Session 10: Bandits and Bards

General Summary

The group got to know their hitchhiker a little better. The gnome introduced himself as Faldan Stormpitch, a journeyman bard. Surprisingly, for a bard, Faldan seemed to be rather humble about his ability, admitting he was relatively new to the profession. He appeared envious that the group had fought alongside the famous Sylkas Greythorn during the Day of Plenty attack. That attack was the reason Faldan was heading to Westfield, he had been on the road to Ullford when it happened and upon hearing word of the attack, realised it was not the time to play for tips in that town.
Faldan also appeared genuinely interested to hear about the group's adventures to date. However, it was not long before he got to witness their abilities first hand as upon the morning that followed, Soldunn managed to foil an ambush of Woodland Raiders on their campsite. Hink, the Silent Shadows gnome had warned the party before they set of that Baryn (the leader of the Woodland Raiders, whom the group had fought when retrieving the dancing fire) had issued a dead or alive status on the group, with monetary reward. Whilst Hink said he could re-direct Baryn himself, he was only one gnome and the group would have to keep an eye out for random bands of Raiders. This was one such band.
Due to Soldunn taking up a position well in advance of the rest of the party, he acted as a shield for the majority of the fight. The Raiders' leader seemed particularly intent on squaring off directly with the dwarf. Soldunn's wayward attacks of previous fights seemed a distant memory as he dealt blow after blow on his own assailants. Other flanking individuals were similarly reasonably easily dispatched by the other members. The last one stand tried to escape but the poor fellow was blinded, then stunned, and then killed.
The rest of the day passed without incident, thankfully, and the group reached Westfield in the evening of the third day's travel. Faldan thanked the group for the lift, and for the story material and parted ways once within the walls of the main tavern in Westfield - The Wooden Harp and began providing the music for the tavern for the evening. The party, meanwhile, acquired board at the tavern and for their cart for three nights from the innkeeper. The innkeeper was a portly, balding, jovial Halfling by the name of Jonad. Looking closely at the bar, one could see that the floor behind it was raised a few feet so that Jonad's height would be level with his patrons.
The party enquired into the mysterious goings on that they had been sent to investigate. Jonad informed them that word was that livestock had been going missing lately from the Northern Farmsteads, but that was about the limit of the information at hand. The rest of the tavern's patrons provided nothing more than confirmation of that.
Thus, the group settled in for the night, glad that the initial journey was over and ready to investigate come the morning.

Report Date

27 Nov 2018