The Wildemount Irregulars (2020)

Three coppers for a small bag.  Eight coppers for a gift bag, if you have a friend or sweetheart you want to surprise.  She looks hopefully at you.

Magnum buys two gift bags, if she has enough. He gives her three silver and tells her to keep the difference. Her charm is worth the price. 

She takes the silvers with a big smile on her face and hands you the gift bags; they are dyed green with some simple embroidery.  They look simple, but pretty, and well worth the low price.

Well, now, what can I tell you?  There's always stories from Hupperdook, but I heard a weird one yesterday.  Traveller says they were holding a giant in the prison there and she broke out, punched a hole in the wall and ran naked through town.  Apparently the locals were saying she was an old lover of one of the big nobles houses up there, and the master put his giant mistress in jail to keep her secret.  I can't say I believe it myself - oh, a noble might try to keep a giant in prison,  but they wouldn't succeed at all.  Have you ever seen a giant?  Massive, they are.  I saw some bones once.  Way taller than you or me.  Anyway, if you see a naked giant running around, you can tell her she's better off without him, that's what I say.

Hupperdook sounds as strange as advertised.

Strange, aye it is that.  Felderwin's the better choice, I'd say.  Especially as we're coming up on Harvest Close, just a couple of weeks.  Hupperdook may be a good place to party, so they say, she sniffs at the thought, but Felderwin's the place to celebrate the harvest, and that's no lie.

Silent says to Magnum, I reckon we've earned a break from dealing with big monsters. What d'you say we check out this Harvest Close first and then look for this giant lady? 

Sounds fine to me.  I'm not sure I want to find out about a giant lady at all, to be honest.  Besides, Hupperdook is mostly gnomes and dwarves so it's probably a firbolg or goliath or...are there other tall races?  Ogres?  Oh, and ogress would be a nice scandal.

Chatting merrily about the races of the Empire, you make your way out of the small village, and head east towards Felderwin along the road; travellers are not uncommon, but the road is fairly quiet today.  Nevertheless, it's a warm, fine day - though it feels like it may be the last of the year, and you see the barest hint of clouds upon the horizon.

It's the early afternoon now.  You are still more than half a day's travel from Felderwin.  At the moment, there are not many folk around.  However, you see coming towards you, fast and on horseback, a figure.  As it gets closer, you see a young half-elf, and as he approaches, you see a second, larger figure on horseback who appears to be chasing him across the fields.

At first, it seems that he is headed south right past you, but he suddenly begins to slow, and is approaching you.

Another half-elf approaching us on the road.  What do you think the odds are this one will try to get us to fight someone for him?

Pretty good, I'd say. This time we tie the guy up if he tries anything funny, yeah? Don't wanna get ambushed again...

The half-elf is a young man, a look of fear on his face as he brings the horse to a halt before you.  Please, sir, he says addressing Silent.  I must beg for your aid.  There is a killer chasing me - he means to end my life.  Please, I can pay you, but I can see you are a warrior - please protect me!  

He remains on horseback, and the horse dances nervously as he moves it so he has a clear view of the approaching rider - you can now see that it is a heavily-armoured silver dragonborn

We have a strict policy of inquiry before agreeing to fight on someone’s behalf. What’s this guy’s problem with you? 

Silent squints at the approaching dragonborn and swears under his breath. Eh, get behind me and maybe we can sort this out before coming to blows. Answer my friend's questions, though, we ain't got a good history of encountering yahoos on the road. 

Magnum readies his grapple line, aka thorn whip, in case the half elf tries to bolt. 

I don't know, the half elf says as he maneuvers the horse behind Silent.  I don't know anything except he shot at me!

(OOC: Insight check?)

Insight -3

He's out of breath and struggling with the horse a bit, so his manner is hard to judge, but there's something a bit off about his story.  A random,  motiveless attack seems a bit implausible.

(OOC: How far off is the Dragonborn?)

Now about sixty feet, and closing.  He makes it to thirty feet away, still riding forward.  As he does so, he reaches for a small metal object in his pocket and holds it up in his hand, and you hear him shout in common:

Stop that thief!  In the name of the King! STOP HIM!

Magnum aims his open palm at the half elf.  A spike shoots out of his palm, tethered to a thin cable, which he hopes will pull the man off his horse.

Attack: 18 Damage: 1