Part 2: A shaky start
"Look on the bright side, Frederick. At least one other person decided to join us."
Amongst the tavern patrons, Frederick's enthusiastic plea had fallen mostly on deaf ears. The dwarves were too engrossed in their mead to notice, the lone human cowered under his cloak at the mere suggestion, and the rat was too stuffed full of +dwarven boot+ to move. However, one hobbit wearing a simple, if gaudy orange robe, agreed to join the party.
"Yes Séamus," Frederick replied, "one other person did decide to join us. Or maybe a half a person. Are you sure this hobbit is...well, worth bringing along?"
"Oh yes! Definately! Don't you recognize the tatoos on her forearms?"
"Tatoos? No, I...thought they were dirt smudges." Lenna looked on impassively as the two of them spoke. "Well, in any case, let's be on our way. Mangar's tower is in the southwest corner of town, isn't it? Or shall we check on Kylearan first? With two sorcerors in town, how do we know which is responsible for the blizzard?"
"I suppose we'll have to try them both. But either way, I'm going to need a good stiff drink before I go busting down any sorcerors' tower doors."
"A drink? Already? We were just in a bar."
"It's the singing. I need to keep my throat wet or the magic dies. I am a bard, remember? Besides, the tap at the Adventurer's Inn isn't exactly my idea of a 'good drink.' Let's head to the Dragon's Grog. They have an excellent selection of wines. Come! Let's sing together to keep our spirits high!"
Through thick and thin, and death, and worse!
Adventurers fight, and sing a verse,
About brave and bold, glorious deeds,
Not bleeding and dying, while on our knees...
(A short walk south and the party encounters a warrior in full plate armor standing sullenly before a statue in the middle of the road.)
...and then the dragon, bit off his head,
And torched and spat, until he was dead...
Frederick X: OK! I think that's enough singing for now, Séamus. (Damned Bard.) *ahem* Hello, stranger. Keeping the ducks off the statues, are we?
Delrick the Oath-Breaker: Quiet, you fool! This statue isn't merely decorative. It's a reminder to me, and to everyone...of my fall from grace to this wretched state of impurity. An hour ago I was a holy paladin, seeped in the divine light of purity and truth. But now, I am a wretched, filthy dog, no better than the rest of you.
Frederick X: Oh, I see. Well...jolly good day to fall from grace...I suppose. All things considered. Hey...that statue is totally wearing samurai armor.
Séamus: How come you recognize samurai armor but you didn't recognize Lenna as a Shaolin monk?
Frederick X: Chinese vs. Japanese. Completely different.
Séamus: ...oh.
Delrick the Oath-Breaker: Are you two finished?!?!? If you two don't shut up...
Séamus: Hey, why is the statue moving?
Everyone: AAAAAGGGHHH!!!
(Hilarity A brief fight ensues.)
Séamus: I think I've decided that being half dead isn't very much fun. Samurai statues hit hard.
Delrick the Oath-Breaker: If it hadn't been for that stone golem that appeared out of nowhere, you'd be more than just half dead. All in all though, I'm impressed with your groups fighting abilities. I could never have done that by myself. For being a bunch of filthy, wretched dogs, you're not all bad.
Séamus: Umm...thank you.
Frederick X: Hello?!!? Frederick the conjurer? Anyone see the conjurer? Where do you think that stone golem came from?
Séamus: Uhh...certainly not from you. You're only level 1. Stone golems require like level 11 to summon, I think. That was just the 'z-key' free summon that everybody gets. Undocumented feature.
Frederick X: Hey...no breaking the fourth wall.
Séamus: Oh, right. Well then...brave sir knight, we are on a quest to depose the evil sorceror responsible for the blizzard afflicting the lands. Would you join us?
Delrick the Oath-Breaker: I think I will. I've nothing against snow personally, but you guys did me a big favor by helping me destroy that statue. Adventuring sure beats moping around, anyway. By the way...who's the girl in orange?
Frederick X: Oh, that's Lenna. She doesn't talk much, but as you saw, she's a competant fighter. Not the hardest hitter, maybe, but pound for pound she can compete with the best of us.
Delrick the Oath-Breaker: She's cute. How old is she?
Frederick: We never asked. But she's a hobbit. They're all that size, she's not a little girl.
Delrick the Oath-Breaker: Oh. Never mind, then.
Frederick: ...umm, by the way, how exactly did you fall from grace again?
Delrick the Oath-Breaker: ...I. Umm, broke an oath. You know...Delrick the "Oath-Breaker?" Get it?
Frederick: Oh, ok. What sort of oath did you break?
Delrick the Oath-Breaker: ...wow, after that battle, I sure feel stronger! Let's go to the review board and get in some training!
Séamus: Yes, excellent plan! Come, brave adventurers, and I will sing of our heroic deeds!
And so the adventurers lived through the day,
Gained a friend, and leveled, yay!
I wonder what tomorrow will bring,
What heinous songs, the bard will sing,
If we're lucky, maybe we'll see,
Another adventurer, or two, or three,
But come what may, come what might,
Thanks for reading, and have a good night!