Star Metal Marauders- Highway Harvest

"What's there to tell?" Bjorn kicks a rock down the road. "A gaggle of Bremen brats got brought up by Ma and Pa after some orcs et their families, or some such. You know how it goes. Honest folk, Ma and Pa, got most of us jobs sifting for gold, soon as we were tall enough not to drown. Not much future in that, as you might imagine. But they were honest folk. Nee-ee-ver saw it coming."

He grins, showing a gold tooth. "I developed a taste for the finer things, after that. Had a good season or two before the coin run out."

"That's when I found out where the old hag lived. Most folk only visit the old hag when they're desperate. Dear old granny's not dying fast enough, or the marchion's coming 'round for taxes and ye lost it all in a bet to some handsome northman with a gold tooth. That sort of thing." The breeze dies down, and for a moment the road is utterly quiet. Bjorn lowers his voice in mock secrecy. "She ain't as clever as she thinks she is. She's just a frightenin' old creature, and everyone she deals with is eager to get out of her sight. So she weren't prepared to get tricked, herself."

He returns to his normal volume, eager to gloat about his greatest victory yet. "So I twisted her up in her own tricks, long story short. Made her put a spell on me, that I'd never be caught defenseless. She's hopelessly indebted, you see. I tally a point here and a point there when she does what I ask, and every point gets her closer to her freedom."

The wind picks up once more, and a large, wet leaf blows by and sticks to Bjorn's face with an audible slap. He brightly peels it off and keeps walking.

Frangipani trotted along with the others listening in...

“Well, that explains a lot.  You have tremendous skill at disguise and trickery.  Maybe the best I’ve seen”. Sparhawk says genuinely. “I’ve learned, use your talents wisely, but not always.  Sure, I can break everything i meet” he grabs a stick and cracks it in half like someone’s neck, but sometimes, being more delicate works better” he pretends to pet Frangi. 
“and you.. Eberk?”

Quote from ChoirOfFire >>

[Oh yeah, the murderer mentioned way back here!]

Bjorn briefly weighs the information. It's unlikely the man's lying, but if he is, then the only explanation would be that he's the killer. And that's a pretty nice bounty... Unable to quietly communicate any schemes, he simply searches Dietrich's person for clues that he might be using a magic disguise. [Investigation:] 21

 There is no hint of magic disguise

You continue to journey down the road, keeping eyes open for dangers, for things of interest and for the coming of the mysterious friend of Sorshas. The songs of birds and buzzing of the bugs seem to blend into the droning and bumping of the cart as you move. With all of the crazy activities of the last couple of days it is a welcome song of relaxation. The sun is shining brightly, but there is a refreshing autumn breeze. As you round a bend where the road approaches closer to the river, something dashes through the underbrush and springs out in front of Sorsha. “ Hah! I found yous again. Very fast, very fast, heh he.”

A small , devilish looking person/ creature appears before you all. Sparhawk gets a sort of nauseous feeling upon seeing him, and realizes he felt him coming for a few seconds before he appeared. The thin, emancipated body has a grayish blue tint and he has barnacles and seaweed attached about his skin, he has smallish imp wings with what look like tentacles. He is wearing just a simple undergarment or loincloth. In one hand he carries a small keg.

” ol’ Barnacles found an ambush, me did…a boat was walloped bout’ 10 miles further up the river. Was a good battle, it seems. The boat broked in two. There was one ambusher still alive when I gots there, was on his way to darkness though. Me offered him a pact for life, but he refused…so I marked him for journey…hah, hehe….now no upper Gods will be interested. He gonna wish he had a pact,..” he says rather quickly, filled will glee and proudly.

After he finishes his quick report, he gives everyone a glance and a bow and Introduces himself, “ Me be Barnacle Ruhm, servant of the deep and friend to dear Sorsha”

he takes out the cork on his little keg and takes a drink, immediately belching flame. He holds it up in offer for anyone wishing to try it. When he bows, Sorsha notices he has a small bag, that seems quite full attached to his hip

“You keep some interesting friends Sorsha,” Sparhawk says looking at the party, “ this Rhum character seems friendly enough”. He winks at Rhum, more concerned about friend Bjorn’s granny then Friend Rhum. 

Eberk looks curiously at the creature and listens to his report. “No thank you.” He turns back to Sparhawk. “My story isn’t anything special. I grew up in the mountains overlooking the sea. I watched the ships sailing to the nearby port and was enchanted by them. I joined up with a crew as soon as I could.” He drops his eyes and becomes somber. “After a while, we were attacked by pirates and our ship was sunk. I washed up on shore nearly dead. The Moonmaiden set her favored to guard me and bring me to her temple. I spent some time healing and studying. And here I am.”

