Balasar Entry 1
[Thoughts] 21 March, 103 CY
I like these people that now travel with me. They are good people. They fight hard and have good friends. Their connection to, and rescue of, Douven just proves their decency all the more. I should like to travel with them for some time more, learn what I can and help them with whatever adventures arise.
[arrive in Winterhaven]
These people really seem to like ol’ Douven. I knew the man could sell a wagon to a man with no horses, but this goes a bit beyond professional courtesy. Hey, if it gets us better service at the tavern then I say take advantage. Douven needs to be headin’ back home soon anyway, so it’s not like I’ll get used to the treatment. I wouldn’t want to start gettin’ soft.
[shopping]
It would appear as though a little strength were an open invitation to serve as pack mule. They have me doing all the heavy lifting and what do I get, an even share? It’s the lot in life for us. We stand in the front when the spears fly, in the back when the retreat sounds. Our blood spills first and last upon the battlefield, and we do not complain. But start piling crates and barrels on our backs if you like to watch a fuse burn.
I know, the role of every good adventurer is to do what needs doing in order to survive the situation. But this is a matter of convenience only. I don’t go around asking other people to haggle for my rooms or think up solutions for my troubles. Why should the strong among us be relegated to manual labor while the charming and learned covet their talents?
Ah, it’ll all even out in the end. At least I don’t have to pay attention to this blathering pair. I’ve been holding this mirror for long enough. Either the guy wants it or he doesn’t. Great, sold the mirror, that’ll buy dinner. Oh, so I see young Syler has a merchant’s tongue as well. Hopefully he’ll choose to use it for our advantage, such as it may provide.
Bairwin’s a nice fellow. I think we should do business with him again in the future. He doesn’t like to haggle much, and I can appreciate that sentiment. It gets tiring always having to banter, even if it is for profit.
[evening]
Them kobolds need to be stopped. They have been tormenting the roads for too long, and their strength seems to be increasing. More kobolds, more intense encounters, there’s something behind those things. A leader, Irontooth, maybe we should just kill him. If they don’t have a leader how can they be much of a threat? It looks like we’ll be doing something about all this tomorrow.
[morning] 22 March, 103 CY
Off we go, into the wild to hunt kobolds. With any luck we’ll be eating fresh meat and gulping stale beer before the blood even dries on our boots. Oh..gotta be quiet now. The lighter folk see something ahead. There they go.
Okay, there’s not too many of them and they’ve got a wall of water behind. We should be able to press them into a bad place. Ah, Morthos has some good ideas. We should go with his plan. Mine isn’t coming out right. Why do I see combat so well and explain it so poorly.
[combat begins] There they go, okay, follow Morthos. There’s one of the little beasites. Okay, focus, dodge…THERE!!...good, good, he’s bleeding…OW, that was close…and..GOTCHA!!
Move Morthos, move move move…damn. Okay, yes, that sounds good. Tolis-Va and Syler must be holding their own. I don’t hear as many kobolds over there.
Press press press….push them into a corner..good…..good….DAMN!! That little bugger, why didn’t anyone stop him. They’ll be prepared now. Come on Irontooth, let’s see what you’ve got. Oooh, here we go.
Oh. That’s more than I expected. We may be outnumbered in here. Maybe we should head back out the waterfall. [combat continues] Too late now. We have to take out the leaders. They can’t fight without their leaders.
Morthos, where’s Morthos? Ah, there you are.. Syler..down already. That isn’t good. Irontooth I presume…ooh, close..ouch!!..ah, an opening….good, good…..WE GOT HIM!!! HE’S DEAD!!! Etholin? Tolis-Va? My allies..where are they? Oh, this isn’t good at all. Get back you vile snapping beasts. Oh I think there’s too many of them. MORTHOS!! No! Why did you have to…
[fade to black]