Danger: Poison Beer!

 

Dork & Mir Hundur

 

Soldier of Fortu-ne

Of all the horrors Fortu had seen and experienced in his short, unjust and brutal life, nothing compared to what had just happened.

It still made little sense to him. The Bee/Bear 'Beer' creature, though impressively large, initially seemed mostly just ridiculous; A big, fluffy, colourfully striped curiosity.

Although, as a group, they hadn't been together very long, Fortu had already come to trust and rely on the surly, dog-rider; Liga Bur to deal with any wild animals they came across. The rough looking Halfling's affinity with animals was almost preternatural.

While searching the Three-Quarter scale Druid's cave-like home, they'd found the creature locked in a prison-like room. Initially they had considered just leaving it to starve, but Liga Bur had been unhappy with that option. Another factor was that there also appeared to be a large stash of expensive, useful and possibly even magical items stored behind it.

As with all his previous encounters, the little animal-talker gently approached the bear-like creature where it lay and softly whispered to it. Watching from the bottom of the stairwell, Fortu felt confident that Liga Bur would be just as successful in handling this 'animal' as he'd been in all his previous attempts.

The Halfling himself seemed full of confidence, as he made the same slow, unthreatening gestures that had worked so well on the mama bear they'd encountered at the river crossing.

After about a minute or so, everything seemed to be going well. Liga Bur even managed a reassuring over-the-shoulder smile, when suddenly and without warning, the Beer charged!

Covering the twenty-foot distance between them in seconds, four viciously clawed forelimbs outstretched, it only managed to slash at the shocked Liga Burr once, before the agile Halfling managed to roll out from beneath it.

Fortu stared at the towering, six-limbed rearing creature ahead of him. Suddenly not 'ridiculous' anymore but instead terrifying! Up close, he could see its insect-like compound eyes and, as it roared, it revealed row-upon-row of bizarre yellow, needle-like barbed teeth!

Still the burley gladiator knew his role; he had trained his entire life for it. Stepping down off the last step, he closed the short distance between the beast and himself, his heavy bastard-sword, gripped two-handedly, already sweeping upwards. Before his massive blade connected though, two arrows flew past him and struck the creature in its oversized head. One creasing across its brow but the other imbedding itself deeply into the Beer's skull.

Still, bafflingly, despite what would normally be a mortal wound, it didn't fall. Undeterred, Fortu continued his swing, his mighty blade biting deeply through thick fur and chitinous torso. Again though, the seemingly mindless Beer ignored what should have been a killing stroke and continued to press forward.

Despite his proven bravery. Despite his extensive training. Despite his well forged weapons and armour, the gigantic Beer slashed and ripped at Fortu's flesh. Blood gushing from the multiple wounds, the Nine-foot tall Beer pulled the tiny-by-comparison Fortu into its crushing embrace.

Arms pinned and with the air forced from his lungs, Fortu snarled up at the creature. If he was to die, at least he would show his defiance to the beast and all the cruel gods looking down upon him.

Then, just as he began to feel his armour buckle and his ribs begin to crack, another arrow struck the creature in the head. This shaft though, pierced one of its revolting buggy eyes and hit whatever passed for a brain inside its hollow skull.

The creature's jaw immediately slackened and it tottered and fell backwards. It's four-armed grip on Fortu pulling the gladiator down with it before releasing  him on impact with the stony ground.

With a juddering gasping breath, Fortu looked back through the doorway to see the well-dressed Elven archer; Arowe grinning at him.

"You didn't think I'd let my favorite 'meat-shield' die down here did you?"

Wild Woods Experience

After calculating the experience from the last three combat encounters, I noticed that my level of concern was inverse to the experience gained. The most 'rewarding' encounter was the forest clearing one with Tsigane and the Centaurs, followed by the Three-Quarterling magical pool one and lastly and leastly, the Poison Beer cell encounter.

Still, as you already knew, you all gained enough experience to climb another level.

Arowe: 11,287xp (5th level!)

Fortu: 11,172xp (5th level!)

Liga Bur: 11,100xp (5th level!)

Rifkin: 8,264xp (4th level!)

(Edited to include Post and Comment bonuses)

Treasure Beyond Beer

Spread out before you is everything you've found in the cell behind the Poison Beer, the select items from the pulpy remains of the Three-Quarterling's body and a few interesting items found during your search of the 'Halfling hole'. It was surprising how little interest Sir Briefadel had shown after his tantrum.

Magic

Full Plate Mail Armour +1

Boots of Elvenkind

Cloak of Elvenkind

Large Metal Shield +1

Rapier +1 (Glowing)

Small Quiver containing 20 x Small Arrows +1 (Flaming)

2 x Pots of Oil of Keen Edge

Hat of Disguise

Small Silver Dagger +3

Ring of Protection +2

8 x Quaal's Feather tokens: Bird

Map

From the 'Pool of Impossible Copulation' to a large but blackened looking tree.

Treasure

Platinum: 14pp (+ 8pp (2pp each) from Sir Briefadel as final payment)

Gold: 239gp

Silver: 932sp

Copper: 165cp

Gems: 7 (with a value of approximately 100gp each)

Supplies

The Party has also been given three horses with saddlebags by Sir Briefadel containing enough dry supplies for three days and the Cave/Home has a plentiful supply of good fresh food and water plus a reasonable supply of dried foodstuffs. 

Rifkin sits at the desk and gladly divides up the coins and gems under Fortu's suspicious gaze...

Arowe: 6pp / 68gp / 266sp / 47cp / 2 gems (worth 200gp)

Fortu: 6pp / 68gp / 266sp / 47cp / 2 gems (worth 200gp)

Liga Bur: 6pp / 68gp / 266sp / 47cp / 2 gems (worth 200gp)

Rifkin: 4pp / 34gp / 133sp / 24cp / 1 gem (worth 100gp)

Looking up, Rifkin smiles. 

"That divided up easily with full shares for you guys and a half-share for me. Only these two coins were undividable." 

Rifkin holds aloft two coins pinched between forefingers and thumbs. A single gold coin in his right hand and a single silver coin in his left.

His smile and eyes unwavering, Rifkin gestures to the substantial pile of magical items. 

"Who's going to divide this lot out?" 

Will Power Through

Heaving on the reins to prevent his war-dog mount from approaching the magical pool, Liga Bur glances around. With the freakish owl-horse and tiny scorpion-man defeated, the battle is effectively won. Even the three-quarter scale guardian has fled to the temporary safety of the pool itself.

His team-mates though aren't in the best position to exploit the victory. His elven companion, Arowe, trapped under Fortu's gladiatorial net. Rifkin the bard, still hiding at the opening and his own 'loyal' dog: Mir Hundur, desperate to get to the calling pool.

Only Sir Briefadel, Fortu and he himself managed to resist the magical siren call of the mystical pool. As a Halfling brought up amongst orcs, he'd always considered is will equal to any but when he'd first felt the urging tug of the magical waters, he'd sensed a sort of armour around his mind and soul.

With a flash of insight, Liga Bur releases one hand from the reins and feels for his recently acquired pendant from the centaur camp. As soon as he has it in his grasp, he knows he's right.

Egrow and Rifkin assumed it to be a sort of protective charm but it's so much more than that!

Liga Bur has a Periapt of Wisdom +4!

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