Chapter 14

Walking westward, Bilwin and Blauer Mond have been traveling together for a few days, not necessarily out of friendship, rather, out of convenience. They happen to be headed the same direction and there’s safety in numbers when traveling the Ha-derech, as so many travelers find themselves doing in these times of uncertainty. The two couldn’t be much more different, at least to the average passerby.

Bilwin, is a garishly dressed male dwarf, carrying a hurdy-gurdy across his back, and a mouth that doesn’t seem to ever stop making sounds. Meanwhile, Mond is a male half-elf, wearing non-descript traveling clothes and a light crossbow slung over his shoulder. Mond seems to be ignoring Bilwin’s constant prattling, until it stops and the sudden silence reveals the sound of battle coming from the village up ahead. Apparently, Bilwin—self-titled “the Magnificent,” as he likes to remind everyone—is much more aware of his surroundings than his constant chatter belies.

“Hold a minute, my hushed half-elven friend. Do you hear that? The sounds of battle are faint, but coming from that village we near. Dare we continue our approach?” With a nod of his head and a step forward, Mond gives his answer. “So we shall, my brave companion. So we shall! Tales will be sung yet this night, indeed.”

As the two travelers enter the edge of the village, they hear a large roar, followed shortly by an undecipherable battle cry, and then silence. A few people begin emerging from a store on the south side of the Ha-derech with a large sign identifying it as Bargain Ben’s. They begin whispering “is it over?”, “are they gone now?”, “is it safe?”, and “do you think they’re still alive?” One of the villagers walks over to the local pub, apparently called the Buzzin Bee, opens the front door and softly says “Hello? Anyone still alive in here who ain’t a goblin?” Bonnie pushes past the villager, through the Buzzin Bee’s front door, and out into the street. “The goblins have been turned away! Drinks are on me! Only one per customer though, so don’t be gettin yer hopes up to high, ya no-good’ers!” Trill pokes her head out the door, behind her older sister, “and I get to stay up late!”

Bilwin and Mond follow the crowd into the Buzzin Bee, curious to hear more about what happened here this evening. Bonnie hands an ale to three characters at the bar who have obviously been in the midst of the fighting: a large female half-orc covered in blood, a male tiefling who even while exhausted keeps tabs on everyone in the crowd, and a slender female half-elf with a longbow leaning against the bar next to her. Bilwin pipes up, “where’s mine, friend?” The half-orc gives the gaudily dressed dwarf a side eye and grumbles, “Patience, buttercup, the grown ups have been busy.” Bilwin starts to redress the rude half-orc, but in a rare moment of self-awareness, realizes that the crowd actually likes her and that he might be better off keeping his thoughts to himself.

A goblin walks in through the front door of the inn with a big smile and a pair of pants thrown over his shoulder—and none covering his lower half. “I thought you needed your fighting pants for the battle,” the tiefling questions. “Never said I needed to wear them, eh! I heard something about free drinks, Bonnie never gives us Low Elves drinks on the house.” The tiefling raises his ale in salute and asks “how’d y’all do over at Scribbles & Nibs?”

“We got 5 of those bastards in the first wave and another 8 in the second, before we heard what must have been Gven’s battle cry and the rest of them started running for the hills. Well done, Mixed Nuts! Oops, I mean huzzah, Chimera’s Bane!”

Bilwin sees an opportunity, “Might I offer up my voice—and that of my instrument’s—in tribute to the great deeds done here this night? An ale or two to wet my parched throat is my only meager request.” The crowd roars in approval, except for Preet, who distrusts that any bard is even half as able as himself in telling their tale. A few bars into the song, Bilwin stops to tune the hurdy-gurdy. “Ah, the dust and wear of the road falls heavy on delicate instruments of entertainment and glory. Let me tune this up a touch more.”

The tuning—even two more attempts at it—does little to improve the hurdy-gurdy’s sound nor that of Bilwin’s voice. He can’t seem to hit any note in the right tone or length, turning his song of valor into one of misery. Trill brings over an ale and quietly says “you can have as many of these as you like, as long as you stop playing and singing.” Whispers from the crowd can be heard: “Do you think he was trying to sound like the giant dying? Maybe he was being ironic? I don’t do irony, that’s for arrogant pricks.”

Long rest….

