Adventure Story SG

CrazyCaliope · 21 March 2020 10:02

An Adventure Story

Hey, so this will be based on the old adventure stories, where you get to choose your own path. It will be an SG, though posts/chapters will be shorter so that I can ask you for more input and have you more involved. You will all be a “hero” character and work together on the adventure. With the other RPers, you can talk through decisions and with each other, and use each others’ skills to work together. Please read all the information before creating your character.

Please read all the information and if still unclear then feel free to PM me.

Skill, Stamina, Luck

You will give a score for each one, but they change constantly during the adventure. However, totals may never exceed your initial scores, except on rare occasions.

Skill
This score reflects how well you can fight and use a weapon. This is the only score that can stay relatively unaffected.

Stamina
This score reflects your well-being, your determination and overall fitness. When a stamina score reaches zero, the result is death.

Luck
This score reflects how lucky you are. You can use luck at various times. In battle or in other situations, but be aware that you can be lucky or unlucky. If you are lucky, great, but if you are unlucky then the results can disastrous. When using luck in battles, you can use it to inflict a more serious wound on the creature you have wounded or to minimise the effects of a wound inflicted on you.

I will be making sure luck is fair when you use it and be rolling dice to determine the outcome. If you have a higher luck score, the higher your chance to be lucky! Though each time you test your luck, you will subtract on point from your score.

Battles

You will often come across creatures on your travels. Some may be friendly and others may not. At times, you may be given the option of either being sneaky or to flee. Although, if not, or if you choose not to, you will battle the creature.

During a battle, you will be given the creature’s stamina and skill score. Depending on your attacks, movement, and other choices, will depend on the damage you cause and how much is caused to you. Getting damaged will make your stamina (and possibly skill) level to decrease, meaning you will be weaker in the battle unless you manage to restore it. You may have to fight more than one monster at a time, but you will be told how to deal with it when it happens.

If you decide to flee during a battle, then it should be noted that the creature automatically gets one wound on you.

Equipment & Potions

You will start with the bare minimum of equipment, but you can find or buy more during your travels. You are armed with your weapon of choice and dressed in leather armour. You will have a backpack for your Provisions and any treasures you come across.

In addition, you may take one bottle of magic potion to help aid you in your quest. These can be taken at any time during the quest, except when engaged in battle. Each potion may only be used once.

Here are the choices:
A potion of skill - restores your skill points
A potion of strength - restores your stamina points
A potion of fortune - restores your luck points and adds one to your initial score.

Adventure One (complete):

The town of Stonebridge is in danger. An ancient doom is coming and only one object can be used to fight against it, to protect the town. Unfortunately, it’s the legendary Hammer of Stonebridge. The missing pieces of the hammer can be found within the threatening shadows of Darkwood Forest, where all the deadliest creatures live.
You must work together, or alone, to find the Hammer of Stonebridge. You will start your, adventure with weapons, gold, potions, and provisions. Not to mention, you will have a number for each of the following: Skill, Stamina, and luck, which can decrease during battles. So you decide what you do while trying to race through the dangers to find the Hammer and save lives, without dying yourself. Yes, you can fail, and you can die. Many dangers lie ahead of you and your success is by no means certain.
Are you up for the adventure?

Adventure Two:

Death, Traps and Dungeons You have all decided to enter Baron Sukumvit’s “Trial of Champions”. Competing against other adventurers, you must defeat monsters, navigate the labyrinth of dungeons, and collect certain gems, which are the key to escaping and winning the Trial. Can you be the first to return? The first to survive the trial?

If you have any comments or thoughts, please don’t post them on this thread. You can use our discussion thread for all of that!!!

FaceClaims:

~~jdepisode~~, Now help from a little group.

@wanderingechoes

@FuzilladeBlue - Character is sadly deceased

~~amberose~~, Now help from a little group.

@Daunt

@sunflower.flow - Character is sadly deceased

~~amaiaxx21~~, Now help from a little group.

@Littlefeets

@katabasis

~~Miumi.hp~~, Now help from a little group.

@Caticorn

@katabasis

@FuzilladeBlue

Backpacks:

Aelric’s backpack:

22 Gold
A skill potion
A Strength potion

Crystal’s backpack:

A Strength potion
2 Gold Pieces

Desiree’s backpack:

10 Gold Pieces
Helmet
A magnificent sword (+2 skill when using the sword)
A Strength potion

Emyrs’s backpack:

A Strength potion
2 Gold Pieces

Julian’s backpack:

Copy of Bigleg’s map
4 Gold Pieces
A Strength potion

Kathryn’s backpack:

A Strength potion
2 Gold Pieces

Kendra’s backpack:

3x Strength potion
6 Gold Pieces
Boys’ weapons

Samantha’s backpack:

6 Gold Pieces
The Gauntlet of Weapon Skill (+1 Skill)
A Strength potion

Scarlet’s backpack:

A Strength potion
2 Gold Pieces

Yeonhwa’s backpack:

A Strength potion
3 Gold Pieces
A leather wristband with four small rats’ skulls hanging from it (-4 Skill)

Yoohan’s backpack:

A Strength potion
2 Gold Pieces

If you do read it then I hope you enjoy it! (wink)

Readers and group decision-makers.

@Tellyg47, @anon93806337, @duck, @Duckling

CrazyCaliope · 21 March 2020 10:07

Adventure 1

You are adventurers, people for hire, and have been roaming the northern borderlands of your kingdom. Having just spurned the dullness of village life, you now wander the lands together, in search of wealth and danger. Despite the long walks, uncomfortable sleeping arrangements, surprise battles, and just the general rough outdoor life, you are pretty content with your unknown destiny. The world doesn’t hold many fears for you as skilful warriors, well practised with your weapon of choice, awaiting your next task. Not once in the past ten days since entering the northern borderlands have any of you set eyes upon another person. Not that it worries any of you because you’re happy being in the company of each other. Becoming a tight-knit group, who enjoy the slow, sunny days hunting, talking, eating, and sleeping.

It was evening, and Faye had caught, or hunted as she’d have you say, a couple of wild hares. So having feasted on a dinner of rabbit, spit-roasted on an open fire, you each settled down to sleep beneath your sheepskin blankets. With the first full moon tonight, the light sparkled on the blade of Roxanne’s broadsword skewered into the ground by her side. Desiree gazed at it, then at her own flail laying next to her head, wondering when she will next have to wipe the blood of some vile creature from its sharp spikes. These were strange lands, after all, inhabited by weird and loathsome beasts - goblins, trolls, and even dragons.

Gazing at the dying embers burning in the campfire, Julian began to drift off to sleep, and the images of screaming, green-faced trolls flickered through his mind. He may crave the adventure, but these foul monsters still turned his stomach. Suddenly, in the bushes to Roxanne’s left, you all heard the loud crack of a twig breaking under a clumsy foot. Both Faye and Roxanne instantly leapt up and pulled their swords from the ground, standing motionless but alert, ready to pounce on your unseen adversary. Everyone else followed suit. Hearing a groan, followed by the dull thud of a body falling to the ground. Is it a trap? Being the youngest in the group and perhaps, one of the most naive, Roxanne very slowly walked over to the bush where the noise had come from and very carefully pulled back the branches. To the others, she revealed a little old man with a great bushy beard, his face contorted in pain. Samantha walked over for a closer look, mainly because she didn’t want them to think she couldn’t handle the situation and no longer lead them. She crouched down to remove the iron helmet covering his bald head and noticed two crossbow bolts that protruded from the stomach of his plump, chain-mail-clad torso.
Elsie looked at Samantha and Roxanne, and requested, “Bring him to the light and warmth of the fire, I’m sure this is what he needs.” Both Samantha, begrudgingly, and Roxanne nodded, picked him up and carried him over to the fire, while Elsie stirred the dying embers to life. After he was placed next to the fire, Elsie knelt by his side, opposite Samantha, and covered him with her sheepskin blanket, and then managed to get the old man to drink a little water.
He coughed and moaned, eyes staring fixedly ahead, and started to shout, “I’ll get them! I’ll get them! Don’t you fear, Gillibran, Bigleg is coming to bring you the hammer. Oh yes, indeed I am. Oh yes…”

The dwarf, whose name is presumably Bigleg, is obviously delirious from the poison-tipped bolts in his stomach. Julian watched from afar as Bigleg relaxed his body again. He was staying back, he knew this dwarf and they weren’t on good terms. Normally he would have helped, but he knew he was too far gone and that the girls would take good care of him. Besides, he couldn’t risk Bigleg seeing him, so he stood back with Aelric and Ailbe. They too were staying back, but for a different reason. They were simply better fighters and didn’t tend to get involved when matters like this arose. The three watched as Samantha whispered in Bigleg’s ear and his eyes stared unblinkingly at her. Before anyone had a chance to speak, he again started to shout, “Ambush! Look out! Ambush! Aargh! The hammer! Take the hammer to Gillibran! Save the dwarfs!” His eyes half closed, and the pain seemed to ease a little. In unison, both Aelric and Ailbe held their weapons higher and started panning the perimeter for any more unwelcome guests, as if it’d been previously discussed.
As the delirium subsided, he spoke to Sam again in a low whisper, "Help us, friends… take the hammer to Gillibran… only the hammer will unite our people against the trolls. … We were on our way to Darkwood in search of the hammer… ambushed by the little people… others killed… the map in my pouch will take you to the home of Yaztromo, the master wizard of these parts… he has great magic for sale to protect you against the creatures of Darkwood… take my gold… I beg you to find the hammer and take it to Gillibran, my Lord of Stonebridge… you will be well rewarded…” Bigleg opens his mouth to start another sentence, but nothing comes out except his last dying breath.

Desiree and Faye sat down with them and pondered Bigleg’s words. “Who is Gillibran?”, Faye asked. Julian, of course, knew, and he was sure that everyone else knew he did too, but he didn’t say anything. Remaining silent, he thought his family and how this quest might lead him back to them. It had been over a month since he’d last seen them.
With the first question having already been asked, Desiree’s curiosity got the better of her. “Who is Yaztromo?”
“I want to know what all this fuss about a dwarfish hammer is?!”, Samantha enquired as she reached over the still body of Bigleg and removed the pouch from his leather belt around his waist. Inside she found 30 Gold pieces and a map. Opening up the four-fold map, she saw that on it is a drawing of the rather large Darkwood forest. At one end of the forest is Yaztromo’s tower, and at the opposite end, Stonebridge.
As she jiggled the coins in her hand, she handed the map to Elsie to analyse and thought of the possible rewards that could await them just for returning a hammer to a village of dwarfs. Everyone had already decided in their heads to try to find the hammer in Darkwood forest, no words needed to be said. It had been a few weeks since the group’s last good battle, and, what is more, the group was likely to be well paid for this one. With the decision made, it was time to sleep. Everyone settled down, even Elsie, who took back the sheepskin blanket from poor Bigleg.

In the morning, Julian helped Desiree bury the old dwarf. He had felt guilty as he drifted off to sleep last night, for not putting their differences aside and not being there for Bigleg in his last few minutes. As they covered the old dwarf in dirt and everyone gathered up their possessions, Elsie examined the map, looked up at the sun, and found her bearings. The eight, headed south at a good pace, eager to meet this man Yaztromo and see what he has to offer.
Walking in what can only be described as an unorganised line. Samantha, of course, led the way, with Faye and Ailbe close behind. Aelric kept to the back, always keeping an eye on their surroundings.

The walk to Yaztromo’s tower took a little over half a day and they arrived at a stone tower dirty and hungry. As the tower is set back on the edges of Darkwood some 50 metres away from the path they’d been following, it was difficult to find. But they all eventually walked up to the huge oak door, somewhat relieved that it does exist and Bigleg had not been speaking wildly in his delirium. A large brass bell and gong hanging from the stone archway around the door.
As Ailbe touches the bell, it rings. A shiver ran down her spine, as she realised that the loud ringing invades a deep silence, which had not been noticed until now. There were no sounds of birds or animals to be heard. Waiting anxiously, the sound of slow footsteps descending stairs from the tower above could finally be heard. A small wooden slot in the door slid open, and two eyes appeared and examined the group.
“Well, who are you?”, demands a grumpy voice through the hole.
Ailbe was about to answer him when she was interrupted abruptly by Faye. “Just a group of stragglers who were sent here by some delusional, ill-fated dwarf.” She knew Julian’s eyes were on her when she said the word, dwarf, but she ignored it. He could have it out with her later.
Aelric then chimed in, “We’ve begun a quest involving the lives of hundreds. Kindly, let us in, as I doubt you get many clients in a dangerous setting such as this. I suggest you take advantage of the opportunity.”
“Oh. Well in that case, if you are interested in buying some of my merchandise, you had better come up.” He abruptly shut the slot and opened the door. “I am Yaztromo.” He then turned and slowly climbed the stone stairs. All hesitant to follow him, standing there until Roxanne pushed through the group and into the tower, each person following her up one by one.

Following the huffing and puffing old man, in his tattered robes, up the spiral staircase to a large room at the top of the tower. Shelves, cupboards, and cabinets lined the walls, all filled with bottles, jars, weapons, armour, and all manner of strange artefacts. As the group gathered together in the room’s centre, Yaztromo shuffled past the general clutter and slumped down into an old oak chair. He reached into his top pocket and pulled out a fragile pair of gold, rimmed spectacles. He placed them on his nose, he picked up a board and piece of chalk from the table next to his chair and began to write frantically. He then handed over the board, saying to choose wisely, as it all helps in Darkwood forest, but each one can only be used once. Elsie took the board and read the list aloud.