“That is an inspirational story Eberk! The Lady of silver granted favor on you and now guides you with her blessings” I have seen her power flows through you and I am glad to have you by my side.”

“And Vars of the dark and gloom, hit us with your story?” Says Sparhawk keeping it going while he waits for Sorsha to  consider Rhums information. 

Vars hesitates, obviously having hoped that he would be skipped in this sharing of stories. After a moment he says, "Like Eberk, there isn't much to tell. I was born a pirate, but I gave up on that life. Thanks to my father, who's name I won't bother saying, I could never get my own name out there. So I left him and his name behind, as well as the sea." He chuckles a little, "He wasn't too pleased about that, but he has little power this far from the shore. So I struck out as a ranger, learned most things from trial and error. I won't lie and say I never resorted to thievery." He shrugs, "Not much left to say. So I won't say anymore. What about you my good paladin? What's your story?"

Frangipani inspected Rhum curiously.....it smelled both of home and not.......it did not smell tasty....

She crooked an eyebrow at Sorsha, " Relative?"

Bjorn, not recognizing the Moonmaiden (and having made no effort to ask until now, which, yeah, seems about right), decides to inquire and to try to wind Eberk up at the same time. "This maiden of yours, she kept you in her boudoir for days on end, trying to seduce you with her feminine wiles? That's why she pulled you out of the sea?"

When Ruhm appears, he boggles at the creature, trying to deduce what it even is. Eventually he gives up and says, "So someone else has the cargo now? Or is it drifting downriver?"

"Hum" Sparhawk smiles a bit falsly as if in pain. "I'm not sure the words Good and Paladin would be used together to describe me back home." He pauses in thought, considering what to reveal. "You see, I've been exiled from my order and sent across the sea for the next 3 years and must do penance. My order has turned their back on me." He looks down to the ground, and strokes his broken nose. "Turns out," he says, with a darker quiet voice, "those who claim lawful goodness can be just as power hungry, blind, and full of ambition as people of lawful evil in the name of their beliefs and prejudice  

"Well, you probably don't want to hear more about my glum sad story., lest you have false pity on me..." Sparhawk says, tears of shame in his eyes as he considers his sentence and the judgement of his order for a crime he did not commit. His nose starts bleeding.  He wipes the blood unconsciously, smearing it across his face. 

Vars rolls his eyes at Bjorn's comment about the Moonmaiden, and reaches up to pat Sparhawk on the back, "We've all had our trials and tribulations, at least we've got plenty to look forward to." 

He turns to Ruhm, "So...did you see a bugbear? Or is this some random cargo ship? And what do you mean by 'on his way to darkness?' And if you marked him, does that mean you can track him?"

Eberk looks to Bjorn with a soft smile on his face. “The Moonmaiden teaches us to be tolerant and accepting of all people. I am happy to tolerate and accept you projecting your insecurities onto me. When that scary old hag gets you in the night, I will take that pyrite from your mouth and keep it as a trinket to remember you by.” 

He turns to Sparhawk and hands him a rag to wipe the blood from his face. “You are doing good now. We can help restore your good name. The moon will light your path.” Eberk gives Sparhawk the Vigilant Blessing (advantage on your next initiative.)

Sorsha leans forward in the cart as Barnacle Ruhm comes through the underbrush and hops up in the cart beside her. She gives the others a curious look as they keep discussing but then turns to the imp. "Anyway! Good to see you back my friend. Did you see anything more of interest, like any traces of that bugbear I mentioned. And I'm a bit confused over the details here. A boat was ambushed and broken in two but there was one ambusher that survived. Are you saying everyone else on both sides perished?"

Bjorn nearly trips over his own feet hearing Eberk's response. For the first time, he doesn't have any jabs or jokes to return.

With significantly less bravado, he pauses to listen to the imp.

Sparhawk nods in thanks at Eberk, taking the rag to wipe the smeared blood on his face.
"Captain?" Sparhawk looks at Sorsha. "Shall we go investigate? I suspect they intentionally destroyed the boat and are now on ground if its our friends."

"Ah, my purring charcuterie eating Frangipani, what's your story? How did you come to find our merry group of misfits and malcontents?"

"Aye, this I must hear as well. You running from something? Got bigger goals beyond just surviving the night?"