[GAME] The Long Journey Begins

Mid-morning, and the snow once again fell softly around them as the two adventurers made their way back to Weddenvale for their supplies. The five day hike ahead of them to Lord Blenheims' palace had caught them under-prepared, and they needed to stock up. Garf made his way to the blacksmith, but found little to help out there, finding instead that the leatherworker had a good supply of tents and bags for the journey. Lafayette tried unsuccessfully to hire a known felon from the prison, the guards naturally not wishing to release criminals back into the general populace. The guard pointed him to the Merchant Adventurers Hall, where Lafayette found two people lounging outside looking for work. Lafayette walked straight up to the larger of the two and punched him squarely on the nose. In a flash, the man had pulled his sword and levelled it directly at Lafayette's throat. "You're hired", was all the ranger said. Brad, for 'twas his name, looked blankly for a moment, then laughed uproariously and clapped Lafayette firmly on the shoulder. "I like your style!", was all he said, and the companions had added a third to their number. Lafayette unceremoniously then punched the other man in the face, who fell in a crumpled heap to the floor. Unsurprisingly, that fellow received no job that day.

Garf, Lafayette and Brad then convened at Bartholemews house and checked in with the old Dwarf that the armour of Arthur was still stowed away safely in his basement. Bartholemew confirmed that it was, and offered the adventurers lunch before they set off. All readily agreed and ate their fill, then with the Dwarf waving at the door, they began their five day trek.

As they passed out of town, they couldn't help feeling a certain atmosphere to Weddenvale that had not been there before. Neither of them chose to question a local about it though, so they passed unawares out into the surrounding countryside. As the afternoon wore on, the snow began to fall thicker covering their tracks on the road nicely, although all three companions shifted uneasily in their seats as the sound of wolves in the countryside nearby continued to reach their ears periodically. Presently, conversation turned to religious matters and Garf was stunned to discover that they had in common a mutual friend in Abbot Kempo of Waterdeep. It turned out that Lafayette had fought at the Abbott's side in the Siege of Waterdeep and Garf had enjoyed some tutelage at the monastery from the aging cleric. A common friend strengthened the blossoming friendship between the two unlikely companions, and as the afternoon wore on they discovered that they had more in common than at first thought. Brad travelled several metres back covering the rear of the party, and despite his insistences as the afternoon wore on and the sun started to set, no camp was set for the night until well after darkfall.

Despite the freezing cold and the pitch darkness, the camp was set for the night and the fire soon roaring with their evening meal cooking. After some quiet dinner conversation, Brad offered to take the first watch, and settled down some yards from the camp (within the confines of Lafayette's hastily erected defenses) to take his turn. After four uneventful hours, and with the fire now well and truly dying, he awoke Lafayette to take his watch. Lafayette refused to get up, and instead told Brad to go kick the cleric, a duty to which he duly obliged. As Garf took his watch, his keen senses heard a rustling on the outskirts of the camp. Coming alert and hefting his mace, he quietly woke the others again, and all three took up arms against the night. Within moments, a bell rang on the camp perimeter and all three spun to see two cold blue eyes staring back at them through the darkness. The fire lay dying as the creature made its attack, leaping at Lafayette! The ranger grappled the creature, and started a vicious fight with it. Garf swung his crossbow around and quickly loaded a bolt - his aim was wild and he narrowly avoided striking his companion Without warning, something large suddenly struck Garf in the back, sending him crashing to the ground, and within an instant the animal was almost upon him. Desperate, Garf cried out to Kord, and his deity duly obliged as a deafening burst stunned the creatures attacking them. As their eyes became accustomed it was obvious they were under attack from two winter wolves. "If only we'd kept the fire going!", muttered Garf as the two wolves tried to shake the deafening burst from their heads.

Suddenly, one of the wolves opened his mouth wide and breathed cold all over Garf, who knew a magical touch when he felt it. Freezing and stunned, he was helpless when the wolf sunk it's giant fangs into him. The creature could not get a good purchase through Garf's armour and was presently wrestled from his prey by Brad who was enraged and hacking and slashing with his battleaxe as hard as he could in the direction of the deadly creature. Lafayette finished off the wolf he was wrestling and threw his tomahawk at the wolf, burying the hatchet in the animals shoulder. Dazed, and moving poorly the wolf leapt at Lafayette, leaving Garf (now unconscious) to his fate. Between them, Brad and Lafayette subdued and killed the second creature, then breathing heavily set about patching up Garf's wounds. Though unconscious, Garf was saved from an almost certain death by the moderate healing skill administered by Lafayette.