Board:

Potion of Healing (3 gold pieces)
Potion of Plant Control (2 gold pieces)
Potion of Stillness (3 gold pieces)
Potion of Insect Control (2 gold pieces)
Potion of Anti-poison (2 gold pieces)
Holy water (3 gold pieces)
Ring of light (3 gold pieces)
Boots of Leaping (2 gold pieces)
Rope of Climbing (3 gold pieces)
Net of Entanglement (3 gold pieces)
Armband of Strength (3 gold pieces)
The Glove of Missile Dexterity (2 gold pieces)
Rod of Water-Finding (2 gold pieces)
Garlic Buds (2 gold pieces)
Headband of Concentration (3 gold pieces)
Fire Capsules (3 gold pieces)
Nose Filters (3 gold pieces)

CrazyCaliope · 21 March 2020 10:10

All seven of them crowded round Elsie, peering over her shoulder to get a look at the board. Julian had the most difficult task of it, being under five foot, though he simply nestled his chin into the crease of her arm. No one spoke for a while. Desiree thought about it but then thought everyone else would have more important ideas on the matter.
First to break the group’s silence was Roxanne, “Maybe the Ring of Light? It just seems so vague, it has to be important.”
Maybe I should speak up, it might help, Desiree thought, debating internally for another minute or so. “I believe the healing types will be important, but we should only get one. I vote for the potion of healing since it doesn’t seem limited. Then there are the skill-based ones - ropes, nets, and clothing, which all could help us. So we should get a few. Next, survival, fire and water. They could be very important, the difference between life and death. Similar to the protection ones, Holy water to repel evil. Nose filters could prevent us from inhaling toxic chemicals, insect control to either repel or control insects, and the latter could be said for the Potion of plant control too. Though I agree and disagree with you, Roxanne. The Ring of Light does seem vague, but not really important.”
Aelric’s turn to chime in, “That’s the quick thinking that gets the job done. So what are everyone else’s thoughts? I think we should take a rope of climbing, the armband of strength, fire capsules… and possibly the headband of concentration, anti-poison, and healing.”
“Boots of leaping as well,” Roxanne quickly added.
Aelric smiled. “Yes, those too.”
“Okay, listen up,” Samantha told the group, her face expressionless. She started reading down the list. “Healing is a must, it could restore our energy and health. Plant control could either stop them from killing us or for growing vines. Stillness could benefit from freezing something deadly. Anti-poison is obvious and rather vital. Holy water, I don’t want to be chased by the undead. Yes to the rope, it can be used multiple times, even if only once magically. We need the net for ambush or climbing. I just really want the gloves to be honest. I don’t trust the water rod, but fire and filters could be good.”
Aelric coughed, “The armband, I want to be stronger. Definitely get some healing potion and anti-poison, and the water-finding doohickey. I still agree with Desiree on the skill-based stuff.” He turned and gave her a wink. She smiled slightly then turned back to the board. “Get some nose filters too.”
Desiree calculated everything before speaking, “Okay, so the general consensus so far is to get the healing potion. I think that’s the one we’ve all said so far. As for others that people agree on, they are, the Potion of healing, plant control, the boots and armband, the water rod, and the rope, net, and gloves. Which would come to 20 gold pieces. I think that’s a lot and I don’t know how much gold we’re going to possibly need later, if any.”
“Maybe we’ll find more gold,” Faye suggested.
Samantha replied to Faye, “I agree, maybe we’ll come across dead or dying creatures who have gold. Or maybe we won’t be needing it, because what could you buy in the woods? I don’t think monsters are selling anything!” She snorted abruptly at her own joke, making the others jump. “I like that list, but I think we should add the potion of insect control, anti-poison, hold water, and nose filters, though it comes to 30 gold.”
“Well, we can also get multiples of something as well,” Desiree reminded them.
Ailbe had stayed quiet, just listening and concocting a plan for what they needed. She finally spoke up, “The potion of healing and anti-poison for survival obviously. Nose filters, I have no clue what these are but since dwarves are famous for mines these could prevent us from inhaling unhealthy things.” She moved her round to look at Julian. “Sorry, no offence.” He didn’t acknowledge her, so she simply continued. “The rod of finding water could be extremely helpful in finding a water source in a forest. The rope is not only helpful for climbing but many other things too. The ring of light; I, too, agree with Roxanne. This could be the difference between overlooking or finding a hidden area. I think we should save at least 5-10 coins, I’m imagining travelling merchants (who don’t necessarily need a physical building to set up shop), or even bribery to better our situation.”
“I think saving about 5-10 gold is a smart choice,” Aelric agreed.
There was a pause in the conversation before Samantha spoke up again, “Two potions of Healing and one anti-poison, plant control, rope, net, the armband, water rod, and nose filters.”
Desiree shrugged, “I still think anti-poison is pointless, especially if we get two healing potions.”
Julian shook his head. “No, I think anti-poison is important, you just never know.” Everyone seemed to nod in agreement with the list.

Elsie looked around at everyone nodding then back to Yaztromo, repeating the list to him. He nodded as she said each item, calculating the price in his head, “That’s 24 gold pieces for all of this.”

CrazyCaliope · 21 March 2020 10:14

“That’s 24 gold pieces for all of this,” Yaztromo told her. Elsie looked over at Samantha who was slipping off her backpack to take out the money. Calculating the 24 gold pieces, Sam dropped them into the wizard’s hands. He counts the coins and stashes them in his robe. Then, Yaztromo got out of his chair and slowly started collecting the items. Once he’d placed them all on the table next to his chair, he sat back down.
Aelric didn’t even so much as murmur a thank you to the wizard as he went to grab the armband, it was strictly business. But Elsie beat him to the punch. He cursed in his mind before snapping at Elsie, “You’re not strong enough for that, Elsie.”
“Why do you say that, Aelric? I think I’m plenty strong enough, so why don’t you just worry about you and your glaive,” Elsie retorted.
Aelric narrowed his eyes. “Is that a threat? If it is, it’s pretty meaningless and not very intimidating. You’re a lover, not a fighter, the mother hen of the group.”
“Caring only makes me a stronger fighter, that’s why I should have it.”
Aelric picked up one of the healing potions from the table. “Just take this instead and don’t argue, it’s much better suited for you.” He thrust it into her hands and yanked the armband from her grip, then walked to the back of the room. Elsie pursed her lips in anger and knew that she’d be discussing this with him later.
Being the closest to the table, Samantha grabbed the anti-poison and potion of plant control for herself with no complaint from anyone. Good too, otherwise she would have had something to say about it. Faye just watched as the items were snaffled up, as she didn’t really mind whether she carried something or not. Maybe she would if there was something left. Whereas, Desiree wasn’t sure. She just knew that whatever she picked, Murphy’s law guarantees that whichever she picked would be something she wouldn’t need. Though, after watching Roxanne quickly take the rope and nose filters, she took the Rod of water-finding. Hopefully, it’ll be more useful than she was currently thinking. No one actually noticed that Ailbe had grabbed the net for herself, she simply had far too much stealth. Only one of the healing potions left and Faye decided to take it.
Julian realised much too late to grab something for himself, and before he knew it, everything was gone. Damn it, he thought. Samantha noticed he had missed out and walked over to him. “You want to take this?” She offered him the potion of plant-control.
“I don’t need your pity, I have my hammer,” Julian told her.
Sam shrugged and started to pull her arm back. “Suit yourself.”
“No, no, I’ll take it since you already have one,” he said, taking the potion and slipping it into his backpack. As did everyone else with their own items.

From the back of the room, Aelric called out, “Good luck with life then, old wizard.” He then left and headed outside.
Ailbe was about to follow out the door when the wizard asked, “What is the reason for the purchase of these items?” Elsie took a deep breath before retelling him the story and their decision to continue the quest of the luckless Bigleg. “Uh yes,” Yaztromo said slowly, rubbing his chin. “You mentioned a dwarf earlier. I heard that the good dwarfs of Stonebridge had lost their fabled war-hammer. Without it, their king is unable to arouse his people, despite the fact that the hill trolls threaten their village. Rumour has it that an envious king of another village of dwarfs sent an eagle to steal the hammer, which it managed to do. But as it flew back over Darkwood, it was attacked by death hawks and the hammer dropped into the forest and was lost. Apparently, two forest goblins found the hammer but couldn’t decide who was to keep it. They wrestled for hours but gave up. Then they discovered that the handle unscrewed and it was settled. One kept the head and the other kept the handle. Then they parted, each happy with their new treasure. Who knows if they still have them. So I’m afraid your problems are doubled. I can tell you that the head is made of bronze and the handle is made of polished ebony, and they both have the letter G inscribed in them. Your task is not easy. Good luck.”
Curious by his words, Alibe asked, “How do you know all this? When did it all happen?”
“I do not get many visitors and it gets quite lonely. I am one of the greatest mages in these parts, I have my ways to acquire information and rumours. I have … birds.” He smiled at this comment. “However, I am not so lonely that you cannot outstay your welcome. You best be off or you shall be hopping out of here. Yes, yes, a frog shall do quite nicely.”
“Okay, okay, I’ve got it. Geez.” She left the room to join Aelric outside. The rest of the group thanked Yaztromo and left the tower as well.

Once outside in the bright light, rejoining Aelric and informing him about what Yaztromo had said, the group noticed the dead quietness again. Ignoring Aelric, Elsie noticed a narrow path that led northwards from the tall grass surrounding Yaztromo’s tower into the dense undergrowth of Darkwood forest. She pointed to it, “We should go this way, this way is north.” Everyone nodded and allowed her to take the lead again.

In a few strides, the group was surrounded by the dark and tangled forest; stones and knotted roots seemed to hide in the shadows and Faye almost believed that they are trying to trip her up. The air becomes moist and unpleasant, the deeper and deeper they go, into the gloom. Eventually, the path forks on either side of a huge oak tree. Roxanne looked in both directions. “Which way? Should we go East or West?”
“How about both? We split up, cover more ground. Four go one way and four go the other,” Ailbe answered.
“That’s a good idea, we should do that,” Julian said, not liking that he was agreeing with her.
Elsie, however, did not think so. “Splitting up is not the best idea. Firstly, we only have one map. Secondly, what happens when we reach another crossroads? Do we just keep splitting up until we’re all walking aimlessly down eight different paths?”
“Map, Shmap, we all know to just head north,” Sam replied.
A silence then fell over the group as they thought.

CrazyCaliope · 21 March 2020 10:19

The tension in the air could be cut with Faye’s blade. Elsie and Samantha were silently staring daggers at each other. No one else knew what to think, nor what to say. Time seemed to pass.
Finally, words were uttered, by Sam. She spoke to them overtly, “You can all stay here thinking and debating the ramifications of whether to separate or not, but I’m heading west, with or without a map. If no one wants to join me, then that’s fine.”
“Yeah, well, my gut is telling me this way,” Aelric said with a shrug, gesturing with his thumb behind him. “So I’m going to head east.”
Faye nodded. "I’m with Aelric, east is best. The western path is giving me an eerie feeling, something I’d only go down if I were hunting.
“Well, I’ll join you, Sam. I’m up for a challenge. No creature will get past us,” Roxanne said, as she walked over to stand beside her and nudged her arm. Samantha tightened her mouth and subtly brushed her arm where Roxanne had touched it like she was rubbing off a disease.
Not too sure about her reasoning, Desiree decided to speak up anyway, “I think that’s exactly where these hammer pieces will be. Somewhere less travelled, hidden away, where they won’t be found. Although having the map would be good.”
“I guess you’re coming east with the three of us then, Dee,” Elsie told her frankly. “I’m not surrendering the map to her.” She glanced at Sam.
“Fine by me,” Samantha retorted. “I don’t need to follow some dwarf’s map.”
“That’s not necessarily true,” Julian piped up, directing his comment to Sam. He took off his backpack and pulled it in front of him as he knelt on the ground. “I’m sure I could replicate it if Elsie would be so kind as to let me see it.”
Elsie nodded. “That’d work.”
As she took out the map and unfolded it, placing it next to his bag, Julian found a small, sharp rock, some twigs, and some wood. He managed to start a small fire with the wood and kindling, then began etching the map with the rock into the underside of the flap of his leather backpack. He then finalised it by using the fire to burn out the lines.
While all this was happening, Ailbe was processing, calculating possible scenarios in her head. “Gold,” she stated abruptly. “We need to split the gold pieces that are left.”
“I don’t think so.” Samantha shook her head, then flicked her head at Elsie. “She has the map, so I have the gold.”
“Julian is copying the map for you now,” Ailbe said exasperatedly.
Sam gave a loud and exaggerated sigh, before reaching into her backpack for the pouch. She walked over to Ailbe and shook the pouch until three gold pieces fell out onto her palm. Sam turned back around. “Ready?”
“Yeah.” Julian was just finishing. He handed the map back to Elsie and put out the fire with dirt and the bottom of his boots. Everyone shouldered their packs and turned in the direction they’d chosen.
Desiree looked back and called, “Good luck, guys. Come back in one piece.”
Only one person turned, the one at the end of the line. “You too, Dee, you too.” Aelric winked.

East

Heading east, one after the other, along the narrow path that continued to make its way through the tangled forest. Elsie led the way, followed closely behind by Ailbe, Faye, and Aelric coming up the rear. Strange animal cries and noises echo through the trees. They listened to them for twenty minutes or so.
At last, the path widened to approximately a metre across and the group soon arrived at a moss-covered signpost, on top of which sat a large crow. The arms of the signpost read ‘north’ and ‘east’. Just as the group was deciding which way to continue, they hear the words “Good afternoon” but aren’t sure from where it came. Ailbe, Faye, and Aelric instantly drew their weapons and stood together with Elsie, facing outwards. They narrowed their eyes, looking for any sign of movement amongst the trees. The tension only grew when nothing was seen.
Elsie, however, tilted her head inquisitively toward the crow. "Good afternoon?” She felt quite stupid speaking to a bird.
Once again, the crow spoke, “Where are you headed?” The four were all bewildered by the talking bird, having seen some strange things before but never a talking animal.
Faye stepped forward with both blades pointed at the bird. “We’re looking for two goblins. You know, small, sinewy creatures with brown, scaly skin. They have something-” She stopped, not wanting to give too much away.
“One Gold piece will buy my advice,” the crow stated confidently, not fazed by the sudden attack on his life.

West

Desiree hurriedly caught up to her group after wishing the others luck. She was trying to think of some sort of conversation to make but nothing came to her. Then her thoughts only became cloudy when Julian started humming.
The narrow, mossy, overgrown path continued to weave its way through the crowded forest. Roxanne actually had to take the lead from Sam to slice through the foliage and thin branches with her sword, just to clear their path. Unusual sounds and cries echo through the trees. After a while, the path turns suddenly right and proceeds northwards into the dense undergrowth, making Roxanne’s job harder and slowing their pace. Soon the group reach another junction. To the left, cries for help can be heard. Julian and Desiree exchanged nervous glances, both wanting to go help but at the same time were thinking it could be a trap. Sam, however, seemed to notice smoke through the trees to their right and was intrigued to find out where it was coming from.
Roxanne followed her gaze, then stabbed her sword into the dirt by her feet and dusted off her hands. “So which way? Shall we keep going north, head west to find out who is whining, or east to see what’s burning?”