In the morning, Bilwin and Mond enter the great room at the same time, having slept peacefully—each in their own room—for the remainder of the night, after the festivities finally died down. They see the half-orc and tiefling eating breakfast at one of the long tables with a small halfling. Walking over, Bilwin proudly says, “allow me the pleasure of an introduction, I’m Bilwin.” “The Magnificent,” Mond quickly interjects with a smirk on his face before the dwarf can continue. Bilwin looks at Mond with appreciation, “indeed, my wise and insightful friend. And this is my esteemed companion, Blaur Mond, who prefers to be called Mond. The why and the why nots are known only to one person, deep beneath that thick layer of mystery exuding from him like magical mana from a wayward wizard who knows not that magic is no longer welcome in this beloved country of ours. But I digress, might we learn more of the mighty champions who saved this fine metropolis from certain destruction?”

“Sit…and talk less,” says Gven, pointing at the open seats next to their group. After a round of introductions, a gnome comes down the stairs and with a groan says “what did I miss? Wow, not sure what got ahold of me, but I don’t remember a thing!”

Gven, Dolor, and Grindlefoot bring Xantic up to speed on the events of the previous evening, explaining how he accidentally knocked himself unconscious in his excitement. Xantic looks at his feet for a few seconds, over at Bonnie and Trill behind the bar, then slowly moves his gaze back to his three companions. “I’ve been thinking about this for awhile, but rescuing young Vera made it all clear. This is the sort of thing, these attacks from no good creatures, that I want to keep from happening! And the good folks of Wayside deserve as much help as any other town I’ve come through, nay, even more, because they’ve opened their arms to a curious gnome such as myself. I’ve decided to stay here in Wayside and do whatever I can to help these folks remain safe and happy and living the lives they deserve!”

With that final statement, Trill—who was listening intently—yells out in joy, “yay, my Xantic is staying!” A peaceful smile envelopes Xantic’s face as he says, “oh, look what I have here,” reaches into the satchel at his side and pulls out a small music box. Handing it to Trill, “put this in a safe place and then how about you come outside and help me for a bit, assuming it’s okay with your sister.” The look on Bonnie’s face reveals her relief and excitement, knowing that she now has someone to help look out and care for her younger sister. “Yes, but only if you two deal with that giant’s carcass before you do too much playin. If I have to remind you both, that’ll be the end of this sunny day for y’all!” “Yes, ma’am!” Trill and Xantic respond in unison. The two of them head outside, with the group hearing Xantic’s last words before the door shuts behind him. “If we blow up….”

A few minutes later, the inn’s patrons hear a tremendous “BOOOOM!” followed by a young girl’s voice, “that was amazing!” A slightly deeper voice responds loudly, “Yes, also DUCK!” And a few seconds later, “Don’t worry, we’ll clean it up!” For the next several minutes, Trill and Xantic can be seen through the inn’s windows, carrying bloody giant body parts away from the battlefield, off into the woods somewhere. Disgusting work, but they seem to be having fun with each other.

Dolor, Gven, and Grindlefoot look at each other, then Grindlefoot says “looks like we’re down one person. Are the rest of us still set on going to Elsemar to look for Gven’s brother?”

“Indeed, and I think we should stop by that hill giant’s lair on our way,” Dolor says with a grin that tells Gven and Grindlefoot he’s wondering what sort of loot they’ll find.

“Mind if we join you?” Balwin looks to Mond, “that is, if you’re still interested in traveling together? These folks seem like just the right type to help a bard come up with some new material. And if you’re still headed West, my fine pointy-eared friend, then it might make sense.”

Mond nods his acquiesence, “yep.”

Grindlefoot, Dolor, and Gven exchange questioning glances, and all eventually tip their heads in approval. “We leave on the half hour. Be ready,” Dolor says to the group.

They travel at a moderate pace for the rest of the day, first along the Ha-derech and then into the forest, on the small game trail leading into the lower mountains. They reach Lyra’s Grove towards the end of the afternoon, as the day’s light is beginning to wane, and decide to sleep there for the night. If they pressed on, they would reach the hill giant’s home after dark, and none of them think that’s a good idea.

As the adventurers are making camp, Lyra drops into the grove silently and says “were you going to ask?” A light smile takes its place in her face as she says, “the forest is a little quieter this evening, thanks in no small part to your efforts. You’re welcome here anytime, even with your new friends.”

Long rest….

