After three or four days of traveling towards the magnificent city of Nostr, my companions and I—Jinxia, a Halfling thief who befriended me and hid among my belongings, and Jaxxen, the Teifling warlock who joined us on the road and provided crucial assistance against orcs and a basilisk—encountered a few more fellow travelers. Among them was Ume, a half-elven druid with a mischievous side and a deep love for nature, and Ulysses, a halfling monk who appeared slightly confused but spoke eloquently. Ulysses had suffered a trauma that resulted in complete amnesia, with no recollection of his past. He was on a quest to uncover the truth about his origins.
Welcoming these friendly individuals into our group, we decided to set up camp that night in an open area away from the main road. Late in the evening, our slumber was abruptly interrupted by blood-curdling screams. Unsure of what to do, we agreed to investigate, leaving Jaxxen and Ume behind with our mounts while myself, the only one on this scouting excursion with darkvision, accompanied the two halflings—Jinxia and Ulysses. Ulysses insisted that we couldn't leave someone in danger, so I felt compelled to join them. Navigating through the forest for nearly an hour, we heard strange noises and extinguished our lantern to remain stealthy. Cobwebs clung to the trees, and we stumbled upon a clearing where several bodies were bound in silken webs. Before we could retreat and inform our companions, giant repugnant spiders descended from the trees, attacking both Ulysses and me. One of them sank its fangs deep into my back, injecting its venom into my veins. As darkness encroached upon my senses, I faintly recall Jinxia climbing onto me while I weakly fought back, succumbing to the impending darkness in my mind. The last thing I heard was a piercing whistle.
The subsequent events I can only piece together from the accounts of my companions, as without them, I surely would have perished. Jinxia and Ulysses fought bravely, and our other companions came to our aid. They discovered another man who was severely poisoned but not yet incapacitated—a skilled fighter. In a courageous battle that involved summoning a bonfire, Jaxxen and Ume managed to carry me and the other poisoned man back to our camp, while the rest of the party fled for their lives.
Later that night, we hastily strapped ourselves and the wounded onto the mounts, urgently making our escape as the forest swarmed with thousands of wretched spiders hungry for our flesh. As dawn broke, the spiders remained in the forest, unwilling to venture onto the road. Before this desperate retreat, Ume had searched for an herbal treebark to counteract the poison's effects, administering it to both of us who had been venomized. The antidote took effect slowly, and we remained unconscious for most of the following day. Even upon awakening, we were groggy, weak, and barely able to hold a conversation.
While I remained trapped in my poisoned state, I experienced vivid dreams. These were not pleasant visions of family and friends but rather nightmarish scenes that played out my deepest fears. I witnessed the deaths of loved ones, the collapse of civilizations, and the onslaught of monstrous beasts ravaging the world. Although it lasted only a day, it felt as if I had lived through this nightmare for several lifetimes. The weight of these visions burdens me, and I desperately hope they were nothing more than feverish nightmares and not prophetic omens.
Exhausted, our party settled into a makeshift camp in a grassy area on the opposite side of the road, a day's ride away from the spider-infested forest. Ulysses was so fatigued that he immediately succumbed to sleep in the lush grass. Jinxia had acquired several mysterious vials, one of an orange color whose origin remained unknown, and another crafted from steel, obtained from a treacherous dungeon we had narrowly escaped prior. Unfortunately, she and the rest of our group were unable to determine the properties of these vials, much to her disappointment, as she had hoped to find something that could aid me in my poisoned and weakened state.
Before long, a wagon approached along the road, and uncertain of how to proceed, our group debated whether to let it pass or engage with its occupants. Summoning the last of my strength, I weakly rose to my feet and addressed my companions, "If I am to die this day, tell tales of me." With those words, I stumbled toward the road to hail the approaching wagon. The two halflings, Jinxia and Ulysses, accompanied me, and Ume and Jaxxen followed at a cautious distance to observe.
The wagon was driven by an elderly man named Otto, who initially seemed amiable. Engaging in a lengthy conversation, I recounted our recent encounter and inquired if he could offer any assistance. He claimed to be a merchant but remained evasive about his trade, seemingly eager to resume his journey. However, there was an air of mystery surrounding him—an aura of wisdom and experience. I endeavored to persuade him to allow the wounded among us to ride in his wagon, providing us with safe passage to Nostr. He insisted that his wagon was already heavily loaded and he couldn't accommodate us. Then, he caught Jinxia, who had silently slipped into the wagon to investigate, and sternly asked her to exit. Unexpectedly, Ulysses made a very surprising and well-spoken attempt to aid in the persuasion by reciting a well-crafted poem he wrote to Otto, which pleased all who heard.
At this point, a band of heavily armored soldiers, consisting of six individuals in formation, appeared up the road from the direction the group was traveling. Otto meditated for a moment, clearly tapping into something magical, and foresaw that these were hostile men, prompting him to leave. Seeing the soldiers break formation and begin charging with pikes, Jaxxen fired a single crossbow bolt at one, but its armor easily deflected it. "We may have a problem," Jaxxen calmly remarked.