CrazyCaliope · 21 March 2020 10:26

East

“One Gold Piece? To a talking bird? I don’t think so,” Faye exclaimed, still aiming her weapons at the crow. “I think I’ll just choose to go east.
Ailbe nodded. “East sounds a lot better than putting our trust in a greedy, talking bird.”
Not totally listening to what the girls were saying, Aelric merely narrowed his eyes up at it. “Who’s to say it’s worthy advice? How about you talk before payment and I’ll deem it’s worth?”
The Crow tilts its head at him. “Well, I saw one of the goblins you seek, all for the price of one gold piece.”
Still not feeling completely comfortable talking to an animal, Elsie gulped before speaking, “How do we even know that you will give us the right information? Are you going to fly overhead and show us the way?”
The crow looked disgruntled if a crow could even look disgruntled, and it stated, “If you do not want the advice, then be on your way. Choose which path you should take, north or east?”
Aelric threw his hands up in the air. “Fine, give the damn bird the gold.”
Faye spun around, now pointing one blade at Aelric and the other at Ailbe. “Don’t give it nothing. We’ll head east and that’s that.”
“No, we won’t. Who put you in charge? This is a democracy, not communism.”
“The three of you, when you started listening to a bird.”
Aleric heard Ailbe sigh, and he shook his head in frustration. “Fine, you go off then, and we might join you IF the crow tells us to.” Faye didn’t move, just continued to glare at him. Ailbe reached for the gold she had and took out one piece. Walking over to the post, she placed the gold on top and stepped back.
The crow moved to stand over the gold. “One of the goblins you seek still has the item, and you find him north.”
“Well, that was useful. I suppose we head north to certain death now?!”, Faye mumbled sarcastically. She didn’t wait for an answer and trudged in that direction.
“Thank you, but why does a crow need Gold Pieces?”, Elsie asked.
The Crow replied, “30 pieces are needed for Yaztromo to turn me back into a human.” Elsie nodded, bidding the Crow farewell, and followed Faye north, with the others behind her.

They walked along the path in silence, as Faye was still fuming over her conflict with the others. The group hadn’t got far before they heard footsteps and arguing voices ahead.

West

“I’ll go west towards the cries. If whoever it is, needs help then I could help and maybe save them.” Sam then said what everyone was thinking, “Or if it was a trap, I will kill them and collect their gold.”
“If it is a trap then you’ll need someone with you who has a close-combat weapon. A bow and arrow won’t help with a surprise attack,” Roxanne told her, which was surprising to hear her sound so logical.
Julian interjected, not allowing Sam’s reply, which never even managed to leave her open mouth, “I’ll join you in heading west, Sam. Curiosity is getting the better of me, as to who those cries are from.”
Roxanne shook her head confusedly. “Even though the map says north?”
“Yeah, I think Rox could be right. Staying on the path north could be the right idea,” Desiree agreed.
“What are you two talking about?! The two creatures with the hammer aren’t just going to be waiting on the side of the path, they’ll be hidden,” Sam exclaimed.
Julian held his palms up toward them, almost like he was trying to stop a fight before it broke out. “So why don’t you two head north, we’ll head west, and hopefully the paths will merge again afterwards for us to meet up again.”
“That sounds plausible,” Roxanne agreed, while the other two nodded as well.

Samantha and Julian

The path started off well for Samantha and Julian, barely any foliage to deal with or clear. However, after a short while, they found themselves clambering over the gnarled roots of the old trees as they headed in the direction of the cries. After a few minutes, they saw a man dressed in long dark robes with his foot caught in a rusted rabbit snare. His face is masked by his robes and only his dark brown eyes are visible.
Julian took a step toward him but Sam gripped her fingers into his shoulder to hold him back. She called out to the masked man, “Hey, who are you? What are you doing in these parts?” There was no answer, he simply continued whining and wailing in pain.

Desiree and Roxanne

Desiree and Roxanne followed the path that headed north into a thicker forest, with barely a gap between the trees. If it weren’t for the occasional stream of sunlight breaking through the canopy, then they wouldn’t have been able to see anything. Both were extremely cautious, gripping their weapons in front of them. Words weren’t spoken, but they were thinking the same thing; something could be hiding in the trees and at any moment jump out to attack.
They walked along the narrow path, Roxanne leading the way until ahead of the two was a big, old tree with a large hole in its trunk just above head height.

CrazyCaliope · 21 March 2020 10:34

East

The voices grew louder, and they had to make a quick decision. Without making a noise, they all looked at each other; Aelric, Faye, Elsie, and … that was it. Ailbe had disappeared. They looked around them but couldn’t see her. Ailbe had chosen in that split-second of hearing the voices, to carefully hide behind the bushes, and was surprised that no one joined her. She didn’t want to risk any danger these noisy things might put them in.
However, the three stood waiting, with their weapons at the ready. Two tall, spindly creatures, clad in tattered cloth, over which they wear chainmail jackets. If memory served Faye correctly, they are called HobGoblins. When they see the three of you standing there, they stop arguing and drew swords to attack.

HobGoblins' fighting ability:

HobGoblin 1
Skill: 6
Stamina: 6

HobGoblin 2
Skill: 5
Stamina: 7

Aelric was first in for the attack, not even considering the two girls. He swung his glaive at the first creature’s head, but he had to leap out of the way of the creature’s sword at the last minute and only cut its arm. Elsie thrust her sword at the second creature, who didn’t have time to react and struck his shoulder.
Faye was going to keep up the defence and watch their backs, but she enjoyed bloodshed too much. When her “friends” were out of the way slightly, she spun with both blades facing out, partially to show off. The creatures weren’t ready for this, they weren’t the smartest, and she left two parallel gashes in each ones’ side.
Aelric and Elsie lunged again while their attention was on their sides, and pierced their abdomens. As they pulled their blades out, Faye, still being cocky, knelt on one knee and stretched her arms out either side of her. Her blades sliced through the back of their knees and they crumpled to the ground.

Ailbe came out from her spot. Aelric wiped his sword of blood and teased, “Glad you could finally join us after all the hard work is done.” Ailbe threw him a look that could kill and he fell silent.
“It was good to watch you all working as a team, though Faye, next time try not to be so dramatic,” Ailbe advised, kneeling over the HobGoblin’s skeletal frames, patting them down. She found 3 gold pieces, a tiny brass flute, and two maggoted-ridden biscuits. As well as a necklace made of mouse skulls around the first one’s neck.
“Why do you get the loot?”, Faye asked, standing and watching Ailbe put the items in her backpack.
Ailbe shrugged and started north again. “I was the only one smart enough to check for it.” Elsie followed on behind, then so did Faye and Aelric.

The group continued single file, down the northern path. To the left of the path, Elsie noticed a large hole in the ground with a diameter of some three metres. “Guys, should we check this out?”
Walking over to the hole, Elsie and Ailbe noticed it was sloping down into the darkened depths of the Earth.

Samantha and Julian

Still, after waiting a moment longer, the masked man didn’t answer.
Samantha didn’t trust strangers who were masked and covered from head to toe. There were assassins all over the place. If he couldn’t answer her, then she couldn’t be bothered helping him. Besides, she could smell someone sinister was going on, and she didn’t want to endanger herself if she could help it. “I say we head north, he clearly doesn’t want our help.”
Julian was going to suggest trying to help him since the man was obviously in pain and he was curious about what had happened to the man. Though at hearing Sam’s words, he knew she was right and nodded. “I’m going to stick with you for now.”
For now? Sam thought. Gee, thanks for the support. She started along the northern path, ahead of him, which twisted and turned for some five minutes. Luckily, there were no more tree roots for them to clamber over.
On the side of the path was a small, sinewy creature. He has brown, scaly skin and was sitting on a log to the right of the path. He had a sullen expression on his face as he tossed a black shiny rod on a leather cord back and forth between his hands. He might be one of the goblins we are looking for, Julian thought. Both Samantha and Julian tried to stay as quiet as possible, looking between each other, trying to think of what they should do.

Desiree and Roxanne

Desiree pursed her lips together, unsure if they should see what was in the tree trunk. There could be something living in there, which doesn’t want its home invaded. Roxanne, however, was sure that they needed to find out what was in there. She said, “I think we should find out what’s in there. So what if we don’t put a hand in the trunk and put something else instead? Just in case something bites it. I don’t know what though. Maybe a branch or something?”
Desiree agreed with this idea. She looked at her flail but knew that it wouldn’t work. She wouldn’t be able to feel anything and it’d do more harm than good. Then she remembered and dove into her bag, pulling out the water rod thing. “How about this, Rox?” Roxanne nodded.
Desiree inserted the rod of water-finding into the tree and jiggled it. Once her arm was elbow-deep, the rod banged into something hard. Pulling out the rod, she handed it to Roxanne, who placed it back in her pack.
Desiree then slowly put her hand into the tree, and it comes into some cold and hard. It feels like a metal bowl. As she started to lift it out of the hole, she shrieks in pain as the sharp teeth of some small creature sinks into her arm. Pulling her arm out quickly, hanging onto her discovery. Blood drips to the ground from her wound (-1 Stamina point), though it is only small.
Both of them now looking at the object in Desiree’s hand, it’s not a bowl after all. It is a bronze helmet. “Are you going to try it on to see if it fits?”, Roxanne asked.
Desiree looked at it a little longer, thinking, then decided to do it. She placed the helmet on her head and a surge of power started to run through her body, making her feel strong and unafraid. That must have been magical. (+1 skill).
Roxanne looked at her eagerly. “How do you feel?”
“Ready to find this hammer,” Desiree said, confidently marching north. She continued to lead until they reach another junction, and her indecisiveness causes her confidence to falter.
Roxanne looked both ways. “West or East?”

Desiree
Skill: 9 (+1 for attack with helmet)
Stamina: 19

CrazyCaliope · 23 March 2020 13:40

East

All four of them looked down into the hole, wondering what could be down there. Each having their own thoughts, but all were thinking that part of the hammer could be down there. Elsie finally spoke up, “Do you think we should go down there?”
“Yes, of course,” Faye said without hesitation.
Ailbe pursed her lips to the side, still giving it thought. “I don’t think anything good can be down there, but I’m curious. So if we can all perform as a team, like the three of you did back there, with whatever created this hole, then I’m all for going in.”
“All right,” Elsie said. “Aelric, what are your thoughts?” All three heads turned to where Aelric had stood. He’d already started down into the hole. “Aelric, we were discussing this first.” They all rushed in after him.
As Aelric descended down into the hole, he noticed large amounts of slime secreted by some huge creature. Rushing after him, the other three didn’t pay as much attention.
The slope was steep and the four are slipped and slid on the slime. Elsie couldn’t avoid one patch, she fell into Aelric and they tumbled head over heels down the hole to the bottom, into a large earthen cavern.

Aelric immediately jumped to his feet and yelled at her, without even trying to dust himself off. “Why didn’t you bother watching your step? If you had then maybe you wouldn’t have slipped. Much less, toppled into me!” Elsie remained speechless. Her eyes wide with fear, staring past Aelric. He slowing turned and was surprised to see the shiny tip of a poisoned barb, on the tail end of a huge Sting Worm coming straight at them. The Sting Worm is about 5 metres long and has huge yellow segments, but all they cared about right now was protecting themselves from the barb. “MOVE,” he screamed, and they both dived out of the way in opposite directions.

Sting Worm's fighting ability:

Skill: 8
Stamina: 7

On his feet in seconds with his glaive out, Aelric was ready to attack. He leapt onto the worm’s body, and when its tail came for him, he slashed. Its tail was much thicker than expected and only left a small gash. Faye rushed into the cavern. Seeing the barb about to attack Aelric again, she gripped both blades and ran to its body, attempting to cut into its body’s segments. Ailbe crept in after her, examining the scene and giving the worm a wide birth. She crept round its back and withdrew her sword, then plunged it into one of the segments higher up. Elsie had decided that she’s been observing for long enough, Faye and Ailbe’s plan seemed to be working, so she grasped her sword and ran at it from the other side. However, while the girls were slicing up the worm below, Aelric was climbing up to the worm’s head, if that’s what you’d call it. Almost there, he stabbed it with his blade and twisted. The worm thrashed violently, from side to side, and jumped off it and rolled to the ground. The worm crashed to the ground, dead.

The girls walked around the lifeless bulk of the worm to examine the contents of its lair. There are several skeletons, perhaps belonging to other unfortunate adventurers. By the side of one of them, Elsie found a leather backpack. She picked up the leather backpack and examined the contents inside. Inside she found 4 gold pieces and a small corked bottle containing a colourless liquid. Not knowing what it was, she wasn’t sure what to do with it. “Should we take this with us? You never know, it might come in handy later?”
“What is it?”, Faye asked as she and Ailbe made her way over.
Ailbe added, “If we don’t know what it does, then there’s not much point in taking it. Toss it back.”
Aelric got up and came over to get a better look. “No point just leaving it here, but we still should find out what it does. I’ll test that.” He took the bottle out of Elsie’s hands, uncorked it, and downed the liquid in one. He waited several seconds for a reaction, but nothing happened. Then as he looked at his glaive, a surge of confidence ran through his body. The potion was a temporary liquid skill (+1 skill). He shrugged. “I’m still alive.”
“You’re a troll,” Elsie snarled.
Aelric smirked back at her. “Just don’t fall on me on the way out.” They all scrambled up out of the earthen cave to the path and continued the journey northwards.

After a short-ish walk, the trees started to thin out and shafts of sunlight beam down through the gaps. As the path widened the group saw a large cave entrance set back from the path, on the right.

Aelric
Skill: 12 (+1 skill - temporary)
Stamina: 20

Ailbe
Skill: 7
Stamina: 19

Elsie
Skill: 11
Stamina: 21

Faye
Skill: 12
Stamina: 23

Samantha and Julian

Julian looked back at the goblin. His curiosity got the better of him this time, and he wasn’t going to let Sam stop him. After all, it could be one of the goblins they seek. It did have something around its neck that may be part of the hammer. He stepped forward and spoke softly, "Hello, good sir! Are you alright? Are you looking for any company?”
The Goblin looked up and smiled. Then he started to metamorphose before Sam and Julian’s eyes. He became taller and turned green. A large spiny tail extended from his back, his arms thickened and his hands grew sharp claws. His face started to distort and became reptilian with red eyes, a wide mouth and dozens of razor-sharp teeth. He is not a Goblin, but a shapeshifter, and Julian knew they now MUST fight him.

Shapeshifter's fighting ability:

Skill: 10
Stamina: 10

The creature stretched out its giant hand to grab Sam but she avoided it by retreating slightly. Readying her Bow as she did. What she wasn’t prepared for was the flick of the creature’s tail sending Julian hurtling through the air into her, knocking her over. “Ugh, get off me,” she told him, pushing him to the side.
“Ouch,” he whimpered slightly. “But thanks for the soft landing.” He was spritely, being a dwarf, and moved rather quickly. Which was good for him since Sam couldn’t reach him in time to thump him. He ran up to it and started running circles round its feet while Sam pulled an arrow from her quiver, but it was much quicker than expected. It sent Julian flying again, and backhanded Sam’s entire body. Though not a third time. She stood quickly and aimed. Firing her arrow, it lodged itself in the side of its neck. The creature roared. Not just from the arrow, but from Julian whacking away at his right leg with his hammer, clambering upward.
“Good work, Julian.” Sam notched another arrow and yelled at the creature. “Oi, Ugly!” It faced her briefly, which was long enough to release another arrow. The arrow went to the back of its throat, even though she was aiming between its eyes. It started to choke and gasp for air, before … GONE. The next thing Sam saw was Julian slumped on the “Goblin’s” log exhausted after the long battle. Sadly, the black rod was just part of the Shapeshifter’s illusion and it exists no more.
“Where did that thing go?”, Sam called out, making her way over slowly.
Julian shrugged. “I don’t know. One minute I was hanging from the back of his leg, the next I’m here. I’ve always thought this forest was weird.”
“Tell me about it.” Just behind the log, Sam noticed some violet mushrooms growing. “What do you think they are? They look tasty.”
Julian turned to have a look. “I don’t know, I wouldn’t risk it. I think we should just continue north.”
“I have an anti-poison potion, just in case.” Picking some and popping them in her mouth, she started to chew. On eating them, she felt great turmoil inside her body. She thought she might be turning into a shapeshifter, but at last, the turmoil died down and she had not become one.
It suddenly occurred to Julian what they were, as he stared at them. “I believe these are Mix-Up Mushrooms.” He was right. Sam’s skill and luck scores switched. Feeling a little odd, they set off north again, though it’s not long before they reach another junction.

