After a restful night at the Sleepy Leaf in Gilbreives, we find Brogan, Woo and Ysgarlad in the morning sitting downstairs waiting for breakfast. Just as they get their food, the door to the Inn slams open.
Gronk:
BWAHAHAHAHAHA THERE'S MY FAVOURITE CREW OF REJECTS! AND BY THAT I MEAN THE TWO GOONS DISGRACING THE PRESENCE OF THIS WELL-ENDOWED ELF!
Gronk bursts through the door and paces towards the table where the gang is sat. He laughs and smacks Brogan on the back just as he takes his first bite of breakfast, causing him to choke and spit it out. He informs the gang that their escort to Rorkard is waiting at the north gate, and that they should be on their way as soon as they can. After Woo decides to steal and chug a tankard of ale from an unsuspecting patron of the inn, the gang makes their way outside and towards the gates.
As they get nearer, five figures come into sight. Two people and three horses. Gronk immediately strides over to one of the horses and starts nuzzling it and calling it pet names, with the horse responding with a passionate neigh.
???:
I'm guessing that if you've never been in Gilbreives then you won't have seen one of these guys before?
A female voice interjects Gronk’s ogling, and as the gang look over in her direction, they see a woman petting the upper leg and looking fondly at one of the horses. The woman has a slender figure, shoulder length brown hair, green eyes, freckles, earrings reminiscent of leaves of the trees surrounding Gilbreives, and a warm glow around her.
Upon closer inspection, the gang notices that the horse is in fact much larger than a normal horse, about 50% bigger, and has small tusks emerging from its snout.
???:
This here's a special breed called a Tuskhoof, and we've been using them in this village for just about as long as its been around. Their size and extra muscularity makes a good fit for our strongly built men, and also allows for easier transport of our Lumber in large batches.
As they are learning about the Tuskhooves, another voice interrupts.
???:
Hehehe yeah yeah, and you guys are lucky enough to get to ride with the best Jockey in town!
The gang looks over to the right pillar of the gate to see a man leaning on the pillar with his arms folded and his eyes closed. He’s wearing a mustard yellow archers hat with a black and grey feather, short brown hair, a curly moustache, carrying a quiver and short bow on his back.
???:
The name's Quin Fellbrook
Quin turns to look at the gang. As soon as he opens his eyes a startled look shoots across his face.
Quin:
WAIT ITS YOU
Quin has his arm outstretched with his finger pointing directly at Brogan, who starts laughing. Quin looks back and forth between Brogan and the green-eyed woman, with his brow scrunched, before waving his arms up and down and starting to shout.
Quin:
Don't tell me I have to spend 3 days with this rat! This cheat of a dwarf humiliated me by slipping something in my drink yesterday!
Quin protests the woman, who is now glaring at Brogan. She seems to recognise him as well and does not have an impressed look on her face. Ultimately, she decides to ignore Quin and introduces herself as Rowena Growheart, Gronk’s wife. Rowena explains that Quin, Gronk and herself will be accompanying the gang through the Verdant Forest, about half way to their destination of Rorkard. Woo walks over to her with a glint in her eye and serenades Rowena. Rowena looks at Woo with a puzzled look. The rest of the gang laughs. Gronk walks over to Woo and starts looking at her with a sultry look on his face.
Gronk:
Three days, you're gonna ride with me right? Little lady.