In a hasty move, Ume hopped into the wagon, shoving Otto aside and grabbing the reins. He yelled for everyone to get in, and chaos ensued. Jaxxen remained on Dusty, the rescued horse, while Seraphina, my trusted mule, was tethered to the back of the wagon. We all hurriedly boarded the wagon as Ume urged the horses forward, charging towards the approaching soldiers. Exhausted from my attempts to persuade Otto, I slumped into the back of the wagon and only remember fragments of the ensuing encounter. I lent my sword to the fighter who was in a similar state as me. Roots sprung up, entangling the foes, while fires erupted and oil bombs were thrown. In the midst of it all, I blacked out.
When I regained consciousness, we were still traveling at a rapid pace with the soldiers in hot pursuit. They moved exceptionally fast for heavily armored creatures, and some of them bore signs of being scorched. To our surprise, Jinxia emptied a bag of ball bearings behind the wagon, causing several soldiers to fall flat on their faces and lose pace with the remaining four. Just as it seemed like our escape was in jeopardy, Otto closed a book he had been thumbing through, crawled to the back of the wagon, and unleashed several magical bolts at the pursuing soldiers. Some of them were knocked to the ground, causing the others to stop and aid their fallen comrades. We watched as they grew smaller in the distance, and eventually, we outpaced them until our exhausted horses could go no further.
Realizing that Otto was a wizard, we took a short rest and conversed with him. He was able to identify the orange vial as a potion of strength but had never seen anything like the steel vial before. Otto also informed us that if we continued a bit past sunset, we would reach a roadside inn near the main road to Nostr called The Happy Fairy Inn. He assured us that we would find rest, shelter, and potentially assistance with my poisoned state. We pressed on, with Otto humorously exclaiming, "I need to take a huge shit!"
Several hours past dark, we arrived at the inn, just as Otto had predicted. The main road was bustling with many travelers, indicating its popularity and convenience. We paid a hefty price at the livery for stalls and feed for our mounts, not minding the expense due to the inn's favorable location. Making our way to the inn and tavern, Jaxxen and Ume appeared hesitant and scouted the place before entering. However, weakened and longing for the comfort of a tavern, I flung open the door and was greeted by the delightful aroma of various foods amidst the lively bar atmosphere. A tired minstrel struggled to play a lute on the corner stage, but a smile crept across my face. With my collection of flasks in hand, I plopped down at the bar and enthusiastically hailed the bartender.
The bartender, a kind man, patiently explained the menu options, and I ordered a plate of spicy potatoes with roast chicken, asked for a round of drinks for all of my companions, and to fill my flasks as well. I paid him well, and he seemed quite happy to rush my order. I also inquired about where I could find healing or assistance with my poisoned state. He indicated that a man in the corner may be of that persuasion. Thanking the bartender, I made my way to the table of dark-robed figures and politely introduced myself.
After quickly relaying my story, one grizzled, dangerous-looking man begrudgingly agreed to help if I had coin. We engaged in some back and forth negotiation, and eventually, I managed to barter the potion of strength and a promise of evening entertainment in exchange for two vials from the man. Satisfied with the arrangement, I made my way over to our new fighter companion, handed him one vial, saying, "Drinks are on me, friend," and tossed back my vial. Watching me, he did the same.
Warmth and energy coursed through my body, and I felt reborn. A weight was lifted from my body and soul, and I was totally healed. Hastily finishing my dinner, I approached the tired minstrel in the corner. I offered to relieve him if he was willing, and he happily took his lute, heading off for a well-deserved rest.
With my trusty flute in hand, I positioned myself on the stage of the tavern, capturing the room's attention. Tossing my cap on the table in front of me, I grandly introduced myself and began regaling the crowd with songs and tales of our journey here. I punctuated the stories with magical sparks and shadows dancing on the wall, occasionally mentioning that a bit of coin would not go unappreciated. The audience was enthralled, and throughout the night, coins found their way into my cap. Even the innkeeper gave me a gold piece, which I later exchanged for lodging.
The bar scene grew livelier, and Jinxia and Jaxxen even made a new dwarven friend, managing to avoid a scuffle with the dark-robed potion man and a large armored man with an axe. The crowd seemed captivated by my tales of surviving the gaze of the basilisk, the encounters with orcs and spiders, and the thrilling chase from the soldiers. It was a wonderful evening, and I truly felt I had found myself once more.
As the night wore on, Jinxia came over to hug me before retiring for the night. It was a tender moment, and I could sense her relief in seeing me being myself once more. What a kind little soul she was, certainly not fitting the mold of the thieves and bandits I had initially suspected.
Filled with hope for the adventures that lay ahead, I retired to my room, settling into the cozy surroundings. Just as I was about to drift off to sleep, I heard a small knock on the door. Jinxia entered, her eyes alert, and she quickly but meticulously scouted the room to ensure my safety. She even took the time to search my belongings for traps or nefarious items. Satisfied that all was secure, she bid me goodnight and retired to her room. I was grateful for her watchful eye and the genuine concern she showed.
As I finally settled into bed, I couldn't help but reflect on the journey we had undertaken so far. The battles, the friendships forged, and the mysteries yet to be unraveled filled my thoughts. Tomorrow, we would continue our quest to the fabled city of Nostr, and I knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, I would face them with renewed confidence and a harmonious melody in my heart.
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