Samantha
Skill: 11
Stamina: 21
Luck: 8

Julian
Skill: 9
Stamina: 19

Desiree and Roxanne

Both standing there, at the junction, as they stared down each direction in silence. Roxanne repeated, “West or East?”
Desiree put a hand on her chest and took a deep breath. “What do you think, Rox, should we split? Take a path each to cover more ground?”
“Yeah, Dee, we should split up.” she nodded. A little excited at the thought of being on her own.
Unlike Desiree, however, who was partially hoping that Roxanne would disagree with her idea, but also knew deep down that she wouldn’t. “Do you have a preference on which way?”
“Either way is fine. Maybe east? I don’t know.”
“Okay, you’ll go East and I’ll go West?!”
“Sure.” Then they wished each other luck and headed in their separate directions.

Desiree

Going west along the rather plain and uninteresting path, it soon brought Desiree to another junction. Though this decision is easier than the last; ignoring the southern path and heading north. That’s what the map said, which she wished she had a hold of right now.
The path leads ever northwards, but at last, the trees are beginning to thin out and appear less menacing as daylight streams through between them. On the right side of the path, an old oak chair covered with moss can be seen. It doesn’t look that inviting, but Desiree still went in for a closer look. Nothing out of the ordinary, she thought. But I don’t know what would happen if I sit. No, I don’t think I’ll be sitting on that chair. It just seems so random for a chair to be there, it must be a trap. Besides, the quest is more important than sitting down right now. With that, she continued north.
The path eventually emerged from the trees on to a vast plain. Beyond, Desiree saw rising ground leading to the low hills. The waist-high grasses on either side of the path swayed gently in the warm breeze. All is peaceful and the dangers up ahead seem unimportant. She was enjoying her walk when suddenly the silence is broken by the sound of squealing and grunting to the right of the path. She saw a path being made through the grass by an unseen beast, which moved quickly toward her. A few yards ahead, she saw a large pig-like creature burst out onto the path and halt there. It had two long tusks protruding from a short stubby snout. Steam rose into the air from its sweaty body and its small eyes look at her before it put its head down to charge. Desiree readied her weapon to fight the wild boar.

Wild Boar's fighting ability:

Skill: 6
Stamina: 5

Aim for the knees, she told herself. She swung for flail and smacked it into the boar’s front knee, causing it to buckle slightly. In the quickest moment, Desiree swung her flail back again, connecting with its rump and sending it flying a couple of metres. She raced over to where it was starting to stand up, and threw the spikes down into its head, killing the boar.

In the distance, she heard the sound of barking dogs. Perhaps it was being hunted, and being trapped, made its last stand against her. Through the nose of the boar, she saw a large gold ring. She decided to take it; slipping it into her backpack. It’s worth 10 Gold Pieces, plus one luck point. Desiree briefly thought about taking the boar for meat, but how would she carry such a big beast. Wishing that the others were here to help, she continued north. It isn’t long before she arrived at another junction. This one with three paths.

Desiree
Skill: 9 (+1 for attack with helmet)
Stamina: 19

Roxanne

She headed East. The path continued east for some distance and then turned sharply north, narrowing slightly. The trees seemed to crowd in on the path even more than usual and the tingling down Roxanne’s spine told her that something was not right. She flicked her long, brunette braid back, off her shoulder, and held her sword steady in front of her. Suddenly a branch from one of the trees to her right whipped her, knocking her to the ground. (-1 Stamina point). She staggered to her feet to see that the tree had moved on to her path, blocking her way. The tree is quite old, with thick, cracked bark. Roxanne can just make out its hidden eyes and mouth in the middle of the trunk and remembered hearing about the Treeman, which she had been attacked by. She tried to aim her sword for its face but wasn’t able to run straight there, to get a clear shot, as it lumbered slowly toward her on large splayed roots.

Treeman's fighting ability:

Skill: 8
Stamina: 16

The Treeman lashed out at her with two of its main branches, and she leapt out of way and at its sunken face. Roxanne left a gash in the trunk, but couldn’t remove her sword fast enough before being flung to the side by a massive branch. Wasting no time, she got up and swung her sword at the next branch that came at her, slicing it cleanly off. Then yet another branch came from behind, but she turned just in time to slice that one off too. Unfortunately, the share force of it knocked her down her on the dirt path, and another branch followed, hitting her arm and knocking her sword out of her hand. She dodged the next one, scrambling over roots to regain her sword, then ran over to plunge your sword into the trunk once again. The Treeman went still.

Roxanne wiped the thick, green sap from your sword and set off north again. Clambering over the dead Treeman’s roots, she was relieved to see that the trees were at last beginning to thin out and had become less threatening. Daylight had started to appear through the trees on either side of the path as the forest thins out more. The path soon leads out of the trees, on to a large plain with tall grasses. She saw rising ground that led to the low hills, but only metres away was another junction.

Roxanne
Skill: 8
Stamina: 11

CrazyCaliope · 26 March 2020 16:37

East

The four of them stood in front of the large cave entrance, wondering once again what they should do. The difference this time is that that’d learnt from the last. Instead of discussing it amongst each other, all three girls turned to Aelric to see his opinion first. He looked back at them, nodded, and said, “I think I’ll go take a look, but it’s up to the three of you if you want to join me.”
“We have to find the pieces of the hammer, so it’s only logical that we search everywhere,” Faye stated, with both Elsie and Ailbe agreeing.
The four carefully entered the cave and saw the huge shape of an Ogre walking slowly over to a wicker cage with a bowl of water in his great hands. He was dressed in animal furs and carried a stone club in his belt. There appeared to be an animal or creature jumping around inside the cage. Faye and Ailbe’s eyes darted around the cave, seeing a number of things they could look into if the Ogre weren’t here. While they wanted to go over and check out the caged creature.
Elsie looked at the others after they had all hid out of the Orge’s sight. “What do we do? We need to come up with a plan.”
“Obviously we need to take care of the Ogre first before doing anything else. Working as a team worked well the last two times, so I don’t see why it won’t again,” answered Ailbe.
Aelric nodded. “That’s true about the past two times. So I’ll take the ogre head-on while Faye and Elsie both flank me. Ailbe, you sneak around and grab the cage. I’ve been wanting a pet for a while.” Then, before Ailbe could even open her mouth to protest, Aelric had said “Let’s go!” and began running at the ogre with his glaive out in front.

Ogre's fighting ability:

Skill: 8
Stamina: 12

As Aelric ran, he didn’t leap or go up, he went down this time. Slashing his sword as he slid, ducked, and crawled between the Ogre’s legs. The Ogre hadn’t enough time to attack him since Elsie and Faye noticed Aelric had started and then followed ten seconds later. They each ran past him on either side, slicing the Ogre’s arms. As frustrated as Ailbe was with “the plan”, she started to follow it anyway. She attempted to sneak round the cave to the cage, which wasn’t difficult for her since she was skilled in espionage. Unfortunately for her, the Ogre was directly beside the cage and completely aware of his surroundings. He lifted his large stone club from his belt, grunted, and swung it at Ailbe, flinging her off to the side. Aelric watched this and needed to draw his attention away from Ailbe. The Ogre’s size did inhibit his speed, however, he still swung his club at Aelric. Fortunately, he was faster and slashed between the ogre’s legs, making him howl in pain. The Ogre doubled over and threw his hands in every which way to catch him.
He missed Aelric by a hair, as he circled round and slid his blade across both joints. The Ogre fell to his bloodied knees, howling, crying, and yelping in pain. A surge of anger ran through the Ogre and he lunged at Ailbe in a last attempt, but Faye foiled this plan. She struck him from behind with both her blades, sending him crashing forwards, killing him.
Ailbe slowly got up and dusted herself off. She stood there surveying the scene. There was the creature in the cage jumping around even more frantically than before. As for the rest of the room, there wasn’t much of interest to be found in the cave. A straw bed, stone jars, and a table and chair are all that is immediately visible, but on a stone shelf above the bed, a small silver box caught her eyes, as well as Faye’s. As Aelric and Elsie were by the creature now, who was making even more racket, Faye walked over and collected the box. She gently prised open the box, but as she did, a yellow gas escaped and enveloped her face. The gas was toxic and Faye’s eyes started to water. She coughed and held her breath while running around the cave trying to escape the gas cloud which had enveloped her. Damn you, Roxanne! If only I had kept those nose filters instead, she thought while trying to breathe. Faye’s lungs felt like they are bursting and she was forced to inhale. Opening the box had come with consequences (-2 skill and -1 stamina). When the gas cloud faded, Faye felt weaker, but still decided to put the silver box in her backpack before sitting down on the bed. Elsie watched as Aelric tapped on the creature’s cage and said, “Hey, little guy, want to come along on this quest with me? I’ll look after you.” Inside the cage, a small, sinewy creature with brown, scaly skin was jumping up and down - he was a Goblin. Round his neck hangs a black shiny rod on a leather cord. Ailbe rolled her eyes. Just as Aelric was about to open the cage, she walked over and ran her sword through the bars and into the goblin. “Hey, that was my pet. Why’d you do that?”
Ailbe shrugged. “You told me what to do, I killed your pet, now we’re even.” She left the cave. Aelric took one look at the dead goblin before chasing after her to argue, and Faye followed after them to make sure nothing irrational happened. Elsie was left standing next to the cage. She opened the cage, reaching over the lifeless body of the goblin and grabbed the rod around its neck. The rod was made of ebony and there was a screw thread at one end. She was excited to see the letter G neatly inscribed at the other end of what must be the handle of the dwarfish war hammer. She put the handle in your backpack and left the cave to tell the others. Once she had caught up to them along the path, she was so excited to tell them that she didn’t notice a rope noose hidden beneath some fallen leaves ahead, which caught her foot and hauled her into the air. The rope was tied to a sprung tree. In a second, Elsie was hanging upside-down, suspended by her trapped foot.

Aelric
Skill: 12 (+1 skill - temporary)
Stamina: 20

Ailbe
Skill: 7
Stamina: 16

Elsie
Skill: 11
Stamina: 21

Faye
Skill: 10
Stamina: 22

Samantha and Julian

When they reached the next junction, Julian shifted his backpack, about to take it off. “Let’s take a look at the map before deciding which way to go.”
Sam shook her head. “We don’t need to do that, all we need to do is remember to head north. So that’s the way we should go.” He nodded and shouldered his pack again.
The path continued to lead northwards. At last the trees began to thin out and no longer looked that creepy as daylight streamed through between them. To the right of the path, an old oak chair covered with moss could be seen. Sam slipped off her backpack and it fell to the ground as she stared at the chair. “I’m curious, I think I will sit on the chair since you have the potion of plant control, just in case.”
Julian looked between the chair and Sam, then shrugged. “Fine by me, but don’t you think it’s super weird to have a random chair in the middle of a forest? 'Cause it seems like a trap to me.”
“Maybe, but I’m way too curious about it…” She’d already walked to the chair. She sat down upon it and despite it being made of hard oak, the chair was surprisingly comfortable. She started to relax, but instead of feeling stronger she started feeling weaker. Sam realised it was a Chair of Life Draining (-4 Stamina). She managed to climb slowly out of the chair.
“Are you okay?”, Julian asked.
“No, but we should keep going anyway.” She staggered north at a much slower pace, with Julian following closely behind, watching her like a hawk.
The northern path eventually emerged from the trees on to a vast plain, where they saw rising ground leading to the low hills. On either side of the path, there was waist-high grasses that swayed calmly in the warm breeze. Relaxing, except for the carcass of a large boar laying just a few metres away. Sam, who still felt light-headed, sat down on a nearby log, while Julian went to take a closer look at the dead animal.

Samantha
Skill: 11
Stamina: 21
Luck: 8

Julian
Skill: 9
Stamina: 19

Desiree

North, north, north, Desiree kept telling herself as she walked northward. As she walked further northwards across the plain, the grass gradually became shorter and the ground started to rise gently. Ahead she heard the roar of crashing water and soon reached the bank of a wide river split on two levels. To the right, the water was calm and slow-moving but in front of her, it tumbled noisily down a great waterfall to a gorge where the river narrowed and ran quickly west over rock and boulders. Steps led down by the side of the waterfall to the bottom of the gorge, although it was difficult for her to see where the stairs ended because of the spray which was thrown up. Across the river, she saw the path heading north into the distance. To her right, where the river was calm, was a small wooden boat tied to a post.
Thinking for a few minutes, Desiree descended the slippery stone steps. She was halfway down when she froze, the boar was still on her mind. Turning around and almost slipping, she made her way back up and through the long grass to the junction. Gripping her flail as she didn’t know if those hunters had found the beast, she headed south again to the boar.

Desiree
Skill: 9 (+1 for attack with helmet)
Stamina: 19
Luck: 12 (+1)

Samantha, Julian, and Desiree

Desiree lowered her weapon and fastened it back to her side when she saw the two figures next to the boar. “Sam, Julian, are you okay?”
“Dee, it’s you. We’re okay, but where is Roxanne?”, Julian asked.
“We split up. She went east at the junction back there, and I, this way.” she points in the direction of the forest from which Julian and Sam had just come.
Sam followed her finger then looked back at Desiree. “The new helmet suits you, by the way, and I believe that you’re the one who killed this animal?”
Desiree nodded. “I thought it’d be great meal but it was far too large for just me to cart.”
Sam carefully got to her feet. “Well, Julian, why don’t you lead the way since you have the map, and Desiree, you take the front of the boar, I’ll the rear.” They did so and walked quietly north until they arrived at the junction, which split into three paths.

