn, he remembers that he still doesn’t know if the other party (and Lyen in particular) have returned. Well, an inn would be the perfect place for finding that information, after all, he thinks and speeds up.

[Veshannatax]

It isn't long before Eldon and Elliadra reach their parents' house, and they are greeted with open arms. Lunch is prepared and eaten and the events of the past few days are retold.

__________________________

Ricon reaches the Drunk Duck quickly, the inn being right across from Old Town. Entering the common room, there aren't a lot of people, but he is instantly greeted by joyous exclamations towards his returns from the regular patrons of the tavern. Valeas, in the midst of playing a fiddle on the stage, stop midtune and leaps nimbly to the tavern floor.

"Welcome back, good friend! Spin us a tale of your adventure! What's been, these days, was there danger?"