Morning dawns and the adventurers make quick work of a dry breakfast and breaking camp, then begin the 3-4 hour trek up to the hill giant’s lair. As they leave the treeline and move into open grassland, they decide to take the side route into the lair, in case there are any other visitors or another giant. Retracing their steps from a few days ago, it’s Bilwin’s turn to discover the treacherous instability of the winding path. He trips and slides down the first stage of the pathway, taking 6 in damage. Looking embarrassed, he sheepishly—and silently, because the others have warned him several times to be quiet—takes his time moving up the path in order to avoid further slipping.

As the group reaches the top of the hill and move quietly towards the crest, where they can see down into the giant’s den, a small group of gnolls crests the hill from the other direction. Without delay, the beasts yell out a battle cry, lift up their weapons, and begin moving towards the adventurers.

Fight choreography

• Mond, caught by surprise, casts Ice Knife at the 4 gnolls, hitting one of their shields, and then moves to a better vantage point for his crossbow.
• Grindlefoot, noticing that Mond cast a spell, decides to cast Entangle and captures 2 of the gnolls.
• Bilwin casts Reinforce on his hurdy-gurdy and uses it as a mace, bludgeoning one of the restrained gnolls for 8 damage.
• Dolor attacks the other restrained gnoll with his shortsword, Gleaming Blade, for 16 damage and follows up with a second attack using his dagger for 8 more damage, killing it.
• The second gnoll restrained by Grindlefoot’s Entangle spell is able to break free.
• A gnoll attacks Dolor with its spear, missing wide.
• The remaining gnoll, who is larger and dressed differently, attacks Dolor with its glaive twice, causing 11 and 8 in piercing damage.
• Dolor reacts with Hellish Rebuke for 15 damage to the large beast.
• Gven invokes her barbarian rage and swings her greatsword at the larger gnoll, missing by a hair as it twists away.

• Mond decides to cast Fire Bolt—instead of using his crossbow—and inflicts 1 damage on the injured gnoll.
• Grindlefoot attacks the gnoll closest to Gven (the leader) with his staff, causing 6 damage.
• Bilwin continues hitting the gnoll with his sturdy hurdy-gurdy and connects on his second swing, causing 3 damage.
• Dolor swigs a healing potion, receiving 10 healing points, and then attacks the leader gnoll with his shortsword, narrowly missing.
• Gven brings her greatsword back around at the large gnoll, connecting for 13 damage.

• Mond fires another Fire Bolt at one of the smaller gnolls, causing 4 damage, and it’s now looking pretty unsteady.
• Grindlefoot continues attacking the leader gnoll with his staff, causing 9 damage.
• Bilwin is feeling comfortable with his hurdy-gurdy as a weapon, but misses a gnoll twice.
• Dolor, with a burst of energy, swings Gleaming Blade with all his might at the leader and sticks the sword completely through the gnoll’s body, killing it.
  • Dolor follows up the kill with a second stab of his dagger at another—still healthy—gnoll, causing 7 damage.
• A gnoll attacks Dolor with a dull shortsword and connects for 5 in piercing damage.
• A gnoll attacks Bilwin with its shortsword, causing 8 in piercing damage to the battling bard.
• Gven misses one of the two remaining gnolls with her greatsword.

• Mond fires yet another Fire Bolt at one of the gnolls, causing 10 damage and killing it.
• Grindlefoot attacks the last gnoll with his staff, causing 7 damage.
• Bilwin notices that Dolor is hurt and casts Cure Wounds, giving him 2 healing points.
  • Bilwin also casts Spiritual Weapon, which creates an orb that floats off to his side and immediately targets the remaining gnoll with its force damage, hitting and killing it.

Now that the last of the four gnolls is dead, the group takes a breather and looks around at each other, silently acknowledging that it must be okay to use magic around the others. Thankfully.

Dolor, curious as always, investigates the deceased gnolls pockets and finds 10 gold pieces. “Shall we move on to the hill giant’s den, see if we can find anything of value or maybe another ‘toy’ that needs rescuing?”

The group makes their way down into the hill giant’s lair and begin looking around, in the nooks and crannies and ledges that abound. Surprisingly, amongst the loads of junk, they find quite a bit of valuables.

• 2,400 copper pieces
• 1,100 silver pieces
• 80 gold pieces
• 4 gems (estimated worth 50 gold each)
• A small handheld ornamental mirror set in a painted wooden frame (estimated worth 25 gold)
• Box of delicate turquoise animal figurines (estimate worth 250 gold)
• 2 potions of healing
• 1 potion of greater healing