Roxanne

The path didn’t change much and soon she reached a four-way junction. South led back into the forest so she discounted that option. However, she did think about the other two paths much before deciding to continue east. But it isn’t long before the eastern path ends and she must head north.
As Roxanne walked along the path through the waist-high grasses, she watched as the grass rippled in the wind. Though soon she got an uncomfortable feeling that the grass had a will of its own and was moving independently of the wind. A clump of grass suddenly stretched out across the path and wrapped itself around her ankle. Other clumps of grass tried to grab her arms and legs. Roxanne realised that she was surrounded by Tangleweed. So, despite her struggles, the Tangleweed managed to grab her limbs and drag her to the ground. She saw as the grass began to curl itself around her neck and tightened its grip. She choked and tried to cough. But then Roxanne realised that the Tangleweed is not trying to strangle her, it is trying to make as much contact as it can with her exposed flesh so that it can suck her blood! With horror, she saw hundreds of tiny blood-ringed punctures on her arms and legs. Finally, the weed, having drunk enough, released its grip (-3 Stamina). She rose to her feet and stood shakily, rubbing her wounds. “Stupid grass,” she said irritatedly, kicking at it and then started north again.
As the path proceeded northwards, the grass became shorter and the ground started to rise gently. Ahead Roxanne heard the sound of flowing water and soon reached the bank of a gently flowing river. There is no bridge but she saw that the path continued north on the other side of the river. Standing in front of her is a magnificent white beast, a half-man, half-horse. A bow and quiver of arrows are slung behind his back. He is a Centaur.

Roxanne
Skill: 8
Stamina: 8

CrazyCaliope · 28 March 2020 09:31

East

As Elsie was hoisted upside down by the rope around her ankle. As she was pulled up into the trees above, she shrieked rather loudly, causing Faye to cover her ears. “Gees, be quiet. That was loud enough to wake the dead and I don’t want to fight that Ogre again.”
She was hanging above their heads but managed to look down at Faye. “I was taken by surprise, okay?!” Elsie tried to wiggle herself out but to no avail, then reached for the handle of her blade and unsheathed it. She swung it at the rope that held her.
After that scream, Faye had no interest in helping someone who could be that noisy. Instead, she kept watch, just in case the persons who had set the trap came back. Ailbe and Aelric scrambled around on the ground, preparing to catch her. Aelric was also looking around for where the rope was tied to see if he could help. Luckily, Elsie’s sword connected with the rope on the second swing and snapped it. Quickly she fell and Ailbe and Aelric managed to catch her, and thankfully she stretched out her sword arm so she didn’t slice through either of them. Their legs started to buckle as the sudden weight hit their arm, but they both steadied themselves.
“Thank you,” Elsie told them as she stood, removed the loop around her ankle, and dusted herself off. “Right, let’s keep going.”
“No,” Aelric answered and gripped his weapon. “Let’s wait to find out who set this trap.”
Faye looked at him. “I agree with Elsie, we don’t need to wait around for a fight, let’s move on.”
Ailbe nodded. “As much as I want to find out who did this, we do have a mission to complete.”
“FINE! Go on then.” Aelric waited for the girls to continue on, and he stuck around there slightly longer before following, just in case the trap-setters were close by.

The group continued walking north. That is until they all noticed a knotted vine hanging down to the ground from a tree to the left. In the tree was a roughly made treehouse amid the branches.

Aelric
Skill: 12 (+1 skill - temporary)
Stamina: 20

Ailbe
Skill: 7
Stamina: 16

Elsie
Skill: 11
Stamina: 21

Faye
Skill: 10
Stamina: 22

Samantha, Julian, and Desiree

They all looked at the three paths. Desiree gestured with her head, “North heads to a large waterfall that we’ll need to cross to continue. We could go East, try to find the others, but they could have changed direction and be anywhere. I think either is fine, just not to go west.”
“I think we should go North, cross the waterfall to continue North. But I also don’t mind going East, though West is completely new territory too,” Sam suggested.
“Well, I’m happy to keep going north.” There was a pause. “Umm… So have we actually decided north, east or west?”
Sam nodded but was interrupted by Julian before she could speak. “I say let’s go north.” The girls both agreed and they continued northward, toward the sound of the waterfall.

The reached the bank of the wide river that split was on two levels. Julian and Sam saw the water was calm and slow-moving to their right. Then saw the gorge where the river narrowed and ran quickly west over rock and boulders. They all made a silent decision to take the steps that led down the side of the waterfall to the bottom of the gorge. They descended the slippery stone steps to the bottom of the waterfall. Julian looked back up to see a magnificent rainbow reflected in the spray. However, it was dark in the gorge and impossible to see through the wall of water where the steps ended. Carefully walking along the steps and behind the waterfall, into a large cavern where there’s a pool of still water. The steps run round the side of the pool and there’s a stone table and chair on the far side. Julian went to the table and saw fish scraps lying on it. Suddenly there was a noise of splashing behind him. Sam and Desiree dropped the carcass. A strange creature climbed out of the pool and advanced toward the girls armed with a trident. His legs were like a man’s but his face and torso resembled a large green fish with bulbous eyes. His arms were human but covered with large scales. He is a Fish-man, and you’re unable to escape and MUST fight him.

Fishman’s fighting ability:

Skill: 7
Stamina: 6

Samantha
Skill: 11
Stamina: 21
Luck: 8

Julian
Skill: 9
Stamina: 19

Desiree
Skill: 9 (+1 for attack with helmet)
Stamina: 19
Luck: 12 (+1)

Roxanne

Roxanne waved at the Centaur and bid him a good day, to which he replies, “Good day to you too.”
She found it was pleasing to meet somebody who was not attacking her on sight and asked, “Do you have any information on two goblins, or maybe where I find the missing Warhammer of Stonebridge?”
He doesn’t know anything. “I do not wander much these days as I’m getting old. I just want to own a little gold in my old age. For three gold I can carry you across this river.”
Roxanne thought a moment and searched her pack for the nose filters. She extended her arm out to him with the filters centred in her palm. “I bought these from Yaztromo for three gold.” He had heard of the wizard, and nodded, making his way over and took the filters. She climbed onto his back and he walked across the river. The water was a dark green colour and she wondered what kind of creatures might lurk in its depths. Soon they reached the other side, she thanked him and said goodbye.
She was now at the foot of some hills…

Roxanne
Skill: 8
Stamina: 8

CrazyCaliope · 28 March 2020 09:39

East

“I say we climb this vine and find out what’s at the top,” Elsie suggested to the rest of the group.
“Yes, I agree.” Ailbe nodded. “Maybe from there, we can look out for whoever set the trap, or attack them if they’re up there.”
"The point is to investigate the possible places where the other goblin could be,” Faye added. The all looked at Aelric, expecting that he’d already have started up the vine. But he hadn’t even moved. “I will stay down at the bottom and keep watch. Make sure nothing can escape,” he told them.
Faye shrugged. “Suit yourself.” She made her way to the vine and began climbing, and Ailbe followed.
Elsie smiled. “Not a bad idea.” She followed Faye up too.

Ape-man’s fighting ability:

Skill: 8
Stamina: 7

When Faye and Ailbe stood on the platform, they didn’t see an Apeman standing in the door frame of the treehouse. The Apeman leapt at the two, who didn’t see him until it was too late, and he roared. The creature looked even larger and hairier closer up, and they saw he wore an animal hide loincloth and held a large bone in his right hand. Faye took the brunt of the attack, and Elsie was lucky enough to roll onto the platform, off the rope, slicing the creature as she did. It roared again.
Aelric, who was watching from below, looked around him for a reasonable-sized rock. He picked up a sharp one and aimed, throwing it before the Apeman had a chance to attack again. It connected with his head causing him to stumble backward. What impeccable aim I have, he thought. Those girls clearly need to give me more credit! Ailbe watched him stumble and ran at him with her sword, plunging it into his chest and pinning him to the wall. Then pulling out her sword, he crumpled to the ground.
Faye stood up, dusted herself off, and walked to the door of the treehouse. Faye stepped over the body of the Apeman, not before making sure he’s dead, and entered his living room. Animal bones and rotting fruit littered the floor. The Apeman’s bed was made of moss and lichen and seemed to be crawling with bugs. There was a copper bracelet on the floor near Faye’s foot. She bent down and picked up the bracelet, then twisted it into place on her wrist. A powerful feeling surged through her arm and made her jump. Her arm felt strong. Faye now possesses the Bracelet of Skill (Which adds +1 to your skill).

The three girls climbed back down the vine and stood with Aelric again, saying nothing about his skilful shot. The group all continue north. Soon the path led out of the trees on to a large plain with tall grasses. Beyond it, you see the rising ground and, further off, some low hills. Each halting when the path split into three directions; west, east, and north.

Aelric
Skill: 12 (+1 skill - temporary)
Stamina: 20

Ailbe
Skill: 7
Stamina: 15

Elsie
Skill: 11
Stamina: 21
Luck:10

Faye
Skill: 10
Stamina: 20

Samantha, Julian, and Desiree

The Fishman started slowly gaining on the girls, which Julian realised he could use to his advantage. He quietly snuck back round the pool of water and the Fishman kept advancing. He was focusing on Desire, which was good because it left enough time for Sam to ready an arrow in her bow. She fired her arrow, sending it straight into his chest. However, it made him stumble forward toward Desiree rather than backwards. Desiree decided that the best thing to with a fish was to punch it on the nose to disorientate it, which is exactly what she did. She sent the Fishman flying backwards into Julian’s hammer, which he’d raised for this purpose, to swing at him. Straight into his head. The Fishman fell forward onto the ground, dead. They’d all pulled together to initiate and fulfil this successful plan. They were becoming a well-oiled machine.
Sam started to pat the creature down, “He might have something useful on him.”
“He came out of that pool,” Julian told her, gesturing to the pool. "You really think he’ll have anything on him.
She sighed, then Desiree chimed in before she could snap back at him, “There could be something around the cave though.”
He spread his arms out questioningly and turned slightly in both directions. “Where? Unless you want some basic furniture and some fish bones. Let’s just keep going.” He swung his hammer and walked around the pool. Sam and Desiree begrudgingly picked the boar back up and followed him.
They walked around the pool to the north side. Steps led back up past the waterfall and up to the top. The group took them slowly and were then at the foot of some hills…

Samantha
Skill: 11
Stamina: 21
Luck: 8

Julian
Skill: 9
Stamina: 19

Desiree
Skill: 9 (+1 for attack with helmet)
Stamina: 19
Luck: 12 (+1)

CrazyCaliope · 28 March 2020 10:00

East

Elsie got out her map and pointed to where they should be on there. “It looks like we should head north from here,” she told the others.
Faye started walking off ahead, “Let’s go north then.”
Aelric nodded. “Yeah, I say go north too.”
Ailbe looked in the northern direction. “Me too.” They all began heading north and their path cut through the grass, which was about waist height. Although their visibility was good, they felt uneasy about any creatures that may be stalking them on either side. Suddenly, the grass on Faye’s left moved and two wooden tubes appeared, pointing straight at the group. They were blowpipes belonging to two Pygmies who blew into them, sending two darts each in the group’s direction.
Luckily, none of the darts hit any of the group. But Elsie lost her composure. How dare they sneak up on us and ruin a perfectly good plan, she thought. Rage clouding her judgement as she drew her sword, about to chase after them. No one stopped her. Instead, they all drew their blades and chased after them.

Pygmy’s fighting ability:

Pygmy one:
Skill: 5
Stamina: 5

Pygmy two:
Skill: 5
Stamina: 6

Elsie quickly caught up with the two brown-skinned Pygmies. They wore grass skirts and as they stopped and turned to face the group, Elsie noticed that they each had a bone through their nose. The Pygmies drew their daggers and the first attacked her. She aimed her blade at his head but he was too fast and she only managed to whack him in the back with the flat of her sword, causing him to tumble. Ailbe was right behind Elsie and went in for the attack. However, she was unaware of the second Pygmy charging her, running circles around her feet and causing her to topple over. But before her head hit the ground, her blade cut the second Pygmie. Aelric was on top of him before he could retaliate. Hitting the ground that hard, left the second Pygmy dazed, which was enough time for Aelric to plunge his blade into him. Seeing a small leather bag around the dead Pygmie’s neck, he ripped it off. It had three Gold Pieces inside.
Faye joined Elsie with the first Pygmie and they sliced and stabbed their blades at him as he circled them. Elsie got the final blow and the Pygmie stopped. She bent over and pulled off the leather bag that around this dead Pygmie’s neck. It also had three Gold Pieces inside.
Aelric got up and walked back to Ailbe, offering her his hand. “You okay?”
Ailbe sighed and didn’t accept his hand, instead pulling herself up and back to her feet. “Fine. Just sick of being the target to the creatures we face.”
“Maybe you just need to be more aware of your surroundings.” He began north, tossing the leather bag in the air.
“Oh, be quiet,” Ailbe demanded. “We all know your skills are no match for mine.” The girls followed him north.
As the path proceeded northwards, the grass became shorter and the ground started to rise gently. Ahead of the group, the sound of flowing water. The four of them quicken their pace and soon reach the bank of the gently flowing river. Faye saw a path leading to a rickety old bridge. The only other way she saw to cross the river was to swim, holding their backpacks above their heads to keep them dry.

Aelric
Skill: 12 (+1 skill - temporary)
Stamina: 20
Luck: 10

Ailbe
Skill: 7
Stamina: 15
Luck: 9

Elsie
Skill: 11
Stamina: 21
Luck: 9

Faye
Skill: 10
Stamina: 20
Luck: 11

CrazyCaliope · 28 March 2020 12:18

East

Each of them simultaneously took off their packs, carefully holding them above their heads. This time, Faye lead the way. She slipped into the water and started making her way across, with Ailbe following closely behind. Elsie was next and Aelric was at the back. When the group reached the middle, their legs felt vulnerable and Elsie half expected to be bitten at any moment by some unseen river creature. “Guys, uh, what are the chances of something attacking us right now?”, she asked warily.
“None if you keep going. It’s getting dark, let’s be quick and set up camp over on the bank,” Aelric encouraged.
But nothing did happen or attack them and they managed to cross safely. They were now at the foot of some hills; wet, and it was getting darker as night set in. They decided to camp behind some rocks to the left of the path, as Aelric had advised. Having yet another spit-roasted rabbit, thanks to Faye’s hunting, they settled down to sleep as the fire died down beneath the full moon.
They had barely shut their eyes when a terrifying howl woke them from their drowsiness. Ailbe, who was the most alert and awake, grabbed her blade and ran off to hide behind some rocks. To evaluate the situation and calculate the best attack.
“What was that? Wake up everyone and be very alert, as I think we’re about to have company,” Faye warned in a loud whisper.
“Yeah, uninvited guests are not going to be received kindly when I was trying to sleep,” Aelric retorted as he stoked the fire back into life and drew his glaive. With their backs to the rocks and the fire in front of them, they stood and waited with weapons ready. Soon they were aware that they were being watched and then saw three pairs of eyes ahead, glowing red by the light of the fire. Another howl pierced the night air, followed by deep growls. Slowly the three pairs of eyes advanced. Out of the shadows stepped three Wolves, ready to leap on them.