All three companions, plus Lafayette's dog, laid back on the ground breathing heavily, and looked up at the dark snow laden skies. They had been lucky to escape, even considering Garf's injuries. A little voice somewhere in the back of Lafayette's mind suggested he make a mental note to ensure the fire is kept stoked at all times during the night in future...

[GAME] A narrow escape, and an angry dwarf

The sound of steel on bone still ringing in their ears, the two adventurers considered their next move. Though the skittering, cracking noises from across the blackened courtyard were no longer audible, tension hung in the air like a millstone. Both men breathed heavily as they tried to silently pick there way through years of decay and rubble back out the way they had entered the castle. More than once Garf looked back over his shoulder thinking he heard something, but Lafayette just looked resolutely forward trying to pick out the half broken wall over which they had climbed, and which would now become their means of escape.

After several minutes of searching, they located their route and clambered over into the adjoining gardens as quietly as they could. The gloom seemed to lift somewhat as they made their way through the foliage back towards the town. On occasion, Lafayette considered heading back up the sewer they had come out of with Leah the previous night, but thought twice. They were in no state to be caught unawares by the evil Cleric's nefarious minions twice in one night. On the way they summarised all they had learned since arriving in Weddenvale, taking stock of the situation. The, now obviously evil, Cleric that had usurped Garf's job. Lafayette's plan to retrieve the armour of Arhtur, First Lord of Weddenvale, that he now carried on his back. The mysterious and sudden disappearance of Leah, their newest travelling companion. Lafayette thought back mournfully to his old hound, Rover, that had been killed by the town guards back at the docks on his first night in Alesia.

The lights of Weddenvale drew them home. Lafayette snorted. Home, right. He had had nowhere to call his own home for so many years he could not remember. With a sidelong glance he appraised his unlikely travelling partner, as the cleric Garf hefted the weight of his mace from one shoulder to the other. Not a bad man to have around in a fight, thought Lafayette quietly to himself - despite an inauspicious beginning on the beach. Before long they arrived at the gates of Weddenvale, but were met with resistance when trying to enter. "We don't lets no-one in this time o'night, now be on yer way!", came the gaurds reply to Garf's request to enter. Curiously, after a couple of flicks of his fingers, the guard was in the next moment opening the door and letting them in. Hmm, thought Lafayette, definitely not a bad guy to keep around.

They two hunted for somewhere to sleep the night for some time, but all boarding houses and taverns had been closed up against the biting cold for the night. Suddenly Garf had a wave in his brain. "Bartholemew!", he uttered. Lafayette looked at him quizically, offering him a chance to explain. "He's a dwarf that lives nearby. Put me up the other night, decent sort. My nostrils are icing over here, we need to get out of this cold". Lafayette hesitated, not wishing to entrust himself into the house of some dwarf he didn't know. Eventually he was persuaded and the two of them trudged off to Bartholemews house through the ever growing snowstorm around them

They knocked several times, but still there was no answer. Eventually Lafayette lost patience and stoved the door in with his mace. Stepping over the now disintegrated doorframe his face connected squarely with the stout fist of a rather angry dwarf. "Get ye oot a ma hoose ye theif!" shouted Bartholemew as he raised his fist to pummel Lafayette some more. "Bart! Bart! Its me, Garf!", shouted Garf as Bartholemew tonked Lafayette another plumper on the side of the temple. Eventually Bartholemew came to his senses and recognised the young cleric from a few nights back. "Ye could have jist knocked, laddie!" He said as his face spread into a grin. Together they took some food and ale, before Lafayette hit upon the bright idea of hiding Arthur's armour in the basement of Bartholemew's house. The dwarf was reluctant at first, but Lafayette managed to sway him with the promise that they could go beat up Elves together when this was all over. Bartholemew laughed as he took the armour, but then the sound stuck in his throat. He regarded the pieces he was holding suddenly with a look of almost religious significance on his face. "Mithril laddie! This is made of mithril!", both Lafayette and Garf looked stunned at the armour, as realisation dawned on Bartholemew's face as to where the fine armour had come from. After more persuasion by Lafayette, Bartholemew reluctantly stowed the armour away safely.

The next morning Bartholemew bid the two adventurers farewell as they set out in search of horses in town. The purchase was easy, and soon they were on their way towards the house of the missing Patriarch of Weddenvale. They hadn't gone an hours journey when Lafayette suddenly turned to Garf. "I need to buy a dog", he said. Garf just looked at him. "A dog? Don't you think we have more pressing concerns? Like finding this official, stopping the dastardly villain, and finding out what happened at the silver mines?". Lafayette shook his head. "I miss my dog, and need another. I am not taking one more step forward until I have one". Garf sighed, and they adventurers turned to head back to town, in search of canine company.