| |
Rather than divide into two rooms at the Aviary Inn as planned, the adventuring party crowded into one room, with one person remaining awake in rotation. Neither the elf, nor the gnome slept well, even though he seemed comfortable sleeping beneath the elf’s cot. Although the elf didn’t sleep, her trance or meditation or whatever elves she did, seemed disturbed. In contrast the half-goblin and big warrior snored away. The druid was up early for the final watch. Using the gnome’s enchanted candle, he spent part of the time writing in his small leather-bound book.
Snix found that when the elf’s familiar was close, the druid’s enchanted crystal did not identify a second magical creature. Fortunately, the blue jay remained close and sound asleep on the windowsill of their room at the Aviary Inn.
During the night Snix hadn’t spent much time looking in the window from the top. Listening sufficed. Communication with his master told the homunculus that, if he detected an impending attack or plan to steal the rubies, to find a way to bring the danger to the adventurers’ attention.
He’d heard the adventuring party’s plan, formed after the gnome and elf reported their encounter with the sentinel. The half-goblin thief had lost the trail of Dusty—or Skart, just as the druid lost track of the gnome and elf when they ducked into the storage building.
Snix wasn’t overly impressed with the party’s victory over the brigands along the road to Shorn Spearhead. Their plan to exchange payment for the Wand of Foe Detection sounded reasonable. The execution of that plan would tell the tale.
If they failed, Snix hoped they’d fight hard. It’d make his task of retrieving the wand from the victors much easier.
Even before the gates opened, the half-goblin thief snuck out by climbing down the palisade. His job was to find a place to hide and observe the exchange. And the blue jay familiar was already in the plum tree orchard.
“Explain to me again,” the elf asked, “why I left my bra on the wagon with Lilac?”
“Because,” the big warrior said, trailing behind the group in the pre-sunrise darkness, “your little pal thief said it might cause a distraction—give us an edge.”
“You were pretty quick to agree,” she replied. “Like all I’m good for is some sort of sex object.”
“Beautiful women clad in revealing attire is a motif of the Monsters, Maces and Magic game world.” The druid rested his spear’s shaft on his left shoulder as they walked. “I agree, it is a questionable underlying world structure. However, we must endeavor to leverage every advantage toward our survival.”
“I think it would be a bigger distraction if Kalgore the Courageous wore a Speedo.”
“I got the muscles to pull it off,” Kalgore said. “But being the party’s main combat machine requires a good armor class.”
The elf laughed ironically and hefted her chest. “Lucky I have the package to pull it off.”
The gnome snickered and shook his head.
The big warrior asked, “What’s so funny, gnome?”
“Nothing, Kalgore.” Despite saying that, the gnome worked hard to stifle his laughter.
“Yeah,” the elf said. “What’s so funny?”
The gnome adjusted the shield on his back and hustled to keep up with the druid’s pace. He said to the elf, “I’ll tell ya later.”
Balling his right fist, the warrior said, “Spill it now, gnome.”
The gnome became somber. “Really, it’s nothing.”
“Jax, I concur with Marigold and Kalgore.” The druid shifted his spear to his right shoulder while observing the road behind them. “Divulging a humorous thought or observation may alleviate accumulated stress. It may also eliminate potential penalties to Perception and Diplomacy rolls during the imminent transaction we have been hired to complete.”
“Okay,” the gnome said, his shoulders hunched while holding his hand over his mouth, suppressing another laugh. He took a deep breath. “I agree, Marigold showing off her super big asset package might be a distraction.”
“Ginormous package,” the elf interjected.
The gnome nodded agreement. “Ginormous.” He took another deep breath. “But it’d be nothing compared to a Speedo-wearing warrior showcasing his super-tiny package.”