Wolves' fighting ability:

Wolf one:
Skill: 7
Stamina: 7

Wolf two:
Skill: 8
Stamina: 7

Wolf three:
Skill: 7
Stamina: 9

The first wolf pounced on Faye and she barely had time to escape, causing her to back into Elsie’s blade slightly. Elsie moved before it caused any real damage, swinging it toward the second wolf and slicing off its ear. Aelric, however, waited for the third wolf to come to him. When it pounced, he struck, piercing its side. But one strike wasn’t enough for Aelric, he struck again. Before the first wolf could attack again, Faye swung her blade and left a hairline cut along its side. While Elsie had done the same to the second wolf. The third wolf, now badly injured, limped away, but Aelric was having none of it. His sleep had been disturbed and he was annoyed. Charging the wild animal who had attacked him, he stabbed, putting it out of its misery. Ailbe had now watched for long enough. Coming out of hiding, she and Faye thrust their blades at the first wolf, at the same as Elsie had just finished off the second. Ailbe then ran her blade across its throat, killing the first instantly.
The girls all collapsed onto the hard ground, panting, while Aelric hacked at the wolf. Supper before I sleep, he thought. Examining each of them, he found a gold-studded leather collar around the neck of the largest wolf. It must be worth 15 gold pieces, so he put the dog collar in his backpack.
Eventually, they all got to sleep, only to wake up before dawn. Although, the group didn’t decide to break camp until well after the sun has risen. Making their way up the steep winding path in the hot sun, they finally reach the top of the hill and saw the tight green circle of Darkwood forest. Too hot to speak, they started down the far side of the hill, but soon notice a wooden hut to the right of the path, with its door ajar.

Aelric
Skill: 12 (+1 skill - temporary)
Stamina: 20
Luck: 10

Ailbe
Skill: 7
Stamina: 12
Luck: 9

Elsie
Skill: 11
Stamina: 21
Luck: 9

Faye
Skill: 10
Stamina: 19
Luck: 11

Samantha, Julian, and Desiree

The group was at the foot of some hills and saw a path climbing up into their midst in the north. It is getting dark and night is setting in. “What do you think, should we get some rest?”, Julian asked, taking off his pack.
“Maybe we should roast this boar so that we don’t have to carry it tomorrow.” Desiree dumped the animal on the ground and groaned in exhaustion from climbing the stairs with it.
Sam did the same. “I was thinking just that.” Then she found some kindling, while Desiree and Julian collected some wood, and in no time at all, they had a roaring fire. They feasted on spit-roasted wild boar before covering themselves in their sheepskin blankets and drifting off to sleep behind some rocks to the right of the path.
They had only been asleep for about an hour when a deep growling noise should have woken them up immediately. There was a full moon in the sky and the light cast eerie shadows all around them. Hearing soft footsteps and sniffing, followed by another low growl. Samantha’s eyes opened wide in fear and shock. Her brain still quite foggy, she couldn’t get to grips with what she’d heard. Desiree took a second to adjust her eyes to the faint glow from their fire, blinking rapidly to try to wake herself properly. On the other hand, Julian was awake. He had pulled himself up into a sitting position, with his back resting against a rock. A shape that looked like a man stepped out of the shadows to Dee’s right. As he got closer Julian saw that his chest, arms, and face were covered with thick brown hair and long teeth protruded from his mouth. He was a Werewolf and Julian knew they had to fight this creature.

Werewolf’s' fighting ability:

Skill: 8
Stamina: 9

Both Sam and Dee felt the creature’s breath on them. Both rolling onto their stomach, they scrambled forward, however, Sam couldn’t avoid being spiked on Dee’s flail, which was on the ground near her. Feeling what it was, she gripped its handle. Julian was worried about girls and ran at the creature, jumping on it from behind. It howled again, flung him off and focused on Dee, who searched desperately for her flail. She could only find Sam’s bow and arrow, but a little too late as the creature struck her. Next to her, Sam swung the flail, which ended up spinning back and connecting with her. Julian had luckily landed on his blanket and was able to grab his hammer. Back on his feet, he ran at the creature again, bringing his hammer down onto its back. Sam tried again, causing Julian to jump back to avoid getting hit. She hit the werewolf in the side of his head, but Dee’s leg got more of a direct hit. She whelped in pain. A spike had penetrated her leg, fortunately not overly deep. Enraged, she gripped one of the arrows and stabbed the werewolf. Julian then finished it off with another hit from his hammer.
Sam threw down the weapon, exhausted. Julian took a deep breath and said, “I wish we could just have a good night’s-” He was cut off by Desiree’s uncontrollable shaking and trembling. Julian ran to her side. “Dee, are you okay?”
Desiree was unable to speak. Sam looked over at her and knelt on her other side. “Of course, she’s not, look at her. What is happening to her?”
“The werewolf, it has to be. Did she get scratched?”
They frantically searched for scratches as sweat poured from her body, although she felt very cold. She felt a burning sensation inside her body as she sunk into a raging fever. The werewolf had scratched her, damn it and she was about to change into a Werewolf herself! (-3 stamina)
After a number of agonising minutes, luck was on her side, the effects of the fever finally wore off and she gratefully fell asleep again, having a decent sleep. She can’t have been truly infected. Julian and Sam took it in turns to watch over her the rest of the night. In the morning, the three collected their belongings, patched themselves up, and headed north along the path to the hills.
The steep path works its way into the hills. It was midday once the group reached the top and the sun is quite hot. Darkwood forest was a dark green circle around them. Ahead, they saw a valley floor bathed in sunlight and silence. Two paths to decide on, to continue north or head east?

Samantha
Skill: 11
Stamina: 13
Luck: 8

Julian
Skill: 9
Stamina: 19

Desiree
Skill: 9 (+1 for attack with helmet)
Stamina: 11
Luck: 11 (+1)

Roxanne

Roxanne was now at the foot of some hills and it is beginning to get dark. Looking East, to see if anyone was around her. But the land was vast and it was getting so dark that it is hard to tell. She saw a path winding its way north, up into the hills. Deciding to make camp under a great Oak Tree to the right of the path, Roxanne drifted off to sleep with her sword by her side.
Asleep for a couple of hours, not even a terrifying howl from the West woke Roxanne that easily. Shifting over onto her back, she blinked and could make out a full moon between her lashes. Great, it’s that time of the month, she thought sarcastically. Only partially able to pay attention to the big black shape in the branches above her. A big black spider dropped down on top of her, three times her size, almost crushing her with its massive abdomen trying to hold itself up on its spiny legs.

Giant Spider’s fighting ability:

Skill: 7
Stamina: 8

Roxanne tried to reach for her sword and rolled to the left to avoid its chelicerae. Then she rolled to the right as the spider tried to pierce her again with its chelicerae, nearly rolling onto her sword. She gripped the handle and swung, slicing off one of its legs so she could get out from under it. Scrambling to her feet, she swung again, slicing through the opposite leg and watch as spider stumbled forward. Rosanne raced round it and thrust her sword into its abdomen, killing it. She exhaustedly stepped around the bulbous mass and grabbed her blanket and possessions to settle down again to a nervous sleep, but further away.
At first light, Roxanne woke and set off along the northern path again. The ground is quite steep now as the path winds its way up into the hills. By the time she reached the top the sun had reached mid-temperature but was still quite hot. All around she saw the tight green circle of Darkwood Forest. Fog hung in the tall grasses behind her but ahead the morning was creeping across the valley floor. All is quiet. She started down the far side of the hill and saw another junction with two paths.

Roxanne
Skill: 8
Stamina: 7

CrazyCaliope · 13 April 2020 07:02

East

Ailbe looked ahead at the hut, thinking for a moment before speaking, “I think we should head into the hut. We could probably find gold, maybe some weapons, or even the last part of the hammer. We really shouldn’t miss this chance.”
Elsie agreed, along with Aelric, who said with a shrug, “I was just about to say that as well.”
“Yes, we should take the chance to go inside the hut,” Faye added. “We might find some really useful things inside.”

After discussing it, they all walked toward the hut and carefully stepped through the door, blades drawn. They looked around. The hut consisted of one room containing a fireplace, a wooden bed, a table with two chairs, a washing bowl, a wooden chest, and shelves crammed end to end with birds’ eggs. There was a lot of dust on the floor and the room does not appear to have been lived in for months. The fireplace and chest seemed interesting, but Faye was not sure if she wanted to examine them or leave. Fighting with herself internally, finally, her curiosity won out and she walked toward the fireplace.
“I guess you’re checking that part out then,” Aelric asked rhetorically, though he followed behind to watch anyway, just in case he was needed.
Once over at the fireplace, she saw a fire-blackened copper kettle in the ashes, which she picked up to inspect it. Removing the lid, she found a gold ring with a large emerald set in it. It looked like it could be worth up to 15 gold pieces. Placing it on her finger, she felt very fortunate (+2 luck points).
Elsie walked over to the chest, wanting to check it out before anyone else could do so. She saw the iron lock on the chest was old and rusted and would not open. The only thing for it was smashing the whole chest. Instead, she bent down and tried to lift the chest but it is very heavy.
Struggling, she lifted the chest above her head and sent it crashing to the floor. It burst open and amidst the splintered wood lay a large, light blue egg nearly a metre round. “Odd,” Elsie commented. Putting her hand on the egg to steady it, she felt it was cold, hard, and like marble. Cracks suddenly appeared on the egg and before she could move, the egg exploded, sending fragments of razor-sharp shell flying through the air. Five splinters of shell stick in her (-5 stamina). She pulled them out quickly and watched small drops of blood roll down her wounds.

Aelric
Skill: 12 (+1 skill - temporary)
Stamina: 20
Luck: 10

Ailbe
Skill: 7
Stamina: 12
Luck: 9

Elsie
Skill: 11
Stamina: 16
Luck: 9

Faye
Skill: 10
Stamina: 19
Luck: 11 (+2 from ring)

Samantha, Julian, and Desiree

Dee looked at the others, “I vote that we go north but I can be persuaded to change my mind if you have arguments to go east?”
Julian said nothing, but instead looked at Sam, who replied, “I vote to go north as well.” Then headed north down the hill as if that were the final decision. The others followed, down the path running through a narrow gorge between two hills. Feeling vulnerable, the group readied their weapons, expecting to be ambushed at any moment. Unfortunately, because they were concentrating on watching the sides of the gorge, they did not see a small patch of leaves and branches on the path ahead. Sam’s foot went through the thin covering of a bear trap, and she plunged four metres to the bottom of a rocky pit. To add to her misfortune, a wooden stake with a sharp tip, pointed out of the centre of the pit. Luckily for Sam, she managed to avoid hitting the stake but fell heavily to the floor (-2 stamina).
In a panic, Dee and Julian both knelt and leaned over the edge. Dee yelped, while Julian yelled down to Sam, “Are you hurt?”
Sam groaned as she stood up and dusted herself off. “I’m fine, nothing but a couple of bruises,” she called back up. Looking up, she realised that it was only about four metres deep, easy enough to get out. “You going to give me an arm up or not?” Julian stretched his arm down. “Not you, Julian, I need some length.”
Julian sat back in a huff, crossing his arms and mumbled, “No need to be rude.”
Desiree then tried stretching her arm down. “Not even I can reach you, Sam”
Sam groaned again and looked around her. The pit was circular with smooth sides, but she felt too weak from her fall to climb out. Although she doesn’t give up, she sat down and pondered her fate, thinking of a way to get out, while the others did the same.
After about half an hour you all heard a noise. Desiree and Julian stood up to see a bearded face of a stocky man wearing a fur hat. He looked annoyed. He was a fur trapper and his trap had been ruined. Julian asked, “Sir, our friend has fallen in your trap, care to help her, please?”
The Fur Trapper shouted back at him, “If you expect me to throw a rope down to her, it is going to cost you 3 Gold pieces. Failing that, I will take any magical item you have.” He smirked, knowing he had the upper hand.

Samantha
Skill: 11
Stamina: 11
Luck: 7

Julian
Skill: 9
Stamina: 18

Desiree
Skill: 9 (+1 for attack with helmet)
Stamina: 11
Luck: 11 (+1)

Roxanne

Roxanne looked at the paths but still made a split-second decision to go east. She wasn’t walking east for long before she was led to a large cave entrance. The path doesn’t seem to go any further east. But again, just like that, she went forward. Roxanne stepped into the dark cavern with her sword drawn. The air was cold and moist, but she pressed onward.
She heard loud snoring and as her eyes adjusted to the darkness she saw the large bulk of a Cave Troll asleep in a large stone chair. His skin was brown and wrinkled, and he was wearing animal hides. A wooden club lay on his lap and a large leather bag was hanging on the back of the stone chair.

Roxanne
Skill: 8
Stamina: 7

CrazyCaliope · 13 April 2020 07:35

East

Elsie was first out of the hut, telling them that they should keep going, as she walked down the hill path. Ailbe saw the valley floor stretching out ahead, and beyond that was the sinister wall of trees - Darkwood! On the other side of the trees lay Stonebridge, the journey’s end, if the group can find the head of the hammer. Faye and Ailbe almost slammed into Elsie as she came to an abrupt stop. Aelric was a few metres behind them, taking his time and being observant. They had reached the foot of the hills with many large boulders scattered around on either side of the path. Elsie was amazed, while Aelric drew his blade, as they had noticed one of the larger ones gently rocking from side to side like a leaf in the breeze.
Faye looked at Elsie, “Why did you-”
But Aelric interjected, “Ssh!” He put his free hand to his lips and motioned to the large rock. Elsie communicated with her eyes to Aelric, gesturing that they should split up and move closer. Ailbe nodded. Aelric pointed to Elsie and Ailbe to go round while he and Faye would stay here and go front on. So that’s what they did, each drawing their weapons as they crept over.
As Aelric and Faye approached the boulder slowly, but were surprised to see it suddenly rise up on what appeared to be two stumpy legs. Aelric cursed under his breath. Then two stone arms with club-shaped fists sprung out of its sides.

Boulder Beast’s fighting ability:

Skill: 8
Stamina: 11

Faye stared in disbelief as it lumbered toward them and raised one of its great stone fists. Snapping out of her bewilderment, she watched for a second as Aelric lunged at the beast, connecting his blade with the thing’s arm joints, then she went for the other side. Unfortunately, the beast had good reflexes and was quick to retaliate after Aelric’s attack. Her blades missed, but Faye didn’t. She ran into its boulder/torso and fell onto the ground. Sneaking up quietly from behind, Elsie and Ailbe decided to attack together, they struck the joints where his rocky thighs connected to his boulder. Letting out a grumbling noise, which was probably some kind of painful groan, the beast spun round. Opening its arms wide, it then brought them together just below Elsie and Ailbe’s ears, so that their heads crashed together. The beast then lifted them like that and spun them three hundred and sixty degrees, knocking Faye and Aelric over on the past. Then dropping them to the ground where he had lifted them from. The beast wasn’t the only one who was quick, Aelric was too. He was back on his feet before Elsie and Ailbe hit the ground again, and he stuck his blade into its neck joint, watching the beast crumble.

