Full Day Downtime, all except Kamist, Dolgun, and Hein
Highsun
Three Hills Adventuring Company
Cold, grey, moderate wind from SW
Despite being tired from the morning’s adventure in the Whispering Cairn and the struggle of lugging back 6 of the 7 (15 lb) large lanterns, the three wolf pups, all the extra rope, and the PCs equipment, Kamist, Dolgun, and Hine without hesitation heroically accompany Jasper by foot out toward the Bronzewood Lodge to the NW along the Cairn Road. Surprisingly Jasper moves swiftly and comfortably with his armor, weapons, and equipment. Jasper stoically says very little and more than one PC notice that he is often biting his lip until it bleeds. Jasper pushes himself to near limits as he moves in the direction of what he believes to be the location of his master, Morgan, and the other members of the Three Hill Adventuring Company. Jasper soon is following a trail and points out how Elgan was dragging the lance along the ground from time to time. Jasper points out that Elgan ran almost the entire way.
A feeling of dread creeps over the three companions following as best they can behind Jasper…Dolgun has the hardest time keeping up and for naught his rugged conditioning he would have fallen behind beyond sight; But Jasper does not slow down nor does he pay attention to the complaints (though few) of the three companions. Jasper is determined to get to his master.
By evening Jasper breaks off the road and begins heading due west into the Carin Hills. Here the terrain is rough, rocky, and hazardous. Jasper does not seem to be affected and moves almost equally as fast as he did on the open road. Here Dolgun begins to gain ground and Kamist and Hine start to fall behind. As night falls, Jasper strikes a sunrod and breaks into a run along an old mining trail. He suddenly stops and crouches over a pile of melted armor, bone, and flesh covered in a smoking green substance that turns the very earth black. He stoically says,
“This is what is left of Jerrin…There was a struggle and he fell here…Something attacked from above and felled our noble comrade right here…I fear we may be too late…steady your hands boys and prepare for battle most grim and evil most foul…”
When questioned, Jasper just grunts and moves up along the trail. He comes to a small cave a short distance away and all hear him let out an audible mix between a grunt and scream and the words “NOOO”…he walks out of the cave and simply says,
“Bogar, Tarrin, and Sarin fell there…they must have retreated into the cave and been blasted with no where to run by the beast’s acid…It is as I feared, a big Black…a big Black Dragon…Judging form the spray of the acid the beast is at least an Adult of many years… We can do no more for these three…leave them…hurry we may still not be too late…”
A short while later Jasper stops in a small clearing and points at a black splattering on a rock and a pool of a black substance, all recognize the broken shaft of Morgan’s Lance…
“Here…look…they wounded the beast here and there…look it landed there…Morgan must have struck the beast deeply to produce this amount of blood…here…look Morgan and the others retreated past those rocks there…”
As all dart around the corner…a horrific scene unfolds…in a small clearing, what is left of Morgan can be seen amidst the remains of Elgan. A pile of melted flesh and equipment… Morgan’s half burned away face holds a terrible grimace as if he died in the most excruciating pain imaginable. Elgan has no face and really no head to speak of either. Jasper drops his weapon and simply drops to his knees…he does not make a sound, he just stairs motionless with his hands in a fist…so tight they begin to bleed. After what seems like an eternity, all hear the gasp and moan of a woman’s voice from behind a nearby rock…
A quick investigation finds Suzanna…she is bitten nearly in half…her legs are missing and from the blood trail it appears as if she dragged herself behind the rock to avoid another acid breath of the beast…she has lost too much blood… It is obviously she will not make it much longer…She gasps and says in the softest voice,
“Give this to them...they will need it more than us now…Jasper…Jasper…I loved him too…Jasper…I loved him…goodbye General…you owe him nothing n-n-no-now”
As she passes she holds a scrap of paper with a hand drawn map and a charcoal rubbing…Jasper sits motionless holding her…he sits this way till morning…
At dawn he gathers the remains and builds a funeral pyre…He says prayers for their souls that they may settle peacefully in the Dweomer Heart to serve along side the Hidden One (later, Carenthal will tell all you that was referring to Mystra, and that the Hidden One is what the Rashemi call Mystra). As he burns the pyre a single tear can be seen falling along Jasper’s face…it almost moves in slow motion.
Jasper then gathers up a few pieces of equipment strewn about, placing them into a bag and begins the long walk home…he says nothing and if questioned he just grunts and walks faster. He arrives back by Highsun on the 4th of Marponeth…he says nothing and goes to his apartment…nothing can be heard from within.
Now what?
2 comments:
Kamist says,
"Well, my new friends. It seems we have decisions to make. I don't pretend to know Morgan, Bogar, Jerrin, Sarin, Suzanna, or Tarrin better than the rest of you. From what I've seen, however, they're people who've earned a great deal of respect and loyalty."
"I think Morgan and the rest would want the Three Hills Adventurin' Company to carry on. Why else would they take on such an odd collection of individuals such as ourselves? Clearly, they sought some of the same things we're all lookin' for - fame, riches, a way to pull our families out of perpetual debt. But I think they also wanted the Three Hills Adventurin' Company to be somethin' more."
"We have an opportunity to not just fatten our purses and find fame and adventure. No, we have a unique chance to enrich the lives of others here in Diamond Lake. Perhaps, if we have the courage to carry on and strive to live up to the ideals set forth by Morgan and his companions, we can serve as an example to others. To show other people in this corrupt, poor, and depressing town that there is hope."
"I say we stick together. I say we hone our skills as adventures, spellcasters, and warriors - first by fully exploring this Whispering Cairn. I say we prepare ourselves as best we can and when we're ready, we avenge our mentors by killin' that Dragon!"
"Jasper, will you please stay with us? To give us your guidance, wisdom, and to help keep us on track with what Morgan intended?"
"Kamist, I believe you have spoken quite elegantly for me as well. We don't want to see Morgan's valiant effort go to waste. We need to carry on where they left off. We need to become the hero's that this town needs. We need to work our best to make our families proud of us and to bring this town out of the awful rut that it is in."
"Jasper please help us to live up to the example that Morgan left for us."
"Please help us to be the hero's that we know we can be."
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