Woo does not look happy. Brogan points out Gronk’s behaviour to Rowena, who promptly walks over and slaps him. After a brief discussion with Gronk about keeping his misogynistic behaviour, Woo decides to ride the three days on Rowena’s horse. While they are saddling up, the gang sees Quin on his horse already, staring out of the gate and into the Verdant Forest. Brogan seizes this opportunity. He runs towards Quin’s horse, and prepares himself to make a leap onto Quin’s Saddle. Quin sees this and ushers the Horse to start moving, however the horse only starts trotting away. Brogan makes a leap, however the only thing in reach is the horses tail, which he firmly clings onto. Startled, the horse starts galloping out of the gate, Brogan hanging on and bouncing behind the Horse like a speedball. With some effort he manages to rope climb up the tail and hoists himself onto Quin’s saddle. He locks his knees into Quin’s, and as the Horse continues to gallop off, the rest of the group waiting at the gate hears Quin’s angered screams getting quieter and quieter. Gronk laughs. As they set out of the gate together, Rowena rejects more of Woo’s advances. Ysgarlad and Gronk discuss their seating arrangement. Gronk is avid on being big spoon. Trying to persuade him otherwise, Ysgarlad fails, Gronk explaining that they need to “bond”. Reluctantly, Ysgarlad climbs onto the horse in Gronk’s lap, which then proceeds to make its way out of the gate.
As the gang sets out into the Verdant Forest, they are met with a pleasant breeze and the subtle scent of pine trees. They can hear the trees swaying in the wind, as well as the crashing yet calming sound of the river flowing downstream.
Gronk:
Ahhhhhh, nothing like riding ol' Gronkus Maximus through the Verdant Forest on a calm morning!
Rowena:
I told you to change the name of that dumb brute of a horse, not make it longer.
The calmness has suddenly been interrupted by the bickering of the Growhearts, through which the gang learns that the name of Gronk’s horse is also Gronk. Gronk explains that he named it Gronk to reflect its “outstanding strength” and “overwhelming charisma”. They continue to argue for a little while before Gronk finally submits.
Gronk:
Alright alright enough enough. I'll change Gronky Boy's name okay, happy? Anyway, my Motley crew, take a look down to your left, you see that river? Thats the River Midwood. Follow that, and it'll take you all the way to Rorkard.
After a peaceful journey alongside the River Midwood, as the evening sets in the gang decides to settle down in a spot to camp for the night. Rowena lights a camp fire with her magic, and Quin decides to start cooking claiming that he is the best cook. After eating their fill, Woo suggests the gang plays poker. This ends in Woo wiping the floor with the rest of the game members, raking in a profit of three gold and one silver pieces from Brogan, Quin and Gronk. As a feeling of contempt and slight drowsiness washes over the gang, they settle down for the night, with Gronk and Quin alternating night watch.
The second day of riding is quite uneventful, with the only changes being the following:
Gronk has started to rest the stump of his right arm on Ysgarlad’s shoulder, claiming that they are bonding. Everyone is growing increasingly tired of hearing Quin yap on about his accolades. Rowena confides in Woo whilst complaining about Gronk. Woo baby woo listens calmly.
Before long it is the evening and camp has been set up again. While sitting around the fire eating soup made by Quin, the gang hears a large sigh from Gronk.
Gronk:
AHHHHHHHHHHHHH DELICIOUS AS EVER QUIN YUMMY. GRONK! ehem, I mean, Cuthbert, come and try this soup!
Gronk keeps yelling the name Cuthbert in the direction of his horse, who is drinking water from the river. A look of sadness falls upon him when the horse doesn’t respond to his calls. He looks over at Rowena, almost crying, who returns an unphased smug look. Snapping out of it, he roars into conversation again.
Gronk:
ALRIGHT, MIGHTY WARRIORS, ITS TIME FOR A GAME. ONE OF MY INVENTION. I CALL IT, SHEARS PARCHMENT PEBBLE! IT'S ABSOLUTELY RIVETTING! ON THE COUNT OF THREE EACH PLAYER MAKES ONE OF THE THREE OPTIONS WITH THEIR HAND, AND THE WINNER IS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: SHEARS BEATS PARCHMENT, PARCHMENT BEATS PEBBLE, AND PEBBLE BEATS SHEARS. LOSER HAS TO TAKE GUARD DUTY!
Rowena and Quin look completely disinterested.
Gronk:
AHAHAHAHAHA BUT AS THE INVENTOR OF THIS FEAT OF BRILLIANCE, IT WOULD BE UNFAIR OF ME TO PLAY. YOU THREE, PLAY EACHOTHER! ILL TAKE THE SECOND HALF OF THE NIGHT!