Aelric looked down at the broken rock pile around his feet. “I wonder how such a beast ever came into being,” he said coolly, and a little proud that he had taken it down.
Getting up from the ground and dusting herself off, Faye replied, “Perhaps from the misused power of an evil elementalist?”
“Maybe it was from that loner who conned us into buying all those items we haven’t used,” Aelric suggested.
Elsie and Ailbe helped each other up, rubbing their heads. “He was a wizard,” Ailbe told him. Annoyed by his ignorance, she rolled her eyes and sighed.
Elsie spoke up loudly, so they could hear her, “You’ll never know. Let’s just keep going.” She returned to the path and headed north down into the valley. Before following the girls, Aelric picked up one of the Beast’s stones, tossed it in the air, then caught and pocketed it.
Arriving at the valley floor, the group found that the path split again; North, East, and West?

Aelric
Skill: 12
Stamina: 17
Luck: 10

Ailbe
Skill: 7
Stamina: 9
Luck: 9

Elsie
Skill: 11
Stamina: 13
Luck: 9

Faye
Skill: 10
Stamina: 15
Luck: 11 (+2 from ring)

Samantha, Julian, and Desiree

“Three gold pieces for rope?!” Sam yelled in outrage from the hole. “No thanks, I’d rather drink my strength potion and climb out of this hole myself to give you a piece of my mind, than give anything to you.”

Fur Trapper’s fighting ability:

Skill: 7
Stamina: 6

Angered by the Fur Trapper’s request, Julian raised his hammer in one hand and swung it at him. It past the trapper, his hammer swinging round to the other side of his body. Julian swung it back again. This time angrier, faster, and higher, trying to aim for his head. Unfortunately, the trapper ducked, swiping with his own wooden mallet. He knocked Julian’s feet out from under him and caused him to land on his backside.
Desiree tentatively held her flail and started swinging the chains in circles in front of her. The whooshing sound started getting louder the faster she spun them. When they were so fast that they had merged into one complete circle, she lunged at the trapper, sending the circle spinning toward his hand. Dropping his mallet to clasp his newly bleeding hand, was enough time for Julian, still on the ground, to hook a foot around the trapper’s ankle. He fell backwards and hit his head on one of the rocks. Now, unconscious.
Desiree dropped her flail, letting it hang at her side, as she walked over to Julian and offered him a hand. “Nicely done.”
Julian took her hand and pushed himself off the ground. “Thanks, Dee, but you should be complimenting yourself, did you see that move you disarmed him with?” Once up he walked over to the passed out trapper and took the rope from over his shoulder.
Desiree only shrugged, trying hard to cover up how embarrassed she felt from his praise.
“Hey, you two, I’m still down here, you know?!”, Sam yelled up to them.
“Okay, I’m coming now,” Julian called back.

When both Julian and Desiree had pulled Sam out of the hole, the started north down the hill again. With Julian leading the way since he felt the least exhausted out of the group. They hadn’t walked for too long before seeing the handle of a sword sticking out from a large rock by the side of the path. They all took a moment and just stared at it, unsure of what to make of it.
Desiree stepped toward it and rubbed her hands together, “Okay, I will take a crack at this if no one else will.” She was still a little unsure, but when neither of them fought her on it, she took hold of the sword handle and placed her foot against the rock. The sword slowly slid out of the rock. It is magnificent and was obviously made by a master craftsman. (+2 skill when using the sword)
Julian’s mouth hung open and Sam snapped at him, “Close your mouth and stop catching flies, Julian.”
He ignored her remark and continued to admire the sword. “That’s a beautiful blade, Dee. Well done.”
“It is,” Desiree agreed. It felt powerful in her hand… And very heavy. “Not sure if I know how to use it.”
“You’ll be fine. Practice makes perfect,” assured Julian. Cutting her new weapon through the air, she made sure her flail was secured to her belt and realised she’d have to carry the heavy blade, as they set off north down the gorge.

Between the hills, the three finally saw the flat green valley floor stretching out ahead and, beyond, a wall of trees - Darkwood forest! Arriving on the valley’s floor; the path ended at a junction. At the junction, Desiree scrunched up her face. “Another junction, another decision.” She sighed. “I don’t even know what to pick. East? Or West? Julian, I choose you and the map, I’ll just go with what you think.”
“The pressure you’ve just put on me,” Julian told her as took off his backpack to look at the map. “I have no idea, I’d say East but just because… I like it? … So if you have a better argument then I’m open to it…”
Sam nodded in agreement. “I like that idea. We might bump into the others.”
Taking a minute to think about it, Desiree finally nodded. “I like the thought of reuniting with the others.” She was only thinking of reuniting with one in particular.
Heading east and walking along the green valley floor, brought them to another junction in the path; North or East?

Samantha
Skill: 11
Stamina: 11
Luck: 7

Julian
Skill: 9
Stamina: 15

Desiree
Skill: 9 (+1 for attack with helmet) (+2 skill when using the sword)
Stamina: 11
Luck: 10 (+1)

Roxanne

Roxanne crept around the large stone chair with the sleeping cave troll in it and reached for the leather bag, carefully lifting it off the back of the chair. Her curiosity had got the better of her again. Luckily, she lifted the leather bag off the back of the stone chair and tiptoed out of the cave. Outside she stopped to examine the contents of the bag, finding 5 Gold Pieces and a small brass bell. Roxanne stuffed them in her backpack and returned to the junction to take the northern path this time.
Roxanne grew a little tired in the heat as she walked downhill. Eventually, the path levelled out and she found herself on the valley floor, looking at the path continue north but another split off and go west. She took the western path.
Walking west along the tranquil valley floor, she arrived at another junction. She saw that one way headed south, back into the hills, and she decided to dismiss that path. Again, Roxanne made the quick decision to continue heading west. To the right of the path, she saw a stone well with a bucket and turning handle.

Roxanne
Skill: 8
Stamina: 7
Luck: 9

CrazyCaliope · 13 April 2020 07:45

East

Faye glanced down every path, before turning to the others and saying, “I’m thinking we should continue to head North. What do you guys think?”
Elsie didn’t feel too confident in countering Faye’s statement but knew she should speak up. “I was thinking we could try heading east. I’m not actually sure why, but I’m just thinking east.” Then she quickly added, as not to get on Faye’s bad side, “Although, I’m good with a different direction instead. Maybe north.”
Ailbe agreed after taking a moment to think. “I’m thinking east as well.”
Without adding to the conversation, Aelric simply started heading east, then turned to wait for them to take the lead from him. “Let’s just all agree to head east.”
Elsie was leading them along the quiet valley floor when the path came to an end at a junction. The way south headed back into the hills so they all decided north was the better option. The valley floor was green and pleasant and Ailbe thought about how tranquil this place should be, yet home to so many loathsome creatures. Continuing to follow the path, Aelric saw in the distance the portly shape of a balding man dressed in long brown robes head this way. As he got closer, Aelric saw he was a friar. Taking the lead, he walked closer to the friar and the others followed. The friar is very nervous and jittery at seeing the four of them.
He shuffled from side to side as Aelric started to speak, “Why are you so distraught, sir?” Aelric may not seem like the type, but he still used common courtesies on those who didn’t attack him.
“Well, young man, my sacred bell has been stolen. I am looking for anyone who knows of its whereabouts,” The friar told him. “As payment for its return, I am willing to offer a magic healing potion. Do you have the brass bell?”
“No, sorry, we don’t,” Elsie interrupted, answering the friar.
Then so did Ailbe. “But if we find it, we’ll look for you.”
The poor old friar frowned and then asked, “Do you a gold piece you could give me for a good cause?”
Unfortunately, Aelric’s formalities never lasted long. “We already offered to help you find your bell, beggar, don’t try to con us out of money as well. Why don’t you just defecate where you stand?!” With that, he stormed off along the northern path ahead of them.
The friar shook his head and said as he shrugged his shoulders, “There doesn’t seem to be any charity in the world any more.”
Faye rolled her eyes at the scene that Aelric had caused. “You must excuse his rudeness, Friar, he wasn’t loved as a child.”
Elsie reached into her pack and pulled out a Gold Piece. The friar smiled and told them, “Bless you.” He bowed and set off south, whistling as he went. (+1 Luck each) The three ran to catch up to Aelric. Finally catching up to him, they all saw in the distance the dark brown wall of trees looming upon them. The path led directly there and soon started to twist and turn between tangled roots and bushes. After many hurdles and stumbles, the path eventually split.

Aelric
Skill: 12
Stamina: 17
Luck: 10

Ailbe
Skill: 7
Stamina: 9
Luck: 10

Elsie
Skill: 11
Stamina: 13
Luck: 10

Faye
Skill: 10
Stamina: 15
Luck: 12 (+2 from ring)

Samantha, Julian, and Desiree

Reaching the next junction, Julian looked in both directions. “Okay, this time, I have to say that I think it’s way better to keep on going east. We may reunite with the others, don’t you think?”
“Words of a Wiseman.” Then Sam quickly snapped, “Enjoy that compliment, because I don’t give out many, but don’t go getting an even bigger head either.”
Before Julian could argue back, Desiree jumped in between them. “East it is then” She continued to walk along the valley floor, and the other two followed, passing a junction in the path which led south into the hills. Soon the group arrived at another junction, and again, one of the branches led south, but the other two lead north and east.
Desiree turned to the other two, “I say that we head North now, just so it feels like we’re heading back in the direction we were supposed to be heading.”
Sam was looking down both paths, actually thinking about which way to go. “I don’t know, I’m kind of curious about the eastern path.”
“Umm…” Julian raised his eyebrows toward Sam. “I say north as well. We should continue advancing, as Dee said, but if you guys want to try to meet up with the others then we can continue East.”
Sam replied quickly, “I still want to meet with others, but maybe even more, I want to explore the western path. I don’t think I’m ready to go further without the other part of the war hammer. If you guys want to continue North, I understand.”
“I’m still going north,” Desiree stately matter-of-factly. “Good luck to you on your western journey, Sam. Hope all goes well.” She felt guilty that she had been a little harsh, she hadn’t meant to be.
Sam was hesitant. “…Alright, I’ll stay with you guys, north it is. I don’t want to be alone, so let’s go north.”
Julian smiled. “Yes, north, let’s go.”
They all headed along the northern path and it wasn’t long before trouble came… Although it was a bright sunny day, a tiny grey cloud appeared in the sky, moving toward the three of you. As it approached, Desiree panicked as she saw it was moving very quickly. Finally, it hovered above Julian some five metres off the ground. Suddenly a bolt of lightning shot out of the cloud, hitting him in the shoulder. (-3 Stamina.) What happened next was all simultaneous. Desiree screamed, Julian collapsed but Sam’s quick reflexes caught him from falling to the ground, and the cloud shot off to the west at high speed.
“Jul-” Sam started but was cut off by Julian.
“I’m fine. Let’s just keep going,” he snapped, pulling himself out of Sam’s grip and carefully stood back up.
“But your shoul-” Desiree stated worriedly.
“It’s fine, okay?!”, he grumbled, setting off north again. The girls exchanged glances before following along behind. All the way to another junction in the path.

Samantha
Skill: 11
Stamina: 11
Luck: 7

Julian
Skill: 9
Stamina: 15

Desiree
Skill: 9 (+1 for attack with helmet) (+2 skill when using the sword)
Stamina: 11
Luck: 10 (+1)

Roxanne

Walking over to the well, Roxanne saw a ladder that ran down the inside to the water below. However, as she looked down there, there appeared to be a tunnel just above the surface of the water, running north. It looked to be circular with a diameter of about one metre. I wonder what is down there, she thought. Maybe, part of the hammer…
Climbing down the ladder, she does not notice a rung was missing. Roxanne slipped and lost her footing. Luckily, she managed to hold onto the ladder with her hands and carefully made her way down. At the bottom of the ladder, she was surprised to see that the tunnel ran quite a distance north. Getting down on her hands and knees, Roxanne began crawling through the tunnel. The tunnel headed north rather than west, unlike the way she were originally going. She was also surprised to see that it was lit by torches at regular intervals along its length. So she kept crawling along the well-lit tunnel until she got to a junction. Slightly unsure this time, she hesitated before turning East. The tunnel ended at a cave entrance. A curtain hung over the entrance and she was unable to see inside.

Roxanne
Skill: 8
Stamina: 7
Luck: 8

CrazyCaliope · 13 April 2020 07:51

East

Elsie turned her head in both directions before turning back to the west. “I think heading west is best, but north would be fine if that’s what everyone else wants.”
“No, we should head west,” Aelric affirmed as if to say that was their decision. Both Faye and Ailbe agreed, deciding it wasn’t the best idea to argue with him. The walk west was arduous and uneventful. Passing two branches off the path leading south, which they ignored and then eventually arrived at another junction, only to continue north again. Then, finally, something. Amidst the trees was a small stone building covered in ivy and moss. This time Ailbe joined Aelric to examine the hut, followed by Elsie. Faye, however, decided to stay back, to keep watch. The building measured only three metres by three metres and had no windows. The door was made of stone and very solid, with no handle. Then Elsie noticed a tiny keyhole in the stone door.
“Can you find a way in?”, Faye called to them.
“Ssh,” whispered Elsie, with her finger to her lips.
Aelric came to look at the door. “Oh, curses, we need a key. Well, time to continue, I’m not in the mood to break my arm on a door today.”
Faye looked at Elsie and Ailbe and asked, “Does anyone want to have a go at it?”
Aelric was starting to rethink and about change his mind, but Elsie and Ailbe exchanged glances. “A thick stone door might open if we both tried together?”, Ailbe suggested.
“Maybe.” Elsie partially agreed but decided to try nevertheless. They stepped back together and then both charged the door. The plan worked and the door flew open. Elsie and Ailbe fell forward, into the hut, as it did.
Watching the two fall inside, Faye asked rhetorically, “Shall we go in then?”
Aelric let out a little laugh then stifled it as quick as he could. Heaven forbid that they start thinking he was congenial. Straight-faced, he nodded to Faye and followed her inside the building.
Inside they saw stone stairs leading down from the door into gloomy depths. Not able to see a thing, they descended the stairs. They felt their way down, the wall cold and rough to their touch, but slowly their eyes become accustomed to the dark. They began to make out shapes at the bottom.
Now standing in a small square room with a low ceiling. The floor was thick with dust and there were cobwebs everywhere. ln the middle of the room, there was what appeared to be a large stone box, it measured approximately two metres by one metre. The top of it was a great stone slab. Along one of the rough stone walls, there was a small alcove with a candle in it. Before they could do anything else, they needed to be able to see more clearly.

