Gaf's and Lirian's Prologue

[Daos]

Reapember 13, 350 AC; Palast

A warm autumn breeze rustled the great Vallenwood trees of Solace. The great road that wandered through the trees blazed in the bright colors of autumn. The richly stained buildings of Solace rested cradled overhead in the boughs of the trees.

Gaffleknot Furrfoot skipped merrily on the road to Solace, looking forward to seeing his friends again after five long years. The road had been relatively empty the last couple of days. The kender had encountered a few farmers along the way, but they seemed strangely distant and would usually hurry off before the short-legged tinkerer could catch up with them.

Up ahead, however, he spotted a lone traveler. The figure was lithe and thin, wearing the typical garbs one would expect from an elf. The person's gender was difficult to determine from his vantage point. The person had their back to the kender, resting against a tree. Could it be someone Gaf knew?

[Airellian]

Gaf squinted his eyes at the lone figure. Who could it be? One of his friends? A mischievous grin grew on the kender's face. Perhaps he should give whoever it was a surprise! Gaf crept through the brush, hoping to catch a better glimpse.

[Daos]

Gaf stealthily began to creep up on the lone traveler. However, once he got within five feet of the figure the kender heard the distinct sound of a steel blade being loosened from its sheath.

The figure turned to face him, revealing it was a woman. No, not just any woman, but his old companion, Lirian Half-Elven. There was a pause of silence as both of them froze, momentarily surprised at the sight of each other.

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Gaffleknot attempts to sneak up on the lone traveler (1d100): 67. Fails.

[Airellian]

Gaf's surprise quickly turned to joy and amazement.

"Lirian!" Gaf scrambled out from the brush to give the half-elf a hug. "It's been so long!"

[Daos]

(OOC: Since they are both your characters, go ahead and describe their reunion.)

[Airellian]

Lirian let out a laugh as Gaf wrapped his arms around her.

"What did I say about sneaking up on people?" She tousled the kender's hair affectionately. "But, it's good to see you, Gaf."

She clucked her tongue like a mother hen. "Gaf, the pouch." Sheepishly, Gaf returned Lirian's money pouch to her.

"What were you doing, all by yourself?" Gaf asked.

"Oh, just feeling the breeze, letting the sun warm my bones," the half-elf said lightly.

"You sound just like Gimak, like a grandpa!" Gaf laughed. "You haven't aged a day, though!"

"What about yourself?" Lirian asked. "When did you get to be so big?" Gaf shrugged, a big grin pasted onto his face.

"How was your quest? Did you go back to Qualinesti? Did you get anything for me? Oh Lirian, I traveled all over the place, and it was amazing, I had so many adventures, let me tell you..." Gaffleknot continued to chatter on and on.

"Easy Gaf, easy!" Lirian said. "Slow down!"

[Daos]

After a bit of catching up, the two continue down the road, talking amicably about their travels.

The air surges fierce and sweet, carrying the clear musk smell of the woodlands. The soft murmur of stirring leaves, of insects, and of small animals fills the landscape as they walk. The clear highland sky blushes with the end of day and fades into starry sleep. They are finally home.

However, before they reach the town proper, they both spot a curious sight up ahead on the road. A lone knight, clad in bulky steel armor including a helmet with a closed visor, stands defiantly in the middle of the road, hand on the hilt of a sword. This figure has their back to the two Companions. Before the knight are a squadron of hobgoblins, ten in all, all armed with long swords and spiked, black armor.

A stout pony struggles behind the hobgoblins, sagging beneath a flabby figure much the same, although larger, than those facing the knight.

"For the last time," the fat hobgoblin said, "answer me, Knight! Who are you? What are you doing here? I am Fewmaster Toede, a representative of Solace and the Seekers. Now, speak!"

However, the stoic knight said nothing, nor moved an inch. It was like the knight was a life-sized statue of steel.

[Airellian]

"Goblins!" Gaf said the word like a swear. "In Solace!"

"A representative of the Seekers?" Lirian found that very troubling. "Much has changed, it seems. What's going on here?"

[Daos]

The fat hobgoblin--the one who called himself Toede--heard the two and turned his attention to them. "More travelers? Are you with this silent knight? Who are you, and what are you doing here in Solace? Night is approaching, and we have a curfew, you know. We don't need riffraff showing up in our town."

[Airellian]

"I could say the same about you," Lirian said, her glare icy and cold. "Five years gone, and this is what I come back to? Goblins keeping the peace? The Seekers have much to answer for." Already, her hands crept to her swords, though she cursed herself. They should have ambushed the goblins when they had the chance, but the surprise at seeing them here, in Solace! Lirian shook her head in disbelief.

"It's no use talking to them with people words," Gaf said gaily. "You have to speak their language, Lirian! Oink oink, squeeeaaaak!"

[Daos]

Toede's face puffed out in anger as he glared daggers at the kender. "You dare? I am to be respected, especially by a kender of all things!"

The hobgoblin huffed a bit, but then calmed down. "But perhaps I will let that insult pass, if you have information on the blue crystal staff. My employer is searching it. Have you seen anything like that in your travels, strangers?"

[Airellian]

Lirian and Gaf looked at each other questioningly. Neither had ever heard of such a thing. A blue crystal staff?

"Why are the Seekers looking for such a thing?" Lirian questioned. At the corner of her eye, the half-elf could see Gaf palming a large round stone in his hand. Lirian smiled inwardly.

[Daos]

Toede snorted. "I do not know. Take it up with Hederick the Theocrat, if you like. All I know is that the Seekers are looking for it and want it brought to Haven right away. So do you know anything about it, or not?" he questioned, wiping his nose with his hand.

[Airellian]

Lirian ignored the hobgoblin's question, and instead looked at the knight, standing stock still. "Are you okay, Knight?" she called out.

Gaf felt giddy with anticipation. He didn't know what Lirian had planned, but he knew that she wouldn't being talked down to by a pig-snouted hobgoblin demurely.

[Daos]

The knight slightly looked over his shoulder for a moment, but then returned his gaze back to the hobgoblins without a word.

This act seemed to infuriate Toede further. "Damn it all, nobody here is respecting me. I deserve respect!"

Roughly turning his pony away, he shouted, "Teach them all a lesson, boys! Nobody disrespects Fewmaster Toede and gets away with it!" He then kicked his heels into the pony, urging it toward town.

The hobgoblins began to advance on the three. Without a word, the knight drew out his green-bladed sword and went into a defensive stance, ready to fight.

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Beginning of Round 1.
Party Initiative (1d10): 7. Hobgoblins' Initiative (1d10): 9. Party wins.