The gang ends up playing Shears Parchment Pebble, and Ysgarlad loses. As the night comes to a close, he sits down at a tree, ready to guard the camp.
A few hours later, Ysgarlad hears a rustling coming from the direction of the horses. Upon closer inspection, he sees a wild Boar helping itself to the gangs rations. He promptly scares it off. Another hour passes, and Ysgarlad hears the rustling again. A different boar has appeared, this one not looking so willing to run away. It has a malicious look in its eyes. Ysgarlad draws his sword ready for combat.
The Boar was resilient, with Ysgarlad becoming increasingly frustrated by the Boar getting back up after his numerous hits. After a surprisingly long fight, Ysgarlad triumphed unscathed, blocking or dodging all of the Boar’s attacks. Ysgarlad swapped guard duty with Gronk, who butchered the boar, and the rest of the night passed without a hitch. The third day of travel passed much like the first two, and the gang found themselves stopping to rest in the evening again. As Quin starts cooking again, he challenges Brogan to a competition. Whoever can eat the most food spiked with Quin’s Spice Blend will win.
Quin:
If you win i'll give you a bag of my famous spice blend. However if I win, you're never to lay your hands on Wren Briarwood ever again, and you have to tell her how great of a man I am!
Confused, Brogan asks who Wren Briarwood is, and Quin reveals that it is the girl who’s face he saw Brogan caressing just after he humiliated him in the drink off. Gronk laughs and interjects.
Gronk:
BWAAHAHAHAHAH Who would've thought that the fearless Quin was a wuss when it comes to being a real man!
Quin explains that they grew up around each other but she never noticed him, so now he thinks she hates him and is scared to approach her. Gronk laughs again. He bets on Brogan to win and states that if Quin wins he’ll personally go tell the girl to acknowledge him. Ysgarlad decides to eat the spicy food as well, but only to prove a point and not as a competition. Quin ends up tapping out first, with Brogan eating most of the food, and Ysgarlad asking for seconds. Quin is humiliated again and hands over his special spice blend to Brogan. Ysgarlad settles for guard duty again. A couple hours into the night, he hears a familiar sound. This time he sees three Boars, and decides to wake Brogan and Woo to aid him in battle. Brogan takes the initiative, making some distance towards the pack before stopping to throw his dagger at the closest Boar. The dagger hits, but hits with the pommel and bounces off, leaving the Boar unwounded. Ysgarlad follows up by charging at the pack, and slashes his sword through one of the boars’ legs, cutting a shallow wound. Enraged at Brogan, the first Boar charges, and digs its tusk deep into his thigh. Seeing this, Woo responds with a magic missile spell, taking the Boar out with three projectiles of magical energy. Seeing his Boar brother perish, the Boar hurt by Ysgarlad charges at Brogan, however Ysgarlad takes this opportunity to finish it off with another slash of his sword. Now staring at the corpses of its brethren, the largest and final Boar charges towards Brogan, however not before taking a hit from Ysgarlad. Reaching Brogan, it digs its tusk into the wound in his leg left by the first Boar, going clean through. This causes Brogan to keel over in pain, and faint. Woo retaliates with a ray of frost, injuring it gravely, however not taking it out. Ysgarlad makes a final attempt to kill the Boar with a swing of his sword, but misses. The Boar, realising its mortality, flees. Woo tries to hit it with another long ranged ray of frost, but whiffs. Ysgarlad picks up Brogan’s dagger, and runs over to his aid. He carries Brogan back to the camp, where Rowena promptly heals his leg, causing the muscle fibres to reform. Brogan wakes with a startled look on his face, and receives comfort and reassurance from the rest of the gang. three wake up Gronk, and return to their bedrolls for rest.
The morning comes, and so does the departure of Gronk, Rowena and Quin to head back to Gilbreives. After recapping what happened in the night, Quin laughs and tells Brogan that it was deserved. Goodbyes and good lucks are said, and before long the gang finds themselves on their own for the next half of the journey.
Our story continues in Chapter 3 - The Dangling Tradesman…