Aelric
Skill: 12
Stamina: 17
Luck: 10

Ailbe
Skill: 7
Stamina: 9
Luck: 10

Elsie
Skill: 11
Stamina: 13
Luck: 10

Faye
Skill: 10
Stamina: 15
Luck: 12 (+2 from ring)

Samantha, Julian, and Desiree

Sam looked at Julian before suggesting, “I think north is the way, mainly because I don’t want to go where that cloud went.”
Desiree watched as Julian grimaced. “I say North as well,” she agreed.
Julian, still a little grumpy, muttered, “North is perfect.” Then headed north, as if that were the final decision. Stupid lightning cloud, he thought. Across the green valley, they headed, seeing a wall of green. Darkwood forest, part two, his mind groaned.
The path led straight into the thick undergrowth and they were soon walking between tall, dark trees and thorny bushes. It was dark and quiet, then the path abruptly ended in a junction. Unanimously, they decided to head east and continued that way before the path turned northward again. Ahead they heard the thumping of heavy footsteps and the noise of breaking branches. It sounded as though some huge creature was coming down the path toward them.
“I’d like to hide now,” Desiree muttered to herself, but loud enough for the other two hear, her face reflected both shock and fear. Sam gripped Dee’s wrist and yanked her into the bushes. “Ouch! That really-” Dee started to say, but Julian jumped into the undergrowth behind them and covered her mouth with his hand. Peering out from behind the leaves, they saw the massive legs of some gigantic man stomp past them along the path. As soon as he was gone, Dee pushed them off her and stood up, dusting herself off. “A little warning would have been nice,” she told them stroppily before heading north again, ahead of them.
Sam rolled her eyes. “What? Not even a thank you?”
Julian shook his head. “No one is taught manners anymore.”
They both catch up to Dee as the path began to twist and turn, and then made a sudden sharp turn to the west. Following the new course, Julian was aware of squawking in the trees. Then Sam heard the flapping of wings and looked up to see three large birds aiming themselves down at each of you. Their beaks and talons looked razor-sharp. The three of you only have a second to defend yourself against the Deathhawks.

Samantha
Skill: 11
Stamina: 11
Luck: 7

Julian
Skill: 9
Stamina: 12

Desiree
Skill: 9 (+1 for attack with helmet) (+2 skill when using the sword)
Stamina: 11
Luck: 10 (+1)

Roxanne

Roxanne reached her hand out, and on pulling back the curtain, she saw a tiny, green-skinned creature with a large head. He had a long nose and pointed ears and his clothes are made of sacking. A large medallion hung from his neck on a silver chain. The creature was sitting at a table examining a red clay figurine of a human hand. On seeing her enter the tiny hollow-like cave, he grabbed his hammer and smashed the clay hand. He was a Gremlin chief and jumped to his feet to face her with his hammer. She knew she must fight.

Gremlin chief’s fighting ability:

Skill: 5
Stamina: 5

The Gremlin lunged at her, but Roxanne was quick to withdraw her sword and thrust it into him. The problem was that there were many factors playing against her. From the small room and lack of space for her to move to the creature’s agileness. This caused her strain and took a lot more concentration and energy than she had. Meaning that the creature had the upper-hand and took advantage of it, bring his hammer down on her leg. The pain was severe. She let out an agonising scream as her vision blurred and her body temperature lowered. Seeing movement out of the corner of her eye, she had a final attempt to get the creature. Fortunately, she was able to skewer him with her sword. Unfortunately, she had used the last of her energy.
Roxanne collapsed to the floor; heart slowing and breath growing faint. Yet, her wide, glassy eyes reflected pride that she had bested one last creature.

Roxanne
Skill: 8
Stamina: 0
Luck: 8

CrazyCaliope · 13 April 2020 07:56

East

Aelric looked over at the alcove, seeing the candle. He gestured to it and said, “I’m going to light that if I can.” He looked at the girls’ faces and thought he could make out them all nodding in agreement but it was pretty dingy in the room. He walked over and spotted a lone match next to it. Picking up the match, he struck it on the wall, igniting the match and lit the wick.
The light from the candle cast eerie shadows around the room. In the yellow light, the girls can see the face of an old man was carved into the stone slab top of the central box. Aelric moved closer with the candle and Ailbe breaks the silence, “This slab looks like it could be moved.”
“Maybe if we all take a corner to push it,” Aelric suggested. “Though it’s going to be difficult holding this damned candle as well.”
Faye snorted at him, but she and Elsie each took the opposite corners to Ailbe and Aelric. They pushed while the others pulled. They exerted almost all of there strength to no avail. In the end, Faye grabbed the candle from Aelric and threw it into the corner. Then they left the underground hut and continued north.
The path pressed northwards through the dense trees. Then it made a sudden turn to the right and headed east. The path is so overgrown in places that Faye had to take the lead from Elsie to slice through it. The walk east was long and tiring. When they reached the next junction, Elsie consulted Bigleg’s map and made the executive decision to head north again toward Stonebridge, ignoring the narrow path continuing east. This path soon opened up into a small clearing. To Ailbe’s right, she saw a pile of branches and grass, it was some kind of lair of some large creature. Aelric’s attention was drawn to something else. No, not something, someone else.

Aelric
Skill: 12
Stamina: 17
Luck: 10

Ailbe
Skill: 7
Stamina: 9
Luck: 10

Elsie
Skill: 11
Stamina: 13
Luck: 10

Faye
Skill: 10
Stamina: 15
Luck: 12 (+2 from ring)

Samantha, Julian, and Desiree

The first Deathhawk dived down at Sam as she quickly bent over to fill her hand with dirt. She flung the dirt at the creature, temporarily disorientating it. So that it only got caught up in her hair as it swooped round as she ran west, following Dee. The second Deathhawk had tried to grip Desiree’s arm causing her to shriek and run west, but lucky it only left scratches. The third Deathhawk and Julian. It dived and Julian swung his hammer, but unfortunately, they both were able to cause minor damage, before Julian was able to chase after the other two.
The three were so worried that the Deathhawks were following them that they just ran past the junction with the path that continued west, and all turned north without thinking twice. As they start to slow down, tired and out of breath, the path soon opened up into a small clearing. To Sam’s right, they saw a pile of branches, grass, and pieces of rag, the lair of some large creature. Amongst the debris and old bones scattered about she caught sight of something glittering.
“I want to know what that is,” Desiree told them, taking a few steps toward it.
Both Sam and Julian’s eyes sparkled and followed Dee, only to pass her. They turned around to look at her, not hearing what she had heard from closeby. “What’s wron-” Julian started to ask but stopped as they followed her eye’s direction. Desiree’s lips parted slightly as she grinned. Her excitement slightly hid her flushing cheeks as she saw who had just arrived.

Samantha
Skill: 11
Stamina: 9
Luck: 7

Julian
Skill: 9
Stamina: 10

Desiree
Skill: 9 (+1 for attack with helmet) (+2 skill when using the sword)
Stamina: 9
Luck: 10 (+1)

CrazyCaliope · 13 April 2020 08:00

The Group

Desiree was so happy that she took a step forward, wanting to give them all a hug. Then looking around, seeing no one react, she quickly stepped back again. Though, just as Dee stepped back, Sam drew a wide grin on her face before letting out a small, yet startling scream. The scream made Elsie jump, but then be filled with excitement as she saw who the scream came from. Beside her, the other three were cautious and unsure if this was merely some kind of trick, as was Julian. Feeling confident that it was only his fellow adventurers and not a trap, Julian smiled. “Where the f*ck have you four been?”, he asked.
Elsie’s smile faltered as she focused on Julian, but only ever so slightly. “Language.” She paused, allowing worry to wash over her face. “Where is Roxanne?”
Ailbe was still a little cautious and watching the three of them closely. She saw Dee’s head go down, staring at her boots. Faye saw it too, but she decided to speak up. “Dee, what happened?”
Jolting her head back up to look at Faye and the girls, avoiding his eyes altogether. She just couldn’t look at him. “I don’t know… I haven’t seen her since yesterday, not more than a few hours after seeing the four of you, we all split up.” A tear ran down her cheek and Julian comforted her, gently patting her lower back. Everyone else remained quiet. “I should have stayed with her, we should have stayed together. Then at least-”
She fell silent, but there wasn’t silence for long before Aelric piped up, “Now that we have a bigger group, we have a lower chance of losing more skilled fighters… especially with me around.” He muttered the last bit to himself. Though this was still him being sympathetic; his way of acknowledging a fallen hero.

After a moment of more silence, Sam turned on her heel, heading back to check out the glittering object nearer the lair. BUT suddenly the group were aware of a dark shadow being cast all around them. Hearing a loud roar above, they looked up to see a dragon-like creature with two legs and green scaly skin flying down to its lair. A bolt of fire shot from its mouth and panned across the group. Aelric and Ailbe instantly dive to the ground to their right to avoid the flame and Elsie and Faye to their left. Julian pulled the slightly emotional Dee to the ground in front of them, while Faye flung herself backwards.

Aelric
Skill: 12
Stamina: 17
Luck: 9

Ailbe
Skill: 7
Stamina: 9
Luck: 9

Elsie
Skill: 11
Stamina: 13
Luck: 9

Faye
Skill: 10
Stamina: 15
Luck: 11 (+2 from ring)

Samantha
Skill: 11
Stamina: 9
Luck: 6

Julian
Skill: 9
Stamina: 9

Desiree
Skill: 9 (+1 for attack with helmet) (+2 skill when using the sword)
Stamina: 9
Luck: 9 (+1)

CrazyCaliope · 13 April 2020 08:08

The Group

The creature that landed in front of them was a Wyvern. It looked at them and opened its mouth to let out another burning roar. It was about ten metres long and had thick scales that looked hard to penetrate with a weapon.

Wyvern’s fighting ability:

Skill: 10
Stamina: 11

Ailbe noticed Faye drawing her blades and running to the dragon’s side, so she decided to play as a distraction, attacking the other side. Unfortunately, the reverse happened. The Wyvern’s long tail swished from side to side and smoke curled up from its nostrils. Faye was flung away, landing on her back a fair distance away. Ailbe went in for the attack, thrusting her longsword underneath the scales on its neck. Sam stood up where she was and notched her arrow, but before she could release it, the creature opened its mouth. She dived to the ground to avoid getting burnt to a crisp. Elsie looked around, checking that everyone was okay. Noticing Aelric was heading for the same place Ailbe had attacked just moments before, she joined him. Unfortunately, the Wyvern was aware this time and flicked its tail, causing them to soar backwards.
Aelric immediately stood, giving her a filthy look. “Damn it, Elsie, think. Do you want to die? What you just did makes me think you do? Don’t attack the same place that someone else is!” Elsie felt like a scolded child, reminding her of her childhood. She looked down, hiding her eyes that were filling with tears, and nodded to say she understood.
Julian whispered to an upset Desiree, “Stay down” before rising and running toward the Wyvern. He barely heard her thank him as he threw his hammer at its head while it opened its mouth. He leapt as high as he could, yet the heat still seared the bottom of his boots slightly, and then his hammer fell on his head, causing him to drop to the ground.
Seeing how all of her friends were at a major disadvantage, she got to her feet and wiped her eyes, despite what Julian had said. Removing her flail from her belt, she started twirling it and running. Running underneath the creature, whacking it with all her might. Seeing Dee become a little force of nature, Sam aimed her notched arrow and dodged the flames, and paid no attention to its tail.
An angry Aelric did notice how upset Elsie was and his heart melted a little. “C’mon, get up, you go that way and I’ll go this way,” he directed.
Elsie wiped her eyes and nodded again. “Okay.” She held her sword and did as she was told, and then they both took off.
Unfortunately for Aelric, there were two things he didn’t notice. One, was that Ailbe was already over in the area he was heading, and two was the creature’s tail. With another swish, the three of them; Aelric, Ailbe, and Elsie, were swept to the side, landing painfully.
“Nice one, Aelric,” Ailbe growled from her back. He was about to yell back at her when there was an almighty roar. Desiree had just pulled out her beautiful new sword and thrust it into its underbelly, while Julian had run up its backbone and was thumping its head with his hammer. The Wyvern collapsed, luckily with both Julian and Desiree jumping off and running out from under it before it did.

After 10 minutes, when everyone had caught their breath, dealt with the majority of their aches and pains, and hid the rest of them. They regrouped. Desiree stepped slightly forward in their little cluster, holding out a gauntlet and ring in each hand. “I found these near the lair. I think we should take them, they could come in handy, you never know.”
“The ring is mine,” Aelric announced quickly, reaching out to claim it.
Desiree closed her hand tightly around the ring and opened her mouth to speak. She closed it sharply when Julian interrupted her, “I’m not sure if we should take either, they could be poisoned or cursed. Do you really want to risk it?”
Faye laughed. “This is our life, Julian. Without risk, where’s the fun?”
Julian shook his head and stepped back, allowing them to argue over the items, feeling a little defeated. Elsie looked at Desiree’s closed hand and then at the group to say, “Since I’ve been leading the group, I think I should take the ring.”
“Leading? You’ve barely helped. On that logic, Faye should have the ring,” Aelric retorted.
Faye shrugged. “Well, I did clear our path a lot of the time. How about it, Desiree?”
Desiree seemed unsure and Aelric noticed. He told her, “After all the quests and battles we’ve been through, I think we all know who deserves the ring most, don’t we, Dee?” She looked between the three, they were all worthy of the ring, but why did she have to make the decision. “Please?”, he added with a wink. She bit her lip and opened her hand for him to take it. He did and slipped it on his middle finger when he was suddenly gripped with agonising pain. He fell to his knees, groaning from the pain. Elsie, Desiree, and Julian ran forward to help but there wasn’t anything they could do.
Eventually, the pain subsided and he was able to take off the ring and throw it far away from him. It was the cursed ring of slowness (-2 Skill). While they were fussing over Aelric, Sam looked at the gauntlet in Dee’s hand, pondering. “Someone should probably try that one too, they can’t both be bad luck, right?” They all looked between each other, all silently saying ‘not it’. “Dee, pass it here?”, Sam said. “I’ll give it a go.”
“Are you sure?”, Faye asked.
“What’s fun without risk, right?” Sam took the gauntlet and slipped it on, then took hold of the dagger she kept on her thigh. Slicing the air with it, she felt unusually skilled. She was wearing the Gauntlet of Weapon Skill (+1 Skill).
“Damn it!”, Aelric groaned as he watched her.

Aelric
Skill: 12 (-2)
Stamina: 12
Luck: 9

Ailbe
Skill: 7
Stamina: 9
Luck: 9

Elsie
Skill: 11
Stamina: 9
Luck: 9

Faye
Skill: 10 (+1 skill)
Stamina: 12
Luck: 11 (+2 from ring)

Samantha
Skill: 11
Stamina: 7
Luck: 6

Julian
Skill: 9
Stamina: 6

Desiree
Skill: 9 (+1 for attack with helmet) (+2 skill when using the sword)
Stamina: 9
Luck: 9 (+1)